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Post by posy-punch on Jul 5, 2019 2:16:19 GMT -6
Hello Starborn, and welcome to Talori Plot 805: The Courtyard Gate   Team Leader: Rue and Isykle Participants: Seven, Belle, Thadeus, Owain, and Lichas Please keep the following in mind!- Posts must be a minimum of 175 words. There is no maximum!- No strict order is enforced, but there must be at least two posts between your own character's.- No god-moding or reading characters' minds (unless your pony is a literal telepath, anyway)
- Always get consent before harming another character!- Your team is precious. Try to interact with everyone. <3- Have fun! Even if your pony isn't. 8'D
Prompt: You're all quite young, and you're all of a varied mix of background and breeds. However, with the bustle in the city, all of you have ended up in the same small courtyard in search of something interesting to do. The air here feels tinged though, and you're not sure the peaceful fun will continue for long... Time of Day: Afternoon Weather: Clear Location: Inaria Your leaders are posted!
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Post by posy-punch on Jul 5, 2019 2:24:14 GMT -6
rue Ears folded flat against her head, the small filly scuttled through the streets, begging not to be noticed. Without the protective shadow that was Faris, Rue was not brave, was not exceptionally outgoing. But boredom had dug its claws into her, and forced her out into the world. She didn’t really have any friends either, having just popped back into the world, there were no familiar faces. Faris told her if she put herself out there a little bit, she was sure to make friends. She wanted to try, if only to make him happy, but every time she went to speak to someone, it felt like a frog lodged itself in her throat before she’d scamper away.At least she wasn’t bored anymore. The busy energy that contaminated the streets was beginning to overwhelm the poor child, and she made her way into a small courtyard, void of anyone else. Letting out a soft sigh, Rue scuffed the ground with a small hoof, wishing she had a friend, wishing she was even brave enough to make a friend. But all of the people here were so…. Foreign. Almost none of the horses she’d seen around had antlers adorning their heads, no shimmering scales to catch the sunlight. It was disconcerting and jarring, and there were times she’d lapse back into past and remember all the scary horses that tried to attack her and her mom and friends. Faris was always there to calm her down and pull her back into the present. Looking around the courtyard, she imagined how nice it would be to have someone to play with.1
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Post by posy-punch on Jul 5, 2019 2:24:34 GMT -6
I S Y K L E Female | Outcast | Talorian
Izzy did not like this. It was too busy, but her moms had asked her to look after Thad and Lichas who had stayed the night because Naair was busy and the house keeper was on a vacation. With a small breath she did her best to walk with her head high. The activities around her always caused her a bit of anxiety. After getting her memories back and having the scenes play out constantly in her head, the equine was always afraid of not quite being a safe creature to be around. Nagisa had done her best to consol the young equine, teaching her ways to calm down and control herself.
It wasn’t that being with others was hard, it was that she was afraid. And that fear crept up now more than ever. With a small breath she nudged the youngest foal to the side and stepped into a small clearing that soon revealed itself to be a courtyard. Thad should have noticed, he usually did and of course Izzy expected the other to have words. Yet this time, she honestly didn’t care. The kirin was doing her moms a favor and Thad would have to put up with it.
Taking a few large deep breaths, chest expanding and deflating, Isykle found herself able to calm down. Enough that she could finally look around. The other figure across the courtyard caught her off guard and the Kirin’s protective instincts kicked in. Legs stretched out into a defensive stance, head lowering, as if to block the view of the colts behind her. Afterall, Everyone here was a threat, right? No… Everyone here was safe… Head shook and she snorted once. What was right?!
POST 1 | WORD COUNT 284
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Post by Chipo-H0P3 on Jul 5, 2019 20:49:17 GMT -6
 --------------- Thadeus -------------- Thadeus snorted as he trotted beside Lichas and Isykle. "I really don't understand why mom had to leave you in charge." The dark colt said snootily to his sister while sticking his nose up in the air. "I'm perfectly capable of taking care of myself! Lichas knows. His Dad says so. He taught me how to parry!" Thadues then lunged into a courtyard as if wielding the wooden sword he had been practicing with for months now. Isykle nudged him aside.
"Hey!" Thadeus exclaimed in annoyance. But Isykle didn't react to him. Her attention was elsewhere, which peeked the young hippocampus's attention as well. The day had been pretty boring and he was dying for something interesting to happen. He noticed his sister's rigid stance but she had been on edge so often recently it didn't concern him. Then he noticed the foal across the courtyard.
"Relax Izzy, it's just a baby." Thadeus was totally unimpressed. Even after seeing the little stranger's rare and unique appendages. He turned to the other colt in their travel party, "Hey Lichas did you bring a snack?"
P1 | WC 187 |
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Post by mariahwhy on Jul 6, 2019 21:05:51 GMT -6
Seven | The Shoal
Seven trotted through the streets, aimless and carefree. Life had all but gone back to normal for the young colt. Nothing terribly dramatic had happened in the past few months. The last call from his goddess to the Temple of Time had been almost half a year ago, and while he certainly did not forget the place or Cascade's pleas, he had finally found a balance between his religious callings and the life of a care-free foal. He would be turning ten soon, and was beginning to think of apprenticeships. He spent more and more time reading up on lore and scripture, but he still also spent plenty of time wandering the streets and beaches of Inaria. Today was one of those days. He had awoken early, books shelved for the time being. His brother was free today, and they had spent the morning together combing the beach for shells, interesting pieces of driftwood, and whatever else might catch their fancy. Once the treasure had been returned to Seven's collection at home and lunch was had, they had enjoyed a stroll through town back to Five's current residence. It was now that Seven was on his way home, pleased with the day he'd had, but not quite ready for it to be over. He began to explore the streets - there always seemed to be new roads and vendors to explore, and such was how he came across the courtyard that Rue stood in. When he spotted her it wasn't her scales that drew his attention. He had seen scales on hippocampi and he'd met a couple of kirins, so neither would have been too curious, but what drew him closer were the flowers sprouting from the top of her head. How did she do that? Maybe they were just stuck in her copious mane? Maybe she was blessed with plant manipulation - but she was so little! Well, only one way to find out! He trotted easily up to her, thinking nothing of the obvious signs of discomfort that she was showing even before he approached. "I like your flowers!" he began, stopping at a distance that was likely much too close. He peered at them, noticing their shininess now. Almost like they were made of glass or something! "Are they real?" he asked, squinting at them. He might have reached out and touched them, unprompted, had an oddly familiar voice not grabbed his attention. Suddenly a colt burst into the courtyard, and Seven had an odd flashback. He had met the hippocampus in the temple, and the little bit of memory he had of the other wasn't terribly positive. The little colt had started a fight with a kirin foal that had been in the temple with them, and the thought made Seven immediately bristle. But the memory was quickly followed by another... by Cascade's voice instructing, "Do better." The flea-bitten colt forced himself to relax, offering a smile at the hippocampus and the two other foals that followed him. "I know you," he said clumsily, ignoring the other's quest for food.
(Post 1: 512 words)
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Post by Svantanon on Jul 7, 2019 18:06:22 GMT -6
 Belle needed a quiet place. Somewhere she could try something without feeling crazy.
Having finally grown tired of reading in her room, the longing to run out and stretch her legs had grown nigh unbearable, but not to the point where she was ready to do anything reckless like socializing. No, the tenderfoot had other plans in mind. Gently fashioning sacks out of water, she packed a roll of canvas along with her paints, and quietly set out into the world. She would have announced that she was going were anyone still in the house, but Mother was away on… something… Dawson and Krein were away on… another, and Belle—feeling huffy and more injured by their absences than she wanted to admit—decided that there was no reason she shouldn’t get to do something, too. Bambi didn’t follow her, this time. He was napping peacefully in Dawson’s garden and soaking up the sun, and he looked too sweet and happy for Belle to wake him without feeling bad.
Leaving without him felt… weird. They went together almost everywhere.
But Belle had something to try.
And she was awfully self-conscious about looking crazy.
She wasn’t sure how she’d found the courtyard, or how long she had been walking around when she somehow stumbled upon it, but the place felt like a blessing meant for her. It was spacey, quiet, and more importantly, unoccupied. It was perfect, really.
She unrolled the sheets of canvas onto the ground, arranging them until they made a singular square, and set her paints in large bowls clustered in the center. And then she stood back, and stared.
… Was she sure about this?
… Whatever. Hearing her own timid voice wringing her tail over this was getting to be grating. And it was too late to turn back, now.
Belle stretched her legs, took a deep breath, and hovered one hoof over the deep blue paint when the sight of another equine made her balk.
A child…? Oh! A kirin child! Belle’s ears flattened in worry. Who was she? Where was her family? … Oh, gods. Did she have one?
… Had she just appeared?
Oh, no, that'd be even worse.
Abandoning her makeshift ‘studio’ for a moment, Belle made her way over to the foal, making her steps a little heavier so the tenderfoot would know she was coming. She would hate to startle her. Belle hated being startled, at least.
“Um… hey, there,” she began gently, smiling for good measure. “Are you alright? You’re not lost, are y—"
“I like your flowers! Are they real?”
Belle looked up, ears swiveling at the unexpected voice, only to find that a familiar face had joined them. Her eyes lit up with recognition at the sight of her friend.
“Seven! It’s good to see you!”
… And then crawled in the lingering sense of awkwardness, because while Seven had been her friend, that was when they were both very tiny, and Belle—Belle was not as tiny, anymore. Would Seven feel sad that she’d ‘left him behind’ in a sense? Would he even recognize her?
Oh. Haha, oh boy. Even more horses were appearing now and ohgods her idea, the thing she wanted to try so badly this was not going well—
Post #1 | Word Count: 542
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Post by Disastercorn on Jul 8, 2019 15:41:53 GMT -6
L I C H A S Male | Shoal | Talori
It was nice having friends! It was nice getting out of the house! Especially with those he had grown close to. Izzy was still very intimidating but she was protective of him and did her best to make sure he didn't feel excluded, which was nice. Especially because Thadeus tended to want to do more daring things and Lichas was still finding his hooves, in more way then one!
Stumbling after the trio, the colt walked into the clearing and blinked as the oldest mare seemed to suddenly be on edge. "T-thad's right! She's just a kid, like us!" He added happily, stepping further into the area only to suddenly pause. "Oh... I had brought something but I ate it on the way here... Did your mom not pack you anything?" He asked, head tipping before looking over his shoulder to smile bright. "I'm Lichas! My dad is Naair. He always told me to say that to new friends, I don't know why. What are you're names?"
POST 1 | WORD COUNT 180
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Post by SagaWolf on Jul 10, 2019 17:51:41 GMT -6
Owain
Growing rapidly!
... ...
Owain was absolutely one hundred percent certain that he had caught a glimpse of familiar butts through the bustling crowd and it gave him enough pause to forget his original goal. It couldn't have been terribly important and even if it was he already decided to investigate! Blue scales and fleshy ocean slug bits, had one of them been possibly been Isykle? Her colors were vibrant enough that he'd recognize her anywhere and curiosity kicked in as to what she was doing. So, he hurried into a light trot, hoping to catch up with the trio before they vanished in the crowd.
Previously Owain would have been wheezing and coughing by the time he skittered into the courtyard, coming to an abrupt halt at the sight of far more equines than he'd expected, but this time he was simply winded. Cascade's blessing had brought those terrible fits under control, but he was still just a small kid out of shape.
His initial shock faded soon as he recognized so many faces which brought on a grin and a very cheerful: "Hi! Whatchu all doin'? "
Owain thought perhaps he'd stumbled on some secret play date and if that was the case, he was quite determined to get in on the action. It would be way more fun than, uh, whatever it was he had been doing before.
......
Word Count: 227
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Post by posy-punch on Jul 13, 2019 13:11:00 GMT -6
checkpoint!
Seeing her children playing, able to put aside the looming threats of their time, would make the goddess croon happily... if she were watching over them in that moment. Alas. Her attention is elsewhere.
As you play, you hear a noise, almost like a release of air. Owain's hoof sinks ever so slightly into the ground, the cobble beneath it sinking into the ground. At the center of the courtyard, there's a whistling sound. You all turn to gaze at the grate.
It flickers once, then becomes intangible, partially transparent. As you all go to inspect it, you notice a staircase leading down into the dark. At the base, a light flickers on, almost as if it is beckoning you.
An adventure?
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Post by Chipo-H0P3 on Jul 14, 2019 16:20:05 GMT -6
--------------- Thadeus -------------- Thadeus rolled his eyes in annoyance having learned that Lichas had already eaten all his food. Of course his mom had packed him a snack but grapes were his favorite and he really wanted to save them for later. "Can babies even eat grapes?" The colt grumbled to himself, counting how many he had in his pouch as he walked toward Rue.
"I know you." Thadeus looked up at the voice of another colt to find it had come from a young unicorn he recognized. He halted in surprise but his face remained stone cold. A squint directed at Seven challenged his next move, though it was a tough facade. In truth, Thad was a bit nervous of the other colt given how when they met Thad nearly got his ear bitten off by the unicorn's strange friend. It didn't seem like they'd have to face off though as another foal came into the courtyard and garnered Seven's attention.
Thadeus recognized her too, though she was unnaturally older. Belle had also been there when he met Seven and scaled kid who thought he was a pegasus. Thadeus cringed remembering the bad impression he must had given them. Maybe they should leave.
"Let's go find...," Thadeus began but was interrupted when yet another foal made their way into the courtyard. This time though, it was a face Thad thought of more fondly.
"Hey Owain!" Thadeus greeted him. Owain was a trustworthy guy that Thad liked to hang out with.
Then suddenly, magic filled the courtyard and the cobblestone beneath the children's hooves began to shift. Owain lost his footing and began to stumble down the newly formed stairs.
"OWAIN LOOK OUT!" Thadeus called out as he bravely followed the slug hippo down into the dark stairwell, determined to help break his fall if he could.
P2 | WC 308 |
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Post by mariahwhy on Jul 14, 2019 19:01:45 GMT -6
Seven | The Shoal
Seven's ears flicked briefly backwards as Thadeus' expression seemed to issue a challenge. Or did it? Seven couldn't tell. He was not good with confrontation, and really hoped this would not end like last time... By Cascade's grace, however, the smallest foal piped up and pulled his attention wholly away from the dark grullo colt. "I'm Seven," he said, turning his gaze to the smaller hippocampus. He chuckled at the foal's introduction, his true smile returning. He did not have time to give any more information before another familiar voice broke through to grab his attention. "Belle!" he called, as he spun around, knowing who it was before even seeing her. But once he did see her, he had to take a moment to figure out if it truly was her or not. The young filly certainly looked like Belle - she had the same coloring and markings - and yet she didn't look like her. She was suddenly so much bigger than Seven. Her fins had grown, and her hair was tied up all fancy and not just hanging loose. She carried herself with a hint of that awkward childishness, but also with more confidence than he had seen before. She looked the same, but older. Aging potions were not particularly uncommon in Talori, particularly since the war broke out. He had seen a couple foals his age or younger become suddenly older the next day, but his mother hated them. She thought they were unnatural and robbed children of the time Cascade gave them. The colt didn't particularly want one himself, but felt the magic behind it was cool none-the-less. His face suddenly felt hot, and he felt weirdly immature. Unconsciously he tried to stand taller, and tried (not very successfully) to push aside the odd jitters that seemed to have taken over his stomach. "Wow," he said in awe, his lack of filter still very much in tact, "look at you! You've grown so much!" He ogled at her, but one final, small, familiar voice cut his staring short.
"Owain!" he called, voice echoing Thadeus', but almost as soon as he could turn to look at the black colt he had disappeared. "Owain!" he yelled again, ignoring the shifting stones under his own hooves. He dived after Thadeus, all grievance with the colt forgotten in the desire to help their mutual friend. The darkness quickly swallowed the colts, and only a small light at the bottom illuminated their path. Instinctively drawn towards it, and in an urgency to prevent injury to Owain, Seven continued down the stairs.
(Post 2: 428 words)
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Post by Svantanon on Jul 14, 2019 20:22:05 GMT -6
“Belle,” she responded to Lichas with a small smile, trying not to let this sudden size difference between her and her former peers get to her too badly. “I’m… sorry, I don’t think I recognize your dad’s name. But it’s nice to meet you, anyway.”
It was good to see Owain as well. Thaddeus was an unexpected face—granted they all were—but Belle’s initial wariness quickly gave way to guilt. The colt seemed to almost shrink when he recognized Seven and herself in turn, as though his thoughts were exactly her own. She managed to give him an encouraging smile before her attention was pulled back to her old friend. The tenderfoot couldn’t help a small laugh, relieved by Seven’s warm greeting and touched that nothing seemed to have changed between them at all.
“I’m still getting used to things, myse…”
She was cut short by a strange whistle and Owain’s startled yelp.
Belle snapped her head up right as the grate melted away to reveal a staircase descending downward into darkness…
… And Owain tumbled down it.
She wasn’t the only one to cry out the poor kid’s name, or to rush after him without another thought. She’d have been more afraid of tripping over herself had there not been a faint light luminating the path from below.
“Owain! Are you alright?!” Belle called out as she closed the distance between them, giving the tenderfoot a frantic once-over. “That was a bad fall!”
Post #2 | Word Count: 245
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Post by gone-astrayy on Jul 15, 2019 23:33:20 GMT -6
Rue | Shoal
Oh Ignacio! She shouldn't have imagined for anything! No sooner than she had wished for a friend, three bodies, albeit small ones, burst into the courtyard. Seeing antlers and shining scales, Rue's heart fluttered happily. Finally someone she could trust! She was about to rush forward when suddenly the kirin lowered her body defensively, and Rue skidded to a stop. Biting her lip as she fought confused tears away, a voice halted all motion and oddly enough, her tears. It was one of the other kids, not a kirin like her, but still, the kid did seem less threatening than the other kirin.
Nervous quivers shook her legs, and before she could figure out whether she could try and bolt and make it back to the Palace, another colt skidded into the courtyard, before swiftly trotting right. Up. To. Her.
Immediately overwhelmed by the friendliness, and lack of space, she stuttered out quickly. "Th-They're real! They my antlers!" Her ears swiveled around anxiously, before yet another foal materialized, this time from behind her. Hearing the hoofclicks did little to prepare her, for she let out a startled squeak. The foals around her all started greeting one another, seemingly already knowing each other in one way or another. Rue stood frozen, looking back and forth between all of them as they chattered happily.
Until, that is, one of the foals suddenly trips and then falls down a hole. Ears quickly flicking back and forth now, Rue listened to the other foals shouting to their fallen friend, Owain. Heart beating rapidly, Rue slowly picked her way closer to the hole, now thinking that the earth was just going to gobble them up whole! She didn't want to be a dirt snack! Did dirt even eat?
Even with the threat of being snatched up by the apparently hungry earth, foal after foal dived in after their friend. Looking around, she realized she was swiftly going to be by herself if they all vanished. Not wanting to be left behind, Rue scuttles down the steps- what kind of mouth had stairs?- darkness swallowing her whole. What had she done??? Rue declared as she bumped into the foals in front of her, that she'd never leave the palace again.
Word count: 374
Post: 2
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Post by SagaWolf on Jul 16, 2019 17:06:33 GMT -6
Owain
Growing rapidly!
......
The black colt barely had time to notice the sinking of his hooves. There was an odd gentle whooshing of air behind him, like a massive breath being inhaled or released, and then he lost his footing quite suddenly. He yelped with surprise and then tumbled down something hard and angular, which bruised his sides badly. Hooves over head, air knocked out of him, it was thankfully not a long tumble, landing him on his stomach with legs splayed awkwardly in all directions.
"Oooowwwwhh, " he whined softly, head ringing and eyes threatening to go all waterfall on him for a few short seconds, until Thadeus was at his side. The other colt's presence always had a way of instilling some mild bravery in Owain (or maybe he just didn't want to be caught crying like a baby), and as he struggled to pull his legs back under himself, the others came rushing down after him. It made his heart and stomach do an odd multi flip-flop of happiness, and made the bruises, and a single tiny cut on his knee, barely hurt.
"I'm fine, Belle. Is justa scratch, " he mumbled, embarrassed for being such a wobble-hoof. He nudged Seven's shoulder gently as a silent thank you and then caught eyes of the staircase. Confused he spun in a small tight circle, trying to understand and failing.
"What happened? " he asked Thaedus, assuming his slightly hot-headed friend would know. "Where are we? "
......
Word Count: 243
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Post by Disastercorn on Jul 19, 2019 15:10:56 GMT -6
I S Y K L E Female | Outcast | Talorian
So much was happening around her. With her mind tumbling between being defensive and trying to be friendly, the kirin seemed to shut off all together as things happened around her. That was until the magic licked at her hide and caused frantic voices to shout into the space. Head shook once, watching as Owain all but fell back down stairs (Since when had those gotten here?!) and Thad leaped after him. Soon enough the rest of the kids trotted through the space and Izzy cursed softly in her head.
"Everyone alright?" She called from the top before gently moving down the stairs. Seeing Thad and Owain, Izzy quickly knelt and took a look at the slugs knee. Luckily it was just a scratch, but who knew there would be so many kids to suddenly look after? A mild panic settled in Izzy's stomach as she slowly stood back but and nosed the darker colts shoulder. "Tough guy." She smiled softly and then stood to look around. The light flickered before them and she smirked. A bit of adventure never hurt anyone...
"Well everyone is here, why don't we see were this goes? We can always turn around." She gestured with her head and then stepped forward. At least this would keep them all occupied for a while.
POST 2 | WORD COUNT 231
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Post by Disastercorn on Jul 19, 2019 15:20:55 GMT -6
L I C H A S Male | Shoal | Talori
It all happened so fast. Thad was upset, when wasn't he?, and then his coat felt funny followed by cries of Owain's name and then he was left alone at the top of the stairs. Body shook, staring down at the cave and staircase that led below. "Guys...?" He called down quietly before his ears pinned and his little slug butt tail twitched nervously. Hesitantly he moved down the steps, feeling tears prick at his vision. He was scared and everyone wanted to go further?! With a small whimper he stumbled on the last step and lightly bumped into Rue, quickly trying to stumble back. "S-sorry!" He gasped out, wanting so badly to just go back up and have a nice calm walk around the courtyard and then head home. Though seeing Izzy comfortable and not nervous at all seemed to wash over him. She was his protector for today after all. Slowly he stepped back up to what height he had and called out above the group.
"I'll guard the back!" He saw the tallest kirin smile. "Alright Lichas. Alright everyone, let's see were this adventure goes." With that Izzy started forward, letting the small colt take up the back. Lichas then looked towards Rue and smiled more. "I-I like your horns... They look like flowers and flowers are so pretty, meaning you are pretty!" He was trying.
POST 2 | WORD COUNT 242
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Post by posy-punch on Jul 19, 2019 16:09:51 GMT -6
!
The magic in the air seems to beckon, seems to sigh, as if pleased as each of you make your way inside the tunnel. And, in an instant, the air is tinged with danger. The grate, previously intangible, solidifies behind your group, casting a shadow upon you all.
You can go backwards, now. The only way to go is forward, into the dark. Magic crackles around you, but instead of seeming inviting or playful, it feels cruel. This is not a place you should have explored.
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Post by Disastercorn on Jul 19, 2019 16:29:31 GMT -6
I S Y K L E Female | Outcast | Talorian
In an instant the mare felt the world around her shift. With her own snort, she felt and heard the entry behind them close and the air become heavy with malice. Frowning, the young mare stomped one foot but then tried to calm herself down. Her parents where counting on her. With a couple deep breaths, she raises onto her back hooves, rearing up to address the group. "Don't panic. Take a few deep breaths. Lets move forward and see if we can't find a way out. If you are scared, stick close to me or a buddy. Now is not the time to break down." Setting back down on her hooves, she looks to Thad. "Do you feel comfortable taking the lead?" As she spoke, water seemed to suddenly come from no where and pool around her hooves. Head shot up. There was another Kirin here... Almost all the kids where hippos, but the other filly and the unicorn colt might panic. Giving Thad a confident look, she stepped through the small gathering, towards Seven and Rue.
The tunnel before them was dark and foreboding, but it seemed to be the only way to go. "Don't worry, everything is going to be fine. Let's start moving forward..." Everything had to be fine... Right?
POST 3 | WORD COUNT 227
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Post by Svantanon on Jul 22, 2019 13:08:42 GMT -6
The little slug, thankfully, seemed to be alright. Belle breathed out a sigh of relief, her fins relaxing as she turned around to get a good look at the others. It seemed as though nearly everyone had followed Owain down here, even the little kirin from before. She tried to give her an encouraging smile; that was awfully brave for such a little foal!
“Everyone alright?”
“I think so,” Belle answered quietly, but perhaps not loud enough as the older kirin still wound up checking Owain over.
… Her suggestion made Belle press her ears against her skull. Explore here? With no light? In a cramped up corridor like this? Oh, no, the tenderfoot wasn’t keen on this idea. The courtyard made a fine enough spot to get to know one another anyway, and all her paints were still up there!
“I’ll guard the back!”
Ohhh noooo—
“I-I wouldn’t…”
She was cut off by the sudden absence of light.
It was difficult to explain the presence in the air, but Belle had no desire to understand it at all. It slid against her spirit with nasty intent, electrifying the air with cruel amusement. It wasn’t right. None of it was right, and now they were trapped.
Belle took a defensive stance, eyeing the room cautiously as the kirin from before tried to take charge of the situation. She danced a little when a tingling sensation creeped up on her feet only to realize that it was water. Water was spilling into the room… why?! Not everyone here was a hippocampus. If the level got too high…
She nodded with a shaky inhale at Isykle, wanting to believe her. Cascade had guided her through far worse than this. She would ensure their safety, again…
“I-I… I can manipulate water. I can try to manage what’s here if it starts to become a problem.”
Post #3 | Word Count: 313
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Post by mariahwhy on Jul 22, 2019 19:16:17 GMT -6
Seven | The Shoal
Once Owain had stood up, and it was apparent that he was ok, Seven's attention was drawn to his surroundings. He looked around, wide-eyed, as the others joined them at the bottom of the stairs. It was hard to discern much though, given how dark it was. And yet, at Izzy's suggestion to explore, he was all for it. Of course he wanted to see where this went! But just as he put one hoof forward down the tunnel everything seemed to change. He couldn't say what exactly. Nothing physically changed, but the tension in the air was suddenly so different. Like the way it feels before a thunderstorm. Like the way it had felt right before he was struck by that Flight member's lightning bolt. His legs tingled, and his hair stood on end. He didn't like it. Discomfort was not a familiar feeling to him. And, as if it wasn't bad enough, the grate that had disappeared decided to return. The dim lines of light that now shone down on them suddenly seemed so distant, and he swallowed nervously. "Um..." he muttered, and was glad that the older kirin spoke up as the voice of reason. Having someone who sounded so collected made him feel immediately braver, and the sudden water at his hooves, instead of making him more nervous, soothed him. It was like wading through the tide pools, or the shallows of the seas. He might not be a hippocampus, but the water was his Wave Mother's own creation, and she would not hurt him with it. Even after having finally allowed himself to acknowledge his twin's drowning it still held a sense of magic for him. "I'm sure it'll be ok," he said, beginning to splash through the water as they made their way forward. "Cascade wouldn't hurt us."
(Post 3: 304 words)
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Post by Chipo-H0P3 on Jul 22, 2019 19:31:56 GMT -6
--------------- Thadeus -------------- Thadeus sighed in relief seeing that Owain was alright. Just a few bruises and a scratch. It was nothing, especially considering that the other colt could heal himself.
"Sheesh, people give the guy some air." Thadeus said motioning the crowd of young equine gathered to back off and let Owain get up. As he did he asked Thad where they could be. "I don't know, maybe some secret tunnel to the palace? Mom said the Flight used them to get in during the uprising." He looked around for any clues but the chamber revealed nothing.
Isykle then piped up, trying to take control of the situation and suggested they explore. 'Cascade when did she become so bossy? Oh right, this morning when mom said she was in charge.' Thadeus reflected bitterly.
When Lichas said he'd guard the back and ran into the scared filly from earlier, Thad couldn't help but role his eyes at him again. However, That's when he remembered his grapes. "OH I dropped my snack!" Thadeus nudged his way through the passage trying to get back to the entrance. He caught wind of Lichas trying to flirt with the filly he ran into. Gross.
"Oh-" 'Barf' is what he was going to say but he was cut off by the sudden shift of stone. The Entrance was now blocked. They were locked in. Thadeus couldn't believe it.
"Don't panic..." Isykle began from behind. This time Thadeus was happy she was in charge as panic washed over him. She looked to him, "Do you feel comfortable taking the lead?"
Water began pooling at their hooves. "Yeah. Yeah I can do that." said Thadeus
“I-I… I can manipulate water..." The eldest filly shared to the group which was reassuring. "That's great Belle, I can too but I don't think I'd be much help." The dark colt squeezed his eyes shut trying to connect to the water's energy but little more than water vapor gathered around him. "Gah!" He shouted, aggravated. "I'm not strong enough yet." It hurt to admit that, but they had to keep going.
He turned to address everyone, "Alright let's hurry and get the heck out of here!"
P3 | WC 366 |
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Post by SagaWolf on Jul 23, 2019 0:31:13 GMT -6
Owain
Growing rapidly!
......
Owain was startled quite violently when the escape behind them suddenly closed and the air grew thick and heavy with what he could only describe as danger. He pressed himself against Belle whimpering nervously while the other kids seemed more in control of themselves. At least they were braver than him which helped to calm him just a little, until the water began to pool. Again he startled, giving a small cry of worry, spinning around a couple of time in hopes that another escape would present itself.
"Cascade wouldn't hurt us." he heard Seven say, and as much as he wanted to believe it, as much as everyone had tried to reinstall that faith in his heart, Owain had seen Cascade break Kiephis which was full of her people. It had given him a very extreme fear of open waters and of deep waters, oceans, rivers and lakes alike, anything that wasn't a pool. He tried to share his fear and remind his friends of what he had witnessed, but the words caught in his throat at the shared agreement to move on and search for another exit.
Owain stuck as glue to Belle and followed the rest. "I don't like this, " was all he had to add to the conversation.
......
Word Count: 213
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Post by gone-astrayy on Jul 26, 2019 23:14:59 GMT -6
Rue | Outcast
Crowding in behind everyone else, Rue suddenly felt like perhaps she shouldn't have come down into this hole. Skittering timidly on her hooves, she decided she'd just shimmy back up the stairs and wait for the rest of them to come out, or maybe just head home. This was more than enough of an adventure for her for one day. However, the rest of the foals piled in behind her, blocking the way out.
One of the other foals, whose backside was covered with soft looking... Flippers? Fins? Scales? Whatever they were, they looked soft and Rue was tempted to press her muzzle against them to see if they really were as soft as they looked. He then proceeded to compliment her, and she flushed, not really used to compliments, or really how to respond to them.
"Th-Thank you! You're very pretty too! And you look soft!" she squeaked out, hoping she said the right thing. Maybe he could be her friend?
Suddenly, a shiver runs down her body as a horrible feeling trickles over her, seconds before the sound of the grate reappearing fills her ears. Rue's heartbeat rose significantly, and her breaths turned shallow and she bumped into the others surrounding her. Her clattering hooves splashed the water, and she felt tears prickling at her eyes. "Faris!" she whimpered, wishing her dad would come to save her, or tell her that this was all just a silly game.
Her ears folded back as the other kirin with the pretty blue scales spoke in a calm voice, and she could only nod along, since they couldn't go back. The darkness ahead though, petrified the filly.
One of the other colts pressed against her other side, and she noticed he was another one who had a really soft looking... thing.. On his back. Silly as it was, she felt quite a lot of comfort being pressed between the two soft backed colts, even though she was still terrified.
"I-I don't like this either..." She still followed dutifully along with the others, not liking one bit that as they continued forward, the water rose higher and higher. Soon enough, it had gone from tickling at her fetlocks to brushing just below her knees. What if it kept rising? She didn't know how to swim yet.
Word count: 383
Post: 3
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Post by Svantanon on Jul 30, 2019 0:50:43 GMT -6
“You will be,” Belle answered Thaddeus on impulse with a small smile. “Give it time and it’ll grow crazy strong. It took a while for mine to get like this.”
She was surprised when Owain clung to her side, a tiny pang of anxiety and protectiveness making her heart squeeze. For so long, Belle had been much like him. Seeking others to latch onto or hide behind for any sense of security in an increasingly unpredictable world. More often than not, for her that had been her big brother, Dawson. The realization that she was—in a way, if only for now—someone else’s Dawson only made her want to ensure his and everyone’s safety all the more fiercely.
“Yeah,” she said with a smile in response to his and Rue’s sentiments. “Me neither. Once we get out of here we should make a much better adventure of our own. Like a walk on the beach, or a garden… or even my house, h-hah. I know my mom would insist on making us all dinner after taking one look at us.”
And killing me for disappearing without leaving a note. That, too. Probably. If I’m not back in like, an hour…
Belle noted—with growing apprehension—that the water was rising. She was the most antsy about the other breeds, here, but this would be a very, very bad time to ask if any of them were blessed with Nymphism.
... I-In any case, it would be wiser for her to keep an eye on the rising levels and implement her blessing as soon as it got out of hand.
Post #4 | Word Count: 266
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Post by Disastercorn on Jul 30, 2019 12:29:25 GMT -6
L I C H A S Male | Shoal | Talori
The apparently youngest member of the group tried not to feel the fear that everyone else was feeling. But the overall vibe and licking maliciousness around him wasn't helping. Watching the oldest Kirin step up to Rue and Seven, Lichas instead shifted his way to the front, moving behind Thad. This whole thing was getting scarier by the moment and as the water rose, he felt his back become covered with water, shifting into his water form to keep up. The 'feathery' type appendages moved clumsily through the water. His dad hadn't been the best at teaching him this just yet but he also couldn't really touch the ground as it was.
"D-do you think we'll get out of here Thad?" The young one whispered, relaying on his friend to show him that this really was going to be ok. Right now his confidence was shaky at best, especially under pressure situations like this. With all these other kids here... It had to be ok right?
POST 3 | WORD COUNT 179
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Post by Disastercorn on Jul 30, 2019 12:36:42 GMT -6
I S Y K L E Female | Outcast | Talorian
The water was rising. And all they could do was keep pushing forward. Isykle stayed near the back of the ground, trying to keep those who were not hippos, calm and controlled. It was a feat though because inside she was panicking. Venturing forward and feeling the water lapping at her elbows, the steps became harder to push through and soon the tunnel seemed to narrow down to single file. Her own claustrophobia wanted to kick in, but she was the eldest here. She had to make sure everyone was controlled and calm. If chaos reigned then... They might not get out of her.
Suddenly the tunnel opened into a wider space but... It seemed to be a dead end. She stood in the middle, feeling the water now lapping at the center of her chest, little ones heads, necks and backs barely escaping the rising levels. What were they supposed to do now? Head lifted, looking around. "Those who can't swim, come to me. If you grow tired, I can still touch the ground so you can lay on my back." Eyes flickered to her brother. "Those with fins, water forms, please, swim around and see if you can find an opening, or a clue, anything." At least she was good at keeping her voice controlled. These kids needed her now, more then ever before.
POST 4 | WORD COUNT 239
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Post by SagaWolf on Jul 31, 2019 8:50:53 GMT -6
Owain
Growing rapidly!
......
The rising water was beginning to worry the striped slugbut. He couldn't drown, right? But he could get trapped down here forever in the dark, and if the evil in the tunnel was really nasty, it would collapse the earth and break the world around them, just like... back then... in the underwater city.
Owain shivered deeply, not at all reassured by the older horses, worry and fear etched onto his young face and a low hum ever present in his throat. The sound helped ground him some, gave him a focus point that wasn't the terrifying prospect of never seeing daylight again. Surely as long as they pressed forward they would find a way out! But then the tunnel opened up into a small cave of sorts and there was no exit.
Isykle ordered them about and Owain reluctantly slipped into his water form, hind-end melting away, extending his fleshy cloak into a long broad slug foot. He was by no means graceful in his water form, and he really didn't want to go and submerge himself into the untrustworthy water, but they had to get out. Swallowing his fear as bravely as he possibly could, Owain dipped into the rising water, and prodded around with feet and nose, trying to find and opening either by touch or sight.
......
Word Count: 221
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Post by posy-punch on Aug 3, 2019 20:56:11 GMT -6
...
The cave seems to sense your presence, but you're not sure this is a good thing. Faucets in the walls begin to spew water. Judging by how far the water has risen already, with this added boost, you're not sure how long you have. You look around. On the ceiling, there are grooves that suggest writing. Perhaps directions as to how to escape? All of the writing seems to lead into one circular point in the center of the room, but it's unreachable.
There is also a faucet that appears to be malfunctioning. Though water still spills out of it, it comes in spurts, almost as if something is shoved down the pipe. It could be something helpful, but it could also simply reveal an engineering issue from when the tunnel was built.
You don't have a lot of time, and there might still be something hidden deeper, under the pitch black water.
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Post by mariahwhy on Aug 4, 2019 18:53:41 GMT -6
Seven | The Shoal
Seven waded naively along, eyes scouring the tunnels curiously as the others muttered around him. Belle's mention of dinner made his stomach grumble. "We should definitely get some dinner after this," he said, voice belying the mounting danger of their situation. "I would love to see your house!" The water was up to his chest, but he still remained oddly unphased. That was, until they entered the larger cave and the faucets turned on. What had been a slowly growing babble of water had suddenly turned into something akin to a waterfall, the sounds of the many faucets bouncing off the walls. The immediately intense sound combined with the now very rapidly rising water made everything feel so much more immediate, and the fear the others had been sharing suddenly hit him. He spooked, backing up quickly. "We-we've got to get out of here!"Isykle's calm voice cut through the cacophony, and he rushed over to her as best as he could. Standing next to her, with her words offering some illusion of control over the situation, calmed him to some degree. After all, he could swim. Sure, he wasn't a hippo, but he could swim. It wasn't necessarily the water itself that would kill him... He looked around, trying to find some way in which to help them out. While the hippocampi were concerned with the water, he looked upwards. The light was too dim, and the ceiling was too far away, but he could just make out something. Writing, or symbols, or something. He followed it, desperately trying to make out what it said, but it was no use. However.... "Look!" he pointed with his muzzle, daring to step away from Isykle and towards the center of the room. "All the writing leads to the center! Maybe it means something!" His front hooves were now off the ground, and he paddled with them to keep his balance. The swirling water made it difficult, and he'd only be able to tread water for so long with it moving him about so much. "I can't read it though!" One of his back hooves lost traction, and he slipped, head briefly ducking under water. But he resurfaced, sputtering, and balance regained. He focused on the ceiling, as if he might reach it eventually. If nothing else, maybe the water would carry him up there.
(Post 4: 393 words)
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Post by Chipo-H0P3 on Aug 6, 2019 18:04:23 GMT -6
--------------- Thadeus -------------- Belle's words to him were kind and supportive. 'Give it time' she said, but they didn't have that. He needed to be strong now. "Thanks." He replied half-heartedly. The older filly then went on, making small talk that Thadeus could only guess was to help ease the tension. Unfortunately, it only made things worse for the dark colt.
Lichas leaned into him, asking if he thought they'd get out of this cursed place. Like he would know. "Yeah, we'll be ok." Thadeus answered, but as more time passed, the less he believed it.
Thadeus shifted into his aquatic form as Isykle instructed. Anxiety was building up in his chest as he began to really comprehend the situation they were in. Nothing about this underground structure was natural or familiar, as apposed to the Temple Ruins. There, there was at least some sense of welcome, or 'God's touch' as his mother put it. He wished she was here to help make sense of things. She always seemed to know what to do. Her voice came to him stern but loving, 'In times when we feel lost, we pray. The wave mother will guide you.'
"Cascade please, help." Thadeus whispered. The prayer did little to put his heart at ease but he felt compelled to ask.
However, not one to leave his fate to someone else, God or not, Thad began looking for clues to escape. The others were getting to work as well. Owain was prodding at the floor looking for a drain or a false tile or something and Seven had found some strange writing on the ceiling. That peaked his interest.
Thadeus swam over to the unicorn colt. "is it Aquorian? My mom's been teaching me the old text!" He said excitedly at the chance of feeling useful, but before he could examine the ceiling a gurgling sound caught his attention.
One of the wall's faucets was malfunctioning, pouring water at a sporadic rate. "Hey, this pipe is broken." Thadeus exclaimed while moving toward it. He tried looking inside to see if anything was blocking it but it was too dark. Whatever it was, it was far in there. Carefully, he sent his teke down into the channel. Maybe it was hiding some sort of lever?
P4 | WC 381 |
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