Kickoff [Video/Massive Audio later]

[like_a_dragon]

[A green pony with a matted down brown mop-top appears on the scroll. From the furrowed brows, flared nostrils and fierce grimace, she does not appear... pleased.]

WHAT THE TARTARUS IS GOING ON HERE!?

[Taking a step away from the scroll would probably be a good idea...]

I can't even begin to count all the things that is wrong here! I mean, at first I thought this was a dream but then when somepony actually pinched me -- WITH THEIR MOUTH NO LESS -- I knew that this was actually real. Talking ponies? And the ones with wings? EVEN ONES WITH MAGIC HORNS?? I even saw one that brought in a raincloud! IT WAS RIGHT ON TOP OF ME!!

[She takes a moment and her hoof comes up to scrub off her hair and her face.]

Alright... you know what... considering everything else I have seen before a world of talking ponies is actually not that out there. And, hey, at least my fur color is one that I'd like. Just, in this case, I hope my friends aren't here to have this happen to them.

Also, I have to ask just one question...

Why couldn't I have been one of those cool ones with the wings?

EDIT:

[A little bit later there is a shout. A glorious shout. A mighty shout. It rings to the heavens and may even be heard as far as way as The Crystal Kingdom.]

WHAT DO YOU MEAN PONIES DON'T EAT MEAT?!!!!

[Thanks, Teddie.]

EDIT: x2

[And a little bit after that there is another shout, though not quite as powerful, whatever is doing it definitely has a healthy set of lungs.]

WHAT DO YOU MEAN THERE'S NO TV?!!

[Thanks, Rise.]

Comments

[Visual]

[ponymechanic]

Sadly there's no real way to pick what you choose to change into when you get here. Personally I would have rather ended up as a dragon instead, but that's them apples. Sometimes you just have to deal with what you got.

[He shrugs.]

[Permavisual]

[like_a_dragon]

[Really, she knows she's being a butt, and maybe she's being a little loud. But this is an important opportunity to both vent out her frustrations and get some important information.]

THERE ARE DRAGONS HERE?!

[Clearly that was the most important news she heard all day.]

Re: [Permavisual]

[ponymechanic]

[He doesn't mind. He can't exactly blame her frustration.]

Yep, as well as griffons and changelings and other creatures.

[like_a_dragon]

[She's still excited, but then there's still this emotion to deal with.]

Just what sort of weird place is this??

[ponymechanic]

This is Equestria, but the town here is called Ponyville. Yes, you're going to run into a lot of horse puns. Apparently this world loves their puns.

The Pale Pony is the one who's responsible for this, but sadly we don't have the means to beat her and get back home. She's really powerful and has destroyed and sort of absorbed another version of Equestria once before and we believe she's testing us for some reason. We don't know what exactly. I've one of the few that's been here for over a year now.

[like_a_dragon]

[Yeah, suddenly Miles gets a very serious Chie.]

...I see... so that's how it is.

[ponymechanic]

[Don't call him Miles. =/ He's not his shadow.]

Unfortunately. The best we can do is try to figure things out and live here the best we can.

[He hasn't even mentioned the part about ponies who die/get rainbowed out end up in the Pale Pony's stomach or even how two of his friends are trapped there.]

It's not that bad here. Sure trouble pops up a lot, but it's pretty peaceful most of the time.

[like_a_dragon]

Yeaaah sure. We just have a world-devouring space pony out there.

[She's not going to let that one go. It'll be worse when she find out it is able to specifically pick people off. It'd be like the Midnight Channel all over again, only without the warning.]

[ponymechanic]

Like I said, all we can do is try to solve the mystery.

[And then he realizes something.]

Oh right, I almost forgot. I'm Tails.

[like_a_dragon]

Oh... uh...

[Sheesh, talk about a mood whiplash.]

My name's Chie. Nice to meet you, I guess.

[She meant it, really. There was just too much going on.]

[ponymechanic]

[At least he was trying to lighten up the mood?]

You're Yu Narukami's friend, right? I work for him and Yukiko at the Detective Agency in town. Teddie and Rise are here too.

[like_a_dragon]

[But her emotiooooooons.]

Detective Agency?

[That was new...]

[ponymechanic]

Yep. Yu and Yukiko set up the business. Considering the case you guys were dealing with in Inaba, it seemed to make sense to start one up. I'm mostly an assistant there.

[like_a_dragon]

Huh... makes sense.

[She's a little surprised that they moved from making it a thing they did to an actual profession that they would get paid for.]

Are they working on anything now? Can you even talk about it over this thing?

[ponymechanic]

Not that I know of, though most of us are at the Crystal Empire right now for the Equestria Games. Basically this world's version of the Olympics.

[He moves the scroll to pan out the surroundings of the Crystal Empire. Everything is made out of crystal, so it's really shiny to look at.]

[like_a_dragon]

[Oh yeah, Teddie was showing her and-]

[Ah--]

So is Teddie in that Agency too?

[An outside person's perspective would be helpful right now.]

[ponymechanic]

Yes, though I think he's mostly living there. I don't usually pay much attention when I'm working.

[Not gonna mention how he's been having to avoid him because he and Teddie cannot seem to get along at all.]

[like_a_dragon]

Is he...

[Oh, what's the best word to describe this...]

...behaving?

[Nailed it.]

[ponymechanic]

Somewhat. He's been a real hoof-ful -er handful, but I think Yu and Yukiko have been keeping him in check.

[Darn those pony puns. You cannot escape them.]

[like_a_dragon]

And Yosuke is not here.

Yeah, I can see that. He's helpful in his own way but he's also quite the handful. We always have to make sure he was keeping out of trouble.

[Which is half an explanation and half a prod to see how Tails reacts.]

[ponymechanic]

Yosuke? Is he the guy with the headphones? I think I've heard a little about him from Yu.

[Sorta a half-lie. He did speak with a version of Yosuke when he was still connected with the community, but that's about it. Though it's possible one of the Yus he knows might have talked about him.]

Sounds about right. I know he can use a persona so he must be helpful sometimes.

[like_a_dragon]

Most times. The problem is getting him to calm down and focus.

[Boy, that sounds familiar.]

He knows more than he lets on!

[ponymechanic]

[Huh. No surprise that he knows what a persona is? He did mention knowing about the case back in Inaba too.]

I've noticed. I can barely make a conversation with him at all. It feels like he's an alien from another planet.

Oh? How so?

[like_a_dragon]

[Since he knew about Yu and Yukiko, that would be enough for that, right?]

It's... kind of hard to explain. All I can tell you is that if you're underestimating him, you are going to be in trouble. That bear is clever, tenacious, and diligent when it comes to something that he wants.

[ponymechanic]

[True.]

I'll have to take your word for it.