Non Sequitur: The Campaign

deonte9109 wrote:"But who's the pony that sounds like a Zebra?"

I stared down at the little red colt. Kids these days could be so unobservant. "Don't call me Pony. I sound like a Zebra, quite simply, because I am a Zebra. Here, look," I explained, whipping off my cape to show off the stripes. "I am Zacharias. And who might you be?"

"This little candy-foal is Sugar Rush... He was turned into a child again thanks to a wish of mine. So I'm taking care of him until it wears off." Mad Nopony states.

A youth spell? That was a new one. I looked again at the colt and tried to imagine him at my age.

"I could probably fix that," I said hesitantly. "But not right now. I'm tired and I'm going to bed." With that, I flopped down onto the nearest bed and wriggled into the covers...

"Don't think it's likely to work..." Maddie comments with a shrug. "And I'd suggest not to try such a thing unless Sugar requests it of you, Zee."

"Wha'ever," I replied with a yawn. Couldn't she see I was trying to sleep now? I hoped quite sincerely that I didn't have to resort to more poetry to get to sleep...

Maddie after hearing the yawn, seems to just fully collapse from her own tiredness... And starts to snore lightly on the floor. "Wake me...at newday..." The Jokerpony sleep-mutters.

One by one, the party slowly goes to sleep, turning off the lights in the main room as they go... until Ghoulish stumbles in drunkenly at 3 am.

I'm not sure what time it was. Only that it was way too early.

There I was, sleeping soundly, just coming out of deep sleep and into pre-wakening REM sleep, when some pony rudely stumbled in and woke me up! I lifted my head up at the stranger. "Who the buck are you?" I demanded grumpily (Quietly, so as not to wake the others.) I peered at him in the darkness. "And why are you drunk? Navi! Go target that pony, I can't see well enough."

Ghoul freezes, or at least attempts to, and briefly glances at the room in a futile attempt to find the pony talking to him. "Whah?...Whosh talkin t' me? Why're...why're you in my rum?" On being circled by the glowing fairy, he recoils slightly and covers his eyes with a forehoof. "Guh... 's too bright. Turn it off...ponies 're tryin t' sleep. Don'...don' wake them ther my frends. Ya gotta....don' wake them with the ligh ya gotta...you gotta turn it off or they're gonna wake up and...and they're tired. Theh gotta sleep so...so don't wake up with the...with yur light."

Meta:

"Yeh yeh fine jus...just turn off yur ligh...they're gonna...yur gonna wake em up an' they need t'...need t' sleep an' yur gonna...an' they need t' sleep cuz of the...the thing that hapnd before...an' ther tired and yer gonna...gonna wake them up. Maddie..." Ghoul moves to the mare on the floor and starts nudging her. "Maddie...Maddie tell him tha...tell 'im t' turn off the ligh'...he's gonna...he's gonna wake the others up with th' light and...and you need t' rest after the...the thing and...and you, you need to rest...but you need t' tell him to turn off the ligh' or...or you're not gonna rest. Maddie...Maddie you gotta wake up so you can...so you can tell him an'...and you can sleep or he's gonna...you gotta...gotta wake up."

Maddie sleeptalks. "Z.z.z...never...Zzzzzz...bother...a...sleeping...contestant...*snore*...on Improbable Island..." Then the Green Earth Pony jumps up and punches "Zzzz...we...Sleep-Fight...not...Sleepwalk..." Then Mad Nopony flops down again still out like a light on the floor with her pet goo-ball cuddling with Sugar Rush.

(OOC: asked Kal if I could KO him like this... So I did.)

Ghoul falls back into a sitting posture, dazed, before slumping to the ground unconscious.

I watched the little scene quietly. Serves him right. Although it made me feel more nervous about Maddie as Navi took the hint and winked out into some corner. On one hoof, it was too early yet for me to form a coherent rhyme... on the other hoof I no longer felt I could sleep comfortably if Maddie was dreaming of prizefighters (Or whatever it was.)

I elected to take the course of discretion, and quietly left. I went out the door, picked a direction at random (It turned out to be to the right) and started going down the hallway at a brisk trot...

Zacharias almost immediately comes face-to-face with a night patrol guard. "What are you doing up? I am not familiar with your species being naturally nocturnal."

Oh joy. A guard. "Yeah, me neither. I always thought guards were strictly diurnal! Who knew?" I replied with no small amount of snark. My mind was just waking up; I felt I could properly rhyme if things got bothersome...

"Less the bathroom and more the adventurers; one Ghoulish Guise came in late and woke me up. I checked the clock and it's only a few hours till dawn anyways, so I figured I might as well get up and explore this castle I've never been in before it's too late," I explained, a little more politely this time. I eyed the pony critically. "Besides, I sincerely doubt you could do much about it for long. I don't suppose you could direct me to the library or the kitchen? Whichever's closest."

I suddenly re-thought that suggestion. The kitchen crew probably wouldn't have anything to eat yet even if they were awake; and the library struck me as a dangerous place to turn me loose on.

"On second thought, maybe you're right. I think I'll just go back to bed... but hey, a tip? Don't judge the individual by the species. You're right; zebras are mainly awake in the daytime, but so are ponies. Yet here we are. Just a thought," I said as I turned back the way I came, returning to the room and sitting at the table (Not wanting to be in the same room as sleeping Maddie just yet...)

In the morning, a servant comes by with a tray full of food, plenty for all to eat and more, and a message. "Celestia says that you have two hours to prepare for your departure, though you may leave before then if you wish. She will meet you here in half an hour to discuss details. Also, take as many maps from that table as you wish, for they are specifically provided for you to take with you." Probably knowing how rough adventurers can be when hungry, the servant quickly leaves, shutting the door behind her.

Ghoulish groans and slowly stands up before trotting to take a shower, both to try and relieve the pounding hangover and to wash out where he had drooled and bled slightly on himself over night. Asking the others what actually happened last night would have to be second priority. Maybe third, that food smells pretty good.

"IT'S THE DAWN OF A NEW DAY!

You strap your "hooves" to your "flank" and set out for..... Ah.... Oh.... How'd that go again... Damit... I lost it again... Bucking dam you Discord..." Mad states to the world upon waking up starting off quite joyful... But turning quite somber quickly. "Wonder what stats I'll get rolled up for today?"

I was quite glad to be in the other room when Maddie shouted her wakening call. I had fallen asleep with my head on the table, and woke up with a jerk.

"Whuh? Oh. What is it with you ponies and waking people up? Can't you just get up? Ulgh."

Eh? Food? Oh joy! I immediately set my eye on a... hold it. How do I say it without rhyming? Hmmm... we'll call it a "cobbler" instead. I didn't bother with the nearby forks and spoons and such, electing to simply stick my face in and enjoy nirvana...

*nomnomnom*....

Mad Nopony walks over to eat some food too, muttering to herself. "Total shame some of the stuff I can only half-recall of the Pre-Discord Island-Life... Hate I'm unsure just how far it is that I can't recall is thanks to being away from the Island for so long."

"Madwy no loud noise still trying to sleep." Sugar grumbled groggily.

"Gooommm...." The Purple Blob mutters in an agreement statement with Sugar, shakes a little, then gets comfy again on Mad's Ward. Wanting again to rest a little more.

"Oh sorry dear... Old habit flashed in my mind of one of my island's fun quirks... One I kinda miss..." Maddie apologizes/explains.