open Casual stroll

[EQ_Theta 413]

[Blitz Boom]

Omen’s reply took him aback, a surprising answer but one that made him feel disappointed. It wasn’t directed at her but rather to himself, and being reminded that his time was almost cut short more than once. Even more so now that ever, he’d be hearing about how nothing was his fault and that he shouldn’t be too hard on himself. He wasn’t disappointed with Omen at all but he admired her resiliency and honesty. Still, he struggled coming up with a reply to the fist matter.

“Maybe our little adventures and close calls haven’t given us the time we need to get to know each other better, but I’d like to. I admit, there’s still plenty for us to learn and without the dangers posed by tyrannical elders, we don’t have to look over our shoulders too much now.”

Lin slowly walked up to the two of them and spoke her piece. “Just because we are different doesn’t mean it should stop us from trying to understand each other. Omen can help us understand things she knows and we can help her understand things we know.”

The older Sen nodded though he still found it difficult to accept what Lin and Omen said. He wouldn’t mind having that lesson hammered into his head if it meant it would stick for the rest of this life, figuratively speaking. An actual hammer blow to the head would leave more than just a clear idea. The second thing Omen mentioned sounded like a place to start.

“Alright,” Sen sighed and turned to Omen, curious about what she meant. “I… suppose I’ll take up your advice for alleviating the nightmares but what do you mean by ‘making me strange?’ Is it like what Lin had to go through?”

[Sekel 685]

@Blitz Boom

DAWN

"Mmm, the wollipop is great," Dawn moaned around the lollipop appreciatively, even smiling at Pop for what seemed to be the first time in a while. She loved the tast of the orange and how sweet it was to boot. "These ones awe the best."

@Widdershins & @Blitz Boom

AURORA

"Says the dragon that's ruby red," Aurora tittered and proceeded to him her own little tune, keeping pace beside Spicy. She didn't exactly think too highly of Kaltrops at the moment however, Spicy did give her some funny things to think about. Like how a shark can actually provide loans since they live in the sea and such but it didn't really matter. "Ba dum tiss," Aurora said, hearing Spicy's last comment and unrefrained from even making a bad joke visible.

[Moonlit 593]

@Blitz Boom @Seamore Sandwich Serenade sniffs the air then gives Ziggy a look, "Alright, let's get moving as quickly as YOU can move". She starts slowly moving toward what she thought was the exit, all the way humming a song. 

 

 

Edited August 14, 2017 by Moonlit

[Widdershins 9,955]

  @Dji & @Blitz Boom 

    Taken aback and scrunching up his muzzle in an attempt to snap back with a debate over why the word of a pony would be taken over that of a larger dragon, at the scarlet pegasai's last statement the drake reels back a little in shock as if struck. Blushing as much as one can with scales, he stammers out.

   "I-I'm not going to be r-riding anypony! A dragon is an... uhm..."

   Growing more uncomfortable with where his own topic is going, Kaltrop huddles back down ontop of the roof and grumbles at the griffon.

 "I'm not turning r-red! Imma Burgundy-Tan..."

With that, he covers his snout with his two front claws and curls up ontop of the carriage in unadmitted embarrassment.  

[cwhip9 1,078]

@Blitz Boom As the alarm went off next to a familiar batpony some could say to have met before a tired wing came near his bed stand trying to slap it to hush, it took this bat several times to find said alarm clock. As the loud object kept up its noise the batpony was herd grumbling before swatting it silent.

Now awake he gets a yawn and decides to make his way out and about the tree house doing his usual morning routine of washing up and such.

If anypony would be in the everfree forest they might have seen a tree house with a decent yard outside it and a shed near by it and seeing a batpony with the usual gray coat most bats are known for. This batponys mane and tail was red with white streaks in it, his eyes blue and a look one would usually having checking the morning mail.  

With one last stretch of his bat wings, checking the straps on the saddle he had on with wallet and a few maps in a bag on it rethinking the errand's he had to do he locked the door and made his way towards ponyville.

Wondering what would happen today.....  

[Blitz Boom 4,420]

@Foxy Socks

Zhu contemplated the question he had been faced with. What had caused him to do what he did were an important tale, and one who he guessed would mark him as somepony of importance, but it would also expose certain things he hadn't told anypony about since he began this journey. Except for one, but he didn't count, as he already knew about it.

"I direct who I must, because the balance requires it. I altered it too much to save the mare who raised me, and my penance was upkeep."

It didn't say much, but that was per choice. Much as it might help to vent the details about anything from how he had been accidentally cursed with his sight by the princesses, to his life being raised secretly by Celestia, and all the way towards him leaving Canterlot to find a way to save her, he couldn't indulge that kind of feeling. Not until he had spoken with his mother again at least, which seemed inevitable after all that had happened between the Forgotten One attacking, and now.

He did not have high hopes for it going well when he had to face her though. He had left suddenly without a word, and hadn't returned for nearly a millennia now. She likely thought him dead of old age or an accident, and being faced with his continued existence might end up hurting her. And that was before she even knew what he had done, and the lengths he had taken to ensure her survival.

Meanwhile, Brittle gave Foxy a smile. She were sure the vixen-like mare had meant to say Briar before, but it was okay to mess things a little. Between the weird Zhu, her actually trying to connect with others since her fear were gone at the moment, and Anomaly, standing a bit away and doing something to the orb she had been given that wasn't overly clear, everything had gotten pretty confusing.

"I'll try. It's just hard to see the light sometimes. But thanks Foxy."

She glanced at Zhu, wondering if she should ask if her future held this sort of thing, but thinking that she wouldn't like the answer, if he actually gave her one. He seemed to avoid addressing certain things, like the part about leaving things to go ahead naturally, and she wasn't sure what he might hold back, or just be cryptic about.

Zhu just thought that there wasn't a reason to answer it. He had shown Foxy an example of what would have happened without him meddling, and told her of the wide destruction having this creature roaming at that time would have caused. If that dis not prove his point, he wasn't sure what would, beyond showing her the aftermath. Something he were reluctant to do, as this degree of misery and irreversible damage didn't need to lay heavy on a somewhat pure mind like hers. It wouldn't serve a purpose currently.

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

 

@Battenberg

"It's okay, I understand. When you're used to having help around it isn't easy to get everything up to the old pacing again. I don't mind waiting a little longer because of that."

Pop never had assistants of her own as she were a bit of a control freak when it came to her shop, but she could understand that it couldn't be easy for Battenberg. Time were one thing, but the labor lost that had to be a little daunting too, she could imagine. It was just a guess though, but with how the mare seemed to be apologetic about the speed of things, she could see it fit.

The thoughts wandered a little away as she saw the cakes get closer to her and almost felt like she should be drooling right now. They all looked stunning, and the smell here up close were positively delicious. Especially the Battenberg cake, who seemed to fit right on the mark of what she were looking for.

"Oh my, these look good. And you say we can try them first? Well, I wouldn't mind trying the Battenberg, though I'm pretty sure I'd buy it regardless. I've heard those are amazing if done right.

I can't really test the blackberry though, since it's not for me, bu-"

The door would open and a scaled head would pop in and smell the air.

"Is that blackberries?"

Poo shook her head a little as the dragon wandered into the shop, gnawing on the remnants of a caramelized apple.

(Without the armor currently)

He was a little taller than Pop, though longer, as could be expected, and mainly wandered on all fours. A pair of saddlebags dangled down his sides, and from the look on his face, he were enjoying the smells in here quite a bit.

"I'm surprised you could smell anything with all that apple in your face."

The dragon gave a sheepish grin back at the mare.

"I can't help it. They're too delicious to pass up."

"Silly dragon."

Pop took the last few steps between them and nuzzled his chin affectionately for a moment.

"I'm getting us some cakes, and the kind mare would like to find which ones we'll take with us. She have offered a few taste samples of these so we can get the right one, so be nice."

The dragon planted a quick affectionate kiss on Pop's forehead before moving past her so he could face the bakery mare himself. Which he did with a friendly smile and a salute like you'd expect to see from the Royal Guard.

"Hello there ma'am. Name's Benny. It's a pleasure to meet you."

Behind him, Pop were smiling too and got a bit closer, currently unaware of the mark on her forehead where Benny's kiss had left an imprint in caramel. Perhaps it had not been the smartest he could do after eating his snack. 

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

 

@Widdershins

Comedy can be about that, but not here Widdershins. People tend to like Breezies, and I'm not going to let you treat it like a fairy from a Zelda game for kicks when the camera is on. Which reminds me, I have to check in on whatever or not your insane prattling have gotten her to leave.

The line about pulling off wings had been more than enough to convince the Breezie to take the chance with the mystery door rather than stay behind with the two crazy beings that was either going to eat her, or torture her. What kind of monsters were these two? Were they completely insane?

Graduated top of my asylum.

Shush, and get eaten by- Oh nevermind, the other one ruined it. *sigh* Well, at least the Breezie got away. I'm gonna go check up on that. You stay here and try too behave less like a deranged lunatic.

What, and loose my diploma? Never!

There wasn't any answer from the author on that, which seemed fine with her. She had her fun with him for the time being, and with the sudden carpet of unconscious fluffballs of hatred and malice around them, she could get up and take to her sibling again a little more, which were awesome. She hadn't met any kind of draconequui before in this life, and she were positively giggling with excitement over it.

"We can have a taste and see? I bet they'll be boring and fleshy instead though. Blergh. Real animals are so boring in texture and looks, not worth eating, and not fun to look at. They need a little something like...Hehe."

She snapped her tail, and one of thew badger started to blend into a grey mass and wobble around like clay being formed, until it eventually settled into an egg floating in the air. With another snap, she summoned a mallet and whacked at the shell, cracking it into a thousand pieces smelling vividly of anchovies.

What fell out looked a little like the previous badger, but it had gotten scales instead of fur, spikes like a porcupine flippers and an alligator tail in smaller size writhing from it's back, to help it with the new aquatic life she had in mind for it. Which reminded her.

*snap*

A large bag of water wrapped around the thing, making it look like an enlarged carnival price from a horror movie. Undignified for the unconscious being, but it would make it able to breath via the new gills she had given it too.

"If you boil the spikes a little, they'll taste like licorice. Plus it just got a good deal more fun to look at. Think I should make the rest into something like this too? It'd be fun. We can send them somewhere and they can be the most fun invasive species in ages."

Anomaly looked around at the chunks of her brethren, and scratched her head a little at it before returnig her gaze to the mist that she currently considered the real Widdershins.

"Guess I could try to stitch your body back together again too? Wouldn't be the first one I had done it too, and I bet you'd be a lot less squeamish than the Coastal Guard I fixed up. You'd think she'd be grateful but nooooo. It's all *You tore me apart to begin with* and *you're a monster* with her. I mean jeez, it was an accident, and I fixed it. What's the issue, right?"

Suddenly, pineapples!

Anomaly blinked and looked around at the few dozen pineapples she were sure wasn't here a second ago.

"I don't think that was me. Might be the author, and I'm not sure what he have done with them if it were him. He doesn't seem to like me that much for some reason. Do your hairless monkey get all whiny and annoying too whenever you're trying to have fun?"

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@EQ_Theta

"I don't know. Lin went through many weird things to make her strange. Not sure we can do that again.

But there is many weird things in Equestria. Seen a lot I can't explain when I looked for Master Discord. Perhaps one of those have a way to make you strange too? Perhaps not like us, but not all you anymore. Master might know something too, but nopony seem to want to listen to him for some reason."

It was curious how he were even allowed to be free and roaming considering what she heard from other ponies. Might have something to do with him being reformed, but she were still a bit iffy on what that even meant in its entirety. He had changed to something better was as far as she were certain about, but would that really top ponies from saying bad things about him?

Memories of when Sen and her had gone to the town to begin with and looked for both him and clues about Lin came to mind. Fear, worry, and nopony talking except for the guard that had contacted them. She remembered him as warning them about asking about Discord.

She wasn't sure if Sen and Lin would listen to him either. The things she remembered them saying were mixed.

Discord also liked to play games. if the reforming thing didn't change that, he might not help them easily, but instead have them do strange things for him until he eventually got bored and showed them towards the right thing. Maybe. It was impossible to tell with him.

"I don't know how long it will take or what will happen, but others have changed, so you can too I think. You become strange, live long, then no reason to be afraid. Right?"

It seemed the clones didn't have anything to say about this currently. Pretty strange, since they seemed vocal about things before, but perhaps Sen just said everything and they didn't need to go. Or had they left?

She turned her head briefly to look and make sure the two were still there, just to make sure.

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

 

@Dji

Pop turned around and got a big, happy grin on her face as she heard Dawn's approval.

"Excellent. I'll see if I can't find a few bags more to send you home with as a gift. Try the chocolate when you're done, okay? I'll try to get everything sorted here in the meanti- Ah, here we go. I knew it was somewhere here."

A small bag of what seemed like filled chocolate got taken out by the candy mare. It wasn't the only one, but she were a bit... Stingy with those things to be honest. The main ingredient took quite a bit of travel to get to, and it sold well, so she couldn't just give all of it away. This however? For a friend, she certainly would.

"I'll have you try this later. It's what I'd consider the best in my store, but you'll be the judge when time comes. Anyway, lemme find those lollipops before I forget about it."

She put the bag to the side a little and went back to where she had found the candies from before and dragged out four more foal bags of them. It should be able to keep her going for a few weeks if she only took a few every day. Longer if she spaced it of course.

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

 

@Dji @Widdershins

"Y'know, this is starting to get fun. Usually I just have my guard to yap off to. This here's way more interesting."

Even if she had to drag the flying lizard's flank around right now, but she wasn't gonna let them hear that she wasn't too keen on that. Had to stay tough here or the dragon would just end up getting insufferably irritating she'd bet. Much more interesting to see him fluster and stutter like a colt prepared to ask somepony out for the prom.

As for Aurora, it sounded like she had one who had an even harder time holding her snark back than herself. Otherwise she wouldn't have taken the chance to make a little drum riff before she'd say. Not unless she just liked to poke to Kaltrop a little too, which were also a gold star in Spicy's book. With how Kaltrop tried to present himself, it was simply too tempting to poke at it a bit and see the air deflate from the balloon a little at a time, and having a few subtle stabs of her own to this was the sort of personality the pegasus liked.

"Ah, I think I see their lil' forest now further on. Word of advice: if you see something move in there, strike first and ask questions later. Heard it was a mighty hostile place for those who doesn't know how to show a bit of spine."

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

 

@Moonlit @Seamore Sandwich

It wouldn't be long before they'd hit a flight of stairs going upward, though it seemed to be broken off around halfway, so they had to go into one of the side rooms and then find another way up from there. Perhaps another staircase that time hadn't broken down.

Ziggy just really didn't like the look of it. She could wander sort of awkwardly now, but stairs... The leg she had an issue with were her front left, and going up like this would make it hard to impossible to not hurt herself. Perhaps that would have made her panic another time, but right now, the hum of Serenade helped keep her calm. It wasn't taking over her mind or anything right now, but it was relaxing to listen to, and reminded her that she wasn't here alone.

She tried to think of what to do, before something poked her in the side and she turned her head a little to see a piece of plank broken in half so it could be used as a sort of discount cane.

"Hey, thanks Serenade. That might work."

She turned to look at Serenade whilst she thanked her, but the plank wasn't hoofed to her by the siren in disguise. It was just floating in the air in front of her, making her eyes go wide before it fell down to the floor all of a sudden.

"I-I... W-What was that?!"

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

 

@cwhip9

"Eeeeeeeeeeee!"

The muffled sound of an excited filly came from above, and if Crescent would look up, he'd see a dark-blue cloud with a pony biting into the side of it whilst holding on like it was her most precious property.

The weirdly light-colored bat filly would land not long after first being made aware of, in front of Crescent unless he tried to catch her or something, which would be a little silly as the cloud fell in a slow and steady pace, rather than plummet. Still, he might think there was a reason to save the strange filly that for unknown reasons apparently were a cloud biter. Perhaps it was best to stick behind a bit and see if he couldn't get something out of her. Like who she were, what she were doing, and why there were a fuzzy spider crawling a little out of her mane and looking at the adult bat pony.

Edited August 15, 2017 by Blitz Boom

[Moonlit 593]

@Blitz Boom @Seamore Sandwich Serenade turns to face the floating piece of wood, her eyes quickly flick towards Ziggy then back towards the plank. She sniffs the air again, then cocks her head to one side. 

[Foxy Socks 2,596]

@Blitz Boom

Foxy smiled when Brittle spoke to her. Hopefully things would work out.

She then turned toward Zhu, with a sympathetic look. From what she heard she felt like he meant well, owning up for past mistakes. However, there was a problem. "I don't think it's a good idea to change things that much. I know you wanted to fix what may have been your fault, but what if you made another mistake? It just seems endless, and I don't think it's justified. Whatever you did, I'm sure it's millennia ago."

"I know I may not understand your experiences and visions, but I do understand nopony deserves a fate like yours. You seem to guide everypony else's but your own. How do you even know if your visions are true? I'm sure the pony who saved you would understand." Foxy didn't really think she could stop an immortal entity from doing what he had been for centuries, but she didn't know what else to do. He seemed misguided; lost perhaps. He seemed to be worried about his visions, which Foxy could hardly imagine the pain they caused.

She was nowhere near angry now, just sympathetic to Zhu. Anomaly thought high of him, but Foxy felt like he needed help. Though she had saw his head, Foxy had still thought he was a Draconequus. It didn't matter to her; no being deserved that. Did she really understand the issue though? She only had just met him, and her life was a mere second compared to his. 

 

Foxy didn't like questioning herself though. Either way, perhaps she could help, even if a little. 

Edited August 15, 2017 by Foxy Socks

[EQ_Theta 413]

[Blitz Boom]

Though still present, the doppelgängers had nothing to say about the matter. They remained silent on account of having Sen's predominant personality and manifestation taking his thoughts into account and saying what he needed to say. But the two of them could speak for the conflicted longma and voice this thoughts, 

"A way to end the nightmares, to end the burden of troubled thoughts," the copy of Omen said in a tone that took interest in the idea in stride, seemingly breaking out of its stoic personality. 

"This cannot be allowed!" Lin's doppelgänger angrily retorted. "Sen does not trust magic and will only lead him to more misery. He would not want to give up his current state for relief." 

Understandably, Lin was surprised by this display. She expected her copy to talk but not in such a forceful manner. It was also the opposite of what she would say if she was awake. She advocated for using magic, or at least giving it a chance. It was a fascinating topic for her and any means to learn about that was always a welcome opportunity. Sen's disposition to it is different, having already blamed magic for the family being torn apart and only being given his own magic because his life depended on it, he would be averse to anything that would likely damage him further. The two copies of Lin and Omen were reflections of his inner, polar thoughts, and his older, tired self is the middle ground that doesn't seem interested in actually finding something that could ease the real Sen. 

Maybe that was what they really were: simple representations of his inner thoughts and not those of Omen and Lin. Their way of speaking and acting, they were meant to convey a conflict of thought that none of their shadowy selves could reconcile. Each side supported one thought and the middle ground is torn between the two without providing an answer. The older Sen approached both Lin and Omen, looking more confident this time but still no closer to a resolution.

"I don't think this is the place to come to if you are looking for an answer. Maybe it's best for you all to wake up."

Instantly, Lin and Sen opened their eyes to find themselves back in Mother's realm, still having recollections over their moments in the dream realm. Unlike most experiences with dreaming, they remember the events of the dream very well. 

Edited August 15, 2017 by EQ_Theta

[cwhip9 1,078]

9 hours ago, Blitz Boom said:

The weirdly light-colored bat filly would land not long after first being made aware of, in front of Crescent unless he tried to catch her or something, which would be a little silly as the cloud fell in a slow and steady pace, rather than plummet. Still, he might think there was a reason to save the strange filly that for unknown reasons apparently were a cloud biter. Perhaps it was best to stick behind a bit and see if he couldn't get something out of her. Like who she were, what she were doing, and why there were a fuzzy spider crawling a little out of her mane and looking at the adult bat pony.

As Cresent dove to catch the philly more out of instinct then anything else he blinked a bit at the youngster "well hello little bat, you seem a bit lost?" he asked not often young bats fall out of clouds to greet him but this youngster looked not lost more, adventuring perhaps? 

Soon letting her down and dusting himself off "you all right, at that hight its nothing to sneeze at little one" he said

[Victoria Sponge 1,014]

 @Blitz Boom

The shy pony seemed a little nervous about the dragon who now stood in her shop, but she managed to pull her warmest smile to welcome him in.

"N-Nice to meet you Benny... I hear you like b-blackberries? I have a couple of blackberry cakes here, you can have a little tester bite... i-if you want."

She pushed one of the plates forwards and stepped back to her previous position, waiting patiently for one of her two customers to try her work.

[Blitz Boom 4,420]

@cwhip9

The filly didn't let her teeth out of the sky she had been clinging to until she hit the ground normally, but being caught like this made her let go a little soon, so it bounced a few feet away from her. Seemed rather... Water-ballooney for a cloud, so to speak.

"Ehehe, I'm fine. They never fall fast and I'm a good flyer. But like daddy says *Appreciate any help you get*, so thank you sir."

Some of her age would go straight in for the hug at this point, but as she were raised as a guard and her dad had told her about how it was important to try and respect personal space, instead she just made a salute with a big grin on her face, whilst she slowly took in her *savior*.

Didn't look that old for an adult. Pretty dark coloring, membranous... Wings...

The spark that lit up in her eyes as she saw the wings were noticeable, and rather fixated as she slowly started tow alk forward towards Crescent.

*gasp* "Another bat pony? This is so awesome! I barely saw any back in Canterlot, and I figured it was just daddy and me when we moved here. Or that if there were any, they were only out at night, and I wouldn't be able to see any of them."

The skittering in her mane made her stop up before she got too close, and she raised a hoof up to the spider, seemingly trying to protect it.

"Don't worry about Gary sir, he's harmless."

The spider seemed to cement this fact by yawning a bit, then skitter back into her mane to continue his nap. Apparently, not enough were going on right now to make him care much about being awake. Hopefully nothing would make him do that either, as that would likely entail somepony going after him, and she didn't want her friend to be hurt by anypony.

"Right, introductions. Sorry. I'm Jelly Drop, and my daddy's the bestest Night Guard in all of Equestria! Hehe, who're you?"

If she had been a dog, she would currently be wagging her tail, and she knew it. It was hard to meet bat ponies who wandered around by day in Canterlot, and seeing one out here made her all giddy and excited. Might be she were only half bat pony, but she looked more like one of them than anything else, and she felt like one too - heck, if she wasn't meant to roam the night, why did the light hurt her eyes enough to make her need to run around with these sunglasses constantly? - so she wanted to connect to others of her kind. Also because normal ponies tended to sometimes look at her funny, and their foals were mean. Not easy to make friends like that.

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

 

@Battenberg

Pop noticed how the baker seemed to act after Benny had entered and began to introduce himself. Not an uncommon reaction, though she had hoped that a town where ponies and dragons both lived in wouldn't have that issue.

Though on the bright side, she hadn't started to sling hatred at him or tell him to leave like a few others they had met did for some reason, so perhaps this wasn't so bad.

"You don't need to be worried about Benny. He's harmless."

Said dragon seemed to take some false offense to that, overplaying a frown as he looked back at her?

"I'm a Royal Guard. I'm plenty dangerous when it's needed."

"You work in the forge."

"I run the forge, thank you very much. And you know I still have to go through the training."

"I do, but that doesn't make it any less fun to poke at you."

"Heh, you can be a devious little one at times, you know that?"

The two of them suddenly remembered that there were somepony else in the room, and that their flirtatious reason might not fall on too good ground here.

"I-I uhm... *cough* Sorry about that, we're uhm..."

"We sometimes get a little.. Distracted. I'm sorry if it got a little out of hoof."

The two were blushing up a little and tried to move past it by going forward and trying to tester. Much as she wasn't the biggest fan of blackberries herself, Pop also joined in on this, as her and Benny had a small sample cut and tasted it. Pop seemed to think about it before saying something, but Benny looked like somepony had rocketed him straight to heaven.

"Oh man, this is amazing. You're talented."

He licked around his lips and looked thoughtful as he tried to think of which one he'd prefer.

"I think I'll pick... Both."

"A little greedy, are we?"

"I'll cut down on the caramel to make it fit. It's impossible to pick a winner between two cakes like this, so I'd rather be fair on it and say theyre equally as good, and then take them both, along with the uhm... Whatever cake that is you have picked."

"It's a Battenberg cake. And that one's mine mister."

"Heh, fair's fair. So miss, what's the price for the three of them together?"

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

 

@Moonlit @Seamore Sandwich

"Y-You saw that too, right?!"

Ziggy looked at Serenade in confusion and fright as she slowly picked up the plank, accompanied by the distant sound of somepony laughing in a strange tone.

"Mythological creatures and broken bones I can handle, but this is too much. We need to get out of here."

Using the crude cane, Ziggy started to get up the stairs, towards the door she could see move to the right, which would hopefully lead them on to another path further up so they could escape. It wasn't the most comfortable, but it did its job. Now it was just to hope that whatever gave her this wasn't going to just snag it away or something too out of the blue. or you know, get anywhere close to them. She didn't want to have a ghost around her.

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@Foxy Socks

Zhu fell silent for a moment, pondering over things again. He weren't used to a reception like this, and though he had seen it as a possibility, he could not hear the potential futures, so the words were suprising. Made him evaluate a few things before speaking again.

"I have experienced enough to know that there is truth in what I see, and I have seen enough to know it cannot progress naturally.

Two days ago, this town were attacked by an immense creature. I foresaw this a long time ago, but it could be prevented from rising. All that could happen, were to defeat it in the narrow window where it had not yet gathered enough power. The moment it came to Ponyville."

"You mean the demon creature during the storm?"

"Most futures I saw would not have anypony here able to deal with it. Without interferance, it would have taken this town, then the country, and in the end..."

He rose his paw and used his wind magic to produce a globe resembling their world, which dissipated when the paw closed.

"Things change, because they have to. It is  thankless and unpleasant work most days, but it is a duty that must be fulfilled. A willing sacrifice of one life."

Zhu didn't make any illusions about himself. He was not a hero, just a shadow in the background of history, destined to recieve no credit for his actions and one day die as unknown as he had always been. At best, stories about the hooded stranger might fall on paper one day, but they would not be kind.

"Now ponder me this child: Why do you think neither chaos nor order can be allowed surpremacy?"

The question seemed out of the blue and rather unconnetcted to what they were speaking off, yet it might bear importance later on.

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

@EQ_Theta

"Not-Me and Not-Lin are weird."

Omen examined the two as they gave their answers when the subject of changing Sen went around.

Oddly for her, Lin's copy sounded more like Sen had back before her memories got hazy. Adamant about magic being bad and not something that should be messed with, whilst her own copy were more like Lin. Open to the idea, but not screaming up about it being the acceptable way for some reason.

Usually Omen could put oddities such as this up to magic, but this time seemed like it needed another phrase, as this wasn't magic as far as she knew, but Sen's head.

Dreams were chaotic? Could work she supposed, bu-

Before she had a chance to think it through, they were ripped from the dream as suddenly as they had been tossed into it to begin with.

She rose from the floor and looked around her, trying to see if they were still in the dream. But all she could see were the familiar dark castle of Mother, with the matron herself looming over her and the others.

"How did it go in there children? Have his mind been eased?"

"Dreams are chaotic."

It was all Omen could think about saying in the moment, before she got back on her hooves entirely and looked back up at Mother.

"I don't understand most of what happened. Lin is the smart one, she can explain."

Omen didn't doubt that Lin could at least. Much as the strange creatures they had run into said that she were smart, she were fumbling around blindly. Sen and Lin - especially the latter - were more directed. They were guiding lights in the darkness, and she just followed them to wherever they took her. From sheer luck, she hadn't yet bumped her head on something in that metaphor.

Edited August 17, 2017 by Blitz Boom
I add colors later.

[Foxy Socks 2,596]

@Blitz Boom

Foxy wondered a moment. Why was she against Zhu helping bring order to Equestria? It sounded like a selfless, helpful task, to protect everyone from certain disaster. The world as she know it could have ended dozens of times over without Zhu's interference, but she felt it was wrong. Perhaps more of an instinctual, "gut" feeling led her to believe that Zhu may actually be causing more problems than helping. However, every vision Zhu had seemed to be accurate to him, but Foxy just couldn't be sure.

 

"I believe the natural order is what is best. We will learn to adapt, even if it means sacrifices ourselves. I know you may be ancient and wise, but I can't accept our fates being controlled by somepony else like you. It would be a lot easier for both of us anyway. I cannot, and will not ever be for what you are doing, Zhu. I also can't stand seeing somepony as nice as you suffering for all these years."

She more than anything at that moment wanted Zhu to understand, but Foxy had a slight worry that perhaps she was the one who didn't understand at all. Zhu had many more experiences than Foxy for one. He also had the ability to see the future and change it, but there was one problem. If he could change it, why not anypony else? Was it some power he had, or did he just believe only he should be responsible for it.

 

"Zhu, you can't possibly control everything at the same time. You don't have to suffer like this. I'd imagine you'd seen the aftermath of not following the visions plenty of times, but you can't be in control of everything. It is sometimes best to let things work out naturally, even if it seems hopeless. I may not know as much compared to you, but keeping the natural order of things is what I believe in."

"What do you think of it, Anomaly?" Foxy asked calmly.

[cwhip9 1,078]

7 hours ago, Blitz Boom said:

"Right, introductions. Sorry. I'm Jelly Drop, and my daddy's the bestest Night Guard in all of Equestria! Hehe, who're you?"

Cresnt couldn't help but smile at the youngsters confidence mostly with the night guard remark if only he could turn back time again to those days, but that never ends well when tried seeing a unicorn he knew try that. Yet that's another story, the older batpony saluted back "Names cresent young one, one of the best map makers you'll ever meet. I didn't realize the night guard was taking in younger members these days" he said

Seeing the spider in the youngsters main at first surprised him, seeing how calm it acted surprised him more as he never thought of having a spider for a pet himself times must be changing a lot for the world.

"so what brings you out to the Forrest young jelly drop night guard, not many Philly's your age do so willingly unless its a dare or a field trip" he said.  

[Holiday Agnaktor 1,435]

@Windchime

Light Rain took another sip from her cherry tea, really enjoying this flavour. She should do food more often.

Avabella told her that her actual job wasn't manager or boss, but editor. Ech, all the same to her. It wasn't as if Light was going to work here or something, so what she actually did didn't really matter to her.

She nodded in response to Avabella when she offered to answer any questions that she might have. She didn't really have questions for her, only for Benny at the moment, though maaaybe she had something. But before she could think too hard about it Avabella asked her a question instead.

"What do you do?"

Oh boy. It was one of those situations again. Well, at least this time she knew that ponies were gullible and never really looked too deep into facts, trying to coax lies out of it. She could tell Avabella literally anything and she would believe it. There was zero pressure here. Yet she was still somehow taking forever. She needed to think of something before she got too suspicious. Wait, she was already too late, wasn't she? Well snap. Still no idea. Oh no, quick, first thing to come to mind!

"Uh... I do... deliveries. I deliver... Apples, yeah. Sometimes other fruit."

Real smooth, Rain. Nice. Real silver tongue you got there. Fantastic. Delivery? You? You can't even fly properly without extra load. It's not as if Avabella is going to see through this, but still. That was pathetic.

This conversation was going just peachy. Wow, she needed to talk to more ponies if she wanted to integrate into society anytime soon.

Edited August 17, 2017 by Holiday Agnaktor

[Moonlit 593]

@Blitz Boom @Seamore Sandwich Serenade looked around, then bowed her head. She wasn't taking any chances, and she slowly backed up and followed Ziggy. "I too vote we get out of here. Ghosts...are...not something I'm trained to deal with" She gulps. 

[EQ_Theta 413]

@Blitz Boom

"Smart? Me? Oh no, not really." Lin perked up and reacted to Omen's claims of her intelligence. Compared to how her old body deteriorated with improper use of magic, smart isn't really the best word to describe her. She then immediately changed her tone to a more somber one as she replied to Mother's question, somewhat disappointed she couldn't find a way to help her brother. "This is a problem only Sen has an answer to. We did find the root of his fears though; he's plagued by nightmares because of his mortality. He's afraid of death and he fears his mortality will mean we will be taken away from him, or him away from us."

"I've become close to all of you and when I've started to see just how great it is to be surrounded by your love and support, I am reminded that all of this will not last forever." Sen added, seemingly more self-assured that his encounter in the dream realm with Lin and Omen awakened in him the courage to speak of what really bothers him. "At the same time, I don't know if it is right for me to just change myself, become more like Lin, a hybrid of longma and of your kind. It comes off as selfish and I don't know if I am ready or willing to give up some of my old self to do that."

Not being able to dream and sleep sounded like a good idea for a solution to the nightmares and the fear of mortality is taken away, but Sen thought about just how much would he be able to handle those aspects when he actually becomes more of a hybrid creature. Lin seems to be taking it in stride but Lin never brought up any discomforts; Sen assumed she must be hiding it. The idea of being able to open gates for himself does seem appealing though. 

"I'd like to get your opinion, Mother," Sen added. "If it were you in my place, would you consider finding a cure by becoming something like Lin? I don't know of any other possible cures, which explains how limited our options are."

Edited August 18, 2017 by EQ_Theta

[Sekel 685]

@Blitz Boom

DAWN

"These lollipops are so sweet!" Dawn exclaimed after taking it out her mouth with her wing wrapping around the stem. She loved the taste and as it turned out, really liked oranges in candies. "I can't believe how good they are! I may have to actually start getting out into crowds more just so I can buy these from you."

@Blitz Boom & @Widdershins

AURORA

"Welp, I'm dead. Pacifists don't do well in hostile situations," Aurora proclaimed, her wings fluffing up. She didn't know how Spicy or Kaltrops will take it but them's the breaks. "While I can talk a dragon into stammering," she gestured to the carriage bound dragon, and go off on tangents like there's no tomorrow, I cannot fight to save my life. I've sworn off it and I just, nope, can't do it."

[FanOfManyShows 396]

@Blitz Boom

His rage boiled through him quite visibly when the dragon caught the sword in his claws, Warlock looking to the dragon with fury, although something struck him off as he hit a wall, his chest starting to hurt. "I will kill you all soon enough!" He swung his hoof at Astral, who dodged the swinging hoof, and flying away. As he had the weapon Screecher threw hit him in the side of the head, knocking him to the side. 'How did I not see that?' He wondered to himself as he ran towards Screecher filled with rage, with a dragon likely following him. Seeing all his sides covered with some pony of some kind, he suddenly blasted upwards instead of at Screecher, flying at an incredible speed. Growling in pain as his armor seemed to burn away into ash. Quickly realising his cruelty had overcome his greed, thus causing it to no longer be his element, realizing this as the element phased out of his chest. "My element!!" He yelled out as he turned around, reaching for the element as it was sent falling to the ground. which sapped at his magic as Warlock growled, teleporting away as it fell with the magic he had left, as the element landing near Astral.

She looked at it with caution. "Well that just happened." She approached it, picking it up, seeming unaffected. "I wonder why."

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

There was a loud echoing thud could be heard from the top of the stairs, as Warlock tumbled down without his element, cloak, or most of his mane. "Gah!" He struggled to stop his fall, eventually succeeding. "Damn it!" He growled hitting the stairs, already able to sense the element he was. Hoping if anything, Athriel could find it. He stood up, rushing down the stairs, looking around for Athriel.

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

Iron Wing spent his time looking at them. seeming a little curious about the ones without markings. "Well I'll keep them just in case, they seem to be made out of the same stuff as the others, and I don't believe anypony else has similar blades to my feathers." He put them in the bag around his back.

"I don't believe I'll need to by checked myself." He said, while having trouble walking, seeming unfocused with his eyes appearing blind again. "But I have noticed something odd, I can see Warlock again, he doesn't have his element anymore." He said, his eyes returning to him as he looked up to Dew. "It's almost like he's switched with somepony else, who that is we should find out."

Misty struggled to walk, yelping in pain as she flopped onto her front, trying to sit as she looked to her front leg, trying not to cry from the pain. "I-I think, M-my leg is broken."

Star eyed her leg up and down it. "Don't worry, it can be fixed."

[Victoria Sponge 1,014]

@Blitz Boom

Battenberg smiled nervously "We have no fixed rates here... a-and since you two have been so nice and p-polite I would like to make you a deal. How much are you willing to pay for these?"

 

[Windchime 184]

@Blitz Boom

A headache built. A telltale sign for that something is going wrong, and how wrong depended on the intensity of the headache. They've been happening a lot ever since he's sprouted these horns, and it is as if they have a mind of their own and that's how they communicate with Detail. Either way, supernatural or not, Striking Detail learned to act almost immediately once these headaches came, as it has saved his hide more than once in the past. But usually, first he has to figure out what is going wrong. Too bad the intense ones tend to be rather distracting, though.

The dragon (Who, as dragons do, also bears horns. Detail idly wondered if all horned animals have this kind of vague premonition) resumed talking once again, answering question after question of the writers as they reach for his attention like seagulls yelling for bread to be thrown into the air. The intense writing down of ideas and quotes on paper. The free flowing of ink by the machines prompted by the hammering of buttons. The sounds got louder and louder as the headache built and built; Detail had learned to be able to vaguely gauge the severity of the situation by the intensity of the headache, and that the building hadn't stopped yet worried him greatly.

Come on, come on, Detail, think! What could possibly be wrong in this situation of the writers, the dragon and his magnificent sharing of 

Scoop! He completely forgot, the dragon was his exclusive scoop! Detail's pupils shrunk in harrowing realization and his headache receded into a way lighter, lingering pain  telling him that he figured it out: They're bleeding him dry! By the time Detail gets to his exclusive interview, there will be nothing new left for an article! In realization of his stupidity, Striking Detail attempted a facehoof, a clunk was heard as he accidentally hit his right horn, so he heaved a heavy sigh instead, resigned to his fate in politeness of letting the writers finish.

He stopped listening wondered what he could do instead.

 

Eventually, the writers and the dragon stopped, but it took Striking Detail about two minutes to snap back to reality and realize there was only the sound of ticking typewriters left in the air. Downhearted, Striking Detail looked up at the dragon who finally had the chance to breathe normally for the first time in forever, and simply said; "Benny, I think we're done here. I have to think of something new now, again." with tiredness audible in his voice, as he motioned with a simple head nod towards the door.

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

@Holiday Agnaktor

The smile on Printrose's face became more genuine the less effort she put in maintaining it. Relax, that is what she had to do, she's taking a break, after all. The smile she put up probably looked creepy, anyway. The bottom of the teacup became increasingly visible through the now-less transparent liquid as Printrose drank her tea, so she put it down for now so that she could savor it for a little while longer.

Then the pegasus finally talked. A delivery mare. A common job for pegasi, so Avabella believed it easily, and nodded in response. "Delivery is a respectable job. Most of the time, the weight loaded on to you does tend to be heavier than I could ever dream to bare"  Printrose commended. "Well, I am a unicorn after all. Any manual labor that can't be easily solved by magic or brains is out of the question for me anyway."

Avabella looked at the delicate wings on the pony in front of her. She always was surprised those wings could lift a pony, not even an easy task for levitation magic, and then some extra load. Well, that's what specialists like her are for. They probably must undergo some rough strength training in order to lift usable loads, unlike the average pegasus who probably can't lift more than a saddlebag's worth of stuff. 

An Equestrian Enquirer special with Pegasi as the center of attention, that would be a neat idea. And then one with earth ponies, and finally one with unicorns? We could work that into a series, that would definitely be an interesting read. But Printrose snapped out of her professional thoughts for now.

"I'm sorry, it seems like I was dreaming again" Apologised Printrose. "Work gets me so busy nowadays, I constantly have to think of new ideas for the paper, you see? That tends to get so ingrained in you, especially if you haven't had someone to drink tea with in a while." Avabella ended that last sentence with a sad tone and regretted that almost instantly, following up with "Oh, what am I saying. More tea, dear?" Avabella levitated the teapot with a slight nudge towards Light Rain, offering her first before thinking of herself, as she had noticed that Light Rain enjoyed the tea. Maybe that will finally make her feel at home.

[Sekel 685]

@Blitz Boom & @Lloyd

DAWN

"Oh, I just remembered. If it's not too much trouble, I think I'll go ahead and get to my business for the day. It's being an assistant to a freerunning teacher at the local school," Dawn smiled at Pop and gave her a wave with her wing. Keeping the bag of lollies tucked under her other wing, Dawn thanked Pop for the candy and coffee before taking her leave. On her way home to drop the candy off, she saw a pony quickly teleport away. Thinking it curious, she slowly walked in that direction. As she got closer to a pony kneeling over something on the ground, Dawn shivered in place, gasping at a rush of energy going through her. She stood frozen, panting as the energetic feeling left her and forced her into a more depressive state of mind. Her wide-eyed expression became dull and even almost sad with a glimmer of despair in her eyes. Dawn continued to stare at the pony, kinda feeling her expression become permanent but didn't really expect it to.

@Jedishy

WATTS MECHANO

Watts sat behind her stall, a whole range of devices of various kinds from automatic letter openers to a self-heating thermos for the ponies that weren't Unicorns. Preferably anyway. She had a cash box underneath her table, hidden away and actually stuck on the underneath of the surface. A bit different, yes, but at least no one's robbed her yet. She tapped her hoof and looked at the various ponies, smiling and when a customer did come up to her, she sold what he wanted and placed the bits in the cash register. With some help from a Unicorn friend, Watts had engineered the cashbox to make sure the cash that was put in would be teleported to a safe in her garage. Better safe than sorry.

[Jedishy 3,542]

@Dji 

Winter Bold landed softly in the middle of the Ponyville market. He was tired from a long days flight and his mane in desperate need of grooming. His tail, however, remained perfectly styled and groomed as ever. He glanced around looking for a place to sell the three books he had read dozens of times over the last months traveling. He needed to make something off of them or he would not be able to replace the reading material as his bits were running low. 

It might even be time to look for some short term work before he moved on. As it stood he was nervous being in a town again. He never did manage to fit in and always mucked things up. Especially when it came to helping with the weather. Seeing a pony that seemed to be selling a bit of everything he pulled his books of his well-worn saddle bags and approached trying to look friendly. He loved other ponies but always ended to bungle first impressions. 

[Storm Shine 1,195]

@Blitz Boom

Pinkie swung her net down to try and catch the sugary creature, but unfortunately... She forgot to account for the ceiling height, so the net hit the roof of the tunnel and bounced off course - directly onto Storm "Ow!"

 

"Sorry Stormy!" Pinkie apologized as she continued to swing the net, albeit more carefully now.

 

(Sorry for the shortness, I'm a little sick right now. Just wanted to at least post something to help keep things moving a little.   )

[Blitz Boom 4,420]

@Shineling

Whilst Pinkie missed, Anomaly managed to snag her net-form around the sugar mole's hind legs, causing it to trip as she wrapped around it. It were still wiggling a good deal though, and likely wouldn't be kept for too much longer if they didn't start to eat it to calm it down.

Weird sentence aside, Anomaly focused on the two ponies where Storm had gotten knocked down by Pinkie - she'd laugh if her face wasn't squeezed against the sugar mole - which left the later to go to town before it was too late.

"Pimki. Qwuig, eaft it!"

Hopefully, the muffled voice would go through fine enough.

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

 

@Dji

"Awh, are you sure tha-"

A massive amount of noise rang through the room as Pop slipped on the crate she were standing on and fell backwards whilst trying to grab hold of the things on the shelf in front of her, which caused it to fall doqn, along with a good deal of stuff behind her. It didn't help that the last push she accidentally gabe the crate manafed to push it into a small ladder she kept in here after having done a few minor repairs on her shop recently, who fell over jnto another shelf...

Basically, it was a mess of items spread around, with some likely ruined and having to be remade, though at least the shelves themselves didn't fall down, so there was that at least.

"Nooooo! Why? Why is this happening when it was looking like such a good day?"

She looked around her with a sigh, and noticed Dawn had left as she had mentioned. She likely figured that Pop was going to need time to sort this, so she might as well take off.

*sigh* Well, guess that was the truth too. Pop had to clean this up before going anywhere. She couldn't have her storage in such a mess.

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

 

@Windchime

Benny almost stopped answering the ocean of questions when he saw Detail hitting himself in the head. An action that seemed like something was wrong, though as he didn't look like he were following it up with anything afterwards, Benny kept answering, though with a noticeable pause during the incident.

It took some time after Benny finally got a chance to breathe before the truth seemed to rear it's head forward: Details had wanted this sort of info for his article, not for everypony in the place.

Gah, stupid Benny! This was one of the things that popped up when he had gotten here, and then he just gave everything away to the others. Bonehead!

He were feeling pretty guilty about this as he looked at the somewhat depressed-looking pony in front of him, wondering if there were some way he could make it up for him. Which eventually caused a small flicker of light to go off over his head. It might not be much, but perhaps it could help?

"I'm sorry sir. I forgot about that when they all started to ask and ask away. Uhm... Perhaps I know a way to make it up to you, that could help you with another angle of this story the others don't have?"

He looked around at the writers with their typing machines going at it like it was a concert, and metaphorically bit his tongue 

"Maybe we should go to another room and talk about this before I give away too much again."

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

 

@Battenberg

"Whatever they're worth, we'll pay. I have a store myself and I know that it's good to have at least the cost of the base ingredients covered, plus the work load, though I don't know what it's like for bakery goods. Not something I work with often I'm afraid."

Benny reached back and took a bag of bits out of his bag. Some vacation money they had saved up individually, stored in a few places, just in case something happened on the trip. Seemed logical enough to him when Pop brought it up, so it were a bit spread, though this one should hopefully cover it, unless the cakes were like, 50 bits each, but that didn't sound right.

"I'm not gonna argue against her, so I'll just count up when a price is set."

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

 

@Lloyd

Warlock had been lucky he had not been at a slightly different angle and without armor, or the chakram would have cleaved his head instead of just hitting it and sending him to the side. A pity it did not go that easy, but they still had him surrounded with Benny carrying a weapon he had *acquired* from Warlock, herself preparing to swing her whip-like blades, and Astral closing in as well. The hot-headed fool only had one way to go to get away, and sadly, they didn't have the chance to stop him from that. A minor issue compared to how it still ensured he'd get away from.the civilians, which were certainly a good thing.

What happened with him afterwards were a surprise though. His armor suddenly began to crumble away, and out of the blue, something escaped his chest. By the accompanying yelp, that would be his element that for some reason had abandoned him from the looks of things.

He teleported away before they could try and grab hold of him again, though Screecher certainly tried to get her hooves on him. Annoying magic-users sometimes.

Whilst she flew in the sky and grumbled, Benny came over to Astral and looked wearily at the element in her hoof.

"Get away from the object this instance Officer Brickspine. We do not want a repeat of last time."

Benny grimaced as the general used his real name. A sure sign that she were serious, but it didn't mean he liked to hear it regardless of that. It didn't suit who he were now, as much as the name he had taken later on.

"I guess she means the amulet. Better I don't then... You wouldn't want blood on you either I suppose. Heh. Just be careful with that thing though, okay? It have already done enough harm, and I don't know what to expect from it now."

The feeling of somepony poking this side made him turn and look into the somewhat grumpy face of Null. A semi-permanent scowl that seemed to be her default impression.

"Hey, you uhm... Don't put too much into this."

Out of nowhere, Null jumped up and grabbed the surprised dragon around the neck whilst listening to her time and time again whisper *Thank you for saving my sister*.

The show of affection were somewhat brief though, and shortly after letting go, Null just cleared her throat and wandered back to Void, who seemed pretty shaken up. She didn't do well with thanking others, and found it rather awkward, so getting some distance to it were just what she wanted.

Benny didn't seem to know what to do with himself either, other than repeatedly checking to make sure the amulet were secured in its pouch, and hoping that Screecher would soon come down.

"This is have been a pretty weird day, huh?"

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

 

@Lloyd

If he were looking for Athriel in the dark depths of the temple, there were a lit road he could follow, where she had lit a few torches that had been along the walls, giving a bit of light to the path she had wandered, and some insight into her not having slacked off in the time he had been away.

Sprung traps, cut wire, destroyed statues, entire sections of walls cut through like it was butter, disrupting protective seals carved into pieces of the mortar and so on. It looked like a war zone, and she had been decimating everything that had been sent at her. Courtesy of knowing the tricks they'd use, as she were after all, once one of their kind.

If he'd follow it enough, he'd find her studying a section of wall with strange hieroglyphs of some kind, reading something whilst mumbling to herself.  There wasn't the feeling of an element in the room, so whatever she were looking over, it seemed like this temple was a bust. Had to be one of the others then.

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

 

@Lloyd

A field medic came over and gently lifted Misty to a bed with his magic after he heard about her leg.

"Don't be afraid, I'm going to try and help you until the hospital can get some ponies out here to transport you both away."

"That won't be too long, right?"

Chow were worried about Misty as he heard about her leg. Golden too, sure, but he had better bonds with the filly than the ambassador, so his focus were on the small one.

"Should be within 10 minutes. General Dew, is there more?"

"Likely, but most should be able to be handled here. Make sure the two here are taken good care off for now, you hear me? And you, Chow was it? I'm putting you on guard duty for them. Don't let them out of your sight."

"Look here, I ain't one o-"

Suddenly, the former general were right in Chow's face, and lifted the visor so Chow could look at his hard, intimidating glare.

"Don't let them out of your sight. Understood?"

The pet food vendor gulped and slowly nodded.

"Y-Yes sir."

More weren't said to him before Dew wandered away, headed towards the throne room and the responsibility he had to carry for the time being. Though he did stop before getting out of the room entirely, and looked at Iron Star.

"It's good news that he no longer have his element, but we'll need to remain steadfast until we have him in custody. There's no telling what will happen if he gets hold of another one that might be even more dangerous.

Inform me if something more changes. I'll make sure to let the mare know where to find you when they return."

Meanwhile, in the throne room, the lieutenant got a bit of a smile on her face as she got a positive response for her work.

"Shall I get you to the forge then sir?"

Suddenly a guard burst through the door and ran up to Iron Wing, where he'd give a quick salute.

"General, we have a potential problem. There's a large dragon seeking entrance into the city. He says he were asked to meet the generals about something? We need confirmation on this before we can risk letting him into town, considering the heightened alarm we're on."

The guard were a pretty new bundle of feathers to this, but he tried hard at least, even if he did blabber on a bit too much on things the general likely already knew. A nervous thing likely.

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

 

@Dji @Widdershins

"Don't you worry your feathers there. If it comes to some intimidation needed, you'll just leave it to me. I have an ol' trick of my sleeve."

Usually she wouldn't waste this sort of thing just to show off, buuuuut Spicy felt in a pretty good mood right now so hey, what the hay right?

Picking one of the cards in her wings, she slid it across the side of her clothes, which gave an odd sound like a match being drawn, and all of a sudden, the card was starting to take fire. She tossed it at a rock after that and enjoyed the sight as the flames reached the center and a minor explosion happened. Nothing crazy, but enough to seriously discourage, or even harm whoever this might hit.

"Card's with a small explosion charge, a jacket with rough sides and some good old fashioned card tossing. Trick I learned off my mentor to make sure I'd always be ready for danger. Down to 18 cards in that set now though, so I'm gonna have to get to Fillydelphia one of these days for a new set."

These weren't the cards she played with of course, and the back of them were custom so she didn't confuse them with regular cards, so as long as she kept at these mostly being decorative, there wasn't an issue as far as she were concerned.

"Now come on, let's get to this bundle of logs before we start to grow moss."

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

 

@EQ_Theta

"In the end, everyone eventually dies Sen. It is inevitable, no matter how it is postponed, and when the time comes... I am not allowed to speak of the afterlife, but I can tell you that a good being have nothing to fear of the great beyond."

As a reaper, Mother had seen her fair share of those afraid of death, and what came after it, but she had also seen the places where souls eventually went, and unless you were a truly horrible, utterly disgustingly evil creature, the worst that could really happen were forced reincarnation, to repent for past sins.

"But you did not ask on my opinion with death, you wished to hear about life."

Mother leaned down on one knee and went close to the children, so she could look at them better with her warm, tired eyes.

"I think that if you can, you should find a way to prolong your lifespan. Mortimer would not approve of this, but his approval have been lacking from my actions for a long time, and it pales compared to imagining you facing death with fear. It could leave you a lost soul, and I do not wish that fate upon any of my children, adopted or not.

I don't think the first option should be to attempt to mix some of this world with you though. It took a good deal of time and a specific location to reform Lin into what she is now, and there is no telling if it will accept you as well. Further than that, Lin went through some... Unfortunate things before we even met, and you'd likely have to do those yourself too if you wish to be somewhat similar to what she is.

I am not saying it is impossible, but unless I have no other choice, I cannot send you to a slow and agonizing death Sen. No mother can be expected to make that choice lightly.

Perhaps though, you can find something else out in your worls which will prolong your life. I have visited several in olden times that had their share of measures. Fountains of youth, vampirism, demonic infusions, angelic blessings, blood sacrifices and so forth. Your wolrd should have something to.

Though please, heed my warning child. Immortality always haves a price. Make sure you know what that is before you take any offer."

It was a tough situation for Mother to really sat much about. She wished her child happy. And ideally, content with knowing that death were inevitable and that there was nothing to fear from it. Yet for Sen, it seemed the only way to ensure his happiness were to prevent his death for a long time, so neither he nor the one closest to him would leave the others behind. It was a nice thought, but one with so many possible flaws, not the least one being that most of the things she had mentioned had grizzly side effects, or bound him to some kind of service.

"Perhaps you could return to those who helped you, Lin, and ask if them for help or guidance? You were there for a long time in your tale. Perhaps it have given you time to know the feel of the place, and find your way?"

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

 

@Moonlit @Seamore Sandwich @Widdershins

"Good plan. Let's just hope nothing more bad happens in here then."

Ziggy were a bit all over the place right now as she climbed the stair case.

Her head told her that it was stupid to be afraid of the ghost, since all it had done were handing her a kind of crutch, and that was a good thing. It had to be friendly then, right?

Issue were that her heart couldn't stop being terrified at the thought of somepony dead toying with them and eventually either take them to the other side, or make sure they never got out, so it would have somepony to play with.

"You shouldn't be here."

Ziggy nearly jumped out of her own coat as she heard the voice in front of them, just at the turn where they had to go down, though she still couldn't see anypony.

"He's going to find you if you don't get out fast. You won't like what he does to those he finds..."

A cold breeze blew past them, and almost made Ziggy just curl into a ball and weep of fear. So far. Her heart were wining in how she felt about this ghost.

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

 

@cwhip9

Jelly giggles at the silly pony.

"I'm not a Night Guard yet, but one day I'm going to be. Just like mommy and daddy are."

The thought of adorning her own set of armor one day were an inspiring thought for her, though her parents were clear about her having to wait until she were older before she could go and aplly. Didn't stop her daddy from teaching her the ropes now and again however, much to her mother's dismay.

"And we're just out here because I were looking for a good cloud I could make into jelly. Wanna see it?"

Jelly fluttered past Crescent and over to the cloud, where she'd take out a k ife from her belt and use it to cut a small hole in the top. Big enough for either of them to stick a hoof in, which were exactly what she did.

Withdrawing it with a gelatinous mass on it, she took the hoof in her muzzle and thought over things whilst she sucked the jelly from her hoof.

"I think it's a mix of... Raspberries and blackberries? Strange taste. Wanna try? I swear, it's totally safe."

She looked up at him, expectantly. Both to see if he'd have a taste, and to see that if not, she could ask him stuff too. She wanted to know what he did out here and stuff like that. Anything that could make her learn more of this fun bat pony.

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

 

@Foxy Socks

Anomaly rose her head and looked at Foxy as she were mentioned, with the orb she had been given sliding into her mouth.

"I thimp... Holf ohn."

The mumbling started to annoyed her as she tried to speak, so she did the opposite of what any rational being would do, and swallowed the orb, getting it out of the way for a bit. Who knew? Perhaps it'd work if she stewed it in her stomach acid for a while.

"I don't see the problem. Everypony gets lead on by somepony higher up. Zhu's just lower down the hierarchy instead. Same thing as following a royal in my book, but i might be biased since he taught me pretty much everything.

I was supposed to come back with all memories of the big bad meanie I once were and really cause issues as the 14th big kahuna on his list. He made sure I didn't remember stuff, and taught me to do things and be nice to lower lifeforms like ponies. I would've liked my head though, instead of the pumpkin, but I guess I can't have everything."

Anomaly suddenly swelled up like a balloon for a moment before going back to a more *normal* sight again, tough she did burp out a strange-looking smoke.

"Hehe. That tickled."

She leeeeeeeaned ever so much closer to Foxy and after a small burp more to the side, would whisper her into her ear, to try and be all sneaky like.

"It's pointless being sorry for him you know. He's totally set on doing stuff his way until he just stops being useful. I tried to talk him out of it too once, but he was a total buzzkill about it. I even tried with a ring and everything."

Anomaly opened her mouth in front of Foxy's muzzle, after circling her neck with the elongating one she had - draconquui perk: Body manipulation - and showed her a copy of the ring that she had tried to entice Zhu with a few centuries back. It looked exquisite, but apparently, he hadn't been interested.

"Besides, you don't know enough about the dark stuff he haves to do sometimes yet. Try to ask him about the attack in town a few days ago, and put a bit of pressure on the strange hurricane dome that covered some of the town and kept everypony inside."

Mainly it would entertain Anomaly, but it was really just herself she thought about too when it came to this, so eh. It'd be a fun show for her.

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

 

@Sun Ray

"Why am I doing this again?

The blue pony corrected his glasses and once more.made sure his clothes sat right as he approached the theater. A noisy mess sometimes, and not something he meant he had the time for with all the building projects he still had to go through.

"Your stress levels have increased to dangerous levels, so I made you go here to alleviate some of it."

The mare next to him finished polishing her monocle and returned it to her eye, whilst ensuring that Clayton kept moving. Like it or not, he were going to enjoy the midday show, and stress off for a time before he would cause himself some kind of.breakdown.

"It is supposed to be a good performance. The kind I know you have a fondness for."

"I could just say no here. You can't force me."

"It is this, or I will return to another solution to make you relax which you have previously exclaimed were not to your liking."

Clayton grimaced and remember the sleeping agent she had given him to calm him down. A harmless thing, but the time it had taken away from him were a concern.

A less forgiving boss would have fired her for that, but he often forgave her for things like that, because he knew she did it for him. To make sure he didn't injure himself or end as a tragic story about overwork in the tabloids, amongst other things.

So he begrudgingly showed the tickets Belladonna had gotten them, then entered the area and found a place to seat and wait for the show. Hopefully this would help make him forget about the paperwork for a time.

Edited August 21, 2017 by Blitz Boom
Added colors.