Things that go bump in the... day? (Back in Manehattan)

[Deleted]

Calculations were the core of Lightning's manners. He was careful, thoughtful and anything he did was after a great deal of planning. Though more often than not those plans burned to ash at his hooves. He pulled his head back giving the Nightmare a peculiar look. He really despised that nickname, but at the same time Tarnished was perhaps the only one who was not looked to vindictively when it was heralded. Now Lightning could be rather -- dangerous. His quiet, calculating nature sometimes slipped into a dubious state of sociopathy that left two ponies, specifically his own parents, dead when they had come to threatened his pregnant mate. A switch had turned on, and off, with a suspect amount of ease. But -- even still the action had been highly calculated and planned out. It could be suspected that he practiced. All creepiness aside, of such a day, Light did seem remorseful for the whole escapade.

"An idea?" He did not sound as delighted as Tarnished,

He never did though. Tarnished's ideas usually ended up with them in trouble, him in trouble, or in pain. Or all of the above. He usually tried to spend his time reading, ignoring Tarnished's inane protests of unfairness in the world. Yes well we can talk when you were nearly executed for being born. Harumph! Though that wasn't their fault. He sighed.

"What is... your idea?" Why did he feel as if he wouldn't like it? Well that was normal with him, he supposed.

[Bygone]

The dark unicorn opened the book and searched for the particular text that he remembered going through. "Well... What if I were to give you some of my..." he drifted and looked thoughtful. "Independence? Backbone? Balls?" he'd say, the last one being slightly mocking. "The last one would be difficult considering this body lacks any." he growled and scuffed a hoof. "Now! I take some of what makes me 'me' and give it to you. Instant backbone!" he clapped his fore-hooves together dramatically.

Some side effects may occur~

"You won't feel quite so burdened by everything..." he was appealing to the pegasus's nature; at least what he remembered. How much did he know of the pegasus before him? "Think of how it would be ~ not having to worry about everything..." That delightfully sexy evil voice (T~tm) of his crooned almost seductively.

[Deleted]

The pegasus took a moment to look over the strange collection of books. These were not things the nightmare should have, for obvious reasons. Folding back his ears He would tilt his head Raising a hoof he laid it on one of the books, moving it aside. These titles were nonsense -- but all magic was nonsense to him. He hardly observed the value of even basic weather magic. He had -- using it was not suing he could do on a whim. He still remembered the times in flight education -- it was difficult. For him there was a sense of impossibility. It was a bind to failure, really. Shifting his weight he looked back toward the unicorn and say. His wings loosened on his back as he relaxed. He made a face as Tarnished went through his lines. A wing came up to remove the scratched up monocle. Independence? Please you were anchored in a body wit ha split soul. Pretty sure any backbone you had -- was stolen! And yes well-- the latter he lacked. He snorted, trying not to be a snarky ass.

He scrunched up his face. "I do not think one could just magically magic backbone." He really did not have faith in magic.

Tarnished seemed to enjoy hearing himself talk. But he would not admit to liking it as well. It was -- rich. That aside. "What do you mean no more burdens or worries?" Okay so he was hooked, intrigued in the idea of -- being a little less cramped in the stomach.

Constantly.

[Bygone]

Tarnished's grin widened as the last bit seemed to catch the pegasus's attention. No more burdens and worries, such a thing would latch onto the pegasus. "Well.. If I put a bit of me into you... I don't give a damn so there is a very real possibility you won't as well!"

That logic was rather twisted in a sense. And depending on the context... HAH!

Alas the dark unicorn looked through that book and then another. He let all of the comments slide off. "It isn't a literal backbone you silly creature." he finally commented and raised an eyebrow. "As morbid and amusing as that would be, it is only figurative. I don't give a damn about appearance and I won't let anypony mess with me. You might just... care a lot less what everypony thinks of you. You could relax." devils advocate here....

[Deleted]

There was a real pleasure in the idea that he did not need to have worries, be constantly sick. He never shared with the others the constant stomach pains he suffered form his bitter worry. Waking with the taste of blood in his muzzle was not uncommon, but it was uncommon enough for Dusk to be unaware. He was very clean so gave his muzzle a good wash in the mornings. His stomach was a grave of ulcers that were often easily blistered if he ate something a bit too decadent. His eyes turned toward the unicorn mage as his gaze had drifted a moment to consider the words spoken. It was like consuming a steady stream of fire that only occasionally ebbed. Those were moments when he sat his large body down or laid. It was only when he was totally relaxed around them. The way the mage worded that seemed -- strange. They did not literally mean cutting bits of themselves -- and putting them in Light, right? Ew. He really did not understand magic...

"Well" Good because whoa. "I suppose...if it is only figuratively. Have you done magic as this before?" They looked the nightmare up and down. "But you are pleasant looking." He offered wit ha frown. He did not see himself as -- anything pleasant. "Who would disturb you though? You are strong as well." It seemed to not make much sense of the compare. Tarnished had things. But to care less, relax? "Are these positive traits?" Could this really help him? "Are...you sure you know what you are doing?" Never a question to ask a mad pony.

[Bygone]

Tarnished gaze upon the pony and the smile softened just a bit. But just as fast a facade slipped over his face. "I have." he'd say... That was a lie. He'd never tried something like this before. Well.. Actually similar somethings yes, but... implanting his magic into critters was different than imprinting part of himself into Lightning!

On the other hoof the nightmare was taken quite off guard at being referred to as pleasant looking. That elicited a well-earned blush from the nightmare before he managed get a hold of himself again.

"Many ponies, Light.... Nightmares aren't well loved." he fell quiet and his expression turned somewhat grim. "They might not be positive to the extent that I have them, but you are going to put yourself in an early grave if you can't stand up for yourself. And that is unacceptable." Hopefully Light would get a fighting spirit to!

The nightmare hesitated. "I do." he lied again... His horn lit up with magic as he began to weave the spells and closed his eyes. The magic he was using would wrap around Light's head in a gentle foggy blanket. The 'soothing' magic put him into a stupor as the magic worked. Little tidbits from Tarnished's soul were shaved off and grafted onto Light! Poor pegasus was going to be corrupted but hopefully he'd be better for it?

How did that even work?

What would have felt like moments was almost half an hour for the unicorn. The spell lifted though and the Nightmare looked on curious. "You still living there, Light?"

[Deleted]

Tilted his head as he say there on his rum, hind legs splayed slightly and forehooves rest between his haunches. His turmeric brown belly would abruptly mar off on black, the speckles of his underside breaking up that solid ebony color. He never found his speckles pleasant looking, but he did always find Gleamished pleasant. And Dusk and Yuna... they were all rather lovely with their colors and markings. A unique set. he was loud and just obnoxious in his very existence. He sighed deeply, head lowering as his body heaved. It was not something he could comprehend.

"Well you are my only experience with Nightmares, and the only Nightmare I know so I, rightly, cannot say I have met any unpleasant ones." Seeing as he did not even dream. He had no reason to fear Tarnished aside from their inane plots and schemes. He looked to the nightmare and folded his ears back. The magic that was produced soon after he agreed made him a little uneasy. He squeezed his eyes closed when the strange... magic pushed into his body. Magic? No like somepony... was in his body....

Weird.

After a moment he opened his eyes and looked up. He did not -- feel dead. "I live." He seemed shocked by that. "Are you sure...?" He wondered. He raised a hoof to his chest and brushed at his tabard. After a moment he removed the cloths and pushed to stand, walking toward a mirror. He examined himself for a bit. The pegasus would spread his wings and gaze upon his majesty. nothing changed though. He looked the same. He would have thunk... "Hmm.." He murmured. He tilted his head and looked back at Tarnished. "I don't know. I do not look different." But it was how one acted that would have changed, right? How would the Nightmare even test that?

[Bygone]

Tarnished gazed across at the pegasus an looked rather unsure for a moment. "Actually, I'm rather unsure how to test it. I'm not exactly comfortable throwing you into a perilous situation without knowing if it worked." he'd say with a bit of a thoughtful look that was laced with concern. "If you would have physically changed well... that would probably have meant I botched it. But... everything looks fine." He was just as surprised. That much was obvious.

"I suppose we'll just have to see if you fold like a wet paper bag when face with confrontation." he teased with a sharp grin. "Perhaps I should go into mind healing if this works.... Never tried the spell to this extent and it seems to have worked!

[Deleted]

He folded his wings back and turned fully to face the mage. "Honestly there are times when I worry for my well being with your schemes ahoof." He noted moving to walk toward the Nightmare, of whom his size was without contest too. He was a full grown horse after all. "I can say though -- you did not some how transmute me into a toad. Or worse ...a toadstool."

He wrinkled his nose and moved to press it against the Nightmare's before pricking his ears. It was a soft touch, teasing in a sense. He did accost the mage much, but he did not want the unicorn to hate him... He supposed, much of the time, he was only looking for acceptance in a world where he knew nothing but denial. Was he really so -- distraught that he needed to change? He did not feel different, but he did feel something there. There had been no side effects. No growing mushrooms out of his ears or growing a fetishized obsession with cake. All was where it was before. He would prefer not being hurled into any sort of danger. Though the thought made him snort.

"According to you, you are the most dangerous thing here." He canted his head, his monocle having been put aside due to the scratches making it useless for seeing from his bad eye.

That was also something he kept to himself... why that eye was generally worse than his other. He looked over the Nightmare and snorted.

"You protest to being soft and gentle, but physically is that not what you are? And a lovely specimen too. I contest your direct, derelict distaste for well doing when you are so... soft." He moved his muzzle in to boop the Nightmare's snooter. Was he challenging Tarnished?

Somehow.

[Bygone]

Tarnished's brow raised as the pegasus folded his wings and turned to face him. The subject seemed to act just a little more aloof and.. well, perhaps something akin to when they met? NO... this was playful! (at least he thought so)

The press of noses resulted in the nightmare giving a soft sneeze, but the next statement caused him to let out a bit of a chuckle. "According to me I am?... Nightmares are portrayed as vicious monsters hell-bent on corrupting others or imposing their will upon the weaker." he'd say in a bit of a coo-like voice. Both the halves of the unicorn oft wondered why Light wore the monocle. It just seemed so... they didn't rightly know.

And then the pegasus moved right on in and declared that he was a lovely specimen and.. that even though he protested being soft and gentle he physically was so. He totally failed the composure roll and blushed a bright red through his dark fur. "I am n-not soft." he'd say with a bit of a sniff as he tried to save some face. Actually this mare body of his was elegant under the robe... A rather good-looking specimen he was.

Alas Tarnished was torn. He wanted to shut down this line of thought but on the other hoof he was curious what Light would do next.

[Deleted]

Thought on Tarnished's words. "You're not much of a scholarly authority. I have been trained to observe and regard rituals and other matters involving a pony's culture with a biased eye. You are overly critical of yourself." Said the Sands damned pot to the kettle, in such a regard.

He leaned his head back when the Nightmare had sneezed so he was looking down at the unicorn mage. His brow arched as he chuckled. It was funny how the Nightmare thought he was -- hell bent on anything but being as lazy and destructive as possible. "Well, from my experience you seem more inclined for destruction than corruption, which is fare different than what you have just told me. A monster would infer you are an imposing creature beyond natural regards, but have you not said yourself your cult worshipped a nightmare?" Than it was a normality, far from a monster!

He flicked his tail at the unicorn's dismissal of his words. He had not a chance to observe as such, in fact. The softness of the Nightmare. The pegasus pressed his hoof to his chin. "Well we shall observe this. All theories must be properly tested and data collected." Normally he would not want to intrude ion such, ask others to allow him to observe, learn -- the only time he did was when Dusk had lured him into a most sensuous trap which he was totally okay with.