16 Pizzas [visual/locked to KR!Princess Luna, the Twilights, Bertie, the Doctors and Iron Liz]

[polyturtle]

[Hey, guys. Don's in his lab again, this time working on...well. Who knows what he's working on. They look metal-ish, though. Pipe-like. And so on.]

Guys, I came back here from the Games after seeing that outburst from Pollo. I'm pretty darn sure that Mechakara's trying or will be trying to take over again. Its happened before and I'm not willing to just sit around and wait for it to progress to a point where we can't stop it this time.

We owe it to Pollo to try to help him, so...

[He stops for a moment, with working and talking, weighing his words before he speaks again.]

I guess the question is...are you willing to see if androids in pony bodies really do dream of electric sheep? Because I'm ready to.

Comments

[noxequus]

Attacking him in the dreamscape is not without its hazards. While it is indeed a risk that destroying Mechakara within his mind could have adverse effects on his psyche, it is far more important to note that if anything were to happen to your self within the dreamscape, you would be reduced to a vegetative state.

It would not be true death, I cannot trust that you would recover as Bertram or Gwendolyn did.

Dreamwalking in such hazardous conditions is not to be taken lightly. There is a reason I let this situation progress as far as it did.

[polyturtle]

I know. And dealing with a mind like Mechakara's...

[Oh. He remembered what happened in his own mind.]

But I don't want to risk losing Pollo. If Mechakara can't just delete Pollo as is he'll find a way to and we both know that.

[noxequus]

It is not so simple.

Pollo is everything that Mechakara detests. To simply remove him is not the goal. Mechakara desires to break him and make Pollo witness as he destroys everything that he holds dear.

However, the solution is in the problem that you stated, I believe. We must find a way to empower Pollo to eradicate all signs of Mechakara. If such a thing is possible, that is... it may be sheer folly to contemplate.

[polyturtle]

[No, that's true, wasn't it? He would remove Pollo only after everything he's held dear is destroyed. He's thoughtful for some time, before speaking again.]

Well, Equestrians like to say that friendship is magic, right? We have to show Pollo that no matter what Mechakara would try to throw at us, we're not going to abandon him to that.

[Which he is well aware is eaiser said than done. Way, way easier said than done. He rubs his head.]

And the only way we are likely going be able to do it to help him is at the subconscious level. At the source. Pollo's not going to necessarily remember things Mechakara's been doing to him, voluntary or no. And if he does he's not going to say it outright for fear of alienating us.

[noxequus]

And at the moment, that power is solely with Twilight Sparkle.

However, Pollo is still... terrified of his other half, and that has allowed Mechakara to gain momentum. This is why Twilight tried to keep secrecy; to alert Pollo to what he is doing would make him even more afraid, and cause Mechakara to grow even further in power within that body.

We must find some way to make him aware while similarly imparting to him the bravery he needs to overcome this.

[magicalrealist]

I've been watching his dreams for anything suspicious. I haven't found anything, but what I've seen...let's just say there's a reason Pollo doesn't want to remember his dreams. They have to be handled delicately, especially if we're talking about erasing a part of Pollo. We erase the wrong parts and there's no telling what kind of damage that'll do to him.

But what really worries me is the interference spurring Mechakara into action. That's why I haven't been able to do anything but watch.

[polyturtle]

I know. I'm pretty sure Mechakara will know the minute we get in there, too. That's why we need to be ready for anything. And we'll need to find Pollo in those dreams.

[Somehow. Hmm.]

...Actually. What kind of dreams? Are they...pretty much what you'd expect from Mechakara?

[magicalrealist]

They're exactly what you'd expect from Mechakara. War, death, machines taking over...it's brutal.

(And not very fun to watch. It's a good thing she built up a tolerance for death and violence. Don should be familiar with some of it, too.)

Pollo's been suppressing his dreams for good reason. It lets him sleep, but it also means I haven't been able to find him in his dreams. That may complicate matters.

[polyturtle]

[HahahahahaHAHAHAHAHA.]

Or it might help. What if Pollo's consciousness isn't in his dreams? It would mean his dreams are all Mechakara.

[visual]

[tinkertytonk]

[Bertie's ensconced in a fort of books when his scroll turns on. Just beyond the tops are the glimmering ceilings of one of the Crystal Empire's libraries. He's looking... just a touch worse for wear and not a little like he's back on coffee. There is a cup of it sitting next to him, he doesn't appear to have slept in at least a day, and his movements are jerky.]

We've got to go deeper than his dreams, Hamato. [He also might sound slightly barking.] That's not the only place Mechakara's hiding, is it, hmm? He's in his mind. His soul, my man. And there's a chalice that can suck it out!

[Bertie hefts the book he has in front of him. It shows a detailed painting of a gold chalice, though in place of the 'X's on the black and red checkering on this approximate picture, there are other symbols that the mathematically inclined might recognize.]

The Chalice of Division. [His voice is muffled from behind the book, but his hoof appears to jab at the aforementioned chalice. Then, Bertie slams the book down in front of him, leaning in close to the scroll.] I've got it. I've had the blasted thing sitting about for months. Ever since Harvey, Andrew, and I went down to the Basement. I'd recognize that hideous thing anywhere.

I've had the answer all this time! I've nearly chucked it out twice. We'll-we'll pull out Pollo's soul, and then go into it, drag him and Mechakara apart, then just put the part that's Pollo back in. It's brilliant. It's perfect.

[Bertie's looking not a little manic at this point, ears forward, mouth slightly open, and eyes wide and red-rimmed.]

[visual threadjack]

[noxequus]

Bertram? When was the last time you slept? Your mouth is practically frothing.

[visual]

[tinkertytonk]

Yesterday! No...

Two days!

How many days ago was Monday?

[It hardly matters.]

Never mind. I haven't been tired, Your Highness. Bursting at the seams with energy, you know? The fire's lit in this Wooster's heart for a chum in need.

[visual]

[noxequus]

You have not yet saddled and yet are already mounted, Bertram. You have not slept for nearly half a week, and yet claim yourself full of energy and brimming with plans concocted from a half-alert mind.

Whilst your artifact does bring with it a possibility of hope, making the haste you insist will lead only to grave danger.

Get some sleep. Some proper sleep. Approach this with a mind that is less sure about its clarity than you are now.

[Which is to say - a clearer mind. One that isn't so caught up in its own fervor to believe everything is fine when it is not.]

[visual]

[bluesuit_hoofy]

Bertie, I know you're trying to help, but you're talking about ripping Pollo's soul out and putting it in a cup. If we want to make permanent changes, we need to go into his mind where it is, rewire him again with all the hardware intact so the adjustments stick this time. We're going to need Pollo's active participation; right now we need to focus on how to break the news to him without making him more afraid than he already is.


...And you're not doing anything until you've had some sleep, just so you know.

Re: [visual]

[polyturtle]

Now hold on, Andrew. Bertie might have a point.

[There is a mile of eureka - and deviousness - on his face.]

Science doesn't know how to sleep. So why should Bertie?

[visual]

[bluesuit_hoofy]

Science knows perfectly well how to sleep. Science knows all about it.

[Whatever Don's thinking, Andrew hasn't caught on.]

[visual]

[tinkertytonk]

All the hardware will be intact. We're just going to pull out the part of him that's actually Pollo! He can help once we're in there, what? I'm sure he'll know where all the bits are tied together. Brave heart, we'll make it through, my lad!

And I'm positively wired, hopped up to the heavens. No need for the old pillow and fluff, you understand?

[This is Bertie Wooster ignoring you and your sensible discussion, Andrew.]

Re: [visual]

[bluesuit_hoofy]

Hardware as in his brain, Bertie. You know, that thing you've overloaded with stimulants. You can't expect to permanently alter someone's mind without involving the brain.

[visual]

[trustme]

[There are a lot of things to say about this idea. Starting with the most basic question]

...Where in the world did you find that Chalice? Is it another artifact from the Canterlot basement?

[visual]

[tinkertytonk]

[Bertie nods vigorously.]

Just so! You've got it in one, old thing! Echo - this... voice girl... thingummy - led us all about to escape the zombies she'd been trying to set on us, and I saw the thing sitting with a pile of treasure. And, well, a fellow can't just go through life-or-death circs without something to show for it, what? I grabbed it up and thought I might sell it. Back in the days of harder times, you know? But I forgot about it and it's just been sitting about.

[visual]

[trustme]

I hadn't heard there was a girl down there. Is she alright? Rather difficult to get comfortable with zombies everywhere.

How in the world did you discover what the Chalice does? Are you sure it has such powerful capabilities?

[trustme]

I want to help. I'm not the same Doctor he knew before but I feel I should follow up on what he did. [If you know what that means.]

My telepathic abilities should help in the dreamscape anyway.

[polyturtle]

[He kind of does, thankfully.]

Are you able to link yourself telepathically to people? As an anchor, of sorts. That way we can communicate with one another even if we're separated.

[trustme]

By touch I could. I have never tried to link minds without physical contact with non-Time Lords before and I don't know yet how this body would affect that ability.

If you mean to keep contact between minds while in the Dreamscape, that I can likely do as long as our physical bodies are in contact.

[polyturtle]

That's something we should consider, when we do this. Someone to act as a connecting force between everyone in case we do get split up or trapped in some way mentally.