A few miles from the Badlands' edge stood a patchwork group of ponies. They milled around their camp, preparing themselves for the long night ahead. At the west end, two ponies discussed the plan.
"... We come in from the cliffs," explained a rosy mare, practically laying on the map. "It should be easy to walk down the side, as long as we watch our hooves."
The other pony, a brown Pegasus stallion, was sitting beside her. "Alright, shouldn't be a problem, 'less somepony falls off. Ah'll be ready ta catch 'em though." Looking over at the rest of the group, Dusty added, "An' Ah want everypony ta have at least three bottles o' water on 'em at a time, cain't have nopony gettin' dehydrated here."
The mare smiled and nodded, pulling back into her seat. "Really? I'm thinking four, Dusty. The first source of water we'll get is the oasises... Oasisi... Oasi - Ah, never mind. Anyway, the changeling Hives are built on... Oh, for Luna's sake!" She facehoofed, regretting the fact she hadn't brought a dictionary. "Sorry 'bout that, hon. You get the gist."
Her friend smiled in sympathy, but the look vanished quickly. "By the way, have ya figured out which one we better avoid? Ah wanna make sure everypony gets through safe."
"Nopedy-nope." Her face turned to that all-too-familar grin. Having only known this mare for a couple of weeks, it was startling how quickly Dusty had learned to be wary of that smug face. "The Queens are pretty good at staying to themselves, especially Chrysalis. Well, usually. It'll be fine, though! You'll find Rosetta, they'll get an adventure, the team anyway, and I'll get some closure! That's a Cherry Fizz guarantee, darling."
Dusty sighed. Of course she had to say that. As she trotted over to address the crowd, he looked over her map again, the feeling of dread swelling in his throat. He almost didn't notice when she started speaking.
"Alright, everyone!" She stuck her hoof in the air, calling the camp to attention. "First off, I'd like to thank you all for joining our little band. Things could get pretty rough, but strength in numbers, huh? On that note, though, we should stay in groups of at least two throughout the trip. Once we reach the Hive, or Hives more accurately, we have to be alert. Well, don't look alert. Just be ready for anything.
"We'll stay here until the sun goes down, and when we get there the moon will be blocked by the canyon walls. That way, we can get to the top of the cliffs on our side before we're seen, unless they have sentries, which is unlikely since only one of the three we're visiting is so solitary.
"That being said, don't get cozy. We'll be climbing down the cliff when the sun comes up, and changelings don't like visitors. Everypony knows there are those who hate them, and every... 'Ling, I suppose, is used to being pushed too far. We need to be polite and considerate.
"Part of that is not saying 'every-' or 'anypony', or any other special designations. As I'm sure you've noticed, I say 'everyone'. That's what they use. Basic manners among changelings. Another note is not to ask for imitations. Some of them love to show off, of course, but it's not a common interest. It can be pretty offensive if you push it.
"That should be it, then. Make sure you're ready to move by nightfall, and above all, be ready for adventure!" Cherry's grin had only widened and she spoke, instilling an odd sense of fear in Dusty. She was too confident. Too cheerful.
He knew how much this meant to her, how much she'd learned about these people, but there was still going to be a target on their backs. She wasn't invincible, and she knew that. She knew this wasn't the same. So why was she so oblivious?
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Game will be starting on Sunday, August 9th. All AUs are permitted, as long as you can explain their reason for being here. I will still approve them personally, though, so please PM me for approval. Twelve slots are open, including three teams of two. These are still worth two slots. Please PM me the information on those, too, so I can personally approve them.
Me and Dusty will be technical leaders, thinking about strategy, paths, etc. However, social standings are completely decided in the game. I look forward to seeing some real heroes rise!
See you in the game!