open Casual stroll

[Lucid_Nightlight 923]

@Blitz Boom

"Traffic was crazy! I got lost in the future getting some milk, but I finally made it! Now for the wedding!"

Lucid had his favorite frog costume on for the special moment. He wanted to watch his friends marry.

[Blitz Boom 4,628]

@Sekel

"I intended this for Atzy, as her desire for what is presented seems not to have waned. For you, I would find this more suitable."

With little more than a thought, Enzo would summon more cloth, which would wrap securely - though not too tightly - around Karmic's torso, before a bag folded to her right side, wherein she could put what she desired. If she cared to inspect, she'd find that the varied straps of parchment that had made this, were rather smooth, and inscribed with varied hieroglyphs. It seemed to be made of some low grade silk variant, with an emphasis on sturdiness. A common thing to write on in the Sphinx's capitol, as it were easy to summon for them, and functioned well as embalming straps, if need be.

Usually Enzo would not add hieroglyphs, nor one that represented himself in a regal fashion, on the side of the bag as the main attraction, but he assumed it would highlight better who she wandered with.

"And as Atzy says, beware the shadows. It may still wander somewhere, so do not walk any path alone, if it can be helped. Until we meet again."

With that, he'd wander to the balcony, and spready his wings, catching the attention of quite a bit of pegasi flying in the area. Hmph, let them gawk if they wanted. He belonged here now, and his stance and demeanor clearly spoke of it.

As for Karmic, she'd find that a few eyes went on her if she walked down the halls, but she weren't questioned. Golden might have let a word slide around that they had visitors.

She might also find that she would get lost without asking somepony, so it might be wise to approach a guard eventually, or wander on her own and see what happened.

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@Sekel

Last looked panicked as they were ported away. Not because of the action itself, but rather because she noted after the second jump that her mother were not with them.

Once the princess had to halt for a break, she'd look around, trying to find out where they had come from, and were almost taking a step in that direction, when the manetid's bladed arm got in her way.

"Krtxxht. You can't save her, Shrine Maiden. She's one of the horrors now."

"I'm not leaving her like that. She deserves better than this."

"Krhrrxk. Then get out of here, and come back with enough power to level the forest. You wander in alone, and you'll only end up as her, or my squad."

Whilst they bickered, Cherish barfed up some ectoplasm, still feeling rather ill from rapid teleports like this. Though there'd soon be reason to worry of something else instead, as the forest answered the question *why are there clearings in this place?*. Namely, by the ground suddenly erupting, and a bunch of thin, pale tendrils reached up, seeking to engulf the weary travellers who thought there were anything resembling safe spots, within this place.

In actuality, they were traps, where the more stationary fungus variant hid, and awaited prey. Not something that arrived often, but the fungi got fed by other means, so this were more for the sake of gaining new, indoctrinated subjects.

Both the manetid and Last, would work on repelling and cutting them down, whilst Cherish did her best to use her abilities to push them away from trying to engulf them both, and keep the princess safe. They did well, but they had to get out of here, and quickly. Otherwise, they might never get to leave. Like all the other sad souls they had encountered thus far.

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@Windy Breeze 🥧

"Okay. So uhm..."

Sorrow cleared her throat, and spoke a little more clearly, so that others nearby might hear it. Not shouting though. That would be too far, more than likely.

"Honey? Do you think you could ask the chef if there's lemon in this? I forgot to do so before the waiter left, and you know what it does to me these days."

She'd use her eyes to point towards the kitchen door, hoping that Windy would take up the role and go along with things. It seemed to Sorrow at least, that this would prove the best cover story in the memory, if they were to figure out what went on in the kitchen right now.

Of course, she were more than free to try something else too. Sorrow were just trying to do what she thought might work. There were no guarantee that it would, and Windy might know better. They'd see in a moment, right?

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@Catpone Cerberus

"It's good to hear that I don't have to convince you, even if spite is a strange motivator. That said, whatever keeps the little guy near. He's been through a lot, and I doubt it'd be wise for him to ever go back where you two came from. He's safer in Equestria, though he's going to need to learn how things work here. And also where to strike so it hurts. When you're build less than others, you gotta know how to fight dirty."

Honor was a cute concept, but what did honor matter if you were dead? No, it were wiser to know where you stood, and if it were too far below others, you had to fight back in a more tactical way, or get trampled. For her it were magic, for this guy... Hmmm, tough to say. He might end up as a compact little tanker of a dragon, and then it would be more a question of teaching him how to hit than anything. Incredibly dense build dragons could be insanely dangerous at times, which might end up being his ultimate end. Runts sometimes had that going for them, though due to size issues, also tended to be very sensitive and highly aggressive. They likely had a lot to work on with this little guy.

Though clearly, he'd first need to rest, and soon. Fed or not, he needed energy, and he wouldn't get that from food alone.

"But that's all for later. I think he'll pass out soon enough again, and then we can start making plans. Among them, trying to teach him how to speak in a local dialect. I don't think it's going to work wonders in the long run if you have to translate for him. Especially not since he fears you, and the first time he sees you change, will likely not make him feel any less confused and weary."

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@Catpone Cerberus

Agni jumped down as Nada spoke, and would face the mimic, with the bag of seeds between them. This would now be a matter between the two of them, who were none too happy about being around one another.

Fah'lina would lift up on her hind legs and stare right at the phoenix, whon in turn rose his wings slightly, and kept his own glare on her as the seconds ticked by.

Evetually, she would push the seeds closer, and let out some critter talk, before Agni let out a small chirp, and drew the seeds closer. Afterwards, Fah'lina would flap up, and place herself on Ziggy's head, while Agni would ruffle through the seeds, and pick a few out to throw up, roast and eat. They seeemed to have reached an agreement, for the time being.

"Probably gonna be a while before they get friendly, but tolerance is a good place to start. Tolerance means no fire, and without fighting, that's two big issues handled right away.

Gonna think it'll be worse when they eventually team up. Fah'lina alone can make all sorts of little tricks, for her own amusement. Sorta worried what they'd be able to do, if two of them worked together on something."

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@Catpone Cerberus

He'd have a grand total of four and a half minutes to complete his task, from the point he stopped talking, and until the feeding music were done with, and things would happen in a rapid sequence.

First Lyriel would be put down again, outside of the boundaries, seemingly unharmed. Then the trickster would fly out, looking much the same, yet somehow fresher. As if the materials it were made from, had gotten an influx of life to it. Which essentially, were the case.

Third off, if Scarecrow were still in the area, and had not gone out of the zone, he'd be blasted by the closest three trees. With a forceful, yet not fatally intended force. Though if he had actually stomped on one of the sprouts, he'd find their intentions were quite a bit more intense. As in, enough force to smash a regular pony over the trees, and right into Applejack's apple farm. Their way of telling you to get the hay away, and never return.

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@EQ_Theta

On 7/28/2020 at 2:16 PM, EQ_Theta said:

“The way you described the tournament makes it sound much more fun than the game itself. Maybe I might not see myself competing but I’d like to watch a game some time. Does it get intense? Were there any close matches?”

“Sounds like your game attracts some interesting personalities. I think my brother’s getting excited about it, and compared to the improvised games we were used to back home, this could probably be a full-fledged spectator sport. Maybe not in the levels like buck-ball but you’ve already got an audience!”

"It's a growing spectator sport, with some places even starting to ask if we can add a few more rounds in the year. The way that it's going now, I'm thinking about investing in a bigger venue after the season this year, and upscale the whole thing. You know, stone arena so it can be held year round, all that sorts.

Heh. And to think, when I inherited this maze from my pa, it were just a little fun round for foals. It's amazing what a little ingenuety can cause.

Anyway, you all should really try this. Show if you have what it takes to compete in the big league. We had some really close calls last year, with the champ winning out by just two points. Some fresh compeditors might be just what's needed to turn the tides."

Plus, new faces in the big league, would catch more interest. Especially if it were from a strange race like these two, although she personally held more belief in the thestral. Something about him just made her think they were talking about somepony who knew how to deal with others.

Sen sadly, needed a bit of help dealing with things, as the straps seemed to conflict with him. Something which admitedly, gave her a bit of a chuckle.

"Come here, I'll sort you out. This is why usually, I need to suit folks up."

She went over and loosened the straps enough to help him get through, then tightened it up on him, to make sure everything were in place. He wasn't the worst sort of race she ever had to strap up, so it weren't much of a bother. And afterwards, she'd go on to take care of the others.

Except for Rosa, who felt like showing off and doing it himself. He had observed enough when she did it on Sen to get the base idea, though she would still check up, just to make sure.

After she finished up with Omen at the end, she just had to go over a few more things, before they could start anything.

"Alright then. Just a few base rules: Don't block your sensors, or try to leave them behind. This is a fair fight, and while covering behind something is fine, using magic or covering point blank with a hoof or cloth for example, is cause for disqualification.

Second off, it's against the rules to steal anothers weapon, or try to sabotage their gear. Respect the equipment.

And third, no pets. It's dangerous for critters in there."

"Okay."

A gate opened next to Omen, leading back to her realm, and then shortly after there, the cave they had been in earlier. Then, she'd wrap her tongue around Shrimp, and place him down on the floor there, under the book he had used for cover earlier. He were fast asleep, so it should likely be fine for their initial game here, to have him rest there for a bit.

Once that were closed, the yet unnamed mare would give a funny look towards Omen, trying to gather exactly what were going on there, and eventually get to a conclusion that seemed to make her a bit sceptic on things.

"Okay. For the record, that there's magic, so no portals in there. And uh... I hate prying, but you ain't some sorta witch, right? Trying to keep an open mind here, and I won't judge, but just trying to get what's going on with all of that stuff."

"Omen is of a equine-like race, with an initiate ability to create gates, and who communicates solely telepathically. I can assure you that she would know how to cast a spell as well as I would know how to eat the sun."

"Huh. And here I thought I knew 'em all. Anyway, you folks have any questions? I figure if we hurry up, you can try a round beefore the big opening speech.

And while I remember it, it's three bits per competitor. With Tomb staying here, that means there's four of you, so that'd be twelve bits please."

Which Omen would spit out, and leave the dry bits on the table for the puzzled mare. Yet, business were business, right? Best just take the payment, and get on with things.

It were fairly cheap too to play this, but one had to consider the volume getting through here, which usually meant she rakes in hundreds, sometimes thousands of bits on a night like this. Just had to keep it rolling.

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@Lucid_Nightlight

Lucid would show up to find that Anomaly were currently standing near their house, with Rose on her shoulders, as outside of the tree she lived in, she's only about the same size as a regular pixie. Behind them were Henry, seemingly taking a nap in a lava pool, whilst Anomaly threw plastic cacti, that Rose would sneer at and destroy, though without destroying everything else around her too, or go mental. Seemed like progress had been made in the time Lucid were away.

Potentially due to some help from Rose's new step father. Just because he were a bit crazy, didn't mean he might not be helpful.

"Hey, there you were. You're way off though, we had the wedding like... Okay, do I have to play this along? It's boring! He can jump in time. Why would he be late for the wedding?"

Narrative reasons. Do you mind just trying to follow along?

"Buf it's dumb! Come on, don't you agree Lucid? How does it make sense that the monkey man looks away for a bit, and then suddenly you're a year and a half late for the wedding? Especially if you can play with time?

And what about your smoochie girl? Pretty sure she'd like, erase you from history or something, if you tried leaving her at a wedding like that.

See? It's all silly."

[Lucid_Nightlight 923]

@Blitz Boom

"What? I missed the wedding? Sure I could go back in time, but that would mean like complicated time problems typical from a time travel car movie!"

"And no kids! AND me and Novia and somehow fully grown adults due to time travel stuff that I won't explain due to not wanting to break the plot of this story! Growing up sucks, now I have to pay taxes!"

"And I made you a wedding gift!"

She held a statue of Anomaly made out of silver.

[Windy Breeze 15,190]

@Blitz Boom

Windy nodded but in her mind, she says great idea, Sorrow “Sure, honey” she stood up and went to the door where Razor and the others went. She opened the door and went inside.

To her surprise, no one actually noticed her. In fact, they all ignored her. As she walk pass bipedal cat, she heard voices.

“If you dispose her, you will earn my favor” she immediately went behind a kitchen station and took a peek. She could see Razor, and the others who led him inside, including a teenage dragon, who was offering him bits. The others looked at the griffon with expectations.

Razor stared at the bits, showing no emotions.

“Razor?” the dragon speaking made him answer. 

“Y-Yes, I will do it” he was about to get the bits when the dragon jerked his claws away from him. 

“Only after disposing your wife. She's a threat to the company. Now shoo!” the dragon told him. 

“S-Sure, sir!” he quickly went out of the kitchen. Windy sneak out of the kitchen and went back to Sorrow.

“I got some crucial information” she started “Somedrake ordered Razor to execute his wife for bits”

Oblivious to the two mares, tiny cracks began to appear throughout the walls of the restaurant. 

[EQ_Theta 459]

@Blitz Boom

“Thanks,” Sen remarked as he examined the equipment, which didn’t feel quite right but that may be attributed to appearances more than anything. Not that there was something wrong with the equipment, though it did feel a little hefty. “It feels a little tight.”

“That’s the point, brother. You wouldn’t want to lose your equipment, especially when your senses aren’t going to be reliable.”

“You sound like the watch guard when he was giving a lesson on night patrols. Hold on to your tools like your very being depended on it!” The longma put on a deeper, mocking voice, bringing back some old memories of his training. This being a more fun and low-stakes environment, he would try to take it easy on the first pass before taking the game seriously. 

Things were different back in training as the longma recalled his younger years. He’d often find himself tired of the repetitive nature of training, though he would occasionally encounter the rare moments of solace with preparing his equipment, even building them in some cases. Those were some of the better moments, the ones that he remained fond of despite turning his back on the hunters. As painful as it was to leave behind an aspect of his youth that could still call out to him, his newfound goals would keep him preoccupied, leaving little in the way to wonder if he made the right choice. 

In the meantime, Lin would also examine her sensors, then glance over to Omen as the mare finished setting everyone up.

“Before we begin, are there any rules on players teaming up or is this everyone for themselves?” 

[Blitz Boom 4,628]

@Lucid_Nightlight

Anomaly screeched as she saw the silver stattue and buried herself quickly, by the ground swallowing her whole.

"Wha- Hey! No silver!!!"

Rose were currently flying in the air, confused at first at what she saw, until the silver statue got into view. At which point her darkened eyes narrowed, and the sneer on her face, from the anger she were still wrestling with, as they taught her how to deal around plastic without going ballistic, grew more prominent.

She rose a hand towards the statue, and a cracking, almost thunderbolt-like dark line erupted from her fingertips, and would - unless interrupted - hit the statue, and remove it from existence. As she contained more or less the entirety of what were left of Anomaly's old destructive side, this were her forte, and also the reason why she so far, were isolated on this island. Wouldn't do any good if she just lost her mind at seeing one sliver of plastic, and erased Equestria, and all who lived within, from the world map. And there were progress now, so it might change soon where they could take her.

And why? With the power of treats of course, like when you trained a doggo.

Hence, if she successfully removed the silver statue, Anomaly would pop up, go *Good girl* and throw a pickle towards her. It were larger than Rose herself, but that just meant she had more to eat, and she were happy to do so.

If Rose didn't get it removed, Henry would get risen up from the screech, and drowsily reach over, take the silver, and plop it into his lava bath, before going back to sleep. He did not have Anomaly and Rose's weakness against this metal.

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

 

@Windy Breeze 🥧

Sorrow paled as she heard what Windy had to say.

"Killed by her own husband, just because he were told to do it... How couldn't she become furious in death?"

It were even worse than she had feared. Not only had Razor been involved in Autumn's death, he had directly done so himself - she doubted that he would have contracted another to do so, if he were already being paid to do it - and for what? For bits? What kind of monster would do something like that, to one they were married to, and especially for something like that?

It were no wonder Autumn were such a ragefilled, powerful poltergeist. Knowing that one she thought loved her, were willing to kill her for nothing else than money, would have made her resentful and furious. She would have regretted ever meeting him, wail in her own pain over what had happened to her, and how her life had been nothing but a lie, and the grief... It would have been immeasurable. It made a good deal more sense now, how she could have become as strong as a whirlwind of powerful, negative emotions that she had become. In her hooves, who wouldn't have been? The poor mare...

"This is just getting worse and worse... What should we do now?"

Sorrow felt something were off about the area they were in. She couldn't describe it more than a certain icky, tingling feeling, and attributed it to the pity she were feeling towards Autumn. Probably all it were, right?

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@EQ_Theta

11 hours ago, EQ_Theta said:

“It feels a little tight.”

“That’s the point, brother. You wouldn’t want to lose your equipment, especially when your senses aren’t going to be reliable.”

“You sound like the watch guard when he was giving a lesson on night patrols. Hold on to your tools like your very being depended on it!”

"She is right though. It have to be stuck on securely, of things might just fall off, or wobble around uncomfortably. Just be thankful you're not a dragon, since they have to wear an extra layer of metal below the harness, so their scales don't cut the leather."

That were another thing she had to invest in, if she wanted to make this go further: A better harness for races like dragons. And likely a bigger arena, so there were room for them. She had a height restriction in this place out of necessity, but it would be great if she could upgrade it some. Allow for a bit of flying and climbing too, maybe, to get some tactical advantage in that the audience hadn't seen before. She'd have to see how it looked after the season this year. If the projected amount of folks they expected would come in and watch the tournament, she definitely had to start thinking bigger. And also look at moving. The sort of structure she had in mind, weren't compatible with the way this town worked, which were a little sad, but she could always just make the other place she put this, sort of a *summer home* area, and then be back here when it were closed down, and she didn't have to prep things.

A lot of details still to sort out, but all in due time. Right now, she had a team ready, and would wander over to a box on the wall, open it with a key she had hidden in her mane, to reveal a big line of switches. She would flip them all, and a rumbling would be heard further inside. Things were beginning to start up.

11 hours ago, EQ_Theta said:

In the meantime, Lin would also examine her sensors, then glance over to Omen as the mare finished setting everyone up.

“Before we begin, are there any rules on players teaming up or is this everyone for themselves?”

"In theory you could team up, but this game is based on who gets the most points, and as said, there is a five second delay between you hitting somepony, and it being possible to register another shot. So really, it's pretty pointless, unless one just wants to up the others score. Which for the record, will detract, since I kinda see that as low grade cheating. We had some folks who tried to get to join the tournament by just having their friends in a circle, feeding them points, and I'm not having that.

Which does remind me: It is also a rule that when you shoot somepony, you can't keep them trapped. They're allowed to run off, just as they are to stand around and try their luck when their timer goes off again. Trapping somepony and not allowing them to move about, like say shoving them into corners, holding them, or that sort of thing, will get you disqualified. Have to be fair, right?

Anyway, gonna take a few minutes for the systems to get sorted, so how about we all do some aim practice? I'll just turn on your equipment, and then one by one, I want you to shoot until you hit my sensor. Remember, you can't shoot a new ball, until the old one hit something."

With that, she'd put on her own harness, and step back, so she were at around four meters distance. Right next to the desk, where she could then reach down, and press something beneath it, that activated their harnesses. They should barely be able to feel it, as more than a brief tingle at worst.

"Alright, you first, thestral, and the-"

Rosa would lift his shooter in his hoof, and fire off once, showing off the silvery orb that would quickly travel - like a baseball thrown proper hard - and hit the tip of her sensor, before she were done talking.

"Heh, showoff. Not your first time here after all, huh?"

"It is, but I'm well trained in hitting targets at a distance, and this is simpler than say, a dagger, blow dart, or beanie bag."

"Something tells me you're one to keep an eye on then. Heh, anyway, you two uhm... Gosh darn it, I forgot asking names again, didn't I? Or did I get preoccupied with something else and toned it out? Anyway, gonna need it for the scoreboard, so you mind saying your names as you go up and tried to hit me, you two? Then the rest afterwards. I'm Night Bloom, by the way."

She'd point at Sen, then Lin when she asked them to state their names. So Sen would get his turn trying to hit first, whilst Rosa gave a slight, taunting smirk towards both him and Lin. Far be it for him to be playing superior, but they had a challenge, and he liked to show off in that case, so they knew he meant business. This were but a taste to try and rouse them to face the challenge.

[Windy Breeze 15,190]

@Blitz Boom

“We have to-” Windy was interrupted by the building started to shake “What in the hay?” at first, she thought this was a work of an outbreak, however, she looked around her, and no one seem to be affected by shake, including Razor, who approached Autumn. 

“Autumn, we have to go” his voice was dull, no emotions shown. Autumn raised her eyebrow. 

“But we just got here” she said. 

“I know. But the chefs informed me only meat are available right now” he lied, glancing at the door where he have been. She stood up, causing the floor to shake violently. Tables over topple, sending plates, glass, and food to the floor. Some part of the wall begin to crumble, revealing a burned wall.

“Oh, what now!?” as if a cue, a part of the ceiling landed right in front of Windy. She yelped in surprise, glancing at Sorrow with fear.

“Oh, okay. I guess I'll cook some water spinach today” she stood up with an expression that says she's disappointed that their time in the restaurant is wasted. She turn her head at Windy and Sorrow. Her orange eyes began to vanish, and her voice started to change “hElLO THeRE” she said “I HoPE yOUr FOashejisududwppxlxkskmxjxiwpzpxpcld”

Then, she twisted her neck to look back at her husband, producing a crunch. 

Edited July 31, 2020 by Windy Breeze 🥧

[EQ_Theta 459]

@Blitz Boom

“It’s nice to meet you, Night Bloom. I’m Sen and that’s my sister, Lin.” The two bowed to the mare before Sen walked up to try out the shooters and acquaint himself with the game. He caught sight of Rosa’s smirk and he puffed up his cheeks a little while trying to keep an air of confidence. 

“Alright, let’s see how this works…” The longma aimed at Night Bloom’s sensor and slowly pulled the trigger, though his shot was way off the mark. A second was loosed and it was only a minor improvement. With the third, Sen inhaled and held his breath, steadying his aim and his nerves, before letting go. This time, he managed to land his shot, hitting the sensor.

“So that’s how it’s done. I can’t imagine how that’s going to turn out when everypony’s moving around.”

“My turn! Let me have a go!” Lin walked up and waited for Night Bloom to ready herself before trying the game out for herself. Frankly, it wound up looking similar to Sen’s attempts. Five missed shots before she successfully hit the mare’s sensor. The longma found herself having to sit and hold her shooter with two claws before she found success, which already had her wondering how she’ll survive in a fast-paced scenario. 

Sen, however, stood next to Rosa while watching Lin and waiting to see how Omen does. Though he wouldn’t see how he could find himself bragging about the challenge ahead, he wouldn’t show an air of defeat sooner than expected. He did note the a rather different Rosa now that they are readying themselves for the game ahead. 

“This is a side of you I didn’t expect, Rosa. It kind of looks like you trained for this your whole life. Just so you know, I may not have your skill but I won’t let up easily!” 

[Lucid_Nightlight 923]

@Blitz Boom

"Bad Novia!"

Novia looked at Lucid for a moment. Did he just call her bad!? Lucid was the one with the idea!

"Lucid made the statue! Bite him!"

"If you bite, I'll spoil the fact that I was always a draconequus and the stick was just a placebo!"

Seriously!? You weren't supposed to find that until later! I didn't even put that on your page!

[Rising Dusk 27,737]

@Blitz Boom

A Rising Dusk trotted through the streets of a city.  Laughing and playing with a group of other colts and fillies as they chased a blue ball in some sort game of keep away on a bright sunny day.  The detective himself not any older than the other ponies he played with.  Street carts parted way for the traveling group of youngsters as the ball batted about through the air.  Bouncing off the sign of a nearby book store, only to soar across the street and donk off the dark window of a condemned magics shop.  None the group all that bothered by the fact neither of these stores belonged on the same street.  Or that the cobble stone beneath their hoofs changed to brick, to gravel, to asphalt.  The streets were not flat and rolled up and down like the waves of an ocean.  Each pony simply running along with little care to pesky issues like gravity that should prevent their game from continuing.  Stores from all the cities Rising had visited in his life decorated the backdrop of the landscape the children played, a few number of them no different than a simple flat 2-D stage prop.

Sliding between the legs of a pony ahead of the pack, Rising took the short advantage for his turn at the ball.  Giving the blue ball a hefty hind kick to send the ball back down the street they had come.  Even though the street had long changed and there was no going back to the way it was.  The ball though reacted in slow motion, spinning through the air at half speed.  All the ponies stopped in their tracks to watch the ball in awe like it was some miracle never seen before.  By the time the ball had managed to fly past the last pony in line, it had become a miniature Sun.  With a furry of laughter, the chase began again.  All in attendance had about faced and ran after the new Sun ball that bounced of its own accord down the streets Canterlot.  The makeshift city that had been made of all before, now more focused into a singular location, or at least more so the one street Rising and Dawn lived on when they were born stretched into infinity.  Still a mix of buildings that were both there when he was born and many which were there now.

Soon the little bouncing Sun became the primary source of light.  The sunny day had given way to night filled with the full Moon.  A Moon that still contained the spell that imprisoned Nightmare Moon upon it.  The most beautiful spell tapestry Rising had ever seen in his life.  Rising had lost interested in chasing the ball with his group of younger friends to stop in the middle of the street and look up at the Moon. 

Oh how it was to be young.  For this was simply a Rising Dusk.  Gazing down from a cloud high above, the older Rising Dusk lazily laid out upon a puffy cloud that putted along the sky to keep pace with the playing group.  Deprived of his hoodie, the midnight blue unicorn observed the events unfold.  The Dream Realm, a playground for the subconscious to do the things reality says they aren't aloud to do.  Time, space, physics, magic, let's just toss those out the window.  Usually makes for a good learning place, as the subconscious works through fears and joys to help connect to the conscious for problem solving.  Her Royal Dreaminess, Princess Luna ruled this realm, helping guide ponies through their subconscious.  Rarely was he ever visited.

"I contain every memory my subconscious can use to make in this Dream world of mine... You do not belong," the detective glanced at the out of place glowing moth that had thus far been the only thing unaffected by his Dream.

Edited August 1, 2020 by Rising Dusk

[Catpone Cerberus 23,599]

@Blitz Boom
Ruby didn't think much of Leviathan's comment about fighting dirty, after all, it wasn't like she followed some weird rules when fighting, sure she didn't like those who used magic in fights, but it was nothing to do with honor, she wasn't even sure if such word existed in her language, no, it was about pride, it was cowards way to fight without risk, and if someone in her homelands won a fight using coward's way and the word got out, they would eventually meet a coward's death, because magic too needed stamina, and one could not out-stamina a constant flow of killing machines.

"That will be quite a task." she said "Assuming my mother taught him even close as much as she did to me, there's lot of words he doesn't know even in our language, because I learned quite a lot of new words when I studied the books, so even if he's intelligent enough to learn quickly, there will be lot of explaining about meaning of words." "And I don't think he'll be willing to learn anything from me if he thinks I'm going to hurt him the moment he does something wrong."

As Ruby spoke, the runt fell asleep, he tried to fight it the best he could, but he ended up falling asleep in a sitting position before eventually collapsing again, and it seemed he wasn't going to wake up too easily as evidenced by the fact that he didn't wake up regardless of his quite painful looking collapse. 
 

"I'm surprised he lasted this long." Ruby said looking at the now sleeping male "I have to give him credit for that, the flight here is not easy, and just the fact he survived it is quite the feat." she may look down on everyone else, but even she gives credit when credit is due, and this weakling had impressed her by making it to Equestria alone.

 

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"Don't give them any ideas, they both can understand you." Nada said slightly humorously, she didn't really worry about it because even if by some miracle they became friendly with each other, Agni didn't seem like the type to annoy others, or at least he most likely wouldn't annoy her based on his reaction to her raising her voice, and as selfish as it may have been, she wasn't really concerned how he would treat others as long as he didn't actively hurt anyone she cared about.

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

Since Scarecrow first wanted to know how long the thing lasted before doing anything, he didn't do anything yet and thus wouldn't be on the area when it ended. If the 'bird' didn't want to eat anymore and thus they missed their chance, then he would follow the original plan, assuming Lyriel would try talking again. 

If he had to go with the original plan and talking failed, he would walk carefully in, doing his best to avoid any sprouts on his way. Assuming the trees would blast him with the warning zaps, it would stop him for a second and the damage would depend on where they hit. Hitting the skull seeming did absolutely nothing, as there wasn't even burn marks, hitting the black growth would cause the electricity to go on top of it to the ground without leaving any visible damage, and hitting anywhere that was not his skull or the growth would burn a small hole into that spot.
If he got hit by the lethal blast, it would throw him backwards most likely but he would at least try to stop himself by using his new disadvantage to stick himself to the ground. This would also damage the growth a bit, but it seemingly healed itself pretty quickly. His skull would still be unaffected. 

If in other hoof the 'bird' looked like it was searching for more to eat, he would wait for it to start the song again and then use that time to go collect the branches, again avoiding the sprouts the best he could, but the gum coming from his wings could make that lot harder since he didn't control it.

And of course if Lyriel had anything to say, he would listen.

[Blitz Boom 4,628]

@Lucid_Nightlight

"I'm not gonna bite you. I have a pickle!"

Rose's argument were hard to go against. She did indeed have a pickle, and as had been established before - as well as easily viewable now - her voracious appetite for the things, would overrule her want to bite other things. Which were probably for the better, considering her teeth could pretty much tear through anything. She weren't a shard of destruction for nothing, though currently, her whole thing were focused on eating the pickle. Which were going rather quickly, by the little pixie. It were like watching a cartoon piranha.

Anomaly in the meantime, unearthed herself fully, and stomped on the ground, which caused a sign saying *Faker!* to drop down and hang over Lucid's head. The strings on it seemed to be attached to one of the nearby clouds.

"Boo, foul move. We need a better plot twist than that. I'm gonna say you're really a thirteen year old griffon girl with lots of freckles, and a third eye. See? Way better. What kind of silly thing do you have, writing your manuscript? One of t he hairless monkey things? They're bad at this stuff."

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

 

@Windy Breeze 🥧

On 7/31/2020 at 1:47 PM, Windy Breeze 🥧 said:

“We have to-” Windy was interrupted by the building started to shake “What in the hay?” at first, she thought this was a work of an outbreak, however, she looked around her, and no one seem to be affected by shake, including Razor, who approached Autumn. 

Oh dear, what were going on here? Did... Did they play too active of a role, and disturbed the memory? Were it all collapsing around them, and potentially the building with it, if it were that tainted with Autumn's psychokinetic energy? A possibility, and a bad one if it were, since having a building falling on you tended to be pretty harmful. Fatal even, if they got really unlucky, though even minor injuries in this area could end up being fatal. Y'know, on account that they didn't seem to be able to escape, and it were swarming with possessed beings.

The scene around them didn't seem to get affected by this rumbling at all, so it weren't something that happened in the past it seemed. In fact, it seemed the place were already in pretty bad condition, as a part of it fell down very close to them, and made Sorrow jump back with a small *meep* sound. Just in time to see part of the wall being revealed, looking rather burned. As for the scene still being played out around them, she'd witness Razor going over and telling Autumn that they needed to leave. In a way that should make all the alarm bells ring for somepony, but apparently, it didn't make Autumn act any diff-

On 7/31/2020 at 1:47 PM, Windy Breeze 🥧 said:

She turn her head at Windy and Sorrow. Her orange eyes began to vanish, and her voice started to change “hElLO THeRE” she said “I HoPE yOUr FOashejisududwppxlxkskmxjxiwpzpxpcld”

Then, she twisted her neck to look back at her husband, producing a crunch. 

Oh dear Celestia, this was... This was just wrong.

Sorrow had seen a lot of things, when it came to ghosts. Various stages of decay, dismemberment, body contortion, etc. But the head twirling this much, to the point where you could hear the neck break, never sat right with her. It always rubbed her the wrong way, and it had thankfully been a while since she had seen this sort of thing in action. Go figure that this place would go ahead and hit on all the wrong notes.

Since they had been spotted already, Sorrow would gulp down, and try to reason with the ghost again. Likely a futile effort, but she had to try something, or they'd be stuck here until they starved to death.

"We're just trying to understad what happened, and help you get peace. You didn't deserve this Autumn. None of it."

Be it her current stage as a rage-filled poltergeist, or that of a wife that meant so little to her husband, that a mere promise of bits made Razor cause her death, Autumn did not deserve what had happened to her. She deserved a good, long life, with somepony who cared enough about her to try and save her, rather than earn a profit from her misfortune. Yet sadly, that had passed, and the best they could do now, were to try and help her find rest, and then if Razor were still out there and alive, try and get him to face justice for what he did. Hopefully they'd find some evidence they could present the guards if it were. She didn't want to have to call on some of her less uhm... *moral* family members, to deal with this, unless there weren't a choice.

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

 

@EQ_Theta

On 7/31/2020 at 3:22 PM, EQ_Theta said:

“It’s nice to meet you, Night Bloom. I’m Sen and that’s my sister, Lin.”

"And we are Sub Rosa, and Omen."

Rosa would point at first himself, then Omen, who'd slowly rise a hoof and wave calmly towards Night Bloom.

"Well, fancy meeting the lot of you then. Let's see what you all got when it comes to the games, and then try having a blast once you're all ready, eh?"

She'd give them a big grin, and stand ready, as it were now Sen's turn to try his best at hitting her sensor.

On 7/31/2020 at 3:22 PM, EQ_Theta said:

“So that’s how it’s done. I can’t imagine how that’s going to turn out when everypony’s moving around.”

"It can get hectic, with all the dodging and shooting going on, along with the environment, but you're doing well. Some folks gets through and have to try a dozen times or so, before they get the first shot right. Three times really ain't bad, and you might be surprised to find that you could end up having pretty good aim in a panic. It gets instinctual for some folks at times, and if you got a hunting side, you might end up surprised at yourself.

I'd give you some advice though: Don't try and worry about messing up. It's just a game after all. So just focus on the sensor, try and keep your feet on the moves, and don't loose your cool. I know I said some folks to well under a panic, but the majority does better with a calm mind."

Ain't no reason not to try and encourage the players, and she were sure that Sen would get at least a few hits in while they were having a go at it.

On 7/31/2020 at 3:22 PM, EQ_Theta said:

“My turn! Let me have a go!”

"Took a few more shots before you found your style, but I think you got what it takes too, Lin. You just don't seem to strike me as one of those who goes around chasing others, but more the kind who sets a base and wait for others to wander into her trap. You got a good aim when you're stationary. Might be something you can use to your advantage."

A good *nest builder* so to speak, were a strong competitor in here too. Sure they eventually got figured out, and had to change positions at times, to avoid getting too predictable, but it were a valid strategy, that she had seen taken into use quite a few times. With varying degrees of success.

On 7/31/2020 at 3:22 PM, EQ_Theta said:

“This is a side of you I didn’t expect, Rosa. It kind of looks like you trained for this your whole life. Just so you know, I may not have your skill but I won’t let up easily!”

"I've had a lot of practice in the art of hitting things, in various ways."

He could have said more on the matter, but he did not want to cause alarm, nor oust himself around Night. Spies were not well liked, and from the consortium he had served under? There would be easier ways for him to deserve a beating than publicly admitting to that. Like say, setting fire to one of their way-shrines, or go put breezies in jars, and talk about selling them to the more backwater deer tribes out there. Neither of which he'd obviously do, but it were more to make a point that he brought this up in his mind. The point being that spies were unlikable, and he could not blame others for being resentful, if they found out about his past.

Regardless, now it were Omen's turn to shoot, and she simply stood there for a while, looking at the item in front of her, not really doing much, before Night addressed her.

"Is something wrong?"

"Mother says we are not allowed to hurt others."

"Well, your mom don't need to worry none. This here's just a bit of light. You'll hurt yourself more by jumping on a pile of leaves."

"You have seen yourself Omen, that nopony is getting hurt. Here, let me show you a little more."

Rosa would turn his shooter on his hoof, and fire on it three times. Each time, he'd be completely unscathed, and only feel a brief, light tingling.

"See? Harmless."

With that sorted, Omen would near the shooter of her own suit, and sniff it a few times, then bat it, just in case, before finally wrapping out about half a meter of her prehensile tongue, and wrapping it around it, so that she could carry the hooter in front of her.

"Well, that's not something you see every day. Try a few shoots, and see if you can hit."

It would take Omen a total of eleven shots before she hit the sensor. Most of them were her testing out how to press it, whilst keeping it stable enough for her to control. And once she finally hit the sensor, Night got a smile on spreading on her face.

"See? You can do it. Just keep your aim up, and-"

Another ball hit her sensor. And then another one, as Omen tested a few more times, whilst wandering slowly from side to side.

"Well, seems like you got the gist of it. So, how about-"

Another shot hit her, whilst Rosa had to lift a hoof up to stop himself from laughing. He weren't sure why, but just Omen continuing to do this, were rather amusing to him.

"Okay, stop it, or we'll never get started. Geez. Anyway, just head through the entrance there, and stay in the purple marked area. It's big enough for a small group like yours to still have some distance, without making it hard to find one another. I'll be resetting your systems 30 seconds after you enter, so that's the amount of time you have to work with. Let's get cracking, eh?"

She'd move to the side, and go over to the door that marked the entry. opening it, they could see the dim lights, hear the slight sounds of rustling bushes and wind coming from varied baubles hidden around the place, and some colored arrows on the ground, leading towards the right areas for whatever team would go in. As the purple group, they'd go to the right, where there'd quickly be three branching paths, with more arriving further inside. They'd also find that the entire area marked with purple, had small, purple baubles floating around every so often, as to not confuse the participants of where they were.

Soon as they had all passed through the door, the timer would be set, and they best start getting spread. The game were about to begin.

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

 

@Rising Dusk

On 8/1/2020 at 1:41 PM, Rising Dusk said:

"I contain every memory my subconscious can use to make in this Dream world of mine... You do not belong," the detective glanced at the out of place glowing moth that had thus far been the only thing unaffected by his Dream.

Until he addressed it, the moth had simply fluttered around, not interfering with anything. It simply watched on, as the fillies played through this mishmash of places, that the detective's dreamscape had summed up. A street that never ended, yet had such variety, that one could reasonably expect to tell that it were not the same one. If the length of it alone did not speak enough of it already, which it should comfortably do.

Comfort seemed to be a thing that played a role here. It didn't contain much in the way of darkness. It were pleasant, and seemingly innocent. A world seen through the lenses of a foal, who did not fear the world around him, but simply enjoyed himself in the now.

When the ball were kicked up, and seemed to become the new sun, blazing its light upon the lands, the moth followed up to observe that, more than the foals beneath. It only switched away once the moon and the tapestry it seemed to show were brought into view, which were one that it would flutter around silently, up until a voice from the clouds had interrupted it, and it began to slowly move towards him.

"𝕴 𝖜𝖔𝖓𝖉𝖊𝖗𝖊𝖉 𝖑𝖔𝖓𝖌, 𝖜𝖍𝖆𝖙 𝖉𝖗𝖊𝖆𝖒𝖘 𝖒𝖎𝖌𝖍𝖙 𝖋𝖔𝖑𝖑𝖔𝖜 𝖔𝖓𝖊 𝖘𝖚𝖈𝖍 𝖆𝖘 𝖞𝖔𝖚."

The voice were like a breeze, wafting through the place, with no seeming point of origin. There were no malice in it, nor any real joy. It were light and somber. Thoughtful even, as if belonging to one who had much on their mind, and did theirs to approach it rationally.

"𝖂𝖎𝖙𝖍 𝖜𝖍𝖆𝖙 𝖞𝖔𝖚 𝖍𝖆𝖛𝖊 𝖇𝖊𝖊𝖓 𝖙𝖍𝖗𝖔𝖚𝖌𝖍, 𝕴 𝖊𝖝𝖕𝖊𝖈𝖙𝖊𝖉 𝖋𝖊𝖆𝖗. 𝕺𝖗 𝖒𝖆𝖞𝖇𝖊 𝖉𝖎𝖘𝖕𝖑𝖆𝖞𝖘 𝖔𝖋 𝖌𝖗𝖆𝖓𝖉𝖊𝖚𝖗."

The moth slowly got closer, and it's wings seemed to beat heavier and heavier with every inch it moved closer.

"𝖄𝖊𝖙 𝖍𝖊𝖗𝖊 𝕴 𝖋𝖎𝖓𝖉 𝖆 𝖒𝖎𝖓𝖉 𝖆𝖙 𝖕𝖊𝖆𝖈𝖊. 𝕬 𝖉𝖗𝖊𝖆𝖒 𝖔𝖋 𝖎𝖓𝖓𝖔𝖈𝖊𝖓𝖈𝖊 𝖆𝖓𝖉 𝖇𝖊𝖆𝖚𝖙𝖞."

A small amount of longing had entered the voice, as what sounded like a female, pondered over the things she were seeing.

"𝕴 𝖔𝖓𝖈𝖊 𝖜𝖆𝖓𝖉𝖊𝖗𝖊𝖉 𝖉𝖗𝖊𝖆𝖒𝖘 𝖆𝖘 𝖊𝖋𝖋𝖔𝖗𝖙𝖑𝖊𝖘𝖘𝖑𝖞 𝖆𝖘 𝖆𝖓𝖞. 𝕺𝖇𝖘𝖊𝖗𝖛𝖎𝖓𝖌, 𝖆𝖓𝖉 𝖎𝖋 𝖓𝖊𝖊𝖉 𝖇𝖊, 𝖇𝖗𝖎𝖓𝖌𝖎𝖓𝖌 𝖗𝖊𝖘𝖙 𝖙𝖔 𝖙𝖍𝖊 𝖜𝖊𝖆𝖗𝖞, 𝖜𝖍𝖔 𝖈𝖔𝖚𝖑𝖉 𝖓𝖔𝖙 𝖊𝖘𝖈𝖆𝖕𝖊 𝖙𝖍𝖊 𝖉𝖆𝖗𝖐𝖓𝖊𝖘𝖘 𝖎𝖓 𝖙𝖍𝖊𝖎𝖗 𝖒𝖎𝖓𝖉. 𝕴 𝖙𝖍𝖔𝖚𝖌𝖍𝖙 𝖙𝖍𝖆𝖙 𝖒𝖆𝖞𝖇𝖊, 𝖞𝖔𝖚 𝖙𝖔𝖔 𝖜𝖔𝖚𝖑𝖉 𝖘𝖚𝖋𝖋𝖊𝖗 𝖋𝖗𝖔𝖒 𝖙𝖍𝖎𝖘, 𝖆𝖋𝖙𝖊𝖗 𝖜𝖍𝖆𝖙 𝖞𝖔𝖚 𝖜𝖊𝖓𝖙 𝖙𝖍𝖗𝖔𝖚𝖌𝖍. 𝕾𝖔 𝖜𝖍𝖊𝖓 𝖙𝖍𝖊 𝖇𝖗𝖎𝖉𝖌𝖊 𝖜𝖊𝖗𝖊 𝖔𝖓𝖈𝖊 𝖒𝖔𝖗𝖊 𝖑𝖔𝖜𝖊𝖗𝖊𝖉, 𝕴 𝖙𝖍𝖔𝖚𝖌𝖍𝖙 𝖞𝖔𝖚 𝖒𝖎𝖌𝖍𝖙 𝖓𝖊𝖊𝖉 𝖒𝖊.

𝕴 𝖜𝖔𝖓𝖉𝖊𝖗 𝖓𝖔𝖜 𝖎𝖋 𝖞𝖔𝖚 𝖊𝖛𝖊𝖗 𝖉𝖎𝖉, 𝖔𝖗 𝖎𝖋 𝖙𝖍𝖎𝖘 𝖎𝖘 𝖇𝖚𝖙 𝖆 𝖑𝖆𝖞𝖊𝖗, 𝖙𝖍𝖆𝖙 𝖞𝖔𝖚 𝖕𝖑𝖆𝖘𝖙𝖊𝖗 𝖔𝖓 𝖙𝖔𝖕 𝖔𝖋 𝖞𝖔𝖚𝖗 𝖉𝖆𝖗𝖐 𝖙𝖍𝖔𝖚𝖌𝖍𝖙𝖘? 𝕬𝖓 𝖎𝖒𝖕𝖗𝖊𝖘𝖘𝖎𝖛𝖊 𝖋𝖊𝖆𝖙 𝖎𝖋 𝖎𝖙 𝖎𝖘. 𝕵𝖚𝖘𝖙 𝖆𝖘 𝖎𝖙 𝖎𝖘, 𝖎𝖋 𝖞𝖔𝖚 𝖆𝖗𝖊 𝖘𝖎𝖒𝖕𝖑𝖞 𝖆𝖇𝖑𝖊 𝖙𝖔 𝖑𝖊𝖙 𝖌𝖔 𝖔𝖋 𝖞𝖔𝖚𝖗 𝖜𝖔𝖗𝖗𝖎𝖊𝖘, 𝖆𝖓𝖉 𝖋𝖎𝖓𝖉 𝖕𝖊𝖆𝖈𝖊 𝖎𝖓 𝖞𝖔𝖚𝖗 𝖘𝖑𝖊𝖊𝖕. 𝕹𝖊𝖎𝖙𝖍𝖊𝖗 𝖔𝖕𝖙𝖎𝖔𝖓 𝖎𝖘 𝖘𝖔𝖒𝖊 𝕴 𝖍𝖆𝖛𝖊 𝖘𝖊𝖊𝖓 𝖎𝖓 𝖆 𝖑𝖔𝖓𝖌, 𝖑𝖔𝖓𝖌 𝖙𝖎𝖒𝖊."

A minor vibration would pass through the air near the moth, as the somber voice kept talking. It would not affect the dream, nor present a magical threat of any kind, if Rising were to scour this presence for that. It were but a presence, unaffected by his dreams, up to and including, any attempts he'd make at dismissing, or wafting it away. It would continue towards him, unabashed and as unaffected as if you tried to fight a ghost, by smashing it with a lead pipe.

"𝖄𝖊𝖙, 𝖙𝖍𝖎𝖘 𝖘𝖊𝖆𝖑, 𝖙𝖍𝖆𝖙 𝖞𝖔𝖚𝖗 𝖞𝖔𝖚𝖓𝖌𝖊𝖗 𝖊𝖞𝖊𝖘 𝖋𝖊𝖑𝖑 𝖚𝖕𝖔𝖓. 𝕴𝖙 𝖈𝖆𝖗𝖗𝖎𝖊𝖘 𝖘𝖊𝖒𝖇𝖑𝖆𝖓𝖈𝖊 𝖙𝖔 𝖙𝖍𝖊 𝖕𝖔𝖜𝖊𝖗 𝖔𝖋 𝖆 𝖉𝖊𝖎𝖙𝖞. 𝕷𝖔𝖓𝖌 𝕴 𝖍𝖆𝖉 𝖜𝖔𝖓𝖉𝖊𝖗𝖊𝖉 𝖜𝖍𝖆𝖙 𝖒𝖎𝖌𝖍𝖙 𝖇𝖊 𝖙𝖍𝖊 𝖗𝖊𝖆𝖘𝖔𝖓 𝖋𝖔𝖗 𝖙𝖍𝖎𝖘, 𝖆𝖘 𝖎𝖙 𝖙𝖗𝖆𝖛𝖊𝖗𝖘𝖊𝖉 𝖙𝖍𝖊 𝖓𝖎𝖌𝖍𝖙 𝖘𝖐𝖞, 𝖈𝖔𝖚𝖓𝖙𝖑𝖊𝖘𝖘 𝖙𝖎𝖒𝖊𝖘. 𝕴 𝖏𝖚𝖘𝖙 𝖋𝖊𝖑𝖙 𝖆 𝖕𝖗𝖊𝖘𝖊𝖓𝖈𝖊 𝖆𝖙𝖙𝖊𝖒𝖕𝖙𝖎𝖓𝖌 𝖙𝖔 𝖗𝖊𝖆𝖈𝖍 𝖔𝖚𝖙, 𝖇𝖚𝖙 𝖋𝖎𝖓𝖉𝖎𝖓𝖌 𝖓𝖔 𝖕𝖆𝖙𝖍. 𝕯𝖔 𝖞𝖔𝖚 𝖐𝖓𝖔𝖜 𝖜𝖍𝖆𝖙 𝖑𝖎𝖊𝖘 𝖇𝖊𝖓𝖊𝖆𝖙𝖍 𝖎𝖙? 𝕺𝖗 𝖉𝖔 𝖞𝖔𝖚 𝖙𝖔𝖔 𝖑𝖔𝖔𝖐 𝖚𝖕, 𝖆𝖓𝖉 𝖕𝖔𝖓𝖉𝖊𝖗 𝖜𝖍𝖆𝖙 𝖍𝖆𝖛𝖊 𝖇𝖊𝖊𝖓 𝖍𝖎𝖉𝖉𝖊𝖓?"

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

 

@Catpone Cerberus

On 8/1/2020 at 3:46 PM, Catpone Cerberus said:

"That will be quite a task." she said "Assuming my mother taught him even close as much as she did to me, there's lot of words he doesn't know even in our language, because I learned quite a lot of new words when I studied the books, so even if he's intelligent enough to learn quickly, there will be lot of explaining about meaning of words." "And I don't think he'll be willing to learn anything from me if he thinks I'm going to hurt him the moment he does something wrong."

Leviathan smirked a little at what Ruby were saying, about how hard it would be to teach the little one the Equine tongue.

To it, she would reply with some snarls, growls, and three yips. Each of them with their own tone, seeming to indicate something with meaning had been expressed.

"That is Diamond Dog tongue for *Be smart, much work. Worth time, yes.* They have a very rudimentary language, not focused much on structure of sentences, as much as getting the important details out. Like pack, food, and *My diamond!*. I grew up with that, but I learned equine over time, as many others in the pack did. I feel confident that I can use many of the same methods to teach him over time, and if there is one thing us dragons have, it is time."

She'd watch as he fell down, and would nudge him a little, to make his sleeping position more comfortable, so that he didn't wake up with an aching body from the awkward position he had placed himself in. He'd have enough to deal with, without adding this on top of it.

On 8/1/2020 at 3:46 PM, Catpone Cerberus said:

"I'm surprised he lasted this long." Ruby said looking at the now sleeping male "I have to give him credit for that, the flight here is not easy, and just the fact he survived it is quite the feat."

"As you said, he were doomed t die in your homeland. My guess is that the fear of that, as well as adrenaline, kept him pushing on and on, with every drop of energy he had. Might also explain why he got caught so easily in a random poacher's net. You'd think one who needs to be weary of their surroundings, to not get trampled by ones far larger than him, would be more aware of their surroundings. Normally, anyway.

In any case, he's made it through the worst then, since he made it here. Now he just have to be nursed back to health, and get plenty of prey and water. Just like a certain dragoness I know of does. Or have your wound healed enough for you to no longer think you need to take it easy? Your movements throughout this, have seemed to be eased, compared to just a few hours ago."

She'd turn it around and put the conversation towards Ruby instead, asking in to her health, rather than that of her younger brother. He were conked out and seemed exhausted, yet mostly alive and well. Ruby on the other hand, still had a rather big injury that Leviathan were worried about, and she wanted to ask into it a little. It seemed better though, when you looked at how mobile Ruby had been before, but it might be but a rouse, and she just tried to ignore the pain.

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

 

@Catpone Cerberus

"Well yeah, but I know she's already thinking about it, and hehe doesn't seem like he wanna start something. So it's just a fun little joke, hehe. I doubt Agni would want you to be mad at him again. And I know a certain somepony who liked to keep her treats coming in."

Ziggy reached over, and grabbed a chocolate muffin, then threw it up over her head, where Fah'lina would grab it on the way down, and start to munch down. The little thing had a surprisingly voracious appetite when she wanted to have it, and yet for some reason, she could last days without any sort of food, if need be. It just made her more lazy and groggy when it were.

"Oh right, Nada said something earlier, before you two made a scene, Fah'lina. She said there had been another mimic here. Silvery, with a bow on her tail, and a necklace, I think?"

The mimic would stop halfway through a bite, and nearly choke on what were already in her mouth, as she let out a surprise squeak at hearing this. She'd proceed to sniff around for a scene,t but with the fresh baking going on, it overruled the faint smell of another mimic wandering around the premise, rather easily.  As such, she'd just with there, with her head in one of her paw, and seemingly be in deep thought, as her eyes were closed tightly shut. Her other hand still held the muffins, which she'd slowly eat through though. You didn't waste food.

"That's that sorted. So, baking's done, everything's been washed up... Seems everything there have been taken care of too. What do you wanna do now? Anything I can get you? Or do you want a nap, maybe? It's important to get your sleep. Uuuh, or a swim, maybe? Serenade say I can't be in the pool, or the big fish with the sharp teeth will bite me, but it's apparently totally safe for mimics and sirens. Maybe mermaids too? I dunno, I haven't seen one of those before. I hear they have one up in Shark Bay though Maybe one day I can go up there, and see what they're like.

Hehe, anyway, what sorta thing do you have in mind, Nada?"

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

 

@Catpone Cerberus

The trickster didn't much care for finding more to eat now. It were well sustained for a period of time, and as such, could more easily focus on the task at hoof. That being, collecting some of the branches. As it were able to fly, it could safely fly in in theory, though the trees did seem to sway as it got nearer. Maybe they were unsure of this creature's intent?

To try and go against this, Lyriel would take a hesitant step forward, and talk with the trees as best she could, seeing as she were deprived of the link that once made it quite simple for her to do this more directly.

"Please, do not bring harm to them. We are not intent on hurting you, nor as much as brush against your saplings. We have been sent to collect fallen branches of your mighty stature, by a creature whom have infested this forest, and drawn us into her strange games. I beg of you, in the name of the Earth Mother to please give us a moment to do this, and prove that we are not here to cause harm. We only take what have been discarded, and this... Creature of nature, will swoop down on mighty wings, to ensure that no foot or hoof, are set near the young saplings."

Lyriel went to her knees as she spoke of this, with her head hung, and front hooves lifted, in an attempt to appear more as if she were pleading their case, and for them to have a merciful stance towards their unfortunately timed intrusion.

It looked somewhat pathetic, but provided that Scarecrow would try nothing, the trees seemed to give them a temporary chance, as the trickster quickly collected two branches, and flew out of the area. It did not wish to be on the wrong side of these trees, more than Scarecrow or Lyriel did.

Afterwards, she'd go on to bend all her knees before the trees, in a deep bow, which had her forehead hitting the dirt near their area.

"Thank you for your trust. I owe you greatly for your kindness."

Afterwards, she'd try to scurry Scarecrow along, and they'd be joined up soon by the trickster. Who'd then flap over and put the stick down in front of them, before writing above them: Sorry for the time. Lunch found me. I won't need to drink again for a few weeks now."

So at least it seemed to last long on a *tank*, so to speak. It also appeared to have better writing now, and the pyrite that were stuck in one of its eyes, seemed to have a certain spark to it. A rejuvenating snack, clearly, but they likely still had much to do in this scavenger hunt of theirs, so there'd be little time to focus fully on this. Best to simply take their prize, and be prepared for the next task in who knew how many were to come?

[Lucid_Nightlight 923]

@Blitz Boom

"You can't say that to me I'm a grown man now! And if it weren't for Novia and Lumen, we'd probably marry!" Lucid joked.

"Hey! Bad Lucid! Very bad Lucid! You also made me miss the wedding, so you owe me a marriage proposal! Because as also being a grown adult I have the right!"

"I can't propose yet! It's too early in the story!" Lucid looked at Anomaly. "Are you a spawner yet? When you gonna have a baby freak of nature?"

[Windy Breeze 15,190]

@Blitz Boom

Windy decided to ignore the restaurant now started to change nonetheless she still felt uncomfortable. She cringed when she heard a crack from Autumn after talking to them. Seriously, she had read many horror fictions and she is still fazed by this. 

After Sorrow spoke to Autumn, the latter suddenly collapsed her her rump as Razor vanished along with all the occupants. She began to mutter words “Choke... play... Razor... Mourn...” she cowered as if in pain, then something happened.

After yelling out the word “HATRED!!” Windy is blinded by a white flash. She swore she heard the sound of flamed but when she opened her eyes, she and Sorrow now stood in a completely charred building. Everything was dark and gloomy once again. The vision has ended. She spotted one of possessed ponies, a filly writing a huge 'Unforgiven' on the already vandalized street. 

A was laying beside Sorrow. If read, it says the names and shows pictures of ten ponies and one griffon. Autumn was among them and has a large X drawn on her picture along with the others. 

[FanOfManyShows 396]

@Blitz Boom
Skall took out a book and flipped through it, as bodies fell in the library without him paying much attention,
someone working their way to Skall, causing some chaos on the way
turning to hear a voice break through, slamming the book shut as he heard it.
"Skall...."

Within him rage burned instantly, the element and him knew this voice too well.

"ROSE!-"
A spear formed in his hand, and flew towards the figure, as it shattered against a forcefield.
"I came here to remedy some past relationships! So don't treat me that way-"

"NO, I work ALONE!"
His form grew in size, as she looked tiny compared to him.

"I see through these tricks of yours-"

Outside was calm and peaceful, 
but the sounds of Rose being smashed through a wall certainly interrupted it.

Her form was of a draconequus composed of a griffon head a snake body ending with the tail of a lion, pony hooves and her back legs were that of a deer,
she wasn't as strong as Discord, her powers weak compared to him, more reliant on her element than any of the others were.

She clawed at the ground, letting out a growl, as Skall stood tall, now appearing too small to have caused the destruction.
"Thankfully I already found out what I need, so now I can have more fun with you!"
He formed many spears around himself,  sending each one flying out, as Rose smirked. 

"Stop doing this villian!" She cried out looking to the guards around her, and appearing helpless, while Skall continued to ruthlessly strike her.

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

He was about to answer, but he overheard Rose crying out, but seeming to ignore it. Shade would hear it too, as Iron sighed. 

He wondered if Shade would prevent him from heading to help, but this was an important thing to deal with too, so it was a partial conflict.
"Yes you may bring in the other witnesses, I need to learn what's really going on here."

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

"Why am I sensing a strange amount of elements in Canterlot?"
Chariot mumbled to himself, watching Emerald and helping when she asks.
"Do they seriously think it's a good idea to contain so many there?" 

[EQ_Theta 459]

@Blitz Boom

Lin was impressed with Omen’s display, seeing that this may also be her first time in a game. There are still some kinks to work out regarding the whole approach to the game and what not but from what the longma saw, she and Sen could have an interesting session. It might even build Omen’s confidence. 

“I think you’ll give me and Sen something to look out for,” Lin smiled as she approached Omen to give her a pat on the back. “That kind of skill out in the field? You’ll be keeping us on our toes and our senses sharp! Don't go easy on us, alright?”

Eventually, Sen and Lin will move to the entrance of the playing field. Dark as night with the sounds of a simulated environment ahead, Sen was already finding himself in rather familiar environment. A night patrol with dim lights resembling the distant fires marking an established village, this would present an equal amount of challenge and excitement. 

Lin, on the other hoof, didn’t have the experience of mobilizing in this type of environment. If anything, her history with unfamiliar environments boiled down to always assuming something was behind her and anticipating… something. That mindset always factored in the uncertainties of a new environment, a place that harbored a sense of hostility whether or not that sense was warranted. She did take solace in the fact that in this place, her friends would be the ones to try and catch her off-guard. 

Before proceeding further, the longma siblings turned around to face Night Bloom, taking a long bow before making eye contact once more.

“Thank you for your kind words. We’ll be off to get ready!”

Lin then turned to Rosa and Omen, offering an outstretched claw. Sen would soon join in, placing his claw on top of his sister’s.

“May fortune favor your skill, and may the best of us win!”

Once they’ve finished this pre-game ritual, siblings started spreading out, taking their spots in darkened corners and awaiting the signal for the game to begin.

[Blitz Boom 4,628]

@FanOfManyShows

On 8/3/2020 at 7:26 AM, FanOfManyShows said:

"Skall...."

Within him rage burned instantly, the element and him knew this voice too well.

"ROSE!-"

"No! You can't have him! He's mine!"

The spirit did not, in any sort of way, like Rose. She were a mockery of life, and on top of that, not even a good one. She were a weakling, dependent on her own element to be useful in most cases, making her the lowest rung of their depraved kind, far as she were concerned.

She also considered her a competitor for Skall's affection, and she would not tolerate anyone else, potentially catching his eye. Not former, nor current, faces. As she said, he were hers, not anyone else's.

And thankfully, Skall agreed, as he immediately began to attack her, regardless of what honeyed words spilled from Rose's lying tongue. She even felt herself get a little stronger, as Skall flaunted his rightful power, and used it to sow chaos in the library, as well as hammer Rose through one, or several walls. The bare minimum of what their kind deserved, and her in particular, for thinking that she could come and light something between herself and Skall. Skall needed no one else. He already had the only one with him, that he'd ever need. All the rest of them, were but pawns, distractions, and competition that were not welcome at his side. The underlings should stay under his claws, and beings like Rose, should return to the rock she had slithered out from, and pray that she wasn't rightfully stomped upon.

As for all the others in the library, they obviously ran away, or hid, not wanting to be part of this unusual display of violence. Library folks didn't know how to deal with something of this scale, and by that were not just meant Skall's increased size.

On 8/3/2020 at 7:26 AM, FanOfManyShows said:

"Thankfully I already found out what I need, so now I can have more fun with you!"
He formed many spears around himself,  sending each one flying out, as Rose smirked. 

"Stop doing this villian!" She cried out looking to the guards around her, and appearing helpless, while Skall continued to ruthlessly strike her.

"Protect the citizens!"

Three guards jumped forth, and shielded the draconequus. They didn't know who she were, but it seemed evident that Skall were trying to harm her, and as such, they had a duty to perform. The guard group were made up of one burly earth pony, and two unicorns, all wearing Solar Guard uniforms. And as the earth pony were in front, his breastplate would be engulfed in armor, and causing a large barrier to burst out in front, and to the sides, of him, as he stood and with gritted teeth, took the assault of spears. He'd handle the physical pressure of this assault as best he could, whilst the unicorns would attempt to keep the shield up and functional. But they wouldn't be able to do this forever. They'd need backup, and soon.

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

 

@FanOfManyShows

On 8/3/2020 at 7:26 AM, FanOfManyShows said:

He was about to answer, but he overheard Rose crying out, but seeming to ignore it. Shade would hear it too, as Iron sighed. 

He wondered if Shade would prevent him from heading to help, but this was an important thing to deal with too, so it was a partial conflict.
"Yes you may bring in the other witnesses, I need to learn what's really going on here."

Shade's eye narrowed as he heard this cry. Of all the times for the town to erupt into chaos, it would be now. Frankly he'd have just ignored it, if it weren't because he suspected that Iron would interfere if he didn't, and that were out of the question, according to his orders.

"I'll deal with it. Stay here."

Quickly, he'd sink into his own shadow, and vanish from the room, leaving Iron and Hogweed alone. The later of whom would gulp a little, rather nervously.

"S-Should I uhm... Wait for him? I'm not sure right now... General What is your orders?"

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

 

@FanOfManyShows

On 8/3/2020 at 7:26 AM, FanOfManyShows said:

"Why am I sensing a strange amount of elements in Canterlot?"
Chariot mumbled to himself, watching Emerald and helping when she asks.
"Do they seriously think it's a good idea to contain so many there?" 

He wasn't the only one feeling something were off. She were not as good as it as Chariot were, but still, Emerald felt that a spike were going off somewhere, in the direction of Canterlot. A rather, semi-familiar one at that.

"I suspect Opal might be causing trouble in Canterlot. For their sake, I hope they can deal with it, because it is not a good time to leave for us. We have a ritual to finish.

Still... Something feels off. I cannot place it, but it only strengthens the fact that we have to finish up here. Can you go upstairs, and retrieve Sapphire? We may as well waste as little time as we can, and prepare where she is to be, when this all begins."

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

 

@FanOfManyShows

In Canterlot, the guards would soon enough find that they did indeed get reinforcements, though not one they had ever expected, as Shade would rise out of the wall nearest Skall, and attempt to strike at his head with a shadowy knife. It were a stealthy move, but the magic used would alarm the spirit, who would call out to Skall to watch his right. Something were approaching.

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

 

@Lucid_Nightlight

"Sure I do. I have two, perfectly good, freaks of nature right here. And they're precious as can be, hehe.

Or do you mean like how ponies get foals? Don't have any of those. Lumen's been real busy, ever since I showed him the ducklicans. Turns out they were planning on turning the entirety of Canterlot, into fish and chips. He's doing real well in showing them who's boss though. Especially after I gave him a deep fryer. Throw them in there on reverse, and you get the bestest tasting pasta dough ever. Yum yum.

Now come on, do what she says, and give her a wedding ring. I'll even make it all romantic and stuff."

She'd snap her tail, and somewhere above them, a piano fell down next to her, and let out a single note, before more or less crumbling to pieces. Which then reanimated and tore itself apart, until the various pieces spelled out, in big letters *Damaged goods. Fun to poke at.*

And who said that romance were dead?

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

 

@Windy Breeze 🥧

On 8/3/2020 at 2:12 AM, Windy Breeze 🥧 said:

After yelling out the word “HATRED!!” Windy is blinded by a white flash. She swore she heard the sound of flamed but when she opened her eyes, she and Sorrow now stood in a completely charred building. Everything was dark and gloomy once again. The vision has ended. She spotted one of possessed ponies, a filly writing a huge 'Unforgiven' on the already vandalized street. 

And just like that, reality came barging through. and in it, this restaurant were nothing like the glory days it had presented. It were a charred husk, likely burned down by the possessed ones, as an easy target for Autumn's rage.

"I think... I think she were trying to reach out to us."

This however, were the real thing that were baffling Sorrow, and made her feel a sliver of hope for this all going well, flutter around in her chest.

They finally had some potential sign, that Autumn might be somewhat sentient beneath all the hatred. She were obviously struggling with it though, and still should be approached with extreme caution, but there might be hope yet that they could still resolve this by getting through to her in some fashion. Maybe it were them seeing parts of what were going on that helped her? Potentially, she were even showing this to them on some level, because she wanted them to understand and get to her? A lot to unpack here, and still much work to do, she were sure of it, but it were finally starting to look like there might be some good news in all of this. As good news as it could be, considering the area they were in.

Her eyes would glaze over with worry again though, as she looked at the possessed filly, and what she were writing on the wall. It seemed like nopony had been able to get out of Autumn's grasp, no matter the age. Ancestors be willing, they'd soon be free.

"We got to move on, and find their house. I think it's vital at this poi- Huh?"

On 8/3/2020 at 2:12 AM, Windy Breeze 🥧 said:

A was laying beside Sorrow. If read, it says the names and shows pictures of ten ponies and one griffon. Autumn was among them and has a large X drawn on her picture along with the others.

Sorrow had been about to move, when she both felt and heard paper, and looked down to found that she had stumbled upon a... Oh dear, merciful Celestia, what sick minds had run this place?

She'd pick up the list, looking physically ill, and turned it so that Windy could see it properly.

"...This is a hit list, isn't it? And everypony on it, is... They're probably dead too, yes?"

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

 

@EQ_Theta

On 8/3/2020 at 12:09 PM, EQ_Theta said:

“I think you’ll give me and Sen something to look out for,” Lin smiled as she approached Omen to give her a pat on the back. “That kind of skill out in the field? You’ll be keeping us on our toes and our senses sharp! Don't go easy on us, alright?”

"Okay."

Omen were not an aggressive pony, but this seemed to be harmless fun. Like when they played tag back in her home realm, which tended to be a much loved game for the gloppy, unformed ones especially. You'd think it were hard, but due to them being able to smell the life energy properly, they actually could distinguish between one another, and do a proper game of this. One that didn't involve limbs, which were useful, seeing at the most solid thing of them, were their eyes. And even that were somewhat malleable.

On 8/3/2020 at 12:09 PM, EQ_Theta said:

“Thank you for your kind words. We’ll be off to get ready!”

Lin then turned to Rosa and Omen, offering an outstretched claw. Sen would soon join in, placing his claw on top of his sister’s.

“May fortune favor your skill, and may the best of us win!”

Rosa would follow troop, and pick another direction that he'd then quickly run down, whereas Omen's tactic were about what could be expected. That being that she would just keep wandering calmly forward, and as the first junction, would tur to the right.

After the thirty seconds had started, they'd know that their equipment were turned on, by a bell sound going through the maze, and Night's voice following a second after it had gone silent.

"Your fifteen minutes starts now. Good luck, competitors!"

Also, there'd be a small, extra buzz coming from it for a moment for all of them, as the point system reset. Now, they'd have fifteen minutes to fight for points. May the best creature win.

Rosa would not wait around for the others to find him, as he assumed that they were setting up camp somewhere, or at least that Lin were. As such he'd crawl up to the ceiling of the maze, and move across the side of the hedge, just below it. It would provide him a height advantage that might come in handy, and the ability to more safely ambush others. Such as Omen, whom he considered to be easy prey to start with, and were one that he'd have his fun with, when eventually he reached her. For the time being though, he'd keep crawling further in, crawling along with surprising agility, coming from years of crawling other things. Mainly vents, and scaling cliffs, where flying would get him spotted too easily.

Turns out he had found at least one avenue, where his spy training would come in handy, in a purely entertainment value, sort of way.

He'd go right at the first twist, and look around the corner to see if he could spot someone. A pity for them, that beyond his training, he also had good night vision. A boon of the thestral race, or in some cases, a curse. Depended on the situation, though certainly helpful here.

As for omen, she'd just wander methodically, and slowly forward, making her way towards where Sen currently were, though if another got closer, she'd change direction to go for them instead. Yet she weren't running anywhere, so there were still time to avoid her, or try to get the jump on her.

As for Sen and Lin, they'd find that at random intervals, there were holes in the maze walls, minor areas that seemed to be best described as makeshift forts, that one could hide in, or try to shoot from. As well as the occasional blanket of leaves covering a path, and making it seem like an inaccessible wall, just to add to the confusion of the place. Also, to add some places for a few ambush chasers to hide near, until they heard steps in the dirt.

There'd also be sort of spring traps. It wouldn't trap you in a hole to fall into it, but hidden underneath the dirt, you could occasionally be unlucky and stumble over a layer of slippery, glass-like substance. A bit of fun in her opinion, that added some minor variety, though she didn't use it a lot. In the purple section, there were only one such place, covering an area about the length of three Sen's, laid out from tail to snout. Something which could be taken advantage off, if you were for example, a skilled trapper. Just as a fort might do well for those who might do better in waiting for an ambush, rather than chasing others.

[Windy Breeze 15,190]

@Blitz Boom

Windy takes a closer look at the paper to make sure she wasn't seeing things. Her face had contorted into sympathy “I hope they aren't” she took notice of the only griffon the list, who was slightly concealed by a large green check. She immediately recognize him “Wait a minute, isn't that?”

“Come to play with me?” Windy was interrupted by the filly, now looking at them with malice and hatred “I could give you both the most 'greatest game' you'll ever experience” the possessed filly went into a fighting stance, her grin stretching almost all the way to her ears. Windy took a step back. 

Edited August 4, 2020 by Windy Breeze 🥧

[Lucid_Nightlight 923]

@Blitz Boom

Pringle climbed on Anomaly and coughed up a plastic ring that Lucid won at an arcade once.

"I've been looking for that ring!"

"Propose please."

"Okay, okay. Marry me please."

"Since you asked nicely."

Pringle stood on Anomaly's head, giving a usual blank stare.

[FanOfManyShows 396]

@Blitz Boom
Shades presence alerted Skall, he turned to him as his form distorted, Shade would see Skall cycle through many faces, searching his mind for something to throw him off, perhaps someone he lost or a family member who passed away

Rose grinned watching this display, standing up and extending her wings, flapping them towards Skall, sending a burst of knives towards his location.
Before he could land on anyone, he turned to Rose, erupting a wall of stone to stop the blades, and grabbing Shade's knife in his claw, not bothered by how he grabbed the blade.

"Oh, Shade..."
He grinned as he looked towards him, his teeth seeming to multiply, his wings tearing as he expanded once more, attempting to strike fear into Shade, his claws now taking Shade's entire leg in their grasp.
"Why don't you open your mind up, let me see who hurts you most perhaps?!"

He started sending metal chains at Shade, striking the ground with loud cracks

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

Chariot chuckled to himself. "Opal can't cause too much trouble without being stopped, I'd be more worried about who will come after the elements than her."
He then went upstairs to bring Sapphire back down, bringing down her element.
"Where should I put this?"

[EQ_Theta 459]

@Blitz Boom

Sen would make the first move out of his corner and darted about, running in a serpentine motion and jumping in and out of the darkened bends when the buzzer rang. He’d be careful with his movements, quickly tiptoeing around when he started making too much noise until the longma nearly slipped on something he couldn’t identify. Shrugging it off as a slippery floor, he move to a corner to watch an open path before him.

Lin, in the meantime, got comfy in her little corner, finding each possible point of entry and keeping her eyes trained on them. She’d occasionally peek out of the corner to see if anyone was near, and when she was sure of her safety, she’d move to another spot while faking some loud footsteps. Her shooter was trained at the entrances of her little hiding spot, awaiting someone to move past. The darkest recesses of the room were her habitat; she survived with this method once in the real world and she will use it once more. 

That was, until Lin started moving out of her spot and noticed the sounds of someone walking near her. A dark streak moved past the corner of her vision, and she soon found herself stalking her first target. She was no good with a moving shot, but she kept her distance and her silence, one digit on the trigger and ready to let it loose. 

I see you… Lin thought to herself. All I need is an opening…

As for Sen, he was in a more uneventful spot, waiting for almost two minutes with no sign of activity. The temptation to move out was growing stronger but he hesitated. What he had before him was an opportunity, and he would rather have someone else make the first mistake before he’d strike. 

[Widdershins 9,959]

@Sekel and of course, the Threadmaster as well!

 "Oh, Kluge Town is a bustling port past the wide hot desert. It's, ah...... west of Canterlot, I think? A day or so walk away but I can't say so myself. It can be hard to determine how long a journey takes when you cut away so suddenly from the drama that do so tends to happen in big cities. But irregardless, its a town built on cutting deals. D-depending on how cutting you want your deals to be of course. It does have a reputation for being able to get you whatever you might require and that's somewhat of what I mean.

The Cephalli family isn't so worried about our own perseverance. Moreover the safety of what ecosystem we happen to be in. I, uh, find its best to keep one's footprint to a minimum. I do feel we can defend ourselves if it is needed"

 Blither might have been the slightest in stature of all the family to where one could have easily suspected him to be among the youngest; but he had been around longer than any of them. He had still be around back in the baby hatchling days when a hydra was not much more identifiable than any other small snake of the forest. He had been preyed on by larger animals, been there when the Chaos Wave had hit them, been around the multiple times somepony had been sent out to ram a lance through their chest to slay the giant reptile that had been eating the countryside and the town didn't care to talk things out first before settling the needs the nearest village had. Cooperation was important to Blither. He had seen more than anybeing what happened when you didn't.

 Besides, one of those "footprints" was deeply imprinted to this day outside that small fishing town they had first lived in that loudly proclaimed with all obviousness that a hydra had ransacked this town. The imprint of a squashed pony villager in its center didn't help prove that they got along all that well either.

 

 "We can't 'leave our own lives'."

Shortstack flatly shot back to Chop in a manner devoid of expression that he was trying to intimidate like he usually did. The fact that he wasn't emphasizing his usual aggressive tone and accent, face sunken in seriousness, spoke that this was something he had dwelt on for a very long time. It was one of a great deal of things that got on Shortstack's nerves. Like the rest of the family, they had all taken to various genres of books in the sessions of reading time they had together curled up in that abandoned, broken library. (They did have to carve a hole big enough to get into the library in the first place. A bit of an open-air library after Gallimaufry had gotten there.) Shortstack had wanted to be the warrior leading the charge, the brave barbarian or courageous knight that led his own path and had others follow in his example, a real paragon of virtue and pride to others..... but no, he was born welded onto the side of the rest of this "family." A point of contention he had made frequently clear to the family.

"We're ah bit Inseparable."

Sunny had kind of checked out, deep in her own thought. It was her stance that you had to make best of what you found yourself in, whether or not you understood your surroundings. Friendship & Smiling was all you needed. Dealing with your deep seated emotions dredged up more, it was best to be happy in the face of troubles. She had been the one sibling to really latch onto pony culture. Declaratively, she spoke out loud, mostly to herself.

"You know what this place needs?~ Streamers! I love batting my head into them!"

Shortstack, and likely Chop let this comment slide, as Stackie had clearly sat on a nerve. "Trust me, I've tried. We ain't allowed to have our ow-"

On 7/27/2020 at 8:19 PM, Blitz Boom said:

One would aim at Shortstack - specifically his head - thinking him an easy meal, whilst the other would go for Stare. The second one mentioned wouldn't get a chance though, as Chop would hold a hoof in the way, causing the tongue to get a grip on him,

 Which, fortunately enough, didn't seem to lay much pressure or harm on Chop. For both Toadlings now stood deathly still, a sheath of light blue magics covering them like the usual levitation spell most unicorns had, but a denser obscuring overlay as if both had been frozen solid with their eyes widened in surprise.

 Magic did offer a very wide and quick range of response.

Both Toadlings started to gently float off the floor like heavy balloons, their tongues still stuck in midair. Surprised by this, Sunny and Shortstack wandered over to where Scarcity, Dazzle and Blither stood close by the front door. Grumbling about having not been able to land the first blow, Shortstack casually stomped on the toadling tongue that had been about to hit him in the face and snapped it off like an icicle. Had anypony been watching that close moment, it would have surely seemed like the tongue had penetrated Shortstack's head, though he was clearly none the worse if that had been the case.

 Blither stood calmly from where he stood still by Scarcity, Dazzle's and Long Stare's side, his horn lit up with not much more effort than your unicorn's usual effort into levitating a drinking cup. 

 "Shortstack! You're not supposed to break limbs off citizens! Though I suppose that was rather rude of them to barge in like that. Are these two locals of around here? Is this usual behavior of Ponyville or is some modicum of reprimand required?"

 He asked of Scarcity and Dazzle, assuming them to be knowledgeable about local ongoings. Sunny Flush, quizzically went up to the now fully immobile toad creatures to squint and poke them with a hoof over their roughly same sized head.

 "They sure don' look like they from 'round here. They sure acted like they wanna hurted us. Goshahowdy, I dun think like we probably done eat one of these things before back in the swamp forests. 

 ...sh- should we stomp 'em? Um, Should I do it?"

 From behind Sunny, her large hoof poised over one as one would stomp a bug, Shortstack sat hunched and excited at the prospect of asserting dominance over something intending to be a threat. He panted; "Yes, *D-heh* Do it. Kill 'em."

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@Pastel Heart & @Blitz Boom

 Indeed he had.

 From behind where Pastel & Jelly now were in their attempts to defend themselves, Slimpsy reappeared as if suddenly deciding to re-exist in this situation. Calm in spite of the situation, he gave them a reluctant pout as if he had, and very likely did, come to a very quick, sudden, second guess that maybe disobeying the local head of law enforcement outweighed his fear of toads.

 "Uh. If you two want to grab ahold. I'll take you. I'd be fine what with you touching me this time.

 This is kind of why I say surviving in this world is hard. Random encounters like this."

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"But unto what whit doth be thine 'Covefe' that you speak of, Milady? Of what use doth mineself have for the boiled reproductive parts of plantlife do I? I have no need for sustenance the kind of which you speak of. I require no abatement of hunger qualms nor doth I seek much enjoyment of flavored liquid with which to pour into my oral orifice. I see no need for me to utilize my facial orifice at your behest."

 But one part of that, did catch Monolith's attention, his yellow eyes that shined like some sort of freshly polished gemstone turned down at the maid mare across the bar glinting as his head descended as if in final acceptance in the face of curiosity at one word he was familiar with. Succinct for once, with a lower tone more of asking than declaring plotpoints in an adventure, he asked in a much more acquiring manner.

 "Tea? ...I like Tea."

And some steps away, something else was sparking.

"Oh, I'll accept your entire package!"

Flit Cephalli shot a grin at Alonsus the likes of which metaphorically spoke of being familiar with eating a certain something inclined to evaluate the sense of humor Flit obviously had.

"Offerin' ta Take is still an offer! One way o' another, ya gonna be inconveniencing everybeing anyhow. Ya can't just lay belly up an' avoid everythin'. Best tae go wit' your first impulse, anythin' less is keepin yeh from livin'. You bet I'd take being forced upon!"

 Hydra were, effectively speaking, immortal. Like a tree. Like some finely tuned piece of organic machinery that could blow up if you stuck a wrench in precisely the wrong place. The fact that none of them could technically die, had hit each differently. Flit had been the first to grow out after the magic had hit their body and in spite of that, their spawnling childhood had gone the way most young hydras did in their young Runespoor stages. Namely, frequent self-maulings.

 The first few years living with Shortstack had been alot of fighting. A lot of bruising, bites, wounds. It wasn't unusual for hydras to "prune" themselves when their growth took a turn that didn't coexist well with the whole but in this case, Blither had helped sort out that hurting each other and their self wasn't a way to live. Sure, once they had gotten their ponyform bodies that came right back up but it was sufficed to say that Flit wasn't a stranger to pain. A hydra needed to learn how to deal with losing parts of themselves and even losing their sentience for a while when their head got cut or bitten off. It wasn't that Flit ignored consequences, but that he was rather fearless. You had to take the negative too and have fun with it. If you talking got you a hoof to the side of the face, then that was okay. That was part of the game and how you knew you were still playing. If you didn't get a bad reaction, then you kept playing until you did. Anything that happened was okay; especially when dying was off the table. Flit had learned to enjoy alot of what surprises life would throw at you.

Like projectile slime.

Flit had turned to see the frogbeast enter like some sort of sticky grenade. He had seen it fire at him and made no effort to dodge at all. And he hadn't flinched either when its tongue hit and wrapped him.

"Ooh! Goo! That's fun!"

Flit smiled again, which most would agree would be a good way to get frog slime in your mouth. But this hydra had lived in deep forest and swamps before and frogs were kind of a major snack for a swamp-dwelling predator like a hydra. You didn't get very far if you didn't know how to compete with other wild animals. 
Flit reared back, his scarlet mane flicking back like the hood of a snake rearing to strike.... and likely flicking slime onto Straw Hat. Using the tight grip of the beast's tongue, he yanked it hard on his rather noodly neck and Yo-Yo'd the little frogling towards his expanding muzzle where it balled up, stuck between Flit's small, but sharp teeth wedging it firmly there. Dinner shouldn't escape that easily, after all.

 "Brother, doth not be tormenting thy your prey. If needed, then end it." Monolith stated from where he was, not bothering to turn around and notice what had changed. It seems he had all the information he needed from hearing it happen.

Flit stood in the center of the room now, dripping with zhe goo and a struggling swamp creature firmly trapped in his unhinged jaw, giggling hysterically at this turn of events.

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@Sekel

 "I've said before, you have to take advantage of what you can living out in the wilds by your own." Kaltrop said proudly. "Most lone horses on the road will do whatever an accosting dragon tells them if it means getting away alive! If that means forfeiting their cargo to me to cross MY bridge... or, uh, anything else I fancy, then it is only fair game to me. The law can't blame me for maulings on my territory.  ...a-and I certainly have won my fair amount of fights with ponies." Kaltrop lied.

 From where he stood in a pony's kitchen, he sure didn't seem all that active. Most dragons, despite their bragging, needed to be ambush predators the larger they got. It kind of got very easy to avoid a dragon the size of a wagon cart or big enough for his snoring to blot out the sky. It was why most dragons depended on gems for food. They didn't run. ...besides, gems were basically healthy candy in Equestria.   For some inexplicable reason.

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@Catpone Cerberus

 The little pink fairy ball of light bobbed along side Cerberus as they travelled.

You bought it from some inane, sparkly salespony in a suspicious cave. I think most would find that a Little Suspect. 

 Besides, it can depend on the material being blown up. Depending on if the surface is cracked already or made of some different looking material than what's nearby, likely some softer stuff. I wouldn't know, I'm no expert on rock or dirt.  ...I barely make contact with the ground as it is.

After all, I can't imagine how much help this one tool could be. We're pretty high up on these bluffs to where not much could block our path.

The map reappeared, poofidly. And it floated over, open, to show Cerberus.

  And the Golden Muffin McGuffin (name patent pending!) appears to be on a tall, rocky spire alongside the cliffside we're traveling on. We would need some way of a long jump to get across.

... And. ...To be fair. I can't honestly tell you what The Golden Muffin even does. I barely remember it. Like it was something from a long time ago in my life. I can't even tell you WHY i'm a bobbing ball of light. The fairy said in a sad, thoughtful way.

[Blitz Boom 4,628]

@FanOfManyShows

Skall would find that the only face which would cause Shade pause, were that of an elderly mare. Though one whom age had been kind to.

Her mane were pale-blue, with a single, wide streak of white going from her forehead, to around the center of her back, a little right of the center of her mane, where it ended up tied into a skull that laid on her back. Seemingly a large, avian one, that glowed with a slight, pale flame.

The end of her mane were tied up with skulls of other creatures too, that hung from the side of her head, yet these streaks only went to around her neck in length, and were of smaller sizes than the larger one on her back. They were seemingly of critters of varying kinds, from rat, to eagle, and so forth. And on her forehead, placed in a way that kept other hair from wandering in and blocking her view, were a wide one. From the looks of it, a drake skull, to be exact, with a hole in it for the mare's horn to pass unhindered through. An unusual decoration to say the least, but the mare were in general, unusual.

From head to hooves, she were wearing a darkened black and purple robe, with a large hood hanging down her back. It were not loose though, like you'd see on a cultist, but rather form firm and clearly not just bought from any regular shop. This were custom tailored. And if the form didn't show that enough, the fact that on the right side, it carried a saddlebag that were adorned with a symbol that looked like a scythe with a half-burned, lit candle balancing on top of the blade, should tell you. This were not something regular ponies wandered with. And neither were the scythe that laid folded down her left side.

She looked as if she meant business. From the way she dressed, to the steely gaze in her clear, silvery eyes, this were a mare you did not trifle with, and it were one that made Shade pause for the second it would take to deflect his strike.

As for the blade itself, Skall could grab it, though he might find that the grip would start to go painful. What with the sharpness of the blade and all. Though as Shade began pouring necrotic energy in it, that would also likely not help things. Pain curses were such annoying things to let into your system, so it would likely be wise to let go of this soon. And by extend, Shade, who did not seem to fear Skall in the slightest, as he began his illusions. In fact, his eye simply narrowed.

"Your illusions won't save you from me, Drake. I don't fear your tricks, but I will make sure that you will mine."

Whilst he said his demeaning insult to Skall - as calling a dragons a drake, tended to be something they saw as a great insult normally, due to an unflattering comparison - The metal would perhaps impact him, or the wall he were halfway through, but they would find no hold in anything but the rocks, and a substance akin to thick swamp muck. There were no flesh or blood to strike here. Maybe due to the magic that had him halfway in this shadowy form?

His eye would glow bright, with cracks forming, as the three guards who had been protecting what were clearly not an innocent bystander, twitched, and fell to the ground unconscious, before three shadowy representations rose from their form, seemingly wearing the same attire all of his squad had on. They'd attempt to strike at Skall from the other angle, whilst the spirit hissed in her weak, mostly powerless voice.

"Hsssss. What is a necromancer doing here?"

As for searching for fears, or somepony who had hurt them... The squad would be unaffected by this, whilst Shade himself, would do his best to keep the mongrel out of his head, with his own, mental resolve, yet if Skall were strong enough, he'd find that three faces kept showing up. The elderly mare, as well as two ponies that looked like they might be twins. A mare, and an effeminate stallion, whom would make Shade's eye flare with anger to be faced with.

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

 

@FanOfManyShows

"She might not be an issue, but the spirit would be. And if she's too eager to use the gem, it will likely overtake her."

After saying her piece, and letting Chariot go to find Sapphire, she would wander over and take a piece of cloth away from another cauldron. This one, a fair bit larger, and filled with cleaned, purified bones. Those of Sapphire, that had been dug up, and purified not too long ago, in preparation for this day. As were the bags of blood, resting in a cooler box next to it. A thing she still had a hard time grasping, but if it worked, who were she to complain? It beat the alternative way of gaining the twenty liters of fresh blood.

She'd be done inspecting some runes on the floor, once Chariot showed up, and would nod before facing him.

"Everything is in order. Let the element float above the runic circle. In mere minutes, it will be time to begin the process, general or not. We do not have the time for further delays, it would seem, so we may as well begin the first process, and tear her soul into a more fitting object. It lessens the risk that the spirit in the element, will instead be reborn in her being."

A few things would float closer, including a small cage with a squirrel inside. A sacrifice needed for the process, due to the place that Sapphire had stuck herself into, but a needed one. As were the large, clear gem, that would host her sister, and leave her vulnerable. The point were it would show if Emerald would keep her word, or betray her, at the one point where she might be able to kill her sister off for good, or use her as a power source for something more important.

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

 

@Windy Breeze 🥧

Sorrow wasn't sure who she were talking about, and they were interrupted before the big reveal, by the possessed filly. It appeared they had gotten her attention. And from the way she looked and talked, not in a way Sorrow felt good about. Not a single bit.

"Nope! Nope nope, nuh-uh. Nope!"

Sorrow wouldn't tick around for more than that, before spreading her wings and flying up and away, aiming to get out of the striking range of the filly, which seemed to have a want to fight them. Which she most certainly, did not share. For starters, it would draw attention, but beyond that, this were an innocent filly, being used as a puppet. She couldn't feel right about hitting a foal like this. It wasn't her fault what were going on after all, and just... It was a foal, okay? She wasn't gonna hit a youngling like that, regardless of race, if there were any other option. And right now, running away/flying out of her reach, seemed as good a way of avoiding that as any.

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

 

@Lucid_Nightlight

"Heey, what's he doing on My head? Weren't we like, arch rivals or something?

...Eh, whatever. It was getting boring anyway. Here you go Pringle, I made this just for you!"

With that, she'd snap her tail, and a cricket the size of a princess popped into existence, right in front of them, and looked down on Pringle with narrowed eyes. The chittering seemed to indicate it were not fond of him already, but what did the opinion of lunch matter? Pringle could do the whole size change thing now, after the deal that had been made that caused Anomaly to change him up a bit, so it should be fine. Or wait, did that go through? ergh... Maybe? Whatever, even if not, snacky time, for either of them.

Rose on the other hand,. would be halfway through her pickle, when she saw the plastic ring, and started to growl at it from a distance.

"Plastic is evil, fake stuff! Give her a real ring, made og bone and stuff. Prey parts totally means love."

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

 

@Sekel @Widdershins

On 8/6/2020 at 1:28 PM, Widdershins said:

 "Oh, Kluge Town is a bustling port past the wide hot desert. It's, ah...... west of Canterlot, I think? A day or so walk away but I can't say so myself. It can be hard to determine how long a journey takes when you cut away so suddenly from the drama that do so tends to happen in big cities. But irregardless, its a town built on cutting deals. D-depending on how cutting you want your deals to be of course. It does have a reputation for being able to get you whatever you might require and that's somewhat of what I mean.

The Cephalli family isn't so worried about our own perseverance. Moreover the safety of what ecosystem we happen to be in. I, uh, find its best to keep one's footprint to a minimum. I do feel we can defend ourselves if it is needed"

Scarcity had a small, delighted laughter as the location of Kluge town were mentioned, but awaited Blither to be done talking, before saying anything. One should show some degree of politeness after all, yes?

"I know of the place, though those whom I know who traverses the area, refer to it as Scumville. A seedy underbelly of a place, devoid of concepts such as standards or ethics, which I have never found much reason, nor want, to go and examine myself. I know mostly of it through some friends of mine, who passes through every now and again. As you can hear, their impressions of the place, are not flattering."

Well, friends were perhaps saying so much. More like well paid assets, who helped her gather promising leads on items not easily found, even on the black market, or in regards to creatures attempting to hide. Scumville - as she had been told it were named, by a disgruntled griffon - were a place one could at times find what she sought, or at least somepony who might know something, or somepony else Long as you had coin, proper protection, and didn't show weakness, it were seemingly a resourceful enough place at times. Though not one she had wanted to stain her hooves with. Perhaps now though, with this peculiar family having been there... Perhaps it were time to change that. Though of course, not before she prepared proper protection. So she'd need about an hour of preparation time, and a visit to a few associates, just in case. She trusted her life to Brick fully, but it could not hurt showing up with a few more in line, just to make herself seem scared and paranoid of the locals. Ah, mind games was such fun at times.

"Regardless, it is good to hear that you made it safely away from that place. It is hardly a place for intellectuals such as yourself. Unless of course you had somethi-"

And that was about when the toad things entered, and began their unseemly actions, which interrupted her. How annoying.

On 7/27/2020 at 1:50 PM, Sekel said:

"These aren't normal," Dazzle said cautiously as she eyed the frog-like creature still standing. She flicked her gaze between the frog and Shortstack and inwardly groaned at the possibility of actually saving him. The kind of frogs she  was used to dealing with staying in Boggy Bottom Swamp and like to stay within the murky depths. Maybe some yelling would work? "Oi Froggy, I'm talking to you! That pony you're eyeing up tastes like spoiled meat and rotten wood! Come and get me instead!"

The frog creature not grabbing on to Chop, would have its eyes dart towards the one yelling at it, and would narrow it's iris at Dazzle. She would be the next one to be eaten, though before it had the chance to do anything about it, the magical freeze float would happen, trapping both it and its sibling, before they could make their way towards their intended targets.

On 8/6/2020 at 1:28 PM, Widdershins said:

"We're ah bit Inseparable."

Sunny had kind of checked out, deep in her own thought. It was her stance that you had to make best of what you found yourself in, whether or not you understood your surroundings. Friendship & Smiling was all you needed. Dealing with your deep seated emotions dredged up more, it was best to be happy in the face of troubles. She had been the one sibling to really latch onto pony culture. Declaratively, she spoke out loud, mostly to herself.

"You know what this place needs?~ Streamers! I love batting my head into them!"

Shortstack, and likely Chop let this comment slide, as Stackie had clearly sat on a nerve. "Trust me, I've tried. We ain't allowed to have our ow-"

The stance on them being annoying, went on to Chop as well, though due to Blither's intervention, his injuries would not be as he had thought they might, with the beating he had prepared for the one that were latched on to him. However, it standing still did not mean that he did not intent to do something about it. Just had to wait for the right time to act...

On 8/6/2020 at 1:28 PM, Widdershins said:

"Shortstack! You're not supposed to break limbs off citizens! Though I suppose that was rather rude of them to barge in like that. Are these two locals of around here? Is this usual behavior of Ponyville or is some modicum of reprimand required?"

"While I am not local, I do know enough of the local wildlife to say that these are not local. Nor are they natural based, as you can see by their extreme mutations, and the fact that it appears this creature is growing by the second. I am not one for suggesting cleansing a race of creatures from an area, but might I suggest that we simply capture and study them?"

She made a fair point, and would wish to not have to deal with the direct destruction of these yet, as she wanted to study them somewhat. However, seeing how the tongue had gotten stuck, and that Shortstack proved that the beings were frozen, though still growing slightly, that wish would be null. The reason being that Chop would rip his hoof away from the tongue, shattering the end piece, then take a couple of steps ahead, and hammer his right front hoof, into the toadling that had gotten stuck on him. Either it would send the creature into a wall, or shatter it.

Regardless of what happened, Chop would shake the rest of the pieces off his hoof, and half growl at the other other one.

"They're not local, they're hunting ponies, and they're growing far too quickly. It's not worth the risk."

"*sigh* I suppose you have a point, yet it still seems like a waste."

Another would enter the room, trying to see why the others of its kind had stopped making sound, and this one, Scarcity would take. Quickly as could be, she'd have it wrapped up in a string of magical threads, before it got thrown into a cloth bag she summoned, which then vanished. It frankly looked as if it were imploding as it did so, though with no remnant, it would seem unlikely that it had caused a destructive force like this, and more that it were a teleport spell with a flare. She even played it off theatrically, by swirling her hoof as things happened, regardless of it being needed or not, as it were her horn alone that did the real actions.

"Just in case something goes amiss, we have one which can be examined at a later stage."

"Uhm... Where did you send it?"

"A friend whom are quite able to taming animals. The dear have been itching for a challenge for so long, so this should entertain him. Worst case, he will do the same as our dear Chop here have done, and we are merely at the same place as before, with pieces to examine. Though that does remind me- Mr. Stack, would you do the honor and dispose of this unseemly thing?"

Chop would move closer to Dazzle and Stare, feeling as if it were better if he were closer to keep them safe, if more of these things came about. It did make Stare feel safer indeed, yet at the same time, she did want to acknowledge that he wasn't the only one, whom had tried to keep her safe.

"Thank you for trying to hep, Dazzle. Whatever these things are, they don't seem friendly, and I'm not a good fighter."

"They're invasive and aggressive. I'm not letting them get anywhere near you. Thinking Shortstack's the same with it getting near Sunny. Right?"

He'd be looking at Shortstack as he said this, regardless of what he were doing at the time.

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

 

@Widdershins

On 8/6/2020 at 1:28 PM, Widdershins said:

"Tea? ...I like Tea."

"I know just the right sort for you. It's my own blend, so you know it's gonna be good."

Alright, she didn't expect this one to be a tea drinker, but it did kinda make it easier. Tea drinkers liked calm, warm drinks, and not all the fuzz and fancy of the coffee variants. Less entertaining in her opinion, but hey, to each their own, right? And it did allow her to go ahead with a fun mix of her own. Nothing major really, but it did contain a mixture of five berries, that blended into a nice, mellow taste of the forest. She hadn't had a complaint yet, so it were statistically good, even if tea wasn't a big seller here.

She'd just about turn around and prepare pour up some water, whilst Alonsus had to bear witness to one of Flit's less admirable sides, in the eyes of Berry at least.

On 8/6/2020 at 1:28 PM, Widdershins said:

"Oh, I'll accept your entire package!"

Flit Cephalli shot a grin at Alonsus the likes of which metaphorically spoke of being familiar with eating a certain something inclined to evaluate the sense of humor Flit obviously had.

Alonsus would give a couple of confused blinks, then suddenly go into a large grin, and going over to patting Flit on the back with a strong hoof, if he could, whilst the grin turned into a deep laugh.

"You are a strange one, Flit, but Alonsus enjoys your sense of humor. Crude, yet biting, and with a great sense of timing. Whilst my heart only yearns for a mare, perhaps I could make room in my life, for a peculiar friend."

He had not heard this sort of humor since he had been in the gang, and whilst Flit were a... Detestable pony in some ways, he could not add a bad sense of humor on that list. More like an acquired taste, if anything.

On 8/6/2020 at 1:28 PM, Widdershins said:

Flit smiled again, which most would agree would be a good way to get frog slime in your mouth. But this hydra had lived in deep forest and swamps before and frogs were kind of a major snack for a swamp-dwelling predator like a hydra. You didn't get very far if you didn't know how to compete with other wild animals. 
Flit reared back, his scarlet mane flicking back like the hood of a snake rearing to strike.... and likely flicking slime onto Straw Hat. Using the tight grip of the beast's tongue, he yanked it hard on his rather noodly neck and Yo-Yo'd the little frogling towards his expanding muzzle where it balled up, stuck between Flit's small, but sharp teeth wedging it firmly there. Dinner shouldn't escape that easily, after all.

 "Brother, doth not be tormenting thy your prey. If needed, then end it." Monolith stated from where he was, not bothering to turn around and notice what had changed. It seems he had all the information he needed from hearing it happen.

Flit stood in the center of the room now, dripping with zhe goo and a struggling swamp creature firmly trapped in his unhinged jaw, giggling hysterically at this turn of events.

The universe seemed to have a sick sense of humor, it appeared, to have sent this creature in at that particular time. Doubly so when they saw the way that Flit dealt with the creature, which managed to give out a surprised half-croak, before getting showed into the muzzle of what it thought were it's prey, rather than the other way around.

Or rather, most of them saw it as it unfolded. Hard not to look really, unless you were Straw, who were busy trying to clean the goo off of his head. It were annoying, gross stuff, but it at least didn't seem as if it were melting him. That were a plus.

"..I appear to stand corrected. That is clearly not the action of a pony, nor changeling, so I cannot say for sure what exactly you are, to find this creature edible. Nor how your jaw can unhinge that way. It confuses Alonsus, but I suppose, a good thing that it did not bring harm to you instead?".

He might want to eat the wriggling thing soon though, as it would keep growing until it died, and rather quickly too. Flit's current form might not be able to deal with this for much longer. Though if he could, he could wait a little and try to get a bigger lunch, regardless of the fact that the creature were spewing more goo down his gullet, and slamming its tongue around as best it could, to get free. The goo would run out soon though. It weren't limitless in its storage of this.

"*gasp* The Conspiracy's here, and they let out one of their experiments to destroy Ponyville! They've finally come to finish the job!"

Berry would throw herself under the counter, and try her best to hide herself, from what were surely a full scale attack from The Conspiracy. They must know she were getting close after all, and instead of just taking her out, they'd sack Ponyville, in *a random monster attack*. Just when the princess weren't in town. There were no way this were a coincidence! Ponyville were about to be eradicated.

"Or it is just a new monster, lurking out of the forest. We've had a number of oddities show in recent days, so this may well just be another of them. And really, there is only this one of them, I don't think we need to worry."

The far larger croak outside though, along with seeing three more of these things roam down the street, chasing ponies, made him cringe however.

"...Perhaps it is more severe than I first thought. We may have to take some action, if you three are up for it, Flit, Alonsus and Monolith? I fear this is't a problem one can just ignore, though I'm afraid your tea might have to wait until afterwards, Monolith. You have my word that we will see to it, soon as we can though. Perhaps once Berry have stopped panicking, she will handle it, and come to present you with a cup, though for the time being, it seems as if we have to go."

"Protect home, and rescue the citizens from dangerous monsters? Alonsus shall be there!"

This were just the sort of heroics he kept reading about, and now he had the chance to make the books a reality. With himself as one of the heroes. How could he let such a chance pass by, when it were practically gift-wrapped for them?

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

 

@Widdershins @Pastel Heart

On 8/6/2020 at 1:28 PM, Widdershins said:

"Uh. If you two want to grab ahold. I'll take you. I'd be fine what with you touching me this time.

 This is kind of why I say surviving in this world is hard. Random encounters like this."

Jelly were none too happy about leaving her dad behind here, but he had given her an order, and she had to listen to that, when he used that particular tone. She knew it meant that this were something really serious. As if the large monster didn't already prove that. So she'd hang on to the offered wing, and looked back at her dad with worry in her eyes.

"Please come home soon, daddy..."

Usually she weren't worried about him, since he were a big, strong guard. But this was a reeeeally big monster, that spawned smaller monsters, and she wasn't blind to the fact that her father wasn't at the top of his game these days. He were overworked, stressed out, and tired. How much exactly, she couldn't tell, but she knew for a fact that he wasn't sleeping enough at least. That didn't make for a good guard, and especially not when attacks like this went on.

...Hopefully he'd come home soon.

Things would not be better though, what with them being chases, once they eventually got on the run. And they would do, even if she had to grab Pastel and force her to stay in one wing with her, though hopefully it would be enough that she had been told to take off, and the others seemed more than willing to get away, and fast.

It were unlikely that the things could catch Slimpsy, as well as any of the ones who'd launch towards him from the sides down the streets would, but man, it were just chaos everywhere right now. Carts overturned, random ponies being dragged off by some of the creatures, scraping against the ground to stay there, whilst others did theirs to try and get them lose, and protect themselves... Last Stand had been right. This place needed proper emergency cellars, and hidden pathways out of town. Right now, even hiding in their houses wouldn't be enough in the long run, for the citizens of Ponyville.

Seriously, why did anypony live here?

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

 

@EQ_Theta

On 8/5/2020 at 4:03 PM, EQ_Theta said:

That was, until Lin started moving out of her spot and noticed the sounds of someone walking near her. A dark streak moved past the corner of her vision, and she soon found herself stalking her first target. She was no good with a moving shot, but she kept her distance and her silence, one digit on the trigger and ready to let it loose. 

I see you… Lin thought to herself. All I need is an opening…

Out of nowhere, a ball of light would fly in her direction, aimed towards roughly her chest area, whilst the sound of calm steps moving in her direction.

Omen were a player with an advantage in this game that made it hard to sneak up on her, which so far seemingly hadn't been considered by any of them: She were a natural, super-charged bloodhound, and she had all of their smells. If she could find them between worlds, and at distances stretching hundreds, if not thousands of kilometers without issue, this small maze were nothing. In a sense, Omen embodied an old saying when it came to this sort of game.

*You can run, but you can't hide.*

No matter where they hid, she would know they were there. Sneaking up on her wouldn't work, hiding wouldn't keep them from her, which meant that the only way to get out of her reach, were to ensure that you ran away, as she were still walking around calmly. Or be good at dodging, that would work too in these sorts of games, and that is one thing that Omen would be bad at. At least at first, whilst she were observing how others dealt with things, whilst she just walked and shot at her friends. One of whom were very close to her, and two others that were closing in on one another.

On 8/5/2020 at 4:03 PM, EQ_Theta said:

As for Sen, he was in a more uneventful spot, waiting for almost two minutes with no sign of activity. The temptation to move out was growing stronger but he hesitated. What he had before him was an opportunity, and he would rather have someone else make the first mistake before he’d strike. 

Rosa were wandering up in the corner, about to cross a section of the playing field, until he noticed something going on on the ground below, which brought him down. A section of the area, revealing a slippery under layer, proving that someone had wandered through here, and almost slipped. It seemed he almost had his first target in sight then.

That, or he'd be the one that were first on the chopping block here, in case Sen were looking over this place, as his trap area. A sneaky move that Rosa could respect, and tone that would force him to fly upwards to try and avoid, since travelling on the slippery floor area were not wise.

Of course, he could use it to glide to the side and avoid a hit that way too, but this were not a desperate situation yet, and he did not know what were on the floor exactly. It might be sticky, and prevent him from using his wings for the rest of the game.

If not, then Rosa would follow the trail, using his heightened position, and would wander on until he spotted Sen. At which point, he'd shoot, then jump down and prepare to launch again, soon as he could shoot. Sen were going to make a fun target either way, that much he were sure of.

Edited August 12, 2020 by Blitz Boom

[Windy Breeze 15,190]

@Blitz Boom

Windy spread her wings but instead of taking the skies, she flew back just as the filly lunge at her. The filly lifted her head, smiling at the two adults (???), they couldn't see the bits of debris on her faces since most of her is black sans for her eyes and mouth.

“I will bring you down to the grave!” the filly wailed angrily at her. Windy gasped and quickly flew up next to Sorrow.

“We should leave her alone before she can attract unwanted attention” 

Edited August 7, 2020 by Windy Breeze 🥧

[Lucid_Nightlight 923]

@Blitz Boom

The lizard grew in size and ate the crick in in one bite. One problem, he grew on top of Anomaly.

"Eh, she'll probably live. And YOU'RE  a plastic ya pixie!"

"Yeah. And you know what we need? A big dangerous threat that we have to stop!"

"Yeah! Maybe a purplle guy with a glove that holds powerful gems."

"Nah, too easy."

"A giant lizard that adapts to everything and is resistant to reality warping?"

"Nah, that would make us over powered if we win, and what's the fun in that?"

"What do you think, Anomaly any fun ideas for a villain?"

Edited August 7, 2020 by Lucid_Nightlight