open Casual stroll

[EQ_Theta 459]

@@Blitz Boom

 

A storm of conflicting emotions filled Lin as she turned away from her friend. One look at the now opened wellspring and she sees a string of memories appear before her. Her childhood, her days frolicking in the forest with her brother, the night they separated, and the endless sea of terrible dreams that plagued her during her exile. Just as she set her foot down by the water's edge, she sees one last thing: an image of herself enjoying a meal with Omen and Sen together. It was comforting thought to put her at ease given how tense she was. If she ever left the wellspring, she'd hope it would come true. And thus she walked into the waters and waded in until only her head was above the surface. With one last breath of air, she placed her future on the hands of fate.   

 

Back at the cavern, the gate from the wellspring had formed and the spectral guardians were the first to notice Omen's arrival. The eldest of the group approached and eagerly awaited Lin's arrival. 

 

Ah, you've returned! You're friend here has awakened some time ago but... he isn't exactly been feeling well. He's been angry ever since he woke up, even going so far as to punch and claw at the walls to vent his anger. I've cast a regeneration and healing spell on him to cure his wounds but I may have given him the wrong idea; self-inflicted pain isn't the right way to go about his frustrations. Maybe you can talk him out of it?

 

At that same moment when he finished, the gate behind Omen collapsed into a pile of rubble. The rest of the guardians looked on with mixed feelings of shock and disappointment, recalling the last time they saw such a thing. It was a vivid memory, and they all could imagine just what would happen if Sen knew the truth behind the nature of the cure. Sen didn't notice it as he was preoccupied with venting out his anger.   

 

Edited August 16, 2016 by EQ_Theta

[Holiday Agnaktor 1,436]

@Blitz Boom

@Summer Breeze

 

 

Frosty grinned when Summer seemed...irritated? Worried? Something along those lines anyway. He and Blitz didn't almost kill themselves every day. Just some of 'em. Noooothing to worry about. Eheheh.

 

When he listened to Blitz story he was a little bit worried about Blitz, since she apparently didn't have any parents, and not having parents at a young age isn't the most fun thing he could think of. Oh well, she was probably fiiiine. She didn't burst out in tears all the time, so everything should be fine, no?

 

"Wait, a... cat...snake-man? What does a person like that even look like? Like a cat...but a snake? Eeeh. Can't really visualize that."

 

Frosty shook his head and stopped trying to imagine what a cat-snake man looked like. Continuing would only result in a headache and lots of disappointment.

 

"Oh well, my turn, my turn! So I was trying out this new trick, where I take a bowl of water, and with that water make really neat icicles on the ceiling. I was going to turn the water into steam, and then condense it on the ceiling, and freeze it.

 

But then I focused too much on the freezing and cone-shaped parts, that I forgot about the size, and position. So I ended up with tiny ice needles aaaall over my house. I didn't notice them until after I had taken a step, which got me ten or so tiny stab wounds on my right hoof.

 

Cleaning up the place was pretty nasty. I really suck at heating things, so I had to brush the ice away, and wait until it melted on its own. Caused quite a bit of damage to my house and my ego."

[Lonk Chase 255]

You know what? Lonk is being too much of a coward. He needs to get out there and do... something.

So, Lonk gets up from the couch and walks to the door. Before he opens it, he has a split-second of hesitation. What if he really is meaningless?

Well, he'll find out, won't he?

He opens the door and finally goes outside.

He walks over to the street to get a better view of the battle. Maybe somepony will notice him from here.

[Blitz Boom 4,625]

@@silvermoon15000,

 

If it wasn't for the glasses, the two of them would see Vinyl getting a look in her eyes as if she thought they were pulling her leg with this story. Yeah, he were a talking star wolf, but there had to be a limit somewhere, right?

 

But, few things around here were really explainable or normal at times, such as whatever Pinkie usually ran around doing, or the times when Discord came around town. She had seen the latter replace the sun with a giant, glowing cheese wheel until he were caught, so was it really that far off to think that you could make a wolf like this? Well, not if you were some kind of freak, if local history were an indication, and right now, she were starting to get on the fence about this fellah being that or not.

 

"Yeah, but Octavia and I each got our own side. Frankly I think we'd drive eachother crazy if we hadn't split the place in half and taken a side each to do with as we wanted. But how'd you know I were thinking about playing music into the late hours? One of them mind readers?"

 

______________________________________________________________________

 

 

@@Seamore Sandwich,

@@GingerLightning,

@@Quinch,

@@Lonk Chase,

@@Melke,

@@Denim&Venom,

@@Mentis Soliloquy,

 

"For a long time, I was hateful. I didn't understand why I was alone, and why I was cursed to see everything. Even after she saved me from my captors and gave me the beginning of a life, I was angry. At first I didn't know where to direct it, until I finally met others of my kind that told me of you, Creator."

 

Zhu saw through the tear in time that were present in the air, and what happened beyond it, but he didn't rush to do anything or seemed to worry as he turned fully towards the clock tower. Briefly his eyes went on the pony stood up there, but he could see that it was not his place to interfere here. Another would do that soon, and it was better that he only interfered in things when it was necessary. It would only disrupt what could be the foundation of a strong friendship, or connection that would otherwise echo through time, and that was not his role. Not now at least.

 

"But I came to let go of my anger through the years, and I only sought answers. What you say have given clarity to most, and leaves me only with finding out how I were damaged as I were, and what happened to my parents. Though I assume the same attack that harmed my egg killed them."

 

It might sound cold, but with what he did, the neutral look on everything were inevitably going to hit himself too, and made him see the harsh reality in his egg getting damaged and there being no parents of siblings when he hatched as being connected. Besides, he never had a parental figure as such, so he didn't know what he should be mourning, or even who, so why should he show sadness over this? Because of their presumed death?

 

"In a way, I wonder what could have been, but from what I can hear, my other lives would have ended pointlessly. Or down a dark path, using what I assume a bleak future, likely sprung from my loathing of the world at large."

 

He wasn't sure if that couldn't still happen actually, though perhaps the day would come and it would be grief that guided him to do so rather than anger. The Creator likely knew, but as for himself, he could not see what future was in front of himself. Others he could mostly see, and if he were in parts of their lives down the line, he could see himself present, but there were no spying on what he'd end up doing in the future by starring at himself.

 

As such, he couldn't know if one day, he would be the result in a darkness falling over the world, but he didn't think he would. The possibility were there, granted, yet it would take much to rattle him enough to think the world were better of having ended. Even more than loosing her.

 

"I never much thought of how it could have been, as much as how it might be after the last of the 37 threats were gone. For centuries, this is what I have had to look forward too, and soon, the last one will be gone. A strange thing to think about really, that it will be over."

 

It wasn't completely over after this though. There would still be a need for him to even the scales now and again around the world, and even if you did not consider that, regaining a life he had abandoned so very, very long ago would be dificult. He had changed a lot in that time, even if his cause had not, and he were sure that she had as well. Back then, he had thought her to be sure to understand what he had to do, and that he did so for her, but after all of these years... Could she still forgive him for leaving, and make them all think him dead of old age long ago, rather than kept alive by the waters? Were there a chance that she had any forgiveness for the things he had sometimes needed to do, even if the big picture, as well as her life, ahd depended on it?

 

Many questions, yet for once he had no answers. All he could do were to proceed and do what needed to be done, and then see what she would say when he showed himself again. Might be the gates to Canterlot would forever be closed for him then, and she would shun him, but he would manage. Long as he knew that Celestia were safe, it would all still be worth it.

 

Meanwhile, in the spirit plane, Last looked through the hole in the sky with big eyes. Not because of the destroyed tower, or the even more monstrous looking Nemo, but because she saw Charlie there, and finally understood who the poor sap were that this creature had taken over.

 

It drove a dagger of guilt around her stomach to think about who likely had been screaming every time she had gotten a deep cut into Nemo, but as she finally pulled her sword out of the ground again where it had gotten stuck after her missed attack, she knew that she had more important things to be worried about than this. Namely, that it seemed like soon, Charlie and Nemo would be separated in some way, and she'd need to be ready for a real fight rather than what had happened thus far. Because whatever had split them off, had also made Nemo seem like an even greater issue than he were thus far.

 

As for Ko and Ashta, they were still clinging to the best of their abilities to the Forgotten One and did theirs in the battle against the being of cutting into the being with as much of the poison as possible, in as wide an area as possible. The gust of wind had helped them up close, but they still had a hard time with trying to grip unto things as basically the only thing they could grab for certain were the dagger Ko rammed into the being to add more charges of poison. Meaning they'd be simple enough to toss off if the thing really wanted to.

 

They had taken notice of the tear, and that their two companions had gone through it, but it were not as important as the work right now. That a few potentially died in the field were to be expected sometimes. It couldn't stop them from doing their jobs, and especially not with a thing as dangerous as this being.

 

_____________________________________________________________________________

 

 

@@Seamore Sandwich,

@@Rapid Wind,

 

"Just tell me what to do ma'am, and I'll do it as fast as possible. It's better if you take charge and I assist in that way."

 

He gave the pony a smile and walked with her, and most others towards the outside where'd they'd need to get to work on the town. Last were ready to get things started pronto at least, so whoever would show up wouldn't be left long without a purpose. Including Rapid, who she'd put on assisting with one of the houses that had half the roof missing, whilst a good deal of the rest of them started on one of the more damaged houses that needed some work on the base - such as a few support pillars needing to be replaced - before any roofing could get started. It would keep them all in motion, doing something whilst the supplies would be sent for.

 

She'd have the fliers on debris removal too if it were, but between the ones working with the scavengable material that Last green-lighted as still being as sturdy and usable as a new part on the roof that could be easily fixed, and the others being sent off to help get more supplies here, it were down the the earth ponies and unicorns. Well, except for one unicorn that she had singled out for being a watchmaker. She had put him on rebuilding the clock in the ruined clock-tower, and overall oversee that there would be the exact space needed for it in the end.

 

The debris should be split up into the trash pile in the middle of the square and the piles of sorted, reusable parts near the first few houses when the first supplies would show up. As for the ones she had assigned as foreponies for the different tasks in rebuilding properly, they better hope they were ready, or she'd make them. Failure was not an option here, and the more focused on their task she could make everypony be, the faster the townsponies that lived in this area have a home to return to again.

 

Considering the amount of work, the random ponies showing now and again to volunteer for helping were a good help. The more they had, the better.

 

_____________________________________________________________________________

 

 

@@Seamore Sandwich,

@@Denim&Venom,

@@Mentis Soliloquy,

 

Brittle had stayed silent as near Seamore ever since the others had left, which frankly wasn't long, but felt like that for her at least considering the many, dangerous ones here.

 

Then, suddenly a strange changeling jumped out from a bag and over towards Xeno, and her nervous stare went towards it over the several normal changelings that were around.

 

She had no idea what this being were, but it looked wrong. A mixture of changeling and the fox she had seen before perhaps? Well, regardless, this was still likely a freak of nature then. A description that she understood all too well, and were one of the reasons why she were so fixated on this tiny, little thing.

 

Up until now, she had thought that no other changelings had been messed up in some way. They all looked so even and perfect that she had just seemed like even more of an outsider, and yet, here were this little thing that also looked misplaced. Not as bad as the mixture of colour that she had, but... It was a being she could relate more to than the others thus far, at least in the looks.

 

Though, she wasn't sure what it was over and doing to Xeno. Feed off him?

 

________________________________________________________________________________

 

 

@,

 

Considering that she would have to be within a few hooves of touching them for the magic to be negated - unless Null used her wing, which she hadn't - it was funny to think on how close Astral had actually stood near them for the crystal to not activate before now. Or she just hadn't noticed perhaps. The sisters hadn't taken any notice of the gem, so were possible she hadn't either, but again, she might have just stood too close.

 

At the mention of them having to follow however, they were sure about something: They weren't going to stick around here. So Null hopped back up on Void's back, and the two of them followed shortly after with just a quick "Understood" said in unison. A bit eerie, but eh, compared to what else was with them, this barely counted as anything.

 

_________________________________________________________________________________

 

 

@@EQ_Theta,

 

So Sen had gone angry when they were gone? A pity, though considering everything, it was still better than him being knocked out and in pain. Or at least she thought so, but they'd see when she got over to him.

 

For now, she just nodded towards the spirit before wandering towards Sen, more or less ignoring the crumbling gate behind her. It wasn't meant to stay open, she had understood that much as she were not supposed to come back there, but wait out here for answers. Not something she had wanted, but something that she hadn't much of a choice in the matter off.

 

"Sen?"

 

She approached him slowly, but not cautiously. The thought of him tossing something her way or accidentally scratching her with his claws hadn't even entered her thoughts, so she'd have to live with that if it happened, but any damage to her wasn't going to be that severe more than likely. She were sturdy, though whatever damage Sen could end up cuasing himself from raging like this was another matter entirely. Likely, he could end up doing some real harm to himself if this kept on, though she wasn't sure it would dissipate if he knew what she knew.

Edited August 20, 2016 by Blitz Boom

[silvermoon15000 337]

"Oh...ok and you just told us you played late not to mention that you are a DJ so you play at night clubs, so even if you wouldn't have told us we could have guessed it," Silvermoon said, "not to mention you smell of cider and glow stick residue," Shian mumbled under his breath. Silvermoon turned to him, "you just need to keep your mouth shut," he told the wolf who stuck his tongue out like a child. "Silvermoon finished his cupcake, "Shian-" he stopped talking to see the wolf fade, "ok I guess he got bored or annoyed or both," he said with a snicker. He turned back to the DJ, "do you know a place where I can stay, until I can find a place of my own," he asked sheepishly, "I don't really know this place."

[LeagueOfDisaster 8]

@Blitz Boom

 

The pony huffed as he trotted towards the hospital annoyed that he had to go there in the first place. He was perfectly fine but nooooo Famine just had to make a big deal about it. So what if he’d been out in the Everfree Forest and so what if he’d gotten into a fight with the Timberwolves ; that didn’t mean he had to go to the hospital. Disaster scoffed as he remembered the argument with Famine and how the other even went as far as to use his telekinetic to make him come. What a awful time for War to have gone to Canter Lot, sure they’d have argued but he’d eventually give up and say anything that happened was Disaster’s fault. Granted he did have a few pretty nasty wounds and probably should get them checked out but he hated hospitals. He’d had enough needles and the like for a life time. 

 

He was so absorbed in his thoughts that he didn’t even notice the griffin heading towards him from a different direction. It was only when he ran into her that he was snapped out of his thoughts as he fell to the ground landing on one of his more nasty wounds. A hiss slipped out as he gritted his teeth, it took everything for him not to slam a hoof to the ground as he knew he’d be in even more trouble for the small area around it that it would likely damage. Instead he snapped his head up to glare at the other. 

 

“Oi. Ever think of watching where you’re going?” He gritted out as he pushed himself back up to stand. 

[EQ_Theta 459]

@@Blitz Boom

 

Sen continued to claw at the stone walls, seemingly unaware of Omen's presence close by. He was muttering something to himself, something that drowned out Omen's voice and it seemed to be in sync with his punches.

"stupid... Stupid...STUPID!" The last blow buried his claw deep into the rock. Sen pulled out and noticed a gruesome wound with the scaly covering of his skin gone and the muscles now visible. A nearby guardian was repulsed at the sight and immediately healed the wound. Sen stopped there and shuddered, having difficulty finding the right words to make his point while holding back the urge to emotionally vent his frustrations. "All I had to do... was say no but he... He played me like a fool! My sister isn't coming back, is she?" 

 

The eldest guardian approached Omen and added, hopefully to provide some context to what Sen said. 

The damage Malvernis caused to him was terrible. Your friend told us that he was aware the whole time you and his sister were fighting Malvernis, that he no matter how much he tried to fight it, he was a prisoner in his own body and could not stop himself from hurting you. He's... devastated by that.

Edited August 17, 2016 by EQ_Theta

[Blitz Boom 4,625]

@@LeagueOfDisaster,

 

The look in the eyes of the griffin as she looked upon the aggravated pony would be very against the otherwise nice - for a griffin - and nervous demeanor that she normally showed. Instead, they radiated with a rage, primal and all-consuming, gazing upon him for a brief moment as if he were an insect that she were going to pull the wings off, one by one.

 

...And then the moment passed, and the griffin reached down a talon nervously, whilst looking apologetic.

 

"Oh! I-I'm sorry. I was... I didn't see you there. Are you okay?"

 

Whilst there was no race of the anger anymore, Florence knew it had been there. It wasn't something she liked to think about, and it was under control again now, but right in that moment when the pony had walked into her and more or less sneered his angry words at her... It didn't play well with her emotional state. Really, if he hadn't responded like that, it was possible she would have just broken down and cried frankly.

 

As it were, she hadn't, and what had happened were now over. She were still shaken, but at least she were in control of herself again, more or less. Things still went up and down and the words kept screaming in her head about what she were doing here, but she could at least function well enough, hence, why she tried to offer the pony a helping talon.

 

Granted, he hadn't reacted nicely before, but they had wandered into one another, so a small outburst wasn't so bad. It was her fault anyway as far as she were aware, and she wasn't brought up to be the sort of griffin that wouldn't care, and just get defensive about everything/get prissy just because she could. She were raised to try and be helpful.

 

Looking at him a little more focused now too, she did notice he had some rifts and wounds on him, though she doubted she had been the source of these at least. They looked more like he had been fighting with someone, which she really hoped wasn't true and he had just stumbled into a tool shed or something. The type of ponies that liked the fight sometimes made her really nervous, as some of them thought that since she were a griffin she'd be good to fight. Something which she didn't like to do, even though she knew how to fend for herself if it came to it.

 

___________________________________________________________________________

 

 

@@silvermoon15000,

 

"Well ain't you a smart one?"

 

Vinyl grinned at the two before they started to bicker again. Wasn't a pair of mind-readers after all it seemed - Those types were not her style anyway - but just the sort that noticed a thing or two and put 'em together. The sort with smarts that didn't come from books, but experience she'd wager. But enough about that, the wolf faded and his better half got a question. Usually not the sort she'd have the answer to, though considering his *skillset*... She might have a little something up her sleeve.

 

"The inn I play at tends to have a few spare rooms just in case. Usually they use them for storage, but I can put in a good word, and we might be able to work something out there. They're gonna ask you to help moving some stuff around now and again for performers though in return, but you look like you got some muscle. A few speakers or props once in awhile ain't gonna kill ya, right?"

 

______________________________________________________________________

 

 

@@MistaShifta,

 

"You have got to be kidding me?"

 

The voice came from behind the strange, skeletal being with the unicorn mask, and belonged to a mare that looked rather out of place here as well, though not in the same way.

 

She were the shape and size of a regular pony, but her coat colour were strange, and so were the glowing, red patterns in places around her body. Or at least the parts that were visible, and not covered in the deep purple clothing she wore, which were rather warm looking considering it were summer. Especially the large, fluffy scarfaround her neck, though everything, down to the cloak with the skull imprinted on it, or the bands of cloth around near the base of her legs that shouldn't be able to stay there that easily, really seemed like the garments for a much colder period of the year.

 

The way her eyes were almost closed gave her a sly appearance, even with the look of *really?* she sent towards him, and behind her, the tip of a long, scaly tail swayed from left to right. Of course, there were also the ears to focus on, as they appeared to be literally burning. Or rather, be made of flames which didn't burn her cloak or long mane, though the fact they were technically fire was likely the strangest part.

 

She didn't seem to care, but just let out a sigh and walked closer to the abnormality in front of her, mumbling things about *of all the things to find in this town...* until she were close enough to look at the being like you would at an abandoned toy.

 

"Just... What're you doing here?"

 

Vivid had dealt with enough undeads in her life to know that she'd really prefer not to. Mostly they were husks, summoned forth as servants, and could easily be put back to sleep, and then there were the other types. The sort that had gotten back and had a mind of their own, which went into the grey area of her purpose since she were supposed to help the dead move on, but they were still technically *Alive* in a sense that spirits couldn't be, and... It was just a complicated mess. And especially when it was done on a being down to it's skeleton, though at least it wasn't a half-rotten one. Those things were worse, and stank like nothing else.

 

Still, she didn't like to deal with this, but she were likely the only one in town with expertise in this sort of thing, depending on if this one's summoner were still around somewhere. The undead that had their own will rarely went along with their master, and since this one wasn't attacking or shambling around, she wasn't guessing a mindless servant, hence the chance of finding a master would be small. And especially one that would allow his or her creation to war a mask like that.

 

Really, best case scenario for her right now were that this one had been summoned years ago, and random wounds etc. had just stripped him of the flesh along the way - unless it had started like this which were just weird - because the alternative would be that she had to tell Princess Cadence that a Necromancer were wandering around Equestria. Which wasn't really news she'd like to bring to her boss.

 

___________________________________________________________________________

 

 

@@EQ_Theta,

 

Under other circumstances, seeing Sen harming himself like this would make her grab his leg with her tongue to see if that helped in some way, but considering that she had the scale in her mouth right now she couldn't make use of that, which meant she instead just kept walking forward until she were close enough to put a hoof on his shoulder.

 

"She is being healed. She will find us when it's done."

 

It wasn't just something she said to calm him down, Omen actually believed this to be the case. The healing might take some time and Lin would be changed when she came back in some way, but that she were coming back she were certain of. She would fight to get back to her brother, Omen were sure about that, though it might also take some time. The guard had said the waters would have issues healing her, which could mean that no, she wasn't coming back, but could also just be that they needed to be patient.

 

It likely wouldn't be for Sen to accept that as an option, but she didn't understand anger enough to know how well one caught in that thought. Biased in some way, but it always seemed so random what one would do when angry that she never got a clear idea.

[silvermoon15000 337]

"I used to work as a moving pony, shouldn't be too tough," he said going back to his child years, "let's go I guess," he said as he stood, for the first time he realized how short she was to him. He shrugged it off and started to leave before stopping, "this isn't just some way for you to get free labor...right," he asked raising an eyebrow. If there was one thing that ticked him off...it was being used that and having somebody talk about him behind his back. He stepped outside into the sunlight. He felt slightly dizzy, he may have used a little too much magic.

[Square 69]

Bill looked over the figure that was before him, concluding there were two possible occupations this woman could have; a career in necromancy, or a lifetime of intense daddy issues. Regardless, she was pretty spooky, and gave Bill an uneasy feeling in what would have been his gut. Bill was suddenly reminded of what he had seen a while back in Manehattan. There had been a man there that scared more scary ladies than he could count, it had left Bill in awe. Bill decided to replicate this, standing on his hind legs, deciding that since there was not a wall to lean on, he may as well just put his hooves in his non-existent pockets, and stated, in a raspy yet childish voice.

 

"Cheers love! How's ya trousers?"

 

Bill waited in this position, hoping it had been enough.

[EQ_Theta 459]

@@Blitz Boom

 

"How can you be so sure of that?" Sen angrily replied, refusing to look at Omen. "For all you know, she might not be coming back. She didn't come back with you... How would she react if she knew my side of the story?" 

As much as he hated himself for what had happened and venting out his frustrations, Omen managed to stop him from causing self-inflicted injuries. He looked back at the moment he lashed out just like he did the night he was exiled from home. It felt like a lifetime ago but he was certain to repeat history right then and there. But he didn't want to lose a friend at a time when he needed one the most; he was tired of losing things. The guardians looked on with delight early on but a few grew angry with him. Sen remained silent for the meantime, thinking over what he just said and felt regretful for it. He still didn't look at Omen but he followed up with a more somber addition.

"I'm sorry, that was unbecoming of me. I was told of what happened while I was unconscious and as much as I admire Lin's heroism, I didn't want a hero. I just wanted my sister back safe and sound. Thank you for being with her. You are a credit to your own kind." 

 

Sen sat down by a corner, picked up some of the broken pieces of rock, and began throwing them to the cavern entrance. He thought about going back to Omen's mother to let her know what had happened, though he hoped Lin could come back soon. He didn't want to go back to Omen's mother and become the bearer of bad news.

[Hazard Time 1,127]

@@Moonlit @@Seamore Sandwich @@Blitz Boom

 

The crystal perfumer watched the mimic fly off, completely oblivious to its annoyance.

 

"I want one!" She laughed. "Or two! They just look so cute and cuddly!"

 

However, the mirth was replaced by concern as Ziggy fished Serenade from below the waves. "Maybe it's time we all head in for bed? It is getting late."

[Blitz Boom 4,625]

@@MistaShifta,

 

Vivid just looked at the skeletal being's antics for a second before facehoofing at the sight of whatever he were trying to pull.

 

"I swear, if I ever find out who reanimated this one..."

 

Necromancy was a delicate field of work to not go wrong in, and especially when it came to raising the undead with cognitive functions. Some never got much in the noggin', others were basically the same as they had been in life, and then... Then there were the sort like this one, where it appeared as if the rotted brain hadn't been lit up entirely.

 

It wasn't really the brain itself, as that were often too rotted away to do anything with - or in cases like this, likely gone along with the other fleshy parts - but more the dark magic that would course through his head, drawing memories and personality from remnants in his soul. it was a tricky thing to get right, which is why you should never attempt to raise a thinking undead without being properly prepared. Otherwise, you'd just end up with somepony with a scrambled brain trying to make sense of the things that could be remembered, and acting randomly to figure out the rest. Like a small foal testing the barriers of normality.

 

There were other situations where things could have just gone wrong with the connection between the body and soul, but she didn't know all of them. Frankly, she loathed the whole concept in necromancy and only knew what she did so she could deal with the issues some of them tended to leave around them.

 

So few that followed the dark arts really understood what necromancy were truly for and just used it for personal gain. be it for servants, to bring somepony they knew back, or other selfish acts. They didn't get that it should be about understanding and assist the delicate balance of life and death, and respect for the ones that had passed on. It were supposed to be a craft for the ones willing to learn, not the power hungry or the desperate.

 

But she could think for years about how this had painted plenty of well meaning dark arts in a bad light, and how it had tainted the perspective of anypony that had something to do with the deceased. Right now, she had a strange undead to speak with.

 

*sigh* Really put into perspective how messed up her life were when she didn't even know if that was weird anymore.

 

"Look, just tell me why an undead like you are running around town, would you? I'm not here to hurt you, just trying to find out what's going on with you."

 

____________________________________________________________________________

 

 

@@silvermoon15000,

 

"Nah, they just want something for something, They'll scratch your back by giving you free shelter, and you'll scratch theirs by working for it a bit. Now common, follow me."

 

Vinyl started to go out the door and towards the inn, walking to the rhythm in the earphones around her neck and humming along with the beat without a care in the world. It had been a while since she had cared about how other ponies sometimes looked funny at her when she half-danced down through the street, not thinking it important enough to get all up in a tip over. It was just how she went sometimes.

 

It wouldn't be long before they got to the inn and Vinyl walked in through the door, hearing the end of a conversation with the owner.

 

"-should be quiet enough. Just let me know if there's anything with the room."

 

"Okay, thank you."

 

For Silver, the voice would be familiar, but for Vinyl, who had never seen the yellow pony with the strange markings on his body, it was a surprise to walk in on to say the least. Not a bad one though, as was evident when she quickly moved forward and nearly scared the hide of Cover-up when she started to speak right next to him.

 

"Awh Wicked! Check out the tats on this one."

 

Cover-up felt like his heart were trying to burst screaming through his ribs as he got airborne for a second from the excited voice that had appeared out of seemingly nowhere. He barely had the time to turn his head and look at whoever were talking to him before she had walked past him again and went over to the front desk to speak with the mare who were doing all she could not to laugh at seeing his panic reaction.

 

"Hey Bubble Tea, mind having a chat with me? I got something to talk to you about."

 

The two of them would leave to the back room and close to door to get some privacy, and the jumpy colt would just stand dumb-founded, not being sure what was happening. Which didn't help as he turned around and saw the familiar face of Silver that... Wait, what were he doing here? Did he... But what about...

 

No, he wasn't going to go like this. Don't get flustered Cover-up. Concentrate! Say something witty to break the ice.

 

"...Fnergh?"

 

Oh yeah, that was going to help...

 

______________________________________________________________________________________________

 

 

@@EQ_Theta,

 

"I made her go."

 

Omen wasn't sure how Sen would react to this, but she wanted to tell him the truth, and it were her that had made her leave to begin with after he had found her again. To try and help, but he didn't know it. Otherwise he wouldn't have been this angry, right? He blamed his sister, and thinking her trying to play hero, but it had been nothing like that. He had to understand.

 

"She had little time, and wanted to stay, do something to you in your dreams and give up. I told her that we had time, and that we should go. And the elders then gave her more time. Enough for us to leave, but not enough to wait. We had to go to give her a chance.

 

We ended at a strange cave with magic running on the walls. We got tests, I think we passed, and we came to a well. The stone man with the big eye said it could help, but she had to be alone. I didn't want to leave, but she was in pain, had to get help, so I came back to you."

 

She looked around her, trying to get a feeling for the thing she had been told were with her, but with no luck. Whatever it were, it didn't seem to have any life energy, or were just really well hidden.

 

"It said something came back with me. Something called a wisp, that would help her find us. And it have to be her, for she will change. The stone man said that, but I don't know how she will change. Enough for me not to find her from how she were before. Different energy.

 

We didn't leave because she wanted to be a hero. We left so she could be cured. So she had a chance to be with you. Might be she won't come back, but if we hadn't left, she would be gone now. This gives a chance, and... I have to believe it works. Because I'm her friend."

 

Omen walked over to Sen as he stood, throwing rocks, and placed herself next to him, looking him as much in the face as she could.

 

"The road back might not be easy, but Lin is strong Sen. Stronger than even you might think. Try and believe in that, and trust her, like she trusts you."

 

Omen's somewhat monotone, whispering voice in his head might take away from what she said, but she said something more sincere than she had in a long time. She wasn't sure why, or where it came from, but she knew that for once, thinking over this wouldn't change what she said.

 

She believed in Lin. Now it was time for Sen to do the same.

[Moonlit 593]

@@Hazard Time, @@Blitz Boom,  @@Seamore Sandwich, Serenade opens her eyes a bit when she is put on the shore, she blinks several times. "Sorry" she yawns, "I owe you one Derpy....and Succulent, need to give you your keys." She manages to pull herself up, and starts walking slowly back to her place, several times stopping and blinking her eyes rapidly to stay awake long enough. 

[Square 69]

Bill stiffened in shock, did she just call him...? No, she can't have. Lightly lowering himself back onto all four hooves, Bill approached the mare, leaving inches between them, "Miss, am not undead, am magic horse." he stated, slightly hurt that he would be mistaken for a but a mere skeleton.

[silvermoon15000 337]

Silvermoon snorted at the colt's made up word, "hey Cover-up," he said with a smile..."what's up," he added. He looked at Vinyl as she disappeared, guess I have some time, he thought to himself. "Why so excited and...why are you here," he asked looking at the excited artist.

[EQ_Theta 459]

@@Blitz Boom

Sen sat there an continued to contemplate on what Omen had just told him. He wasn't happy he was unconscious while Omen and Lin were off to look for a cure. He wanted to be there when they had to part ways but maybe it was for the best. He looked back to when Omen's mother gave him words that he hadn't thought to consider for a long time: maybe Lin should be given room to make her own decisions. As much as Sen wanted to be the protective brother, his obsession to keep her away from trouble stopped Lin from growing up as an individual. Only now did he realize just how potentially costly the outcome will be.

"I'm not gonna lie," Sen sombrely said. "I don't know how she's going to look at me if she comes back. She'll want to know my side of what happened here... Can you imagine it, Omen? All this just to show how big I messed up. They say time heals all wounds. I guess now I wait and see just how long that will take. I can already see just how bad my dreams will be..."

The longma looked down in sadness and disappointment, contemplating everything. His regrettable past, his seemingly bleak present, and a most uncertain future. The latter rang especially true. If his sister makes it, she wouldn't be the same Lin he grew up with, maybe he'd let her find her own way and if she didn't, then that's one more member of the family gone from his life. Both led to a very real possibility of wandering Equestria without purpose, a terrifying way of living out his days. The youngest of the spectral guardians approached Omen and knelt close to the two of them, feeling the need to say something reassuring.

He's right, you know. His deepest wounds will heal, but please allow him time. We guardians had terrible dreams when we tried to rest. We were like family and when one of us couldn't make it, we found ways to make sure we wouldn't forget the one we lost, even if it meant hurting ourselves just so we could remember. We eventually found a way to move on from that pain but.... Well, we all hope your friend makes it back; it will be a shame if she didn't, considering you three look less than a simple group of friends and more like a family.

Edited August 19, 2016 by EQ_Theta

[Blitz Boom 4,625]

@@EQ_Theta,

 

"No, I can't imagine it."

 

Much as Omen had gone through some new emotions these last few days that she'd need some time to really contemplate and fit well in her head, guilt were not one of the feelings she could place. Perhaps later, once the memory of her test back in the cave and the internal battle she had with herself over what she were faced with, would resonate into what she knew had heard guilt were, she might realise it. But for the time being she would know guilt as little as she knew fear, love, or a plethora of other part of the emotional spectrum.

 

The nightmares wasn't something she could connect with either. She never slept, never dreamed, and though she could hear others speak about their dreams, both good and bad, it was still a hard thing to imagine for her. It often sounded too random, and illogical to be able to fit anything she knew, and especially as emotions apparently had a good deal of influence on how your dreams worked.

 

The concept of atonement and exactly what Sen meant was also beyond her, but she somehow guessed it had something to do with the time before they had met. It didn't ring as only having something to do with him being taken over when he said *All of this*, and especially not as she couldn't see how anything there were his fault. He wasn't in control, so what was there to be forgiven for?

 

She were about to ask him when the spirit approached and amongst the things it said, mentioned that the three of them acted like family. Something that made Omen turn her head and look at the *young* guardian.

 

"They are not like my family. They are too solid. And colourful."

 

It took a few seconds of silence after that before a light when off in her head. Or well, somepony struck a match so to speak.

 

"Oh, like that. Sounds more correct then."

 

___________________________________________________________________________

 

 

@@silvermoon15000,

 

Excited... Yeah, I guess you could call his befuddled expression excitement in a way. Didn't look to far off, though the emotions were pretty far apart, especially after the awkward moment of him trying to say something that ended with a strange word instead really started to sink in. At which point he seemed to get some colour in his cheeks and look a bit like somepony that had been caught with their hoof in the cookie jar.

 

"I uhm... I-I'm just here to... I mean, I was renting a room here. I wanted to stick around town a little, so I thought it would be the better place. Not that expensive per night, long as I don't make a mess or get loud. Usually I don't, I just... Try new patterns."

 

He got a little less nervous as the talk went on, but he didn't exactly look like a mountain of confidence either right now, and in fact a little squirmish. Likely had as much to do with the awkward way he spoke to Silver when he had seen him again, as the mare that had almost made him jump to the roof.

 

__________________________________________________________________________________

 

 

@@MistaShifta,

 

"Undead unicorn, perhaps, but undead regardless. Otherwise, you couldn't survive without any flesh."

 

So either he were delusional, or actually thinking that she were fooled by his... *costume* if you could call it that. She really ended up with all the winners.

 

The mask might be a remnant of an idea of how he had looked once, if he really did use to be a unicorn. She wasn't sure what the skeleton were of, so it was possible, though how there could be anypony fooled by this were beyond her. But why else would a dead one be allowed to rummage through town? Shouldn't they be grabbing for the nearest pitchfork or something? Or were even this kind of thing considered normal enough and acceptable in this day and age?

 

She really hoped it would not be the last. Vivid had enough issues getting used to this age, and it would not get easier if she found out that there were enough necromancers around to make this a common enough sight to not be afraid of. Frankly, she'd need to have a word with the regents if that turned out to be the case, instead of just... What, pity? Or had this town just gotten jaded from all the

rumoured things that had happened here?

 

*sigh* so many options and most of them bad. What a day.

 

"I have dealt with this kind of thing for a long, long time, though as I said, I'm not here to hurt you. Not unless you turn out to be a threat to the living., and frankly, I'm not seeing much of a danger."

 

__________________________________________________________________________________

 

 

@@Moonlit,

@@Hazard Time,

@@Seamore Sandwich,

 

"Yeah, we should get some rest. See you around Derpy."

 

Ziggy waved to the pegasi with a smile on her face before she went over and helped following Serenade home. She might be able to walk, but she were very drained of energy right now it seemed and might fall down at any time or get lost, so much like a mother and her foal, Ziggy more or less hovered over Serenade, preparing herself to help if anything happened at all.

 

Fah'lina stood on her head during the process, not caring much for whatever she were doing, and sent small stares towards Succulent as they wandered. She wasn't sure who this one were, or why she needed keys, etc. but her instinct she told her she needed to keep an eye on her until she knew some more things. Despite her behaviour before, this one might turn out to be more of an issue instead of the happy type, and she wasn't going to end up with more surprises from ponykin. Not without seeing it coming in time at least.

[silvermoon15000 337]

"Hey...calm down kid, it's just me," he said looking at the colt who looked like he was about to pass out. "Trying to rent a room huh how many bits do you have." He asked, he was willing to share the living space with him if he didn't have enough. He wasn't the guy to have roommates but he wouldn't mind.

[EQ_Theta 459]

@@Blitz Boom

 

The spectral guardian smiled and nodded his head in delight. The road ahead will be rough for both siblings and he is unsure of what all this will mean to Omen, but he hopes it will be something positive for everyone. Sen stood up and walked away from the cavern, still deep in thought. He didn't look at everyone watching him, but he knew they were concerned. 

"I... I'm going out to look for something to eat." He reassuringly said. "No need to follow me out, Omen. Sister will want to come back to a familiar place."

 

The youngest of the guardians stepped back and watched, though now he thought about it, there was something that bothered him and now was the best time to address it. With Sen away for the meantime, he could ask Omen about a very sensitive issue. 

I've been thinking about that wisp you mentioned, Omen. You've been told what to expect should his sister return, but what if she didn't make it? Is there anything to look out for?

 

[Blitz Boom 4,625]

@@silvermoon15000,

 

"Sorry, I just... I'm not used to somepony sneaking up on me like that. it brings back memories of uhm..."

 

He fell silent and absent-mindedly let his hoof go over some of the painted pattern on his left. It wasn't something he knew that he was doing, but more of a reflex that got trigged when certain memories started to flow around his head.

 

"Anyway, I'm fine with the room. I got some bits stashed from doing some paint works, tattoos and such on the road, and I had a lot to do in the last town I was in. Should keep me covered for awhile."

 

He pointed towards the pouch on the table that wasn't overly big, but well stuffed with bits. Likely a few hundred in there, but it could be less. More than enough to cover his stay here at least for some days unless this place were trying to rip him off royally, and if that were the case, it would likely be in such a massive way that he'd take notice of it.

 

"But... What are you doing here? And who was the scary one?"

 

___________________________________________________________________________

 

 

@@EQ_Theta,

 

Omen just followed him with her eyes as he started to make his way out, not sure what to do. On one hoof, she wanted to make sure that he were not alone in case something happened or if Lin came back, but on the other hoof, he had asked her not to follow him... Perhaps she should just give him a little time, then think about this later on and follow him then? She had his *scent* after all, so it wasn't like he could get away from her unless he got under some pretty heavy masking spells. Without, she would be able to find him no matter where he were.

 

It wasn't long before he were gone and she were left with the elder spirits once more, though what was she supposed to do now? Speak with them?

 

The question seemed to answer itself when one of them came over and asked her a question about the wisp that was presumably with her. Frankly she wasn't even sure if anything were there, or if it had just been some reassuring kind of thing, but she tried to believe for now that it was right and just a sort of... Invisible marker for Lin? Sort of like when she tracked others, just with a wisp instead of a *scent*? It was possible she supposed. Frankly she didn't even know why her own abilities worked, so it might be she was very off.

 

"No. The stone man just said that she would use the wisp to find us. If something goes wrong, I wasn't told how to know. I think that if we don't hear something in... 3 sunrises, I will go back, and find out. Could be it just took days before this, yes? Not sure how this work. Strange magic water and wrong energies."

[Hazard Time 1,127]

@@Blitz Boom @@Seamore Sandwich @@Moonlit

 

Succulent followed Serenade out of the lake, shaking the water out of her fetlocks.  That was an entertaining dip, but after what happened to her newest friend, it was probably a good idea to call it a night.  She quickly caught up to her and walked by her side.

 

"I can't wait to see your house.  You said you were a royal astronomer?  You must have a really big house, with a really big telescope!  Right?"

[Moonlit 593]

@@Hazard Time, @@Blitz Boom, Serenade nods, "To the Night Court, my boss is Princess Luna" Serenade rubs her eyes, blinking several times, "Ponyville allowed me to build a bit bigger then Canterlot would have. And yes, I have several actually. Most of them are small, easy to unpack travelling models." She suddenly stops and let's out a massive yawn, her entire body shaking when she was done, she blushes. "sorry, I'm usually much more awake right now, just really nervous right now. I have a meeting with both Princess Luna and Princess Twilight coming up....soonish"

Edited August 20, 2016 by Moonlit

[FanOfManyShows 396]

@@Blitz Boom, As Astral walked she started to consider taking a shortcut through Ponyville, then wondered if anypony there would remember her, if they did they would send her to prison, which she didn't want. She didn't even know that non-unicorn magic was banned, it then occurred to her that possibly; the ban was lifted now. She rolled her eyes. 'as if they lifted it' She thought, the sole reason she went into the everfree forest was because of her abilities, which made her wonder something, she stopped walking and turned to Null and Void. "Why were you two in the everfree forest?"

[Seamore Sandwich 471]

@@Lonk Chase

@@GingerLightning

@@Melke

@@Blitz Boom

@@Mentis Soliloquy

@@Denim&Venom

@@Quinch

 

Crack! As The Forgotten One's fist came down, becoming visible to everyone, Penny cast a shield over herself, but the force of the hit pushed the shield down into the balcony, cracking the supports. Stationary shields weren't her strong suit, so she decided to use a mobile shield, as that would be better than nothing. The creature pulled back its arm and the shield dropped, but the balcony began to shift downward. Penny began to slide toward the edge of the balcony. Not knowing any self levitation spells, she did the only thing she could: try to reach the inside before the balcony fell. She was too late. The balcony fell away, leaving her hanging with her front hooves around one of the remaining boards that was sticking out. That board too was cracked, and it was clear that it would not hold her long.

 

Meanwhile, Quinch's attack seemed to be doing damage at first, but slowly he would feel his hits having less and less impact. The beast decided to try to swipe him away, but by the time he should have made contact, he ended up passing right through him since Quinch was no longer connected to the spirit plane by Miles.

 

Before he could respond to Zhu, The Traveller remembered something. "One moment." Sissilia finished the flesh she was gnawing on, then The Traveller looked up to watch her slide down his face on her back, to the ground where she landed on all fours. After a deep chuckle, he says, "No matter how many times I see that, it's still amusing." Sissilia then walked her way over to Ginger to see what was wrong. Anyone could see the concern in her eyes as she approached the changeling half breed. She could tell that Ginger wasn't feeling well.

 

 

@@Blitz Boom

@@Mentis Soliloquy

@@Denim&Venom

 

"He's sleeping and he can't be woken up,". Seamore said to the curious little foxling. He probably should have clarified by saying 'shouldn't' instead of 'can't' but it isn't often that he deals with children of any kind.

 

 

@@Blitz Boom

@@Moonlit

@@Hazard Time

 

Derpy flew off into the night, returning to her home to get a good night's sleep after a long day.