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

[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.

[polyturtle]

I guess the question is who could possibly talk to him about that. I could volunteer, I know that feeling of...

[Ngh.]

helplessness, but...I know I wouldn't be able to do that alone, either.

[noxequus]

Twilight Sparkle is the only one who has managed to approach and remain close aside from yourself. I approached, once, but...

[She trails off, voice lowering.]

I would be a liar to say that I was not gripped by inconsolable fear to even think of one such as Mechakara. Seeing what those dreams are like... I cannot.

[polyturtle]

Yeah, this...is going to be difficult.

[Understatement.]

Maybe we should ask Twilight to talk to Pollo. And we can stick around nearby, just in case.