☼ [ visual]

[solequus]

[Sometime after the ponies wake up, scrolls and quills suddenly start raining from the sky. Don't worry, its not the ponypocalypse, its just a squadron of flying white ponies dropping them from above.

Once everyone receives one, the scrolls suddenly glow and come to life, its surface revealing the visage of a large white alicorn with rainbow hair and a golden crown, sitting on a large, velvet-upholstered throne. She has a calm, reassuring, regal smile on her face as she speaks, though those who know her better can see the light of worry and concern in her eyes.]

Good afternoon, newponies! I am Princess Celestia.

I've heard of your arrival in Ponyville and of some of the more interesting stories that have come from it. We're...not certain how this phenomenon has occurred, but we here at the royal castle will put our efforts into solving this mystery, and I hope you will help us out as we wish to help you out!

Rest assured, no harm will come to you. Nor, as some of you have worried, are we holding you against your will. On the contrary, you're free to move about Equestria as you please, be it through Ponyville, Los Pegasus or anywhere in between. I only request that you use the scrolls we have provided you to check in from time to time, so that we know where you might be when we figure out the solution to this current situation.

If you have any questions, you are free to ask them of me. If I am not available - and, I will admit, there are times when I can be quite busy - there are many other ponies willing to help you, including the other princesses of Equestria. We are all in this together, after all.

[And then she smiles a little more. Its a much more relaxed smile. The concern is still there, of course.]

But, in the meantime, I'd also like to get to know all of you! I always like to meet new people, after all. I hear we even have a dragon?

Comments

[Visual]

[stormbroken]

[There's a very confused pegasus prodding at the scroll in confusion, tilting her head and prodding again.

She'd heard of dragon-enchanted scrolls, but nothing that projected long-distance images. Princess Celestia couldn't have had something like this ready so quickly, could she have?]

Honored... Sun?

[Visual]

[solequus]

[Smile.]

Hm! Now, that's not a title I hear often nowadays. Actually, I'm quite surprised anyone uses it anymore.

Aah, but who might you be?

[visual]

[sailorlaughter]

Ohhhhhhhhh...so that wasn't a giant sleepover?

[visual]

[solequus]

I'm afraid not, Pinkie Pie.

[badassfreakingoverlord]

Hmph. So you're the Overlord of this world, I take it? Or whatever the equivalent is.

[solequus]

I am ta princess, yes. Though, I am not the sole ruler by any means.

[Not anymore.]

[Visual]

[magicalrealist]

(For a while, there's just...staring. It's been a year since she lost Celestia back in Mayfield, but seeing her again...

...Well, it shouldn't be that much of a surprise; just as the real Twilight was spared the harshness of that town, so would the princesses, right? And so would her friends...As with waking up in Ponyville. She's not sure what to feel. This feels too suspicious and she can't readily admit this is the real Equestria. She learned better than to assume much from appearances.

Even if this Celestia wasn't the real one, she still had to make herself known to her. She just...had to. This Twilight is very much without wings and unaware she'll have a pair of her own, but that's not her concern right now.)

...Princess?

[Visual]

[solequus]

[--What the--]

Twilight Sparkle?

[She looks shocked.]

What happened to your wings?

[Visual]

[surpriserainbows]

HAIL CELESTIA!

[The voice doesn't sound so much reverent and full of praise as it does seem to waver with fear and anticipation to the reaction of it. Surprise has no clue what's going on still, and Celestia sending out a proclamation to all just makes things worse. Is it a trick? Some kind of test from their god and master? If it is Surprise doesn't know what kind of answer Celestia wants because, of course, Celestia is all knowing. And even if she isn't, every pony is told to act to make sure they treat her like she is, or face her wrath.

Celestia's wrath, in Surprise's world, wasn't hard to come by.

So she simply states praise to her, the best thing Surprise can think to do at the moment, and hope it is in some way the right answer.]

[Visual]

[solequus]

Well, ah, thank you!

[What is with that look on the newpony's face?...]

A simple 'hello' will always suffice in the future.

[Visual]

[strawberryredgrave]

Guess you heard correctly. Not exactly my look of choice, but if I'm anything, I'm adaptable.

(The dragon shrugged.)

And before anyone asks, I'm not doing that "kidnap a princess and drag her back to my place" thing. Call me old-fashioned, but I prefer getting a lady's consent first.

[Visual]

[solequus]

Oh, why hello there! It appears Spike might have some competition in Ponyville, hmm?

[Smile.]

Oh, I wouldn't expect such a thing. We princesses are a bit difficult to kidnap, after all.

[tinkertytonk]

[Bertie's gobsmacked by the talking picture on the scroll, staring at it open-mouthed as Celestia delivers her address. As that's terribly impolite, he pulls himself together enough to bow to the thing. How does one greet pony royalty?]

Um... how do you do, Your Majesty. Bertram Wooster of England. I'd like to help out any way I can. Not terribly Holmesian myself, but I can certainly sleuth with the best of them when there's a mystery about.

[solequus]

England?

[Pondering. Pondering. Hoof to chin.]

Hmm, I can't say I have heard of such a place, Bertram Wooster...certainly I have not seen it on the maps of Equestria...

[Visual]

[emperor_cowboy]

[After his apparent... nap... was disturbed by some unknown force, he simply stares at the talking... scroll and simply turns around and decides it best to ignore the thing. Back to sleep.]

Re: [Visual]

[solequus]

[You just keep having that nap then, young man.]

[Visual]

[songoficeandfire]

[Oh, this thing makes videos? How's it possible? Maybe it runs on some kind of small battery?

Hey Celestia, the feed will show a new pony just confused at the entire thing. Don't mind her slightly poking the screen with her new hoof. This is all weird to her (says the one with a headgod).]

[Visual]

[solequus]

Hello there!

Visual

[whywouldyoubuckleup]

Yeah, uh, Princess, I've got a couple of questions.

Number one: Las Pegasus? Really?

Number two: Do ghosts exist here?

[Visual]

[solequus]

Yes, Los Pegasus is one of the largest cities in Equestria.

And...well, I suppose it depends whether you believe they exist!

[Visual] I love how I still only have one icon but it works for about 90% of his reactions

[saddledwithempire]

[Well. It's certainly a little more expedient than a phone. Now Klaus has to work quite a bit less to be sure his utter distrust is obvious! Still, he's got (presumably) one of the jerks running the town right there and for once they're presenting as approachable. Of course he's going to take advantage.]

I'm not going to bother pressing you for information, since I imagine getting any concrete answers at this point would be too much to hope. I know you aren't who you say you are, though I must say, altering the town to such an extent and taking on an entirely new persona to match is above and beyond what I had begun to expect from you and yours. I'd be impressed if this weren't so baffling. What are you trying to accomplish? This is hardly your usual style.

[Visual]

[solequus]

[B...link?]

I'm afraid I don't follow. Why would I not be who I say I am?

[seapony]

[Michiru is unimpressed, both by her arrival here, and this sudden pronouncement. Still, it is only polite to reply]

A pleasure to meet you, Princess. I am Michiru Kaiou. You say we are not held against our will, but this is not my home. A cage is a cage, no matter how large.

[solequus]

I understand, Michiru Kaiou. The reasons as to why you are here and not home is something I do not know the reasons for.

But since you are here, it would be imprudent of me to treat you differently, or to impose upon you anything I wouldn't reasonably expect from my own citizens.

Visual

[oldhippony]

[Nemo stares at the unicorn woman on his scroll. He mouths the words 'Las Pegasus?'

This was all getting to be way too weird to blame on being an acid flashback.]

The name's Nemo Vantas, ma'am. I'm a farmer.

[Among other things.]

Re: Visual

[solequus]

Ah, hello, Nemo Vantas! What kind of crops do you specialize in?

[Visual]

[ponymechanic]

[By this point, either he had figured out or somepony pointed it out to him that this isn't a virus nor the community's doing. Celestia's message confirms it. He's not surprised by the scroll since some people on the community would use magic books. So a magic scroll wasn't unheard of.]

Pleased to meet you, princess. I'm Tails. Do you know if there's a spell or some powerful item that could have cause this? [He wanted to help not only to get home, but also to figure out this mystery.]

[Visual]

[solequus]

[There is a bit of a silence as Celestia mulls it over, frowning in thought.]

There is only one set of items powerful enough to even come close to unleashing the amount of power it would take to bring anypony from other worlds and...other Equestrias.

[Wow. Never thought she'd say that, and it feels weird saying it.]

However, they are in the care of one of the princesses, and there are spells in place to prevent their disappearance or misuse by others.

[Visual]

[rhapsoidein]

[It seems magic is in abundance here, giving Genesis a small bit of hope. She doubts she looks great what with her gray, nearly white fur, with visible cracks and her dull eyes. She looks exhausted]

Do you anything of... of genetics here? I'm afraid I'm in need of assistance due to my now ailing health. Nothing contagious, I assure you. I'm being affected on a DNA level and I fear there is no known cure. But... but your magic is different from Gaian... do you know of something can could cure me? Your Highness?

My name is Genesis Rhapsodos.

[Visual]

[solequus]

--Oh my goodness! Young mare, why have you not been taken to a hospital!

[Visual]

[atomicsuperstar]

[There's a Princess. Of course, why wouldn't this pastel playland have a Princess, of all things?]

[Celestia is greeted up the sight of a very irritated robo-pony, staring down at the scroll he has pinned to the ground]

Okay. Alright. Got a couple things to get off my chest but introductions come first.

My name is Doctor Atomic Robo Tesla. Not the medical kind either, in case anybody felt like getting snarky about that. Try not to stare, either. I don't appreciate it. It's a pleasure meeting you, your highness.

[Incensed as he is, Robo hasn't forgotten his manners. Good for him]

[Visual]

[solequus]

Of course not, Dr. Tesla. It would be rude to do so in any case.

But, how can I help you?

[selfmadespeedster]

<sub>[He's taken aback at first. The princess looked like something out of a movie. Not that it couldn't be said of the entire world Wally had woken up in, but Celestia definitely looked like a moving-talking example of mystical creatures from stories he'd read as a child. Stories that he hadn't believed in for a long time now.

The princess talked about being on their side. He didn't know if it was true or not, but it wouldn't hurt to go along with the flow for now.]</sub>

Uh. Greetings Princess! I am Wallace West -er Wally a human from the United States of America which... I don't know if you've ever heard about but... it's on the planet Earth.

_{[He was starting to sound like a really awkward version of one of the Green Lantern's alien introduction speeches.]}

And I would be happy to aid you in figuring out what brought me and the other newcomers to your land. I honestly don't have many clues to offer since I was asleep in my bed before it happened. But I'll do what I can.

[solequus]

[She smiles back at him.]

Its all right. We are all in this together, after all, and I am happy that you are willing to help out, Wally West.

[Visual]

[first_host]

[Give her a moment, Celestia, she's still figuring out how these hooves things work, it's all too weird to her still.

A light little huff as she composes herself, heaving the body posture of someone far above her station in this place.]

A princess? We only used that word in jest where I come from, there are no such things as.... royalty in that kind of form. [Not that Hokage and the like aren't close enough to it, she's a little more than agitated to be a unicorn still.]

Is there... a map we could pick up somewhere? I am not terribly keen on staying in one place for a long time unless there is something to hold me here. [A soft, light laugh.] For once I get to travel without some company following me all the time insisting that they keep guard of me.

[Visual]

[solequus]

[She wouldn't happen to be from the world where the Overlord of the Netherworld came from by any cha-]

Ah, I believe the best place to start for a map is at one of the shops in town which sells books. Otherwise, the Ponyville Library.

[trustme]

_{[The Doctor smiles. Nods his head in respect to her, then replies.]}

Hello Princess. It's nice to meet the person in charge around here. I'm The Doctor. I've done a lot of traveling but never to this planet before. Am I right understanding that it is not normal for people coming here to be put into pony bodies? -Or dragon bodies- I did see that there was at least one large reptile.

[solequus]

[At this, she frowns thoughtfully.]

Well, I can say it is not normal for ponies to be brought here at all, much less put into any form that is not their natural form. Especially in so many numbers.

[millionbitpipes]

Oh. Hey, Princess. [He looks skeptically at her for a few seconds.] Lemme guess - you ain't the same one I met before.

[solequus]

I'm afraid not! But we have met now, and that is what counts.

[Visual]

[downtoearthpony]

[Well looky here! A scroll? Applejack isn't use to seeing one of these types that isn't being delivered by Spike, but seeing how it's being brought some pegasi guards, it must be more of a general announcement, right?

Despite the strangeness of today, AJ is glad to see something somewhat familiar and opens up the scroll to see what is written on it.

Only to be greeted by a talking image of Princess Celestia! The shock of this newfangled scroll technology keeps her speechless as the alicorn speaks, but once the introduction is finished, AJ shakes herself out of the stupor and speaks.]

Er, greetings your majesty. Ah'm sure glad to see you again... By any chance are some of the new ponies showing up the same as other ponies already here? Or mentioned a place called Mayfield?

[Visual]

[solequus]

Ah, Applejack.

[Another from 'Mayfield'. In between everything Twilight Sparkle told her, and the fact at least one other had expressed distrust of Equestria because of that place, she knew more than she'd ever care to know. She would never admit that, of course. Instead, she nods.]

Yes. I have seen two ponies for far who have come from Mayfield - one of them being Twilight Sparkle.

[Visual]

[bitespandas]

[Now that Jan's calmed down, he can try to ask the princess pony some questions!]

So this place really isn't zowazowa? And we should be wasshiwasshi instead?

[He's just trying to make sure Equestria isn't evil and that he should move forward with cheerful determination in the face of an adverse situation. That's clear, right?]

[Visual]

[solequus]

. . .

Yes.

[Whatever it is Jan just said.]

[visual]

[soulofblue]

Oh. You're not...I thought Luna was this place's princess?

[visual]

[solequus]

She is! But Luna and I rule together, as sisters.

scroll poking || visual

[anelegantmyth]

[ She stares, and blinks, then stares, then blinks again. There's a tricolored rapidash talking to her through a piece of paper and she really didn't know how to go about it.

Raising a hoof, she began poking the scroll in front of her]

Oh...talking rapidash named Celestia...did you give me these wings?

[solequus]

I'm afraid not.

[Rapidash?...]

[visual]

[lastkillerbunny]

[At first Yarne hides behind the rock when the picture started to move. He's never seen that magic before but as Celestia went on, he pokes his head out.]

D-DRAGON?!

[Yarne looks rather pale at the mention of said creature.]

Oh no! It's not Grima, is it?

[visual]

[solequus]

Oh no, his name is Dante. I don't think you'll need to worry much about him! He does not wish to harm anyone.

[Unless you're a pizza. Then all bets are off.]