Cubbage Posted August 18, 2021 Report Share Posted August 18, 2021 Reflection blushed a little. "Oh yeah... Heh heh I guess we do need a place to sleep, huh?" she said, following Kara to the barkeep. He checked with them to make sure Dartmouth hadn't swindled, then gave them a room at reduced price. "What kinda stallion would I be if I charged two little fillies full price for a room, huh?" And with that, they trotted off to bed. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aisede Posted August 18, 2021 Author Report Share Posted August 18, 2021 "What a nice stallion," Kara mused as she pranced by Reflection's side, humming a merry (victory) tune as she let her eyes roam over anything of even tangential value with a primal hunger in her eyes. "Sooo how long we staying here? Ooh, do you think we'll randomly stumble upon a disgruntled reptile that'll become out unwitting travelling companion due to sheer coincadence and coinciding interests!?" Her eyes lit up with stars as she got up in her fellow filly's face. Because what the heck are boundaries? "That'd be so cool! Maybe he'd be a bard who has lost his muse and must travel beyond the Nettle's Lair to reach her!" The pony swooned, then, with appropriate drama. "And it'd be so tragic when he finds that she was caught by the sinister queen- BUT, then through sheer heroics, he'd best the spider, save his fline and win the day!" Hopping up into the air, she thrust a hoof out with an excited exclamation. "That'd be so cool! And he'd get lost of loot, too ~ eheh..." Aaand there came the drool and dreamy look. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cubbage Posted August 19, 2021 Report Share Posted August 19, 2021 At this point, Kara lost Reflection. Reptile? Nettle? Sinister queen?? This filly had to be the most off-the-wall of any creature she'd met in any reality she'd ever travelled to. She rolled her eyes a little and smiled patiently. "Something tells me that's not going to happen..." Her tone grew more serious as they trotted up the stairs to their room. "I think we should leave in the morning. We can check our rations to see how far we can make it before we need to spend bits again. We need to move quickly, though. We don't stand a chance against Cosmos like this. We need more artifacts. And the longer we take, the worse off this world will be." She took a deep breath to calm herself for a moment. "We're this world's only hope right now. We can't let them down." Her manner softened once more as they got to their room. "Now come on, you card shark. Let's get some sleep!" 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aisede Posted August 19, 2021 Author Report Share Posted August 19, 2021 Kara wasn't so sure about that- with a god of chaos running amok, anything was possible- but she chose not to comment on her debby downery, instead hopping up onto Reflection's bed to snuggle with her as if they'd known each other their wholes lives. "You know... if you really want a powerful magical item, there's always the coal golems. Hehe..." That cheekiness rose back to the surface as they brushed cheeks. "Once upon a Crystal Fare... there was set upon a dragon's lair," she yawned, pulling Reflection closer because she was a frail little thing and she was an awesome earth pony. "The knight's or yore, the devil's roar, yet the ponies went on withou... with nary a care..." Kara must have been plum tuckered out, because she sounded half asleep by the next verse. "Mmm... but struck upon the silver eve, a mithril blade she did conceive... mmm... cleaves..." Another yawn, and Kara was pretty much out. "Nigh' 'Flection..." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cubbage Posted August 23, 2021 Report Share Posted August 23, 2021 This may just have been the most awkward situation Reflection had ever been in. There were two beds. Why didn't Kara take the other?? Fillies... Magical item? Crystal fair? Did they have those here? The Crystal Empire was in Equestria, but maybe there was a similar kingdom here! Mithril blade... Could that be a substance capable of slaying Cosmos?? She would have to ask the Kara in the morning. For now, she slipped out of the cuddle carefully and then into he other bed. She and Kara may be friends, but they weren't that close just yet. Plus, Reflection wasn't big on physical touch to begin with. She dozed off with her head full of questions... 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aisede Posted August 23, 2021 Author Report Share Posted August 23, 2021 That night, little reflection had a dream. It was, by all means, a rather ordinary dream- as mundane as one gets, in fact. Nothing. Her dream was nothing, extending to every non-existent corner, and equally absent horizon. Nothing but a black void that extended from beyond her hotel bed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cubbage Posted August 29, 2021 Report Share Posted August 29, 2021 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. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aisede Posted October 14, 2021 Author Report Share Posted October 14, 2021 As soon as she left the bed, it vanished. Not immidiately, in a puff of smoke or anything. It was a more discreet disappearance, the kind that makes you question if it was ever there to begin with. One moment it was real and present, and then, as soon as her attention was off of it- nothing. It was gone... Gone... The thought felt invasive, but that shouldn't be her most pressing concern: there was something... Off about her reflection. Wait, reflection? Had the floor always been this reflective? There, just below her hooves, was a perfect copy of herself. If she dared, they'd meet gazes. Her reversed doppleganger would mirror her every move. And then it blinked, and suddenly she had diamond eyes... And a slightly disquieting grin. "Well hello there ~" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cubbage Posted October 14, 2021 Report Share Posted October 14, 2021 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. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aisede Posted October 14, 2021 Author Report Share Posted October 14, 2021 Her reflection giggled- an odd sound coming from her own voice, no doubt- and then, without warning, suddenly seized her forelegs and yanked her forward. It was like diving headfirst into a pool, only there was no splash. No ripple. Just a sudden sense of vertigo as the warped gravity reasserted itself. Her reflection had vanished in-between the transition, but her echoing humor could still be heard. "Where is a good question, but I have one better: why?" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cubbage Posted October 19, 2021 Report Share Posted October 19, 2021 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. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aisede Posted October 19, 2021 Author Report Share Posted October 19, 2021 "My, you're an inquisitive one ~" the voice purred. "Think for a moment," a light flickered to life in the distance, growing closer by the moment. As it did, it swirled and coalesced into a pale sphere- a familiar one, at that. "The answer will come to you." Suddenly, the sphere 'blinked' and a white, glowing eye was staring directly at her. "Or are you looking for a hand me out like that little friend of yours? Such an impressionable youth, and yet all you care about are your artifacts." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cubbage Posted November 5, 2021 Report Share Posted November 5, 2021 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... 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aisede Posted November 5, 2021 Author Report Share Posted November 5, 2021 An amused chuckle echoed through the void, proving to be cold company to her mounting fears. The 'eye' shrunk down until it was nary the size of a coin. Another blink, and it multiplied by a factor of two. "Please, call me the Purrveyor ~" The entity purred in mirth, then stepped forward from the murky blackness as if shedding a coat. There, standing before her now, was a lanky feline figure; an orange jacket loosely fit his nimble frame, exposing a tan coat and orange stripe-like markings. Eyes like white starlight glittered with mischief as he graced the pony with a sly smile. "As for why... Well, you're quite the detective. I'm sure you'll figure it out." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cubbage Posted November 14, 2021 Report Share Posted November 14, 2021 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... 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aisede Posted November 14, 2021 Author Report Share Posted November 14, 2021 "O-ho-ho-my!" How ceaselessly amusing this pony must be. He took a step towards her, crossing his arms behind his back as he leaned down to me more... Level with her. "I am the Purrveyor of Dreams, young pony!" With a thespian air, he drew himself up and flung his arms our wide. Like am ember dropped upon the surface of a rainbow lake, their reality peeled away to reveal a cozy study. A familiar study. The feline appraised himself in a mirror, turning this way and that with smug satisfaction. Reflection was in the mirror, too... In a quite literal way. My, what an experience that must be, but at least she had company in form of this fine cat's fantastic reflection! "All that you can dream up, I can make a reality... For a price ~" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cubbage Posted November 19, 2021 Report Share Posted November 19, 2021 Reflection gazed around in confusion. This wasn't just any study. It was her study, and that mirror was one she had... acquired (more or less legitimately) from a Starswirl collection. She could remember countless hours analyzing its energies and field disturbances, and the few trips she had dared through it. "The Purveyor", as he called himself, seemed right at home. He continued speaking in riddles, and Reflection continued to remain in a lost, confused state. "What are you proposing?" she asked, wary of his answer. Folks like this were always trouble, and she already had her fair share of that in her life right now. She had awakened an ancient cosmic being of untold power by accident, most likely dooming this entire world to the being's chaotic whims. She wasn't sure how many more prices she was willing to pay... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aisede Posted November 19, 2021 Author Report Share Posted November 19, 2021 "Why, I'm glad you asked!" He beamed and turned to face the room, where Reflection was now standing outside the mirror. "There is a diplomat from Feline Fjord residing in the Diamond Pass right now- Scratch! Oh, I mean Princess Pomegranate ~" he called out with cupped hands. Suddenly, the door to the room opened to admit a fair white feline into the room. That's as much as the pony would be able to gleam, as there was an odd... Vagueness to her, as if viewed through a perception filter. What wasn't vague was the crystal fruit she withdrew from her person, displaying it within the palm of her hand for the both of them to appreciate. It was... A pomegranate, made of pure rubellite. A fruit made entirely of crystal, down to the last molecule. It glittered and shimmered in the dim light of the study, rich in color and perfect in shape. "I would like for you to convince her to give you the crystal fruit." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cubbage Posted November 21, 2021 Report Share Posted November 21, 2021 Diamond Pass, Princess Pomegranate, crystal fruit... None of it was making sense in her head. But she could tell one thing. If this dream-weaving cat didn't have the guts to get it himself, there was something about this he wasn't telling her. "And what's in this for me? Obviously this is the price, so what's my prize if I do go through with this? And why is this rock so important to you anyhow? Sure, it's pretty, but something tells me you're not this motivated over other trinkets. So what about this one has you reaching out to a world-walker like me in my dreams to try to con me into retrieving it for you?" She examined the fruit a little more closely. It was indeed a pomegranate, and from the detail on the skin, it looked realistic enough that Reflection might have thought it grew from a tree, were it clearly made of minerals. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aisede Posted November 21, 2021 Author Report Share Posted November 21, 2021 "Whoever said it was for me?" The Purrveyor purred in mirth. "Oh no, I have no use for such things." "This is for you!" Suddenly, her own voice sounded off from behind her, just before we two hooves gripped her shoulders and turned her around to face her grinning counterpart. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cubbage Posted November 23, 2021 Report Share Posted November 23, 2021 "For... Me? I don't understand..." she said, gazing at herself. She was beginning to grow both used to and weary of this Discord-like display, but the cat showed no signs of slowing down. "What do I need a crystal fruit for?" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aisede Posted November 23, 2021 Author Report Share Posted November 23, 2021 "You'll see ~" She purred, summoning a replica of the Shaper's Stone and a black crystal chalice. "But for now I'd suggest catching up with your little friend. Some of the charming patrons are currently daydreaming about..." She perked up, giggling and raising a hoof too her lips. "Why, it's much too graphic for a pony your age!" Cracking the Stone over the lip of the cup like an egg, liquid moonlight spilled into the chalice. She swirled it around, took a sip, them gave the pony one last smile. "It was nice of you to visit. We should do this again sometime ~" The last thing she'd see was a splash of- --- -Sunlight streaming in through the narrow window. The bed was empty, but the covers looked as if a hurricane had come through. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cubbage Posted November 26, 2021 Report Share Posted November 26, 2021 Reflection wiped her eyes blearily, confused by what had just happened. Then the realization that Kara was not still in the room hit her. "Kara!? Karakusa!??" She frantically searched the room before bolting for the tavern below the inn. She gazed around for a moment looking for her friend. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aisede Posted November 27, 2021 Author Report Share Posted November 27, 2021 What she found was complete pandemonium; something was burning, the ponies were in a ruckus, and somepony was singing in the background, but not very well. If Reflection strained her ears, she may recognize that voice. It was coming from whatever passed as the kitchen in this place- and was also where the loudest voices were coming from. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cubbage Posted January 22, 2022 Report Share Posted January 22, 2022 Reflection did the only logical thing and followed the sound of her friend's voice, calling all the while. "Karakusa?? Kara!?" And then... she saw her. She wasn't sure if what she was seeing was better or worse than what she had imagined, but it certainly wasn't good, regardless. Though considering her mind had automatically imagined something akin to Kara's dead body or a ransom note, she supposed this was probably better. Marginally. But it still was a long way from good. "Oh no..." she muttered as the scene unfolded before her eyes... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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