fourthgenerationprincess | First Checklist Item [Misc Journal Shenanigans / Action]

[ 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. ]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

That's a difficult question to answer. [ But her eyes are sparkling. As if she wasn't interested in this topic before, the revelations regarding cutie marks leading up to her coronation made everything even more interesting. ]

A cutie mark represents what you're good at doing, but you have to find that thing first. They usually appear on your flank when you're a filly. I made a mistake recently and switched my friends' cutie marks, and they were compelled to do things that they weren't supposed to do. Their destinies had changed, but they themselves hadn't. Does that make sense?

It does... [...and it doesn't.]

How did you switch their destinies?

I... [ She hesitates and sits down. The memory still smarts, because she knows she hurt all her friends that day, even if unintentionally. ] I messed with something that I shouldn't have. An ancient, unfinished spell. It was dumb luck that we fixed it at all.

[ Probably she's not giving herself enough credit, and she knows it - if not for her ingenuity and her knowledge of the magic of friendship, her friends might have been changed for the worse forever. But since that was her fault in the first place, she feels she has every right to be ashamed. ]

[Spock's eyebrows twitch in concern...

...it would seem that he did not like to see this creature sad.

The Vulcan lowers himself to the ground, making them eye level.] Do not concern yourself Miss Twilight... You were able to make things right in the end, yes? That is all that matters.

Yeah... and it really helped to teach me just how much my friends meant to me. And I got wings out of the deal, so... I guess it wasn't all bad.

[ Something occurs to her, and she looks at him quickly. ] Do you miss them? Back home?

[Spock gave the pony a confused look...]

Miss them? My friends?

Vulcans have no need for friends.

[Spock.. you liar.]

[ She raises an eyebrow. Vulcan style. ] The book's account says otherwise. Or is that just another anomaly?

[Spock's eyebrows twitch in mild frustration.]

It is not an anomaly... merely that the book is not always correct.

[Spock looks away...and exhales.] Friendship is a rather foreign concept for Vulcans... I find it difficult to build these relationships in human standards...

...or pony standards.

[ She reconsiders. ] Or maybe you're from before a point in your timeline where you consider each other as friends.

And "difficult" does not mean "impossible".

"Each other"...
...you are referring to a specific individual.

Who?
[Spock was eyeing the pony suspiciously now... What did she know?]

Your captain. [ She flips through the book. ] He goes by the name of "James".

He prefers to go by the name Jim...

He is...

...he is my Captain, and there is little that I would not do for him. [Spock wasn't sure if he was deserving to be Jim's friend.]

That sounds a lot like friendship to me!

[Spock's mouth twitches in a small, almost imperceptible smile.]

Indeed? Even if it is my duty?

Sure! I think the bond is similar. There may be subtle differences in principle, but the way you talk about him, I'm not so sure that's the case.

[Spock slumps his shoulders in defeat...but he regards the pony with a small smile.]

You are correct...

...I concede, he is the greatest friend I have ever had. I seem to have difficulty communicating this...

What of yourself? Are any of your friends in Luceti?

Well, besides the new ones I'm making... [ she grins meaningfully at Spock ] Rainbow Dash and Pinkie Pie seem to have been here for a little while already. And a few of my other friends were here and then left. They must all be back in Equestria, waiting for us.

I can help you with communication if you like! I've studied a lot about friendship since Princess Celestia sent me to Ponyville.

First Checklist Item [Misc Journal Shenanigans / Action]

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