open Occult in the Swamps

[Mickey Taker 347]

@

 

A small smile curls up in the corner of Golbez's beak as he watches the waitress pause as she looks at him, this was nothing new to him however, as he says nothing and allows the waitress to address him further.

 

"Yes, I would like some marmalade on toast and a coffee, black please with just a drop of milk and suger if you please," he nods subtly as he gives the waitress a warm smile.

[Umbreon 569]

@, 

 

The pony quickly writes down his order and disappears back into the kitchen, not wanting to keep a griffon waiting after all.  After a few minutes she returns with Golbez's order, setting them in front of the griffon and turning to move to the next table.  Before she leaves though she stops to glance at him again.

 

"Uh, I asked in the back.  If you're looking for the other one, she said something to the guys in the kitchen about going into the swamps.  I think she was just here though, so she probably hasn't left yet."  The pony had assumed the two griffons must have known each other - she couldn't think of another explanation for why they would have two of them in the hotel at once!  With that said, she turns to make her way to another table while complaining under her breath about getting over worked on her first day.

[Mickey Taker 347]

@

 

Golbez takes a quick sip of his coffee, giving a somewhat relieved sigh, "Oh that's the stuff...um", As the waitress mentions to him about him looking for "somepony", he rasies his eyebrow curiously and scratches his head, he had just arrived here and wasn't expecting to meet anyone that he knew of.

 

Being a griffon living in a land full of ponies it was highly unlikely this was a case of mistaken identity, that the waitress mistook him for another griffon, so...who?

Raising a talon outward, he calls out to the waitress again, "Um, one moment please......Madam, I have just 'literally' arrived here and was not expecting to meet anyone that I know of, whom are you referring too?"

[The Elusive Cinder 1,328]

@,

 

Wish shrugged - she hadn't really expected Sabel to have seen him after all, just making sure.

 

"No problem - just checking. If you do, tell him I'm looking for him?"

 

The obvious flaw in her plan went unnoticed by the mare - she continued to speak after only the briefest of pauses.

 

"And uh, I was going to have a look about - see what I can find out about those missing ponies. Want to swing by your room then come find me? Think I'm gonna check out the gardens first..."

[Umbreon 569]

@, 

 

The waitress stops to turn back to Golbez, looking slightly confused.  "You're not with the other griffon?  Oh...  My apologies then, I had assumed you knew each other."  Blushing slightly the waitress quickly turns to get back to work, embarrassed by her blunder.

 

 

Sabellah

 

@,

 

"Sure, works for me.  Have fun on your pony hunt, hehehe."  Winking at the mare Sabel turns to make her way back to her room.  As she reaches the door she pulls on the handle...  To find that she locked herself out.  Great...

 

Now the griffoness was left with a few options...  She could try to pick the lock, or possibly try to just force her way in...  Or she could go with a more refined approach.  Making a fist out of her talon, Sabel pounds on the door.

 

@@Twila Starshimmer, 

 

"Hey Twila, you up!?  Can ya let me in?"

[The Elusive Cinder 1,328]

Retracing her steps from the night before: Wish made her way back into the hotels grounds - eyes wide and alert, searching for anything unusual. She might not have been any kind of detective, but she had a keen eye for detail.

 

Not that detail alone was always particularly useful...

 

For example, there was a disturbed flower-bed just at the boundary of the land: it could easily have been a sign of a struggle... Or just as easily a sign of a runaway baby Hydra. Maybe she had even done it herself, or most likely the gardener had been called in to help with more important tasks - given the lack of staff.

 

"I'm going with 'struggle'..." She said, smiling at her own brilliant detective work. "The first clue! First of many no doubt: I'm a natural at this!"

[Mickey Taker 347]

Taking another gulp of his coffee, Golbez sits back and taps his beak with one claw, pondering on whom the waitress might be referring too.

"So, there is another Griffon residing here somewhere, I should look into this...but not now," indeed Golbez wasn't in any rush, more focused on trying to fully wake up.

In the far distance he could hear a faint banging noise followed suit by someone yelling, "Seems someone got on the wrong side of the bed," he chuckles quietly to himself as he takes a better look around the dining room, it was practically empty save for himself and blue pony sitting on the other side of the room.

Knowing he was going to be staying here for quite some time, it made sense to Golbez to become familiar with the other residents.

 

@

Golbez raises one talon to make a subtle waving gesture in order to get the earth ponies attention before speaking to him, "Morning, you been here long lad?"

[Twila Starshimmer 172]

@, (OOC: Sorry for the late reply, was out driving all day for test practice.)

 

Twila yawned and got out of bed, rubbing her eyes from sleep. She realized she heard a pounding at the door, and went over to unlock it.

 

"Oh, it's you, Sabel. I must have slept in. What's going on? I hear a bunch of commotion," she asked, as she turned away toward the bed to straighten it out.

 

@@SilverHeart

 

I should see what Mirror Image is up to...and finally meet the rest of the others... she pondered, putting her hoof up to her chin.

[Umbreon 569]

Sabellah

 

@@Twila Starshimmer,

 

The griffoness grins as Twila opens the door, stepping past the mare into their room.  "Oh, I just ran to the kitchens to pick up something I'll need later."  She bounces the can of fake meat up off of her tail to catch it with a talon, tossing it into her bag.  

 

"Guess I kinda locked myself out, hehe.  As for the commotion it's probably the ponies working here.  Seems like some of their employees decided to skip work this morning and no one is sure where they're hiding.  I left ya a note in case ya woke up while I was gone, guess I didn't need to huh?"

 

With a smirk Sabel reaches over Twila to grab the handle of her knife, pulling it out of the door and letting the note fall free.  She slips the knife back into its sheathe, walking over to her bed to grab her bag and throw it over a shoulder.  "So, have any big plans for the day?"

[The Elusive Cinder 1,328]

"Aha!"

 

Wish spotted her second 'clue' - one of the Kitchen windows was mysteriously left open when It wasn't even that nice out - a little overcast even! "Suspicious without a doubt..." She muttered with a smirk, pulling out her notebook and making a quick reference to both the Window and the flowerbed - just in case.

 

There was no doubt about it in her mind - missing ponies... trampled flowers and a window left open when it certainly shouldn't be? She didn't know what might be responsible but there was foul play at work - and she was going to get to the bottom of it!

 

"Wish Scribe is closing in..." She murmured towards the window with a grin, turning to hunt for more 'evidence' as she did: she was going to need absolute proof if she was going to solve this mystery!

[Twila Starshimmer 172]

@,

 

"Ohh, okay. Whatcha going to do later? Hmm, that's strange. I got the impression that the staff was very punctual and attentive. Should we be worried?" Twila asked, hearing her voice finish with a bit of an anxious edge. Maybe I shouldn't have come here after all...

 

She watched with amusement as Sabel handled the knife, catching the note at the last moment before it hit the floor. "Yeah, guess you won't be needing this, huh?" she chuckled, waving the note as she spoke. She placed the note on the end table, and turned back to the griffin. "I don't really have anything planned, actually," she answered, shrugging her shoulders. 

Edited November 25, 2013 by Twila Starshimmer

[Umbreon 569]

Sabellah

 

@@Twila Starshimmer, 

 

Sabel grins and waves a wing dismissively.  "Eh, it's just some ponies slacking off.  Nothing to be concerned about if ya ask me.  Anypony who works slacks off at some point or another."

 

Sabel flaps her wings once as she climbs onto her bed, dumping the contents of her bag unceremoniously onto the sheets.  "I'm going into the swamps with a mare I met last night, Wish Scribe.  Not sure what she wants to do out there, I'm planning on doing some hunting though."  

 

As she speaks Sabel sorts through the contents of her bag.  She picks up a number of silver bracelets from the pile, counting to make sure they were all there before tucking them safely back into her bag.  A number of random survival supplies go in after them, with the can of fake meat going on top.  Satisfied that she has everything she should the griffoness throws the bag back over her shoulder, turning to grin at Twila.  "Don't suppose ya want to go stomping through the swamps with us?  Heh, you're welcome to tag along if ya do."

[Twila Starshimmer 172]

@,

 

Twila watches as Sabel dumps all of the contents on her bed, trying to do a mental inventory of what she's bringing. She gives up after the pile seemingly grows larger and larger.

 

"Sure, why not? I've nothing better to do anyway. And I get what you're saying, but something about it seems a little...off to me. Anyway, what would I need to bring with me on this swamp adventure? I've never hunted, personally, but I was thinking of doing some investigating of the grounds anyway--thought maybe I'd find one of them or something. Ya never know," she finishes, running her hoof over the last bracelet before it gets put into the bag. "Pretty bracelets, by the way." 

Edited November 25, 2013 by Twila Starshimmer

[Umbreon 569]

Sabellah

 

@@Twila Starshimmer,

 

Sabel shrugs slightly and grins, nodding towards the door.  "Well, we're not planning to stay out all that long.  You might want to swing by the kitchen and grab something for lunch though...  I'd share, but ponies don't really eat meat."  With another smirk she opens the door to the hall, stepping out and standing in the doorway.  

 

"You shouldn't worry too much about the hunting, it's just something I'm planning to do to keep myself fed.  Surprised you're so easy to go along with it, most ponies tend to get upset when I bring it up.  You're alright."  Sabel winks at Twila before stepping into the hallway.  "Meet me and Wish in the gardens once you get your supplies, alright?  I'll go find her and let her know you're coming too."

[Twila Starshimmer 172]

@,

 

"Okay, I'll definitely go grab some fruit or something. Pssh, really, it's okay. Everypony is entitled to their own way of living, vegetarian or not. You clearly aren't a herbivore, so have at it! And you aren't half bad either, Sabel" she finished, winking at her in return. 

 

At that, she walked out into the hall towards the kitchen, observing the lobby as she went. Yes, definitely less workers here today...hmm. When she arrived in the kitchen, she went straight for the bowl of fruit and plate of pastries on the nearby table. Taking a peach and a few mini pies, she wrapped them up and tossed all but one of the pies in her bag, nibbling on the pie as she left, crumbs making a small trail until the door heading outside.

[The Elusive Cinder 1,328]

Wish found herself sat in the same place as she had been playing with the Hydra the day before: Her notepad on the ground and a pencil in her mouth as she scribbled away...

 

Suspicious activity seen through kitchen window: remaining staff are acting on edge - always looking around nervously and glancing around as if they expect somepony to be watching them. When noticed me looking in through the window, they seemed very surprised and unnerved...

 

The only reason for such shifty behavior that Wish could deduce was that the disappearances much be linked to the other staff somehow.

 

"After all - why would they be acting so suspicious if they were innocent?" She mused.

Edited November 25, 2013 by Cinderscribe

[Twila Starshimmer 172]

@, @, 

 

Once outside, Twila saw a pony she hadn't met before, somepony named Wish. She appeared to be scribbling furiously on a notepad, pausing once in a while as if in deep thought.

 

Twila wandered over to her and gave a friendly yet hesitant wave. "Hi, Wish! I'm Twila. Sabel told me to meet you and her outside in the gardens...I guess she's not here yet..." she said in a rush, moving her hoof in a sweeping motion around her. "Whatcha scribbling down so fast, by the way?" 

Edited November 25, 2013 by Twila Starshimmer

[Umbreon 569]

Sabellah

 

@,@@Twila Starshimmer,

 

It took Sabel a few minutes to figure out where she was meeting Wish at, eventually settling on flying into the air to get a bird's eye view of the gardens.  As she flies down to land next to the mare, she's a little surprised that Twila managed to beat her out there.  Heh, guess that's what happens when I get lost.

 

The griffoness perches in the branch of one of the garden's trees above the two of them, leaning down to call out and let them know she was there.  "How's the investigation going, Wish?  Hehehe.  Hope you don't mind if Twila joins us on our little adventure, do ya?"

[Contrast 292]

@,(sorry I've been busy all day)

 

Hack was in the middle of finishing off his coffee, when he heard someone say something to him. "Morning, you been here long lad?"

 

He placed his coffee on the table and turned towards the voice. He was a little surprised to see it was a griffin, but remembered what the waiter had told him the day before. He should have remembered that at least one griffon would be roaming the hotel. He just hoped they weren't as bad as he was always lead to believe.

 

"Oh... Good morning, I've just been here long enough for a coffee." 

[The Elusive Cinder 1,328]

@@Twila Starshimmer,

 

"Oh, hey there!"

 

Wish hopped up to her hooves with a smile - just about remembering her manners this time. So far her introductions had been...not exactly flawless.

 

"Pleased to meet you Twila! " She said. "Yeah, I'm Wish but... you kind if already knew that. I was just writing up some notes on the mystery I'm investigating..."

 

@,

 

As if on cue, Sabel appeared, asking after the investigation in question - Wish beamed: it wasn't often that folks took an interest in what she was doing back on the farm - let alone had any faith in her to succeed at anything other than growing crops... and it was a griffon who was endorsing her! A real adventurer!

 

"I'll have it solved in no time! Nopony outsmarts me! Oh, and sure thing: the more the merrier... right?" She added.

[Mickey Taker 347]

@(OOC: Not to worry, I was likely asleep anyway)

 

"Ah, likewise," Golbez smiles at the pony before taking another gulp of his own coffee, turning his head back to face the earth pony.

From the pony's answer the griffon assumed he had just arrived at the hotel like himself...which was odd knowing he didn't seem him enter the hotel before him, or on the boat itself for that matter,"I mustn't have seen you on the boat last night, you didn't walk here did you?".

Raising a curious eyebrow, Golbez tilts his head somewhat as he looks at the blue pony.

Edited November 25, 2013 by Sparx

[Umbreon 569]

Sabellah

 

@,

 @@Twila Starshimmer,

 

"Ha, awesome."  Spreading her wings Sabel jumped down from her perch in the tree to land next to the two mares, grinning all the while.  "Well, I don't know about you girls, but I'm starving.  I'm ready to go see what's in this swamp."  

 

She starts walking towards the back of the gardens, towards a gate she remembered seeing last night.  She speaks as she walks, turning her head to look over her shoulder at the two of them.  "Oh yeah, that reminds me...  What are you hoping to see out there Wish?  I know ya said ya wanted to explore, but was there something in particular you were hoping to find out here?"

[Hive King 2,001]

Skuldaf's search for the bird stopped as he saw Sabellah. Perhaps he could follow her, see if she found any interesting wild life. More eyes meant more chances to find more wild life. Skuldaf walked into the garden, idly flicking his tail.

"Can I follow you?" Skuldaf asked, his voice bland

[dashian500 194]

Steel walked in the garden and seen a group of ponies and a griffon heading into the swamp -welliI had planned to explore anyways-steel thought so he flew over to them "hey mind if I join you " the dark grey Pegasus asked pulling the hood of his cloak down so they could see his light gray eyes and black mane with white tips

Edited November 25, 2013 by dashian500

[The Elusive Cinder 1,328]

@@Twila Starshimmer,
@,

@,

"Well there's a swamp..." Wish said as it it were the most obvious thing in the world. After a moment however, she thought better than to just leave it at that, and elaborated.

 

"I mean... swamps are always places that are good for adventure right? Well my brother's an adventurer: maybe I'll find him. Or maybe I'll just find some kind of adventure of my own! Either is fine by me! Anyway..."

 

Before she could say any more, they were interrupted by the bully from the day before, butting into the conversation! He was everywhere! Like a bad-bit that she just couldn't get rid of...