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Babs would smile and answer Babs "Well, I work in a salon called Mane in Manehattan, quite a name isn't it?" Babs giggled as she looked awestruck "A hybrid huh? He must be cute as a button then!" Babs liked that her cuz had her two little pups to keep her company, especially when Babs didn't talk to her or couldn't see her it sure was odd though a hybrid, why Babs had never heard of it, but she'd bet that her son was a cutie, and that was that. Babs noticed that Applebloom hadn't said anything about the someone special remark that Babs had made, but Babs knew if AppleBloom didn't say anything, then sure enough, that it wasn't important, therefore Babs decided not to press the issue, so she kept quiet. As for the how she knew AppleBloom was here, well that was simple enough she knew AppleBloom was here, because AppleJack had told Babs, Although Babs thought that AppleJack was going to tell AppleBloom about her seeing her cousin, but she guessed wrong "Well, AppleJack had told me that you was going to be here, so I assumed she was going to tell you, but I guess not!" Babs had smiled at her cousin and asked "Where are you staying at cuz? Maybe we could go grab a bite to eat, and maybe do some shopping for you and your pups, but only if that's okay with you!" Babs said while she trotted alongside AppleBloom.

I can only speak a very small bit, and I never try to speak it to actual other people. I just mumble Daijoubou to everyone and hope for the best.

Apple Bloom smiled. “Where do ya work, exactly?” Of course Babs would be open to doing her mane. She would do it even if it wasn’t her special talent- cousins would be cousins after all. But for all that and two buckets more she was happy to have that on her schedule. She hadn’t had a good mane care day in forever and an hour. She wasn’t like Sweetie or Rarity mind you, but she found herself enjoying a bit of care more than some of her family. “She sure is a cutie. She’s a Diamond Dog through and through- that’s been a whole mess and a half in and of itself, let me tell ya- but her brother is a hybrid. Cute fella, for sure,” she said, wondering whether to wake Roxbury up or not. She decided not to. He was a very concerted sleeper and she’d hate to wake him while he displayed the one-true talent he had already displayed. She was quiet on the someone special line, though she didn’t give a wince or anything of the sort. Truth was, it was all a blur. She had been traveling on Tempest’s airship seeing the world and having a true- blue adventure away from home when they ran across a village in the path of a terrible tornado. One thing led to another and she was being treated like a hero by the town. Drinks were shared and- well, one thing led to two pups, but for the life of her she couldn’t quite put her hoof on the name of the Diamond Dog who laid her up fierce and true. “Well, Ah’m just glad yer out an’ about. Strange we’re meeting here in tha Crystal Empire, though. How’d ya know Ah was gonna be here?”

Cadance nodded. “We all have our ways of using magic. I think it is important not how grand or powerful the magic we use happens to be, but how we choose to view it. As long as you use your magic in service, I think you will find your magical capabilities have a wider, grander implication than even you know,” she said as she prepared to end the spell. As he spoke, she had two thoughts. One was that his loneliness was something she may never truly understand. She could respond that having such closeness with other creatures, friendship, love, opened you up to escalating levels of grief that only such warmth could breed. But she wouldn’t turn this into a competition. Secondly was the knowledge she had, foretold, that his concerns for his love for her and how it was shared. He would soon have to change some of those thoughts and concerns. “We will have time enough soon to further investigate these lands, but I think something is happening back at the negotiation that you would be very interested in seeing. I will teleport us in three...two...one...now!” ---- Twilight took her tea gently as she watched Jizara come to terms with her body. It was very cute, in a way. For all their regality, sphinxes were just big cats. All of the great species, despite their advancements and intelligence, had their animalistic pasts buried deep within. Jizara tore and moved and attacked like an over-energized housecat the size of- well, a house. Blueblood chose to protect himself with a table. Twilight remained in her seat, protected by a thin layer of magic from some debris. “Jizara, a delight for you to finally join us. A regal posture befitting your kind,” Twilight bowed her had slightly in respect as she started pouring some tea. As she did so, Cadance finished her teleportation...

"Sounds good to me, love!" Kahz remarked, casually reveling in the atmosphere as he swung himself over the benches in his exit. The 'ling was already drunk on love, therefore the bar would be wise to limit his sake before his song. He didn't have to peruse the catalog for long; he knew the playlist already, and had an inkling in mind already as to the perfect number to dedicate to Yù. Having punched in the number, he swaggered on stage, even calling out the Long Kong intro phrase "An-nyŏng-ha-se-yo!" before the Piano bars kicked in, "Sometimes you gotta bleed to know That you're alive and have a soul But it takes someone to come around to show you how She's the tear in my heart, I'm alive She's the tear in my heart, I'm on fire She's the tear in my heart, take me higher Than I've ever been!" The lead singer in Kahz was fully out on stage, undisguised under a pony glamour, though a few in the audience may have recognized his voice. They were certainly applauding the show, but he had eyes for just one member of the audience, a certain Qilin who he hoped wouldn't mind the attention his attention would direct her way. Nor the somewhat cheesy compliments the lyrics held, but if she didn't mind all the one's he'd given before... "The songs on the radio are okay, But my taste in music is your face! And it takes a song to come around to show you how She's the tear in my heart, I'm alive She's the tear in my heart, I'm on fire She's the tear in my heart, take me higher Than I've ever been Than I've ever been Than I've ever been Than I've ever been!" The crescendo of the second chorus smoothed over into a calm percussive snapping, letting him settle back for the bridge, swaying sinuously side to side, "You fell asleep in my cart I pulled the whole time, But that's OK I'll just avoid the holes so you sleep fine. I'm cursing as I walk, it's all the Princess' fault For not using my taxes to fill holes with more asphalt. You fell asleep in my cart I pulled the whole time, But that's OK I'll just avoid the holes so you sleep fine. I'm cursing as I walk, it's all the Princess' fault For not using my taxes to fill holes with more asphalt!" The song kicked back into high gear, sending him to the front of the stage in the limelight. Not once had he glanced at the lyrics page, probably signaling to his date that this had been a planned little moment for her. "She's the tear in my heart, I'm alive She's the tear in my heart, I'm on fire She's the tear in my heart, take me higher Than I've ever been!" She'd see him kneel down after the last chorus, directing the outro straight to her as he looked into her eyes, the high tempo and volume cooling down over that last half minute, sending a heartfelt little message her way, "My heart is my armor She's the tear in my heart, she's a carver She's a butcher with a smile, cut me farther Than I've ever been Than I've ever been Than I've ever been Oh, than I've ever been My heart is my armor She's the tear in my heart, she's a carver She's a butcher with a smile, cut me farther Than I've ever been" The exoskeletons of changelings were a metaphor for their hearts; an outer shell that could repel blows, but nothing but softness inside for all who found, or made for themselves, a way in. It had not been mere starvation, but fear of vulnerability, that had kept his kind as parasitic outcasts for so long. Even though he'd been far from hostile himself, it was only after he met Yù that anypony had ever had from Kahz more than a friendly smile painted on his armor. But now... there was a door open for her, a home for her own heart, should she come in.

He followed what she was saying as he kept looking around the mine. It was modest and he’s seen much bigger. But it seemed to have a rich vein with steady flow output. Why it was not expanded he can’t fathom, but he’d see to that. It was no gold mine but gemstones never made you poor. Looking over at the pink mare he pounded her magic some. “That is powerful, when I walk unseen I… Make it so one wishes to simply not see me. An overriding need too just ‘not see it’ as it were. For most it works well, only very well trained guards can overcome that trick. But for most… I can walk down a street, every pony in it moves out of my way and never reacts, or remember even seeing me move out of the way. But this is much more grand than my school of magic… But, your kind were blessed with flexibility in such.” He remarked. The topic moved onto his own, and watched her keenly as she spoke. It was, as ponies tend to be, a charming reply and maybe too good willed. But he’d lie if did not enjoy it. “I hope it is just so, and I am all her heart can want all ready. Yet I know I can do more and will do so. Some things come less easy, some even more so. It takes some care too not just roll her about with a nuzzle. Or soak her with a single lick. But such troubles are worth feeling less alone in this world. Not to be dramatic, but I think your kind can never grasp what it is to be alone. Friends? Oh yes. Blue has been nothing but good. But to sit down grasp in claws the fact you it. The end song. The fact she helps me push that away and feel as if something understands me, truly, as another of my kind. No pierce can put on that feeling.” He says, eyes wandering around the mine to take in the glitter of gemstones. The shiny was distracting. He flicked his ears when told it may be time too head back. “So soon? I feel like we only just started. Or is the magic drain of such a spell? If so, no need to drain it on this trip. Your city is grand and pretty, I’d be content walking its streets with you and seeing all it has too offer.” He replayed with a respectful bow of his head. Well she was an odd mare, he found her pleasant. A good thing as with the deals being offered he’d have to keep in contact with her.

Dark Core's misadventure sounds like a disaster in the making, and TT (in good conscience), simply can't let that happen. So she'll help where she can. Also curious as to what's going on, and roving equinologists are notoriously curious/nosy ...

That's cool, good for you! I wish i could learn a different language, though it never seems to stick.

Throughout the town of Ponyville, a series of posters has been plastered across lampposts, buildings, signs, carts, benches, and even the odd pony or two that was too slow to avoid it. The well penned posters had looping, dark red filigree designs along the edges to catch and draw the eye to the equally expertly written message held within: Count your blessings, Ponyville! An absolutely golden opportunity awaits you! I am searching for a few lucky fools peons minions assistants to have the honour of joining me, the one and only, Dark Core! Master of Evil! — and his second-in-command Colonel Croaky — on a once-in-a-lifetime journey far to the north, deep within the Badlands! [A drawing of the general area around the Sea of Ruin is drawn next to the paragraph] There is bound to be numerous dangers and threats along the way, none that I need worry about of course, but not all of you are quite so lucky. Thus I suggest bringing plenty of supplies for any such occasions. Your reward, of course, is being graced by my presence as well as getting to have the honour of helping carry back any treasure that I find save for the singular relic that I am after. Which is on a need to know basis. You don't need to know. Should you have the fortitude and intelligence to wish to join me, meet at the northwestern exit of Ponyville the morning of [the date has been repeatedly replaced four times]! Failure will, of course, not be tolerated. - Dark Core, Master of Evil Beneath each of these posters, a second, smaller poster has also been attached with similar hoofmanship: Fine! Any assistance will be rewarded with a share of any treasure found during the journey, not including the relic I'm after! Which again! Is need to know! And you don't need to know. So if the honour of working for me isn't enough for you greedy goody-two-hooves there's potential treasure on the line now! Yeesh. - Dark Core, Master of Evil ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Out on the outskirts of Ponyville, Dark paced to and fro impatiently. The colt had been trying for days now to get some labour willing to make this highly important trek. It wasn't like he was asking much! A few folks willing to make a trek to the north, bring their own supplies, and carry things back for no pay wasn't that big of a deal. But after some troubleshooting with Colonel Croaky he came to the conclusion that at least SOME kind of enticement might work, it's hard to say no to treasure, even for goody-two-hooves. Surely someone would follow, he even put some posters up at that blasted school and it was full of sparklebrains that would help out someone blindly! He hoped anyway. Otherwise this would be a long journey...

Hey there guys, gals, and non-binary pals! Starting up a new little adventure thread of sorts with everyone's favourite super evil villain mildly annoying miscreant, Dark Core! The journey itself is a bit of a loose plan at the moment itself, with the destination/end result more solid, so the length of the thread itself will vary depending on actions, reactions, whim, where the moon is relative to Mars, who knows. I'll be posting the OP shortly after this, and the thread will be Open, though depending on how many people decide to jump in and how complex things do or don't get, I might cut it off to new additions eventually!

If you had asked Yù if she could be so easily flustered like this in the past, she would've rolled her eyes. The idea of her feeling like a twitterpated schoolfilly was laughable at best... Yet here she was. And here she enjoyed that feeling. Love does many a strange thing to a pony, and she was no exception. It felt good to just put those worries of the day, or year in some cases, aside and just enjoy the moment. Fetching a piece of ginger, a bit more water, and a breathmint as well, Yù smiled, nodding her head as she rose to follow Kahz. "How about this? You surprise me while I look through what songs they have. Then I'll do one, and then we can do one together?"

Babs giggled as her cousin had said that Babs would do something like Mane Care "Well, I will do your hair, anything for my cuz!" Babs said smiling she was glad that APpleBloom had liked her gift although her maine was much longer, than the last time they had seen each other Oh well Babs thugh I'll make her another one just like it, maybe diffrent. As AppleBloom told her that they were pups and not foals Babs had ceartinly looked confused before the pup Honeygold had peeked out of her basket "Well, Hi there Honeygold, you sure are cute!" she said as Honeygold waved a paw and Babs looked happy, really happy, as AppleBloom told her the pup's names Babs said "I'm glad, you're doing good, cuz, and I'm glad you got someone special in your life, although I can't say the same!" Babs said smiling, Babs had never really gotten to meet anyone cause of her work schedule "I think I should get out more cuz, and that's why I'm glad I got to come, because seeing you and your foa- I mean pups has made my day better than it would've been at the salon"

Whether it was automatically part of the process, or a special request fulfilled, Jizara was getting what she wanted. Perhaps, everything she ever wanted. Maybe that was too much to hope for, but she wasn't too old at heart to not feel it pound in her chest at the prospect. The magic rose, she felt it start to act on her... it was weird, since Twilight's magic was changing, in essence, the past, while leaving Spoiled's memories of it intact. Which, more or less amounted to a retroactive bifurcation of the universe, which at this very point in the timeline was combining and joining on her very overlapping person, who Spoiled Rich was contained only in the legacy of her daughter and the memories in Jizara's head, an existentially world-shaking series of events! It tingled. With a shudder, Jizara felt herself expand to fill the hall, the enormous cushion seeming to shrink beneath her as she shook out changing limbs that felt as if they were going to sleep on her. "Mwa, rar, raowl!" New feline flesh and nerves, along with a spurt of sudden youthful energy, caused her insticts to rile up, pouncing upon the pillow, claws out, working out her weird feelings in a spray of cloth, stuffing and feathers! It took a few minutes for her to get to full size, and get used to it, by which time Blueblood was cautiously emerging from cover, as he'd overturned his table to act as a makeshift shield. Jizara had regained a more regal pose, eyeing the Prince in the midst of the wreck, as if daring him to acknowledge it happened at all. Blueblood, however, was a married stallion, and knew better. "Well... you look... improved. Fitter, I mean. Er, not that you fat before..." OK, so the boy still needed some work...

“Mane care? Well, Ah reckoned it’d be somethin’ like that. Ah’ll have ta have you come by and do mah mane ‘fore Ah pick up AJ’s reward,” Apple Bloom laughed heartily as she turned about and trotted side by side with Babs. She was pretty certain that Babs was one of the best mane care specialists in the whole city because she sure as shine didn’t look like it. She had to work at it, had to find it, search for it. And she thought that was neat! “Awww, thank ya for tha gift. It looks real pretty,” she said as she went to try it on. Her mane had grown and it needed to adjust- no matter. She knew she’d make it work! “Pups,” she corrected. Not that she blamed her. A lot of ponies she knew somewhat distantly or saw rarely heard she had some kids, thought (of course) they were foals. Not many of them knew the father was a Diamond Dog. “Ah reckon-” she began before, on cue, Honeygold pushed up on her basket, the little pup only half away. She saw her momma’s ear and launched up to bit it playfully. Apple Bloom’s head jerked to that side. “Honeygold, stop yer foolin’,” she said, and the Diamond Dog obeyed. Awake, she looked at Babs curiously. “This here’s yer Aunt Babs Seed. Say hi,” Apple Bloom said, nearly cooing as Honeygold waved a paw and started dropping back down into her basket. “That there is Honeygold. Her brother is Roxbury Russet.”

Babs smiled and let out a sigh before hugging AppleBloom back "I sure did miss you cuz, that's for sure, and Manehattan is treating me well, I cut hair for a living now and man do I love it, but enough about me tell me how you've been and who are these two adorable foals!" Babs said softly almost crying because now Babs knew exactly how long it had been since she had talked to AppleBloom, sure she knew about AppleBloom having foals, but she had never met them, Babs was actually very lucky to get off to see AppleBloom her boss was not going to let her, luckily her best friend in Manhattan had offered to take Bab's shifts for a few days while she went on this trip. Babs would think for a moment before remembering the present that she had brought for AppleBloom "Here ya go Cuz, I hope you like it, I made it for ya" Babs said as she handed the beautifully wrapped present to AppleBloom, Babs hoped she would like the present, as it was a bow for her that Babs had sewed herself for AppleBloom, but she had made it a while back hoping that she could've given it to her sooner, but now she finally gave it to her.

Apple Bloom had taken up the offer to collect some sort of reward for Applejack that was being given out in the Crystal Empire more readily than she’d care to admit. Ever since she had her pups it had been work, work, work. She was a young mare but golly, she didn’t think all her energy could be used up so quickly and readily like this! Still, Applejack was indisposed in some manner with RD and the trip was all expenses paid. She could use the vacation. She had been in the Empire for just a night when she received a message that her cousin Babs Seed was coming into the Empire. Well, that seemed awfully convenient! Apple Bloom wasn’t gonna look the gift-horse in the mouth though. She made sure she looked presentable, with a saddlebag on her bag and two large side baskets. Roxbury Russet in the left, Honeygold in the right. Luckily they were both asleep as the cold wind blew through the train station. It didn’t take long before Apple Bloom saw Babs and trotted up to the mare, giving her a big hug. “Well, if it ain’t Babs Seed! Ain’t seen ya in a while, cuz,” she said, letting go of the hug and taking a look. “An’ look at tha state of ya! How’s Manehattan treatin’ ya?”

“You are here. Technically. We…” she thought best how to explain it, “we are in the...veil...between material reality and unreality. You are seeing things as they are, in real time, as they exist now. If the spell were to stop, you would take up that physical space that you occupy now for all the good and ill that would imply,” she shook her head. “It is a powerful spell, one I learned not long ago thanks to Twilight. It requires not only a significant amount of magical power, but a deep knowledge of the area I am locating myself and others at while also requiring many magical crystals exist at the location of the spell. Luckily, this cavern has many of them.” It was very true. As they dove deeper, the mine seemed to continue. The mining was indeed extensive, but careful work was shown up and down the mine. They mined at a rate that allowed the crystals and other precious materials to regrow at an acceptable rate, while also doing so safely. Everything spoke to a well-oiled machine being overseen by a startling small number of ponies. “I think she sees in you the same pride and majesty of spirit that she has always looked for. Beyond that, I have learned lessons throughout life. We accept the love we think we deserve. You are worth all that she is giving you now plus much more, if you allow yourself to see it. Being deeply loved by someone gives you strength, while loving someone deeply gives you courage. Without this, you would not seek to create the better world for all Sphinxkind. Without her love, and without loving her in kind, you wouldn’t have a Kingdom to call your own. The rest, how her love works on you, what it means in your heart, those lessons are personal and take much longer,” she said gently as she turned to face him. “This is a journey that you will enjoy, more than any other.” As she said that, she felt a small aethereal movement along her wings. She bit her lip in excitement, knowing what it meant. “Oh, I see. Well, I think we should be heading back.” *********************************************************************************** Twilight had considered whether to modify Spoiled’s age during her transformation to Jizara. Of course, Sphinx aged in a very different manner. Spoiled was an older middle aged mare, but chronologically she would be barely an adult as a Sphinx if she used the exact birth-date. As far as Twilight could tell, Sphinx may mature somewhat slowly compared to ponies but it was once they reached adulthood that their aging slowed to a crawl. Of course, Jizara didn’t need to know that. If she wanted a favor so graciously given, then she would receive one. Twilight smiled. “You will be a youthful sphinx, matching the energy and future you have and hold in your heart,” she nodded. “Now, hold still.” Twilight’s horn lit up. In the past, such a spell would be hard and dangerous. It required time and preparation and she had messed up similar ones in the past. That would be because she was altering a form, changing what was into what is. For a unicorn or alicorn of her old power, not hard to do, but difficult to do well and accurately. This time, she went a different route. She instead reached through the fabric of reality and rewrote it. She changed what is into what was, and what was happened to be a Sphinx named Jizara. In a brief flash, Spoiled was no more and never had been. The only mark of her existence were her family members and paperwork, but as far as the foundational mechanics of material reality, she herself had never existed. Instead, Jizara existed, as pure and functional as if she had been born a sphinx. To outside observation, it happened near instantly. How Jizara herself perceived it, whether she even could, Twilight could only venture a guess. The spell was finished, and there sat Jizara the Sphinx.

Babs would be riding the train to the Crystal Empire, she was nervous because she was getting ready to see her cousin AppleBloom, even though she was nervous, she was also exicted because she hadn't seen AppleBloom for a while, Babs looked around the train just thinking about what they would do, and if AppleBloom would even reconize her, "I need to stop worrying so much, she'll know who I am" Babs said to herself. As the Train pulled into the station Babs started to get cold feet, should she get off, or should she not, after taking a deep breath Babs would grab her bag and get off the train, after she had gotten off the train, she got hit with a gust of wind, she shivered forgetting how cold the Crystal Empire was as she grabbed her coat and put it on she began to look around for AppleBloom, maybe she forgot, maybe she was just as nervous as Babs was, after looking around for a bit she spotted her, with a big breath and a sigh Babs walked over to AppleBloom beffore saying "Well, well if it isn't my favorite cousin"

Tongue Twister pulled her Vardo into Ponyville. Even after a few days on the road, she was exhausted from a horrible job in Saddle Arabia. So here she was at the Ponyville post office, to see if she had any new job offers in the mailbox. The pickings were very slim, but she wasn't desperate for funds just yet. She had other things to do : go to Las Pegasus to file a report. STAR might want to know that one ancient horror has been sort of dealt with. And she'd heard a rumor that someone was going to search the ruins of the Castle of the Two Sisters. Hope they got someone competent at surveying and archaeology - the last thing anypony needs is for a group of 'brave, stalwart adventurers' to go rampaging through the ruins, ripping it apart looking for treasure, only to have the whole thing collapse just as they 'heroically' escape.

TT thought for a bit. "Yeah. We can just stick a light crystal on the front of a helmet. That should do. Always has before. But there's no way to trail a safety line. So somepony's got to squeeze through the crevice to the end." "That somepony would be you." the younger employer stated, "That IS what you were hired for, is it not ?" TT glared at him for a moment. "Yes, it is. And being the most experienced with this sort of thing points to us going in as well." She thought for a bit. "If we're not back two hours from now, carefully search for us." she stated, before heading in. One hour forty two minutes later : "By the seventh Ring of Raggador, that was HORRIBLE !" Tongue Twister exclaimed as she wobbled into the camp, quite dirty and roughed up. "Did you find a way through ?" the elder employer asked. "Yes." she replied. "And fortunately, nopony else will have to go through that !" she exclaimed as she pulled out a piece of chalk. "Behold ! The Villain's Shortcut !" she stated before whirling once counterclockwise, drawing a perfect circle. Then repeating the action to make a smaller circle inside the previous one. Then drew a few arcane symbols at various points. The elder employer tilted his head at the circles and asked "A thaumaturgic circle ? Where did a pegasus like you learn something like that ?" "We're a linguist." TT replied, "We study ancient languages. Ancient folk wrote about a lot of subjects. Many different cultures had many different ways of using magic. And our dad is a curio merchant that likes to collect strange items and bizarre spells. So we grew up around oddball and forgotten magic." With that, she rummaged inside her vest and pulled out a large glowing crystal, and placed it on one of the symbols. Then reared back and crushed it into dust, causing the rings and symbols to glow. "That gem must have been worth a thousand bits !" the younger employer shrieked. "Fifteen hundred actually." "And you DESTROYED IT ?!" "Yep." "WHY ?!" "To activate the transport circles." Tongue Twister replied, "All types of magic have advantages and disadvantages. The First Magics were versatile : you could do virtually anything you could imagine, as long as the results could be sufficiently defined. The disadvantages are the magic is inefficient, slow, and rather expensive. For somepony that needs to use magic several times a day, it's not worth using that style of magic. But, for normal shlubs that only need a special effect once or twice a year at most, it is, well, adequate." "Was it truly worth the expense to avoid the crevices ?" "We'll let you decide that for yourself !" TT stated with a smug grin as she walked forward, hopped up into the circle while pulling her hooves together, then 'VOOP !'. She dropped through the ground. A few moments later, she and her employers were in a large cavern the size of a buckball field, dimly lit with illumination crystals. The only things in the room were a heavy ornate door in the middle of the wall, the twin of the transport circle TT drew, and two other larger transport circles at each side. "This is a staging area." TT stated as more workers vooped in, "Constructed so workers and equipment could get here without the massive hindrance and delay of the fissure path. Those two other circles were drawn a few millenia ago. Transport circles only work in pairs; one here, the other on the surface. Once work was done in here, all they'd have to do is destroy the matching circles topside, and there is no other way in except the hard way." Her employers looked about. "What were they protecting that needed this much effort ?" the elder inquired. "Not sure. The way to the ACTUAL vault is through those doors." TT replied. "Wait - the ACTUAL VAULT ?!" the younger shrieked, "Then what is all of what we've gone through ?" "The outer perimeter of defenses." TT replied, "The actual vault is the standard cut and dressed stone architecture common to the era." With that, the group opened the door and went inside. It was a small landing with a narrow ledge on this side of a large pool of bubbling, glowing green slime that was brighter than daylight. On the opposite side was another landing, with what looked like huge piles of golden coins and treasures on each side of a door. Above the door acting like a billboard was a dark blue rectangle with gold hieroglyphs, which couldn't be read due to the glare and sheer distance. "Manaluxia algae." TT noted. "Instead of using sunlight like normal plants, it uses ambient mana. The visible light is essentially just a waste product." "Is is dangerous ?" a worker asked, grimacing at the smell that just wafted from the pool. "Not exactly." TT replied, "The algae grows a very thick, slimy coating of mucus around itself. Swimming in it is even more unpleasant than you'd care to imagine. It is very tiring, and with the glow coming from all directions, it becomes hard to tell which way is up. You couldn't see more than a fraction of an inch before your eyes in there. The slime is also mildly digestive." she continued, "You'll develop a rash a few days after exposure. And most of your fur will weaken and fall out. It's not deadly, but very, VERY annoying to deal with. So try to NOT spend any time in the slime pool if you can help it." The younger employer looked confused for a moment. "You said the light it emits is just a waste product. But to get a glow this bright ..." "Yep. We're facing major league magical power." TT interrrupted.

“I… Never teleported before, and heard it is no less easy on others the first time.” Niilaavin says back, if nothing else than to cover for his own reenactment to being teleported. He still felt rather queasy but swallowed it down. “A first time for everyone, after all.” He added and followed her into the mine. North Wind just grunted some, doing her best to wipe her muzzle clean and look presentable again before dashing after them to stay behind her master. He looked around the mine, getting low, almost on his belly, to follow the mare without fuss. His eyes danced around the place, looking at the working ponies… Then waved a pay next to a few. “Ah, no wonder they are not reacting. They can’t see us can they? Or are we even truly here? I’d notice something… Large as myself, cloaked or not.” He hummed in thought before moving deeper with the pink mare. He was putting together where they must be, seeing as she did not feel like telling him. “Are we at… Or well, now in the Crystal Caverns?” He asked, lowering his muzzle down to watch the filly work for a moment. Then he flicked his ears when asked what mark he may give Jizara. That was… Not easy to answer, he felt. He did not think of it at all in fact until now. They wanted him to do that? By the bells, Jizara wanted him too didn't she. He glazed down at a paw and popped one claw staring at it a moment. He’d… Need to practice inking fur on a pony. He’d hate to make a mess of her fur. He looked over at Cadance. “Something… Related to the moon I think. A crescent… Yes, that will fit. A time of change, the end of one and the start of another. I think it's thematic for her to leave her old life and join mine.” He chuckled softly, almost sober thinking about that. “I can’t believe it sometimes. I don’t know what she can see in me. I can offer her so little, yet she looks at me…” He cuffed, shaking his head. “I feel so much shame speaking of this, yet you are the princesses of love. So you must enjoy hearing such. For my kind it's… We do not have love like you do. Mates come and go and a male is judged by the size of his land and the number of females kept. He hardly spends much time with them. They court, he wins them to his land. Mate… And then his duty is to keep the land safe from others. That’s it. I saw my father once, flying overhead. That was it. And mother hardly spoke about him. He was a far lord and had good land. That is all I know about him. Then he was killed and a new pride-king came. That was that. She liked the new one less and was going to leave when all departed… All of this is to say, this is all uncharted for me. Her, This kingdom, everything. I’m walking a new trail for my kind. And I’m so thankful she is here to help me. I don’t feel so alone with her by my side. And I hope I can repay that. I truly do. I hope to be whatever she views in me.” He spoke, rambling in a way about this. But he felt Cadance may be his best outlet for this. At least he hoped she’d keep all this just between rulers. They were soon to be neighbors after all, so maybe it was good to open up and let her see his more soft side.

Slayyyy

Was that a fair assumption? Jizara frowned at the implication, but Blueblood had to quietly agree. During his brief tenure as Archancellor of the School of Friendship in Ponyville, he'd had a chance to see Diamond Tiara's interactions with her peers, as well as Spoiled Rich's tenure as mayor. Frankly, it was obvious to any who saw the two that they were on divergent life paths. Lineage, more than motherhood, had been Spoiled Rich's ambition, but only Jizara would fill it. But it was hard to blame the mare, at the end of the day. Blue knew full well that the soul and body could be mismatched in identity, and it was just as well that this could be reconciled. Maybe after the divorce, Filthy could find a true loving companion to serve as a stepmother, thus making five happy creatures total, rather than three miserable ones. One had to hope. Standing now on the threshold of this change, Jizara took a deep breath, looking aside at her reflection for the last time as a pony in the wall of crystal. That was a face that would never be seen again. "Well, if you could give me some of my youth back in the transformation, I'd appreciate it. Niilaavin appreciates my maturity, but I'd like to have a lither, more energetic body to enjoy that with. Not to mention some more years." A not unexpected final request, all things considered. With so many impossible things being done before dinner, what was one more?