//------------------------------// // Journey to the Wasteland (Sneak Peak) // Story: Temporal Cogs // by Summonerx //------------------------------// NOTE FROM WRITER: Due to school and work this will be a little slower then before. Here is a sample of the chapter to wet your whistle. ------------------------------ The town citizens were busy gathering around and heading towards the barkers and makeshift signs all pointing towards the newly erected circus. It seemed to be a great start to a good evening after all. Nearby the two strange ponies from the fortune telling tent walked through the crowd in deep blue cloaks while Lazy Chords and Clockwork had been distracted by the pink earth pony with her party balloons and cake. As the cloaked ponies walked around town they took notice of the various other ponies around. “I see much strife in their futures.” The female said. “Strife or not, it’s not our place to tell them....unless they pay.” Said the male one back. “That’s not really funny Fortune. These ponies have weird futures and I think we should tell them about it. Seems wrong some how not to.” “I agree Fate, but a little humor never hurt anypony before.” The male smiled from under his cloak. The two walked around the town taking in the sights and sounds of the place, knowing nothing of it before hand. They walked past a large oak tree with windows and a door, the sign outside had a picture of an open book on it. A purple unicorn came out at just that moment and greeted them with a “Hello” as she walked past them, followed by a slightly shorter creature they recognized as a dragon from their many travels around the Equestrian world. They responded with a hello themselves and walked back towards town. As they passed various shops and stores the sun sat steadily and the moon started to raise above the horizon. A yellow earth pony with circular glasses and a mane the color of violet seemed to hiding behind a bush with a small note pad in his mouth watching the oak tree intently. He appeared to be suspiciously stalking whomever the purple unicorn was. He watched as she and her dragon companion walked down the path and followed them with his eyes. Fate looked over at her brother who nodded in understanding. Together they walked swiftly over to greet this odd fellow. “Do you always hide in a creepy manner behind bushes watching mares or is that just how you get dates around here?” Fate questioned in earnest. The yellow earth pony dropped his note pad and started up at the cloaked pony before him. “I...I....I ...” He was at a loss for words and appeared rather caught off guard. Then Fortune stepped in with; “You..you...you what? My sister asked you a direct question, we expect a response.” His tone gave off the feeling of one who was not really waiting to be polite but waiting for a cue to attack. “Oh..I’m sorry..no, “ the pony laughed nervously while shifting his gaze to the ground; “I...are you two friends of hers?” Fate chuckled a little; “No, but if you’re not either I suggest you go. I don’t really take well to sneaky ponies, especially not stalkers.” “Stalkers!? I’m not a stalker! I...I merely need to give her a message.” The yellow pony retorted. “Then why don’t you just go tell her your message? Or are you a real liar?” Fortune injected. “I....I....we....erm...” And with that the yellow pony clammed up, grabbed his note pad and ran off from the two crazy ponies. Fortune and Fate looked at each other and shrugged before going on their way back towards the circus. “You know, didn’t those two from the woods who came to our tent last night tell May Belle about some strange ponies slinking around? Thieves or something I think.” the female cloaked pony turned to her brother in question. “You know I seem to recall that...and the card reading last night was strange. Do you suppose...” “..that he was one of them?” She continued her twin’s sentence to completion. “Maybe we should...” He in turn continued her’s with; “..head back and tell them?” They nodded and picked up their pace as they walked. As they walked through town, three strange ponies strolled past them as they went back to the circus tents. It consisted of an orange and reddish unicorn with a peach streak in his mane, a blue pegasus with a blue coat and dark blue mane with silver streak, and a finely dressed earth pony with light green coat and a teal mane with a streak of purple in it. Fate shivered involuntarily and looked back at the ponies, but they seemed ordinary enough for her. ------------------------------