2/17/16; Midnight Talk

Gleaming Echo found himself up and about... Or rather, Tarnished did. He glanced towards the mirror across the bed and smirked at the sight of the pony still laying snuggled in bed. Gleam didn't really know that he had free reign of the body while his 'good' half slept. And that was the way he'd prefer to keep it! With a small yawn the pseudo nightmare stepped out into the darkened hall of the inn, eyes casting a dim glow. He glanced towards the rooms of his compatriots and turned to began to head towards the doors outside.

Yunalesca hadn't yet fallen asleep after a soothing bath; she'd spent almost an hour just lounging in hot water and soap. Once dried, she'd just lazed about on her bed, waiting for her thick mane and tail to dry. She'd dozed a bit on the bed, finding it quite comfortable; a bit more than the one in her wagon, since that one was a bit worn out. It might need replacing at some point, but for the time being, it didn't matter. Yuna released a content sigh, just as she heard soft hoofsteps pass by her room. Or were they hoofsteps? She couldn't tell. Yuna decided to slip off of bed to investigate, opening her door to peer out into the hall beyond.

Gleaming Echo made it about to the end of the hall before Yuna would open her door and look out. She'd perhaps see the very tip of his tail illuminated by moonlight as he slipped around the corner. His path led him outside and he simply stood and gazed up at the moon. One of the few sights that would soothe his tumult of emotions oddly enough. He was a creature of darkness after all. At this point he no longer desired well... annihilating this small town - nor Distant of course. It just took him having an opportunity to calm down and he was normal. Well, as normal as a pseudo-nightmare could be! He was also unaware he'd been followed from the room and would likely jump quite nicely should she announce herself.

Yunalesca stood in her doorway for a moment after the tailtip disappeared around the corner, considering whether or not it was worth looking into. It probably was just one of her companions, but it.. wouldn't hurt to check. For a moment she hesitated going back into her room to retrieve her shawl, but after wearing it during travel for a few days.. it was dirty. Buck it. Yuna thought and ventured out, knowing that most ponies were in bed by now anyway; and the inn itself was asleep. She closed her door behind her and from there, out to the main area and the front door. There was a pony standing outside, with familiar colors dulled by moonlight. "Gleam?" Whoops, she seemed to have snuck up on him.

Gleaming Echo jumped maybe a foot or two and turned to look back at the pony that addressed him. He recognized the voice but he had to double check! The sight of the alicorn without her shawl caused him to pause and incline his head. "Isn't it a bit risky coming out here? Even at night?" he'd ask as he inclined his head to the side but he didn't move from his spot. He turned back to gaze up at the moon and a grin split his face. "Night time is one of the only times I can come out without the idiot hovering in the back of our head. He should still be asleep in our room, at least from his point of view." the dark half of the pony would explain unbidden. It was somewhat uncharacteristic of him to actually offer information for free, but he er.. found the alicorn somewhat tolerable so she could get - uh.. a few free passes, yes?

Yunalesca's ears flicked back when he jumped, and she guessed he hadn't been expecting anypony else to be awake. When he looked around at her, she noted it wasn't Gleam at all- the eyes tipped her off far before the growling voice did. "I.. suppose. I don't think anypony's out at this late, though, let alone would pay too much attention to a couple of ponies in front of a building. You'd be surprised what some ponies don't notice." Yuna replied, and fell silent to listen to him talk. "Huh." She couldn't imagine what such a duality was like, when she'd never experienced such a thing herself. "I'd been curious what.. you? er, Gleam? had been like before the whole.." Yuna gestured at him, "thing with that neckpiece."

Gleaming Echo quirked his head to the side and let out a thoughtful hum. "I suppose we were something of a... regular pony. We had our good, and we had our bad. Gleaming had friends among the cult, many who died during the fallout from exposure to the dark aura of the armor.." he'd say with a bit of a chuckle. "Much like the rest of the cultists Gleam began to become angry among other things. ~ After a certain point the anger began to get so bad....lucky for him I was, of course, born from those negative emotions. Our psyche splintered right down the middle. Gleam gets to feel all that is good while I..." he drift off and shook his head. "I've grown used to my lot in life. Eventually I will have my own life, and no longer be a mere reflection."

Yunalesca listened to him thoughtfully, her eyes roving over the nearby buildings. She couldn't see anypony out and about; if there was, they were out of sight. When he trailed off in that moment, she looked back at him and she wasn't sure what to think. He was but one half of Gleam's personality; if there was a possibility to make him whole again, there was that. But was it a good idea to free such a dark half? "How do you think that's gonna work out?" Yuna asked, "And more specifically, what exactly got him, and the others, so angry?"

Gleaming Echo let out a bit of a shrug. "Preferably we'll come up with a way that I can get out of him. Barring that - Ugh, I don't even want to think about that." he turned back to Yuna and inclined his head at the chestpiece he wore. "Gleam theorized that the reforged pieces of her raiment had an echo of Lady Nightmare's magic, or perhaps even the tiniest fragment of her corrupt essence. This darkness infected those that wore the armor for even the shortest amount of time. Of course any magical taint would be regarded as a blessing from Lady Nightmare. Those in the cult would jump for such a thing. Gleam didn't want to watch his old friends kill each-other and hoped getting the armor away might help...." The dark half of the pony let out a dark chuckle and flicked his tail to the side. "We never could decide on a time, but when you appeared he knew he needed to act soon lest they might have tried to infect you with the same blessing." He sneered.

Yunalesca nodded a little; so they still didn't have a plan, huh? She kept silent as he explained away, talking about the chest piece, how crazy the cultists had gone over it. Though the magic in it certainly explained things. A curse. Corruption. He reached a part where the cultists might have tried doing the same to her and she grimaced, baring a sliver of her teeth in disgust. "Well I'm glad you two thought to get me out when you did. I wouldn't have wanted something like that to happen to me. I'd like to believe I have enough problems on my hooves without that."

Gleaming Echo let out a bit of a snort. "Understatement of the century, lass." he'd say with a bit of a grimace. "They'd have likely tried to tote you as Lady Nightmare reincarnated, somehow... Whether they used that anger and pointed you at their enemies or... whatever. I don't know what would have gone through their heads." With that the dark pony turned curiously to the alicorn and gave her uncovered wings a curious look. "They look... fine, pity you keep them covered so much. But with ponies like our dear foreigner around, I cannot blame you." he sneered at the thought only for the frown to grow as he turned his gaze to meet hers again. "And... I know the idiot missed it but I'm more perceptive... Have you taken to the sky, Lady Yuna?"

Yunalesca still cringed when he went on, bringing up what the cultists would have tried to do. She shook her head in distaste and looked back up at him when he commented on her wings. Her eyes lingered on his face for a moment before she looked back down at her hooves, frowning. "Well, no." She began, "I kind of.. After I became an alicorn, I guess I kind of freaked a little. I'd just saved my village and.. well." She twitched her wings as though to indicate what had happened. "Don't exactly know why. It just.. I guess I thought ponies would think I was a freak." Yuna paused. "I know the princesses are alicorns, but.. I'm not a princess. I keep them hidden because I don't want anypony else freaking out about it, and, y'know, I never learned how to fly." She was hesitant to tell him, but she found herself doing it anyway. Maybe it was a little weight off her chest, since such a thing had been held secret for quite a while.

Gleaming Echo cringed himself as she brought out her reasons for staying hidden. He was not a pony who knew how to properly comfort another... That was Gleam's job. "You shouldn't have to hide who you are, dear Lady Yuna. Least of all to the rabble. Many unicorn yearn for the ability to take to the sky as naturally as pegasi who also envy the versatile magic that a unicorn are so easily able to bring to the field. The same can be said to many earth ponies in regard to both while the natural ability of an earth pony is nothing to scoff at either." The dark pony looked upward once again and let out a dark laugh. "Just how delightful would it be to rain fiery doom down upon thine enemies from far beyond their reach." he smiled with an almost sinister undertone. "Those wretched mongrels for one example."

Yunalesca tilted an ear towards him, and only brought her head up halfway to look back at his face out of the corner of one dark eye. He had a point. It would just take her a while to work up the courage. Even then, wouldn't there be repercussions? or perhaps that wasn't the right word. Ponies would still make a big deal about it. "Yeah, that.. probably would be nice. I don't think I hate anypony else enough to want to actually kill though." Yuna admitted, fully lifting her head to look up at the sky.

Gleaming Echo snorts and inclines his head some. "Of course not, but if those enemies seek to do harm, a pony must protect oneself. Those mongrels were not setting out to be friendly." he spat out and began to pace. "That is one thing I grossly dislike about this 'happy' place that Gleam wanted to come to so much! How many times must one allow somepony to keep the knife that was poised to slay them moments before only for that knife to finally find its way between ones own ribs?" he'd ask only to let out a bit of a... giggle? "Oh, but wait! Those that commit heinous crime are sent to tartarus.. the bucking underworld of all things! Just how heinous does a crime need to be before they cross that line? Just how twisted can crimes be only to be 'forgiven' in the end for but a simple apology? Perhaps not even a heart-felt one?"

Yunalesca didn't know too much about the cult, not as much as her duality-stricken companion did, but it sounded like something she could agree with. They didn't.. sound like the friendship making types. She tore her eyes away from the night sky to watch him pace while he ranted, and it gave her time to think it over. "Something they feel they can't stop or fix, probably." Yuna answered at last. "Some things.. I don't know. Maybe some of them just.. needed the right help." It was possibly an innocent statement, but who knew? Sometimes ponies just lashed out out of hurt, until somepony else came along to give them what they'd needed. There were a few dangers that probably couldn't have that applied to them though, like the one attack on Canterlot. Changelings. And whatever else. She didn't really keep up too much with the Equestrian news; it was all distant stuff, things she didn't care too much about. "I've no idea."

Gleaming Echo simply let out a snort and came to rest back next to Yuna once again, sitting down. "In this same land. ~ I am pretty sure both Gleam and I would both be locked up quicker than... Celestia was looking for cake during that little festival. I'm... relieved neither she nor anypony else recognized the raiment for what it was. That would have been... awkward to explain." he finished only to smirk some at the alicorn and tilt his head inquisitively. "It was enlightening watching you that night. You are quite... good at your work."

Yunalesca grimaced a little, this time at the idea of them being locked up. She kind of hoped that such a thing would never come to pass. "It was probably never noticed in all the excitement, or.. I don't know, thought to be part of a costume." She shrugged, her eyes following him as he came back to sit next to her. "Look at me, I'm constantly dressed like some sort of gypsy. It goes with the job, I suppose." Yuna added, and a smile quirked the edges of her mouth. "It took ages to get it right, and a lot of practice. You wouldn't believe how easy some ponies are to fool. There's really nothing to it except to act all mysterious and tell them what they want to hear, maybe throw in a bit of bad news or a disaster so it's not obvious."

Gleaming Echo chuckles a little and shook his head some. "Alas I can't even imagine just how amusing it must be to toy with the heads of the witless at times, and to be paid for it even." he chuckles and lets himself flop down into a laying position with his head on a foreleg casually. "The faces on some of them were great, I bet." he hummed only to simply shrug. "Better than I could probably get from a pony. It isn't like I can hit them with some sort of battle spell and get paid for it. Gleam might be able to get away with being an independent healer though, I'm sure."

Yunalesca properly smiled when Tarnished found amusement in it. "It is pretty funny. Sometimes it's just downright ridiculous." She agreed and quieted, nodding her agreement. "He could, but you know.. there are ponies who'd be willing to pay you for things like.. hunting down dangerous animals, or mm," Yuna put a hoof to her chin, struggling to think of what else there was. "bodyguard work? Stuff like that." The alicorn dropped her hoof and shrugged; there just wasn't that many violent jobs, considering the kind of country they lived in. "There's always plenty of other options."

Gleaming Echo smiles wickedly. "Hunting dangerous animals? Ooooh that sounds delightful. The danger, the potential for destruction.... that sounds like something right up my alley, lady Yuna. Of course Gleam and I shall always be your bodyguard first so long as you want us." he mused, eyes seemingly drifting to gaze off into the night as he imagined 'something'... Oh! the potential fun!.... He pulled himself out of his thoughts and pushed himself back up into a standing position. "I believe it would be best if we both were to head bed. Morning will come sooner than we both wish, milady."

Yunalesca was a bit glad she'd found a suggestion he seemed interested in. It was nice. She considered the bodyguard business for a moment, casting her mind back; once she didn't like the idea, wouldn't have wanted it to be. But after having companions, ponies to talk to on the road.. Heck, one of them who now knew everything. It wasn't so bad. "Of course. I suppose I ought to start paying you, huh?" Yuna answered at last. "It doesn't have to just be a bodyguard thing, though. Having a friend is.. nice." She admitted, not to just him but to herself, too; and she knew how little he liked the word. Yuna stood. "Yeah, good idea."

Gleaming Echo looked to Yunalesca with those glowing eyes of his as she started to speak again. "I'd say you could, but of course Gleam would likely have none of it." he smiled some and bowed his head to the alicorn a little. He fell quite still as she continued and said it didn't have to be 'just' a bodyguard thing. The dark side of the cultist pony grimaced and took a moment to speak again. "I suppose having one fr-ugh.. fr-urgh." he began, muttering "I'm gonna be sick." he focused and forced that word out.."a friend... wouldn't kill me. Tell - nopony." he'd say with a narrow-eyed look at the alicorn. He headed for the door and opened the door for both himself and the alicorn and proceeded to lead the way back towards the rooms again.

Yunalesca snorted in amusement, smiling faintly again herself. She waited patiently for him while he struggled with that one word and reached a hoof out to his shoulder, as though in comfort, if he'd have it. "Don't worry, I won't. It'll be our little secret. I'm assuming most of what we've talked about tonight is, though I'm not opposed to Gleam learning what I've told you." The alicorn shrugged and followed the unicorn inside. From there, should nothing else stop her, she'd return to her room and collapse gratefully into bed; her mane had at least finished drying while they talked, too.

Gleaming Echo let out an indignant huff but didn't refuse the gesture that she offered. "Good...." he'd start only to discretely be a little cheerful? Odd... "I'm the dark side! Everything evil about our dear hero is me!" he'd say with a bit of an almost foalish whine. "What self-respecting evil villain has f-f-fr~Those things?!" Was the question as he led the way to the point that they were now standing outside the doors to their rooms. "I bid you a... tolerable night." he bowed and turned to enter his and Gleam's room unless stopped.