[FiM] Bridle Shores Commercial: Bits or Credit 3

[Hawkflight]

Silverpine had to smirk at the fun the two were having with all the pillowy goodness that made up the castle. Soon enough however, he turned his attention back to Heartflight. "Well, I could show you around, if you like. It's quite big, though you probably won't get lost."

"Okay," Heartflight agreed, bouncing after Silverpine.

[TheAmishPirate]

[Grief's Cafe]

"Well, gosh. It sounds like you can't do much of anything until you fix your magic."

Silk Scarf said.

"Which also means you shouldn't worry about much of anything other than fixing your magic. Piling things up in your head like that destroys your ability to even start. It's like they always say -- you eat a mountain one bite at a time!"

Top Hat waved a hoof dramatically, ending with a point towards Sandy. Silk Scarf joined him in pointing.

"You've got to eat the mountain!"

Sandy went cross-eyed trying to look at the hooves pointed at his face. That, or the strain on his sanity had finally gone one step too far. "But...I don't even like mountain..." he meekly objected.

Really, both arguments had their merits.

The little pegasus shook himself until his eyes were pointing the same way, then shook his head some more for good measure. "Gah, I mean, what about Miss Icy? If I go and get poofed back, then she won't be able to study...whatever this is." He motioned to his fluttering wings. "Besides which, I don't even have th' faintest clue how I can get poofed back. I studied Earth magics, not...er, magic magics."

[Pillowfort]

"Gariiiiiion~!" The young colt would feel himself bounce up a foot as Gearstride galloped over and bounced herself next to him to send him flying up.

"Waugh!" Garion yelped in surprise as he found himself launched into the air. Scrambling madly to right himself, he landed on a single foreleg, which promptly bounced himself back up into the air. Then flank. Then another leg. Then back. Then noggin. Then leg again...

On every repeating bounce, Gear would get bounced for an inch of air.

[Hawkflight]

"Waugh!" Garion yelped in surprise as he found himself launched into the air. Scrambling madly to right himself, he landed on a single foreleg, which promptly bounced himself back up into the air. Then flank. Then another leg. Then back. Then noggin. Then leg again...

On every repeating bounce, Gear would get bounced for an inch of air.

Heartflight yelped as she found herself in the way of a bouncing Garion, getting knocked into and bounced about as well.

[Lycan 01]

[Greif's Cafe]

"Oh a captain now?....Perhaps not bragging...but maybe a little showing off here," She wanly smiled at him, gave him a little playful wink and then returned to staring at her peppermint tea, watching the steam swirl about in it.

"Which is fine....I'd be a hypocrite if I said I didn't like to show off."

"Nah," Greif says with a crooked grin, playfully acting a little smug. "Just stating facts. You'd know if I was actually showing off."

He then nods at the mare. "What about yourself, though? What sort of line of work do you do, and enjoy showing off so much?" he inquires with a bit of playful teasingness in his tone and grin.

[Benson]

[Pillowfort]

"Waugh!" Garion yelped in surprise as he found himself launched into the air. Scrambling madly to right himself, he landed on a single foreleg, which promptly bounced himself back up into the air. Then flank. Then another leg. Then back. Then noggin. Then leg again...

On every repeating bounce, Gear would get bounced for an inch of air.

"Haha..." She laughed, a good ol' belly laugh. "Having fun Garion?" She asked playfully already knowing the answer.

[Greif's Cafe]
"Nah," Greif says with a crooked grin, playfully acting a little smug. "Just stating facts. You'd know if I was actually showing off."

He then nods at the mare. "What about yourself, though? What sort of line of work do you do, and enjoy showing off so much?" he inquires with a bit of playful teasingness in his tone and grin.

"I wa- am a professional dancer, hailing from Manehatten," She replied, stirring her tea with her straw.

[Grif]

"Okay," Heartflight agreed, bouncing after Silverpine.

(Took some digging, but for reference for anyone else who might want to refer.)

He shrugged. "Wouldn't hurt to try. I'm not hurting for bits just yet, so I'm not worried."

(Didn't actually know that, thanks)



As they walked, Sandy couldn't help but admire the craftsmanship of the fortress. Made of thousands of pillows, the structure seemed to defy the very material it was made out of.

"I wonder...what's holding these pillows together?" He reached a hoof in between two cushions and felt around. He touched a strange material that seemed to bind the two. It was hard, yet had a grainy sort of feel to it, almost like...magically hardened sand.

Wait, hadn't Gearstride been drinking with them last night? But he distinctly remembered himself and Cypress taking her to her room...and yet she woke up here, in this fortress, under a shed that hadn't been here yesterday...

He quickly withdrew his hoof. "Er, probably some sort of magic. Yep! Didn't feel much of anything I recognized, must be magic. Hey, wonder what's in that room over there?" He pointed to a doorway they had yet to explore, trying to change the subject.

(Going to be deadtiming for several hours after this. Assume Silverpine is tagging along for the ride.)

"Huh, let's check it out then." Silverpine responded, and trotted off towards the doorway. He peered inside the darkened corridor. It seemed to be lit at regular intervals by torches of various colour, the multitude of colours giving the corridor a rainbow hue.

"... how the hay torches even glow like that?" Silverpine said, exasperated at yet another scientific impossibility.

Gear finally decided to lend a hoof as she went over to Silverpine's side and pulled as well using her earth pony strength. With the powers combined and the assumption that at some point Cypress helped as well, the four ponies pulled opened the very important looking door.

It had to be the most comfortable room that's for sure. Inside this huge room, which turned out to be the throne room. A lavishly and decadently decorated throne room. Immediately Gear galloped to the throne and sat in it wearing her lampshade crown. As she sat down one of the walls disappeared and-

(Now I'm imagining this as one of those 'three-word' story games found on forums....gogogo anyone else who wants to add a bit to the up-coming madness!)



"Yea...got the bread and milk, which is all I need....want...on the other hand. Do you guys sell "oh Henry' chocolate bars?" He asked Pyrite as he mused about the delectable candy bar.

(Oh goodie, luckily I didn't post the room I had in mind. I figured you were making a post since your original one disappeared. :p)

As she sat down one of the walls disappeared and revealed another opulently decorated antechamber. Silver and gold pillows glittered on the walls, with magically coloured torches lighting the room. What interested Silverpine more was the contents of the chamber. There was a curious pedestal right in the middle, about the height of an average pony.

Trotting closer to inspect the thing, he noticed the word, "Speak, and eat well" inscribed in big large blocky letters on the base.

(Yes, a magical version of the Star Trek replicators. Food goodness.)

Gearstride-Pillow Fortress/Castle


"Cool...did my wonderful flank that sat upon this throne do that?" Questioned the xanadu mare getting a little ego injection. She hopped off and no the wall did no disappear, it was probably just the coincidental timing from when she sat down and the wall disappearing.

She trotted to where Silverpine was at with the curious pedestal. "Hauh...what did ya find sweet stuff?" She gave him a habitual lick on the cheek as she looked at this...whatever it was.

Sandy let Silverpine explore the pedestal, he was more interested in some of the decorations of this new room. In addition to the walls and multicolored torches, there was a line of statues of earth ponies wearing pillow-made armor in a series of warlike poses. The statues themselves were made from pillows of all shapes and sizes, from long, skinny body pillows for the legs to massive couch cushions for the bodies. The manes were made from loose thread of all colors. In fact, each of the statues seemed to have every color of the rainbow somewhere on its plush body.

As he approached one of the statues to get a better look at it, suddenly the colors started to shift and blend. He gasped as the statue shrank down until the fierce pony was no longer larger than life, but much shorter than the average pony. Its multicolor hide had turned a pale blue, and its mane of patchwork colors was now a sandy tan with brown, grainy flecks. The helmet it wore shifted and morphed as a horn grew from the statue, and the rest of the armor plates shrank to fit the pony's new size.

Sandy was looking at a pretty good representation of himself in pillow form. He stepped back, and the statue returned to normal. Stepped forward, and it shrank again.

...More often. Definitely need to get drunk more often.

Waiting for Heartflight to finish her fun, Silverpine then led Heartflight on deeper into the castle, letting Garion and Gearstride alone to have their fun for the moment. Surely this cannot go wrong.

Past down the passage with multicoloured lights, which then opened up into the throne room, opulently decorated and all, and with pillows to boot. The shapeshifting statues, magic food-dispensing pedestal and disappearing walls were all still in place.

"We haven't actually explored further into the castle," Silverpine said sheepishly, as they trotted along. "Who knows what else it might have."

[Deme]

[Grief's Cafe]



Sandy went cross-eyed trying to look at the hooves pointed at his face. That, or the strain on his sanity had finally gone one step too far. "But...I don't even like mountain..." he meekly objected.

Really, both arguments had their merits.

The little pegasus shook himself until his eyes were pointing the same way, then shook his head some more for good measure. "Gah, I mean, what about Miss Icy? If I go and get poofed back, then she won't be able to study...whatever this is." He motioned to his fluttering wings. "Besides which, I don't even have th' faintest clue how I can get poofed back. I studied Earth magics, not...er, magic magics."

"Your well-being is more important than her mad magi-science!"
"More important!"

They re-instated their previous pointing.

"Top Hat? I have a question."
"Yes, my dear?"

"He said he doesn't know how to get poofed back."
"That is a problem..."

Then, they slowed down. Paused, and crossed their forelegs, thinking.
"...But if you don't have any leads, you could see what she turns up."

"We'll help, too! Top Hat studied magic at Canterlot!"
"That's right! I definitely studied it!"

[TheAmishPirate]

[Pillowfort]

Heartflight yelped as she found herself in the way of a bouncing Garion, getting knocked into and bounced about as well.

The two ponies pinballed madly about, bumping into floor, walls, each other, and suddenly Gearstride if she didn't get out of the way quick enough.

Garion, judging by his constant squeals of laughter, was having the time of his life.

[Grief's Cafe]

"Your well-being is more important than her mad magi-science!"
"More important!"

They re-instated their previous pointing.

"Top Hat? I have a question."
"Yes, my dear?"

"He said he doesn't know how to get poofed back."
"That is a problem..."

Then, they slowed down. Paused, and crossed their forelegs, thinking.
"...But if you don't have any leads, you could see what she turns up."

"We'll help, too! Top Hat studied magic at Canterlot!"
"That's right! I definitely studied it!"

Sandy scratched his chin thoughtfully. "Say...that ain't such a bad idea. She'd be gettin' the research done - which'll be a huge help t'ponies in need - an' I'll start gettin' clues on how t'fix this thing for good. It's like clearing two clouds with one-"

Right around then, the remainder of their offer caught up with him. "You're gonna study what now?" he asked, completely deadpan.

[Lycan 01]

[Greif's Cafe]

Greif raises a feathery brow. "Professional dancer, huh? What sorta dance?"


Across the bar, the pink mare behind the counter suddenly takes notice of where this conversation is going, though she tries to hide it. Her ears perk a bit at the mention of professional dance.

[Benson]

Pillowfort


"Hahah hey hey Garion..!" She called out to the giggling and laughing colt as she moved out of the way of his bounces and watched him.

"I got an awesome idea that will be super duper fuuuun~" She said in a sing songy voice as she cantered over to the colt.

[Greif's Cafe]

Greif raises a feathery brow. "Professional dancer, huh? What sorta dance?"


Across the bar, the pink mare behind the counter suddenly takes notice of where this conversation is going, though she tries to hide it. Her ears perk a bit at the mention of professional dance.

"Well, a variety, I am classically trained and skilled in various styles. Primarily though contemporary, swing, jive, tango and yes...the quick step." She said as she faintly smiled and found herself twirling a tendril of mane with her hoof. "I w--am in a dance troupe based in Manehatten."

[Lycan 01]

Greif nods along with a friendly smile. "Quite a collection of skills. Impressive. What about the more classical stuff, like ballroom dancing, ballet, and waltzing?" he curiously inquires, trying to make friendly conversation.

Spin Top busies herself with cleaning the counter, with her back to the griffon and his new friend, trying to keep a low profile.

[Benson]

"Well I'm a little rusty but I can pull off something decent, to the untrained eye," She winked and then stretched her neck muscles a little. "Our..my troupe tended to focus on flashy energetic dances."

[Deme]

[Grief's Cafe]



Sandy scratched his chin thoughtfully. "Say...that ain't such a bad idea. She'd be gettin' the research done - which'll be a huge help t'ponies in need - an' I'll start gettin' clues on how t'fix this thing for good. It's like clearing two clouds with one-"

Right around then, the remainder of their offer caught up with him. "You're gonna study what now?" he asked, completely deadpan.

"I studied magic, so maybe Silk Scarf and I could think of a way!"
"I bet if we started with poofing, we could work out how to poof you back."

This should be ringing alarm bells.

[TheAmishPirate]

"I studied magic, so maybe Silk Scarf and I could think of a way!"
"I bet if we started with poofing, we could work out how to poof you back."

This should be ringing alarm bells.

Sandy's wings folded over his chest, and he clutched at them protectively. "I...uh, I'm not sure that's th' best idea..." He gulped, eyeing Top Hat's horn warily. The problem with studying magic was that you knew precisely how fast spells tended to travel, and just how hopeless outrunning a unicorn with good aim could be.

He could only pray Top Hat's aim wasn't as good as his cheer.

[Lycan 01]

[Greif's Cafe]

"Well I'm a little rusty but I can pull off something decent, to the untrained eye," She winked and then stretched her neck muscles a little. "Our..my troupe tended to focus on flashy energetic dances."

Greif smirks knowingly. "The type of dances that are really fun to show off, huh?"

He chuckles a bit, before leaning back in his chair to get more comfortable. "Yeah, I'm not too much of a dancer. Other than the frumpy stuff like ballroom dancing and waltzing. Required knowledge if you're planning to attend fancy parties among griffon high society and nobility, which, in my line of work, was required. So..." He shrugs haplessly. "Had to learn how to cut a rug between flight drills, or else."

[Benson]

"Or else?" She casually asked.

[Hawkflight]

[Pillowfort]

The two ponies pinballed madly about, bumping into floor, walls, each other, and suddenly Gearstride if she didn't get out of the way quick enough.

Garion, judging by his constant squeals of laughter, was having the time of his life.

Heartflight stood up woozily once they were done bouncing around. "IIIII'm okay," she said dizzily. She subconsciously made a mental note that kinetic energy seemed to be amplified in this place.

(Took some digging, but for reference for anyone else who might want to refer.)













Waiting for Heartflight to finish her fun, Silverpine then led Heartflight on deeper into the castle, letting Garion and Gearstride alone to have their fun for the moment. Surely this cannot go wrong.

Past down the passage with multicoloured lights, which then opened up into the throne room, opulently decorated and all, and with pillows to boot. The shapeshifting statues, magic food-dispensing pedestal and disappearing walls were all still in place.

"We haven't actually explored further into the castle," Silverpine said sheepishly, as they trotted along. "Who knows what else it might have."

Heartflight observed the area curiously. It had been a long time since she'd seen something well and truly new on such a massive scale as this. Leaving the pedestal for a moment, she began poking around, exploring. Maybe the original creators had left some sort of documentation or literature of this place laying around.

[Lycan 01]

"Or else?" She casually asked.

Greif gives a lazy roll of his eyes, smirking lazily. "Or else you cause a scene, and cast doubt on your social standing and qualifications for whatever position or rank you hold. After all, if a grif cannot learn a few dance steps, then how can he be expected to lead a flight wing into combat, or properly keep track of political responsibilities?" he muses.

"Besides," he snorts, "Rivals and gossipers will look for any and all signs of weakness or issue. Even dancing skills. Griffon politics and high society can be rather aggravating with all its competitiveness and frumpy pomp and circumstance," he grumbles.

"So yes, a grif like me had to know how to dance and blend in with high society, otherwise parties could get very awkward very fast, and then you'd have to worry about your position as Captain of the Raptors being called into question. Oh, and Icarus forbid that you accidentally bump into some arrogant Count's obnoxiously flared wings while trying to enjoy a waltz with a lovely Duchess," he sighs with another roll of his eyes. "That's an honor duel on the spot just waiting to happen..."

[Deme]

Sandy's wings folded over his chest, and he clutched at them protectively. "I...uh, I'm not sure that's th' best idea..." He gulped, eyeing Top Hat's horn warily. The problem with studying magic was that you knew precisely how fast spells tended to travel, and just how hopeless outrunning a unicorn with good aim could be.

He could only pray Top Hat's aim wasn't as good as his cheer.

"It's foolproof!...Though, actually, that never seems to stop us."

"But if you're worried, we'll make extra sure we have an absolutely brilliant idea before we do anything!"

You know... That's probably not half as comforting as it sounds. A cold wind may blow through the bar.

[TheAmishPirate]

Pillowfort

"Hahah hey hey Garion..!" She called out to the giggling and laughing colt as she moved out of the way of his bounces and watched him.

"I got an awesome idea that will be super duper fuuuun~" She said in a sing songy voice as she cantered over to the colt.

Garion gasped and bounce-rolled his way over to Gear. "What what what what is iiiiiit?~" he sang-song in tune with her. Springing to his hooves he rapidly galloped in place on the springy floor. "What's the idea, Miss Gear? Tell me? Pleeeeeeease?" Gear found herself on the receiving end of a pair of wide, pleading, heart-melting foal eyes.



[Grief's Cafe]

"It's foolproof!...Though, actually, that never seems to stop us."

"But if you're worried, we'll make extra sure we have an absolutely brilliant idea before we do anything!"

You know... That's probably not half as comforting as it sounds. A cold wind may blow through the bar.

A chill wind blew through the bar. An ill omen of dark times to come, when the hearts of ponies fail and Harmony lies shattered on the cold shores of chaos and uncertainty. A time of unleashed storm, rampant wild, and rebellious magic. Sandy covered himself in his wings, and shivered horribly.

******************

Outside the bar, a pair of colts casually slid shut the window they'd just accidentally bumped open, and trotted away with an innocent whistle.


*******************

"I...think I need more root beer," Sandy said flatly, turning back to the bar. Some days, one root beer float wasn't enough to prepare a stallion for the troubles of this world.

[Grif]

Heartflight observed the area curiously. It had been a long time since she'd seen something well and truly new on such a massive scale as this. Leaving the pedestal for a moment, she began poking around, exploring. Maybe the original creators had left some sort of documentation or literature of this place laying around.

If there was documentation, it wasn't there in the throne room to be found. At least not by cursory inspection. However, she would find several doors cleverly hidden by the pillowy walls, that would lead deeper into the castle.

Silverpine followed Heartflight around the room, looking around the place himself. He seemed to be steering wide of the pedestal though.

[Benson]

Greif's Cafe

"You sound like that particular...example happened to you.." Quick commented upon as she continued to listen to Greif.
=======
==

Pillowfort
Garion gasped and bounce-rolled his way over to Gear. "What what what what is iiiiiit?~" he sang-song in tune with her. Springing to his hooves he rapidly galloped in place on the springy floor. "What's the idea, Miss Gear? Tell me? Pleeeeeeease?" Gear found herself on the receiving end of a pair of wide, pleading, heart-melting foal eyes.

"Geeze kid...ya gotta put those away...such cutie pie eyes can melt a pony," She said playfully, blowing a little raspberry at him.

"Anyways, my super awesome idea is.....what if launched you off my back and against the pillow wall?...Oh and well have extra pillows for you to land onto?...It'll be like falling with style, eh?" Griiiiiiiin.

[Lycan 01]

[Greif's Cafe[

Greif smiles sheepishly.



~~Three Years Earlier~~

"Watch where you're blundering about, Captain."

"Excuse me?"

"If you're as coordinated in the sky as you are on the ballroom floor, then perhaps we should be more worried about our nation's aerial security..."

"..."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


"Eh," the griffon shrugs a bit. "Maybe? There might be a bit more to it than that, of course." Like the part about the noble holding a grudge because his brother didn't get Greif's spot on the Raptor team. Or the part where Greif and the noble wound up having a teeny, tiny, itsy-bitsy all-out brawl in the middle of a fancy dinner party.

[TheAmishPirate]

[Pillowfort]

"Geeze kid...ya gotta put those away...such cutie pie eyes can melt a pony," She said playfully, blowing a little raspberry at him.[/COLOR]

Garion gasped and shut his eyes tight. A true gentlecolt certainly didn't melt ponies, and that went double for Ladies.

"Anyways, my super awesome idea is.....what if launched you off my back and against the pillow wall?...Oh and well have extra pillows for you to land onto?...It'll be like falling with style, eh?" Griiiiiiiin.

"Ooooooh, like a catapult!" He sneaked a little peek through squinty-shut eyes. "Except it's with a pony, so it's more like a pony-pult! But where're we gonna get extra pillows from?" He scratched his head, the gigantic fort made of pillows looming behind him.

[Deme]

[Grief's Cafe]



A chill wind blew through the bar. An ill omen of dark times to come, when the hearts of ponies fail and Harmony lies shattered on the cold shores of chaos and uncertainty. A time of unleashed storm, rampant wild, and rebellious magic. Sandy covered himself in his wings, and shivered horribly.

******************

Outside the bar, a pair of colts casually slid shut the window they'd just accidentally bumped open, and trotted away with an innocent whistle.


*******************

"I...think I need more root beer," Sandy said flatly, turning back to the bar. Some days, one root beer float wasn't enough to prepare a stallion for the troubles of this world.

"Ooh, that was nippy."
"Quite nippy indeed," The two apparently could read an atmosphere, but not read an atmosphere.

"I think we're good for drinks ourselves," Silk Scarf said cheerfully.

[Benson]

Greif's Cafe

Quick Step wanly smiled and mused over her tea. "Hmmm...heh..right, how much do I owe for my tea and refill?" She casually asked and glanced at Greif.

======

Pillow Fort

"....Yer cute kid. Anyways....we're kinda in a pillowfort, better question, where can't we find pillows? Haha," She grinned and noogies the squinting colt.

[TheAmishPirate]

Pillow Fort

"....Yer cute kid. Anyways....we're kinda in a pillowfort, better question, where can't we find pillows? Haha," She grinned and noogies the squinting colt.

Garion immediately fell prey to an attack of the giggles under Gear's merciless noogie assault. "Bwahahahahahaha! M-miss Gear-pfftt hahahahaha!-that's n-not fair! *snort* Hoohoohoo!" His little legs flailed in a mad effort to free himself from her ticklish attacks.

[Lycan 01]

[Greif's Cafe]

Greif gives a small wave of his talons, flashes a relaxed smile. "Eh, don't worry about it. On the house."

[Benson]

Garion immediately fell prey to an attack of the giggles under Gear's merciless noogie assault. "Bwahahahahahaha! M-miss Gear-pfftt hahahahaha!-that's n-not fair! *snort* Hoohoohoo!" His little legs flailed in a mad effort to free himself from her ticklish attacks.

"Dang kid...if that's ticklish for ya...I don't wanna see what a real tickling would do to ya heh.." Gearstride mused as she stopped with the noogies. She looked around and worked her shoulders.

"Come on kid, let's see if we can pry some of these pillows from the...err ground...stuffs..."

[Greif's Cafe]

Greif gives a small wave of his talons, flashes a relaxed smile. "Eh, don't worry about it. On the house."

"You sure?..Uhm...thank you," She faintly smiled.

[Lycan 01]

[Greif's Cafe]

"No worries." Greif gives a small, sincere smile. "I hope things improve for you, Miss. Good luck with everything," he tells her, sounding sincere in his concern and hopes for her. "Lemme know if there's anything I can do to help out, even if it's just another cup of tea and more stories about how bad I am at parties." Wry smirk from the griffon.