(Unyasi) The Quest for More (ATTN Presteza, all others PM for Invite

[Lux]

 

Source

 

 

Princess Twilight Sparkle stood at the edge of the The Brakenweald, a map of the area floating in front of her. She was dressed in a utility belt of sorts that held everything from canteens filled with water, a medical kit, survival gear, and two important books, one being her trusty "How to Survive in the Bush" by Bear Tracker and an older book "Lost Civilizations of Equestria." In the later book, the Princess learned of an a long gone ancient civilization of Zebras that had a sacred place in the jungle. It was said that artifacts of great power were made there, but after the civilization fell so too did these relics became lost to time. The call of studying these artifacts was not lost to the Princess, especially if they were very powerful still. Who knows what might happen if a pony or some other species found them and they fell into wrong hooves. If she was looking for them, surely others were! 

 

"The locals tell me that the safest way into the jungle is here. Strange how they seem to know about the lost civilization but are afraid to venture towards it. It is that the path is too dangerous, or is it the place itself?" 

 

Taking a deep breath, the Princess ventured into the rainforest as the world outside the Brakenweald vanished.  

[tacobob]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Not far behind the ‘Princess Of Friendship’ stood First Lieutenant Fire Walker. The uniformed mare was part of a long line of officers, solders, and peacekeepers that stretched from the original Pegasus guard back before Equestria been founded. She had been recommended by several members of pony royalty, and had served at Princess Luna's side. She had also traveled to the Unyasi in the past with a group of adventurers lead by Prince Blueblood. She was familiar with the culture and could even speak and read some of the zebra's language. Fire spent her time in the R.E.A as a trainer of the newest recruits, and had been known as a rather gentle and patient teacher.

 

 

 

 

 

During the voyage, the young officer had been deathly quiet at first, and spoke only when spoken to. But the longer she had been with the purple mare, the more comfortable she had become, but she always remained very polite and proper to the core. She had even managed to stop apologizing to the princess when she was to speak, which made things less awkward.

 

 

 

 

 

"Ma'am", she had already addressed Twilight as 'Your Royal Highness' and now spoke to her using the less formal, but still very proper title. "From my experience with the zebras, I have learned that they are a people of very little want.", she spoke in a proper Canterlot accent. "If a zebra needs to take something, like a fig, he or she would make sure to plant ten more in its place when they are done. If they do not need it, they do not take it.", she added, "We know that they are aware of  the lost civilization and what may be found there, but they simply do not have any need to go there or to take what was left."

 

 

 

 

 

Once the royal pony was ready to move on, Fire Walker followed, again within a respectable distance.

 

[Pretzelparty]

Overhead there was the sound of a powerful engine and whirring propellers. Above the two dots of red and purple loomed a modest sized airship. It had a rather plain look to it in a sense but not in an overtly eye catching way. It certainly wasn't a luxury type of ship and it seemed to be descending upon the Brackenweald before it stopped just before making contact with the canopy. someone had seemingly leapt off the bow of the ship before it turned and settled on the edge of the mysterious forest. Now that the vessel was still, one could see it had a clear aquellian influence in it's design and symbol on the symbol on the side, a gear with an infinity symbol upon it.

As for the individual who had leapt from it, they landed a bit further ahead of Twilight and Fire. From what details they could see on her descent, it was clear that the former passenger was in fact a pony. Her descent was slowed by something on her back, however it wasn't a parachute as one might have thought...

 

 

 

 

Bevel adjusted her hooves on her helicopter pack's controls, maneuvering herself out of the way of various branches and brambles in her path before she landed softly on the moist ground. The copter portion of her backpack swiftly pulled themselves inside and the mare zipped her backpack up. 

"Hm... no problems with the helipack's functions so far." The mare took a look around and then removed her glasses. Her Dull greyish-blue eyes scanning around once before she pulled her goggles down over them and scanned the area. Activating her magic, her aetheric signature flowed into her goggles and soon she took notice of three magical signatures, one small one; the type that would belong to a Pegasus. A considerably larger one similar to bevel's own but a tad bigger, however it seemed to have hints of others mingled with it. The final magical reading was positively enormous, dwarfing not only her own and the other signature but possibly that of the magics in the brackenweald. An almost evil grin spread across the mare's face! This could be exactly what she was looking for! ... still there were apparently others here and it was better she make them associates rather than future obstacles and waste her time skulking around in the underbrush behind or in front of them. 

 

Once the two signatures came close enough, bevel lifted up her goggles to get a clear look at them. hm she was right, one of them was a pegasus, the other was a tad surprising but nothing shocking. A purple alicorn was with her. 

 

The strange white coated mare wore a long trench coat and had saddlebags at both her sides, "Hm... oh, that's right. A new princess was crowned." She thought to herself before stepping forward to the two and speaking up, "My Name is Bevel. If you here to research the magical anomaly that has surfaced in this place, you should know I am as well. I'd prefer it if you stated your intentions now and not lie to me. I plan on using this anomaly for a project of mine depending on how this research goes." The mare spoke in a prench accent, not too thick for her speech to be unrecognizable but enough for it to be noticeable. Her tone was rather Matter-of-fact and didn't really show any hint of recognition as to who she was speaking to beyond them just being another creature she needed to speak with.

Her eyes seemed to be both lively, sharp and somehow tired at the same time; with noticeable bags below them. Her mane had a prominent widows peak that looked like you could cut yourself on it. Last but not least was the longcoat she wore, it wasn't overly thick so as to dehydrate but from it's size it looked as if it could hide quite a few things in her pockets. On her hooves she wore black rubber gloves on both her hindlegs and forelegs.

[Lux]

Her focus was so fixated on the jungle before her that Twilight almost forgot that she had a traveling companion. Of course the Alicorn was perfectly able to journey alone but it was insisted upon that she bring a guardspony on her quest. Something about "safeguarding the welfare of an important asset to Equestrian society." She didn't mind the company though, as it was good to have her back in case there was something that the Princess could not prepare for or face alone. She wished that the mare could be a bit more sociable and less militaristic in her approach. 

 

"Ma'am", she had already addressed Twilight as 'Your Royal Highness' and now spoke to her using the less formal, but still very proper title."From my experience with the zebras, I have learned that they are a people of very little want.", she spoke in a proper Canterlot accent."If a zebra needs to take something, like a fig, he or she would make sure to plant ten more in its place when they are done. If they do not need it, they do not take it.", she added, "We know that they are aware of  the lost civilization and what may be found there, but they simply do not have any need to go there or to take what was left."

 

"You are right, Fire Walker. I have seen the frugal nature of Zebras when meeting my friends Zecora in Ponyville. She seems to want for little and repays others tenfold if they give her something. What I was thinking about was if there was another reason for them not venturing towards the ruins even to see them, like the place being cursed. Oh, and no need to call me Princess or Ma'am Fire Walker. You can call me Twilight." 

 

Before the duo ventured into the jungle, Twilight heard the loud roar of something overhead. It wasn't a dragon but a flying airship, and by the looks of it something fell from it! Looking up, Twilight watched in amazement as the something was really a somepony wearing an interesting contraption, the likes of which Twilight made for Rainbow Dash's pet Tank but larger. The pilot of the contraption landed in the jungle, prompting the Princess to investigate closer. 

 

"Come on Fire, let's meet this pony and find out who she is," Twilight said as she entered the jungle to find a white unicorn with glasses and dressed for research of some kind and using some kind of tracking spell on the area. No doubt she was no aware of Twilight's presence as Alicorns exhibited a higher than average magical signature. 

 

"Hm... oh, that's right. A new princess was crowned." She thought to herself before stepping forward to the two and speaking up, "My Name is Bevel. If you here to research the magical anomaly that has surfaced in this place, you should know I am as well. I'd prefer it if you stated your intentions now and not lie to me. I plan on using this anomaly for a project of mine depending on how this research goes." 

 

What surprised Twilight was that Bevel didn't give much regard to the fact that there was a Princess in her midst. This was partly a welcoming relief considering the many ponies that bowed to her despite reminding there was no need to do so, but the complete disregard was a little off putting. But nothing was more off putting than Bevel telling... no more like demanding that Twilight not lie to her. 

 

"I have no intentions to lie to you Bevel," Twilight said with a confused look, "My name is Princess Twilight Sparkle, but you can call me Twilight if you wish. As to why I'm here, you are correct that I and my guard, Fire Walker, are researching the magical anomalies in this area as well as the civilization of Zebras that once occupied this area before being abandoned. I must say that you have certainly come prepared for research judging by your attire and the number of bags you've brought." 

 

The Alicorn could only hope that keeping things light would allay any misconceptions or fears that the unicorn had. 

[tacobob]

 

 

 

 

This had all been a rather strange series of days. First Lieutenant had arrived in Canterlot to start an eventful weekend of training some of the newest and rawest of recruits. However, instead of reporting to the training hall to meet the latest batch, she had been called to her superior's office. Her name had been called for 'Princess Duty'. And this was no simple one day job. She would not be shadowing Princess Luna or Celestia as they toured a new business or themed tavern, this was going to be an ADVENTURE! And while she had not been given the details of the newest princess' mission, she had been given reasons on why she had been picked. She prayed that her father had nothing to do with this. She knew he had been aware of her desire to serve more members of pony royalty.

 

 

 

 

 

And while the purple princess was probably one of the most powerful creatures on the planet, it was still deemed necessary that she had a guard on hoof. Fire had wondered why none of her famous companions had not come along? She had been aware that Lady Rainbow and Applejack were into adventures. Lady Fluttershy would have probably liked to have encountered animals unique to the area. And Lady Pie? The party pony would probably enjoy the special celebrations such as the 'Fêtes des Masques' and the 'Festival-au-Desert'. And how about.....oh dear...

 

 

 

 

 

Hearing the princess' words completely snatched her from her long train of thought. "Yes, Princ...er Twilight.", the guard blushed a little as she corrected herself. "I have heard of this Miss Zecora and from what I've heard, she has aided Ponyville more than a few times with her wisdom and potion making abilities...." An noise could be heard that nearly shook the mare out of her royal horseshoes. This was all being made by some unicorn who wore a strange device that permitted her flight! Following her call, the young officer quickly made her way to Twilight's side.

 

 

 

 

 

It was a rather scruffy looking mare. Fire frowned rather deeply as the unicorn broke nearly all of the rules when it came to greeting a member of royalty. She did not bow. Nor did she curtsy. And the words that bounced out of her mouth were even worse! She dared to even mention the idea of the princess lying? Fire wanted to say something, but that would not be proper. Twilight was more than capable of defending herself. Which she did, swiftly and properly and as polite as a pony could. Fire watched the odd mare to see what her reaction would be. Would she pull out another strange gadget and dare to harm the princess? Or would they soon be gaining as third member for their research? Only time would tell...

 

 

 

 

[Pretzelparty]

 

The scruffy looking mare looked over twilight's form twice and took a deep breath before nodding, "Well, good... Twilight. It's good to meet a fellow intellectual out here... another sharp mind can only make this go smoother." The mare's tone grew somewhat softer but she still sounded as if she was wary of the two of them. "As for my gear... my specialty is gadgetry of all kinds, be it plain or magically enhanced. This item on my back has proved very useful and these goggles are calibrated to locate magical signatures so finding the artifact should be relatively easy... unless I miscalculated how the artifact will affect the goggles once we're closer." The unicorn grey eyes looked up above to the goggles on her head. "If that's the case, at least they're still useful for helping me see." she muttered under her breath.

 

"I hope you'll forgive me for not knowing your name. I really have only memorized the name of the princess who has had some impact on my life albeit indirectly and I haven't been to Equestria since I was a filly and I've been focusing on my work and research most of the time. My knowledge of current events are spotty at best." She slid her goggled back down over her eyes and looked around before lifting them back up, "We should make our way in this direction. I'm not sure how well a common map will serve us, this place's shrubs seem to shift around to different spots each nightfall."

 

As they made their way into the brackenweald there was a bit of a silence which was then broken by a question from Bevel, "If you'll forgive my bluntness, what are you princess of? I remember the equestrian princesses usually represent something." 

[Lux]

Princess Twilight could see Fire Walker tense up at the appearance of the unicorn Bevel. After all she did appear in a rather strange way and did not seem to care about the proper etiquette of meeting a princess. Twilight though was not one for the royal pomp and circumstance, and Unyasi was far removed from places like Canterlot or her home in Ponyville where such acts of reverence were more common. There was always the element of surprise in venturing anywhere, especially one that was new to her. There was also the element of danger, something Twilight was well aware of. Not every pony or creature she met was the harmony seeking sort. But despite the strange mannerism and the stranger way the mare encountered Twilight and Fire, she didn't seem to have much malice.

 

"At ease Fire," Twilight said quietly to the Pegasus, "Bevel seems to be seeking the same ruins that we are. We must be cautious but still welcoming."

 

"I must say your gadgets are very interesting Bevel especially your goggles to detect magical signatures. You are right though, whatever is in the jungle is giving off a high magical signature even though we are far away from it." 

 

"I hope you'll forgive me for not knowing your name. I really have only memorized the name of the princess who has had some impact on my life albeit indirectly and I haven't been to Equestria since I was a filly and I've been focusing on my work and research most of the time. My knowledge of current events are spotty at best."

 

That was the reason why Bevel knew little about Twilight as she wasn't around Equestria! 

 

"Well, I have to ask then, if you don't visit Equestria much, where do you call home? I'm surprised that you haven't returned to Equestria much since leaving." 

 

"We should make our way in this direction. I'm not sure how well a common map will serve us, this place's shrubs seem to shift around to different spots each nightfall."

 

"Agreed, and I don't think that many of the creatures here in the rainforest will be accepting of our presence either. Maybe what lies in the jungle has corrupted the local flora and fauna as the effects of magic did in the Everfree Forest. Fire Walker, we need to keep alert it seems." 

 

 

"If you'll forgive my bluntness, what are you princess of? I remember the equestrian princesses usually represent something." 

 

"You are correct that a Princess represents a major aspect of life in Equestria. I'm sure you have heard of Princess Celestia and Luna who control the sun and moon respectively. Then there is Princess Cadence who is the Princess of Love, helping to spread it throughout the Crystal Empire and Beyond. I am the Princess of Friendship, and as such my duty is to help unite ponies and other species together in harmony and resolve any and all major conflicts among individuals and groups."

 

 

A thought came to mind as they entered the forest, picking their way through the vines and trees, "May I ask Bevel what artifact you are seeking and for what purpose? I know that there are legends of artifacts that are meant to bestow great power upon the holder of such objects." 

[tacobob]

 

 

 

 

Fire Walker studied the young unicorn for a moment as the good princess traded a few words with her. This 'Bevel' dressed rather well, so if she were an inventor of gadgets, then this unicorn was probably successful in her trade. The officer liked having a pony that was handy on her side. One of her old friends had a older brother that was good with tools. He even built the hidden blades in her horseshoes. When trouble arose, she could extend the dull blades from their hidden location. These were made for the sole purpose or disarming an opponent, and never to injure.

 

 

 

 

 

If the newcomer were to peek at the first lieutenant's armor with her special goggles, she would see that her gear had been enchanted with environmental magic. This kept her warm during colder nights and pleasantly chilly during the hotter days of the year. Celestia's seal had also been enchanted to work as a sort of torch. Just a tap on the center, and a light would appear to illuminate the way. There apparently were a few minor bits of magic hidden away in her saddlebags as well.

 

 

 

 

 

"Oh.", somehow the mare was able to turn an even darker shade of red once she had been called out by the good princess. While she tried to keep a neutral expression on her face, she had always lacked the ability to hide her true emotions. This did not help when playing poker back at the base. As every good Equestrian pony, she had faith in the co-ruler of Equestria, so she decided to rid her mind of plans on how to quickly take down this Bevel, and more to the quest at hoof. There was an artifact of great magic that needed to be seized before somepony of less than noble virtue got their dirty hooves all over it. This item of great power would then probably be sent to an royal vault where other items of power were contained, or it would simply be destroyed. If they were by some rather strange coincidence trying to find the same artifact, would this Bevel want to keep it for herself?

 

 

 

 

 

The red mare nodded her head at Twilight's suggestion to be prepared. There were plenty of unique creatures that could be found in the Unyasi. And while she had adventured previous in the great lands, she had only encountered the usual sorts. Zebras, ponies, griffons, and a cranky lioness. Thankfully, the cure for her crankiness had been found when one of her companions rescued the lioness' cubs from a pack of hungry hyenas. Considering they would be cantering about in a 'magical, corrupted jungle', would they face magic creatures? She had heard of such beasts. There was the Rompo, which was an beast with the head of a hare, pony ears, a skeleton-like body, the front arms of a badger, and the rear legs of a bear. It was said, the strange beast would sing while it ate. There was also an  Jengu, which was this land's version of a meremare. These beautiful creatures lived in the rivers of the Unyasi and blessed those of pure hearts with good fortune and impressive healing magics.  In those same lakes, were Inkanyamba, who were pony-headed serpents. Only poor fortune could be gained from encountering these fiends. Fire had not encountered any of these creatues during her last visit. She had heard about them, and others from a feisty old zebra named Sheha. Was she telling the truth? Only time would tell.

 

 

 

 

 

Being a clever pony, Twilight asked all the right questions. Questions with answers, the officer wanted to hear....

 

[Pretzelparty]

 

While Bevel could be quite awkward, she wasn't so rude as to not accept a compliment and reply properly. "Thank you...I made sure to mix my studies of aetherology and magic into my machines and the like. I have 

made some very exhilarating strides with them as of late. It's part of the reason I'm out here." As she continued to walk with her newfound allies through this dark and mysterious jungle she noted some of the other questions that Twilight was asking... and also her bodyguard's silence and looks. 
 

"As for where I call home, I'd say the closest place I have to that would be Talonoplis and the Wandering Zephyr..." she pointed her hoof in the vague direction of her airship. She looked back to the trail, sliding her goggles over her eyes so she could double check that the magical signature was still in the same place; you never knew with some artifacts. 

 

"To be honest I don't go back to Equestria because I have painful memories there and there's someone there Id rather not run the risk of running into."

 

Bevel listened to Twilight explain about the princesses and their  representations. "I see, so the ascended are limited to Abstract concepts? The Alicorns were a fascinating subject to read up on back when I attended the school of Celestia. That was one of the few times I returned to my... "homeland" I honestly have more in common with the griffins of the Silverbeak family then I do with equestrians. It's made interactions with them somewhat... awkward. AS for the subject of Frienship ... I suppose for most it is much more important. I however do not have friends I had one at one point but he abandoned me so I'm fine never seeing him again as long as I live."  The mare casually slipped her goggles back above her eyes so she could continue to speak. 

"Well... I have many reasons to be entirely honest. For one project I need a device that has the power to provide and infinite amount of energy so it can be an endless fuel source for a better engine than the steam based ones in Aquellian airships... as well as allow for faster travel and the ability to activate a time space spell I have been trying to perfect. If it fails to meet the criteria and/or it's legends proved to be overstating it's power I could find better use for it... in the end it depends entirely on the nature of this magical artifact. And before you ask; no, I am not planning to use it to alter timelines of our world's personal history, nor am I planning on taking over the world... then again if I was planning on taking over the world I suppose my word wouldn't be worth much... so I suppose you'll just have to trust me in the same way I am trusting you with this information."

 

"If my research was accurate, the relic is called the Iris of infinity... rather fitting if I should come to possess it. Supposedly it will constantly produce an incredible amount of magical energy when exposed to certain stimuli. It was apparently originally the property of a deity of the natives of this region. One who claimed to be an entity who existed throughout the entirety of the universe at every point in time and space." She looked back to her two new associated with an actually innocent and excited smile that seemed rather jarring compared to her rather dour disposition from earlier. "Sounds amazing, doesn't it?"

[Lux]

Twilight could see that her words reached Fire Walker as she grew redder with embarrassment. It wasn't that the Princess wanted to admonish her, but the last thing she wanted was the guard to make a hasty decision. To soften her comment, Twilight gave a smile to the mare. 

 

The princess's attention turned towards Bevel who explained her home was her airship and that something happened in Equestria that upset her enough not to return. 

 

"I'm sorry to hear that you are not able to return to Equestria. The kingdom though is a large enough place that I doubt you'd meet this pony again unless you were actively seeking him or her." 

 

It was interesting meeting another pony who attended Princess Celestia's School for Gifted Unicorns. But before she could comment, Bevel admitted that she didn't have much success in friendship and what friends she did have in Equestria didn't work out. It reminded the Princess of a certain unicorn who almost let the fact that a friend leaving her cause her to threaten the very stability of Equestria! Bevel didn't seem like a pony who would do that, but still it was her duty to help her. 

 

"I'm thinking that this friend and the reason why you are aren't visiting Equestria are linked. But finding friends takes simply a willingness to open up to others and be open to listen. Have you met many griffons in your travels that you'd like to get to know more?" 

 

It intrigued Twilight to learn that the artifact she wanted was simply a means to continue traveling. It was a little unsettling the fact that, as Bevel put it, if a pony would be interested in using it for nefarious purposes that they wouldn't likely say so. Unless they were Discord, but that was an entirely different story. 

 

"It certainly sounds so, and dangerous I might add. You know that it would place you at a considerable risk if somepony or other species knew you had such an item. If it can magically provide energy to power your ship and never be exhausted, imagine what it can do to a sentient creature? Can you guarantee the safety of such artifact?"

 

The Alicorn stopped as her ears perked up hearing something moving through the foliage. And was that the wind moving those vines or were the vines moving on their own?

 

"We should talk while moving. I think the jungle knows we're here." 

[tacobob]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Fire Walker followed the pair as Bevel went into a little about her own past, and what she had planned for this artifact that she sought out. As per her assignment, the officer kept one ear on the conversation, and another on the surrounding jungle that they cantered near. And while her sworn duty was to look after the Princess, the fiery mare would also need to be watchful of the inventor since it appeared she would be traveling with the pair for the time being.  She respected Twilight’s judgment call on the unicorn, and besides, who would dare attack an Alicorn? She had some useful gadgets at her side, but this was the same little purple pony that stopped an all-powerful chaos spirit, bested an mad magic-stealing Centaur, and put an somewhat temporary end to whatever the heck Sombra was. Then again, this Bevel might not have heard about this, considering she did not even know of Twilight’s recent crowning.

 

 

 

 

 

Princess Twilight caught the mare’s blush and responded with a friendly smile. The officer replied with her own gracious, but slightly cheeky and somewhat squeaky grin. Oh, how she hated that sound! Was it her two caps that made that squeak? Hopefully that did not make things even more awkward than they were. Thankfully their new companion kept Twilight’s interest for the moment, which the mare would not have been able to do if they were alone. And what was she talking about now...Seriously?

 

 

 

 

 

“Time travel?”, she made sure not to interrupt Twilight, or even Bevel, but the officer felt the need to speak up, as this really bothered her. “I’m sorry Miss Bevel, but this ‘time space spell’ as in time travel? Would that even be possible?", she glanced at Twilight, "I've read about it in books, all fiction of course like 'Buck To The Future' and 'A Whinny In Time' and while the hero usually has good intentions, things generally go south rather quickly. Considering even if one tries his or her's best to avoid changing the present, there's always a chance you could do something to alter the future....Would such a spell even be legal?" And that was just the hero! Imagine what horrors a villain could create with such a power! Make it so that Princess Celestia and Princess Luna's parents never met! Cheat on the lottery! Get the latest 'Daring Do' book before anypony else! Egads!

 

 

 

 

 

This might not be the 'Everfree', but there was probably something or even something watching them. Thankfully, there was a very good chance it was simply the Zebras who keep an eye out for strangers. There were those who did not see the wondrous animals of the Unyasi for their beauty and strength, but only the resources they could take. There was ivory from the elephants and hippos, and some even stole animals from the jungles to sell back at the cities as exotic pets. The unseen rangers would make sure that the only thing left behind were their hoof-prints, and only memories would be taken back to Equestria with them. And possibly a very dangerous magical artifact.

 

[Pretzelparty]

 

 

"I have met once or twice... I have met one traveler in  a big blue wagon who I rather enjoyed my time with. He was slightly eccentric and spoke like he was from that area called "Trottingham" if I remember correctly." The mare thought a moment as she continued to walk with the party. " I have a few associates back in Talonopolis I rather liked as well but I find I gel best with individuals with an intellect at the very least comparable to my own." Bevel wasn't entirely sure as to why she was suddenly speaking so openly about herself to this mare she'd just met merely moments earlier, perhaps it was the rather scholarly feeling she radiated? hardly important now, they had a job to do.

"I personally believe I can. I already have a place I have been keeping the majority of my projects safe in and it is impossible for anyone to gain entrance without me. As for the effects it could have on an individual creature, that is another thing I hope to learn on this trip. I remember reading about an amulet that could boost a unicorn's magical power to alicorn levels... at the cost of the better parts of their personality. I wouldn't use that artifact because even an alicorn's power is finite... um, No offense."

 

A slight smile creased Bevel's lips, "Oh, it is VERY possible. It's not just possible, it's doable." If only she had a chalkboard with her... she'd simply have to do with dialogue, such an inefficient method of relaying information. "According to the old reports of the various spells Starswirl crafted, a time travel spell was in fact among them. One that worked for a small amount of time before sending the caster back to the current timeline. Say I casted the spell to warn myself of an upcoming calamity in the future, in doing so I have alerted my past self to the potential of time travel and set myself on a course of action that would result in a stable time loop. My own attempts to change the past in fact make the future a certainty... However I do have some theories that if a pony made changes to the spell or used a powerful catalyst in order to enhance it and bind themselves to a temporal location and sustain a paradox which could very likely result in the creation of parallel universes that diverged from our own based on the variation in that point in time!" 

The mare paused a moment and took a breath, "I apologize, I'm excited by the prospects of it... besides the questions in my mind go far beyond this world... I'd want to see how the universe began... where it's going, if this planet will play a big part in the entirety of existance... there are some answer I can't get in the present miss...  Fire was it?"

 

"We should talk while moving. I think the jungle knows we're here." 

 

"Oh, yes, good idea." Now hopefully the true studies could begin.

[Lux]

“Time travel?”, she made sure not to interrupt Twilight, or even Bevel, but the officer felt the need to speak up, as this really bothered her. “I’m sorry Miss Bevel, but this ‘time space spell’ as in time travel? Would that even be possible?", she glanced at Twilight, "I've read about it in books, all fiction of course like 'Buck To The Future' and 'A Whinny In Time' and while the hero usually has good intentions, things generally go south rather quickly. Considering even if one tries his or her's best to avoid changing the present, there's always a chance you could do something to alter the future....Would such a spell even be legal?" 

 

"Oh it is most certainly real," Twilight said with a nod, "As I experienced it multiple times. Of course it is a very difficult spell to master which is why few ponies think it is nothing but mere fantasy. It takes years of practice and magical ability to be able to even perform such a spell. As to it being legal, one shouldn't use time spells too hastily, as how my Zebra friend Zecora explained, time is like a stream, and altering it at a certain point changes how everything flows from that point forward. Which is why this artifact concerns and fascinates me. To think that a spell of that that power can be made into an artifact and used to power essentially a time machine!" 

 

Bevel's explanation that despite being away from Equestria, she did have associates that she could speak to. It was a relief that the mare was not alone in life. But once again the conversation shifted towards the artifact. 

 

"I personally believe I can. I already have a place I have been keeping the majority of my projects safe in and it is impossible for anyone to gain entrance without me. As for the effects it could have on an individual creature, that is another thing I hope to learn on this trip. I remember reading about an amulet that could boost a unicorn's magical power to alicorn levels... at the cost of the better parts of their personality. I wouldn't use that artifact because even an alicorn's power is finite... um, No offense."

 

"None taken. I have seen first hoof what that Alicorn Amulet can do to a pony. It's not just the fact that power is finite but it clouds the mind in the process essentially possessing the wearer into wanting nothing but more power. As to your means of protection, I am sure that you have ways of protecting them, but I would feel better if I also knew of their location so I can both study them and, if necessary defend them from those who wish to use them for darker purposes." 

 

"According to the old reports of the various spells Starswirl crafted, a time travel spell was in fact among them. One that worked for a small amount of time before sending the caster back to the current timeline. Say I casted the spell to warn myself of an upcoming calamity in the future, in doing so I have alerted my past self to the potential of time travel and set myself on a course of action that would result in a stable time loop. My own attempts to change the past in fact make the future a certainty... However I do have some theories that if a pony made changes to the spell or used a powerful catalyst in order to enhance it and bind themselves to a temporal location and sustain a paradox which could very likely result in the creation of parallel universes that diverged from our own based on the variation in that point in time!" 

 

"I have seen too well the effects of this spell you speak of. There was a unicorn who tried to undo the bonds of friendship with it between me and my five closest friends. In doing so, it created horrible alternate futures where creatures we defeated were alive and well and ruling Equestria! This is why I am wary about time spells as if a pony can undo the past simply by prevent a singular event from occurring, imagine if several events were altered at once!" 

 

"I apologize, I'm excited by the prospects of it... besides the questions in my mind go far beyond this world... I'd want to see how the universe began... where it's going, if this planet will play a big part in the entirety of existence... there are some answer I can't get in the present miss...  Fire was it?"

 

"You wish to travel back in time to see thee world being created to foretell where it is going? That seems like a big part of the world's history to study. What specifically in the past are you looking for?" 

 

Before she could get an answer, a pair of living vines suddenly wrapped around her back legs and pulled her down,  dragging her into the jungle.

 

"Aaah! Help me, I can't get a clear shot on these vines!"  

[tacobob]

 

The red coated mare nodded her head as Bevel spoke of the old city. "Trottingham, that's the name alright. It's home to one of the oldest Hoofball teams, and also my brother, sister-in-law and their kid live there.  Spent a weekend there. Wish I could have stayed longer. Heard they have some of the best pubs in the world." Fire Walker was starting to feel a little more comfortable with the pair. Normally while on duty she would have stayed quiet, but the jungle was rather boring today. And considering she was traveling with two geniuses, there probably was not a good deal of things she had in common with the two mares. It was just two nerds and one jock for this adventure. 

 

Fire frowned a little as the gadget-mare spoke about an amulet that amplifies magic...What was it called again? Before she could drag the name from her own mind, the good princess mentioned the name. The rather simple sounding 'Alicorn Amulet'. The officer had read about it while going through some of the more unique reports one night. It seemed most of the stranger little mishaps usually happened in Ponyville. Some crazy mare got her hooves on the amulet and was able to take over Ponyville for the day. Nopony could get in or out. Thankfully, smart thinking by Twilight and her companions saved the day once again. While it bothered her to see that the mare was not apprehended, the report mentioned that she was not in her own mind. "The amulet...", she glanced over at the purple mare with a frown still planted on her face. While Fire Walker was obviously not a unicorn, she was still trained on how to deal with magic as an officer. "Artifacts of great magics have been known to develop an sentience...I would wonder if the item you are looking for has a mind of it's own?"

 

This was all rather frightening to the officer, but the idea of being able to travel into the past and present was even scarier. "Yes, it's Fire Walker. And I wonder if there are things out there that were never meant for mortal eyes to see." While it would be interesting to see the world as it was being created, would it be wise to do so? Twilight had confirmed that the spell was indeed real. And somepony else had endangered the timeline..Did this happen recently? She had not heard about it.This was probably not something they would mention in the newspapers. Would average 'Joe' ponies like herself panic if they knew there was magic out there strong enough to change history? Hopefully this time-meddler was now buried in the deepest part of Tartarus.

 

 

 

On 12/8/2015 at 11:52 AM, Scootalux said:

 

"Aaah! Help me, I can't get a clear shot on these vines!" 

 

 

"Oh bother." It was not very hard to find adventure in the Unyasi even if you were not looking for it. Without a single thought, the mare quickly followed after the princes and her animated vines. While her hidden disarming blade would have been useful for stopping the fiendish foliage if they were made like most daggers, her weapons were not made for cutting, but for stopping with their dull edges. Thankfully, she kept an machete in her pack, meant for clearing any wayward branches or vines that got in their way. She did not remember running into any animated plants during her previous trip here. "Miss Bevel, could you lend a hoof here?", drawing the hefty cutting tool from her pack while running was not as easy as it sounded, and while the mare tried her best, she was going to need some help on this one....

[Pretzelparty]

The words the princess spoke were very true about the dangers of time travel... but a lot of what they spoke of was theoretical and that was a bit irritating to Bevel. She took some comfort in the fact that this duo wasn't doubting her talents or trying to tell her she bore no right or duty to the world not to dabble in something so dangerous. In regards to the princess' worries about the artifacts possible problems it could present and the location of her safehouse... Bevel normally might have snapped at a stranger who suggested such a notion; but not this time. Perhaps it was the presence of another intellectual that was softening her disposition.

 

"About the Safehouse ... I think we could come to an arrangement of someti--"  

 

The Gadgeteer's response was cut short as the purple pony was pulled away by some perilous plants! While Bevel had a rather callous disposition to her she was definitely not the type to stand by when someone was in trouble... at least not for very long. When Fire Walker jumped into the fray with a machete Bevel stood back and looked over the scene for a few seconds, looking at the various vines slithering around the princess' legs. The Inventor didn't waste any more time and galloped in, her horn lit up for second, her magic pressing a button on the apparatus on her back. The helicopter rotors extended out of the packs and hacked away at several of the vines. 

As heli-pack chopped and spun through the evil greenery she couldn't help but notice a sound coming from her back and also noticed the smell of smoke. Much more of this and her flying machine would be out of commission for a while. Soon she managed to get ahold of a purple hoof as the blades cut carefully around the vines that got close, guided by bev's magic. This was lossening the plant's grip on the alicorn but the more vines bev and fire cleared the more took their place. The smoke was starting to billlow out of the apparatus and soon enough there was a loud metallic clang followed by a sputtering noise as the rotors stopped and dropped to the ground. Seeing as her device had been used up she could only detach the machine from her person and focus on trying to pull Twilight free! 

 

Whether or not she succeeded several of the vines began to snake around her forelegs and other began reaching for her neck... 

[Lux]

"The amulet...", she glanced over at the purple mare with a frown still planted on her face. While Fire Walker was obviously not a unicorn, she was still trained on how to deal with magic as an officer. "Artifacts of great magics have been known to develop an sentience...I would wonder if the item you are looking for has a mind of it's own?"

 

"You're right," Twilight said with a nod, "Maybe not possessing a mind like ponies or other civilized minds do, but still some control over the environments they are in. This I've researched is typically at a primal level, so for example if a sentient artifact knows that it will be taken or destroyed it might aggressively react. Also, artifacts when left untouched might have their magic leak out into the surrounding area. This is what happened it is theorized in the Everfree Forest where plants and animals behave differently from the rest of Equestria. It can be likened to a barrel filled with cider and one day the barrel cracks and the cider starts leaking out." 

 

****

 

Twilight struggled to break free as the vines pulled her towards an unknown destination. The vines wrapped themselves around her midsection, binding her wings to her sides, as well as her hind legs. She could use her magic, but without a clear shot she was in danger of it hitting her travelling companions in the process. She could see glimpses of red and brown as Bevel and Fire Walker darted after her. She could see them hacking at the vines, but more came from the jungle to suppress the invaders. Twilight could feel somepony grabbing her leg as she felt the vines loosen a bit. 

 

"That's it! My one leg is almost freed! Just a little more and..."

 

She then heard the sputtering noise as Bevel's helicopter blades sputtered and shut down. In an attempt to keep hold of the Alicorn she ditched the pack. As Fire continued to strike the vines. But then the vines were already moving closer to their legs and bodies, threatening to restrain them. The Princess happened to look over to see that there was a unicorn stallion wrapped up nearby in other vines. But then the Princess's attention shifted towards the source of the vines: a giant Venus Fly Trap! 

 

 

 

Like this maybe? 

 

Also, Dio feel free to start!

 

[Dio]

Daedalus had stumbled into plenty of terrible things before.  Hydras, manticores, timberwolves, ghosts, and artifacts that all decided they wanted either his pony self or his essence for lunch seemed commonplace now with all the travel and research he did.  Not that he minded… most of the time.  Everypony could use a bit of excitement every now and then.

 

Of course if one of those terrible things were to actually get hold of him, it was a different story entirely.  Unfortunately, it seemed as though the story had just become different.  Like some terrible monster in a comic book, the jungle itself had turned hostile the moment he’d set hoof in the thicket.  While panicked blasting felled some vines, Daedalus quickly realized that it was best to save his strength for the source of the vines rather than the vines themselves.

 

But when it rained, it poured.  Moments later, a commotion flared up not far from his position.  There was chatter and shouting and the sounds of battle.  No, this wouldn’t do at all!  There were more ponies caught up in this mess?

 

In all the chaos, however, there was a singular ray of hope.  Whatever commotion the others had caused had attracted the attention of the source of the vines.  With the core revealed, now was the time to strike.  Daedalus’ eyes and horns glowed with unearthly light and with a flick of his horn, a ring of jagged purple crystals sprang from the ground before shattering, their razor-sharp edges handily shredding the vines around him.  His path now clear, Daedalus turned toward the group and leaped.

 

There was a dead tree he remembered seeing on his way in.  If he could knock it down on top of the creature then perhaps they would all get out of this alive.  His eyes glowed once again and the leap became a teleport, launching him through the aether.  Daedalus materialized behind Firewalker, skidding to a halt as he exited the aether.   Quickly orienting himself, he charged the tree, burying his shoulder into its base only to have it resist his strength.  The tree moved ever so slightly, groaning under its own weight, but held firm.  Daedalus quickly realized he would not be able to do this alone.

 

“You!  Pegasus!” He shouted to Fire Walker.  “I need help with this!  We can bring down the tree on that plant monster to stop it!”

[tacobob]

 

 

 

 

While as pleased as a pony could be after being agreed upon by one of the smartest ponies around, she would have to halt the conversation and save it for another day. There were vines coming her way! And while she had been slightly confused why the purple Alicorn did not simply blast the attacking vegetation into oblivion, she could simply assume that even somepony as powerful as Twilight needed to concentrate to use magic. Or she needed to save her energy to take down whatever was connected to all of the vines. Her heart skipped a little as a few of the animated and rather frightening flora came her way. Thankfully a few powerful neck swishes took care of the invaders as she started to feel a little jealous of her unicorn companions. They could easily lift a dozen swords with their magic, while she had to use her mouth.  Ugh. Thankfully, the ever helpful inventor’s strange flying machine’s blades could work wonders against their planty foes.

 

 

 

 

 

“Woah!” There were even more vines coming their way and the closer she got to the princess, the more resistance she received. Even worse, Bevel’s machine had been overwhelmed by the vines. And the climbers continued to find purchase on the princess, so Fire Walker realized that attacking them would do no good..They needed to find the plant that controlled them all. And that they did. It sure was a dozy!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

It appeared that they were being attacked by an super-sized cross between a butterwort and a Venus flytrap. A Blytrap? A Vutterwort? Whatever it was, her silly little machete was clearly no match for it! When she was able to cut one vine, two more quickly replaced its fallen ‘brother’. There had to be another way to stop this monster! There was also another pony who had already engaged the monstrous plant. He looked familiar? Was that Docket’s brother? Pocket Change? She quickly realized he was not her friend’s sibling. He was much skinner than the stallion and was very neat. He did have some sort of plan. They would stop the oversized flytrap with a tree? It wasn’t the best idea in the world, but it was probably do more good than what she had been doing so far.

 

 

 

 

 

After returning her machete to her pack, the Pegasus took to the sky, and came very close to being pulled back down by vines, which she nimbly avoided. The red mare dove higher into the sky as fast as her wings could carry her. Once she had built up enough speed, the guard pony changed directions and went in for a dive. She would slam into the stallion’s tree, which would either knock out or hopefully scare away the pony-trap. This all sounded just about right, but would it work?

 

[Pretzelparty]

 

Once Bevel saw the gigantic fly trap monster before her, the metaphorical wheels in her head started turning. 'Gigantica muscipula... the monster flytrap. most normally don't get this close... releases a pheromone most insects and some monsters are attracted to which brings them to a slow a painful doom. Any flytrap is a fairly simple organism if she remembered right if you could trick one into thinking it had caught something then it would close up on nothing and damage itself in it's own digestive fluids. but that usually required the stimulation of small tendrils coming from the...' finally her thought process calmed down as she noticed several small fiber like protrusions inside the 'jaws'. The Unicorn took a deep breath and channeled her magic, a bit of simple ranged telekinesis to fool the eyeless monster's senses...

 

soon the stimulus proved to be working! The plant's mouth was closing... slowly but still closing. Just as Twilight's hoof met the lips of the monster, the jaws shut before she was inside. Bevel wasn't sure how long this would fool a creature considerably more advanced than a simple flytrap of regular size but she wasn't about to let this chance slip away. She grabbed a nearby broken blade from her device and began hacking away at the select thicker vines holding twilight in place.

[Lux]

Twilight knew that time was of the essence. The fly trap may not be able to digest everypony at once, but one life lost was too much! She turned to see that the unicorn stallion who was one tied up had freed himself and now teleported to some unknown location. So too did she catch a glimpse of Fire Walker escaping the vines which shot up to catch her but she narrowly avoided. But there was something else to worry about, the giant maw that opened up, threatening to devour the Princess! But as Twilight struggled to break free of the vines, she watched as suddenly the jaw started to close as if feeling that something was already inside. Maybe Bevel or the unnamed stallion was affecting it. But the distraction was enough for Twilight to see Fire aiming towards a dead tree as if to bring it down upon the plant. 

 

"Everypony hit that tree with everything you got," Twilight said as she focused her magic on the trunk, "One... Two... Three!" 

 

The combined force of the three ponies striking it and Bevel's help in subduing the plant caused the tree to fall directly on the plant with a thud. The sheer crushing force caused the plant to loosen its hold on Twilight and retract its vines in an effort to lift the trunk off it's body. It lay there unconscious, but not dead. 

 

"It's immobilized for now, but let's get away from here before it gets free!" 

[tacobob]

 

 

Looks like this was going to be the plan! After she made sure they were all perfectly timed, the red mare started off like a rocket and slammed into the old tree. The strong Pegasus pony felt the tree give in thanks to her own physical prowess and the Unicorn's magic. She felt some satisfaction as the tree quickly toppled onto the pony-eating flytrap. Now it would be easy just to find the right spot and take care of that monsters before....Twilight wanted to move on? This seemed right to Fire Walker. This was a monster, but it was doing what it was supposed to do. And that was to find prey and to eat said prey. There was nothing evil about the plant creature.  They would move on, and the flytrap would find easier, smaller prey to feed upon. The locals were probably aware of such creatures and would be smart enough to avoid its reach.

 

"Right. I shall follow.", the mare added as she took after the purple princess of friendship. And while it was not her mission to do so, the R.E.A officer made sure their new companion, Miss Bevel was able to get away as well. If the locals said that the path with the furious plant monster was the 'safest'. She would have hate to have traveled through the more dangerous of paths.

 

Once they were away from the 'flytrap', the mare spoke up. "So.", it was very hard for her not to say something proper, like 'princess' or 'Ma'am', but she managed. "Twilight, what's our next step?"

 

[Pretzelparty]

'I'm fine, by the way', thought the grumpy inventor as she pulled herself free and shook herself free of some straggling vines. "I can answer that question for you." She said to Fire, "I have a theory that the city itself is using an powerful magical spell that is hiding the entire artifact in between the Aetherial network and the material plain. Due to the fact that ruins' magical signature signature is still here, magical beings of any type can feel it's presence but can not interact with it... which is why anypony here who attempts to find it just gets lost and wanders back out of the jungle in time."

Bevel strolled forward a bit, lifting a device from her pocket. It had a strange antenna on it that seemed to give off a faint tone that increased by minute amounts with each step she took forward. It had a small screen with was looked to be magical light conjuring in a small box that made a screen with a circle, a line slowly sweeping over it and three dots standing near the center of the shape. 

"There was mention of a gate in this area ... it could very well be somewhere beneath our hooves. If we can unearth it even a small bit, I have something that could grant us entry into the temples little (for lack of a better term) Pocket dimensio-uuhOOF!" The mare tripped forward landing on her face, picking herself up with a much dignity she could muster, she must have tripped over a rock...

[Lux]

Spoiler

Feel free to jump in when you can Dio.

Normally when a pony encountered something as dangerous or scary as a pony eating plant they would high tail it out of the jungle! But Twilight was not deterred. After all, this plant was doing what it was supposed to do, eat things to survive. Besides that, what kind of a Princess would she be if she retreated at the slightest resistance? The call of discovering something new and wondrous could not be ignored.

"So Twilight, what's our next step?" 

"Well, from what we just encountered, there are bound to be more things here to deter us from finding the temple. I'm not sure if creatures like the plant we met are simply native to the jungle of if they've been magically altered by the artifacts found within like a container with a crack leaking its contents. We need to keep our eyes and ears open for anything else, including above and below us."

"I'm fine, by the way. I can answer that question for you.I have a theory that the city itself is using an powerful magical spell that is hiding the entire artifact in between the Aetherial network and the material plain. Due to the fact that ruins' magical signature signature is still here, magical beings of any type can feel it's presence but can not interact with it... which is why anypony here who attempts to find it just gets lost and wanders back out of the jungle in time."

"interesting. I can feel the presence of the city getting stronger, yet we have seen no signs of it ever being here. There doesn't seem to be any remnants of roads, outbuildings, or other hoof-made features found yet. There must be a flaw in the spell as the signature can be felt. If we can find the source we can try to exploit the flaw."

Twilight watched as Bevel produced a strange object that Twilight looked upon with curiosity.

"Interesting, you made this to correlate the magical signature of the artifact to us! How were you able to interface with the eheral network without unicorn magic? Is there an enchantment placed on this device? Can it detect creatures as well?"

"There was mention of a gate in this area ... it could very well be somewhere beneath our hooves. If we can unearth it even a small bit, I have something that could grant us entry into the temples little (for lack of a better term) Pocket dimensio-uuhOOF!"

Twilight's curiosity in all things magical and new was briefly halted when Bevel tripped.

"Oh, are you alright?" Twilight said as she looked at the stone that Bevel tripped over, noticing something about it, "Wait, this isn't just a stone. It's been hoof-carved."

She used her magic to sweep away the dirt to get a sense of the object. It was large and rectangular and made of a grey stone.

"This looks to be like a stone from a road, like in Canterlot. I wonder if this is a main road leading to the city or just auxiliary roads."

As she examined it further, if a pony listened closely they could hear something that might sound like the wind rustling the leaves of the canopy, or a hiss.

[tacobob]

 

Fire Walker listened to the inventor with attentiveness, and while she as an officer of the R.E.A, she had been trained to deal with magic and those who might use spells to hurt or harm, Bevel was hurling a few terms that went right over the Pegasus pony's head. Still, she did not want to waste either of the pony's time by asking questions. The red mare always hated the one trope both found in movies and books, where if they had two intelligent characters chatting about intelligent things, they would always include a third character to act as the reader's surrogate. This lesser informed character would need the two characters to then 'dumb it down' as not to making things hard for the less than astute reader. She was neither a genius or a unicorn, but she would be able to gist of it.

 

"Right. A misdirection spell." The mare did not dare mention where she had seen this before. This sounded like a plot in an old issue of an 'Fili-Second' comic book. The speedster was trying to find a hidden city of apes after one of her enemies took over the city. Apparently the villain tossed a few spells that prevented outsiders from both seeing and getting near the large city. Now if only she could remember how the hasty-hooved pony managed to defeat the spell.

 

Thankfully Fire Walker's knowledge of magic was not necessary, as she stood near one of the greatest magical minds in all of Equestria. Or at least that's what she had heard from a few other ponies, including a very proud Captain.  The purple princess went into detail about her theory, which gave the officer something to ponder. "If this magic has been leaking, it's original intent to hide might not be as strong as its creators had intended it to be. It might still be able hide away from most, but a clever eye would be able to detect it..", she stopped as their new traveling companion went head over hooves into the ground.  While it was her job to keep an eye on the Princess, the officer quickly came to the inventor's side to make sure she was alright.

 

Thankfully the only noticeable harm that had been done to the mare was to her dignity. "I remember reading about pathway stones during my previous trip here.", Fire Walker was curious to see what their stone was, but already had a suggestion. "Before we had modern streets, travelers would mark stones with symbols. These would generally warn passerby's about upcoming dangers, or even inform them of upcoming villages or life-saving resources like streams. Do you see anything carved or written on the stone, or do you believe it to be simply part of an old path?"

 

Fire's ears quickly perked up once the new sound came up. Were they being stalked by a snake? While the two unicorns used their mighty brains to solve their stony-puzzle, the officer would make sure no sneaky beast would surprise them. And while it might be a snake, or something even worse, the officer was pretty sure none of her companions would be afraid of snakes!

 

OOC: Oh-Oh.

 

Spoiler

 

 

[Dio]

Physical strength was not Daedalus’ strong suit and casting a vortex spell to pull the plant beast into the void would also run the risk of sending its victims there as well.  Thankfully, the nuclear option was obviated by the rest of the ponies joining in.  The tree fell and the beast laid stunned.  As they dusted themselves off, the leader of the group got right down to business.

"It's immobilized for now, but let's get away from here before it gets free!"

“Yes, let’s.” Daedalus groaned as he cracked his neck.  Had he pulled something shoulder checking that tree?  Still, he did his best to remain chipper.  “I am Daedalus, by the way.  And you are welcome.”

As they walked, Daedalus finally took stock of his sudden companions.  A pegasus in armor, military-looking.  A grumpy trench-coated unicorn whose saddlebags reeked of tech, and a cheerful purple pegasus.  Unicorn?  Pegasus?  Unicorn.  Pegasus?

Alicorn.

"Twilight, what's our next step?"

Oh.  Well then.  That changed things.

“Oh, and no need to call me Princess or Ma'am Fire Walker. You can call me Twilight.”

Or not.  As improper as it was, it was probably best to do what the princess instructed.

"There was mention of a gate in this area ... it could very well be somewhere beneath our hooves. If we can unearth it even a small bit, I have something that could grant us entry into the temples little (for lack of a better term) Pocket dimensio-uuhOOF!"

“Are you all right?”  Daedalus asked.  “And did you mention temple?”

The others went on about lost cities and extinct civilizations, all but answering Daedalus’ question.  Yes, it appeared that these ponies were here for the same thing.  Competition?  It didn’t appear so.  A princess with an escort and a gruff freelancer didn’t seem the type to rob graves or bury their competition a la a comic book villain.  There was also the fact that there was safety in numbers, especially with the local floral fauna being so decidedly hostile.

Daedalus’ ear twitched as something rustled above, a distinct hissing sound manifesting for a moment before vanishing again.  He gave a quick gesture with his muzzle to the sound above.  “Hey, not to butt in, but I think we’re being watched...”