Aisede

It wasn't just clean, it was polished. Whoever tended to this statue clearly cared for it a great deal, if that wasn't evidenced by its condition. Scrutinizing it further, he may notice that there was one, minor imperfection. It would complete glide under the radar of the passive observer, but an Aerion's eyes are more keen than the average pony. On the nose of the statue was just the smallest amount of dirt or dust, seemingly left there as if to mock its otherwise perfection. Looking under the table would reveal nothing special. It really was just a statue sitting on a table. A suspiciously intact and stable table, that can support the weight of that much stone without giving out, even when seemingly neglected.

... And was immidiately assaulted by a pungent odor. It came at him like a heatwave, saccharine and smelling subtly of smoke and herbs. His mane was rustled as it escaped the confines of the old brick house- and there was something else there. Something hidden under the overwhelming sweetness, but it was difficult to place. Venturing further would reveal that the structure was in dire shape; eggshell wallpaper peeled off the walls, exposing the bare bones of the structure like an opened wound., Domicile parasites scitterwd out of sight at his approach. Here and there, brass incense burners perched atop derilect tables, cabinets- any open space, really. All of them were cold, and if he cared to peek inside, anything that may have been burning in them had done so long before he ever thought of arriving. So then where was this intense smell coming from? It would seem the 'abode' would not part with its secrets willingly, as any investigation of the structure would come up woefully short of answers. What was stranger still was the lack of any hoofprints. Whoever was here had to have left some indication, especially considering how dusty the whole place was. Yet, no signs remained. The only evidence that anything in the building had been tampered with recently was a conspicuously clean horse-headed bust sitting on a table in the study. It was crafted of unblemished obsidian, and staring into its blank, featureless eyes for too long would return the unsettling sensation of being watched- but not by the statue, oddly enough.

The time had come. She felt like she'd said those exact words to herself before, under different circumstances. Her life had changed so much, and so quickly, that 'the time' seemed to come in seasons. Last time it had been the laying of their egg, the first of thee- a lucky number. This time it was that very unborn child's blessing, and by a friend and a being of great power. She should have felt honored- and she did! - but she also experienced an inexplicable anxiety. She looked over at Aloe, her love, who occupied the room alongside her. She could feel the familiar sensation of magic on her, from where she has bestowed her own form of 'charm', and the waves of love that rolled off of her acted as a calming balm for her nerves. Finally, she breathed easily, letting out a silent but heavy breath. Putting her worries aside for the time being, she instead opted to scrutinize her setting, checking it for any missed faults or potential hazards for the nth time that day. Since she'd plucked these ruins from the corpse of an old and sunken empire, and since repurposed it into a nursery, she has been uncertain whether or not she had made the right choice in decor. Sure, it catered to Aloe's whims, and her own taste in decor as Maretonian ruins are oft to do. But she just couldn't get overy the mystery of its prior function, if any- except that it was particularly reticent to the protective enchantments she placed on them. "Thank you for being here for me, Aloe," she said rather absently as she returned her attention to the pink (now) seapony, smiling softly. "For us. It means a lot to me." And then she cast her attention to the creature of honor. With a slight iridescence, the aqua-colored egg sat upon a raised platform of stone carved from the ruins themselves, and further embedded with protective runes. All in all, the entire setting was locked down like a swiss bank, even if it appeared to be rather open from an outsider's perspective.

Kettle's quizical look was downright comical, although her electric grin was proof enough that she was more than satisfied with this answer. She squealed and jumped in place as the Archchancellor transformed before her very eyes. "Pretty, pretty!" She was probably going to give Candy a headache at this rate, but she was small enough that she probably wasn't that big a burden. She was still gonna call him Barkchancellor, though. Most of the rest of what he said went in one ear and right out the next like corn through a tiller, although she definitely caught the part about being as awesome as the Princess of Friendship if she followed their lessons. She was definitely going to do that now. Not that she hadn't already intended to, but now she DOUBLE intended to! At the end, she cheered for the beginning of the school year, throwing her hooves up and making it rain popcorn like confetti- because obviously that is the most appropriate reaction to such a stupendous event. Grinning, she bounced in place and looked at her other big sister, Caramel. "Oh, oh! I love mechanics!" She only vaguely knew what 'mechanics' were. "Can I come? Can I come!?"

She'd already drawn an 8, a 7, and a 2. She got the feeling that probably meant she should stop, but she as an adventurous soul and scoffed in the face of danger! (The danger of losing, at least.) "Hit me!" She cheered, and wound up with another 2 by sheer chance. She didn't feel like getting hit anymore after that, and simply observed the table with those wide, wonder struck eyes of hers. Playing games was fun, especially when it got her heart pumping like this. The chance that she could fail by sheer luck of the draw.

There they were again, definitely voices. A direction. Spurred into action, he sought them out, still weary but now motivated. Maybe they had answers? Or maybe he just wanted company? Whatever the case may be, he needed to find them- and find them he did. He'd been trapped in this maze for... some time, he felt, but yet seeking them out had been a simple matter. He smiled brightly when he laid eyes on them, waving as he made his way over. He looked tired. "Hey! I... kinda got lost in here," he chuckled rather embarrassedly, rubbing the back of his neck as he scrutinized the group with a surprisingly critical gaze.

Despite Rose's centuries of experience with life and creation, she was still rather lacking when it came to subjects of love. A true irony, considering what she was and what she used to strive for. Rose snorted at Twilight's departing words, rolling her eyes. "Of course, Twilight. Since when have I ever gotten into trouble?" She'd taken an inexperienced crew on an expedition into a dangerous forest to harvest hydra blood, killed a fire hydra alone in Saggalong swamp, experimented on a blind pony, and antagonized a sphinx at a wedding. None of that counted as trouble making, surely? "..." As the alicorn began to stride off, Rose thought of something, biting her lip. "And... Scylla. My cursed name is Scylla." Even as she spoke it, Twilight would feel the hair-raising sensation of eyes on her from a place far, far away. A downright malevolent presence that faded over the course of several seconds after nothing happened. Rose looked around, seeming tense, before finally relaxing. "If you ever need me- or it's an emergency- speak that name and I will know exactly where you are, regardless of time or space." She smiled again after this, sitting down to just enjoy the feeling of the sun on her coat. "Now you stay out of trouble too. I've heard the stories ~"

((sorry, kinda jumped the gun there...)) And so, they set sail. The mighty flying amalgamation of metal, wood, and magic cast its shadow over the enchanted land, the cries of monsters and other strange phenomena reaching the ears of all on-board. After taking off, Rose hadn't let down the bubble, but she did make it more translucent for ease of navigation. Wind speeds seemed to be normal, and only the odd stormcloud impeded their path, quickly dispersed by those most equipped to do so. Rose idly scanned the perimeter of the ship as she trod the top deck, looking down into the darkened greenery with a perplexed expression. What was down there? What was worth investigating? Were they going the right way? She decided that, maybe, the best way to find answers were in her odd travel companions, going to make sure none of them had set fire to the ship yet. Her first stop would be Sea F. Salt, whom seemed to have an affinity for water. A useless skill to possess for the purposes of this mission, but one she felt like inquiring about nonetheless. "That is quite the unique skill you seem to possess, Ms. Salt," she'd say, approaching her when she found her wherever she was. "Might I inquire how it is you manipulate fluids without a horn?" In the distance, a manticore peeked its head out the top of some trees. After taking one look at the large, flying machine, it disappeared with a low growl. That wouldn't be easy prey, after all, even for a monster of its size.

Kara carefully studied the table, eyeing the guy who lost, and the one who was probably going to win. It seemed this was a good time to hold out and wait to see what happens. She hated waiting, but she also really wanted to see where this game lead to. "Hold!"

Rose graciously accepted the towl, drying herself off as best she could with it and letting nature take care of the rest when she was done. Her kind prefer the weight of water in their coats anyway, so it was of little worry for the mare. "I suppose I should have expected such a response. In that case, I may have to wait a short while. I am in the process of arranging new housing within Saddle Lake- Aloe's idea, not mine." Shaking herself off, her horn glowed and a small crystal vial poofed into existence. "Afterwards, yes, I shall arrive personally to oversee this 'task' of yours." "As always, your company is a true blessing. I cannot think of another pony in this life whom I can converse with so easily, especially on intellectual subjects." Looking back, she scooped up a good amount of the liquid before sending it off to her own lab for further study. She wasn't sure if it would simply disappear in-transit, so she retrieved another vial, keeping this one on her person after dipping it in the pool. "As for a wedding... " She regarded Twilight with a lopsided smirk. "Is it not a wee bit early to be thinking of such things?" Although, to be honest, she had considered it.

Rose allowed Twilight to drift off, doing so herself until they were parallel each other. She'd put quite a lot of energy into Albedo's egg, so it was a mystery if she'd be sooner or later, but she could always eccelerate the process, she supposed. "I'd say a month or less. Eggs do not tend to sit idle for long ~" she giggled at that. Considering eggs don't really have legs... "I will inform Aloe of the good news personally, and I look forward to the event. I... " She paused, blinking. "I am afraid I'm not very versed in such ceremonies, and do not know how such an event is setup, but it would be nice if it were to be a private occasion. Just you, Aloe, and I. Perhaps Compass..." She looked up, unfocused. "... No, just the three of us." "Oh!" Jerking up, her tail just about shot her out of the water as she jumped in surprise, splashing down with nary a ripple. There was probably magic involved with her uncanny ability to move through water like that... "Speaking of royal proclivities, I have thought on your offer to become a Royal Alchemist and, so long as I remain in Ponyville, I would be delighted to serve you ~" smiling, she positively beamed energy. "I hope you do not mind if I occupy the position predominantly with one of mine simulacrums, though. I tend to be stretched all over the continent these days."

Rose wanted to tell her exactly what name she'd like to avoid, but doing so would ironically only cause more harm than good. It wasn't like Twilight would guess it, anyway. "Nothing in particular," she said after another moment's thought, working those shoulders good. She'd never tell anybody, but she actually really liked close physical contact like this. Her old self would unironically kill anyone who got that close, though. "As for a name... Ætheria." Snorting, she smiled softly, moving on down to Twilight's back. Alicorn, pegasus, it mattered not. They both had the same wings, and she'd seen Aloe help enough pegasi to at least have some idea what she was doing. "It's a name for the land of the living, something I feel Albedo will be particularly predisposed towards." She'd considered Magnum Opus, but she understood the folly of naming her child that. Not to mention the envy her second and third-born would feel for her if she were favored in such blatant a fashion. "Thank you for doing this, by the way. I don't think I'd have ever approached the sun queen for such a thing!" She laughed amiably, just imagining the absurdity.

"Hit me!" She shouted, perhaps the strangest thing an adventurer who faced constant peril could say. But she wasn't asking to get slapped around by a monster, she wanted the winning card! Or the card that would let her win. She was pretty confident about her chances since all she had to do was not go over 21.

Kettle Corn was with him all the way up until 'hardship and horror.' Becoming the Princess of Cornutopia would be AMAZING but first she'd have to found it, but she hadn't even found her own room yet, so that was unlikely. Still, Kettle wasn't a huge fan of boredom either. She just wanted to make friends and share kettle Corn- ALL the kettle corn! Kettle corn is love, kettle corn is life. Raising a hoof, the little pony energetically waved it. "Ooh, ooh! Pick me, pick me!" When he inevitably did, because who could resist her buttery charm and 'Indoor' voice, she'd ask, perhaps, the one question he didn't want to hear right then, but would anyway because he made the mistake of voicing it to a curious audience. "Why would we call you Headmare? Are you secretly a mare!?" She gasped, then held two hooves up to her mouth. "or maybe you're BOTH!" It's like being both popped and unpopped. The perfect kernel.

"..." Rose, without a word, trotted over to the edge of the ship and looked over it. She looked left, she looked right, she looked up, and she even cast a spell to see underground. And then, when she confirmed nobody else was going to spontaneously appear, she backed away from the edge and a clear dome began to form over the entire ship. In a matter of moments, it solidified, a pale shade of blue. "Alright, this is it for the crew. I will go over this exactly one more time, but in the meantime- SCARLET, LET US SET SAIL!" or whatever the word is. Lift off, she thought? "Now, I know the advertisement may have been alluring for the common adventurer, but this is a delicate operation. Take these sarynges, and use them wisely. You will not be getting another."

Ponies sure do fight a lot, but hey, they got a table! Kara bounced in her seat as watched the exchange, then perked up when the stallion- Dartmouth- addressed them directly. "Nope!" She cheerily replied. "But I've seen ponies play it before! It's about numbers, right?" Numbers numbers numbers. One, two, three, four- four was her favorite number! It was the number of leaves on a four-leafed clover. She didn't really see how gambling could be bad. Lots of ponies did it, and they seemed to have a blast with it! She expected this game to go well too, because even if she lost, it was an adventure on its own. "I'm Kara, by the way. Karakusa the Adventurer! And this is Reflection. She can be really grumpy." She held a hoof up to her mouth and whispered that last part conspiratorially, even though she wasn't nearly quiet enough to prevent anyone with ears from hearing.

Karakusa was the very definition of impenetrable in that moment, smirking with her head held high as she marched into the establishment. After getting rained on by sodapop, she wasn't exactly the image of orderly, but she sure put on an air of pride- if not in her appearance, then in her attitude. "I've already tried that and it was nasty, thank you ~" she said, aiming the words at the stallion who dared to try and turn away two hard working ponies simply because they were foals. Hopping up onto an empty barstool, she leaned her forelegs against the edge of the counter and beckoned Reflection over with a wave. "C'mon, silly filly! These bits aren't going to make themselves!" Then, with all the fierceness of a twelve-year-old, she turned a vicious grin on the older pony. "We're here to gamble!"

Kara gasped, looking wide-eye'd at the unicorn. Although whether she was scandalized or amazed was up for debate. "That's such a rogue move, Reflection! A true hero doesn't cheat good ponies out of bits for personal gain...' "... But maybe just this one. We can pay them back when we get rich." So, scooping up the duplicated bits, she made her way over to one of the taverns- the one with the most raucous cheering, at least.

After a brief rifle though her saddlebags, Karakusa produced 3 silver coins, setting them down between the two fillies and looking down at them with this small sort of half-frown. "... It's enough, right?" She asked without looking at her new friend. It probably wasn't.

And therein lied her first mistake: she issued a challenge. The stars practically exploded in her eyes at the very prospect of testing their luck against the very best, bouncing up into her face with a nigh-manic grin etched across her muzzle. "YES! We should totally do that, then strike it RICH!" She could see it now, the two fillies swimming in bits. Laying a hoof on her shoulder, she toned it down a bit, but still retained her enthusiastic energy. "With your wits and my luck, there's no way we can lose!" Rather unsurprisingly, Karakusa still had plenty of energy to spare. She'd been travelling the road far longer than Reflection had, and was accustomed to the aches and pains that come with it. Unlike her companion, it seemed.

Aisede "Hmph!" She could still regain her honor, Kara thought as she followed along, idly observing her surroundings. "So, what's your favorite color?" She asked about a nanosecond after she was done being mad, reverting to her usual bubbly self as she pranced over to Reflection's side, nudging her with a grin. "Betcha can't guess what mine is ~" Cubbage "My favorite color... Hm... I'd probably say blue. Like the sky!" she thought a moment more before answering Kara's. "Is it gold, like treasure?" Aisede "Nope!" She chriped, giggling with mirth. Although gold was a nice color, it wasn't her fav-or-iiite ~ "try again!" Cubbage "Hm... I've got nothing. What's your favorite color?" Aisede "GREEN!" she shouted loud enough to wake everything within a mile radius. If she were bubbly before, she was a pot about to boil over with laughter now. "Green like luck! Clovers. A pony has to have a little luck to make it in an adventure, right?" She pointed the question as her travelling companion, eager to hear her opinion.

Alright, so I've got a plan to help Golden and whoever else comes in time catch up. I'll place a 'hidden' tab in a post in here with all the posts thus far, but in the meantime, we can continue as usual here

A Cosmic Coincidence Legends in the making ~ Premise In old Iron Town, nopony talked about Shaft Nine, and nopony dared tread its abandoned corridors... Until now. A Shaper's Stone, a demon relinquished, and a world's fate on the line. Can our young heroines win the day, or will they be consumed by Chaos like all those who came before them? Artifacts The Shaper's Stone A perfectly spherical, white stone purportedly possessing the power to contend with the spirit of chaos, Cosmos- but not alone. It will need to be assisted by various other artifacts of great power to even stand a chance. Reflection seems to have quite the attachment to it. Main Cast Karakusa, the Adventurer An adventurous young soul from Axel Town. She idolizes the knights and heroes who frequented her humble home, and associates wealth and status with heroics. It's her dream to one day form an adventuring party and embark on an epic quest worthy of the bards of olde. Reflection Trapped in the body of a filly, this accomplished mage challenged the boundaries of space and suffered the consequences. Now she has to undo her mistake and put Cosmos back where she belongs, with the help of Karakusa and her friends, of course. Support cast TBA Locations "'Oh young and naïve pony, just raise your nose high and follow the scent of danger, for wherever evil may lie, priceless artifacts they may defend doubtless will be nearby! Down the lanes of Charcoal Road, past the Diamond Pass, there you'll find the Crystal Folk, and not few a crystal lass! Travel yon the Goblin Gorge, through the Nettle's Lair, silk and song weave tales of woe, and elegies of despair! Down along the Feline Fjord, and across the Chausie Cape, you come upon the Cat's Eye Quay, where Cashmere's jauntily (Pillage and) rape ~" Iron Town A coal mining colony. They trade with the Crystal Folk up in the Diamond Pass. Charcoal Road This used to be the pulsing vein of industry amongst the coal miners and Crystal Folk. A series of trade routes integral to the economy and culture of the two great powers. It's likely that any miners fleeing Cosmos' chaos will be fleeing into the Diamond Pass. Coal golems Diamond Pass These mountains used to be a gold mine for diamond, and quickly became the seat of power for the Crystal Folk. Unfortunately, an incident occurred which awoke a crystal dragon who quickly stalled any efforts of harvesting more of the previous gem. Now they sit on their wealth, flaunting their magical expertise to attract buyers and sellers from around the world. Goblin Gorge Past the Diamond Pass are a series of cliffs and rivers collectively nicknamed Goblin Gorge because of the bandits who call it home. Caravans heading towards Diamond Pass are usually heavily guarded to make it through here unmolested, but the less wary usually pay the price in body or blood. Nettle's Lair Nearing the end of the gorge is an innocuous opening that leads directly to the land of the cats. All other pathways into or out of the fjord are covered in hazardous webs, courtesy of Nettle, the Spider Queen. The cats will usually burn open openings when they find an opportunity, and keep the main road cleared for travelers. Feline Fjord Where the cliffs meet the sea, you will find cats, and lots of them. A noble and aristocratic people, the felines here dine on the finest fish and don themselves in the most pristine of silks. Their primary export is silk, though, which the Crystal Folk are immensely thankful for. Chausie Cape Like a cat's claw extending into the sea, Chausie Cape is a jagged landmass and home to the outliers of feline society. Don't expect a warm welcome here so much as a dagger in the back. Sweet deals and sweeter lies are the currency in these lands. Cat's Eye Quay Home of the pirates and some canine barbarians from across the sea. They plunder and pillage a lot down there, but not much else.

Kettle Corn wasn't all too happy about her first lesson effectively being a (very light) scolding, but she understood well enough and affirmed her acquiescence with a cheerful chirp. "You got it, bark- er... ark? OH, OH, DOES THIS MEAN IT'S OKAY TO SHOW UP LATE IF I SPEND ALL MORNING MAKING KETTLE CORN FOR THE CLASS!?" Yush! An infinite time slot for her favorite and most productive pastime! This is going to be the best schoolyear ever! "Thanks, barkchancellor!" She was at least halfway certain that wasn't how it was said, but she couldn't remember the proper pro-noun-ciation, so she'd go with what's most fun to say ~ She'd wait for her sisters to take their seats, before claiming her own spot atop Candy Corn's mane.

Cool. The shop thread is open- Blaze just never posted a departing post. And the Expedition hasn't started in earnest yet. I kinda forgot for awhile that it was my turn, but with order restored, we could get the ball rolling properly again. Or start something entirely new, I'd you don't wanna do that anyway.