Post by Mimic on Jun 17, 2013 9:05:57 GMT -5
OOC Note: This, and likely several rp's to follow headed under 1000 Years Ago, are based in the Crystal Empire during the rule of King Sombra. They serve as backstory for Mimic and Zircon, two old enemies who's feud wages in a much different time and place. It also helps to serve as a potential primer for future crystal ponies who may be wondering: what was it like back in a much darker time?
Features: Mimic (female crystal unicorn) and Zircon (male crystal pony)
It's hard for most ponies to imagine what life was like before. The great towers, once shining, are dark and lifeless. Light doesn't shine and glisten off the land but instead the land seems to drink it and grow darker. It seems to feed off even the faint gleam of the sun and moon that tries to push through the thick bank of clouds that pulse deep and smoky orange like a forest fire burned below them. The only light seems to come from the eerie violet-green fires that lick through fissures in the cracked crystal and out of gnarled, black lamps and bath the Empire in a haze of lurid, cold luminescence. In the Plaza, where once the crystal heart resided, instead stands a black sculpture of the King. Around it is assembled his black guard, formless in their faceless and enchanted armor. One stands in front of them, armor jagged with spines, but there is no helmet on her. The colors of her coat are faded nearly to grayscale and her eyes shining with the green-purple glow of dark magic. She is unmistakable however for the horn on her head, pulsing a dull shifting red with a nimbus of the same green-purple.
It is indeed hard to imagine what life was like before the scourge that is Sombra came to power. But there are a few that do remember it and keep it in their heart. The crystal heart might not be present, but other living hearts still exist and beat in hopes of freedom. Not only for themselves, but for the rest of the ponies held under Sombra's evil hooves. One such pony is standing out of the way on the other side of the square. He wears a cloak that covers most of his body and half of his face. He can't very well be showing himself openly and given that most crystal ponies these days keep their heads down and don't pay much attention he can fit right in. He isn't seen because they don't want to see him. There are eyes though that still look for him, and one of those pairs is on the opposite side of the square right now. There is Mimic. He would love nothing better than to get his hooves on her, and no doubt she feels the same way, but Zircon isn't going to be caught today, and if he has anything to say about he will never be caught. Not alive anyway. He has been shadowing Mimic for months now. Learning as much as he can about her. You have to study your enemy. Know your enemy better than they know you. That is your only hope and its something that Zircon clings too.
Rumors hold about the powers Mimic holds. The newest laborers whisper between the chains that she can look like other ponies, at least until the guards or other slaves shut them up. Dissent and suspicions run high and ponies are terrified of one another and fearful that one of them might be a spy. Ponies are dissapearing every day, whisked away from their homes in the empty darkness of night to be put to work. Those are the lucky ones. Others are never seen again. All the better to quash any hopes of rebellion. A pulse of magic emits from the horn of Mimic and low hisses seem to emanate from the very crystals, ringing into the homes of ponies and running the courses of the streets themselves. "Ponies of the Crystal Empire." The right hand of Sombra speaks, voice oozing like shadow. "Your King is most displeased. Word has reached his ears of betrayal, that some of you are discontent and speak ill." Her eyes narrow, staring at the eyes of residents who pause in the streets and square, their fear palpable as they look down at the streets and their hooves so as not to meet the dead eyes of the masked guards.
The king is displeased. 'Boo hoo...' Zircon thinks to himself. The king being displeased has to be a good thing. At least a good thing in so far as it means things aren't going how he wants them. But a bad thing for the ponies of the empire, because when he is displeased more bad things happen. He makes no sudden movements, but rather keeps an ear tilted to hear what Mimic has to say. He has heard all about her powers and part of him thinks that they are exagerations, but clearly she is a force to be reckoned with and he won't easily dismiss the rumors either. The time will come when he is able to be face to face with her and when that happens he plans to not even give her the chance to try any of her sorcery. He will remove her as a threat cleanly, and then move on to the next threat.
"Are you not satisfied? He has shown us the unity of working for the good of the Empire, that we might all be stronger, yet some among you threaten that." Mimic continues as the unicorn steps across the plaza, the baleful fires gleaming off the dark armor she wears. "We were stagnant under the Queen's rule. Ponies suffered, oppressed under the hooves of those who would be as gods. Is the King not generous to offer ponies to join his service, to prove they are as worthy as any Queen or Princess to make their Empire strong? Is he cruel to reward those most loyal with true power, something none of your former leaders would have ever done? They would hold all their magic, all their might, and bask in your blind worship!" She stamps a forehoof against the ground, the crack echoing through the plaza that's otherwise silent as the burned skies. "Why do you rebel against a Lord who seeks to make each of us as powerful as the alicorns? Is that not what you WANT?! Do you enjoy cowering at the hooves of your betters? You skulk in the shadows and plan a war while your King works day and night to harness true magic in order to allow all of us to ascend. Fine. Then I will give you a reason to cower." She jerks her eyes back over her shoulder and several of the guards shove forward several ponies weighed down by chains, shaking in terror.
Zircon has heard this speech before. It's the same sort of propaganda that has been spilling continuously from the machine since Sombra took power. That's all that is is of course, propaganda. Everything that Mimic has said is just a big load of garbage. When the empire had a queen there was freedom. Ponies had lives, families, and the ability to do as they pleased. There was no cowering, and whatever Mimic might say there was no blind worshipping either. The ponies all respected her because she did good and loved everyone. Sombra does not. He doens't aspire to anything but his own power. And whatever power he might give to others he certainly doesn't give as a reward, but rather expects them to use it for his gains, not their own. He is content to stand there silently until he watches the ponies being brought out in chain. That makes his blood boil. If there is anything that he can do to save them he will, but blindly risking himself doesn't do anyone any good either. It would be exactly what Mimic would want. For all he knows she planned this just for him. Knowing her she probably did.
The black guards push forward one of the ponies, a young mare with a pale green coat and ivory mane, the lily blooming on her flank a mocking reminder of the diamond-white flowers that once bloomed along the streets. Her yellow eyes widen with the fear of a doe seeing a predator as Mimic steps forward. "Shining Lily, you were found with anti-imperial propaganda and discovered at a meeting of known conspirators against the crown." The mare begins to squeak out a protest of, "..n-no-oo! My sister said she needed my help, I was only seeing what she needed, I didn't kn--" Mimic silences her with a stamp of her hoof, "You are thus accused of high treason to the crown. The penalty for which is crystallization." There's a wail of mortal terror from the mare moments before Mimic lowers her horn and engulfs Shining Lily in a shroud of dark magic. Though she tries to escape the purple cloud she is unable to free herself from the matrix of black crystal that grows from the plaza's floor and quickly spreads across the mare. It splinters up from her very coat coat and soon engulfs her, freezing her in a twisting, angular mockery like a tormented statue.
Zircon grits his teeth as he hears what Mimic says to the mare. Trumped up charges in a kangaroo court. There is no true justice in the Empire. Not anymore. Just some disgusting shadow of justice. There is no mercy to temper it, just cold malice. He isn't going to just sit here and watch the other ponies be murdered. There might even be something that Mimic can do to undo the damage that she did to the mare, if he can he will force her to undo it. He quickly scans the square out of the corner of his eye to ascertain the location of every single guard and random citizen present. If he is going to do this he is going to have to be cautious that he doens't risk the lives of more innocent ponies as he tries to save the others. Even if Shining Lily can't be saved, he can certainly remember her and when he has Mimic where he wants her he will make her remember, and pay for what she has done.
No sooner has the mare been frozen then several ponies near the back of the plaza makes a rush for the guards, their cries full of blind rage. Attentions turn from protecting the prisoners towards subduing the handful of ponies trying no doubt to free them. The situation quickly escalates from subdued fear to panic as ponies run every which way to escape the wrath of the guards. "STOP THEM!" Mimic roars, rearing up onto her hindhooves with an eruption of dark magic streaming from her eyes and her horn which glows a malevolent red. She whirls around from the statue of Shining Lily and the chained prisoners, sending a wave of sinister purple magic rushing towards the rebels.
Zircon has his chance now and he is going to take it. He will never be noticed in the chaos that is happening right now. It's good to know that there are some ponies in the empire that still have the courage to fight. They don't stand much of a chance but at least they are showing that the Empire isn't filled with cowards who lack the spirit to fight and stand up for themselves and their fellow countryponies. As the crowd of ponies run in every direction he makes his way along the edge of the crowd quickly, and once he has made it around the crowd he shifts his course and tries to flank Mimic. If he can get close enough to her he plans to try to knock her down and make sure she can't use her sorcery to harm anyone else. She is the real threat here, the guards are more easily dealt with. He just hopes that her focus on the others is enough to distract her whats coming. As he passes the prisoners he says, "Run." softly. Then he focus his full focus on Mimic.
The guards are tangled with the rebels, the ringing of short swords clattering in the air. Two of the rebels are already on the ground though, purple miasma cloaking their forms. In a place where magic is a foreign element, someone like Mimic is a true challenge. The King is all but untouchable. Still, the unicorn mare is not impossible. For all her power she is young and engrossed in the easy, effortless power that comes from being unquestioned - until recently. The prisoners are held fast, eyes helplessly turned on Zircon with the weight of their chains holding them from true flight - for all they try. Mimic, meanwhile, stops guarding her flank for just a few moments while she tries to deal with the rebels and then she's bowled over with a shriek of fury in the second she's distracted.
Zircon has been watching the young mare, and while physically he is more than her match, he has no defense against her magic, and intellectually speaking the question hasn't been decided who is more cunning. Once the mare is safely on the ground he tries to pin her there with his hooves, now might be the only chance that he has. He is so tempted to put an end to this right now. It would certainly be just for her to be removed as a threat, but there is one thing that he needs for her to do right now and then he can worry about serving justice, "Undo your sorcery witch..." he makes no bones about it. She doesn't practice any sort of real magic. She is a witch and nothing more, and a murder besides, "Turn those ponies back and let them go."
Mimic grits her teeth as she twists around at finding herself underneath another pony. Her stormy eyes stare up with a purely murderous look and she snarls between her teeth, "Get. OFF!" She can't fight back against physical strength, but she doesn't need it. Her horn glows a lurid, blood red and crackles with green lightning over a stormy purple cloud. "Or join them." And she likely means it as she cranes her head to swing the sharp tip of her horn towards him like the threatening end of a magic-tipped lance.
Zircon is not going to let this mare get the better of him, not when he has strength left in him. And while he has no way to defend against magic there are practical steps that you can take to remove magic as a threat. He doesn't say a word and he certainly doesn't wait. Instead he kicks one hoof out, aiming it directly for her horn. While he doesn't have any sort of understanding of magic. He does know that a unicorn's horn is the focal point. If he can do something to her horn maybe he can render her powerless. Though the thought does cross his mind that if he stops her from being able to do magic then she can't undo whatever she did. Its a chance he is going to have to take. He isn't any good to the empire dead.
There isn't exactly a lot of room for Mimic to move and the strike to her horn brings a cry of pain and outrage. There's a sharp burst of dark magic that snaps and crackles, ozone poisoning the air. With an inarticulate scream and flails furiously with a rush of frenzy and adrenaline born strength and kicks out her hooves to try and give her room to maneuver. A few of the guards near her an move to break off from the rebels that are largely beaten back in order to assist their leader while another pair move to round up the fleeing prisoners.
Zircon thinks its just about time to be gone. The usefulness of him remaining here has come to an end. It galls him that he wans't able to save everyone, but there will come a come a time when he will at least be able to avenge them. Still more probably lived than would have died had he done nothing. He can take consolation in that, "There will be another time." he says to her simply as she kicks back at him. She might have adrenaline on her side but her blows don't offer him much in the way of injury, "I'll be seeing you again Mimic." And with that he sets off galluping off across the square. Hopefully he has enough of a head start on the guards that he will be able to clear the square and make it into one of the side streets. He is going to have to disappear for awhile. He is thankful enough that he was wearing his cloak and there is no way to know how much Mimic saw of his face.
Mimic scrambles to her hooves with her eyes blazing with dark fire, her muzzle pulled back into a snarl. "AFTER HIM!" She bellows towards the black guards who swarm after the stallion in the cloak. It leaves her to turn her rage onto the captive ponies who now have several subdued rebels sharing their chains. Several begin to blurt out pleading words as they see her face, but she silences them with a roar and an explosion of livid purple and green magic that lights up the plaza. When it fades, the huddled ponies are nothing more than twisted black crystal statues with a panting Mimic standing there. "...next time." She growls as she looks towards where the cloaked figure ran before she turns and stalks back for the palace entry. The King will not be pleased.
Features: Mimic (female crystal unicorn) and Zircon (male crystal pony)
It's hard for most ponies to imagine what life was like before. The great towers, once shining, are dark and lifeless. Light doesn't shine and glisten off the land but instead the land seems to drink it and grow darker. It seems to feed off even the faint gleam of the sun and moon that tries to push through the thick bank of clouds that pulse deep and smoky orange like a forest fire burned below them. The only light seems to come from the eerie violet-green fires that lick through fissures in the cracked crystal and out of gnarled, black lamps and bath the Empire in a haze of lurid, cold luminescence. In the Plaza, where once the crystal heart resided, instead stands a black sculpture of the King. Around it is assembled his black guard, formless in their faceless and enchanted armor. One stands in front of them, armor jagged with spines, but there is no helmet on her. The colors of her coat are faded nearly to grayscale and her eyes shining with the green-purple glow of dark magic. She is unmistakable however for the horn on her head, pulsing a dull shifting red with a nimbus of the same green-purple.
It is indeed hard to imagine what life was like before the scourge that is Sombra came to power. But there are a few that do remember it and keep it in their heart. The crystal heart might not be present, but other living hearts still exist and beat in hopes of freedom. Not only for themselves, but for the rest of the ponies held under Sombra's evil hooves. One such pony is standing out of the way on the other side of the square. He wears a cloak that covers most of his body and half of his face. He can't very well be showing himself openly and given that most crystal ponies these days keep their heads down and don't pay much attention he can fit right in. He isn't seen because they don't want to see him. There are eyes though that still look for him, and one of those pairs is on the opposite side of the square right now. There is Mimic. He would love nothing better than to get his hooves on her, and no doubt she feels the same way, but Zircon isn't going to be caught today, and if he has anything to say about he will never be caught. Not alive anyway. He has been shadowing Mimic for months now. Learning as much as he can about her. You have to study your enemy. Know your enemy better than they know you. That is your only hope and its something that Zircon clings too.
Rumors hold about the powers Mimic holds. The newest laborers whisper between the chains that she can look like other ponies, at least until the guards or other slaves shut them up. Dissent and suspicions run high and ponies are terrified of one another and fearful that one of them might be a spy. Ponies are dissapearing every day, whisked away from their homes in the empty darkness of night to be put to work. Those are the lucky ones. Others are never seen again. All the better to quash any hopes of rebellion. A pulse of magic emits from the horn of Mimic and low hisses seem to emanate from the very crystals, ringing into the homes of ponies and running the courses of the streets themselves. "Ponies of the Crystal Empire." The right hand of Sombra speaks, voice oozing like shadow. "Your King is most displeased. Word has reached his ears of betrayal, that some of you are discontent and speak ill." Her eyes narrow, staring at the eyes of residents who pause in the streets and square, their fear palpable as they look down at the streets and their hooves so as not to meet the dead eyes of the masked guards.
The king is displeased. 'Boo hoo...' Zircon thinks to himself. The king being displeased has to be a good thing. At least a good thing in so far as it means things aren't going how he wants them. But a bad thing for the ponies of the empire, because when he is displeased more bad things happen. He makes no sudden movements, but rather keeps an ear tilted to hear what Mimic has to say. He has heard all about her powers and part of him thinks that they are exagerations, but clearly she is a force to be reckoned with and he won't easily dismiss the rumors either. The time will come when he is able to be face to face with her and when that happens he plans to not even give her the chance to try any of her sorcery. He will remove her as a threat cleanly, and then move on to the next threat.
"Are you not satisfied? He has shown us the unity of working for the good of the Empire, that we might all be stronger, yet some among you threaten that." Mimic continues as the unicorn steps across the plaza, the baleful fires gleaming off the dark armor she wears. "We were stagnant under the Queen's rule. Ponies suffered, oppressed under the hooves of those who would be as gods. Is the King not generous to offer ponies to join his service, to prove they are as worthy as any Queen or Princess to make their Empire strong? Is he cruel to reward those most loyal with true power, something none of your former leaders would have ever done? They would hold all their magic, all their might, and bask in your blind worship!" She stamps a forehoof against the ground, the crack echoing through the plaza that's otherwise silent as the burned skies. "Why do you rebel against a Lord who seeks to make each of us as powerful as the alicorns? Is that not what you WANT?! Do you enjoy cowering at the hooves of your betters? You skulk in the shadows and plan a war while your King works day and night to harness true magic in order to allow all of us to ascend. Fine. Then I will give you a reason to cower." She jerks her eyes back over her shoulder and several of the guards shove forward several ponies weighed down by chains, shaking in terror.
Zircon has heard this speech before. It's the same sort of propaganda that has been spilling continuously from the machine since Sombra took power. That's all that is is of course, propaganda. Everything that Mimic has said is just a big load of garbage. When the empire had a queen there was freedom. Ponies had lives, families, and the ability to do as they pleased. There was no cowering, and whatever Mimic might say there was no blind worshipping either. The ponies all respected her because she did good and loved everyone. Sombra does not. He doens't aspire to anything but his own power. And whatever power he might give to others he certainly doesn't give as a reward, but rather expects them to use it for his gains, not their own. He is content to stand there silently until he watches the ponies being brought out in chain. That makes his blood boil. If there is anything that he can do to save them he will, but blindly risking himself doesn't do anyone any good either. It would be exactly what Mimic would want. For all he knows she planned this just for him. Knowing her she probably did.
The black guards push forward one of the ponies, a young mare with a pale green coat and ivory mane, the lily blooming on her flank a mocking reminder of the diamond-white flowers that once bloomed along the streets. Her yellow eyes widen with the fear of a doe seeing a predator as Mimic steps forward. "Shining Lily, you were found with anti-imperial propaganda and discovered at a meeting of known conspirators against the crown." The mare begins to squeak out a protest of, "..n-no-oo! My sister said she needed my help, I was only seeing what she needed, I didn't kn--" Mimic silences her with a stamp of her hoof, "You are thus accused of high treason to the crown. The penalty for which is crystallization." There's a wail of mortal terror from the mare moments before Mimic lowers her horn and engulfs Shining Lily in a shroud of dark magic. Though she tries to escape the purple cloud she is unable to free herself from the matrix of black crystal that grows from the plaza's floor and quickly spreads across the mare. It splinters up from her very coat coat and soon engulfs her, freezing her in a twisting, angular mockery like a tormented statue.
Zircon grits his teeth as he hears what Mimic says to the mare. Trumped up charges in a kangaroo court. There is no true justice in the Empire. Not anymore. Just some disgusting shadow of justice. There is no mercy to temper it, just cold malice. He isn't going to just sit here and watch the other ponies be murdered. There might even be something that Mimic can do to undo the damage that she did to the mare, if he can he will force her to undo it. He quickly scans the square out of the corner of his eye to ascertain the location of every single guard and random citizen present. If he is going to do this he is going to have to be cautious that he doens't risk the lives of more innocent ponies as he tries to save the others. Even if Shining Lily can't be saved, he can certainly remember her and when he has Mimic where he wants her he will make her remember, and pay for what she has done.
No sooner has the mare been frozen then several ponies near the back of the plaza makes a rush for the guards, their cries full of blind rage. Attentions turn from protecting the prisoners towards subduing the handful of ponies trying no doubt to free them. The situation quickly escalates from subdued fear to panic as ponies run every which way to escape the wrath of the guards. "STOP THEM!" Mimic roars, rearing up onto her hindhooves with an eruption of dark magic streaming from her eyes and her horn which glows a malevolent red. She whirls around from the statue of Shining Lily and the chained prisoners, sending a wave of sinister purple magic rushing towards the rebels.
Zircon has his chance now and he is going to take it. He will never be noticed in the chaos that is happening right now. It's good to know that there are some ponies in the empire that still have the courage to fight. They don't stand much of a chance but at least they are showing that the Empire isn't filled with cowards who lack the spirit to fight and stand up for themselves and their fellow countryponies. As the crowd of ponies run in every direction he makes his way along the edge of the crowd quickly, and once he has made it around the crowd he shifts his course and tries to flank Mimic. If he can get close enough to her he plans to try to knock her down and make sure she can't use her sorcery to harm anyone else. She is the real threat here, the guards are more easily dealt with. He just hopes that her focus on the others is enough to distract her whats coming. As he passes the prisoners he says, "Run." softly. Then he focus his full focus on Mimic.
The guards are tangled with the rebels, the ringing of short swords clattering in the air. Two of the rebels are already on the ground though, purple miasma cloaking their forms. In a place where magic is a foreign element, someone like Mimic is a true challenge. The King is all but untouchable. Still, the unicorn mare is not impossible. For all her power she is young and engrossed in the easy, effortless power that comes from being unquestioned - until recently. The prisoners are held fast, eyes helplessly turned on Zircon with the weight of their chains holding them from true flight - for all they try. Mimic, meanwhile, stops guarding her flank for just a few moments while she tries to deal with the rebels and then she's bowled over with a shriek of fury in the second she's distracted.
Zircon has been watching the young mare, and while physically he is more than her match, he has no defense against her magic, and intellectually speaking the question hasn't been decided who is more cunning. Once the mare is safely on the ground he tries to pin her there with his hooves, now might be the only chance that he has. He is so tempted to put an end to this right now. It would certainly be just for her to be removed as a threat, but there is one thing that he needs for her to do right now and then he can worry about serving justice, "Undo your sorcery witch..." he makes no bones about it. She doesn't practice any sort of real magic. She is a witch and nothing more, and a murder besides, "Turn those ponies back and let them go."
Mimic grits her teeth as she twists around at finding herself underneath another pony. Her stormy eyes stare up with a purely murderous look and she snarls between her teeth, "Get. OFF!" She can't fight back against physical strength, but she doesn't need it. Her horn glows a lurid, blood red and crackles with green lightning over a stormy purple cloud. "Or join them." And she likely means it as she cranes her head to swing the sharp tip of her horn towards him like the threatening end of a magic-tipped lance.
Zircon is not going to let this mare get the better of him, not when he has strength left in him. And while he has no way to defend against magic there are practical steps that you can take to remove magic as a threat. He doesn't say a word and he certainly doesn't wait. Instead he kicks one hoof out, aiming it directly for her horn. While he doesn't have any sort of understanding of magic. He does know that a unicorn's horn is the focal point. If he can do something to her horn maybe he can render her powerless. Though the thought does cross his mind that if he stops her from being able to do magic then she can't undo whatever she did. Its a chance he is going to have to take. He isn't any good to the empire dead.
There isn't exactly a lot of room for Mimic to move and the strike to her horn brings a cry of pain and outrage. There's a sharp burst of dark magic that snaps and crackles, ozone poisoning the air. With an inarticulate scream and flails furiously with a rush of frenzy and adrenaline born strength and kicks out her hooves to try and give her room to maneuver. A few of the guards near her an move to break off from the rebels that are largely beaten back in order to assist their leader while another pair move to round up the fleeing prisoners.
Zircon thinks its just about time to be gone. The usefulness of him remaining here has come to an end. It galls him that he wans't able to save everyone, but there will come a come a time when he will at least be able to avenge them. Still more probably lived than would have died had he done nothing. He can take consolation in that, "There will be another time." he says to her simply as she kicks back at him. She might have adrenaline on her side but her blows don't offer him much in the way of injury, "I'll be seeing you again Mimic." And with that he sets off galluping off across the square. Hopefully he has enough of a head start on the guards that he will be able to clear the square and make it into one of the side streets. He is going to have to disappear for awhile. He is thankful enough that he was wearing his cloak and there is no way to know how much Mimic saw of his face.
Mimic scrambles to her hooves with her eyes blazing with dark fire, her muzzle pulled back into a snarl. "AFTER HIM!" She bellows towards the black guards who swarm after the stallion in the cloak. It leaves her to turn her rage onto the captive ponies who now have several subdued rebels sharing their chains. Several begin to blurt out pleading words as they see her face, but she silences them with a roar and an explosion of livid purple and green magic that lights up the plaza. When it fades, the huddled ponies are nothing more than twisted black crystal statues with a panting Mimic standing there. "...next time." She growls as she looks towards where the cloaked figure ran before she turns and stalks back for the palace entry. The King will not be pleased.
No crystal ponies were actually harmed in the making of this episode. Well, maybe temporarily.