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The Usual Restaurant
You walk into a well lighted room, it's high ceilings lit by dozens of fluorescent lamps hanging from the ceiling. To the south and west are windows, which you would normally expect to see the outside world from, but looking out of them, you see only a misty gray haze. On the walls to the north and the east of the inn are an eclectic collection of paintings, photographs and even holographs of many cheap 1970's to 1980's B-movies. The bar on the east side is made out of hardwood, it's surface polished and shiny. Behind the bar, the various beverages that are served here are kept in relatively neat containers on wooden shelves. There is a large stage in one of the corners of the restaurant with a impressive sound system and a few microphones strung about it. Multiple round wood tables are in this room, near the north wall, is a double swing door that leads to the kitchen. On the east wall is a door leading to the UR's dance club and on the west one leading to the Gym. To the south, is the exit to the outside. A recent addition to the UR is a large fireplace against the west wall, it matches well to the rest of the restaurant and looks like it should have been there all along.
Skeeve is standing by the bar near Miriam, with the following things in his arms - a sled, several axes, a cask, and a small bag. Fluttershy is at a table nearby, and Ari has left to get pants. "Sure, if you wanna take some of this. The cask is full of hot chocolate with some 'endure elements' potion mixed in."
Miriam nods and takes the cask and sets it on the bar, then starts unloading axes. She finishes off her cider, then grins, "Excellent, what's next?"
Ari finally comes back, this time in pants. "Much better!"
Minerva walks in, and looks from Skeeve, to the contents of his arms, and back. "You know what? I don't want to know." Mina shakes her head in bemusement, and looks towards the bartender. "Could I have a pot of earl grey and some lemon, please?" she requests before sitting at a table near Fluttershy. Ooh, Pony! "Erm, miss... Fluttershy, wasn't it? How's the pony with the snowflake on her flank?"
Fluttershy says, "Hello, Miss Minerva; yes, I'm Fluttershy....Snowflake has woken up, but, shes' still very weak; we've been keeping a close eye on her...she's a little confused, of course..."
Skeeve just chuckles a little bit at that, shaking his head lightly. "Hey, Mina. NO big mystery - we're going after the Perfect Christmas Tree." The capital is audible. "Either of you two wanna come? We're just waiting on Ari before we get going." And that's when she walks in. "Well, speak of the devil, and she appears before you."
Miriam grins and nods, "Always an exciting hunt, you know..."
Ari smirks at Skeeve. "The devil? Flattery will get you ... well, everywhere." she grins. "Hi Mina!" she waves as she walks over and decidedly leans on Miri.
Minerva nods. "Let me know if there's anything I can fetch that'll help her. Even if it's just a type of food that's out of season right now." She tilts her head towards Skeeve. "You might be setting yourself up for failure, looking for perfection," she points out, then pauses. "You know, I've never actually had an 'alive' christmas tree. It's always been plastic. I've never gone on a hunt for one before."
Fluttershy says, "They're quite easy to track....." she jokes a little."
Skeeve chuckles a little bit at that, winks in return at Ari. "Well, usually it starts out looking for Perfect and by the time the monsters have finished attacking or the storm blows out or whatever, we usally settle for 'good enough'." He can't help but snicker a little bit at Fluttershy. "Good one."
Miriam grins and puts an arm around Ari's shoulders, then turns toward Mina, "Actually, I suspect he's got a pretty good track record on finding perfection..." She winks, then turns her grin to Fluttershy, nodding, "Exactly!"
Fluttershy says, "My friend Tree-Hugger, um...doesn't really approve of Hearth Warming tree...well, the cutting down of them anyway....."
Minerva blinks. "There's actually a pony named...?" Mina shakes her head. Gah. This world is rediculous at times! "Well, at least the tradition of lighting the tree with candles and decorating it with candy has passed. I can't imagine that being very hygenic when using a real tree."
Fluttershy says, "Yes. Tree hugger...one of my good friends," she smiles, "I know our names don't always sound right to people..."
Skeeve just grins broadly at that, biting back his light laughter. "Yeah, runs a little dangerous with the open flames and all. So, wanna come with?"
Ari kisses Miri's cheek. "Well yeah, he got you." she winks.
Miriam winks at Ari before she blinks, caught up in what was said, "Wait, people used to put... fire. Open *fire* in trees? And thought this was a *good* idea?!?"
Minerva nods! "Yep! Trust me, if you start digging into the legends and traditions around it, Christmas gets -weird-. I mean, in one tradition there's a yule cat who eats naughty kids, but won't eat the kid if the kid got clothes for christmas. It was only fairly recently that ghost stories stopped being a major part of the celebration too."
Ari rolls her eyes a bit. "You want weird? Try being the only elf in the world during the Christmas season. I got bombarded at the mall with kids asking if I could deliver something to Santa.
Fluttershy says, "Oh my, yes...we have a lot of similiar traditions for Hearth's warming...even the Wendigo I was talking about, um...have a lot to do with that..."
Minerva says, "That's adorable, not weird Ari."
Skeeve chuckles lightly, slinging the sled over his back, knocking the bobble on his santa hat free from it, then picking up one of the axes. "Maybe the first time, but I bet it gets old quick. Anyway, shall we get going?"
Miriam nods, "And there I'm with you one hundred and fifty percent. Can you imagine the fanmail the tooth fairy gets?" She makes a face, "Anyway, yes. Let's get, before the elusive tree gets away!"
Minerva coughs. "Though to be fair... as a kid I wouldn't have asked about Santa. I'd have asked about Rivendell." She smiles a bit wryly. "Well, why not? Let's go find this tree of yours."
Ari nods. "Absolutely!" Then she grins at Minerva. "I cried when I found out Rivendell wasn't real."
Fluttershy says, "Um..well..to be honest, there's a godo change Rivendell does exist...um...just not here...."
Miriam nods a little, "Actually, that's a fair point. If the Zelda game really exists somewhere, why not Rivendell?"
Fluttershy says, "Or Ponyville...."
Minerva looks up towards the ceiling. "Because we're no longer in that Age. The elves have all gone West. if we were to find Rivendell now, it would be nought but ruins."
Skeeve pulls his D-hopper out of his pouch, and with a few quick twists, sets the device. "Alright, Miri, grab the hot chocolate if you will, and everybody grab an axe." He glances over at Fluttershy. "You wanna come with?"
Ari starts smiling when they say that Rivendell could exist, then visibly deflates when she says it would be in ruins.
Fluttershy says, "Oh..um...well.....sure...thank you"
Fluttershy says, "But...um..someone from Rivendell could show up here...I don't think time has anything to really do with it...it's all relative...."
Miriam thinks a moment more, "Actually, knowing this place? It's entirely possible everything everywhere exists at every time it's ever existed. This place is really *really* weird like that..."
Ari grabs an axe, but is still pouty.
Miriam grabs up the hot chocolate!
Minerva nods. "True. I always kinda thought though that the point of the story was an alternate history of Earth. That the events of those books lead to today, to Now. That we are all the heirs of Numendor and it is ours to govern wisely and well and take care of things."
Skeeve twirls the D-Hopper in his hand, sets one last dial. "Alright, next stop, the deep forest!" He jams in the button on the end of the device, and the world disappears in purple smoke.
The Forest of Silence
Dimmed light barely illuminates the quiet forest around you. Neither wind nor animal seems to touch the stillness of the eerie forest about you. Mottled pine needle patterns are brushed across the dark floor, shadows sweeping across the silent landscape in disconcerting shapes. Up ahead, the pattern of the forest trunks seems to be slightly misaligned, almost illusionarily shimmering..
[Exits : (O)ut of the Forest(#9719E) ]
[Things : None ]
_
When the smoke clears, the forest it reveals is quiet, and still. A light blanket of snow carpets the ground, a light dusting of flakes here and there drifting down from the sky. The sounds of the city are entirely gone.
Ari smiles. "Hey... I remember this place! Been a while." She looks around at the snow, marveling for a moment.
Fluttershy flaps her small wings and lifts upwards, looking around, "I don't think I've been in this place yet..." she says quietly, flexs of snow vivid against her pink mane. "It reminds me of the Everfree forest back home....
Minerva coughs at the smoke of dimensional travel, waving her hand to clear it from around her face faster. "Never travelled in a cloud of smoke before, interesting." She tilts her face up to the snow, closing her eyes briefly. "This... is nice."
Miriam smiles quietly, choosing to enjoy the quiet, the snow, and the contrast of the purple smoke against it.
Fluttershy says, "Um...this place seems aware...I'm not sure it's a good idea to cut a tree down here..."
Skeeve drops the sled onto the snow, where it glides in a circle to heel at Skeeve's side, drawn by his unseen servant. RUbbing his hands together, he says, "Nah, it'll be fine. We just have to find a tree the forest isn't attached to, hm?" He grins. "And, by the way, watch out for slimes, okay?" After a moment, he starts off in a random direction, sled following behind him.
Ari blinks. "The.. slimes... oh no.. nonononono... I just remembered why I haven't come back here..." she starts turning around, looking to make sure something either is there or isn't.
Fluttershy says, "Um....slimes?"
Minerva eyes the sled by Skeeve's side. Please tell her that's not a Luggage variant. She shakes her head. What're the odds? "Slimes? No one said anything about slimes. If that happens you're paying my drycleaning bill!" Mina stomps her foot once for emphasis.
Miriam grins and hefts the hot cocoa cask, following gamely along behind Skeeve, "Well at least it's slimes and not dire bears."
Skeeve nods cheerily at that, heading towards where the snow seems to be getting a little bit thicker, as the trees start to get a little smaller and more thinned out. "Yeah, little blobs of acid jello. Ari's got nothing to worry about, but they like to eat just about anything, and they can survive just about anywhere."
Off in the distance, there's the howl of a wolf, accompanied by several others, but Skeeve continues on undaunted.
Fluttershy says, "Oh my...." she's never dealt with that kind of thing before; Wolves, though...well...this Pony has a way with animals...."
Minerva shakes her head. Is she gonna end up with a fur coat of wolf? Mina glances towards Fluttershy. Probably not... "Well, just remember. Trees can always be cut smaller, not so a small tree cut larger." Mina pulls her coat a bit closer around herself, and follows Skeeve.
Ari wrinkles her nose, as she does. "Screw it." she starts climbing a tree, then as the group walks, she stays in the branches, literally leaping from tree to tree. "No poring shall hump the queen's leg today!"
Miriam nods a little, "If slimes are all that's out here, we're getting off relatively easily!" She smiles cheerily, "Should I make with the passing out of cocoa, Skeeve? Some of us aren't exactly dressed for a trek..."
Minerva shrugs. "If it gets too harsh I'll make a sled of ice, and wrap the interior in a shield of warm air." Mina waves a hand in the air. "But I'd rather save my magic in case we do come across something nasty."
Skeeve can't help but laugh cheerily at Ari's climbing antics, and says, "Sure, that sounds like a good idea, Miri. There are mugs in the satchel on the sled." Going ahead to blaze a trail through the snowdrifts for some of the shorter members of the party, he adds, "This is one of those things where I usually know it when I see it. And I'm sure we're gonna run into *something* out of the ordinary. Always do, after all."
Fluttershy says, " Getting a Hearth's warming tree is never such an adventure back home..um...usually...."
Miriam unloads cups for everyone and starts pouring cocoa. She grins at Minerva, "That's exactly why cocoa. It's got endure elements in it, which makes it many kinds of warming, and not at all draining." She winks, then smiles at Fluttershy, "I don't think it is for most people here, either, but most people here aren't us."
Minerva isn't trudging through the snow, mind. She's pulling a legolas and walking on top of the snow crust. No special shoes, just... a tiny trickle of mana to pull this trick off. TOTALLY worth it to keep the snow from getting into her... erm... suede ankle boots with a two inch heel. "Well adventure's more a state of mind than events that happen around you, I've found."
Ari stays on her guard, perching on branch after branch. The wolves? Meh. Wendigo? Bring it. Porings? No way.
Skeeve chortles a little bit at that, as the forest thins out enough to reveal a small cliff face, maybe a fourty foot drop, looking out over a large clearing, a few scattered pine trees here and there. He points with the axe, takes one of the cups from Miriam. "Thanks, Miri. And I think one of those is what we're here for. I have a good feeling!"
The sound of the wolves' howling echoes through the forest again, somewhat louder this time.
Fluttershy accepts the offered cocoa, "Thank you," she says, then, "Oh...my...I think the wolves are getting closer..." she rises up a bit, listening and peering with her large blue eyes.
Miriam passes cups around, and floats one up to Ari as well. She looks over the clearing, then nods, "I think so... Maybe third from the left?" She mostly ignores the wolves other than taking note of the basic direction they're coming from.
Minerva takes the cup of cocoa, and sips. "Please stop taunting Murphy." Ooh, the warmth feels good on her fingers. Mina looks down at the clearing and grins. "Shall I make a slide for us to get down there with?"
Ari looks around trying to see if she can spot any sign of any wolves nearby, just in case. Right. Wolves. Totally not amorous porings.
Skeeve takes another sip of his drink. "Sure, if you wanna flex your muscles, Mina, go for it. Could be a fun sleighride." He grins a little bit, then adds, "I'm sure everything is going to be fine, Fluttershy. No matter what happens, we're going to keep you safe, okay?"
Although partially obscured by the steam rising from a floating cup of hot cocoa, Ari can indeed see, just at the edge of her vision.. not wolves, exactly, but wolf-*like* creatures, black as night against the white of the snow, running through the forest.
Miriam blinks, "Murphy? Who's Murphy, and when did she get here?" She grins and turns to Skeeve and Mina, "Really?!? A real ride on the sled down the giant hill?!?"
Minerva grins, cracks her knuckles, and waves her hand. A wide ramp of, at first horfrost, then solidifying into smooth ice, curved upwards at the edges to help keep people from going over the edges. "Yep! And as it's my magic, it'll be less than a moment's thought to reshape it just enough to make it an easy climb back up if we want. Have fun! Snow should be nice and soft at the bottom." Mina's grin is impish.
Fluttershy says, "Um...just...if they do attack, let me try and talk to them first...I'd rather not hurt them if we absolulety don't have to...."
Miriam grins, "So. Cool!" After a moment, she blinks, "Actually, dual purpose! If we're down there, are they likely to make a forty foot drop worth of a jump just to get after us?"
Ari takes out her PDA, and zooms in on the creatures to get a picture. She hops down out of the tree and walks over to Skeeve, showing him the picture. "I'm sure we'll be fine. I've heard of your... command of animals, Fluttershy. I'm kind of jealous!
Minerva takes a few steps back, then goes for a running jump at the ramp, hitting it belly first and letting momentum and gravity take over. "WHEEEEEEE!"
Miriam takes this moment or five to finish off her cocoa. Ari's cocoa, which has been floating at her elbow since it went to the trees, becomes more insistent, nudging her arm with its handle. Miriam pauses, "Wait, animal command? That sounds like interesting..." Her attention is caught, and she watches Mina sail down the slide, grinning broadly.
Skeeve's sled slides up over towards the edge of the slide, just waiting for someone to get on it. "Sounds like it would come in handy quite a bit, actually." He peers a little bit at the picture that Ari provides him with. "I know those... but I don't remember. Either way, they look pretty nasty... maybe we better be quick about this?"
Minerva stretches out her hands just before hitting the bottom of the ramp to catch herself, doing a handspring to land in snow that's suddenly much thicker than it was when she started down the ramp. Her delighted giggles can be heard up at the top of the cliff. "Come on down, guys!"
Fluttershy says, "Ummm...it's not really a command...it's talking to them...though I do, um...can, use the 'stare' if I really need to, um..but I don't like using it...." she just flies down, not using the ramp."
Ari blinks at the cocoa that she only just notices now because it's tapping her elbow. She takes it and smiles, sipping before heading down the slide herself.
Miriam grins at Skeeve, watching Ari head down the ramp as well. She winks, "Together?"
Skeeve drains his cocoa before sliding onto the back of the sled. The creatures, whatever they are, are still a fair distance off. He grins lopsidedly, holds out a hand to Miri. "Let's go!"
Miriam grins and hops on the sled, gathering up any discarded cups as well as the cocoa cask as she does.
Skeeve kicks off, and with a whoop, Skeeve and Miriam's sled starts careening down the slide at a rate of speed that can clearly only be described as 'far too fast'.
Ari turns and watches Skeeve and Miri, smiling softly at them... then blinks at the sled goes zooming, making sure to bolt out of the way.
Fluttershy is happy she didn't get on! That looks scary! She sips the rest of her cocoa, still being a bit wary, but, not touching the ground she has a nice vantage point.
Miriam whoops with laughter as the sled takes off. She's clearly enjoying this far too much to care about physics or forces.
Minerva, when they get down there, is sitting on a chair of packed snow, leaning back and relaxing. Monsters? Who cares! She's out having fun with an extended family by choice and wedding vows rather than blood, which... is a great way to spend the holidays, ja?
Skeeve shrieks like a maniac, clearly having too much fun, when the sled overshoots one of the gentle curves on the ramp and drives straight into a snowdrift, sending a spray of snow everywhere... not that you can really tell from the landscape, but whatever.
Ari just shakes her head, drinking her cocoa. It's strange how she's used to this.
Miriam's laughter is horribly muffled by the giant snowdrift, but she's obviously not at all distressed.
Fluttershy giggles just a little, floating above the others and polishes off her cocoa.
Skeeve slowly picks his way out of the snowdrift, before spitting out a giant mouthful of snow and reaching in to peel Miriam out of the snow as well. "Haha, that was *way* too much fun. Okay, let's go get those trees before we get eaten by wolves, huh?"
Minerva shakes her head. "Why am I not surprised that Skeeve plus sled equals Calvin and Hobbes?" She's smiling though. "Well, we can find a hill much closer to civilization to sled on later once the tree's secured, how about that?"
Miriam emerges from the snowdrift managing to look artfully mussed and like a child in a Rockwell painting all-grown-up. She's beaming, and she nods, "So much fun, Mina, that was the best ramp *ever,* thank you!" She giggles a little, "Wait, does that make me a giant stuffed tiger?"
Minerva tilts her head, grinning. "I don't know, are you the smart and competent part of the relationship?" she asks teasingly.
Ari keeps sipping her cocoa, looking around at the trees to see if there's a suitable one nearby.
Miriam laughs outright, "Maybe? Depends on your definitions."
There is in fact a small grove of trees in the clearing, perhaps five of them, all of them around seven or eight feet tall.
Skeeve chortles just a little bit at that. "Well, it's definitely not me, so you're probably right." Still with the axe in hand, he wades through the snow over to where Ari's inspecting the trees. "Well? Got a favourite?"
Ari shakes her head. "Um, not really." she says quietly. "I don't actually know what I'm looking for."
Minerva walks over to one of the trees, and places the palm of her hand against the bark. "Well, not this one at least. There's a squirel nest. Wouldn't want to bring that into your living room just to have them warm up enough to wake up out of hibernation."
Miriam grins and shakes her head, "There you have it, then." She looks out at the trees, still obviously thrilled with her sleigh ride, "We could get any one of them, actually, if we put it in the corner where the bookcase is - you know, where it opens up onto the study?"
Fluttershy floats around like a pretty balloon, happy at least that squirrels won't be made homeless. The poor things have it rough enough after all.
Skeeve shrugs a little bit at that. "Nothing specific - just whatever grabs you, you know? Not too bald on one side, mostly straight, not too many dead branches." Passing by the one with the squirrel's nest in it, he prods it a few times to see if there's anything living in it.
It's at roughly this point that there's another piercing howl, this one much closer - and six shadowy wolf-like figures appear, looking out over the edge of the cliff. They cut a very intimidating figure, jet black save for the mask of bone on their faces and the spikes that jut out from their bodies.
Skeeve swallows once, hefting the axe. "Maybe we should hurry faster."
Miriam blinks, "Well, that's unsettling." She picks a tree - sure enough, the third from the left - and sets about inspecting it.
Ari narrows her eyes, then turns. "This, I do know how to handle. You guys get the tree." She reaches into her bag and gets her combat knives out. "I'll keep an eye on the Twilight rejects over here."
Minerva reaches to her back, and pulls out from along her spine a yard long pole. She taps it to the ground, and it unfolds into a large spear. Very minimalist, really. "Awww crap on a stick. I think I RECOGNISE those. Fluttershy, go higher, these things can JUMP." The head of her spear she wraps sharp ice around. "You and me, Ari?"
Fluttershy says, "Oh...my....you people realy take tree hunting seriously..." she looks at Ari oddly at the comment, what does twilight Sparkle rejecying anything have to do with it? O.o "No! Wait!" she actually flies closer and lands, "We're sory you're so hungry," she says in her way with animals, 'We mean no hard and really aren't good to eat. Once we get a sacred tree, we'll leave you in peace.""
Almost as one, the creatures of Grimm turn to look at Fluttershy with eyes that glow red with malevolence. After a silent, tense (for those on the ground, anyway) second, they howl again and leap, arcing thirty or fourty feet into the air to hurtle down towards the waiting forms of Ari and Minerva.
Skeeve hefts his axe, murmurs a quick spell, and the blade starts to glow with a white shine. "Looks good to me, Miri!" With quick, powerful strokes, he starts chopping into the trunk of the tree, the sound of metal thwacking into wood echoing through the clearing.
Fluttershy says, "Oh...my..please stop!" she implores the wolves, "These people are very dangerous! You have cubs and families to worry about!"
Minerva yells, "FLUTTERSHY GET BACK! LITERAL SOULLESS CREATURES OF DESTRUCTION HERE!!!!" She would have lept up after Fluttershy, but then... the grimm leave the pony alone and come diving at her and Ari. Mina braces herself, dropping down to one knee.
"Hold it Mina, hold it... DUG HAUT!" Her glowing fist slams into the ground, and large, pointy spears erupt from the ground, right where the grimm are supposed to land. The land shakes from the force of it being reshaped into weapons.
Miriam rolls up her sleeves, figuratively speaking. She nods to Skeeve, "I'm glad!" she says, with the cheer starting to fade from her voice. She makes an odd little gesture, and the air around both Mina and Ari shimmers briefly, then clears as her shield forms.
Ari, being Ari, runs towards the Grimms with knives out, ready to pounce at any that miss the spikes Mina made.
The lead Grimm crushes straight onto one of the spikes chest first, immediately starting to bubble and melt into blackness, and another's leg is clipped by one of the spears, causing it to yelp and throw itself to one side, snapping through several more. The other Grimms' leaps fall somewhat short of the spike field, and they rush forwards to press the attack, claws slashing towards elf and mage, sparking off of Miriam's barriers.
Skeeve is swinging that axe for all he's worth, and whatever he's done to it, he seems to be making some pretty significant progress - almost halfway done! Still swinging away, he yells out, "Do either of you want a tree? Mina, Fluttershy?"
Fluttershy jumps into the air, she's not sure WHAT kind of wolves they are, but they seemed to listen to her at least...before going after the others...maybe that's what's triggering their agression? More...agression? She doesn't know, BUT, she has another trick...she flies around and behind the battle-girls and tries using the STARE on the incoming wolf-creatures. ((((o.o)))) "Stop right now! GO HOME!" she says with no little authority in her voice.
Minerva yells back, "I'm good!" Still crouching, the snow rises up behind her feet in a wave, and Mina surfs it, using the snow and ice to propel herself forward, spear tip fixed on target at the nearest Grimm. If it hits, the spear will be ripped upwards through the Grimm's body and spun around. "An ice user... on a snowy plane. Do you hate humanity that much, to loose all wit and sensibility?"
Miriam keeps her focus. Calm, cool, reinforcing. She keeps an eye on Ari, trusting Mina to be able to reinforce the shielding faster than she can anyway, and knowing Ari's penchant for hand-to-hand.
Ari finds the closest one to her that's still up and moves to kick its legs out from under it, knives still in hand. She says something rather angrily... in Russian. Which honestly makes it sound even angrier.
Mina's spear rips through one of the Grimm, wrenching it up and away from the ground, even as Ari kicks the legs out from another one and it sprawls into the snow, easily visible even in the dim light due to the contrast. The other two stop in the face of Fluttershy's imposing shouting and staring, and after another few moments, start to growl and slowly, slowly advance towards her.
Skeeve cries out in a bellowing voice, "TIMBER!" And with one more mighty swing crashes the axe right through what's left of the tree trunk, tipping it over onto the sled. Tossing the axe onto the sled after it, he hurriedly fishes out his D-Hopper. "Alright, ladies, time to go home! Back it up over here and I'll get us out of here!"
Fluttershy pours it on! "I really don't want you to get hurt! GO AWAY! GO HOME!" she reiterates, holding her ground; well, holding her stance in the air anyway. She's stared down dragons and a cocktarice, a Minotaur....she's not gonna back down from these! Besides, it's really for thier own good!
Minerva thrusts an arm up, and a wall of ice snaps upward between Fluttershy and the grimms. "Fluttershy, fall back!" Why, of all times, now? "If we run, they'll be left safe and alone!" She pulls her spear free from the Grimm she was fighting, unwilling to fall back until Fluttershy reaches safety first. She's fine. She can fight like this ALLLLL day. It's okay if she gets left behind. The pegasus, however...
Miriam curses, loudly and ridiculously rudely, as she realizes what she's done. Keeping her shielding over Ari in place and as much as she can keep on Mina from the other side, she steps backward toward Skeeve, throwing everything she can up at Fluttershy as well, the air around the pegasus shimmering for a moment, then clearing at roughly the same time as the ice wall springs into being.
Fluttershy meeps, the ice wall breaking her focus...she decides she'll take Mina at her word and flies back towards Skeeve and the sled...
Ari tackles and tries to keep the one she tripped down, but isn't hurting it. She doesn't want Fluttershy to see that! She too isn't going anywhere until her friend is safe.
Minerva turns and runs after Fluttershy, more watching the other's retreat than running for her own safety. "Ari, get clear, time to bug out!" Rather than dive at Skeeve, she goes to sit on the exposed trunk of the fallen tree. Mostly figuring Skeeve won't leave the tree behind really.
The Grimm that's hurled off of Mina's spear crashes into the one who's leg got clipped, shoving them back into the spikes, where both of them start to melt. The Grimm that Ari's tackled struggles with her with an almost absurdly incredible power, almost able to match the elven woman's raw strength. Spikes and protrusions glance off of the shield around her. The last two bound upwards, landing on top of the ice wall with a crunch...
...just in time for one of them to be blasted backwards by a bright bolt of lightning. Wiping a bit of charged mana off of his fingertips, he calls out, "Ari, time to go!"
Ari gets up and gives the Grimm a good kick for extra measure before bolting towards the sled, leaping to land on it and probably on someone.
Miriam continues backing away, though when Ari bolts for the sled, she disappears, suddenly appearing with a pop behind Skeeve's right shoulder.
Minerva watches over the back of the sled, small darts of ice forming in an arc above her head as she prepares ranged attacks, JUUUUST in case she needs to guard their retreat. "Grimms, here..." she growls. "Why us? Filled with happy feelings, riding high on the holiday spirit... that's the opposite of what's supposed to draw them in."
Skeeve tangles one foot in the rope attached to the front of the sled, leans back against Miriam, and reaches out to take one of Fluttershy's hooves. As the last Grimm on top of the ice wall leaps for them, claws outstretched, Skeeve squeezes his eyes shut, and slams the D-Hopper's button against his chest. The world disappears in a burst of purple smoke.
Plowsehold: Main Floor
The ground floor of the house is essentially open concept, with only a half-wall toward the corner of the L shape to divide the floor into its two use-specific spaces. Directly to the right of the front door is a closet, and the house immediately opens up into a large living room on the right, with a couch, a few easy chairs, and a coffee table. The far wall is covered, floor to ceiling, with bookshelves, complete with library ladder for reaching the uppermost shelves. The floors, doors, and shelves are a heavy, berry-stained oak, giving the impression that the house is actually considerably older than it might seem to be.
To the right is the large plate glass window, opening onto the front yard, allowing the sun to shine on the dark oak dining room table and chairs. The dining area is furnished with heavy and sturdy furniture that is, possibly, older than the residents of the house. There are large paintings on the walls that depict various literary scenes, from Arthur removing the sword from the stone, to Bilbo facing Smaug, and several unfamiliar pieces, the primary subjects being fae.
At the back half of the L, ahead and slightly off to the left, is the kitchen. It continues in the deep red oak, and is filled with appliances built to match the cabinets. There is an island for food preparation, with a limestone surface to brighten the room a bit. There is a black and brass candelabra chandelier above the island, and stools are lined along the back of the island to make a breakfast bar. There is another door to the far end of the kitchen space leading to a small bathroom.
At the inner corner of the L is a carpeted spiral staircase that leads up to the second floor. In the floor at the middle of the spiral of stairs is a heavy trap door, complete with brass ring, which presumably leads to a basement. The remainder of the back wall is split between a large sliding glass door, with heavy, deep purple, curtains and several more bookcases and accompanying library ladder.
_
Skeeve enters, with Ari, Miriam, Minerva, and Fluttershy walking along next to him.
When the smoke clears, Skeeve takes a seat on the floor, looking remarkably relieved. "Well, *That* was bracing!"
Fluttershy says, "Oh..my...they're much like the Wendigos I was talking about..." she blinks as she's suddenly someplace else...O.o"
Miriam looks around, taking a head count. After a moment, she nods, "Bracing, indeed. Shall I break out the drinks?"
Ari managed to land bent over on the back of the sled. "Yup... that was fun.." she coughs before kind of sliding backwards onto her rear on the floor.
Minerva falls off the tree and onto the carpet in the middle of purple smoke, coughing once more. "Well, it was definitely that." She grins, and collapses her spear once more, sliding it back down the neck of her coat. "Yeah, they are at that Fluttershy. Grimm, here..." Mina reaches up to run a hand back through her hair. "Whoda thunk?"
Skeeve picks himself up off the ground, chuckling wearily. "Probably my fault. Finely honed paranoia and all that, not so good when dealing with things that eat negative emotions." He doffs his hat and cloak, hanging them up by the door. "Anyway, welcome to our home, and sure, drinks sound nice, Miri. You okay, Allie?"
Miriam nods and heads for the kitchen. She starts rummaging in the fridge, then calls, "Mina, what do you drink? We've got a lot of stuff in here, but I don't know what you like..."
Fluttershy says, "Back home, it was the Wendigo who caused Pony kind to unite, Earth Ponies, Pegasi and Unicorns didn't get along at first; but when the Wendigo attacked, trying to freeze everything, it was the joining of friendship the drove them away.....and that's why we celebrate Hearth's Warming, it's a celebration of friendship..."
Ari nods a little. "Fine love. Just a bit dazed. And chilly." she hehs.
Minerva asks hopefully, "I know it's a bit weird, but... grapefruit juice cut with sprite? Grapefruit juice can be a bit thick on it's own." And after some casting extra calories would be nice. Not neccisary right now, as she had recently had a big meal, but, nice.
Skeeve takes a moment to crank the thermostat up a few notches before offering a hand down to help Ari up. "You were pretty impressive out there - those things, if I recall correctly, are supposed to be really strong."
Miriam pauses in her digging, then resumes. As she comes out of the fridge, she's got entirely too many bottles, and as she heads for the living room, a tumbler pulls itself from the cabinet and follows along behind. She passes an apple cider to Fluttershy, a beer to Ari, a strawberry soda to Skeeve, and the bottles of both grapefruit juice and sprite to Mina, along with the tumbler. She keeps a bottle of cider for herself, but disappears for a moment or two, returning with a blanket, which she drops over Ari's shoulders.
Ari takes Skeeves hand and stands up, kissing him on the cheek, then hugs Miri after getting her beer. "Thanks." she smiles.
Minerva takes her bottles with a sheepish grin, and goes to mixing her drink in the tumbler before taking a long chug, then pouring the rest of the bottles into the cup. "Thanks for inviting me along, that was fun," her voice is full of good natured cheer before looking to Fluttershy. "Thanks, that does provide a bit of context as to what happened the other day."
Skeeve shoots Ari a wink, takes his bottle from Miriam, gives her a lopsided grin. "Why thank you." Cracking his own open, he adds, "It was fun, wasn't it? In a 'terrified for your life' sort of way." Taking a sip, he adds, "So apparently there's a whole *lot* of weird stuff wandering through the forests out there."
Miriam nods, shooting Ari a wink before cracking open her cider, "Somehow, I'm not at all surprised. Though after sled ride of amazingness, I'm surprised we got 'feed on negativity' beasties."
Fluttershy says, "Thank you very much, you're home is very nice," she smiles, making herself comfortable. She nods to Minerva, "We're a little concerened that with all the strife and anger, if the Wendigo got loose here, it would be...very bad...they'd have so much to feed off of..."
Ari takes a sip of her beer, blinks, and finally gets back into 'not fighting for your life' headspace. "Yeah, hi." she smiles a little. "What are we talking about?"
Minerva grins. "That was fun, wasn't it? We should find a hill in town that I can set up a run like that for us to play all day on." She looks back towards Fluttershy. "I think you're underestimating people. Spread the information around so when the wendigo show up, people know to calm their hearts."
Skeeve drops onto the couch, kicks his feet up. He'll worry about setting the tree up a little later. "Um, sledding, I think. That and negativity monsters."
Fluttershy says, "Um...it doesn't quite work that way, I'm afraid...."
Minerva tilts her head. "Doesn't it?"
Miriam grins and nods, "Oh, we should, that would be wonderful!" She plunks herself down on the couch as well, "Still one of the least catastrophic tree events ever, though."
Fluttershy says, "People have to keep happiness in thier hearts all the time....not just when they're worried about the repercussions."
Ari takes her spot on the couch as well. "Trust me, Fluttershy, that's easier said than done."
Fluttershy says, "Oh, I know...people get angry at so much so often...it'd be really hard to stop the Wendigo if they got a foot-hold here. Maybe that's why we ponies have appeared here, to help stop that? I don't know...."
Skeeve sips his drink lightly, stretches his arms across both Ari and Miriam's shoulders. "Well, it's my experience that there are reasons for everything, even if we don't have the tools to understand what those are."
Miriam nods and curls up against Skeeve's side, sipping her cider, "That's entirely too true, actually. And yes, much more easily said than done. Very much more."
Minerva remains comfortably sprawled on the floor, leaning back against the sled. She takes another sip of her drink. "Fluttershy, sometimes just knowing a threat exists is enough to drive it back. But to cut out our negativity... that'd be just as bad as depression in its own way. Humanity cannot sustain that. I don't think that particular problem's why you're here."
Ari snuggles into Skeeve's other side, the chill finally fading. "Personally I think I'm here to cause problems." she chuckles.
Fluttershy says, "Hmmm...and, um, sometimes knowing a threat exists makes it worse...." she sips her cider. "I'm just speculating, though...there's a lot that's going on after all, and even Twilight doesn't seem to know, um, just what it is...."
Skeeve grins cheerily at that. "Well, you sure solved some tonight, Ari, that's for sure." Giggling a little - he's somewhat punch drunk, it seems - he adds to the conversation at large, "'Secrets man was not meant to know' and all that. Familiar with that concept."
Miriam nods a little, then smiles lopsidedly, "Existential tonight, huh?"
Minerva smirks. "So, if they're secrets ~man~ were not meant to know... does that mean it's okay for Ari, Miri, and I to know them?"
Fluttershy says, "or a Pony?" she giggles"
Ari snickers. "I like the way you think, Mina."
Skeeve rolls his eyes a little bit at that, with a smile. "Hey, if you want to dig into the cthulhu-esque horrors, be my guest. Just don't come crying to me when the thing with tentacles for everything comes looking for you."
Fluttershy meeps a little.
Miriam pauses, "Depending on your definition of man, Fluttershy and I get to know either way. Otherwise, it depends on whether you're defining 'man' as male or as human. Plus, if we're *meant* to know it, it's not going to hurt us. Just the folks that aren't meant to know." she nods sagely.
Fluttershy says, "Oh...um..please excuse me....I should be getting back home, it's quite late and I don't want the other tro worry...
Minerva nods. "Have a good evening, Fluttershy." She takes another sip of her drink.
Miriam smiles, "Get some rest, Fluttershy, it's late - and say hello to Dash for me, too, okay?"
Fluttershy says, "I will! God night all!"
Skeeve waves lightly in Fluttershy's direction. "Have a good night. Safe travels!"
Fluttershy goes home.
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