open Far From Home (RP)

[EQ_Theta 450]

@@Samurai Equine

If he had known there was much to do outside of the observatory, he would've leapt at the chance to do so. Night Eyes wondered why he was cooped up on his work for so long but he would always resort to his knee-jerk response of "having to live up to expectations" or "not squandering the opportunities given to him." He reached for his bits in glee but thought about his purchase, or what he would be purchasing.

"Just before we make this transaction, is there anything special about the cherry blossom tree sap? Or if not, what could tree sap be used for? I'm picking this up for someone else but I'm curious."

[captainborgue 343]

@@captainborgue

 

There was a fair present in Canterlot but a carnival wasn't scheduled at all, at least from what pamphlets Senlin encountered. As far as he knows, only the fair was meant to be around for a few days. 

 

"I'm sorry but you must be mistaken. There's no carnival around and there isn't going to be one. I've searched around many towns, following up on possible leads but they've all stopped at dead ends. I hoped Lin would be here since this is the kind of place she'd likely go to but I haven't seen any trace of her. I suppose we could have a look around since I just got here but I don't want to waste your time, Valence. If I may ask, what brings you here to Canterlot?"

 

 

Valence puzzled over his statement for a bit. "Oh, I see, so the terms 'fair' and 'carnival' must not be interchangeable then. Good to know," she said, feeling a little stupid. "I'm not very familiar with the terminology, I suppose."

 

It was difficult to hear Senlin explain his efforts, since they so closely mirrored her own when Noir had disappeared. Part of her wanted to help for that reason alone- it was cruel and painful when somepony you cared deeply about just vanished. It struck close to home, even all these years later. "Oh! Well... I guess I came to Canterlot to try and make friends. I've hard a hard time of things lately, and I thought getting away for a bit and seeing new things would help. It's... it's a little overwhelming, really, though I think I'm starting to get a handle on it. Maybe next year I can bring Nova, too," Val said, with a wan smile. "She is home with my parents now, I thought it would be too much to handle to have a filly trotting about on top of all the other excitement."

[EQ_Theta 450]

@@captainborgue
@@Samurai Equine

It was heartwarming for Senlin to know someone was out here to see the world. Lin certainly wanted that as well and now here he is living out his sister's desire. Though it still pains him since he isn't able to share what he sees with his sister and he knows that when they return to their forest, they will very likely be made an outcasts. The elders will not take kindly to his sudden disappearance and their unanticippated homecoming.

"I'm sure Nova will love to be here. It isn't often the world comes to one place and gives everyone something special to see and give them something to take home. Come, let us walk. Is there anything you come here for specifically or are you here to see the sights?"

Senlin smiled and nodded towards Samurai as he had one more look at his wares, passing by a pegasus asking about tree sap. "I might come back later."

[captainborgue 343]

"Thank you," Valence said, smiling. "I was hoping mostly to see the sights, maybe talk to some ponies. And nonponies, too, species isn't the most important thing. I think who a pony is is way more important than what they are. Too many ponies get hung up on race or species, I've never understood that," Valence said as they walked. "I suspect that there is a cultural more that dictates how species or member races of the same species are to behave to one another, but as my field is in physical sciences and not cultural study, I'm not familiar with these 'rules'. I've always found them fascinating, really, even if completely confusing," Val said, slipping into her usual rapid speech pattern.

 

"Now, if it was something like the physical adaptations of various species to better suit their environment, that would make more sense to me. Though I'm not an evolutionary biologist, the science is still sound. Or if physiology reflects the chemical exposures of their environment. As a grad student, I once had a chance to study the crystalline lattices of naturally occurring corundum in the mountains north of the Crystal Empire, which unlike typical gem quality corundum had impurities present from the high concentrations of bauxite which made the corundum a greyish color- probably why nopony wanted to mine it for gems" Valence said, happily prattling on. "Although the transluscent properties of it turned out to make it highly desirable for dragon whelps, which I suspect may be the result of immature dragons requiring heavy mineral content in their diets to supplement their physiological development, and these "less desirable" stones would therefore be less sought after by older dragons, thus improving the chance of the whelps being able to consume it without an altercation they would be sure to lose," Val said, continuing. "Unfortunately, corundum is a very durable mineral, which means that attempting to mine the bauxite in order to extract raw aluminum would be very difficult in terms of equipment expenditure. So my entire these about the Crystal Empire being ideally suited for industry was shot. But still! Failing in scientific endeavor is still learning!"

[EQ_Theta 450]

@@captainborgue

Valence's prattling on about corundum was a fascinating one to hear about despite Senlin being unable to understand most of it. He was mostly lost but he had gained insight about what was beyond his home in the forest. While unable to catch up on terminologies, he was more or less content with what he heard as he learned about this new concept of "science."

"Interesting, both about your study in stones and this thing called 'science.' To be honest, I haven't heard of such, it's disciplines sound intriguing. It makes me wonder how far behind my clan is from the rest of the world; it's somehow unnerving as well to learn one day that alchemy and potion-making could be studied with such depth. My clan would be devastated to hear about such things but they don't know what they are missing." 

 

[captainborgue 343]

"Oooh, you know alchemy? I've always been fond of alchemy! My own abilities were mistaken as such for a while, but while alchemy can change one material into another, mine can only rearrange the structures by which all matter is composed to realign the atoms into new configurations. though there are some limits, of course. It took me YEARS to study physical chemistry enough to really get a feel for how atomic bonds work in the first place, and it only works if I am really familiar with the composition of the source material and it's stable. Potions, on the other hoof, are a little beyond my capacity. I understand the concept of it, and in many cases I even know what materials or compounds are needed, but the process of turning disparate components with a variety of medicinal properties into a single concoction that somehow disperses harmful effects or increases beneficial ones is fascinating to me, but beyond my ability," Val said, as she curiously examined a nearby booth.

 

"Oh, there's nothing to fear about science- it's merely a method of forming conclusions based on repeatable observations. It's actually quite natural, really, everypony does it. For example, if one were to eat berries from a particular bush and get sick, they would be unlikely to eat those berries again. They may not have mentally created a hypothesis of the berries causing the illness on a conscious level, of course, but the alteration in behavior would itself be a form of analysis based upon the evidence acquired. That is essentially how formal science works, only in the formal setting one determines a hypothesis- an educated guess- of what they are trying to prove, then uses experimentation to collect data, and analyzes the data in an effort to prove or disprove their initial effort. I mostly studied stones in an effort to ascertain how they were made- everything is made of the same basic components, just put together in different ways. It's unethical to experiment on living beings- at least, for me it is- so I study stones and gems and metals and such. It's fascinating work," Valence said, completely unaware of how much she was talking, until she noticed some of the other fair goers staring at her.

 

"sorry, I get carried away sometimes. So, er, you said you were looking for your sister. When was the last time you saw her? what does she look like? Does she sound like you? Not to be rude, but your speech mannerisms are not typical for Equestria, so her speech would stand out and be easier to remember," valence said, trying to think of what might be helpful.

Edited January 25, 2016 by captainborgue

[EQ_Theta 450]

@@captainborgue

"I'm wondering about that too..." Senlin hadn't thought about many things ever since that day he left. His eyes set on only one goal for the longest time and nothing else mattered to him. 

"You see, I lost Lin years ago and I don't know where she could be. We share a similar way of speaking and you are likely to find her by using me as a reference. We share the same hide and spine colors but her horns look more like stubs compared to mine. Female longma don't grow large horns. I only learned very little about alchemy and potion-making before I left home to find her and I've been on the road ever since. And don't apologize for your quirks; it's nice to see those kinds of ponies who stand out from others." 

The longma's eyes darted around the fair looking for any trace of Lin, holding on to hope that she may be around. 

[captainborgue 343]

"I'm sorry, that must have been hard. I know what it's like to lose somepony. How long ago did she leave?" Valence said, using her magic to jot some notes about Longma physiology in the memo book she always kept with her. It was a habit she'd gotten into during her pregnancy, and it had proven very useful during that time. "Are you going to resume your studies when you find your sister?" Valence said, peaking her head around a nearby booth to get a view of the back of the displays. There was a lovely floral scent in the air, which was making her a little hungry.

 

Hmm. That posed an interesting question. "Do Longma have any deitary restrictions or preferences? If your species requires specific nutrients, then logically, finding a readily available source for those nutrients could potentially be a valuable lead."

Edited January 26, 2016 by captainborgue

[Samurai Equine 50,363]

@@Samurai Equine

 

If he had known there was much to do outside of the observatory, he would've leapt at the chance to do so. Night Eyes wondered why he was cooped up on his work for so long but he would always resort to his knee-jerk response of "having to live up to expectations" or "not squandering the opportunities given to him." He reached for his bits in glee but thought about his purchase, or what he would be purchasing.

 

"Just before we make this transaction, is there anything special about the cherry blossom tree sap? Or if not, what could tree sap be used for? I'm picking this up for someone else but I'm curious."

 

 

@@captainborgue

@@Samurai Equine

 

It was heartwarming for Senlin to know someone was out here to see the world. Lin certainly wanted that as well and now here he is living out his sister's desire. Though it still pains him since he isn't able to share what he sees with his sister and he knows that when they return to their forest, they will very likely be made an outcasts. The elders will not take kindly to his sudden disappearance and their unanticippated homecoming.

 

"I'm sure Nova will love to be here. It isn't often the world comes to one place and gives everyone something special to see and give them something to take home. Come, let us walk. Is there anything you come here for specifically or are you here to see the sights?"

 

Senlin smiled and nodded towards Samurai as he had one more look at his wares, passing by a pegasus asking about tree sap. "I might come back later."

 

Samurai waves at Senlin, recognizing him from earlier. Still, he needs to focus on Night Eyes. "Well, if there is anything magical about this tree sap, it probably will only help you if you have ties to elemental magic. In Japon, gifted unicorns tend to excel in such magic. For example, I excel in fire magic. If I may demonstrate..."

 

Samurai walks to a more open area near his booth, big enough for any passer-bys to see. "Flaming Horn ATTACK!!!" Aiming his horn to the sky, it shoots of a pretty tall blast of fire before calming down to a small, constant flame at the tip of his horn. Samurai makes this fire dance around in a show-worthy way before it finally goes out.

 

Samurai returns to his booth and to Night Eyes. "I hope you enjoyed that. That's all the information I have. I would need to contact the shogunate in my home land for more information."

[EQ_Theta 450]

@@captainborgue

Senlin thought long and hard but the years haven't been kind to him. He didn't have any perception of time or enough to know how much the passage of time has changed. All he knows is that his physical appearance has changed and he uses that in relation to time, though how accurate or inaccurate that could be is left to the more knowledgable ones.

"It's been, what... years since we last saw each other. We were children, we were naive, and we didn't heed our elders; I guess this is the price we pay for venturing beyond our boundaries. We were out looking for some berries to eat but longma prefer plants in general. We don't go after other creatures despite our seemingly predator-like appearance. Anyway, we decided to stop looking late afternoon and explore the outer reaches of the forest when it happened. I lost her in the forest when we were chased by creatures that hid well in the night. I assumed they were pack animals since there was definitely more than one after us. I was able to reach the village but when I turned around, I didn't see Lin anywhere. Well, since you mentioned what I'd do after, I don't know. I very much doubt Lin and I will be welcomed back home since those who suddenly disappear from the clan's home have their records destroyed. I left home when my clan gave up on searching for Lin. I refused to believe she was gone forever so I chose to walk away and find her, even if it takes a lifetime. When the day comes when we walk in there, everyone will be looking at two ghosts because to them, we don't exist anymore."

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@@Samurai Equine
@@reader8363
@

"I guess this could work. Here you go, 7 bits as you dictated." 

Night Eyes rummaged through a small pouch in his satchel and handed the exact amount towards Samurai. Now the matter turns to where Gem and Travelture are. 
 

[captainborgue 343]

Val felt an immediate rush of sympathy and maternalism towards Senlin as he told his story. "I'm so sorry to hear that. I don't know your species well enough to conjecture on behavioral development, but among ponies it is natural for adolescents to seek out experiences and information about the world on their own, rather than relying entirely on generational learning. I admit, I don't understand the cultural context, but perhaps if returning home is not an option, you two could find somewhere else to consider home?"

 

Valence was intrigued by the display of fire magic- there was a level of control, an artistic precision, that she found fascinating. Valence couldn't figure out how he did it without the heat of the flame distorting the image of the flame. It was remarkable. Partly she was glad for the distraction- based on Senlin's story, it seemed the most likely outcome was that his sister had been caught, killed, and consumed by the predatory creatures that he had managed to avoid himself. So, in a sense, he was looking for a ghost. She had come to terms with that reality herself just a couple years ago- that the most likely reason she had heard nothing whatsoever from Noir was that he had died. It was a painful realization to come to- but she was also an adult, with a supportive family structure, not an adolescent entirely isolated by his family and his entire species.

Edited January 27, 2016 by captainborgue

[EQ_Theta 450]

@@captainborgue

There was much more to explain but Senlin had once heard that anyone would be bored extending sympathy at times. And others would see this as a way to gain attention. Either way he saw it, he felt he needed to let it out, more so since a stranger asked him. Well, not so much a stranger anymore since Valence seemed to be an acquaintance now more than a stranger.

"I've been hearing stories about Ponyville being a nice place to settle in. I might return there once I've found my sister and made peace with my family back home. But enough about my own struggles. Can you tell me about yourself and where you are from?"

[Samurai Equine 50,363]

@@Samurai Equine

 

"I guess this could work. Here you go, 7 bits as you dictated." 

 

Night Eyes rummaged through a small pouch in his satchel and handed the exact amount towards Samurai. Now the matter turns to where Gem and Travelture are. 

 

 

Samurai accepts the payment. "Thank you. And feel free to pick a free Koi Fish! It comes with a month's supply of food, all on the house." Samurai says, the transaction nearly complete. Maybe after this, Samurai will take a short break from his own stand to explore the rest of the cultural fair.

[EQ_Theta 450]

@@Samurai Equine

 

A tank of koi? Well, just one but that empty ditch in Night Eyes' room could find some use. A little cleaning up and that empty section of his room could be a new home for the fish. The pegasus looked and a bright colored fish caught his eye. 

"I think this black and orange one could help brighten my study. I'll take him... or her. Is it a he or a she? I can't tell." 

[captainborgue 343]

@@captainborgue

 

There was much more to explain but Senlin had once heard that anyone would be bored extending sympathy at times. And others would see this as a way to gain attention. Either way he saw it, he felt he needed to let it out, more so since a stranger asked him. Well, not so much a stranger anymore since Valence seemed to be an acquaintance now more than a stranger.

 

"I've been hearing stories about Ponyville being a nice place to settle in. I might return there once I've found my sister and made peace with my family back home. But enough about my own struggles. Can you tell me about yourself and where you are from?"

"Well, alright, I suppose," Val said, reluctantly turning away from the Japon booth and all the neat stuff there. "I'm from Manehattan, or near enough to it. It's a pretty big city, everypony is always in a hurry and nopony really notices anypony else. It's not a bad place to live, it's just a lot more fast paced, which can be harrowing sometimes. I still work in the city, but I live on the outskirts with my parents, so they can watch my daughter while I'm at work," Val said, though she wondered if she should tell him about Noir's disappearance.

 

She decided against it after all. At least, for right now. "I'd heard about the fair months ago, and since I don't usually get out much, I figured I'd get out of my comfort zone a bit and see what happens. I think it's working out fairly well, so far," Val said, smiling.

Edited January 28, 2016 by captainborgue

[Samurai Equine 50,363]

@@Samurai Equine

 

A tank of koi? Well, just one but that empty ditch in Night Eyes' room could find some use. A little cleaning up and that empty section of his room could be a new home for the fish. The pegasus looked and a bright colored fish caught his eye. 

 

"I think this black and orange one could help brighten my study. I'll take him... or her. Is it a he or a she? I can't tell." 

 

"Fine choice!" Samurai lifts the bowl and examines the koi fish inside it. "Hmm... Female, I think." Samurai gives it to Night Eyes, as well as a shaker tube of food. "Just follow the directions on the can. It will tell you how much and how often to feed your koi. And from what I've been told, you can buy more food locally." Samurai explains.

[EQ_Theta 450]

@@Samurai Equine

 

"Sounds good to me! I must be going now; enjoy the fair!"

 

Task completed and a hitting two birds with one stone to go with it. Or two tasks with one stop was more appropriate. The fish was really impressive and still kind of foreign to the pegasus; he hasn't seen anything quite like it but he liked the contrast of colors. Night Eyes waves at Samurai and heads back the way he came though he isn't sure where to go. And with dark clouds looming over the horizon, he had to find them before the rain pours in. 

 

@@captainborgue

There was a sense of awe that filled Senlin as he wondered what city life was like. The clan's forest home was quiet and everyone knew each other. In the city, it was more exhilarating and if you didn't move quick, you'll very much be left behind. At least with Ponyville, there was a homey feeling to go with it. Larger buildings were a staple but at least with a small town, there was the middle ground between forest huts and city skyscrapers. 

 

"It's good to hear that! What do you think of Canterlot so far? Any expectations you had of this place?"

It was all good for now but the dark clouds from a distance were something to consider. A rain shower or thunderstorm perhaps? Either way, those looked more ominous than they should be, and Senlin had a feeling there might be more to come than just a downpour.

Edited January 29, 2016 by EQ_Theta

[captainborgue 343]

"Canterlot is not as busy as Manehattan, but it is so much prettier. Everything here has a sort of presence to it, like the buildings themselves are on a stage. I probably am not making much sense," Val said, shuffling her hooves. "I used to visit a friend of mine in Ponyville a while back. It's a wonderful little town, but there wasn't much to do for me there. I get a lot of satisfaction out of my work. Maybe when I retire, I'll find somewhere quiet like Ponyville. But I'm not that old yet," Val said, smiling.

[EQ_Theta 450]

@@captainborgue

Age... Concerned about age and plans about what to do after one's prime. What comes next? Not in the future but the immediate one. Those clouds don't look like they're just bringing in rain. 

The dark clouds looming disturbed Senlin but he didn't know whether to spill it out or hold back. Pros and cons ran through his head but he didn't want to pick an answer yet. Elders said it is best to hold back and make a more informed choice. Maybe he was wrong about it and it was his paranoia making clouding his judgment, and his vision.

 

"I've learned about changelings in my travels and I heard about how Canterlot quickly fell to them. Might have been worse if it weren't resolved in time but the details elude me. What was so important about Canterlot back then that it would warrant their arrival? Apologies if these questions are starting to bore you but I have so much to ask."





 

[captainborgue 343]

@@captainborgue

 

Age... Concerned about age and plans about what to do after one's prime. What comes next? Not in the future but the immediate one. Those clouds don't look like they're just bringing in rain. 

The dark clouds looming disturbed Senlin but he didn't know whether to spill it out or hold back. Pros and cons ran through his head but he didn't want to pick an answer yet. Elders said it is best to hold back and make a more informed choice. Maybe he was wrong about it and it was his paranoia making clouding his judgment, and his vision.

 

"I've learned about changelings in my travels and I heard about how Canterlot quickly fell to them. Might have been worse if it weren't resolved in time but the details elude me. What was so important about Canterlot back then that it would warrant their arrival? Apologies if these questions are starting to bore you but I have so much to ask."

Valence giggled. Senlin was adorable, he reminded her of Nova. All questions and curiosity, soaking up everything like a sponge. It was very endearing. "Oh, don't worry, I love questions. Now, I may not always know the answers, but that doesn't mean you shouldn't ask. Never stop asking questions, it's the only way to learn," Val said, smiling. "The last time I was in Canterlot was a year after the changeling incident. I'm not sure what it was about, but from the papers, they said it was something about how the changelings wanted to feed on the Canterlot population, and something about the Queen trying to manipulate her way into the royal court. I don't remember much, though. It was a while ago," Valence said, trying to recall what she had read about the Changeling invasion.

 

Valence noticed the storm coming in. She was a little concerned the weather ponies would want to rain on the fair, it seemed counter productive to the point of the whole thing. Valence tried to put it from her mind. "That reminds me! I, erm, used to know a very talented private investigator. He used to say that Zebras were excellent trackers. Well, he used to say a lot of things, but the one about zebras stands out. Maybe we can find a zebra to help out?"

[EQ_Theta 450]

@@captainborgue

 

"A zebra investigator? Here in canterlot? I didn't think that is possible."

The last time a zebra was brought up, it was when he wandered into Ponyville to find Lin. There was little chance someone would run into a zebra in a city as populated as Canterlot. Sure, Ponyville was one case but that was the only one he has ever been involved in and there were no signs of zebras elsewhere. Either the one he met was far from home or the fair would draw in more of her kind.

Edited January 31, 2016 by EQ_Theta

[captainborgue 343]

"Well the fair draws all kinds, there might be some zebra here. Never hurts to ask though, right?" Val said, in a chipper tone. "Have you tried talking to a pegasus? Being able to fly would no doubt be very helpful in searching. I don't know any personally outside of a few coworkers. Just something to think about."

[EQ_Theta 450]

@@captainborgue

He thought about it though not the way he would go about things if he had gone and done it alone. He might have seen a pegasus who could help him but he's not sure about it. Then again, zebras aren't out of the question either.
 

"Hmm... I suppose, though these wings could do with the exercise. Might just be a casual flight back and forth but we could look around first, see if someone could provide assistance."

[captainborgue 343]

Valence stopped in her tracks, stunned that she had completely missed that he had wings. She had never been very good at observing ponies- or non-ponies, in this case. Her strengths lay in observation in the lab, of materials and reactions that were not alive, that could be studied at length without risk of anything changing. "It never occurred to me that you could fly. Oh, that must be exciting!" Val said happily.

[EQ_Theta 450]

@@captainborgue

 

"Maybe, but I'm a weak flier."

Senlin flourished his wings, just around the average wingspan of a pegasus though most would rather exaggerate and say it was larger. Athleticism was where Senlin's strength lay; running and climbing were his forte. "There really isn't much use for these wings when tracking in the woods but it has its advantages. I didn't think it was possible to hide in the trees when climbing isn't enough but these can give an extra push upwards when it is needed."