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Refuge
Dec 20, 2012 12:45:07 GMT -5
Post by Nightbow on Dec 20, 2012 12:45:07 GMT -5
[I'm pretty sure the biggest building in Ponyville would be the Town Hall. Or perhaps AJ's barn. But eh, it's just a big building on the horizon, and I don't suppose the Celebration Castle was that big.]
What ever had happened here? The unicorn could not wrap her head around it. Their home town was just there, on the other side of the forest.
"What has happened to Ponyville? I should be there. I should help."
Whisper Wind then knew that after she had been transported to the forest, something must have gone really, really bad, and she was starting to to feel uneasy about the whole deal. Apparently, they couldn't just travel their way back there.
"Oh, nothing hast happened to Ponyville. It is thou." Queen Eclipse extended a pair of ruffled wings. "Thou hast fallen through the Rift."
"The Rift?" Exclaimed Whisp, imagining herself being dragged down into a hole in the earth by a massive earthquake, along with Kailani. She felt fine - well, besides her tiredness and empty stomach - so what did this mean? The little pony still did not get the whole picture.
"Allow me to explain," Eclipse begged, realigning her ivory plumage. She closed in on the ponies like a mother swan, and Whisp allowed her to hold out a wing over her back. "Many a millennia ago I, the rightful queen of Ponyland, was cast into complete darkness. The deed was done by mine younger sisters, who maddened by power committed the murder of our mother Gaia, Mother Earth.
Believing that I would tremble in the Opaque for all time, I desperately tried to find a way out, but all for naught. On the five thousandth day of my imprisonment the seal was weakened and I escaped. Thus mine sisters, now havest dubbed themselves princesses, sent six ponies of power to defeat me. But when one of them tried to lock me right back in, the foolish pony tore a rift open that became a portal to another world. Thine world.
Thou understand, that since I was banished Ponyland hast become Equestria. And all of these events following my return took place long after thine births ... and thine deaths.
I suggest thou stay away from the Dark Veil," Eclipse whispered ominusly. "Nopony wouldst know where it may take thee. Very likely, it would take thee to the Opaque, for I can hear the darkness calling from it's void."
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Refuge
Dec 20, 2012 13:16:54 GMT -5
Post by Becka on Dec 20, 2012 13:16:54 GMT -5
Kailani gagged on the bile in her throat as the Queen's wing neared. The spot in her stomach where the Dark Rainbow had hit her with all it's force wasn't just nauseous now, it was painful. The same horrid pain that Chakra had used on her once - pain without a physical wound that could be healed. She put a hoof to her stomach and kept her eyes squeezed shut so she wouldn't interrupt the Queen.
Many a millennia ago I, the rightful queen of Ponyland, was cast into complete darkness. The deed was done by mine younger sisters, who maddened by power committed the murder of our mother Gaia, Mother Earth.
Kail had heard of Gaia in her father's stories of Ponyland History. In his version of the story - for that's all it could be, a story - Gaia's oldest daughter was the one who turned against the mother and younger sisters. Mother and daughter fought a great battle, and Gaia eventually banished the daughter, but died. From her last breath sprang forth the Rainbow of Light, the only god Ponyland had ever known.
Kail wished she could remember the names of the three sisters, but her favorite story had always been that of the Great Pone defeating the Evil Shadoh, and the formation of the Guardian Stars, which was no story at all. Her mother had seen them form. Kail hadn't paid much attention to the other stories her father told.
The warning to stay away from the Rift was not necessary - Kail could feel the darkness seeping from it. The whole land seemed to be contaminated with evil.
"So you..." Kail put a hoof to her mouth as she gagged once more. "You're saying we're thousands of years in the future?"
She finally opened her eyes, but one look at the Queen and Kail doubled over in pain. She needed to be strong for Whisp, but the dark stripes must be very near, for the pain would not stop.
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Refuge
Dec 20, 2012 13:42:24 GMT -5
Post by Nightbow on Dec 20, 2012 13:42:24 GMT -5
Whisper Wind was repulsed, but couldn't grasp the concept of time travel. Time didn't exist - it was fabricated. It was measured - it was fleeting - slipping away ... her head started spinning.
"You're saying we're thousands of years in the future?"
It was only natural that the little ponies reacted like they did. Queen Eclipse was very pleased. She left them trembling, basking in their pain.
Before Whisp would fall into despair, she looked wide eyed at Kail to confirm her horrors, only to see that her friend looked physically ill. Almost forgetting the revelation that had just passed, the unicorn skipped forward to place her hooves on the pegasus' shoulders. "Kail! Kail, what's wrong?!" What was wrong was obvious. Or was it? "Are you okay?"
[Large portions of Orchid started to hurt my eyes, so I changed the colour.]
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Refuge
Dec 20, 2012 14:29:54 GMT -5
Post by Becka on Dec 20, 2012 14:29:54 GMT -5
The pain ebbed slightly at Whisp's touch. Her body was shielding Kail from the Dark Rainbow, which could only mean the stripes were behind her. Kail couldn't let them hurt her. "The stripes," Kail said and leaned back against the cool, smooth stone of the tower wall. "The dark stripes. They're here. Somewhere close. We have to leave, Whisp. They're gonna...they'll..." She sank down to the floor, both forelegs wrapped around her stomach. It must be all of them - the whole dark rainbow. One or two wouldn't do this to her. She didn't think all of them together could do this to her, unless they'd reformed as the Rainbow of Darkness, all it's stripes back together in their own version of harmony. She looked into Whisp's green eyes. "How did it melt? I need...I need my stripe. I need to find the others." [Poor Kail is so not used to pain she can't fix right away ]
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Refuge
Dec 20, 2012 15:48:51 GMT -5
Post by Nightbow on Dec 20, 2012 15:48:51 GMT -5
Queen Eclipse's mouth fell open as she watched the scene play out before her. Something was wrong with the pegasus. She perked her ears in agitation, clinging to Kailani's words. Dark stripes?
Whisper Wind eyed Kail, alarmed. She tried to make eye contact with her, but the sea green mare was collapsing, huddling. She was trying to warn her. It was something about stripes. Memory flashed an image before the young unicorn, replaying the words in her head: "Its been gone for a year now, if it was going to come back it would have already." Thousands of years ... melted ...
When it dawned upon her, the unicorn turned cold. "... The Pony Popsicle?"
Kailani was rendered speechless, and Eclipse advanced further upon the pair, nostrils flaring. Popsicle? She needed to know more. "Poor dear," the queen's voice melancholy echoed between the walls in the stairwell behind them, but she grew increasingly excited, unable to hold her mask. Her next words were rushed, and she reached out for Kail. "I am sure thou whilst be fine, if only -"
"Back off," Whisp called shrilly upon noticing that Kail's body twitched harder as Eclipse drew close. "J-just give her some space, okay?" Gasped Whisp, chocked by her own response. And, to her surprise, the queen obeyed. The unicorn turned back to Kailani, squeezing her into a firm grip in order to demonstrate her presence and induce calm.
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Refuge
Dec 20, 2012 16:25:25 GMT -5
Post by Becka on Dec 20, 2012 16:25:25 GMT -5
[Whisp! <3 I totally didn't expect her to talk back to the Queen like that!]
As the Queen reached out Kail gave a large, involuntary shudder as the pain ramped up again. She couldn't remember ever being in this much pain. Not when the Dark Rainbow cut her throat, not when Chakra turned her aura inside out, not when Piston wrapped her in the bubble of acid. This pain came from the empty place the green stripe normally inhabited.
Kail whimpered as Whisp yelled at the Queen, then the pain died down again. When the unicorn held her, Kail was finally able to look up - the Queen was on the other side of the small tower, and that was when Kail realized it wasn't the Dark Rainbow that was causing her pain. It was the Queen herself. She'd spent five thousand years in darkness, and it had twisted some part of her into darkness blacker than her hair and eyes.
Kail whimpered again, softer, but not from pain this time. From the excruciating realization that she and Whisp were in a lot of trouble. Trouble beyond dark rainbows and old gods. This place was going to kill them if they couldn't get home soon.
"Can we...go back downstairs...please."
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Refuge
Dec 20, 2012 16:51:32 GMT -5
Post by Nightbow on Dec 20, 2012 16:51:32 GMT -5
Relief washed over Whisper Wind. It must have been the fresh air or something - in any case Kail's attack of pain seemed to subside slightly - thank the Rainbow and the Moon!Kailani spoke her request, and the youth turned to the Queen with urgency in her gaze, obviously not ready to call the shots. " Of course. At once," she replied. Having finally realized that the pegasus was somehow hurting from Eclipse's own presence, she could only hope that the sea green little pony wouldn't come to the same realization. "Are thou able to support thine friend downstairs?" Whisp nodded in response, still a little shaken. She wasn't particularly strong, but she was short and sturdy. She had to do it. For Kail.*** Queen Eclipse grew wary. If the pegasus' condition would not improve, she would not be able to figure out what her ramblings had meant. When the three of them had made it back down the stairs, the cold white alicorn invited the mares to the dining hall and thereafter excused herself. " Thou needest to rest and to eat in order to regain thy strength. There are bedrooms upstairs. I will come for thee in the evening, and we will discuss what must be done to resolve your situation." "Thank you," said Whisper exhausted. "Your Highness." She then proceeded to lead Kail into the hall, towards the chairs.When Eclipse was out of view she dissolved into shadows, lingering in a corner just inside the doorway to eavesdrop on the group. Knight Shade was already seated closest to the fireplace. He greeted the mares with a smile, but as soon as he saw their condition he looked concerned. "My. Do you need any help?
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Refuge
Dec 21, 2012 10:11:10 GMT -5
Post by Becka on Dec 21, 2012 10:11:10 GMT -5
As the Queen started down the stairs, the pain released it's hold on Kail and she slumped forward, relieved. She had never experienced anything like that before, and never wanted to again. If it was the Queen's presence causing it, she'd just have to keep her distance, and try to leave the castle as soon as possible.
She leaned heavily on Whisp as they descended the stairs, not because she was in pain any longer, but because the unicorn's presence calmed her. When they reached the dinning room and the Queen left, Kail collapsed into a chair. She couldn't remember the last time she ate. Between the pirates, the shipwreck, and the Rift it was days, although it had felt more like years. Technically she supposed it had been thousands of years. An unwelcome smirk marred her face.
"My. Do you need any help?"
The nausea was ever present, but the pain was gone, leaving Kail exhausted. "Thank you, but I'm fine. I just need some rest and food, like the Queen said."
She looked to Whisp - she needed some time alone to talk to the unicorn as well. She wasn't going to blurt out what she suspected to Knight Shade just yet.
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Refuge
Dec 22, 2012 8:37:30 GMT -5
Post by Nightbow on Dec 22, 2012 8:37:30 GMT -5
"Please, sit down," said Knight Shade. "Do try the apple pie," he offered. "I made it myself after an old family recipe, but it's not nearly as good as that of my dear mother's."
Whisper Wind pulled out a chair and offered Kailani to sit down - she would refuse to sit herself down before Kail. It looked as though the pegasus wanted to say something, and Whisp frowned at her, but apparently it had to wait. When seated, she did as she had been told and politely (and hungrily) pulled over the tray with the pie and served them both a piece.
The singer watched the youth greedily gobble up her portion of pie. After a moment of silence, he spoke: "... I suppose Queen Eclipse told you what happened?" Knight Shade guessed she had broken the news gently, as she had tried to do with Knight Shade. It had still chocked him badly, and he couldn't suppress his wish to talk about it.
Youth choked on her last mouthful of food. Thankfully there were goblets on the table already filled with water, and Whisp grabbed the one closest to wash it down. "The little time jump? Yeah ..." Whisp still would not believe that they had been transported thousands of years into the future. She tried to imagine her home as they had seen it from atop the tower. Not possible. Tried to eradicate Xanadia from existence. Really? Tried to imagine her family, gone, dead and buried ... She stopped herself right there. Bad family relations notwithstanding, the unicorn did not want to go there even in her own mind. Before trying to think of something else, the image of the nursery foals floated past, along with that mysterious white unicorn that she had seen last night in the nursery, whom had sent butterflies through her stomach ... even they? She said nothing.
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Refuge
Dec 22, 2012 16:47:42 GMT -5
Post by Becka on Dec 22, 2012 16:47:42 GMT -5
The "little time jump", as Whisp refered to it, brought a scowl to Kail's face. The thought of it made her nausea worse for just a moment before the pie was placed before her. Then her stomach rumbled and she ate in silence. If they had to leave this castle quickly, who knew when they would next be able to eat?
When she finished she grabbed a glass of water, then nodded and Knight Shade. "Yes, we were told of the Rift, and the place the Queen was sent for the past five thousand years. I think...."
She clamped her mouth shut. She shouldn't be speaking openly before this stranger, even if he had saved them from the stonebacks.
"I think it would take a very strong pony to endure such a thing without some negative effects. A stronger pony than any I've ever met."
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Refuge
Dec 25, 2012 17:15:05 GMT -5
Post by Nightbow on Dec 25, 2012 17:15:05 GMT -5
Knight Shade's ears flattened as he remembered the solemn look on Eclipse's face. He felt a sting of melancholy as the image of her body slowly turning away from him surfaced, as if she could not bear sharing the full magnitude of the torture in her past. Her solidly ebony eyes, blinking, closing, locking away whatever tears might be left within - never had he seen something as sad and so beautiful. He nodded. "Those sisters of her must be monsters," he breathed contemptuously, imagining the derisive grins of Zeb and Arabus.
A stronger pony than she'd ever met? Whisper Wind was not so sure that that was a good thing. She admired ponies that had strong souls, and even if she never longed for her fillyhood back (still having a childlike mind), she yearned desperately for the days of being a spontaneous and fearless pony. Whisp saw Kail as such a pony - strong and fearless. An as a role model the unicorn would almost envy the pegasus, but in turn she had to put up with those things ... well, evil. The very thing Whisp was shying away from. But the truth was that Whisp had become so scared that she could no longer distinguish good from bad, hence her shy nature. She inhaled deeply, soothed by the smell of food, and already reaching for a second helping. Pie is good. "Thank you for the pie," Whisper said, and recalling the stallions humble words she added; "I think it's lovely."
"No problem," he responded. The white male then shook his head, looking bereft. "I just ... I can't believe she's gone."
Whisp at first became puzzled, but when she understood what Knight Shade had meant she grew cold as ice. She had to rise from her chair and start pacing the hall, desperately pushing images of her loved ones away. They never got to see me put myself together. I never got the chance to make things right. Oh why did I ever leave Xandia? ... Would it have made a difference had I not? Tears burned at her eyes, but she ignored them. She would have none of it. "If ... if Queen Eclipse is the rightful Queen, and if she is as strong as you both seem to think, then she must also be able to help." To bring them back. No, to send themselves back.
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Refuge
Dec 26, 2012 10:17:16 GMT -5
Post by Becka on Dec 26, 2012 10:17:16 GMT -5
Kail wanted to groan - her point hadn't gotten across. She didn't believe for one moment that the Queen had spent all that time in the Opaque without some darkness taking over her mind. It was the only explanation for Kail's stomach problems - if the dark rainbow was here it would have killed her by now.
She had to talk to Whisp alone. She wasn't sure now that the Queen would be able to send them back home. They may be stuck here forever, and if that was the case they had to make a plan to get out of this dark castle, but also to stay away from the Queen's sisters. If they were so evil as to trap their own sister for thousands of years, Kail didn't want to be anywhere near them.
"Thank you for the pie, Knight Shade. I'm feeling much better." She pushed the plate away and leaned back in her chair. "The Queen mentioned bedrooms upstairs?"
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Refuge
Dec 28, 2012 5:21:12 GMT -5
Post by Nightbow on Dec 28, 2012 5:21:12 GMT -5
Knight Shade watched crestfallen as the youth grew unsettled. He could clearly see that the unicorn shared his qualms, and he wanted to say something reassuring about Eclipse's capability - but in truth he hadn't seen much of it himself yet.
"Thank you for the pie, Knight Shade. I'm feeling much better," said Kailani. "The Queen mentioned bedrooms upstairs?"
"Why yes," replied Knight Shade, relieved to be of service in some way. He barely knew these mares, but helping them mean helping Eclipse, which meant hlping himself. Besides, the wannabe rock star was a kind stallion. "I can show you the way, if you'd like?"
"Fine by me," sighed Whisper Wind, who had accepted that nothing constructive was coming out of this evening anyway. "I'm done."
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Refuge
Dec 28, 2012 11:34:37 GMT -5
Post by Becka on Dec 28, 2012 11:34:37 GMT -5
Kail followed Night Shade and Whisper Wind up a different set of stairs than the ones that had led to the tower, and to the bedroom that he pointed out. Inside was a large, comfortable-looking bed, and part of Kail was relieved to finally be able to get some sleep. She'd need it if they were going to get out of here, and it had been days since she'd slept. Not that she ever needed much sleep, since the Healing Stone's energy could sustain her for a long time if she hadn't been using it to heal others, but fighting the pirates, keeping Razz afloat, healing Whisp's hoof, and then the business with the Queen had drained the green peg.
"Thank you, Night Shade, this will be perfect." She nodded to him before turning to Whisp, who would most likely be given a second room - there were plenty to spare in a castle this size.
"Whisp, come see me once you're settled. I'd like to know what was happening at the Nursery before you were pulled through the Rift."
If Bella was there it couldn't be anything good.
[a/n: Just assuming about the size of the castle and that they would be given different rooms. If you want them to stay together Knight Shade or Whisp can say so.]
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Refuge
Dec 29, 2012 4:55:50 GMT -5
Post by Nightbow on Dec 29, 2012 4:55:50 GMT -5
Whisper Wind looked at Knight Shade as if asking permission, and then back at Kail, confirming. "Alright." She followed the stallion back out the door with uncertainty.
"It's not far," he said assuringly, leading her across the hall and on. "You can stay in here." The room was big enough to contain a small bed and a nightstand.
The unicorn had a look around and was quick to thank Knight Shade for his hospitality before the singer disappeared, pointing in the direction of his own room.
"So you can see me if you need me," he said, nodding briefly and bidding her a good night.
Whisp merely made sure her bed was made before turning around to go back to the pegasus. She lingered though, spirit dampened by weariness and wary. Youth shook her head and let a yawn escape her muzzle, then went on her way back down the hall. Kailani's door was still part way opened, but she took care to land two distinct knocks upon the wall beside it.
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