open Casual stroll

[EQ_Theta 458]

@@Blitz Boom

 

"I guess, that is if you consider him being gloomy a bad thing. He wasn't always like that; if you can imagine what it is like to unlearn everything about being happy, that was probably it. He was carefree, always looking for trouble and not giving second thoughts about the potential for danger and excitement. But when he and his sister were separated, that's when it started. It didn't help that he was exiled soon after and well, seeing him now must've done a lot of damage to his self-esteem."

Xin looked to the night sky and thought about the night he saw his friend banished from the clan's home. He could still see the look of bewilderment and the feeling of betrayal in his eyes. The clan was his life but he couldn't leave enough alone. He valued his family and to be separated from them was unthinkable, yet it happened. It probably says a lot of everyone, so willing to hold on to traditions. It likely said something about himself as well.

"He trusts you a lot, huh? I can't wait to see the look on the elders' faces when they meet you. They'll be spooked so much they'll probably faint on the spot!" Xin chuckled and imagined seeing plenty of old longma on the ground, with even more villagers paralyzed on the side. 

Lin, unable to sleep, joined the two as she picked up on the last bits of the conversation Xin was having with Omen. "Hey, what are you two talking about?" 

[cwhip9 1,078]

@@Blitz Boom, "zin!" cresent said smiling then seeing his form the smile quickly went away seeing the damage done on the feline. He didn't know how long he himself was in the dream world but he did feel a familiar nagging for...oh no. Cresent too looked at his form seeing the weight he loosed. Great Zin is almost dead and cresent needs blood if only there was.....zaccora!

 

She isn't to far from here and could help the two out, or if all else fails make some brew for his friend, he trotted over to the feline and began to help him get to his feet taking note of the tails carrying him like before in the dream world "welcome to equstria zin, well get you better" he began to lead the cat out of the castel....

[Summer Breeze 2,528]

@@Blitz Boom,@@Frosty Frost,

 

summer sad hidden behind a pile of sand and looked around it but everything seemed quiet. or... did she see something moving there? suddenly she felt something on her shoulder and quickly she turned around but not quick enough to see what it was so she looked back at the surroundings, but blitz was nowhere to be seen, nor could she see anything moving anymore.

 

for a brief moment she turned around and saw lyriel and frosty both looking at their little game, she smiled and waved at them before realising that that could have been a stupid idea since now blitz surely knew where she was, but on the other hoof, the filly probably knew that already, now it was just a matter of time before blitz would eventually reach her and then it came down to how fast she could run away.  

[Blitz Boom 4,621]

@,

@@Frosty Frost,

 

"Not... Ngggh... Fair..."

 

The somewhat muffled voice were heard from the pile of sand that was moving at the speed of moss growing on the sidewalk. Much as Blitz tried to move just a little bit faster than this in her makeshift disguise, she couldn't, no matter how much she pressed on. She might've had a chance if she could use some magic against whatever was pressing on her, but with the tip of her horn still broken that wasn't a feasible option, and as for physical strength... well, she were a bit wimpy in that department compared to others her age, though even a normal filly would likley not have an easy time pressing through this.

 

She hadn't any idea what was pressing on though. She couldn't really see much right now, and having no idea that Frosty and Lyriel had even shown up yet - the packed sand was a great sound insulator too - she didn't suspect magic in the slightest. She had at first just thought it was the sand that just got into a tall pile the way she walked and were starting to block her off, but it didn't feel like that anymore, which, in her mind, only left one option.

 

Slowly, the tip of her hoof exited the pile of sand and flailed around in front of her, trying to see if she could get hold of Summer, whom she thought were standing right in front of her and having a laugh with seeing how long it'd be before Blitz noticed. It'd get her exposed pretty easy, but since she thought she were already, it wasn't much of a consideration.

 

One that did notice what really happened though, were Lyriel. She hadn't much experience with magic of the equine variety yet - in fact, this marked the first time far as she recalled - but it wasn't hard to connect Frosty's horn glowing at the tip with the issues facing Blitz's disguise. It were something she'd have to ask about later, but for now, she figured that if he could tilt the playing field like this, then surely, she could do a little something as well.

 

So, whilst she raised one hand to wave at Summer, whom had done much the same a little while ago, the other hand remained firmly in the sand next to her, and guided the vine she were playing with to reach up again and wrap quickly around Summer's leg, giving her a yank down and doing well in staying around her leg, slowing her.

 

She'd know who were playing with her now, no doubt, but it just seemed fair that if Blitz was delayed, then so should she. Plus, it was fun. More fun than she recalled having in years in fact, even if it was such a simple little prank. Silliness such as this had been scarcely missing in her life.

 

She did get distracted by a rumbling sound being heard from the path further up though, near where Nerzhei had been last they saw her. It was vague, but they were in a different wind direction and a fair distance from them regardless, so might actually have been quite loud.

 

There were no problem up at the dragoness though. It was just the sort of sound that came when you bored a cave out of a mountain. Much as she could control rock and could make this sort of thing, making it subtle wasn't a concern of hers. If something local wanted to try something with her, it was welcome to try. She wouldn't delay this just to stop alarming what she'd consider a sparring partner at best.

 

__________________________________________________________________________

 

 

@@cwhip9,

 

If Zinthar could respond, he'd likely make some comment about how it was smaller than he remembered, or a quip about the jarring pain he was in, but he couldn't say anything. Nor could the pony-sized feline move on his own, as all his energy were now being spent keeping his vague breathing going and his heart beating. There wasn't anything left for consciousness, which could make moving him somewhat difficult - imagine the issues moving a regular sized, floppy cat usually were and make it worse - though not impossible. He wasn't bleeding out through the patches of fur he still had here and there on the onyx body, nor had any broken bones, so there wasn't a chance that holding him of flying hi off strangely would be an issue. Long as his chest wasn't squeezed too hard. That were the ground zero for the time being.

 

Meanwhile, a bit of way from here and a little ahead of the events with Crescent and Zinthar, a nervous, 15 year old colt slowly took another step towards the door of the local zebra, Zecora. His coat were a pale yellow, like an old papyrus, and the mane hanging down the right side of his head and tail were white and long with tar-black endings, tied up and making both looking like paint brushes. Much like the large one that he were carrying on his back, that was roughly the same length as himself, and at it's thickest point, the diameter of half his hoof. On his back, he carried a saddlebag to the left side of him, and down the right, a large quill with a large cork in it.

 

The strangest thing about his looks though, were really the elaborate, swirling patterns of black on his coat and skin that made for a beautiful, intricate pattern, but were still a bit strange to look at perhaps. Though, for the young unicorn, it wasn't really something he thought about much anymore, unless he got nervous such as now. He knew that it was there for a reason, just as with him and this place, but times like this made him a little self-consciousness about his tattoos.

 

Still, once Cover-up had heard about the zebra mystic in town, he had to come around and see her, regardless of how much he felt like perhaps it wasn't the best idea right now. And not just because the sun had just set, but also because of a myriad of small, insignificant and made up reasons he told himself in his nervous state.

 

He weren't like this that often anymore, and tried to be happy and get past it, but when it was something important, and especially meeting somepony important, it could flare up again. Or if he ended up making a social awkward situation, which could ebgin to bury his confidence as well.

 

So he stopped, about a meter from the door to the pretty home that she seemed to have, and began taking a few deep breaths, gathering himself mentally as much as possible. He just needed a few moments of calm before he could gather himself and knock on the door, then hear out if he should return tomorrow or if perhaps he could see her now. Just a minute or two without anything suddenly happening out here, though that shouldn't be hard, right? What would happened out here int he middle of the night?

 

____________________________________________________________________

 

 

@@EQ_Theta,

 

(before Lin showed up)

 

"I don't know if he trusts me. I like to think he does, but I don't understand him enough to be sure. Him, Lin, you... So many beings to have met within the last few days, and I understand so little about how any of you work. Especially you three, and the home you come from. At least the ponies make a little sense to me, but longma are very different. I don't even know if your emotions work the same as theirs.

 

Still, I know that I trust them, and if they do me as well, then it is yet another thing that I have hardly ever been given that they brought me. Another minor thing for most, but for me, a valuable gift."

 

Omen were quite certain that longma emotions were somewhat similar to ponies, and showed in the same ways, but she hadn't been around enough to be completely certain yet, so there'd always be that question on if she read them right or not hanging in the air until she had more time observing them. She didn't suspect them of being malevolent though. She just wasn't sure if they trusted her fully, or if their other emotions were as she supposed thus far. That would require time, and situations like these where she could see how they showed off emotions. The meeting with the elders should likely show her a good deal of those. Or at least the more negative ones, from what she had been told of them.

 

"I don't know if I can trust you, or the words you say about Sen though. They seem okay with you around, but I haven't seen much yet, so I don't know how much is genuine. Though if your words can be trusted, and you tell the truth about Sen, then I feel... Sad, that he have lost something of himself like that. Being taken away from your home and loosing everypony you know is a pain I wouldn't want for anypony."

 

Omen went silent for a little and remembered the time when she had been *exiled* in a way from Equestria, when Discord had been imprisoned and she were shunned by the ponies who remembered whom she worked for. And then along came Lin, who were seemingly unable to sleep. Perhaps as a result of being half of her kind? They hardly ever slept. Only if they were very low on energy, and she had been rather beaten up there, so to speak. Might explain a few things, but she'd have to ask to be sure.

 

"Hello Lin. You can't sleep? And we're not talking about much. Xin just told me a little about how Sen used to be, and how your elders would react strangely to me being there, and I were about to say how I don't trust them. Or like them. Not after what they have done at least."

[GingerLightning 258]

@@Blitz Boom,@@Seamore Sandwich,  

Ginger Lightning paying no attention  to her surroundings while chasing the butterfly ran right into a wall...she well to the ground and groaned "Ow...What was that?" rubbing her head and horn with one of her holed hooves... She looked up and noticed that it was in fact a wall...she looked around  a bit more and realized she had some how wondered back into ponyville...

[cwhip9 1,078]

@@Blitz Boom, As Cresent made his way to the familer house he couldn't help but notive something dripping on him more then just sweat, seeing the blood cresent looked away from it right away not because he was sqeemish but more so not to start chowing down on his friend. Then he saw the yellow colt at the door, looks like he wasn't the only one seeking the zebra, the odd tattoos on the colt raised a few questions to the batpony, maybe another zebra?  

 

Cresent nodded at the youngster "don't worry she's usaly up at this time" he said aproching the door next to the colt knocking on the door on the other side was herd the zebra.

 

"the doors unlocked come in out of the dark" Cresnt blinked at the door "must be cleaning" he used his head to open the door.
 

Inside was a rather clean open room with a big cauldron in the middle of the room, a small table to the side with a crystal ball and a cabinet with shelvs and shelves  full of bottles with odd colored liquids, and the like along with a cabinet that had nothing but flowers in pots here and their.

 

The zebra came out with a smile "apology's spring cleaning something iv been in meaning to do, ah cresent always a pres-" she paused looking at the bleeding cat draped on him. Then at cresent seeing how weak he looked, then the small colt beside him, he happy expression turned to shock, then breathing out to calm

 

"set it on the table, blood drinks are in the fridge get the case at quick pace" she said

 

Cresent nodded familiar seeing the dr mode the zebra had going on doing what he was told, the zebra saw the young colt "come in young one, you don't need to run" she said beckoning the colt in.

[Holiday Agnaktor 1,436]

@Blitz Boom

 
 
Frosty chuckled softly when he heard that Blitz was having a difficult time. He would be lying if he said that that hadn't been really satisfying to do, but he did feel a bit mean. To make it up to Blitz, he levitated Blitz along with the sand pile, rotated him slightly, so that he was facing the right direction. He put Blitz back on the ground, and tried his best to make the sand hover, so that pushing it would be far easier. This would help Blitz a lot if he wouldn't get disoriented by the magical hovering.

 

But when Frosty noticed Lyriel sabotaging Summer, he realised that the balancing of the game was all off now. He quickly stopped levitating the sand, dropping it all on Blitz. To balance it again, he started burying Blitz with more sand. Game balance was important after all, even if it meant potentially drowning somepony in sand.

 

He looked at Lyriel, and gave her a quick thumbs-up. Yeah...partners in crime.

______________________________________________

 

"Oy! Why are you making so much noise here?! I'm trying to sleep here!"

 

A small pony-sized blue-grey-ish dragon completely covered in spikes walked angrily towards Nerzhei, who was still boring out a cave.

 

"Listen up, there is a really scary fearsome dragon around here, and that dragon really appreciates the air not being filled with ouch-my-ear-bleeds-noises. That dragon is me. Stop it, or I'll smack you so hard that...that...that it's gonna hurt! And you'll feel it... for weeks! Weeks, I'm telling you!" 

 

She was really angry, for whatever reason she might have had, waving her spiky arms all over the place.

Edited October 23, 2016 by Frosty Frost

[EQ_Theta 458]

@@Blitz Boom

 

"I don't blame you for feeling that way. If anything, we are all feeling a little angry with the elders, whether it be as simple as a misguided attempt at finding new solutions to old problems or well... more drastic changes."

Lin somberly added as she watched her brother doze off. It's been a long time since he's found some inner peace and a good night's sleep. If there is any consolation for being away from home, everything he learned before was now called to question, reminding himself that even the wisest could be wrong. But just as he thought about it for a long time, those same thoughts would come to Lin. 

 

"At least he's not being bothered by those bad dreams now. Something about them really speaks of how much he wants things to go back to the way they were. Sadly, it isn't in our capacity to go back in time to change things; I suppose we live with that and try to make things better. How's the clan doing, Xin? It would be nice to find out how things have changed."

 

Xin was reserved and hesitant to speak. There was a lot to go through, many of them unpleasant but he thought he might give Lin something nice to hear. The rest would have to wait and maybe left unspoken until they all reached the clan's home. 

"We've been expanding, little by little. There's a new section of the forest reserved for raising animal companions and the clan's really enjoying the company. We've nestled in close to a waterfall and set up a small aviary close to it, access to water for growing plants is no longer an issue. Also, a new elder has stepped up but I only knew about him from a letter sent not two weeks ago. Beyond that, everything's still the same. We should be getting some rest now, we'll need the energy for tomorrow."

The messenger excused himself from Lin and Omen and returned to his bedroll. Lin thought about the words spoken to him and the uncertainty of a new clan elder would bring to their meeting. 

 

"You know, Omen, maybe meeting the new elder might be good for us. Maybe it's time to put old grudges behind." 

[redaxted 1,765]

@@Blitz Boom, At the mention of changelings, Cyan Flare instantly took a guess at the direction Happy was now taking the conversation about Canterlot (which had been rather one-sided so far, thanks to Golden Spell's proud chattering).

'He might just have noticed that we noticed...,' she thought. 'We might end up treading on eggshells a little, here.'

"Well..." Golden Spell began. "I will say that plenty of necessary precautions have been taken. An awful lot has been rather confidential, however, but ensuring that brides and grooms are not changelings in disguise before every wedding, I would say, is a given."

The unicorn chuckled slightly at yet another one of his own humorous remarks, before exchanging a glance with his disapproving sister and proceeding to speak.

 

"I would expect that nothing like that could ever happen again, although security can never be intimidatingly - or, more so, obviously - high due to the welcoming vibe that the city would rather give off," Golden concluded, this time seeming a lot more tentative with his words and ending his turn to talk far earlier. Cyan tried to read the expression etched upon his face, but, for once, her usually overly-expressive brother was managing to keep relatively calm. That was when she realized that she, instead, was the one shivering like a leaf on a breezy autumn day.

'Typical of me... thank you, social situations.'

Edited October 24, 2016 by Wolves

[FanOfManyShows 396]

@@Blitz Boom, Astral turned her head to admire the view herself, chuckling when Chow boasted about the wild boars. "Oh please, you boasted your strength earlier. and the weight of the wagon only proved you wrong." She said finishing off her laughing with a sigh as she wipped the sweat off her brow. "I'm not to desperate for something to talk about honestly." She glanced at Misty. "But I would entirely understand if Misty is."

 

Misty smiled, she went ahead to admire the plains herself. "The view isn't much, just flat and such." She chuckled, not intending to rhyme. Being a zebra that happened on occasion. "It's quite beautiful actually."

 

Astral lightly nodded. "It is actually, I admire equestrians desire to preserve nature." She looked at Misty. "It's probably why this is still here, despite how close it is to Ponyvil-" She was going to gesture to Ponyville, but upon seeing it, it wasn't as much of a sight as the plains. Being so far away from a town's destruction did not please her, since she was still close enough to help, even from that distance. But she couldn't do anything about it, since the creature was already being dealt with, and it wasn't worth it. She sighed. "Despite how close the plains are to Ponyville, it's still here. And by the looks of it. Ponyville might just become another flat field of grass in a few years." She looked away from the view. "I guess we found our topic today." She said with a chuckle.

 

"A rather depressing topic at that." They both chuckled. "I wonder who placed the creature there? Or did it come out of nowhere?"

 

"I don't think that matters right now, maybe later. But right now I would like to know;" She turned her head back to Chow "Where do you plan to set us up in Canterlot?"

[Blitz Boom 4,621]

@@Frosty Frost,

 

Nerzhei didn't even turn her head at the noise from the smaller dragon, but just kept at her work. Which currently meant using hands formed from the crushed stone around her to dig out the rubble inside the newly-formed cave. The loud noise from before had been a result of her making this hole, which normally wasn't something she needed to clear rubble from. Yet, as she stood right in front of it - a mistake looking back on it, but hindsight stung like that - she couldn't just blast it from the inside out and let the rocks fly around. She had to collapse some of it instead so she wouldn't get an explosions of rocks in her face, which in turn meant that there were a lot of cleaning work to do here.

 

"Unless you want me to tie you to a stalagmite and use you as a shovel, you'll calm down and step aside. You're in my way."

 

The dragoness had beaten up dragons larger than her for a good chunk of years at this point, and the glance that she then gave towards the other dragon just confirmed what the voice had told her: That it was lower towards the ground than her, which made her even less terrified of this so-called *Fearsome dragon*. The spikes were an interesting touch, but she wasn't scared because of that, and neither were Lotus, who looked down on the dragon from Nerzhei's shoulder with a look of clear boredom, though her paws were too occupied holding against her ears to keep the sound of rocks rumbling around them and dumping rubble to the sides of the cave to also make a gesture along with it.

 

"If you want something, then wait until I'm done."

 

It wasn't far off from the looks of things. Perhaps 20-30 seconds more of this before she'd stop using the magic that rolled on her right hand and the rocks would fall silent and it'd be done. If the other dragon was impatient and wanted to try something though... She still had a free hand, and were more than ready to use that, along with some spare magic, to handle this minor annoyance whilst she got her task done, though she hoped the smaller dragon didn't try. She wasn't really in the mood to beat up more of her kin right now.

 

_____________________________________________________________________

 

 

@@cwhip9,

 

Cover-up nearly went out of his good coat when he heard somepony behind him. Something which didn't get less from turning around and seeing the bat pony with the... Thing on his back, that looked like a monster cat bleeding from three, empty eyes. What was this?

 

"..."

 

He tried to say something, but words left him as the bat pony and his kill - no wait, it was still twitching, so still alive - went directly for him... And then passed, going towards the door of Zecora and knocking on it.

 

It made sense considering what the bat pony had said, sure, but he had started to think that a lot of bad things would still happen from this monster hunter regardless, considering what he was carrying around. That it hadn't still didn't leave him with a lot of confidence or bravery, and he simply stood still as the door opened and the mysterious Zecora opened the door.

 

He had never seen a zebra before in his life, only heard about them, and from where he stood it all seemed so... Exaggerated. It had been painted to him like they were only somewhat pony-like, and that even trying to explain what they were like were hard, and yet here stood what he'd consider a perfectly normal mare, just with some stripes, funny garments and her mane rising upwards in a way that made it seem as if it was defiantly battling gravity, and winning.

 

It helped calm things a bit, but he still didn't move until the mare looked directly at him and offered him to step inside.

 

"I uhm... S-Sure."

 

He gulped, feeling something akin to a spiked golf-ball traveling down his throat from sheer nervousness, but he went inside at least now, and closed the door behind him.

 

There were plenty of things that drew the eyes inside. The large cauldron, the vials of unspecified liquid lining the shelves, the cat monster that were laid out on a table and still slowly bleeding from the empty eyes... That last one were hard to look away from really. And not just because of the bleeding, but also because of how this thing looked. Somewhat like a cat, but normal cats were bigger than him, had nine tails, three eyes and were a shade of shiny black that made it look almost like it was cut from a polished, onyx gem.

 

"I'm sorry for taking your time when it uhm... W-Well, it sorta seems like your busy. Perhaps I should just... Yeah, I'll stand to the side a little, and just let you get done. That's probably the best thing I could do..."

 

He trailed off a bit at the end and went to a corner so he didn't get in the way. He didn't say anything, but from how his eyes followed the three beings in the room, you could tell that he were not ignoring them at least. There was also one other thing that could be told though, and that were that seemingly, the wide array of tattoo patterns on his body extended to his face too, over his right eyes, and as a matter fact, even inside it. You could see the pitch-black pupil and a vague line going over the whites near it as proof, along with the left eye being a very sharp contrast to it, with it being blue and all.

 

____________________________________________________________________________

 

 

@@EQ_Theta,

 

Hearing that Sen's dreams were better felt somewhat good to Omen. The emotions were still vague, as some tended to be, but she recalled seeing how he twitched and turned in his sleep before, and the difference that came when she now thought of him as laying silent and resting were quite noticeable. Pleasant even.

 

A small smile spread briefly on her face before it returned to the neutral mask around the same time that some things were being said about the clan. Mostly about expanding in both territory and leaders, though the first things that Xin had said were something she bit particular notice of, considering how he looked when he spoke ill of their elders. He looked uncomfortable somehow, but why? Because he were talking badly about some that could send him away on a limb too? Because he didn't want to speak ill of a few things when overall he thought they were good? Or did he just not like speaking behind somepony's back?

 

Others options were there too of course, but these were the ones that came to her first, though again, she didn't know if she read him right, so it likely wouldn't lead to much. It passed a bit of time though, until he left and her and Lin were now the only ones left.

 

"New elder, same rules, yes? I won't trust things will be good even if it's not like this. Seems wrong.

 

About feeling. How are you feeling with your new self? My other siblings and I, we never remember what it was like to not be like this, so we can't compare, but you do. And I don't think it would be easy to get used to. Right?"

 

________________________________________________________________

 

 

@@Wolves,

 

Happy just stood there, cheery smile still on his face for a while before he let out a chuckle.

 

"You know, don't you?"

 

It wouldn't take one who were good at reading others to notice the way the other two responded to his question were a red flag. They Shaking, pausing and being cautious with your words, etc There was just so many ways that you could tell that, perhaps individually, it wouldn't mean anything. But when it was all put together, the bird began to sing, and there wasn't a way around it now. They know what he were.

 

Heh. Or rather, they know some of what he were.

 

Regardless, in situations like these, he had two options: Remove the witnesses, or try and be a little up front and play it off as him being not as bad as his race might make him look. Usually there'd also be a third option, but trying to pretend not to be a changeling wasn't going to work anymore.

 

Removing the witnesses would be the simpler solution of the two remaining really, and would be easier to cover up considering what were attacking the town, but it would also rob him off a chance, in case he got near Canterlot at some point. Golden could be used as a ticket of sorts - or an excuse, depending on how you looked at it - to inspect the town, but if he were dead, that wasn't going to fly. No, he had to take a chance here, and play it off. With some luck, he could score a bit of leeway, and potentially some sympathy if he played this off right instead of being nailed to a tree trunk. Though, if he saw even a hint that they might try to restrain him, it was back to removing the witnesses. Aggression often meant he couldn't get anything from them.

 

"Usually, I'm so careful not to give it away. but I can see that I apparently missed something around you two. A right ol' shame really, that that's gonna taint the outlook on me, but what's done is done."

 

Happy sat down in the grass and let out a small sigh, as a green glow briefly went over his eyes to signal what he meant, just in case it wasn't already obvious.

 

"I don't suppose you could give me the benefit of the doubt here and hear me out instead of calling the guards on me, could you? For ol' times sake?"

[Holiday Agnaktor 1,436]

@Blitz Boom

 

The little dragon had had enough experience with dragons to know that the stalagmite-shovel threat was a real thing. So she stepped aside. Her anger didn't seem to impress the big dragon much. She hadn't expected it to anyway. She was just really angry.

 

Instead of being in the way, the little dragon actually looked at who she had been yelling at. It was a dragon that was quite a bit bigger than her, but that wasn't really difficult. She was actually quite scary, now that she was getting a better look. She was digging a hole in a mountain like it was nothing! And there was a little bunny on the dragons shoulder, which didn't look impressed by her or the dragons digging! Everything told the little dragon that messing with this dragon would result in more than just a good beating.

 

So she waited, even though she really didn't feel like waiting at the moment.

 

After the big dragon was done digging, and it was silent again, the little angry dragon stomped over to the big one.

 

"Ok, so why are you making a cave thirty meters away from my house? What are you even doing here?! I thought dragons rarely left their camp!"

Edited October 24, 2016 by Frosty Frost

[EQ_Theta 458]

@@Blitz Boom

 

"There's that, too. Maybe the new elder will be even worse than the last one. I hate to think of what he would do to us if it ever came to that, especially to us. Sen might be welcomed back in but there's no place for the likes of us in the clan and I imagine it will also hurt my brother as well."

 

The changes have been difficult to get used to. The time everyone was in Omen's home, the siblings slept together though Lin was understandably more tired and close to the point of collapse. She knew there was no chance of sleeping again but at the time, she could feel there was an opportunity. Spending years being cured had taken its toll on her and for a moment, she could spare some time for rest and her boy complied. This time was different. She looked to Omen, holding back any negative feelings about her experiences as of late. Her tone changed, slowly becoming more upbeat and optimistic.

 

"I feel mostly the same. Same gait, same range of movement, the no sleeping part still getting used to. I'm really beginning to miss that feeling of shutting my eyes and letting my mind drift into a land of dreams. I envy my brother because of that, you know. Even if he still has the occasional nightmare, sleep does wonders. Do you know dreams can tell stories, ones that reflect what the waking mind experiences?"

Edited October 24, 2016 by EQ_Theta

[redaxted 1,765]

@@Blitz Boom, Golden Spell opened his mouth to speak, but was lost for words. Clearly, he was not sure about how to phrase his next sentence, and was a little surprised when Happy simply admitted to being a changeling and was still talking to them in a rather polite fashion.

"Well..." the unicorn began. "W-we certainly are not ponies to judge and stereotype, but-"

He paused, once again searching the depths of his mind for something to utter next.

"Um... sure, you can tag along, or whatever," Cyan Flare said hurriedly. Suddenly, the usually quiet pegasus seemed quite snappy. "But don't try anything."

Shortly afterwards, she turned her head and stared off into the trees aimlessly. Her eyes seemed to flit back and forth between each branch, every leaf - anything to avoid eye-contact in this situation.

"Why... yes, I agree. You... you have not done anything wrong," Golden picked up where she had left off, having been given something to work with, despite knowing that she was far more nervous than she was letting on. She may not have been the most sophisticated of ponies (like himself), but she could often be so polite that she just let other ponies tread all over her like a doormat. "You have deceived us, however, and Cyan Flare most certainly does not like having her trust broken. I do not think we will be talking any more about Canterlot, either."

Edited October 25, 2016 by Wolves

[Blitz Boom 4,621]

@@Wolves,

Happy feigned a slight look of offense as he were told that he had deceived them. He totally had, it wasn't that, but it wasn't in ways that the two of them would know about. They had just heard him talk about home and his business etc. and not about his motives. There he'd lie. The rest was just... Formulated to make it sound better.

"Hey now, I've done a lot of things, but I haven't deceived you. Yeah, I hid what I am, but I didn't lie, and I don't really have a choice other than go 'round in disguise these days. Before Canterlot I might've had a shot at it, but ever since Chrysalis and her dingbat hive did their idiot attack, I would've been slipped to some dank cellar and left there until I had to be scraped off the floor.

And I ain't asking 'bout Canterlot to get a foothold or anything. I just wanted to hear if the attacks had made you up your defenses a bit because frankly, if the old hag sees a dent in your armor she might try again, and my kind's reputation are already in the toilet for her last go. Well, that, and I were starting to think that you'd noticed what I was and wanted to be sure, so I worded it a bit strange to see if it let off some ticks. Got plenty, that's fer sure."

He grinned at them both, regardless of whatever or not they were even still looking at him at this point. It wasn't important that they saw this as much as him keeping his personality going of being a nice changeling, that didn't want any trouble. Being forthcoming would help that a tad, though considering that now he had begun lying, it wasn't really genuine anymore. But eh, being a phony came with the exoskeleton.

"Plus, I wanted to be sure if the security's too tight before I tried to get there to sell some of my wares. I didn't want to waste the time if I didn't have a chance at getting in the town. Sounds like it's a no-go really from what you've told Golden, so you needn't worry 'bout me and Canterlot. Revenue ain't worth the chance of getting squashed for nothing.

I know my word ain't gonna mean much right now, stereotypes or not, but I'm not an invader, and I got no interest at all in seeing your capitol suffer another attack. I'm just a traveling vendor, and frankly if it stood to me, Chrysalis should've been put in a cage for her actions. You wouldn't believe the sort of damage she have done to our race by her bone-head attempt."

He spat as he mentioned Chrysalis' name, but not just for effect this time. He frankly couldn't stand the thought of that old hag and her idiotic, poorly thought out attack that had doomed plenty of their kin, and would doom far more before they had a chance at getting heard out. If he had the chance, he'd take her down a peg or two, but he hadn't even an idea where her hive were at this point, or if she were even still alive after getting tossed away from Canterlot, so unfortunately, that wasn't an option.

 

Sure, he would also like to see Canterlot burn for what they had done towards his kin in this country afterwards, even if they did not have anything to do with Chrysalis and just tried to live normal lives, but all in due time. Eventually, the capitol would fall from some kind of attack by either more powerful beings or by an army led by a competent queen that wouldn't toy around with plots and half-baked schemes as much as a quick, merciless approach, and when that day came he hoped he could stand amongst them, but for the time being the city could stay for all he cared. Wasn't the time for anything there yet.

He took notice of Cyan seemingly looking away as much as she could from him, though, perhaps she wasn't just looking away from him, but also looking for... Oh right, he hadn't mentioned that.

"You don't need to worry about my hive being here for the record. They're in a whole 'nother country, doing their own somewhat good and/or bad thing. Morals needs to be a little flexible as a changeling, so what's bad and what's survival can sometimes end up being the same. Especially when new eggs are about to hatch. Those lil' nymphs are more needy for love than a fish are for water.

Besides, not like I haven't told you I wasn't 'round my hive before this. As I told you, they were some nice folks that helped me get back on my hooves after I got taken from my home by the wonky portal. Well, besides the whole *turning me into a changeling* business, but eh, can't win 'em all. And to be fair, it's kinda neat to have wings and magic, even if they do come with a faulty battery pack, if you know what I mean?"

The trick often when you were revealed were how to speak to others. With angry ones you could go with begging for mercy and explaining that what you were wasn't your fault. That you just had to try and survive when you went 'round and eating love, because that was part of you now.

Others you had to be stern with, and boast in front of with your power. The fragile of mind and herds could be swayed with this, and it was good when he had to fight others. Playing the *I'm so tormented* emo yipping wasn't really nailing it when you were beating up others. This sort of approach did tend to leave him with some bad company though, but it was more to put some fear into others anyway, so that wasn't too important in his mind.

Countless other ways came to mind, amongst them how he had goner with these: Keep acting the same, and be nonthreatening whilst doing so. It was one of the reasons why he had rolled around and leand up against a tree behind him. It showed he didn't have have anything on him - he had put down the golden sickles besides him - and that if he did try something, it'd take him time to get up. A bad attack position, but good if you wanted to look like you wanted to work with others, instead of causing any trouble.

It wasn't an approach that always worked, but he had acted his persona towards these for so long that if he changed that, they'd have no idea how deep the phony stuff went, and where the real stuff began. Call it truth in consistency if you would. That's what he tended to go with anyway.

Heh, and then his mother had told him that he'd never have the brains to save his own life.

"And think about it mates, if I wanted to do something bad, then why aren't you ill now? A changeling who'd want to do bad stuff would've surely poisoned your drinks and feasted on you, right? Feeling any worse for the wear since that cider yet sunshine?"

_____________________________________________________________________________

@@Frosty Frost,

"Most dragons in my former camp are also barely able to spell their own name. Want me to write you an essay to set myself more aside from them?"

The sarcastic answer came from Nerzhei as she stopped the magic rolling on her hand, saw the rocks she had used to form hands before sink into the ground, pulled up her bag to make it fit more comfortably on her shoulder again rather than bore into her neck, and then finally, turned around to face the little spiky local. Though why a dragon would live here was anyone's guess. Not exactly a prime location for much, beyond the gems she came by to harvest now and again.

"I'm out of there. Got orders to get a bunch of ponies and a miscellaneous back to Equestria, and they got tired, do had to set up a place. Geomancy makes a cave easier to make than a hut, so I went with that for shelter for the night, but we'll be gone somewhat early tomorrow. I just need to harvest something first, and I'm putting this place behind me too."

She looiked like she sort of wanted there to be a problem, though that was more just Nerzhei's overall look. She had a hard time turning that off, and especially around other dragons, since they tended to only respect her enough to listen if she didn't seem weak. Plus, years upon years of beating up her more idiotic kind made her mentally preparing for a fight most of the time she were around them.

"I'm guessing you've been recently exiled or something then? Cause I've been here before, and there wasn't anyone here, so if you're not part of a group, you must've gotten here recently."

Lotus poked the side of her face rapidly and made her look away from the other dragon for a little to instead look over the bunny that seemed to signal towards the beach.

"Yeah yeah, go down there to 'em if you want. What am I, your babysitter?"

That comment cost her a small kick on her face before Lotus pulled her tongue at the dragoness and jumped down, heading towards the beach. Seemed like she were curious as what the others were doing.

"Anyway. Name's Nerzhei. Who're you?"

________________________________________________________________________

@@EQ_Theta,

"I didn't, but I have never slept, so I wouldn't know. Master tried to make me understand once, so he put me in a warm, quiet lake, and spread chaos around showing strange images. He said this was what dreams were. Just small bits and pieces, combined in some strange way. If what I felt then is what dreams and sleeping are like, then I'm... Sorry, that you can't do it anymore."

She hesitated for a second near the end, trying to find a way to say how she thought she should feel about Lin being without sleep now. It wasn't something that really bothered her, so she didn't see it as something bad, but her friend likely did, at least if she had to judge by what she had heard her say a few times before, including now.

"At least, I don't think you can. But you already do things none of us can, so perhaps? We can't open gates without it getting to home first, but you did. Twice. It is something that perhaps Mother can, but not any of us, so perhaps you being half of us changes other things? I don't know, but it might be why Mother said she wished to have some time with you at a point, to inspect your new self.

 

We will see what answers can come sister, but I don't know how many even Mother can give you. Hopefully the ones you need."

 

Omen hadn't referred to Lin as sister more than perhaps once earlier, and back then it had been with a message that Mother had asked her to bring along, so it might be kinda strange to hear her say this. Still, perhaps not? Lin and her reactions were hard to predict, and unlike some ponies Omen had met, neither her, nor Sen, seemed to be the kind that she'd ever fully know how would act.

 

"And I don't mind there not being a place for me near your people. I like you, and Sen, but I don't like what I have heard about your elders. They sound illogical. Binds others by strange, meaningless rules that hurts others. Like you and Sen..

 

What if they still offered you a home though, Lin? Would you take it, along with Sen, if it was an option?"

 

___________________________________________________________________________

 

 

@,

 

"Hey, I could go faster with this thing, but then we'd have to stop up constantly. Pacing's important when you're dealing with a truckload of books and assorted wonky stuff."

 

He didn't look hurt or anything whilst he replied to the stab at his prowess, just grinned a little wider. There'd be a time and a place for him to show these two what he could really get away with, but unless they had to haul flank for some reason it wasn't yet. Showing off might be all fine and dandy after all - and growing up around griffins he really liked to do that - but it'd become a lot less impressive when he'd keel over, fighting for his breath. That'd be a beating to his ego for sure.

 

At least the two of 'em went on to speak about the nature around them afterwards instead of poking at him further. A good chatter really, though he did want to point out that the plains were actually getting more reclaimed by the forest than the other way around these days, it was just vast to begin with. Yet, he didn't get much of a chance before a question got hurled his way that was a bit more important to address than discussions on foliage.

 

"Well, that's a trickery one to answer. I have a few places in mind, but I gotta see which of the places are still vacant, and if none of 'em are, ask my old contacts in town where else to find a nice place with a bit of peace. Preferably with a basement I'm thinking, considering all your stuff that you likely don't want everypony to have a glance at.

 

You need not worry though. I swear on my mothers claws that I'll help you find a place, get settled in, and stick 'round town again for awhile to help out. Ponyville's gonna be tricky to sell stuff at after this attack I think, at least for awhile, so I might as well get set up in the capitol again anyway. If I know the contacts I spoke of correctly, they'll likely keep insisting I do that regardless if they are to help, so two stones with one throw. Pesky buggers at times, but eh, beggars can't be choosers when it comes to company, y'know?"

[Holiday Agnaktor 1,436]

@Blitz Boom

 

 

"Wait, did you say ponies? You're escorting PONIES?"

 

The little spiky dragon tried and failed to hide her excitement. Ponies! This was great! They were a great source of food, AND her ticket to Equestria! She had to infiltrate them, somehow, but preferably not as a dragon. She wasn't exactly lovable in this form.

 

But if this dragon escorted the ponies, that could be a problem, no, that was a problem! This dragon was scaaaary...

 

Her mind was pulled back to the present when the dragon asked her a question.

 

"Ehh, n-no, I'm just t-traveling! From....a d-different camp! Yeah! That's it!"

 

She noticed the bunny pointing in the direction of the beach. And the way the dragon was saying it implied that the ponies were in that direction! She had to get to them, fast! The sooner she could eat, the better. She was starving. The only way she had stayed remotely sane for this long was by pretending the plants around where she slept all loved her, which wasn't the best method out there.

 

"Eh, my name...?"

 

She hadn't thought of a name yet.

 

"Ehh, my n-name is.... Spike..y? Spikey! That's it! Spikey's my name! Anyway, I gotta run, I just realised that I forgot something! Byee!"

 

And with those words Spikey ran away from the dragon, in the opposite direction that the bunny had gone. She would have to think this over really well, before she acted. She wasn't sure she'd be able to think much, because the act of thinking about ponies already drove her nuts from hunger.

[FanOfManyShows 396]

@@Blitz Boom, Astral furrowed her brows, grimacing, but still managing to show a smile. "My stuff isn't wonky!" She mumbled as she turned her head away from him. To allow her to look angry, she wasn't angry at Chow in particular, well, she was but more at the way he called her stuff wonky. "It's magical." She mumbled, smirking as she realized how cheesy that sounded. She turned her head back to Chow as he spoke about their destination she was about to respond to him, but she was interrupted before she could speak by Misty.

 

"I don't care if we live with somepony else when we get there." Misty said turning her head away from the view, reluctantly. It was so hard to pull herself away from that reminder of her tribe's destruction. "As long as it's away from the mess that's Ponyville right now." A tear was shed by Misty when she turned to the town again. She went there once, the ponies were nice, but that only made it worse.

 

Astral have Misty a glance and the town, before turning her head to Chow. "I agree, if you have to shove us into the house of some strangers, while explain my magical objects will be difficult, I would be fine with living with them."

[cwhip9 1,078]

@@Blitz Boom, "non sense golden colt another hoof is needed no doubt and thus you may find the answer you seek, cresent how is it?"

(to make it easyer for dialog) Cresent after propping the cat onto the table listen to its blood, zinthar was still week. "still no dice z"

 

"more blood for this one but" She held a hoof out on cresent about to poor more of the blood drink in the felines mouth "take care cresent, while your still a present with a dark past this one here should be keept on a short leash if you tend to help it"

 

"I know he's good Z,"

 

"this one is not native to this world not for a milenia, before even you or I was tireld by our parents, not too much for this one" her tone seemed kind but still had a sterness that not even a deaf pony could mistake

 

Cresent always one to trust Z looked back at his week friend on the table "then he's my responsibility, you know I never break bargins"

 

The zebra gave him a stern stare, which cresent then turned to meet unflinching then sighed  "very well, take note youngster"

 

The zebra turned to the colt with a less of a stern tone in her voice "not all one would call a monster is al of malice, now then how can I help you, tea?"

 

She led the colt out of the kitchen leading him to a couch by a table with what looked like a crystal ball on it she sat in the chair facing the table with the sofa facing the her in turn.

[EQ_Theta 458]

@@Blitz Boom

 

Lin looked to Omen, cocking eyebrow and expressing a hint of displeasure at what she said, before swallowing it up and reeling her emotions in for a more calmed response.

 

"I wouldn't say our ways are meaningless; outdated better describes it and yes, it is strange for me to say it but some of the ways of the forest clan still mean something to me. We all stick together and through that we learn about the value of each other's company. It's a closely-knit community but even the best ways can be taken to their illogical extremes. But what you asked next..." 

 

Lin paused for a moment, never realizing that in her anger did Omen raise a point she hadn't bothered to ponder upon until now. If she was ever given a chance to go back home, would she take it? The implications and the possible results from such a decision could undo years of anger simmering deep beneath her looks. Her vows for revenge had all but subsided once she lived away from them long enough, but do they still harbor a grudge? And would they accept her given her radical change into something different from them. Sen may still have a chance but for her to be given that same chance was less than likely.

"I don't know. I really don't know. I'd imagine that was something brother would be asked instead of me; that's probably why they sent him a messenger. Let's face it, the message was for him and they were anticipating I be excluded from the reunion if Sen found me anyway. I'd rather be taking my chances going back to your home because it's difficult to see my old clan in a positive light."

[Summer Breeze 2,528]

@@Blitz Boom,@@Frosty Frost,  

 

"oufh" 

 

that's the sound summer made when she fell on the ground, her face in the sand. 

 

she looked up and spit out some sand that had gotten in her mouth. "what the hay just happened?" she muttered. then she looked around and saw a vein around her leg. "where did..." she asked but found the answer herself "Lyriel!" she shouted partly annoyed and partly amused. 

 

but she saw that it wasn't unfair, blitz was also having trouble and the main suspect was Frosty. Summer giggled when a hoof came out of a pile of sand to search around, it was a rather amusing sight. 

 

but then the pile of sand and the filly hovered through the air and landed on the ground again, and then got burried by even more sand. summer chuckled again. 

 

with the vein now around summers leg she surely couldn't do much anymore if blitz would decide to come for her.

 

this surely wasn't what could be called a fair game of tag/hide and seek. but at least it was fun. 

[Blitz Boom 4,621]

@@cwhip9,

 

Cover-up had no idea what was going on right now, but considering that it seemed like the bat pony was feeding the monster cat blood, and Zecora warned said bat pony about not feeding the seemingly evil thing too much, he had the distinct impression that it would be for the best if he didn't ask about it either. Which got substantially easier when the zebra led him further away from this and towards a crystal ball.

 

"Tea? I guess... Yeah, that sound okay, if it's not a problem that is. I..."

 

He closed his eyes and took a few long, deep breathes, trying to get his mind away from what was going on near them and calm his nerves a little. He wouldn't be able to get through what he wanted to ask like this, so he had to get himself at least a little under control. It took a minute or so before that happened, but he felt a bit better with himself and slowly opened his eyes again.

 

"5 years ago, my town got destroyed by some kind of attack. I don't know who or what did it, all I know were that from one minute to the next, I had a house collapse on me, and when I finally woke up I was in another town, in a full body casket and told how lucky I were to be alive. According to them, I were the only one they managed to pull out of there, the others..."

 

He looked downwards, not wanting to say what they had told him, and hoping that Zecora knew what he would mean with this, rather than have him explain his position as the last survivor.

 

"They kept saying I was lucky, but I don't know... My home were gone, same with my family, and I had all the damaged from the house that fell on me to deal with. Some of them for life..."

 

He clutched himself around the stomach, where his tattoos ran most rampant, even though the lines went greatly all over his body. If they all covered scars, it was quite a severe aftermath he had to deal with, though considering a house had fallen on him, were he not lucky that it wasn't worse? Some days he thought yes, then other times, when he got weird looks from this, he wasn't as sure anymore.

 

"A-Anyway, I left the town after a few years and went on the road, wanting to get as far away as possible from the whole place and everything that reminded me of it. Then about a year ago, I pass through a town when I overhear that somepony went through it some months before, and were mumbling something about my town. I asked how the ponies looked and... Well, they description fitted my parents and my older sister. Down to the names even.

 

I don't know why they're still alive, where they went or why they left me behind, but I want to know, so I have tried to find them. I guess you can say I haven't had any luck yet, though I hope that perhaps you can help? I don't really know much about zebra magic or mystics, but the ponies in town said that you might be able to help. If not to help me find where they are, then perhaps to find why they went to begin with? If you can't it's okay, I just... Had to try at least."

 

It was about that time that it dawned on him how much he had rambled on and fell silent again with a slight blush going over his cheeks. He didn't deal well with awkward, social interactions when he were already flustered, and though he had gotten over the worst of it, the ground were still shaky, so to speak.

 

So it were too for Zinthar, though it was more nausea and pain than anything else that made the ground feel shaky for him.

 

After the first amount of blood had been given him, the bleeding him hid sockets had stopped, and as the feeding had gone on for a bit longer, the twitching also seized, and his breath became easier. His heart began to beat more regularly and eventually, he had started to regain consciousness, though he honestly felt rather poorly right now. Like a deflated balloon, though at least this time around that feeling didn't include the pressure that had kept him from speaking right as before. Less broken and bend bones did wonders really.

 

"Ngghh..."

 

Slowly, the feline opened his eyes and revealed that they weren't completely empty anymore. Deep within the sockets, a faint light resided in each of them, and though it seemed weak, it didn't flicker or deteriorate as things had before. There wasn't this light anywhere else though, He had escaped death's grip, but he were gravely weakened still to a point where all the energy he had gotten had gone to maintaining his life, and not his magic. The tank were now completely empty.

 

"..:Hell seems nicer than I had anticipated."

 

He let out a weak chuckle, but he didn't make any effort to move around yet. As weak as he felt now, he were cautious about taking the chance, even though the smell that wafted into his nostrils almost made him want to give caution to the wind and attempt to find it anyway, even if he could barely see anything right now.

 

"Crescent? It haves to be you, right? Who else would know what to feed me with, and actually try and save me? Heh, you're such a goodie two-shoes, you know that? Can't stop playing the hero, even when you don't know what evil you could be helping. Gonna end you in trouble one day."

 

The images around him were blurry, and even looking directly at Crescent he wouldn't be able to tell that it was him right now. He needed more before that, though how much more he didn't know. A drop? A gallon? An ocean? He had never been this drained before, so even he hadn't the faintest idea. Something which wasn't helped by the fact that he had been alone for so long that he likely wouldn't even know if he had been near full power anymore. He hadn't been fed for a long time, likely generations, and without the stimuli, it had gotten lost to the ages.

 

It were not something he really thought off as he toyed with Crescent a little, as much as the thoughts about where he were, what had happened and so on, including the blood that he could still smell somewhere near. Where did it come from though? And perhaps as importantly, from whom?

 

____________________________________________________________________

 

 

@,

 

"I wouldn't worry 'bout that. Canterlot might be the capitol, but I think you'd be surprised how much space is actually to pick from for newcomers. They get a lot moving now and again for all sorts of reasons. From the ones who want a more calm, down to earth home in a smaller town like Ponyville, to the ones who can't afford to stay in town anymore for various reasons, want a better environment for their kids, doesn't trust the security after the changeling attack, gets better job offerings another place and yada yada. Point is, there's always some places one can go.

 

Reminds me, what Misty said 'bout you being able to transmute gold, is likely something you'd want to think about before we hit the town. Something tells me it wouldn't be a thing you'd want to show in public, and to get a housing, you'd have to be able to pay for it somehow. I can help you as much as I can with it, if you need some stuff to make into it, but I'd suggest we wait to set something up regardless until we reach the big tree over there at least. It should be a fine place to halt for a bit."

 

He pointed towards a tree some way from them with crowns that spread high and wide. It was one of the more noticeable things in this place, and what was more importantly to him, also acted as a marker towards the way that the train tracks were. It'd be close enough so that they didn't have to wander much more, but far away enough to not give them gawkers who'd look in on whatever they were doing.

 

"If it's like in the old stories, I guess you'd need... Was it lead? Iron perhaps? Some kind of metal at least."

 

___________________________________________________________________________

 

 

@@Frosty Frost,

 

Strange dragon that one.

 

Nerzhei watched as *Spikey* ran off, but didn't attempt to follow. She still had to *furnish* the cave a bit whilst she had the chance, and the peace would give her time to mentally prepare what could potentially be an attack by a flock of dragons.

 

It wasn't so much from how positive the dragon had sounded when the mention of ponies came into things, though she did consider that strange. No, it was more in regards to what was with 87% certainly a false name, the notion of just being between camps - which seemed unlikely considering she had said her home was out here - and a few other, minor things that made her think that at the absolute minimum, this were an exiled or hermit dragon that had started to go a little bonkers from the isolation, or she were a scout for more powerful and/or numerous dragons. Highwaymen, if you'd prefer to call them that.

 

Troublemakers no matter how you looked at it anyway, and if this were the case going on right now... Perhaps it was better that she listened up and made sure to cast frequent glances towards the beach, just in case something happened. She might not be able to see or hear much from here, but if there was anything, she'd get it sorted. That is, if the dryad wouldn't before she got the chance. Lyriel had come to see the ponies as her friends, and as nice and calm as she might seem, Nerzhei knew what happened when someone tried to hurt one of their close ones, even before the corruption.

 

Heh, would be interesting to see if this would be something that would come to pass soon, but hopefully it was just paranoia regardless. The less waves they made whilst getting out of dragon country the better.

 

______________________________________________________________________

 

 

@@P-Jay,

 

"Interesting. I hadn't thought that this would happen in my current situation..."

 

Vivid looked around her in the dream of one of her old homes, back from when she were a normal pony. The windows showed her as the regular mare she had been then, the ponies around greeted her as if she were simply that again - which meant everything from a warm smile to a few words of unpleasantries, depending on what the individual's opinion of her was - and overall it was simply just a calm, for-some-boring dream. Which were rather interesting considering that she were dead.

 

She wouldn't get actually *this is the end* killed that easy, but still, her spirit was loose, and this alive/dead state she were in wasn't something she had considered opened the room for dreams. She had thought it'd be like with regular dead, but it seemed she had learned another lesson for the ages.

 

She looked down on her legs though, and could see that the visage of herself that she saw, was influenced by her not being in a body anymore. Beyond having the looks of her more demonic soul - none of the clothes on her, spikes down her spine and tail, more glowing symbols, sharp teeth, reptilian eyes, large bat-wings and an increased size - she also appeared to be slightly see-through, though not by much, and it didn't really matter much she supposed. The memories of ponies in her dream that saw her as she were back then wouldn't take notice of anything else than the soul collector mare that had once upon a time wandered the lands.

 

It was not like they were sentient or anything after all.

 

________________________________________________________________

 

 

@@Krystalalchemist,

 

*giggle* "Daddy's gonna be happy about this."

 

The voice came from above the Everfree Forest, but didn't stay that way long before hte originator came down from the tree crowns, descending on a deep-red cloud until she hit the ground and jumped off it. It didn't look right, but then again, neither did the foal that had jumped off it considering everything.

 

Not because she were a bat pony. A few of them came around here at times, so there wasn't a complete lack of something like her, but half-breeds on the other hoof... Not so much. And there wasn't a way she could be a pure-blood bat pony, that was for sure. Those were always dark in their colors in some regard, and she weren't. Darkest on her were the scar-like patterns on her body here and there, but even they were rather light in it.

 

She were dressed strangely too. Tinted glasses, a small jacket, a utility belt of sorts... It screamed more *city* than the rural area in and around Ponyville, especially as the most fashion they had around these parts were Rarity, and her creations were usually quite a bit less practical and more frilly in it, so to say.

 

"I wonder what sort of taste it will have this time though. Looks like strawberry, but could be something else?"

 

Jelly poked at the cloud, but didn't open it up yet, though she were curious. It 'd be better to wait for the right time to do that. AKA: When she were around some jars or things akin to that. Besides, if she opened it right now, Gary might get curious and fall down into it again, and that was bad both for her pet and for daddy. Neither of them liked to have him in sticky food like this.

 

________________________________________________________________

 

 

@@EQ_Theta,

 

"I said much the same when I was looking for Discord. I too didn't know what I would do when it actually happened. No, if it actually happened. It had been so long that at times, I wasn't sure if there would be anything, but then all of a sudden things changed. You say they won't take you back Lin, but sometimes, things can still happen you don't think will. And sometimes, you don't know the answer until you're there. I for one didn't."

 

She had listened to what Lin said of her clan, but it were the last part that she bit more notice in first as it resonated more with her. It was something that she could understand, as opposed to what little she knew of the longma clan, and were therefor something she could answer easier. Yet, as it stood, she also had to address the other thing, though this were a different dish entirely, so to speak.

 

"And I don't know if your clan haves good ways. Sen only told me a little of it, and things have moved too fast to find out much more. Your rules, how your people are, live... It is nothing I know. All I know is that there were rules that deleted you from their stories, and ended having Sen leaving, and for all I know this isn't rare.

 

It sounds like it's not, and that is something new learned. Makes it seem better, but still, I know little that haven't been put as the rules being bad. To me, that makes their ways seem mostly harmful and illogical. And until I know better, I can't see it many other ways.

 

I suppose that is a flaw in me. But I don't know. All I know is what I see, and the few things I hear from you and Sen. EVerything else, I don't even know if I can trust."

 

Omen trailed off after this last part, and gave another of the dried fruits to the drake on her head, who mercilessly began gnawing in it's new treat with little care in the world. At least it had it simple for the time being. It was simply to live and learn, eat and sleep. It didn't have to deal with all the strangeness of the shadow creature from another dimension, or the halfling of the same species, combined with a dragon'ish, reclusive race.

 

They really were a strange pair when you thought about it.

[cwhip9 1,078]

 

 

"Crescent? It haves to be you, right? Who else would know what to feed me with, and actually try and save me? Heh, you're such a goodie two-shoes, you know that? Can't stop playing the hero, even when you don't know what evil you could be helping. Gonna end you in trouble one day."

 

Cresent even though he was week himself knew he needed to help zinthar, if not that then at least keep an eye on him. He rarely argued with zecora over most things but if that is a sign of many things to come as cresent would complete his bargin then the line needed to be drawn

 

"evil, is always up to debate" he said getting up from his chair going over to the table then slammed his hoof next to zinthars face enough to shake the table.

 

The thestral lean over the week feline staring directly in his eyes , zinthar could tell the batpony wasn't messing around as one eye did look similar to the mirror image cresent they had encountered before with one eye red and the other his usual blue.

 

"I follow through with bargins and if that means putting you down if you do anything that harms any of my loved ones or the like I wont hesitate dont make me regret this " The tail end of that mark sounded close to 'mall' s voice. Maybe the inner blood rage was more alive then cresent let on? 

 

The thestral blinked then moved back turning back to his cheerful self, and sounding like himself "now with that out of the way how you doing?" his hoof patted the cat back friendly like. His eyes were back to the normal blue ones

 

 

 

I don't know why they're still alive, where they went or why they left me behind, but I want to know, so I have tried to find them. I guess you can say I haven't had any luck yet, though I hope that perhaps you can help? I don't really know much about zebra magic or mystics, but the ponies in town said that you might be able to help. If not to help me find where they are, then perhaps to find why they went to begin with? If you can't it's okay, I just... Had to try at least."

 

"finding love ones lost is no easy quest young one, yet do not fear hear drink" the zebra handed the colt a cup of tea, she glance over at cresent noticing the feline awake. Then turned to the colt again "as you drink this tea look into the crystal with me for the first step of this quest is to find your key memory"

 

How ever fast the youngster drank he would eventually see what looked like an above view of his village before the tragedy "anything you see that looks close to any key you seek? a roof, a bench, a well, anything?"

 

She did take notice of the youngster tattoo's which looked distantly familiar to the zebra but she couldn't place a hoof on it.     

[P-Jay 1,987]

"Interesting. I hadn't thought that this would happen in my current situation..."

 

Vivid looked around her in the dream of one of her old homes, back from when she were a normal pony. The windows showed her as the regular mare she had been then, the ponies around greeted her as if she were simply that again - which meant everything from a warm smile to a few words of unpleasantries, depending on what the individual's opinion of her was - and overall it was simply just a calm, for-some-boring dream. Which were rather interesting considering that she were dead.

 

She wouldn't get actually *this is the end* killed that easy, but still, her spirit was loose, and this alive/dead state she were in wasn't something she had considered opened the room for dreams. She had thought it'd be like with regular dead, but it seemed she had learned another lesson for the ages.

 

She looked down on her legs though, and could see that the visage of herself that she saw, was influenced by her not being in a body anymore. Beyond having the looks of her more demonic soul - none of the clothes on her, spikes down her spine and tail, more glowing symbols, sharp teeth, reptilian eyes, large bat-wings and an increased size - she also appeared to be slightly see-through, though not by much, and it didn't really matter much she supposed. The memories of ponies in her dream that saw her as she were back then wouldn't take notice of anything else than the soul collector mare that had once upon a time wandered the lands.

 

It was not like they were sentient or anything after all.

 

As she traversed the echo of olden memories, Vivid would feel quite at ease--after all, lucid or not, dreaming was never a threat. Excluding nightmares...

 

But eventually, after walking long enough, she would come across a peculiar pony--one she'd never seen before, dream or reality. Bushy dark blue hair, with a pale blue coat, with bright blue eyes, yes, very blue-themed. He floated about carelessly, in the air, despite neither being a unicorn nor pegasus to grant him flight. Singing a tune, as he went, "now, listen up...Here's a story, about a guy who lives, in a blue world...And all day, and all night, and everything he see's, is just blue, like him, inside and out--" 

 

He broke off, once his slow floating turned him to face Vivid, and a cheerful smile stretched over his face--making a wave as he continued floating away. "Hiya! Dreaming about ya childhood?" 

[Blitz Boom 4,621]

@@P-Jay,

Vivid had seen many things in her long years. Some were horrid things that most wouldn't be able to get out of their heads again if they ever had to witness it, and others strange happenings which most in even the magical kingdom of Equestria would consider more than fantasy tales. And yet, she could safely say when she laid her eyes upon the weird, clearly outside influence in her dream, that this was pretty out there.

"...My childhood? I suppose you could call it that."

She weren't sure how to approach this floating, singing pony honestly, so she went with talking for now, though being prepared to go hostile if it was needed. Usually the only ones she found in her dreams that wasn't meant to be here were Princess Luna and the one time with Briar and Charlie not too long ago, but those two were with purpose. This however, she couldn't see the purpose in. Not unless he were another everfree spirit, in which case she frankly didn't know either. What a tree could want were a question that were as strange to answer as it were to ask.

"Now then, my name is Vivid Loss, and know that this have not been a good day thus far, which have left me somewhat on edge. So how about we skip to the point where you tell me who you are, and why you invade my dreams? I hope it is not to spread a nightmare. I do not take lightly to those that tries to taint some of the few good memories I have."

 

Her eyes narrows further at the outsider as she waited for his response. From the looks of how her body posture were, she would be ready to strike at him if he refused, or actually tried to turn her dream into a nightmare, which would be a grave mistake by him. Even if she were dead and drained in reality, in the dream her powers weren't as limited as that, and she would use it, along with her demonic forms greater physique than what she could normally boast, to make him regret it if he were there for trouble.

 

But, there wasn't a reason to get hasty yet. Even if she were a little testy, her rational side hadn't decided to take a hike, and as long as this one wasn't here to make trouble, she'd be civil, even if she might not look all that civil in her current state, and more like something that would raze Equestria.

 

____________________________________________________________________

 

 

@@cwhip9,

 

For a brief moment, Zinthar looked shocked, as the hoof had been slammed down next to him and Crescent began on his threat, but it didn't last through the warning, and instead went into a satisfied smile.

 

"Is that so? I seem to recall our deal just being to get me out, not that I had to be alive when that were."

 

He chuckled slightly again, not seeing the look in Crescent's eyes, but only hearing what depths his voice had gone to. The faint light in one of his eyes were still not enough so that he could see something clearly, even this close, so some of the impact from the bat pony were lessened. It were still registered though, and something that Zinthar would keep in mind, but ever the cat he just had to poke at things.

 

"You can present yourself to be as tough as you want to Crescent, but you and I both know this goes beyond a deal. I've faced enough heroic types to catch a trend in how you work, and your actions carries the all too familiar scent..

 

But consider your *encouragement* aknowledged. I have my doubts it would be something to worry about regardless though, but you never know. I will add though, that if they attack me without reason, I reserve the right to defend myself I didn't get this far to be turned away again. Not now.."

 

Meanwhile, Cover-up had slowly drunk his tea. He usually drank a lot of this stuff, as it helped to calm his nerves at times, but the taste of this had taken a few sips to get used to enough for him to take bigger gulps. Not that it was bad, but it was certainly different, which also showed when the otherwise dormant crystal ball suddenly started to have pictures in it. Usually he wouldn't think a drink could make this happen, but Zecora made it pretty clear it was connected, and who were he to question a zebra when it came to magic? Unicorn or not, he wasn't anywhere near a class like zebras, if even half of what he had heard were true.

 

"I... Don't see much. There's a few houses from above, a garden I played in once with a neighbor before they moved away, but nothin- Wait."

 

He got a tiny bit closer and took another sip of his drink, as a certain dingy little shed came into view.

 

"This is my home. I-I mean, behind it anyway. The shed never got used before I set up my paint tools in there, along with some finished pictures. Dad never liked that I spent my time on this, but mum encouraged it a lot. She said I did well, and should keep it going. She... She always had my back, when nopony else did..."

 

A tear fell down his left eye, thinking about the last times when he had spoken to her about this. Just a regular, boring day in a small town where nothing happened.

 

By Celestia how he missed those days.

 

"There's a picture outside it right now. I can't see it clearly, but I know it. It was the last one I got made before everything went bad. I put it out to dry a little and went inside to find something to drink..."

 

His voice failed and a tear ran down his other eye as well, as he realized what he were looking at.

 

"I never even got to the sink."

[EQ_Theta 458]

@@Blitz Boom

 

Lin listened in and listened close, somewhat unsure about what implications the next few days will bring. She felt a cold wind blowing past her and scattering the embers that were slowly fading away into the night. There was always a chance she could be wrong and that the many years allowing her anger to simmer and fade back and forth didn't do her any justice. Sometimes, simply asking to be wrong could bring her comfort, along with seeing her family again and hearing their voices after so long would heal old wounds. 

 

"I guess that is all I could ever ask," Lin softly said. "To try and be open to new things and to understand them. That goes for myself and for everyone, really. We don't know everything; no one can ever say they know everything there is to know but we go on learning. It's difficult to accept things when we think we know about them but are proven wrong. That's something I've still yet to fully grasp."

She looked to Sen once more and wondered if those words rang true for him as well as the night slowly went by. Dawn would not approach until a few hours later and if she kept her ears open, the first sounds of the birds chirping was their signal to return to searching.