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

[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?

[visual]

[tinkertytonk]

Well, her body was banished and she wanted to watch us die rather horribly for the entertainment at first. You might take your cue from those as to how 'all right' the poor fish is. [Really, Bertie thinks she's positively bonkers, but who is he to speak about such things when the sight of Mechakara sends him into hysterics? Best not to think about that. There are a hundred other things to think of, anyway.]

And I wasn't even looking for anything on the chalice, really. I found this footnote referencing a whatsit to hold the soul in a book Princess Twilight has got in Ponyville and I'd been meaning to get out to Canterlot to see if they might have anything more. Well, this Wooster has been falling down on the job, but no more! I dashed over to the library just as soon as I saw he was getting worse, and I've been looking through all of their books on dark magic objects ever since. Well, I mean, I did have to break for the canoe sprint, but I was on the case just as soon as that was all over.

I'm positive this is the same thing. [He hold up the book again to show the picture.] The chalice I picked up looks exactly like this one.

better jump back on this! [visual]

[trustme]

[He tales a close look through the scroll at the illustration in the book.] That's a very good match! I think you're right about the chalice.

So Echo is a voice in the basement that can command the resident zombies, and luckily she spared you and the others your last trip there? You never found a source of the voice- no little girls hiding behind curtains or in secret rooms?

[visual]

[tinkertytonk]

[Bertie shakes his head.]

She doesn't command them, more... sort of just uses them when they're about? I think she rather fancied Andrew, truth be told. Jolly good, that, or we might be short a few femurs, what? There were plenty of secret rooms, but, ah... no little fillies I could see.

[visual]

[trustme]

"Uses?" Some sort of possession ability? Sounds like Andrew better come along if anybody goes down there looking for her again.

What in the world did a little girl do that made someone banish her body? -If it's true.

[visual]

[tinkertytonk]

No! No. [Bertie clops a hoof to his forehead.] She's just a voice. Sort of... lures you into danger, then has a laugh while you're dealing with the mess. And she's not a little girl. Echo was some sort of guard around with Star Swirl was still banging about.

[visual]

[trustme]

Oh! Why didn't you say so to begin with! Star Swirl clearly left behind many objects there in the dungeon. -Those machines you and I found for example. Did she tell you anything from her story?

[visual]

[tinkertytonk]

Just that she was a guard and went shouting her head off at Star Swirl in his voice. The blighter banished her body and that was that. Ms. Echo was only an echo.

[visual]

[trustme]

Did she mention why she was upset with Star Swirl. The old chap did have some wild ideas back in his time.

[visual]

[tinkertytonk]

No, sorry. Not angry shouting. Just... she was having a bit of fun with him.

[visual]

[trustme]

Oh! Oh! [They were having a record number of misunderstandings in this conversation.]

I suppose I should bring the rest of my questions to Echo herself.

[visual] (shall we wrap it up?)

[tinkertytonk]

Might be for the best once we sort out Pollo. She can't get out of the basement, so I'd say we've got more pressing matters, eh?

yes I think we're done :)

[trustme]

[He nods.]

Right, I got sidetracked there. Best stay focused on Pollo's situation. I'll speak with you later, Bertie.