private That Shrinking Feeling

[Scribblegroove 565]

Scribblegroove just waited and watch as things slowly started to escalate. It hit him only now in how much danger they were, and that they shouldn't be bickering between themselves if they wanted to survive. He nodded at the Pegasus stallion that had found his way towards them, and ignored his badly concealed smile. He had been laughed a more than enough today. He heard Blaze suggest Twilight Sparkle to help them.

 

"And how do you suggest we get there? In our current size the library is miles away... We need to hope for somepony to trot by so we can attract their attention. In the meantime we need to get somewhere safe. I don't like the idea of being eaten by a spider... Or stung by a bee."

 

He remembered that he was completely covered in pollen. Hopefully he didn't attract any bees. If he did he would have a big problem. He made his way to the magnifying glass and inspected it. "If I remember my spells correctly I might be analyse if this magnifying glass is magical, and thus if it indeed caused our selves to shrink..." He paused and gave the others an uncertain look. "But it's been ages since I learned those spells... I don't know if it'll work."

Edited May 2, 2014 by Scribblegroove

[I used to be a stranger 7,993]

"I don't think the Library is that far..." said Blaze, optimistically, trying not to look the white mare in the eye. He cantered over to a small rock and stood bravely. "It's still morning, and a few miles would only take an hour or two. If we keep to the sides of streets, it wouldn't be more than just a scenic hike!" He looked back, hoping to see some encouraged faces. "Besides. I've met Princess Twilight Sparkle before. She's a genius! She'll know what to do."

Edited May 3, 2014 by Blue

[Delernil 952]

Traveller shrugged.

 

'We should go. Even if it takes a long time, we might find something to help us...or maybe another pony this size, who knows?' he said, voicing his opinion on the whole stay/go. 

 

'Its not like we have any other leads. If we know a way to solve this, we should use it right away.'

[Kay Dreamer 884]

Kay Dreamer quickly stumbled back a few paces as Scribblegroove started looking a little too intently at the magnifying glass. It had frayed her nerves enough when Blaze had been bumping into it.

 

"Aaaaaaah, don't touch it! It it goes off again we might all end up the size of dust motes!" She glanced apologetically at Scribblegroove then at Blaze, trying her hardest to calm herself. He may have been putting on a brave face, but she could tell Blaze seemed really guilty. "It's not really your fault," she sighed. "You can't have known it was magic."

 

If she was honest with herself, Kay Dreamer didn't particularly want to go find Princess Twilight. Being a Crystal Unicorn travelling alone outside the Empire elicited enough awkward questions from ordinary ponies, and Twilight had actually been there. She and her friends had fought against and defeated Sombra... Kay Dreamer shook her head. Now was not the time for brooding or guilt, and Blaze was right; Princess Twilight was their best bet for turning back to normal. Scribblegroove's comment about being eaten by a spider made her shiver in fear, desperate to get out of the meadow. Taking a deep breath, she moved and stood beside Blaze.

 

"I think Blaze is right. We should try to make it to Ponyville. I really don't want to be out here after dark."

[I used to be a stranger 7,993]

"I guess it's settled, then!" said Blaze, putting his best-sounding enthusiasm forward. "To the Library!" he exclaimed with gusto, taking a step. "And look on the bright side! With what's happened so far, things can't get--" *THWACK!*

Blaze was slammed face-down into the dirt by a droplet of water the size of his head, before the bead of rain rolled off his back and was absorbed into the ground. With my face buried, at least I don't have to see how dumb they probably think I look. he thought.

 

*KRAC-KABOOM!*

A long rolling rumble of thunder sounded through the sky, as rain droplets began to pour, and with increasing frequency. The ponies took shelter under the cover of larger leaves.

"I regret saying cliche things that always make bad things happen in stories." said Blaze. "Let's just see if we can head back towards town, first."

 

The sky quickly grew thick and dark, covering everything in a dark wet blanket. Beads of water rolled off and around plants, directly into the ground, making small mud-pots the ponies had to avoid stepping in. Some of the flowers began to bend under the weight of the precipitation.

The brown stallion lead on about half way around the pond, until suddenly he stopped, with ears fully pointed.

"Look out!" Blaze whipped around, his eyes wide with terror, ran towards a small gathering of reeds and jumped between the leaves, in an attempt to hide. Less than a yard away, a large brown and black snake slithered into the dim grey light of the pond. Much of its body still hid in the green shadows of the tall grass. Each of its eyes were nearly as large as each of their torsos. Its tongue flicked in and out, sniffing the moist air. Its head gently turned towards the other four ponies, eying them greedily.

 

~~~~~Turn 3~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Player Actions

Snake!

Hide! Think of a plan to fight or flee!

Edited May 3, 2014 by Blue

[Delernil 952]

Traveller turned to walk with Blaze before he saw the snake. Panicking, he jumped to the side as he pushed himself with his wings. Everything seemed alot scarier when the animals that you could hold are now 10 times bigger than you.  He moved through the grass quickly, trying to find the others. He was sure the snake was following his path, but if the three could get back together after going every which way then maybe they wouldnt get lost.

[Kay Dreamer 884]

Kay Dreamer was thoroughly miserable. She was cold. She was wet. Everything was muddy. In fact, she was so caught up in her own despondency that she didn't notice the snake until she'd almost walked into it. Frozen in place, she looked up to see a pair of slanted narrow eyes boring down into her own wide, fearful ones. Kay couldn't say how long it was she stood there. The word 'petrified' floated to the surface of her mind, from an old storybook she used to love...

 

She snapped back to reality just as the snake struck. Shrieking, she threw up the strongest shield spell she could. She felt the weight of the snake bounce off the top of her spell before the magic buckled and she was running for her life. Darting under a large dead leaf, she tried to make herself as small as possible, feeling vulnerable and terrified.

 

"The one time in my life when I'm not carrying a flute..." she cried to herself in a tiny voice.

Edited May 3, 2014 by Kay Dreamer

[Rainbow Eclipse 3,927]

Anala turned around. "Where'd everyone go?" she asked. She went to try and catch up with them, when she saw a terrifying snake lunge at Kay!

 

She jumped back in surprise. She had been through the Everfree Forest before and just casually walked past snakes but now, they were ten times her size! She decided to play the hero and attack. She put on a look of determination, angrily jumped towards the snake and punched it right in the face. I think I just ticked that snake off bigtime... she thought worriedly.

Edited May 3, 2014 by Blue Eclipse

[Scribblegroove 565]

As they walked down the edge of the pond, Scribblegroove had been mocking a little at first. They would surely walk into trouble now. And the rain that blaze had jinxed along didn't make it any better. In fact, it made the situation even more dangerous. Tiny critters would rather come out in a humid, rainy environment than a dry, sunny one. Muttering to himself, and unwillingly following the group, he eventually found a way to distract himself...

 

Obsessed with music as he was, Scribblegroove pretty much didn't do anything else. So when he wanted to distract himself, he'd usually write a song. And this environment gave him plenty of inspiration. The creepy, dangerous rainforest that his under the seemingly harmless blanket of grass. Size mattered. The slight fear inside him gave another hue to the color of his inspiration, and eventually a song began to take shape.

 

http://grooveshark.com/s/Free+Willy/2vpYWy

 

Scribblegroove didn't dare to play it out loud. The other ponies would think he was insane by making music in a situation like this. Absentminded as he was, he didn't see the snake at first either. He bumped right into Kay's behind as she stopped. He was about to snap at her when he realized what she was looking at. "CALLED IT!" He screamed, as he fearfully stepped a few steps back. "I TOLD YOU THIS WAS BOUND TO HAPPEN!" He screamed in panic, stumbling over a large piece of gravel. He breathed heavily in fear. That thing is huge!

 

He quickly got up to his hooves when he saw that Kay had fended off the snake, and this other pony had fearlessly jumped on top of it. He ran towards the same leaf were Kay was hiding and slid under it, throwing up some mud in the process. Great, now I am covered in pollen and mud...

 

Just then he heard Kay say something about not having a flute. Could she..? Could he..? YES he brightened up as a plan started to take form in his mind. "Kay, do you know how to enchant snakes with a flute?" He said softly as he crouched closer to her. He hoped she did, otherwise he'd have to try something stupidly brave...

[Kay Dreamer 884]

Kay jumped as she heard a voice whisper right beside her. Scribblegroove? Was she so out of it with fear that she hadn't even noticed him slip under the leaf with her? She took a deep, shuddering breath. She had to calm down. Had he just asked her if she could snake-charm?

 

"Y-yes, I can," she babbled. "Or at least I think it'd work on a snake, I mean - My magic affects ponies when I make music, though I know the scales which are supposed to work on snakes and... Oh, what does it matter, the most I could do with a flute right now is hide inside it!" Kay buried her face between her hooves in despair, too proud to let anypony see her cry.

Edited May 3, 2014 by Kay Dreamer

[I used to be a stranger 7,993]

"Gah! If only I knew stuff about snakes instead of milkshakes!" exclaimed Blaze, looking out at the monster.

 

Anala ran up to strike the snake right between the eyes. As she got close, the snake began to lift its head up, and she ended up planting a forceful hoof right into its lower lip. Immediately the snake snapped back at Anala, before lifting itself more erect, its head perched then twenty times their height, with still more of its body length hidden in the grass. It sniffed the air again, looking down straight at Anala,

 

"Look out Anala!" shouted Blaze.

 

~~~~~Turn 4~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Player Combat

Anala

One partially successful blow to the head of the snake; first strike.

If you want to attack again you must make sure you can attack its head again.

If you do not move, you stand serious risk of being attacked (or eaten).

 

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

 

"What do we do?" Blaze turned to the obscured figures of Kay and Scribblegroove nearby. "I don't know if fighting it's the best idea! We don't even know if its poisonous or not. All I know is that snakes have a good sense of smell." Blaze then noticed how Scribblegoove was covered in mud. "...Hey, good idea, Scribble!" Blaze leapt into the pond, which had turned a little brackish and even more muddy at the shallow edges due to the rain. He emerged with his head solid covered in a thin layer of mud, but with his eyes still clear and uncovered. Now the snake can't smell me!

 

~~~~~Turn 4~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Player Actions

Turn to fight, or think of a good way to hide from, the snake.

Edited May 3, 2014 by Blue

[Scribblegroove 565]

@@Kay Dreamer, @,

 

Scribblegroove slowly felt adrenaline kicking in, his mind rushing to think of a way to survive. "Listen Kay, I can produce the sound of a flute... But you have to tell me how to charm a snake, because I have no idea... Or perhaps..." He stopped hiself from talking to think for a moment. This is hopeless, how are we supposed to charm a giant snake...

 

"Nevermind, we should do what he's doing..." He said, pointing at blaze who had jumped into the pool. Then he looked at the snake again, and anala who was in grave danger. Damnit, we can't leave her either... "Uh... Crap. We have to do something..." He looked at Kay in despair, hoping that she could perhaps come up with something, but the way she was cowering behind her own hooves was an indication that he couldn't expect much from her. He stood there in doubt, not knowing if he should save himself or distract the snake so others could run... Or perhaps even help Anala fight it.

 

He turned to kay and nudged her with his muzzle. "We have to help Anala. We can't just leave her! If you can charm snakes with your voice I could enchant it to be louder and I could play along with the sound of a flute." He hoped his explanation was clear enough. Hopefully Kay's magic, her voice and his ensemble of flutes could charm the snake. "Anyway, I am going out there now to help Anala. If you don't think you can do it, do what Blaze did and jump into the pond." Scribblegroove ordered Kay. He felt pretty confident and comfortable taking the lead even though the situation was pretty... desperate. Perhaps it was the adrenaline... Perhaps he was brave and had never noticed before. He stepped out in the open regardless, leaving the safety of the tiny leaf behind him.

 

He stepped looked at the snake, who was standing a few meters away from him... or was it a few decimeters... He was at a comfortable distance, though he was sure that snake could close it within seconds. He looked to see if Anala was really in danger, and how he could help. A well timed sonic blast could distract the snake for long enough that they could reach the pond, but he secretly hoped Kay would come to help him. His heart began the pound faster as fear took hold of it slowlly. He swallowed. "Ok... Here we go..." He encouraged himself, slowly stepping closer to the snake and charging up for a magical spell, his horn slowly glowing brighter.

 

Where did that pegasus go? He could help us out here...

[Kay Dreamer 884]

@@Scribblegroove, 

 

Kay Dreamer hadn't been so frightened in a long, long time. She was trying to listen to Scribblegroove, but his words just seemed to float through the red haze of panic inside her head. Something about using her voice to make flute sounds and... wait. She went very still, hardly daring to breathe.

 

Celestia's beard, that could actually work.

 

But before she could speak up, Scribble was already charging toward the snake. "Wai- heht..." her voice was dry and shaky, and she coughed, trying to clear it. "Wait!" He had stopped before the serpent now and his horn began to glow with the beginnings of a spell...

 

With a burst of mad courage and a fair dose of insanity, Kay dashed out from under the leaf and stopped beside Scribble. Closing her eyes, (because she very much doubted if she could stay quite so brave with them open,) she took a deep breath and began singing as confidently and soothingly as she could. Her horn began to glow a pale buttery yellow as her voice washed over the area. The scale was one she loved. It was strange, exotic, with odd harmonic jumps and intervals in places you wouldn't expect them to be... But it was strangely tranquil, and Kay Dreamer felt herself becoming calm, slipping into the sound as she improvised.

 

She became conscious of the sound of flutes... Her voice was a flute, her magic mingling with Scribblegroove's in such a way that she was singing as a flute. If she was slightly more cognisant she might have stopped there, in wonder that such a trick could be possible. But she was entranced by the music, and so she sung on, forgetting every worry in the world but that of the tranquil, exotic sound of flutes.

Edited May 3, 2014 by Kay Dreamer

[Delernil 952]

Traveller tried to navigate his way back to the small clearing the group had been in earlier. He could hear ponies, or the snake, moving around through the grass. So he wasn't lost again , that was good. He pushed though it to find three of them out in the open, in front of the snake. His heart started racing. They better have a plan.

 

When they started, he was amazed. Trying to fight the snake with music? Was that even fighting? He took a deep breath and took a few steps out. He could see the snake more clearly now.

 

Well, that was one reassuring thing. The snake didn't look to be poisonous, but he hadn't seen snakes around Ponyville too often.

 

He stepped out and moved to the two unicorns.

 

'We have to leave, we can't win against a snake. Blinding or distracting it is better.' He suggested in a whisper, trying not to break their concentration too much.

[Rainbow Eclipse 3,927]

Anala jumped back in shock when the snake raised its head and looked down at her in an eerie, threatening fashion. Should she make a break for it? Keep attacking? It was then that she had an idea. While it was distracted, with all her will and might, she jumped and managed to successfully climb on top of it. "It can't get us if we're on its back!" she yelled to the other ponies.

Edited May 3, 2014 by Blue Eclipse

[Scribblegroove 565]

Oh thank celestia

 

Scribblegroove sighed with relief as he heard Kay had followed him and started singing immediately. How brave of her... The energy that he had charged in his horn then quickly converted into a vocal cressendo spell. Forte fortissimo was nescesary in this situation. As long as she sung, it would draw from his spell and thus his strength and energy. He could already feel the spell taking it's toll on him. He had to focus more than he had anticipated to keep it active. He shut his eyes in his concentration.

 

He immediately heard the difference. Her voice had been amplified so loudly that his ears started pointing down to protect them. He set a few steps back. For a pony this small the voice was tremendous but in reality it was a normal ponies speaking voice. He hoped it would be enough for the snake to at least be impressed.

 

Slowly he got more comfortable with the constant of the spell, and he could cast it a little more subconsciously. He opened his eyes and looked to see if their little plan had worked. He looked at Traveller, but he didn't dare speak, afraid to break the spell. He simply nodded, implying that they knew what they were doing... Not that that was true, but it would hopefully prevent the pegasus from breaking their concentration.

Edited May 3, 2014 by Scribblegroove

[I used to be a stranger 7,993]

The snake's intermittent flicking of the tongue slowed, as its head began to gently bob and turn with the gentle rhythm of Kay and Scribblegroove's song. It looked soothed and far more relaxed, starting to slink to the side by the pond's edge. Blaze looked on in amazement at the commanding bravery of Kay and Scribble, together in their music. Traveller began flying close behind them, and Blaze approached while near the pong edge as well.

 

"We have to leave, we can't win against a snake. Blinding or distracting it is better." murmured Traveller.

 

"...Good idea." said Blaze. He lurched out of the water, stumbling only a little through his own muck as he ran over to some of the thin wild barley stems at the grasses' edge nearer to the enchanted snake. Anala jumped onto the snake's back, vaulted off of the sturdy stem of a river reed and onto its head, and Blaze saw it. He pushed hard onto the base of one larger thick grass blade, sounding a small crack. The snake's eyes twitched in the direction of the sound, but immediately were drawn again towards Kay and Scribblegroove. Blaze bent the tall leaf down towards Anala and the snake's head.

 

"Anala!" shouted Blaze in a hushed voice. "Try to blind the snake! Or tie him up! Use this!"

 

~~~~~Turn 5~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Player Combat

Scribblegroove

Used a musical charm on the snake. The charm has a low level of continuation unless the music keeps coming.

You are not close enough to be in danger if the charm fails.

Kay

Used a musical charm on the snake. Your added effect to Scribblegroove's charm increases its effectiveness, but does not increase the probability that the charm would last very long afterwards if you stop singing.

You are not close enough to be in danger if the charm fails.

Anala

Movement and grapple successful.

You will need to continue an action or else the snake may break concentration on the charm.

Blaze

Prepared a hindrance for Anala to use.

Blaze is close enough to be in danger if the charm fails.

 

Player Actions

Traveler can do as he wishes to assist, attack, or choose to wait for this turn.

Edited May 3, 2014 by Blue

[Rainbow Eclipse 3,927]

"Thanks, Blaze," replied Anala, also hushed. She took the leaf, and cautiously moved along the snake's body. She tried to be quick about it, but it was also important that she did not remind the snake of her presence. At last, she reached the end. Good thing I had practice with this at my fllyfriends' sleepovers, she thought to herself. She ever so slowly reached forward... and swiftly blindfolded the snake with the leaf. "Now what?"

Edited July 6, 2014 by Green Eclipse

[Delernil 952]

Travelled looked around before getting an idea.

 

'If we can keep him concentrated on the charm, could we move him?' Traveller asked the group as he gathered small twigs and rocks. 'We might be able to trap him...like bringing him close to the ground and weighing him down.' He added as he began to gather resources while the other kept the snake busy.

[I used to be a stranger 7,993]

"That's a good idea." said Blaze. "And I've got one now too: Anala, once Traveller and I've made a trap, you slide down the snake's back to-- I don't know, massage it or something. See if you can get it to fall asleep."

Blaze bit and pulled off a small set of twigs around the size of the snake's neck. "Kyy. Yu 'nd Scrbbls kveep walkn' psst th' snake." mumbled Blaze, with the twig still held in his mouth.

 

Traveller and Blaze prepared a small wood and stone trap for the snake to capture the reptile's head and hold it to the ground.

Edited May 4, 2014 by Blue

[Kay Dreamer 884]

Kay Dreamer slowly drifted back to reality, becoming aware of the fact that she had been singing for a while now... Apparently, she hadn't been eaten yet. Keeping her voice steady and her mind as tranquil as she was able, she dared to open her eyes.

 

The snake was waving drowsily from side to side, entranced by her voice. It seemed she'd learned that snake-charming scale correctly; either that, or snakes were as attuned to pony magic as ponies were. Her music seemed to be having the side effect of calming everypony else along with the snake; at the very least, they were all focused and industrious, and no pony was running or yelling anymore. Anala had slipped a blindfold over the snakes' eyes without it noticing, and Blaze and Traveller were busy making... something. Kay couldn't pay it too much heed - she had to keep her consciousness wrapped within her song, keep her emotions serene... If it truly was her magic enchanting the snake, it's success relied entirely on her emotions weaving through the sound of her music.

 

"Kyy. Yu 'nd Scrbbls kveep walkn' psst th' snake."

 

Kay nodded at Blaze through half lidded eyes, glancing sideways at Scribblegroove before walking forward slowly, singing all the while.

[Rainbow Eclipse 3,927]

Once she had pulled the blindfold over the snake's eyes, and Blaze and Traveller had prepared a trap, Anala took her instructions. She cautiously made her way back down the snake's body, being careful not to fall off, or alert the snake of her presence. She then began soothingly massaging the snake's back in an effort to make it fall asleep.

Edited May 4, 2014 by Blue Eclipse

[I used to be a stranger 7,993]

The snake relaxed and gently lowered its head, as Kay and Scribbles continued to sing, walking cautiously past the thicker set of tiny branches Traveller and Blaze had erected. Anala pushed gently on part of the snake's back, guiding its slow and comforted descent towards the pond edge floor. Its head lay to rest on the soft ground facing sideways, resting between the two members of upright branches that formed the ground-trap. Blaze and Traveller pulled the two sticks across, forming an 'X' over the snake's neck, and then binding the cross with a thin root. Anala, Blaze and Traveller hopped clear, and joined Kay and Scribblegroove a short distance beyond the snake, at the edge of the taller grass nearest Ponyville. The snake lay sleeping, and immobilized.

 

When the two unicorns stopped singing, it was then realized that the rain had already stopped. Clouds still grayed the sky, but their murky forms were slowly dissipating.

 

Blaze ran up to a blade of grass and bucked it, sending a shockwave up its height, which sent some small droplets showering down all over him.

"Brhblr! That's cold!" he exclaimed, all of his mud cleaned off. He shook himself to get any residual moisture out of his mane. "Okay, so let's hope that never happens again. We can find our way to the Library once we're out of the field and in Ponyville." He pointed deeper into the forest-y field.

 

~~~~~Turn 6~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Combat Success

Scribblegroove, Kay, Anala

The charm succeeded in putting the snake to sleep, with Anala and Kay's help.

Blaze, Traveller

The trap succeeded in restraining the snake (though that wasn't hard seeing as the snake fell asleep).

 

Player Actions

Continue on towards Ponyville. There is a low chance of encountering another hazard at this time.

 

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

 

"...Sooo, Kay, your singing was amazing." started Blaze. "How'd you learn to sing like that? And Scribblegroove, that sound-magic thing you did was awesome. I had no idea how we would've gotten out of that one."

Edited May 5, 2014 by Blue

[Rainbow Eclipse 3,927]

Anala realised that the group had succeeded in having the snake fall asleep. Pleased with herself and the other ponies, she hopped down, and rejoined the group on their journey to the library. She then realised that there was something she owed Blaze. She ran over to him.

 

"Look, Blaze..." she said, looking down at the floor. "I'm... sorry about the way I treated you before. I just... well... got sort of worked up at what's happened. You've proven to be a big help. I mean, if it weren't for you and Number Cruncher, we could be snake food by now!" She then didn't know what else to say. "So, uh... yeah,"

Edited August 7, 2014 by Rainbow Eclipse

[I used to be a stranger 7,993]

"Thanks, Anala." said Blaze appreciatively. "Definitely wasn't expecting a snake..." Blaze hopped over a small flattish mushroom as they continued through the grass, rounding the gentle hill of a knoll. "So... where are you from? From your accent I'd bet you're a Manehattanite."