Penultimate Paradise // Closed

[CaptainMcDerp]

 

Once everyone spoke their names, Flax stared up at the door with an eager smile. But it slowly faded when the doors gave no response. He waited a few more seconds before turning back to the group with a concerned look. "Maybe that wasn't the right answer?"

Just before his sentence ended, a loud creaking came from inside. Flax turned around to see the doors slowly opening outwards. He took a few steps back and as the grin returned to his face. "It worked!"

Once the doors were fully open, Flax walked inside with a bit of caution. "Hello? Anypony here?"
What met his vision was a large set of stairs that reminded him of his own house. Err, mansion rather. Except this place was quite a bit bigger. It was a resort after all.

This place was overwhelmingly large. Flax needed a minute just to take in all the details. After collecting his thoughts, he glanced to the right, noticing an open door. He couldn't see much from his current standpoint so he approached. As he walked through the doors, it was becoming more apparent that it was a kitchen.A really impressive kitchen at that. In fact, it made him want to make some updates to his own setup back at his house.

The next thing he noticed was a bowl of fruit sitting on the kitchen counter. Without giving it much thought, he took an apple from the bowl and began chewing on it from time to time as he further examined the area. "See anypony yet?" He said to whoever would listen.

As Flax's eyes scanned across the room, he noticed three sizable ovens, but one of the door's were slightly open. Curiosity got the better of him and he walked over to investigate, opening the door all the way and peering inside.

[Zeig]

On April 16, 2015 at 11:32 PM, CaptainMcDerp said:

 

 

The oven creaks slightly as you open its door, a strange oxymoron to its polished and shining exterior. Surprisingly, a light blast of heat heats your face, as if the oven has just recently been used, though that soon proves impossible. The inside of the oven is completely opposite of its outside - dust coats most of the space, and the metal trays are rusted and unpolished. There's even a small spiderweb hanging on one side of the oven. You realize the oven must be fairly deep however - even with the door pulled all the way open, the very back of the oven is completely dark. You think you can just make out a vague light at the back, almost like a -

 

The kitchen remains still and silent, completely devoid of life. There doesn't seem to be anything particularly noteworthy in the large space, sans a half-eaten apple resting on the tiled floor.

 

: GM Notes :

 

⚈ Flaxen Feather has been temporarily removed from posting order.

[Zeig]

 

 

Well, then.

Nocturne Wisp kept an impassive face as the large doors slowly swung open, despite the rising irritation within him. Was the resort owner trying to make a certain impression? Use grand theatrics to for her anticipatory guests? Well, at least now they would be able to actually get into the building.

Which quickly proved exactly what sort of impression Illisa Misteria III was trying to make.

Regardless, the dark-colored unicorn couldn't help being at least a little in awe of his new surroundings, silently dropping his luggage near the entrance in favor of moving further into the foyer. The grand central staircase was clearly the highlight, the sort of sweeping architecture meant to capture the eye and keep it there for several seconds. It was no wonder Penultimate Paradise had been referred to as a luxury resort - the design and decor of the interior fairly screamed elegance and poshness, the type of grandeur more familiar in a magazine than his own personal memories.

Vaguely, Nocturne could hear the faint voice of Flaxen Feather calling for other ponies, and felt another spike of irritation. Looks alone did not a resort make, and if their hostess continued to play this coy game of leaving her guests milling around with no guidance or direction at all, he was fairly certain something would be set on fire. As it was, Nocturne constrained himself to a rather intense scowl, ignoring the other ponies as he trot forward towards the central staircase. Perhaps a staff member was waiting just at the top of the stairs, hiding behind the banisters and giggling like a little foal.

And maybe the sky would turn pink and rain kittens while they were at it, for the love of Equestria -

"Hn," Nocturne said rather aggressively as he reached the top of the central stairs, noting nothing other than another set of doors. Flaxen's voice called out again, far enough for the words to make little sense to Nocturne, but he ignored them again as he studied the doors, scowl deepening even further.

 

 

[Zeig]

As with the rest of the building, the large double doors are magnificently crafted, standing wide and proud at the top of the grand central staircase. Unlike the outer doors that led into the interior, these doors appear to have four keyholes near the center, two on each door. They do, however, have words inscribed around the edge of the doorway, and are close enough to the ground for anypony to read them.

"Those who tire of the mistress' game,
may enter here for freedom's claim.
But never will these doors give way,
four times certain of your stay."

​

[PyroBlaze]

Marusha landed next to her bags after the introductions had finished. It was a bit of a wait with nothing happening, causing her to think that perhaps it hadn't worked. Still, she waited, and her patience was rewarded as the doors began swinging outwards and allowed the four of them inside. The white pegasus smiled a bit, picking up her bags before following the others inside, placing her bags in the areas that appeared to be made for just that purpose.

 

After that, she gazed around the large room they found themselves in, with various open rooms and some closed off ones, as well as a large staircase to an upper level. Flax and Nocturne set off in different directions to check out different places, and Marusha looked between the directions they had went, as well as Elderflower a couple times. She shrugged to herself before looking at the rooms that were open, her eyes lingering on the poorly-lit office area for a second before she moved over to the room, entering it and looking around at the various papers strewn about.

 

She picked up one such paper, and moved closer to the light to read it better, though she was distracted by the pitch black area that appeared to be more like a hole than the floor or wall that should be there. Why was that area so dark? Was it just because the light couldn't reach that area well around the desk? She looked at it for a second later, leaning in a bit more to see if she could spot anything through the darkness.

[Zeig]

On April 17, 2015 at 6:32 PM, PyroBlaze said:

 

 

Strangely enough, the various papers that are scattered about are mostly blank, with no sign of wear or tear on them. A few pieces of paper have what look like scribbles on them, nonsensical symbols and words that appear rambling and make no coherent sense. One or two of the pieces of paper are not written with black ink, but instead with a dark red ink. It seems fresh, the scribbles almost dripping down the page.

 

There are no papers underneath the large desk however, just a gaping blackness that seems unnatural in what should have been a defined space. As you lean closer, you think you can see a very vague glow near the back wall, that looks almost like -

 

 

From within the office, a few papers idly float towards the floor, disturbed by a sudden movement. There seems to be nothing noteworthy in the small space, only several pieces of blank paper.

 

: GM Notes :

 

⚈ Marusha Moonlight has been temporarily removed from posting order.

[Elderflower]

El held her breath once she had introduced herself to the door, the anticipation taking tight hold of her. Moments dragged on and it seemed as though the door would not respond, until slowly it began to creak open. Once the willowy mare had stepped inside of the resort the air rushed back into her lungs thanks to a sharp intake of breath. She was awed, so awed that she could hardly move from where she stood. Depositing her luggage neatly, El noticed the other had already begun moving off in separate directions, leaving her behind! She supposed that’s what you get when you hang back to gawk at your surroundings. Still, she could hardly help herself - the unicorn had only seen such a lavish place as this once before, when she was in Canterlot castle for the REA ball.

The mare moved off to the right, towards the library and a sitting room. She lingered outside of the doorway of the sitting room a moment, tantalized by the sweet smell of fresh flowers, but ultimately she could not resist the magnetism of such a vast collection of books. When she stepped inside, she faintly heard Flax calling from the kitchen, but couldn’t quite make out the words. It didn’t sound urgent however, so she began to peer at the volumes, making her way further into the veritable labyrinth of literature until she reached the central staircase.

Well, if everypony else was going to go off on their own, why couldn’t she? Such a luxurious resort as this surely had to have an impressive library, and as a mare with a love for non-fictional reading she was eager to see what kind of knowledge was tucked away here!

[Zeig]

On April 17, 2015 at 11:24 PM, Elderflower said:

 

The books on either side of you seemed dwarfed by the spiraling staircase that seems to move endlessly upwards and downwards. Like the rest of the area, the bookshelves and staircase are elegant in design, a rich mahogany that looks to be hoof-carved. A few lanterns light up the space with a warm glow, entreating a pony to explore further.

 

So amazed by the large collection of books surrounding you, that it takes you a moment to realize you've accidentally moved forward onto the spiral staircase - and that you are not stopping. In fact, the stairs suddenly seem smoother, less jagged, forming a steep slope that sends you careening downward to the lower level. No lanterns light up the bottom however, just a seemingly endless darkness only broken a vague -

 

 

The library is still and silent, no movement disturbing the myriad of books in the room. The lanterns still send off pulses of light, though for some reason, their glow feels a little less warm then before.

 

: GM Notes :

 

⚈ Elderflower has been temporarily removed from posting order.

[Zeig]

 

More riddles. Wonderful.

Nocturne restrained himself to further intense scowling at the door, now feeling thoroughly annoyed that he had accepted an invite to what appeared to be some sort of elaborate funhouse. There could be no other explanation for it - missing staff and hostess could be construed to a botched communication about their arrival date, but the riddles and locked doors? Clearly, the four of them were simply being used as guinea pigs to test out the owner's funhouse for flaws and defects.

Rot.

This was completely unacceptable, a fact that Nocturne was vaguely sure was culminating into a headache playing at the edges of his temples. The dark colored unicorn rubbed one hoof against the side of his forehead, hard, as if he could stave off the headache through sheer force of will alone, before turning around and storming back down the steps. The rest of the foyer was empty, Flaxen Feather and Marusha Moonlight having wandered off elsewhere, and he was just able to catch the backend of Elderflower heading into what looked like a library.

Hopefully one of them would be able to find a staff pony around here. Veritable hackles raised, Nocturne swooped into the nearest room.

"I demand to see the owner," the unicorn announced forcibly as soon as he stepped hoof through the doorway - only to find himself in a relatively small room. Predictably, no other pony was in sight, and Nocturne let out an aggrieved sort of sigh as he stepped further into the room. Some sort of waiting room, if he had to take a guess, though the thought was quickly backpedaled as the floor creaked underneath his hooves, causing an ungainly snort to leave his lips.

Luxury resort indeed.

 

[Zeig]

On April 18, 2015 at 0:36 PM, Zeig said:

 

 

Despite the creaking in the floorboards, the small sitting room is as lavishly decorated as the rest of the foyer space. Fresh flowers sit in vases that adorn the room, and the plush carpeting is soft on your hooves. An gently lit fireplace stands against one wall, while a large sofa and small armchair take up most of the rest of the space. As you move further into the room, you can help but notice that the creaking gets worse, to the point where you think you can almost feel the wood distending below your hooves.

 

And almost as soon as you think it, the floor suddenly splinters beneath you, the rug splitting apart like tissue paper and you plunge into complete darkness. The light from the waiting room quickly falls away as you glance down, seeing only two specks of faint light that -

 

 

From the sitting room, a wisp of smoke exits the unlit fireplace. There appears to be nothing particularly noteworthy in this room, sans a torn rug laying over a sturdy wooden floor.

 

: GM Notes :

 

⚈ Nocturne Wisp has been temporarily removed from posting order.

[Zeig]

[Zeig]

On April 17, 2015 at 6:32 PM, PyroBlaze said:

 

You slowly come back into awareness. You have no idea for how long you were unconscious, or what happened during that time. Physically, you appear fine and healthy, but your wings feel leadened and heavy, as if a great weight rests on them whenever you try to life off the ground. At most, you manage to flutter a few inches from the floor before gravity overtakes you. Looking around, you slowly get a better sense of where you are.

 

You appear to be in some sort of small sitting room, similar to the one back at the foyer. To your right is a standard door, which looks to be open. In front of you are two larger, grander doors. They are gilded and look rather out of place in the sitting room, and also look like they can be opened. The sitting room itself doesn't seem to contain anything noteworthy, and only seems to serve as a space between the two exits from this room.

 

There are noises coming from beyond the large gilded doors, what sounds like muffled voices and music.

[Zeig]

On April 17, 2015 at 11:24 PM, Elderflower said:

 

 

You slowly come back into awareness. You have no idea for how long you were unconscious, or what happened during that time. Physically, you appear fine and healthy, but your magic feels sloppy and loose, out of your control. You attempt to use a spell and find the magic fizzles out immediately. At most, you are able to levitate objects with your magic. Looking around, you slowly get a better sense of where you are.

 

You appear to be in some sort of barrier located outside. The walls are made of glass, and you can see the moon shining from above, though everything else outside the glass walls is pitch black. You can't be sure, but you think you may be located on a rooftop of some sort. Turning around, you see only total darkness, despite the moonlight. You can vaguely make out something shiny glinting at the opposite end of the darkness, but any step you take in that direction ends up slipping into some sort of slimy water. You grab a long stick laying on the ground and push it into the water, thinking maybe you can simply wade your way across. You cannot reach the bottom of the water with the stick.

 

Facing back around, you notice what looks like shrubbery about ten feet ahead of you. A lot of shrubbery, it seems.

[Zeig]

On April 16, 2015 at 11:32 PM, CaptainMcDerp said:

 

You slowly come back into awareness. You have no idea for how long you were unconscious, or what happened during that time. Physically, you appear fine and healthy, but your wings feel leadened and heavy, as if a great weight rests on them whenever you try to life off the ground. At most, you manage to flutter a few inches from the floor before gravity overtakes you. Looking around, you slowly get a better sense of where you are.

 

You appear to be in some sort of small field, though it is unlike any you've ever seen. The walls around you are the same concrete and brick that made up Penultimate Paradise, yet you are standing on top of dirt that covers every inch of the room. The soil looks like it was recently plowed, forming neat lines. Ahead and above you is a green door, set directly in the middle of the wall. You estimate it is maybe six feet from the ground. On the ground in front of the same wall are six neatly dug holes, forming two vertical lines of three.

 

Aside from the inaccessible door high up in the wall, there is another door at ground level, behind you. It appears open.

[Zeig]

On April 18, 2015 at 0:36 PM, Zeig said:

 

You slowly come back into awareness. You have no idea for how long you were unconscious, or what happened during that time. Physically, you appear fine and healthy, but your magic feels sloppy and loose, out of your control. You attempt to use a spell and find the magic fizzles out immediately. At most, you are able to levitate objects with your magic. Looking around, you slowly get a better sense of where you are.

 

You have come to in what looks like the ruins of a large bedroom, easy to recognize as most of the furniture is in tact. Ornately decorated and adorned, the remains of the style seem to point to lavish and expensive tastes. A large bed sits against the wast east wall, while a desk and chair take up the west wall. The desk is covered with all sorts of trinkets, including: an antique bell, a rubber ball, a pair of hoof gloves, one candle, cheap jewelry, three small facial mirrors, and a plastic crown with a fake ruby plastered in the center. An oval mirror hangs near the bed, and an elaborate drawer is also close by. Papers litter the floor - most are crumpled up, though some are not, one of them seems to have writing on it.

 

The piece of paper with writing sits neatly on top of the desk, amidst the clutter and general chaos. There is a poem on it.

 

"My life can be measured in hours,

By no mouth I am devoured.

Thin, I am quick.

Fat, I am slow.

To leave this room,

Kill me and go."

[Zeig]

: GM Notes :

⚈ The ponies are all separated! What will happen next?

⚈ Magic is somehow being repressed! That means Unicorns can only perform basic levitation, Pegasi cannot use their wings, and Earth Ponies are sapped of their strength.

⚈ Remember, characters will need to try out various actions to see if their plot line advances or not. Don't focus on writing up long posts - length is not important. Posts should still consist of basic RPing, but don't kill yourself trying to type of ten paragraphs to describe how your character opens up a door.

⚈ Also, if you find yourself waiting for a GM post and I am responding to other characters but not to you, don't panic. It could mean that you simply solved your puzzle too quickly, and I'm purposely not advancing your plot so that you don't move too far ahead of the other characters.

⚈ Any questions? PM me or just ask 'em in the OOC. And again, don't hesitate to ask for help for your puzzles if you need it! I will provide some clues and hints if I feel that people are at a complete loss, but I'd rather give other people a chance to solve puzzles first before I do so.

[PyroBlaze]

Marusha awoke with a groan, looking around the space she now found herself in. It certainly wasn't the office, and there didn't seem to be anypony around. Interesting...

Flying proved impossible after a few tries, so she resigned herself to being grounded until further notice. Not that she preferred flying over walking, but it was nice to have the option. Oh well, she could do without.

The white pegasus walked towards the open door on the side, though she paused as she caught the sounds of music and other ponies coming from the larger doors. Peering at them, they seemed able to be opened. Perhaps she could ask what was going on. Marusha walked over to the closed doors and paused for a second before attempting to open them up.

[Zeig]

On April 18, 2015 at 5:37 PM, PyroBlaze said:

 

 

The sounds get louder as the doors silently swing open - laughter, music, chatter, and what sounds like the rhythmic movement of hooves. It only takes a moment more to pull the gilded doors all the way open.

 

 

You find yourself in a magnificently lit ballroom, opulent and extravagant in every single aspect. Beautiful marble pillars line the space, and a grand chandelier washes the large area in a soft golden glow. Even more importantly however, your search reveals other ponies!

 

The ballroom floor is literally packed with all types of ponies, all paired up and dancing in the same pattern with the male leading: two steps forward, one step back, two steps left, one hundred eight-degree rotation, and a low dip. Then the pattern starts over. All the ponies are performing the same dance, and what's more, they are all wearing colorful masks. It looks like you may have walked into some sort of masquerade - the masks share the same basic look, being half-masks that only cover the upper face while sporting a few feathers and sequins for decoration. Each mask also seems to have a jewel placed at the forehead, though the jewel varies from pony to pony.

 

On the far side of the ballroom, you can see a stringed quartet playing lovely music. Beyond them and slightly to their left, there appear to be several large statues lining the wall. Between the statues are large doors, the only other foreseeable exit from the ballroom save the sitting room you just exited.

 

 

: GM Notes :

 

⚈ From now on, clicking on the map will link you to a larger version.

[Elderflower]

El frowned as the magic fizzled from her horn, her excitement quickly fading to be replaced by concern and more than a little bit of worry. She remembered stepping onto the spiral staircase just to have the steps vanish and send her careening to the darkness, a short scream escaping her lips before she lost consciousness. And here she was, seemingly on the roof, deep water blocking the path to the light tantalizingly glinting further ahead. She had always loved the moonlight, but standing alone out here made it seem cold and cruel…

 

Where were the others? Were they okay? And what in all the layers of Tartarus did their mysterious hostess have in store for them? Even though she was used to going on adventures by herself,  being separated from the others was making El uneasy. And speaking of uneasy... how did she get up here? The spiral staircase had carried her down. Was she really outside, or was it another trick? If she was on a roof, then that meant somepony had carried her up here and she didn’t like that one bit. Well, there was no sense dwelling on things - the only way she could find Flax, Marusha, and Nocturne was if she focused on moving forward.

 

Her path lit by moonlight, the willowy Elderflower turned and stepped carefully towards the shrubbery so she might inspect it further, worried that a misplaced hoof might set off another trap...

[Zeig]

On April 18, 2015 at 9:57 PM, Elderflower said:

 

 

The oppressing darkness that hovers around the area with the slimy water seems to lift as you move in the opposite direction towards the shrubbery, allowing you to see more clearly. What appears to be a single shrubbery quickly grows into more, different plants catching you eye, until you realize that the barrier you're standing in is actually a greenhouse.

 

 

There are many plant species growing in the greenhouse, some growing in the ground in front of you, and others growing in pots lining the east and west walls. All of them are extremely rare, some never have been grown in a controlled setting before, and most boast unique and sometimes dangerous magical properties.

 

Pots along east wall

 

Clap Trap

 

A carnivorous plant that eats insects, the Clap Trap looks and feels like any other flower, but has developed a unique and special defensive mechanism. Because its native environment is filled with very dangerous and magical bugs with all sorts of abilities, the Clap Trap has grown to where the inside of its petals, where it catches its prey, are reinforced to withstand nearly any potential attack. From poison, fangs, extreme heat and cold, and magic, the Clap Trap can devour almost any insect because of the properties of the its petals. To protect its insides from being weathered down, the Clap Trap will only open its lips if it feels prey hovering above it. Then the lips will lie open until something touches the feelers in the back of its mouth, and snap closed.

 

Moonflower

 

Stationed underneath the shadow of a large tree is a group of Moonflowers, all sharing one large pot. These beautiful white flowers only blossom under the moonlight, and otherwise stay firmly shut when in the shade or in sunlight. Moonflowers exhibit no unusual phenomena other than their dependence on moonlight rather than sunlight.

 

Creeping Vine

 

A highly invasive species that has decimated forests in northern Equestria, there are Creeping Vines growing up the sides of the greenhouse and support poles stuck in the pots. The Creeping Vine avoids areas with a high concentration of living plants, as its stretched and elongated body does not provide enough support to compete with other plants for nutrients. Instead, Creeping Vines survive by invading any ground not supporting plant life. The leaves on its vines sense nearby dead plants and flowers, and it can move as fast as five inches a minute to overtake a new area. Surprisingly, a Creeping Vine will not attempt to take over trees, even if the tree is in its small sapling stage.

 

Pots along west wall

 

Sickly Sweet

 

Easily identifiable by the sight and sound of flies swarming around this pot, the Sickly Sweet is a carnivorous plant, and is a close relative to the Clap Trap. It emits a very sweet and pungent smell that attracts nearly all manner of insect towards it. The Sickly Sweet is constantly producing this odor, so that as soon as it needs food again, the insects will be ready and waiting.

 

Nature’s Compass

 

Sometimes called Nature’s Way, this flower has four distinct pointed leaves that stretch out opposite from each other, bearing remarkable similarity to a compass. One of the leaves has a red-pointed tip, and this leaf is always pointed north. If it is disturbed or turned around, the plant takes approximately two minutes to reorientate itself. Botanists believe that this plant somehow respond to magnetic signals that travel through from the poles, but there has been little scientific proof to back up the theory. There is a single Nature’s Compass growing in a pot along the west wall, and its red tip is pointed opposite of the murky waters behind you.

 

Burning Wisp

 

A curious plant, the Burning Wisp is best known for enveloping its flower in flames when violently shaken. The flames burn so hotly that nopony can get within ten feet of it in this state, and can continue burning for hours afterwards. Botanists have been left baffled for centuries on the properties of this plant, and how it is able to control its flames to not consume itself or any surrounding plant life. A defensive mechanism that comes two-fold, Burning Wisps also repel magic when they are on fire, and as such cannot be moved by unicorn magic after they have begun burning.

 

Growing in the ground

 

Lighty Bright

 

A modest but very rare blue flower with delicately curling tendrils, Lighty Brights emit a pale glow at all times, even during the daytime. Botanists believe this plant developed this technique in it native habit to attract pollinators, as it is usually surrounded by much more vibrant and colorful flowers. Removing Lighty Brights from the ground, or plucking the flower from its stem, causes the glow to immediately snuff out forever, even if it is replanted. The owner of this greenhouse must have gotten their hooves on some of their very rare seeds.

 

Paralyzing Punch

 

A small, reed-like plant that populates swamplands and marshes, the Paralyzing Punch appears harmless and fragile, its thin stem usually only growing two to five red flowers. These flowers, however, have a unique defense mechanism that has given the plant its protection against herbivores. The petals on the Paralyzing Punch are coated with a powerful toxin that paralyzes any muscles that come into contact with them, for a good several minutes. What's more, Paralyzing Punches are resistant to magic, making them impossible to move through levitation, or destroy through spells. Luckily, these Paralyzing Punches are only newly sprouted, and their flowers hardly blooming. Touching one of these will probably only induce a slight numbness for a short amount of time.

 

Rainbow Buttons

 

Resembling blueberries in shape and size, Rainbow Buttons grow from very small bushes that can be easily potted. Each berry sports every color of the rainbow, though in varying patterns and designs. Ponies cannot seem to agree on what these strange berries taste like, and when asked to describe their taste, most will shrug and answer with, “they taste like Rainbow Buttons”. Rainbow Buttons are often used to decorate classrooms and daycares, as their bright colors are fun to look at, and they are safe to eat right from the bush.

One of the shelves along the east wall is void of plants, and instead holds a variety of gardening tools.

 

Tools

Spade

Bug catcher’s net

Pruners

 

 

[PyroBlaze]

Marusha's eyes widened as the doors opened to reveal a grand ballroom full of ponies. She gazed around the room from the doorway, taking in the sights and the ponies all dancing the same dance. After that, her eyes mapped out the room, searching for escape routes, all of which appeared to be on the far side of the ballroom, if she wished to continue on her current path.

She hummed to herself in time with the music, wondering why none of the ponies paid any attention to her. She had just walked in in the middle of a dance, and appeared to be the only one without a mask. Hmm...

The white pegasus watched the pattern for a little bit before attempting to get a group's attention.

"Excuse me, where am I? Can I get through, please?" She asked the nearest pair of ponies.

[CaptainMcDerp]

"Hello? Anypony else here?"

 

Where was he? Where did everypony go? Flax found himself getting quite worried by the recent development. It was almost as if he had walked into some kind of trap. After collecting his thoughts, Flax concluded that he was suddenly in some kind of soil-filled room. The other thing he noticed was the door sitting in the middle of the wall above him. He leaped of the ground, only to land face first in the dirt. That's weird. He should've started flying. Flax stood to his hooves and inspected his wings while flapping them. They felt... heavy. And moved much slower than usual, as if underwater.

 

"What the?" Flax whispered to himself.

 

He turned around and saw another door at ground level. It also appeared open. Flax was reluctant to open anything at this point but it didn't seem like he had a choice. The blonde pegasus cautiously approached the door and began to walk through it.

[Zeig]

On April 19, 2015 at 1:51 AM, CaptainMcDerp said:

 

 

The door opens to reveal a small room. Unlike the barren indoor field however, this room is filled to the brim with objects. It looks almost like an indoor plant nursery. Most notable are three extremely large bags of fertilizer sitting against one wall. Taking a quick peek inside the bags, you notice that each fertilizer is a different color: blue, black, and green.

 

Aside from the fertilizer, there is a large basket on the opposite side of the room, containing an extravagant amount of tree seed packets, several of each species:

 

Red Climb

 

Like its name suggests, the Red Climb is a sturdy and powerful tree that serves as the base for many a treehouse. Native to warm southern climates, the Red Climb is known for having pure red leaves at all times of the year, from spring all the way to fall, before they lose their leaves in the wintertime.

 

Blue Wrap

 

Delicate and slender, Blue Wrap trees resemble willows in appearance and function. Their blue-tinted leaves grow long enough to sweep against the ground, making full grown Blue Wraps a favorite staple in any elegant garden.

 

Sidewinder

 

As its name might suggest, the Sidewinder is a rather strange tree whose bark always grows in a twisting, sideways pattern, almost like a spiral staircase. A full grown Sidewinder can reach taller than a Redwood, but their unstable structure makes them easy for large animals to tear down. Their bright orange leaves also tend to attract unwanted attention from animals and woodcutters alike.

 

Umbra Shade

 

Native to dense swamps and marshes, the Umbra Shade is a sinister looking tree, known for its ash-grey leaves that blend perfectly into the mists and fogs that cover its habitat. Though they don't grow to be very tall, the Umbra Shade is highly resilient, and can survive in several different environments.

 

Northern Sun

 

Perhaps one of the most vivid tree species to dot northern Equestria, the Northern Sun gets its name from its highly colorful and bright yellow leaves that remain all year long, even through winter. Because the leaves grow high up on the tree, they are protected from animals and wayward ponies for nearly most of the tree's lifetime.

 

Coniferous Pine

 

The green pines of the standard Coniferous Pine are easily recognizable to nearly everypony, even ones that have no interest in botany whatsoever. Sturdy and reliable, the Pine tree is the most common of tree seeds assembled in the room, making them seem almost out of place next to the rarer and more exotic seeds.

 

Turning over one of the seed packets, you see what looks like a crude drawing. They look like instructions to planting the seeds. The picture shows a pony planting seeds into a hole in the ground, then adding fertilizer once, then twice. The next picture shows the pony adding fertilizer for a third time, only this time the seed has sprouted. The pictures seems to be indicated that these seeds will not sprout until they have had three helpings of fertilizer. The pictures are the same on all the seed packets.

 

Above the basket of tree seed packets, there is another strange drawing on a paper taped to the wall:

 

[Zeig]

On April 19, 2015 at 0:02 AM, PyroBlaze said:

 

 

Abruptly, the music stops, along with the chatter and general merriment of the ponies, as every single pony in the ballroom turns to look at you as one. You can see their eyes through the holes in their masks fixed intently on yourself, all traces of amusement gone from their faces as they stare you down. None of them make any move to get out of your way, nor do any of the ponies answer you question. The silence is almost stifling as all eyes continue to gaze relentlessly at you, every pony's focus resting entirely on your self.

[PyroBlaze]

Well, that had garnered a bit more attention than she had been searching for. Marusha blinked as all eyes turned to her, her next words dying in her throat under the scrutiny of all the ponies.

"Just... Just carry on, don't mind me..." She said after a little bit, looking for any sort of gap to get through.