open Casual stroll

[Moonlit 593]

@Blitz Boom "More like she abandons her eggs on the beach, and in order to save them, we adopt." Harmony takes the empty bowls and washes them. Once they are all done, she grabs a towel and holds it out for Ziggy.

[Azure Acrylic 24]

@Blitz Boom @Dreadmare

“Hold on, Mrs. Shell. You live at the ocean? So you live at one of those seaside towns which I sometimes see container ships unloading cargo? Neat. I’ve to the ocean a few times, loved the salty sea air, but I never know what’s down there in the ocean. And yes, for ponies that can’t fly, they have to use some sort of spell to enable them to walk on clouds. This city is quite pretty, all the houses here are built using marble columns, but almost all inscriptions on the buildings in the city are in this old language called Latin, which I can’t read.”

Azure turns to Thunder to reply to his comment.

“Wow, Thunder, you really need to work on your focusing skills while flying, you can’t keep hurting yourself like that.”

[Catpone Cerberus 23,427]

@Blitz Boom
Ruby started drying herself when she got the towel, this was one more of the negatives of this form, in her real form, water didn't bother her as it didn't penetrate her scales, but as a pony, the coat and mane and tail were like sponges, seemingly absorbing all water that came even close to her. "I'll be somewhere around the casino most likely, I may go outside at some point, but I'll still stay close by."  

-------------------------------------
Nada nodded "Yeah, it's okay, there's no hurry with it, I just hope she doesn't overthink the letter as something else than it is." the latter part was said with bit of humor, she hoped that Lyriel had noticed the same thing about Berry as she had, because she didn't want to sound like she was talking trash behind Berry's back, she just wanted to share her thoughts with someone.

 

 

[Blitz Boom 4,429]

@EQ_Theta

On 12/3/2019 at 2:34 PM, EQ_Theta said:

“How in Equestria did this get stuck?”

"There is more at the bottom."

Omen just stood there whilst the two of them pull,ed from each their own direction, trying to get her and the cup separated from one another, but to no real avail. It were stuck like glue had been added, and all they'd have to show for their efforts were Omen's muzzle pulling back and forth like a sturdy piece of rubber.

"*Nngh* Why not just turn the cup up and let it flow down your muzzle then?"

"...I can do that?"

Omen lifted her head and let the last drops go down like they had asked her to do, and pretty much right after, Sen would have less of a problem pulling the cup off her face. Meaning that yes, suction from Omen herself had been part of why this had gotten stuck, along with her just pushing further down to see if she could lap up the last bit, and getting stuck in the cup, which were narrower than she were used to. Most of the time she just drank out of rivers, if she drank at all. Much like with food, this were a luxury that had more to do with her experiencing things, rather than needing it for sustenance.

"Why in the name of the moon, wouldn't you have tried that?"

"Master Discord said I should not try. He said I had a... *Design flaw*?"

Omen tilted her head after she said that, in her usual confused manner, and looked to them for answers. Something which Rosa would do in return, as a red flower rapidly grew out of Omen's left ear, and bloomed into a plant he did not know of personally, but considering the sharp teeth on the flower bud, and how it were snapping in random directions, he assumed it to be a kind of magically altered, flesh eating flower.

It would jump out of her ear not long after it had grown to about the size of Shrimp, and scurry along towards the door - likely following the feeling of light - on it's small, nimble roots, but didn't get far before Rosa pulled a thin, metallic string out of his mane, made a quick loop, and threw it. Like it were a lasso, it would swing around the *belly* of the creature, and get it leashed. Seemed like even without his usual garment, he still had plenty of tools to work with.

"I don't know what this is, but I am not letting it grow here."

Pulling out a small, leather bag from another pocket in his belt, he'd open it up, then pull the plant up to him, and wrap the wire around it's mouth to ensure it didn't bite it's way out of there, nor move around. Unless there were any objections, he'd then put it in the bag. He could have had it destroyed by stomping on it as an example, but something told him that it would cause issues like that. Chaotic entities rarely turned out well.

On 12/3/2019 at 2:34 PM, EQ_Theta said:

“Where is the ball gonna go? Where's it gonna go?” she playfully said, clearly enjoying their moment of respite.

Though it looked like she was going to send it in any other direction, she passed the ball straight back to Shrimp. Though she had a trick or two in mind, she’d go easy on the refraction for now.

Shrimp were following the ball alright, looking left and right constantly as Lin patted it from side to side. It made him get all riled up too, with him already snapping and squirming, ready to pounce at the toy the moment she'd throw it in a direction.

When Lin finally let it go, Shrimp had gotten confused and lounged to his right, where he had been sure she'd run it towards, which in turn meant that the ball would get right past him, and move towards the wall. It wouldn't get there though, before Shrimp got to it, and pulled it back with a triumphant tiny roar. Might be he had missed it at first, but he still got it, so that were good enough in his mind.

Getting back to roughly where he had been before, he'd then look up at Lin. This tricky one who had done tricky things with the toy. You could almost see the gears grinding in his head, before he began to bash the ball from side to side with his tail and head, using what length he had to try and cause a bit of confusion himself, just like Lin had did for him. He weren't able to get the same speed going sadly, but he tried, just like he did when he finally hit the ball towards her with the end of his tail, and send it towards her right side. Granted, it didn't go fast, but he were trying to learn, and imitate things as best he could. Considering his limited size and strength, this were the best he could do right now.

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

 

@Catpone Cerberus

"I will be sure to let her know once she have awakened. I wouldn't expect that to happen for at least a few hours though."

Using his horn, Diego would withdraw a black poker chip with a gold embroidered image of himself upon it. Real gold too, on top of the high quality chip. Seemed like this place were not skimping on quality anywhere.

"In case something comes up, please present this to an employee of mine, and they will get in contact with me. Now if you will excuse me, I need to follow Spicy to her room and ensure that no... Unforeseen circumstances tries to get in the way."

The same burly guard from before entered the room, didn't even acknowledge that Ruby were there, and slung Spicy up on his back. Afterwards, Diego and him would be on their way. They would go right outside the room, and if Ruby wanted to leave, she'd have to go to the main casino hall, which were left. The signs were rather convenient like that.

Seemed like Ruby would have some time to kill on her own. Only time though. It were not advised to actually kill a creature. Las Pegasus were not That forgiving.

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

 

@Catpone Cerberus

"I hope not, but she does seem the kind to do such a thing."

Lyriel rose a hoof to her muzzle and chuckled a little under it. Berry sure did seem like the sort of pony who had irrational and far reaching thoughts on things, judging by their last meeting, and the dryad could indeed just imagine that soon as the bird arrived with the letter, she'd begin to question every word within.

"She is a peculiar pony, is she not? I wish no ill will upon her, but her mind seems to go down paths I have experienced no other ponies talk about before. It makes me wonder if she simply knows things that others do not, or if she just imagines things, and gets worried for the dangers that may lurk in the bushes."

Speaking of dangers in the bushes, one of the bushes near Nada would begin to rustle. Surely some great beast were ready to pounce on her this very moment. Best if she were careful.

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@Moonlit

Ziggy's eyes went wide as she heard the gruesome truth of Serenade and her siblings.

"She What?! How could anypony just abandon their own children like that? That's... That's horrible!"

You were supposed to care for your offspring, or at least let them get them to a safe orphanage where hopefully somepony more ready for a foal could adopt them. Just leaving them on the beach to a certain end it... Just no. There were no good reason for this inexcusable act.

The tall zegasus would go over and give Harmony a big hug, despite the mare being busy washing up.

"They're so fortunate that they have you, Harmony. *sniff* No wonder they grow up to be good little pretend ponies when they got a great role model like you."

She'd take note of the offered towel after that, and get the hint. So letting go of the older mare again, she'd take it, and start drying off the varied stuff that got washed up. It'd be good not to leave the kitchen a big mess.

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

 

@Rainbows2424 @Dreadmare

"Phew, that's good to hear, Thunder. I just hope my armor isn't too heavy for them. It's not too bad, since pegasi's also supposed to use it, but y'know, still."

Good to hear that there were saving options, if worst came to worst, though it sorta made sense. No city would want to be know as *That place with all the impact craters beneath it*. That'd be reeeeeeeally bad for tourism, and just the reputation of the area in general.

23 hours ago, Rainbows2424 said:

“Hold on, Mrs. Shell. You live at the ocean? So you live at one of those seaside towns which I sometimes see container ships unloading cargo? Neat. I’ve to the ocean a few times, loved the salty sea air, but I never know what’s down there in the ocean. And yes, for ponies that can’t fly, they have to use some sort of spell to enable them to walk on clouds. This city is quite pretty, all the houses here are built using marble columns, but almost all inscriptions on the buildings in the city are in this old language called Latin, which I can’t read.”

"There's lots of things in the ocean. Some of them are really dangerous, but there's loads of that on land too.

Shark Bay doesn't have cargo ships though. I've heard about them, but it's been a law for a lot of generations that no such thing is allowed in the town, even as technology's getting really important elsewhere.

We have a lot of sea life in our area, along with a ton of coral reefs, and we want it to stay that way. In the Coastal Guard, the sea is not just something we watch out for enemies from. It's our home, and especially at the headquarters we guard it fiercely from any sort of damage and pollution. That's why the sea life is brimming at Shark Bay, and the water is nice and clear. You should see what we do to folks who throw trash in the sea. Hehe, really fitting to see them clear up trash and scrub moss for half a day for that. Makes them think twice before they mess with our ecosystem again.

We need it to be good for all of us, but especially all of the sharks. Poor, misunderstood things are really great, and they've been in the bay for longer than the guard have been a thing. We consider it an honor to make sure that they're still there after we're done too, and they're really good companions and friends to use against our enemies. You wouldn't believe how intimidating it is for outsiders to see a few dozen ponies riding sharks coming right for them."

She didn't have a shark personally, but she did love the misunderstood creatures. Still, Shell had some hope that perhaps she'd be able to get a squid, like the general had. Not one as big right off the bat of course, but it just felt sorta right, considering she were an oyster farmer. Meant she could feed her own companion. That would mean a lot for them connecting, which were really important for teamwork.

 

[Sphinx-Ara 3,517]

@Rainbows2424

Thunder chuckles and nods, rubbing the back of his neck with a hoof "Yeah you're right about that Azure, I won't be much of a guard if I keep getting myself injured" He'd laugh a little "But that's part of the reason why I'm joining the guard, to learn discipline" he'd say.

@Blitz Boom

Thunder then listened to what Shell had to say and nods "Don't worry, you'd be surprised how strong a Pegasi can be in a fix" he'd say as he then listened to the rest of what Shell had to say, nodding some more "I'd love a shark companion, and I agree, they are very misunderstood" he'd say then something struck him "I am glad that cargo ships and the such aren't allowed there, I heard about that city, Stalliongrad, it's very industrious but has a lot of air and sea pollution"

[EQ_Theta 415]

@Blitz Boom

“Aah!” Sen yelped as he saw the strange red plant grow out of Omen’s year, the jolt yanking him away and taking the cup with him. “What is that thing?!” 

Between this possibly carnivorous plant and those creatures he saw from the swamp from a while back, there is still a lot for him to know about the creatures that inhabit Equestria. Unfortunately, this didn’t factor in the likelihood of creatures created by chaos magic and if this one is new, then what were the odds of there being more created spontaneously? Whatever the case, it may be better to try working with drinking vessels that have much larger openings. Might reduce the odds of getting things stuck. 

About said design flaw, big words aside, that will take another bit of effort from both Sen and Lin to figure out. There was a feeling in Sen’s gut that they will eventually find themselves in a situation that brings out said flaw. He had no clue how to answer, merely turning towards Omen and shrugging when she looked to him. He really had no clue. 

As for Lin, she watched in glee as Shrimp tried to copy her movements, getting the ball rolling side to side in order to confuse her. Though the speed at which the ball rolled was slow enough that she could guess where it will roll, she humored the little creature and played along, watching and waiting. Once the ball rolled to her right, she pounced and caught it the moment it was within grasp. 

“Let’s try something different. Here it comes!” Lin bounced the ball towards Shrimp’s direction and opened a two gates, one where the ball bounces in and a second in front of the first, where the ball comes out from the ground and bounces further to the refraction. A little tamer but she’ll hold back on the trickery once this is done. Frankly, she was just having a lot of fun and wanted to see how her gate opening abilities can be used for more mundane activities like this. 

[Sekel 685]

@Widdershins

DAWN STREAK

Dawn flinched at seeing the claw. After a couple of seconds of staring, she huffed and laid down next to his claw. She hoped it was only for patting, like how bigger creatures are wont to do, and hoped that it wasn't for any evisceration tactics. "I-It's not like you need permission or anything," Dawn mumbled. "If y-you're going to p-pat me just d-do it. And yes, I'm willing to d-defend you from a-anypony who sees fit to argue against you."

@Blitz Boom

AURORA LIGHTS

"Th-There's a chance Onache won't be accepted?" Aurora whispered nervously, sticking close to Happy. She looked away when the guards looked at her in pity and her ears got pinned against her head. "I th-thought we'd t-talk and then boom, an alliance is formed."

@Blitz Boom

KARMIC FATE

"They've got everything to do with how barren this place is," Karmic affirmed, and kept facing behind them while she rode on Enzo's back. "I saw holes in their hides. Like changelings. Only these ones are filled with germs. They could be some kind of sub-evolution due to being down here for so long. But whatever the case may be, we've got to keep going. We can't go back, so all we can do is see where they're taking us."

@Blitz Boom

TWILIGHT SPARKLE

"Potions and elixirs are pretty much the same thing. One's just more potent than the other," Twilight explained with a smile and glanced at Cherish. "For example, a potion could say, get your mane to grow at a much faster rate. An elixir would be a lot more potent and would get out of control. The mane could potentially reach the ground and then some, not able to stop growing until sometime later. As for the ingredients, if this is extract from a Tatzlwurm flower, then it would do. A substitute has to be an ingredient that is similar to the ingredient you're substituting. Tatzlwurm flower, we weren't able to find one. If I'm right about this liquid, then Tatzlwurm flower extract will do just fine."

[Catpone Cerberus 23,427]

@Blitz Boom
Ruby just gestured with her hoof in a dismissive manner when Diego told her what he was going to do with Spicy, she honestly didn't care as long as he wasn't going to kill her, which was very unlikely to happen. She noticed the gold in the chip, but tried to ignore it assuming she couldn't keep it. 

She made her way pretty quickly back to the main hall, and from there she proceeded to find good targets to be seduced and cheated out of their treasures, she didn't discriminate between genders or species, anyone gullible enough would do. This was something she had lot of experience on, so it was unlikely she would get caught, but at the same time, the small risk brought only small rewards, so she wouldn't make that much either.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------

"I feel the exact way about her, and though I think that not everything she says is as true as she believes, I believe no better pony could have found me, because I think she understands me lot better than any other pony could." emphasis on pony. 

Nada noticed the rustle, but other than directing her senses towards it a bit just in case, she didn't really react, both because she trusted that in Lyriel's place worst that could happen was animal trying to start a play-fight, and because she had gotten so used to the creatures of Everfree on the lake that at worst she felt wary when faced with a predator creature. She also knew that if it would really be a threat, fast movements are the last thing you should do.

 

[Azure Acrylic 24]

@Blitz Boom @Dreadmare

Azure listens to Shell in surprise, before replying.

“Wow. Your home, Shark Bay, must be really darn clean then. No ships, no trash, none of that. Sounds like a nice place. But, I’m surprised that y’all ride on sharks often in there. I have a slight fear of sharks. Any one of them could gulp me down in one chomp, as I’m so tiny.”

She then turns to Thunder to tell him what she wants to say.

“Yeah, you’re right. Maybe training as a guard will help you stop hitting things so often. And also, what’s this “Stalliongrad” city you mentioned about? Never heard from it.”

[Moonlit 593]

@Blitz Boom Harmony nods, "We do what we can. But I will admit, raising a Siren was....harrowing. Especially when she first discovered she could sing and make ponies do whatever she asked. I came home one day to find my husband staring off into space and a round doughball called Serenade. She had wanted cookies...so she got ALL the cookies. Ruined dinner and breakfast...and lunch...and dinner"

[Rising Dusk 26,083]

@Blitz Boom

Well, it was always her prerogative to hope a glimmer of reason could pop out in an emotional storm.  Ultimately the results of been mixed as he's seen both the good and bad from either side.  Rising can't actually know the full extent of how Harrowmark had suffered under Twisted.  He was merely the outsider looking in and arguably putting his horn where it didn't belong.  Fear was always something that needed to be placed on something.  When one source was removed, the fear never really leaves, only gets put onto something else.  In this case, his own descendant with nothing else to project on.  A shameful display to be sure, but nothing an Equestrian pony could really relate to.

Banishment would of course be the preferable option of any of the outcomes.  Sad to have to leave her friends and home behind, but a better alternative than being put to the pitch fork of an angry mob.  Rising didn't know her relations to the nearby countries of Harrowmark, but considering The Captain practicality trying to recruit Ms. Wisp into the O.M.I., if she managed to make it to Equestria, she might be able to start over.  Not too unlike the sisters of Troy.  Becoming a citizen of Equestrian wasn't too painful a process to be sure.  Especially considering what she might have to deal with in her own lands.

The final factor in the equation being the light goddess.  As not having spoken with the being directly, the jury was still out for the detective on the benevolence of a primordial entity.  The light tainted wisp he had shown Lily lazily floating by.  Could the goddess know everything going on in this room right now through his wisp?  Had the power he'd stolen from Thistle to prevent her from exploding not fully been severed from its source.  Rising had never done anything like that before to compare results with.  It was still a mystery to him how such a thing happened at all.  The black wisps that had always been apart of him were tools for countering magic and have thus far never displayed absorbent properties before.  It wasn't even until this incident that he'd even considered they were individual.  This one wisp was now tainted and thus far every time he called it forth, it still was.

"It sounds like Equestria is due a few more refugees," Rising idly yawned.  It probably wouldn't be the best idea to ask The Captain to return to Harrowmark to check on Ms. Wisp and Ms. Sickle.  Internal affairs of another country were outside the scope of the O.M.I. and could likely causes political issues.  

"Feel like cooking up another Peep Spell?"

[Blitz Boom 4,429]

@Rising Dusk

"...I'll need a bauble."

Lily had almost given the detective flak for referring to her masterful scrying magic as a *Peep Spell*, but she were sure that she were currently walking on a thin line, and if she proved reluctant to work with them, they'd do something horrendous to her. Potentially put her in a new cage, and this time not stop it from imploding.

The thought alone sent a shiver down her spine. It were the best for her own hide if she did as she were told, just like it had been the case with Twisted. Difference here just being that she weren't giving in to some sort of sadistic joy in doing what Rising asked of her.

It were a part of her personality that had to be addressed one day, and she'd likely have to work hard on purging that side of herself, but it had just been the only way she could make it under the dark witches tutelage. Reluctance would have made her seem weak, and at some point, it had become hard for her to distinguish between her faking it for her own survival, or whatever or not she actually found some level of joy in the gruesome things he had her do. Some days, it seemed so much easier to think that she had just given in to evil, and were more of a willing servant than a forced apprentice, but she just weren't sure anymore. There were a lot of conflicting feelings towards this, and they'd have to be addressed when there were time for it. Such a time however, were not now. Now it were time to begin a scrying spell, and she could easily guess what the detective's focus of said scry would be.

"Two if you want to be sure, so I can lock in the location. Harrowmark is far away, so if I have to begin all over for any reason, it will take a long time to return."

There wouldn't be any sort of resistance, nor rebellious act from Lily throughout these proceedings. If he wanted her to follow, she'd do so. If he wanted her to stay, she'd sit down, and not do anything. And if chains or the like came into the picture, she'd be reluctant of it, but accept being chained up in some form or fashion.

It wouldn't be a big issue once she started working though. Equestria had been difficult to get into because of the distance, along with the unfamiliar magic flowing through the air, but Harrowmark were her country, and she knew it well. Weren't like she only started scrying once she got picked up by Twisted after all. It were a specialty of hers, and she had seen quite the amount of things.

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

 

@EQ_Theta

On 12/5/2019 at 2:08 AM, EQ_Theta said:

“What is that thing?!”

"I don't know, but considering that the growth of this resulted from what Discord himself called a design flaw, I am reluctant to think anything good would come from letting it go, or just squash it. I'll have to run some tests later, or contact someone who might know more about plants."

The plant had seemingly gone dormant, once the pouch were wrapped up and no light sifted in to it, but to be on the safe side, Rosa still double pouched it, using another one he had in his belt. Meant he had to take a half dozen grey pellets out and put them in another pocket, but it were not a big issue right now.

"Strange thing grew from my ear. Am I a plant creature now?"

Omen were still confused and curious at what she had just seen and felt. Having a plant grow from her ear were something that she had never experienced before, and it seemed like she weren't the only one who had no idea how to deal with this, beyond just catch what had spawned, and otherwise look like they had more questions than answers. It made for a strange sight for her, as that were usually her thing, and then the others would know what were going on. Another strange day for her to learn something from perhaps?

"I doubt it. My best guess would be that seeing as you are created in part by chaotic magic, there is some of that magic lingering in you, and doing certain things activates it. is there anything else Discord have told you not to do, except for sipping from a cup?"

"Master Discord only said something were a *design flaw* twice. Other time, he shivered. Said something about not touching breezies. I obeyed."

"Good, keep doing that. If this thing is any indicator, I think this warning might well prove important to follow."

Rosa packed this up nice and tidy, keeping the still pouch wrapped up in one of several small nooses meant for hanging things in his belt, before addressing Sen, whom he assumed had about a million more questions about this, to which Rosa sadly had very little of the answers. Though, perhaps he could offer some comfort in a way, if nothing else.

"I am not going to plant this in your base, or near your village, just for the record. If I am going to plat it to see what there is to learn, it will be in a secluded pot, surrounded by salted dirt and with fire at hoof, among other things. This may well be a highly invasive species of carnivorous plant, and sadly, I don't know enough about botany to have any idea about whatever or not it could be a boon, or how to deal with it. My limited knowledge on the topic is mostly around what plants can be used for emergency remedies, or poison. Carnivorous plants are rarely part of either."

A spy were not the smartest thing to be when you went to a hospital, and while he could have just taken off his suit before going in there, it would just get messy most of the time. What with thestrals sticking out like sore hooves in many places, and then the paperwork leaving trace of him that could be cross referenced with recent illegal activities later, etc. etc. It were oftentimes smarter to know how to deal with a given issue on your own, as one of his oldest teachers had once said. And in their profession, you listened to the elderly. Had to be a smart one worth listening to if they made it that far in life, given what they did.

Meanwhile, Shrimp chirped in delight when he saw that Lin had caught the ball. However, that meant that it were about to be his turn, and this time, he'd be ready to catch it wherever she threw it.

The hunting instinct were clear in his eyes as they fixated on the ball, and followed it's every movement, whilst he himself coiled together, like a snake ready to strike.

Looking at the ball as it bounced up and down, and coming in his direction, he were ready to pounce on it- But then the gate came up, and he let out a confused chirp. He had seen Omen do this too yesterday, and it had caused the ball to go all sorts of weird places. That meant that he now couldn't be sure were it were going anymore! How much did he have to look around to find the ball now?

Turned out to not be any amount, as a second gate opened very close to this one, which meant the ball were still going straight for him. So, as to not risk it going away, he'd pounce right away, slinging himself at it and land close to it, so that he could bounce it back the way it came from with his head, as it bounced down upon him.

Seeing it go back, he'd let out a triumphant roar, and eagerly stood ready to see where it'd come from the next time. He were really enjoying his well earned playtime.

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

 

@Moonlit

Okay, it might not be the best thing to laugh at here, but the mental image of a young Serenade, looking like a ball with cookie crumbs around her after being fed all she could muster by her dad, were just hilarious.

"Hehe, I can totally see it for me, that she'd use her power for munchies.

I don't really see her do it a whole lot myself. Serenade's really aware of what it can do, and she says because I accidentally heard it when she sung in her sleep and sorta spaced out, I'm easier to be affected by it now. I've gotten myself some pretty earplugs since though, just so she won't worry."

Picking at one of her pockets, Ziggy withdrew two pink earplugs with sparkles. She had originally gone for something simpler, but when she saw these she just couldn't help herself. They had even been on sale, lucky her. Apparently, others had found them tacky. Hah! Their loss, that's what she'd say.

"It's way worse for Fah'lina though. She's got really big ears, that picks up on sound really easy, and I've tried: They can't be plugged without it hurts her. She got some sort of weird ear canal that isn't meant for it, so whenever she even thinks Serenade's starting, she takes off. Usually underwater, or into a clothes basket of some sort."

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@Catpone Cerberus

Up in some sort of office, looking over things via magic orbs hovering throughout the ceiling of the casino, Diego would step in and address the unicorn with bright, shining eyes sitting there on a large pillow in front of a pale, floating orb, who had kept an eye on how things went down there. It were his job as a security officer after all, and he spotted potential troublemakers. Usually he sent somepony to deal with it, but this one were special, so he had given notice to the boss about it.

"You've found something troubling, I hear?"

"Yeah boss. This one-"

His horn flashed briefly, and several images of Ruby doing her hustling were shown going over the orb. The unicorn himself were too connected to the larger orb pattern to see what was on the orb himself, but it were mainly meant as a general focus, and for others to see what he did. It were a strange job to have to do, but it paid well, and after the first year and a half, he had been able to deal with the split sight and adjusting to regular view again when not on the job pretty efficiently. Though he did tend to wander with several smaller orbs regardless, even in public, as it felt strange to just rely on his regular eyes at this point.

Needless to say, he did not go out much. He didn't care much for the weird looks he got.

"-She have been scamming several customers so far. It appears she seduces vulnerable targets, and takes them for what they got through varied means. Nothing violent so far, and no complaints have been filed. I think her targets might be too embarrassed to admit they were hustled. What should we do about her?"

"Let her be, for now."

"...Are you sure boss? Your mother wouldn't appro-"

"My mother may hold the majority share, but I run this casino, not her. And I have a vested interest in knowing a little more about this one."

The sudden dry tone that had gotten over Diego made the unicorn bow his neck in apology towards him.

"Sorry boss."

"A minor transgression, as are hers. It is not as if we don't scam our customers either, in our own way.

In any case, as long as she is on casino ground, keep watch of her, and record what you can. I know one whom will need every bit of information she can to find out exactly who this is. Something is off about her, but I just can't put my hoof on it."

"Understood boss."

"Good, good."

Diego leaned in close to the orb, and narrowed his eyes at the strange mare, who at that point had scored herself another hapless victim's treasure.

"Who are you really, my curious little friend? And what interest do you truly have in Spicy?"

He'd mutter over this for a moment before leaving the room again. He had other things to do, and later on, he would be able to get more time and information on this one, and figure out who he were dealing with. Considering who she hung around, he had a vested interest in knowing it were not one whom were trying to scam Spicy. He would become Very unpleasant if that were the case.

In the hall, if Ruby were still there after 45 minutes of initiating her scams, she'd find that a certain, pompous griffon would enter, and look around. Seemed like he had finished what he had set out to do earlier, and had come to see what sort of trouble the two of them had gotten into.

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

 

@Catpone Cerberus

"She is certainly a... Fairly open-minded individual, given the chance. I think it can be attributed to her curiosity in some capacity, but who knows? Perhaps she is just a very friendly creature, with her sight set on mirages? I sadly have not been around their kind long enough to truly tell how their kind works and thinks regularly. There is still so much to learn, of these strange little creatures."

And speaking off strange, little creatures, the one from the bush would enter the scene, and it would be a gruesome, horrifying, Awe-inspiring! - pink bunny with a tuft of extra long fur on her head that made it seem as if she had hair.

As she entered, she cast her glance on Nada, but instead of running off or towards Lyriel for protection - as Nada were a clear predator and these critters were often food - she'd instead rise up on her hind paws, and rise her front ones whilst looking defiantly at the siren. From the looks of things, she were signalling a rather clear attitude of being ready to fight the large siren, if need be.

"Ease yourself Lotus, Nada is a friend. She is not yearning for a fight."

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

 

@Sekel

"She got a bad reputation, even among our own kind."

Happy whispered this back to Aurora, as they approached the small, forest village. Likely just the upper front of the actual hive, which could well be stretching far underground. Not an unusual position to go for their kind, and with how big Thorax's hive were, no way could this small village house them all.

Hey, and speaking of the big bad himself, there he were, right at the edge of town, after having flown down. Likely because he had waited to see if the guards and nanny would be able to find the missing nymph, or if he had to send more out there.

"You're back? Did you find her?"

"Yes your majesty."

"Hewwo, Fhorax."

The king let out a sigh of relief as he saw - and heard - the nymph as she greeted him. A brief sight though, as the nanny went right by and headed towards the underground. A certain nymph had to go down and get ready for her nap, along with the others, sooner rather than later. It weren't good if the other small ones noticed one of their friends/siblings gone.

The guards went over and stood on either side of him, as he approached the wagon, and the two strange guests he had now gotten.

"Hey there, King Thorax. Not here to cause trouble, just wandered in to have a chat with you and ran across the poor lil' thing out in the forest. She gonna be alright, yeah?"

"Thankfully Whistle looked okay. And thank you for saving her. I'll have to make sure that we have more guards up when the nymphs get on their next trip."

"It happens, yeah? Lil' terrors are a mighty cute bunch, but them curious hearts of their just draws them to adventure. Bit of an eye more on 'em, and you'll be fine."

Happy started to unhook himself from the wagon, ready for what were about to happen here soon, and knowing that unless he wanted to look like a right silly colt, he'd have to get off this.

"I pray you are right. But please, you said you came to have a chat with me? Is... Is there another hive who have converted and want to talk?"

You could hear the hope in his voice, as well as see it in his big, colorful eyes. He had mostly gotten bad responses back from other hives, who thought him to be a race traitor for what he were doing, and what he had become, and finding allies among his own kind had gone at a snail's pace because of such attitudes. But Happy were clearly not one of his, but were converted, so that meant something, right? Even if he traveled with one who clearly weren't reformed.

"Spot on mate. But first- Aurora? Be a good lass and say hit to the king. And I don't mean Elvis."

This reference would be beyond lost on these bug ponies, but gosh darn it, it felt good to say! To hay with it just giving him confused looks back.

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

 

@Sekel

"Perhaps a prior link of some sort, acclimated to the mines? Something must be wrong with them, to act as feral as they do."

Truly he knew little of changelings, but when you looked at Atzy, and then those hissing things, it weren't hard to say who acted like a feral animal and who didn't. Made it seem like these crystal variants were some sort of beastly variant of the regular changelings, though they might have traded that state for not needing to feed on love. This entire island had been abandoned for decades, if not centuries, so there were nothing to steal love, or any other emotion from. So how had they survived, if not by being able to gain energy in another way?

Perhaps they'd see soon enough, as they wandered further and further into the mine. At this point, there'd be large enough clusters of pure diamond though, that it caused Enzo to stop up, and with a mighty bash, making use of the bracelets of dragon bone he had around his ankles to shatter some of the rock around, and then dig one out with his claws. It were larger than what they needed, but that just meant they had some leeway for when it had to be carved into an egg shape.

Having gotten it loose, Enzo summoned a lone line of parchment that wrapped around his torso and back, securing the gem on top of him via this. Not in a way that it'd hit Karmic though. He did not intend to harm or trap his small companion, so he had secured it further behind than where she were seated. Frankly felt annoying, but what could he do about it, right? He just had to man up and take the pressure on his fur. At least the parchment made for some soft cushioning of the lightly rock-encased gem.

They'd be on their way after this were done, with nothing going at the in the shadows whilst this went on. The ones there just kept on observing, looking like they were waiting for something. A signal perhaps?

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

 

@Sekel

Cherish listened with interest to what Princess Twilight had to say about the difference between elixirs and potions.

The example she made - and what effect the elixir would have compared to the potion - made her think of the story of Marepunzel, who were cursed with a magical, incredibly long mane who could reach from the very top of the tower she were in, to the ground beneath. It were one of several stories she had sometimes read to her little spectral companion, before he had been helped to move on to the afterlife.

She were struck with a tinge of sadness as she remembered him again. Poor little thing, suffering as he had in life, just to be stuck here afterwards... He deserved his rest, but she still missed her friend through the past three centuries or so. It weren't easy to forget somepony who had been with you for that long, and she were also kind of saddened that she hadn't the chance to properly say goodbye. She had seen him though, hidden as to not be seen by the strange mare who spoke with the departed. He had looked so happy in that moment. More than she had ever seen him before, as he glanced at what were beyond. *sigh* She hoped it were his parents. He had often talked of how much he missed them.

Her form had dimmed some as she wandered in her own thoughts, and they had either reached the tower as she did that, or gotten pretty close, before she snapped back into it and she seemed to get the light and focus back to herself. It weren't easy to stay hidden when moods could affect how she looked to others. Doubly so if she got lost in her own thoughts.

"S-Sorry, it uhm... The e-elixir and hair example made me think of an old story."

"Marepunzel?"

The ghost looked with big eyes towards Last when she said this, surprised that this mare actually knew that tale.

"You know that story?"

"What? My parents told me that one when I were a small foal. No elixirs in the version we got though."

"That's uhm... M-Mine neither.

A-Anyway, Princess Twilight? If the liquid works, what else are we gonna need? Hopefully nothing that gets you half eaten again. It looked scary."

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

 

@Dreadmare @Rainbows2424

On 12/5/2019 at 6:26 PM, Rainbows2424 said:

“Wow. Your home, Shark Bay, must be really darn clean then. No ships, no trash, none of that. Sounds like a nice place. But, I’m surprised that y’all ride on sharks often in there. I have a slight fear of sharks. Any one of them could gulp me down in one chomp, as I’m so tiny.”

"It's so clean that you can see everything swimming in it. We used to get environmental trophies all the time until it seemed unfair to other contestants, so we withdrew from it to open it up more.

And the shark riding's not for everypony. It's only between a shark and a guard who have a lot of respect for one another. Usually that comes from raising one from they're newly hatched, and make sure to show them a lot of love. Sharks aren't nice on those who treats them badly, though neither is the guard. We got some pretty strict rules against mistreating your shark, or trying to feed them higher sentient races. They're only allowed to playfully snap after others, or do so to intimidate them, and any good guard will make sure that their sharks knows this, and keeps them well enough fed so that they won't ever need to feel the temptation to break that rule either.

Other animals are used too, for those who are up for the task. A few very experienced handlers rides rays, the general has a giant squid, we got a half dozen or so who swears by dolphins, and then there's there fun cases like Salty Seabed. He got a school of moray eels trained to help him when he's out on his duties, and then he swims around himself. My grandfather were an animal handler himself like that, though he used seagulls. Not a popular choice since they're really noisy.

Personally I hope to have a squid companion like the general. Not a giant one like hers, but just starting off with a tiny one, and then really make a great bond with it. They're so adorable."

On 12/4/2019 at 11:10 PM, Dreadmare said:

"I am glad that cargo ships and the such aren't allowed there, I heard about that city, Stalliongrad, it's very industrious but has a lot of air and sea pollution"

This comment made the smile go off Shell's face, and a more grim, annoyed looking one taking its place.

"I've heard about that place. So much ahead on things, and can connect to a lot of other countries via their ships, but at what cost? Their seabed are ruined, and with that, the animal life suffers too, if there's even any left. I can't imagine there's any birds either, with how thick the air is with smog, yuck.

They should've just used sail boats and wind crystals to get by with. It might have taken longer to get things in and out of port, but it wouldn't have ruined their ecosystem."

As a Coastal Guard and as an oyster farmer, the mere thought of a place like Stalliongrad made her sick to her stomach. Were she ever forced to go there, she wouldn't keep her muzzle shut about their despicable actions against nature, and would implore them to change their ways, and perhaps then they could repair their shoreline in a few decades or so. Not that she believed they'd listen... Industrialists rarely cared for their environment like they should have.

[Catpone Cerberus 23,427]

@Blitz Boom
Ruby used the whole 45 minutes doing her thing, only stopping for the few minutes that it took for her to go to a bathroom to put her gains into the box between victims. She was currently looking for the next target when she spotted Marley, then deciding to make her way to him. "Well well well, if it isn't the bird I hate the least." she even surprised herself with how almost friendly she sounded "I'm guessing you came to see if you need to bail us out or something?" 

----------------------------------------------
Nada just nodded, not that she had time to say anything before the pink bunny came to view. She tilted her head and looked at the little creature with amused smile "Isn't this a brave little girl, Lotus you said was her name?" she understood the situation from the bunny's point of view, so she avoided making any quick movements "No need to worry Lotus, your kind isn't on my menu anymore, and pink ones were never on it." Lotus probably didn't understand a word Nada said, but Nada did her best to signal the message through her voice and gestures too to make the bunny know she wasn't a threat.

 

[Sphinx-Ara 3,517]

@Rainbows2424 @Blitz Boom

Thunder would nod at both of their remarks "It is true Azure, what Shell said. Stalliongrad is ahead in technology and magic than even Canterlot, but at the cost of the environment" he would say with a frown "No greenery to enjoy on a nice clear day, no clean, crystal water to enjoy the sea life or go swimming in" he'd say, before addressing Azure's fears on sharks "And your fears of sharks aren't entirely unfounded. They are a predatory species after all, how-ever, they normally only attack if they see movement or smell blood in the water" he'd say "Best bet is to watch for warning sings of sharks and stay clear of the waters they are sighted in" he'd explain before turning his attention to Shell.

With a chuckle, he'd smile a bit some "Wanting to follow in the General's hoofsteps? Can't say I blame you, having those tentacles to aid you would certainly be a great help"

[Moonlit 593]

@Blitz Boom "We made Serenade aware of her power as soon as we could, mainly so she wouldn't freak out. And if you want, I have photos" Harmony winks, and then grabs one of the cooled muffins, "I think one won't ruin supper" She offers it to Ziggy, "Let me know how it tastes?"

[EQ_Theta 415]

@Blitz Boom

It is good that the situation was quickly dealt with, and having nothing else to worry about other than a carnivorous plant, maybe they ought to keep quiet about this. Unfortunately, the ruckus might have caught Golden’s attention from somewhere in the house and Sen yelling from earlier isn’t going to help. Having no knowledge of plants beyond what is edible or not wouldn’t be of help here but now that there is a precedent for what to look out for when another one of those ‘design flaws’ appears, the longma shouldn’t act as hysterical or surprised as he did just now.

“I’m just going to be over there and… uh, calm down a bit.” Sen excused himself, slowly easing his breathing back to normal. “Guess this means we have another stop sometime? To study the plant?”

As for Lin, she readied herself for another round of passing the ball. Though she managed to catch the ball thrown back at her through the gate, she had one more trick she’d like to try. Closing one of the gates, she opened a new one right above the first. When the ball goes through, it will continue to fall infinitely until something nudges it out of the way. 

As simple as it looked, the ball falling down would likely pick up speed until it was difficult to hit and Lin would have to act fast to make sure it would fly towards Shrimp. She pushed the ball through and as expected, it began falling into the gates without ever touching the ground.

“Hope this goes right,” Lin whispered as she flicked her tail towards the ball. Unfortunately, it missed, leaving her irritated. She tried again, missing it the second time, letting out an audible growl as her patience wears thin. By now, she didn’t bother with the theatrics and just pushed the ball away with her claw and it bounced towards the refraction. 

Shrimp would likely try his luck with this but there came the hazard of him falling into the gates and fall infinitely until Lin caught him. That wasn’t exactly going to be a good memory, maybe it’ll scare him away from the gates entirely and so, she closed the gates and opened two new ones.

"Wanna try tossing the ball up?" One on the ground and one somewhere above them. That way, they could continue playing with less risk. Lin could send the ball above and it will bounce out the ground close to Shrimp and if he wanted to toss the ball higher, the refraction could certainly try. 

Edited December 8, 2019 by EQ_Theta

[Azure Acrylic 24]

“Hmm, your home was so clean that y’all had to withdraw from environmental contests to give others a chance? Wow. I think y’all had to block off the main sea from the bay to prevent trash from entering. And it seems that your ponies treat the sharks and everything else living in the bay really well. That might be good. But, I don’t really like squids that much. They’re kinda creepy for me, with their black eyes and long wavy tentacles. But about Stalliongrad, most sail boats are quite old, most of them considered fragile. And, I don’t think wind crystals can be found easily there.”

Azure then turns to Thunder to reply on his comment.

”Thanks Thunder! I’ll make sure to use those tips whenever I enter a shark-prone area!”

[Blitz Boom 4,429]

@Catpone Cerberus

Marley smiled as he heard the first set of words from the dragon in disguise. Seems like she had a good time here, if she were friendly enough to give him a compliment. Not the nicest way one could put it, but dragons were prideful creatures more often than not, so taking that into consideration, being told that he were the one of his kind that she hated the least could well be seen as a glowing commendation.

"Let it just be said that I started my travel into Las Pegasus by going to the police station. When I did not find either of you there, it did not take much asking around to find the general direction you had gone, and this place is a favored place of hers. Both for work and pleasure.

I can't help but notice that nothing is on fire, and yet you wander alone. Dare I ask what happened?"

He were not Saying that he half-expected Ruby had eaten her. But the tone he asked this with did imply that he were expecting that she had done something to his boss. She could get a little... Testing to be around, when she began to drink, and Ruby had a very blunt attitude towards things that annoyed her. It were not the best mix.

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

 

@Catpone Cerberus

The response to the condescending way Lotus felt she were being spoken to, didn't make her all smiles or relax. Instead, she'd take her paws down, put them down her side and look up towards Nada with eyes and an expression on her face that clearly signalled *Are you done?*.

She'd start to talk to talk back at Nada after that, looking like she were trying to lecture the siren, even though she well knew that the siren couldn't understand a word of her chitters. Lyriel could however, and she well expected her to translate it, which were evident by how when she were done, she'd have her arms crossed, and look towards the dryad impatiently.

"I will refrain from a direct translation, as Lotus have a rather... Harsh way of putting things, but she essentially said *I am not an idiot. Talk to me like that again, and I will kick you.*"

Lotus shrugged at hearing this. She had hoped that all she had said would go through, but she supposed that at least the essentials had gotten through. Better than nothing.

"You will find that Lotus is not as simple a bunny to deal with as her kin from this forest. You may remember that I have told that I come from Dragon Land, yes? Well, among the ponies whom I escorted out, there were also a dragoness, whom through helping to speak my case to leave the valley, were elegantly banished. They put it as her merely having to stay and keep an eye on me, in case I began to fall like my brethren, but it were implied that she were not supposed to return. It did not please her overly much, though I think she does better here than back there. She does not speak fondly of the general distaste for knowledge that her kin have, whereas you ponies seem to value it. They are a better fit for companionship than the dragons were.

Nerzhei - as she is called - did however have one actual companion and friend: Lotus."

The bunny chittered proudly at this, and patted her chest with her right front paw a few times.

"Lotus were sold by a salesman who traveled between Dragon Land and Equestria, to make a living buying and selling on both sides of an old conflict. From what I can understand, she were but a small kit then, and as Nerzhei decided to keep her and take care of her, Lotus began to take her life experience from dragons, rather than bunnies. It makes her a more confrontational, prideful, and - with all due respect to our small friend here - excessively violent specimen, than your average rabbit.

Much like Nerzhei, she is a outsider among her own kind because of this. They are afraid of her, and shun her because her way of interacting and playing are too extreme for them, just as Nerzhei's position as a scholar alienates her from her more brutish kind.

I should say though, before you feel too sorry for her, that she tends to revel in fighting the local wildlife. I have a certain confused boar with a large paw print on his head who can attest to that."

A sad glance were given towards Lotus, who in turn just grinned massively, and stood in a way that even if you couldn't understand her chittering, it were pretty clear that she were proud of that one. A dragon in spirit indeed.

"I would advise just trying to speak with her as you would any regular being, Nada. It tends to go better, and would result in less conflict, which is in the best interest of all of us to avoid. This is a place of peace, and I will not tolerate fighting in here from anyone. That includes you, Lotus."

The bunny rolled her eyes, seemingly chittering *fine, fine* as she did so, before jumping over to a bed of moss to have a seat. She'd have her time to talk soon enough.

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

 

@Dreadmare @Rainbows2424

"Lots of good from the ocean, long as you do your best to keep it clean, pick up the trash that lands in from other shores, and watch where you're going. Even our well trained sharks can sometimes get confused on whats a snack and what isn't when they see new creatures.

Aaanyway, weren't we supposed to go and tell your parents that you had gotten to be in the Coastal Guards, Thunder? I mean, it's nice here on the steps to the library, but I figured you'd be all excited to share it with them. Plus, we might be standing in the way for folks who wanna visit here, or leave for that matter, even if I guess they could walk around us."

Shell weren't trying to rush them or anything, but she did want to mention this just to make sure they hadn't just sorta forgotten in all the talking, and Thunder finding himself a new little breezie friend. Still a real surprise to see one up here really. Shell had always been told they only lived in forests, but she guessed that was another tall tale that had gotten twisted a bit throughout the years.

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

 

@Moonlit

"Pictures of Serenade growing up? I'm always happy to see more of those. The last ones were so Adorable!"

Hehe, snoozing baby siren were one who'd not leave her head for years. Such a cute, lazy little thing. Like a fish pony version of a cat. Though she weren't sure if petting a sirens tummy would make them bite. Considering the size of their teeth, it seemed like a sort of bad thing to experiment with either, unless she got a bunch of protective gear. Hehe, that might be something for another time then. Pack herself up nicely, approach a sleeping Serenade, and then pet her scaly tummy.

When offered the muffin, Ziggy happily took it and munched down a good bite, really chewing through it to soak in all the flavors. Considering she were about as good at hiding her emotions as Pinkie Pie, it were pretty clear that she enjoyed it, even before she said a word.

"Mmm, really yummy. It's gonna be a great party.

And you don't have to worry about my appetite. I have a really high metabolism, partially due to the hormonal imbalance that made me grow this big before the doctors figured out how to stop it, and I have tons of energy too, so I move around constantly. I burn through calories so much that I actually need to load up on sugary goodness pretty often, hehe."

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

 

@EQ_Theta

9 hours ago, EQ_Theta said:

“I’m just going to be over there and… uh, calm down a bit.” Sen excused himself, slowly easing his breathing back to normal. “Guess this means we have another stop sometime? To study the plant?”

"At some point, we'll have to pass through Canterlot with this, yes. It's been a long time since last I saw her, but I may know somepony in the capitol who can help."

Far as he remembered, it had been years since last he had seen that particular mare, yet if she were still in the town, he could ask her for guidance in the matter. She were a skilled botanist of sorts, so it were his best bet out of the options he knew of. At least when it came to those in this country, which he were not supposed to leave, as part of his pre-trial stipulations. Though they had allowed him to have a small sanctuary to stay in, long as he were still traceable, and did not move out from there to any other place than Equestria. Not a normal ruling, but then again, their prisoners normally did not have portal makers as friends.

He had considered telling the others of the minor extra rule he had to follow, but it were not as if they tried to leave the cave via non-portal related ways as it were, and there had been other things to focus on, so he had simply neglected to bring it up, until a situation would arise where it might be pertinent to share.

He would've said more, but the chance arose, The door to the outside would open, and Golden would came looking in, confused and a little nervous. On his back, Sen should be able to see a small tankard, around one and a half the size of a can of soda. The travel tankard, as mentioned before, which were kind of a novelty thing really, but his cousin had a knack for woodwork, and the tourists loved knickknacks like this. Usually they weren't filled with cider though, unless they'd gotten a sufficiently large enough order to make 'em think it was worth it, and even then the customer were given the option of whatever or not they'd want it filled like this, or the regular way. Novelty cost extra after all.

"What's with all the hollering? Somepony gotten hurt?"

"Omen got stuck in her glass, and it took us a bit of hoofpower to get her freed again. It got a little noisy as we succeeded and fell backwards."

Golden blinked a few times, and looked at the cup he'd brought along earlier.

"How in the world did she get stuck in that?"

"There was something at the bottom."

"Hoooo-kaaay. I'm thinking I'll just mosey right past that one. Here you go Sen, got some cider all packaged up and ready for your sis. Tell her to just use the tap when she's ready, and it'll start flowing."

Thinking that it were gonna be a headache to wrap himself around what he'd just been told went on, Golden would just go and deliver this miniature tankard to Sen, and pretend he hadn't heard what went on before. Some things were best to just ignore, and this seemed like a mighty fine example of it.

And tot hink that at first glance, he had assumed that Sen were gonna be Rosa's weirder friend... Guess you couldn't judge a book by its cover.

Meanwhile, Shrimp snuck in closer as he watched Lin open another portal, this time above the other one, and watched as she tossed the ball in, and it just fell. And fell. And- Well, you got the point.

The small refraction followed it with his eyes, preparing himself to go in after it, until he saw that Lin were seemingly attempting to do the same thing. Bashing with her tail, and missing twice. He honestly thought she were doing this on purpose though, and that she were attempting to show him what she wanted him to do, until she hit it with her claw instead and send it towards him.

Rushing the wicker ball and getting it control with a well placed bite and some wrangling, he'd then start to drag it towards where he had seen the gates, thinking that not it were his time to try and do this. Imagine his confusion when he got there, and found that the two gates weren't where he had seen them before. It took a few seconds of looking around until he saw where the two new ones were, with one being too far up for him to reach it, and another at ground level, not far from where he had been before.

Why she had moved them, he had no idea about, but he still went over there and then used his tail to bash the wicker ball into the one he could reach, then looked up, waiting for it to fall down again so that he could try and catch it while it fell. His confusion were added to when it appeared that wasn't the game anymore, which resulted in a few, confused chirps and a look who said as much as he looked towards Lin, not understanding why the game had changed. He'd probably be distracted from this the second the ball would come towards him again though, and if she did push it back so that it came out where Shrimp had pushed it in, he'd then follow the ball as it got pushed in, wanting to fall down on Lin as a fun trick, as well as try to figure out how these things worked. Seemed like something went in one hole, and came out wherever the other were. About as complex as it looked for him.

[Moonlit 593]

@Blitz Boom "Interesting...Good to know. Also, good thing I made extra muffins" Haramony slides half a dozen towards Ziggy, each one a different type. Harmony also takes out some crab cakes from the fridge, drizzles them with some oil and tosses them onto the hob.

[Sphinx-Ara 3,517]

@Rainbows2424 @Blitz Boom

Thunder listened to the two and then nodded "You're right Shell, we're here to meet my folks, well you are, I'm here to tell them the news" he chuckles, "Come on then you two" he'd say as he'd then begin to lead Shell towards his adopted parents' house, with Azure still being nestled in his mane "Oh yes, my parents are very quiet, but I may endure a little bit of teasing, coming to the house with not one but two mares" he'd chuckle

[Azure Acrylic 24]

@Blitz Boom @Dreadmare

*Azure giggles*

”Yeah, I’m sure they would be very delighted, and surprised at the same time, when you’re training to be a guard, but at the same time, bring along Shell and me, who are both girls, with you. And yes, Shell’s right, we should get to your parents place soon.”

*She turns to Shell after talking to Thunder to respond.*

“Well, the sharks could mistake me as a snack, and take a bite out, devouring me completely, that’s why I’m afraid of them. And, loads of Pegasus ponies sit on the entrance steps of this library to chat, it isn’t really much of a problem.”

[Catpone Cerberus 23,427]

@Blitz Boom
Ruby noticed the implication in Marley's tone and responded to it with fake offense "Spicy drank a bit too much and after admitting she thinks I'm a changeling, she proceeded to destroy some stuff and flood the room before passing out." "Diego moved her in a room to rest until she wakes up." "It has been a little under an hour since." she actually didn't mind Marley's implication, in fact, she saw it as a small positive, after all, it meant that Marley acknowledged the fact that she was capable of doing something. 

-------------------------------------------------------
Nada nodded in understanding several times, but the idea of a fierce bunny clearly amused her "A bunny with a dragon's temper, that's certainly something I have never heard before." she simply stated after Lyriel's explanation "And though I understand your advise, I'd like to point out that I speak to most creatures as I spoke to her, because simply put, I know I'm quite big, even when I'm lot smaller than my kind usually is, and I also know our reputation." "But I'll keep in mind that she has the mindset of a dragon...speaking of which, I haven't actually met a dragon in quite a long time." she added the last part thoughtfully. Nada was aware that her response wasn't necessarily the best possible, but she didn't know what else to say, since she hadn't exactly been prepared to meet a bunny who thought herself to be a dragon.

[EQ_Theta 415]

@Blitz Boom

“Well, Lin said she might want to stop over by Amethyst’s shop to deliver some things. Maybe I can take over her shift and she can go with you to town. Um, only if that is alright with you.”

Lin’s plans weren’t set in stone yet and while she would have some time to do her errands for the day, maybe spending some time with Shrimp will leave her preoccupied into the evening. It isn’t even lunch time yet! The time to cross that bridge will come eventually. Sen did notice Rosa referring to someone whose name he didn’t disclose but seeing as they were in polite company and his background, this was probably one of his contacts. A degree of privacy and discretion was the least the longma could give the thestral. It just so happens Sen’s attention was drawn toward the earth pony who just happened to catch on to the ruckus they were making. A perfect time to interrupt before the longma said anything compromising and with some refreshments for Lin to add. 

“Thank you so much, Golden. I’m sure my sister will love it and she’d thank you a lot for this. I mentioned earlier that I’d pay for the cider and I’d like to do so as thanks for the food and drink. How much do you want for the cider?”

Speaking of Lin, she understood, in her own way, that Shrimp was confused about their game. She thought the endlessly falling ball might rub the refraction the wrong way so she thought to try something different. Seeing the ball fall the gate she opened above them, she thought she’d try her luck at explaining how this setup worked.

“Sorry about the confusion, Shrimp. Let’s try something different, a game we can both play at the same time. Now watch the ball, alright?”

She waved the ball before Shrimp before tossing it into the overhead gate and it flew upwards from the gate closest to the refraction. After that, she picked up the ball and sent it in the other way, into the ground and out from above. This way, both can toss the ball in and out and any deviations with angles and speed will be the only factors affecting whether or not they catch the ball.

“Playtime isn’t over, if that’s what’s worrying you. Let’s play some more!” The whole thing looked simple enough to Lin but she’d wait and see if Shrimp understood her little demonstration. 

[Rising Dusk 26,083]

@Blitz Boom

It was pleasant to have Lily in an easily agreeable mood.  Even if he did refer to such a complex spell as a peep spell again, it was all in good fun.  But the humor of the witch of the wilds didn't appear to mesh with that of an Equestrian.  He could see her unamusement in her eyes.  A bauble huh?  Well that was most descriptive.  Running through his own mental inventory of what the O.M.I. might have laying around that could aid in the witch's performance of the spell.  His eyes darting slightly as if reading an invisible list.  "Two baubles?  Let's see what we might have," Rising expressed.  His horn glowed orange and he removed the badge from the pouch of his hoodie.  Heavy clicks and clanks rang out from the jail room door as physical locks and wards opened to let them out.  Gripping the door with telekinesis and opening it for the pair.

"Please follow me," he invited Lily as he pocketed his badge and let the magic of his horn fade.  Getting back up onto his hoofs to turn and leave the jail room.  He was sure the janitor would have questions as to why a half crumpled cage was in the cell room, but meh, details for another time.  The hustle and bustle of the other agents had died down a bit since he entered the cell room to see Lily, with only Tussle and Gold Mane at their desks scribbling away on parchment with quill.  Rising was taking the pair down a side path against the wall to head into the basement.  As they descended the stairs, candles lit themselves to provide light to the empty basement.

"Please have a seat Ms. Lily," the detective motioned to the first table they encountered.  The unicorn himself disappearing into the library book like stacks full of boxes.  Returning shortly with a medium sized box floating in tow.  Taking his own seat at the table and setting the box down just to tip it over and let a few trinkets tumble out.  A red shinny Hearth's Warming tree bulb, a silver pegasus amulet, an empty sowing bob and a fole's ball.  All artifacts that at one time were used for scrying.  Should provide a good foundation.  Reaching over to a stack of scarlet parchment that was at each table, the detective started folding it with different techniques.  "Cast the scry to Harrowmark, I will guide you," Rising instructed.  Something that might be confusing for a witch of the wilds to hear, but the detective had his ways.

[Blitz Boom 4,429]

@Rising Dusk

The trip towards the basement managed to calm Lily down quite a lot, as more and more she were faced with an apparent kindness and lack of threats from this stallion that she had assumed were trying his hardest to intimidate her earlier. She were not sure at this point if perhaps her sudden guess of his cruelty were misplaced anymore, and that the cage she had been put in simply had some sort of fault that had been stopped, or if he were simply playing games with her. She began to suspect the former were the most realistic, and that her terrified state had not been something that he had aimed for, but rather taken advantage of instead, though until she were completely sure she'd thread with caution.

Not that she would attempt to make her escape unless she actually saw they wanted to bury her or something. Unless they truly wished her harm, this place were likely safer for her than the alternatives right now, even if she couldn't keep her distance from home forever. Though, guess she'd soon see the state of the area soon enough, long as she were provided with adequate baubles. She could work with most things as a scrying objects, but baubles of any kind worked the best, be it the typical glass orb that many might think of, or even a preserved eye, which - while unnerving - did provide a surprisingly effective scrying focus, if you knew what you were doing.

She doubted that she'd be faced with that particular tool though, as she were told to sit at a table, though what exactly he had in mind she still weren't sure about.

5 hours ago, Rising Dusk said:

A red shinny Hearth's Warming tree bulb, a silver pegasus amulet, an empty sowing bob and a fole's ball.

The mare wrinkled her nose some at the objects brought before her. She hadn't expected the best, but these were still pretty sub par materials in her mind. *sigh* But she had to work with what she had at hoof now, didn't she? Considering the options, she selected the strange red ornament, as it were the closest to what she aimed for, and then placed the amulet next to it. She'd use that as her imprint once she had gotten close enough.

At least these things had previously been used as scrying objects, so she'd save a little preparation time.

5 hours ago, Rising Dusk said:

"Cast the scry to Harrowmark, I will guide you,"

"...Very well, but don't interfere with my spell."

Sitting down in front of the improvised bauble, the earth pony mare would close her eyes, and let out a drawn out sigh. As soon as that ended though, her eyes would open wide and glowing, as she started to cast her magic upon the orb.

Rising would find that the witch had her magic expended from her eyes, as her hooves went on both sides of the ornament, and it started to float in a pale aura between. The next ten minutes roughly would be nothing but silence for her as her sight flew far and wide, aiming for the shores of her homeland, and there would be no indication that she had gotten anywhere until she'd slightly turn her head and cast a locked view upon the silver amulet. Her anchor, if you would, centered above the mayors office in Oaksbrook.

"...I'm there. What do you want to see?"

The bauble itself began to show what she were glancing at now, allowing Rising to share in what she were seeing. She'd follow his directions as to where he wanted her to go in the seemingly quiet town. Apparently, the party had finished after their savior had left, though there were still a few locals cleaning up after the party, up and about.

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@EQ_Theta

17 hours ago, EQ_Theta said:

“Well, Lin said she might want to stop over by Amethyst’s shop to deliver some things. Maybe I can take over her shift and she can go with you to town. Um, only if that is alright with you.”

"It depends more on her,t han it does me. I have little to do before tomorrow, so my time is not taken up by anything urgent."

Getting the plat checked could well be important, but he could always just give them a note to bring to his old associate, if they did not make it time for today. Provided the correct signature and a proof that it were from him, it should count as valid enough for her to at least take a little interest, which may well be enough to make her inspect the plant further, though with a potential delay, if she had more urgent things to do.

It depended on when it were to happen really. Were it today, he could come and vouch for himself, though after tomorrow, he assumed that he would have to go through several years of jail time before he'd get to see anyone again, without there being bars and armed guards between him and them.

17 hours ago, EQ_Theta said:

“Thank you so much, Golden. I’m sure my sister will love it and she’d thank you a lot for this. I mentioned earlier that I’d pay for the cider and I’d like to do so as thanks for the food and drink. How much do you want for the cider?”

"Nah nah, that's for customers. You're my guests, and guests don't have to pay for hospitality."

"I see you haven't taken in everything I've told you then."

"Hey, what can I say? I'm an Apple, and we're friendly folk, no matter if we got a bit of business sense. Now come on, let's go dig up your stuff."

Golden grinned at the two of them, and went over to grab a shovel from a nearby couple of tools that were hung up on the wall. Never knew when you'd need one of these, so just best to have a few things here and there on the farm, all ready to work with.

If they'd follow him, he'd take them out behind the barn, and then head in the opposite direction, away from the main farm area, and towards one where it seemed like most of the harvesting had already been done, or they were yet to reach, considering the lack of all but one Apple member there, and he didn't appear to be working. In fact, he were having a nap in a wheelbarrow, which made Golden let out a large whistle that appeared to startle the sleepy lad.

"You still got a half hour on bucking duty on the orchard, Core. You can snooze off when you're done."

Seeing the stallion skedaddle off, Golden let out a sigh and rolled his eyes.

"I swear, if I weren't keeping his hooves to the fire, he'd be sleeping the day away."

They still got a bit of walking to go, so unless Sen interjected something, there'd be some silence going on as they went on their way.

17 hours ago, EQ_Theta said:

“Sorry about the confusion, Shrimp. Let’s try something different, a game we can both play at the same time. Now watch the ball, alright?”

Shrimp wouldn't have to be told to watch the ball to already be following it with his eyes, so his attention on that were not going to be an issue. It seemed like he had been somewhat right in his idea on how the gate worked, as she began to throw the ball through the top one, which would then come out of the bottom, and vice versa.

Curiosity took over though, and made him slither over, and sniff at the gate, trying to gauge if there were something dangerous about it, before sticking his head and upper body though it, and finding that half of himself up in the air, whilst his bottom half were still on the ground. It were sort of weird to look down at, but then again, he were now looking down at many things, as if he were tall and strong. So he'd let out a tiny roar towards the ceiling, followed by a small ember around the height of a baby carrot, before he'd slide back out again and look up at Lin, expectantly. He were ready to catch the ball and send it through the gate again now, and potentially later on swoop through it to get up to her himself, though he were going to keep watch for the angle the ball came out at first, so he wouldn't miss.

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@Catpone Cerberus

"Sounds like you were put in The Bunker then. Probably for the best, I loathe to go through the whole legal process and long list of fines that comes from her overindulgence in public. At least down there, it's contained and limited in scope."

Marley had been through a few of Spicy's *happy evenings* before, and despite his best effort, it tended to go wrong, unless she were kept isolated. Diego had thankfully thought the same and placed her in a room where her mayhem would be contained, though he doubted that she were going to enjoy the cleaning and repair bills. Her own choice to have done this though, and as such, she'd have to deal with the consequences.

He found a point of amusement in hearing that Spicy had made a half-right assumption on Ruby though. She were indeed more than she seemed. However, a changeling were underplaying the true nature of the mare, yet he had some idea that she preferred it like this. The dragon would still be seen as less of a threat when viewed as a changeling, which retained her upper claw in the right situation, as a dragon would normally be far less dangerous than a single changeling.

"Her being dealt with, might I ask if you have had fun, Ruby? You seem to be in a somewhat pleasant mood."

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@Catpone Cerberus

"Perhaps I should introduce you to Nerzhei then, if you'd like? She have proven nothing but trustworthy in keeping my secrets, and though she is abrasive as any dragon, I think you will find her far more approachable than their regular representatives. Although, the little one I've heard of in town, is likely the kindest of their species I've observed. Spike I think his name were? He sounds stunted in his growth, but appears to possess a certain kindness that is unusual for their kind. Perhaps this comes from living among ponies, where he does not need to focus on showing strength to survive? One day, I might have the chance to ask him."

Lotus began chittering after Lyriel were done, clearly having something to say, even though she had been nice enough to wait until there were a lull in the conversation. She had been looking over Nada as she had spoken about her reasons for talking to the bunny like she had though, and shrugged at it. She could see there were some merit to what the siren were speaking about, considering the local bunnies behavior she had personally observed. They were pretty timid, except for that Angel bunny she had interacted with at Fluttershy's place a few times now. He were more like her than them, though he mingled better. He said it helped to know when to be tough and when to play cute when you lived among ponies, since cute let you get away with more things, and might score you some treats. Lotus hadn't been able to argue against his logic on that topic, though she weren't good at the *cute* angle. He had her beat there.

"Oh? It sounds as if she have returned to the forest, and are asking if I can some herbal remedies. Is her arm flaring up again?"

The bunny nodded. Something which made Lyriel falter a little, and gaze away with a guilty glimmer in her green eyes.

"It is my fault that she is in her current state... I must go and help her if possible. Nada? Would you like to come too, or would you prefer to return to Ponyville? I promise you, Nerzhei will not share your secrets, and in the past three weeks we've been here, I have not seen or heard of a single pony visiting her at her cave. You will not be spotted."

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@Moonlit

Ziggy looked at the muffins with a predatory glare. These delicious treats had split from the herd, and now, there were no escape for the poor things. They were destined to rest in her tummy, were many a sugary treat had gone to never be seen again. However... It might be best to sorta space these out, rather than just chomp down like a ravenous wilderbeast?

Yeah, best not to overindulge she supposed. Though she were taking one and nomming on it right away. Which one? Just the nearest, as the rest would be gathered up and if she could see something to pack them up in, like some baking paper, a small bag, or something like that, she'd scoop them into that. Her very own, tasty snackbag. Yey for Harmony!

"Mmmm, delicious.

Oh, right, I sorta forgot to ask. Who is your friend that's retiring? And sorta job were he doing? I bet whatever it were, it's going to be hard for him to let go off. Not easy to stop doing something you've done for most of your life I'd think."

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@Rainbows2424 @Dreadmare

"Hehe, I say we tease him, and tell his parents that he picked us up for a double date that went wrong."

Shell grinned at Azure, clearly joking, though... It Did sound like it'd be a bit of fun on his behalf, right? And what were wrong with that? If he were aiming to be in the guards, he'd have to get used to some joking about like this, since honestly, guard duty sometimes got boring, and new recruits were easy targets. Long as it didn't go too far, or get mean, nopony were gonna get all up in a tip over it. Well, except for the captain. She weren't much of a fun one that mare, but if you ran into her on a good day, she might just wander off and not be bothered, rather than comment on things. And tough as she were, she were at least fair, so there shouldn't be any severe punishment. Unless again, it went too far. A bit of hazing and fun were alright, but bullying were a complete no go.

"And you're right, it's best not to tease sharks. They're not as bad as many puts them up to being, but they can still get sorta mean if you don't treat them right, or confused if presented with something new. And since they got no arms or legs, they're gonna test things with their teeth. Probably best if there were some glass between you or them if you ever were to see them.

I bet that Thunder's gonna be swimming among 'em in no time though, won't you? Just not during breeding season. Their area is off limits then for a reason. They get very territorial during that time, and if you break into their area during that, or when their young are swimming about in their most vulnerable time, they get pretty defensive."