private Darkness over Equestria (RP)

[Little Red 1,529]

Red nodded. "We will take care of this pony," she agreed, "but we must continue on. She is in no state to fight us right now at any rate, but if she turns out to be hostile, we must have no qualms in fighting her." She turned away and began trotting in the direction they had been going previously. She thought about this pony-- she seemed... well, more cruel. Harsh. Willing to do anything to survive. Red, with one look at her, didn't trust her. But the rest of the group seemed willing to offer a helping hoof, so she would stand back and watch-- and attack if necessary.

[Unicorncob 5,690]

Tyra was happy to see the mare accepted her gift, though she was confused as to why everypony looked so shocked to see her eat fish. Was fish not a common meal in Equestria?

 

"Aye, we shall take good care of her," She agreed, nodding with a wide grin, "Hopefully she may join us when her strength has returned, yes?"

 

The more the merrier, in her eyes.

[Midnight_Aurora 571]

Amorè was watching. She could feel the emotional stress of the new pony, as well as her worry. She could also feel the worry and guess Strider made but the feeling of trust was a more assuring feeling. She thinks, "Yea, I will confirm that with him. I am not a bad changeling. I just am alone in a world that hates what I look like. Even if I am a half breed."

 

She hurries after Radiant and makes sure the mare is tended to. She knows eventually she will have to reveal it to them all and get the hostilities of the reveal out of the way. She knows at least two of them will try to attack her. She also knows she isn't going to be able to fight in her hungered state. She won't either. She will let them hit her, so they can vent their anger for her kind. She will help these ponies even if it kills her.

[Reaver 350]

 

 

"We should continue on and try to get to our destination, her condition is far to severe to stay out in the wilds for too long especially if we run into combat."

"Yes," Strider agreed with Radiant. "And it looks as if the bandits know our current location, if Amore was correct. We need to hurry to a safer place. As I said previously, there's something of a no-fighting zone in a village nearby, where we can restock and this mare can recover. We should head there now."

 

 

 

"Hopefully she may join us when her strength has returned, yes?"

At this, Strider glanced at Tyra, amused. The northern pony was much more friendly than he had originally thought, and he personally quite liked the idea she presented. "Well, it depends on what she feels. I would personally quite enjoy to have another party member," he said mildly, mostly to the newcomer. He didn't know her name yet, not that it was particularly important, when she looked to be in such bad condition. He noticed her expression--through the fatigue, he saw some gratefulness, but also a hurt pride at being treated like a foal. Well, he thought, she'll work through it. She looks like she hasn't eaten or slept in days.

"I wonder how long she'd been running from the bandits before she fell," he mused aloud, glancing up at the cliff again.

[Chip Circuit 1,842]

Radiant continued forward still at the front of the group, constantly scanning the region ahead and glancing back at the mare on his back to make sure she was okay. His hooves steps were heavier with the extra passenger on his back, he himself though seemed not at all bother by his passenger.

 

Radiant turned his attention to Amore, he figured if he would take Amore's advice he should attempt to make a friend. "So Amore... um, would you like to tell me about yourself... like your likes, your dislikes, what you do for fun." He paused for second noticing he was coming off as strange. "Um, well just if i'm to take your advice and make friends that's generally the type of stuff friends know of one another, correct?"

 

Radiant would like to make a friend and perhaps be able to look pass what had be fallen in his past. If he were to do that he would need friends he figured which he never had a chance in his youth for friendship.

[Midnight_Aurora 571]

Amorè says, "What I like?...I loke allot of things. Happyness, Compassion, Charity and Love above all. To spread it, help it grow and to watch it thrive. It makes me happy to watch love bloom to feel it grow and prosper. Did you know there us three main types of love? The love created by friendship. The love of one's family. And most importantly the love that is eternal, true love between ponies. I delve into the understanding of it all. To grow strong one only needs love directed towards them. With the three loves supporting that which has them, they can do anything.

 

What do I dislike?...anything that harms or interferes with the above. Hate, fear, non-understanding and most importantly those who seek to end friendship.

 

Discord is chaos, a balancing force for harmony. One can't be while the other exists, but neither can exist without the other.

 

Tirek only desires power and to gain that power he has broken many hearts and made others suffer.

 

I will eventually take them down. But to do that we all need friends ans allies.

 

What do I like to do for fun?...To be honest helping others. Proving that not all of my kind are bad. Bringing out that which is the best that one has sealed away in their heart."

 

She looks to Strider and Radiant. She thinks for a bit and then says, "I also like and find fun in healing the hearts of others."

 

She turns to the one who's family was taken by Changelings. "Have you ever had a bad experience with Changelings before? I have had such all my life."

 

She feels it is almost time but she wants them to understand she isn't a bad one. Heck, she isn't even a purebred.

[Chip Circuit 1,842]

Radiant listened intently to Amore as she shared a bit more information of herself. He nodded at her once he saw an opportunity to respond. "It sounds like an honorable way to live, I can say it is nice to meet another that sets out to actually help out others." He said with a happy tone to his voice, it wasn't often he met others that rather help others rather then only look out for themselves.

 

Once she brought up the question of having a bad experience with changelings or not, his attitude changed slightly and he became slightly upset. He knew what she was trying to do and get him to share it with those listening in. He looked up to the sky not sure if he was comfortable sharing it with the others, he looked back at Amore. "Well she says she helps heals hearts... so perhaps she knows what's best and sharing the fact will ultimately help me." He pondered to himself returning his attention forward.

 

Radiant released a sigh as he figured Amore would know best of how Radiant can fix his attitude and heart. "Actually yes I have, a rather terrible experience... Ever since I was born i lived a sheltered life, so the only ponies I knew and loved were my immediate family... my big brother was my only friend, he looked over me and provided me with entertainment." He shared pausing for second as he ran his hoof along the end of his scarf for a second. "At the age of ten my family was bringing me to baltimare to join the resistance, halfway there we were attacked by changelings. My brother shielded me from them but my family was mutilated before me. I was left alone to complete the journey on my own, once there I joined the resistance as was raised and trained as a weapon... not as a child." 

 

Radiant looked down at the ground feeling rather vulnerable after sharing practically his whole life experience with all these ponies he hardly knew.

[Little Red 1,529]

Red's eyes widened throughout the story. As he finished, she felt a searing of rage.

"Changelings are all horrible," she grunted, "they all deserve to die." The passionate comment was very unlike her normal self-- she tended to view anything and everything as real beings. But changelings... they were different. And his story only furthered her resolve to destroy changeling-kind.

[Unicorncob 5,690]

Tyra frowned at Radiant's story, her heart heavy at the thought of losing family in such a way.

She trotted up to the unicorn and put a hoof to his shoulder. "I am deeply sorry for your loss. Though, you stand amongst friends now, yes?"

 

She hoped so, at least.

 

She lowered her hoof and glanced away, looking at nothing in particular.

"I have heard much about the evil of changelings, but...they can not be evil. No creature is inherently bad, they simply do what they must for survival."

She glanced up at the sky before continuing. "But, these ones you spoke of...perhaps they are led, by this Tirek or Discord I have heard about. It is the only explanation for creatures to target specific others, yes?"

[Chip Circuit 1,842]

Radiant glared back at Red angry at her comment, his previous feeling of distress being shoves aside. "you have no right to make that claim! Changelings can be given as much a chance as you, Alex, Lunar or even a vampony like Amore." He snarled, this being the first time he had ever really broken his stoic personality. "You cannot condemn one for who they are... near all bandits are ponies so would it be far for Griffins to kill ponies on sight?" 

 

Radiant was genuinely upset at her comment, to say such a thing as a living being deserves to die just because of what they were born as. Her comment also brought up his hatred for the resistance and their methodology of racism and being pony extremist.

[Midnight_Aurora 571]

Chrysteel says, "That wouldn't be entirely correct. For one, they would be led by some kind of queen. Two, the queen I know wouldn't slaughter ponies. She would capture them for reasons. Yes, not all are bad. I know of one who only seeks to help others. She is close but far from here. I also know of a changeling who would slaughter ponies like Tirek destroys town. Stay away from her unless you think you can stand to a fully powered princess rank Changeling."

 

She turns to little red. She asks, "What is your opinion of me then? I have hidden nothing from you. I have only used a play on words to with hold some things. I am an Emotional Vampony or, as many know, a hybrid changeling."

 

 

She knows what she is doing and she says, "Being that I am what I am, I have not once tried to hurt you. I have not once tried to force you to love me as others would to feed. I have tried to help and I have always tried to keep you safe. If that is the mark of a bad Changeling, then tell me what isn't a bad Changeling."

 

She then says, "If you think all Changelings should die. Then how about a love starved half breed, who refuses to take love from others. One who is currently starving her changeling half to keep what she feels is her friends safe."

 

Chrysteel is upset. She had hoped red would have figured it out by now.

Edited June 8, 2015 by Midnight_Aurora

[Alex Van Gamer 230]

Alex had been in her own little world for a while after everypony began their departure again with the new pony upon Radiant's back. By the time she returned to reality, Radiant had begun to tell his everypony about his tragic loss, his parents, his brother, his childhood. The canine frowned, empathizing with what it felt like to lose some being you loved.

 

She would have chosen to say something, if Red hadn't spoken out first... with some very harsh words too... Her ears suddenly wilted back and she winced when Radiant burst out screaming with his disposition for the mare's claim. Alex's sensitive ears starting to get a small ring going in her head.

 

The diamond dog decided to keep her mouth shut for now, placing a paw in her satchel in case she needed to stuff what was left of her cotton candy in her ears to block out anymore screams.... Needless to say... There were more screams... But from Amoré this time... And... what she said, Alex was not expecting.

 

'She's a... changeling?' Alex thought. 'Wait.. not even that, a halfbreed... Well... em... I've never confronted a changeling myself so... Yeah, I should probably stay quite... Just, let them talk it out... if you can even call it that... Hopefully this doesn't lead to another fight... Agh god... Pleeeaaase don't let this lead to another fight...' She took a step back, not showing signs of fear nor hatred, but rather worry. Three days in a row there had been arguments among the group. She was starting to think she had made the wrong choice joining with all these ponies...

Edited June 9, 2015 by Alex VanGamer

[HigurSan 195]

Ironeye Sungazer

 

As the group traveled along, she conserved her strength and listened. You didn't need to be a Changeling to feel the tension in the air. It was so thick it could deflect a keen blade. How had this group ever come together? The only answer she could think of was pure necessity. Sure, you could live alone in the wilderness for a while. But eventually you'd get sick, or injured. You wouldn't be able to support yourself. Then you had to rely on others. Ponies had been designed, it seemed, to live in community. But she no longer hand any place to call home, no friends or family to rely on. She couldn't bring herself to do so here either.

 

If she got the chance, once she was healed, she'd split off and head further south. The various chatter she was hearing alarmed her. There was talk of sedition, hatred, and past wrongs. It was the kind of aura that so commonly collapsed into bloodshed, and she was helpless to stop it, or even to get away. All she could do was hope it was held at bay until she got better. She needed some time alone as well, time to think and to consult. Her attention turned to her bags. They'd all remained secure despite her fall. She'd need to make sure that none of the group peeked in there. There were locks both physical and magical, but extra precautions could be taken...

Edited June 8, 2015 by HigurSan

[Chip Circuit 1,842]

Radiant stopped suddenly in his tracks when he heard Amore reveal what she was to the group. He decided to finally use his magic and lift the mare off his back and gently set her on the side of the path away from any confrontation. He spun around looking at those in the group ready to react if any pony suddenly made a hostile move against Amore. As a precaution he cast his armor spell and his grey fun begun to glow with a golden aura. "Do not make a hostile move toward her, Amore has made no move against any pony so she does not deserve hatred." He stated still ready to make a move with his fur radiating with golden magic.

[P-Jay 1,987]

"oh, thats neat." he nodded at amore. he gave no surprise, hatred, or even caring towards amore being a changeling. "it explains your aura, and everything."

 

but then radiant became covered in magic, and said something about not moving.

 

it was caliber-logic that said 'if someone draws a weapon, draw yours' and he was pretty sure that magic could count as a weapon, so his sword was out in a flash. 

 

"woah, radiant. calm down." he said simply.

Edited June 9, 2015 by PeytonJay

[Midnight_Aurora 571]

Chrysteel says, "Radiant, there is a time to defend and there is a time to not defend. If they think I should die, then I won't stop them. I am in no condition to even fight back. As I said, Love starved. I have very little power left and what I do have is keeping me from going feral right now."

Edited June 9, 2015 by Midnight_Aurora

[Unicorncob 5,690]

Tyra felt a little disheartened that her opinion on the matter fell on deaf ears, so she said no more.

 

She perked up as Amore clued into something when she snapped at Red. Had they been travelling with a changeling this whole time?!

 

She was even more surprised at Radiant's sudden aggression. She decided to try once again to voice her thoughts.

"Changelings can not be inherently evil," she began with a stern voice, "this one has proven it. Any others may simply be acting on survival, or may be led by this Tirek or Discord I have heard about."

[Chip Circuit 1,842]

Radiant glanced over at Amore for a second. "I will defend you, you don't deserve to die just because of what race you are... what matters is who you are and what you make of yourself, as far as I'm concerned you deserve to live a full life." He said keeping an eye on the group making sure none will attack Amore.

 

"Drop your weapon Caliber... I will not make a move so long as Amore is not in danger. I'm simply in armor at the moment." He said still scanning the group.

Edited June 9, 2015 by Chip Circuit

[Midnight_Aurora 571]

Amorè steps over to Radiant. She places a hoof on him, "Part of earning one's trust is being willing to take harm where it comes. If Red thinks I should die, that is her choice. But if she desides I am different, I just might have an idea where some ponies are. Captured to be used as a food source. I wish only to help. Even I know it isn't what is on the outside that matters but what is on the inside."

 

She then steps forward. With her hooves held open, she says, "If I am the same as all changelings, then strike me down where I stand. I won't fight and I don't want anypony to stop whoever chooses this path."

Edited June 9, 2015 by Midnight_Aurora

[Chip Circuit 1,842]

*Lunar*

 

Lunar stood at the back of the group listening to every pony's voice on the situation taking it all in, it was clear Red would be the one to cause some hostility after her previous statement over Changelings. He stepped forward raising a talon in a calm manner. "Let us take a moment to calm ourselves, we need not cause hatred and distrust among ourselves." Lunar stated as he walked into the center of the group. "We are not beasts, we needn't judge one on their outward appearances but on who they truly are. I truly believe we have seen Amore to be a respectful and trustworthy Ally, even at the cost of starving herself she has yet to make an advance on any pony against their will."

 

Lunar made his way to the front of Red and turned to face her. "So may I ask what your word is on this situation Red?" He inquired confident he would of gotten through to her. 

[Little Red 1,529]

Red had been stunned.

 

Vampony. She wasn't an actual vampony. Of course... all that aura-sensing... she had heard changelings being described as "emotional vamponies" before...

 

The voices of the others floated around her, but she wasn't listening. She couldn't even hear them, staring at Amore. At the changeling.

 

She zoned back in as Radiant activated his magic and Caliber pulled out his sword. Her sword itched on her side, begging her to pull it out.

 

She watched Amore silently, unblinking as she stepped past Radiant, giving her such a clear shot. It would be so easy... rage was building at the pit of her stomach as images flashed in the back of her mind, over and over, of a burning home, the last sight she'd ever seen of her parents... what was her mother's coat color? Had it been blue or that gray-blue color? She couldn't remember anymore.

 

Her head snapped to Lunar as he spoke. She began turning from Lunar to Amore and back again.

 

How could these ponies understand what she had been through? No. No, she was being unreasonable. And she was always reasonable. Except when someone called her Little. Beside that, she was always reasonable. But she wanted to be unreasonable so badly..!

But with each second that passed, reason was coming back. Sense was coming back. Radiant understood her, and he was outright defending Amore. Caliber disliked changelings, too, but he wasn't attacking this changeling. Her one support would've been Strider... except he had been silent this whole time. He clearly agreed with Lunar's words.

 

She felt a sting in the back of her eyes. She'd never seen a changeling since the day her parents had... vanished. And why did it have to be this one? This one, the first one she met, be actually kind? Trying so hard not to hurt her or any of the ponies despite her hunger, as Lunar had pointed out.

 

Why did changelings have to be like ponies, after all?

 

She felt her stomach writhing, heart twisting. What should she do? Everything reasonable inside her was telling her not to attack. Even if she did, the other ponies would defend Amore. Defend the monster. But a burning passion inside her begged her to just charge.

 

Was it worth sacrificing everything to attack and accomplish nothing? She would not only be sacrificing her newfound allies, she would also be sacrificing Strider's respect and, most importantly, her values. That nothing that could think and could act with kindness deserved to die.

 

After a very long moment of icy silence, Red turned away from Amore and, silently, began walking deeper into the Badlands.

[Chip Circuit 1,842]

*Radiant*

 

Radiant watched Red intently noticing through her eyes she was experiencing emotional trauma from her past, emotions flowing through her head.  Even Radiant, a pony who was rather an amateur when it came to emotions. He kept his armor up and enveloped his sword in his magic when he saw her eyes scream with rage. 

 

Suddenly Red's expression dropped as she turned from Amore and begun walking back down the path. Radiant dropped his armor and let go of his sword as Red passed by him. He let out a sigh, he really didn't want to fight an ally. 

 

Radiant walked after Red catching up to her and he walked alongside her. "Red would you like to talk, with one who knows what you've been through? I know speaking to someone who can understand your situation can help more then talking to one that can't relate." He said hoping Red would open up to him so he could attempt to restore stability to the group. He also felt sorry for the mare he was carrying, she just came across them all and is now stuck with them when the group was at its lowest point.

 

*Lunar*  @@Midnight_Aurora

 

Lunar awaited Red's reaction, well able to see the emotional strife she was experiencing. He read her like a book and could tell she wasn't going to make a move at Amore. Her sense of self preservation was much greater then her hatred of Changelings, after all she would be facing a unicorn with magic who was a trained fight all through his life. 

 

Without saying a word Red stormed off from Lunar, he felt rather agitated that her chosen response was to walk away then talk out her problems. As she continued down the path Lunar took a few steps after her until he realized Radiant was going after her. Granted Lunar had a much better way with words but it may be the best interest for Red for her to talk to someone in a with a similar circumstance then someone who wouldn't be able to fully understand her past. Instead he walked up to Amore and looked at her. "I have to say, I can respect your actions and the premise behind them but... Sacrificing ones self to sate another's hatred is no way to approach a conflict. If she took you up on your offer you would of only helped her descend down a dark path, which would only lead to more pain for her." He said stretching his wings for a second and returned them to his side. "So I implore you to not do something so reckless in the future otherwise it would cause more harm then good. You are an ally of most of us and none of us would want to see you fall before you complete your goal."

Edited June 9, 2015 by Chip Circuit

[Little Red 1,529]

Red did not look at Radiant. "I'm fine." She said calmly. The only sign of any inward agitation was the furious swishing of her braided tail.

The truth was was that she was focusing on clearing her mind. Once she could think more clearly, she could rationalize the decision she made. She closed her eyes. "I would just like to be alone right now. Thank you for your concern," she said, perhaps a little more coldly than she intended.

[Chip Circuit 1,842]

Radiant looked at Red and placed his hoof on her shoulder for a second. "I can detect your anger, if it's any consolation I respect you for you decision and if it would help you can take a few swings at me." He said completely serious on his offer knowing his armor could handle a few hits of an infuriated pony before breaking. He removed his hoof from her and glanced back toward the group.

 

"Otherwise if you want to talk let me know... otherwise I will still be a short distance behind you so I can still keep watch over both you and the group." He said slowing his pace until he was about seven feet behind Red.

[HigurSan 195]

@@Chip Circuit, @@Little Red, @@Midnight_Aurora, @@Unicorncob, @,

Ironeye Sungazer

 

It seemed that for the moment the storm had passed. But scars had been left, she was sure of that. They could flare up at any time. As she lay there in the dirt where she'd been placed, she mulled over her options. She still had some magic reserves left. If she waited a couple of hours, the food in her stomach would kickstart the regeneration of magic in her own body. But that would take time, and she wasn't sure that she had much of it. This line of thought rolled over and over again. It all came back to the same problem. She couldn't do anything until she healed. That was the long and short of it.

 

Her eyes turned to the pony who had been carrying her, who had gone off after the major source of hatred in the group. He seemed, at least to her, to be something like the glue keeping the group together. Or at least he was part of it. The red one, crimson in both appearance and emotions, reminded her of something... it might have been herself. There was a deep seated hatred that, born from a seed planted by tragedy. She herself had lived her entire life with a similar pain, though she had long trained herself to force it down; to corral and cage it within the deepest dungeons of her soul. She hardly ever thought about it these days. All this stress was wearing on her mental defenses obviously.

 

Now her attention went to the half breed. She didn't have much experience with Changelings. The pairing of Changeling and Vampony did seem ironic to her however. Both took something from the victim with nothing given in return, and needed that substance in order to survive. Both were races feared and hated by ponies, outcast from society under normal circumstances. But times like these were anything but normal, and it seemed likely that they would be stuck like that for all time.

 

The group seemed to be leaving her behind. Radiant would suddenly feel a prickle on the back of his neck. It would only be settled by him turning his neck so that he was looking back, back at her. The faint glow of her horn faded as she regarded him with hooded eyes.