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

[Umbreon 569]

@, 

 

Tactic Wind

 

"Curious."  Tactic's voice would express that he was leaning more towards bored than curious, but that would be how he's sounded throughout the conversation.  If he had a notebook he would likely be scratching away at it, but all of his notes for the moment were mental.  "I believe I understand your motivations well enough for the moment.  Fetch somepony else to speak with me, if you would.  As the captain seems to be distracted, I would like to use this delay to make as many analyses as possible."  The apathetic pegasus landed on the ground, no longer flying.  He spared a lazy glance towards the rest of the party before looking at Blast again.  "If it is of any help, you may emphasize that I frankly do not care about their past or motivations.  I am simply trying to gather information on how best to plan for this group."

[Icy Void 19]

As he came to a stop, Midnight was quite curious as to why Redwave had told them to stop. There was the possibility he finally noticed that the crystal pony was missing, but then why would he go off on his own to look unless he had an idea as to where the pony was. "Hey Blizzard, I want you to follow the captain. I think he might be up to something in regards to our missing companion, and I want to know what." Midnight said to Blizzard quietly, making sure nopony overheard him. After Blizzard was on his way, Midnight looked over at their newest addition. 'A strategist, huh? That's good, so far we've been lacking in the whole strategy and planning department so we might need this. Now how am I going to go about telling my strengths and weaknesses without giving away too much information...' Midnight thought as he waited.

 

"Of course, Midnight, I can do that." Blizzard said quickly before taking off and flying the same direction that Redwave ran off in. After a couple moments Blizzard Blitz could see the captain, and began following from above. Since Midnight hadn't exactly explained whether he should be stealthy or not, Blizzard chose a safe middle and flew so that the trees should block him from Redwave's sight. 'Now let's see what our good captain is up to. I'll have to thank Midnight, for once he shared my suspicions, if only partially. I just hope he doesn't notice me for long enough that I can get the info Midnight wants.' Blizzard thought as he followed Redwave, not letting the captain out of his sight for more than a moment.

[00Pony 286]

@,@,

 

Orion began to respond to his words , and Saronyx cocked an eyebrow in curiousity. The Alicorn's sentence faded into nonexistence shortly after it began to form. Saronyx narrowed his silvery eyes slightly, watching intently as the stallion seemed to change in the space of a second.

 

The horn, wings, and even his eyes, glew brighter than before, and he finished what he had been saying before: he was willing to do anything. Saronyx sighed slightly, "Clearly..." He said, more in response to the last sentence.

 

Craning his neck slightly, as if lazy, he continued, "But how will you make this world safe, Orion? The power from a corrupt tome such as the Litany? You believe this will grant you the power to keep ponies safe? If that is the case, you and I have very different views of what is - and is not - safe, my friend."

 

He would not allow himself to show it, but Saronyx was startled. He hadn't entirely expected his attempts to reason would work, but what this pony sought to do, disillusioned as it was... It reminded him of Sombra, and that was not something he wished to see happen once again in any way, shape, or form.

 

The Crystal stallion took a slight step back, awaiting the answers he was sure to come, whatever they may be.

Edited October 22, 2013 by 00Pony

[The Elusive Cinder 1,328]

Orion Starsinger.

 

@,

@@00Pony,

 

"It's not corrupt!"

'I'm not corrupt!'

 

As his voice tried to say something different to what he had intended, Orion clutched a hoof to his head and staggered from the suddenly huge pressure he felt - feeling dizzy and nauseous as his vision darkened.

 

"Why can anypony understand? It's been locked away because everypony is afraid: not because its evil!" He said through clenched teeth as his vision sharpened again.

 

"Just because you all fear it, why should that stop me from using it to make Equestria a better place? A safe place, for her! For us all! You'd stand between us and a better life? Beween us and an Equestria without conflict? I can make it a reality if you would all stop trying to hold me back!"

 

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

 

Redwave.

 

Following the compass, Redwave soon caught the sound of a steadily rising voice and let it guide him instead. Slowing down as he got close, he approached the scene cautiously: keen to avoid any more significant injuries than he already had sustained from the overprotective Alicorn.

 

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

 

Kingfisher.

 

Rolling her eyes at the Captains repeated disappearances, Kingfisher threw the saddlebags back on and addressed the group.

 

"Lets start t' move, Red'll catch up soon enough." She said as she started to make her way uphill to follow the guard who insisted on making herself the target of any hostilities they might cross.

[Ihei 713]

@,@@00Pony, @@Icy Void, 

 

Willow Starsinger

 

"Orion!" Willow cried, clutching her brother. Usually whenever this happened to him, he always 'accidentally' shot somepony with a surge of magic. It could even kill somepony one day.. but it hurts him more than it hurts whoever he injured. She hasn't noticed Red has been spying on the scene. 

 

Willow wondered if it were a good or bad thing if that whenever she was in trouble, somepony else would come save her and Orion comes in and makes enemies out of them. Is this protection? She didn't know.

Edited October 22, 2013 by Shaymin

[Kulstor 254]

@,

 

"I just hope the others do learn to get along.  If not it may be better for the group to break into teams and let each team go about things their own way if they can't all work together since if this in group fighting keeps up we may as well all just go back home and forget this whole mission since it will be doomed to failure anyway." Rakon said.  "Maybe put all the jerks into one group or send them home and keep those who can work together."

[Driz 1,552]

(( OOC: How's it going, everyone?~ o/ ))

 

His blue eyes swung towards every imaginable direction, carefully studying every single inch of the forest that stood between Equestria's capital city and the falls everypony sought so much. Pacing hastily, Shooting Star trotted his lonely way after the group that had set off earlier without him. Of course he could been using the wings on his back, but very rarely he flew like that: their sole purposes were mostly to embrace and comfort somepony in need, or when he needed a little boost of speed. Besides, how would the pegasus colt be able to spot the group from above the trees otherwise?

 

Despite his best efforts, he couldn't hide the fact that he was feeling rather uneasy. Dense grove that no sunlight seemed to brighten up, odd noises coming from unknown locations, the sensation that something could emerge from the shadows and attack at any moment, all involved in the same mysterious legends about a dangerously powerful notebook of some sort. From time to time, Star asked himself if he knew what he was doing, and if it was worth the adventure he was about to go through. But he had his own motives in the end.

 

After a few more minutes of walk, he was finally able to hear voices from among the unceasing sounds of the forest birds and crickets. Mindful as always, Star stealthily hopped from tree to bush until he got sight of the conversing ponies. He couldn't tell for sure if those ponies were from the Canterlot expedition since the only pony the beige pegasus had heard about was nowhere near to be seen - what was his name again, Captain Redwave? But seemingly, they were packing up their belongings and were about to move on.

 

Unsure on how to tackle the situation in hooves, Shooting Star quietly appeared from behind his covert and slid closer to the group, pulling a friendly-yet-awkward smile to anypony that would come to notice his presence. If anything, he would simply do what he does the best: run away.

[RAGESTAR 479]

Crimson quietly followed Redwave, shadowing him from a distance. "its not that I don't trust Red...but judging from what happened the last time somepony went out on a little stroll like this, they got attacked by that Alcorn asshole...and I'm not gonna let anyone else get hurt...not when I can help it anyway..." thought Crimson as he snuck stealthily through the shade of the trees. He suddenly stopped and ducked down as he heard a familiar voice shouting, "its that crazy alicorn! And Saronyx is with him! If he attacks that guy, I'm gonna have to intervene...but for now, I'd better keep quite and just watch..." thought Crimson as he stayed within the shade of the trees, waiting for any sign of violence from Orion.

[Umbreon 569]

@, 

 

Pavisa

 

Pavisa looked back as she heard Kingfisher moving to catch up with her, taking a moment to observe the group.  "We're missing more than a few.  Group's getting smaller by the second."  She turns to start moving back down the road anyways - they've been delaying for  a while now, if they didn't get going they were never going to make it to the falls.  "You know, I'm going to lose track of how much I owe you if this keeps up.  I told you I don't have any luck with bets."

 

 

@@Driz, 

 

Tactic Wind

 

The bland tactician was quick to pick up on the addition to the group.  Not much was missed by his studying gaze, it was a strategists' task to pick up on new pieces of information after all.  Interesting.  A new variable.  Stretching his wings the pegasus casually made his way over to the new pony as though they were old friends.

 

"Curious.  Very curious."  Even with the new pony drawing his attention, there was little emotion in Tactic's voice.  "A new piece has entered the game.  A passerby, or a new player?  Logic would suggest the former.  Probability would lean towards the latter.  After all, what are the odds that another pony would happen across this group, unless they were also seeking the Litany?"  He stops his droll speech to take a closer look at Shooting Star, his gaze somewhere between bored and analyzing.  

[Driz 1,552]

"Curious.  Very curious."  Even with the new pony drawing his attention, there was little emotion in Tactic's voice.  "A new piece has entered the game.  A passerby, or a new player?  Logic would suggest the former.  Probability would lean towards the latter.  After all, what are the odds that another pony would happen across this group, unless they were also seeking the Litany?"  He stops his droll speech to take a closer look at Shooting Star, his gaze somewhere between bored and analyzing.  

 

Star immediately tensed up at the pony's approach. He backed off slightly as the brown stallion began circling around him, inspecting the beige colt like a newfound piece of evidence to a criminal investigation. Though it didn't quite feel like a threat at first, that puzzling gaze, as well as the peculiar way of speaking, sure were intimidating. After a few seconds, his evidently nervous facial expression trembled in an attempt to form words.

 

"T-t-the Litany, yes!... Uh..." Star took a few more steps back in order to find a comfortable distance from the intimidating detective. "M-my name is Shooting Star. Everypony calls me Star, though, so you can... call me... that... Uh, anyway, yes sir, I'm looking for the Litany as well! I heard from a friend of mine that a group of ponies were summoned in Canterlot to go after it and I couldn't help myself from coming along! Seems like I was a little bit late, however... Heheh..." He finished, his nervous smile still present.

[Umbreon 569]

@@Driz, 

 

Tactic Wind

 

"Curious,"  Tactic repeated again.  "I wonder what role you have to play in the unfolding act.  Will you be just another pawn, or a bishop in hiding?"  The tactician's droll voice gradually dropped in volume as he spoke, as though simply speaking the last part out loud to himself.  Blinking, he turns his gaze back to Star.

 

"I am known to this group as Tactic Wind.  I am tasked with coming up with what should resemble a strategy for the ponies involved in this expedition."  He turns to start walking after the group, not wanting to be left behind after all.  

 

"As I am new to this expedition myself, I seek to learn what I can of the other members of this group.  If you would, there is relevant information that would best reveal to me how to exploit your particular strengths.  The captain has stepped away for the moment, so a proper introduction would best be left until his return."

[The Blades Shadow 444]

@,

 

"I just hope the others do learn to get along.  If not it may be better for the group to break into teams and let each team go about things their own way if they can't all work together since if this in group fighting keeps up we may as well all just go back home and forget this whole mission since it will be doomed to failure anyway." Rakon said.  "Maybe put all the jerks into one group or send them home and keep those who can work together."

"That would make things a lot easier for all of us." Sand said. They may have a much smaller group if they did that, but it would also get rid of the fighting and make traveling a lot simpler. As long as we can just have a few good ponies, we don't need a huge group. She planned. They may have already had somepony in the group who made plans for them, but she was still going to make a back up.

[Geek0zoid 1,468]

Blast continued walking with the group, drinking water out of his canteen. The trip to the falls was taking much longer than he expected it to be. He expected the group to be there by now. From the camp, it looked like they were just a couple of miles away. But, they've been walking for quite a bit now, and they still haven't reached it.

Eventually, Blast heard a familiar voice in the distance. He recognized right away that it was that crazy alicorn again. How was it that he was always running into him. As he walked, he kept a close eye on him. It looked like he was with one of Blast's companions.

[00Pony 286]

@,@,

 

 "I would stand between anyone and anything that would use a power they do not understand - that very nearly nopony fully understands - to 'make a better place'! You want to rid this land of conflict?! How exactly do you plan on doing that, Orion?!" Saronyx said forcefully, his baritone voice hitting an uncharacteristic volume.

 

He shook his head, "You sound all to close to a stallion I once knew. A powerful Unicorn, and a caring protector. But you know what happened? He sought a deeper power, and it corrupted him! It controlled him, and made him harm and destroy those he had once promised to protect!" Saronyx growls, "Your heart is in the right place - and your goals understandable - but your methods are lacking!"

 

The Crystal stallion closes his eyes for a second, and regains his composure but does not continue speaking, instead watching the Alicorn, and his sister. Was Saronyx a more brash stallion, and a warrior, he may have produced arms and attempted to strike this stallion down before this 'conversation' got anywhere. It probably would have spelled his undoing, even with his resistances. Besides, he had learned some interesting things during the course of this. And he may very well learn more. 

[Driz 1,552]

(( OOC: For some reason, the @Mention system isn't sending me a notification... :/ ))

 

@

 

While the stallion who had identified himself as Tactic Wind continued speaking, Star was left dumbfounded for the most part. Still held back by all of the uncertainties that so much troubled him, deciphering the pegasus stallion's picturesque speech was far from being an easy job. When he turned back to chase after the rest of his group, Star did the same, even though his mind was still lost in time and space. At the very least he was able to catch one of the last things Tactic Wind said; about the captain being absent. Immediately, he shook off his deep thoughts.

 

"S-shouldn't we wait for him then??" Star looked at the forest around them with the same uneasy eyes from before - the sentiment of fear started slowly reappearing as he did. He slowed down, lagging slightly behind the others. "There are more ponies after this book, right?... Ponies who are up to no good?..."

[Ihei 713]

@@Driz, @,

 

 

Aphrodite

 

"Somepony else new? Grr, I better confront them sometime or I'll soon be in a group full of losers I don't know." Aphrodite trotted up to the pair talking and didn't care that she interrupted them. "So, you two new to the group?" Aphrodite asked firmly, trotting beside the two.

 

@@00Pony,@, 

 

Willow Starsinger

 

"Orion would never do that! He would never hurt me, or anypony else... would you?" Willow asked, her tone quickly changing to a sad expression, looking at her brother questioningly.

Edited October 22, 2013 by Shaymin

[Icy Void 19]

Blizzard was following Redwave just fine, but now he saw where the captain was heading. A little ways ahead, Blizzard could see the crystal pony through the leaves, but what bothered him most was the alicorn and mare that were with the crystal pony. 'Hm, I should stick to following Redwave, but it looks like he'll just end up finding that alicorn anyway. Ah well, alicorns are more important than companions.' Midnight thought before flying lower, keeping just above the trees. Blizzard Blitz then flew over to where the alicorn, mare that must be his sister, and crystal pony all were, making an effort to stay hidden above the trees as he listened in to their conversation.

[The Elusive Cinder 1,328]

Orion Starsinger.

@,
@@00Pony,

When Orion responded, the words were not his own. The second voice advising him - the voice he heard when he dug through his mid for knowledge from the litany - spoke instead. It was his voice, from his mouth... but the words were not his own.
 
"Is that fact, Seer? Or is it assumption? Are there perhaps hundreds of worlds that are all the greater for the power of the Litany of Magic, that you do not see because you choose not to?"
 
His horn burst into blue flame: even from a distance the cold, burning sensation could be felt as instead of giving heat out, it drew it in. Similar flames flickered from beneath his hooves as the ground around them seared and the grass beneath him withered from the lifeless cold.
 
'What was that?' He thought, urgently trying to make sense of the situation.
 
'Assistance.' Echoed the voice.
  
Eyes narrowing, the Alicorn took a careful, yet forceful step forward towards the crystal stallion. "Go!" He thundered as he internally marveled at how the fires seemed to do little more than brush against his coat, yet the dead, frozen ground erupted from his hooves wherever he placed them. His horn flickered with the flame as his eyes and wings did likewise: the pressure in his head was nigh unbearable but there was something, something that gave him enough clarity to remain focused through it.

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

Redwave.

Red tensed, but remained still: it wouldn't do to reveal himself for a number of reasons: he didn't much want to be anywhere remotely close to that fire - and explaining his timely arrival at exactly the right location would be difficult as it was.

 

He tensed, jaw locked and eyes trained on the scene in front of them. Watching.

[Driz 1,552]

@, @,

 

 "So, you two new to the group?" Aphrodite asked firmly, trotting beside the two.

 

Star's worried gazing was interrupted by the abrupt approach of another group member: needless to say, he got a little bit startled by it. Upon turning his attention to the pony in question, he met a purple unicorn mare looking rather dull. A blank expression took over his own feature for a moment as he began to think of a proper introduction.

 

"Um... I believe so..." Said Star to the mare as they continued walking, surprised by the fact that he got accepted into the crew so easily. "I'm Shooting Star, but everypony calls me Star for short. It wouldn't be much of a surprise to say that I'm after the Litany of Magic like most of you ponies are, so I decided to come along in your journey." He somehow managed to display a friendly smile.

 

"W-what's your name?... May I ask..."

Edited October 23, 2013 by Driz''

[The Elusive Cinder 1,328]

Kingfisher.

@,
 
"Don't worry 'bout it: lotta ponies do." Kingfisher smirked. "I don't drink. I don't buy fancy stuff. I don't need t' call in the debts."
 
Somewhere out in the rapidly thinning forest, she thought she heard something: she shrugged and kept walking: It would be fine if Red was there - she thought - he could look after himself well enough, and keep the others from getting themselves killed too.

 

Pushing the thoughts out of her mind as she had taught herself to, she turned back to the guard.

 

"... 'till my ships wrecked 'cause of Red and I've gotta pay to patch 'er up, anyways." She winked.

[Ihei 713]

@,@, @@Icy Void,

 

Willow Starsinger

 

Willow yelped out in pain when the tiny fires beneath her feet reached her, burning the tip of her tail and the bottom of her hooves. "Ack!" Willow soon lost all feeling in her hooves from the pain and tried to run. She lost her balance, tripped (from her clumsiness), crashing into the tree from before. 

 

Yep, she was afraid of her brother. 

[Geek0zoid 1,468]

@,@@00Pony,

Blast kept his eyes on Orion and Saronyx as he walked. He then noticed a blueish flame form around the horn of the unstable alicorn. He thought about doing something, but he then remembered that he was almost frozen last night. He was hesitant, and he walked over to Red.

"Should we do something?" Blast asked. "Because he does NOT look happy."

[00Pony 286]

@,@,

 

Saronyx's ears perked forward at the response he received from Orion, "Oooh.. Well now, isn't this interesting?" He said, mainly to himself, before speaking directly to Orion, or whatever was assuming his visage, "Am I speaking now to an Aspect of the Litany itself? I should feel honored, but frankly, I do not."

 

Orion demanded that Saronyx leave. Despite the obvious danger in it, The Visionary did the exact opposite, and took a step closer to the Alicorn, even as the negative flames sprouted around him. He decided to grace the words with his own answer, "Perhaps there are, but I have yet to discover their Rifts. In every world I've gazed upon in which you exist, you have only ever brought the world down into darkness, and turmoil. In fact, if I recall correctly, in one reality it was you that caused Sombra to fall from glory! I am somepony who bases my beliefs on what I've seen, not assumptions. So whether or not whatever you have in store for my world is for its betterment, or its destruction, I'm going to do everything in my power to keep that from happening."

 

He narrows his eyes, looking the Alicorn in the face, "So what are you going to do now, Orion? Litany? Will you strike me down, as a threat to your goals, and show Willow exactly what you are, and what it is you do? Do what you will. I am waiting." This may very well be the day that Saronyx would perish, but he was actually peace with it. His gaze briefly caught the sight of the mare in question lying against a tree not to far from the flaming Alicorn, and he gestured to her briefly with his head, "You seem to be proving what I've said earlier true. You cannot control this power, and there you are, causing harm to the one you swore to protect..."

Edited October 23, 2013 by 00Pony

[Umbreon 569]

@@Driz,@,  

 

Tactic Wind

 

The droll tactician examined Aphrodite as she approached, again as though he were analyzing a new piece on a game board rather than looking at another pony.  "New?  Yes, I would say the newest, although Shooting Star now holds that title."  He flexes his wings slowly as he speaks, as though he didn't really care about the conversation at hoof.  

 

"I am known as Tactic Wind.  It is my hope that I may be able to come up with some semblance of strategy for this expedition, as opposed to the heavy hoof style it has displayed thus far."  He turns to look at Aphrodite again at this point, his face still bland and expressionless.  

 

"On that topic, I do hope you would be willing to cooperate in advising me to your particular strengths and weaknesses.  A successful strategy is so much more difficult to plan when the player is unfamiliar with the pieces on the board..."

 

 

@,

 

Pavisa

 

Pavisa smirks at Kingfisher, jerking her head towards the road ahead of them.  "You'd best hope that this mission pays out well, or that I get a raise before that happens.  Because with my salary right now I'm going to have to sell off my armor to pay up at this rate."

 

She frowns slightly as she thinks.  "Though now that I'm thinking about it, for a supposedly important job in Canterlot, us low ranking guards barely get paid at all.  What's the deal with that?"

[The Elusive Cinder 1,328]

Redwave.

@,
@@00Pony,

@,
 
Redwave caught himself just short of gasping: that wouldn't do his reputation any good. Or his hiding place for that matter... but mostly he was concerned for his reputation.
 
"Where in the blazes die you spring from?" He said irritably, shaking his head. "No matter, thank the sisters you didn't simply charge in this time..."
 
The mare... Willow... stumbled and fell somewhere on the other side of the clearing. Reds neck twisted at the sound she made as she hit the base of the tree. He glanced back at Blast and nodded.
 
"New plan! Distract him or something, just for the love of the sisters do not touch whatever that is!"
 
There were three objectives, the way the Captain analyzed the situation: the mare, the stallion and the Alicorn. He mentally renamed the Alicorn objective 'escape' and charged after his first target: the stallion was clearly in the most danger but...
 
He leaped out of his (rather poor) hiding spot and ran towards Willow - hoping that Blast had sense enough to not try the 'just try hitting him' technique.
 
---------------

Orion Starsinger.

Stepping forward again, his split mind instructing him that sacrifices would have to be made: Orion stood over the crystal pony. He paused for no reason he could consciously determine: something felt... wrong.
 
"What was that?" He said growled out loud, half turning before he caught sight through the bright cyan lights that were his eyes. An ambush! Exactly as he had expected: the glasslike one was no decent type: merely a distraction to surround him! The fires ignited and blazed brighter and taller around him. One of them was assaulting Willow...
 
He lunged out of anger: the fires weaving and snaking alongside him as he made to rush to her side.

Edited October 23, 2013 by Cinderscribe