Stage Four: Into the Deep Unknown

[houllow]

[ 27: Nothing at all... ]

Still shaking off the water that had so rudely dropped on him, Wei Ying wondered what exactly was he supposed to be doing now. Certainly not covering himself with spores, if that was any idea of a thing to avoid, and he wasn't the type to get overly chatty with any of his fellow ponies either.

So. Bored.

 

[houllow]

[ 43: A much-needed snack ]

Maybe he should try eating a mushroom and see if that improved things at all? It couldn't make anything worse despite the obvious knowledge that yes it could, but at this point he was willing to do anything to break up the monotony of mushrooms, rocks, and dirt. He'd even take being attacked by a spider or a bat or something if it meant no longer wandering around the same area again and again hoping to find something different this time.

Wasn't that the very definition of insanity? At least there was another pony out there offering snacks as he passed, so Wei Ying wasn't without a small boost of energy.

[ gained +1 roll ]

 

[houllow]

[ 31: Walking in a cave ... ]

Snack eaten, coat nearly dry, hooves tired. Wei Ying was pretty sure he had seen that rock and mushroom clump before and upon checking it yes - yes he had. He'd seen it like fifteen times by now, or if not this same one at least fourteen others that looked nearly identical.

Queens and Dreamer above, he was really regretting all of this with just how absolutely mind-numbing it was. Was this tedious nothing the real danger that they'd all been warned of? That they'd go out of their heads with want for literally anything?

 

[SwordOfTheNagas]

2/3
An odd little camp? :: You come across the long-dead remnants of a forgotten camp. There is a discarded rug here, and colorful hoofprints melting into the damp ground of the cave, but nothing else of note.

Well...he stopped as he looked around. That answered that creepy question. It looks like everyone up and left...maybe? Hopefully. He whined at the back of his throat in trepidation. It was a wonder that he could switch so easily between irritation and anxiety. One would think he'd get mental whiplash.

 

[SwordOfTheNagas]

3/3
It's gone now. :: There's nothing here but a non-descript patch of mushroom-less dirt.


Well, lets keep on the creepy train shall we? Passhon sighed as he kept walking on. Finding the patch of dirt and his brain telling him there should be more here. He raised a claw to rub at his muzzle in his waning sanity. Okay then...they were getting through this. Things were going to be okay. He was going to be okay. He was...going to just keep walking.

 

[PeterPan_da144]

Ouch! -1 roll

Bloodless had found they began to wander aimlessly through the caves. Some ponies had found some clues, but it was taking far too long to figure their way through this maze. Would it ever end? Huffing, they scuffed their hoof against the ground, catching a rock. With a yelp, they tumbled down onto their face, before shifting back onto their rump and rubbing at their nose. "Ow.."

 

[PeterPan_da144]

Beautiful luminescence

Having tripped on the rock and taken a moment to gather them self, Bloodless noticed something on the walls and ceiling. Tilting their head back, there were huge clusters of mushrooms, all glowing various different colors. It was like a piece of artwork splayed across the ceiling and walls, and Bloodless decided to sit and stare in amazement.

 

[SwordOfTheNagas]

-dq this roll i'm on EST sorry-

 

[Natty-chan]

You're startled by a drop of icy-cold something running down your back... only to discover it was simply a drop of water from a rock above. Whew, but also cold!

Eyes straight ahead for the most part, Reaper’s attention was mostly on looking for the next path or that trail of wonderspore. At the sudden splash of something freezing cold on his back, he let out a very unflattering squeal… which only brought a dark blush onto his cheeks when it echoed along the walls of the cave. Catching his bearings, he finally looks up from where the drip seemingly came from to see the stalactite with another drop of water ready to fall. Well, at least it wasn’t the actual rock that fell… but that was still an unpleasant surprise. Not wanting that again, he hurries out of the way.

 

[Natty-chan]

Walking in a cave ... ... is surprisingly boring, as long as the ground stays level.

Well, that cold splash sure was heart racing… the brief seconds it lasted. Now it seems it’s back to that boring straight path. At least there weren’t any slopes to fall down this time, or anywhere to get stuck, but there wasn’t anything else really to the cave. At least Reaper won’t get distracted.

 

[Natty-chan]

While you've seen a few things here and there, don't caves usually have more, you know, inhabitants?

There was that one ghoulish pony, but… this cave is eerily empty. Reaper thought to himself as he walked along. Sure enough, since that odd encounter, he hasn’t run into anything or anyone else. Yes, there were the other ponies in the search team, but they didn’t really count, not residing in the cave and all. This whole place was just strange.

 

[houllow]

[ 29: Nothing at all... ]

Onward and upward, except there was no upward so it just literally was more and more onward and onward and onward. It felt like he was just marching in place, and thus Wei Ying was deciding whether or not to just sit in place and wait to hear someone announce they found the next bit or just keep going.

It just was.....so boring. And exhausting, but maybe that was the point? Get them lost and tired and then just, what, get them all injured? They had been warned this was so dangerous but Dreamer, dreamer dreamer.

 

[houllow]

[ 45: Glimmering lights ]

Good night, said Wei Ying, as he just decided not to do anything anymore. He sat down and looked at the glimmering light display, understanding he'd seen it before but it still was just as lovely the second time around. Perhaps once he made it back to the surface, back home and to a place full of actual things, he'd go see if anything outside could compare.

That at least gave him a goal to continue on trying.

[ +1 AP gained ]

 

[houllow]

[ 41: A thought occurs to you... ]

With the goal of just getting back to the surface to alleviate his boredom in mind, the Suli got back up and continued on moving. He didn't expect to run in to anyone, even other ponies at this rate with how huge it was out here, but....well, maybe a spider or something would be nice.

Seeing anything other than dirt and mushrooms would just be so nice he may start crying.

 

[SwordOfTheNagas]

1/3
It's a cave :: You continue your search for the way through the caverns. They really are quite rocky.

This just wasn't his day. The young stallion sighed as he kept on walking. Rock after rock, after rock. It was so tedious. If this was what they were suppose to report back he might just mouth off to the Queens!!! Wait no...mouthing off would make his Parent mad at him. He shouldn't do that.

 

[SwordOfTheNagas]

2/3
A soothing scent ... ::
Something in the air hits you suddenly and intensely; it's a smell, something you can't identify but reminds you of somewhere you might call home. It makes an ache form deep in your chest, squeezing as though it might wrench your heart from your body; desperately you want to find the source, the whole of your being wracked by an intense need to satisfy that overwhelming nostalgia.

...imagine your surprise when you realize it's coming from a patch of mold. Ew.

Gain +1 AP.

As he kept wandering on, he stopped smelling a familiar scent again of home. He sighed in wanting and followed after. Maybe this time wasn't going to be a trick? Please oh please, by the seasons---he blinked as he came to the patch again. Oh...butter biscuits. Why this again, seasons?

 

[SwordOfTheNagas]

3/3
Beautiful luminescence :: You're really quite struck by the beautiful luminescence in this section of the cavern. The mushrooms grow in strangely swirled patterns, creating an almost purposeful artistry from nature.

He sighed as he looked around the cavern he followed the scent to. Struck for a moment in awe of the light show displayed before him. He inhaled softly. This was a part of the trip he didn't mind retelling his family about. It was going to be moments like this that made this trip worth it.

 

[Natty-chan]

You find a strange fungus in the shape of what you're fairly certain is a celebrity's head. Or maybe it's a piece of broccoli? You're not certain, but it'll make a fun story anyway.

Gain +1AP.

Well, the cave wasn’t completely empty. There were ‘others’ around, one just had to really look… and have a big imagination. This would make three… or was it four… times that Reaper found one of these odd mushrooms that took the shape of some pony famous. An actor this time, one of a movie he didn’t really enjoy, but the actor was pretty good in it. He wonders what he’ll find next.

 

[houllow]

[ 27: Nothing at all... ]

The definition of insanity was to do the same thing over and over and expect a different result each time. Wei Ying felt that was very appropriate for what was going on now with his constant movement through what seemed like the same halls again and again, always seeing the same mushrooms and rocks and dirt over and over.

Quite literally nothing had changed as he walked, and he was even starting to think of cursing out whomever he could for lying to them all about this. Some adventure.

 

[houllow]

[ 28: Glimmering lights ]

Maybe he just needed to think positive thoughts to get it going, to hopefully find whatever part that ended this and likely brought them into another section that was equally as boring and awful. It was hard to tell but then again this place was the afterlife or whatever - was this the concept of a personal hell? Endless rocks and mushrooms with no goal in sight?

At least he saw the pretty lights again but even those were starting to wear down and lose their appeal. A shame, since they were rather lovely.

[ gained +1 AP ]