The Kingdom of Seven Stars - Encounter at the White River - [Sign-UP]

[Laebenal]

Laebenal sighs and starts to stare at nothing outside the camp.

[bleyd]

but if there is nothing to fear. dont worry ponys i have powers

[Bravo 658]

Grassblade made his way over to Liaisa.  "Yes, milady?"

[Chirp]

"Oh, we were just having a chat when the subject became a bit touchy, so I wondered if you couldn't raise our spirits again, as we're used of you. And just say Liaisa, please." She said, then shifted her legs to lay more comfortable.

[Bravo 658]

"I fear my spirits may be as low as yours... I am weak, after such a journey with no grass."  Grassblade's face formed a grin.  "I could bring up a more cheerful subject, though.  What do you know of the old sand-sculpting arts?"

[Chirp]

"Hmm, that certainly brings back memories of long lost times when I was but a filly. Simple castles is all I could achieve, but I remember an old friend of mine who made impressive things of nothing but sand and water. Sometimes he would use twigs for a stronger base. We haven't spoken in a long time, expect for a few months ago. I remember he called me to plan his wedding, lovely wife he had. Sadly, I don't know what became of him, perhaps I'll meet up with him again after all of this." Liaisa looked at Grassblade and blinked rapidly a few times. "Oh, how I can jump from subject. What are you in your daily life, Grassblade?"

[Bravo 658]

"Why, nothing more than a jester and a fool.  I try to keep others cheerful and help townsfolk in need.  When somepony needs help building or moving things, I assist.  When somepony is mocked, I prove myself thrice the mockery that they are, and draw such unwanted attention to myself.  After a while, I'll come up with some fun riddles for my newfound mockers, and they'll forget what they were doing in the first place.  That's just about the story of my life right there... well, in the town, at least."  Grassblade sat down where he had stood, taking a more comfortable posture for conversation.

[Chirp]

"In the town? Are you a traveller, then?"

[Bravo 658]

"No, no, I live there.  I just... found it after a while," he added casually.

[Chirp]

"I'm not quite sure I follow, but if you don't want to talk about it, I won't ask you to. I, myself, am a wedding planner, as you may have noticed. I always see happy ponies, but today." She sighed and pushed some of the sand together to form a small heap. Talking about sandcastles made her want to build one again.

[Bravo 658]

"Well, let's have at it!"  Grassblade gathered some more sand toward the central pile and began flattening the ground in a circle around Liaisa.

[Chirp]

"Hey, Laebenal. Come help us, it's good fun." Liaisa said as she began push the sand together, beggining to form a crude shape of a castle.

[Laebenal]

Laebenal sighed and turned to Grassblade and Liaisa. She exhaled fire to turn their unfinished sandcastles into glass. "I'm not in a mood to do anything funny." She said in a quiet voice and continued staring the wilderness outside the camp.

[Bravo 658]

Grassblade stared for a moment, both in awe of the fiery sand-to-glass demonstration and in sympathy for Laebenal's foul mood, then slowly walked over to Laebenal.  Stopping a meter to her right, he plopped down on the sand, staring off into the wilderness with her.  "You know, refusal to have fun is guaranteed to keep your mood down."

[Chirp]

"Woah!" Liaisa shrieked and jumped up, surprised by the fire. She stared at the glass sculpture for a while and sighed. "It wasn't finished." She said weakly.

[Laebenal]

"I lost my only friends here..." Laebenal said in a quiet voice almost crying.

[Bravo 658]

Grassblade's endeavors halted, and his posture once more froze.  "I... I won't even try to compare anything I've experienced to what you must be feeling now... is there anything I can do for you?" he asked in a shaky tone.  He'd never even had the friends to lose before this journey, but now that he did, the nightmare of losing them had come to mind.

[Laebenal]

Laebenal closed her eyes and sat down. "No... They are gone and nothing can bring them back..." She said in a voice more quiet than before.

[Bravo 658]

Grassblade closed his eyes and laid his head down in the sand, trying to force the horrible thoughts out of his head.  At this point, he could understand Laebenal's lack of cheer, at very least.  Finding himself crying silently, he closed his visor and laid still.

[Chirp]

Liaisa walked over towards Grassblade and sat down next to him, then began stroking his back. "Shh, it's ok."