open Casual stroll

[Blitz Boom 4,422]

@Lloyd

The lieutenant looked at Warlock after his rebuttal to their suggestion. A small bit of sympathy had mixed in with the nervousness and fear she had of him, hearing what sounded like a pony that had just given up on being salvaged again. Of course, it could be he were trying to manipulate her, but Hogweed were not like, for example, Hailstorm, Her job required empathy for others, whereas he were the one who needed to be mistrustful, as he handled more criminals than she ever would.

"Discord hurt a lot too, but he have been redeemed. If you are willing to try and change, I don't see why we couldn't help you as well."

Granted, she didn't know what Warlock might have done before he appeared in the garden, and she were not feeling great about having somepony who she had seen hurt her fellow guards potentially go loose, but weren't their job to try and imprison and help, rather than just indefinitely incarcerate somepony? Why else did they run programs to reintroduce criminals to the society after their release? Or the option for counseling whilst on the inside? The message she had always taken from this, were that they would stop criminals by helping them all the way through the process, so they could be model citizens again. an attempt at preventing further crime from the individuals, rather than constantly cycle somepony in and out of prison until their last breath.

Running a constant prison scheme without helping the inmates improve themselves and moving past things... It wasn't a sustainable system. Plus it was far more expensive for the kingdom to keep hundreds, if not thousands locked up constantly, rather than investing in them getting the help and treatment they needed.

Now if they could do something like that for Warlock... Hogwed didn't know. It would require time, and him proving to them that he actually wanted to change, but perhaps if everything aligned well, he could one day be a free pony again.

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

 

@BloodDrops

Nerzhei thought that the sounds she'd hear from outside would be simple. Some growling from Droppy, a large roar from what she would assume could be a ursa minor perhaps, and then some scuffled sounds that would culminate in a large noise from whatever had attacked, before everything would go silent. Then the chewing would begin, and the dragoness would stay in her cave and feel disturbed over what had happened, as well as trying to think over how to explain to Lyriel that somepony had taken down a rare creature like an ursa minor, if that were indeed what it had been. The conservationist dryad wouldn't like to see the low population threatened like that.

Instead of this though, she heard something more akin to banter. Too low for her to hear at first, but as the strength increased and she moved closer to the exit of her simplistic home, the words began to be clearer, although the meaning did not. What kind of creature would Droppy be considering friendly, who were apparently big enough to mess with the large rock that had been in the way before, and had lost a temple?

That last part began to make Nerzhei grimace, as a candidate came to mind, based on what the zombie had spoken off earlier too. An unlikely suggestion, considering where they were, but Equestria seemed to attract many strange, weird creatures. Were it impossible for one of them to go so far from their homeland? Unfortunately not, as unlikely as it would seem.

Still, she would only get answers from confronting this creature herself, so she began to look towards the exit- And then came the creature she had feared, crashing through the now substantially larger entrance.

"A sphinx..."

Nerzhei fell on her rump, and took a vial out of her bag with an increasingly shaking hand. Droppy had been enough of a challenge to her migraine, but this? Sphinxes were presumptuous, snobby pests that had no redeemable qualities from what the dragoness had read. The limited historical lore she had read about counted in only three, but in all stories, they had been if not villains, then at least menaces.

And now she had one in her home, along with Droppy... Perhaps the smart solution right now were just to offer herself as being the sustenance for the sphinx, as to spare herself from whatever horrid outcome would result from the two of them wandering together? It seemed like the least painful solution in the long run.

"A large feline with wings, and ornaments dangling from her body. This forest still have much to show me it seems."

THe voice would come from behind the sphinx, were a peculiar looking pony would move from the trees and towards them, eyeing what she could see of the creature with great curiosity.

The dragoness looked past the large feline when the elixir started to work in dulling her increasing migraine attack, and looked towards the *pony*. There were something wrong with that one which did not convince Nerzhei that this were in fact a pony, such as the flowers that seemed to grow from the stranger. Sure, they could be simply ornamental, but it didn't look that way for her. Plus, the eyes were too strange to belong to an actual pony. The pupils might fit in size, but no pony had sclera that were a slightly paler green like that, so much she knew at least.

"Is this a friend of yours, Nerzhei?"

Wait, that voice... You had got to be kidding.

"Lyriel?"

The dryad nodded, but didn't get closer, as she were not sure how to approach the feline yet, before Lyriel had the chance to see how she would respond. Felines tended to not like their personal space being interfered with at the first encounter with somepony new.

"Yes. I came around to show you how I had regrown, as I spoke with you off a few times. Perhaps I have arrived at a bad moment though? Do you perhaps need help?"

It had been a long day in Ponyville, but she overall thought it a success. She still missed having digits though, but she were certain that she would get used to this weird body eventually, and- Wait, why were Nerzhei drinking a purple liquid after she had spoken? Were the dragoness ill?

[EQ_Theta 414]

@Blitz Boom @Storm Shine @Lucid_Nightlight

It was an odd thing to hear from Lucid, whatever must have happened with him and how Twilight is involved in all of that... Fluttershy wouldn't know the half of it. It gave her some pause, likely leaving the pegasus to ask herself just what had transpired. If anything, she wouldn't be taking that prank back at the cottage too hard knowing Lucid was not unlike anypony else. The attitude... would it have something to do with his way of coping? In any event, Fluttershy didn't think too hard about it but nodded at Lucid.

"I'll let her know as soon as I can, Lucid. I'm sure Twilight will be glad to hear from you."

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

@Blitz Boom  

"Huh, well I'll try my best to keep the statue dry... or about as dry as possible. Rest assured it will be here when you'll need it."

Smart or simply professional, Lin's attitude could only get herself and Sen so far but for now, she stands to gain something more for herself and for her fellow longma back home. It will do them some good to at least learn something about the history they try to ignore. Inaccuracies aside, no one bothers but suppose she had an idea to help further elder Ghilan's request. What the longma of old knew could benefit the modern day longma. Perhaps very few will come around to the idea for now but hopefully more could be convinced to change their minds. There aren't any linguists back in the village but everyone knows a word or two from the old language; the peppered words easily come off as about as common knowledge. 

Sen, thought about how Rosa's words came off, forgetting the context behind his own background. It's very much understandable and to some degree, being suspicious of unknown variables would make him just as unlikely to share knowledge like Lin's condition. Suppose Sen has seen enough in the years before not to put too much stock in someone he's just met, and yet he still trusts the spy more than the antiquarian. On the matter of supplies, however, and Sen is stumped with what a tent is, much less what one looks like.

"Sure, Rosa, I'll just find us a tent. I think really going into this one blind."

For the meantime, he wandered around the store looking lost and confused, muttering tent... tent... what is this thing... under his breath. Even the sight of materials that could light fires easily caught his eye more frequently.

Then there's the him wondering to himself how the two of them would need a tent when they've more or less adapted to sleeping under the stars. Aside from the weather, it doesn't seem to sensible, maybe to them at least. The weather might not be so good so it is sensible to get one for that reason alone. 

Edited May 29, 2018 by EQ_Theta

[Lucid_Nightlight 923]

@Blitz Boom @EQ_Theta @Storm Shine

"She's the one who witnessed it, tried to assure me that what I did was an accident. I tried to convince her to order some sort of charges on me, maybe have me locked up  or banished for life, but she wouldn't since it was an accident. So, I banished myself to another universe. If I hadn't been so careless and not let myself be distracted by that dark figure in the distance he'd still be here."

Lucid had a flashback to the moment, his mind got so immersed in this memory, the chaotic magic showed the event outside of his mind, as if being played on a screen.

(The flashback)

Lucid was working with some sort stone, talking to his friend.

"...and thats how I got this stick!"

"You tricked Discord?"

"Of course I did, where else would I get it?"

Lucid got distracted, he saw a dark figure in the distance, seemed to be a dark unicorn. They moved their head in a strange direction as the horn would glow a dark grey and then the stone fell in the same direction at the exact same time.

(Flashback ends)

"It's probably best not to dwell on it too much, too depressing."

Lucid didn't want think about it anymore, he had better things to think about.

"Anyways, that garden isn't about to build itself!"

[BloodDrops 762]

12 hours ago, Blitz Boom said:

Nerzhei thought that the sounds she'd hear from outside would be simple. Some growling from Droppy, a large roar from what she would assume could be a ursa minor perhaps, and then some scuffled sounds that would culminate in a large noise from whatever had attacked, before everything would go silent. Then the chewing would begin, and the dragoness would stay in her cave and feel disturbed over what had happened, as well as trying to think over how to explain to Lyriel that somepony had taken down a rare creature like an ursa minor, if that were indeed what it had been. The conservationist dryad wouldn't like to see the low population threatened like that.

Instead of this though, she heard something more akin to banter. Too low for her to hear at first, but as the strength increased and she moved closer to the exit of her simplistic home, the words began to be clearer, although the meaning did not. What kind of creature would Droppy be considering friendly, who were apparently big enough to mess with the large rock that had been in the way before, and had lost a temple?

That last part began to make Nerzhei grimace, as a candidate came to mind, based on what the zombie had spoken off earlier too. An unlikely suggestion, considering where they were, but Equestria seemed to attract many strange, weird creatures. Were it impossible for one of them to go so far from their homeland? Unfortunately not, as unlikely as it would seem.

Still, she would only get answers from confronting this creature herself, so she began to look towards the exit- And then came the creature she had feared, crashing through the now substantially larger entrance.

"A sphinx..."

Nerzhei fell on her rump, and took a vial out of her bag with an increasingly shaking hand. Droppy had been enough of a challenge to her migraine, but this? Sphinxes were presumptuous, snobby pests that had no redeemable qualities from what the dragoness had read. The limited historical lore she had read about counted in only three, but in all stories, they had been if not villains, then at least menaces.

And now she had one in her home, along with Droppy... Perhaps the smart solution right now were just to offer herself as being the sustenance for the sphinx, as to spare herself from whatever horrid outcome would result from the two of them wandering together? It seemed like the least painful solution in the long run.

"A large feline with wings, and ornaments dangling from her body. This forest still have much to show me it seems."

THe voice would come from behind the sphinx, were a peculiar looking pony would move from the trees and towards them, eyeing what she could see of the creature with great curiosity.

The dragoness looked past the large feline when the elixir started to work in dulling her increasing migraine attack, and looked towards the *pony*. There were something wrong with that one which did not convince Nerzhei that this were in fact a pony, such as the flowers that seemed to grow from the stranger. Sure, they could be simply ornamental, but it didn't look that way for her. Plus, the eyes were too strange to belong to an actual pony. The pupils might fit in size, but no pony had sclera that were a slightly paler green like that, so much she knew at least.

"Is this a friend of yours, Nerzhei?"

Wait, that voice... You had got to be kidding.

"Lyriel?"

The dryad nodded, but didn't get closer, as she were not sure how to approach the feline yet, before Lyriel had the chance to see how she would respond. Felines tended to not like their personal space being interfered with at the first encounter with somepony new.

"Yes. I came around to show you how I had regrown, as I spoke with you off a few times. Perhaps I have arrived at a bad moment though? Do you perhaps need help?"

It had been a long day in Ponyville, but she overall thought it a success. She still missed having digits though, but she were certain that she would get used to this weird body eventually, and- Wait, why were Nerzhei drinking a purple liquid after she had spoken? Were the dragoness ill?

 

The Sphinx blinked and grinned  showing her teeth. "oh oh, a needle and thread. Very well put Plague Walker" she purred approvingly. She turned her attention back to the dragon and frowned. "is there a question in that statement? Or just a exclamation?" she asked abruptly. "I am indeed a Sphinx, I could offer you a riddle, though it comes at a price if you get it wrong" she stated glancing down at the small dragon. 

 Droppy blinked at the Sphinx, "Well you could cure her migraines with your magic, in exchange for a riddle. I'm rather good at riddles now" she growled before giving the air a sniff, smelling a funny plant smell. She thought that was most odd. Though she spotted the plant pony by the entrance of the cave and growled at it "Shooo" she growled at it showing her teeth. That normally scared most ponies away.

Sphinxy tutted, "You've already got my riddle wrong and paid the price for such actions, you don't get another go. This is the dragons choice alone" she grumbled down at the plague pony giving her a hard stare until she looked away, she knew how to control ponies even the difficult ones. She glanced at the open door and down at the odd shaped forest pony. She snorted at the statement she gave "A large feline with wings, and ornaments dangling from her body" well obviously its myself you are referring too. "Dumb ponies trying to make themselves smart by stating the obvious" she growled giving her wings a flap. She rolled her eyes at the friend statement. "More of a aquatint of a aquatint. Though you can indeed help, you can create me a new temple after I've lost my old one" she growled at the forest pony.

Droppy went towards the odd plant pony and gave it a sniff wondering if she could touch it. It did smell nice after all and she was in a touching mood after being rebuffed by the Sphinx. She just wanted a riddle after all, hers were good but not as good as a sphinx's. "Have I met you before? you smell familiar but I've not met a plant pony" she asked her giving her a very good going over with her nose. She had indeed smelled this thing before. 

Sphinxy snorted at the two ponies behavior and turned her attention back to the dragon. "Well here is the riddle for yourself. Try it or don't though theirs no going back once you give your answer. If you guess right then I cure your headache, guess wrong and this cave is now mine and you must leave" she cackled evilly. 

"With pointed fangs I sit and wait; with piercing force I crunch out fate; grabbing victims, proclaiming might; physically joining with a single bite. What am I?"

[Seamore Sandwich 470]

@Blitz Boom 

@Moonlit 

 

“Serenade has been living amongst ponies her entire life, even before I learned of her.  Any revelations of her true nature might be met with hostility, so it is best to keep her hidden until such a time that the populace will likely be calm and understanding.  As it stands now, there is enough tension with the acceptance of reformed changelings that introducing a Siren to the public could cause a panic,” Luna informed Cherish.  “I believe you have too little faith in the ponies of Equestria,” Celestia said calmly.  “Everypony is told stories about the Windigoes every year when they’re but foals.  Sirens and Windigoes closely resemble each other in form and function.  If her revelation is not well timed, it could be a catastrophe, and you know as well as I that we’ve had enough of those already.”  When Serenade took the potion out of Luna’s magic aura, it was still hot as she had just removed it from the flame.  It would burn going down, but the transformation should begin soon after.

 

@Blitz Boom 

@Dji 

 

Looking concerned, the newly arrived Celestia said to Last, “You should get some rest Last.  You can’t get any better if you don’t give it a chance to heal.”

 

@Blitz Boom 

 

“There was a bit of floaty stuff, but other than that she seemed normal.  Although, I don’t quite have an understanding of what ‘normal’ is yet, so I couldn’t say for sure.”

[FanOfManyShows 396]

@Blitz Boom @Dji

Sapphire only looked at Zhu with anger in her eyes, only giving a glance to Karmic when the being within them spoke. "This is what I mean." Her sword extended in length. "No matter the species, not a single being can just, save the world rather than killing everypony in the process, sparing nothing to achieve what, Peace? Not when you've killed to get there, and clearly you need to kill to get past us."

Astral held onto Sapphire's hoof, to keep the sword down, knowing what Sapphire wanted to do. "Listen, we've still not heard a reason for us not being able to fathom these futures your cursed to see, Zhu." Astral looked to Zhu as she spoke. "We legitimately could just, work together to defeat her before Any ponies die or suffer, you have the element after all. And you can see the future, however vivid it may be" She said, gesturing to him.

Sapphire let out a sigh and closed her eyes. Stepping back from Zhu, her eye sparking once again.

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

@Blitz Boom

His eyes scanned them, the past, however long it's been, felt like years really, with him doing these shenanigans trying to get the elements, to get the unobtainable, and these guys were being serious about turning him good despite the many things he did to get to where he was only a days ago,. but then it fell apart and now he was here, everything he did was pointless now. "So you're serious about this?" He looked away, and started to chuckle, transitioning into a laugh. "Oh is this because I give you an advantage for something bigger than me? Because I am pretty sure Discord was reformed purely to defeat Tirek. Although, he did fail."

[Rising Dusk 26,015]

@Blitz Boom

Rising Dusk listened to a new rambling that came out of the little filly's mouth.  He didn't have to listen long before her brother interrupted.  The topic shifted though to finding out about how far they were from their destination and when Molotov said go up, Rising Dusk had to perk his eyebrow in inquiry.  When the two dropped their scrapyard booty and the events unfolded, he understood.

What a malicious time they lived in.  Rising Dusk watched as Molotov picked Blitz up and lifted her from the ground through the power of those mechanical wings he'd been wearing since they met.  The future is ever approaching.  With modern advances in engineering, the skies were soon to no longer belong to the pegasi.  Sure, unicorns could fly with the use of very advanced magic, so only a small hoof full in Equestria, and Earth Ponies could use balloons or airships.  Here though, he witnessed the future of personal flight as the two Boom siblings were in the air having a private conversation that Rising Dusk wasn't going to intrude upon.  Judging about the blue glows he saw coming from the gem and the tendril wires on the wings, he could figure it was still magical in nature, but further inquiry would be needed.

When they returned to the ground, he watched as Blitz bounced off down the road in a rather curious fashion considering the weight of her own wings.  The wooden cart creaked as the midnight blue stallion started down the road again with the knowledge that they were close.

"I can take a look at the blue prints to see if there is any advice I can offer.  If it's magical in nature, of course."

He chuckled a little as Molotov made the offer.  Nodding in his understanding that he need not worry about the hunger of the hyper filly that bounced down the road.  Her metabolism must be crazy at those levels of energy output. 

The compliments the other stallion was giving him couldn't help but bring a smile to his lips.

"Why thank you Molotov.  When you live in the big city long enough, you meet all sorts of ponies.  I've dealt with more challenging personalities before.  Plus it helps to have good memory."

He added that last part by reaching up and tapping his head, half expecting it to rattle like an overfilled bits jar with everything stored in it.  Alas, he was greeted with the usual thud of tapping one's head.  A foal of his own one day, something he'd hardly thought about until earlier conversations brought up his lack of love life.  Rising Dusk simply shrugged with a smirk.

"Perhaps that theory will be put to the test."

[Moonlit 593]

@Blitz Boom @Dji @Seamore Sandwich Sereande shudders, and her entire body is encased in a soft glow. The transformation is not painful, but she does grunt and groan. After a few moments, Serenade stands there...in her Pegasi form. But unlike before, her usual 'wet' mane look is gone, and she's slightly taller then before. "I've said it before Princess, I HATE Potions...bleh"

[Blitz Boom 4,422]

@EQ_Theta @Lucid_Nightlight

"Big as the door, and with her wings spread out to make it look even bigger. Oh, and marble, Glorious marble with silver for eyes, tip of the horn and a gold crown! Ehehehe."

Anomaly bounced in place from pure excitement, nearly missing that they had almost arrived at the castle. A minute or two more and it should be it.

"I mean, I'm so not touching the silver, but it looks pretty on statues. You just put it on Lucid, and everything's perfecto. I bet she'll be happy too if you say it's a present, since you know her and stuff."

She had no idea in what capacity he knew her, but she didn't really focus on that either, as they got a viewing of one of his memories. Kinda weird, but the short of the long seemed to be *Lucid's friend went splat*. That sucked to see honestly, as Anomaly didn't like to think of ponies actually getting squashed like this, but there wasn't really anything she could do here. If she had been there at the time, she could've put the mare back together in a snippet, yet it wasn't possible after around ten minutes had passed. Not because she couldn't still stitch somepony back together or anything, but it was more that their soul were gone by then, and if she still did it, it'd be a new life rummaging around in there. And that is if the pony didn't just go full on feral and tried to attack anypony it could see. Not something she'd want to have happen more than four times.

Man that had been a weird Tuesday...

Anyway, since Lucid's mind-thingie looked like it were supposed to be kinda private, and Anomaly didn't know how to phrase something nice on it right now, she just shrugged and held focus on the castle ahead instead.

She snapped her tail, and as they walked the last part of the way, grass started to grow in a three meter radius around the castle. She were gonna add more later since the front of it looked kinda bare with that little, but right now she were just checking if she could do it really. Seemed to work so far at least.

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

 

@EQ_Theta

"Excellent. Now then, since it does not appear that your brother and companion have arrived yet, perhaps we can chat about something that fascinates me for a moment. Mainly speaking, your people.

I will not pry to a location, as I can imagine that your society may prefer a reclusive lifestyle, considering the lack of information I know of you, but what might you be able to tell me about the rest? How does your society work, and your people live? Ah, and if you could elaborate on whatever or not all females of your kind looks as differently from the males as you do from Sen, I would be curious to know as well. It seems like a rather large difference there is between your physical looks."

Scarcity were not going to force this information out of Lin, or more precisely, she would not make Brick force it out of the longma female, but after all that the antiquarian had told herself, she would consider it somewhat insulting if she were not to be told at least some of what Lin's people were like. It did not need to be everything, and she did not think a location would at all be wise to ask for - hence why she had made certain to point out how she wouldn't want to hear that - yet whatever she could learn might end up important one day. Information were a valuable currency after all, and in case their kind began to make contact with Canterlot, she would be better prepared to make a positive first impression on them. It were always easier to make business with the normal beings if you showed them your better side early on, and they might have something of value she could aim to purchase, or trade for.

Meanwhile, whilst Rosa were still outside the store, a greying stallion walked with heavy steps towards him. There were a few others in here, but the look of the pony going straight towards him would make hard to think that he were looking for anypony else.

"Hello there, stranger. The name's Trail Tracker, and this is my store. What can I help a young longma like you with?"

Tracker lifted a hoof and sneezed into it, then ran part of his hoof through his mustache to get it cleaned a little from the spit.

"Dang cold and it's annoyances.

So, what're you looking for? We got everything in survival gear in here, including machete's to thick jungle, snow-shoes for the mountain seekers, and enough rope to tie a line between here and the castle three times over."

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

 

@Lloyd

"Discord were helped towards reforming before Tirek were even known to be loose. After the uhm... I want to say *momentary relapse* though, he have only gotten better. The princesses even like having him around now and again. You know when he'd not, you know. kind of... Messing around with everything.

Point is that we don't want to help because you might be useful for us, but because we should be helping others. Doesn't matter if they're criminals, they should get help so when their time is served, they can be good members of society again. And if the lord of chaos can be taken in by others, why not you? It will sort of take some time, you know, with the guards that got hurt... But it could happen, and it does sound better than being imprisoned for decades, yes? I think it does at least.

I'm sure there's a lot of uhm... Things that have happened to get you to where you are now, but therapy, physical training, prostheses, guidance and other things can help with that. If you're willing to try of course. We can't force it on you, I think? Mostly sure."

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

 

@BloodDrops

Nerzhei snorted at the sphinx and her riddle.

"I entertained Droppy's antics because it kept her docile. I am not indulging you and your lust for stealing my property, so you can spout as many riddles at me as you want. I will not answer them, no matter what prize you attempt to dangle in front of me.."

"Please, there's no reason to fight over space. I can arrange for a home to be grown for you Sphinx, if you would follow me to a more open area? Everything that breathes in this forest can find somewhere to belong."

Her eyes went past the Sphinx and towards a familiar sight that she had ignored for the sake of this new creature first. Somepony that had gotten too close for comfort, and were attempting to touch her, which caused the dryad to take a few large steps backwards, and look at Droppy with sadness in her eyes.

"Except for you. You do not belong here, gluttonous being, and you know that I asked you to leave before the sun set. I'm sorry, but you had been warned."

Lyriel raised a hoof and stomped into the ground, at which point several large, thorny vines rose from the ground and headed towards Droppy, aiming to drag her under, as well as keeping the dryad herself safe in case the diseased pony would attempt to fight back.

"Stop!"

The vines halted as Lyriel heard Nerzhei interrupt the regrettable action, and she looked towards the dragoness with confusion in her pale-green eyes.

"She consumes and consumes without relent. If she is allowed to stay out there, she will only destroy my forest."

"Not as much as if you bury her. She is highly toxic, and would likely ending up spreading disease and mutating the entire forest into monsters if you let her into the dirt."

Nerzhei sent a very unfriendly glance towards the sphinx as the conversation went on to Droppy's disease, as she were starting to get a sense of where the disease had actually come from. If not the originator, then somehow, the sphinx were likely to have taken part in making it far worse than it once were.

Lyriel stood silently for a time, thinking over what had been told to her. If she punished Droppy, her forest would be corrupted and ruined. It would spread through roots and water, causing her to fail her new home, and when the illness began to go for her roots...

The vines went back into the earth as Lyriel concluded that she would become a corrupted, evil thing too. Everything she had kept hiding from for years in her valley, and eventually, what had made her seek escape with the ponies that had fallen into her domain by accident.

"...I understand, but I still want her removed from my forest."

"I'm working on it. Can you handle this thing in the meantime?"

Nerzhei pointed a thumb at the sphinx, who were likely none to happy about being treated like this, but Nerzhei didn't care much. The sphinx were as rude, obnoxious, and self centered as the stories had said. If not more.

"I will help her yes, if she will let me.

Sphinx? Could you wander with me, so we can find a place to grow you a home? And please, call me Lyriel.

Actually, can I ask you something else too? Did you really think I were a pony? I worked hard to find a good form to regrow into, to blend more with my equine friends, but I were not certain if it were convincing. Some ponies in town had strange looks towards me."

"She means that she's not a pony. She's a dryad, which is more akin to a forest spirit inhabiting a living tree."

It was the simplest way Nerzhei could explain it to the simpletons she were dealing with right now, though she wouldn't be surprised if Droppy were going to need it turned a few times. Not like Lyriel and the mare came out great with eachother as it looked though, considering the murder attempt, so one could argue that it didn't matter as much as keeping the two away from one another. They'd see how things went.

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

 

@Lloyd @Dji

"So you conclude that simply because I even, that I kill? I am no innocent, but I have yet to cause the final blow to any being.

What you fail to understand, is that there are far, far more beings in service to the primals than simply me, and they do not have the luxury of knowing what is to come, so they can't even what good needs to happen with several smaller, evil things. If to much good happen, they will simply begin to act from where it stands then.

The first twenty years after I left, I attempted to work it such as you suggest. I went around, doing everything to only save life, never hurt them. Because of this, equality needed to happen, and an earthquake were orchestrated. An event that ended the lives of thousands, because I had not equalized the good with something bad, and forced the hooves of the primals less scrupulous minions.

I know not of much of their actions, but I have seen the results. Bugbear raids on several towns, destroying defenses so changelings can freely consume a city without any being going against them, or the times I have seen them do it the simple way. With a spell or a blade, aimed at the most innocent they can find. What is the suffering of a dozen, when it instead could be the death of one? Nothing but a small price to pay for the impartial, but an unreasonable demand for those who cannot see further than their own snout."

"Excuses upon excuses, that's all I hear. Shifting blame on something called *primals* and saying that others would do worse ain't explaining why it can't be stopped. If you can really see everything, then stopping it all would be easy."

"At which point the scales would go too deep, and something impossible to stop will be forced forth. I see already the same happening here, when I scour your futures for results.

The gem would be hidden, Emerald caught, and things would seem great. Two days later, one would kill the guards you had stationed to keep the gem safe, and another would break in and release Emerald into the room where Canterlot keeps the dangerous weaponry. There she will be given the blood-soaked element, and as she finds it does not give her the body back she thinks it will, she will go mad, and lash out. She will release countless horrors from that room, and steal the most damning weaponry to get her revenge on the kingdom, leaving Canterlot a crater, and this young witch would lay among the dead."

Zhu kept starring unblinking at Astral as he said this, not changing his tone even once to indicate that he found this funny, or otherwise had an emotional response to it besides apathy.

"If then you had more guards protecting the element, stronger beings would simply be sent to take it back, and if the one sneaking into Canterlot is caught, all other timelines shows that it will simply be another one who will get into the vault, passing past the guard who fervently protects it.

Emerald's release is guaranteed regardless, unless you are willing to do the very thing you claim that I partake in. You kill her vessel, and you suck out her soul, damning it to suffer in your stomach, or destroyed entirely. An evil that will even out the good, yet you claim that this is wrong.

Tell me, is killing an innocent and destroying a soul better than letting a few dozen get overtaken, and face some emotional scars from the experience? Because like many situations I find myself thrust into, this does not have the luxury of a happy ending. Only the lesser of several evils."

If it sounded hopeless to the others, it were because it simply were that. Knowing that he would have blood on his paws no matter what he did, Zhu had to face the impossible task of deciding who would be hurt, and who wouldn't, so that nopony at least would be killed. At least often, though the primals had at times directly taken contact to make him stop interfering with their actions. Refusing to comply would result in him getting punished, and he did not wish to go through that again.

If he explained that well enough though, he wasn't certain. Spending most time wandering alone and mainly acting from the shadows, the one he tended to speak the most with were himself, and he already knew what he went through. Trying to explain it to others on the other paw, that had caused him substantial trouble a few times over the centuries, and though  he thought he improved, Zhu knew that it were not perfect.

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

 

@Rising Dusk

"Magical? Mwahahaha!"

THe box of Blitz's things Molotov were carrying fell to the ground as he started to laugh at what Rising had said. Something that kept on for about fourteen seconds, before he could get things down from laughter, to a chuckle, and finally, to simply a smile.

"Awh man that was a good one, Dusky. I think I was about to pass out for a bit there.

The entire point in making mechanical wings is to not rely on magic for them. My creation runs on pure solar power, gathered and stored in the specially crafted gem, and then led to the wings as pure, all natural energy.

I mean okay, it doesn't look like it's solar since its blue, but that's because of the pipes used. had to work with some tinted glass and a baseline sapphire. Put some orange ones and some kind of altered orange clinohumite in there, and that sucker is going straight on to orange power light.

I still have a ton to do with the design though. I mean, the aesthetics alone."

Molotov used his horn to stretch one of the wings out to prove his point. They were crudely made, lacked any kind of design beyond functionality, and seemed like it could cut you good when idle.

"See? Ugly as all sin. Then comes the complexity of the electronics needed to control the wings, the surgery, the way your spine tingles when thunderclouds goes off, and so on and so forth. I'm getting great usage out of it, but there's no way I can present it to Princess Celestia before I can work out the kinks, get some design help, and figure out how to use them without the operations. Once I do though, you could end up seeing earth ponies riding around the sky too in as little as what, ten years? Five if I get a miracle breakthrough.

But hey, who knows? Could be that you would be that miracle.

You gotta understand though, trying to use as little magic in this as possible, because it should be accessible for earth ponies too. If it only works for unicorns, then what's the point, right? Granted, some magic in the construction could be fine, and sure, I do use some amount of magic in the gems to make sure they can store power properly, but nothing can be activatable only by magic. At that point, I might as well scrap it and go work on how to make ponies grow horns, and I was not getting anywhere near that department back home. Freaky-flank loonies those were.

You'll understand some more once you see the blueprints, trust me on this. Some of the things these needs to work can seem a bit crazy.

Until then, how about you tell me a story then? You say you have worked with challenging personalities before, and I'm mighty curious. Unless it's all confidential, officer?"

It might seem a little mocking, but Molotov meant it in jest when he called Rising this. Was just to poke at his rank a little, and what he might not be able to share or do because of his work. They were becoming work partners here after all. Some friendly banter were needed between 'em, and that included some playful stabs like this. Nothing mean.

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

 

@Moonlit @Seamore Sandwich

"I-I kinda think Princess L-Luna have a point here. If everypony is t-trying to get used to c-changelings, then another could be h-hard."

Cherish really didn't like to say something against Princess Celestia, but in this situation, Princess Luna just made the most sense, and she felt like she had to say something.

Ponies were easy to scare from what they weren't used to, from what she could remember. The three pony races trying to get together were tough enough back then, and here they had the insectoid love eaters getting integrated? Beings that stole love and attacked ponies. It had to be a whole lot harder, and tossing more fuel on that fire could perhaps make ponies mistrust the princesses judgement in cases like that. Had to be something bad that would come from that.

Thankfully, the potion began to take effect on Serenade at this point, providing a good distraction from what else were going on, though it didn't look like Cherish had imagined. A little more glowy than expected, though from the grunting, some degree of pain were perhaps still part of it. Had to be a horrid feeling to live off things like this, and Serenade didn't sound none too happy about it either, judging from her following comment.

"Well, a-at least you're back to looking like a p-pony now. You look a little d-different from the castle though. Less w-wet."

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

 

@Seamore Sandwich @Dji

"I were given a job to fulfill by the united princesses of Equestria. I can't find rest until it's done, and I know that everything have gone spotless."

Last were in pain more frequently the last hour, which she knew were not good, but how could she just lay down and rest? She had been given a job, and it already irked her that she could not lift anything herself because of her injury. If she were to be laid down, it wouldn't take more than a few minutes at most before the thoughts on how the unsupervised workers were cutting corners, slacking off, delaying everything by hours or days from shoddy craftsmanship, or even endangering ponies returning to their homes... It weren't possible for her to sit this out, and have her name tarnished in the princesses eyes.

"I have runningly gotten updates when I haven't been around to watch, and everything is ahead of schedule, since the annoying dragon brought in the Courier's Guild. With the speed they have held steadily over the past five hours, the full construction should be done in an hour and 45 minutes, give or take fifteen minutes.

During the reparations, I also found some of the pipes in the school to be rusty, so I have had workers on them too for the past two shifts. They should be done in less than a half hour.

After that comes inspection to ensure that every home is up to standard and won't collapse on anypony, or leave them cold in the winter. When that's over, and if everything is in order, then I can find rest. But I won't before that your majesty. I cannot lay around in ignorance, and fail the royals of Equestria."

It weren't hard to tell that Last were a deep seated royalist, leaning on full on fanatic, but so were everypony else that had lived at the shrine. Generation upon generation of loyalists did not vanish just because they had been relieved of duty at the temple, it just meant they needed to find new places in a world that were far less dangerous than they were used to.

For some that had meant going the pacifists way. For others, like Last's sister, it meant going to Canterlot and joining the Night Guard. As for Last herself though, it were not that simple. SHe needed to be kept active doing something, and when it wasn't for the royals, she didn't know what else she had left. This job they had granted her when the town needed help? She needed this, as much as the air she breathed, even if she knew that it wasn't going to last. It were but temporary, and after that... What then? Sit around and wither away? It wasn't an option for her, who had been raised as a warrior and felt the need to fight for something again. She just had no idea what, and she were afraid what would happen if she asked the princesses for it, in case they would say that they didn't know.

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

 

@Seamore Sandwich

"Hmm, I'll have to see if I can find the ghost myself later then, and see for myself if she is suffering."

There weren't really much else she could do, but wait and see. Much as Vivid had experience with the damned, she needed some degree of information to determine if things were bad, and just being told that there were floaty stuff were not really enough to evaluate it properly. Some ghosts just liked to float things around for fun, or to show off. It was when it became more violent that the issue arrived.

In any case, she would deal with this another time. For now, they had reached the tall tree that she had sealed the cube into earlier. Undisturbed for the time being, which were a relief, but it didn't make it any more pleasant as the tendrils let go of the tree, and revealed the somewhat glowing satchel beneath.

"Harmonic magic. How I loathe it."

However, much as she hated it, she needed a specific kind of energy source, and this would do that. Long as she kept it floating at legs length away from her. She didn't want it nearer than it had to be.

"With your body safely sealed in the castle, we should have what we need now. It will be interesting to see how you will adjust to no longer being rooted in place."

[Lucid_Nightlight 923]

@Blitz Boom @EQ_Theta @Storm Shine

"How do you feel about fish bears with giant teeth and have rocket launchers for fins? We should put fish bears in the fountain!"

He would've suggested bugbears, but those things were really annoying.

"We could also install like an unstable fireworks thing! I'm sure nothing will go too wrong!"

It was pretty clear that Lucid was not thinking things through.

[EQ_Theta 414]

@Blitz Boom

"I'm looking for a tent, big enough for two to fit? I'm sorry, I'm not even sure what a tent looks like, but that's what I'm looking for. I could also use some rope. How much do those go for?"

Seems like knowledge of the longma outside of the few who have met both siblings is more widespread. Probably hanging around with ponies enough caused word of them to spread and reach everyone unfamiliar with them that the two could be recognized by sight. It's not going to be surprising anymore compared to the forepony from the quarry but this is partly working towards something elder Ghilan requested. Better for everyone in the long run. He's going to have a nice surprise when everyone comes home, though not before chiding the siblings for suddenly disappearing for several days. Ghilan comes off more like a concerned friend now that he has become much closer with Sen, Lin, and Omen. Maybe that kind of attitude could help him become a better elder as well.

But for Lin, the fact that she isn't exactly the way she used to be is still a fairly sore spot. Mostly an issue with sleeping but while she has already accepted it, it still didn't completely sink in just yet. She doesn't blame anyone but herself for it and secretly resents her old self for being so rash.

"Well, the longma have a tribal lifestyle but we're slowly working our way to being fully sedentary. Young longma are given their chance to decide what role they want to play in the village, be it a provider, guardian, artisan, or other miscellaneous roles. Once chosen, the young ones are trained to fill that role for the rest of their lives. Everyone's got to commit to something because one day, they'll be the ones looking after the elderly."  

In a sense, Lin still hesitated on revealing the rest, namely the way crimes against the village are handled and the general form of governance. It was something that isn't set in stone now that Elder Ghilan is working on changing things up. The same went with beliefs, superstitious or otherwise, mostly because it is something that she can't fully explain without resorting to "because that's the way things are." Not exactly a satisfying response, might be especially true for Scarcity.

"For gender differences, males have those long horns like those on Sen while females have these little nubs instead," Lin pointed to her own set of horns. "Females and males are identical in appearance save for some difference in wing span. As for why I look like this... let's just say I made a very big, very regrettable mistake and this was the only way to fix it. I'm not happy about it but I have to live with it."

[BloodDrops 762]

16 hours ago, Blitz Boom said:

Nerzhei snorted at the sphinx and her riddle.

"I entertained Droppy's antics because it kept her docile. I am not indulging you and your lust for stealing my property, so you can spout as many riddles at me as you want. I will not answer them, no matter what prize you attempt to dangle in front of me.."

"Please, there's no reason to fight over space. I can arrange for a home to be grown for you Sphinx, if you would follow me to a more open area? Everything that breathes in this forest can find somewhere to belong."

Her eyes went past the Sphinx and towards a familiar sight that she had ignored for the sake of this new creature first. Somepony that had gotten too close for comfort, and were attempting to touch her, which caused the dryad to take a few large steps backwards, and look at Droppy with sadness in her eyes.

"Except for you. You do not belong here, gluttonous being, and you know that I asked you to leave before the sun set. I'm sorry, but you had been warned."

Lyriel raised a hoof and stomped into the ground, at which point several large, thorny vines rose from the ground and headed towards Droppy, aiming to drag her under, as well as keeping the dryad herself safe in case the diseased pony would attempt to fight back.

"Stop!"

The vines halted as Lyriel heard Nerzhei interrupt the regrettable action, and she looked towards the dragoness with confusion in her pale-green eyes.

"She consumes and consumes without relent. If she is allowed to stay out there, she will only destroy my forest."

"Not as much as if you bury her. She is highly toxic, and would likely ending up spreading disease and mutating the entire forest into monsters if you let her into the dirt."

Nerzhei sent a very unfriendly glance towards the sphinx as the conversation went on to Droppy's disease, as she were starting to get a sense of where the disease had actually come from. If not the originator, then somehow, the sphinx were likely to have taken part in making it far worse than it once were.

Lyriel stood silently for a time, thinking over what had been told to her. If she punished Droppy, her forest would be corrupted and ruined. It would spread through roots and water, causing her to fail her new home, and when the illness began to go for her roots...

The vines went back into the earth as Lyriel concluded that she would become a corrupted, evil thing too. Everything she had kept hiding from for years in her valley, and eventually, what had made her seek escape with the ponies that had fallen into her domain by accident.

"...I understand, but I still want her removed from my forest."

"I'm working on it. Can you handle this thing in the meantime?"

Nerzhei pointed a thumb at the sphinx, who were likely none to happy about being treated like this, but Nerzhei didn't care much. The sphinx were as rude, obnoxious, and self centered as the stories had said. If not more.

"I will help her yes, if she will let me.

Sphinx? Could you wander with me, so we can find a place to grow you a home? And please, call me Lyriel.

Actually, can I ask you something else too? Did you really think I were a pony? I worked hard to find a good form to regrow into, to blend more with my equine friends, but I were not certain if it were convincing. Some ponies in town had strange looks towards me."

"She means that she's not a pony. She's a dryad, which is more akin to a forest spirit inhabiting a living tree."

It was the simplest way Nerzhei could explain it to the simpletons she were dealing with right now, though she wouldn't be surprised if Droppy were going to need it turned a few times. Not like Lyriel and the mare came out great with eachother as it looked though, considering the murder attempt, so one could argue that it didn't matter as much as keeping the two away from one another. They'd see how things went.

Sphinxy grinned at the dragon, "Oh but there is always something that everyone desires above all else. So you call this plague walker, 'Droppy'? Maybe you could answer the riddle to get her disease free perhaps? Though it will be a tricky one at that. Feel free to take me up on that offer, whenever you want. I'll be around" she cackled. She nodded at the pony and smirked "Good good, I would like a new home created, or grown whatever you might be" she giggled, she watched the dryad pony confront the plague walker, her yellow eyes glittering "Oh, that's not too smart" she commented.

Droppy blinked as the plant pony talked about anything being welcome, then saying she wasn't allowed. She frowned "Well how rude, I only eat what I need, no less, maybe more" she growled baring her teeth at the plant thing, this was that tree thing, though in pony form it seems. Her red eyes glared at the thorny vines that attempted to grab her, one of the closer vines caught alight and began to burn with a fierce intensity before the vine crashed to the earth a pile of burned branches and blackened leaves. Droppy snorted and sat down, the grass around her dying off as she sat, "I can't even eat you" she grumbled at the plant pony.

Sphinxy watched amused at the dryads futile attempt to remove the plague walker. "Interesting method. You could try drowning, that's not been tried on her yet. Though i'm sure there would be a counter for that eventuality, maybe a floating air bubble perhaps. She still hasn't found her purpose it seems" she put in amused by the conflict. She glanced up at the sky as a large lump of meat dropped between the plague and forest pony. "Well when they said it might rain today, I didn't think they meant this" she smirked before shaking her head, she couldn't have a hungry plague pony walking around now could she? 

Droppy snorted and growled at the plant pony. "This isn't your forest. You just inhabit it, I don't have to listen to you" she growled before her nose twitched and she smelt the lump of meat fall from the sky. She immediately started to eat it, it wasn't every day she found such large food so easily. She wouldn't be leaving this forest that quickly, especially as there was abundant food now here. She grumbled at the explanation, "shes a mean plant pony" she growled around a stubborn lump of meat.  

Sphinxy tutted at the dragon, "Thing? You have eyes, use them next time" she added obnoxiously to the dragon. Though she turned away from the plague walker since she would be satisfied for some time and followed the dryad pony. "I could make you a actual pony, though I don't do freebie's, I'm no genie" she replied to the forest spirit. "also since you look more like a pony, wouldn't that remove your right to call this forest your home? After all any tree can drop a apple, ponies however cannot" she smirked, at her clever insult.  

Edited May 31, 2018 by BloodDrops

[Rising Dusk 26,015]

@Blitz Boom

Rising Dusk watched as the other stallion laughed himself to the point of almost passing out from the lack of being able to take a proper breath.  He did sort of figure from the first time they spoke of the wings, that the idea was flight without magic.  In a world though were magic and science lived hoof and hoof, he had guessed that magic was involved somehow.  It was true that the story would probably be painted more fully once he got a look at those blue prints.  At least the storage of the solar power was magic, so he could at least take a look at that.

He could attest though, that a magical artifact in the hooves of an earth pony was just as capable as it was with a unicorn or pegasus.  Looking over his shoulder was Molotov showed the mechanical wings off a little.  Rising Dusk wouldn't say they were ugly, because to him at least it was unique and interesting.  Plus, well, he was a fan of the color blue, so the piping was awesome.  Rising Dusk wasn't entirely sure how he felt being referred to as a possible miracle, but he'd help if he could.

"A story huh?  I'm not very good at telling stories, but let's see..."

He replied, tapping his chin while he dove deep in his mind for something that might pass for a story.  Sure, he had plenty of experiences as a detective to maybe tell one or two, but crime wasn't always the most clean of stories.

"Mm, a pony with a difficult personality..."

"One of my first cases that took me out of Manehattan.  I was investigating a sudden appearance of enchanted luck charms that had been popping up in Las Pegasus.  Ponies were buying them just thinking they were ordinary luck charms.  They were so rare, fare and few apart, that it had slipped unnoticed by the casinos for quite a while.  They were making normally decent ponies into crazy gambling addicts that more often than not, ended them up in the hospitals, exhausted."

"Trying to pull away a pony that feels pulling a slots lever is more important than food or air.  Does not work well."

"Local law enforcement also weren't the most agreeable sorts to work with.  All, especially their police chief, were upset that the major called for outside support.  Their pride had a real hard time dealing with that fact something like this was happening and they were coming up dry with leads.  So as you can imagine, they weren't all that helpful to me.  While the casinos would love nothing more than having ponies gambling, when the end up in hospitals, it really doesn't look good.  Plus it's easy to accuse the casinos of having made the charms to begin with."  

"After removing the enchantments from the lucky charms they had collected thus far, I had to go off on my own.  Having figured the local police had already tried finding the culprit through the charm's manufacturer, I tried a different approach.  The charm they were using was the same one, and with how they appeared to be completely random in both who got them and where they were bought.  I came to the conclusion that the criminal was simply buying the charm from the store, enchanting it, then returning with it and placing it back on the rack when the shopkeeper wasn't looking."

"Because so many customers come in and out of the store in any given day, it was impossible to have any of the employees remember if they saw repeat customers.  There was one more pattern I noticed.  Most of the charms had been purchased very close to the average shift change for dealers and service workers.  If my theory was correct in that the charm was being returned to the rack, it would most likely end up at the front to be the next one bought.  So, taking a shot in the dark, I started investigating casino employees.  It wasn't perfect as there were so many casinos to look into, but having disenchanted enough of those charms helped me sniff out the kind of magic I was looking for."

"It took me half a day, but I eventually found a mare unicorn that served drinks at one of the bigger casinos.  Magic sensing isn't perfect and really understudied since so few can do it.  So, I tailed her after the shift change and sure enough, she left and nearly crossed all of Las Pegasus to a store that sold that charm.  I followed her in and caught her red hoofed, removing a charm from her bag and putting it on the charm rack.  She tried convincing me that it had simply fallen off the rack and she was putting it back up, but she was unlucky to have found one detective that could see the enchantment wrapped around the charm like a weave."

"After detaining her, I turned her over to local law enforcement.  Whom took all the credit to salvage their wounded pride.  Although, I might have been in a footnote of their report.  Doesn't really bother me all that much.  I have my own reports filed away in the office."

"Yeah... As you can see, I'm not much for telling stories."

Granted he probably had more interesting stories to tell, but a lot of them sadly aren't for civilized conversations outside the agency.

[FanOfManyShows 396]

@Blitz Boom @Dji

Neither Astral or Sapphire responded to Zhu, not even sure how they would to his statements. So instead Sapphire placed her hoof on her crystal eye, casting a spell on it, the crack patching itself up. "I'm starting to see this as a pointless endeavor to stop him." She looked at him with a look of anger. "But no one is going to harm my sister again." She lifted her sword again. "Especially a emotionless being like you."

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

@Blitz Boom

Warlock only looked at them as they spoke. "I will, consider it." He said rather reluctantly, unsure if he even wanted to change. But perhaps moving on was best, or he could find another way to get his body back together.

Edited June 1, 2018 by Lloyd

[Sekel 685]

@Blitz Boom, @Lloyd

KARMIC FATE

”Um ...” Karmic narrowed her eyes when they lost their glow and stared at Sapphire in a kind of inspection. She did see a possible future where Sapphire saved something from some kind of possession and a future where she didn’t at the same time. She didn’t know if they were true or not but there only seemed to be two ways to go with Sapphire. “Sapphire ... That is your name, right? You’re trying to save some kind of possession thing?”

@Blitz Boom, @Seamore Sandwich, @Moonlit

TWILIGHT SPARKLE

”I’m sorry I’m late, Princess. I still get lost in the castle from time to time,” Twilight spoke with a chuckle when she made it to the current Celestia. “Is there anything I can do for you?”

[Blitz Boom 4,422]

@BloodDrops

"Even if you could remove it, I don't trust the word of a sphinx."

Nerzhei gave the last comment to the feline annoyance as she left with Lyriel, and for the time turned her own attention towards Droppy, who were feasting joyfully on a large slab of meat that had suddenly come from the sky. The dragoness would rather not think over the logistics of this for the time being, as it would just end up with her gaining another migraine attack, so for the time being, she just shrugged it off as magic being magic. Even though a sphinx historically does nothing without being defeated in a riddle first, but that was more of that pesky logic that made this entire situation painful and irritating.

"I'm going to have to ask you something, Droppy, and I want you to be honesty. Did your disease come from you loosing a riddle to that sphinx?"

She could add more on, but Droppy should likely be spoken to slowly about this. It were hard enough to keep her attention sometimes, but when she were eating? It were untested how much she listened to others, so she would take this one step at a time and then see if she could gain some kind of insight on this.

Meanwhile, Lyriel smiled at what the sphinx said, missing completely the insult. Much as life had tested her judgement, with the dragons and the fate that befell her brethren, Lyriel had tried to see only the best in other beings, and not lift her hand to them in anger, or think they meant harm simply for harms sake. She met them openly, with kindness, and at worst restraints. She were naive in that way, and had been so when it came to Blood as well. Something which she had changed her mind on, though it seemed to matter little, considering what she had seen happening to her vines. What sort of vile sorcery this were she did not know, but she prayed that it would not be her problem for much longer.

"I appreciate the offer, but I don't wish to change my species. My reason for regrowing to this form is merely so that the creatures around me feel more at ease, as well as the ponies. A more familiar form soothes them, and makes it easier for me to interact with them than when I wandered looking like a human. Though I must admit, it will take some time to get used to the lack of fingers, I take it as a fun learning experience, into what my equine neighbors goes through.

As for what makes this my home, I have found that I were welcomed here by the forest, and needed to ease the troubled hearts that live within. It is to me a home, and a place to protect and nourish. Before the Silver Valley became empty of hope, that too were the philosophy of my brethren."

Lyriel fell a tear as she recalled the last time she had seen her brethren again. An image that would never leave her, as much sorrow as it brought her to see such insanity flow through them. All of that unneeded violence...

"They can't remember our ways anymore, but I uphold it, and when I was brought to this forest, I found that it needed someone to help it as well.

The wolves of wood are making things complicated though. They do not trust me fully, and are wary that I will be a threat to their tribe, but I hope in time that their alpha will allow me to speak to her. The things I have heard from the other creatures, speaks sorrowfully of their matriarch, and perhaps if she can be calmed, my equine friends would be safer. They are not needed to preserve the natural order, from what I have been told.

May I ask you, great creature, what is it that you do? You speak of riddles like the strange, striped one who lives in this place, but it didn't seem as if my friend thought highly of you, or the gifts that you said to offer, in case you were defeated. Clearly you are a great sorceress, so why does she resent your offerings? Perhaps I can help her to understand, and make your coexistence in this forest more peaceful."

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

 

@Lloyd

"Good to hear. You think though that you could uhm... I mean, it's not to stop you from thinking, but could you maybe tell us anything about your companion? If we can catch her- Find her perhaps first, yes. If we can find and catch her, this could all end, and we could begin to take better care of everypony involved. You included."

Whilst Hiogweed began to feel pretty good about planting some seed of hope for Warlock's recovery, elsewhere in the castle,hailstorm grimaced and slammed the folder her stood with shut. He ignored the stink eye that got from the elderly librarian, before opening it again to reread what he had found.  If he were to bring this forth and point hooves at a figure formerly of their own guard, he needed to make absolutely sure that this was the right one. Though if it were who he had come to read about, they were in bigger trouble than he had anticipated.

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

 

@Lucid_Nightlight @Dji @Storm Shine

"No, fireworks will just set the garden on fire. And dangerous bear fishies means nopony can get to the pond. You gotta do it right to make it funny pranks. Looksie."

Anomaly snapped her tail again, and a fountain in three layers - with each layer being about as tall as a half-grown filly, and the bottom layer being two meters in diameter, reduced by half a meter every layer - rose from the grass to the right of the door. On top, a statue of Princess Twilight in full pride were standing, mostly in the materials Anomaly had talked about before. She were just lacking the silver, which she hoped Lucid would fix. Otherwise, she'd have to knock on the door and tell Twilight to do it herself some day.

Water fell down from the top of Twilight's horn, down the sides of the statue, and down the layers of the fountain. Where it ended up as it hit the last layer wasn't immediately possible to see, but it were getting transported back to the top somehow at least.

In the water, and occasionally riding the stream, where a half dozen small fish in shifting colors, depending on where the light reflected on them, and as they passed down from the top, a collective sound could be heard. Getting closer would reveal it to be the creature singing a rowdy sailor song, though as Anomaly poked one of them, the rest felt silent whilst the poked one told a dirty limerick. After that, the fishies went happily back to splashing around the waters.

"See? make them think everything is all pretty and nice, then put in singing fish that likes dirty jokes and rowdy songs. Classic. You try with a funny tree or something. Oh, or a fountain on the other side of the door. That should be fun."

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

 

@EQ_Theta

"Depends on how much you need, but let's take it a step at a time, alright? If you're looking for a good, two being tent, we have a few over here on display that I think would suit you fine."

Tracker would guide Sen to the side, were an arrangement of tents were set up, so that the customers could see what they were getting into. Took up quite some space, but the visual helped customers who weren't sure what to get. Usually not his department to care much about, but long as he were ill, he had to stay put in this borehole. Might as well make it presentable.

"This here's a simple one if things are just friendly, or if your partner likes to sleep on their own for whatever reason. Separate compartments for each, and pretty easy to set up and put down again. They'e currently on sale for 20 bits, and carries a half year of guarantee on it."

"This here's more expensive at 35 bits, but it's got room for your travel things in the front, so they don't get wet of flooded with insects, and a spacious compartment for one, or a comfortable fit for a snugly couple, if you're going out camping with your special somepony.

What tent you should have some interest in depends on your situation really. Personally, I wouldn't recommend the second one if you're not dating the other one. Waking up with them in your grip can be a tough one to get past for the shy types, or the sort that ain't sure where they stand.

I'm surprised you're looking for a tent though. My father's journal keeps some talk of a time he ran into you folks, and tents weren't part of that passage. Then again, neither were your kind ever getting within distance of Equestria, so what do I know? The world's getting smaller, and it's hard to stay hidden after all."

New species were popping out now and again, and old beings returned to cause all sorts of upheaval, or changes that weren't guessed on before. That the longma he had read about weren't immune to going global wasn't really a surprise, though seeing one in person were. He would've figured they'd have better stops than at a wilderness gear store.

Meanwhile in the antique store, Scarcity listened with interest to what Lin said. Especially that last part, as it were information that seemed so deliciously forbidden that she could imagine it were something worth knowing. She were not going to pry into it of course, as it were a matter of timing (or to learn things in known areas, the right channels to ask questions) but that did not detract from her seeing it as a forbidden fruit of sorts.

"We all have to live with the actions of our decisions. Though of course, it is dreadful that what you experienced have caused you enough damage to include bodily manipulation. Hopefully you will not have too hard of a time adjusting to your situation.

In regards to your society, it sounds fascinating. I have come across several books of beings that lived similarly in older times, but I had not thought them as still being practiced. Of course, the majority of those I refer to does not include choice of the beings affected, as much as simply forcing tradition and selected roles down upon others, yet I consider that a refreshing change in your kind. It leaves somewhat more individual will."

It was entertaining to Scarcity that they cared for their elders unconditionally, but she didn't show it on her face. She considered it needing to be a case by case basis, rather than a social norm and potential requirement to live within the confinements of the longma society, but she would concede that she were biased, considering her and her sisters experiences with their parents, uncles and aunts. Irritating situation, yet they still seemed to be aware that they should keep their distance, as none of them tried to make contact with either of the siblings. Considering what Scarcity had made it clear would happen to them if they tried, she weren't terribly surprised.

[Lucid_Nightlight 923]

@Blitz Boom @EQ_Theta @Storm Shine

Lucid lifted his hoof and made two silver eyes for the statue, and he put them in.

"I reckon Twilight would be really peeved if anything caught on fire."

The tree was an alright suggestion, but he had something better. He placed the singing cactus that's found in a bunch of gift shops.

"How about this? It's like the best thing ever!"

Lucid really liked gift shop items for some reason. In his mind, the singing cactus was the greatest thing of all time!

"We should make her a singing cactus shrine!"

[EQ_Theta 414]

@Blitz Boom

"Older traditions, yeah... It's our way of preserving the old ways and possibly giving back to the elderly. They took care of us, fed us, kept the village going whenever things were good or bad. Taking up the mantle in their stead is giving them the same courtesy now that they depend on the younger generation to provide for them. It is the best anyone could do to say thank you for everything they put themselves through."  

That was the bulk of the old ways that Lin could respect and follow; the one thing that she could choose to emulate and keep among the restrictive and conservative stances the older longma had. In a way, she couldn't practice it with the same reverence and conviction without her real mother and father around but she admits a part of her believes in paying the gesture forward, something Sen confided in her when they first returned from Mother's realm after defeating Solasan and Legion. She can't possibly pay back Mother's kindness but she will most certainly try, even going so far as to defend her despite the discrepancy in their powers. It's illogical, but sometimes, love makes her do some questionable things despite her heart being in the right place. This one is a promise to pay forward whenever she could.

Back at the shop, Sen was stumped with the price tag on the cheaper of the two tents, hoping for some leftovers for rope or other supplies he might need. He wouldn't want to eat into the budget. Even Trail Tracker had a point, the longma never really needed a tent and in all of his experience out in the field never used one. He just needed to find the right materials to make an alternative. The sound of Tracker's father running into some longma got Sen thinking he might have run into some of the exiles, though. Imagine just how many of them turn out to be decent folk who were in a bad spot like himself? 

"I suppose the weather could change unexpectedly. Wouldn't want to get sick from the rain at the wrong time. You're right about the longma not really needing one but I'm curious about things outside of longma communities. I guess I'll take the one that goes for twenty bits."

[Blitz Boom 4,422]

@Rising Dusk

"Jeez, what a bunch of dolts. I mean, I am totally in for a bout of professional pride taking place, but not at least sharing credit when everything's said and done? That just ain't right."

Working with other inventors, Molotov weren't a stranger to pride and a want to do everything themselves getting in the way of things, but at least there were the courtesy there at the end to share at least some credit, even if the prideful sod put his/her name first on the finished blueprints. The law enforcement that Rising talked about though? They were just being a bunch of foolish dunces. Seriously, if anypony he knew had tried that, they would've been stripped of their tools and told to get lost for a few weeks, at the absolute least.

"Besides those twonks though, it sounds like a pretty interesting case you went through. Following a trail of magic like that is pretty impressive, and apparently, surprisingly effective. Your deductive skills aren't too shabby either. Might've taken you half a day, but your idea panned out, and you got yourself a pretty weird criminal. Sure they didn't give you the credit for it you deserved, but that's one less hazard on the streets.

Ever found out why she did it though? Causing gambling addiction like that sounds like somepony in a casino would do to their competition, to give them a bad rep, but why go for it randomly like that? Were she trying to destabilize the gambling industry by making it seems dangerously addictive or something? Or was it more a *because she could* sort of deal?"

Molotov were highly curious about this, and the little things that he hadn't been told about motive, so he certainly didn't consider it a bad story time. it even left out a bit at the end there to drag him in to ask more, which were a pretty good way to keep he listener invested in things. The rest were good too, and told something about Rising's abilities as both a magic manipulator and a detective, though of the two, Molotov were most impressed with the magic tracking.

Even in Center Zero, who had considered themselves the best and the brightest, they had no idea how to actually do something like that.  The few that had started to try, had given up after at most a few months, stating that it was pointless since there were magic everywhere, and trying to pinpoint any of it from the rest would be more effort than it was worth.

That Rising got it down at least some? They would've loved to pick at his brain to figure out how he did that, though as long as he stayed clear of the biology department, it were only figuratively, and not literally.

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

 

@Lloyd @Dji

"The only danger there is to her, is the blood she once adored."

Zhu slid something into his paws as the talking and Sapphire's eye repair commenced. A small glass figurine of an unknown wyvern with wings spread out. It were onlt the size of 27#'th of an apple, so it were easy to hide in his paw, but it shouldn't be judged by the size. Though he would be loathe to loose this, he knew how efficient it could be in getting Karmic and himself out of this situation, and getting caught were the outcome that he cared for the least. If he were to go to jail, he would only accept it if Celestia told him that he needed to, whilst atoning for the things he had done, and she were not present.

Who were though, were the general who took her eyes off Zhu for a moment to face Sapphire instead, none too pleased about the readied sword she were carrying around.

"Watch your blade, or you'll end up in a cell next to him. Equestria does not tolerate murder, even if only attempted. Keep your calm."

"An ideal is a flimsy shield, easily broken "

"Can it. Now are you two going to surrender peacefully, or do we need to beat the tar out of you first?"

Tidal Wave were getting sick of this talking. Zhu span them in circles, spewing nonsense, and she didn't even know what the other one were aiming at right now. Plus, with Sapphire getting increasingly agitated and ready for harsh violence from the looks of things, the general had to get this wrapped up soon, or things were going to escalate enough that she had to add a name on the arrest form, and potentially remove move one to a list of casualties.

[Moonlit 593]

@Blitz Boom @Dji @Seamore Sandwich"So I guess we are just waiting for Princess Sparkle to get back as I assume she has ALOT of questions regarding Sirens." Serenade fluffs her wings and settles down, the musical lisp no longer evident in her voice. 

[Victoria Sponge 1,014]

@Blitz Boom

"Yes, the sooner we get out of here the better."

Lemon was eager to leave she could just about handle Benny but this was not a part of town she'd be revisiting any time soon. Pop made a good point about no longer having the protection of Benny or Toxen to make things a little easier.

"Our family isn't that big."

The family only had two main branches really, Victoria's side and Heather's side. Though there were a lot of smaller branches within those and of course there was Sprinkle's family which had more or less integrated with theirs at this point.

"The most significant part in recent history starts with our grandparents Cotton Bud and Tiramisu back in Trottingham, Tiramisu is where our cake business really began. He taught mum everything she knows and she taught me and Battenberg and helped Battenberg set up her bakery."

"Oh yes, I remember my sister Raspberry and I baked our parents their favourite cakes, one of my first real successes."

Victoria nodded, she'd heard this story countless times.

"The story of how Battenberg and I got our names."

"Dad loved Battenberg cake and mum loved Victoria Spongecake, might seem like an odd way to name your children but it is what it is."

She chuckled slightly, worried that it might seem like a stupid decision, but then again Felix had no involvement in that story either and he had loved the idea.

"That didn't have so much of an affect on my mother, Heather, Red Velvet and Caramel Fudge, I don't think I even know where she got our names."

"Well she isn't a cake pony, she only made the jam for those cakes and helped me gather ingredients, so I guess it had a smaller impact on her."

Victoria now continued describing parts of her family.

"Mum grew up and moved here to Manehattan where she met my dad, Aunt Raspberry moved between Cloudsdale, Trottingham and Ponyville, Red and the twins also came here and Red met Royal and they had sweet little angel. So now basically most of us are here. We lost grandma and grandpa unfortunately which is when all the moving really started, my other grandma, Shelley, she's still about. It's nice, it's like a little family community for the most part working and living here in this city, means we get to see eachother a lot."

"Yep, and even those who don't live here are never far away. My mother is such a fast flyer, she pops over almost every week to see her three daughters, don't see much of dad though, he's the only one still in Trottingham."

"And not for much longer, Raspberry tells me she's finally bought a house in Ponyville so he'll probably be moving back in with her soon."

Heather was suprised this news had not yet reached her, maybe it had, she assumed she'd probably forgotten. How could she forget something so significant?

"Oh that's good, he's been ever so lonely without his girls, he hates big cities so he didn't move here even though Red offered him a bed at her place, it's also why he doesn't visit often, hates public transport too."

She laughed, her dad was such a shy pony, so much so that he hated trains due to the potential of having to sit next to a stranger for more than five minutes.

"Obviously he can't live with mum, no wings, no cloudsdale. She shouldn't have abandoned him, prioritising work over her husband, but that's what she did, even though she knows he hates being apart from her. She visited him every day of course but it's not enough for dad, he's very attached to her. Glad she's finally sorted something out."

Victoria picked up again.

"I guess our family is kinda big, middling I would say perhaps. It's only going to get bigger from here, I'm sure Battenberg will settle eventually, I hope to of course, it probably won't be long before Heather has a foal.

Heather nodded, she still worried about how she'd handle being a mother, not as much as Victoria but it was there. She was in a stable situation though, she had a loving stallion, a job that brought in a decent living, a nice house with a beautiful garden, now was the perfect time to start a family and it was definitely on her to do list.

"We might even have another Tiramisu, I really want to name one of my foals after my grandpa, he was such a nice fellow, I didn't know him for long but he was always nice to me."

"What's your family like dear? It can't be that small?"

After a bombardment of information about her family Lemon wanted to give Pop a chance to speak.

 

[FanOfManyShows 396]

@Blitz Boom @Dji

Sapphire lowered her hoof, dissipating the sword as she did so. "It wouldn't have harmed him." She wasn't lying, if she swung that sword in particular at anypony, it'd pass through them. She looked to Karmic, rather confused at what they said. "What are you even talking about? We came here to stop you two."

Astral stood near Tidal Wave, looking at her. "So will we come with you to keep him in check, if he does surrender?"

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

@Blitz Boom 

"Well she has the ability to switch bodies, and uses blood magic. And since she has to original body, you should assume whomever she looks like now, is innocent." At this point he didn't exactly care if they knew of her, since she hadn't bothered to free him at all. "She's named Emerald, and is also the sister of the pony who tried to stop me; Sapphire Star, who would quickly be your enemy if you killed Emerald, and considering her power, you'd not want that."

[BloodDrops 762]

23 hours ago, Blitz Boom said:

"Even if you could remove it, I don't trust the word of a sphinx."

Nerzhei gave the last comment to the feline annoyance as she left with Lyriel, and for the time turned her own attention towards Droppy, who were feasting joyfully on a large slab of meat that had suddenly come from the sky. The dragoness would rather not think over the logistics of this for the time being, as it would just end up with her gaining another migraine attack, so for the time being, she just shrugged it off as magic being magic. Even though a sphinx historically does nothing without being defeated in a riddle first, but that was more of that pesky logic that made this entire situation painful and irritating.

"I'm going to have to ask you something, Droppy, and I want you to be honesty. Did your disease come from you loosing a riddle to that sphinx?"

She could add more on, but Droppy should likely be spoken to slowly about this. It were hard enough to keep her attention sometimes, but when she were eating? It were untested how much she listened to others, so she would take this one step at a time and then see if she could gain some kind of insight on this.

Meanwhile, Lyriel smiled at what the sphinx said, missing completely the insult. Much as life had tested her judgement, with the dragons and the fate that befell her brethren, Lyriel had tried to see only the best in other beings, and not lift her hand to them in anger, or think they meant harm simply for harms sake. She met them openly, with kindness, and at worst restraints. She were naive in that way, and had been so when it came to Blood as well. Something which she had changed her mind on, though it seemed to matter little, considering what she had seen happening to her vines. What sort of vile sorcery this were she did not know, but she prayed that it would not be her problem for much longer.

"I appreciate the offer, but I don't wish to change my species. My reason for regrowing to this form is merely so that the creatures around me feel more at ease, as well as the ponies. A more familiar form soothes them, and makes it easier for me to interact with them than when I wandered looking like a human. Though I must admit, it will take some time to get used to the lack of fingers, I take it as a fun learning experience, into what my equine neighbors goes through.

As for what makes this my home, I have found that I were welcomed here by the forest, and needed to ease the troubled hearts that live within. It is to me a home, and a place to protect and nourish. Before the Silver Valley became empty of hope, that too were the philosophy of my brethren."

Lyriel fell a tear as she recalled the last time she had seen her brethren again. An image that would never leave her, as much sorrow as it brought her to see such insanity flow through them. All of that unneeded violence...

"They can't remember our ways anymore, but I uphold it, and when I was brought to this forest, I found that it needed someone to help it as well.

The wolves of wood are making things complicated though. They do not trust me fully, and are wary that I will be a threat to their tribe, but I hope in time that their alpha will allow me to speak to her. The things I have heard from the other creatures, speaks sorrowfully of their matriarch, and perhaps if she can be calmed, my equine friends would be safer. They are not needed to preserve the natural order, from what I have been told.

May I ask you, great creature, what is it that you do? You speak of riddles like the strange, striped one who lives in this place, but it didn't seem as if my friend thought highly of you, or the gifts that you said to offer, in case you were defeated. Clearly you are a great sorceress, so why does she resent your offerings? Perhaps I can help her to understand, and make your coexistence in this forest more peaceful."

Droppy blinked and continued to eat from the pile of the meat, she flicked her hear acknowledging Nerzhei's question, though food always came first. She licked her lips finishing her meal for now, and turned her attention back towards Nerzhei. "What you ask is a long story, in short she did and I answered the riddle wrong and ended up like this" she told her with a small yawn. "in essence, I gave her a unsolvable riddle that she took ages to realize it was unsolvable. Then she gave me a riddle that had a multitude of answers which she swapped if I gave her the correct answer" she snorted.

"Though I think we are even, after all she turned me into this and banished me from my village.I ate all her worshipers in that village before I left. So I think that calls it quits really" she remarked going back to her meal and nibbling on a large lump of bone. She loved bones. She blinked at Nerzhei "Why does the tree thing not like me?" she asked her during another pause from her eating. 

 

Sphinxy walked with the tree pony and frowned thinking of her next move. She smiled at her reply, "ponies are very quick to judge, you will find this out for yourself if you've not done so already. I wouldn't start jumping though hoops to go around pleasing all of them, not all of them deserve it at any rate" she remarked. "The ponies do as all ponies do, cause problems, then fix the problems they caused. They need some sort of order to restrain them, otherwise its anarchy." she added knowing from her ruling she had made ponies much more 'civilized'.  

Sphinxy blinked, "What is this Silver Valley you speak of? I would like to step inside this valley made of silver." she remarked taking it quite literally. She blinked she knew a very good riddle about hope but that brought back bad memories so she didn't repeat said riddle. She had a plan forming into her mind already, and she liked it. "seems that they have lost their way, though the path is never truly forgotten at any rate" she remarked, "Maybe I could help you with such tasks" she added to the tree pony. 

Sphinxy didn't care too much of wolves, and of them harming ponies, though it seemed that these matter were important to the tree. "Well I suppose I could have a word with the wolves as well. If i'm going to live here after all, I can't very well have any wars going on, or at the least petty squabbles" she replied to Lyriel. She smiled as she was praised by the other odd creature, "What is it that i do? Hmmmm, let me see now. I do many things" she said secretly. 

"I judge other creatures mainly, define how worthy they are, if they are indeed worthy by answering a riddle that is related to themselves and there goals then I grant them that goal. Though if they are not worthy then I set them some new goals, that is more constructive" she answered. "Think of a genie but without all this three wish limit" Sphinxy blinked, "Do you mean the plague walker? She was greedy and got what she wanted, that dragon also, like all dragons shes greedy though not for gold but something else much more sacred" she remarked to the tree thing. "You seem pure of heart so your motives are also pure, therefore I could give you a riddle to help with your task ahead to protect your wood against any dangers it may face. I'm sure you won't get it wrong" she said slyly. 

After all, she just wanted to help. 

Edited June 2, 2018 by BloodDrops

[Blitz Boom 4,422]

@Victoria Sponge

Wow, they rally did have a large branching family from the sound of it.

Pop knew that others had larger families out there, and that might be why the generally bakery-focused ponies thought of it as mostly a mid-size group, but from somepony like her, it sounded huge. It was all a matter of perspective of course, and from somepony who were used to the entire family fitting inside a house, it was hardly surprising that Pop thought of this branching family she were being told about as huge.

What were a surprise were the part where they came into talking about a pair where the wife had gone to Cloudsdale, and the husband lived on the ground. Long distance were a thing that Pop were used to, but the way they spoke about Heather's father made her see a situation that were worse than what she were used to.

Sure, Benny and her lived far apart, but they were also able to do well enough on their own. Heather's father on the other hoof, sounded like he did best when his wife were there, and had a hard time adjusting to her not being around. It was good to hear that he were getting a chance to settle down with her again though. It would likely be good for him.

Then all of a sudden, in the midst of grandparents, cousins and the potential of Heather stumbling around with a foal, the family suddenly turned to her for a similar family story. Surprisingly spearheaded by Lemon, who Pop had honestly thought would be the last to really dig into things like that.

"Well, it's actually pretty small. My father, Candy Corn, was an orphan, and my mother, Strawberry Puff's parents died before I was born. I have a brother called Mango Shot that's a year younger than me who is still looking for somepony special. They all live around Deltrot, so I don't see them that often, but we exchange plenty of letters.

There's also our Uncle Fishy that makes his living as a fisherman not far from there, catering to some griffins that have nested around the place for a while, but he's also single. He always said that he's married to the sea, and that's one spouse you don't cheat on."

A small chuckle and shrug escaped Pop as she recalled her uncle whispering that, leaning in with his big, bushy mustache tickling her ear, and sounding jolly as could be. It might be that he were their only uncle, but even if they had more, she were certain he'd still be her favorite. He was a great stallion, and thankfully at good health, so they should still have him around for a long time, provided that the ocean didn't swallow him up one day. They were pretty nervous about that sometimes.

"It's expanding now with Benny getting into the picture, what with him having two sisters and five brothers, as well as his parents and grandparents, but we're taking it slow on getting everypony to meet one another. Today was actually the first time I've ever seen any of his siblings, or his parents, while he have met my parents, and briefly Mango. I'll say that things went better with them than it did here, even if things were a bit... Strained. My brother is still having a hard time getting used to Benny, but he managed to win over my parents at least. I'm hoping I can do the same here one of these days.

We all know that Benny and I won't have any foals or whelps of our own, but there's plenty of little ones out there who are in need of a good home, so when we've settled down, we'll adopt. Hopefully one or two of each, but we'll see. We haven't even decided where to live together yet, so thinking of foals and whelps might be a little too soon.

Not that it's easy to get out of your mind when it first pops in there though..."

Pop half-whispered the last bit as her cheeks turned rosy again, by the image of Benny and her surrounded by a small army of scales and fur, all trying to get the most attention from the two of them. It were going to be a tough situation when they got to that point, Pop knew that, but at he same time it just felt right when she imagined this, and it took a little to get the images out of her head again. It was like with the thoughts of weddings. A pleasant thing that she didn't mind lingering around now and again.

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

 

@Lucid_Nightlight @Storm Shine @EQ_Theta

"Oh, totally!"

This was more Anomaly's game. Pranky stuff that were - at least in her eyes - harmless and adorable. Some might call it obnoxious, but Lucid certainly didn't seem to be one of those.

A snap of her tail, and stones began to rise from the ground around the path, gathering up into a nice stone arch, with the pillars evenly on both sides of the path to the castle door. Or well, what would become a path once she were done. Had to get a line of grass trimmed and have some good gravel down towards t- No wait! Gravel would get stuck in the hooves of visitors. Guess she had to work with marble then. Still good, but just not as good.

Returning to the granite stone arch though, Anomaly snapper hr tail again and made four shelves dangle down from the arch, positioned right over where somepony would enter.

"See, we fill those up with the cacti, and then every time somepony goes by, they'll start singing."

She looked it over, thinking how it'd be with the cacti, but something wasn't right even with that in her mind. It was like something was missing from this picture...

After a minute of grinding her gears loud enough for them to be heard, she finally realized what it were and spat out an array of seeds that landed on top of the stones, covering the upper parts with vegetation and a pot right over the keystone holding a single, rainbow-colored flower.

"Hehe, way better. Sorta what you thought of too Lucid? Or do mean like, an actual big, clunky shrine somewhere?"

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

 

@EQ_Theta

"I concur. Those who cared for and nurtured you, indeed deserve that you help them too in their winter years.

Equestria were somewhat like that back in the olden times, yet now the elderly are cared for and given programs to ensure that they have others to socialize with, and keeping them at good health. Few are those who needs others even in the late period of their lives, and those who do need that, always have the option of a few places that specializes in caring for their elders.

Some still go for the same approach as you do of course, but with options, it have become less of a thing. One might argue that ponies simply care less these days about that, but I prefer to think of it as a mixture of there being options to do well on your own on the last stretch, and a degree of pride in the elderly, who does not wish to rely on their children. A matter of perspective, yes?"

Personally, Scarcity were more likely to have her parents forcefully entered into an asylum than allowing them within her home, yet that were some of those personal things that did not belong in many conversations. Rarely did it lead to pleasant thoughts or situations when she described her estranged family, and she found it tedious to have certain ponies thinking she were a horrible mare for turning her back on them. They would never understand unless the background were revealed to them, and she were not one to wander around and give personal information such as that away.

In the shop, the pony in charge nodded at what Sen said.

"Good choice. Remember, if anything's the matter with it that ain't caused by personally damaging it, you can come back and I'll replace it right away."

Tracker went over and pulled out a package from the shelves they had just went away from, and came back with a bundle about as thick as a regular pony's midsection, and as long as one too. It had handles on it, and if lifted, would weigh mostly little, though you could feel there were something weighing more heavily down in a pocket inside.

Just as he came back with that, the doorbell rang, and Tracker turned his head to see Rosa wandering in and towards them. The bat pony wouldn't get all that close though, before he were intercepted by the greying stallion.

"Simple policy in here sonny. No masks and no transformation spells. I wanna see who I'm dealing with in case something goes wrong."

Rosa met the gaze of Tracker rather unfazed.

"So you see a bat pony and expect problems?"

"Don't be a smart-flank, you know what I mean. Mask off, or I'm throwing you out."

The two stared at one another for a solid minute, neither side blinking or speaking a word, before Rosa finally rolled his and rose his hooves to get his mask off.

It took a little time, as he needed to remove a few secure straps around the neck and lower back, but eventually he'd have the thing pulled of and held in his hooves.

Rosa were disappointingly normal beneath his headgear. His mane were cut to a few inches in height, and had the same colors as his tail, and beyond a few barely visible scars on his left cheek that looked like scratch marks, there weren't anything wrong or abnormal.

"Satisfied?"

His voice were a little lighter, since it were not going through the mask and filter anymore, yet it were still clear to hear that it were him.

"Yep. What're you looking for?"

Rosa pointed past the pony, towards Sen, replying simply *him* before moving past the owner entirely and join up with the longma.

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@Moonlit @Seamore Sandwich @Dji

"Well, i-if the other Celestia is till here, it c-could take a while, right?"

Cherish weren't sure how everything were going to work here, but Celestia had seemed very interested in them not meeting with her other self, so they'd have to stay here until she were gone likely. But how long would that be? Cherish had no idea how long the princesses talked, and there might be important information given around. Sure, it didn't mater much to her as she were already dead and had nowhere to really go, but the others surely had some things they'd like to do, so hopefully it wouldn't be too long.

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@BloodDrops

"Great, so this isn't biological in nature. It's a sphinx curse."

The horrendous murdering and eating were not getting so much on Nerzhei's nerve as it were to hear that her assumptions had been wrong. Her crystals hadn't reacted to the illness being magical, so she had been certain it was simply nature. Yet this way, either her gems had failed, or this were a magical curse that were still somehow purely natural. Like a magical germ growing approach. The illness itself weren't magical, but the implementation and spreading of it were.

"This might end up complicating a lot of things, though really, what on earth convinced you that you should try and gamble with yourself with a sphinx? They're nothing but bad omens preying on the gullible and desperate.

And Lyriel doesn't like you because your hunger is all-consuming. She is all about trying to keep an ecosystem and a balance in things here, and you could theoretically consume everything in here in a few weeks if you were allowed to. It would be a failing for her as the forest's protector to let you."

While this went on, Lyriel kept leading the sphinx further inside the forest. The things the feline creature told her were highly interesting for someone like her, who wished to know more of the world beyond the small valley she grew up in. Yet as fascinating as it were, there were a few things that were poked at that made the dryad find sadness flow over her again. A small amount of hope might be in order, but when it came to her siblings, things were more complicated than a simple wish.

"The Silver Valley holds no metal, simply a dense forest far within territory of the great atazi. The ones you call dragons.

When the great colored bow shattered and the pieces fell, it made the waters run in many colors, and us spring forth from the earth. There, we lived peacefully tending to the dwindling animal population, and growing the vegetation in the forest for the great scaled ones to harvest.

Yet nothing good can last it seemed. The colored waters would slowly turn those who consumed it into vegetation themselves, and for a long time, we had the strict rule to never drink of it, and suffer the same fate as the animals. Such were the decree of the earth mother.

One in the village finally made the blasphemy though, and it filed him with what he perceived to be strength. He shared this with those would would listen to his words. At first only a few, then eventually, more and more rushed to the banks to take that which we were not supposed to have.

They began to spout that the earth mother had kept us away from this, and denounced her as a false goddess. Her temple were ruined, and those who swore fealty to her, and refused to drink..."

Another tear fell from Lyriel's right eye as she recalled what she had seen. The final sin, which they should have been above making.

"I managed to escape and hide, but I could still see what happened to them. They have lost their way, and wander in hatred and insanity, cursing the earth mother for cursing them. They forgot that they took this upon themselves, and any who meets them will be the subject of their wrath.

If there was a way I could save them, I would, yet I fear what they would do to themselves if they came to their senses and realized what they had done. The heresy, the suffering... It may simply be too much for them to handle.

Not that it matters. If the curse could be lifted, the earth mother would have saved them before they went deeply into heresy and shunted her voice. They are truly lost, and I will carry the sorrow for their descent within me until the day that I wither away."

The sphinx may be a great sorceress, but Lyriel held doubt that something like that could go against what the earth mother had not seemed capable of. The feline were but a mortal, where the earth mother were a goddess. What hope would there be to have power greater than hers?

The thought that the earth mother had decided not to interfere were also an option, but not one that Lyriel had ever thought about. It seemed inconceivable to her that the loving, caring creature they worshiped, would leave her loyal children alone against the onslaught of the corrupted heretics.

"The ponies that fell into my broken home, managed to help me get away from there too. This is why I consider them to be my friends, though I wish to think the best of most creatures. Even the flesh-eating mare were one I met with opened, and kindness, yet her hunger makes her a threat to the ecosystem. She consumes and consumes, with no end in sight. Left to her own devises, entire species could be lost, or diminished too much to make it without aid. It saddened me to do so, but this is my home to protect, and as such, I need to condemn those who do more harm than can be repaired.

But Nerzhei will handle her it seems, so that is a weight off my shoulders. She too helped me escape, and though she is gruff and detached, I have yet to find she lied to me. I trust that she will handle this before too much damage is dealt.

Beyond my worries, I would appreciate the help you could provide if you are able to speak with the timberwolves, great one. Perhaps they would find worth in your strength, and let you consult with the alpha directly.

As for the protection of the forest, I appreciate the offer, but some things I must be able to do on my own. I am also rather poor at riddles I'm afraid, and would prove little entertainment more than likely, though perhaps in time you could speak with the striped one? She speaks in riddles and rhymes, so perhaps she will hold the ability to answer some of what intricate riddles you would hold, great one."

Usually Lyriel only called large dragons *great one* but she had no name for this female, and she did indeed seem like a powerful creature. Befitting a magnificent being of her apparent stature too, and a humbling presence to assist.

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@Lloyd

@Dji

"I'd appreciate it at least. Magic users are slippery to keep, and this one is as slimey as an eel."

"You assume much of my cooperation."

"Not the first time from what the others tells me."

"I were asked to help, and so I did. What came next were simply what needed to. So too would it be now, as we leave. I would advice you not the follow."

With that, Zhu turned his back on them, and began walking slowly away, threading carefully when it came to the paw holding the small glass figurine to avoid it breaking. He knew that the general would begin to move forward to stop him even before she took the action, yet what the witches would do were more up to debate. Things were not as simple with them, and though he had seen a half dozen thing each might do, there were no guarantee. He would see if he were prepared for what were to come, or if this were the incorrect answer.

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@Lloyd

"So she can possess bodies, and is likely to take over an innocent being? Dear me, that will make things complicated.

I have not heard of Sapphire, but I will make sure she is found, so perhaps she can tell us more of her sister. Perhaps this can lead us to finding out how to stop her, without harming innocents. Maybe Sapphire could talk her down even?"

Hogweed were getting somewhat hopeful now for a solution that would not result in more pain when she heard that there were a sister. Not one they wanted as their enemy, but if they had her with them, the chances of them needing to hurt Emerald would surely be lesser, right? They would know one another, and even if they were not on the best of terms (family could be complicated sometimes) Sapphire could surely still help them, and in a way that didn't lead to anypony getting killed. That were always the preferred method in her eyes.

"I'll have somepony look for Sapphire right away. Thank you for the information."

An actual, genuine smile managed to fall over her muzzle as she said this. It might not have been that big, but it were visible, and seemed to stick around for now as she turned to one of the guards in the room and asked him to go send a message out to find this pony named Sapphire.

"Would you object if I measured you? I mean uhm, for the prostheses. The more exact measures when I can get to a professional, the better."

[Lucid_Nightlight 923]

@Blitz Boom @EQ_Theta @Storm Shine

"This is perfect for a garden! The clunky shrines are more for cults like our new scented candle cult. Sometimes I build candle shrines at a bakery in the other universe to annoy others and there's always a party going on there for some reason, it's really we- oh look a bit!"

Lucid picked up the bit.

"Finally, now I can be planet le- what's this?"

A note appeared.

"Just kidding, did you actually think it would be that easy? It is up to you to figure out how to unlock your power because blah blah blah some stupid destiny related things, blah blah blah multiverse, blah blah blah won't begin until a few months probably, blah blah blah, something about finding out about your parents before then and other details I left out cause I'm lazy cause just because I am Discord doesn't mean I am not lazy sometimes. Yes, I made this before giving you the stick."

Now Lucid was a bit annoyed. He gave his pet lizard Pringle some earplugs for what he was gonna say.

"Discord! What kind of [WORD REDACTED] is this!? Couldn't have told me this before!? Son of [WORD REDACTED]!"

The earplugs disappeared.

"Alright, now that I've got that out, what else would be a good for the garden?"