open Casual stroll

[dragon4111 914]

@NightMare Star.

Draco looked at the alicorn with a deadpan stare. "I shoot myself out of a cannon and trebuchet. I go through hurricanes and other weather conditions. You really don't scare me,"," Draco stated simply and matter of fact sort of tone. "So sit down," Draco stated as he read out the fines "3 large bullions, 4 chickens, 5 goats, and 10 thousand bits," Draco stated simply. "You moved them unsafely. Floating through the air. And without the recipients permission," Draco stated simply as he sighed to himself.

[dragon4111 914]

@NightMare Star.

"The large materials floating through the air could have dropped and crushed a pony," Draco stated as he looked at Senvious. "Nobles are a pain in my flank," Draco muttered to himself as he had a serious look on his face. "If one of those nails fallen out of your aura what then?" Draco asked as he looked at the irresponsible alicorn. "You will pay up or you will be taken in by the Courier's guild," Draco stated as he pulled out an anti magic ring crafted by the mages in the guild. "You think you are the first to not pay up and with magic?"

[dragon4111 914]

@NightMare Star.

Draco sighed as he rubbed his forehead. His feathers ruffled with his annoyance. This poncy little. "Judging by your wings and horn you are a lord," Draco stated. "I'll give you a week to write a letter to who ever is your king," Draco stated simply. Honestly this whole thing with Clayton was driving up his blood pressure.

[dragon4111 914]

@Blitz Boom

Draco just cursed in zebracan. Poncy little git ooh this is why he hated nobility taking no responsibility. Hmm if he was king then he should have been able to pay the damned fine. Draco really wanted to take off after him but he had Clayton Last, and Longstare with him. He'll deal with that idiot later. He pulled out his notepad and his pen. He began to write a letter to the courier's guild in Manehattan. He gave a sharp whistle as his pet peregrine falcon came swooping in onto his back. He looked to Last and stated "Some guest,"

[Missklang 1,053]

@BloodDrops @@Blitz Boom,

 

Missklang looked as the dragon saving Blitz.

 

Hmmmm....curious. I manually pick the effects of my bombs and I clearly remember making sure none are dangerous. It's also curious that it affected only Blitz but not us. Hmmm, perhaps your disease affect the bomb and make it unpredictable? I'll have to research that later... 

 

 

 

"You said you were looking for a halfblood. Why?"

 

Missklang shivered. He never heard someone using that term for describing what they were.

 

It's quite simple. It's the closest person that I have to a family, I'm sure you sensed that, right? And also because I had to return over a year ago, but due to.... memory related circumstances I was delayed. 

[EQ_Theta 460]

@@Blitz Boom

 

"Look, I don't want to sound insensitive right now but we shouldn't be keeping the council waiting. I'll let them know you'll be coming soon but please don't take long. The council only agreed to meet at this unconventional time because it's important." 

Ghilan stood up, restraining himself from yelling back at Sen and leaving. He paused for a moment before stepping foot outside, no longer turning his back to his guests like he did earlier, a side effect of a strained relationship with Sen. Still, he wanted to see this through to the end, and maybe tensions will ease in time. Lin followed suit, gently tapping Omen on the shoulder before leaving. Sen stayed seated with his head bowed down and spoke to Omen with an almost emotionless tone. 

"So... that's what you and sister's been doing away from me, huh?"

Sen stood up from his seat and moved to the windowsill, now able to look Omen in the eye. 

"Every time I try to look at what's wrong with the life I once knew, it makes me angry. Seeing everything wrong with it... I want something that isn't that and no one should live looking over their shoulder thinking someone is out to get them. What I did just now, it was stupid, I wasn't thinking. I'm sorry for making you worry. If you feel I should be sent away, don't look back when you do so. You deserve a much better friend than me."

Unbeknownst to the two of them, Lin didn't follow elder Ghilan all the way back to the communal hut. She was outside her old home, listening to Sen. She was disturbed by what she heard, the resignation in her brother's voice welcoming the idea of being sent away. The two of them were already separated once and feared the worst for each other. She knew he didn't want that.

"Don't say that, Sen!" She rushed back in and confronted her brother. "We brought this up to Omen's mother because we are worried. Omen and I don't want the worst to happen to you. Stick with us, you're not in this alone."  

Edited January 31, 2017 by EQ_Theta

[Driz 1,552]

@@Blitz Boom,@@Moonlit, 

 

Trinket interrupted her train of thought, turning back to face the two that now found themselves tangled in a hug. After Ziggy invited the mare to partake in said hug, she turned away and stared at the ground.

 

"Oh!... S--Sure, I could. But... I mean, like..." A reddish tone appeared on her feature. "I... guess... I guess this is necessary if I want to learn about the Siren's, uhh... fluffiness." Not to mentioned, she was challenged to do it, so she couldn't back away.

 

Trinket then began slowly making her way near towards the two, stopping just in range for the action to take place. Unsure on how to proceed, she simply raised her hoof sheepishly, expecting a hoofshake, and smiled awkwardly.

[Moonlit 593]

@@Driz,@@Blitz Boom, Serenade rolls her eyes, reaches out with a foreleg and wraps it around Trinket's body and pulls her in to a hug. The Siren's underbody scales are soft, and smells faintly of the open ocean. She leans her head between the two ponies, the scales on her upper body are a bit harder but still smells of the ocean.

[cwhip9 1,078]

 

 

"S-So uhm... What sort of thing do you guys normally do? H-Heroing stuff perhaps?"

Cresent chuckled at the thought of him being a hero type, not a bad picture. "well me and zinthar just met to be honest" he paused unsure if the feline wanted to be reviled about how the two met. He decided to wait for a cue from the cat before he reveled too much on accident.  

 

"me, most excitement I get is when I map out these woods and I find a spider cave or something similar to it. Ive been from Manity and back a couple times. And I hate using this but its not just for show" the batpony said gesturing with his gauntlet.

 

"but I wouldn't worry too much if we run into anything the main rule with these woods is everything here is more scared of you then anything else" he said with a smile to the youngster.   

[Seamore Sandwich 471]

@@Blitz Boom

 

In early Ponyville

 

A smile grew across Penny Picker's face as The Traveler rolled his eyes and let out a sigh. Penny knelt down to open the lower door of her cart, noticed she hadn't put the brake on and corrected that. She then took a rather large sack of berries out of the bottom of her cart to give to Zhu. "That'll be eight bits," she said cheerfully, happy to be getting a good first sale in the newly constructed Ponyville. "And now you know how one word out of place can change everything. We can either try again, or I can fix this later, but I have a feeling you'll want to see this through. This time should lead to an even worse accident that will prevent the existence of certain relatives that one of the bearers of the Elements of Harmony stayed with just before earning her cutie mark, therefore dooming all of Equestria. Don't worry though, I can always go back. Well, almost always."

 

 

@@Widdershins,

 

Granny Smith kept wandering around, banging the pots together to scare off the Timberwolves, while Big Mac approached Ambie. "Good, you're up. I made a promise to a friend that I'd get his logs delivered today, but with the Zapapple harvest coming, and us having to teach Applejack's friends, that's gonna have to fall on you. I need you to take the large cart from the barn to the edge of the Everfree Forest, load the loose logs into it, and bring the logs to Filthy Rich in town. There should be six logs."

 

 

@@Blitz Boom

 

In the Dream Halls

 

Rattling could be heard on the other side of the door as the elevator came up to the door. Ding. The doors slid open, revealing a fancy, old style elevator with wood paneling. With this kind of elevator, you might expect there would be an attendant, but there wasn't. Instead there was just the sound of your typical elevator music. Charlie got in quickly, and if Vivid came in and pressed the button, they would begin their slow descent.

 

 

@@Lloyd

 

"...that's the only thing that's sold here." The thought of what was just said echoed in Blossom's mind for a moment. She got up and climbed onto the counter revealing herself to actually be a young filly not much older than the Cutie Mark Crusaders. Her voice made her sound a bit older than she were, but not unbelievably so. "We sell much more than just chocolate. We have lollipops, gum drops, candy buttons, rock candy, cotton candy, peanut brittle, peppermints, butterscotch, raspberry twists...". She just kept going and going, listing all kinds of non chocolate candies, pointing to them as she did. You name it, they had it.

 

 

@@Blitz Boom

 

In the streets of Canterlot

 

Penny was unphased by Brick Wall's reaction. She had tested her chocolates enough times where she had seen all kinds of reactions. She had gotten used to it. "Honestly, it's not that far. Although I can always manage to find my way back to the shop, I don't know the area well enough that I'd find my way back here once I got there, so I had to use my teleporting chocolates. They save the location you teleport from so the next piece can send you back. It's part of a marketing strategy where I give these out to shops in the area who then give them to customers looking for a good place to buy some sweets. So far, I've only given them to one shop, a Café in Ponyville. It also comes in handy for deliveries."

Edited January 31, 2017 by Seamore Sandwich

[Blitz Boom 4,634]

@dragon4111

 

Clayton just starred at Draco in disbelief as the conversation went on. If you could even call this a conversation, as it were two camps throwing verbal rocks at eachother more than anything.

 

"You just... W-Why did you.... Do you have any idea what you just did?"

 

A hoof were placed on his shoulder, in a way of Last to say that she would take over on this before he choked on his own words in sheer disbelief.

 

"The materials that comes to this town were provided by Clayton, but there is only one authority here when it comes to deciding what happens to them, and that's me. That makes it my call to make on how they get from point A to point B, not yours, and as you might have noticed I have a town to get rebuild, which means that any time saved is good. Especially when done safely.

 

And do you know how I know it's done safely? Because if several tons of building materials landed on somepony, there would be screams from the others loud enough to be heard in Canterlot. So, he transported them safely, saved us time, and you think that I will have him condemned for not asking beforehoof? I have the authority when it comes to these things as I am recipient, and I have proclaimed from yesterday that however these things gets taken to the site without crushing anypony that's the most time efficient is allowed, regardless of them asking me in advance. Something which covers everypony, including the alicorn you just made fly off in a foul mood."

 

Last's voice had gotten cold, and you could clearly hear in her words that she did not think highly of Draco currently. How little were up to debate, but it had dropped from her first impression of him at least, which hadn't been good in the first place.

 

"Now, I'm going to find him, and calm him down before he uses his magic to level this town, and you're going to stay away from him, and get a lecture from the guard about how your attempt at a claim is worthless, even if I hadn't given my explicit permission. I don't want to clean up more of your messes today."

 

With that she turned, and wandered off towards the direction she supposed the unnamed alicorn had gone off to. Hopefully she could find him before he let his foul mood hit somepony who did not deserve it, and/or before he destroyed some of their town. There were enough work to do here already without having a highly magical being flying around with a grudge.

 

Back with the others, Stargazer rubbed his temple as he felt yet again something akin to a migraine bore through his head at the trouble they might find themselves in now.

 

*sigh* and to think that he had believed Last would be the troublemaker when they met up...

 

"She is right. A claim for a fine like that would require him to be associated in some part with the Courier Guild, otherwise they could lay claims on anypony moving a couch or something like that, which is why there are a system in check for who such things can be served to. In this case, the law protects the alicorn, just as much as Last's words about her deciding on whatever or not the moving were unwanted or not does. Even with the best of wills, if you can't get her to file a complaint as the technical recipient, you don't have much.

 

As far as I know, Mr. Quartz over here have signed that all the materials coming to this town falls under her ownership, so his support in this wouldn't help either."

 

"Technically, I signed that the things are hers to use as she sees fit, as long as it is for r-rebuilding purposes and fortification of current structures, but that's a minor technicality that doesn't r-really matter right now. Uhm... If you would excuse me, I need to uhm... L-Look for something."

 

Clayton excused himself somewhat and scurried away, towards the edge of town where he could have some peace to think, and an easier time to get away just in case Senvious decided to go from slighted to wrathful. Mostly the second part though.

 

"*sigh* Today really isn't looking better right now."

 

As for Long Stare... Well, she were still supporting Draco, even if she thought that maybe he had been a teensie bit too forceful with the alicorn. She didn't know about laws and such, so she trusted that her co-Friend, knew what he were talking about, though the guard should know things too since he were part of the law in a way...

 

It felt a little over her head all of this, and frankly she felt like crawling into a cave for a few months after this episode that had held more action than she had been through in ages - if you ignored the day before - but she didn't want to go off alone. Especially not with the alicorn flying around somewhere, so she just kept to her position somewhat behind Draco and tried to stand as near him as she could. Kind of to show support, and sort of to... W-Well, she were supposed to right? She didn't know how it worked after.... Uhm...

 

She blushed some as she thought over the episode that came to mind, which had awkwardly ended with her passing out like a fool. Likely not something that Draco liked and he hated her now, but p-perhaps he didn't, and then what? She didn't really know as she had never really had anypony that near her before, but she were somewhat sure that she at least try to stand with him for now as the thought rummaged through her mind of how he had taken her in his strong hooves and... Nonono, she had to stop thinking on this, or she'd end up a tomato again, and she had already embarrassed herself enough.

 

                                 =============================================================

 

 

@Handsome Changeling

 

As Void's mood began to swing towards the more violent stages, he would see some changed with Belladonna. The first were the subtle increase in her heart beat and her muscles tensing a small bit, as if she were prepared for having to jump out of the way, whilst the second were more direct, and included her using her horn to draw forth a needle from her bag.

 

It seemed to have a simple, slim design that would allow for it to be weighing next to nothing, but still effectively contain the pale-purple liquid that flowed within it. And considering the design, it appeared that it were meant to infect whoever she jammed this into with said liquid, though for the time being it just floated next to her. A precaution to her, in case he went beyond an angry mood and would attack. She might not think it were his first instinct, but there were always a margin for error, and you needed to be ready for that.

 

Usually she didn't feel much when she were threatened or met others that were angry, but even she could not stay entirely cool when faced with somepony that could quite literally break her down, drain every drop of love out of her, and convert her to a mindless drone. A thought like that would raise her heartbeat some and make her prepare, even if she preferred to not give signs like this that she were ready. It worked more efficiently when it came as a surprise.

 

He seemed to calm down fast though after he had spoken about his intense disdain for the new king, which were pretty much a response she had assumed. She might not have met many changelings recently, but surely the word would circulate about the mutation of Thorax's hive and face the bugponies with an interesting picture of what they could end up as.

 

"I have little good to think on Thorax as it is too, but it is from a somewhat different angle from yours, though I believe it touches upon the same thing. That being that he is a perversion of nature, and he isn't going to let it end with that hive.

 

He is doing things to make changelings more accepted, which I assume have some benefits, but he will inevitably see what happened to him and his stolen hive as the ideal future of all changelings, and the only way your race will go from being perceived as leeches, as they do not require to drain love from what rumors I have heard. To him, the regular of your kin will eventually be seen as damaging to the image of what changelings are, or he will quite simply think that he needs to give his *gift* to others.

 

I can't see a likely outcome that doesn't end with him trying to convert every hive there is to his mutated kin, and as they won't have a leadership that will know how to handle this, or more than likely, will have died or been forced to submit after trying to stop him from taking them, he will become the king of all changelings. And quite frankly, I find this more despicable than what Chrysalis' attack on Canterlot. With that, there are argument of needing to feed her hive, and the nature of things simply being that ponies are a food source to them, like apples are to us, whereas Thorax would simply go about to converting just for the sake of image, self protection, delusion, or something else.

 

If others wish to join him that is one thing, but  the odds are good that it won't be a choice for all, and when you take away the choice you become a dictator. Something which would be best dealt with through a small application of a modified necrotic poison dealt to the right individual. Provided he does go on a conversion trip that is."

 

Belladonna had some personal experiences with those who towered over others, and her personal opinion on things could be heard in clouding things a little there perhaps, but she wasn't saying he should be poisoned yet just to be safe, so the clouds weren't too thick currently at least. Though speaking of poison...

 

"You don't need to worry about this though. It is simply a small tranquilizer of. Nothing which would have left permanent damage if the situation had required it's need to be used."

 

                          ===================================================================

 

 

@genessee

 

"What, you don't know what an animatronic is? Geez, this place is more backwater than I had thought. But fine, fine, if you want to use laypony terms, Carmen is a robot. A simple design perhaps, but creating a pony variant yet is impractical. I need several more tests of artificial muscle to begin on that."

 

A smile spread on his face and a small chuckle escaped him.

 

"Would you believe that wire is actually one of the best things to make it with? And not something metallic, but simple fishing line. It's amazingly sturdy and flexible for the job if fiddled with the right way. Not in the base form though, nononono, it needs modifications! And lot's of it. But the work is getting there. Mark my words, we'll have robotic ponies in our lifetimes.

 

But I rimble and I ramble. You're local here, right? Heard of anyplace around here where they serve food? Need to get something done while I wait for the castle to get opened again, and it ain't easy to focus right on an empty stomach."

 

If Lance had been listening to ponies as he went towards his home, he should have at least heard a little about the food parlor that had been set up thus far, and could likely guess a general direction it were in. So at least he might be able to answer, and perhaps also get something in his stomach too before he went to sleep. He'd need the energy tomorrow.

 

                             ==============================================================

 

 

@Shineling

 

Void blushed and looked away, but it would still be easy to see the smile that crept on her face as she heard Storm express her food were good. She had hoped that it were, but it had been so long since she made this that she wasn't entirely sure if it had worked alright, or if she were just trying to convince herself via nostalgia.

 

"T-Thank you Storm. I think what you made looks really good too. E-Especially the curry. I need to try that later, but I-I think we need to get the things out there. Ponies might s-soon be coming."

 

It would take a bit of time, but they should be able to get the food out on the tables and ready to be served soon enough if they worked at it. Which would be an interesting time as near the end, Void would begin to realize that the way things looked, her and Storm didn't just have to have this prepared, but also make sure it were served.

 

If she hadn't been pitch black, one might have been able to see how pale she suddenly felt at the thought of having to stand in front of all those ponies, but physically it stayed at only a color change in her head. Oh, and a look of realization and horror going over her eyes. There were that too.

 

                           =================================================================

 

 

@Seamore Sandwich

 

Zhu handed over the rest of the bits and took the bag he had bought before he spoke again. Precious time he used to think on how to say the nxt to the Creator, though when the time came, he decided to simply say it as it were.

 

"Then go back once, and then we will set this correctly. We are messing too much with time here for a lesson that I either fail to see, or have already learned. I know of chain effects and what can happen from a single event, just as much as a minor thing out of place can do. I have been at this for nine hundred years, which likely is little to you, but have been enough to teach me several basic things, such as that.

 

I may error at times, as I did with the berries, but even I can mend this wave that threatens to work through the timelines if it comes to that. Less clean, and I would need some time, but one must spend time to gain things correctly. Especially when it comes to situations as important as the bearers of harmony being born and being in the correct places to fulfill their part in protecting this world. Long have I done what I could to ensure the birth and placement of two of the six that were destined to potentially err away from their place, and seeing the work failed and this country crumbling, because of a minor ripple is not encouraging."

 

Frankly, he failed to see the point in them messing with this anymore. if it had been worked correctly to begin with, why keep influencing things? To teach what choice entailed were one thing, but this seemed somewhat stagnant and devoid of a lesson he could see, unless as mentioned, he had already learned it.

 

                         =======================================================================

 

 

@Missklang

 

"I had an inkling about it, yes. Weren't sure if you wanted ti blurted out around these two though."

 

She looked down at Blitz that were still running around and blabbering on, then to Lotus that she aw were holding her ears and getting irritable before grabbing hold in Blitz and lifting the small pony from the ground.

 

"Alright, that's enough. You don't want Lotus to knock you out again, right?"

 

The filly shook her head as she squirmed in the grip, wanting to get down. Nerzhei wasn't letting go just yet, but did have the thought that if Blitz were a cat, she were pretty sure the response would have been exactly the same. Strange kid this one.

 

"Try to check up on the forge, alright? I'll be there soon."

 

She nodded and as soon as she were let down, she ran off with a loud *weee* sound, normally only heard in rides at a fun fair.

 

"An oddity that one, but to get back to what you were saying: Have you tried to use a focus for your magic? Using a spell itself is fine enough, but if it leads to errors like this, perhaps it could use an enhancement? of sorts? A scrying object if you will.

 

Also, I would wish that perhaps you didn't run too far away just yet. I have this little... Mare, to deal with right now, but I could use your expertise on the physiology of dragon ponies, halfbloods, hybrids or whatever name is more applicable. in your mind. It might help me in my studies of a book I found that I'm trying to decipher."

 

                              ==============================================================

 

 

@EQ_Theta

 

"Lin is right. We are concerned what can happen, so we wanted to take you away if things got too far. Not forever though. I don't want to loose you, just let you... Cool off? I think that's the right phrase."

 

Omen looked at Sen as he basically squirmed under the thoughts of what he had done, what he might have gotten himself to do, of his sister and Omen's travel to Mother, etc. with interest, but not thinking that she should send him away. It had been an option when he were angry, but not now that he were calm, though depressed. At least she thought that were what this were called. She had heard so many variations of being down that it were hard to keep track of them all sometimes.

 

"The other elder did wrong, and he will regret it, but as Mother said, you might be playing into his plans by being angry and lash out. Makes you seem like the bad one, so it were safer to get you away if it went badly. We need you calm, so you can talk with them. Make sure this doesn't happen to others perhaps? Your laws are confusing, so not sure what can come from this.

 

Do we walk there? Gate or portal perhaps?"

 

She didn't know what else she could say to try and lighten Sen's mood right now. She might try a hug, but that would be strange and still kind of awkward, and when it came to the things regarding their race, laws, ways of growing up and such, she couldn't join much in either as the only variations she knew where what she had been told, and the little she had seen, and neither really seemed to be the whole truth about things. Plus, she were sure that something were hidden, or that she had missed, that would be important to understand the confusion that this town were. She couldn't recall falling over something that would explain it all at least, though she had heard enough to know that the old system were bad, and the new one Ghilan apparently tried to make, was a better version.

 

As for the emotional spectrum of things... Yeah, that wasn't really her expertise. They'd frankly have greater luck by replacing her with a bunny if they wanted emotional friendship and stability, regardless of her *riveting* speech before. It carried about the same emotional range of a bee buzzing around, hoping to find what it looked for.

 

                          ====================================================================

 

 

@Moonlit

@Driz

 

The small, chattering laughter of Fah'lina were heard when Trinket were pulled into a big ol' siren hug, but Ziggy at least didn't really hear it. She had a face full of siren again, who had dragged them both in like they were teddy bears - or food that she liked to play with - which obstructed vision, hearing, and so forth.

 

Not that she really minded. It was nice, and the scales tickled her cheek in a fun way. Just the way a siren hug should be as far as she cared, though it were up to how Trinket felt about it when it came to the plushies.

 

                         =====================================================================

 

 

@cwhip9

 

"If there's anything big and scary out here, it needs to stand in line to eat you. I hate to share."

 

A small shiver went down Cover-up's spine as he heard the feline respond in his taunting ways, though he didn't say anything about it.

 

"And I don't do much usually. Surprisingly, getting banished to Purgatory for a millennia is less interesting than it sounds, and I can't exactly begin where I left off again now that I've returned. I doubt it is as easy to establish a cult these days as it were back then at least, and I just can't be bothered to be part of such a lengthy work again."

 

He stopped a bit to scratch his right ear, barely looking like he cared about what he had said. Something which were far from the truth, but currently, he wanted to test the waters and see what the tolerance of these others might be a little by little when it came to how he had been.

 

"Heroing sounds interesting though. Or it it vigilantism I think about? Whichever let's me beat up the most bad ones in whatever way I see fit I guess."

 

He kept on walking, which cover-up also did. Something which surprised him as he would have thought that the colt would have not liked the idea of the cat being a cultist or cult leader perhaps, and wanted to voice his opinion, but thus far he took it rather well. Long as you ignored the slight increase in the smell of sweat from him, and his refusal to look at the feline currently.

 

                          =======================================================================

 

 

@Seamore Sandwich

 

An elevator door, really? Of all the things that could have been behind this door and that she had prepared herself mentally for, and it were simply just an elevator?

 

Granted, elevators were still a new, strange concept to her that she could see were convenient, but wasn't overly used to yet as she had tended to simply wander around and find a path that led down rather than this more direct way. Yet still, it wasn't something that scared her, and honestly, she wasn't sure if the sight of some eldritch horror behind the doors wouldn't have been better instead. At least then it wouldn't have been a let down, though the brutal disassembly and corruption of their minds and bodies were somewhat worse she supposed.

 

"Well then, up or down, let us see what happens this time."

 

Making sure Charlie were in, she turned around and pressed the button that should make them travel. This time though, she braced herself for disappointment rather than violence.

 

                        =====================================================================

 

 

@Seamore Sandwich

 

"A Café in Ponyville you say? I think I know somepony there that I could recommend these too. Especially with the teleportation. Should prove rather handy."

 

That was a bit of an understatement, as this meant that she could actually visit her sister a few more times, or rather have her visit here in Canterlot, without the issues of moving her because of her nervousness around others. Tended to leave her unable to take the train, and Scarcity were often far too busy to be able to leave the town on a whim, so these should prove useful.

 

In several ways already, meeting Penny here had given her options she had otherwise needed to do substantially more work for otherwise. What a fascinating pony to be around, and one that were assuredly better to have on your good side.

 

"And I must say dearie, I like your way of spreading information about your boutique. Word of muzzle is often a good marketing idea , as well as giving a little taste of what could be, and you have a strategy down that combines it beautifully. Though now that you mention a boutique, I simply must have a look there if you'd please to inform or show us where it is? The way you have it going is one thing, but seeing it too would be quite fascinating, and give a fuller picture. Might be something more I would wish to buy from you too, even if it is not magical."

[Holiday Agnaktor 1,436]

@Summer Breeze

@Blitz Boom 

 

 

"Ah, nice. I don't mind sleeping in a cave. After all, I can just sort of make beds out of whatever we can find around the cave. Transmutation is really handy sometimes."

 

When Summer told Blue about Lotus, Blue just nodded. She had seen what the little freak was capable of.

 

Blue smiled when Lyriel reassured her. It was kind of nice to know that the tree thing cared about her, even if she didn't care back. It almost made her feel bad about taking advantage of them. Almost.

 

Frosty and Blue both nodded towards Summer when she asked whether they should go. Blue was a bit anxious about whether the dragon would put two and two together and figure out that the weird small dragon from before had been her. Hopefully the dragon wouldn't figure it out, but she had no guarantees. She would have to stay on her toes for some time.

 

 

When the party arrived at the place where Nerzhei was digging out the cave, Frosty approached her.

 

"Hey hey, Nerzhei! We're here now! And we brought company too!"

 

He pointed at Blue whilst saying that. Blue waved nervously at Nerzhei.

 

"Ehm, hello. I'm Blue Skies, what's your name?"

[BloodDrops 762]

@@Blitz Boom,

 

Blood Drops blinked at the dragon she looked mad. Blood realized she had messed up again, she kept messing up. Maybe it would be better if she left before she messed up again.

 

She looked at Blitz "She looks ok to me" she remarked more to herself then anyone else. She glanced over at the random teleporting pony for help. She didn't want to get burred alive. It didn't seem fun. "I didn't do it" she remarked and looked away at the angry dragons stare. That shut her up rather quickly. She decided to back away several steps, slowly does it. The dragon was right after all, she did cause alot of trouble, she didn't think they would notice her absence at first, the dragon was pre-occupied by Blitz, Blitz was happy telling her story and the stranger was currently talking to the group.

 

She continued to back away until she had backed behind the forge building, she blinked realizing that there was a perfect circular store of wood, must be good for drying the wood out. She went to the end pile and piled it against the wall of the forge, then she crawled inside and sealed herself in, she didn't want to be buried alive though if this was the best thing to stop other ponies being harmed that would be better then nothing. She blinked and wiggled, it was rather cramp being surrounded by wood, though it was rather cozy, a perfect hiding place.

 

She began planning what she could do, maybe make herself a wood house deep in the forest. That was a good idea.

[ScrewLoose 133]

ScrewLoose was still running. The... the THINGS, whatever they were, were still chasing him. On he ran through the streets of Ponyville, his mouth wide open in shock, his pink and green mane swishing through the air. 

 

Suddenly, as if by magic, a strange, wizened hand reached out from behind a dark alleway. Eager to escape his followers, ScrewLoose cautiously came towards the alley...

[genessee 535]

@@Blitz Boom

 

"Oh, robot. Duh. Food?.." Lance had heard about a food parlor on his way to his cottage. He didn't know the way, but it probably was nearby. "I think there's a food place nearby. I don't know the exact way to it, but it shouldn't take long to find." He scanned his surroundings, and didn't see it. "It's not right next to us, so my guess would be that it would be a little further down. Follow me." He pretended to know what he was doing and motioned for the stallion to follow him,

[dragon4111 914]

@Blitz Boom

Draco shut the book loudly to get their attention. "So basically who cares about the little ponies," Draco stated as he rolled his eyes. "No nothing like a couch but those were heavy building materials. And he just floated them over a town," Draco stated as his eyes were hard and looking at the two leaving. "Couriers are careful with how they transport their clients items," Draco stated as he was the two walk away. " Go stroke his ego then let him whine away," Draco said simply as he placed.

[Storm Shine 1,196]

@@Blitz Boom, 

 

"Already on it!" Storm replied happily, preparing bowls and plates of food to be taken out. "If you want, you can stay back and I'll make sure things get served up. I'm not sure how you are with crowds but if you feel overwhelmed at all then don't be afraid to step back and take a bit to calm down or something, okay?" 

[Handsome Changeling 1,851]

@@Blitz Boom,

Void felt his anger totally fade away, his mood mellowed out as he paced slightly, one side of his brain thinking as the other spoke, almost as if planning the correct words, his pauses almost distinctively proven this.

"Yes. A Tyrant yet also kind... If it were so easy... Then why couldn't I be said Tyrant, I help reform our image as is... So do many others. But almost in a way forcing change by making us 'Classic' Changeling's as I have been called by a few. Obsolete parasites that are viewed as hateful spiteful beings who wish pain upon others... That in my eyes is a vile act against our nature. Forcing decision upon us. I shall stand my ground, even if I am seen as a vile being of spite I shall not be persuaded from my goal. Which for now is making sure ponies see both us grey shelled insectoids as kind as our new brothers"

His voice once again raising in tension, and anger, but flowing back down to a slow mellow calm after a few pauses breaks and self mumbles inside each sentence, he looked at the needle and rolled his eyes, not out of annoyance, but just simple due to his slight anger in his mood

"I may have a savage side yes my new friend but even Tranqs are not needed, you wouldn't be attacked by me, I have no such intentions of doing such nasty acts, especially to someone who has treated me with such outright respect, even for what I am, and the almost... Propaganda slandering of my species, those new 'brothers' are simply a sub species to me, and sub species always get picked out by the course of natural selection"

His pacing back and forth finally halting, his body swinging to attention and facing directly at Belladonna, his glowing folly pink eyes still showing signs of anger as his lighter pink pupils were fairly puny compared to the rest of his eye's sclera size but he kept totally calm, besides an occasional whinny from his muzzle and that lead to a hiss. Slowly after a strong silented pause he did fully calm down but the subject of course, for an older Changeling being rather touchy and vaguely terrifying. The fluorescent eyes then went back to the needle and simply stared, he understood the need for self defence but he never truly understood how ponies could find him scary, if only he could see from a non disguised ponies point of view, then he would fully understand.

[---------------------- 1,645]

...

 

[Driz 1,552]

@@Blitz Boom, @@Moonlit

 

"Ugh!... O--Okay, that's... Uhh... That's great!" Trinket softly tapped her hoof on Serenade's foreleg as if she wanted to forfeit from a wrestling match. After all, the mare still wasn't one hundred percent comfortable with the idea of having a mythical, pony-eating creature as a friend. Given the fact that courage wasn't her forte, being so up-close to the Siren's mandible wasn't necessarily a comfortable feeling. Although, the hug did feel comfortable, to her surprise - despite the faint smell of fish, of course.

 

"Alright. I can see now just how fluffy the plushies have to be... I guess." When she thought about it a second time, was that really necessary?

[Moonlit 593]

@@Driz,@@Blitz Boom, Serenade releases her foreleg and gives Trinket a sheepish smile, she also releases Ziggy. "Ziggy...if you....either post...that latter....or find....a Night Guard....Luna will...know" She turns to face Trinket, "If Princess...Luna....make it here....before morning....I can...make replacement....muffins" 

Edited February 1, 2017 by Moonlit

[EQ_Theta 460]

@@Blitz Boom

Sen looked toward the direction of the communal hut and approached the exit, stopping by the wooden frame where his old home ended and the path to the world outside began. He rubbed his claw against his head and looked outward, getting a feel of the atmosphere. It was quiet and everyone would be in their homes, eating dinner or preparing for bed. Evening had just begun but most would find solace within the confines of their own private lives, oblivious to the events outside. Sen envied them if only because of the relative peace they experience.

"The place isn't far and I'd rather we keep the use of magic to a minimum," Sen looked toward Lin and Omen. "The villagers don't want to be disturbed in the evening."

Lin nodded toward Omen and followed her brother to the communal hut. The walk back was uneventful, not a single villager peeped out of their homes to see the three of them moving by and only the sounds of crickets could be heard. Elder Ghilan spotted the group and waved to them before entering. Sen went in first and was faced with the council, three elderly longma who were known to be secretive, only making their appearances in the most important matters. Some even suggest that the triumvirate was a myth but being in their presence laid those matters to rest. Lin took her seat on the table facing the three elderly longma. Ghilan approached the three and addressed the council before them.

"Good evening all. This is a most unconventional time to discuss matters but I feel it should be addressed; you all are aware of Sen? One of us who was banished almost twelve years ago? And Lin, one of us who we falsely assumed is forever lost? Here they are, and we wish to motion for an investigation into the whereabouts of the former elder Solasan."

The elderly longma sitting in the middle of the elevated table held up one claw and stood up. "The attendance of the young ones gives us reason to listen but there are three of them. One isn't of us and we wish to know of it and its motives for being in our presence. We shall proceed once this is made clear."

The second of the three stood and bowed to Omen. "What say you, visitor? Why have you come here and what is your interest in this matter? This hearing surely is of no importance to you."

Edited February 2, 2017 by EQ_Theta

[Widdershins 9,959]

@@Seamore Sandwich,

 

   "Haul...hauling lumber?S-sure, right, I can do that! You go have your...Good Luck with your..."  Ambie waves bashfully as the larger red stallion walks away to attend to the rest of the days chores.

   After rubbing one of his cheeks with the back of one his front hooves, the white blush of his doubt at accomplishing physical labor soon replaced by another color, he pauses to recollect his memories & thinks out loud to himself.

  "Oh, right! Barn!"

    After nosing open one of the barn doors & spotting the one of the farm's older wagons, Ambie pauses to look around.

  "Well... I'll need something to get the logs back out with... there, that ought to do it."

After tossing a nearby burlap tarp into the wagon, hitching himself up under the wagon's harness & leaning into it in an attempt to pull it forward, Ambie begins thinking out loud to himself again, under his breath.

   "Well, guess the Everfree would be the biggest tree lot here so- HUNH- dear Thataway, I guess. Sure- HUNH- hope I don't get any sort of splinter in my -HUNH..."

 

 

 

    Several hours later, at the entrance to Ponyville, the path leading towards the forest, but notably away from the direction of Sweet Apple Acres:

 

        A very loud dragging sound can be heard, as well as a cloud of dust in the distance. As the scene gets closer to any passerby ponies, the sound of raspy mutterings can be heard amongst strained grunting.  As the shape enters into Ponyville it reveals itself to be a rather out-of-shape stallion of ruddy pink-red coat & green mane, digging his hooves into the ground & leaning forward with all his might in an effort to drag his load behind him. His load seems to consist of six fresh-cut, but tattered logs, likely so from having been dragged around for hours. They sit upon a burlap tarp that has two holes on its front end chewed in so as to have rope attached to both it & the disconnected wagon harness that is strapped around the panting stallion that is lugging the whole mess.

 

   After a few minutes more of dragging, Ambie drags both himself & his attached load to the fountain in the center of town, drops down on top of it with his face in the water and appears to pass out for a few minutes.

                   A few exasperated gulping sounds can be heard for a while later.

  Edit: rewriting, may return to it later.

Edited February 4, 2017 by Widdershins

[Blitz Boom 4,634]

@

Great, just like she had feared, she now had an angry alicorn smashing things.

It hadn't taken all that long to find him, considering the noise that he made when smashing around, but quite frankly, she wasn't sure if it were a good thing that she had found him or not right now.

Yes, she needed him calmed down before his destruction went on to the town itself, but there were nopony else nearby, and she wasn't in a fighting condition, no matter how much she kept up the tough act. If he needed a living, breathing target to let off some steam, she wouldn't stand a chance of even defending herself without either getting pummeled, disintegrated, or have her stitches burst from the sudden movements she'd have to take to not get hit. And that wasn't even thinking about how she would likely not be able to get any sort of defense going regardless, as this were an alicorn and his magic were therefore likely strong enough to do severe damage in a larger area than she could move.

For crying out loud, he had used wind to carry several tons of bricks and such without looking strained, or even slightly out of breath. How good did her chances seem?

But of course, she still didn't have much of a choice. She had to try and get through to him and solve this or this would become something that would affect the entire town, and she wasn't sure if this time they'd only end up with three casualties.</p>

"Hey... Alicorn?"

Not the best opener to shout out from her relative *safety* of a few meters, but he hadn't exactly given her a name to work with.

"Mind trying to calm a bit so we can talk about this? I got the courier sorted and he knows he can't do jack to you in fines or anything now. Not without me giving consent to it, and I'm not going to condemn you for helping out."

Hopefully this were going to work, and get his attention without it also including something being launched at her face.

                          =================================================================

 

 

@@BloodDrops

 

"Hey, why're you hiding in the logs?"

 

Blitz had gotten to the forge not long after Blood had gotten herself covered in logs, and had at first not seen her, but just checked up on the fire that seemed to be getting along well. It seemed to be working okay, but she figured tossing a log more in there to keep the warmth going wouldn't be a bad idea, which were when she saw Blood.

 

Or okay, she didn't see all of her, just her eyes as she removed one of the logs and then fell back with a surprised meep, but that were small details all in all.

 

It was pretty much after that that she had asked Blood the question, before turning around momentarily and pushing the log into the fire before she forgot, but she got back to facing the ill pony with a questioning look in her eyes shortly.

 

She hadn't really any idea of why anypony would hide in a place like Blood did, and especially this close to a fire where a spark might escape and try to nom on the logs. Perhaps she just needed a bit of time for herself after Nerzhei had gone at her? She had sounded kinda harsh in it, so it was possible? Guess she'd find out if Blood replied.

                                  ===============================================================

 

 

@@genessee

 

"Oh yeah, that's what I like to hear. Come on Carmen, we're rolling."

 

The robot made some clicking noises and gripped a little tighter on the strange pony's back, though it shouldn't be hard enough to create pain. She had been calibrated several times to avoid that by the pony in question, and at this point things should be working properly, save for a few errors here and there where he might say to others to get  grip and she thought it was meant at her. This were more of an intelligence thing though, and something she had to be taught over a longer period of time than they had thus far.

 

"So what do you ponies eat around here? I saw an orchard, so apples in all shapes and sizes? What about pears, or even oranges? No wait, not oranges. It'd be easy to spot a plantation for those around here. Though perhaps with a properly configured underground facility with artificial sunlight and a proper airflow... But I doubt you have that sort around here... Huh, guess I forgot to ask your name.

 

Perhaps you want me to start? Guess that's fine and alrighty-o. I'm Molotov Boom, and this here's Carmen. Who're you then?"

 

                                   =============================================================

 

 

@@dragon4111

 

"Believe me, if he had caused bodily or even property damage, I would have supported making him pay for his actions, and I would condemn it, but the law protects him right now as the owner of the materials and him seem to be agreeing with eachother about the method of transportation. If at any point Last begins to make complaints about the method it were done in, we can make a case, but before that the law is there to protect the individual, just as it is with all citizens.

 

I know it doesn't always seem fair, but I am just upholding the law, I don't write it. Besides, some fault lies with me on this. I brought him here to ask for help. I should have informed the workers first so that we could have made a safe line first."

 

Another side effect of several days of mostly work and little time to sleep or relax. If he had been well rested he might have thought on this beforehoof and there wouldn't be any issues right now, but... No, he couldn't use this as an excuse. Tired or not, he had made a mistake here that could have endangered the citizens of Ponyville, and he had to face the consequences of that with his captain the next time he sent reports of what happened in Ponyville. She would decide what disciplinary actions might have to be taken because of his recklessness.

 

"Still, the greater issue is more his anger right now. The town isn't suited for another attack this close to the last one, and if he isn't calmed this might start to happen again. Might be stroking his ego will be what she have gone off to do, but sadly, whatever works in this situation to protect the town needs to be taken into consideration before what is deserved. I hope you can understand the need to keep the highly magical alicorn in a somewhat good mood? He isn't like our princesses after all. He is more... Emotionally unstable, compared to them."

 

                                         ========================================================

 

 

@@Shineling

 

"T-Thanks Storm. I'll uhm... Try to k-keep going though."

 

Void gave a small smile and tried not to look too horrified at the prospect of having to serve a lot of strangers, but inside, she were on high alarm right now. Usually she hadn't this much to do with other ponies in the towns her and Null had been in, and even thought the plan were to try and settle in or near Ponyville and actually try to get some semblance of a life finally, the thought on having to deal with the locals this soon were intimidating for her, to say the least.

 

Still, she couldn't just leave Storm to do all the serving, so she would try, and hopefully, the ponies would be nice and more focused on the food than the stranger serving it. They'd see soon at least, as she were seeing some ponies starting to get here already.

 

Hadn't been a moment too soon Storm and her had finished up it seemed.

 

                          =====================================================================

 

 

@@Handsome Changeling

 

The needle floated back into the bag, and as Void seemed to be considerably more in check than he had been when speaking of the false king, she got her heartbeat and tension under control again too. He posed less of a threat now, though she would remain certain to observe him closely in case it started to switch again.

 

"I prefer to be prepared in case it seems likely that somepony will attack. Especially when it's by somepony from a race that haves a rather unfortunate reputation when it comes to conversion. I consider the threat of that from you to be less than two percent, but it is from a first impression and you were aggravated, so I took precautions."

 

Perhaps it were for the better that he didn't knew that she had some harsher concoctions in her bag, including a few that were changeling specific and would have left him severely unable to pose much of a threat to anything. Something she sometimes used when faced with changelings that she hadn't a good idea about yet, but Void seemed okay, and would likely only have gone too far because of emotional reasons, which were why she had figured a simple tranquilizer would be enough. No need to use a bomb to get fish out of a barrel, or how the expression went around here.

 

"As for your mutated kin, time will tell what happens with those, but keeping your ears open for stories of forced conversions or hives left in ruins wouldn't be a bad idea. It would tell you when the time had come to rally your regular kin and make a stand if needed, though I suppose there is a chance they will just keep to themselves because they know how unwanted they are for now. It depends on what happens to the leader I suppose.

 

The mutation does pose an interesting question though, in how much it have changed the biology of them. It appears only physical from a distance, but what if they have a need to eat hatred now instead of love? Do they still have a hivemind, and if so, is it focused around Thorax now, or are they still linked to Chrysalis as she wasn't killed? Though the most important would likely have to be how it have affected their ability to transform. Evolutionary speaking, they wouldn't need it anymore if they were no longer reliant on infiltrating the lives of other and drain them of love, but with mutations it is hard to say what remains of the original design. Might be important though, in case they tried to spread misinformation about the regular changelings by shifting their forms and putting the word out there through disguises."

 

It might be overthinking things, but Belladonna liked to be prepared for important things, and if it came to a fight between the variations of changelings, it were very much one of those situations, as the outcome, and even the battle itself, would cause ripples to go through the entirety of Equestria.

 

                         ======================================================================
 

 

@

 

"Geez, remind me not to get on your bad side if you're used enough to danger to just chuckle at it. I'd end up as a rug."

 

Happy grinned after the comment, but he were quite sincere with this. He might be a violent, evil thing at times, but he had to pick his fights with care unless there wasn't an option, and the more he heard from this woman the more he were convinced that not trying anything with her directly would be a smart move. He'd have to use poison or some other subtle way of giving himself an advantage if it were.

 

He could have just gone simple and used her daughter as leverage to make her comply, but she were in another world, so this were sadly not an option. Tended to be rather effective if used as a last resort.

 

Not that he didn't find it fun and would do it more often if given the chance, but it left him somewhat exposed unless he took the kid along too, and the hive didn't need those. Too small to make good workers, and too few emotions to get a good meal of out of. Barely worth the time to bring back the snacks even when the hive were low on food frankly, and since he hadn't heard it were urgent, he had to assume that things were fine.

 

"Beyond that, it sounds like you got things sorted, though I guess you'd want to have a look around this world? Long as you remain in Equestria it seems to be pretty peaceful all things considered. Less dragons makes for a good experience at least, that's for sure, though there's a few here and there in this country too from what I've heard.

 

If you needed to get a look around I could show you the local town if it were? You'd have to keep quiet about my true form though. I'd prefer not to get into trouble for being a changeling. A Queen amongst one of the older hives made a lot of bad decisions here recently, so they can be a teensy bit touchy on that currently."

 

                                ================================================================

 

 

@@Moonlit

@@Driz

 

"I know there's a Night Guard in town. Star... Something. I'll go find him."

 

Ziggy went over and took hold of the letter before heading for the door, then stopping midway to come over and ruffle through Trinket's mane for a bit.

 

"Hehe, fuzzy mane scratchies."

 

Why exactly she did this was anypony's idea, and she didn't say anything more on it unless you counted giggling for the few seconds she went on before heading for the door again, so getting a response on it were out of the way too. At least for now.

 

"Fah'lina, do you wanna come too?"

 

The mimic looked down on her and shook her head, still not trusting how it were outside.

 

"Come on, it's fine out there, I've been outside. Don't tell me you're scaaaared?"

 

The grumbling response from the mimic before she flew down and landed on Ziggy's head were fun, though she wished she didn't need to taunt her a bit about being more scared of the outside than the pony she kept pestering, to get her to come along, but she didn't have the time to try and coax her otherwise, and the poor thing needed to see that outside was safe now.

 

"I'll be back soon. Have fun."

 

With that she exited the house with claws boring into her skull from the alert mimic, and made sure to close it fast. Didn't want anypony to accidentally walk in on Serenade currently.

 

                            ====================================================================

 

 

@@EQ_Theta

 

Omen nodded and followed along on hoof, after being told to keep the magic down. Since she barely knew anything about this place, the longma in general and their ways of life, she had to mostly trust Sen and Lin on what they said when it came to this. Even more than usual, though she could still question things and find them strange.

 

One thing that didn't seem strange were the quiet time that came now that the day were getting darker. Everypony seemed to be in their homes, and the streets were barren of life, much like in most small towns like Ponyville. Sure, some sound were heard now and again as they moved along, but it was barely anything, and served well to give her a small amount of familiarity to the places she did remember. The small towns that were, not the large ones. Places like Manehatten never seemed to truly sleep.

 

Ponyville had their late night beings though, like the filly who rummaged through the garbage cans, the changeling she had seen recently that looked longingly through a window, or the strange one with the glasses and headphones that made what most would likely call music in the midst of night. This place lacked that currently, though she supposed they were the night life out here currently, though not for long as they'd soon move into a building, where more longma waited for them. The council by all accounts, that asked about Sen and Lin, before one of them turned to her and asking why she were there whilst... Bowing to her? Strange custom. Were she supposed to do that too?

 

She thought about it in silence for a while as the seconds ticked by before she bowed too. It didn't look graceful, but it were somewhat close to what the council member had done at least.

 

"I helped Sen and Lin to get here, and I'm here if they need me again. I don't think the town is safe for them on their own."

 

The whispering voice projected itself into the minds of those around whilst Omen's eyes began to wander over the surfaces of the room, curious as to where she had actually stepped into, without really caring about her indirectly saying that she didn't think Sen and Lin would be treated fairly when it all came down to it, because of their former history and current position. That being Sen returning though exiled, and Lin returning though presumed gone, and as a somewhat new creature.

 

"Strange place."

 

The two words came whispering around before she wandered over and stood as close to both Sen and Lin as she could without appearing clingy. At which point she would just stand motionless, save for her ever-waving mane and tail, and stare up at the longma elder big unblinking, curious eyes.

Edited February 5, 2017 by Blitz Boom

[dragon4111 914]

@Blitz Boom

Draco sighed to himself as he rubbed the back of his head as he rolled his shoulders. He looked at the pony infront of him with a sigh of displeasure. "Hmm dealt with hhis kind before," Draco stated as he pulled out the anti magic ring. "Tell me have you seen these before?" he asked Star gazer.

Edited February 3, 2017 by dragon4111