☼ [ 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

Re: [Action]

[solequus]

[Celestia is not going to deny her faithful student a hug. Indeed, she brings her chin onto her student's head reassuringly as she holds her in her hoof.

The way that Twilight spoke, and looked at her, it was quite clear that something had happened. But she doesn't prod. Her student would tell her when she was ready.]

[Action]

[magicalrealist]

(It takes her a while before she can actually break away from the hug, but after a few minutes, she finally does.)

...As you may already know, I'm technically one of the outsiders who found themselves here today. I can't speak for all of them, but I can at least provide insight on a few others and myself.

...A group of people tried to save others from the troubles of their lives by bringing them to another, but they couldn't. It was impossible for them to even touch the originals. Instead, they created digital copies of these individuals and forced them to live in a...less than hospitable town.

In short...I'm not the real Twilight.

[Action]

[solequus]

[There is a long, long silence as Celestia takes all of the information in. Once it all sinks in, however, she bends down to Twilight's eye level.]

Twilight Sparkle. That you are a...'digital copy' is of no matter to me. You are and always will be who you are - no matter how you came to be.

No one can take that away from you unless you let them.

[Action]

[magicalrealist]

(Twilight smiles at that and nods.)

Holding on to my identity was part of the reason I survived Mayfield. In their attempts to create the "perfect place to live," they tried to turn everyone into brainwashed drones who acted as if nothing was wrong. If you lost your identity, you lost everything.

(But that smile becomes a frown once again.)

...But that's only part of it. Friendship was one of the most contributing factors to how we all survived and how we learned to cope, but there's more to the story than that. You see...

(Twilight anxiously shuffles in place.)

...Since we're virtual copies, they told us we could never return home, that we would simply disappear once the machine we were in lost power. It hurt immensely...but I prepared myself for the inevitable. I was ready to spend my final years being happy with everyone who was still there because despite the hardships I endured, I took solace in the fact that the real Twilight Sparkle was never subjected to any of it. That she never had to know Mayfield existed...

My presence raises more issues than it solves. Nopony should ever have to question reality as much as I am now. Being back in Equestria...it leaves me speechless, but when you can't tell the difference between reality and fantasy...how are you supposed to think or feel or act?

(For better or for worse, Twilight has put a lot of thought into metaphysics and post-traumatic stress disorder doesn't help make those thoughts rational.)

Re: [Action]

[solequus]

[This hurt. It hurt thinking someone would willingly subject someone to that kind of callous disregard and immoral action. That it would happen to Twilight Sparkle...that she would be made to question her very existence!

And indeed, this does raise an important issue for Celestia, though perhaps not the one Twilight was facing. If her student was just a copy that was meant to die or disappear without a machine powering her...how, then, was she and others like her here without ill effect to their beings? If it was the power which brought her and the others here...

Well. She could mull the full implications later.

This was more important.]

Twilight Sparkle. When you follow your heart and instincts, you will always find the truth in the end, no matter how difficult it might be to see it at first glance. That is something I know you learned starting with your first step into Ponyville, and it is something you taught me not to forget when I had let my own guard down.

Perhaps the better thing to ask is, in what direction does your heart lead you?

[Action]

[magicalrealist]

(Twilight has to take a moment to think the answer through. One of the most important things she learned in Mayfield was to stay true to herself, to listen to her heart, her instincts, her coding...everything that made her Twilight and not a drone.

Waking up to the calm that comes after the storm felt like a storm all in itself. It stirred her up so much that setting hoof in Ponyville ironically made her forget what she learned when first arriving to Ponyville: the very same lesson Celestia reminded her. She turns her head to face Ponyville, then faces the princess again. The gesture alone explained her answer.)

...I want to be back in Ponyville, where all of my friends are waiting for me. Back to Equestria, where I could cope with all of life's problems with familiar territory and friends by my side.

...I want to be able to report to you again.

[Action]

[solequus]

And you are. You are back in Ponyville and Equestria, and I am here.

But just as you never forgot your friends here, never forget those that you met in the place you were before. They are just as real as I am, and as we are here, right now.

And if by chance you should return to the world you were in before today, you'll definitely have plenty to tell your friends there about all of the things you did here, isn't that right?

[Action]

[magicalrealist]

(Going back...That's what worried her most. She knew sometimes people could briefly return home to catch up on events and go right back to where they were, but as far as Twilight knew, people didn't remember their time away from home.

And others remembering where she was certainly helped rule out that theory. It was a possibility, but one Twilight didn't want to think about. Not now.)

That's exactly right, Princess. I'll have plenty of stories to tell them if I go back. Even if I don't, I'll hold them as close to my heart as all of my other friends.

...Princess? I'd like to submit my report now. While it's still fresh in my mind.

[Action]

[solequus]

[She nods.]

Of course. Please do so, my faithful student.

[Action]

[magicalrealist]

(Twilight clears her throat. It's...been a long time since she last did this and she wants to make sure she does it right.)

Dear Princess Celestia,

Over the course of my time in Mayfield, I've learned several important lessons not only about friendship, but lessons about looking at life as a whole.

Mayfield took in not only ponies, but gods, robots, otherworldly creatures, worldly creatures and humans. Despite the obvious differences in biology, I learned that we all share many wonderful things, whether it's language, technological advancements or a sense of community and togetherness. Whether circumstances work with or against us, species differences will never keep individuals from coming together because beneath their exteriors lie spirits that shine as brightly as any of ours.

Even when you're facing the end of the world, it's of the utmost importance to stay true to yourself and who you know yourself to be. Your true identity is one of your most important possessions because everyday, we ask ourselves what to do and though it may be subconscious, we carry the truth within ourselves: even if it can't be put into words, we know it's there. Searching for the truths in life means sharing your truths with others and helping each other towards what lies ahead. By letting our true selves shine, we can light the way for others...and ourselves.

(Thinking back to so many of her friends and loved ones, whether they were still in Mayfield, had been permanently droned or were even back home, filled Twilight with a slight sense of resolution. Being able to look back on everything she accomplished to then discuss what she learned and how she coped almost put the jumbled bunch of emotions in line, as if their coming together meant things would finally be alright. Just as they formed together, tears began to roll down Twilight's cheeks as she forced up the composure to continue her report.)

Before casting judgment on anyone, it's important to understand why they act or do things in certain ways. An open mind and open understanding are important tools to discovering the truth as much as a map and a compass are for navigation. Sometimes we have to do things for the greater good that will come back to hurt us, sometimes you hurt your friends while trying to save them...and sometimes good intentions can lead down bad paths if you don't watch where you're going. Everyone has reasons for their actions that make sense to them and even if they don't make sense to you, it's better to know someone's full story before drawing any conclusions.

And finally, I've learned that the problems you overcome will always be real to you, whether they're virtual or not. Computer programs may be able to divide reality and fantasy, but they can never prevent anything from feeling real to you. Just as...just as the words in a book can make you laugh or cry, any encounter you endure can help you see the world...help you see life, in ways you never thought you could...because the things that are real to us are the things that matter most.

Your faithful student,

Twilight Sparkle