open The Final Expense: Wrath Of The Crystal Empire (Romance/Action/Drama)

[Charcoal Embers 169]

@@Paladin Butters,

 

Charcoal waved goodbye as well. She didn't know him, or who he was, or what he was, but she felt it was polite to wave to him. She began walking out of the port. "So where do we go from here?" Charcoal asked as they walked out of the port, ponies all around them clopping their way to wherever they needed to go.

[Paladin Butters 163]

"We have to return to Zexis Del Tor' and go into the Archives section of the Castle and put together the Charter." Gavin replied.

As the started to walk up the path, it began to get really quiet. "So... " Gavin said breaking the silence not knowing what to do. As they walked along the path.

[HigurSan 195]

@@Paladin Butters,

Having trotted along for a little bit, Stonewall decided to slow his pace to a canter. After all, he was no longer obligated to continue moving from place to place. So for a while he meandered up and down the town's streets and alleys, observing the daily life and practices of its denizens. He'd not often been able to associate with anyone for an extended period, due to his previous activities. Though not exactly an unsocial person, there'd simply never been enough time to form bonds. Here and there there might be a stallion or mare who would recognize him; perhaps a dozen or so across the entire Region of Bavik. But to everyone else, he had always been a well-mannered but soon forgotten vagrant.

 

Thus it was something like a full three hours before he finally approached the Town Hall. (Or whatever the equivalent building would happen to be inside of the Port.)  Checking the time of day by looking at the sky, he frowned. The thought of being bound by the time of day rankled him. His whole life, he'd never needed to be anywhere at any particular time. However, he knew that the rest of the world operated on schedules, which were foreign to him... This was going to be a hard transition.

 

His first intended course of action was to speak to the Port's Guard Captain. This was because the Captain would be one of the ponies who knew the most about what was going on in the community, especially in such a closely guarded town like Port Karin. Alas, Stonewall was at a disadvantage. He knew next to no one. Neither did he know where to find anyone. This along with his ignorance of social ettiquette in regard to the time of day meant: He didn't know his target, he couldn't easily find his target, and he was unaware of -when- to approach his target. With all this in mind, eventually he capitulated and approached on of the Town Guards and spoke to him.
 

"Ah, hello there," he'd say respectfully. "I've some... business in town here but haven't... well I've not been in this region before. I was wondering if perhaps I could speak to the local Guard's Captain. If... he's available that is."

[Paladin Butters 163]

@

 

The guard looked at the Citizen, "He's not available at the moment. He's still at Zexis Del Tor' for the conference they had earlier." The guard replied.

 

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The GigglingDonky

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The doors opened and ponies were silent as a stranger in a cloak walked in. He went straight to the main desk.

"I'd like to know where Nelrisk Del Tor' is." The Stranger asked the Bartender.

The Bartender gave the stranger an odd look. "Now listen here, I don't want to be causing problems." The Bartender replied.

 

The Stranger took his hood off, and The Bartender's eyes opened widely.

"it...I..uh" The Bartender replied.

The Stranger smiled slightly at the Bartender, then turned around and told everypony to get out of the Bar.

A stallion stood up, "Why, should we listen to you...." The Stallion complained.

The Stranger pulled out a gun and pointed it towards the Stallion.

"I have my own business here..." The Stranger replied.

The Stallion ran for it outside and other ponies followed.

 

"Now, where were we?... Benson.." The Stranger asked.

"Look. I'm not suppose to be alive, I can't blow my cover." The Bartender replied.

"If you don't tell me, you won't be alive." The Stranger demanded.

"He's with Kilmoth..." The Bartender replied.

The Stranger used the bottom of his gun and knocked out the Bartender. His head fell onto the counter top as The Stranger left the bar.

[Charcoal Embers 169]

@@Paladin Butters, @,

 

Charcoal smiled and began walking along. She had a rough idea of where she was going and kept herself busy with looking around now that she wasn't trying to follow somepony. She was about to talk to Gavin when they were approached by somepony. She did not know the pony, like everypony else in this place, but she felt different about this stallion. When she looked at him she actually blushed a bit. She never blushed. W-Why am I doing this? Charcoal thought to herself before looking at him again. "Um... h-hello..." Charcoal said timidly to the new stallion. Wow... great first impression.

[Paladin Butters 163]

@

 

Nichole awoke, she shot upwards in the bed. "MERALIS! NO!" Nichole said, as he hit her head on the top of the bed. She started to rub her head where she hit it. When a Doctor came into the room and noticed she was awake, he ran out of the room. "She's awake!" The Doctor screamed.

[Trevor Bright 872]

David walks up, still disguised as a doctor. "Careful, careful. You got knocked on the head pretty good. How are you feeling?" He kept his guard up. He knew it was absolutely silly, and it was as likely as not that the assassins would attack again, but he wasn't taking any chances...or maybe he was taking to big of a chance, using her for bait. He immiditely berrated himself. "What kind of friend are you? Was that Poe? Or am I losing it...again?" he wonders to himself.

[Paladin Butters 163]

@

 

Nichole was still rubbing her head "I'm fine. Where's my brother? He knows better then this!" She replied. Why would he end up joining him? she thought to herself. Nichole looked horrible, her mane was messed up and she was completely sad about her brother.

[Trevor Bright 872]

@

 

Nichole was still rubbing her head "I'm fine. Where's my brother? He knows better then this!" She replied. Why would he end up joining him? she thought to herself. Nichole looked horrible, her mane was messed up and she was completely sad about her brother.

A disguised David looks down remorsefully. "Your brother? The Senator? I'm sorry, but you and Sarah are the only Senator's left. All the others died. The changeling assassins killed them. The only other one that could be alive is Zachary. He is currently MIA."

[HigurSan 195]

@@Paladin Butters, @@Charcoal Embers,

"Ah," he sighed. "That's a shame. I sorely need information regarding this area and its dangers. Don't want to stumble into something that I'm not aware of and meet a sad end because of it." He turned his head and looked at Charcoal. His expression was kept strictly neutral, but his eyes gained a faint glimmer. He would step forward light and give a shallow bow. "Hello madam," he'd greet her cooly. "It is a true pleasure to make your acquaintance. My name is... well I suppose that I would be called Stone. If it would not be rude to ask a small favor, might I ask what your name is?" He may have been a social introvert and endlessly alone, but his mother had beaten manners into him until they were chisselled into his mind like commandments into stone.

[Charcoal Embers 169]

@, @@Paladin Butters,

 

Charcoal smiled at Stone and looked up at him with a slight blush still on her face. "Well... h-hello Stone... it is n-nice to meet you as w-well..." Charcoal said. Come on! Stop messing this up. He is just a pony. An amazingly... cute pony... Charcoal thought to herself before coming back and remembering that she had been asked a question. "Oh... um... m-my name is C-Charcoal... Embers..."

[HigurSan 195]

@@Charcoal Embers,

"Charcoal Embers," he said mostly to himself, rolling the name around in his head. Honestly, it was the first name he'd learned in maybe a year or so. It'd always been pointless when one was on the road as often as he was. He looked into her eyes and gave a small charming smile. "Seems that my decision to come down this stretch of road will have more pleasent surprises than I anticipated." Looking around the town, he took a passing glance at several passing ponies. "Quite the place that's been made here," he'd comment. "Nothing at all like where I was born. At least it appears so, as there's a copious lack of marauding bandits." He glance back at her and wink in jest.

[Charcoal Embers 169]

@,

 

Charcoal giggled a bit at Stone's joke before stopping herself slowly and realizing what she was doing. She never giggled. She sometimes laughed or chuckled, but she never giggled. This was a bit strange to her, but she pushed those thoughts to the back of her mind and looked around with Stone. "Yes... it is quite the place isn't it?" Charcoal said as her eyes drifted to Stone once again.

[Paladin Butters 163]

@

 

Nichole gave the doctor a confused look. "My Brother isn't dead, his name is Meralis.. I haven't seen him in years."

 

Sarah stopped crying and looked at Nichole "Meralis, where was he?" She asked.

"I think he follows the Savage now, sister." Nichole replied. Sarah had a face of disbelief.

 

 

~~~~~~~

Gavin

~~~~~~~

 

Gavin heard Charcoal giggle, then he rolled his eyes. Gavin seemed confused at the conversation at hand. She's in love, oh boy. He thought.

Edited April 4, 2014 by Paladin Butters

[HigurSan 195]

@@Charcoal Embers,

He walked forward a step or two and shifted his cape so that it would rest more comfortably. "Indeed," he said softly. "I remember something my mother told me once. She said that all places used to be like this, happy and at peace. Thing's weren't always perfect, but ponies didn't have to live with fear or suspicion." He place all of his hooves down and looked to the ground. His cloak shifted slightly in the breeze and wave back and forth. Then the moment was over and he looked back to her. "So then... have you plans to travel perhaps? I've some business in town but after... I haven't really set anything else up in due honesty." He laughed self conciously and rubbed the side of his head with one hoof.

[Charcoal Embers 169]

@,

 

Charcoal smiled at Stone before looking at the ground at her hooves. "Well... I... it is a bit much, but... I am going to get a charter right now so that I can... well... I guess become ruler of this place." Charcoal said, hoping she wasn't about to scare him off. As the wind blew at the two of them and Stone's cape billowed in the air she was able to get a better look at him. And the sight of him made her blush a bit more. Celestia he is handsome.

[Mirage X Dash 27]

Mirage trotted into Nicole's room saying, "What happened, what did I miss? Oh she's awake, well that's good to know, how are you holding up David?" He asked with a concerned look, "have you gotten any sleep lately? If not then you should. I'll take watch for you." Mirage said with a smile

 

@The Author

Edited April 4, 2014 by Mirage X Dash

[HigurSan 195]

@@Charcoal Embers,

When her words finally registered in his head, he -almost- freaked out. While he was not what one would call 'emotionally insecure', running into a potential threat so early on spooked him. What's worse, this mare was actually quite nice and he wasn't sure what'd he'd do if the two of them ever came to conflict. After a second, his composure re-asserted itself over his mind. All the while it'd have looked like he was taking a quiet moment to reflect on what she'd said. "Ah, a Charter," he'd say with a nod. "Well if first impressions hold, you should do a magnificent job. Though I imagine that it'd be a little overwhelming to have such a thing sprung on sudden notice."

[Charcoal Embers 169]

@,

 

Charcoal chuckled a bit. She knew exactly what he ment by it being sprung on her. "Yeah... it was very sudden. I mean, ever since I woke up this morning in the hospital things have been moving so quickly. Just one thing after another. Then I just suddenly become ruler. I didn't want it at first, but then this mare I had met before... she came right in and took the position right there. I just... I couldn't let her have it. There is just something about her... I just don't trust her."

[Paladin Butters 163]

~~~~~~~~~~

The Keep

~~~~~~~~~~

 

Nichole was starting to feel woozy and she had a flash back.

 

"Sister." Meralis asked

Nichole awoke in sweat. "Brother??" She asked.

"It's okay Sister, I have a way to earn Father's trust." Meralis replied.

Sarah looked around her and saw nothing but darkness.

 

Nichole jumped out of her flash back.

"Brother..." She said as a tear went down her face.

[HigurSan 195]

@@Charcoal Embers,

He nodded and glanced over her, memorizing her image in his mind. A plan had begun to form inside of his head. He'd need allies right and she seemed to only take her position because the other option was suspicious... so this could work out in his favor. If things worked out a certain way, he'd never have to go against her. Even if he did, helping her night could very well soften the consequences later. "Well, that just means that you have good character. Sometimes it's easier to do the wrong thing, but you didn't... Can I... offer you a beverage or a snack? It'd be a nice opportunity to get out into the shade."

[Charcoal Embers 169]

@,

 

Charcoal smiles a bit more at Stone. If she smiled much more she would be in danger of ripping her face or just having it fall off. "While that is very sweet of you, but I think I will have to pass on that. I really should get going. Would you like to come with me to get my charter signed?"

 

((OOC: Bedtime Everyone.))

[HigurSan 195]

@@Charcoal Embers,

"Of course," he agreed. "I'm free until the Captain of the Guard returns, so I would be more than willing to accompany you. Perhaps we shall meet some interesting ponies in the process." His shifted his cloak again so that it would be more comfortable while walking and stepped beside her, so that she might take the lead.

[Charcoal Embers 169]

@, @@Paladin Butters,

 

Charcoal smiled and looked over at Gavin to make sure he was still there. "Sorry for the delay. But we can continue going... wherever it is we are going. And it looks like we are bringing a guest if that is okay." Charcoal said a bit hopeful that Stone would be able to come.

[Trevor Bright 872]

~~~~~~~~~~

The Keep

~~~~~~~~~~

 

Nichole was starting to feel woozy and she had a flash back.

 

"Sister." Meralis asked

Nichole awoke in sweat. "Brother??" She asked.

"It's okay Sister, I have a way to earn Father's trust." Meralis replied.

Sarah looked around her and saw nothing but darkness.

 

Nichole jumped out of her flash back.

"Brother..." She said as a tear went down her face.

David had excused himself and found a place to shape shift back in to himself. He ran in to the room."Nichole! Oh, you're awake! After they knocked you out, well. I thought I was going to lose it, but then they just disappeared." Seeing the tears on her face, he rushes to her side. "Are you alright?"