**this was a snippet of a story! the full story will be completed later and uploaded here! everyone will receive 10 candicanes for participating. this is closed!!**
Lambicorns Story: A Wintertide Tale (Pt. 1)
Welcome to the Wintertide Interactive Story! This is a story-based interactive game where you can determine the outcome based on what choices you choose... and you can win some really good prizes too!!
Opal wrote: "Psst!" A mysterious voice calls out to you amidst a land of white shrouded in light. "Quick, come with me, we don't have much time." The floor is soft and marshmallow-like beneath your hooves. It seems as though you're walking on clouds! Hovering before you, a shimmering ball of light gradually transforms into the beautiful lambicorn Opal, and sparkles of glitter shower everything like rain.
"Come, come." She beckoned you closer with a hoof gesture. She squeezed her eyes shut, and braced herself... a small tornado of glitter, snowflakes, sparkles, and glowing rainbow-colored crystals start flurrying about you two, gaining speed, and at once they surround you and lift you up off the clouds. The two of you are transported to a brand new scene: a beautiful, bustling village in the midst of a snowfall.
Opal floats beside you, "I'll explain more later, but for now, just know that the Goddess Aurorae has called you for a very special holiday quest! Her instructions are to follow a lambicorn named Rutherford Po, and guide him through his holiday season this Wintertide." Opal blinked. "Not really sure what that means, but eh, I don't wanna get drop-kicked by the Goddess, so I suppose we're off!" Both of you fly down to the village below. "Hmm.. now what's going on here?"
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Oh! Here comes Wintertide, announced by all the festive lights,
It's time to spread some cheer!
It's time to spread some cheer!
For it may be that we're covered in a cloud of snow
But our spirits stay bright, even so
As our magic keeps growing
The tree remains glowing!
Cookies, cakes, and pies
And everything from sugar to spice
It's time to spread some cheer!
It's time to spread some cheer!
Rushing down the halls to find
The stockings filled with toys and candies alike
And the tree remains glowing
Oh, as our magic keeps growing!
Look at all the festive lights
Decorated castles and snowball fights
Chilly nights as the harsh frost strikes
Toasted pumpkin pie to eat tonight!
Oh! As our magic keeps on growing,
The tree remains glowing,
And finally.. Wintertide is here!
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"Good morning, Rutherford!"
"Have a jolly holiday, Rutherford!"
"Rutherford Po! Good to see ya!"
"Fancy seeing you here, eh, Po?"
"Merry Wintertide Rutherford!"
"Have a jolly holiday, Rutherford!"
"Rutherford Po! Good to see ya!"
"Fancy seeing you here, eh, Po?"
"Merry Wintertide Rutherford!"
Pah!, thought Rutherford Po, as he strolled past the holiday carolers in the town centre decorated for Wintertide. The individual houses scattered on the corner twinkled with their glittering white lights, strung up along each roof. Wreaths of gold and silver hung up on the doors, icicles dangled from the eaves, and blankets of snow covered the ground--along with snow-lambies dotted around the yards.
But none of this interested Rutherford. The holidays were never his cup of tea. The shops were closed, the children were out of school and causing ruckus about the villages, and no one minded others' business, the lambicorns were far too nosy this time of year. This, of course, always presented a problem for Rutherford Po, as he was a bookstore owner.
The lambabies would flood into his store, buying and sometimes stealing books for their families, and leave his shop looking like a pig pen (or at least in his eyes). And remember this: he always liked to keep his shop clean and tidy, it gave him a good business reputation.
"Another pointless holiday." Rutherford grumbled, fiddling with the cash register. He watched the lambabies crowd around his storefront, waiting for it to open. It was 7:12, and the bookstore would open promptly at 7:15. He left to the back-room where they kept extra supplies, and found himself at the bottom of the staircase. “Gideon? Where are you?" Shouted Po, looking for green and black spotted lambicorn with a dark gray pelt.
"Cleaning! What ya need me for?" Gideon appeared at the top of the stairs that led to the printing room. “It's 7:12. No, 7:15." Rutherford checked his watch. "Hurry! Hurry! The lambabies are waiting." "Don't let them steal anything!" Said Gideon. Rutherford rushed to the door, and unlocked it with his key. "No stealing! No more than 3 books, then ya had better go!" The lambabies rushed in, and immediately they scoured the bookshelves. Rutherford put his hoof on his head with a sigh. More for him to clean up later, he thought.
Moments later, the groups of lambabies came to the register: twelve, then six, then three. "The History of Wintertide, please!" One young lambicorn said, holding up an old dusty blue book with a beaming smile. Rutherford examined it closely, adjusting his eyeglasses with a sniff.
"You are aware, I presume, that this book is not finished? This is the only copy. It's quite expensive, too. Written by an esteemed author. Perhaps another book would be better." Rutherford began to take the book out of the lambicorn's grasp, but she pulled it back to her chest in an instant.
"I'd like it please, sir! My family doesn't celebrate Wintertide. I want to buy it as a gift for them," She frowned. Po thought for a moment. "And, isn't this a bookstore? I have my own money! I'm not a little lambaby, you know. I'm nearly a grown-up!" She stomped her paw on the ground.
"Well, it's not for you! Again, this the only copy, and I don't trust a lambaby fiddlin' wit it, getting it lost someplace!" Rutherford scowled.
"But sir, please! I'll be super careful, pretty please!" Whined the lambicorn. Rutherford stood rigid with a cold glare.
"I've heard enough, get another book or you'll have to go!" He made it quite clear: she was not getting that book.
“Poor thing,” Gideon remarked as the young lambicorn swiftly exited the store. “Eh, well, this is a one of a kind type of deal. You just don’t go around leaving important things in lambabies paws. She’ll get over it.” Rutherford shrugged, holding the history book tightly against his chest. “Except you didn’t have to scold her like that. Maybe she coulda borrowed the book.” Gideon huffed. Rutherford furrowed his brow. “Scold her?” He gave a nasty frown. “How dare you, I did nothing of the sort! Watch your mouth, or I may just as well fire ya. She’ll have to be content with what she has and that’s that!” He snapped, a wild look left in his green-tinged hazel eyes, and Gideon shook his head with pity.
“Well, I tried. Say, do you suppose that author will ever finish that book? It’s about time,” Rutherford leaned against the front counter with a slouch. He rolled his eyes. “Dunno if we can reach her. And she’s retired now, so I don’t think she’ll be finishing it anytime soon either. Wintertide was pretty new back in her day, so I assume that’s why she made it in the first place,” Po glanced at Gideon, “but that was years ago. I’d say she’s probably forgotten it by now.” He shrugged his shoulders. His assistant sighed, but a sudden flicker of hope overwhelmed his face. “Well, it's never too late to try. I'll see if I can find a way to contact her somehow... maybe there's still hope yet."
"Never mind that! Get your work done! We have books to print. And I'm heading out to the store, so you'll need to tend the shop for me while I'm away." Rutherford demanded, and Gideon gave a quick nod. "Of course. Have a good shop!" He grinned, And with that, Gideon retreated to the printing room upstairs, and Rutherford departed to the market.
Rutherford Po went about the rest of his day as usual, running errands and whatnot. It took him a while to get to the grocery market because of the heavy holiday shoppers, and by the time he arrived, it was half past twelve.
Most of the stores, however, were closed (as stated before) so Po had that trouble as well. But, he was in need of groceries, and lucky for him, the grocery market's sign read 'Open'.
Rutherford pulled open the door and strode inside the market.
"How may I help you, sir?" A vibrant yellow lambicorn sporting mismatched black and blue stripes appeared before him.
Gah bumhug! Everyone's always chipper and happy. Always have to be smiles this time of year... just can't mind their own business, pah!
"Help me? I don't think so, I'd rather be left alone. Don't bother me." Po shoved past the worker without a care, moving on about his day. The lambicorn was left with a mighty confused look on his face.
After about a quarter of an hour, Rutherford was finished with his shopping and brought back to the bookstore a roasted turkey, some cans of green beans, a couple of pies and ready-made cakes, cranberry sauce, and a few jams.
What he didn't find? His eggnog. And you should know that Old Po loves his eggnog.
"Those crazy folk out there!" He spat as he stormed inside the bookstore. "They make me run late all the time. They ransack my store. They purposefully get in my way. And no eggnog? What's next? This oughta be a nice Wintertide!" Po went off, ranting at the top of his lungs. It didn't matter who heard him.
"Well, I didn't want to bother you while you were out... but I think you may wanna take a look at this." Rutherford's assistant stepped out from behind the counter. He held a newspaper in his grasp. Rutherford stood silent for a second, then sprinted forward. "What is this?" He examined the paper closely.
"Po's Bookstore? No more!"
While you once may have turned to the book store for a nice new read, things don't seem like they're going too well for Po's Bookstore especially. One lambicorn complained, "Think you're going to walk out empty-handed? Well, don't fret, because you will! They didn't even let me buy a book because they claimed it was unfinished. Why have it out on the shelves if that's the case? And, they persisted in referring to me as a lambaby, when clearly I'm not. This store is a joke!" Others have gone on to say that...
Rutherford slammed his hoof down on the counter, upsetting the cash register. "I've had it!" A mask of bitterness enveloped his face. "I'm going to make those lambicorns wish they never crossed me!" He bared his teeth. "What shall I start with first?..." He paused, a devious twinkle in his eye. Gideon regarded him with a frightened face, terror settling in his heart's nooks and crannies. "I think I'll start with erasing Wintertide... forever!"
Opal wrote:Poof!
You're swept out of the vision of Rutherford's life. The majestic, sparkling opalescent lambicorn Opal appears out of thin air, right before your eyes. Wait, where are we? You wonder, but it seems that she already knows the answer! "You're in limbo, silly! Anyway, it looks like Rutherford Po is planning to ruin Wintertide, and make it disappear forever..." She frowned, "and you have to do something to stop him! If you agree to help, you'll be taken along in Rutherford's story, to try to encourage him to make the right decisions." Opal shivered. "Wait!! I just got a vision!" She took a deep breath. "Rutherford is going to be visited by three ghosts on Wintertide Eve. But I didn't see who any of them were... this could be bad. The right decision is crucial. Remember, his story outcome is dependent on you! Choose wisely."
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