private Whisper II: Kingdom of Darkness

[Psych Ward 377]

@, 

 

"It's okay," Arianna smiled softly.  "I'm almost certain it's all real.  The cards wouldn't match us so perfectly if it wasn't.  Just go with the flow."  She rested her head on her hoof, leaving her other hoof on his back.  "We'll try to get answers later.  There's no need to rush things."

[Prince Midnight 817]

Midnight nodded, then smiled, "well....theres always one thing that has never failed to make me forget about the bad stuff...." he reached into his saddlebag and pulling out his drawing book and pencil, and flipped through the pages, before stopping on his drawing of her, smiling gently then flipping to a blank page and started to sketch, feeling comfortable with her hoof on his back."

[Psych Ward 377]

"See," Arianna smiled.  "You just need something to keep your mind off of things."  That always helped with her.  It was usually a good book or a complex game.  "So, whatcha drawing?" she asked curiously.  He really was a good artist.  She had enjoyed watching him draw before and it was just as nice now.

[Prince Midnight 817]

midnight set the pencil down, "mmm, just anything that comes to mind, right now it seems to be a changeling queen....who seems oddly framiler..." he paused than shook his head, he was muttering something to himself before he snapped back, "nng, her name is chrysalis."

[That One Techpriest You Used To Know 2,286]

@, Moon Crypt looked at Garrison with a combination of confusion, bemusement, and interest. "I assume that this had something to do with the explosion in the hallway." He sighed. "Oh, well. And yes, they are fresh. One of my friends keeps a small garden in the backyard so we don't only eat rations, and I figured you all would enjoy a fresh salad." He shrugged. "Well... because of... circumstances not under your control, you missed when everyone else had their Tarots revealed. Do you wish for me to do it now...?"

[Psych Ward 377]

Arianna nods.  She had heard small things about the Changeling Queen and had even read a few books about Changeling lore in her time at the School.  She continued to watch Midnight draw, the delicate strokes of the pencil creating a wonderful piece of art.

[Prince Midnight 817]

midnight continued drawing, until he made the final line and filled in a few spaces before setting his pencil down, "there," he held it up for arianna to see, "what do you think?" he smiled, "i know i messed up on the lines in a few places, but this is what my head is telling me she looks like."

[Senor Citizen 516]

@, "Okay. What's a tarot?" "Hate vegetables. Hate zem so much. Oh, and vat ze other side said." Garrison started eating, one side chewing with relish, one side trying to keep the stuff out of his side of the mouth. "Man oh man. We've been army grunts, bounty hunters, religious leaders, zat vas fun and regular ponies, but tell me a week ago that me and Red would be able to put "Flankenstein's Monster" on our resumes, and I'd have laughed in your face."

[Psych Ward 377]

"It's wonderful," Arianna smiled.  it truly was.  She couldn't tell where he had messed up but she didn't have that good of an eye for art.  She wasn't sure a Unicorn could capture the Changeling Queen's likeness any better than Midnight just had.  She had seen pictures of her before, but this looked more elegant.

[That One Techpriest You Used To Know 2,286]

@, He smiled. "I'm sure you would have." He shrugged. "A tarot is used in cartomancy, a type of fortune-telling./ When magically charged, they tell what lies in the immediate future- trouble, change, power. If you can wield this special power, all cards dealt to you will have the same tarot." He sighed and shuffled the cards. "Do you wish to draw and find out? Take two cards each- technically, there are two of you, even if your bodies are merged."

[Senor Citizen 516]

@, "Two cards each. Okay. Zis 'two except vone' sing is makink my head hurt." Garrison took four cards, and then stared at them with a mixture of interest and suspicion. "So now vat? Some sort of voodoo you're performink on zem?" "Hmm. I think we just turn them over." And he did.

[That One Techpriest You Used To Know 2,286]

@, He smiled as Standoff flipped over his cards, both revealing a while spirit overlooking a graveyard. "Judgement. The card originally known as Judgement Day derives from Christian scripture, but in most religions and cultures there is the concept of spiritual rebirth after the end of the world. This is another card of transition, like Death and the Tower, but its energy is neither violent nor catastrophic despite the fact that its power is far greater. This is the energy of creation without destruction, impossible on the material plane but certainly possible in the world of the spirit. There is rebirth not through discarding negativity, but through integration of all parts of the self. The spirit is cleansed and restored without loss or addition. It remains the same, but different.

 

"Traditionally, Judgement Day is a day of reckoning, where you must answer for your actions and your inactions. The tie to Justice cannot be missed, and in a sense, Judgement is an elaboration on cause and effect, and on the notion of cosmic justice. In the light of Judgement the effects of your actions and inactions do not exact a toll or give a reward on the physical plane, but on the spiritual level. Where you have been determines where you are going, and what you have done plays a role in what you still must do. The cycle can never really end because the spirit never dies, but lies on in an eternal existence that we may never fully comprehend.

 

"As the Judgement Day represents the union of the material and spiritual world into a single unit of manifestation, so too can Judgement show the union or reconciliation of the different parts of yourself. The three human figures found on most versions of the card allude to this. The man represents the renewal of the conscious mind, the woman is the rebirth of the subconscious, and the child is the boy from the Sun, the eternal child in us all. United into one voice, they praise the angel that appears in the sky. After the non-destructive cleansing and restoration of Judgement, matter, mind and spirit are one - now and forever.

 

"The Rider-Waite symbolism is particularly interesting. In the background are the mountains that first appeared on the Fool. The ocean is the termination of the river that flows through the Major Arcana, starting with the Empress. Gabriel's banner is red on white, the same as the Magician's robes. As with everything in life, the beginning is woven irrevocably into the end and the end will eventually lead to a new beginning. At its core, Judgement is not a card of endings, but of beginnings. This journey is over but the next, a journey on a higher plane of existence, is approaching. Judgement is the preparation for that journey; the last stop before eternity.

 

"Judgement's appearance in a reading often signals that a major change is heading your way, but unlike Death and the Tower, the change will not be a destructive one. The change is under your control, and in fact you can even turn your back on it if you wish. In time, however, you will likely regret doing so - this is another lesson of Judgement. Decisions such as the one it offers are necessary to growth and spiritual development, and you cannot run from them forever. The day of reckoning will come someday, and you will have to admit where you have gone wrong in order to receive rewards you deserve.

 

"Judgement is also a card of cleansing, representing a time where your slate is wiped clean and you can start over, with all your debts taken care of and with nothing to worry about. This may seem too good to be true, and for a lot of people it is, because they ruin their new chance with thoughts of the mistakes they made in the past. Judgement teaches that while you must be aware of the past and the lessons you have learned, you must not degrade yourself because of mistakes - mistakes are just part of learning! Put the past behind you and look to the future, ready to begin again. Now is time for a definite step, so don't let the shadows of the past hold you back."

---

And he turned over Red Alert's cards, revealing. a black, cloaked pony wearing a spear. "Death. The image of Death charging across a field on his spectral steed would strike fear into the heart of almost any man. The appearance of the Death card has a similar effect on most people, though it really should not. Whether you like it or not, Death is one of the most powerful cards in the Tarot. Humans naturally fear the unknown, and so Death is our greatest fear since it is the greatest unknown. The majority of us are unaware that our mind and spirit die all the time, constantly shedding old beliefs and acquiring new ones. It has been said many times by many readers: the Death card is not a card of death - it is a card of transformation.

 

"In the Tarot, as in reality, Death is nothing more than a transition to the next level of life. Whether you believe that a soul goes to heaven or back to Earth to be reincarnated, the fact remains that the soul lives on. The candle is extinguished, but only because the day has come. The river shown on many versions of the Death card is a symbol, showing that life will go on, no matter what disastrous things happen. The river water will reach the sea, rise into the clouds, then rain onto the land to flow into the river again. Nothing is destroyed, because nothing can be destroyed - there can be only transformation.

 

"The only real reason the transformation shown by Death is so catastrophic is because it is being held back, fought against by those too afraid to realize that change is beneficial. Every change happens for a reason, and Death is a force like Justice in that it is absolutely fair. It does not discriminate against one group and spare another - everyone is equal in the eyes of Death. So if big changes are happening in your life it is certainly plausible that you are the reason for them. There's no point fighting death, it only makes things worse. Like the Hanged Man, accept that change happens and let it do what it must.

 

"Take a look at the Rider-Waite version of the Death card, and note the bishop on the right side of the image. He is actually welcoming Death, because he knows of the great spiritual transformation it brings. Almost all versions of the Death card show a symbol of resurrection or re-birth. This could be the rising sun, an egg, or a sapling sprouting from the body of a dead man. All these symbols show that to progress in life, our old form must die, just as a snake sheds its old skin to reveal a shiny new one. This is the message of the card: Death must be conquered by the regeneration of the soul, and he who knows this shall live forever.

 

"When the Death card appears, big changes are heading your way. Usually this change refers to something in your lifestyle; an old attitude or perspective is no longer useful and you have to let go of it. While the Hanged Man was a card of voluntary sacrifice, the Death card is a forced sacrifice - but that does not mean that it is not for your own good. Sometimes you cannot see how your attitudes are hurting you, and when that is true, the Death card is your wake-up call. Death is not simply destruction; it is destruction followed by renewal. Even though one door may have closed, another is opening. Will you have the courage to step through?

 

"If so, before you go forward, take a moment to look back. Is there anything that you are carrying with you that is no longer necessary? Let it go now, before you proceed. Are your old attitudes holding you back, or are high expectations constantly disappointing you? Cast them off, or let Death's watery energy wash them away from you. Open yourself and let it strip away all that you no longer need - fear, revenge, intolerance. Flowers cannot bloom if the land is full of weeds which choke the ground, and likewise, your spiritual enlightenment will be held back by doubt and fear. Let them go now or risk having them painfully ripped away when Death inevitably returns."

[Senor Citizen 516]

@, "As poetic as that was, it wasn't much of an explanation. We know about the art and the history. What happens now? Zat vas schtupid. Vat vas ze point of zis again?" Standoff's side rolled its eye. "I swear, if I knew that I could punch you and not get hurt, I would be punching you. Vat did I say?"

[That One Techpriest You Used To Know 2,286]

@, "Perhaps it was a bit poetic." He shrugs. "And this is not pointless. You may want to think upon what I said." He shrugged again. "The powers that you obtained are directly related to the Tarot cards. I don't know what it is. And you will find out what that is in time." He shrugged. "Sorry if I sound cliche, but I honestly don't know what your powers will be. But expect them to surface within the next few days. If they aren't blocked by your... condition."

[Senor Citizen 516]

@, "Don't worry about it, we've got through tougher than this. Like zat time vis ze land mine? Yeah. Like that time." Garrison stood up, and turned to Moon Crypt. "I sink ve'd better get a move on, ZIs demon's not goink to get any less powerful. Wait, what demon? I dunno. Zere's a demon."

[Lume WMj 228]

@@ActFast231, 

 

"Got it." Lume nodded in agreement, and proceeded to try out the punch. She raised her upper body, balancing herself on the two hind legs. Bringing her hoof forward and then down with the force of the fall in swift blows, she repeated the move several times - with slight modifications here and there each time - until she fully acknowledged her own strength, weight and agility, and tried to balance them all afterwards.

 

"You know, Nexus..." Lume said, whilst she practiced the punch. "I was rather surprised when my Tarot was revealed... Moon Crypt said that I need to control my emotions in order to control myself. Once I have surpassed my fears, I'll be able to surpass my restrictions subsequently, and achieve the success." She arched her back downwards slightly, looking for a position that would benefit her stability, and continued punching the air. "I was surprised because that's exactly what I have to do, you know. Overcome my fears. My fear of defeat. My fear of incapacity... My fear of death." She slid her left hind leg a little more behind, and continued her training. "But before anything, as I said, I need to balance my feelings: gain control over them. I'm not as afraid, confused and worried as I was before - thanks to you, in fact. Right now, I'm feeling great!" She reduced the delay of the strike, trying to not leave her guard open for too long for the next punches. "But... There's this one feeling that I don't quite understand, and... it happens only when I'm around you. My body feels light, as if I could fly if I wanted. My heart pounds faster, I feel shivers all over my body and I can't take my eyes off... you. Not to mention the warmth. And to be completely honest... I've never felt anything like that before. However, my mother used to tell me that when ponies feel all of these symptoms, it means that they are in..."

 

Lume stopped her exercises, getting back down on her four hooves and thinking better about the word she was about to use. If that was really it, the earth mare wouldn't know how to react to it. She couldn't know if it was a bad thing or a good thing after all. But perhaps time would tell.

 

She turned over to Nexus, panting and cleaning off a few drops of sweat from her forehead. "...By the way, I could really use a dummy here. My forelegs are starting to hurt from punching the nothing."

[Prince Midnight 817]

Midnight smiled, "thank you arianna, that really means alot coming from you." he looked down at the drawing and just made a few more lines to the mane, he had heard that queen chrysalis had been a very scary mare.

but as he looked at this picture, he couldnt help but wonder, if he had actually met her, would he be diffrent? from this picture, her mane covering half her face with a distant look too it, it made her look...so real.

[ActFast231 432]

 

 

She raised her upper body, balancing herself on the two hind legs. Bringing her hoof forward and then down with the force of the fall in swift blows, she repeated the move several times - with slight modifications here and there each time - until she fully acknowledged her own strength, weight and agility, and tried to balance them all afterwards.

 

"Good. Keep it up." Nexus was impressed at her adaptive response to this exercise. All things considered, he can't recall meeting anypony he has enjoyed the company of before. She was also the kindest pony he has met in his travels.

 

 

 

 

"I was rather surprised when my Tarot was revealed... Moon Crypt said that I need to control my emotions in order to control myself. Once I have surpassed my fears, I'll be able to surpass my restrictions subsequently, and achieve the success." She arched her back downwards slightly, looking for a position that would benefit her stability, and continued punching the air. "I was surprised because that's exactly what I have to do, you know. Overcome my fears. My fear of defeat. My fear of incapacity... My fear of death."

 

 

"Everypony fears inadequacy. It is normal to worry if your performance is up to par. I have had my share of worries in that regard, and it usually encourages me not to screw up. Defeat is also a common one, as nopony likes losing. But you learn one thing in victory, and a thousand things in defeat. Death...well that's a given. The world we live in today, death is a common occurrence. So you are not alone in that respect." Nexus would never say it aloud, but he did not fear death, and in some aspects, secretly wished to die. For the target to overpower him. For the mistake of a lifetime to occur. Not that he would lay down and die, but the thoughts were there. But in recent times, such thoughts are slowly dying.

 

 

 

"But before anything, as I said, I need to balance my feelings: gain control over them. I'm not as afraid, confused and worried as I was before - thanks to you, in fact. Right now, I'm feeling great!"

 

"I'm happy to help. I know the feeling of confusion and fear, and what it's like to not have any control over it. It is crippling, and from what you told me, it nearly killed you. I won't let that happen again. You have my word."

 

 

 

"But... There's this one feeling that I don't quite understand, and... it happens only when I'm around you. My body feels light, as if I could fly if I wanted. My heart pounds faster, I feel shivers all over my body and I can't take my eyes off... you. Not to mention the warmth. And to be completely honest... I've never felt anything like that before. However, my mother used to tell me that when ponies feel all of these symptoms, it means that they are in..."

 

Nexus decided not to call the earth pony on cutting that sentence short. Nexus had a few ideas of how that ended, and they confused him more than anything.

 

"I have been having...similar symptoms in your presence, Lume. The increased heart rate, the added warmth, the light feeling. And the closer I get to you, the stronger it gets. Oddly enough, even with all my medical expertise, I can't make heads or tails of this. It doesn't match any know physical ailments..." Nexus, again had a theory, but he wasn't sure what to think about it. Luckily he was quickly pulled from his thoughts.

 

 

 

"...By the way, I could really use a dummy here. My forelegs are starting to hurt from punching the nothing."

 

Nexus, with one flap of his bat wings, was hovering a foot off the ground. He went over to a nearby shelf, and got some pads. Placing one on each hoof, he held them out in the arena center.

 

"Here, try hitting these."

[Psych Ward 377]

"I know a book you might enjoy," Arianna said suddenly.  "I don't have it with me but I'm sure there's some books around her somewhere.  It was written by one of those peace ponies bent on equality for all, including Changelings.  It explored a lot of interesting lore and facts about Changelings.  It put them in a good light too."

[Prince Midnight 817]

midnight looked over, "really?" he coulding hide his smiled, "id love to read it sometime." he grinned and patted her hoof, "i wonder how my mom fell in love with my dad, depending on who was the changeling, i mean, one would have found out about the other pretty quick..."

[Psych Ward 377]

Arianna smiled.  "Cool," she said.  "We'll try to find it later."  She thought about it for a second.  "I don't know," she said.  "Maybe they grew up together.  I know some places weren't all against Changelings."  She took her hoof from his back, getting up and stretching a bit.

[Prince Midnight 817]

midnight watched her streach and streached his wings softly "mmmnn" he purred softly, then flopped against the bed, "ahhh that felt good." he chuckled, "havent slept in a bed in awhile, ever since being kicked out of my home." he shook his head then smiled, "i dont think you ever told me about you arianna, would you mind telling me something....i mean....if it isnt a painful subject."

[Psych Ward 377]

Arianna smiled.  "Hmm," she said.  "The School didn't have very comfortable mattresses," she laughed.  "Six years of those isn't very good for the back."  She frowned, knowing the dreaded question would come up any minute now.  Midnight had trusted her, confided in her.  There was no reason she couldn't do the same.

[Prince Midnight 817]

Arianna smiled.  "Hmm," she said.  "The School didn't have very comfortable mattresses," she laughed.  "Six years of those isn't very good for the back."  She frowned, knowing the dreaded question would come up any minute now.  Midnight had trusted her, confided in her.  There was no reason she couldn't do the same.

midnight smiled, "how about....you talk while i draw?" he smiled gently, "dont worry, ill be listening to every word, it might make you feel more comfortable?" he opened to a fresh page and took his pencil into his mouth, "im ready when you are." he smiled and tapped his pencil tip on the page.

[Psych Ward 377]

Arianna smiled.  "Okay," she said.  "It would be better that way.  She wouldn't feel like he was staring at her as she confided in him. "When I was ten I had to move into The School permanently.  I had just received my acceptance letter.  It was right after I lost the use of my horn and earned my scar."