Rebuilding Equestria! Episode 1

[thoroughlyS]

There was a time when Equestria was at peace. When everypony worked together, and harmony filled the land. A millennium of prosperity under the rule of Princess Celestia was punctuated by the return of her long forgotten sister, Princess Luna. On what was to be the dawn of the thousandth Summer Sun Celebration, darkness covered every corner of the land. After an extra hour of night, the sun rose grander than ever, and an extravagant celebration was held to commemorate the reunion of the royal sisters. Many saw this joyous event as the dawn of an unparalleled era of joy throughout the land. But joy would not last.

Nopony knows how. Nopony knows why. But just as this new dawn broke, so too, did a storm begin to take shape. On a day unlike any other, chaos fell across the sleepy town of Ponyville. A primordial chaos. Nopony could believe what strange things were happening. What strange and frightening things. But permeating the terror was an undeniable air of playfulness. A whimsy and joy and gaiety compounded with a cruel, unending, selfishness. This confusion, this evil, this chaos.. this Discord bounded across Equestria in a whirling frenzy. Unrest and unhappiness met everypony unfortunate enough to be caught in this maelstrom. As instantaneously as this new threat seemingly popped into existence, Princess Celestia, Princess Luna, even Princess Cadance vanished.

In the time that followed, Discord threw Equestria into a somersaulting tailspin. Nothing could stop him, or even seem to cause him to falter. He met every action against him with the same unmoved, haughty, smirk. Even the return of the lost Crystal Empire was met with his buffoonish antics. From deep within the arctic wastes of the Frozen North came a new threat to Equestria. An umbrum Unicorn named King Sombra, who boasted unmatched control of dark magic, capable of spreading misery and hatred wherever his shadow fell.


Discord trapped him in a vacuum.

Finally freed of their tyrannical oppressor and his curse of loss and pain, the Crystal ponies hoped to return to a world they'd given up ever being reunited with. Instead they were met with an ecstatic Discord who had admitted to forgetting they weren't around. Seeing this new land, untouched for over a millennium filled him with jovial excitement. But joy would not last. Realizing that the vanished realm had missed centuries of even natural change sparked a fury that overtook him. Filled by a seething, roiling, rage, Discord began to personally see to it that the Empire would be unrecognizable to even those that spent countless years trapped within it.

Time, like everything else, lost all meaning. Discord popped across his playscape, endlessly amused by everypony who inhabited it. Though he often pulled ponies from their daily struggles to toy with them, he never cared, or even thought, to befriend anypony. But Discord was not upset by this. In fact, he was no less joyful than the day he achieved his dominion. But joy would not last.

One day(?), long after everypony gave up hope of ever returning to some semblance of peace, Discord fell. Six friends, championing the cause of harmony stood against Discord. At first, he acted as the one remaining constant in the world, toying with them. He plucked a crowd of ponies from all across the realm to pay audience to his antics. But just as he began boasting and gallivanting, the heroes did something that shocked even him. They began to speak. As they spoke the smile quickly fell from Discord's face. Replaced with terror as he listened to them. They unveiled their weapons, which time would remember as the Elements of Harmony, and which Discord couldn't believe existed.

His disbelief was hardly unfounded, as he had destroyed those pesky trinkets all that time ago. He asked how that was possible. The heroes answered that they had shared a vision one night. It showed them what was to be, and who they were to become. When they awoke, an iridescent gleam enveloped each of them. As they stepped forth, they each found themselves wearing an alien ornament. Each of them had a necklace of brilliant gold, with a gem at the center. Each was differently colored, differently cut, and fitted precisely to their owners.

They recounted how even through the entropic nightmare they lived in, they found one another. How they found solace in each other's company. How they worked together to protect and support one another. How their efforts as a team, as friends, made their lives seem worth living. How they wanted to live. How they wanted everypony to live. How his reign was over.

As they spoke, a brilliant sunburst surrounded them, its beams reaching into the crowd and warming them to the core. A shimmering rainbow of magic leapt from the group to envelop Discord. His protests echoed across all of Equestria, silencing it. A wave of white light erupted from him as his body was petrified, encased in stone. The light swept across the land ending much of the suffering to be found. Equestria was at peace.

Sadly not everything returned to the way it had been before Discord had ruled. In the time since Princess Celestia and Princess Luna maintained the balance, Discord's chaos had seeped into the world, a feat which would require much more undoing. The heroes were praised as the new leaders of all of Equestria. Word spread of Discord's fall.


In the three years that have passed, everypony has made it their cause to help return joy to Equestria. Because without their help, joy would not last.

[thoroughlyS]

OOC Thread (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?474544-Rebuilding-Equestria!-OOC)
Dice Roll Thread (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?475052-Rebuilding-Equestria!-Dice)
This thread is for in-character posts only.



Rhythmic Link (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showsinglepost.php?p=20279377&postcount=3)
Stalwart Shield (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showsinglepost.php?p=20282188&postcount=6)
Winter Wind (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showsinglepost.php?p=20239121&postcount=31)
Creepy Crawly (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showsinglepost.php?p=20284557&postcount=12)
Midnight Pearl (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showsinglepost.php?p=20279857&postcount=4)
Silver Lining (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showsinglepost.php?p=20279950&postcount=5)



The resurgence of the Crystal Empire came as a surprise to everypony. This was especially true for the crystal ponies, who called the Empire their home. It was as if they had woken from a deep, dreamless, sleep to a world they found foreign and unfamiliar. Their collective hearts grew even more fearful when they tried to remember a familiar world, only to find that they had lost their memory to the dark King Sombra’s tenebrous magic. The tyrant returned to claim his hold over the ponies, only to be flippantly dispatched by Discord. For a brief moment, the crystal ponies were freed, or so they thought. As soon as Discord’s eyes fell upon the Empire, untouched by time for centuries, he flew into a maddening frenzy. This rampage forced everypony to abandon their home, flung into a world they couldn’t recognize.
Among those who survived was a curious pony named Rhythmic Link. Link trudged through the marsh that engulfed the northern half of the Crystal Empire, and was soon joined by three others who had escaped the destruction. After running until their chests ached and they couldn’t stand, the group collapsed in a forest of enormous candy canes. After catching their breath, the group agreed that it may be best to camp for the night, for none dared think what bizarre terrors awaited them in the night.
Silence covered them in a suffocating cloud. Seeing how the others were beginning to lose themselves to the darkness once again, Link broke the stillness by humming. It was a simple tune, and Link couldn’t remember if it was even a real song, but the others soon joined in. As they grew louder, smiles began to eclipse the looks of fear on their faces. By the time they had finished, everypony felt calmer. In an effort to stave off the chilling silence further, they began to speak to one another. They asked one another’s names, and shared what little they could recall between them. One small question gave Link pause, a harmless question, which was very simple. A young filly asked whether Link was a stallion or a mare. Link couldn’t answer, but this realization did not inspire a fear of loss, but instead a calming moment of self-revelation. Link remembered that they were androgynous.
Link awoke that morning to find that a cliff had sprung up overnight, stranding the rest of the group on its peak. They called down to Link, affirming that they would be alright, and to keep moving forward. Progress was slow, as Link often had to wait for the others to navigate the perilous inclines, and eventually they had to separate at a break in the crags. Link was once again alone.
Pressing onward, Link soon realized that the world seem even more wild that the night before. Discord’s uproar had sent waves of chaotic energy in all directions. Over the course of a few hours, Link realized that both the Sun and Moon seemed to move about as they pleased, stripping all meaning of the words “day” and “night”. Link continued on, stopping to rest only when exhaustion demanded it. One “afternoon”, as Link crested a hill that appeared to be made of windows, a voice rang out amongst the cacophony that filled the air.
“Hey! You shouldn’t go that way.” As Link searched for the pony who spoke, a white pegasus landed scarcely 5 yards away. “You won’t find shelter anywhere in that direction.” the colt spoke harshly. “Not anymore.” Seeing how solemn the pegasus was prompted Link to ask what had happened. The pegasus explained that his village had been effected by the chaos that zigzagged its way across Equestria. It had been relatively safe there until only recently. Link realized that it had been caused by the return of the Crystal Empire.
After his story, the colt explained that he was travelling to Baltimare, where he hoped he could make a new home. Link had never heard of such a place, but understood that that should be expected. A lot can happen in a thousand years. Thinking back to the first day running from Discord, Link decided that travelling in a group would be safer than alone, and with a pegasus, they were less likely to get separated. After some convincing, the colt reluctantly agreed, complaining of the time he would lose travelling on hoof. Introducing himself finally as Winter Wind, the colt began trotting forward, leaving Link to catch up.
The journey was not easy, and Winter Wind’s cool reception did not make it any easier. Their scant few rests were mostly spent quietly, as any attempts Link made at conversation seemed to fizzle out within seconds. Occasionally Link would start humming again, to nopony in particular, and one “day” Winter began to sing over the melody. It was a slow song, and he sang softly, but it seemed to make the world a little calmer. As it ended, Winter smiled, the first time Link had seen him do so. Link asked what the song was, and Winter explained that it was a nursery rhyme his parents would sing to him as a child before bed. Their hearts warmed as they made their way through the dark, scorching, “morning”.
The next “day” it was as if Winter had been frozen over night, and Link felt more distant than ever. The pair, fatigued and hungry, soon passed through a small town. Agreeing that things would go faster if they split up to get different supplies, Link and Winter Wind began wandering the town seeking aid. Link came across a stallion leaning against a house and playing a lute, clumsily picking at each of the strings. Even though the song was shrill and slow, Link stood affixed. Soon the stallion noticed, and offered the instrument forward.
He asked if Link knew how to play, stumbling over his words slightly, a smile on his face. Link took the lute, and in a flash felt a spark go off deep within. All thought replaced by an overpowering memory. Coming to, Link found the air filled with a sweet melody emanating from the lute. Link was playing, and what’s more, remembering the song! Joy filled Link’s heart, and imbibed vigor within. The song was interrupted by a filly, crashing through the closed door of the house.
“Papa?!” she looked around, tears in her eyes, and a smile on her face. But, as her eyes fell on Link, her smile dropped. The hope in her eyes faded, replaced with a cold acceptance. Link stopped. The filly realized what had happened and apologized. “Sorry. I just thought my papa was playing again…”
Link questioned what she meant, and the pegasus explained that her father was once a talented musician, but that he had been affected by Discord’s reign. He had lost his ability to play, but was still well enough to recognize it. Hearing the music, the filly thought that maybe he had gotten better. This time, Link apologized. The pegasus dismissed the apology, saying that the music was beautiful, and asking if Link wouldn’t mind continuing. Link smiled – a small, sad, smile. Picking up where the song had left off, Link watched as the filly came to lean next to her father, both of them listening with a bittersweet expression.
As the song ended, they applauded and the pegasus thanked Link for playing. She asked if Link wouldn’t mind another song? Seeing how happy she had made these two, Link felt a renewed sense of self, and obliged. After that song finished, Link reluctantly admitted to needing to leave, and that somepony was waiting for the supplies. Hearing this, the filly was quick to offer her home as a shelter, if Link needed somewhere to stay. Link thought that was a great idea, and departed to tell Winter Wind the good news. As Link left, the two exchanged names, with the pegasus introducing herself as Stalwart Shield.
After searching for a short time, Link found Winter Wind and let him know the good news. He wasn’t nearly as thrilled as Link was, asserting that Baltimare was only a few more “days” away. As he began leaving, Link thought back to how happy Stalwart Shield had been while Link was playing. Link couldn’t bear to leave her while she was hurting so badly. Link explained what had happened and suggested Winter continue on alone. Without Link to slow him down, he could reach Baltimare more quickly, and they could meet there later. He thought for a moment, and agreed that this seemed like the best course of actions. They bid each other farewell, and went their separate ways.
Link returned to Stalwart’s doorstep, knocking on the finely crafted door. She answered quickly, and was surprised to see Link standing there, but happy nonetheless. Link had meant to only stay for a few “days”, but as the bond with Stalwart grew that soon turned to “weeks”. Each night, she and her father would listen to Link play for hours, entranced by the music. As the time passed, Link came to remember more and more of the past that had been shrouded by King Sombra. Though it was never anything substantial, never anything that gave Link a sense of identity.
After a few “weeks” Link saw how much Stalwart Shield’s mood had improved. But within Link, a hunger for self-discovery grew. Whatever Link was searching for, it wasn’t here. Link had a tough decision to make, but before long, confessed these feelings to Stalwart Shield. She was quick to understand, and thanked Link for everything.
Link left Hollow Shades, and travelled east, to Baltimare, to make good on the promise to Winter Wind. Arriving one “night”, Link quickly found the shelter where Winter had ended up, but seeing the place he had found there, quickly departed to explore Equestria. Link hoped to find some clue to the past that had been lost, and help everypony that needed it along the way. Link made many friends along this journey, but would always try to remember the two that had been there right from the start.
Link visited Stalwart Shield and Winter Wind often, sharing stories, and keeping up to date, both before and after Discord had fallen. On one such visit, Link found Stalwart missing. Her father informed Link that she had moved to Ponyville, but had left a package for Link. Inside, Link found a hoof carved lute, a key, and a note. The note explained that even though Stalwart had moved, Link was still always welcome in her home.

[thoroughlyS]

It has been three years now, since the Champions of Harmony wrested dominion of Equestria from Discord. They restored much of Canterlot to its previous glory and took home in the capitol city. It has been a turbulent time, as many places in the world still feel the touch of Discord's magic.

After a brief visit to the quiet town of Ponyville, Rhythmic Link convinced Stalwart Shield - Link's housemate and long-time compatriot - to make a trip out to the coastal city of Baltimare. Her time abroad taught Stalwart that it is safer to travel in numbers, so she requested the aid of two ponies she met along her travels: Creepy Crawly and Midnight Pearl.
A week of travel passed without incident, and on the eighth day the party spotted the city on the horizon. Arriving at mid-afternoon, the group was surprised to see the streets almost barren. Link led the group to the Inner Harbor, overlooking Horseshoe Bay. The crystal pony entered a large building which appeared to be a hospital. Inside, the group was surprised to see row after row of ponies sprawled on makeshift cots across the entire floor. Several other ponies roamed down small aisles attending to the ill. Link soon spotted another friend, Winter Wind, a short distance away, and trotted over to ask what happened.
Winter revealed that the city was in the middle of an endemic outbreak. He introduced the group to Silver Lining, the filly that started the hospital during Discord's reign. She informed the group that the cause of the outbreak was a mystery, seemingly infecting ponies at random. A small group of ponies in the city seemed immune to the disease, and they were the ones acting as nurses now. A thorough investigation could not reveal any links between those that were immune.

[radmelon]

Winter Wind looks to the group of ponies, glad to see at least one friend in such a troublesome time. "I know I shouldn't be surprised when acalamity like this happens, but things were just getting stable. I'm sorry that your arrival in town coincided with this."

[Granhyt]

Stalwart Shield looks concerned, seeming worried by the disease. She tried to hide it, but she was often reaching her shield, before releasing it. A shield wouldn't be useful now.
Hesitating, she speaks to her friends, slowly. She'll need time to decide herself.
- We ... should to try to find how the outbreak started, or try to see if some other town had a similar disease in the past. We can't really leave the place, after all. Somebody surely know from where it's come, and such an information could help us a lot in order resolve the local issue. Right ? Do you have any other ideas ? Maybe we can search for more than one information at the same time.

[GnollOfErathis]

Silver Lining (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showsinglepost.php?p=20279950&postcount=5)

On first introduction, Silver had answered in a rapid gabble, with half the syllables left out and most of the rest going through her nose. On seeing blank stares, she said Pardon my Bawlmarese. and continued on in a more intelligible fashion.

'Kay, if we could figure out why some don't get sick, it would help. At least to know who could move around safely. If we're lucky, it might suggest a treatment.

[Dudeons]

"I could ask the bugs about the disease," Creepy suggests, "They may have seen it in another part of Equestria, or they may be dealing with it themselves."

[Elbeyon]

Upon first meeting Winter, Link through a hoof over Winter Wind's shoulder in a hugging embrace. Parting with pleasantries about how glad she is that he is doing well-ish (given the circumstances). Her reason for visiting sidelined to the more important task at hand.

Link nods along with the good ideas. "I'd like to stay here for a while and help. Try to lift the mood with a bit of ponyplay.

I can ask around to see if there is a cord between the sick. A common note to the illness."

Woo! We're starting. :smallbiggrin:

[Granhyt]

Since everyone seemed to have an idea about what to do, Stalwart Shield was left to decide for herself. And so she did.
- I'll ask to the nurses and try to discover where the disease appeared first and what happened to the first pony to catch it. Take care.
Having said what she tought to do, Shield trotted off.

[igordragonian]

Midnight Pearl "I'll join Stalwart." she said, frowning a bit. "I'll check who have something to gain from this, and if there any sense in this disease." she said, joining Shield.

"Watch your pockets!" She said- it was her way to say "good bye"

[GnollOfErathis]

Silver Lining (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showsinglepost.php?p=20279950&postcount=5)


"Watch your pockets!" She said- it was her way to say "good bye"

But we don't normally wear clothes, hon.

[thoroughlyS]

After a brief deliberation, the party split up to investigate. Creepy left the hospital to speak to the native bug community. Link, after being outfitted with sterile nursing garb, began roaming the aisles, playing softly. Stalwart and Midnight, similarly clothed, sought out the nurses for more intel.

A quick discussion left Creepy with little information. The insects had fortunately been spared from this outbreak. To the best of their knowledge, the city was no more rife with disease as it usually was. Unfortunately, their limited worldview meant they could offer no information about the rest of Equestria.

While playing, Link occasionally asked the ponies that listened what happened to them before they fell ill. Their stories had little in common, and seemed like everyday fair. Some ponies were working when they began to feel unwell, while some had been woken during the night by stomach pain. Everypony mentioned falling ill at some point in the last week.

Consulting with the acting nurses, Stalwart learned that the first pony had arrived late in the day 8 days ago. He was brought in by his wife, who explained that he had collapsed while working on their home in the northern part of the city. Within a day, he was severely dehydrated and numbness in his extremities. After that, ponies started coming in more frequently, their conditions usually worsening within the day. Most of the acting nurses were not medically trained, and did not know about medical history. Knowledge about other towns and cities was also unheard of, as communication between cities had been greatly stunted since the times of Discord.

From a cursory glance, Midnight could tell that the disease was affecting ponies of all races and ages. After a little digging, she also discovered that the infected came from all over the city, some even from out of town. Asking how they fell ill revealed a similar spectrum of answers. Some had been with friends, while others had been at home when they were struck with a serious migraine. They all felt lucky, however, because they made it here before the more serious symptoms presented themselves.

[igordragonian]

Midnight tapped her chin. "Well, that didn't helped much. had any luck, Shield?" she have asked.

[Dudeons]

"None of the bugs know anything about this affliction," Creepy says with a sigh.

[Granhyt]

Shield sighed and shocked her head.
- Not much. The first pony to get sick was in the northern part of the town, then more and more ponies catch the illness. It seems to take a day to get totally numb and dehydrated. So if you collapse or start to feel sick, that's a bad sign. Within a day, you should better come to the hopital. ... We may not have much time to investigate.
Maybe we should go in the northern part of town and look for .. something ?

[igordragonian]

"Alright..." said Midnight.
"Hmm.. I wonder.. when somepony suffer, usually there a somepony who gain use from it...." she wondered.
"But for now let's go with you idea, dear."

[Granhyt]

- Or it's just a normal disease and nobody is in fault.
I hope than a culprit exist and that we will find her. Or him.
Stalwart Shield sighed.
- It's easier to bash somepony on the head than it is to smash a totally natural sickness.

[igordragonian]

"If it were just a normal disease would they call us?"

[Granhyt]

- They called us ? I tought this traval to Baltimare was Rhythmic Link's idea.

[igordragonian]

"Right... right." Midnight giggled.
"I just a bit paranoid, and I already built a whole theory based on.. mm.. nothing. Silly me." she sighed.
"I... sure miss the old days."

[Elbeyon]

"I didn't do it! It's not my fault. I may have wanted to travel to Baltimare for hardly a reason, but I'm innocent I say.

I don't want anyone to suffer..." He looks aspirated, breathing heavy, at the blame.

[Dudeons]

"Nobody is blaming you, Link," Creepy says, "We should do some more investigating before we accuse anypony of causing the disease."

[Elbeyon]

A quick "Oh." is given and she turns her face away, embarrassed. She's happy to travel to the north part of town (where the first pony got sick).

[Granhyt]

- Like Creepy Crawly says, nobody is blaming you. How could you make ponies sick if you where with us in Ponyville then on the road ? Are you a wizard ? If so, you forgot to tell me.
Shield laughed for a bit, then got serious again.
- What are we waiting for ? Let's go.

[igordragonian]

Midnight laughed.
"You are such a sweetheart Link darling. Let's go."

[GnollOfErathis]

Silver Lining (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showsinglepost.php?p=20279950&postcount=5)

Wasn't much use of me flailing around on my own trying to find out where it came from when ponies needed me, but with a place to go and good companions, it sounds like a plan. She starts to spread her wings. The left is a lighter gray than the rest of her coat, and lacking in detail. She frowns in concentration, and the wing snaps into focus, becoming a match for the other, except for the color. Been too busy to keep up appearances, she mutters to nopony in particular.

[radmelon]

"I'm coming too," says Winter Wind "I can't do any good much good here, not much call for weather-work in a hospital." The white pegasus ruffles his feathers before continuing. "Lets go, time's short. Oh, by the way, I'm Winter Wind. I know Link, but not the rest of you."

[thoroughlyS]

The party sets out for the northern part of town, led by the native Silver Lining, herself following the directions given by the patient. The trip will take a full 10 minutes.

(Feel free to greet everypony.)

[Dudeons]

"Oh! You're right, Mr Wind," Creepy says, smiling politely, "I'm Creepy Crawly, bug caretaker."

[Granhyt]

- I am Stalwart Shield, but I'm often called Shield. I'm a ... bodyguard, hesitated the mare, before correcting herself.
- I was in the royal guard, before...you know. Not much of a royalty to guard anymore. So I guard ponies from danger, instead. I am a friend of Link and the others.
Nice to meet you.

[Elbeyon]

"Bla!" Link jumps around. Her feet not synchronize in landing. "We already did introductions."

"I'm don't know any magic, probably, so I don't think I'm a wizard. I do the music!" Her mouth grabs the Guitar Axe from her side and she flourishes it to her hooves. Striking some chords. Inspire [roll0] "...uh. It's nice to meet everyone." Out of habit and with a guitar in her hooves she strikes it some more. "I travel mostly. I'm here to mess around and visit Winter Wind." A wink goes out to him.

[GnollOfErathis]

Silver Lining (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showsinglepost.php?p=20279950&postcount=5)

Silver Lining. I run the mission here and try to help everypony who needs it.

[igordragonian]

Midnight smiled warmly. "You seem to me like a bunch of charming ponies. You can call me your highness." She giggled. "Or Midnight Pearl if you want to use my real name. I... mmmm.. releasing bad ponies from possesion that would help others more. For example me!" She said cheerfully

[radmelon]

Winter talks little on the way over, spending most of his time in the air. The pegasus seems to be doing slow laps around the party as they walk, so as not to overtake them by too much.

[GnollOfErathis]

Being the native guide, Silver (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showsinglepost.php?p=20279950&postcount=5) shepherds the groundbound members of the party, with occasional trips aloft to get her bearings. Everything looks different from down here.

[Granhyt]

- Talk to me about this. When you travel, you are always slowed down by non-pegasis ponies .. I mean, I mean no offence, added Stalwart Shield to her friends, but you've got to admit it's true. Sticking to the ground is neither fast nor fun.
And yet she walked along the others, without taking-off once.

[thoroughlyS]

The party arrives at their destination just as the Spring sun reaches its peak in the sky. Before them sits the home of Dovetail Joist, the first pony to fall ill. A small cottage lies at the center of a large yard, enclosed by a whitewashed picket fence. The home has lain dormant for 3 days since Dovetail's wife, Satin Stitch, succumbed to the disease.

[igordragonian]

"....and that why telekenesis is more fun than flight!" Midnight have finished her explantion for why she think telekenesis is more fun than flight.
She looked over the house.
"Before going into this place, I believe we should look around for clues. For example...." she turned to Creepy. "Could you check if we have here a nest of something nasty? Maybe the disease caused by Discordafied insects?"

[Granhyt]

- Eheh, fair enough. I'm still not convinced thought. It's just a lazy way to not use your hoofs in fine.
Midnight Pearl had a good idea. Shield thought of evil ponies, maleficients monsters and crazy magics, but she'd totally forgot stranges bugs in her “list of who's doing bad things in Baltimare”.
- I hope it isn't bugs Midnight. We didn't bring any honeykeeper's suit. And my pavise is not an suffisant substitut.
Unless if we use it like a fan and blow wind on the insects.
Stalwart Shield grinned.

[Dudeons]

"I don't know what sort of bees you've dealt with, Shield," Creepy says, "But all the ones I've seen don't like being provoked. Don't bother them and they don't bother you."

Creepy starts looking around, trying to see if there are any bugs about the place.

Should I make a check to see what I find, or can I use Animal Mastery to just call up some bugs?

[Granhyt]

- Oh, I never ... I meant to say than if we are against crazy insects who sting everypony they see, we have no protection.
I wasn't saying we should steal honey in a beehive. Or anything like that. At all.

[Elbeyon]

"Flying and telekinesis are both amazing! Being able to move without touching the ground. Well, without touching anything. And, being able to move things without touching them. Well, touching anything. Phew! That must be awesome fun..."

"We should ask the neighbors if they know anything. No, no. We should break inside and investigate ourselves. No, no, no. Checking for horrifying bug monsters and normal bugs should come first. They could surprise us if we don't."

[igordragonian]

'I knew an unicorn who levitated herself! And.. ' she continued the friendly argue.
But then came buisness. 'Hmmm good thinking. I'll ask the neighbors around while Creepy asking the bugs.' And turned to the house on the left of the first infected house.

[Granhyt]

We should have asked for the keys. should I fly back to the hospital and ask to the owners ? I don't like the idea of breaking, event if it may help us.
Besides, the hospital isn't too far if I fly there. I'll be fast.

[Elbeyon]

Link raises a hoof in a defeated protest. "No, I said we shouldn't..."

He looks to shield and says, "Good thinking" and starts trotting away. He shouts back, "Good luck!"

He'll head toward the nearest house on the right.

[GnollOfErathis]

Silver Lining (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showsinglepost.php?p=20279950&postcount=5)

'Kay, I'd rather not break in. Getting the keys would be a good idea if you want to zip back, hon. Get somepony to sterilize them for you and bring them back in a clean cloth.

That goes for everpony else, too. We'll want to be careful, since we don't know how the disease is spread. Wouldn't be a good idea to pick up anything with your mouth if you've got any other way to do it.

[Granhyt]

- Understood. Sterilize, then bring back the key in a cloth. You don't eat fabrics, do you ?
... sorry. That was a bad joke. My mother does, since... you know. Nevermind.

Don't worry Link, I understood you. But we still may want to enter. And without the keys, how'd we do ?

Take care everypony. Don't get in trouble without me.

And on these words, Stalwart Shield finally took-off and flyed to the hospital by the sky-way.
If she didn't recognize the hospital from up there, she could still return to the town entrance et retrace the path from there.

[GnollOfErathis]

Realizing that Shield is new to town, Silver (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showsinglepost.php?p=20279950&postcount=5) calls to her, South southeast, hon, it's the biggest building between here and the bay.

https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/ee/51/b7/ee51b756e5a41d4c975ba07cb320ac74.jpg

What the mission looked like before Silver set up shop.

[radmelon]

While Shield is off getting the key, Winter spends his time observing the house from the air. Not getting tresspassy-close, but getting a view that the ground-bound party members cannot.

[thoroughlyS]

Overturning the nearest log, Creepy finds herself face to face with a small family of beetles. Greeting them politely, she asks if they wouldn't mind answering a few questions. They are warmed by her kindness and agree.
Midnight and Link turn in opposite directions and begin trotting to the neighboring houses. Both houses appear to be deserted. They continue to the next house over, only to find the same result. In turn, they each remember that the entire population of ~300 ponies is currently sheltered at the makeshift hospital. Those few that remain healthy are currently acting as care takers to the ~280 ill.
Flying over the twisting streets at full speed, Stalwart is able to make it back to the hospital in only 4 minutes. It is a few minutes before she is able to get the attention of an attendant, not wanting to intrude on their duties. A short time later she is back to the skies, with the recently sterilized house keys wrapped in fresh gauze.
Without landing, Winter does a quick sweep of the property. From this vantage point he's able to see the patch of roofing where Dovetail Joist was working before being brought in. Behind the house, he notes a small garden along the western side of the picket fence and a small tree sitting near the center of the yard. He also notes that this seems to be the only house with a fence.

[igordragonian]

Midnight sighed.
She looked to the sides, to make sure the others don't see her. She levitated her thief tools, and tried to break into the door.

"I'm not stealing anything..." she promised herself.

[thoroughlyS]

Making sure that nopony was watching, Midnight slid over to conceal the lock. She began to unlock the door, stopping only when Silver Lining glanced over in her direction. Silver paused on the unicorn for a moment, before turning back away.
Waiting on Stalwart Shield, Silver stood in the middle of the road, on the look out for any trouble. A small creak caught her attention, drawing her focus to neighboring house. Silver looked over, only to find Midnight Pearl shifting her weight on the cottage's old wooden porch, waiting for an answer at the door. With no cause for alarm, Silver turned her eyes to the sky once more, seeking the pale blue pegasus.

[Granhyt]

*Where it is ? I could swear I'm .. ah ! There they are.*

Stalwart Shield landed loudly before the houses, announcing her comeback on the scene.

- Hey everypony, I'm back. And I have the keys.

Then she trotted to the entrance and tried to open the door.

[Elbeyon]

Link will follow in line behind shield.

"Welcome back! Nice!

All the houses were empty. I couldn't find anyone. That's a scary thought that everyone might be at the shelter."

[Dudeons]

"Hello there," Creepy says to the beetles, "Have you lived here long? Do you know anything about the ponies who used to live in that house?"

[GnollOfErathis]

Nothing to see here.

[thoroughlyS]

After a few quick taps and pulls, Midnight hears a satisfying click from the lock. Quickly pulling open the door, she slips inside just as Stalwart Shield lands amidst the others. Stale air fills the small living room, indicating that it hasn't been used for a few days. A few modest chairs sit around the fireplace on the west side of the room. To the north, Midnight can see what appears to be a kitchen through the walkway. On the west wall of the room, a door stands closed.
As Stalwart touches down, she spies Midnight Pearl sneaking into a small house neighboring the cottage. Trotting to the door, she passes the gauze parcel to Silver Lining, who has already donned a pair of gloves. Silver undoes the wrapping and picks the keys up, unlocking the door unceremoniously. Stalwart follows her in, washed over by a cold air as she does. Rhythmic Link follows closely behind, also chilled by the stale air.
"Oh, it's been quite a while." responds the largest beetle(probable mother). "Moved in over a week ago! At first I thought it might've been a bad time to move, given all the commotion, but it got better after the ponies moved out of the neighborhood. The first one to go was from that house, come to think of it." "Yeah, but the other one didn't leave for another three days" chimed in the smaller male(probable father). "That first one moved after taking a nasty fall." concluded the female.
Inside the cottage, a pair of finely worked wooden rocking chairs sit across a small coffee table in front of the hearth on the east side of the room. A few shelves line the north wall, parted by a small walkway into what appears to be a kitchen. A door on the west wall hangs unlatched, open but still obscuring the room behind it.

[Granhyt]

- Where to start ? Do you think we should spread out to speed up the research or stay together, in case of problems ? What are we searching for, now than I think of it ?
Stalwart Shield, like often she did, started by letting others decide.

[Elbeyon]

She shivers from the drop in temperature. "Creepy..."

"Here seems as good a place as any. We can stay together.... It's not because I'm scared or anything..." She shakes her head. "Cause we're looking for monster bugs and we might find some. No, I don't know what we're looking to find. Maybe some broken vials or some green meat. Something that'd make someone sick." Heh. "Maybe we're looking for zombie brains. Gooey, rotting, dripping, zombie brains."

She goes about inspecting the entrance room. She'll poke the rocking chairs, see if they have a good creak to them. Stick her head in the hearth and look to the right and left. Look down and do a mid-air three sixty spin. Falling to the ground, back first and looking up.

[Granhyt]

Shield observed Link start the investigation, then joined in. By taking her pavise, she started exploring the room and poking any suspicious things with her shield. Such things included tea, chairs, Rhythmic Link, and anything vaguely looking sharp.

[igordragonian]

Midnight covered her muzzle with her cloak, walking to investigate the kitchen first.

[Dudeons]

"Commotion? What was happening before all the ponies moved out?"

[GnollOfErathis]

Silver Lining (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showsinglepost.php?p=20279950&postcount=5)


She shivers from the drop in temperature. "Creepy..."

"Here seems as good a place as any. We can stay together.... It's not because I'm scared or anything..." She shakes her head. "Cause we're looking for monster bugs and we might find some. No, I don't know what we're looking to find. Maybe some broken vials or some green meat. Something that'd make someone sick." Heh. "Maybe we're looking for zombie brains. Gooey, rotting, dripping, zombie brains."

She goes about inspecting the entrance room. She'll poke the rocking chairs, see if they have a good creak to them. Stick her head in the hearth and look to the right and left. Look down and do a mid-air three sixty spin. Falling to the ground, back first and looking up.

'Kay, the bugs we're looking for aren't big enough to attack, except by making you sick, and they'll do that no matter how much company you have. Spoiled food'll make you sick if you eat it, but it's not catching - everypony'd have to eat the same thing. Unless it makes you lose your lunch - that can make somepony else do the same, but what we've got here is more than squeamish bellies. I got nothing to say about zombie brains.

Anyway, shouldn't hurt to split up in a house this small, nopony'll be more than a room away.

Silver moves toward the door in the west wall.

[Elbeyon]

Upon being poked he giggled.

"Silver Lining. I'm looking." He stands up to continue his search. "I work better when I'm having fun.." He starts bobbing his head like he has a tune he just can't shake. His eyes staying fixed in place as his head moves to the beat.

"I'll check the books."

[radmelon]

Winter Wind follows the group in after landing from his flyby. "Nothing out of the ordinary from above, just a garden and a tree out back. the pegasus says, brushing his windswept mane back into place "This is the only fenced yard in the neighbourhood, though. Doubt that helps. Anything of note in here so far?"

Winter doesn't stop to hear a response, and opens the door on the west wall.

[Granhyt]

- Take care Silver Lining. In case of danger, call immediately.

Catch on the act of poking Rhythmic Link, Stalwart Shield stopped immediately. Then tried a last time before returning to the research, staying in the same room than Link.
- I'm looking too. For clues and stuff.

Noticing than Link was bobbing, she smiled and told him :
- If you want to sing, do it. I won't mind, you know it.

Oh, just thinking, I didn't pay attention before
but were there sick crystal ponies in the hospital ? Can this disease affect your compatriots ?

To Winter Wind, she only could say :
- Nothing yet.

[thoroughlyS]

Inspecting the room, Link moves to the shelves along the north wall. They are bolted into the walls, and display a series of books and wooden puzzles. Scanning the titles, a few of the books appear to be novels, while most are journals containing information on cooking, sewing, woodworking, home medicine, and family letters.

Stalwart finishes poking around the room, having found nothing. She can't help but admire the handiwork on the chairs, table, and shelves, thinking that Dovetail Joist must be an excellent carpenter. She moves to check the shelves with Link.
Stepping through the walkway, Midnight enters a short hallway - between the living room and the kitchen - that extends to the east. Glancing down it, she sees another closed door along the southern wall. Midnight enters the kitchen and sees that it opens into a dining area to the west. A counter lines the north wall, capped by a closed pantry halfway across the room. Several cabinets rest above the counter top, all of their doors closed. A large wooden table stands in the dining area, surrounded by four pushed in chairs.
http://i.imgur.com/x40Oyta.png
"The ponies in this area have been moving out all week." replied the larger beetle. "Sometimes alone, and sometimes in small groups. But everything's been quiet for the past two days."
Pushing past Silver Lining, Winter proceeds to nudge the door fully open and trots inside. Silver follows, and the pair find themselves in a bedroom. A large bed lies against the northern wall, with the right half of the sheets tucked in. A window along the west wall looks out at the next house over. Two closed doors line the south wall.

http://i.imgur.com/k7LHvgY.png

[Elbeyon]

Link barely gets a word in before Winter Wind goes into the next room. "Maybe they have a pet."

At shields encouragement she starts an energetic, loudish humming. "It's a simple one this time. No promises it stays that way." She gives a wink.

"I don't remember any sick crystal ponies." She tries to remember back. "Crystal ponies can probably get sick though. Not me. My good vibes will keep me healthy."

After glancing at the tittles Link lets out a squeaky, louder hm before stopping. Her humming immediately picks back up, but it's all a ruse. She sneaks stealthy poke at shield, trying to scare her back. She grabs the book about cooking and the one with family letters afterward. "Cooking score. Yes!" She tries to hoof the other to shield.

[Granhyt]

My good vibes will keep me healthy.
Stalwart Shield chuckled.
"If you tell so."

Then Link hoofed her a book which Shield opened, then closed almost as soon.
"Why do you want to read theses books ? I doubt they'll help us. Books aren't maleficients ... usually. And the one you gave me is a rather private one. I'm not too sure the owners would like to learn than we rummaged through their family letters."

[Elbeyon]

"Hey! It's been working so far. I rarely get sick. And, no, it's not because idiots can't catch colds." He rolls his eyes and playfully shakes his head. He's heard that one before.

"...Uh." Link looks down at a recipe and back up to shield. "Mines about cooking..."

"You're right." He puts his book back up. "It's not like I wanted to read them for fun. Well, I did for the cook book. I just figured they might talk about something that got them sick." He has an shamefully embarrassed look. "Let's check out another room instead." His hoof points northward toward the room between the bookshelves.

[Granhyt]

Stalwart Shield put back the book in place. She followed Rhythmic Link.
"Well, I don't think they got sick because of food. Unless the whole town was getting rotten provisions. .. That's may be something to check, in fact. But would ponies get sick over a week's lenght because of rotten apples ? That's rather long, no ? I suppose. Maybe Silver Lining would know, she's the one with an hospital after all."

[Elbeyon]

"Me neither. It infected everyone, a whole town, in a week."

"I'm not too worried about getting sick. It spread so quickly I don't think us being a little more careful is going to help us avoid this illness. We're probably already infected with zombie goo.

I just grab the cook book because it looked fun." He let's out a hum. "Fun, fun." He hops away from the books. "I haven't gotten a chance to cook anything for you yet. I learned a couple new recipes. I should show you them before my zombie goo brain makes me only crave zombie food."

[Granhyt]

Shield looked tense.
"Don't joke about that. Everything will be fine. We'll protect them by discovering the source of the problem in time. And we will not get sick."

[Elbeyon]

She put her hoof to her head and rubbed it in confusion. "I know. If there is anything I can count on it's you saving ponies. I'll be right there helping you brace that pavise of yours. We can protect everyponey for sure. We're doing that right now." She turned around to put her hoof on shield's shoulder. "It's fine to worry. I'm worried. Know that hope is here though." She looks right at her waiting for a response.

[GnollOfErathis]

Silver Lining (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showsinglepost.php?p=20279950&postcount=5) looks around the room for anything unusual, including the bed. If she doesn't find anything, she'll suggest they each take one of the doors.

[Granhyt]

Stalwart Shield smiled shyly. After a sigh, she answered to Link.
"I know you're here. Don't worry I just ... I don't like this. You can't bash a disease in the head, you can't smash a sickness flat-down. And .. a shield is useless."
Lowering her head, she sighed again. Then she looked again to her friend and smiled a bit.
"Thank you Link.

Let's go, we have a town to save ! Also, we have to prevent this ugly gooyy disease to propagate to others cities and for this, we have to find the source.
In this house, for sure."
Stalwart Shield smiled more frankly and kept compagny to Rhythmic Link fir now.

[radmelon]

Winter Wind taps Silver Lining on the shoulder before she gets too close to the bed. "The bedding could be contagious, be careful with how close you get. I'll check the closets" He then walks over to the doors at the end of the room, opening them with his wings.

[Dudeons]

"Interesting," Creepy remarks, "Have you seen the ponies doing anything unusual? Besides moving out, I mean?"

[thoroughlyS]

Stepping through the walkway, Link and Shield are able to see the entirety of the kitchen. To the east, there is a wrap around counter with cupboards underneath, capped on the end by a large pantry. A small round table sits in the dining nook next to two fine wooden chairs. A door to the north leads outside, to the back yard of the cottage.
The bedspread indicates that somepony left the room without making the bed after they got up. This is to be expected if they were headed to the hospital. The room appears to be empty aside from the bed.
Opening the door to the west reveals a walk-in closet half-filled with clothes. More than half appear to belong to Satin Stitch, and the rest presumably to Dovetail Joist. The door to the east leads into the master bathroom, a large tub sits across from a small indoor toilet. The indoor plumbing is rare, but not unheard of.
"Lots of 'em seem to be ailing in the antennae." says the smaller one. "Of course, that first pony brought it on herself, eating that cloudyleaf from the garden. Can't say much for the others though, must just be allergies."
http://i.imgur.com/erRa7oI.png

[Dudeons]

"Cloudyleaf? What's so bad about that?"

[thoroughlyS]

"Cloudyleaf makes you sick, everyvermin knows that!" cries the whole family in unison.

[Granhyt]

"I'll check the food" decided Stalwart Shield. She opened the pantry and started rummaging through it.

[Elbeyon]

Link smiled back, obviously happy with shield's reaction, but any restraint for the delicate situation seems lost on him. He bounces his way into the kitchen. "I'll check the cupboards." Keeping a beat with his mouth he starts opening the doors on beat.

[Granhyt]

Stalwart Shield started shaking her head in tune with the beat and tries to hum along, but she's not as good than Rhythmic Link or her dad. Shield's dad, that it. Who was good at music before. Not so now, but it's not really the question here.

[Dudeons]

"My apologies. I'm not exactly a local. How did the other ponies seem to be ailing?"

[igordragonian]

Midnight trying to look for any signs of food- maybe the food have been poisoned?

[radmelon]

Winter pokes the unfamiliar furniture with a small amount of suspicion. His home town was way off the grid, and while he'd seen some interior plumbing since he'd moved to the city, he'd never lived in a house with it. Not standard pegasus housing needs it either. "Perhaps the water? If all the houses have a common source, that could be the vector."

[GnollOfErathis]

Silver Lining (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showsinglepost.php?p=20279950&postcount=5)


Winter pokes the unfamiliar furniture with a small amount of suspicion. His home town was way off the grid, and while he'd seen some interior plumbing since he'd moved to the city, he'd never lived in a house with it. Not standard pegasus housing needs it either. "Perhaps the water? If all the houses have a common source, that could be the vector."

"Could be, hon. When we finish here we should find out where the water comes from."

[thoroughlyS]

Link rummages through the cabinets, finding many strange devices. They are all ordinary appliances, but were all developed after the disappearance of the Crystal Empire. Link also finds a few sets of dishes, glassware, and cutlery. Stalwart fares little better, finding several containers of dry goods. Nothing overtly hazardous can be found in the kitchen. Suddenly, a large rumbling sound comes from the west side of the house.
"Mostly they just moved really slow." replied the male. "They'd stay in their homes for a lot longer during the day. I think most of them also had the sniffles."
Opening the pantry door makes Midnight immediately wish she hadn't. The spell of over-ripened vegetables spills out, and washes over her. Inside, she sees several rotting vegetables lining a shelf at eye height. Other shelves are stocked with dried goods, including what appears to be some candied fruit in a glass jar. The cupboards over the counter are filled with dishes, glassware, and cutlery.
http://i.imgur.com/6QBX9t7.png
Winter accidentally flushes the toilet, startling Silver Lining who had been searching around the bed. The bathroom appears just as empty as the bedroom.
http://i.imgur.com/34vA8nM.png

[Granhyt]

"Earthquake ! Stay inside and ..."
As soon as she heard the rumbling, Stalwart Shield jumped in the air. She was telling to Link how to stay safe, but she interrupted herself because :
"Wait, that's not a earthquake, the ground doesn't shake. We should investigate the origin of this sound, right ? Maybe we should regroup with the others."

[igordragonian]

Midnight holded himself from throwing up. "In the sweet memory of Celestia..." she whined. Even with her muzzle covered she felt disgusted.
She used telekensis, grabbed one rotting vegtabale covering it with a cloth piece. "eeeww... but maybe somepony would learn something from it.." she said to herself. She turned to look at the dishes- if they were dirty, she would study them closer, if not, she would circle the whole kitchen to find anything else.

[GnollOfErathis]

Silver Lining (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showsinglepost.php?p=20279950&postcount=5)

Hearing exclamations in the other rooms, Silver leaves the bedroom. ”Nothing in there, unless the turned-down bed means something other than they got sick before they could make the bed. What's going on out here?”

[Dudeons]

"Have you ever seen a disease like this before?"

[Granhyt]

Stalwart Shield was airborne and reaching for her pavise when Silver Lining came into the room. Shield looked at her with an air of confusion, surprise and relief, and maybe a few more emotions at the same time.
"There was a .. sound. Rumbling. Maybe an earthquake. Didn't you heard it ? It was coming from your side. Maybe it was in the garden."
Stalwart Shield pointed her hoof behind Silver Lining.

[GnollOfErathis]

Silver Lining (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showsinglepost.php?p=20279950&postcount=5)

”Earthquake? Didn't feel anything shake. 'Course I wasn't on the floor for a bit, after Winter flushed the commode and startled me.”

[Granhyt]

"I said it was maybe an earthquake. ... You said than Winter Wind flushed the commode ?"
Embarassed, Stalwart Shield landed softly on the ground before Silver Lining.
"What do you mean by commode exactly ?
We found approximatively zero clues for the disease, unless Rhythmic Link corrects me. Maybe Creepy Crawly or Midnight Pearl got something ?

I hope", added Shield on a more quiet tone.

[radmelon]

Winter Wind backs away from the suddenly-flushing toilet, and hopes that nopony saw him before attempting to unruffle himself. But at least they have an idea of where to look next. The pegasus continues looking through the bathroom, investigating all the cabinets and the like.

[Elbeyon]

Link will continue to hide in the tree outside.

[GnollOfErathis]

Silver Lining (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showsinglepost.php?p=20279950&postcount=5)


"I said it was maybe an earthquake. ... You said than Winter Wind flushed the commode ?"
Embarassed, Stalwart Shield landed softly on the ground before Silver Lining.
"What do you mean by commode exactly ?
We found approximatively zero clues for the disease, unless Rhythmic Link corrects me. Maybe Creepy Crawly or Midnight Pearl got something ?

I hope", added Shield on a more quiet tone.

Silver tries to think of other terms for the item in question. ”Water closet, the necessary, the euphemism...” Seeing that light hasn't dawned, she leans close and whispers, ”Indoor outhouse,” after which she blushes enough that her face looks like it should be on a pink pony instead of a gray one.

[Granhyt]

"Oh. Ooooooh. Oh."
Stalwart Shield shock her head to show her newly acquired comprehension. But then :
"But it's not so loud usually. It isn't loud at all. Was that .. surprising rumble caused by the 'flushing' ?"

[GnollOfErathis]

Silver Lining (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showsinglepost.php?p=20279950&postcount=5)

”The ponies who built the house probably didn't fasten the pipes down like they should. When the water rushes through, they shake and make a racket.”

[thoroughlyS]

Once seated firmly in the tree, Link glances around the backyard. Much like Winter Wind said, the only features out here appear to be a small garden and the tree. There is an unshingled patch on the roof of the cottage.
The rest of the cabinets are filled with ordinary household utensils. Nothing of interest.
"Can't say I do. I'm not really that into studying pony biology." continued the smaller beetle.

[Dudeons]

"I understand. You don't strike me as a bookworm. Have you ever seen a condition like this among bugs?"

[thoroughlyS]

"Aside from the cloudyleaf, never." He answers.

[Dudeons]

"Hmmm..." Creepy ponders, "Can cloudyleaf infect without being eaten?"

[thoroughlyS]

"Can't tell you... usually you're dead in a day or two." He whispers, skittering up the log to whisper in Creepy's ear.

[Dudeons]

Creepy's eyes widen.

Oh my," Creepy says, "Thank you for your time, Mr and Mrs Beetle."

Creepy gently sets the log back in place. Then she goes off to find the others.

[Granhyt]

"I understand", answered Stalwart Shield. "I never stay long in Baltimare, usually go in and go out in the same day. So I didn't took much attention to the commodities. And .. well, maybe I am a bit nervous. Wouldn't like to get sick.
...
Anyway ! Let's regroup with the others, right ? Winter Wind was with you no ? Do you know where Midnight Pearl and Creepy Crawly are ? ... And Link ? He was just here. Must'ave leaved while I wasn't watching her.

[igordragonian]

Midnight decide to check the door which is the closest to her.

[radmelon]

Winter trots out of the bathroom and back into the main room. "Well, there's nothing in the bathroom that's suspicious, though perhaps the disease is waterborn. Is there anywhere left in the house to search?"

[Granhyt]

"We checked the living room and the kitchen, so unless you found a basement, I think we're done here.
But I don't know where the three others are now."

[GnollOfErathis]

Silver Lining (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showsinglepost.php?p=20279950&postcount=5)

”Creepy was looking for bugs - the crawly kind, not the make-you-sick kind. Midnight was by the next house before we came in. Did she follow us?”

[thoroughlyS]

Backtracking to the hallway, Midnight slowly opens the door. Inside, she finds a large bedroom furnished with a bed and dresser. Two doors line the north wall. The air is still and dusty in this room.
http://i.imgur.com/vUFlmYs.png

[igordragonian]

Midnight starting to sneeze (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OR2Z8I22TBs) from the dust.
"Oh.. my. If just mother would have seen me at such places.. well at least, if she was in state she cared..." she trotted into the room, levitating the blankets from the bed to see any signs- vomit? Bugs? Anything

[Granhyt]

"Are we waiting for something, or we're going to get them ? Since you know where Creepy Crawly is supposed to be, we should start by her. Then Midnight Pearl. Then Rhythmic Link, wherever he went.
Fine for you ?" asked Shield to the two pegasus.

[GnollOfErathis]

Silver Lining (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showsinglepost.php?p=20279950&postcount=5)

”Sounds good to me, though I don't know where Creepy was going to look. Shouldn't be hard to spot her.”

[Granhyt]

"Maybe she's just outside. Let's see."
And without waiting anymore, Stalwart Shield turned and walked to the street, leaving the house by the main door.

[thoroughlyS]

The bed looks normal, only slightly messy. Whoever made it didn't do a very good job. The dresser is filled with a few loose articles of simple clothing.

[radmelon]

Winter Wind follows the others outside, taking off and hovering above as soon as he gets outdoors. " I hope crawly's found something, because other than perhaps the water, I can't think of what it could be. Nothing's out of place."

[GnollOfErathis]

Silver (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showsinglepost.php?p=20279950&postcount=5) also takes to the air when she doesn't see Midnight Pearl. She circles the house where Midnight had been standing earlier.

[igordragonian]

Midnight sighed and gotten out of the house looking for the others.

[Granhyt]

With two flying ponies and Shield staying on the ground, they didn't have much problem to find Creepy Crawly. In fact it was right when Midnight Pearl leaved "her" house.
"We just finished to explore the house and, long story made short, we found nothing, we don't know where Rhythmic Link is, and they think than maybe the disease comes from water plumbing. And you two ?"
Turning her head to "they", meaning Silver Lining and Winter Wind, Stalwart Shield asked them : "I got it all ?"

[igordragonian]

Midnight waved hoof. "Greetings!" She said cheerfully.
'Hmmm... I have found some very awful looking vegteables. I thought it might be worth researching for somepony who know how.. but beside that? Nothing I afraid."

[Dudeons]

Creepy notices the others as she was securing the log.

"The bugs mentioned something called cloudyleaf causing such an illness. I don't know much about it, but it sounds like something to look into."

[Granhyt]

"Cloudyleaf ? Hum ... Like that ... Doesn't ring a bell, sorry.
Still, a weird something with a weird nice-sounding name seems to me more plausibly responsible for the disease than indoor water or rotten vegetables. Let's investigate, right ?!" asked Shield, getting enthousiast.
A cloudyleaf couldn't be so dangerous after all. Not with a sweet name like this.

[igordragonian]

"Hmm.. do any of you know plant specialist by any chance?" Midnight have asked

[Granhyt]

"Well, I am a plant specialist, but only if you need a new chair. Or a wooden table."
Stalwart Shield looked to Silver Lining and Winter Wind.
"Maybe one of you two does know ? Or maybe we can find someone in the hospital who know what's cloudyleaf is, or ... do Baltimare have a library ?

Anyway, we have something else to do first : finding Link.

[radmelon]

Winter Wind lands as a question is directed at him. "I'm afraid I, uh, can't really say I have. My hometown didn't have a lot of greenery in it, and I've never bothered studying botany." He looks a little down that he couldn't answer.

[Elbeyon]

Link comes trotting out of the house. "Hey! Where did you guys go? I ran..." He strikes the air with his hoof as to cut the word itself. "explored outback and by the time I get back everyone was gone. You had more worried!"

He gathers in the group. "I didn't find anything except a nice backyard and tree. What are we doing now?"

[igordragonian]

"Maybe somepony in the hospital might help us with the clues we have found." Midnight said.
"Shall we go?"

[Elbeyon]

"Yep! Let's get out of here."

"I think this place is haunted. The house was making all types of strange noises."

[Dudeons]

"Oh?" Creepy says, tilting her head to the side in curiosity, "What kind of noises?"

[Elbeyon]

Her hoof rubs to her chin. "Uh.... Like this:" She stands up on her hind legs and starts flailing her arms while making gurgling noises. The rarer, louder pressure noise stepping in once or twice before she puts all her legs on the ground. "Sorta like that. No living pony could ever make that noise." It's a pretty bad impression of the sound, but she tried her best to mimic the flushing noise.

[igordragonian]

"haunted?!" Midnight asked startled.
"Like.. with... ghosts?!"

[GnollOfErathis]

Silver Lining (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showsinglepost.php?p=20279950&postcount=5)


"haunted?!" Midnight asked startled.
"Like.. with... ghosts?!"

”More like shoddy plumbing, hon. The pipes made a lot of noise when somepony accidentally ran some water.”



"Well, I am a plant specialist, but only if you need a new chair. Or a wooden table."
Stalwart Shield looked to Silver Lining and Winter Wind.
"Maybe one of you two does know ? Or maybe we can find someone in the hospital who know what's cloudyleaf is, or ... do Baltimare have a library ?

Anyway, we have something else to do first : finding Link.

”The library was lost during the chaos. I mean it wandered off and was never seen again. I never saw mention of cloudyleaf in my medical books, though.”

[radmelon]

Silver Lining (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showsinglepost.php?p=20279950&postcount=5)
”More like shoddy plumbing, hon. The pipes made a lot of noise when somepony accidentally ran some water.”

"Sorry about that, my hoof slipped and hit the flusher. I didn't expect it to be that loud."

[Granhyt]

Shield walked to Rhythmic Link and laid her hoof on Link's shoulder.
"Ah, don't worry about this. When we heard this sound, I wanted to 'explore' a lot. I tought it was an earthquake or something. Silly me."

Shield turned her head to look at Silver.
"So, no books for us. Shall we ask to somepony at the hospital, or try to track down this walking library ?"

[igordragonian]

midnight breathed with a relief.
"Looking for escaped library sure sound.. special!" she giggled.
"But I think we should go to the hospital for three reasons, darling-
first, maybe somepony there do know something about this cloudy lead.
second- if not, maybe they could give us hints where to search..." she giggled. "The escaping library."

"And third and most importantly. I got to get rid of those disgusting vegetables somewhere!"

[Granhyt]

"To the hospital then !"

Stalwart Shield rose her hoof to give the 'go', but she lowered it back.

"One question for you Midnight, before we go.
You only took the rotten vegetables, I hope ? Nothing else ?"

[igordragonian]

"Da-arling!" Midnight laughed. 'There were nothing worth stealing!" She blinked as she remembered.
"And I only steal from a bad ponies. Mostly" she added "by the way'

[Granhyt]

"Right. Just checking, not that I don't trust you. You could have took something without thinking about it. I mean ... I trust you but just to be sure and ... ugh .. you know what I mean, don't you ?"

Stalwart Shield started walking and concluded :
"Let's go before I dig myself deeper."

[Elbeyon]

He nods to shield before the conversation continues...

Link laughs in a controlled manner, tickled by the banter. "You ponies are a riot! We should have met up ages ago."

He unslings his guitar and strikes a chord and begins playing as they travel. Singing about express trains, sunsets, and small animals. Little cobwebs in his head being emptied out on the road. Little blackbirds showing him the way. Trains moving him as he sleeps. All the time with sunsets in view.

[GnollOfErathis]

Silver Lining (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showsinglepost.php?p=20279950&postcount=5)

”'Kay, I'd rather not have rotten vegetables in the hospital, especially if they have something to do with this cloudyleaf. We may need them for study though. Do you have them sealed up in something?” she asks Midnight Pearl.

[igordragonian]

(Sorry. Somehow I have missed your replies)

Midnight giggled. 'Shield- never cease being so adorable!"
She frowned from the idea of keep carrying the rotten vegtables.

"Oh dear. Well... enough to block most of the smell, but not.. in a proffesional way. I hoped somepony scholar would know what to do with it "

[Granhyt]

Stalwart Shield was already walking to return to the hospital. Not wanting to stop, when Midnight talked to her, Shield turned around and back to the group, then trotted around. "Maybe you could make them fly all the way to the hospital ? Or else we could borrow a basket to transport the vegetables and I'll return the basket as soon as possible.
What do you think of this ?" asked Shield to the others, still walking in circles.

[igordragonian]

"Hmm... but the others might be right. It might be dangerous to take those dreadful vegetables to the hospital. Though... what if we call one of the doctors out?"

[Granhyt]

"Aren't you a doctor, Silver Lining ?"

[GnollOfErathis]

Silver Lining (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showsinglepost.php?p=20279950&postcount=5)

”Well kinda, if you count on-the-job training. I've got some books that get me through what I run into at the clinic , but there's no mention of cloudyleaf.”

[Granhyt]

"I .. okay, give me one minute, there must be a basket in Dovetail Joist and Satin Stich's house. Since I borrowed their keys with their permission, I think they won't protest much. I'll present my excuses as soon as possible.

Stalwart Shield returned to the house, saw that they forgot to lock the door, took the first basket she saw and went out, basket in the mouth. She took the time to close and lock the door, this time.

[igordragonian]

"Here, take it away from me! Please!" She said levitating the vegetables which were covered with piece of cloth, putting them in the basket.
She winked. "Good work Shield! One day, you'l justify down right stealing!"

[Granhyt]

Stalwart Shield didn't liked to lose time, but she heard Midnight telling her than she was stealing. After all the rationalization efforts made by Shield to justify her short-duration-borrowing, the balance between honesty and horrible criminal criminality of stealing shifted a bit with Midnight approval.

... I said I'll present my excuses. It's ... it's faster. And we'll give it back after getting to the hospital.
.. That's ... you're right, I should return this inside, then go ask for permission first and get back later to get it. Would you please retake the vegetables and wait until I come back ?

Apparently, Stalwart Shield was dead serious. Totally serious, not deadly serious. Could seriousness be deadly ? Probably not, but anyway, Shield was serious serious.

[igordragonian]

"What?!" Midnight gasped.
"nononono! I was just teasing you dear!"

[radmelon]

Winter Wind chuckles as he watches the shenanigans below. "Don't worry Shield, noone's going to accuse you of being a thief" he calls, before looking at Midnight "Though I'm not sure I could say that of everypony here."

[GnollOfErathis]

Silver (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showsinglepost.php?p=20279950&postcount=5) frowns, not sure what Winter is referring to, but lets it slide.

”So, are we ready to get back?”

[Granhyt]

"Oh. Ok. I prefer this."

Stalwart Shield was still holding the basket. To ease her deplacements she started flying at two, three meters in the air.

She answered to Silver Lining :
"I'm ready to go. And Link's already singing. Creepy, Winter, Midnight, let's go ?

[Dudeons]

"Sure," Creepy says.

[igordragonian]

Midnight grinned with pride. 'Why if course I am a theif! But.." she winked. "I dare you to prove it!" She said playfully. 'And yes shall we go?"

[Granhyt]

Stalwart Shield smiled.
"Then, let's go ! Link, which music do you think would go with the mood ?
And could you play it, please ? asked the mare. Music was great, and Link was a living music. Therefore Link was great.

[thoroughlyS]

The group makes the trek back to the shelter, basket of rotten vegetables in tow. The afternoon sun tints the sky a beautiful merigold, which inspires Link to play a soft, sweet, melody (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1ug6PjzHOYo&feature=youtu.be&t=11) on the guitar. They arrive after another ten minutes of travel.

[Granhyt]

The group entering inside the hospital, Stalwart Shield tried to think about the different possibilities that they wanted to explore.
"So, we should ask if someone know anything about cloudyleaf, do ... examine these vegetables idontknowhow and ... plumbing.
I have no idea on the how we can examine water. Maybe with a filtering net ? Anyway it should be the same here and there. So at least we don't have to bring water from the other side of the town.

Did I recap everything ?

[GnollOfErathis]

Silver (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showsinglepost.php?p=20279950&postcount=5) confers with the staff to see if any of them knows anything about cloudyleaf or how to test their samples, then checks her books to see if she can find any answers.

[igordragonian]

Midniggt said. "Doesn't seems so." She said, stoping herself from teasing

[Granhyt]

"Oh ? Then please, tell me what did I forgot, miss Irecapbetterthanyou."
Shield stuck her tongue out.

[radmelon]

Winter chuckles at the way Midnight and Shield keep ribbing at one another, then swoops forwards to keep pace with Silver, helping her question the hospital staff.

[igordragonian]

"Nothing." Midnight said, and then snickered.
"Anyway.. we need to find somepony who could study this garbage!"

[thoroughlyS]

Calling all of the nurses together, Silver Lining and Winter Wind learn that none of them has ever heard of cloudyleaf. Silver dismisses them back to their duties, before relenting that she would have to check through her books on herbalism. Winter jumps at this opportunity, offering his help with enthusiasm. He explains that he practically grew up in a library, and has become quite adept at research as a result. Sadly, after just over an hour of searching, neither of them finds the name cloudyleaf mentioned in any of the catalogs. However, Silver has a revelation: many of the plants are listed with more than one "common name" that they are referred to in different regions. Perhaps this could be the case with cloudyleaf.
Asking around, Midnight soon finds a botanist named Pollen Count. Even though he is ailing from the disease, he agrees to take a look at the vegetables. At a cursory glance, he explains that these vegetables have simply started rotting. They clearly were stored in a dark area for too long, which promoted the growth of mold on their surface. According to his best estimate, they spoiled around three days ago, well past when the disease started claiming victims.

[igordragonian]

"Eeww... and I carried those dreadful things around for nothing?! Luckily I haven't vomited.... " she said with disgust and threw the vegtables to the garbage.
"Oh! And thank you for enlighiting me!" She smiled sweetly to Pollen Count.

"Did you happend to hear about the Cloud Leaf?"

[thoroughlyS]

"Cloud...leaf?" he repeats slowly. "Never heard of it. Though if you have a sample, I could examine it for you." You can see the spark of determination in his fatigued eyes.

[radmelon]

The hours of searching for the secrets of cloudyleaf have started to wear on Winter Wind, his brow is furrowed and his poofy fur is starting to get matted down with sweat. The white pegasus loves reading, but this is just frustrating. "How is it that nopony has seemingly heard of this stuff before? This can't be the first time it's happened. Have you found anything?"

[Granhyt]

Stalwart Shield accompagned Midnight Pearl when she tried to investigate the vegetables.
Since it was for nothing, she tried to reassure her friend then answered to the botanist.

"At least, we have eliminated a supposition. And we're better safe than sorry, you know it.

Sadly we haven't found any Cloudyleaf by now, but we suspect this plant could be responsible for your sickness. With your help, we're now sure that it's not caused by theses vegetables, but we still have cloudyleaf and water to test.
We'll come back to you if we find some samples.
...
Maybe we should let you rest for now ? Thank a lot for your kind help."

[igordragonian]

"I'll try as best as I could to find a sample. It's.. quite important." Midnight said.
"Ta..ta! Take care.. we'l meet soon!" Midnight said, and went to look for her friends.

[Granhyt]

Shield followed Midnight Pearl.

[igordragonian]

"So what do we do now?" Midnight have asked the group

[Granhyt]

"I have absolutely no idea", said Stalwart Shield, been useful.
She watched the three ponies before her, Link, Midnight, Crawly, thinking.
Thinking more.
Thinking even more.
"Nope, no idea. Maybe we can try to go and help Cloudy Leaf and Winter Wind ? Maybe they found something, in fact. We should go to verify."

[igordragonian]

"Splendid idea!" Midnight said. "Let's find them!"

[thoroughlyS]

Just as the group turned to leave, Silver stepped into the room. "Right then," she said, addressing the ponies at large. "Winter and I have done some digging. I couldn' find anything on cloudyleaf, but I realized somethin'." She paused to retrieve the book from her satchel, flipping it open for the group. "You see," she motioned to the list of names on the page, "Most plants have two or three common names, usually because they are 'discovered' more than once in different regions. I'll willin' to bet my bottom bit that 'cloudyleaf' is just one name fer this mystery plant. Do we know anythin' else about it?" She finished, turning her eyes to the group.

[Dudeons]

"I've only heard it called cloudyleaf," Creepy says, "I don't know anything else about it."

[thoroughlyS]

Silver turns to address Creepy "You mentioned hearing about it from some bugs, right? Did they tell you anything else about it?"

[Granhyt]

Shield chimed in the conversation :
"The herborist we've met, Pollen Count, doesn't know what's cloudyleaf is neither. He was able to tell us than the vegetables were merely rotten tought. And he's said, if we can found cloudyleaf, then he'll may be to help us."

[Dudeons]

"Well, the bugs said it was toxic and that ponies seemed to be acting strangely and moving out all week. He said you're usually dead in a day or two, and that they seemed to have headaches and sniffles. I'm not sure how much of this matches up with the disease we're dealing with here. He said that the plant's toxicity was common knowledge, so I don't know why you'd grow it here."

[Granhyt]

"I tought nopony was killed from the sickness, just hospitalised since a week or less. The poison shouldn't be diluted, since ponies are bigger than insects ?
How do you get sick from cloudyleaf anyway ? By eating ? Sniffing ? Touching ? With a big giant syringe ?"

[Dudeons]

"The beetles said that someone was growing it in a garden, but I don't know if you have to eat it or not," Creepy says, rubbing her chin in thought, "Ponies are a lot bigger and tougher than most bugs, so it'd make sense why nopony's dying from it so far."

[Granhyt]

"In a garden ?
We have to find this garden ! Let's go !"
Stalwart Shield was about to leave now.

[igordragonian]

"Wait for me!" Midnight said and followed.

[Granhyt]

"Sure !" answered Shield without stopping, only slowing down a bit.
"We should start by the northern edge of the town, we'll sweep the gardens and ... uuuh... look for cloudy-looking leaves ?"

[Dudeons]

"Certainly! The local bugs seem to know what cloudyleaf is, so I'll ask around and see if any of them know anything."

[igordragonian]

'Hmmm.. I shall look into it, as well. Maybe it is some kind of cotton?" Midnight have wondered.

[Granhyt]

Shield stopped herself one second and turned her head toward Creepy, encouraging :
"That's a great idea ! You do that, I'll fly and recognise gardens to know where they all are and the others can start to check at the house we were before ! See you later."
And so, the blue pegasus left the building, running then flying.

[thoroughlyS]

As she exited the building, Shield was greeted by a cool clear night sky. The moon hung low on the horizon, barely lighting the city street.

[Dudeons]

Creepy Crawly follows Shield, but branches off from her path once Shield takes to the air. She looks for local populations of bugs and asks if they have seen cloudyleaf anywhere in Baltimare.

[Granhyt]

"Humpf. Light is waning. I'll have to be fast to recognise the area."
Let's start to explore northen town, added Shield in her thoughts.
Without losing anymore time, she flied to where they started their investigations earlier and swooped over the gardens of the district. Maybe one had suspicious bushes or something. Then she continued in the next part of town. Until the night was there and shadows made too hard to distinguish things and colors.

[igordragonian]

Midnight went to the closest gardens to the hospital, to look for anything that looked like a cloud.. or cottn

[radmelon]

Winter Wind follows the group along, flying slowly behind them as he racks his brain about what other ways it could be known.

[thoroughlyS]

The dim moonlight makes the city seem even more unfamiliar. Shield flies north quickly followed closely by Winter, but the pair are unable to pick out the house among its neighbors. Touching down near a small garden in the backyard of a cottage, they each inspect for any unusual plants. In the dark, Shield makes out what appear to be carrots, lettuce, and wheat. Winter spots a few weeds sprouting from the tilled soil. Recognizing them from a picture in one of the books, Winter notes that they are Broadleaf Plantains.
As Creepy exits the building, she can see Stalwart Shield already around 20 yards away in the sky. "Wait up, hon." comes the stern voice of Silver . "You seem to be the only one who knows what we're lookin' for. Mind if I tag along?"
Midnight moves quickly through the night, making her way north until she finds a residential area of the city. She sees a small garden, and searches for anything that looks like it could be called cloudyleaf. Other than a few dandelions, Midnight can't find any plants that look "cloudy".

[Dudeons]

"Um, I'm not sure," Creepy says, scuffing a hoof at the ground nervously, "Bugs can be easily provoked if you aren't careful, and most ponies provoke them without even trying."

[thoroughlyS]

"Oh trust me, I don't plan on gettin' anywhere near the little critters." Silver smiled nervously.

[igordragonian]

Midnight trying to use light from her horn, keep looking

[Granhyt]

Stalwart Shield shooked her head. None of these vegetables looked cloudy-anything.
She turned to Winter Wind and inquired about his own investigation.

"Do you find something ? Maybe we should try another garden .. If only we had some light. I tought twilight wouldn't be so dark and I forgot to bring any lantern. That's my fault."

[Dudeons]

"Alright then!" Creepy says, "Let us be off!"

Creepy continues in search of bugs, now with Silver in tow.

[thoroughlyS]

Thanks to the cover of night, it was scarcely a minute before Creepy and Silver found a group of insects. A few moths flittered along on the soft breeze.
Midnight looked around for the next garden. She saw one a little further north, and hopped the fence. As she scanned the rows of crops, it occurred to her that she still didn't know what she was looking for. It would be nearly impossible to find anything with just a name.

[Dudeons]

"Ah, there were are! Wait here, Silver."

Creepy trots up to the moths, her pace gentle.

"Hello there!" she says, "I'm Creepy Crawly, and I was wondering what you knew about the outburst of cloudyleaf in these parts?"

[thoroughlyS]

"Outburst?" questioned one of the moths. "What outburst?"

[Dudeons]

"Well, recently ponies have started getting sick because of cloudyleaf. Have you seen cloudyleaf around these parts?"

[thoroughlyS]

"Sure. There's cloudyleaf everywhere..." The moth practically whispers as it drifts around in a figure-eight.

[Dudeons]

"In this city?" Creepy questions, tilting her head, "What does it look like?"

[thoroughlyS]

"In the city, in the plains..." The moth trails off "Cloudyleaf is everywhere." She turns in mid-air, slowly descending. "It's got really broad, milky ultraviolet, leaves that sprout from the ground in - big patches."

[Dudeons]

"If I wanted to find cloudyleaf in this city, where would I go?"

[thoroughlyS]

"That's easy..." the moth breathed. It hovered slowly across Creepy's field of vision.

[Dudeons]

Creepy circles a hoof in front of her.

"Where would I go to find cloudyleaf in this city?"

[thoroughlyS]

"Oh! Right -" the moth swerved, lifting upwards. "I think there's a patch right nearby. The moth heads east in an almost drunkenly meandering line. Creepy trots after, followed closely by Silver. "What did the li'l thing say?" she spoke in a breathy whisper.

[Dudeons]

"The moth knows where we can find cloudyleaf," Creepy says over her shoulder.

[igordragonian]

Midnight sighed. Shutted off the light and went back to look for the others.

[thoroughlyS]

As she turns back, Midnight catches sight of Creepy and Silver wandering off into the night. She follows after them, moving quietly out of habit.

"Oh." Silver nods quickly as she follows. The moth flies for around 100 yards before stopping under a nearby tree on the edge of a small park. "I think I saw some under here the other day." The moth mumbles, almost to herself as she flies lazy circles around the trunk. As the ponies near the tree, Silver cuts Creepy off, speaking suddenly. "Oh, careful now." She points to a large bunching of leaves sticking out of the ground. "Creeping Cabbage. Get too close and you'll break out in a nasty rash." Just as she finishes speaking the moth begins moving in the air above the plant. "Hey, your friend found it! I was looking in, like, the other direction..."

[igordragonian]

Midnight have perked her ears listening, enjoying to.. sneak around, and overhear.

[Dudeons]

Creepy edges away from the tree.

"Creeping Cabbage?" Creepy repeats, "I have a feeling we've been misled."

[thoroughlyS]

"What do you mean, hon?" Silver questions.

[igordragonian]

Midnight leaned closer..

[Dudeons]

"Well, it seems like we just came upon Creeping Cabbage, not cloudyleaf," Creepy explains, "Is there anything here that isn't Creeping Cabbage?"

[thoroughlyS]

"Wasn't your l'il friend supposed to show you where the cloudyleaf was?" Silver questions, cocking her head to one side?

[Granhyt]

Stalwart Shield waited for Winter Wind to take a decision. Well, she "waited". Didn't stayed until an answer, Winter Wind didn't answered immediately and so Shield moved without letting him time to think.
"Next garden, that is", explained she while jumping the hedge to the right. Once in a new place, she started to search there, despite the evidently lack of light. Such puny detail is insignifiant before Justice ! And cookies. Oh, and music. Music is great too. But maybe less than cookies ? Nah, music is greater than cookies, that's evident. Why I am arguing with myself ?
Shield turned around and asked to the other pegasus, "Cookies or music ?"

[igordragonian]

Midnight decied to surprise the others and join in.
"Ahh! At some point it getting boring to overhear ponies, especialy, when they don't actually try to hide anything! Don't you have some juicy juicy secrets?!"

[Dudeons]

Creepy turns towards Silver.

"Well, that's what the moth said, but we may have been misled."

Creepy looks over the patch of plants from a distance, seeing if there was anything that matched the description of cloudyleaf.

[radmelon]

Winter Wind looks thoughtful for a second before answering. "Definitely music. Cookies are good, but there are alternatives, like cake. There's nothing really like music." He glides for a bit more before continuing. "Hang on, I'm going to try something." The white pegasus dives for a second before sharply turning upwards, using his momentum to loop higher than before, getting a better vantage point for looking for gardens before swooping back down next to Shield.

[Granhyt]

Stalwart Shield waited for Winter to return, preparing her answer in the meanwhile. And exploring the garden, of course.
When he came back, she spoke.
"You can remplace music too, by singing or dancing or .. listening the rain fall ? And you can have lot of cakes, but a cookie is unique. I mean, there is only one king of cookies, so when you tell cookies, everyone know of which one you're talking about. That's not the case about cake, am I wrong ?"

[radmelon]

Winter takes a second to parse Stalwart's baking-themed ramble, and replies "Well, I mean, cake and cookies are both different, but in the end they're both sweet baked things. Other things compare to music much less similarly. And different kinds of cookies are pretty different, chocolate-chip cookies are nothing like raisin ones."

[thoroughlyS]

Much like its namesake, the Creeping Cabbage sprouts out from the ground in clusters of large, broad, leaves. The leaves are very wavy along their edges, giving the plant a ruffled look.

"Misled?" Silver questions, shooting a glance at the moth as it hovers over the Creeping Cabbage. "You think the moth is lyin'?"
As the two ponies stand in the middle of a garden in the dead of night discussing the finer things in life, it occurs to Winter Wind that they don't have much clue what they're searching for past a name.

[Granhyt]

"You mean ..."
Stalwart Shield went silent a moment, thinking strongly.
"There is other kinds of cookies ? Oh my, I need to ... taste .. them all and .. eat them and .. Well, actually I really love music, while I only like cakes a lot. But I didn't knew there was so many kind of cookies. That's news to me. I like it.

On an other note, I found nothing here, did you ? Time to move to the next garden ?"

[igordragonian]

"Moth lieing? Well, that would.. an intresting twist. But why?"

[radmelon]

"Yes, lets." Winter Winds takes off again, taking to the air in search of another garden.

[Granhyt]

Stalwart Shield took off too, following Winter Wind to the airs. Once there, she started to look for the next garden to investigate. In the shadows of the night, it wasn't easy to decide on the direction. Or even to discern the ground correctly.
Where were the others ? Why did they not followed ?
Why, indeed ?

Oh .. woops. Winter Wind ? One minute please ? I just realized something. I need to .. one minute please."

Trying to ponder about their situations, while still hovering. Then she talked, slowly, weighing her words. Doing a lot of grimaces too, but not the funny kind. Well, it was pretty funny looking, but it wasn't intentional.

"Okay, I've thought enough. We seem to have one little problem. It's night, right ?
.. I know, it's visible. But still. I believed we would have more time before the sunset. Seems like I was wrong. And I thought we'd be able to find Cloudyleaf by looking for a cloudy-y looking plant, but in the dark, it's harder ...
I really really really don't want to say that, but maybe, just maybe, it would be better to try and find the others. Maybe they took some lighting with them. It would help greatly.
Don't you think so ?"

[radmelon]

Winter Wind looks slightly pensive before agreeing with Stalwart. "Sure, lets go find the others. I bet they're found something by now."

[Granhyt]

"Really ? Pfoui, that's a relief. I mean, you're not too much annoyed, I hope ? I really thought it could work but well, it was a bad idea in reality.
Lead the way, I'll follow you, so we don't risk getting separated."

[radmelon]

"Sure" says the white pegasus, angling his wings to fly back to the rest of the group. "And don't worry about it, I'm not mad in the least."

[thoroughlyS]

Winter takes off, kept low by the clouds filling the night sky. Stalwart follows, less than a yard behind. After a few silent minutes of flight, the pair see the large frame of the hospital near the bay. As Winter approaches, he catches sight of Creepy, Silver, and Midnight standing outside in the fog. They're clearly talking, but neither of the pegasi can make out a word they're saying.

[radmelon]

Winter Wind swoops downwards to join the others, landing elegantly next to Silver. "Sorry we're late, we've had absolutely no luck."

[Granhyt]

Stalwart Shield landed next to Winter Wind, and looked sheepish to the rest of the group.

"In retrospect, it wasn't one of my brightest ideas."

An error was made, but Winter Wind had already pardoned her. Now was the time to advance, not to continue to say "sorry" again and again. Convincing herself to smile, Shield asked :

"Was it better on your side ? You found something ?"

[igordragonian]

'Well.. it seemed the bugs lied.. to us?' Midnight said with a raised eyebrow.

[Granhyt]

Shield gasped, her wings clasping one after the other on her mouth, as to emphasis her surprise.

"The bugs lied ? What do you mean by that exactly ? Cloudyleaf isn't responsible for the sickness ? They gave false informations ? But why would they do that ? What do they have to gain from this ?
I wonder if .. but why would they ... bugs aren't responsible for this outbreak, are they Creepy Crawly ? I haven't examined all the possibilities, I need to think about it, but right now, I don't see what do they have to gain by making everypony sick and bedridden.
This case is getting stranger and stranger.
Criminal bugs. I'm not sure we have hoovecuffs small enough for their .. appendages ? That's the name ?"

[thoroughlyS]

"I never said the moth was lying!" Creepy yells, quieting the other ponies. *ahem* "Sorry, I just meant... I think she might just be confused." Creepy turns to address the moth directly. She speaks softly, just barely above a whisper. After a few seconds of apparent silence, she speaks again, a slight look of worry on her face before turning back to the group. "She says that this is definitely cloudyleaf." Creepy points down to an unassuming patch of Creeping Cabbage that she and Silver are standing beside.

"That's cloudyleaf?" Silver asks, with a confused expression. "But that's just Creepin' Cabbage! I mean, I figur'd "cloudyleaf" was a regional name, but this couldn' cause all the symptoms that the ponies are sufferin' through."

The group is silent for a moment, before Creepy speaks up once more. "Well, the beetle family I spoke to earlier said that they saw a pony EAT the cloud- Creeping Cabbage. If just touching it causes such a bad rash, what would eating it do?"

Silver stares at the ground in contemplation before answering. "Well, there's document'd cases of ponies ingestin' it, mostly foals o'course, but they'll still get the spirallin' rash. There'd only be a few diff'rences: how long they're contagious, how quickly they present symptoms, and -sadly- how badly they're hurtin'."

While Silver is correct about the rash, you are able to make several connections between the symptoms of Creeping Cabbage exposure, and the outbreak. Namely, the headaches, fatigue, numbness, and -of course- the few cases of severe itching.

A sudden breeze chills everypony to the bone, which amplifies the general aches everyone is experiencing. Dusk was two hours ago, and the wear of the day is weighing down on each of you.

[Granhyt]

"So somepony ate these Creeping Cabbages, got sick, and passed the illness to everypony else ? That's it ?
Then maybe we should return to the hospital to see if somepony knows how to treat Creeping Cabbage's illness and ask to Dovetail Joist and Satin Stich if they ate some of this ?"
Stalwart Shield waited patiently for the others to answer, sitting on the ground.

[radmelon]

Winter Wind makes a perplexed face. "While the symptoms match really well, that-um that doesn't explain why this "outbreak" seems to be affecting so many. Maybe it got into the water supply or something. I mean, a poisonous plant shouldn't have contagious effects."

[igordragonian]

Midnight was worried.
'Not neccearily. What if... it's a virus or a parasite which live on this cabbage?" she offered an explantion.
"Sure. At normal times it might be impossible, but Discord has wrecked all of Equestria upside down."

[Granhyt]

"Maybe there is Creeping Cabbage growing near the water reserves of the city ? I don't know, it might be worth checking out.
And even if it's possible and probable than Discord messed up with Creeping Cabbages, it doesn't help us to find a cure now than everypony is sick, does it ?"

[igordragonian]

"Hmm... I guess the water reserves deserve an investigation." Midnight agreed.

[Granhyt]

"But if there is more than one water reserve, then it will probably not be the answer. We'll have to see.
Or, maybe, it's just slow to act and somepony who caught the illness passed it to another pony which passed it before getting really sick and so on and so on. But it's probably not that. I mean, so much sick ponies just caused by contacts ? It would be really bad luck. Somepony would have realized this before us, right ?
...
Let's check out this or these water reserves. Silver Lining do you know where it is ?"
Stalwart Shield, while still trying to find ideas, was ready to go to the water reserves.

[igordragonian]

'Well, I bet that even if we won't find those cabbages there- it still will help us to understand more the situation. Doesn't it?" Midnight said with smile.
"And this time I won't have to carry around rotten vegetables!" she said cheerfully.

[Granhyt]

Stalwart Shield yamned, covering her mouth to be polite. She could still go for a long time, or at least that's what she'd tell, but she had to consider the energy of the other ponies. It's was getting late, night had fall a few hours ago after all.

"We should wait tomorrow for this. The suspects won't espace during the night and it's now really late. Let's call it a day .. night.
...
Where could we sleep, by the way ? I don't think hotels are open these days. There a lot of empty houses, but I'd rather not go that way. "

[thoroughlyS]

"We have a few spare cots in the nurses' quarters." Silver answers. "We can check out the water reserves in the mornin' too. I can lead you all to the nearest one."

Silver leads your group inside the hospital, which is only a short walk away. She moves quickly through the rows of ponies, most of which have fallen asleep by now, leading you to the back of the facility. She opens a pair of double doors to reveal a smaller room where roughly 20 cots are set up. Most of them are occupied by the volunteers who you saw working earlier today, but 6 are empty. "We do our sleepin' in shifts so that we've always got somepony watchin' over the sick." Silver whispers, a sad look in her eyes.

Sleep does not come easy, as you each lay in a stiff cot. The northern chill reaches you even through the blankets the hospital has been able to spare (Winter Wind is irritated by the itchy blanket). Each of you rises early in the morning, shortly after sunrise. The cool blue sky visible through the windows. The smell of cooking hangs in the air, and you find many of the nurses sharing a simple meal. Silver offers you all seats at one of the tables in this living area.

After a plain breakfast, Silver leads you west, to the nearest well in the city. She explains that they've tested the water in a few different ways, most notably keeping cultures, but that wouldn't reveal the presence of the Creeping Cabbage's oil, if there was any. "I sent a young mare out here to check for possible vectors shortly after the disease began spreadin', but we've been spread so thin that I haven' made the trip out here myself yet." She finishes speaking just as you crest a small hill, revealing a well in the valley below.

[radmelon]

"How would we check for the oil? Would it, uh, use similar equipment to the other tests?" Winter wind is fluttering around the group, enjoying the wind on the hilltop. The possibility of a lead seems to have invigorated him.

[Granhyt]

Stalwart Shield was still on the ground, among the others. A bit sleepy, despite trying to not show it.
"I thought we could see if Creeping Cabbages were growing near the reserves, I hadn't thought to the possibility of a criminal act.
But in fact, why do we need to know from where the sickness comes from ? We already know it's caused by Creeping Cabbages, can't the nurses just treat that and make everypony .. non-sick ?"