mylittlejamjar | A new...face? [OTA]

[Unlike so many of the others, the first broadcast message Andrew sends out following the incident with the Pale Pony has little to do with the battle, or with the question of whether the princesses were right to withhold the information they did. He has his own opinions, of course, which'll like as not come out should anyone question his priorities and his reasons for not coming out of his workshop to help with the rest of the world's crisis. He looks haggard, like he's barely slept in a week, but relieved as he finishes setting up the scroll and sits back on his haunches to address it. There's a strange little machine by his side, all awkwardly big wheels and cheerful glowy bits.]

Everyone, there's somepony I'd like you to meet. Some of you who have been in the Royal Library Basement -- when we had a Royal Library Basement -- may have already met her. This is Echo. She was a guard there right around the time Starswirl started going batty, and he banished her physical body. And I, ah…fixed it. Mostly. The crystal I used to carry her mind out of the basement wasn't as stable as I'd hoped, so it's a bit of a rushed job.

[So that's what the machine next to him is. A complex array of crystals, wires, and other bits and bobs in a protective casing sits atop what looks almost like a homemade remote control car festooned with camera, microphones, and sensory plates. There doesn't seem to be a speaker anywhere on the thing, but nevertheless a full and boisterous version of Luna's Royal Canterlot Voice pipes up.]

WE GREET THEE, GOOD CITIZENS OF EQUESTRIA. THE DOCTOR ANDREW HAS GIVEN US A MOST PLEASING FORM OF WHEELED DELIGHT. WE CHALLENGE ALL TO A RACE FROM THE TOWN SQUARE TO THE WHITETAIL WOODS ONCE WE HAVE ACQUIRED THE 'OFF ROAD' VERSION OF THIS VEHICLE OF BRILLIANCE.

…Yes, thank you, Echo. Speaking of which, we can definitely do better than this. Pollo?

[He hesitates, briefly makes a face, then forces himself to say it. It's for Echo's sake, not his, he has to remember that.] …Doctor?

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[There's some hesitance in her voice and the grimace she's making is almost audible.] It's not a problem for me. But who's running around without their soul? Master Star Swirl never figured out how to get it back in.

No need to worry about that, I assure you.

We were incredibly careful and saw to it that our friend came out the other end with a complete soul. Perhaps what Master Star Swirl needed were more hooves to help him. Though I'm curious why he used the chalice. Or why he made it- if he did.

Well --

[Andrew's not sure if what they gave Pollo quite counts as one 'complete' soul, but it was certainly enough soul to get his body to accept him back.] We got him back in there, at any rate.

[Echo falls back into using Donna's voice after a pause long enough to indicate she's probably hiding something.] I don't even know what he was on about. I mean, chalices? Really? They're so passe for holding souls, yeah?

[Of all voices to try bluffing in, Echo, you chose one of the worst to use in front of these two.]

I'm sure there was a reason it was made. -For choosing to make it a chalice even. Does anything at all come to mind?

All he ever cared about was being immortal. Who wants that? All your friends just die around you. [Echo goes quiet again, and when she continues, it's back in her own voice.] All I know is he was trying to sort out something with souls and taking away the Pale Pony's control. The real Pale Pony, not the other one that's turned up.

[The Doctor sits up straight.]

Then there are two Pale Ponies? The one from the legends- that was the one Star Swirl was trying to combat wasn't it? The Pale Pony is an undertaker, so he wouldn't like a visit from her if he wanted to be immortal.

The newer one though, Calice as she calls herself, she is an entirely different individual then?

She's not the Pale Pony I know. [Echo's front wheels shift left and right in an approximation of shaking her head.] Not the one who came for my granny when she was sick.

How do you know? Have you seen the Pale Pony before or learned of something that would distinguish her from the one we see today.

[There's a drawn-out pause, and when Echo speaks again, her voice is hesitant, but more in the way of someone trying to remember something from a very long time ago.]

It was when I was a foal. Granny and I shared a room in Rainbow Falls. That's where I'm from. I don't know if it's still around. Our house wasn't really big, so it was Mama and Papa in one room, and Granny and me in the other. She got a cold that wouldn't go away. The healer ponies didn't know how to help her, and we couldn't afford to take her to Canterlot. Not back then. I was still in my crib, but it's the first thing I remember.

One night, the window opened on its own, and then, in the moonlight, she was there: an alicorn. Her coat and mane were white like the snow; she was beautiful. She went to my granny, and she called her name. And then... Granny didn't get up, but her spirit did. She was younger, like the painting we had from when she was a filly. Granny came over and told me she loved me, and the Pale Pony was beside her.

She had the kindest eyes. The Pale Pony said she was taking Granny away somewhere nice, but that she'd be waiting for me.

[There's a break in Echo's voice.]

I've kept her waiting forever.

Edited 2014-10-06 02:09 (UTC)

[The Doctor nods quietly.]

The difference is obvious. Clearly it's incorrect to even call Calice the "Pale Pony." I imagine she took on the title because of her own collection of souls but she does a poor job doing justice to the name.

Do you have any idea how Star Swirl's attempts to outmatch the Pale Pony went? It would be helpful if he happened to leave something behind that could protect a soul from being taken away against their will. -To defeat Calice's attempts.

Everything failed. Everything I saw, anyway. That's what half those things are - were - down in the basement. That's what the yogurt zombies are.

[The little car backs up and wheels over to hide behind Andrew's hind legs. When Echo speaks again, it's with Applejack's voice.] Sure as you like, I'm all tuckered out. Ain't done so much jawin' with folk that talk back in more'n a thousand years.

Edited 2014-10-06 17:59 (UTC)

Star Swirl certainly had the lead role creating that basement! If anything that might help occurs to you- an invention, a spell, another witness, anything- please let us know.

Thank you for explaining so much for us, Echo.

I wonder what the real Pale Pony thinks of Calice.

We can talk about it later. [Andrew gives the Doctor a meaningful look through the scroll. They might be able to get more clarifications out of Echo, but he's not going to push her. He does want to talk about this both with her and with the others, but now's not the time.]

That's enough for today, I think. I'll let people know when we're ready for visitors.

Yes, that's been more than enough for now and extremely helpful.

Oh! You should come visit Sugarcube Corner sometime. Pinkie would love to throw you a welcome party, Echo.

Party pony Pinkie... [Echo laughs softly, but stays in Applejack's voice.] Shucks, I'd like that a lot. See y'all later, then.

[And, stepping carefully because she's so near his hooves, Andrew moves forward and rolls up the scroll.]

[wait what this seems important]

What...what did he do with the other ones? Why would he want to split souls in the first place?

[Echo's voice switches to Pinkie Pie's.]

I gueeeess, he sorta just poured them out. I think some of the yogurt zombies licked them up. I know one of them groaned at me like Hartcatcher used to. He was a total meany!

[.....it's going to take him several minutes to recover from his horror over that story and formulate any kind of response.]

Okay. Thank you. [That will be the end of his questions for right now!]

No problem, silly willy! [Pinkie's voice chirrups happily from the car.]

[He'll be hiding under the bed if you need him.]

A new...face? [OTA]

[visual]

[visual]

[visual]

[visual]

[visual]

[visual]

[visual]

[visual]

[visual]

[visual]

[visual]

[visual]

[visual]

[visual]

[visual]

[visual]

[visual]

[visual]

[visual]

[visual]

[visual]

[visual]