[MLP] Roleplaying is Magic IC: The Broken Road.

[TheAmishPirate]

Cork started staring at the hoofprints, but the implications stirring in his head soon had him flat on his haunches. What proof did they have he was ever really there? Did Rinda choke him, or did Dive Bomb get his injury by her talons? Did he really aid in the search, or was he just their imagination, conjuring a bit of levity to the situation?

But the hoofprints! his logical side cried out. Those hoofprints are evidence enough! Perhaps, he'd respond, perhaps they are. But then again, didn't he leave hoofprints too? And what evidence had he that he was real? Sight, touch, sound, all these could be figments of the imagination of a being far greater than he could comprehend. All of life, all of the world could just be a wisp of thought, existing forever in the second it was concieved. Himself, Soot, Rinda,


this desert-


The light flooded his vision, surely a glow of creation unmade, and despair flooded his being. Oh, that he had not looked behind the curtain! Then he could have continued in ignorant bliss, living out the rest of his false life eking out what simple joy he could! But no, it was not destruction that overtook him; it was...rebirth?

The young businesspony - for yes, he must cling to his identity for all he may be worth - rubbed his stinging eyes. Instead of harsh, gritty sand, he sat upon warm, smooth cobblestone. The cool night had vanished amidst the comforting warmth of day. Silence had been filled up by birdsong and the melody of planting season. The desert had passed, the country had come. Perhaps his imaginative romp had not been too far off the mark after all. But...surely it couldn't be that easy? Had it been a simple matter of wishing themselves elsewhere, they would have been home long ago. Could this be some new devilry? Crown rubbed at his coat, inspecting for the sandy grit it had accumulated. Surely if that were still there, it was hard evidence of some sorcery at work.

As he finished his inspection, a friendly voice met his ears. Could that be...? He looked eagerly about; that sounded remarkably like the voices of one of the farmers who worked the strawberry fields. The very same fields where his ~little strawberry tart~ earned her living. Crown gave a swooning sigh at the thought of potentially being so close to her. But alas, from this distance, it was difficult to discern the identity of the voice. If he were truly where he thought he might be, then surely he would recognize the voice of Crown Cork, would he not? "Hallo to you, good farmer!" the colt called back with a wave of his hoof. "The news we bring is that we are hopelessly lost!"

Before he could continue, Miss Spot cut him off with her rather direct question. Oh well; he'd given a decent enough sample of his voice.

[BlasTech]

Dive Bomb grunted; well, that was about as useful as saying that they weren't somewhere else. Okay, this thing seemed very literal-minded; he could do literal minded questions. But first... He transferred the flare to a hoof and flew up, waving it for his friends to see; the red glow dropped away around him, staining his mane a muted purple in the dull light of night. He squinted, hoping for some sight of them. From up here, he could see all the way to the site of the disastrous run-away sled. But... where were the pastel dots that represented his friends?

Moderately perturbed, he flew back down and tump'd down next to the golem for another round of hope-fully useful questions. "<What can you tell me about the person on whose authority you act?>"

<I act on no person's authority.> Replied the creature.

<I serve the People.>

There was a hint of emphasis on that last word; it was possible to hear the capital P even beneath the gravelly monotone of its speaking voice.

Grease Spot stood on the road, stunned. It took her several moments to process her surroundings, once her eyes had adjusted to the sudden brightness. This was certainly nowhere near the desert they had just been in. In fact, it looked like... Equestria. There was even another pony there!

"Where are we?" she asked the stallion, unable to keep the excitement from her voice.

"Lost eh? Well for the minute you're standing in the middle of a road, hah!" laughed the pegasus. "But I'm guessing that isn't what you're after."

He looked around the fields he'd been tilling.

"Seems most everyone who passes through this place has a different name for it nowadays. But those of us who live here call it Riverside." He said, lifting a hoof to point down the road. Sure enough, the path twisted and turned until it came to a collection of log cabins next to a sapphire blue river.

"Doors always open to new folk though, so if you want to pop in for a rest just knock on the door to that big hut down there, the one with the smoking chimmney. Tell my wife, Amelias, that Kahdar sent you and she'll set you right up.

[Ravian]

"...The hay?" Soot could only say incredulously as everything flashed with light. She stared about in confusion as her eyes adjusted to the fields they were in. "What is it with you ponies and touching things that do weird things?" she asked Grease Spot incredulously "Honestly you wouldn't last two days in my line of work."
That's the problem, everypony assumes being a thief means you have to touch everything. it was ridiculous the security some of the richer families in Manehatten used but while most of theirs was earth pony engineering, the principle was usually the same to magical traps and alarms, touch the wrong thing and bad things happen. First rule of burglary she had taught Scamp, and she was clearly going to have to drill it into these ponies.

Soot took a look around her new surroundings, the place certainly looked benign but her instincts were clear that you should only trust a place you knew by heart. She looked about skeptically at the area around them and the pegasus pony in front of them, watching for anything suspicious.

Spoiler

Show

Mind check to look for anything out of the ordinary
(1d20+4)[20]
extra roll for wary (1d20+4)[13]

Heart check to notice anything odd about the Pegasus's body language
(1d20+3)[19]
extra roll for sensative (1d20+3)[11]

[BlasTech]

Anything suspicious or unusual ... beyond the fact that they had somehow gone from standing in a desert valley to a grassy riverside field?

The sheer amount of oddities in what was going on could fill an encyclopedia. Where was their stuff, the sand that coated them, the ambassador? For now, Soot's senses told her only what her eyes had already confirmed; that they were standing on a road and talking with a pegasus farmer named Kahdar.

There was no real deception visible in the pegasus' face at least, or at least none that Soot could easily read. As for body language, the guy hadn't exactly done much beyond point.

[Balmas]

They should have been here by now. Where were they? Another quick up-down survey revealed nothing but the depressing expanse of sand beneath him.

<"Then tell me about the People,"> he said, scanning for any sight of the others. Why had he thought it was a good idea to split up? If he couldn't see them after a few minutes, he'd have to go looking for them. After all, he could always follow the tracks of the rock beast with them later on.

[TheAmishPirate]

There was no sand in his coat.

There was. No sand. In his coat.

This had several potentially disturbing implications. The least of which meant he was probably not anywhere near his sweetie. As an artist and pony of business, he had a responsibility to keep himself relatively grounded, so as not to completely lose those of lesser imaginations. Now? Perhaps it would be better to throw in the towel, and try to help those he could adjust to the new definition of reality.

But all was not lost, as he was quick to discover. His aching limbs were keen to remind him on that point just as soon as the pegasus mentioned a good rest. How could he be sore from a walk that never happened? That little tidbit of logic cemented his confidence and kept his admittedly flimsy vision of reality intact. Who cared about a few hoof-fulls of sand? They would sort themselves out in due time. "Sir, I thank you for your invitation," the colt bowed his head respectfully. "You say others pass through here? I don't suppose you've seen a unicorn recently? A fellow by the name of Igneous? He's a good friend of ours, but he wandered ahead of us on the road, and we've been trying ever so hard to find him again. Has he passed this way?"

[BlasTech]

They should have been here by now. Where were they? Another quick up-down survey revealed nothing but the depressing expanse of sand beneath him.

<"Then tell me about the people,"> he said, scanning for any sight of the others. Why had he thought it was a good idea to split up? If he couldn't see them after a few minutes, he'd have to go looking for them. After all, he could always follow the tracks of the rock beast with them later on.

The rock monster whirred.

<People are heart, people are soul.>

...

<The People are why I exist.>

...

<I don't understand this question>

There was no sand in his coat.

There was. No sand. In his coat.

This had several potentially disturbing implications. The least of which meant he was probably not anywhere near his sweetie. As an artist and pony of business, he had a responsibility to keep himself relatively grounded, so as not to completely lose those of lesser imaginations. Now? Perhaps it would be better to throw in the towel, and try to help those he could adjust to the new definition of reality.

But all was not lost, as he was quick to discover. His aching limbs were keen to remind him on that point just as soon as the pegasus mentioned a good rest. How could he be sore from a walk that never happened? That little tidbit of logic cemented his confidence and kept his admittedly flimsy vision of reality intact. Who cared about a few hoof-fulls of sand? They would sort themselves out in due time. "Sir, I thank you for your invitation," the colt bowed his head respectfully. "You say others pass through here? I don't suppose you've seen a unicorn recently? A fellow by the name of Igneous? He's a good friend of ours, but he wandered ahead of us on the road, and we've been trying ever so hard to find him again. Has he passed this way?"

"Oh ... grey coated fellow, about yay high? Shiny gold armour and what not? Yep I saw him not long ago." The farmer pegasus replied, as he reached back to grab his hoe again.

"Seemed like a nice enough person, sent him down to see the wife too. They're probably already sitting down for a cup."

[Balmas]

Dive Bomb sighed. This was getting him nowhere. He tucked his notebook and pen back in his saddlebag, and pondered what questions he could ask that would get an intelligible response.

His chin impacted the sand with a resounding whumph. He groaned, looking behind him and rubbing his hoof. Oh yeah; that's one of the good reasons to hover when thinking. Less things to trip on.

What was that thing, anyway? He peered at it, and blew some sand off the top. Some kind of flagstone? That would make this a road of some sort; that would explain the possible existence of a city at the end thereof. Rubbing his chin, he pulled out his notebook and began brushing some more sand from the rock's face, till it stood, clean of sand. What could this tell him about the old civilization? He snorted as he ran a hoof across the face; probably more than the golem would.

[BlasTech]

What can one learn from rock?

Well, not much, as it turns out. Other than the fact it was a perfectly grey and ordinary rock. In fact there was very little that distinguished it from an-

-any oth-
-er ro-----
--------ck

The feeling of discontinuity and displacement overtook Dive Bomb who, like the others, found himself blinking away the suddenly bright sunlight and sitting in the middle of a paved road.

If he looked around, he'd see the same idylic setting that had greeted the rest of the party; replete with tilled fields and the song of summer. If he looked behind him, he'd see the rest of his friends standing on the road, speaking to Kahdar.

[Balmas]

That grinding sound must have been the gears of the scientist's brain slowly crushing to a halt, logic fighting observational fact until the gears sprang loose in a shower of sparkling metal.

Either that, or Dive Bomb was just grinding his teeth.

"Twice," he muttered angrily. "Twice, in two days." He shoved the flare into the ground at his feet, stomping on it as if that would make the world return to its previously sane, logical progression. Come on! Is it too much to ask for the rules of physics to apply for two measly days in a row? He'd been going to see a new civilization! Meet the people there! Discover new things! Now he was in a field, with no idea where he was, how he got there, and why touching a stone should magically take him there! It was all he could do to resist screaming in frustration, as the flare under his feet became so much pulp and powder.

One thing drew him back to the present though. While magic may have trampled the laws of physics, the laws of physics retained their effect on him. He hissed, and drew the aloe-vera from his pack.

With ointment applied on the burnt areas, he took a look around, wincing at the bright light. "How the hay did we get here?" he wondered, seeing the rest of his friends standing around. One, two, three, four... No ambassador. No Igneous. Problem.

"How'd you get here?" he asked, hovering over to them.

[Ravian]

Soot looked surprised by Dive Bomb's sudden appearance, before quickly jabbing a hoof in Grease Spot's direction "Ask ms. "Let's touch everything interesting" here. How'd you get here?" she glanced back at the Pegasus with the weird name seriously, Kahdar? What's that supposed to mean? And ponies think my name is weird because it's one syllable.

"How did we show up here? Did you just find us? Or was there some light of something?"

[Balmas]

Dive Bomb shuffled a hoof, winced, and shuffled a different one. "I was talking with the golem. After a few minutes of questioning, I started looking a the rocks of the road. Next thing I know, I'm here."

He looked around. Clouds. He liked that. Clouds, sun, flowers, grass. This was a good spot. Still, he began rubbing around to see if he could find the magical rock to take them back. He paused; was this really the best idea? He frowned, but stopped searching. This was a good change, and he could go back to the desert... that.. he had no idea where it was. The thought almost made him redouble his efforts, but he resisted.

[One Tin Soldier]

Grease gave Soot a sidelong look. "'Touching everything' is what led us to Igneous. Not to mention somewhere civilized!" She gestured around her. "We were following Igneous's trail, and it led up to a rock in the sand. I touched it, and we were all brought here." Looking around, she noticed that not everything had come with them. "Except for our supplies, apparently. And... the ambassador. Where's the ambassador?"

[BlasTech]

Rinda swore, scrambling to her feet and looking around in a panic.

"Oh heck, I didn't notice!" she said, as she looked this way and that. She flew up and swooped over the nearby fields. "I can't see him anywhere! You guys go on ahead, I'm going to keep searching here."

[TheAmishPirate]

Crown Cork gave a inexperienced salute as the guardsgriffon flew off. "Best of luck, Miss Rinda! We shall have our other missing companion along shortly!"

Dive Bomb's sudden appearance brought more relief to the colt than he let on. Reality was not, in fact, being re-made around them. Just some...rather intriguing magical effect. On a whim, Crown whipped out his watch. He'd heard many a tale of whimsical travel doing odd things to timepieces; he wouldn't dare miss seeing it firsthoof. Once his inspection was complete, he snapped the watch closed with a tidy flick of his hoof. "Well! It seems our next course of action is obvious; take up this good stallion on his offer, find our missing guard, and be on our way. And perhaps a spot of tea for the road, hm?" The colt chuckled as he trotted down the cobblestones with a spring in his step. First the golem, and now this scene, morphing from the desert landscape? At the rate he was going, he'd run out of paper long before he ran out of vistas to paint.

[Balmas]

"Are you sure?" said Dive Bomb. "After all, it would help to have more eyes looking for your friend." And he didn't want to lose all that work; the thought of a griffon, strapped to a stretcher in the middle of a desert with no food nor drink chilled him.

It would only take a quick sweep, after all. He sprung up to get a better look around, and began to methodically scan the area for any trace of the wounded ambassador.

Spoiler

Show

Mind +5, rolled twice for Wary.

(1d20+5)[22]
(1d20+5)[14]

Don't really expect to see anything, but it's worth a shot.

[BlasTech]

Following the road, the path approached a large log cabin that was set right up against the river - close enough that one could leap from the rear porch straight into the blue waters. There were several other ponies nearby, most of whom were dressed as farmhands and were busying themselves with tilling the soil and tending to their crops - which appeared to be mostly rocks of differing shapes and sizes.

There appeared to be several families living here, as a group of small foals were running around outside the main building, laughing and yelling as they chased one of their number - a small unicorn foal - who was carrying a strip of brightly coloured cloth.

The door itself was fairly nondescript, and from the sounds of conversation from within, it was clear that there were still more ponies inside the building itself.

Unfortunately, there was no sign of hide nor feather of the ambassador.

[TheAmishPirate]

(Was Crown's watch normal, or was the time different?)

Crown let his eyes follow the cavorting foals. Despite the hardship that had followed them, he found their unrelenting energy and laughter infectious. He was sorely tempted to snatch up the unicorn foal as he tumbled past and romp with them, but thought better of it. They were here on business, after all. Foals could be played with once both their friends were confirmed safe and sound.

Without further ado, Crown trotted up to the door (dodging a gaggle of whooping youngsters) and gave it a sharp rap.

(Note: By taking note of the unicorn foal, I'd like to know what his coloring is.)

[BlasTech]

Cork's watch showed a time of four o'clock, presumably in the afternoon, or was it the morning? Hard to tell. Either way, it was ticking along as normal.

The unicorn foal's colouration was a mix of dusty yellow and dark brown, split along his midsection such that it looked like somepony had dipped him half in the mud when he was born and the colours had stuck. He clamped the cloth in his mouth tightly as he bolted ahead of the pack, maintaining a tenuous lead over the other pegasi, earth and unicorn foals that pursued him.

The voices inside cut off at the rap of his hoof on the door. There was a pause before a female voice called out. "Enter!"

[Balmas]

No. This couldn't happen. He refused to lose another one. Flying in frantic circles, he was eventually forced to admit defeat; the ambassador was gone, or maybe left behind. Either way, he was most likely dead. Squeezing his eyes shut, he thrust his way out of the sky.

"I... couldn't see him," he choked. There was only one thing for it; they had to push forward and find Igneous. He had to be alright.

His stormy expression softened a bit as he watched the foals at play. And where those farmers just moving... rocks? Why would anypony farm rocks?

Looking awkwardly at the door, he reached forward and pushed open the door.

[TheAmishPirate]

Crown bowed his head at Dive Bomb's report momentarily, before returning to his usual jovial face he put on for his underlings. "The Ambassador is a tough old bird; I'm sure he doesn't need us to hold his claw every moment he rests." Just then, a shout from inside cut off further discussion. Crown followed in behind Dive Bomb, having the good sense to add as they entered, "Just a few travelers, sent along by the good pony Kahdar!"

[One Tin Soldier]

Grease walked into the building with her companions. "If those rocks brought us here, then maybe we can find something to bring us back. But first, let's ask these ponies how we can get back to Equestria."

[BlasTech]

No. This couldn't happen. He refused to lose another one. Flying in frantic circles, he was eventually forced to admit defeat; the ambassador was gone, or maybe left behind. Either way, he was most likely dead. Squeezing his eyes shut, he thrust his way out of the sky.

"I... couldn't see him," he choked. There was only one thing for it; they had to push forward and find Igneous. He had to be alright.

His stormy expression softened a bit as he watched the foals at play. And where those farmers just moving... rocks? Why would anypony farm rocks?

Looking awkwardly at the door, he reached forward and pushed open the door.

Rinda remained behind at the fields, her face set somewhere between grim determination and panic.

Crown bowed his head at Dive Bomb's report momentarily, before returning to his usual jovial face he put on for his underlings. "The Ambassador is a tough old bird; I'm sure he doesn't need us to hold his claw every moment he rests." Just then, a shout from inside cut off further discussion. Crown followed in behind Dive Bomb, having the good sense to add as they entered, "Just a few travelers, sent along by the good pony Kahdar!"

Grease walked into the building with her companions. "If those rocks brought us here, then maybe we can find something to bring us back. But first, let's ask these ponies how we can get back to Equestria."

"Kahdar sent you? Come in come in then" called the female voice.

The door opened into a large living room area set around a long wooden dining table. The decor was utilitarian, yet comfortable; the kind one would expect to see on a frontier settlement - mostly wood with only the occasional piece of porcelain crockery or nick nack to break up the monotony.

A wooden countertop split the living room from the kitchen next to it - behind it, a sky blue unicorn mare was working away at hoof washing the plates and cups.

Finally, still wearing his golden armour, Iggy was sitting at the table, staring into the depths of an untouched teacup. He glanced up at the others as they came in.

"Oh ... hey guys." he said, giving them a wan smile as he saw them enter "Was wondering if you'd make it here. Have a seat, Mrs Amelias here was just telling me all about her family."

"You dears want anything? Cookies? Tea? We're fully stocked right now so there's plenty to go around." Said Amelias cheerfully, as she wiped another plate and hoofed it over to the drying rack.

Iggy, meanwhile, was staring at them and shaking his head subtly.

[TheAmishPirate]

"Ah, Igneous!" Crown clapped his hooves in delight. "Good to see you safe and sound. You had us quite worried there for a moment." And the good guard seemed quite worried himself. Why, the poor fellow was shaking like a leaf! The colt trotted over beside him and draped a comforting leg over his golden-clad shoulders. "Not to worry; from now on, we'll make quite sure to always stay within each other's sight. All for one and one for all, as the old saying goes, yes?"

He paused to take stock of the homey cabin. Quite the rustic interior, if he did say so himself. There was just something intrinsically comforting about frontier-style homes. Reminded him of freshly warmed cider, ripe and aged from an oaken cask to give it that woodsy bite to ward off the winter's chill. The young colt's back and legs moaned in anticipation; a little folding of the hooves sounded simply divine. But...even now he could still see the trouble upon Dive Bomb's face. How could they rest and enjoy themselves when the good Ambassador was out there, alone and senseless? Then again...what good would it be to search while exhausted? "Miss Amelias, a cup of homemade tea and fresh cookies sound simply spellbinding. Sadly, I am afraid we may not all be able to partake. For you see, we must soon rendevous with another of our company, and we simply cannot leave him waiting. I do hope you understand if some of my compatriots must decline your generous offer of hospitality." Crown flashed the mare his most charming smile, bowing his head in appreciation. ~Take, Take, Take, Take, Take the Shmuck Bait!~

[Balmas]

Tea and cookies sounded amazing. Beds, too. Dive Bomb was capable of going a day or two without sleep, but being teleported twice in the same day with no logical reason for it, not to mention a trek across an endless desert tends to take it out of a guy. He couldn't sleep, though; there was a griffon that needed his help. Besides, Igneous was shaking his head; what did he know that Dive Bomb didn't?

But how to put it in a way that wouldn't offend their host? He frowned, and thought. It became a non-issue with Crown's proclamation, for which he was thankful. "Have you seen a griffon come through here?"

[Ravian]

Soot noticed Igneous's slight shake of the head quickly, she was on edge, too many bad things had happened to them for her to accept that this was the universe giving them a lucky break. Plus there was that older griffion to think about. For all they knew he was still laying unconscious where they'd left him on the stretcher.
She gave an expectant glance at Igneous followed by a slight gesture of the hoof asking him to elaborate in some silent way.

[BlasTech]

"Ah, Igneous!" Crown clapped his hooves in delight. "Good to see you safe and sound. You had us quite worried there for a moment." And the good guard seemed quite worried himself. Why, the poor fellow was shaking like a leaf! The colt trotted over beside him and draped a comforting leg over his golden-clad shoulders. "Not to worry; from now on, we'll make quite sure to always stay within each other's sight. All for one and one for all, as the old saying goes, yes?"

He paused to take stock of the homey cabin. Quite the rustic interior, if he did say so himself. There was just something intrinsically comforting about frontier-style homes. Reminded him of freshly warmed cider, ripe and aged from an oaken cask to give it that woodsy bite to ward off the winter's chill. The young colt's back and legs moaned in anticipation; a little folding of the hooves sounded simply divine. But...even now he could still see the trouble upon Dive Bomb's face. How could they rest and enjoy themselves when the good Ambassador was out there, alone and senseless? Then again...what good would it be to search while exhausted? "Miss Amelias, a cup of homemade tea and fresh cookies sound simply spellbinding. Sadly, I am afraid we may not all be able to partake. For you see, we must soon rendevous with another of our company, and we simply cannot leave him waiting. I do hope you understand if some of my compatriots must decline your generous offer of hospitality." Crown flashed the mare his most charming smile, bowing his head in appreciation. ~Take, Take, Take, Take, Take the Shmuck Bait!~

"Oh that's no trouble at all dearie." Replied Amelias, as she turned towards the shelves behind her. "I know how you traveller types are like, always on the move from one place to another. If any of your friends want to get along then we won't keep them here."

Rummaging around, she pulled out a jar of cookies with her hooves and emptied it out onto a nearby plate. Igneous winced as the cookies were delivered to the dining table and made no move towards picking one up for himself. His expression, on closer inspection, wasn't really worried.

It was more ... sad.

Soot noticed Igneous's slight shake of the head quickly, she was on edge, too many bad things had happened to them for her to accept that this was the universe giving them a lucky break. Plus there was that older griffion to think about. For all they knew he was still laying unconscious where they'd left him on the stretcher.
She gave an expectant glance at Igneous followed by a slight gesture of the hoof asking him to elaborate in some silent way.

Igneous waited until Amelias' back was turned before sticking his tongue out in an expression of disgust. Apparently the cookies were not very appetising.

Tea and cookies sounded amazing. Beds, too. Dive Bomb was capable of going a day or two without sleep, but being teleported twice in the same day with no logical reason for it, not to mention a trek across an endless desert tends to take it out of a guy. He couldn't sleep, though; there was a griffon that needed his help. Besides, Igneous was shaking his head; what did he know that Dive Bomb didn't?

But how to put it in a way that wouldn't offend their host? He frowned, and thought. It became a non-issue with Crown's proclamation, for which he was thankful. "Have you seen a griffon come through here?"

"Have we seen any gryphons?" Amelias laughed airily as she returned to the kitchen. "Oh yes dearie, we see them passing by here from time to time. Ponies like yourself too, and others like you wouldn't believe; my husband even swears he once saw a dragon fly past overhead."

Pausing, she laid an elbow on the countertop and gestured to the back of the house. "In fact we have one staying here right now, decided to spend a day or two in the guest bed before moving on. Is she a friend of yours?"

[Balmas]

Well, the good ambassador was female, so it probably wasn't the ambassador. Nevertheless, he felt somewhat intrigued. Shaking his head, he reached timidly for a cookie, looking at it before nibbling on the edge. "Did she mention a name?"

[TheAmishPirate]

Ahhh, now this was more like it. Crown took a cookie for himself, biting slowly and gracefully, savoring every bit of flavor it had...or might not have. If tea was provided, he'd wash it down with a delicate sip. Regardless of flavor, he'd force a smile to their host. "Thank you ever so much; a little hospitality is a welcome relief on the road." He was nothing if not a polite guest.

"Another griffon, you say?" he asked, thoroughly intrigued. "Do tell; was she in formal attire, by any chance? Perhaps a suit of well-crafted armor like our good friend Igneous wears?" He gestured to the stallion's shiny, stylized barding.

(Note: Regardless of flavor, he'll choke it down. )

[One Tin Soldier]

Grease Spot sat down next to Igneous, and found herself stifling a yawn. How long had she been awake now? Being teleported from night to day and back had done her internal clock no favors.

They couldn't rest, however, until they were at least sure that the Ambassador was alright. And she did want to ask about how to best get to Equestria before returning to get him. The younger ponies, however, had gotten themselves into a side conversation, and it would be rude to interrupt. So, Grease was content to just sit for a while, waiting for an opportune break in the conversation.