The Sun Sets

"Person? Dont know what those are but I am reasoned to believe that her lack of respect stems from her own history. If we remember she was once praised as a goddess of sorts and more than likely heard embellished tales of her power. Though not saying she never truly had the ability, if everypony believes a lie then its the truth. Let us also consider that she is used to things working out for her. As she said before she would either force creatures to stay until they submit or attack in self-defense, she was used to being in control. She viewed all of the other creatures as nothing more than food and play things. I too would under-estimate anypony's abilities given her situation, nopony has ever been able to match her. Now that I think about it she's nothing more than a really spoiled, old child, no offense Koli. Kind of hard to respect something if no one ever taught it to you. And besides any smart pony would have realized that going up the mountain was a foolish thing to do which unfortunately many of us are guilty of doing."

Storm, while able to conceptualize of what a web of consciousness and retrointeractivity might possibly mean, has never heard of them before.

It takes a few more minutes, but soon you have reached the approximate location you were before turning north. While the others bicker, Koli flies ahead of the group to get your attention "I'm not a liar. And maybe I'm not trying to help you, but since I am following you around, I'd rather not hover around and wait while you all wander aimlessly because none of you has any idea where you're going. She's not across the river. But if you want to go look for yourself..." she flits around by the water's edge, and her horn sparks a few times. As you watch, a bridge of magical light shimmers into existence, apparently spanning the entire river. "There, so the green one doesn't hurt herself letting you all walk on clouds."

"Thank you, Koli. That was quite helpful."

"Now if you say that they're not on the other side of the Neighara, the only other spot they could be hiding is underground... or in the clouds." Storm flies up into the sky to get a better picture of whats going around.

OOC:Perception check.
Roll(1d20)+7:
6,+7
Total:13
Going to use the flag to boost the role by +10. Final roll, 23

"Not ranting merely an observation and speaking of which, your face.....I need you to do something about it. I dont know what it is but I gonna need you to fix it like soon please or else I'm gonna fix it for you."

Emerald just rolls her eyes. She runs some telekinesis along the ground, skipping a rock along the light bridge, making sure she had magic left. Darn magical featherball was wont to just drop them in the river halfway across. Zigra magic or no, her legs couldn't swim that thing at their best, it was kinda one of the strongest currents around. You didn't even boat along it.

Oh right, and the fighting.

"I'm usually a solo performer. Is this one of those 'buck em and buck it' kind of arguments, or is this where I'm supposed to point out as the only mare left that you're acting like little colts? ...By the way, "People" is a slang word originating from the Roaman times' "populus", and means a gathering or throng, though sometimes it refers to a nationality as well. It isn't exactly in popular use, though. Oddly, "popular" comes from the same root." She explains and interjects, coming between the two other horned members of their party as she speaks, breaking their eye contacts with each other.

"Either way, we wait for Storm to come back on his scouting, so we've got a moment or two. I'd appreciate if you compared the sizes of your horns in private though."

Her attention shifts to Koli, her face one of hate and disdain. "But you, little Koliflower... Most of our delay in past and at least some future is your fault. If anything happens to Star because you insist on being the dregs scraped off an ass' horseshoe, you will get everything she suffers tenfold upon yourself before I pluck you and tar the feathers back on. Trust is given two ways: Love, and Fear. Boulder's right in that you aren't going to get any love from us any time soon, but I trust fear of the repercussions if you falsify it."

She catches the owl in her telekinesis and brings it eye-to-eye, growling psionically, magically from all angles around it, and verbally, her whole body in the act to convince Koli that she means to get blood for blood. "'So where is she?'"


==========================================
Action: Persuasion check! Performing as the villain is Emerald! Using Echo for effect, too!
Roll(1d20)+21:
11,+21
Total:32

I'll cape that.

Persuasion = 42.

Storm doesn't see anyone- but considering that she was supposedly here hours ago, they may have moved on.

Down on the ground, though, Koli tells a different story, albeit a bit reluctantly. ".... under the River. The Griffon took her to the waterfall, there's a hidden cave entrance. The Retrointeractive connection only showed me up to the cell they locked her in, about three hours ago. She was in there for a few hours at least, alone. She was in good shape, she cooperated with the blank-minded Griffon, and he left her alone. She should still be there, or nearby."

Storm returns to the ground.  "Argh.  Nothing."

"Anypony come up with anything while I was gone?"

"There," said Dodger. "That straightforward answer is most certainly the kind we prefer. And we will not have to give you any reason to fear if you continue to provide us with answers of that nature. Of course, I need hardly remind you that my compatriots will give you plenty of cause to fear if it turns out you're lying. Now then."

Dodger turns to Storm.

"Koli here has graciously informed us that they are under the river," said Dodger. "Having taken a secret passage at the waterfall."

"Under the falls... Of course that much water movement would create a natural cave system inside it, it would be child's play to expand it into something effective. Plus, we're already close to it, so it won't take long to investigate."

She begins walking along the river and turns her head back. "Conditional thanks, Koliflower. Sorry if I seemed a bit extreme there, this is just quite important."

Storm starts heading down the Neighara in the direction of the falls. "Very possible. Star and I were near the waterfall yesterday, so this should be familiar territory."

"I guess they flew in. I only saw it from her eyes. Memories are like that."


Back to town you all go, following the river to the town's edge. You pass the first few buildings into the Estates, where it's rather quiet. By your calculations it should still be mid to late afternoon. There is an acrid smell in the air, like burning chemicals. No smoke though.
(Roll perception).

"This air you ponies live in.....its so unclean."

Spoiler:

"I suppose, compared to the forest, all air is unclean," said Dodger with a shrug. He didn't want the new unicorn and Kanen to fight again, and thought an offhand remark would get the subject of clean air to drop.

---

Perception: 1d20 (16) + 10 = 26

Storm sniffs the air. "I don't think this smell is normal."

OOC:Perception
Roll(1d20)+7:
10,+7
Total:17

Gearick and Storm do not notice anything beyond the curious odor. Kanen is able to discern a lot of yelling coming from somewhere in the distance, though the proximity to the river is making it difficult to pinpoint where. Dodger hears the voices as well, and spots movement between buildings. One pony is seen, ambling slowly, before it turns a corner behind a nearby house.

At the same time, Figure Head's house comes into view. It appears to have been damaged, as all of the windows on the upper floor have been shattered.

"We're not alone," whispered Dodger. "Somepony just went behind that house."

With that, Dodger gestures towards the house he saw the ambling pony go behind.

"And if this is a worst case scenario I'd wager that they're responsible for the damage," he continued, looking at Figure Head's house.

Criminals these days. No class. Just random acts of violence, as if that would accomplish something. Now, if they were trying to be thieves, they were obviously terrible at their job. No good burglar breaks every window possible.

"And I can make out somepony yelling I believe, maybe the one's responsible for the attack on the house?"
Kanen visually swept the area contemplating.
"Hmm....the source of the voices bothers me and I would like to investigate. I could either try myself or maybe the Leinetaa can....damn how do you say pegasoos can maybe get an aerial view of the area and perhaps see if our vandalizers are still in the area."

"Good idea." Storm folds himself into his cloud so that he won't be seen much from the ground and rises into the air.

OOC:Stealth
Roll(1d20)+7:
12,+7
Total:19

Perception
Roll(1d20)+7:
10,+7
Total:17

"So are we to assume the town is overrun? This damage isn't from the initial attack, it seems." Emerald keeps her eyes peeled, making sure no ponies ever reach her sight radius, zoning in on the area Dodger/Boulder pointed out. "It can't have gotten this bad in just a day, though, could it? Remember, don't drink anything that isn't heavily processed, even the mist from the falls is making me concerned."

Perception:
Roll(1d20)+11:
6,+11
Total:17

"If it comes down to it, I could always just take clouds and make rainwater, but for the moment.." Storm looks in the direction of the falls.

"Whatever that smell is, its in the atmosphere, so if its dangerous then rainwater will be too." Koli offers this plainly, keeping close to Kanen now. "Was the town this quiet when you left? It's eerie."