private The Tyranny of Princess Cadence (RP)

[Alex Kennedy 1,228]

@@Pripyat Pony,

 

Gladius thought for a while. His military experience had given him something of a mind for strategy. "Following the tracks would also be the most obvious way, wouldn't it? Meaning that if they thought someone might be coming, they would be watching them? I assume we want to maintain some level of secrecy at least until we arrive. That said, I'll leave the decision to you. You seem to be quite experienced with missions like this."

[Pripyat Pony 2,608]

@@Alex Kennedy, "I personally would prefer to leave the tracks and cut across," Sanura replied to Gladius. "I agree with what you say; it's very likely that the train tracks are being closely watched and near to the Empire, are probably thick with guards. I am confident that as a group, we are going to be good to deal with anything which attacks us. Not just wild animals, but probably bandits as well, and mercenaries. I will scout out the area beforehand, but when we leave the tracks and enter the wilderness, we had better all be on our guard. Also, if anypony can create a shield for the camps we make, that would be all the better."

[Ano170 162]

@,@@Agent505,

 

"Yes, some....updates would be nice." Arrow replied. With as much subtlety as he could manage, he examined Golden Age, giving the stallion a curious glance. He seemed affable enough; Arrow had the sense somehow that this pony, unlike any of the others he had met so far, may be willing and able to help him out of this bizarre situation. After all, what else was Arrow to do? Quietly assume the role of whatever pegasus deserter he had been mistaken for?

 

I need to get out of here...to go home... Arrow glanced at Golden Age again as they trotted along through the bizarre beauty of the crystal city. But then...he served Luna...For all I know this stallion was a supporter of Nightmare Moon before her banishment.

 

Arrow hesitated. 

 

"I've been away....for a while." Was all he said in the end as they approached the castle gates.

 

(OOC: Again, sorry it took me so long to reply. Also, you have no idea how much I keep wanting to call Golden Age "Goldenblood"...Too much Horizons...)

Edited June 15, 2014 by Ano170

[longgone 873]

@,@@Agent505,

 

"Yes, some....updates would be nice." Arrow replied. With as much subtlety as he could manage, he examined Golden Age, giving the stallion a curious glance. He seemed affable enough; Arrow had the sense somehow that this pony, unlike any of the others he had met so far, may be willing and able to help him out of this bizarre situation. After all, what else was Arrow to do? Quietly assume the role of whatever pegasus deserter he had been mistaken for?

 

I need to get out of here...to go home... Arrow glanced at Golden Age again as they trotted along through the bizarre beauty of the crystal city. But then...he served Luna...For all I know this stallion was a supporter of Nightmare Moon before her banishment.

 

Arrow hesitated. 

 

"I've been away....for a while." Was all he said in the end as they approached the castle gates.

 

(OOC: Again, sorry it took me so long to reply. Also, you have no idea how much I keep wanting to call Golden Age "Goldenblood"...Too much Horizons...)

"Well...from what I understand, Cadance has gone become a few crumbs short of a hay and oats sandwich, if you know what I mean." he said, unable to keep himself from smiling in awe at what a mess the entirety of Equestria was in all because of a mad mare. "In all honesty, I would've been nothing more than intrigued, but her madness appeared to have made her...not so friendly. Shinin' Armor has disappeared, and nopony knows whether he's just hiding or if he was killed by her." His expression turned sinister within a second as he looked towards nothing. "If that mare was behind the death of one who I had served under....one who I had even came to take a fancy fer...Celestia help her, fer she'd have to deal with not only the rath of her, but me own rath!"

 

He kept a stern stare for a few seconds before blushing slightly. "Anyway...her insanity has also led her to build up a military machine and we are now in the midst of war with Celestia and her merry lot. In all honesty, lad" he said, leaning in close to Arrow's ear to where he could talk without being overheard by others. "I'm only servin' cause Cadance weren't keen on letting folk like me get back to Canterlot, I had come here on R&R, if you will, and also because, well, I'm almost always up fer givin' it to Celestia"

 

The lieutenant was slightly intrigued. "And how long would 'a while' be, exactly?" he asked with a chuckle.

 

 

[Ano170 162]

@,

 

Arrow listened to Golden Age in silence, a growing pit deepening in his stomach with almost every word the stallion said. A strange and mysterious kingdom lead by a deranged tyrant into a violent conflict? It was not especially unique among the other scenarios Arrow had found himself caught up in over the years, but this was the first time Arrow had ever found himself caught beneath the villain's hoof along with the local inhabitants, rather than working to save them...

 

It doesn't matter. Arrow told himself firmly. All that matters is finding a way up to the North.

 

 Golden Age had said that the Empress was refusing to allow anypony outside beyond the reaches of her land - and indeed his own experience of being hauled in seemed to support that fact - but there had to be some way. Again, Arrow gazed at Golden Age. The stallion was essentially a stranger, he had fought for Luna and he had outright stated to Arrow that he was anxious to challenge Princess Celestia herself. And yet, if Arrow was to have an ally here...

 

"Truthfully?" Arrow leaned in close, mindful of the guards watching them from nearby. "I've been in the zebra lands for around half a decade. I have no greater wish to remain here than you do, yet it appears I've been mistaken for another pegasus - a soldier."

 

Already Arrow began to fear he would regret his decision to confide in this strange pony as together they approached the palace gates.

[Dovashy 1,734]

Stellar

@@Pripyat Pony and @Alex Kennedy

 

Stellar was listening to the conversation quietly, hearing what the ponies had to say. When Sanura asked about a pony shielding their camps, she finally spoke up.

“I am able to do that,” Said Stellar, slipping from out from behind Sanura, and walking alongside her. When she had Sanura, and Gladius’ attention she continued. “I can put up a shield for the camps." 

 

(OOC: Sorry not really much to write about yet, i'll get more interesting later on.) 

[Pripyat Pony 2,608]

@@Dovashy, @,

 

"Thank you," Sanura replied. "That'll come in handy. Of course, we can post guards, but there's always the chance that a guard may be taken down before they have a chance to warn the others. A shield spell is far more useful cuz if anything attacks us, we will be alerted by them bouncing off the shield."

[The Original 571]

@@Pripyat Pony,@@Dovashy,

 

Arcane was curious as to how a single pony could keep up a shield for an entire night. "If you wish, we can trade off holding up the shield during the night. I don't normally sleep at night anyway" he offered. Most nights he spent staying up to work, so it was no problem for him.

It probably wasn't super healthy in all honesty, but Arcane did the math, and he was comfortable with the results. "Do we want to take longer sleeping nights? Shorter nights would be better for getting there sooner, but we might not have the energy to fend off many attacks, if any."

Edited June 18, 2014 by The Original PWD

[Pripyat Pony 2,608]

@, @@Dovashy, @@XxConfusedUnicornxX, @@Alex Kennedy,

 

"I think we can compromise," Sanura replied. "And if you Stellar wish to share the work of maintaining the shield, I must insist that you also share sleeping as well. Neither of you will be at your best if you're both overtired from not sleeping. In any case, we must try and cover some ground while we still have daylight."

 

Sanura began to walk in the direction of the train tracks. The route would be safe enough while they were still inside familiar borders; it was later on that she planned to cut away from the train tracks and follow a more direct route across country.