open Living in the free world.

[Demirari 454]

@,

"Gentle Secret, you might wanna release the shield, there seems to be somepony that wants to be in here, and its a griffon to boot," Cryptical Code spoke, alerting his companion, whom was now looking up.

Blinking a bit, she released the shield, completely, it appears that the storm had lifted. Which was always good in her opinion, that means more exploration, and exploration means learning. Though a single line of thought had ran through her mind, exactly why was a griffon doing here? And why didn't Cryptical Code give her some direction to follow, which allowed sound to pass through the shield, so he could probably ask the griffon why, instead of telling her to release the shield? So many questions, but she putted away her tome into her saddlebag and stood up. 

[Vinyl Scratch. 604]

Stardust awoke to the sound of an alarm clock. He moaned reaching over to turn it off. "Ugh, 10:30 already?" He said, still half asleep. He sat up on the side of the bed for a minute before deciding to get up remembering he had stuff to do. He quickly got ready, quickly showering and heading down to the lobby to pay for his room for the night before heading out. He walked a few blocks before coming across a cafe. "Eh, it ain't exactly my style, but I don't think there's many nightclubs open at this time." He read the sign above the door 'Canterlot central cafe' He walked in hoping in the hope they had something decent on the menu. He sat down at the table waiting to be waited.

[Child Of Darkness 285]

Caras found the hospital he was looking for, but the building was right next to a cafe, and a coffee was one thing that would really do Caras some good.

 

"Canterlot central cafe, seems to be a decent place. Hope they sell good coffee."

 

Caras walked into the cafe and took a seat on an empty table next to the window and ordered his coffee, at the same time staying on full alert for city guards and other ponies.

[Vinyl Scratch. 604]

Stardust noticed a vibrant alicorn enter the cafe, still half asleep he thought he was seeing things. He wasn't use to alicorns from where he lived, especially male ones. He wiped his eyes, still staring at the stallion trying to see if he really was an alicorn.

After deciding that his brain was in a functioning state and that the pony he saw was in fact an alicorn, he went back the meal he had gotten. Hay-bacon and a cupcake. He had had worse meals in his life but still didn't know why he ordered such a weird mix of food. 

[LittleRawr 679]

" Wake up."

 

Cleo felt somepony prod her shoulder. She gave a snort of surprise, and slowly blinked open her eyes.

 

The librarian was standing there, with a very displeased look on her face. Behind her, Cleo could see that the sun had risen.

 

" I didn't sleep her all night, did I?" She gave the librarian a sheepish smile.

 

The mare only responded with pointing her hoof to the door.

 

Rolling her eyes, Cleo slid out of her chair and grabbed her guitar before trotting out the door.

 

Hm, where should I go next? Cleo pondered as she walked in the streets of Canterlot. In the corner of her eye, she spotted a cafe. Her stomach growled at the same time.

 

Guess I'll go there. She shrugged, and walked into the cafe.

 

The first thing that she spotted was the alicorn casually sitting there. Cleo raised an eyebrow, but decided not to comment on it. Better be careful, just in case. The earth pony ordered a rather large breakfast, and opted to sit near the back of the cafe, in the meanwhile keeping a careful eye on the alicorn.  

[Vinyl Scratch. 604]

Stardust stared at the meal that had been put in front of him for a good minute or two before deciding it wasn't going to turn into something more appetizing.

Stardust look up as the door swung open seeing a guitar weilding mare enter the cafe, his eyes following her as she made her way across the cafe towards a table near the back of the cafe. At first stardust didn't give the mare a second glance, he went back and began to eat his meal.

[Mr. Critical 434]

The train ride was a long one. Celestia an Aaron slept for most of the time but they were at least on their way to the destination. The two were in the dining car, enjoying their breakfast together. Celestia would tell Aaron about her days in the castle before they had left and he would listen to every word of it. After breakfast, the two went back to the cart. Celestia trying to find what they were after and Aaron was on her bed. Suddenly Celestia called her over.

"Aaron. Can you come here please."

Aaron did as she asked.
"What'cha got."
"I managed to decipher more of the journal and found what we are looking for. Its called 'The Healer's Ruby." It used to belong to a doctor who was skilled in healing magic. It is said that the wielder will be immune from all ailments."
"Well, I don't see how either of us would find that useful."

Celestia giggled.

"But I thought you wanted adventure."

"I did. I wanted adventure with you. I was hoping the prize was a little more exciting."
Celestia dah a grin on her face, giving a giggle at her thoughts.

"Well, if you wanted a prize, I think I know something you can do to win one."

[Fire Bomb 121]

Midnight Gaze woke up the next morning, and went outside his tent. He saw it was snowing, a lot, and realized now he really needed to find the library. He packed up his things, and started looking again, but with the snow everywhere, he couldn't even see a few feet in front of him. Midnight decided to go to the first place he knew where it was, Canterlot Castle, hoping they would be able to shelter him from the storm, and maybe even tell him where the library was. After a bit of crawling through snow, he found the castle. He walked up to the front door and started banging on it. "Hello!" he shouted, "is anybody in there, its cold out here and I cant think of anywhere else to go!"

[Mr. Critical 434]

The two slept in the bed the rest of the ride to Hollow Shades. They would be there within minutes. Aaron awoke first and found his love sleeping next to him. He got up and went go find something to eat. A snack. Maybe some cake. This was Celestia's train so there shouldn't be a shortage of cake in the kitchen. He reached the dining cart and found that somepony was expecting him. On the table was a slice of cake for the both of them in a plastic lid covering. He could tell one was for him. Sitting at the table he was about to remove the cover but something swatted his hand away. Looking to his left he found a maid.

"You are not to touch until the Princess comes to join."
"But I-"
"Not to touch."
Aaron wasn't going to argue. It was near impossible to manipulate the help around the castle. Maybe a new member but the veterans are near impossible to bend to his will. He went to go and join Celestia once more who was still asleep.

[Child Of Darkness 285]

Caras was finishing off his drink when he noticed the earth pony giving him a look. People paying attention to him was the last thing that he wanted. Caras finished of his drink and then cast a spell, filling the cafe with thick, black somke. During the confusion Caras left the cafe and move into the hospital.

 

Once Caras was inside the hospital he pulled the same trick again, creating a smoke screen and stole enough medication to last them a few months.

 

This also cause the City to set of its alarm system and guards came rushing to Caras.

 

"Looks like I will be fighting my way home."

[Mr. Critical 434]

The train came to a halt with a screech of the meta wheels on the tracks. Celestia and Aaron came out to view the destination.They were at the foot of a large and thick forest. In the distance they could see the Foal Mountains. Celestia put on a disguise as to not bring to much attention. Her wings vanished and her mane changed to a familiar shade of pink. The two began to walk. The forest was thick with trees. Sun light was barely making it past the foliage. But it was bright enough to see.

"You think Luna is okay taking care of Canterlot while we're gone?"
"Lulu will be fine. She and I have watched over it for years. And I have been doing it alone for over a thousand. Luna can handle a few days alone."
With that they continued to walk. Celestia telling her occasional dirty jokes. Where she picks these up, Aaron will never know. Maybe she hears them by listening to her off duty guards. It was logical. They walked for a few more minutes and came to a town. The town of Hollow Shades. They went to the local inn to rent a room. Normally a tall white unicorn would turn a few head, but the bipedal creature accompanying her brought the attention. Celestia got the room for them and Aaron brought their luggage to it.

[Gloomfury 243]

Rag Stitch made his way though the bustling streets of Canterlot or the first time in his life. He hold his carrier that hold his rag doll best friend, Dishcloth, in it a little closer. Which calmed him down a little.  The times that he dose that is when he started to get a little nervous, or hungry. And from the sound of his stomach it was a little of both. So while staying close to the wall he walked around to look for  place that he could get something to eat. When he reached a cafe that had some really good smelling food. He looks through the window at the menu. He checks his bits and sees that he doesn't have enough. He was even more hungry now. And when he got like that he just watch other ponies eat and thinks that he is them. His eyes go over to a large delicious and a very pretty mare who was eating it. But his eye mostly lingered on her. @@LittleRawr,

[Drago Ryder 641]

Tempest sighed as he floated on the clouds. "If only this could last forever." He thought, as he felt a swift chill. "I should be heading back." The cyan pegesus then descended from the sky and landed in Canterlot. He then trotted into a restaurant and ordered a simple meal.

 

Xena sighed as he drifted through Tempest's mind. He thought something was slightly odd about the snow storm, but he couldn't tell what exactly.

[Vinyl Scratch. 604]

"Hey, what in the name of Celestia?..." Stardust was confused as to what was going on. The cafe he had been sitting at was now engulfed in thick black smoke. He tried to push to the nearest exit, bumping into a few ponies on the way, but he had already inhaled a lot of smoke, passing out halfway through the doorway where he got trampled by other ponies desperate to escape the chaos.

[Mr. Critical 434]

Aaron and Celestia were setting up their research station in the hotel room. Celestia setting up the research station and Aaron went out to go and gather some food for later. Celestia was reading through the books to see if she could get the location of the ruby. She was close to finding its location and soon she and Aaron would add it to the others.

[LittleRawr 679]

 

 

Caras finished of his drink and then cast a spell, filling the cafe with thick, black somke.

 

Cleo saw that the alicorn was starting to cast a spell, and was about to yell out a warning, but it was too late. Her eyes watered from the smoke that filled the rather small cafe.

 

I have to get out somehow, I can't see in this stupid smoke! Cleo coughed. She could hear ponies screaming, and followed the general direction of the noise. After several bumps into the furniture, she was finally free.

 

Cleo leaned against a nearby lamp post, still coughing and wheezing. She caught sight of @@Gloomfury, Rag Stitch standing outside the cafe.

 

" Did you see where that alicorn went?" Cleo gasped, still struggling for air. 

[Gloomfury 243]

@@LittleRawr,

 Rag looks around to see if she was talking to someone else that was next to him or behind him. When he didn't see anyone he found out that she was talking to him. He started to get a little nervous again cause ponies don't talk to him a lot, let alone mares. He cleared his throat a little. "N-no... what's an alicorn?" With him being sheltered most of his life he never leaned what an alicorn is.

[LittleRawr 679]

@@Gloomfury,

 

Cleo gave him an incredulous look. " Y'know, alicorns?" She took a moment to cough again. " The same race of the ponies who raise the sun and the moon?" She shook her head in disbelief. " Fine, a pony that has a horn and wings. That bastard cast a smoke spell, and I'm not going to let him go just like that." 

[Child Of Darkness 285]

Caras was caught in a sword fight in the hospital with Royal guards, they where tougher then he had thought, combining that wish his lack of strength, Caras had but one option. Fire. Caras set the hospital on fire, the blaze spread like wild, burning everything and everyone one inside. Caras himself made it out with only minor burns, luckly his armour took the brunt of the fire.

 

Weather

Minor snow storm

[Drago Ryder 641]

Tempest sensed a familiar aura near by, and wasn't exactly to pleased. He then noticed a few other ponies talking, and shook his head. "Ki wouldn't advise that if I were you." He said. "That alicorn is stronger than you think.

 

Xena sighed. "Well, there goes our peace and quiet." He thought to himself.

[Gloomfury 243]

@@LittleRawr,

 Rag's eyes go wide. "They do?! I though the sun and moon rose by themselves. How do they do it? With some kind of pulley system?" He sits down when he has to think. He picks up his rag doll and looks at her. "What do you think Dishcloth? .... yeah, they would need a lot of rope to do that." He look back to the mare. "Do you know how they do it?"

[Mr. Critical 434]

Aaron had come back from the shops. Covered in snow and holding food.

"Hey, Tia. I got some food for the next two days. I also managed to ask around town to see if there has been any odd occurrences. Like healing water or anypony selling miracle cures. They all said no. But the only thing ponies talk about is an oddity in the forest. No idea what that is."
"It doesn't matter. We will investigate in the morning of this oddity. For now, lets just relax, my body is stiff from the confines of the train. Lets just walk around town for now."

"As you wish my princess."

"Oh, why thank you fare Knight."

The two left the inn and began to walk around the town. Celestia still disguised.

[RaptorJaysus 178]

@@Demirari, 

Gareth shook himself off. Just as quickly as the snow had ceased, it had started again. "Thank you. You're probably wondering why I'm here, aren't you? Well let's just put it this way, I was just flying around Canterlot, and this storm just picked up. I thought it best to find some shelter. This snowstorm was worse than the ones we get back home. Say, I know this sounds strange, but do you have any vodka on you?" The griffon looked around, seeing how comfortable the cave was, looking for vodka... "Oh, I haven't even introduced myself yet. My name's Gareth. Gareth Barskovska. And what might be your name?" Gareth saw a mare standing further back in the cave. "And you name too, fine mare?"

[Demirari 454]

@,

"Noir is my name," Cryptical Code replied without hesitation. He doesn't give his real name easily. Else, he would probably be dead now. Then he continued, after hearing what the griffon had asked, "And vodka? We don't have it in this cave." The only alcoholic beverage was a large bottle of champagne. And that was limited to special occasions.

"My name is Gentle Secret, pleasure to meet you," Gentle Secret greeted herself as she walked to the front of the cave. "You can stay here for the time being, since the snow storm had picked up." Much to the displeasure of her companion. Then her horn glowed, a magical wall was formed at the entrance. Less thicker and can be passable if one is sense enough.

[Mr. Critical 434]

The two walked through the soft pelting of the snow. Both slushing through the thick blanket. Tia was rubbing against Aaron's brown jacket. The two reached the market that Aaron was at to see if there was any sweets. They looked through the place and searched and after a minute of searching, Aaron found a dark chocolate cake freshly made. Celestia was beaming. She made her purchase and they made their way to the room. They'll eat it after dinner. Until then they'll just wander around town.