Inside 59

[Rebonack]

[Carousel Court]

The ponies are almost nauseatingly friendly.

"Hello! Welcome to Carousel Court!"
"Your horns are so neat looking! Do you paint them?"
"The weather team sure has outdone itself today, hasn't it?"
"Would you like to try some of my carrots? Freshly grown and washed!"

And that's not including the at least a dozen or so variants on 'Hello, I'm X. Who are you?'

It would be pretty easy to rationalize it out.

Ponies are social creatures, even more so than humans. They're herd creatures at heart. And that means social contact is rather fundamental to their psyche. So when a new person that hasn't been seen before begins walking down Mane Street, they're likely to attract attention. And attention often amounts to warm greetings and offers of free samples of produce.

Also? It seems like you can't go two blocks here without walking past a sweets shop of some kind. There are confectioners specializing in chocolates, toffies, taffies, licorice, fudge, drops, brittles, and every other possible variety. There are bakeries for cookies, for donuts, for fruit tarts and fritters and sweet breads. There are ice cream parlors both soft and hard. There are malt shops. There are soda fountains. There's even a place that sells a myriad of delicious custards, flans, and jellies. Each and every one of them has heavenly aromas drifting out through the doors. And each one seems to be the most common attraction that humans (especially humans with children) are interested in within the bounds of Carousel Court.

If someone is looking for sweets, Carousel Court is the place to visit.

Even Willy Wonka would be impressed.

[Lost_Deep]

Carousel Court

Punch doesn't want to be rude. She likes being polite! She really does.

But she doesn't have all day, so the most that ponies get are "Excuse me"s or the occasional "mhm".

Maybe she'll come back to some of the sweet shops sometime when she isn't on a mission. For now, she needs to find that bathhouse.

[Rebonack]

[Carousel Court]

Yes indeed.

On a mission.

A very important mission.

A mission that she can't afford to-

"Hi there!" declares a pink pony with a bubble gum ice cream blue mane. To further the image she has a multitude of colorful sphere-shaped beads woven into her hair. "I don't think I've seen you around Carousel Court before! Is this your first time here? Would you like a tour? Have you ever wrestled a dire wombat? What's your name? What's you favorite type of candy?"

At that last question she blows an absurdly massive pink bubble and begins to drift gradually up into the air. The thing suddenly busts, covering her face in sticky gum-

-which is somehow licked off and sucked back into her mouth.

"-I like bubblegum! Which makes sense, 'cuz I'm Bubblegum Confetti!"

[Lost_Deep]

Carousel Court

...

"I'm looking for a Bathhouse. I have a note to Deliver there." Despite efforts otherwise, Punch sounds overwhelmed. Very overwhelmed.

[Solidarity]

[AS - Philip Memorial Library]

The Librarian doesn't appear to be magical in the least. He's just some old guy in a sweater vest.

"Using divination within the walls of this library is not safe," he replies cryptically. "If you seek knowledge here, then seek and you will find it."

How...

Spooky?

Disgruntled, Marcus re-strapped his staff to his back.

"If that's how it's gotta be, then so be it." sighed the wizard. "Anything else...dangerous?"

Not that he was particularly interested in the obvious danger of being in here at all, it was more that he wanted to cover that he wasn't doing anything else that was prohibited. He'd learned it's best not to go against the grain. Though, it didn't exactly make him jump for joy to physically search all the books in this massive place. Mark's shoulders notably sag from here on out.

[Rebonack]

[Carousel Court]

Poor, poor Punch. Social interaction may be the death of her.

"You ARE?" Bubblegum gasps. "Well you must be talking about the Healing Hooves Bath House since that's the only one in Carousel Court! It might be the only one Inside, too. But it probably isn't since Inside is arbitrarily large and filled with all sorts of neat fun things like bath houses and bird houses and jail houses and opera houses and dog houses and house houses and houses of ill repute which is actually just another name for a brothel I think," the pony rambles. "I can show you the way to the bath house and we can sing my absolutely most favorite song while we're walking."

And then?

She'll begin leading Punch toward her destination.

While humming a soft, slow, pleasant melody that's wholly at odds with what one would probably expect her most favorite song would be.

As she goes she'll pause now and again to point out this or that landmark or store or candy shop that she's particularly fond of.

[AS - Philip Memorial Library]

"Goodness me of course there are other things that are dangerous here," the Librarian replies. "All to be found within these walls is dangerous. But if you speak of physical dangers I can assure you the library is quite safe, barring paper cuts."

[Lost_Deep]

Carousel Court

Punch follows behind patiently. She doesn't have much to say, as long as the pony doesn't seem to be leading her in circles.

[Rebonack]

[Carousel Court]

Unless the Court exists as a really tightly bound hyper-dimensional sphere, Bubblegum is not leading Punch in circles.

As a matter of fact she's leading her straight to the bath house!

The building has a very oriental flavor to it. In fact, it looks like it could have been lifted straight out of a popular anime that heavily features a bath house, complete with the little bridge that leads to it, the river running around it, and the rock spire it's sitting on top of. Bubblegum with clip-clop across the bridge along with Punch.

"Well, I hope you have fun at the bath house Giloba Dorost," Bubblegum says, her tone suddenly very serious. "And try to be patient with Sweet Spring, okay? She tries really really super hard to be a good pony. She really does. But sometimes she does bad things and then she feels really bad about it."

...uh.

Punch hasn't told anyone her name yet, has she?

[Lost_Deep]

Carousel Court

"I know, I know She-"

Record scratch.

"How Did you know my name?"

[Murkus]

Byways, ???

Mist hops off the bike, a smile on his face as he shifts back into his natural shape.
"Tina, it's a beautiful spot." he says, taking a few steps into the field with his bare paws, looking out over the landscape with bright eyes. Eventually, he simply falls over, looking up at the sky.
"Where exactly is 'here' anyway?" he asks her.

The storm ahead of them drifts forward without menace, the occasional blast of lightning whipping down to split the darkness. God's very own shade of blue casts a seconds-long glow over the soaked lowland, leaving an imprint on the eyes as little else can.

Tina descends behind him, a little more slowly, and remains standing when he falls. Her hair and the fringes of her dress are carried out behind her by a stray gust of wind, her eyes on the storm, nearly the same shade as each stroke of lightning. They crackle just the same. She smiles, more at peace here than anywhere else.

"I come here to be alone sometimes. Or, mostly. I've only ever seen one other person here," Tina's smile holds, but changes somehow. "He called it Cu'Tiet N'Forma. The uh," She struggles to remember the nomad's translation. "The place of little idols."

Red Zone - Trash

"That's what all of you losers say when you can't think of a real comeback," Aiden says, continuing with his stride down the street. He wonders when the heck Susurrus is going to jump him already.

"Loser. Comeback. You sound like you're talking to a bully on the playground, don't you think?" Susurrus has a good long laugh at him, it's many voices blending together. Something rumbles all around Aiden. No... beneath him!

A huge, ragged hand explodes from a manhole cover just behind Aiden. It seemed the creature waited until he was just above before reaching out. The cover itself flies into the night sky, deposited in a nearby shop window with a crash and the blare of an alarm. The hand's fingers try to wrap themselves around Aiden's legs and drag him into the hole.

[Devixer]

Red Zone - Trash

"Makes sense to me. You're no more threatening than a bully." Aiden says. The hand explodes out of a manhole cover, and it reaches for him. The only problem with that is that Aiden isn't where he was a second ago. He lands behind the steel hand, grinning wider than ever. "And this is just playtime for me."

Aiden reaches out to grab the hand with both of his, and then pull it right out of the manhole.

[Deathkeeper]

Place of Little Idols

Mist sits up a little bit and looks about.
"Well, I don't know if I'd call those things idols, but I'm sure it's called that for a reason. We don't have to worry about that storm reaching us, do we? I doubt you want to drive home stuck next to a wet fox." he jokes.
"What was that one fellow like?" asks Mist after a pause.

[Rebonack]

[Carousel Court]

Bubblegum just smiles a huge smile. "It's part of my talent, of course! If I didn't know everyone's name then how would I know what name to write on the little slip of paper that sits on top of their plate?"

Duh.

Get with the program, Punch.

"And how would I give new people little hi-my-name-is badges if I didn't know their name?"

Punch may or may not have acquired one such sticker badge attached to her shirt at some point.

[Lost_Deep]

Carousel Court

Punch looks down at her shirt. She peels off the sticker idly, and looks at it before crunching it up. "Just Call me Punch. Thank you for leading me here, this Place was a little Busier than I'm Used to. I'm in a Bit Of a hurry, though."

[Rebonack]

[Carousel Court]

Busy is certainly one way to describe the Court.

"Okay Punch!" Bubblegum replies. "Somepony new is about to get spit out of the Frolicking Fountain in the middle of Carousel Court so I've got to go greet them! Have fun playing with Sweet Spring!"

And then she turns and trots away! "Tra lu la lu la~"

What a weird creature.

Anywho!

The inside of the bath house will feel rather humid, what with all the open baths all over the place partitioned by screens. It's pretty fancy. The kind of place folks who feel like setting their money on fire come to. There's a prim looking hobbit woman standing behind the receptionist desk and doing her best to look friendly and professional rather than bored.

[Recaiden]

[Picnic]

Felina chuckles

Nothing wrong with teaching! Teaching the young is one our most important tasks as priests: making sure that knowledge is passed along and traditions are kept alive. It's just too much to expect parents to handle all of that: there is too much to cover, too many areas of expertise for any person or couple to manage.
Our school at the temple is getting to be fairly popular these days: we have almost fifty children attending regularly now. They're only split into two class groups right now, but if things keep going then pretty soon we'll be able to separate it into more reasonable classes. That keeps up, and we will need a new building. It's so funny that just six months ago they were contemplating selling off a lot, and now we might buy the next one over!

Arlem nods.

"That's what a change can do. Good for you guys turning the temple around so well. I didn't know it was considering being sold. That would have been sad. Do you have enough people to teach them, with so many students?"

[Lost_Deep]

Carousel Court

"Hello, I need to talk to the Proprietor? I'm friends with their Daughter, who needs a little help." The best way to not be called a thief is to make your intentions clear as day and blatantly obiovus to anyone who asks.

[Fenric]

[Picnic]

Arlem nods.

"That's what a change can do. Good for you guys turning the temple around so well. I didn't know it was considering being sold. That would have been sad. Do you have enough people to teach them, with so many students?"

Felina hmms

Not really, no. They just brought on a unicorn as a teacher, but I think he might just be there for PE. Some of the older kids are certainly getting to the point that we really don't have proper teachers to help them in things like math or specific sciences.

[Rebonack]

[CC - Bath House]

The halfling frowns a bit. "Oh. You're one of Sweetie's friends," she replies. The tone is pretty clear. Not a customer, wasting my time, probably a thug. She pushes a button and speaks, "Mrs Spring? There's someone here to talk with you about your daughter."

In this case the intonation suggests a very clear again.

"Oh? Please send them to my office," comes a rather refined, feminine voice from the little speaker.

The receptionist points at a nearby elevator. "All the way to the top, big double doors on your left. Can't miss it."

[Lost_Deep]

CC - Bath House

"Thank you." She heads up to the office, and will knock on the door when she gets there.

[Rebonack]

[CC - Bath House]

"Come in," comes the voice of Cleansing Spring from within.

Once Punch enters the office she'll find a smartly groomed earth pony mare standing in front of her rather impressive looking desk. She's a bit bigger than Sunder, which shouldn't come as any shock. Earth ponies are the biggest of the tribes after all. Her coat is a pleasant sea green color and her mane a blue like the sky reflected of a still pond. Her eyes are the steamy grey of a sweltering sauna. Emblazoned on her flank is an image of water flowing down a stone.

"Well. What has my daughter gotten herself into this time?" Spring asks.

[Recaiden]

[Picnic]
Felina hmms

Not really, no. They just brought on a unicorn as a teacher, but I think he might just be there for PE. Some of the older kids are certainly getting to the point that we really don't have proper teachers to help them in things like math or specific sciences.

"Well, I'm sure you'll find something- we'll find some way to teach them."
Arlem's kind of good at math, but teaching it to children would be new. Does not sound like an engaging use of time.

"A unicorn, though? That's quite surprising."

[Fenric]

[Picnic]

Felina nods

Right! There's bound to be somebody who will like to teach those things, and I'm sure Caroline's already recruiting for the more advanced subjects.

Then she giggles

Yes, a unicorn. His name is Sir James, apparently he's a knight from somewhere or other that got cursed powerfully enough that it couldn't be un-done, even with polymorphing. I guess we had some sort of a tradition with having a talking animal around, so Myobi herself brought him on to help with the kids.

She shrugs

Haven't met him myself, yet... I've been busy and he doesn't seem to be out much.

[Recaiden]

[Picnic]

Arlem's laughing as well.

"Oh. A talking unicorn makes much more sense. Poor guy. Now, a tradition of it? What did we have before?"

Probably some sort of fox.

"Speaking of busy, will you need to be back anytime soon?"

[Fenric]

[Picnic]

Felina smiles

Would you believe it was a llama? His name is Atreyu... wizard-awakened from what I was told, and even a priest now. I've never met him, either, though.

her ears fold a bit

Oh... yeah... Noriko probably won't cover for me forever.

then she sighs

I'd probably better be getting back.

[Lost_Deep]

CC - Bath House

"Expensive trouble," Punch pulls out the note. "She Sent me to Get Something for her, But I was worried about Seeming less than legitimate."

[Rebonack]

[CC - Bath House]

Spring takes the note in her hoof (somehow) and reads it.

"I've been telling her for ages to get rid of the morbid baubles she's been collecting, I'm glad she's finally coming to her senses," the pony sighs. "Her room is in the basement of the bath house. Simply ride the elevator to the bottom and turn right once you pass the boiler."

Yay for directions?

Finding the proper route shouldn't be too hard.

Nor should finding the diamond Sunder had described.

It's acting as a paper weight on her coffee table of all things.

Sunder sure is a weird pony.

[Solidarity]

[AS - Philip Memorial Library]

"Goodness me of course there are other things that are dangerous here," the Librarian replies. "All to be found within these walls is dangerous. But if you speak of physical dangers I can assure you the library is quite safe, barring paper cuts."

He'd had enough of beating around the bush. With a abrupt nod and an about-face, Mark ends the conversation. To save time, seeing as he'll have to do this the hard way if he's following the rules, his demeanor shifts to one rather unapproachable, or slightly anti-social. Any who interact with the wizard might get the same feeling as when trying to talk to someone listening to music through headphones. With his quickened pace, Marcus waves lazily at one of the isles of bookcases.

"I'll start over there then." he calls out to Geneva.

He'll be wary of the knowledge he's bound find, based on the Librarian's cryptic and entirely vague warnings. Though with all the proper warding he has against mind affects and other compulsions, the majority of his worries came from pessimism and over-planning. Marcus begins sweeping through the bookshelves for anything related to their interests.

[Lost_Deep]

CC - Bath House

"Thank you." Sunder will head down to do that, and inventory the diamond, and (unless something funny happens) head for the Temple of Inari.

[Recaiden]

[Picnic]

Felina smiles

Would you believe it was a llama? His name is Atreyu... wizard-awakened from what I was told, and even a priest now. I've never met him, either, though.

her ears fold a bit

Oh... yeah... Noriko probably won't cover for me forever.

then she sighs

I'd probably better be getting back.

"I think I would believe it, actually."

Arlem laughs and stands up, holding out a hand to Felina.

"A shame, yes. But we shouldn't keep her waiting."