[Visual] -5th Shadow-

[theytookmypants]

Hey Equestria...I got a question for you, mostly this is for the other outlanders like myself, but...anyone is free to weigh in here. I'd like the input.

How many of you use friendship, or similar bonds, as a source of strength for yourselves back home?

Some pretense to that...where I come from there are creatures called Digimon. I myself am half-digimon. Long story to that, but I won't bore you with the details right now. A digimon is a creature born of digital data, they are however highly receptive to emotions and can grow stronger as they grow closer to others, becoming stronger and stronger as those bonds mature and grow.

Emotions from those that we make friend with rub off on us, we can become stronger, or weaker because of it, or we can become too strong that we can't control ourselves.

[He rubs at his cheek with a hoof and sighs deeply.]

Not only digimon have exhibited this trait, though. There is another being called a Net Navi where I'm from, another digital life-form, this one artificially created by humans. There's an entire battle tournament surrounding them even. A Navi and their NetOp, when they have a strong enough bond, can create powerful combinations with battle chips. They can even fuse together, share the core of their beings with another, the NetNavi’s can even form friendships of their own that unlock hidden potentials...

[ He holds a hoof over his chest reflexively, almost like he was reassuring himself about something...]

The core of my question is how many of you have something similar back home? An undertone to that is how many of us have forgotten about that? That we've taken it for granted or just forgotten our own basics? This place works on its own rules. Just like those of NetNavis, or Digimon...working together, believing in one another...we’ve heard it a lot lately, and seen that here, it’s its own force to be reckoned with. Friendship. We’re all in this together, and if we're going to-

[He stops short and scoffs softly to himself.]

Sorry. Getting off track...Anyways...just something I’ve been thinking about lately. If anyone would rather speak with me in person or private, you’re always welcome to call on me at the commune or approach me while I’m on duty in the Night Market.

---------------------

[A switch in the pony's demeanor, show's he looks far more tired than he may have been letting on.]

Hey, Dante...Vergil...I may I need your guys help with something. I dunno if you can, but I'd rather it be the two of you than others. I'd uh...rather speak somewhere off scroll, about it though. If you can, meet me at the Decanter.

Comments

[Visual]

[robotfightclub]

We get it, friendship is great. Everyone can stop making the same speech now.

[Guess who doesn't have magical friendship energy in her world?]

[Visual]

[theytookmypants]

I see someone is as sociable as ever.

[Good morning to you too Arcee.]

My day never starts properly without a morning cup of your disposition Arcee.

[He means that sincerely.]

[Text/Anonymous]

[ceasetoexist]

Literally? No, but I guess it could be possible.

Figuratively? Sure. It's one of the best sources of energy there is.

When you say born of digital data you mean they just "naturally" occur? They're not made?

[Text/Not-so-nonymous]

[theytookmypants]

I suppose that's true.

Yeah. In their own way, it could be seen as "natural". A lot of the time they're born as digital eggs, and in rare cases if they lose a vast amount of energy, confidence, or, in some rarer cases, die, they'll even revert back to an egg.

[Visual]

[thefreedomreign]

Where I'm from is just the opposite, actually. Letting people get close to you can be a fatal mistake in the demon world. Everyone is more or less out for themselves; whether it's just for their own entertainment, or so they can get one step closer to greater power. People are used, emotions are manipulated -- it's a far cry from the sunshine and rainbows of Equestria.

I also spent about 5 years in the human world, which is probably closer to what you're talking about. At the very least, there, being personable and helpful is a good way to get by. Even if the whole...friendship thing is something that I still haven't really gotten the hang of yet, it's not exactly a foreign concept.

[Visual]

[theytookmypants]

Yeah...that's actually about what I learned about demons from personal experience and a long talk with Zetta.

[Crmsn drinks with all the demons. News at eleven.]

It's good to know it seems more a nurture rather than nature thing, though. Judging by how you've gotten along here, seems like you're learning more and more about it.

[Visual]

[rollsoffthetongue]

Oh, Digimon! Hey I know what those are! [He put a hoof to his face and looked up in thought.] Sort of. Somebody here has a couple little animals with them that used to be Digimon? Though I don't quite get it...

[He cleared his throat.] Ahh. Anyway, I wouldn't exactly say that friendship rules my world? Not like anythin' you were just talking about anyway, no... special powers or anything. Aura and Dust do that.

B-but at school we're placed on a team of four? And paired with a specific person in that team, so it's kinda like a team of two pairs. But a whole team of four too if... that makes sense. And- and we learn to fight monsters together, and work together. And we're set in our pair-teams for the whole four years we'd be at the academy.

Does that count for something?

[Visual... threadjack I could not resist...]

[mithrarin]

Wait. We do what?

[Visual]

[theytookmypants]

Yeah, just like Choco, Sprout, Arte and Paolo. One of the Donnies and one of the Fluttershys came through with their digimon partners. I was honestly surprised to see them.

[he laughs softly.]

I think it does, you're trained to work together as a full unit, micro-managed into two seperate pairs. Those're actually some pretty intense lessons to learn.

[Visual/Action]

[thefreedomreign]

Sounds pretty serious. I'll be there as soon as I can.

[Which, of course, doesn't take very long. He's kind of got the way to the Decanter memorized, in case he needs to pick up Dante.

Finding Crmsn relatively easily, he sits down across from him. Even though he'd like to ask what's going on, he'll wait for his brother before they get into specifics.]

It probably is a good idea to keep off the scrolls for things like this.

[Action]

[theytookmypants]

[He sighs and smiles a little easier when Vergil gets there.]

Heh. Well...some things still need to be kept relatively...secret, and not just from our "most gracious host". Dunno how well some of the others might take it if they knew.

[tsunpony]

In terms of Firepower = Friendship, most if not all Precure run on this fundamental. The stronger our belief in ourselves and others is a direct proportion of how strong we are altogether, collectively as well as individually. The strongest of our current generation, Black, White and Luminous are exponentially stronger than anyone in the current generation due to the long years they've been friends.

Likewise, fighting and arguments between precure and anyone else, can vastly weaken someone. Kanade lost faith in herself and fought with both her brother and Hibiki, and thus lost all of her power at one point.

[theytookmypants]

Whoa, that sounds like some pretty intense friendship powered fire power. Not much unlike a Digimon, either. If one loses their confidence, or is under strong emotional durress, they may revert to an earlier stage, or even straight back to an egg.

Thankfully such a state is only temporary...is the same true for Precure's at least?

[superstylishsquid]

I didn't realize it back home, since...uh...the demon world isn't exactly the kind of place that encourages you to care about other people, but demons are kind of the same. Whenever I'm fighting for somepony important to me, I have the kind of power I could never have dreamed of otherwise.

I know it's a bit hard to believe that demons get power from bonds, but I'm pretty sure it's not this place. It's definitely the kind of thing that comes from myself, and it feels natural. I think I've seen Dante do the same thing, though I didn't realize what I was seeing at the time.

So...uh...yeah.

[theytookmypants]

Not so hard to believe at all. I've always felt that everyone has the capacity for it.

I was just speaking with Vergil about that too. It seems a lot like nature versus nurture when it comes to demons. Fierce will and determination can do a lot.

You're also right about it not being this place....well not just this place, I think this whole place gets a little drunk off friendship and the like. This is really a place where we need to believe in each other, and work together. Especially if we want to save our friends...or evn Calice herself.

[want_a_vacation]

Not directly as power, but...determination and will mean a lot where I'm from, and what better motivators are there than love and friendship? Not to mention cooperation and teamwork. There are things I went through with my friends that I don't think any of us could have made it out of alone.

Though, I guess if your definition of 'home' isn't strict, there is the effect bonds had on our Personae back in Prospero. I'm not sure how much difference that made, though, since I never managed to figure out any specifics.

[theytookmypants]

They can be the best motivators at times. Though it sounds like you had a rough run of it. I'm glad you and your friends were able to pull through together though.

Not too familiar with Personae...that have anything to do with those Shadows we had to deal with about a year ago? I remember people mentioning them a few times.

[terraburning]

Okay yes friendship is power that is real nice she derives power from toting around corpses THERE WAS SOMETHING MORE IMPORTANT THERE.

"You are...half digimon? What is...the other half?"

[theytookmypants]

Huh? Oh...uh....human. The other half is human.

[He tilts his head thoughtfully.]

Why d'ya ask?

[Visual]

[toosmarttodie]

Funny, Cybertronians have the opposite trait.

In that every close relationship we have blows up in our face.

[Visual]

[theytookmypants]

I'm not so sure about that. Maybe it might seem like that, or maybe you're just getting the raw end of the deal.

[He shrugs.]

Not sure about you, but I thought we were rather decent friends.

[visual]

[ultra_vi]

[And she thought her world had strange powers.]

I don't think friendship manifests itself quite like that where I'm from... [Then again, maybe there was a superhero out there who drew on friendship. What did she know?]

But I think those kind of bonds work in similar ways for most people. Drawing strength from those you care to help support you, to encourage you and help you...It may not come out as any kind of special power or energy, but it can still give you strength all the same.

...Or...I think so, anyway.

[visual]

[theytookmypants]

A very admirable mind set actually, and not far from what I'm talking about at all. Those kinds of bonds can bring you a lot. Support, comfort...I'm glad that it seemsto be a rather strong constant among people so far.

[weaponizedgems]

The friendship I shared with my friends is what saved my world. So, yes. You could say we had something very similar in my Equestria.

[theytookmypants]

I've been hearing that a lot about most of the Equestrias. Was it in any way tied to the Elements by chance?