[Gleaming Pony Force] New Arrivals in a Strange World (OPEN, REDUX))

[SilverSwirl]

(Welcome to the revival of an old thread, ready to meet those who are willing to play along. OOC thread is here. )

Bowie said to himself as he stepped onto the magic stone in the Grans Island side of the magic tunnel, "One more trip around the world, to let everypony know that we succeeded.". Feeling the block activate, he was transported down a shaft, encased in a magic tube. It appeared to be business as usual until one of the guiding rings malfunctioned, hurling his magic tube off course, the shock knocking him unconscious.

When he came to, he looked around and saw a dense, vibrant forest that looked nothing like the plains where the destination pad in mainland Parmecia was. "Where am I?" , he asked loudly, not realizing that he was alone, with only a canteen of water and the Force Sword. Getting to his hooves, he felt strange, like he had more than 2 hooves on the ground. Looking himself over, he discovered that he was a pony! "What in the name of the Ancients happened to me?! All I remember is using the magic tunnel and the tube being thrown off course. I wonder what happened to my friends who followed me? I will set up camp here, in front of this cave and wait.", he said to himself again. Making a campfire and unrolling his bed roll, which was more difficult to accomplish as he wasn't quite used to the transformation he had undergone in transit. Watching the cave entrance, he waited for his friends to emerge, sword and powers at the ready for any possible enemies that could come out of the trees as night fell upon the Everfree Forest.

[Ciraxis]

Swift Squall rose from his knees after examining the tracks.

"Still not it..." he murmured to himself.

Unicorn flicked off the dust from his duster and looked around. However it was in vain. No matter how hard he looked there was no clues in this glade.

Everfree was dangerous and dark forest but sill from time to time there happened to be lighter places, such as this.

Two days ago, during one of his usual trips around the realm, Squall heard a rumor. A strange pony appeared in one settlement. But not he...or she maybe wasn't different in amusing way. Not, that strangeness was described by the witnesses as 'disturbing'. Even more mysteriously nopony could remember how this vagrant looked like - no coat color, mane style or even gender. The only consistent thing they remembered was that this pony carried a distinctive sword, had a mood swings with either talking to itself all the time or being creepily silent and also loco enough to wander into Everfree despite the warnings.

Swift wasn't a foolish pony. As much as he realized this was poor idea to go on his own, the ponies from the settlement was to scared of this 'stranger' to go with him,. and unicorn himself refused to let some armed nut-case to wander through the forest, being danger to both itself and others.

....With this search of course leading too being in the middle of infamous woods, two days from then and still with no results. Seeing that there was nothing in bright glade, Swift slipped back into the darker corners. It was unwise to be in the open in Everfree.

Few hours later swordpony reached the place where the forest bordered the mountains. This more rocky surface had more spare vegetation and as such it would be easier to find tracks. And yet there wasn't any here either. However....

Squall's ears perked up and he eyed up numerous caves logged into mountainside. He could instinctively feel the presence, like if somepony...or something is nearby.

It would be wiser to return to the forest line...picking up a fight with one of the Everfree monstrous denizens wasn't exactly a noblepony intention.

[SilverSwirl]

Bowie, naturally on alert in unfamiliar territory, perked his ears at the rustling of vegetation. He turned from his campfire to catch a glimpse of a horned equine from his encampment near a cave. He drew the Force Sword, now affixed to a hoof guard for ease of use, and called down to the figure, "Who goes there? If you aren't friendly, please leave! I'm standing guard in case my companions show up!". His blue eyes gleamed with a power not of this world as the wind picked up.

His cape rippled in the wind as he climbed a boulder to make himself more visible. His peach colored coat was covered in forest green livery and his long golden blonde mane was kept in check by a baby blue headband. In this pastel colored world, he didn't seem all that out of place, excepting for the now shimmering chain about his neck. Hanging there were two jewels, one crimson and the other a midnight blue. In his world they were the Jewels of Light and Evil, once used to keep a great evil locked away.

[Ciraxis]

Swift stopped in his tracks. He was actually seen? This called for a different approach then.

Unicorn glanced from the shadows at the other pony. Something about him was...strange...alien even. Like he didn't fit, an odd piece. By now Squall was poitive that this was a nutjob that villagers were talking about.

But more worrying was that blade that was carrying. It too felt alien, it's magic unfamiliar...and yet it power was recognizable enough. Swift had no idea what that weapon could do. Could his own runeblades stand up to it? Swordpony didn't believed they would - parrying and blocking was out of question, he will have relay on changing the path of it and evading when he couldn't. That, and every dirty trick in the book....starting with distracting this stranger.

"Then you waiting is futile. Don't you know? This place only brings woe for those who stand still in it for too long." with that he teleported to the high grass on his left - disappearing from other pony sight...at least for now.

"Only those with high knowledge of Everfree venture going into it's thickets.." Squall teleported again, this time far to the right from his initial position, now covered by the rock formations.

"Those or ones who are insane....and frankly, one screwball is enough for me."

This time noblepony didn't teleport.....frankly, it's was tiring. That, and he didn't need too. Instead he threw a smoke bomb, exactly were this strange swordpony was standing. The thick cloud completely shrouded the cave entrance. Squall didn't wasted this opening, jumping form his cover and rushing towards the silhouette of no doubt confused pony. He didn't drawn his blades through. Crazy or not, he didn't wanted to hurt this oddball, only subdue him. Galloping at top speed, Squall hit the other stallion with full body tackle, disarming his in the process. The Force Sword fell down, to the rocks below, loud enough for both of them to hear. This gave Swift a pause. The other pony could be aggressive if he sees that Squall is armed and he is not. Not wanting to upset the loco any more then necessary unicorn made a decision. The drew both of his weapons...and threw them down as well...

"Wiping memories of others...intentionally or not must meet with consequences. Even if you not right in the head. Please don't make it any more harder then this. It's for you own good." swordpony declared...with a hint of concern in his voice.

[SilverSwirl]

This was most unsettling, to be attacked in such a fashion. He was also upset by the trickery involved and the loss of his blade. At least this equine had disarmed himself as well. At the mention of a memory wipe, he grimaced. "Why take away my memories? I'm confused about this world! I'm not from here and to make me forget what I've fought for? Why commit such a cruelty? I'm not at all crazy! I'm Bowie, a citizen of Granseal lost and far from home! I was in a teleportation accident that tossed me into this body!", he answered with a stressed edge to his voice while in the smoke.

If this unicorn came any closer, he'd flash away with his magical ability. He was of an ancient lineage in his homeworld and carried the powers that came with it. He'd abandon his vigil, and begin roaming once more. Frankly after this, he would make sure he'd never be found again. The sword would be safe, only he could wield it. "If you come any closer with that intent, I will not be here! I'll be gone in the blink of an eye!", he added with a soft snort, already mentally prepared to teleport away.

[Ciraxis]

Squall rose his eyebrow upon hearing the other pony tirade. What in Harmony name was he babbling about?

"Totally convincing me your not a loco." unicorn replied in most sarcastic tone "And what kind of name is 'Bowie'?" he added with a heavy dose of skepticism. No self respecting pony parent would name his kid as such.

Well he did at least had a reason to be stressed. Swift read more then a few pages about psychological combat. Hiding one's position while making others know about your presence was one of them. Ridiculing and mocking the other.

"Then I try not to blink. And while we at it, care to explain how? Without the horn? What's next? Wingless flying? Underwater breathing? Oh, wait I got it! Laser eyes! You really can't go wrong with those. Seriously kid what kind of comics you been...." nobelpony tirade was interrupted by a...feeling. One could describe it as a 'wave' passing through his entire body. Actually, no just his body, through entire forest. Coming from very clear direction. This was something that anypony could sense, yet unicorns were adjusted to recognize. Dark Magic. And since it didn't come from this pony here....

"What...from there? But..." Squall words became slow and carefully measured as he tried to put the facts together. Long ago for smoke to start to disperse.

"So...it wasn't you. Then we don't have anything to do with each other anymore." unicorn explained, very vaguely before jumping down. He slid down the bluff, in the controlled rock slide to the place where all three swords winded up. Quickly retrieving the two that belonged to him. Sparing the other pony one more passing glance, Squall dashed into the tangle, set to reach source of this sinister emanation.