Personification Life: EPIC (IC Thread XI) [CLOSED]

[Torsiedelle]

"To be honest..."

Torii sighed. She hadn't wanted to say it to him, because she didn't want to upset him, but if he wanted her to be honest...

"Not...really. Not in that way, anyways. I, uh..."

Myra mentioned she liked someone else. Torii gulped. She didn't need that particular bit of information out there. One thing was certain, though..."

"I don't think we'd go together, Drova, or at least not the way either of us think we would. I just don't want to change what we already had. I think..."

But she DID enjoy being with him. Holding hands, dancing, sharing Valentines Day, but then was there a real, true attraction there, or just some special little moments? Then there was her. Torii was crazy for her, but God forbid she ever said that, and wouldn't those feelings be false if she liked Drova as well? One crush had lasted three years, whike the other sprang up after a ball on Gliese.

Torii breathed in and got it out. "So yeah, I just don't want to get too involved right now. I don't know, I'm just, I'm so confused.

She hoped Kale didn't mind her winded reply.

........

Oumech looked down at the being and huffed. "Well, best we got that out of the way, eh, Jedi?", She replied, unmoving. "I was curious as to who was here with me, and why we're here.", He said. "If conflict does happen to arise? Well, so be it."

[New Aksarben]

Oumech looked down at the being and huffed. "Well, best we got that out of the way, eh, Jedi?", She replied, unmoving. "I was curious as to who was here with me, and why we're here.", He said. "If conflict does happen to arise? Well, so be it."

Maghrl nodded and huffed in response. He kept his stance as if he was ready for combat, just to make sure the sith might not do something funny. "Maghrl wish to know same. And to know what force thought best to send two opposite forceuserkind to place at once." The squib said, looking up at the sith's droidish face. Or mask. Which ever, didn't really matter to the sith.

"Only two force users on planet, far as Maghrl knows."

[Primordial Luxa]

Primordial
“A pleasure meeting you as well” Primordial replied as Anais bid them farewell. “I believe I will try to find a good time for this conclave tomorrow or the day after and promise to send you a note when I figure out the best time and place for the event.” By this time Primordial had fished a pair of fat blue pills out of his jacket which he swallowed dry. He made a slight face of repulsion as they slid down his throat.

He then turned to Sterling with a more pleasant expression. “I’m thinking we could send out invitation tomorrow and then have the meeting the day after. If you want to stop by in the morning we could make a list of people to invite and try to work out a place to host it?” he said. “I have been part of many different types of conclaves in the past. They always are good places for discussion but I find them lacking in certain areas such as speed. None the less since all our members are likely in the same building that should alleviate that problem somewhat.”

[New Aksarben]

Primordial
“A pleasure meeting you as well” Primordial replied as Anais bid them farewell. “I believe I will try to find a good time for this conclave tomorrow or the day after and promise to send you a note when I figure out the best time and place for the event.” By this time Primordial had fished a pair of fat blue pills out of his jacket which he swallowed dry. He made a slight face of repulsion as they slid down his throat.

He then turned to Sterling with a more pleasant expression. “I’m thinking we could send out invitation tomorrow and then have the meeting the day after. If you want to stop by in the morning we could make a list of people to invite and try to work out a place to host it?” he said. “I have been part of many different types of conclaves in the past. They always are good places for discussion but I find them lacking in certain areas such as speed. None the less since all our members are likely in the same building that should alleviate that problem somewhat.”

Sterling grinned, nodding. The pony shifted his position on the chair, a bit uncomfortable sitting on a human chair. Just wasn't made for a quadruped like himself in mind! He probably looked a bit silly sitting on the seat, just legs splayed in front of him under the table. The pony's moderately long tail swished against the floor, sending up a bit of dust as it flicked. The pony glanced down as he did so, making sure he didn't accidentally tip himself over as he did, before looking back up at the baron.

"That sounds like a wonderful idea, Primordial. Give people time to get together and decide if they want to go at all. I can help hand out invitations for sure too. Though, do we have mailboxes here? That might also work at getting people their letters." The pony said, thinking a bit. "Could also put up some posters too!"

[The BranRiech]

"Well, you changed what we had when you said yes to being my girlfriend. You changed it even more when you said those things back in the dining room." Drova shook his head. Despite his hot-headedness, most of the anger was already gone, directed at the Drone standing guard at the door. He just wondered why no one seemed to love him at this point. He wasn't a bad person, was he? Sure, he'd done some questionable things, and he ended up blowing up on people more often than not, but he still wasn't . . . Bad, right?

"Look, we're still friends, but I have to be honest . . ."

He pulled a leg up over the one that stayed posted to the ground.

" . . . It won't be the same, eh? We can't look at each other now without thinking of this stuff, right? It won't be the same."

[Torsiedelle]

"It has to be the same.", Torii sniffled. "I want to know that I can wake up and have the same friendships I've always had."

Ugh, her head was starting to hurt. "I'm sorry.", She said, slipping into a seat next to Drova. "I just don't know what I want to do either way, because whether I go on my own, or with you, there will always be that doubt, or wondering about what could've been, and it's scary."

She was fighting back tears again. Each word had her getting more and more emotional. "And I know that Myra and Gio, and everyone else if right, and that I'm just in love with the idea of being in love. I just wabt someone who can look out for me, and comfort me, because being alone and being strong just gets tiring after so long. Do you understand? "

[The Carlisle]

Kale's anger slowly dissipated, being replaced with pity. She still had her issues with Torii, but she could relate to her with being alone. She remembered being alone, that terrible feeling. She wasn't really herself when she was; She felt like someone else. Kale got up from her seat and sat next to Torii, giving the girl a hug.

"It's okay Torii. You aren't alone with us around. We can't be your lovers, but we can be your friends," she said as she hugged the crying girl, "We can pick you up when your down and help you when you need help." She giggled a bit. "And give you hugs when you are feeling bad," she said, finishing it off.

[Highfort]

Long-Delayed, then Canceled, then Revived UA Post... With the Original Director!

OOC: This is gonna be a summary and time-skip so we can get back to the Building without needing lots of posts to drag out what's already been dragging for a while. Apologies again for the post delay, but I've been under the weather the past few days as well as moving back into my apartment in preparation for the new quarter.

Oppressive, cramped quarters and loud, raucous voices heralded the entrance of the MAN truck into the fueling strip of the Uppers. Though gas stations existed all over Urbem Ascalon, the fuel strip on the Uppers was the cheapest place to get any kind of crude... if one was willing to brave the gang-infested inroads to get there. Luckily, with Kleo and Kov atop the newcomer's truck, said gangs were suitably dissuaded from offering any unfriendly welcomes.

Fuel was quickly acquired for the MAN, Kleo swiping a government-issued card to ensure no expense was spared for this visit. Overhearing Amanda's desire for a fuel pod to ferry back to the Building with diesel, Kov wandered off as he was wont to do with new friends in search of a suitable vessel. Shrugging, Kleo merely directed the group toward the market after the fuel was found, the dark-skinned mechanic having long since disappeared into the crowd of blue-collar workers and thieves going about their day.

After much haggling, gold was exchanged for two new machine-guns for the Building, complete with several boxes of .50 caliber ammunition. 37mm and 40mm rounds were purchased in small quantities - only about a dozen or so of each - for Romulus' suit as well, the vendor grumbling away about the ungratefulness of newcomers to UA and their desire for "ridiculous, bargain-bin prices, just because my store doesn't have a fancy neon-sign and holographic showgirls stripping at the door". At this point, the Officer grew worried at Kov's absence, and much of the rest of the day was spent driving around the market and searching badly-lit alleys for any sign of him.

It was at the fuel stations where they'd begun that the group found the now-sweaty tinkerer fueling up two new pods, little round globes mounted atop a metal frame with wheels and what appeared to be battle-scarred blast shields, for the Building. When asked, he waved off the questions knowingly, "The pod merchant owed me a favor and I had to argue with him to call it in. Consider this your first gift. Now, you come back tomorrow with business, eh, Thaddeus? I don't wanna throw away my investment for nothing, heh."

Rejecting all offers of immediate payment - as meager as the ammunition they could spare was, for the group was unwilling to give up what they had just bought with the Lad's Gold - Kov merely insisted that Thaddeus pay him a visit some time. He was in need of someone with a good eye for scrap and mechanical parts, as well as any scrap the hulking cyborg could bring along with him.

Heavy with hitched fuel pods, two new guns, and hefty amounts of ammunition, the convoy parted with Kleo and Kov at the outer gate where they'd made their noisy entrance that very morning. The road home was quiet, and uneventful.

At least, physically, it was...

---

Septimus got out of the truck with worry written all over his face, having long-since dropped the mask he'd adopted for the mission. Neste hadn't communicated through the tether despite his prodding on the return trip, and Rodney's words about her and Marcus still concerned him. Ascending the steps to the front door, he ventured into the lobby with a nervous spring in his step, leaving the pods, ammo, and guns outside for the rest of the group to manage. He'd done enough for them today; now, he had his own affairs to put in order.

"Have you seen Neste? I got word there was an incident with her and the teen, Marcus," the cyborg strode up to the front desk and addressed whoever was there, "I need to know if she's alright."

[Charmera]

Oumech looked down at the being and huffed. "Well, best we got that out of the way, eh, Jedi?", She replied, unmoving. "I was curious as to who was here with me, and why we're here.", He said. "If conflict does happen to arise? Well, so be it."

Maghrl nodded and huffed in response. He kept his stance as if he was ready for combat, just to make sure the sith might not do something funny. "Maghrl wish to know same. And to know what force thought best to send two opposite forceuserkind to place at once." The squib said, looking up at the sith's droidish face. Or mask. Which ever, didn't really matter to the sith.

"Only two force users on planet, far as Maghrl knows."

Asdra frowned, having hung back for now, but now she felt she needed to move closer to the conversation, since this seemed to be quite a tense situation. "A Sith?" Asked Asdra. Is this the dark force user Maghrl had been talking about? Asdra was afraid to introduce herself, a chill suddenly going up her spine as she was reminded of the darker magic users of her own home, how they could use names could be used as weapons and horrible unnamable forces were at their command.

[New Aksarben]

Maghrl nodded and huffed in response. He kept his stance as if he was ready for combat, just to make sure the sith might not do something funny. "Maghrl wish to know same. And to know what force thought best to send two opposite forceuserkind to place at once." The squib said, looking up at the sith's droidish face. Or mask. Which ever, didn't really matter to the sith.

"Only two force users on planet, far as Maghrl knows."

Asdra frowned, having hung back for now, but now she felt she needed to move closer to the conversation, since this seemed to be quite a tense situation. "A Sith?" Asked Asdra. Is this the dark force user Maghrl had been talking about? Asdra was afraid to introduce herself, a chill suddenly going up her spine as she was reminded of the darker magic users of her own home, how they could use names could be used as weapons and horrible unnamable forces were at their command.

Feeling that he'd chastised the Sith enough, Maghrl headed back over to Asdra, collecting his cloak on the floor. The Jedi carefully draped it over the back of the chair he had been using as if it was a jacket, before looking up at Asdra and nodding in affirmation of her question.

"Yes-yes. Sith. Not a Lord, as far as Maghrl tell from appearance. Will keep eye on him as represent Jedi here. If he use Force, Maghrl able to tell luckily enough, able to stop if do bad. Or try."

In truth Maghrl had no idea how strong this sith could be. He looked mostly mechanical though, so maybe not as strong as a full bodied Sith. He made sure to memorize as quickly as he could the Sith's signature in the force, or at least try to, as he sighed. "Maghrl no want fight, just no want see people hurt. Sith Dangerous through galaxy-history."

[Torsiedelle]

Weary from all of her crying, and bickering, and tired from anticipation over the state of her relationship, and the fate of her friend, Torii laid her head against the couch and curled up. She sniffled wnd wiped another tear away, thankful to have friends like she did. "Thank you, Kale.", She whimpered. "I just need a hug every now and then. I'm sick of crying, too. I just want to relax, and...", She blinked a few times. "I just wanna sit here for a bit, if that's cool. You guys can do whatever without me, I just need to lie down and think."

[Giovenith]

Brit and Chrys

"I don't know about cannibalism, given ponies are herbivores," Clover moved back to her desk and began to rifle through the various papers and scrolls there. "But you are right about Arrow. She is the princess's archery teacher, but is very delusional and troublesome. She also has some sort of grudge against me, though I don't know why..."

...

Damn Clover, damn Clover, damn Clover, damn Clover, damn Clover, damn Clover, damn Clover...

Indeed Arrow did. Straight Arrow, archer and magician extraordinaire, had her reasons for doing rid with the young sorcerer's apprentice, as she would in time, but was focused currently on more immediate issues. Namely avoiding the lottery.

The lottery happened every evening during supper just before it would be time for everypony to turn in for private time, and concerned itself with whose turn it was to raise the sun and moon the next day. In these traditional times before alicorns, it would require six unicorns total to accomplish the task, one of which was normally their famed current Archmage, Starswirl the Bearded. Starswirl was the only known unicorn who could continuously participate in the ceremony without having any ill effects on his magic. For regular unicorns though, the ceremony was a necessary danger - repeated participation could very well result in the complete and total loss of a unicorn's magic. As a consolation, their spirituality often tried to praise this as a noble, selfless sacrifice, releasing the gift the Heavens bestowed upon you back to them, but like most of the unsavory and unpleasant parts of faith, nopony really bought into it. Who would want to be some disabled little half-unicorn for the rest of their lives?

Unfortunately, this was precisely what was happening now a days. Normally, there were more than enough of-age unicorns in Caer Gloriana to have a variety of selection and thus little chance of danger. Normally, many unicorns could very well go their entire lives without needing to volunteer for the ceremony. But these were not normal times. Ponies were dropping like flies, children especially, and certain unicorns found themselves having to repeat the ceremony multiple times and thus falling to the irreparable sacrifice. Thus, volunteers gradually became scant, forcing the dear Princess Platinum to institute the lottery. Sure the official explanation for inviting most of their citizenry to stay in the castle with the court was for greater care and protection, but everypony knew what this was really for. And who could blame her? What with her father gone (and likely dead, in Arrow's most intelligent opinion), the princess regent really had little other method of controlling the situation - most ponies respected this, but then most ponies had launched into a downward spiral of epicurean death acceptance, so it was probably only dumb luck that the dumb Princess hadn't been met with opposition.

Not by most, anyway. Arrow was different - well, actually, she was rather normal, but she was a better kind of normal. It wasn't so much that she was more special than everypony else, it was just that everypony else consistently failed to live up to the bare minimum of life standards while she did, making her superior in a humble sense (at least in her own head). She couldn't help being better, it was just that everypony else was so bad at being good, they should try harder, not blame her.

That was why Clover "the Clever" didn't deserve to be the Archmage's apprentice, and why Arrow was not going to risk wasting her precious, fine-tuned magical abilities on this silly little chore of a lottery when she had bigger and better plans than the beloved "Princess" Platinum was even capable of dreaming. If her fellow unicorns were just going to accept their fate and party away until the end came, then they really gave her no choice but to take matters into her own hooves. Like she'd said - it wasn't her fault that she was better if everypony else refused to be even decent.

With that principle held close to heart, Straight Arrow made a spectacle of seeming unconcerned among the crowd of nobles watching the Princess ascend her podium toward the large crystal ball that held many folded slips of paper containing the carefully cataloged names of the remaining magical adult unicorns available. For every day you went without participating in the ceremony, an additional slip was added, and once your magic was gone, all your slips were removed and you were allowed to go on living the rest of your miserable life as a poor, non-special nopony. The Empty. They were all supposed to be kind and reverent toward the Empty, but in reality they were doomed to be outcasts - nopony wanted to hang around somepony who reminded them of their own bitter fate while trying to enjoy the last days of the world. The paper the slips were made of was enchanted, it couldn't be destroyed, teleported out, or otherwise tampered with by anypony's magic, thus to prevent cheating.

But... the ink wasn't.

Oh Heavens, Arrow impressed herself sometimes! She was a little surprised nopony else had thought of it, but not really. It did take quite a bit of concentration and telekinetic prowess, but that was already Arrow's own specialty. Even in archery, she had already fine-tuned her own magic to move past physical arrows, using magically manifested light arrows instead. The only pony to do it so far! She would teach nopony, not even the bratty Princess who begged. Arrow enjoyed being begged.

"I can't stand this time of day!" Some mare attempted to hug Arrow's foreleg for comfort.

"Don't touch me," Arrow shoved her away with her green telekinesis.

The most difficult part was trying to make sure nopony noticed her aura during the trick, but Arrow had gathered a small mental encyclopedia of tricks to bypass this. A hat here, a carefully arranged hairstyle there, even a quick dismissal to the privy chamber so she could be behind closed doors. This time round she'd deviced something extra clever, yet simple: Taking a drink. Everypony used their magic to hold up the twisted, sparkling glasses, and there was nothing saying one could not continue to enjoy their (scant) food and beverages while the lottery was running (most just did not because it killed their appetites). While lifting her own drink in front of her, Arrow would simultaneously cast the spell, thereby avoiding suspicion surrounding the glow of her horn.

But who would be the one she'd replace her own name with? It had to be somepony who had a reasonable name count already, whose magic wasn't gone. Pretending to sip her drink, her eyes scanned the ballroom: Perhaps Lady Lemony Trinket? Nopony would really miss her. Or Buzzword, that bespectacled scholarly boy everypony avoided for his lisp? Hmmm...

"I am so glad everypony has arrived right on time for the lottery," Princess Platinum announced to her ponies from the podium. Silvery magic aura pushed her large jeweled crown back into place and straightened her purple ermine cape - few ponies had the audacity to point out that neither really fit her all that well. The princess had this dreadful little habit of trying to look and present herself as far more poised and graceful than she actually was, even before being saddled with real power by this blizzard.

Trying too hard to be like a certain someponyyyyyyy... Arrow teased in her own mind, smirking. You've got the looks girl, but you haven't anything close to the finesse!

"It is good to know that my color-coordinated schedules have reached you, and you have been following them accordingly," Platinum attempted to padden out her brief speech. Part of being a princess meant being the strong ray of hope among destitution, and she had determined to refuse to let the lottery seem as solemn as it was. Other ponies treated it like an execution, all watching and waiting in wide-eyed silence. Occasionally a pony would cry. It was a difficult act to play, but damn if the Princess didn't try. "And I would like to thank Lady Lily Lightly for her generous contribution of the crystal needed to create our new lottery ball! Isn't it a treat?"

The ball was rather beautiful, a clear thing imbued with flashing multi-color lights, but it did nothing to fool anypony or lighten spirits.

Get on with it, Arrow thought, taking another sip and narrowing her eyes to concentrate on the spell. She'd already decided on her replacement.

Princess Platinum's silvery magic gripped the crank attached to the lottery ball and began to spin it to mix up the names, the display flashing a brilliant spectrum across the faces of the petrified unicorns in taunting beauty. Arrow finished her drink (and spell) in bemused satisfaction. The ball eventually came to a halt, and the Princess began to levitate names out and read them one by one.

"Ocean Breeze," she announced, which was met by a small, despaired gasp from somewhere in the crowd. Similar reactions were had as Platinum read off the rest of the names: "Cinnamon Chai, Cipher Splash, Fuchsia Fizz, North Point..."

Only one left! Hm, would they even pick any of the slips Arrow had edited? Not that it mattered either way, but innocent curiosity.

And finally: "... and Razzalia Everfilly."

Oh yes. Arrow had to prevent her self from snorting as a distressed tantrum from the back of the room already started up. She'd definitely dodged the blast this time.

...

Meanwhile, from the relative safety of the library, Clover continued to assist Brit and Chrys.

"Now it's my turn to learn of your circumstances," the young magician said. "Your friends, what can I do to find them? Where do all of you come from? Are you ponies yourselves? You said you knew a pegasus named Willow. Who is he to you? Anything you can't live without? Tell me anything and everything."


Yuna and Aegis

It really wasn't that difficult to scare Sundae; she was a soul ruled by fear and paranoia. Aegis didn't even have to get close to her before she started backing up, already startled enough by his sudden movement altogether, though she tried to maintain a faux-brave sour expression. She was trying so hard, fighting so hard against her natural reactions, that Yuna's annoyed cry from within the home almost brought her to frustrated tears. She was weak and she knew it.

"You'll see!" she attempted to get the last word in before bursting off to where ever it she came from.

Smart Cookie shared Yuna's sentiments, if not more so. Her face was thoroughly blanked out in clear annoyance at the muffles of Sundae Surprise screaming she'd heard from outside, and raised an eye sympathetically to Aegis. "Ah wouldn't worry about her, really honeycomb. Like I said, she's a bad apple, but she's harmless. All bark and no bite, thinks everypony's out to get her. Best thing to do is shoo her off and move on." There'd been more than one occasion when Smart Cookie had had to chase the teen off her property over repeated lectures about the secretary was "sinning against Mother Earth's sensibilities" for encouraging formal education among the masses (one of her political priorities). Now was the time to focus on more important matters though, and again all the attention was turned toward Sassy and Yuna. The snow certainly helped, and soon Puffy was hugging and thank the Pyserai-pony princess for her assistance.

"I like you, I do!" she squealed. "Yer a way better healer than Sundae! We're gonna keep her, right Chancellor, right?"

"Just focus on what's ahead of you," the Chancellor bopped Puffy on the head before taking her entourage and exiting the cabin. "Well then. I have been toying with the idea of a town meeting..." she informed the three, still walking ahead.

Cookie exchanged a look between Aegis and Yuna. "Uh, for what Chancellor?"

"Well for the witch and Bird problem of course."

Here, Cookie's ears flattened. "But Chancellor, what more is there to talk about?"

"I'd think a might more considering they're still stealin' from our food supplies," Chancellor Puddinghead whipped around to gently poke Smart Cookie in the chest. "I mean the nerve!"

"Desperate times, Chancellor."

"We barely got enough food to feed ourselves and we still trade with 'em, yet they wanna come in and rob us?"

Smart Cookie quickly glanced to the side, nervously searching for the right words. "But ya said that we wouldn't burn or lynch no more, Chancellor... ya said we'd be going forward, not backward. You ran your campaign on that, you promised the ponies, and me."

"I did," the Chancellor agreed, though enigmatically. She didn't elaborate any further as she continued her walk ahead of the three. "I did."

[Cerillium]

LOBBY

Volker lowered his paper to fix sorrowful eyes upon Septimus. A slight shake of his head warned the cyborg to hold his thought. Crisp blue eyes followed Rodney as the Nifid hurried past the desk on his way back to his apartment.

"Ja," Volker broke the silence once the maintenance door snapped shut, "we believe Miss Trilb has passed, though that's suspicion on Mr. Ono's part. He told me to keep an eye out for you. He'll pay you a call at your apartment once he wraps up business downstairs. No sense going down there now. The Drone won't allow anyone to pass without good reason." He paused. A bow of his head indicated not only his sympathies but also his own sorrow. "I'm sorry, Mr. Itum. I loathe sharing bad news. Miss Trilb was a fixture around this lobby when Mr. Bodkins wasn't around. I grew fond of her chirps and warbles. Our factions may have quarreled, but the Lads and Men grieve the loss. She was a good woman."

He folded the paper and tossed it aside. "We don't have the Wilting Succubus anymore, but we're planning a gathering tomorrow night. Chaos quarters, Mr Ogoti's apartment. Please come. I suspect she meant a great deal to you, and I know she fancied you so."

The lobby door banged open and Thaddeus stormed past them.

"No doubt he's going downstairs," Volker shook his head as the ugly cyborg followed Rodney's path. "They brought his son in not too long ago. Had a nasty run-in with that fungal puddle from Scel's body. It was touch and go. Nila's treating the contamination. He's in critical condition. I don't know much beyond that."

Soft tinkling indicated the arrival of a new Resident. "Might want to step to the side, Mr. Itum," Volker warned as a light bulb vanished into the fixture.

A body oozed from the socket and dropped to the floor. Volker retrieved his clipboard and slammed it on the desk to break the "sleeping spell" binding the dark elf to dreamland.

"Wake up, Miss Enali Archdreamer," he shouted. "I'm a busy man and this is a shitty evening."

Enali would awaken without any memory of her travel to the Building. Unharmed from her drop, she would open her eyes to find herself laying against the front of the reception desk -- the lobby having already taken on the form of whatever decor pleased her most. Night's darkness rested beyond the glass entrance doors. Voices could be heard coming from the far staircase.

Volker cleared his throat. "Rise and shine. Mr. Demens was expecting you. You have a lease to sign, and I'm certain you have questions."



BIOGARDEN

Brother Adrastus offered a sad smile to the crestfallen godling. "Here now, Miss Giovenith, don't beat yourself up. That entire family is tight lipped regarding their business. I merely asked out of curiosity. Please don't fret over it."

"COSMO ARCHIMEDES ADRASTUS! What the FUCK is going on with my son?! What the FUCK is wrong with your people? Can't they follow any basic fucking instructions?!" Thaddeus' thunderous voice arrived before him. He had left the fuel storage to some tech priests, himself in too much of a rush to pay it attention. (Though it should be noted that he agreed to visit Kov the following week.) The old cyborg rounded the bend and slowed upon catching sight of Giovenith. His scowl softened. He sighed.

Giovenith's presence was a surprise, though not unexpected. He wasn't completely tuned out of his son's life -- the boy had made mention of their budding relationship. He tugged his trouser legs to squat in front of her. "Thank you for being here," he murmured to her. Though his silver orbs were incapable of expressing emotion, the scarred skin surrounding them conveyed appreciation tinged by grief. "He refers to you as Pedacito de Cielo, a little slice of Heaven. You mean the world to him, Giovenith."

"You'll be able to see him once he's decontaminated,"Adrastus grunted, none-too-keen on the manner in which he had been addressed.

Thaddeus waved him off. He was already aware of that fact via the Network. "Were you with him when it happened?" he asked the godling. "Are you alright?"



PRE-EQUESTRIA

Rache accompanied Lieutenant Aurora Mist and her ponies into the bitter wind. The weather partially obscured ground below. This would be like finding needles in a haystack.

"I fear they may have fallen into Earth pony clutches," he stalled, using the time to quietly seek out Aegis' dark energy. It would be a challenge. While the Cthulhu flunky carried many fantastic items on his person, Rache couldn't determine how much had been absorbed into him now that Aegis was a pony, and the mask - which should have been easily detectable - was weakened now that it had become a cutie mark.

"Bah! I don't recognize the lay of the land anymore. Commander Hurricane would laugh at my pathetic tracking skills. Haven't seen him in an age thanks to my travels. Is he still alive, Lieutenant?"

[Monfrox]

Brit looked up and thought for a few moments.

"If there were about six of us...hmm...as little help as this is, you have to understand me when I say that you'll know them when you see them. We're an odd sort, really. Willow, though, I know him. He had one of those pocket-watch looking things that I forgot the name of that you do. He, from what I gathered, isn't the usual pegasus. Fancies himself more with the arts than the military. Shame, though. But, he's a great friend. We've been through a lot together and I really can't see living without him. Me, and other people back where we come from. Which brings me to that. This isn't our first time sifting through other worlds. In fact, with as much as it happens, it's gotten almost...dare I say, normal. Really, I can't count the times I've jumped around to different places and dimensions now. Some are nice, others aren't."

She took a deep breath and wondered whether it was really okay to tell her all of this, but this was there only way home so she had to trust Clover the same way she was trusting them.

"But no matter what, everything all comes down to one thing: An apartment building. No matter where we are, the Building is with us. We live in it, day-in and day-out, with all the other Residents. People that come from literally any and all walks of life that you could imagine. I, myself, was just a normal girl. I'm not sure if you know what it is, but I was a human before I found myself here. And I have forged friendships that will last all my life. Willow, though, was always a pony. That much I do know. Always wears a sweater of sorts, has black hair and grey skin. As for the others, I'm not sure what they look like. But we can't leave without them, and any of us will tell you that. But, there is still one thing I need to know before we go down there. What happens if Arrow shows up? I've seen the others use magic with their horns, but I don't know how to do that. Should I be expected to fight her or just distract her?"

Brit wanted to make sure she got things right to keep from screwing them up. This could very well be something that could cause a lot of problems.

[Tiltjuice]

Brit and Chrys

"That's so," Chrys said, "although I'm afraid I haven't yet truly met the others. Only Aegis the Luxan and Hans the Chaos cultist. They're largely unmistakable - well, in their original forms." The corner of her mouth turned down. "Aegis has a golden mask and robes, and sometimes a sword. Hans, a neat uniform and cap, with so many adornments even I don't know the meaning of them all. And sharp teeth. Neither were truly human, I don't think..."

Too many things running her ragged, and only her gift to keep her on an even keel. Did she...could she even use her abilities in Pony form? It had never occurred to her to try until now.

"...Nor was I truly human; I had powers above the average. Could I tap into them as I am now? Holding Arrow off could be much easier with them."

[Giovenith]

Building

Giovenith shook her head, feeling a little meek from the yelling, but also humble and comforted at the politeness shown to her. She'd been unaware of much Marcus' side knew about them being together, and just like him, had had her worries that they wouldn't be accepting of it. Thank goodness that wasn't the case.

"No..." she shook her head. "I was still at the feast. Last I was with him, he'd helped us out with making the food, we took a break, and we were all talking a little, and then suddenly he had to leave in a huge rush. He didn't tell us what it was though, and I don't know how he got hurt..."

She looked up at all of them. "Can you all tell me how? And why? I have to be able to be there for him. He's saved my life, both literally and emotionally, I need to be able to protect his too. And for my friends too, he helps more people than you know, he's strong and makes a difference but it's the kind that people don't notice, and he doesn't care if they do, that's why his heart is good."

[The BranRiech]

Keep them? As much as Yuna was proud of herself, and how she'd probably done her bit to endear herself and Aegis to the populace, she knew as much as he did that the two couldn't stay there. They were still strangers. Neither of them knew where they were still, well, besides that they were in Willow's world, but definitely not the one that he'd described. "Look, I-I know you're happy . . . But."

She stopped, as the Chancellor began to speak.

"And wait, a town meeting?" She asked, trotting along. And while Yuna wasn't quite prim and proper, her idea of fun didn't include using all four appendages to walk along the ground, trodding through the snow and mud along the pathway. Weren't the townspeople the ones who all chanted at the idea of burning the two new ponies anyways?

Hell, they still needed to find their friends, before they could even think of trying to get back to their own world, where everything made just a little more sense than the one they were deposited in, in strange bodies, and strange situations. Plus, her brother was probably getting to the point of wondering where they were. Had anyone even noticed when the entire table of residents just vanished randomly?

"Look, I'm uh . . . Kind of confused, what is this about the Birds? And Witches? I thought we were . . . Uh, past that?"

--

"Yeah, yeah, I get it."

Drova shrugged. Kale's outburst of gushy, friendly love was sickening to Drova. He wanted to tell himself he wasn't bitter, but he'd be lying to himself. He may not have been angry, but oh boy, the bitterness began to set in like the deathly cold after a blizzard. However, for someone with only a tenuous grasp of snow, the analogy was lost to his mind, which was more focused on how he thought he'd found someone he finally connected with, and how he just lost her all within the span of a day.

It didn't help that he still didn't know the fate of Marcus, which almost felt like the same sort of situation. The second he made up with the guy, he goes off and gets maimed or killed? The parallels he was making between them made sense, at least to him, as he got up and left the teen's clubhouse, giving a little wave to both Torii and Kale, with Torii leaving soon after, running up to her room, locking the doors.

He looked back, but only heard her footsteps bouncing up the flights of stairs. "Worst day, at least as far as I can remember." His whisper quipped to himself, ruffling a bit of chair-fuzz out of his feathers, each wing twitching with the fine-control of his muscles.

His grief-and-bitterness-riddled mind even contemplated going back to apologize to the soulless machine from earlier, but he didn't want to justify showing his face arou-

Hot damn!

The resemblance to Torii was somewhat uncanny, or was it just because it was a mysterious girl he'd never met? Was he in love with the intrigue?

The newly arrived Dark-Elf certainly piqued his interest, and his eyes widened somewhat. Even her skin was more attractive this time around, like how he still had the statue of Chrys in his room, something he'd spent a good amount of alone-time admiring (If only for the medium it was presented in, which was dark obsidian).

From Enali's perspective, she'd probably notice the teen standing awkwardly, about 10 or so feet away, looking at her intently.

[Highfort]

"Ja," Volker broke the silence once the maintenance door snapped shut, "we believe Miss Trilb has passed..."

Septimus cocked his head a fraction of an inch, as though not fully taking in the statement. He should have known, of course, as soon as the man at the desk had indicated that he would not speak in Rodney's presence. Something was obviously wrong with Neste. And the statement, though softened by the modifier of her death being mere "suspicion on Mr. Ono's part", still stung him. A different fire, not the passion that he had once felt for the construct now gone from this world, filtered its way into his heart, past all the carefully-built lines of defense that a diplomat always had to have on-hand for situations like this. Two thousand years melted away, and yet again he was standing before the graves of his parents.

Why do people have to die? Why do they have to fade away?

Mention of FUBAR forbidding entrance into Neste's old apartment fanned the flames within the cyborg's heart. Who was that thing to deny him, a Brother of the Confederation, access to a man who might know a thing or two about his beloved? Who was that scrap of metal and circuitry to tell him that his beloved came second to whatever was going on downstairs? So what if it was Marcus? Not everyone had to attend to him - the boy was being decontaminated by Nila, Volker had said so himself! He didn't need a bunch of people standing over him like nannies, tending to him when it was quite obvious there were other things in this Building that needed tending to!

That was the damn problem with these people. They all flew around like twits and never did what was necessary and wasted time. That was Thaddeus' problem - always going on about how he should've been there for her instead of tending to his responsibilities. Well, what good would that do, now? If everyone had been tending to their responsibilities during the Fiend attack instead of running around deserting their posts and whining and looking for loved ones and "being there" - USELESSLY - for others, NESTE TRILB MIGHT STILL BE ALIVE!

Septimus quelled the fire within him, though just barely. Without the processor there to deliver the cold slaps that he was used to in these situations, it was difficult. Two thousand years of diplomacy grew around him once more, reminding him of how he'd gotten this far. There was a time and place for emotions: in the home, where no one would see his weakness or hurt him. This was too exposed, too public. He had an image to keep up, a noble dignity that needed to remain if he was to exercise effective control over the Building's denizens and ensure they didn't get themselves killed by the locals.

Or maybe he should? Maybe then they would understand a modicum of the suffering that Neste had gone through.

The cyborg swallowed hard before replying to Volker's offer curtly.

"I believe I will," he stated stiffly, smoothing his robes as though presenting an outward image of respectability would somehow help him. As though it would somehow help her.

And like that, Volker was onto the next resident, the cyborg Representative stepping aside to allow the newcomer breathing room.

"I'll be going," was the only other thing he had left to say, retreating up the stairs with a stiff clack of his boots. He couldn't be here, not right now. The day had been long and he had to vent before he ended up killing someone.

The rapid pace up the stairs left him uncomfortably warm, but the sweat that broke out on his forehead when he reached 4J went unnoticed as he mechanically reached for his keys and flung upon the door. The harsh slam of wood against drywall alerted Sentia to his presence, and the cat sensed his displeasure as she came out to greet him.

His eyes softened, the cybernetic one working its way in and out of focus to indicate he was not angry with her, "Evening, Sentia. I'm sorry, but I need some time."

The cat squinted, as though indicating she'd understood, before offering a meow and a gesture at the kitchen.

"Of course, you must be hungry," the words sounded so wrong and angry, and in a way they were. He was not mad at Sentia, but he was certainly annoyed that she was wasting his time. He didn't want to do any of this shit, not right now. He didn't have time for it.

Which is why it was most curious that he found the plate over-filled with food. Neste had thought of Sentia in her final hours. A sick grimace played across his face as Septimus turned back to the cat. A meow confirmed what he was thinking, before Sentia scampered off to find a quiet place to nap for the evening. Septimus needed his time, and Sentia hadn't survived after that teleporter incident by annoying the man when he needed his time.

"She'll miss you, you know. Never had it so good," Septimus spoke at the bowl of food, as though Neste was still there and could somehow hear him. Ludicrous, and surely Titus would've commented on it were he not in a vat, but the words felt good all the same. Fuck it. He needed this.

"Neither did I, before you."

The discoloring on the tiles, clearly dried tea, and the shattered ceramic indicated Neste's final cup. The etchings of her claws into the table indicated her struggle. He flinched at the thought of the pain she must've been in, "Before you everything was grey. But you brought... Whites and... I mean, you drove them away but you brought... Blues... Pinks... Reds... So much vivid... Life."

If she was not here, then she had struggled further, farther, before finally slipping. The shattered china was only the first indicator.

She was deprived of gentleness in death.

"There will only be grey, after you."

He walked to the bedroom slowly, to put off the moment of dread. He knew. The moment he saw the familiar space again, remembered the intimacy they had shared and the softness of her body against his in the dead of night when they slept, that he would never be the same. He'd break, just like Brutus and Ophelia had said he would. No one had a limit that could not be reached and then broached. Everyone had their line, and this would cross his.

His despair was halted for a moment, his mind piqued by curiosity instead. There, on the bed, lay the familiar box that had once housed the gift from that bastard, Grevin Sage. Next to it, a spare set of robes that he'd worn when the current ones had been in the wash.

A curious thing to do, to set these things up. Had she been planning this?

So she had known, then, that it was coming. That final evening had been as much for him as had been for her. Both of them, keeping up appearances so the other would not have to contemplate the inevitable reality that would greet them soon.

Why did the universe hate them both so much? Was this the pitiless indifference of a material world that he'd been told, cursed to live, and promised? It was impossible to think of it as mere apathy; no, something - something power and influential and sadistic - hated the thought of either of them being happy. And now she couldn't be happy, because she was gone.

Shaking fingers pulled open the box, finding within valuables she had accumulated over the years. But most curious of all was an envelope, which he pulled and gently opened, revealing pages of writing.

Her last testament, a glimpse of her life put into words - the final musings of Neste Trilb.

The first of the writings, in beautiful script, was unfolded. He set himself on his bed, laying the pages individually aside so he could easily access them, and brought the beginning page of her tale up to his face so he could read carefully.

Stray tears were wiped away. He still owed her. She deserved the honor of having the Septimus she knew read her final words before he was extinguished by the burning within him.

He forced himself to picture her voice, as though she was speaking to him through the tether. It sounded off, and there was no warmth bathing his mind as he read the paper. But it was her, best as he could manage with only a memory to guide him.

I am NST 3v1, a war machine. This is my story…

[Tiltjuice]

"Get back here!" howled Dora in a tone completely uncharacteristic of the generally aloof ex-priestess. The rabbit in question, however, merely flirted a stubby tail in her direction and took off, holding the metal shaft of a screwdriver with both ears and a stack of washers in between his front paws.

The reason for her agitation might quickly have become more important, however, as it dawned on all those in the lobby that she was standing in the midst of the antechamber, clad only in sports bra and yoga pants. And, given her kind's propensity for heat, she had turned both it and the humidity way up in the gym...with the result that she looked suddenly rather piqued in more ways than one, in the sudden cold.

Not that she minded such occasions, but she much preferred it be of her own choices. And so it was that she covered her chest with one arm and charged after MB, aiming to grab at him with the other. So absorbed was she that she forgot the rabbit could flash-jump.

Which he did when her course and momentum were far too close to avoid colliding with Drova or Enali, barring sudden intervention by the said rabbit, or by Chrysanthe, or a cultist. On this occasion, perhaps, Volker did not choose to intervene. Perhaps it was his affiliation with Chaos, which would ensue, most likely. Perhaps it was the most entertaining thing he had seen in some time. Perhaps both. Instead, he merely peered over the edge of the front desk curiously, watching the impending meeting of Pyersai and ex-Conservator.

Damn it, the latter thought, desperately trying to twist aside and fighting her own reflex to grab the Prince for support. Why did I ever -

[Fvaarniimar]

Rmwtyliin laughed. She couldn't help it - Chrys' position was just too funny. Her eyes widened. Clapping a hand over her mouth, she glanced around. I think they heard. She tried to convince herself that the Residents' accident was not amusing and -
"Ha -" Inhale -"tshcheew!" Sneezing is not going to upset - unless they think disease? The air is different, I can mention it casually... But only if asked. Focus on something else. Rooting around in her pocket, she retrieved a partially nut-encrusted flip phone. I should be better than this! Ugh. Putting her frustration he went back to staring at her phone. trying to fathom the cell phone. Towers, flying... At least she understood that part. The Carnival had been incredible. Moving too fast to hear yelling? If she had been flying around and the people she knew hadn't mostly been in one place I might not have known who to talk to either. There were no towers, no one to communicate with... You are also away from home, are you not? Just like me...

"Trying to talk to your people, but they cannot hear you..." It was murmured. Rmwtyliin was uncertain how much of the explanation was metaphor, or how much she had misunderstood. Was I right to keep you from trying?

[Mincaldenteans]

Primordial
“A pleasure meeting you as well” Primordial replied as Anais bid them farewell. “I believe I will try to find a good time for this conclave tomorrow or the day after and promise to send you a note when I figure out the best time and place for the event.” By this time Primordial had fished a pair of fat blue pills out of his jacket which he swallowed dry. He made a slight face of repulsion as they slid down his throat.

He then turned to Sterling with a more pleasant expression. “I’m thinking we could send out invitation tomorrow and then have the meeting the day after. If you want to stop by in the morning we could make a list of people to invite and try to work out a place to host it?” he said. “I have been part of many different types of conclaves in the past. They always are good places for discussion but I find them lacking in certain areas such as speed. None the less since all our members are likely in the same building that should alleviate that problem somewhat.”

Sterling grinned, nodding. The pony shifted his position on the chair, a bit uncomfortable sitting on a human chair. Just wasn't made for a quadruped like himself in mind! He probably looked a bit silly sitting on the seat, just legs splayed in front of him under the table. The pony's moderately long tail swished against the floor, sending up a bit of dust as it flicked. The pony glanced down as he did so, making sure he didn't accidentally tip himself over as he did, before looking back up at the baron.

"That sounds like a wonderful idea, Primordial. Give people time to get together and decide if they want to go at all. I can help hand out invitations for sure too. Though, do we have mailboxes here? That might also work at getting people their letters." The pony said, thinking a bit. "Could also put up some posters too!"

Dining Room
Anais' departure with that wizard whatshisface did not go unnoticed by her close friend; she had kept a furtive lookout upon the table from afar while their guild leader engaged herself with the pony and the baron. Cherry's attempt at being incognito had failed miserably, she was with her guild, of course they would catch the nuances to her shift in attention every so often. They hadn't said anything, merely nodding before getting back into conversation with Dan and Hunter. The fae seemed oblivious, but Hunter had raised an eyebrow, seemingly catching their wordless communication although not comprehending it entirely. The feast went on and Cherry went back to paying attention, this time with Hunter talking about using half an orange peel filled with oil and its stem as a wicker.

"So here's this Brennan, right? All proud of himself for making the makeshift candle, I totally thought he was full of it. Its a damn orange peel for crying out loud. I bet my cigs," Hunter goes on in animated fashion.

"What are cigs?" Erick asked with a sideways glance, his hood of his robes lowered to reveal short, thick and spiked hair and a square jaw that could cut bone.

"Oh, um, cigarettes. Tobacco? You smoke it really. Supposed to ease tension, maybe warm you up although that's debatable to me, keeps you busy rather than fussing about; it certainly helped with some.. things," Hunter trailed off on that. He hated smoking, actually, and after the 'war', the Nevidian had given it up completely.

"Like a pipe?" Erick asked.

"Sorta, but its rolled up for you, all you gotta do it light it," Hunter responded to which the dervish nodded slowly and gestured for Hunter to continue, "Anyway, I bet my pack of cigs if he could make that orange peel last and the jerk just smiles like he knows he gonna win this. Bastard was right to a point... dunno what he used but that peel lighted up like a freaking beacon! And Brennan's stomping away frantically to put it out and we're laughing at him for being an idiot with his organic approach..."

The mesmer had broke her attention once more, seeing the fleeing figure of the ritualist exit with Sandy. That left the only two at the table and she wondered what exactly had just transpired.

"Excuse me a moment," Cherry said lightly with a smile. Hunter stopped just enough to nod and get back into his story. She let him continue. It wasn't that funny.

Approaching the table, Cherry shrugged off strands of her chestnut hair, pulling and tucking them to the side behind her ear as she dazzled the two of them with a friendly smile. "Gentlemen, I couldn't help but noticed my friend had left with company. My name's Cherry and I'm with the guild over there," she gestured to the far side and turned back to look to them both, "Would you care to join us? I'm sure Anais wouldn't want you two left by yourselves if she had to leave so quickly."

[The BranRiech]

As Drova stood there, somewhat admiring the new resident Dark Elf, he was wholly unprepared for the flying mass of the woman as she whipped past him, towards the front desk area. His eyes had but just a second to react to it, as she gripped tightly onto his shirt, trying to support herself. His feet wavered, and his legs staggered a for a few steps before the unlikely pair came tumbling down onto the floor.

Right before hitting the ground, the young man's wings spread out, to avoid bending or cracking their bones if he landed on them awkwardly, which would have made the day just a little worse. "Nnngh!" He grunted, hitting the ground, with Dora landing right next to him. "Watch where you're . . . O-oh . . ." He sighed, reaching back, rubbing the rear of his neck.

Why was he surrounded by attractive women, yet none of them were Pyersai!?

"Uh . . . Was I in your way?" He switched tones nearly instantly. "I mean, I hope I wasn't, right?" The Prince shook his head, arching his back up into a sitting position on the floor.

[Cerillium]

LOBBY

Volker said nothing as the drama played out. It amused him. Greatly. Bounce, bounce, bouncy bounce! Volker was a cultist, but he was also most definitely male. Dora's assets were always appreciated, even if he had no sexual interest in the woman herself. His smile broadened as woman and Pyersai collided. Hehehehe.... chaos! It might have been more entertaining of Drova were holding a pie, or a stack of expensive champagne glasses. Well, beggars can't be choosers when it came to entertainment. He'll take the solid collide over the tinkle of glass any day. Alas, not even that crash seemed to have awoken the dark elf.

He peered over the desk at the pair and opened his mouth, but the orifice quickly snapped shut again as the chandelier began to tremble. Volker's head disappeared from view as he stood straight and watched the light bulb disappear.

TUNK!

That was an unusual sound. The cultist's head tilted.

CLUNK!

"Fick mich!" a weary voice echoed from the socket. Harsh pounding resonated from the hole seconds later. Hammers on metal, jackboots on steel, blind rage thwacking itself against something very solid, and all the while the chandelier wobbling and swinging like a crack whore fighting off imaginary police. "Blödes Arschloch, go through! AAAARRGH!"

The movement abruptly stopped. The customary hand poked through the socket, light bulb clutched between fingers, and restored the light to rights. Just as Volker was about to give a shout, the telephone booth's doors slapped open. A new sound came from within -- the distinctive squeak of a hand trolley's wheels. A Man's uniformed ass appeared first, his rough hands clutching the U-shaped trolley's handle. He grunted in tandem with his still-unseen partner. Working in unison (peppered with frustrated swear words and shouting), they muscled the trolley and its contents into the Lobby. The Man holding the handle carefully wheeled the thing around and towards the desk.

"Delivery, ja?" the trolley's platform slapped onto the Lobby floor. He fished a red handkerchief from his pocket to mop the sweat from his brow. "Didn't fit through the hole."

"Obviously," Volker deadpanned. His eyes scrunched as he observed the thing strapped to the cart. Bird legged machine, ja, and big. Looked like a Drone yet bore a standard apart from that species' known symbols. "Where did you find it?"

"Where we find everything," the Man groused. "You should see the backlog upstairs. Demens! Ach! Enough!" His hands loosened the straps supporting the object -- Resident? -- as Volker consulted his lists.

"Aha, here it is!" the front desk cultist proclaimed. "It's name is Opa-"

The strange machine, now liberated from the cart, toppled forward and struck the ground hard enough to rattle the furniture.

"Opa!" the Man cried as he did a little Greek dance on the spot. Time was Insanity however, and his mirth vanished -- as did he and his hand cart, dropping right into the shadows beneath them.

Volker sighed. At least the machine had missed both the dark elf and the tangled pair. He lifted the clipboard and slammed it against the desk, breaking the temporal spell holding the machine's processor at bay. "Wake up, Opa Two! Wake up and taste the rainbow! Then sign your lease. It's been a rough night and I'm tired."

[Cerillium]

BIOGARDEN

Thaddeus rose and turned away, head hung as Giovenith spoke of the boy. Marcus had a noble heart. So like his mother, so kind, yet capable of great stubbornness when pressed. But that's what this was all about, was it not? His entire world was crashing about his ears and Thaddeus, powerless to stop it, could only grasp at the fragments in vain. He could only thank fate that she hadn't been exposed to the nifid.

"The young lady deserves an answer," Adrastus prodded, a finger pointing to Giovenith. "As do I. If we are to help him-"

"Neither of you can help," the old cyborg's tone was pained as he gazed at the lake's far bank.

Adrastus snorted. The finger came to bear on the other cyborg, wagging with each chastisement. "Balls. We can help emotionally. Miss Giovenith, most of all! Look, I've held my tongue all these years but, damn it, I'm tired of the way you treat your son. He's nothing to you, is he? You're only a parent when it suits you. It's nothing but secrets and conspiracy! You're there, and then you pawn him off on me, and then you send him out to a fungal pool! He's your flesh and blood, Thaddeus. What's wrong with you? You seem to have no-"

"He's not my biological son. That doesn't mean I don't love him as I would my own. Kindly get the fuck off my back."

"Er, what?" visibly deflated, the old abbot sat once more. The silence reigning in the biogarden was only broken by the soft ticks coming from each man's augmentations and the gentle fall of water across the way. Too many questions sprang to Adrarastus' mind. He wasn't sure what to ask first. His eyes left the old cyborg's back to settle on Giovenith's face. Poor girl. Undoubtedly she had her own questions as well.

Thaddeus spared him the trouble of sorting his queries. "I asked him to monitor the construct. To contact me if she left the Building." He rubbed a hand across his eyes before turning his head to gaze sidelong at the abbot. "I sent him out to watch her. Ocho tried to contradict that order. He told him to prevent her from leaving. Logs indicate Marcus attempted to contact both of us. I was detained by the city, out of range thanks to the asshole boss there. I don't know why Ocho was out of touch. I don't know how my boy fell. I was hoping you could tell me. She would never attack him. Her memories are swiss cheese, but she would never attack the boy."

"How can you be so sure of that?" Adrastus sneered. The priests and the nifid shared no love between them. "Why the hell send the boy into danger? The rotting pools are nothing to sneeze at. The toxins alone...! He should be dead! Buttons stated the other monster-dog brought him in. He was covered in the rot. She said he was in the pool. Why the hell would he be in there if you hadn't sent him to do so?"

The other monster-dog? Thaddeus' head lifted as he considered the possibilities. So it was a successful doxi? Things clicked into place in his mind. A sad smile broke across his face. "I must see him," Thaddeus turned to regard the abbot, then corrected himself in difference to Giovenith. "We must see him."

"The fuck is wrong with you?" Adrastus' patience snapped. "We want answers! He's your son, he's not your son. You sent him, you say nothing about sending him. He's found inside the pool and you smile? Oh, she'd never attack him? Can you sit down and tell us what the fuck is going on?" his fist angrily slapped into his palm. "The hell, man! You stand there smiling! These damn nifid attacked him and that doesn't so much as phase you?!"

Thaddeus sighed. The smile faded as he made eye contact with Giovenith. The abbot didn't need to know anything; the truth was outside his jurisdiction, and the order was forbidden to pry into any acolyte's past. The godling's standing was different however, and she deserved insight. Thaddeus pursed his lips and wondered if the truth would drive her away.

"You deserve answers, Giovenith," the old cyborg ventured. "You have a right to know by nature of your relationship with Marcus. Anything I tell you must be kept confidential. Do you understand this? With the exception of who sired him, Marcus has always known the truth. He's under orders to never disclose most of it. And some of it, he can't remember at all."

[Giovenith]

Rache and Willow

Most of Rache's words unnerved the other pegasi in various ways. Firstly was the issue of Earth ponies: Groundtown normally didn't take prisoners, either killed or turned loose (mostly dependent on, though they weren't aware, whether somepony like Smart Cookie was there to assist), these days anyway. Rache should have understood this, but seemed calm anyway, and coupling that with his doing well against the ghouling, it began to make think that perhaps he knew something they didn't. It didn't lead to suspicion, but it did lead to confusion and anxiety. Was he aware that capture by Earth pony was nothing to sneeze at? Then there was the other matter.

The other team members exchanged looks with one another before Aurora Mist finally broke the tension and asked, "You... personally know the Commander? I wasn't aware he had friends."

"I wasn't aware he could laugh," one of the team members commented, before being set in place by a quick slap to the back of the head.

Aurora Mist observed Rache with inquisition. "Yes, of course he is alive. Though you two must go pretty far back..."


Brit and Chrys

The young magician had to keep from snorting at some of Brit's explanations. A pegasus who liked art but wasn't into the military? How topsy-turvy! She refrained from judging though. She really was excited and grateful to have these visitors from beyond here with her and cursed the fact that this had to happen during a time of crises instead of a time where she could just focus all her energy on learning about their existence. Priorities though, another time perhaps.

"Unfortunately, although I know Arrow is plotting something, I honestly can't prove anything to the princess currently," Clover admitted, frowning. "Which means we can't take offensive action against her without getting in trouble. I would like to focus more on getting to the caverns before she does. If confrontation becomes an issue though, it is important you know how to act..."

And so Clover scooped up a handful of stray gems into her hoof. "If my previous hypotheses were correct, you two should be able to utilize some degree of unicorn magic in your transfer bodies. It might not be to the same caliber as the magic of natural unicorns, but it should work competently enough. Try to lift these gems from my hand with psychokinesis, it's the most basic and universal of all unicorn abilities."


Yuna and Aegis

"Past this? Past this? HA!" The Chancellor Puddinghead waved at Yuna dismissively. "You don't just simply 'move past' droves of ponies and little foals starvin' and freezin' to death each passing day! You don't just 'move past' years of snobby condescension and bad behavior. This ain't over till the world is moving right side again, lil girl!" And she stormed off ahead.

Smart Cookie gently took Yuna and Aegis aside and quietly explained:

"Chancellor and most of the other townsponies here believe either the pegasi, 'the Birds,' or the unicorns, 'the Witches,' are the ones causing this blizzard. Pegasi are ponies with wings, and unicorns are ponies with a single horn on their forehead. They live in their own cities some ways away from us, and both of 'em have powers beyond our understanding. The pegasi normally control the weather, and the unicorns can do all sorts a strange things. Normally we have food trade agreements with 'em because they can't grow their own food, but due to the famine this winter has been causing, a lot of them have been sneaking in and stealing from us even though we don't have a lot to give... so lots of folks round here are real mad at both of 'em. That's why they wanted to burn ya two. Folks here have a superstition that unless you kill a unicorn by burning, it's magic won't die with it and it'll come back and haunt ya like a violent ghost. They don't have as dramatic beliefs concerning the pegasi, so they just do whatever they have on their minds at the moment to 'em... mostly hanging."

The secretary looked between the two apologetically. "This ain't your fight that you all fell into, and I promise we'll just through the day and I'll help you see that disc. I don't want much more than that from either of you. I'm pretty sure there's nothing you could do to fix things at this point..."

Building

To say the situation was tense would have been an understatement. Like most residents there was only so much Giovenith was in on when it came the de facto leaders and larger organizations that revolved around the Building. While she did more than her fair share when it came to emergencies and management, she was still largely on the innocent, receiving end of much of the upper politics, and thus had no way of knowing how she should have possibly reacted to all the implied heavy background information being tossed around.

The biggest revelation there shook her thoroughly. Of course there was the initial shock of the basic revelation, and then the slower, but much deeper and heavier realization of the gaping gateway Thaddeus had opened. If this was true about Marcus, what else didn't she know about him? What happened to her simple understanding of the person she thought she understood and loved because of it? Did this mean she was in love with something that wasn't really there?

No, she banished those thoughts from her mind. No, it didn't mean any of that. Regardless of what she did or didn't know about Marcus' past, they fell in love with each other over what they had experienced in the present, and that couldn't be changed over anything. Whatever the unknown past was, it still wound up leading to the moments that had mattered, and that meant that it had to be good enough for her. Still, it was a scary prospect... she knew things were about to become very, very complicated if she went forward with learning more, but she knew now that this very basic fact was revealed to her, there was no going back to looking at Marcus and acting in the dark. That would be selfish of her. Loving someone meant loving them, and she couldn't deny an intricate part of him for her own sake and still call it love.

Giovenith sniffed and gave a small whimper, wiping away at budding tears with her sleeves and feeling very overwhelmed by all this. From the death scare, to the intense arguing, to the world-shaking revelations, she had already had quite a full day and yet still expected more, but she knew she had no choice but to tread on. For Marcus' sake and her own peace of mind.

"I promise," she sniffed hard, wiping hard at her cheeks.