The Staff IC Thread V: Law&Order- Trial By Hugs

[igordragonian]

Deepwood is a bit surprised and worried hugging Agony, which they rarely do in public.
"I guess it wouldn't be the worst idea ever"

[DaOldeWolf]

"Just wait a couple more minutes and you´ll be there." The shade taunts.

"So, I am right in guessing that we will be going there, right?" BubbleGuard declares just waiting to hear the others´opinion.

[Emmerlaus]

Tea Agony shrug: " There is no other options to retrieve the Princesses. But... after all this, I'll consider if I want to retire from this life or not. It seem no matter my preparations... I'll never be ready enough for the next disaster and we will have to improvise on the fly. And I think all that stress is getting to me, more then I realized. My... My family deserve better. "

She sigh and say: " At least I need another vacation. "

[igordragonian]

Sweet Echo nod enthusiatly.
"Of course Bubbly Doo! We need to save the princesses!"


Deepwood pat Agony's back.
"There always be disasters, even if not magical ones. I am sure that if you'l ask around ponies no matter where they live, something always go wrong. And sure... vacation might not be terrible... but it actually might be." Deepwood even smile a little.
"But that ok. We got each other, you among us have great abilities, we can face anything, and you know what? Even if we fail, we had a great time until then"

[DaOldeWolf]

BubbleGuard´s first instinct is to call for the rest of the staff to reunite so they can all be together when it finally happens. The staff is soon all gethered at Tea´s room and not a moment too soon since the whole place starts to collapse and be engulfed in the darkness. Everypony feels like they are descending into it. Magical artifacts from the castle also fall with the ponies down into the abyss. Some of the staff members areact scared to the situation though they all remain prety close as they gently land on something that feels like stone.

You can all barely make out the surroundings. A dim light illuminates at the top of a mountain with the surrounding area being made of flat cold stone and black crystals scattered around. "I dont think I have ever seen a place as lifeless and barren as this one. How could something like this even exists?" BubbleGuard wonders at loud.

"Well, we arent here to enjoy the view. We should get moving." Charcoal Knight casts a spell to create a wisp of light. "This should help us see where we are going. So, where exactly are we headed to?"

[Emmerlaus]

Tea Agony nods: " Indeed. It makes no sense. No vegetation mean no food. How does shadow ponies even survive in such a land? "

Its a question directed toward the imprisonned shadows. Once they answer:

" In any case, we should probably step outside, see how the rest of the castle fair from the ordeal. The rest of the staff can stay in my room for now. I'll silence the shadows and dont come close to their boxes. Im sure you know it would be bad for all of us if they were freed. "

[igordragonian]

Sweet Echo stops by the dark crystals hypnotized, remembering the void magic that has cleansed her of her cutie mark.
Sweet Echo touches the crystal, trying to.. sense... anything



Heart-3
(2d6)[1][2](3)+3


Deepwood look around. 'Well... maybe this place has it's own ecology, and if we can understand it... we can overcome it.'
He look around, trying to compare the place to his exprience with nature/



Skill-Survival
Mind?
[rollv]2b3d6[/rollv]+2

[DaOldeWolf]

Tea Agony nods: " Indeed. It makes no sense. No vegetation mean no food. How does shadow ponies even survive in such a land? "

Its a question directed toward the imprisonned shadows. Once they answer:

" In any case, we should probably step outside, see how the rest of the castle fair from the ordeal. The rest of the staff can stay in my room for now. I'll silence the shadows and dont come close to their boxes. Im sure you know it would be bad for all of us if they were freed. "

"We dont need food.We are superior beings. We need NOTHING!" declares shade Taiilwind. "Just imagine how much effective your world will be when we establish the ne order."

Sketch Book is the first one, they gaze upon in the distance. "This is such a sad place." He replies as he checks the surroundings and putting most of his attention on the crystals. He then notices all of you and waves his hoof. "Hello? Are you all fine?"

"Yes! Stay there. We will be with you in a moment." BubbleGuard declares.

Sweet Echo stops by the dark crystals hypnotized, remembering the void magic that has cleansed her of her cutie mark.
Sweet Echo touches the crystal, trying to.. sense... anything



Heart-3
[roll0]+3


Deepwood look around. 'Well... maybe this place has it's own ecology, and if we can understand it... we can overcome it.'
He look around, trying to compare the place to his exprience with nature/



Skill-Survival
Mind?
[rollv]2b3d6[/rollv]+2

When she touches the crystal,it starts to glow and it shows within in an image of 4 ponies. You recognize them to varying degrees. One of them is Hoofini, the first staff leader and a prisoner of the dungeon. The second one is Soaring Heights, a pegasus that currently resides in the dungeons. The third is Strong Troat, another prisoner of the dungeon and the second staff leader. Finally, the last one which everypony should know as Starswhirl. They seem to be exploring an unknown area while discussing how important it is that they find the right place.

"I wonder what that was?" BubbleGuard replies as the images fade away. BubbleGuard touches the crystal once again and the same scene repeats itself. "Nice discovery, my dear. You have found something that might be useful to us. The fact that these images are here, must mean something."

Spoiler: OOC

Show

Deepwood knows that no animal could live here either. Its pretty possible that nothing alive could survive long term on this dimension.

[Emmerlaus]

Before leaving her room, Tea Agony told the group of ponies inside she is sealing it tight. Only her can exit or enter the room once she leaves. She explain how to use the food dispenser magic item in her room if it takes them too long and where the bathroom is. She also seal the sound coming from the trapped shadows and repeat again to not get close to them or release them.

She isn’t sure if it’s the real Sketch Book but she warn him to go hide in his own room… if he can penetrate the castle natural defense.

Once Sketch Book is no longer of concern, she is interested by Sweet Echo discovery. " Maybe it shows events that happened close to it? So Starswirl is actually is with a group of other ponies? Safety in number, that's good. "


(What should we do with all the mirrors again?)

[igordragonian]

Sweet Echo clap her hooves
"I am not sure what this discovery means, but it surely exciting! Well! We have a game to play!"



Deepwood nod. "...Very well." but draw a bow and arrow just.in case.
Cleartly disturbed by what he see...
but being always disturbed trained him for this.

[DaOldeWolf]

Spoiler: OOC

Show

Up to you all to choose what to do with the mirrors. Also, you are already in the shadow dimension. It was engulfed in darkness.

As the ponies keep exploration going. They seem to find the place to be completely empty and desolated. It seems like nothing is keeping guard of the place. "We are almost at the center. Try to stay clear. We dont want to lose sight of anyone." BubbleGuard suggests to the rest.

Up ahead, they find the rest of the staff looking around at the huge crystals that surround the giant sphere of light floating just above. Inside each of these crystals, there are the missing staff members, some former staff members, the fellow time travelers and even the princesses. All of them asleep.

"What should we do about this? We found them like this but we dont know how we should try to set them free. Especially without hurting them...." Daily Delivery is the first to reply.

[igordragonian]

Deepwood:"I think we should focus on finding the rascals"


Sweet Echo keep her positivity.
"Maybe they just need a pony's warmth!" and hug tightly the nearest crystal with forelegs and wings and even land a kiss.

[Emmerlaus]

Tea Agony has a saddlebag and wonder...

" They created the mirrors to be linked with those they wanted to replace right?"

She does an experiment and bring out from her saddlebag one of those mirrors, trying to see if there is any interractions with the prisonners.

[DaOldeWolf]

Deepwood:"I think we should focus on finding the rascals"


Sweet Echo keep her positivity.
"Maybe they just need a pony's warmth!" and hug tightly the nearest crystal with forelegs and wings and even land a kiss.

Deepwood finds the crystals in which the princesses are sealed inside easily. Everypony inside appears to be unconscious frozen in place. This specific crystal doesnt have a reation when hugged compared to the empty ones.

Tea Agony has a saddlebag and wonder...

" They created the mirrors to be linked with those they wanted to replace right?"

She does an experiment and bring out from her saddlebag one of those mirrors, trying to see if there is any interractions with the prisonners.

When Tea Agony takes out a mirror in front of the owner of the crystal sealed within, the crystal glows and disappears releasing the pony trapped within. "It worked! Great job, Miss Agony!" BubbleGuard declares.

[Emmerlaus]

When Tea Agony takes out a mirror in front of the owner of the crystal sealed within, the crystal glows and disappears releasing the pony trapped within. "It worked! Great job, Miss Agony!" BubbleGuard declares.

She shakes her head: " No, I won't consider this a victory unless we can wake them up from their slumber. Let's try the easiest way..."

She gently try to wake them up by shaking them, carefully, with telekenesis and saying in a voice that want to be urgent but compassionnate: " Wake up! You are free now! Cmon! "

[igordragonian]

Sweet Echo clap her hooves happily.
'WE DID IT!"


If what Agony try doesnt work, she try to scream in their ears.
'GOOD EVENING! WAKEY WAKEY!"


Deepwood block his ears.

[DaOldeWolf]

The staff members wake up without a hinch. Harvest Moon even gives a hug to Tea Agony when she wakes up. Strangely enough the princesses and the "former" staff members remain asleep. They dont seem to react to the screams either.

"Strange. I wonder if there is more to this...." BubbleGuard wonders out loud. "We could try to enter their mind instead, do you still have the mind item, Sweetie? What do you Think, Miss Agony?"

[Emmerlaus]

Tea Agony sigh and shake her head: " I am completely lost on what to do next. It doesn't seem like a bad idea. Harvest Moon, tell us, did you had any dreams while you were asleep? Were you conscious of what was going on around you? "

[igordragonian]

Deepwood help and support those who wake up.

Sweet Echo for a moment look concerned? but once Blueguard remind her, she nod happily.
"Yes, Bubbly Doo!" she try to enter Luna's head.

[DaOldeWolf]

As soon as she activates the magical object, a blinding light engulfs the whole area. As soon as they are light diminshes itself, the small group (made of Tea Agony, Deepwood, Sweet Echo, BubbleGuard and Charcoal Knight) is able to see the new suroundings. Its a small room with a decorations full of stars. There is a bed with deep blue sheets. A small table with a white broken base. On the ceiling, you can see a starry night through it as if it were made of glass. There are a few pictures hanging on the walls with different members of the staff. A few personal objetcs related to some of the staff members are scattered across the floor. There is a centerpiece on a drawer with a picture of Tea Agony besides it. There also seems to be an empty frame with nothing on it.

Strangely enough, nothing that could be attributed to either BubbleGuard or Charcoal Knight can be found within the room. You can hear something that seems to be shaking. A quick glance revelas that whatever that could be making the sound is hiding under the bed. BubbeGuard is the first to check.

"Please come out. We wont harm you. We are looking for...." But before BubbleGuard could finish speaking, Luna comes out and quickly goes to hug Tea Agony as she bursts in tears. "Where are we? What is this place? Some horrible creaature that looked like me took me here! Can we go home?"

[Emmerlaus]

Tea Agony hugs back Luna: " I know, I am sorry we couldn't prevent this in time. Luna... we entered your head to speak to you. You are free from your outside prison. Can you now try to use your dream magic to wake yourself up? "

[igordragonian]

Deepwood look around.
He tap the empty frame but then turn his attention to Luna.
"It's ok lil' rascal. It bad. But this is the normal bad"


Sweet Echo is more excited and play with the random items-
how real are they?

She shriek happily as she see Luna get out.
"Woonie! We have found you! The hide and seek is over! " she clap her hooves.
"Hmmmm... maybe my tiara can help?" she ask

[DaOldeWolf]

"What happened to the bad ponies? Why does one of them look exactly like me? I am so confused." Luna cries out loud.

"Umm... err well....." BubbleGuard isnt sure about how to address her.

[igordragonian]

Deepwood try to expalin simply as possible- and as he understand himself.
'Nothing special. Evil clones. Does it summarize it?' he look at the smarter ponies.

[Emmerlaus]

Tea Agony sigh, shakes her head: " Deepwood is right. That's all there is too it. Basically evil mirror reflection, with values opposed of ourselves. They trapped you in their own homeworld and even sent our home into it... but now that we have you, we have hope. You think you can help us wake up everypony Luna? "

[DaOldeWolf]

"Why? Who made them? What do they want?" Luna replies worried about the situation. BubbleGuard is the first to respond. "I kind of wish I knew more details about them myself."

[Emmerlaus]

"Why? Who made them? What do they want?" Luna replies worried about the situation. BubbleGuard is the first to respond. "I kind of wish I knew more details about them myself."

Tea Agony glare at Bubbles and say acidly: " You still deny the connection? While you and your brother are the only one who can't seem to ever have a evil duplicate? What, you think I didn't notice?"

[DaOldeWolf]

"I dont really know why I dont have one either. Sir Starswhirl was quite privvy abut what he said on the subject of the shades. I kind of wish we had managed to speak with him before he left us." BubbleGuard replies.

"You dont have a clone? How awesome!" Luna cheers.

"Thanks litte one...." BubbleGuard replies unsure on how to answer. "We could still get some more shade info if we use the journal. Or we could try with more of those crystals. They might bring forth more answers." BubbleGuard replies.

[igordragonian]

Sweet Echo clap her hooves.
"Yes! Lets play with the crystals! It's much more fun!"


Deepwood stand between Agony and Bubble.
"We shouldnt let the magical disasters hurt our trusr in each other, no matter how terrible things are. Bubble is... a friend. If we dont trust each other what we have left with?"

[Emmerlaus]

Tea Agony roll her eyes: " I know. Still, I dont like this anomality. Not sure how to research it too without hurting Bubbles so that is an impasse. Sure, let's try to see if those crystal does something else."

She hugs Luna a bit more, closing her eyes doing so. It seem she does need a hug. Luna instinctively realize it and hugs her back.