Mystery Ahoof

Silver also finishes off his drink, and begins to escort the crystal mare outside the pub. When he gets outside, he spots a tree right outside the door. "Excuse me one second," he asks of his guest as he slinks to the tree. He heads around it until he is out of sight of ponies, then leans up to the tree and whispers "Could you tell me how the mare got here please?"

(Speak With Nature (2/3 Uses Remaining))

A mare? A strange creature, that. We plants do not typically have genders, and can reproduce with any other we may choose, so it is odd that ponies should have to choose a mate from only the opposite half of the population, rather than the entirety of it. Ah, do you mean the lavender and yellow that was escorted here not too long ago? She arrived as any other pony, on her own hooves. I have never understood why ponies feel the need to move around so much. Why not stay in one place, and take what comes to you? Though, she was odd, in a way, different from how ponies are typically odd.  Her companion was much more alert than she, and wearing a hood. I could not tell what kind of hood it was, only that it was a strange one, it hid his features more than the typical hood, in fact it seemed to be more designed to obscure his features than to protect himself from the frequent rain of this area. I am not even sure it was a he, the hood was so ubscuring, though in even the lightest of drizzles the pony surely would have been drenched. Her eyes were also hooded, in a way, from the light of the sun. Strange, for how strong the light today has been, for any being to hide their receptors. Then her companion left, and she entered the building here, suddenly normal as any other pony. That is, normal relative for a pony.

Or might you be speaking of how the mare arrived in this area? I remember, many years ago, the day that her ancestors travelled here. They brought with them a contraption made of my brethren, the fiends, filled with many oddments that they seemed to deem valuable in some way. I do not understand why they came here, away from where they came from, unless the soil and water and sunlight here is more appealing to them than it was in the place they travelled from.

(OOC: this is a very brief representation of what was actually said by the tree, and only the important stuff. This post actually occupies 20 minutes of Silver Lining's time.)

OOC:

Silver Lining was taking an awful long time but Beams Brightly felt it would be rude to interrupt.  Speaking of rudeness, she just realized that she forgot to leave a tip for the drink.  "I need to run back into the bar for a moment. Don't go anywhere, be right back!" Heading back inside, she spotted the mare who had mentioned losing her watch.  Hoping it was due to other reasons than the mare who lost her ring, Beams decided to speak up.  "Ma'am, you mentioned you were here to meet somepony.  Who was it?  I'm visiting but maybe I've seen them on the way here. Oh! And how does your watch look?"

The mare blinks. "Um- I- Weird, I can't remember what she's like. I only know her name and a description of what she looks like. This is really, really weird. Anyway, the watch is a simple, old gold- that's her! That's the pony I was going to meet!" She says, pointing at Dancing River with a hoof.

Dancing River looks up when she realizes someone is pointing at her.

"Who, me? What for?"

((EDIT:))

Empathetic:

Beams beamed at the quick resolution.  "See, sometimes it just takes retracing your steps or asking for help. Why, one time I thought I lost my glasses when they were on my face the whole time! Anything else I can do to help out?"

Dancing River wrote:

Empathetic:

The mare seems generally confused and specifically surprised at recognizing Dancing River. "Well, maybe while these officers are just standing here, you could help me recover my missing memory?" "Hey, Deck here is the one who's supposed to be taking your statement. I'm supposed to be bringing the amnesia mare to the precinct." "Oh, Dancing River? She lost her memory too? How about we all just go on an adventure of memory recovery?" She looks at River, head slightly tilted. "Yes, you, and I'm not sure what for. Anyway, what do you think about a little investigation?"

Copper Rose wrote:

Dancing River wrote:

Empathetic:

The mare seems generally confused and specifically surprised at recognizing Dancing River. "Well, maybe while these officers are just standing here, you could help me recover my missing memory?" "Hey, Deck here is the one who's supposed to be taking your statement. I'm supposed to be bringing the amnesia mare to the precinct." "Oh, Dancing River? She lost her memory too? How about we all just go on an adventure of memory recovery?" She looks at River, head slightly tilted. "Yes, you, and I'm not sure what for. Anyway, what do you think about a little investigation?"

"...Y-y-you know my name too..." River backed up slightly. "You're not supposed to know my name!"

Quite suddenly she charged across the room, leaping through the air at the mare.

Grappling!:

"Wait- what are you- Aah!" As Dancing River leaps through the air, her back leg catches on a table and she tumbles through the air rather ungracefully, landing on the mare in a pile. "Ok, so why am I not supposed to not know your name? Since I already know it, why don't we go figure out why I know it? I have no clue who you are, except that I was going to meet you here. I've never even seen you before in my life!"

OOC:

Wanderlust jolts as Dancing River falls past him, then bends down to separate the two mares. "Two mares who remember so little about themselves, but who are linked to each other? Fascinating!" He says as he pulls Dancing River away from the other amnesiac.
"Tact is appreciated in many situations: in bars, when you've caught the eyes of two policemen, and when the only mare who seems to know you better than you do is acting friendly. Be sensible." He hisses at Dancing River as he steps away from her and between the two mares.

OOC:

"Thank you for that." The mare stands up and brushes herself off. "I do understand why you did that though. If somebody came up to me talking about something I did while-" "Hey Lavender!" The mare jumps and turns around. "Daisy! What are you- oh, of course you're here. You're always here. Duh." She face-hooves. "So who was that pony you walked here with? A friend?" The other mare says, winking suggestively. "A- what- who- WHAT?"

sunbeam wrote:

OOC:

Wanderlust jolts as Dancing River falls past him, then bends down to separate the two mares. "Two mares who remember so little about themselves, but who are linked to each other? Fascinating!" He says as he pulls Dancing River away from the other amnesiac.
"Tact is appreciated in many situations: in bars, when you've caught the eyes of two policemen, and when the only mare who seems to know you better than you do is acting friendly. Be sensible." He hisses at Dancing River as he steps away from her and between the two mares.

OOC:

River allowed herself to be lifted off of the other mare, listening as the stranger explained basic etiquette to her. Oddly, she felt she should have already known that; her memories were quite enigmatic. Why could she remember speech and custom, but not herself?

"I'm sorry," she said to the other mare. "I have this note, see..."

Before she could finish, someone else came in the door.

Copper Rose wrote:"Thank you for that." The mare stands up and brushes herself off. "I do understand why you did that though. If somebody came up to me talking about something I did while-" "Hey Lavender!" The mare jumps and turns around. "Daisy! What are you- oh, of course you're here. You're always here. Duh." She face-hooves. "So who was that pony you walked here with? A friend?" The other mare says, winking suggestively. "A- what- who- WHAT?"

River looked at the newcomer. Daisy? And this one was Lavender. "Someone brought you here? And you don't remember? And do you remember why you were supposed to meet me?"

She decided to try a slightly different approach. She reached out with her mind; it had occurred to her came that not everyone could do what she could do. Perhaps the sensation would spark her memory. And does this feel familiar to you? I haven't sensed anyone else who was yet...

Beams was a little worried that she might be in over her head but the situation bugged her.  The various pieces of this puzzle didn't seem to add up and it was possible that any number of the ponies weren't telling the truth.  And poor Silver Lining was stuck outside while she ran in.  The statement of "I don't know" might be the most important since the main crux of such a mystery would be finding out if she did.  What would Sheerclop Homes do in such a situation?  It would take asking just the right question.  Grabbing some paper and a marker, she started to fold and draw as she addressed the mare.  "Ma'am, do you often take unsolicited advice?  It would seem odd to go to a bar to meet somepony you don't know...when you don't even know who told you.  Not just odd but risky, a hazard, and outright dangerous as the recent assault would serve verifiable testament.  Two ponies with amnesic absenteeism of their prior recollections could be quite coincidental but the timing of this particular predicament caused a stirring in my cerebellum.  WOHOHAHA!!!  I've got it!  You've been hypnotized! Would explain the forgetfulness yet having set directions given to you."  Finishing her handiwork, she spun a child's pinwheel in front of the mare...with a black and white spiral design...

OOC Wall of Text:

Crystalite wrote:River looked at the newcomer. Daisy? And this one was Lavender. "Someone brought you here? And you don't remember? And do you remember why you were supposed to meet me?"

She decided to try a slightly different approach. She reached out with her mind; it had occurred to her came that not everyone could do what she could do. Perhaps the sensation would spark her memory. And does this feel familiar to you? I haven't sensed anyone else who was yet...

"No, I remember nothing about you other than what I've already told you. Sorry." She blinks. "What the heck was that?"

ZamuelNow wrote:"Ma'am, do you often take unsolicited advice?  It would seem odd to go to a bar to meet somepony you don't know...when you don't even know who told you.  Not just odd but risky, a hazard, and outright dangerous as the recent assault would serve verifiable testament.  Two ponies with amnesic absenteeism of their prior recollections could be quite coincidental but the timing of this particular predicament caused a stirring in my cerebellum.  WOHOHAHA!!!  I've got it!  You've been hypnotized! Would explain the forgetfulness yet having set directions given to you."  Finishing her handiwork, she spun a child's pinwheel in front of the mare...with a black and white spiral design...

OOC Wall of Text:

"I've been what now?" The mare now looks completely confused. Looking at the pinwheel, her eyes start to darken slightly. "I thought... that... was..... piiiieeeeeeeeee....." She starts drooling, a slight smile playing on her mouth. A breeze of wind from outside snaps her out of it, though, and she wipes off the drool. "Did that seriously just work on me?" "Oh, Lavender, you've always been so easy to hypnotize! I thought you knew!" At this she just gives Daisy a flat stare. "It's true! At least now you know, though."

(OOC: for Twitchy Tail, the answer is yes.)

Upon hearing the mare's friend, Beams lowered her glasses and looked her directly in the eye.  Didn't actually help her focus considering her farsightedness but she hoped it would help get her words across. "That's not the kind of thing you should just assume.  Hypnotic sensitivity is the kind of thing that could get friends and family members hurt if they don't have someone watching their back.  And you do consider yourself her friend, right?  While minor, she did get hurt today." Letting out a sigh, she passed the pinwheel to the police.  "I'm sure a real doctor would be better suited for this but I hope it's of use to you.  While part of me would like to help more, I've got somepony waiting on me outside and I really need to learn my way around.  However, if you ever feel like moving to a new city, remember that you could be enrolling your foals in the Crystal Empire Public Education System."  With that, she left her tip and then quickly ran out to meet back up with Silver Lining.

Copper Rose wrote:

Crystalite wrote:River looked at the newcomer. Daisy? And this one was Lavender. "Someone brought you here? And you don't remember? And do you remember why you were supposed to meet me?"

She decided to try a slightly different approach. She reached out with her mind; it had occurred to her came that not everyone could do what she could do. Perhaps the sensation would spark her memory. And does this feel familiar to you? I haven't sensed anyone else who was yet...

"No, I remember nothing about you other than what I've already told you. Sorry." She blinks. "What the heck was that?"

So she didn't have it either. Too bad. River listened as a Crystal Pony spoke up.

Copper Rose wrote:

ZamuelNow wrote:"Ma'am, do you often take unsolicited advice?  It would seem odd to go to a bar to meet somepony you don't know...when you don't even know who told you.  Not just odd but risky, a hazard, and outright dangerous as the recent assault would serve verifiable testament.  Two ponies with amnesic absenteeism of their prior recollections could be quite coincidental but the timing of this particular predicament caused a stirring in my cerebellum.  WOHOHAHA!!!  I've got it!  You've been hypnotized! Would explain the forgetfulness yet having set directions given to you."  Finishing her handiwork, she spun a child's pinwheel in front of the mare...with a black and white spiral design...

OOC Wall of Text:

"I've been what now?" The mare now looks completely confused. Looking at the pinwheel, her eyes start to darken slightly. "I thought... that... was..... piiiieeeeeeeeee....." She starts drooling, a slight smile playing on her mouth. A breeze of wind from outside snaps her out of it, though, and she wipes off the drool. "Did that seriously just work on me?" "Oh, Lavender, you've always been so easy to hypnotize! I thought you knew!" At this she just gives Daisy a flat stare. "It's true! At least now you know, though."

(OOC: for Twitchy Tail, the answer is yes.)

River watched keenly. Hypnotised? That would explain quite a bit.

But, while the mare herself was innocent, that didn't mean she was safe or trustworthy. Still nobody knew why they were supposed to meet.

"What are we supposed to do now, then? I wasn't supposed to meet anybody... I don't think..."

History:

"Well the first step towards answers is always gathering information. Why don't we point the pinwheel right at you?" Wanderlust said, turning to look expectantly at the holder of the pinwheel.

Walking back out to where Silver Lining was, Beams Brightly shook her head.  "Can you believe it? Hypnotism! It's been quite an eventful day so far. So...I believe you were going to show me around town?"

Silver Lining breaks away from the tree, his mane slightly messed up as he gets a realisation. "Somepony else was there? And the mare was acting oddly until the other pony left? Mind Control? That would explain how the mare lost her memory and how she took so long to get here. But what about the pocket watch? Why would that have been stolen? Hmm. I've seen a pony use a pocket watch to hypnotise others. Could hypnotise be how? I should tell somepo-"

ZamuelNow wrote:Walking back out to where Silver Lining was, Beams Brightly shook her head.  "Can you believe it? Hypnotism! It's been quite an eventful day so far. So...I believe you were going to show me around town?"

The earth pony just looks blankly at the mare for a while. "Oh, yeah, of course." He runs his hoof through his mane to pull it back to its usual pulled-back shape. "Sorry, I just needed to quickly check up on this tree, make sure it's healthy." He moves to the side of Beams. "Ready to go?"

Silver leads the way...

(Taking 10/20 on Streetwise (+8) to show Beams around town, whichever I'm allowed to do if either...)