open Far From Home (RP)

[EQ_Theta 464]

@@reader8363, @

 

"Excellent," the pegasus excitedly replied. "Right this way."

Night Eyes weaved through the grounds, past customers and vendors all the way up to where the square reached one end of Restaurant Row, then turned into the second alley on the row with three garbage cans tipped over to their sides and walked to the dead end. Once there, he examined the ground for the dust-covered pressure plate and a sliding panel on the concrete wall. Two of the three keys needed to enter were taken care of. Behind the panel was a rotating disc with which unicorns could easily move with their magic; without it, Night Eyes manually moved it like he would with a steel combination lock. Much easier with magic. 

The hidden floor panel slowly moved to the side to reveal a staircase leading down into the much darker tavern. No one comes here at this time of the day but the lone barkeep stallion wiped the counter without lifting his eyes to look who entered. He immediately scoffed and began with "The usual, stargazer?"

 

"Three and a spare mask if you got one," Night Eyes replied. "I've got guests. And you know I don't like it when you call me that." He found his way to the private room at the back and closed the door loud enough to signal it being used; a routine the patrons eventually got around to using after he did it the first time. "Welcome to the city's only tavern. Nobody usually comes here at this time so rest assured, any bar brawls will only exist in your heads." He looked at his two companions and continued, "What are your stories?"  

[reader8363 1,281]

@@EQ_Theta,

Starry followed them into the room, placed the book down on the table, in case something happens, and shed her cloak and mask. She sat down, with her cloak covering one of her cutie mark and her tail covering the other one and said as she turned to the pegasus,

"I'm sorry I didn't really get your name."

[EQ_Theta 464]

@@reader8363

 

"Oh, I apologize for that." The pegasus went on edge, a few hairs on his neck standing up in surprise. "I'm Night Eyes, scholar and occasional tavern patron. I thought I'd ask the barkeep for a mask on your behalf. I'm sure he's got one spare from somewhere. The tavern patrons can be careless sometimes."

He settled himself back down with the barkeep walking in just in time. Three tankards filled to the brim with his usual order, "Hay Infusion", and a bottle to go with it as well. If it weren't for guests, he would've kept the bottle behind the counter. The gruff barkeep also placed down a mask before leaving, likely from a visiting VIP from some rich city because there was a carnival in town way back. Probably forgot about it as well all things considered. It was mostly plain and white save for some intricate green nature markings on it; a simple design of a tree without leaves adorning the region above the nose bridge and extending over the eyebrows and below the mouth, roots reaching to the chin.

 

"Don't worry about it being called Hay Infusion. It's a fancy, science-y name and it has a nice mild taste with a kick at the end." Night Eyes distributed the tankards around the table and the mask towards Starry. 

Edited July 5, 2016 by EQ_Theta

[reader8363 1,281]

@@EQ_Theta,@,  

Starry levitated the mask and tinted the lens till it matched her other one. As she was doing that, her fur grew a little darker. She turned to the barkeeper and said as she nodded a little 

"Thank you."

She turned to Night and said as she lifted her mug, 

"Nice to meet you, Night Eyes. Um, what did you exactly mean by stories."

Edited July 5, 2016 by reader8363

[EQ_Theta 464]

@@reader8363

 

Night Eyes took a sip from his tankard and let the flavor of the drink fill his mouth, swirling the deep brown liquid first before swallowing it. 

 

"Your story, Starry," he replied. "What brings you to Canterlot of all places?'

 

The pegasus put down his drink and thought of a way to put things into a different perspective. A few seconds of thinking and a bit of imagining and he returned to reality with an answer.

"Think of it like this: what you do, what you make of yourself, you are the author. You are the architect of your actions and reactions. Put them all together and you've got an open book that others will read. They get a glimpse of you and the longer they stick around, the deeper they go into the story. All I'm asking for is a preview to be better acquainted with you. It doesn't hurt to be curious and if you'd like, you could do the same to me and to Francis here as well." 

[reader8363 1,281]

@@EQ_Theta,

Starry looked up and said,

"I've just been traveling for a few years, finding stuff and selling it for food, and hiding from my brother cause I don't want to hear how our parents are doing. Haven't seen him or my parents ever since I got my cutie mark and ran away."

[EQ_Theta 464]

@@reader8363

 

"Not close with the family, huh? Being on the run must have been tough. Is your brother hunting you or something." Night Eyes took another swig of the Hay Infusion and played with it in his mouth while waiting for a reply. He noticed Francis is silent for some time. While this confident front was up, the pegasus began wondering how long this charade would last until someone managed to see through it. All the while, he is still wondering how he even did all of this to begin with. He looked to the changeling and began again like he did shortly before.

@

 

"I toss the question to you too, Francis. What is your story? I don't mean to prod but I'm also curious about something. Are the changelings linked to a hive mind of sorts? It's just that I don't know much about your kind." 

[reader8363 1,281]

@@EQ_Theta,

Starry looked up and said as she placed her drink  down,

"It's nothing like that. He's kind and gentle. He just worries about me. Even before I  turned our parents' legs into crystals. He helped my parents with me"

She looked at Night and said, "What is your story, and why do you ask?"

[captainborgue 343]

@@captainborgue

 

"What say you? A vulture who comes seeking for goods to scavenge? Or a lost soul whose fortuitous prodding found refuge?" The entity sternly questioned. This one is cloaked in a brown hood, obscuring facial features. The voice that came from the hood raised in pitch and changed from an inquisitive tone to one of great suspicion. It still kept its hood on for safe measure.

 

"The first half of that name sounds familiar. How do you know it? How did you find this place? What other secrets do you harbor?"  

 

Valence rolled her eyes at the weird strangers. "Oh come on, there's no need for melodramatics. This isn't some isolated forest in the middle of nowhere, ten minutes in any direction takes us into the outskirts of Canterlot. Besides, why would I go bothering anypony else just for trinkets? I'm not sure how well you can see under that hood, but I'm not built like a brigand," Valence said, laughing. It was so ridiculous, to find herself in this situation. And she thought her days of adventuring had ended.

 

"Now then- my friend there? We are looking for somepony who looks similar to him. Have you seen anypony like that?"

[EQ_Theta 464]

@@captainborgue

 

"Wait, someone who looks like him?" The creature stayed quiet in contemplation for a moment before removing the hood it wore and revealed two stumps on where there should be horns. Without the covering, the creature revealed itself, its brown skin color, green webbing, and draconic features. 

 

"You must mean my brother, Sen. He is here! How is he?" 

 

@@reader8363

 

"Well, I... uh... that's strange. What happened, that is. I'm not judging you or anything and please don't take it the wrong way."

And Night Eyes continues to stammer, even in his own mind when words wouldn't suffice. Eventually, his mind short-circuited in a manner of speaking and he is left unable to follow-up what he wanted to say regarding Starry's story. But he recalls the other question asked of him, what of his own story? 

He sighed and replied, "I'm asking because I am curious, and a little jealous. You hear of the many stories other ponies tell of themselves and how happy and fortunate they are because they fit in. I'm envious of them; even more so of those with the outlandish and fantastical tales. It makes me wonder how different things are if I wasn't whisked away from Cloudsdale." 

Edited July 7, 2016 by EQ_Theta

[reader8363 1,281]

@@EQ_Theta,

Starry looked down at her hidden cutie mark and said,

"My tale is fantastic at all. I was always treated like I was strange since I would have my whole body covered, even in the summer. so I stopped going out. My brother would get me books from the library. One day he brought me this book and a crystallization spell sounded interesting to i tried it on our parents. After I realized what I did, I ran to my room. That when I realized I got my cutie mark."

[FanOfManyShows 396]

@@reader8363, @@EQ_Theta, Francis leaned on his hoof. "Where should I start?" He asked himself. "Oh I know, after we attacked Canterlot and were blasted away I was sent flying into the everfree forest and I got a lot of scars from that." He pointed to his wing which had a faint scar. "I had to go into hiding after that, but a changeling queen named Nectar let me join her hive."

Edited July 8, 2016 by Frannis

[EQ_Theta 464]

@

 

Night Eyes admits he is very much curious at the idea of having more than one queen, though mostly that is attributed to the lack of information ponies have regarding changelings in general, sort of like dragons. He hears of stories from a small town southwards where a dragon takes residence with the ponies and so far, they're doing fine. 

"I must admit ponies don't know much about the changelings but if there is an opportunity to learn more about your kind, the more that will encourage everyone that not all changelings are bad. I'd like to think Princess Celestia would like that very much. What makes queen Nectar different from Chrysalis?" 

@@reader8363

 

The pegasus wasn't sure how to react to what he was told, though he was looking a little more intently at the mask the barkeep left. He didn't want to sound insensitive, but he had no experience in conversing through more difficult topics without making a wrong move. One insensitive word could leave him... crystallized. 

"Uh... that mask," he said, quickly changing the subject. "Do you like it?"
 

[reader8363 1,281]

@@EQ_Theta, 

Starry looked up and said, 

"I like it."

She debated whether or not to uncover her cutie mark, and decided to. She moved her tail and her cloak off her cutie marks.

 

@@EQ_Theta,

She turned to Frannis and said,

"I guess we both left home, but you were sent away against your will, and I left."

[captainborgue 343]

@@captainborgue

 

"Wait, someone who looks like him?" The creature stayed quiet in contemplation for a moment before removing the hood it wore and revealed two stumps on where there should be horns. Without the covering, the creature revealed itself, its brown skin color, green webbing, and draconic features. 

 

"You must mean my brother, Sen. He is here! How is he?" 

 

Valence beamed. IT had been easier than she thought to find Sen's long lost sister. How fortunate! "Oh! What a wonderful surprise! I think he will be much happier knowing you are ok. What a lucky day today has been!" Valence said, all smiles. "It's not every day your average unicorn gets to fly, or a woody area goes all glowy, or there's a big fair, or you find somepony you have been looking for," Valence said, somewhat wistfully. If only it had been so easy to find Noir... but he was well and truly gone. Oh, well. Such was the way of things.

 

"I'm happy things worked out so well. Oh, you are so adorable! MY daughter Nova would love you! Though she loves pretty much everything. Too bad her magical outbursts are a little too explodey. But we're working on that," Valence said, feeling herself slip into a ramble. "Ok, I just have to ask, what with being a scientist and having the requisite insatiable curiosity and all. Do longma hatch from eggs like reptiles, or are they live born like mammals? Or perhaps vivparous, so the eggs are retained within the female until hatching internally, then birthed as live young? Oh, so many questions!" Val said, squealing delightedly.

 

"Oh, wait, hang on. Manners. I'm terribly sorry, I didn't introduce myself. MY name is Valence Bond. Who might you be?"

[EQ_Theta 464]

@@captainborgue

 

"Interesting name, Valence. I'm Lin, Sen's sister." The female longma looked around and noticed someone else approaching her home and unsurprisingly expected her brother. Sen notices the two of them, mouth dropping open and ran to her, embracing her tightly.

 

"Sister! How long has it been?"

 

"Too long, Sen. I don't suppose you have met Valence here?"

 

Sen turned to Valence and while he is happy to be reunited with her, he also is rather saddened by this development. Now that the two are together, it appears that their lives would go back to normal except for one detail: they can't go back. There is no life for them to return to and they are very much certain they can't leech off their friends. They may have to part ways soon as well. But that is another matter. For now, there is much to be happy about.

 

"Valence, I don't recall if I told you about this but my real name is Sen."

 

@@reader8363, @

 

And as Night Eyes expected, he would need to come up with something to keep the conversation going, though he isn't likely to do so if he kept beating around the bush with questions that give him short answers. The bar was supposed to be closed at this time but it is getting late in the afternoon. The fair goes on all night though, and maybe something lively will happen later on.

 

"I shouldn't be keeping you both here," Night Eyes apologetically said. "You both probably came here to see more of the fair. Are you both looking for something specific? I could tag along with you both in case you want to see more of the city. Canterlot lights up when the sun goes down."

 

I think reader8363 meant this for you, @:

She turned to Frannis and said, "I guess we both left home, but you were sent away against your will, and I left."

Edited July 9, 2016 by EQ_Theta

[reader8363 1,281]

@@EQ_Theta,

Starry got up and said as she placed the book back in her bag, 

"I don't mind you joining me, I'm not looking for anything, and I would like to see more of Canterlot since it's been a while since I was here."

She made a crystal container around her drink and placed it in her bag along with the book.

[EQ_Theta 464]

@@reader8363, @, @@Rapid Miles, @@Loud Opinion

 

"The Canterlot night life experience it is! And the night market vendors will be out as well." Night Eyes jumped up from his seat and ran to the barkeep's counter. He left him a small pouch of bits and led Francis and Starry out of the tavern. He worked the controls to the pressure plate and hidden panel's dial to where it was previously when he heard someone stumbling in the alley behind him, along with the banging of a garbage can tipping over. Another pegasus would inspect the commotion. 

"Oh, uh... there is nothing of interest here," Night Eyes quickly turned around to find another pegasus before him. "You know what, you can tell everyone who isn't from Canterlot about this place. It's in dire need of business. It's nice to see more pegasi in these parts of Equestria." 

Edited July 12, 2016 by EQ_Theta

[Loud Opinion 602]

@@EQ_Theta, 

 

The Gold maned pegasus, with his coat slightly blending with the night sky, just stared at Night Eyes like he was a total stranger, because he was a total stranger.

 "Do I know you?" Gold Dust replied with a stand off attitude, "Look, I'm already late to the fair. If you want me to babysit anyone, it's gonna cost you." 

I didn't matter how politely someone ordered him, Gold Dust never was forgiving on the ponies that took charge, and even less nice to ones he doesn't know. This combined with his tardiness amounted to a crescendo of 'I can't deal'.

[Rapid Miles 14]

@@EQ_Theta,

 

 

The brown pegasus tilted his head at what the stranger had told him to do. His light blue eyes looked over the figure before him.

"Um..what place is this exactly...?" Rapid Miles asks, a very confused look on his face as he then looked over to the building the stranger had just left. "And..why not tell the ponies from Canterlot about this place...?"

Edited July 12, 2016 by Rapid Miles

[reader8363 1,281]

@@Loud Opinion,@@Rapid Miles, @@EQ_Theta,

Starry followed Night out of the tavern, while she quickly covered herself back up from the evening rays, placed the new mask on her bag, and cleaned her old mask, making the colors brighter that they glowed. She saw the two new pegasi and said as the shadows cast over her mask,

"Hello, may I ask what are your names?"

(the newest mask is hanging on the side of her bag and the old mask she's wearing is glowing a little)

[Rapid Miles 14]

Rapid Miles looked over at the unicorn as she walked out of the mysterious building after the stallion.

"Uh...well...my name is Rapid Miles...I'm not exactly sure what this place is..." He tells the masked mare as he motions toward the building she had just walked out of.

[EQ_Theta 464]

@@Rapid Miles, @@Loud Opinion, @@reader8363

 

Night Eyes replied to the Rapid Miles without hesitation. "This right here is where the elite of Canterlot go to drown their sorrows and problems. And I guess I just sealed the entrance away because it is customary for patrons to do so, much harder without magic and all. They like to keep their secrets in plain sight despite hiding such a thing in the alleys."

He turned to the other impatient pegasus and tried to keep a calm demeanor. "There's no need to take up that tone there, though I don't think I've seen you around these parts before. We're on our way to the fair as well. My name is Night Eyes, scholar at the Canterlot Observatory, and this fellow with the masks here is Starry."

[FanOfManyShows 396]

@@EQ_Theta, @@reader8363, @@Rapid Miles, Francis had followed them along and was happy to meet another new pony. "Greetings Rapid, nice to meet you." He walked over to Rapid and reached out a hoof. "Hoof bump?" He asked wiggling his hoof a bit, not expecting the pony to want a hoof bump from a changeling.

[EQ_Theta 464]

@, @@reader8363, @@Rapid Miles, @@Loud Opinion

 

"Don't worry about Francis here," Night Eyes said in a reassuring tone and encouraged the others to warm up to him. "There's no changeling horde coming to take over Canterlot. Don't try to rile up the city guard into going after him, though. I'm not letting that happen." 

He took a firm stance on the matter, and on the spot. He gave his word and even if there wasn't a formal announcement, he'd make sure he did something right.