Affairs of Darkness 2: Twilight Tales

Chance gives Altara a look at her slip up and then turns to Flitter and says with a jovial grin, "Look at it this way, while we walk you can tell us all sorts of embarrassing things about your sister she'd normally interrupt."

Altara's eyes linger behind as she turns to follow the dragon, languishing briefly about not hearing one sister's secrets, before realizing that A), it was likely a joke and B), if it wasn't a joke, the sister traveling with her might be equally willing to infringe. She smiles wryly at Cloud Chaser as they walk, and as they near the edge of what she thinks is Flitters' earshot, Altara jokingly asks, "So, Flitter have any ruffled feathers you'd like to share?"

Meta:

I nod along with Chance's suggestion and Flitter's volunteering, and answer Altara before she leaves. "Very well. I will take you to see her as soon as you return from the inn." I turn to the other two and begin heading off towards the school head's office. "Miss Flitter and Miss Chance, this way please."

OOC:

Flitter considers Chance's statement before giving her sister a meaningful smirk. Cloud Chaser's only response is to stick her tongue out at her sister with a grin as she leaves with Tindalos and Altara.

The rest follow Soft as the pegasus leads them into the left building of the diamond campus. As she guides the group with an ease that can only come from familiarity. You notice almost immediately that sound doesn't seem to travel quite like it should, the sound of dozens of hooves clopping around on hard floors reduced to only a faint murmur instead of a near deafening roar. You hear no sound at all coming from upstairs even though you can clearly see ponies going up and down the stairs as you head towards them. The rooms however don’t seem to have the same effect beyond the natural properties of the walls and doors as you hear a number of different muffled lectures or instructions as you pass.

Most of the serving staff, set apart by their uniforms, you pass give Soft a friendly smile or greeting as the pass, though they all seem to be fairly busy as they bustle along without otherwise stopping. It doesn't take you long to distinguish between students and teachers: the instructors tending to be on the older side and clad in silken cobalt cloaks with a golden star brooch while the students tend to wear simple mantles with more mundane clasps in the same shape. The instructors tend to barely notice Chance or Flitter, glancing over them the instant they notice Shimmers and her uniform with at best a polite nod and smile or at worst a disdainful sniff. The students on the other hoof mostly seem to stare at the two of you as you pass, with looks of bewilderment, curiosity, or various kinds of appraisal while barely noticing Shimmers. All of it coming together to make you feel like an oddity in their eyes.

Throughout the walk Flitter seems awkward, as if she wants to say something but is changing her mind at the last moment. As the three of you start up a stairwell, perhaps pushed by the awkward stares she finally seems to work herself up enough to speak.

”So! ...um...that uh...That outfit of yours is pretty interesting! Is it some kind of...traditional...witchy...witch thing? hehe…”

She laughs awkwardly before groaning.

”ah...sorry...Is it always like this here? This place is making me feel claustrophobic…!”

Her wings ruffling in agitation as she scowls at yet another student starring, who quickly scampers off. Beating her wings as she walks for a moment she turns her attention back to Chance.

”But seriously, what’s it like? Being a witch I mean? I’ve only ever heard stories and… well they aren't very flattering.”

As you exit the stairwell to the top floor you find yourself in a wide open room shaped somewhat like a horseshoe with large ornate doors running along it in mostly even intervals. In the center of a room is a round desk where a unicorn mare with a grey coat and dark green mane sits, a basket of muffins on the desk beside her with a small sign tied to it by a ribbon reading “help yourselves. She adjusts a pair of glasses on her muzzle as she intently looms over a roll of parchment before her..

---

-elsewhere-

”Ruffled feathers huh?

Cloud Chaser muses for a moment as she makes a big production of thinking as she flies along a few inches off the ground..

”Well not too much I’d feel comfortable talking about behind her back, but aside from the fact she can’t hold her drink AT. ALL. Well...We mentioned Rumble before right, the colt we’re looking for? Well he has a big brother who’s part of the Baron’s guard, Thunderlane. She’s got it bad for the guy, stallion’s dense as granite though. It’s honestly pretty funny seeing some of the lengths she’ll go to to try and get his attention. Probably doesn't help she gets all her ideas from those books of hers. Whatcha call them, saddle rippers?”

She hums to herself for a moment, tapping her chin with a hoof.

”You said fear has a taste right? What’s it all taste like? Ya know, love, fear, anger?”

As the two chat, the group proceeds on to the tavern. After asking a few passers by for directions to Sunny Skies’ you finally come across one able to give you directions. A quick trip through a standing teleport circle station deposits you near the the north gate exit of the city. Turning and heading back inwards, making a few turns to a smaller avenue. Within about half an hour of walking, the directions find you in front of a rather plain looking two story structure made of wood and stone, written in broad letters over the archway is “The Rising Sun”. Hanging before the entrance is a simple sign with a stylized sun rising over the horizon, to the side of the entrance is a simple worn wooden sign with a number of declarations, announcements, and wanted posters nailed into it. The doors stand open and the sounds of merry-making can be heard from inside. From the door you can see a rather well lit and clean looking establishment. Numerous long tables line the first floor and you can see ponies in aprons trotting or flitting along the rows depositing food or drink.

Chance laughs and says, "I guess I'll answer those questions in order. Hmmm. The outfit is.... not a straightforward answer I guess. I guess some witches do have the old black hat and such thing going on, but not really very many. Lots of witches are.... how to say this nicely.... I give up. They're mostly just too oddball to conform to a tradition like that. Especially one that's so old fashioned and recognizable. My outfit, well I guess I'm an oddball too. For a deer anyway. Most of us aren't all that big on clothes and those that are go for a more traditional nature themes style. I like that too and have an outfit like that too, I'll show you later I'm sure. But! I like a bunch of other styles too. I just think clothes are a lot of fun, even if I don't need them. Er sorry, went off track there a bit huh? So this outfit. I wanted a nice sort of formal witch outfit for witch occasions and other "look at me, I'm a magicky magic person" stuff. Like right now. And I thought about it and thought it would be great to take that old traditional style and work with that as a base but make it mine. And look nicer and not like I'm trying to hide anything, and be standing out saying 'Look at me. This is what I am. This outfit looks amazing, like I am.' "

Chance paused for a moment so her companions could adsorb that before replying to the other question. She takes a more serious tone for this one. "That's a pretty tough question. We're usually all pretty different from each other so there's going to be at least one answer per witch. At first it was all scary and exciting. And for a while it was mostly just really frustrating and hard and work. And sometimes it's just totally eye opening and mind-blowing. Now that I'm done with my training it's.... well it's back to being scary and exciting, in different ways of course, but also empowering. And some days it just feels totally nothing to say or think about it normal until suddenly it's super crazy weird again. I guess if I wasn't a deer or someone else from a people who don't see it as something bad or scary, like ponies tend to, it might be harder on me. I'd say I can't imagine how much it'd be scary and just hurt to have brought up to think things like that and just feel inside like there was something wrong with who I was. But I can imagine that because I've seen witches like that. And it just makes me so sad and sometimes really angry and of course a bit proud to be a deer and know my people don't make someone special hurt and risk wind up making them into the thing they're lashing out in fear of." She pauses there for a moment and then in a more light hearted way says, "But right now it's just really funny and kind of a bit flattering cuz I can only imagine what's going through the heads of all these gawkers, except the ones whose minds I can almost read and are at least half just feeling a bit awkward discovering an interest in deer they didn't know they had. Hah!" she finishes with a short laugh.

When they reach the room at the top floor Chance takes very little time to decide to pop a muffin into her mouth as she waits for Shimmer to do whatever Shimmer is going to do now.

Lead In:

The changeling stifles a chuckle at the comment about Flitter and alcohol, and listens with interest about her attempts with the guard.

"My goodness, she must be quite stricken for him!" She gives Cloud Chaser a sly smile, before asking quietly, "Would it be bad if I said I wanted to see how she attempts that?"

Altara thinks for a moment when questioned about emotions, before saying, "Well....it is, somewhat difficult to put into words, and as might be expected why the emotion was felt has an impact on how it is...received. Personally, I have only had Fear once, and I rapidly become nauseated. It is...," she wrinkles her nose and shakes her snout slightly, "Unpleasant. I have never ingested milk which has gone bad, but I imagine it is a similar sensation. Love...well, I haven't truly had it since I was a hatchling, but when collecting you can't help but to get a taste every now and then. It is...," she smiles slightly and lets out a sigh, "It is wonderful. I envy my kin, who have bonded so much with another that they may spend all of their time in its presence." She gives another contented sigh, before continuing, "Anger, on the other hoof...well, the feeling varies. Sometimes it's like an...ashy, smouldering feeling, and other times you feel like you need to spit it out from the heat of it. To return a question, you mentioned the Baron? Might I inquire as to which one?"

She thinks for a moment, before cautiously suggesting,

"And...about the guard...if you think your sister would be open to it, one of my kin is quite experienced in assisting ponies to work through uh..."

She flutters her wings and floats off the ground for a few steps as she waves a hoof in the air in thought, searching for the word, before landing and continuing to walk.

"...social issues they might be having."

I listen to a fair amount of the deer's explanation, but keep my attention on the Academy ponies, giving polite nods to the professors, regardless of their reactions to my presence. Upon reaching the desk, I give a quick curtsy and address the pony behind the desk. "Good day Professor Keystone, I trust your recent studies have been fruitful? If you would, please inform the Headmaster that he has visitors that must speak with him on an urgent matter."

Persuasion:

Dr Blight wrote:As the two chat, the group proceeds on to the tavern. After asking a few passers by for directions to Sunny Skies’ you finally come across one able to give you directions. A quick trip through a standing teleport circle station deposits you near the the north gate exit of the city. Turning and heading back inwards, making a few turns to a smaller avenue. Within about half an hour of walking, the directions find you in front of a rather plain looking two story structure made of wood and stone, written in broad letters over the archway is “The Rising Sun”. Hanging before the entrance is a simple sign with a stylized sun rising over the horizon, to the side of the entrance is a simple worn wooden sign with a number of declarations, announcements, and wanted posters nailed into it. The doors stand open and the sounds of merry-making can be heard from inside. From the door you can see a rather well lit and clean looking establishment. Numerous long tables line the first floor and you can see ponies in aprons trotting or flitting along the rows depositing food or drink.

Before entering, Tindalos scans the notes on the wooden sign for anything interesting...

-At the School-

Flitter listens attentively as you speak, curiosity easily visible in her eyes. She laughs, a little quietly but honestly at the last comment. She seems like she’s going to ask something more but bites it back when Shimmers starts speaking to the unicorn, seemingly just noticing they’ve arrived.

“Oh my, yes! Thank you for asking! I think I might be on the cusp of developing a whole new type of golem! hmm … oh, I’m sorry. Soft ...something right? It’s on the tip of my tongue.”

She leans over slightly in her seat to look past Shimmers at the rest of you, blinking once and humming slightly before nodding.

“Am I correct in assuming it’s these two with you? Very well, one moment.”

She says with a smile as her horn flares and she disappears in a flash of light, reappearing in front of the doors in the center of the room’s arch.

“Feel free to have a muffin.”

She calls back before opening the door with her magic and stepping inside, closing the door behind her.

“So I guess that means there’s no way to know if there really are witches like the stories or not?”

A few minutes pass before Professor Keystone returns through the doors and smiles stepping aside.

"The Headmaster will see you now."

---

-At the Tavern-

“Haha! Naw, it’s fine! Most of them are kinda funny, if cringe-worthy.”

Cloud Chaser chews on her cheek slightly as she tries to imagine what that tastes like before blinking.

“Oh! We hadn’t said? Huh. Greenwood, Baron Greenwood of Foggy Pines! He’s kinda...well...strange sometimes but he’s a really nice pony despite his quirks.

She taps a hoof to her chin as she hovers before shrugging.

“Well, that depends what you mean exactly. If you mean something like advice or helping set something up that’s probably fine. If you mean something like someone...dressing up… like her and just asking him out for her or whatever, I can’t say. One of her plans revolved around getting themselves locked in a storage room with a cart full of cabbages. Yeah, cabbages. The most romantic of all vegetables right? So on the one hoof she might be desperate enough for anything at this point, on the other hoof Hades if I can tell what she’s thinking anymore!”

The board out front is covered with a sign on one half advertising that the tavern is hiring, along with a half dozen notices left by the city guard and others.

In particular there’s 2 “missing pony” poster: one depicting a sketch of a unicorn mare with a very thickly curling mane and a trio of wrapped candies beside the profile showing her cutie mark, and another of a pegasus mare whose eyes seem to be off center and with a set of bubbles as her cutie mark.

There are also four wanted posters, one of a hippogriff with a black stripe of plumage over his eyes like a mask labeled as “Shrike the Butcher” and a whispy cloud marked as his cutie mark. He’s labeled as being known to attack mares out alone at night with claws or what’s suspected to be an array of knives and was last seen headed north. His bounty is currently at 10,500 bits, wanted Dead or Alive.

The other three are all collectively labeled as part of a group called “The Sunset Bandits” One is a pegasus stallion of unknown cutie mark with a strong jaw and very jagged and roughly stitched scar running over one eye which is depicted sewn shut. He’s known as Deadeye, and has a bounty of 3,500 bits.

One is an earth pony of unknown cutie mark whose face is almost completely covered by a mask but still has some of the gentler features of a mare visible, showing only sharp eyes, known only as Ace. The description lists her as the leader and has a bounty of 6,500 bits and is wanted ALIVE.

The last is a changeling mare known only as Shift. She appears mostly like a plain drone though her eyes appear more cat-like than the usual blank solid. She has a bounty of 5000 bits alive and 2500 bits dead.

All three note the Sunset Bandits are believed to number at least 2 dozen and it’s unknown where they base. They were last seen raiding the high roads and are known for attacking merchants and others travelers. They are not known for killing.

Chance gives Flitter this look that says "Really?" and then actually says, "No. Those stories are rubbish dear. Not that there haven't ever been 'bad' witches. They just aren't so cartoonishly evil and if any of those stories are based on something, it was probably based on someone getting what they deserved or the witch in question was totally bananas. Which can happen. But measuring a group of people by the same yardstick as crazy people who just happen to be part of that group is about as crazy as the crazies they're basing those assumptions off of."

Chance just finishes talking before Professor Keystone returns and grabs another muffin then goes through the door, not even waiting for Shimmer.

Appearance:

Altara chuckles incredulously at the potential cabbage plan, before shaking her head with a smile,

"No no, Shiver would never do anything such as that. Well, not unless Flitter asked her to, and he also agreed that it would be a good idea. No, they would most likely speak for a time, and Shiver might ask to take the form of the stallion and converse with her as such, and generally try to help her be able to...well, communicate normally with him."

She glances at the posters Tindalos has stopped to study, the changeling with cat-eyes catching her notice in particular. She leers, ever so slightly, and her eyes reflexively filter to a normal changeling's for a moment before returning to their cat-eyed state. She then turns away from the poster with a quiet 'hmph,' and moves into the tavern.

"Want a romantic vegetable?" mumbles Tindalos as he memories the important posters. "Potatoes." With that, Tindalos also moves into the tavern.

I nod thanks to Professor Keystone, and motion Flitter to follow Chance, before walking in behind them.

-Akasha office-

You enter the headmaster’s office finding it to be a fairly large room lined with bookshelves along the walls. The shelves are filled with various tomes, knickknacks, and scrolls that seem old but well cared for and meticulously ordered. A suit of armor stands on one side of the door you enter from while on the other are a small line of stone busts of various dignified looking ponies, mostly unicorns, all resting atop a long low shelf filled with various awards and plaques. You notice one space between two of the busts that clearly once held another figure, but is now empty.

The headmaster’s desk sits between two windows on the far wall which are the only current light source in the room, dust motes dancing through the air visible in the rays of sunlight filtering in. On one side of the desk is a telescope, pointed outwards, while on the other is what resembles a fire brazier with a large white gem floating idly in the middle. Above the desk itself is a large framed painted portrait depicting The Duchess herself sitting in a library with a young unicorn colt with a blue coat and golden mane who appears to be trying very hard to look properly dignified beside the regal calm of the alicorn towering over him. The painting is masterfully done but appears perfectly flat for a painting, oddly so.

Directly under the painting, sitting at a fine dark wood desk and framed by twin stacks of paperwork is the same colt as depicted above. Aged now to an elderly stallion, his original golden mane reduced to just a few small stripes of gold in a sea of silvery grey and his coat noticeably dulled, he regards you with a calm analytical eye as he shuffles the quill and inkpot he was using to the side.

“Greetings. Please come in. Now, my name is headmaster Bright Star, if I may have the pleasure of knowing who you are and how I might help you...?”

He asks with a monotone voice as, with a flare of gold from his horn, the door closes behind you with a quiet click.

---

-The Rising Sun-

“Something wrong?”

Asks Cloud Chaser as you enter into the tavern, finding it to be a quite active and bright establishment. There seems to be all types here, from travelers and adventurers to laborers and guardsmen enjoying a meal and drink with good company. You notice a number of ponies in aprons of all races flitting about taking orders, delivering meals, or simply cleaning tables. Off to the right you can see a small raised stage where a purple pegasus mare is playing a tune on a piano while a trio of minotaurs in full armor at a nearby table enthusiastically, if not skillfully, sing along, slamming their mugs in accompaniment. While no one else nearby is singing along, some of the nearer tables are stomping their hooves/fists in time with the mugs. Listening closely you can tell it to be a bawdy birthday song of some sort.

Above on the second floor is a walkway circling the room with a chandelier hanging through the large open space in the middle. There are a few private tables near the railing above but not nearly as many as below, most of the upstairs appears to be guest rooms from what you can see.

Back on the first floor, across the room is a set of swinging doors which you surmise to lead to the kitchen based on the comings and goings of the serving staff and the rather delicious smells coming from within. To the left of that is a stairwell leading up to the second floor, and to the right is a long counter in front of a vast array of wine racks and barrels. You notice the tables on the main floor are arranged in such a way as to leave a wide path to the counter from the door clear. Behind the counter stands what is easily one of the tallest mares you’ve ever seen, the leggy white and pink pegasus standing easily a head taller than most stallions at least and with a wingspan more commonly seen on griffons. She’s wearing an apron much like the other staff over a powder blue blouse, she wears a carefree smile as she casually cleans a mug. What you can see of her cutie mark appears to match the stylized sun depicted on the sign outside.

A pair of teenage pegasus fillies, one with a white coat and golden mane and the other a bat filly with a black coat and lavender mane, notice you come in and turn to greet you.

“Hello and welcome to The Rising Sun!!”

Greets the feathered one enthusiastically, practically vibrating in midair as she flutters up into the air slightly to be a bit closer to your eye level and smiles beatifically. The bat pony reaches up and pulls her back down to earth with a frown.

“Calm down sis!”

She hisses to her apparent sibling before turning a somewhat awkward smile towards you.

“Sorry about her, may we help you to a table or…”

She asks, sounding downright sullen compared to her counterpart.

"Table for four, please," Tindalos responds with a grin...

"Headmaster," I say, stepping forward with a curtsy, "This is Miss Chance and Miss Flitter. They have come on business and have a request." I step back, indicating that the either of the others should explain further.

Chance gives Shimmer an odd look, wondering why she didn't just say why they were here since she knew as well as they did, before saying, "Umm, yes. We're looking for Lady Moonglow who we believe might be able to help us in a certain, uhmm inquiry."

"Hm? Oh! No, it is unim...mmh," she thinks for a moment, before consenting with a sigh. "On the wanted posters on the board there was one which depicted one of my kin who seems to have turned rogue. It...saddens me that one might turn their back on their own kind. As uh...as they have by choosing a such a lifestyle."

Altara smiles at the two foals before looking over the scene of the tavern, sort of drinking in the scene before her eyes stop on Celestia the tall pegasus behind the bar.

After a moment she lets out a quiet 'whew,' and asks the fillies, "Would uh...would you two be so kind as to tell me if that is Ms Sunny Skies, behind the counter over there?," nodding in the direction of the tall mare.

-headmaster’s office-
“Lady Moonglow?”

The headmaster gives a long suffering sigh as he rubs the bridge of his muzzle with a hoof.

“What has she done now?”

---

-Tavern-
“hmm…… well, if it helps, maybe they had a good reason at one point?

Cloud Chaser responds awkwardly after a moment. The young bat filly nods.

“Table for four, right away.”

She says before looking you over and one of her ears flicks down slightly.

“If you’re waiting for someone, you could leave their name with us and we’ll send them to your table when they arrive!”

Both fillies look to Altara for a moment and then behind them at the counter before nodding.

“Yup! That’s Sunny! Do you know her?”

“If they did they’d have recognized her…”

Asks the feathered filly excitedly before being shot down, they’re both silent for a moment as the pegasus seems to process this while the bat filly thinks quietly.

“Ah-anyway. Follow me to your table. Light, stay here to greet anyone else that comes in. And speak slowly!....Don’t try to hug them either.”

“yeah yeah, I remember. You grump.”

The filly responds to her sibling, sticking out her tongue.

Altara:

Chance, not having to feign confusion, replies, "What? No uh it's a research... thing."

"Why would you think she did something wrong?"

The headmaster sighs, slumping in his seat slightly before regaining his composure.

"Lady Moonglow is very outspoken for a noble of her rank, additionally the subject of her research is largely uncharted territory which means her experiments are often unpredictable and volatile. Between these two factors it is distressingly not uncommon for groups of ponies to come here looking for her to file or investigate a complaint."

"oh. "

Says Flitter quietly as the headmaster adjusts his tie.

"Quite. She means well and is quite talented, but that hardly stops the frequency of complaints. If you're looking for her she should be wrapping up a lecture on basic mental defense techniques in one of the lecture halls below if she's keeping to schedule. Hallway 3 on the second floor, room 6 if I remember right. It'll be on your right. You should be able to find her there. Is that everything?"

"Heh. The fourth seats for Sunny Skies," chuckles Tindalos. "We were told she could help us with somethin'. So if you could ask her to come here that'd be ace."

"And what about if she's not keeping to schedule?" Chance asks with a slightly amused smile.

Altara nods slightly in response to Cloud, but doesn't seem particularly reassured.

She smiles, however, at the foals' banter, and takes a seat when they get to the table.
...if they're led to a table.