[Stalliongrad] Stars in the Blizzard [OPEN]

[Xiee]

Spring was here, but was it really? Though winter was officially over, the location of Stalliongrad meant that it always had to snow, even if the Pegasi didn't schedule any of it. When it was winter all they knew was lots of snow, when it was spring, less snow, and summer even less snow. Nevertheless, it always snowed all year round.

Argenta was on her way back to Stalliongrad after delivering some important documents to the REA Headquarters at Canterlot. She was under orders to lay low and not to attract any attention to herself. She was still in her VSS Uniform though. She had put on a black cloak with a hood so the other Ponies would not single her out from the crowd. Hopefully this disguise would be adequate enough not to attract any attention. She managed to secure passage on an Airship called the Star Wing. However, their journey back was met not without difficulty. The blizzard was angrily tossing the ship in the air. She figured that this was one of the weather phenomenon that occurred in the northern reaches of Equestria. Stalliongrad had been hit by a few of these in the last few months but no serious damage occurred. Everything was just almost buried in snow, that it made the entire 9th Battalion, which she was in, to mobilize and help clear it out. She pondered if that were the case when she returned home to Stalliongrad.

Ponies were starting to get nervous. Some of the passengers began to cower down and pray to Celestia, yet the hardy ones like her still moved around inside the deck, looking at the windows wondering if anything would happen. Amidst the howl of the snow, she swore that she could have heard the Captain up in the the deck shout at his crew. At least she knew, that he was brave enough to brave through the storm like this. They were in good hooves.

[Thrylos]

(Sorry to poke and prod, but Dusk Sky is a girl. )

Captain Dusk Sky stepped inside to hear the prays of her less strong passengers, and sighed a little. Putting on her hat, which she had of in the storm stepped forward and lay a hoof on a crying mother and her daughter, and the old mare smiled warmly at her.

"Come on, ol' girl. This storm ain't nothin' compared to some I've navigated." The rest of the ponies that had been crying out for their lives and watched her. "I'm certain I could keep tons of glassware from even chipping in a storm such as this." Then the yellow mare walked into the center of crowd and gently helped the youngsters and fragile, both mentally and physically, back to their feet. Warmly helping a small colt and his sister, she grinned and was rewarded by a more comfortable grin then before.

[ThatWhichIs]

Grey Shade had dressed warm for the trip, covered horn to hoof in a large, fluffy jacket. She was used to the winters in Hoofenheim, which had prepared her for the climate in Stalliongrad. At least, it had better than many of the other passengers on the airship. Truth be told, Shade found the blizzard to be almost brisk, a glorious reminder of what it meant to be alive. Gazing around the interior of the airship, she spotted a shivering mare, and lightly stepped over to her. "Dere dere," she said reassuringly, a dusky glow lifting her jacket off of herself and onto the mare, revealing a thick sweater on underneath. And if I get cold, well I do know a simple warmth spell... she thought.

Stepping back into the press of ponies, Shade faded out of view, and seemed to coalesce from the shadows a short distance in front of Captain Dusk Sky, looking up at the other mare. "Der Sturm, how much longer 'til ist over?" she asked, voice raised hopefully enough to be heard over the storm, and the cries of the other ponies. "Ich vas hoping to see Stalliongrad as ve arrive, und not be getting ein muzzle-full uv schnow."

[Thrylos]

The old mare looked up at this new unicorn, who had helped another pony. She would need lots of help... "Oh...maybe a week, but by the smell of it..." She raised her muzzle and sniffed. "Probably a day or two. We should be landing soon." Looking out the window, she saw a small speck of light from the stars through a tiny break, that was then quickly replaced by cloud. "See that tiny break in the clouds?" Dusk directed this at Grey Shade. "That means its night, and the storm is breaking up. Its going to be a nice, though cold and brisk, day tomorrow." The pony trotted over to another pony and helped a stallion find a quiet place to read in this din, then turning and quieting some ponies until the room was only filled with hushed, frightened whispers, and some slightly cheery chatter.

"Well, thats that." The sunset yellow earth pony looked at the light gray unicorn and warmly grinned that old grin of hers. "And you are?"

[Xiee]

Keeping to herself, Argenta made sure she wasn't noticed. She did however take notice of the captain as she went by her business moving around checking the passengers. She came across a unicorn and they began to talk. Not that she had any business in listening in to the conversation, but she kept her ears open as the two discussed about the storm soon clearing. Ah, the captain was a keen one. Being able to tell that the storm would soon dissipate impressed her and she was right. As a soldier their training in at The Stable had taught them to instinctively sense patterns and changes in the snow. Stalliongrad's surroundings were all snowland as far as the eye can see. Knowing when a snow storm begins or end is very important to survival.

Settling on one corner, she sat and opened up a book to pass the time. It was her favorite book that her adoptive father had given as a present during her graduation almost 2 years ago from the academy. "Snow Patrol", a fictional novel based on true to life happenings within Stalliongrad. She had read this a hundred times but nothing was as entertaining as this. She sunk into her own world as she began to read, ignoring everypony.

[ThatWhichIs]

"Ich bin Grey Shade," she answered, frowning slightly. "Ist unfortunate. Ich haff herd dat Stalliongrad ist ein zight to zee." Looking around at the now-quiet hold, a small smile curled up the corners of her mouth. The cramped conditions and loud ponies had been getting to her, but this... this was bearable. Not preferable, but bearable. "Vould dere be anyding elze ich could help vith?" Shade had brought several books for the journey, but the hold was still too cramped for her preferences. She couldn't get properly comfortable in order to read in such conditions. "Perhaps on ze deck?" And it would be so easy to slip onto the deck unnoticed, but then she would only be able to hide. She was certain that if the crew saw her up there, and hadn't been told by the captain that she was allowed, that they'd send her right back down the steps.

[Thrylos]

Dusk Sky looked surprised as the mare asked to go out into the winds, but nodded. "If thats your wish, then came this way." Dusk showed Gray Shade the special coats for storms such as this, got into one, then went out and took over as she saw her first mate having trouble with keeping the place under control. Shouting orders, soon the only chaos was the storm that threatened to tear the wood of the decks.

[ThatWhichIs]

With a faint grey aura, Shade slipped into one of the special storm coats after a moments hesitation, and then followed Dusk Sky out onto the deck. Up here the wind was loud, storm howling all around the ship, and snow and sleet pelted against her coat. But it was far less crowded than below deck, and that made it a far more enjoyable situation than it would otherwise be. As the crew scrambled about to keep the airship safe and flyable, Shade walked around, taking care to stay near the middle of the deck. Once, she saw a crew-member slip and and lose hold of a rope, and used her magic to keep it in place until the stallion could get to his hooves and take ahold once more. But other than that, she tried to keep to herself and out of the way of the crew, simply admiring the relatively uncrowded space and the storm that raged about them.

[Xiee]

The storm was still battering the ship and it began to shake and shudder for a while. Some of the passengers could no longer bare the fear that the storm might win. They started talking amongst themselves, what would happen when the ship crashed. She closed her book with a loud thud and stood up, still wearing her cloak over most of her body. Her annoyance was noticed when a group of ponies settled down and looked at her. She just ignored them and went out to the deck. The Captain was shouting orders and the crew struggled to keep the airship barely stable in the air. Somehow this felt better than being stuck inside with a bunch of scardy ponies.

She trotted past the railing, making sure to not let any of the crew or the captain to notice her and just stood there looking at the howling blizzard. To her this was more of a symphony than a curse and it felt good on her face.

[ThatWhichIs]

After a little while, Grey Shade noticed another pony on the deck of the airship, one who's jacket didn't mark her as a member of the crew. Taking care not to slip on any snow or ice, she trotted over, silently sliding up next to the new pony. "Beautiful, ja?" she asked, staring out into the storm. "It reminds me uv home, der sturm. Howling und shrieking, ein glorius serenade on diesen vinter nights." Taking a step back from the edge, she turned her gaze to the jacketed pony. "But ich vould not stand zo cloze to der edge. Eine slip vould be most... unfortunate."

[Xiee]

After a little while, Grey Shade noticed another pony on the deck of the airship, one who's jacket didn't mark her as a member of the crew. Taking care not to slip on any snow or ice, she trotted over, silently sliding up next to the new pony. "Beautiful, ja?" she asked, staring out into the storm. "It reminds me uv home, der sturm. Howling und shrieking, ein glorius serenade on diesen vinter nights." Taking a step back from the edge, she turned her gaze to the jacketed pony. "But ich vould not stand zo cloze to der edge. Eine slip vould be most... unfortunate."

She cursed herself for not noticing the other pony approach her. It must have been the howling of the storm, otherwise she would have heard hoof steps. The mare seemed friendly and had a rather odd accent. She clearly wasn't from Stalliongrad. Probably a visitor or a merchant. She carefully looked her way, careful not to expose her uniform, making sure that her cloak was tight.

"Yes comrade, it is beautiful." She said while tightening her cloak. "The snow has always been part of my home as well, so I admire it rather than fear it like most ponies. Thank you for your concern, but I will be careful. I've had the pleasure of working on airships before so I know my way around."

A kindred spirit. It was rare to meet somepony that had the same sentiments to the snow as she did. She still couldn't quite figure what that accent this mare had. She needed to hear her speak more. She knew she heard of this accent in the streets during her patrols before but couldn't quite figure where those ponies had come from.

"Pleased to meet you comrade," her head bowed slightly. "I am Argenta, and Stalliongrad is my home."

[ThatWhichIs]

As the other pony moved to tighten her cloak, and again when she bowed her head, Grey Shade thought she saw something on underneath the cloak. But she didn't think anything of it, given the weather and her unfamiliarity of the area. Nodding back towards the other pony, it never hurt to be polite, she stepped forwards again. "Mein name ist Grey Shade," she replied, gazing once more out into the swirling storm. "I'm frum... vell, eine little town called Eishoof." As the airship rocked she staggered a bit, but managed to keep her balance, her legs spread a bit wider than was necessary for the unpredictable surface. It was obvious that she wasn't terribly used to airships yet. "Ist near Hoofenheim. Eine peaceful village."