open Beyond these Walls: An adventure through Equestria. (Applications open!)

[The Elusive Cinder 1,328]

Kingfisher.

@, 
 
Looking ahead at the disturbance, kingfisher sighed and raised a hoof to her face: no just in a gesture of exasperation but also to wipe away the small trickle of blood on her muzzle.
 
"Can you put that thing back where it came from before you lose control and it tries to eat us?"
 
That the falls were a tourist attraction was also a concern: and while there probably wasn't going to by anypony there at this time of year having some foal playing timberwolf-rodeo so close seemed like a dangerous idea.

'Amateurs... It's all about showing off until someone loses an eye.' 

---------------

???.

@,
 
The Aspect turned its head a little: watching the changing-creature curiously. Eyes wide, it cocked its head to one side wondering why the changing-creature was pressing itself down onto the ground. It tried to copy the changing-creature.
 
Then it hiccuped.
 
A stray frost-flame ignited on the ground before it: thankfully having nowhere to spread on the cold stone. The cold-fire didn't interest it: it was made from the same substance after all - the stone was much more interesting. Taking a bite from a petrified leaf on the ground, it discovered that - while considerably better than the changing-creatures wing - it wasn't for eating either.
 
---------------
 
Orion Starsinger.
 
@,
@@SilverHeart,
@@Midnight Scribbler,

"I... need to rest. You two can stay if you want. Just... keep your distance." Orion said, nodding at two unicorns. "It's safe here. Willow needs a couple of hours, then I'll be... moving on."
 
Closing his eyes and wasting yet more of his rapidly dwindling reserves of magic, he filled the air around the clearing with the star-like sparks that hung twinkling in the air, drifting lazily between the trees. They would be hidden from a distance - and dangerous to anything that tried to get close. Finding a space not far from his sisters side, he settled down for the night.
 
((Their sleep will let them catch up with the small timeskip the main group has already gone through, walking through the Splinterhoof Hills.))

Edited November 2, 2013 by Cinderscribe

[EcstaticWind 572]

The other pony's arrival on a giant timberwolf was certainly unexpected. More and more the group was looking like they had come straight out of a story, or Aegis had wandered into one. Whichever the case, he began to feel inadequate in comparison. 'Then again, they're all warriors, fighters, and otherwise suited for this type of thing. And I haven't even shown them what I can do yet.'

 

His thoughts were interrupted by a sharp pain slicing across his shoulder. In response, he broke the offending rock with a kick, sending the sharp tip down the canyon somewhere. He broke two more so they wouldn't scratch the others, then checked his latest injury. “It’s not so bad. Stings like crazy, though…” 

Edited November 2, 2013 by Windbreaker

[SilverHeart 741]

Mirror Image

 

@, @@Midnight Scribbler, 

 

Mirror Image spoke to both the changeling and stallion "Unless either of you want to chat for a while I'm going to get some rest myself." The mare walked further away from the group than either Orion or Will had. She approached the edge of the safe area and settled onto the ground, positioned herself so that the right side of her body faced Orion's spell. She kept one eye on the others as she released her spell.

[Mephisto 56]

"Got that covered." He hops off of the wolf with his afghan still in its mouth. An audible pop rang out as its two top fangs fell into Blakes bag. He pulled down the afghan and stuffed it into his bag as well. The wolf roared in his face, merely feet away. He brushed his mane back into place. "Touch any of us and you'll never see your teeth again. I'll give you your fangs back when I've decided you've repaid trying to eat me." He didn't waiver and stepped forward a bit. "Go back to your den... for now."

[Ihei 713]

@,@,

 

Willow Starsinger

 

Before she went to sleep, though, Willow got up. She quickly trotted over to the seeming-to-be-hungry Aspect and gave it a few bits of oats, hoping it would satisfy its hunger. She didn't seem to notice the mini-fires surrounding it. She gave a tiny smile at Tactic and trotted back to lie down beside Orion.

 

@,

 

Aphrodite

 

"Suit yourself," Aphrodite said, abruptly letting go of the stallion and trotting up ahead. 

[Mephisto 56]

@

 

Blake snickered as the massive timber wolf growled and slinked back into the canyon. His smirked turned straight as he turned to Kingfisher. "Look, it's normal that you've got a problem with me, you've got the look of a guard about you, and I guess you could call me a lot of things, but I'm gonna go with Merc." He raised an eyebrow. "You probably see me as some kind of moron, but I take it that we're about the same age, but I've been traveling since I was 13, and who knows how many books I've read." He sighs. "When I do stupid crap like that, there's a reason behind it, most of all I'm scared to lose my freedom, or die before I set things right."

 

"Good ponies don't die, maybe that's why we've lived so long."

[00Pony 286]

"To put things terribly bluntly... that was interesting." Saronyx thinks to himself, upon seeing one of the company, whose name he was sure he did not know, come gallivanting back the group astride a Timber Wolf. Impressive, foolhardy, and excessive. But all the same, it was done and in the past. There was a rather nasty rock placed before the Crystal pony at this moment in time, and he was determined not to receive another cut like the one on his right foreleg.

 

No such luck to be had, on his part, for as he stepped around that particular rock, he had placed his hoof onto a rather unstable one, and lost his footing. While he managed to keep himself from becoming impaled on any of the offending razor stones, Saronyx still sported a rather noticeable gash on his side. With a silent curse and a growl, he stood again, sighed, and continued to move on. He had worked through worse during the Oppression. But that did not stop the infernal thing from stinging like a thousand angered wasps.

[Umbreon 569]

Pavisa

 

@,

 @,

 

 

Pavisa rolls her eyes and snorts at Crimson's last comment.  "You're damn right I'm not...  And if I catch you trying to climb onto my back I'm kicking you in those pointy teeth."  The guard laughs before moving forward, taking a second to buck her hind legs to push her bundled armor into a more comfortable position.  With a grin she turns to look at Eclipse.  "Fair warning, that goes for you too."  She snickers to herself, moving ever closer to the falls.

 

 

Zintiik

((Just putting him to sleep for the timeskip here XD))

 

@,

 @,@@SilverHeart,

 

 

Zintiik gave up on stalking the drake once it hiccuped at him, deciding it wasn't worth having those flames anywhere near his mouth.  Instead he decided to take Orion's advice and rest - there wouldn't be any danger with the alicorn's spell around the clearing.

 

With his wings buzzing quietly, the changeling flies up into the branches of the tree that Willow and Orion had chosen for their resting place.  Finding a branch thick enough to hold him didn't take too long, and Zintiik was soon sprawled over it with his feet dangling in the air.  "This may not be the hive, but it'll do..."  He mutters quietly under his breath before shutting his eyes.

[Midnight Scribbler 1,705]

@@SilverHeart,

 

Scribbler turned to Mirror, he nodded and smiled. "I believe we could all do with some rest." He moved a bit closer towards Mirror, and spoke quietly to her, so the others could not hear. "I do not trust them yet, and I feel as though you might be in the same boat as I am. May I lend you my trust? I believe we would do well to have somepony to watch each others back on this one."

Edited November 2, 2013 by Midnight Scribbler

[RAGESTAR 479]

Crimson chuckled and trotted along. "hehe, I'll keep that in mind, soldier girl..." said the slightly uncomfortable pirate as he navigated his way through the rocks, not far behind Pavisa and Eclipse. "Maybe this adventure into death isn't gonna be so bad after all..." thought Crimson with small smile.

[Geek0zoid 1,468]

@,@,

 Eclipse simply let out a small "hmph" at Pasiva's little statement. However, he knew very well that she was just playing around with him. "I'm more than capable of taking care of myself, thank you very much." He said, a small smirk coming across his face. He then turned to Crimson, where his grin sort of faded away. the stallion sort of looked a little fearful, but courageous at the same time. He saw potential in this young pony.

[Icy Void 19]

It was official, Splinterhoof Hills was Midnight's least favorite place in Equestria. His armor was fairly scratched up and he had a rather irritating gash on his front left leg that he would have to bandage later that he got when the newcomer on the timberwolf had rejoined them and distracted him, but Midnight could also tell he was far better off than most of the others. While the others took a relatively straight path, Midnight had been weaving back and forth, always taking the path of least spikiness. He mainly did this by using his telekinesis in a rather unorthodox way, bu using it to scan the surrounding area. After coming out of one of the crevices, which had brought him close to the front of the group, Midnight saw the newcomer talking with Kingfisher and caught up to them in time to hear the newcomer's last couple words. "Or you could say we're all extremely lucky, which I wouldn't doubt." Midnight said as he came around a patch of spikes to walk next to Kingfisher and the newcomer.

[SilverHeart 741]

Mirror Image

 

@@Midnight Scribbler, 

 

Mirror Image opened her left eye to find Midnight Scribbler a few feet away, he was too close for her to get away with casting the illusion again. Instead she kept still, fairly confident that as long as she didn't move none of her scars would be visible. "I'm not sure who I should trust or distrust yet. However, what you've suggested does sound less stressful...so I'll agree.  However I think it would be prudent for both of us to get some rest for now. Goodnight Mr. Scribbler."

[Midnight Scribbler 1,705]

@@SilverHeart,

Scribbler glances around for a soft patch of grass, that wasn't petrified.

"Goodnight, Mirror. I wish you good rest, we'll both need it. As long as you and I stick together in this, I promise you can trust me."

With that, he trots to his selected grounds, and begins weaving a spell around himself, consisting of three layers. The first, a large, thin shell of magic, acting as a detection zone which would alert him from sleep if anything passed through it. The second, a smaller bubble of force magic to stop anything from getting to him directly. The third, a sustained magical orb which could power the spell without his constant concentration. It wold only last for the time he needed to sleep, and wouldn't be as powerful as if he were in control of it. However it would give him time to react to anything threatening his position. He curls up, and sighs, thinking of how much he wished he was home in his warm bed.

[EcstaticWind 572]

@@Icy Void,

Aegis turned his attention to the pony who just addressed him. "Maybe. Fortune is fickle, yet I still leave my wanderings to the hands of chance. By the way, I don't think we've been introduced yet. Aegis Dare. Author, Storyteller, and Vagabond." He said, flashing a pained smile. 'Saddlebags full of books and not one of them is a medical journal. Luck is fickle, indeed...'

[Icy Void 19]

"Well it's nice to meet you Aegis. My name is Midnight Sky, former royalty, magical researcher and overall a foreigner in Equestria. Normally I'm not so open to strangers, but barely surviving a run in with an insane alicorn has a way of changing your priorities, so excuse me if I seem a little awkward talking. You say you're an author, have any of your books by chance have been published some time in the last few years?" Midnight asked Aegis as he walked along, barely avoiding a particularly sharp rock sticking from the ground.

[EcstaticWind 572]

@@Icy Void,

“A few. Doesn’t stop ponies hating some of them because they’re ‘too sad’. Last time I was in Canterlot, one pony came up to me and said I had no business writing stories so bleak. I’ve written happier stories, too. Sadly, I’m known for the more depressing ones. The ones inspired by the dark tales from the reign of Discord. I don’t suppose you’ve read a few?” Aegis asked. He was dimly aware of the newly acquired scratches on his legs.

[Icy Void 19]

"Actually, I think I have. I knew I recognized your name from somewhere, I think I have a few of your books about the Discordian era that I acquired while researching chaos magic. And if it means anything, I would say the generally depressing tone is rather appropriate for that time period. And from somepony who loves to read books, it is a pleasure to meet a storyteller." Midnight said before walking off a little ways to go around a large patch of spikes. Once he was around the spikes, Midnight rejoined Aegis and kept on walking, ignoreing the new scratch on his right hind leg.

[The Elusive Cinder 1,328]

Kingfisher.

 

@,

 

"Did you just call me a guard? Oh now we have a problem!" Kingfisher exploded, stomping a hoof down only to have it break through the surface of the already-fragile ground beneath it. Pulling it back to the surface angrily, she glared at the supposed 'free spirit' of a stallion.

 

"Red died and the scum that did it is still breathing - what's that say about your 'good pony' theory? What about my mother? Is that why the guards ignored her - they thought she was too 'good' to die? Well buck, looks like they were wrong, huh?"

 

Running out or words, she blustered uselessly before making an illegible sound of frustration and storming on ahead. The group had made good time: regardless of the cuts and bruises and arguments, the falls were just up ahead. They would catch up. Probably.

 

---------------

 

Orion Starsinger.

 

@,

@@SilverHeart,

@@Midnight Scribbler,

@,

 

Waking after a couple of hours: Orion noticed at first that his head felt amazingly clear: there was no voice 'helping' him to think. He assumed that it was still sleeping - however that would work.

"Willow... Come on, wake up. We've got to get going again."

 

He nudged his sister first before turning to the two others.

 

"We're moving on, you can come with us or stay." He informed them loudly: quite content to not feel the searing pain that loud noises seemed to trigger more recently. "I won't force you to do either, but I think Willow would appreciate the company..."

Edited November 3, 2013 by Cinderscribe

[Midnight Scribbler 1,705]

@,

@@SilverHeart,

@,

@,

 

Midnight Scribbler stirs from his sleep, lazily yawning and stretching out. His bubble hadn't dissipated yet, only having been active for a couple hours. The magic sphere was still strong around him. He rubbed his eyes, his vision was blurred slightly from sleep still. He stood up finally, yawning again, and shook his head, then began absorbing the magic he'd used in the bubble back into his horn. The magic shell shrank and imploded into the central point at the tip of Scribbler's horn with a flash of bright light. He was suddenly filled with an excess of energy, having recharged with sleep, and his horn glowed slightly from it. He was wide awake now, and turned to Mirror, nudging her shoulder. "Hey, wake up. We have to get moving."

Scribbler then looked over to Orion, nodding. "I'm with you."

[Umbreon 569]

Zintiik

 

@,@@SilverHeart,  

@,@@Midnight Scribbler,  

 

Hearing voices rousing under where he had perched woke Zintiik up...  Partially.  "Hrm?  Wha?  Are we swarming again?"  The changeling attempted to roll over.

 

And, rolled straight off of the branch he had been laying on.  SLAM!  Zintiik lays on his back where he had landed on the ground for a moment before letting his legs fall to the side.  "...Ow.  That's right, this isn't the hive...  I'm awake now."  Groaning quietly he rolls so that his feet are under him, standing up and holding a hoof to his head.  

 

 

Pavisa

 

Pavisa hadn't intended to overhear Kingfisher, but the shout of the word 'guard' drew her attention and she couldn't help herself.  She frowned and her ears drooped as the other mare exploded at the pony who had ridden in on the timber wolf, flinching slightly even without the verbal onslaught being directed at her.

 

So...  That's why she has a problem with the guard?  Dear Celestia, was I bringing up memories of that with my stupid questions?  I'm a jerk...  

 

When Kingfisher took off ahead of the group, Pavisa frowned and picked up the pace to try and catch up with her.  The effort earned the guard a new cut along her flank from a spike she brushed too closely to, but she did her best to ignore it.  

 

"Fisher!"  Pavisa practically bit her tongue as she called out with the shortened, informal nickname.  She's the captain now, and besides, I don't even know if she likes me enough to act so friendly!  Too late now that I blundered like that though...  The guard slows her pace so that she's behind Kingfisher, looking away in embarrassment.  

 

"Er, sorry...  I just...  This is a dangerous place to rush into alone like that, and I thought you might want to vent at somepony..."  

[The Elusive Cinder 1,328]

Kingfisher.

 

@,

 

"What kind of stupid theory... Argh!" With an angry grunt and blatant disregard for safety, the mare pushed through a narrow cluster of spikes: they were getting smaller now that they write reaching the far side of the hills: more needle-like than the huge ones they had passed through already.

 

"It's fine." She muttered to the guard following her. "I just... I get so frustrated sometimes! This isn't some kind of fairy tale where 'good triumphs over evil thanks to the power of righteousness!'... That's not how things work!"

 

---------------

 

Orion Starsinger.

 

@@Midnight Scribbler,

 

Orion smiled warmly - the stallion hadn't tried to hurt either of them as they slept and was willing to travel with them - that was good enough for him. There were far too few ponies that he felt he could trust after all.

 

"Thank you... the first thing we need to do is actually get there, once everyone is ready we can set off: it shouldn't be far. "

 

---------------

 

???

 

The drakes eyes snapped open when the voices started: it rose up, but saw only its master speaking to the changing-creature and the two other ones.

 

"Kra...aaak..." It yawned as it stretched out in the air before nosing about the makeshift camp for something that be for eating: still not having been properly satisfied with anything it had found.

 

Flittering across one of the sparks hovering in the air, it eyed the faintly crackling orb of energy cautiously before opening its mouth and swallowing it whole.

 

Pausing for a moment, it considered the 'food' before emitting a quiet screech of happiness and returning to the unicorn it had been ordered to protect.

Edited November 3, 2013 by Cinderscribe

[RAGESTAR 479]

Crimson saw the situation unfolding in front of him and quickly quickened his pace, ignoring the scratches and cuts he got in his haste, giving Kingfisher a stern yet sympathetic looks as he trotted next to her and Pavisa. "I think everyone here knows that already Kingfisher, its true that there are no real lines between good and evil anymore...some ponies are either bad, or just less bad than others...but everyone is different in his or her own moral beliefs, be them a pony, a dragon, a griffon, a diamond dog, hell, even a changing! And yes, Kingfisher, even guards...listen, you may have had some horrible experiences with guard ponies, as have I...but that doesn't mean every guard is the same! You seem to take the word as an insult! You can yell at me and chastise me if you want about how stupid me and guards are, but I think a smarter move would be to quit wasting our damn time and go find the damn Litany, like Red told us to...or you could just stand here and hit me, which is it?" asked the pirate with an unwavering stare. "Well...I'm gonna get kicked out for saying that for sure...but who cares! She needed that...we don't have time to fuck around and waste our time..." thought Crimson.

 

((if you didn't want my intrusion, then just say so and I'll edit...))

Edited November 4, 2013 by ragestar

[EcstaticWind 572]

@@Icy Void,

 “The pleasure is mine, good sir. I’m just glad my books have an audience. Everypony else expects happy stories, just because every other author writes happy stories, yet Daring Do books get a free pass. It’s irritating sometimes… Would you excuse me for a moment? I need to let off some steam.”

 

Talking about books was not only one of Aegis’ passions, but also one of his biggest frustrations when it came to the disparity between authors.  He flew down into the canyon and let out an immense scream of his pent up frustration.

 

“AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGH!!!”

 

(OOC: Icy Void, feel free to insert Midnight’s response between Aegis’ question and screaming in the canyon.)

[Ihei 713]

@,@,

 

Willow Starsinger

 

Willow yawned loudly: noticing two things. One: Zintiik just fell onto the ground before her, and the aspect wasn't in her mane as usual. She helped the changeling up by taking his hoof first. He looked like he was hurt pretty bad. "Are you okay?" Willow asked kindly, smiling. The drake returned to her afterwards though, yet she didn't notice.

 

@,

 

(( OOC: It's daytime according to the timeskip! ))

 

Aphrodite

 

Aphrodite didnt remember much of what happened last night. She woke up next to Blast though, which confused her. Then it hit her: she had used an excuse to sleep next to him last night. "I better sleep next to this moron so he doesn't injure himself.." she had said to the group so nopony got suspicious. But a weird thought in her head told her to do it, and she felt that him and her were something more than just friends.