To Tartarus and Back [Sign-Up]

[Space Ace]

Aurora had just finished setting up her first tent when she heard her name called. Her ears pricked and she turned to the sound, and smiled warmly when she found Melancholy was the one who called her name.

"Of course," she said, trotting over. She looked over the tent parts, then began lifting a few pieces and putting them together. She was grateful now for all the camping she'd been dragged into in her youth. She never thought knowing how to build a tent would be so useful.
She glanced to Melancholy. She wanted to help, but she wasn't sure if Melancholy wanted her to take over completely. She decided to play it safe and not build the tent too quickly, so if the pegasus was still going to work on the same tent she had the chance. But, Aurora realised now would be a good time to talk to her more too.

"So, Melancholy, are you from close by?" Aurora asked, casually. She figured that was good enough small talk. She wasn't sure though. After her years of pouring herself into her study, socialising wasn't a strong point of her's. She'd tried to become more sociable as she got older, but he still found herself to be- or at least feel- awkward in many situations.

[Irroro]

Just then, Honest trotted out of the two bushes to their left, both of his wings holding many sticks, branches, and pieces of wood under them.

Non-chalantly, as if he didn't just suddenly appear from between two bushes, he sauntered over to the center of the campsite, and dropped his load of sticks onto the ground with audible clunks, regardless of Melancholy's and Aurora's coversation. He then bent his legs slightly before shooting up into the night sky with a single flap of his wings, where he drop-kicked a cloud that was (conviently) floating right above him, eliciting a sudden and loud thunder-clap along with lightning, lighting the camping area up in a bright flash, setting the sticks and twigs below afire with bright orange flame that lit up the night.

Then, Honest, with the same non-chalant face he wore whilst entering the camp, flew down to the fire, where he promptly layed down, his blue eyes reflecting the orange light, and promptly died fell asleep with all of his silvery armor still donned, 'cause tired. Or perhaps because his armor has very comfortable padding inside.

[Melancholia]

Melancholy blinked at Aurora's question. "Close by? Oh um... well it's a bit hard to explain... I-" Her words were cut short as the flash of lighting illuminated the campsite, making Melancholy cry out in fear and pain as she jumped back, covering her eyes with her wings. The sudden leap backwards knocked over the half pitched tent they'd been sorting and Melancholy continued to whimper softly at the pain in her head. It took a good minute for her sight to return and she grumbled softly, a blush rising in her cheeks.

"S-sorry... my eyes are... very sensitive to light..." She mumbled, rubbing at her eyes. She squinted at Aurora. "My home is... well it's underneath Equestria..." She rubbed her eyes again. "There's an enormous Labyrinth there... as big as Equestria... I was taken in by a tribe of Minotaurs that have been there for thousands of years..." She then chuckled softly. "Their ancestors found it during the war between Princess Celestia, a princess Luna and Discord... they believed that the world would be destroyed and The Labyrinth seemed to call to them...giving them a safe and secure home... for generations after they all believed that there was nothing left on the surface... then they found me...abandoned there as a newborn foal... They raised me, and treated me as one of their own..." A very wistful smile crossed her face. "When I grew up I wanted to see the surface for myself... no Minotaur from the tribe had ever had a need to leave... I came to the surface and found so much life...it scared me..." She blushed again. "Princess Celestia didn't even know about the Labyrinth... but my alchemical skills helped me get a name for myself here..." She looked over to where Honest was sleeping by the fire. "My people... my tribe... they didn't write down their history... they told it through stories and paintings along the Labyrinth walls... that's why I don't know how to read or write..."

She realised she'd been rambling and muttered several apologies before looking at the crumpled tent she'd knocked over.

[Peace Keeper]

Shadow woke up from the bang of thunder with a small jump. He slowly gets up and slowly opens his eyes to look around and see what caused it. He only sees 3 ponies at a campfire and calls out from the low, thick branch.

'Ey. Did ya guys made a boom?

[LunarDusk]

"[glow=indigo,2,300]eeeEEEAAAAAAAAaaaaaah!![/glow]  "
From the east direction of the campsite after the sound of thunder was screaming of someone sounding as if they had been in front of something grotesque. But at the same time blowing through the bushes and a few tree in a straight line narrowly missing the tent was a black colored fist measuring about 8 x 6 ft covered in purple mist which collided with the larger tree west of the campisite. After a few seconds it dissipated but following the line it traveled to the source through teared and scorched bushes was the stallion Virtuous who was crouched down while shivering violently with tears in his eyes. It seems he must've gotten separated from the pack and gotten tramatized from the lightning strike.

[annosrules]

An apple flies out from the darkness and whacks Virtouse on the head before landing on his lap. The origin of the apple is revealed as a very disappointed Blazing Legend steps into Virtouse's view.

[LunarDusk]

*looks up at Blazing*
"  [glow=indigo,2,300]...?!...[/glow] "

[Aqua Fire]

(Is there a sign up page that I can sign up on? If so, could I be a prisoner that was redeemed?)

[LunarDusk]

// Yes you can check it in that thread

[Space Ace]

Aurora jumped at the crash and flash of light, but composed herself quickly. She also reassured Melancholy that it was alright, and began putting the tent back into place as she listened. She eventually stopped, becoming far mroe interested in the story than anything else.

"That sounds... incredible," Aurora breathed. She then blinked, and bluhed lightly beneath her pale coat. "I mean- well, it's so wonderful that you were taken in, and the minotaur's world sounds... fantastic. And recording their history through art you would walk through every day and hearing incredible tales- I could never imagine what it must be like," Aurora chuckled and shook her head. "I assume it is very rare for the minotaurs- or anyone who grew up there- to leave. I've never heard about it before."

She decided to risk it and ask more about it. If Melancholy didn't want to answer she didn't have to, but Aurora was curious, and figured she may as well ask. She wouldn't hear about it anywhere else, afterall.

"What was it like growing up there? I imagine it's very different from how our society functions," she spoke softly, trying to put more attention back to the tent.

[annosrules]

Blazing leaves Virtouse, entering the campsite where the rest of the ponies were gathered.

"I found some apples and berries, so be glad that this area has such gratious provisions."

A small sack filled with fruit thuds against the ground as Blazing moves to the pile of supplies, taking only a blanket and retiring to a clear patch on the ground where he lay facing the stars.

[Irroro]

Honest Truth is now snoring incredibly loud, nickering every now and then every time he breathed out another breath. It was so loud, in fact, that, if a cup of water were placed only a hoof away from his body, the water would vibrate due to the volume of the sound.

But, aside from that, Honest was sleeping quite peacefully, if not outright deeply. He was laying on his side, his four hoofs towards the fire, his chest rising up and down, slowly, although his armor didn't really show it. His pearly (now somewhat dirty coat) and armor were warmly lit up by the fire, applying an amber glow onto it that reflected off of the mirror-like surface of the metal. The shine also revealed engravings of sorts, comparable to the kinds that the Royal Guard have. However, the only truly noticeable thing about the armor, besides the colors, is the red, heart-shaped emblem in front of his chest, instead of the star-shaped ones of the Guard.

Also, by the way, he didn't react to any of that screaming, shouting, and destroying of trees whatsoever. The closest thing to a reaction that was given was a small kick with one of his hind-legs, and the unconcious flicker of an ear.

[Melancholia]

Melancholy only blushed even more. "Well I'm the first one to leave ever since the tribes ancestors settled there... and it was incredible... The tribe separated into five groups, each for a different part of the Labyrinth... there's the central tribe, it has the largest population, a northern tribe, southern tribe, eastern and western tribes... They all live at a point in the Labyrinth where there is the most magical energy... the northern tribe live underneath the Crystal empire... That has the best magical energy for water... they have a spring there that never runs out... they provide all the water for the other tribes. The southern tribe live somewhere underneath the Badlands..." She was glad she'd seen a map of Equestria recently so she could pinpoint where each magical focal point was. "The southern tribe specialize in their element of fire... they use the magical energy to charge up chunks of citrine and that's used to power sconces along the routes to the other tribes..." She then chuckled softly. "Though there is also glowing lichen along some walls too... but it's still very dark down there which is why my eyes struggle in the light... and I think why my sclera are like this..." She indicated to her black sclera. "I think I just... adapted, you know?"

She looked over to the bag of food that Blazing had brought, her stomach growled loudly and her mouth watered.

"Something I do love about Equestria is the massive variety of food you have... the food back home is pretty bland... no matter what herbs you use..." She chuckled.

She then tilted her head at the mare's question. "Yeah... Life there is very different... we don't have a monetary system there... everything is traded between tribe members... if you want a new tool, you trade if for something that the other wants..." She laughed again. "I had no idea what "bits" were when I first made my way to the surface!"

[Space Ace]

Aurora chuckled. "Yes, it must have taken you a while to start getting used to how things are around here."

She paused, and looked over to the fire. "Would you like to get something to eat? It's been a long day already, and we'll be no use working on an empty stomach," The unicorn said. She punctuated her words by nodding towards the bag of food Blazing had dropped on the ground.

[Melancholia]

The dark grey mare chuckled. "Yeah... honestly I think my skills in alchemy really helped me find a place here in Equestria... and to be fair, my main role in the Labyrinth was an alchemist... my fellow tribesmen weren't as resilient to the flora down there..." She then indicated to her bag. "Some of the things I have in that bag are from the Labyrinth... and it's incredibly adaptable... back home it stopped being a reliable food source for the minotaurs by adjusting its chemical properties and quickly made them sick... the samples I carry have adjusted to the digestion of ponies, since I've been up here, all except for mine.. I seem to be gifted with an immunity to them..."

The Pegasus then wandered over to the food and rummaged around before picking out some wild berries, her nose wrinkled and she quickly tossed them aside before removing all of the remaining type of berry; she looked to their guide.

"Sorry, I don't mean to come off as rude... but this particular berry..." She nodded to the discarded pile of unnamed berries. "Well, they're actually a red herring... they look like blackberries, but they'll actually make a pony more inclined to make rash and dangerous decisions..." She flushed again. "I-I just thought it could be dangerous if we ate them... everything else in here is fine..." to illustrate her point, she ate an apple, retrieved from the bag, and smiled sheepishly at their guide.

[Irroro]

As if in response to Melancholy's explanation thing, Honest somehow roared snored even louder than before as he breathed in a single breath, before he let it out and rolled his body over with a push of his left wing on the ground, flopping over, his armored hoofs making making audible thunks as they clacked against each other, pointing his hoofs now away from the fire before continuing his snroaring snoring, his chest gently breathing as he did before.

///OOC: Just wanted to say: Loving how this RP's going so far, guys, and now I'm loving it even more now that I know a dragon's going to be joining us soon!  Gonna be some interesting, interesting story coming in the coming (chapters?) pages! I can't wait! 

[annosrules]

Blaze rolls his eyes from his laying position, signaling his silent protest to anything he picked being remotely dangerous.

Aa Honest drifts unto sleep, his dreams seem much more vivid than usual, much more real. No matter the dreams content, a rising shadow appears from some convenient location, rising into the form of Luna, princess of the night.

[Irroro]

Honest seemed to be back home in Canterlot, the stone walls of the home he lived in for years seeming to fold themselves into reality, the couches, chairs, paintings, stairs, and chandeliers of his foalhood appearing right before his eyes, from transparent ghosts to solid objects within only a few seconds. The sounds of unicorn magic floated throughout the familiar house as they echoed from the kitchen, the smells of delicious food oozing out of it just like they did so many years ago, the mere fact giving Honest a warm fuzzy feeling in his chest, one he hadn't felt in years. Strangely, his sister was here too, sitting on the velvet-lined chair to his left, facing the lit-up fireplace in their living-room, the grey-coated unicorn studiously reading from left to right an old tome through old, worn-out glasses, a smile upon her lips. The sight of this familiar home and family made Honest itching to fly across the warm room to hug the adorable mare, and bask in the warmth that this house brought.

But, before any action was taken, Honest suddenly realized, there was the strange sensation that there was another mare in the room.

Luna appeared before Honest in all her glory, standing just a few hoofs away from him, seemingly come out of the ground.

Honest just raised a brow in confusion as he stared at his apparent moon goddess.

[Aqua Fire]

(So... Do I join in? Also, I'm adding a few things to my character)

[LunarDusk]

After a few minutes and finally regaining his composure Virtuous started to rise back up on his feet. he strapped the plush to his front right leg and made his way by the tent at the campsite.