Cubbage

Reflection knew cats like him existed outside Equestria, but she had never been face to face with one. His shape was alien and strange to her, and made her even more uneasy than she already was. "W-what do you want with me? You're a purveyor? What are you trying to sell? I'm not giving up my soul to you!" She winced a bit after the last remark, drawing back in case he retaliated physically or tried to use some kind of magic on her. Wait! Magic! She had magic! She charged her horn with a teleportation spell, but when it reached peak energy, nothing happened. Rather than teleporting, her horn just fizzled a little and made a small *pop* sound. So much for that...

Sure! And oof. I'm so sorry Do you want to chat here, or are you thinking more like Discord? I tend to respond faster and more reliably on the latter (my Discord info is listed in my bio if you click on my username). I don't really have a life, so shoot me a message any time!

Reflection stepped back in fear. "Th-the Shaper's Stone? But... How?? You're an artifact, not a living creature! Unless... Oh no! Cosmos??? How did you find us?? Why are you doing this??" She kept trying to rationalize the experience in her head, but failed every time. None of this made sense. She still didn't know where she was. And the stone had mentioned Karakusa! Was she in the same state as Reflection right now? If so, it was imperative that she find her! Karakusa might have an idea out of this! But for some reason, her limbs didn't seem to want to move. Was she frozen by fear? Or was this something else...

Flow laughed a little. "Oh don't worry, you didn't say anything offensive! I'm not too easy to offend anyway! Truth be told, I've never actually been to a spa, either, so it sounds like this is a first for both of us! If you think the spell is a good idea, then I'd better take it. As far as where to start, I have no clue. Like I said, I've never done this before. Where do customers usually start?"

By the time Windy asked her, Cloudfeather was too immersed in the action to hear her. It wasn't until she was prodded that she realized she'd been asked a question. "Huh? Oh! It's amazing!! Marcus is really good! Well, I mean, of course he is! He's from Cloudsdale! But Pike is putting up a good fight, too! I've never been to a jousting tournament, but now I think I'm going to start going more often! This is amazing!! I need to find out where the local ring is in Cloudsdale!" Before she could say anymore, her the competitors were charging for one another again and her attention was stolen away once more. She let out a cheer and hovered several feet off her seat as the lances shattered against the stallions' armor. She had no idea how this sport was scored, but she was certain that was a good thing for Marcus! Then again, based on the cheering from Windy and a good portion of the other patrons, it could very well have been better for Pike. Maybe she should learn how to tell who was winning...

Valence should have known someone would have noticed his absence. He figured saying he had slept through it probably wouldn't make him sound very good, so he came up with a fib on the spot. "Oh yeah, I uh... Didn't get moved in in time. It's hard find trains that head all the way out of Equestria, and then the journey takes a couple days, so by the time I arrived and got settled, orientation was over hahaha" He laughed nervously at the end, hoping it would make him sound more relaxed. It didn't, of course, but it was a nice effort.

Happy to have you back!! Can't wait to meet your OC(s)!!

Scutellum or Elytra sound kind of cool. They're both parts of beetle anatomy, so they'd fit with the theme

Valence jumped slightly at the sudden attention. There was something... off about this pony, he could tell. He also found it strange that the unicorn seemed to know his name without introduction. Nevertheless, he followed the group -- including the strange unicorn -- to his next class.

By now, Reflection was both disoriented and frightened. She searched around for the source of the voice frantically, but found none. She charged her horn and shot off a beam of energy, but found it did nothing to cut through the darkness. It only vanished into the void. "What's going on here?? Where am I?? Why am I here??" Reflection asked, mind reeling now. She was growing increasingly frustrated and panicked with each passing moment.

Reflection yelped and jumped back in fright, though the action was useless, as the mirror image of herself did exactly that: mirrored her. She took a few calming breaths, then addressed the... image. "Uh... Hello? Where are we?" She chanced another glance around, but found she was still in the everlasting expanse of darkness. Light was illuminating her body and reflection, but there was no source for it. It was as if the shadows and highlights of her figure were painted on.

Valence Bond looked at the map frantically as he tried to find the classroom for what was supposed to be his second class of the day. He was still figuring out how ponies did this whole up-all-day-sleep-all-night thing. He'd missed orientation the day before sleeping in his dorm and now had slept through his first class. If he kept this up, he was going to get thrown out for sure. He needed to either create an elixir to keep himself awake, or find a way to invert his sleep schedule. The first seemed easier. As he rounded a corner, he noticed some other ponies heading the same direction and decided to follow them. Maybe they were going to the same class as him!

Flow listened as Aloe reassured her that she would not evaporate, but recommended staying away from the steam room. That seemed like a good idea. Though Flow didn't hate being steam, it wasn't her favorite state. Liquid just felt overall like an easier state to exist in. As she followed, Rose offered her something for her shape. Flow didn't exactly know what she meant by that. She was pretty sure of her shape already... Unless the pony was suggesting she turn into ice? Would being solid make her easier to work with? "What do you mean?" she asked the pony.

Cloudy's jaw dropped when Windy plopped the pile of gold on the counter, and remained in the down position as Windy waltzed them out the door. One hundred bits??? That was a full day's pay in the cloud factory! And she had just plopped it down like it was nothing! Windy never ceased to astonish her. As they flew off to the matches, Cloudy nearly lost Windy a couple times in the throngs of ponies heading the same direction. She would get distracted by the noise of an arcade machine or a flashing sign, and the next thing she knew, Windy was gone. But she managed to find her quickly each time, which was fortunate, because Cloudy wasn't sure she'd be able to find anything in this city without her. When at last they arrived at the stadium, Cloudy looked around excitedly. Fans filled the bleachers and the two competitors were putting on their last bits of armor and visibly getting their heads in the game. The sun glinted off their polished armor, leaving a couple spots on her eyes. Her excitement only built as the trumpets blared and an announcer dressed in authentic Pegasapolus peasantry attire stepped up to introduce the two ponies. "Fillies and gentlecolts, it is my highest pride and deepest honor to introduce to you today's champions in the jousting ring. On my left, a vision of true strength and nobility, a shining example of chivalry and honor, the Clydesdale from Cloudsdale, Marcus Gallopus! "And on my right, with unmatched precision and voluminous mane, the appaloosan envy, Canterlot's crown champion, Pike Pierce! "And now, with no further ado, let the games begin!" And with that, he dropped a checkered flag and the two ponies charged at one another, lances at the ready.

Twinkle followed her friend as she led her through the house. "I know I didn't have to, but you just moved into a new house! I figured you could use a housewarming present! And from the looks of it, I was right..." The house was not in the best condition. It looked like no one had lived here for several years. As they walked, Tarot told Twinkle about her ancestors, a couple of which she recognized. Former royal astrologers and the like. Tarot's family was riddled with fortune tellers like herself, something her mother evidently did not appreciate. Twinkle had never had the pleasure of meeting the sorceress herself, but she had a few choice words she worried she would say to someone with such disrespect for her line of work. Probably best they stayed strangers. The kitchen looked to be the only part of the house that wasn't in disarray. Tarot noted this humorously as they entered and put a spot of tea on the stove, which looked like it could be older than either of them. As they continued talking, Tarot explained why the house was in its current condition. "Yes, your mother always did have a... special relationship with your father's side of the family. It would be a tragedy to see a beautiful home like this destroyed. I'm glad you inherited it." She closed her eyes and felt along with Tarot. Though communicating with the dead wasn't usually something she was asked or required to do, she could do it if occasion permitted and the spirits were compliant. In this house, the spirits were definitely compliant. Their souls were palpable. Had she brought the materials, she might have done a seance then and there. She chuckled, "Yes you do. I remember one client who asked me to exorcise a ponygeist from her home. Of course, when I got there I discovered it wasn't a ghost, but her young filly playing elaborate practical jokes!" She laughed at the memory of discovering the young pegasus in the act of writing on her mother's bathroom mirror in ketchup as she was searching the house for auras. Then she changed the subject. "Now go on and open your gift! I'm dying to know what you think!' Twinkle always felt that every house needed at least one telescope, especially a house as regal as this one, so to spruce up the place, that was exactly what she had gotten her friend. Though she and her friend favored different disciplines of astrology, they both enjoyed all methods of telling the future, and so Twinkle was confident Tarot would enjoy the gift. Just in case, though, she had brought along a brand new deck of tarot cards. That way if her friend didn't appear to show much interest in the telescope, she had a backup plan.

Twinkle Dawn approached the house levitating her housewarming gift behind her just as the last rays of direct sun were disappearing over the edge of Canterlot. The moon shone brightly as it slowly made its own appearance over the opposite peaks. Still waxing. Only a few more days until it reached full. That would be the same night as the Summer Sun Celebration -- the night the prophecy was to finally come true. The sky was excited. So many admonitions, such clear readings, so much information! It was clear the stars were plotting something, just as the book foretold. She checked her watch as she trotted up the porch steps and watched the time turn over. Right on time, she thought. Just as she was about to knock, however, the door swung open, almost ominously. She embraced her friend as she stepped out of the shadows and levitated the rather large box over to her. "Please, Tarot, you know that nothing is too difficult to find with the right guidance." She winked and gestured to the stars with her eyes. "And of course you know that if you ever need help cleaning, I'm always happy to help! The Princess is very supportive of me taking time out of my work schedule if it means helping a friend!" She looked around, taking in the new house and marveling at her friend's new living quarters. "You must be excited to live in a house with so many stories to tell," she said, noting the obvious signs of previous living and the portraits hung elegantly. This house would make the perfect setting for so many novels.

Flow had never been questioned about her allergies before. She didn't have any as far as she knew. She was having a hard time visualizing a "soak" though... She soaked fires, and she knew her friends sometimes soaked their hooves, but she had never done it before. After all, she was literally made of water. Why would she soak? The more she thought about it, the more she realized she probably should have asked her friends what a spa was before agreeing to go to one... The second pony to enter asked a question she was quite familiar with (or at least a version of it). It seemed like the only thing ponies wanted to know about her (and kelpies in general, for that matter) was if she was really made out of water. Nevertheless, it was always a perfectly reasonable question, and she never let her annoyance show. "Pleased to meet you both. I don't think I have any allergies. And yes, I am made out of water. It can be a blessing and a curse at times. It's nice to be able to flow like liquid, but it also means we have a tendency to evaporate if we stay out too long without a drink hahaha" she said. She offered each of them a hoof as she introduced herself, and watched their faces as she interacted with them physically for the first time. To most ponies, the experience of touching a living being made of water was... unusual at first, and a little difficult to get used to.

"Yeah... I kind of figured hahaha," Cloudy said in response to Windy's aversion to the roller coaster. She mentally praised herself for guessing the other pegasus's thoughts. She grinned in excitement when Windy alluded to the next day's performance, already anticipating the mist and splashes from her seat. She could feel the air and the clouds, which of course reminded her of the cloud machines she worked on and the formula she would be making for Windy (possibly) if all went well. She came back from her daydream just as Windy was beginning her next sentence. "Oh no, I couldn't! Besides, who needs a souvenir of Las Pegasus when I got to spend my trip with the coolest pony in the city!? Now come on! Let's get to those jousting matches!" and with that, she zipped out the door. Then sheepishly floated back in moments later, having realized she forgot to pay for her share of the concessions. "Uh, how many bits for all this?" she asked the clerk, blushing from embarrassment .

Roleplay Type: WoEName: Bond. Valence Bond. (Sorry, I had to ;P)Gender: MaleAge: ColtSpecies: AreionEye colour: Blue (#2980b9)Coat: Grey (#555555)Mane/Tail: Quite messy and short, nearly black (#222222)Physique: About CMC, but maleResidence: Formerly an areion colony, but moved to the School of FriendshipOccupation: StudentCutie Mark: Still a blank flank, but has a strong interest in chemistry and potionsUnique Traits: Valence has a knack for following directions on potions sheets, which also gives him a bit of an edge in the kitchen, so long as he has a recipe to follow or an idea of how the ingredients interact when undergoing the cooking process (as in baking) History: Valence was born to two loving parents, one with a strong interest in electricity (Coil) and another with a cutie mark in potion making (Nightshade Bloom, who learned the art from generational teachings). The result was a colt who loved the scientific aspects of the magic of potion making. Both of them were very supportive of him and did all they could to nudge him toward his cutie mark-- in their own field. They competed to try to get Valence to prefer their own talent over the others. Eventually, their desires for their son to be more like one of them created a rift, and his parents separated over a cutie mark he didn't even have yet. It was painful for him, and he closed off, secretly trying to find a potion that would rekindle his parents' love for one another. In the mean time, however, he went back and forth between their houses. His sadness kept him from making any new friends, and his old ones eventually stopped inviting him out to play, tired of the damper he put on the mood. Eventually, his visible misery forced his parents to agree on something: their son needed friends. They also determined that they had probably been a little too avid about trying to persuade him to get a mark in their fields instead of letting him be himself. They needed to take a step back. The most logical decision, then, was to send him to boarding school, where he would be free of their influences. And what better boarding school to make friends at then the School of Friendship itself? So after the enrollment process, off he went. His parents agreed to discuss things while he was gone, but after the way they had treated one another, neither saw much hope for a remarriage. Valence now lives at the School of Friendship, where he is trying to break out of the shell he's created while also not letting his own personal misery get in the way of making friends. Character Personality: Valence blames himself for his parents' separation, and as such has a lot of anxiety over causing problems and making mistakes, as well as a fear of confrontation. As such, he is quiet and shy unless he is in an environment where he feels stable, such as the chemistry lab or potions hut. Whenever he is left to himself, he gives into sadness over the rift he caused between his parents. He is avoidant to friendships, but when he finds someone he trusts, he tries to be as much like them as possible, having learned from his parents that two ponies who aren't the same can't work. Character Summary: Valence Bond is a young areion whose parents split apart because he couldn't be just like either one of them (at least that's how he sees it). As such, he is nervous about making friends and getting his cutie mark, which may have something to do with chemistry or potions. To try to cheer him up and help him overcome his anxieties, his parents agreed on sending him to the School of Friendship, where he currently resides.

All the department had decided it was official: Flow needed a break. They told her it had been because she was working too hard (which was partially true), but in all actuality, it was the department that needed a break, not Flow. Her constant drama had begun to drag on her squad, and so they had politely suggested she take some time off to clear her head. Which was why she was now in Ponyville, home of one of the highest-rated spas in the country. She'd never had spa treatment before, but all of her friends had talked fondly of it, so she thought Why not give it a try? Of course, she had never asked what a spa was... She figured she could learn that when she got there. Which was now. She looked at the doors and took a deep breath before entering. Immediately she felt out of place. Everything here was so... Clean. She looked over her shoulder to see some bits of ash and soot still floating around inside of her from the last fire she had doused. Now she was embarassed she hadn't washed more thoroughly before coming! Well, no turning back now. She walked to the front desk leaving wet hoofprints behind her. "Hi there! My name's Flow. I have an appointment? I'm a little early, though..." She knew she was probably getting stares from some of the other creatures in the waiting room (she always did, even in her home city), but tried not to think too hard about it.

Only season 3?? Well welcome to the series! You are in for one wild ride! It's only just getting started!!! (Sorry, the series is a bit of a hyperfixation of mine hahaha) Welcome to the website! It's super great here! I can't wait to meet your characters!!! Also, Pinkie Pie is amazing! Definitely my second favorite! Part of me wonders if party ponies are imbued with a bit of chaos magic...

Twinkle Dawn listened as the other unicorn's excitement grew. She could hardly blame her; after all, she had gone into many a rant about astrology. "That's so interesting!" she said as Amber detailed the transmutation spell. Amber then proceeded to allude to a specific spell, but before Twinkle could ask for more information on it, a passerby suddenly injected herself to the conversation. It was clear she'd been eavesdropping, though how much she had heard was not so obvious. "That's alright..." she said, a little caught off guard by the pony's sudden entrance. "Magic is indeed fascinating! Amber and I were discussing ancient forms of transmutation. Magic isn't my talent, per say, but I have been honing my abilities, trying to get the most out of my horn. However, I must agree with Amber that learning about magic, even if I'm unable to channel it personally, is quite captivating."

If anyone could understand wanting access to magic she couldn't achieve, it was Twinkle. Her search for Grogar's bell and the Alicorn Amulet had been going on for years now, and she was still no closer to finding either of them. "I know what that's like. A lot of those artifacts seemed really interesting. I wish I could have tried even one of them out! Magic isn't something that should be put on a shelf. It needs to be used! That's why the artifacts were made in the first place!" Her thoughts were once again drawn to the artifacts she sought herself. Then a thought popped into her head. Perhaps this unicorn would know a thing or two about Grogar's bell! She mentally pinned it as a conversation topic to bring up later, when she could do so without arousing suspicion. "So what kinds of ancient spells interest you the most? And what do you think you would find in Star Striker's journal?"

Curious, Reflection sat up. Usually, her dreams were vivid and full of motion, but this one was different. This felt more... real. It was like she was awake, and yet she knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that she was not. Cautiously, she ventured a hoof out of her bed. It touched what felt like floor, even if she couldn't see it. Slowly, she lowered herself from the bed until she was standing full on an invisible platform suspended in the void.