private 1x1 Traveling Equestria with the Sun and Moon

[Mr. Critical 434]

A large mountan range, a desert wasteland, a lake, the town itself, and the desert in between it all..."

Luna and Geoff discussed the masks location. Aaron and Celestia spoke at the bed.

"Aaron. Did you notice the ponies here. They seemed..."
"Tired?"

"Yes, but some what more than that. As if they haven't slept in the past few days."

"I don't know. We could ask around town to see whats up."

[Delernil 952]

'Maybe we can get information from the ponies here who traveled to those locations. If they found anything suspicious, we can go there.' Geoff suggested. He figured the could check every major location. 'We might be able to find it without going to all the places.' He added. He figured the ponies traveled.

[Mr. Critical 434]

They all nodded in agreement. Aaron and Celestia went looking through the town and Geoff and Luna did the same. They agreed they would meet back at the hotel within an hour with what ever information they had collected. Thus the hunt for the mask begun in Dodge Junction.

[Delernil 952]

Luna and Geoff walked towards some tired looking ponies. Geoff awkwardly greeted them.

 

'Were searching for an object. We think its around...here.' He said, pointing to the lake on a map. 'Seen anything odd or unusual about that area?' He asked, hoping for anything that could help.

[Mr. Critical 434]

The pony glanced at the paper in a tired way. Trying to get a clear view of the map. He shook his head and went back to his work.

"Well, that was informative."

She said in a dull tone.

Aaron and Celestia were not having any luck as well. Clestia did the talking.

"Excuse me. We are searching for an artifact. Has there been any strange activity around here of any kind you could tell us about."

The mare looked to Celestia in a daze. Tired from the lack of sleep. She searched her tired mind and came to a conclusion.

"No pony has been getting much sleep."

"We figured that much."

"Oh. Then not really."

That was about as informative as last time.

[Delernil 952]

Geoff sighed as the walked away. 'Every ody seems so...dead. Tired. Wonder why...' He said as he walked up to another stallion. They were met with the same shrug. Then another shrug. And another. And more shrugs.

 

Geoff let out a tired and defeated sigh. 'We've asked nearly everyone. I'm sure Celestia and Aaron got the others. What is up with these ponies?' He said agitated. He folded the map up and slipped it into his pocket. 'I guess we should go find the your sister and Aaron.' He said

Edited February 6, 2014 by Sad Larry

[Mr. Critical 434]

Aaron and Celestia were tired. It had only been an hour and they felt like they trudged through the desert and back.

"My hooves are killing me."
"My head is throbbing."

"I'm in a coat of fur. Do you know how hot I am."

"I want to make a sexy joke, but... to tired."

They laid there for a minute waiting for the two to return.

"Well, at least we got something to go on."
It was only about a mine shaft and its been part of the town for so long, it could be crazy superstition."
"Well it was something to go on, Celestia."
"From a crazy pony."

"Still."

[Delernil 952]

Geoff and Luna walked towards the meeting point. Geoff noticed the two and waved. He ran over to them.

 

'Hey. You guys get anything? We got nothing. All the ponies here are...tired...something seems off. Anyway, we got nothing.' Geoff admitted, looking defeated.

[Mr. Critical 434]

Celestia greeted the two on the bed. Bringing a hoof up to greet them. 

"Well, we have one lead. But its flimsy as a bridge of tooth picks. We have a legend of a mine shaft. We heard it from a crazy dodger. After we found him eating plastic spoons with a rock."

Celestia gave a giggle at how odd that sentence and the way Aaron told it.

[Delernil 952]

Geoff laughed at that. 'At least it's something.' He said as he took out the map. He unfolded it as placed it down. 'So where is this mineshaft? I'd assume it would be on the outskirts of town, or in the hills.' Geoff asked. He walked around the map. He noticed something.

 

'Hey. The mountains and river make an arrow! The mask might be at the tip!' He said excitedly as he traced his fingers over the mountains and river.

[Mr. Critical 434]

"How the hell did we miss that."
"Don't know. Don't care. Must rest hooves."

Luna looked to the two and rolled her eyes.

"Truly they are made for each other."

luna remarked.

"Funny, Aaron and I say the same about you two."

"We can go in a minute. Now we rest."
"But we-"

"Rest."

"Theres a good chance tha-"

"Reeeeessst."

"Stop being a foal and lis-"

"Reeeeeeeeeeeeeeessssssssssssss...t"

"Can't argue with that logic, Luna."

[Delernil 952]

Geoff sat back with the others. He looked over the map again. 'Its all about shapes...' He mumbled. He sighed and folded the map up. He slipped it into his pockets and closed his eyes. 'Im ready to rest.' He chuckled. Minutes passed. He sighed and picked himself up.

 

'If we don't get going now we'll never set there today.' He laughed as he stretched and got ready.

[Mr. Critical 434]

The team was now rested and ready to take on whatever they may find. Aaron was up with Celestia and Luna was with Geoff.

"Allrighty then. Lets go do... what ever it is we do to find this mask."
"We check the mind shaft, Aaron. Simple as that."

"Okay then, Celestia has given the objective... again. Lets find this thing and move on."

[Delernil 952]

The group marched on to the mountain. It was the most likely place to find the mine shaft. Geoff flipped his quarter as he walked alongside Luna, Aaron and Celestia trailing behind. Geoff turned to Luna. 'Hey Luna, do you know anything about this area?' He asked, surveying the area around him. 'Everything seems pretty bad here.'

[Mr. Critical 434]

"We do not. However. This place is not of natural formation. Everything seems... bleaker here. As if the land just gave up."
She was right. Aaron could feel the somber tone of the land. It was a happiness vacuum. Devoid of all cheer.

"Celestia. What exactly are we in for?"
"If my research is correct, the defenses of each artifact is connected with its abilities. So the mask will defend itself by showing our deepest fears."
"Oh. Well... okay then."

[Delernil 952]

Geoff brain froze at that thought. He wondered. What was his biggest fear? Games not existing? Not having worked at Chickentooth? He shook his head and trained his eyes forward as he marched on silently. The thought nagged at him but he did his best to ignore it. He wished Gavin was here.

[Mr. Critical 434]

The four walked into a dark mine shaft. Before them lay two paths.

"Well, this is where we split up. Celestia, any advice before we part?"
"Stick to each other. Do not separate. What ever you see are merely illusions. They cannot hurt you unless you allow them to."

With Luna illuminating her horn, she and Geoff took the door on the right.

"I guess it's just you and me now, Celestia. Shall we."
The two took the left door, guided by Celestia's light.

[Delernil 952]

Geoff creaked open te door. Luna's light cast down a stairwellpresumably leading to other parts of the mine. He nervously stepped down. 'Shall we?' He said as he began to slowly inch down the stairs, Luna's light allowin him to see. He clenched the quarter. E chuckled a bit. He had become very attached to it for an unknown reason. He walked downte stairs as he heard Luna follow him.

[Mr. Critical 434]

Celestia and Aaron walked down their hallway along some old mine cart tracks. He wanted to make a minecraft joke, but it would have flown over his friends head. They were in an unbelievable amount of tension. Slowly rising as they continued on their journey.

[Delernil 952]

Geoff came to the bottom of the stairs. There was a hallway that seemed to stretch far beyond where he could see. Luna came trotting behind him, her horn glowing. He stepped Into the hallway and looked around. Above, a small bridge made of wood and stone connected the two sides. There was a door to the right. Caustiously, he stepped through it and was met with darkness. 'Luna...come here.' He said as he poked his head out of the door.

[Mr. Critical 434]

Luna did as he asked and went to his side. She shown the her light into the door to find a hallway that went on forever.

"Well. Lets make haste to find our quarry."
The two began to walk in with Luna's light to see.

"Uh, Geoff. A-Are you by chance a bit of this place frightened?"

[Delernil 952]

Geoff walked forward. 'To be honest, sort of. I don't know why, but these are always in video games that I play. That just...gives me comfort I guess.' He admitted. 'Well, and someone by my side.' He added. He walked along for a minute before coming to another fork. 'This thing is a maze...' He mumbled. 'Wait. Luna, did you ring the journal? It might have the instructions coded inside.'

[Mr. Critical 434]

"Uh... T-Tia... has it."

She was ashamed of her folly. How could she have made such a mistake. Tears swelled up in her eyes with shame.

"I-I;m sorry, Geoff. I truly am."

She tried to hold her sorrow back in front of her friend.
"G-Geoff. Could you forgive my folly. Just this once."

[Delernil 952]

Geoff saw his friend tearing up. 'Why would I be mad? You gave it to her so she could use it. She'd do the same, I'm sure.' Geoff said with a shrug. 'We'll just have to go ahead. It's too late to get the journal back.'

 

Geoff sighed. 'Ill take the right. I'll meet you back in 15 minutes. Go as far as possible before turning back, ok?' He said with the first noticeable worry in his voice.

[Mr. Critical 434]

"No! I mean, no. Please don't leave me."

She got up from her self pity.

"I don't want to be alone. Please stay with me."
Luna was showing her fear to him. Not just the fear of this place, but fear of losing her only friend to the endless void. She didn't want to loose him in this labyrinth of fear.