My Little Pony: The Cycle (IC)

[Derjuin]

Sequestered in your various rooms and homes across Ponyville and beyond, an air of excitement has crept in from the outside - the day AliCorp's big beta launch of the first enchanted video game, The Cycle, has finally arrived. Maybe you aren't actually interested in the game, but maybe the chance of getting to test such a magical phenomenon has you on edge. Maybe something else entirely?

It's still early in the day, sun glistening brightly in its ascent to the heavens on a largely cloudless day in May. The Equestrian Mailmares are notoriously quick about their rounds, however, and you are pretty sure that someone has either already gotten the mail, or it is still sitting in the mailbox, red swingy-flappy dealie extended in delight as it waits for a certain pony - or changeling - to retrieve its hoard.

Unfortunately, the only way to be certain is to leave the sanctity of your room!

What will you do?

[DigoDragon]

Bassline

Bass glances over at the clock. "Hmm, mail should be here," He says to no one but himself. The batpony gets up off his bed and proceeds to leave... but then the cable to his headphones goes taught and nearly yanks him back. "Gurk... I keep doing that..." he mutters.

He unplugs his headphones and wraps the cord around a leg. NOW he leaves his room and proceeds downstairs to exit the house and get the mail.

[cavalieredraghi]

Stamps sat in his room, as he was reading up on the latest Gameponier. He loved the Article that explained what little there was to know about "The Cycle". The game was still wrapped up in so much mystery! Stamps just had to know more about it. He only then looked up at his clock to see the time. He had applied to join the beta at least 10 times Stamps thought, and today was the day he would learn if he got the chance to play it!

"Mail should be here!" Stamps said as he jumped from his bed and threw the magazine to the side. he trotted down the stairs of his home, as he could hear Mom playing on the piano in the background. Dad would be next to her enjoying the music as he read up on the latest Medical Journal. They both would be in the parol, with the view do the front lawn before them.

As Stamps descended He was always greeted by the family portraits. Aunty Sina, and Aeslia laughing with each other was one. Uncle Dysante racing Mom. Grandma Monah and Arlia sitting having tea. And Grandma Iaphate and grandpa Chonder, slow dancing.. Then at the end was Him, Mom, Dad, and Staresh. Stamps looked away from that quickly, as a tear was in his eye. He went then straight for the door, and outside to the mailbox.

[igordragonian]

Muse Bloom slept with her sheets over the floor and the last issue of "Power Ponies" covering her face, and snored quitly.
Her alarm clock started to ring. She eeped sent fly from bed to the ceiling, and then falling. "oh no! The Cosmic Orb! Mane-iac! Got to stop her!" she yelled, and rushed into the closet, struggling within, and somehow, she came out with her glasses, and and her ribbon on. "What the hay?! How did she managed to escape me!?" she groans. She left her bed in mess, and rushed downstairs- Maybe Mane-iac have eft some clues throw her evil agents!
She galloped downstairs:"I wil stop you, Maneiac!" she yelled.

[Dudeons]

Trump Card is sitting on his bed, reading a book titled Merchant of Marenice. He's staring blankly at the text, his mind barely processing it enough to turn the page every once in a while.

"Holy horseapples, this is boring!" Trump Card mutters to himself through gritted teeth, "Of course, I wouldn't have to read this if Scrivener hadn't come down with hay fever yesterday. The book report is due in two days and you might as well have broken my writing hoof. This whole story is just a pile of meaningless, outdated words slung together by some old guy nobody cares about. Why is this even something we're required to read? It's all just a load of bucking-"

A ring of the doorbell interrupted his subdued ranting. Trump Card, thankful for the interruption, goes to the door and puts his ear to it. The walls of the apartment are paper thin, so he can easily overhear his mother talking with someone at the door. Something about a delivery for a Mr. Trump Card. The aforementioned mister opens the door and walks out to the main room, where a mailmare is handing his mother a package.

[Drakeburn]

Marbles

Marbles sat on his bed, reading one of his many books. Stacks of books surrounded his bookcase, which happens to be already filled with books. Almost every page of those books have seen the light of day, more than the toys imprisoned in his closet.

He almost never notices his family's concern about him, how he doesn't go outside, play, or socialize like a normal foal. His older sister, Morning Dew, made it her mission to get Marbles to take his mind off of his books long enough to be like a normal foal. If she succeeded. Marbles wouldn't know.

As Marbles comes upon an interesting spell in his book, something suddenly came to mind.

Something was supposed to come in the mail today.... He thought to himself.

Something important..... A new spellbook maybe?

After spending a brief moment trying to remember what it could be, Marbles just decided to go to the mail slot and wait for whatever it was that was supposed to arrive today in the mail. There, he resumed reading his book under the mail slot. As soon as he got back to studying, he had already forgotten why he was reading under the mail slot.

[Derjuin]

Bassline's House

With headphones in tow, Bassline finds his house strangely empty. Upon the door, a note is tacked.

Hey champ,

Went to the market. We'll be back soon. Can you check the mail for me? Thanks a bunch.

Love, Mom

It's nearly a straight and lonely shot to the mailbox, with only the chirping of birds to accompany the walk. Upon inspecting the mailbox, the lever arm doodad is indeed still up, and from within it yields several letters, addressed to Mr. Wagon and Mrs. Blade. In the parcel of papers produced there is also a slim package, wrapped in gold paper and addressed to a "Mr. Bassline". On it, the stylized image of an alicorn is emblazoned in black.

Stamps' House

Woefully, the mailbox's swingy dealie is now turned down, and the box itself contains nothing. From within the house, however, a shrill cry can be heard. "Staaamps! Oh, Staaamps!" It was Adepha, now standing just inside the door, Geyol at her side. "Were you expecting something in the mail?" she asks, a gilded box hovering in her telekinetic grip.

"It's addressed to you. Did you order something?" His father asks, unable to mask his curiosity.

Muse Bloom's House

"Maneiac?! Whoa, what- oh, good mornin', Muse. Wakin' late as usual, I see," comes a warm and heavy greeting from Muse's father, who nearly had walked right in to the excited little filly. It of course came with its own form of stern fatherly disapproval. "When are you gonna get a hold on that imagination of yours? Could use yer help around the farm, you know."

"Oh, uh, somethin' came in the mail for ya. A package? I don't know who it's from, but I figure with all the mess goin' around about this 'Cycle' thing, it might be one of them BAY-tuhs." Mr. Potato rolls his eyes and smiles. "Maybe you can get some of that excitement out of yer system with it and join us in the fields today." He picks up a gold-wrapped box from a nearby table and holds it out for Muse to take, though it seems to have seen better days: flecks of dirt, smudges and even a tooth mark mar the probably-once-gleaming coat of paper around the box.

"Looks fancy, at least."

Trump Card's House

"Thanks so much. Have a good day!" Eclipse Heart said, waving the mailmare out the door and shutting it.

"Truuump!" she shouted, aiming to place the box on a nearby table before turning around to see her son. "Oh, there you are. Yeah, you've got a package..." She holds up a gold-wrapped box with her magic, the stylized image of an alicorn marking the front. "...Where'd you get the bits for something like this? You know we can't afford much..." she mumbles, crossing her forelegs.

Marbles' House

A pegasus of gray coat and pale yellow mane came swooping down, nearly crashing on top of Marbles in her speedy landing. With her satchel, blue coat and badge-bearing cap, it became obvious that she was, in fact, a mailmare!

"Hello there! Package for a Mister Marbles?" From her courier's bag, she pulls out several letters, mumbles and then stuffs them back in, searching for the right one. With a triumphant cry, she pulls out a thin and flat box, wrapped in gold paper and scuffed ever so slightly. "Oh, um, sorry about that."

She holds out the package, along with a signature board and a pen, with her muzzle. "Shign, prease!"

[cavalieredraghi]

Stamps rushes back into the house to see the package. He was so excited he was jumping up and down as his wings buzzed.
Sort of Dad, Mom. if it is what i think it is. It is the beta version of the Game i have been wanting to test! I mean i still can't believe some ponies actually get paid to play video games! Stamps takes the package when offered. as he looks at the wrapping.

It is so fancy.

[DigoDragon]

Bassline's House
In the parcel of papers produced there is also a slim package, wrapped in gold paper and addressed to a "Mr. Bassline". On it, the stylized image of an alicorn is emblazoned in black.

Bass tilted his head to the right. "Huh, what's this?" He carried the mail back into the house, beat-boxing his way to the kitchen where he put his parents mail on the breakfast bar. Bass then hopped on a stool and opened the package. He must of forgotten he was expecting a package!

[Drakeburn]

Marbles let out a yelp as the pegasus nearly crashed into him, which knocked his book out of his hooves.

"Oh, no worries." Marbles managed to say before he grabs the pen with his mouth and signs the signature board.

[Dudeons]

"Oh, no need to worry, Mom," Trump Card says, putting on his best-little-colt-in-the-world face, "It's some kind of video game. Everyone at school is talking about it, so I signed up for the beta version, and it looks like I was one of the ones selected to test it before release."

Trump pulls the package off the table and carries it back to his room. Closing the door once he gets there, he sets the package on the bed, shoving his schoolbook out of the way. Afterwards, he starts to painstakingly peel away tape and whatnot as he opens the box.

[igordragonian]

"Good Morning Maretropolis's Mayor sir!" she stopped and saluted him.
She folded her ears, smiled shyly. "emmm... Sure. I'll... gladly... help..." she saying with voice wich starting to fade into wishpers with shame.

She looking at his hooved, with her down.
And then, she shined like a star, and gasped.
"The Cycle!" she yelled, bursting with excitment.
"Sweet Celestia!" She took the box, hugged it with one foreleg, and with raised the other, starting to laugh maniacly.
"Now.... I have All what I need to take over of the world! Muahaha!"

[Derjuin]

Stamps' House

"It is, isn't it?" Geyol remarks, peeking over the top of the box. Its golden wrap shimmered brilliantly in the sunshine. "I wonder what's inside...?" He says, looking down to Stamps and winking.

"Well, Stamps, how about you come in the house, have a snack and open it up?" Adepha says with a smile. "Come on, I'll make you something." She turns around and heads toward the kitchen, Geyol offering to let Stamps go first.

Bassline's House

Within the wrapping was a simple cardboard box, which unfolded pretty much on its own once the paper had come off. Within that, however, were three very un-simple items: a soft and supple blue cloth, embroidered in what looked to be actual silver and monogrammed with the letters TOL; an instructional pamphlet, which reads "AliCorp welcomes you to The Cycle"; and wrapped within the cloth is a small metallic disc, orange in color with a hole punched through the center. On it, several symbols are etched - among them, a star, a heart, and a flower - in addition to the name of the game itself.

Marbles' House

"'hank you! 'af a good day!" The pegasus mumbles, the pen still in her mouth. She picks up Marbles' book and hands it back to him, and then she jumps up, spins about and takes off into the sky.

It seems whatever is in the box is rather light; from the design on the paper, however, it seems to be pretty important. The image of an alicorn is stamped on the box, most certainly referring to either a princess or that studio everyone has been buzzing about. AliCorp, was it? Could this be a beta test of their magical entertainment contraption?!

Trump's House

"Well, alright," Mrs. Heart says with a sigh. She shakes her head and closes her eyes for a moment. "Don't forget about your homework, though, okay?" Before she can finish, however, Trump has already absconded from parental harassment with his quarry.

Upon peeling back the paper, the package easily yields its prize: a relatively unassuming cardboard box. Within it, however, are three objects: a red, silky cloth, bearing the letters KOH and embroidered with a deep magenta half-heart; an instructional pamphlet which reads "AliCorp welcomes you to The Cycle"; and wrapped within the cloth is a small metallic disc, green in color and with an even smaller hole punched through the center. Etched onto the disc is a series of spirals that entwine within each other, making a rather complex, circular design that catches the light in an eerie way.

Muse's House

"Take over the...? Ah, right." Mr. Potato reaches down with an immense hoof to tussle Muse's mane with a half-smile. "Don't ferget to come help us when you're done. I'll leave you a note, alright? No more'n ...uh, let's say an hour. Okay?"

The glinting of the golden package in Muse's hooves fights against her father for her attention...

[DigoDragon]

Bassline's House
Within the wrapping was a simple cardboard box, which unfolded pretty much on its own once the paper had come off. Within that, however, were three very un-simple items: a soft and supple blue cloth, embroidered in what looked to be actual silver and monogrammed with the letters TOL; an instructional pamphlet, which reads "AliCorp welcomes you to The Cycle"; and wrapped within the cloth is a small metallic disc, orange in color with a hole punched through the center. On it, several symbols are etched - among them, a star, a heart, and a flower - in addition to the name of the game itself.

"Oh yeah... this game! I forgot I had signed for this," Bass said to... well himself really. He kept the disc in the cloth for protection and walked his way to his room. Once there he sat down on his bed to look over the instruction pamphlet.

He'd probably get laughs for reading instructions, but he was only a casual gamer that didn't find all games intuitive. Besides, this was supposedly an early release or something, wasn't it? That's what one of his friends said in class.

[cavalieredraghi]

Stamps follows his mother to the dining room, next to the kitchen, as he thanked his father for allowing him to go first. HE sat next across form his dad, as he opened the box. He was careful though it was clear he was really trying to not tear anything despite how excited he was.

[igordragonian]

"Aha." She nodded, but stared at the golden package. Cycle! Cycle! Cyyyyyyyyyyyyyyycl!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!
"So now..." She giggled manically again. "I'll go back to the Muse Lair, and check this artifact's powers! Mhuhahaha!" she announced.
She galloped back to her room, starting to open the package. "Yes.... My precious..." she have whispered with greedy tone.

[Dudeons]

Trump Card looked over the contents of his package, setting aside each object carefully. He starts with the cloth and disc. The 'KOH' on the cloth got his attention. The game was called The Cycle, so how would 'KOH' fit into it? He unwraps it, taking note of the disc's rather impressive design. However, he decided to grab the instruction manual before interacting with it any further. Trump wasn't into the video game scene at all; he had only signed up on the beta because everyone was talking about it and he wanted to be ahead of the curve. He casts a quick glance at the window, as though some other student might spy on him today of all days, seeing him being a novice at something. Not even Jester and Joker were there; being free-range birds, they were probably off looking for garbage or something.

"Foretold is forewarned," Trump says as he opens the manual, "I can't even remember how you activate these darn games."

[Drakeburn]

Marbles waves goodbye to the pegasus before heading back inside. Upon inspection, the package didn't feel like a book. But it had a picture of an alicorn stamped on it, so it had to mean something important. Immediately he had forgotten about his book that was left at the foyer of his home.

Now Marbles was once again in his room, alone with the unwrapped contents of his package.
"A video game?" Marbles said to himself, really bewildered.
I don't remember ordering a video game. I don't think I ever played a video game before. He thought to himself.
Maybe his parents or sister ordered it for him. So Marbles went on, looking at what the pamphlet had to say about this game.

[Derjuin]

Bassline's House

Reading the manual proves fruitful, as it contains several pieces of useful information.


Welcome, BASSLINE, to the Cycle. You will be among the first of your kind to experience the magic that is this grand epic!

In order to begin your adventure, you need only take the cloth your unique disc was wrapped in, and spread it out on a flat surface. Once it is flat, hold the disc approximately one hoof above the cloth, and let go. The magic should take hold and keep the disc in the air. Once you are ready, simply speak the words: Do What You Will. You will shortly be whisked away on a journey like none other!

The manual goes on to show demonstrations of what it just relayed. There doesn't seem to be any information on what to do once you've activated the magic, however.


Stamps' House

Beneath the glamorous outer package, a simple brown box is found. It easily opens - almost by itself - to reveal several items: a dark green square of satin cloth, monogrammed with the letters ROL; an instructional pamphlet, which reads "AliCorp welcomes you to The Cycle"; and wrapped within the cloth, a small metallic disc, dark grey in color with a hole punched in the middle. Etched into its surface is a star, each point decorated with three dots.

Inspecting the manual, it proves to be the only set of instructions included.


Welcome, STAMPS, to the Cycle. You will be among the first of your kind to experience the magic that is this grand epic!

In order to begin your adventure, you need only take the cloth your unique disc was wrapped in, and spread it out on a flat surface. Once it is flat, hold the disc approximately one hoof above the cloth, and let go. The magic should take hold and keep the disc in the air. Once you are ready, simply speak the words: Do What You Will. You will shortly be whisked away on a journey like none other!

The manual goes on to show demonstrations of what it just relayed. There doesn't seem to be any information on what to do once you've activated the magic, however.


"That's pretty neat," Geyol mumbles, looking over the selection of items included. "What is it? Some kind of puzzle?" Adepha calls, her head still scanning the pantry for something to fix as a snack.

Muse's House

Escaping easily from its gilded prison, a relatively ordinary cardboard box happens into Muse's clutches. The box itself proves to be more difficult than the wrap to open, but eventually it yields to reveal three objects: a bright pink, fuzzy and felt-like cloth, monogrammed with the letters MOD; an instructional pamphlet, which reads "AliCorp welcomes you to The Cycle"; and wrapped within the cloth, a small metallic disc, purple in color with a hole punched in the middle. Etched into its surface what appears to be a planet, with several moons or other smaller spheres in orbit around it. Continents, or perhaps seas, reflect the light off the large planet in the center.

Something shiny gleams from the instructional manual, and its two pages unfold by themselves.


Welcome, MUSE BLOOM, to the Cycle. You will be among the first of your kind to experience the magic that is this grand epic!

In order to begin your adventure, you need only take the cloth your unique disc was wrapped in, and spread it out on a flat surface. Once it is flat, hold the disc approximately one hoof above the cloth, and let go. The magic should take hold and keep the disc in the air. Once you are ready, simply speak the words: Do What You Will. You will shortly be whisked away on a journey like none other!

The manual goes on to show demonstrations of what it just relayed. There doesn't seem to be any information on what to do once you've activated the magic, however.


Trump's House

From just outside the door, Trump can hear a muffled voice. It was his mother again. "Hey Trump, we're gonna make something for lunch in a bit. I'll set some aside for you." From the hoofsteps, it seems like she's left.


Welcome, TRUMP CARD, to the Cycle. You will be among the first of your kind to experience the magic that is this grand epic!

In order to begin your adventure, you need only take the cloth your unique disc was wrapped in, and spread it out on a flat surface. Once it is flat, hold the disc approximately one hoof above the cloth, and let go. The magic should take hold and keep the disc in the air. Once you are ready, simply speak the words: Do What You Will. You will shortly be whisked away on a journey like none other!

The manual goes on to show demonstrations of what it just relayed. There doesn't seem to be any information on what to do once you've activated the magic, however.


Marbles' House

The pamphlet's contents prove enlightening to the purpose of the dark red cloth marked SOM and the bright red metallic disc covered in a variety of white six-point stars (http://pre12.deviantart.net/491b/th/pre/i/2011/105/0/c/twilight_sparkle_cutie_mark_by_blackgryph0n-d3e1hyn.png).


Welcome, MARBLE WHITE, to the Cycle. You will be among the first of your kind to experience the magic that is this grand epic!

In order to begin your adventure, you need only take the cloth your unique disc was wrapped in, and spread it out on a flat surface. Once it is flat, hold the disc approximately one hoof above the cloth, and let go. The magic should take hold and keep the disc in the air. Once you are ready, simply speak the words: Do What You Will. You will shortly be whisked away on a journey like none other!

The manual goes on to show demonstrations of what it just relayed. There doesn't seem to be any information on what to do once you've activated the magic, however.

[cavalieredraghi]

Hmm, I never seen a game start like this before? Mom you should check this out! Stamps says excited. He folds out the parchment flat out on the dining table. He then picks up the disc and follows the instructions. As the magic holds the disc above the cloth.

Do What You Will.

[DigoDragon]

Bass picked up the cloth curiously. "Huh, that seems... strangely simple," he thought to himself. Well, at least if he looked dumb doing it, he'd have no witnesses. The batpony put the cloth neatly on his desk, brushing some records and things aside. He then picked up the disc and held it a hoof high over the cloth as instructed, and dropped it.

[Dudeons]

His mother's notification was appreciated, but his attention was elsewhere right now. Trump Card puts down the instruction manual, pondering over what it told him. The 'first of your kind' bit was a little unnerving. What 'kind' were they referring to? Age? Race? Social class? Brushing this aside, the instructions seem pretty straightforward. Trump pulls over the Merchant of Marenice, putting in a bookmark and closing it. He spreads the cloth out on the book, smoothing out any creases he sees in it. Once he's sure that the cloth is smooth, he sets the disc above it as he was instructed. He takes a deep breath, having no idea what to expect. He grabs his hat from the bedpost, putting it on for the sake of its reassuring weight before he steps towards the levitating disc.

"Do what you will," Trump says, keeping his voice down so nobody else hears it.

[Drakeburn]

At this point, curiosity has taken a hold over Marble's mind. He wanted to see how it works.

So he laid out the dark red cloth on the floor, held the disc over it, and said the words

"Do what you will."

From there, he embraced himself for whatever happens next.

[igordragonian]

"Oh my gosh! Oh my gosh! Oh my gosh!" Muse Bloom repeated again and again, when she seen the disc, and gasped dramatically, when she found the manual.
|"EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!! It's the best day-ever!" she bursted from excitement, and had jumped to the bed, letting it out with a cheerful scream under the pillow-
If Baba Kartushka will hear her, screaming like that it would be the end of the "Cycle".
After a minute, she calmed down, and spread the cloth. "Wow... Am I really doing it?!" she whispered to herself, with excitement.
There was no need to make up excitements right now- so she just faced the awesome reality.
She raised the disc, taking a deep breath, and dropped the disc.
"DO WHAT YOU WILL!" She screamed with bursting excitement.

[Derjuin]

Stamps' House

"Oh, it's a game? What kind?" Adepha asks, trotting back over to the table and curiously inspecting the goings-on.

The disc, once held aloft and dropped, begins floating just above the cloth, both objects glowing with the disc's color. As the words are spoken, a sickly grey begins to pulse from the center of the disc, and it slowly enlarges - both the disc itself, and the hole in the center.

A monotone, feminine voice echoes from somewhere near the center of the disc. Entry initiated. Summoning portal...

The disc flips onto its side, revealing in its center a thin black wall, or perhaps the depths of a place faraway with no light in it. It continues spinning, picking up speed and growing larger yet. Words begin appearing within the black area, staying in an easily defined square. They seem to be steps of a process, much like the ones read aloud by the voice...


Resuscitating couriers... done.
Drawing borders... done.
Directing vectors... done.
Tuning violins... done.
Process complete.



Once the words finish appearing, the disc expands rapidly to form a thin grey ring, with purple and teal smoke issuing forth from its edge. Something invisibly beckons to Stamps from beyond it, though he can't tell if it's a sense of adventure, wonder, or some kind of creature doing so.

"W...what is this?" Adepha asks, her voice uneasy. Geyol is beside her, though he looks almost as rattled as she.

Bassline's House

With care, Bassline's disc begins floating just above the cloth, and it begins to spin. It keeps at a slow pace, and though the cloth begins to glow, nothing more seems to happen. A door opening and shutting can be heard throughout the house, and a voice echoes just behind it.

"Hey Bassline, we're home." Mr. Wagon...
"Didja - oh, hey, the mail. Thanks for grabbin' that for us!" ...and Mrs. Blade! That, of course, meant Mirror should be home as well.

The disc before Bassline seems to want something more from him, and it occasionally spins up, only to return to its slow pace.

Trump's House

A series of small sparks - not unlike firecrackers that a colt or filly might play with on Nightmare Night or during the Summer Sun celebration - alight in the air above the disc, and it suddenly wrenches itself upwards and onto its side at Trump's whisper. It spins rapidly, enlarging both its own circumference and the size of the hole in its middle, until both are just a bit larger than a young foal, and a black pit suddenly opened within its empty center.

A monotone, feminine voice emanates from somewhere within it. Entry initiated. Summoning portal...

Words begin appearing within the black area, staying in an easily defined square. They seem to be steps of a process, much like the ones read aloud by the voice...


Diversifying critters... done.
Illuminating crevasses... done.
Settling scores... can not complete. Skip? y/N [Y]
Redefining FATE... done.
Process complete.



Once the words finish appearing, the disc expands rapidly to form a glowing gold and orange ring, with flames licking at its edge. Thankfully, no heat seems to be produced from either the ring or the fire, though Trump feels as if gravity has suddenly tried to pull him into the ring itself.

Marbles' House

The disc, content to rotate slowly, suddenly glows a bright white once the words are spoken. Sparkling motes, resembling stars, dance in the air in the wake of the fading white light; some swirl and weave through the air, while others simply spin in place. From somewhere in the field of dancing light, a feminine, monotone voice echoes.

Entry initiated. Summoning portal...

The light begins condensing into a single point, their stray rays giving way to an encompassing darkness. The disc levitates up, the growing ball of darkness fitting neatly into the hole as the disc itself turns onto its side. Suddenly, the disc expands rapidly along with the darkness, as if stretching it out. Words begin appearing within the area...


Rewriting overtures... done.
Juxtaposing heroics... done.
Concealing motives... done.
Closing loopholes... done.
Process complete.



Once the words finish appearing, the darkness overcomes the edge of the disc and becomes a black vortex that seems to extend into another realm of existence altogether. From the side, it is as thin as a pencil, though staring into its depths gives Marbles the feeling that it is much, much deeper than that. Though its pull is not strong, an urge can be felt to dive into the vortex - though that might also be the vortex itself.

Muse's House

The disc seems to mirror Muse's enthusiasm, as it almost instantaneously spins up and begins glowing a bright and happy pink. A feminine and monotone voice echoes from inside it, speeding up as tendrils of energy whip across the face of the disc. Entry initiated. Summoning portal... The disc grows as it spins and turns on its side, and what appears to be a field of nothingness within the center grows with it. Words begin appearing within the field...


Unbuffering particles... done.
Waiving requirements... done.
Reinventing wheels... done.
Lighting streetlamps... done.
Process complete.



Once the words finish appearing, it is as if a door were opened within the center of the thinning disc, now more of a ring slightly larger than your average colt or filly. Light falls over Muse and something tugs at her heart, calling her into the door.

[DigoDragon]

"You're welcome mom!" Bass called out from his room. He gave the neat floating disc his attention, and decided to see what kind of game this really is.

"Do what you will."

[igordragonian]

Muse Bloom gasped with opened jaw, as the magic happend. Her glasses almoat slipped from her muzzle.
"Amazed"would poorly describe her feelinga right now. No word could describe it!
Maybe "Super~Duper~Awesome~Spectacular~Brilliant~Wow!" Wouls start to describe it. But Muse Bloom couldn't find words big enough for this moment.
It took her few seconds but she adjustes.her glasses, and galloped into the hole with wide excited smile.

[cavalieredraghi]

Stamps looks at it again and again. He then looks to his mother and his father. Finally he asked his Mom.

i don't know but doesn't sort of look like one of those black hole Singularity things you showed me in that science book once?
He then looked back at the Blackness.

Do as you Will!

[Drakeburn]

At this point, Marbles is pretty fascinated and terrified at the same time. He didn't know how magic video games worked. He didn't know what to expect.

As he backed away from the vortex, he suddenly bumped into the piles of books he had. The piles rumbled and shook before coming down like an avalanche upon poor Marbles, sending him through the vortex along with his most prized possession: a spellbook he received from his cousin in Canterlot.
Marbles couldn't help but to scream with fear and uncertainty as he fell through the vortex.

[Dudeons]

Trump Card is understandably surprised by the portal, rooted in place as he stares at it. The Tartarian design was hardly inviting, but he still felt a desire to enter the portal. Taking a deep breath, Trump carefully adjusts his hat and jumps through the portal.

[Derjuin]

Bassline's House

Reacting to Bassline's words, the disc spins faster and faster, ascending and flipping onto its side. It gleams with a neon-blue light, and a feminine, monotone voice echoes from its center. Entry initiated. Summoning portal...

The disc tilts onto its edge, growing larger and thinner at the same time. In the growing void at its center, a series of words appear, similar in syntax to the mysterious voice's. They seem to be steps in a process.



Initiating reckonings... done.
Alternating timelines... done.
Obfuscating puns... failed.
Crossing streams... done.
Process complete.


Once the words finish, the disc evaporates entirely, leaving only a blindingly bright blue circle hovering in the air. It's just big enough to fit a bat pony, if he were to jump into it. Something from inside it seems to call to Bassline, and after a moment, it becomes clear what it is - a mare's cry, though it is barely audible...

"Help us!"

Stamps' House

If I must.

The pull from the portal becomes overwhelming, though it only seems to be affecting Stamps. An almost deafening crash, like shattering glass, erupts from the disc as thin tendrils of smoky darkness lash out and wrap around Stamps' legs, yanking him through the hole.

Stamps/Muse/Marbles/Trump

As soon as you pass the threshold of your respective portals, they disappear, leaving no trace behind whatsoever. You are all dropped unceremoniously onto the ground beneath a massive tree, whose bough is so wide that it blocks almost all view of the sky. You appear to be in a depression in the ground whose walls are too high to see beyond without climbing out. A strange structure is woven about the roots of the tree, and with investigation it becomes clear that it is actually a huge, serpentine skeleton tangled with the tree itself.

The skull is turned directly toward the four of you, perhaps in eerie coincidence. One of its eye sockets shimmers for a half-second, though it otherwise remains entirely stationary.


A voice booms in your head, a gravely cacophony that resembles more of a roar than speech. The others don't seem to hear it.

HERO... WHERE IS... THE THIEF...

[cavalieredraghi]

As Stamps is wrapped up by the Tendrils. He smiles at his parents hoping to calm them.
Don't worry Mom, Dad. I will be ok, this will just be like one of your adventures you told me when you both were kids. I will be back! I love yoooouuuuu! Stamps says as he is pulled in.


He gets up on his feet rather quickly. He looks around ignoring the others.
Wow this is like a VR. I mean I heard it could be possible, but i did not expect to see it till I was an Adult or something. He then looks at the serpent Body.

Is that a Naga? Or something Else. He moves over to it and picks up the skull like a puppet.

Hi everyone I am Stamps who are you?

[Dudeons]

Trump Card stands up, taking note of the new scenery and the ponies that were lying about him. Before he can do much observing, he notices his hat fell off his head during the landing. He quickly swipes it up, brushing off dust.

"The name's Trump Card," the pegasus colt says, twirling his hat on his hoof before putting it back on his head. Trump looks up, but can't see over the walls or through the tree branches. He takes to the air, flying up onto a tree branch in order to get a better view of what was beyond the walls.

[DigoDragon]

"Help us!"

"Whoa... did it...?" Bass looked the portal over for a moment, bewildered at the magical opening before him. Against his better judgement he made his way inside. "I'm coming, help is on the way!" he replied into the portal.

[igordragonian]

She fall on her face, her glasses sliding from her. She getting up, groaning. "mpphh..."
She getting up, with narrowed eyes, because of her short sightings.
She perks her ears, looking scared for a second.
Voices in my head? It cant be good... but it is absoulty awesome!
she smiling.
Are you calling me a hero? what was stolen?

And then she blinking, at the fuzzy shapes, that were the other ponies. "Why I'm Queen Muse Bloom!" she presenting herself with a bow.
"Oh. And some mysteriouse voice talking in my head! Do he speaks to your heads as well?" she asking cheerfully.

[Drakeburn]

Falling through the vortex, Marbles couldn't help but to scream while clutching onto his book tightly.

When he felt that he had landed, he opened his eyes, but still screaming. Only weaker and slightly awkward.

"Um, hello?" He stammered once he stopped screaming weakly, seeing that he isn't the only pony here. Wherever "here" is.

"I'm Marble White, but everypony calls me Marbles."

It wasn't long before he noticed that everything appeared slightly further. It was then that he realized that his glasses were gone.
But he didn't need to search very far, because his square rimmed glasses landed on the skull of a serpent skeleton one of the ponies was holding. It happened to land so it looked like the skeleton was wearing his glasses.

"Um, has anybody seen my glasses by any chance?"

[Derjuin]

Bassline's House

As soon as Bassline cross the threshold of the portal, it winks out of existence. The voice cries out once more - "Save my-" - before being silenced. Suddenly, Bassline finds himself falling in a new direction - straight down.

Under the Huge Tree


From his height, Trump can see a huge plain of grey-green grass extending in all directions outward from the tree, terminating in a distant forest that encircles the area entirely. Along the edge of one of the slopes of the depression is a road, worn in some places and overcome by the grasses of the plains in others. Following the road's meandering in one direction, it appears to lead toward a hill, on which a walled city of some kind is positioned. From where you are, you can reasonably guess that it is a rather large city. Unlike everything else you can see, however, a bright light shines down directly onto it. In the other direction, it leads toward a cliff, and some kind of settlement at the base of the cliff. It's difficult to tell exactly how large the settlement is, though it appears it is smaller than the city at least. Other than that, you can see a troupe of five ponies approaching the depression on the road. Though it's relatively quiet, Trump can easily make out the clip-clop of their hooves on the road. Four of the ponies are surrounding the fifth, whose attire is glinting in what little light there is.


As the others are introducing themselves and scouting the area, a fifth pony pops into existence just beside them - this one, a bat pony - and receives the same careless drop that each of the others has.

Even removed from its ancient resting spot on the ground, the skull's eyesocket glimmers again, though fainter this time. Between all the sound in the depression, the soft echo of hoofsteps can be heard from above; it sounds like several ponies are approaching at a walking pace. The walls of dirt in the same general direction as the sound are not quite as high as the others, and its slope looks like it can be ascended with a little effort.


Almost immediately after landing, a loud and gravely voice greets Bassline. No one else seems to hear it, though.

THE THIEF... HAS ARRIVED...

SAVE... THE SUN...



As if in response to Muse's thoughts, the voice returns.

THE THIEF... HAS ARRIVED...

GUIDE HIM... WELL... SEER...

She gets the feeling the skull and the voice might be related.

[cavalieredraghi]

Here you go Marble. The Changling says as he gives the Unircorn her glasses.

[DigoDragon]

-Splat-

Bassline hit the ground, spread out like a throw-rug, though one wing is up in the air twitching. "Oww... thief... what...?" He slowly gets up and brushes himself off.

"Uh, where am I?" he asked everyone.

[cavalieredraghi]

Stamps jumps up into the air, and floats there, as he says with unknown Enthusiasm.
WE HAVE NO IDEA!


He then floats above Bass, and tries helping him up.
I am stamps by the way who are you?

[DigoDragon]

I am stamps by the way who are you?

The batpony tilts his head at the unusual little critter. "I'm Bass... and I think you're the first changeling I've met. You from this game?" He looks at the others for introductions.

[Drakeburn]

"Thank you." Marbles says as he puts his glasses back on.
Ah, much better.

"Wait..." Marbles said, suddenly realizing something.
"Stamps is a changeling?"

[Dudeons]

Completing his observations, Trump Card jumps down.

"If you're all done with the how-do-you-do's, we've got some new ponies coming in," Trump says, alighting on the ground, "And unlike us, these ones aren't dropping in from the sky."

Trump turns towards the slope, watching for the new ponies and getting ready to make for the branches if they didn't seem friendly.

[cavalieredraghi]

Ya I am a Changling so what? I mean you are a Unicorn, you are a Bat pony, he is a Pegasus, and that there is a Earth Pony. Soooo? Anyways I am not from the game you joker, I am from Vanhoover. He then flies up into the Serpent's Skeleton to hide.

[DigoDragon]

"Okay, so... you said ponies are coming?" Bass asked the yellow pegasus. "How many? Are they carrying any weapons?"

[igordragonian]

Ooc: I'm posting from the phone, so please forgive me...

Ic:
Muse Bloom blinked.
Mentaly speaking to Skull(?)
[spoiler]
A thief? And I'm seer? Oh. I see! Its actually making sense! [spoiler/]
She found her glasses, and looked around her. If she was surprised to see a Changling~ she haven't showed it. She took a deep breath. "Well, we need to be prepared! Thief~" She calling Stamp. "Hide somewhere close, where you could do a sneak attack if the encounter will demand it!"
She saying as if she used to fall into other dimensions, with talking skulls and with total stranger ponies. And a changling.
"Hero." She calls Bassline. "Hide behind the tree and be prepared to rush attack~ if needed."
She raising her head as she was a commander.
"All the others~ find safe place and be ready. I'll face the strangers and SEE, what is all about!"
Her glasses almost sliding off her muzzle as she throw commands with enthusiasm.

[DigoDragon]

"Rush attack?" Bass questioned. "I'm more about dropping beats than beatings. Though hiding might be not be a bad idea for now." He scurried behind the big tree here in the clearing.


Stealth
[roll0]
+1 Body

Total: 7

[Dudeons]

"There's five ponies,"" Trump explains, "One of them is wearing some weird shiny clothes, but none of them had weapons. I think..."

As Trump turned back to the batpony, he saw that the batpony had run for cover at the order of the filly named Muse Bloom.

"You try to be helpful..." Trump says to himself. The filly named Muse Bloom had ordered him to hide as well, but Trump ignores her and continues watching the slope, waiting for somepony to come down. His wings are flared, and he's still ready to fly away if things get grim.

[Derjuin]

The hoofsteps grow louder and louder on the flagstone road above, until you notice an adult pony poking their head out over the slope, looking around.

"Like, I could have sworn I saw something," you hear her shout to somepony else.
"Heeey!" She notices Muse and Trump, and waves a hoof at them. Taking to the air with bat-like wings, she alights halfway down the slope. She has dark blue fur and a light green, wavy mane and bright gold eyes, bearing slits for irises.

"What are colts and fillies like you doing waaaay out here near this tree?" She ***** her head to the side with a gentle smile. Behind her, three more heads pop up over the edge, belonging to a unicorn and two others that might be earth pony, or pegasus. Another pony - this one in some kind of shimmering cloth wrap, or dress perhaps - stands just on the start of the decline. While the three ponies behind him-or-her are talking amongst themselves, sharing uneasy glances, the bat pony on the slope and the dressed pony above her mirror each others' smiles. The one in the dress appears to be the oldest, though it's hard to make out more details about them from here.

[DigoDragon]

Bass speaks up so the adult pony can hear him. "A very good question! I can only speak for myself, but I am a tinsy bit lost out here. Where is here anyway?"

[cavalieredraghi]

Stamps thinks to himself.

Thief what is that for?

He stays inside the skeleton and waits to see if these Adults are actually friendly or not.

[Drakeburn]

Thankfully, the new arrivals didn't notice Marbles. Not yet at least.
Without moving a muscle, Marbles attempts to cast one of the spells he had just studied before being dropped into..... wherever this place is.

Casting "Now You See Me, Now You Don't"

Now You See Me, Now You Don't
Target: Individual
Range: Contact
Duration: Temporary
Effect: Deceive
Subject: Body
Spell Level: 8 (Simple, DC 5)
Description: This spell allows the caster to turn invisible so nopony or anything can see him.

Spellcasting:

[roll0] [roll1]
+2 Mind
-5 Willpower

[Derjuin]

The older pony, along with the three others - who prove to be a unicorn, pegasus, and earth pony - descend to stand next to the forward bat pony. "You're lost? Well, right now, you're at the Tree of Perendi..." She turns to face the eldest of the group, the dressed pony. She tries to hide her conversation, but even being 'quiet' seems to be difficult for her. "Mom, I - er, sorry. Madame Teller, do you think we should help them? Most foals their age know about the tree... and, you know..."

"Of course, dear. And it's perfectly fine to call me 'mom', Aurora. Just because Spotter made you an 'official' guard doesn't mean you have to use my title." The Madame Teller approaches the bottom of the slope, the others still hanging back, even the bat pony. From this distance it's obvious she is quite old - perhaps even a hundred years - though there's still spring to her step. Folded up at her sides are a pair of bat wings. Her face is contorted into a contemplative frown, as if trying to recall something. All at once, however, it clears up with a nod and a smile.

"Hello, children. You may all come out - we mean you no harm. I take it you are... new, to our land. I am Future Sight, fortune teller. Who might you be?"

[cavalieredraghi]

Stamps stays inside the skeleton, not fully trusting this woman yet. He was nervous, as he felt his hooves dig into the soft earth. His breath seemed to slow as he felt every Heartbeat. The adrenaline was pumping into his whole body. He taste the air to get a sense of their emotions.

[DigoDragon]

"Bassline ma'am," the bat pony replied in a friendly smile. He stepped out of hiding. "From a little place called Ponyville."

[Drakeburn]

Now hidden from the older ponies, Marbles isn't exactly sure if he should trust what Future Sight said.

On the one hoof, they know the land better than he does, along with the other little ponies that came here as well.
On the other hoof, Marbles doesn't know who these other ponies are.

For the moment, Marbles believes the best plan of action is to follow them if the others decide to, or run for it if things happen the other way around.

Until then, Marbles stays quiet, listening to what these older ponies have to say.

[Dudeons]

"Trump Card," the colt says curtly, "And who are your friends back there, Ms Sight?"

While Trump continues listening to the conversation, he still has his wings flared in case he needs to escape.

[Derjuin]

"Ponyville? Huh?"
"There's no Ponyville in Equinia... is there?"

The four ponies begin mumbling amongst themselves, while Future Sight gives a short bow of her head. "It's nice to meet you, Bassline and Trump Card. And these four -" she motions behind her "- are my escorts. Bright Bolt the unicorn, Diamond Dust the pegasus, Spring Harvest the earth pony, and my daughter, Aurora Drop." As each pony hears their name, they stop talking give an uneasy smile. Aurora Drop waves as her name is called. "We're on our way to Mareinev City to attend an event. Would you care to come with us?"

"If nothing else, you'll be in the city, where it'll be easier for you to learn more about our land." Aurora chimes in.

[DigoDragon]

"That sounds... nice of you actually." Bass looks at the others around to see if they want to join?

[Dudeons]

"Very well," Trump Card says with a grin, "It's not like I have anywhere else to be."

[Drakeburn]

It seems like everypony wants to follow Future Sight and her friends to Mareinev City, wherever that is.
Marbles simply nods his head in agreement, even though nopony can actually see him.

[igordragonian]

Muse Bloom sighed when she seen that Trump haven't listened to her. "Greeny..." she sighed.
She stood still, eyeing the strangers.
She letting the others to handle the covnersation, rather preparing a "conversation sneak attack".
When is it seems that the others are ready to trust her, she pointed her foreleg at the Madame. "Your sightness." She says with soft tone, but with an unfriendly grin. "How could we know, that you won't sell us to our enemies? And what was YOU looking for at that tree?"

[DigoDragon]

"How could we know, that you won't sell us to our enemies?"

"We have enemies?" Bass asked.

[cavalieredraghi]

Stamps takes a sip from the love in the air. It tasted so sweet. Not as sweet as other forms of love, but still quite then enjoyable dish. He then poked his head from the snakes mouth.

Shh, Muse no one needs to know of our enemies. He says playing along with the Earth pony filly.

[Derjuin]

"You've made enemies in Equinia? Madame, I don't think this is such a good idea... Bright Bolt comments. He takes a step back, though he remains with Diamond Dust and Aurora Drop.

"If somepony's pursuing them, it might put us in danger, too. I'd rather we get to Mareinev sooner and not have to deal with troublemakers..." Spring Harvest adds. She retreats toward the road, keeping her eye on Future Sight.

Future Sight smiles, however. She pays no mind to her cavalcade, instead focusing on Muse's inquiries. "It seems you and your friends are not in so much agreement over your... enemies. Being such young colts and fillies, have you truly made enemies already in this place?" She taps her hoof on her chin, revealing sparkling jewelry along her foreleg. "I am not so ready to believe you, now." She says with a wink. As Stamps pokes his head out from the skeleton's jaws, Future Sight chuckles to herself while her four guardponies gasp. "So there are more of you, hm...?" she says, again to herself.

"Is... is he touching...?!" Diamond Dust starts, but Future Sight holds up a hoof - apparently a signal that hushes the pegasus quickly.

"If you are truly worried that we are nefarious villains, out to hurt foals of whom we have no prior knowledge, then you need not follow us." She turns from the group and heads back up the slope, stopping halfway. "However, I still bid you to make your way to Mareinev. Princess Lily will be able to help you, if no one else." Stretching membranous wings, Future Sight turns around once more.

"We will wait for you to make your decision, but please hurry. This event is not one I wish to miss."

[cavalieredraghi]

What about me touching the skeleton. He then grabs the mouth and treats it as a puppet once more.

Hi i am Stamps nice to meet you.

[Dudeons]

"My enemies are far from Equinia," Trump Card assures, folding his wings and stepping forward, "Lead on, Ms. Sight. I, for one, will join you."

[DigoDragon]

Bass thought that Stamps' puppet show was pretty metal. He smiles and decides to follow the group too. "I'm going with as well."

[Derjuin]

"It's a sacred site for us pegasi, uh, here in Equinia," Diamond says to Stamps, kneading at the ground. "They say that the skeleton is - er, was - Perendi, a creature that once controlled the sun and the clouds before he gave them to the ponies as gifts. We received the clouds from him, so..."

Diamond Dust does her best to give Stamps a friendly smile. "I guess you really aren't from here, if you didn't know that. But please, don't touch it; it's special to us."



"Excellent," Future Sight says as Bassline and Trump Card join her. "Will the others be joining us?" She looks hopefully to Muse and to Stamps, unaware that there's a fifth foal about.

[igordragonian]

Muse Bloom blushing heavily, when her act was exposed. She was trying to get more information that way.
"mm..."
Come on, Skull Lord- help me out! she adjusting her glasses.
She smiling shyly at the changling wich seemed to understand her. A bit.
She bowing infront of Future Sight. "Please forgive my sin of lie, your Sightness. I hoped to learn about the dangers of this land through a trick." she explains, not daring to look at her face.

"I... I'l join in... if... that ok." with a sudden shame in her voice. I don't know Future Sight... but the other kids are probaly.. GULP. Real.
She adjusting again her glasses. "But... I'v heard a voice... wich called me a seer. And I think it came from the skull-" she pointing at it, trying to ignore the unrespectfull puppet show.
"It called me a Seer." She said. "Is... that possible?" she asked Future Sight, biting her lips, getting ready to be accused of being a lier.

[DigoDragon]

Bass tilted his head curiously at Muse, because he heard a voice in his head. He would believe that Muse is telling the truth.

[Dudeons]

Trump Card rolls his eyes. If Muse thought they had enemies before even meeting anypony in this world, a talking skull wouldn't be too farfetched for her. However, it was farfetched to him, so he watches to see how the others react.

[Drakeburn]

This spell is going better than I thought, Marbles thought to himself.
As far as he could tell, the older ponies look as though they mean no harm. And they seemed to know this place better than they did. So going with them seemed like the best option.

As for what Muse said, he's..... not exactly sure what to make of it.

[cavalieredraghi]

Stamps puts the skull back the way he found it and smiled at himself.

Sorry i did not mean to disturb something as significant as like that. By Io i guess i mess up a little. Anyways I will come to.

Stamps then moves out of the skeleton and next to Marbles even though he is invisible Stamps can still taste the emotions from Marbles. Stamps sits down like he is just waiting for the Adults to leave, not to give Marble's position away.

[Derjuin]

"You're forgiven, my dear," Future Sight says, trying to sound comforting. "You're still welcome to come with us as well. If we encounter any danger, these four ponies here will help keep us safe." As Muse explains her experience with the skeleton and the voice, Future Sight nods.

"It is normal for some ponies to hear the old voice of Perendi near the tree... but what is that you say?" Future ***** her head to the side, looking quizzical. "It called you 'seer'? That's... hmm." She taps her chin again, though this time she is also lost in thought. "That's very unusual. Not impossible, but unusual. Most of the time, ponies hear bits of the past, come forth to whisper into the present. But... if it acknowledged you..." She looks over each of the foreign foals, once again lost in thought.

"I think it may be for the best if the Princess were the one to explain what it may mean."



"Thanks for understanding," Diamond says to Stamps. "And it's... I guess it's not so big a problem. I mean, you weren't doing it to spite the pegasi, so it's okay."

"If we're to leave, we should do it soon. I'd like to see the beginning of the procession, and maybe get some rose petals to join in." Bright Bolt suddenly says, marching to the top of the slope. Diamond Dust and Spring Harvest join him in looking down on Aurora Drop and Future Sight, along with the others.

"Alright, then. If we're all settled, let's go!" Future cheers, joining her guard.

The five of them wait at the top of the slope for just a moment, allowing the rest of you to catch up. As soon as you reach the summit, it becomes all too apparent that you're not in Equestria anymore - fields of grey-green grass extend into the distance, whispering in timid breezes that cautiously dare to stir the blades. The fields terminate in a dense forest in all directions but one - a massive mountain to the south with what appears to be a settlement at its foot. Though the bough of the tree blocks most of the sky from your current vantages, in those places that you can see, a dense, dark grey cloud cover has fallen over the entirety of it. Only directly over a walled and gleaming city to the north are there beams of light, dancing in the distance; the signs that point toward it on the road read "Mareinev City".

From here, it will most likely be about an hour or two's trot there. Plenty of time to gab to each other, or inquire more about the happenings of your arrival with the guard ponies or Future Sight herself.

[DigoDragon]

Bass walked near the other kids he first met. "So like, any of you get through a... game disc?" he whispered.

[cavalieredraghi]

Stamps nods,
Yep I came from the new Beta test The Cycle. It is suppose to be a new highly advanced magic game, though i never expected this. Well actually i sort of expected this.

[igordragonian]

Muse Bloom stared with a surprise.
[i] wow. She doesn't think I'm crazy... this is sure not real. [i/]
She walking beside Stamps. "Me... too." She have wishpered. "I guess this is like.. a living adventure game." She added with glance around her. "Unless..." her eyes sparkled with the idea wich built in her mind. "The disc was just a portal for a real paralel dimension..." she tried to wishper, barely holding her excitment.

[Drakeburn]

"Actually," Marbles spoke up, suddenly appearing.
"I received a disc in the mail as well. Only, I'm not sure why I got it."

[DigoDragon]

"This is uncanny, we all got this same game and ended up here?" Bass remarked.

[Dudeons]

"Apparently," Trump Card murmurs, "But why would we all end up at the same place, and what are we supposed to do now that we're here?"

[cavalieredraghi]

We are all in a game. A Multiplayer game. That was the starting point. We are in The Cycle after all.

[DigoDragon]

"What kind of cycle though?" Bass asked.

[cavalieredraghi]

The Cycle, it is the name of the game.

[DigoDragon]

"But like... is it a uni-cycle? Bi-cycle? Re-cycle? I have to admit, I sighed up for this game rather blindly."

[Drakeburn]

"I've got you beat right there." Marbles said to Bass.
"I actually didn't sign up for this game, and somehow I got it anyways. Or, at least I don't remember signing up."

[cavalieredraghi]

I don't know Bass, It is just called the Cycle. I mean the creators have been very hush hush about it all.

[Derjuin]

Marbles' sudden appearance doesn't immediately startle any of the ponies ahead, though an unknown voice causes Future Sight and Bright Bolt to look back toward the group of foals in confusion. Bright Bolt stops for a second, as if to count, and then to raise objection, but he instead turns back around and shakes his head. "When did foals start appearing out of nowhere? I didn't sign up for this... I'm gonna have to have a word with Miss Spotter." Future Sight, on the other hand, appears delighted that another has joined the group.

They don't seem to have noticed the conversation regarding the game discs, portals, or the Cycle, though. Aurora and Future Sight occasionally trade glances, and it's difficult to make out their occasional conversation, but it mostly seems to pertain to their home in another city - "Neighattle".

The road to Mareinev is pretty straight, cresting over short hills and sloping down into shallow basins, until a much larger hill comes into sight - the one the city itself is built upon. From here, you can see that the entire outside of the city glitters with the light from above, and the clouds part in a very tiny area above the center of the city. Spires - most likely of a palace, given their splendor - reach into the lit sky, their gold caps shining. Though it is still about an hour's trot away, it dominates the landscape around it, being the only thing in view that isn't tinged by the steel-grey of the overcast sky. Just at the gates, you can make out the tiny forms of distant ponies making their way into the city itself.

[DigoDragon]

"I actually didn't sign up for this game, and somehow I got it anyways. Or, at least I don't remember signing up."

I don't know Bass, It is just called the Cycle. I mean the creators have been very hush hush about it all.

Bass gives Marbles this incredulous look. He opens his mouth to say something, then closes his mouth, then opens but closes it once more. He looks over to Stamps like he needs help answering Marble's statement, but...

"Okay, well this is going to be as interesting as figuring out the lyrics to any Bucking Pumpkins song."

[Drakeburn]

"Um...... who?" Marbles had no idea what Bass was talking about.
Marbles has always been in his own world, too occupied in his reading to know very much about anything outside his interest or studies.

[DigoDragon]

"Um...... who?"

"They're a rock group. Tend to mumble their lyrics a bit," Bass explains.

[Derjuin]

Within Mareinev City

As you approach the city, two of Future Sight's entourage - Spring Harvest and Aurora Drop, it seems - gently usher you closer to the fortune teller, and bring up the rear of the group. When a pair of unicorn guards, garbed in golden armor with purple feathered plumes, approach Future Sight, the three exchange a few words, glances, head-nods and shakes, and the guards return to their posts.

The gates themselves are enormous, standing tall with lively twirled spires of their own. Purple and red banners are flown from the parapets, the latter at half mast. Glimmering gold, most likely simply leafing, adorns the huge white stone blocks that comprise the walls; each block, nearly the size of an adult pony, is decorated with its own unique, intricate set of gold filigree. Once past the gates, the scent of roses overwhelms every other smell in the air as rose petals fall like rain upon the flagstone road ahead. In the center of the circular area you find yourselves in is a large statue of a unicorn, though her features and legs seem to be exaggerated a bit - she almost looks like the princesses back in Canterlot, though she has no wings.

Immediately in front of you is an enormous stone bridge, leading over what appears to be the city itself down below towards an ornate palace that rivals that of Canterlot itself. Bearing stark contrast to the fields beyond, every color imaginable can be found in the city - though purples and reds seem to be the most dominant. Overhead, the clouds have parted and the light blue sky greets you merrily, though there is still no sun to be seen. Banners, flags, standards and more adorn the meticulously placed houses, businesses and balconies along the bridge, along with displays of red roses and purple lilies.

While in the city down below there are many groups of ponies scattered every which way - most likely partaking in whatever event Future Sight had come to the city for - upon the bridge itself are few ponies, mostly only those in gold armor like the ones at the gate. Among them is a grizzled-looking guard with a full grey mustache and a red plume upon his helmet in place of a purple one. On the chestplate of his armor is a blue sash adorned with several small medals and a large pin resembling a lily. Though the weight of age bears down on him, he still stands proud, and yet occasionally blows a stray rose petal into the air to watch it dance.

To each side, there are huge stone ramps that descend into the city below, running alongside the walls down into the earth. Even in the depths of the city, the light from above is plentiful, and there are even trees growing on some street corners; most of them appear to be fruit-bearing, but you're not entirely sure. The structures down below, while smaller than those along the bridge, appear to be in good repair - most of them are decorated as well, with patches of flowers, gardens and the occasional atrium, partially visible from your current location.

Future Sight catches a rose petal on her hoof, smiles and blows it back into the air. "We will always remember you, Princess Rose," she mumbles before turning back to face the group of foals. "Right. You five - it's five, right? No more? - should head to the palace at once, to talk to Princess Lily. Tell that fine gentlecolt ahead -" she points to the red-plumed guard upon the bridge "- that Future Sight sent you. He will show you the way."

Though Bright Bolt, Spring Harvest and Diamond Dust start heading down the left-hand ramp, Aurora Drop and Future Sight linger at the entryway plaza.

[DigoDragon]

Bassline was quite taken by the sight of the city. The gold-leafing, the petals, the white polish on the stonework... he could hear a whole chorus of angels in his head coming up with a theme song for this town! The batpony cantered in place a little. "Thank you ma'am, I sure would like to see the palace!" he said happily.

He started to walk to the bridge, but stopped to see if the others were coming as well. "Come on gang, the castle has got to be amazing too! Who's in?"

[cavalieredraghi]

Heck YA! Stamps raises his hoof for a hoof pound from Bass.

[igordragonian]

Muse Bloom was silent for a while. She "swallowed" the scene with her eyes, realizing it's not another imagnation game of her.
It's real. Kind of.
"Thousand and one thanks to you, Lady True Sight!" she said with formal yet enthusiasm.
"Well then.. it's decided- come along! The heroic five shall pay the palace a visit!" she yells.

[Drakeburn]

"The heroic five?" Marbles asked, looking really bewildered.
We're already calling our group the heroic five? The young unicorn thought to himself.
When did that happen?

"How can we call ourselves the heroic five? Especially since most of us hid from Future Sight before we met her."

[Dudeons]

"I suppose so," Trump Card says with a shrug, acting nonchalant about this otherworldly business. He walks past Marbles, poking him in the shoulder.

"Don't shift blame, Marbles. 'Most of us' happens to include you," Trump says, "If you don't think you're a hero, I'm sure I can be hero enough for two."

[DigoDragon]

"How can we call ourselves the heroic five? Especially since most of us hid from Future Sight before we met her."

"Tactical espionage?" Bass suggested as a possible justification. "I mean, some heroes prefer to use stealth, don't they?"

[Drakeburn]

"Don't shift blame, Marbles. 'Most of us' happens to include you," Trump says, "If you don't think you're a hero, I'm sure I can be hero enough for two."

"Who's blaming anypony?" Marbles asked.
"I'm well aware that I hid as well. I know I'm not the heroic type. I didn't even sign up for this game in the first place!"
Marbles took a moment to calm down. This was a new situation he was completely unfamiliar with, so he needed to focus on getting through this. If this really is a game, then maybe they can get out if they reach the end of the game. How that was going to be, Marbles isn't sure.
"But since we're all in the same boat, metaphorically speaking, we should mind as well stick together and get along with each other."

[DigoDragon]

Heck YA! Stamps raises his hoof for a hoof pound from Bass.

Bass delivers a hoof-bump back.


[COLOR="#800000"]"But since we're all in the same boat, metaphorically speaking, we should mind as well stick together and get along with each other."


"Agreed," the batpony said.

[cavalieredraghi]

Changling Hiding! OMG say it isn't so!!! Stamps put alot and i mean a lot of melodrama into his latest statement. Then laughs.

[Derjuin]

As you head along the huge bridge/thoroughfare toward the palace, Future Sight and Aurora Drop finally make their way down into the lower city, waving their good-byes. The bridge itself is resplendent, being adorned with vine plants and their lattices, rose and lily gardens, flags and all manner of other decoration; even the street lamps are just as much a work of art as they are a utility. The lane is mostly empty, with the exception of a few guards and what appear to be businessponies, hauling carts of flowers toward the plaza behind you. The red-plumed guard, though appearing surly, almost instantly brightens when he notices five foals running enthusiastically toward the palace. He trots over toward the group, intercepting your path.

"Well hello there, li'l wee ones," he says, waving and smiling - though his thick mustache obscures much of the latter. "Makes me heart soar ta see youngins runnin' an' playin' on a day like t'day. But uh, usually foals are wit' their parents in the lower city, at the parade... are you lost or somethin'? Ol' Blue Tooth can help ya find th' way, not like I do much else anymore anyway."

[DigoDragon]

Bass stepped forward. "Hello! Future Sight sent us here to be allowed inside the palace."

[cavalieredraghi]

Stamps nods, as he lets Bass take the lead here.

[Derjuin]

"She did, did she?" Blue Tooth says, putting a hoof to his chin. "An' here I thought she'd be callin' that one in fer herself. But I guess as Star Spotter's 'number-one-assistant', she can do 'at any time she wishes. Alright then, it just so happens that Future Sight's been sittin' on a voucher fer one visit with the Princess fer forever." He whips around and faces the palace, pointing with a hoof toward another gate, similar to the one at the entrance to the city. "Yer lucky day, I suppose!"

After a few moments of what is probably a standard salute or flourish, Blue begins a slow march toward the gate. "That there's the Royal District. An' inside that's the palace. Normally, ya need an appointment wit' the Princess ta get in, or, y'know, be on th' payroll. Or be a member of th' royal family but that ain't so applicable anymore. But stick wit' me, an' no one'll give ya no trouble. Them's the perks of bein' former Captain o' the Royal Guard." He grins back to the group, giving a hoarse and hearty chuckle.

"If ya don' mind me askin', what's so important that all of ya need to see the Princess fer?"

[cavalieredraghi]

Many of these Fillies and colts are form Equestria. I am from Hive Olith. We are very new to this place. Madame Sight thought it best we see the Princess.

[Drakeburn]

Marbles just nods in agreement with what Stamps just said.

[Derjuin]

"Eq-wha? Hive-who?" Blue looks back, an eyebrow raised. "Well, ain't no matter to me where ya from, long as yer here to be a friend of Equinia." He turns back around, waving to a pair of guards at the gates. "An' if yer new to Equinia, then the Princess is the best one to talk to."

With a cranking sound, the portcullis at the gate slowly rises, and Blue Tooth trots beyond it into the Royal District. The area appears to be one gigantic garden, with topiary ponies and lattices full of all kinds of flowers, fountains and artificial ponds; above, an apparently nonfunctional orrery sits, overgrown with vines and covered in verdigris. Oddly enough, one of the rings around the display is missing its associated celestial body. A small block underneath of the contraption lists details about it, if one were inclined to investigate.

And behind a pair of marble statues of unicorns crossing their horns in an arch, is the palace itself. Appearing to be crafted from a single truly humongous piece of marble, any seams that might appear between blocks are hidden - perhaps by magic, perhaps by craftsponyship. Spires of gold gleam in the light from above, and fountains send sparkling drops of water in all directions. From a balcony above, two guardsponies look down upon you with no small amount of confusion. Blue Tooth leads you all to the archway, before turning about and holding up a hoof.

"Now, much as I'd like, we can't just march on in on the Princess. Need'a let her know yer here to talk to her at Miss Drop's - er, Future Sight's request." He takes a few steps toward the palace's main doorway and makes some kind of signal in the air with a hoof. "You foals dally 'round here, I'll be right back ta get ya." As Blue nears the palace, two more guardsponies exit and take up positions on the other side of the archway, standing at attention. He gives them each a salute, and they reciprocate with a quick one of their own.

[DigoDragon]

Bass looks at the orrery. "Oh, it's one of those... ball spinning things. Whatever they're called."

[Drakeburn]

While the foals wait for Blue Tooth, Marbles puts down the book had had been wearing on his back and starts reading it.
He did pretty well with that invisibility spell. With enough practice, he might just surely be able to get into the School for Gifted Unicorns.
That is, as soon as he gets out of the game.
For now, his attention of his surroundings shifts towards the pages of his spellbook.

[cavalieredraghi]

Stamps floats up to the statues as he looks at them. He then flies around them inspecting every aspect and angle. till finally he decides.

"why do i get the feeling these ponies follow the old classic ways of the three tribes?"

Stamps asked the group as a whole.

[DigoDragon]

"why do i get the feeling these ponies follow the old classic ways of the three tribes?"

"How so? That earth ponies farm, pegasi weather, and unicorns... something."

[cavalieredraghi]

"unicorns were royality looking down on the others, just because they as a group moved the sun."

[igordragonian]

Muse Bloom followed silently, studying the place through he glasses. It was amazing!
Is it a game? Or... an alternate universe? They have never heard of Celestia! then.. who raising here the sun?
She waking up in sudden from her thoughts. "And the moon. But yes, they looked down on others. And beside they had magic." she says, enjoying to show off her knowledge.
"Do you think the Princess of Equinia will ask us to save the land? Maybe like the book, with the foals and fillies who passed through the wardrobe and met the great white lion?" She said with growing enthusiasm. Maybe... We will save Equinia from the evil white witch!" she finished with yell.
"And... when we defeat her... we will be the new queens and kings!" she saying with stars in her eyes.

[DigoDragon]

"The white witch?" Bass asked. "Sorry, I don't think I read tat one. Being a king sounds pretty snazzy though."

[Dudeons]

"Kings and queen, huh?" Trump Card says with a grin, "Sounds good to me!"

Shaking his head, Trump turns to the orrery. He heads over to the block underneath it, casually reading it.

[Derjuin]

Three out of the four guardponies regard Muse with even more confusion than they did before, though none of them makes a move to interject. One of them sports a silly grin for just a moment, before shaking their head quickly and returning to the stoic stance.

An older-looking earth pony, who had apparently been tending to the gardens nearby, pokes her head over a trimmed hedge and chuckles. "Oh, that's just kinda a little bit there unlikely, don't ya know. All the powerful witches and warlocks and wizards and what-have-you are all part of Star Spotter's academy, not a single rotten one among 'em. At least, you know, the pony ones. Who knows 'bout them there spider ones down in the forest, though."



Trump finds the plaque worn, but still readable in most places.


Dedicated to the Princesses Lily and Rose Blossom.
May their peaceful reign never end.

CENTER: Equinia. Our shared world.
FIRST RING: Gildaea. Angel-home.
SECOND RING: <the writing here is scratched and unreadable>
THIRD RING: Purgist. Palace of darkness.

If the orrery were to be investigated again, it would seem that the second ring's celestial body is in fact the one that is missing.



Blue Tooth comes trotting back out from the palace, head held high as he passes through the pair of guards.

"Ah still got the old charm, I do," he says with a chuckle. "The Princess has made time for you colts and filly. If you foals'll just follow me..." He says, waiting at the archway in case anypony had any last business before going in.

[DigoDragon]

"Oh, that was efficient," Bass commented. He trotted along to follow Blue.

[Drakeburn]

Marbles doesn't notice Blue Tooth come back or anything he said. He couldn't help but to direct his attention towards the contents of his book.
A floatation spell! That one can come in really handy. You may never know when that spell can come in handy. But there is also the spell that can make random objects appear over any pony or thing and drop it on them. Then there is the spell that creates a lot of marbles. But wait! What about the spell that turns ponies tiny? There are so many spells to choose from. So much magic to practice. Surely his time in the game will prepare him for the big entrance exam.

[cavalieredraghi]

Stamps floats and looks like he then sits on Marble's back, though he applies no weight what so ever.

HI HO MARBLES LET GO!

[Drakeburn]

Oh! There's a spell here about where I can wear an illusion to look like anything. I wonder if I can make it so that I can make myself look like anypony? That would definitely be useful.......

So excited about his studying, and so lost in his own thoughts that Marbles doesn't notice Stamps at all.

[cavalieredraghi]

Stamps leans over and takes the book, holding it in front of Marbles.

You want to get home right buddy, well we need to pay attention. Stamps then gives the book back and points to BlueTooth. Stamps stays on Marbles back.

[Drakeburn]

There are some really good spells here, but can I pull them off? Maybe if I can just..... Hey, where did the book go?

Marbles finally manages to snap out of it, finding Stamps on his back, pointing towards Blue Tooth.

"Oh, I'm terribly sorry." Marbles apologized as he took his book back.
"I have a bad habit of getting caught up in my studying."

With that said, he trotted along to follow Blue as well. Already forgetting that Stamps is still on his back.

[cavalieredraghi]

Stamps just stays there enjoying the ride.

Well, i guess i will just have to keep your mind in the now.

[DigoDragon]

Bass leans close to Blue Tooth to whisper. "Question- is it okay to ask the princess about Rose or no? I don't want to upset her if it's a painful topic."

[Dudeons]

"Hmmm..." Trump murmurs, "I wonder what the deal is with that second ring."

Trump flies up, going around the orrery a couple times to examine it. He flies close to where the second ring was supposed to be, looking for any signs of damage that could have removed it. After his observations, he descends to where Bass and Blue were, following them.

[Derjuin]

Trump

The second ring on the orrery appears relatively undamaged, with the exception of a pair of scorch marks over twisted and melted metal where - presumably - the second celestial object would have been. With the condition of the rest of the structure, it almost looks like it burned up...

Bassline

"'At's a very good question. If ya word yer question nicely, I'm sure the Princess would be willin' to divulge somethin' about her late ladyship. She'd be able to give ya the whole story, whereas I... well, I-" Blue sniffs, looking to the ground. You can spot a tear threatening to drop down, but he shakes his head and slams his eyes shut. "Sorry, it's a very sensitive topic fer me. I was her guard captain, y'see... I just... I couldn't keep goin' with my duties when Princess Lily told me about what'd happened. Princess Lily absolved me a' any guilt that could'a been placed on me, but I still feel responsible. Like I could'a saved her, or somethin', had I been able ta see what was really goin' down."

Everyone

After an exchange between Bassline and Blue Tooth, the latter shakes his head a second time and marches off towards the palace. "Keep in line now, youngins. It's a straight shot ta the throne room," he says, nodding toward the palace doors.

The reception hall is nothing short of ostentatious, to an extreme degree - possibly intended to impress, or intimidate. The tyrian purple carpet is luxurious beneath your hooves, and six stained glass windows along the wall depict a light-blue unicorn with pink hair and a small, golden crown. The scattered light dances along the floor, occasionally flickering as a guardpony - or possibly gardener - passes by. Above, an incredibly ornate chandelier, decorated with crystals and filigree and spirals of all kinds of arcane shapes, adds light to the cathedral ceiling. Glimmering gems adorn artwork painted onto the ceiling, depicting ponies of all kinds bowing before a Unicorn and a Pegasus. Just after the windows cease, rather mundane doors of dark oak - each guarded by a pair of ponies - take their place.

Blue stops and turns about, giving a guard - who also sports a red plume on his helmet, identical to Blue's own - a nod and a salute. With a gesture from a hoof, loud cranking and knocking announces the opening of the doors, which slowly split apart to allow you passage into the throne room.

And if the reception hall was grandiose, the throne room was even more so - in fact, one could describe it as a bigger, better and possibly even gaudier version of the previous. Tapestries, possibly depicting events in Equinia's past, hang overhead and along the walls. In the center is a golden platform, raised above the marble floor and sporting two ivory thrones, though one now rests empty. In the other sits a rather tall unicorn with a light blue coat and rich pink mane, wearing clothing to match the extravagance of the palace around her and a tall crown. From here, it's difficult to make out any fine details about her, but she definitely seems taller than even the adults that you have seen.

"Welcome, little ones. Please, come forth," she says, her voice possibly being magically projected as it does not sound like she is shouting, but at the same time, she is quite loud.

[cavalieredraghi]

Stamps gets off of Marbles finally as he bows like when ever he meets Grandma Arlia. wait for her permission to raise and greet the royal mare.

[DigoDragon]

Bass found the decor to be pretty swanky! He contains his excitement however and bows down before the unicorn on the throne. "Thank you for having us over."

The batpony is rather impressed with the unicorn's tallness. Wow.

[Drakeburn]

Like the other foals, Marbles bows before the unicorn at the throne.
He'll admit, she is really beautiful.

[igordragonian]

Muse Bloom entered the hall, staring at everything with amazement. She kneeled before as she imagined it should be right. "Your highness! thank you, for meeting us! We got so many questions!" she tried not to yell with excitement.

[Dudeons]

"What could be hot enough to melt solid metal?" Trump Card thinks as he walks with the others. He's toying with the idea of bandit dragons when he realizes they had arrived at the throne room. He bows towards the unicorn princess, taking off his hat and holding it to his chest.

[Derjuin]

The Princess bows her head to all of you, and a smile appears on her face. "You may rise, little ones. It is my pleasure to have guests - especially on this lonely day - though I am surprised you are here under Future Sight's name." Behind you, the doors slowly close, and a pair of guards have emerged from behind the throne. She stands up from her seat and approaches the edge of the stairs. "I am Princess Lily Blossom. You say you have questions for me? There are many answers I can give. As crowned Princess of all ponies in this land, I will do what I can to help my subjects."

[cavalieredraghi]

Stamps finally raises. He looks back to see the doors closing, and with two guards emerging Stamps gets a little worried. He was glad he was the only changling, since he would be the only one to read and taste emotions. He keeps himself physically composted as to not reveal what he was feeling.

Stamps steps forward.

Yes Mi'lady, we were wondering what this place is? I mean we have heard the name a few times, but i know nothing of this place. We have seen Ponies, also but have Alicorns come into being yet?

[DigoDragon]

"Also your majesty, why is this a lonely day? I feel that because we have only recently arrived, we have missed something important."

[Dudeons]

Trump rises up, keeping his hat at his chest in respect. There were a lot of questions going through his mind, but Trump Card decides to be patient and play it cool.

"Future Sight said there was some sort of event happening in this city," Trump says, "What is it, exactly?"

[igordragonian]

Muse gotten up, and stepped closer, fighting hard herself, not to rush as ther and swarm her with questions.
"We arrived next to... a strange tree. And there was a skull of snake. I think it have spoken to me... maybe to the others too." she said. "What does it mean? He called me... a Seer.:"

[Drakeburn]

Marbles gets up. He's not sure if he should be worried about the guards or not. Thankfully he had an invisibility spell and an itching spell in case this royal encounter takes a twist. For now, he just listens to the conversation.

[Derjuin]

"This place is Equinia, the land of ponies. There are many others who share this land with us, but we are its true children. Perhaps you are the unfortunate victims of a dimensional breach? Such things have deposited others in our world before. But... what is an 'alicorn'? There are many kinds of ponies in Equinia, but I have not heard of an 'alicorn'."

Before answering Bassline and Trump, Princess Lily takes in a deep breath. "It is... if you are new, then you wouldn't know. It is the annual remembrance of my sister, Princess Rose. Many years ago, I was forced to banish her from Equinia... For many, it is a day of rejoicing in her name, to show respect to the memory of her actions before her exile. For me, and I am sure some others, it is a tragic and lonely day. Many from Neighattle, our neighboring city, come to pay their respects as well - as you have seen with Future Sight. Down in the Lower City, there are parades and other festivities going on... speaking of, I really should make an appearance this year." She glances to a guard, who nods and trots away, probably to fetch a note.

"Yes, that is the Tree of Perendi. And... he called you a what?" Lily's eyes widen, and she looks upon Muse with scrutiny. "Foal... is this true? Did Perendi himself refer to you as 'the Seer'?" She looks to the others quickly, then to her guards.

"Give us a moment of privacy, royal guard. I will call for you when we are done." With that, the guards salute and exit into the reception hall. "You are the Seer? Did he call anypony else by a title? Perhaps Sage, or Thief?"

[cavalieredraghi]

Alicorns..... Stamps was going to say till the Princess seemed interested in that tree thing, and the Snake Puppet Skeleton. He then just remains quite as he waits.

[Dudeons]

"Dimensional breaches?" Trump repeats, "And you say other ponies came into this land through them? Could you tell us about those ponies, your majesty?"

[DigoDragon]

"You are the Seer? Did he call anypony else by a title? Perhaps Sage, or Thief?"

Bass slowly raised a hoof. "I was called a thief," he replied, looking more confused than nervous. "I didn't steal anything though. I don't even have pockets."

[cavalieredraghi]

Bass slowly raised a hoof. "I was called a thief," he replied, looking more confused than nervous. "I didn't steal anything though. I don't even have pockets."

Seriously? I mean that is weird. it is also good i was never called the thief. I mean that would have just been racist.

[DigoDragon]

Seriously? I mean that is weird. it is also good i was never called the thief. I mean that would have just been racist.

"Why'z that? I didn't think thievery was genetic," Bass said.

[cavalieredraghi]

"Why'z that? I didn't think thievery was genetic," Bass said.

It is not, but Changlings are always accused of stealing emotions or stealing away babies to replace them with our own. really it is annoying how wrong those stories are.

[DigoDragon]

It is not, but Changlings are always accused of stealing emotions or stealing away babies to replace them with our own. really it is annoying how wrong those stories are.

"The baby thing I haven't heard of, but don't you eat emotions? Somehow?"

[Drakeburn]

Marbles couldn't help but to raise an eyebrow.

Thief? Sage? Seer? What are those supposed to mean?

[cavalieredraghi]

Yes i eat emotions, but only excess Emotions. the stuff all ponies give off normally. I don't force any out of a pony. imagine like I am the thing that catches the water that is over flowing from a jug.

[DigoDragon]

imagine like I am the thing that catches the water that is over flowing from a jug.

"The floor?"

[cavalieredraghi]

No, like the thing underneath it that is ment to catch it. Like a plate, or well not really, i mean a plate does not drink the water. Though You are still funny. I like you Bass you are a really cool Colt.

[Drakeburn]

"Um, guys?" Marbles whispered as he nudged Stamps and Bass.
"We're in the presence of a princess here."

Also, there's the concern about where their conversation with Princess Lily is getting to. He's not sure if this going to get bad or not. But Marbles thankfully has a couple spells ready in case he needs them for whatever might possibly come next.

[DigoDragon]

"Um, guys?" Marbles whispered as he nudged Stamps and Bass.
"We're in the presence of a princess here."

Bass cleared his throat. "Ahem, sorry your majesty." He quieted down.

[cavalieredraghi]

Stamps looks confused, since he always acted like a normal nymph, or rather himself, in front of his grandmothers.

[Derjuin]

"Thief... Seer..." Princess Lily looks over your group, muttering to herself, and she appears to have a sudden realization. "If he is the Thief, and she is the Seer... that means-" she stops herself, taking a few steps back to her throne and placing herself in it.

"Ah, yes, the dimensional breaches. Sometimes, somepony finds a strange creature all by itself, usually out in the plains somewhere. We have many records of them... a gorgon, a centaur... mind, these are names my magical advisor, Star Spotter, has given them." She looks curiously to Stamps. "I believe you may be the first of your kind here, as well."

"I know you came here to ask questions of me, but would you mind a bit of a story? It might help you understand why you may have been brought here."

[DigoDragon]

Bass nods, glancing at the others with an encouraging smile. "I would like to hear this story."

[cavalieredraghi]

Stamps thinks to himself, he is not the first of his kind here he can't be. Maybe though unlike at home his kind is hiding. OMG if they are hiding that means he could maybe find others. He can be at home, with his own people.

Anyways An Alicorn is like me only less bug like. they are an Earth Pony an Unicorn, and Pegasus rolled into one pony. See I have a horn can cast magic. I have wings and can fly, and i am pretty well i can be pretty strong. Stamps grins and sits waiting for the story.

[Dudeons]

"I would love to hear your story, your majesty," Trump says. He sits down, putting his hat down in front of him as he pays attention to the princess.

[Drakeburn]

"I'd be interested in listening to your story, Princess Lily." Marbles says as he sits down, putting his book under his two front legs.

[igordragonian]

Muse follow the princess, with a growing excitment, "Why yes. He called on of them thief, and other a hero!" she almost shout.

[cavalieredraghi]

Stamps looks at muse.
hero who was the hero?

[Derjuin]

"There is a fable that has been known to certain individuals in this world for some time... my magical adviser, Star Spotter, first brought it to my attention many moons ago. Some think it is but a tale of old meant to pass the time, but now..." She shakes her head and shifts in her throne, looking a little uncomfortable - or, perhaps, anxious. "As I said, I had to banish my sister from this realm. In a bid for power, she callously disregarded her fate and donned a magical crown given to her in a horrid deal made with the demon-princes of Purgist... that is how we lost our sun." She sighs and looks out a stained glass window on a far wall, which depicts two unicorns, both the same color except in mane, much like the archway seen at the entry to the palace.

"The light that you see... it is the last bit of magic keeping our world lit, and thus, alive. My magic is only so strong, and I cannot bring the sun back. But, there may be hope. The fable says that five ponies from another world would save the princess from herself. If you can find your way to Rose's prison, release her, and manage to remove the crown... we may yet have Princess Rose back. We could have our sun back. All could be right again." Somepony who is paying close attention to the Princess can spot a tear rolling down her cheek; otherwise, she has remained relatively stationary, eyes fixed on the window. "And if you did not want to stay in our world... Rose and I could send you back to your own."

"If you were to undergo this... there is much to do. I do not believe it will be easy to release Rose, even with my blessing, for those that watch over her are fierce and powerful." She finally looks back to you with a smile. "Will you help us? We will help you in turn, as much as we can."

[cavalieredraghi]

A classic heroes tale if i ever heard one. I want to help, but how can we Colts Fillies and Nymph, help? What is this Fable?

[DigoDragon]

"Whoa, this is heavy," Bass said, "But uh, I'd hate for everyone to be in the dark. I'll help in any way I can."

[igordragonian]

Muse Bloom stared at the princess, and was so focused to listening to her, as nothing else existed. Tears started to fill her eyes. It was so tragic!
The enemy weren't just a souless evil stranger like the White Witch from the land beyond the wardobe~ it was a sister.
She tired to stop her wild imaginations, wich raged in her mind mercylessly.
Her brother Potatoe Coach stood infront of the Potatoes's Farm with cold expression.
"Mr and Mrs Potato~please leave this place imeaditly. Your debt to Poniville gone beyond any reasonable measure!" He said to their parents coldly.
"But we only one week late and~" his mother tried to reason with him.
"Just go away!"
This dark imagination made Muse cry.
"This is terrible!" She cried. "Of course I'll help! I'll do anything I can to help!"
She taking a deep breath. "Shall Celestia witness my oath and Luna witness my honesty~ I'll never stop trying before completing save your sister!" She promised.

[Drakeburn]

"I'll help as well." Marbles said as he got up.
But they were foals. What can a group of foals do to make a difference in Equinia?
"If you don't mind me asking, Princess Lily, how does a thief, a seer, and a sage have anything to do with this? And if Muse is a Seer, and Bass is a thief, then who's the sage?" Marbles asked.
He was really starting to doubt that this is just a game.

[Dudeons]

"Well, if we have our destined Seer," Trump points to Muse, "And our destined Thief," Trump points to Bassline, "Then how are the rest of us involved in this?"

[DigoDragon]

"And our destined Thief," Trump points to Bassline, "Then how are the rest of us involved in this?"

"You can help post bail when I'm caught for whatever it is i'm destined to steal," Bass whispered.

[Derjuin]

"The Fable tells of five heroes - the Thief, the Rogue, the Sage, the Seer, and the Knight - all of whom are important to the final outcome," Lily explains. "In the story, it is said the Knight defeats a monster who was once good, the Seer finds the path to victory for her friends, the Sage discovers the true purpose of their quest, the Rogue returns life to an ancient being, and the Thief returns the sun to its rightful place. I do not know how much of it is true, what is conjecture, and what is purely fantasy... but according to the stone within the Weirdweald, each hero's contribution is necessary." She sighs and places her head between her hooves, suddenly looking quite sullen.

"Star Spotter is perhaps the only pony who truly has studied this story - and, I suppose, prophecy of sorts - in any depth. I think speaking with her -"

Suddenly, a loud BANG! followed by a POOF! erupt directly in front of you, and a shower of purple, teal and sky-blue stars - along with a column of light blue smoke - heralds the arrival of a dark purple unicorn whose mane and tail are concealed by a conical star-covered hat and similarly styled cloak. She rushes up to the Princess without even considering the possibility of someone else being in the throne room.

"Majesty! My agents have-" When she notices the Princess's state, she slowly turns to look behind her. "Oh! Oh my goodness! Pardon me, your Majesty, I had no idea you scheduled guests for today." The two begin talking in hushed tones, occasionally tossing glances to each of you. Within not even a minute they finish, and the new guest turns toward you, bows and removes her hat.

"Thousand apologies, noble gentlecolts and fillies. I am Star Spotter, most esteemed magical mind on her Majesty's staff. I presume, then, that you are the heroes we have been waiting for." She scans the group and nods. "Her Majesty has asked me to direct you along the way toward your goal... shall we begin? You may ask me anything, just as you may ask of her Majesty; but we must depart to my personal library once everypony is ready."

[DigoDragon]

"I think I can hold my questions until we get to your library," Bass said.

[cavalieredraghi]

Stamps looks around. They had nothing, and they brought nothing.
What do we even have to prepare for?

[igordragonian]

Muse wiping her tears, and she nodding slowly, "Let's... go." she says.
"We have a lot of work to do!" she says seriously, but trying to sound cheerful.
I have to find the way for victory... but how? It's a lot easier, when I the one who making up the world, and the rules..

[Drakeburn]

"I think I'm ready for the library." Marbles said, standing up to attention.
He did the best he can to hold back his excitement. Reading books was one of his favorite things to do.
Maybe he can even learn a bit more about Equinia in the library.

[Dudeons]

Trump Card swipes his hat off the floor as he stands up, twirling it on his hoof before dropping it on his head.

"I'm ready if everyone else is," Trump says, adjusting his hat.

[DigoDragon]

Muse wiping her tears, and she nodding slowly, "Let's... go." she says.
"We have a lot of work to do!" she says seriously, but trying to sound cheerful.

"You gonna be alright?" Bass whispers.

[cavalieredraghi]

Stamps smacks his lips, as he looks to Muse.

Come on cutie, there is nothing to be sad about. We need to stay strong ok. Plus i hate to admit it, but you are leaving a bad taste in mouth.

[igordragonian]

Muse Bloom blushed from the sudden attention that she gotten.
"Yes. Yes I will. I must be! I am the seer!" She wishpered back to Bassline.
She blushed even more, when she have heard Stamp.
He sounded... wierd. Wierd in way that Baba Kartushka would hiy him with sack of potatoes, if she would hear him. "How did you~ I am not~" Muse Bloom started to mamble. "Bad taste?" Not sure if she should get insulted. "But you haven't ate me. You...changlings doesn't really eat ponies are you?"

[cavalieredraghi]

Stamps looks offended.then smiles like he never was.

"I don't eat ponies Muse. I eat emotions, your sorrow is sour so I want you happy."

Stamps smiles wide at Muse.

[Drakeburn]

While the other foals talk amongst themselves, Marbles opens his spellbook and once again reads through it.
Now oblivious of his surroundings, and his focus and interest concentrated on his reading.

[cavalieredraghi]

Stamps pokes muse's side with his hoof.
"Be happy for me? Please!"
As stamps says this he gives some big ole puppy eyes, that with his no iris eyes seems even larger then normal. It is something hard to say no to.

[Derjuin]

"Alright, let's go!" Star Spotter says, approaching the group. Her horn glows bright blue, and an instant later you are all whisked away to a room full of enormous bookcases overfilled with tomes, scrolls and all kinds of materials, with walls crafted of thick stone and set with gothic arches. The floor is shiny, like polished marble, alternating between large blocks of white and black stone, like a chess board. Skinny, yet very tall, windows appear in between bookcases; the occasional breeze ruffles papers and causes fanciful tapestries to dance, though an abundance of paperweights - mostly strange rocks with crystals sticking out of them - keeps loose pages in place.

"Welcome to the Star Spotter Academy for Magical Arts," Spotter announces, throwing her forehooves up into the air. "Her Majesty was right to recommend you to me. I've done plenty of research on this story and its implications, and can certainly point you in the right direction." She tends to her desk, looking over documents on it. With wide eyes, she suddenly pushes all the papers together in a makeshift heap and teleports them elsewhere. "Sorry. Just some... uh, sensitive paperwork. Yeah. Anyway! According to the texts and my notes, the first step in this journey is restoring 'an ancient being' to life." She reaches into her desk again, pulls out a map labelled 'Equinia' and levitates it into the air, unfurling it. You can clearly see Mareinev, the Tree of Perendi, and many of the other features you saw while outside - though this time they come with handy labels. Using a long pointing stick, Spotter gestures to a giant mountain on the map.

"Down in the depths of this mountain - the Spire, we call it - is a ship. Not just any ship - a magical flying ship! And according to the writings of the ancient wizard Witching Hour, one that has a life of its own. But without a source to power it, it's as good as a rock at the bottom of the sea." She moves the pointer over to a huge forest, entirely encircling the plains upon which Mareinev is located, labelled 'the Weirdweald'. "And in the forest, there's a magical stickerbrush that's just completely overgrown and strangled the life out of the nearby area. After seeing the place myself and reading more of Witching Hour's work - he used to live out there in a tower, right where the snarl of thorns is - I believe that the ship's power source could possibly be out there, causing things to mutate with its magical power."

"The spider kingdom, Arrachis, is not far from where Witching Hour's old tower is, so somepony there will probably know how to get inside the thorn snarl. In fact, I'd bet Minerva would be able to take you there herself..." She puts a hoof to her chin, clearly lost in her own thoughts. "I wonder where I put that treatise on giant spider etiquette... just a moment. Oh, feel free to peruse the books while I look!"

Popping out from between two bookcases, a bespectacled earth pony of tan coat and curly blonde mane waves her hoof at you. "I can help you find something, if you'd like," she offers, smiling. She wears a brown vest over a white shirt, with a pin on it reading "Decimal Dew, Librarian in Training".

[cavalieredraghi]

Ya i am curious about something, Why does Star Spotter, think that restoring a ship is part of the Prophecy. It says restore an anceint being, well why don't we restore that snake we first met?

[DigoDragon]

"A ship could be like an ancient being," Bass replies. "It's like how in a song they'll say something, but it's not literal, it's a meaning for something else."

[Dudeons]

"Restoring the dead to life seems like a much more difficult task than restoring some old ship to working order," Trump chides.

[cavalieredraghi]

I don't know if it would that difficult didn't the snake talk to Muse or something? Stamps said.

[DigoDragon]

"The voice that told me I was the thief was inside my head I think."

[cavalieredraghi]

But the eyes Glowed and everything. I saw it.

[Derjuin]

"A ship, and a prophecy? I'm... I'm not sure what you mean by prophecy. That could just be part of Ms. Spotter's work. I'm not always privy to the things she does, so there are a lot of things she will talk about that I don't really know. But I do know about the ship. It's called the Nemesis, and it fell to Equinia after the ancient wizard, Starcutter, lost control of it." She kneads her hooves together and glances in Star Spotter's direction, as if monitoring the unicorn. "But... Ms. Spotter says the power source is in the Thornsnarl, and she keeps saying going through Arrachis is the only way to get into it. I keep trying to tell her... oh, well, uhm, nevermind. It's just... there's another way, but she doesn't like it. Probably because it doesn't involve magic..."

"Sorry. The Thornsnarl is dangerous already, and the spiders in Arrachis are testy this time of year. It's silk worm season, and they're all busy harvesting their spice." Decimal appears to be about to go on a very long spiel about silk worms, spice, and spiders...

[cavalieredraghi]

Tell me more about this other way and Spiders Please!? Stamps says Eagerly. He was a Changling after all a bug like pony, maybe he could find common ground with these Spiders. Or maybe they were actually Changlings!

[DigoDragon]

"Eww, spiders," Bass said. "Still, a flying ship sounds like awesome."

[Drakeburn]

Marbles decides to peek from his book, to find that they're now in a library. Marble's face lit up, his jaw dropped as he looked at all the books, scrolls, and tomes in the room.

Is this what it is like in the School for Gifted Unicorns? Marbles thought to himself as he looked through what books they have.

[igordragonian]

Muse smiling again, when they are Star Spotter libary.
"Wow." her eyes widens. She noticing an intresting fact- Minerva was an Earth pony. "Lady Minerva?" Muse asked, circling as if she was looking for hidden wings or a horn.
"Are you... a mage?"

[Derjuin]

Everyone

"Huh? N-no, I'm not Minerva," the earth pony says, shakily. "My name's Decimal Dew. Ms. Spotter is training me to be her librarian, and I'm taking classes here at the academy to be an Occult Professor. Er, uh, that's 'Other Creatures Culture'." Between Bassline's comment and Stamps' excitement, Decimal gets the biggest, happiest grin on her face.

"Well, see, there is somepony else who knows the way into the Thornsnarl. It's this mare named Ophelia, which I thought was a pretty weird name for a pony, but who am I to judge, you know?" she shrugs, turning around and pointing at Star Spotter's still-floating map. "See, the Arrachis kingdom is here, and the Thornsnarl starts around here. Ophelia lives on the other side of it, but there are a lot of dangers out there too. They say there are horrible monster scorpions and maybe even a cockatrice! But," she holds up a hoof, and motions to the map again with an S-shaped motion. "The scorpions usually stay in their den unless they're hunting - which they don't frequently do this time of year - and no one's actually seen the cockatrice. I've done a little research on Ophelia before, and she seems to be a regular pony, if a lonely one, who lives in the forest."

"As for the spiders, they have this really intricate kingdom made up of buildings made of webs. I don't even know how they do it, but the few times I've been there with Ms. Spotter, we mostly studied how their culture interacts with pony folk. I helped write the Treatise on Arrachnid Etiquette, actually!" She beams and then takes in a breath, preparing for the next phase of her lecture, when Star Spotter suddenly appears in a plume of smoke next to her.

"I can't seem to find the darn thing. Well, just be nice to them and they should help you out of hoof. Sometimes it seems as though they're simply smitten with ponies." Spotter looks around for a scrap of paper, and scribbles something on it. When she hands it to Trump, it appears to be a rough map with a line drawn from the city to where Arrachis is in the forest. Behind her, you notice Decimal Dew is doing the same thing. "I can only take you as far as the city's edge with my magic. But from there, you just follow this line and it should lead you there." Spotter trots back over to her desk, and Dew hurriedly hands a folded-up piece of parchment to Bassline.

Marbles

Books on the basics of magic and the occult, histories of Equinia's various creatures and cultures, accounts of monsters and even a thick series of books on dimensional breaches are all among the books and scrolls found on the shelves. Higher up, far above your head, you can spot the occasional more advanced book on magical theory, ancient magical methodology and a ...weird black tome, devoid of all text or hints of its contents. It looks as though it hasn't been moved in ages.

[DigoDragon]

and Dew hurriedly hands a folded-up piece of parchment to Bassline.

Bass stuffs the parchment in a padded ear-piece under his headphones, the closest he has to pockets. He assumes it's a copy of the map as a back up and will look at it later.

[cavalieredraghi]

The Arachnids are intelligent, but are the Scorpions? also Cockatrice, Hehe, COCKatrice. anyways, that is a bird dragon thing isn't it?

[Dudeons]

Trump takes the map, looking it over and memorizing the basic layout. He puts it under his hat.

"Thank you, Ms Spotter," Trump says, tipping his map-holding hat.

[Derjuin]

Trump/Everyone

The map proves easy enough to memorize - it doesn't go into great detail, but it seems to be a straight shot to the forest. There's apparently even a cairn stone near the right path, possibly erected by either Spotter or Decimal themselves.

"Of course, little one. I will do anything in my power to help the Princess," she says, shuffling through papers in her desk drawers. "Including helping those she has deemed so important. When you and your friends are ready, let me know and I'll get you on your way."

Stamps

Decimal eyes you uneasily, one eyebrow raised. "Uh... I guess. But like I said, no one has actually seen one in Equinia. They only think there is one because the forest in that area is petrified, but science easily explains why that happens. The monster is just a legend, we think. And the scorpions have rudimentary intelligence, but we've never managed to make actual contact with them."

[cavalieredraghi]

But cocktrices are things we have in our world? Wait Scorpions! Something clicks in Stamps mind.

Has anyone ever seen the Scorpions fully before? or just a tail?

[DigoDragon]

Bass looks around. "I got one last question. Any way we can get in touch with you if we need help or had a question?"

[igordragonian]

Muse Bloom blushed as she mixed up names again. It.. was quite embarssing. She sighed.
How will she plan a victory with such foggy mind like her?
"I... I'm sorry." She apologized. "Do... you have suggestions how should we defend ourselves... just in case?" She asked carefully, afraid to sound silly again.

[Derjuin]

Trump

"Certainly. Thank you for taking up on the Princess's request. I know it must be strange, and a bit frightening, to suddenly be foisted into this hero position, but I think we - and all of Equinia - can trust you five to make the right decisions." Spotter smiles and nods her head to the behatted colt. "Good luck to all of you."

Stamps

"Our world? Do you mean... you ponies came from another world? Are you here through a dimensional breach?? Your world has real-life cockatrices?!" Dew suddenly sounds much more excited, but her excitement is almost instantly deflated. "Oh, but I guess we can talk about that later, since Ms. Spotter has her important mission for you..." She shakes her head, and nudges her glasses back into place. "No one's seen the whole scorpion, but we have heard them chitter and clatter. It's kind of hard trying to reconstruct their language from just those. No one really wants to get close to them, since, you know, giant scorpion."

Bassline&Everyone

"Oh! Yes, thank you for reminding me - or, rather, helping me remind myself. This is for you five..." Star Spotter takes off her hat, fishes within it and draws out a small crystal with a musical note etched on it. "This is a telestone," she says as she lifts it via magic and holds it in front of your group, waiting for somepony to take it. "It's automatically connected to me, so you can't use it to communicate with anyone else, but if you need help, just clap your hooves on it and say 'Star Spotter' and then follow with your message."

"Oh wow," Dew comments, her eyes wide. "You guys are lucky... not everypony gets the chance to have a direct 'stone line to the greatest pony wizard in the land," she chuckles nervously, and possibly a little jealously.

Muse Bloom

"Defend yourselves? Uh, you can try negotiating, or if you really need to, um... use magic?" Dew shrugs and looks to Star Spotter. "Well, yes, the occasional flash of magic is all it takes to scare away most of the animals in the Weirdweald. Against spiders - well, let's hope you don't come to blows with the spiders, let's just say that. As for the creatures inside the Thornsnarl..." Spotter leans forward and bucks quickly behind her, only to stand upright with a pained expression. "Okay, first things first, Dew, we are instituting a new exercise program. Ow..."

"Umm... uh, what Ms. Spotter means, is that the creatures inside the Thornsnarl aren't as nice as some of the other ones. You might have to uh, bop them, a little? Or a lot, to make them go away. Or you can try talking to them, or you can trick them into going away. It's mostly living plants inside, you just need to not get overwhelmed by them. They come back quick, but if you stomp on them or break their stems, you should be able to buy yourself time." Dew looks to Spotter for approval, and receives the head-nod she seeks.

Marbles

The mystery of the weird tome suddenly seems to grow on you, although it most certainly doesn't feel like a natural inclination... almost as if something is tugging at the back of your mind.


I'll need a Mind check to resist the book's lure.

[cavalieredraghi]

Stamps wondered if the scorpion language was anything like changlic. It also has a lot of clicks and flatters. If not stamps will have to resort to a tongues spell. Though thanks to mom and dad knowing so many languages and that they tried to teach him he may be the best here.

"I am ready to go."

[Dudeons]

Trump takes the telestone from Star Spotter, tucking it into his hatband.

"I'm ready once everyone else is," Trump says, giving a cocky grin to his compatriots.

[igordragonian]

Muse Bloom sighed. She could think of such solutiones by herself.
She hoped to get some magical sword or something.
"Well.. I guess I'm ready too!" she forcing a smile.

[DigoDragon]

"Ready as I'll ever be," Bass adds. "I think we can do this."

[Drakeburn]

Marbles didn't know what it is that makes that book so interesting to him, but for some reason he felt drawn to the black tome. He could feel one of his hoofs reaching out for it. He immediately stopped his hoof, struggling to keep himself from getting that strange tome.

[roll0] [roll1] + 2

[DigoDragon]

"Marbles? Hey, you ready to go?" Bass asked, looking for him and tugging at his shoulder.

Can Bass use Harmony in that he's trying to get Marble's attention? Can't let a low roll go un-buffed and he could use the +2. :smalleek:

[cavalieredraghi]

Stamps looks at Marbles, as he is not paying attention. So Stamps does what he does best, He floats over and sits on Marble's back. he then Rides Marbles towards the group.

Come On Little Pony! Lets get moving!

[Dudeons]

Trump trots over to Marbles, playfully punching the entranced unicorn in the side.

"Whatcha staring at, egghead?" Trump asks, following the unicorn's pointing hoof, "Did you see a spider or something?"

[igordragonian]

Muse with excitment getting closer to Marble.
"Or... did you see a ghost of spider?!" she asked with wide smile.

[Derjuin]

Marbles

Through various distractions and your friends' intervention, resisting whatever drew you toward the book becomes much easier. Before you can really process what could have lured you so, a bright blue aura surrounds the book and it vanishes in a blue star-burst cloud.

"Ooh, sorry about that, I knew I shouldn't have left my... uhm... uh... m-my Book of Charms out! Yes! So sorry about that," Star Spotter says, rubbing the back of her neck. With a grimace, she turns to Decimal and huffs. "I thought I told you to put that away where no one would find it." The young librarian-in-training shrinks back and shrugs, looking like she wanted to say something but couldn't.

Everyone

"Well, now that our business is done, I think it's time your quest began in earnest! Good luck, and let me know over your telestone if you need assistance." Spotter's horn begins to glow, and you are all soon yanked forcefully out of the library. An instant later, your surroundings change to that of the front gate of Mareinev. A shower of blue, teal and purple sparkles falls upon you as a pair of gold-clad guards resume a more laid-back posture at the gates themselves.

Unfortunately, there isn't a sun or moon to tell if time has even progressed; the sky is still filled with the dark, endless expanse of clouds, and everything but Mareinev is still shrouded in grey gloom. Off in the distance, most likely not more than an hour or two's gallop, is the looming shade of the Weirdweald.

[cavalieredraghi]

Stamps was going to say something as the Teleport happened.
"What are you...... Hiding!"

With a sigh, and then a growl he simply squares his shoulders, and looks to the horizon. When he is out of ear shot of the guards, he talks to the only ones he knows he can trust.

"They are totally hiding something guys, I know it. It makes my carapace itch."

[Drakeburn]

"Huh, what the?"
One moment, the other foals were all around him. The next thing he knew, they weren't in the library anymore.
"Ugh, sorry about that." Marbles apologized as he rubbed his eyes.
"I don't know what came over me. There was..... something drawing me towards that black tome. I don't know what it was exactly, but I wonder why Star Spotter has that book." It wasn't a thought he liked to ponder about. Hiding away notes, and a black tome? What is Star Spotter hiding? Can they really trust her?
As he pondered these thoughts, he couldn't help but to trot into the wrong direction.

[cavalieredraghi]

Stamps was still on Marbles back when he tried to go the wrong way.

Wow Buddy. We are going that way Marbles. Stamps points to the Wierdweald.

[Dudeons]

"Well, no use waiting around," Trump says. He starts trotting towards Wierdweald, paying little attention to the others as he recalls what the map said.

[igordragonian]

Muse Bloom's heart beated with burning excitment.
I am part... of a real adventure!
"Come on! The Heroic Five shall begin the journey to save the princess!" she said with enthusiasm and exictment.

[DigoDragon]

"I guess we'll have to find out who's trusting as we go along this journey," Bass said. "At the very least, I think we can trust each other."

He pulls out the folded note Decimal gave him earlier and reads it.

[cavalieredraghi]

I think you are right Bass. I wonder if all we know so far has not been a complete lie?

[Drakeburn]

"Hm? Oh, sorry." Marbles apologized, turning towards the right direction.

"Although I'm not sure if everything is a lie. I just think there is something that they're not telling us."

[igordragonian]

Muse looking at the sjy. "It's about the lost princess.. probally." she saying quitly

[Derjuin]

Everyone

Thankfully, there appears to be a path worn into the plains in the general direction that Spotter's map would have you take. There are few distinguishing marks along the way, but you eventually find one of the stone cairns Spotter had marked on the map. On an incline just over the next gently rolling hill, you notice that there's actually a fork in the road; it appears that she recommends following the left-hoof path.

Bassline

Decimal's paper contains a tiny map, similar indeed to the one Spotter had given to Trump; however, its path deviates and goes further north, with scribbles illuminating the purpose behind the path: it instead leads to Ophelia's home. On the reverse is a written note, though it's crammed onto the page and barely fits.

Sorry this writing's so small. I mean obviously it's small. Anyway, there's a fork in the path that Ms. Spotter wants you to take. If you want to find Ophelia instead of the spiders, follow the right-hoof path and just keep going. Soon you'll find the petrified part of the Weirdweald; look for a cave with a really nice-looking statue near it. That's supposed to be where she lives! If you find a ravine, you've gone too far; that's where the giant scorpions nest.

[DigoDragon]

Bass makes an odd 'drum beat' sound and holds up the paper for the others to see. "Hey, looks like my map has something of a detour. Instead of spiders, we can look for Ophelia by taking a right at the fork. What do you think? I mean, less spiders is a good thing, right?"

[cavalieredraghi]

I am for the spiders Personally. I mean I feel i can blend in with them rather easily. Stamps starts to stretch his hooves while he is still on Marble's back. He show cases his bug like appearance while doing so.

[Dudeons]

Trump Card stops at the crossroads, allowing the group to catch up.

"That seems like a stretch to me," Trump says, turning towards Stamps, "After all, I'm a pegasus. Does that mean a tribe of giant vultures would treat me as one of their own? Even if spiders DO think you're their long-lost cousin or something, I highly doubt they'll extend the courtesy to us."

Trump turns towards the fork leading right.

"If I recall correctly, our objective is Ophelia, not the spiders. The more direct our path to Ophelia is, the better. I say we should go right."

[cavalieredraghi]

Trumps, our objective is to find the power source of the Ship. The Queen of the Spiders, Minerva can help or Ophelia. I feel we have a really good chance with the Spiders.

[DigoDragon]

"I dunno, I would think speaking to a pony would be a little easier?" Bass asked. "I've never talked to a spider before. Certainly not spider royalty."

[igordragonian]

"we are the heroic five! We don't look for "easy peasy"!" Muse joined the argue, with all her passion.
"I meet ponies everyday. How much of Intelegent Spiders have YOU met, Bassline? Come on! I want to see how Queen Minerva will accept us!" She almost yelled, maybe too dramitcly.

[DigoDragon]

Bass mentally recounts the Ayes and Nays of which direction to go. He looked over to Marbles. "What do you think, Marbles?"

[cavalieredraghi]

Stamps presses his hooves together, as Bass talked about royalty. He then shook his head. He could not talk about that, so what if his grandmothers were also Queens. He knew it would not change the others minds.

[Drakeburn]

"Let me say that we probably should go see Ophelia. First of all, I don't know if these spiders are friendly or not towards ponies, especially foals like us. Second of all, we are here to save Equina. Just because you wanna be brave doesn't mean you have to go out looking for trouble."

[igordragonian]

"It's not only about our bravery" Muse Bloom answered Marble. "We need to find way to help the ship. Remember?" She waving her forelegs, filling her words with emotions.

[cavalieredraghi]

And we know the Queen will help us. We believe Ophelia would will also help. Should we go with what we know even though it is scary or what we believe even if it is less scary?

[DigoDragon]

"How do we know the queen will help us?" Bass asked. "Just a moment ago we were commenting that we aren't even sure about trusting Spotter or Decimal. We can't assume everything they said is fact, even if they are benevolent. Still, we do need to decide on a direction we all can move together toward, and we could conceivably go to both locations if we have the time. Since we seem to be leaning 3-2 for Ophelia I saw we go with our guts and try her first."

[igordragonian]

Muse Bloom sighs.
"Fine. Let's meet another normal pony." she frowns.

[DigoDragon]

Muse Bloom sighs.
"Fine. Let's meet another normal pony." she frowns.

"Well, to be fair I don't know of a 'normal' pony that goes by the name Ophelia," Bass points out with interest. "Maybe she's different?"

[igordragonian]

Muse Bloom smiles. "Well she could be a wicked witch. Couldnt she?" she said with joyful smile.

[cavalieredraghi]

"All you ponies are normal to me. "

Stamps say with a big grin.

[DigoDragon]

"She certainly could," Bass replied to Muse, "And she could get you, my dear, and your little changeling too!" The batpony giggled and gave Stamps a defiant raspberry in jest.

[igordragonian]

"Well then, it has beendecided!" She said dramatically. "The heroic Five will go meet Ophelia the great witch!"

[Derjuin]

As you begin trekking down the right-hand path, you soon discover that this is definitely the one less traveled. Grass has overgrown parts of it, and in areas it seems only to be matted-down grass which the occasional set of hooves has trampled. The Weirdweald looms alongside your group, and it becomes obvious that this isn't your average everyday forest - deciduous and evergreen trees mingle with each other, some twisting or growing around each other in a way that makes them seem much more alive than a simple plant might be. Beyond the very first trees of the forest, what little light there is is almost lost entirely, though it remains light enough to make your way, it probably won't be easy.

A more definitive path crops up as you actually near the forest itself, and new sounds break the awkward silence of the plains - crickets chirp, birds sing, and in the distance you can hear a droning sound that resembles a cicada's cry. Between fallen leaves and other scree, a much more obvious path has been made here - one that undulates smoothly back and forth, with the occasional misplaced hoof mark. The path itself is about wide enough for one pony of your size to trot along it, and winds deeper into the fading light of the forest.

In a spot where the light doesn't even breach the darkness, you notice two bright green eyes, staring - and occasionally blinking - in your group's direction. They only seem to be observing, and from their shape and height, most likely belong to a pony about your age.

[DigoDragon]

Bass waves to the pair of eyes. "Uh... hello there? Don't mind us, we're friendly."

Heart check?
[roll0]
+2 Heart

Total: 9

[cavalieredraghi]

Stamps tastes the emotions coming from that direction. Hoping to determine if it was pony or something else.

Mind (emotion taste)
[roll0] +2=6 with a crit.

[igordragonian]

"Are you a Vamponies, who waiting to suck all of our blood?" Muse asked way too happily

[Derjuin]

Stamps


You can't make out any kind of feelings at all. If there's somepony there, they must be utterly lonely to have no feelings of love.

The only response to your friends' questions is a gust the wind, its trilling whistle momentarily overtaking that of the birds and bugs of the forest. Something in that gusty whistle, however, almost sounds like a voice, and it's speaking in the changeling language...? "Friend...! Come with... me!" The eyes blink once more before they vanish, a shrub nearby shaking violently as they pass; you can hear the light galloping of hooves in dirt, as if somepony were dashing away. "Help... us...!"


Bassline


The only response to your question is a gust the wind, its trilling whistle momentarily overtaking that of the birds and bugs of the forest. Something in that gusty whistle, however, almost sounds like a voice, but it's speaking in squeaks and chirps - a lot like a batpony might when communicating with others of their kind. "Friend...! Come with... me!" The eyes blink once more before they vanish, a shrub nearby shaking violently as they pass; you can hear the light galloping of hooves in dirt, as if somepony were dashing away. "Help... us...!"


Trump, Marbles, Muse


The only response to Muse's question is a gust the wind, its trilling whistle momentarily overtaking that of the birds and bugs of the forest. Something in that gusty whistle, however, almost sounds like a voice. "Friends...! Come with... me!" The eyes blink once more before they vanish, a shrub nearby shaking violently as they pass; you can hear the light galloping of hooves in dirt, as if somepony were dashing away. "Help... us...!"

[DigoDragon]

"Uh..." Bass looks at his friends for assurance.

[cavalieredraghi]

Stamps looks to Bass.
Uh what?

[Drakeburn]

"Huh?" Marbles asked, looking at his companions. He was hoping they knew what to make of this.

[cavalieredraghi]

Huh What? More description would be better? Stamps says, as he does not believe anything he heard from the eyes. Changlings would not at all risk this kind of exposure.

[DigoDragon]

"It called us friend and asked us to follow because it needs out help. Hmm... Imma gonna follow it. Bass trots his way through the bushes after the eyes.

[cavalieredraghi]

That is what you heard, well before you go, can you answer me one thing Bass. Do you speak Changlic?

[DigoDragon]

That is what you heard, well before you go, can you answer me one thing Bass. Do you speak Changlic?

"Uh, no..." Bass replied. "No tenny mucho changelic... words." He quickly gives up on even trying.