Follia watches Grey leave. He feels a little cheated currently: he was expecting a major nut-job to be present but he had Ms Sparkle and some oddly well made dolls instead. He had envisioned books strewn everywhere, bite marks in the table and various types of cream everywhere. Instead, we had a neat library and a slightly tattered mane on the Librarian. Perhaps a few questions were in order. "Ms Sparkle, would you mind answering a few questions? How have you been feeling? No moments of illness? Retching, oozing, insomnia, paranoia, uncontrollable weeping, climbing walls, inability to stop oneself from shouting obscenities, unusual hair growth or moments of intense lust?" Not a single sign of not being serious was shown in his voice. "I like to be thorough when I ask how a pony is."
Twilight raised an eyebrow at Follia's question. She tapped her chin with a hoof as she answered, "That's, uh...very specific. I suppose I'm feeling fine at the moment..." Suddenly, for naught but a second, the unicorn's face contorted into a mask of sheer, white-hot rage and she shot a evil stare up the steps that Spike and Grey Mane just ascended. Then, as suddenly as it happened, she returned to her "normal", cheerful self. She smiled sweetly as she explained, "Well. Let's see...no, no, no, maybe a little, not more than usual..." At this, her eyes darted back and forth. "Pinkie said she felt a 'real doozie' earlier. It's...hard to explain, and believe me, I've tried... Where was I? No, certainly not, nope, nope, uh, heh" she blushed, "No." "Is, uh...that everything?"
Silver stared at Follia blankly for a moment, not sure what he was trying to accomplish, if anything. Then he turned to Twilight. "Uh...yes. Well, since you seem to be in good health, we are looking for some books on magical fauna. Our teacher here," he said, gesturing to Follia, "has decided that we need to study outside of our university's library. I, for one, think this is a capital idea. Fresh books, sources of knowledge, are always a good thing. Would you be so kind as to grant us access to your library for these purposes?" He sat down on the floor as he asked this, thus taking Twilight's advice that he take a rest after his long trip. He watched Twilight's actions and reactions carefully.
Silently, she continued to listen to the conversations the others were having. All the while she went about parusing the library shelves, scanning around for any "oddly-bound" books. Pony hide must look rather different from the usual wood or cardboard, right? M... N... O... Perhaps under V? Or R? She didn't have many leads aside from binding, and the names of the others involved. Her ears twitched as she kept listening to the others.
"Ah! So it's a field trip, then! I remember going on a field trip when I was in Magical Kindergarden. I don't remember where it was to, but it was oh so much fun!" She watched as Silver sat on the floor. Spoiler: Roll Perception for Silver Shield (since he's watching for a reaction) 8 + 30 = 38 Silver noticed that Twilight seemed to be watching him back, but didn't notice any facial cues as to her state of mind. Twilight then trotted up behind Mystic Heart and asked, "Find what you're looking for? I can help. I'm really good at finding books!" "Now then, Magical Fauna..." She concentrated, levitating a few book sform their places. She carefully sat them on the floor, and then scooched them slightly to the right while making sure each spine was perfectly lined up wiht the one above or below it. All in all, there were about 13 books. "I think this is everything I have on Magical Fauna. It pretty much covers everything from faries to Krastoids. Have fun! And...don't damage any of them. I'll know..."
"Don't worry, Miss Sparkle, I wouldn't dream of damaging a book, especially not one belonging to a library! I always treat all my books with respect." He spoke of them as he thought of his own bookshelf back in his room, which was like a small library on its own, and made it sound like they were his best friends. In a way, they were. He levitated the top book off of the stack Twilight had gathered and looked at the title. Faeries. "Thank you so much, Miss Sparkle. You have been most helpful." He opened the book to the table of contents and began to scan them for anything he could learn. It may have been a cover for their arrival, but he still loved to read and learn. It was for the better, really, since if he actually did what they said they were here for, they would be less suspicious.
Grey Mane nodded at Spike. "Ok. But dont try anything! What is going on? Tell me everything important!" She leaned in, her eyes glared at Spike just in case of an attack.
Spike edged away slightly from Grey Mane. "E-everything's important!" he whispered. "Twilight's gone completely crackers and it's all because of that book! I don't know what's in it, but when Mr. Virulento told her she couldn't have it, she got really angry and stole it from him! She's been up the past few days doing nothing but reading it. She hasn't slept, she hasn't ate...[size=-3]hasn't bathed[/size]...nothing!" "Now, I'm all for letting Twilight be Twilight, bein' all bookish and stuff, but the day after she got the book, she went to the root cellar and started doin' stuff. She told me not to come down, so I didn't. When she came back up, she asked me to get all of her friends together and invite them for a party and said that she had something 'really cool' to show them all..." The baby dragon began tearing up at this point. "When everypony came over, Twilight told me to stay upstairs again." He slammed his fist on the floor. "I should've went down! I could've done something." ----- Spoiler: Roll Perception-Listening for Twilight (Hidden) Result = Detection Twilight's ear flicked at a slight bump coming from upstairs. ----- "I heard shouting from downstairs," Spike continued, nearly sobbing. "But the door was locked from the other side...with magic... I couldn't do anything..." "Then, nothing. No noise, no shouting. I thought something terrible had happened, but I couldn't get downstairs to see if everything was alright because Twilight's spell was still on the door. After a day, she...she came back up with five dolls that looked like her friends... I asked her what happened, and she didn't even respond. She just asked me to write a letter to the Princess apologizing for writing some weird note before." "Something's really wrong... What if Rarity and the others are trapped down there...?" ----- "Did anypony else hear that wierd bump? I hope Grey Mane didn't fall in. Teehee!" Twilight turned and made her way to the staircase. "Is eveything alright up there? Spike? Grey Mane?"
Grey Mane looked at the Dragon. She wispered in his ear. "Meet me outside SugarCube Corner tommorrow night, alone. I will discuss further with you there..." She went downstairs and smiled at Twilight. "Its fine, miss Twilight. I just bumped into a wall. I am going to leave now. Thank you for your hospitality though." She looked at the others wondering if they will do the same. This is not good sounding. For a start, how did she learn my name?! Then... Dolls of her friends... She tapped her chin outside trying to piece it together.
Silver became extremely nervous as Twilight went up to check on Grey Mane and Spike; he was positive that Spike, if he was legitimately on their side, was filling Grey in. He was about to ask Twilight if she had any books on Lethifolds, in order to distract her, when Grey came out. "It's fine, Miss Twilight. I just bumped into a wall. I am going to leave now. Thank you for your hospitality though." Gee, that was inconspicuous. Well that did it. Silver waited nervously to see what Twilight's reaction to Grey's statement of her planned exodus would be.
Turning back towards Grey Mane as she spoke, Mystic Heart grimaced lightly. "Leaving already?" She raised a brow, and quickly attempted to interject on Twilight. "Well, at least she's okay. I was actually hoping to see a copy of Mystical Artifacts of Equestrian Lore. It's not a very common book, but I do enjoy a good read between... duties."
Twilight was about to say something, but quickly got sidetracked by Mystic Heart's mention of one of her favorite books: "Mystical Artifacts of Equestrian Lore." "Ooh! I have that book. Just wait here for one second!" She quickly dashed off to another corner of the library and retrieved the volume. As she brought it before Mystic, she chirped. "I'm so glad you mentioned this! I was going to put in a request to update this book to include another entry! I was recently reading another book that I found that mentioned something called Aspect Stones! They're pretty wonderful things! Did you know that you have an Aspect stone right now? Yup! It's created when you get your Cutie Mark!" "Is that really so hard to believe?" she asks. "It's not your Cutie Mark that's magic, it's the Aspect Stone that gives you your talent!" She taps Mystic Heart's back, on her spine just in front of her tail and above her Cutie Mark. "It's right here! It forms just above the coccyx. Get your mind out of the gutter, guys, it's just your tailbone..." "Do you want to know something really interesting?" She motions you all closer and begins speaking softly. "When a pony is killed, violently, you can actually harvest their Aspect Stone and use it for yourself!" She titters. "Can you imagine it? It'd be like having Cutie Pox without the compulsion to actually use 'your' talents!"
Her eyes popped open as she felt Twilight's hoof tap her spine, and her ears perked up as she listened closely. Well, if ever there was a line which would send up a red flag, she just heard a pair of them. Mystic Heart levitated the book gently into her pouch and contemplated. "Well, I can see why it wasn't mentioned in the book. Information like that might turn a greedy somepony violent. Doesn't sound like something that experimenting on it would be legal anyway." She chuckled lightly, and smiled. "Well, thank you so much. I'll be sure to return the book in the same condition. I'd better go check and see what my associate was planning on doing next."
Bravo, Mystic Heart! There's something to work with! thought Silver. It was now fairly clear to him what exactly was wrong with Twilight. He had been hoping it would be something milder. Like schizophrenia. Or psychosis. Oh well. They had a job to do, and that was to get their hooves on that book. Perhaps Twilight's condition could be used to their advantage. Silver lifted up the rest of the books on magical creatures; he was looking forward to reading them. After all, the information could come in handy later. Granted, it wasn't likely, but he would take what excuses he could get to be able to read books. "Thank you so much for your time, Miss Sparkle. I might even share these books with my fellow students," he said, and chuckled, winking at her. "Now, if you will excuse me, I have some books to read." He nodded to the large stack of textbooks. "It was a pleasure meeting you, Miss Sparkle. Perhaps we shall meet again sometime soon." He smiled, a genuine smile, though he couldn't tell if it was from his happiness at the prospect of all that reading, or whether it was from sympathy for her, and how she had fallen so far from her original status of innocence.
Outwardly, Follia was quiet and reserved as he got up and followed Silver and Mystic out of the Library. Inwardly, he was elated to be be able to get out and away from Twilight. He nods to her as he leaves: "Ms Sparkle." As soon as the door closes and enough distance is placed between them and the Library, Follia releases the pent up rant he's been bottling up. "That can't possibly be true!" He said, raising a hoof. "In all my years of study, I have never come across such a thing as an 'Aspect Stone'. The mare is crazy or making it up. Such a thing does not exist. I would have found such a thing by now, surely! Sparkle is either making it up or completely off her rocker. Maybe even possessed; the possibilities are endless for that pony's condition." Follia takes deep breaths. "This still doesn't explain exactly what happened from one note to another. Whether this was a sudden snap in her brain or a powerful controlling force. I'm out of my field here. What are you studying?"
Toxic Rain had traveled long, yet she was cushioned atop a steely grey cloud, soaring above Ponyville. The ebony pegasus was one of the youngest professors of Misakitonic University, yet also one of the most promising. She was engaging to the students because of her quirky nature and strange lessons, yet her subject was that of a.. mysterious nature. Many of the theories that her science revolved around were vague and young, and she was one of the scientists carving out a pathway of knowledge concerning it. She studied alchemy, and with the help of her friend, Moon Sea (professor of Magical History,) had stumbled upon ancient stories and tales of a book. The tome was written by a mage from thousands of years before, who walked beside Discord in the Age of Chaos. They had mastered the chemical substance of magic, and spoke of a gem that every foal is born with that holds their very soul-power. She sighed wistfully at the dreams that bounced in her head, but then again, it was the odd research she did on her free time that had lead her to join the other ponies in aiding Twilight Sparkle. Flipping her bright green hair over her shoulder, she lowered the cloud to the ground, and it dissipated into molecules as she stepped off from it. She stood in the center of Ponyville, awkwardly glancing about with her large emerald eyes. She spots her fellow teacher, Folia, and trots to meet up with the group of ponies.
Twilight seems friendly enough as the party leaves the library (rather in a hurry) and doesn't even try to bar anypony's way. Just before the door closes, Twilight says something to the dolls. Spoiler: Roll Perception-Listening Follia - 66 + 6 = 72 Mystic Heart - 52 + 6 = 58 Silver Shield - 73 + 8 = 81 Grey Mane - 98 + 8 = 106 Toxic Rain - Out of earshot at the moment Result - Success The ponies immediately outside the library can clearly hear Twilight say, "They seemed nice, didn't they, Fluttershy? Yes, they did. Spike was so rude not letting them in. You should scold him, Rarity..." Then the door closes. The two ponies the party spied when they first arrived pass by Toxic Rain. The one says to the other, "Oh look, dear. Another Outsider." The other replies, "I know, right? This place is gettin' pretty popular lately." They both giggle as they trot past.
Silver spoke to Follia. "I know nothing more about this than you do. I've never heard of this "aspect stone" before. But, it doesn't matter if it exists or not. Twilight obviously believes that they do, and she obviously is willing to do horrible things in order to attain them. Thus, we have to stop her before she does these things." Silver paused in his speech, though he continued walking to SugarCube corner. Then he spoke up again. "Was anypony here reminded of Voodoo dolls when they saw what was sitting on those chairs?"
Mystic Heart sighed gently and looked over at the ranting professor. "Would we know about it? Something which naturally dies off without us... if it's a magic within us, who's to say it would leave an imprint if not..." she wretched slightly, "harvested." She shook her head. "Maybe we can talk this over somewhere else. Where are we going to be staying?"
"I'll let you guys choose where we stay. I have a house not too far from here where I used to live or we could find somewhere else. You choose." She looked towards the others. "Something here is completley off. I am going to SugarCube Corner as I know for a fact that a friend of Twilight known as 'Pinkie Pie' worked there." She sighed. Talking was not a strong point. "I am going to ask her Employers if they know anything. Anyone want to come?"
