Land of the 6 Kingdoms 2: Please Let This Be A Normal Interdimensional Field Trip

[Emperor Ing]

Evanescent staggered inside, hardly looking much different than a drunkard, in her tired state. There were a lot of ponies here, and a lot of emotions, it was almost intoxicating in its own right. Carefully, she made her way towards the table, and took a seat, taking a moment to try and get a bead on the emotions of the ponies around, as much as it was sifting through a grand mosaic of sensations alien to the pony lexicon.

Clever (-1 from sleep-deprivation)
1
(4d3)[1][2][1][3](7)

[Humble Master]

Ears twitching, nose sniffing, Roxan stalked the streets around the Batty Pegasus. She picked up fragments of conversations, savory smells of street food, and the underlying mineral-laced air of the caves. There was nothing overtly suspicious: no lurkers in alleys or strange, perhaps magical, music in the air. But, in one side path a little less traveled, Roxan smelled something unusual. It was darker and wilder, a familiar dank musk that took her back to the overgrown temple in the Mistveils.

Someone who had been there was here now.

As she circled around, Roxan ran into Mossy again.

"I'm not seeing anything," she reported.

---

Reaching out with her empathic sense was overwhelming. Nessy threads of electricity dancing through her. Her head sparkled dizzily. Peels of laughter shook her like earthquakes. And, under it all, there was something dark and slimy and fearful. She couldn't pinpoint it's source, the morass of emotions was too much to sift through. But it was there, a bit of nauseous panic under the good-time buzz.

[Emmerlaus]

Rocket frown seeing Evanescence like this. He write down: " Ok, you are definitly not up to the task right now. You should really return to bed and let the rest of the crew handle the matter..."

His eyes are full of worries.

[Emperor Ing]

Evanescent clutched her head. She knew letting her emotion-sense in big public places was dangerous but this was overwhelming! Like a thousand voices shouting inside her head. There was something else too, but she couldn't get a read on it. She stood up after reading Rocket's notes, visibly distressed.

I need some fresh air. She said, before walking back outside, hyperventilating.

[Emmerlaus]

Rocket want to follow her but he needs to stay inside, watching over Crystal.

[igordragonian]

Roxan
"I smell.. something from the temple.. around here.'

[Humble Master]

"The temple?" Mossy muttered. "I guess there is another one of those minicore monsters running around."

Both Roxan and Mossy noticed Nessy stumbling out of the Batty Pegasus, breathing rapidly.

"By the Tree! Nessy are you OK?" Mossy gasped, rushing over to put an arm around Nessy. "Take a deep breath in. Hold it. Let it out slowly. What happened in there?"

---

Rocket watched Crystal slowly sip his glass of water while chatting with some other ponies at the bar. He seemed to be having a good time. After a few hoof-fulls of peanuts and glasses of water, Crystal cleared his tab and then trotted out of the Batty Pegasus, looking around but not seeming to notice Rocket.

[igordragonian]

Roxan's face cringe with worry and guilt.
"Nessy!' She bark.
"What happened to you? Who do I need to bite?!"

[Emmerlaus]

Rocket follow Crystal, try to look casual about it. He fly above and look at Crystal, trailing him from high above. He hope tp see the rest of the crew tailoring Crystal too.

[Emperor Ing]

I-i'm fine. Nessy panted as she slowly regained her composure. Not quite back to 100% but feeling better, now that she was out of that thick crowd of ponies. Just...too many ponies. Too many emotions. Just...needed some fresh air. I'm good, i'm good. She gasped. Get back into position. Then, from the corner of her eye, she catches Crystal moving towards the exit.

Go, go! She says, before trying to walk, casually, away from the door to give Crystal the illusion of distance.

[Humble Master]

Everyone quickly and, as casually as they could make it seem, got into position tailing Crystal. He left Ankhera, climbing the stairs up and into the crisp Chordfield night. Crystal took a main street into the heart of downtown, some music floating out of clubs and restaurants, even if the street was mostly vacant.

From his vantage point in the air, Rocket had a good view of what lay ahead of Crystal. This late in the evening and this high up, it was hard to make out more than silhouettes of ponies. But, then somepony in a cream-colored walked, hurriedly, under a streetlamp some ways ahead of Crystal. They almost looked like Inspiring Cry.

[Emmerlaus]

Rocket does do something... He keep attention on what is going on. If he can spot his teammates , he make a hoof gesture to say he see something (point ahead) but to stay low and wait (push toward the ground and then out his hoof in front of his mouth)

He is ready to act if Inspiring Cry try something...

[igordragonian]

Roxan does so as well

[Emperor Ing]

Evanescent nodded in acknowledgment once, remaining casual as she kept Crystal in her line-of-sight. Maybe what ever it was that Rocket was pursuing was a dead-end, maybe it was a lead, but it was impossible to tell until a proper debriefing. She yawned, heavy eyelids struggling to stay awake. She hoped some physical activity would at least keep her awake long enough.

[Humble Master]

You continued to tail Crystal who proceeded calmly down the street. Far ahead, Rocket saw Inspiring Cry duck into an alley and out of sight. Crystal stopped in front of an apartment building, glanced over his shoulder, and then went inside. The building was adjacent to the alley Inspiring Cry had disappeared down.

[Emmerlaus]

Rocket signal his troop on the ground to gather on his position... then he dives toward where Inspicry ducked to confront him!

He make a ready action to bind him and prevent him from moving a muscle as soon as he see him! If he carry a instrument to ring, they needed to make sure he couldnt get access to him by using the element of surprise!

(I forgot to roll Quick roll, will do in OOC)

[Emperor Ing]

Evanescent signalled for Mossy and Roxan to join Rocket, as she moved towards the apartment building. She attempted to enter, wanting to quickly talk with Crystal and debrief him. She hoped nothing had happened, but she wanted to be absolutely certain.

[Humble Master]

Rocket dropped out of the sky toward the narrow alley. As he managed to just slip between the buildings, he spied Inspiring Cry clambering up the fire escape. Like a hawk onto a mouse, Rocket dove onto the bat pony, tackling him to the floor. The impact knocked a silvery disk on a chain from Inspiring's mouth which fell and clattered on the wrought iron grating.

"Get off me!" Inspiring shouted, trying unsuccessfully to squirm out of the awkward position Rocket had pinned him in.

Mossy and Roxan charged down the alley, saw the commotion on the fire escape, and clambered up to where Rocket held Inspiring Cry.

"What's the meaning of this?"

---

The door was unlocked and Nessy quietly entered. Inside the lights were a low orange and a pony slept behind the front desk with a newspaper draped over themselves. A registry of residents was on the wall behind the front desk, indicating crystal lived on the 3rd floor. Taking the stair up, perhaps a little quickly, she found Crystal unlocking the door to his room. He jumped and dropped his keys as Nessy moved into his peripheral vision, then relaxed when he recognized who she was.

"Forgive me," he said, picking up his keys. "But being bait makes one jumpy."

[Emperor Ing]

Evanescent involuntarily chuckled as she felt the tension fall. Yeah, um, and i'm sorry for sneaking up on you. She yawned, quite loudly. Sorry. Anyways, I wanted to debrief you. Just tell me how things went from your perspective. Did you see anything we might have missed? Odd noises, or music?

[Humble Master]

"We suspect you of being behind members of the Conservatory losing their voices," Mossy stated flatly. "Do you care to explain what you were doing tonight?" Inspiring Cry said nothing in response and stopped his futile struggle to get out form under Rocket. Mossy shrugged and went to scoop up the silver trinket which had fallen from Inspiring's mouth.

"Wait, no don't!" Inspiring interjected desperately.

Mossy picked up the silver medallion, cocked her head in confusion and then dropped it abruptly.

"It talked to me!," she exclaimed. "I heard a voice in my head, asking for Inspiring Cry!"

Suddenly, a haunting, lilting music filled the air. It wasn't entirely clear where the sound was coming from; the music seemed to seep out of the air and into you. For all its odd rhythms and tones, it felt strangely familiar, welcoming.

---

"No, I did not encounter any strange phenomena on my way back home," Crystal said, shaking his head. "It was actually a reasonably nice evening, baring the tension of knowing some villain might be tailing me."

Crystal then cocked his head. Distantly, you heard some ethereal music coming from the door to the fire escape. Though it was muffled, Nessy felt like it was familiar somehow.

OOC:
The music sounds different for each character, hauntingly familiar like something from their past. Feel free to describe what it sounds like for you.
Mossy, Rocket, and Roxan need to make some roll to resist the music's influence. Examples might include Quickly running away from it, Flashily trying to drown it out with noise, Cleverly trying to resist it through will alone, etc.

[Emmerlaus]

Rocket Blast started to hear the festival music that came from the town near his family territory. He knew right away that it wasn't right! He coudl even hear some of the laugh and song he recognized among them, ponies from the Kingdom of Honesty!

He could have run away up in the sky but that would mean he would leave his vulnerable crew behind!

That was out of question!

Alarmed, he released Inspiring Cry and grabbed two trash can lid and start slamming each of them in unison. While flying, with his hinder legs, he slam them against the metal railing of the emergency stairs next to him!

Flash

(4d3)[2][3][3][3](11) + 2

[Emperor Ing]

Well... Evanescent rubbed the back of her head nervously. I'm actually a little embarrassed we got you riled up over nothing, but we do thank you for- Then the yellow 'pony' hears the music, through the window. It reminded her of a tune her dad used to play through a tuning crystal. She had grown sick of that song, over a decade ago, but with the fate of her parents still a mystery, she felt a twinge of nostalgia. But it couldn't be real. Could it?

Clever:
(4d3)[3][1][1][3](8) + 3 = 3

[Humble Master]

Roxan pulled a glimmering orange crystal from her pouch and threw it against the ground. The rock broke with a loud bang that rang through everyone's ears. A torrent of snaps and pops followed as sparking yellow lights began flying out of the spent crystal like a fire-less firework.

Both Rocket and Roxan could still hear the music through the din, but they could also hear it growing fainter, receding from them, beaten back by their riotous noise.

Mossy winced at the cacophony that enveloped her as she ran over to stomp on the silver medallion, hoping breaking this thing would stop the music that was still creeping in under all the noise. Old music, played on simple wooden wooden flutes and an old stringed instrument Nessy had told her was a lyre. Music played in celebration when His encroaching chaos was beaten back. She sank to her knees, eyes welling up.

Almost as soon as Rocket released Inspiring Cry, he bolted up and ran for the amulet. But her couldn't reach it through Mossy's stomping and, jumping in shock from Roxan's firework display, he tripped and fell to the ground. He struggled to stand up again before plopping on the ground, eyes half-lidded. A whisp of sparkling orange began working its way out of his throat worming through the air, and vanishing into the hungry amulet.

---

Nessy felt a wave of smothering nostalgia wash over her, a fog drifting into her mind. But, she remembered her theory about song-born magic and that anxiety was enough to drive the fog away and let her know that this wasn't real. The wave passed and though she could still faintly hear that phantom music, it held no power over her.

Crystal cocked his head, fluttered his ears, and frowned.

"Now I hear something strange," he commented flatly, glancing over at the door to the fire escape. "But it must be a trick because there is no way the Northlight Symphonic Orchestra is performing in town, much less on the fire escape of my apartment. This must be some kind of trick."

---

OOC:
(4d3)[1][3][1][1](6) - 8 + 3 = 1
(4d3)[1][1][2][2](6) - 8 + 1 = -1
(4d3)[3][1][3][2](9) - 8 + 2 = 3

Rocket, Roxan, Nessy, and Crystal are fine and won't need to make further rolls against this music. Mossy is starting to be effected and will have to make another roll unless the music is stopped somehow (or she is taken away from its source). Inspiring Cry has been stricken and is starting to have his magic drained which will continue unless the music is stopped or her is taken away from the source.

[Emperor Ing]

Northlight Symphonic Orchestra? Nessy realized they're two completely different genres of music. They're symphonic rock, whereas her dad was a fan of country rock, which is what she was hearing. Though she already knew it was a trick, this gave her another piece of information. It is a trick. She said confidently. Magic, delivered through a musical medium. Different ponies hear different songs. Fortunately we anticipated this, and have a countermeasure. Come with me, it's dangerous for you to be on your own, and we need to regroup with Roxan. Roxan having been given a bell that, when rung, should counteract the effects of the spell. Knowing this, she ran down from the apartment, hoping Crystal would follow, as she ran towards where she knew Roxan would be.

[Humble Master]

Once the shock of the magic music had passed, Roxan remembered what Kazakar had given the crew. She rummaged in her bag, pulled out the hand bell, and struck it hard with her paw.

The world went silent. You heard the blood pumping through every inch of your body. Mossy's eyes snapped open and she scrambled up. The wispy thread of magic leaving Inspiring Cry sucked back into him.

Mossy looked down at the silver amulet and brought up her hoof. Inspiring let out a silent cry and she brought it down on the amulet, snapping it in two.

You all heard a faint metallic ringing, and then all the other noises of the Chordfield night came back.

"What have you done?!" Inspiring Cry asked in dismay.

---

Crystal followed Nessy as they hurried down the stairs and outside the apartment. Both of you heard a sharp metallic ring come from the adjacent alleyway, a bell being struck. Trotting over to the alley, you saw Rocket, Roxan, Mossy, and Inspiring Cry on the fire escape. Noiselessly Mossy broke some silvery thing in two with her hoof.

"What have you done?!" Inspiring Cry asked in dismay.

[Emmerlaus]

Rocket, in a flash, return in a grapple against Inspiring Cry. He make sure the grapple itself speak volume: You are not getting away from us!

He cant talk so he let others do the interrogation...

[Humble Master]

"I don't know," Mossy told the pinned bat pony. "Please tell us what we have done." Inspring Cry shivered under Rocket's hold.

"Look," he muttered. "I was never going to do any real harm. I was going to fix everything, everypony would get their voice back in time for the Festival."

"So you admit you're behind these lost voices and magic?" Mossy pressed.

"I never said that," Inspiring retorted. "But I will say, now that you've broken my... thing, Ankhera and Chordfield are in danger. Now I can fix this, but you need to let me go down to Ankhera. You can follow me, keep an eye on me, but you have to let me handle things."

Crystal Clean frowned and turned to Nessy.

"That sounds like Inspiring Cry," he observed. "Strange for him to be out this late on my apartment's fire escape. Concerning he is out here so soon after that strange music stopped playing." He thought for a moment more.

"You... aren't police are you? Your companion didn't read Inspiring Cry his rights. Should I call the police? "

[Emperor Ing]

The Police are the hooves of the State. They- at best will simply get in the way, or worst will attempt to figure out how to weaponize this magic against their ponies, and beyond. It made sense in Evanescent's mind, but as she mentally completed that sentence, she realized Crystal wouldn't get it. Ponies from the Kingdom of Generosity weren't as government-skeptical as Kindnessians. -they are relying on our expertise in these... She struggled for the word, looking off to the side. -anomalous circumstances. We are with the Harmony Fleet.

You clearly know more than you're letting on. Evanescent pointed out to Inspiring Cry. If you want us to trust you, you need to tell us everything.

[Emmerlaus]

Rocket turn his head toward Crystal Clean and try to show he cannot talk. All he can do is muffled sounds.

He look at Mossy, hoping she will read Inspiring Cry rights and explain the situation clearly...

He also make sure to maintain his grapple until Inspiring Cry is finished to be interrogated.

[igordragonian]

Roxan:'We don't have time for your goofy games.' she growl.
'For now, I don't see any reason to trust you. So you better speak well. Maybe you'l convince them... and if you don't. I'll be ready to shut you down.'