private Destiny Askew

[Time Shield 402]

((NOTE:  Due to this RP using GURPS tabletop RPG rules, there will be OOC notes in the RP for directions, die rolls, and other such important things.))

 

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DESTINY ASKEW

 

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Life in Equestria is hard, but it wasn't always that way.

 

It's difficult to imagine it due to recent events, but Equestria used to be pleasant and peaceful, until the one thousand year anniversary of the Summer Sun Celebration.  The sudden and unexpected return of Nightmare Moon caught everypony off-guard.  Those who were present that day say that they will never forget seeing Princess Celestia and Nightmare Moon doing battle in the skies above Ponyville.  However, to this day none of them understood what had happened at the end; the best they could determine was that the two had made simultaneous and desperate all-out attacks that completely obliterated one another.

 

Confused, shocked, and heartbroken, the citizens of Equestria found themselves leaderless and began to panic.  They turned to the only remaining royalty left to take control: Princess Cadence.  Though it was a tremendous responsibility, far more than she had expected, she did everything in her power to keep Equestria from crumbling.  In the next month, some sembalance of order began to return; the most skilled unicorns of Canterlot even managed to use their magic together to raise and lower the sun and moon, as had been done in ancient times prior to Celestia's rule.  Even so, the stress of these efforts was clearly taking its toll on the princess.

 

This was further escalated by an apparent attempt on her life.  Though the strike was made in secrecy, the princess and her closest guards knew of it and informed others of the failed assassination, in hopes of preventing further such attempts.  The incident only seemed to increase Princess Cadence's paranoia, and soon the Canterlot castle grounds were made off-limits to everypony, except those granted permission by the princess directly.  Furthermore, this made it difficult for her to deal with the day-to-day troubles in Equestria, which began to slip into a state of depression that seemed to match Princess Cadence's own state of mind.

 

Even so, ponies did their best to make ends meet and try to bring some hope and peace back to the land.  Just when things were starting to take a turn for the positive, however, rumors began to spread, rumors about something terrible in the north.  It was said that the Crystal Empire had returned, and that control of it was almost immediately seized by the unicorn who had previously enslaved it: King Sombra.  Whether this rumor was true or not remains to be seen, as the princess strangely did not make any move in response.

 

Now, with Equestria in a state of uncertainty and depression, and the looming threat of the Crystal Empire to the north, many feel that it can only be a matter of time before life as everypony knows it will be over.

 

 

 

High atop a hill overlooking Ponyville and Canterlot far in the distance, a lone unicorn stared out at the land with growing concern, before finally shaking his head and gaining some resolve for the first time in years.  "No," he said aloud to himself, "this isn't right.  None of this is right..."  Finally coming to a decision, he began to set into motion the events that would hopefully restore Equestria, and only hoped that he hadn't waited too long...

 

---

 

((At this point, I'd like to start out by hearing what everypony else is doing at this time.))

[Midnight_Aurora 571]

Aurora is tending tending to her animals. She didn't have any flying animals. She is known to jump at the sight of them. She also has very little interaction with other ponies. She also was shy around pegasi.

 

She is currently feeding her animals. "I hope my friend in the Forest will visit today. I still need those herbs to tend to that baby manitcor's injuries." She fed the baby manitcor, while checking its wounds. They weren't bad but she was out of the healing herbs needed to tend to him.

Edited May 28, 2015 by Midnight_Aurora

[BerahaKrahn 42]

Beraha is walking around deep inside the everfree forest. He had lived there for as long as he could remember. He had been raised by a pack of timber wolves who had decided to, instead of eat him, raise him in hopes to use his magic to extend thier lives.

 

Beraha didn't trust other ponies, he had see them enter his forest and kill the creatures within fo no reason. No reason that is other than they werent ponies. And now walking along his garden of herbs vegetables fruit and other plants he smiles. This and running with his pack are the two things he got the most pleasure from. Though his pack is gone he still runs thier territory.

 

Even though he is a pony with his unusual upbringing he is omnivourous. He still preferes vegetation for sustenance, but on the full moon he will hunt, kill, and eat as he did with his pack. This is tied to his lunacy.

[Alex Van Gamer 230]

Alex scrunched her face, sticking her tongue out as she aggressively hit the multicolored buttons and tall joystick in front of her and stared into a bright, colorful screen. She was currently in the zone, taking a quick moment to wipe a bit of sweat off her forehead as she quickened her pace. 'Come oooon...' she thought to herself.  'Just... one... more...' "Yes!" She cheered, tossing a hoof into the air. "VanGamer wins again!" She turns towards her opponent beside her and grins, "Better luck next time." The pegasus says, claiming the other pony's bag of bits, grabbing her own in the process. "Just... Try not to act so cocky next time!"

 

She turns to leave, but stops dead in her tracks when the other pony accuses her of being a cheater. Turning her head, she frowns a moment. "Ya wanna bet your house on that?" A minute of silence passes before she smiles again. "That's what I thought. Times are tough, and a girl's gotta eat'cha know~" She concludes before finally making her exit out of the arcade. Another successful game in her bag of accomplishments. Next stop— ...Her stomach suddenly growled... —Someplace to eat...

Edited May 28, 2015 by Alex VanGamer

[Dust and Memories 557]

Wilhelm flipped yet another page of the interminable armaments reports. Currently, he was working on the Harmony-Class Airship designs; it was strange, he thought for a moment. When Celestia ruled, there wouldn't even be a Equestrian Ministry of Defense, much less development of peaceful airships into massive, impeller-powered monstrosities like this. Oh well; times had changed. So much had; the princesses were dead, and who know what happened with Cadance anymore? Ever since he had been shifted into the Ministry of Defense instead of astronomy, he sometimes felt... well, he didn't know what he felt. It was a sense of tedium that he had never experienced before when he was working as Celestia's Royal Astronomer.

 

Shaking the thoughts from his head, Wilhelm picked up a pen and began to write, in cramped, orderly hoofwriting. "While the cargo bay may be shortened to accept forward-facing Borsig 22o arraignments, I do not believe that, structurally as well as stallionpower-wise, the ship could hold them. Consider that you are already massively over budget, and then consider the fact that you'll need to bulge the hull, add heat vents, add more crew space, and various structural supports for the above. While Princess Cadance has seen fit to authorize your previous three extension requests, I doubt that she will be so generous this time. Though the danger of the Crystal Empire is prevalent, we must realize the applied constraints of that single word called "bits". In short, your request has been denied pending second opinion from another classified-security clearance Aeronaval Ministry official."

 

Wilhelm laid the pen back down on the table and dropped his head onto the sheaf of paperwork and blueprints, sweat dripping from his forehead onto the paper. With an air of annoyance, he stood up and trotted over to a window, cranking it open wide. The oppressive summer heat was starting to get to him, cooped up in his study for so many hours.

[A Joe in the Bush 255]

Hidden Antler carefully stored the last of the Herbs in his saddlebags, placing them in the protective pouches that Aurora had provided. Then he grabbed his bow from where he had left it and surveyed his surroundings. Everything felt natural. nothing was out of it's place. He set off slowly through the woods, pausing every so often to carefully listen for any signs of creatures or threats. One didn't survive the Everfree by ignoring Caution. No matter how long one had lived there.

 

It didn't take him long to reach the Forest's Northern Border. and from there, it was only a 5 minute trot west to Aurora's Cottage. He didn't bother knocking as he entered. She was expecting him after all. She was still feeding her animals when he entered, so he dropped the pouch of herds next to the baby Manticore. He still didn't trust that Manticore. He'd never encountered a nice one. But Aurora was determined to help this one.

 

Finally he turned back to aurora, and coughed quietly, trying to not surprise her, then spoke. "I found the Herbs Aurora. Need anything else?"

[Midnight_Aurora 571]

Aurora turns towards Hidden and says, "No...Not really....Well..."

 

He knows when she gets like this there is usually something on her mind.

 

He also knows she won't ask without a dire need. Her shy nature and her kind demeanor always made it somewhat hard for her to ask for help.

 

She comes over to the baby manitcor and says, "It's ok he just brought the item I needed to tend to your wounds. Now be a good boy and stay put. I got to get them ready."

 

She followed the instructions on preparing the herbs into a paste. She then puts them on his would while he finishes his food. "There...All done. You can return to your mother when ready." (GM the Manticor is always yours to control.) She let's the baby do its own thing while turning back to him. She half hides her face behind her mane and looks to want to say something but doesn't have the courage to say it.

[Time Shield 402]

The baby manticore purred, giving Aurora and Hidden Antler a happy glance before walking over to the open window of the cottage.  He scrambled and climbed up to the windowsill, ready to leave, but paused for a moment as it noticed another pony coming along the path near the cottage, delivering the mail to the cottage's mailbox.  After scratching behind his ear, he jumped out of the window, ready to head back to the forest.

 

*** MEANWHILE ***

 

A knock came to the door of Wilhelm's office, and a messenger entered a moment later, his horn levitating a stack of envelopes next to him.  "Sorry to disturb you, sir," he said, "but the mail's arrived.  I'll set it over here for you.  Is there anything you need delivered today?"

[Dust and Memories 557]

Wilhelm sighed, taking the mail and spreading it over the desk. Gesturing with a hoof at the sheaf of paper he had been writing in, he told the messenger "Yes, actually, I do." Folding the papers up and neatly putting them back into the folder, he handed them to the messenger and said. "Take this to Mr. Cottonsail, please. Remember, only take safe routes, don't show this to anypony who can't produce an authenticated security clearance badge, yada yada yada. I'm sure you get the point."

 

Closing the door behind the messenger pony, Wilhelm looked at the mail on his desk, muttering a ongoing monologue under his breath. "Junk mail, another letter from Miss Sparkle, junk, junk, reply on the Borsig Munitionwerke contract renewal, Grand Galloping Gala invitation, junk... What's this?" One of the letters looked.. different, in some manner which one could not quite put their hoof on. Wilhelm held it up to the light, examining it, and then abruptly tore open the envelope and began to read.

[Time Shield 402]

The letter was brief, written in pen with a somewhat urgent stroke:

 

You want to help defend Equestria, but this is not the way.

I will need your help.  Please come to the enclosed location at the time marked.

Trust no pony in Canterlot.

 

Enclosed with the letter is a map to a wooded area not far from the Everfree Forest, along with a date and time.  There is no signature or return address.

[A Joe in the Bush 255]

Aurora turned towards Hidden and said, "No...Not really....Well..."

 

That was how she usually replied when she did need something but didn't want to ask. Before Hidden Antler could reply, she turned back to the manticore ans started dressing its wounds with the herbs. That gave Antler time to think. What could she be needing?

 

 "There...All done. You can return to your mother when ready." The manticore purred and then climbed up the window sill. it sat there for a moment, watching something, then left. Hidden Antler walked over to the window, looking outside. There was a mailpony coming up the walk.

 

"Mails here. And are you sure you don't need anything?" He had to be careful. she obviously needed something, but he didn't want to push.

[Dust and Memories 557]

Wilhelm opened his mouth to shout for the guard, and then closed it again. Deep inside, he knew that he wasn't really being true to the principles of friendship Equestria was founded on, nor to his cutie mark, so what could be the loss? Consciously, however, he rationalized it similar to the famous "Celestian or Atheist" philosophical question. If he did not go, he could miss out on something extremely important. If he did, he ran the risk of dying, but he could stand to learn important information. Besides, it would be a relief from the tedium.

 

Slinging his bow onto his back and straightening his suit to an acceptable condition, he packed a suitcase with his clearance badge, symbols of rank, spare clothes, a notebook, two No. 2 pencils (sharpened to a point), a bundle of arrows of all sorts, and a single magical inhibitor ring. Closing his suitcase, he made his way to the door, picking up a mahogany and gold cane along the way. Twisting the top clockwise and pulling it revealed a long, tempered steel blade; Wilhelm checked it over, gave it a swipe with a whetstone, and sheathed the sword back into the cane. If anypony sought to do him harm, they would most assuredly be dead before they knew it.

 

Whistling a jaunty tune, Wilhelm set out at a brisk trot for the train station. He expected to be at the Everfree by the exact time specified, barring delays or troop movements across the tracks.

[Time Shield 402]

((Just in case Alex missed it in the other thread, I'll ask again here: Does Alex live in Ponyville or another town?))

 

 

As Aurora and Hidden Antler spoke to each other, the mail carrier whistled to himself as he deposited a single envelope into Aurora's mailbox, then continued on his way.  The Manticore, in the meantime, bounded off into the forest.

 

 

((Wilhelm, I'd like you to make the first skill check of the game.    As I mentioned in the other thread, all die rolls (except for damage) are 3d6, or three regular six-sided dice, with low results being better.  As he heads for the train station, I'd like for you to make a roll against your Perception, which is a little below your attributes on the left side of the character sheet.))

 

((*EDIT*  Ah, I just realized there's a 200 character limit on posts here.  That'll make it a little difficult to just post the results of a die roll...))

Edited May 29, 2015 by Time Shield

[Midnight_Aurora 571]

Aurora heads out to the mailbox to check what just came in. "I hope it isn't junk mail." Not having many friends makes it harder to recieve mail but the requests for helping non flying creatures were always a good thing.

 

She brings the envelope inside and says, "If you don't mind, could you handle a small bat problem for me in the attic. Their night time screeching is keeping me up. I am really sorry for putting such a trivial thing on you but you know why."

Edited May 29, 2015 by Midnight_Aurora

[A Joe in the Bush 255]

Hidden Antler grabbed the Aurora's Butterfly from next to the door and headed up the stairs to the attic thinking as he often did, that Aurora wouldn't have so many animal problems if she wasn't so welcoming to them. This wasn't the first time she'd had a bat problem. But she didn't want to secure the house to keep bats out, since that would also keep other animals out.

 

He reached the top step and stopped. This wasn't a small problem at all. This was an entire colony of bats living in her attic. He quietly walked to the window, opening to provide a way out for the bats. The last time he'd gotten rid of bats, he hadn't done that, and they'd flooded the bottom floor with Guano. This time, he was going to emerge clean.

 

He started swinging the net, waking the bats. He got a few, and dumped them out the window, where they immediately took flight towards the forest. But when he turned back to the rest of the colony, he found a rather unsettling sight.

 

All the bats were staring at him.

 

He wasn't going to come out of this clean after all.

[Time Shield 402]

The envelope to Aurora is strangely missing a return address.  Upon opening it, the following message is inside:

 

All the creatures of Equestria, big and small, are in danger.  I need your help to save them.

Please bring your earth pony friend with you to the Everfree Forest at the time and place listed below.

See if you can find the unicorn who lives there to join you as well.

I'll explain everything when you arrive.

 

There is also a map to a clearing within the perimeter of the Everfree Forest, and a time to meet there.  It is not far from Aurora's cottage.  There is no signature.

[Alex Van Gamer 230]

Alex made a quick stop to the bakery for a quick bite, not wanting to use too many bits all at once.  Once the mare finally arrived home, however, she flopped down on top of her bed, exhausted from her all-night-gaming session. She groaned in exasperation, lying down on her side. "Gaming isn't as fun as it used to be... It's just like all the gambling stuff here... All about the bits..." She sighed, "But watcha gunna do? It's not there's some magical way of makin' things fun again for everypony and fix this whole poverty issue." She said, waving a hoof in a circle above her before turning fully onto her back and staring up at the ceiling "...I'm just lucky my talent specializes in games or else there'd be no way I could win as many bits as I have..."

[Time Shield 402]

As Alex relaxed on her bed, she dimly became aware of the sounds of hoofsteps, as somepony was walking by outside her home.  It was nothing unusual for the neighborhood, but then the steps stopped for a moment right outside her door.  This was immediately followed by something being slid under the door and into her home, what appeared to be a small envelope.  Without so much as a knock or a word, whoever it was departed just as quickly as they had arrived.

[Alex Van Gamer 230]

Although Alex could hear the faint hoofsteps, she almost didn't bother to pay it any mind at all... That is, until they stopped in front of her house. Her ears perked up and she looked over to her door when she heard something slide underneath the crack. Whoever was on the other side didn't even bother to knock or say anything, which made her frown in confusion, wondering why that was... Her interest peeked, she slid off the bed and walked over to the item on the ground. "...A letter?" She questioned, picking it up in her mouth before taking it back to her bed. Quickly finding a tool to open it with, she unfolded the enclosed letter and read it curiously.

[Time Shield 402]

The letter to Alex reads:

 

How would you like to save the world for real?

Please come to the place indicated on the enclosed map at the time below.

This should help.

 

Enclosed is a map showing Ponyville and the Everfree forest, with a spot just inside the forest circled and a date and time written next to it.  There is also a coupon for the Las Pegasus train station, for 50% off a train ticket.

[Midnight_Aurora 571]

The envelope to Aurora is strangely missing a return address. Upon opening it, the following message is inside:

 

 

All the creatures of Equestria, big and small, are in danger. I need your help to save them.

Please bring your earth pony friend with you to the Everfree Forest at the time and place listed below.

See if you can find the unicorn who lives there to join you as well.

I'll explain everything when you arrive.

There is also a map to a clearing within the perimeter of the Everfree Forest, and a time to meet there. It is not far from Aurora's cottage. There is no signature.

Aurora waits for her friend to deal with the bats. She shakes her head. 'I am not ready to deal with that yet. It's to hard to even forget.' She thinks to her self. Aurora rereads the letter just to make sure she gots her knowledge right. "Hmmm...I do know of this area. I should see if that one pony in the forest wants to come as well."

 

She looks up towards the area Hidden Antler is in and says, "Did you take Care of the poor dears? Please tell me they didn't hurt you."

[Alex Van Gamer 230]

Alex read over the letter a few times to herself, smiling a bit. "Very intriguing offer Mr. Letter." She said, glancing over towards the attached items from the envelope. "And I've gotta say. A fifty percent discount for a train ticket there does provide enough incentive to peak my interest" The pegasus then placed the letter down on the bed, trotting over to a nearly empty dresser. Alex strapped on a small saddle bag, grabbed a few extra pairs of accessories and packed them in as well as the two bags of bits she won earlier. "Hopefully no one tries to break in while I'm away and finds my back-up stash of bits. I'm gunna need those in case this whole thing ends up bein' bogus." Finally, she grabbed the letter and it's attachments, placing them in her bag before locking up her house and flew to the train station.

[A Joe in the Bush 255]

Hidden antler stumbled down the stairs, nearly falling at one point.

 

 "Did you take Care of the poor dears? Please tell me they didn't hurt you."  Hurt? No, he wasn't hurt. He was however, rather filthy. Those bats had been rather irritated at being forced to leave, and had shown their displeasure by, well, leaving their baggage behind.

 

"No, I'm perfectly alright. However, I'm going to need to wash off in the river." He leaves the house and removes his cloak and saddlebags, then jumps in the river. It doesn't take long for all the Guano to wash off, so he climbs back out and reenters the house, where Aurora is reading a letter that had been delivered.

 

"What's it say?"

[Midnight_Aurora 571]

"Well it is an warrning, saying all the creatures in the land are in danger. I am curious though. Only you know I even live here. I don't get out much. Let's see what yhis being has to say. Also, you know that unicorn I told you about a few weeks back? Let's pick him up as well."

 

Aurora gets her few belongings together and leaves enough food for her animals. She then says, "That should hold them a while. Let's find out what is up."

 

Aurora then heads into the forest.

 

-Near Beraha's Home-

15 minutes later, Aurora can be seen near Beraha's home.

[BerahaKrahn 42]

Beraha had used his warning spell to tell him when anyone got near his garden uninvited. Now there where two intruders. He walks towards the area where the alarm comes from.

 

Beraha had watched Hidden Antler hunting before, so when he sees that pony he's not too happy. But the other pony he had watched taking care of hurt and sick animals. He walks up to the two ignoring Hidden but talking directly to Aurora.

 

"Greetings miss. You are aware you are within my territory are you not? Also are you aware of the compony," he says with a sneer at the word compony, "you keep? You're a kind hearted young mare. Why would you keep compony with a ruthless killer?"

 

He looks over to Hidden. "You hunter are not welcome here. The only reason you are safe now is because you do not break the laws of nature. Though only few animals known in existence hunt just purely for the pleasure of the kill like you."