private Diffuse Reflection (1x1 between Nightmare Season and Raven Rawne)

[Raven Rawne 1,374]

@@Nightmare Season

 

Crystal Clear waved dismissively at him. "You keep saying that... I'm not big like Celestia or dish out fire from my horn. You can scale Mount Everhoof like a hill in the foals sandbox! I'm just useless here..." The stallion interrupted her and she followed his gaze.  "Wait, what? How can you... HEY!" She looked around but Nightmare was gone.

 

The mare walked to the edge of the cliff and looked down.  "Damn wise flank..." She stood like that, staring in the abyss. Her snout was scrunched from internal conflict.

 

 

The mare woke up, feeling warm fur in her snout. She cracked open her eyes and noticed she was, in fact, cuddling to Nightmare's side. Crystal blushed and hid her face with her hooves. "H-How long I've been clutching to you like a foal?" She got up,  trying to hide her embarrassment. "It's morning already?  How did you know?" She talked rapidly as she packed her things to get going,  while waiting out for her snout to stop looking like red hot metal.

[Nightmare Season 617]

@@Raven Rawne,

 

"Not long, and We can tell. That way we can escape a dream before day breaks." As she got her things packed and ready, Nightmare went to the mouth of the cave to look out at all the fresh snow that had fallen overnight. He was able to spot one of the crystal pillars they had been following the day before. "Oh by the way. You are cute when you snuggle." Before she could react to that, he bolted out of the cave and started walking to the path they needed to follow. Melting the snow as he went.

 

"Also" he added as they got back on the path. "The reason why I just pushed you and not encourage you in your dreams. That was needed or you would have stayed put in your comfort zone. Or the bridge as you made it out to be in your dream. Encouraging you would just had made you hesitate more." He looked back to the Mare following his path in the snow. "We will find your friend and get you both back to your little shop in the city." He gave her a warm smile.

[Raven Rawne 1,374]

@@Nightmare Season,

 

The mare nodded over her shoulder as the nightmare pony replied to her inquiries. She still felt the warmth on her shout, so she was probably still blushing like crazy.

 

And then Nightmare decided to tease her. Crystal Clear turned around to face the stallion, even though her face was glowing red like a lantern. "What did you jus... Ughhhh, he dashed outside. Tease." The mare picked up her saddlebags and fastened them around her hidsection, then put on her cap and went outside, red snout be damned.

 

It was indeed morning, and the weather was good, for the Frozen North at least. The mare ran towards her fiery companion to escape the cold, while he seemed oblivious to it. Another pillar was within sight, which was good. Crystal walked fast beside him, but didh't say a word just yet.

 

Nightmare started the conversation on his own, Another round of dream interpretation. The memory of her last dream made her feel guilty - not only because she showed such weakness, but also because it was a bad dream, meaning Nightmare probably didn't feed on it. She looked up at him and noticed his encouraging smile. She sighed and replied. "I guess you're right, about the encouragement part. My parents learned that years ago. Instead of trying to convince me, they just grab me by the tail and drag someplace kicking and screaming. Well, maybe not exactly, but it feels like that. Aaaand once it's over I have to thank them for it, cause it was for my own good and I was too stuck to do it on my own. It's a bit of a paradox really: I hate being pushed around like that but, once it's over, I'm grateful for the intervention." She bit her lip, apparently pondering over something, and after a short pause, continued. "Thanks for giving me a shove. And sorry for being a dissapointment.... Not only you had to pick me up again, but you probably didn't feed any off my bad dream, didn't you? I guessed as much cause it didn't turn worse. I'll try to make it up for you tonight."

[Nightmare Season 617]

@@Raven Rawne,

 

"You are not a disappointment at all." He told her after she finished. "You are here, and you are pushing forward. Not many would do that. You are brave, even if you do not want to see it that way. Many would be pushed but then turn around and head back. You didn't, so you should not feel sorry for yourself."

 

They walked onward, lead by the crystals to their goal. "If we talk about disappointing other ponies, then it is I who was the disappointment to my parents. I am not what they wanted. However, I am not disappointed in myself. So it is how one looks at themselves."

 

"As far as the eating of the dream goes. No I did not feed at all. You needed a good push in the right direction last night. So I decided to be the pusher instead of feeding. Also, you do not need to force yourself to let me eat your dreams. I do have rations after all."

 

They walked about another two hours till they came to a little ridge that over looked a cliff face. A small shack that was in-bedded into the side of the cliff. The brewery finally came into view. Nightmare Season went silent. For what he saw was a small battlefield. Littered with black crystals and the front door bashed in. He stopped Crystal from running forward. He looked carefully around for any movement before he proceeded forward.

[Raven Rawne 1,374]

@@Nightmare Season,

 

Crystal Clear was somewhat skeptical, as she craned her nack leta and right as she considered Nightmare's imput. "Weelll I guess you're right... Thanks for believing in me. But honestly, I'm afraid of what will happen when the easy going goes rough. This isn't a good place for ponies, and all kinds of bad things could await us. That's what I'm afraid of - that I won't be able to overcome the obstacles."

 

A small avalanche rolled down a hill nearby, but it posed no danger to the pair. Still a reminder of the many dangers in this strange land.

 

They walked like that for some time, and suddenly the roles reversed - now the mare was about to give encouragement. Since Nightmare was, well, waay to tall to hug, she just booped his side instead and said in a positive manner. "All a matter of perspective. You said your family was... evil... so if you met their expectations, what would it make of you? Another monster in the dark..." It wasn't sound very nice, so she decided to put it another way. "Okay, so let's pretend that your family has a business, and you're expected to inherit it. They teach you everything there is about it, but you get a cutie mark in, say, playing an instrument, and become a renowned musician. Are you a disapointment to your family? Yes and no, depends where you put the accents, but what matters is that you do what you like and you're good at, and nopony gets harmed in the process. I guess that's how you could look at it."

 

The stallion mentioned his rations, and the mare decided to ask about them. "So how long can you manage on roots you have now?  Without real dreams to take a bit off every now and then? I don't want you to starve..." She looked a bit concerned by the prospect of her lifeline and, well, a friend, going hungry.

 

They walked for some time, and finally reached the dastination. Crystal looked down upon the entrance and was about to run inside when s huge hoof barred her way. With a curious loook, she craned her neck over the barrier of black fur and now saw the reason why. It was pretty obvious that the area wasn't safe to proceed. "Oh... my... I guess that answers the question why my booze didn't reach the market. Let's just hope that the ponies who lived here are okay..." She looked up at Nightmare. "Could you give us a reading on whether it's safe inside? We're dead if they catch us in the open."

[Nightmare Season 617]

@@Raven Rawne,

 

He looked in his bags at the amount of roots he had. "Looks to be about a week if I go sparingly on them. As for is it safe or not?" He looked out across the field in between them and the building. "It looks to be a few days old. Maybe a week. No fire's glow on the inside so no pony is home it seems."

 

With that he started to walk forward. Keeping his head on a shrivel looking all around for any signs. "Just stay close to me should we encounter anything." The two proceeded onward. Past the black crystals that gave the mare a bad feeling. "I take it you know what these strange crystals are?" He asked her as they reached the busted door.

[Raven Rawne 1,374]

@@Nightmare Season,

 

"Well, I can't see any sings of life either..." Crystal Clear noticed that it seemed to be dark inside the brewery, and there was no smoke coming from the small chimney. She was rubbing her chin in thought as the stallion started approaching the seemingly abandoned structure, so she trotted to catch up - he was taking his normal steps to cross the open ground quicker. The mare couldn't help but stare at the dark crystals as they moved past them. "I don't like this..." she said to herself, but Nightmare asked about her little exclamation. "These... crystals. They're not natural. Only the King and his court were able to make these with their dark magic."

 

They crept torawds the entrance in silence, if sizzling snow as it liquified nearby the nightmare pony could be counted as such, They reached the solid double door, now broken into splinters and wide open, and Crystal signed for the stallion to hold up. She slowly took a peek inside: the light from the outside was the only illumination, ad she quickly noticed the empty stands where glow-crystals used to be. The woden building seemed to be more of a foyer into the cave deeper in rather than the whole thing. She wakled back to Nightmare. "Alright, the place seems to be ransacked and empty. It's dark inside but I think this shack covers the entrance to some sort of cave. maybe the brewery proper is deeper in. So what's the plan?"

[Nightmare Season 617]

@@Raven Rawne,

 

Nightmare Season looked around the field before he responded. "Best if we go in and find out what happened. Standing out here will be more dangerous. Also this was where we were first pointed to. Now we need to look for clues as to where we need to head from here. Preferably a map of this area. I still have that crystal pendulum." They walked inside as Crystal took a last look at the dark crystals.

 

The inside was dark, but as soon as the nightmare pony stepped inside, it lite up. It was indeed ransacked. All the items that seemed to have been made for sale in the empire was no where to be seen. A few broken spear heads littered the floor. The bit drawer was smashed to pieces upon the floor and all the wealth it had been safe guarding was gone. There was no signs of life within these walls.

 

"We should also look for supplies or items that we could use on our journey from here." He said to Crystal as he walked into the store room area.

[Raven Rawne 1,374]

@@Nightmare Season,

 

 The pair walked inside, causciously. As oon as Nightmare walked in, they saw evidence of fight and robbery, andmore dark crystals, some looking like spikes stuck where they struck, aimed at the brewers, so doubt. Crystal Clear waked a bit aimlesly, taking in the scene before her. "They stole everything that wasn't nailed down... broke in like it was nothing... but where are the ponies who lived here? There's no blood..." She was talking to herself, quetly, as she processed what could've happenned. The mare stirred from her musins as Nightmare gave her the instructions. She eyed the way deeper inside the hill with some suspicion, but nodded to the stallion and slowly walked into the dark corridor, using her glow-crystal for light.

 

There were doors on both sides, all busted open. It seemed like the brewery was arranged... inside a natural cave? Could be - the floor was made of stone, probably the cave floor polished by countless hoofsteps. The walls were made from a mix of crystal and quarried stone. She entered each and every room in the corridor, finding only smashed furniture. They were picked clean of anything of value or use, and Crystal couldn't help but think that, based on what she saw, some of the furniture was mising too. They took it for firewood? Could be. She reached the end of the corridor and noticed that a wall section collapsed, barring the way further. She turned around to find Nightmare and rell him what she saw. A few mnutes walk and she was back by the entrance, but it seemed Nightmare was still investigating some of the adjacent rooms.

 

Crystal thought to herself: "Hmm, should I call him? Nah, it's too risky to get loud... Guess I have to look for him instead."

 

The mare sighed, and as she raised her head again she saw a familliar glow on the wall - Nightmare was coming out of one of the corridors.

[Nightmare Season 617]

@@Raven Rawne,

 

As Crystal went off to explore some rooms. He decided to have a look around as well. He needed to find as many answers as he could. Crystal took one door that appeared to slope down into a cavern. So he decided to look in the other door. This one to was the inside of a cavern. The floor was smoothed. Worn down or crafted to be smooth he did not really know. More pressing matters were needed to be sought out first.

 

He latter found himself in a large room. The casket room looked like. Some barrels had been smashed open. A strong sent was on the air. Most of the barrels were missing. Only a large group could have moved these out. So they were not dealing with just a handful of ponies. He looked around some more, where he saw what looked like a door behind a large barrel that had been smashed. Maybe that room will have something inside that could give them a clue.

 

He heard the clapping of hooves back in the passage way. Sounded like Crystal was coming back. He decided to go back and get her to help him push open the door.

 

As he got back he saw Crystal looking for him. She told him of the collapsed corridor and the rest. "I found the room they stored the spirits in. There is a door that is blocked by a broken barrel I will need a hoof to move it aside." He led the Mare to the booze room. One sniff of that room and Crystal was off looking to see if any of her favorite drink was salvageable. "The door is right over here.

 

With the strength of the two ponies. The barrel quickly gave way reviling the hidden door behind it. Nightmare opened it up and looked inside. It appeared to be an office. What was more important, it was untouched.

[Raven Rawne 1,374]

@@Nightmare Season,

 

The mare trotted towards the tall stallion. "There you are! I checked that way (she pointed a hoof at the entryway) but found nothing. They really picked this place clean, even furniture is missing. Oh, and I think there's a way deeper in, but it's blocked by a collapsed wall. So maybe we could clear the rubble and check it out. How's it looking on your end?" She looked at Nightmare with curiosity.

 

Her eyes lit up as she heard about the storage room. She didn't need any more encouragement. "You did! That's great! Lead the way then." Crystal walked impatiently after the nightmare pony, and even overtook him to take the lead once she sniffed the familliar scent of her favourite booze. Nightmare walked into the storage room as Crystal Clear was sticking her head into the barrels. The mare looked at him sheepishly. "What? It's too good to go to waste like that... But it seems those ruffians haven't left a single drop. So where's that door you found?" She was a bit dissapointed, but she jumped off the barrel she stood on and went to help her friend with the heavy barrel.

 

It took some effort, but they finally pushed it aside and opened the door. Crystal ducked beneath the stallion and walked in first, ten turned around and jokigly sticked her tongue "You didn't expect that huh? Now let's look around."

 

Using her glow-crystal as extra light source, the mare approached the nearest shelf and read the book spines. Mostly administrative records, nothing interesting. She then turned her attention to the shape on the wall, and walked closer. "A-hah! That's what we need! Come and take this map off the wall will you? I'm to short myself..." Before Nightmare took it off, the mare gave it a look over and it seemed fairly detailed, if amateurly made. It showed the brewery and surrounding areas, all the way to the Empire down South. Some areas were mostly blank, but it still was better than nothing. Crystal looked around the office as Nightmare laid the map on the desk so they coud both take a look at it.

[Nightmare Season 617]

@@Raven Rawne,

 

"A very good fine Crystal." He told her. He went and looked around the office for something. In a box he did find some snow shoes. Not what he was looking for. He did however placed them in his saddle bags. Might come in handy latter. He also placed a small hoof brush in his bags as well. He then went over to the desk and looked around. Crystal was naming off areas on the map that had been filled in. Asking if this might be the place.

 

After a quick scan of the writing desk Nightmare discovered what he was looking for. "Got you." Crystal looked up from the map at him. "I found a hair. Just what I was looking for." He walked back over to the map where he pulled out the crystal pendulum. He tied the hair to the top of the crystal. "Okay. Let us find out where the owner of this hair disappeared to?" He started to focus his magic into the crystal where it started to swing.

 

The crystal after a few seconds stopped swinging and pointed to a section of the map. A good distance to the North. Almost off of the map. In a section that looked like it was just recently added. For there was a tiny section filled in and the surrounding area was blank. At best guess it looked like the foot of a mountain. Only a narrow path was filled in leading up to that point. "This appears to be our next location to head to. Good news is this pony is still alive."

 

He placed the crystal back in his bags, as well as the map. "Will be handy to take this along." He went back to the writing desk and started looking over the parchments that was scattered over the table. His eyes caught one in particular. He brought it back to Crystal to read it.

 

-Expedition Crew-

"While exploring the new regions yet to be mapped out, we ran a-hoof of bad weather. Got so bad that we had to turn back and return to the Brewery. Before we did however, using the spyglass we spotted what looked like a settlement at the foot of a Mountain. With your permission after we return. We will head back out after the storm clears up and make a visit to them. The traveling time to this point was two days. With good weather." Below this was a drawing of what looked like the area they traveled in.

 

He handed the letter to Crystal for her to take a better look at it. "Seems they found someone that did not fancy being found. So they came back here at took everything and every pony with them." He walk over to the door. "I will go and see about that collapsed passage. See if you can find anything else useful in here." With that he left the mare there and went to the area she told him about.

 

After a few minutes Crystal heard a loud crash and minor explosion and thought the worse. She ran to find Nightmare Season. When she got to the passage that had collapsed she saw him standing before an entrance with the rocks scattered. A few scorched marks here and there. He turned to look back at her. "The path is clear now."

[Raven Rawne 1,374]

@@Nightmare Season,

 

Crystal was tracing lines with a hoof on the map, getting herself oriented in the scribbles and markings of the map. "Somepony fancied themsemves an explorer, it seems..." She didn't react as Nightmare Season walked away and resumed his search of the room. "So the Empire is... here... Those tiny marks are probably the crystal pillars that lead all the way... here! So this is our location, good. Now what's that..." She looked up as Nightmare exclaimed, and gave him a puzzled look. "Got who? Or what? There's nothing in here..." The answer became apparent as Nightmare approached the desk. "Oh, a hair..." Crystal Clear waited (im)patiently for the pendulum to mark the location. The mare looked at this section so closely, she nearly touched the paper with her nose. "Strange... there's nothing in here. Just a base of the mountain. Wait - could it be Mount Everhoof? The distance seems alright."

 

Before she had a chance to smudge the map with her nose however, the nightmare pony took it off the desk and packed into his saddlebags. She looked at him, a bit confused, but didn't object. She just resumed searching the room for anything useful.

 

The silent search didn't last long as Nightmare found something. He brought a parchement with some kind of expedition report and read it aloud. Crystal sat by the desk and wondered. "So they did fancy themselves explorers after all..." As the nightmare pony turned around to leave, she exclaimed "oh, sure, I'll just finish here and be right back!" She waited until she couldn't see the yellow aura on the walls, then unclasped her saddlebags and laid them on the desk, then trotted to a cabinet in the far end of the office. Just a look over the shoulder to make sure he didn't come back and... "Jackpot." She said t herdelf with great satisfaction as she took out a bottle, then hid it in her saddlebags. Justto be sure, she scoured the rest of the office and found some bits in a drawer, a few pencils, some fresh paper... She packed it all into her saddlebags and went outside of the office. As she reached the storage room with empty barrels she heard a loud noise. After freezing for a moment and listening vigorously, she ran as fast as she could in the direction of the blocked path that Nightmare said he'll clear. She nearly crashed into the walls a few times, as her right foreleg still hurt a bit when she ran, but managed to reach the stallion without incident. She skidded on the smooth floor as she tried to stop and nearly bumped into him, but managed to halt just a few steps before him. Panting and looking around frantically, she exclaimed. "I thought you blew up in some kind of trap! Next time tell me if you plan to ka-boom something, okay? Now check the other side, I'll come in a moment." The mare sat on her plot and took a moment to catch her breath, and followed the nightmare pony after a minute.

[Nightmare Season 617]

@@Raven Rawne,

 

"Let us see where this will lead us then" He said to the mare. The two proceeded to walk down the hallway. it twisted and weaved. After a moment a feint glow was seen up ahead. Nightmare Season went into silent mode. Could there be some pony up ahead?

 

The cavern opened up into a natural room. Steam on the air and natural forming glow crystals in the ceiling. A hot spring. Nightmare looked around and saw nothing. Other than a vast supply of crystal berries growing around the hot springs and the light of the crystals. He watched as Crystal turned shinny and dashed for the hot spring. "I guess you really love a hot bath?"

[Raven Rawne 1,374]

@@Nightmare Season

 

Crystal Clear followed Nightmare Season through the tunnel. It was too narrow to walk at his side. The path led them deeper inside the earth as the floor was sloped. From what she could gather, it appeared that a natural cave passage has been widened to make passage easier. Tool marks could be seen here and there.  There were no light sources,  but she didn't have the impression that the glow-crystals were stolen. More likely they were never installed here.

 

It didn't take long till Nightmare stopped abruptly and held a hoof in the air for silence. This time Crystal was further away from him so she had time to react, and didn't bump into him. The mare tried to look what's in front of them but all she saw were the dancing flames of his tail. After this brief pause, the stallion continued walking, causciosly and doing his best to remain silent. The mare shrugged and followed suit. Her hoof boots muffled her steps a bit anyway. 

 

They entered a cavern room, and a large one too. It was illuminated by glow-crystals in the ceiling so they could see everything clearly. Well, almost, since right in the middle something emitted large volumes of water vapour. Upon closer inspection it turned out to be a hot spring. The entire room was filled with crystal berry bushes, apparently planted here to benefit from the warmth. The cavern floor was not rock, but soil. Most probably brought here by ponies.

 

The pair stood for a bit, taking in the sight. Crystal for once was very impressed with the find, as was evident by her wide eyed and grinning expression. Suddenly she took off her saddlebags and moved towards the spring in joyful leaps, crystallising once she reached her goal. She became partially opaque, looking as if she was made of flawless crystal. Her coat glittered, her mane and tail styled themselves perfectly thanks to her kind's ancient magic. She exclaimed,  unable to keep quiet any longer. "This place is perfect!" She pranced for a bit in happiness, laughing. It took some time before she replied to the confused stallion. "Are you kidding me? Hot bath is in my top ten! And hot springs are the best there is in this department! Come on, let's blow off some steam. Nopony's here anyway! So what do you say, hmm? Hot water, sweet berries, peace and quiet - I for once don't need any special invitation." She smiled widely at him and fluttered her eyelashes a bit, then giggled.  She then picked her cap off the ground and used it as an impromptu bowl as she gathered the berries. Partially because they were insanely good, and partially to give her friend time to think. He didn't look happy the last time she saw him wet.

[Nightmare Season 617]

@@Raven Rawne,

 

"Blow off some steam hu?" He asked. He the walked over to where the steam was thickest and blew out heavily to blow it away. He saw her expression at this and quickly saved himself. "Just joking." He walked over to where she was plucking the berries. "This is a nice place to relax for the night. Food, a bath, and we can figure out what our next action will be." He looked back at the water. Curse his nemesis.

 

"A bath in a warm bath would be a change. Usually it was always cold water." With that he walked over to the spring. Surprised he found inside of it, stone had been carved into seats. He took off his saddle bags and placed them in a safe area under a bush. He went in and sat down. Immediately his tail went out. The tailless pony once more. He kept his mane out of the water however. He felt good. The temperature just right. He waited for Crystal to finish up with her hat full of gem stones of berries to come and join him.

 

"After we rest up a bit, I will get my cards. See if they can tell us anything about what we can expect." He smiled at the crystal pony, mouth slightly stained with berry juice. "Those any good?"

[Raven Rawne 1,374]

@@Nightmare Season

 

Crystal Clear glanced at Nightmare as he approached the hot spring. She was quite certain that he would need a moment to consider the idea, given how sad he looked the first time she saw him wet. But instead of convincing him one way or another she just kept picking berries and left him to make his own call. Once she saw him blowing the steam off the water she paused and gave him a puzzled look.

 

"What the hay?" It seemed he took her offer a bit too literally... Fortunately, Nightmare saw her confusion and said it was a joke. She breathed out with relief. "Good gracious, I really thought you took it literally. Good joke by the way." The mare nodded in approval and resumed her task. "They have enough fruit to feed us for a week in here, it's just incredible..." She said to herself as the stallion approached her.

 

Crystal  nodded happily as Nightmare laid out the plan. She was still in good spirits and her crystalline form would stay until that change for the worse. "I like this idea. Been a while since I could relax in a place like this... We need to get back here on the way back you know.  Thus place is just..." She made a wide circle in the air with a foreleg, as if showing him the place. "Now I know why those ponies moved out into the Frozen North. This cave is magical."

 

Nightmare walked back to the pool and the mare continued picking the berries.  She was almost finished already. A loud sizzling noise confirmed that the stallion entered the pool. Crystal smiled and went for her saddlebags.  She picked enough for the two of them. A moment later she came to the edge of the hot Spring and put down her hat filled with ruby like fruits. Next, she took off her saddlebags and put within reach from the water, and disrobed from her cold weather getup. Truth be told, it was rather warm in there and she never liked being overdressed like that. Once she was free from her clothes the mare walked into the pool, slowly adapting to the hot water. She seemed to disappear in the water because of her opaque look.

 

"Ahhh, just the way I'd want it..." Crystal laid down on a resting place opposite to Nightmare, just her head above the water, rested on the pool's edge with her eyes closed. She sighed deeply in relaxation.  "I really should do this more often, but the spa is ridiculously expensive. Blasted tourists cause the prices to rise..." Thankfully, her companion brought her to the present before she killed the mood with more ranting. Crystal cracked one eye open and replied. "Sure thing. Feel free to start anytime you want, I'll stay here for some time. Feels so gooood..." She smiled again at the pleasant feeling of the hot bath.

 

Before she drifted off to a half sleeping state she always did in hot baths however,  Nightmare asked about the berries. She flickered her ear and got up to reach for them. The wet crystalline pony looked like fresh polished gemstone, but she submerged as soon as she put the hat with berries on the stone edge of the pool between them. The mare made herself comfortable again, with just her head above the water, and elaborated while reaching for a berry once in a while.  "They're great, you know.  A local delicacy, they taste a bit like Equestrian blueberries but they're sweeter. Anyway,  there are several barrels of them still to be picked so why won't you taste for yourself?" She smiled encouragingly as Nightmare took a few. "So? What do you think? I could eat them every day." The mare took a scoop to prove her words and ate them. A small wave appeared on the smooth water as she stretched her legs. "Hmm, I could take a nap like this. Would it be okay if I dozed off for a bit? You'd wake me up for the reading or when I'm needed? I feel like I could stay in here forever..." The mare closed her eyes and exhaled deeply in complete relaxation, just a hair's breadth away from falling asleep.

[Nightmare Season 617]

@@Raven Rawne,

 

After receiving the berries from the shiny pony. He took a bite himself. They were indeed good. Not as good as a sweet dream of a filly, but good non-the-less. When he finished the berries and looked up at his companion almost about to go to sleep, he talked to her. "Best not fall asleep in a hot spring. The temperature is to hot. If you fell asleep you could pass out from the heat.

 

He waded over to her to give her a nudge to make sure she heard him and will not fall asleep. After that he walked out of the spring and went over to a grassy area and laid down. The sight of him was to die from laughing. No tail, just a little simmer of smoke from where it once was. He pulled out his cards from his pack and began to shuffle them.

 

As he dealt out the cards, he looked back to Crystal to make sure she was not dozing off again. He began to study the cards that laid before him. "Hmm.....It seems tomorrow will be a stormy day. Seems we might be holed up for another day here." He looked back at the mare with a smile as though she liked the idea of another day with her berries. "It seems that the enemy we face....hmm....Seems that you know them. Ones that once were here but vanished as well." This part he did not quite understand.

 

"Any thoughts on your end?" He asked her. "HEY! No sleeping in the hot springs."

[Raven Rawne 1,374]

@@Nightmare Season

 

The mare scrunched her snout in displeasure as the sudden call from her companion dispelled the first signs of blissful slumber. "Uhh... really? But it feels so good in here." She felt movement in the water and soon after, a nudge. With slight irritation she opened her eyes and saw Nightmare giving her that look. "Okay, I promise I'll stay awake. See? Eyes open." Apparently it satisfied the stallion since he went out of the water and left the mare unmolested. She didn't see what he was doing, since he chose a spot behind her.

 

Crystal Clear decided to take the berries closer to her and eat them while she enjoyed the hot spring. "Add Evie and a bottle of our favourite and I could die happy..." She said to nopony in particula, then  took a big scoop of berries. The mare slid off the stone seat into the deeper water in the middle to move for a bit since she was feeling suspiciously blissful - a sure sign she might doze off. With some satisfaction she discovered that the water was deep enough to submerge completely without bending her legs, so she took a short dive and swam to the other side where she resurfaced. Crystal shook her head rapidly to get rid of at least some of the water from her coat,  while her inborn magic kept her mane in shape. She ate all the berries anyway so at least now she could see Nightmare without craning her neck like a swan.

 

The crystal pony looked at the stallion curiously when he announced tomorrow will be no good for travel, but she saw no hint of a lie. She grinned and splashed the water with her forelegs. "Yesss! I mean, I know we're on a mission but I really like it in here so..." She looked at him apologetically for her extatic reaction.

 

Nightmare got back to his cards and Crystal rested her head against the edge of the pool and followed her own train of thoughts. Soon enough her eyelids grew heavy and her eyes closed, followed by that blissful sensation of approaching slumber.  She heard the question but didn't answer. Only once Nightmare Season yelled to wake her up,  she stirred and blinked in surprise, then looked at him. "Did I just...? Aww it's just no fun when I'm tired like that. You won." She reluctantly got up and walked out of the water, then shook herself off like a dog to get rid of the dripping water. She was still wet, but now just a little. The mare walked to the nearest bush and began to nibble on it's sweet fruit.

 

"So about the enemy, as you've put it..." She sighed, and her coat returned to normal. So much for happy thoughts. "Those black crystals by the entrance could be made only by crystal unicorn magic, and dark one too. I've seen enough of them to be sure - it's the King's court. It seems that the loyalists of the evil king escaped to that settlement up north. It would also explain why my... friend... is up there. Crystal earth ponies were enslaved, along with anypony from other pony races who refused to serve him. If I'm right, and I'm afraid I am, this won't be easy."

 

She picked an especially ripe berry and it broke on her hoof. She stared st the red juice for a moment,  then asked. "Have you ever... hurt... a pony? Those loyal to the King know nothing but evil that filled their hearts, and won't let us just take my friend home. I fear we might have to use force at done point..."

 

Crystal Clear sighed and licked the broken berry off her hoof. 

[Nightmare Season 617]

@@Raven Rawne,

 

"I have hurt other ponies before. Mostly when I was still with my family. Fire magic is especially brutal to others. My family use to use me as an escape plan should we get spotted. Also after I left, Sometimes I had to fight back. Also those strange wooden wolves in the forest where I found myself." He looked up to Crystal to see how she would respond to that answer.

 

He got up and walked to the entrance they came from. "I will go gather up some fire wood so we can have a slight fire for tonight." He left the crystal mare nibbling on her berry bush. He walked around and explored some of the rooms that they had missed earlier. He found what looked like the rooms they slept in. There was one trunk that still had a few things left in it. He rummaged through the left overs.

 

He managed to find one scarf that had the brewery's logo on it. "Hmm....Will be great for Crystal at least." He packed it away in his bags. Latter down the line he found the bath room, kitchen, and what looked like a common area. Sadly most had been ransacked. He gathered up bits of wood here and there and headed back to the spring.

 

He walked in seeing a sleeping mare in the bath. He sighed. "Told you not to sleep in the heat." He pulled out the scarf and with his magic wrapped it around the mare. This woke her up.

 

"Found the kitchen. Sadly no food left."

[Raven Rawne 1,374]

@@Nightmare Season

 

Crystal Clear listened to Nightmare Season as he laid down his experiences with violence. Unsure how to react,  she nodded in a neutral manner. "Sounds like you're no stranger to violence then. Maybe it's for the best, considering what lies ahead. I never... you know.  Even when they locked me up and ordered to make tools for the other slaves down in the mines, I didn't fight back. I don't even know if I have the guts for it. So I guess it's good you're past that point."

 

The mare was staring in the distance with an unsure grimace on her snout, thinking whether she could bring herself to hurt a pony, when Nightmare saved her from those thoughts by announcing he's off to get some firewood. She smiled at him instinctively. "Sure, if we're going to stay here for a while. Might even do some redecorating to make this place our main camp of sorts.  Bring some bedding and the like, maybe barricade the entrance just in case. We'll discuss it once you get back though."

 

She continued eating berries for some time, until she felt like she had her fill. Those fruits would fall off the bush in a few days anyway, and thinning their rations when there was free food to be found would be rather stupid. The mare licked her lips to clean herself up,  with partial success. Nightmare was still away, and she didn't have anything to do really, so she just hopped back into the water to have some more fun in it. Crystal Clear dud a couple dives, swimmed from one end to another and generally moved about to keep the blood flowing. However it soon felt boring,  and she swam to the edge opposite to the entrance and lied down on the stone seat like she did earlier,  with just the head sticking above the water. She moved her soaking wet mane away from her eyes and straight back, then rested her head on the smooth stone edge of the pool. So nice and warm, she thought. The mare didn't notice when she closed her eyes and dozed off.

 

A voice, and something wrapping around her neck! Crystal Clear woke up to those two distinct sensations and got scared, unable to make sense of it immediately. She flailed her forelegs trying to push away whatever was holding her and made some incoherent noises, which caused her to lose balance in the water and fall off the seat into the deeper water. She emerged spitting and rubbing her eyes a moment later, and once she could see again she saw Nightmare, clearly amused by her little display.  The mare took off the scarf and looked at it, then shot him a cold stare. "I know you told me not to sleep in the water but really, you could just nudge me or something.  Even empty a bucket on my head. But tying stuff on my neck? I really thought something wanted to choke me!"

 

Just as previously,  Crystal Clear walked out of the pool and shook herself off most of the water, then stretched a bit to get the last ounces of sleep past her.

 

"Shame you woke me up, I had a great dream." The mare walked to the stallion and aaked: "So how are things looking outside our little paradise?  You found anything interesting? Some beds maybe? I wouldn't say no to a real bed you know. I don't know how you manage to sleep on the ground all the time... Also,  before we call it a night we should barricade the main door.  I don't want anything to nest in those rooms while we're around, or find any nasty surprises on our way back.  So how's it going to be, can you help me secure the entrance?"

[Nightmare Season 617]

@@Raven Rawne,

 

"I found that scarf for you and thought you would like it, and need it. As for beds, yes, I did find what looked like the bed rooms. They were off in another section. As for barricading the entrance. That is a bad idea. If there is a scout around and see the entrance disturbed it will alert them that there is guests here. With how well they ransacked the place, they will not come back to look for more stuff. We can instead barricade the door to the beds. As far as emptying a bucket of water on your head, There are no buckets I found." He gave her a feint smile.

 

With that he led the mare to the bed rooms. A few of the beds were still usable. For her. He just piled a few thing on the floor to make his bed. Always hard to find a bed his size. By this time it was getting late in the day. Nightmare had brought up a bushel of berries earlier. "I think I saw some flour in the kitchen. Might try my hoof at a crystal berry pie. Care to help me Crystal?"

[Raven Rawne 1,374]

@@Nightmare Season

 

Crystal Clear gave the stallion a puzzled look. She glanced at the scarf she tossed by the pool when she didn't know what it was and wanted to get rid of it. "I uhhh... thanks?  Sorry for causing a scene but, don't tie anything on me when I'm asleep, okay?" She walked to pick it up and put loosely across the bushes, since it was all wet and that way would dry sooner.

 

The mare brought a foreleg to her chin, as was her custom when she pondered over something. A few drops of water fell from her  body, since she herself was wet too. "Hmm, I haven't thought about it that way... So we shouldn't disturb the entrance or the first hall,  but anything deeper should be fair game, right? I need to think if there's any sense of barricading then." She raised her head and nodded at Nightmare. "Show me those beds, will you?"

 

The pair walked a bit through the empty corridors and finally reached the bed chamber, or a dormitory of sorts. There were twenty beds in different states of disrepair,  but around five looked good.  The mare approached the nearest one and inspected it. "Nothing fancy I admit, but it'll do. And where you're going to sl... oh, right." She looked back at Nightmare who was arranging a big matress from a couple of the broken beds. "I guess that answers my question."

 

Crystal Clear had a genuine laugh when Nightmare Season asked her to help in baking. She stomped with a hoof and tried to cover her face a couple tines before coming around,  but it wasn't a mean sort of laugh. "Aww Nightmare, that was a good one! Me and baking are just as acquainted as pigs and flying, but sure I'll help you. So where's the kitchen?"

 

It turned out it was opposite of the dorm. As usual,  the place was ransacked but a few stray items were laying here and there.  The mare picked up a large spoon and found a nice bowl in one of the cabinets, so now they could mix the flour for cake. Further search didn't reveal any eggs, but there was indeed a sack of flour, tucked in the oven for some reason. She looked around the kitchen again. "Hmm, we'll need some water for the cake, maybe I could fetch some snow? I don't recall seeing a well in here, and the spring water had a weird taste... I'll be back shortly." Crystal took the bowl and trotted out of the kitchen to get some snow. She could find her way in the dark thanks to the glow-crystal necklace she grabbed at the last moment before leaving the cavern with berries. Soon enough she reached the entrance. It was really cold in there, and she wasn't completely dry just yet, so she just ran to the nearest snow pile, scooped the whole bowl of it and ran back inside till she reached a warmer section of the facility.  Only then did she stop and shake herself from tiny ice droplets that froze on her coat. "Brrr, chilly." She said to herself and walked back onto the kitchen. "Pile of snow: check! What now chef?" She placed it on the table and looked for something to melt it in, but Nightmare already found a pot, and used his magic to move the snow from one to the other, then melt the snow. Together they mixed the flour and formed a pie shape on a copper baking plate that also was hidden in the oven, then sticked the berries into it. Nightmare already had the fireplace beneath the oven prepared and ignited it with his magic. Either he was so fast or the mare took do long with the snow.

 

Crystal decided to search the nearby rooms on her own while the pie was baking. There wasn't much left but somehow she found a comb and a small mirror, some random clothes, and, surprisingly enough, an axe - it was hidden behind one of the wardrobes in a smaller bedroom with a damaged king's bed. The wanton destruction of furniture bothered her a bit, since the traitors were cruel, but not mindless in their impulses.  Maybe that changed... The mare piled up her treasures in the dorm to sort them later and checked on Nightmare and his pie. The fresh scent was enough to make her stomach grumble loudly as she entered the kitchen. She smiled sheepishly and traced circles with her hoof as he looked at her. "What? It just... smells good. Is it ready?"

 

The stallion stepped aside to reveal their Magnum Opus, baked and cooling off. Crystal walked to take a look at it. "Not as pretty as in the bakeries back home, but with me as aide it was hard to do much better. I wonder if it tastes good though. Time will tell... Any plans till the pie cools off? "

[Nightmare Season 617]

@@Raven Rawne,

 

"I am sure it will taste alright. Practice makes perfect after all. Even the greatest bakers started out bad." He told her with a slight smile. "As for plans.... I guess we can look and see if we can find anything else that would be of use to us. We are headed to a mountain base after this." With this they both went off and did some more searching. Not much was left after the banditry. When enough time passed for the pie to have cooled, Nightmare called for Crystal to come.

 

A slightly fixed table and chairs served their need. Nightmare used his magic to divided the pie into pieces and served it up on some wooden plates he had found. It was indeed good. After they both finished the pie, they went back to the dormitory. Nightmare went to his makeshift bed and counted up the remainder of his roots. He should have packed more, but how could one prepare for such a surprise trip?

[Raven Rawne 1,374]

@@Nightmare Season,

 

Crystal Clear smiled at the stallion and trotted outside the kitchen. "Alright, I'll grab anything marginally useful and bring it to the dorm, then we'll sort it all out. I'll also bring our saddlebags from the hot spring - as much as I'd love so get back there, I need to dry off anyway..."

 

She decided to lug their stuff from the spring first. Crystal trotted in a steady pace all the way to the hot spring, where she put on her saddlebags. One last longing look at the water and a scoop of berries later she approached Nightmare's bags and put them on too, but left the strap undone - it was too large anyway. For a moment she thought her load was too heavy, but after a few steps she got a hang of it. A couple minutes later she arrived in the dorm without incident and left the bags there, then thought for a moment where to begin her search.

 

"Hmm... I've been in all the rooms deeper in this corridor, so now I'll go the other way." - the mare told herself.

 

She did as she said, and began scouring the rooms closer to the entrance, throwing everthing she found on the corridor for later pickup.

 

She heard the staiion calling her when she was about done with the sweep, so she just trotted back to him for the pie. "Not bad, considering I helped make it." She licked her lips to clean up from last traces of the delicacy. This time they didn't have to clean up, so the mare took the opportunity to bring her loot to the dorm and add to the pile. Once Nightmare came in, she started sorting through it.

Edited November 21, 2016 by Raven Rawne