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#Post#: 3378--------------------------------------------------
Re: Float Like a Parasprite, Sting Like a Manticore
By: Bastion Date: September 7, 2014, 5:37 am
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Despite not getting an answer to his question, Bastion chuckled
a little bit at her simple motion for him to lead the way. He
did so, but not without saying, "Aww, c'mon, Blossom; we're
setting hoof in a place nopony has in decades! Centuries, even!
As long as we get past the traps down here and find our way
through the apparently labyrinth ahead, we're all good. 'Course,
we just gotta hope we don't run into any demons or animated
skeletons while we're down here..." He said this with a shrug,
still leading the way down the spiral staircase and into the
floor below, the golden light from his horn showing more
corridors on corridors now that they'd reached the landing.
"Hey, Princess Celestia mentioned being able to provide us with
a floor plan while we were being briefed. There doesn't happen
to be one with that map you got, does there? And you've got the
Blinker handy just in case?"
#Post#: 3399--------------------------------------------------
Re: Float Like a Parasprite, Sting Like a Manticore
By: Blossom Gale Date: September 8, 2014, 4:18 pm
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Blossom rolled her eyes as they began to walk down the stairs,
taking care not to bump her polearm against the walls or the
ceiling. “Pssh, demons and skeletons… Bastille, your imagination
is running wild again. Of course there is no such thing as
living skeletons and demons,” she muttered as she shook her
head. When they reached the landing at the bottom, the sight of
more claustrophobia inducing corridors was enough to make
Blossom sigh. Bastion was right, these corridors were going to
be labyrinthine. “I think we did get blueprints for this floor,
let me see…” she opened her saddlebag and fished out the map,
plastering it against the wall with her magic so that Bastion
could light it and look at it. Examining the map, Blossom
pointed out the stairs that they were standing next to, “We
should be here, I think… merde, it doesn’t point out where the
traps are, or what they are. We are going to have to be careful
with those.” Rolling the map back up, she said, “As bad as it
sounds, I’m hoping that we weren’t the only ones down here. I’d
hate for us to be the ones to set off these dusty, century old
traps and get rusty metal infections.”
#Post#: 3417--------------------------------------------------
Re: Float Like a Parasprite, Sting Like a Manticore
By: Bastion Date: September 9, 2014, 4:51 am
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"Well that'd be silly," Bastion said after Blossom complained
about the map not detailing where the traps were. He continued
to talk as he stepped away from the map and further down into
the labyrinth. "I mean really. A map that displayed where every
single trap was. Some mastermind thief would have a field day
with that, making his job so much easier. Even then, it's been
forever since this place was made. I don't see why anypony would
want to come back here just so they could map out locations of
traps, especially when they'd have a chance just as high as us
to trigger them. How would they even find the traps without
triggering them? Anyway, keep the map out. Unless you want to do
the 'just keep going right' trick, that's gonna be our easiest
way to the end. After all, Princess Celestia mentioned there
being a chance that the corridors might not even be the same as
they are on the map.
"Or--" Bastion paused when he reached the end of the tunnel
where it had collapsed. He turned after, ready to shine his
light on the map. "There might be things like this. So which way
are we going? Out of curiosity, do any of these corridors lead
to any rooms? I'm curious as to what might be in some of them,
plus it'll be a good idea to have some 'landmarks' to use as
reference just in case."
#Post#: 3434--------------------------------------------------
Re: Float Like a Parasprite, Sting Like a Manticore
By: Blossom Gale Date: September 10, 2014, 1:13 pm
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As the adventurous Bastion dared to venture further into the
dark, abandoned hallways, Blossom followed behind with the map,
occasionally checking behind them to see if they were being
followed, or if they missed something. As soon as they came
across the collapsed corridor, Blossom checked the map again to
see where exactly this collapse was, and if there was another
way to walk around it.
“I don’t see many rooms other than the vault on this
map. At least, nothing that is marked as anything important.
There are open areas, but I would guess that those are where the
bigger traps are.” They turned and walked back down where
they came, turning down another corridor that would supposedly
lead them to the other side of the collapse. Keeping one eye on
the map and the other on the path in front of the two of them,
“This way is a little longer, and leads to one of those
rooms, but it is all we have to go on so far--” she
stopped and quickly pushed her guisarme past Bastion’s
side, the blunt hook on the weapon catching onto a piece of the
armour on his raised leg, halting it before it came down on a
stone brick, not dissimilar from the rest, but still
suspiciously raised from the floor. A few seconds of stillness
passed before Blossom muttered, “... that was
close,” unhooking her weapon when she was sure Bastion saw
what she saw.
#Post#: 3435--------------------------------------------------
Re: Float Like a Parasprite, Sting Like a Manticore
By: Darrus Date: September 10, 2014, 1:56 pm
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"So why exactly did Celestia decide to abandon this place
again?" Darrus asked with some interest while hovering near the
ceiling of the room he and AJ had managed to wander their way
into while exploring the castle, Darrus' natural desire for
adventure having urged him to help nudge their trip towards
going further downwards on the off chance of discovering some
long hidden or forgotten treasure. Finding something shiny to
show for their trip through the Everfree, which had been more or
less uneventful due to Applejack's guidance, would definitely be
a nice souvenir and discovering a lost cache of goodies
abandoned by royalty had the potential of being mind blowingly
awesome which had lead to Darrus doing everything in his ability
to at least poke his nose into every nook and cranny he came
across to exercise his craving for adventurous discovery.
"I mean, all things considered, it seems to be holding up pretty
well for something left ignored for... a thousand years you
said? How hasty was Celestia in leaving this place to crumble
anywho?" More of a rush would mean more of a chance of things
being left behind. Darrus hoped AJ would respond with something
along the lines of "immediately" but this, of course, was just a
hope along with the idea of finding anything at all.
It could happen!
Darrus lowered himself back down to ground level after his
peering into the partly crumbling wall led to him discovering
more crumbling wall, him landing next to AJ and starting to
again walk with her to continue exploring.
"... You know, if you get a case of the spooks, feel free to
snuggle up as close as you want for comfort," Darrus waggled his
eyebrows playfully, him remembering how Applejack had mentioned
finding this castle to have been spooky before when talking
about a certain test of courage she and Rainbow had had once,
though Darrus himself was viewing the place more as a carnival
haunted house. Was spooky, sure, but for him it was more the fun
way instead of legitimately frightening. Like a monster movie.
So far there hadn't been any sign of the "Pony of Shadow" Granny
Smith back at the farm apparently believed in beyond some vague
sounds and the clatter of old stuff brushing against other old
stuff when hit by the wind. Seemed the scary ghosty ghost was
going to be debunked before the day and or night was over, much
to Darrus minor disappointment.
"Think any of these walls are hollow?" stepping a little further
away from AJ and to the lower section of the wall he'd been
inspecting, Darrus started to knock his hoof against the
stonework, first softly then loudly then once again with his ear
pressed against the cold wall. "Or are, you know, secret doors
or something? Maybe if we pull on one of these torches a section
of a wall will swing around and reveal a secret passage to some
private princess room full of old documents or priceless art...
or just old sweets and a fluffy bed. Let's hope for that one.
Royal chocolates on a bed meant for a princess... heh..." A few
tugs and his idea seemed fruitless as none of the nearby empty
sconces cooperated, instead deciding to remain boring and
practical instead of cool and overly complicated like a castle
sconce should be!
Giving a quiet hum, Darrus scratched his chin with a hoof and
again walked alongside Applejack before finding a nice section
of wall to lean against for a brief break so as to plan where he
wanted to check next.
'Last time you were her you didn't happen to-uwAH!" His thought
went unfinished, Darrus being rightfully surprised as, for
whatever crazy reason the wall he was leaning against decided to
do exactly what he'd just been talking about, it giving way
along with part of the floor and then swinging and sliding in a
surprisingly smooth spin as it caused him to snap back to his
hooves for balance and be taken from one side of the wall to the
other where his eyes darted around to try and take in his new
surroundings. Seemed... non lethal so far. Kinda dark. Would
need a torch of some kind. But non lethal, so...
With a shrug, he turned his attention back to the wall before
deciding with a smirk to try pressing against it again, it
requiring a bit more effort from this side to move but giving
way all the same as, Darrus assumed, it was too old to work as
properly as it did when first installed or something.
"AJ!" Darrus said with exaggerated gasps as he joked once swung
back onto the original side of the wall, "What year is it!? I
think I was just sent through time!"
#Post#: 3442--------------------------------------------------
Re: Float Like a Parasprite, Sting Like a Manticore
By: Bastion Date: September 10, 2014, 6:11 pm
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Bastion scrunched his nose slightly in disappointment when
Blossom denied that there were very many side rooms down in this
part of the castle. He'd really been hoping to see a little bit
of the castle and what it used to be like while he was there,
but it started to look like he wouldn't really get that chance.
Stowing his disappointment, Bastion continued onward, eyes
peeled for any traps that might have been in their way. Raised
stones, discolored areas, open holes in the walls or ceiling...
He'd seen one of these traps just a head: a small raised plate,
hard to see for anypony not watching out for it, and he'd almost
walked safely past it before Blossom's guisarme caught his hoof,
very nearly causing him to stumble onto the plate he'd almost
avoided on his own.
Staving off his brief irritation with a slow exhale, knowing she
was only doing her best to keep them both from safety, he
continued onward to the supposed room at the end of the
corridor. "So what do you think is in there? Some sort of
archive, maybe? Or storage room in general? Hey, or maybe we'll
find Starswirl the Bearded's chambers or laboratory?" he asked,
having basic knowledge of the wizard who'd inspired some of the
stories he'd heard about. "Who knows what that guy must've kept
around in the place he worked. I wonder if he even lived here...
I don't really remember if he was even alive when Nightmare Moon
was banished..."
#Post#: 3443--------------------------------------------------
Re: Float Like a Parasprite, Sting Like a Manticore
By: Applejack Date: September 10, 2014, 7:02 pm
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"Ah dunno. Ah'd reckon she left 'cause o' the Everfree growin'
around here. Ah mean, she did move from a castle down here to a
castle all the way up on a mountain so maybe she wanted ta get
as far away from the forest as possible? It could be anythin',
though. We'd hafta ask Princess Celestia herself." Applejack
shrugged a bit after answering Darrus' first question of why the
castle had been abandoned, gaze slowly wandering around the room
they'd found their way in. She didn't really know what this room
used to be, but she knew that being in it still kind of sent
chills down her spine, as if she was being watched. Just like
the first time she came here. Darrus didn't seem to feel the
same though, and she knew it'd be silly of her to ask if he did.
"Perty sure a thousand years is right," Applejack acknowledged
to his second question of how long the castle had been
abandoned. "Twilight would prolly know better, though. Heck,
she'd prolly give you the exact hour and minutes too. As fer how
hasty she was, Ah don't know that either. Ah wasn't alive back
then, ya know." Then, he returned to the ground beside her, and
they were finally off to venture to another part of the castle,
only to inevitably come across another trap. "Ah'll be sure ta
keep that in mind," AJ responded after Darrus' reminder that she
could snuggle up to him if she got spooked, though she didn't
sidle up to him just yet. Not really wanting to admit that the
castle was already starting to get to her, Applejack quietly
scanned the corridor around them as she walked beside Darrus,
occasionally glancing behind her just to make sure they weren't
being followed... even though the flashlight tucked into
Applejack's vest only illuminated the hallway in front of her.
When Darrus stopped moments after and leaned against the wall,
Applejack stopped as well and turned back to him, raising a brow
at him in question before jumping in surprise when the wall
suddenly spun. She stood in stunned silence for a moment or two
before sighing quietly and instinctively nibbling on her hoof in
worry. If the wall didn't turn back, how would they find each
other again? How would he even see, without the flashlight in
her vest? She almost decided to try and push on the same area of
the wall, but as she started to move forward the wall spun back
once more, returning Darrus to her side of the corridor. In
relief, Applejack closed the distance between them and wrapped
her hooves around him in a relieved hug before pulling away. "Ya
gave me a fright, sugar. Warn me next time yer gonna go through
walls like that," she said lightheartedly, hoping to defuse some
of her tension with a bit of humor alongside Darrus'. "Did ya
wanna see what's on the other side, there? We could both stand
there and go through the wall when it spins. Or keep goin' this
way, up ta you."
#Post#: 3495--------------------------------------------------
Re: Float Like a Parasprite, Sting Like a Manticore
By: Blossom Gale Date: September 16, 2014, 2:06 pm
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Blossom raised her weapon once more after catching it onto
Bastion's armour, unaware that he would have dodged it on his
own. Putting her guisarme back over her shoulder, she looked
back at her map, turning it at a few different angles to try to
read what it said about the room ahead of them, "It does not say
what it was for, but one can only imagine. I'm not sure if
Starswirl was even around when Nightmare Moon was banished
either." She sighed and closed the map once more before adding,
"I'm not much of a historian, I could not tell anyone anything
about any historical topic other than that it might have
happened. Let's just see what's ahead for ourselves."
As she said that, they walked into the room, and Bastion's light
spell illuminated it. In the middle of the room was a table with
a dusty tablecloth over it. On top of this table was a clouded
crystal ball surrounded by stacks of old tomes that have long
since been devoured into uselessness by bookworms. Along the
walls were many other faded diagrams, drawings, and other
information that Blossom could only recognize as advanced
magical spells, way too advanced for someone of her pay grade.
Bookcases lined a few walls, and a few dusty potion bottles
still filled with coloured liquids sat on a bottle rack. After
looking around, Blossom said, "Well, if there was anything close
to a wizard's room, it would look something like this. I'm not
sure I'd want to touch any of this; no telling what the wizard
in question wanted untouched."
#Post#: 3503--------------------------------------------------
Re: Float Like a Parasprite, Sting Like a Manticore
By: Darrus Date: September 17, 2014, 12:51 am
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"But where's the fun in that? If I start warning you then that
will just ruin the surprise." Darrus replied, having snuck in a
quick little nuzzle when Applejack hugged him to further show
that he was fine, and also cause he just wanted to. "And, jeez,"
he continued with a joking tone as he half turned back towards
the wall, "looks like somepony can't stand being away from me
for so much as a few seconds... Not that I can blame whoever
that may be. I would have a hard time staying away from me too."
Returning his attention back to the spinny wall of secrets,
Darrus stepped closer so as to give it an experimental nudge
with a hoof. Yup. Still seemed to give pretty easily. Maybe
whatever this thing had that was supposed to keep it more rigid
and in place had worn down or something? Or maybe it was just
broken. Either way it wouldn't take much to get it to take them
to the other side again.
Darrus looked off further down the way they'd been going. Dark.
Kinda had a bit of a chill. Bit dank. Probably a bunch of bugs.
Not much of interest so far. May as well go with the more
exciting option, eh? Why yes, he agreed with himself, eh indeed.
He looked to AJ and tapped his hoof on the ground beside him
invitingly, waiting for her to take up a steady spot on the
shifting section of floor before resting his hooves back onto
the wall.
"Let's see where this takes us," he said before giving another
push. Whatever needed to click from the action clicked like a
champ as it triggered the rotation of the wall and floor, the
transition from that side of wall to the other being quick
and... well, still relatively smooth considering the age of the
thing. Darrus, expecting the room to be just as dark as it had
been when he'd accidentally discovered it, was caught a bit by
surprise when he found it to be much better lit than it had been
previously. Also a lot more inhabited than he remembered. Over
twice as many ponies as before in fact as it had gone from a
population of zero to two, not including himself and Applejack.
Maybe he really had gone through time this turn...
"Uh..." Darrus began after a moment of confusion before raising
a hoof to give a small wave hello towards the armed and armored
ponies, "... Hi?"
#Post#: 3505--------------------------------------------------
Re: Float Like a Parasprite, Sting Like a Manticore
By: Bastion Date: September 17, 2014, 7:27 am
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Bastion's excitement returned when they stepped into the room
and the light from his horn washed over everything. If there was
anything he'd call a wizard's workspace, this would be it.
Spells, diagrams, potions, bookcases, a couple chests here and
there... Didn't look like anything that major was still inside
the room--other than the spells maybe--but that didn't make the
room any less fantastic to Bastion. "I'm just surprised all of
this is still here, and in this kind of condition... I mean,
it's not mint, but it also doesn't look like anything's going to
disintegrate if I breathe the wrong way... This is amazing! I
wonder what's inside one of these ch--"
Bastion stopped as one of the walls near the far corner of the
room began to move, causing him to interrupt his sentence as he
readied his sword in caution. To his surprise though, there were
no threats that came through that spinning wall--which Bastion
couldn't help but think for a moment was one of the most
awesomely cliche things he could imagine--but instead, one of
the element bearers stood there, alongside a stranger. "Lady
Applejack," Bastion greeted her, lowering his weapon and bowing
to the mare. "Princess Celestia hadn't told us you'd be here
today, or we would've escorted you here..." He stood after that,
gesturing a hoof to both himself and Blossom. "Bastion and
Blossom Gale of Aurora Noctem. If I may be so bold, might I ask
why you're here...?"
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