First Checklist Item [Misc Journal Shenanigans / Action]

[fourthgenerationprincess]

[ In the middle of the day, Luceti is treated to the following eloquent series of letters: ]

DDDDD

[ So this is what happens when a hoof gets ahold of a drawing-to-text synthesizer. This is followed by a voice post about three minutes later: ]

... triangle, a couple of straight lines, and a square have to do with...

[ Several minutes pass, and then a video materializes. The viewer may be greeted with a pair of huge, intense violet eyes. ]

A-ha!

[ The sight of this particular creature might seem out of place to anyone who doesn't know Pinkie Pie or Rainbow Dash. You can now see a purple pony with a horn protruding from her mane. The horn is bathed in a magenta glow, as is a pointy stick that is way too close to the camera. Like mankind before her, Twilight is learning how to use tools. ]

Hi, um... anypony who's watching this! I'm Twilight Sparkle, and... I don't recognize these woods at all. [ She looks around, probably for the umpteenth time. Twilight's found herself deep within the forest, to the southeast. Not that she knows this. ] It doesn't look like any part of the Everfree Forest I've been to. [ A cloud parts and the sun shines in her face through the unseen treetops. Twilight shields her face with a hoof. ] Oh. Actually, I guess I could...

[ She looks back at herself and spreads her wings. Not her small Luceti wings, though. A huge pair of alicorn wings, of the same purple as her fur. She prepares to take off, then remembers the journal and hits it again with the stick. Video feed switches off. ]

---

[ Following this recording, the population of Luceti may witness a purple shape flying around the sky, observing the village from above. She'll circle a few times, trying to orient herself, before deciding to alight in the fountain square.

Two areas will grab Twilight's interest fairly quickly. First, she'll see her coronation outfit in the window of the clothing shop. She'll find this strange enough to go inside and consider buying it.

The other building she'll notice is the library (with a squee of excitement). Good luck extracting her from perusing the many, many, many tomes that now litter the floor. This is why Twilight needs an assistant librarian. What she wouldn't give for Spike right about now.

Feel free to interact with her in the square, at the clothing store, in the library, or in the air: she's several yards up but not out of shouting distance. ]

Comments

[fourthgenerationprincess]

Oh, right. [ She chuckles self-consciously. ] Well... what has been tried?

[mysicksadlife]

Probably anything you can think of. People have supposedly tried breaking the barrier, and they've claimed to try magic.

[fourthgenerationprincess]

Has anypony tried using the Elements of Harmony? There's only three of us, but maybe it could make a difference. [ As long as she can find them. But her coronation outfit did come with her. ]

[mysicksadlife]

I've never heard of them, so I wouldn't rule it out, but if there are only three people involved anyway and you need more, it probably wouldn't be strong enough to do something like this.

[fourthgenerationprincess]

I guess not. I don't actually know where the Elements are, anyway. [ Now that a majority of the books have been picked up, Twilight realizes how empty the room feels. ] If you and your sister are both here, is there anyone waiting for you back home?

[mysicksadlife]

I guess you could say our parents are. Quinn's friends would probably be worried. [And Jane. Maybe Trent. Daria doesn't have many friends, though.]

[fourthgenerationprincess]

Who's Quinn? [ Aww, poor Daria. ]

[mysicksadlife]

Quinn would be my sister. The one who's here. Actually, I'm surprised you haven't met her. She likes horses.

[fourthgenerationprincess]

But I'm a pony! And I just got here. How can I find her?

[mysicksadlife]

[Horses, ponies, tomato, to-mah-to. Daria actually refrains from saying so, though a part of her wants to.]

You can ask over the journal or you could probably find her at home sometime. If she's not out with friends or on a date or something.

[fourthgenerationprincess]

I'll keep an eye out! [ She turns back to the shelves. ] So, do you come here often enough to know this place pretty well?

[mysicksadlife]

Yeah... It's a bit busier than the library back home, but it's still a good shot for some peace and quiet.

[fourthgenerationprincess]

Are there that many people here? [ Twilight has yet to have her encounters with the Beast... and Spock... and Ion... and... ]

[mysicksadlife]

If you believe what they tell us, there's something like a couple hundred people here. That's just in this village. They claim there are more.

[fourthgenerationprincess]

[ A sudden thought occurs to Twilight. ] I wonder if any of my friends are in one of the other villages. Or what if I am, but from a different time?

[mysicksadlife]

If you believe what they tell us, that's entirely possible. [She seems to preface a lot of her remarks with that. The people captive here are in no position to see the truth for themselves; and their captors have every reason not to be reliable.]

[fourthgenerationprincess]

[ She notices and frowns. ] But you don't believe them.

[mysicksadlife]

Well... [She wishes she could still immediately say no.]

No one from my home would believe anything that happens here. And as for the war, these 'Malnosso' sure aren't going to tell us the truth, and when do we have a chance to find it out?

[fourthgenerationprincess]

[ She looks vaguely uneasy. ] I guess we'll find out eventually.

[mysicksadlife]

I guess you could say I'm still waiting on a verdict. The evidence isn't all in yet.

[fourthgenerationprincess]

So... everypony lives in Luceti. Sometimes people disappear, and then reappear slightly different. And all while we wait for a war that may never come. Is that the basic rhythm of this place?

[mysicksadlife]

Those are the basics, anyway. Except the war is supposedly happening, or at least they supposedly take us away to fight.

[fourthgenerationprincess]

[ She sighs and settles down again. ] Then maybe there's nothing to do but wait it out. [ But she's still thinking about plans to get out in her mind. She's not gonna actually give up that easily, yet. ]

[mysicksadlife]

So far, that seems right. But that means waiting it out here.

[fourthgenerationprincess]

I guess it's better than nowhere. [ Though now, even Twilight isn't sure. Not everypony seems to be truly happy here. Daria especially. If only half of her friend circle wasn't missing! ]