Midnight Park

Locales found within the main city centers; primarily Inside, Riverside, and Skyside.
Ironsmith
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Re: Midnight Park

Post by Ironsmith »

[Judgement]

...Oh!

Siana's heard this one before. Some of the terms are a bit different, but the pattern is unmistakable. A mortal, who gave her life in an act of pure heroism, being brought up into immortality and given a noble title.

Coco calls her a Princess. Siana would call her a Lady. It seems to be more or less the same thing, really.

If what Coco says is true, then Sunder is undoubtedly trustworthy. Circumstantial credibility aside, every Maesdan knows how incorruptible Lords and Ladies are... with one noteable exception.

Regardless.

Siana manages a small smile. "Then it seems I am in good hands... hooves?... after all." She says, continuing to hobble up the path.
Who're you? ...Don't matter.

Want some rye? Course ya do!

Here's to us!
Who's like us?
Damn few,
And they're aaaaall dead.

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Rebonack
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Re: Midnight Park

Post by Rebonack »

[Judgement]

Princess, Lady, Goddess, does it really matter what you call her? Honestly Sunder doesn't care a great deal.

But! Let's move on.

Our heroes move on to Hometree, making their way through the palace. And within the palace, they soon find themselves standing in the throne room where court takes place. Jaahlyn has been in here before. It's where she stood before Sunder before in the past. And she's played music in here for the equestrians when they've been enjoying more festive occasions. Not much music going on at the moment, but there is a fair bit of judgement. Most of the issues being brought before the Princess are relatively mild. Though a few are more fractious problems. A crisis of friendship or two.

The Princess herself, of course, is seated upon her throne overseeing the court, listening carefully to the problems her subjects bring before her. She's huge, compared to the little ponies. Easily twice their size. Her coat is a deep black of the night sky, flecked with stars. Her mane the color the sky as the earliest light of dawn, falling in long waves over the left side of her face. She combines the features of all five pony tribes; the heavy hooves of the earth ponies, the feathered wings of the cloud ponies, the great spiraling horn of the star ponies, the great ears of the dusk ponies, and the dragon-like tail of the crystal ponies. Around her neck rests a silver torc set with purple sapphires and a similar crown rests on her brow just above her horn. The Princess practically radiates a aura of grace and mercy.

Eventually it comes to the turn of our heroes. The Princess inclines her horn toward Jaahlyn.

"Jaahlyn, my friend. And with guests. Why do you come before the throne today?"
her Serene Highness asks, her one visible eye examining the trio thoughtfully.

Time to step up and give their case.
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Shadowcaller
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Re: Midnight Park

Post by Shadowcaller »

[Judgement]

Jaahlyn have yet to make the same courtesy before the princess twice but even her massive repertoire was running low at this point. She would have to figure out a couple of new ones soon.

But not yet.

"It's a pleasure to see you again your majesty." She gestures towards Siana. "And this is another friend of mine. Siana Ty-Maldwyn. She's here with her friend Codebreaker-" She points to the wolfen. "-seeking your judgement. I will let her explain the situation though." Unless Siana had asked Jaahlyn to do it of course.
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Ironsmith
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Re: Midnight Park

Post by Ironsmith »

[Judgement]

Siana hobbles forward a couple of paces, swallowing nervously. She's never really been one for public speaking, but until today, she's had no way of actually knowing that. Not helped at all by the fact that she's here to confess to a crime, or that the person to whom she's confessing is clearly someone worthy of a great deal of reverence, so it simply will not do to be impolite in any way.

Which might explain why, for the first thirty or so awkwardly long seconds, Siana looks a bit like a fish, opening and closing her mouth mutely as she tries and fails to form the words needed to explain the situation.

Absum help her. That fact alone is humiliating. And they're only getting started.

"...I... I-I-..." SIana stammers, shrinking back behind her cane.

The strigoi closes her eyes and takes a deep breath. She's being stupid about this. The rest of the court is here, yes, but she's only speaking to Sunder. She just needs to block out everyone else and address the Princess directly.

"...I... I'm here to answer for a murder." She says quietly, eyes still closed and tensing at the prospect of the assembly's reactions. "I... can't claim it was a mindless killing. I didn't attack her because I was hungry or... or anything like that. I didn't raise my blade in anger, or because my life was threatened. Anybody else in my situation could have walked away."

She swallows hard and continues, letting the words fall out before she has a chance to second-guess them. "The woman I killed was Ilpholin Xar'cha. I acted because she threatened a friend- er, an acquaintance... I'd just met her that evening." Siana winces. "That's what I thought she did, at least. I keep playing it over in my head, and I can't remember her ever threatening her properly, only warning that she was going to 'get involved' if my friend didn't confess to a crime she had not committed." She grimaces. "...Sort of. She herself had not done it, her body was hijacked, she was just... there."

The more of this she lays out, the worse it looks, Siana thinks to herself.

"I confronted Ilpholin about the threat. I told her I would defend my friend if she came after her. She claimed I wouldn't be able to make the hard decisions that came with that claim. I told her I could and would." Siana takes a deep breath. "Then she said the only way I was going to stop her would be if I killed her. She took me to an arena, knelt in front of me, and told me to do it. I had my sword with me. I..."

Siana visibly stiffens as the execution runs through her mind again. She didn't actually see it; her eyes were closed at the time. But she can still hear the sound of metal cutting through metal, the weight of the sword in her hand, the sudden resistance and the equally-sudden release, and she could swear she feels hot spatters running across her, as though Ilpholin were bleeding onto her all over again.

"...I took off her head." She says quietly. "I killed her, in that moment, in cold blood."
Who're you? ...Don't matter.

Want some rye? Course ya do!

Here's to us!
Who's like us?
Damn few,
And they're aaaaall dead.
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Rebonack
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Re: Midnight Park

Post by Rebonack »

[Judgement]

And so the Princess listens.

A friend, an acquaintance, who took the life of another while in a lack of control. That's a situation Sunder is well familiar with, given the background of her little ponies. Siana wished to protect the life of this friend, or at least believed that she was doing so. And in doing so took the life of the one speaking for justice.

"Tell me, Siana. Why did you reach for your sword first when faced with this conflict?"

She knows the answer on the superficial level. This Ilpholin said that killing her would be the only way to stop her.

But that isn't the answer the Princess is looking for.

She wants to know why Siana believed the sword was the answer.
Last edited by Rebonack on Jun 02, 2023 5:07 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Ironsmith
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Re: Midnight Park

Post by Ironsmith »

[Judgement]

Siana is silent for a moment. That's a surprisingly simple question that she was surprised to realize nobody else had asked.

Not even her.

"...I... I didn't..." Siana begins, before realizing there's no truthful way to end that sentence. "...Ilpholin is- was a skilled and passionate demon hunter. When she said I would have to kill her to stop her I had no reason to doubt her. And... and I had to stop her. Allowing my friend to come to harm... that wouldn't have been right."

Not that killing Ilpholin was, either.
Who're you? ...Don't matter.

Want some rye? Course ya do!

Here's to us!
Who's like us?
Damn few,
And they're aaaaall dead.
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Rebonack
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Re: Midnight Park

Post by Rebonack »

[Judgement]

Ah, the answer the Princess expected.

But not the answer the Princess is searching for.

That piercing amethyst gaze remains on Siana, the silence heavy. When the young vampire found herself silent it was awkward and uncomfortable. But the silence of the Princess is far, far worse. Because now it feels like Siana is alone with her words. Alone with her justification. It's a mercy, after a fashion, when the Princess speaks again.

"You didn't answer my question, dear heart."

Oof.

"I don't wish to know why you felt you were forced to use the sword. I wish to know why you chose the sword first. Of the countless paths you could have walked to see this conflict to the end you picked the path of the blade. Why?"
Ironsmith
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Re: Midnight Park

Post by Ironsmith »

[Judgement]

Oof indeed.

"There weren't... I didn't have countless paths before me." Siana replies after a moment. "That was... that was my only real option."

In the back of her head, Siana is already imagining what the Princess would say to that. There were always other options. Why choose violence? Why not talk it out?

"I couldn't have stopped her with words. She was right about that. She was too determined, too committed to her cause. She wouldn't have let my friend go if I had just said 'please'." Siana continues. "Maybe a more skilled speaker could have, but..."

But she couldn't? Why? Why did she not at least try?

"...That's not me. I don't have a gift for speech. And Ilpholin would not have listened."

She decided that without giving Ilpholin a chance to change her mind?

"I know the look Ilpholin had in her eyes. She wasn't... she wasn't going to stand down. Absum himself could stand in her way and she would not break stride."

And there were no other ways to approach this? She couldn't have cut off Ilpholin by turning Ana in first?

"I didn't see any path more just than the one I took."

Because there were none? Or because...?

"...Because the sword's the only way I know."

Siana finishes, squeezing her eyes shut further. That was... hard to admit. And unlikely to play well in a court defined by its senses of harmony and mercy. She's going to look like a monster in comparison.
Who're you? ...Don't matter.

Want some rye? Course ya do!

Here's to us!
Who's like us?
Damn few,
And they're aaaaall dead.
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Rebonack
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Re: Midnight Park

Post by Rebonack »

[Judgement]

Pain.

And shame.

"Honesty is a virtue, dear heart," the Princess says, her voice gentle. "Whether it's honesty with yourself or others."

But.

They aren't done here.

Not yet.

"You reached first for the sword because it's all you know," Sunder says slowly. "Is this the first time you have regretted reaching for the sword too quickly?"
Ironsmith
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Re: Midnight Park

Post by Ironsmith »

[Judgement]

And again, oof. Sunder could read her like a large-font book, it seemed.

"...No." Siana admits quietly. "...No, it... it's not."

She wants to say more. To point out that she'd also regretted not reaching for her sword quickly enough. Granted, everything turned out fine that time, but...

...

Honesty is a virtue.

"...I don't believe I have been too quick to draw, for the most part." She continues. "I have never regretted being ready to fight. But... I have misused it in the past. Struck out in error. And people have suffered for those mistakes."
Who're you? ...Don't matter.

Want some rye? Course ya do!

Here's to us!
Who's like us?
Damn few,
And they're aaaaall dead.
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Rebonack
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Re: Midnight Park

Post by Rebonack »

[Judgment]

Siana has struck out in error, by her own admission. Everyone makes errors. But to err with the sword can be catastrophic. People suffered.

"And now you seek justice for those your blade has wronged."

The Princess tilts her head to the side gently, allowing her billowing mane to fall away from the concealed half of her face. Four deep, parallel scars mar her beauty, leaving her left eye as an empty socket full of inky darkness with a single pinprick of light shining within.

Like looking up at the sun from deep underwater.

That gaze is pierceing. Siana will be able to feel the Princess looking straight through her, all pretenses and pretending stripped bare.

"Tell me of your other regrets, dear heart. And I will give the justice you seek."
Ironsmith
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Re: Midnight Park

Post by Ironsmith »

[Judgement]

Yet again, oof.

Siana gives a little nod at that. "...Yes." She says simply.

When Sunder looks at her, she'll see that Siana's type of undeath is... potentially quite unique. There are many ways undead can come to be; mad sorcery, force of will from beyond the grave...

And now, apparently, divine decree.

She's built like a mortal would be, yes, but mortality has been carefully removed from her being. If she is injured, she is soon disbroken. She is not meant to die. She's a remnant of something that must continue, and cannot be permitted to end, even to its tiniest trickle in times in the distant yet.

Even so, she does break down. Decay. Burn out. She needs to take lives to retain hers, but they do not simply die, either. They merge. Her meals are now of her. Beyond Jaahlyn's glamour, this is quite obvious; she looks as much like the insects and arthopods she's chosen to feed upon as she does a human being.

And beyond that, Sunder might still see similarities between her and more traditional undead, despite the disparate origins. Such as the perpetual hunger; she is never whole, there are always gaps and gaps between the gaps, always room for more. The sun is still dangerous for her, though less so now than it was in the past, as her exterior's gotten more resilient and her sister's found more ways to shelter her family from direct sunlight. If someone were to bring to bear some weapon to kill the undead, she would likely still be affected; close enough, as it were.

"I can't... I can't tell you much of those other regrets." Siana continues, lowering her head. "Not because I don't want to. But I gave my word that I would not. I won't be breaking any more oaths." Her fingers curl around the tip of her cane. "...I can... I can tell you how many people I've killed, I think. Sixteen, that I know of, if you count Ilpholin."
Who're you? ...Don't matter.

Want some rye? Course ya do!

Here's to us!
Who's like us?
Damn few,
And they're aaaaall dead.
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Rebonack
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Re: Midnight Park

Post by Rebonack »

[Judgement]

"I see. I won't press you to break your word, dear heart," Sunder replies solemnly.

And then?

She stands and spreads her wings wide and wow is she ever big. But not just big physically. Her presence is almost overwhelming. A being of awe and majesty. At the gesture the equestrians in the room bow very nearly in unison.

"All the undead of the Nexus fall under my sovereign authority. In difference to the governments of the Nexus I do not assert that authority over undead that are free-willed, those that are not enslaved to their mindless hunger or the dark will of those that created them. That is, unless, they place themselves under the authority of my crown as you have done, Siana Ty-Maldwyn. You have come seeking my judgement for the crime of taking sixteen innocent lives by lifting your sword in haste and disharmony."

Light, like the light of dawn, begins creeping up the fluting of the Princess' horn from the roots toward the tip.

"For spilling innocent blood to the earth, Siana Ty-Maldwyn must die lest the earth be defiled by the blood of the innocent. Their blood cries out for justice and justice must be done."

The light has reached the apex of her horn, and now it begins flowing back down again, alighting the whole spire with lambent radiance.

"For raising your sword in haste and disharmony I decree that you shall never again lift your sword, whether to strike the killing stroke or to defend. You who have known nothing but the sword are hereby commanded to learn."

...wait. If Siana is being sentenced to death then how is she supposed to learn things other than the sword?

The Princess doesn't give much consider the answer to this question, because her eyes just ignited with an aurora of dawn as she points her horn and Siana and releases a pulse of divine power.

A power that shatters chains. A power that sunders divine dictates.

And should that blast of raw power reach the vampire?

Well...

It won't be painful. It won't burn. It feels like drifting off to sleep against a warm body shrouded in a canopy of feathers. In comfort and surrounded by friends, Siana Ty-Malwyn will die. But death isn't the end. Unless a seed is sown, it can never blossom. Breath. Heartbeat. Warmth. Bottomless hunger gone. Alive. Flickering aurora fading. The crackle of magic quieting. A feeling of...

Laughter bubbling up in her lungs-
Kindness swelling in her heart-
Loyalty burning in her soul-
Honesty dancing on her words-
Generosity flowing from her hooves-

And friendship-

The feathers are real.

The Princess stands over her, one wing extended in embrace.

"Who are you, my little pony?"
Ironsmith
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Re: Midnight Park

Post by Ironsmith »

[Judgement]

flumpf

The newly-minted kirin collapses to the ground, needing a moment to find her feet. The cane she was leaning on a moment ago falls next to her, the sword therein sliding just a few inches out of its scabbard; a quiet reminder of what Siana is losing now, apart from monopedalism.

The equestrian that was Siana slowly shakes her head, trying to adjust her vision to the new world around her. She just got used to a different eye configuration; it seemed almost unfair that she would have to deal with another so soon. Her coat is still short and thin, forming a vague dark haze over bone-white skin. Her mane, likewise, is a solid black, gathered into thick, barby locks, just as her hair had been before her transformation. Her tail, likewise, imitates this style, as though her hair simply paused between the base of her neck and the top of her backside. From the top of her forehead grows a single knotted horn, as black as her mane, a curled spiral moving up either side, terminating in two-pronged fork that curls inward, back toward the unicorn's back.

Disappointingly, her right rear leg is still twisted, much as it had been when she was still humanoid. But at least she has three more to rely on now.

The kirin blinks and shakes her head again, staring down at her hooves in disbelief. That was... not at all what she was expecting. She should be used to transformations by now, but she would have appreciated a little warning.

She looks back up as Sunder addresses her, and surprisingly enough, seems to understand the question. She needs a new name. She isn't Siana Morwen Ty-Maldwyn anymore.

But then, who is she?

"I... I don't know." She says quietly.

That was, after all, the whole problem, wasn't it? Siana was a swordswoman. A bad swordswoman. Take away the sword, what's left?

She doesn't have an answer for that.
Last edited by Ironsmith on Jun 03, 2023 5:19 am, edited 2 times in total.
Who're you? ...Don't matter.

Want some rye? Course ya do!

Here's to us!
Who's like us?
Damn few,
And they're aaaaall dead.
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Keeper
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Re: Midnight Park

Post by Keeper »

Judgement

”Woah hey I think we ought to-“

FRIENDSHIP BEAM!

…explain the situation better. Whoops. He had told Siana she would likely be recruited but he didn’t think she had really grasped what that would entail. He had been meaning to explain that but didn’t want to scare her off of her quest.

Adamantly refusing any semblance of decorum of a trial, CB steps forward to gingerly put an arm around the pony even if he has to crouch.
”You’re still Owena and Arthfael’s sister. And Kyrie’s niece.” he assures her softly.
”And mine if that’s okay.” he adds in a whisper. Oh gods he said that out loud.
”And you’re here with friends who- actually I think everyone in this room has gone through this. You get used to new feet shockingly fast. And Would you believe I’ve been meaning to change my name too? Codebreaker is someone else- crap I’m babbling.” he shakes his head.
”Point is, just let something come to you. I’m told that’s how wolfen do it.”
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Shadowcaller
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Re: Midnight Park

Post by Shadowcaller »

Judgement

Jaahlyn had hoped they would avoid that but the more Sunder explained the less likely it had seemed to be.

Oh well.
It had always been within the realm of possibility.

As Siana is blasted by the rainbow beam and what remains is at least physically different, the satyr decides that she should be different too.
A rather familiar black goat moving up besides her and Codebreaker to offer its own advice. "You don't need a new name." She bleats. "The more radical the change the more you want to remember who you were. So you don't end up making the same mistake again." A beat. "But if you do get one, may I suggest not picking 'pony'? Since you're looking at 'goat' here. Not very imaginative."
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Ironsmith
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Re: Midnight Park

Post by Ironsmith »

[Judgement]

The kirin can't help but smile as her friends move in to comfort and advise her. Jaahlyn has a point about the name, but it seems like picking a new one is part of the punishment she's meant to take; severing herself from her old identity so she can more fully embrace the new one. And Codebreaker... well, it's a little surprising to hear him actually say she's his niece, but the sentiment has been there all along, as far as she's concerned. And his advice seems a bit more practical...

"Let something come to you."

The kirin looks down at her hooves and thinks for a moment. "...I... I'm feeling Salt." She says after a moment. "...As a name, I mean, not... I think I'm called Salt, in some way. Um... Salt... something. Simmer?"

It's got a nice cadence to it. Missing just a bit somewhere in the middle, though.

"...Saltset Simmer?" She repeats, looking up at Sunder for approval. "...I might need to work on it."
Who're you? ...Don't matter.

Want some rye? Course ya do!

Here's to us!
Who's like us?
Damn few,
And they're aaaaall dead.
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Rebonack
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Re: Midnight Park

Post by Rebonack »

[Judgement]

ORBITAL FRIENDSHIP LASER RAINBOW STRIKE!

Or not.

The Princess offers the kirin a gentle nuzzle in response to the uncertainty. "Often when my little ponies are reborn they already have their glyph and understand their purpose. But your flank is blank. You're still in the process of learning who you are, what your talent is, and what your role to play in this wide world will be."

Glyph?

Oh.

That image the equestrians have on their hips. Almost like a brand, but the idealized images are colored. Not a burn on the skin by a vibrant image emblazoned on their fur. It wasn't easy to see before, but the kirin has a good view of the Princess' glyph now.

A circle of chain-links, broken in three places.

"It will be your first job to learn what your special talent is. Live your life with your friends, whether those here or afar. Trot always in the virtues of harmony. Be faithful and your purpose will draw you. It will come upon you in a moment of epiphany and in that moment, I suspect, you'll understand your name."

The Princess stands and returns to her throne. Upon taking the sea once again the rest of the equestrians rise, a few excited titters of conversation drifting through the room. It is VERY special and unusual that the Princess HERSELF frees undead. Usually that's a job her subjects carry out. Just who IS this kirin? Who will she be? It'll be the talk of Midnight Park for quite a while, that's for sure.

Our heroes will be free to scoot back to the sidelines now and allow the next petitioner to lay their case before the Princess. Everypony is abuzz with excitement, though, and there's a good chance many sets of eyes will be on the GOAT, the wolf, and the kirin.
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Re: Midnight Park

Post by Keeper »

Judgement

"Ah, to be young." Codebreaker says almost entirely seriously.
Also wow he managed to say 'crap' in front of a Princess and no one even looked at him. This must all be a big deal.
"Well, I don't know what a saltset is, but maybe it just means you're going to be really good at making nice soup. Speaking of, you can have food that isn't still wriggling again. I feel like that's worthy of some celebration. I'll take you out somewhere."
Codebreaker thinks of saracastically adding to the pony and the goat that he does not accept grass as being dinner like they might be willing to, but decides that it would go over poorly in this room.
"...we have some people we need to explain things to."
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Shadowcaller
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Re: Midnight Park

Post by Shadowcaller »

[Judgement]

The goat gives Codebreaker an odd look as he talks about wolfen like they were a different species from him. But her gaze quickly strays from him as frankly, he scared the bejesus out of her. Still, he seemed to care a lot for Siana.
"First of all, Arne. I'm still not sure how he's going to react." She wasn't too concerned about Siana's actual family. Their bodies changed based on what they ate so they would probably have a lot easier time with this than most other families might.
"He's at least seen me as a goat before so perhaps that will ease him into your new form as well."
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Ironsmith
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Re: Midnight Park

Post by Ironsmith »

[Judgement]

Well.

That was a lot to take in. Salt still has more questions for the Princess, but it seems as though she's meant to find her own answers. She supposes she can't blame Sunder for that; she must be a very busy mare, judging from how many people (pony and others alike) are still in line for an audience with her. Really, it says a lot about her patience that she's exercising such discerning judgment as far down as Salt's case.

But, it's clear it's time to go. Siana gives the Princess a respectful bow of her head and hobbles back to her companions, trying not to appear unnerved by having so many people talking about her at once.

Once out of the court, Salt inhales sharply, suddenly realizing that she had forgotten to breathe and she needed to start doing that again. Or at least it felt like she did. New bodies are so confusing.

Codebreaker's suggestion earns a small smile from her. Of course there were upsides to this transformation. She doesn't have to live-feed anymore. Her expression quickly sours when she realizes that, by the same token, she's probably locked into a mostly vegetarian diet... that's going to be a major adjustment, about as close to a complete 180 as culinary changes can get.

Salt's countenance falls further as Jaahlyn brings up another problem; informing everyone who would need to know of the change. Including her fiance (probably soon to be ex-fiance).

"...I... don't think we need to worry about him." Salt says quietly. "I made my feelings for him very clear last time we spoke. Clearly, we've grown apart in our time away from each other. He might not even want to see me again, much less-"

She cuts herself off as she catches sight of the black-clad knight standing behind Codebreaker's car, awkwardly rubbing his neck and staring at the now-open trunk.

"...Absum give me strength." Salt mutters to herself, face-hoofing.
Who're you? ...Don't matter.

Want some rye? Course ya do!

Here's to us!
Who's like us?
Damn few,
And they're aaaaall dead.
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Re: Midnight Park

Post by Keeper »

Judgement

The gloom ponies are in fact perhaps frighteningly omnivorous. It is an established thing that normal ponies find the sharp teeth and forward-facing eyes that Team Nightmaere exhibit kind of unnerving. But Salt is from a culture where that's just kind of normal isn't it?
"Oh shit I forgot about him." Codebreaker mutters.
He decides to take the lead on this one.
"Hello Arne! Justice is served and your fiancee gets to live another day." he declares, very deliberately not phrasing it another way that would be technically untrue.
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Re: Midnight Park

Post by Shadowcaller »

[Judgement]

Jaahlyn the goat was jealous of the ponies ability to use their hooves in such expressive fashions. They could even pick up things with them somehow which she assumed was a part of the magic they so often talked about. It seemed Siana, now Salt, wasn't an exception to this.
"Erm, as you can see she and I have more in common now than previously." The goat remarks if only to make Arne pay attention to the pony besides her. Salt/Siana would have to do the difficult part.

Explaining this.
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Re: Midnight Park

Post by Earl of Purple »

Rebonack wrote: May 30, 2023 2:30 pm[Changeling Needs]

"Of course. Many of our visiting guests don't share our sturdy physiology and so the guest quarters are designed with bipedalism in mind," Myrrh Balm replies, levitating down another paper and scribbling in a signature. "I will see to it that your room is repaired and one of our physicians will attend to you. The former should be ready first."

She glances up from her work, eyes flicking back and forth between the changeling and the GOAT.

"Was there anything else? Or will that be all?"

Myrrh Balm is very busy and very no nonsense.
"No, I... I think that will be everything. Unless Jaahlyn wants to ask anything?" The gazelle-changeling looks towards her capricious companion with that question, but is otherwise satisfied- if still nervous.
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Re: Midnight Park

Post by Ironsmith »

Keeper wrote: Jun 04, 2023 4:22 pm Judgement

The gloom ponies are in fact perhaps frighteningly omnivorous. It is an established thing that normal ponies find the sharp teeth and forward-facing eyes that Team Nightmaere exhibit kind of unnerving. But Salt is from a culture where that's just kind of normal isn't it?
"Oh shit I forgot about him." Codebreaker mutters.
He decides to take the lead on this one.
"Hello Arne! Justice is served and your fiancee gets to live another day." he declares, very deliberately not phrasing it another way that would be technically untrue.
Shadowcaller wrote: Jun 04, 2023 7:23 pm [Judgement]

Jaahlyn the goat was jealous of the ponies ability to use their hooves in such expressive fashions. They could even pick up things with them somehow which she assumed was a part of the magic they so often talked about. It seemed Siana, now Salt, wasn't an exception to this.
"Erm, as you can see she and I have more in common now than previously." The goat remarks if only to make Arne pay attention to the pony besides her. Salt/Siana would have to do the difficult part.

Explaining this.
[Judgement]

Ah, yes. Exactly the words one wants to hear after breaking out of a trunk they were being smuggled in. "Whoops I forgot."

Arne's neck visibly and audibly twitches in irritation at Codebreaker's initial reaction, but the conversation quickly moves past that point. He looks over at Jaahlyn, then back to Codebreaker, and finally to Salt, quite clearly putting two and two together. "...I fail to see how this is justice." He says finally, arms crossed. "Transformation into a small horse does not undo the execution. Nor does it seem warranted from the beginning, as Ilpholin's execution was at her own request."

"Arne..." Salt sighs and shakes her head. "...What are you even doing here?"

"I wanted to come along and ensure that there was no miscarriage in the pursuit of justice." Arne stiffens. "...Evidently, I have failed." And for the stupidest reason, too.

"You're wrong. Sunder did right by me, and by Ilpholin. I-"

"Did she?!" Arne snaps, cutting her off. "She took away what humanity you had left and turned you into a beast. And for what? To what end? How does it follow that the appropriate punishment for murder, if one even grants that, is to be thus reforged?"

"She has this whole thing with death and rebirth. You'd have to have been there." Salt explains. "And it's not just that I'm a pony now. She's forbidden me from ever raising a sword again. I think the pony thing is so she can make it stick."

"So now you are not even permitted the dignity of defending yourself? That is unacceptable." Arne scowls, marching forward the way they came. "Wait here. I will set this right."

"Absolutely not!" Salt snaps, stepping in his way. "How is this even your business in the first place? What's stopping you from turning around and walking away?"

Arne stops in his tracks, looking over the furious kirin for a moment before answering. "...This isn't right. Sunder was not justified in-"

"That isn't your call!" Salt continues, taking a step forward as Arne backs away from her. "I went to Sunder. I asked her for judgment. I received it and I will live with the consequences of that decision. Do you intend to intervene every time something happens to me that you don't like?"

"This is not about what I like or do not like." Arne replies evenly. "This is about what is fair. What is just." He crosses his arms. "Were you not thinking the same thing when you stepped in to help Ana?"

"And because I did, I killed someone."

"Someone who-"

"No. That's enough." Salt shakes her head. "It's done and I won't have you undoing it. If you have any respect for me at all, you'll stand down."

"..."

Arne steps back and lets out a shaky breath. "...When did you become so stubborn and unreasonable?"
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Re: Midnight Park

Post by Keeper »

Judgement

"Team Nightmaere are part of Intersection and are thus part of the rightful law of this land. If you want to chase after Sunder with a sword in your hand you're welcome to try (and find your singing voice)."
CB would put money on him being one of the STRONK ponies.
"Siana's verdict was a recruitment into a cause and community that she will be serving as atonement. And I will have you know that her family is under the protection of Absum himself. Which I know because I saw him slap her uncle with gods-damned lightning bolts like three times and he put a boon in my garden. So considering he let this happen after he stopped my patron from fixing any of their problems, this result has the blessing of Absum.
But much more importantly-"


Codebreaker leans forward, actually baring his teeth for the first time in Salt's experience.

"I don't like what you're implying about people with muzzles when you use that 'b' word."
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Re: Midnight Park

Post by Reinholdt »

[Judgement]

Jaahlyn may experience a momentary reprieve from the argument that lay before her as she can feel her phone start to ring. Where's it ringing? Her pancreas? Only the goat knows and pretty much no one else wants to know. Sort of how it's uncertain if she can see the caller ID before shifting back into humanoid form. If she can, then it would very clearly present a simple:

Ilpholin Xar'cha

Ring ring. Ring ring.
► SHOW SPOILER
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Re: Midnight Park

Post by Shadowcaller »

[Judgement]

This is exactly why they shouldn't have left him in the trunk. Now he had missed the whole explanation so of course he was upset. In her experience this was exactly how people reacted when they were exposed to a radical change. Anger and suspicion.

She decides that if there's going to be an argument, she probably shouldn't be a goat anymore.
So there's a shift as her proportions distort and suddenly she is in her humanoid form again.
"Siana, it's alright. I can take Arne to Lady Sunder so at least he'll understand." She suggests as she gestures in the direction they came from. "Just like imprisoning someone effects everyone around them then so does this-"

Then her cellphone buzzes.

She grunts in annoyance and is just about to decline the call when she sees the name.

"-one moment. I just need to see who this is."

And she hadn't even managed to correct herself when she used the wrong name for Saltset Shimmer. But she had to take this call.
So she walks off a few steps and accepts the call. "...hello? Who am I speaking to?"
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Re: Midnight Park

Post by Reinholdt »

[Judgement]

"It's Ilpholin," Ilpholin replies, only mildly confused. Was Jaahlyn not the type to save contact info on her phone? It was the Nexus, a lot of people didn't even have phones.

She continues in a professional tone. "Are you alone right now? I wish to discuss Phase 3."
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Re: Midnight Park

Post by Shadowcaller »

[Judgement]

She did recognize that voice. If someone was faking it it was good enough to fool even her deeper intuition. The one that ensured she recognized her employers. So there was little hesitation, this was Ilpholin. Had to be.

So after a moment of stunned she can't help but to consider how feeble the psychopomps on this plane were. "...I'm not alone. There's some people I'm helping out nearby. Trying to put some distance between us though." She continues walking away from the group, her tail standing up stiffly in the air. Something it usually never did. "So feel free to elaborate."
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