A Horse By Any Other Name (Part 5)

One Month after the Summer Solstice (Seventh Moon, 1000 ALB)

Kysek shakes his head, "Perhaps your conclusion is true, perhaps it's not. Libraries truly fascinate me, is anyone allowed in?"

Foil Hat nods affirmatively. 

Kysek continues to question the small horse, "A princess with an apprentice? An apprentice to royalty or to a line of work?"

"Perhaps 'apprentice' was too strong a word," Foil Hat admits, "think more along the lines of 'student' instead." 

Finally Kysek finishes by asking, "And who is the 'They/Them' you concern yourself with?"

"If I knew the NAMES of the players controlling everything, I would USE their names. Probably something normal like 'Matt' or 'Joe', maybe a 'Mike' but I can't Prove it," Foil Hat states matter-of-factly. 

Ra'ziir, has attention still mostly focused on the library, asks, "Apprentice, huh? What happened to the princess?"

Foil Hat shrugs, "Short version? Sibling rivalry. Long version, one ruled by day, the other by night. Night-time princess gets jealous of all the attention day-time sister gets, turns jealous, goes crazy, they fight, night-time sister gets banished to the moon for a thousand years and then returns. The apprentice and some of her friends get together, face off against the vengeful sister and use the Elements of Harmony to, for lack of a better way to word it, purge the jealousy and restore balance."

Grotto interrupts, "Where's the inn? Where's the pub? Where's the white fillies at?"

Foil Hat stammers, "Wh..wait..what? There really isn't an inn, per se, or a pub but there is a confectionary store in the town square. Lots of ponies, fillies included, purchase sweets there."

Drax frowns. "How DO they makes things without thumbs?" The question haunts him, expanding to fill his consciousness. The mystery demands an answer and the assassin turns his attention towards solving it. He sees a Unicorn with a glowing horn rolling dough into a fritter at a roadside cart. The dough is surrounded by a same colored glow. A regular pony is holding a chisel in its teeth and is carving some of this curlie-cue or gingerbread type of trim for an awning. His answers obtained, he listens in on Foil Hat's answers, noting the reference to "only beings from another dimension".

Niklas moves closer to Drax, also watching the crafts-ponies at their works and wonder if or how he would be able to fletch arrows or shape a bow. He quietly asks the assassin, "Not to appear dim-witted, we have no possessions or any means of procuring more, I fear we will become obvious targets of suspicion if we linger here too long."

Raven raises one eyebrow when he overhears the question wondering where he might have heard those particular thoughts before.

Shadow also listens to all of the strange pony's answers as question after question is hurled his way by the dark elf's companions. He focuses on his Arcane Sight, taking in every detail of the native and detects nothing magical about Foil Hat himself but does note a very faint aura of positive energy permeating the air, the ground, the buildings, the trees, literally everything he can see.

Cedron continues to listen but he turns his attention to his companions. Most had been injured in the battle with Malekith or on the way to Loki’s tower.  His stomach rumbles "Ugh.. Grotto is not wrong," he thinks to himself, "we need to eat and rest if we are to face our next challenge. And how do we defend ourselves? Where are our weapons, bows, and magical items?" 

After Foil Hat finishes talking, Cedron steps away from the party, and focuses on Malazzarr and Progress. “Oh grand purveyor of progress, our journey as taken us to a new destination. A land of equines. As with all new things, I will remain receptive to your wisdom, and ever watchful of the next steps to take so that we are ever moving forward, and bringing the greatest good to worlds around us. Always improving, learning, and sharing.  Please guide me and fellow… ma—ponies so that we follow the righteous path of progress, and set an example of the truths you bring.”

Seeing Cedron give praise to his god, Grotto thinks to do the same. He moves a few steps off to the side and meditates on the comforting rhythm of war drums, "Hanseath, great god of war, let me slay many foes in your name. Watch over my party so that we may spill much blood in your honor! May our thoughts and prayers be one with your intentions!"

Raven, having listened to all of this, finally asks, "That's all fine and well but how would a 'being from another plane' go about getting back to that plane?"

"Oh, that is a good question, and one I don't have an answer to," Foil Hat scratches his chin, "but I bet that my friend Abacus does! Come with me!"

- - - - -

• Cedron: 79% health;

• Drax: 100% health; Nondetection (lasts until about 10 pm), Undetectable Alignment (lasts until about noon tomorrow)

• Grotto: 74% health;

• Kysek: 100% health; Half of the Tome has been read, Fly (8 minutes, 9 rounds remaining)

• Niklas: 84% health; 

• Raven: 80% health; 

• Ra’ziir: 73% health;

• Shadow: 97% health;