Operational (Open)

[Sethore]

The worn tarps of the broken stands and the faded wood of decrepit buildings held no shelter from the night’s heavy fall. The rain was endless and the darkness eternal, as though echoing the tears and sorrow of those whom had once called this place home before being buried beneath the mud with it. Such a misfortunate place held no sealed records or traveling story to tell of its sad state, as though it was left forgotten to elements and endured for years until rediscovered and retold. This once beautiful town held such wondrous lights, joyous smiles and out worldly art that drew ponies from all lands far and wide. But not even the most supreme things can with stand the sands of time and as such, the name was lost. Both the town and its inhabitants had suffered the ravages of a terrible fate unknown. The evidence had survived though time in the blood stained walls, deep scourges in the door, and shattered homes left as though torn apart. The rumours of this place would have never been contained, and its grim existence spread like wild fire though the major populace along with many other claims.

 

A shadowy unicorn dressed in a trench coat wondered among the lifeless ruins, his features were obscured in the dark rain but the floating orb of soft light that trailed behind him reflected back off his lenses into his golden eyes. His pace was very slow and even slower still as he paused to look closely at every piece of debris, every damaged home and more particularly, every bloodied stain he found. The unicorn would stare for a few minutes before moving a short distance to change his view angle, much like a photographer taken pictures without a camera, and eventually move to the next. His search lead him to the town centre, a broken cloak tower surrounded by what use to be a open park with a few still standing benches. He drew closer to a bench and inspected it in the same manner as the stains before sitting down and began wiping his glasses in a futile attempt to dry them.

[BabyBlueBunny]

(Pardon me, joining would be nice! The place seems interesting as well! Patches: http://www.canterlot.com/topic/20262-patches/)

 

A gruff and a puff paired with sloppy hoofsteps swirled around the agitated earth pony. All she wanted to do was go on this island for a vacation, and to her luck, she rode the wrong carriage and was brought to the middle of nowhere. She decided to take a trot to see if there were anypony around the barren place, and only ended up in another barren place! Plus it was raining.

 

Patches moved a wet curled up loose mane sticking on her face as she surveyed the landscape. As she looked around, she was horrified at how terrifying this place looked. Rubble, lost stone and brick were scattered everywhere. What made it worse was that the place was sprinkled with blood stains on some places. Patches shuddered from the cold and continued on.

 

Her search for any kind of living thing has exhausted the poor pony, and something to sit on can be very welcoming. At long last she found an open park, in the same condition as the other places. Some benches were still very much stable, which sent Patches on a full gallop trying to reach the nearest bench she can find. That very particular one seems empty, so she sped up. As her hooves moved along the ground, one slipped on a puddle of rain that has become slippy with dirt. This sent her slipping away to an opposite direction on where the bench was. Patches screeched as she couldnt stop herself from running onto a pile of broken wood from a demolished house.

 

CRASH! 

 

Patches: Aw! Aw! Aw! Awwww!! 

 

The earth pony felt sting after sting come surging in from every direction of her body as she tried hard to emerge from the pile. Splinters covered her here and there as every step she took made a dose of pain climb up her coat. She gave up on galloping and just sat on the nearest bench, since her goal was already too far away. Besides, she needs to remove these splinters. 

 

Patches groaned as she sat down, and proceeded to take out splinters one at a time, wincing as each one left a thumping swell as the thorn escaped her coat. After the 5th splinter, she stopped to take a break from the stings. She wiped a tear that escaped her eye and looked up to the sky. 

 

Rain.

 

The earth pony only sighed as she looked around, only to almost flip when she noticed that somepony else was beside her. 

 

Patches: GAH! O-oh dear... I-I'm sorry. I didnt know you were already sitting here...

 

The wet pony distanced herself a little from the stranger. She might make him feel uncomfortable. Should she leave? Maybe that would be impolite. Should she strike a conversation? Maybe he would think she was weird. What if he was the one that did all this?! No that wouldnt be possible. 

 

She shook her head as she started to overthink again. She stared at a splinter, and proceeded to pull it out.

 

Patches: Um... Can I ask why you're hear? And uh... Where is this anyway? 

 

A tiny wince of pain escaped the earth pony's mouth as the splinter was removed. Time for the next one.

[Sethore]

The Unicorn rocked back and forth slowly as his magic tried to wipe the bi-spectacles of moisture.The soft ball of light circled him a few times producing bright flashes of light very similar to a beacon or lighthouse amplified in the rain until he finial finished and took a second glance around himself. A sudden crash of wood did not some much as disturb him but did draw his attention to a beaten up pony struggling to free herself of the debris. Whatever she was doing here most likely didn't concern him but her apparent clumsiness in this decrepit place was unhealthy and potentially dangerous here. Her lack of perception also was astonishing, he was still watching her after she pull out a fair few splinters and she hadn't noticed him until now.

 

"That's fine, I didn't think there was any pony else here. I am here to investigate this ghost town, Its name has unfortunately been forgotten but every pony here died a long time ago. I would gladly escort you to your destination but I'm afraid i must complete my task first... If you'd like to follow me, I would not mind the company" He bowed his head and waited a for her to remove the few splinters remaining before leaving the bench. She clearly was hurt but he did not want to lose his train of though right at this moment, and a earth pony could survive worse.

 

The flash stopped as he started his pace again, making his way toward the large building situated further behind the half broken pillar. The same pause for every tiny thing until her reach the head of the tower laying partially intact on the ground before him, blackened scorch marks decorating the its sides as though it had been struck by lightning many times. He moved around to change his angle and glanced between the bottom and top half a few times before simply nodding and pressing on toward the untouched doors of the town hall.

[BabyBlueBunny]

The earth pony has finally removed all of the splinters, and she stared blankly at her coat as she observed the swelling die down, and when the process was complete, it was like nothing happened. Patches would now look at the unicorn as he spoke his words. She tried hard to listen to him, but that orb floating close to him seems to steal her attention. As the orb spun, she sneezed. 

 

Patches smiled to herself when the unicorn gave her permission to follow him. Besides, she has no where to go home to, and investigating a ghost town seems pretty exciting. It would be a change of pace from what she does and where she goes. The brown earth pony observed the unicorn as he walked ahead, taking notice of the orb that is following him. Patches stood up, and decided to trail with him from safe distance.

 

Perhaps a conversation would be nice now, unless she could be annoying. But then again, things can turn awkward. Oh! She also shouldnt walk so close to him. She might be portrayed as a creep. She also doesnt want anything unlucky to happen to him. She's like a wandering black cat. Disguised as a harmless earth pony.

 

The moment the unicorn stopped, Patches almost bumped into him. Its a good thing she stopped herself just in time. Patches moved her head to the left and observed the building ahead. It looked pretty shady and old. And as she transferred her gaze to the unicorn again, he seems to observing pretty intently. Like, very intently. She raised an eyebrow as she looked at the building again. Pretty soon, she felt the unicorn's presence disappear. Patches stumbled forward and tried to follow him again.

 

Patches: Is the town hall associated with all this?

 

She felt the orb's presence again.

 

Patches: And um... i-if you dont mind me asking. Why does is orb-like thing following you around?

 

Silence.

 

Patches: Ah! H-how rude of me. My name is Patches. You are?

 

The brown earth pony mentally slapped herself with a brick. How could she ask all those other questions without introducing herself first? Thats just plain rude.

[Sethore]

Its condition was better than the surrounding houses but not by much. Small patterns etched into the door that where created by some artist that may or may not have lived here where still visible. The atmosphere was strange but yet held no animosity, only the cold rain leaking though the roof of the porch moved in this dead town. His thought process had died down and he could do nothing more with his hypothesis until he received more information. It was a good opportunity to talk and he turned to face his recent tag along and smiled, the orb was in a better position to reveal his face and the rain was no longer obscuring it so heavily. She was trying very hard not to be to awkward or disruptive and it was obvious.

 

"I would say everything within a mile of this town is associated with its last life, but there is only some much I can tell from something this old." his frown was turned down in disappointment and mild wonderment as he traced the etches with his hoof, it was warm which was rather curious and the etches did not look as old as the door.

 

"The orb is a firefly amplified by my magic. I received him the same time I toke on this task. I still haven't quite gotten use to him yet, but he is helpful. You can call me Dark, and don't worry about being too 'normal' around me," he poked his tongue out and brought his hoof back down to the wooden beams, only the beams gave in underneath his hoof and he lurched till he was a few inches from his face hitting the ground. It was sudden but expected and Dark's demeanor did not change in the slightest as he lifted his hoof out of the dark hole and repositioned his stance encase it happened again. The taste of blood was present in his mouth from biting his tongue but it, along with everything else could be dealt with.

 

"I'm curious what brought you out here, I didn't think this road was used anymore" his eyes scanned her for a short moment and then toke off his glasses again to clean them. She wasn't packed for the long journey or independent expedition and this road was no longer traveled since it lead to nowhere but a old mine. It was odd that she would just wonder here, not even the rumors knew 'where' this place was only what.