open Casual stroll

[Denim&Venöm 16,819]

@@Blitz Boom,

 

"Unless there's some outside act of magic, yes I am always under control of my form. I'm sorry to hear that you cannot. It is very rare to meet a changeling that cannot fully control their form. Although your issue might be that you're not entirely a changeling."  

[Moonlit 593]

@@Blitz Boom,  Serenade nods, "My Dad is the Best Dad....he's got the coffee mug to prove it" She smirks, before finishing off her tea. "Even thou I'm not their biological daughter, they are my parents. Under the cover of his job at the University, they would take me out to Horseshoe Bay, and" a smile spreads across her face, "They taught me how to hunt, they adapted to caring for a carnivore." Serenade stands up and heads over to the kitchen, "Dad was the one who figured out I was a Siren, and....gave me the lecture."​ She scowls for a second, then smiles, and she heads over to a cabinet on the far wall, "One of the things he loves is Opera, which kinda helps when your raising a siren." 

 

Serenade pulls out a gramophone, winds it up and selects a record, "He...he taught me how to sing with this". She drops the needle, and the 

sounds of an opera begin. Serenade waltz's around, mouthing the words in time, and acting like she's the main actor in the opera. 

[EQ_Theta 431]

@@Blitz Boom

 

Lin inserted her leg through the gate and focused on the sensations rushing through her. 

"It's tingly, that's for sure." Lin moved her leg little by little, swaying it left and right. So far, it was stable; apart from the sensation of prickly pins on her, it didn't seem likely that any part of her body was going to unravel. "Nothing out of the ordinary here."

[Rapid Wind 47]

@Blitz Boom

 

 Rapid Wind noticed Stargazer re-join the line and decided to have another coffee himself. Rapid even felt he kinda needed it. It had made him feel glum when he saw Stargazer shed a tear for his daughter. Rapid Wind didn't have any siblings and only a Dad who now lived and worked far away in Fillydelphia. Rapid just thought another coffee would cheer him up from his glumness.

Edited June 14, 2016 by Rapid Wind

[Summer Breeze 2,522]

@@Frosty Frost, @@Blitz Boom,

 

Summer was happy to hear that she didn't ruin Laryels life but she still wasn't sure if what she had said was really true.

 

'You are lonely, aren't you?' Summer then suddenly said to laryel. She didn't know where that idea suddenly came from but it was there. 'You know what we should do? We should find a way to make the Rainbow water not rainbowy again so creatures can live here again so you won't be lonely anymore!' She then suggested.

 

'Maybe we can ask some smart ponies to find a way to do that, some ponies are really smart you know. I know I'm not a good example but frosty is.' she said because she had been listening to frosty talk to nerzhei about some kind of magical smart thingy. 'I'm sure a lot of ponies would love to come here and we could warn them not to drink the water so they won't turn into a plant. and then they can fix the water and this valey will be the most super amazing valey of all equestria, if we even are in equestria here, but I think we are.' then she realised she didn't make much sense 'I mean, if you know what I mean.' she added but that didn't really make sense either and she got a confused look on her face. this was the expression she Always got when she confused herself, which happened surprisingly often.

 

(OOC sorry for not replying in such a long time)

Edited June 14, 2016 by Summer Breeze

[Blitz Boom 4,471]

@@Rapid Wind,

 

It wouldn't take all that time before they'd be able to get their cups filled up again fromt he vendor that had gone from calling Rapid Sparky to instead trying to go with Sunshine, still wanting to go with a friendly nickname he could use for when he came around like he did for everypony else. For example, Stargazer he called Sensei because of the beard, and the Night Guard didn't seem to mind that.

 

When they'd get back to their seats, Stargazer took a gulp of the fresh coffee and halfway turned towards Rapid slung out a question that might be a bit strange for the pegasi.

 

"You got any foals yourself, Rapid? Perhaps a wife?"

 

_________________________________________________________________________________________

 

 

@@EQ_Theta,

 

"How peculiar. My children tells me they too feel a strange tingling when they pass through their first gate after finding a master, so with that in mind... It seems as if you are better off than I first thought. Some memory loss that have likely been corrupted in some way, but you are still a fully ensouled being."

 

Mother gave off a warm, pearly laughter now that she saw how she had worried for little.

 

"A special situation to be sure, but to think I missed a soul, even hidden amongst energy? It would seem that it truly have been too long since I have last reaped alongside my siblings. when this goes past me."

 

She laughed a little more as she looked out of the gate and saw likely the most confused pegasi she'd ever face flying past the hole in the air with the strange beings in another world hiding behind it At least if you looked at his intensely baffled expression before Mother closed the gate again with a thought. Poor thing would need help after seeing this more than likely, though she had been nice and waved to the strange, winged equine, who had hesitantly waved back before the weirdest sight he'd ever lay his eyes upon vanished again.

 

"What a polite little creature.

 

In any case, this is good news for you Lin. As your soul is there, then this body can sustain you walking in it in your world until you get to the point where you can cleanse the foulness of the sacrificial magic from your being. There is a minor thing though you need to keep in mind when that time is.

 

See, the essence of this world needs magic to sustain the being in the long run. As I spend some of this to give you form, then this applies for you too, with the for now dormant magic that had been gnawing at you being that part. When that get cleansed though, you will need a new source of magic if you wish to keep this body, or hope that the essence of the peak of magic will find it in its heart to restore you to the form you took before all of this from your energy,

 

It isn't to say that you will be magical yourself unless its weaved in though. To pick my daughter as an example, her master took only the amount he needed to shape her to use, leaving her with no magic of her own unless she is fed more from a skilled source. You can be much the same, depending on what you wish for.

 

Either you can chose to be restored to your own form, and you will have to speak with the being about more magic if you so wish. Or, you can say you wish to reuse the parts of your body I have gifted you, and I can reach through at the moment it is needed to weave you properly together with the new magic to focus it to actual usage."

 

She leaned a bit forward on the bed, claws under her chin and looked at the Longma female with the warm smile plastered over her face.

 

"I never had an adopted one join my children before, but if you take part of this place with you in the end, you will somewhat be part of us, with a few perks as it comes. Much like Omen, you could be able to open gates and traverse like her, though I will end it with that and perhaps a little longlivety to finish with, depending on the magic you can haggle yourself to gain. Remember though, that you will be darker in your colours. This is a shadow realm after all.

 

Ah, this is most exciting. Can you tell me, what do you aim for Lin, daughter of an equine world?"

 

__________________________________________________________________________________

 

 

@@Moonlit,

 

(starts right before the opera)

 

"Sounds like a really fantastic dad. Not many that can adapt to taking care of another being like they were their own blood, and especially not ones that require so many different things than the regular kind would. I mean heck, most ponies haves enough issues with raising bat ponies, and then your dad comes around and ups that by like... A gazillion times more. Ooooh, i can't Wait to meet him."

 

Then the singing and dancing began, and Ziggy followed the movements and mimicking of Serenade with joyful eyes, looking like this was the best thing ever and eventually starting to clap. She clapped at a low volume though to make sure that she didn't accidentally overshadow the great performance in any sort of way, cause really, this was too golden to interrupt in any sort of way. Seriously, Serenade looked so happy playing the part of the great opera singer, who would be heartless enough to interrupt that?

 

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________

 

 

@@Denim&Venom,

 

"Then w-what am I?"

 

She seemed to have gotten slightly less stuttering as she talked again after Allure telling her she wasn't really a changeling. Not a full one anyway from the sound of it, but in her mind it just translated to being told again that she was a freak and not part of anything. Just a monster that looked a little like two different ones, without being either in the end. A useless slab that couldn't even do a simple transformation like the rest of these perfectly made changelings...

 

Tears started to make their way to her eyes, but she managed to keep the worst just before she'd break down and start crying. You could see it though in the big,pale eyes before she had a chance to wipe it away. At the same time as she did that, the small distraction from all the bad things around her, and how she were more focused on the depressing feelings of being more of an outcast than she thought instead of just fear and curiosity, made the flame pass over her again and return her to her base shape in all it's, uhm... Glory. Depended on the viewer really.

 

Still, this easier view of her base might reveal some details to Allure, depending on if she had ever sat down and observed the graduate development of a converted pony to changeling in a cocoon before. If she had, Brittle would start to look much more normal in a sense than she might think, just stopped before she had been properly hatched. Something which should likely have killed her, but was more of a miracle than the result of any outside magic or alchemy.

 

Might also mean that the changeling wasn't so much incapable of controlling her transformations as would appear. Could just be she hadn't developed the instinctual knowledge on how to do so, and had been stolen before anypony had a chance. Though, that would still be pure speculation at best, if she even thought about that. Might very well be that the queen had other things on her mind.

 

_____________________________________________________________________________________

 

 

@@Summer Breeze,

@@Frosty Frost,

 

A laughter from the small dragon were heard behind the pony and dryad.

 

"Ponies? Here? You're joking, right?

 

This is Dragon country, not the cutesy state of Equestria or other of your happy places. We have our own things, and we don't want beings like Ponies to snoop around here under guise of trying to fix what doesn't need fixing. Not that you even could, the energy have seeped way to far into the place by now, and we're not gonna let you nuke one of our greatest sources in a long area for wood just because it might be more kind for the few stragglers who get lost in there sometimes and you get all whiny because you can't fix it.

 

Besides, if one of the regular dryads caught anyone here, they'd make an example out of every last one of you they run into. They're more territorial and mad than Chimeras, and far stronger than them. You wouldn't stand a chance."

 

You could hear Qert's meaning of ponies were the general, stereotypical one that were seen as most dragons having. Resentful, not wanting them around, and especially not wanting them deep in their country. Only the highest ranking rulers of a given country could with some luck get in if it was a dire situation, trade negotiations, or something else that might require the attention of the dragon lord herself.

 

Yet, no dragon lord would ever live that'd let just any pony wander everywhere in their habitat. They'd be in danger of being dethroned in a mass rebellion from those who preferred their countries to be mostly separated, and he couldn't imagine that the new one would risk that, even if she was a young and potentially strange-thinking one of their kind... At least he hoped so.

 

Lyriel, whilst not liking the tone the Atazi had said things in and had frowned slightly as a result, let out a small sigh of defeat and eased her features again before setting her gaze upon Summer.

 

"You have good intentions, and that I appreciate my little new friend. Alas, the Atazi is right in the others of my kin at least being much of a problem. The other things I cannot say anything about, as I have never left this place, but them I can assure would create a large problem, especially as the coloured waters are essential to them as they worship it as a sign of gods higher than the earth mother herself. The damage is simply too much to be reverted anymore, even if it could, and as the Atazi harvest the fast growing trees in the valley often I think they would not wish for it to go either.

 

I admit that it does sadden me, as much like you said, I am somewhat lonely, and the isolation gnaws at my roots. Still, I can see what have happened and know it is unlikely to change, though I thank you kindly for your worry on my behalf. I pray that if the day comes when I can see what lies beyond the valley, I will meet more like you, and the loneliness I now face will be but a distant memory.

 

Truth be told... I want it to be long away, so I won't have to be faced with knowing at any point, a former sibling of mine is doing something despicable nearby. I keep fearing they will find me during one of those things and drag me back with them."

 

Meanwhile, behind them, Blitz - that had been stopped from checking on a few things by some flora that she were pretty sure were controlled by Lyriel - pouted when she heard what Qert had said and had found a small rock that, after she had placed it right and looked up into the trees to make sure that she could find the small dragon, she kicked up towards him. She weren't sure if she hit, though by the small "Ow!" sound followed by "Why you little-" that she heard, chances were good that she had been lucky there. At which point she stuck her tongue out towards where she were sure he were.

 

Qert would havejumped her for this transgression if it wasn't because (a) he could start to see the signs of them being near the edge of the flora, which meant closer to their camp, and ( he could see Nerzhei clutching her fist hard when he even thought about it, sending a clear signal about who she were going to go after if he tried anything.

 

To think that a dragon protected a pony... How low could some dragons sink?

[Moonlit 593]

@@Blitz Boom,once the opera is finished, Serenade does a stage bow and then giggles. "I asked them both, when I was old enough, why me?" Serenade walks over to her rock, "and they told me the truth. After mom's accident....she couldn't have foals." Serenade takes a deep breath, "I love my dad, he's great but....Mom, is the best mom ever. She sacrificed alot to raise me, I know that now. I've seen how the average Pony reacts to Carnivore's nearby, imagine trying to raise one." Serenade shakes her head, "It will be nice to see them again. I hope the meeting with Princess Sparkle goes well." 

[Holiday Agnaktor 1,435]

@Blitz Boom

@Summer Breeze

 

Frosty nodded happily along with Nerzhei, as she mentioned different mechanisms for the spyglass.

 

"Yeah, yeah, having several flaps controlled by a slider would work. I'm no expert on mechanical thingies, but I think that would work."

 

Frosty felt really happy. He could finally talk to someone about complicated magic things again! Pretty much anyone he had tried to talk to about weird magic inventions either couldn't follow his thoughts at all, or simply didn't care. Nerzhei, on the other hand, seemed really interested.

 

"Huh, if you put it that way, it doesn't sound so bad. It's like...fire? Really spooky, but if handled correctly, really useful? Yeah, probably.

 

Well, if some can be used for storing magic, then I want them, and I want them now. Those things would have so many uses! I could probably practice channeling energy from those things, and eventually cast spells that cost way more magic than I have! This is going to be great! Also, if you want research, just give me one of those gems, and I'll play around with it for fu- science. Yeah, science."

 

Frosty frowned as he heard the prices for the gems.

 

"I have a problem here, Nerzhei. When I got brought here, I didn't bring all my money. But I really need a few of those good gems. But I have no money. But I need them. Really badly. Like jump from a room badly.

So I guess I'm trying to say... Can I borrow some money from you, and with some money I mean around 600 bits? I need to buy some gems."

 

He didn't think that Nerzhei would actually buy the gems for him, but eh, he could always try.

And if he couldn't lend anything from her, than he would just have to work for her, help her out with something magical, or do whatever it takes to get his hands on those gems.

 

"So we're just getting an escort out? That doesn't sound too bad. I thought we were going to be deep fried, or something. No offense, but I haven't really read about dragons in any other way than "big flying lizard-thing that spews fire everywhere". You guys seem pretty nice to me, though.

 

I don't know what dryads are usually like, but Lyriel here has been nothing but nice and polite to us. If the other dragons see that, they should make an exception...?"

[Denim&Venöm 16,819]

@@Blitz Boom,

 

Allure felt the emotion from her. Sadness & despair. How she was on the brink of tears. "From what I can tell, you're one of the few examples of conversion. A pony having been turned into a changeling.  And for you, it looks like you were brought out just before the process was finished and you were allowed to hatch. Fortune has smiled upon you then. Usually, a premature hatch would result in death. But you did what many could not. You had the strength to survive."  She gave Brittle a smile as she said that. 

[Rapid Wind 47]

@Blitz Boom

 

 "I don't even have a marefriend," Rapid Wind admitted nervously.

 

 "I get a tiny bit freaked out whenever Hearts and Hooves Day comes around and you can laugh if you want, some colts and stallions did back in Fillydelphia. Used to say which colt or stallion could possibly be afraid or freak out when a date is on the cards," Rapid Wind said. Rapid Wind hoped Stargazer wouldn't laugh as it would hurt his feelings and remind him of the bullies.

[EQ_Theta 431]

@@Blitz Boom

 

"I won't lie, but having powers is tempting. Even if it is limited, I could make good use of it but there is something I must ask. Is there a catch to having powers like Omen's? Like having sufficient knowledge of some place I wished to go? Are there other side effects to the transformation?"

Sen still watched nearby, giving Lin a stare conveying disbelief and anger. Lin remained stunned but she knew she had to be careful. 

 

"I'm sorry for the questions but I'd like to be sure I know what I am going into. I don't want to move on with more regret than I already have."

[Blitz Boom 4,471]

@@Rapid Wind,

 

Stargazer didn't even lift his lips at the notion of laughing. Though, when he did speak, he sounded like he were slightly amused, though more because of what he were saying than of what he had heard, as frankly, laughing at somepony for being nervous around mares were low.

 

"Believe me, I know the bad side of that too. It took me two years to finally speak with Sugarbloom - Jelly's mother - because I was too nervous about what were going to happen, and I was horribly awkward around her and generally any mare who showed any interest, or whom I found cute. And when I finally did speak to her, it was only because I was drunk enough to make a sailor jealous.

 

It's kind of amusing to think back on now, and how freaked out I were the day after, before we had even been on a date, but right in the moment... It's not an easy one to deal with, when you're nervous around mares."

 

Memories started to go through his head of the time back then and he'd look like he were starring at something far, far away for a minute or so before he got around to moving, which were to take his cup up for another sip of the coffee. He seemed a little more there after that, though memory lane had taken a good chunk of his thoughts for a moment there.

 

__________________________________________________________________________________

 

 

@@Denim&Venom,

 

A weak edge of a smile showed briefly, along with a tinge of genuine happiness, before it passed away again and left Brittle still looking at the queen like she had done thus far.

 

Compliments were rare for her, especially before she found Briar again, and so the few times when something good were said, she felt... Well, happy. At least for a little bit. And short-lived as it were, what Allure had said were one of those times when she had felt good for a bit, even surrounded by all this horror and strange, likely dangerous creatures.

 

"T-Thank you... I t-think?"

 

Brittle chewed her lips a little, thinking on what to say. On one hoof, she could ask more about conversion, but on the other hoof it sounded like something she really didn't want to know more about. Making a pony into a changeling with some kind of... Egg? Sounded like it was something best left unanswered.

 

"What, uhm... W-What's it like... B-Being a normal c-changeling? Is it bad?"

 

___________________________________________________________________________________

 

 

@@Moonlit,

 

"Having a supportive family is very good for a young one. Siren or pony, doesn't matter, good role models in the formative years are Way important, and it sounds like both your dad and mum are awesome ponies that were just that, even if they had a lot things to handle."

 

It was a bit higher neutral, but even Ziggy knew that it was touchy ground to say too much when it came to stuff like this so she didn't sound condescending, or Celestia forbids, judgemental. Not that she had anything bad to say, but sometimes she put her big ol' hoof in her big ol' mouth a little too much before she realised it and she really had to be careful not to do that when it came to parents. Especially ones who had been through a lot like it sounded like Serenade's parents had.

 

Perhaps it was time to just wiggle along into the other thing she said too then. About meeting the Princess of Friendship herself at some point when Luna had given noise back.

 

"I'm sure the princess will be just fine. She's the Princess of Friendship after all. Wouldn't fit her to be all sorts of judgemental and stuff when faced with a good being like you with that title."

 

________________________________________________________________________________

 

 

@@Frosty Frost,

 

Nerzhei chuckled a little at the pony trying to desperately go through what channels he could here to get the bits for some crystals. Usually she'd just wave off a being like that, but she knew the look of a desperate researcher when she saw one, and no matter what he said he were or weren't, that look were currently plastered over his face.

 

"Nice try. Though, be nice when we get to the camp, and I might just show you were I harvest some and borrow you a breathing crystal so you can go earn one. It's much better to get them yourselves as it is."

 

Breathing crystal was the name she had thus far, though she had to find something better and she knew it. It was a good usage of one of these crystals, and she had done well in adapting it's potential  with some old designs she had stumbled over, but it sounded rather tame right now. Sure, she could just name it after herself, but she would rather save that for something more impressive. Something involving a primal gem if she could help it.

 

"And that view on dragons doesn't surprise me. Frankly, we aren't much better, as the general idea I got told is that you ponies are a bunch of delusional, noisy happy types, prancing into volcanoes and stuff because you're too blinded singing and dancing to notice."

 

Not a view that had been helped much when she met them and both the small one and Frosty here had fitted that perfectly. Just looking happy, being anoisy, and completely oblivious to anything bad happening around them like say... A pair of dragons hunting them down? Only the remaining one had been acting the way she thought tone should in that situation, and especially when it came to two races that generally didn't get along very well with eachother.

 

"Always wanted to find out what started this split, as I have this old tome... Well, it's hard to explain shortly, but there are depictions of dragons and ponies creating great wonders together, instead of now when we oppose one another for... Well, varying reasons, though mostly through something that eventually got ingrained into both sides and led to clouded views. Though, meeting jerk dragons and annoying ponies likely doesn't help the stereotypes either.

 

Hard to say exactly what happened, but I'm sure it have to be written somewhere. My best bet is a war, but there's a surprising lack of any information about that in anything I have been able to find thus far."

 

She'd be lying if she said she didn't have a clouded vision of ponies herself, especially as she had never met any prior to this and thus far had a rather mixed experience with the first encounter. Yet, she still wanted to know what happened back then, and had wanted to for years ever since she managed to drag the sealed tome up from the box she found it in whilst diving a few years prior. Unfortunately, informative as it were on some things, others were either never mentioned or the pages had been ruined too much from old age to be readable, even with the best of methods to restore the pages.

 

Sure, she had a lot to go through yet, but she were getting certain that this just showed things from before, and not how it had ended, though it just made her more curious as to why it had gone wrong to begin with. And frankly, also how she had found this box, with no sight of ruins anywhere near it, containing this. You'd think that these kind of things would be nearer any history of the past, and yet... Nothing.

 

Perhaps it was just something that had drifted with the tides over countless years, though she would have sworn that the way she found it, it would have had to be buried nearby, intentionally protected against some kind of calamity.

 

"At least I know what I'm dealing with when it comes to the dryads. Nutters who takes anyone they can find and drags them off for reasons I'd rather not want to find out, ever, and refuse any sort of communication we try to establish with them. Violent, vicious little things that makes the earth rise up to punish you.

 

That's another thing we're not entirely sure about why happened. When they first grew, there wasn't an issue, and then all of a sudden they start to go from... Well, like how Lyriel is now, and then towards what they became, all whilst growing bigger and more feral. We suspect they started to gorge on the water and the overflow have made them insane.

 

If that's the case, or not, they're gonna want to know things at the very least about what she knows about it before taking a stance on what to do with her. Though as I said, the council tends to be fair, so if she can talk her case and are open with information, she should be fine."

 

She gave a big, toothy, predatory grin towards the pony after that, trying to see if she could make some sort of joke to end this on.

 

"Might be they'll celebrate with a deep fried pony."

 

__________________________________________________________________________________

 

 

@@EQ_Theta,

 

"You will not be alike my daughter as much as you might think. Her master imbued her with part of his longevity, and most of what you see with her - such as not having to breathe, the tongue, or durability - is by his design. I find some of his choices distasteful, but I cannot control how my children turn out when they leave the nest. It is part of the cycle unfortunately.

 

But I digress. You ask what you will do like her, and what the backside of such is? Well, you will be able to create the gates you see her do, guided by thought, but you will need to train that a lot, and there are certain limitations there. For starters, you cannot open a gate from this side to another world than your own, and only to places you have been before, or near beings you have touched since becoming family. And believe me, you will not have an easy time doing such for a while. My children are taught for years to be fluent in it, and even if Omen guided you the best she could, it would be a slow process, though rewarding.

 

The tracking they feel you cannot access for... Personal reasons, and you will not be able to speak our tongue with any ease. Especially as you cannot connect to minds like they can. Though, I think that last one is likely a relief for you.

 

Your body will work as normal, and you can breed, though the essence of us will remain within any children you may conceive. Sometimes it skips a generation or seven, but I see children from long down the line at times here, seeking answers to some of the things they can do. Lovely visits really, especially for my other children who enjoys having new ones to play with.

 

Two things that you really need to keep in mind though, regardless of how your trade with the magical essence might proceed. Cons if you will.

 

For starters, you will need to watch out for strong users of the same school of magic that is imbued into you. If they blast you with sufficient amounts, your own might resonate and absorb some of it, resulting in mutations. Some which might be irreversible, and some which are just temporary.

 

The other one, is going to sound strange, but -"

 

Mother leans in a bit more and places a claw gently on Lin's head, poking down at her head.

 

"- you will not be able to sleep anymore.

 

Now, it might sound like a boon to you, but believe me, it takes a long time to get used to not being able to doze off to the dream lands and vanish from the world and your worries for a spell. Especially as at times, you will still become tired and needing to use less energy than you spend. It could be by wandering or just sitting still, contemplating things for a few hours, but it will not be sleep, and you will never be able to dream again. Not even if you are knocked out through strikes or outside influence. it will just be darkness until you get back to your senses.

 

Admitted, you will often just go through the days like normal, and have the energy for them, as you are still getting passively replenished, but in case the day have been tiring you will need to know that the way you handle that will be a severe change of life, one way or another.

 

That is basically what will happen. What could be of longevity, magic usage, or even the ability to draw breath under water, is not something I can control. All of that is up to the being that will provide you with the magic to make your form stable."

 

Her other claw went to her chin and she looked searchingly down on the female longma.

 

"Then again, I could add some gills when weaving things together... Might be an option."

[Summer Breeze 2,522]

@@Blitz Boom, @@Frosty Frost,

 

summer snorted when she finished listening to Quert. He really was annoying her and even though she tried to ignore them, she really couldn't stand him.

 

'I didn't ask You anything, undersized lizard.' She said, looking in his direction.

 

Then, Summer saw Blitz do something that really made her day a lot better. She kicked a stone to the annoying little dragon. 'Nice one, Blitz!' summer cheered to the filly 'But maybe the next one should be bigger.' She then suggested, saying it loud on perpous so Quert would hear it. She really hoped it would annoy him.

 

Then Summer turned her face back to Laryel again and nodded understanding. it really was a more difficult situation as it first had appeared but she was stil determined to do something about it.

 

'But then, why don't you leave the valley and come to equestria with us. Then you wouldn't be lonely anymore since there are a lot of other creatures there. You could live in the ever free forest, behind my house. nopony would think anything of it since there are plenty of weird creatures in the ever free. You would fit right in! Not that you are weird or anything, but, you know what I mean.

 

I would absolutely love it it you would come live with us and I'm sure lots of other ponies would love it too, they would want to know all about this valley and you could tell them and warn them not to come here since it's dangerous. That they shouldn't drink the colored water and should watch out for your kind.

 

come to think of it, why are you so kind and nice while the others are not? it doesn't make sense! If you can be nice then why can't they?'

 

Summer had been think talking, just spitting all out what came to her mind. But the conclusion was that she didn't know the answeres to any of the questions and she hoped laryel would answer them so she looked hopefull at her friend. She also tried to read her face to see what she thought of the idea to come and live in the ever free forest.

[Moonlit 593]

@@Blitz Boom, Serenade chuckles, "I know, I've heard the stories from the Castle, besides it's a predator thing Ziggy. Because she smells of The Three, who are bigger and meaner Siren's then I, my instincts are telling me to avoid her."  Serenade stretches out on the rook, "And by extension....if you meet another siren, they will be able to tell that...." she mumbles the last words under her breath, and looks away from Ziggy.  

[Rapid Wind 47]

@Blitz Boom

 

 "So, you know what it's like," Rapid Wind said, feeling that Stargazer was understanding his nervous feelings rather than laughing at them.

 

 "Just don't set me up on blind dates okay, a bully did that once to me and his marefriend didn't leave me alone for days as they tried to get me to kiss her, it ultimately only fell apart when they found a new victim," Rapid Wind continued and remembered the bully that had done that to him.

[Denim&Venöm 16,819]

@@Blitz Boom,

Allure let out a small whistle at the scope of the question. "Well, that's a pretty broad question. Even among our uniform ranks, life is still pretty different from changeling to changeling, and from hive to hive. I can only speak on behalf of myself and my hive, which is still a narrow look into what it's like. Do you still want to know?"  

[EQ_Theta 431]

@['member=Blitz Boom']

 

Not being able to sleep again? Perish the thought. Though the other features to gaining magic sounded good in her head, Lin's choice was finally sealed.

 

"I think I've made up my mind. Magic might not be such a good idea. The ancestors must have banished the magic from themselves for more reasons than just the negative aspects of it. Somehow, the thought of never sleeping again doesn't sound appealing; I enjoy sleeping too much for me to simply give it up, no offense. I'll stick with getting things back to normal, or as close to normal as things could get."

Edited June 16, 2016 by EQ_Theta

[cwhip9 1,078]

 

 

He turned to face the guards and Xander about this, but they were gone. Crescent on the other hoof, would have been able to see how the two guards had taken hold of Xander after the door closed, and seemed to vanish into thin air. For reasons unknown, they seem to have been left alone. Again.

Cresent blinked at where the door use to be then his suroundings (my apology's IRL blew up on me)

 

"well, this is not where I was expecting us to go next" he said scratching his mane.  

 

As dark as it was and being nocturnal himself one would think it would be easy for the batpony to see what else was around them, but cresent could only see darkness with bits of light no matter where he looked at.

 

"something tells me this isn't mothers dream hall" he said.

[Melke 160]

@@Seamore Sandwich,

@@Mentis Soliloquy, 

@@Blitz Boom,

@@Denim&Venom,

 

After a while, Syo's key staff started to glow in a golden light and then she somersaulted backwards, landing perfectly on her paws. She then lunged the tip of the staff outwards as if inserting it into a keyhole and gave it a small twist. From where the tip of the staff was, a brilliant golden spacial ripple started to radiate out and it grew to about three times the size of a pony before holding the size.

 

"And one way gate to Ponyville is now opened!" Syo declared as she withdrew her staff. "Oh, I should mention that standard portal placement procedure for unknown locations and whatnots requires me to place the exit in the sky, so as to prevent splicing and displacement. So... long story short, get ready to land once you step through the opening here."

 

Once Syo finished explaining, she suddenly fell to her knees while clutching her head. She got back up using her staff like a cane. "Heh... I guess I can't hold it open for that long." 

[Blitz Boom 4,471]

@@Summer Breeze,

 

Lyriel smiles at the stream of questions being sent her way. Where others, such as Qert, seemed to hate too many questions at once, the dryad had been alone for so long that every question was like a gift, and she cherished each and every one of them, even if she sometimes had to speak of things that hurt a bit. Such as she had now, when the question fell on her family. Or well, the shadows of them at least.

 

"My family was once kind and forgiving. We rose as a flock when the great bow fell, and for a long time we were gathered in our praise of the earth mother, thinking of the bow as a gift from her to make her children rise and not touching it, as doing so were considered sacrilege.

 

It were a prosperous time.."

 

A tear rolled down her cheek as she looked up into the open sky.

 

"Sacrilege tore us apart slowly. A fool thought the water would bring him strength to gain influence and went to gorge himself in our earthen mother's gift, followed by three who wished to stop him. They wanted to talk sense to him, but they were too late. He had drunk, and he had gained the power he sought, though the seed of madness was already sown.

 

He convinced my siblings to drink too, and together they returned to our town, carrying large bowls of the holy water, offering to us all the choice to drink, and take part in our birthright.

 

More and more started to take the offer, seeing how the others appeared well and had grown stronger, but I saw otherwise. My brother... The one who had grown the nearest to me, I saw were not the same. Something were missing in him. Nothing I could see at first, but it made me hide when the drink was offered, which I soon learned had been everything saving me, as even those who were offered but refused were tricked into taking part and be one with the group, and I know I would have given in as well eventually, had I been there to hear their words.

 

The week that followed I saw with my own eyes what madness had driven it's stake through their hearts. People who I once knew and loved turned cruel and mean, craving little other than freedom and holy water. They were addicted, but they barely realised it.

 

The last act I saw before I could not bare to gaze upon my tainted siblings and their descend anymore, was them denouncing the earth mother as a false god and praising the sky for birthing the power they now all craved, condemning her the madness that kept the weak amongst us away from the water. They called us out as heretics, and began to..."

 

She couldn't bare to say more and grew silent as more tears fell down her face and hit the ground, each droplet causing a flower to bloom with depressing blue hues.

 

Eventually she managed to stop herself enough to look back down on Summer, carrying in her eyes a sadness that shared the space with the koy that had come from thinking there to be lands outside here. Places with beings such as this, who reminded her of how things had once been a long time ago.

 

"Know this: My family is no more. Greed took them from me, and madness is all that is left now. To leave them and this place far behind would be a gift I would cherish like no other, and to guard over a new forest would be a dream I had scarcely thought possible. Could you perhaps tell me more of that forest you live in? Please?"

 

____________________________________________________________________________________

 

 

@@Moonlit,

 

Ziggy tries to perk her ears when Serenade starts speaking lowly, but no dice there. She thought she could hear something like *And hair retention, sift heat another shilling* but that didn't make any sense at all, so she were pretty sure that wasn't what she had heard. If it were, it'd make things really strange pretty fast at least.

 

"Sounds like a good survival thing, but kinda awkward for siren gatherings. Gotta be loads of shifting around uncomfortably, trying not to look at anypony stronger. Seems like a weird evolutionary trait, but eh, evolution can be a funny size sometimes."

 

To add further proof to the statement, she pointed towards Fah'lina who were currently eating the tea leaves from her cup, slowly gnawing through them like a lazy hamster.

 

_________________________________________________________________________________________

 

 

@@Rapid Wind,

 

This time Stargazer chuckled a little.

 

"A little after Sugarbloom found her special somepony and we began to separate properly, my friends at the guard thought it was about time I got into the dating scene too. So they arranged a party they conned me into attending by saying it were a poker game, then showing me towards several different mares they thought might be interested in me. That was without doubt the most awkward night I have had in the last decade, though I can't say I got stalked at least.

 

I still get some snickering from some of the mares now and again whenever they see me though since I hadn't... Well, I hadn't been completely sober at that point in the party, and apparently I stuffed my hoof in my mouth quite a lot when trying to get their attention anywhere else as I wasn't looking for another mare right then.

 

Truth be told, I don't know if I'm even looking now. I wish I could find a good mare somewhere, but after how it went with Sugarbloom... I tend to worry."

 

_________________________________________________________________________________________

 

 

@@Denim&Venom,

 

"Y-Yes please... I want t-to know what it's... What it's like in a h-hive and stuff."

 

Whatever Allure had said already were the closest she had ever gotten to knowing anything beyond a few basics that Briar had told her about her heritage, and she were curious about what it were like, and how it could have been like for her perhaps if the egg had hatched instead of being broken and her taken. It were a little scary, since she might find out something really bad, but... It was part of her, and she wanted to know. Chances were that she'd never get to know who she once were as a pony, so all she had left was to find out about who, and what she were now. And getting some information on how the other changelings worked was part of that.

 

___________________________________________________________________________________

 

 

@@EQ_Theta,

 

"A pity, I always welcome the chance for new children to spawn amongst us. Though, there is something I must correct you on dear.

 

Magic itself, and what you can deal with, does not take your sleep. Having part of this realm between realms is what holds that power. You can still think of whatever or not you wish to argue with the magical being in your world about giving you some power of its own. Though if there is any side effects there I could not tell you. The way magic works are so very different from world to world, and though I no longer harvest as then, and thereby do not see much of those places, I cannot imagine they have all suddenly aligned."

 

It was a small thing to correct, but it seemed important to have everything explained well just in case. She would not want this girl to miss out on something she wished for just because she feared that sleep would no longer find her, though her brother would likely want that.

 

A pity really, that his views on magic were this dim as a whole, though she could understand it considering that it had been magic that almost killed his sister, and afterwards would have eaten through him. It did not leave a good impression, though she hoped that he would open his mind to the possibilities at some point. Not all magic were as foul as what had started this after all.

 

______________________________________________________________________________________

 

 

@@cwhip9,

 

Zinthar looked around a little perplexed by things, not answering Crescent at first as he looked to no avail to find out where the trio of everspirits from before had gone off too.

 

"So you don't know about this place either, and now our escort have wandered off... This is off to a good start."

 

There seemed to be what could appear as a road if you looked closely at the darkness. Not something everypony would see, but Crescent were a nocturnal just like him, so when his eyes adjusted to this place he should be able to see it well too.

 

"Might as well just go around and see what we can find. Perhaps we'll fall over an exit somewhere, or at least a section that looks less like we're trapped in space. It's annoying to try and make heads or tails of this place."

[Holiday Agnaktor 1,435]

@Blitz Boom

 

Frosty shrugged.

 

"Hey, who knows, maybe you had too much money on your hands, or something. It's better to try and fail than to do nothing at all.

Also, I did just tell you how to greatly improve your magic sensing gems, so I think you owe me at least something."

 

Frosty still wasn't confident that Nerzhei would give him anything for free, but it's better to try, etc.

 

"Buuut, in case that doesn't persuade you, how difficult is it to find me some gems? I really need some.

 

Well, ponies are pretty happy and noisy in general, but we don't prance into volcanoes. We do however break into song more often than you'd think is reasonable. Don't think we're average ponies though. Our group managed to be relatively weird. I think Summer is the most normal of our group.

 

Wait, dragons and ponies used to do stuff together?! That sounds pretty weird, I mean, you dragons don't seem to like happy folk much, and we try to make friends with everything and everyone, which would probably annoy dragons as well. So dragons and ponies creating great wonders together sounds pretty far fetched.

 

But there is only one problem with the split being caused by a war. Wars don't start that easily, especially if the countries like each other a lot. So I think a third party caused the war...? Or that's just me thinking as if real life is an adventure book again.

 

Those other dryads sound pretty scary. I'm happy we haven't actually seen any other than Lyriel yet. Also, do they literally make the earth rise up to punish us? Because that sounds less than optimal. Sure, I can freeze a plant, but I can't avoid the ground eating me."

 

Frosty stopped grinning as Nerzhei made her joke.

 

"You know, normally I'd find this kind of thing funny, but for all I know that might be true. Please, no more jokes about frying... ;-;"

[Moonlit 593]

@@Blitz Boom, Serenade can't stop giggling. "Survival yes, but your seeing Siren's getting together through Pony eyes. Put two or more large predators in a small area, and there will be blood. You have seen my teeth, right." Serenade rolls over onto her back, "From what my parents discovered and Princess Luna has said, I'm due for another growth spurt soon to my adult size, which means I get to go looking for new builders"

[Rapid Wind 47]

@Blitz Boom

 

Rapid Wind scowled at Stargazer's chuckle, but he did find the story he told afterwards a bit amusing and smiled a bit. He just wasn't sure about finding a good mare or any mare for that matter. Just the awkwardness to have to kiss one under mistletoe would be enough to freak Rapid Wind out. Indeed, strangely he found himself recalling a long suppressed memory of his early school years and accidentally being under mistletoe with a mare classmate. He had bolted and was too afraid to honour the tradition of kissing the mare. The memory seemed to entrance Rapid Wind entirely and he needed to brought back to reality with being spoken to or something to draw his attention like a loud noise.

[cwhip9 1,078]

 

 

"Might as well just go around and see what we can find. Perhaps we'll fall over an exit somewhere, or at least a section that looks less like we're trapped in space. It's annoying to try and make heads or tails of this place."

  Cresent nodded "agreed" he said following the cat down the path, walkway, thing they were on.

 

"maybe this could be the nightmare side of the dream world or maybe another circle of it if you will. back in ponyvill have tons of maps with the forest and the like but trying to map out the dream world....if that is what we are in would be well...a bit of a headache I imagine more so with every dream being different" the batpony thought out loud.   

[Denim&Venöm 16,819]

@@Blitz Boom,

 

"Well, for starters, life for us changelings seems to be in a state of flux. You may have heard of the Canterlot attack. Well, that was orchestrated by our, for lack of a worse term, leader, Queen Chrysalis. She attained such heights by defeating other queens, taking their hives, their resources, and using them to gain control of more hives. Mine included.  She used every hive she could get her hooves on to fuel her master plan, her delusion that she could control and harvest Equestria, being the first to unify the many hives that exist in the world in thousands of years. But, obviously that plan didn't work. The ponies defeated her. Our kind was exposed to the world, and now the hives she once ruled, fight each other for control. Just like the good old days.  Most changeling hives are located in a barren region to the south east, called the badlands. A place where no pony goes. The perfect place to hide. Unless of course, you're a hive like mine. 

 

Hives consist of two kinds of changelings: Drones, the ones you see over there, and Praetorians, changelings more like me, ones that may become Queen. And those are divided into a caste system. Omega's are the lowest tiers. The workers who take orders from those above. Gamma's are next, the one's who supervise the omegas, return lost or runaway drones, and lead military units. Beta's oversee them, running operations for the next highest rank, the alpha's, who are the most loyal and trusted changelings to the queen. 

 

Life in my hive is a bit...different, compared to others. Hives are typically stable, having a powerful queen that rules for a long time. My hive...is made up of outsiders, runaways from neglectful hives, survivors from disbanded ones, or opportunists from stagnant ones. We were smaller and more diverse than other hives, and we banded around the strongest of us, the closest thing to a queen we could find. Unfortunately, they were never that strong. My hive has gone through many queens in the short time it's existed. I am the latest in a long line of failed rulers. Which is why my hive is here, in the most dangerous part of Equestria. Too dangerous for the ponies who hunt us to think of searching for us, and too far into Equestria for our rivals to pursue. 

 

We changelings are a competitive bunch, putting our hive before all else, especially before other hives. We become violent and take what we need to ensure our survival, considering how scare resources are in our native badlands. Hence why, we left. Food, water, supplies, shelter, weapons, are among the many things we scavenge for. But there is one precious resource we are dependent on, one that can signify life or death for a hive. Tell me, are you able to sense what other creatures are feeling, young Brittle?"