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Post by wanderingmagus on Dec 2, 2017 16:50:36 GMT
There was a warm and friendly chuckle as Moonlight heard somepony approach. " I'm glad you feel welcome here." An alicorn, like Celestia and Luna, but pink with a flowing rainbow mane, landed not too far away. Her armor was bronze instead of gold or silver, and her cutie mark was a crystal heart. " I am Queen Cadence, and this is the Hidden Land of Avalon, in the heart of the Everfree. You are safe and welcome here for as long as you wish to stay." The part of Moonlight that was once a Royal Guard almost felt an urge to bow; the Ponyville part of her thought the alicorn sounded almost like a niece of the Princesses. But how could this place exist? There was no such place in the Everfree the last time she remembered... how long had she been wandering the forest?
"I... I remember it like it was five minutes ago... some kind of explosion...," Candycane shivered, sitting on the bed. The shiver was more emotional than physical at this point, though. "I didn't even feel a moment pass, I... thought I was teleported... I was still several miles away from Ponyville. The pink clouds and the checkerboard..." Candycane was beginning to talk faster, clearly thinking out loud. At least she wasn't stuttering anymore. "They were going everywhere! For miles around town, they were... they weren't slowing down!" She took a moment to breathe, fearing her next words as much as she had to know their answer. Is there anything left? She slowly turned to face Sandstone, suddenly very quiet. "How far... did they go...?" Sandstone winced. "Discord took over the entire world, Candycane. Pretty much everything you knew about Equestria is gone, with just a few exceptions. The Everfree Forest is still around, and one of the only places that Chaos can't touch. There's a place inside called Avalon, no one knows exactly where, that some say still has things like 'grass' or 'fruits', or white clouds that aren't made of cotton candy and rain water instead of anything else. Ah think that's about the only places that might sound familiar. Someplace far away East called Heisan disappeared around the same time Construction Boss Discord came around. Grandpa Stone Pie says this place used to be ruled by two pony Sisters, but as far as Ah've heard, they got turned to gold an' silver statues an' taken into, well, you'd know it as Canterlot, but the whole mountain range is now the Chaos Castle, an' it's ALIVE. No one's ever gone in an' come back out, besides the Minions an' Discord." She sighed again. "And as far as who they are... well... if you remember back in your time, when there were things called Elements o' Harmony? Those ain't Harmony no more. The six ponies who used them got twisted by Silly Hat Discord, an' aside from Saint Liarjack, Ah think you'd know her as Applejack, they're all basically His slaves, willing or no. Well, Fluttercruel says she's His daughter, an' as far as Ah know she's tellin' the truth, but Ah don't know what happened to the pony that owned that body, Ah think it was 'Fluttershy'. Ah've got some thoughts about it, but Ah don't think yer ready fer that jes yet." |
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Post by Moonbacon on Dec 2, 2017 17:08:06 GMT
Moonlight stopped in her tracks when Queen Cadence approached and instinctively went down to her knees in a bow, yet hundreds of questions floated in her head. "Queen Cadence?" She asked as she rised back up to her hooves, the only queen she could think of was Queen Chrysalis and that's due to her royal guard half being taught about it and Queen Feronia of Fluycia, she wondered if she somehow walked so far she ended up in a completely foreign and unknown land or maybe she stepped through some poisonous plants that's making her have extremely vivid hullucinatios and she's going to wake up at some hospital and promptly get scolded by her boss and everything will be back to normal... She hoped that was the case at least.
"Avalon?... Where I'm I? What's happening? I'm I dreaming or hullucinating? This doesn't make sense, aren't you Princess Celestia's... Niece? Sister? Daughter? I don't really remember all too clearly but why are you Queen?" She asked frantically, her feeling of joy and relief slowly being replaced by slight panic and confusion.
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Post by wanderingmagus on Dec 2, 2017 17:15:47 GMT
Moonlight stopped in her tracks when Queen Cadence approached and instinctively went down to her knees in a bow, yet hundreds of questions floated in her head. "Queen Cadence?" She asked as she rised back up to her hooves, the only queen she could think of was Queen Chrysalis and that's due to her royal guard half being taught about it and Queen Feronia of Fluycia, she wondered if she somehow walked so far she ended up in a completely foreign and unknown land or maybe she stepped through some poisonous plants that's making her have extremely vivid hullucinatios and she's going to wake up at some hospital and promptly get scolded by her boss and everything will be back to normal... She hoped that was the case at least. "Avalon?... Where I'm I? What's happening? I'm I dreaming or hullucinating? This doesn't make sense, aren't you Princess Celestia's... Niece? Sister? Daughter? I don't really remember all too clearly but why are you Queen?" She asked frantically, her feeling of joy and relief slowly being replaced by slight panic and confusion.
The alicorn sighed. "It's a long story, My Little Pony. You are not dreaming or hallucinating. I am indeed the niece of Celestia, but the world has changed much since you first entered the Everfree, and not for the better. You stand within the last bastion of Harmony in a World of Discord, a world that has been in Chaos for a thousand years. The Changeling Hive was decimated by the Spirit of Chaos, its Queen retreating deep into the Everfree, not far from where we stand today. It was here that I was called to meet her in ritual combat, and through the Love within me, purify the Hive to their ancient state, and more. I bested the Queen Chrysalis, and took on her mantle, and made this place a refuge for those who would flee the chaos of the outside world. Equestria is no more; Fluycia is reduced to ashes; Heisan is vanished into the Celestial Realms along with all its gods and goddesses. Even dragons flee before the might of Discord, and we ourselves hide here, and welcome those who we can." |
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Post by Wavelength on Dec 2, 2017 17:27:19 GMT
Candycane shuddered as she struggled to take in all that news at once. She was having trouble focusing, but... Somebody named Discord took over the world... There were some small places Discord couldn't take... The entire world's covered in checkers and pink clouds... did she say those were cotton candy? She didn't recognize any of the names mentioned, save for the sisters. "Celestia and Luna... Those were the royal sisters... They're... gone?" She laid back in the bed and huddled the blanket closer to herself, staring up worriedly at the ceiling. "Th-there must be something we can do! ...Right?"
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Post by Moonbacon on Dec 2, 2017 17:39:36 GMT
Moonlight's jaw hung open in disbelief. "Discord? The statue I saw in the Canterlot gardens took over everything?" It was rather hard to belief everything that has happened, it seemed like a few days ago everything was normal then suddenly it wasn't and it seems like hundreds of years has passed too judging from Cadence's story.
"What about Queen Feronia? Is she gone too? Doesn't she have children?" Moonlight remembers little of the foreign ruler besides history books that one side of her has read, however she could vaguely recall memories of her accompanying Celestia to official trips to Fluycia but considering Fluycia was apparently reduced to asses it was likely that Feronia is gone too... Not even the rulers of Heisan remain though she doesn't what exactly 'the Celestial realms' but it probably meant they left never to return again. "What about the Elements of Harmony and it's bearers, can't they beat Discord with it?" She asked.
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Post by wanderingmagus on Dec 2, 2017 19:04:54 GMT
Candycane shuddered as she struggled to take in all that news at once. She was having trouble focusing, but... Somebody named Discord took over the world... There were some small places Discord couldn't take... The entire world's covered in checkers and pink clouds... did she say those were cotton candy? She didn't recognize any of the names mentioned, save for the sisters. "Celestia and Luna... Those were the royal sisters... They're... gone?" She laid back in the bed and huddled the blanket closer to herself, staring up worriedly at the ceiling. "Th-there must be something we can do! ...Right?" Sandstone shook her head, then thought about it for a second. "Well... there IS a prophecy, that one day ponies would come and reclaim or restore the Elements, defeat Discord, and bring Harmony back to the world. Ah don't know who they might be, but if yer interested in that sort of thing, Ah'm sure Apple Pie could help you. Avalon an' Dracotopia's also full o' ponies like that. Apple Pie's out right now, but if ya want, Ah kin git someone t' bring you safely ta Everfree Forest. If ye're lucky, maybe Queen Cadence'll let you into Avalon." She looked over the mare with some concern. "That is, after you've eaten a bit an' figured out what's wrong with yer new body. There's all sorts o' things gettin' turned to stone can do to you, much less turnin' back."
Moonlight's jaw hung open in disbelief. "Discord? The statue I saw in the Canterlot gardens took over everything?" It was rather hard to belief everything that has happened, it seemed like a few days ago everything was normal then suddenly it wasn't and it seems like hundreds of years has passed too judging from Cadence's story. "What about Queen Feronia? Is she gone too? Doesn't she have children?" Moonlight remembers little of the foreign ruler besides history books that one side of her has read, however she could vaguely recall memories of her accompanying Celestia to official trips to Fluycia but considering Fluycia was apparently reduced to asses it was likely that Feronia is gone too... Not even the rulers of Heisan remain though she doesn't what exactly 'the Celestial realms' but it probably meant they left never to return again. "What about the Elements of Harmony and it's bearers, can't they beat Discord with it?" She asked. Queen Cadence shook Her head. " The Bearers themselves have been twisted into foul mockeries of themselves, serving the enemy as His Six Minions, willingly or not. Queen Feronia is, as far as we know, frozen in metal somewhere deep within Chaos Castle, alongside the Princesses, and what few remain of her descendants have long since merged into other bloodlines here in Avalon and in other safe havens around the world. It may be hard to believe at first, but considering that Discord is the Spirit of Chaos, perhaps the only strange thing about the whole ordeal was that He didn't escape sooner. A god like Himself should have reduced the entire universe into an unrecognizable medley of nonsense within moments of escaping, but I suppose His more sadistic side took some pleasure in slowly twisting the world and tormenting its inhabitants." The alicorn looked thoughtfully at Moonlight. " Yet hope is not all lost. There is a prophecy, that one day, ponies would come, to reclaim and restore the Elements of Harmony, and defeat Discord once and for all, restoring the world to peace. Perhaps you are one of them." |
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Post by Moonbacon on Dec 2, 2017 20:02:16 GMT
Moonlight let out a sad sigh, she might not know the element bearers or Queen Feronia and the princesses personally but she still felt pity for them, she couldn't imagine living in a state of constant agony or being frozen in metal... "I mean, I'm no prophesized chosen one or anything but I'd love to help in anyway even if it means leaving Avalon." It was a bold decision on Moonlight's part but one side of her was sworn to protect Equestria and the princesses and even if they might be gone now, it just didn't feel right to sit and do nothing while chaos rages on, maybe if she was still two separate ponies she'd op for a quiet and peaceful life in Avalon but now she was an entirely different entity.
"I'm no trueborn alicorn by any means and I definitely don't have the powers of one so I don't know what kind of help I can give but I'll try anyway."
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Post by Wavelength on Dec 2, 2017 20:27:24 GMT
Candycane recoiled in panic. "N-new body?! No, no, I'm just feeling weird because I was stone a few minutes ago... I'm still me!" She frantically looked around for a mirror, hoping she'd misunderstood the filly's choice of words. Surely she was just overreacting. That checkerboard had better not have done something else to her...
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Post by wanderingmagus on Dec 2, 2017 21:15:10 GMT
Moonlight let out a sad sigh, she might not know the element bearers or Queen Feronia and the princesses personally but she still felt pity for them, she couldn't imagine living in a state of constant agony or being frozen in metal... "I mean, I'm no prophesized chosen one or anything but I'd love to help in anyway even if it means leaving Avalon." It was a bold decision on Moonlight's part but one side of her was sworn to protect Equestria and the princesses and even if they might be gone now, it just didn't feel right to sit and do nothing while chaos rages on, maybe if she was still two separate ponies she'd op for a quiet and peaceful life in Avalon but now she was an entirely different entity. "I'm no trueborn alicorn by any means and I definitely don't have the powers of one so I don't know what kind of help I can give but I'll try anyway." Queen Cadence smiled. " That is all that is asked of you. What is your name? Perhaps we could provide a temporary home for you while you prepare. I sense that there are others who may be joining us in this endeavor soon, and I wish to equip all of you with the supplies you'll be needing. However, do not be deceived as those before you were. This battle will not be a physical one, but a battle of minds and hearts, healing that which was broken and bringing life where there was only death."
Candycane recoiled in panic. "N-new body?! No, no, I'm just feeling weird because I was stone a few minutes ago... I'm still me!" She frantically looked around for a mirror, hoping she'd misunderstood the filly's choice of words. Surely she was just overreacting. That checkerboard had better not have done something else to her... There was a body-length mirror in a corner of the room, with handles on the sides for removal if desired, and a curtain to close over it if a pony only wanted to glance in it occasionally rather than constantly. It seemed this was not an uncommon event. Were her feelings truly symptoms of some greater change, or just the aftereffects of turning to stone? A glance in the mirror instantly showed her. |
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Post by Wavelength on Dec 2, 2017 22:20:42 GMT
Candycane's mind calmed a bit when she saw herself in the mirror. A little pale in some places where she had a horrible case of dandruff, but it was still the body she knew. She wiped the cold sweat off her forehead and sighed. "D-don't scare me like that, it's just dandruff," she laughed, realizing the young filly probably thought the patches of dead skin were the rotting flesh of a zombie. "On that note, you wouldn't happen to have a bath or shower available, would you...?" she asked hopefully. "I'd like to warm up some more and wash all this off before anypony else sees me..."
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Post by wanderingmagus on Dec 2, 2017 22:33:01 GMT
Sandstone nodded, opening a door off to the side. It was a standard bathroom with a shower and bath, which was actually quite a feat, considering that the outside was apparently absolute literal chaos.
"Sorry if Ah said somethin' to scare you. But becomin' a Blank ain't nothin' to be ashamed of, if it happened. Saint Applebloom the Heart-healer was one, an' she saved LOTS o' lives, for almost six hundred years! Saint Liarjack helped her pass on afterwards, but still, really did turn us all around. It helped that she even went out o' her way an' helped ALL the ponies in Sunnytown move on first. That's true Kindness, that was. Ah reckon Saint Liarjack could be the next bearer o' Kindness, if she'd think about it hard enough for a minute rather than beatin' herself up over th' past."
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Post by Wavelength on Dec 2, 2017 22:44:47 GMT
Candycane gave a slightly puzzled expression as she walked in to turn on the bath. "You said bearer of kindness, right?" She turned to face Sandstorm as she scratched some dandruff out from behind her ear. "What do you mean by that? How does somepony carry a behavior?"
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Post by wanderingmagus on Dec 3, 2017 0:01:39 GMT
Candycane gave a slightly puzzled expression as she walked in to turn on the bath. "You said bearer of kindness, right?" She turned to face Sandstorm as she scratched some dandruff out from behind her ear. "What do you mean by that? How does somepony carry a behavior?" Sandstone chuckled. "Ah'm not talkin' about jes' behaviors. Ah guess th' Elements o' Harmony weren't all too famous back in yer day, even though Grandpa Stone Pie makes it sound like they were heroes that saved Equestria in those times. From what he tells us, back then, the six Elements were Loyalty, Laughter, Generosity, Honesty, Kindness, an' th' Magic o' Friendship. Not hard t' remember if ya grew up 'round here, since it's like takin' the world right now an' flippin' everythin' upside down. Instead o' Traitor Dash, ya get Rainbow Dash, bearer o' Loyalty. Instead o' Angry Pie an' her Daughters o' Wrath, ya get Pinkie Pie, bearer o' Laughter. Greedity turns inta Generous Rarity, Saint Liarjack becomes Honest Applejack, Fluttercruel becomes Kind Fluttershy, an' Twilight Tragedy becomes Twilight Sparkle, bearer o' Magic. You'd think it's hard ta believe, but seein' how Big Banana Discord twists ponies' brains fer fun, Ah believes it. Anyways, from what Ah hear, these Elements o' Harmony used ta shoot out this Rainbow o' Light, some magick whatsit that kin turn ponies good an' turn Construction Boss Discord inta stone. It'd be mighty helpful ta have somethin' like that come back from wherever it went." |
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Post by Wavelength on Dec 3, 2017 1:21:38 GMT
"I have to agree," Candycane nodded. "Sounds very powerful... Do we know where to find a unicorn skilled enough to use this enchanted weapon? And you said it's in pieces that were held by responsible figures, right?" As they talked, the pink mare climbed into the half-filled tub and started rubbing the dust-like dandruff out of her fur, assisted by the running water.
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Post by wanderingmagus on Dec 3, 2017 2:08:54 GMT
"I have to agree," Candycane nodded. "Sounds very powerful... Do we know where to find a unicorn skilled enough to use this enchanted weapon? And you said it's in pieces that were held by responsible figures, right?" As they talked, the pink mare climbed into the half-filled tub and started rubbing the dust-like dandruff out of her fur, assisted by the running water. Sandstone sighed. "There ain't many true unicorns around these days, an' the only one Ah'd think strong enough'd be Twilight Tragedy herself, if she were purified o' whatever Construction Boss Discord did to her mind. But one pony couldn't do it alone, not these days, and sure as sugar not normal ponies. It takes th' Magic o' Friendship t' power it, six Bearers fer six Elements. Grandpa Stone Pie says a long, long time ago, one o' them Princesses could do it, but, well, They're gold and silver statues right now." The filly drew circles on the ground with a hoof. "Ah think at least a few o' the Six Minions could be changed. Ah jes' don't know how, an' fer how long, an' how ta keep Big Banana Discord from turnin' 'em right back to the way they were." |
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"I... I remember it like it was five minutes ago... some kind of explosion...," Candycane shivered, sitting on the bed. The shiver was more emotional than physical at this point, though. "I didn't even feel a moment pass, I... thought I was teleported... I was still several miles away from Ponyville. The pink clouds and the checkerboard..."
