Post by Dusk on Mar 26, 2014 0:45:57 GMT -5
A formatted log with OOC comments can be found at:
www.equestriamuck.com/logs/crimson-maiden-3252014
Ponyville Market
/\/\/\/\/\/\---PONYVILLE MARKET---/\/\/\/\/\/\
This is the business center of Ponyville! Seldom quiet but usually peaceful, this minor mercantile hub combines aspects of the bustling and the bucolic. A multitude of colors and patterns make it visually busy. Carts brimming with baskets, charming stands and ornate tents with pennants are used to sell wares here. The most common products on sale are vegetables and fruits, such as carrots, potatoes, tomatoes, apples, and even pineapples. Sweet treats like tarts and cupcakes can also be found, as can non-edible items like books or cookware.
The marketplace is more than just a place of business, however. It's a common area for the community! Anypony who wanders through Ponyville is likely to pass through here, which makes it a good place to look for friends new and old. It's not unheard of to see painters at work or sportsponies at play here, as the market is a great place for communal activity. Even gentle animals like rabbits and ducks are known to find its lively atmosphere welcoming. Don't you?
[ Buildings: [SPI] Loom and Spindle, [PU] Purple Wafer, [T] Cafe Tobiano, ]
[ [SU] Sugarcube Corner, [C] Carousel Boutique ]
[ Roads: [R] Runaway Cart Road, [SE] Seed Street ]
[ Areas: <s> Ponyville Square, <a> Sweet Apple Acres ]
[ Players: StarryBlade ]
[ Sleepers: Apple_Bloom, Nimble_Hooves, Freestone, Pinkie_Bye ]
Screenplay flys down at the market as she checks her list, she smiles as she heads to the stalls
Dusk is at the Market and sees Screenplay arrive. He smiles and waves in greeting to her.
Screenplay waves to Dusk as she sdays "Oh Hey dusk you hear for shopping or on buisness
Hefty_Nibble makes his way through the market deciding that it was too nice a day to not be out and about checking on things, as he looks about to see what is going on.
Apple Bloom is in the market, herself. She managed to remove all the damaged beams from the bulkhead of the Crusader and is now looking to make a good discount purchase of some lumber. Until she can repair that damage she's not going anywhere. Which is not so bad, as it allows AB to keep up with her family. She is searching for the right stall. Lima beans, granite salt shakers, juicers, pogo sticks. Yikes, Ponyville has a very specialized market, doesn't it?
Dusk nods to Screenplay and smiles, "Oh just thought I'd come check out the Market. See if anything special here today." Dusk glances around checking out the other ponies around, noticing some other friends he knows here too, as is usual to find. Lots of ponies come out to the Market.
A lovely spring evening, the sun shines merrily, the birds sing in the trees, the sky is so blue and clear that it makes ponies think of nothing so much as picnics, camping, swimming, all the fun and friendly pursuits that have so long been missing through the snowy months. And there in the distance, is that the call of a sparrow? A nightingale? Why no...it is the panicked screaming of a pony, a young mare. And there at her heels, gallops the former body of Red Velvet. Now much larger, and far more feral looking, and gracing those formerly cultured features, is an expression that can only be described as distilled violence. Red Velvet is going to peel the skin from around this pony's eyes...oh yes...and it shall be lovely.
Screenplay ohs as she walks with Dusk as she asks "So how is Mirage?" as she smiles
Hefty_Nibble continues to look around the market just checking things out, he spots Dusk nearby and gives him a nod but not wanting to look ike he's stalking him, as it's just conicidences he continues on through for the moment.
Apple Bloom finally finds what looks like a lumber stall when there's a pony screaming and running away from... Red Velvet? Well... as disruptive as that seems, maybe the pony just ticked her off. She whaps on the lumber stall. "Hell-ohhhh!"
Red_Velvet [Female Unicorn]
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Elegance, Class, Stunning, All these things may describe the pony before you, her coat a soft understated blue, while her professionally styled mane is a deep red. It frames her face, partially hiding her right eye, but rather then obscuring it completely it only serves to accentuate the deep green of her eyes. Those eyes look out at you with a friendly yet guarded expression in them, as if she was interested in speaking with you but was also silently taking your measure. She wore make-up, although not too much, her eyeshadow was a slightly darker blue then her coat, her lipstick a red that matched her mane. All-in-all the make-up served more to accentuate her colors rather then clash with them. Upon her flank, if one cared to look, was the image of a velvet rope stretched across a black door, on the door in white lettering was a elegantly scripted sign that read V.I.P. What might such a cutie-mark hint at?
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Eclair just wants an appleweight of butter. That's all. And some cake flour. That's not too much to ask is it? Certainly not! Why here some comes now, triping happily down Seed Street, and out into the market square, her head high, her eyes closed in that customary ^.^ of a contented pony, nothing could possibly go wrong today. Certainly she's imagining that screaming, and - no, no, there's someone running and someone chasing them. Eclair stops there, and stares, gaping.
Dusk is about to answer Screenplay when he hears the screen and sees the running pony.. and then Red Velvet. Well not Red, really. He turns in that direction and takes a few steps. No certainly not the Red he knows.
It's Red Velvet alright, but subtly different, she is taller now, half again as tall as any of her friends would recall. And where her features were once soft and her eyes kind, now her eyes are hard, cold, and seem imbued with an unholy glee. Her face far more angular and harsh now, her body likewise has changed, her build far more valkyrian then it ever was. No longer possessing the figure of a pony who was used to walking down red carpets and posing for photo shoots. This was an equine who was used to throttling the life from others with bare hooves. And she has nearly caught the pony in front of her...
Screenplay runs with Dusk as she looks around, "What's going on.."
"IS ANYPONY AT THIS STALL?!" Apple Bloom shouts at... the empty lumber stall. "Fer crawin' out loud! How does anypony FIX anythin' around he--" Okay, Apple Bloom got another look at Red and eyes her suspiciously. She seems a little taller than she remembers. She steps away and hrms. She'll see how this goes, but she's already got that itch going. Not the cutie mark one, the adventuring one. Oh, if only the Crusader wasn't in need of repairs.
Hefty_Nibble blinks as his thoughts and such made him SOMEHOW miss the obvious elephant in the room...or just a pony that happens to look about that size, least to his first look. He stares trying to figure out what is going on, and backs up slightly as he looks for cover if it is needed, though also looking towards the others to see their reactions, after all he's seen some weird things, maybe this is just the four oclock rampaging pony.
Dusk glances over to Screenplay, "I think something dangerous is occurring, Lady Screenplay," he says as he's actually moving towards the menacing form of Red, if not quite directly so. "You may want to find someplace safe around."
Eclair stares harder, her eyes opening wider as she watches the chase. This won't end well. Nope. This is a very serious business. A very serious business indeed. She doesn't want to be here when that little mare gets caught, but she doesn't want that little mare to BE caught either. She glances side to side in indecision, prancing on the cobbles if only there was something... Wait. She stops prancing and stares at the pavement, then picks a little at it, picking out a loose cobble. She looks from the cobble to Red, and back to the cobble, brow furrowing. Well... Might work out.
One thing is certain, somepony had better do something and soon. What Red Velvet does next can only be described as frightening. Rising up onto her hind hooves she catches the leading hitch of a parked chariot and with seemingly -no- effort at all swings the vehicle like an enormous hammer up, then down, smashing it in front of her quarry and growling as the body of the chariot bends and shrieks with the sound of tortured metal. "You -will- answer my questions little mare, or I will pull your arm from the socket and beat you to death with the wet end."
( One thing is certain, somepony had better do something and soon. What Red Velvet does next can only be described as frightening. Rising up onto her hind hooves she catches the leading hitch of a parked chariot and with seemingly -no- effort at all swings the vehicle like an enormous hammer up, then down, smashing it in front of her quarry and growling as the body of the chariot bends and shrieks with the sound of tortured metal. "You -will- answer my questions little mare, or I will pull your arm from the socket and beat you to death with the wet end." (Repose for Hollyhock) )
"Oh, great!" Apple Bloom runs toward a nearby decorative horseshoe stand, drops a few bits on the counter, and grabs four horseshoes. "Tawm fer step one... git th'maniac's attention!" Apple Bloom swings them in the air one at a time and BUCKS each one in Red's direction. One. Two. Three. Four. Step one: Piss off monster. Step two: Step three: Save day?
Screenplay looks to the ramaging pony she turns to Dusk. "No way I here to help.." She fows Dusk
Dusk stands near where the now twisted chariot just missed, Screenplay perhaps noticing Dusk hasn't been around for a bit. He looks and shakes his head, "Somepony is going to be upset. That looked like a new paint job."
Hollyhock has learned to expect many things in Ponyville market. Hawkers, shouting matches, she even once encountered Nightmare Moon - well, okay, that was in the town square, but the fact is Ponyville shouldn't surprise her. Seeing Red swing that chariot like that does surprise her. She stops in her tracks, her wings opening up in shock, her big eyes taking getting a little bigger as she watches.
Eclair makes a rather undignified sound as Red swings that chariot, her ears laying back at the sound of splintering wood. Nope. Nope nope nope. She drops that cobble and canters as quickly as her little hooves can carry her, ducking into a vegetable stall.
Hefty_Nibble watches the situation, unsure what to do, if he should interfere or not, he's still new here, but seeing the young filly attempt to send the horseshoes off in the direction of the crazed pony he suspects it's bad as he looks for cover, he would like to help, but he's hardly sure what he can do when you have a rampaging pony using a chariot like that.
Diamond doesn't -ALWAYS- use her star to get around, even if she's been having more and more fun mastering the art of teleporting with it. Ok, 'mastering' isn't really accurate...more like, managed maaaaybe two lucky guesses in a row. Never the less, this time there is no crackle of lightning or the space time continuum folding itself over to deposit Diamond into the Market. No no no. She just plummets from somewhere high in the sky and flams face first into the cobblestone walk with a brick shattering CRUNCH. Hang on...Reboot in progress...
Ting! Ting! Ting! Clack! Three of the horseshoe rebound off or Red's temple, the fourth she turns and catches in her teeth, snarling and slowly biting down, the final shoe breaks into three pieces before falling to the ground. Red seems to have at least forgotten about the mare she was chasing. Her gimlet eyes now bore into Applebloom and she begins to walk towards the young filly with murder in her eyes, "For that...you are going to be the pony to answer my questions...and then I will take great relish in the hours it will take you to die after I rip your lower jaw free from your body."
Screenplay decides it is a bit dangerious and flys off
"Oh, questions! Great! Ah happen't'be Ponyville's official tourism board!" Apple Bloom quips, though she knows she's in big trouble now. Okay, step one complete. Now for step two: "" She's great at improvising. Right? "Ah'm afraid ah plan t'keep mah jaw, thankyevurrymuch."
Dusk hmmms and raises a brow. Ignored. It is hard to get ponies to notice him even when he tries. He hardly blames the creature-Red. He hops up onto and then over the wreckage and shoos the still in shock mare off. He taps AB on the shoulder, not having realized he was there. "Learning how to make new friends, Miss Bloom?"
Hollyhock does not fly off. No, she saw Apple Bloom chuck those horseshoes at - whatever Red is. If that filly's going to stick around and fight, Holly can too. She sets her jaw, pulls the brim of her hat a little lower, and pulls something from her saddle bag. An apple! It's - well it's not very big, but she can throw it, and she does, right at Red, "Hey! You'd best leave her be!"
Diamond_Dancer Pbbbttbtbtbt...PBbtthththt...It's hard to whistle when you can't feel your lips.... "HEY! " Calls the tiny filly, having climbd to her hooves, and peering at the commotion in front of her. Diamond just happened to be in the neighborhood...kind of. Well, really she just plummeted from the upper atmosphere on her way home, but this works well enough. "Hey! I'm talk to you'se! Ovah ...here....mom?" She calls out, drawing the words from her lips as if they were stuck to her tongue. "...V, Velet?...You'se gotta be kiddin me..."
Eclair shares a look with the vegetable peddler, a green and white stallion selling new asparagus. Then the two of them peek over the top of the counter, eyes big.
Dusk is watching over the whole scene, and looking over Red rather carefully, even as he stands near AB. He's certainly picking up something quite unusual from 'Red' besides her looks.. The magic around her. It's actually kind of familiar. Hmmm, could it be? Outlaw and him were researching something long ago, before he left.
Dusk waves and nods to DD. "Hello, Miss Dancer! Yes, a bit of a situation it seems."
( It isn't so much that Dusk went unnoticed, as the smallest Apple had done something more attention-getting. But now two other projectiles appear, one a young filly impacting the ground not far away, and the other an apple thrown by a nearby mare impacting the side of Red's head with a dull thud. She turns, her brow furrowed to glare at First Dusk, then Hollyhock. "My my my...who's teeth to rip out first? So many choices." But then the young Crystal pegasus foal gets her attention, and as Red's eyes fall on Diamond Dancer, for the barest sliver of a second. The real Red shines through, "D-Diamond? Run away baby...run away. Mommy isn't herself..." Then something vast and terrible moves behind Red's eyes and she is gone again, replaced by the demon. "...be silent you insect!" When the Crimson Maiden reasserts herself, for just a moment she seems to lose track of what she was doing. Oh yes...questions. "I am in a forgiving mood, for now. Tell me what I want to know...and I promise nopony will die, today." )
( Apple Bloom hesitates, then whispers to Dusk. "This anythin' lawk that ghost pawrate who took over mah sister b'fore?" Apple Bloom then shouts. "Yeah rawt! Lawk y'all kin make *me* talk!" Apple Bloom need to keep whatever this thing is off balance. If it IS like that ghost... a good buck oughta set things right. )
Hefty_Nibble looks towards Red, more then a little scared of this crazed pony but seeing others stand up to it, not of least seems to be the insane fillie he moves closer as he looks for something he might throw at it too, and spotting the discarded piece of cobble and picks it up with his magick and hides it behind his back, okay he's trying to be brave, but not stupid as he watches Red, looking like if she so much as looks in his direction he might flee.
Dusk feels so much better. After all it's not polite to ignore company. He leans in to AB, "She is.. possessed, yes. But I suspect this one is more powerful." A buck may not do much after what little the horseshoes did. Dusk briefly bows his head, "Well since you ask so kindly, Miss.. I'm afraid I didn't get your name. My name is Dusk." Now to see if he gets an answer of his own.
Hollyhock looks pleased as her apple finds its mark. She had half hoped she would miss as she watched it leave her hoof and go arcing towards Red, but this simplifies things. She hunkers down a little, her wings wide open behind her, lifted like hackles as she answers Red's challange, "Reckon y'kin have all'a m' teeth! J'st gotta catch me first...?" Her defiance ends with an upward inflection, distracted, confused as she witnesses the brief change in Red's demeanor.
Diamond_Dancer eyes narrow at the responce she gets and the filly gives a little groan. "Oh it's gonna be one of DOSE days. Wondaful. Looks like da Brownie is gonna haff ta go on hold. AGAIN. It's always someding...I swear if Bardigan caused dis..." She grumbles, marching slowly towards the Mare she knows as a mother. "Hey...Red! Ovah..Ovah here! I, I know you won't hoyt me...What do you want huh? Dese oddah ponies ain't woyth you'se time...But me...come on, you know what -I- can do...right? "She gives Red a *Squee* grin. Come on, Apple Bloom...Run for it while it's distracted... Come back and save me when you've got a plan..." C, come on...what is it, da armor? Is dat what you're looking for?" She squeaks...Great. Now everypony is a hero...well...it could be worse. Instead of the townsfolk trying to be heroes, they could all be mimes...
( Regards each of the ponies she is confronted with, at first looking furious at the defiance shown by Hollyhock and Apple Bloom, then a slow smile curls her muzzle at Dusk's reaction, "Most ponies know me as Crimson, but you may just call me Highness." Her eyes turn toward the pony known as Hefty Nibble, "I would -put-that-down if I were you." But that is the moment Diamond's voice reaches her, and the mention of armor. Red's head snaps towards the little crystal pony, her eyes blazing with a burning crimson aura, "My Armor!? The Maiden's Trappings? You know where the pieces are to be found? All seven?" Suddenly Red is right in front of Diamond, almost nose to nose, and her upper lip ripples back, "Where? Tell me where they can be found." )
( A plan? A plan! Apple Bloom decides she can't wait for Dusk to answer her as she runs straight for Red, whirls around, and gives her as mighty a buck as a young Apple filly can give. Given she IS an Apple it's hard NOT to notice it. )
Hefty_Nibble drops the cobblestone he was "hiding" behind his back imediatly, though it ends up landing on his back as he then backs up a few steps as this weird pony suddenly moves so fast towards the pony that just taught everyone how NOT to land keeps his eyes towards the two, not sure wether this new one is to be trusted either, as he spots the crazed filie run up and kick the crazed pony....starting to wondering if there are any mares around that arn't half insane he without much thinking, hoping to distract Red sneds the coblestone that fel onto his back straight at Red hoping she send her attention his way rather then the filie.
Dusk smiles back. "Ah, Her Highness, Warlord, Crimson Maiden. I imagined you much smaller." But by the time he finishes the sentence DD has taken her attention away. Ho hum. Does he have to throw something too? Without really looking, he pays attention for any particular jewelery she may wear, such an an amulet. But then there goes AB. At least Nibble has managed to stay out of trouble for now.
Dusk hmms. Well Hefty stayed out of trouble for a few seconds at least. We'll just have to see where this all goes.. Maybe AB has spirit bucking powers.
Hollyhock doesn't really want to be a hero, but she can't just stand back and watch ponies get hurt. Granted, things have developed a bit since she was welcomed to the market by the sound of chariots being thrown around, and she takes a moment or two to consider things, while Red is distracted by Diamond, and - well, probably Apple Bloom too. If nothing else she's sure the three or four of them here will be able to keep Red occupied until someone can alert the guard.
Diamond_Dancer Ears instantly peel back, and the little filly gulps. Oh yes, she just made a mistake. "Ahem! Ahh...Y, yes. Da armour. Da Maiden's trappings. I...know...excatly where it is. Yup. Red told me to fetch it, annnnnd I did. I did dat, and hid it safely away...So, me n' you'se? We got business! But none of dese oddah ponies is woyth you'se time." She explains. She's just digging herself deeper and deeper... But thats fine. Things will be ok. She trusts Applebloom to sneak off and rally together her friends, the mane six- everypony who could stop this monstorsity. ...Annnnnnnd thats when Applebloom runs up and kicks Red. ................................................ Darn it, Applebloom. You had one job.
Hollyhock noses through her saddle bags, grinding her teeth. Wha'd yuh possibly need t' rope in town? J'st leave't there on th' peg...
Red feels the blow from the little apple filly, it snaps her head to the left but doesn't seem to put her in a more foul temper then she already was in, "You are very strong for a little filly..." She growls low in her throat, then her hoof swings up to catch the cobblestone thrown at her by Hefty Nibble, She then brings it between her two forehooves and crushes it into a very fine powder. She blows the dust off her hooves, most likely into Apple Bloom's face, then she slowly strides over to a building, it is Bon Bon home. And lowering her shoulders a bit she works her hooves beneath the foundation slab, "...But I..." She begins to lift the house, impossibly standing on her hind hooves and turning to face the marketplace as a whole and bellowing, "...am very strong for a titan!" Her eyes start from her head and she tosses her mane over her shoulder, "And you are right little crystal pony! YOU ARE THE ONLY ONE I NEED!"
Apple bloom closes her eyes, the dust stings her eyes as she stumbles a bit, caught off guard. Okay, so the buck didn't work. Landing the Crusader-- And that's when she opens her eyes and sees that she lifted an entire house. No... the Crusader might not work. She grimaces and isn't about to take this standing down. She's an adventurer, consarnit! "Y'all ain't doin' nothin t'nopony wahl ah'm still standin', whoever y'all are!" She starts to run for another of the carts... time to start improvising! She reaches the lumber cart and starts hefting up hte biggest pieces she can into a pile.
Dusk watches as things go this way and that, but so far nopony getting hurt. But as Red turns and lifts up a house, he sees this might get a bit dangerous (it's not already?). The powerful Crimson finds the house is indeed quite easy to lift, as Dusk's colorless magic takes hold of it too, but doesn't move it or lift it.
Hefty_Nibble watches as his stone valiantly flies tiwards Red, aiming to destroy the e...okay maybe not so much as she just catches it and crumbles it, but least she doesn't seem to be destroying the crazy fillie, wether that was through his stupid heroics, or just through not caring, and when she ignores him beyond to make a hefty...threat he assumes the later, though he's glad he won't have to be running himself, as he's hardly the most athletic of the ponies as he backs up some to where he can make a escape if needbe, but still watching, and not yet noticing crazy fillie going about insane plan number two...or is it three, he's lost count.
Hollyhock hears the grinding of stone against stone, and lifts her head from her saddle bags. She's found another apple in there and has pulled it out in case it might prove useful, has it hanging from the stem between her teeth. At least until she sees what's making all that racket. She takes a step or two back, her wings wilting jut a little at the sight, eyes bugging out, voice unbelieving, "Madre de Sola..."
Diamond_Dancer Is dreadfully sleepy, and can't write coherant sentces...
Dapple trots cheerfully into the marketplace to pick up a few odds and ends. He freezes, eyes widening as he takes in the scene, especially the fact that BonBon's house is a story taller than he last remembers it. Step by step he slowly backs out again, muttering to himself. "'Move to Ponyville.' they said. 'Nice, quiet, relaxing place.' they said..."
( Crimson Maiden's sneer turns into a snarl and she takes a step towards Apple Bloom, holding the house above her head with both forehooves, "My descendant still knows how to control unicorn magic better then I, and she has been blocking my use of it, But Crimson Maiden has ever been mighty! Mighty enough to crush all beneath her iron hoof! Look on me now and know the final crushing despair of the wretched and hopeless who stand against a true warpony!" Her snarl turns to a wicked smile, she has not yet noticed Dusk's hold on her house-weapon, "Bye..." Then she brings her hooves down as if to throw the home at the apple filly... )
Diamond_Dancer growls a little angry filly growl, and gives a breathless snort. Great. Now with these new ponies, taking over the situation. Things were going quickly, from bad to worse. At least Diamond had Red's Attention, though.- for the moment. Until she picks up the house. ............Whelp...Time to resign. Still she had the upper hoof...sort of..."Wow, I wish I could remember where dat armour was..." She snorts and squeals when a little ebony portal opens behind her- pulling the poor Filly into it- and it disappears half a second after...
Hefty_Nibble sighs as he was just thinking maybe he can slip away from all this craziness and see about when the next train out of craziville was leaving, but no, the little fillie has to go get herself in trouble, and as much as he thinks maybe the fillie might need a good spanking, he can't help but feel that the side of a building, might just tbe a ensy tinsy little bit too much, just a little, and charges in towards Red aiming to use his shoulder as he doesn't realize that someone else is doing their best to keep that side of a building from doing any harm knowing that he's going to have to have his head examined after all this.
Apple Bloom knows now she's about to get crushed by a house. No way she can get out of the way. She braces herself and cringes. ... And then nothing happens. She peeks and sees the house being held back. Thank Celestia! Now what should she do? She can't retreat! She grabs one of the large pieces of lumber she grabed and swings it right for the Crimson Maiden's head. Hey, if she can't buck'em... She was shopping for lumber anyway.
As Crimson hefts Bon Bon's house up to give that final crushing blow, her own strength helps heft it up into the air as it seems to slip from her hooves. Up.. up.. spinning top over bottom in that moment of weightlessness, and falls back, coming down soundly right back on its foundation. Practically perfectly too! Well um.. that's the back door in front. But really, who will notice? Dusk raises a brow, "Impressive."
Hollyhock quivers as she watches Red advance on AB, he ears laying slowly back as the titanic mare gets closer, and closer. Holly swallows, shakes her head slowly, willing the little apple filly to run, but she knows that's not going to happen. She finds herself running before she knows what she's doing, her jaw setting, her wings opening. One. Two. Three flaps of her wings and up she comes, wobbling a little as she adds more speed, keeping low, her forelegs outstretched as she powers towards AB. She might pull this off. Maybe. It Apple Bloom holds still, or if she can manage to fly in a straight line, or if a house isn't dropped on her...
Crimson Maiden is at first confused, she glares at her own forehooves as if they had just betrayed her, where was the building? Why was their not the sound of a filly being turned into a very creamy smear on the ground? Then she is struck by the heavy board the filly swings, right in the horn too! Oooh that smarts! Then while her throbbing head distracts her, she is gut-checked by the stallion known as Hefty Nibble and slammed backward several steps to land on her back, just in time to see the house coming back down to it's former place, which she now occupied. "Oh bother..." she mutters, throwing up her legs to guard her face just before the home and foundation slab lands on top of her, settling neatly into place.
Many smallish ponies then appear and begin to dance about and sing about the lollipop guild.
Apple Bloom drops the beam just as she is tackled out of the way with an ooomph! At least she is clear of the house landed on top of the Crimson Maiden. She lays on her back a moment, her head spinning. "Ow... thanks fer that." She gets back up and looks over at the house. "Think she's down?" Apple Bloom rubs her head. Bonked it twice in so many days. If she starts seeing double she'll take a day.
Dusk does applaud the well placed series of events, all those different 'paths' coming together so beautifully. Sometimes patients is a good thing. And good timing. "Well done, everypony! But still keep alert and move away from the house, I might suggest."
Hefty_Nibble blinks as he wasn't exactly expecting that to work so well after everything else that was thrown at her he half expected to break into a million little pieces that have to swarm the evil pony to defea..yeah he wasn't expecting it to turn out well. All this distracts him when he almost has his muzzle bonked by the house coming down just inches from it as he stares and hopes she's down for the count, and looks towards AB, "I'm not sure...but I sure hope so....maybe we should.....back up just in case." he suggests as he begins to move away from the building and nodding in Dusk's direction.
In spite of our little ponies very wise caution, nothing appears to happen for several long moments, then the house shifts, once, twice, and is still. It seemed to have just been settling. Is this the end of the Tyrant Pony Queen? Or was she merely beaten back for a time? Only Faust knows.
Hollyhock comes tumbling to a stop, and is back up, her eyes wild, ready to counter just whatever is coming next and --- is just in time to see Bon Bon's house dropped on Red. And again she can only gape while her body hums with adrenaline, "I - uh..." She squints at Apple Bloom, then the house, then Hefty, and lastly Dusk. She shakes her head, then sits down, heavily, and pushes her hat back on her head, "Reckon THAT were a mite anticlimactic!"
Dapple peeks his head around the corner. "Have we achieved vanquish-ment? I really need some carrots!"
( "Well, it was better'n havin' t'be crushed baw a house." Apple Bloom says, then walks over to Dusk. "Ah aim gonna see y'all later fer some answers. Ah've haid adventures, but nothin' quawt lawk that." And Apple Bloom will need a plan. A real one, for beating this thing. She's already concluded that she'll save the day somehow. It's what she wants to do as an aspiring adventurer, after all. "Fer now ah better git home and finish fixin' up th'Crusader." She turns and gathers up the lumber and leaves moey for the purchase. )
Dusk does wait and watch. But seems Crimson has wisely decided not to continue to press the issue while at such a weakened state and still a number of ponies opposed to her. If this is anticlimactic for Hollyhock, he wonders what she considers exciting. Dusk looks around and sees things are calm. "I think she's gone. Good job Miss Bloom and Mr. Nibble! I think you two really helped save the day." He smiles as AB comes over to him, then raises a brow, "Well you are welcome by anytime. "But yes, I suspect this isn't the last of her. But seems we have an idea of who she is and what she wants. And that Miss Dancer knows about it too. We'll have to make sure she's kept safe too."
Hollyhock nods slowly to AB, "Reckon so." This said, Holly remains siting there on the street for a long moment, before she realizes that Bon Bon's place is, in fact, the place she was looking for. Candy! She needs four boxes of it.
She may need to go around the other side to get to the store entrance.
Hefty_Nibble blinks as he sees things settle and takes a rather deep breath collects himself, and then does the only sane intelligent thing any pony in his situation would do, starts to make a very quick bee lint for the inn his stuff is in to get ouf of ponyville before the five oclock disaster decides to show up, not yet noticing Dusk.
Dapple walks slowly into the marketplace, his eyes alert. He makes his way gingerly to the deserted carrot stand and looks around. He sighs and puts a few bits down on the counter and tosses a baker's dozen of carrots into his saddlebag. "-Every- -@#$@#$- -day-," he grumbles to himself as he trots off home.
[/a][/s]
www.equestriamuck.com/logs/crimson-maiden-3252014
Ponyville Market
/\/\/\/\/\/\---PONYVILLE MARKET---/\/\/\/\/\/\
This is the business center of Ponyville! Seldom quiet but usually peaceful, this minor mercantile hub combines aspects of the bustling and the bucolic. A multitude of colors and patterns make it visually busy. Carts brimming with baskets, charming stands and ornate tents with pennants are used to sell wares here. The most common products on sale are vegetables and fruits, such as carrots, potatoes, tomatoes, apples, and even pineapples. Sweet treats like tarts and cupcakes can also be found, as can non-edible items like books or cookware.
The marketplace is more than just a place of business, however. It's a common area for the community! Anypony who wanders through Ponyville is likely to pass through here, which makes it a good place to look for friends new and old. It's not unheard of to see painters at work or sportsponies at play here, as the market is a great place for communal activity. Even gentle animals like rabbits and ducks are known to find its lively atmosphere welcoming. Don't you?
[ Buildings: [SPI] Loom and Spindle, [PU] Purple Wafer, [T] Cafe Tobiano, ]
[ [SU] Sugarcube Corner, [C] Carousel Boutique ]
[ Roads: [R] Runaway Cart Road, [SE] Seed Street ]
[ Areas: <s> Ponyville Square, <a> Sweet Apple Acres ]
[ Players: StarryBlade ]
[ Sleepers: Apple_Bloom, Nimble_Hooves, Freestone, Pinkie_Bye ]
Screenplay flys down at the market as she checks her list, she smiles as she heads to the stalls
Dusk is at the Market and sees Screenplay arrive. He smiles and waves in greeting to her.
Screenplay waves to Dusk as she sdays "Oh Hey dusk you hear for shopping or on buisness
Hefty_Nibble makes his way through the market deciding that it was too nice a day to not be out and about checking on things, as he looks about to see what is going on.
Apple Bloom is in the market, herself. She managed to remove all the damaged beams from the bulkhead of the Crusader and is now looking to make a good discount purchase of some lumber. Until she can repair that damage she's not going anywhere. Which is not so bad, as it allows AB to keep up with her family. She is searching for the right stall. Lima beans, granite salt shakers, juicers, pogo sticks. Yikes, Ponyville has a very specialized market, doesn't it?
Dusk nods to Screenplay and smiles, "Oh just thought I'd come check out the Market. See if anything special here today." Dusk glances around checking out the other ponies around, noticing some other friends he knows here too, as is usual to find. Lots of ponies come out to the Market.
A lovely spring evening, the sun shines merrily, the birds sing in the trees, the sky is so blue and clear that it makes ponies think of nothing so much as picnics, camping, swimming, all the fun and friendly pursuits that have so long been missing through the snowy months. And there in the distance, is that the call of a sparrow? A nightingale? Why no...it is the panicked screaming of a pony, a young mare. And there at her heels, gallops the former body of Red Velvet. Now much larger, and far more feral looking, and gracing those formerly cultured features, is an expression that can only be described as distilled violence. Red Velvet is going to peel the skin from around this pony's eyes...oh yes...and it shall be lovely.
Screenplay ohs as she walks with Dusk as she asks "So how is Mirage?" as she smiles
Hefty_Nibble continues to look around the market just checking things out, he spots Dusk nearby and gives him a nod but not wanting to look ike he's stalking him, as it's just conicidences he continues on through for the moment.
Apple Bloom finally finds what looks like a lumber stall when there's a pony screaming and running away from... Red Velvet? Well... as disruptive as that seems, maybe the pony just ticked her off. She whaps on the lumber stall. "Hell-ohhhh!"
Red_Velvet [Female Unicorn]
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Elegance, Class, Stunning, All these things may describe the pony before you, her coat a soft understated blue, while her professionally styled mane is a deep red. It frames her face, partially hiding her right eye, but rather then obscuring it completely it only serves to accentuate the deep green of her eyes. Those eyes look out at you with a friendly yet guarded expression in them, as if she was interested in speaking with you but was also silently taking your measure. She wore make-up, although not too much, her eyeshadow was a slightly darker blue then her coat, her lipstick a red that matched her mane. All-in-all the make-up served more to accentuate her colors rather then clash with them. Upon her flank, if one cared to look, was the image of a velvet rope stretched across a black door, on the door in white lettering was a elegantly scripted sign that read V.I.P. What might such a cutie-mark hint at?
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Eclair just wants an appleweight of butter. That's all. And some cake flour. That's not too much to ask is it? Certainly not! Why here some comes now, triping happily down Seed Street, and out into the market square, her head high, her eyes closed in that customary ^.^ of a contented pony, nothing could possibly go wrong today. Certainly she's imagining that screaming, and - no, no, there's someone running and someone chasing them. Eclair stops there, and stares, gaping.
Dusk is about to answer Screenplay when he hears the screen and sees the running pony.. and then Red Velvet. Well not Red, really. He turns in that direction and takes a few steps. No certainly not the Red he knows.
It's Red Velvet alright, but subtly different, she is taller now, half again as tall as any of her friends would recall. And where her features were once soft and her eyes kind, now her eyes are hard, cold, and seem imbued with an unholy glee. Her face far more angular and harsh now, her body likewise has changed, her build far more valkyrian then it ever was. No longer possessing the figure of a pony who was used to walking down red carpets and posing for photo shoots. This was an equine who was used to throttling the life from others with bare hooves. And she has nearly caught the pony in front of her...
Screenplay runs with Dusk as she looks around, "What's going on.."
"IS ANYPONY AT THIS STALL?!" Apple Bloom shouts at... the empty lumber stall. "Fer crawin' out loud! How does anypony FIX anythin' around he--" Okay, Apple Bloom got another look at Red and eyes her suspiciously. She seems a little taller than she remembers. She steps away and hrms. She'll see how this goes, but she's already got that itch going. Not the cutie mark one, the adventuring one. Oh, if only the Crusader wasn't in need of repairs.
Hefty_Nibble blinks as his thoughts and such made him SOMEHOW miss the obvious elephant in the room...or just a pony that happens to look about that size, least to his first look. He stares trying to figure out what is going on, and backs up slightly as he looks for cover if it is needed, though also looking towards the others to see their reactions, after all he's seen some weird things, maybe this is just the four oclock rampaging pony.
Dusk glances over to Screenplay, "I think something dangerous is occurring, Lady Screenplay," he says as he's actually moving towards the menacing form of Red, if not quite directly so. "You may want to find someplace safe around."
Eclair stares harder, her eyes opening wider as she watches the chase. This won't end well. Nope. This is a very serious business. A very serious business indeed. She doesn't want to be here when that little mare gets caught, but she doesn't want that little mare to BE caught either. She glances side to side in indecision, prancing on the cobbles if only there was something... Wait. She stops prancing and stares at the pavement, then picks a little at it, picking out a loose cobble. She looks from the cobble to Red, and back to the cobble, brow furrowing. Well... Might work out.
One thing is certain, somepony had better do something and soon. What Red Velvet does next can only be described as frightening. Rising up onto her hind hooves she catches the leading hitch of a parked chariot and with seemingly -no- effort at all swings the vehicle like an enormous hammer up, then down, smashing it in front of her quarry and growling as the body of the chariot bends and shrieks with the sound of tortured metal. "You -will- answer my questions little mare, or I will pull your arm from the socket and beat you to death with the wet end."
( One thing is certain, somepony had better do something and soon. What Red Velvet does next can only be described as frightening. Rising up onto her hind hooves she catches the leading hitch of a parked chariot and with seemingly -no- effort at all swings the vehicle like an enormous hammer up, then down, smashing it in front of her quarry and growling as the body of the chariot bends and shrieks with the sound of tortured metal. "You -will- answer my questions little mare, or I will pull your arm from the socket and beat you to death with the wet end." (Repose for Hollyhock) )
"Oh, great!" Apple Bloom runs toward a nearby decorative horseshoe stand, drops a few bits on the counter, and grabs four horseshoes. "Tawm fer step one... git th'maniac's attention!" Apple Bloom swings them in the air one at a time and BUCKS each one in Red's direction. One. Two. Three. Four. Step one: Piss off monster. Step two: Step three: Save day?
Screenplay looks to the ramaging pony she turns to Dusk. "No way I here to help.." She fows Dusk
Dusk stands near where the now twisted chariot just missed, Screenplay perhaps noticing Dusk hasn't been around for a bit. He looks and shakes his head, "Somepony is going to be upset. That looked like a new paint job."
Hollyhock has learned to expect many things in Ponyville market. Hawkers, shouting matches, she even once encountered Nightmare Moon - well, okay, that was in the town square, but the fact is Ponyville shouldn't surprise her. Seeing Red swing that chariot like that does surprise her. She stops in her tracks, her wings opening up in shock, her big eyes taking getting a little bigger as she watches.
Eclair makes a rather undignified sound as Red swings that chariot, her ears laying back at the sound of splintering wood. Nope. Nope nope nope. She drops that cobble and canters as quickly as her little hooves can carry her, ducking into a vegetable stall.
Hefty_Nibble watches the situation, unsure what to do, if he should interfere or not, he's still new here, but seeing the young filly attempt to send the horseshoes off in the direction of the crazed pony he suspects it's bad as he looks for cover, he would like to help, but he's hardly sure what he can do when you have a rampaging pony using a chariot like that.
Diamond doesn't -ALWAYS- use her star to get around, even if she's been having more and more fun mastering the art of teleporting with it. Ok, 'mastering' isn't really accurate...more like, managed maaaaybe two lucky guesses in a row. Never the less, this time there is no crackle of lightning or the space time continuum folding itself over to deposit Diamond into the Market. No no no. She just plummets from somewhere high in the sky and flams face first into the cobblestone walk with a brick shattering CRUNCH. Hang on...Reboot in progress...
Ting! Ting! Ting! Clack! Three of the horseshoe rebound off or Red's temple, the fourth she turns and catches in her teeth, snarling and slowly biting down, the final shoe breaks into three pieces before falling to the ground. Red seems to have at least forgotten about the mare she was chasing. Her gimlet eyes now bore into Applebloom and she begins to walk towards the young filly with murder in her eyes, "For that...you are going to be the pony to answer my questions...and then I will take great relish in the hours it will take you to die after I rip your lower jaw free from your body."
Screenplay decides it is a bit dangerious and flys off
"Oh, questions! Great! Ah happen't'be Ponyville's official tourism board!" Apple Bloom quips, though she knows she's in big trouble now. Okay, step one complete. Now for step two: "" She's great at improvising. Right? "Ah'm afraid ah plan t'keep mah jaw, thankyevurrymuch."
Dusk hmmms and raises a brow. Ignored. It is hard to get ponies to notice him even when he tries. He hardly blames the creature-Red. He hops up onto and then over the wreckage and shoos the still in shock mare off. He taps AB on the shoulder, not having realized he was there. "Learning how to make new friends, Miss Bloom?"
Hollyhock does not fly off. No, she saw Apple Bloom chuck those horseshoes at - whatever Red is. If that filly's going to stick around and fight, Holly can too. She sets her jaw, pulls the brim of her hat a little lower, and pulls something from her saddle bag. An apple! It's - well it's not very big, but she can throw it, and she does, right at Red, "Hey! You'd best leave her be!"
Diamond_Dancer Pbbbttbtbtbt...PBbtthththt...It's hard to whistle when you can't feel your lips.... "HEY! " Calls the tiny filly, having climbd to her hooves, and peering at the commotion in front of her. Diamond just happened to be in the neighborhood...kind of. Well, really she just plummeted from the upper atmosphere on her way home, but this works well enough. "Hey! I'm talk to you'se! Ovah ...here....mom?" She calls out, drawing the words from her lips as if they were stuck to her tongue. "...V, Velet?...You'se gotta be kiddin me..."
Eclair shares a look with the vegetable peddler, a green and white stallion selling new asparagus. Then the two of them peek over the top of the counter, eyes big.
Dusk is watching over the whole scene, and looking over Red rather carefully, even as he stands near AB. He's certainly picking up something quite unusual from 'Red' besides her looks.. The magic around her. It's actually kind of familiar. Hmmm, could it be? Outlaw and him were researching something long ago, before he left.
Dusk waves and nods to DD. "Hello, Miss Dancer! Yes, a bit of a situation it seems."
( It isn't so much that Dusk went unnoticed, as the smallest Apple had done something more attention-getting. But now two other projectiles appear, one a young filly impacting the ground not far away, and the other an apple thrown by a nearby mare impacting the side of Red's head with a dull thud. She turns, her brow furrowed to glare at First Dusk, then Hollyhock. "My my my...who's teeth to rip out first? So many choices." But then the young Crystal pegasus foal gets her attention, and as Red's eyes fall on Diamond Dancer, for the barest sliver of a second. The real Red shines through, "D-Diamond? Run away baby...run away. Mommy isn't herself..." Then something vast and terrible moves behind Red's eyes and she is gone again, replaced by the demon. "...be silent you insect!" When the Crimson Maiden reasserts herself, for just a moment she seems to lose track of what she was doing. Oh yes...questions. "I am in a forgiving mood, for now. Tell me what I want to know...and I promise nopony will die, today." )
( Apple Bloom hesitates, then whispers to Dusk. "This anythin' lawk that ghost pawrate who took over mah sister b'fore?" Apple Bloom then shouts. "Yeah rawt! Lawk y'all kin make *me* talk!" Apple Bloom need to keep whatever this thing is off balance. If it IS like that ghost... a good buck oughta set things right. )
Hefty_Nibble looks towards Red, more then a little scared of this crazed pony but seeing others stand up to it, not of least seems to be the insane fillie he moves closer as he looks for something he might throw at it too, and spotting the discarded piece of cobble and picks it up with his magick and hides it behind his back, okay he's trying to be brave, but not stupid as he watches Red, looking like if she so much as looks in his direction he might flee.
Dusk feels so much better. After all it's not polite to ignore company. He leans in to AB, "She is.. possessed, yes. But I suspect this one is more powerful." A buck may not do much after what little the horseshoes did. Dusk briefly bows his head, "Well since you ask so kindly, Miss.. I'm afraid I didn't get your name. My name is Dusk." Now to see if he gets an answer of his own.
Hollyhock looks pleased as her apple finds its mark. She had half hoped she would miss as she watched it leave her hoof and go arcing towards Red, but this simplifies things. She hunkers down a little, her wings wide open behind her, lifted like hackles as she answers Red's challange, "Reckon y'kin have all'a m' teeth! J'st gotta catch me first...?" Her defiance ends with an upward inflection, distracted, confused as she witnesses the brief change in Red's demeanor.
Diamond_Dancer eyes narrow at the responce she gets and the filly gives a little groan. "Oh it's gonna be one of DOSE days. Wondaful. Looks like da Brownie is gonna haff ta go on hold. AGAIN. It's always someding...I swear if Bardigan caused dis..." She grumbles, marching slowly towards the Mare she knows as a mother. "Hey...Red! Ovah..Ovah here! I, I know you won't hoyt me...What do you want huh? Dese oddah ponies ain't woyth you'se time...But me...come on, you know what -I- can do...right? "She gives Red a *Squee* grin. Come on, Apple Bloom...Run for it while it's distracted... Come back and save me when you've got a plan..." C, come on...what is it, da armor? Is dat what you're looking for?" She squeaks...Great. Now everypony is a hero...well...it could be worse. Instead of the townsfolk trying to be heroes, they could all be mimes...
( Regards each of the ponies she is confronted with, at first looking furious at the defiance shown by Hollyhock and Apple Bloom, then a slow smile curls her muzzle at Dusk's reaction, "Most ponies know me as Crimson, but you may just call me Highness." Her eyes turn toward the pony known as Hefty Nibble, "I would -put-that-down if I were you." But that is the moment Diamond's voice reaches her, and the mention of armor. Red's head snaps towards the little crystal pony, her eyes blazing with a burning crimson aura, "My Armor!? The Maiden's Trappings? You know where the pieces are to be found? All seven?" Suddenly Red is right in front of Diamond, almost nose to nose, and her upper lip ripples back, "Where? Tell me where they can be found." )
( A plan? A plan! Apple Bloom decides she can't wait for Dusk to answer her as she runs straight for Red, whirls around, and gives her as mighty a buck as a young Apple filly can give. Given she IS an Apple it's hard NOT to notice it. )
Hefty_Nibble drops the cobblestone he was "hiding" behind his back imediatly, though it ends up landing on his back as he then backs up a few steps as this weird pony suddenly moves so fast towards the pony that just taught everyone how NOT to land keeps his eyes towards the two, not sure wether this new one is to be trusted either, as he spots the crazed filie run up and kick the crazed pony....starting to wondering if there are any mares around that arn't half insane he without much thinking, hoping to distract Red sneds the coblestone that fel onto his back straight at Red hoping she send her attention his way rather then the filie.
Dusk smiles back. "Ah, Her Highness, Warlord, Crimson Maiden. I imagined you much smaller." But by the time he finishes the sentence DD has taken her attention away. Ho hum. Does he have to throw something too? Without really looking, he pays attention for any particular jewelery she may wear, such an an amulet. But then there goes AB. At least Nibble has managed to stay out of trouble for now.
Dusk hmms. Well Hefty stayed out of trouble for a few seconds at least. We'll just have to see where this all goes.. Maybe AB has spirit bucking powers.
Hollyhock doesn't really want to be a hero, but she can't just stand back and watch ponies get hurt. Granted, things have developed a bit since she was welcomed to the market by the sound of chariots being thrown around, and she takes a moment or two to consider things, while Red is distracted by Diamond, and - well, probably Apple Bloom too. If nothing else she's sure the three or four of them here will be able to keep Red occupied until someone can alert the guard.
Diamond_Dancer Ears instantly peel back, and the little filly gulps. Oh yes, she just made a mistake. "Ahem! Ahh...Y, yes. Da armour. Da Maiden's trappings. I...know...excatly where it is. Yup. Red told me to fetch it, annnnnd I did. I did dat, and hid it safely away...So, me n' you'se? We got business! But none of dese oddah ponies is woyth you'se time." She explains. She's just digging herself deeper and deeper... But thats fine. Things will be ok. She trusts Applebloom to sneak off and rally together her friends, the mane six- everypony who could stop this monstorsity. ...Annnnnnnd thats when Applebloom runs up and kicks Red. ................................................ Darn it, Applebloom. You had one job.
Hollyhock noses through her saddle bags, grinding her teeth. Wha'd yuh possibly need t' rope in town? J'st leave't there on th' peg...
Red feels the blow from the little apple filly, it snaps her head to the left but doesn't seem to put her in a more foul temper then she already was in, "You are very strong for a little filly..." She growls low in her throat, then her hoof swings up to catch the cobblestone thrown at her by Hefty Nibble, She then brings it between her two forehooves and crushes it into a very fine powder. She blows the dust off her hooves, most likely into Apple Bloom's face, then she slowly strides over to a building, it is Bon Bon home. And lowering her shoulders a bit she works her hooves beneath the foundation slab, "...But I..." She begins to lift the house, impossibly standing on her hind hooves and turning to face the marketplace as a whole and bellowing, "...am very strong for a titan!" Her eyes start from her head and she tosses her mane over her shoulder, "And you are right little crystal pony! YOU ARE THE ONLY ONE I NEED!"
Apple bloom closes her eyes, the dust stings her eyes as she stumbles a bit, caught off guard. Okay, so the buck didn't work. Landing the Crusader-- And that's when she opens her eyes and sees that she lifted an entire house. No... the Crusader might not work. She grimaces and isn't about to take this standing down. She's an adventurer, consarnit! "Y'all ain't doin' nothin t'nopony wahl ah'm still standin', whoever y'all are!" She starts to run for another of the carts... time to start improvising! She reaches the lumber cart and starts hefting up hte biggest pieces she can into a pile.
Dusk watches as things go this way and that, but so far nopony getting hurt. But as Red turns and lifts up a house, he sees this might get a bit dangerous (it's not already?). The powerful Crimson finds the house is indeed quite easy to lift, as Dusk's colorless magic takes hold of it too, but doesn't move it or lift it.
Hefty_Nibble watches as his stone valiantly flies tiwards Red, aiming to destroy the e...okay maybe not so much as she just catches it and crumbles it, but least she doesn't seem to be destroying the crazy fillie, wether that was through his stupid heroics, or just through not caring, and when she ignores him beyond to make a hefty...threat he assumes the later, though he's glad he won't have to be running himself, as he's hardly the most athletic of the ponies as he backs up some to where he can make a escape if needbe, but still watching, and not yet noticing crazy fillie going about insane plan number two...or is it three, he's lost count.
Hollyhock hears the grinding of stone against stone, and lifts her head from her saddle bags. She's found another apple in there and has pulled it out in case it might prove useful, has it hanging from the stem between her teeth. At least until she sees what's making all that racket. She takes a step or two back, her wings wilting jut a little at the sight, eyes bugging out, voice unbelieving, "Madre de Sola..."
Diamond_Dancer Is dreadfully sleepy, and can't write coherant sentces...
Dapple trots cheerfully into the marketplace to pick up a few odds and ends. He freezes, eyes widening as he takes in the scene, especially the fact that BonBon's house is a story taller than he last remembers it. Step by step he slowly backs out again, muttering to himself. "'Move to Ponyville.' they said. 'Nice, quiet, relaxing place.' they said..."
( Crimson Maiden's sneer turns into a snarl and she takes a step towards Apple Bloom, holding the house above her head with both forehooves, "My descendant still knows how to control unicorn magic better then I, and she has been blocking my use of it, But Crimson Maiden has ever been mighty! Mighty enough to crush all beneath her iron hoof! Look on me now and know the final crushing despair of the wretched and hopeless who stand against a true warpony!" Her snarl turns to a wicked smile, she has not yet noticed Dusk's hold on her house-weapon, "Bye..." Then she brings her hooves down as if to throw the home at the apple filly... )
Diamond_Dancer growls a little angry filly growl, and gives a breathless snort. Great. Now with these new ponies, taking over the situation. Things were going quickly, from bad to worse. At least Diamond had Red's Attention, though.- for the moment. Until she picks up the house. ............Whelp...Time to resign. Still she had the upper hoof...sort of..."Wow, I wish I could remember where dat armour was..." She snorts and squeals when a little ebony portal opens behind her- pulling the poor Filly into it- and it disappears half a second after...
Hefty_Nibble sighs as he was just thinking maybe he can slip away from all this craziness and see about when the next train out of craziville was leaving, but no, the little fillie has to go get herself in trouble, and as much as he thinks maybe the fillie might need a good spanking, he can't help but feel that the side of a building, might just tbe a ensy tinsy little bit too much, just a little, and charges in towards Red aiming to use his shoulder as he doesn't realize that someone else is doing their best to keep that side of a building from doing any harm knowing that he's going to have to have his head examined after all this.
Apple Bloom knows now she's about to get crushed by a house. No way she can get out of the way. She braces herself and cringes. ... And then nothing happens. She peeks and sees the house being held back. Thank Celestia! Now what should she do? She can't retreat! She grabs one of the large pieces of lumber she grabed and swings it right for the Crimson Maiden's head. Hey, if she can't buck'em... She was shopping for lumber anyway.
As Crimson hefts Bon Bon's house up to give that final crushing blow, her own strength helps heft it up into the air as it seems to slip from her hooves. Up.. up.. spinning top over bottom in that moment of weightlessness, and falls back, coming down soundly right back on its foundation. Practically perfectly too! Well um.. that's the back door in front. But really, who will notice? Dusk raises a brow, "Impressive."
Hollyhock quivers as she watches Red advance on AB, he ears laying slowly back as the titanic mare gets closer, and closer. Holly swallows, shakes her head slowly, willing the little apple filly to run, but she knows that's not going to happen. She finds herself running before she knows what she's doing, her jaw setting, her wings opening. One. Two. Three flaps of her wings and up she comes, wobbling a little as she adds more speed, keeping low, her forelegs outstretched as she powers towards AB. She might pull this off. Maybe. It Apple Bloom holds still, or if she can manage to fly in a straight line, or if a house isn't dropped on her...
Crimson Maiden is at first confused, she glares at her own forehooves as if they had just betrayed her, where was the building? Why was their not the sound of a filly being turned into a very creamy smear on the ground? Then she is struck by the heavy board the filly swings, right in the horn too! Oooh that smarts! Then while her throbbing head distracts her, she is gut-checked by the stallion known as Hefty Nibble and slammed backward several steps to land on her back, just in time to see the house coming back down to it's former place, which she now occupied. "Oh bother..." she mutters, throwing up her legs to guard her face just before the home and foundation slab lands on top of her, settling neatly into place.
Many smallish ponies then appear and begin to dance about and sing about the lollipop guild.
Apple Bloom drops the beam just as she is tackled out of the way with an ooomph! At least she is clear of the house landed on top of the Crimson Maiden. She lays on her back a moment, her head spinning. "Ow... thanks fer that." She gets back up and looks over at the house. "Think she's down?" Apple Bloom rubs her head. Bonked it twice in so many days. If she starts seeing double she'll take a day.
Dusk does applaud the well placed series of events, all those different 'paths' coming together so beautifully. Sometimes patients is a good thing. And good timing. "Well done, everypony! But still keep alert and move away from the house, I might suggest."
Hefty_Nibble blinks as he wasn't exactly expecting that to work so well after everything else that was thrown at her he half expected to break into a million little pieces that have to swarm the evil pony to defea..yeah he wasn't expecting it to turn out well. All this distracts him when he almost has his muzzle bonked by the house coming down just inches from it as he stares and hopes she's down for the count, and looks towards AB, "I'm not sure...but I sure hope so....maybe we should.....back up just in case." he suggests as he begins to move away from the building and nodding in Dusk's direction.
In spite of our little ponies very wise caution, nothing appears to happen for several long moments, then the house shifts, once, twice, and is still. It seemed to have just been settling. Is this the end of the Tyrant Pony Queen? Or was she merely beaten back for a time? Only Faust knows.
Hollyhock comes tumbling to a stop, and is back up, her eyes wild, ready to counter just whatever is coming next and --- is just in time to see Bon Bon's house dropped on Red. And again she can only gape while her body hums with adrenaline, "I - uh..." She squints at Apple Bloom, then the house, then Hefty, and lastly Dusk. She shakes her head, then sits down, heavily, and pushes her hat back on her head, "Reckon THAT were a mite anticlimactic!"
Dapple peeks his head around the corner. "Have we achieved vanquish-ment? I really need some carrots!"
( "Well, it was better'n havin' t'be crushed baw a house." Apple Bloom says, then walks over to Dusk. "Ah aim gonna see y'all later fer some answers. Ah've haid adventures, but nothin' quawt lawk that." And Apple Bloom will need a plan. A real one, for beating this thing. She's already concluded that she'll save the day somehow. It's what she wants to do as an aspiring adventurer, after all. "Fer now ah better git home and finish fixin' up th'Crusader." She turns and gathers up the lumber and leaves moey for the purchase. )
Dusk does wait and watch. But seems Crimson has wisely decided not to continue to press the issue while at such a weakened state and still a number of ponies opposed to her. If this is anticlimactic for Hollyhock, he wonders what she considers exciting. Dusk looks around and sees things are calm. "I think she's gone. Good job Miss Bloom and Mr. Nibble! I think you two really helped save the day." He smiles as AB comes over to him, then raises a brow, "Well you are welcome by anytime. "But yes, I suspect this isn't the last of her. But seems we have an idea of who she is and what she wants. And that Miss Dancer knows about it too. We'll have to make sure she's kept safe too."
Hollyhock nods slowly to AB, "Reckon so." This said, Holly remains siting there on the street for a long moment, before she realizes that Bon Bon's place is, in fact, the place she was looking for. Candy! She needs four boxes of it.
She may need to go around the other side to get to the store entrance.
Hefty_Nibble blinks as he sees things settle and takes a rather deep breath collects himself, and then does the only sane intelligent thing any pony in his situation would do, starts to make a very quick bee lint for the inn his stuff is in to get ouf of ponyville before the five oclock disaster decides to show up, not yet noticing Dusk.
Dapple walks slowly into the marketplace, his eyes alert. He makes his way gingerly to the deserted carrot stand and looks around. He sighs and puts a few bits down on the counter and tosses a baker's dozen of carrots into his saddlebag. "-Every- -@#$@#$- -day-," he grumbles to himself as he trots off home.
[/a][/s]