open Casual stroll

Blitz Boom · May 30, 2017

"Well, on the bright side, even if you are a bit more fried than before, you do seem a great deal happier. Always good to help another pony smile."

Munching down on another bite from her haydog, Circle Pop smiled back as warmly as she could whilst chewing, hoping that things would remain on a good path as it had thus far. Well, long as you ignored the burning chili that were, but even that had its place in making Dawn smile it seemed, so it couldn't be all bad, right?

"Not sure what to talk about now we solved the chili situation though. You have any ideas? I'm as open a book as I am curious."

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@~Phoenix~ @Widdershins

"It's the least I can do."

The path towards the tents weren't exactly going fast, but with how Phoenix were holding up, it was amazing that she were even able to get up there without being carried regardless. Quite frankly, since they didn't get there before around 23:00, he had only gotten mor e respect for her will, though will were only going to keep her up for so long.

Going to one of the empty tents near where they had met Widdershins, Foxy and the others, he'd help her into what turned out to be a vastly more spacious area than were shown on the outside. Some powerful spell by a unicorn no doubt, but he wasn't interested in pondering this right now.

"We're here. Now let's get you to bed before you pass out. I'll stick around until you fall asleep if you prefer, but then I will have to find rest myself in the tent next to this. I should likely check up on the scorched draconequus we left behind too before then. Likely better to make sure that he's still there before he interrupts your sleep out of nowhere."

Though he were curious about how she had learned to transfer magic, asking about it was pretty far from his mind right now. Phoenix needed rest, and his drilling and prodding into her mind wasn't appropriate considering that. The more she could sleep the better.

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@Moonlit @Seamore Sandwich

Ziggy gave Serenade a funny look and walked over to stand between her and the changeling.

"I think that is the worst lie I have ever heard. You're not okay right now Serenade, and if you're not gonna come with me on your own, then for your own good, I'll take you away from here, if you want it or not. I'm not going to let you get all crazy when you're usually doing so good keeping yourself in check."

Her tone had gotten less jolly and more stern in it as she spoke. What she usually referred to as her *Doctor voice* that meant this was serious business. Usually this was reserved for patients she had over the years that had openly expressed something stupid they were gonna do that'd get them hurt, or stubborn ponies who wouldn't admit that something was wrong. Just like Serenade were right now.

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@Foxy Socks @Twilight-Shimmer

"Awh, I always wanted to see one of them go fwoosh and be reborn. It sounds really pretty. Oh well, somepony says no I can listen. For now.

And I can change into lots of stuff, but not so much this me. This is just a uhm... What's the word... Avatar? I'm really standing over with somepony else whilst also here at the same time. Real me is with them, this me is part bench. I turn into lots of wood things like this avatar because I can't do anything else with this. Oh, and the same with real me. I can sort of disguise myself as most things, but it's always some kind of plant-like in it. Guess I've spent too much time playing with plants, hehe.

Oh, and other po-Foxy I mean. Ponies do actually tend to react really weird. Not sure if they're afraid, but most just goes in a big circle away from me. Except at Nightmare Night, then they say I have a great costume. I even got a medal once."

One of the coconuts on her form fell down and cracked open to show a replica of a *Best costume, Manehattan* trophy.

"Dragons tend to get more meanie when I see them. But then again, pegai doesn't like it when I pull their wings either... Meh, guess it's just a weird thing.

Other draconequui I don't know with. Never met one that I remember, though considering how my author says Discord doesn't like me, I sort of get the impression he knew the old me, so I used to be around others before I died at least. What about you two? You're strange for ponies too, with fox parts and being forever young. Do any of you get weird reactions from others?"

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@Lloyd

Seeing the book, Athriel saw red and threw it across the courtyard, before slashing after the conjured image of Astral in rage.

"Blood of a traitor! Infernal spawn of sin! I will find you, and I will tear you limb from limb like I were going to do to your -"

We will now gloss over a full half minute of less than family friendly swearing, culminating in Athriel standing and gasping for air.

"You knew, didn't you? You knew this slab of meat were of the lineage of my *sister* cursed be her name. Why did you hide this from me? I would have gladly made her pay for the things her ancestor had done to me, and it would have been one less thorn in both our sides."

Athriel had little good to say about her sister, Sapphire Star. She used to be a good sister. Younger, but more determined and strong of will than she had been, and let them many places in their youth, including to their own branches of forbidden magic. Her sister had not taken the same interest in blood magic as Athriel had, but she didn't care either. They still studied mostly side by side, growing strong, getting to the point where neither old age or illness could get to them, and then plunged hoof in hoof into the deep end to seek more power and become functionally immortal.

That is, until Sapphire betrayed her.

She became too good for the depths she had plunged them both into, and left her sisters side to try and be a hero for a change, then had the gall to judge her older sister for not so blindly following her. What had she even been thinking when she tried to pull her along? That she would toss aside her magic and just live in her shadow? Blood magic couldn't be hidden like hers, and the only way to step into the light were to turn her back on it all. All the blood, the deceit, the transformative applications of blood magic - a field which she had started to not just learn about, but make her own variations upon.

There wasn't a way out unless she cast away all her powers, and she wouldn't do that after all she had achieved, so her sister left Athriel in this darkness she had pulled her into in the first place, to go and pretend to be a great hero, even if she knew what that traitorous mare really were.

But Athriel had been merciful and willing to forgive. Much as she hated her sister, and that hatred spurred her to gather an abnormal amount of power, she still wanted her sister back. She just needed to do one more thing: To betray the Fallen Spires, and go get the Element of Deceit that she had turned her back to thus far because she didn't want to be exposed and trapped.

And who had then been there to stop her? None other than her self-righteous, holier-than-thou sister, who dared to stand against her when the other members of Athriel's former group had all failed to hold her back.

Whatever feelings of mercy she had started to fade as they began to fight, and Sapphire showed her true colors as nothing more than a traitor of her own blood. She had done this to her older sister, made her into a user of dark and terrible magic, and then had the gall to try and face her like she were the villain.

There were several times during their long fight where Athriel had the chance to strike Sapphire down, but she stayed her hoofs and claws, determined to bring her back, even if she had to beat her to a pulp and force her. A mercy that was repaid by Sapphire trapping her in that accursed bauble for an undetermined amount of time, stripped of magic and being rescued to little more than a prisoner.

However long it had been, she had enough time to think over things many times during it, and her hatred for anything and anypony related to her traitorous sister were at a point where the hate alone felt like it could melt through steel. And now Warlock wanted to keep her sisters spawn around them? What were he thinking? Unless he really wanted to torture her, there was not a... Reason...

"Unless you wanted her to suffer instead. if I had known out there, she would have been dead, but this way, you think my anger will run low enough so that I can see a far more cruel option, don't you? To think I was so blind to that, and the option to do to Astral what Sapphire did to me... Oh, what a twisted little mind you have. What's the plan? And remember, we have a potential unwilling servant to use here, provided I stay within a certain range of him. Considering Astral's little puppy-love, this could be advantageous."

She could almost kiss the psychotic furball over this, which were weird since she never had a craving for other ponies before. She had always been the type to like more buff, mean types like dragons, or diamond dogs, but this one had a mind more vicious than any of them, and it were starting to grow on her.

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@Lloyd

"Of course. Let me just place her first."

Grabbing hold of Misty, he put her on his back like it was nothing, which to him really were the case. He usually wore a twenty pound set of armor, with a five pound flail attached to his tail via the armor. Without it on, he felt as light as a feather, and Misty didn't make much of a difference to that.

He had started with a lighter set of armor when he first became general, but as the years had passed, he figured it wouldn't hurt to add more weight to it every time he needed it reforged. Made it more sturdy, and worked as a good workout as well. Never told Screecher about that one now that he thought about it, but that didn't really seem like an issue anyway.

"Very well then, follow me closely, and I will lead you to a nearby safe place. With minor walk speed we will be there within a minute and thirty-six seconds."

Any guard that would see them wouldn't bother them. Even if it wasn't too often Dew were seen around without his helmet on, he attended every assembly without it, so they would know his face. Far as they would know, he had been out and had apprehended one of the wanted ponies himself and didn't need their help.

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@Lloyd

Golden rubbed his temples, trying to figure out what to say after this assault of information that quite frankly, was horrible in every sense of the word.

"While the princesses are away, unless another member of the Equestrian Royalty are within Canterlot, I am to hold the fort, so to speak. An honor which I still am not entirely certain about how I earned, but I take with great humility and a sworn promise to do what they would themselves in the case of disasters, or general, day to day political duties."

It was not entirely true that he didn't know how he had earned this honor, but he just couldn't see how him helping to brokering a peace between Equestria and the sultana of Saddle Arabia, Arabian Nights. It had been a time where it seemed like unrest might incite between the two nations over a misunderstanding involving somepony trying to sabotage their relationship for their own gain, but through a good deal of sacrifices - which included moving here from his homeland to directly speak with the princesses on behalf of the sultana, rather than having it go through compromised channels, and giving up the comfortable farmer life he had before to act as a politician - they were eventually able to settle things and return to the peaceful relation between the two countries, and apprehend those that had sought to harm it.

A few years after that, whilst he had been integrating, keeping contact with not only Saddle Arabia, but also with several other countries such as Neighpon to make sure everything went peacefully, greeting diplomats there to visit, and so forth, the princesses approached him with this additional duty. Not one he had to act on often, but times did come where emergencies required the princesses to both leave the castle, and they preferred to have a plan ready.

"To return to the situation at hoof, the news you bring are grim indeed. Them finding one of the elements can spell disaster, even if it isn't one of their preferred ones, though I have no idea which one this Athriel entity are supposed to hold. Hopefully not this one, as then our weapons might not work any longer.

That is an update we can bring. Scarcity have generously donated a prison that would be able to contain Athriel, as well as letting us have her Amulet of Gluttony. If we can get that unto Warlock, we might be able to have it siphon all magic he tries to use, and leave him powerless.

I would also like to give my condolences on behalf of Chow. He seemed like a friend of yours, and whilst he may still live, I fear for his well-being in the grips of those two.

Please, both of you sit down in the guest chairs. We will need to discuss a point of action here, though I would propose that we first find your missing companions. Being spread out right now can be dangerous if Warlock have already attempted to dispose of you once. I would suggest we make contact with the generals first and see if they have found something. Any objections to requesting their presence in this room?"

Golden wandered closer to Astral and used his teleportation magic once more, bringing a large, neatly folded, elegant towel to their presence, and handing it towards her.

"May I offer you a towel miss?"

It was from his own room, and not ones you usually offered to others back in his home land, but he had little qualms about it here. He didn't have his nose stuck in the sky, as Chow had once upon a time so elegantly put it.

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@Lloyd

"By me? only if you do things akin to him. I can get somewhat sentimental about those sort of things. As for the rest of the troops, I can assure you that you will. Any general will be compared to his or her predecessor, and unfortunately for you, your position were last filled by the popular and effective generals the Solar Guard have seen for centuries. you first year will be spent being compared to him nearly constantly, and it will not be pleasant, but in time they will start to see why he put his faith in you carrying the torch onward, and you will become a general in your own rights in their eyes, instead of a replacement."

It was not the most comforting news, but Screecher found it best not to sugarcoat things for her new colleague. Many others would over the years, and though it might be harsh, he would do well with having somepony in his life that would tell him the truth. She expected him to do no less to her, if he so pleased.

Wandering through the grounds they would get the occasional salute, but overall, the ponies there were busy, and the closer they got to the forge the lesser there were of them, and it were no surprise. Even from several meters away the air felt warm and perhaps a little hard to take in, unless you were used to that sort of thing, though Iron Wings should know the drill with that. These were the training grounds after all, likely he had been here several times during his time int he Solar Guard, though potentially not that close to the forge. Nopony would blame him really. The metallic building with pipes flowing in and around it, sometimes glowing faintly red as flaming-hot air poured through it, were noisy and not too frequented beyond the two ponies that were known to work in there: Scrapheap and Hammerhead. And those two were a few screws short of a full set. Yet they were the only ones who could stand the heat beyond the forge-master himself, so they were kept on the payroll, and away from anything flammable.

When they got to the door that seemed to radiate enough heat to warrant the warning about not touching it, Screecher took a nearby hammer and swung it at the door. A crude, yet effective door bell, that soon after got the door to open and a blast of air warm enough to curl the hairs in your nose followed a joyous voice from inside, saying to them "Smells like the general. Come on in Screecher, I'm almost done here."

Before they entered though, the general would turn her head to Iron Wing.

"Words of advice: Breathe slowly and controlled, accept you're going to sweat, and don't mind the forge-master. He might be a special sight, but he have proven his loyalty to the kingdom of Equestria."

What that would mean? Why, when they entered, they'd be able to see it, though it shouldn't be much of a surprise, considering the scorching temperatures: The forge-master was a dragon. Body was longer than a pony, even without the tail, but down on all fours as the light blue and lime dragon were right now, and reaching in under a large metal forge for a hammer he dropped, he was about as tall on all fours as Screecher were standing up. Not too big all things considered.

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@dosey doe

What a peculiar mare that one were, but nice of her to remind him that he had things to do at least. He should be on his way.

It would take about an hour until he were done at the train station, yet that might extend if something went wrong here in the morning, which left him with just a reminder of Dosey. Hopefully the next one she met would be one that weren't as busy as he were currently, as he did not wish her to wander alone n what must be trying times for Ponyville.

Considering everything that had gone on in Ponyville recently, how early it were and how a lot of ponies were either sleeping after a shift helping with the rebuilding, currently working or at the spa to get their muscles relaxed again, it wouldn't really be much of a gathering that would be able to attend this morning. Yet one of those that did, did rather stand out among the usual ones.

She were a tall one, that was certain, and the rodent skull around her neck was a bit unnerving, but considering how she were stepping around in circles, almost bubbling over with glee made it seem as if she were not here to make trouble, but looking for fun. Which she seemed to think she found as her eyes laid upon Dosey and there seemed to be light's glittering in her eyes.

"Oh gosh you're so adorable! Hello."

She gave off a smile, toned down the lights going over her and raised a hoof to wave at Dosey.

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@EQ_Theta

"Sounds like things have gotten strange here. Legion I guess? I did see children the way you describe it in the cave. Talked like him."

Going over what it were that had happened in the cave, and citing what Legion had said to her word by word, she also kept looking around the little place they were hidden in. A little cramped and easy to overwhelm she'd say, but she supposed that when everypony where out to get you, it would be fine for them. Personally she'd just have wandered through a gate, but it seemed to be frowned upon to run for it right now.

"- and then I came here. I didn't want to chose, don't trust Legion either. Seemed like I should find you two, make sure you were safe. Guess nopony is anymore.

But what are we going to do? The orb is behind some kind of magic wall I can't get through, I don't want to loose friends, and the town sounds weird. Anypony have any idea? If you have one with the orb, I can get us back to it easily, but it's perhaps still dangerous for you. Can't trust the strange cave."

What could she trust right now though? Well, her friends and siblings obviously, perhaps the new elder and maybe the healer, but Sen and Lin for sure. They would know what was right, and what they were supposed to do. Or they didn't, and she'd get them away to a place far, far away from here. That were really her only idea right now.

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@WiiGuy2014

It pleased Alonsus greatly to see that somepony else liked his breakfast. Whilst he knew it was delicious - because obviously, the great Alonsus wouldn't make a subpar meal - it was still nice to be reassured by that from somepony else than just himself for a change. Especially when it came to the banana muffins, which seemed to fall well in Will's taste.

"A stallion of great work ethics. Admirable, but as you said, we need to find information. As such, might I suggest we head for the library? Might be something there that can jog your memory, and if not, they do seek help sometimes. Far as I know, Princess Twilight can be a little... Ah, shall we say *difficult* to be around when it comes to books over longer periods of time.

Wash around your muzzle whilst I clean up here, and we can be on our way. With some degree of luck, there will also be a book on roof building, so I can add roof maintenance to my repertoire."

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@BloodDrops

Lyriel had been whistling softly to herself as Blood had woken up again, but continued a little after she had, as the dryad wished to finish her tune. It sounded much like wind blowing through grass, but it wasn't a tune she would blame anyone for not knowing. It was somewhat strange for the less natural of beings she supposed.

"Something to eat again already? My, you're a rather hungry one little friend. Perhaps you have gone hungry for a while before this?

Ah, but in any regards, can I offer perhaps some fish for you then? I would prefer not to hunt more bunnies right now, as much as they are part of the cycle, their numbers are rather low, and need to rise again. Too many of their members removed, and the forest might be scarce and the predators would starve. I would rather not have this forest fall into disarray if possible."

She looked into the sky, feeling like something were approaching, and spotted the outline of a pair of familiar large wings under the moonlight.

"It would appear as if Nerzhei will be joining us within a short amount of time. I hope she is not in one of her bad moods tonight."

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@Shineling

Save you? I'd rather pop up a chair, grab some popcorns, and just sit back and wait for the inevitable mental breakdown.

Be nice to string-man for Pinkie and Stormy. They're my friends, and you don't harm my friends without bad things happening to you. Grr.

...I seriously need help, I'm sitting here talking to imaginary creatures.

Oh and Pinkie? Aiming to have the town fixed tomorrow, so I'd ask your creator to draw up a tuxedo. Stormy's gonna need to look sharp when he's ~~walking proudly in to get married~~ pushed down the alter, bound and gagged so he can't say no before you drag him home.

Alright fine, I stop this and go back to the story. Jeez, cranky little creature.

Anomaly giggled and went *aaawh* with glee as she saw the little fruit bat blink and look right at her. It was so adorable that sweets started to literally fall out of Anomaly's large pumpkin mouth and down to the ground. Properly, individually wrapped pieces too.

"Well aren't you the cutest thing ever? Want some fruit?"

She didn't wait for an answer before snapping off the stem on her head, then buried it in front of her and watched as a small tree that was a little higher than them sprouted up, carrying all sorts of fruits dangling from its multi-colored leaves. Also some berries, like bananas, but there was a large selection to pick from anyway, including some species you wouldn't see around here. Might be something that'd be to Jezabelle's liking.

"Your life sounds fun too Stormy. Funny sounding family, foal around you, lots and lots of party. Nothing more fun than that, especially costume ones. Noone can beat me at making a solid costume. Except that darned changeling cheater... *grumble*"

"Okay, before Blitz starts to actively jump down from the roof and potentially break something since her wings clearly aren't functional right now, could anypony help me get her down?"

Hey, my wings will work. Perhaps not now, but in time they totally will, and I bet I can glide with them right now."

"The frame is too heavy, immobile, and feathers won't get you anywhere. You'd need at the very least sturdy pieces of leather for a *flying squirrel* sort of experience, or a beginning bat pony pair. Now get down here. And not by jumping!"

"How else am I gonna get down from here? Not that big a fall anyway you know? Bet you're just a scaredycat."

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@Seamore Sandwich

Flustered and protective when faced with the question of her potential inability to produce offspring. Interesting.

Wandering over to the dissipating smoke cloud, Zhu used his wind magic to scatter it quicker, though to little avail as the two had not left tracks to follow, even as they had escaped with haste.

A bit too hasty it seemed, as the pile of his trinkets had been left behind, which he then methodically lifted and returned to where they should be within his robes. One thing not included on his normal list though, were the trinket that had masked the female feline earlier, which he stuck within an inner pocket of its own. It might become important later on.

He should try to remember that a ward against stealing these items would be a good usage of his time at some point in the future, but for now, that wasn't too important. That part would be to track down the thieves.

Much as they had not left any tracks, he had still had a good glance at the female's potential futures, and as such, he had some ideas of where the two of them and the egg were.

Whilst the smoke bomb were one of the lesser likely scenarios when he had looked before, he would still begin to search in the place that had appeared the most likely via the cloaking route they had entered now. If she wasn't there, he'd move on, but one clue at a time.

Wondering once more what the female might want his family's blood for that close to her own, Zhu put his hood back on and started to sprint through the forest on soft paws, aiming to find the thieving duo and his sister as quickly as possible.

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@Seamore Sandwich

"Color-changing chocolate? How delightful. Let's see."

Taking the offered sample, Scarcity slowly let the flavors sink in as Penny talked, and barring any magical side effects, would consider it a passable treat.

For most it would likely be pretty well done, however Scarcity had higher standards for being good than the general populace here, as she were used to the creamy chocolate that included Saddle Arabian Buttermilk, and other chocolates just felt somewhat disappointing next to that.

"Well tasting, and a fun little effect added to it. A product that would draw the eye I would say.

Now then, to the subject at hoof, I think it is important that they do not just set themselves satisfied with finding the workshops this time, but apprehend the fraud too. The economy will not be able to stand stable in the long run when false currency begins to float around the circuit more numerously.

I know of a few ponies that may know something if I can see some of the equipment that were used. Pawn shop owners mostly, which I know is somewhat despicable, but I find them smarter to be with than against. They sometimes hear tidbits about strange things being sold around, so a printing object of some kind might be a rumor that have passed by them. Worth an attempt in any case, but one that will be crossed when the time comes. For the time being, shall we be on our way darling?"

Scarcity looked in slight confusion as Penny instead wandered away from her, but it made a good deal more sense at her return, which made Scarcity smirk a little.

"I see that you subscribe to the notion that the way to a stallions heart is through his stomach."

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@Seamore Sandwich

Whilst Charlie might not recognize the body in front of them, Vivid didn't miss it for a second. The shape of the horn, the mane, size, etc. were telling to her, and fit the image in her head of the body for Charlie she had hidden thus far. Quite the awkward situation, but then again, only if she told him. But what then if him and Charlie met later on then? Shouldn't he be prepared? Though how it'd sit with him to hear that the original owners of the body parts had parted with them after making deals with a demon was likely going too far into the details.

She didn't get much more time to think over it though, before three voices filtered out from the open door that drew her attention like a moth to light.

Varying age, though no older than 15 from the sound of it, and mostly jabbering on about regular day to day stuff, though the words did not strike her as much as their images in some of the windows did.

Moments lost in time with two fillies and a colt, dancing around and having fun - though they weren't all three in the same window - with a mare in tow that seemed drained and worried, but also had a big, proud smile on her muzzle.

She saw the mare in her dreams every night, reflected in the windows she looked at, showing her as she once were. Back before the demons had laid claim on her soul and the repeated influx of void magic had warped her.

What she looked at bow though, were things she had nearly forgotten about since then. Happier times with her foals, before she had been forced to give them up or ran away. The days when each had thought that she was a good mother, and not the persecuted freak that ruined their lives.

Blood-filled tears rolled down as she got closer to them, wanting to touch the glass and break through, but knowing that she couldn't. They were just memories, even if they were the ones she cherished most of all and used to wish she could just get lost in.

"I'm sorry. It was all my fault."

The other rooms had reminded her of the anger she felt from those judging her, and the grief that came from eventually seeing her foals move on to the next world, but for once she didn't get the horrors from being reminded. Even if she apologized to nothing more than memories, and had proclaimed with hurt words and tears down her face that something had happened between them - which were apparently all on her - she still felt somewhat good here, looking at some of the unspoiled memories which she had been close to forgetting. Perhaps this place were not all bad, even if she knew that the bad memories would follow soon if she stayed here, so she forced herself to look away, and wandered towards the elevator that for once seemed to promise freedom more than madness.

Edited May 30, 2017 by Blitz Boom
Added colors.

EQ_Theta · May 31, 2017

@Blitz Boom

"Legion? And he took the children? I don't understand." Elder Ghilan paused for a moment, thinking of the ways an unscrupulous being could use them as leverage. And that was just the problem: a powerful, uncaring creature doing all of this wouldn't second guess its reasons for doing so. Even the thought of seeing innocent lives put at risk is a painful one for the elder who's responsible for the welfare of those he leads.

"We're safe for now but... well, we don't know what else to do. How can we fight someone who is always several steps ahead of us?"

Lin stopped for a while and before Sen could reply, the sound of footsteps outside and around their hiding place grew louder until it stopped. For a moment, it was dead silent, a temporary reprieve but a deceptive one until one claw reached in, breaking through the wooden panels on the wall and grabbed Lin from behind. Sen tried to reach for her but was also grabbed from behind and pulled outside. Ghilan and the healer ran outside but were corralled by another group and taken hostage. Only Omen was left, surrounded by the villagers but mostly the turned hunters. The siblings were struggling to free themselves from the grasp of the hunters holding them by their throats but knowing about the strength of their grip, only someone who could match them could break free. One group was massing near her until Solasan walked up with a smug look on his face.

"You left without answering," Solasan said. "And look what you made me do! All of these poor villagers condemned to their fate because you couldn't give me a straight answer. I suppose I gave you a choice where only I could come out on top regardless of who you picked."

Solasan signalled the two hunters holding on to the siblings and brought them forward. Knowing about Omen's ability to open gates, he had them stay put, still holding their quarry.

"Let me make it simpler. You decide who to let go and who you value more. No strings attached." The false elder paced about and turned to face the captured siblings, still assured in his victor.

Though Lin is stuck and unable to do much in her current predicament, she carefully channeled her powers into opening a gate large enough for Omen to fit through just behind her. She only needed to take one step back to send her to the cave. It was a risk but if her hunch is right, no one is guarding the orb now and it is likely that Solasan needed to be in the cave to keep his defenses up. The gate was completed with Solasan none the wiser. Sen picked up on this and looked to his friend with a smile, pointing his snout at the gate and subtly hinted at Omen's opportunity. This was a chance for Omen to end this once and for all.

Midnight_Aurora · May 31, 2017

On 5/28/2017 at 4:24 PM, Blitz Boom said:

@Midnight_Aurora

"Regardless of what power you may or may not posses, as you stated, it is currently locked down. As such, you are vulnerable, which brings me back to my previous point about you needing help."

Belladonna had nearly not dignified his assessment with an answer, since it would be pointless as he had brought his own counterargument back to the one that she had made previously. Yet she tried to be somewhat civil and indulged in answering a question which served mainly to strengthen a point in her mind, regardless of how her personal ideals about conversation held true.

"As for your inquiry, might I suggest to wait with that until we are in a more secure location, if it really is such a grand secret? The walls are not thick enough here to hold out words for a curious and determined mind. If some degree of secrecy is what you want, telling it here would yield you a roughly 7.43% chance of being heard. Not overly much, but enough to be plausible."

"All right. However, you said earlier that they wanted to speak to me. Yet, they seem to be very busy. Did something happen recently to cause such a long wait?" *Cosmic says as he sits back on the bed. He begins meditating while listening for Belladonna's answer.*

FanOfManyShows · May 31, 2017

@Blitz Boom

Warlock laughed a bit, interrupted there was the sound of something dropping. "Oh!" He grabbed it, it was Sapphire's eye, technically an old relic but also literally Sapphire's eye, allowing her to see magic users by making them glow with a sort of smoke. "Sorry, just had no idea you were related." He said fixing the necklace. "There were no records, no diary entries, no mentions, as if she didn't consider you alive at all." He said with a smirk. "Which is interesting." He handed the necklace over. "I hadn't had any plans for Astral other than trying to recruit her." He glanced down to the necklace. "Oh right." He brought the necklace back, putting a hoof over it, the crack repairing itself, the gem immediately turned a deep blue from gathering some dark magic. He rose his hoof in front of himself, the air seemed to crack open, clearly being a bridge of sorts to the astral plane. "There we go, working like a charm, here you go." The bridge closed, the necklace flying through the air awaiting Athriel to catch it. "I managed to snatch it after it sort of, exploded." He said walking away putting the element of depression on the shelf, Warlock turned around, looking at the necklace. "If you don't want it I'll wear it, since we need to take our advantages."

If Athriel caught it, the gem's insides would act much more violent and would turn red-ish, this was a result of some of Sapphire's soul being inside it and recognizing Athriel's magical presence, if Athriel recognized the gem she'd know it was a horcrux too, since her sister told her of it so she could bring her back in the future, but now she could bring her sister back, and the possibly to get Sapphire to side with her again.

"Oh while we're at it, why don't we search Canterlot for a possible bearer of this element?" He asked picking the element off the shelf.

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Iron Star smiled. "Oh good, we can't take to much time. Warlock is going to get a major advantage soon." He said, knowing the guard was aware of Warlock. "We'll need more help than just getting little Misty here to safety." Misty seemed to cough up some water, breathing in deeply as her body realized her lungs worked, then started breathing properly. Iron Star walking up to Misty, petting her mane. "I hope she recovers soon."

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Astral grabbed it, rubbing her mane dry. "Thanks." Her mane was ruffled up, but she ignored it and calmly walked over to the quest chair as she handed the towel over back to Golden. "As long as they know I am not evil I won't have any objections." she said sitting down, putting her hooves in front of herself but then realized something. "AH!" She grasped at her neck. "My necklace!" Her eyes now expressed dread.

"It was just a piece of jewelry, what's so-"

"It produces magical energy based off the user! If warlock has it it'd produce dark magic, if Athriel has it, well I don't know what it does with blood magic, but it can't be good either way!"

"Could it be an element of disharmony then?"

Astral scoffed. "No, it's a Sapphire gem. My mother had it. It glows near a source of magic but it was cracked." She leaned forward. "And aren't elements of disharmony indestructible anyways?"

Francis sat down on one of the guest seats. "We never saw them break, so how would we know?" Nectar looked to Francis. "If anything nopony has actually tried to break them yet."

And then Astral's eyes were wider. "That's even worse if it is!" She said swinging her hooves forward. "Golden do you have any ideas that don't keep Warlock in the lead?"

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Iron wipped some sweat off. "I'll try to keep that in min-" then he saw the dragon. "Woah, how did you get a dragon to work here?"

Moonlit · May 31, 2017

@Blitz Boom @Seamore Sandwich "Changelings and Sirens do not mix. We.." She gulps, "are the opposite of each other. They eat love, we feed on disharmony." Her wings flutter, she's not surprised that nopony hasn't heard her, given all the noise she's making.

Twilight-Shimmer · May 31, 2017

@Blitz Boom

@Foxy Socks

Stardust listened to Anomaly a bit then nodded at the question, I am frequently mistaken for a young foal given my size and apparent age. It also does not help my mind fluctuates from time to time based on things around me. For example, if I eat a food i really really like, I tend to act like the foal I look like.Also as i said to somepony else already, I also once encountered a not too stable mare who thought I was really a Foal who had no home and took me to her home and tried to treat me like the foal i looked, it took me a year or so to convince her that i wasn't a foal, but until then I had to put up with all sorts of foalish things.

BloodDrops · May 31, 2017

16 hours ago, Blitz Boom said:

Lyriel had been whistling softly to herself as Blood had woken up again, but continued a little after she had, as the dryad wished to finish her tune. It sounded much like wind blowing through grass, but it wasn't a tune she would blame anyone for not knowing. It was somewhat strange for the less natural of beings she supposed.

"Something to eat again already? My, you're a rather hungry one little friend. Perhaps you have gone hungry for a while before this?

Ah, but in any regards, can I offer perhaps some fish for you then? I would prefer not to hunt more bunnies right now, as much as they are part of the cycle, their numbers are rather low, and need to rise again. Too many of their members removed, and the forest might be scarce and the predators would starve. I would rather not have this forest fall into disarray if possible."

She looked into the sky, feeling like something were approaching, and spotted the outline of a pair of familiar large wings under the moonlight.

"It would appear as if Nerzhei will be joining us within a short amount of time. I hope she is not in one of her bad moods tonight."

"Fish is fine" she remarked to the tree. "I eat when im hungry, and only get hungry every now and again, though when im hungry im rather ravenous" she remarked to the tree with a small smile, she then looked at the sky and frowned at the large wings. "Nerzhel is always in a bad mood. she doesn't like my eating habbits either, saying nits not very natural for me to eat other ponies, When I told her i ate another pony she got very judgemental" she snorted getting angry at the mention of the hypocritical dragon.

"Not like Nerzhel eats grass or anything, shes a meat eater like myself as well" she remarked. Sitting down grumpy.

Foxy Socks · May 31, 2017

@Twilight-Shimmer @Blitz Boom

"What about that other being you were with, the one who created the Evergrown?" Foxy asked when Anomaly said she didn't know much about the others of her race.

"As for me, well..." Foxy closed her eyes and adjusted her wings while thinking. There was so much she didn't know about herself yet. What was there to tell? No one ever told her, and she wondered if someone knew, or if this would be an eternal mystery.

Foxy sighed before opening her eyes. "I do not know how I was born like this, but I do know I am mostly an ordinary pegasus besides that. I was raised in a small community, so others often avoided me. I had a few friends though, even if I was mostly solitary. Eventually I moved here I guess, and my fascination is with foxes, as well as animals in general. I can only really speak to foxes, and a bit with snakes."

Hmm, what else?

"I guess the most frightening thing to other ponies about me are my teeth, but I never use them in any harmful way of course." Foxy revealed her fangs, which she tries hide when with others. Foxy continued.

"Well, I am fascinated with other pony races as well. Especially you guys. Though I must seem quite boring as a normal mortal pony. By the way, what is your normal form?"

dosey doe · May 31, 2017

@Blitz Boom

"Oh, hi there!" said DD to the pegasus. "I love your little bow! I'm Dosey Doe, What's your name?"

She trotted around, looking for something - after a little bit, she picked a flower, and now stands there with it in her mouth, offering it to the pegasus.

Sekel · May 31, 2017

@Blitz Boom

"Book? You like books?" Dawn asked after she finished another bite of her hay dog. "What kind? Who are your favourite characters? What do they mean to you?" By this point, Dawn had risen out of her seat and was leering as close as possible to Circle Pop, grinning widely and most likely giving the poor mare a feel of fright, even if it was for a tiny bit.

dragon4111 · May 31, 2017

@Widdershins @Blitz Boom

Ancalagon looked at Last stand with an annoyed look. He then smirked "I wonder Last what keeps you fighting?" he asked as he walked with the pony towards the spa. He looked towards Last once more an asks "What keeps you from falling? Your faith in two normal ponies who have wings and horns? Faith can be shattered in an instant," Ancalagon said simply with a chuckle. "

Widdershins · June 1, 2017

Maybe you're the imaginary one, eh? Ya ever think of that? Maybe we're all just roleplay characters of an even bigger dork!

Stop trying to spread madness. Ah, ah, ah! Confusion! Madness is the fellers with far more tentacles then I have! They're totally different!

Oh, behave already. Whal, maybe iffen I tweren't narratively dead currently, I wouldn't be mucking about in other plotlines, would I? Riddle me that, Baitman!

@Blitz Boom and also, possibly, maybe @genessee, if he's around and willing?

Nervously raising a hoof to politely meet the mare as he had been taught before in his foalhood, Ambie shakily responds.

"Well... I dunno, he did say something about magic I don't... I... what do you mean... by..."

Finally taking notice of his hoof, the pudgy, previously peach pony perceives the patterned pulses pervading his... Poat? *snicker* (oh shaddup, you... that was going great...)

-Coat*. Realizing now the unnatural, for him, change coming on him Ambie panics and rears up on his back hooves. Waving the aforementioned hoof in front of him and speaking in a wavery, but moderately quiet voice he proclaims in a strangled gasp.

"Augh! Wh-what's h-happening... to me! What're you... did you..."

The same anti-changeling magic that had affected Happy Hour fizzling around him like Pop Rocks (can you still buy those? Man, I need to get my claw on those!) Ambie's coat now darkens to a light black over the previous colors as he starts to black out from a wide-eyed panic attack. Stumbling forward in his panic, he trips forward...

...to bowl over, unconscious, into Void's chest.

Storm Shine · June 1, 2017

@Blitz Boom

Pinkie giggled at Anomaly and her silly human, "I wouldn't need to tie Stormy up for that, silly." She replied with a grin, "But I bet Stormy would look pretty sharp in a tuxy... Hmm..."

Meanwhile, Jezabelle squeaked happily at the tree of fruit; immediately winging her way to the biggest and juiciest banana her little eyes could find. She began to munch on it, peel and all, giving cute little sounds of content as she did. "Aww, Jessy really likes the present Anomaly." Storm said with a smile, watching as the bananas on the tree were systematically devoured. "And I really do enjoy my life, can't complain at the very least." He laughed.

Pinkie was broken out of her ~~daydreams of how Storm would look in a tux~~ Very serious thoughts as Molotov made his outburst, causing her to look up at Blitz "Oo~, that looks fun!" She exclaimed, hopping up to stand next to Blitz in a single bound. "Heya Blitzy, you wanna ride my mane down to the ground?" the pink pony offered with a grin, "It's super soft and comfy!" She pushed a hoof into her mess of curls, pushing it down, before removing it and allowing her mane to *puff* back to its normal shape. "And super duper poofy!"

Edited June 1, 2017 by Shineling

Blitz Boom · June 1, 2017

@EQ_Theta

This town really were starting to become all sorts of trouble. First with the villagers just normally, and now with the mind-controlled ones who were pulling in through the walls and grabbing hold of her friends, which were a pretty big problem for Omen.

Much as she could open gates like there were no tomorrow, she needed to have some degree of visual on things to not accidentally put a gate halfway through a wall and just getting parts of a being passing through, which would negate the travel entirely for some reason. She wasn't sure why, but it was likely a sort of fail safe Mother had put in one way or another, to stop only getting bits and pieces of visitors into her realm.

Since Omen didn't know exactly how thick these walls were and if she would just make a gate on another pony - which again, would negate it - she couldn't really do anything as her friends were grasped and Salosan got into view again, still smelling like he had when she last met him. Something which she still couldn't place, but were best described as *wrong in several ways* right now. She could perhaps think on it and find a better answer, but even she understood that right now wasn't thinking time.

Sen and Lin were taken, along with the healer and the new elder, and whilst she could likely just put gates under them and drag them into her home, something told her that it wouldn't work. The others said that Legion would know when they took over others, so they would know how long it would take for her gates to pop, how likely it were she'd put therm under their feet, and how to dodge them the best. It'd just use time she didn't really have.

Pondering slightly over what options she had, things looked like all she could do were to just make a choice between her friends. Not one she liked to, but if she had to, and considering which one were most likely to avoid being corrupted by the orb in the long run...

"I know who I want free the most."

It was about that time she felt the gate behind her and saw how Sen were somewhat pointing her towards it with a strange glimmer in his eyes. Did they want her to leave? Why? Did it have something to do with the orb?

She had no idea, a she couldn't figure out how the cave were likely unguarded right now, but regardless, she took a step back through the gate in any case, leaving her siblings and friends with Salosan, and heading towards where they wanted her to be. once more, without any real answer given to Salosan. Something which were likely going to annoy him.

Ending up back at the cave afterwards, she still wasn't sure what was going on, but it had to do with something with the orb more than likely. Perhaps they thought there wasn't anypony with it, and she could take it and deliver it to Mother for destruction? Better look and see if that was it, and hurry too. Not good to leave them with Legion and its puppets.

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@Midnight_Aurora

"About 36 hours ago, the town got attacked by some kind of undetermined monster. It was defeated from what I hear, but among the destruction and with the general pains that comes from hard labor since then, there is a good deal of hurt ponies in need of help.

I believe they will most likely simply want to hear about how you are too, but we will see soon. From what I can hear, somepony is stepping closer, and with their speed falling down now, I would think we will see one enter in about 3-2-1- Welcome."

Belladonna pointed at the door just as it opened, and a semi-confused golden-maned, grey nurse entered the room to a greetings that shouldn't have been that fast in her mind. Usually nopony said something until a few seconds after when they had seen her first.

"Uhm, hello there."

Closing the door behind her and shrugging off the somewhat strange timing, she went directly over to the patient with a reassuring, but tired smile on her muzzle. Seemed like they really did have plenty to do today.

"Good to see you awake sir. My name is Nurse Needle Shot, and I came here to see if you were feeling any better. You seem to be awake so that is a start, but how are you otherwise? Dizzy? Feverish? Any internal pain in your stomach region?"

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@Lloyd

"Little sister dragged me down this route, then turned on me to go and play hero. Big words from her considering how many she hurt."

Catching the gem tossed at her, Athriel rose it up as she saw it swirl and become more red, and a cruel, evil smile started to spread on her feathered face.

"So little sister, I have your precious horcrux now.A tiny piece of your rotten, good for nothing, polluted soul.

Did you know she hid her soul like this Warlock? So afraid of dying she wanted ways to come back, she told me how to use this thing and do that. Something which I swore that I would do. That is, before the insolent little brat stole my power and trapped me."

She dangled the gem and looked into the *eye* like she would have her own sister. With a glee bordering on the psychotic, and deceitful plans blooming behind them on how to make this soul suffer.

"You don't seem to like her either, so I have a proposal to make to you Warlock: We bring her back. Not now of course, but when the time comes when we capture the brat, her father, and that little dirt-rhymer she is tagging along with. Just imagine the sort of things she would do to let us spare her precious little family. Why, I'm sure she'd even be willing to drop her guard and let us rewrite her mind, just so they won't die because of her. And if she doesn't, we'd still be able to see the look in her face as she refuses, and they then perish right in front of her.

Making an ally of the greatest enemy we would be likely to face almost makes it tingle in my borrowed bones. Just need to find the right time and hold the cards we needs, and then we can have a proper servant. Doesn't that sound lovely?"

Her voice had gone almost flirty there at the end as she nearer Warlock and spun the trinket between two talons, and speaking of the broad outline of her deceitful little plan. More details were going to be filled in, but one bit at a time here.

"Regardless, we could search Canterlot, but that depends how much you want to be exposed. We're barely out of there, so the city will be on total lock down and everypony will be checked. We make a big mess now, we might end with an antire kingdom on our back at once instead of just the witches and a few of their allies thus far. We should go look for the next element first, and give it a bit of time before we enter the capital. Though that's just my plan anyway. if you feel like getting into more situations where we have to fend away minor annoyances constantly right now, go ahead and be my guest."

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@Lloyd

"I don't know who this Warlock character is, but the name alone spells trouble. More information about that one would be helpful, but first, come on in here."

Dew pushed open a door that lead into a safe-house that had been used a few times either for guards who needed a little time to get to their senses again, a few times a lovers nest, and mainly, to house witnesses. It wasn't the only one, but it had been the nearest one, and one who thankfully seemed to be empty right now.

Going over to a bed in the corner, he put the foal down on it and opened a few windows slightly to get some fresh air and light in. Not enough for them to be spied on, but enough to make this somewhere he could actually see the two he were with here.

"Alright then. This is a safe-house, and as long as you're validated by one of the guards as an important witness, you're not in trouble here. That comes at the price of giving me some information though. Who are you, who is she, and how come I had to prepare arrest orders for her and some other kid for practicing forbidden magic and letting some kind of entity out of the royal gardens? I'll listen with an open mind to this, since nothing about this seems right, but I will want answers, or the chains are next. As the general of the Solar Guards, I can't take chances with felons who keeps quiet.

So, tell me what's going on, and I'll send for a doctor to check up on you two in the meantime, alright?"

Might be that he had just retired, but for the general population, Morning Dew were still the de facto general of Celestia's guard, and as such, he didn't see an issue with calling up rank on this. Quite honestly, he didn't even think about the retirement part, just that there was a job to do and he had been there to do it. Besides, until the princesses had signed his papers, he were technically still a general.

He also wasn't going to refuse the two of them medical help if they didn't want to talk. That was crazy. He were just gonna make sure the doctors came with a battalion in tow.

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@Lloyd

"I'm afraid that with teleporters, it's hard to predict where they are going or how fast, but I do have something that will be of some help. If they are still chasing after the elements, I could procure the location of one of them. I can't remember which guard, but I know that General Screecher once mentioned that one of the guards had spoken about disharmony elements before. I can ask her to point the guard out, and then we can see if we can find anything from there.

I can't join you in that hunt though. Canterlot is on lock down, and even though the generals are doing well, the city needs somepony here in charge, in case something goes horribly wrong. Perhaps I can ask of them to spare some help for you on the way though. I will have to ask them personally to be sure."

You could see that it ate at Golden that he couldn't go with them and try to help them, but he knew that he were right. The capital needed a figure at the top, and with the princesses still out, that had to be him. Much as he wanted to, he couldn't be everywhere at once, and sadly, he couldn't protect everypony. A fact that gnawed at him in cases such as this.

"I only hope that the only thing we loose here is going to be your trinket Astral, though I do give my condolences for your loss. It can't be easy to loose a family heirloom, and especially not one that might be possible to use against us. Hopefully you will be able to get it back eventually."

Golden wandered over to the door and popped out to ask one of the guards to find and bring the generals to him, since they had things they needed to discuss. Something which the generals were apparently also, since the guards said that they had already send word, since the two had been looking for Golden for some kind of authorization.

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@Lloyd

"He came to town four years ago looking for work, and since our old forge master had retired, he thought he'd give it a shot at the palace. He's immune to the flames in here and said he knew how to craft a set of plate, so he was given him a chance, and he have been doing his to keep our armors and weapons intact and sturdy since then. Even if we have had to cut down on blacksmiths in here after he kept turning the warmth up."

"Awh come on general, you know I needed more heat to get some real work done in here. But other than that, things are pretty much what you said, though I didn't just come here for work, even though I do like getting my claws dirty. I also came here to get closer to- Ah, there we go."

The dragon went up from the floor and stretched himself upwards with the hammer in hand, then twirled it a few times before returning to speaking with the two ponies, though not before he had put down the hammer and returned to a more comfortable position on all fours. He preferred to walk like this both because it fitted him better unless he had to carry stuff, and because it didn't keep him towering over the ponies around him. He were trying to be friends after all, and that were easier to do in head height.

"Sorry about that. I need to keep better hold of my tools sometimes. Name's Benny. How can I help you there soldier?"

"He needs a custom set of armor."

Benny raised an eyebrow and got closer to Iron Wing.

"Really? But this one looks like he'd fit a standard issue armor. Heck, he's wearing one right now. What's wrong?"

"Any new general are to get a custom set of armor. I was under the impression you knew this."

All the color seemed to drain from the otherwise happy dragons face, and he rapidly looked between iron Wings and Midnight Screecher, looking for answers in a slight panic.

"New general? What happened to Morning Dew? Please tell me he's okay."

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

@Moonlit @Seamore Sandwich @Shineling (because of Happy)

"And that' why we have to get you moving. It's not smart to keep you here when he's here too."

"What the hay are you two on about?"

Ziggy turned around quickly and with a *meep!* got a glance at the head of Happy that were rising slowly up from the wall, where he had started to slowly fly towards to find out what the deal were with these two. Pinkie didn't seem to keep an eye on him anymore, so hopefully this would work, and then he'd pick another costume that wouldn't keep him this exposed. Might be he'd be able to sneak away from this place after all.

"And what's with all the noise and weird sme-Argh!"

Happy had been stopped in his trajectory and questioning by Fah'Lina, that he jumped him maw first and were currently scratching and chomping on the head of the currently extremely confused humaling that went spiraling towards the ground, whilst at the same time desperately trying to get the hell-spawn off his head.

"Okay, we have a distraction. come on, we have to get away, now!"

With that, Ziggy would attempt to drag Serenade off and into the forest, where the lake they had found some weeks ago should hopefully help her to get some distance from everypony so she could have a breather. If she didn't want to be moved and had started to go into Siren mode however, this was gonna be one hay of a bothersome time.

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@Foxy Socks @Twilight-Shimmer

"Hehe, it's funny how you keep saying foals. Pretty word, but used so much. And your life sounds fun! Yeah, you might be really old and looking young, but you can have all the fun of a regular foal too. Zhu told me once that a lot of adults end up loosing that spark and grows boring, but you still have that going. Sounds lots of fun.

And Zhu is a weird one to tell about. He never really said where he came from, and I've never seen others like him, but he said he's a Serpanther, which is like a cat body and paws, but with snake head and tail. Pretty weird combo, and I should know. I have a pumpkin for a head.

He kept saying lots of stuff about the future and how the balance needed to be upheld, but I don't really understand it all. I just know he said it was important to make plant ponies, and he helped me so I figured hey, why not? Could be fun with talking plants.

You say you talk to animals too? Yey! Nearly nopony I'm around seem to understand them."

Agni send a bunch of small embers to the ground where the replica prize from before were, burning it whilst cooing threateningly.

"Oh yeah? How about yourself you fowl-mouthed little thing. Hehe, see what I did there? Foul, fowl? It's- Hey, stop saying mean things you luke-warm feather duster!"

Seemed like Anomaly and Agni really didn't get along, though at least they hadn't attacked eachother yet.

As for how Anomaly actually looked, she had said she had a pumpkin head, and not far from them were a being with that, standing and talking to a bunch of other ponies. Pretty good odds that were what she looked like in her base form.

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@BloodDrops

"Nerzhei is an oak that thinks every wind is a storm. Unbending and creaking in defiance, even when the breeze just passes innocently by."

She did not have the time to say further what she meant, before the dragoness got close enough and landed, carrying a sizeable gem and looking between them with irritation growing in her eyes.

"Do not be angry my friend. I simply wished to watch this lost little soul when the larger of your kin arose."

"You know you can't just show yourself to everyone Lyriel. What if they don't like what they're seeing and the rumor starts spreading?"

"I appreciate the concern, but I ask you this: With all that enters and what have risen, then fallen, am I truly such a strange sight in comparison here? I would think not, but even if I were, I would still need to make contact sooner or later. I cannot stay idle in the forest by myself forever, or it would be little different from back home."

Nerzhei didn't answer it right away, but just averted her eyes whilst grumbling, clearly having lost the battle of wits they had been going at.

"Now then, we were going to go to gather some fish for Blood to feast upon. You are welcome to join us if you wish to. Shall we Blood? I know of a good river only a few minutes from here."

Lyriel got up on her feet and started to walk towards the river with calm steps, thinking that the other two would sort out between one another what to do here, and then join her for what they seemed to both consider dinner.

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@dosey doe

"Is that for me? Awh, how nice of you! Hold on a sec, I'll need to get you something too. Something that will fit... Aha!"

Spreading her large, left wing, the mare would put her head in, grab a feather and yank it out, which made her eyes water a little and a low sound of "Ouchie ouchie ouchie!" escape her before she folded down again and placed the feather in Dosey's mane.

"There, that looks pretty on you Dosey. And my name is Sorrow, nice to meet you. Are you here because of the dancing sign too? Not a lot of ponies here today."

Sorrow walked around in circles a little, looking things over with a big grin on her face that was pretty unfitting with her name, before refocusing on Dosey again, wondering if she could tell her stuff about this place. Like how long she had been here, and who owned the place.

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@Dji

"Well, it's not really what I meant, but sure, I like books. Mostly fantasy books though. I love stories about the gallant knight going out to save his damsel in distress, even though I tend to skip the ones where dragons are portrayed as evil. Feels wrong after I learned how sweet some of them can actually be.

I think my favorite is King Fairywind and the Knights of the Round Treestump. It haves some of the best character development I've read, even if some of the sequels can get kinda weird with them. The original though, gripping story for sure.

I like mysteries too. The whole detective genre is pretty cool, especially if you try to figure out who the bad guy is before the end and then get thrown way off course. Fun to reread and then see how it all starts to fit together then.

What about you? I get the feeling you might like... Poetry?"

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@dragon4111

"I fight for the Princess of Dreams, even when she were trapped on the moon, and I will do so until the day I perish. Even if she falls, or she returns to Nightmare Moon, it doesn't change what she stands for and the oath I have given, and my faith in that will keep me going. Just like it have done to everypony in my family for a thousand years, with a faith that no words from you can shake."

Last were loyal to Princess Luna without hesitation, even if her and the others at the shrine had been officially dismissed from their duty. It didn't matter. She knew the princess had done so because it was time for others to take over, and for the lot of them to go into the world instead of isolating themselves in eternal battle, but that didn't mean that their faith in her had waned.

Perhaps it would look pathetic to others. A mare meant for combat, trying to get by in the regular world whilst clinging to the name of a princess that had let her people go. It must look to them like she were just desperately clinging to the only thing she had left to not go insane or fall into despair.

And while that had some degree of truth to it, that wasn't the main thing. That still were that she had an unquestionable, unshaken faith in the Princess Luna they had been told about when she grew up, and whom she had fought in the name of for her entire life, and nothing could shake the foundation of what the princess stood for to her.

"Under the moon we rise our blades. Bathed in the light that never fades. Shadows in name, but blessed with her might. Forever we stand with the throne of night."

A chant they had at her shrine when they had special occasions in the shrine, or new lives had matured enough to take their oath and rise their blades with the rest of them. Perhaps something reminiscent of a cult, but you'd never hear any of them say that, especially not her.

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@Widdershins @genessee

Void had no idea what to do. One minute she had wanted to try and stop something that seemed bad, the next this pony, Ambie, had started to get all panicky and risen up on his hind legs, then all of a sudden fell towards her like a sack of potatioes, at which point Void blanked out herself in a confused, heart-racing moment of panic herself.

"Void!"

Null saw the two of them collapse in a puddle and didn't waste a second springing from her table and over to her sister with a mixture of anger and fear boiling up in her. Anger at this pony for doing this, and fear about what had happened with Void. usually she didn't just pass out like that unless something was really wrong, and even though it might have just been a spur of the moment thing, Null couldn't stop being concerned for her little sister. She were meant to protect her after all. That was her oath. The only thing that kept her sane most days...

Getting over there, she pushed Ambie to try and roll him off her sisters chest - this sounded so wrong just thinking about for her - and would listen for Void's heartbeat and breath, which were thankfully fine it sounded like, though Null looked like if she had a knife, she'd start using it on something. Or potentially somepony, considering how Ambie were about two hooves closer to her sister than she would prefer any stallion were and had literally fallen on her sister! If there was any target for her to let some aggression out on, he'd be a prime candidate.

@Shineling (Next part after this might involve you)

Though it could also be done on the humaling that crashed down nearly next to them, with some kind of large-mouthed rodent seemingly trying to gnaw the top of his head off whilst he feebly tried to pry it off his head. Apparently, the rodent were winning.

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

@Shineling

Anomaly clapped excited when she saw the little fruit bat enjoy her treats.

"Yey, she likes it! You should keep the tree then. Just make sure it gets lots of sun, a bit of water, and a half liter of pear cider every other week, and it'll keep blooming with pretty fruits. not sure why it drinks that, but eh, all my plants are strange. I made one once that could only be watered with the tears from owls. Grew some pretty good waffles though..."

Over at the house, Blitz looked excitedly at Pinkie as she offered Blitz a ride. Something which Pinkie should well know the little critter couldn't say no to, considering how Blitz saw her as her pink, fluffy, impossible to understand idol.

"Oh, awesome! Beam me down Pinkie!"

Jumping up as high as she could and grabbing hold of Pinkie's mane, she dangled and prepared to see what were going to happen from there. Hopefully before Molotov would get a nervous breakdown over now having two up on the roof that might well just fall down. Yeah he were reckless himself, but still, it was pretty w-

*Anomaly grabs hold of the camera and points it back over on herself and Stormy*

"So, tell me, is there bells ringing in the near future for you by chance, hmmm? Human and Pinkie had an awful lot to say about you twoooo, hehe."

Twilight-Shimmer · June 1, 2017

@Blitz Boom

@Foxy Socks

Stardust watched Agni's antics a moment then smiled and looked up at the avatar of Anomaly "Sounds like this Zhu was, or is a wise being" he replied warmly then giggled. "The odds of my losing my childish spark is slim to none, as i have a child's brain, and always will, and the odds of me being mistaken for a foal again are quite high. Not that it bothers me really" he then tilted his head to the side a bit and blinked "On a random note, I am suddenly craving cheese cake"

Foxy Socks · June 1, 2017

@@Twilight-Shimmer @Blitz Boom

"Interesting. Whatever happened to Zhu? Did they just disappear one day, or are they still around? They sound interesting. It's hard to believe what I have experienced so far, but this is one fascinating day."

Foxy looked at Anomaly, or what she was currently showing as, though how Anomaly changes form is a bit confusing for Foxy.

"Sometimes I act like a foal too... I often like to be playful with any friends I have," Foxy said before biting Anomaly before running and hiding behind Stardust.

dragon4111 · June 1, 2017

@Widdershins @Blitz Boom @Seamore Sandwich

"And yet that very oath that binds you also restricts you," Ancalagon said simply with a chuckle. "If she ever fell once more into the mare of nightmares you would have to bare your blades against her," he stated simply. "What is one mare to the lives of the many?" he asked simply as he walked with the mare. "My couriers know the cost of what they do so does their families," he stated with a chuckle. "A courier can make or break a town,"

~Phoenix~ · June 1, 2017

On 5/30/2017 at 5:34 PM, Blitz Boom said:

"It's the least I can do."

The path towards the tents weren't exactly going fast, but with how Phoenix were holding up, it was amazing that she were even able to get up there without being carried regardless. Quite frankly, since they didn't get there before around 23:00, he had only gotten mor e respect for her will, though will were only going to keep her up for so long.

Going to one of the empty tents near where they had met Widdershins, Foxy and the others, he'd help her into what turned out to be a vastly more spacious area than were shown on the outside. Some powerful spell by a unicorn no doubt, but he wasn't interested in pondering this right now.

"We're here. Now let's get you to bed before you pass out. I'll stick around until you fall asleep if you prefer, but then I will have to find rest myself in the tent next to this. I should likely check up on the scorched draconequus we left behind too before then. Likely better to make sure that he's still there before he interrupts your sleep out of nowhere."

Though he were curious about how she had learned to transfer magic, asking about it was pretty far from his mind right now. Phoenix needed rest, and his drilling and prodding into her mind wasn't appropriate considering that. The more she could sleep the better.

(let's not leave out @Widdershins)

Phoenix simply went with him, silent the rest of the time. she was sure she had lots to explain to blitz. she was sure that he wanted to ask millions of questions about her talent. quite frankly, it would have been a bit much for her to explain at the moment, and she was thankful for the fact that Smokey respected her current condition. after they had reached the tent, she flopped down onto a sleeping bag, not even bothering to waste the energy to crawl into it.

she knew that Smokey would probably stay there until she fell asleep anyway, and she was too weak to protest. she simply lay down and closed her eyes as she let the thoughts and events of the day dance through her mind. slowly, as she held these thoughts they began to become more and more abstract as she drift into the realm of dreams. some of them were horrible, as she dreamt that the draconiquus simply went on revealing every detail about her, and all of her attempts to attack were fruitless. and some of her dreams were rather delightful, as she dreamt that she was learning from Smokey.

. from the outside, Smokey could clearly see Phoenix laying there like a sack of rocks as she lightly snored. it was very clear that she was asleep, and it had happened nearly the instant she closed her eyes.

Midnight_Aurora · June 1, 2017

3 hours ago, Blitz Boom said:

@Midnight_Aurora

"About 36 hours ago, the town got attacked by some kind of undetermined monster. It was defeated from what I hear, but among the destruction and with the general pains that comes from hard labor since then, there is a good deal of hurt ponies in need of help.

I believe they will most likely simply want to hear about how you are too, but we will see soon. From what I can hear, somepony is stepping closer, and with their speed falling down now, I would think we will see one enter in about 3-2-1- Welcome."

Belladonna pointed at the door just as it opened, and a semi-confused golden-maned, grey nurse entered the room to a greetings that shouldn't have been that fast in her mind. Usually nopony said something until a few seconds after when they had seen her first.

"Uhm, hello there."

Closing the door behind her and shrugging off the somewhat strange timing, she went directly over to the patient with a reassuring, but tired smile on her muzzle. Seemed like they really did have plenty to do today.

"Good to see you awake sir. My name is Nurse Needle Shot, and I came here to see if you were feeling any better. You seem to be awake so that is a start, but how are you otherwise? Dizzy? Feverish? Any internal pain in your stomach region?"

@Blitz Boom,

*Cosmic gives a genuine smile to hopefully relieve some of her worries.* "Actually the only thing I feel that is wrong, is the fact I can't access my Mana reserves. It feels as if they were sealed for some odd reason. Other than that, I have a very strong urge to head to the Canterlot Archives. It feels as if there is something there that can help me." *Cosmic fans his wings and stretches them. They function quite well for having a very strong magical aura surrounding them. The same can be said about him, but the way it flows doesn't react in the same manor as a shapeshifting spell of some kind.*

Sekel · June 1, 2017

@Blitz Boom

"After enjoying the supreme bliss
No need to have a replay swish
This need of once more aesthete
Literally you never get true repeat

Those unique feelings in deep secret
Of silent eyes of faithful evening sedate
No curtain falling will have same rehearse
Of those fading moments like dead verse

Those flashing visions can never be recited
And never be accomplished in succession
Just enjoy imagination and never get deceived
Listen unfathomable notes from innate ocean

Tune your mind for afresh heavenly pleasure
Like the Earth ready for daily bakes and bear," Dawn rattled off one of her favourites, with her eyes closed, and then blushed when she realised she spoke out loud. "Um, just ignore that," she muttered, opening her eyes and looking down at her nearly finished hay dog. She didn't like sharing what she loved and she didn't like talking with other ponies, despite Circle Pop opening her up slowly. "So ... King Fairywind and the Round Treestump huh?"

Edited June 1, 2017 by Dji

FanOfManyShows · June 1, 2017

@Blitz Boom

Warlock smirked. "Full of surprises you two." The smoke inside the gem hit against the outside, as if trying to escape, but at the same time it seemed to be trying to lash out at Athriel. "You know, we could use this to lure out Astral and Iron Star." He said with a snicker. "Tell them we can bring their lost family member back and such." He let out a disappointed sigh when Athriel made it clear he couldn't go to Canterlot. "It does disappoint me I can't wreak havoc, and show them I still have it." He looked to the gem, which had started turning a deep red as Athriel made her threats, indicating great anger from inside. "Well your plan certainly sounds interesting." He sat down on one of the chairs in the room. "And I thought you only knew where one of the elements were." He looked at the gem. "Unless she knows." The gem's lashing out smoke seemed to calm down immediately, pressing against the bottom of the gem as if in fear. "I wonder if we could use a spell to peek inside her "head" To be sure" He said making some smoke based air quotes with his hooves.

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

Iron Star walked slowly inside, trying to make sure any direction he walked in had nothing there. Eventually deciding just to sit on the floor near by Misty, if Dew decided to suggest another spot to sit, he'd move there. "This Warlock figure has a lot to do with it; when Warlock was imprisoned the one who imprisoned him tied it to their life span, because they were immortal he'd be imprisoned forever, but they turned their immortality off when they met me, eventually died of cancer, then my daughter went off to learn dark magic trying to resurrect her mother, failed horribly, then met a zebra, her." He said pointing to Misty. When he spoke about the death of Sapphire, as abridged as it was, he didn't show much grief in his tone, since he had already progressed through grief. "Misty had managed to stop her from trying, and eventually they ended up in Canterlot right as the remaining imprisonment magic faltered. So now they are wanted for not just using non-unicorn magic, but also for being in the wrong place at the wrong time, I left a lot of the story out though, but I said the things you need to know." He turned to Misty with a grin. "We won't need a doctor by the way."

Misty gasped, opening her eyes suddenly. She looked around, spotting Dew. "AH!" She moved against the wall, looking down at Iron Star, pointing to Dew. "Who is this?!"

Iron Star looked to Misty. "He's a general."

"Are we getting arrested?" Iron Star shrugged, Misty looked up to Dew. "We didn't mean to do anything wrong, In fact I haven't done anything wrong yet." She looked down, her eyes still focused on Dew as her head faced the surface of the bed. "What do you plan to do with us?"

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

Astral looked down, nervously shifting her hooves. "I wouldn't really call it a family heirloom, but thanks." Her head turned, following Golden as he exited the room. "Please make sure the generals don't attack me when they enter!" She yelled out to Golden, but likely loud enough for the other guard to hear.

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

Wind nodded. "Dew is alright, he just retired from his position. I'm the new general now as Screecher said." He looked to Screecher. "She can explain why Dew retired, since I don't believe I had been informed why myself, might have just forgot though." He said shrugging with a smirk.

EQ_Theta · June 2, 2017

@Blitz Boom

The golden glow of the orb still illuminated the cave and the network of tunnels running through it. And just like the siblings' hunch, the place was deserted. No more magic other than what the orb exudes is present. Even the barrier blocking the way forward is gone. Strangely enough, even the walls shifted into a less confusing configuration. No more paths diverged to dead ends and those that remained only did so because they were the walls and paths that existed before magic altered them. The way forward was also changed, gaining a golden shine on them and the texture became smoother. The path became less stony and more like a vault chamber with reflective panels around the corners. In the middle of this was a granite pedestal with the focal orb levitating on the topmost platform, high enough to match Omen's height. Omen only needed to squint to see how straightforward the path became

Immediately upon sensing the foreign presence, the orb released an avatar matching Sen's appearance and approached Omen. It examined the visitor, noting each and every distinct feature and appeared to scan its own memories to find matches. A magical security system if there were words that could describe it. Once it has finished, it stepped back and looked to its surroundings, doing the same until it finished.

"You are a familiar presence," the avatar spoke with an echo in its deep voice. "Your memories give voice to our words and we assume a familiar form so you can hear us out. We are the remnants of archivists and curators of knowledge, passing down information to those who seek it. Our purpose has always been to preserve knowledge but that purpose has been corrupted. Now we are forced into bodies that are not ours, commanded by an entity that uses us to further its own gain. Even now, more innocents are taken against their will."

A copy of the orb manifests itself in front of Omen and shows her what is happening in the village in real time. Elder Ghilan and the village healer are tied up and watching while Solasan is petrifying the siblings instead of possessing them. Given how much trouble they are, leaving them around wasn't a risk he was going take and instead dealing with them on the spot. The two were stuck with terrified looks plastered on to their faces before Solasan and his hunters began marching to the cave Omen is at.

The avatar approached Omen and continued. "Reversing the damage will take time given how many have already been affected but we sense purity in you. We will grant you access to the collective magic stored in the orb but the taken villagers will be massing to this location soon. Be warned, the magic at work here has been misused for years, it is unstable and not everything may be corrected."

Edited June 3, 2017 by EQ_Theta

dosey doe · June 2, 2017

@Blitz Boom

Dosey looked rather concerned. "Are you... are you okay? What are you..." but then Sorrow gave her a wonderful pretty feather. "Oh, thanks! It's beautiful!" she said.

"That's right! I help out Miss Steps with her dance class. Would you like to sign up? It's a lot of fun!"

BloodDrops · June 2, 2017

On 2017-6-1 at 7:09 PM, Blitz Boom said:

"Nerzhei is an oak that thinks every wind is a storm. Unbending and creaking in defiance, even when the breeze just passes innocently by."

She did not have the time to say further what she meant, before the dragoness got close enough and landed, carrying a sizeable gem and looking between them with irritation growing in her eyes.

"Do not be angry my friend. I simply wished to watch this lost little soul when the larger of your kin arose."

"You know you can't just show yourself to everyone Lyriel. What if they don't like what they're seeing and the rumor starts spreading?"

"I appreciate the concern, but I ask you this: With all that enters and what have risen, then fallen, am I truly such a strange sight in comparison here? I would think not, but even if I were, I would still need to make contact sooner or later. I cannot stay idle in the forest by myself forever, or it would be little different from back home."

Nerzhei didn't answer it right away, but just averted her eyes whilst grumbling, clearly having lost the battle of wits they had been going at.

"Now then, we were going to go to gather some fish for Blood to feast upon. You are welcome to join us if you wish to. Shall we Blood? I know of a good river only a few minutes from here."

Lyriel got up on her feet and started to walk towards the river with calm steps, thinking that the other two would sort out between one another what to do here, and then join her for what they seemed to both consider dinner.

Blood nodded "She is a stubborn dragon, that's for sure, very over reactive as well." she added snorting. She then rolled her eyes at Nerzhei, she was in a bad temper she could tell.

"Yeah coz the infected pony going to go around and tell all her friends about a talking tree. Maybe they will put us in a cell together and we can laugh about how right you were" she said dryly to the dragon. "maybe we should all join the circus and let all the fillys gawk at us" she added with a snort.

She liked the idea of getting fed, "Yeah i'm gonna go and get some fish, with someone that doesn't abandon you at the first chance you get" she whispered the latter, before following the tree, she had nothing to sort out with Nerzhei, she wasn't the one that had flown off to go talk with another dragon. Maybe Blood wanted to go talk with someone else, hence her new tree friend.

"So where is the best place to fish?" she asked, she sat down by the river and waited for her fishing lesson.

Moonlit · June 3, 2017

@Blitz Boom @Seamore Sandwich @Shineling Serenade nods and slowly starts to back away, the presence of so many 'apex' predators has left her shaken. She spreads her wings and tries to follow Ziggy, but she's momentarily forgot all of her lesson's from Derpy and Ziggy.

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