private Deep Science 1x1 with Blitz Boom

[Blitz Boom 4,427]

@Illiad Easle

Void averted her eye while Vale were doing her thing, whilst Null kept her gaze on the whole process, to try and gander what exactly were going on. She had to jump back up on Void's back to get a good viewing angle though, yet when she stood there, she wouldn't look away.

You'd think that perhaps either of them would be horrified by this, but they had seen too many cut into themselves like this because of some sort of parasite, madness, or a curse of some kind. At times, mixtures between these things. End result were the same though: They had gotten too used to this to really feel scared about it anymore, yet Void still felt somewhat queasy about it, and had elected to not test her stomach right now. Something about self mutilation just didn't sit right with her.

Null on the other hoof? Better chance she'd give a confused stink eye if someone suddenly burst into song, instead of self harming. Had to be pretty bloody to get to her, and this were barely anything, even if the varied cuts and removal seemed like it'd be quite messy.

Not she had had any idea what she were looking at. Technology and her didn't get along well, with her not knowing how something more advanced than a mine cart worked. A toaster would confuse and potentially enrage her, as she'd keep burning bread, or her own hooves, as an example.

So yeah, seeing this mechanical doe pulling tools out and start to rearrange and replace parts of her highly technological body? She were totally lost on this, and watching weren't helping much. It basically just told her that Vale had some sort of idea on how to fix herself, but might need some more mass to work with.

On 10/6/2019 at 1:05 AM, Illiad Easle said:

Pen looked back still with a bit of a horrified expression, "Sorry about that, She's been... different, since she got ejected."

"Looks like she's just fixing herself up. I can't see what the big fuzz is about.

So, while she's doing... Whatever, I think you need to fill us in on some things here, Pen. How did you two make it out? And try to weave in some story about what the hay's going on with you two. Including why I shouldn't be beating her with her own leg, for assisting those butchers back in the facility. Because trust me, it's getting really tempting to settle that score."

If Null hadn't been knocked out before she saw or heard anything, she could have added being taken out of commission for three years, but Void neglected to tell her that. It were one of those things that were probably best to keep to herself, and then try to get answers for later, as she wanted to know why Vale had done that. Before all of this, she would have just assumed the worst, but... Nine? Tartarus? The state of the world? She didn't think they were insanely important, yet she couldn't shake the feeling that they had been stowed away for not only their own best, but for something meaningful, and she'd like to try and give Vale the benefit of the doubt to explain herself. Just... Not when she were doing what she were right now. It were gross.

[Illiad Easle 2,972]

@Blitz Boom

4 hours ago, Blitz Boom said:

Including why I shouldn't be beating her with her own leg, for assisting those butchers back in the facility.

Vale's mechanical eye moved to look directly at Null while her natural eye continued to focus on the work on her leg.

Pen as well seemed a bit startled by Null's aggressive comment as she carefully applied the bandage to Vale's still bleeding shoulder. "She used to talk more, but now..." she cut herself off, "Once you ran off after Panic, I helped her get up and moving. She remembered a certain experiment and had me bring her to it, it was some sort of, I don't know, looked like a giant ring. She plugged herself into it and was able to get it started, but she didn't have the power to really aim it properly so we stepped through... kind of right into a guard or two." Pen looked over at Vale. "She fell unconscious from the power drain, she only woke up when one of the guards brought some glowing metal. I showed the doctor where to put it in her and she stabilized well, but she hasn't said much since. Just pain really."

It seemed Vale was done repairing her hind leg as she flexed it for good measure, then she turned back to the remaining pieces of her disassembled front leg, starting to build a sort of rudimentary leg out of the spare parts.

All the while her mechanical eye stared straight at Null.

"Hold on... is she, singing?" If Null cared to focus she'd be able to hear the same faint humming sound that was present whenever Seen was trying to speak to them. "It sounds like a lament, but in a language I don't know. She sounds like she's been divided. That's rough."

(Given Null's likely to ask what being Divided is)

"I thought it only applied to Scepters, but since we're mostly nebulous physically we can be broken up into smaller pieces, each retaining only parts of the memories of the prior whole. A piece separated from the others often has a difficult time resolving the fractured memories and personality, if it even had one to begin with."

[Blitz Boom 4,427]

On 10/8/2019 at 2:09 AM, Illiad Easle said:

"She used to talk more, but now..." she cut herself off, "Once you ran off after Panic, I helped her get up and moving. She remembered a certain experiment and had me bring her to it, it was some sort of, I don't know, looked like a giant ring. She plugged herself into it and was able to get it started, but she didn't have the power to really aim it properly so we stepped through... kind of right into a guard or two." Pen looked over at Vale. "She fell unconscious from the power drain, she only woke up when one of the guards brought some glowing metal. I showed the doctor where to put it in her and she stabilized well, but she hasn't said much since. Just pain really."

"Stepped into a guard, huh? Guess that explains why they're keeping an eye on you. And what's the deal with that metal? The shadow kid's been asking about it, and the consul said something about it being rare, and hoarded by the Grey. We gotta kill some of those to get to it? I'd be thrilled if that were part of the gig."

Guess the locals must be a little tense when a couple of accidental evisceration got them all riled up.

Alright, lame jokes aside, it sounded like a rough time, and a good explanation on why the two them had been locked up, and treated like dirt, according to what Void had said. Though her sis did also mention something about an attack? Might be a misinterpretation, but then again, Pen might have also clocked someone. Null would kinda respect that honestly.

She didn't much care for Vale though, for varied reasons like her race, how she had been when they first met her, and how she kept on starring her down... There might be a beating in the future if that doe kept this up, without giving her a reason not to hammer her one right in the kisser.

On 10/8/2019 at 2:09 AM, Illiad Easle said:

"I thought it only applied to Scepters, but since we're mostly nebulous physically we can be broken up into smaller pieces, each retaining only parts of the memories of the prior whole. A piece separated from the others often has a difficult time resolving the fractured memories and personality, if it even had one to begin with."

Nine interrupting her line of thought might distract her from it, but not until she got what he were on about. So she had indeed asked what he meant with divided, and the answer she got were not what she had expected.

"We talking like a soul fragmentation? ...Didn't expect something like that to come up here. This complicates things."

It were the closest she could connect this with. A pretty nasty thing, usually by some powerful magic used against another by the truly wicked, or some sort of horrible accident by would be liches, and the results sounded like this divide. Souls just scattered around, parts of something that were broken, and trying what they could to exist on their own, but usually having issues as they weren't a full part, even if they possessed someone or something.

If it were something like this... Ergh, it seemed wrong to beat up someone like this. It'd be like hitting someone in a wheel chair, even if they did ask for it. It just felt iffy.

Granted, she Had punched someone in a wheel chair, but he had tested the limits of her patience one too many times, and got what he deserved for it, but that were besides the point right now.

"Is she uhm... D-Done self mutilating? it's d-distracting, and honestly k-kind of painful to l-look at. Shouldn't.... I m-mean, Doesn't it h-hurt her?"

[Illiad Easle 2,972]

@Blitz Boom

4 hours ago, Blitz Boom said:

And what's the deal with that metal? The shadow kid's been asking about it, and the consul said something about it being rare, and hoarded by the Grey.

Pen shrugged, "I really don't know much about it past that she needs it to keep her mechanical parts moving. I didn't realize it was so rare, there was quite a store of it in the lab, though that would explain the level of guard they had when they brought over what little they did."

5 hours ago, Blitz Boom said:

"We talking like a soul fragmentation? ...Didn't expect something like that to come up here. This complicates things."

"There's not much talk among Scepters about souls, so I wouldn't really know if it applies. From what I can tell I don't thing she suffered a soul splitting, I've seen that before and it wasn't pretty, nothing like what I remember experiencing. She looks more like you did before they came in and fixed you, going on the bare minimum that she has until it runs out."

Vale at that point had finished assembling her makeshift leg, she stored the spare parts and the tools back in the compartment she had taken them from and stuck the leg back into the socket she had ejected it from. While it wasn't nearly as elegant as her hind leg, it seemed to maintain basic functionality as she flexed it about. She averted her gaze from Null as she did so.

5 hours ago, Blitz Boom said:

"Is she uhm... D-Done self mutilating? it's d-distracting, and honestly k-kind of painful to l-look at. Shouldn't.... I m-mean, Doesn't it h-hurt her?"

"It's repair." She spoke in a flat tone, while mostly devoid of emotion it bore a faint hint of lament.

Pen seemed quite surprised that Vale spoke, a bit of relief coming to her features.

Vale shifted position to a typical laying down pose with her legs tucked beneath her, except for the makeshift one which stuck out. She stared ahead much like Null had.

[Blitz Boom 4,427]

@Illiad Easle

On 10/10/2019 at 2:02 AM, Illiad Easle said:

"There's not much talk among Scepters about souls, so I wouldn't really know if it applies. From what I can tell I don't thing she suffered a soul splitting, I've seen that before and it wasn't pretty, nothing like what I remember experiencing. She looks more like you did before they came in and fixed you, going on the bare minimum that she has until it runs out."

Oh great, so now there were similarities between herself and Vale.. Thanks for that Nine. Just had to make it reeeal hard to feel good about bashing the mechanical doe right in the face, didn't you? *sigh* Whatever, she'd probably end up in some sort of trouble for doing that anyway, so she'd lay off this thing for now. At least until she got some real answers on what the hay went on back then, or things required her to get physical.

One step out of line though, and she might just go straight through with it regardless. Might be she'd feel bad afterwards, but they'd just have to cross that bridge when they got there now, wouldn't they?

On 10/10/2019 at 2:02 AM, Illiad Easle said:

"It's repair." She spoke in a flat tone, while mostly devoid of emotion it bore a faint hint of lament.

Void looked over, cringing as she saw that the doe seemingly didn't care much for the blood, and showed no outward sign of pain. For some reason that just felt wrong. Even being a machine, this were still blood, and she were a living creature... Right? Did a half machine count as living? She'd ask, but it were probably rather insensitive. Also, it sounded as if they had bigger things to focus on in regards to Vale, considering her monotome response to inquiries about her injuries.

"It m-might be repair, but s-still, it looks like i-it'd have to h-hurt."

"Yeah well, from what I can see, and what Nine's yapping off about, this one's all messed up, and probably don't care. Claims she's divided."

"L-Like a soul tear?"

"Sorta, but not really. Less horrific violation, and more taking a toy apart. Vale's a part. Like a spring, or frame. I dunno, I'm not a tech head."

[Illiad Easle 2,972]

@Blitz Boom

Vale didn't react to the sisters talking about her until Null said her name, her previously stoic face immediately adopted a look of confusion, when she spoke her voice was uneven, unsure. "That... that is my name, was my name before I was, or at least was part of, Codex."

Pen looked unsure as Vale continued.

Vale's whole body shuddered as she took a deep breath in, relaxing as it came out slowly. When she opened her eyes again her whole continence had changed, rather than the stiff robotic motions from before she seemed to move at least a little more naturally. She looked over at the sisters with a small bit of recognition, especially at Null. "I'm surprised you remembered my name, though it saddens me to say I either never knew, or lost the memory of your names."

Pen seemed happy that Vale was talking again, though looked intrigued.

Vale sighed, "There's a lot of me that seems to be missing."

[Blitz Boom 4,427]

@Illiad Easle

On 10/12/2019 at 5:39 AM, Illiad Easle said:

"I'm surprised you remembered my name, though it saddens me to say I either never knew, or lost the memory of your names."

"I remember, because I wanted to kill your boss, as well as you."

Null were a very direct mare, and as she had said some times now, she were just done with all the pretense and attempts of being gentle with everyday beings. This one wanted to know why she remembered her name were Vale? Fine, Null would answer that truthfully, and get the looks from it she deserved. See if she cared about it.

"Unfortunately, he ended up dying before I got to him, and you... I dunno, I'm on the fence right now. Seems like you had it rough too."

Whilst her sister talked, Void swung between a worried and a relieved expression. The first statement had made her concerned about how their relationship were going to be now with Code- Sorry, Vale, and whatever or not this were going to end up with her having to hold either of them back. Which considering she still remembered how Vale had easily handled her that other time, would likely not work all that well.

Thankfully, there had been some small part of an olive branch handed out by her big sister, as she had gone on to say that she weren't currently interested in trying to murder Vale, since there might be more to the story than she knew. It were delivered pretty clumsily, but it were probably the nicest way Null could say it that were genuine, rather than just go *Yeah yeah, whatever* or something like that.

Y-You couldn't know o-our names either I t-think. The others, t-they only talked a-about us as n-numbers. Like we were o-objects."

"Yeah, and if there's any fairness in this world, they're all rotting in a ditch, or trapped in Tartarus."

"...So, V-Vale? What uhm... What s-seems to be missing? And is t-there something that c-can be done a-about it?"

[Illiad Easle 2,972]

@Blitz Boom

20 minutes ago, Blitz Boom said:

"Unfortunately, he ended up dying before I got to him, and you... I dunno, I'm on the fence right now. Seems like you had it rough too."

Both Pen and Vale were startled by Null's statement of possible intent. Pen moved herself to be nearly right between Null and Vale. Vale cowered a bit behind Pen, scooting back on the platform she was laying on while staring at Null with a worried expression.

Pen spoke somewhat aggressively, "Hey now, it's only because of her that you're even here now. If she hadn't had me let you two out of those pods you'd still be trapped down there!"

Void's first statement went mostly ignored by Vale and Pen, Null's comment only putting the pair more on edge.

26 minutes ago, Blitz Boom said:

"...So, V-Vale? What uhm... What s-seems to be missing? And is t-there something that c-can be done a-about it?"

Vale risked a glance over at Void with her natural eye, her artificial one still trained on Null. "It, it's nothing." she waved a shaking hoof dismissively, "Don't worry yourself about it..."

It seemed she was too preoccupied with Null's words to be more forthwith. While Null may not have intended it, Vale had come to realize that she was mostly helpless in a room with someone who may still want her dead, someone who only hadn't killed her boss because he was already dead at the time, an apparent luxury that she didn't have. Further the ill desire towards her previous coworkers, while she didn't remember much about them, did little to improve her perception of Null.

[Blitz Boom 4,427]

@Illiad Easle

On 10/13/2019 at 9:11 PM, Illiad Easle said:

"It, it's nothing." she waved a shaking hoof dismissively, "Don't worry yourself about it..."

"Being d-divided doesn't sound l-like nothing. Please, I'm j-just trying to h-help."

"Yeah, help a rusty hypocrite."

Void's gaze went down as she heard this. Usually she would have words about Null needing to be kinder, but she did have a point here. Vale Were a hypocrite. Even more than her big sister would be aware of, as she didn't know the part about Vale trapping them for three years. Just imagine what they might have been able to do, if they had still been in Equestria in that time, when Discord started his crusade. They might have been able to do something, instead of just being thrown into a bin by the very creature who were now being set up on a pedestal as their savior.

Null however, did not back down and go silent, despite her for a moment wondering where her sisters usual talk about *be kinder to them* had gone. If Pen wanted to challenge her and set up that They were the monsters just because of what she had said, then fine, she'd rise up to the challenge and force-feed them facts, if they wanted them or not.

"I spend twenty years after we got out of this miserable country to find some semblance of a life for us. Twenty. Bloody. Years. And just as we finally find an accepting place that doesn't treat us like dirt or monsters - My chance to give Void the home she deserves! - You took us away."

She took a step forward, which were still quite a bit from getting near enough to even touch Pen or Vale, but it were more to empathize that she weren't backing down on this. Small as she were though, it were in the eye of the beholder whatever or not the crippled pegasus actually seemed threatening, regardless of her stance, sneering, and cold, hate-filled eyes, The venom-dripping voice as she spoke directly towards Vale were not speaking well of how she felt about the deer in general either, regardless of this being her direct fault or not.

"I don't care if you had a personal hoof in this or not. You worked directly with the one who did this to us. You were part of running those experiments, and marking us like nothing but things you could play with. And for what? All for that stupid, senseless war that everyone keeps clinging so desperately to.

So yeah, you're darn right that I wanted to see both you, and your Owner, dead for what you had taken from us."

Null were visibly growling at this point, but didn't take any further steps forward. Instead, she halted, and forced herself to take one back, and go through a few deep breaths to cleanse her head before she'd go straight for the throat of the metallic doe.

"Still, I'm trying my hardest to keep an open mind seeing how messed up you are right now, which is why I didn't end up ripping you a new one the second I saw you. Pretty rich that I can try and look past that, and yet You start judging me for wanting to end the ones who took our home and lives away from us. Along with the lives of everyone else who were left with the cursed items we couldn't suppress anymore. That blood's not on my hooves, Deer."

Null were angry at being seen as the monster here, from someone clearly thinking they were the good being in all of this. What a load of manure that were. No one here were innocent. Not her and Void, for what death they unleashed with the coin to stop the experiments, not Pen for being a literally skin eater, and certainly not Vale, who had a hoof in a whole lot of nasty things going on there, including what happened to the sisters, and the citizens of Ponyville, whatever she wanted to believe that or not.

[Illiad Easle 2,972]

@Blitz Boom

3 hours ago, Blitz Boom said:

 So yeah, you're darn right that I wanted to see both you, and your Owner, dead for what you had taken from us."

Null wouldn't get the chance to finish her thoughts. (These actions happen right after the end of the quoted statement.)

Vale was silently yet openly crying at the verbal lashing she was recieving from Null, combined with her continued aggression. 

Pen had had enough of Null at this point. She wasn't going to sit idly while someone who had been nothing but nice to her, the only one who treated her like a real sentient being, be so attacked by one who had been the furthest thing from nice since the moment they met. 

Pen decided to help Null take her step back, she raised up on her hind legs just about as soon as Null said 'us'. There was the sound of wind as Pen's chest expanded like a balloon, then she pointed both of her forehooves at Null.

It took only a few seconds to assume this position, and then she screamed, the accumulated air forced out of her, focused by her hooves and mouth to strike Null directly against her center of mass with no small amount of sand included. The force would be enough to send her tumbling out of the tent. 

Pen would stop blowing as soon as Null was out of the tent, when she would also break down sobbing. Vale's eyes had been watching Null the whole time, but now that she was out they turned to Void. "What... what did I do?"

Outside the tent. 

The changeling doctor was there, looking surprised by Null's sudden exit, while the guards' expressions were more nonplussed. 

The changeling looked her over, there were only a few small cuts caused by the sand, he turned to the guards, "Keep an eye on her, don't let her back in until I say."

With that he moved to enter the tent. 

The guards exchanged a glance before moving squarely between her and the tent. "If you think this country's so 'miserable' maybe you should leave."

"I'm not going to risk my life for those that don't appreciate it."

Inside the tent. 

The changeling had expected more damage given the heated words, and as such had a pleasantly surprised expression when he entered the tent, quickly moving to worry given how both of his patients were in tears. 

[Blitz Boom 4,427]

@Illiad Easle

On 10/15/2019 at 6:29 PM, Illiad Easle said:

The guards exchanged a glance before moving squarely between her and the tent. "If you think this country's so 'miserable' maybe you should leave."

"I'm not going to risk my life for those that don't appreciate it."

Null rose up from the sand after she had been ejected by Pen - something the two of them were gonna have a *chat* about later, if it were up to her - and looked at the two worthless piles of nothing that had just talked down to her.

"Mind your own damn business. This is between her and me, not you, you... Bah."

No, they were not worth it. She had always seen Troy as a bigoted place with narrow-minded, self-righteous mongrels, and so far, she had not seen a whole lot of evidence to the contrary. Like these two, just standing there, doing absolutely nothing in their cozy little lives, whilst She had gone through two decades of torment, and now were asked to go close the gates of bucking Tartarus. They were risking nothing, and they were not worth her time.

Frankly, they could both be gobbled up by the sands. Hay, most of Troy could. If it weren't for her family, and to seek closure in memory of Celestia, Null would care little for this whole business at all. She would've packed up, been on her way, and left this misserable sand dune of a country to beg for a savior until the last voice stopped talking.

But, her parents Were here. Her sister might find a home in this place, and with their little new sibling on the way... Troy as it were right now, weren't fit for them. It had to stop, and for that to happen, she'd been called upon. So she would do it, but not for these two, the Consul, or anyone else of the faceless beings that judged her. She'd do it for them. What happened after that, were a bridge full of spikes and broken glass she'd have to cross later.

Wandering around the tent, she'd situate herself behind it in a position where there weren't any eyes on her, and start to pummel the sand beneath her, imagining that it were Pen's of t he guard's punch-able faces. It were probably best to just leave her to let out some steam like this so she could start to think rationally again.

Meanwhile on the inside, Void stood quiet and looked between the opening to the tent, Vale and Pen, and eventually, the changeling doctor, trying to think of how to solve this. It were never easy to mend bridges when it came to her sister, but with everything going on since they were returned to Troy, it had just gotten worse, and right now, she weren't sure if this were even possible to fix anymore. The snippet she heard from the guards outside sure didn't make her hopeful that perception of them could carry any good will to tap from, that were for sure, and word would probably just spread after what they had heard. Gossip were a cruel reality of life, sadly.

Inside weren't much better, what with Pen and Vale crying and all... *sigh* This were going to be difficult, and no matter the outcome, she were afraid that a heated argument with Null were unavoidable after this. She Had to understand what were acceptable now, and this sort of thing just wasn't. Not anymore. And if she kept this up, she would be wandering into her own sentence of exile, or even worse, soon as their usage were over for the Consul.

"She... No, I w-won't apologize for N-Null on this. She w-went too far, and I'm s-sorry for not s-stopping her, V-Vale. You d-didn't deserve t-that."

She'd leave a pause after this, thinking that she had to try by at least showing her own view on this to begin with before anything else. Though, after a little while, there would be more of a view that she had to share, yet she hadn't formulated it fully as she started to talk, so whatever came out, would be from the heart. Hopefully it would be kind.

"There w-were a small p-point in talking about h-hypocrisy though. You D-Did trap us in t-those freezing r-rooms for three y-years, Vale. But I think y-you did so with g-good intentions. You s-spoke once about w-wanting to get us out. I... We, didn't b-believe it, because e-everything had just g-gone so bad, b-but I t-think it were the o-only option you t-thought you had to h-hide us, and I d-doubt you wanted it to t-take this long.

I f-forgive you for that. N-Not on the s-stipulation that you f-forgive my sister. I'm n-not trying to b-bail her out, a-after the way she s-spoke to you.

R-Rather it's because you d-don't deserve to be j-judged on us l-losing those years, if y-you just tried to d-do what you thought w-were best. B-Besides, you were c-clearly hurt by that p-place too. You were p-probably a prisoner too, j-just in another way. I'm h-happy Pen m-managed to get y-you out of t-there in time."

Okay, it sounded kind to her at least, and hopefully she would not be pushed out or yelled at herself for saying something. If she were yelled at, she'd just stand and take it, no attempt to fight back or rise up to an argument, and if she were pushed towards the door too, she'd turn around and begin moving herself, as it clearly meant that the two would need time before hearing her out.

Though, in case she were allowed to speak again during this, she did have one more thing that she wanted to say. If not now, then perhaps later, if they were willing to hear her out.

"Can I t-try to explain w-what Null tried to s-say though? E-Explain why she m-met you with s-such hostility, w-with seemingly no r-reason? I'm n-not trying to g-garner sympathy for e-either of us, but... I t-think perhaps you'd l-like to know. It m-might explain some t-things, even if it d-doesn't mean she w-were right.

Also, I p-promise, I will make her a-apologize. E-Even if you can't f-forgive her, I'll make her o-own up to this, and s-show regret for what she s-said. You b-both deserve that, at the v-very least."

Void usually stood up for her sister, and would just apologize and move on, whilst feeling embarrassed that it had gone that far, yet she'd stand by what she had said. Null had not been entirely in the wrong here, but the way she had acted, and treated Vale and Pen, she honestly got off easier than she deserved, and she had to answer for that. Gods be willing, this bridge between this unusual pair and her sister hadn't been scorched to ash yet, though if it were, then she had only brought it upon herself, and Vale and Pen were not at fault if they considered this to be the end of their relations with her. They were in their good right to do that.

Still, if they had some semblance of forgiveness within them, or might still hold Void in some favor, as she had nervously and saddened responded to the heated argument that had taken place, she hoped they'd allow her the chance to explain this, even if she knew Null didn't like others knowing about her private life.

[Illiad Easle 2,972]

@Blitz Boom

Outside

Nine had been quiet throughout Null's rampage, and only spoke up when she started hitting the sand. "You know, the expression 'go pound sand' is not usually taken so literally. But it looks like it's doing you some good, so keep it up."

Inside

Pen and Vale were initially surprised by Void's kindness, both calming significantly as she spoke, though they both adopted confused expressions at the mention of the freezing pods, the changeling looked rather intrigued by them. But they didn't speak up until Void had finished her first statements. (Ending in 'out of there in time')

Vale was the first to speak, "I'm... happy, to receive your forgiveness. Was that really all though? I want to know everything I did to you, so I can truly make amends. She said I ran experiments on you..."

At the end of Void's second statements, Vale nodded, "Please do, I need to know, but don't make her apologize, it doesn't mean anything if it doesn't come from the heart."

[Blitz Boom 4,427]

@Illiad Easle

On 10/18/2019 at 3:30 AM, Illiad Easle said:

"You know, the expression 'go pound sand' is not usually taken so literally. But it looks like it's doing you some good, so keep it up."

(Outside)

"It's the ground, or their faces, and I'm not gonna let them goad me into fighting them."

Perhaps she were just paranoid, but as she had started to feel the impacts of her hooves hammer repeatedly into the sand, her mind started to clear up a little by little, and one of the first thoughts that popped in as Nine spoke, were that the guards probably wanted her to attack them. Just kick her when she were down, and then goad her into doing something that'd give them the right to give her a kicking, or outright throw her into the desert.

That would be so typical of Trojans, wouldn't it? Evil, monstrous-

Her temper began flaring a little again as she kept thinking along these lines, and hit the sand harder and harder, making a nice little hole a bit at a time in the process.

(Inside)

On 10/18/2019 at 3:30 AM, Illiad Easle said:

"I'm... happy, to receive your forgiveness. Was that really all though? I want to know everything I did to you, so I can truly make amends. She said I ran experiments on you..."

"You d-didn't personally do a-anything. Your b-boss took a f-flight feather from her, a-and then put u-us in with a g-golem, that... M-My eye, it..."

She had to take a few deep breaths as she got the vivid memory of a large statue, almost blinding her on her last eye. She could still hear her own scream echo through her head as she had staggered back... Horrendous construct that one.

"It t-thankfully missed, but t-they had other t-things ready. L-Less painful, but s-still bad, and a-all the while t-they just called us by n-numbers. Making s-sure we knew we w-were property.

You d-didn't partake, Vale, b-but you were there w-when he came and t-took her feather, after w-we woke up. You tried to s-say to me that y-you'd get us out, but I was s-scared. Of the p-place, the r-restraints... You, for b-being a deer. We have b-bad history with t-them. I d-didn't listen, just s-screamed and c-cried.

You w-were seemingly his a-assistant, n-nothing more, but b-big sis d-doesn't see shades of g-grey in this. You were as g-guilty to her, as he w-were.

W-When she said she had w-wanted to kill you, but w-weren't sure anymore, b-because you looked l-like you had it r-rough yourself, she w-were trying to be nice, and s-say that she w-were willing to l-let it go.

In h-her mind, you r-reacting negatively, p-probably made her f-feel like she had o-opened herself up t-too much, and gotten b-burned by it, so she f-fell back and l-lashed out."

It didn't excuse what Null had then done, but hopefully it would explain a little about why she had reacted the way she had, after the too blunt way she had started out talking with Pen and Vale.

On 10/18/2019 at 3:30 AM, Illiad Easle said:

"Please do, I need to know, but don't make her apologize, it doesn't mean anything if it doesn't come from the heart."

"I b-believe she would w-want to apologize, if she could f-find out how to do it r-right, and b-believed you two d-didn't hate her. So it c-could be heartfelt, m-maybe.

And it's j-just... W-Well, to make it sorta b-brief, our f-family tried to escape Troy, a-after my l-leg got crushed and N-Null had to h-have her wing a-amputated, following an a-attack by the l-locals, trying to c-cut her feathers so s-she couldn't f-fly around and p-perhaps drop some of her f-feathers. I tried to s-save her, and...

A--Anyway, our parents s-sacrificed themselves to g-give us a c-chance to escape, so w-we ended up alone, c-crippled, and scared our of o-our minds, going i-into a country we had n-never even seen b-before.

I were j-just five then, and N-Null were six... We c-couldn't t-take care of ourselves, but b-big sis forced us to k-keep moving, and t-tried to raise us r-right, while we l-looked for a home. She t-thought she just h-had to keep us going f-for a little while, and w-we'd be fine.

...We l-looked for twenty y.years, but everywhere were j-just so h-hostile to us. M-Mostly because of our anti m-magic aura, other t-times because they d-didn't like ponies, sometimes -because we couldn't l-live in the environment. M-Many reasons.

We c-collected cursed items to t-try and do something good, but it d-didn't make a difference. We s-still had to keep f-fighting and running, b-barely scraping by, and Null t-took everything on her own s-shoulders. She used to b-be nicer to others o-once, but the more h-hostility came our way, and t-the more her a-attempts at kindness were u-used against us, the more r-resentful she became. Paranoid that no b-being wanted us anything good, so it w-were easier to just expect the worst, and p-push everyone away.

She g-grew angry and h-hateful. Broken in so m-many ways with e-everything she had to do to k-keep us alive... She c-couldn't shoulder a-all of this on her own. No pony c-could...

E-Equestria were different though. We w-were treated well, no p-pony tried to chase us out of t-town or anything, and Princess C-Celestia even p-personally welcomed us, and h-hugged us, regardless of w-what we could do. We got h-help to build a small h-house, and were just r-regular ponies for once. After a f-few weeks, it were f-finally starting to feel like w-we had found a home.

...T-That's when the f-facility kidnapped us, and b-brought us back to Troy.

We l-lost everything there. Our h-home, the c-cursed items we kept in c-check, which to us m-mean that they would s-start to wreck havoc or e-even kill s-some of the ponies we had s-started to know b-better. They e-even took away our n-names, to make us feel w-worthless. Like p-property.

W-When we learned that w-we had been t-taken because Troy w-wanted to use our a-ability to make bombs a-against Equestria, it just h-hit us while we were a-already down, so we t-tried to break out. It f-failed, we were f-found, and that's w-when you took us out, V-Vale. I think you t-thought hiding us for a s-short amount of t-time would be the only w-way to help us. Though N-Null doesn't know t-that. You knocked her o-out first, so... D-Don't tell her t-that, please? Some t-things are better l-left unknown.

A-Anyway, when we got o-out and f-found a shelter with others i-in it, N-Null wanted us to go b-back home again. Then we w-were told about what h-happened to Equestria and e-everything just collapsed. I fell down c-crying, and N-Null... B-Big sis tried to k-kill herself. It h-had been too much for her to l-lose that again.

Somehow s-she stopped herself, but she f-fell into her own mind. The C-Consul and a c-crystalline pony c-calling herself S-Serena, helped f-find Null inside her b-broken mind, where she w-were tormented by her own d-demons, and a c-creature called N-Nine.

She's b-back now, but she's having to d-deal with so many o-other things now. Us being a-asked to help w-with Tartarus, the C-Consul and S-Serena offering they c-can make her a n-new wing, the fact that s-somehow, our p-parents were still alive... You s-see her p-playing tough, but I know h-her. I can t-tell that she's c-confused and not sure what to d-do or think a-anymore. So she l-lashes out at nothing, l-like a cornered rat.

Big sis g-genuinely wanted to t-try and connect with you t-two, Vale, b-but she doesn't k-know how to do t-that, and her m-mind is still a mess. She f-felt resistance, and fell b-back on what she knew: P-Paranoia and a-anger. I think that o-once she lets off s-some steam, I can t-talk to her, and p-perhaps make her realize that s-she should have t-tried to open up with something n-nicer, and not go this much a-at you for l-little reason. It's up to y-you to decide if y-you're willing to let h-her try again. I w-won't force you to m-make a decision. My part were j-just trying to e-explain a bit why s-she is a-acting up."

It weren't as brief as she had hoped for, but it were things laid out sorta bare-bones enough, and this hopefully explained to them a bit what a mess Null actually were, and that she weren't just angry because she were a horrible creature. She just didn't know any other way than to push others away, and try not to show vulnerability, as that were prone to being taken advantage of. Her being in a constant phase of misery because of her traumas and her missing wing didn't help either, with especially the later making her feel worthless and unnatural.

If any of this ended up mattering though, were up to Pen and Vale. Like she had just said, Void's part in this were just to explain the background. It were their decision if that weighed enough in Null's favor to offer her a bit of leniency, or if all communication had to go through Void instead.

Edited October 19, 2019 by Blitz Boom

[Illiad Easle 2,972]

@Blitz Boom

While there was wan array of emotions on their faces, the general view was one of concern, with hints of sympathy and no small amount of confusion, especially on the part of Vale and Pen.

Vale spoke up first, "I, can understand where she was coming from, a sort of generalized hatred towards those associated with those that have done you wrong." She chuckled, as I think about it, I remember a bit of myself, long before the facility, before..." she gestured at the exposed mechanisms of her face, "This. I was a normal doe, a young fawn at that point. Equestria had called for help from some of our village's best defenders and sent some of their guards to take their place while they were gone. But those guards were cowards, fled as soon as the next raid came. I was barely alive when one of the old defenders came back, I had been orphaned, and moved from hospital to hospital until then, all they could do was prolong my suffering. They eventually decided to just leave me back at my destroyed village, but the old defender was already there and he fixed me with these." She sighed. "I haven't forgiven those guards for abandoning us, for a time I hated Equestria for taking our defense away and leaving us to die..."

She looked like she was gong to continue, but ran out of things to say.

Pen decided to speak next, "Now, I came into your story a bit late, but it sounds like the facility treated you two as badly as it did me and my kind, but my kind have killed many ponies, and mostly by accident, but still. After Vale found me, when she was Codex, she gave me a chance, let me be a researcher for her, I was actually writing up a document on the two of you when I was sent to retrieve you. She was going through the list of non-dangerous contained specimens, or what was left over. Anyway according to the old files I read about when they, uh, stole you, they went back for your cursed objects within a few days, I think right after that big mess when you went missing. So I would guess that they didn't have a chance to cause much harm as the notes said that the feather was still effective, given the items didn't react to the retrieval team."

She looked unsure, "I don't know if that helps any, but I thought it would ease your worries."

The medic was taking notes on all of this, and wondered aloud, "Maybe that's where Caligraphy got the inspiration for anti-magic? But I thought they discovered that in Canterlot..."

He got the expression like he had said something he shouldn'tv'e, and quickly turned back to his notes, "Although," he spoke a bit louder, turning to address them, "First off, good to see that you're cognitive now, I don't know when we'll be able to bring more of that metal to you. Secondly," he turned to Void, "It intrigues me that you are so unlike your sister in this regard, She blames everyone for everything even tangentially related, lashing out at what she fears, while you are much the opposite, specific in your blame and response, you fear those that hurt you, and not so much those in the periphery. Why is that do you think?"

 

Outside:

"I suppose that makes sense. Hold on though... how long have you been wearing a sock?"

True enough, Null would be able to see that there was a sock on one of her forelegs, if she thought about it she'd vaguely remember when she kicked the shreds of Pen back in the facility, but at the same time not quite be able to fully focus on it. Though the ability to focus on it grew the more she pounded the ground.

(Partial explanation in the OOC)

[Blitz Boom 4,427]

@Illiad Easle

(inside)

On 10/20/2019 at 1:20 AM, Illiad Easle said:

"I, can understand where she was coming from, a sort of generalized hatred towards those associated with those that have done you wrong." She chuckled, as I think about it, I remember a bit of myself, long before the facility, before..." she gestured at the exposed mechanisms of her face, "This. I was a normal doe, a young fawn at that point. Equestria had called for help from some of our village's best defenders and sent some of their guards to take their place while they were gone. But those guards were cowards, fled as soon as the next raid came. I was barely alive when one of the old defenders came back, I had been orphaned, and moved from hospital to hospital until then, all they could do was prolong my suffering. They eventually decided to just leave me back at my destroyed village, but the old defender was already there and he fixed me with these." She sighed. "I haven't forgiven those guards for abandoning us, for a time I hated Equestria for taking our defense away and leaving us to die..."

"I understand y-your pain, Vale, and I-I'm sorry for your losses. No b-being should have to g-go through being o-orphaned, and s-see your home destroyed, nor g-get fixed up like you were. It d-doesn't look like it would h-have been a k-kind experience."

Orphaned, left for death, and crippled by something out of your control, at an age that should be filled with laughter and joy... Void understood Vale more than the doe might think, and the sympathy she felt for the doe easily showed on her face, as she looked at the poor creature. It were of some note that her kind apparently knew how to make a half mechanical being like this, as Null and her had only seen them as forrest dwelling savages, but it were a good thing that they did, right? It saved Vale's life, even if she eventually would be used by the facility. How or why, Void didn't know, and by the way the doe stopped talking, it seemed as if this were an understandably touchy subject, that weren't easy to talk about. Not something that she had any right, nor real want, to poke at right now.

Hopefully those who caused her these injuries, had gotten what they deserved, though the ones from Equestria like still went free. As much as she liked the country, it had a focus on rehabilitating the ones doing crimes, rather than lock them up forever, executing, or exiling them. If the guards had gotten convicted, they likely had to go through a program and gotten loose from much punishment under this system, much as this seemed a case where the judgement should be on the one who they hurt the most, and not their courts. It should have been up to Vale whatever or not they should get properly punished, or if she could ever forgive them for their cowardice.

On 10/20/2019 at 1:20 AM, Illiad Easle said:

"Now, I came into your story a bit late, but it sounds like the facility treated you two as badly as it did me and my kind, but my kind have killed many ponies, and mostly by accident, but still. After Vale found me, when she was Codex, she gave me a chance, let me be a researcher for her, I was actually writing up a document on the two of you when I was sent to retrieve you. She was going through the list of non-dangerous contained specimens, or what was left over. Anyway according to the old files I read about when they, uh, stole you, they went back for your cursed objects within a few days, I think right after that big mess when you went missing. So I would guess that they didn't have a chance to cause much harm as the notes said that the feather was still effective, given the items didn't react to the retrieval team."

"I f-found some of them, but it's g-good to know that t-they took them all. I d-don't want to know what t-they would use them f-for, yet it is b-better to have them i-isolated than l-loose in a city. Most of t-them would have been c-catastrophic. Though I uhm... K-Kinda think not all o-of them were contained. S-Some of the things we s-saw as we e-escaped, sorta m-makes more sense if I i-imagine a few of t-the things having i-interacted with the c-creatures and rooms."

Not something she had thought off at the time of course, but looking back, and remembering what the things could do, did cause a few crossovers. It might just be coincidences though. Curses were not unique per se, so it were theoretically possible that those things had nothing to do with the things they had carried. Though at least the hyper-infectious stuff seemed to have not been shown. No murderous chickens had been shown, no spores twisting living creatures into gnarled trees, that sorta thing.

On 10/20/2019 at 1:20 AM, Illiad Easle said:

"Maybe that's where Caligraphy got the inspiration for anti-magic? But I thought they discovered that in Canterlot..."

He got the expression like he had said something he shouldn'tv'e, and quickly turned back to his notes, "Although," he spoke a bit louder, turning to address them, "First off, good to see that you're cognitive now, I don't know when we'll be able to bring more of that metal to you. Secondly," he turned to Void, "It intrigues me that you are so unlike your sister in this regard, She blames everyone for everything even tangentially related, lashing out at what she fears, while you are much the opposite, specific in your blame and response, you fear those that hurt you, and not so much those in the periphery. Why is that do you think?"

"C-Calligraphy is my dad, and w.whatever he did in E-Equestria, I ask t-that you p-please keep it to y-yourself. Whatever he and m-mom did there, have n-nothing... Little, to do w-with big sis and m-me. Not anymore a-anyway. If they t-think it's important that w-we know, they'll tell us t-themselves. If not... W-Well, we all have s-skeletons in our closets."

She would have said more on this, but the last time she had mentioned murder, the mood had gotten quite awkward, so she'd try not to speak about the blood on her hooves, and especially not what were on Null's. They already judged her harshly, and knowing of the considerable amount of dead creatures her sister especially had left in her wake, were not going to endear them further to these creatures. Plus, the doctor might tell.

"And I-I've spent time judging a-all the same too. I'm j-just trying to see p-past it. It v-varies how well it goes, and b-beings like changelings are s-still not easy to a-accept. Very b-bad story with a h-hive some years back.

Big sis t-though, she lashes o-out because she have l-learned that she c-couldn't afford to t-trust others. You h-have to understand that for a l-long time, we only h-had eachother, and I w-were even l-less functional for a long t-time than I am n-now. She had to t-take care of everything, and s-shouldered most of the b-burdens, whilst t-trying to comfort me and h-help me survive. I'm b-better, because she helped me t-through my pain, but she d-didn't get help. It just f-festered, and made her a m-mess.

You c-can't imagine the strain and m-mental damage that can c-cause, to lose e-everything, and having to s-suddenly grow up on the s-spot to act as a m-mother, whilst s-scarred for l-life and not k-knowing what to do... Big sis n-never stood a chance to turn o-out okay, without g-getting help, but instead w-we were just m-met with hostility, and others t-trying to hurt us. S-Sometimes kidnap us to s-sell us, or worse. It m-makes perfect sense to h-her that it were s-smarter not to risk her l-last family member, by p-putting trust in others t-that might just h-hurt you. And w-with her m-mental state already in t-tatters... It c-couldn't end well.

 I only t-turned out r-relatively okay b-because of her. And b-because of me, she b-became how she is, to t-try and help at l-least one of us to g-grow up okay. It's h-hard to judge her, w-when I know she just t-tries to do her b-best for my s-sake.

Also, uhm... How d-do I say this... As a d-doctor, you have w-worked on pegasi before, r-right? You've s-seen some who can't fly, how s-sad they get? P-Perhaps angry? Null h-haven't flown in 24 y-years, a-after dad had to a-amputate her what r-remained of her wing. P-Pegasi belongs in the sky and t-the way she speaks a-about it, it's l-like torture to be cut off f-from that."

Also didn't help that Null stopped growing at the age of nine either, which were why her size were that of a schoolgirl filly. Void had never been sure if it were genetics that caused that, as she had grown taller than a regular earth pony mare and that might be a cruel equalizing effect, or if it were the stress and malnutrition she suffered in their early travelling years, from putting the needs of Void's before her own, up until Void were old enough to understand what were going on and forced Null to eat something too, even when they had little. Yet either way, she were small, and taken away from the sky, which certainly hadn't helped with things. Hopefully Serena could truly help her with a wing replacement, and give Null the chance to gain a height advantage in the sky again at least, instead of only when she were riding around her sisters back.

(outside)

On 10/20/2019 at 1:20 AM, Illiad Easle said:

"I suppose that makes sense. Hold on though... how long have you been wearing a sock?"

"What're you talking ab- Hey, what the-?"

Looking down, she'd see the wiggling sock that seemed to try and escape her leg. How long had that been here? And why had no one commented that? She didn't even wear clothes beyond her beret, so when did she... Get... This...

Awh bloody hay. Pen's shredded parts. The clingy little mongrel's joyride had apparently left a souvenir that she had forgotten all about. How lovely. So now not only were she lumbering around a part of Pen, but said part were now also rejecting her. What, did Pen Need to insult her on several levels to get her jollies, or were this just this day keeping up the seemingly intriguing task of kicking her when she were down.

She'd try to wriggle her leg rather than stomp herself further into the ground after this, to try and get this unwanted piece of cloth off her, but they'd see how much luck she had with it, and what it were going to do if she did manage to get it off. She'd try to stomp it in place if it did attempt to bail though. She hadn't an idea what this thing would do on another creature exactly but from what little she understood of Pen, and her own luck, it would somehow end up with Null getting charged with skinning someone, and she were So not in the mood for that right now.

[Illiad Easle 2,972]

@Blitz Boom

Outside:

The sock seemed to welcome her attempts to remove it, once removed it lay still in the sand as if it were just a sock.

"Well that's odd. Should we...?"

Inside:

They all listened politely to Void's responses, nodding in turn as she spoke to them.

7 hours ago, Blitz Boom said:

As a d-doctor, you have w-worked on pegasi before, r-right? You've s-seen some who can't fly, how s-sad they get? P-Perhaps angry? Null h-haven't flown in 24 y-years, a-after dad had to a-amputate her what r-remained of her wing. P-Pegasi belongs in the sky and t-the way she speaks a-about it, it's l-like torture to be cut off f-from that.

The Changeling looked thoughtful for a moment, "Well, I've mostly been a doctor for changelings, and for us wing damage is hardly the end of the world, even for those with winged predisposition. But in regards to actual pegasi, there's been quite a few lately that, mostly due to anti-magic poisoning, have been grounded. Unfortunately many have offed themselves because of it, but many others have turned their lives around, they talk about how they took their gifts for granted, and now devote their lives to what they have. There's a support group in the city for those in between, it might do her some good to be with others in similar circumstances. If she can control her temper that is."

The doctor turned their attention back to Vale, "Now that you're awake I'd like to get a proper examination done. I haven't seen another like you so I'll need you to help me establish a suitable baseline if that's alright?" they turned back to Void, "You can go now, from what I've heard the Consul wants the mission mobilized as soon as possible, I wouldn't be surprised if we're moving a soon as the sun hits the horizon."

Outside:

Sure enough the sun was beginning its decent, and they still hadn't slept much, if at all.

[Blitz Boom 4,427]

@Illiad Easle

(outside)

"If there's one thing I've learned in the last twenty years, it's that if something moves that's not supposed to, don't take your eyes off it."

This might not be a cursed object like she usually dealt with, but things didn't need to be cursed to be dangerous, and as a general rule of hoof, it were indeed not wise to take your eyes off things that weren't supposed to move, yet still did it. You only had to run into one mimic to either learn that the hard way, or become an example for others in death. That is if there were anything left of you, which she tended to find were unusual. Mimics weren't often picky creatures when it came to what part of you they'd eat.

So yeah, she'd keep her eyes on this, and then pin it down if it seemed to try and get away, before it went and did something that she'd be blamed for. Best bet on what to do here? Wait for Void, and make her bring it back inside, since she'd bet that the skin crawler would still be a massive stick in the mud about something that she should've minded her own damn business about.

(inside)

On 10/22/2019 at 5:33 AM, Illiad Easle said:

"You can go now, from what I've heard the Consul wants the mission mobilized as soon as possible, I wouldn't be surprised if we're moving a soon as the sun hits the horizon."

"Y-Yes, of course. I'll uhm... S-See you around, Vale and P-Pen. Doctor."

The mood had started to feel a little awkward to her all of a sudden, as she had been reminded that yeah, she couldn't just keep going and doing errands throughout the night like this. They had an important mission to get to, and needed their energy, so much as she wanted to help, this might be the time to go.

Before she'd leave the tent though, she'd turn her head towards Vale and look at the doe with concern in her eye.

"If s-something goes wrong, y-you know how to g-get hold of u-us, okay? I'll t-try and sort things out w-with Null before that, so she d-doesn't go too far a-again."

With that, she'd leave, exit the tent, and look around to find that her sister were not within sight. This caused her heart rate to increase some, as with the mood she had been in, this might mean she were out and causing trouble as part of her way of letting off some steam. This were so not what they needed right now...

"Hey sis. That you?"

The voice of her big sister nearby and just on the other side of the tent, managed to calm her down, and she scurried towards her sister, happy that she had just gone there. Seemed like she were a little calmer too, and the small crater in the sand told her how she had managed that. Probably the best way this could had occurred, though... Why were there a sock in there? Null didn't wear any clothes, beyond that old beret of hers. Did it belong to the guards, or had it just been there, and she had been hitting that?

"Y-Yes, I'm here. Look, I've talked with them an-"

"If you're still talking to them, take this inside. It belongs to that annoying bagpipe."

"Pen? But she doesn't wear clothes."

"This ain't clothes, its skin. Just take it in there and let's get out of here. It's getting dark, and I want some sleep before they're throwing us into the lions den."

Sounded disturbing, but Pen were a special creature, so it made a kind of sense. Sorta.

Void would try to pick up the sock then, and if it didn't case cause a fuzz, she'd go in and give it to Pen. If it clung to her, she'd go in and ask her to take it off her, concerned what it might be doing.

And if it acted nice, but jumped off her hoof and started to feast on one of the guards face as she tried to get into the tent, she'd be mortified and royally boned. She best keep a tight grip on it, and try to push the guards away if it tried something. Hard if necessary. 

[Illiad Easle 2,972]

@Blitz Boom

Luckily the sock seemed perfectly content to be carried, in that it acted and felt just like a sock.

Inside the tent the changeling medic was busy giving Vale a physical examination with plenty of input by Vale on how things normally were for her, apparently she had a fairly high pain tolerance given how much pain she had been through.

Pen would look confused when offered the sock, though a look of realization would dawn on her as she made contact with it. "Oh! That's right... when Panic, got me. It's good to have it back, I should be able to reabsorb it shortly." She shuddered as she put it inside herself. "Your sister... she has a pretty mean kick."

Other then that nothing happened with the sock. They were now free to make their way back to the city.

[Blitz Boom 4,427]

@Illiad Easle

On 10/24/2019 at 6:16 AM, Illiad Easle said:

"Oh! That's right... when Panic, got me. It's good to have it back, I should be able to reabsorb it shortly." She shuddered as she put it inside herself. "Your sister... she has a pretty mean kick."

"Well, w-without wings, a-always on the run, and carrying some h-heavy cursed items, you g-get strong legs. Even big s-sis."

For a pegasus - and especially one her size - Null did indeed have a pretty mean kick to her if she put some effort into it. That however, were nothing compared to what Void could do if she really put her back into it, as she had done the same trips as Null over the years, carried the heaviest of their cursed items, and were far more robust built, what with her being a bigger than usual earth pony mare. Her panicked flails on the golem some years back had been showing some force, but if it were a focused strike, she could have done a more substantial impact.

Anyway, this errand were done, and she would take her leave, then rejoin Null before making their way back towards their room. It might not end up being a ton of sleep they'd be able to get, but they'd have to take what they could right now.

(Time passes)

Null would not sleep as well as Void however, and about a half hour before anyone would come for them, she'd find herself awakened, and wriggling out of her sisters grip. It were a comfort thing that had never gone away, like a security blanket, or beloved teddybear. Though she could continue her sleep fine enough without Null there, so in cases like this, the pegasi would be able to stretch herself and then wander outside of the room in silence, looking to stretch her legs a little. As well as potentially get hold of the Consul, in case he were awake somewhere and not too busy. Might as well try and cover the part about Vengeance while she had the chance, provided that he weren't busy, or asleep. She weren't really interested in rousing him from his rest right now, and weren't feeling all that confrontational right now either. Probably helped that she had a good night's sleep for the first time in a while. And no, the coma freezing did not count. She'd been feeling stiff and cranky there, as if she'd been resting on a cold floor through the night.

So she'd just walk around a little now, and keep her ears open, in case she heard some voices or something. Might be she'd find no one, and end up wandering back to Void soon, but they'd see.

[Illiad Easle 2,972]

@Blitz Boom

They's have little difficulty making it back to the Consul's estate, none of the guards stopping them or even giving a second glance at them as they made their way through the city.

Seen didn't make himself known to them when they arrived at the quiet building, it was likely that it had already started to make its way back to Pen as the sun was starting to set.

(Time passes)

As Null would wander she'd see a light from one of the offices they had found when looking for fire earlier. along with the light there was a heavy sigh.

Should she go investigate, the door would be open, allowing her to see inside. In the room was a unicorn stallion, same coat color as the consul but with a short brown mane and a sad expression. The robe he wore was similar to the Consul's, but the red band was thinner with a silver stripe rather than the solid red band the Consul had. He held a laurel wreath like the Consul's, but instead of gold it was a mix of gold and silver, the individual leaves being either wholly gold or wholly silver, with a silver branch to connect them all. He held it between a single hoof and the desk, spinning it idly with his magic as he rested his head on the desk, staring forlornly at a framed picture. From the doorway not much detail could be made out, but it seemed to depict a silver coated mare with an orange mane.

If Null said something, or lingered in the doorway long enough for the stallion to notice her he would startle, letting the laurel fall to the desk as he suddenly lifted his head off the desk. "Ah! I didn't see you there. Is there something I can help with?"

[Blitz Boom 4,427]

@Illiad Easle

On 10/25/2019 at 8:31 PM, Illiad Easle said:

If Null said something

"Hey Consul, you busy right now?"

The coat color seemed to fit, and though the clothes were different, ponies that did wear clothes, tended to wear varied kinds. Her and Void didn't, but their two articles of clothing - Void's bandanna and her own beret - had sentimental links, which were why they kept them. Memories of some gypsies they met ten years past, who hadn't fared all that well, sadly. These dull pieces of grey clothing were looted from the scattered remains of their caravan, and kept around as a way to remember them for the help they had provided in getting them out of a tricky situation.

Sure the two of them had paid them to do so, but at the time, the strange group had been among the kinder ones they had run into, and generally minded their own business. Except for the seer. A strange old unicorn who dragged them aside and talked gibberish about them being the latest in a powerful bloodline, cursed and doomed to see... Something. She went on for a while, and there were a lot of gibberish, far as they were concerned, but she seemed harmless, and not without some skills to predict things, considering the package they had found within the wreckage, wrapped up and protected by fire, with these old garments of hers packed inside.

Null had questioned for a while how she could know that something were to happen to them, yet hadn't tried to save her friends, nor herself, by warning them of it. Only ones who got kind of a warning were the two of them, whom she had asked to go into the forest and get her some herbs and a bucket of water. The two of them had no idea what exactly happened to the band in the time they were away because of it. Just that they could hear screams in the distance, and came back to find no survivors, and burning wagon parts scattered around the place. Far as they could tell, the entire troupe had been decimated, though they didn't last for long. They just went to the last wagon where the seer had been, found a burning body with what remained of her clothes being wrapped around it and rapidly consumed by the flames, then stumbled upon the box when they went to grab their few possesions.

The stuff in there had come in handy, as had the herbs later on. The water they had used to pour over her, before leaving the smoldering body behind and make a run for it, with the crate in tow. They couldn't be sure the attackers wouldn't return after all.

Anyway, point of it all: Ponies who wore clothes could change things up, and the outfit and coat color seemed close enough to what the Consul had to fool Null for now. She were still a bit groggy this early on, and the ligting weren't perfect, so it was an honest mistake. One that she didn't realize before the stallion had turned around to face her.

On 10/25/2019 at 8:31 PM, Illiad Easle said:

"Ah! I didn't see you there. Is there something I can help with?"

"...Thought you were the Consul. You're wearing official looking clothes like he is.

You the Vice Consul or something? I dunno how the system here works anymore, but I guess it'd explain the laurel and stuff."

She weren't being all that aggressive right now, more curious, and somewhat tentative in her approach, as she weren't sure what the deal with this one were just yet, and hadn't her head screwed on right enough to know what to do here. might as well figure out who this were, if it were someone important, right? And if this were the Vice Consul or something like that, she should perhaps at least try to go at this with a little less confrontation going over her. Y'know, trying not to cause more backlash that might fall back on Void than she already had.

[Illiad Easle 2,972]

@Blitz Boom

The unicorn would think for a moment before shrugging, "In a sense, given how little of the citizenry remains there's not much need for a vice Consul outside of a sort of personal assistant to the Consul. At least the government's stable, and when we start reclaiming the land from the spawn then there will be a high council to oversee."

He sighed, but turned to face Null more directly, "Anyway, what do you need? I'd be happy to help the honored guests in any way I can."

[Blitz Boom 4,427]

@Illiad Easle

"I don't see why there isn't a need for a Vice Consul. Gotta be someone to take over if the current one dies before everything's set."

A bit harsh perhaps, but weren't that the truth, really? Troy likely still needed a Consul, and as Celestia were sadly the proof of, even alicorns could fall. Had to be someone to take over in case the worst happened, or it'd just end in anarchy. No one wanted that to happen, including Null. It might end up hurting her parents, if the streets became a lawless mess, or all the guards had to take on internal struggles, and missed those specters or whatever they were from Tartarus, just suddenly storming town.

"And I don't think you can help me. Had to go talk to him about Karma and stuff. Something's come up there he needs to hear off sooner or later. Figured when I saw you that it might be him.

Who are you anyway? Gotta be someone important, with that getup."

[Illiad Easle 2,972]

@Blitz Boom

The unicorn smiled at her first statement, "It's good to know someone supports the system, even when it's as reduced as it is."

His expression grew a bit more grave at her second statement, "That does sound important, I'll go get him for you." He either ignored or forgot to answer her question about his name before he teleported away. 

It would be about a minute before there would be the sound of hoof steps coming down the hall. If Null turned to look she would see the Consul coming, wings and all, with a mug of the same drink he had had at dinner the night before. Once he got close enough, "Good evening Null, you're up early, hopefully. I'm told you had something to tell me about karma?"

[Blitz Boom 4,427]

@Illiad Easle

On 10/29/2019 at 9:12 PM, Illiad Easle said:

"Good evening Null, you're up early, hopefully. I'm told you had something to tell me about karma?"

"Yeah, though I weren't aiming for him to go fetch you. Figured you might be sleeping, but he took off before I had the chance to say a peep."

Rather annoying that she hadn't been told who the hay that pony were either. This were gonna nag her for sure, but what could she do about that now, right? Not a whole lot, and the Consul were here, so yeah, might as well move on.

And things went better than the last few times. She weren't growling, or being rude. Sure she didn't say good evening, but she weren't being hostile. Just a bit more impersonal about things. A market improvement for sure.

"Anyway, Karma sent one of her underlings to have a chatter with me earlier. Looked like the outline of a winged stallion, but didn't give me a name. Just yapped on about Vengeance taking notice, offered me a slice of that, and said to go talk to Nine about it. Then Void said that she heard you mention you ran with Vengeance too... Figured you'd be able to tell some of the pros and cons of this whole thing.

And don't go tell on me to Void. She doesn't know, and I ain't gonna make her worry about me. She got enough on her plate as it is, without fearing that I'll be taking off when this is all over."

It wasn't a warning as much as a request. Null were supposed to shield her sister from worries, and take that on her own shoulders instead, to keep her safe. Smart move really would be to just come clean with her, and let her know what had been offered, but it wasn't how she were used to deal with this, and she were still technically just thinking about it. No need to let her worry in case she just ended up going no, right? Even if the chance were fairly high that she'd be taking the offer sooner or later, once she were sure Void would be taken care of.

But they'd see what Illiad said. Might be he had a grave warning that would make it a no go.