trans_9 | Meat n' Greet

Entry tags:

Meat n' Greet

The rest of the crew assembled on the Observation Deck to meet the latest editions to their numbers. After the revelation that their worlds are gone, many of them are even more eager to see people they knew from home.

Several people are set up near the doors to provide the new people with omnicoms and comm rings. They are also told they must read information about their current situation and a survival guide with their new omnicom. New crew-mates might see a tall dragonish guy with wings (but don't call him that) and purple girl among their number. There are also several authoritative-looking figures ready to introduce themselves.

There's a lot to tell the new people. It's going to be a lot to take in.

[ooc: Only new characters and Command Staff can start new threads for introductions, to limit the number of threads. Everyone else, just tag in and have your guys greet the newbies.]

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Cedric had started to feel better at last, but that nagging little headache didn't seem to want to go away. It was hard to accept, this war business. It was nice to have some sort of existence afterward at all, he supposed, but he was the one who was meant to fight for his world? The one he'd just left?

He was quite startled out of his train of thought when a vivid and beautiful flowing mane came into his line of sight. Looking up revealed that it belonged to a horse---no, unicorn---but did unicorns have wings? The ones he'd seen in Care of Magical Creatures lessons hadn't. That was new. He supposed Professor Hagrid might've been more interested in this one than the simple, safe unicorns of the forest!

She talked! And was talking to him. It took him a moment or two to sort his head before he answered, looking sheepish. "I'm sorry. It's just. Well. Not what I expected dying to be like. But I'll be alright."

Who would've killed this beautiful creature? Someone after the miraculous properties of unicorn blood despite the curse that fell upon the killer, no doubt, but Cedric strongly disapproved. How could they do that to her, after what they'd seen? He wondered about the crown as well, but one step at a time.

"Dying?" Celestia asked, startled. Oh dear, the poor creature thought he had died? She felt a pang of sympathy for him - he must have indeed come from difficult times, if he had mistaken this place for the afterlife.

"You have been through much, as have we all - but I assure you, you are alive," she said gently.

Cedric could hardly believe it. More and more people kept saying that, but it just didn't make sense to him. How could that be?

"I can't be. Last thing I remember is having the killing curse cast on me. No one survives that."

Unless they're Harry Potter, but Harry's...special in ways no one really understands.

"I am so sorry," Celestia said, solemn. She had not heard of any magic that could kill instantly, but the young creature's meaning had been clear. Such magic could not be anything less than unthinkable. "But we are all refugees here on this mysterious ship, rescued before our worlds were destroyed by the Ohm. It must be that Stacy saved you before you could be affected by the curse."

Although the knowledge that at least one crew member had been rescued moments from death was...troubling, to the Princess. Until now she had moving forward, with the goal of Equestria and all their worlds restoration. But when that time came, what would happen to this young creature?

"That light," Cedric remembered to himself. The green light. Professor Moody had showed them that the curse was green, but it had been rather bright. Maybe it was just the dark surroundings of the graveyard, or maybe something intervened. But why couldn't he remember?

"That's odd. I can't remember anything. Something like that would stick in my mind, wouldn't it."

"We all wake up unable to remember. The memories we have of our world's destruction are traumatic, and so the ship blocks those memories from us so that we will not be disturbed by them. If you wish, you may ask Stacy to have those memories returned to you. But I must warn you: those memories will be difficult to experience, and they would pain you greatly."

She had asked for the return of her own memories, naturally. As Princess, it was her duty to know how she had failed Equestria, and to witness its passing.

In her long life, she had experienced nothing more painful than witnessing the destruction of her home.

Cedric bit his lip. The knowledge hurt already, but all of this uncertainty was eating at him more. It wasn't an option to ignore it.

"I have to know. Not knowing is what's given me this headache in the first place." He raked a hand through his hair, then straightened. Judging by the crown, he was in the presence of unicorn royalty.

"So the world's gone, but what happened to the people?"

Celestia bowed her head. She could certainly understand that, although she suspected that knowing would not make it any easier for the young creature. "If that is what you wish, them you must ask the ship to reveal those memories too you when you are ready."

If the destruction of their worlds was a difficult topic, the question of what happened to their inhabitants was even more so. Celestia expression was grave, and tinged with sadness. "Some have been rescued - those people who stories have particular importance or significance in particular, and their friends and family. But I am sorry - I am afraid that many have been lost."

Cedric had only barely resolved to do just that when he froze. What? Only the important? What was that supposed to mean? What made a spare casually murdered more important than the dozens of young Hufflepuffs he herded through the common room every morning? Than all the wizards in their homes waiting for their children? The Muggles, who were no less valuable? Not to mention all the creatures, the culture, the information that was now lost.

His hair fell over his eyes. "Who decides who's more important than anyone else? That's just cruel."

He had no idea where in the web of supposedly important people he fell. His father could be dead. Cho, all those students, the professors. The only one he was sure would be alive was Harry Potter, important to all of their world as he was. Maybe Professor Dumbledore too. But everyone else was just cast aside.

"So that's what Stacy meant," he whispered in a dejected voice. "We're protectors of what's left."

"Not who is important - those whose stories are," Celestia correctly gently, although she understood the unfairness of it all. But as a leader, she also knew that difficult decisions had to me made. If all could not be saved, then there had to be some way to decide which ones would be saved, out of those that could. "But I am afraid I cannot tell you who decided which stories were more important that others."

It was all too easy for her to tell why Rarity, Applejack, and Pinkie Pie had been the ones to be rescued from Equestria - they were the bearers of the Elements of Harmony, and had restored Luna to her true self. And she herself were naturally an important figure, as Princess. But she nonetheless mourned for those of her subjects who stories were smaller, and who would have perished along with Equestria.

"Yes, we are," she said, her voice strengthening, and gaining the confidence and command of a ruler. "And we have an important duty. For while our worlds have been destroyed, all hope is not lost. If we can work together and defeat the Ohm, there is a chance that we may restore our homes. We must not lost hope."

Cedric understood that much. He hated it, hated all of this, but it was now reality. He would work within it as best he could.

The princess's last call to arms took a moment to work on him. Inside his head, he wondered what would happen if he did help restore Earth. He'd go right back to his death, right?

Still, the billions needed someone to stand up for them. As long as he was here and alive, he could do that. "I'll fight. Will we know when we have to go to battle?"

"The ship will call us to our missions. Not all will require fighting, but all will be important; and all will bring us one step further towards restoring harmony," Celestia said. "But for now, you need not think of battle. You have been through much - you need time to adjust, and settle in."

Then Celestia smiled, chuckling. "And I have been rather remiss - we have yet to introduce ourselves. I am Princess Celestia. I am most honoured to meet you, my dear creature."

"I will," Cedric promised. "I could use a rest---but not too long. There're probably some others who need help settling in."

Already thinking of others, as predictable as he was.

"I'm Cedric. Cedric Diggory. It's good to meet you, princess," he greeted, inclining his head. Was he meant to bow? He hadn't the faintest clue. If she seemed upset, he'd try that.

"So are you the princess of the ship? Please, forgive me if I've been disrespectful."

A generous soul! In only a short time, this young creature had already shown a strong connection to the Element of Generosity. Predictable he may be, but Celestia certainly approved.

She showed no signs of being at all perturbed by the lack of a bow - she did always enjoy having less of all that stiff formality, after all.

"No, I am not Princess of this ship," she said, chuckling. "Like you, I am one of those that Stacy has saved. My home is Equestria. I hope that one day I will be able to restore my homeland, and my dear subjects."

Cedric thought it sounded like a nice place. She very obviously cared for her land and the people who trusted her.

"I hope you do too. Say...is Equestria a country of unicorns?"

"Equestria is the home of ponies of all kinds," Celestia said, which probably wasn't quite what Cedric was expecting. "Earth, Pegasus, and Unicorn ponies all live in Equestria."

Cedric was definitely surprised. He'd heard of reserves, but a whole land where ponies of all kinds ruled? That was new.

"Pegasus horses can fly, right? I've known unicorns, I've just never met ones I could talk with before. And I think I know what an earth pony is."

And she hadn't even mentioned the fact that Equestria didn't have humans at all yet.

"Yes, they can indeed," she said, stretching her own wings slightly. "And in Equestria, all ponies can talk! But I take it things are a little...different, in your world." Her voice sounded slightly amused, as if she found the idea of worlds where ponies could not speak a quaint oddity.

"No---or they might, just not with humans." Cedric thought back on all his magical training. "In the forests by my school we had unicorns. They're very beautiful, have magic of their own, and we try to protect them as best we can." He decided not to discuss the magical uses for unicorn hairs, horns, and blood---it'd be totally barbaric.

"Do you have a herd of people who can't talk, then?"

"Perhaps you are right!" she said, chuckling. "I am sure they appreciate your care and concern."

Celestia would have no objection to the use of unicorn hairs, of course - but horns and blood? Those she would be most displeased to learn about. Without their horn, a unicorn would no longer be a unicorn, and they would be unable to perform magic at all.

"There are creatures in Equestria who cannot speak, but they are not ponykind. But we do not have humans such as yourself at all - you are all such very curious creatures!"

Cedric grinned awkwardly. It was new to be talking to a lovely creature that his kind often viewed as a commodity. "You probably have powerful magic. All the unicorns did."

He just had to smile at the thought of that. A whole world of ponies. The younger girls he knew would've been so happy to hear that such a place existed. "I hope we're able to help all your ponies. It sounds like a wonderful place."

"All unicorns do have magic," Celestia agreed, nodding her head. "And as Princess, my magic is indeed powerful."

It was almost a shame that there were no little girls on board who would coo over Celestia and the other ponies - but then, Celestia wasn't aware of just how much human girls loved ponies. "It is indeed a most wonderful place - but the heart of Equestria is the ponies that live there. Fortunately, I know that Stacy has saved several of my dear subjects. Do you know if any from your world are on board?" she asked, inquiring. She did hope that the generous young human would have some familiar faces to give him comfort.

Wow. These unicorns likely had conscious control over their magic. He wondered if they had similar abilities to human wizards, or if they went to wizarding schools. But he didn't quite feel comfortable enough to ask.

"Good. I think I've seen a few of them wandering around. And no, I haven't seen anyone. I'm a little worried, but maybe it's for the best."

But he'd try to straighten out and cheer up. There were others who were lonely and needed help, and if he saw someone he knew, wouldn't it be painful? He was just going to die when this was all over anyway.

It was a pity, because Celestia would have been all to happy to explain.

"My dear creature," she said gently. "Do not worry for your friends and family. When the ship rescued us, she also made the effort to save those close to us. You must not lose hope."

It did help. Cedric nodded as bravely as he could, though he hated the lack of certainty. "Thank you, Princess. You're right. I can't lose myself like this, not when important things are happening."

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