To Tartarus and Back [Sign-Up]

[Space Ace]

Taking note of what Melancholy had said, Aurora simply lifted one of the apples to eat. She sat herself down near the fire as she ate, watcing the flame flicker and dance. She felt sleep begin to beckon, and decided she should turn in soon. She knew she would be no use to the team and their mission if she was too tired to do anything. She finished her apple and stayed still for a minute, enjoying the warmth of the fire. She decided she was a safe enogh distance from the fire and let her eyes fall shut. Her head nodded a few times, as she drifted in some sort of sleep-limbo.

[Melancholia]

Melancholy looked away when she saw Blazing roll his eyes and she bit her tongue. She gathered up the discarded berries and then placed them in a small pouch retrieved from her saddlebags. As petty as it sounded she was half tempted to just leave the berries for their guide to eat, but such a thought had her shaking her head slightly. Instead she could mix the berries into a potion that they could use to disorient any threat to them. So she stored the berries in her saddlebags.

She knew deep down that she was right about the berries, just looking at them sent a warning clench in her guts. She'd been unfortunate enough to experience the effects of the berries firsthoof, when she'd first found herself lost in Equestria. She'd then found herself unwillingly wandering into dangerous situations and being a fool, like trying to jump over a crevasse when flying would have been the smart option, or when she'd purposefully disturbed a sleeping pack of Timberwolves by throwing stones at them.

She ate another apple in silence before noticing that just about every pony was asleep and then wandered closer to the fire. She rummaged in her bag and withdrew a small, jagged red stone that visibly glowed with the magical energy stored inside and she tossed it carefully into the fire. There was a dull roar and the flames briefly turned light blue, casting an eerie glow on the campsite. It then returned to its usual orange hue and crackle merrily. She glanced at their guide.

"That will keep it burning for the night...no need to worry about collecting more firewood..." she stated simply before plopping herself down very ungraciously and quickly drifting off to sleep, one wing curled protectively around her saddlebags.

[annosrules]

As the rest of the party falls asleep, they all apear in the collective dream. All except their guide, Blazing Legend.

"Now that you're all present," Luna begins her address, "what business has my sister sent you on that is so important that she'd neglect to mention it to me?"

[Space Ace]

Aurora blinked in shock and confusion. It took her a moment to process that before her stood the princess of the night. She looked stunning so close, just like her sister. But then Aurora remembered what Celestia's had said about Luna's involvement, and she frowned. She didn't say a word, and looked to her team members.

She wasn't even sure if this was real, but she'd heard rumours of the princess being a dream walker. She didn't know whether this was just her imagination dreaming away, or if the Princess- or her teammates were really there.

[Peace Keeper]

Shadow is amuzed to see the group are present in a single dream with the Princess of the Night herself. After she asked the question, Shadow feels she knows where the group was being sent, and may want to be comfirmed. He speaks out to asnwer.

The business was for us to go to Tartarus.

[Irroro]

//OOC: Shadow's... A mare?  Even more surprising than when I realized Melancholia's a pegasus. Oh, wait...

Honest jumped a little in surprise when Shadow spoke. When Luna addressed the group, he hadn't yet realized that the others were there in the first place. He turned his head to see them all standing before him in his house, before turning back to Luna, the biggest question mark upon his face.

"Uh..." Honest audibly dumbed. He didn't really know what to say. He wasn't expecting this to happen, but her outward appearance was undeniable. However, he'd never met Princess Luna before. So what's he supposed to do? Politely greet her? "Princess..!" 'Course, he already forgot what she said. "You're... What?"  She asked a question? Wait, how'd she get into his old house? "Princess...!" He attempted again, his mind trying to work a mile-a-minute. "Why...?" He tried to sound out something of a question, a foreleg of his gesturing to the surroundings, his eyes looking at them, brows raised, before he pointed with that same fore-hoof to the ponies from the group (minus the earth pony with a hat). His eyes then widened slightly in realization.

What in Equestria were they all doing in his old house?

He looked back to Luna, his fore-hoof now pointed to her.

All he remembered before this was himself falling asleep before a campfire, staring into it before his eyes drooped to dreamland.

This couldn't be changelings again, couldn't it? Maybe one of the escaped prisoners of Tartarus?

His wings opened slightly at his thoughts.

He asked again, this time with suspicion, his body ever so slightly bending, his mind trained on remembering everyone's position in the household, his facial expression that of extreme caution. "Princess...?" He said, blue-cyan eyes trained on her. "What are we doing here? You are princess Luna, right?"

[Melancholia]

Melancholy froze at the sight of Princess Luna, her dreams had never been invaded by the Alicorn before, in the Labyrinth, their dreams were all protected, impenetrable.

She quickly bowed a little to the Princess, remembering that was the expected thing to do amongst Equestria natives.

"Um... Princess Celestia sent us to... bring the escaped prisoners back to Tartarus..." She looked around at the group. "I-I'm sure she meant no offence, Princess... I think the matter was just so dire, she had to rush to get us... on our way..."

The words tumbled from her like water, she felt very uncomfortable at this invasion. Her dreams were private, though she was glad to see they were somewhere unfamiliar, probably one of her companions dreams.

[annosrules]

"Tartarus?" The princess questions in disbelief, "What business does my sister have sending ponies such as yourselves to Tartarus!?" Luna's expression twists with anger, shock, and worry as she barks her question with supreme authority.

[Irroro]

Honest flinched at her outburst, but remained silent as he couldn't decide whether or not she was truly their princess.

But with what he saw with Shadow and Melancholia, he sighed defeatedly, and he decided to answer Luna's question. "We don't really know, princess. But the fact is, your sister sent us to lock up the beasts of Tartarus back into their cages." Honest then plopped onto the dream couch behind him, his back enjoying that sweet velvet once again.

Huh. Just like he remembered.

"I think she also said something along the lines of, 'I think my sister shouldn't have anything to do with this because of an old enemy.'" Honest mimicked incacurately with a few waves of his hoof, before shifting over to his sister whilst still on his back.

"You wouldn't know anything about that, would you?" He asked, seemingly asking the question to the grey unicorn on the chair beside him.

[annosrules]

"My sister excluded me from an event THIS important over... ARHG!" The Lunarc shouts in frustration, turning away from the group while she does so.

A moment of silence is broken when she turns about and readdresses the group. "Please forgive me for this outburst. Things have grown tense between me and my sister over events that I cannot discuss. However, it seems that you are rather poorly equip for such a venture as that which my sister has sent you, no offense. So I will be sending a pupil of mine who experienced with Tartarus in order to aid you. And for all our sakes, do not let Celestia know what I am doing for you."

Then, just as quickly as the dream had started, it ends, and each pony jolts awake to a dawning sun that pushes the night-time to its rest.

[Aqua Fire]

In the darkness, eyes glared at the ponies, as they started to awaken.
"Heh heh, looks like her job is done, and my mine is getting started.." It said. One of its claws step out, showing the claw of a dragon.

[Peace Keeper]

(And I thought we were already well-prepared with what we already was supplied. This should get more interesting.)

Shadow thought in his head before speaking.

Thank you princess, and my lips are sealed. Glad to have extra help on our quest. *gives a bow*

Hearing from Luna that she is having a dispute with her sister, perhaps there is something in between them more than just the mission they are being sent out to. Shadow feels more intrigued as to know how this dispute started among the sisters, which prisoners did they came into contact with, and what words were exchanged.

He'll figure it out later as their dream now ends with the rising light. He opens his eyes, seeing the small rays of light shining above the trees but fail to reach the ground. The forest is now illuminated enough to be seen clearly. He lays up on the trunk of the tree, stretching around and sitting on the branch looking around for the ponies to wake up.

--------------------

*-Made an edit. Removed final question with small narrative of Shadow waking up.

[Irroro]

Honest awoke to a burnt out fireplace, its red hot embers long since died out. He felt absolutely sore from sleeping in such a strange position last night, but he was exhausted from yesterday's work. He hadn't had a bit of rest since forever; He couldn't help it.

Yet, somehow, he was able to go on that last stretch without much of a sweat. Really, he thought, he worked too hard sometimes to be fit for battle. Too much of an old habit, he supposed.

He grunted as he rolled over onto his forelegs, feeling his left wing was mistreated last night due to him sleeping on it, and he yawned as he mulled over what transpired over the night.

Yet, really, all he could really think about was the fact that Princess Luna said that they were ill prepared for their mission. Honest was more than ready. After all, it's not like he hasn't dealt his fair share of dangerous pony-eating monsters. Literally, and figuratively. He was sure that the princess was just saying that in the spur of the moment. But...

He couldn't help but feel a little undermined when she said that. Well, that's what he gets for living a secret life.

His stomach suddenly made a request to be acknowledged.

He realized he didn't eat yesterday night.

He stood up, stretching his wings and forelegs as he did so, his many joints popping every now and then as he moved them.

He looked about casually about the campsite for any signs of food, before his eyes landed on a pile of berries and... Whatever those were before deciding on just asking if there was any food.

But wait, what did the princess mean by her desciple? She couldn't have sent someone for us, could she have? She'd ended it so abruptly, there was no time to ask any questions pertaining to her information.

Bah. He'll figure out after breakfast.

"Hey! Uh..." Woops. Is everyone even awake? He looked about but didn't notice much movement yet. "Everyone awake?"

[Space Ace]

Aurora bowed as the dream ended, then awoke abruptly. She blinked her eyes open, and lifted her head. She stood and stretched, shaking her head lightly to move her mane aside. Once she was relaxed,  she went back over the dream. She would've thought that someone would have noticed they were ill prepared. Celestia's should have known, and their guide was sharp, she would have expected something from him.

Her mind wandered, and she remembered what Luna had said about her student. She wondered when they would meet this student. Would they meet them on the journey? When they arrived? And they still knew little to nothing about the cause of this or the Princess' involvement.

The unicorn sighed, and wandered over to her saddlebags. She gave them a quick once over to make sure everything was still as it should be, then removed a few hair ties from the bag, and pulled her long mane up and out of her eyes.

[Aqua Fire]

"Well, looks like most of you are awake." A voice said, in the shadows. "Might as well reveal myself to you guys." Suddenly, a dragon appeared.

[LunarDusk]

Upon watching the others wake up from behind the tent due to not sleeping, a bloodshot eye'd Virtuous could only turn around in response to the voice to a dragon showing itself before everyone. Although it would seem like an odd hybrid, it didn't take that long for it to sink in for the unicorn considering the environment they were in.
"[glow=black,2,300]Um...[/glow]"

[Aqua Fire]

The dragon waited for others to react, but was impatient.
"Hello, I am Illusion." She said. "Some of you may know me as Luna's Pupil. Ring any bells?"

[Irroro]

"Uh..." Honest stared at the dragon's dark form. His wings twitched. His left eye twitched. He stood stock-still.

Twice in a row now, he has to take the word of his companions and said other pony. Twice, including believing that that princess they spoke to last night was truly theirs.

No, not this time.

"Alrighty." Honest raised an armored hoof and stomped it hard into the ground. "I'm going to need some proof that you're who you are, otherwise, I'm attacking the dragon who dared pop up unexpectedly into this camp." Honest growled dangerously. His head lowered, his wings flared open, and he pawed the ground slowly. "You have ten seconds."

[Melancholia]

While Honest was being understandably wary of the dragon, Melancholy's reaction was quite the opposite... she hastily rubbed the sleep from her eyes and a massive grin spread across her features.

"Oh wow! A dragon!!!" She squealed excitedly, darting over to their new companion and circling them with a slight bounce in her step as she gently inspected the strangers leather wings.

"So can all dragons breathe fire, or can some breathe different elements? Oh! And do you shed your scales, if so could I have some? The magical potential could be wonderful for my experiments!" The words were spoken a bit quickly, her bouncing never ceased, nor did her excitement wane.

"Oohs imagine what interesting things could happen if I used dragonfire when I brew potions..." She mused.

She'd had a fascination about dragons ever since she'd been told about them. She even had plans to use magically charged stones and other reagents to hatch a dragon egg of her own, despite not being a unicorn herself, it would make her the first Pegasus to accomplish such a feat. She just had to convince Princess Celestia of her abilities, and then she might be granted permission to try, that was her reason for coming on this expedition, to prove she was capable.

[Irroro]

Honest couldn't even hear what Melancholia was asking as he fought long and hard to look as threatening as possible while she jovially bounced around the dragon, but in eventuality, like in another recent time, he sighed again in defeat as he relaxed his body posture, knowing that if he did anything drastic now, it would be pointless. He then said aloud to everyone, not caring who heard it, "You're all going to get me eaten, burned, maimed, or brainwashed somehow. You all know that right?" He didn't even bother for a reply before he about faced and marched off into the direction of the cart, looking for their cowpony guide 'cause food.