private Outcasts of Society (1x1 with Shadow Dancer)

[Shadow Dancer 111]

Without Faith or Arcania near him providing warmth Indicus started to wake up. A couple of sniffs told him there was some fresh toast made recently and when he opened his eyes he saw Arcania standing in front of a crib inside a peculiar circle that looked similar but was not intended for summoning. "Well hello there Arcania. I see you got a crib."

[Sphinx-Ara 3,517]

Arcania smiles and nods "Sure do, didn't take too much" she says with a smile "Just an alchemic circle, enough wood dust and shavings and a few other things, and presto, instant crib, and all for free too" she says with a smile.

[Shadow Dancer 111]

"Huh I'll need to put Alchemy on the list of things to learn after figuring out what my old teacher meant. It sounds useful to be able to use waste and trash to create something useful, that and something for the times I take a bolt or arrow through my arm, leg or side sounds nice." Indicus spotted the already prepared toast and took the plate figuring that was why it was made.

[Sphinx-Ara 3,517]

"Well it's not exactly trash and waste. It's all about equivelant exchange as I explained earlier. In order to create, you need the right amount of things it is made out of, so for the crib it was a tone of wood chips, shavings and dust, the rest is up to the pony really. It is easy to fix something without exchanging anything, Now, there is one thing you cannot do with alchemy, create life or raise the dead" she says "Equivelant exchange, which means you'd need a philosopher's stone, which in order to create a full one..multitude of souls" she says "Which is why I've been tinkering with other ideas for my dad but..maybe it isn't to be"

[Shadow Dancer 111]

Indicus nodded understanding a decent bit of what was being said. "I see. As for creating the philosopher's stone I imagine that would be an ordeal in itself." Indicus went back in thought  for awhile. "Like I said in the woods the problem with necromancy is the soul you summon has to volunteer to come and to raise them you need to make an agreement or you can enslave the soul and that requires a lot of power. Which is where the evil necromancer image comes from well that and using death magic to animate bones to behave like automatons and using enslaved souls as generals." 

Indicus then realized how long he was talking. "Sorry for rambling on like that I guess I have the same tendency you do in that respect. Though I think we have covered enough on such dark subjects. If you don't mind telling me, where do you keep your book collection?"

[Sphinx-Ara 3,517]

Arcania nods somberly "You're right, which is why I'm about to give up on it. I ahve a dark enough reputation as it is" she says and then smiles "Of course, it's in my study, this way" she says before she leads the way to her study "Help yourself any time you want" she remarks with a smile "When you're not protecting me or foalsitting Faith of course" she says, then opening the door, to what could first be mistaken for a normal room, but as you step in, it expands to a massive library.

[Shadow Dancer 111]

Indicus looks around at the library with a smile and thirst for knowledge to make Twilight Sparkle jealous. Indicus took note of the way books were organized and fortunately for him it was very standard. "Thanks, I will find the books on bat-ponies that you mentioned and if it is the language I am thinking it is I should be able to understand it I learned my ancestor's tongue in an attempt to grow closer and learn more about my Thestral heritage."

[Sphinx-Ara 3,517]

"Excellent, it'd be awesome to finally have them translated. I've tried all I can to but I just can't make sense of it all" she says and then walks him through it "They should be in this section, about ancestral races and the such" she says as she then looks out the window, singing a song.

 

[Shadow Dancer 111]

I find the book quite quickly and as I suspected it was written in the old Thestral language. The books themselves were leather bound and looked quite old It would take a long time to translate both so Indicus would first look for the subject matter that his mentor was alluding to.

Indicus waited for Arcania to finish singing finding the song to be very catchy if dark. "That is the second time I have heard you sing and I must say you are very good." Indicus paused before his curiosity took over once more "Thank you I will find what I am looking for then start translating as soon as I find my own answers. But I would like to ask where did you find these books?"  

[Sphinx-Ara 3,517]

Arcania smiles and nods "Great, I hope you do find what you are looking for" she says before blushing "Thanks, it's a favorite passtime of mine" she says and sits down, opening a book about alchemy, doing a bit more research, "Hmm I think I can do this one easy, lets see..oh yes, those were the roots I was harvesting last night when we met" she says with a giggle "There is another way but..hmm..no there's no way in hell I am invoking the Elder gods"

[Shadow Dancer 111]

Indicus checked on Faith and saw she was asleep in her crib with a content smile. So Indicus put a spell on the ceiling above crib that would link it to his scrying mirror. Happy that he could keep an eye on Faith he went back to the library and started looking through the ancient books what he found was very enlightening ranging from customs to dances and social organization of family. 

It was in the second book that he found what he was possibly looking for. It talked about a well guarded unique type of magic that was known as blood magic, it is usable by all Thestral's but a few families possessed an enhanced affinity for it. Interestingly enough it was the reason vampire myths were created, as to use blood magic one must drain their own blood supply and Threstral's could take blood from victims to replenish their own. The details on how it was tapped into were sparse.

Indicus now possessing some answers to an age old question now could not shake another. Who were his birth parents? Wanting to distract himself he watched Faith through his mirror.

[Sphinx-Ara 3,517]

Arcania puts her book down "Well, guess I'd better open shop and start on those orders" she says as she puts her book away "Sure you'll be fine dear? I'll just be next door in my apothecary should you or our little one need me" she kisses his cheek before making her way towards the Apothecary.

[Shadow Dancer 111]

Indicus gave Arcania a reassuring smile and went to Faith's crib where the young changeling was cooing as Indicus picked her up and started playing with her. He took the crib to the couch so he could sit down and continue playing with Faith. "You and your new mother are the best things to happen to me. Though one day when your older I will find the mare who birthed you if she is around. A child should get to see the one who gave life to them at least once." I whispered 

 

[Sphinx-Ara 3,517]

Arcania smiles "and mummy will help you" she says, giving Faith a kiss on the nose before going through the door with a soft sigh. Closing her eyes she begins to concentrate on her work, but something was on her mind, who were the parents who chose her to adopt their nymph? did they know her through one of the guilds? how did they know she would take her in? she sighs once more and begins to look through her ledgers.

[Shadow Dancer 111]

Indicus's task had begun in earnest once Arcania left and he found it quite enjoyable to play with his adopted daughter. He planned to try and unlock his blood magic later when Arcania was around to help if needed, the book warned that accessing it the first time typically required a supply of cattle blood just in case something went wrong. 

Time passed as he took care of Faith he even checked her magic levels to make sure she was healthy and when he did he found she was doing good as far as making emotions into magic and that was when he discovered her magical potential was that of a five year old unicorn foal and that was when he made the realization of how desperate the mother was. "Our little Faith is going to be a changeling queen." Indicus muttered in disbelief. 

[Sphinx-Ara 3,517]

After finishing half of her orders, she walks in just in time to hear what Indicus muttered "What was that dear? Did you just say that our little Faith is going to be a Changeling Queen?" she asks as she looks at their adopted daughter "You don't think that..her mother is..none other than.."

[Shadow Dancer 111]

Indicus nodded, "Unless all recently born changelings have the magic potential of a five year old foal then yes she is going to be a queen and that makes Chrysalis her biological mother and that means it is likely her hive was discovered and she and her hive are being hunted by very vengeful people."

Indicus did not like the implications that if word of Faith got out we could be targets and it would be worse if it happened as she grew up and it was obvious she was a changeling queen. "It also means that if Faith is found out she and by extension we will be hunted by whoever is a part of this crusade." 

[Sphinx-Ara 3,517]

Arcania growls "I will murder anyone who tries to harm our Faith! But Luna and the other Princesses need to know of this, if a hive is being hunted after the reformation of King Thorax, then they need to know" she says, "My orders are already half done, and this is more important, I have some contacts within the guilds who can set up a meeting for us, but that means I need to leave for a bit"

[Shadow Dancer 111]

"I will send probes out to get details, It is more then likely the changelings that have kept to the old ways of feeding off of love of others that are being hunted. And Thorax is busy ruling his new nation of changelings I still don't remember what they call themselves" 

"As for getting Celestia, Luna and Thorax involved there sadly is little they can do directly when it involves changelings that are technically of another hive and have no agreements with Equestria. I will get a message to them anyway but I don't expect much. But maybe if I play my cards right I can make sure Faith sees the mare that birthed her. I will keep an eye out on the kill contracts on Queen Chrysalis and when one appears I intend on accepting it."

Edited April 7, 2018 by Shadow Dancer

[Sphinx-Ara 3,517]

She nods and sighs "I just..you are right, our little one needs to meet her biological mother, but what if Chrsyalis wasn't even given the option to reform? She's instantly been hiding and hunted since the attack on the wedding. So if she is given a chance to reform and she takes it..then shouldn't we give her that chance?" she asks, getting into her thieve's guild gear.

[Shadow Dancer 111]

"That will be her choice and hers alone the same with Faith when she get's old enough to make a decision. Honestly I never saw what the dislike of non-reformed changelings was besides the obvious. Honestly given less desperation from what I heard from my changeling partner way back when they could easily have been integrated" Indicus shrugged "But the new arrangement works for them so more power to them." Indicus got his gear on wearing just his armored coat over his normal clothing. 

[Sphinx-Ara 3,517]

"Sweetehart, who is going to look after Faith?" she asks, gently stroking the filly's mane "I-I don't want to lose her" she says and looks at him "I guess I could take her with me, the guild is't exactly the best place, but it's better than getting some...ooh we could call Charity" she says and dials her number "Hello Charity? You're off duty? Great, listen can you do us a favor? Yes? Great, ten minutes, see you then, thank you so much" she hangs up and sighs in relief "she'll be here in ten minutes"

[Shadow Dancer 111]

"Well now we know Faith will be fine I know the lunar guards training. Well time to wait for Charity then we can go and help Chrysalis." I hugged Arcania then gave her a kiss on her cheek. "You will be an amazing mother." 

[Sphinx-Ara 3,517]

Arcania blushes "And you will be just an as an amazing father, but now that answers my question. Some of her old Changeling hivelings are in the guild, thought they'd put their ability to blend in and such to good use, you know" she says with a smile "so I shall also let them know"

[Shadow Dancer 111]

"Go ahead, but let them know of my plan I don't want to have to hurt them because of a misunderstanding." I replied as eagerly checked the time wanting to get to saving Faith's biological mother as soon as I could.