Foxside: The Temple of Inari 51

[Baeleck]

[Pine Forest]

That's good. Urias moves his arm up to block, but doesn't bar straight across, instead arcing his arm up to meet hers side-on. The resistance is minimal, but Urias is attempting to direct her own motion off to one side, letting the speed of her movement carry her through and past him.

[Arkhosia]

Pine Forest

Sophia stumbles past for a short few seconds, before recovering.
I see, using momentum against the attacker?

[Baeleck]

[Pine Forest]

Urias smiles, glad she's quick to understand the concept. 'Spot on. It's why it's such a useful way of fighting for someone smaller and weaker. And even for someone stronger like yourself, it means you'll use minimal energy, in turn allowing you to outlast your foe in a long, drawn-out fight.'

The boy turns and takes a few long steps away from Sophia, then swivels back around on his heel. 'Let's try the other way around now. I'll come at you nice and slow. Imagine you're pushing a heavy curtain, or perhaps dense undergrowth, aside with your arm. That's how I was taught to visualise the movement.'

After gently jogging up to her, Urias circles his arm down in a chopping motion towards her.

[Fenric]

[Full Moon Party]

Caroline comes out, radiant in her silvery robes, and speaks in a loud voice

Behold, the night of the Full Moon is once again here! Let there be joy and merriment, song and poetry, food and drink!

On the stage that never was dismantled, a group of ponies (!) is setting up their instruments.

[Recaiden]

[Full Moon Party]

"Let there be joy and merriment!" echoes one of the newest acolyte. I'm fairly certain several of Arlem's churches have full moon services or events, but he's here anyway, maybe also at the others, grinning madly, no mask visible.

Also here is a mechanical Leah, slightly unsteady in this body, the night vision on these eyes is absolutely terrible and she makes a note to jokingly complain to Kes as soon as she's back home. She's currently taking the smallest possible portion of each of the foods available.

[Rebonack]

[Full Moon Parties]

Ponies indeed!

Nightmære gloomlings of all five tribes are busy helping with set up of the party being over-seen by Sunder. And by over-seen, I mean Sunder is there carrying supplies around on her back along with the rest of them as an example. For some of the gloomlings this is the first time they've seen their Mistress and they are really keen on impressing her.

The wide-eyed look of awe that most of them had upon meeting her is absolutely adorable.

Hopefully someone got pictures.

Anywho!

Once the festivities are under way Sunder and her spawn are most certainly going to be having fun along with everyone else!

The unliving require both food and energy to survive, after all. They'll eat just as many rice balls as anyone else!

[Fenric]

[Full Moon Party]

Dark Dreams is pacing around in no small wonder accompanied by Tsukiko.

See, there is Sunder. I told you she would be here.

Indeed, my Lady: I did not doubt.

Katrina hops up on stage, activating the amplification spells

And now, from Carousel Court....

STRATOCUMULUS

And they start with their ever-popular anthem.... Forever is Today
(http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lXMtwrkgnVM)

[Arkhosia]

[Pine Forest]

Urias smiles, glad she's quick to understand the concept. 'Spot on. It's why it's such a useful way of fighting for someone smaller and weaker. And even for someone stronger like yourself, it means you'll use minimal energy, in turn allowing you to outlast your foe in a long, drawn-out fight.'

The boy turns and takes a few long steps away from Sophia, then swivels back around on his heel. 'Let's try the other way around now. I'll come at you nice and slow. Imagine you're pushing a heavy curtain, or perhaps dense undergrowth, aside with your arm. That's how I was taught to visualise the movement.'

After gently jogging up to her, Urias circles his arm down in a chopping motion towards her.

Sophia reacts swiftly, moving and repeating urias's previous action. Swiftly, she slides by, her arm moving the attack upwards, and sidesteps.

[Atreyu the Masked LLama]

*The llama hangs out near the back of the music area, chatting and mingling with guests while his player completes a variety of tasks online.*

[Rebonack]

[Full Moon Party]

Something is stalking Atreyu. Something dark. Something stealthy. Something predatory. Something hungry.

A gloomling earth pony filly comes charging out from under a table and aims to leap onto the llama's back! "Rawr! Gotchew!" Llama should be wary of that, adorable things pouncing on him. Next thing he knows he might be getting swarmed by kits, too.

Meanwhile!

Sunder sits back, watching her little ponies laughing and chatting and eating with the party goers and just generally having a wonderful time. "Every one of them was once a slave to undeath," she says, not necessarily to anyone. "They were shackled to undead masters and vile instincts. Now everyone one of them is set free."

She closes her eye, a smile spreading on her face as tears pool at the corners of her eyes.

"It brings me such joy to know my little ponies are happy..."

And as she meditates on laughter and smiles, a bright, cheerful blue glow subsumes her. It bubbles across her body and fills her mind with a feeling of both serenity and boundless Joy. It energizes her. It drives her to share Joy with others. With all her little ponies.

Even those still bound in the fetters of undeath.

The Joy of Sweet Spring fills Sunder from hooves to wingtips. It fills her and she laughs. She laughs because Laughter is a medicine that can heal even the most wounded, sickly, blackened soul. And soon she would rise above the joyless skies of the Gloom with healing in her wings.

[Atreyu the Masked LLama]

*flails in playful panic, playing at shaking off the gloomling, but not trying very hard at all. He laughs while ears remain perked, listening to the music*

(Awesome song, Fen)

[Fenric]

[Full Moon Party]

As the band moves on to "Unbreakable" (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cfYkn1LAPKY), the temple kits are stalking Atreyu. And now, they see new targets...

Gloomlings!

Quickly the group of young kits huddles together and discusses strategy... then... "Break!"

Two little kits go for Atreyu's tail while he is distracted!

Two more go for Sunder's tail, and they brought help! "Go, Sparky!" is cried, and a Flareon joins in the game.

Meanwhile, Arlem finds himself cornered by a vulpix and three grinning kits.

Elsewhere, Caroline blinks in surprise as a fennekin bites onto her tail solidly while FOUR of the temple younglings launch a coordinated tickle-attack!

[Arkhosia]

Full Moon Party

The kits may find there to be another target entering.
Why?
Caelynn enters, with Alexis walking alongside. Clad in a pink sweater and blue skirt, the pink-eyed, pale skinned catgirl with deep blue cat ears poking out a bit from her shock of yellow hair and a matching tail snaking from her skirt. She's 5 via nexus stuffs.

[Recaiden]

[Full Moon]

"Is it a pokemon battle you want?"

Arlem looks down at the kits, laughing, and tugs on the chain in his pocket.

"Pawniard, I choose you!"

He tosses down a knife, not a pokeball, but it nevertheless resolves into the little blade-headed guy.
"Paw!"

[Atreyu the Masked LLama]

*The llama lets out a surprised yelp, not prepared for this many squirming bundles of fluffy energy. The Self Proclaimed Lord of the FLuffyverse wiggles and tries to dodge and protect his tail from playbites, probably unsuccessfully*

*he flails out with what little clerical magic he knows, stumbling over the words, causing "create saltwater taffy" and "Prestige-digit-tation" to go off.

[Rebonack]

[Full Moon Party]

"Hiya! I'm Velvet Socks! You're Atreyu the super-brave steed from Canterlot, right?" the unliving filly asks excitedly. "When I grow up can I be a steed, too?"

But then a tail assault! Socks gasps in mock horror and begins swatting at the kits wit her own tail. That's just liable to get her bit.

"Socks, stop bothering the talking llama," Windchill, Socks' father, pipes up from the snack table without even looking up. He's preparing a plate of goodies for his daughter.

And y'know who else is here?

"Stay on mommy's back, Wisteria," Bella Donna says despite the moans of irritation from her daughter. The nightmære spawn earth pony has been very protective of her still human little girl ever since she was rescued from DART. Perhaps a bit unnecessarily so.

"But mooooooom!" Wisteria protests. "This is the temple! Everyone is nice here!"

Meanwhile, Sunder's tail is assaulted! It probably isn't terribly surprising when she simply moves to bind them in her liquid shadow tail and hoist the two of them off the ground to dangle them upside down in front of her. "Oh, what's this? Mischievous children?" she asks in a tone of mock surprise. "Shall I fetch my Nightmare Moon costume? Do you need to be gobbled up?"

A thin smile grows on her face, one that betrays some mischievousness all her own.

"Or perhaps an even more dire punishment?"

The nightmære's mane attacks! Merciless tickling!

[Fenric]

[Full Moon Party]

(( BTW: Tavern rules in effect - no turns, I'll reply when I reply ))

And behold, someone even MORE interesting than tormenting Caroline walks in... the kits who were menacing Caroline turn to Caelynn and Alexis instead

Fenix, GO!

And four little child-foxes, ages 6 to 8, charge along with a not entirely convinced looking fennekin. Caroline blinks

Children! Don't pester the guests!

The kits facing Arlem all go remarkably fuzzy as their fur stands out in excitement

Vulpie! Use... uh...
Pix?
What does he do?
Pix?
Flamethrower?
Pix?
We aren't supposed to do that anymore.
Pix?

Vulpix looks at Pawniard and uses flamethrower anyway.

Atreyu uses CANDY: it is super effective! The kiddies facing Atreyu turn their attack to the taffy instead! One of them doesn't notice her toes suddenly becoming talented... not sure what that will even mean.

[Arkhosia]

Party

Alexis inches behind Caelynn in slight fright, being a bit shy. Then she spots the furry, fiery fennec fox, and her shyness is forgotten as Fenix's adorable ness overcomes her.
Mommy, what's that?
Alexis asks, pointing at Fenix. Her ears perk with interest.

[Atreyu the Masked LLama]

*The llama smiles, relieved that his magic "worked" well...worked-ish.

He turns his neck to look at his rider* Sure you can. You have to practice hard, though. Its not easy to be a steed. It takes a lot of...wait......Canterlot? Why does that sound familiar?

(Atreyu was briefly sucked into the MLPverse for all of about 10 posts)

(Sigh guys, I gotta call it and go to bed. Have a good night. Rebo...you can post me out, right?)

[Lord Magtok]

Full Moon Party

I think I ditched someone's body here once, Magtok thinks to himself. All in all, not the sort of thing you should be thinking when approaching a party, but that's what happens to be on Magtok's mind as he makes his way inside. It's a very pretty place, and he can see why so many people hung around here over the years, but at the same time, so very much not his scene. A place to drop off someone who needs a resurrection, sure, but far too eastern in style for his liking. Nobody's being set on fire or exploding, and the girls all have more chest hair than he does.

Well, except Caelynn over there, but oh gods, let's not talk about his history with her. She seems to have forgiven him, and he found it easy to forgive her, but guilt over her last death still clings to him like the silly Halloween cobweb decorations he's already begun setting up at home. She's probably going to be the only person here he'll recognize, and of course he'll be obligated to say hello and talk when she approaches, but blaaaaaaagh. That she's here with her kid only adds to the weird, misplaced guilt. Alexis probably needs a father figure in her life, and it's obvious Caelynn probably maybe still has feelings for the cyborg, but bleeeeeegh. She deserves better than him; they both deserve better than him, and he should just try to stop thinking about them and relax at this part and oh my gods Magtok you shouldn't be drinking that much sake all in one go holy **** take it easy you're gulping it down way too fast.

[Recaiden]

Flamethrower? That's Very Effective! Oh no!

The pawniard glows with the heat, its little hand-blades dulling, but it steels itself (no apologies) and leaps at the opponent with a Night Slash!
"You get 'em!"

[Fenric]

[Full Moon Party]

The children being tickled by Sunder squeal!

Help! Help!
Hee Hee! Oh no! We're DOOMED!
Does that mean we're not being sent by FedEx?
DELPHOX! HELP!

Wait... Fennekin, Vulpix, and Flareon, right? When was there ever a...

A tickle battle? How unfair!

Dressed in Tamamo's colors and grinning ear to ear, there is indeed a delphox now. And she sends waves of tickly energy at Sunder!

And then... a wild Magtok Appears. Caroline comes over to him

Oh! OH! Mr. Magtok! Thank you so VERY much for your help!

Hopefully the mag-clone from the Inside MagMart has updated the network.

Arlem is suddenly faced with the prospect of three VERY unhappy kits

What's going on!
Don't hurt vulpie! We love him!
Use Confuse Ray!

Vulpie uses Confuse Ray

[Lord Magtok]

Full Moon Party

"Hi...Caroline, was it?" Oh lord, Magtok hopes it was Caroline. She looks exactly like the person who was at the Mallside's MagMart; he'd hate to be wrong and then called a fox-racist for thinking the foxes all look the same. Well, not racist, more species-ist, or maybe genus-ist? Some sort of ignorant and prejudiced, is what we're going for here.

[Recaiden]

[Full Moon Party]

The acolyte shakes his head.
"Kids, lighten up. Pokemon are protected by their aura; the worst that can happen is Vulpie is a little upset at being unable to battle."

Meanwhile, Pawniard is confused. Hope he doesn't hurt himself in confusion.

[Fenric]

[Full Moon Party]

Caroline beams

Yes, Mr. Magtok! It's Caroline! Just thought you'd like to know... we dropped your plasma charge right on top of the evil cult's temple! And the ... odd little time machines work PERFECTLY! We are so very grateful for your help! MagMart will always be our preferred store forever and ever.

[Rebonack]

[Full Moon Party]

A wave of tickle energy?

How does that even work?

Is there an elemental plane of tickles that Rebo is unaware of?

Regardless of silliness, it turns out that tickles are a nightmære's one true weakness.

"Alas! Tickles! My one true weakness!"

See?

Told you.

"I'm melting! What a world! What a world...."

And then Sunder melts into a big puddle of gloom. Thankfully the gloom proves to be neither wet nor sticky and the children should be able to easily escape without getting messy. Should the kits poke at the puddle with a stick it'll bubble a few times.

[Baeleck]

Sophia reacts swiftly, moving and repeating urias's previous action. Swiftly, she slides by, her arm moving the attack upwards, and sidesteps.

[Pine Forest]

Similarly to when Sophia tried, Urias is sent right past her. He comes to a stop after a few faltering steps.

'Good! That was good.' She was a fast learner, Urias can see. 'Try not to push up so much, though - you want to use as much of the momentum as my strike as possible. Up until you make contact, then outwards, round and down.'

The pair will take it in turns to practice the move, a good number of times to make sure Sophia has got it down correctly.

[Full Moon Festival]

Later on in the day, after his little teaching session, Urias will be attending the party!

He's off to one side, enjoying the live music. He hadn't anticipated seeing Stratocumulus so soon!

[Arkhosia]

Forest

After a while Sophia gets it down! Yay!
She returns to her fighting stance.
My turn to share. Ready? You just need to stand still.
Once he's prepared, Sophia moves forward to the side and swings a punch under his right arm and then interlocks her hand with the other as her right goes across his left shoulder, swinging a leg into his and letting go, sending toppling.

[Fenric]

[Full Moon Party]

The band moves on to "Dragons" (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G-zX3O-7zjM)

Dark Dreams comes over as The kits squirm out of Sunder's bubbly gloom-goop

What did you do!?
Woah!
You melted her, Delhpie!
Tickle? I think she's regrouping...

Meanwhile, the ever so slightly more standard poke-battle between Vulpie and Paw continues

Oh...
Get him, Vulpie!

Vuplie uses Tail Whip

Katrina finds Urias

Hey!

[Baeleck]

[Forest]

Urias was never going to attempt to counter the attack, but is nevertheless caught off-guard by what he assumed, at first, would be a punch.

'That seemed pretty complicated,' he comments, as he lays where he fell, staring up into the pine canopy. 'Might need to experience that a few more times before I get the gist of it.'

[Full Moon Party]

'Hey yourself,' Urias says, waving meekly at Katrina. 'I'm going to take a guess that you had some part in organising this?'