[Far be it from Papageno to question the world around him, but waking up to the exact same parrot pooping on the exact same part of his pillow for the second morning in a row is...well, it's one of those things that almost might make a fellow rethink living in a hut full of semi-wild birds. Besides that, it's one of those things that makes a fellow think about other odd things that have been happening lately.]

Does anyone else remember a bright light and a lot of noise last night?

And does anyone have some vinegar I could borrow?

Hey everypony. It's been a while! Two years for me!

Could any of you update me on the uh status of the kingdom? How about Cloudsdale? I used to go there often to shop.

[Lies. He went there to stop crime as the 'Wondrous Bolt' and the last time he was there he burst into rainbows and disappeared right in front of civilians. Watching your local superhero explode typically didn't get a good reaction.]

Is the city doing all right?

[[ooc: If your character has knowledge and means to confront Wally about his secret identity, you are welcome to do it here.]]

--
[Private to DDD!Tails]

Hey Tails, can you tell me what happened with the cloud house and Bruce? Is he okay?

[The Overlord flings his scroll open dramatically, letting purple mana power wash over it as he steps back to lift one foreleg dramatically.]

In honor of our returnees, I'm pleased to announced the opening of Overlord Zetta's official Friend and Lover Matchmaking service! Want the chance to make a friend? Care to try a blind date? These ties of togetherness are our strongest bond against Calice, so now's the time to grow them and make new ones!

Sign up with your basic preferences and preferred service, and my elite team of matchmaking minions will send you the time and place to meet your new friend or date. And in honor of putting the screws to our nemesis, this service is absolutely freaking free!

[The younger Tails can be seen, for once, inside the Dojo rather than his shop or his house. He appears to be trying to train by himself as there's a few dummies set up and he's got his Evoker collar that he's been wearing all the time lately.

He's standing in a fighting stance getting ready to attack the dummies, even having his wings open.]

Aquila!

[There's the familiar sound of glass shattering........ and nothing happens. He makes a look of confusion before focusing again.]

Aquila!

[Again, same result. He tries calling out Persona but that doesn't even make the collar activate. His eyes widen in fear and he starts to panic before suddenly he feels a sharp pain in his head.

He nearly falls over as he clenches his head. A few seconds later, he makes a dark smirk and when he opens his eyes, they are glowing yellow. The eyes of a shadow.]

That's right. You don't have your precious persona anymore. Soon you won't have a body either.

[He feels sharp pain again and his eyes return to normal but cold sweat starts running down his face.]

You won't take over. I won't let you.

[Another sharp pain and his eyes shift back to glowing yellow.]

You won't have a choice soon. Your Evoker can't protect you now. I'll take good care of this body when you're gone.

[Another shift and he shuts his eyes.]

No!

[He takes flight and crashes himself against the dummies and falls over. He proceeds to curl up into a ball.]

I can't let it end like this. But what am I gonna do? I can't run away but I can't fight him much longer.

Feena... Other self...everyone....

[The video then ends there.]

Okay, so I was GONNA have a party if we beat Mr. Shanks at auction, and we DID! But then Nephenee became a Princess, and all our friends are back, and I've been making SOOOOOOO many Welcome Back cupcakes! You have no idea. And I didn't get any time to set anything up yet or do invitations or anything!

Soooooooooooo PARTY ON THE COMMUNE IN TWO HOURS!!!

Oh, oh, and Mr. Shanks? I know you can probably see this - we've all known you have a scroll since like FOREVER. Anyway, I wanted to tell you that you're totally invited to the party too! But you don't have to come if you don't wanna!

[LOCKED FROM TOM SHANKS]

[And then Pinkie abruptly sobers.]

If Mr. Shanks comes to the party, no one's allowed to be mean to him, okay? He's scared, and I think he kinda needs help, and making him MORE scared of us isn't gonna fix anything anyway!

So if you can't be nice to him, just leave him alone. I mean it!

By this point, Being changed is a permanent thing or someone else's idea of fun?

[Another newcomer's voice is heard over the scroll, but at least she seems calm.]

I've been exploring a bit and this seems like place is rather calm and tame. Is there anything a newcomer should know before settling somewhere?

[Short but to the point. Sorry, She's not one for starting conversations.]

[Dandy can be seen standing in town, not doing much of anything but just...staring off into space. You'd almost think he smacked his scroll on by mistake until he finally utters something like he just had the most amazing epiphany.]

Oh my god, if everyone's asleep, does that make everything free...?

[No shop owners means no shop prices...

Someone stop the madness before it begins.]

Hi, everypony!

So, I was GONNA go take over the radio station and do my DJ Pinkie cheering-up thing, but the tunnels under Ponyville don't go out that far. We should TOTALLY have tunnels under the Night Market too. And maybe like a big shelter-y thing? I dunno, stuff like this just seems to happen a LOT around here.

ANYWAY! If anyone's out in the blizzard, they can totally just go in my shop in the Night Market if they need! I'm at home right now, which isn't there, but you can just kinda hang out! I don't think the door's locked! Just don't go in the basement, or if you DO go in the basement, be really really nice to the gingerbread ponies down there. I don't wanna have a diplomatic incident, y'know? It took us so long to iron out all the protection clauses! Or you can go in the tunnels under Ponyville. Did anyone ELSE know those were there, 'cause I go under there all the time and I pretty much NEVER see anyone!

Also, if you're not all Windigo'd and grumpy, we're gonna have a meeting at Town Hall soon! If you ARE all Windigo'd and grumpy, you can come too! But if you don't, you might anyway!

[Did she just announce that she's kidnapping people to her party]

AAAAAAANYWAY, I know this isn't the real radio, but I was kinda looking forward to doing that again, so here's Wonderwall!

[As performed by a changeling on acoustic guitar]

[Sunset appeared on the scroll, her expression dead serious.]

Everypony, I'm sorry to bother you when the winter is like this, but I think that especially ponies form other worlds need to know something. Pinkie and I were talking, and I think I may know why we have a sudden storm. It could just be something un-schedules that nopony got told about, but... I think this could maybe be due to Windigos. I don't know for sure, I may be wrong entirely, but if I'm not then you need to be warned. Windigos feed off hatred and fighting, they could completely freeze over Ponyville in no time if they get enough power. They are very dangerous and almost unbeatable

As I said, I'm not for sure. I could just be over-thinking it. But I'm following my gut, and that's what it's telling me. If I'm right then be ready, because the Windigos won't stop until it's finished feeding off our anger and there is only one way to stop them, one that's gonna take a while to figure out how to create if we don't act soon."

[Now she could only hope that she was wrong.]

[Derpy's busy looking outside her window, blinking as she notices something odd.]

Hmm... no one told me that it was supposed to be a big snowstorm today!

[Nibbles on a muffin]

Oh, well, at least today's a day off! I don't have to worry about going in!

[There's obviously no picture as something's covering Nozomi's scroll, but you can hear the girl as she's talking to herself.]

Augh, I can't stand this any longer! I feel so helpless! So restless! So bored! I like my shop, I really do, but I know this isn't what I want! This isn't my dream! I want to do something else, make a name for myself, be remembered a bit more!

[And there's the sound of flopping.]

Aaauuugh, but what? Mrrr... everything we do gets ruined by Hoovesweek, but... we don't have anyone to really root for us. A symbol, something needed...

...oh, I wish there was something I could do! I wish I was a princess again! I could help fix everything...

[And there's the sound of gasping]

That's it... that's it! I know what I want to do! I know what I have to do!

I'm going to be a princess again! It's decided!

...how do I do that, though?

[Skyfire is out and about giving out his Hearths Warming gifts to everyone and while everyone gets a nice card and a few treats from him, his closer friends also get more personal gifts too... He's really gone all out for this.]

( The list... )

((Ooc: Sorry I'm so late on this. If I missed anyone, assume they got something nice.))

[Sometime just before Q's winter wonderland lights up, the scroll goes to static. Or what counts as static on paper. And then cuts to near-complete darkness, a silhouette outlined by a window. If one looks closely, they'll see Canterlot Castle in the distance. Wherever this is, its in the capital city.

The figure - which has to be a pony - takes a moment for the image to sink in, before speaking. The tone is female, no-nonsense, blunt, yet soft. Low. Prim. Its not a voice many on the scrolls will have heard. In fact, of the off-worlders, only one pony may even have any inkling of who this poiny even is.

No matter.]

Good evening.

In the next week, Hoovesweek will be hitting stands in time for the holiday. It goes without saying that the content of this issue will be less than flattering to you. Which should come as no surprise. If it does, well, welcome. Whatever sediment you've parked yourselves under must have been exceedingly cozy the past year and a half, hm?

Of course, that won't be the end of it. Let's just say that the...boss of Hoovesweek...

[The slightest, slightest, sliiiiightest growl at that word. Boss. How...hm.]

...has something prepared for you in the next few weeks. You'll all be receiving something in the mail. An invitation. And when you get it? I suggest you be on your best behavior regarding it. I know some of you have difficulty in doing so, but that is exactly what the...boss is counting on.

I suggest you show otherwise, when the time comes.

[A pause.]

Oh...and you didn't hear of any of this before you received your invite. This must be seen as a surprise to you all, lest I be potentially found out. There are more than a few livelihoods at stake. But I felt that I should warn you, just the same.

That's all.

[And she...whoever she is...is out. She...whoever she is...may or may not respond to various inquiries from characters. You'll just have to see how much more generous she...well, you get the idea.]

[Hey, everypony, its Princess Celestia! She looks quiet, almost solemn, as she sits by her fireplace.]

Hello.

Recently, it came to my attention that there is...another secret, so to speak, that I must indulge to you all. However, this revelation was one that the existence of which was unknown to me, my sister, or the other princesses of this world.

[She looks down at this.]

During Discord's recent prank during Nightmare Night, several of us were switched with normal ponies. When they did, they found themselves at the mercy of a voice. A voice that constantly spoke to them, sounding like us, encouraging them to do...things. Where this voice comes from, we don't know. None of us even knew this voice existed, until now.

[Closing her eyes.]

I realize this might be important information, so I apologize for delaying in reporting this. It wasn't intentional on my part to do so - I wanted to confirm and see if this was just in myself and Luna, or if Princess Cadance and Princess Twilight Sparkle also had this problem. While I couldn't confirm Cadance realizing it, I would like to speak with whoever switched with Princess Twilight Sparkle about this.

Again, I apologize for the delay on this. And also...

[A little smile plays on her face.]

I hope you all are having a lovely time with the Maze Trotter. Has anyone gotten to the end?

[ACTION]

[Well, this morning's off to a great start! Well... it would be morning if the sun would rise. And, it's not. It probably lasts a good 30 minutes to an hour before something happens and the Sun starts to rise and...

...nope, it falls back down. And it's up again. And it's down again. One more time! Here... we... GO! And it's up!

Just what's going on? Is Celestia drunk?!]

[VISUAL]

[And the scrolls kick on and there's Celestia in all her glory, but... well... it looks like Celestia, it sounds like Celestia, but the person speaking doesn't ACT like Celestia!]

Ahahahaha, I-I'm sorry, everypony! I didn't realize how hard it was to raise the sun and... [She lets out a yawn] ...I'm so tired. But, this is probably a silly dream, so I'll see you all in the morning, right? Right!

[The scroll closes, then pops back open a few minutes later.]

Um... this isn't a dream, is it?

[Cloudsdale and Ponyville's local speedster masked hero appears on the scrolls with a message for all. There is a wall behind him but it is blank.]

This is the Wondrous Bolt. I'm a masked hero who has been fighting crime in Cloudsdale for the past year.

After witnessing the events during Calice's last appearance I have one thing to say: we need to work together if we're going to stand a chance.

I can't say how powerful Calice is or if it is possible to fight her head on, but I do know that I'm not the only one here who wants to protect those who can't protect themselves. I know a few ponies are attempting to work together but let's be honest with ourselves, that last confrontation was overall sloppy. If we can get more organized, if we can work together as a larger team making the most of each individual's abilities, then I believe it will open up more opportunities for us to collect information on Calice. I also know that if we work together, we'll do a lot better keeping others safe.

Calice doesn't like it when ponies cooperate. She thinks friendship, even team cooperation, are useless. Let's prove her wrong. Let's make the best team we can. Enough trying to take Calice down alone or stroking egos. [Oh how hard that lesson had hit him in the past at home.]

To start, I'm reaching out to you all now for a role call. I'm creating a list we can all access with our abilities and whatever name you would like to go by. -It's up to you if you want to share your ID. Think of adding yourself to this list as an agreement to give this team idea a chance.

This invitation is extended to all. You don't have to be a masked hero like myself. You don't even have to be a fighter- we need all kinds of talents. There is more to saving the day than throwing punches.

[He looks a little sheepish or even pained as he adds a last message.]
Lastly, Magical Girls, I know you're out there. I know I'm a guy in a mask and maybe it's not cool to let me into the group, but please consider joining. This effort is for the greater good. We can't limit our allies to those of one kind of title or power any more.
[Okay, maybe he's been a little peeved knowing that the magical girls have been keeping all the other hero-types and would-be-helpers out of the loop.]

[ooc: tl;dr This is a call upon others to all work together and make an effort to become an organized force against Calice for the next fight/to support the information gathering effort. A new page for the list (see tab "List for Team") has been added to our group's spreadsheet. If your character wants to join the effort, add their info to the list. Super powers are not required. Just a willingness to help.]

*Allen's sitting in his impeccibly clean room in the Commune (seriously, you'd think he had OCD it's that neat) with a cup of coffee in one hoof and a strange object sitting on his desk.*

I actually have two things to talk about today, but I'm going to go ahead and start off with the less serious one. I know I can't be the only one here who brought in technology that doesn't run off of magic, so I thought I'd share my solution for keeping it running without access to electrical sockets.

*Here he picks up the object from his desk with telekinisis and shows it to the scroll.*

This is a magic to electricity converter. It takes the magic that powers the local appliences and turns it into electrical current that can be used by human technology. It even has adjustable output and the plug changes shape to fit what you're trying to charge, so you can use it for different kinds of machines. I don't think it's quite suited for mass production yet, but I doubt it really needs to be. I'm not sure I can afford to just give them away, but I'm willing to sell them at-cost if anyone needs one.

*He puts the charger down and takes a long drink of his coffee. When he sets that down as well, his expression is more serious.*

And...now for the more uncomfortable topic. I got a good look at the statue ponies with an ability of mine during that battle, and I confirmed that each one of them has a soul in it. Their natures, or their Arcana, as my Persona translates it, were either obscured or suppressed, but that doesn't really matter. What matters is that they're people being forced to do Calice's bidding, maybe even fight their friends, and I want to find a way to free them. Even if it's just transferring their souls to a different body that Calice can't control, that's still better than being used as weapons against the people you love, right?

But I can't get any information from the fragments left over from that fight. As far as I can tell, the statue ponies are just gypsum alabaster that's been animated by a trapped soul, and it's ordinary rock again once the soul leaves. So anyone who encounters a statue pony and has any experience with magic, try to see if you can make sense of what's binding the souls to them.

And there was someone who was planning on creating a statue in the hopes that one of Calice's victims might be able to slip free to possess it and talk to us, right? I think I need to talk to you on that. If it works and we're lucky, it might give us what we need to help the people she's absorbed.

Hey. Yeah, it's Flare again, likely here t'shove her hoof in her mouth.

Just wanted to say that I was wrong. Back after the Equestrian Games, when the Pale Pony first showed up, I was at the head of th'mob screamin' for blood. I was wrong. Th'princesses and Zetta may have had a crappy execution, but their idea was sound.

I don't know if we should be callin' this a war. It still is, I guess, but this ain't somethin' we're gonna win with military maneuvers and underground resistances. This ain't Les Neighserables. This is a twisted, broken pony who's keepin' us here in this world... this world that has a really bad habit of fixin' broken ponies.

But we aren't gonna win by bein' unfeelin' soldiers. That's what she wants. I know, the way we were goin' after the fact was wrong, and the way we were goin' after the princesses' little stunt. But think about when we actually took her on. What we did. What worked, what didn't.

A harmony's when you've got a bunch of instruments workin' together to create a single piece of music. When you've got a bunch of musicians thinkin' it's more important to be soloists, you just got a lot of noise.

I don't think we need t'hide the right plan from the Pale Pony, because I don't think she understands it even if we spell it out. We gotta be sharper than her. That's the only way we'll see this through.

Thank you for your time, and again: I'm sorry that I set this thing off int' people thinkin' we need to fight anger with more anger, hate with more hate.

( [Private to Lucifer] )

( [Action, all around Ponyville] )

So.

First week at Canterlot Academy... where exactly in the dumb school spectrum is "incredibly hot nerd girl" anyhow? Because that's what the "Mean girls" labeled me as. I already got a couple of date offers.

This is totally what I needed on my first week of high school: Classism.

I'm going to be bucking trees for a while to simmer my rage on being called babe for the first time.