Nightmare Night 2015: Tracking the Mirror into the Everfree!

[Derpy]

This thread continues the one about the Mirror of Escalation! After a certain amount of confusion that all took place ICly over the space of a single night, a band of problem solvers at last finds themselves trekking through the...


Everfree Forest
>->->->->-> @.@.@ EVERFREE FOREST @.@.@ <-<-<-<-<-<

The Everfree Forest is a dreary place indeed. Not quite as bad now with the unatural blizzard having finally come to an end. A vast nearly unseen white blanketed forest surrounds you, icy cold in the dead of winter, winds moaning softly through the plants and shrubs that are buried in snow and ice, leaving the poor animals to care for themselves. Most were wise enough to settle into thier respective dens and burrows. Those that were not so fortunate will help the spring patches of Poison Joke to flourish. Finally the nasty weather has cleared, the storm passed, the frozen reminder of its presence all around you.

That's not all either! The thick barked bent trees are iced over, soft light glistening on icicles tinkling in the soft breezes, the limbs and boughs of the trees highlighted by the packed snow all up and down their sides. Everywhere you turn the forest lies buried in a thick carpet of heavy winter snow, most of it averaging four to five foot deep, thicker in drifts around trees and buried shrubs. Ice coated vines dangle and clink, nearly frozen in place.

The ground here is all unseen, thickly buried, hiding stones or roots or pony knows what beneath. The storm's driving winds having well covered most everything thickly, even the stone statue of Nightmare Moon is hard to recognize now, mostly just her head, shoulders, and wingtips seen above the snow. Few ponies venture into the Everfree Forest...with good reason, even more so now...so be careful! The path back to safety awaits. No part of the storm's drifted snow or packed ice has extended beyond the forest, a curiosity to say the least. So unless you have a really good reason to dare the Everfree during the midst of winter, best to stay home and keep toasty warm!

>->->->->->->->->->-> @.@ * @.@ <-<-<-<-<-<-<-<-<-<-<



As the group approches the edge of the forest, they can see a strange set of marking on the ground. The entire area hums with power, raising the fur on all of your necks.

A large red and black spider slowly crawls along its web dozens of feet above you.

Haunting_Melody pers her ears up as she approaches the forrest shivering slightly at the feeling, this place definetly feels creapier this close then it did a few dozen feet away.

Berry_Punch shies from the spider. She's got a big multisectioned pouch of fruit juice on a canteen pack she's wearing all across her chest, and depending on which angle she sucks on the long curvy straw, she gets a different kind of juice. She's sucking away nervously to drown out her fears in a fructose haze. "Did you know that this part of the Everfree is native to the dewberry plant? It's often mistaken for its relative the blackberry, but they're actually sweeter and less seedy! Too bad I can't say the same for the forest in general." She looks up at the spider again and takes a big step to the side.

Oh, Marble doesn't like being in the Everfree. So many spiders. So so so many spiders. But he has the paperwork he was looking for. He whimpers, though. Making his way around. He's been going in circles, you see. You can even watch him, the circles are... very small.

ShadowedSong creeps along with the group, looking nerviously at the trees, "rope, rice, cucumber. rope, rice, cucumber." she mutters.

Fluttershy has arrived.

Dusk is walking up with the group as well, seeming a bit more quiet as he looks around and scans the place. The magic or power given off does make it a little harder to pick up more finer magical details. But he certainly has had experience in dangerous places, including the Everfree itself. Hopefully the Roc won't be around this time. "Hmm some interesting markings here.." He goes over and looks more closely.

"I don't know why you have a cucumber," mutters Berry Punch, "but I'm glad you do. I have a philosophical question. Do you favor the botanical definition of the berry, which includes such diverse vegetables as cucumbers, peppers and pumpkins, or the common definition, which excludes larger fruits and vegetables but includes aggregate fruits like the dewberry and blackberry, disqualified botanically because they didn't develop from a single plant ovary?" Her eyes dart back and forth nervously. "I dunno, something about spooky places like this on the Day of the Dead makes me feel like asking the big questions."

Haunting_Melody looks around curiously as she knows that this place isn't going to be the most friendly as she's glad she brought 'it' along just in case, and well you COULD bump into Virga here somewhere...it's possible, as she stays close to the others.

Haunting_Melody pages, "hehw what if they ran into something that would prompt Haunting to use the amulet :> I don't think Marble or Haunting knows about the others interest in the amulet." to you.

Marble is rounding his fiftieth pass of his fifty foot lost-in-the-forest circle. "... O... O-Oh dea--" He stops when he hears voices. "Hello?"

A soft slithering sound quietly comes from the shrubs just ahead and to the side.
<OOC> Dusk pops out of the shrub ahead. Hmm? Oh sorry.

ShadowedSong walks over to the wierd markings, and sniffs them. *ZAP* She jumps back, wide eyed, muzzle slightly singed.

Dusk smiles at Berry's big questions. Perhaps it helps keep her mind from wandering to other things. Like big spiders. Dusk looks up from the markings he's examining when there comes a familiar voice. "Oh, Mr. Memory! I must say I'm surprised to see you out here." Really. Out some of the safe confines of an office or at least some sort of town? Then he blinks and looks back to Shadowed, "Oh do be careful there!"

Dusk smiles at Berry's big questions. Perhaps it helps keep her mind from wandering to other things. Like big spiders. Dusk looks up from the markings he's examining when there comes a familiar voice. "Oh, Mr. Memory! I must say I'm surprised to see you out here." Really. Out some of the safe confines of an office or at least some sort of town? Then he blinks and looks back to Shadowed, "Oh do be careful there!" (repeat)

"Is that what we're looking for?" asks Berry, her enthusiasm muffled by the fact that everypony is ignoring her, which she accepts as medically necessary but which she isn't used to. Her cutie mark is throbbing. "Those marks? Hey, watch out!" She dodges back, then readies her juice gun, the Super Slosher 5000. "Something's moving around in those dogwood shrubs!" She stands tensely, ready for a monster to spring out. "...whose bright red striped berries ripen from summer to fall and are more edible for songbirds than ponies, growing in small clumps," she adds quietly.

Haunting_Melody looks around at the sounds of something in the bushes and reaches into her saddle bags for a moment ready for anything, "Somethng differnetly here." she says focusing it, rather then the new comers.
A soft slithering sound quietly comes from the shrubs just ahead and to the side.

Somehow Marble's even managed to avoid having his cutie mark affected by everything. Just how long WAS he in his house? He's that devoted to his job, to the point he wouldn't turn away from the Everfree to do it. "I have a form!" Marble declares, lofting it skyward.

"Yes," utters Berry nervously out of the side of her mouth, "but is it your *final* form?" She's still hoisting her gun.

ShadowedSong stares at the marking, "That tasted like Kiwi."

Dusk wasn't ignoring her. He just didn't say anything, since she was talking to Shadowed, or so it seemed. And he was busy looking at the strange markings he had come across. Personally he likes the common definition of the berry, which one might find unexpected with him being a researcher and all. "Very knowledgeable, Miss Punch." Of course its her strong topic. Then he notices her cutie mark, which isn't quite the usual behavior, and he glances around to others and his own, while others are looking at the brush. "What form is that, Mr. Memory?" He takes a gaze at the loftly held parchement. And what form could bring Marble out there? But then if anything could, it would be a form. He also looks curious, "You could taste it, Miss Song?"

Did somepony say FINAL FORM?!
Yeah, it was Berry.

Haunting_Melody tilts her head, "Form? Whats the form for?" she asks as she shakes herself out, this place was giving her the wilies, she moves towards the markings and sees Shadow hit by something from it, "Careful Shadoiw, remember what happened last time."

Because it sounds like an old mill just fell over. Maybe a peppermill.
That's not related to the mill. After it falls, all is quiet...

"...Um..." Marble lowers the form to look at it. "It's a requisition form. Signed by myself, requiring the return of the mirror. This is going to work!" Marble says confidently. "NOPONY can ignore the power of paperwork!"
ShadowedSong turns to Dusk, "All magic has a taste, and this magic tastes wrong."

ShadowedSong sniffs the marking again, more carefully, "This magic has been corrupted."

Dusk nods to Marble and Shadowed. "Well of course we first need to find the pony to use the form on. And hmmm I wonder if this magic is like the marking in the eyeglasses shop. Of course be careful looking into it if so. And we need to learn where it can lead us." If Fluttershy were here, she could try another photo of this one too. Dusk reaches out with his own magic and examine the mark, and see if he can pick up where it might connect or lead to.

"Hmmm," speculates Berry. "Did any of you just hear that? It sounds like an old mill fell over." Her ears flutter and her cutie mark glows and throbs. "A mill is for grinding grain into flour, typically," she continues, reasoning quickly, "and grains are really nothing more than the berries of grasses, because why should flowering plants have all the fun?" She laughs a little maniacally, but cuts herself off. "Poor mill! Poor grassess! NO one to harvest their sweet, sweet berries." She stalks around, looking for the source of the sound. "Corrupted? Corrupted how? Are you sure it didn't *start* corrupted??" She squirts her juice gun into the pile of markings, and a little pair of strawberries and grapes flashes into sight above it for a moment, then fades out again like cloth pelling loose from something wet.

There's a sort of scuttley-slithery sound in the bushes! It's coming from there--no, there--it circles around the group. The bushes part, and there's Fluttershy, complete with her big square glasses and orange sweater. "Zonkies!" she squeals. "That was close! I almost didn't get out of the mill in time!" She slithers out, rearing up on the part of her snake tail that isn't covered by her tubelike sweater, and adjusts her glasses. "But I found SO MANY clues with my animal friends."

Haunting_Melody looks at the markings carefully, but trying not to stare into it as she keeps a eye and a ear towards the edge of the forest around them, "Maybe...there is another way to do it?" she asks thinking about her illusions could they work. She turns around as the slithering sound gets louder and is about to pull something out of her pocket when she spots Fluttershy and blinks a few times, "Oh hey there Fluttershy..." she says in confusion, though relieved.

ShadowedSong says "I think the tracking spell on the mirror is siphoning some of the power, and spreading it through ponyville and the everfree."

Dusk makes a curious face at the magic markings, "Yes, that's something rather unusual," he agrees with Shadowed. "Then perhaps we can use that to find it. I pick up something about towering spires and blocking of the sun by the moon.. Perhaps the old castle in the forest? Whatever it is, I sense it is deeper in the woods. I believe the castle has a somewhat safe route to it, not unlike to Miss Zecora's." He looks curiously once more but for a different reason, both as Berry goes into somewhat crazed talk about a mill and flour, and even more so as Fluttershy appears.. as a snake? "Lady Fluttershy? What happened?" Things are definitely getting somewhat out of control. Should we call it off at this point rather than risk the forest? Or perhaps that's the only way to fix this.

The eyes of the statue seem to glow then seem normal again before anypony can look.

Fluttershy isn't done talking before she has pomegranate juice (mixed with all natural grape) on her orange sweater. Berry Punch, having just reflexively fired her weapon on the monster, takes a horrified look at Fluttershy and follows it up with a big, double-barreld draft from her battery of juice canteens. Once she has her senses again, she paws the ground aggressively and asks, "Fluttershy! What are you doing? You've gone all snaky! That's not your roots! That's not the egg you came from! Go back how you were! Errrghh!" And she drinks again, this time focusing on strawberry with a dash of kiwi.

Fluttershy looks down at her sweater with a frown. "Bonkers," she says. "Have you been hitting the Berry Snacks again? I-I, what I mean is, I don't understand. This IS what I come from. The animals!" She slithers the rest of the way. Yep. Hindquarters replaced with a pony-sized snake tail, like a seapony. But for dirt. "Look at my clues! Ghost Cat did such a good job." Flutters shakes out her sweater, revealing a little peppermill, a shard of broken mirror with 'EAT ME' written in the dust, and a handy dandy bracelet. All of which are now soaked.

Haunting_Melody she frowns as she looks around, "Ifeel...like somethings watching me from the markings...or they themselves are." she says a litle nervously. as her magick begins to creep out a bit especially seeing Fluttershy and flowers and happy little things start to appear around the clearing, even Fluttershy gets a little pokedot to make her less threatening.

ShadowedSong shudders, "If we don't get the mirror soon, the effects could leak all across Equestria!"
A mud weasel romps out of the bushes and bounces down the trail to the small clearing, pausing to sniff at the air, then it scampers off into the brush.

Dusk checks out the 'clues,' "And what do they tell us?" He's still having a bit of trouble with what's happening with ponies. Definitely best to get this taken care of! "Yes, very strange markings, Miss Melody. Like the ones in the shop, but different. And then we probably should get moving. Should we try the old castle first? Or any better ideas?"

Berry_Punch shakes her head, twitching all over. "No. No no. No. I mean, yes, I've been hitting the Berry Snacks. I always love Berry Snacks! They help when I'm stressed and OH POMEGRANATE am I stressed!! But you're not a snake, Fluttershy, you're..." She gesticulates without temper. "You're the gentle animals! You walk, you don't slither! You're shy, not sly! Am I high and dry?" She's probably not dry. "Flutterbutter looked in the same mirror pool I drank from and now she's buttered on both sides rye." She blinks hard. "I'm not making any sense. Where'd you get that bracelet? Is that cerulean and viridian? That's the names of those two colors and those are the colors I saw in the mane of th--OH MY GRAPES 'name' and 'mane' are, like, the *same word!*" She shivers at this discovery.

Beat. "I-I can be gentle," says Fluttershy, and for once, she doesn't have the manic, artificial energy of a weirdly-voiced teen. She coils up her tail, lays her hooves on it, and sulks. "Well," she explains to Dusk, "they, um...I-I mean...it's obvious the ghost left them, right?" The little cravated kitten pokes its head out of a tree.

Haunting_Melody nods her head and hmmmms, well Fluttershy wasn't the strangest thign they have seen around the area, though she is a bit nervous still as she hmms "So...where should we go from here?" she asks, not wanting to be in the woods for too long, the places starting too look more like the woods, then the forest.

ShadowedSong points to the path to the castle, "The quick we get the mirror and stop her from... doing something, The quicker we can go home! Onwards, To Adventure and Cucumbers!"

Berry_Punch sees the flowers and polkadots and everything meant to make everything seem nicer. She shifts her weight and starts drinking strawberry juice again. Nice and friendly. Even if strawberries wear their seeds on the outside like naughty, naughty fruits. "Do you guys think that shard came from the mirror we're looking for?" she asks. "And what made the place fall down, anywya? Maybe we should go back there and look!" She starts to pace playfully around Fluttersnake. "This bracelet?" She holds it up--somehow she's wearing it now. "This is the same colors as the mane of that mare with the mirror! She must've been wherever Flutters was! I bet she's been hiding out here in the forest." She peers at ShadowedSong. "And... what do cucumbers have to do with it?"

Fluttershy flicks out her tongue at Berry.

Dusk raises a brow, "What's this about a mirror pool?" Seems he missed something while he was off on his own, and perhaps it was just as well. "And yes I agree we should head foward." He shakes his head at one of Berry's questions, "If it was from the mirror we're looking for, it may well have stopped functioning then."

"Well, I, um..." Fluttershy blinks. "I think...maaaaaaAaaybe--" Her face twitsts up, like she's forcing herself against her own muscles. "M-may-beeeee weeeeee..." This must be agonizing. "shouldn'tsplitup!"

<OOC> You say, "We must decide on a course of action!"
<OOC> Nimble_Hooves says, "flip a coin"
[Dice] ShadowedSong rolls a 2 sided dice:
[Dice] = 0
<OOC> ShadowedSong says, "roll a 2 sided dice"
<OOC> You say, "...That is a berry."
<OOC> You say, "You rolled a berry!"
<OOC> ShadowedSong says, "I cant even ahhahahahahahhahahahahahahhahahahahhahahahahah"
<OOC> You say, "Now you're getting it."
<OOC> ShadowedSong says, "how do i roll a 0 on a 1 or 2 option? like seriously, a 0! hahahahhahahahah"
<OOC> You say, "I told you, it's a berry! Critical hit."
<OOC> Dusk says, "Dice fail. :-)"

A butterfly lands on a flower only to be snapped up as the flower closes on its lunch.

Dusk ahs and nods to Fluttershy as she indicates Berry. "I think many ponies are under the effects of this mirror in different ways," he says with a glance to Fluttershy. Well he did say it would effect different ponies in different ways before all this, so he had that much right. "But we still need to do what we can to fix all this." He listens as she struggles to say something, then ohs. "Not split up? Yes I think that's a good idea!" Yes that must have taken some effort!

<OOC> Dusk says, "And sorry, didn't mean to ignore Fluttershy.. I had waited to see who she was talking about, then left it out. :-)"
<OOC> Dusk watches the snapping flower. Well at least that's a good point for Fluttershy being part snake rather than having turned into a butterfly.

Berry_Punch winces at the sight of the butterfly being devoured and tries to hide it from Fluttershy and her cutie mark. "Sure! Flutters, can you take up back where this mill was or whatever? Maybe there's some way we can get to the pip of the situation! ...Er, I mean the seed. The endocarp! The core! The core of the situation." That's right, isn't it? "But what was your idea, Shadowed? You have a better one?" She slurps cranberry juice through a straw.

ShadowedSong sniffs the path, "I'm pretty sure the mirror when this way."

Haunting_Melody hmmms at that, "ANyone know where that leads?" she asks, not knowing much in the way of the forest, having neer decided to go in here till now.

Berry_Punch sniffs the path too, but smells only cardamom. "Is that the way to the mill you found, Fluttershy?"
Dusk nods in agreement with Shadowed, "Yes from what I pick up, the old castle seems the likely route too. We can take the path the leads there. Other ponies use it too."

Dusk thought we heard the mill collapse, and Fluttershy said so. So not sure what we'd fine there anymore.
Fluttershy blinks. "What? O-oh, right! Um, yes. The mill. Right. That was it. Should I take you there?" She's already slithering back into the bushes, and it can finally be seen that the splotches on her scales are butterflies all the way down. "Or maybe we could go to the s-s-spooky f-forest--" Again, it sounds like she's fighting with herself there.

Berry_Punch looks hesitant. "Well, if this Shadow girl thinks she can smel the mirror... hey!" She takes the mirror shard from Fluttershy and gives it to ShadowedSong. "Smell this! Is it the same scent? if so, then track with it!" Problems have solutions, and some of those solutions are more than 6.5% alcohol by weight.

ShadowedSong sniffs the mirror, then the path, "Straight into the forest!"

Berry_Punch throws up her foreleg and marches after, sipping watermelon juice. Melons are botanically berries too! "Right, then! Let's go! Slither on, Flutterserpent! You too, Illusion Girl."

[Derpy]

And as we continue wandering through the forest...

---

Dusk nods and listens as we talk about the marking and the leaking magic of the mirror. He looks around and gets his bearings. "I believe the path would be just a little ways down here. We should find it before going deeper into the forest, rather than trying to cut through it." He starts leading the way, though waits for others to decide for sure what they're doing.

"Shadowed, are you following the trail by scent?" asks Berry, hopping in place and sucking blueberry juice through the sides of her mouth.

ShadowedSong says "I was going to, If no-one else objects?"

Haunting_Melody follows the others being ready hopefully for aything, she did get some minor lessons in combat, but she doubts she be great, hpefully no trouble, but this is the everfree forest, just breathig here is dangerous.

The eyes of the statue seem to glow then seem normal again before anypony can look.

Dusk leads or follows, whatever ponies want him to do. "I can use my magic to help us travel longer distances in a shorter time. Though if Miss Song is going to be doing tracking we should hold off as it might well interfere with that."

ShadowedSong looks at Dusk, "I don't think I can track through a teleport spell. Can I hop on your back and point you in the right direction?"

"I brought trail mix!!" offers Berry enthusiastically, hoisting a couple of bags' worth that dangle. "They're mostly raisins. And dried cherries and blueberries! And currants. Mmm, red currants!"

"Ooh. I could go for some trail mix, um, if you don't mind," comes the voice of Fluttershy, from the head of a pony, peering from the bushes up again. And the head of the pony has a body of a lion, and that body of a lion has the wings of an eagle, calling from the bushes up ahead. Of course, being a pony, Fluttershy's as much 'adorable kitten' as 'mighty lioness.'

Haunting_Melody blinks at this as she wonders, "OKay is that FLuttershy made intoa kitty...or is that a kitty made into Fluttershy." she asks quietly so as to hopefully just those that are nearby can hear as she looks to her curiously.

Dusk nods to Shadowed, "You certainly can if you wish. Though it's not actually teleporting at all. I guess we can give it a try and see how it works. If it doesn't we'll save it for the trip back," he says with a bit of a grin. Then he notices Fluttershy..feline, as Haunting quietly comments. He gives a nod, "Yes, seems we have something further different.." Perhaps all the more reason to get moving. "And looks like we're good on food. Thanks, Miss Punch." He helps Shadowed up, and starts heading towards were he knows the path is, though lets her give directions as needed. "And everypony..and such.. keep relatively close."

Berry_Punch hurries ahead to Fluttershy and stops screechingly short at the sight of said shyby in her sphinxish splendor. "Whaa... Fluttershy, what ARE you? Now you're a lion pony? Wow. Where's your germ? Animals and animals and animals." She absentmindedly offers a bag of berry mix (with a tiny contingent of nuts) to Fluttershy. "Okay guys! Shadowed, get on Dusk and giddyap, or whatever!"

ShadowedSong hops up on Dusk, "Into the forest!"

A mud weasel romps out of the bushes and bounces down the trail to the small clearing, pausing to sniff at the air, then it scampers off into the brush.

Berry_Punch scampers after the weasel!

Haunting_Melody just shakes her head at all of this and shrugs it off as she keeps near the others, her hoof ready to go into her saddle bag at a moments notice as she listens.

Fluttershy takes the bag in her hoo..her ho...her...thunk. Fluttershy frowns as the bag slips through her grip. "I-I think these hooves don't work," she says, frowning at her multi-digited paws. Undeterred, she takes up the bag in her mouth and trots along after Berry and the Gang. She's also still wearing her orange sweater, if you're wondering. "I'm a sphinx. I-I mean...I'm sorry. I thought that was obvious."

Dusk nods and heads to the path, rather than right into the thick of the woods, then we progress further into the forest. After checking with Shadowed if we're on the right path, and making sure we're all together, we start to make some real progress. While seeming to still be at a general walking speed, the scenery changes and our progress seems much quicker, crossing large areas in a fairly short time, though Dusk keeps checking with Shadowed too. Dusk's fast travel is a mix of different magics that moves the group quicker, actually working better the less one pays attention.

ShadowedSong nods at Dusk's questions and keeps us on track, marvaling at the speed and magics.

Berry_Punch gets tired of trying to juice the weasel and starts collecting dewberries and other specimens from the bushes in her burlap bags! She hangs out with Fluttershy in the meantime. "So do you feel all wise? Like you've got the wisdom of the ages coursing through you? Does it taste more like cranberry juice or raspberry juice? Or maybe wine! I bet it's like a fine wine, huh?"

Haunting_Melody keeps a eye on things as she hmmms to Dusk, "You been in here before, what kind of things can we expect to maybe run into if unlucky?" she asks listening to Flutterkit and Berry.

Fluttershy looks up from where she was rolling on her back, batting at the bag of berries. "I-I'm sorry, what?" She flips back upright in a single somersault. "Oh! I-it feels...sphinxy. I mean, I guess I feel smart, but it might just be my glasses." She slurps at her snack with her tongue, then gets tangled in her own sweater, and it gets so many views (from the forest creatures.)

A small nut drops from above and goes NOK loudly on a hollow bit of log before it lands in the grasses quietly.
Dusk smiles and nods, glad that this is working out then. Shadowed doesn't seem to need to sniff each inch of the way like a hound might, but more of a general direction. And while we cover distances quickly, the magic works to make it seamlessly look and feel like a general walk and no sense of speed other than if you look back at a place we just passed, now a ways in the distance. We do pass by looks like a very old and completely collapsed building, with an old faded out sign partly laying on the ground that might make out Pepper's Mill. "There are all manner, Miss Melody," he replies. "From swarms of carnivorous ants, to giant Rocs. But even the plants one wants to be careful of too." It's not too long before we're getting close to the castle, with what seems to be a relatively short walk.

Berry_Punch's singing makes a fine counterpoint to Dusk's warnings of horrible insects and horrible birds, all waiting to devour you. "o/` I wish I was an English muffin," she sings. "Got to make the most out of my toaster!" Along she prances, winning suspicious from the narrowed eyes in the foliage. "I'd ease myself down... comin' up brown." She acts out the action of easing herself into a toasted. "I prefer boysenberry more than any ordinary jam," she continues, and then finishes exuberantly: "I'm a Citizens for Boysenberry Jam Fan! o/`"

<OOC> Berry_Punch shares her song: www.youtube.com/watch?v=FXVhN6zgVJM
<OOC> Fluttershy shares hers. www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZCQclCOBS4s
<OOC> Dusk shares.. nothing.

Haunting_Melody nods her head to dusk as she looks around nervously, 'Well least...with fluttershy..if thats her, and you and well...something, and my illusions...hopefully we can get out of any trouble." she says.
In the distance to the east a Timber Wolf howls mournfully.

Oh my gosh! That's the old palace of the Two Sisters not too farin the distance!! The group is almost there!

"Jeeky kly! It looks like Pepper's Ghost has sold the old mill for scrap!" offers Fluttersphinx, with no further explanation. "It's a good thing we got out of there while we could, Ghost Cat." She ducks her head slightly as GHost Cat raps on it. "Oof. R-right. Ghost Cat says there are probably more animal friends with more clues in the castle."

Well not all of them want to devour you. Some will just turn you to stone or fun things like that. If you consider that the bright side or not. Dusk bobs his head a little to the catchy little tune. "That sounds fun, Miss Punch. And yes, I'm particularly glad we're getting to travel by day. Why I wanted to help speed things up a bit as well, to hopefully get back before dark also." If the others worried you, you don't want to run across the ones at night. He nods to the Flutterkitty, "Though that place looks like it collapsed many many years ago. I wonder how you could have just been inside of it." Indeed, it looks like we're soon arriving, just outside of the old castle the Princesses used to use, before the whole banishment thing.

Haunting_Melody looks around at the place frowning, she would say that didn't make sense, but at this point nothing of this adventure is making very much sense.

[Derpy]

I'm not quite sure if this scene ties reasonably into the timeline, but it happened, so here it is! Folks are rushing around the Square, wondering what to do.

---

Ponyville Square(#138RA)
$===============$ PONYVILLE SQUARE $===============$

At the heart of Ponyville stands a proud and massive pavillion known as Town Hall. Around it lies the town square, a well-kept ring decorated with tall banners and the occasional picturesque bush. A fountain sits before the entrance to the hall with a joyous, reared-up earth pony statue as its ornament. Various municipal officials have pitched colorful, conical tents in the square from which they run their operations. The town square is lined along one side by a stream crossed by a broad stone bridge, while on its other sides it's surrounded by a combination of commercial establishments and some of the oldest houses in Ponyville. The mood here is generally cheerful but officious.

$====================================================$



<OOC> ShadowedSong says, "quick recap, SS was chased by what she thought was NMM, ran into Cal, discussing that no alicorns in town atm"
<OOC> Dusk says, "Mystery!"
<OOC> ShadowedSong says, "yup!"

Calbee hmmmms at that, "Not sure, maybe somnething related to the mirror." He says.

ShadowedSong ponders the statement, "Maybe, but why was it chasing me? And not some other pony?"

Calbee hmmmms, "well...because you don't have your cutie mark?" he asks.

ShadowedSong blushes and hides her blank flank. "That could be why..."

Calbee shrugs, "If it effects those with cutie marks what does it do to those without."

Fluttershy has arrived.

ShadowedSong shudders, "It amplifies the abilities of those with a mark, and I think it may take away the possibility of those without one."

Calbee nods his hea and hmmms, "I wonder if it would effect griffons? As we have no marks ever, and if it's just those that can have them."

ShadowedSong nods, "You might be safe, the mirror was designed for ponies, by ponies."

Derpy flies by in the middle air, her oven costume's compartment hanging open. She looks distressed and isn't flying to any one spot in particular.

ShadowedSong waves to Derpy, "Whats wrong?"

Calbee looks up in the direction of Derpy, "Hey there, everything okay?" he asks as he watches her go by.

Derpy flies down, her oven door flapping papier-machaically. "No! It's a bad day ride! There's somepony with a scary mirror making everypony have the willies!" She shakes. "I don't want the willies. Do you have them?"

Calbee looks around nodding his head, "Some do...I only get willies when I try to land."

Derpy looks dismayed. "I have seven willies, one for each bubble." Her tail graces her rump. "What can we do?? I can't solve the riddle but I thought maybe of checking Cloudsdale! But nopony in Cloudsdale knew what I was talking about!!"

ShadowedSong stares at Derpy, "I recognised the words you said, but they make no sense stringed together."

<OOC> You say, "Wow! This is Derpy being especially coherent! "
OOC> ShadowedSong says, "maybe I'm especially incoherant today"

Calbee tilts his head and hmmms, "Well...what can we do about things right now?" he asks.

Derpy shakes her head. "Maybe dragnet? Maybe set trap with bait? Maybe investigate!"

ShadowedSong looks around for Dusk, "We should certainly investigate something,"

Calbee tilts his head at this, "Well what does willies and dragons have to do with anything?" he asks.

Derpy looks confused too. "Dragons? No. Is a marrer with a mir." She derps. "I mean mir with marrer. No!" She stamps a hoof, which makes a soft click only because she's wearing a fake oven dial on it as a shoe. "Mare with mirror!! If we can find her, we can stop her! Or maybe follow second riddle? Find Marble Memory and get new clue?"

ShadowedSong shrugs, "Dusk is gonna take us to the castle soon, thats where my sniffer lead us last night."

Calbee nods his head at this, "Well I sorta know of the castle, seen it once before." he says as he looks around , "But why would someone go there?"

Derpy looks up at Twilight's castle, fully visible from here. "Which castle? That one?" She points wuaveringly. "Or the Canterlot one?" That's where she goe sto work as a courier for Princess Luna. "Or..." She shivers. "A deeper castle?"

ShadowedSong shudders eyes glazing over, "The deepest and darkest of them all. The place where the sun fell, and so will we." she finishes in strange monotone voice, staring at nothing

Calbee hmmms, "The one in the forest?" he asks, he had assumed that as it's not that hard to go check the other two. At the words that Shadow says his ears perk slightly as he frowns.

Derpy shakes harder and her oven parts start to rattle. The lights go on and fof as a result. "The deep castle where sun has set below?" She looks doubtful. "There were some ponies going that way before... maybe we should wait for them?" she helpfully, optimistically suggests.

ShadowedSong snaps out of the trance, "I was there the other day with Dusk and a few others. We had to come back for sleep, I havn't seen him in a little bit, so I'm not sute what to do next

Calbee nods at this, "Well hopefully what ever is...up isn't too dangerous." he says though the words earlier did worry him.

Derpy is hesitant. "Wellll... we could try to make the mirror spout another riddle," she offers! "Maybe Luna or Celestia could help! I could go and ask!"

ShadowedSong giggles, "Are you afraid of the Forest, Derpy?"

Calbee hmmms a bit, "I'ts not TOO bad...then again I can fly over most of the danger." he says.

Derpy nods and nods again. She's still shivering, and it's making a metallic sond crossed with papier-mache. "I'm very afraid!" she says. "It's the Everfree! The clouds don't act like clouds should. I'm afraid even to fly over!"

<OOC> Calbee decides to send Zecora hundred letters to see how long it takes Derpy to break :>

ShadowedSong rears up, "Don't worry! I'll protect you!" she rawrs cutely and blows bubbles intonthe air.

<OOC> Calbee giggles, "Actually that makes me think of that one invitation that was sent to Discord :>

Derpy nods shyly. "Yes sometimes I carry packages from Luna that way. But I'm alsways scared! I try to fly reeeeally high so I don't need to need the clouds or the cockatrices!"

ShadowedSong nods, " We can just fly high!"

<OOC> Dusk says, "Flying over the Everfree isn't so great an idea either. :-)"
<OOC> ShadowedSong says, "it is truly a horrendice idea"
<OOC> Dusk says, "Had a big RP about a couple of pegasi that tried it. Had to rescue them and barely got out. And nearly burnt the place down in the process. :-)"

Calbee nods his head at that, "Yeah, I wouldn't do it too often." he says with a small shrug.
Derpy looks doubtful. "But the old castle is scary too! And we'd have to fly down inside it anyway. What will we find?"

<OOC> Dusk ahs here we go.. Roc'in the Everfree. :-) equestriamuck.proboards.com/thread/315
<OOC> ShadowedSong says, "ooc woot"

ShadowedSong shrugs, "I'll follow whatever you two decide."

Calbee hmmms, "Well I'm not sure if I should go< I should stay here in case of a fire, but If I did, I would want a group, just in case trouble."

Derpy thinks. "Are you worried about Dusk and the others?

ShadowedSong scratches at the ground, bitting her lower lip

"I'm a lion!" says Fluttershy, looking through her magnifying glass. "And I'm looking for clues!"

Calbee hmmms as he blinks looking over towards Fluttershy curiously, and well he would like to say he's surprised, but it's ponyville only days it's surprising is when it's quiet.

Derpy jumps up in the air fifteen feet when Fluttershy appears. "L-l-l-lii-oon!?" she cries. She flies around in a tizzy, her oven door slamming open and shut. "Don't eeeat meeee!" she cries.

[Derpy]

The scene continued the next night (though ICly still the day after Nightmare Night)...

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=

Dusk nods and listens as we talk about the marking and the leaking magic of the mirror. He looks around and gets his barrings. "I believe the path would be just a little ways down here. We should find it before going deeper into the forest, rather than trying to cut through it." He starts leading the way, though waits for others to decide for sure what they're doing.

"Shadowed, are you following the trail by scent?" asks Berry, hopping in place and sucking blueberry juice through the sides of her mouth.

ShadowedSong says "I was going to, If no-one else objects?"

Haunting_Melody follows the others being ready hopefully for aything, she did get some minor lessons in combat, but she doubts she be great, hpefully no trouble, but this is the everfree forest, just breathig here is dangerous.

The eyes of the statue seem to glow then seem normal again before anypony can look.

Dusk leads or follows, whatever ponies want him to do. "I can use my magic to help us travel longer distances in a shorter time. Though if Miss Song is going to be doing tracking we should hold off as it might well interfere with that."

ShadowedSong looks at Dusk, "I don't think I can track through a teleport spell. Can I hop on your back and point you in the right direction?"

"I brought trail mix!!" offers Berry enthusiastically, hoisting a couple of bags' worth that dangle. "They're mostly raisins. And dried cherries and blueberries! And currants. Mmm, red currants!"

"Ooh. I could go for some trail mix, um, if you don't mind," comes the voice of Fluttershy, from the head of a pony, peering from the bushes up again. And the head of the pony has a body of a lion, and that body of a lion has the wings of an eagle, calling from the bushes up ahead. Of course, being a pony, Fluttershy's as much 'adorable kitten' as 'mighty lioness.'

Haunting_Melody blinks at this as she wonders, "OKay is that FLuttershy made intoa kitty...or is that a kitty made into Fluttershy." she asks quietly so as to hopefully just those that are nearby can hear as she looks to her curiously.

Dusk nods to Shadowed, "You certainly can if you wish. Though it's not actually teleporting at all. I guess we can give it a try and see how it works. If it doesn't we'll save it for the trip back," he says with a bit of a grin. Then he notices Fluttershy..feline, as Haunting quietly comments. He gives a nod, "Yes, seems we have something further different.." Perhaps all the more reason to get moving. "And looks like we're good on food. Thanks, Miss Punch." He helps Shadowed up, and starts heading towards were he knows the path is, though lets her give directions as needed. "And everypony..and such.. keep relatively close."

Berry_Punch hurries ahead to Fluttershy and stops screechingly short at the sight of said shyby in her sphinxish splendor. "Whaa... Fluttershy, what ARE you? Now you're a lion pony? Wow. Where's your germ? Animals and animals and animals." She absentmindedly offers a bag of berry mix (with a tiny contingent of nuts) to Fluttershy. "Okay guys! Shadowed, get on Dusk and giddyap, or whatever!"

ShadowedSong hops up on Dusk, "Into the forest!"

A mud weasel romps out of the bushes and bounces down the trail to the small clearing, pausing to sniff at the air, then it scampers off into the brush.

Berry_Punch scampers after the weasel!

Haunting_Melody just shakes her head at all of this and shrugs it off as she keeps near the others, her hoof ready to go into her saddle bag at a moments notice as she listens.

Fluttershy takes the bag in her hoo..her ho...her...thunk. Fluttershy frowns as the bag slips through her grip. "I-I think these hooves don't work," she says, frowning at her multi-digited paws. Undeterred, she takes up the bag in her mouth and trots along after Berry and the Gang. She's also still wearing her orange sweater, if you're wondering. "I'm a sphinx. I-I mean...I'm sorry. I thought that was obvious."

Dusk nods and heads to the path, rather than right into the thick of the woods, then we progress further into the forest. After checking with Shadowed if we're on the right path, and making sure we're all together, we start to make some real progress. While seeming to still be at a general walking speed, the scenery changes and our progress seems much quicker, crossing large areas in a fairly short time, though Dusk keeps checking with Shadowed too. Dusk's fast travel is a mix of different magics that moves the group quicker, actually working better the less one pays attention.

ShadowedSong nods at Dusk's questions and keeps us on track, marvaling at the speed and magics.

Berry_Punch gets tired of trying to juice the weasel and starts collecting dewberries and other specimens from the bushes in her burlap bags! She hangs out with Fluttershy in the meantime. "So do you feel all wise? Like you've got the wisdom of the ages coursing through you? Does it taste more like cranberry juice or raspberry juice? Or maybe wine! I bet it's like a fine wine, huh?"

Haunting_Melody keeps a eye on things as she hmmms to Dusk, "You been in here before, what kind of things can we expect to maybe run into if unlucky?" she asks listening to Flutterkit and Berry.

Fluttershy looks up from where she was rolling on her back, batting at the bag of berries. "I-I'm sorry, what?" She flips back upright in a single somersault. "Oh! I-it feels...sphinxy. I mean, I guess I feel smart, but it might just be my glasses." She slurps at her snack with her tongue, then gets tangled in her own sweater, and it gets so many views (from the forest creatures.)

A small nut drops from above and goes NOK loudly on a hollow bit of log before it lands in the grasses quietly.
Dusk smiles and nods, glad that this is working out then. Shadowed doesn't seem to need to sniff each inch of the way like a hound might, but more of a general direction. And while we cover distances quickly, the magic works to make it seamlessly look and feel like a general walk and no sense of speed other than if you look back at a place we just passed, now a ways in the distance. We do pass by looks like a very old and completely collapsed building, with an old faded out sign partly laying on the ground that might make out Pepper's Mill. "There are all manner, Miss Melody," he replies. "From swarms of carnivorous ants, to giant Rocs. But even the plants one wants to be careful of too." It's not too long before we're getting close to the castle, with what seems to be a relatively short walk.

Berry_Punch's singing makes a fine counterpoint to Dusk's warnings of horrible insects and horrible birds, all waiting to devour you. "o/` I wish I was an English muffin," she sings. "Got to make the most out of my toaster!" Along she prances, winning suspicious from the narrowed eyes in the foliage. "I'd ease myself down... comin' up brown." She acts out the action of easing herself into a toasted. "I prefer boysenberry more than any ordinary jam," she continues, and then finishes exuberantly: "I'm a Citizens for Boysenberry Jam Fan! o/`"

<OOC> Berry_Punch shares her song: www.youtube.com/watch?v=FXVhN6zgVJM
<OOC> Fluttershy shares hers. www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZCQclCOBS4s
<OOC> Dusk shares.. nothing.

Haunting_Melody nods her head to dusk as she looks around nervously, 'Well least...with fluttershy..if thats her, and you and well...something, and my illusions...hopefully we can get out of any trouble." she says.
In the distance to the east a Timber Wolf howls mournfully.

Oh my gosh! That's the old palace of the Two Sisters not too farin the distance!! The group is almost there!

"Jeeky kly! It looks like Pepper's Ghost has sold the old mill for scrap!" offers Fluttersphinx, with no further explanation. "It's a good thing we got out of there while we could, Ghost Cat." She ducks her head slightly as GHost Cat raps on it. "Oof. R-right. Ghost Cat says there are probably more animal friends with more clues in the castle."

Well not all of them want to devour you. Some will just turn you to stone or fun things like that. If you consider that the bright side or not. Dusk bobs his head a little to the catchy little tune. "That sounds fun, Miss Punch. And yes, I'm particularly glad we're getting to travel by day. Why I wanted to help speed things up a bit as well, to hopefully get back before dark also." If the others worried you, you don't want to run across the ones at night. He nods to the Flutterkitty, "Though that place looks like it collapsed many many years ago. I wonder how you could have just been inside of it." Indeed, it looks like we're soon arriving, just outside of the old castle the Princesses used to use, before the whole banishment thing.

Haunting_Melody looks around at the place frowning, she would say that didn't make sense, but at this point nothing of this adventure is making very much sense.

[Derpy]

So there we finally were, at the...

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=

Palace of the Moon
Once known as the Palace of the Two Sisters, now the sole demesne of her sovereign of the night, the Princess Luna and her court, the ruins have stirred to a semblance of former splendor. Here, in the Palace of the Moon, the ponies of the night hold sway. Slowly, bulwarked walls and rebuilt ceilings are reclaiming the palace, though suspiciously mobile plants-- perhaps escapees from the brooding sharp-peaked shape of the Lunarium nearby-- still choke the ruins.
With every flag at half-mast and dark bunting fluttering at the parapets, the Palace is wearing mourning colours. A cherished member of the court, a valiant servant, and an honourable warrior has fallen in Luna's service. Today, we pay tribute to Squire Firefly, strong right hoof of the Princess.

[ Sleepers: Zecora, Trixie ]
[ Contents: Imperial Garthim ]


It's a dark night. Well, not dark in the physical, not-enough-photons sense that you may be familiar with. No, it's dark in a lustful, rulebending, tenebrous way, the kind of darkness that a holiday like Nightmare Night (or the Day of the Dead) tends to get a reputation for. But over the crunch of leaves and the skeptical sounds of forest creatures deciding whether to fight or flee comes a fulsome, passionate croon. "o/` Don't you know I heard it through the grapevine!!" sings a certain knickerbocker-clad earth pony. "Raised in the sweet Sorreian sunshiiine! Oh don'tcha KNOW I..."

Haunting_Melody follows along with the others a bit nervously as they near the Castle wondering just what they will find there.

The Palace of the Moon shines brightly tonight, a bit two brightly infact. A sickly green shine, with what seems like vines of evershifting magic hanging from the walls and flags. Words and images dance, just out of perceptions reach. The moon hangs low, grinning at the group as they aproch the outer courtyard.

Dusk has been carrying Shadowed on his back as we took a fairly quick trip here, to save on those very photon emissions. One sort of dark is plenty enough at a time for being out in the Everfree. He checks out the old castle and sees the path leading up to the main, grand entranceway. He walks up towards it at a now much more normal traveling pace. "Looks like we've arrived." He checks around for anything too out of the usual, even for Everfree or the old ruins, before proceeding, and making sure the others are all with him. Haunting and Fluttershy seem particularly under the effects of their cutie marks.

"Meow," says Fluttersphinx, in the same voice she usually says 'yay.' "Winkies. There's certainly something spooky going on around here, isn't there, Ghost Cat?"

Ghost Cat thumps the back of Fluttershy's head again, pointing onward toward the castle. "O-okay," she says, and folds her wings to slink under a branch. "I mean, I was going anyway..."

Berry_Punch is under the effect of her mark too--you just can't tell as well because she's so exuberant at the best of times. But the grapes and strawberry are throbbing just a little bigger in time with her singing, and they may rock slightly from side to side from time to time. She cuts off her verse about the sexiest trellises when Dusk announces their arrival. "Oh goodie! Wonder if anyone's home. Looks at those vines!" she exclaims, planting her forehooves up against the half-ruined outer wall. "Are those northern growth? They look like they're dancing." She glances at Haunting Melody. "You aren't doing that, are you? Tell me those vines are natural! I wanna know what kind of funky fruit grows from those suckers." The bricks start to crumble under her weight.

Haunting_Melody watches curiously as she still follows, the antic of ghost kitie are worrying her a little bit as she hmmms, "I don't think it's me...but hard to tell." she says.

ShadowedSong shudders, "Its not your illusions, It's real!"

Dusk can't help watching Berry and Fluttershy some as they go on. With the mix of Haunting's musical magic in the background it can be a little hard to tell if it might be effecting the appearance of the vines, but doesn't doesn't pick up too much that would be unusual. "They seem pretty natural. Or what counts for natural out here," he agrees Though really, while most ponies wouldn't consider it as such, Everfree is actually the more natural environment than the pony controlled ones of Equestria. However when some bricks start to crumble, Dusk has a bit of concern, "We best be careful we don't collapse any of this old place." Fortunately the crumbling ones are more facade than support. He steps up to the entryway that is already partly ajar, poking his head in and firing up some light.

"That's a good point," says Fluttershy. Wait, do lions weigh more than horses? What if they're, like, ten percent horse? She sets a paw on the edge of the bridge...and when a few pebbles crumble away, she remembers she has wings and takes off into a low hover instead. Ghost Cat clings to her back. "Maybe the vines just need a hug."

Berry_Punch looks back at Dusk's cautionary word and hesitates, drawing her hooves away. "Huh? Oh... this old place's been here over a thousand years! It's been suffering, sure, but it can take a little abuse. Like Persehpony and the pomegranate seeds..." She strokes her hoof down one of the vines and backs down, but not before more bricks crumble, and the sound of dashing hooves can be heard. From inside the palace. Berry casts a startled look back at the party. "That... I didn't just imagine hearing that, did I?"

Suddenly, the Magic vines grab Berry, sinking into her, slowly drawing the colour out of her body!

Haunting_Melody nods as she looks around trying to keep her worry down, and her illusions down, though she has a few butterflies around her that change colour every few moments, so it's not total control as she takes a deep breath, "Any idea of where to go here?" she asks. She blink blinks at that a she sees the vines go for Berry and tries to grab the vines with her teeth to pull them away from Berry.

As Melody bites the one vine, more vines sink into her, drawing more colour out of both of them.

ShadowedSong shrieks and runs yup to berry, grabing her tail and trying to pull her away from the vines.

Dusk nods to Fluttershy-sphinx, and sees her being careful about stepping over the bridge. He nods to Berry, "I imagine so. But we still don't want to have any loose bricks falling on our heads either!" But no sooner is he looking inside the palace, than there is a much different trouble outside of it! "Get away from those!" But it's too late as the vines are already attaching. He reaches out with his colorless magic and tries to help pull both Berry and Haunting away.

Berry_Punch seems to have, like an adept merchant often should, gotten more than she bargained more. She shouts an expletive to the air and shakes her hooves to shed the grasping tendrils, ghostly or real. "Whoa! *I'm* not a berry, you cretinous creepers! I'm a pony who *loves* berries! Aw, but I can forgive you for making that mistake." Having been pulled free, she stands up from where she landed and shakes herself off. "Aww, gimme a hug!" she says, rushing forward again, but finds herself blocked by her responsible companions. She feels odd. "Um... Melody? You don't look so good. Do.. do I look good?" She looks at her own leg and leaps in shock at seeing her discolored state.

Eep! Fluttershy jerks back in the air, going wide-eyed as the vines snare her friends. "No! Wait! B-bad vines!" She unsheathes her claws with a SNIKT!, takes a swing, and...she hesitates. "I'm sorry, everypony. I-I just can't do it." And in her moment of weakness...

Haunting_Melody shivers a bit at the weird feeling as she tries to pull hrself away as she's grabbed and thankfully magick does pull her away thanks to Dusk. She looks towards Fluttershy frowning a bit, but well it's to be expected, "It's okay..." she says, least they are safe as she quickly gets into the castle before any more dangers.
ShadowedSong stares at the vines for a bit, before shaking her head and pointing towards the, "Lets get the mirror! And stay away from the vines!"

Dusk is at least glad to see them successfully pulled free, "I think you're starting to look a little better already though, but yes. Seems the castle is at least as dangerous as the Everfree itself." And we can't just rush by the troubles here. "Don't get too close either, Lady Fluttershy." He keeps an eye out for any vines that might try reaching for her. "And yes, Miss Song is right, let's head on." He follows Haunting into the castle, striking up some light again. Oddly though no light actually shines from his horn, just the area around him in a sphere is evenly lit from all directions, leaving no shadows in the effected area, which he starts spreading further outwards.

Haunting_Melody looks around curiously as she gets nervous, trying to keep her magick from going off though a bit of the castle around her looks a little less..old as she lets Dusk lead the way once they were inside.

Berry_Punch is shaking as she walks inside. "They should have done what I told them," she mutters to nopony and everypony. "They're vines!" I mean, they may not be grapevines, sure, but they're kindred! They may not have fruit, but they're scandent! Are you scandent? I'm not so sure they don't have fruit, anyway, it might've been small and concealed. Maybe out of season! But then, if they did have fruit, why didn't they react? Pineapples don't grow on vines. Kiwis grow on vines. Pumpkins grow on vines. What grows on a vine that's not a berry? Nothing! Nothing. It couldn't have... It couldn't have..." She keeps muttering like that as they explore along the longest intact piece of the old ruin. A clattering of metal upstairs draws their attention as a group.

Christmas is Christian persecution, so it's not people that say, "You MUST say happy holidays." it's the people that say, "If you sayhappy holidays you hate Christians and americans and no one should buy from you."

Fluttershy blinks, ducking her head sheepishly. She lowers herself back to just above the bridge and darts into the castle, just avoiding one of the vines trying to snag her hind leg. "I, um...beans grow on vines." She pauses. "A-are beans a fruit?" When she hits the inside of the castle, she blinks a few times, then squeezes her eyes shut, and when she opens them, her pupils have contracted into slits. Apparently, Fluttersphinx has night vision action. She peers into the dark beyond Dusk's light. You know, through her fake glasses. "This place is a maze! I-I mean...I already knew that."

ShadowedSong follows Dusk, glancing every now and then at thr vines

Dusk is looking around inside too, glad to leave the vines behind. The lighting works well, though it's still a very big place and lots of places outside the circle of light. He's checking carefully for anything that might be dangerous when there comes the clang of metal from upstairs. "Hmmm what was that?" He proceeds over to the stairss, both looking around us, and upstairs.

Haunting_Melody shivers slightly as the radius of her newness grows slightly as she looks around, one hoof very ready to go into her saddle bags if she has too, "Not sure...ghost?" she asks.

"Beans grows on stalks, not vines," retorts Berry instantly. She's already hurrying toward the noise, but can't find the stairs. "Hey!" she shouts. "Hey! Who's there? Who knows how we can get up there?" She doesn't seem to be wondering whether it's a good idea.

... ... ... "O-oh, right." Fluttershy shifts awkwardly, then takes wing once more. She flutters up ahead, over some broken gaps in the stairs, and gently shoves the mechanisms back into place. Then, she turns and peers up into the dark again. "I bet it's that funky Mirror Phantom again. Do we have any ghost traps?"

Dusk chuckles a little nods, "It could be, Miss Melody. Perhaps it's Ghost Cat!" He looks around for the other feline. A short ways up Dusk is about the pause at a gap, but just then the missing sections of stairs slide up into place thanks to Fluttershy. "Ah nice work! And this way, Miss Punch," calls Dusk more quietly than Berry is calling out, the light of course following him as he moves upwards.

Haunting_Melody looks around curiously as he follows after Dusk andd the otherse still waiting to see what is going on around them feeling a bit nervous.

Berry_Punch finds her way and trips up the stairs, not singing out loud now, at least. She's still humming "Heard it through the Grapevine," but quietly. "So what do we do if we catch this phantom? What if it's got powers? What if it trips your cutie mark, Dusk? Are we all in trouble then? Should we run?" She passes past a ballustrade and turns into an upper level hallway with no connection to the lower floor. "What about you, Shadow? It did a number on the rest of us. I'm not sure I should even be here."

"Well, I'm still feline fine," says Fluttershy, heedless of her own pun. "But don't worry. I'm sure we'll get all of you back to normal in a jiffy." She flutters slowly down the hall, peering into doors, and never straying too far from the rest of the group. Suddenly, her head turns to face an open archway, and she blinks...

Dusk is glad to see Haunting and the others keeping up now. He's moving carefully so we can try and avoid any unpleasant surprises, but still trying to track where he heard the sound of metal earlier too. He nods to Berry, "Some excellent questions," leaving him actually pretty thoughtful on the subject. He magics up some mirrored goggles, and magicing them into place. He gives one lens a little tap with his hoof. "Might as well try a little protection." And they're a little more than just plain glasses. As for if he's exposed to it.. that would indeed be a serious question. Outwardly he doesn't show much magic around others, even though he runs the MRC. But his real talent lies with altering the paths objects with those of other possible realities. Generally pretty harmless. But if it was supercharged? Could it even effect ponies directly then? But then your average artifacts are more effective against weaker powers than over stronger ones. So it may not be too much to handle. But as they say, better safe than sorry. Worse case, running probably wouldn't help. But do we really need to worry everypony over that? Nah. "Yes that's the spirit, Lady Fluttershy!" He's looking around with the others too, then notices Fluttershy, "What's there?" he asks.

Haunting_Melody follows after the others and blinks as Fluttershy sems to see something that has her attention and makes her move closer, "Yeah something up?"

Berry_Punch spins around and looks back. "Huh! Nice shades, Dusk! I feel like you oughta be hawking some kind of fruit drink." She trots to where Fluttershy's noticed something. "You don't want to go back to normal?" she asks. "You're having fun out here, huh?" She elbows the yellow investigator, then grows serious. "What'd you see?"

Fluttershy blinks her big, slitted eyes. "I-I don't understand. I am normal." She pauses for a second to look at her paw...and then moves on. "I think I just saw a light from in here. M-maybe it was the Mirror Ghoul again." She flutters through the archway and into a parlor...cafe...library thing. Tiled floor. Books everywhere. "I-I swear this place makes up new rooms for us to clean..."

Dusk chuckles and smiles, "If this all goes well, I'll buy the drinks for everypony here, how's that?" As Fluttershy stops and looks at something, Dusk is following up with the others as well, but also keeping an eye out around us too. "Mirror Ghoul?" Is that what it's being called now? He lets his magic light cover the immediate area as we explore the new area.

Berry_Punch licks her lips. "I'm gonna go with triple-berry punch," she says. "Can't beat the classics. Oh, yeah, Flut's calling things by weird names. She's in a little of a strange place, I think." She follows Fluttersphinx into the tiled room and looks around in quiet wonder. "You're not normal, craisin, she says. "You're a liony thing instead of a pony, and before that you were half snake. Said you're of the animals. And you're talkign like everything's a big mystery, even more than it is. On the plus side, you swear a lot better than you used to!" Seriously, have you ever been in a swearing contest with Fluttershy? It's like a baby in a lumberjack sports competition. "So... is the palace helping us, or getting in our way?" The coffee machine suddenly turns on and starts brewing a pot.

[Derpy]

Haunting_Melody nods her head, "It could be...or something else, we better be careful." she says as she peaks around the corner carefully, findingherself getting a bit nervous and whistling to herself slightly to distract herself, that just makes the whole stairwell look new.

Dusk ahs and nods to Berry, "Yes that makes sense then. I didn't consider that and was thinking it was a name that had come up." He grins, and guesses it's a catchy enough name as any. He also nods about the drink, "Sounds delicious then! And quite true, Miss Melody. Always best to be safe." Though he does find it curious her magic is making things look new. Hopefully it won't cover anything important we need to see. Like old holes in the floor. We walk through the room with the soft but acute sound of hooves on tiles, looking for the sign of the other light or any other evidence. This is in the general direction the sound was in too. "I don't know if the castle is doing anything for or against us, so far," he says in a lowered voice.

"I don't know how to be careful!" frets Berry Punch. "Being careful ins't something I'm good at even normally--I have to make an effort! And right now I'm so far u the neck thinking about quintuple berry parfaits--no, SEXtuple berry, who are we kidding--you've got to let the rainbow remind you--that I don't know what I'm getting into! I could get raspberry gobwhacked at any time and I wouldn't smell it coming! I mean taste it coming! I mean SEE it coming!" Her face shakes and her tail twitches wildly as she follows along.

ShadowedSong creeps along behind Dusk, glancing this way and that, jump at semingly nothing

Haunting_Melody nods as she follows along lookin in the others direction, still whistling a bit as she tries to distract herself.

Dusk nods to Berry, "Well we all just can do our best of course. I'll help keep an eye out." He gives his mirrored goggles another tap with his hoof and a little smile Berry's way. "Being concerned is good, but don't need to get yourself upset over either." And he does his best keeping an eye on everyone. We cross the tiled room and find another large hallway, which Dusk checks up and down it. Was that a light down there? Or maybe just a reflection.

It's a light! And a reflection, too! Light is usually reflected. It's crazy like that--it gets reflected all over the place! Berry does her best to walk slowly. "Gooseberries, winterberries, cloudberries, elderberries," she chants to herself. "Gooseberries, winterberries, cloudberries, elderberries." Then the light goes out. And all the light go out. And something like a fog horn starts wailing. Berry is too shocked to really respond at first. "Okay, what NOOW?!" she wails.

ShadowedSong screams and runs away from the sound, strait into a wall. She picks herself up, turns, and runs into collum, which promptly colapses on her, cutting off her screams abruptly.

Haunting_Melody blinks as she looks around moving closer to the others, maybe even bumped into a few of them nervously, "whats going on?" she asks curiously.

Dusk would agree that's all true. But he would also suppose it was more a question of was it a direct source of light from something else, or perhaps our own light shining off of something. But the point becomes moot as everything else around us in the castle seems to go dark, or at least darker. And there's the strange sound that reverberates through the old castle. But Dusk attention is actually turned away from it rather than towards it, and Shadowed's cries are fortunately cut off not by the crushing rubble, but a nearly invisible magic shield around her. Even so it takes her a few moments to realize she hasn't been crushed. And a few more after that there's a bit of wrenching sensation as Dusk lifts it and her upwards, heavy chunks of rubble falling away from the protective and rising bubble until she's free of it, and Dusk settles her back on the ground. All the while he's still keeping alert. "We need to track this pony down, and soon."

"Whoa," says Berry, sidling and strafing, doing the grapevine with front legs and back. "Whoa whoa whoa. What's going on??" She leaps at the sound of the crushed column collapsing. "DO not--AAH!!" She turns around in place and tries not to make big movements. She then sips a hard draught of strawberry lemonade to get her groove back through her straws and canteens. "Okay Okay. Calm down. The whoever is messing with us. They're probably using the castle against us."
ShadowedSong shakes, head cradled under her hooves. After a few moments, she looks around suprised to not be under a pile of rubbles, "Waa?" she mumbles. She races towards Dusk and grabs one of his legs.

Fluttershy can swear a curse with the big mares! Diaper biscuits. Is what she thinks when she heards the crash. "Oh no!" she thinks, and darks through the air like a flying kitty. coping to a stop with her paws on her cheeks. "Oh no! Are you okay, little pony? Do you need me to lick it better?"

<OOC> Berry_Punch was just thinking of that swear earlier when reposing! ;D
<OOC> Dusk says, "Is that a swear phrase Berry uses often? :-)"

Haunting_Melody shivers and fights the extremly strong urge to grab the amulet now, this was definetly spooking her out as she starts to go both invisible and larger now, or least appear she fights the emotions she's feeling and now picking up from others.

Dusk sees Fluttersphinx rushing over too, and would have settled Shadowed into her paws, but the small pony has already dashed over and taken hold of his leg. He reaches down and helps place her on his back, "It's going to be okay. Lady Fluttershy will help keep an eye on you too, okay?" He walks over and gives Berry a little reassuring shoulder bump, also saying it's going to be okay without saying the words. He catches Haunting's glance, and has an idea what she has in mind, but just watches without saying anything too. After ponies have had a few to calm he nods, "Okay, we deal with this now." And he starts marching down the hallway, casting out his light head and around us.

Berry_Punch is able to calm down with some effort. She puts one foreleg over Fluttersphinx and the other over Dusk and starts moving on. "Jinkyberries," she mutters. "What if they trap us somewhere? Watch out for traps, everypony. I don't like the look of that frieze." It's barely visible in the Dusklight, but it does seem a little ominous. They arrive at a junction. "If they want to get away from us, they won't have any trouble, will they? I don't suppose we could set a trap?"

Haunting_Melody nods her head thinking, "Except...we don't know if they have other way out or such...we need to know some way to know their plans." she says as if from thin air as she moves closer to the others bumping into them though of course it looks like a ghist bumped into them.

ShadowedSong curls up on Dusk's back. "rope, rice, cucumber. ope, rice, cucumber. ope, rice, cucumber." small sparks shooting from her maw.

"O-okay. No licking, then." Fluttershy rubs her sandpapery tongue. Luckily, she has no trouble supporting Berry Punch like this. "Good idea, Dusk. L-let's split up." She turns and tries to go another way, dragging Berry along with her. "We should check for exits. I think."

Dusk helps Berry and the others along. Of course everypony is getting on edge with all of this. "Yes they may be trying to use the castle to their advantage. But a good idea, setting a trap, if we can," he replies to Berry and Haunting as we continue to move. He's using his talent too, looking for recent paths of ponies, or anything else, that have crossed this area, and where they went. He shakes his head as Fluttershy tries pulling Berry in two directions. "No, best we keep together, Lady Fluttershy." He makes a turn, and starts heading in that way.

"No no, I think she's right." Berry leaps off the feline and jabs her hoof at her. "I think this crazy mixed up animal person is on to something. This chick with the mirror. It is the chick with the mirror who's messing with us, right? Probably. She can keep dodging and weaving so long as she's got us flat-fetlocked. We *do* know they can get out," she tells Haunting, "this place is like a maze and it's got a million secret passages. Probably even the closets have passages through the ceiling to other closets. If we want to have any chance of catching this mare, we've got to squeeze her in the vice and juice, juice, juice! We *should* split up! But we need a signal! So we know when to strike."

Haunting_Melody frowns at this and thinks shivering a bit, and then well a light shines in her eyes as her horn glows, "Actually your right...too many ways for her to get out from here." she says as she begins to sing and focus as the stairs below them vanish and all doorways start to look like brick walls.

ShadowedSong sniffs and points to the wallway on the left
ShadowedSong says "the scent leads that way"

"Oof!" Fluttershy rubs her flutterside. "Am I mixed up? I'm sorry." She looks around with her magic eyes. "Maybe we can make a trap out of...a-all the trap mechanisms up there." She starts trotting along, you know, like a big cat. "Should I go get them?"

Dusk raises a brow as Berry wants to agree with Fluttershy about splitting up. Of course Fluttershy's desire to split up is likely from the effects on her. Though Berry does have a point, "Yes, closing in around her would be good. But splitting up may also let her get to us one at a time." He looks between the others, seeing they seem fairly determined. Then he notices Haunting's effect, "Ah an excellent start, Miss Melody. It may buy us some time." Then Shadowed points out the direction to go. He's glad to see she's calmed some and not emitting sparks or whatnot anymore. He casts a light spell on to each of the other ponies, similar in effect to his own. "I'm following where Miss Song has picked up the trail. For a signal, perhaps just whistle?" He starts heading in the pointed direction.

In the distance, there's an angished cry, followed by a repeated thud thud thud. It's down a different passage than the one with the smell, though not too far away. "Right," says Berry Punch. "I'm going this way!" She points down a random third corridor. "I'll double back and cut her off! And if I catch up to that mare, I will show her a BERRY good time." She narrows her eyes ominously. "Fluttershy, you collect the traps and make some traps out of them! Haunting, keep the mare off balance with your illusions! Shadowed, keep tracking her scenet, and Dusk, do whatever you said you'd do. Berry OUT!" With that, she scrambles her hooves and slide-scrambles away, leaving a faint trail of cranberry juice cocktail behind her.

[Derpy]

And now, a major new figure joins the plot, and none too soon!

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=


Princess Luna emerges from the depths of the old palace, humming to herself. She looks like she's been enjoying herself... She even has a hammer and bunch of nails. Plywood too, come to think of it. Okay, so maybe she's NOT a carpenter, but it's her palace! She'll fix it herself!

Haunting_Melody looks around at the sound of the cry as her ears perk, "that sounds like we caught someone." she says, "Better hurry before she realizes that she can still get out." she says giving a bit of a sing song in her voice as she whistles and tries to focus her feelings into the illusion, though the urge to push the illusions further is nagging at her, why not just make everything better, who would complain right? ...no no that wouldn't be right at this point.

Princess Luna had been intending to fix up her old palace. It was a bit of a pet project she'd been meaning to work on ever since... Well ever since she HAD a palace, to be honest! She's even got a hammer for putting nails in boards, and a DIY manual. Surely it cannot be as hard as all that! Why, that Apple... Apple Bloom! Yes, Apple Bloom was her name. That little filly could put together a table in mere moments, sure Princess Luna's awesome powers could patch up a drafty old palace! Which is... Which is... Which is why she's so gobsmacked to find the palace bricked up and the traps all ripped out. Or at least apparently. She doesn't even THINK to check for illusions at first, instead standing in the entry way... "MY PALACE!" she says, hitting at least .5 full Lunas.

ShadowedSong stares at Luna, "This is how it starts, the sun falls, and then we fall," she says in that strange monotone voice, eyes glazed.

<OOC> Haunting_Melody Hmmms, "Actually I think Luna's going to be a bit ticked at Haunting right now, :> FIrst she turned Ponvyille into full darkness now she's boarding up her place :> You think Luna will buy the story that she's just behind on payments and being reposessed? :>

Dusk hears the noise and nods to Haunting, "Yes what was that? We should check it out," he agrees. Either it might be the pony we're trying to catch, or it might be some other pony needing help.

Berry_Punch, unfortunately, is is a totally different part of the palace by now. She may be tangling with spiders or sliding along a huge lunarium skyway or being grabbed at by apparently severed legs... and that's when the familiar melody of "Heard it through the Grapevine" sonorously invades the palace with its solemn chords, and is suddenly cut off with a weird steamy little whistle. The lights flicker on, then off again.

Princess Luna looks VERY upset for several long moments as her eyes start to glow with the fury of a gathering storm... Then she snickers. Giggles... And finally starts laughing. "Oh very clever. Illusions and using the existing traps. VERY clever, my little ponies. Now who exactly is responsible for this?" she asks in a very jovial tone. "I wasn't aware that my palace was an open house."

Haunting_Melody eeps as she looks around trying to fight things as she calls out hearing Luna, "Umm....that would be me Princess...we have someone with Powerful...artifact here, and I'm trying to keep her escaping."

"O-okay, I got the traps do...wn." Fluttershy stops her swoop halfway down from the ceiling, blinking at Luna. Of course sh didn't see the Princess before - Fluttershy's number one flight plan is 'don't look down.' "H-hello. Um." She opens her forelegs, spilling a big pile of gears and springlocks on the ground with a 'sorrysorrysorry.'

ShadowedSong stares at Luna, "This is how it starts, the sun falls, and then we fall," she says in that strange monotone voice, eyes glazed.

Princess Luna smiles up at Fluttershy. "No need to apologize, Dear Fluttershy." she says, remembering to keep her voice as gentle and sweet as possible so as not to unduly worry the nervous buttercream mare. Shadowed Song gets an odd look and a shake of the head. But when Haunting Melody gives an explanation, she ahhhs in understanding. "Wouldst thou like our help?" she calls back.

Dusk is still heading over towards where the sound of the pony going thumpity-thump was, careful not to meet a similar fate from an illusion-covered stairway or such. He does hear the steam whistle though.. "I had suggested a whistle for a sign.. But I don't believe that was any pony's whistling." He may hear Luna too, but is probably not a ways off too, figuring he's got to be right around where he heard it, and looking for where they might have fallen or such.

There are scurrying sounds from far off, and a door creaking, and springs, and the sound of something spinning around in place which also falling comically out of kilter, and finally the distant sound of Berry Punch's voice saying, "Muahaha! I've got you now! No point pleasding sour grapes now, for you are currantly in trouble!" Then another indistinct crash of mechanical parts doing something, and another flickering in the lights.

Haunting_Melody nods her head slightly, "If...you want.." she says a bit nervously as she gives a bow and moves to follow the others that ran off and heads in the direction of the sounds.

The Puns. Oh lords of heaven and earth, those puns! Princess Luna casts a wide spell, hoping to catch the intruder! Suddenly, everything is Berry Punch. Open a door? There's Berry! Turn around! More Berry. Try to hide? next to you is BERRY! Bury yourself in pillows so that nobody can find you? THE PILLOWS ARE ALL BERRY PUNCH NOW.

Phew. Looks like Fluttershy's off the hook. She uses her big lion's paw to wipe her equine forehead...then glances down. Um. Well, she's off the hook, except for the sprung trap hook that's caught the tuft on her tail. "Oh dear. S-so, um, Luna-- I-I'm sorry, Berry, I thought you were the Princess for a minute."

"Huh," says Berry's surprised, distant voice, floating down some floo or dumbwaiter. "Huh! You know, I kind of like this decor." Then more sounds of mayhem follow, including the unmistakable sound of slipping on a banana peel (botanically a berry, but!) and crashing into a large tub of sprockets, or possibly bevel gears.

ShadowedSong stares at the collection of Berry_Punches around her. Then, she laughs and laughs and laughs, rolling all over the floor, "The Berry has been DOUBLED! Again and again!"

Dusk starts to wonder about all these crazy sounds. He doesn't seem to find anything around here and starts haeding back, running into Haunting. "Ah, Miss Melody. Found anything so far? No luck on my end." Then there's Berry, "Oh and Miss Punch. How goes the searth?" But then there are many Berries. They must be in season!

Princess Luna settles down as the relentless storm of Berry Punch is SURE to wear down the robber before too long. "Miss Fluttershy. You look quite different from your usual self." she observes with great insight.

Haunting_Melody blinks slightly at all the berries as she frowns, "Okay...so just what is going on here now?" she asks in confusion.

Priness Luna smiles as Dusk comes into view. "Dear Dusk. It HAS been too long. Did you come to help out capturing this apparent thief as well?"

"Y-you're the second pony who's said that to me tonight. I don't understand." Fluttershy looks like her raised paw, frowning. She hardly even notices when Berry sends some gears flying past her.

Dusk didn't think he went all the way back to where they had been, running into Haunting part way back. But this castle is certainly confusing and has plenty of unexpected turns. Noticing Luna up ahead, he proceeds to continue on past the hallway when she calls out to him. He turns her way and takes a few steps forward before making very proper, if somewhat old-school, bow. "Your Highness. I had thought you would be at the Canterlot castle. But yes, we seek the mare with the mirror." He continues to hold the bow.

Haunting_Melody looks around as she perks her ears, a bit mor bolden by Luna being around as she frowns, "She should...be on this level somewhere." she says.

Music flows from the acoustic pipes implanted in the candleholders, set over the rhythmic clinking of cups, or something that sounds like it. "o/` We're looking for the Mare with the Mirror! We're asking her to change her wwaaays. No message could've been any clearer! If you want to make the world a saner place, take a look at yourself and erase that... chaaange! o/` HOOOOO!" Yep, it's Berry's voice, though it's not clear whether she's addressing the antagonist or just getting down regarding the situation.

Doc Flutters begins to fiddle with the mechanisms. It's a good thing she has these digits and not just hooves! ...right? She does a surprising job of getting one of the spring-locks open, and then loads a, uh...a book into it. There. "I made a bookapult." (eee)

[Derpy]

Princess Luna looks to Fluttershy... "A bookapult?" she asks dubiously. "While we will be the first to extole the virtues of creativity... Why a bookapult?" she asks.

ShadowedSong noms on a trap, humming a cheery tune

Haunting_Melody tilts her head finding it all confusing as she maintains the illusion for the moment while just trying to keep track of all the weirdness.

Berry_Punch is actually not making any noise for once, nor is there any distant clamour audible or visible through the various psuedoperiscopic instruments of the palace. That said, her face is plastered everywhere. Maybe she's the next host of the Late Show?

Princess Luna circles Melody, looking down at the smaller pony. "So this illusion is your doing?"

ShadowedSong continues to nom on verious metal devices

Dusk seems to have lost the attention of Luna and himself has already wandered off unnoticed, seeing if he can track down the Mare with the Mirror. Or perhaps the real Berry. She claims to be more exciting than any copy, or something to that effect.

Well, who isn't? Copies are boring.

Haunting_Melody nods her head to Luna as she shrinks down a bit...oh wait she is, or least appears to be as she tries to hide instinctivly unsure of Luna's reaction.

Luna smiles as she pats Haunting Melody. "Very good work, we could hardly have done better. Can you change it? See through it? Channel the illusions to guide our errant thief towards our friends?"

There is a prominent silence from the castle. The grinning Berry Punches on everything seems to be grinning onimously now, rather than amicably, without any change in their literal expressions.

ShadowedSong nods, "lead her here," she starts fiddling with loose traps and the magic sucking vines.

Haunting_Melody thinks at this, "Normally it's only this strong...when strong emotions>' of course most of them are a bit stppoked so may be helping as she had thought about making them see through, but wasn't sure if she could as she she tries to focus her magick, "Can anyone tell where she is?" she asks unsure of how to set the trap without knowing and then has a idea and tries to make them walls only visible from the outside, so if in a room they would appear as normal, but once outside all she would see is walls leading this way, she starts to sweat slightly and pant.

Dusk himself sees the illusion walls and other things. But with his special goggles on they're more ghostly than solid, giving him some idea where to go. If he runs across our friend with the mirror he'll help coax her in the direction of everypony else.

Flutterfidget. "Um. I-I just thought it might be a good first step. I've never built a trap before." Her tail flops back and forth anxiously, and manages to come down on the bookapult's trigger, sending The Elements of Harmony (And You Can Too) flying into the far corner.

Princess Luna smiles and sends a brief message to Berry. "Do your best. the thief is close at hoof, and you shall catch her anon. Don't panic." the elder one says... She smothers a giggle at the bookapult, and floats another book over. "Here, this one will have more impact." she says as she loads up 'Atlas Shrugged'.

Haunting_Melody looks as it's working just not quiet to the way she wants and hmmms, "you know...I havnt' tried this really, if you all...sing with me maybe we can trap her, my songs are stronger when others join in emotionally." she says as she begins to sing a simple song of working together trying to focus on her magick, as she finds herself being a bit tired from the ppush.

ShadowedSong has built some sort of device, magic vines looping though metal contraptions.

Dusk feels a little shift in the illusion magic, but nothing too much so far, other than the earlier change to into a different series of walls. He thinks he's getting close to our quarry as well, using his magic to look for her, letting her catch a glimpse of him here, or there, so that she keeps moving with Haunting helping guiding the direction with her own magic.

Fluttershy smiles a little. Even as a big kitty, she's still Fluttershy. "O-okay. You can all sing, and, um, I-I'll...throw the net. A-and the books." She trots behind the bookapult. "I hope this doesn't hurt them," she says, frowning at the sheer density of Atlas' shrug.

[Derpy]

And now, time for the exciting climax!!!

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=


"Do not worry, Dear Fluttershy." the princess says. "Their skulls are as thick as a canterlot fog and twice as hard to break through! I think." she admits. She even enchants the book with a gravity spell. When it lands, it'll helpfully pull in ponies.

Haunting_Melody looks around as she sings a song while trying to focus her magick motioning for the others to join in if they can while thinking of finding the mirror.

ShadowedSong secures the strange contraption to herself, and grins

Dusk keeps moving about, using the mare's out technique of using the castle's complexity against her, trying to coax her towards the other ponies. Though if not for his goggles, that castle's very complexity would be seeming to be ever simplifying and fewer choices as he hears the music and singing drifting faintly through the halls. He even finds himself humming, and then singing along even, his voice echoing lightly and mixing with that of the others.

"Oh! Well...t-that's very helpful. I mean...I think?" Fluttershy frowns a little. ...oh well. The Princess must know what she's doing, probably. Right now, there's singing to do! Fluttershy bobs back and forth, singing gently.

The web of shadows and sounds weaves and infiltrates through the palace, finding the hidden passages as naturally as if they were the main causeways. More clattering sounds from afar, and the words of an old-time rock and roll song drift in on Berry's voice... "I found my thrilll... on Blueberry Hill... on Blueberry Hill... when I found you!" There's no sound for a moment, and then, through the far door, at last, comes a... yes, that's a mare. The tiny little black lines on her belly, groin and neck may have thrown off viewers for a moment, but that's definitely a unicorn, her light blue coat tarnished by little stripes of what, on closer look, turn out to be written script. Meticulously written all down her own front, upside-down, as if she did it while looking down on herself. She's wearing a green cape, making her looking something like a superhero mutant in conjuction with her two-toned mane, viridian paied with cerulean. Her cutie mark is a pile of scrolls next to an inkwell, one of which is unfurled past the mark's edge, dutifully covered with writing. She zooms in as if flung from some conveyor belt, skidding on her rear end over the tail of the cape, staring up in distress. "Um," she says to the assembled group. "Would you guys like to volunteer for my thesis study?"

Princess Luna looks a little dubious abit it, but she looks to the others. This whole chasing ponies around started with them... And it would e interesting to see how they would react to the young mare.

Haunting_Melody blinks at the sudden appearance of the mare as she finds herself staring in confusion at her, "umm....hello? Were looking for a mirror..." she says trying to tell if the mare has a mirror on her or not.

Dusk has been unable to tell for sure either. But he is keeping up the singing, though almost as if not even thinking about it, coming naturally with the flow of Haunting's magic. And he's keeping up with the Mare with the Mirror (presumably) too, but always at a particular distance, whether she tries to follow him or flee. He can now tell she's nearly to the group, and waits for any traps they may spring before moving further in.

What, now? ...now, right? O-okay! Fluttershy looks at Luna one more time for confirmation, and then let the bookapult fly! Its cargo arcs through the air, flying as gracefully as a pegasus, before landing...

...on the bridge of the not-so-mysterious mare's nose! She offs, falling back, and gets a little more tangled in her cape. "Oh!" She pauses, sitting back, and her eyes run left and right under the splayed book. "Ohhh," she says slowly, getting caught up in media res. "Oh, I've heard about this! This is a classic! It's a sprawling novel set in the pre-Equestrian kingdom of Washingboard, about what happens when suddenly the unicorns, underappreciated by the rest of society, choose to go on strike from raising the sun and moon!" A laugh follows. Then she hears Haunting Melody speak. "Huh? Oh! Yes, a mirror." The blue mare springs to her hooves, her cape sailing out behind her, and turns to face--not Haunting--but Princess Luna! Out whips the Mirror of Escalation from its pocket in her cape, its round, slightly curved surface shimmering brightly. "Your Highness, you'll be the best experimental subject I've got yet!" ANd with that, the artifact flashes in her royal face.

ShadowedSong jumps in Front of Luna, hissing. Magic erupts from the Mirror, leaving it dull and lifeless, then pluges into the thestrals chest, knocking her into a wall. She colapses into a heap, the contracption glowing as her fur shifts colour, from grey to dark purple and back. She struggles to her feet, glaring at the strange mare, "I won't let you hurt my new friends!" she shouts.

Princess Luna, despite ShadowedSong's best efforts, IS caught by the flashing artifact. It grips her mind and soul for a moment before the Princess's horn glows ever so slightly. She takes a deep breath, the air fueling the tightly controlled anger as ShadowedSong collapses for a moment. "We spent a thousand years on the moon, stewing in our own anger, our own jealousy. And you think that a simple artifact like that would be enough to master us?" she says, stomping a hoof and cracking the stones beneath her as she grows... Larger... Stronger, more menacing. "And now thou thine actions have warped and harmed one of OUR SUBJECTS." she says, her slightly deeper voice climbing in volume. "WHO ART THOU TO CLAIM DOMINION OVER OUR PEOPLE IN SUCH A SHAMEFUL FASHION?" she asks, standing over the fallen Shadowed Song, moving to put herself squarely between the mare, the mirror and her friends and subjects.

Haunting_Melody blinks at this as she wilts against the mental and physical force of Luna as she tries to throw out a calming sense to calm the situation as something do3esn't seem right here, but she can't exactly think at the moment about what it is.

Dusk's singing has trailed off as he watches things unfold. He sees the mare is about to pull out the mirror and he's about the act, to jump between her and Luna and put his goggles to the test, not really knowing if they would fully block or reflect the effect. But the point becomes moot as Shadowed springs her trap, and herself, on the mare, putting herself in the way. So instead he silently slips up behind her, out of her sight, and snags the mirror if he can before vanishing once more. If he gets it, he slips it into a bag, making sure not to look into it.

Oh no. Oh dear. Things are happening now. Fluttershy dances on the spot, turning to and fro, weighing fight or flight...and fight wins out. O-or at least 'help your friends.' She charges, and the mirror's glint catches her one more time, halfway there...Fluttershy vanishes in a pool of shadow.

The caped mare staggers back again at Luna's increasingly dire reply. The palace lights flicker off and on, but settle mostly on 'on'. She trips over her cape again as she tries to reply: "B..but your majesty... I know you care about knowledge." Her voice starts low in volume if not intensity, but soon the volume grows to match. "I know that to you, all the world is an experiment, and you would jut as like start a new one when you've learned everything you can from this one! Gaining knowledge is all-important, but sharing--SHARING it is a religious experience! That's what we all... what ponies like you and me must strive to do!" She flips a hoof inside her cape and a long scroll of tabitulated data and notes rolls out, the end still concealed. She points to Shadowed Song. "I didn't ask him to jump in front! I think he's already been affected! It's his responsibility if something happened to him, not mine!" And then Fluttershy charges and vanishes, and the mare rears up in surprise before scribbling a hasty row of observations at the foot of the scroll, looking quickly back and forth between it and the mirror. "And her! Id didn't ask her to do that either!!" She's got more to say, but Dusk goes for the mirror then, and the light blue unicorn reacts quickly, pouncing for it and grabbing onto the base with both forehooves. "NO! I need that! I'm not done gathering data! You can't take that yet, I checked it out, I need it! I'm going to write THE GREATEST DISSERTATION EVER KNOWN TO THE ROYAL MAGE ACADEMY!!" Her limbs are shaking, but they give her strength.

ShadowedSong races aroud Luna and tackles the mare, gripping her with all her stregth. Vines sink into the strange mare and start draining her of magic and colour. SS flanks flashes, a red and gold striped shield appears on them, "I will protect my friends from you, mark my words!"

"THE THINGS THAT OCCUR AS A RESULT OF YOUR ACTIONS ARE YOUR RESPONSIBILITY" Luna bellows. And then, because the player doesn't feel like typing in all capital letters, Luna goes on to say that yes. She cares about knowledge. She cares about many things, but she cares about her subjects, her friends, most of all. She crossed the line once before, when she became Nightmare Moon! Luna's horn sparks, and the spell on the book is strengthened, sucking objects and ponies in towards it. There will be no escape from her! Of course, she nearly loses it when Fluttershy just up and vanishes into the shadows. She starts stomping towards the mare, her face a stony mask. She can't afford to lose her temper. It will do no good here.

Haunting_Melody blinks as things as she feels her own emotions grow, she's worried for her friend, and even this mare just in csae she's under the effects of the mirror or worse and the emotions being thrown abouts and her way and just has enough and yells, "STOP!!!!>" putting everything into a single illusion if she can where everyones in a empty area with no one else there, but can hear each other trying to get everyone to just calm down if she can, and talk, rather then tear each other apart.

Dusk is surprised the mare noticed him as most don't notice him when he's standing there talking to them even. But he's a pretty strong stallion himself and isn't giving the mirror up easy, twisting and turning this way and that, who knowing there it will flash somepony. He's surprised again as Shadowed dashes around Luna and attacks the caped mare directly, noticing the new cutie mark but certainly not the time for congratulations. He still doesn't let go of the mirrrow when next Haunting's illusion kicks in, which he can partly see through still, even though it's pretty strong. Fortunately he's not being overly emotional, but is trying hard not to let her get the mirror back, knowing it can't be anything good she'd do with it.

The unicorn with the two-toned mane is caught at the heart of a knot of forces and ponies--wretsling for control of the Mirror, getting slammed by candles and kitchen objects and even a small chair when the book's enchantment is strengthened, getting drained and grappled by vines--where did they come from?--while the gray youth tackles her and the ancient princess bellows at her. All together, these forces combine to tear her scroll--at which she yelps and grabs for it to protect it, and Dusk is able to reclaim the Mirror of Escalation--but not before it's spun around and flashes its silver flash at him. "I didn't want them to... it's all the name of research... we need to learn about--Your Majesty, haven't you ever wanted to be EVERYTHINg you can be/ To really see who you are and how MUCH there is of you, to look through yourself ALL the way? Let Luna be Lu-u--uunaa!" she cries, falling limp but continuing to writhe randomly. "You know you want to look into that mirror before it gets put away again and locked up forever!!"

Oh, the emptiness, sure. That might be, depending on what you believe. But something's clearly visible. Two different pairs of horns, sharp as spears, and a unicorn horn besides. Lion paws. Talons. A serpent's pointed tail. A huge, hulking body with parts from all kinds of animals...and compassionate blue eyes on a yellow face. Fluttershy looms.
Fluttershy looms right over everyone else, especially the Mirror Mare.
Wow, this puts a strain on her sweater.

<OOC> Memoire_Musique says, "Is fluttershy a draconequus now?"
<OOC> You say, "I think at long last we're witnessing her final form."
<OOC> Fluttershy says, "Imagine text appearing below her, letter by letter, GRAND CHIMERA."
<OOC> ShadowedSong says, "Is it a bird? Is it a plane? No! It's the Great and Terrible Fluttercord! Run for your lives!"
<OOC> Haunting_Melody giggles, "Hmmm you know...I think if Discord hears about what this mare has done he's leaving equestria for good...she's done more chaos magick in a few days then eh's managed through 5 seasons :>

ShadowedSong is too focuced of stooping the mirror mare to notice, well anything else.

Princess Luna is only SLIGHTLY surprised by the Fluttershy, and shakes her head. Oh these young fillies and their transformation sequences! Back in her day, you had your final form and you were happy to even have that! But she sighs and stares into The Mirror, pitting her awesome willpower against it. "Many hundreds of years ago, I let Luna be Luna. I have seen myself all the way through, from every angle. I am Luna. And Luna is I. I am all that I am and will ever be. I encompass all things within myself and outside myself. I am Luna." she says, touching her horn to the mirror. "And I accept who I am in the darkness."

That's when Berry Punch shows up again, slipping out of a closet. "Woot," she says, pumping a hoof. "Night princess power!"

Haunting_Melody frowns as her illusion doesn't seem to do anything but keeps trying to do something even if things seem to have calmed down very slightly.

Berry looks and sees Fluttercord, and blinks. "Uh... did I miss something good? I missed something good, didn't I?"
Princess Luna glances aside at Berry. "Honestly, I have no idea. I'm just rolling with it because she looks adorable like that."

Dusk struggles with the mare, and is finally glad to get the mirror as she releases it in exchange for her scroll as it starts to get a tear. But he definitely does get it, with it flashing at him. His goggles provide some protection, but it's hard to tell just how much. Feeling some effect and knowing it could be bad, Dusk is just about to try to bind its magic, or destroy the mirror and its magic effect when Luna draws it away. "Your Highness!" and she is indeed higher than ever with her increased size. "We must put an end to its effects!" He still prepares his magic. Shadowed made it inert for a moment. He'll bind it for good!

The Mare Who Formerly Had the Mirror, whose name is twelve letters long and will be revealed in Hangmare form shortly, stares at the soul-encasing confidence of one who knows herself firmly, and truly, and feels no need to dig in that direction any further. It's like swimming through resin for the young academic--not swimming at all, only the form of swimming. She shakes her head. Her cutie meark, the scroll and inkpot, flash and fade, and she sinks into the control of Shadowed Song and her vines. "If that's really how you feel," she utters sadly, "then I guess I don't have anything to offer you." She looks up at the draconeequs in a well-muddled mixture of fascination and terror, and then looks at Dusk. "No! NO, no no no, NO waiT! You can't destroy that! It's an official palace artifact and I checked it out and we have so much left to learn from it and it was created by MEADOWBROOK herself and it'll go on my permanent reco-oo-orrrd!" She starts sobbing big tears.

Princess Luna nods to Dusk and gestures to him. "Help me. I need someone to hold it contain the magics I bring to bear. There is only one place that can contain it without ill effect. As my oh-so glorious sister would say: 'To The Moon With It.' she says, opening a chamber near the heart of the moon. That poor mare though! *SIGH* "Do not fret. I shall speak to the dean and make sure that your permanent record is unmarred by your loss of the artifact." she says. "Fluttershy dear? Could you help the poor thing and make sure she doesn't fly off the handle?" Luna may seem unphased and polite... But this incident very nearly roused her to anger, and she's having trouble keeping her anger contained as she funnels the emotional power through Melody's illusions.

Fluttershy reaches down, putting her paw on our villain. With a body like that, she could crush Mirror Mare in a heartbeat, and probably most other things, too. Instead, she begins petting her like a kitty. "Jeepers," she says. "I guess this case is about wrapped up."

Haunting_Melody shakes her head at all this slightly sighing as she calms down though she's looking a bit tired from the strain all this has had on her magick and emotions as she moves to sit down.

ShadowedSong screams as the vines wrench out of her contraption, reaching for Luna and the Powerfull magic the princess was channeling, "I can't hold them! Help!"

Now the academic is near-crushed and stroked by a lion, which she doesn't treat as particularly odd in her current state. She stands up as well as she can, given that the vines aremoving away and releasing her, and takes it. "There was a shroud on it," she says softly. "I mean, that was containing it well enough, until I pulled it off. It was my fault for being curious." Then she looks up in surprise at Luna.

Berry_Punch runs for the vines and baps each one of them sharply! "No! *Bad* vines! Bad! No carefully-curated mixture of sunlight and dappled shade for you unless you ease off!" She then sings them a lullaby...
o/` Tell me whyy... the stars do shine.
o/` Tell me whyy... the vines do twine!
o/` Tell me whyy... the sky's so... um... black!
o/` And I will tell you... that I've got your back!

Dusk doesn't seem so overly moved by the mare's emotions. "Checked out? Per the Keeper of the Artifacts it was stolen." He does feel something different with his magic, his talent. He knows there are extents of who he /could/ be that he has no desire to explore. Dinky had even brushed the edge of that once, but it was left at that at least. He nods back to Luna with almost a bow and moves as she directs to restrain the mirror and deal with the magics Luna is about to bring to bear, "Yes, Your Highness." He is more touched and amazed by the final form that Fluttershy seems to have taken on. It is rather impressive! But again, it's who Fluttershy /could/ be, but not who she really is. Hopefully she won't pull the pony's head off to try and reveal who she really is! Dusk then watches as the vines start to turn towards Luna and himself nearby with the mirror now. He gets ready to defend against them when Berry (the real Berry not just her many faces) pops up to fight them off. "Nice job, Miss Punch!" But he's still keeping sharp and ready to defend.

Princess Luna, with Dusk's help, opens a portal to the sealed chamber on the moon. Without much incident, the Mirror is cast through, the portal closing with a loud GONG behind it. "Miss Punch did a fantastic job. You all did."

"But..." squeaks Berry. "But how do we get better again? I mean, I can't stop thinking about berries. I'm thinking about boysenberries right now. I want to squash some ripe boysenberries all over your royal coat right now, and I *know* that's wrong but I can't help but think about it! There are so many other great things to think about *besides* berries! How are we supposed to get fixed up without the mirror?"

Whoa. That's freaky, Berry. Fluttershy keeps treating Mirrororrimare like a kitten. "It's okay. We understand now. I promise." A little heart begins to glow over her chest, hovering in the air. It has a picture of a butterfly on it! "Isn't that right, Ghost Cat?" Ghost Cat goes 'mew' from inside her sweater.

Princess Luna smiles a bit. "Since it's on the moon now, the effects should fade within a day. A week at most if you don't indulge your urges and Cutie Mark compulsions." she says, laying down and leaning on giant Fluttercord.

Dusk's magic is unseen, but if not looking at him as he focuses the powerful magic with Luna, you might notice from the corner of your eye water-like ripples in the air around him and his horn in particular, but no longer there when you look. But it's over in a few moments and the mirror is safely away deep within the moon now. He bows again, "Thank you, Your Highness." And he steps off to stand with the other ponies around too.

<OOC> ShadowedSong says, "we still need to find out the after effects of me taking the full brunt of the mirrors power"
<OOC> Haunting_Melody smiles, "Oh thats easy, you have 30 seconds before you go nuclear killing all life on the planet :>
<OOC> Dusk says, "And the mare's name?"

. O@O GUESS MY NAME! O@O +--.--+
. | /
. _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ |/
. |
. |
. __|__
Legs: 4 Wings: 2 Powers: Bubble, Moonlight/Vowel Scan

<OOC> ShadowedSong says, "Ampersign!"

<OOC> You say, "The Bubble lets you guess two consecutive letters as if they were one."
<OOC> You say, "The Moonlight lets you look at four adjacent spaces and fills in whether they're in the first or second half or the alphabet. The Vowelscan tells you where the vowels arein three consecutive blanks."

<OOC> Haunting_Melody Hmmms, "Her full name is, OMG THE STUPIDITY IT BURNS, THE GOGGLES DO NOTHING!"
<OOC> Dusk believes that's more than 12 letters.
<OOC> Haunting_Melody grins, "Note I said full name :> the abreviated is the other one

<OOC> Fluttershy says, "I'm guessing K!"

. O@O GUESS MY NAME! O@O +--.--+
. | / O
. _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ |/
. |
. No K! |
. __|__
Legs: 4 Wings: 2 Powers: Bubble, Moonlight/Vowel Scan

Nimble_Hooves enters the Palace of the Moon's ruins from the forest.
<OOC> Nimble_Hooves waves
<OOC> You say, "Hi Nimble! We're doing Hangmare at the end of our Mega-Plot!"
<OOC> You say, "Someone other than Fluttershy guess a letter or use a power!"
<OOC> Dusk says, "Heya, Nimble!"
<OOC> Nimble_Hooves says, "S?"
<OOC> ShadowedSong says, "A"

. O@O GUESS MY NAME! O@O +--.--+
. | / O
. _ A _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ |/ |
. | |
. No K or S! |
. __|__
Legs: 4 Wings: 2 Powers: Bubble, Moonlight/Vowel Scan

<OOC> Fluttershy says, "E."

. O@O GUESS MY NAME! O@O +--.--+
. | / O
. _ A _ _ _ E _ _ _ _ _ _ |/ |
. | |
. No K or S! |
. __|__
Legs: 4 Wings: 2 Powers: Bubble, Moonlight/Vowel Scan

<OOC> ShadowedSong says, "&"
<OOC> You say, "That is not a valid guess!"
<OOC> You say, "But I applaud thinking outside the box."
<OOC> Dusk says, "I'll try the moonlight the letters right after the E."

. O@O GUESS MY NAME! O@O +--.--+
. | / O
. _ A _ _ _ E 1 2 1 1 _ _ |/ |
. | |
. No K or S! |
. __|__
Legs: 4 Wings: 2 Power: Bubble
<OOC> You say, "1 is the first half of the alphabet, 2 is the second."

<OOC> ShadowedSong says, "o"

. O@O GUESS MY NAME! O@O +--.--+
. | / O
. _ A _ _ _ E 1 2 1 1 _ _ |/ |
. | |
. No K, O or S! | \
. __|__ \
Legs: 3 Wings: 2 Power: Bubble

<OOC> Fluttershy says, "Gaggle1211po"
<OOC> Fluttershy says, "Uh..."
<OOC> Dusk suspects not. :-)
<OOC> Dusk says, "The numbers are replaced with letters. 1's with A-M, and 2s N-Z."
<OOC> Dusk says, "How about, Bubble BC?"

. O@O GUESS MY NAME! O@O +--.--+
. | / O
. B A _ B _ E B 2 1 1 _ _ |/ |
. | |
. No C, K, O or S! | \
. __|__ \
Legs: 3 Wings: 2 Power: Letter
<OOC> You say, "Dusk earns a Letter for the group!"
<OOC> You say, "The Letter lets you reveal any blank."

<OOC> Fluttershy says, "R."

. O@O GUESS MY NAME! O@O +--.--+
. | / O
. B A _ B _ E B R 1 1 _ _ |/ |
. | |
. No C, K, O or S! | \
. __|__ \
Legs: 3 Wings: 2 Power: Letter

Dusk says "U?"

. O@O GUESS MY NAME! O@O +--.--+
. | / O
. B A U B _ E B R 1 1 _ _ |/ |
. | |
. No C, K, O or S! | \
. __|__ \
Legs: 3 Wings: 2 Power: Letter

<OOC> Nimble_Hooves says, "H"

. O@O GUESS MY NAME! O@O +--.--+
. | / O
. B A U B _ E B R 1 1 H _ |/ |
. | |
. No C, K, O or S! | \
. __|__ \
Legs: 3 Wings: 2 Power: Letter

<OOC> ShadowedSong says, "i"
Haunting_Melody says "l?"

. O@O GUESS MY NAME! O@O +--.--+
. | / O
. B A U B L E B R I 1 H _ |/ |
. | |
. No C, K, O or S! | \
. __|__ \

<OOC> Nimble_Hooves says, "baublebright"

That's right, Nimble!! "My name is Baublebright," says the mare, now downcast and subdued by crazy vines, her color drained. "I'm a student at the ROyal Mage's Academy. I was part of a project to go into the royal artifact vault and attach a tracing spell to every artifact, so they could... be found if they were lost or, um... stolen." She swallows, looking up. "The Mirror of Escalation was the eighth of the ancient Mage Meadowbrook's major creations. It was shrouded for a reason, but I couldn't resist... I sneaked a look." She brushes her tail over her scroll and inkwell cutie mark. "I've always been attracted to artifacts. When I saw it, it made me go... well, thesis-mad. My cutie mark is about writing, and not just any writing--scholarly writing! I was put in a place where I just... had to create the best dissertation the academy had ever seen. And this mirror, this powerful artifact in front of me, was the way to do it! So I took the Mirror. I, um, might have skipped a step or two in checking it out. I might have just yelled back to Nettie to fill out the paperwork. I knew what my thesis had to be--a study on the interactional effects of Cute Mark Escalation in multiple coexistent subjects! It was going to be so wonderful!"

<OOC> Nimble_Hooves says, "Oh, my"
<OOC> You say, "You unlocked the denouement!!"
<OOC> Haunting_Melody giggle, "Clan did icly bring up a good point :> WHy do people make these dangerous things that only seem to cause chaos :>
<OOC> Dusk says, "Either one, to cause chaos. :-) Or two, served a particular purpose when made. Perhaps working as desired for the pony it was made for, but not effecting others so well."
<OOC> Haunting_Melody Hmmms, "True I can see like alicorn amulet having been made a way for towns without alicorns to deal with big messes, but had side effects

"Aw. You poor thing." It's strange to hear Fluttershy's tiny voice coming out of that big giant chimera. "You didn't mean any harm. You just made a little mistake." She pets again. "But you're going to fix it now. Aren't you?" Her eyes shine in the dark.

Haunting_Melody finally stirs herself a bit as she looks towards the others and the mare, "You definetly...caused alot of trouble...I'm glad no one got hurt during my..impromptu improvmenets to nightmare moon."

ShadowedSong yelps as the vines attached to Baublebright crumble to dust. The crumbling contines up into the contraption, metal pieces flying every where as it falls apart. Shadow screams as a waves of magic blasts from her, obliterating all the vines in the castle. As the dust clears, she strugles to her hooves, fur and flank returned to their normal hues.

The mare sighs and shivers as she stands up, once again free. "But I don't know how to fix it!" she beseeches the huge furry creature. She shakes as the vines, even the ones outside, are destroyed. "Wh--what just happened?" She looks at Shadowed Song with fear. "Are you... okay?"

"Everything is fine." The sight of a great big monster cat-thing grabbing a pony and hugging her to its chest is something to behold. This is no cutie mark spell. Still just Fluttershy.

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=

From here, we can assume everything got sorted out between Baublebright and the ponies who brought her to justice--aided by and in spite of the augmented nature her 'experiment' gave them. But will the affected ponies really return to normal after a couple of days to a week, as Luna said? Or will it take an actual, active cure to right things? There may be another log in this series to that effect; otherwise, we can assume that the mystery gang has brought in another perpetrator and that this is...

T H E E N D

((mirror flash!))