⇨ THE REALM OF DREAMS

[ringleaders]

Who: EVERYONE!
When: S1:D8 - S1:D18
Where: Visiting the Realm of Dreams.
What: The carnival arrives at a new location and has its first performance week with the new cast, as outlined here. This is a general mingling log for convenience purposes, but players are welcome to make as many other logs for this purpose as desired.
Warnings: Could be a lot of things, around these parts.

THE REALM OF DREAMS↴ As the carnival arrives at its first stop since its recruitment phase, and prepares to put its new band of workers to the test. In the meantime, there is a whole new world of dreams and nightmares to be explored, and threats to be faced on carnival turf. As of S1:D11, the carnival will be opening its doors to the creatures within, and the carnival will be open daily from noon to midnight, though the connection to the realm will be constant. This is an all purpose mingle log for the full duration of the stay, so please mark top levels with some estimate of what days they'll be occurring on. Please bring any mod questions to the original plotting post.

Comments

[zebrarhyme_everytime]

In Equestria, the title 'Princess' is earned.
A pony must be worthy to be turned
To an alicorn if they're not born that way.
Like our Princesses of Night and Day.

[Zecora has far less skepticism about the stairs, merely pacing along with her usual steady gait to keep up with him.]

[pipers_son]

Now that sounds like quite a lotta work
Not the kinda route that lets ya shirk
But what's the meanin' of "earned"?
That's a bit vague, ta my concern

[He starts skipping the steps a couple at a time.]

[zebrarhyme_everytime]

One must be worthy
To become royalty.
And prove that the crown
Will not weigh them down.

[Zecora doesn't skip. Zecora paces along, steady and calm, as always.]

[pipers_son]

Is there some sorta test?
Ta prove that they fit best?

[They reach the first landing, something that seems like a graham cracker if Joker had to guess. Someone went to bed hungry.]

[zebrarhyme_everytime]

[Dreams are a very silly place, Zecora muses.]

Twilight Sparkle passed her test
By proving at friendship, she is best.

i apologize for nothing

[pipers_son]

Ha, that doesn’t sound like it’s a test that’s really dramatic
But if that’s how it is, I guess it’s true ta say: friendship is magic

[zebrarhyme_everytime]

To tell you the stories would take some time
And you might not believe this poor zebra's rhyme.
Changelings, magics, Nightmare Moon
If you knew you'd sing a different tune.

[pipers_son]

Someday you’ll have ta tell me the tale!
And how they got victory ta sale
But I imagine that’ll be for another time and place
And now while we’re wrapped in dreamland’s embrace

[And there’s the top of the honey stairs, leading up to… a giant beehive. Well, that makes sense, he guesses. Carefully, he looks around to make sure there’s no actual bees.]

[zebrarhyme_everytime]

I wonder if the honey
Tastes good, or simply funny.

[Zecora has the same worry, quickly rifling through her mental list of magic for a ward to shield them. Wards are still quite new to her, but basic protection ought to be well within her capabilities...]

[pipers_son]

Honestly, it ain’t the taste I’m concerned about
But if its residents are in or out…

[With a huff, he takes to the air, tentatively taking a look (from a distance!) into the hole. There doesn’t seem to be movement…]

I think we’re clear, for the time bein’.

[zebrarhyme_everytime]

Giant bees would be no joke.
But to calm them, we could use smoke.

[Though not an apiarist, Zecora has had cause enough to gather honey or beeswax in the past.]

[pipers_son]

Well, since you've gone and mentioned that
Do ya think we could bring dream honey back?

[He makes a sweep around the hive, double checking everything but absolutely grinning.]

[zebrarhyme_everytime]

If dreams are not real
Then what do we now feel?

[In other words -- considering where they are now, anything goes, right? Zecora tugs up the hood of her cloak, letting her head vanish beneath its shadows save for her eyes. Said eyes always glow an eerie yellow from beneath it, despite being blue -- and that isn't a carnival change.]

If we fail to avoid detection
Trust me to provide protection.

[Completely trust her, in other words...]

[pipers_son]

[Truly, Zecora is the most mysterious individual he knows in presentation if nothing else, and Joker can respect that kind of showzebraship intentional or not.]

Then I’ll leave my life in yer hooves
If I ain’t fast enough with my moves~.
Now the only question left is where ta find a jar
And I really hope we can find one that ain’t far

[zebrarhyme_everytime]

[She doesn't mean to be, and it occasionally bites her in the butt...]

This is dreaming. Can you not believe
Hard enough that you can perceive?

[That question isn't rhetorical; Zecora is unfamiliar with the limitations and nature of this world.]

[pipers_son]

Now, I gotta say that’s a good question
Shall we test our limitations?
Although I think with this, you’ll have more luck
When it comes ta magic, I’m a bit stuck

[zebrarhyme_everytime]

[Zecora shoots him a wry look, tempered with an amused smile.]

This is dream. That you can do.
Don't say otherwise; I know you.

[pipers_son]

Ha! It looks like I’ve been well and got.
Ah well- may as well give it a shot.

[He twists through the air, going back to land on what counts as ground in this strange place, and swoops into an easy sitting position with his legs crossed and his wings lazily spread out behind him. Humming, he holds his hand out and sticks his tongue out. One would think that after all this time, he’d gotten a bit better at dealing with this sort of thing, but not so. For the most part, he’s done well to keep away from fae magic and the like. It never hurts to be careful.]

[Of course, the obvious downside is that he’s a bit out of his depth on picking up speed, not to mention how weird this whole place is already. However, after a few minute of tongue clicking and head tilting, the air finally seems to twist-]

[...And a glass jar the size of a thimble pops to life in his hand. Joker blinks and stare at it before laughing.]

Don’t think this’ll help much!

[zebrarhyme_everytime]

[Zecora laughs as well, with unreserved warmth and humor, before handing him a much more sensibly-sized jar.]

[Considering how much faerier magic she'd dealt with over the past couple of years and adding in her knowledge prior to that, a little lucid dreaming is no complicated feat for her.]

Do not underestimate
What you just did. It was great.
For a beginner
You are a winner.

[pipers_son]

For ya ta say so is nice and sweet
‘Tho I think I’ve gone and been beat
Still, it’ll make a fun little keepsake
Now lets see what else we can take~.

[Tucking the tinier jar in his pocket, he grabs the one she’s made and takes to the air again, carefully going around the hive again to make sure it hasn’t been populated since the last time he looked. With that done, he hesitantly lands on the owl.]

Let me know if ya see anyone comin’ back home!

[zebrarhyme_everytime]

[She hadn't been kidding. Joker had done very well for somepony not used to magic and the occult -- or rather, not used to using them directly.]

[Zecora settles back to keep watch, her keen eyes surveying the land in search of bees.]

[pipers_son]

[For the first few minutes, all’s well while Joker tries to navigate the sticky mess that is the inside of the hive, but soon enough, there’s the sound of buzzing, and…. Is that a pastel pink giant bee?]

[It sure is.]

[zebrarhyme_everytime]

Hello, friend bee!
You're a delight to see!

[Zecora waves a hoof quite cheerfully. Her warm greeting is loud to warn Joker, but also quite legitimate. This is dreams. Who says bees can't talk and converse?]

[pipers_son]

[While there isn’t a call back, the bee does notice all that noise coming from nearby, and starts to slow to a hover as it inspects her. No call back, but… is that a flute noise?]

[Either the dreamer for this particular bit of dream was high as a kite, or their idea of normal is entirely outside the usual.]

[zebrarhyme_everytime]

[A key element of dreams is that nothing at all is unusual. So Zecora acts as if this is not.]

Your hive is quite pleasant!
Would you like a homewarming present?