Roleplay Lounge

With Spring on the way, the cold winds brushing upon the West coast of Baltimare. Something about the dense temperature that chilled the massive ruins of city and busy street was something....

that gave off a big reminder.

FALL OF LAST YEAR... THE GREAT HONESTY TRIAL

During the small scourge of Summer, it was common for the hot sands of Southern Equestria to make it's most prideful working hooves hide under the thick earthen walls of their homes. And as much as a young royal guard like Avid Sketch wanted to join the odd thick boned ponies, she was stuck bearing her purple and green translucent armor. 

Stuck in the desert? Check.
Covered in heat absorbing armor? Check.
Wanted to stay home but forced upon orders of the shadowy ruler of the Western Generosity? Check a million times.

"Stay with us." the tiny pink mare jutted from her intense staring contest with the stagnant sand under her and looked to a thin unicorn, clad in a black armor with the signature purple gem-like covers that represented their element. Avid's partner was tall, thin, a short straight cut mane that drew the tiny guard nuts. How did she get it so straight?? 

"I'm sorry Drama Queen-" at any point they'd be reaching the newly repaired capitol of the Honesty territory. Apple Loosa so close you can smell the wafting aroma of cinnamon apple fritter in the sand infested winds. "This heat is so annoying and I can't keep looking on."

"Well put on your helmet then. We're almost at the Capitol, and you know how Dazzler feels when we don't hide our faces." upon mention, the odd prancy mare adorned in jewels and silk that didn't deem necessary to the cruel desert they traversed. "And keep it on."

The spoiled ambassador passed them as two burly guard carried her on a purple diamond encrusted carriage, paying no mind to the more beautiful mares wasting precious energy to walk over the last miles to Apple Loosa. But her deep, chilling voice broke to every bit of company. "Hurry up! The Ruler shall not wait any longer!"

"And I'm about ready to drop dead..." Drama giggled at Avid's groan under a heavy helmet. 

With the giant contrast of country aesthetic mashing against her monochrome city view...

It excited her. 

Back to the traveling visitors...

Okay this was totally new. 

Avid had looked rather down. Literally down. The town she expected to be a glorified ant hill was in reality... a low built-in hole in the Earth filled to the brim with life. Multiple stalls and saloons open for passing ponies and... griffons?!? 

Her eyes dazzled.

Griffons! Cattle! This place was much more expansive! Oh look! A dragon! 

"AVID-" her little patter on the sand caught the attention of her 'captain'. Drama Queen stomped a hoof, gaining the attention of other guards and Dazzler. Well so much for being the ambassador's hand maiden this time. "STAY FOCUSED." 

"Right! Focused! I apologize Captain!" Forced, really wishing her buddy wasn't in such a higher status, Avid continued to march to the King's abode. Of course not without a curt glare from Dazzler.

...

"Announcing the arrival of the Ambassador of Generosity, Dazzler and Royal Captain, Drama Queen!"

The place was huge, but by standard of the Western Coast this was just a hallway to her. The group of Generosity guild collecting by the throne room and preparing for the hours of dead silence or whiny drawls of their ambassador. Avid was waiting, trying to fall asleep on her hooves, that was until.. he came up to the throne. His thorne.

The king.

Her heart raced and fully awake when she saw the King.

The odd power resonating with every higher pony always scared her. Even with her helmet and suit hiding her features, it still couldn't shield her from the unyielding gaze the Honesty court had.

"King Sekr, I bring you news from the Generosity Court! But of course..." 

The guards have heard this before. They all rolled their eyes, silently groaned. 

As one, Avid, was thankfully excused from her earlier distraction to bring her attention back to the task at hand.

Give the King a present, talk about some shit while she and her comrades stood stiff for hours, then walk all the way back.

Dear sweetness why did she have to be a Earth mare?

"The ceremonial bringing of peace! For now we have not done this in forever." Dazzler droned on and on about peace and upkeep of the ritual of Harmony and yadda yadda-  All while Drama had approaches slowly with a velvet pillow lifted by a thick red aura, laying atop the pillow was a thin neck collar with a conglomerate of gems harvested from their royal rejection pile. But no one would ever tell the king that. But he could maybe tell by how many small, shard like shinies that covered the thick front plate with a picture of a peacock.

"...But I assure you that with this final meeting of the season, Winter shall bring us a wonderful time for all the borders to let down and have Harmony return as the past enforced!"

"Of course King Sekr!" 

Dazzler was sweating, figuratively of course. And all the guards had stopped whatever dispersing before and stared back at Dazzler. Somepony has to be left behind? Why weren't they told about this?

Avid then had the moment of realization before her comrades.

"M-Ma'am, are we staying longer?" why did she suddenly speak up? The older mare she despised turning back to the tiniest of the group. Almost smiling. She didn't like that.

"No no dear Avid.. you are staying within King's Sekr until further." 

"Wha-" Despite wanting to speak out, Dazzler trotted hastily over Avid. Whispering, sweating. 

"Please Avid... You know 'they' didn't want to do this.. but know I ask you. Not as foe, but as friend..." the ambassador whirled back to Sekr. Giving him a quick, and strict bow. "Forgive me my king, but it appears my dear.. friend had this event slip her mind. But no worries! She's all caught up now!"

"Sure, slipped..." Thank Luna again for the helmet.

The rest of the guard sighed, relief for being spared the thought of staying from their home any longer. They had family and friends to return to, Avid didn't. Hell, even snotty, unbearable Dazzler had a precious little filly at home waiting for her mom to return.
They all fell into the usual, gossiping about this new event and ones of old. All while Drama and Dazzler gave her a silent farewell. 

Behind her back.

Very quietly.

And the shetland mare from ruins of the Crystal Empire stood there cringing under her helmet.

Oh crap oh crap- the King is right in front of me. Speak! Speak damn you!

"u-Ahm-" way to go. Very good Avid, you just made the stupidest sound in the world. In front of King Sekr.

Wonderful.

"I-I'm am. But I am also neutral about this, my King." Avid had bowed to him, trying to at most keep her calm around being near the Ruler of Honesty. But as her head tipped below her chest, the helmet decided that it stayed on her long enough. It tilted and stopped pressing against her nose and caused her to jump up in embarrassment as the head piece clattered on the floor. Her lingering comrades again gasping for show and shock.

"I-I'm so-!!" sorry. Good dear heavens why was she picked for this?? Heck, why did Dazzler single her out!?

Her chocolate hair was frizzy and curled crazily from the sweat that dried uncomfortably atop her pelt, hanging loose from a undone hair band. Her scared expression shared by a bright orange left eye and a minty green left eye.

She's dead. She can feel Dazzler's anger from way behind her.

"I'm so sorry." she grew withdrawn. "I-I am so sorry, my King." in attempt to keep any more of her dignity from withering away, she quickly blinked her eyes to hold the sudden onslaught of tears collecting in the corner.

She accepted her helmet, bowing again for apology and clipped her helmet to the side of her suit to avoid future accidents. Avid then looked back to the two higher mares. Dazzler looking about ready to burst open like a party popper and Drama Queen was agape with the King's choice to ignore the fumble.

They shared a small swap of words. 

Dazzler basically glared at Avid Sketch with "Don't mess this up you little shit."
Drama stared on though. Right past Avid, to the King, taking unneeded blinks. 

Then, with a sly smirk, Drama leaned over to Dazzler and whispered:

"... They're gonna fuck." 
"DRAMA-" The two were quickly abandoned. Avid heard well what Drama Queen said and trotted off with a bigger blush than any smitten royalty.

Embarrassed in front of everypony? Check.
Fumbled in front of the King of Honesty? Check.
Shamed? Freaking put a giant check over her flushed face.

"My... Oh I'm.."

Farther and farther down the rabbit hole, I guess there's no need to lie though.

"I am a handmaiden. But one of many, besides that I am a training warrior and Sentry."

The hallways dizzied and twirled in sandy textures, the loss of depth in dark corridors...  Was there more to be expected in this new home? Was it like her adopted home of Manehatten, laden of stuffy paths and dangerous turns? 

Or was this new? A vast map of dust and.. dust??

"... And you dear friend?"

Now?

"Now?"

Yeah like she said, Avid wasn't a dancer. Even out of suit this little mare had the same talents as a moldy log. Well-

If a log could draw crappy dress designs.

"I-I don't think I am at a high enough status to even dare hold your hoof. M-my King.." was her blush gone now? Well now it returned. A more somber shade than earlier, and her ears flicked, nervous. 

But orders (if they even were) made her hoofs act, slowly approaching King Sekr with a growing sway.  "If this is what you wish...?"

A rush of warmth flooded her, threatening to make her coat sweat again. Oh dear Luna, rulers really did get the best.

"If that is what you wish of me. Then I will stay abode near you.."

She passed a glance to Frith, underneath her anger swelled. But it had to die down, the snakey snake was only doing their job. She'd do the same thing if another Element member was so close to her Ruler.

Infact she didn't even know her ruler. Odd right? But she was a hand maiden for the most part...

"Is there a schedule I must be aware of or shall I try to continue with any training your guards are doing?"  

"Quite well my King."

She curtly nodded, mane engulfing half of her face with the odd mint eye. Silent, sweating.

There never was supposed to be a swap. But low and behold the mare before the stallion of Honesty. Right now Avid was nothing but a lie.

"And then everything after that will be sorted.. understood my King."

Her lungs were sharp, pained. And her face glowed bright red on her pink fur.

"M-my-my-m' na-name-?" 

Neither had no reason to move, but by Tartarus was this mare ready to scream 'KISS ME KISS ME!!'

"My name! It's Sketch. Avidian Darling Sketch."