Ultra was licking the last remnants of sweetness from her hooves as she noticed what Facia was doing. She enthusiastically bounded over, placing her sticky hooves in the ruts, and pushed with her fellow filly.
Spoiler: Group One As Emerald follows in behind Pick Pear, she sees the short-horned unicorn concentrate hard until she sets off a white spell which connects to an orb that's hanging from the ceiling. In mere seconds, the hallway is lit up by a glowing light coming from a crystaline unicorn's light orb. The hallways is in a T-section, and on the center floor, there are words carved in stone. ONLY THOSE WORTHY MAY CONTINUE COMPLETE MY TESTS BEFORE MOVING ONPickpear bobs her head to the left hallway. "Th... that's the room with the singing crystals." Then she bobs her head to the right. "O-over that way is some kind of s... speed test... I think." Then she looks onward with worry. "Then the... color patterns." Spoiler: Group Two Through the trees and over-growth the second group goes. Firebolt leads the way as the clouds thicken over-head. "I don't remember anything about a storm..." she comments, as the sky answers back with a flash of lightning, and another crackling boom of thunder. As the group sees the cavern before them, just across the clearing, the rain begins to fall. Firebolt, not wanting to be wet, shouts; "Come on!" As the group comes upon the cavern, they notice this one is considderably shorter. It's just a short cove. A used firepit rests in the center, indicating that it's been a suitable resting place before. Spoiler: Group Four The wheel turns a little, but becomes far too much for just the two mares to turn it. It becomes such that they can't help but let go, and the wheel returns to its previous rotation, making a loud thumping sound as it resets.
Spoiler: Perfect Melody Perfect Melody smiled at what she heard. "Did you say singing Crystals? I am intrigued and interested." Spoiler: Grey Mane Grey Mane shook her head. "I'll help... I am sure it is what we need so come on. Lets do this." She grabs the wheel and attempts to push, trying to use her magic to aid.
Emerald's head turned to the left, then the right, then the left again. "I'm also interested by these singing crystals." Then she turned her head to the right. "But the speed test..." As she remined hovering, she examined her wings. Back in Cloudsdale as a filly, she only managed 7 Wingpower in her tests. She sighed. "Speed isn't really my thing. Let's check out the singing crystals."
Group Four Facia saw what Grey Mane was doing. "...Oh yeah! Magic! Good idea, Grey!" she said, pointing her horn at the wheel and attempting to turn it via telekinesis. Group Two Silver, arriving far behind the others, plopped down on the hard stone with a wet splat and promptly fell asleep.
Throw sighed and examined the area. "You three should get some rest," He said, "I'll stay awake and keep watch for now. Who wants second shift?"
Group One Pickpear nodded gently to the others, then hung her head low, watching to either side as she timidly lead the others through a white archway. The room they entered had row of seven white crystals that hung from chains in the ceiling, each at a different height, the lowest being on the left, and the highest on the right. Five smaller grey crystals hung above those crystals in a separation of two and three. As Pickpear crept into the room she whispered; "Let me show you what I found out. It reacts to sound." She cleared her throat, and she sang her own name. Not greatly on-tune, but as she sounded out the two syllables, two of the crystals lit up in succession. First the third one lit up and resounded a perfect C, and then the note below it sounded out for a beautiful B. Group Two Firebolt grumbles and stretches. "I'm still sore from flying out here recently... but you boys got more of that gas than I did, so I guess I'll take second." Group Four With all unicorns combined, the mechanics inside of the door can't stand up, and after a few loud thumps, the wheel literally breaks off. The group, lucky to not have to worry about toes, falls into a pile on top of one another from the sudden breakage. The massive doors before the mares groans as its doors slowly open inwards, revealing a large chamber. The first thing notiable are the skeletal remains near the opened doors, at least five corpses just within the range of the light spell.
Spoiler: Perfect Melody Melody looked at the stones. There was something she noticed but she couldn't put her finger on it. "Emerald could you try sing your name please? I would like to see what happens..." Spoiler: Grey Mane Even Grey couldn't stand the sights of the corpses. "Gah!" She began to scream, then silenced herself. She, admittidly, was scared.
Emerald glanced at Melody. "Uh, sure." "Emerald Whirl..." While the sound was pretty, it was hardly Equestrian Idol material. She landed by Melody and watched the crystals expectantly, not entierly sure what would happen.
Group One The three syllable melody of Emerald Whirl's singing of her name is responded to in the same octive and notes, but the music that the magically lighting crystals produce are much more... on key.
Group Four: "EEEEEEEEEEKK!!" shrieked Facia, leaping backwards away from the door. "Dead ponies! Dead ponies, deadponiesdeadponiesdead...dead..." She covered her mouth with a hoof, not feeling too well.
Group One Abruptly, and oddly the crystals set off a note or two to Emerald's normal voice while she's speaking. One of the white crystals resounds, and one of the higher up, smaller grey ones sounds after it... a flat D.
(I did not want to assume that everypony was down for the night, with first and second shift settled I was just waiting on our last pony to see if there was any input. Please, for future purposes, use the OOC thread for prodding. Though if everypony is to be assumably settled I can make your shift luck check...)
Perfect Melody sung her name in the tone she used for her song Tales of Equestrian Lore "Perfect Melody!"
Group One Exactly as written in the song, the notes flow vibrantly from Melody, and all five of the syllables activate the notes, as they hum out in tune! The room fills with the resounding chord, and soon, she can hear Pickpear clapping lightly. She speaks quietly, not wanting to speak loud enough for the crystals to pick it up. "What a... beautiful voice." In moments, a grumbling was heard in the stone of the wall at the edge of the room. A block rotated, tuning on its horizontal axis to reveal a long line of black dots, and strange words that were written at the bottom of each dot. Ma-ra sek Ye-sail go To Ma-ro ist Shiv Pickpear immediately went to investigate and looked very confused. "This is new..."
Perfect Melody looked at the various words which only a few seemed familiar. "I only recognise two of these words. go and To... What could it mean? Ma-Ra sek Ye-sail go To Ma-ro ist Shiv?" She looked to Pickpear. "Can you write this down?" She smiled at her compliment from before still.
Group One Spoiler: Perception Check Perfect Melody: 86 Total Upon closer inspection, Melody also notices that the dots are at varying heights, and there is a small, nearly worn-away series of grooves crossing from one side from another. It reminds her of sheet music. While melody was speaking, a few of the words were picked up in notes, but nothing special. Pickpear nods gently as she levitates out a quill and parchment, and diligently goes about copying the words down. "Good idea."
