Oxy

The light is back. It's the first thing you notice as you circle around the glass basket that has been left in the caves, as you circle around the herb box that you have been ordered not to touch. And as much as you love disobeying orders, you got a nasty case of colic last time you didn't listen. The work of the pink bitch, no doubt. You remind yourself to find her and thrash her sometime later. But for now you let the anger go, because there are no longer shadows flickering over the entrance to this god forsaken cavern. It is light- not just daytime, but healing time- and you exit the cavern in a thunderous clash of hooves.

It's never any question where you'll go. You don't look for the Lesbians, nor Snowflake, no the Phantom Seeker. You don't seek the Blue to harass or Lace Face for some other reason. You don't seek any of your crazies, any of your WAR companions, anyone who might have some knowledge of the circumstances that you do not. You run. Your hooves eat up ground with fervor, covering ground with a grace that you so rarely wear. But fret not, for you will lose all grace as soon as you make it to your destination.

Helovia is far and wide, the land stretches on for eternity just like your mind, and you often have to take breaks. Drafts are not meant to run, they are meant to amble, but your mind is begging for release and you can't resist the temptation any longer. So many days you thought of just leaving, of wandering into the shadows, of forgetting any oath you had taken, but something held you in place. Fear. Because when your mind is clear, it is afraid. But now that fear gives way. You are ready to be yourself again, to forget your history, your troubles, your nightmares. You will be free, just as soon as your mind is once again locked in a cage.

It seems like weeks, months, years, but eventually you make it. You smell the salt first, that unmistakeable stench of the ocean. And then you see the sands, those terrible grains that stick to everything and grind against your skin. You are exhausted, dehydrated, limbs growing weak beneath you, but you find another gear. You dig yours hooves into the ground, you throw your body forward, and you are galloping. Galloping to the end of the beach where you know your prize awaits you.

When finally you see them, you collapse into a heap on the ground, body tumbling into the weeds with all the care of an elephant in a china shop. You reach out, snatching them up, not one by one, but in huge mouthfuls. You hardly taste them as they pass over your lips and into your stomach, each one as precious to you as the air you breath, as the blood that pumps through your arteries and veins. They are yours and you are theirs. Locoweed. Your only queen.

And it doesn't take long, half an hour, perhaps, before you are really feeling their effects. But you don't even mind that you're headed on a runaway train to highville. You don't mind that you're about to be higher than you've ever been before in your life. Higher than when you were rolling around with Gaucho. Higher than when you were chasing after the alien woman with Man Spots on this very beach. You have no scale for how high you're going to be, what peak you're going to reach. But you don't give one care in the world. She's back in your life, and you're never letting her leave again.

Elsa’s been back and forth from the cave since the first light had arisen into the darkness. Although she resented being trapped like a bird beneath the stone tombs, the close quarters had offered comfort and even forced everyone to get along for a while. Not matter if it was a short time, everyone was at least able to collaborate to bring the light back.

Her wings expanded as she bounded out of the cave. In four long strides her body lifted into the air. White wings flapped in large gusts, the audible swooshing loud quiet obnoxious, even to the point that she was starting to get annoyed with it. Again you head northeast, but take a more east path this time. The secret grove was not someplace Elsa wanted to be right now. She moved over that familiar river, its babbling talk seemed to be beckoning her, but she wanted something different during Frostfall. Her mind wandered to places warm and sandy, but did such a place exist in Helovia? She had only discovered the Deep Forest and Secret Grove, but Helovia must have more land to offer.

A large, ancient sculpture caught her eye. It’s rustic, ancient, and grand beauty was an eye catcher. She stored in her memory that she would need to visit there someday. It reminded her of some of the ancient ruins back home, maybe they stored the same ideas, powers, and wishes of her own home.

The sand, the blue sea, everything she was looking for finally prickled along the horizon. The white caps of the waves beckoned her like a long lost friend to get lost among the blue waves. The only problem was, she had not landed in sand in a long, long, looooooong while. Her eyes widened as her window of landing opportunity dwindled. The sand was a landing strip that led to and end eventually. In a quick, awkward, tumultuous rush, she forced her body lower.

Of course she miscalculated! Her legs slammed into the sand with force, she squealed at the jolt, and her joints ached heavily from the impact. Sand sprayed all around her as she finally hit wet sand with a final, jolting stop. Her knees had dug painfully into the rough sand, and small, beached waves tumbled over her body. With a painful grunt, she got to her feet; head spinning a million miles a second. The sand had dug into her knees, and tiny droplets of blood, mixed with the harsh sand before gently dripping down her leg. This was not what she had in mind at all. Defeated, by sand, she moved deeper into the ocean. The waves crashed around her knees, the cool salty water stinging the wounds. It was all worth it, for the sand around her legs was mostly cleared away.

Moving back onto the soft sand, she groaned, annoyed by the tiny particulates of sand that ingrained themselves along her back and wings. The roughness clung to her mane, scratching her neck uncomfortably. To add a second mental note, she needed to learn to land in sand.

Quickly, she looked around to assess if anyone had taken notice of her failure as a Pegasus. It was one of the most embarrassing things she had ever done! How could she! She was taught to be perfection! To her dismay, another shape of horse formed not far from her. It was a familiar, large shape of a draft, unicorn…. Stallion. Oxy.

She rolled her eyes, how could she not remember? He had even promised her he was getting higher than a balloon when he got out. Elsa just hadn’t expected it to happen so quickly. Maybe she was wrong, maybe he was just out for a stroll, but she highly doubted it. Her disgusting, sandy figure moved closer, and a few more steps later she could make out a plant. She had never seen the drug he had used before, but she deduced that it was probably his friend. She snickered a little as she got closer, staying a few feet off, not sure how he would react. He was in the process of being not high, so what would the reintroduction of the plant do to him? "Oxy?" She said tentatively, eyeing the plants. "Are these the famous drugs?" A nod towards the plants signaled what she was talking about. Sure, she may be a virgin to the drug world, but at least she was learning right?

"Talking"

Elsa

Oxy

So... how high are you? Are you like... a little high? A lot high? Lets just say you're not on planet earth anymore, and you haven't exactly stopped eating the plants. Yeah, your rate of ingestion has slowed significantly, but you still find time to reach out and grab one every one and then, chew on it, savor the way the juices flow over your tongue and then slide down your throat. So anyways, your high. Like... on the moon. Which is weird, because you've always watched the moon at night, shining so bright in the sky, watching down on all of the earth while the sun sleeps, but you've never really wondered if you could actually make it up there- because you know can't. Except...

Clealy it is possible to make it up to the moon, because here you are, sitting on it, looking down at the earth and the beach. It's strange, because the moon is a lot closer- and smaller- than you thought it was. See, you're sitting on it, but it's hardly big enough to hold your excessively large ass. And the earth below you- it's still pretty big. Like- you could jump down from the moon and land softly on the beach, like a dancing fairy, or maybe like a pegasus or maybe like.... Snowflake? Ok- so maybe you don't hope you land like Snowflake, because what the hell just happened?

Somehow between Snowflake's landing and your confusion you ended up back on planet earth and not on the moon. Kind of unfortunate- you were having lots of fun. But you guess it's better to be back on earth, laying down in the sand and the mud, totally sideways, just doing what you do best. And damn. She saw you. But it could be worse- it could be the Blue or Tentacles. “Snowflakes falling down in Frostfall,” you stutter out in response to her question, breaking into a raucous round of rumbling and grumbling- your sort of laughter. See, you think you're quite funny, noting that Elsa fell from the sky and snow also falls from the sky. But maybe you're only funny to yourself. That's probably the more likely option.

So what are you thinking about anyway, besides the moon? Mostly nothing. You can kinda hear the splash of the waves behind you. It's a little comforting, but mostly it just makes you think of pretty boy. Guess you showed him, though, because somewhere between beating you up and the swamp getting taken over he kind of disappeared. Which is why you're general now. So anyways, what else? Um... you're thinking about sand. It is nice to get dirty again. And... well, no, that's about it. Your mind is totally empty and you can't see a damn thing straight to save your life.

“Listen Snowflake,” you start, still laughing a little, but mostly just slurring your words. “Stop the summersaults.” Good work. Now she knows your deepest secrets and you're acting like an idiot. It's the plants- eat too many and they make your eyesight go a little... fuzzy. Take a lot of them and you guess it makes the world spin, because Snowflake doesn't look like she's been standing still since she's got here. Better close your eyes, just to be safe. You wouldn't want the whole world to tip sideways and dump you in the ocean.

@[Elsa]- If anything in here is confusing, let me know, but basically Oxy is hallucinating a lot.

My clearly malnourished body creaks and groans under the little weight that I have been able to keep on, patches of my thick fur rubbed off and nearly showing the dark skin beneath. For what seems like years, I have been up here all alone, shaky and cold, too scared to run for home again. Those things.. Those repulsing, dripping, falling apart THINGS! My hide along my ribs quivers at the thought of the real life zombies. One of them spotted me one day, clearly saw me even though there were no eyes in the empty skull. It watched me, and I stood perfectly still; well, as still as I could while having what felt like a heart attack. I remember so clearly: that stench that kind of just came and went with the rotting body, the literally empty stare, the amazing amount of clearly exposed bone and tendon and green/grey muscle that was no longer protected by skin and fur. But what did it do? It collapsed. It fell apart right in front of me, dying all over again - if it was in fact a zombie. The mixture of blood and puss that ran from it's failing, thrashing, convulsing body was enough to make my stomach want to jump out of my belly.

But now, I haven't seen hide nor hair of the beasts, and the lingering smoke and darkness and well, smog I guess, has faded out and filtered away as if pulled from the sky. I remember seeing fire, watching it roar along the ground as if on a mission. As if someone had been directing it. So with a newly found courage and will to live, my stomach cries at me in misery, and I make my way to the nearest escape from my deep cave that I had found in the destroyed forests. The sand below my once neatly kept hooves gives away under still heavy feet; shifty eyes scan the sand bar as I move along weakly, nostrils drawing in deep breaths and finding nothing but salty air.. Or is that? That's life! That's another horse! Never before have I been this excited and scared at the same time. That's a lie, there's been moments just as wild, but only once.. I cannot think about that.

My long legs that now look unporportionate to the rest of my body reach out in long strides, a slow canter carrying me toward a winged one and a huge mass of brown on the earth. Before I even am able to reach the two, I can faintly smell blood, but the overwhelming scent of live beings is enough for my mind to feel as if it's about to explode. Tears break a wet dam in the corners of my eyes, the hot liquid running down dark cheeks in rivers. "You're real! Real and alive!" I feel as if I've screamed at the duo, but I do not care at this point. Warm, pulsing life is standing right in front of me.

I skid to a halt, hoping to become diagonal with the mare and facing the stallion that lumps in the flowers. FLOWERS?! "Oxy!" I yell, my voice cracking from underuse, tears flowing steadily. My violet eyes turn to the Pegasus, lacey snout following to take in all of her life. A smile tears dry lips apart from one another, a manic laugh erupting from my chest. A swift step is taken toward the mare -if she is in fact still standing where she had been at my arrival- and I attempt to reach my face around her, almost hugging her neck with my own. This glorious stranger whom I am dearly in love with already. The tears pour from my scared eyes, dripping to the sandy bar in large droplets.

Tagged: @[Elsa] and @[Oxy]
"Speak." Walk walk

Between his first words, and his rumbling sort of laugh, Elsa was in a fit of laughter. He had answered her question in the most roundabout, yet obvious way. Yet, his play on words had been quite clever. At least he wasn’t sad anymore. Elsa was happy to see that. He’d even transitioned from calling her porcelain to snowflake. If there was one thing she wished for, it was for him to be happy, even if it was the worlds most faked happiness; it was better than where they had been not long ago in the cave. He seemed to be a little… high. No, she took that back, he was higher than a kite. She supposed that this must be what it was like to get high after “remission”.

He suddenly is then slurring his words again, as he spoke to her to stop moving. She couldn’t help but repress some of her laughter, because he seemed dead serious. Elsa had been as still as a statue since she had been here, with the exception of a slight flutter of her wings. As she was about to reassure him she had been completely still the entire time, an unfamiliar mare was upon them.

She stood mostly in front of Oxy, and then was suddenly screaming his name. Tears flowing from her face like she was upon a long lost friend… or maybe lover? Elsa couldn’t help but feel a tinge of jealousy. Suddenly she was facing Elsa, her nose extended, as she seemed to be taking in her very scent. And then…

The mare’s neck was practically wrapped around Elsa. She didn’t shy away, but she certainly was a bit uncomfortable. She didn’t understand why, unless… thoughts of romance came flooding back, and maybe… maybe she was a lesbian. Elsa’s eyes widened but still said nothing. I mean, technically she shouldn’t even be worried anyways. Mares don’t just hop on the first mare they see if they swing the other way right? As she pulled back, Elsa got a better look at the horned mare’s body. She too had two protruding horns like Oxy, except instead of facing forward hers curved into the air like mystical daggers. She was much shorter than Oxy, and a tad shorter than Elsa, and looked to be a little sickly. A lacy marking ran down the length of her face, and her eyes were framed by curious looking dots.

Elsa wondered where she had come from, and why she was happy to see “real” horses. She coughed a moment, not sure what was going down. Between Elsa being (somewhat) normal, this unicorn mare being kind of crazy, and Oxy being high as a mountain, this was sure to be an interesting conversation. "Erm, Elsa." She muttered to the mare, sidestepping a little to allow more room between herself and the two of them. "Are you okay?" She questioned, actually slightly worried about the mental and physical state of the mare.

@[Oxy] and @[Agrona]
"Talking"

Elsa

Oxy

So something is happening. Either Snowflake is magic, there is a giant stomping around, or someone else is approaching. If you had to guess, like had to guess, right now, you'd pick giant. See, after being on the moon, everything seems a little, a lot, more possible. And you guess that having a giant around really wouldn't be all that bad. As long as it's not out to stomp on you or some crazy shit like that. Then you might have a problem. Based on the fact that you probably couldn't walk if your life depended on it- even if there was a giant about to stomp on you. High horse problems. You have them.

But, as usual, it turns out you were wrong. Your prediction of giants roaming that land are proven false when a particularly memorable voice breaks the silence you had literally just managed to achieve. Freaking Lace Face. An overly annoyed groan rumbles forth from your body (really, it's the way you show tolerance, you promise) as you roll your head back to try and find the source of her voice. Surely if her voice is here she has to be here too. Ding ding. At least you're right this time. Attached to the voice is one very skinny, very crying, Lace Face. “Pull it together, Lace Face,” you call out from the ground, probably a little louder than you needed to. Your mind is still on giants and well... when you're talking to giants you have to talk loud, right? Since their so far away?

But obviously your directions don't help because all that she manages to do is maul Snowflake, which just makes you laugh anew, also causing you to miss Snowflake's declaration of her name. Again. Guess you'll never know it. She'll be Snowflake forever. Better for you, easier to remember. Bad for her, she'll never have a real name. Oh well. You're bigger. You get to do what you want. Draft horse logic. Very sound.

But, since this seems to be some sort of weird, happy, family reunion, you decide to just go ahead and kind of roll up on your legs. It takes a great effort, and you very nearly topple back over to the other side, but eventually you manage to get your shit together and you end up facing them, on the ground but at least sitting up, while periodically reaching down to ingest another locoweed or two or seven. Or however many end up in your mouth. “You need medication!” you call out to Lace Face, assuming she's still crying, you never actually checked to see. Whoops. But then you just start laughing and end up falling right back over onto your side. It's funny, see, because you're lying right in the middle of a bunch of drug plants. Right? Get it? No? Ok, not so funny. Whatever. You think it's funny and you're sure as hell gonna laugh your ass off about it.

And when you're done laughing, you decide if there's gonna be a part everyone may as well be involved. “You too Snowflake. Everyone needs to lighten the fuck up.” A rare offer of sharing. Now you know you're high.

@[Elsa], @[Agrona]- Nev do you want to be tagged every time? No need to tag me, thanks guys!

Oxy was high, Ag-something was crying (Elsa decided to stick with Lace Face, for that’s what Oxy was calling her), and Elsa now had no idea what the fuck was going on. Her eyes were wide as Oxy than began to offer up his weed, she took a step back, not quite sure what to do and letting Lace Face decide. She, out of all of them, was the unstable one right now.

Then, in the quickest manner, Lace Face dove her head into the flower-drugs. She chewed on them for a few moments, and continued to pull out more of the flowers before she decided she would be quite high. Then she suddenly starts freaking out about almost being high. Elsa, in all of this, was still completely shocked. Should she get stoned? Should she actually trust Oxy on this? Elsa moved closer to Oxy and his plants, lowering her head carefully. Her eyes then looked to the two of them before she actually opened her mouth to take them in. She chewed a small part of the plant first, and the taste was actually quite fine. It beat the sparse grasses that existed, and the moss that had been in the caves.

She consumed one, then a second, and then a third plant. All her thoughts were thrown to the wind, for what could actually happen? It was just a plant, surely it didn’t have that bad of an effect on everyone, and maybe Oxy was just oversensitive to them. She lifted her head after being satisfied, and her ears switched on her head. Everything began to look so irritating to her, Oxy looked sharp, and Lace Face looked sharp, everything looked so sharp. Just looking around made her eyes hurt she shut them and wavered back and forth a little bit, anger stirring within her. Why did everything hurt to look at?! "Oxy what the hell did you give me?!" She grumbled, stumbling backwards away from the group, attempting to bury her head into her wing. And she wasn't even close to how high she would be.

"Talking"

Elsa

Oxy

You must be reasonably convincing because you suddenly have two very confused friends. Not that you're aware of their confusion. You're mostly aware of how awesome- how utterly amazing- it is that you get to be high again. You knew you missed it, you knew detox was the hardest thing that's ever happened to you, but something about this locoweed is so much better than it ever was before. So while Lace Face is wandering over, you realize that you need to fill your bag too, and start ruthlessly stuffing the flowers into the bag, your boggart making you feel her frustration as she wisps out of where she had settled.

The voice of Lace Face, did she eat too much, is what finally distracts you from your progress and you turn your head to her and just start laughing and laughing and laughing. And then, because the whole world is spinning and nothing makes sense anyways, you just burst out. “What the hell is your name anyway?” Do you even care, will you even remember? The answer to both of those questions I probably no, but you're feeling particularly amiable right now. It must be the joy of the darkness finally being gone. You can't remember being this happy since.... forever.

And then, since you're a bad influence, Elsa decides to follow your advice as well, joining in on the weird little party you've inexplicably started. Good thing there's grass here too, you're gonna need to eat some real food at some point. Except Elsa doesn't seem to be taking it so well. Damn it. You knew you shouldn't have shared. “I didn't give you anything, Snowflake, you took it yourself,” you kind of snap at her, but not too mean. After all, she's still your friend. Kind of. Not that you'd tell anyone that if they ask. And then you find some nicer words, just to make sure she doesn't decide to run off and cry or anything like that. “You'll be fine.” Except maybe she won't, because she's upside down again. Or maybe you're upside down? Yeah, definitely the second one.

“You two need to put me upright,” you kind of chuckle as you toss your head about a few times. Except you probably sound crazy because you are upright. Oh well. If they know you at all, they'll know there's something wrong with your head anyways.

@[Elsa] @[Agrona]

Everything was getting so loud and bright now. She cringed, reaching her left wing to cover her face in attempts to hide from the sun and the sound. Oxy Face... or was it Oxy... seemed to be screaming at Lacey who was named Agrona apparently. She would never remember that in this state. She grumbled and quickly moved her face from under her wing to glare at the two. "Stop screaming! You're all so loud!" She whispered softly, burying her head back in her feathers. Elsa's body wavered back in forth slightly... wait, was her name even Elsa. Was she snowflake? Hot damn, everyone was starting to even look the same. Her eyes peeked out to Agrona, who now looked oddly bay and lumpy, like Oxy was trapped inside... and Oxy looked like an over-emaciated antelope with a largely disproportionate head. Her eyes widened as she tried to shove her head further underneath her wing.

Oxy chastised her for trying this herself, and honestly Elsa didn't care. He offered, so it was his fault right? She could think of no witty comment, and in return grumbled something along the lines of shutting up and being quiet. Then that's when things go real loud... again Oxy Face was saying he needed to be upright and then someone plopped down. Elsa looked up to see Lacey next to Oxy. Elsa's eyes narrowed. Nuh huh. Elsa would be lying if she said she didn't have a tad preference for Oxy, but she would never admit that in normal circumstances... ever. But these circumstances were a little different. Elsa grumbled, and passive aggressively forced herself down on the opposite side of Oxy. "I'm the snowflake." She shot towards the Lacey deer, she was the one and only snowflake. "God I hate everyone." Elsa then mumbled, forcing her head into the sand like an ostrich. Apparently getting Elsa high meant that she was grumpy than Oscar the grouch. She then repeatedly tried to smash her nose and face into the sand. "Why can't I hide my face?" She wailed. "I'm a snowflake! Aren't I supposed to like go away into the ground or something?" She whined, again attempting to thrust her head into the sand. Why was being a snowflake so damn hard?

"Talking"

Elsa

Oxy

Are you fucking kidding me? Nope. You want to say it, want to throw it out there- nope, nope, nope. But you can't. Your mouth won't make the words, your muscles can't find the strength, and so you just say nothing. Not that it matters, Lace Face reveals her name despite her apparent protests, giving you the pleasure of knowing you can both make her mad and make her do what you want at the same time. It's an excellent talent, really, and you're certainly not going to let it go to waste. If you can remember you have it, once you come down from this tremendously fantastic high you are on right now.

What you actually might remember is the way Snowflake seems to tuck her face away under her wing and whisper out at you from underneath. It's about the funniest thing you've ever seen- or at least you think it is right now. A few chuckles broadcast this to the world before you quiet down.

Anyways, you must not be too bad, because Lace Face actually decides to come closer to you instead of farther away. Excellent! Maybe she'll turn you upright. Upside down is kind of weird. Except she doesn't, she just sort of slides down next to you. Good enough. You just sort of lean over, trying to use her as a body rest. Or you try to. You don't get too far because you've suddenly (and strangely) become a lady's man. Snowflake is on your other side and now you've got too very fuzzy, very warm body rests. Perfect. And they better enjoy it. This is perhaps the first and the last time that you will allow either of them to willingly touch you.

“You don't hate anyone,” you offer as a retort to Snowflake, shaking your head. She doesn't know the first thing about hating anyone, as far as you're concerned. Not that you know much about her life. You never did bother to ask. “Everyone shutup,” you decide on finally as you lower your head to the ground, trying to ignore Snowflake's flailing and wailing. Being high is hard work. You might just need a nap. To try and test the waters, you close your eyes, wondering how long you'll get some peace and quiet before somebody starts shouting again. Whose idea was it to let them get high anyway?

@[Elsa], @[Agrona]- Back from my Symposium, sorry for the wait guys!

Somewhere along the line, Elsa hears a mew come from Agrona, but it resonates like a megaphone in a stadium. Elsa grumbles, finally gives up, shoving her muzzle about 3 inches into the sand. She inhales a breath, and grains of sand tickle her throat. A wheezing cough escapes her lungs but it sounds like the look of a psychedelic swirl. As the wheezing dies down, Elsa begins to laugh before lying the left side of her face against the sand.

Oxys voice booms next to her, sounding even louder than Agronas. "You don't hate anyone" he says. Elsa just rumbles a sort of growl in disagreement. He had no idea how much she hated some of them. Those back home anyway. He then proceeds to tell everyone to shut up. Irrational, mad, angry tears speckle her eyes before falling. "You no tell me what to do." Elsa says, tears and pain filling her voice. It really, honestly, was the most irrational time to cry. Her body heaved as she found her feet, stumbling forwards and backwards many a time. "And you can't make me. I would fit you." Her words and grammar were starting to take a bad turn. "Make me shutup Oxy." She glared at him, as Agrona got to her feet too. "Where ya going Lacey?" She called after her, in a creepy ass voice. Elsa conspicuously nodded from Lace to Oxy, making sure she got the picture. If she got attacked, She needed Lacey to back her up. There was no way in this state she could take him, should he decide to get angry. He'd beat her before, and he was probably even more on his game when he was higher than a kite.

"Talking"

Elsa