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

[EcstaticWind 572]

Aegis Dare

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"Being naked isn't so bad. Armour isn't that flexible, so it's good to move freely. Does that sound dirty? Because I think it sounds dirty, or I shouldn't have had the brandy," Aegis said, feeling thoroughly foolish and stupid.

 

'Wonderful, now the connection between brain and mouth is severed. If I were in a proper thinking state of mind, perhaps I wouldn't be so awkward or idiotic about it. Besides, you have to buy a mare flowers and dinner first and, shockingly, there are neither around here.'

 

Noble Persona

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Noble tried to block out that presence that kept trying to unravel his mind. It started when he entered and was chased by the shadows, and now it kept on haunting him, showing him memories that he regretted. He wanted it to stop, but the memories still played in the back of his mind.

 

"There's no point in going to school. It's a waste of time and money." Pierrot's voice was laden with frustration and anger.

 

Noble simply sighed. "I know it seems pointless, and that everything's taken a dim turn since Mother and Father died. But believe me when I say I'm just trying to look out for you and Sable."

 

Pierrot scoffed. "Of course. Big brother's always watching. Always according to your plan, isn't it?"

 

"I only want what's best for you."

 

"No, you want what's best for YOU! YOU want to be head of the house! YOU want to be like Father, but you're not! You're not Father!" Pierrot glared angrily at Noble.

 

Noble lowered his head. "You're right. I'm not Father. I've never tried to be. But I'll be damned before I see you or Sable on the streets, begging for bits. I love you too much to see that happen. Now, I have some papers to file, and you have homework. I'll see you at dinner."

 

"Take your time. No need to rush your precious career..." Pierrot stormed out.

 

Noble wiped away a tear at the memory. It broke his heart that day to see how angry his brother was. 'I've come so far. I can't go back now. Not when I'm so close. I have to set things right...'

Edited November 22, 2013 by Windbreaker

[Midnight Scribbler 1,705]

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@@Windbreaker,

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Scribbler, having felt that the storm had mostly blown over, moved to follow Orion. He got up beside him, and spoke quietly, only to him, hoping to get some answers. He attempted to reason with him, there was something he felt the Unicorn was missing in his quest, a glaring hole in his logic. How he was going to get Orion to see this was not going to be a simple task, this one was set in his ways, and didn't like being told he was wrong, clearly. "Orion.. I apologize for getting involved in your personal affairs, but.. Willow, having read the book.. I don't understand something here. If she is in danger because she read from it, what is it that makes you believe reading it yourself will serve to protect her? It stands to reason that if it grants you power, you can use it for good deeds, but.. What worries me is that you believe it would harm the reader. You've been in pain, you've been acting strangely, as if somepony is speaking to you up there. I haven't known you long, but I still consider you a friend, and as such I feel like you might need to consider some of these things." Scribbler hoped this might get through Orion's defensive walls. He wanted nothing more than to see this all come to a positive conclusion, though the odds didn't seem good. He hoped Orion had the sense to listen, and at the very least, consider his advice.

[The Elusive Cinder 1,328]

Orion Starsinger.

 

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@@Windbreaker,

 

"Because it is dangerous!" Snapped Orion - frustrated at both the situation and that his 'improved' sight seemed to come with the added bonus of a distracting glow eminating from both Willow and himself that the others evidently didn't see.

 

"Scribbler... I spent days - weeks even, studying the book before I even opened it. How to open my mind: how to not go mad from the revelation and it still hurts me now!" He explained while trying to thing of a truthful way to explain his situation without sounding crazy, and settling for telling half-truths. "I have... memories... that aren't mine. Of things that happened hundreds of years ago - things that aren't even in recorded history! Sometimes it's not easy to tell which ones are mine and which ones aren't. And she... she's developing slower than me but if it starts to happen to her... I'm the one who brought that book back: it's my fault if she has to suffer like me!"

 

Breathing heavily, he stared at the ground.

 

"I can only hope that if I read the rest... maybe there's a way to reverse the effects: at least for her! I can't not try to fix this!"

 

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

 

Kingfisher.

 

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@@Windbreaker,

 

"You should... should take off that tin suit more often!" Mumbled the mare as she stuck her head into a dark corner to inspect it and see if Blast might be hiding there.

 

Unless he had been turned into a beetle - he wasn't.

 

"Gotta get stuffy in that helmet an' it's a shame... No! An injustice! ... to hide you away!" She continued to ramble - shooing the beetle away with a hoof.

[Midnight Scribbler 1,705]

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@@Windbreaker,

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Scribbler looked down at the floor ahead as he walked for a moment. Feeling as though he'd heard enough for now, and not wanting to push Orion any further at this time. "I see.. Well, now that you put it that way, I see your logic." He paused a moment, thinking hard about everything he'd seen and heard. "You do what you must, and I will stand beside you Orion. I will help you find that book, for Willow, and for you. But I feel.. eh.. nevermind.. Let's find the book." Scribbler wanted to tell Orion, his intuition was telling him to destroy the book, deep down. Something like that would be too dangerous to be left for anypony to find. Even one, pure of mind, could be corrupted, he knew this all too well. Instead he kept his game face, and continued along with Orion, silently pondering ways to convince him of this path. It would be not only for the good of Equestria, but for he and Willow.. And the rest of the ponies who hunted for it. His mind wandered back to an older thought, when he'd been speaking to the pirate, Crimson. He didn't think the book would easily be destroyed, and likely would teleport away, like it had before. He felt the flaws in his own logic only serve to strengthen his trust in Orion's motives, if only for the time being.

[Mephisto 56]

Orion Starsinger.@,@,@@Windbreaker,"Because it is dangerous!" Snapped Orion - frustrated at both the situation and that his 'improved' sight seemed to come with the added bonus of a distracting glow eminating from both Willow and himself that the others evidently didn't see."Scribbler... I spent days - weeks even, studying the book before I even opened it. How to open my mind: how to not go mad from the revelation and it still hurts me now!" He explained while trying to thing of a truthful way to explain his situation without sounding crazy, and settling for telling half-truths. "I have... memories... that aren't mine. Of things that happened hundreds of years ago - things that aren't even in recorded history! Sometimes it's not easy to tell which ones are mine and which ones aren't. And she... she's developing slower than me but if it starts to happen to her... I'm the one who brought that book back: it's my fault if she has to suffer like me!"

Breathing heavily, he stared at the ground."I can only hope that if I read the rest... maybe there's a way to reverse the effects: at least for her! I can't not try to fix this!"

---------------Kingfisher.@,@@Windbreaker,"You should... should take off that tin suit more often!" Mumbled the mare as she stuck her head into a dark corner to inspect it and see if Blast might be hiding there.

Unless he had been turned into a beetle - he wasn't."Gotta get stuffy in that helmet an' it's a shame... No! An injustice! ... to hide you away!" She continued to ramble - shooing the beetle away with a hoof.

"They're going to follow the other two, and I have to make sure that nobody dies. Heh, now that's an injustice if you ask me." Blake said as he followed the lot of them. He stayed far enough behing to not get flayed by a sword, but not lose track of them. "You know, doing crazy stuff while your drunk is the #1 cause of death..... Well.... Anywhere." He called up.

[Umbreon 569]

Pavisa

 

@,@@Windbreaker,

 

Pavisa very visibly blushes, trying to trot ahead of the others so they won't notice.  "H-Hey, shut up..."  She didn't really sound all that forceful as she protested, though.  

 

"The whole purpose of the suit's so ponies won't notice I'm a mare.  Folks have expectations, guards're supposed to be big strong stallions.  Makes 'em feel better or something stupid like that."

 

She was so focused on trying to make sure the others didn't catch her blush that Pavisa wasn't watching where she was going...  Catching her hoof on a loose tile and falling on her face.  She groans slightly as she rubs her muzzle with a hoof, not bothering to get back up immediately.  "Ouch..."

[Geek0zoid 1,468]

@,@, @@Windbreaker, @,

 

Blast

Soon enough, Blast rose to his hooves and stood next to Eclipse. His eyes grew when he saw the shadow creatures surrounding the stallions. He quickly got into a battle position back-to-back with Eclipse.

"Well, looks like we're done for, Eclipse..." He muttered.

 

Eclipse

"No it isn't, Blast." Eclipse replied. "Blake said something about these guys pretty much being our darker side. We just need to find some way to make peace so we can become whole again."

Edited November 22, 2013 by StevenEarthPony

[Ihei 712]

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Willow Starsinger

 

"I'm fine," Willow grumbled to Zintiik, looking at the floor. "All I read were a few words of that stupid book.. all I did was make Orion want to find the book even more! If he was going to read more of it, he'll just leave me!" Willow frowned, eyes tearing. "Leaving me with nopony.." Willow sighed. "I've been wandering with Orion for weeks to find the Litany.. and he still grounds me!" Willow gritted her teeth.

[Umbreon 569]

Zintiik

 

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"Hey now...  Don't talk like that."  Zintiik tries to brush up against her, hoping he can somehow help bring Willow back to her usual cheerful mood.  "Your brother won't leave you.  I'm a bug, remember?  I can detect love, and I can guarantee that your brother loves you."  He tries to smile, hoping that the gesture would make her do the same.  "Plus, I don't plan on going anywhere either!  We'll all get through this together, right?"

 

Hoping his words were able to have some kind of effect, he couldn't help but go on to ask about the grounding thing...  "What did you mean 'still' grounds you?  Didn't you only recently get those wings?"  The concept of punishment in the form of grounding wasn't something Zintiik was all that familiar with...  In the hive, drones listened to the swarm.  There was no other option.

[Ihei 712]

@,

 

Willow Starsinger

 

"You clearly don't know what it's like to have a brother like him. He's so intent on helping me that.. well, he gets carried away. He never let me make friends on my own, just friends that he approves. Like you." Willow smiled, but it quickly faded. "I'm sure you'll leave at one point. Me and Orion are probably returning home when this adventure is over.. and you'll probably return to the hive."  

[The Elusive Cinder 1,328]

Orion Starsinger.

 

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@@Windbreaker,

 

Glancing back behind him for a moment to make sure that Willow hadn't wandered too far but was still out of earshot, Orion nodded at Scribbler - putting aside the issue regarding the changeling for the moment.

 

He walked in silence - toying with ideas skittering through his head.

 

"I don't know how much longer I have. It hurts so much sometimes." He said blankly. "I'm not asking for pity but just... If anything happens, if you have to choose between helping me or helping her? I want you to leave me. Let the ancients decide my fate: you take her and you run, and you get her to safety, you hear? Leave me and keep her safe."

 

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

 

Kingfisher.

 

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"Hey, it never killed me yet!" Kingfisher called back - convinced that she must be a hardened drinker by this point as she sped up to help Pavisa: or at least, to try.

 

@,

 

"Who's not using their legs now?" Snorted the Cyan pony as she managed to keep her own balance that's to equal parts skill, luck and experience - however little she recalled.

 

Okay, it was mostly luck - but skill and experience played a small part too.

 

Holding out a hoof, she smiled down at the guard with a single raised brow. "Up you get! Think I can... hear somethin' up ahead! Might be whasisname and Aerodite!"

 

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

 

Redwave.

 

Red sulked onwards: accompanied by his concerningly canine shadow and heavy limbs. He could make out voices up ahead: a welcome sound after having to detour around the collapsing tunnel. He stepped carefully through the dark and could just about make out the form if a changeling in the distance: it was the Alicorn's party again! Not ideal - he had been hoping to locate Kingfisher - but better than nothing. At least he could follow them to the Litany and perhaps have a change to distract them and take it...

Edited November 23, 2013 by Cinderscribe

[Umbreon 569]

Pavisa

 

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@@Windbreaker, 

 

With a small grin Pavisa takes Kingfisher's hoof, standing back up with the other mare's help.  "Thanks..."  She smiles again, holding on to Kingfisher for a small moment before letting her have her hoof back.  Slowly turning her gaze down the direction Kingfisher had indicated, the guard giggles again.  "Time to be heroes, then?"

 

 

Zintiik

 

@,

 

"Oh, yeah...  Right..."  With a small chuckle, Zintiik turns his gaze away for a moment.  The hive...  I still don't know where that is...  Would I even be able to become part of the hive again if I were to somehow find it?  After what I've felt?

 

Zintiik shakes his head a little, a slight frown on his face.  "Maybe...  I still can't find the hive though.  Maybe I shouldn't go back?  I mean, I've met you and your brother...  And Scribbler and Mirror," he adds begrudgingly.  

 

"That's...  That's kind of like a hive in a way, right?  A really small one, sure...  But we take care of each other.  Not to mention..."  He shuts his mouth at this point, letting his sentence drop mid-thought to start a different one.  "I don't really have another place to go...  But I don't have to leave when this is done.  If...  If you don't want me to, I mean."

[Midnight Scribbler 1,705]

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Scribbler looks with concern to Orion. "I pray to Celestia that it doesn't come to that.. You mentioned finding a way to reverse what the Litany has done. If you should manage to find it.. I would suggest trying on yourself, not that you should give up your power, but.. you don't have to throw your life away if there is another way. Equestria has held in the balance for generations without the Litany's guidance, and you don't need it to change the world, my friend." He smiles, trying to bring some form of comfort to Orion's unsettled mind. "If it comes down to it.. You have my word, Orion. I will keep her safe as long as I breathe, should anything happen."

[EcstaticWind 572]

Noble Persona

@, @, @, @@Midnight Scribbler,

 

 

For the first time in a while, Noble's mind was in turmoil. He didn't know what was going on with him, and hearing Orion talk of the Litany's effects did not help him to sort it out. He assumed that Orion was breaking with the stress, but that still left his own problems. His guilt. The more he thought about it, the more it gave him a headache. Much like the wall he ran into. SMACK!

 

"AAGH! Curses... That really hurt..." He said, holding one hoof to his head.

 

Aegis Dare

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Aegis smiled at Pavisa and Kingfisher. "You make a lovely couple. It's making me jealous." He thought about what he'd do once this was over. He'd write the story, but what then? Visit his father in Fillydelphia and his mother in Cloudsdale, find a nice house somewhere, after that, he had no idea where he'd go or what he was going to do.

[Ihei 712]

@, 

 

Willow Starsinger

 

"It's okay, Zintiik. I'd be way more than happy for you to join us!" Willow smiled, nuzzling Zintiik. Quickly changing the subject, Willow said, "You haven't eaten in a while. Are you okay?" Willow asked, sitting down on the floor. She glanced at Orion then quickly looked away.
 

Edited November 23, 2013 by Shaymin

[Mephisto 56]

Blake merely chuckled. He always laughed when other ponies were drunk, it made him think about how much there was to lose in the world. "Everyone so concentrated on love and family, even me." He skated behind, but then realized that he'd never had many ponies in his life too long. He sped up, now less afraid to be near the lovable drunks.

Edited November 23, 2013 by Blake Diamante

[The Elusive Cinder 1,328]

Orion Starsinger.

 

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@@Windbreaker,

 

Nodding thankfully, Orion looked each way at a fork in the path. With the vision of the Litany, he could make out some kind of... he could only describe it as light - but not light. Like a current being drawn from all around them and down the leftmost path.

 

"Huh...." He said simply. "We're nearly there."

 

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

 

Kingfisher.

 

Something clicked in Kingfishers mind; a ship, a red mane - white sails and Brandy. Searing sand under-hoof and exotic spices: nodding and responding dutifully with a false voice when spoken to - the perfect shipmate. Stoic, reliable, unfeeling: everything she had convinced herself that she needed to be...

 

@@Windbreaker,

 

"Don't even joke about that!" She shot back at the writer with a glare.

 

@,

 

"Yeah... yeah let's go!" She managed to say in a suspiciously tranquil voice: as it shutting out the correct way if should sound, intentionally.

 

@,

 

"Blast?! Eclipse?! You hear me?" She called out.

 

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Edited November 23, 2013 by Cinderscribe

[Umbreon 569]

Zintiik

 

@,@,@@Windbreaker,@@Midnight Scribbler,

 

Zintiik smiles when Willow says she doesn't mind if he stays, quickly nuzzling her in return before moving to follow Orion again as he speaks.  "Y-Yeah, I'm fine...  I have to be, right?  It's not like there's anypony nearby for me to feed on."  

 

With a small chuckle Zintiik smiles at her.  He was a good liar...  He'd grown up to be one, after all.  The truth was after his ordeal of stepping into the temple, he was weaker than he'd ever felt.  It had been some time since he'd had an opportunity to feed, either - his time with the bandits as Tactic Wind hadn't exactly been a love filled experience.

 

 

Pavisa

 

@@Windbreaker,@,

 

Pavisa blinks at Kingfisher's sudden change, the abruptness being enough to sober her up a little.  "Fisher?"  She almost seemed like the old Kingfisher...  What had brought that about?

 

She quickly starts to trot to keep up with her, curious about the rapid change.  "Fisher, are you alright?"  She asks worriedly, keeping an eye out for Blast, Eclipse, and Aphrodite as she speaks.  They had to be getting close to them, after all...

[EcstaticWind 572]

Aegis Dare

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Aegis ignored Kingfisher's glare, but her sudden change in personality was...interesting, to say the least. She was acting the way she had when he met her. And at that point, Aegis found her to be quite boring. Like she suppressed everything that made her unique in order to function like a machine would.

 

"You have such a wonderful personality, Kingfisher. Why hold it back like that? You said it was an injustice for Pavisa to hide her face in that armour, well it's just as much an injustice for you to act like a living statue rather than who you really are." Aegis said. He was fully prepared for the consequences, but he had no regrets. Not anymore...

[Ihei 712]

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Willow Starsinger

 

"You wouldn't feed off of me, would you? If you absolutely had to, then you could.. I wouldn't want you to starve, after all." Willow smiled, hugging the bug. "I won't blame you." She stood up, trotting down the path that Orion went down to apologize. She felt guilty for making her brother feel unneeded..  

[Mephisto 56]

Blake looked at the designs on the wall. They reminded him of the rock that he had. He pulled it out of his bag and looked at it. It burned his eyes, but instead of wincing he kept it in his sight. He saw the designs glow a pale blue. "Freaky..." He said, looking for anything else that was noteworthy. Eventually, his mind drifted to coin. He looked at it, now regarding its monetary worth.

[Geek0zoid 1,468]

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The two stallions began to stand their ground. Though, since the shadows weren't real physical beings, there was little that they could do. The only one that could really do anything was Eclipse,since he could use his psychic abilities to push the shadows back. It still didn't do much, and within moments, they were taking a rather large beating.

[The Elusive Cinder 1,328]

Orion Starsinger.

 

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@@Windbreaker,

 

The not-light - which Orion was at this stage quite confident was the aura if magic itself - quickly grew more and more brilliant as he steadily progressed down the hall. It wasn't just his vision guiding him at this stage: the Litany seemed to be drawing him towards it - pulling him closer as if aware of his presence. He glanced back behind him to see if the same thing was effecting the rest of the small band he had gathered.

 

Eventually, he found himself at a door. A heavy, stone piece: the draw of the Litany compelled him to open it.

 

"Stay close..."

 

He needn't have said: as he pushed against the door it swung upended easily: a bright blue light shone through the door and flooded deep into the dungeon behind them. The pull of the Litany increased - there was no longer any question - it couldn't not be affecting the others...

 

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

 

Kingfisher.

 

@@Windbreaker,

@,

 

"I'm fine... just a little... confused about something. Nothing to worry about." Kingfisher muttered, rounding a corner to see the pair that she was looking for: right as a brilliant blue light flooded the hall - searing away even illusion: at least for the time being...

 

@,

 

"What did you do this time?!" The sailor scolded in an unnerved tone.

 

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

[Umbreon 569]

Pavisa

 

@,@,@@Windbreaker,

 

"What the-!?"  Pavisa had little time to put together a more coherent thought as the bright light nearly blinded her, bringing up one of her legs to shield her eyes with the wide flares on her armour.  "Where did that come from!?"  

 

She spares a glance at Kingfisher before running ahead, past where Eclipse and Blast were to the direction that the light had come from.  It felt like something was coming...  And Pavisa was going to do her best to intercept it before it reached the rest of the party.  This has got to be the stupidest thing I've done since I started this mission...

 

 

Zintiik

 

@,@,@@Windbreaker,

 

It took a moment for Zintiik to register what was happening.  He was distracted by Willow's offer to let him feed on her.  She can't be serious, can she?  Does she know what that does to ponies?  I can't...  I can't hurt Willow.

 

As Orion opened the door and the bright light flooded the hallway, Zintiik found himself moving forward against his will.  There was a pull...  He felt it for sure.  Though part of his brain continued to mock himself that he was a bug being drawn towards the bright blue light.  "Hey, this isn't funny!"  he shouts in an annoyed tone, though his hooves continue to move towards the source of the light.  

 

"What's happening?  Orion?  Is this the Litany?"  He looks at Orion as he catches up to the front of the party, the light not letting him stay in the back of the group any longer.  With a grin that was somewhere between his normal cocky smile and a nervous cry for help, he gestures down the hallway.

[EcstaticWind 572]

Noble Persona

@, @,@, @@Midnight Scribbler,

 

The pull was strong. Stronger than Noble thought, but he had confidence that he could resist long enough to acquire the power he was looking for. It was so close, he could almost taste it. 

 

'It's close... I'm so close now. It's nearly time to make my move...'

 

 

Aegis Dare

@, @, @, 

 

Aegis raised a hoof against the blinding light. 'A light? But we can't use magic in here, so that leaves one option. It's the Litany. It has to be.' He could just barely make out Pavisa running forward.

 

"Wait! Don't rush ahead blindly. We don't know what's waiting for us!" He turned to Blast and Eclipse. "Are you guys ok?"