Post by romper on Oct 30, 2012 21:33:14 GMT -5
"The miracle of your mind,"
" is that you can see the world as it *isn't*."
"We can imagine what it's like to be some other person,"
" in some other place." - Kathryn Schulz
_________________________________________________
"Hurry!" Romper's hooves pound along the pavement as he gallops towards the hospital, Dreamweaver (and others) in tow. "She's at the hospital. It's some kind of weird... coma...
*thing*! I don't know. The doctors don't know anything either. And, well, I just figured that you're the expert in these kind of things!" Clip clop, clip clop! It's times like this
that he wishes he could fly. Walking is so slow and there's a sense of urgency here.
( Professor Comet Galaxy is also racing to get to the hospital - my, isn't Vinyl popular today! - and she swoops in from Cloudsdale, a serious, hurried look on her face. She murmurs
to herself so she doesn't forget the vital message she is to deliver. "The locket, the locket, the locket..." Coming into land, she notices a few other ponies racing towards the
building. "Romper!" she calls to the pegasus in front. )
The Dream Filly, at this point, is just wishing she could teleport! Secondly, she would wish she were in better shape because keeping up with the hurried pony has left her breathing
rather hard, but she keeps at it. It's not often her weird, sometimes-creepy power is of use for much good. Usually she just ends up popping into weird dreams, like that /Jelly/
dream. Oh...too much jelly and weirdness. She shakes her head, removing herself from the flashback. "I'll... do....what *huff* I ...can."
MArble is, naturally, at the hospital, at her bedside. He doesn't know what happened to her. Best he can think off was she fell after Chrysalis tore them from each other. HE has
flowers. Cookies. Anything he can think of to give her if she'd just wake up. -- Doctor Mel Practice is at the reception station at the entrance, attempting to hit on all three
secretaries at the same time. "Tell me... Have you ever been part of an autopsy before?"
Romper arrives at the hospital, panting. "That's all we're asking," he says to Dreamweaver. Then he hears his voice and nods, tiredly, to Comet. "Comet! Comet, hi. I brought help, I
brought... *pant*... help. We're going to see if we can reach... *pant*... Vinyl in her dream." He doesn't seem to have much confidence in the whole idea, but it's something.
"Marble's still here, right?" In the distance, he can hear Mel Practice. Urgh. Well, this dream-thingie's gotta be better than *him*...
Comet_Galaxy nods to Romper, slowly to a trot when they reach the hospital doors. "I must deliver a message to Marble Memory," she vaguely explains. "There is... much that must be
done if we are to save Vinyl." She nods to Dreamweaver. "We are going to require all the expertise we can get from you, my dear." Moving inside, she tries to get the attention of a
secretary. "We are here for a visit. Vinyl Scratch, Ward number four, room 22." How does she know these things? Nonetheless, the secretary nods and lets the guests through. "Hurry."
Breathing hard a moment, Dreamweaver just stands nearby. She's just happy to not be running nearby. She catches the rather poor attempt at seduction, not chancing a glance over
there in case she recognizes somepony from her dream wanderings. No more flashbacks today, she's at her limit. Another pony enters and she gives a light little nod, but blinks, "Oh,
well I will try to do my best, yes." She's not quite sure who all the other ponies are, but hey, recognition.
Mel Practice turns when he hears a female voice and lays eyes on Comet. The physician ahems, then runs a hoof through his mane to make sure it is still perfect, strolling over. "Hello,
my name is Dr. Mel Practice, a Graduate from the Fillydelphia School of Medicine and Advanced Barber School. Are you here for a gynecological exam?"
A message for Marble? Well, they were going that way anyway. Romper hops from left-side-hoofs to right-side-hoofs, nervous at the delay. Gyneco-wha? "No, we're not! None of us are!"
He snorts at the 'doctor'. "We're here to visit Vinyl and-" Do a risky, psudomagical telepathic group invasion of her mind? Uhh- "-... see her and wish her well. Yeah. That."
Shiftyeyes. "Can you let us through?"
Comet_Galaxy ahems slightly, turning to face the cringeworthy doctor. This is probably why she flunked Biology all those years back... "Ah. Doctor Practice, we are just... erm... No,
I am not here for any check ups," she says coolly. "We are here to give gifts to a friend who is in great da-, ah, suffering right now." She turns on her heels, but not before
bowing her head to the doctor and urging Romper and Dream forward. "Good day to you."
Oh no, she gave a quick glance to Mel and now Dreamweaver is thinking she did pop into his dream. There was much destruction and chaos. Also ice cream for some reason. Before she's
able to say something, she's ushered forward and toward the room. Because she wants to be away, she slips through the door first and looks about, getting out of the doorway so the
rest can file in. She's not familar with the ponies in question so lets Romper or Comet do the introductions.
"Well, don't forget to look me up if you change your mind. I'm in the directory under discount morgue." The doctor trots off to terrorize some other patient. -- Marble is still
sitting by her bedside, reaching for his fiance's hoof now.
Romper gives a grateful nod to Comet, moving with her and Dream towards Vinyl's room. He nudges open the door with his head, holding it open for everypony to enter. "Marble, right?"
He knows *of* Marble, since the election, but he's not sure that Marble knows him. "I bought Dreamweaver. She can reach into pony's dreams, and we were hoping she might be able to
let us all talk to Vinyl." As Comet enters, too, he adds, "And Comet has a message for you, too, so... there's that, too."
Comet_Galaxy smiles warmly as she walks into the room, moving up to the Chancellor and offering him a hug. "Marble," she says softly - the pair had been friends for years, and they
could always rely on each other in times of trouble. "We are here to help you, and Vinyl. There is much I have to reveal, but first... first, perhaps, it would be best to try and
contact her. Dreamweaver is very esteemed in such things."
Vinyl_Scratch lies back, looking through the ceiling in her soul at the scene. Her heart thumps in her chest. "They're... coming for me?"
( "Ah, hi," Dream Weaver says to Marble Memory. She gives a glance to Romper, explaining, "It doesn't really work like that. I can /maybe/ jump into her dreams. It'll be just me. If
I can carry somepony else, I'm not sure how to do it. I can try to pass messages or get information," she says, "But that's only if I can turn the whole thing lucid which isn't
assured. But I can try," she offers. "I will give everything I have to help." )
Marble looks up and over as ponies arive and... well, he accepts the hug from Comet. "Friend." He needs one. "What's this nonsense about jumping into her dreams?"
Romper steps inside, letting the door close. He nods to Marble. "It's a long and very strange story, and I must admit I don't understand it myself, but at this stage I don't see the
harm in trying." He tries to give a comforting smile. "Surely it'd be good to talk to her at least?"
Comet_Galaxy nods, "We will certainly try, Marble. Your fiance's welfare is our concern here. Especially after how bravely you both behaved last night. You are two very admirable
ponies." she says truthfully, taking Marble's hooves comfortingly. "And if this doesn't work, we can at least say we tried. And I can at least tell you what you nee--.." The
astronomer stops. If this spell fails and something happens... She straightens up. "I shall tell you now. Marble Memory, in order to safely return Vinyl Scratch to the living world
and recuperate her soul, you must, *must* retrieve the Love Locket from Chrysalis within the next seventy-two hours. It is absolutely crucial for not only her, but for everypony.
That Locket contains large amounts of Vinyl's magic, and even larger amounts of her love for you. You must get it back. It is the only way. Or..." she swallows. "Or..."
The Dream pony nods at any introduction-ey sort of thing, but is already moving to the windows, drawing the drapes, and dimming lights as she can. She pauses long enough to explain,
"I'll have to be asleep too." She also starts to slide a big, comfy chair over nearby. "Um, If you want me to, I mean. I can, like I said, pass a message and offer some comforts
to her."
MArble fidgets, hearing first Comets advice for him. And suddenly he has priorities! "B-what? Then what am I waiting for? I need to save my fiance!" Marble turns and starts to head out of the room... before freezing. He looks back at the others. "Tell her I'm getting her back!"
It was... tough. The hardest thing she'd ever had to do. Heck, she grew up with some of them, trained with them. The changeling staggers towards the Hospital, sore all over. She's in her battle-form. Almost as big as Luna. Layered black armor plates.
Enormous fangs filling her mouth. Claws rather than hooves. She's very much Nightmare Night material as she shoulders her way in through the door of the Hospital, flecked with the greengoop of other changelings. Somehow, ponies haven't molested her thus
far, a small blessing.
Romper gives Dreamweaver a nod as she slips into the chair. "Okay. I guess we should all be quiet, then, and let you sleep." A little wait, then, as Dreamweaver gets herself comfortable. There's a quiet, eerie silence over the hospital, broken only by the
faint sounds of beeping from the machinery and the faint hiss of the ventilator keeping Vinyl alive. When all is quiet, Romper nods to all the other ponies. "Okay," he whispers, "Take her hoof. We should... form a circle, I think, to help." He winces
slightly. A pegasus, instructing magic? This will end well. He moves to Dreamweaver's side, gently taking one of her hoofs, then holding his other one out. By way of explaination, he offers, "I saw it one of the theatre's plays, once." Nod. Nothing can go
wrong.
Comet takes Marble's hoof, pulling him back gently. "We need you for this more than anyone, Marble," she explains, connecting herself and the pinto into the circle. "You're the one she's going to want to see most." As all the ponies are holding hooves, a
strange energy seems to surround them...
Match_Maker squeaks as she feels magic starting to bubble and boil around her. "Ooooh. This is AIEAHHH!" she yowls, crashing through the door. She feels like she's being dragged against her will! That's some powerful juju going on! "Haaaalp!" she squeaks.
She slides right into the circle, winding up clasping hooves with two random ponies as she gets slotted in. Huh. Wonder what could have caused taht!
MArble blinks, then looks at the others. "I though she said only she could go and see--" Marble blinks as somehow Match Maker is dragged right into the room by some unseen force. "O... o-oh dear."
Actually there's a light procedure to it. Dreamy first goes to the sleeping form and her horn swirls with magic, colored a midniight blue and flecked with silver dust. The sandpony cometh. If Vinyl were awake, she'd feel warm and comfortable a few moments.
"It...helps to aim," she explains. "If I've touched them with some magic." She settles into the chair a moment. One would think she'd have a time falling asleep with folks watching, but she doesn't. She quickly drifts to sleep, making a mumbling sound
and not droolign a whole lot so stop looking. She doesn't even react as her hooves are touched, though she'd probably say something silly, but after a moment, something definitely happens. Her eyes snap open glowing a sickly green color, as if her usual
magical color is trapped behind. "W-wrong!" she cries out, voice laced with another, almost serpentine one. "It's wrong. Filthy...dirty.. Run! Get awaaaayyyy." THe following scream of pain is punctuated with a flicker of the lights and then darkness. When the lights flicker back up everypony's asleep. Of course, to the now-sleeping ponies, they feel tired, then like they're being pulled, yanked hard, and thrown
into a bottomless void. For now there is just the sense of falling, solitary and alone.
<OOC> You say, "Okay! I'll drag everyone (screaming) into Vinyl's Brain!"
The Brightlands - Inside Vinyl's Cursed Mind(#1297R)
A bright, impossibly clean mirror of the world. This place is a shining, too-bright reflection of the outside, a room with some much bright it seems to seep out of every corner. It is a mirror of the Basement -- Vinyl's favourite place in the world. *Her*
place. White tendrils of powerful energy flicker and streak around, warping and distorting everything. Eerie, distorted music filters through the dark, barely lit room; flashing lights cast faint shadows in chaotic reflections of the ponies standing here.
Flicking, faceless white ponies dance and party on the central dance floor, ignoring all around them, grooving to the slow, creepy tunes. The floor underhoof is a white pearly opalescence, clear and covered in white snow-like magic dust. This is inside
Vinyl's mind, tainted by the horrid curse.
[ Obvious Exits: None! ]
[ Players: Marble_Memory, Dreamweaver, Match_Maker, Vinyl_Scratch ]
Match_Maker SHRIEKS as she gets sucked in. "OHGODOHGODOHGODHELP!" she screams, clinging to the closest pony... In this case, it winds up being Romper. She hugs him tight as they go spinning off through the Aether.
A feeling of falling. It's a terrifying feeling for a pony who can't fly and Romper's high pitched squeal follows him all the way down, along with the mad kicking of legs and flapping of useless wings. Absolutely, utterly terrifying. Eventually he just
extends his wings out as far as they'll go and hopes for the best, eyes shut tight. Suddenly, hooves around him! Match Maker grips him hard and he holds back, squeezing tightly with all of his hooves, flapping and shrieking.
All at once, Vinyl's senses are fired up fully, and she sits bolt upright in her white room. She hears squeals, and she's standing up now, listening out for voices. Comet Galaxy is the first to arrive; she materialises on the floor in a heap, shaking. Vinyl
looks down at her curiously. "Hey, you're... you're Comet, right?" she says, shocked. "What are you doing here?"
MArble has landed in the most painful position imaginable. Whereas the only pones may have bellyflopped or landed on their backs, the unlucky stallion had perhaps only one orientation: Vertical. Yes, Mares and gentlecolts, Marble has epicly faceplanted
where he is, his hind legs still sticking up in the air.
Falling falling. In addition to that, however, Dreamweaver's getting attacked. Or it feels like it. Since she's the conduit, she feels the push and pull of the magic, the curse as it assaults. It's not a visible thing. She pulls from old memories, they
strengthen her magic, give her more than the usual ability. When she lands, her horn is glowing, as are her eyes. She floats slowly to the ground, as now, for a few moments, she's picked up a pair of wings as well. "Sorry," she pants hard, "I don't know
how this happened. Tried to buffer you all but it's...too fast. Too strong."
Match_Maker manages to land rather gracefully, still holding tightly to Romper, all four hooves touching down at the same time. "What the <SQUEEING> just <BUY SOME APPLES> happened?" she says, panting heavily.
Romper floats down with Match Maker, which does a lot to ease his blind panic. When all four hooves are on the ground, it's less of a dainty landing and more of a panicked hug of the floor, hooves scraping over the faintly shimering, white ground. "Safety!"
He coughs from the dust, panting with relief. "Oh, thank Celestia. Oh... oh. Falling bad. Falling bad." He closes his eyes a moment, trying to steady himself. It's okay. It's okay.
Vinyl_Scratch looks around at the new faces. A Changeling, okay, pretty weird... some alicorn?! Even weirder. A guy called Romper who she remembers faintly, that Comet girl and... and... "MARBLE!" The DJ launches herself at the pinto stallion, trying to
throw her hooves around him. She ends up, however, catapulting right *through* the already stricken bureaucrat and hitting the floor with a short *phut*. "Ow..."
Comet, getting up and dusting herself off, giggles slightly at the unicorn's advances, before stopping in her tracks when she notices the missing cutie marks. "Oh my stars..." she murmurs. "Chrysalis really meant it.." Straightening up, she looks over to
the other ponies. "My friends. May we let this be but a short visit. We have little time to tell Vinyl what she needs to hear."
Still, the *vibration* of her fall is felt, and it's enough to get the stallion's legs to teeter... then fall with a *thunklipsnkt* sound. Another few moments, and the stallion pushes himself up and to his hooves. "... Ow...." He shakes his head and looks
around. "H hears her! where is she?" Marble then turns around. "Darling!" Now it's his turn to catapult, running towards her.
Match_Maker shudders and looks around. "Where am I? What's going on?" she asks, staggering back... Suddenly realizing that she's amongst ponies, she belatedly uses her magic to clean herself off and return to her more normal shape.
"Oh, hey, no, don--," Dreamy winces as her warnings don't get there in time. Her horn lights a little brighter, stretching the sphere of light to make things a little more visible. "Sorry," she says, wincing visibly, and green sparks popping up just
outside the lighted area. "We're in trouble," she says after a moment. "I can't hold them off forever. You are Vinyl, hm? Good, you're already lucid. I'm Dreamweaver and I've made a mistake and accidently drawn these ponies and.." she eyes Match Maker
a moment, moving to take a more protective position between her and the other ponies. "I'm trying to think of a way to...ummph," she winces then continues, "Get us out."
Dreamweaver's words kind of fly over his head. Romper recovers enough of his composure to give Match a thankful smile, then he slowly climbs up to unsteady hooves. "Okay, okay. It's okay." He takes a deep breath, then looks around this strange, lurid place.
All he catches is... "we're in trouble". Which he can't disagree with. "Get us out?" He asks, "Is that even... possible?" He tries to peer off into the bright white light. Dreamy helps, but... it's hard to see. "I don't like this place..."
"What is there to tell me?" says Vinyl, close to tears as she gazes only into her fiance's eyes. "This is my soul. Chrysalis is keeping me here for her special little torment game, and I'm going to die if you-" she holds a hoof out and pokes it gently
through Marble, "Don't get the Love Locket back." All at once, the realisation of her own announcement hits her, and she bursts into tears again.
Comet sighs, running a hoof through her lilac mane. "Vinyl," she says softly, "We are here to help you. Though we can offer little in the way of physical support, we are here to tell you that it will be alright." She takes a step towards the heartbroken DJ.
"We will *not* let you die. Do you understand, Vinyl Scratch?"
Marble stops... and he waves his hooves, unable to touch his fiance. "No... this just isn't fait." He says so quietly. "It just isn't--" Then Marble notices... "Memoire! Where is Memoire?!"
*Zzzrm.* An eerie light washes past Vinyl Scratch, and when it is gone, her normally bright red eyes are... grey.
<OOC> Vinyl_Scratch says, "^ dun dun duuuuun."
Match_Maker nods and stands up. "We've only met a few times... But any pony is a friend of mine! And I LOVE your tunes!" she exclaims... "Though I'm STILL not sure how this happened. Sorry... My name is Match Maker, and I'm not part of the Queen's Crew, not
anymore." she says, a little sadly. "I chose ponies over my own kind. So I'll help however I can!" she says, leaning on Romper.
Dreamweaver seems skeptical of the claim. Afterall, they /did/ just attack and they are all about deception. But for the moment, she has bigger issues to worry about. She puffs out a breath and there's a soft thump and the globe of light above is very
visible a moment and she drops to the ground, as if physically struck. "Ooh, s-something's there. Speak quickly," she adds through quick breath, standing up.
Romper watches Vinyl's eyes grey in alarm, leaning against Match slightly, mutually sharing the support. At Comet's proclaimation he stomps his hoof in determination. "Nopony's dying today, okay? Or... or three days in the future. Marble might need to do
this thing, but we're all going to help." A firm nod. "We're all going to help," he repeats, "And we're going to make sure you're *both* safe!" Although, when Dreamweaver bucks as though hit, that confident tone in his voice fades somewhat. "Dreamweaver!
Are you okay?!"
Vinyl looks a little dazed. "You love my what, Match?" she says, not being able to recognise the word 'tunes' at all... Oh dear. She instead tries to grip onto Marble again, more tears spilling over as she knows his time with her is short. "Darling, I love
you so, so much. We're going to get married as soon as I get back, and you're going to get the Locket so we can do that, yes? Memoire's safe. She's inside the real me. Find the amulet and it'll be okay. I.." her voice cracks, she chokes. "I...I-I love y-
you..." Pearly white tears, like the pearly white walls, drop from Vinyl's eyes and splash onto the floor. Through the puddle they create, you can see a mirage of memories from Vinyl's life - all of them including Marble.
<OOC> Vinyl_Scratch will make you cry manly tears.
MArble turns back to Vinyl, frantic. "Whatever Chrysalis is doing to you, you can fight this... okay? This is *your* soul. *Your* dream. I love you... and I won't let any stupid changelings stop me. I promise. But you have to fight too! Surely you can
outlast Chrysalis!"
Comet Galaxy is unable to say another word to anypony before she falls suddenly and silently through the floor. She is the first to reawaken at the hospital; the magic is fading.
Match_Maker sighs and shakes her head, putting a wing around Romper and hugging him. "Yeah! That's right!" she says, thumping her chest with a hoof. "We're all your friends, even if I haven't known you all that long!" she says. She looks to the others.
"Maybe once we're out of this, and we get Vinyl back, we can all go out for lunch!" she says with a big smile. "I'll tell you anything you want to know!"
( Another thump that drives Dreamy to the ground and forms crack in the dome but only a few moments. She picks herself up, looking determined. Her horn glows more strongly than ever. She really wants to be a part of the love-fest, even walks over toward
it, a bit shakily. "F-fine, but only for a short time," she tells Romper. "Something's up there." She squints a bit, saying, "Less lunch plans, more letting them have a moment," she tells Match Maker. "You..you know anything about this curse?" )
Romper calms, slightly, as he's hugged. He leans back against, ruffling his wings and returning the gesture. He stares down at the tears, whimpering slightly. Oh, that's just terrible. That's *sad*. "It's okay!" He nods in eager agreement to Match'. "Lunch.
We're definitely going for lunch." Then, to Vinyl. "You'll be okay. You have your friends, and... and friendship's more powerful than any magic!" Then Comet disappears. Romper knows their time is short -- already one of the white tendrils snakes out
around his leg, unnoticed, threatening to pull him down through the ground. He looks between Match, and Dreamy, feeling slightly helpless. There's nothing he can do to help. And then his wing is pulled from around Match Maker as, with barely a sound,
Romper's soul is pulled through the firmament in the ground, giving Maker' a dispairing look as he's pulled into oblivion.
<OOC> Romper , skirting DANGEROUSLY close to a title drop there. XD
Vinyl gasps as her friends begin to drop from the ether, and her heart aches at the prospect of being alone again. She whimpers to Marble, reaching roughly out with her hoof to try and touch his cheek. "I'll try, I promise I will. Together. We can do this
together," she says, drying her tears a little and looking from Marble, to Match and Dream. "Thank you, guys." She leans forward, pressing her lips gently to where she knows Marble's mouth is. "Be brave for me." she whispers. "And I'll be brave for you."
MArble feels tears in his eyes as he can't feel Vinyl's kiss. "I swear to you, I'll get you out of this." Marble feels a wrenching. "No! I won't let it happen!"
Match_Maker puts a hoof on Marble's shoulder as she starts to slowly fade out. "Don't worry. We'll get her back." she says, smiling at Vinyl. "I'll make sure he doesn't do anything too stupid. Girls like us gotta stick together."
Match_Maker fades back into the real world... Where she's still in her more monstrous, blood-stained battleform.
Dreamweaver takes another sound thump of invisible energy, the bubble protecting them shrinking down a little bit, the ponies nearly able to touch it. Green energy sparks around her and she fends it off, but one eye ends up a little changelingish and she
might have a fang. "Ah!" she says, "Hard one..." she mumbles. She's not leaving until everypony else is out it seems. She's going to have /such/ a headache when she wakes up.
Romper awakes with a start, jerking awake. He scrambles to his hooves, blinking profusely. "Is everypony here?" He looks around wildly. Comet, him, Match are awake. The others... no. He frets, looking between them, his voice hollow. He looks to a
bloodsplattered Match Maker. "Do you think they're okay?"
"Don't cry," says Vinyl softly, still feeling forward for her partner, through the invisible. "I can't bear to see you cry, Marble. Just let it happen..." Her eyes are full of excruciating sadness, and she attempts once more to connect her lips to the
stallion's. "I love you. It's okay. It'll be okay."
Comet hrmms. "They shall awake in a moment. This is... quite something. Is everypony alright?"
<OOC> Vinyl_Scratch says, "Everypony now go look up a song called 'Brielle' by Sky Sailing and fit it to this scene. <3"
<OOC> You say, "Link for the lazy: www.youtube.com/watch?v=_PkzsMak6P8
"
<OOC> Vinyl_Scratch says, "Like a butterfly, you floated by, and now you're alone..."
"But it's not time!" Marble says, vainly trying to grasp his beloved. "It just can't be time!" He resists the strong pull, rip[ping him from within his fiance. "No!"
Match_Maker, not usually taking much time to differentiate between dream and reality, slots back into her body more smoothely than most besides Dreamweaver. Nopony can match THAT! "Ouch. That's... weird." she says. "Is everyone okay?" she asks, getting to
her hooves and promptly knocking her head on a bed pole.
The cracks are forming now in the dome. Eyes show through , glaring eyes, changling eyes for the most part but some just...unnatural ones. An eerie keening sound is also now heard, mixed with a soft, sickening crunching noise. "Marble you can't help her
here," she tells him, the next hit making her look a little more changlingish, teeth mostly fangs and horn a more odd bend to it. "Please, I can't hold it back. They want us not her."
Romper nods to Comet. "I'm fine," he answers to Match and Comet, giving a start as Match clonks her head. "I'm fine, but ow!" He grimaces, clip-clopping up, ruffling his wings. "How's the, uh, head? That looked like it hurt...!" His eyes flick to the still-
unconscious ponies, hoping they're okay.
"Marble, let go." urges Vinyl, as the image of her fiance fades. "You're making it harder for us. Go, get the Locket. You have just over two days." She looks at Dream, her grey eyes inspecting her closely. "Make sure he's alright," she tells her, before
finally stepping back from the stallion's form. "And take *care*. I love you, Marble Memory."
Marble soon surges forth, in his real body, screaming out, "Nooo!!!" His hooves seek out in front of him before his eyes clear... then... he realizes where he is... he's panting... "Noo..." Sob.
Comet sighs, feeling the magic that remains between the circle of friends twisting and pulling. "I am alright, though Marble is having difficulty letting go." When he wakes up beside her, she drapes a wing across his shoulders. "Hush, now. She is safe."
Match_Maker mantles her wings out over the group, like some demented angel as she tries to hug each and every one of them. "Alright. Down to business." she says, sniffling and wiping her eyes. "Let's... Figure out what we're going to do!"
Dreamweaver feels the hard thumping against the shell. "I'll do what I can to help them," she manages out before another thump and the shield falls. Her color's fading to black but since everypony is gone, she fades too with a, "We'll hurry." She jerks
awake a moment later in the hospital. She's a bit worse for wear, the eye that changed in the dreamscape is normal again, though apparently she busted a blood vessel as it's red. Her mouth too seems a bit reddened as she took a little bite of it through
the whole thing. Those things and a tangled mess of a mane are the worst of it and she slouches. "I'm sorry," she whispers, nearly sobbing.
Vinyl_Scratch curls up, hearing her beloved's screams as he is wrenched away. Her resolve broken, her spirit in tatters, alone in her white room... she sleeps.
- Fin
-----
Dreamweaver
Vinyl Scratch
Comet Galaxy
Marble Memory
Match Maker
Romper
" is that you can see the world as it *isn't*."
"We can imagine what it's like to be some other person,"
" in some other place." - Kathryn Schulz
_________________________________________________
"Hurry!" Romper's hooves pound along the pavement as he gallops towards the hospital, Dreamweaver (and others) in tow. "She's at the hospital. It's some kind of weird... coma...
*thing*! I don't know. The doctors don't know anything either. And, well, I just figured that you're the expert in these kind of things!" Clip clop, clip clop! It's times like this
that he wishes he could fly. Walking is so slow and there's a sense of urgency here.
( Professor Comet Galaxy is also racing to get to the hospital - my, isn't Vinyl popular today! - and she swoops in from Cloudsdale, a serious, hurried look on her face. She murmurs
to herself so she doesn't forget the vital message she is to deliver. "The locket, the locket, the locket..." Coming into land, she notices a few other ponies racing towards the
building. "Romper!" she calls to the pegasus in front. )
The Dream Filly, at this point, is just wishing she could teleport! Secondly, she would wish she were in better shape because keeping up with the hurried pony has left her breathing
rather hard, but she keeps at it. It's not often her weird, sometimes-creepy power is of use for much good. Usually she just ends up popping into weird dreams, like that /Jelly/
dream. Oh...too much jelly and weirdness. She shakes her head, removing herself from the flashback. "I'll... do....what *huff* I ...can."
MArble is, naturally, at the hospital, at her bedside. He doesn't know what happened to her. Best he can think off was she fell after Chrysalis tore them from each other. HE has
flowers. Cookies. Anything he can think of to give her if she'd just wake up. -- Doctor Mel Practice is at the reception station at the entrance, attempting to hit on all three
secretaries at the same time. "Tell me... Have you ever been part of an autopsy before?"
Romper arrives at the hospital, panting. "That's all we're asking," he says to Dreamweaver. Then he hears his voice and nods, tiredly, to Comet. "Comet! Comet, hi. I brought help, I
brought... *pant*... help. We're going to see if we can reach... *pant*... Vinyl in her dream." He doesn't seem to have much confidence in the whole idea, but it's something.
"Marble's still here, right?" In the distance, he can hear Mel Practice. Urgh. Well, this dream-thingie's gotta be better than *him*...
Comet_Galaxy nods to Romper, slowly to a trot when they reach the hospital doors. "I must deliver a message to Marble Memory," she vaguely explains. "There is... much that must be
done if we are to save Vinyl." She nods to Dreamweaver. "We are going to require all the expertise we can get from you, my dear." Moving inside, she tries to get the attention of a
secretary. "We are here for a visit. Vinyl Scratch, Ward number four, room 22." How does she know these things? Nonetheless, the secretary nods and lets the guests through. "Hurry."
Breathing hard a moment, Dreamweaver just stands nearby. She's just happy to not be running nearby. She catches the rather poor attempt at seduction, not chancing a glance over
there in case she recognizes somepony from her dream wanderings. No more flashbacks today, she's at her limit. Another pony enters and she gives a light little nod, but blinks, "Oh,
well I will try to do my best, yes." She's not quite sure who all the other ponies are, but hey, recognition.
Mel Practice turns when he hears a female voice and lays eyes on Comet. The physician ahems, then runs a hoof through his mane to make sure it is still perfect, strolling over. "Hello,
my name is Dr. Mel Practice, a Graduate from the Fillydelphia School of Medicine and Advanced Barber School. Are you here for a gynecological exam?"
A message for Marble? Well, they were going that way anyway. Romper hops from left-side-hoofs to right-side-hoofs, nervous at the delay. Gyneco-wha? "No, we're not! None of us are!"
He snorts at the 'doctor'. "We're here to visit Vinyl and-" Do a risky, psudomagical telepathic group invasion of her mind? Uhh- "-... see her and wish her well. Yeah. That."
Shiftyeyes. "Can you let us through?"
Comet_Galaxy ahems slightly, turning to face the cringeworthy doctor. This is probably why she flunked Biology all those years back... "Ah. Doctor Practice, we are just... erm... No,
I am not here for any check ups," she says coolly. "We are here to give gifts to a friend who is in great da-, ah, suffering right now." She turns on her heels, but not before
bowing her head to the doctor and urging Romper and Dream forward. "Good day to you."
Oh no, she gave a quick glance to Mel and now Dreamweaver is thinking she did pop into his dream. There was much destruction and chaos. Also ice cream for some reason. Before she's
able to say something, she's ushered forward and toward the room. Because she wants to be away, she slips through the door first and looks about, getting out of the doorway so the
rest can file in. She's not familar with the ponies in question so lets Romper or Comet do the introductions.
"Well, don't forget to look me up if you change your mind. I'm in the directory under discount morgue." The doctor trots off to terrorize some other patient. -- Marble is still
sitting by her bedside, reaching for his fiance's hoof now.
Romper gives a grateful nod to Comet, moving with her and Dream towards Vinyl's room. He nudges open the door with his head, holding it open for everypony to enter. "Marble, right?"
He knows *of* Marble, since the election, but he's not sure that Marble knows him. "I bought Dreamweaver. She can reach into pony's dreams, and we were hoping she might be able to
let us all talk to Vinyl." As Comet enters, too, he adds, "And Comet has a message for you, too, so... there's that, too."
Comet_Galaxy smiles warmly as she walks into the room, moving up to the Chancellor and offering him a hug. "Marble," she says softly - the pair had been friends for years, and they
could always rely on each other in times of trouble. "We are here to help you, and Vinyl. There is much I have to reveal, but first... first, perhaps, it would be best to try and
contact her. Dreamweaver is very esteemed in such things."
Vinyl_Scratch lies back, looking through the ceiling in her soul at the scene. Her heart thumps in her chest. "They're... coming for me?"
( "Ah, hi," Dream Weaver says to Marble Memory. She gives a glance to Romper, explaining, "It doesn't really work like that. I can /maybe/ jump into her dreams. It'll be just me. If
I can carry somepony else, I'm not sure how to do it. I can try to pass messages or get information," she says, "But that's only if I can turn the whole thing lucid which isn't
assured. But I can try," she offers. "I will give everything I have to help." )
Marble looks up and over as ponies arive and... well, he accepts the hug from Comet. "Friend." He needs one. "What's this nonsense about jumping into her dreams?"
Romper steps inside, letting the door close. He nods to Marble. "It's a long and very strange story, and I must admit I don't understand it myself, but at this stage I don't see the
harm in trying." He tries to give a comforting smile. "Surely it'd be good to talk to her at least?"
Comet_Galaxy nods, "We will certainly try, Marble. Your fiance's welfare is our concern here. Especially after how bravely you both behaved last night. You are two very admirable
ponies." she says truthfully, taking Marble's hooves comfortingly. "And if this doesn't work, we can at least say we tried. And I can at least tell you what you nee--.." The
astronomer stops. If this spell fails and something happens... She straightens up. "I shall tell you now. Marble Memory, in order to safely return Vinyl Scratch to the living world
and recuperate her soul, you must, *must* retrieve the Love Locket from Chrysalis within the next seventy-two hours. It is absolutely crucial for not only her, but for everypony.
That Locket contains large amounts of Vinyl's magic, and even larger amounts of her love for you. You must get it back. It is the only way. Or..." she swallows. "Or..."
The Dream pony nods at any introduction-ey sort of thing, but is already moving to the windows, drawing the drapes, and dimming lights as she can. She pauses long enough to explain,
"I'll have to be asleep too." She also starts to slide a big, comfy chair over nearby. "Um, If you want me to, I mean. I can, like I said, pass a message and offer some comforts
to her."
MArble fidgets, hearing first Comets advice for him. And suddenly he has priorities! "B-what? Then what am I waiting for? I need to save my fiance!" Marble turns and starts to head out of the room... before freezing. He looks back at the others. "Tell her I'm getting her back!"
It was... tough. The hardest thing she'd ever had to do. Heck, she grew up with some of them, trained with them. The changeling staggers towards the Hospital, sore all over. She's in her battle-form. Almost as big as Luna. Layered black armor plates.
Enormous fangs filling her mouth. Claws rather than hooves. She's very much Nightmare Night material as she shoulders her way in through the door of the Hospital, flecked with the greengoop of other changelings. Somehow, ponies haven't molested her thus
far, a small blessing.
Romper gives Dreamweaver a nod as she slips into the chair. "Okay. I guess we should all be quiet, then, and let you sleep." A little wait, then, as Dreamweaver gets herself comfortable. There's a quiet, eerie silence over the hospital, broken only by the
faint sounds of beeping from the machinery and the faint hiss of the ventilator keeping Vinyl alive. When all is quiet, Romper nods to all the other ponies. "Okay," he whispers, "Take her hoof. We should... form a circle, I think, to help." He winces
slightly. A pegasus, instructing magic? This will end well. He moves to Dreamweaver's side, gently taking one of her hoofs, then holding his other one out. By way of explaination, he offers, "I saw it one of the theatre's plays, once." Nod. Nothing can go
wrong.
Comet takes Marble's hoof, pulling him back gently. "We need you for this more than anyone, Marble," she explains, connecting herself and the pinto into the circle. "You're the one she's going to want to see most." As all the ponies are holding hooves, a
strange energy seems to surround them...
Match_Maker squeaks as she feels magic starting to bubble and boil around her. "Ooooh. This is AIEAHHH!" she yowls, crashing through the door. She feels like she's being dragged against her will! That's some powerful juju going on! "Haaaalp!" she squeaks.
She slides right into the circle, winding up clasping hooves with two random ponies as she gets slotted in. Huh. Wonder what could have caused taht!
MArble blinks, then looks at the others. "I though she said only she could go and see--" Marble blinks as somehow Match Maker is dragged right into the room by some unseen force. "O... o-oh dear."
Actually there's a light procedure to it. Dreamy first goes to the sleeping form and her horn swirls with magic, colored a midniight blue and flecked with silver dust. The sandpony cometh. If Vinyl were awake, she'd feel warm and comfortable a few moments.
"It...helps to aim," she explains. "If I've touched them with some magic." She settles into the chair a moment. One would think she'd have a time falling asleep with folks watching, but she doesn't. She quickly drifts to sleep, making a mumbling sound
and not droolign a whole lot so stop looking. She doesn't even react as her hooves are touched, though she'd probably say something silly, but after a moment, something definitely happens. Her eyes snap open glowing a sickly green color, as if her usual
magical color is trapped behind. "W-wrong!" she cries out, voice laced with another, almost serpentine one. "It's wrong. Filthy...dirty.. Run! Get awaaaayyyy." THe following scream of pain is punctuated with a flicker of the lights and then darkness. When the lights flicker back up everypony's asleep. Of course, to the now-sleeping ponies, they feel tired, then like they're being pulled, yanked hard, and thrown
into a bottomless void. For now there is just the sense of falling, solitary and alone.
<OOC> You say, "Okay! I'll drag everyone (screaming) into Vinyl's Brain!"
The Brightlands - Inside Vinyl's Cursed Mind(#1297R)
A bright, impossibly clean mirror of the world. This place is a shining, too-bright reflection of the outside, a room with some much bright it seems to seep out of every corner. It is a mirror of the Basement -- Vinyl's favourite place in the world. *Her*
place. White tendrils of powerful energy flicker and streak around, warping and distorting everything. Eerie, distorted music filters through the dark, barely lit room; flashing lights cast faint shadows in chaotic reflections of the ponies standing here.
Flicking, faceless white ponies dance and party on the central dance floor, ignoring all around them, grooving to the slow, creepy tunes. The floor underhoof is a white pearly opalescence, clear and covered in white snow-like magic dust. This is inside
Vinyl's mind, tainted by the horrid curse.
[ Obvious Exits: None! ]
[ Players: Marble_Memory, Dreamweaver, Match_Maker, Vinyl_Scratch ]
Match_Maker SHRIEKS as she gets sucked in. "OHGODOHGODOHGODHELP!" she screams, clinging to the closest pony... In this case, it winds up being Romper. She hugs him tight as they go spinning off through the Aether.
A feeling of falling. It's a terrifying feeling for a pony who can't fly and Romper's high pitched squeal follows him all the way down, along with the mad kicking of legs and flapping of useless wings. Absolutely, utterly terrifying. Eventually he just
extends his wings out as far as they'll go and hopes for the best, eyes shut tight. Suddenly, hooves around him! Match Maker grips him hard and he holds back, squeezing tightly with all of his hooves, flapping and shrieking.
All at once, Vinyl's senses are fired up fully, and she sits bolt upright in her white room. She hears squeals, and she's standing up now, listening out for voices. Comet Galaxy is the first to arrive; she materialises on the floor in a heap, shaking. Vinyl
looks down at her curiously. "Hey, you're... you're Comet, right?" she says, shocked. "What are you doing here?"
MArble has landed in the most painful position imaginable. Whereas the only pones may have bellyflopped or landed on their backs, the unlucky stallion had perhaps only one orientation: Vertical. Yes, Mares and gentlecolts, Marble has epicly faceplanted
where he is, his hind legs still sticking up in the air.
Falling falling. In addition to that, however, Dreamweaver's getting attacked. Or it feels like it. Since she's the conduit, she feels the push and pull of the magic, the curse as it assaults. It's not a visible thing. She pulls from old memories, they
strengthen her magic, give her more than the usual ability. When she lands, her horn is glowing, as are her eyes. She floats slowly to the ground, as now, for a few moments, she's picked up a pair of wings as well. "Sorry," she pants hard, "I don't know
how this happened. Tried to buffer you all but it's...too fast. Too strong."
Match_Maker manages to land rather gracefully, still holding tightly to Romper, all four hooves touching down at the same time. "What the <SQUEEING> just <BUY SOME APPLES> happened?" she says, panting heavily.
Romper floats down with Match Maker, which does a lot to ease his blind panic. When all four hooves are on the ground, it's less of a dainty landing and more of a panicked hug of the floor, hooves scraping over the faintly shimering, white ground. "Safety!"
He coughs from the dust, panting with relief. "Oh, thank Celestia. Oh... oh. Falling bad. Falling bad." He closes his eyes a moment, trying to steady himself. It's okay. It's okay.
Vinyl_Scratch looks around at the new faces. A Changeling, okay, pretty weird... some alicorn?! Even weirder. A guy called Romper who she remembers faintly, that Comet girl and... and... "MARBLE!" The DJ launches herself at the pinto stallion, trying to
throw her hooves around him. She ends up, however, catapulting right *through* the already stricken bureaucrat and hitting the floor with a short *phut*. "Ow..."
Comet, getting up and dusting herself off, giggles slightly at the unicorn's advances, before stopping in her tracks when she notices the missing cutie marks. "Oh my stars..." she murmurs. "Chrysalis really meant it.." Straightening up, she looks over to
the other ponies. "My friends. May we let this be but a short visit. We have little time to tell Vinyl what she needs to hear."
Still, the *vibration* of her fall is felt, and it's enough to get the stallion's legs to teeter... then fall with a *thunklipsnkt* sound. Another few moments, and the stallion pushes himself up and to his hooves. "... Ow...." He shakes his head and looks
around. "H hears her! where is she?" Marble then turns around. "Darling!" Now it's his turn to catapult, running towards her.
Match_Maker shudders and looks around. "Where am I? What's going on?" she asks, staggering back... Suddenly realizing that she's amongst ponies, she belatedly uses her magic to clean herself off and return to her more normal shape.
"Oh, hey, no, don--," Dreamy winces as her warnings don't get there in time. Her horn lights a little brighter, stretching the sphere of light to make things a little more visible. "Sorry," she says, wincing visibly, and green sparks popping up just
outside the lighted area. "We're in trouble," she says after a moment. "I can't hold them off forever. You are Vinyl, hm? Good, you're already lucid. I'm Dreamweaver and I've made a mistake and accidently drawn these ponies and.." she eyes Match Maker
a moment, moving to take a more protective position between her and the other ponies. "I'm trying to think of a way to...ummph," she winces then continues, "Get us out."
Dreamweaver's words kind of fly over his head. Romper recovers enough of his composure to give Match a thankful smile, then he slowly climbs up to unsteady hooves. "Okay, okay. It's okay." He takes a deep breath, then looks around this strange, lurid place.
All he catches is... "we're in trouble". Which he can't disagree with. "Get us out?" He asks, "Is that even... possible?" He tries to peer off into the bright white light. Dreamy helps, but... it's hard to see. "I don't like this place..."
"What is there to tell me?" says Vinyl, close to tears as she gazes only into her fiance's eyes. "This is my soul. Chrysalis is keeping me here for her special little torment game, and I'm going to die if you-" she holds a hoof out and pokes it gently
through Marble, "Don't get the Love Locket back." All at once, the realisation of her own announcement hits her, and she bursts into tears again.
Comet sighs, running a hoof through her lilac mane. "Vinyl," she says softly, "We are here to help you. Though we can offer little in the way of physical support, we are here to tell you that it will be alright." She takes a step towards the heartbroken DJ.
"We will *not* let you die. Do you understand, Vinyl Scratch?"
Marble stops... and he waves his hooves, unable to touch his fiance. "No... this just isn't fait." He says so quietly. "It just isn't--" Then Marble notices... "Memoire! Where is Memoire?!"
*Zzzrm.* An eerie light washes past Vinyl Scratch, and when it is gone, her normally bright red eyes are... grey.
<OOC> Vinyl_Scratch says, "^ dun dun duuuuun."
Match_Maker nods and stands up. "We've only met a few times... But any pony is a friend of mine! And I LOVE your tunes!" she exclaims... "Though I'm STILL not sure how this happened. Sorry... My name is Match Maker, and I'm not part of the Queen's Crew, not
anymore." she says, a little sadly. "I chose ponies over my own kind. So I'll help however I can!" she says, leaning on Romper.
Dreamweaver seems skeptical of the claim. Afterall, they /did/ just attack and they are all about deception. But for the moment, she has bigger issues to worry about. She puffs out a breath and there's a soft thump and the globe of light above is very
visible a moment and she drops to the ground, as if physically struck. "Ooh, s-something's there. Speak quickly," she adds through quick breath, standing up.
Romper watches Vinyl's eyes grey in alarm, leaning against Match slightly, mutually sharing the support. At Comet's proclaimation he stomps his hoof in determination. "Nopony's dying today, okay? Or... or three days in the future. Marble might need to do
this thing, but we're all going to help." A firm nod. "We're all going to help," he repeats, "And we're going to make sure you're *both* safe!" Although, when Dreamweaver bucks as though hit, that confident tone in his voice fades somewhat. "Dreamweaver!
Are you okay?!"
Vinyl looks a little dazed. "You love my what, Match?" she says, not being able to recognise the word 'tunes' at all... Oh dear. She instead tries to grip onto Marble again, more tears spilling over as she knows his time with her is short. "Darling, I love
you so, so much. We're going to get married as soon as I get back, and you're going to get the Locket so we can do that, yes? Memoire's safe. She's inside the real me. Find the amulet and it'll be okay. I.." her voice cracks, she chokes. "I...I-I love y-
you..." Pearly white tears, like the pearly white walls, drop from Vinyl's eyes and splash onto the floor. Through the puddle they create, you can see a mirage of memories from Vinyl's life - all of them including Marble.
<OOC> Vinyl_Scratch will make you cry manly tears.
MArble turns back to Vinyl, frantic. "Whatever Chrysalis is doing to you, you can fight this... okay? This is *your* soul. *Your* dream. I love you... and I won't let any stupid changelings stop me. I promise. But you have to fight too! Surely you can
outlast Chrysalis!"
Comet Galaxy is unable to say another word to anypony before she falls suddenly and silently through the floor. She is the first to reawaken at the hospital; the magic is fading.
Match_Maker sighs and shakes her head, putting a wing around Romper and hugging him. "Yeah! That's right!" she says, thumping her chest with a hoof. "We're all your friends, even if I haven't known you all that long!" she says. She looks to the others.
"Maybe once we're out of this, and we get Vinyl back, we can all go out for lunch!" she says with a big smile. "I'll tell you anything you want to know!"
( Another thump that drives Dreamy to the ground and forms crack in the dome but only a few moments. She picks herself up, looking determined. Her horn glows more strongly than ever. She really wants to be a part of the love-fest, even walks over toward
it, a bit shakily. "F-fine, but only for a short time," she tells Romper. "Something's up there." She squints a bit, saying, "Less lunch plans, more letting them have a moment," she tells Match Maker. "You..you know anything about this curse?" )
Romper calms, slightly, as he's hugged. He leans back against, ruffling his wings and returning the gesture. He stares down at the tears, whimpering slightly. Oh, that's just terrible. That's *sad*. "It's okay!" He nods in eager agreement to Match'. "Lunch.
We're definitely going for lunch." Then, to Vinyl. "You'll be okay. You have your friends, and... and friendship's more powerful than any magic!" Then Comet disappears. Romper knows their time is short -- already one of the white tendrils snakes out
around his leg, unnoticed, threatening to pull him down through the ground. He looks between Match, and Dreamy, feeling slightly helpless. There's nothing he can do to help. And then his wing is pulled from around Match Maker as, with barely a sound,
Romper's soul is pulled through the firmament in the ground, giving Maker' a dispairing look as he's pulled into oblivion.
<OOC> Romper , skirting DANGEROUSLY close to a title drop there. XD
Vinyl gasps as her friends begin to drop from the ether, and her heart aches at the prospect of being alone again. She whimpers to Marble, reaching roughly out with her hoof to try and touch his cheek. "I'll try, I promise I will. Together. We can do this
together," she says, drying her tears a little and looking from Marble, to Match and Dream. "Thank you, guys." She leans forward, pressing her lips gently to where she knows Marble's mouth is. "Be brave for me." she whispers. "And I'll be brave for you."
MArble feels tears in his eyes as he can't feel Vinyl's kiss. "I swear to you, I'll get you out of this." Marble feels a wrenching. "No! I won't let it happen!"
Match_Maker puts a hoof on Marble's shoulder as she starts to slowly fade out. "Don't worry. We'll get her back." she says, smiling at Vinyl. "I'll make sure he doesn't do anything too stupid. Girls like us gotta stick together."
Match_Maker fades back into the real world... Where she's still in her more monstrous, blood-stained battleform.
Dreamweaver takes another sound thump of invisible energy, the bubble protecting them shrinking down a little bit, the ponies nearly able to touch it. Green energy sparks around her and she fends it off, but one eye ends up a little changelingish and she
might have a fang. "Ah!" she says, "Hard one..." she mumbles. She's not leaving until everypony else is out it seems. She's going to have /such/ a headache when she wakes up.
Romper awakes with a start, jerking awake. He scrambles to his hooves, blinking profusely. "Is everypony here?" He looks around wildly. Comet, him, Match are awake. The others... no. He frets, looking between them, his voice hollow. He looks to a
bloodsplattered Match Maker. "Do you think they're okay?"
"Don't cry," says Vinyl softly, still feeling forward for her partner, through the invisible. "I can't bear to see you cry, Marble. Just let it happen..." Her eyes are full of excruciating sadness, and she attempts once more to connect her lips to the
stallion's. "I love you. It's okay. It'll be okay."
Comet hrmms. "They shall awake in a moment. This is... quite something. Is everypony alright?"
<OOC> Vinyl_Scratch says, "Everypony now go look up a song called 'Brielle' by Sky Sailing and fit it to this scene. <3"
<OOC> You say, "Link for the lazy: www.youtube.com/watch?v=_PkzsMak6P8
"<OOC> Vinyl_Scratch says, "Like a butterfly, you floated by, and now you're alone..."
"But it's not time!" Marble says, vainly trying to grasp his beloved. "It just can't be time!" He resists the strong pull, rip[ping him from within his fiance. "No!"
Match_Maker, not usually taking much time to differentiate between dream and reality, slots back into her body more smoothely than most besides Dreamweaver. Nopony can match THAT! "Ouch. That's... weird." she says. "Is everyone okay?" she asks, getting to
her hooves and promptly knocking her head on a bed pole.
The cracks are forming now in the dome. Eyes show through , glaring eyes, changling eyes for the most part but some just...unnatural ones. An eerie keening sound is also now heard, mixed with a soft, sickening crunching noise. "Marble you can't help her
here," she tells him, the next hit making her look a little more changlingish, teeth mostly fangs and horn a more odd bend to it. "Please, I can't hold it back. They want us not her."
Romper nods to Comet. "I'm fine," he answers to Match and Comet, giving a start as Match clonks her head. "I'm fine, but ow!" He grimaces, clip-clopping up, ruffling his wings. "How's the, uh, head? That looked like it hurt...!" His eyes flick to the still-
unconscious ponies, hoping they're okay.
"Marble, let go." urges Vinyl, as the image of her fiance fades. "You're making it harder for us. Go, get the Locket. You have just over two days." She looks at Dream, her grey eyes inspecting her closely. "Make sure he's alright," she tells her, before
finally stepping back from the stallion's form. "And take *care*. I love you, Marble Memory."
Marble soon surges forth, in his real body, screaming out, "Nooo!!!" His hooves seek out in front of him before his eyes clear... then... he realizes where he is... he's panting... "Noo..." Sob.
Comet sighs, feeling the magic that remains between the circle of friends twisting and pulling. "I am alright, though Marble is having difficulty letting go." When he wakes up beside her, she drapes a wing across his shoulders. "Hush, now. She is safe."
Match_Maker mantles her wings out over the group, like some demented angel as she tries to hug each and every one of them. "Alright. Down to business." she says, sniffling and wiping her eyes. "Let's... Figure out what we're going to do!"
Dreamweaver feels the hard thumping against the shell. "I'll do what I can to help them," she manages out before another thump and the shield falls. Her color's fading to black but since everypony is gone, she fades too with a, "We'll hurry." She jerks
awake a moment later in the hospital. She's a bit worse for wear, the eye that changed in the dreamscape is normal again, though apparently she busted a blood vessel as it's red. Her mouth too seems a bit reddened as she took a little bite of it through
the whole thing. Those things and a tangled mess of a mane are the worst of it and she slouches. "I'm sorry," she whispers, nearly sobbing.
Vinyl_Scratch curls up, hearing her beloved's screams as he is wrenched away. Her resolve broken, her spirit in tatters, alone in her white room... she sleeps.
- Fin
-----
Dreamweaver
Vinyl Scratch
Comet Galaxy
Marble Memory
Match Maker
Romper