open Casual stroll

[Randimaxis 8,652]

At the door, Dax stopped and looked over at Angel.  She was still little, but she was already so mature seeming; she knew the other big ponies wouldn't listen to her very well, and she had enough sense to be wary of the timberwolves... but not really afraid.

 

He smiled at her.  "Uhm, not that you're not capable or anything, but... would you like me to walk to your place with you?  I mean,"  he glanced around a bit, "if you don't mind being seen with me, that is."

 

If somepony in town calls me out as a Blackwater, I'm doomed.

 

"You can say no, y'know - I won't be upset."

[Melke 160]

@@P-Jay,  

 

 

 

"although there are other ways of being undetected. invisibility...maybe hide you under a cloak...?"

 

 

Melke thought for a moment then shifted his position of that he is resting his stomach on Rune's back. Then he stuffed his mask back into the satchel he carries. 

 

Well, if I can just act like a cat until I am away from prying eyes... I might be able to get some food that is not grass.

 

"I guess it will do, I will just take a little cat nap. I might be able to pass for your pet." Melke said before closing his eyes and resting up.

---

 

@@Seamore Sandwich,

@@Blitz Boom,

@@P-Jay,  

@@Denim&Venom,

@@cwhip9,

 

"Oh, my apologies miss Syo. I did not intend to make you uncomfortable. If it have something to with the predatory sides to my being though, I can assure you that I do not eat higher sentient beings such as cats, regular or of your kind. I generally stick with fish and bugs instead of barbaric methods such as that."

 

Syo was about to reply when she was cut off.

 

"Y'know, before this starts to go into theatre, I'm gonna cut it short and give folks a heads up here: We ain't talking about one tree. Like Crescent here seemed to have caught on to, we're talking three."

 

Syo grumbled softly as she saw one of the ponies in the group rise up and talked to Seamore. And then she heard,

 

"-you might need a bigger cart."

 

After a while, Syo blanked out whatever was being said as it was something that was unimportant to her (only hearing something about trees and the cart being too small to carry it) . She just finished up her last s'more and then flew over the cart while riding her key. The ponies were clearing it out and she was just watching them.

 

Hm, I could have easily unloaded the cart with my magic. Oh well, I guess I don't have to waste my power here.

 

"So, any policy of what we're gonna do with the rest of the nest of those things or do we have free hooves to crush 'em all? Can't really call it an invasive anything if it's lurking around alone."

 

"Can I suggest that you find a new home for the little spiders?" Syo asked as she floated on her key. "And also if you are intending to fight this spider, what are the compensation if someone here gets hurt?"

Edited August 30, 2015 by Melke

[Seamore Sandwich 471]

@@Denim&Venom

@@Blitz Boom

@@Fire Lily

@@cwhip9

@@P-Jay

 

"As far as I know there's no offspring to be concerned about. I've done my research since seeing the thing, and it appears to be a male, and I doubt it found a mate out here. What I meant by it being an invasive species is that it is not from around here and it's making a major impact on the ecosystem. It's dominating the food chain and needs to be dealt with. As far as compensation for injuries, we can cover the medical expenses before calculating shares, if everyone agrees to it, that is." He shrugged off seeing the cat fly, he's seen stranger, especially when Discord was first released. Seamore and Last got the cart emptied fairly quickly, "Thanks for the help." Moving back to the fire now that the cart was ready, "So who's in?"

Edited August 30, 2015 by Seamore Sandwich

[Denim&Venöm 18,924]

She noticed the bat pony begin to approach. "Well it certainly isn't because of me." She stepped off to the side. 

 

That didn't halt the batpony from altering his stride to bump into her on purpose. 

 

 

 

"your not as sneaky as you think ether follow me behind the tree so we could talk or show yourself now. Unless you want me to force your hoof in front of everypony"

 

"What? Okay, just what? How the buck dude? And more importantly, you think you can forcefully coerce me? Newsflash! I'm a ninja. I do what I want!" 

 

She began to turn around. "You all are probably gonna need my help in dealing with this thing. So I'm just gonna sit back and lie in wait in case things go awkward for everybody. Until then, I'm not gonna let you spoil my grand entrance. Bye!" 

 

And thus, she turned her back to him and began walking away. 

[Blitz Boom 4,626]

@@Melke,

@@Seamore Sandwich,

@@Denim&Venom,

@@cwhip9,

@@P-Jay,

 

"I ain't running from a fight."

 

Last jumped down the wagon and looked around to see if everypony else was ready too, especially Caliber. The two of them had wanted a fight and right now this seemed to be it. Perhaps once they were done with this and her wound healed up right she could track its steps back to wherever it came from and have a proper fight against a full nest, but for now, they had a target to exterminate and she wasn't gonna slack around here for longer than she had to. Not when there was finally a chance to draw her weapon against something.

 

Briar on the other hoof looked thoughtful and kept silent when pondering over what to say here. That they weren't going to exterminate an entire nest was good, and he could see why a giant invasive spider would be a thing that had to be dealt with for the echo.system, but... He wasn't much of a fighter. Sure, he could, and had done so plenty enough times in his days when he had little other choice, but this was avoidable and... Or was it really?

 

The balance was delicate, and he wanted to help with things. That was one thing. Another was the mention of these apparently rare trees that was now going to be chopped down, and that is what brought him the most pause, as well as making him wonder if he really did have much of a choice in the matter here.

 

"...Very well, I shall follow and assist to the best of my abilities as well, but I ask of you: Do not take the trees with roots. Harvest from the bottom and upwards, but please, leave the stump so that new life can grow from there."

 

Seamore would understand the meaning of this if he had truly met some of his kind before. He should know about the Evergrown's *blood* acting as a super-acceleration fertilizer, and with some degree of thought be able to understand that Briar asked what he did so that he could help making sure some growth would happen where life had been taken. Not enough to replace completely, as he did not want to face his end by being bled dry (if these trees would be hundreds of years old as he suspected), but still ensure that things would go onwards to some degree.

 

He would do his part as possible with the spider as well, but that would be a bridge he would cross when it was reached.

[cwhip9 1,078]

@ Denem&Venom
He didn't hear anything save the shadows blood pressuer moving faster, it sounded annoyed and confused, which told cresent two things
1 he was listening to the shadow or
2 it was his paranoia, but who ever it was did bump into him and he was going to find out he just didn't know how to safely do it with this group, except for just being straight up with it, might as well 
he then went towards the group by the cart.

@Seamore Sandwich, Melke, P-Jay  

Cresent glided by the cart hearing Last on the fight he chimed in
"That makes two of us" said the batpony helping with changing around the cart "pending on how dark it gets ill try to stay in front of the party in case the Spider tryst to evade, but something tells me the best way to humanely take it out is knocking it out somehow" 

 

He looked at the cat as he helped with the cart "I cant promise the knock out idea though if this is male It will try to stay till it would find a mate, a female. well lets hope its a male" he said trying to smile to lessen the blow of what he just said.
 

Edited August 31, 2015 by cwhip9

[Denim&Venöm 18,924]

@cwhip9

 

(OOC): Crescent did not hear that retort at all. Stuff that's typed in italicized text means it's what priestess is thinking,  not what she's saying out loud. So all of those things that she said were really all in her head. 

 

Sorry, thought that was obvious. 

 

Unless Crescent can read minds. 

Edited August 31, 2015 by Denim&Venom

[Fire Lily 86]

Angel looks over at Dax hesitantly, he didn't seem to mean her any harm yet, but she's still learned to be cautious. Diamond Tiara seemed nice to her too before pushing her over and stealing her lunch. "Well I suppose you could, mom says not to be talking to strange ponies though, and it is getting dark out. But I'm not too familiar with the forest myself so as long as you don't tell her where we were or what we were doing it'll be ok." She looks at Dax with a small smile, "besides, it's more fun walking with someone than going alone." 

 

 

 

She bounced over to Blitz and gave her a quick hug. "I'll try my best to talk my mom into letting me out tomorrow. Hopefully we can find more of those weird leaves you're looking for." She walked back over by Dax and started walking back out of the forest. 

[Randimaxis 8,652]

Dax waited until Angel finished hugging Blitz, then he offered his hoof, the sheepish smile parked on his face.

 

"So... uhm, yeah - I'll... I'll see you tomorrow.  And thanks.  Really."

 

He wasn't exactly certain how to say goodbye to his first friend; he didn't exactly want to leave, but he felt like SOMEpony should walk back with Angel.  After all, her mother might be more willing to let her go out tomorrow if she knew Angel would be with someone else.

 

He started to leave, then zipped back over and gave Blitz a quick, tight hug.  Smiling a bit more surely now, he left with Angel, waving to Blitz as he trotted off after Angel.

 

They walked for a bit down the path back to Angel's place, and Dax felt good.  He had made not just one, but two friends today - TWICE what he had when the sun came up.  

 

He looked over at Angel and gave her a half-grin.  "So, ummmm... what're your parents like, Angel?  Mine aren't exactly... nice... but are yours?"

[Blitz Boom 4,626]

Blitz waved her friends away with a big grin on her face and many words about seeing them tomorrow. When they were out of sight though, she waited a few minutes just to be sure, then zipped into her shack, found the lighter, then went into the hut and took a bag of explosives and an empty sack slung on her back. The bags wasn't high end as they, like most other things she had, were taken from ponies trash cause she could see them be useful, but even if they were a little rough in it they did good, and they weren't ripped, so that was good.

 

In the one with things she put a few sticks of dynamite, a few small things that exploded into light that hurt the eyes, her noise-making pine cone thing, and the last of one of her good bombs, AKA one with metal in the making. It was a bit heavier than other things, but it could Really go boom if it had to, and she hadn't gone too far into the woods the way she wanted to go so... Better safe than sorry, right?

 

The lighter she put under her right metallic wing before grabbing the full bag with her teeth, arming her doorways again with the itching powder traps and then began to make her way into the forest, humming under her breath, Time to see if she could find some of the pretty leaves.

[Seamore Sandwich 471]

@@Denim&Venom

@@Blitz Boom

@@Fire Lily

@@cwhip9

@@P-Jay

 

"I understand your concern Briar, there are policies in place to prevent the total uprooting of the trees, and it is required that all seeds be removed from the trees harvested and those seeds are to be planted if viable." He understood the fact that a race of plant creatures would be likely to be concerned about the treatment of other plants, he hadn't had much experience with the Evergrown before, but from what little interaction they had, he had at least picked up on that detail. "I found some information about Diamond Spiders when I did my research, but nothing about where they come from, so bringing it back to its natural habitat isn't an option. But anyway, back to the mission. Who else wants to join? We have a party of four so far." He was a little excited, but also not too happy about the fact that the spider would have to die. It was unavoidable though, it was dominating the area and creating a serious risk for travelers.

Edited August 31, 2015 by Seamore Sandwich

[Fire Lily 86]

@@Randimaxis, 

Angel walked beside Dax while staring at the ground, hanging out with big ponies all by herself wasn't something she was used to and wasn't something she placed very high on the fun scale. 

 

"My mom's pretty cool I guess, she lets me explore after school and stuff. Her and I don't talk a lot though except for dinner, she's usually busy working somewhere, she never says where really, just here and there." 

 

Angel's ears flopped all the way down and she tried to seem small for once in her life though. "I don't have a dad though, at least not here. Mom won't really talk about it, or him, other than the red in my wings is from him, she said he had red in his too. She also say's he's not comming back from wherever, I hope she's wrong though." 

[Randimaxis 8,652]

"Oh."  Dax was uncertain as to what to say.  He felt bad for poor Angel not having a father, and he didn't know how to approach the idea of telling her that.  

 

He looked up, and that's when the first stars were coming into view.  Dax LOVED the stars; he had ever since he was a colt.  He knew each one by name, and even what patterns they took from season to season.  Maybe she would find that interesting?

 

"Hey, you see those stars over there?"  He pointed.  "Those four that make a sorta lopsided square?  Those make up the Door of Daykar.  You ever hear of that?  It's a constellation that's part of a story - one I think you'll identify with.  Supposedly, there was a pair of ponies who loved each other very much.  They were called Jazerine and Daykar, and they had a daughter named Zanari.  Jazerine was responsible for waking Princess Celestia for each sunrise, and Daykar was the pony in charge of waking Princess Luna for each moonrise.  They lived happily for a number of years, living their lives and assisting the princesses with their duties.  Then, the day came where Luna was banished to the moon... and Daykar was a loyal pony, if nothing else.  He knew he had to accompany Luna, and be her servant on the moon because nopony else would.  But he so loved his wife and daughter that he promised her he would return someday... and the Door of Daykar was the embodiment of that promise."

 

He sort of chuckled, and continued on.  

 

"Since Luna's return, Daykar has been busy cleaning up her home on the moon, and when he finally returns to Jazerine and Zanari, the legends say that there will be a million stars that will not only light the way - but they'll fill the Door of Daykar with light, symbolizing the door being open, and Daykar being home at last."

 

Dax grinned at Angel.  "Yeah, yeah - I know it's kinda geeky, but I always thought that story symbolized hope, so... I liked it.  It's sappy, it's fantastical - but it does help you feel like you're not as alone in the world."

[Fire Lily 86]

Angel was still pretending to feel small when Dax pointed out the stars. Not having a dad was just part of life to her, sun rises, school bell rings, goes home to just mom. Though it did bug a very large part of her when she saw other ponies getting picked up by their dads, or playing catch, or even just father's day, she tried her best to just ignore it. The way her mom acted when he was mentioned told her it really wasn't a good idea to push the issue at all. 

 

She listened wide eyed go Dax's story as it was one she'd never heard before, either from her mom or in school. "So you're saying I'm like Zanari...alone, but not alone. It does make me feel a little better, even if he never did promise. One day when mom was distracted she said he left right before I was born." She said letting her ears flop back down again. 

 

"it really bugs her more than it does me since I never met him, just kind of feels weird sometimes, not having one. Thanks for trying to cheer me up anyway." She said managing just a small filly sized smile. 

[Randimaxis 8,652]

Dax didn't know what to say.

 

He wanted to comfort her, but at the same time he had no idea how to do so - he'd never had a friend before, and his own family wasn't much of an example.  Yet he still felt as if he should say something...

 

"I... look, I didn't mean to... it wasn't... I..."

 

Dax was flip-flopping all over himself, trying to think of some way to try to help the little filly feel better.  He had tried with the story, but it seemed like it didn't do anything but bring up painful feelings; Dax LIVED around painful feelings everyday, and he didn't want to be the cause of them. 

 

"... do you have a brother?  'Cause I could be that... I mean, if you want..."

 

He gave Angel one of his slightly embarrassed, sheepish smiles.

[Fire Lily 86]

"Nuh huh" Angel said while looking down. "I'm an only filly, a brother does sound nice though." Angel suddenly perked up looking a lot happier than what she did a few moments ago and a lot more like she did when they were at Blitz's. 

 

"What do big brothers do with their sisters?" She asked while jumping on Dax's back. "Play games? Sing songs? Tell scary stories about the vampony that sparkles instead of exploding in the sunlight?" She jumps off again and hovers next to him for a few steps before landing back on the ground trotting faster.

 

"Just wait until mom hears about this, you aren't gonna live with us or anything like that probably, but still a big brother all to myself." She bounces over and gives Dax a quick hug on the leg before continuing walking.

[Randimaxis 8,652]

"Well, uhm... I dunno; I never had a sister - all I have are brothers... and I don't think you wanna play 'kick the flank', or 'punchies' either... so maybe you know more than I do about this.  But singing songs and playing games sounds like fun... but the only time I've heard of vamponies sparkling is right before they go up in a ball of fire - WHOOF!"

 

Dax laughed.  He honestly liked the idea of having a sister, and one that wasn't actually like the rest of his family.  He gave a laugh that felt genuine, and even started skipping a bit.

 

Friends are awesome, he happily thought.

[Fire Lily 86]

"Yeah you're right those games don't sound very fun, but at least you have brothers so you should be better at the being a brother thing than I would be. I don't think I'd make a very good brother." Angel said with a small laugh herself.

 

"The sparkly vamponies are something I heard some of the older girls talk about in school, they said I wasn't old enough to know about it yet, sounded scary though, vamponies and wereponies, I had nightmares for a week at least. Mom says I'm not allowed to hang out with them anymore though." 

 

Angel bounced herself on top of Dax again and refused to get off this time. "So big brother" she said playfully poking the back of his head "what are we gonna do until we get back home?" 

[Melke 160]

@@cwhip9,

@@Seamore Sandwich,  

@@Blitz Boom, 

@@P-Jay, 

 

Syo sighed as she pulled down her goggles to cover her eyes.

 

To be honest... I have no right to say what these ponies should do in their own universe and my ideals have no place here. If these ponies want to kill the spider, it is not in my place to stop them. But what I can do is...

 

"I am coming along with you all, my teleportation magic may be useful in keeping everyone here out of danger." Syo declared as she floated by the cart on her key. "Besides, I need to repay you guys for the s'mores."

Edited September 1, 2015 by Melke

[P-Jay 1,987]

"Sparren is not here to my knowledge, but Caliber wanders the woods seeking a fight, and Cubus I would wager might be resting after our little spar. Not a bad fighter, but I would expect nothing less from any of you, even though-"

 

Vivid kept her eyes on the little one again before reverting her eyes back to Zenru.

 

"-She confuses me. In my days fighters started young to be able to make it, so I have seen young talent before, but in these times? I frankly didn't believe them when they described Yrel, vague as they made it."

 

She was baiting them somewhat to tell something about Yrel, but she'd see if anything would be told, or if she would have to wait until the tournament and then see what she could there. That is, unless something happened, but she doubted it could be severe enough to stop the pieces from falling together.

zenru was silent for a moment. "yrel here...is my apprentice. and my niece. she trains hard, and long. and she's quite the thinker in combat...her way of thinking outside the box might be her most valuable asset. but enough about her..."

 

he pulled the same smile. even though the air around them was still chilled. "now, is there anything else you need?"

 

Melke thought for a moment then shifted his position of that he is resting his stomach on Rune's back. Then he stuffed his mask back into the satchel he carries. 

 

Well, if I can just act like a cat until I am away from prying eyes... I might be able to get some food that is not grass.

 

"I guess it will do, I will just take a little cat nap. I might be able to pass for your pet." Melke said before closing his eyes and resting up.

rune continued trotting, now happy. "okay, as long as your okay with it." he replied cheerfully. 

[Seamore Sandwich 471]

@@Denim&Venom

@@Blitz Boom

@@Fire Lily

@@cwhip9

@@P-Jay

 

That only leaves two undecided. At least that's what he thought. "How about you Dusk?" he asked as he turned to look in the direction where Dusk had been sitting. She was gone. "Well I guess that's a 'no' then." He was a bit disappointed, but he understood, she was a little timid, afraid that the others would find out that she was a Bat-Pony. Also, with his description of the Diamond Spider, who wouldn't be a little intimidated. In any case he hoped they would meet again. "So..uh...I guess that just leaves you, Excalibur. Are you going to join us? Remember, everypony who helps gets an equal share of what should be about six thousand bits, plus the spider's diamonds." He got Caliber's name wrong again, confusing the mental note he made to remember Caliber's name for his actual name.

Edited September 1, 2015 by Seamore Sandwich

[Blitz Boom 4,626]

@@P-Jay,

 

Vivid stayed silent for a little and watched them both. Zenru and Yrel, the family that fought and embraced both the top and the bottom of the five. An interesting pair, and somepony worth getting to know better she aged, but...

 

"No, not for now, but you never know when things could change."

 

With that she took a step back and disappeared into short-lived purple smoke, getting on her way once more. She had wanted to learn more, but she didn't care much fror keeping pushing this for the time bing. Another time she might, and if nothing else the tournament would talk it's own language, but she had other things she could spend her eternity on, and right now she had a pretty good idea about where a portion of it should be.

 

___________________________________________________

 

 

@@Melke,

@@Seamore Sandwich,

@@Denim&Venom,

@@cwhip9,

@,

 

"Come on now Caliber, you ain't gonna let me have all the fun, are you?"

 

Last had kept her eye on the weird Evergrown guy or whatever they had said about him for a bit before she had narrowed in on Caliber with a tinge of excitement in her eye. She had looked the plant out earlier that day in the bakery without there being a fuss, so it was likely fine and dandy there for the time being, but the thing about whatever or not her new partner in crime would come along were more important to her. She'd respect if he was gonna leave it behind, but she was looking forward to a fight right now, so she was going no-where.

 

Not far from Syo, a few purple clouds appeared out of thin air and gathered into the pony that had left before she had arrived. She looked somewhat tired in it, though it also appeared she tried to hide it as well as she could, but fact was that she was starting to feel a little drained. Normal teleportation was less taxing on her magic than what she currently did, but unlike beings such as Syo, Vivid couldn't use that sort of magic and instead had to use her own, and with the degree she had used during the last hour or two it was frankly starting to take its toll.

 

Not that she would stay away for that reason. She still had power, and she was still dangerous to be on the bad side of, but more than what she could do to others she wanted to come back because this interested her. Not much had since her release by the couple, but this ragtag team on a dangerous little quest seemed entertaining to be around, and less the types to grab pitchforks, so she wanted to find what this would end with.

 

She would not take their glory though. If they seemed to know what they did, she could keep some distance and see if there was other things she could do, b ut of things started to get out of hoof... Well, she had not been through it all to get away with no power, and her was destructive in its purpose when it needed to be. Syo might be able to tell that as well if she knew the kind of magic oozing from Vivid's being as well, but it really depended on whatever or not she knew the type.

 

After all, not everypony met with demonic magic and managed to get back to tell about it.

[P-Jay 1,987]

caliber grinned. "lets do it." he said, pocketing the scroll. "giant spider-thingy, right? i hope it proves to be a good fight!"

 

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

 

zenru nodded, as vivid left. "come, now, yrel. we have many errands to run."

 

yrel jumped a little. "and then we get to eat wherever i want?"

 

zenru smiled. "correct."

 

the two continued their day in ponyvile.

[Seamore Sandwich 471]

@@Denim&Venom

@@Blitz Boom

@@cwhip9

@@P-Jay

 

Seamore began hooking the now empty cart to himself. A cart that size would usually be pulled by two or four ponies, but Seamore was used to pulling it on his own. "So are you going with us too?" he asked now looking toward Vivid, "What was your name? I don't remember." He thought he might have heard her name before, but he was mistaken.

[Blitz Boom 4,626]

@@Melke,

@@Seamore Sandwich,

@@Denim&Venom,

@@cwhip9,

@@P-Jay,

 

"No wonder as I never said it. My name is Vivid Loss, or sometimes called Voss in the olden times.And I will come along, yes. Something tells me this could be more interesting than wandering the abyss all night."

 

It was a habit of hers to not say her name unless prompted to do so, so until this moment when Seamore had asked she had gone around them as an unknown, though you could argue she still was in her own right. But such a line of thought had places in other times and other places. For now, it was better to focus what was at hoof, and then see where things would go tonight.