open In Past We Trust

[TrueSight 10]

((OOC Thread: HERE))

 

True Sight walked around Clock Work's Antique Shop, pacing really.  She had received a message through messenger pony that somepony was coming with something unique.  Something that she had never seen before, and something that was supposedly quite old.  Normally she wouldn't be this excited, and agitated over an artifact.  Yes she loved finding genuine objects from the past, but something strange was already happening surrounding this unknown artifact.  The moment she read the message left by the fast flying Pegasus her magic awakened without her consciously doing it.  What was more confusing, it was the aspect of her magic that she rarely used, her ability to use an ancient deck of pony cards to divine the future.  The cards, which she kept in a blue pouch awakened and formed so many patterns True Sight couldn't recognize anything.  Not for the first time she regretted her neglect of this part of her gift, but the future held no allure for her. 

 

So she continued to pace around the antique shop, a haze of magic surrounding the pouch that the cards were in, keeping them inside as they tried to escape and warn the history loving unicorn of something in the future.  If she had an sense the pony would run to one of the Princesses to help with interpretation, but the lure of a new artifact, and a new glimpse into Equestria's past was too much.  She'd worry about the cards later, once everything else was taken care of. 

[Guest]

Second Sight wandered into the antique shop, the bell tinkling to signal his arrival. A large, package wrapped in brown tarp and tied together with metal chain sat on his back. He was actively looking for somepony. He sniffed the air, searching for the aberrant trace of a pony in the sea of old woodwork. He found it.

 

Following his instinct, he turned a corner to come face to face with True Sight.

 

'This is her. The appraiser? She does look the part'

 

Clearing his throat, Second Sight asked: "You're True Sight, I presume? I'm Second Sight, I'm here with the artifact"

[TrueSight 10]

True Sight stopped in front of the strange pony, giving him a quick once over.  She stopped for a second when her eyes took in his strange looking leg, but quickly moved on.  It was impolite to stare, and True Sight was very strict about her manners. 

 

"Yes I am True Sight" she replied "And apparently you have something you need looked over?"

 

The bright blue unicorn tried to make this appraisal sound as routine as any other, though all signs pointed to something strange being in the box on the other pony's back.  Her horn was practically itching to know what he carried, and what was urgent enough to send a messenger-pony ahead, but outwardly she remained calm.  Just barely though.

[Guest]

Second Sight coughed softly. "Well, If i didn't need to have something looked over I wouldn't have called for you."

 

He hefted the object and set it softly onto a nearby table. He carefully took off the chain and unwrapped the package shielding his eyes as he did so, displaying the artifact for all to see. It seemed to be an almost blindingly glowing blue crystal surrounded by an ornate gold and blue ring.

 

 

"It was uncovered in a dig sight somewhere in the badlands." he rambled. "I've searched the archives and found nothing, even the ones in Canterlot, though, they barred me from entry to the Starswirl the Bearded Wing" 

 

He snorted at the memory.

 

"Anyway, from what I can tell, this thing is really old. No record of it to be found in history books anywhere." He huffed. "It seems to just be some kind of very powerful lamp.

 

Second Sight's face contorted to a thoughtful expression. "What puzzles me how this crystal has managed to shine so brightly for this long. It must be a near infinite power source..."

[TrueSight 10]

The moment she laid eyes on it True Sight was mesmerized by the strange object.  As if on their own accord her hooves began to move her body forward.  The light emanating from the crystal was reflected in both the unicorn's eyes and the haze of magic pulsing from her horn.  The words coming from Second Sight were little more than a whisper in her mind as her magic reached out into the past through the crystal.

 

If either pony had been paying attention, the would've noticed the cards that had broken free of their restraining pouched and arranged in a strange pattern on the back wall of the shop.  And if True Sight had studied and developed the card-reading aspect of her gift she would have known to pack up Second Sight and his crystal artifact and send them both to the Princesses with all haste.

 

As it was the light of the crystal enveloped True Sight's entire body as her magic used that light to hurdle her mind into the distant past. 

 

The images that she was thrust into were vivid and confusing.  One moment she was a pegasus holding the crystal high above a desert.  Beneath here were unicorns, the haze of magic strong as it surrounded each of them and then joined together into one maelstrom of power.    In a flash the desert began to turn verdant and living.  Grass spread across the sands like a carpet, that then turned to bushes that grow into trees.  In a moment the desert was a forest dense with arboreal beauty.  She felt the joy of the pegasus, and then the horror as the crystal flashed again.  Something happened then, the vision went blank, and when it returned it was hazy.  The pegasus was hurt somehow, and the unicorns no where to be seen.  There was nothing but scared earth, somewhere were nothing would grow, not for generations to come. 

 

True Sight as the pegasus looked about in pain and confusion to see the crystal, floating above the earth glowing alluringly, shinning maliciously.  As she watched a light swept from the crystal and passed over the pegasus.  The unknown winged pony screamed as if her body was on fire, as if her soul was being ripped out.

 

The scream however was coming from True Sight as the same light that swept over the pegasus in the past now illuminated the unicorn in the present. 

[Guest]

Second Sight hurriedly covered the crystal with the tarp again and tended to True Sight, trying to shake her out of her trance.

 

"Snap out of it! It's just a vision! ( I think )" Second Sight said between shakes. His eyes drifted to the pattern the cards made on the wall. He pointed a claw at them. "Those cards. They weren't there before."

[TrueSight 10]

As the crystal was covered and the light from it banished True Sight let out a sigh of relief as she fell to the ground, her body still wracking with the aftershocks of pain.  She held her eye tight, not from pain or fear, but trying to retain the visions that were fleeting.  There was importance in them, she knew it and she needed to retain as much detail as she could.  She heard Second Sight say something about the cards, but she only flick a hoof dismissively, trying to silence him and she continued to try to commit to memory as much of the vision as she could. 

 

Once she had committed to memory as much as she could, she opened her eyes and looked at the stallion who was looking at the cards.  Her head shifted slightly to the wall and she gasped.  In all her life, her gift had never manifested in this way.  And the cards were all saying the same thing.

 

"Danger, destruction, maelstrom, havoc..." she said aloud, letting Second Sight know exactly what the message was. 

Edited February 19, 2016 by TrueSight

[Guest]

Second Sight's expression was unreadable. Some kind of mixture between curiosity and.... worry? Second Sight was a skeptic. He usually deemed ponies who reacted in such a way as 'drama queens' or 'attention seekers'.

 

But he could tell that this mare was genuine.

 

He turned back to the covered artifact, looking at it with a newfound respect. "So... This little lamp is dangerous, then? Should we hand this over to the princesses?"

 

Second Sight ran his claw over the surface of the tarp, tracing the crystal's outline. "Normally I'd take matters into my own hooves but if this thing is dangerous...."

[TrueSight 10]

True Sight began to pace pack and forth, looking at the covered crystal lantern, then the cards on the wall and finally the stallion who had brought this all to her.  Part of her agreed with him, that the unknown artifact should be given to the princess immediately for safekeeping.  But another part of her thought that might be dangerous itself.  This thing worked by sapping unicorns' magic.  There was no telling what would happened if it was able to absorb the magic of alicorns. 

 

"No, we shouldn't give it to the Princesses, not yet" she finally decided on.  "We don't know what could happen if one of them got caught in the light like I did."

 

She stopped pacing and turned to Second Sight square on. "Tell me, exactly how you came across this.  Maybe that will help us decide what to do." 

[Guest]

Second Sight out a claw to his chin. "I actually found this in a flea market at the eastern deserts." He explained. "The merchant said that his ancestor was stranded in the desert when he found it buried under the sand at night, glowing. It's bright light shone brilliantly despite being burrowed underneath the sand. He said that had his ancestor not uncovered the crystal and used the light to signal a passing Pegasus for help, he would have never been born."

 

A shadow crossed his face. "The interesting part is that this all happened over 500 years ago. And the crystal never faltered it's glow. Anything capable of emitting light of this intensity for 500 years is worth looking into"

[TrueSight 10]

True Sight began pacing again, the wheels in her mind turning rapidly.  How old exactly was this thing.  What was it truly meant for.  Some sort of energy transformation device that had the potential to destroy everything.  Who had created?  Why?  What kind of creation took unicorn magic and turned it into something else, something that could sustain itself for hundreds of years.

 

Still True Sight continued to be torn, hand it over to the Princesses or search the origins with the help of the stallion, if he would be willing.  The unicorn was not the adventure type, not in the slightest.  Danger was never apart of her plans, and this thing was clearly dangerous, but it also held secrets of the past, and that allure was overpowering her sensibilities at the exact moment. 

 

"Where was this desert?" she asked, having no idea how to even begin searching for more clue. 

Edited March 2, 2016 by TrueSight

[Guest]

"The Sahara. If you don't know about it, you're not qualified for your job" he stated, "We could begin by questioning the stallion who sold me the lamp. If he still works at the flea market, that is...."

 

Second Sight began to wonder what he was getting into. This lamp seemed most likely to be a power source of some kind. It was definitely part of something bigger, that was for sure. Unless it really was a really powerful streetlamp. The architecture was unlike anything he had seen in equestria, nor history books. Perhaps this lamp belonged to a long lost civilization? He shuddered at the notion.

[TrueSight 10]

True Sight glared at the stallion at his comment. "I can assure you, I am quite familiar with the location" she stated. "Do you think you can find this merchant?" True Sight asked as she moved toward the wall where the ancient cards were stuck in the strange pattern.

 

She truly hated to admit that her lack of knowledge of this aspect of her magic was a hindrance.  She would like nothing more than to leave them here, but they might come in handy.  They had warned of the danger of the crystal lamp already, who knew what else they might help.  A haze of magic enveloped each card and they began to flow, resisting a little, into the black velvet pouch that usually housed them.

 

"Hopefully they'll know a little more" she said as the last card was safely tucked away.

[Guest]

Second Sight nodded. "I remember his face like it was yesterday, and i can predict how he will age." he stated. "His business, if his location and shop name is indicative, is a family one." 

 

He put the artifact back on his back, looking to the door. He didn't really have anything to do right now. Sure he had procrastinated a month full of cases, but he finished them all in the past week to make time for a trip to the antique shop, 'less he be spotted on the streets slacking off by one of his clients. 

 

He could make time for a little adventure. Maybe he'd get something greater out of it.

 

"I suppose we'd better go book our airship ride now?" he asked.