open Casual stroll

[The Resident Brony 60]

@Blitz Boom

Invictus suddenly awoke with a nagging hunger. He was about to get up and froze when he saw the purple pony in the room. 

"Who are you? You don't look like a nurse or doctor. Leave or i'll call the doctors here to forcefully remove you!"

Edited September 9, 2017 by The Resident Brony
godmodding

[Foxy Socks 2,599]

@Blitz Boom

"Most ponies don't like chaos the way you guys do. We find it frightening. I'm not as scared of Draconequui, but it's not something most ponies see all the time. It takes time to change for us. I know it must be boring to you, but that is how we are."

Foxy didn't know if Anomaly would realize that, but she didn't mind much. They could be friends and that was enough for her.

 

"Maybe if you give them and yourself time, you will see. Being friends with us is a start."

[Victoria Sponge 1,017]

@Blitz Boom

Ignoring the other mare's remark, Victoria smiled at Benny and this time it actually seemed genuine. "Well caramel is delicious, just wish it wasn't so... icky."  Having discovered an element of cleanliness in the dragon she seemed to have warmed to him considerably, though she still wasn't to keen on his companion who now looked even angrier having been blanked by the elegant pony.

"Just like you messy types to dismiss the concept of perfection, just because you know you'll never achieve it. You seem ready to pounce on me, would you actually stoop so low as to attack me simply because I voiced my opinion?" She spread her front legs and bowed her head a little as she said this as if preparing to defend herself. "Go on then, show me how little dignity you possess."

Edited September 9, 2017 by Battenberg

[Widdershins 9,959]

@Blitz Boom

   "Well, from what I can remember of living in the big city, where there's a sort of service business like this restaurant... there's usually some stuff laying around that..."

   Ambie's voice trails off as he wanders behind the stalls set up for the dinner area and around a back alley corner. He disappears for a moment and returns with a loud clatter as he pulls out an array of wooden boards, one half of it clattering down to the ground, with its small, four wheels fortunately landing on the ground. Nosing the pallet closer to his load, he puts it to the side of it and begins then nosing those logs slowly & ineffectually onto the makeshift, rather cheap dolly. Pausing for a moment midway through rolling the first log, he stops to catch his breath and ask Happy Hour:    "...hn. So, I guess I'll just leave these by his front door then? Oh, once you give me some directions there?   ...uhh...and... I guess you wanted to, ah, meet my parents too? You staying in town somewheres so I can tell them to meet you at then? I figure it might be a good idea to warn Ponyville a bit before they get here, the time it takes the letter to get there ought give us enough time I suppose."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

  @Dji & @Blitz Boom

    "Huh. You've walked through dragon territory and had a specimen like me swoop down on you with hardly but a mocking tone out of you & you let that stupid, weak roar scare you? As if any stupid little forest this tiny & stupid has anything that threatening in it but a few tiny, stupid little bunnies! It barely even shook these ugly, stupid trees! That was nothing compared to our Dragonlord! Pah, we're perfectly fine! ...you dumb, scaredy-ponies..."

   Kaltrop's voice trails off in his last couple words, somewhat betraying his usual, fate-testing braggadocio.

Edited September 10, 2017 by Widdershins

[Storm Shine 1,196]

@Blitz Boom

Pinkie giggled and gave Storm a nice big kiss before nuzzling against his neck, "This has been a really great day.." She sighed happily.

A moment or two later, Pinkie suddenly looked at Anomaly "Something's missing here..." She thought to herself aloud. "Oh, I know~!" Pinkie exclaimed, hopping off of Storm and zipping over to stand in front of Anomaly. With her tongue stuck out in concentration, as though conducting a great masterpiece of music or finishing a practically perfect painting, Pinkie very carefully sugar-pasted two pieces of  licorice above the Pumpkin's 'eyes' to act as eyebrows. "There we go, a little more sugary sweet expression!" She grinned.

Meanwhile Storm performed a perfect example of a maneuver known to many as the classic 'face-hoof' before getting up from the ground, "And so Pinkie will always be Pinkie." He chuckled quietly, a loving smile gracing his muzzle as he looked the short distance towards the mare of his dreams. "And I'll always love her, just for being her."

[7GrandDad 19]

"I do indeed sell concoctions, yes," Elixir responded.  Thanks to the alchemists of previous generations pursuing the discovery of alkahest, the universal solvent, they have produced very strong solvents even if they do not match the power of the fabled alkahest.  "I may have what you are looking for, though it will be fairly strong."

"As for the potions you request?  I have several sleeping potions, though I need to know how exactly strong you want it.  Finding a headache-curing potion shouldn't a trouble either," she continued.  The unicorn decided to wait for the dragon's answer in regards to how strong of a sleeping potion the customer wanted.

@Blitz Boom

[Sekel 692]

@Widdershins & @Blitz Boom

AURORA

"Nonononononononononono!" Aurora spoke rapidly, shaking her head almost as fast as she could speak before doing her best to heavily thwap Kaltrops on his nose with her wing. "You just love tempting fate you idiotic, overgrown goanna! Can you shut up until we're out of the woods!?" she yelled at him, no doubt bringing the terrifying monster their way and at that thought, she flew around to the back of the cart and pushed, flapping her wings to try and get it to move quickly rather than slowly.

@Blitz Boom & @Lloyd

DAWN

Only for a moment, Dawn was visibly downcast at the mention of 'family' but it passed quickly with a sharp shake of her head. "Pop is fine," she said softly. "I left her in good health today. She's not harmed. She is fine. I know I left her in a good and calm state," Dawn replied, seemingly repeating her answer in different ways to assure herself. She wasn't sure if her new friend was actually alright, but what she was sure about was the fact that Pop was at least alive when she left earlier. She sat in the dirt and gave a sad sigh, her tail whipping slowly on the road behind her.

@Jedishy

WATTS

"Okay ... I can take a half hour break and show you around," Watts told her patient customer. She put a sign on her stall after closing it up. Making sure it was secure, she turned and smiled at him. "Don't mind the destruction, that happens on a weekly basis. Now, where would you like to start? There's my garage that I mentioned earlier, there's Sugarcube Corner for snacks, there's the public library in that giant crystal castle by the town ..." she then ra,bled off various locations, unaware if Winter Bolt was even listening.

[Blitz Boom 4,621]

@Shineling

Anomaly grinned, whilst the new eyebrows melted and morphed a little to fit her head better and make them a bit more bushy. It might be that Stormy thought this silly, but she were a draconequus. Weird and quirky behaviour were just what she wanted to see in her friends, and she loved playing along.

"This is so great! Let's get a memento."

She jumped over next to them and held up the surprised puppy.

"...Hello? Get to it, will you?"

The robot that had this far just been playing, gave of a mechanical sigh as she addressed it. Shortly after, it glanced on the group - which the draconequus had pulled in close - and with a flash in its eyes, took a picture.

It really didn't seem to like this, though still more than when Anomalyntgen dragged a cord from her head and into the robots to take the picture. Apparently, this sort of action made it rather depressed, at least if the mimicked crying were anything to go by.

Anomaly didn't care though. She just started to slowly print a picture out of her mouth - somehow it were coming out straight - and eventually gave the first copy to the lovely couple.

As could be expected, Anomaly were making faces on the picture, though knowing Pinkie, she were likely not the only one.

"Hehe, perfect, now I'll-"

A deep cough went over her as a few dozen more, sligtly curled up pictures spurted out of her mouth, each of them having her wearing a different expression.

"Urgh, I need a new printer. Anyway, let's send this guy back and be on our way."

Said guy she mentioned seemed to currently try to hit himself in the head with his own violin, but was teleported out of this world before it made contact.

"So, should we check out more of the isle, or should we just get you back to Ponyville?"

With some luck, either of the two ponies would eventually remember what Anomaly hadn't: The Boom siblings. They had been gone in this place for a while now, and considering who made this place, it was likely not safe for them to be alone out there.

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

 

@Widdershins

Happy chuckled at the nervous stallion as he fumbled through his words.

"Relax there Ambie, I'll be around wherever I can park. It'll likely be at the edge of town though, towards the forest. It's quieter there."

Whilst helping Ambie with getting his things delivered and set with a message, Happy thought on the days when he had helped building things and working with others like this. Back in the hive, some time before he had been sent off to be a scout.

*sigh* Good times now and again, showing off how to build something that wasn't just bile and rock, even if it wasn't needed that often. Queen Onache had seemed impressed at least, or as impressed as she allowed herself to appear at least.

She were a tough costumer that one, and though her methods were harsh and her demeanor cruel and merciless, even by changeling standards, he missed hearing her voice. Heck, even a letter would be something at this point, but he hadn't received correspondence in months. Apparently, his work were still not thorough enough to deserve that, though he'd correct that no matter the cost. Whatever it took for his beloved queen.

The thought would keep him occupied until eventually, Ambie and him were done and he waved goodbye to the likely halfbreed. He'd get his wagon parked around where he set it and lock himself inside the wagon to sleep, aiming to be up at around ten or so.

(Next day)

"Graaargh! Infernal, bloody noise!"

He just wanted to be rested, was that too much to ask after the last few days? Just a little sleep? Did he have to be forced to twist and turn over the sound of ponies and that large, bellowing dragon going off again, pretty much as the sun had risen?

Happy eventually stopped hammering his hooves into the floor of his wagon. It didn't do anything, and the noise outside were too much for him to just try and get back to sleep. So reluctantly, he unlocked the door and left the wagon, looking like he wished to pummel somepony.

Sadly, that wasn't an option here, and even in his cranky mood, he knew that. So with little else to do, he just had to grit his teeth, and get on with finding some materials before he'd have to meet up with Ambie again in a few hours. Perhaps if he were lucky, he'd have to break something to get what he needed.

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

 

@Widdershins @Dji

"A dragon can be bribed or talked with. Know what can't? A several thousand pound Ursa Major looking for a snack. So can your complaints and get moving, unless you want to be bear chow."

Spicy had run into an Ursa Major once in her life before, and that one time were plenty enough. She had never been so scared in her life, and most things she had been against since then just seemed to pale in comparison to that monster. It gave her some perspective against other things, but it also made her fear spike high once she as much as heard the sound of a growling bear. The bigger, the worse it just became, so she were hauling flank to get away.

They would soon reach Ponyville like this, though she wasn't stopping until she hears a rather familiar voice telling her quite promptly to. Before that... Well, thankfully the ponies knew how to get out of the way, and the scene in front of them were basically near the edge anyway, so not much time for something to go potentially wrong.

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

 

@Moonlit @Seamore Sandwich @Widdershins

The wolves stopped dead in their tracks and fell to their knees, paws desperately trying to cover their ears to the sound, but failing miserably.

They had never encountered something like this before. Ponies and their tricks were one thing, but transforming into this fishy creature and assault them with a sound that felt like a cheese crater on their minds? They weren't meant to deal with this sort of creature.

One by one, faster and faster, they got to their paws and ran as quickly away from the siren as they could, until only the matriarch herself was back. She shakingly rose up and barred her teeth at Serenade in a vague attempt to threaten the unknown creature, before slowly backing back into the forest herself. The pack would have to find something else to feast on tonight, and once again have to think about whatever chasing ponies were actually worth it. They never got to eat them, and more often than not, they ended up getting hurt by one of their tricks.

Meanwhile, in the past, Cherish and Ziggy fell through from basically nowhere, and landed in the small, closed off section of the castle that a certain spirit were in.

Cherish didn't get how they ended up in here though. She had run for a cluster of trees with the mare who suddenly had started to scream as they reached the area, and she had seen some kind of crumbling stone construct, then out of nowhere, they had suddenly shifted into the castle again. What was going on here?

It didn't help her thinking that Ziggy kept on screaming. The loud voice were getting to her, and it made her gnash her teeth.

"Please be quiet. I have to... I don't know wh- ...I need to thi- ...Grrrr, just shUT UP ALREADY!!!"

Cherish turned towards Ziggy and in her agitated state, smashed something akin to a force-wave into the mare, who hit the wall and fell down limb and unconscious.

"Oh no. Nononono. I-I'm so sorry. Please be okay. Please don't be dead."

Ziggy didn't seem dead, thankfully, but the ghost finally saw what had made her scream the way she had. During the marehandling that had happened when the spectre had yanked Ziggy away to assumed safety, the fracture to her leg bone had worsened and broke. Much as Ziggy was a medical professional and would know how to help others in the same situation, it was a completely different situation to be in herself, and the cracked leg bone were causing her a world of pain that was not mixing well with her panicked state.

Currently, she were knocked out, which could be seen as a good thing, but if they didn't get her to a hospital within the next hour tops, things were going to get really ugly for the wounded mare.

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

 

@EQ_Theta

Something would be wrong from the moment they touched her. Omen would feel cold and slimy. More than a bit of bad weather would be able to account for, though she didn't say anything about it. She didn't even greet the siblings as they dragged her towards the house, she just kept talking.

"Find.. Sen..."

Things just got weirder as Lin tried to dry her off. No matter how much she would do it, Omen wouldn't seem to completely dry, and water would keep breaking here and there on her body, limbs, and even face. A few of them made it seem as if she were crying, but nothing in the glassy look suggested any emotion that would make one cry.

"Find... Way..."

Nothing really did show in the glassy eyes honestly. No recognition, no emotion. It didn't even seem like she took notice of what happened around her, or who were currently talking to her. She just kept on with the broken sentence in an unusually hollow voice, and stood still, dripping on the floor.

A sound that would likely not register with anypony would follow soon. A scaley body, slithering away from its improvised sleeping arrangement, and towards a voice it considered important. Though distorted, and far more audible that the voice who usually only rung in the mind, not talked from a mouth, it was still something it recognized and went towards.

But it felt something was wrong too. It didn't even have to get close enough to see Omen's eyes for that. It smelled the air and found it reeking of something moldy, not the vague, flowery aroma that Omen tended to give off for sensitive noses.

It made the drake stop before hitting her, and instead slithering up Lin's leg instead. Though it had gotten a little more used to Sen, Lin were still the more familiar, and as she seemed to also be closer, it was the better way to the drake. It seemed to shiver now and again though, as it made it's way to Lin's head. Even more as she reached the head and slithered slowly closer to Omen, who were slowly opening her mouth again

"His.. Chance..."

As it got nearer, it sniffed the air again, and reeled back with claws over its nose. This wasn't the right smell. This was wrong. Moldy and rotten, not sweet and with traces of fresh dirt.

The drake opened its mouth and gave off a small hiss towards Omen, and its scales started to crackle. It didn't know who this were, but to it, this was certainly not its carer, and it didn't want this mockery here!

A small shower of tiny fireballs headed towards Omen, and hit her straight in the face, but she didn't twitch. Omen normally wouldn't really, but then again... She wouldn't start to fizzle like this one did, right?

Words stopped as the fizzling got worse, and then, as if her plug had been pulled, she went into a distorted, pale zap and was gone. The only thing left behind a vague voice, quickly vanishing into thin air.

"Help... Me..."

In her place, something wearing old, threadbare clothes and a face that had long since washed off now stood. A mixture of mud and rotting sticks seemed to make the base of its form as the old construction started to crumble down in front of the three,

This wasn't Omen. Never had been. The scarecrow that had laid buried in mud outside of this very town for a long time could not be her. But then, how had she talked? Her voice had been there, clear as day. All of them had heard it after all.

Surely they weren't going mad. Were they?

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

 

@The Resident Brony

"No, I am neither, but I am the third party you seem to forget. The one who brought you to this hospital in the first place."

Vivid stared at the Alicorn. It seemed that even if he were an abnormality himself, and still weakened from his short rest, he found it in himself to think that she was in the wrong here, or were an enemy. The thanks that you got for helping somepony sometimes...

"But please, by all means, call a doctor and complain that the one who didn't let you stay in the dirt should be ejected from this place. I'll be gone before they have a chance to even see I'm here, little colt."

She could. Vanish, then reappear as they left, then repeat until they didn't answer his calls anymore. It would be disturbingly easy really to have him seen as a lunatic like this, but if that is what he wanted, who were she to stop him? Perhaps if he were in a locked room with a straight jacket on he'd be more talkative.

"Or you can realize how pointless it would be, and listen when I tell you that I didn't come here to argue or to fight you, alicorn. I am here because I was slightly concerned, and quite a bit curious. Male alicorns were unheard of in my time, and yet, here you are, defying what we once saw as facts. It is... Peculiar."

She wouldn't introduce herself just yet. Soon, but Vivid did not see a point in trying to connect with somepony who'd just throw a tantrum this soon, and his first response had left her wanting. They would see how his second approach would end, and then take it from there.

Couldn't be so bad for him though, right? After all, it wasn't as if she had lifetimes of experience dancing around a subject after all. *chuckle*

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

 

@Foxy Socks

"Yeah yeah, I've heard it all before. It's just so freaking boring to wait for evolution when I can make it happen right here."

She snapped her tail, and a little in front of them, some weed started to grow and sway grab for a mouse that was getting closer to it.

"Everything must change in its own time though. Force it too much, and everything will crumble."

"Big words from somepony made out of rapid evolution."

"I accept the irony in my statement. Ah, but if I can make another? I wonder if since you like unusual things, you have examined the rose bushes near the Apple farm? I was there recently, and they seemed to smell like carpet cleaner and hold baubles of some kind of purple dye inside the flowers."

"Later!"

With that, and an intrigued look on her face, Anomaly snapped, and went to look around the Apple farm.

"Did you actually find something like that?"

"It's a big world full of wonders. Who knows for sure what is and isn't true?"

His smirk told her the answer she were looking for, though she didn't condemn him for it. It was nice with a small bit of relative normality around them, even if some of the couriers gave them funny looks as they got to the more populated areas of town. The locals themselves wouldn't much, as they had seen the three of them around, but outsiders were a different story.

"Now that we have a brief moment of silence, might I ask if we should go and see what repairs they're doing on your house Foxy? I seem to recall you being one of the hardest hit ones, in terms of your living arrangements, yes?"

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

 

@Battenberg

Pop were narrowing her eyes and looking at the baker like she wanted to slap the arrogance out of her. Quite a hard hit that would take more than likely, but it was starting to get really tempting to see if she couldn't hit just the right amount through some trial and error.

"I got half a mind to-"

"Enough!"

Benny rose his voice, which had suddenly gone rather stern.

"You have to stop this before you end in a brawl, and I have to haul both of you off to a cell where you can think about things. And don't think that I won't. I'm a Royal Guard, and it can take quite a while to determine who started the fight. Several hours in a dusty cell, away from everything. Does that sound good to either of you?"

"No... I-I'm sorry honey."

Pop hung her head in shame. She knew that when his guard tone came up, she had gone too far again, or were about to, and even if she were his marefriend, she knew he'd haul hr off if he had to. He had an obligation to the law after all, and he couldn't be a fair guard if he let his personal relationship cloud his judgement on who should get punished.

Benny didn't like to see her like this, but he had to keep the tough act up for a bit more, as he looked at them both before pouring some water on a bit of the towel and handing it to Pop.

"Clean your hoof, and then I want to see you two shake on this, and let bygones be bygones, alright? No more fighting between you two."

The act didn't last the entire way through the sentence, but at least he didn't end with a *please?*. That would really have undermined his authority, though he knew that Pop would still have listened to him at least. He had her attention now after all, which could be seen as she rubbed her hoof clean of whatever little dirt there was there from wandering the streets, and looked at Victoria to see if she were ready to reach her own hoof forward. She had a clean hoof now, so this shouldn't become a big deal, right?

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

 

@7GrandDad

"I hope it is. I need to work with the magical crystals in a liquid state to try and reshape or fuse them. It is bound to be some rather strong stuff."

So this were possible then, along with the others too? This shop seemed effective, and thankfully, she should be well equipped to pay for it. With the large Ruby Ancalagon had given her, she had at first contemplated using it for some kind of experiment, but after using her brain for a little longer, she had instead taken it home, then chipped of some of it and sold it for a good deal of bits. If she kept doing this, she should be financially safe for a long time, if she didn't spent her bits idiotically.

"As for the sleeping potion, I need something that will keep me out for somewhere between six and eight hours. I get occasional sessions of insomnia and it's killing my productivity levels to go through days like that."

She didn't knew why she explained herself to him. Perhaps the ponies were already getting to her with their attitudes and ways of speaking far more than normally needed? Or perhaps she were just a bit more relaxed and letting more be said, as the ponies were less threatening and mocking than the dragons she had grown up around? It didn't matter she supposed, and it might actually be of some help, if the potion should be for something underlining. She wasn't sure how it worked honestly, as this was a field of study she barely knew anything about and the books of Zebra elixirs she had gotten were still unopened in her cave, but it stood to reason that information might be helpful when it came to these. Wasn't like she were spewing out personal information after all, which were a completely different topic.

"Speaking of, how strong are your potions? Sounded like you had slept through the attack that happened on the town a few days ago, yes? Sounds efficient if that sort couldn't rouse you."

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

 

@Dji @Lloyd @Widdershins

Screecher nodded slowly.

"Good. We should be able to depart for the capitol soon then."

She were contend with the answer, and had started to think on about what to do after this to get their search back on track for Warlock, Athriel, and potentially Astral, in case the later had not returned to Canterlot as it had seemed. The element seemed controlled for now, so that was good, though... Was it safe to leave it with a random pony like this, in the middle of this town? She would think no, but how to convince them to follow her to the capitol?

"Should we come along? I mean, this here gem doesn't seem safe here, right?"

Okay, sounded like it wasn't that much of an issue, though unfortunately, the general didn't have a chance to answer before a sound caught her attention and she turned around to see a griffin, a pony pulling a wagon, and a dragon on said wagon, heading right for them. What a day this were...

"Halt!"

The general proclaimed her command, but wasn't sure if the three would listen. Hence why her stance turned ready to fight, though a battle didn't get to happen. The pony managed to stop the cart a little before hitting any of them, and started to gasp for air in front of them. Usually Screecher would ask how the pony were or asking what got them running so fast out of concern, but looking over it, she knew this mare. And from the sound of her voice, it wasn't in an overly pleasant way.

"Ah, it's you. Who's after you this time?"

"*gasp* Can the p-polite chatter General. We *gasp* both know you don't mean it. And it wasn't a w-who, it was a what. An Ursa roared and- Whatever, you get the picture."

Spicy kept gasping for air, and tried to get her pulse down again after the chase. Not the most dignified way tog get into Ponyville, but right now, she didn't care. If it was between her dignity or being eaten, she'd take the hit to her mojo.

Edited September 11, 2017 by Blitz Boom
Added colors.

[genessee 535]

@Blitz Boom

Lance nodded and began to write. He tried to think of anything useful about himself, and wrote it down. Most of it was basic stuff telling about how he had never commit a crime (he never mentioned how he was a victim of a crime) and how he had taken on one-time jobs before this one, mostly being a courier for construction supplies. It took a couple minutes to fill out, plus a couple more for reading the rules page. Multiple times. I can't afford to mess something up. Again, most of it pretty standard things that really didn't have to be there if everypony knew what 'common sense' was. When he finished, he put the pen down and looked up.

[Foxy Socks 2,599]

@Blitz Boom

"Sure but I don't care about it much anymore. Besides it still will be a few days before it's back up." Her house wasn't huge, though she'd imagine it wouldn't be finished soon. Especially since there were still many others that needed repairing too. The town was still recovering, physically and mentally. Foxy wondered what would have happened had she been there during the incident. She was glad she was away at the right time.

 

"I'm guessing you two have had many homes. I travel too, though I mainly live here now. It is always nice to have a place to go back to. But I'd imagine you enjoy your own styles of living I'm guessing?" 

[Widdershins 9,959]

 @Dji, @Blitz Boom and... I guess,  @Lloyd too?

   Continuing on in his usual elitist tone, and rather clear that the young drake knew little of bears or Ursa Majors for that matter:

 "Pah, I'm sure a bear isn't all that much more impressive than I. No doubt its become yet another pet* like it has to so many of you ponies with your need to constantly-..."

Kaltrops is suddenly cut off from a yell from up ahead. Despite his claws having tensed their grip onto the roof of Spicy Rolls's carriage, it seems to have done little to keep him anchored there. Halted abruptly by the guard up ahead of them and Spicy's sudden stop, Kaltrop is thrown bolt-forward off of his perch to land unceremoniously in a heap some several yards in front of where the red pegasus is currently trying to catch her breath. 

  Crumpled up and sitting upside down ontop of his own neck in the middle of the road, so far Kaltrop has not done much to distract from Spicy Rolls's alibi about him being a large, elaborate puppet of hers. His wings drooped down over his body pretty much sitting on his own face a small groan somewhere between a grunt of pain and a grumbled sigh emerges. Very likely from his position, Kaltrop has not and isn't hearing anything General Screecher has said so far.

@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@

   To B.B. again:

   That night, after some direction from Happy Hour, Ambie S. Valence had correctly delivered his load to the right house. Admittedly having unintentionally parked it right in front of the front door, Mr. Filthy Rich would start his day off with a somewhat annoying start having to roll it off his front porch, but nonetheless... mission accomplished.

  That night, soon as he had gotten back to his rented room in the carrot storage building** Ambie started a letter to his parents somewhat, and finished it the next morning after once more awkwardly getting up to the usual Apple Family very early morning alarm. After breakfast, the pinkish stallion spent most of his morning walking into town to try to mail off his letter and finally succeeding in giving it to a very eager, gray, pegasus mare who sped off immediately afterwards with a snappy salute.

  Ambie then began slowly walking back towards Sweet Apple Acres, wondering along the way back what his day might yet entail for him, and if he could bum a few apples off the trees again for a quick morning snack... despite having been warned against this several times already by the tree-protective Applejack. It would be fine, she had said before, if it was just one or two instead of the close to a half-dozen and several branches that usually resulted from Ambie's aimless grazing. But today, he figured that maybe he could curb that... but more then likely not, if history had proven anything by now.

 

   * Lest we forget Barry the Bear, the biggest friend of Fluttershy's close circle of animal friends, in both meanings of the word!

   ** You know? The orange tower with the big spinny carrot weather vane that you always see off in the distance on the Apple Farms? What is that even? Pretty sure they don't even grow carrots! 

[The Resident Brony 60]

@Blitz Boom

Invictus looked at the purple pony like the world had gone mad. He was curious: why was this pony so estranged to him?

"Peculiarly enough, I don't remember how I became an alicorn. I wasn't an alicorn in the Insurgency war, so I don't know how it happened."

He got up, ignoring the pain of his injuries, and began pacing the room nervously. Finally, he decided that he should make acquaintances with this new pony. Several times, he had almost collapsed from weakness, but he kept going, partly due to his military training, partly due to sheer willpower. He eventually sat back on his hospital bed and said,

"My name is Invictus Revel, former General of the Royal Army. And your name is?"

Edited September 11, 2017 by The Resident Brony

[Widdershins 9,959]

  @Blitz Boom

     The pancake Anomaly had made splats square on the side of Widdershins's face and sticks firmly there for a while, yet unnoticed by it* for a while. Mostly likely from him being his usual unaware self and still gazing deep into Anomaly's neckhole.  ...the turns of phrasing you two make me type...

   Neato!  But, ah, that kind of Order is every bit Chaos as versa vice! A drastic upset & dramatic turn of events to make the world so much more dissimilar to what it once was! But Order is Sister to Chaos... but I'm sure Discord doesn't want me dredging up his old history!  ...which is good, since I have no idea how I know that!

   Eyes wide from having once more pleasantly surprised itself with knowledge he wasn't previously aware of, intermittent intelligence being a hallmark of the Spirit of Confusion, Widdershins then looks back down at the picture to regard the large, looming shape in the background.

   Can't say I don't am not unacquainted with the tactics though!* Who's the big feller there? He seems a bit familiar.

  Oh...and one other thing...

   Without looking up and Anomaly's pancake beginning to throb a bit in place from where it lies on Widdershins's face; a large swirl of pancake batter begins coalescing behind and parallel behind the longer draconequus, gradually getting larger like some sort of small galaxy. 

  ...while suitable for splatter effects, that was a little soft in the center. Really need to brush up on proper baking-summoning magics. Oh...

   And I'm quite good at foodfights...

 

 

    *I prefer to use the pronouns It & He interchangeably when it comes to Widdershins. He technically fits into "neither" as categories like this go.

   * Yes, I know tactics! Yadda, yadda, past history or something. Also, Quadruple Negative score! AH'M DA WINNAH! DA WINNAH IS MEH! 

[EQ_Theta 458]

@Blitz Boom

Seeing the bizarre unfolding of events before them, the siblings slowly backed away and tried to make sense of everything that had just happened. The drake already showed them that whatever they just brought in wasn't Omen and it only aggravated their worries. Now they seem to be back at square one with them unsure of where to even start. Lin sat down, picked up the drake from her head, and cradled it close to her chest while stroking it along its back for her comfort. Sen stepped closer to the mess and examined it, still unable understand how they could still hear Omen but not see her. The sound of her asking for help only made the urgency of the situation more apparent. 

"Sen, where do we even start? I'm worried for Omen. That was her voice just now and she's clearly in trouble. If that was her trying to communicate with us, do you think it could work the other way?"

Hearing Lin's suggestion, Sen stood up and looked at the mess on the floor thinking it was some kind of medium for Omen to communicate with them. Lin had the idea but to both of them, it was still fairly ridiculous and within that context, it made sense. At least no one else was around to watch them and the sound of the storm outside would muffle their voices from anyone who could potentially hear them. 

"Omen? Could you hear me?" Sen raised his voice hoping Omen could hear him and lead them to wherever she is. "Where are you?"

Sen continued this but the more he repeated his words, the sound of his voice cracking became more noticeable. Just like Lin, his worries are beginning to get the better of him but any lead he gets would immediately set him and Lin on the path to getting their dear friend and sister back to safety. 
 

[Jedishy 3,548]

@Dji

Winter Bolt listened intently to his new found benefactor. Getting to know new ponies and places was one of the few perks of being a nomad. He hardly ever had to worry about getting bored because he was usually gone before that could set in. Watching the various ponies around them he wondered if he would ever settle down anywhere. As he wondered about what location to visit first his stomach chose for them letting out a loud rumble. It appears his flight here took more energy than he thought 

Edited September 13, 2017 by Jedishy

[Moonlit 593]

@Blitz Boom @Seamore Sandwich @Widdershins With a snort, Serenade saw the Timberwolves off, then turned back to where Ziggy and the...Where was Ziggy? Serenade looked around, then sniffed the air. She began to track the wayward Pegasi, she needed to get Ziggy out of her ASAP. 

[cwhip9 1,078]

On ‎9‎/‎7‎/‎2017 at 11:40 AM, Blitz Boom said:

"Sorry. L-Let's find Zinthar, okay?"

Of all the things a cockroach wasn't something the batpony expected to fear, hate or be annoyed at understandably but down right fear he didn't expect. Then again to what the youngster has been through Cresent knew coverup had years ahead of most pony's his age. Glad he covered his sneeze the batpony nodded "agreed" he said simply getting up with his saddle on his back.

"Zinthar were heading out!" he called out to the woods soon focusing on his hearing. One of the many good things with being a vamp was tracking others by how their 'blood beat' sounded. Zinthar being the only three eyed cat cresent had known wasn't to hard to listen for the felines as he was the last of his kind in a world full of ponys, dragons and more. Cresent hoped zinthar wasn't but from what zeccora had said it still didn't sit well with him, what else was he to do leave the one being who helped him out of that headache of a maze?

say what you want cresent knew he wouldn't feel the best about leaving zinthar in their after all that.

[Blitz Boom 4,621]

@cwhip9

The yelling from Crescent sure got attention around. A few woodland creatures nearby started to move in a wider angle away from the noisy creatures, cautiously peek out through the bush, or like the birds above, hauled their posteriors quickly away from the area.

There wouldn't be anything from Zinthar however. Not at first, though eventually a few branches above the ponies rustled, before the feline stuck his head out and looked down on them.

"Stop yelling. You're scaring away lunch."

He sounded a bit grumpy, but how would the bat like it if his food started to get out of reach of him? It was annoying.

An outsider might think that Zinthar was eating too much anyway. He had just eaten a bird before Crescent woke up after all, but the feline wouldn't hear it if anypony tossed that at him. He hadn't had anything to eat in centuries, so excuse him for gorging when he finally had the chance.

But, he didn't say that. Not yet anyway. And considering lunch in the trees were gone now, he might as well jump down and follow them.

"Remind me to laugh if your sandwich ever runs off."

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

 

@Moonlit @Widdershins @Seamore Sandwich

Since Ziggy had been floating and Cherish didn't leave hoofprints, Serenade would have to rely on smells, and what direction she had seen them go off to. It was unlikely she'd spot the anomality that the pair and pet went through before it was too late, but in case she did, she'd be faced with a choice. Follow in and risk it, or leave them to their fates.

It wasn't looking too god inside the castle in the past right now though. After Ziggy had been knocked out and Cherish approached, Fah'lina had jumped in her unconscious friend and started to hiss at the ghost. Something she didn't care much about at first, but as the mimic had unhinged her jaws and started to really show off her enormous mouth, Cherish couldn't exactly ignore it anymore. She didn't seem further scared than she already were, but there was a definite odd look given to the fuzzball, right after she had jumped back a few steps.

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

 

@EQ_Theta

They called and they called, hoping for answers, but there wouldn't come anything. Wherever Omen's voice had come from, it had stopped just as abruptly as the scene with the scarecrow had.

The drake looked at Sen the more desperate as he grew. At first it had sinply enjoyed being cuddled with Lin, but a time came when the voice of this other one couldn't escape her attention anymore.

The two of them still had their moments. Yesterday, the drake had bit him in the foot for example, though it were not hissing at him if he got too near, and didn't mind crawling on him to get higher up.

Saying they were friends though, were taking it a little too fast. However it didn't mean the drake couldn't be a little concerned with what were going on. Desperation like this were infectious, and with no more words or false appearances from Omen, it eventually affected the little one too, who started to squirm and let out confused yelps as the siblings hoped for a clue that didn't seem to be there.

Though... Was it really true that there wasn't anything to go by? The sighting and the voice might be gone, but what of the scarecrow? Was there really nothing hiding within the muddy, filtered mess of its clothes and body they could go by?

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

 

@Widdershins

"I have no idea. Some sort of order demon thingie.

So it sounds like you don't know a lot of things then? Phooey. I had hoped an old draconequus would know old, fun stuff. Perhaps even who I u-Uuuuh, you're on!"

You do know that fighting him on his turf, with weapons he's better at making, is stupid. Right?

Peh, only if there was rules.

What are you... Did you seriously just make your pancake into a giant squash?

With a strawberry filling.

Of course... Well, good luck I suppose. You're going to need it.

"You face Anomaly. Veggie lord of the crazy garden!"

With that, she'd start swinging, figuring she'd score an easy win against her more fleshy brethren.

Good luck fighting without your head...

Having a brain is overrated anyway. You humans should know, since you clearly don't use yours anyway. Zing!

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

 

@The Resident Brony

"My name is Vivid Loss. I work for Princess Cadence and Shining Armor."

So the stallion did not know why he was an alicorn then? How peculiar. She would think such a thing as alicornification would be impossible to forget, but somehow he had managed it. Perhaps it were not as intrusive as she had expected?

"I know not of your name, or this incursion you speak about. How long ago were it? A few centuries perhaps? I have been absent for long, long time, so it's likely that I slept through it."

Technically she were trapped in crystal, but most of her time in that state had been spent sleeping, so it were technically not a lie. More of a small diversion to skip over a few details until she knew more of this youngster. Couldn't put all her cards down on the table first now, could she? Not unless she had no choice, though she had doubts that this one would try something stupid like attacking her to spill the beans. If he had truly been a general at some point, he should know better than to use methods like that to begin with.

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

 

@Widdershins @Lloyd @Dji

"Uhm... M-Mr. Dragon? Are you okay?"

Void wandered a little closer to the sizable dragon, though she was too nervous to actually try to touch him. Sure, he hadn't been arrested on the spot, so he couldn't be all bad hopefully, but still... He was a dragon, and they didn't really have a good reputation. Better than changelings, but that was a pretty low bar to be compared to.

Null kept an eye on her siater talking to the dragon. She didn't care how much bigger than her their scaled guest were, if he tried to swing at Void, she'd jump him without a second thought. Her sister had already been in the middle of enough for today.

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

 

@Widdershins

Alright, so he had managed to find some wheels after all.

Happy were still in a pretty foul mood at the early wakening, but he had somehow managed to be productive regardless. Left him with an axe, and some discarded wheels that hadn't been as badly damaged as he would've thought considering they were trashed. Guess the previous owner just didn't like the idea about replacing the few cracked places of the frame. Pretty dumb considering how easily Happy had found something to fix that, but eh, one ponys loss was anothers gain.

Now he just needed to get a frame going, but for that he was going to need wood. Since he wasn't going to pay up for some planks, that meant he had to prep something himself. Hence the axe, though right now, he could use a sucker to do the heavy hitting there along with him.

And considering this was for Ambie, he knew just the hapless minion to go fetch for this. Wasn't like the lazy halfling was doing anything right now anyway, right?

So with little more done than securing the things he had gotten to his wagon, Happy went in his not-so-merry way towards the Apple estate.

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

 

@Foxy Socks

"I wouldn't dismiss the workers so soon. They seem large in numbers and determined to listen to their draconian lord. They may well end up surprising you with the speed they can get this done."

It was a little sad to Briar how little Foxy seemed to care for her home. As one who had not had one for many years, he would think that the chance to settle down and have a place of your own would be something most ponies would be thrilled about, yet Foxy seemed like one who did not care much for it.

Certainly, she had her reasons for that, but it still seemed like a sad thing to the evergrown that she did not seem to care much for her residence. He had been certain that she cared after hearing her finding it in ruins yestersay after all, but perhaps he had simply misinterpreted that.

"I don't believe either of us could actually say we had a home really. Brittle only knew the circus after her... Transformation, and that should surely not count. And the only home I once had were in a town treating me like a worthless object meant for nothing but labour. A place I can assure you I would not count as a home either.

Ah, but it is a nice thought to find that perfect place to reside. Dirt holes, caves and abanoned buildings can have their charm, but it hardly compares to have a base to return to I would think.

But a wanderers life is not one that offers much stability, is it my friend? However it does give a lot of fascinating stories. Please, would you perhaps indulge us with a tale from your travels, as we approach your humbled home?"

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

 

@genessee

"Alright, let's see what we're dealing with then.

No criminal history, that's good... Courier experience seems useful for deliveries... Basic information and understanding of the rules... Some fluff..."

Straw went through it a little by little whilst mumbling audibly. A bad habit of his, which sometimes got on his wife's nerves when he read the paper, but in the case of Lance, potentially a good thing. Made it easier to hear what tge boss thought of him, and overall it didn't sound negative.

After reading through a second time, this time more quietly, Straw put down the file and went silebtly over to a closet. Within, he drew out another big straw har, like the one he was wearing, and... Put it to the side so he could reach a pile of blank name tags.

"Well kid, you seem solid enough, so let's get you to work. Just have to fill out your name tag and I'll think of something you can do. I'd say cleaning the store, but I think Alonsus already did that."

Much as Alonsus were annoying at times, Straw couldn't say he wasn't a good worker. Not that it was any surprise, as with that past of his he wouldn't want to dissapoint the only pony who seemed willing to give him a chance, but that was an entirely different issue.

Had been quite the chance to take for Straw back then really, but he likes to fancy himself one who knew ponies, and he hadn't seen a criminal step into his office as much as a lad who had made some mistakes and wanted to move past it, so he had given him a chance. Never sid put him at the counter though, just in case, though these days that was more because he were more useful elsewhere. A handyman weren't something to sit behind a desk when there were physical work to be done.

[Sekel 692]

@Blitz Boom & @Lloyd & @Widdershins

DAWN AND AURORA

When the cart came to a sudden halt, an audible bang sounded at the back of it. Aurora had managed to slam into the cart, effectively rendering her dazed and confused. She slumped to the ground with a whimper and held her talons on her head, eyes closed to try and combat the pain.

Dawn did back up from the dragon and took a few deep breaths through her nose, deciding to look at the ground as she listened to the other conversations. "It's Null, right?" Dawn asked quietly, keeping her voice low, sidling over to the pony keeping an eye on the dragon. "If you're looking for whatever these Elements are, do you mind if I tag along?"

@Jedishy

WATTS

Watts looked down at Jedishy, the grumbling stopping her rant of the town. She chuckled sheepishly and then looked in the direction of Sugarcube Corner. "Sugarcube Corner it is," Watts laughed. She barely talks to her customers beyond the usual customer greeting and the like so this was a nice change of pace for her.

[The Resident Brony 60]

@Blitz Boom

"The Insurgent War was about 4 years ago. Several towns had banded together to rebel against Princess Celestia. It was a very dark time for Equestria. I led the Royal army against the insurgents."

"Anyways, what's your story? I have buisness to attend to elsewhere, and I would like your help getting me out of here. Whaddya say?"

Invictus began pacing, waiting for Vivid Loss' answer.

[genessee 535]

@Blitz Boom

Lance grinned from ear to ear.

"Awesome! Alonsus said he was going to show me around, I'd guess that he'd find something for me to help with. It doesn't seem like that would be an impossible task, seeing as half the town is destroyed."

 

[EQ_Theta 458]

@Blitz Boom

Before either sibling could say a word, the drake's yelping caught their attention as it tried to break free of Lin's grip. She, however, wouldn't let go and instead tried to calm it down while approaching Sen and the wet mess of sticks and mud. Only then did she set the drake down to see if it knows something they don't. Sen would still look at the mess and wonder if there was something else he hasn't thought about looking for but the drake could be on to something. Either that or it really is worried sick and is making its concerns known. 

"We'll find her," Sen quietly said while reaching out to the drake and stroking the back of its head. "We're not giving up on Omen."

The siblings went about slowly rummaging through the sticks and the mud, and the threadbare clothes looking for anything that could give them a hint. What they're after, however, is anyone's guess. If they only knew exactly what they needed to see...

[Jedishy 3,548]

@Dji

Winter Bolt grinned and made a beeline for the Sugarcube Corner. The scent of the baked goods elicited a loud snarl from his stomach. He did not realize how badly he needed a meal. Having flown all day from sun up had taken more out than he expected but then he realized that he forgot to fill up his water pouch so he had not even had anything to drink since he took off at dawn. 

Looking back at Watts " Hey who runs this place? The food smells amazing. Also, where could I get something to drink. I just realized I took off at dawn to get here and have not had anything to eat or drink since then. It's not like me to be so hasty to get going...." 

[Foxy Socks 2,599]

@Blitz Boom

In reality Foxy did feel much about her home, though she tried to act like she didn't care. She liked to travel though, and didn't mind leaving it for a while. She did feel down about it being demolished though. 

"I prefer to go to more rural areas that are more quiet. Sometimes I go without much reason, though I try not to spend too much time. I like to explore the wilderness, though that has it's risks. I have already told you about being in the Everfree a few times, though I try not to go there often. I have been hurt before, bitten on the leg by a timber wolf, and a few other minor injuries, but I don't mind. I went where I wasn't welcome and startled them. They aren't the friendliest animals, but I wanted to study them. Plenty of close calls too, and I am not an avid flier."

Foxy was fearful of timber wolves, but she didn't let that get into the way of her studying. Unwise it was likely, though she never felt anything against them for biting her, even if it took months to heal.

 

"I explore other places too, and have been lost a few times. Once, I spent an entire day just trying to figure out where I was. I did have a few close encounters with venomous snakes too, though that was because I was intentionally getting close to them to study them too. A timber rattlesnake's bite can be just as bad if not worse than a timber wolf's. I don't fear snakes though, never had. I do have caution for the dangerous ones, but there are plenty of harmless ones too."

[Victoria Sponge 1,017]

@Blitz Boom 

It was hard to read Victoria's expression after this, she was smiling but was it one of smugness, kindness or guilt? She had her right hoof raised slightly off the ground, maybe she was preparing to make up or maybe she was trying to act elegant after being slightly put down by the dragon. She stood for this for a couple of seconds before lowering her hoof again. "No. I refuse to apologise when I'm not even in the wrong, especially since all she's done is wipe the dust off her hoof." 

She turned sharply, causing her tail to flick in their general direction, almost hitting pop in the face but not quite (whether that was to keep her tail clean, to avoid causing injury or to keep her non-violent high ground was unclear). 

It was at this moment that Battenberg reappeared in the doorway, it wasn't entirely impossible that Victoria had been considering accepting the hoofshake but had rejected the idea upon seeing her sister approaching as if she wanted Battenberg to think that she would never do such a thing. The two sisters seemed to have a very odd relationship and it was almost surprising that they hadn't disowned each other yet.

Battenberg sighed, still in the doorway, "What did I miss? She wasn't being too much trouble was she?"