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Refuge
Jan 2, 2013 12:32:51 GMT -5
Post by Becka on Jan 2, 2013 12:32:51 GMT -5
[Sorry, I've either been two drunk or too hungover for the past few days to reply. Yay Holidays ;P]
Kail looked around the room when Whisp and Knight Shade left, but there wasn't much to look at. A thin stream of dull sunlight fell through the skinny window next to the bed, and there were nothing adorning the walls or nightstand. It was bleak and Kail shivered from the cold and nausea.
She peered out the thin window with a hoof unconsciously grasping the compass around her neck. When there was a knock at the door she stepped away from the window and tried to smile.
"Come in."
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Refuge
Jan 3, 2013 6:40:16 GMT -5
Post by Nightbow on Jan 3, 2013 6:40:16 GMT -5
["Two drunk?" *Gigglesnort* Ah well, I hope your holidays were enjoyable. One thing; reminding you to please let me know your address, Becka. I'm working on a little something - it's going to be a late Christmas present.]
"Hey." The unicorn stepped inside, letting out a brief greeting since her manners wouldn't allow her to pass on that. In her mind everything seemed to slow down, gentle hoofbeats exploding in her brain. The stroll had given oxygen to her head, and she did feel a bit more awake now. In fact, she felt her pulse rising a little. What was it that Kail had on her mind? Whisper Wind was uncertain that she would be able to provide any answers, and it made her nervous.
Silly Whisp, she told herself. She had always sought comfort in the company with the pegasus. Though this time around, there might not be any of the sort to be found. The thought scared her.
Whisper took a deep breath. "What is it that you want to talk about?"
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Refuge
Jan 3, 2013 10:18:08 GMT -5
Post by Becka on Jan 3, 2013 10:18:08 GMT -5
[HAHA, I wasn't even drunk when I wrote that Guh, typos.] Kail wasn't entirely sure how to begin. She didn't want to scare Whisp anymore than she'd already been scared, but she trusted the young unicorn. In fact, Whisper Wind was the only one Kail trusted right now. "Close the door, please?" Kail didn't want anyone else listening in on the conversation. When it was closed, Kail sat on the edge of the bed and sighed. "Before I came to Ponyville I lived in Dream Valley with my parents, who are from Course. During the last Coursian war, about three years ago..." Kail paused, could it have only been three years since the war? So much had happened since then. She shook her head briefly and continued. "The Rainbow of Light broke out of it's locket to help Queen Luna and Princess Celeste. It gathered my mother, my sister and I and flew us to Course to help. My mother and sister have fought many battles so they jumped right in, but I'd never been in a battle - although I was taught to fight - so I didn't really know what to do. I saw something dark chase the Princess into the castle, with the Rainbow of Light following behind, so I went after them. When I found the Princess she was holding a sword wrapped in the Rainbow, but the dark thing was there too, and it was also a rainbow. The Dark Rainbow. I didn't even know such a thing existed, and I didn't know how dangerous it was, so I tried to stop it." Kail put a hoof to her stomach and chewed her lip for a moment. It was hard to think about that day. Hard to remember her first glimpse of the Dark Rainbow that had plagued her so in Ponyville. It was cold and empty and terrifying, and when she spoke again her voice was barely above a whisper. "It killed me. Or at least as close to killed as one can get without crossing over. I don't remember anything else from that day until I woke in the ocean with the dolphins. The Princess had cut the Dark Rainbow into its stripes and the Rainbow of Light had scattered them. The Queen won the war. The Rainbow of Light brought my family back to Dream Valley and settled again in its locket." Kail finally looked up at Whisper Wind. "The only time I have ever felt pain as bad as I did today was when the Dark Rainbow hit me, and I've been nauseous around it ever since. I thought the Dark Rainbow was here when we were in the tower, but now I think it was the Queen that did that to me. She has a great amount of darkness in her, Whisp. We are not safe here." [Queen Luna and Princess Celeste are MUCH older than FiM, so forgive the names. I think Lauren Faust stalks me.]
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Refuge
Jan 4, 2013 10:23:52 GMT -5
Post by Nightbow on Jan 4, 2013 10:23:52 GMT -5
[No worries, I'm just messing with ya.]
Whispering Wind did as she was told; closed the door behind her, and took a few steps closer to the bed. Expression sincere and ears perked, the youth showed that she was listening. And listen she did, sinking to her haunches. What Razzaroo had told Whisp had sounded like something leaping off of the page of a storybook, but this was something else. The story in its whole, or rather, its origins. Kailani's whisper tickled at the back of Whisp's mind, tugging at the neckmane. She spoke not of sunshine and lollipops. It was not a story of good versus evil, without any real danger, where good always triumphed in the end. Even if it had, the evil was so great it had almost extinguished the pegasus' life.
The violet unicorn could merely thank her golden star she had not had to be a part of that - the war that followed. The war that she barely had avoided. But when Kail's lavender eyes met hers, something told her that it had been just that - luck.
The look in Kail's eyes threw the unicorn off guard, and Whisp for a moment eyed the room around her in confusion. Struggling to find a fixed point of comfort, she finally re-discovered it within the spirit of the winged mare.
Voice of youth's was kept low. "Are you sure it's her? Do you think the Rainbow is still safe in its ice prison?" Whisp did not mistrust Kail, but she could hardly believe the hospitable pony would be host of such great a darkness. Hoping that all Kailani actually needed was a good night sleep, but doubting it, the unicorn seemed to shrink, shying away from the world around her.
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Refuge
Jan 4, 2013 11:58:43 GMT -5
Post by Becka on Jan 4, 2013 11:58:43 GMT -5
The look on Whisp's face as Kail told her story was heart-breaking, and Kail wished she could save the young unicorn from the dark truth that faced them. But that would only get them both killed.
"Are you sure it's her? Do you think the Rainbow is still safe in its ice prison?"
"If it had been the Dark Rainbow causing that pain I'd be dead by now. It won't suffer me to live. Course was not the only time the Rainbow nearly killed me..."
Kail looked down at her second symbol, peaking out from behind the compass. Twice the Rainbow of Light had saved her life, twice Dark, and the last time it had been Razz. Silly Razzarroo, who had saved her from Glasye with nothing more than his voice. His voice was gone now - thousands of years dead.
When Kail spoke again her voice was hoarse. "I've seen the Evil Orange since the Rainbow of Light took the pony popsicle away, so it is possible that it has melted and released the whole of the Dark Rainbow. But that's not what caused my pain today. It was the Queen. I'm sure of it."
Kail stood and began pacing the room. "I don't think she meant to - I don't even think she knew she was doing it. I do think she wants to help us, Whisp, but I don't know if she can, and I don't know if I can survive being here with her. I can barely breathe the nausea is so bad. It's like being in that cage all over again."
As she spoke her voice softened to a whisper. Whisper Wind knew nothing of the cage; of the moment the Green Stripe came to Kail and asked her to become a Champion. Nothing of the war that followed, or all those Kail hadn't been able to save.
"I don't know what to do," Kail admitted. "If she's the only one who can help us, we must stay. But..." She stopped and chewed her lip. Kail didn't think she would survive living in this castle long. Still, if she could get Whisp home, at least, she'd try her best.
"I guess we have no other option."
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Refuge
Jan 4, 2013 16:42:08 GMT -5
Post by Nightbow on Jan 4, 2013 16:42:08 GMT -5
The unicorn's emerald optics were drawn towards the mark upon Kailani's chest - certainly not a common cutie mark. She lowered her head towards he floor as Kail walked past, time after time, thinking frantically about the pegasus' words.
Whisper Wind let her options sink in. They could either leave the castle and not risk Kailani's health, but on the other hoof face the unkown and dangerous world outside the castle walls. Else they could stay and have as a good nights rest as possible, letting their dreams plague them all night in order to hear what Eclipse would talk to them about in the following morning.
"No." At last, youth looked up at the sea green mare. The peg had far more experience with powers of darkness than the unicorn could ever nightmare of having. "If you're positive it's her ... if the Queen is hurting you ... then we must leave." Question was, where ever would they go? How would the two of them, tired and lost, make it out of the forest alive?
An idea came to her, and Whisp figuratively kicked herself for it. With her new found insight she arched her head back over her shoulder, towards the door, recalling which direction the helpful stallion had walked off into. "Hang on ..." The little pony slowly rose to her feet. When she spoke again her voice was very hushed, almost ashamed:
"Knight Shade's pendant!"
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Refuge
Jan 4, 2013 21:20:12 GMT -5
Post by Becka on Jan 4, 2013 21:20:12 GMT -5
The pendant? It took a moment for the peg to realize what Whisp was talking about. Kail could fly above the trees as easy as could be, but the unicorn was unaccustomed to winking (as she showed in the forest with the stonebacks), and wouldn't make it through that darkness on foot. The pendant had somehow kept the monsters at bay. If Kail wanted to get Whisp out of this place, they'd have to steal the pendant.
Kail sat again as visions of the pirate ship and trying to steal the locket came back to her. Stealing wasn't in her nature - the pirates had proved that oh so well. But if there was no other option?
The window was growing dark with dusk, meaning the Queen would be there to speak with them soon. In the dark, with the Queen, could Kail even survive? This was about more than a trinket around some stallions neck. Knight Shade may be as mad as Rat Skull to follow this Queen, but Kail wasn't about to let either of them take Whisper Wind.
"Where is he? I can get it from him." Whether by stealth or force Kail didn't know, but she could heal herself faster than she could Whisp, should trouble arise.
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Refuge
Jan 5, 2013 6:40:49 GMT -5
Post by Nightbow on Jan 5, 2013 6:40:49 GMT -5
[Gah, I totally goofed up on this one. They are not staying the night, just resting for some hours 'til nightfall. That would mean Knight Shade is not asleep in his room ATM. But we'll work with what we have, heh.]
Whisper was almost shocked. The sea green peg was in on it, no questions asked, and even offered to do the deed.
"I can show you," murmured Whisp. The stallion was small and the unicorn did believe that Kailani could take the pendant from him, but she grew steadily unnerved. "I suppose you could fly from the nearest window. What would you have me do?" It was probably best if she was already out of danger's way when it happened, since the unicorn couldn't run as fast as the earthling, but Whisp still hated the idea of them splitting up.
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Refuge
Jan 5, 2013 14:52:01 GMT -5
Post by Becka on Jan 5, 2013 14:52:01 GMT -5
It didn't occur to Kail that Whisp would be surprised at her quick agreement, but the unicorn did seem a bit taken aback. Kail would have been taken aback that it was the young mare who proposed the pendant in the first place, if she wasn't already in survival mode.
"You should probably get yourself to the courtyard, so you can run as soon as I have the pendant. There was a town on the other side of the dark forest if I remember correctly from the tower - we should head there. We can make our way to Ponyville eventually, and maybe find a way home."
Kail paused and looked at Whisper Wind. "Are you sure you want to leave? If the Queen is right, she may be your only hope back through the Rift."
She may be Kail's only hope too, but if the peg couldn't survive her presence then she wouldn't get home either way.
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Refuge
Jan 6, 2013 15:21:36 GMT -5
Post by Nightbow on Jan 6, 2013 15:21:36 GMT -5
Whisper Wind shook her sadly as a response to Kail's question. She was not sure, not by a long shot. But Whisp focused on one thing the peg had said: 'Her' only hope. "What about you?" The youth hissed urgently. "Either both of us must leave, or none." The unicorn did not want to imagine the questions that would follow should Kailani leave her in the castle, neither did she want to be left alone here.
Her ears drooped. "D'you think you could ... I mean, what would happen if you got worse?"
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Refuge
Jan 7, 2013 10:37:50 GMT -5
Post by Becka on Jan 7, 2013 10:37:50 GMT -5
That was a good question. Kail had no idea what would happen if the pain got worse. Could it kill her? It could certainly drive her mad, which would be nearly the same. She shook her head slowly and frowned.
"I can't stay here Whisp. If that means I can never go home, so be it, but this place will be the end of me if I don't leave. We can stay and hear the Queen out if you like, and maybe I can help her from afar, but..."
Kail wasn't sure she wanted to help the Queen. There was too much darkness in her. Still, the Queen had been nothing but pleasant to them. It wasn't her fault her sister's had trapped her for so long, nor was it her fault that Kail had such a bad reaction to her.
The peg didn't know what to do. To get home they had to help the Queen. And to help the Queen they would have to stay in the castle, at least until they found out how to help. Kail couldn't destroy Whisp's chance of getting back home because she had a stomachache. That wasn't fair to the unicorn at all.
"Lets stay, at least until we find out how we can help. Just don't let her get too close to me."
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Refuge
Jan 7, 2013 15:57:28 GMT -5
Post by Nightbow on Jan 7, 2013 15:57:28 GMT -5
"We can stay and hear the Queen out if you like, and maybe I can help her from afar, but..."
Kailani did not trust Queen Eclipse, that much was clear. Whisper Wind was, without being naïve, prepared to look for goodness within every breathing thing. The Queen had been good to them, but the unicorn wasn't so sure this mattered. Evil or not she was tainted by a darkness, and its presence hurt the pony that had once been inhabited by a part of the power that was its polar opposite: the Rainbow Light. The youth was not prepared to let Kail suffer. But surely, Eclipse must understand this weakness when she had herself been subject to it?
"Lets stay, at least until we find out how we can help. Just don't let her get too close to me."
Whisp felt thankful. Worried still that Kail would grow ill, but the unicorn trusted that the pegasus knew her limit - for she herself was totally incapable to sense the darkness within, and how terrifyingly great it actually was. Quietly and determined she nodded in response. They needed to know what Eclipse had to say, but they were definitely staying on borrowed time. "You could leave tonight, should worse come to worse," suggested the little pony. She only hoped that Eclipse was as nice as she had so far sounded, and that there would not be a problem. "In the meantime, I think I need to get some sleep," she added, feeling her brain going numb with drowsiness. Surely she did not feel perfectly safe, but the mere thought of a warm bed lulled her halfway to sleep.
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Refuge
Jan 7, 2013 16:23:01 GMT -5
Post by Becka on Jan 7, 2013 16:23:01 GMT -5
"I need some sleep too. Maybe that will help my stomach." Kail didn't believe that, but she did need to sleep. Who knows, maybe when she woke she'd be back on this beach in Course, and find this was all a crazy dream.
"I promise I won't leave without you, Whisp. Go to bed." The unicorn looked half asleep already.
When she was gone Kail paced the room again, not confident in her decision to stay. If nothing else they needed to learn more about this place, the Queen, and her sisters. Kail wished briefly the Yellow was there to help her puzzle through everything, but she hadn't really been on good terms with him since the pirate ship incident. Probably best Hollow wasn't around to watch Kail fail endlessly.
With a sigh, the green peg crawled under the covers of the comfortable bed and fell asleep.
[Start a new thread, or keep everything here?]
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Refuge
Jan 7, 2013 19:45:43 GMT -5
Post by Nightbow on Jan 7, 2013 19:45:43 GMT -5
['Think jumping to wakeup will be best. I don't necessarily want to post with Whisp anymore either, 'cause she's just saying "thanks" and jumping into bed anyway. I would start the thread, but I need to go to bed, too. CX If you want to go ahead, have Knight Shade knock on Kail's door a few hours later.]
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