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 Posted: Tue Jan 15, 2013 8:50 pm
 Celestia looked to her sister at her question, a soft look, her eyes full of weariness, of hopefulness, of loss. "We haven't a choice in the matter. Our magic was fading too quickly; much longer and I feared our ability to leave," sighing, she looked away, pausing before continuing. "This was my final action, less we become dessimated by our lone isolation. All we can do now is hope: hope for a kind people, and believe that there is an honest nature that draws us to her."
She again looked away at this point, for she had been scrutinizing herself every minute since she stepped onto that vessel. Was this really the right thing to do, and would it really work in the end? Everyone's hopes and dreams lay on this force, something unfamiliar and strange.
As she remained quiet, she instead listened to the chattering of her people behind her, calming herself in their shared emotions of excitement and anxiousness. Celestia took little notice as her sister moved away, instead turning her head to glance in her direction towards Cadence and her knight. They seemed to be fretting over something, but it was out of her vision. Walking among the crowd, Twinkleshine sighed heavily at the weariness in her hooves and her matted mane that clearly demanded some tender loving care. As a self-promoting actress, she was supposed to always look her best, but this trip was robbing her of it! Oh, how she simply couldn't wait to be able to rest her hooves in some warm water, get a manicure, and wash the grime off of her.
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Posted: Tue Jan 15, 2013 9:01 pm
Thunderlane sighed, listening to the hoop-lah and excitement. Giving a shake of his head, he fluttered off, toward the back of the herd to wrangle up some of the slower ponies.
((Going to bed, just wanted to stay somewhere in the middle of it!! lol))
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Posted: Tue Jan 15, 2013 9:19 pm
Faroth blinked, staring at the blue Princess, who reminded him of stars in the night sky. Why was she yelling? Okay, quieter now, that was good. He cleared his throat, looking sheepish. "Err...it's not exactly that close, you see..."
He trailed off, looking over their motley band, only now seeing past the bright colors and energetic reactions to his appearance. They were tired. Worn down. The truth was plain to see. They'd been strangers in a strange land, no hope but to follow some unseen force drawing them forward...and they had no idea how far they had to go. They'd had no idea what they'd been taking on, crossing the Isle on foot.
Somewhat sobered by his realization, he turned back to the Princess. "I'm sorry, but traveling on foot like this, it's going to take a few days to get there. A couple if we really push it. I tend to wander from time to time, so...I know the area pretty well. I have some friends near here, but I'm thinking this might be just a bit too much company to come and drop on their doorstep," he murmured, thinking. "The lake isn't far from here. We've traveled along the edge of it for a while now and the beach would be a nice open place to camp for the night."
He scratched his head, looking sheepish. "Sorry, I can't change the size of the Isle, but uh...I suppose I can do my best to help you folks get there as soon as possible."
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Posted: Tue Jan 15, 2013 9:27 pm
Luna tilted her head. She had an angry booming reply in her head....but she thought better of it. Truth be told, she was tired herself and at least now they were getting somewhere. She glanced back over at her sister, having remembering what she had said. "Sister dearest, should you not come here?" she called out before back to Faroth. She hadn't caught his name earlier. "Thank you strange Stallion.....er..."
"Faroth..." Cadence said, smiling. "I understand, but we are growing greatly tired, even the pegasus ponies's wings must be growing tired by now." she said, flexing her own. Flying would be a nice change of pace for her right now, but since the majority of the ponies were land dwellers, she had remained among them. "Camping on the beach sounds just lovely.... don't you think?" she said, glancing at Shining Armor and Luna.
Luna raised a brow. Camping on a beach was certainly not her idea of a new home or a place to sleep but she guessed it was as close as they would get for the day. "It sounds fine.... for the time being." she said, glancing back at the other ponies yet again. Though she would speak to Shining Armor about putting up nothing less than his best as look outs along with Celestia's guards. And herself of course. The night is where she felt most comfortable, even if it was a .... different night. One she didn't rise herself. And these....'faun' ... had really really weird names...seriously.
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Posted: Tue Jan 15, 2013 9:39 pm
Celestia flicker her ear a bit at her sisters words, mulling them over momentarily before nodding and moving between the ponies to join her. She looked to the peculiar 'pony' that was the focus of their attention and fretting. Honestly, she could not remember any of their own looking as he did, though it had been a very long day. As she turned her attention to Luna, she asked, "What is happening here?"
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Posted: Tue Jan 15, 2013 9:40 pm
Gulliver didn't think to question how Rais' Second wouldn't know of the lost acorns, but figured maybe he just spaced it out with the current situation. In either case, he just casually reminded the Adviser. "Several Acorns were lost last summer during the hurricane. It came so fast, they couldn't get all of them inside in time, so some were lost to the wings. Only a few were recovered." After saying it, he figured Mo was likely involved in the recovery efforts on the tree instead. He'd been tasked with looking on the island since he and his men were already out here.
"Do you know where they are? Or are they just heading this way. I can send a scout up ahead for a location." With two fingers, he pointed to the bushes and then up ahead. Within seconds, there was a rustling and a blur darted off ahead of them. "He'll be discreet," he assured Mo.
The situation did not feel right. His gut was twisting with the possibilities. Vanya said to not fear. He reminded himself. No need to get worked up. He kept himself on guard, kept his senses alert. This land he did not fully understand himself -- but was still learning about -- had many secrets yet to reveal so he had to be ready for anything.
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Posted: Tue Jan 15, 2013 10:36 pm
(OOC: I finally finished backreading, yay. And I got a blue magical giftbox. Double yay.)  Brolly had been flying above the herd. But he finally ran out of steam, so he landed in the back of it.
He had seen a lot of familiar faces. First, there was Rarity. Boy, was she the same as ever. Oh, well, at least she wasn't in need of rescuing this time. He was worried there for a while when she starting talking about how unclean the new person -- if he heard correctly, he was a faun -- was. That could very easily be taken as an insult, you know. When you meet someone new, you need to make a good first impression. Like, if it's rainy, offer them your spare umbrella. Stuff like that. Then, there was Rainbow Dash. He was amazed by her stamina, as always. He had already worn himself out flying and was grounded as a result. Lightning Dust was there too. He had seen her around at the academy, but he didn't know much about her.
He had seen some new faces too. He guessed they were all fauns like the one Rarity had talked to, because of their horns on the sides of their heads. At least, he thought they were horns. The placement, number, and shapes were different from a unicorn's, but it was the first word that came to his mind when he saw them. Mayor Mare was glad to be off that boat. She didn't often get seasick, but back then, she had gotten so sick that she thought she might die. What she wouldn't've given for some ginger spiced apple cider back there.
Now, she was fine. She smooshed past the crowd. "Excuse me. Pardon me. Excuse me. Pardon me. Excuse me. Pardon me..." She didn't want to be rude, but she really wanted to see what these new people looked like -- they were foreign dignitaries, after all -- for herself. Maybe she could even give a speech once she got up there.
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Posted: Tue Jan 15, 2013 11:19 pm
 Fluttershy was not enjoying this experience at all. Being dragged away from all her beloved animal friends was almost too much for her tender little heart to take. How could she be forced to leave everything behind like that? Of course she knew everyone was making sacrifices but the things she was sacrificing were ALIVE.
On the boat Fluttershy was standing away from her closest friends, trying not to be noticed in the crowd if possible. Angel Bunny, her sweet yet somewhat irritable companion sat on her back, paws crossed across his chest. Apparently he wasn't pleased with the move either.
"This is a disaster." Fluttershy sighed, doing her best to conceal the large sack of 'things' she'd gathered up for the journey.
As the boat reached it's destination and the huge crowd of ponies made their way onto shore, Fluttershy stayed to the back of the group and hid behind a tree as she stepped off the boat herself. The group started to move on and grabbing the sack in both hands she began to drag it along slowly, teeth gritted and making various cute grunting sounds as she went, while Angel sat on her head and did very little to help her.
Everything seemed to be going to plan, as she followed along with the group just in sight in front of her. That is until one false step sent her crashing to the ground and made the sack fly open beside her. Several aggravated bunnies, birds, skunks and yes, even snakes leapt from the sack and without a second thought went bounding and soaring off in all directions. "Oh dear! No, please. Little critters, come back.... please don't run... please, hello?" Fluttershy took off after each one in turn, running around in circles until all were out of sight bar Angel Bunny; who seemed to be giggling at her failure.
"Oh dear... I hope they'll be alright" she hung her head and sighed, "At least we tried to save them, Angel." she glanced up at the direction the group had headed off in. They were now no where in sight, "We'd better catch up..." ((OOC: Hope this is a good reason for Flutter's post being so late! ^^;; I'll post for Star tomorrow or later tonight :3 ))
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Posted: Wed Jan 16, 2013 9:02 am
Vinyl seemed amused by Trixie's blunt response, only grinning in reply. Yeah, she'd heard about this one before.
This could be fun.
Before she could start a new line of conversation, however, there was a light rustle of wings and a new being hovering in front of the former stage performer. Vinyl blinked a few times, then chuckled. That other guy sorta' looked like an Earth Pony, right? If a little weird with those sticks coming out of his head. So...equating these new creatures to what she already knew, Vinyl immediately quipped, "Well, you're a funny looking Pegasus!"
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Posted: Wed Jan 16, 2013 10:48 am
Faroth couldn't shake the feeling that somehow, he was being blamed for the travelers' troubles. That their predicament was somehow his fault. He had to keep reminding himself, however, that when tired and worn and stressed, it was easy to cast blame on others, whether they deserved it or not.
Taking a deep sigh, he turned to the latest voice, pausing to take in the visage of yet another gorgeous Princess. If there weren't so much else going on at the moment... Focus, Faroth.
"It's at least another couple days at best to your destination, more like three or four with the number you have traveling here," Faroth explained to the newcomer. He knew he could cover the distance alone in a couple days, but he doubted a group this size, weighed down by belongings and trying to stick together could do the same. Besides, he was a runner.
"I'd suggest having everyone set up over by the lake. There's a nice beach, plenty of open space, and I can show you some fruit trees here in the forest for gathering dinner." These 'Ponies' ate fruit...right? He hoped so, else he wasn't sure what else he'd do to help them. He already had to have Raina do the hunting to help him feed his own son; the boy just would not tolerate a solely vegetarian diet.
"Apples, pears, maybe even some berries if we're lucky," he rambled, rubbing his neck. He wasn't sure about being the center of attention like this, especially with so many important looking Pae. And here he was, telling them what they needed to do. Since when did he become any kind of leader?!?
He quieted, standing awkwardly and waiting to hear whether the Princesses would follow his advice and accept his help, or if they'd push on. For the sake of some of the wearier-looking Ponies, he hoped they'd listen.
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Posted: Wed Jan 16, 2013 11:07 am
Gypsy looked at the other "fruit?" She questioned "you don't have something more sweet around here do you? There isn't a market or something near by that I might be able to purchase something from?" She asked before rushing on "I apologize for not being thankful for your hospitality, I am, it is just that it is just that I usually have something sweet after a long journey and whilst fruit maybe sweet I am talking about a chocolate muffin or a cupcake or even a hot slice of Granny Smiths Apple Pie with a bit of whipped cream or ice cream or both on the side, fruit isn't something I usually go for when a journey comes to a stop...even a temporary stop" she said to the other, not really wanting to miss out on her sweet treat.
((Wait till she realizes that these new people don't eat sugar and when they do it is like once or twice a year. XD
Wait...Pinkie is going to hate it more so...oh God, I don't think I want to be around for when she hears that. XD)
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Posted: Wed Jan 16, 2013 11:59 am
Luna glanced at Faroth with a stern studying gaze before looking back to her sister. "Sister. He is saying he will lead us to a place to stay, but it is going to take days of traveling to get there and that we should camp on a beach." she said, restating the faun though it was more for herself as she worked to wrap things up in her mind as she tried to remain strong. "Do you think it wise, staying out in the open in a strange place?" she questioned her older sister, knowing as much as she wished to have a stronger say in things sometimes, the ponies would listen more to Celestia over herself right now.
"Forgive me, but we are all growing hungry and exhausted. I don't think we have any other choice unless we risk the group catching serious illnesses or worse." Cadence suggested, getting the feeling that Luna would rather push on longer but that didn't seem like the best option. "I'm quite hungry myself and fruit sounds delightful right about now." she said, offering a faint smile in hopes to keep the spirits high and pleasant. She was sure the mention of food would calm a lot of the wearier ponies down, though she could at least understand where the darker sister was coming from but still.... She glanced at Celestia, ultimately, it seemed like this was her decision to make.
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Posted: Wed Jan 16, 2013 12:39 pm
'Ah... He is a native of this land,' Celestia thought to herself as she listened to his and her sister's words. So far they had yet to walk, this leg was as grand a journey as many here could imagine, even without the ship ride. Quietly mulling over her decision, she turned to look at the many faces around her, young and old, yet all clearly weary from their travels. She sighed as she looked then to the tree, wondering just was actually awaited them there, and why her people had to leave to it.
Her thoughts in order, she once again looked to Luna, shaking her head. "Is it more the wiser to force those already weary past their tolerances for exhaustion? We cannot go continuously for so many days, so I think pausing to rest would be best..." She trailed off her sentence, turning her focus instead to Faroth, their apparent 'guide' to the great tree and its magnetic pull. "Tell me, kind sir, what dangers, if any, should we be wary of in the night, or if you think a safer place for rest is near?"
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Posted: Wed Jan 16, 2013 12:55 pm
Faroth raised an eyebrow as a new voice joined the conversation. Sweeter than fruit? Like what? He had no idea what most of the things were that she was talking about. And besides, it just pressed the point home that these 'Ponies' were completely out of their element. He wasn't sure that a one of them could survive on their own out here in the forest...and this was only Loka Nei, a relatively peaceful place.
What sort of place had they come from?
In a sudden realization, Faroth started to understand...and he pitied them.
They were going to need so much help here.
"I'm sorry, but we're in the middle of the forest," he explained patiently. "Now, there will be nicer things when you reach your destination, but for now, we have what nature gives us. Fruit is as sweet as it gets, and there are various edible roots and such as well. I suppose there are sources of meat if anyone's inclinations run that way...fish and such in the lake of course, but uh...you're kinda' on your own with that one," he chuckled sheepishly. He was clueless when it came to hunting.
Well, more that he had no desire to learn. He'd rather not. His son's dietary habits had been putting a bit of a strain on his stubborn refusal to learn, however.
Addressed directly now by the lighter-hued Princess, Faroth snapped back to attention. Dangers? "Well," he paused to think, falling back to his childhood memories of the forest, tagging along after a certain tiger-striped Demon, exploring all the brand new corners of the greater Isle... "The beach would be more open, so better sightlines. For the most part, the Loka Nei Forest is reasonably safe, though you do have the odd wild boar snuffling about. As long as you keep your distance and leave them alone, they're not a serious threat. So staying out of the forest at night might be better, if only so no one stumbles across one in the dark. Err...there can be wolves as well," he dared a glance at Raina, though she didn't exactly count in their number, even if she wasn't bonded to him. "But they avoid large groups like this, so if everyone stays together, there shouldn't be any trouble."
Then there were the things that had attacked him and Belvah. Should he tell them about the insects from Dragnid? Shouldn't they be safely distant from that cursed forest? He didn't want to needlessly frighten anyone...and perhaps that had been a one-off incident. Lailah had said that she'd been hunting them; maybe they'd just fled north in the hunt...
"If you'd feel safer posting a guard, I'd say go ahead, just as long as everyone gets some rest tonight," he continued, feeling oddly like he was giving orders, when he meant to only give suggestions. Even that feeling was foreign. Who ever listened to him? Well, apparently, these Pae. "I can't think of a safer spot than the beach near here."
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Posted: Wed Jan 16, 2013 12:57 pm
"Hey!" Rainbow Dash shouted at Lightning Dust as she watched the streak of yellow and blue whiz past her. She narrowed her eyes competitively, and looked back at the other pegasus who were flying nearby. "Catch up if you can!" Rainbow Dash wasn't going to be a caught being a rotten egg so she flew forward as fast as she could, using her outstanding agility to dodge the lower branches that would get in her way. Finally she caught up to Lightning Dust, and was trying to get the edge on her, but before anyone could be declared the winner they had broken through the canopy in an explosion of leaves and Rainbow Dash came to a halt. "Woah..." she looked over all the island she could see from here. Rainbow Dash could see the big tree, Laisidhiel, that they were heading to (although she didn't know that) in the distance and a tiny speck of something that seemed to be floating past that. "I wonder if they have a cloud city too...". In the closer proximity Rainbow could see a huge mountain that looked like it might be a volcano, 'And dragons too?' and a body of water that seemed to stretch on for awhile.
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