private A Cultural Exchange 1x1 with Randimaxis

[Illiad Easle 3,135]

@Randimaxis

Illiad looked... conflicted, at least on the surface. But Dax, somehow, could see through it. Though it was just a faint glimpse under the surface, Dax saw.

Illiad was scared. He was scared to let Dax in.

Illiad took a deep breath, then let it out in a long sigh as the room behind him grew brighter till it matched the rest of the house, which honestly wasn't all that brighter thanks to the excellent curtains Illiad owned, but it was still a change.

The door slowly opened the rest of the way as Illiad took a hesitant step back, then another, before turning back towards his bed. He took a seat on the edge of it, leaving ample space to one side for Dax to join him if he wanted.

He sighed again as he thought on what to say, "Soon, I'm going to have to do something I don't want to do. Selena's preparing me for it... but... it's not progressing as well as either of us would want. She's..." he gave a halfhearted snort, "...a bit of a hard teacher."

He sighed again, "I realize why I have to do it, what could go wrong if I don't do it. What nearly went wrong since I haven't done it..." He paused, a single tear on his face, before more followed, the memory of his dream haunting him.

He shuddered as he moved to support his head with his forehooves, "I.... I Almost... k k k kkilled... you all."

(This might be getting a bit too deep)

[Randimaxis 8,652]

6 hours ago, Illiad Easle said:

The door slowly opened the rest of the way as Illiad took a hesitant step back, then another, before turning back towards his bed. He took a seat on the edge of it, leaving ample space to one side for Dax to join him if he wanted.

The Blackwater read the invitation, and took it, seating himself close to the Trojan as he began to speak.

6 hours ago, Illiad Easle said:

"Soon, I'm going to have to do something I don't want to do. Selena's preparing me for it... but... it's not progressing as well as either of us would want. She's...a bit of a hard teacher."

Dax gave a small grin.  "Hard lessons, I get - trust me, as awesome as Selena is, if she's teaching you something difficult, then it simply HAS to be worth the effort, right?  No sense in trying to figure a way out of it; better to learn even the hardest lessons than to worry about what might happen if you don't."

6 hours ago, Illiad Easle said:

"I realize why I have to do it, what could go wrong if I don't do it. What nearly went wrong since I haven't done it..."

Dax lifted an eyebrow.

6 hours ago, Illiad Easle said:

"I.... I Almost... k k k k killed... you all."

The look of shock that crossed Dax's muzzle was a big one... but it quickly turned into a sympathetic sigh.  He then fixed his gaze on his best friend, and a look of seriousness filled his face.

"But you didn't."

It's just like what I had to do...

"Illiad, you're supposed to be the Balance of Karma, right?"

"Didn't you say yourself that Luna had to do the same thing, and yet Celestia couldn't allow it, out of fear for her subjects?  But we BOTH know how that turned out.  If you... really... have to do something like that, then... well, Illiad?  I won't judge you - in fact, going through with something extremely hard can help you appreciate when you do good things to balance it out, right?  Trust me, I know..."

He looked Illiad right in the eyes. 

"Because I had to fire workers who I called my friends... a-and I felt HORRIBLE for it... but... but it made me stronger, in its own way.  Father might not have made the best of decisions there, but having to do that made me appreciate it all the more when I got to make friends with YOU.  And you might not have had the same impression on me if I hadn't... heck, if I still had all those friends, I'd have probably never even joined the Cultural Exchange in the first place!"

He smiled sweetly.  "And you wouldn't have come to the quarry... and that... thing... would have still been down in the mines... and Father, Mother, even Oggie would never have gotten to know you... and what about Silver?"

He put a foreleg around Illiad.  "So, yeah... even though I had to do the bad thing, it turned out to be for the best in the long run.  And even though it hurt, it prepared me for the future I would have; I didn't know it at the time, but that one hard choice would be a... a catalyst... for all the great things to come after it."

"And no matter what you HAVE to do... I'll always be your friend.  Because I know, regardless of what happens, who you really are; you're a good stallion, Illiad.  You have got to maintain the balance, for the good of... well, everything... but that won't change who you TRULY are, as long as you accept that it's a part of you to do things for BOTH sides."

Dax reached his other foreleg around his friend, giving him a fierce hug.  "It's hard, yeah... but I believe in you, Illiad.  And I always will."  

[Illiad Easle 3,135]

Despite Dax's comforting words, it still took a few moments for the stallion to stop shuddering, and a few moments more for the tears to stop.

He didn't look over at Dax though, just kept staring forward as he sighed yet again, "I really appreciate it, all you've done for me. I can only hope I never have to hurt you because of it."

He flopped himself backward on the bed, forelegs slayed outward, eyes closed. "Now, we really do need sleep, only a few more hours till we need to head out to catch the evening train to Alphyns."

IT was't long before Illiad was asleep again, this time much more peacefully.

(I'm sure Dax and he will get to the true heart of this discussion eventually. I think it will be on the day Harcourt steals the diamond.)

[Randimaxis 8,652]

On 12/17/2018 at 4:41 PM, Illiad Easle said:

"Now, we really do need sleep, only a few more hours till we need to head out to catch the evening train to Alphyns."

 

Dax nodded, then got up and went to the door.  Over his shoulder, he said, "Goodnight, Illiad - pleasant dreams."

With that, he headed back downstairs, making his way back to the couch and planting himself on it.  The Blackwater should have been pleased to know his friend was sleeping better, should have been glad to have helped, should even have been ecstatic that he was going to be seeing the professional level telescope that was ensconced at the Alphyns Observatory...

But he wasn't.

It... it was like he... didn't even hear me.

No, he thought, Illiad's just tired - he didn't mean anything by it; I mean, normally when someone gives the kind of support I did back there, they'd say something about it, right?  But if they're sleepy, or if it's been a long day... o-or maybe it was my enthusiasm earlier, overwhelming him... or maybe it's just, uhm, train-lag?  From the ride - he may not have acclimated to being back on a Trojan schedule yet, so... maybe he just... 

Dax shifted on the couch, and wiggled to try to get more comfortable.  Yeah, train-lag.  Gotta be it.

Yet, even as he finally dozed off, his heart thought otherwise.  He KNEW something was still bothering his best friend... but, for some reason, Illiad wouldn't share it.  He was holding something back from Dax, but wasn't trying to deceive or be dismissive; all the same, the Blackwater stallion's heart wasn't as easy to fool as his head may have been.  As wild as his own emotions were, Dax knew inner turmoil when he saw it. 

He simply hoped Illiad would let him in before it did to the Trojan what it always seemed to do to the Earth Pony.

 

[Illiad Easle 3,135]

@Randimaxis

(I thought this could be a cool aside, but if you don't like it I'd be fine removing it.)

Dax's dreams weren't entirely undisturbed however, though he may have expected an intrusion by Selena at some point during his time here. This however, wasn't the same.

Instead of feeling the pull of a dream share, he felt a sort of push as something entered in, it was only due to his worry for Illiad that he even noticed the intrusion at all.

The dream simply shifted, and Dax found himself in darkness, but he could distinguish the darkness from other darkness, in a sense, like shadow puppets of a sort.

He and a dark shaped like Illiad sat on a dark shaped like a hill, staring at a dark shaped like the moon surrounded by dark stars against the dark canvas of the sky.

"You care for him." The voice was low, soft, and refined. Further even than Play's had been. "He cares for you too."

"I tried using that to help him see, using his care for you to spur him onward, but I see now I need to work from the other side, you must pull him forward."

"Soon, he will need to do something he doesn't want to do, you must encourage him to do it. You will know it when it happens."

It paused. "A question, and you will receive one answer in return: Why did you react so positively to his confession to the near annihilation of your family?"

(If we don't want to do this, or just when the above scene is over, the evening sets)

A low chime sounded throughout the house, like a bell or vibrating crystal. Considering the occupants of the house, the latter was very likely. Dax could hear the sounds of Illiad moving about upstairs, then the sound of a shower running, when had Dax last bathed again?

(Really it's open to how you want to start the day, I can fill in more details as to specific areas of the house if Dax wants to explore a bit while Illiad's in the shower.)

[Randimaxis 8,652]

2 hours ago, Illiad Easle said:

The dream simply shifted, and Dax found himself in darkness, but he could distinguish the darkness from other darkness, in a sense, like shadow puppets of a sort.

He KNEW he was in a dream... at least, he was fairly certain he was, but...

2 hours ago, Illiad Easle said:

He and a dark shaped like Illiad sat on a dark shaped like a hill, staring at a dark shaped like the moon surrounded by dark stars against the dark canvas of the sky.

Dax stared for a moment, trying to take in all that was going on.  

"This... h-hello..?"

He never knew that he could shiver in his dreams.

It's so... dark.  Foreboding.  Shadows sitting there like... like... I don't know; I've never experienced this sort of-

2 hours ago, Illiad Easle said:

"You care for him."

He nearly jumped out of his stripes.

2 hours ago, Illiad Easle said:

"He cares for you too."

Though he was afraid... he had the impression that he shouldn't be.  With a hard gulp, Dax took only the tiniest of steps towards the inky source of the words.

"I... I kn-know that.  Uhm... s-s-sir."

2 hours ago, Illiad Easle said:

"I tried using that to help him see, using his care for you to spur him onward, but I see now I need to work from the other side, you must pull him forward."

Me..?

"M-m-me?  Forward in... i-i-in what way?  S-sir?"

2 hours ago, Illiad Easle said:

"Soon, he will need to do something he doesn't want to do, you must encourage him to do it. You will know it when it happens."

Sweet... Luna's... Crown...

"You... y-you want me to... t-t-to... convince him?  Of... of what h-he has t-t-to do?"

Was Illiad seeing this too?  Is THAT why he was so shaken up?  As scary as this is, I have to say I can't blame him - it's darkness, but in the extreme.  It-

Dax's eyes went wide with shock... and revelation.

Darkness... if Selena is a star, more or less made of light... then this is...

2 hours ago, Illiad Easle said:

"A question, and you will receive one answer in return: Why did you react so positively to his confession to the near annihilation of your family?"

Dax swallowed back his nerves, and cleared his throat.

"... but he didn't actually DO it... sir, I've... I've m-made plenty of mistakes in my time, a-and second guessed myself even more than th-that... but th-there's no point in second guesses like th-those, because they're j-just..."

Courage, Dax - I don't know how, but this is for Illiad.  Courage...

He stood up a bit more, and tried to calm his hammering heart.

"... they're self-doubt, plain and simple.  Giving credence to those doubts does nothing but make them spin in your head, over and over, until you can't believe in yourself anymore.  My brother Harcourt used to tell me they were called the 'What-Ifs', and he made sure I understood that they were only as strong in you as you allow them to be."

"It DID kinda sc-scare me a bit, yeah... but if I would have made any mention of it, it wouldn't have helped him at all - it might have made him feel b-bad for something he didn't do wrong.  And that wasn't what I was there for; he looked like-"

Like he'd seen YOU...

"... like he'd horrified himself with something he only imagined he might have done.  And if I w-wanted my friend to calm down, I couldn't go that route - he'd only have beaten himself up over it even harder.  Sir, I wasn't reacting with fear because Illiad doesn't NEED fear... he needs understanding."

"I thought that, by reminding him he was supposed to be a balance, it might help him accept whatever flaws he saw in himself and come to better grips with them.  I mean, he did that for me, back at the campsite - heck, he did that a number of times during his stay at the quarry, reassuring me and telling me I had to change in order to change things for the better.  I was..."

He sighed, then looked directly at the shadowy figure, conviction in his eyes.

"... I was trying to be the same kind of friend for Illiad that he'd already been for me.  I didn't focus on the idea that he'd come so close to harming - even killing - everyone because that wasn't what HE needed; he needed to understand that it was okay to make hard decisions, but not be overwhelmed nor ruled by them."

Now a small smile began to creep onto his muzzle.

"Illiad helped me discover that I shouldn't beat myself up because of what I was forced to do - which, in comparison, was far easier than anything HE had to go through.  I could only imagine what he was feeling, but I knew how it FELT; I didn't want that for my friend.  It wasn't so much as reacting 'positively' to what he implied - it was a matter of looking past those fears to reassure him that his mistakes didn't define who he really was... especially mistakes he never made."

The sheepish smile made its' appearance now,... but his own personal confidence grew three sizes, right then and there.

"I wasn't about to let him get away with calling himself Pink-Slip, so to speak; it's not worth it... and as his friend, I simply won't have him doing that to himself."

And y'know... I think I'M done with that nickname as well... hunh, who'da thunk it?

Dax's heart opened wide, and threw the guilt he'd felt for so long right out on its' flank - with Illiad's help, Daxter Blackwater finally laid his worst personal experience to rest.

"... now, you said I'd get one answer in return, and I think I know what to ask you.  If you're still wanting to give an answer, that is... sir."

Though his fear was mostly gone, Dax still got the impression that whatever this entity was, it deserved his respect.

"Illiad is supposed to be a balance, right?  The gem he holds is representative of Karma, the pendulum of good AND bad, and Selena is the one who resides within it.  As I'd never seen any trace of... uhm, you... in there, then I'm left to assume that if Selena, as the balance of GOOD Karma, lives within the stone... then you... sir... must represent BAD Karma.  And if you're not in the gemstone..."

He gave the shadowy-thing a concerned look.  "... then you're inside HIM, aren't you?  That's why the room was so dark when I went to him, but the gem was still put away; to properly manifest in equal, balanced amounts, you have to be inside HIM, while Selena inhabits the Cloud Diamond.  And... and you only ask me to push him because you aren't reaching him, are you?  That's why he was going on about things - he said Selena was trying to teach him a hard lesson... but it wasn't Selena at all, was it?"

"It was YOU... and he doesn't want to admit to the darkness inside himself; that's why he was so distraught - because the lesson you're trying to teach him is how to be BAD when the need calls for it... and he's not accepting that aspect.  So now, you've come to call on me to help him understand, right?  To see that in order to maintain a balance, he has to accept BOTH sides, and not just Selena."

He thought back to Illiad's comments about the lovely entity he'd met in his dreams, and how the Trojan Empathic had referred to her.

"Would that mean... technically speaking, you're ALSO his child?  Like Selena, only you're the one he won't accept?  And it's tearing him apart inside, because somewhere in there, he KNOWS he has to accept you both in order to maintain a balance?  I... I can't imagine..."

His emerald eyes began to water.  "I can't imagine what it must be like to be a child whose parent won't accept them; even if you're only the spirit of bad Karma, that has to hurt so much inside..."

He took a deep breath, and tried to focus his watery vision on the shade in front of him.

"My question, then:  I can understand that you might only be a representation of Bad... but that doesn't mean YOU are Bad..."

He stepped forward, no longer afraid, but still careful not to come across as haughty or brash.

"... so, since I'm already friends with Illiad AND Selena... can... c-can..."

He extended a hoof, slight shaking, to the shadow before him.

"... can I be your friend, too?  I don't want mercy from any Bad Karma I may have personally built up - you have to do what you have to do - but... it doesn't mean you don't deserve a friend, too.  Would it be okay with you, if I offer a hoof to you in friendship?"

Dax had learned so much over the past week, and if anything, his gallant and heroic friend had most certainly taught him to be brave in the face of darkness; Havoc may have been the nastiest thing Dax had ever had to help deal with, but when he saw how the Empathic had fought against it - and the aftermath - he felt that it would have been only right for HIMSELF to do the same.

He had no idea what the shade would say, or even what it might think of such an offer... but if it was a part of Illiad as much as Selena was, and If Dax was willing to accept all that the Trojan was... then he would have to accept that darkness WITH the light, for better or for worse.  And as the best friend Dax had ever had, he was determined to know ALL of Illiad - even the scariest parts.

"Can I be YOUR friend too, s-sir?"

 

(We can deal with the wake-up after this; I LOVE the idea here!)

 

[Illiad Easle 3,135]

@Randimaxis

(I'm glad you like it so much!)

The dark shaped like a pony, though it could not be said to have a face or eyebrows to raise, nonetheless gave off the impression that it was raising one. "there was far more than one question there, but it is clear that the last is the one you truly want answered. Nonetheless, your suppositions will be clarified."

"First, Karma is not balanced of Good and Bad, but Mercy and Vengeance. Karma is not so much earned, as it is wished upon another." (You do a good deed and they wish good things towards you, you do a bad deed and they will be calling vengeance against you. It's similar, but more reliant on the one receiving rather than making the actions.)

"Second, Vengeance is unchanged since the beginning, when it was brought by the first 'One Who Wields'."

"Finally, one so attuned to Mercy as you, has no need for a friend in Vengeance."

The dark turned away, but due to the silhouette may actually have been turning more fully towards Dax, "For your sake, may we never meet again." 

Then as quick as it had entered, it had left. Leaving Dax wherever he had been when the dark had taken him.

[Randimaxis 8,652]

On 12/20/2018 at 9:13 PM, Illiad Easle said:

A low chime sounded throughout the house, like a bell or vibrating crystal. Considering the occupants of the house, the latter was very likely. Dax could hear the sounds of Illiad moving about upstairs, then the sound of a shower running, when had Dax last bathed again?

He opened his eyes, but he continued to sit there for a moment more.

Echoes of the dream ran through his mind, as well as his own thoughts as to what he felt.  As well as many, many things he'd been feeling since his arrival here in Troy - and it was a lot to go through.  For a moment, he even considered simply staying on the couch for the rest of the day... but that thought stopped soon after it manifested; he had things to do, and Illiad wouldn't like it if Dax allowed his feelings of inadequacy to shackle him to the house.

With a stretch, he slowly rose and blinked himself into morni-... uh, evening wakefulness.

Bath.  That will help.

He rose and flexed his legs, trying his best to push the last of the dream from his mind as he walked a slow, small lap around the living room.  He wiped the crust from his eyes and yawned, feeling his circulation becoming more enthusiastic about its' job, and scratched absently at his mane for a moment.

He sat back down, waiting for Illiad to finish so he could get himself clean and contemplating what breakfast might be.

[Illiad Easle 3,135]

@Randimaxis

It wasn't long before the sound of the running shower stopped, and only a few moments later that Illiad walked down the stairs, mane and tail wrapped in towels, another draped over his withers. "I hope I didn't keep you waiting long," he started making his way over to the small kitchen area, "There anything in particular you want for breakfast?"

There was absolutely no sign of the events that had transpired a few hours ago anywhere on his face, he seemed normal, well rested, nothing like the mess Dax had seen.

It would make one wonder, had Illiad really gotten past it? Or was he just hiding it for Dax's sake?

(I'll go ahead and describe the bathroom for you, in case he decides to go up there.)

Illiad's room looked just the same as it had, just without the extra darkness, it seemed Illiad was not the most tidy of ponies in his own element. The bathroom was, small. Cramped almost. It seemed that the area was designed more for a bipedal occupant, which would explain all the minotaurs and diamond dogs Illiad had as neighbors. Nonetheless everything was still functional with a bit of maneuvering, if he propped himself up in the shower he could fit just fine, and it gave an excellent angle for the shower head to hit his back and neck.

[Randimaxis 8,652]

On 12/28/2018 at 1:19 PM, Illiad Easle said:

"I hope I didn't keep you waiting long... there anything in particular you want for breakfast?"

Dax glanced at Illiad; regardless of his little wake-up routine, the Blackwater still looked as if he'd slept roughly.  He smacked his lips and blinked a bit before answering.

"Dunno... toast, I guess?  S'prise me."

He got up and proceeded upstairs, bathing himself forefront in his mind.

On 12/28/2018 at 1:19 PM, Illiad Easle said:

Illiad's room looked just the same as it had, just without the extra darkness, it seemed Illiad was not the most tidy of ponies in his own element. The bathroom was, small. Cramped almost. 

He gave a slight, wordless grumble as he worked to position himself where he could deal with the small space.  Once it became apparent that, no matter his efforts the bathroom would be difficult anyway, he sighed and simply worked his way to the shower, still sleepy yet anxious to clean off.

On 12/28/2018 at 1:19 PM, Illiad Easle said:

Nonetheless everything was still functional with a bit of maneuvering, if he propped himself up in the shower he could fit just fine, and it gave an excellent angle for the shower head to hit his back and neck.

It was when the water first hit him that Dax finally gave a sigh and really tried to relax.  As he went about the almost automatic task of scrubbing himself down, his mind wandered back a bit, trying to find sense in all he was dealing with...

... if he sees that talking to you about this sort of thing troubles you, he'll stop to spare your feelings...

Selena's voice echoed in his young head, the concern for Illiad as thick as maple syrup.  He had a feeling she was right, and that maybe the whole thing with last night had the Trojan shaken up... maybe not visibly, but Illiad was pretty good at hiding what he truly felt.  

You've helped Illiad much more than even he realizes.

That thought, sent mentally to him by Selena, gave him a bit of a grin.

Yeah... I have to be strong about this; I have to be ready for him to talk about these things, and NOT dread them.  I have to be supportive, and I can't do that very well if I bury myself under all my insecurities; he'll feel it in me - he'll know.  So I have to make the decision, myself, to just do what I can... and to leave any self-doubts, regrets or feelings of insignificance behind.  He doesn't need somepony moping and acting like a sad-sack.

He needs me to be a friend... and that's exactly what I should do.

Dax mentally took a deep breath, and shoved his personal issues under his own mental rug, so to speak; it wasn't exactly that his issues were solved, but he could always revisit them later from the comfort of his tent back home, once the exchange was over - right now, there were more important things to worry about.

Like Illiad.

Finishing his shower, he struggled a bit before finally getting himself dried off properly and heading back downstairs.  By the time he reached the small kitchen, Dax's emotional state was one of good cheer.  He made his way over to wherever Illiad was and grinned beatifically at him.

"Okay, all clean - no more sleep on my mind!  So, while we have breakfast here... wanna talk about what happened last night?  I mean, yeah - nightmares and all - but I kinda know you... and just because it doesn't look like you're having any issues... well, I just wanna be sure you're okay, y'know?  We can talk if you want... but it's your call, my friend.  No pressure, no judgments."

He was hoping that, by mentioning things so casually, it wouldn't worry or concern Illiad as much; if Selena had been right, then Dax figured he might open up about it if it didn't seem to bother him... and maybe, by being a bit cavalier about the ordeal, it would help Illiad to approach it more openly as well.

He wasn't making a big deal out of last night, and he hoped that would give his friend the confidence to talk about it.

[Illiad Easle 3,135]

@Randimaxis

When Dax came back downstairs there was a decent pile of toast there waiting for him along with a pair of spreads for him to use, namely peanut butter, and grape jelly. Illiad stood at the stove toasting another slice on a small pan.

In response to Dax's comment Illiad's face drooped in a long sigh before a slight smile returned to his face. "I'm fine, honestly. It really isn't something you need to worry about."

Illiad looked up at the wall, as if looking to change the subject as he magically pushed the plate of toast closer to where Dax was sitting. "We've got about an hour till the train to Alphyns leaves, so we'll need to leave here with Silver's invention in, oh, half an hour? Traffic could be bad getting out of the city, especially with such a crate."

[Randimaxis 8,652]

4 minutes ago, Illiad Easle said:

When Dax came back downstairs there was a decent pile of toast there waiting for him along with a pair of spreads for him to use, namely peanut butter, and grape jelly.

He moved to the plate, took up a piece of toast and munched, contemplating which of the offered foody-things he was going to use for the next slice.

4 minutes ago, Illiad Easle said:

"I'm fine, honestly. It really isn't something you need to worry about."

Dax lifted an eyebrow... then gave his own quick sigh and shrugged.

"You're my friend, Illiad - that's kinda what friends do.  But okay; friends also don't push issues, I guess... but if it bugs you too much, I'm always available."

Peanut butter, he thought to himself as he looked around for a butterknife; it wouldn't do to spread it on with his bare hoof.  If Illiad wasn't going to even acknowledge last night, then it wouldn't do any good to pursue it - even if it did help Dax finally let go of being any kind of Pink-Slip.

Still, he hoped the Trojan would let it out at some point, and Dax simply hoped he'd be the one Illiad let it out to.

8 minutes ago, Illiad Easle said:

"We've got about an hour till the train to Alphyns leaves, so we'll need to leave here with Silver's invention in, oh, half an hour? Traffic could be bad getting out of the city, especially with such a crate."

... and with that, the spectre of last night's dream vanished as he took in the realization that he'd be seeing the stars from the grand and glorious Alphyns Observatory tonight.  Though he'd spent quite a bit of his life staring at the stars, now he'd have the best view in all of Equus... or at least, the best view an Earth Pony would ever get.

"Yeah - the Oasis Maker's gonna be a BIG hit, I'm sure of it!  I just hope the folks at TrUST are ready for it... 'cause YOU seemed pretty impressed, so I think they should be, y'know, at least fascinated by the concept and such.  Plus, Silver could really use some outside interest in her work; it's not like there's a lot of brainy folks at the quarry, so she could use a friend or two who could match her thought-for-thought."

And if she's gonna spread the word across Equus about her inventions, she could use all the help she can get... especially if Celestia herself catches word of it.

 

[Illiad Easle 3,135]

@Randimaxis

Illiad joined Dax at the counter where he had placed the toast, carrying the slice he had just toasted in his magical grasp before passing Dax a knife. He pulled a spoon out for himself to use the jelly, smiling a bit as he remembered Dax's joke about it, before spreading some on his own slice.

"I'm sure they will, once they see it there's no way they'll be able to resist bringing Silver into their team. Then she'll have all the resources she could ever want to keep being a genius."

With that he turned to enjoy his breakfast, eyeing the crate he had dragged over to the door while Dax had been in the shower, "That's not going to be fun to carry to the train station though. At least it'll only be one way."

[Randimaxis 8,652]

On 1/4/2019 at 10:04 PM, Illiad Easle said:

"That's not going to be fun to carry to the train station though. At least it'll only be one way."

Dax gave a chuckle.

"You DO remember that I'm an Earth Pony, right?  I can carry it, no problem - as long as we can secure it to my back, that is."

He used the knife to spread the peanut butter all over his toast, even putting a layer around the crust before he munched it down. 

Do Trojans and Equestrians use the same peanuts, I wonder... I mean, they could grow them out here, I guess, but maybe peanuts are also on embargo?  Am I eating black market peanut butter right now?  Well, regardless, it still tastes just as good as any I'd find in our pantry back home... so I guess, when it comes to some things, it doesn't matter if it's from Troy or Equestria - it's just a thing.  

He smiled to himself.  In this case, a yummy thing.

"So, the observatory, right?  Do you know the folks in charge?  I was wondering, because if you did, I could ask you about them... but if you don't know anyone there personally, it's okay.  I mostly just wanted to know if it was another friend of yours - you have so many!"

At this point, his excitement was waking up, yawning, stretching, and preparing for the ramping-up that was undoubtedly coming; to Dax, the chance to see those twinkling friends of his through a professional-grade telescope was one he'd been looking forward to since the Empathic had first mentioned it to him - and it was really going to happen.

 

[Illiad Easle 3,135]

@Randimaxis

Illiad looked thoughtfully at Dax, before a chagrined expression took over. "Sorry, I keep forgetting that you're almost an adult." He looked like he was about to say something  more, then shook his head, "I suppose we could both carry it, if it come to that, at the very least I could hold it upright on your back so it doesn't get away from you."

He ate some more of his own breakfast as Dax did, "Honestly, no. I don't know any of the staff there, but another friend of mine has made arrangements for us, one who wants to introduce themselves personally when we get there, and thus I won't tell you anything about them just yet." His smile grew at the mystery he had presented, before he began to move the empty dishes to the sink. "Now, I suppose we ought to get moving no? The train certainly wont be waiting for us if we're late."

[Randimaxis 8,652]

On 1/12/2019 at 5:40 PM, Illiad Easle said:

"Sorry, I keep forgetting that you're almost an adult... I suppose we could both carry it, if it come to that, at the very least I could hold it upright on your back so it doesn't get away from you."

Forgot?  Is that... a good thing, or a bad one?  Is it because I'm so youthful & exuberant... or is it because I come across as childish?  Either way, I don't think he meant any harm... but it does make me wonder.  Just a bit.

Dax grinned, all the same.  "It'd be kinda awkward, you walking close enough to hold it up for me.  Really, all it would take would be a bit of rope, or maybe some belts?"

He knew that, as an Earth Pony, he was physically strong - he just rarely got much chance to actually use that strength, so it didn't come up very often.  However, as Luther Blackwater's son, Dax most certainly had the back for hauling the crate around; he was kind of looking forward to doing so, as it might help remind the Empathic that they were closer in age than he acted.

On 1/12/2019 at 5:40 PM, Illiad Easle said:

"Honestly, no. I don't know any of the staff there, but another friend of mine has made arrangements for us, one who wants to introduce themselves personally when we get there, and thus I won't tell you anything about them just yet."

Dax grinned at the prospect of meeting yet another friend of Illiad's.  He's got so many - no wonder he had no problems making more at the quarry!  Telling me he didn't have that many friends... he was being modest!

"Awwwww... but that's okay," he grinned, "it's still gonna be neat to see this place, I'm sure - and any friend of yours is a friend of mine!"

I hope, he inwardly chuckled.

On 1/12/2019 at 5:40 PM, Illiad Easle said:

"Now, I suppose we ought to get moving no? The train certainly wont be waiting for us if we're late."

"Ah!  Two shakes!  Hold up!  Let me just... uh..."

Dax looked over the dishes in the sink, and wanted to go ahead and wash them... but he realized that, being out in the desert, there might be a shortage on water availability, and his dishwashing might be too much of a strain on reserves, if water was rationed here as Madam Goldenrod had led him to believe.  He glanced back at Illiad, with a Dax-Patented sheepish grin in place.

"Uhm... i-if the dishes can wait, then we can go - just a habit not to leave them to sit; you can thank Father for that.  If you think it's fine, then let's go."

His eagerness was bubbling up inside like a freshly-opened bottle of soda pop.

 

[Illiad Easle 3,135]

@Randimaxis

Illiad chuckled as he shook his head, "It's just crumbs, they can wait till we get back. Though that is a very good habit to have." He spread his stance out a bit as he hefted the crate in his magic, as if testing its weight, before turning back to look at Dax, "If you're sure you want to carry it, I can balance it with my magic as I walk beside you."

He carefully lifted it over to Dax so he could place it on his back, (You're the one who knows how heavy it actually is, so you can judge Dax's reaction to it.) Once on Dax's back it was a rather simple magic to keep it balanced as he walked, doing a little lap of the living room to be sure before Illiad deemed themselves ready to walk.

Illiad opened the door, outside Deltrot was just starting to wake up as the sun was beginning to hide behind the western wall, still providing a decent amount of illumination to the streets. The wind had a slight chill to it that wasn't altogether unpleasant, and the sentiment seemed to be enjoyed by the creatures of all types walking around them. Illiad led the way, following the path that the cart had taken them when they had first arrived.

(I didn't have anything special planned for this walk, so if there's something you'd like to happen, a chance glimpse of Harcourt perhaps? Or some aspect of the local culture you'd like brought to Dax's attention let me know so it can be added.)

In all they were able to arrive to the train station without much incident, and right on time too as their train was just pulling in to the station as they did, to which Illiad left Dax for a moment to rush off to buy them some tickets.

[Randimaxis 8,652]

1 hour ago, Illiad Easle said:

"If you're sure you want to carry it, I can balance it with my magic as I walk beside you."

Dax nodded, and waited for the crate. 

I know I'm not going to have any issues with it, but all the same I'd rather ensure that it wouldn't be too much to carry.  Granted, I'd helped the miners deal with cart after cart of rocks from the mining I'd done back then, but I think it wouldn't be too much of a stretch to just try it out again, making it a certainty that I can... uhm...

He then noticed it was already on his back; the weight wasn't going to be any issue.

Oh... o-okay, then.

1 hour ago, Illiad Easle said:

Illiad led the way, following the path that the cart had taken them when they had first arrived.

The Blackwater took in the sights again, enjoying the exotic locale around him and trying to see as much as he could.  The myriad of different races here was electric to a pony like Dax, as he'd been used to seeing only a small contingency of other types at the quarry; Doc Zinger had been the most 'different' being he'd ever laid eyes on, and she was only a single entity... Deltrot, however, was a melting pot of other folks, all working and living together under one banner.

Someday, if I'm the one who ends up in charge of the quarry, I'm gonna be SURE to hire as many different kinds of folks as I can - it'll remind me of being here.

"Y'know, Illiad... with everything that happened with meeting your friends the other day, it occurred to me that I never got the chance to give them the presents I'd brought; is there any chance we'd be able to get the gifts to them during the rest of the week... or did I miss my only shot at it?"

(I figure he'll answer while they walk.)

1 hour ago, Illiad Easle said:

In all they were able to arrive to the train station without much incident, and right on time too as their train was just pulling in to the station as they did, to which Illiad left Dax for a moment to rush off to buy them some tickets.

Dax started to take a seat... then felt the weight on his back shift, and elected to stay upright instead.

Hunh, almost forgot about it, he thought.

[Illiad Easle 3,135]

@Randimaxis

(Illiad's response)

Illiad looked surprised, then chuckled as he realized, "Ah, yeah we should've done than yesterday." He shrugged with a sidelong grin to Dax, "I'm sure you haven't seen the last of them though. Besides, wouldn't it be better if the gift giving was a bit more personal?"

(Back to the train station)

Dax wouldn't notice initially, but across the platform was a unicorn filly that looked to be about his age, staring at him, who would hide behind some crates when she noticed that he had noticed.

Nonetheless, it wasn't long before Illiad was back with their tickets. "So, since we're late to get tickets, we'll be some of the last to board, which shouldn't take too long to be honest, but still." he lifted the box off of Dax's back to set it on the platform for a moment before a diamond dog dressed in the uniform of the train came to collect it. A smirk came to Illiad's face, "Someone came out to see you, or that filly's got eyes for someone behind us."

 

[Randimaxis 8,652]

27 minutes ago, Illiad Easle said:

"Ah, yeah we should've done than yesterday.  I'm sure you haven't seen the last of them though. Besides, wouldn't it be better if the gift giving was a bit more personal?"

Maybe... but it would've been nifty to see the others' reactions to each other's gifts, too.

"Well, we've still got pretty much a whole week.  Besides, you're probably right - one-on-one would probably be better for Carbon at least; I don't know that I've ever seen someone that shy."

He gave a chuckle, then continued looking around as they walked.

 

31 minutes ago, Illiad Easle said:

Dax wouldn't notice initially, but across the platform was a unicorn filly that looked to be about his age, staring at him, who would hide behind some crates when she noticed that he had noticed.

He glanced around himself a bit, looking for the source of the filly's interest for a moment before realizing it might actually had been him.

Well... hunh.  It's kinda weird, getting that reaction from someone; maybe this is just another friend, waiting to be discovered?

He gave a slight grin and a shy wave at the filly, hoping that he wasn't coming across as scary.

34 minutes ago, Illiad Easle said:

"So, since we're late to get tickets, we'll be some of the last to board, which shouldn't take too long to be honest, but still."

"Sorry if it was my fault... but I get the feeling it was more that we just didn't get moving soon enough.  It's okay, I guess; I'm eager to get where we're going, but I'm not in any kind of hurry - I'm enjoying the city itself, to be honest."

The box's weight wasn't horrible, but if Dax hadn't been an Earth Pony, he might've sighed in relief when it was finally removed; as it was, he barely seemed to notice.

37 minutes ago, Illiad Easle said:

"Someone came out to see you, or that filly's got eyes for someone behind us."

Dax smiled.  "Actually, I already looked around, and I didn't see anyone else... so... maybe I should say hi?"

With that, he literally just turned to face her direction, lifted a hoof in another wave, and called out, "Hi there!"

[Illiad Easle 3,135]

@Randimaxis

The filly Eeaped adorably at Dax's added attention before she dashed onto the train, only giving the conductor a split second to see it as she rushed past.

It wasn't five seconds later that Dax could spot her again, peering over a windowsill at him from her seat on the train, seemed she was even shyer than Dax had ever been.

Illiad chuckled, "She's certainly got eyes for you, I wonder what Mystic would think Hmm? If she saw you attracting the gaze of other mares?"

Nonetheless he stretched as he got up, and before long they were seated on the train, fortunately or not, they were in a different car from the filly that had been eyeing him earlier, and without further ado the train set out, it wasn't quite as fast as the one that had brought them in to Troy, and the seats were just a bit comfier.

Illiad looked like he was going to fall asleep in his seat, muttering that they should be arriving in an hour or so. Seems his rough night was catching back up to him in this moment of calm.

The scenery, or lack thereof, of the ever shifting dunes passed them, occasionally a pony or other brown robed figure could be seen, either individually or in small groups, out on the dunes watching as the train passed.

Over time the sand smoothed out into more of a hardened plain of clay, cracked by the sun in odd patterns.

[Randimaxis 8,652]

On 1/20/2019 at 12:16 AM, Illiad Easle said:

"She's certainly got eyes for you, I wonder what Mystic would think Hmm? If she saw you attracting the gaze of other mares?"

"What?  But... I was just trying to m-make a friend!  It's not like it was... I mean, I didn't..."

He stopped himself, then gave a slight grin.  "Oh, ha ha.  Funny, Illiad.  Honestly, though..."  he looked to the train window she was peeking from and waved again, "do you really think she... well, I mean..."

I don't get it.  I mean, yeah, I saved Oracle's freedom, so I can see why she felt the way she did towards me... and okay, I can understand how that kinda grew into... uhm, something more, I think... but some random filly just... j-just acting like that?  How does HE know?  I mean, maybe she was just frightened because I'm Equestrian, and she found out somehow, or maybe it was my black coat, or...

He stopped his train of thought, then mentally rethought.  Of COURSE he knows... Empath, remember?

Regardless, he was still a bit taken by the idea that he'd garnered the attention of TWO different fillies; Dax was used to being overlooked, or seen as a 'little brother' type - he honestly was sort of at a loss as to how such a thing had happened at all.

As he boarded the train, he took stock again of how different it was from the trains in Equestria.  The lack of frills, hearts or even pastels was certainly something he wasn't adverse to; he had always believed the typical Friendship Express decorations had been a bit frou-frou for his own tastes, and the Trojan trains were more straightforward and sensible.  Dax liked it, honestly - he didn't feel as if he were riding on a foal's choo-choo.

On 1/20/2019 at 12:16 AM, Illiad Easle said:

The scenery, or lack thereof, of the ever shifting dunes passed them, occasionally a pony or other brown robed figure could be seen, either individually or in small groups, out on the dunes watching as the train passed.

Dax's eyes wandered the scenery - mostly taking in all that sand, and marveling at it's sheer volume.  Illiad had told him the sand would get boring quickly... however, so far it seemed as though that weren't the case.  The young Blackwater took in the sight of it, wondering how big of a sandcastle he could make, were he given enough time.

Big enough to live in, I'll bet.  Maybe even make an entire city from it!

He glanced over at his friend, and though he wanted to take the moment to ask about last night again... he chose instead to let Illiad rest; if it was meant to come out, it would.  Until then, Dax had to remain patient and let whatever happened, happen.

All that space, not taken up by trees, or buildings, or lakes, or anything... just miles and miles of sand, flowing along next to the train like a river.  Wow.

He was fairly certain he'd get teased for revealing these thoughts (in a good-natured manner, of course), yet he couldn't help himself.  The stallion simply sat there, his eyes tracking the ups and downs of the dunes outside, watching them roll by as they sped along in the night.

[Illiad Easle 3,135]

@Randimaxis

It wasn't long before the train began to slow noticeably, in the distance he could see the city approaching, and already the differences were apparent. First off, the station was much closer to the city, close enough that he could almost touch the city wall if he stuck his hoof out the window. The wall itself was another thing, on the approach it was clear that the wall curved around the city, but it stuck out along the curve of the train track, almost like the track was also being shielded by the wall, furthermore the wall was clearly a different material, it seemed to shine like it was polished while Troy and Deltrot had a much more weathered look to them. It positively gleamed in the moonlight.

The slowing of the train was enough to stir Illiad back into wakefulness, he yawned and got out of his seat once the train had stopped, "I needed that," he turned to Dax, "So, enjoy the view? Tired of all the sand yet? I mean there's not all that much here around Alphyns, which is great since we'll be walking out to the observatory once we finish with this package."

(Opportunity for Dax to comment)

With that hey moved to disembark, and the further differences presented themselves abundantly. First off were the moving statues that were busy unloading the crates from the back, one had the upper body similar to a minotaur, and it was loading boxes onto the back of one shaped like an earth pony, but with a back like a kitchen table, and eight legs. Once it was loaded up with crates it moved very smoothly to the entrance, a soft blue glow in a line where its eyes would have been leading the way. It even nimbly stopped when a foal accidentally crossed into it's path, it made a noise at the foal like a loud hum until the path was clear for it to move forward again. Another like it came out from the city to be loaded up by the minotaur one.

Illiad followed the crowd, having his and Dax's documents ready as he came up to the visitors window. He passed them under a purple light, which turned green after a moment for each of them, and the attendant waved them through.

The wall wasn't very thick, and nearly at once Dax was exposed to the city of Alphyns.

The whole thing shined like the surface of the moon, the buildings in a bowl shape grew taller the further they were from the oasis in the center, providing each and every rooftop a clear view of it, there was a cloud area similar to what Swift had shown him over Troy, only this one was much closer to the ground, and there were a number of objects floating all over the area between the oasis and the cloud section, with more pegasi than he had ever seen in one place moving up and down the collection.

Those walking the streets lacked much of the cultural diversity of Deltrot, as they were mostly ponies, though there were a considerable number of minotaur here and a number of both deer and reindeer, though those two clearly separated themselves.

[Randimaxis 8,652]

1 hour ago, Illiad Easle said:

"So, enjoy the view? Tired of all the sand yet? I mean there's not all that much here around Alphyns, which is great since we'll be walking out to the observatory once we finish with this package."

Dax gave a slight chuckle.  "The sand still isn't boring yet, but I'll let you know when it is.  That wall, however... wowzers."

He stared for a bit before he got moving, following Illiad as they disembarked; once he saw the bustling station, he was awestruck once again.

His eyes locked on the moving statues, and he watched them set to their tasks, a look of wonder set into his muzzle.  He was vaguely aware he probably looked every bit the tourist with that look on his mug, but at the moment he didn't really care - he was seeing what he considered to be a magical miracle... yet he was fairly certain this would be commonplace, as it seemed like everything in Troy was.

He gave a bit of a start as he saw the foal run out in front of the hauling statue, but grew a smile as he watched the interaction when it waited for the little one to pass.  Boy, when they make magic in Troy, they don't skimp, do they?

Dax watched with interest as the papers/light thing happened - what THAT was for, he hadn't a clue - but when they moved past the wall, his eyes seemed to widen, as if they yearned to take everything in at once.  He marveled at the shapes of the buildings, stared at the sheer beauty of the architecture, and wondered at the floating portion.

"... shiny..." 

He wanted to say so much more, but was still a bit stunned to gather his thoughts into decent words.

[Illiad Easle 3,135]

@Randimaxis

Illiad too seemed impressed by the wall as they passed through it, "Yeah, I couldn't tell you what they made it out of, marble I think, though whatever it is they probably coated it with something to keep the sand from eroding it."

Illiad collected their crate, or rather the crate was brought to them and he picked it up, placing it on his own back, and looking surprised at how much it actually weighed, "You're much stronger than I thought Dax, you made this look way too easy." But he didn't move to put it on Dax's back, seems he was set to stick this one out. "It's not far from here anyway, unless they moved." With that he started to head towards the center of town.

As they approached the floating objects came into focus, revealing themselves to be platforms of some sort, as one lowered Dax could see some plants growing on it while a unicorn sat on another taking notes. It seemed they had taken to using the vertical space above their oasis for growing crops, or at the very least, for open air experiments. The closer they got the more details revealed themselves, the platforms weren't all floating, most of them seemed to be suspended by a veritable web of cables and strings, tying them all together and all of them to the cloud, with only a few actually floating ones to move the non winged researchers and farmers around them.

As the buildings near them grew shorter, they also grew wider, and Dax could now see as they were nearly at the oasis that many if not all of the buildings had some sort of plant growing on top of it. Soon enough Illiad made a turn past a sign embossed with a triple triangle weave (The one you made so well) With the word TRUST engraved next to it. Within the design, specifically on each of the triangles, was a word written over and over again. One triangle said Trojan Empire, another Griffon Kingdoms, and the third, West Cervidas.

As Illiad approached the doors to the building he was stopped by a pair of moving statues, they stood as tall as a minotaur, though much thinner, and each held a full length halberd in an arm. The closer one moved to inspect the crate, lifting it effortlessly off of him and setting it on a table, the table glowed with magic, then the statue returned it to Illiad, and the second statue opened the doors for them to enter. "It's a security measure, given the importance of this place they don't want anything dangerous getting in that they can't put back together after it blows up."

The interior of the building was very open-air, there were a number of comfortable looking seats in areas separated by glass walls, a few of which were covered in diagrams that the scientists inside had drawn. There were about 5 to each side of the path they walked to get to the receptionist, where there were chairs on their side of the glass. Illiad gestured to one of the chairs as he went up to the receptionist with Silver's device. "Shouldn't take long, once they see the schematics they should be very excited to see her prototype."

With that he set the box down next to the desk and began talking quietly with the mare working reception.

No sooner had Illiad left his side than a door on the left wall of the reception area opened and a very smartly dressed earth pony stallion walked out, rather than the typical Trojan robes he wore a brown suit jacket. He took instant notice of Dax and walked towards him with a walk that exuded power and confidence, "You there! Welcome, what brings you to the TRUST this fine evening?" He gave a hearty chuckle as he shook Dax's hoof, weather it was extended or not, "I may not own it, but I sure do run the place, name's Clave Bunsen, and you look like you're here to do some science. I just got word of another colt like you from Equestria of all places, they say he built a rune capable of collecting magic right out of the air."