private The Mountain In The Forest

[Serious Sam 259]

@,

Sombra smiled as Fire stepped closer towards the door of his own creation, the lone lantern that hung from the caverns ceiling was dim, causing the only two, small stalagmites formed into the ceiling to cast dark shadows; everything was going smoothly so far.  He watched the unicorn stare at the spiraling vortex with a sinister smile plastered on his face.  "That's it," he said, "Further you go, remember; don not question 'why?', instead question 'why not?' it helps to relieve the strain and thought of making a choice.  Blot out your conscience, ignore what it says and you will be more free than ever."  Sombra's voice had a small growl when he spoke the last sentence, his eyes turned an acid green and small wisps of purple smoke could be seen trailing from his sockets.  He backed up into the shadows, and became one with them watching and waiting. 

[Sunbro 4 Lyfe 939]

@@Gloomfury,

Compliments? sudden interest in personal life. What was this? Was he just bored or something? this was interesting! But Chrysalis was going to wait until she had more evidence before she put two and two together and got 4.

"What's there to say? I mean there isn't exactly something interesting about me after all."

[Feather Gem 967]

@,

 

Chamois lifted her head to glare at the small filly who looked exactly as she had when she was younger.  Small, lost, dull, broken.  She fit all the criteria of how Chamois had looked as a filly when she looked into the mirror, her image blurred by her own tears.

When the other mare appeared from behind her, Chamois jerked away from her and scurried a bit away in surprise.  She scowled at the older version of herself, trying to wipe away her tears.  It didn't work very well considering that they still flowed at a steady pace.  She would not respond to a word that it said, but they were imprinted onto her mind anyway.  Maybe if she was lucky, she could lock them up just like everything else.

She had been going on like this for too long.  She didn't know anything else then what she already had.  She had already lost so much that she didn't want to lose anything else.  She didn't realize that there wasn't anything else left for her to lose.

"Why don't you stop hiding behind my face and face me yourself!" Chamois growled.  The depression was evaporating, leaving space for the incoming storm of fury.  That's just how Chamois worked.  Replace one bad feeling for another until you reached feeling nothing.  She knew that Discord was behind this.  What other explanation could be behind this madness?

[The Elusive Cinder 1,328]

@@Feather Gem,

 

"Don't go blaming this on me!" Came the disgruntled response as the familiar figure appeared between the real Chamois and the newest apparition - facing the wrong one. The filly and the mare both fell silent, watching and waiting as he did so. "Chaos has a few small, potential side effects you see... dizziness, nausea, headaches, seeing double, seeing nothing..."

 

He counted each off on a claw, steadily increasing the number of digits on one hand to ludicrous amounts.

 

"... changing taste in music, changing colour, changing race, changing gender, changing your clothes... and making you face your inner demons, that's an important one, isn't it dear?"

 

"Behind you, idiot." Hissed the 'proper' looking mare with a distasteful look at him. Twirling in place, Discord gave an embarrassed shrug and grinned knowingly.

 

"All that I can do is set the scene, my dear. The characters in this little show? You wrote those with your hopes and doubts. Everyone you were, everyone you could be... everyone you dream of being, or fear becoming - until you accept them as a part of yourself..."

 

He vanished, appearing a short distance away, bathed in shadows as one if the candles snuffed itself out.

 

"But you don't want this villains help now, do you? After all, he's clearly nothing more than a deceiver... Ah well, I really do hope that you can figure it out dear: it would be such a waste of an otherwise quite spectacular mind if you didn't..."

 

Another candle flickered out, and with it, the chaos spirit was hidden completely in the darkness.

Edited December 21, 2013 by Cinderscribe

[Gloomfury 243]

@,

"Other then you being the changeling queen who almost took over Canterlot. That would make you pretty interesting in my book. But to be fair you ain't the first changeling I've met. His name was Vincent. I call him Vinny, nice guy. Even though he tried to kill me when we first met. I found him one day, he was badly hurt. Lucky for him that I have some medical experience. We did a few jobs together, it pays off working with a master of disguise. After that he went off on his own. We still keep in touch."

[Sunbro 4 Lyfe 939]

@@Gloomfury,

Interesting. Gloom surely did have many interesting stories on him. Of course chrysalis doubted that they were all true; some probably were.

"I thought you wanted to know about me, not the other way around! Though I will admit, you are somewhat interesting yourself."

[Gloomfury 243]

@,

Gloom gave her a smile. "Thanks. And sorry about that I sometimes get caught up in my stories. I got about a million of them. And it ain't often I get to tell them. So do you have any good stories to tell?  You seem like the type to have a few. Maybe some from whan you were younger. From the look of you I'm sure that ain't too long ago."

[Feather Gem 967]

@,

 

 

Chamois was a bit surprised when he actually stepped out.  She was even more surprised that she expected that he would take it seriously, because it was clear he would not.  She watched him the entire time with an expression that read; 'Are you kidding me?'. 

But, my oh my, did his words have a ring of truth to them.  The filly seemed just like she had been and the mare seemed just like who she would be.  How could she turn out as anypony else?  If she continued this way, she would become that disturbingly dull pony.  She didn't want to be...but...she didn't want to change either.

She had promised herself...

You get through this horrible life.  You get through every.  Endless.  Day...and...you'll be rewarded.  You have to do it...just as long as they don't win.  Not after all they've done...

'They' were not anypony specific.  Perhaps all 'they' were was life.

Are you done?

Oh, the voice was back...

Are you finally done weeping and sobbing and being so pathetic?

Oh…the voice was back...

Well, good, because I have a plan.  Vine, darling, you are going to become the greatest actress ever.  You are going to straight-out lie, pretend, act, perform.  You are going to...'change', aren't you filly?

"I...don't want to...go on like this anymore..." Chamois whispered, staring fearfully at her older, business-like self.  More tears streamed from her eyes.  It wasn't all an act like she thought.  Part of her was whimpering and trying to break free and become exactly what she should be.  But the other part...just thought she was a darn good actress.

Oh, and there was the part telling her that this was a bad idea, but she couldn't hear it.

[Sunbro 4 Lyfe 939]

@@Gloomfury,

"hmm." Chrysalis tried to recall anything that had happened in her past worth mentioning. There wasn't much interesting. Apart from a the occasional good story.

"I do remember one time when I was quite young. I would always sneak out from my parents when it was getting late to play with the other changelings. I wasn't allowed to of course, they were a part of the common rabble! But I still wanted to see what they were like. I guess that's just  what would happen when you have to be educated inside"

[Gloomfury 243]

@,

Gloom chuckles a little."I use to sneak out when I was a kid too. I'm kinda night owl. When me ma would go to sleep I would sneak out and go into the woods behind our house and run around aimlessly.  Sometimes I head into the town as well. It was a fishing town so it had a big dock. I use to walk around there and watch the boats come and go. When you're a kid you see the world so differently. What was it like for you growing up in a hive?"

[Sunbro 4 Lyfe 939]

@@Gloomfury,

Chrysalis had to think that one over. It wasn't as if she couldn't remember it was just hard to explain. "Umm. Green would be a good description, and odd. The entire thing was mostly underground and yet it was so huge! and natural. It was odd (again). Of course the palace was in the middle at the bottom so I wasn't breathing fresh air until I was allowed to leave." 

[Gloomfury 243]

@,
"Must have been quite a sight. I use to live in a normal house with my ma in a small town. Not as grand as a palace." He chuckles again. "But living under grown sounds kinda neat. But I like it better up here. And I like the color green too. But I like the shade of green your mane and eyes are best. Mostly your eyes."

Edited December 25, 2013 by Gloomfury

[Sunbro 4 Lyfe 939]

@@Gloomfury,

Again with the compliments? Was he always like this to his captors? Tad odd. Bit still.

"umm; thanks. I suppose." Chrysalis gave him a look that was either confusion or intrigue. Even if her face was slightly red. Slightly. Oh well.

"do you always compliment every villain who captures you?"

[Gloomfury 243]

@, 

"Only the ones I like. Usually I just kill them before they even have the chance to capture me. But you had leverage by capturing the others first. Which was pretty crafty. And when someone dose that I would be pretty mad. But I'm sure they can handle themselves. So no point getting angry. That, and I can never resist complimenting a pretty mare." He says with a charming smile.

[Sunbro 4 Lyfe 939]

@@Gloomfury,

"I had leverage? the only thing I done was tell you your friends had been kidnapped!" Gloom really was odd. Considering how tough he made himself seem; he probably should had noticed something that gave him an opportunity to escape. Has he just been waiting untill he actually knows his friends are alive? It was probably obvious that they were.

[Serious Sam 259]

This type of waiting game was causing his patience to wear thin, Sombra was never one to be very patient anyway.  After a few more minutes of waiting for Fire to walk through the door the ice broke and Sombra had run out of patience, enveloping the unicorn in dark magic and lifting her 2 feet off of the ground and threw her against the cavern wall as hard as he could; making the satisfying crunch of bones as he heard a few shatter from the solid impact.  The King was no stranger to killing disobedient subjects, "You are frail, weak!  You are the type of pony that no one would want to know!"  He shouted at he reeled back on his hind legs, the pony still in his magical grasp, and flung the already limp body against a rocky, cavern wall with a stalagmite protruding from its front and in the next instant the mares body made contact and was pierced straight through the side of her body, but it didn't stop there.  The now lifeless corpse slid all the way to the back of the spike, blood streaking and smothering across the spike like a lance through an unprotected soldier and finally the body hit the end with a satisfying *thump*.

 

Sombra had watching the whole thing and grinned like a maniac as his temper was still flaring, the sadist knew no limits; limits were only walls we build for ourselves anyway.  He trotted away from the sight and into the shadows, he needed time to think.

 

(Sorry if this is a bit grim...)

[The Elusive Cinder 1,328]

@@Feather Gem,

 

 

Sorry for the delay: I was sidetracked every time I started writing a response.

 

 

"Thats all good and well, but tell them, not me!" Discord said, recoiling and holding a claw to his chest, shaking his head with that same knowing stare. As he stepped backwards, several more figures could be seen bordering on the shadows: other ponies - some with dyed manes, some without. Some old, some young, some that seemed happy and some that were doubtlessly not... but all unquestionably the same pony.

 

"Listen, Chamois. you're a sweet little thing. Smart enough to look at everything placed before you and make a decision based on facts... why do you think I chose you to be the one I explained this to? Now, I wont interfere if thats what you fear... Have I lied to you at all? But allow me to explain at least..."

 

He chuckled quietly as he spiraled about the cavern - seemingly uninterested in the events taking place as he examined the flickering lights.

 

"You have a most unique opportunity before you. You don't even have to do anything! Just... think. Are you happy with who you are? Who you were... or who you are becoming? You have the chance to change that. No tricks! No magic! Just look at yourself and accept who you are... and whether you're happy that way..." If only ponies could learn to see things from another perspective: he couldnt really blame them: not after being spoon-fed a supposed 'truth' by Celestia - and Moony's more boring side - for hundreds of years. "This is chaos magic. Raw chaos Magic... Even I couldn't bend it to my will: thats the beauty of it! It's all around us: everywhere! It's not 'good' or 'evil'... it's nature itself and you cant refuse it because it's been here all along: you just never saw it before... so... Think! Decide! Answer yourself: cast aside your doubts and the shadows will leave: as simple as that!"

 

He reclined - observing the floor instead. Holding the the claw to his chin, he began snapping the talons on the other arm: deciding now on a suitable flooring. His attention seemingly lost, he mumbled instead to himself.

 

"Never was a fan of stone floors... It just says 'evil overlord'... that's more like Sombra's style, and he's no fun at all..."

[Sanctified Absence 126]

Shadow took a glance towards the mountain, before signalling to his "partner."

 

Time to get to work, if these ponies are so important it would be best not to leave it any longer. He used his magic to let out a faint light from the tip of his horn, it was a soft light, not so easily spotted but still bright enough to give him a slightly better view of the surroundings. 

 

After checking about and making sure it was reasonably safe, Shadow reclined from his hiding spot behind the fallen tree and approached the other black stallion. "It appears safe enough to carry on."

 

He turned, walking towards the mountain before giving one last piece of advice, "Be careful, it may look safe but the aura feels... Unusual, even for the forest."

[Blacklight 118]

@, 

"Yea, the place around here feels strange...I just can't put my hoof on it." Blacklight said as he readjusted his bow to a more comfortable postion. Everything about this place is wrong...Blacklight noted as he looked at his surroundings. He normally wouldn't have taken this job though he had desperately needed the bits. He stopped briefly, taking in the mountain before catching back up with the other pony.          

Edited December 27, 2013 by Blacklight01

[ReverieRiver 526]

It was far too easy whilst she was in the grasp of dark rage. All it took was a thought, and a sharp twist with her magic followed by an audible crack that sounded like grim music to the ex-princess's ears. Nightmare Moon smirked as she felt the zebra's body fall limp in the embrace of her magical mane. It was so quick, a spirit swiftly leaving its mortal body like a bird taking to the skies - and yet it was so satisfying. No more would the insolent zebra speak such blasphemy.

 

A sparkling aura of dark blue enveloped the alicorn's horn as she focused her magic around the corpse, wrapping it completely in a shimmering cloud. And then, a bright flash and the body was gone, teleported to someplace else to be discovered by someone else - or perhaps to never be discovered at all. After all, it simply wouldn't do to just leave it lying around. What a mess to leave behind! Not to mention that it would have smelled awful after some time.

 

Nightmare Moon was still smiling, feeling accomplished of herself. That is, until she realized the consequences of her actions. The goal of the game had been to persuade the chosen pony (or zebra) to become an ally; and instead, she had taken the life of her target!

 

What was she to do now? Was she to be disqualified for such a thoughtless thing? Had she cost herself her chance? When she thought of how the answer to those latter questions was likely to be "yes," her expression soured as she let out a single, unladylike word.

 

"...Buck."

[Gloomfury 243]

@,

"And that's leverage. I did't know what you were going to do with them or why you took them in the first place. Who knows, you could have killed them already. But I highly doubt that. Ya'll don't seem the type to kill. Well, maybe Sombra is. I've done a few kidnappings and ransoming here and there when I was working for the griffin kingdom mafia for a bit."

[Sanctified Absence 126]

As he approached the mountain, Shadow could feel a whole host of terrible things. This place was filled with chaos, fear, shadow and a whole assortment of other things, as if everything bad in the world was collecting about this mountain.

 

"There's something in here," he whispered "and whatever it is, it's powerful, very powerful."

 

Using his knowledge in slightly darker magic, Shadow cloaked his aura to take on a slightly more sinister feel, as though to mirror that of the mountain itself, this might reveal his location to the more skilled, but would conceal his aura from anyone else.

[Sunbro 4 Lyfe 939]

@@Gloomfury,

More stories. Clearly Gloom has been many places that she hasn't. There were a lot of places she wanted to visit; but she had a hive to take care of.

Then again, they were all dead as far as she knew. Mabye when she wins and takes Equestria she could use some of the treasury to fund a vacation... Bah! Thinking ahead.

"Griffin kingdom? What was that place like?" She asked with genuine interest.

[Blacklight 118]

@, 

" Can you tell what that something is?" Blacklight asked as they arrived at the base of the mountain. That's strange...Blacklight noted as he remembered that before that the forest that had been full of the sounds of wildlife earlier had suddenly grown silence. Looking upwards, he began searching for anything that looked like a way inside when he asked," Do you see any way inside?"     

[Feather Gem 967]

@,

 

Chamois flinched slightly at the sight of more versions of herself.  She could barely bring herself to look in the mirror at such times, but this?  This was unbearable.  

And chose her to explain this to?  Well, she was the only pony here at the moment for him to explain anything to.  The other three ponies could have very well been in her position right now and have had something very similar lectured to them.  There were also many different ways to lie.  She was sure he'd have at least lied in some way by now.

He didn’t seem to be making much sense.  But that was his job, wasn’t it?

Of course she wasn't happy.  If she changed her ways perhaps she could be happy for a little bit, until everything tore itself apart around her like it always does and always will.  Then...then she would be feeling much worse than just sad.  She'd be completely horrified knowing that if she had just stayed as she had before, she would still be content at least.  She'd lose herself completely.

Just like your mother, the voice whispered.

Right, okay.  That was that.  She barely heard a word he said after that.  She did catch a bit though.  Those other 'hers' wouldn't go away unless she decided to throw it all away and free herself of her doubts.

She was not about to listen to The Spirit of Chaos.  She'd continue her little play on the other hoof.  But how in Equestria do you get chaos magic to buy an act?

You don't.  You don't act.

What?

You really do it.  For a moment, you actually free yourself.

Can I do-I mean, can Chamois do that? 

She's already on the edge of letting herself listen to him.  She just has to let it go then.  I'll stick around to remind her when it's time to stop.

Chamois jumped to her hooves, smacking her bag through levitation into the older mare to push her aside.  "Well then," she said, her voice shacking slightly as the reasoning voice in her head faded out of her mind, freeing it for the moment of doubts.  The freedom's light was still unable to penetrate through the fear's darkness.

In other words, Chamois was terrified to be free.  She was new to this freedom thing.

"I g-guess that...I...um...did...that..." Chamois said quietly.  She wasn't very sure what she 'did', but that was what came out of her mouth, so she’d have to roll with it.  "Now...go away," she whispered, gesturing slightly at the mare to get lost.