mylittlejamjar | [Visual] -5th Shadow-

Hey Equestria...I got a question for you, mostly this is for the other outlanders like myself, but...anyone is free to weigh in here. I'd like the input.

How many of you use friendship, or similar bonds, as a source of strength for yourselves back home?

Some pretense to that...where I come from there are creatures called Digimon. I myself am half-digimon. Long story to that, but I won't bore you with the details right now. A digimon is a creature born of digital data, they are however highly receptive to emotions and can grow stronger as they grow closer to others, becoming stronger and stronger as those bonds mature and grow.

Emotions from those that we make friend with rub off on us, we can become stronger, or weaker because of it, or we can become too strong that we can't control ourselves.

[He rubs at his cheek with a hoof and sighs deeply.]

Not only digimon have exhibited this trait, though. There is another being called a Net Navi where I'm from, another digital life-form, this one artificially created by humans. There's an entire battle tournament surrounding them even. A Navi and their NetOp, when they have a strong enough bond, can create powerful combinations with battle chips. They can even fuse together, share the core of their beings with another, the NetNavi’s can even form friendships of their own that unlock hidden potentials...

[ He holds a hoof over his chest reflexively, almost like he was reassuring himself about something...]

The core of my question is how many of you have something similar back home? An undertone to that is how many of us have forgotten about that? That we've taken it for granted or just forgotten our own basics? This place works on its own rules. Just like those of NetNavis, or Digimon...working together, believing in one another...we’ve heard it a lot lately, and seen that here, it’s its own force to be reckoned with. Friendship. We’re all in this together, and if we're going to-

[He stops short and scoffs softly to himself.]

Sorry. Getting off track...Anyways...just something I’ve been thinking about lately. If anyone would rather speak with me in person or private, you’re always welcome to call on me at the commune or approach me while I’m on duty in the Night Market.

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[A switch in the pony's demeanor, show's he looks far more tired than he may have been letting on.]

Hey, Dante...Vergil...I may I need your guys help with something. I dunno if you can, but I'd rather it be the two of you than others. I'd uh...rather speak somewhere off scroll, about it though. If you can, meet me at the Decanter.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Yes, this is kind of awkward. But getting past that, what kind of powers does it give?

What doesn't it do? Du- Uhhh, the crystals are used in all kinds of technology around the world. Not just for fighting either, it's like a power source. I don't think the big airships would even be able to run on anything else.

I wonder if that's at all like the power the Moonbloods used... the Flameless Light.

[Blaaaaaank look.]

The what?

You know as much as I do. It was the power they built their ancient civilization on... what they used to make me.

I don't... really think I do. I've never heard of- [what'd he call it?] -Flameless Light before, or Moonbloods, or any of that stuff.

[Reeeeaaaaaallly thinking you and his are different Dusts, Dust.]

[Probably, and yet the coincidence just hits him hard.]

Not surprising. No one else has, either. Even here, in a land of horses...

That's that... "different worlds" thing workin' though, isn't it? [Short exhale of a laugh.] I mean, I'd never heard of talking ponies back home short of fairytales and stuff like that, so I don't think they're connected. [He manages a shrug.] Wouldn't surprise me if the others were like that?

It's a bit unusual for all of us... though former humans are a lot more common than former Warmbloods here. Still, we know all our worlds have one connections, at least. We're here.