Strangest Light
IC date: Winter 45, 1007
OOC date: Feb 3, 2013
PCs: Cornucopia, Dustdevil, Emerald-Isle, Gem-Song, Hemlock, Kludge, Tick-Tock, Winter-Solstice
NPCs: Mr. Thing
GM: Sodium-Fizz

The Parad of Lights, and even under the rather omnious circumstances the town finds itself in it is observed. The night-shrouded streets are lit up by brilliant lanters of many colours and hues, and the streets are packed with ponies. At least compared to how it have been for the last few weeks when the Spire's storm dominated the sky with it's iron-as-metaphore hoof. Even the ponies are small pinpricks of light in the darkness, carrying a candle or lantern as is customary as well as a small gift or two for friends, family or lovers. All in all, it is a lovely if a bit chilly night.

A stray pegasus atop a second floor balcony looks out amongst the crowd of ponies with a content look on his muzzle. Dustdevil looks to the foreboding Spire in the harbor thinking to himself, 'almost there, almost got that thing beat, its just time to celebrate' He's got his candle of course, and is enjoying the view for once

Hemlock trots through the streets, beaming with joy. This is his kind of night! The love in the air, the smiles, the light! the stallion prances around, not carryig a candle, because he has no special somepony. though, he does have a bunch of little presents, which he's hoofing out to any pony who will accept. This si like, the coolest holiday ever.

Cornucopia would have been off taking inventory still at the docks but the warehouse owner insisted she take the time to participate in more events and holidays this year. She didn't like the idea, her mind constantly going back to whatever goods were left uninspected, looking a little uptight still. She simply spends her time viewing the same spots over and over again in a elaborate method of pacing. She too dosen't have a Candle since she was not even intending to be here today.

Kludge is also there with a lit candle, although his special somepony is currently away among the seaponies. Doesn't mean that he can't enjoy the lights, though.

Tick-Tock walks along the busy streets with a huge grin on his face because he loves the parade, trying to find some friends he has presents for and occasionally giving one to a passing pony.

Off to the side, Winter Solstice sits on the doorstep of a shop. She's wearing a hat. Not just any hat- a helmet. Not just any helmet- a helmet with a couple of cupholders on the sides where you can put canned beverages. But rather than put a couple of beers in there, she has two large candles.

Candles that are out. Winter is steadily lighting matches, reaching up to try and light the candles, failing to find them, then tossing the matches aside when they burnt out. She just smiles, snaps another to life, and tries again. And again. And again. The tips of her hooves are looking a bit singed.

Gem-Song wanders the streets. He sighs. His first festival here, and it just had to be one of love and gift-giving. Not only does he have no gifts, he has no love. He's still homesick, regretting ever having left. And yet, this city had its charm. He's glad he moved here. And, hey, at least all these lights are pretty. That's something.

Dustdevil carries his candle, not for love, but for hope, more for the future than anything else, and sees a delimma. His only one 'friend' here in this town's special somepony, is having some candelific challenges for which he might be able to solve. The pegasus flares his wings, and drops down from that second story balcony, and glides roughly with an equally rough landing. He makes his way over to Winter-Solstice, "Need a hoof lighting those?" he asks kindly of her

Cornucopia finally starts to go tired of wandering about in her long range pacing, her hooves getting weary as she finds a spot to settle and sit down as she simply watches the crowds of ponies admiring all the lights and lanterns at this time, giving a slow, cleansing sigh.

If Winter is having trouble, her perky smile suggests it's not much at all. She flashes a grin to Dustdevil. "Nah, it's cool. I totally got this," she says, striking another match and going to light the candles. She fumbles. The match is dropped, bounces off the brim of her helmet, and lands in the mud of the street before her. She stares at it for a moment. "It's cool! I -totally- got this." She makes another attempt. The match slowly burns down to a nub in her hold as she fumbles around with her head leaning to the side and her tongue sticking out, and even after the match is spent, she continues to wave the nub around, not realizing.

Tick-Tock keeps walking along the street and finds Cornucopia. He hands her a gift and says "I finished making it this morning so enjoy."

Lights and lanterns indeed. More lights than is apperent at first glance, in fact. Especialy for anypony attentive enough to turn their attention skywards towards the, finaly, clear skies above where a dancing circle of multicoloured light dances slowly across the skies, bloating out the stars behind it with it's passage.

Hemlock prances about, and sees Winter getting help. With a nod, he continues on his way. "Evening sir, ma'am. Merry Parade of lights to you two!" He then notices winter's continued struggles, and chuckles to himself. They'll be fine, suredly. Hemlock is probably one of the msot attentive ponies here though, and looks up eventually. The lights dont go unnoticed, but why should he be worried? It's the Parade of Lights!

Dustdevil is a patient pony to a point, still he smiles to Winter, "I got this" he smiles, "just duck your head and hold still a sec" he offers to her, "those candles need to be ablaze, for the two of you" he smiles to her as he holds to his own candle up, "I got a light for your troubles" he offers with a smile

Cornucopia yawns and stretches out a bit as her tail flops from side to side as she tries not to let her thoughts roam back to work. She then notices Winter as she's having a bit of trouble and Dustdevil attempting to help them a bit.

Gem-Song stops his wandering and sits back against a wall. How did he get like this? No house, no job, no money… He gazes mournfully into the distan- wait, what is that? A dart of color flew across the sky, and he realises just how melodramatic he's being. This is a magical festival. Of love. Cheer up, Gem. You got money, remember? He gets up and resumes his wandering, a bit more excited and happy.

Winter-Solstice squints her eyes a bit, watching Dustdevil. "Wait… oh! You're that one that, uh." She leans her head forward obligingly, tipping the candle-equipped beer helmet to Dustdevil. "You're that fella that has the hots for Fizz, aren't you." She wiggles. "I dunno where she is tonight. She must be off workin'. Oh well. How're you enjoying the parade, huh?"

Tick-Tock Keeps walking, almost tripping over his ridiculously long scarf, and spots Winter and Dustdevil struggling with two candles.

Of course, it's not all that uncomon with dancing lights in the sky this time of year. There are pegasi after all. They typicaly don't give off such a high-pitched, oscilating… humming sound though. Though it's barely heard over the ponies in the street.

Winter-Solstice rolls 1d20 (Perception check: 1-15: total obliviousness, 16-19: vague awareness, 20: passing curiousity) — Result: 9 | Sum: 9

Dustdevil holds his candle, blushes bigtime as he's pretty much called out like that, "Uhh, something like that" he murmurs while leaning in with his own candle to light Winny's two candes with his solitary flame. With that accomplished, he steps back and smiles before bowing to her, "You're a lucky mare" he comments then perks his head, looking to the flyers, and staring, "Pegasi don't fly like that…" he peeeers up

Ponies who aren't as in the thick of things have a better chance of hearing it. Kludge looks around, trying to place where that odd noise is coming from.

"Yeah, she's a sweetheart. Bit of a mope, though," says Winter, lifting her head. She tries to look at the candles, but, well, they're on her helmet, so they tend to move when she moves her head to look at them. "Did it work? Are they lit?" The big mare pushes to her hooves and starts to turn in a circle. "Are they burning?" Turn turn turn. She gradually spirals her way out into the middle of the road, oblivious to the ponies whose way she is stepping in front of, forcing the crowd of wandering ponies to part around her. "Are the candles lit?" She remains completely oblivious of the light show above.

Hemlock is certainly right in the thick of thigns, where he loves being. the stallion is prancing around, giving out gifts and flirting outrageously with anypony who will listen. Not that he needs an excuse to do this, but he does have one tongiht. Still, he keeps glancing up at the lights. If nothing, it's very pretty. Maybe if he were to be quiet for all of five seconds, he would ehar something. For now, he keeps a sharp eye out, as always, and gives a little foal a teddy bear. When Winter asks her question he's just close enough to hear, he spares the big mare a wave. "Lit and looking fine miss!"

Gem-Song finds a quiet place to sit down and think. Except he can't really think about anything but the faint high-pitched whining noise that seems to be coming from everywhere at once. What is that noise?

Tick-Tock laughs at Winter and walks over to them.

Cornucopia had been sitting away from most of the commotion as she swiveled her ears and heard a rather unusual sound in the air. Her attention turned towards the lights in the sky as she focused on them. What was going on up there anyways that those Pegasi had to make such weird sounds. Were they playing some sort of noisemakers up there or something? Either way her attention became fixated on them now as the lights danced in the air.

Yeah, that thing up above does not look like it is a pegasus at all. Multicoloured lights blink of and on around it's circumfernace, which shifts from circular to oblong to a straight line as it drifts back and forth across the sky. Closer, like this, it is rather clear to anypony watching that the dancing shimmer of lights is just around the edges of it, leaving something solid and dark occupying the middle. The sound is rising too as it closes in, going from faint to clearly auidable. Still, before most ponies get a chance to look for it, it seems, it dips sharply and dives towards the town with a shrill sound… only to dissapear behind the rooftops and fall silent.

Dustdevil did watch but is just confused by flying, lights, and not a pegasus pony. "Ooh A gryphon stunt team with lights n candles, n glowythings! Pretty Spiff" he chukles some as he gets up to see what all the commotion is whereever that wild stunt team flew off to.

Winter-Solstice turns and turns, following her helmet, which continues to evade her! So wily! She eventually stops as Hemlock points out that yes, the candles are little, and wobbles slightly. "Ohh… oh, okay. Thanks." She happens to stop just as the unidentified flying object disappears behind the buildings, none the wiser, and totally convinced… "Hey! I buzz when I spin! I never realized that!" The big mare starts spinning around once more, this time trying to recreate the noise she heard. … and failing. She spins the other way, a bit faster. Nothing! The mare skids to a stop and looks mournfully at the ground. "I didn't realize what I had… until it was gone." Lifting her head, she looks at the nearby ponies, and spots Tick-Tock, a new face if ever she's seen one. (And she has. She's seen many.) "Treasure what you have, buddy. Treasure it and don't let it go."

Cornucopia pauses as she quickly realizes this is simply not some games going on up there in the sky, but something quite different, "This some sort of magic show being put on?" She says while looking towards the direction of the lights as they quickly take off towards some rooftops in the town. She gets curious enough that she rises to her feet and slowly begins trotting off towards the direction the strange formation of lights took off in. She's a bit curious as to whom is responsible.

Gem-Song looks up, smiling. At least he has the beautiful light show to take his mind off all the strangeness in this town. This wasn't the strangest place he'd ever been, but that wasn't really saying much. He had been to Gravity Foals, after all…

Tick-Tock smiles and offers winter a present.

Winter-Solstice looks down at the offered gift. She reaches out and accepts it. "I, er… I didn't get you anything, though. Oh! I know." The big mare sits down. "I offer you air… from my lungs." And then, with mouth wide open, she breathes in a circle at Tick-Tock.

Tick-Tock grins and says "Air from a nice ponys lungs. priceless."

Kludge trots in the direction that the whatever-it-was descended. Something unusual like that certainly deserves to be investigated.

Theories of magic, gryphon stunt teams and many others are swiftly and brutaly dispelled as the humm rises, louder and more unearthly than ever as the flying shape tears over the rooftops right over everypony's head, clipping a brick chimney in passing and sending it colapsing in the odd, unidentified flying objects. It keept on tearing down the street, in a wibbly-wobbly fashion - clearly damaged - before dissapearing over the roofs again out towards the outskirts of the Harbour.

Gem-Song 's relaxed state is shattered by the sound of breaking rooftops overhead. And that hum again. He looks up, the light show seeming unnecessarily bright, and he puts two and two together. This isn't an ordinary light show. Something is wrong.

Tick-Tock tries to run but trips over his scarf after five steps, sending him rolling into some barrels.

Hemlock has been watching the street theatre with amusement. It's always nice to see some ponies being silly and friendly. However, when something crashes in to a house, his hero senses start tingling. Something is HAPPENING. IN a flash, the stallion is gone, slipping the the crowds and galloping after the thing. He's one fast pony, when roused.

Winter-Solstice squawks as a brick bounces off her helmet. "My candles!" she wails, even if the candles are as unharmed as she is. Hopping to her hooves, she turns and looks off in the direction of the crashed Object, only to see other ponies heading in that direction. If thre's one thing she's good at, it's barreling off into the unknown with little regard for personal safety! If there's TWO things, it's chasing after others doing the same! "C'mon, new guy!" she shouts back over her shoulder, at Tick-Tock. "We gotta go throw ourselves into danger!"

Cornucopia just pauses as her jaw nearly drops to the floor after watching that formation of what she thought was a harmless display of lights go smashing against a few bricks along the corner of a chimney, "What in the name of Alicorns is going on here?" She says while seeming a bit startled, "That's no magic trick!" Again, who is responsible for this!? She thinks to herself while the shock wears away and she becomes somewhat annoyed now, still thinking a Unicorn is responsible for this dangerous apparition that's been called into existence.

Tick-Tock gets, wraps his scarf around his neck some more and runs after Winter.

Gem-Song sees the crowd of ponies heading towards the mysterious light. He smiles, spreading his wings. Soon, he's flying, zooming off towards whatever the hay that light is.

Emerald-Isle walks into town from the outskirts where she's been staying since her recent arrival. She's got a small set of saddlebags on her back, a few tubes hanging off of them. Setting up to the side where she won't get run over by other ponies, she assembles and easel and starts pulling out a few painting supplies.

It is, indeed, a rather fine night for painting for Emerald-Isle. At least untill something fast, circular and shiney appears over the roof and dips down onto the street, almost cliping the top of the easel as it passes on it's way back out the way Emerald came. Moments later a number of ponies come barreling down the street the same way.

Hemlock leaps right over the easel in pursuit of the object. Not that he had to, really, going aroudn would have been easier. Hemlock, howeevr, has always had a flair for the dramatic. "Come join the chase, miss!" he says, laughing. The stallion is leading the pack, he's built for running! Heroes have sharp eyes and sharper wits, or so they would like to believe, so that thing is as good as caught.

Emerald-Isle flares her wings over the blank canvas she's set on the easel. Though the town may be muddy, using mud in the painting itself isn't exactly her plan. She lets out a small squeal as the object flies right above her head and another as Hemlock follows right behind.

Winter-Solstice continues to romp in pursuit of the mysterious light! The candles in her helmet get blown out along the way. While Hemlock gracefully clambers over Emerald's easel, Winter bellows and crashes right through it, such that it is knocked into the air, spun about, and lands on her back, only to be carried off along with the charging mare.

Tick-Tock continues to follow Winter, tripping over his own feet and yelling "slow down!" as he tries to keep up.

Cornucopia had been trying to keep up as much as she could in chasing down that strange light, "I can't believe I'm running of blindly after this bizzare circumstance like some overexcited foal, when I get to the bottom of this they're going to get an earful from me, that's for sure." She grumbles to herself while trying to dodge around ponies and obsticles, she hasen't yet noticed there's others who are in pursuit of thing bizzare thing as well.

Gem-Song zips through the air, the wind blowing in his mane. This is some Doctor Whoof-level stuff right here, of course I'm getting involved. I'll fly there, find out what it is, then send it back to wherever it came from.

Tick-Tock bumps into Emerald but keeps running, trying to keep up with Winter but he still yells "sorry!" over his shoulder.

Emerald-Isle looks like somepony has slapped her in the face with a wet fish. "Hey…HEY!" she calls out after her easel thief. She huffs and stomps her front hooves, letting out an 'oof' as Ticktock runs into her. Her wings spread open and she darts after Winter.

The dark disk with it's shimmering edge-lights leads the ponies out of the streets onto the fields and medows outside town where it slows down noticably, hanging in mid air with it's incecent hum. It's still more or less impossible to tell the shape off it, short of the lights which seems a fair bit weaker here. It just keeps hanging there, wobbling a bit unsteadily.

Hemlock is right on the thing's heels, were it to have any. Skidding to a stop just before it, he gives it a look. Really, he just saw something running away and chased it downb, there wasn't a follow up plan. "Huh, I wonder what it is." Maybe the others will catch up soon. Assuming there are others, maybe one of them will know something?

Tick-Tock finally catches up with Winter and asks "Why are we following It? It's really dangerous."

"Because we don't know what it is," remarks Kludge. "Once we know what it is, we'll have a better idea of what to do about it."

Winter-Solstice skids to a stop just behind Hemlock, very nearly barreling into the stallion. She's not even paying attention to him, ha ha ha! SHe's looking at the lights instead! Eyes wide, mouth agape! "What is it?" she asks, even if she really knows that nobody knows. SOMEONE has to ask that. It's obligatory! She turns to look back over her shoulder at Tick Tock, and quirks an eyebrow. "You just answered your own question there, bucko- oh! Hey." The big mare reaches up and takes the easel down from on her back, stares at it, then sets it to the side, upright and waiting for Emerald whenever she arrives to find it.

Tick-Tock doesn't stop and crashes into them both.

Cornucopia had to finally pursue the strange manifestation outside of the town before she finally realized there were others joining her in this pursuit, she happens to spot Hemlock among this odd gathering of mystery chasers, personally a bit thankful others had happened along on this bizzare outing as she didn't want to be along if she ran into more trouble than she could handle, though truth be told any trouble was more trouble than she'd care to handle as she can't very well defend herself, "What *AM* I doing!? I'm not fit to be led around like a heard animal after something I know nothing about!" She complains, "Yet I'm doing this just the same…."

Winter-Solstice's backside is impervious to mere crashes and deflects Tick-Tock without budging.

Gem-Song arrives at the… thing. He lands gracefully- wait, no, faceplants painfully in front of it. He looks at it just floating there, and decides there's only one thing to do. Initiate First Contact. "Greetings, unknown object," he says to it. "Welcome to Equestria. We hope you come in peace."

Tick-Tock says "Next time give me more warning before you stop."

Hemlock looks about just as the others arrive. he gives a happy little prance in place, and waves at the disk. "Look what I found! Isn't in awesome!" His smile doesn't even fade a little as he stops to consider. "No idea what it is though." He gives Winter an appraising look, she seems to be getting in to the spirit of things. "Better question is, what do we do about it?"

Tick-Tock says "Ask it nicely to buzz off?"

The object merely hangs there, each oscilation of sound and rim-light shimmer making it wobble slightly. At least, that is the case till Gem-Song speaks! After a few moments it the hum intensifies, as does the blinking lights around it edges. As Tick speaks, it seems to tilt forward ever so slightly, the rim-lights going from a soft blue-white to a orange-red.

While Winter may have been able to stop in time from hitting Hemlock, Emerald isn't quite as fortunate to avoid running into Winter. Distracted by unfamilar ponies, unfamiliar scenery, and the lit-up thing that everpony seems to be all in a fuss about, she plows right into Winter's side.

Winter-Solstice's side is as impervious as her back, or the rest of her. The towering mare resists all impacts. She turns to peer down at Emerald, the second pony to bounce off her in the last ten seconds. "Hey! I'm standing here in a state of utter confusion," she says. "Watch where you're goin', huh?"

Looking back up to the Thing, she frowns, and shrugs at Hemlock. "Welcome it to town, take it out for a drink, and then go on adventures with it?" she suggests. "That's what I usually do with ponies. Why mess with success?"

Cornucopia hesitates at first, moving ever so closer towards the object as she notices others communicating with it, "Well…if this is some sort of magic entity lets first see if speaking with it would yield any solid results." She says towards the others before taking another step closer, "Umm…hello there. Can you understand us? Glow green if you can understand what we are saying." She figures its worth a shot.

Hemlock nods, liking Winter's idea most. "Well, I wouldn't want to scare it off, it's too pretty. Unless it turns out to be bad, in which case that should take priority. Let's see if it's sentient enough to get drunk." He turns around just in time to see it's reaction to Gem Song, and he raises an eyebrow. "So at least partially sentient, that's good!" He prances up and waves at it. "Hello mr. Thing!"

Emerald-Isle groans from flat on her back next to the larger-than-usual mare. The wind has been all but completely knocked out of her at this point. Her eyes are as wide as plates as she tries to catch her breath.

Gem-Song considers its reaction. "It seemed to react positively when I greeted it, and reacted negatively when Tick-Tock asked it to buzz off. My guess is it can understand us to a degree."

Tick-Tock says to Emerald "You too? I think she's a robot. Sorry about crashing into you earlier."

The Thing wobbles a few moments and tilts back, the angry red light that came about at Tick-Tocks comment replaced with soft white-blue and… with a sidewards wobbely lurch, the lights turned green. It does seem kinda damaged, to be honest.

Winter-Solstice turns and leans down, scooping Emerald up with her face and hauling the pegasi up to set her on her hooves. "There you go," she says, before looking up at the thing. "Hey! It turned green! That means it tastes like mint!" She looks to Corncucopia. "Tell it to try strawberry, next!"

Cornucopia notices it turning green, seeming a bit pleased by this, "Oh good, you can understand us. That is very good news, I noticed you took a nasty hit there against that chimmney. I'd consider medical attention though I am not sure exactly how we could heal any injury you've sustained." She says while looking over the strange anomaly. She then glances towards Winter with a sigh, "This is a bit important, you know. It could need our help."

Gem-Song 's heart races. This is it. First Contact with an alien species. I'm so glad I read all that sci-fi. "Alright, then," he says to the Thing. "Can you communicate in forms other than color?"

Tick-Tock says "Hello? Mr Thing? was that a yes or a no to you buzzing off?"

Hemlock sits down and stares at the amchine for a while. "Well, it's certainly reacting. Also I don't think eating it should be our first pan." He considers that for a moment. "But probably no lower than the thrid or fourth." Cornucopia's words make him nod. "well, Cornucopia," oh, he remembers alright, "I don't know. I don't think a doctor would help, why don't you stop floating for a bit, Mister Thing?

Gem-Song glares at Tick-Tock. "This is Equestria's first true contact with a seemingly alien race, and you're telling it to buzz off?!"

Tick-Tock says "well it is kinda dangerous."

"And if you need repairs instead of healing… well, I might be able to help there," muses Kludge. "Admittedly, I do best with wood, so that might limit my options, but at least I can do something."

Tick-Tock says "It could hurt somepony."

The Thing wobbles again, it's constant hum seeming to die off for a moment, together with the light along it's edge as it wobbles back to the right and forward, taking on a red-ish complexion again. Though if it's at Tick-Tock or in answer to Gem-Song is hard to tell.

Emerald-Isle's lungs finally catch up with the rest of her and she coughs a few times from all the wheezing. She gives a quick nod to Tick. "No warries!" the mare insists in her celtic accent. She stretches her wings out, her eyes locking onto the strange floating craft.

Hemlock looks over his shoulder. "nonsense. All it's done is fly around and shine pretty lights. This isn't dangerous. Now timber wolves, timber wolves are dangerous."

Gem-Song frowns at Tick-Tock. "Well you could hurt its feelings!"

Tick-Tock says "It scared me so much that I tripped over and hit some barrels."

Kludge blinks. "So… anything that scares you is automatically dangerous?" he asks Tick-Tock, trying to make sure he's hearing things correctly.

Cornucopia rolls her eyes at Tick-Tock, "Really now, that's to be expected if you chase something without reguard for your surroundings." She then looks back towards the entity, "Rest could help for the time being, but other than that I am clueless on how to assist it. She ponders for a moment, "Where did you come from? Can you glow in the direction that you originated from?" She asks towards the swirly light thing.

Hemlock forwns at the change in colour. "Hey now, you have nothing to worry about Mister Thing. Hemlock's here to protect you. What has you flying around here in so much distress?" His voice is nothing but sincere, he just wants to help!

The thing wobbles still, though seem to rise as it picks up speed in it's hum and it's flashing-of-lightsness, lights which turns white-blue once more.

Tick-Tock says "I've just noticed that for once damage involving me wasn't my fault."

Tick-Tock says "Thanks Mr thing."

Gem-Song sighs. "It can understand us, communicate with us, and has a degree of emotion. What makes it so different from me or you?"

Cornucopia hrms and looks up towards the night sky, "Perhaps it came from far above in the sky?" She considers as she glaces at the stars and realize she has little to go on as to what this thing is and how she can help it. Not to mention some are of no help at all and a few are making things worse as far as she's concerned.

Winter-Solstice stares at the show of lights and… and mystery, all the while turning her ears to track the questions and comments from the ponies that surround her. A good idea, but what this calls for… is ACTION!

So the big mare tromps forward, approaches the thing, and reaches up with a big, pie-plate hoof. Offering to shake. Shake what? Who knows? "Do you have a name? I'm Winter Solstice! Nice to meet you." She tilts her head this way and that, on the lookout for limbs.

The Thing just keeps on humming, louder and louder… till it wobbled forcefuly, a shower of golden sparks exploded from it's edge. A moment later it shot of into the night, the lights on it's edge fading as it went out into the darkness, the sound it made fading as it went.

Lying smoldering in the grass laid a shard of glowing metal, apperently part of the Thing. At least up till the miniature explosion…

Hemlock silently applauds the mare, well done you. "I think we shouldn't try and overwhelm it, let's back up and see what happens." Hemlock himself doesn't back up, of cours,e but he stays at a respectful distance while winter Solstice tries her thing. At least, he does until it disappears. "Oh, that's disappointing." But then glowing things! He prances over to check it out. "Any ideas, miss?"

Winter-Solstice continues to stand there, hoof extended towards an increasingly empty night sky. After a moment she turns to blink back at the other ponies. "It's gone! Oh-" She wheels her eyes up at her helmet, and starts circling around. "The sparks lit my candles back up! Faboo!"

Gem-Song says "The only thing we can do in this situation is communicate, try to find out where it came from. It's clearly lost and scared and- oh." he realises nopony is even listening, their attention turned to the metallic shard. "Well, that's rather disappointing…"

Emerald-Isle 's own curiosity has gotten the best of her. She carefully approaches the shard with the rest of the ponies. With a narrowed brow she leans forward until her nost is almost touching it.

Gem-Song says "Well, Tick-Tock, you got what you wanted. It buzzed off. But I doubt that's the last we'll see of it…"

Kludge also takes a look at the glowing metal fragment, wodering if it was intentionally ejected, or if it fell off or similar.

Winter-Solstice Eventually stops her circling and drops to her duff. She hangs back and looks at the fragment from afar. Advantage #17 of being tall: You can look over the heads of ponies at stuff.

Hemlock looks around. "Well, i think I'll hold on to it, if there's no objections."He scopps the thing up and holds it in his hooves, which means he's sitting on his flank. "I don't know, maybe we'll see it again. I, however, intend to discover where it came from. Anypony here familiar with a pony who has the means to make something like that?"

The metal shard seems to have been a splinter from the rim of the Thing judging from the softly curved outer surface of it. Or well, it would have been softly curved had it not been gouged by black lines that seems to have seared the metal hard enough to burn it away.

"It sort of looked like a ponyhole cover," suggests Winter. "You know, like on the sewers in a bigger city. We can make those down at the foundry." She pauses. "Except I don't think… I don't THINK we made this one. Admittedly I haven't been paying a whole lot of attention at work lately."

Emerald-Isle shakes her head as she tries to think of an answer. "Well, Ay've seen ponies cast amazin' enchahntments…but I can't say Ay've ever seen some'ting quite like that…"

Gem-Song shakes his head. "No, all I know about this is taken from fiction. I would have no way of knowing where it came from."

Hemlock tosses the thing up in the air a couple times, considering it thoughtfully. "The thing, the real thing, about ponyhole covers, is that they don't fly. It's kind of their job. But maybe you're on to something. Who in town could make something that big out of metal, AND enchant it?" He would really have no idea, but this might offer clues if brought to the right ponies!

Cornucopia sighs, "Well, it's back where it came from, I imagine. Though he might be right, this might have not been the last we seen of it, considering it left a part of itself behind here." She says as she looks about, then back over towards the fragment, she's not too keen on touching that thing though, it could bring about some curse or odd affliction as far as she knows.

Winter-Solstice surges upright, reaches up, and tries to catch the shard after one of Hemlock's tosses. Even if this means BODILY COLLISION. "Hup!"

Gem-Song says "Hey, careful with that! It could be of otherworldly origin, or it could be enchanted, and neither of those are things you throw about like a ball! They need to be handled carefully."

Hemlock braces himself the second she moves. the stallion is a bit too tough to be taken out so easily. With a chuckle, he lets Winter keep it. "You're welcome to it miss! I wish you luck in your investigation."

Winter-Solstice drags the shard close and stares at it close. She holds it up to one ear for a moment, listening. Then, she turns it around, extends her tongue, and tastes it curiously, one eyebrow arched, gaze screwed thoughtfully towards the clouds.

"M'just investigatin'," says Winter, out of the side of her mouth.

Winter-Solstice shrugs at length, and hands the shard back to Hemlock. "Here, you keep it. It doesn't taste unusual."

Emerald-Isle starts looking around a bit. Despite all the excitement of Mr. Thing, she still needs to get her hooves on her easel, assuming it hasn't been broken by this point.

Hemlock grabs the shard and tosses it in to his saddlebags. "I'll figure it out, or at least try! I'm around town if you need me for questions, of course." The stallion prances backwards and bows low. "Now, I do think I shoudl be off. I shall see you loevely ponies at a later time." Farewells said, the hero prances off back towards town.

"It'll be interesting to see if - or when - that thing makes another appearance," notes Kludge. "For now, I should probably check on Unknown and Stray - not sure if they slept through that or not."

Cornucopia isn't sure she wants to stick around for very long in case something else happens. She decides she's had enough of this whole strange occurance and this Holiday to boot. She quietly slips out and head back off towards her home, "Good thing the way home is in a well lit direction." She mutters before starting off along her way.

Gem-Song says "Yeah, I better be going too. Don't know where to, but I just… gotta go. Bye."