She shakes her head and replies; "I don't think that was it. The magnitude of strange events though is troubling. So where is this zebra, that I may keep my distance?"
Toxic Rain squirmed beneath her iron-willed stare. "I'm just a teacher, ma'am! I was sent by the university to use my knowledge about some book to help out Twilight Sparkle!" She spoke desperately, wishing for the ponies to just leave her alone. A large, crystalline tear dropped from one of her emerald eyes. She summoned a steely grey cloud to form around her, and she flapped her wings gently to lift her a few yards into the sky. At least from here the ponies couldn't hurt her.
Mystic Heart and Silver Shield The leader glares at Silver Shield, then jerks his head toward you. Well, actually past you. "He's on the edge of town. He says he ain't leaving until he gets his book back. He's behind the disappearances, I know it, but Mayor Mare isn't letting us go near him. For safety reasons, she says. Pheh!" he spits at the ground. "So what if we can't prove? His wagon is big enough to hold five or six ponies, especially if they're chopped into tiny pieces..." The pegasus makes a disgusted face. "Rainbow Dash wouldn't let that happen..." The unicorn pipes up, "Maybe not...under normal circumstances... Maybe he put a spell on her. Zebras can do that, you know..." ----- Grey Mane Grey Mane remains pretty well-hidden nearby. A pair of ponies walk by her, and they don't even notice. One of them mentions to the other, "I wonder who's been feeding the animals at Fluttershy's place?" The other responds, "I think Ditzy Doo has been doing it. I don't know how, though. She keeps giving them muffins. Do animals eat muffins?" ----- Toxic Rain and Follia (Willpower) The mention that Toxic Rain is a teacher seems to strike something in the young mare. She blinks a couple of times and replies. "We can be reasonable. I'm a teacher, too. Are you certain you didn't see Applejack when you were with Twilight Sparkle? She's orange with a long, blonde mane. She...uh, wears a hat." The stallion nods. "Eeyup." The teacher continues, "Look, if she's also helping Twilight Sparkle with this book you mentioned, just say so. We just to know if she's okay."
Five or Six? I thought it was only Twilight's friends, the Elements of Harmony... Silver nodded. "Well..." He paused. Should they tell them the truth? At first he'd been worried that they were under the influence of some sort of spell cast by Twilight, but it seemed they were just worried about the recent disappearances, and were becoming borderline violent xenophobes as a result. He took Heart aside and briefly whispered, "Should we tell them the truth?" while they seemed to be busy paying attention each other.
Toxic cocked her head to the side curiously. "Um, I've just arrived, and I haven't even met Ms. Twilight and her friends yet. I think Dr. Folia here has just come from her house, though," she said quietly, floating lower to glance at her silent companion. The goat seemed to be nodding off, a strand of drool stringing from his mouth. "Erm.. Anyways, though, have you by chance seen any strange caravans nearby? With a salespony, a book collector perhaps?"
Mystic Heart waves a hoof gently. "At the risk of sounding like I'm taking the situation too lightly; perhaps they were called away by Celestia for something. I mean, they're pretty important people - what with their pictures in the main hall and all. Maybe Twilight's just sulking because she wasn't invited." Her hair-brained made up plausability that wasn't true was about all she could give them before ending with, "Though, about that book... I have to wonder. Have any of you seen it?" In the back of her head she couldn't help but think: Silly ponies. Zebras don't cast magic, unicorns do!
Mystic Heart and Silver Shield (Willpower) The unicorn shook his head. "I doubt it. Whenever anypony, and I mean anypony leaves by order of the Princess, they get a big send-off. They wouldn't just sneak away. That zebra's kidnapped 'em! I know it!" The non-leader earth pony added, "He made them into a stew! And gobbled them whole!" In a panic, he turns and runs away as the others simply stand there and watch. The pegasus quips, "Well...his name is Yellow Belly..." She then steps forward. "I saw the book when the zebra was in town. It was pretty creepy. It looked like it was made of skin. It gave me the heebie-jeebies." The leader pushes the pegasus with his hoof. "You didn't tell me you went to the zebra's wagon! You could've ended up missing!" "Well, I didn't. Chill." As the leader turns away, kicking the ground, the pegasus continues, "The wagon was in town for a couple of days... You know...now that I think about it, Twilight Sparkle went in there, like, a ton of times. She probably spent a whole week's pay just looking at his stuff." She ducks low and whispers, "Do you think she has something to do with the missing ponies? Like, she's in league with the zebra?"
Tapping her hoof to her chin lightly she tilts her head. "You know Licorice, you may be on to something." She pauses for a moment and smiles as she puts her hoof to her chest. "Mistbell, by the way. Someponies call me Mystic Heart, but that's a sort of childhood thing." Then she gets her serious face back on. "Now, you say about a whole week's pay just looking at things? So where did the book go, I wonder? If that's what she was looking at. Bound in skin, ugh... disgusting." She turned to Silver and smiled. "You know honey, I'm feeling rather adventurous and dangerous. Why don't we check out that Zebra's cart and see for ourselves? A life without danger is a life spent in boredom, after all!" She chirped and winked lightly at him.
Grey Mane smiled at her team-mate mentioning adventure. Sounds like fun. It would also be fun to see some odd gear, most of which she would probably be able to name.
Silver took this comment as a "No, don't blow our cover" from Heart. "Sounds exciting, my dear!" said Silver steadily, catching on. "We shall set off at once! Just imagine how this will sound in my biography!" He sounded very excited, and he wasn't pretending either. He couldn't wait to meet this mysterious figure! He turned to the unicorn. "I'm Steadfast Bulwark, by the way. Nice to meet you, mister...uh...what was your name again?" Without waiting for an answer, he continued. "Did you say he was in that direction?" asked Silver, pointing in the exact opposite direction of the one the Unicorn had pointed.
Mystic Heart and Silver Shield The unicorn responded, “Name’s Tip Top. And, uh, he was that way…” He pointed in the direction leading out of town. “It’s like he’s waiting for something…” “Alright, alright, Tip. Licorice. I think you’ve given enough information to these outsiders…” The lead pony stamped his hoof into the ground. “We should go find Yellow Belly before he gets the whole town in a panic.” He and Tip Top left soon after. Licorice turned as she left. “Be careful, alright? There’s no tellin’ what that zebra’s capable of.” Spoiler: Results of Encounter Victory 4 ponies at 25XP each = 100 XP / 3 (Mystic Heart, Silver Shield, and Grey Mane) Normally, ponies who don’t participate in an encounter wouldn’t receive any experience, but due to the nature of forum games, I’m going to let that slide. The same with Follia and Toxic’s encounter, when it finishes. 4 Enemies * 25XP = 100XP / 3 Players = 33 XP each. Friendship is Magic Bonus (Settling the encounter peacefully) = +17 XP added 33 + 17 = 50 XP Grey Mane, Mystic Heart, and Silver Shield are halfway to next level. Huzzah!
As the ponies leave them she turns in the direction of the cart and sighs gently. "Hoo... okay dear, I think we're at least making friends. Licorice didn't seem too mean, at least. Anyway, let's find the cart. I have a feeling we may see our friends around here on the way. If not, we can catch them later."
Grey Mane snuck out of the Shadows. "That provided some more information and our next step. Also I went to SugarCube Corner and talked to a friend of Twilight's Employers. They are confused on the matter and say that Twilight had a party planned which she would enjoy..." Her face nor voice showed no emotion as she spoke. "I have a few Theories but to be saffe we must gather more evidence."
Silver jumped in surprise, bumping into Heart as he did so. "Holy hay, Grey Mane! Aren't you supposed to reserve the sneaking for our enemies?!" He then realized that he had accidentally shoved Heart. "Oh, uh...oops. Sorry." He blushed. "Anyways," he continued, "Are we gonna get this show on the road?" He paused, and said, "Well, actually we're already on the road, but I was using a figure of speech, and now I'm just over explaining. Shall we go?" He said all of this very quickly, rambling at his mind's discretion.
"Yes!" Follia said and nodding in agreement. "We're looking specifically for a Zebra. One came through here a little while ago. He's likely to have set up a stall or something and trying to sell of all kinda of magical doodads, whatits and thingies. Especially the really dangerous thingies!" Follia stands on his hind legs, waving his hooves in the air. "Anything could happen with a wayward thingie!" He drops back down to continue: "Dragon Eggs or Fire-breathing Moths or Cobra's that spit bees! Dangerous thingies! It's imperative we find this Zebra!"
Spoiler: Roll Luck for Grey Mane, Mystic Heart, and Silver Shield 97 The unicorn's directions are true, as the group spies a large wagon a good distance away from them. They also spy their professors being accosted by a pair of ponies. Ms. Rain is levitated on a cloud a short distance above and visibly frightened. Follia is waving his forehooves in the air, and generally being Follia. The mare and stallion don't seem to notice the students' approach.
Toxic Rain nodded along to Folia's lists, shrinking further and further into her cloud at each monstrous artifact he named. "Y-yes, he's right!" She said vehemently, dropping gently from her cloud to stand beside her fellow professor. Her ears still flattened against her head, but she tried to smile at the two ponies. "It would be of utmost importance to find him," she added.
Well... she pondered... they're the professors, so they can handle it... but maybe I should check. Taking a slight detour, she trotted over to the commotion. "Ah, glad I found you! We were on our way to check out the visiting zebra wares. Did you make some friends?"
Silver followed as well, but instead introduced himself to the two ponies that the Professors were speaking to. "Hello there, it's a pleasure to meet you! My name is...er...Silver Shield!" He looked around, checking for the ponies they had talked to earlier, and attempting to make the action appear casual. "I'm one of the students at the University where these two good professors work. What are your names?"
