open The Town That Friendship Forgot

[Bastian 13,319]

@Windy Breeze @Samurai Equine

He walked while invisible, the energies of nature would make him remain like that until he had physical interaction with another life form.

And gotcha!

He jumped on top of Shadow, landed on top of her and held her in place with a hoof on the back of her head and another on her right hoof.

The black energies were really strong now, he felt he would had to act soon.

[Samurai Equine 50,934]

@Bastian

(Hey! Since Windy won't be here for a day, would it be cool if we kept this part of the story between Trilby and Forest for a while? Thanks!)

Trilby heard the 'gotcha' line, and turns around, only to see something horrifying. "HEY! Get your hooves off of my marefriend!"

He's really not a fighter, but with only enough hesitation to swallow his fear, Trilby lunges at Forest and tackles him, trying to force him off Shadow. "What's the big deal, sir? This is suppose to be a peaceful event!"

[Bastian 13,319]

@Samurai Equine

(Alright, sorry  Let's say that when I jumped I hited her in the back of her head and she is unconscious okay?)

Forest is pushed off her and quickly gets in his battle stance and answers him.

She has something to do with Nightmare Moon, Equestria could be in danger and im not gonna let that happen. 

[Pastel Heart 6,466]

@Dynamo Pad

"You ain't gotta be sorry! I just didn't wanna make you upset or mad or anything."

As she listened to his past, her expression got more and more angry.

"What the heck!? Who does that!? If I were there I woulda beat them all up!"

Anger was a new emotion. She bounced from side to side like she were boxing. She was kinda like an angry poodle. She calmed down quick and sat back down though.

"...I didn't really have any friends either before this, either. Before grandpa adopted me I was an outcast at the orphanage and that trend continued when I got into school, hehe~ I'm too weird for the popular foals and too crazy for the dorky ones, so I've been by myself for the most part. You're all my friends for sure, though!"

She hopped off the bed and looked up at Dynamo with those huge eyes. There was a new kind of warmth in her expression.

"So yes I wanna go to the festival with you! I've been kind of a pain for you and the others, right? Today I wanna make you smile!"

[Samurai Equine 50,934]

@Bastian

(It's fine. Her character doesn't have to be unconscious at all. I just don't want to godmod her character while she isn't around. )

As soon as Forest gets into a tussle with Trilby, it's almost too clear that Forest is stronger. Trilby is having a hard time just keeping him in place, away from Shadow. Still, the news shocks Trilby to the core, eyes wide and frowning. There is a moment when he doesn't want to fight back. ... Until... "Y-yeah? So what! Her connections don't automatically make her dangerous." Trilby is trying his best to keep Forest still, though his arms as trembling. "This isn't just any town... It's a town where ponies can start over. It's a town where ponies can be whoever they want to be. I was lucky enough to get a second chance here! Can't we do the same for her?" Pleading is the best defense he's got; perhaps the only one.

[Bastian 13,319]

@Samurai Equine

Im not here to kill her, not at all, im here to purify her, no more darkness will be in her spirit.

He raises a hoof and it starts glowing in green just like a unicorn horn would.

If you resist I will have to hurt you and I really don't want to. Says Forest with a stern face.

[Astral Vision 286]

1 hour ago, Samurai Equine said:

@Windy Breeze

(It's fine, it worked out for me after all. And I think you've got a wonderful mind. )

Any slight dizziness he had is quickly forgotten when Trilby sees Shadow's happy face again. "Of course! I mean, I might not be one of those talented unicorns from Celestia's school, but I've had to make a few emergency deliveries using Teleportation before. It's no big deal, really. Besides, what kind of coltfriend would I be if I left you waiting when you need me?" Trilby says, trying to lay on the charm.

With Shadow by his side, he puts up the rest of the outfits. He doesn't know how much longer til the performances start, but the concert is an all-day event. "Did you hear anypony practicing while I was gone?"

@Astral Vision

Samurai looks at the book, noticing the missing pages. "Hmm... Well, I know the mayors use to get along really well. They were quite close. I heard this town was suppose to try and replicate the success in friendship rates that other towns have had, like Ponyville. But when that didn't succeed, the town began to loose some of its citizens. The remaining ones began to lose interest in just about everything, making them act like bored little zombies most of the time. And the mayors began to drift apart due to creative differences on how to run the town. Hardly anypony sees them. But I know for a fact, there is a curse hanging around this town. A magical curse that has kept the mayors separated. And I know because I have one of the pages you seek." Samurai informs him.

 

Astral was shocked to hear such information, Samurai had just revealed he had a missing page and that the town was supposedly cursed. The blue unicorn nearly outburst in curiosity, though he quickly quieted down in case their were any listening ears.

'We should probably go somewhere we won't be heard. But once we do, please tell me everything you know" Astral whispered to the Brown Unicorn.

[ExplosionMare 18,062]

At the news of the festival, Pencil put down her sketch pad and took a moment to herself. Singing wasn’t something she would normally participate in, but the idea of it was invigorating. The festival may be a fun experience, as well as being an opportunity for her to work on her commission. She could even make a couple of friends while she was there.

“Well, maybe I won’t make a lot of friends, but any opportunity to work on this commission is a good one,”

Pencil reasoned with herself.

She trotted outside, opening the door carefully so as not to drop any of the materials she was levitating. Once she stepped outside, Pencil relished in her surroundings. She soaked in the simple yet pleasant atmosphere of the town. The sun’s rays showered the houses, giving them each a uniquely radiant glow. The dirt paths cutting across town were adorned with sparkling pebbles, another affect of the sun.

Pencil thought of sketching the wonderful scenery, but decided to just enjoy it as it was. She sauntered through the town cheerfully as she walked towards the gathering place for the competition. A few nerves hitched her walking each couple of steps, but the mare remained undaunted as she made her way closer to the competition information.

[Samurai Equine 50,934]

@Bastian

At first, nothing. But, after Forest finishes his explanation, Trilby gets off of him.
He walks towards Shadow...
And then stands between the both of them, standing upright with arms held out wide. "If there is darkness in her, then let me take responsibility for it. But please, at least let her choose her own destiny first."

@Astral Vision

Samurai nods. "Follow me."

Samurai Equine leads his friend down a dirt road, to a spot that's quiet with hardly any ponies around. "This will have to do. The concert was mostly my idea, so I need to be close to help manage it." He takes a moment to pull out the page. "From what I can tell, it's the last page in the book." Samurai begins to read it for Astral.

...even with his skilled mastery of magic, he couldn't lift the multilayer curse on the town. Ultimately, he became the last pony to leave the town, but Final Premonition knew that there was only one hope to undo the curse. If some pony can manage to solve the enchanted Laronde Box, it will lead the way to lifting the curse one step at a time. When the curse is lifted, the two mayors will reunite, and the town will return to it's former glory. However, it will be up to citizens to make sure this tragic history never repeats itself.

The rest of the page is blank, just like the flip side. It was the end of that chapter.
If that wasn't enough, Samurai puts the paper away, and pulls out his magic puzzle box. The Laronde Box mentioned in the page! "This box was somehow handed down, circulated through many places in Equestria. When no pony showed interest in it, it eventually reached my village. The shogun gave me the task of solving it, thinking I'd be doing a noble thing. As soon as I got here, one of the things I found was the page I showed you."

Samurai toys with the box a little more. "I've been trying to solve this box for a while, keeping notes on all my progress. However, I wasn't making any until just yesterday, when it showed me that one of the things I needed to do was attract new citizens to the town." Samurai explains.

@ExplosionMare

Many citizens politely wave or bow. Seems most of them are on their way to the concert.
Depending on the route she takes, Pencil might just run into Samurai and Astral having their conversation.

[Windy Breeze 15,189]

@Samurai Equine @Bastian

 

Shadow was whimpering as Trilby stood between her and the stallion- no, that fearless and powerful stallion. She was filled with fear, hatred, and grieve. 

Suddenly, she uttered one word. 

“No” 

Despite nothing have changed from her voice, it is no longer Shadow who was talking, instead it was thing inside of her.

This pony had been once one of my supporters, lover of the moon, and born from a family that supported me for all generations, risking their life, even turning against their sun-loving neighbors.

“Y-You can't get me that easily...” The thing which is now controlling Shadow Trail said, frowning at Forest. The mare's eyes had turn pure black with hatred and disgust as the aura of Nightmare Moon became visible, appearing as a black Mist engulfing Shadow's body. 

Nightingale and the rest of the Shadowbolts had betrayed me. I won't this mare become like them. I WILL NOT LET THIS SUN-LOVING EVERFREE MONK FREE HER!!! 

“YOU WILL NEVER TAKE ME!!!!” Shadow, or the thing screamed, so loud which almost surpass the Royal Canterlot Voice. The walls around them began to rattle, as well as the nearby furniture, cracks began to appear in nearby houses. Before Forest or Trilby can react, Shadow Trail turned into a mist and flew away as fast as it could. Despite how threatening the thing is, it's just a fragment of Nightmare Moon and it can't harm anyone other than the host.

But the thing has other plans. It will eliminate its host as a final resort. 

Edited March 5, 2020 by Windy Breeze

[Dynamo Pad 11,257]

9 hours ago, Pastel-chan said:

@Dynamo Pad

"You ain't gotta be sorry! I just didn't wanna make you upset or mad or anything."

As she listened to his past, her expression got more and more angry.

"What the heck!? Who does that!? If I were there I woulda beat them all up!"

Anger was a new emotion. She bounced from side to side like she were boxing. She was kinda like an angry poodle. She calmed down quick and sat back down though.

"...I didn't really have any friends either before this, either. Before grandpa adopted me I was an outcast at the orphanage and that trend continued when I got into school, hehe~ I'm too weird for the popular foals and too crazy for the dorky ones, so I've been by myself for the most part. You're all my friends for sure, though!"

She hopped off the bed and looked up at Dynamo with those huge eyes. There was a new kind of warmth in her expression.

"So yes I wanna go to the festival with you! I've been kind of a pain for you and the others, right? Today I wanna make you smile!"

"I know, but one thing you might learn about me is that I say sorry a lot. I guess you could call it a bad habit, but I always try to stay out of trouble. In the term of not wanting to hurt anyone's feelings." He chuckled slightly, before flinching from Pastel's angry outburst. He watched as she bounced from side to side like a boxer. "To be honest? I'm not really sure. Some of the bullies just hated how I was able to be kind to everyone. As if I and the other ponies involved could be friends. That, and I could imagine it was because of my horn and lack of magic at that time. It would only give them fuel to use in order to pick on students. One thing I did know was because one of the bullies had thought I 'stole' their destiny from them."

He used his front hooves as air quotes for the word, stole. "The bully in particular wanted to have the cutie mark of video games. He was gifted in the art of magic and he thought he could become stronger because of video games. After I gained my mark, he assumed that I cheated. Even going so far as to claim that I took his destiny right from under his hooves. I know a cutie mark is what your destiny is meant to be, but even then, I still want to work hard. I may have the mark of video games, but I want to work hard and earn the title of being the best gamer in Equestria. I do appreciate the kind words that you said. I have no doubt that if you were there, then we could have been friends back then."

He frowned as he listened to her explanation. "I'm really sorry to hear that. I didn't know that you were adopted, but I can see how you and your grandpa get along so well. I can imagine that being an outcast at the orphanage was because you were different from the others. I think it's good to be different as it shows that you are unique. Trust me when I say I don't think you're weird. Unless you mean weird in a good way, then I think it's good to be weird. It's all about being true to yourself and then others will follow suit. It's why I consider you a friend, as well." As she hopped off the bed, Dynamo noticed a warmth in her expression. The blue unicorn nodded as he pulled Pastel into a hug. "In that case, then let's head off towards the festival. That is, unless we should get breakfast first. If not, then I wonder if there will be food at this festival. We could always get something to eat and take it on the go." He would say, pulling back from the hug and shaking his head. "You're not being a pain, Pastel. You go off on your own at times, but it's because you can be curious of some things. Sort of like back at the library when you wanted to look at the fantasy books. You have your own way of doing things and I can respect that. You don't have to do anything to make me smile, my friend. Let's go and have an awesome time at the festival. Maybe we can meet up with Astral again, as well as anyone else we might know."

[Pastel Heart 6,466]

@Dynamo Pad

Pastel listened, head tilted with an expression of sad understanding. She didn't really get the whole thing with cutie marks; were they really that big of a deal? She did understand what it's like to be the black sheep though. None of that matters now though.

"Ponies control their own destiny, right? That jerk shoulda just did what he wanted. I know I am even after I get my cutie mark!"

She was a weird one for sure. Always looking for a journey and fun despite her past and not worrying about her lack of a cutie mark.

You could almost hear her squeak like a plush toy as she blushed and returned Dynamo's hug happily, giggling.

"Even if you say that I'm still gonna try! You lead the way! Breakfast, or carnival food, or both, I can do both!"

[Dynamo Pad 11,257]

Just now, Pastel-chan said:

@Dynamo Pad

Pastel listened, head tilted with an expression of sad understanding. She didn't really get the whole thing with cutie marks; were they really that big of a deal? She did understand what it's like to be the black sheep though. None of that matters now though.

"Ponies control their own destiny, right? That jerk shoulda just did what he wanted. I know I am even after I get my cutie mark!"

She was a weird one for sure. Always looking for a journey and fun despite her past and not worrying about her lack of a cutie mark.

You could almost hear her squeak like a plush toy as she blushed and returned Dynamo's hug happily, giggling.

"Even if you say that I'm still gonna try! You lead the way! Breakfast, or carnival food, or both, I can do both!"

"That's what I think, at least. We all control our own destiny's. Except for when we have our cutie marks, but that still doesn't meant that we can still enjoy other hobbies. You still have plenty of time to find out what you want to do in life. I know you'll be awesome once you get your mark." Dynamo responded with a nod. He thought he heard a squeak of a plush toy as he hugged Pastel. Thus, causing him to chuckle alongside her. "Very well, then. In that case, then lets head off towards fun and adventure!" He exclaimed, before standing up as he threw his jacket on. Suddenly, an idea had come to mind. He scooped Pastel up and placed her upon his back. "Before you ask, you did say for me to lead the way." He chuckled as he began to lead the way outside of the room, house and outside towards the town.

[Pastel Heart 6,466]

@Dynamo Pad

"What, you sayin' I ain't awesome now, huhhh?"

Pastel smiled mischeviously, giving her best impression of a yakuza villain 

She smiled brightly, eyes almost sparkling with Dynamo's promise of fun and adventure. She was more than happy to follow; this was the type of filly to be lured out of her room with promises of cookies.

"As your first mate, I'll follow you anywhere, captain! Ayy!~"

She saluted, imitating a pirate while shutting her right eye before bouncing up and happily following her friend.

@Samurai Equine

 

 

[Bastian 13,319]

@Samurai Equine @Windy Breeze

The glowing on his hoof dissapeared and Forest searched for her while he answered to Trilby.

This is far beyond your comprehension, she might die without the right help! You got to stay away or be useful, which I doubt you are.   

[Dynamo Pad 11,257]

4 minutes ago, Pastel-chan said:

@Dynamo Pad

"What, you sayin' I ain't awesome now, huhhh?"

Pastel smiled mischeviously, giving her best impression of a yakuza villain 

She smiled brightly, eyes almost sparkling with Dynamo's promise of fun and adventure. She was more than happy to follow; this was the type of filly to be lured out of her room with promises of cookies.

"As your first mate, I'll follow you anywhere, captain! Ayy!~"

She saluted, imitating a pirate while shutting her right eye before bouncing up and happily following her friend.

@Samurai Equine

 

"Oh, I think you're awesome now. I just haven't seen the full extent of the awesomeness. Seeing as how we all had a lot going on yesterday. With a festival of singing, then there's no telling how much awesomeness there will be. I guess we'll find out." He chuckled, returning the mischievous smile with a sly smirk. "Wait, then who's the skipper and who's the gilligan?" He pondered on the thought, before shrugging his shoulders. "Oh, well. At any rate, then it's off for adventure! Even though it's more of a fun festival to attend. Onward, Happy!" He grinned, hoping that Pastel would get the reference. The blue unicorn soon made his way out of the home and walked out towards town with his friend by his side. 

[ExplosionMare 18,062]

@Samurai Equine

On Pencil’s way to the concert, she ran into a brown unicorn stallion she thought she had seen once before at the town’s entrance. She didn’t have a completely clear memory of the stallion, but his unique appearance told her she had seen him around town a couple of times before.

[Astral Vision 286]

14 hours ago, Samurai Equine said:

@Bastian

At first, nothing. But, after Forest finishes his explanation, Trilby gets off of him.
He walks towards Shadow...
And then stands between the both of them, standing upright with arms held out wide. "If there is darkness in her, then let me take responsibility for it. But please, at least let her choose her own destiny first."

@Astral Vision

Samurai nods. "Follow me."

Samurai Equine leads his friend down a dirt road, to a spot that's quiet with hardly any ponies around. "This will have to do. The concert was mostly my idea, so I need to be close to help manage it." He takes a moment to pull out the page. "From what I can tell, it's the last page in the book." Samurai begins to read it for Astral.

...even with his skilled mastery of magic, he couldn't lift the multilayer curse on the town. Ultimately, he became the last pony to leave the town, but Final Premonition knew that there was only one hope to undo the curse. If some pony can manage to solve the enchanted Laronde Box, it will lead the way to lifting the curse one step at a time. When the curse is lifted, the two mayors will reunite, and the town will return to it's former glory. However, it will be up to citizens to make sure this tragic history never repeats itself.

The rest of the page is blank, just like the flip side. It was the end of that chapter.
If that wasn't enough, Samurai puts the paper away, and pulls out his magic puzzle box. The Laronde Box mentioned in the page! "This box was somehow handed down, circulated through many places in Equestria. When no pony showed interest in it, it eventually reached my village. The shogun gave me the task of solving it, thinking I'd be doing a noble thing. As soon as I got here, one of the things I found was the page I showed you."

Samurai toys with the box a little more. "I've been trying to solve this box for a while, keeping notes on all my progress. However, I wasn't making any until just yesterday, when it showed me that one of the things I needed to do was attract new citizens to the town." Samurai explains.

@ExplosionMare

Many citizens politely wave or bow. Seems most of them are on their way to the concert.
Depending on the route she takes, Pencil might just run into Samurai and Astral having their conversation.

@Samurai Equine @Dynamo Pad @Pastel-chan

Astral tilted his head and pondered on Samurai's new information, and began to connect points together of what the box could mean.

"This situation seems similar to the Nightmare Moon fiasco. In a way, Princess Luna herself was cursed, and being alone for thousands of years only seemed to strengthen her hatred. However, once Princess Twilight and her friends assembled the elements of harmony, they were able to use the magic of friendship to return Princess Luna to normal. If we could find out the origins of your box, we might be able to unlock it completely, and I bet we could find more clues if we find the rest of the pages!"

Astral's smile soon turned to a neutral expression once more, remembering what else Samurai had said.

"If the box did guide you to increase this town's population, then maybe this curse needs to be cured in a similar way. Luckily, I've got a great knowledge of magic-" Astral cut himself mid-sentence, as he figured there was no need to continue his explanation.

"Thanks for the info Samurai, but I have one last question for now. Do you know where I could find either of these mayors, I might be able to get Dynamo and Pastel to help as well?"

[Kronos the Revenant 1,971]

As he wandered the lands of Equestria, Kronos managed to find what seemed to be an unmarked town of sorts. He can hear random clamoring and music as he approached the vicinity. 

Hmm, he thought to himself, Strange, this looks like a town, but i dont see it listed in this map. I guess it’s new?

Mayhaps we should check and see what there is to do here, a voice in his head said. 
 

Yeah, another one retorted, this is literally the first town we’ve seen in weeks. Let’s just check it out and see if they have any food. 
 

It’s always about food with you, dammit, a third voice boomed in his head. 
 

“Shut up, you guys,” Kronos told himself, “Let’s see what’s going on here.”

As he strode into the town, he noticed that there seemed to be a festival of music of some sort, but that everyone was also gathered around. 
 

What have we here? he asked himself as he approached the crowd. 
 

He tapped a random citizen on their back to inquire to them, “Pardon me, but what the heck is happening here?”

[Samurai Equine 50,934]

@Bastian, @Windy Breeze

Hearing Shadow's voice, yet not Shadow's voice, was something that took Trilby off guard. For a moment, he thought a different pony had walked onto the scene. But when he looked back, Shadow was good. "S-Shadow?" Now he was stuck with Forest, who only talked to him with bitterness before going on his way again, no doubt resuming the hunt.

Trilby looks around once more. He feels his heart sink. Shadow is gone, and he doesn't know where. But worst of all... "My voice couldn't reach her... I did my best to stand up for her, and it wasn't good enough... Am I not good enough?"

All this and more were thoughts that Trilby had to consider as he did damage control around the concert hall, assuring confused ponies and performers that everything was fine and under control.

@Astral Vision, @ExplosionMare

Samurai listens intently to everything Astral has to say. At one point, he could have sworn he heard something ominous coming from the direction of the concert, but he ignores it for now. Samurai nods at his explanation of Nightmare Moon. "I never heard all the details about Nightmare Moon; I use to just stay in my home village most of the time. Thanks for explaining this. I'm opening to solving the puzzle through other means, but I wish we could find this Final Premonition fellow. He sounds like a unicorn that was especially gifted in magic. Still... If he couldn't solve the puzzle box, maybe we can." Samurai says.

Then, Samurai hears his final question. "The mayors? Well, I know a local pony named Trilby Hatter that works for one of the mayors. But good luck getting him to tell us any information. He's kind of stubborn about that."

Samurai would go into more information, but he then sees a familiar pony walk up to them. "Oh, you're Pencil, right? One of the new citizens? I remember greeting you at the gate yesterday."

@Kronos the Revenant

The random pony turns to face Kronos. "Hello there, stranger. You new in town? We're having a concert. It's an all day, open-mic concert for any pony willing to perform. If you want, you can set up a music number of your own. They have an in-house band and everything. They're very skilled; they can play any music genre you prefer."

[Pastel Heart 6,466]

@Dynamo Pad

"Mwrehehee, I hope I'll rise to your expectations~!"

Pastel skipped happily... shrugging about the same time as Dynamo. It seems like she didn't put much thought into the idea. She did smile imagining herself, Dynamo, Samurai and the others all as pirates though.

"Onward, happy~!"

It was hard to tell if she got the reference or was just parroting him cos it seemed fun. 

As they reached the concert area, it seemed like things were already started! Pastel eyed the stage like a soldier eyes a battlefield; with surprising focus. She looked up at Dynamo with a big grin, like she was quietly waiting for approval. Was she really gonna go for it...? Could Pastel even sing?

[Kronos the Revenant 1,971]

@Samurai Equine

“Open mic, you say?” Kronos replied, “I suppose i could showcase some of my innate musical talent.”

Seemingly out of the ether, he pulls out a triple-necked electric instrument of sorts. It looked like a messy and bulky mix of a guitar, bass and keyboard. 
 

“As talented as your local band is, i prefer a solo performance. I have my own written music I’d like to sing. Where’s the performance line?”

[Samurai Equine 50,934]

@Kronos the Revenant

The random pony points at the concert hall. There is a side entrance for performers only, and since anyone is allowed to perform, there is no bouncer or security detail.

(keystrokes, keystrokes, keystrokes, keystrokes, keystrokes, keystrokes, keystrokes, keystrokes, keystrokes, keystrokes, keystrokes, keystrokes, keystrokes, keystrokes, keystrokes, keystrokes, keystrokes, keystrokes, keystrokes, keystrokes, keystrokes, keystrokes, keystrokes, keystrokes, keystrokes, keystrokes, keystrokes, keystrokes, keystrokes, keystrokes, keystrokes, keystrokes, keystrokes, keystrokes, keystrokes, keystrokes, keystrokes, keystrokes, keystrokes, keystrokes, keystrokes, keystrokes, keystrokes, keystrokes, keystrokes. Please ignore this part.)

[Kronos the Revenant 1,971]

@Samurai Equine

”Thanks,” Kronos replied, “I’ll just head on my way then.”

You’re gonna embarrass yourself.

Shut up.

Kronos knocked at his head as he stood in line to perform. 
 

He filed through his notes and looked at some songs and found one in particular he wanted to perform. He pulled out his instrument and strummed a few chords to practice. 

[Astral Vision 286]

1 hour ago, Samurai Equine said:

@Bastian, @Windy Breeze

Hearing Shadow's voice, yet not Shadow's voice, was something that took Trilby off guard. For a moment, he thought a different pony had walked onto the scene. But when he looked back, Shadow was good. "S-Shadow?" Now he was stuck with Forest, who only talked to him with bitterness before going on his way again, no doubt resuming the hunt.

Trilby looks around once more. He feels his heart sink. Shadow is gone, and he doesn't know where. But worst of all... "My voice couldn't reach her... I did my best to stand up for her, and it wasn't good enough... Am I not good enough?"

All this and more were thoughts that Trilby had to consider as he did damage control around the concert hall, assuring confused ponies and performers that everything was fine and under control.

@Astral Vision, @ExplosionMare

Samurai listens intently to everything Astral has to say. At one point, he could have sworn he heard something ominous coming from the direction of the concert, but he ignores it for now. Samurai nods at his explanation of Nightmare Moon. "I never heard all the details about Nightmare Moon; I use to just stay in my home village most of the time. Thanks for explaining this. I'm opening to solving the puzzle through other means, but I wish we could find this Final Premonition fellow. He sounds like a unicorn that was especially gifted in magic. Still... If he couldn't solve the puzzle box, maybe we can." Samurai says.

Then, Samurai hears his final question. "The mayors? Well, I know a local pony named Trilby Hatter that works for one of the mayors. But good luck getting him to tell us any information. He's kind of stubborn about that."

Samurai would go into more information, but he then sees a familiar pony walk up to them. "Oh, you're Pencil, right? One of the new citizens? I remember greeting you at the gate yesterday."

@Kronos the Revenant

The random pony turns to face Kronos. "Hello there, stranger. You new in town? We're having a concert. It's an all day, open-mic concert for any pony willing to perform. If you want, you can set up a music number of your own. They have an in-house band and everything. They're very skilled; they can play any music genre you prefer."

@Samurai Equine @ExplosionMare

Astral now knew the somepony he had to locate next, and he knew he was going to need help. However, before leaving to find Dynamo and Pastel, he needed to know where he could find Trilby. Before he could ask, an unknown pony walked into their vicinity. Samurai seemed to recognize them, so Astral was polite.

"Pencil was it? Nice to meet you. Are you an acquaintance of Samurai's?"

After this statement, Astral could sense an ominous presence far in the distance. Was there another problem caused by the town's supposed curse? Astral could only wait impatiently, hoping he was wrong.