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Post by Nightbow on Jan 27, 2013 20:47:58 GMT -5
Somewhere far away Kailani was screaming.
"I don't know! I don't know where it was taken! But I know how to release it!"
Queen Eclipse did not realise her, but Whisp could feel the resistance increasing. Burning pulses still shook her body, limbs stiff, and she was still standing on her legs.
"Give us leave to find it, and I can release the Dark Rainbow. Balance will be restored."
Queen Eclipse shot her dark gaze across the room, fixing her eyes narrowed upon Kail. Her face was twisted into deep furrows, mad. "So be it." The white lightning was released and the last of it circuited through the unicorn.
The unicorn gasped as though she was about to drown. The lightning exited her system and left her numb with pain. Her legs relaxed and folded underneath her, and she fell flat onto the floor with her hair on end. Whisper stiffly gasped for air, thankful to feel her heart still pounding.
Eclipse's voice was as cold as ice. "The filly stays."
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Post by Becka on Jan 27, 2013 22:40:01 GMT -5
The ice cold voice dug deep into Kail - colder than she'd been when the green stripe first left her, colder than when she'd woke in the dark forest outside the castle walls.
"The filly stays."
There was no way the Champion could save the unicorn. Kail couldn't fight the Queen. Whisp would have to save herself.
That didn't mean Kail wouldn't be there to help her. The pegasus rushed to her side as Whisp collapsed, the Queen's words echoing in her head. She wrapped her wings around the unicorn and began to hum, as soft as she could, the Dolphin's Song. She may not have the green stripe, but Kail was still a healer, and she'd take the pain away if she could.
"Don't worry, Whisp. I won't leave you," she whispered to the young unicorn.
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Post by Nightbow on Jan 28, 2013 5:34:47 GMT -5
When the trickling sensation as if she was being stung by needles started to ebb away in the pegasus' warm embrace, the youth felt pain elsewhere. Pain that could not be healed by dolphin song. Whisp's eyes sung. When she heard Kailani's whisper, the lump in the throat seemingly rose and made them spill over, and Whisp had to clench her teeth when the silent sobs shook her.
She took a couple of deep breaths and stopped shaking, face wet with tears. She blinked, eyesight blurry. Was Kail really going to help the Queen release the Dark Rainbow? "(Don't do it)," Whisp mouthed at her, throat sore. She wheezed. "(She's insane.)"
Queen Eclipse's voice was softened again, but uncannily so. "Knight Shade," she announced briskly. "See to it that this foal gets something to drink, and then put her back to bed."
"Yes, My Queen." Knight Shade felt a little shocked. Perhaps it was for the best, though. After all, the two newcomers had only rested for a couple of hours. The male quietly approached the pegasus and unicorn on the floor. He didn't have any words for either of them.
"You may take your leave in the morning," Eclipse declared.
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Post by Becka on Jan 28, 2013 11:47:17 GMT -5
Kail had never been so angry in her entire life. For the "Queen" to treat another pony so made her no queen at all. If this is what she was willing to do to get her hooves on the Dark Rainbow then Kail would stop her, but first she had to get Whisper Wind to safety.
As Knight Shade approached, Kail stood. "Put her on my back. I'll carry her upstairs." There was no way she would trust this stallion with her friend. Anypony who could watch their queen do such a thing and not protest wasn't worth much to Kail, and her guilt over stealing the pendant around his neck vanished. She'd get that pendant, and she'd get Whisp out of this castle.
"You may take your leave in the morning," Eclipse declared.
Kail openly glared at her, but bowed. "Yes, your majesty. First thing in the morning then." And by first thing, Kail meant midnight.
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Kiernan
Member
Tua Culpa, Culpa Mea
Posts: 384
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Post by Kiernan on Jan 28, 2013 16:35:39 GMT -5
[This is my favorite thread that I'm not in. the story here is awesome, the characters feel realistic, and I can really get into their heads (except Nightshade, but that's because he doesn't talk that much). Just awesome, awesome work, I love it.]
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Post by Nightbow on Jan 30, 2013 18:04:40 GMT -5
[Sounds like you're having almost as much fun as I, hehe.]
Knight Shade was about to protest, but Kail's angry look threw him off. Gawking for a second, the male bowed down in order to help Whisper Wind back on her hooves. The unicorn was short in stature too, so he managed without much effort to lift her onto the pegasus.
Whisp felt weak in her knees. She wanted to tell Kailani that she didn't have to carry, her, but she couldn't. She was almost too weak to speak, and certainly too weak to lie. Monster. Somewhere in her foggy mind, the statement took form. You monsters.
Eclipse seemed to relax a little, but her features nonetheless projected agitation. "Good. You are dismissed."
Knight Shade lingered. He stood simply by, covertly watching the pegasus. She had wronged the Queen and loyally stood by her friend's side, much like the ponies back then had fought for their foals. Like his mother had always protected him. We wished he could offer the youth any condolences, but he could only imagine what he must now look like in their eyes.
"All of you."
Tomorrow, he promised himself. He sighed soundlessly, moving along. Queen Eclipse was his only stable point in this ghastly world. Whatever had gone wrong in order for the future to become so horrible?
Knight Shade took care not to follow the pair too closely behind on the way back to their rooms.
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Post by Becka on Feb 4, 2013 12:32:10 GMT -5
[Thanks Kiernan!]
Kail was used to carrying the foals on her back at the Nursery, and while Whisp was bigger than a foal it wasn't difficult to get her up to her room. Once Kail got her in the bed she sighed, her tail and ears drooping.
They weren't going to make it home. Not if they had to do the Queen's bidding to do so, because Kail wasn't going to find the Dark Rainbow for her. To put such power into the hooves of a mad mare would be foolish at best.
If only Kail could kill the Queen, but she couldn't get near her without nearly passing out from the pain.
"Do you need anything Whisp? You should try to rest." She wouldn't say more in case Knight Shade was listening.
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Post by Nightbow on Feb 6, 2013 14:04:22 GMT -5
It would appear as if it was Whisp's turn around to be carried. Her stomach hurt from the pressure that came from her own limp body hanging over Kail's shoulders and back.
The unicorn managed to move herself over to the bed at least, but she did feel worn. She bedded herself down to the best of her ability and laid down to rest, not bothering to ask for a glass of water even if her mouth had run dry. Where would Kailani even find that? Ignoring even that, Whisp felt too tired to go over their escape plan again. She had to trust that things would turn out alright.
Feeling more needy than ever, tears stinging in her eyes, she had only one request: "Hold me?"
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Post by Becka on Feb 6, 2013 14:40:17 GMT -5
Even Whisper Wind's voice was weak when she spoke, and anger rose up again at the Queen's treatment of the unicorn. It deflated as Kail heard the plee, so like the fillies at home when they were lost and scared and new to the Nursery.
Kail sat on the bed and wrapped both hooves and wings around her friend. She needed a hug just as much as Whisp did.
"Don't worry, Whisp," Kail whispered. "I'm going to get us out of here tonight. You rest, and I'll be right here. I'll wake you when it's time to go."
The filly needed her sleep if she was going to escape, but Kail would stay here with her until it was time to steal the pendant.
How funny, she thought, that the last thing she'd been doing before the shipwreck that sent her through the Rift was trying to steal a locket.
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Post by Nightbow on Feb 7, 2013 5:29:59 GMT -5
Her limbs still tingled, stinging as if the newly burned cells where gasping for air. She was tired now. It didn't take all that long until Whisper Wind fell asleep, escaping the agony for now. * * * Knight Shade stood in his room, perfectly still but mind racing as he in solitude tried to progress what had just went down. Mayhap the sea green mare was dangerous to Queen Eclipse. She knew things. The Queen needed her. Knight Shade could not approve of the treatment of the young one, who had idly stood by most of the time. He was certain that she had attacked her to get to the pegasus. Images of the baby ponies and their frantic mother flashed before his eyes.
No. This was different. They just didn't understand. They needed to work together, so that they could all go home. Even if the Queen's methods was a bit controversial, they all needed this. And after all, the newcomers had in the end decided to help. Once again in his mind the big bully Zeb grinned at the white stallion. He remembered the days of psychological torture.
Sigh. Knight Shade turned to look out the small window, inhaling deeply. He was sweating. Tomorrow, he repeated. Tomorrow he would do what he could to make the mares feel at home in the castle. He undressed and slipped underneath his covers. Half an hour later he was sound asleep.
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Post by Becka on Feb 12, 2013 16:28:50 GMT -5
Kail was too on-edge to sleep, but she dozed a bit, waking with a jerk every time she heard a sound or felt a change in the air ruffle the feathers on her wings. As the darkest part of the night settled around them she stared at the ceiling.
She was condemning them to death. Whether it be tonight, as they tried to escape, or at some point in the future when the Queen came into her power and found them again. Kail was condemning both her and Whisp to wandering the future, lost, until they both perished. They would never make it home if they left tonight.
But that didn't matter now, because Kail was absolutely certain they would never make it home if they stayed. And she couldn't do what the Queen wanted. She couldn't find the Dark Rainbow, and even if she did she couldn't free it. She may no longer carry the green stripe, but she was still a Champion, and she couldn't willingly put Ponyland in that sort of danger. Not without the other Champions to help her fight it.
And where was the Rainbow of Light now? Kail's stripe hadn't followed her through the Rift, but it must exist somewhere in this world. If she could find the stripe she might be able to kill to the Queen. At the very least if she could find the stripe she'd find it's new Champion.
An unexpected pang of loss jerked her out of bed at that. A new Green Champion.
A new Purple Champion.
Kail paced the room for a moment and tried not to think of Razz. She had to find the new Champions, and tell them of Queen Eclipse's plans.
She glanced out the window, then eased open the door and listened to the sounds of the castle. All was quiet, so Kail walked over to the sleeping unicorn and shook her gently.
"Whisp, it's time to go."
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Post by Nightbow on Feb 13, 2013 17:14:21 GMT -5
She could have slept the night through. But when Whisper awoke, the memory of where she had been spending the night slowly awoke with her - Eclipse's castle. Rainbow knows if they were safe even in this room, right this very moment.
Ears perked forward and head bursting with alertness, the little unicorn sat up. Ready. "What's the plan? What would you have me do?" This was it. Whisper Wind undoubtedly felt nervous. The sooner they got out the better.
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Post by Becka on Feb 14, 2013 12:09:57 GMT -5
It didn't take long for Whisp to wake, and Kail was grateful. The sooner they got this over with the better.
"I need you to be ready to run. Once you've got the pendant, just run. Whatever happens, don't stop running until you reach the village on the other side of the forest."
Kail wished the unicorn knew how to wink - it would be much easier to get out of the castle and through the forest if she did. But she'd already shown she couldn't control it. If the pendant didn't work, or the Queen caught them before they got out, Kail was sure the Queen would kill Whisp.
"Knight Shade said you just press the button and the pendant sends out shock waves that the monsters are scared of. Don't press it until you get into the forest though - I'm not sure if the Queen would be able to feel it."
Kail took a deep breath and eased the door open. She glanced down the hall in both directions, then quietly slipped from the room. She nodded her head for Whisp to come out. They were silent as they crept down the hall to Knight Shades room, and Kail eased that door open and peered inside. He was sleeping in the bed on the far side of the room, and moonlight reflected off the pendant lying on the night stand.
Good. It would be easier to steal from the night stand than from his neck. Kail crept into the room, trying to avoid any creaking floorboards, and glanced at Knight Shade again. Still sleeping, or at least pretending to. She leaned forward and grasped the chain of the pendant between her teeth, sliding it until the entire thing hung from her mouth.
She exhaled and straightened, then looked at Whisp.
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Post by Nightbow on Feb 14, 2013 15:14:46 GMT -5
The youth gave Kail a sincere nod and jumped to her hooves. She followed the pegasus soundlessly out the door, adrenaline pumping almost painfully - Whisp had never been so tense in her life, every muscle ready to start. Ears twitching at the slightest noise, all of her focus lay in calming her own nerves.
In Knight Shades chamber it was dead silent, spare the light breathing of the room's resident. Whisp stayed outside, barely daring to breath as Kailani sneaked in and the pendant's chain was securely clasped between her jaws.
Knight Shade was plagued by his dream. Not twenty-four hours ago he had come to know the terrible truth.
The world around him was dark, but through it shone a beacon of light - a pair of white swan wings, and in their luminous midst a beautiful towering pony.
Sucess! Kailani looked at her and Whisper Wind, gaping with relieved disbelief, wanted to smile at her. She was just to mouth "nice going!" when her blood turned to ice and she could merely stare across the room; Knight Shade stirred in his sleep.
The white stallion's eyes fluttered open. A figure was standing in front of his bed, and he became mute with terror. Mind settled as he discovered, blinking in the faint light of the moon, that it was another pony.
A brief moment of confusion, then he recognized her. It was the peg. "You ... why?!" He hissed. The moonlight reflected upon the pendant blinded him as it dangled from the corner of her mouth. He realised what they where about to do.
Knight Shade broke in to a sweat that chilled him to the bone. Why would they do this? They needed Queen Eclipse's help! They needed each other!
He pleaded: "Don't...!"
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Post by Becka on Feb 15, 2013 14:55:00 GMT -5
The overwhelming relief Kail had felt at successfully grabbing the pendant was blown away when she looked at Whisp, whose eyes were rounding in dread. The peg turned back to find the white stallion waking, and froze. Maybe he'd go back to sleep?
Of course not. Why would Kail be lucky now when things had been going wrong for so long?
"You ... why?!"
"Because you watched the Queen hurt my friend and you didn't even protest," Kail said around the pendant's chain. She raised her hoof and he yelled out "Don't!" but she hit him in the temple as hard as she could.
Hopefully, even if it didn't knock him out it would daze him long enough for her and Whisp to get away.
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