open Casual stroll

[Sekel 694]

@Blitz Boom & @Widdershins

DAWN & AURORA

Dawn whimpered at the shout and she shut her ears by laying them against her skull. She shivered in fear and even took a couple steps back while looking at the ground. "S-Sorry," Dawn squeaked. She wasn't used to whatever was happening and that sudden shout sort of drove her over the edge and into fearville. She gritted her teeth and did her best to keep her emotions in check by focusing on the dirt beneath her hooves with such intensity that it looked like she was trying to fry the ants with her gaze alone. Dawn wanted to shout at Kaltrops for just complaining but this sudden fear that gripped her prevented her from doing so.

"No, I don't want to be a Changeling. There's lots of racism and stuff that comes into play with that," Aurora shook her head. For her sake, she seemed to be sounding better now that she had gotten used to Spicy's company. She moved into an easier and calmer position than the one she adopted before and luckily, she no longer resembled a feathered lobster. She looked more like a griffin with a bad rash thanks to how much she was still blushing. "I picked griffin over pony because the family that raised me are griffins. It was just easier to blend in that way. I can become a pony though after all the travelling I've done over the past half year ... want ... want to see?"

Edited October 9, 2017 by Dji

[dragon4111 914]

@Blitz Boom

Ancalagon looked at the dryad with a sigh and said "Aye they would torture their prey," he shook his head slightly. "But they have a scale that is very weak to heated items," he stated with a grin on his face. "And yet  I would think that dryads would be a far more common place in this world," Ancalagon abruptly changing the subject."When I was younger the dryad council would counsel the dragon elders in their decisions," he stated with a sigh. "Heh the Scarred One would get so jealous over meeven looking at one. That's how beautiful dryads are,"

[FanOfManyShows 396]

@Blitz Boom

Warlock let out a quiet scoff when she said she'd punch him. "Yeah, you're funny." He walked ahead of her, he could teleport, in an instant, she'd not be able to catch him. But he looked down to one of his lost limbs, smiling a little as he thought how this could restore him if he gained enough magic, his body started shaking a little as he struggled to keep standing, eventually he started floating upwards, now hovering inches above the ground. "But I'll keep my magic for other things." He said as he looked back to her.

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Astral stood still in the hallway, stepping aside. "I think we should talk, might give me a bit of relaxation from all of this, and might give you, a chance to get that thing off your chest." She looked to him with a smile, almost unaware of how Chow had been acting. "Oh, and yeah, I did met a pony with, black, hole, magic, as you say. They're pretty isolated from what I hear, they only came out to help with that big, creature thing that was in ponyville a while back." She paused a little, and then snickered. "Oh wait, now there's a new big creature thing in ponyville." She let out a sigh afterwards, now realizing how long it'd been since she'd been cheerful like this. "Anyway, what'd you have to say?" She said, looking to Chow with a smile, hoping he wouldn't decide not to say it.

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Iron Wind looked up, if he had his wings he could fly up to check who it was, but he remained on the ground, watching the voice from below. already knowing about the helper, although he didn't know much about who the helper was exactly, or what they were, but his attention was taken by the satchel, supposedly with the Element of Deceit "How'd you get that element?" He asked pointing to it.

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Francis had remained still before he suddenly started to move, his limbs struggling to move, as he tried to get up, before he fell backwards onto whatever surface he was on, his eyes struggling to open, looking around at his surroundings as he reached up to rub his head, wincing a little, looking a little panicked as he looked around. "D-did you find Nectar yet?" He asked one of the doctors, not even knowing if they'd been there to help him.

[Seamore Sandwich 471]

@Blitz Boom

 

“I will decide later, and I will announce my decision at tonight’s banquet.  Will those handling invitations please do so quickly, and please ensure the attendance of as many relevant classes of warrior as possible.  It is necessary that we have heroes skilled in archery, magic, swordplay, close combat, trap setting, and modern weaponry whatever that may be.  A proper team must forged in high spirits to build trust, so we must make such guests feel at home.  Treat them with as much respect as you would give me, and may their glasses stay full all night long!”  With that, Marcus finished his speech and stepped back inside.  

[Blitz Boom 4,640]

@dragon4111

"I am afraid I wouldn't know, of neither beauty or the council they may have given your people once. Before gaining access to this country, all I knew off were the small valley in which I grew. We never had contact with outsiders, except for your smaller kin. Until the corruption took their sanity and the goodness in their hearts, this were a good, friendly relationship between our people.

*sigh* But they are the past. They forgot not to touch the many-colored waters of the Adatzne river, and I doubt they have a way back from it now. Though perhaps... You speak of councils of dryads, great one? Do you know if they are still around? If any dryads are still gathered somewhere? Perhaps if I could find one of their, they might hold answer for the corruption that have befallen my family and friends."

A small bit of hope rose to the top as she thought on this, and expressed it to Ancalagon. It seemed unlikely that she could be this lucky, but she never knew. So far she did not recall him saying that there wasn't still any, and as te only sane representative of the Silver Valley, perhaps she could be allowed an audience then? It was a faint hope, but perhaps there were something that could be done, regardless of how long she had thought they were gone.

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@Dji @Widdershins

"H-Hey, it's okay, you don't n-need to feel sad. We didnd't mean y-you're somepony bad. It's just d-dangerous to be an Empath if you don't know w-what you're doing. You j-just need some training."

Void moved closer to dawn and tried to give some comforting words, whilst Null suddenly got waved closer by the general.

"Yeah?"

"We need to return to Canterlot. I'd like to ask you and your sister to come with, in case the attackers try to invade again, and to protect the element of disharmony in your possession."

"...Say we do this, does this count as a favor for the kingdom?"

"Is that an issue?"

"Nono, just wondering when the time comes if we get our backs scratched as well."

Screecher looked at Null, thinking for a moment on how to respond.

"It can be open for debate."

"Better than anything else we've gotten. Come on Void, we're going home to pick up our stuff, and then we're leaving."

"Good then. Benny, follow them and help them prepare some essentials. I will meet you at the train station."

Benny and Pop locked eyes after the general finally called him back to duty, and they whispered their farewells to one another before kissing goodbye. Hopefully it wouldn't be too long before they could meet again.

Benny, Null nad Void would leave right after, towards the ram shackled hut they had been able to kinda set up as a temp home, whilst Screecher nodded a goodbye to the citizens, and took to the sky. She'd arrange the two of them would get on a train even if she personally had to hold it up for the twenty minutes or so things would likely take.

Staying back, Pop would go closer to Dawn to try and show some support to her friend closely, whilst Marley looked back on the complaining dragon with a scoff.

"It was kissing, get over yourself. It's a bit on the freaky side to see a dragon and a pony together, but there is weirder out there. Or is ti jealousy perhaps? have the little draglet never had anyone to kiss, hmm?"

Meanwhile, inside the wagon, Spicy chuckled and lifted a wing, showing some of the cards she had tucked in there.

"Considering I showed off earlier, it wouldn't really be fair of me to tell you that you couldn't show off a little yourself, right? Show me what you got girlie, and don't sweat it about the race confusion thing. Makes a good deal of sense you'd prefer to be a griffon if you grew up around 'em, and I can't fault you for not liking to be a changeling. Might be legal for them to be in Equestria now, but the populace is not on their side, to put it mildly."

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@EQ_Theta @Shineling

"That's rather fascinating actually. A reclusive village like that would be interesting to see, but I can understand why there may not be that much of a want to do that. The equine world can be rather... Inclusive in its dangers, though separation does sound like a strange thing to keep going for long.

What you are half of sounds strange as well. Not N-Not the longma part, of course, but the Ki'Nathar? It sounds odd in many ways, and if you are half of that whilst your friend is fully... Looking at the difference between you and your brother, I can barely imagine what she might look like. N-Not that I'm judging."

Clayton stopped talking and gave off a shaken sigh of relief hearing that both Sen and Discord would stay outside for now. The part with Discord were confusing though, as he hadn't figured the draconequus would want to miss out on things, regardless of the danger to the rest of them, but perhaps he had turned a new leaf after all. He had heard about the reforming, but there was a difference between rumor and fact after all, and it had been hard to imagine that the lord of chaos were not still essentially a trickster through and through.

But he wasn't going to complain about good fortune. Especially not as they had reached the old quarry, and a certain amount of dread befell him.

It was clear this place had been left behind with no intentions of coming back. Even if the raw skeleton of the setup they used to have here were still showing, the actual tools of the trade were gone, and the place seemed like a ghost town after a robbery. Just, you know, a mine.

He felt something hit his hoof as he wandered forward to where the entrance to the mine itself would be, and looked down. A mining pick, just as he had hoped for, though it didn't look its best. The wood were barely hanging on and the metal itself were rusty. The last part wasn't so bad, but the first... That were something else entirely.

"Before we reach the entrance, may I ask... I-I mean, Mr. Discord, sir? Do you think you could repair this by any chance? I-It would be very helpful."

With a shaking hoof, he reached the tool towards the draconequus, with an expression showing off that he were expecting something like his head getting replaced by the pick to make things work or something else crazy, but with little other options than to ask. Desperate times were quite the hassle.

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@Widdershins @Foxy Socks

Briar made a deep bow towards Rarity and gave his most soothing smile.

"It was but a brief meeting, but it pleases me you recall it. Briar Trapjaw, at your service. These are my friends, Brittle Buzz, and Foxy Socks, and I do apologize not introducing ourselves earlier as well. It have been a hectic day for all three of us, and it slipped my mind momentarily. I hope you can forgive that."

"Three? There's four of us bug-eater! Totally rude."

Briar's smile got a twitch as he heard Anomaly's voice coming from somewhere. She wasn't showing herself just yet, and neither him nor Brittle had seen the sowing needle yet, but she seemed okay with that. keeping the mystery alive for a moment.

"Anomaly, I beg of you, do not compromise this. We have come here with good in mind to help Foxy. She is your friend too, yes?"

"Hehe, I haven't done aaaanything. I'm just having a bit of fun. Come on, have a seat already."

Briar literally slid slowly across the floor, being pulled by some kind of gravity towards the seating area that Rarity had pointed out, along with Brittle. Foxy would have the pull too, but it could be countered if you just wandered in the opposite direction, though it'd look kinda silly. Rarity though, wasn't touched currently.

"Miss Rarity, I do hope you can excuse our... Unusual companion. She gets very enthusiastic about things, and have a playful mood. I am confident in saying that she means no harm to anypony."

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@Widdershins @Shineling

Anomaly was about to say something about the deliciousness of Breezies, when she felt  something and got distracted. Which in turn got her a faceful of party canon, but as she flew off and got slammed into the wall surrounded by confetti, it really didn't seem like she minded. Inf act, she were pretty much laughing at it.

"Hehe, that was fun! Let's do that again another time. Anyway, somepony is on my island without invite! Two actually, I can hear it."

She reached up and stretched her fuzzy ears waaaaaaay high to show what she meant, before squeezing them down again.

"Well, we're gonna need to wait for the Boomers to wake up anyway, so we might as well check it out before they get eaten by something out there. Just stay put, my house is moving to the biggest one as we speak."

Of course, they wouldn't feel a thing in here as it was the other side of a portal, but on the other side of said portal, her house were rising up on tall legs and walking towards Widdershins. It'd be a few minutes.

Int he meantime, a creature that seemed to be made from a large boulder given spider legs approached Widdershins, curious about the sound it had heard. The creature with the face of a certain real world movie star on the front were moving closer to the molass hill, gnawing on what was either a wriggling flower, or a really weird looking tree goblin, and not sure what to do. Datt Mamon wasn't created to really understand that sort of thing. It just had some instincts, knowledge on how to use its weird body, and a curious mind to the home it had been created into less than five minutes ago.

It'd follow whatever sound was here, and what happened then... Hard to say in this place, but a plant might sprout from the ground and Poison Ivy the whole thing, as an example. A plus to being on an island made by a draconequus: No rules for what could and couldn't happen, as long as it didn't go against the sort of harmonized chaos she had in everything.

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@Widdershins

"Ain't too many pieces in your puzzle, is there? Changeling is the ones who can change forms, just like I'm gonna have to do to get you outta that tree."

Happy looked around whilst getting the wagon off his back, and when he was certain the coast was clear, he changed into his human/changeling form, wandered over to the tree and reached up to try and get the pony out of there.

"Don't worry none, I skipped the claws this time. Now let's try and get you out of this tree before we get spotted and I have to explain what the hay is going on."

That was a perk to the equine world over his own: Most apple trees were shorter. Not by too much, so in case Ambie had really gotten himself up there he'd have to climb it, but if he was a low hanging fruit, he'd snag the pony out in a jiffy.

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@The Resident Brony

"Keep your calm Invictus. If you want to confront a general, your case is lost already if you start yelling without proof. Focus."

Vivid thought it sounded odd that the generals would conspire against somepony that they likely had a hoof in helping along too a position of power, but what did she know? She hadn't been out for more than a few months, and she had only met the generals briefly. From that meeting, she wouldn't have expected Morning Dew at least to be part of that, as he seemed to be absolutely loyal to the crown, but they'd see once they got through. They were still a little way from Canterlot, but that was the good thing about using this dimension to travel: It qouldn't matter. It'd only be a few minutes at most in pony time once they had passed through, and that was if they snailed along.

Thankfully for everything around them, the only things that his magic could do anything against were a few falling leaves off the nearly barren trees. The Veil paths were untouched, though Vivid couldn't hope it kept that way. If somehow Invictus managed to stay in a foul mood and affect it somehow, the Bishop would be on him, and he'd never see the light of day again. Something she'd prefer to avoid.

"Also, I don't know why you're making everything glow black, but I'm gonna take this as a bad omen and tell you that either you get calm on your own, or I'll take matters into my own hooves. I do not want the Bishop to take notice of you, accidentally or intentionally. And neither do you."

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@genessee

Chop finished his cooking in relative peace, and soon had three stacks of food in boxes over at Lance. Whilst putting into a saddle bag they used for these kinds of deliveries, he looked sternly at the newcomer, but didn't say anything until he were done packing.

"There's sauce in one of them. Don't spill it."

He'd seen Lance being all creative and stuff too as he had glanced over, but Chop wasn't interested in this kind of thing. If he wanted touchy-feely creative talks, he should speak with Berry. Which was fortunate(?) for him then, as she were standing on the other side of the door, waiting for him when he had gottenthe saddlebag on. It seemed he had been grouped up with the hyperactive conspiracy nut.

"What's in the bag? Just food, or are Chop using you to smuggle top secret items to a shady Clientele? Tell me, is there sauce, or are those phoenix eggs in your containers?!"

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@Seamore Sandwich

Sugar wished he had the time to say more. To speak with the hero was a great honor, and a privilege you should not take lightly, but there were things he had wanted to say 

Among them were that when it came yo combat, not too many of them were any good at it. The scriptures had shown a path of non-aggression at least for as long as he had been alive, and he - among many others - had laid aside any kind of combat skill in exchange for following this.

Quite a few were still good at hoof-to-hoof combat though, but that were mostly to know how yo deflect hits coming towards themselves, and because it was a good training that recuired dedication and focus. A sort of active meditation for some.

Sugar were not one of those. Nor were he one of the few who used to be archers, guards, or police in some way, which arguably still had skills to fit what the hero had asked for. He was a simple, magical protector, who usually flew away anypony before touching a battle.

While he got surrounded by friends congratulating him on being chosen to bear witness, his thoughts started to darken though.

Questions had swum around his head for a time now. If the path they followed were right, and if they sacrificed themselves for nothing after all. And while the hero's return seemed to indicate it was worth it, things didn't add up.

Why would he ask for fighters, when the scriptures had been told to them about not battling? Were they wrongly interpreted? And if they were, what else might be?

Questions roamed in his head, but there was only one who could answer him. The hero himself, yet what if he too were...

No, nonsense. The hero couldn't be wrong. The elders had to be if anything. He shouldn't be thinking badly in the wrong direction, like his sister had done. He wasn't Belladonna.

Having the chance eventually, Sugar would take away and slink back to his family to speak with his wife about what were going on. Not about the blasphemus thoughts, obviously, but what so far seemed like great news.

He were going to bear witness, and bring some honor to his spotted family. Perhaps if he kept telling himself that, the nagging doubt would quiet for a time again.

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

 

@Lloyd

"We both know you're stronger than me if you have some power saved up Warlock, but you lack the foresight to save it to when it's needed."

Athriel smirked slightly in an otherwise serious face as she looked the now floating stallion in the eyes.

"How fortunate that you have somepony to remind you now. In any case, we should make haste to the beach. Think you can float fast enough, or can I interest you in a string so I can drag you along like a balloon?"

It was a minor risk to poke at him like this, but an opportunity had arisen for her to test what Warlock might be able to tolerate, and she had taken it. It was better to do when he was depowered like this and attempting to conserve energy, rather than when he was fully charged and prone to squashing bugs.

She didn't intend to spend much of her time as they went along getting on his nerves, but she believed in knowing limits, and what steps she could take without acquiring too much ire from somepony stronger. If Warlock ended up as a leader after all, what better way to remain on his good side, than to know where the rough boundary were? Kissing up to him might work, but that was beneath her.

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

 

@Lloyd

"Well, I kinda t-"

Chow were interrupted as anotger medical team ran over and passed them, aiming for the second room that were seemingly clear. Though the two ponies on the slabs weren't shown, a vague, green flash showed as they passed the doorway, so it were likely changelings. Impossible to be certain as the door got locked right after the team had entered the room, but it was a possibility.

"...Y'know, usually this would be the weirdest thing, but after the day we've had? Not even top ten."

He'd step to the side and prepare himself after that.  He had a whooper to lay down.

"Now then... Remember how I told you that I just left Griffinstone because of some debt I was saving up to settle? I... Kinda lied."

He'd tell her then what he had told Iron Will in a moment of weakness. That he had stolen the blood orb in which Athriel had been trapped, thinking he could use the magic safely to transform into a Griffon whilst keeping her trapped, but had failed severely. The nightmares, how he had been controlled and hurt others around him whilst Athriel lived out some of her anger, until another griffon had come to town and sealed her into his mind... All of it.

The details were a little hard to get off his chest a few times. Especially when it came to the point that made him tear up. Where he had been exiled from the town, and had to say goodbye to his foster parents for good.

"- and if I try to return, I'm gonna me imprisoned for life, and my parents will likely get exiled as well. Only way I'm going back is if I actually manage to change into one of them, and sneak in with a new identity,  but that seems like more and more of a stretch every day.

So... There you have it. The ugly truth about an idiot that doesn't know what he's doing. Your dad said I'd be better off getting straight with you eventually, and with everything going on these days, it seemed like it was soon or never."

Chow had no idea what was gonna happen now. But he did think it good that he got it out there. Sorta lifted a weight on his shoulders, though it might well end up adding a ton more is Astral didn't take this well 

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

 

@Lloyd

"Benny's grandfather was one of the wardens who protected this. When it got tougher to do things on his own and dark times seemed to close in, he were to take an apprentice to take over his duty. It was supposed to be Benny, but my cousin had other plans, so I sought him out to carry my weight."

Scorn ran a finger over one of his scars again, tracking a tale from long ago that he was starting to carry like others before him.

"All the wardens are meant to make sure the elements doesn't fall into the hooves of those that would misuse them, but sometimes, risks have to be taken to ensure the safety. Anything else, little general?"

The dragon starred into the ceiling a little before returning his gaze to Wing, but he couldn't see his companion in the shades. He had to be pretty far up to hide well like this, but he should end up down here sooner or later. Even with his way of handling things.

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

 

@Lloyd

The doctors around him didn't answer at first. Quite frankly, they seemed like they didn't care much as they just got something done next to Francis and kept mostly quiet.

However, the lieutenant walked over to him, ordering a few soldiers to stay behind and keeping an eye on the doctors while she addressed him.

"Ah, you're awake. Good to see sir. You collapsed in the throne room and we had to get you to the hospital. And no worries, we found your queen, and I'm personally ensuring that nopony let's past experiences with changelings color their judgement.

But what about you? Are you okay sir?"

Edited October 13, 2017 by Blitz Boom
Forgot a tag.

[The Resident Brony 60]

@Blitz Boom

Invictus realized he was losing control of his magic, and immediately began to calm down. 

"I sincerely apologize. This happens whenever I get extremely mad. Since anger is what fuels my powerful magic, large amounts of negative emotions causes me to lose control of it."

Invictus began pacing unsurely through the air. How would he be able to confront the generals about this without coming around as a traitor? Suddenly, he had a realization.

"Why would they have wanted me back after all these years unless they had a purpose for me being here? What do they want? Vivid, do you have any ideas?"

[Seamore Sandwich 471]

 

@Blitz Boom

 

Morning came, and the breeze brought with it a scent of rotting wood.  It wasn’t a strong smell, but it was enough to break through the flowery smell of Gaea’s home.  Gaea would wait for Zhu to wake up before presenting him a leaf bowl filled with oats, nuts, and berries in almond milk.  She knew that a predator species such as Zhu’s would need a good amount of protein, so she did her best to fulfill his dietary needs.  “Eat up.  You’ll need your strength if we’re going to find their hideout by the end of the day.  I’m afraid the forest won’t survive much longer without the heart.”

 

@Blitz Boom

@Moonlit

 

“Oh, so that’s what that was.  I’ve never heard my echo before.  I’ve actually never had a voice before yesterday.  Just another thing I’ll have to get used to.”  Charlie giggled as the ghost picked up the stick.  “Hehe, that tickles!” 

 

@Blitz Boom

 

“We need to know where you got this,” Penny said, levitating another false coin out of her bag.  “It’s the coin you spent at the apothecary, but it appears to be a fake.  We’re trying to track down where they’re coming from.  Do you by any chance remember who gave it to you?”  “I try not to keep these around too long when I have them, so it must’ve been a customer from the same day I spent it.  Do you happen to know when that was?”  “It was four days ago.”  “Let me check my records,” Tock said before pulling out a small box of receipts from below the register.  While he was looking through the slips, he said to Scarcity, “As far as your watches are concerned, they’re all finished.  I can get them for you and total everything up once we’re done here if you like.”  After a brief search, he pulled out a slip with a business card for Battengerg’s Bakery stapled to it.  “Here it is.  It looks like it came from a bakery in Manehattan.  I’m almost finished restoring their cake stand.  It’ll be ready tomorrow.  If you’re looking to speak to them face to face, I’ll let you deliver it for me, and I’ll even give you discount on the restoration of the watches as thanks for delivery.  How does ten percent sound?”  Ten percent wouldn’t be much, but it did give a little wiggle room in case they were the type to haggle for a better price, which is exactly what he would expect from somepony who could acquire such high value watches, even in the condition they were in.  Tock liked to give a good deal, but he wasn’t too keen on being robbed blind.

Edited October 10, 2017 by Seamore Sandwich

[Victoria Sponge 1,017]

@Blitz Boom

Red put a hoof out and gently stopped Angel's frantic galloping worried he might trip somepony up. The small foal looked a little miffed having had his fun spoilt but quickly cheered up, rolling on his back and playfully kicking at his mother's long mane. "He's five years old next month, its crazy he's been around that long it barely feels like 5 months." The foal's father let out a little "meh" from behind her "It feels like five months, until you think about all those nights where we barely got any sleep trying to tie the little monster down. I don't know where he gets that energy" Having not spoken before this was the first the gang had heard of Royal Velvet's voice, it was quiet and soft and a little bit upper class but it still had a slightly more informal feel to it, it was rather pleasant. "Hee hee, yes; that's the problem when you have kids, you sacrifice your lie ins and your early bed times, but its all worth it and its a lot of fun." She smiled down at her foal and winked at him, something that he tried unsuccessfully to replicate, blinking both eyes and then giving up and sticking his tongue out at her instead.

She looked up at them and smiled while Angel untangled himself from her snowy hair and trotted gingerly over to Battenberg who began to tickle him and chase him playfully around the shop. "I'm happy to meet another sweet loving couple" She'd noticed Benny's taffy and Pop's mention of her store "Royal didn't always have a sweet tooth but he doesn't really have much of a choice since he married me." The two smiled at each other quickly and her stallion blushed slightly, she turned back at them, "So how did you two come to meet, a dragon and a pony? Not the most common sight, but its incredibly sweet to see how much you seem to adore each other"

[genessee 535]

@Blitz Boom

Lance nodded quickly to Chop and turned to the door, and visibly jumped. He managed to keep hold of the food without dropping any, however.

"I'm pretty sure if I had any phoenix eggs in here, the containers would've melted. And I don't think anyone buying food would be shady, but I mean, bad guys have to eat too, so..."

He grinned and added,

"I think you're supposed to show me where this place is..."

Lance read off the address.

"You do know where that is, right?"

[EQ_Theta 460]

@Blitz Boom @Shineling

"We've been secluded for hundreds of years and our kind still looks on yours, or any other kind, with more than just distrust. But now, it seems they only remember their old hatreds but not willing to see if things have changed after so long. Sen and I want to change that but it seems our efforts have been met with much vitriol. Omen was the first friend we made away from the confines of our village and remains our closest friend to this day."

Sen wouldn't interrupt his sister but would sit by Discord and cradle the drake close to his chest to comfort them both. He knew the little creature was smarter than it looked and it could likely sense and feel the desperation he and Lin felt. Right now, comfort and assurance was all he could give. There was a slight pause in Lin's voice before she continued, still remembering harrowing thoughts coupled with the associated pain it brought her.

"We should keep moving. I'll be happy to answer any more questions you have after we get our friend out of the mine."

[cwhip9 1,078]

On ‎10‎/‎6‎/‎2017 at 2:37 PM, Blitz Boom said:

"So do tell. You died, and here you are? I think  we're both anxious to know everything about that."

"well think about what do you both know about vampires, more importantly why do vampires need blood? also no cover up I wasn't born dead don't worry that is a very very rare ocernece to happen being born dead" cresent said smiling half wishing he had a tie on for teaching. It wasn't often he had the chance to teach about his kind. How he died was a good question,  he himself could think back so far but it was still fuzzy. Like tempering a dream that gave you a story idea but staring at you paper wishing it would come back to in vain.

"answer that and more answers will come" cresent said smiling, he wasn't sure if this would be considered bragging or not.

[Moonlit 593]

@Blitz Boom @Seamore Sandwich Serenade blinked, her eye color slowly fading from green to her normal color. She looked around, slightly confused then down at her siren form, then looked over at Ziggy, confusion all over her face. 

[Blitz Boom 4,640]

@Moonlit @Seamore Sandwich

Cherish wasn't sure what to do with the four others currently.

Ziggy needed to get to a hospital, but then she needed help. Ghost-in-a-stick said he might be able to gelp, but had no idea how it'd work, the strange rodent were still standing on the zegasus and attempting to keep her safe, and the Siren... She wasn't sure what was with her, but Serenade looked about as confused about things as could be, so it wasn't exactly helping in their current situation.

"look, can we talk about the voice thing later? We need to try and help the striped pegasus."

Levitating slightly over the ground, Cherish turned and floated toward Ziggy. Fah'lina wasn't having any of it, but a little spectral magic to lift her out of the way did the trick in keeping her from stealing the stick and break it, or something like that.

"I don't know if this works but... Heal?"

Cherish pushed Charlie's stick against Ziggy's leg and hoped for the best. If this didn't work, it was back to the plan about smashing a wall somehow so they could get out.

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

 

@cwhip9

"What the hay's a vampire?"

Zinthar looked at Crescent with a sort of annoyed confusion in all three of his eyes. He had expected to be blown away a bit, but now the context were lost on him, and it was frankly irritating.

Cover-up on the other hoof, seemed to get it well and didn't take it all that good, considering he got a horrified look on his face and walked backwards from Crescent 

"V-V-Vampire? I thought you were joking. P-P-Please, don't eat me!"

The colt fell to the ground and covered his face with his hooves.

"So you eat ponies? I thought those were called cannibals. Is vampires a new way of saying that? And what does it have to do with you having died?"

Zinthar knew a little of this and that, but undeads weren't one of those things. Starswirl didn't speak about those things near him, and the feline had little to no interest in reading fantasy subjects when the pony had started teaching him. Cook books had always been more to his taste.

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

 

@EQ_Theta @Shineling

Seeing the mine opening made him pale. A place of so much horror, no longer blocked, but with an easy path through the stone that previously covered it.

"I... It's okay, we can wait. I believe I have some understand of your kind now as it is, and a few things to think about when there is time. But for now we should hurry. Your friend isn't going to do well by staying in there.

Please, s-stay behind me."

While Clayton led the way for Lin inside the open mine, the drake snuggled close to Sen and gave off a pleased noise. With everything going on, it could really use this sort of comfortable feeling again. It even let out a small burp of flames in approval, which hopefully wouldn't catch any of them on fire.

As for the happy couple in the mine, they have a bit of way to go in before they would reach the main chamber, though at times, Clayton still had to ask that they'd stop so he could hack some of the gems on the floor away. Leaving them with safe passage. 

"I apologize for how slowly this goes, but you don't want to take chances here. We won't be helping much if we end up as victims ourselves."

He was a little out of training, so his work could have gone better and more efficient, but so far he hadn't messed up at least. There was a bit of solace to be found in that for him, though dread over being in this place were still hanging heavily above him, just like the seemingly harmless, glowing gems poking out of the rocks.

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

 

@genessee

Berry looked Lance over, eyes narrowed before going into a big grin and taking a jump backwards.

"Okay, so not phoenix eggs then, but I bet there is something. Perhaps they want us out of the store so they can start cloning the customers, causing an even greater influx of ponies that needs coffee just for further revenue? *gasp* The possibilities. I hope you washed your hooves so they don't have you too now."

With that, Berry spun around and headed towards the exit, expecting Lance to follow her out and towards the delivery spots on his list. Food shouldn't be getting cold after all.

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

 

@Seamore Sandwich

Zhu opened his eyes as the sun rose, and gazed around him.

He knew where he were, but it still seemed so unreal to him. To have fallen asleep inside a house that were not abandoned, on a soft couch and with the sound of a pony wandering around the room, were not something he had tried since he was small.

The closest he usually tried were when he sometimes squatted, but the feeling of emptiness in an unused or abandoned household were noticeable, and took away some of the joy.

Being presented with food made a smile briefly spread on his serpentine face beneath the hood of his robes.

"Thank you for the hospitality."

It were not like something more raw and formerly moving, as he usually needed to get proteins, but the food were still packed and enjoyable to eat. It wouldn't be possible to replace every meal with this, but it should suffice to keep him going for a time.

While he ate, he thought on what they had to do now, and what may have happened with his sisters egg in the time since the thieves escaped them. Likely it was okay, as the female seemed to have some attachment to it, but he still didn't think it was great.

"And thank you for the meal, Gaea. Now, how should we proceed from here? Is there a place you think it best to start?"

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

 

@The Resident Brony

"You said you hurt others, might it be that they want to give you a chance to redeem yourself this time around? Usually I would think it's a trap, but I was from more troubled times. You are likely fine, long as you keep your anger in control. If you start spewing black magic around when you spike however, things will end poorly."

Vivid knew well how bad it were to be powerful and emotional. She tended to be easy to anger, if she got hurt or her emotions were toyed with, and she knew well that if the contract didn't bind her as efficiently as it did, she might have done something that would make her little more than the monsters she sold her soul to.

Soul magic was dangerous like that. Used with a wrong mindset, it could split the link between body and soul, and leave you ripe for the Reapers to collect. And that wasn't even including the veil magic, which by it's very nature was evil. At least as long as the Bishop remained in control of it.

"Try and not take the grievances in advance. We're soon at a crossover point, and then we can face the Solar Guard and get your answers. Attempt to be level-headed when we do that, and if that entails having to let go off some steam in here, be my guest. Just try to not hit the bridge."

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

 

@Battenberg

"Considering how happy you two seem to be with him, I'd say it's well worth all the trouble."

Certainly, all the energy and sleepless nights had to be a strain, and not something everyone just got right, but seeing how happy they were with the little energy dynamo running around them, Benny honestly thought that it was something he'd still do in a heartbeat, no matter how much of a grinding mess it had to be at times. Those pains were temporary, whilst the joy was forever.

He got lost a little in thought over this, with a particular goofy expression on his face as images passed him by, whilst Pop began to answer the question Red had asked them.

"It's a bit of a long story, but to make it a little simpler, let's just say I always wanted to have some friends outside where I grew up, but I couldn't just leave, so I sent out some bottled messages to see if I could get some exotic new pen pals at least. Benny here was the only one who ever answered."

She gave him a hoof in the side to snap hi out of his thoughts.

"Huh? The messages? Yeah i found one on the beach one day and I was a little strained for friends I thought that'd really understand me, so I figured I'd respond. At the very least, I figured it'd make for a fun story to the others when I learned something about the pony I was writing with, and we could have a laugh over that. I'm not proud of that now, but at the time, it seemed like the thing to do."

"We got to learn eachother better though, and after a few years of talking back and forth, we decided to meet up. I wanted to thank Benny in person for sending some gems he had found so I could open up my store, as well as to see who it were I had been writing with for so long, though I honestly didn't expect who it was I found."

"I admit that I jumped at the chance to meet her in a heartbeat. I'd have never thought I'd do that before we started writing, but I felt like I knew her, and I wanted to see if she could accept me in person as well as in words. I might've been a little nervous though..."

Pop giggled.

"He showed up with flowers, but he tripped over himself and I ended up covered in them instead. I've never seen a dragon wanting to crawl into a mouse hole as much as him after that. Or a dragon in general really. I had just heard things and warned about them being big meanies, but instead were this clumsy, goofy guy around my own size who looked about as dangerous as a grumpy kitten."

"Hey, I can be plenty dangerous when I want to be. Honestly."

"Not around me you can't. We found that out pretty quickly as we got past the flower incident and agreed on having a trip through the town. You cbarely had the nerve to ask me out for something to eat, and when we got through with it, you ended up making quite a few bad impressions on other ponies."

"I had never been around ponies before, and I was with a really pretty and nice one. It wasn't easy to keep my cool, and pony customs are weird compared to dragon ones. I was trying to be friendly, and some of them got scared."

"Ponies don't usually find random brawling to be that friendly."

The two of them looked at eachother and laughed a little as more memories from that first meeting passed through their heads.

"It did turn out to be a pretty good date though, if you looked pass all the awkward moments, and we started meeting up more often."

"Until I moved to Equestria a year after we first met. I couldn't handle the long distance anymore, and I liked Equestria more than dragon land anyway - Seriously, the food here is so much better - so I came over and when I was looking for a job to get by, I kinda fell into the training area of the Royal Guards in Canterlot. Not the best start to things, but they cleared me after a time, and the old blacksmith were kind enough to give me a chance at the forge. Fire and heat doesn't affect me at all, so I can get some real work done there."

"We've known eachother now for seven years, and it have been the best time of our lives. You loose friends when you get into a relationship like this, and it's hard to say goodbye, but it's a small price to pay to be happy."

The two of them exchanged a peck before looking back on the Velvet family.

"How did you two meet?"

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

 

@Seamore Sandwich

"Ah, how delightful. Answers and a good deal for excellent work. I do believe I like you Mr. Tock."

Scarcity were a haggler at times, as you had to be when you acquired antiques and had to think of cost to repair versus the price for the item, or she'd just end up loosing money rather than earn any. And whilst she had not come to this shop in search of doing so, she would not decline a kind offer such as this, nor would she push her luck and attempt to haggle further. That would be unwise, to put it mildly.

"I accept your terms, and will make sure my own carriage is used to ensure the items arrives as pristine as they are prepared by yourself. Brick, do be a dear and give word to Drag and Pull that I have use of their services in the morning, will you? And see if Aroma can't send a few movers here to transport the watches. I will ensure that everything is handled here in the meantime."

Brick grunted a yes, and walked out of the store without more of a sound, though he didn't feel right about leaving the two of them with the watch maker. Still, an order was an order, and he'd follow it without question, just like Scarcity would expect from him. he just wouldn't be happy about it.

"We will be on our way shortly Penny, but for now, shall we finalize the transaction, Mr. Tock?"

Scarcity used her magic to open her delicate saddlebag, and float out a few wallets. one for what in her line of business could be considered *petty coins* and one for the higher valued bits. As far as she recalled, this were less than five hundred, so it should not be an issue for her to cover the bill here and now. If she had remembered wrongly, she had some leeway of about five hundred more, just in case, so she were ready.

Edited October 12, 2017 by Blitz Boom
Added color.

[genessee 535]

@Blitz Boom

Lance laughed and followed her out.

"But what would they do with the clones when they ran out of money? Also, how do the clones get money in the first place? It's not like they can go to the non-cloned version of themselves job, because there couldn't be two of them at the same place without one realizing that something was up."

He continued to trot behind Berry.

 

[The Resident Brony 60]

@Blitz Boom

Invictus thought about this. He decided that it would be best if he blew off some steam first.

"Vivid, im gonna unleash some of my anger in the form of lightning, so be cautious."

Invictus began shooting off black lightning into the air as he let off his anger. 3 minutes later, he stopped.

"Ok, im calm and ready to meet with the general."

[Sekel 694]

@Blitz Boom & @Widdershins

DAWN & AURORA

Dawn shied away from Pop and sat a bit always from her, shaking her head emphatically from side to side. “I don’t know what being an empath means, Pop, so I don’t want to hurt in case it’s bad,” Dawn said softly, looking at her friend with an expression of ‘please leave me alone’. She turned it to Kaltrops and couldn’t even muster up anger in his presence. “Kaltrops, you’re being a big baby! Just shut up!”

Aurora nodded with a smile and two more green flashes emitted from the carriage. One to change Aurora back into a Changeling and one to change her into a pony. She looked like a Pegasus with a slightly limp mane and tail. She had green eyes, a burnt orange coat, and was a blank flank. Her mane and tail were coloured red though, and if Spicy didn’t know better, she could have sworn she’d be looking at a colour inverted spitting image of the Pegasus outside.

Edited October 12, 2017 by Dji

[Foxy Socks 2,599]

@Blitz Boom @Widdershins

"Free of charge? Thank you..." Foxy quietly said, with a smile on her face. "I hope it's not too much, you can take your-" Foxy was interrupted as she was being pulled by Anomaly. While she had heard her speak moments before, Foxy had not paid much attention while she was speaking to Rarity.

"Oh... don't mind Anomaly, our friend. She is quite nice, even if she is a bit strange. I'm sure she wouldn't do any permanent damage to your place." Foxy didn't resist being pulled, as it was quite fun. In fact, she even ran along with it, though she quickly lost balanced and tripped, still being pulled along across the floor. "Don't worry, I'm fine..." Foxy said with a smile. Anomaly always made things more interesting when she was around.

[FanOfManyShows 396]

@Blitz Boom

Astral had been smiling for a little, before he started talking about his past, she looked away, sighing. "Well, don't feel guilty for any of this mess, Warlock was going to return anyway, without Athriel he'd be able to get to power faster" She said looking to him. "But just consider this..." She looked down. "I lost my mother only a few years after I was born, turned out immortality spells don't cure cancer, and it was just being held back the entire time she had the immortality spell." Her ears lowered against her head. "So it caught up with her, and she passed." She sighed heavily. "What you did can't be worse than failing to bring back your dead mom, and seeing the horror you made in your attempts, and having to kill it." You could hear her breath pause as she remembered the gem around Athriel's neck, quietly gasping. Sapphire had hidden the fact she could bring her back when she wanted to, which lead to her to failing to bring her back, forcing her to kill the monster she made, most of her experiences were Sapphire's fault, for not telling her she could just bring her back, her brows curled downwards as her face expressed her frustration at that fact. She softly sighed while she returned to an expression of peace, as she recalled her want to fight the two magic users head on, which she could do right then and there, without explanation, but she needed one anyway. "We both got horrible pasts, but we shouldn't let them get in the way of what's happening now." She said with a smile, although it wasn't real, it'd seem like it was.
================================
Warlock snickered at her comment. "Well just carry me then." He said as he floated down. "If we can get there faster if you use your wings, you should use your wings. just be careful with those claws, my warding spell isn't at full power yet."
===============================

Iron Wing smirked a little and scoffed. "If there are wardens to protect the gems, how did Warlock get his hooves on the element of greed?" He asked tilting his head, rather curious how that'd happen.

===============================
Francis looked to him, and you could see his wing twitching. "I-I'm not alright, I fell out the window as well and hit the ground without anything to slow it." He said as he laid back down. "Nectar is probably doing worse."
===============================
Meanwhile Nectar seemed to had taken quite the fall, and the ponies that found her would see a pony clearly in a worse state, as she was further from the window, and was blasted out with greater force, both her wings spread out of her side, her tail starting to move as she just barely became conscious again, trying to find something around her she could use for a source of love, to heal. She let out a grunt as she opened her eyes as she glanced around, trying to figure out where she was. "W-where-" She stuttered for a moment and breathed in deeply as she collected herself. "W-what happened?"

[EQ_Theta 460]

@Blitz Boom @Shineling

"Look, I know there's time for everything talking but how long has this mine been running?" Lin asked. "And if the gems being mined in there are as dangerous as you say, why do ponies still pay for them? Are they really worth the risk?"

Without the info given to Sen by Clayton, her confusion stuck out like a sore thumb among other things bothering her at the moment. Ever the curious mind, she did consider taking some samples with her back home but after the fiasco with a focal orb that nearly consumed her with dark, corrupted magic, she thought otherwise. All the effort put into saving her would be for naught. But that was just one side of the siblings, the other only was made of desperation. Sen wanted to hide this, and comforting the drake did alleviate some of it, but he really wanted to see some progress. Just like Clayton said, it was a slow process made slower with broken tools. And the waiting was agony. 

"How deep do those mines go?" Sen asked, still stroking the drake albeit slower. "Just wanted to get my bearings. Not even sure how we could identify our friend if she's been encased in gemstones. Anything specific to look for or do we stick to just looking for a pony-shaped deposit?"

 

[Blitz Boom 4,640]

@Lloyd

Chow wasn't sure if he agreed on Warlock being able to get to power faster without Athriel. So far, it seemed like she was leading him places, and helping him orchestrate his vengeance on Sapphire and the rest of Equestria, so where was she keeping him back? Perhaps by having him choose specifics instead of him just marching forward and take everything he wanted?

Personally, he'd still think that in that case, Warlock might've been easier to deal with, but Astral knew more about him than he did, so there might be something there that escaped him.

In any case, her words did make him feel a bit better, and also get more pity on her, for laying out more talk about trying to resurrect her mother. It had sounded heartbreaking every time she had mentioned it thus far, and right now wasn't any difference. He certainly wouldn't have been able to kill anything that might be related to his foster mom, that was for sure.

"You're right, we should keep some focus on what's going on here and then we can cry a river afterwards. Tissue's are on me."

He gave a grin to match her smile, though he hoped she couldn't tell that he had to force it through. She looked like she were genuinely able to smile, and then seeing him faking it was a little harsh.

"I kinda got a question though. When Warlock and Athriel held us hostage, didn't they speak about bringing Sapphire back too? It sounded like they had some idea of what to do too, since they wanted to keep you as leverage. Think we can lure it out of 'em when we eventually get them caught?"

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

 

@Lloyd

She wanted to wait until later, but fine, he had saved her before, she owed him a little something in return. Being carried would suffice this time around.

So Athriel spread her wings, flew up over Warlock, and grabbed around his torso with her talons and legs. They wouldn't cut into him since she wasn't an idiot, but it should keep him stable, as long as he didn't try to wriggle around too much.

"You think this is the first time I've had talons? At the height of my power, I was more malleable than a Changeling. There is not the kind of appendage I haven't had at least once, so calm yourself."

Soaring above the trees, she set course for the island in the distance. Warlock didn't weigh too much for a griffon of her host's size, so it shouldn't be much of an issue, as long as nothing interfered on their trip.

"I need to find my element so I can become like that again. Being restricted to a single form, even one of the more useful as a Griffon, is annoying limited. It would be as if you had no magic, other than the ability to summon fish. Useful in some situations, but not what you need most of the time."

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

 

@Lloyd

"I think it is because of us. The ponies who found the temple it was in and removed it, they took away the wards, didn't they?"

Scorn nodded.

"The wards are meant to go against the specific user of the elements. Greed had something there, but it wasn't meant for regular ponies, so when they found the temple, they got away. The guardians of greed didn't have any new descendants to take over their vigil, so there was noone there to stop it.

Three elements have lost their assigned guards, and if I heard right, they've already taken one of them. The temple to to Siren sisters, where the Element of Depression were stored, were invaded by them. Troubling object if they find the wearer."

"They will find her. The question is just if they can bring them with her when they do."

The voice in the darkness of the ceiling spoke out again, just before two ponies came crashing through the door carrying a satchel.

"Dragon! Not Benny, friend? foe? Who really know? Ahahaha!!!"

The two were identical twin earth ponies, and spoke in tandem as they laughed maniacally over what they saw and what they said.

They were brown with dark manes, and it seemed every end of hair on their body had been singed at least once. They wore belts full of tools and sweat bands marked with the Royal Guard symbols around their heads, as well as old goggles covering their eyes. As for their voices, it sounded like they had a few screws turned almost entirely out of the sockets, which - combined with their high pitches voices - didn't help to make them seem capable of doing anything right.

"We bring pillow filling of the sharp goose."

One of them dropped the bag over at General Wing's hooves and jumped back whilst his brother started to approach the dragon with a screwdriver.

"Touch me, and you'll regret it."

Usually that deterred others,  but this one? It just made him that much more eager, so he went over and stabbed at the touch scaled witht he screwdriver. It was very innefective, and did little more than securing him a slap with Scorn's tail, which caused him to slam back into a wall and fall into a few pillows.

"Haha, see you fly Hammer."

The one who hadn't gone into the wall bounced over, whilst laughing.

"Like a ball in the yard, Chisel."

The two of them brohoofed before going over to Wings together and opened the bag, revealing the bundle of feathers they had gotten over. All repaired, with the mark they had seen on a few of the others imprinted on each of them.

"Enchantment magic, really weird."

"Super weird."

"But we fixed them. But something's wrong."

"We tried to make it to others, but it didn't work. Only meant for you."

"We want to know who made them, so we can make more for others."

"That will show Benny.

"We'll be the kings of the forge!!"

"Yeah!"

The two of them brohoofed again, caught in their talk and presentation. They didn't even notice as the feathers would react on being near their owner.

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

 

@Lloyd

The Lieutenant looked behind her at the table where the changeling queen laid and were worked on currently, before returning her gaze to Nectar.

"Don't worry sir, they'll help the both of you. We're trying to get some love in to heal you two, but it takes time to retrieve a volunteer. I wish I could offer, but I already fed one, and I can't risk fallin unconsious. Not with everything going on today."

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

 

@Lloyd

(ten minutes earlier)

"A changeling queen! Call for chains, sh-"

"You won't do anything soldier."

"B-But Lieutenant, it's a Changeling Queen. You know what they're like."

"What I know is that the generals have asked us to help her, and we'll follow orders."

"How can you expect me to do that after what Chrysalis did?"

"Have you forgotten what I lost that day soldier? I wouldn't help her if she were getting drowned in quick sand, but this isn't the same queen, and if you can't differentiate between two different situations, you don't deserve your uniform."

The soldier went silent, and a feeling of embarrassment flowed over things, whilst Lieutenant Shimmer got closer to the queen.

"Ma'am? You got blasted out of a window and have sustained quite a few wounds. We got doctors on the way to get you to the hospital. If you need love to sustain yourself until they can look over your wounds, I can offer you some of mine."

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

 

@EQ_Theta @Shineling

Clayton hacked and moved the last of the gems that were in their way for now, and wiped the sweat from his forehead.

"The mine were open for four years, and the gems generally is seen as being worth the trouble. As soon as it was found out how to safely get the gems off, the chances of accidents happening were near zero, so they could be mined safely and neutralized into some of the prettiest gems on the market.

We could have kept it running for a while longer if-"

Clayton shut his muzzle suddenly, and moved further into the mine, whilst his heart and mind raced with what he had just said. He contemplated just coming clean with Lin, but perhaps there was a small chance that she hadn't heard him right, and he could avoid telling her? It was a frail hope, but he had to rely on that for now.

"It this goes all the way to the main chamber, we are still a few minutes out from the furthest she could possibly have gone. Your friend might be completely covered, but there is a chance that something is still free to watch. Look for tufts of mane or anything else, or any kinds of clothes perhaps. If not that, just look for general... Pony... Forms..."

They passed a few whose shape would ahev been enough to tell that there may have been a time when they were not just formations of gems. The ragged pieces of clothes still dangling from them were just more proof, and it made Clayton pale.

"I-It's not these though. We need to get further inside, though I really hope your friend did not reach the inner chamber. Nothing good will come from that place."

Back outside with Sen and Discord, the drake listened, but it didn't answer. If it could actually talk remained to be seen, but the first words were unlikely to be a lengthy explanation of these mines.

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

 

@Foxy Socks @Widdershins

"A innocent as a bee.  Hope you don't get poked, hehe."

The voice was still not revealing where it came from, but that was by design. Anomaly wanted to make a grand entrance, and before that, set the scene and have a bit of fun. Perhaps she'd even help if the mood struck, but for now, she was satisfied with what she were doing, and seeing the three ponies getting dragged over to their eating were amusing enough for her to not meddle with too many things. Yet.

As they reached the seating and got dragged up, flanks first, Briar let out a small sigh while Brittle tried to say something.

"W-Were sorry if this is a bad time. There have to be a lot of ponies with issues in town today."

She looked over at Foxy that seemed to be getting near to them too, and wondered how she were dealing with this as easily as she seemed to. It had been a pretty weird day, but overall, the mare had seemed calm about it most of the time, and there wasn't a spell over her, right? Were she just used to more strange situations perhaps? Could be something worth asking about later, but right now she were speaking with Rarity, and it would be rude of her to interrupt...

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

 

@Dji @Widdershins

"I don't think you'd ever hurt anypony on purpose Dawn. If what they say is true, it'd at worst be an accident. Perhaps if you train, like they said? You can try on me. Think of some emotion, and try to push it on me. It's okay."

Pop hugged her friend, trying to comfort her, though her mind were torn. On one half, she wanted to try and help out, but on the other, it sounded weird and potentially dangerous to have emotions smashed into you like that. For now though, she'd listen to the first voice, and then hope that nothing went wrong.

Meanwhile, Spicy was having a bit of a chuckle at seeing the changeling in front of her switch forms to a pony.

"Not too shabby. Perhaps you should show it off to the others at some point, and see if they're impressed. Especially that Dawn character. She seems like she could use a laugh in her life."

Spicy didn't notice anything about Aurora looking like a color inverted version of Dawn. The pony out there hadn't been interesting enough to her to really bite notice in everything like color and such, so why would she? She might be good at seeing small things and bite note in them, but that was either at the tables, or when it mattered. Some loud mouth who wanted to be miffy at Kaltrops didn't count as that in her mind. Not unless something else happened.

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

 

@The Resident Brony

Vivid covered herself in a bauble of veil energy while Invictus had his *therapy session*. She doubted that he'd actually hit her, but lightning were irrational and uncontrollable by nature. It wasn't worth the chance to potentially get fried and remake herself again. Enough danger had been had recently where she almost had to, and it tired her to be remade again. Too many changed to her body via that, and she wasn't ready to live with it. Not until she had gotten a trinket that could keep her warm, or learned some sort of spell.

"There, better? Now then, for the general, we still aren't there, so you need patience. It might not be a one on one scale in here too much, but there is still some distance to be made. Enjoy the trip, and take in the sights."

In the distance, a large, scaled demon appeared and roared towards the sky before wandering with heavy steps along the path in a southward direction.

"He comes here when his wife gets on his nerves. Ignore him."

With that, she went back to wandering along their own path, towards a good place to pass into Canterlot. Potentially the castle itself, but they'd see.

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

 

@genessee

"Don't you see it? If they can clone ponies, they can clone money! This place will be loaded, but then they'd get greedy and the economy would collapse! And that's just the free clones. Know what happens to the failed or the obsolete? Huh? Do you!?"

Berry suddenly turned and went forehead to forehead with Lance.

"They're made into mole food... And scarecrows!"

She shivered before turning away again and continuing down their path to the first of three houses. The conspiracy raged on in her head, so clear to her, but eluded from everypony else she met. Lucky, short sighted fools the lot of them. If only they knew how deep the roots went, and how many were part of it. Why, Celestia's conquering of the Centurion Breezies alone would make anypony's head spin.

[EQ_Theta 460]

@Blitz Boom

If there was any semblance of hope finding Omen within this mine, then Clayton might not be able to see this all the way through. She knew Omen better and if she had something to get her attention, it would be all on her to see it happen. She took a few deep breaths in and readied herself to shout out in the hopes of finding her friend. Besides, this is a mine. There can't possibly be anything lurking within it because its abandoned, right? 

"Omen!" Lin yelled into the darkened tunnels. "Are you here? Could you hear me? If you could, yell back what you see. Anything that can help us find you."

There was something a little disturbing about the mines. It might simply be Lin's active imagination but somehow, being in this place reminded her of the caves back home where she fell victim to Legion's magic. It brought a rush of memories back into consciousness and wondered if this was history repeating itself but only the other way around. Now she was in Omen's place and she in hers. Now Lin would metaphorically bite her tongue at the prospect of it really happening like it did back home. She wouldn't know how to help her friend if it came to that. For now, she only had to worry about finding Omen and ensuring her safety. 

[genessee 535]

@Blitz Boom

Lance continued to follow Berry.

"You know, you'd make a pretty good author."

He was mainly dismissing the insanity she was saying as nonsense, but there was one tiny part of him that said 'what if she's right?' as there always is. But seriously, somepony needs to be writing this down somewhere, this is hilarious. 

[dragon4111 914]

@Widdershins@Blitz Boom

Ancalagon was deep in thought as the dryad asked him. "From what I can remember they are still around but are slumbering in a great tree of some harmonic magic or something," Ancalagon stated with a sigh to himself. "But I am sure they would heed your call for aid," he stated with a grin on his face. "I wonder how many dragons are here now in Ponyville," Ancalagon stated as he closed his eyes. A silent call unto like a dragon lord's call was sent out in a city wide radius. It has been quite a long time since he had used this call.

[Blitz Boom 4,640]

@EQ_Theta

There wasn't any sound as they moved further and further into the mine. The gems on the floor got less numerous, so they had to make fewer stops, but it still took them a little time to reach the inner chamber, at which point some... Sights, had already made Clayton seem squirmish and shaken.

Had it just been the two statues before he might have been able to handle it, but a few more had shown while they passed. Only one other had some semblance of clothes on the crystalline frame, but he knew even without. The sights couldn't get out of his head this close to things, and though he paced himself before seeing every one, it didn't make it easier. Especially not the ones that had parts fallen off since the episode...

It was nothing compared to the inner chamber though, where six crystalline bodies in beautifully, changing colors, illuminated the room, along with the layer that engulfed the walls and ceiling.

Three of them were behind another, holding remnants of rope in their teeth. Rope that had once been wrapped around the figure in the middle, but had seemingly been cut off from the large, bat-winged mare that stood there.

The last two were facing Lin and Clayton, with fear eternally imprinted into their unmoving eyes. It looked like they had been running away from the mare, but hadn't gotten long.

"My friends... I'm so sorry..."

Tears fell down Clayton's face when he looked at the pristine forms, that were so unlike the chunks they had seen so far. Every expression and movement were imprinted in them, just as he remembered it.

The fear of Cloud and Angel, trying to escape. The resolute looks of Granite, Whisper and Herder, restraining the mare as they accepted their fate. And her... That horrid, evil thing, caught with a glare of hatred and a frozen scream as the sigil beneath her had taken effect... She was the only one who deserved this fate, but there hadn't been a choice.

The look on her face betrayed her otherwise elegant, well groomed self, though it had been far too late they realized what she was actually like. The scene in front of them were proof enough of that.

Tears went to anger, and he took a step forward, only to see something that made the color drain out of his face: A crack in the mare's statue. Not a small one, but going from top to bottom on the back, and expanded outwards. Not unlike a

"No... Dear Celestia, nononono..."

His focus was entirely on this, though something else might catch Lin's eye.

On the bottom of the wall, behind the statue, a particular formation of gems bulged out. A general shape was hard to make out as the layer around the bulge was mishaped, but from one end, half of Omen's tail could be seen, swaying silently as always on unseen winds.

They had found her, though she were going to need help soon.

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

@genessee

"And have the Filly Scouts see that I know their trickery? That's crazy talk."

Several more would stop at nothing to get hold of her is she wote how she unravlled the conspiracy, but the scouts were the most dangerous. Sure, they presented themselves as cutesie and recruiting fillies into a *fun, social activity*, yet if you knew where to look the horrors became apparent. The poisonous cookies and mass deforestation of key forests protecting leylines alone would make Lance's head explode if he knew about it, but she couldn't tell him that. She might have already brought him into danger just by telling him that the Filly Scouts were involved in anything.

Nopony believed her anyway. They'd rather just claim she suffered from Apophenia and go live in their perfect world, rather than face the intricate webs of corruption and governmental cruelty that really controlled their world.

"Okay, we're getting to the first house. Get the container marked two ready, and don't drop it! You don't want to see Chop in a bad mood."

Berry would give Lance ten seconds to find to container, before knocking on the door of the house they had reached - cautiously of course, in case this was rigged to explode - and waited until an elderly mare who seemed to be suffering from flu of some kind answered the door. This would be the recipient of the soup. Chop had sent with them.

"Hey Missus Gingerly. We come with food as fresh as the treacherous southern wind."

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

 

@dragon4111

Lyriel nodded.

"Perhaps the day will soon come when I will need to find them then. Thank you for telling me of their existence, noble one."

Elsewhere in town, two dragons reacted on the weird, irregular *bat signal* that had been sent out. One was Nerzhei, who had returned to town because she had a few books she had forgotten before that she needed for her research. She didn't react much on this, beyond holding a clawed hand to her head and taking a sip of the headache potion she had bought earlier. If he wanted her to show up directly, Ancalagon could call her out instead of this, though what he'd want with her at this point was anyone's idea. He seemed to be busy with... Lyriel...

"*sigh* What have she gotten herself into this time?"

Taking to the skies, Nerzhei found a nearby roof that she could stand on to get a better vantage point of what was going off. Lyriel was hers to keep a look out for, and if something were starting to happen now, she might have to step in. The Dryad were kind, so she doubted there were, but her paranoia wouldn't allow her to think everything was all fine and dandy.

Near the outskirts of town, at a pile of wood and flimsy metal plates that had once been the improvised housing of Null and Void, Benny stopped his clearing of the rubble to look around when the sound first came into his head.

Unlike Nerzhei, he had never been in the presence of a dragon lord, and didn't know what this was, but there was some kind of pull in him that told him to reach into the sky. Easy to ignore at first, but as the signal kept going on, he eventually excused himself to the magic-draining siblings and slowly flew up, looking confused around at what might be trying to lure him in. Was it another enemy already?

Edited October 16, 2017 by Blitz Boom

[EQ_Theta 460]

@Blitz Boom

"I don't know what to say... Are these? Is... is there any way to get them back to normal?" 

Just seeing the crystallized figures mortified Lin, probably the first time in a long while. Though the memory of being encased in stone was still fresh, there was something less comforting in seeing others stuck in a moment of time like this. If there was a way to bring them back, she would not hesitate to do so. Either Discord's magic or something from the Hyracotherian scholars' library of magical knowledge could help. They were both sources of powerful magic, probably even knowledge spanning thousands of years. Something definitely could be done. She wouldn't impose on Clayton at the moment as she could visibly see the distraught look on him but something else caught her attention. There was wind in the caves? A light breeze more like but it got Lin to see the sight of a familiar tail flapping about. 

"NO! No no no no... Omen!" Lin yelled as she ran to the unusual gem formation and looked through any crease or crack she could use to get her out. She then turned to Clayton with desperation. 

"How do we get her out of there? And how much time does she have?"