[Patchouli's on the scrolls again, recording from what used to be the Hakirei shrine on a hill overlooking Ponyville. Now it looks more like a cross between a library and research lab. She's been busy these past few months.]

I have a few announcements to make, for those of you looking for work. First, I have another open assistant position. While Jaune is proving to be extremely useful, I could do with another so he isn't saddled with all the work I need done. You will be helping prepare magical experiments, as well as errands outside of town. Transportation will be provided, and will be available for personal use outside of work, should you want it.

Second, my renovations of the shrine are nearly complete. It is a bit larger than I had anticipated, so I will be opening it up for outside use. I have an extensive suite of magical tools for research, and a fair amount of chemical and alchemical equipment. The books you see on the walls are all copies of magical research journals and references, ordered from Canterlot. I also have limited space for volatile materials, if something dangerous comes up that needs containment.

Finally, a question for everypony: does friendship, as it is defined here in Equestria, require sapience on both sides to be considered as such? To put it in simpler terms, can a relationship between a pony and their pet be counted as "friendship"? What about between two non-sapient creatures? This is a question I have been stuck on in my current project.

Hello again, everybody!

[Yep, it's Littlepip disguising her voice again.]

This is The Lightbringer, and it's only been a short while since I broadcast a message to all of you. Well, I'm back and I have some wonderful news! A reliable source has informed me of something absolutely incredible.

You know how people get absorbed into Calice? That's no longer going to happen! In fact, people have been escaping from Calice with help from some of the native Element Bearers including Twilight Sparkle!

So what does this mean? Calice is being distracted by something, but what? I'm going to try and have my associate look into this matter. But my source mentioned the elements getting a spark every now and then, which empowers the native Twilight Sparkle. Maybe whatever's happening with The Elements of Harmony, we should find out how to do it more often.

And for the last bit of business... As you've no doubt heard from Alastor... Yes, Griffaltar and Equestria are now united again. Some offworlders helped with the whole thing, but my source mentioned Calice against the idea of us and them being at peace. She wanted us to start a war. We're better than that.

Keep on making friends, everyone! This has been The Lightbringer, bringing the truth to light!

[And there's a picture of Derpy holding two pieces of paper. Two... birth certificates?]

Uh, well... eheheh... I got looking around my home cleaning up some messes I made and I found these. One says my name is "Derpy Hooves" and the other says it's "Muffins". But... I don't get it. Am I Derpy or am I Muffins? Does this mean I'm adopted? O-Or maybe I'm a clone! Oh, no, what if I'm a Changeling? O-Or my parents forgot my old name and gave me a new one, then remembered the old one?

Maybe I'm a superhero and one of them is my superhero name! But, does that mean I stop being Fourze?

Who am I? Am I living a lie? Is this real life or is it just fantasy?

What is going on?!

[And in the middle of flailing, she stops and looks down.]

Oooh!

[She reaches down a picks up... a muffin.]

Banana Nut! Didn't know I had one left!

[MUNCH!]

...what was I talking about again?

[A. Visual]

[Well here's a face that hasn't been on the scrolls much recently; you'd be forgiven for assuming she disappeared, given that the only sign she was still around was the tangible lack of Harvey Finevoice losing his damn mind. She seems to be mostly unchanged, though, aside from a bit of tiredness around her eyes and her hair being more than a little nappy.]

Hey. Someone mind telling me what I missed over the last month or so? I got the latest tabloid trash, but past that and the wedding, something is bound to have gone wrong in that time frame.

[There's a long pause as the pegasus tries to remember what she was originally going to add, but after a minute she seems to get it, looking aside awkwardly.]

And... hey. Anyone know how to take care of birds? There's... uh... one around here that got in real bad shape because of the bad winter we had, and then the whole thing with Tirek, and... [Cough.] ...look, what I'm saying is that it doesn't have the feathers left to fly any more, and I was trying to find out if there was any way to help it heal faster. Not magic or something silly like taping the feathers back on, but... I dunno.

Anything.

[And just as awkwardly, Flare shuts off the scroll.]

[B. Action - Ponyville streets/Night Market, daytime]

[Some time after her post, the pegasus is skulking through town with a singular destination in mind - a cart that she's seen set up in the Night Market. That wouldn't be too out of place, except it's the very end of spring - temperatures are getting higher, the sun is getting brighter... and Flare is huddled up in a thick, full-body cloak. She had to give credit where it was due - Nephenee's Hearth's Warming giff was indispensable. She might be drawing a bit of attention, though, in her desire to avoid it.]

[So many folks lately had lost others...and her own heart was burdened a bit by this, truth be told. But Nephenee was bound and determined to try to make the best of the situation...as much as she could, anyways. She wanted to help those who had lost loved ones recently, and while she ultimately wanted to do it for all that had, she needed to start somewhere small...]

[So there would be a pony knocking on doors today, handing out some gifts. When they open the door, they see a possibly-familiar pelorus pony there.]

( List of people inside; Find the peace within ourselves, No need for a cure )
[OOC: I'm sure I forgot some people who've lost some recently, so please poke me via PM or Plurk if you think of any!] 

Hello, again, everypony.

[Oh. Littlepip's trying to disguise her voice again to do this Lightbringer stuff again.]

Sorry for the lull. I haven't been around much. This is The Lightbringer. As you've no doubt seen, Quarterhorse Quarterly hit the stands again, and there's been a lot of misinformation in there. It's actually kind of sad to see that some people don't really care. Forst off, I would like to say that this article about others wanting to destroy Equestria and this list of offworlders does nothing but incite paranoia and promote hatred. We all need to help each other and work together. Remember the Wendigos. Please, remember the Wendigos.

I'm really, really worried Equestria will enter another ice age because of Quarterhorse Quarterly. Please don't buy it.

Second, it's kind of disgusting that a wedding of all things would be looked upon in disgust. Why are you putting restrictions on love? If people want to marry, they can and will. Just because they're not native to this Equestria doesn't mean they should be barred from weddings. What if you went to a different world with the ones you loved and the natives there said that you two being together is illegal. Would you be offended? Please think of that, native ponies.

But that's not to say that everything in this issue is horrible. I praise Quarterhorse Quarterly for the articles on the Gala masks & fashion and the article about Patoonia. They're both interesting and well worth the read. It's just such a shame they have to be sandwiched in between xenophobia, paranoia, and disgust.

So... I think that's all for now. This has been The Lightbringer, bringing the truth to light!

*It's a castle day again, but Alastor isn't in her throne. No, she's standing on a balcony, looking out into the distance. She's not bothering with her helmet today, and her eyes are glowing harshly. Her ears are flat against the sides of her head, and her tail is swishing around in irritation.*

I think I can safely speak for all of us when I say all this 'offworlders get nothing but negative attention' thing has been going on for long enough. But I guess I can concede one point: we don't generally get involved in this world's affairs unless it has something to do wit Calice or there's an active threat. We don't have anything we can point at and remind them that we've done good that they can't claim was just because we were in danger too.

( OOC cut for tl;dr )

I'm sure by now you're wondering what my point is. The short version is, I want to have a 'chat' with the head of the Griffon Council both to keep her from postponing the elections and to find out just what er beef is with Equestria. Uh...no offense to anyone with bovine friends. But anyway, I have a way to catch her alone after a meeting, but I don't want to go alone, just in case something crops up that isn't quite in my area of expertise. I was going to bring Dante, but...

*She shakes her head.*

I'm looking for about four people to come with me, ideally including a couple that are good with negotiations and a couple that can handle security if she manages to call them in. Everyone involved should be able to pull of stealth. We don't want the entire secret service kicking in the door while we're trying to talk politics.

So...uh. That's it. Anypony who wants to know details about what happened with Ironclaw's family can talk to me in person, but besides that...any takers?

So, hey. I've got a question, now that th'world is back to what passes for "normal" 'round here.

What do you do if it turns out that you've been livin' a lie all your life? Not, like, in the Mayfield sense, but... what if you thought you were a hero and you turned out to only be hurtin' people, or...

[Flare goes quiet, and glances away.]

...or what if you believed you were cursed, only t'find out it was all in your head, and you were only holdin' yourself back? What do you do when you find that sorta thing out?

( [Private to Zetta] )

[Well, now that the phenomenon's ended, its time for business. Princess Luna, looking quite livid, is staring into the scrolls. Behind her is a small cadre of royal guards.]

Now that things have calmed down, I think its time to do what needs to be done.

[She stamps her feet, letting out the Royal Canterlot Voice as she does so. Judging by how Luna's voice suddenly echoes through Ponyville, well. Three guesses where she is.]

CITIZENS! WE REQUIRE YOUR URGENT ASSISTANCE ON A SERIOUS CRIMINAL MATTER! ONE OF YOUR FELLOWS AIDED THE ONE CALLED TIREK DURING HIS INVASION, AND MUST BE BROUGHT TO OUR CUSTODY IMMEDIATELY!

...You Highness, does this involve the cows in the--

SILENCE! THAT IS SPECIAL INFORMATION THAT YOU CANNOT RELEASE TO THE GENERAL PUBLIC! If the criminal knows, they will try and flee!

Ok then.

WE SHALL KEEP ANY TIPS YOU MAY HAVE CONFIDENTIAL! BUT REST ASSURED! COWARD, IF YOU ARE READING THIS, WE WILL FIND YOU! GIVE YOURSELF UP AND ACCEPT THE PUNISHMENT OF THE PRINCESS OF THE MOON!

[There is a kid at the bar. What looks like a human child, maybe ten or eleven years old, just sitting at the bar. And for a child, boy, can he pound down whatever he's drinking. He just gently lays the glass down on the table and sighs, leaning his head back.]

I am impressed, I will admit. I had no doubt you would manage to conquer our latest threat, but even I did not expect it to be as strong a victory for you as it was. My congratulations.

Nor has it escaped my notice that quite a few from my world have entered here. I will admit, having this fraction of me trapped here has inhibited my ability to see your states, though this current...reprieve, I suppose, has alleviated that a bit. Regardless, even if some of you here have seen me recently, I have not seen you.

I propose we meet soon, let us say this coming Friday evening. I have my Domain set within the Everfree Forest, and while I would not take offense if you could not attend, it would certain be appreciated. For some, I would think it would be a welcome break from their Work.

[He means you specifically, Demi-Fiends/Hito-Shuras/however you wish to be referred to here. He knows there are at least two of you, and that both of you appear to have been ones that sided with his Reason. While he guesses you don't have to be there at his request...he'll certainly remember it.]

Of course, this isn't closed simply to those who I might have known. While celebration is rightfully the name of the game at the moment, I too would like to offer a banquet in honor of this victory, again at my Domain at the week's close. Drink and food and entertainment of all fare will be present. And I'll be honest: I'm rather in a mood for celebration at the moment.

Young or old, human or pony or any creature in between. You are invited.

[It's been most of a year since Liz had been seen in Equestria. She's not really sure how long it's been for her, and it's certainly weird that she comes back in human form. Heck, didn't that happen last time she went out and back in? She spent a few minutes trying to find her feet, getting her bearings. Then quickly she found somewhere where she wouldn't be disturbing anyone and shakily opened the scroll, hoping she still remembered how to use it.]

...hello?

[Just by a couple homes, a giant, metallic, futuristic bed has found its way smack dab in the middle of the road. It's clear to see that the bed, ominous and imposing with its dark purple color and 'face', though offset just a bit by the pig snout emblem above it, is occupied. Lying in the bed, protected by a glass capsule, is a familiar boy.

... Boy? Was it appropriate to call him that?

He had all the features of a fat, young boy, but over them were all the features of a decrepit man: wrinkled, pale skin and gray hair.

The man lied there, gasping for breath, lounging underneath the sunny blue sky with not a single means available to him to escape it. If anyone approaches him, he'd turn his head, weakly, and say in his tired, scratchy, though bratty voice...]

... Like what you see...?

[If nothing else, it should be the blue visor that reminds those who'd seen Aleph last in Equestria of this human right here. They are the same person - well, technically they aren't, but they are both Alephs. Alephs of the same alignment, even.

The only thing that might seem a bit out of place is hard to notice. This Aleph wears a wedding ring.]

Of all the places I've woken up suddenly, I have to say this is probably the best of them. Then again, it's not hard to beat 'the Tower' or 'a dead world'.

I'll get the obvious question out of the way first: can I go home? I haven't spent that much time there lately and I've missed it. This place seems nice enough, but I have places to rebuild and I think people will worry.

I should also ask if there's anybody I know here, but I know a lot of people... [Well, they'll probably show up if they know him, too.]

Other than that, I'll let you know what questions I have when I get them. My name's Aleph Sinclair - thank you for your time.

[Flare looks like she's had better days, honestly, her mane frazzled and the lack of sleep obvious in her features. She's in town square, lit faintly by the streetlights late at night. Her scroll is obviously put up somewhere so she can pace as she talks, needing to get this out.]

Alright, Ponyville. What I have to say to you today isn't in fear of the most recent unfathomable evil to cross our doorstep. We all know what to do in a situation like this. No matter what, we have to defend ourselves, and those we care for. I'd ask you all to refrain from using deadly force, try to negotiate if possible... but I trust your judgement in the heat of the moment.

No, I come to you today because I know how we've acted in the past year or so. I know the fears and worries eating at some of you right this very moment. I won't lie to you; the creature who we saw is powerful. Unnaturally so, if he could harm the princesses the way he did. We may not win this fight cleanly, but I assure you, I have full faith that we will drive this creature back. How well we do that... well, it depends on us.

All of us.

[At that, Flare sighs quietly, stopping in her tracks and speaking more firmly, definitively.]

That's not to say you should immediately dive for your superpowered trinkets or your ancient forbidden magics. Certainly, we have a fair share of ponies - and non-ponies - here who are well ahead of the rest when it comes to power, and their job is the most obvious; the job to confront our adversary head on.

But if you don't have those powers, or if you have them but can't trust your control over them? I urge you, please. Trust in those who do. All of us have roles we can fill. This is going to be a war, I assure you, so we'll need ponies assisting our medics, helping keep the wounded out of harm's way and on the road to recovery. We'll need fast, nimble runners to keep supply lines moving. Scholars, this is not an evil unknown to Equestria. I don't know his name, but he's been in my world's legends, so I'm sure there's something about him here in native books. We'll need you working to try to predict these movements, to find weaknesses that we can strike at.

Those of you who are able-bodied but unable to contribute to the fight on the front-lines? Group together and start warning others. Send out words to other towns as to what is going on here, lead those who cannot fight to safety. Otherwise, you can stay here alongside me - this town will be our base of commands, and we need to protect it with everything we've got.

Remember how we took on Nightmare Moon a year and a half ago, how ponies banded together for a united cause and brought her down, freed Twilight from that infernal possession. Remember the way that Cálice tore us apart by her slightest appearance, and left us unable to connect with each other, unable to form those bonds again, striking out at each other out of pain and fear. We can work together, and all play our part... but we have to try.

I assure you; each and every one of us is important here. Even those neighsayers who would rather turn tail and run, or who think this is another trick - don't be afraid of being yourself, of speaking against this! A regime that promotes peace and togetherness only works as long as there is opposition on the outside pointing out the flaws. Otherwise, the belief becomes a farce as the system corrupts itself from within. As twisted as it may seem... without conflict, we cannot have harmony. Without the occasional fight, ponies cannot truly be friends. We are all good people, and the only way for evil like this to triumph is for all of us to do nothing.

Just remember, alone we are but single souls, but together, we can achieve anything, stop anyone!

Are you with me? Are we with each other?

[And with that, Flare awaits, to see if others will speak up.]

A little while back, somepony posted this , and I figured that some followup was needed. This isn't them, but the object of affection to to speak and I just wanted to say....

Thank you.

Thank you everyone for what you said to them. It helped more than any of you can ever imagine. It gave the both of us courage to talk it through and decide on what to do.

And yes, we decided to give it a shot. Again...thank you everypony.

[See this lineface? Yeah he's not too happy about the newest arrival.]

Okay it looks like some explanation is needed. See back home, me, my double and both of our Sonics have been fighting an enemy for years named Dr. Eggman. He used to go by the name Dr. Robotnik which is apparently this strange version of him is going by.

He builds armies of robots, usually powered by little animals he kidnaps and has been trying to take over the world.

While he is a walrus right now and seems harmless but I would be careful. There's no telling how dangerous he could actually be. For all we know, this could be an act to let our guards down.

[He rubs his forehead with a hoof. He seems to be getting a headache.]

Out of all the people from back home Calice could bring here, why did it have to be him?

WHAT IN THE NAME OF ROTTENNESS IS GOING ON HERE!? Why am I not in my house? WHY am I a walrus? WHY!? WHY!!

[The volume from the scroll intensifies with that shout and you could feel the magic parchment shaking in your hooves. A great big, red walrus pops up on the visuals, perfectly livid.]

Whoever's responsible for entrapping and locking down the great Dr. Rrrrrrobotnik in this despicably decorated dimension will have quite a lot to answer to! And I'll get my answers, even if I have to strangle it out of every last creature around here!

[He gives that some thought and smiles an evil grin. No, he'd do that anyway, answers or not. Sounds like a rip-roaring way to spend an evening. But he shakes that off, resuming his angry tirade.]

Regardless of whether or not I can make it back home today, this indiscretion has entitled me to one omelet. My breakfast is ruined and I'm holding that against everyone.

[What's this? Q? At a fast food joint? Say it isn't so! Either way, he seems uninterested in the food as he decides to take a bite and more on the scroll.]

So, tell me, ponies - face to face: doesn't it feel a little too peaceful? I mean, not counting the fits everyone's having because Calice didn't automatically join the side of the angels or the dream problems. I mean, we haven't a full-scale throttling in some time now.

I think it's high time we had one.

Also, hayburgers? Not my thing.