open When hearts grow cold. Chapter one: Shadows fall [RP]

[Scribblegroove 565]

OOC: http://mlpforums.com/topic/111976-when-hearts-grow-cold-chapter-one-shadows-fall-epic-adventure-dark/

When shadows fall.

 

Crowley was waiting. His hawk was circling high above his head, like a predator keeping a watchful eye, waiting to strike. His green, piercing eyes scanned the area. He wasn't really looking for anything, he was just percieving everything. From the little mouse that was running through the grass to the guard sneezing in the distance on top of a tower. Almost soullessly he stared in front of him, to the closed door, that lead to the palace hall, and then to the inner rings of the city. Waiting was something he was pretty good at. You'd think waiting isn't a skill, but if you have to wait 3 whole days, being able to keep yourself busy while staying alert at the sametime becomes an art in itself.

 

They should be coming now. The sun was high in the sky, straight above him, making his shadow small. It was noon. He hoped that this group would show up. The last had only two that were willing to participate. All the others had been cowards. Too frightened by the idea of having to do something meaningful. He hated ponies like that.

 

So in the heat of the sun, about as motionlesss as a statue, only his chest revealing that he was a breathing, living being, he waited. And around him, on the walls and towers, and in many corners. Some visible. Some not. After all, this was the first barrier of defense to the princesses themselves. Perfect security was a must.

 

 

{Turn 1}

Arrive at the palace and enter the courtyard.

(or don't)

Edited October 17, 2014 by Scribblegroove

[The Elusive Cinder 1,328]

Wish Scribe.

 

Things were going well, as far as Wish Scribe was concerned. Better than just 'well' in fact - in her mind, this was the best turn if fortune that had befallen her in... in... well, in as long as she could remember!

 

Adventure: it had always been her way of life by choice, and while she had seen her fair share, she had never really succeeded in any of her true goals. She had never found her brother like she set out to do - never found a cause that she could fight for to have her name engraved into history itself, or found any purpose beyond seeking those two things. Now, it seemed, that was about to change - on multiple fronts.

 

Wish ascended the hewn-marble steps towards the palaces inner gardens without any sign of doubt - she was eager - if anything - to find out more. To discover just how she could help with something so important... and how those in the palace could help her. Naturally, she suspected that her brother must have had dealings with the princesses before, but the letter served to confirm her suspicions, at least in her mind.

 

Sunlight caught the brushed-steel plate that she wore, it's slight shine reminding her of its significance for the second time that day. It was a constant reminder - more than just protection of her body, but protection of her character. Of her morality. She was an adventurer - in the truest sense if the word. She had been summoned like the characters she had read about in the books she so loved during her youth, and now it was time for her to prove herself worthy.

 

"Hello?" She spoke as she entered the gardens: a figure waiting for her far too patiently. It was just... she couldn't place it, but she knew better than to ignore her instincts: maybe they were wrong and nothing was amiss, but better to be prepared for other eventualities. Something felt wrong, and she didn't like it. Her eyes glanced around anxiously, though her voice remained firm and cheerfully bright. If she wasn't safe in the royal palace, where would she be anyway? "Mister... Crowley, wasn't it? I got your letter - you wanted to see me?"

[Driz 1,552]

Under the vivid celestial body that illuminated the peaceful land of Equestria and its ponies, Maya unhurriedly walked across the Canterlot Plaza. Having arrived the capital city a few hours prior, the white mare was heading towards the Royal Castle, where a supposedly important meeting would be taking place.

 

Even though her facial expression was calm, inside she was feeling annoyed, if not disgusted. The simple fact of being in that town - near that fortress - was already something she did not enjoy. After all, like everypony else, she had a dark history: one she wished to forget. One that involved the Royalty, and that triggered a fair share of despise towards the Sisters. Even though, she accepted their request due to a single reason she considered worth all of the inconvenience.

 

Once Maya arrived the middle of the Plaza, with the entrance to the palace in sight, she stopped. She drove her eyes towards the majestic building and let out a deep sigh. She then returned her attention to her saddlebag, from where she levitated out the letter that had brought her there. She gave it a last, quick skim through.

 

"The artifact, huh..." The mare quietly pondered to herself, before returning the piece of paper to the bag and resuming her walk. The golden key that hanged from her necklace, shining upon reflecting a few rays of sunlight, swayed around, accompanying the pace of the stroll, until she reached the gates leading to the entrance of the palace. From a distance, she was able to see that a few ponies were already grouping up. With another sigh, she entered the gardens.

 

"I'm looking for somepony named Crowley?... I've got his invitation thingy right here." Maya said once she got near the two. Her voice was evidently tired, although she still tried to disguise it with a smile.

Edited October 14, 2014 by Driz

[Ashen Pathfinder 16,161]

PATHFINDER

 

"What am I getting myself into," thought the gold stallion as he walked through the streets of the royal city. Ah yes, Canterlot. A city he had been to quite a few times. Granted he wasn't royalty by any means; more of a scholar & adventurer than anything else. The city, though, had great libraries to access when it came to research & study. Many times, his partner & he had to pour through many books detailing ancient cultures and lost cities so as to aid their explorations of Equestrian history.

 

Then, his mind went back to the museum, where he first found the mysterious letter and the open window in his office. There it sat on his drawing desk where he made many maps and studied anything that a map could tell him; routes, geography, cultures, anything. It was on this desk that the letter with the royal seal was, and where he was flabbergasted when he read the contents. Of course, he had to show his partner & dear friend Sojourner the letter. He could remember her exact words.

 

"Wow...this is big," he recalled her saying. "This...this is serious...and I must say I'm extremely jealous of you. This is your invitation to true adventure, my friend." 

 

Oh course she'd say that and he couldn't help but think she might be better suited for the mission, but in the end, it was he, the cartographer & navigator, that was called. Not the skilled archeologist & explorer. Regardless, they both knew this was something that one could not pass up. Compared to her, he was more on the quiet & thoughtful side, but he was chosen for a reason. He wouldn't argue that.

 

Levitating the letter from one of his saddle bags, he skimmed it quickly. The mention of an artifact intrigued him greatly. His partner had joked about seeing if the royal sisters would donate it to the museum. Chuckling to himself, he made his way to the palace, and eventually to the entrance to the courtyard. As he entered, he noticed three other ponies nearby. Could they be members of the party to retrieve the artifact?

 

Clearing his throat, he trotted in. "Ah, good day. I presume we're all waiting for the same pony. A...Mr. Crowley, I presume?"

[Convergence 83]

The streets of Canterlot were exactly as Whisper remembered them. It had been a while since she was last here, but nothing seemed to change in this 'golden' city. However, for once her attention was not focused on the city or its inhabitants. The letter she received a few days ago kept replaying in her mind as if from a broken record. This whole scenario seemed like a cruel joke. "I'll play your little game, and I'll deliver the punch line."

 

As Whisper approached the palace she checked her preparations one final time. The long, golden-brown dress that cascaded off her back felt strange and oddly constricting. She was not used to wearing such formal attire, but often it is better to hide in plain site than in the shadows. Whisper tapped the side of her stomach, where two pockets were hidden by the loose fabric of the dress. One crinkled softly, it was full of folded pieces of paper. The other was soundless, it was full of tiny bottles that were painstakingly separated by thick folds of cloth. 

 

Satisfied, Whisper began ascending the steps that lead to the Royal Gardens. A smile spread across her face. She did not know what waited for her within the Palace, but she would face it. Embrace it. Reaching the top of the steps, she slowed her trot slightly as she rounded the corner leading to the garden. Remaining silent, Whisper's smile receded only slightly. This would surely be a comical story for the History books.

 

[Scribblegroove 565]

Beneath the cowl over Crowley's head his green eyes kept watch closely. They arrived almost perfectly in time, just the way Crowley liked it. Even though the could be impostors under them, Crowley deemed the chance small and assumed that these were the ponies which they seemed to be. He stayed on his guard however, knowing that some of these ponies had quite an obscure past. Who knew what their motives are. He had selected this group of ponies because of their abilities and if they could get the job done, not because of their reliability or loyalty. Thankfully, he knew that trust and loyalty would come soon enough. He couldn't work with any less.

 

Not saying a word, and not moving a muscle, Crowley inspected the arrivals. Wish Scribe was the first to enter, the sister of an already renown adventurer in The Guild. He hoped she would have the same potential as her brother had shown. Already in armour and packed, it looked like she could embark on a mission anytime. "Good."

 

The mage, Maya Clarity, walked in second. She was smart enough to have her invitation out immediately, like the letter had instructed in the first place. This was a special one. The princesses had spoken highly of her and her talents. Hopefully her talents would come to as much use as he had initially hoped.

 

Pathfinder came in third. He felt a bit guilty about having to call upon his help. In comparison to all these other ponies he seemed so innocent. But things had been found in equestria which no one could find patterns in. Ponies showing up in different places withing matters of hours. He could connect the dots, and hopefully find where all these things led up to. And of course, his genuine spirit might give an example to some of the broken and twitched souls that he had encountered here.

 

Here came one right now. Whisper, the renown but unknown vigilante. Her attempts at keeping secrecy had been enough for the normal authorities, but the princesses and The Guild had resources most ponies couldn't access. He knew who she was, and she knew that too. All he hoped is that her intentions would steer her in the right direction. He could handle rebels, but not loose cannons. And as much as he had found out about this mysterious character, there was still so much he didn't know, so much he couldn't account for.

 

Finally, he decided to speak. Taking off the deep blue cowl, he showed his face to the arrivals. Crowley was a Pegasus. Middle aged but still standing strong. This was definitely a stallion of physical practice. Relatively tall and slender, but quite muscular, he seemed like an old athlete trying to keep the glory of the past intact. With a black coat and a salt-and-pepper mane, proudly bearing a small mustache and a goatee, Crowley seemed to spend quite a lot of time on his appearance despite the strong sense of masculinity.

 

"Greetings to all of you." He said, with his clear and low voice resonating slightly through the courtyard. Even though he wasn't speaking loudly, the authority in his tone made it booming and powerful. "My name is Sir Crowley Ocula. If you wish, you may call me Crowley. You are here because you have received an invitation. Please take an example to Maya here and show me yours before proceeding further into the courtyard." He explained as formally as possible.

 

"Before you will see the Princesses I am here to answer your first few questions. We are aware that your message was vague, and we understand that you will have many questions, not only regarding the mission itself, but the legitimacy of it." A small smirk could be seen on his face. "I will try to answer your questions with the best of my knowledge and abilities..."

[The Elusive Cinder 1,328]

Wish Scribe.

 

"Isn't this the sort of thing that the guard should be able to handle?" Wish muttered as she raised a brow - reaching around to furrow through the hefty pack that lay slung across her back - as it always did. Ropes and food lay on top, with paperwork buried somewhere beneath as if to be kept safe. The things she carried with her: they were too important to risk. She would rather starve than see the letters lost. After a moment, she emerged and passed over the contents of the letter that she had received some days before.

 

"Redwave wasn't lying when he went on about having to solve all the guards problems for them - now you've got the rest of the family involved!" She shook her head. Her cousin hadn't been seen for years: it wasn't that she couldn't find him (as was the case with her brother) but simply that he seemed to have faded out of existence. The location of the pirate-turned-adventurer was a mystery, but his complaints and advice were as loud in her memories as they ever had been as she glanced at the strip of red sailcloth that peeked out from the opening of her pack.

 

"I didn't come here for the good of my health - I want to know where my brother is: along with everything you know about him."

[Driz 1,552]

Maya lifted an eyebrow upon hearing the tall Pegasus - who identified himself as being Crowley, from the letter - refer to her by the name. He obviously already knew who the mare was - given her "popularity" among the Royals - and was most likely also expecting her arrival, along with all of the other ponies who were there presumably for the same reason. But instantly recognizing her like that wasn't quite as expected, per say. It made her wonder.

 

"Before you will see the Princesses I am here to answer your first few questions. We are aware that your message was vague, and we understand that you will have many questions, not only regarding the mission itself, but the legitimacy of it." A small smirk could be seen on his face. "I will try to answer your questions with the best of my knowledge and abilities..."

 

Without hesitation, she raised a hoof in the air.

 

"I do have a question, Mr. Crowley." She said from behind the rest of the group. "It's about the artifact described in your letter... It seems to be of great importance, considering it was stolen from the Castle's library despite being guarded so well..." A small hint of distaste could be felt from her words in that last statement. "I wanted to know exactly what this artifact is, and if we'll be searching for it in this quest you guys organized."

 

She had a vague idea of what the relic could be. She read many books in her lifetime: more specifically, historical books that reported an astounding amount of knowledge and power being kept in secrecy inside the Royal Castle's main library. It's true, one could do the unthinkable in order to obtain one of those precious tomes. And deep inside, Maya wasn't any different.

[Scribblegroove 565]

The first two questions were ones he had expected, and had an answer ready for them immediately. Of course he had thought of how this conversation would go in his head at least ten times, so he had most of their questions figured out already. Taking his time to walk up to Wish Scribe he looked at the letter closely. This was clearly the one he had sent using his most reliable of friends. He made a mental note to give Fergus, the hawk above him in the air, a treat for doing such a good job. "This seems alright. Thank you." Moving on to Maya he closely looked at her message as well. "Good, good..." He mumbled.

 

Stepping back a little he faced Wish and looked straight at her eyes. "I can't give you the exact location, since he is on the move, but we can contact him and we know what he is currently doing. Similarly to you, he and a few of his friends have been sent on a quest by The Guild. It does me good to see you follow his example." He said with something that could be seen like a smile, but clearly Crowley hadn't had much practice with this facial expression.

 

Returning to the much more practitioned expression of authority and seriousness, he looked at Maya to answer her question. "The details of your quest and the stolen goods will be revealed once we speak with the princesses. They specifically told me that they wished to inform you of the specifics. However, I believe I can reveal that the artifact stolen was one of Starswirl the Bearded's works, and that retrieving it might be an aspect of your quest, though the situation is more complex than simply finding the stolen artifact. As mentioned in the letter, it will also concern the presumably fully organised criminal activity all over equestria." With that, he knew he had answered the questions as fully as his authority allowed him to. Her witty remark about the castle's security hit him a lot more personally than he liked. "Once you see the crime scene you will understand what powers were at work that night..." He said grimly.

 

Stepping closer towards Whisper and Pathfinder, he looked at them both with his sharp green eyes. "Please show me your invitations or I am afraid that you will have to leave." He told them with the same authority in his voice as moments ago. He was frowning, but clearly that was his normal facial expression. He didn't tell them to do so angrily, but in military formality and strictness.

[Ashen Pathfinder 16,161]

PATHFINDER

 

Pathfinder listened intently to those around him. Not knowing at all what to expect from the ponies that were invited, he was kind of surprised by the question from the armored mare. Of course he could understand her impatience in regards to family members who had been away for a good while.

 

He listened more intently to Crowley's answer to Maya's inquest. As he heard the details, his heart began to pound a little harder, and he wasn't sure if it was because he was nervous, excited, or both. "An artifact related to Starswirl the Bearded? Wow...imagine that in a museum," he thought to himself. The museum he worked for and co-owned was was a small one when compared to many others, but he was proud of what it had within. Of course he wouldn't even think about partitioning such an artifact considering the importance that this quest was holding, but it was an interesting thought.

 

Noticing Crowley coming towards him, he levitated the message from his saddle bag and presented it to him. "This is the invitation as presented. Only one other pony from my end knows about this, and she recognized the seriousness of the situation. She and I are partners, so I'll admit I was surprised to be invited and not her, but I assume there was a reason behind that," he said to Crowley in a somewhat formal manner. "As for questions I'll reserve any that I have for until we meet the princesses."

 

He took a quick look at the other two mares before him & Whisper. The one known as Maya was a unicorn like him, so he wondered exactly what function would two unicorns serve in this party. Of course, he recognized he was probably overthinking the details, so he let it rest. He would get to know the rest when the time came.

[Convergence 83]

Whisper simply stood and watched as the ponies exchanged questions and presented their invitations to an old, authoritative pegasus. From the conversation, she gathered this was none other than Crowley Ocula. The whole scene had an air of formality to it. "Strange how the mere mention of a princess makes everyone act all regal."  Sooner then she had anticipated, Crowley approached her and demanded to see her invitation. Whisper couldn't stop herself.

 

Making an exaggerated tsk, tsk sound, a large grin dominated her face. "If I didn't know any better Crowley, I would say that you are growing senile in your old age. The letter you sent failed to mention the need to present it at the meeting. However, lucky for you, I decided against my better judgement and did not burn the letter after reading it."

 

Carelessly, Whisper spread the material of her dress, making sure that Crowley had a good sight of the pocket filled with scrolls. The half-sun seal of Dawn Breaker was upon half of the scrolls. The other half were sealed with near perfect forgeries of the insignia of the royal sisters. While perhaps good enough to fool the average pony, one who saw the royal seal on a regular basis should be able to detect the forgery instantly. She hoped Crowley would be no exception. The only unsealed letter was suddenly illuminated by a dark silver hue as Whisper levitated the letter and handed it to the pegasus.

 

"You mentioned that we should ask our questions now?  Well, I was going to ask why the guild would so suddenly need our help, the help of civilians. I don't believe I need to ask that anymore." Whisper stifled a laugh as best she could, "you must really be desperate to call upon me." She tried to keep  a straight face, but it was clear that Whisper was getting a great deal of satisfaction from teasing such a powerful pony.  

Edited October 16, 2014 by Golden Shield

[The Elusive Cinder 1,328]

Wish Scribe.

 

Wish's mouth twisted in an expression of annoyed dissatisfaction. She had heard all of this before: he had been there, he would be there or he should be there... this was just going to be the same smoke and mirror trail that she had followed for years on end. Empty promises and half-truths, why had she got ton her hopes up? It wasn't like even royalty could fight against destiny.

 

"So what you're saying is that you can't help me any more than anyone else I've met who claimed they could?" She said. It wasn't a question, but a statement of fact framed as one. She wouldn't normally have been so bitter - it took a lot to make Wish bitter - but this time just stung, a lot like the early years of her journey back when she would believe absolutely anything she was told.

 

"It doesn't matter." She sighed. "Lets just get this over with."

 

She looked away from Crowley - who looked to be busy being insulted by one of the others - and glanced around the courtyard again. This was probably why she felt so tense: one probably learned to anticipate disappointment.

 

@@PathfinderCS,

 

"I hope whatever they promised you is something they can actually provide." She shrugged to the nearby Unicorn - her eyes still bright but her features otgerwise blank, save for a slightly forced smile. If the others were all in similar situations to her, they might well have similar problems. At the very least, if they were going to be her new companions then she should make the effort. "Sorry, didn't mean to be such a downer. Names Wish, Wish Scribe."

Edited October 16, 2014 by Cinderscribe

[Scribblegroove 565]

@, @, @@PathfinderCS, @@Driz

 

"You underestimate yourself Pathfinder." Crowley muttered briskly while he inspected the letter. Deciding that it was all in good order, he moved on to the last one. As he had expected she attempted to taunt him immediately. The mentioning of his negligence with the letters did come as a shock to him, and the others could clearly pick up his surprise and embarrassment about it. "My apologies Whisper. That is indeed foolish of me." He said, knowing to admit his mistakes. Looking over the letter he knew that this one was not forged.

 

The next few of her statements were a bit aggravating however. The way she had forgeries on her and how she questioned the competence was clearly a way to simply test him. But the princesses had given very specific orders on this one. Crowley was not one to give in to these petty remarks, but taking his time to breathe in and out slowly and looking the rebellious mare straight in the eyes, he spoke softly. "Indeed. We are desperate..." He said grimly. "We called upon you because we believe that you will help those in need, not because we demand your loyalty. Have we misinterpreted your cause? Because you may leave now, and you will never hear from us again."

 

Turning around, trying to hide the intense disgust he felt for the mare, he faced Wish Scribe who was clearly not happy with her answer ,and he didn't want to make these ponies think that he would not follow his promises. Whistling briefly, in a high-pitched tone, he called down the hawk that had been floating on the wind above them. Quickly it dropped down from the sky and dexterously landed on his back. "You can send a letter to him right now, or later if you wish. Ask him where he is, and where you can meet him. Fergus can find him." The hawk on his back screeched and fluttered it's wings, looking at Wish Scribe with interest, inspecting her. Pausing for a moment, he remembered the mare's brother. "I think he'd appreciate it too..."

 

Out of a pocket in his cloak he grabbed a seemingly old silver pocket watch. "Hmm." He grunted softly. Looking at the ponies gathered here he knew that it was almost time to head to the princesses. "Fergus, go wait over there..." He said to the noble hawk, pointing at a small oak further to the side of the garden. It understood his order and screeched softly a greeting. Then it took off and landed graciously on one of the tree's branches, resting there. "If you want to send a letter, it doesn't matter when, you can call Fergus. He'd be glad to deliver your message for you." He said, again trying to force a smile on his face.

 

"If you have no more questions I will go and inform the princesses that you are here!" Raising his voice, he addressed everypony. "I will come and pick you up in a few minutes once they are ready. Please take your time to prepare your questions or to introduce yourselves to each other." He then slowly exited the courtyard and started heading towards the throne room. 

 

{Turn 2}

Wait for Crowley to return.

(or leave)

Edited October 16, 2014 by Scribblegroove

[Driz 1,552]

Maya wasn't fully satisfied with the answer presented to her question about the artifact. More than anything, she was eager to know more about it, and waiting for the princesses to further explain it would be just another hassle to deal with. However, knowing that the artifact they'd be searching for belonged to the Starswirl the Bearded section of the library was already something somewhat relieving. Whatever that object might be, it should be really valuable.

 

After Crowley went to inquire the other ponies, she listened to what they had to say - specifically, she enjoyed seeing the old Pegasus become frustrated by the dark-grey mare that pointed out a mistake in his letter. While he tried to explain himself, Maya just rolled her eyes and quietly chuckled. If anything, she could try to have a little bit of fun from that quest and the group that was formed.

 

"If you have no more questions I will go and inform the princesses that you are here!" Raising his voice, he addressed everypony. "I will come and pick you up in a few minutes once they are ready. Please take your time to prepare your questions or to introduce yourselves to each other." He then slowly exited the courtyard and started heading towards the throne room.

 

After the stallion departed, Maya took a quick look around the garden in order to better inspect the ponies she would presumably be travelling with. By their appearances, they all seemed pretty normal-looking, what made her wonder for what reason they were summoned by Celestia and the royalty. Anyway, she decided to act at the very least polite and introduce herself to somepony.

 

@

 

"Nice dress." Maya referred to the other mare's formal attire, not wanting to sound rude or sarcastic but perhaps unintendedly doing so. "Name's Maya. Guess we've been dragged into this mess together..."

[Convergence 83]

Whisper's grin faded to a knowing smile as Crowley remained calm despite her taunts. The fact that he gave in was just as large of a victory as him fighting back. However, she couldn't help but feel disappointed that she didn't shake Crowley's resolve. The look of contempt that Crowley was trying to hide would have to be enough, for now. As Crowley excused himself, Whisper took a deep breath and tried to calm herself. "Well I guess now is as good a time as any to meet the others."

 

@@Driz

 

Before Whisper had time to observe the ponies still standing in the garden, a purple maned mare approached her. Her converstation seemed forced, as if she felt obligated to introduce herself.

 

"Nice dress." Maya referred to the other mare's formal attire, not wanting to sound rude or sarcastic but perhaps unintendedly doing so. "Name's Maya. Guess we've been dragged into this mess together..."

 

Whisper looked down, as if she needed to remember what she was wearing. "Thanks," she said cheerfully. "Believe it or not, This is not my usual attire. Looks like we have been. I don't know what to be more shocked by, the fact I was called upon for help by the princesses or the fact that a powerful artifact was stolen without me knowing about it."

 

Adjusting her dress, Whisper lifted two small bottles from a pocket. One contained a deep, dark brown coloured liquid. The other was full of a black powder. She unscrewed the lids and poured a few grains of the black powder into the liquid. Upon contact the liquid instantly started to boil and steam. Noticing the mare's blue flame cutie mark, Whisper said "you're a mage I presume? No wonder you would be interested in such a powerful artifact." She nodded to the armour clad pony as she put away the vial of black powder, "an adventurer fighting for a long lost brother. Quite noble. Then there is me and the golden stallion. What a strange group, eh?"

 

Whisper blew the steam away from the bottle in front of her, and took a quick sip of it. She smiled at the taste of very strong espresso.  

Edited October 17, 2014 by Golden Shield

[Ashen Pathfinder 16,161]

PATHFINDER

 

He appreciated the vote of confidence from Crowley; even if it was short & blunt. Regardless, he figured that if he was called here, then the powers that be have a purpose for him. The sisters knew who they were choosing for this important quest. Not just any pony could take on a mission like this. Taking that into mind, he glanced at Crowley as he spoke with the mare known as mare.

 

Listening to the conversation, he wasn't sure if he should laugh or shake his head. Her banter kinda reminded him of his partner; she sometimes tended to do that to certain authority figures in foreign lands if they pushed her buttons just right. His slight chuckle allowed him to relax a bit as Crowley turned his attention to the armored mare again. Impressed by his skills with the hawk, he hoped that the little but of assurance would be good enough for her for the time being. Path knew that any distractions would potentially be dangerous.

 

"I hope whatever they promised you is something they can actually provide." She shrugged to the nearby Unicorn - her eyes still bright but her features otgerwise blank, save for a slightly forced smile. If the others were all in similar situations to her, they might well have similar problems. At the very least, if they were going to be her new companions then she should make the effort. "Sorry, didn't mean to be such a downer. Names Wish, Wish Scribe."

 

 

Turning his attention to the mare, who identified herself, he smiled in turn. "Well, to be honest, I wasn't promised much. Of course there was the vague mention of rewards, but I have no idea what that refers to. The rewards aren't really the top of my mind, but if they can help the museum I work at, then I won't complain." Noticing her bright eyes, he could also tell she was carrying that burden on her shoulders. He felt sympathy for her, but admired her for trying to deal with it the best she could. "And don't worry about it. I can't blame you too much. Many other ponies haven't dealt with such a stress as well as you have; from what I can tell. And you can call me Pathfinder. Pleased to meet you," he said as he bowed his head slightly.

 

So far, so good. If they were going to be working together as a team, you might as well get to know each other. He appreciated her greeting him as a start; at least showing him that she was willing to work with them. He hoped that the rest would equally be welcome to teamwork in this case.

[Driz 1,552]

Whisper looked down, as if she needed to remember what she was wearing. "Thanks," she said cheerfully. "Believe it or not, This is not my usual attire. Looks like we have been. I don't know what to be more shocked by, the fact I was called upon for help by the princesses or the fact that a powerful artifact was stolen without me knowing about it."

 

Maya chuckled. "It seems we're all on the same page... It is, indeed, very unexpected how we all were invited to partake in this 'investigation' deal. It almost feels like Celestia threw a dart blindfolded and selected citizens at random to play guinea pigs - although I'm sure there's a reason for all of this. Perhaps we are the chosen heroes, who knows?" She smiled in a friendly manner. She still wasn't sure on what to make out from that situation, and on top of that, very little did she trust the Royal Sister's judgement. But she assumed that remaining positive would be a good start for whatever was to come.

 

She then noticed Whisper manipulating two bottles with odd contents in them. Curious, she kept watching carefully, preparing herself in case something exploded right in front of her face. Once the two substances reacted with each other, however, a very familiar smell reached her nose. Upon discovering that the product of that chemical reaction was simply coffee, Maya couldn't help but to laugh lightly.

 

"you're a mage I presume? No wonder you would be interested in such a powerful artifact."

 

"Hmm... Yeah, something like that." Maya said, sitting down on her haunches. "Being called a mage would imply that I'm a very experienced magic user... But that's not the case yet. I still have a lot to learn. And that's one of the reasons why I'm after the artifact." She then began looking around, thoughtful.

 

"While I'm at it, I guess I could also try to figure out about the sudden criminal activities, like Crowley said... It's very clear that they might be somehow related. Perhaps we can kill two birds with one stone here."

[Convergence 83]

@@Driz

 

Whisper smiled while listening to Maya's response. She seemed very modest, as most powerful spell casters seemed to be. 

 

"Hmm... Yeah, something like that." Maya said, sitting down on her haunches. "Being called a mage would imply that I'm a very experienced magic user... But that's not the case yet. I still have a lot to learn. And that's one of the reasons why I'm after the artifact." She then began looking around, thoughtful.

 

 She waited until Maya was finished, then took a sip of coffee and said softly, "ah the pursuit of power. As good a reason as any I suppose. A word of advice, if you care to hear it, do not let it consume you. I have seen far too many good ponies corrupted by power." The smile faded off Whisper's face as she looked deeper into Maya's eyes. "I would hate to have to meet you under... different circumstances, like all the others."

 

Whisper quickly returned to her joyful demeanour. Grinning as she took another sip, "I am far more interested in the thieves of this artifact. The crime increase that I am aware of is merely the result of small groups taking advantage of the current state of Equestria. Mostly small, inconsequential acts conducted by amateurs. But, with how cryptic the princesses are being, there surely must be a larger organization involved. I am impressed how they have evaded my detection, but they will soon learn that Equestria is my territory. Excuse me."

 

@, @@PathfinderCS

 

Walking around Maya, who was now sitting, Whisper approached the other two ponies in the courtyard who were currently involved in a conversation. She smiled at them both, with a slightly guilty look in her eyes, as if to apologize for interrupting them. "I'm sorry, I couldn't help but overhear your conversation." Glancing at the armour-clad pony, she said "Wish Scribe, right? I know your pain, I have had brothers and sisters that have gone down similar paths. I'll do whatever I can to learn more of him." Turning to the Golden Stallion, Whisper continued, "as much as I hate to admit it, Crowley was right about one thing. I don't know what your talent is, but I know that you will do a great job for this team."

 

Whisper laughed lightly, "but now for the really important question. Do you think they will serve us lunch? Its been a while since I have been in the city and I could sure go for a feast!"

Edited October 19, 2014 by Golden Shield

[The Elusive Cinder 1,328]

Wish Scribe.

 

@@PathfinderCS,

 

Wish was a little taken aback by the sentiment: that the others might be here without seeking anything in particular. It seemed strange that her letter had practically coerced her to join this little meeting (not that such persuasion would have been necessary, curious as she was) when there seemed plenty whiffing to work without thought of reward...

 

"Huh. You don't say?" She shrugged, not quite certain whether her complaining might have made her seem arrogant or materialistic - or selfish even! The unconfirmed judgement wasn't something that she could just try to forget about: she needed to explain herself before any suspicions got out of control! "I, uh... Y'know... didn't mean to make it should like I meant... I'd still help, even if they couldn't offer me anything!"

 

It was a slightly panicked statement, but thankfully she was spared further explanation by the timely arrival of one of the others in her conversation.

 

@,

 

Wish shook her head with a self-conscious half smile at the collective reactions of the pair - distinctly embarrassed but relieved that she was being shown such kindness. Her doubts over what they might think of her faded a little: she was probably just being stupid. Certainly they would simply presume her to be so spiteful and materialistic that she wouldn't help without some form of payment?

 

"It's fine, really. Don't worry yourselves over me." She assured them in a suddenly subdued mumble, directed somewhere between the pair and the ground as she tried to avoid eye contact as she said it. Despite the sudden awkward feeling at the situation, she perked up again at the next statement however. "But, yeah your right. Food sounds good to me too! I've not eaten in hours!"

[Ashen Pathfinder 16,161]

PATHFINDER

 

@

 

With his eyebrow raised, he was sort of surprised by her rather...panic-sounding reply. Smiling softly, he shook his head.  "No-no, it's okay. Honestly, I wouldn't blame you or anyone if you had a specific thing you were working for. Trust me, I'm in no position judge on that mark," he said, trying to not make her feel so bad about it. Apparently, she was feeling some guilt over what she said previously.

 

With another smile, he shook his head again. "As I said, I can't begin the understand the burden you likely feel right now. I haven't lost any family members or friends as such, but you have my sympathies anyway. Besides, considering what likely lies ahead of us right now, getting to know each other should help with that burden somewhat." 

 

While he wasn't expecting that to work miracles with her, he at least hoped it would help in calming her nerves somewhat. Having teammates you could rely on can sometimes make the difference between success and failure. He experienced that himself plenty of times with his usual partner, so he hoped he could make similar connection here.

 

@

 

He then noticed one of the others walking by; the one Crowley identified as Whisper. Thinking back to their exchange earlier, he couldn't help but chuckle a little. Listening to her, he nodded as she spoke. Apparently she also lost those close to her, and would do almost anything to know of their whereabouts. This little "get to know you" situation was turning out to be a good thing thus far.

 

Turning to the Golden Stallion, Whisper continued, "as much as I hate to admit it, Crowley was right about one thing. I don't know what your talent is, but I know that you will do a great job for this team."

 

Blushing slightly, he chuckled a little. "Ah, th-thank you for that," he said, meaning every word. "Though, I do have to ask how you're so confident in that belief? I mean yeah, I have my talents, but...yeah. Forgive me, I'm just curious." Regardless, he appreciated the vote of confidence. Of course, he wasn't entirely sure if she was being sarcastic either, but he was willing to think she was genuine in her remarks.

 

@@Driz

 

Noticing the other mare by herself, he approached and bowed, making sure as to not leave her out. "I'm pleased to make your acquaintance, I am Pathfinder," he said, formally introducing himself.

[Driz 1,552]

"ah the pursuit of power. As good a reason as any I suppose. A word of advice, if you care to hear it, do not let it consume you. I have seen far too many good ponies corrupted by power." The smile faded off Whisper's face as she looked deeper into Maya's eyes. "I would hate to have to meet you under... different circumstances, like all the others."

 

After being somewhat distracted by the unquestionably beautiful scenery of Canterlot's Royal Garden, Maya immediately returned her attention to the suddenly serious-looking Whisper after hearing her advice regarding the artifact. Maya's expression showed curiosity, with slight traces of uneasiness. She knew that such precious relic would presumably bear great power within - so great that it could easily drive a weak mind insane. She knew about the possible risks of being consumed by it, but hearing that from somepony else made her think about it. Blinking rapidly while raising a trembling, nervous smile, she tried to find the words to form an assertive response.

 

"N-no!... Of course I won't let that happen. I wouldn't want to give you this kind of trouble." She giggled briefly. "...I know what I'm doing. Believe me, it'll take more than that to break me down."

 

After the grey mare left, Maya was still sitting down, and wondering about what she had said earlier. Could there really exist an object so full of knowledge and power that she wouldn't be able to handle? ...Possibly. But then again, that would be simply part of her test; and failing wasn't an option. She would undoubtedly be ready for it.

 

Noticing the other mare by herself, he approached and bowed, making sure as to not leave her out. "I'm pleased to make your acquaintance, I am Pathfinder," he said, formally introducing himself.

 

Maya was shaken off her thoughts when another voice came from nearby. Turning her head, she met a golden Unicorn stallion bowing down in a formal manner. She was takes aback for a moment, not expecting to be, as well as not used to being greeted so politely. Smiling gently, she got back up on her four hooves.

 

"My name is Maya. Maya Clarity." She said as she bowed back, almost sarcastically mimicking the formality. "It's nice to meet you too, Pathfinder. I hope we can get along just fine... So, what are your thoughts on this little reunion so far?" She asked, intrigued. "Do you think it'll work out?"

[Scribblegroove 565]

@@Driz, @@PathfinderCS, @, @

 

It had been a while, and everypony in the courtyard could see Crowley returning. Whistling sharply, he gained everyponies attention, and also called Fergus, his hawk, which flew over their heads to land on Crowley's back. The bird then continued to clean it's feathers with it's beak on Crowley's back, seeming effortlessly remaining in it's place despite it's constantly moving footing. "Right then." Crowley announced. "The princesses will see you now. Follow me."

 

As they moved through the halls leading to the royal throneroom, the stunning insides of the palace revealed themselves. Stained glass, high ceilings, marble pillars. It was truly a artistic piece of architecture. The light of day shimmered through the windows, leaving no corner of the building in the dark. Barely any candles or lights had been lit since the sunlight was efficiently spread across the entire building, as if the architect wanted to complement the power of Celestia's sun in the palace.

 

When they finally reached the large doors to the throneroom, Crowley stopped and turned around to face the guests. "I would tell you to show respect, but that would be a little redundant. Either you will, or you wont. You'll face the consquences of your actions. The princesses are very forgiving however, so I'll be the last one to give you a strict and strong tone. Please do not abuse the princesses' generosity and kindness." He felt  a little stupid for saying it, but it was something that had to be said out of formality, and he wanted to prevent these ponies from accidentally doing something stupid. So after the short reminder, he opened the doors to the throneroom.

 

"There you are!" A strong, warm voice, clearly that of Celestia, sounded through the room. The princess of the sun and moon were waiting for the arrivals, not on top of their thrones at the end of the room, but standing in the middle of it. Between them and the grand door there was a table, with a few chairs around it, including two large ones to fit for the princesses. "We are so honored and thankful that you have decided to come, my brave subjects." She continued. A gentle smile adorned her face as she welcomed them. Her sister, Luna, had a more serious look on her face. She remained silent, but nodded to show her respect for them.

 

"Please, sit down with us. We have much to discuss..." Celestia urged them, proceeding to take her seat as well. Crowley moved forward to stand beside Celestia, refusing to sit down. Subtly Celestia raised a brow at him, but seemed not to mind, seeming being amused with Crowley's stubbornness. On the table were loads of documents. Maps, files and lists, as well as a lot of notes. It seemed like there had been planning and scheming going on here not too long ago, and not in a very orderly fashion. Immediately Crowley bowed himself over the maps, scuttling through the papers trying to find the right documents.

 

"While Crowley fetches the information concerning your mission, you can ask us any questions that haven't been answered yet." Luna said, as Celestia handed Crowley a folder with loose notes, chuckling softly at Crowley's haste and grumpiness. Crowley could be heard mumbling softly about 'organisation' and 'complete mess' as he frantically went through all the papers spread across the table. Luna gestured towards the seats across of her side of the table. Celestia also resumed a more serious position, ignoring the occasional muttering from Crowley, prepared to answer any questions that they could possibly ask.

[Convergence 83]

@@PathfinderCS

Upon seeing Crowley return, Whisper quickly said "hold that thought. It seems like we may finally learn what is going on here." Silently, she turned to follow Crowley, wherever he was leading the group. Walking through the luxurious hallways of the castle, Whisper grew increasingly disgusted at the sheer elegance of the building. Eventually, Crowley stopped beside what must be the throneroom.

@@Scribblegroove

"I would tell you to show respect, but that would be a little redundant. Either you will, or you wont. You'll face the consquences of your actions. The princesses are very forgiving however, so I'll be the last one to give you a strict and strong tone. Please do not abuse the princesses' generosity and kindness."

Lifting a hoof up to her mouth, Whisper stifled her laughter. "Do not abuse the princesses' generosity and kindness? Yet you looked down upon me, and abused mine since we met. The irony is overwhelming." Flicking her tail, Whisper sported a large grin until a powerful voice interrupted her fun.

Mildly surprised by the kind welcome of Celestia, Whisper sipped her coffee. This was nothing special, she was well aware of the princess's kindness. Approaching the now open door to the throneroom, Whisper's eyes widened upon seeing that neither sister planned on sitting upon their throne. Instead, opting to sit at the same table with the group. Celestia's use of the word 'subject' stung, but Whisper forced herself to ignore it.

She waited at the doorway until their introduction was finished. By the time the princesses took their seats first, Whisper was shocked. "Where respect is shown, respect is deserved." Pointedly, she sealed her coffee container and placed it in her dress. Then, with a warm smile on her face, Whisper began walking into the throne room.

"The feeling is mutual. It is great to finally meet you Celestia and Luna. I always knew that someday I would meet you both. However, I never quite expected it to be under these circumstances. Not that I'm complaining, of course." By now, Whisper was approaching the table and had to decide which chair to sit in. "I'm still half expecting to be put in cuffs." For no particular reason, she chose the chair beside Celestia and sat down.

Upon hearing Crowley's grumbling, Whisper's smile grew slightly. "As of now, I have no questions. I find it extraordinarily difficult to ask questions on a subject I know nothing about."

Edited October 21, 2014 by Golden Shield

[The Elusive Cinder 1,328]

Wish Scribe.

 

Wish watched the princesses enter, remembering to bow far too late to prove polite and hurrying to the table, where she took a seat as far away from the two monarchs as possible: better to let those who wanted to cozy up to them do the talking after all. She had a habit of saying the wrong thing at the wrong time, and this felt like it was going to be one of those times...

 

Besides, she could keep an eye on the others from there. Not that they needed it - one of them seemed a little too arrogant for her liking, but none of them seemed particularly dangerous. There were horn heads here though - and while she might not be as blindly prejudiced to them as she once had been, she wasn't going to just ignore the fact that they could be selfish, hateful and power hungry, as they tended to be...

[Ashen Pathfinder 16,161]

PATHFINDER

 

Pathfinder was about to answer when Whisper made note of Crowley's return. A little disappointed that their little bit of talk time was interrupted, he figured they might be able to converse a bit more later. Keeping quiet out of respect he followed Crowley with the group; marveling at the decor that lined the palace. While he had been to Canterlot previously, he had never been inside the royal palace. Being a fan of architecture, he took in the sights he saw. Everything was ornate; finely crafted to suit the alicorn leaders.

 

When they stopped, Crowley essentially laid down the law in regards to respect for the princesses. He had no intentions of working against those rules; he had plenty of respect for the sisters. Of course he never met them, but his respect was there. Once they entered, he marveled at the sheer size of the throne room, and was fairly surprised to find the sisters standing in the middle of it all, awaiting them.

 

Upon hearing Celestia's greeting, he could just feel the warmth from her very aura. The kindness & grace she displayed was beyond belief. Luna, as expected, was showing a more serious demeanor, which was to be expected. He smiled when Celestia mentioned them as subjects; prompting a small bow of respect from the golden stallion. 

 

On call, Pathfinder took one of the middle seats and sat down. Making a mental note of all the maps & journals on the table, he also chuckled slightly watching Crowley show a bit of grumpiness in straightening everything. Just then, his attention turned to the Princess of the Night.

 

"While Crowley fetches the information concerning your mission, you can ask us any questions that haven't been answered yet." 

 

 

Thinking for a while, Pathfinder spoke up. "Well, my first question exactly has to do with our specific roles within this group. I mean...I never considered myself that talented in regards to maps & navigation, if that is what you called me for, but...yeah, just what are our roles supposed to be?" That question had bothered him for a while. Of course, he had confidence in his abilities; it's just that he never expected his talents to be noticed like this. The message he was given was really vague in the regard. Thinking on that, he had another question. "Also, just...where is it that we are going? I've heard vague hints of thefts, but I wasn't aware of this large criminal organization."