[The ominous purple figure that appears on the scrolls looks to be in Zecora's hut. Clearly some horrible monster has invaded and kicked her out!]

I do not really mind this new thing that's transpired
But can somepony explain why I am expired?!

[That's right, Zecora is mildly disturbed by being a GHOST for some reason.]

[Donna's expression is not a happy one when she appears on the scroll, but it is determined. Andrew isn't here right now, which means someone has to pick up the slack. She's addressing Celestia directly, but the scroll is open. Everyone needs to hear this.]

Princess Celestia, where exactly is Stalliongrad, and what's the fastest way to get there? If you've seen Zetta's message, we need to know immediately.

Or... Alastor. You're the one who can teleport, right? I remember seeing on the scrolls. Can you use Zetta's scroll message to get a group of fighters to where he is to stop him?

[The first thing Reimi noticed upon stirring from her rest was that it seemed...warmer than she remembered. But she was a Grass type, the heat of the sun was a pleasant thing, so that was not too terribly odd. But it was mostly quiet...surely she should have heard her teammates moving about and talking to each other or Erika at such an hour? Or was it early still?

Opening her eyes, slowly at first, the Bellossom looked around before attempting to rise from her position in the dirt next to the building. It was not a successful attempt, however, and she flopped onto the ground. Ow. How odd...usually that worked.

And then, looking down, Reimi saw that she no longer had tiny Bellossom hands...but hooves.

Welp. Cue squeaking!]

Visual:

[The visual feed on the scroll comes to life, and there’s a mostly unfamiliar yellow and green unicorn with a scarf of pale and black around her neck, staring up at it from where she lays on her back, magic paper in her hooves. She turns it about for a second, and is grinning like mad, despite the fact she’s kind of failing to pony well currently.]

You know, I was rather excited when this place brought me here not long ago, even as a human, but to be brought back as something else is even better! Although I must admit to not understanding how to move about as of yet, or as to the function of this horn. [She taps it.]

Nonetheless, it is certainly a pleasure to meet you all! I am Hanamori Reimi, originally a Pokemon from the Kanto region. I believe I saw others of my kind here last I was here. If that is accurate, I believe I will not feel quite so homesick as the last time I was whisked away to another world!

[Still smiling, she has to ask:] As excited as I am about being in this new form...Could somepony help me? I seem to be stuck on my back.

~~~~~~
Action:
[Sometime after someone helping her up, Reimi is walking around Ponyville and the Night Market, trying to take everything in even as she tries to learn to walk better. Every so often, she stops to look at herself in a reflection, or trips over herself. Poor kid's getting used to four legs...]

[Over the span of a day, things have gotten quite... freaky. A panicked family talking about a strange looking horse without skin invading their home and kicking them out. Even more, outside the town, a menacing tower has appeared. What would cause such a thing? Well, if you look at your scrolls, you'll see the culprit and holy crap, he's an ugly one - metallic bones with tubes attached to them flowing across his body and his muscles and brain exposed. His horn has a "Z" mounted on top, glowing as it holds a large silver staff crowed with a "Z" on it as well. His visor flashes as he finally speaks.]

Ahh, good morning, citizens of Ponyville. I am Lord Zedd, Emperor of all I see. From this moment forward, your happiness and goodwill are at an end for I am taking over. Oh, and don't try to run to your precious princesses. I don't care if they can move traffic - their power is no match for mine! I have defeated my long time nemesis, Zordon, and his teenage do-gooders, the Power Rangers, were helpless to stop me! The same will happen here; I guarantee it.

I'd advise you enjoy your last little bits of freedom while you can...

Hands! I've got hands again!

[Sorry, he's a bit excited about those. Andrew grins into his scroll; the background swings around him like he's posting while he walks. It's a bit nausea-inducing, really, if one is sensitive to motion sickness.]

So to summarize from what I understand, we're looking at a nexus device between universes having just been destroyed. That'll explain the influx of new visitors, though why it's also disrupted the equine morphic field I'm not entirely sure yet. Nopony -- no one appears to have gone missing, but we might not know until the dust has settled.

Seriously, though, look at these! [He frees a hand from the scroll to waggle his fingers in view, grinning like a huge dweeb.] Brilliant, aren't they? Just...brilliant.

[Wait he was talking about something important. Andrew clears his throat and gets back on task as best he can.] I'm on my way back to the commune now. If you need food or shelter, we'll, ah...we'll try. There are an awful lot of you, but we'll try, I'm sure. Or the others at the commune will, probably; I've got to go find out how stable our new gaping hole in the universe really is. Visitors and morphic changes are all well and good, but we don't want the rest of old Tasty Cat's universe crashing through onto our heads.


[Andrew can be found making his way from the general area of the Ponyville library on out to the commune by Sweet Apple Acres. Prose or commentspam okay.]

[It's a rather nervous tan and grey pony that appears on the scroll. While not an infant it's clear that she's quite young.]

Um... Sirs and Madams? U-usually I would try to solve this problem myself but considering... [The new arrival looks down at herself and holds her hooves up not quiet sure how to put how wrong she looks into worlds.]

How I look, I don't think I can. I'm looking for my handler, Art Powell, and if he's changed like me I don't know if I'd ever find him by myself...

And if I can't find him I need to find away home. I'm going to be in so much trouble.

[When the scroll flares to life, it reveals a dour-looking griffon with black feathers, green eyes, and a blue-gray body. He is pacing, looking up occasionally at the scroll. Even from the limited view, it's clear he has a limp. It becomes apparent why a moment later when he moves farther away, sits down on his haunches and glares at the scroll viewer. From just below his elbow down, his right foreleg is missing. In its place is an iron rod with spikes at the end.]

Good afternoon.

[The way he says this sounds more like an indictment of this particular afternoon and its quality rather than a greeting.]

My name is Detective Inspector Ironclaw. As has likely been made clear already, Cloudsdale is now over Ponyville. Myself and my contingent of griffons attempted to move it over the course of the night to neutral territory. We were waylaid by a rabble rouser.

[He glances off-screen for a moment, expression going somehow more stony.]

After extensive negotiations with the Pegasi Council and the Princesses Celestia and Luna this morning, we have agreed to release him as a show of good faith. In return, we are to have the full and unconditional cooperation of all Equestrian citizens in the search for our weather gem. It is a large, blue sapphire infused with our weather magic. It was stolen approximately nine months ago from our factory in Griffaltar. We have made due with the remaining one, but it is being over-taxed and the lands beyond Equestria's boarders have been experiencing severe drought as we have struggled to supply necessary weather.

We know the thief must have been a pegasus. No unicorn or Earth pony would even be able to reach the gem given our enchantments over the area. And no griffon would steal it. We intend to search Cloudsdale.

We also require the new pony known as Efraim Gatsby, Visitor 2-4-6-0-1 to the Griffaltar Weather Factory, to step forward for questioning in connection with the theft. If he will not come forward, we will use what force may be necessary to compel him.

We have no wish to remain here longer than we must. We ask for your cooperation and have been assured that measures will be taken by the Pegasi Council to ensure it.

[Morgan unrolls his scroll to smile into it, because inspiration has struck! Never mind that he looks a bit tousled from exertion or that he's a little bit sweaty. (Stallions who look THIS good can get away with that.)]

So I'm thinking, and it hits me -- we have a bunch of different people all offering their own insight into training, combat, martial arts, self-defense, the philosophies thereof. Why don't we combine them? Consolidate them all under one roof and form a dojo.

We've got me and Gwen for martial arts, Nephenee for lancework, Dame Rarity for bladecasting and magical combat, and I'm sure we have others who're willing to teach and willing to learn. This way, we have a comprehensive lesson plan. Any kind of self-defense or self-advancement you want, in one place.

Who's with me on this?

[The scroll opens to reveal one Spark Sprocket, holed up in his cart somewhere in Ponyville. He's been there for some time now, fending off the changelings like everypony else.]

First the fog, now Changelings. I thought this was supposed to be a peaceful backwoods town, one not besieged by some force or another every other week. Even Canterlot wasn't this bad!

[A sigh.]

Wish they could have waited a day; given me time to finish my project. Guess all I can do now is a trial-by-fire.

[Suddenly, buzzing noises could be heard outside, sounding awfully like changeling wings.]

One sec...

[Spark stands from his position inside the cart, magic grabbing some object just off-camera. A heavy cocking noise can be heard, then:]

[wheeeeeeeEEEEEEEEE PSHOOM. chachk PSHOOM. cha-chk PSHOOM.]

[The scroll gets picked up to show a better view, revealing Spark's 'project'. It's pieced together with scrap metal and has more wires and gems on it than a Canterlot high-fashion show, but there is no mistaking that it's a motherbucking cannon, barrel still smoking from the shots.]

Still needs work. Recoil's not where I want it to be and the pump keeps getting stuck... But that's neither here nor there. I'm holdin' out alright but I'm kinda pinned down here. Haven't even been able to leave my cart for food. Anypony got a minute to help out? Getting abducted is one thing but I do not want to die of starvation while staring the the café on the other side of the street. That's just insulting.

  [Shortly after one Queen Chrysalis 'graces' the journals with her visage, and a Pinkie Pie shoots off her message from the inside of a cocoon, an urgent visual message appears on the journals. One blue mare in armor and deep blue cloak can be seen with a few downed changelings behind her, and unlike normal, her countenance is anything but cheery, or even anxious. After checking to make sure the message is going out, she starts, her voice intense and determined. Have one relentless battlemaiden, Ponyville.]

Attention! This is Nephenee of Crimea, bringin' news from the battlefield!

Y'all just heard Pinkie and Chrysalis, right? Them Changelin's got a bunch of our friends, and they're sappin' 'em. We need to get rid of this threat, an' fast! We can't kill 'em, they're innocents, but we can knock 'em out, rescue our friends, and hold her 'til Princess Celestia gets here! But Ah can't do none of this by myself, so Ah ask to see who will help rescue and-or take out this so called 'Queen'! 

[Another changeling charges her, and she hangs the scroll in midair long enough to spinkick it off screen,]

Please contact me as soon as y'all can! We need folks for that an' we need folks who know a strategy for beatin' these jerks! Any help will be appreciated!

[In short, reconnaissance and fighters, and a battle plan beyond that.]

To those captured, help is on the way as soon as we can! Don't lose hope!

[She quickly ends the feed as more charge. Dang, are these things everywhere?!]

[As for those nearby, the Sentinel is fighting off a bunch of these things by herself, but with their sapping, she probably could use some assistance.]

( Private to Celestia )[After talking to Celestia:]

Does anypony here know binding magic?!

[The first thing one might notice is a mare only a few inches taller than most fillies is standing in the middle of Ponyville clad in some odd clothing. A white dress shirt collar and a black suit jacket adorn her upperbody along with a black tie wrapped around her neck carefully.

Taking a deep breath she plops herself down to sit, head raising to the sky.]

WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON?

[She doesn't seem to be the happiest of ponies to be here, especially considering she's stubbornly refusing to move from her spot and force other ponies to walk around her and not make eye contact.

Following her outburst she just huffs and gives a derisive snort to anyone making the mistake of looking at her in the wrong manner. She doesn't have her weapon and already is putting up the walls, not wanting to be in this place while she has a job to do.]

Who: Papageno and open!
What: A new arrival
Where: Ponyville
When: Afternoon, first day of the shadows
Warnings: Stupidity
Prose or commentspam: Either

[The scroll unrolls to show the sky. A red pegasus with a shock of green and blue hair is standing over it, biting his lip and shifting his weight from hoof to hoof as he looks around for someone, unable to see almost past the end of his suddenly hairy nose in the thick fog.]

Tamino? Tamino, where are you? Tamino! [He sits heavily on his haunches, still not looking down at the scroll.] Oh, I told them! I told them he'd leave me alone to get captured, or eaten, or -- or turned into a horse! TAMINO!

[It's as he's finishing this last round of shouting that some flicker of movement on the scroll catches his attention. His gaze shifts sharply downward, and his pale gray eyes go wide as he sees it for the first time. The sight of a magical piece of paper is apparently too much for him, and he lets out an inarticulate cry of fear as he abruptly launches himself upward and into the branches of a tree, where he immediately becomes stuck. Struggling with all six limbs, he takes up shouting again with renewed vigor:]

TAMINO! HELP, TAMINO, IT'S COMING TO GET ME!

[Well, here's a face that hasn't been seen around the place lately. Given that it looks rather distinctly like she's out in the Everfree, there's probably a decent reason for that, not that she looks any worse for the wear due to her long stay.

Honestly, if anything, she looks bemused/]

Ho. So dot's vhere dot vent. Hy had been wonderink.

[There's a brief moment of silence, and then she turns to address the general populace at large.]

So. Vut is goink on out there? Hy haff been a leetle out uv touch, lately.

God you know what I miss the most? Not my fingers.

I miss wearing underwear. Seriously! I need myself a pair of pink panties and a bra stat or I think I'm going to go completely mad. I'm not even going to double-check pony anatomy either. Maybe I need a biology book.

I miss just hanging around in the house doing homework in my underwear.

Other than that, how's your day been?

[There's a new face on the scrolls today, one of a blue-hued, brown-maned Earth Pony with a few distinctive scars running across the left side of his face. Near the bottom of the picture, a suit jacket and collar can probably be made out.]

Honestly, I'd suppose I'm dreaming. It's not every day that you go to sleep in Washington and wake up in a horse's body, wearing a suit, in what can only be described as the perfect backdrop to a children's show.

But the fact of the matter is, my dreams usually take a much different turn, so I have to assume that there's something else at play here. Besides, my coffee told me so... it said "Do not be afraid of sudden change; there will always be time to recover."

So I figure some introductions are in order. I'm FBI Special Agent Francis York Morgan. Please, call me York. It's what everyone calls me.

[And... cue York trying to reach into his suit for something, becoming a bit frustrated with how the hell hooves work. Or, in this case, don't.

Cue 5 minutes of this until a small black wallet falls out of a pocket. He sighs, picks it up with his mouth, unfolds it and holds it up towards the scroll. Sure enough, it's an official-looking badge with his ponified face on it, his name, and... the Canterlot Royal Investigation Bureau. Or CRIB. Looks like that got changed, at least, and the joke is not lost on him as he looks down and lets the badge drop, slightly annoyed.]

Huh... looks like this place has a sense of humor.

[The scroll turns on with practiced skill somewhat late at night - it appears that Luna has hung it up on a nearby post to get a good 'view' as she settles herself in Ponyville's town square. Slowly, she turns to make sure no others are around, and then turns around again to face the scroll, regally.]

Gather around, my children, my fellow offworld ponies, as the night draws darker and the moon creeps ever closer to the festival they speak of as Nightmare Night. As many of you have noted, it is not all that different from the human festival of All Hallow's Eve... though its beginnings are far less humble... and far more personal to myself.

As of such, we would like to tell you, before the event even starts... our side of the story.

( Come little children, I'll take thee away... )

[...Had she started crying? Odd, it hadn't felt like such emotions were welling up in her. And yet, the tears weren't stopping. Quietly, Luna dabs at a cheek with her hoof.]

Perhaps things transpired differently in this Equestria. After all, I am not the native Princess Luna to this land, as many of you know. However, perhaps knowing what transpired in my own world... will help those of you new to this land. Perhaps it will grant you the wisdom to properly respect the festival known as Nightmare Night... no matter how strange or foalish it seems in the present day.

[And with that, Luna steps forward to unfasten the scroll from that post, and perhaps slip away to somewhere more private for any questions ponies may have.]

[Zecora is standing in front of a table in her hut, on which several pots of various colors are stacked.]

Nightmare Night is almost here--
A holiday of games and fear.
To this end I ask you all
How will you meet the night's call?
Will your costume terrorize?
Or bring delight to a foal's eyes?
For either way I've a surprise:
A blend of nightlong fur dyes.
If your color needs a change
That is something I can arrange.
Though I must ask that you refrain
From using these to change your mane.
Brews for that are a different line
Which, I add, is coming along just fine.

If this has piqued your curiosity
Come visit with all velocity.
Otherwise, I will stop by
The market, to sell my dye.