Somber #10

[18:16]	Somber	The group had met the infamous Professor Twilight and she had done two things... given them a spell to expose changlings, and demonstrating it by using on Shimmershy. The white unicorn had been exposed as something... else. A changeling. They'd gone to see Professor Quickcure, who assured them that it would be possible to purge the horrific stomach
[18:16]	Somber	parasites that devoured their victims from the inside out with some select herbs and some good luck. He gave Shimmershy a place to rest for an hour, when her transformation powers reasserted themselves.
[18:22]	Shimmershy	was back to her usual unicorn-y self, slate-grey coat, white mane with purple and gold highlights, looking as boring as boring could be by pony standards.
[18:24]	Swamp_Shadow	looks at Shimmershy walk out of the back room and cocks an eyebrow. "Oh? Hi there! Did you see a dragonfly pony back there? We're waiting for her to rest up before we get going."
[18:25]	Edna_Stonetalon	sits at the back leaning against a chair "Hey Swamp Thang that is her"
[18:26]	Night_Wind	smiles warmly at Shimmershy. "Feeling better I see. Are we ready to leave?"
[18:27]	Swamp_Shadow	"Huh? Really?" Swamp Shadow asks before looking back to Shimmershy. "Really?"
[18:27]	Edna_Stonetalon	gets up and stretches "Ask her yourself"
[18:27]	Shimmershy	shuffles her forehoof against her other foreleg. "Um. I think I'm ready to go once we talk to Sagebrush. I want to know what happened at Unicornia..." She sighs quietly and lowers her head.
[18:29]	Swamp_Shadow	"Well, you sure act like the dragonfly pony I met. So you're really Shimmershy?"
[18:30]	Night_Wind	nods. "Yes, she really is Shimmershy, and finding out more about Unicornia is a wise idea. Anything that will give us an advantage is important."
[18:34]	Shimmershy	bit her lower lip and nodded her head to Swamp_Shadow. "Y-yes..." Her voice got very quiet on answering that. "Please don't tell anyone. O-or talk about it. Infact... J-just forget what you saw. Okay?"
[18:34]	Swamp_Shadow	"If y'all say so. Nice ta meetcha, Shimmershy!"
[18:35]	Swamp_Shadow	gives Shimmershy a friendly pat on the shoulder and a wide grin. "I'm Swamp Shadow!"
[18:36]	Shimmershy	gives a nervous smile. "Nice to meet you." She heads for the door to go talk to Sagebrush. "W-we should head out soon."
[18:38]	Night_Wind	smiles sadly at Shimmershy. "You know I won't judge you poorly. Us so called 'monsters' need to stick together."
[18:39]	Shimmershy	looks up at Night Wind with a nervous smile. "Th-thanks."
[18:40]	Edna_Stonetalon	"Shimmer still gotta earn my trust again. But I'm willing to give her a chance."
[18:41]	Swamp_Shadow	suddenly pops up between Night_Wind and Shimmershy and smiles. "I don't see y'all as monsters. Now radigators! Those are monsters!" she says with a grin while pointing to her hat, which has a row of radigator teeth tied around the side band.
[18:41]	Wanderlust	gives Edna a bit of a glare. "She was scared. Seems like a reasonable reaction to me, even if it was a bit silly." He smiles at Shimmershy.
[18:42]	Shimmershy	sighs and lowers her head. "C-can we just go. I don't... I don't want to talk about it..."
[18:42]	Edna_Stonetalon	shutters at the mention of 'radigators' "Still don't change the fact she lied. But like I said I'm willing to give her a chance"
[18:43]	Night_Wind	yeeps! and hops away from Swampy. "You...but...over there...here... How!?
[18:44]	Swamp_Shadow	looks at Night Wind, then herself, and shrugs. "Dunno. Just something I do. My mom always says I have a little bit of the voodoo in my blood."
[18:45]	Night_Wind	blinks. "But there was no flash. No tingle of teleport magic!"
[18:46]	Edna_Stonetalon	giggles "Fumbles after we've seen here that is the thing that gets you?"
[18:46]	Swamp_Shadow	"Magic? I'm an earth pony, Nighty. We don't do magic," she laughs before trotting out the door. "We going?" she calls back over her shoulder.
[18:47]	Edna_Stonetalon	sighs "What about or suicidal friend? Can't leave her here"
[18:49]	Night_Wind	shakes her head at Eddie. "You don't understand. Teleportation, it's like...like it's a part of me. What she did shouldn't be possible!"
[18:50]	Swamp_Shadow	laughs. "There's lots of things down on the bayou that can't be explained by your fancy magic or science. We call it the voodoo."
[18:50]	-->|	Pantzar ([email protected]) has joined #FalloutEquestriaPnP2
[18:50]	Swamp_Shadow	"Let's bring her along. The more the merrier I say!"
[18:52]	Night_Wind	shudders. "It's more than that. It's like...like watching a pony suddenly bend their legs opposite the direction they're supposed to bend. It's disturbing!"
[18:52]	Shimmershy	keeps her head down and sticks with the group.
[18:53]	Wanderlust	blinks at Swamp. "Voodoo? Like curses and all that nonsense? That's just legend and hearsay isn't it?"
[18:53]	Edna_Stonetalon	rolls her eyes "Yes Fumbles. And crazy ninja clowns from before the bombs can't come back from the graze and try to drag us off to be tortured"
[18:55]	Swamp_Shadow	smiles. "Alright, Wander, whatever ya say. Just be prepared for anything down in Bayleaf." Swamp Shadow cocks an eyebrow at Edna's comment. "Oh! Sounds like hanging out with you folks should be pretty interestin'."
[18:57]	Edna_Stonetalon	chuckles "You have no idea Swamp Thang, no idea"
[18:57]	Somber	After talking with Sagebrush and getting their goods, the five companions are escorted out of Olives. The ghost wood still shimmers, strange and distant. They could see skywagons moving through the sky like ghosts. The mare struggles and begs once more for you to let her go. It won't be long now!
[18:58]	Wanderlust	sighs and grins a bit. "After what we've been through recently I doubt anything in Bayleaf would surprise me."
[18:58]	Edna_Stonetalon	flails!! "SHHH!!! Don't say shit like that! You'll only make it worse!"
[18:59]	Swamp_Shadow	shakes her head. "Gonna jinx it, Wander."
[19:00]	Night_Wind	waves a hoof at Eddie. "That was weird but not all that disturbing. It was actually kind of pleasant until that whole ruckus started."
[19:01]	Shimmershy	bit her lower lip and folded her ears back, looking up at the mare trying to escape. "B-but then you'll die. Doesn't anyone care who you were..?" She sighs and looks down. "Giving up and dieing won't help anyone..."
[19:01]	Wanderlust	flnches. "Sorry!" He mumbles and goes back to being quiet.
[19:02]	Swamp_Shadow	turns to the mare. "Come on girl. You don't wanna go there. Come on down to Bayleaf and have some of my mom's good ol' Cajun cooking. You haven't lived until you've had some of her okra gumbo." She thinks for a minute. "Why don't you come have some dinner and then decide if you wanna go back to those crazy woods."
[19:02]	Somber	"Please... please let me go. Please..." she says as she struggles, stretching out a hoof towards the Ghostwood.
[19:03]	Edna_Stonetalon	points at Night_Wind "Crazy. Ninja. Clowns." then turning to Swamp_Shadow "Hey Swamp Thang. You know someone who mite be able to help this mare? She got hit with some crazy shit that makes her want to 'die with the good ponies'"
[19:03]	Night_Wind	perks her ears up. "Fresh food? Oooh, I like the sound of that!"
[19:05]	Night_Wind	swishes her tail as if to say 'who cares about clowns, let's get some real food' with maybe a hint of 'maybe they have beans'. She has an expresive tail...or maybe Eddie is just imagining that.
[19:05]	Edna_Stonetalon	blink blinks "Hey I wonder if a piece of pie would help"
[19:05]	Swamp_Shadow	grins. "If you want beans, wait till you try my mom's jambalaya."
[19:06]	|<--	Swamp_Shadow has left irc.canternet.org (Connection closed)
[19:06]	Somber	Then they spot some wastelanders running for the edge of the Ghostwood. Then a spectral white finned object falls from the heavens. It's the 'scam artists' who went in earlier. The missile falls and suddenly an eerie white mushroom fills the air. A white wave flashes through the apple orchards and they burst into flame. Someponies fall, burning to the
[19:08]	Somber	ground the ghostwood is ablaze.... including the three scavengers. The mare sobs as the ghostwood seems to melt away like morning mist. In a minute, it disappears all together. But perhaps most unsettling... the three wastelanders who'd been running for the edge... where they'd died, three sets of blackened bones now rested as if they'd been undisturbed
[19:08]	Somber	for two hundred years.
[19:09]	Edna_Stonetalon	cringes and shields her eyes with a wing from the flash "Fuck me that's bright"
[19:09]	Night_Wind	licks her lips just thinking about it. "Oooh, I've heard of jambalaya actually, and the things I've heard...mmm-mmm! We wouldn't forgive ourselves if we didn't try it!"
[19:10]	Shimmershy	bites her lower lip and winces, keeping her head low and looking away from the end of that era.
[19:10]	Wanderlust	covers his eyes to block the blinding light. He winces as he spies the skeletons as the blast fades. He doesn't say anything, just shaking his head sadly before walking on.
[19:12]	Edna_Stonetalon	"You all saw those three runnin out right?"
[19:12]	Night_Wind	turns at the flash then quickly turns away again, shielding herself and the others from the glare with her wings. When the glare dies down...she swallows unhappily at the sight of the bones.
[19:13]	Wanderlust	nods. "Yeah, but they knew the risk they were taking. We dont really have time to do anything for them with all those ponies and griffons stuck in New Unicornia that need our help."
[19:13]	Edna_Stonetalon	"It was them ponies we saw going in on our way out. Tried to warn em... but noooo. No one wanted to listen to ol Eddie"
[19:14]	Night_Wind	rests a hoof on Eddie's shoulder. "We listen to you Eddie. Well, most of the time."
[19:17]	Edna_Stonetalon	sighs "Yeah I know. Lets get moving... wonder if they had anything on em that survived..."
[19:19]	Shimmershy	shuffles off with the group. Just remaining quiet for now. THe poor mare still looked stressed about everything that happened.
[19:19]	Night_Wind	stares at the bones, the obvious signs of aging, and licks her lips feeling suddenly queasy. "I...don't know how it's possible, but...I think I know what the Ghost Wood is."
[19:20]	Edna_Stonetalon	raises an eyebrow "Do tell Fumbles"
[19:20]	Wanderlust	"Considering they look like they were hit with a balefire bomb I doubt there's anything left but the bones."
[19:24]	Night_Wind	shakes her head explaining, "Stable time spells aren't supposed to last more than a few seconds - a minute or so at most. I can only guess that some megaspell time distortion is going on. That space where the Ghost Wood was - it wasn't an illusion. It really was some kind of vast temporal overlap - a section of the past somehow layered overtop of the current terrain. We
[19:24]	Night_Wind	didn't walk through a memory - we walked through actual history. And those adventurers - they became history."
[19:26]	Edna_Stonetalon	"Then that milk rain shit carries it or something? And I was starting to think a mega-spell had something to do with this fucked up place"
[19:27]	Shimmershy	swallows nervously, looking up towards the SPP tower. "I think... I think whatever they did to the tower is causing a lot of it. B-but I don't know. The Ministry of Peace..." She trails off and shakes her head. "I just don't know. W-we should keep moving."
[19:29]	Somber	"You can let me go..." the mare sobbed. "Just... I'll go somewhere else..."
[19:31]	Edna_Stonetalon	sighs "Don't quite trust you with yourself yet. We'll let you make your own way once we get to Bayleaf"
[19:31]	Night_Wind	shakes her head. "I'm not sure exactly how it works, but the rain does seem to be the agent of change. Like I said though, it's not an illusion. And that means you greatly upset a genuine member of the Ministry of Morale."
[19:32]	Shimmershy	raises a forehoof. "A very crazy member of the Ministry of Morale..." She lowers her hoof again and sighs. "S-sorry..."
[19:32]	Wanderlust	feels his brain start to hurt as Night Wind explains. "This is so far beyond me..." he mumbles. "I'm with Shimmershy, lets get moving. Sweet Tea isn't going to wait around to continue enslaving ponies while we ponder this."
[19:34]	Somber	she just laid there across Night_wind's back. Swamp lead them along the road to the south west. The land was sloping downhill, and there were ever more thickening brush and trees. There were rivulets of muddy water pouring its way along the dirty road. The trees grew higher and higher; but again many of them were warped and sickly from the phage. Then
[19:34]	Night_Wind	shakes her head. "I'm not so sure he was all that crazy until Eddie opened fire. They were using non-lethal methods of subduing until then. Really Eddie, that's no way to be diplomatic."
[19:35]	Edna_Stonetalon	pouts "They started it"
[19:35]	Shimmershy	bit her lower lip and swallowed nervously. "N-no... He was crazy. He was enjoying causing pain and torment and wanted to do it more..." She sighed quietly and lowered her head. "L-let's just move on..."
[19:36]	Somber	the road disappeared into a mire... but then Swamp leads everyone to the side where there was an elevated road... pretty much wooden planks and tree limbs lashed together in an improvised bridge leading deeper into the swamp. "Just a suggestion... but don't fall in if ya can help it. And I wouldn't fly either... not unless you want to run into some gossamer
[19:36]	Somber	net."
[19:37]	Shimmershy	keeps close to the group, trying to remain somewhere she's unlikely to fall off. Not being the most graceful mare in the wasteland and all.
[19:38]	Edna_Stonetalon	takes her rifle out "I /hate/ radigators"
[19:39]	Edna_Stonetalon	"And what the fuck is a 'gossamer net?"
[19:39]	Night_Wind	trots along towards Bayleaf and sniffs primly at Eddie. "That's no excuse to shoot someone in the face. Escalating violence never solved anything. Well...not much anyway."
[19:39]	Somber	Swampy looks around and narrows her eyes, then points. "There."
[19:39]	Wanderlust	gives Night Wind a worrying look and pulls his rifle out as well. He had the feeling they would be fishing her out of the mire at least once.
[19:39]	|<--	Pantzar has left irc.canternet.org (Quit: Always try to be modest, and be proud about it!)
[19:40]	Night_Wind	eyes Shimmer curiously though. "You seem quite sure of your assessment."
[19:41]	Somber	She sighs and makes a little roll of her eyes. "Ain't too deep here. Go ahead and fly that way. You'll find it soon enough."
[19:43]	Shimmershy	bit her lower lip and didn't answer Night Wind's question, instead just following the path.
[19:44]	Edna_Stonetalon	looks over the edge of the 'road' and gulps "Think I'll pass"
[19:47]	Somber	"It's a sticky weed like a spiderweb... nearly invisible and incredibly sticky. It hangs like great big nets between the trees. Catches bugs, birds... griffons..." Swampy chuckled and trotted quietly. along the elevated road. It seemed quite rickety, but was actually very secure and tied down.
[19:48]	Night_Wind	presses just a little. "No, really Shimmer. Why do you say that? The idea that someone could achieve a command rank in the Ministry of Morale while being dangerously mentally unstable themselves is disturbing to say the least."
[19:49]	Edna_Stonetalon	cringes "Have I mentioned I hate this place yet?"
[19:51]	Night_Wind	tilts her head. "Do you mean this swamp specifically because no, I believe this is the first of what will surely be many. If you mean Appleanta though, then yes, quite a bit and not without plentiful agreement from us."
[19:52]	Shimmershy	looked up towards Night Wind, then back down to the ground. "I... I don't want to talk about it. Just... Just trust me." She sighs quietly and sinks lower.
[19:52]	Edna_Stonetalon	blink blinks "Hey Shimmer random question. What color do your people bleed?"
[19:52]	Wanderlust	facehoofs. "That was really tactful Edna..."
[19:53]	Somber	The road occasionally dropped down on muddy hummocks and heaps of muddy peat. Weeds and brambles started to grow around the trees. Swampy becomes more quiet as they approached one long muddy ridge. "Mmmm..." She sat down, narrowed her eyes, staring critically at the long, low spit of land.
[19:53]	Edna_Stonetalon	waves a talon dismissively at Wander "Quiet this mite be important"
[19:55]	Somber	She frowned as she drew her rifle and peered through the scope, then lowered it again and scowled at where the road met the muddy trail. "Mmmm... itchy tail..."
[19:56]	Shimmershy	looks up towards Edna with a frown. "Um... Wh-why do you want to know..?" She was a little worried about it. "I... Um... We bleed red, I think. I d-don't get hurt very often. I try to avoid fighting when I can..."
[19:57]	Night_Wind	sighs at Shimmer's reply. "Very well, I will trust you. So Eddie was right even if it was for the wrong reason." She strokes a wing across both Shimmer and Eddie's backs...then suddenly her feathers fluff at Eddie's question and she thwaps a wing against the griffon's rump. "Eddie!"
[19:59]	Edna_Stonetalon	frowns "Well that rules out this hive of yours stirring up trouble at Spark Town. That suicide bomber had black blood remember. Thought it mite of been proof of that hive stiffing up the trouble"
[19:59]	Somber	Swamp looks back at them and hisses, "Shhh..." Then looks back down the trail. "Mah tail is twitchin... somethin's wrong."
[20:00]	Wanderlust	shakes his head at Edna. "That was still..." he shuts up as Swamp requests. Probably for the best anyway.
[20:00]	Edna_Stonetalon	readies her rifle and slinks up to Swampy, whispering "What is it?"
[20:01]	Night_Wind	quiets down with a small frown at Eddie but a bit of grudging respect as well. That WAS a good bit of reasoning.
[20:01]	Shimmershy	lowers her head. "Um... I d-don't know if it wasn't... I'm not pos-" She cut herself off as Swamp told them to be quiet, giving a little squeak and lowering herself down a bit trying to blend in.
[20:02]	Somber	"Fliers... mmm... skitterers... maybe... slitherers..." she said as sighed along the rifle again... "Gators... maybe. They're usually deeper in... Somethin' though. I got a bad feelin bout this here stretch. too close to the water. Too low. Radgator can just lunge right out and..." she smacked her hooves together. "Gitcha..."
[20:04]	Edna_Stonetalon	facetalons
[20:04]	Edna_Stonetalon	"Everyone close to Fumbles. Think you could hold your shield up till we pass that stretch of road?"
[20:05]	Shimmershy	shuffles a foreleg against her other foreleg, looking up to Edna. "Um... I think... W-well I bleed white. B-but maybe other changelings bleed other colors..?" She looks down again. "I'm.... I'm not sure... I've never met another changeling in person. N-not since I woke up." She bit her lower lip and went silent again, looking up towards the branches above. "S-so maybe we
[20:05]	Shimmershy	should go another way..?"
[20:06]	Somber	Swampy grimaced. "We can. There's a bit of rail line we can take. Favorite spot fer raiders tho..."
[20:09]	Edna_Stonetalon	facetalons again "So risk getting eaten or shot..."
[20:09]	Somber	"Welcome to the wasteland. Least raiders don't swim or eatcha... usually..."
[20:10]	Edna_Stonetalon	"Wasteland my ass. Wasteland don't have shit on this hell hole"
[20:10]	Shimmershy	squeaks a little and sighs. "Maybe... Maybe the raiders will leave us alone..? We've got an Alicorn... And we don't have much supplies. It'd be silly to attack a well armed group with little in the way of supplies worth stealing... Right?"
[20:11]	Edna_Stonetalon	"Hate to tell you Shimmer we got all the supplies a raider would want. Mainly female bits to 'play' with"
[20:11]	Night_Wind	coughs into her hoof. "Actually, quite a few raiders do...eat you that is. It's what separates them from bandits and gangers. Still, they tend to die easier than radigators...unless there's something we should know?"
[20:11]	Wanderlust	sighs. "Raiders sound almost welcoming compared to what's going on here, I'm in favor of going that way."
[20:12]	Somber	"Maybe..." Swampy said. "Swamp raiders ain't the kill ya type. Lot of em are relatives. Might be able to talk our way past. Might have ta give em somethin they want..." She nodded to Edna. "Somethin like that."
[20:12]	Shimmershy	squeaks a little and sighs, slumping lower to the ground. "O-oh..." She wasn't sure where they should go now.
[20:14]	Edna_Stonetalon	facetalons once more "Oh yay. Inbred hic raiders"
[20:14]	Somber	"If it was me... no problem... but all of ya... yeah... which route ya want?"
[20:15]	Edna_Stonetalon	hops onto Night_Wind back "Shields up Fumbles. With our luck we'll have a better chance talking with the gators"
[20:15]	Night_Wind	shudders. "Prostituting ourselves for passage? I hardly consider that an acceptable alternative to combat."
[20:18]	Somber	"Well, if you had caps you could buy your way past... we took this road cause we're broke.
[20:20]	Shimmershy	bit her lower lip. "I... I have a little under three hundred caps. Would that be enough..?"
[20:21]	Somber	She blinked. "Actually... mmm... yeah. They should let me by... fifty caps each for the rest of you."
[20:22]	Somber	"Maybe twenty five each if one or two of you do a 'favor' or two."
[20:22]	Edna_Stonetalon	"Think I'd rather pay the fifty. How many of these clowns are there?"
[20:23]	Wanderlust	flinches at the implications. "We might need those caps to procure the herbs we need though. And no one here is going to stoop that low."
[20:23]	Shimmershy	nods her head and sighs. "Y-yeah... But.. But it'd be safe, right..?"
[20:25]	Somber	"Dunno. Maybe four. Meybe a dozen. Depends on whose in charge of the band. If it's Cypress... she might let us go for free. If it's Gator... he'll kill us all for laughs. Raider bands are pretty fluid bunches in the bayou."
[20:26]	Night_Wind	sighs. "I suppose it's too dangerous for me to just fly everyone across that low area? Can anyone see if that gossamer stuff is in the way?"
[20:26]	Somber	"Maybe... we can try it."
[20:27]	Edna_Stonetalon	"Shimmer can fly? I mean you have wings and all"
[20:27]	Edna_Stonetalon	can you*
[20:28]	Shimmershy	bites her lower lip and nods her head. "I'm.. I'm not very good at it though. I've never really practiced much."
[20:29]	Edna_Stonetalon	"You think you could make it there by yourself? That way we would only need one trip"
[20:30]	Night_Wind	looks at Edna. "You have the best eyes. Does it look clear from here to there?"
[20:32]	Edna_Stonetalon	shrugs "I got no idea what I'm looking for still"
[20:32]	Shimmershy	swallows nervously. "M-make it where..? I don't... I don't have any idea where we're going. I've never been here before."
[20:34]	Edna_Stonetalon	facetalons "Just past that low spot in the road"
[20:35]	Somber	Wanderlust frowns and then starts. "It... did you see that?" He pointed a hoof. "It was like a... a tree branch. But it moved!"
[20:35]	Night_Wind	points to the section of wooden planking rising up off the muddy island. "Just over to that. We're trying to avoid actually stepping foot on the island since Swampy has a bad feeling about it, and she knows this area better than any of us."
[20:35]	Somber	Swamp Shadow scowled. "Slitherers... snake critters. Damned sharp eyes to see em..."
[20:37]	Edna_Stonetalon	groans "Great. Snakes. What's he story on those? They easy to kill?"
[20:37]	Shimmershy	looks out into the distance. "O-oh... Um. I could try... But I don't think I'd be able to see whatever this stuff in the air is. A-and I'm not very strong. Or very fast. S-so maybe it'd be better if I didn't..."
[20:38]	Somber	"Sure. They die pretty quick. But they're sneaky. They like sneak attackin... and they're poisonous... and smart. They can speak..."
[20:39]	Night_Wind	draws back. "They can speak?"
[20:39]	Somber	"Mhmmm..." she nodded.
[20:39]	Somber	"They ain't interested in sex or caps tho. Just meat..."
[20:40]	Edna_Stonetalon	facetalons yet again "Damn talkin swamp snake monsters now? I'm /definitely/ not getting paid enough for this shit"
[20:41]	Somber	"Well... they hate ponyfolk... even big ponyfolk... but..." she looks at Shimmershy. "Maybe they'll talk to a bug pony..."
[20:41]	Wanderlust	squints his eyes as he looks at the far side. "There's a lot of netting between us and that, and I swear something just moved over there, looked like a snake of some kind. Flying looks really risky..."
[20:42]	Shimmershy	swallows nervously, squeaking a little. "T-talk to me..? Wh-when I'm not..." She paled a bit beneath her coat, shivering slightly. "I... Um... I... I..." stammering a few moments with a sad look. "I... I could t-try if it'd help..."
[20:42]	Edna_Stonetalon	"What they think of griffins? Same as ponies I'm guessing"
[20:42]	Somber	"Nah. You're white meat. We're red meat. Other than that... yeah."
[20:43]	Night_Wind	sighs and lowers her ears. "Of course. Because every creature with the gift of intelligence in the wasteland has to squander it being absolutely awful to every other intelligent creature. Has no one ever heard of enlightened self-interest much less common decency?"
[20:44]	Wanderlust	sighs. "Alawys such wonderful options we get. Get eaten or get shot at. Or worse."
[20:44]	Edna_Stonetalon	"Wouldn't be the wasteland otherwise"
[20:44]	Somber	"T'be fair... they're snakes..."
[20:45]	Somber	"But... if this crawdad pony can get em out in the open, maybe miss grumpyfeathers and I can get a clean shot."
[20:46]	Edna_Stonetalon	"Right Shimmer honey if you think you can try to talk with em go for it. I'd rather not have to deal with getting bit out here."
[20:47]	Shimmershy	squeaks a little and nods her head slowly, looking at the ground before taking a deep breath and raising her head, probably the closest to 'determined' she's ever looked as white blue-white fire burst around her and burned up her body, leaving her as the pearlescent bug-pony from before. "I'll do my best..." She descended towards the island as safely as she could, not
[20:47]	Shimmershy	wanting to fall into the water.
[20:48]	Edna_Stonetalon	keeps her rifle ready to cover Shimmer if needed
[20:48]	Night_Wind	snorts. "And griffons are carnivores who used to eat ponies. Well, some still do, but that doesn't change the fact that at least some of them know how to be decent, wonderful, loving, cute, sexy beasts with sinuously curling tails and toned flanks that you could bounce a bit off, and...uh...ahem..." She jerks her eyes from Eddie's plot and stares intently at the trees
[20:48]	Night_Wind	above, trying to pretend she isn't blushing.
[20:48]	Wanderlust	fidgets nervously as Shimmershy goes down. "Be careful..." he mutters and raises his rifle in case they dont feel like talking.
[20:49]	Edna_Stonetalon	"Shimmer turn back to your normal self first!"
[20:50]	Somber	The black trees loomed over her. She could see the faintest gossamer shimmer overhead as the nets swayed slowly back and forth. The mud and earth squished under her chitinous hooves as she walked. But of the snakes, there was no sign.
[20:52]	Somber	Then she spots a tree limb... that was moving... Just a little... bit by bit...
[20:53]	Shimmershy	looked up towards the shifting tree-branch nervously. "Um. Hello?" She continued down the path a little further, hopefully not so far as to get outside sight of her friends.
[20:53]	Somber	Then another.... and then a third. There were three of them. Their sinuous black bodies blended in almost perfectly with the dead trees and brush. Almost.
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[20:56]	Somber	A low, sillibant hiss filled the air and then a head flashed through the air and lunged, as if about to finish her off for good. The head was pony sized, but the body was easily as long as four ponies. Four dripping fangs were inches from her face before the wide mouth slowly closed. Two red eyes stared at her suspiciously. "What issss it? Can we eat
[20:56]	Somber	it? Sssssss...."
[20:56]	Edna_Stonetalon	blushes a little "Sure are a randy alicorn aren't you Fumbles."
[20:57]	Night_Wind	coughs and scuffs a hoof against the boards. "W..we don't know what you're talking about."
[20:57]	Wanderlust	glances irritably at the pair. "One of our friends is in possibly life-threatening danger. Cant this wait?"
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[20:58]	Shimmershy	yelped in fear at the sudden jump at her, stumbling backwards a few steps as her irridescent wings twitched subconsciously. "I'm... I'm not edible. B-but I'm here because we want to pass through this island. And don't much want to become dinner either." She gave a friendly smile up to the large snake-thing, though she was still terrified. Her own, much less pronounced,
[20:58]	Shimmershy	fangs showing against her white carapace.
[20:58]	Edna_Stonetalon	giggles "Lies. You're a terrible lire Fumbles. And Wander stop starring at our asses and keep and eye on Shimmer"
[21:00]	Wanderlust	returns to looking down the sights of his rifle and praying he didn't need to use it. He gives an irritated snort at Edna's comment but stays focused.
[21:00]	Somber	A second head slowly slipped up out of the brush and rose to look her in the eye. "Issss not pony... or if issss... not like any pony I have ever eaten... ssss....." The vermillion eyes looked at her as the serpent slowly curled around her. "Mmmm... but we are hungry... and ponies are food. What ever are we to do? Ssssss..."
[21:00]	Night_Wind	is about to reply to Wander when the huge heads of the creatures appear. That certainly kills the mood! "What in the name of all that's cute and fuzzy are those!?"
[21:01]	Somber	"Sliterers..." Swamp Shadow said.
[21:01]	Edna_Stonetalon	"Keep calm Fumbles. They ain't startin nothin yet. And you should know better than to hope for cute and fuzzy in this place"
[21:02]	Night_Wind	stares at Swampy and hisses, "You might have warned us they were large enough to eat Shimmer in a single gulp before we agreed to send her out there!"
[21:02]	Shimmershy	squeaks a few moments. "Th-there's a railway not far from here. Ponies gather there. If you were careful you could probably eat some of them!" She gave another nervous smile. "They like to hide in wait and attack other ponies. Such a waste of a good food source to just shoot it, right?"
[21:03]	Night_Wind	blinks as she catches what Shimmmer is saying. "Oooh...clever girl..."
[21:05]	Somber	"Ssss... the railway isssss lifted. No treesssss to hide on... ssssss... sssssoooo difficult to sssstrike." It slowly curled its sinuous body around Shimmershy's torso, curling around her neck to look her in the face. "Why go through sssso much trouble when food issss here?"
[21:06]	Wanderlust	tenses and starts to put pressure on the trigger. "Don't you dare hurt her..." he mumbles under his breath.
[21:07]	Edna_Stonetalon	also gets ready for a fight
[21:08]	Night_Wind	gets her mouth on her battle saddle's bit, ready to bite down and pew-pew that reptile like it's never been pew-pewed before.
[21:09]	Shimmershy	swallows nervously and looks up at the snake. "W-well I doubt very many ponies will keep coming through here with you staying here... Right? It must be very slim pickings. But the ponies who guard the bridge..? They'll keep coming back. As long as you're careful not to eat too many, just a few and they probably won't want to leave." She gave a smile again. "B-besides, I
[21:09]	Shimmershy	doubt something as large and dangerous as you would have any trouble even out in the open, right? Surely you've had to fight ponies who knew you were there before?"
[21:11]	Edna_Stonetalon	whispers "Wait for my order. Drop the one on Shimmer first and cover her till she gets back to us"
[21:12]	Somber	"Oh... we won't ssssstay. We come... we go... we ssssssneak and we sssstrike." The serpent hissed as the coils tightened around her a little more snuggly. "Sssssince we can not usssse guns, poniessss isss difficult prey. We musssst get close to sssstrike. But bug pony walked in... sssso sssstrange..."
[21:12]	Night_Wind	barely nods, her ears showing her assent as she stares death at the slitherer wrapped around Shimmer.
[21:13]	Wanderlust	nods. "Understood."
[21:14]	Shimmershy	squeaks quietly as the creature tightens more, staring up at the snake thing. "W-well I just n-needed to get to the other side. A-and there's so much stuff in the air there's no way I could fly. I d-didn't think you'd be likely to eat me. I'm not really a pony at all, r-really." She wiggled a little bit. Whether or not the snakes would eat her they could still snap her
[21:14]	Shimmershy	neck, after all.
[21:15]	Somber	"Mmm... maybe... maybe not... but you are meat... and we are hungry. Unlesssss you have food, you are food..." It hissed as the tail curled around her limbs.
[21:16]	Edna_Stonetalon	"Take it down!" and fires an aimed shot at the one on Shimmer
[21:16]	Shimmershy	squeaks a little as it tightens around her. "I. Um. I. I.. I..." She stammers a few moments. "I have some rations in one of my bags." Ofcourse, they were pony rations, so probably not any good for giant snake things. "Um. Um. I... Um... I..." Every part of her was telling her to run away, ofcourse that was kindof hard when all wrapped up in a giant snake. This was a really,
[21:16]	Shimmershy	really, REALLY bad idea.
[21:17]	Wanderlust	follows suit, firing a pair of aimed shots at the same snake.
[21:17]	Night_Wind	didn't need any more prodding, her mouth tightening and unleashing her own aimed shots at the terrible creature.
[21:30]	Somber	The bullets made the giant snake explode in bloody spray. Some of the flashing energy burned the white shimmershy. Swampy's final shot blew its head apart in a bloody spray.
[21:32]	Edna_Stonetalon	growls "Move! We gotta get to Shimmer!"
[21:32]	Shimmershy	squeaked in surprise, followed by pain and a little bit of panic. Struggling to try and get out of the still entangling now-dead snake body. She wasn't very agile or very fast, but she needed to get out before the other two snakes at her.
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[21:51]	=-=	Mode #FalloutEquestriaPnP2 +h Somber by ChanServ
[22:00]	Night_Wind	saw her shots miss their target and heard Shimmer's squeal of pain. Horrified, she gasped, "Sorry! Sorry! That...that wasn't supposed to happen!"
[22:02]	Edna_Stonetalon	takes careful aim at another one of the snakes and fires off a shot at it
[22:03]	Edna_Stonetalon	[redact]
[22:04]	Wanderlust	takes aim at the other snake and fires rapidly. With Shimmershy no longer in danger of friendly fire there was no need for careful aim.
[22:07]	Somber	Swamp_Shadow takes a bead and calmly fires a blast right as the reeling serpent. Its hide was as tough as reinforced leather barding.
[22:08]	Edna_Stonetalon	takes careful aim and fires off a shot at the other snake, and then one more quick one for good measure
[22:11]	Somber	The bloodied snake hisses in pain and sinks it's fangs into Shimmershy's flank as another leaps out of the brush and slithers rapidly up towards the others, fangs bared.
[22:22]	Shimmershy	yelps in pain as she's bitten on the leg. Demonstrating the previously mentioned white blood as it escaped from the wound where the snake had bit into her. She panicked a few moments, breathing quickly and scrambling to get away, her shimmering wings beating as she rushed towards her friends, only to be cut off by another snake. Instead diving for the nearest piece of
[22:22]	Shimmershy	cover she could find and doing her very best to blend in.
[22:27]	Edna_Stonetalon	swears as she un-jams her rifle "FUCK!!" and takes aim at the snake right in front of her
[22:27]	Night_Wind	stared at the snake rushing towards them and squeezed her battle saddle's bit rapidly hoping to hold the creature off. Two shots scored its scaley hide but the other two flew off into the tangled branches beyond.
[22:31]	Wanderlust	fires another burst of lead at the close snake as it rears back to bite. He was too angry to care if it bit him or not.
[22:32]	Somber	Swampy takes aim with her bolt action hunting rifle and blasts the snake as it came up to wanderlust to strike. The other immediately began closing as well. "Bite them, then flee!" they hissed.
[22:33]	Somber	The snake strikes... and bites right on his PipBuck. The snake's eyes go wide as the thin fangs shatter, green venom dribbling from the stumps as it shrieks.
[22:37]	Somber	The second injured snake jerks spasmatically before it shrieks and falls over dead from the onslaught of magical energy.
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[22:38]	=-=	Aria is now known as Swamp_Shadow
[22:42]	Shimmershy	pants for breath, twitching her leg a little at the feeling of numbing pain. The pearlescent changeling lurking in the brush and staring up as one of the snakes fell to her friends' shots. Her wings twitched slightly behind the brush, trying to remain unseen.
[22:44]	Night_Wind	practically dances in place and cheers, "I got one! Did you see, Eddie?"
[22:44]	Edna_Stonetalon	"Don't get penisy Fumbles!"
[22:45]	Night_Wind	stops and blinks blankly at Eddie. "Wot?"
[22:48]	=-=	Mode #FalloutEquestriaPnP2 +v Swamp_Shadow by Somber
[22:48]	Swamp_Shadow	blinks and looks at Night Wind's hindquarters, confused. "Do alicorn's have penises that Ah'm not aware of? Ah could've sworn Nighty was a mare."
[22:49]	Edna_Stonetalon	"Fumbles get Shimmer to Wander! Me and Swamp Thang can take care of this one!" and she brings up her rifle and fires off another shot at the thing
[22:51]	Wanderlust	continues to fire, switching to the remaining snake. A loud cracking noise makes him swear loudly as he sees the whole barrel split. "Not now!" He growls at the now near-useless weapon.
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[22:57]	Somber	The snake spat bloody spittle at Wanderlust, and then tumbled off the elevated road and swam into the murky water.
[22:57]	Swamp_Shadow	fires a shot on the fly, trying to move to keep the slitherer away from Shimmershy, and misses. Reloading and firing out of desperation, she misses again. "Damn it! Usually Ah get the jump on these suckers!"
[22:58]	Night_Wind	snorts at Swampy's comment and stomps a hoof. "I'll have you know I am a stallion of the Encla- ... Oh, horse apples." She suddenly squeezes her rear legs together and blinks looking a bit misty-eyed all of a sudden. "Not the time for this..." She sniffs and grabs the poorly concealed bug pony in her magic and pulls her up and back to Wander. "Take her!"
[22:59]	Edna_Stonetalon	grabs Shimmer from Night_Wind "Wander do what you can. And what's wrong Night?"
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[22:59]	Shimmershy	yelps and wiggles her legs in surprise as she's suddenly grabbed out of the bush, beating her wings in panic a few moments before realizing who was levitating her.
[23:01]	Night_Wind	shakes her head and avoids Eddie's eyes. "N..nevermind. Just save Shimmer."
[23:05]	Wanderlust	immediately starts channeling a healing spell to keep her going. He doesn't trust himself to speak.
[23:06]	Edna_Stonetalon	"We'll talk about it later Night. Right now we need to get Shimmer help. Swamp Thang how much farther?"
[23:07]	Swamp_Shadow	can't get the fire to light properly, the wind constantly weakening the flames. No matter how many times she tries, the antivenom won't cook right and the venom sacs she harvested are ruined. "Damn it!" She glances back at Shimmershy. "Hold on Shimmer. If you need mah potions, take 'em."
[23:08]	Swamp_Shadow	"We're still an hour out. We need to hurry though. Those slithers will go get back up if ya let them run. We gotta get outta here!"
[23:08]	Night_Wind	stares out into the swamp, occasionally shooting glances at Shimmer when she cries out, but then she winces and turns away again, still with her hind legs squeezed together and her tail plastered across her rump. When the attempt to make the antidote fails, she sighs heavily and offers, "You can ride on my back with our guest if you want, Shimmer."
[23:08]	Shimmershy	looks like she's about to faint, her leg twitching slightly as she struggles to even stay awake. Wobbling on her chitinous hooves as her wings droop and she looks about as sick as a bug-pony can look. "P-please... help... it... burns..." She seems nearly incapable of doing anything for the moment, though the healing spell helped a lot.
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[23:11]	Somber	They still had a ways to go to reach Bayleaf, but fortunately Night could carry Shimmer without any real effort.
[23:11]	Swamp_Shadow	quickly harvests the rest of the Slitherers' bodies for meat, waste not, want not, and starts to lead the group through the swamps again. Hearing Shimmershy's moans, Swamp Shadow fishes out a healing potion from her saddlebags. "Here little dragonfly, take this," she says with a small and hopefully reasurring smile.
[23:13]	Shimmershy	reaches out with a forehoof to take the healing potion and drinks it. SLowly regaining her composure enough to re-cast her disguise again. Blue-white fire leaves her standing in her usual unicorn appearance. "I'm... I'm sorry I couldn't help more. They nearly ate me. A-and... And..." She shudders and looks like she's about to break down crying.
[23:13]	Somber	The raised road through the swamp passed over the murky rivers and stagnant lakes. More than once they saw radgators swimming underneath them that looked even bigger than the albino mutant they'd faced. They weren't going to exert themselves to try and munch the little morsels though. On the way, they spotted spiders the size of small dogs creeping along
[23:14]	Edna_Stonetalon	hugs Shimmer and strokes her mane "Shit happens Shimmer"
[23:14]	Swamp_Shadow	takes Shimmershy into a gentle hug and smile. "Don't worry darlin, they didn't getcha and we all gotcha."
[23:14]	Wanderlust	hugs the changeling tight. "You're still alive, that's all that matters right now.
[23:15]	Night_Wind	sighs and ruffles her wings to stroke Shimmershy. "It is we that failed you. We did not protect you like we should have. We are sorry."
[23:16]	Somber	the trees on the far side of a river, keeping pace with them for a mile before disappearing into the woods once more. Then, through the gloom, they spot a looming, rust and vine draped crane... and another... and another. There were half sunken, half rotten warehouses and rusty cargo containers as they drew close to the cranes. Then they spotted the
[23:16]	Swamp_Shadow	"Plus," Swamp Shadow adds over her shoulder as they continue walking, "I'm sure mom'll make you a big plate of gumbo or some pecan pie to make you feel better."
[23:16]	Edna_Stonetalon	sighs "Hey Fumbles you're doing the 'we' thing again. And Wander get your hoof off my ass"
[23:17]	Swamp_Shadow	keeps an eye out of any more ambushes.
[23:18]	Somber	village of bayleaf, build on the overgrown and half sunken Appleanta harbor. The ocean could be seen distantly to the east. The village was a number of old barges and container ships that had formed an archipelligo of sorts connected by suspention bridges. As they approached, a brown stallion with shotguns in his battlesaddles trotted up. "I don't know
[23:18]	Shimmershy	twitches her back leg a bit, which was now appearing to bleed actual red blood like a regular pony, though much less badly as the healing spell and potion took effect. Infact, the only real sign of damage was the stains on her coat and the way that she seemed so weary and sick looking. Her eyes slightly blood-shot as well. "I... I'm sorry I'm such a drag on you all..."
[23:18]	Shimmershy	She bit her lower lip and hung her head, trying to rest as they traveled.
[23:18]	Somber	you... what's yer business in Bayleaf?"
[23:20]	Night_Wind	lowers her head. "We are sorry. W- I don't mean to." She narrows her eyes, taking a deep breath to calm and focus herself. "Okay...okay, I think I'm under control again."
[23:21]	Edna_Stonetalon	sighs "We're hear to trade. And if you got a healer that would be much appreciated too"
[23:21]	Swamp_Shadow	gestures to the town. "Welcome to Bayleaf! My home sweat home." Then she notices the stallion, rolls her eyes, and laughs. "You sure as hell know me Buckshot! Holster your hollering before I gotta beat you in next year's gator hunt too."
[23:22]	Edna_Stonetalon	blink blinks "Oh right Swamp Thang is a local. Gettin used to getting the third degree every time we come up to a settlement of any kind"
[23:23]	Somber	He scowled at her a moment, then brightened. "Holy shit, Swampy. didn't expect you to be back so soon. Did them smarty ponies in Olives have a cure?" He looked at Edna. "Sure. Swampy can take ya to Mama Fortuna's barge and she can whip you up something fine."
[23:23]	Wanderlust	is very quiet the entire walk, glancing over at Shimmershy constantly.
[23:24]	Shimmershy	slumped on Night Wind's back, looking up briefly towards Buckshot then giving a quiet sigh. She didn't seem inclined to move much at all, probably for good reason.
[23:25]	Swamp_Shadow	deflates a little. "Uh, not necessarily. These fine yankees helped the smart ponies figure out a possible cure and some of the ingredients can be found around here actually."
[23:26]	Swamp_Shadow	then points to Shimmershy. "But those slimy slitherers ambushed us and bit mah new friend, Shimmershy, so Ah'm gonna have to take her to Mama Fortuna's, like ya said... and go see dad and Magnolia before we head out looking for the herbs."
[23:26]	Somber	That certainly made Buckshot's day as he grinned at them. "Well, first bit o good news in a long while! A cure for the phage!" He looked at them all and then settled on shaking Wanderlust's hoof. "Never thought I'd hear it!"
[23:27]	Swamp_Shadow	pats Wanderlust hard on the back. "This fella's the one you should thank the most. He survived it and his... sample helped figure out the herbs and plants we need."
[23:29]	Swamp_Shadow	pauses. "Although it's a possible cure. It might not work... But it's gotta work..."
[23:29]	Edna_Stonetalon	"Hate to burst your bobble Swamp Thang but that's a cure for something else. But we have a line on a treatment of sorts. At a minimum it's a start"
[23:29]	Shimmershy	bit her lower lip. "It's... It's not for the phage... It's for... Something else. Worse..." She sunk her head quietly and sighed.
[23:29]	Night_Wind	scuffs a hoof against the boards and hangs her head.
[23:29]	Somber	"I'll be sure to spread the news. If anypony gives you guff, you just tell me and I'll set em right, Y'hear?" Then he paused and looked at Swamp. "Oh. Got news. Gator's back... lookin fer you. He's still sore about where you stuck that crossbow bolt last year. He's not in town, but he's lookin for you."
[23:30]	Swamp_Shadow	whips her head around. "What? But I..." she trails off, hanging her head. Sighing, she looks back up. "It's better than nothing, I guess."
[23:31]	Edna_Stonetalon	"We have the start of something. That's more than you had yesterday"
[23:32]	Somber	"Well... you're with swampy and tryin ta help. That's better than most." he said, a little let down.
[23:32]	Swamp_Shadow	smiles nervously. "Really now? Well, we'll just have to set him straight, huh?"
[23:34]	Somber	"I'll try not to mention you're back till morning. No need having him come here and cause a frackas."
[23:34]	Shimmershy	sunk her head again sadly, closing her eyes and trying to relax.
[23:35]	Swamp_Shadow	"Thanks, Buckshot. I'd like at least one night of peace with my family. Dad and Maggie don't need any more stress right now."
[23:35]	Swamp_Shadow	turns to the group. "Let's get rolling to Auntie's place and get Shimmer patched up. Maybe she's got some of the herbs we might need."
[23:36]	Somber	"yep. Best get to Mama Fortuna's boat then."
[23:38]	Edna_Stonetalon	sighs "Yay angry raiders. Lets get inside, I need me some sleep"
[23:38]	Somber	Mama Fortuna's was a little ways away from the tumbled up barges of Bayleaf. At the end of the dock sat an old paddlewheel boat that had to be centuries old before the bombs fell. The wood had to me magically treated to avoid rotting this long. The brass was still shiny in place and it was bedecked with strands of colored bottles and glow bugs. Some
[23:39]	Somber	strange pipe organ music was playing inside... a wheezing but still jaunty sort of melody.
[23:41]	Night_Wind	approached the boat with an uncertain glance at their native guide. "This is the place?"
[23:41]	Swamp_Shadow	knocks on the door before opening it a crack to peek inside. "Auntie. It's me, Swamp Shadow. Ah got a friend who hurt. The slitherers got her."
[23:42]	Shimmershy	wiggles her hooves a little to slide down off Night Wind's back, taking a position to walk inside. She still wasn't feeling great, but between the healing spell, the health potion and the rest she was well enough to walk at least a short distance. "Um. Hello..? Is anyone home?"
[23:43]	Edna_Stonetalon	follows in after Swamp_Shadow and the others
[23:44]	Somber	The doors open wide and a veritable fog of sweet smoke rolls out over all of them. A large, black earth pony mare, her neck festooned by a dozen golden necklaces, her wrists and ankles glittering with more gold bracelets and anklets, a neckless of radgator teeth and feathers in her whispy white mane, opens the door. She had a pair of reflective glasses
[23:45]	Somber	covering her eyes. "Woo zat! Woo dere? Woo be botherin Mama when she listin to her melodies?"
[23:45]	Night_Wind	isn't happy about her climbing down, but she decides it's not worth the fuss and steadies Shimmer with a subtle glow of magic.
[23:46]	Swamp_Shadow	"Auntie, it's me, Swamp Shadow. Ya know, like Ah said? My friend needs some help with a Slitherer bite."
[23:48]	Somber	"Swampy?! Can't be swampy! Yoo don't even have yer kutee marks yet girl! Whatcho be doin out here dis late!" She waved a hoof towards Swampy, bracelets jingling and clangin. "If yoo be here for another love potion I gonna tell yer papa ta be givin ya a whallopin! Joo too young ta be givin da colts potions ta make em love joo. Time gonna take care o
[23:49]	Somber	that! yes sirreee!"
[23:51]	Swamp_Shadow	blushes and her eyes widen. "Auntie. Tha-That was years ago. I'm a mare now and... and... can you just help my friend, Shimmershy, please?"
[23:51]	Shimmershy	looks up towards Swampy, then back to the mare. Evidently the elderly in Appleanta were commonly suffering from alzheimers, or possibly dementia...
[23:51]	Edna_Stonetalon	leans over to Night_Wind and whispers "Few fries short of a happy meal this one is"
[23:53]	Night_Wind	slowly nods her head, though she's hardly one to talk.
[23:53]	Somber	turns her head and looks straight at Edna, pulling down her glasses to look at the griffon with her cloudy eyes. "Well boo hoo hoo. Who dis? some kittybird who always complainin? Complain about dis. Complain about dat. Never happy." she thumped her hoof into Edna's chest. "Joo be happy with yourself, joo not give two piss about dis place or any
[23:54]	Somber	other!"
[23:54]	Edna_Stonetalon	rolls her eyes "You're crazy... and I likes it!"
[23:55]	Swamp_Shadow	jumps, surprised by Auntie's reaction. "Auntie! Not her," she says, pulling the elderly earth pony away from Edna and facing her towards Shimmershy. "Her."
[23:57]	Night_Wind	glances at Eddie then at the mare but holds her tongue for the moment, not wanting to draw attention to herself when Shimmer still needs help.
[23:58]	Somber	Just pulls her hoof free. "Oooooooh, Joo tink I just as balmy as miss Pie? Well we could joo marbles and mine and we see joo be ahead. Hrmph!" She turned and then trotted towards Shimmershy. She reached up with her hoof and squeezed her face, they pulled it wide. "Wat dis!? Dis not a pony. Dis not any pony dat mama ever see afore!" She bonked
[23:58]	Somber	shimmershy lightly on the noggin, and then with a pop her illusion disappeared. "Ahhhhh! Joo is one o da bugggzzz... well dat changes everythin. What color she be?"
[23:59]	Swamp_Shadow	"Auntie! Don't do that!" Swamp Shadow cries, but it's too late and Shimmer is revealed... again.
[00:00]	Edna_Stonetalon	blink blinks "What did she just say?"
[00:00]	Shimmershy	eeps, squeaking a moment. "Oh, come on! Does everypony know how to do that but me?" She whimpers a little after her outburst and lowers her head. "W-white... I'm white..." She bit her lower lip and glanced towards the others to back her up. And hoped it wasn't horrible.
[00:02]	Somber	"Woo joo be ta tell yoo auntie what to do and not do? Yoo papa gonna whallop yer hind end!" She said as she looked at the changeling. "White? But... der be no whites. Black ones... worse ones... green, blue, yellow, but no whites. Hmmm..." She reached out and in a flash pulled shimmershy on her back and trotted her into the steam boat. It had dozens o
[00:02]	Swamp_Shadow	jumps in between Auntie Fortuna and Shimmershy. "Quit bopping my friend, auntie. Ya gonna help her or not? These folks are helping me find a cure for the Phage so they're good people!"
[00:03]	Swamp_Shadow	falls back, easily pushed aside by the surprisingly strong village elder. "Wha!"
[00:03]	Somber	candles in bottles, a table, and pillows on the floors. She set her down on one. "Mmmm... we be needin ta get some feelins in yer tummy. Any o joo want to contribute?" She asked as she began to rummage through the shelves.
[00:04]	Swamp_Shadow	"Ah will!" Swamp Shadow offers, popping up on the other side of the table out of thin air, her hoof raised to get her attention.
[00:04]	Edna_Stonetalon	"I'm still confused as to what is going on..."
[00:05]	Somber	"Joo be a good girl, Swampy. Git over dere and let her take a munch on yer feelins. Don't worry, dey will come back soon nuff." She said as she began to pour strange color fluids and powders into a bowl.
[00:05]	Shimmershy	yelps in surprise as she gets snatched up, blinking a few moments and glancing around at the interior of the building. "Th-this place is pretty nice..." She was quiet and clearly still nervous. Getting exposed repeatedly was worrying, to say the least. But this pony knew something about changelings here! "Um... Th-there are other Changelings here..? Y-you mentioned other
[00:05]	Shimmershy	colors?"
[00:05]	Night_Wind	jaw drops as Shimmer's illusion is casually popped again. A replicant of Twilight, sure, she would be expected to do something like that, but who was this backwater mare to be able to pull off that trick?
[00:07]	Swamp_Shadow	trots over to Shimmershy and smiles. "Um, how does this work now?" she asks, still unclear as to how Shimmershy could eat her feelings.
[00:08]	Edna_Stonetalon	shrugs and walks into the room "Fumbles find a seat. This should be good"
[00:11]	Shimmershy	fidgeted her forehoof a moment. "Um... W-well..." She sighed and looked up at Swamp, curiously tilting her head to one side then the other a moment. Her crooked, gnarled horn, which looked like it had been bent and deformed, or perhaps was missing pieces of an even larger horn, glowed with the same blue-white light that her fires had earlier. A moment of energy surrounding
[00:11]	Somber	"Ooooh, long time back. Called 'flutter ponies.' Ages ago. Spread love and hope everywhere. But den da nightmare moon came and she change them into something black and bad. But not all, and some not bad as others." She said as she mixed up the fluids in the bowl. "Da black and green ones... hoo, dey was de worst! Wicked and strong. Nearly took over
[00:11]	Shimmershy	Swamp Shadow as the changeling drained off emotional energies for her own food-source. Leaving Swampy feeling drained, somewhat apathetic and with a mild headache. Though thankfully not too painful.
[00:12]	Night_Wind	picks her jaw back up and shakes her head. "Um...yeah." She follows the others inside and sits down...*CRACK!*...finding the weakest boards on the ship with her butt. "Ahhh!" *fwomp!* "Ooops! My bad."
[00:12]	Somber	da entire land. But she was stopped by tru wuv. Der be nothin better dan dat!" She poured the concoction into a cup and then downed it in one gulp, letting out a belch.
[00:13]	Edna_Stonetalon	giggles "Fumbles there are seats you know. Don't gotta sit on the floor."
[00:14]	Swamp_Shadow	stumbles a bit, her eyes becoming googily, and even giggles for a moment, before her hair loses some of its volume and groans a bit, "Huh. Wuv is dumb. Give me mah crossbow any day."
[00:15]	Somber	"Wat dat fine young man doin fallin all over mama's floor?" she asked as she looked at Night_wind. "Joo gonna be in a world o trouble, young man, iffin joo don't take care, joo hear me?"
[00:16]	Shimmershy	let the magic release after a few moments, lowering her head a little from Swamp Shadow's response. "... I'm sorry... I try not to hurt anyone..."
[00:16]	Somber	Then she smacked her lips, got a small gourd and balanced it on her head as she returned to shimmershy and gave her the bottle. "Der. Dat should set joo to rights! White... never be hearin o no whites... dat be verra strange, even ta mama."
[00:17]	Night_Wind	rolls upright, somewhat gracelessly bracing herself with splayed legs. "Ah...N..Night Wind, ma'am..."
[00:17]	Swamp_Shadow	"She ain't a stallion, auntie. Ah checked an hour ago and there ain't nothing swinging between those blue legs."
[00:17]	Shimmershy	blinks and looks up at the gourd, before reaching to take the bottle and briefly smelling the contents before drinking it. She wasn't sure it'd have the desired effect. But this old mare seemed to know a lot. Even about Changelings. So she had to hope for the best...
[00:18]	Night_Wind	blushes and starts to squeeze her legs together again but feels herself tottering and braces herself again.
[00:18]	Edna_Stonetalon	"Fumbles you alright?"
[00:19]	Somber	"Ha! Dat be what joo think but Mama know bedder! Once joo see da otherside der aint much dat fool joo. She be as much a mare as joo be a stallion." she jangles her hoof at Night Wind. "joo be careful now. Dis swampy got a powerful love o de boys. She be tryin ta get mama ta make her a love potion and den joo be in a world o trouble!"
[00:20]	Swamp_Shadow	grumbles. "Tottering old MaMa Bat."
[00:22]	Edna_Stonetalon	"And I would /love/ to hear about these love potions"
[00:22]	Somber	"Oh joo be woundin mama. Here she be helpin joo and joo be callin mama crazy too. Oh it be a wicked world when da chillins not be honorin and respectin their auntie, true dat!" she said with a dramatic sigh.
[00:24]	Shimmershy	blanches briefly, before offering the empty bottle back. "Th-thanks... That... That actually helped a lot." She gave a smile to the old mare. "Um... S-so there's no other Changelings like me..? D-do you know if there are others here, in Appleanta..?"
[00:24]	Swamp_Shadow	uncharacteristically turns away from everyone with a huff. She gives a slight glance to Shimmershy and narrows her eyes. "Why ya gotta be so cute, huh?"
[00:24]	Night_Wind	blushes magenta at the old mare's insinuation and lowers her head. "Ah...well, I...that is I hope I'm already spoken for," she murmurs and extends a wing around Edna.
[00:26]	Somber	"Mmmmm... mebbe der is. Mebbe der isn't." she said as she jangled a hoof at Shimmershy. "Der be folks dat say dey all starved up after de end of de world. But some of dem changin folk got a powerful evil and a powerful hatin. Hatin dat go beyond life and death. Hatin dat bring a pony back from de otherside. Who to say. If der is changlin folk, do dey
[00:27]	Somber	be black or do they be hankerin fer somethin else?"
[00:27]	Shimmershy	bit her lower lip and nervously shuffled a forehoof. Giving a quiet sigh and hanging her head lower. "O-oh..."
[00:28]	Edna_Stonetalon	leans against Night_Wind a nuzzles with a yawn