In your searching, you finally find signs of life - or, well, something. It's a glint of light, different than the glow cast by the mushrooms, and as you round an impressive collection of stalagmites, you're greeted by a blaze of green flame - and a particularly startled looking pony.
At least, you think they're startled - it's rather hard to tell from their solid black eyes, but the rest of the expression is on point. You both take a jump back, but before you get a chance to speak, they're upon you! You brace for some sort of retaliation for the scare, but instead you're greeted with a shrill, excited voice.
"Wonderspores!" they cry, happily, and moments later you realize they're not concerned with you at all. Rather, they're apparently honed in on the myriad of colors clinging to your body.
"Where did you find them? I've been looking for days - how am I supposed to make a potion of wonder without wonderspores? Can you take me to them? You simply must!"
Unable to get a word in edgewise, you agree to take the ghastly pony to where you fell into the pit of puffballs; immediately they waste no time in shimmying down into it and gathering a huge basket - were they always carrying that? - of the things. When they re-emerge, their coat is completely different, a wild mess of hues and dusty spores over every inch but those unsettling eyes.
Before you can ask any questions, they hurry away; you follow after, hoping to get directions at the very least, but when you chance upon their camp again they've already set off into the caves.
You sigh, though moments later you realize that they have at least left a colorful trail behind them - hm...
Having more pressing matters than glowing mushrooms, Reaper keeps walking a long. His eyes dart to and fro, here and there, back and forth; almost as if his head was on a swivel. That’s how he noticed the glow… well, other than the mushrooms, though he hoped it wasn’t that glow from before either. Turning a corner and getting closer, his eyes widened in amazement at what seemed to be a campfire.
The fire, or the color of it, didn’t keep his attention long when he seemed to notice the pony that was along side it. So there were others down here. He thought to himself, too shocked… maybe even spooked to actually voice it out loud. Even if he did want to say something, Reaper didn’t get a chance before the other pony lunges themselves at him; his hooves shuffling back before tumbling, eyes closed expecting to be yelled at for scaring the other or for trespassing. He got neither. Instead, the other started talking about some ‘wonderspores’. He was completely clueless what they were going on about, until it finally hit him. His gaze looked over his multicolored fur, feathers and harness. Is that what these things are?! He thought again. If they knew what they were, maybe they knew how to get them off.
It was a shame he would never get a chance to ask. The other just went on and on, asking him where he found them. Since it didn’t seem they would be privy to answer any questions of his, he sighs and motions with his head for them to follow him. ”This way.” Was all he said before leading the ghoulish pony all the way back to where he collected his new ‘coat’. When they arrived at the pit, he watched as the other pony pulls out a basket. Reaper has seen so much at this point, he had no point in questioning where it came from; silently watching from where he stood while the other pony gathered what they needed. It seems the results were the same for the other pony, coated in these spores… though it didn’t really distract from the dark eyes. Perhaps now he could get some answers. Nope. They were already heading back in the direction of their camp. With a snort, he quickly followed suit after them; hoping they were at the camp making this potion of wonders as they called it. Turning around the stalagmites yet again, that was a big negative as well. There was no sign of them what so ever. Well… besides a very colorful trail. At least he and the group could follow that.