Silent Fractures

"Will...you..." Heart forces the words out between sobs, "will... you...just... SHUT THE FUCK UP!" Her eyes blaze as she tears her face away from Wormwood, giving Reini a hate-fueled death glare. Her horn sparks a bit, and she breathes heavily, tears still streaming. She glances down, realizing who she'd just been clinging to, and scrambles off of him. "WHAT DO YOU EVEN KNOW, HUH?! DON'T TELL ME WHAT I SHOULD BE AFRAID OF WHEN YOU'RE CLEARLY TOO STUPID TO KNOW ANY BETTER!" Heart's screams don't abate in the slightest as she closes on the older, taller mare. "YOU'RE TOO STUPID TO KNOW THAT BEING AFRAID OF THINGS IS NATURAL AND NORMAL, AND YOU'RE TOO STUPID TO KNOW HOW TO TALK TO PONIES, TOO STUPID TO KNOW WHEN YOU'RE BEING STUPID!" She gets as close to Reini's face as she can manage. "YOU'RE. JUST. STUPID! SO WHY DON'T YOU GO BE STUPID OUTSIDE WITH THE MONSTERS, THEN WE'LL SEE WHO SHOULDN'T BE AFRAID."

Cold Iron wanted to make a response to berate The Reini for what she said... But he couldn't find the drive to do so. The Ninja found himself agreeing with every word and neither his Emotions nor his Logic would have the will to disagree with what was said.

But after hearing the responce those words sparked out of young goth Cold Iron spoke. "Bleeding is right... Sure yeah, both me (err, I assume you think the same as I) and you think it'd be better to just push those emotions away and focus on the mission, but it's normal and healthy to feel such things in the heat of the moment... Just back off right now. And let's talk of other things and let Bleeding calm down... Ok?"

(OOC: So enjoying making these: "Cold wanted to do something, but didn't..." posts of mine. Hope they're fun for the rest of you to read too! XD
Mid-posting EDIT: now I find a reason to make Cold do something...thanks to bronymous' post)

Wormwood slowly got to his hooves and then glared at the Reini, completely forgetting about the presence of the princesses, the queen, and Discord. He flinched at the intensity of Bleeding Heart's yelling, but he still knew which side he was on. "If you're so brave, you go out there and see whatever it was yourself."

"...while I do enjoy hearing the Personification of Chaos itself, saying this team is prefect, but care to enlighten me HOW that is? Cause I'm still unsure to how two our team being anything usefull in their skillsets... Still have a lot of questions needing answers you know. Please DON'T make me ask them again..." Cold Iron notes with a sigh.

Celestia extended a wing in comfort to Heart. "My little pony, there is no need for tears. The danger is gone, and you are in the presence of friends."
She settled down next to Heart and Wormwood. "Luna, if you and Discord would continue with the briefing, it would be much appreciated."
Luna nodded, and cleared her throat, "First of all, I would like to thank the four of you for volunteering to be selected for this mission. I have no idea why you were selected," she looks at Discord, who literally zips his mouth shut, " nor do I believe you will get an answer to that. I suppose you would like to know exactly what that mission is, let me explain. We are on the verge of a dimensional crisis. According to Discord, there is a world out there designed to collect and contain any and all evil that exists in the subconscious. The universe cannot survive without it. Unfortunately that realm has begun to break down. It's causing fractures to form in the fabric of space-time. Again, according to Discord the only way to stop this, is to go there and fix it from the inside. That is where you come in. One of these fractures has appeared in this gorge, and creatures from that realm are beginning to invade our world. Your mission is to go through that fracture, find what is causing the fractures and stop it. Discord would you care to explain the more technical aspects of the mission?"  
"Certainly. Now the only way you can get through that fracture is by having it opened wider by me. Now you may be asking yourself, why can't the princesses do this? It's simple, once I open the fracture and you go through, a bunch of stuff is going to come out. That's what these three and all of them are here for." He points at Celestia, Luna, and Queen Gachilie, then gestures to somewhere outside the tent. "Now about what you are doing on the other side. I have no idea what is causing the fractures but I think I know someone on the other side who does. You need to find her and figure out a way to stop this from getting any worse."
He snapped his fingers and four small books appeared in his hand. He passes them out to you. "I created these to make it a bit easier for you there. You can store anything you think is important in them, even objects, and they will let you know when danger is near. As an added feature they will give you information on enemies that you encounter."
He looked around at everyone, "Well that sums up the mission, did you have anything you wanted to add?" He looked at Celestia.
She stood and turned to face the four of you. "I know this mission will be hard. It will be terrifying in some cases, but from what I can see, you four can find a way to persevere. You are strong, smart, brave, and reliable. So rest up we shall begin in the morning." With that she turned to the queen, "as for us, we need to discuss defense tactics. Sister, I would appreciate it if you joined us."
Luna nodded.
"72 and his squad will keep the camp sight safe until morning."
The four of them said their good nights and left the tent.
Discord yawned, "well if anyone needs me I'll be making sure nothing else comes through the fracture." He points to the staircase, "Your rooms are up the stairs, down the hall and around the corner from the princesses. Mares on the right stallions, and Minotaurs on the left. Good night."
He snapped his fingers and disappeared.

Heart looks at Celestia when she approaches, and grows quiet. She looks away, still teary. When the Princess lay down, Heart lay between her and Wormwood, secretly thankful for the comfort. On the surface, though, she retained her angry demeanor, refusing to settle too close to either of them.

By the end of Luna's speech, and once the royalty had left the room, Heart had sufficiently calmed down, tears dried. She was still fairly quiet though, even when she spoke. "How do they expect us to sleep... Maybe you three, but there's no way I'm falling asleep after that... thing." She remains seated, not willing to go anywhere by herself just yet.

Wormwood gets up to go to the sleeping quarters, notices that Bleeding Heart was still on the ground, listens to her words, and then sits back down, keeping the distance she had picked out previously. What is it? He thought. Why do I care so much about this filly? I mean, besides the fact that I'm generally a caring pony, or I'd like to think so.

Well, he answered himself, Cold Iron can handle himself and the Reini doesn't seem to care, so... that leaves her to be most affected by this.

And me. He shuddered at the thought of the creature they'd seen earlier. In the meantime, he turned to Bleeding Heart at last, "Do you want some company?"

"Oh buck it all to Tartarus..." Cold Iron mutters to himself, was hoping to hear something of what parts of their skillsets was important for the mission by the Royal Sister's and/or Discord's viewpoint. "Looks like we were just picked fully at random... That's just great... Just great... I'd highly suggest... We might try to talk with one another about what our own skillsets are. Cause weather we live or die might depend on how well we know about eachothers skills we have to work with. Please trust me when I state that fact. I've learned from hard experience what not learning enough about the team's skillsets can lead to."

Dusk Raven wrote:In the meantime, he turned to Bleeding Heart at last, "Do you want some company?"

Heart shot Wormwood a practiced cold stare, but couldn't hide her blush too well. "What... you wanna jump in bed with me, huh?" She glanced out the tent flap, where a changeling sentry buzzed by. "Well if you want... I mean want to just hang out for a bit, til it gets late... uh..." She stands up and slowly makes her way up the stairs. "Which way is it?"

"I think I can hazard a guess as to what their skills are."

The Reini lay down, resting her chin on her delicately folded fore hooves, watching the other two ponies. She actually began to hum something under her breath- an odd, lilting rhyme- before looking at Cold Iron.

"I assume your skills are related to those masks in some way," she said casually. "I'll admit to curiosity. How do they work?"

He was a little caught by surprise by her "jump in bed with me" remark. "Well, I... I don't mean..." But she already was headed up the stairs. "Oh, where the bedrooms are? I think they said past the princesses' bedrooms." He followed her up the stairs. "And something about mares on one side, stallions on the other..." He idly wondered if there was some sort of enchantment to enforce such a division.

"I'm sure that doesn't really matter. None of us want to sleep with each other, that's for sure." She casts him a look as if to say Am I correct? She finds her way over and picks a door. She hesitates when she opens it, about to reach for a light, but then shakes her head and walks straight in the dark room. She leaves the door open though.

Wormwood nods when she looks at him. It was true he didn't want to sleep with her, comforting though her presence would be. He followed her to her room, stopping in the doorway. He reached a hoof to turn the light on, then stopped. "You like the darkness, eh?"

"Of course I.... it's fine, turn it on if you need it." Heart never had a problem with the dark before now. She's still a it uneasy, though, and besides that, she couldn't see the unfamiliar room too well to navigate it. "Come on in, I guess."

Wormwood's hoof lingered near the light switch a moment longer, before turning it on. He himself could use the light. "Thanks. Just let me know if you want the lights off." He walked into the room, before turning and reaching a hoof to close the door. He then walked over to the side of the bed, but didn't hop on it, waiting to see what she would do.

Heart walks over to the closet and pulls it open. Satisfied there isn't anything in there to jump out and eat her, she drops her bags on the floor, removes her cloak/skirt and vest, and tosses them in. She walks over to the bed, takes off her necklace, glasses, and accessories, and climbs up. "Ok, Woody, so what's your deal? Why are you randomly concerned about me?"

He was a little taken aback by her question. It took a moment for him to reply, since he had to answer the question for himself, as well. "I... it's not random. I'm just... being concerned about ponies is in my nature. It's just, Cold Iron is a ninja, he doesn't need the concern, and if I'm any judge the Reini doesn't deserve it. So that leaves you." He sighed. "Do you mind it?"

"Nopony's put that much effort into it- watching me the whole time, trying to get close to me all night, offering to stay with me all night.... Most ponies would rather just ignore me and write me off as baggage to be disposed of. That's what the other two have done already. Pretty sure they expect me to get killed out here, and I can't say I 100% disagree." She absently stares at the flower and necklace on her nightstand. "I don't get why you, out of nowhere, give a shit about me when no one else would."

"...Is life really like that for you?" He sighed, realizing the implications of that. "Sorry if it sounds like I'm pitying you... to be honest, it's not that different from my own life... I got written off by my own father." His gaze wandered over to the objects she was staring. "I mean, I guess I feel concern from you because... you're not like other ponies. You're..." He looked back over to her. "Special."

"I'm 'special'? What, special like these fucking Cutie Marks?" She shifts her leg, allowing you to see it. There is some scarring in lines along either side of it- it looks like someone tried to mar it or scratch it out with something sharp, but the Mark itself remains pristine. "Or special like any old piece of meat you're after, that kind of special? I'd say you don't know anything about me, that you don't understand, but maybe you understand a little bit. Still though, I'm not special enough to have a good life, not special enough for anyone to care about me."

He flinched at her sharp words. This filly sure was an unpredictable one... he wasn't even close to figuring her out. "I'm sorry... you're right, I don't know anything about you except what you've told me..." He put his forehooves on the bed, looking across it at her. "But I think you know that last part's not true. I care. You don't have to understand it, I don't understand it myself, but I do."

Heart flicks her tail, and puts her head down on the bed. "And what if I don't want you to care about me? Just gonna keep staring from a distance? If the monsters get me are you gonna stand and watch?" She says this last part uneasily, having reminded herself of earlier.

"No!" He said. At least, he hoped he wouldn't stand by and watch. He recalled the thing they had encountered earlier... it certain unnerved him. Would he be able to act if she was in danger?

It's not your way to step out of line, Wormwood, a voice in his head said. He shrugged it off.

"I..." He shook his head. "You really are an enigma, aren't you? Well, even if you didn't want me to care about you, I still would. That's the kind of pony I am. I can't just shut my heart off when other ponies want it to."