private Outcasts of the Everfree Forest

[--Thunder Bolt-- 534]

 

 

"Wow... You're going to groom him? He's huge! The amount of needed shampoo could drown an entire herd."

 

Sunyatay gulped.  She hadn't really thought of shampoo.  When she'd made the offer, she had been thinking in terms of combing his coat out, perhaps by making an oversized curry comb, or just trying to do it directly with magic.  But the colt was right: now that she was getting a better look at the giant stallion, she could see that his life of grazing from trees involved moving among them, which involved snapped-off branches, which resulted in streaks of sap in his fur, which adhered to dirt and detritus...which would require much more than combing to get out.  Well...I'll just have to do the best I can.  If he even wants me to.

 

Moving slowly, the giant stallion leaned down to her, his head the size of a small house, coming to meet her almost nose-to-nose.  Sunyatay looked up at him in wonder.

 

 

 

"H-Hello?"

 

His voice was big and deep, like a force of nature, but it held no tone of threat.

 

"Hello.  My name is Sunyatay!  What's your name?"  If his voice was a mighty waterfall, hers was a breeze through meadow flowers.

 

 

OOC: Gabriel, I hope I'm describing Atlas' voice correctly.  I'm guessing a deep voice due to the physics of longer vocal chords and bigger resonant cavities, but if I've got it wrong, please let me know and I'll edit.

[Gabriel Smith 53]

OOC: Gabriel, I hope I'm describing Atlas' voice correctly. I'm guessing a deep voice due to the physics of longer vocal chords and bigger resonant cavities, but if I've got it wrong, please let me know and I'll edit.

(A little softer, more shy sounding. But yes, it would have longer chords and resonant cavities and ponehs. On a side note, GO SEE PACIFIC RIM. What? Why aren't you going now? I don't care if you need to ride Atlas to get there, go there NOWH! X3)

 

"A-Atlas" Atlas replied. It was clear he could understand the Pony, although...

 

"H-Hello S-Sunata..."

 

...His ability to speak Common wasn't as great.

Edited July 15, 2013 by Gabriel Smith

[Starshine 16,330]

 

 

"A-Atlas" Atlas replied.

 

"Atlas..." Starshine muttered under his breath. That name was certainly familiar, but all he could remember that Atlas was the name of a deity that was related to carrying something massive. Much to his frustration, Starshine couldn't remember why Atlas in that lore was forced to carry such big thing. One thing for sure, the Atlas before him was huge. Either he was named by a passing pony, or he was given that name by his parents when he was still a normal-sized pony.

 

While Atlas' voice sounded like a rough waterfall, the translucent mare's voice, Sunyatay was her name, more sounded like an echoing breeze. They were on a totally different end of the spectrum. With these two around, Starshine mused to himself that he wouldn't have to travel to another place to find interesting things, at least until he figured out what made them this way, and whether he could use it to himself. "Hm..."

 

@@Gabriel Smith,

 

Starshine trotted closer to Atlas, trying to look as relaxed as possible as not to startle the giant. "Hey, Atlas. If you don't mind me asking, how old are you?"

[--Thunder Bolt-- 534]

"It's very nice to meet you, Atlas," Sunyatay said.  Before she could think of something more to say, the colt came up and asked Atlas his age.  Since the giant seemed to have difficulties speaking, Sunyatay held back from asking him the questions on her mind, and turned her thoughts to the bigger question: how was she going to live up to her offer to groom Atlas?

 

@@Gabriel Smith,

OOC: I already saw Pacific Rim.  I figured you'd like it.   I thought it was pretty good.  Much better than it would have been if it had been directed by Michael Bay rather than Del Toro.

[Gabriel Smith 53]

@@Gabriel Smith,

OOC: I already saw Pacific Rim.  I figured you'd like it.   I thought it was pretty good.  Much better than it would have been if it had been directed by Michael Bay rather than Del Toro.

 

(It would have been this week's blog too, but I was tired when I got back, and that exhaustion carried itself into the next day. But yes, Best. Hollywood. Movie. So far X3)

 

Atlas turned to look at Starshine as he asked him his age - slowly and carefully, as not to step on Sunyatay. Not that we'd realistically turn her into hoof paste or anything - that would be cruel.

 

Regardless, Atlas looked at the Unicorn, looked to the side and replied "1-10."

 

(Quick additional OOC: Atlas has given his age in Horse Years here, only logical because Ponies. To spare you all a tonne of complex mathematics, Horses typically live between 25 and 30 years, reaching maturity at age 8. So Atlas is roughly on par with being 20/22 in Human Years X3)

[Starshine 16,330]

 

 

Regardless, Atlas looked at the Unicorn, looked to the side and replied "1-10."

 

Starshine was partially expecting somewhere along the scale of centuries, he was justifiably surprised hearing Atlas' answer. He was around  It meant the giant had grown to such size in a relatively short time, assuming he was born from a couple of normal ponies of course. Starshine looked at Sunyatay and whispered to her, "I'll ask him some more question if that's okay with you."

 

Starshine cleared his throat and trotted closer to the giant to give him a pat to the snout. "Atlas, if you don't mind me asking, do you remember how did you get this big? How long have you lived in this forest?" With the question, the colt hoped he would be able to find out where did Atlas came from.

 

 

 

Derp. I would rather use human years as a standard, terran equines can't speak and do magic stuff XD

 

*is jelly because he can't watch Pacific Rim until next month

 

 

[--Thunder Bolt-- 534]

"Okay," Sunyatay said.  While Starshine talked to Atlas, she would have time to try to figure out how she would keep her promise to the big guy.  I wonder if he started out as a regular pony, or if there's a whole species of megaponies living deeper in the Forest somewhere... she thought.  Starshine's question would get to the root of the matter though.  I hope Atlas isn't offended.  Sunyatay lifted her cloak and hung it from a tree branch so it wouldn't be left lying on the ground.  Then she relaxed her concentration to conserve energy.  Bolstered by the prospect of new friends, she faded, but not entirely to invisibility. 

 

We need to find a waterfall, or maybe a deep enough body of water.  But we'd have to be sure it doesn't have any hydras...  Then I have to come up with a transformation spell, something that will make tree sap dissolve in water without causing any unwanted effects.  Sunyatay opened her saddlebags and pulled out a couple relevant books.  Right...adhesive properties and how to counter them...but only those of tree sap, she thought, starting into her research, occasionally sketching a glowing magical diagram into the air.

 

OOC: With Atlas and Starshine talking to each other, it's OK if you two want to skip me in posting.  Sorry for holding things up.

[Gabriel Smith 53]

Starshine was partially expecting somewhere along the scale of centuries, he was justifiably surprised hearing Atlas' answer. He was around  It meant the giant had grown to such size in a relatively short time, assuming he was born from a couple of normal ponies of course. Starshine looked at Sunyatay and whispered to her, "I'll ask him some more question if that's okay with you."

 

Starshine cleared his throat and trotted closer to the giant to give him a pat to the snout. "Atlas, if you don't mind me asking, do you remember how did you get this big? How long have you lived in this forest?" With the question, the colt hoped he would be able to find out where did Atlas came from.

 

(Well yes of course, but...HORSUS X3)

 

Atlas heard Starshine's question...and tried to think of a way to dodge the question. In the end however Atlas couldn't manage to think of a response - he simply turned his head away and bent his legs a little before whimpering.

[Starshine 16,330]

he simply turned his head away and bent his legs a little before whimpering.

 

Starshine's expression fell. That was definitely not the reaction he was expecting from the giant. Maybe it was a sore spot for him? Either way, he wouldn't get any answers from him this way. "Take it easy, fella. If you you don't want to talk about it, we can put it aside for the moment. Well then, if you will excuse me," Starshine said to the giant before trotting back to the trees to retrieve his saddlebag.

 

@,

 

"Atlas isn't in the mood for questions now. In normal circumstances I would stay with him until the sun is out, but I really need to get some rest now," he told Sunyatay while lifting his saddlebag onto his back. It was subtle, but he could feel the fatigue from the train ride had started to caught up with him. He noticed that Sunyatay had grew dimmer. "Hm, does it take a whole lot of effort to shift back and forth like that?"

Edited July 19, 2013 by Starshine

[--Thunder Bolt-- 534]

"Wha--oh!" Sunyatay said, snapping out of the world of mathematics and mystical correspondences.  She shifted her focus to her presence, and came back into a more visible level of translucence.  "Yes.  Well, to shift toward being tangible," she said, trying to hide the fear that welled up at the prospect of being questioned herself.  She bowed her head nervously, letting her mane come forward to shroud her face except for one eye peering out from between its curtains.  Then she vanished.  "Oh.  Sorry!"  She focused again, and returned to translucence.  "You can sleep in my shelter if you want.  There's fruit there, you can eat it if you're hungry.  I'll...go see if I can help Atlas feel better," she said, trotting hastily over toward the giant.  What's wrong with me?!  I finally get somepony to talk to me, and now I'm avoiding him!  But the images were already racing around in her mind: Starshine laughing at her when he found out how and why she became invisible, or maybe writing up a treatise about the exotic, freakish specimens he'd found, for publication at the Royal Society.  "Have a nice rest," she said to him weakly over her shoulder.  Maybe he really wanted to be friendly.  Unless he decided she was a completely laughable failure as soon as he found out--

 

Sunyatay shook her head to force those thoughts aside, and turned her attention to Atlas.  With an effort of will, she fought down her fears, clinging to her present level of translucence.  The big blue pony looked miserable.  "It's alright.  I understand.  It's...not easy to be different from everypony else."  She could hardly imagine what it would be like to stand out as much as he did.  The thought of it nearly made her disappear again.  "Maybe we can talk about something else...like...what you're interested in?" she asked softly.   

[Starshine 16,330]

Starshine watched silently as Sunyatay trotted to with Atlas once more. She had actually disappeared completely in front of him. That was definitely a new thing. From what Sunyatay had said, whatever the spell was, it's very much permanent and malleable. Requiring concentration to stay tangible, it was almost as if she had little to no actual connection to the reality. Interesting... He had hoped that he didn't inadvertently scared her away. Searching for a hiding ethereal mare in this forest would be very troublesome. He fastened his saddlebag for the last time.

 

The colt trotted halfway to Sunyatay. "Thanks for the offer, miss, but I already have my own place in this forest. Welp, I'll have to go now, see you later!" Starshine turned to Atlas. "See you later, too, big guy!" Then into the trees he went, to the direction of Zecora's hut.

 

The day had been very eventful, Starshine mused to himself. He jumped over a dead tree trunk. His might be not the best first impressions, but at least he hadn't gave them any reason to be wary of his presence, or at least that what he hoped. Nevertheless, he could learn from Atlas and Sunyatay further tomorrow. Now, all he had left to do was to deliver this package of his and-

 

The forest was deadly silent. Starshine froze. He slowly crouched to the forest floor and started channeling his horn, just in case something thought it was a good idea to have him as a midday snack. He turned himself invisible and put an illusion of a sleeping, delicious deer a few meters in front of him as a decoy. He waited. For thirty seconds there was nothing, but the sense of looming doom was still there. "What the hay...?"

[Gabriel Smith 53]

Sunyatay shook her head to force those thoughts aside, and turned her attention to Atlas.  With an effort of will, she fought down her fears, clinging to her present level of translucence.  The big blue pony looked miserable.  "It's alright.  I understand.  It's...not easy to be different from everypony else."  She could hardly imagine what it would be like to stand out as much as he did.  The thought of it nearly made her disappear again.  "Maybe we can talk about something else...like...what you're interested in?" she asked softly.   

 

Atlas heard Sunyatay and carefully moved around to face her, before lying down and slowly trying to relax, without trying to scare the timid shiny pony.

 

"L-Like w-what?" Atlas asked. Indeed, it was a question nopony had asked before now. Ever. At all. Really.

[--Thunder Bolt-- 534]

"Like...things you enjoy doing, or learning about.  I'm interested in geometry and math and magic."  Now that Atlas was lying down, Sunyatay had a clear view of his cutie mark, but it was probably more related to his name, and perhaps his size, than his interests or talents.  Unless his talent was lifting things.  "What sort of things do you like to do?"  

[Gabriel Smith 53]

"Like...things you enjoy doing, or learning about.  I'm interested in geometry and math and magic."  Now that Atlas was lying down, Sunyatay had a clear view of his cutie mark, but it was probably more related to his name, and perhaps his size, than his interests or talents.  Unless his talent was lifting things.  "What sort of things do you like to do?"  

 

Atlas looked around - carefully as usual, not wanting to spook his company - and then reached over towards something. With an unnaturally delicate movement of hooves, Atlas tried to give Sunyatay something - a flower specifically. It was a Pink and White coloured one.

 

"N-Not D-Dangerous." Atlas assured her. "N-Not P-Poison J-Joke e-either."

[Starshine 16,330]

Starshine groggily trotted back to the clearing where Sunyatay and Atlas were still standing, looking even worse for wear. He laughed nervously. "I think... I'll stay around here for a bit longer." He didn't fancy the idea of venturing too far away from Atlas' gigantic frame for now, his terrible luck wouldn't let him escape that vicious claw swipe for a second time. "Poison Joke? Have you ever had any bad experiences with them?"

[Gabriel Smith 53]

Starshine groggily trotted back to the clearing where Sunyatay and Atlas were still standing, looking even worse for wear. He laughed nervously. "I think... I'll stay around here for a bit longer." He didn't fancy the idea of venturing too far away from Atlas' gigantic frame for now, his terrible luck wouldn't let him escape that vicious claw swipe for a second time. "Poison Joke? Have you ever had any bad experiences with them?"

 

"W-Well..." Atlas began "T-There w-was o-one t-time I-I t-tried g-growing i-it...I-I e-ended u-up l-large e-enough t-to c-crush t-the f-forest. W-Was h-happy n-nobody s-seemed t-to s-see m-me...a-and t-temporary..." Atlas explained to Starshine. Of course, we don't need to tell you that a bigger Atlas is bad for everyone concerned, right?

[--Thunder Bolt-- 534]

 

 

"N-Not D-Dangerous." Atlas assured her. "N-Not P-Poison J-Joke e-either."

 

"Oh...thank you!" Sunyatay said, blushing shyly.  Nopony had ever given her flowers before!  She levitated it from his hooves and held it in front of her nose to take in its scent.  A wave of energy seemed to flow through her, subtly increasing her visibility.  "It's beautiful," she added, tying it into her mane and using telekinesis to hold it in place.  "You are very dexterous with your hooves," she said, genuinely impressed.  "I know I wouldn't be able to do delicate work like that with mine without making a mess of things..."

 

Tired-sounding hoofbeats.  Sunyatay turned to see Starshine returning, looking even more ragtag than he'd been when he left.  The conversation turned to Poison Joke, and Atlas related a rather harrowing experience with it.

 

"It is very fortunate that your implicate magic kept you from succumbing to scaling principles!" she blurted, then tensed, fading slightly.  Not only was she talking science in a way that pegged her as a raging egghead, she was doing so in terms of her own model of the workings of magic, one not shared by unicorns in general.  "Um..." she stammered, unsure if she ought to try to explain, or shut up before she bored the others to tears or made them hate her in some other way.

[Starshine 16,330]

Large enough to crush the forest? Starshine's eyes widened. Poison Joke effects usually gone in the direction that was a mockery of one's special talent, or at the very least being what they feared the most. Either Atlas was used to be a normal-sized pony and his special talent was being huge, or something had cursed him to life with this gigantic size.

 

 

 

"It is very fortunate that your implicate magic kept you from succumbing to scaling principles!"

 

"You mean double the size, double the strength, but eight times the load?" Starshine chimed in. "I personally wouldn't dismiss it as ridiculous if Atlas is actually normal-sized, but something amplified his presence multiple times in this world." Too bad he wouldn't answer if I ask him about how did it happen, Starshine mused internally.

 

"Anyhow! Atlas, do you have a house somewhere around here? Maybe a cave or something for you to sleep in? If possible, I would rather not spend more time in the open like this."

[Gabriel Smith 53]

"Anyhow! Atlas, do you have a house somewhere around here? Maybe a cave or something for you to sleep in? If possible, I would rather not spend more time in the open like this."

 

Atlas thought for a moment. "T-There's t-the g-garden, b-but n-not s-sure i-if c-comfy f-for y-you. P-Plants. C-Could b-be a-allergic. O-Or d-dangerous. N-No s-shelter f-from r-rain..."

 

Atlas continued to think like this for a while. He really did mean well, but it was entirely possible he was overanalyzing things.

[--Thunder Bolt-- 534]

@@Starshine,

"You're still welcome to stay in my house," Sunyatay said.  "I was...actually thinking of trying to build an inn when you came...to give travelers a safe place to stay...so maybe I could meet them."

 

Then she turned to Atlas, scrambling for something to say. 

 

"So...you keep a garden?"

[Starshine 16,330]

 

 

Atlas thought for a moment. "T-There's t-the g-garden, b-but n-not s-sure i-if c-comfy f-for y-you. P-Plants. C-Could b-be a-allergic. O-Or d-dangerous. N-No s-shelter f-from r-rain..."

 

Starshine looked around them. Looked like whatever it was that attacked him had decided to let him go after seeing Atlas' massive frame. He sighed in relief. "Well, we can sit under you when it's raining. I don't think allergen is the most dangerous thing in here."

 

 

 

"You're still welcome to stay in my house," Sunyatay said. "I was...actually thinking of trying to build an inn when you came...to give travelers a safe place to stay...so maybe I could meet them."

 

"An inn?" Starshine chirped, a bit confused. "You would need a much bigger house for that. And a lot of bits just to keep it going, not to mention this part wasn't exactly a traveler's best choice if they want to go somewhere. Why do you want to meet with ponies, anyway?"

[Gabriel Smith 53]

@@Starshine,

"You're still welcome to stay in my house," Sunyatay said.  "I was...actually thinking of trying to build an inn when you came...to give travelers a safe place to stay...so maybe I could meet them."

 

Then she turned to Atlas, scrambling for something to say. 

 

"So...you keep a garden?"

 

Atlas nodded, before...

 

Starshine looked around them. Looked like whatever it was that attacked him had decided to let him go after seeing Atlas' massive frame. He sighed in relief. "Well, we can sit under you when it's raining. I don't think allergen is the most dangerous thing in here."

 

To which Atlas shook his head. "N-No, s-some p-plants d-dangerous. P-Poisonous e-even. A-And n-not s-sure i-if s-sleeping u-under m-me i-is b-best i-idea..."

 

There was a moment of silence, before...

 

"S-So...g-garden? O-Or S-Sultana's h-house?" he asked, still not able to pronounce Sunyatay's name correctly. 

[--Thunder Bolt-- 534]

 

 

Atlas shook his head. "N-No, s-some p-plants d-dangerous. P-Poisonous e-even. A-And n-not s-sure i-if s-sleeping u-under m-me i-is b-best i-idea..." There was a moment of silence, before... "S-So...g-garden? O-Or S-Sultana's h-house?" he asked, still not able to pronounce Sunyatay's name correctly.

 

Is he making fun of me? Sunyatay thought, feeling a twinge of worry.  But he gave me the flower...and he has a hard time talking.  And my name is pretty weird...for Equestrian ponies...  Nopony would have difficulty pronouncing it in Coltcutta, where most names were almost aggressively rich in syllables.  She struggled to fight off memories of mean foals in her Manehattan school making fun of her name by deliberately mispronouncing it, or making up little chants...

 

Sunyatay, Sunyatay,

Why won't you just go away?

 

 

 

"An inn?" Starshine chirped, a bit confused. "You would need a much bigger house for that. And a lot of bits just to keep it going, not to mention this part wasn't exactly a traveler's best choice if they want to go somewhere. Why do you want to meet with ponies, anyway?"

 

"I didn't mean...that...fancy" Sunyatay said, her voice fading away as she vanished.  The flower wobbled as her telekinesis weakened, but she seized it, almost like a lifeline, to keep it from falling.  She felt a powerful urge to just run away, never let them see her again.  Get away now, before the meanness and laughter started.  No!  They might be the closest thing to friends I'll ever have.  Atlas...might understand, and Starshine...hasn't really been mean yet, just...critical.  She couldn't tell him why she wanted to meet ponies, obviously.  How would it not sound utterly pathetic?  No.  He thinks I mean a big place with a staff, lots of rooms, and a restaurant.  I guess I did use the wrong word...  Summoning her courage, she tried to explain:  "I meant...just a bigger, stronger shelter...that I could tend to myself...and people like you could stay in and feel safe." her voice said faintly from the air.

[Starshine 16,330]

 

 

To which Atlas shook his head. "N-No, s-some p-plants d-dangerous. P-Poisonous e-even. A-And n-not s-sure i-if s-sleeping u-under m-me i-is b-best i-idea..."

 

Starshine crunched his face. There goes his chance to sleep without worrying about the beast. Normally he would go alone and try to divert the creature elsewhere, but his magic reserve was running on fumes now. He involuntarily shivered.

 

 

 

"I meant...just a bigger, stronger shelter...that I could tend to myself...and people like you could stay in and feel safe." her voice said faintly from the air.

 

Starshine's eyes widened when Sunyatay suddenly grew less and less visible, she even lost grip on the flower. Was it something he said? "Uh, sorry 'bout that," he chuckled nervously.

 

"Ponies like... me?" Starshine mused. Maybe she was planning to start a safe haven for ponies who weren't accepted by those in the cities? He had to agree that the idea sounded mighty fine indeed. At times he wished that there was a safe place for him to run into when something hit the deck. "Hm, that's a good idea. I guess I can help a little bit or two for the decorations and whatnot." He yawned. "Anyway... Guys, sorry if this sounds rude, but I really need to get some sleep right now. Can I crash in any of your place?" He gave a wide, hopeful grin to the two.

[Gabriel Smith 53]

"S-So w-we're g-going t-to S-Sunshine's p-place?" Atlas enquired, having overheard the pair. It was kind of hard for him not to do so with the massive, pony sized ears and all. It was also at this point where Atlas thought to himself - 

 

I should probably work on my nicknaming -_-