Stardust Supplemental Files (Pt. 5)
PHOTOGRAPHS OF UNMARKED FIGHTER CRAFT FLYING OVER DENVER RAISE QUESTIONS OVER INTERNAL SECURITY IN USA. SENATOR GOLEMAN ISSUES STATEMENT, “THERE IS A VAST CONSPIRACY AT WORK AND I SWEAR THAT I WILL PUT A STOP TO IT. UNIDENTIFIED MILITARY ORGANIZATIONS ARE JUST ANOTHER SIGN THAT THIS COUNTRY IS ONLY A FEW SHORT STEPS FROM TYRANNY.”
RIOTS STRIKE ARGENTINA AS DOZENS OF FAMILIES ACROSS THE COUNTRY REPORT FAMILY MEMBERS MISSING. NO SIGNS OF STRUGGLE OR ALIEN ATTACKS WERE FOUND AT ANY OF THE RESIDENCES OF THE MISSING PERSONS, AND THE ONLY KNOWN CONNECTION BETWEEN THE MAJORITY OF THOSE REPORTED MISSING IS BACKGROUND IN CONSTRUCTION AND ENGINEERING.
------
WARNING: Access to this file is RESTRICTED to personnel with TOP SECRET clearance or above. Attempts to access this file without authorization will be reviewed and be grounds for TERMINATION AND/OR PROSECUTION. Distribution of this file may only be done with authorization from Cmdr. David Bradford, failure to provide authorization will result in TERMINATION AND/OR PROSECUTION.
PROJECTID: Stardust
PROJECTDIV: All
DIVLEAD: Dr. Moira Vahlen, Dr. Joel Mills, D.r Kim Ngo, Dr. Frank McKendrick
Attached files: Original and translated copies of personal correspondence received by Twilight on 05/02/2015, analysis of materials received, links to XENOBIOLOGY assets, personal notes by DIVLEAD(Ngo), supplemental notes by DIVLEAD(Vahlen, Mills, McKendrick)
Personal Notes follow:
NEW RECORD: 04:12, 05/02/2015
Twilight just got some mail from home.
If this is ever reviewed without the context of all the Stardust notes, I’ll explain just how unlikely that last statement is. Twilight is being held in a secure lab several stories below ground and is kept under constant surveillance. Nothing enters or leaves the lab without one of the research division leads approving it, and nothing enters or leaves the base without Bradford doing the same.
So imagine my surprise when Dr. Vahlen pages all Stardust staff at freaking three in the morning to report some sort of breakthrough. My first thought that went through my head was that Twilight was literally breaking through the lab. As in, with her mind. Tearing the walls asunder. Bull in a china shop. Wait, unicorn in a china shop? Ugh, it’s too early in the morning, can’t think straight. Don’t laugh at me, you try being clever this early.
ANYWAY, Joel and I shuffled our way down to the lab to find Moira in a similar state. Twilight, however, was wide awake but looked on the verge of tears because of what was in front of her. Nine honest-to-god scrolls had somehow made it from her homeworld to her in this accursed vault containing personal correspondence from her friends and family. The exact contents of these messages will be uploaded as soon as possible, since our primary concern right now is how the hell they got here in the first place.
Reviewing the surveillance footage of the habitat shows some sort of distortion appearing in the habitat approximately two feet in front of Twilight. This distortion appears to be a cloud of black smoke that combusts into flames. The footage cuts out for a second but when it recovers Twilight is sifting through the pile of scrolls that inexplicably appeared there.
(Vahlen Supplemental)
The phenomenon that deposited this correspondence into Twilight’s possession is accurately captured by the surveillance devices.
Twilight herself describes the event as being generated through a side effect of ‘dragonfire’. The description is literal, as Twilight describes fire-breathing sentient reptiles native to her homeworld that can, if certain conditions are met, send small objects instantly across long distances so long as it is familiar with the receiver or destination. Unlike ‘teleportation’, there is no requirement for knowledge of the distance between points or energy gathering.
This is both more and less alarming than standard teleportation. On the one hand, the creature that sent the messages is capable of sending other things that may (intentionally or otherwise) threaten the safety of the facility and we have no way of preventing it from reaching Twilight, or at the very least analyzing it before it reaches her. On the other hand, the arrival of these messages does not mean Earth’s position has been pinpointed by another alien power…yet.
(End Supplemental)
(Mills Supplemental)
I can’t believe Moira’s asking me to speculate on the biology of a creature I’ve never seen that breathes fire to send messages across the universe. Every time I try to form a coherent thought on the subject, I keep thinking ‘there be dragons here’ before thinking about some of the cheesy movies coming out of Hollywood on the subject.
Dear God I need coffee.
(End Supplemental)
I’ll be working with Twilight to get translations of the letters recorded. This will also give our translation algorithms a chance to flex their muscles now that they’ve got more material to work with.
UPDATE: 08:15, 05/02/2015
The letters have been translated and attached below, along with my own comments on the contents. After translation of a few of the letters I called Frank over to see if he could do any sort of handwriting analysis (I know they don’t have hands so shush). His notes have been attached as well.
Also, for the sake of completeness, I’ve placed links to the corresponding drawings of each letter’s author that Twilight drew back in April.
(Vahlen Supplemental)
Preliminary material analysis is complete on all the letters. What they all share in common is described below, while exceptional materials are described before each of the attached translations.
Paper – The paper itself appears to be constructed in the similar manner as ancient Papyrus. Pulped plant fibres compose the body of these letters, though more detailed information will become apparent after more thorough analysis is finished.
Ink – The standard ink used for the majority of the letters appears to be little more than water mixed with graphite and an as-yet unidentified thickening agent.
Ribbon – The ribbons used all appear to be silk and dyed red with an as-yet unidentified organic dye. Each length of ribbon is approximately 12 inches in length.
Clip – A clip was in place on each of the letters to secure the ribbon in place and ensure the scrolls stayed closed. The clip itself is brass, but the emblem appearing on the clip varies wildly. The majority of the emblems are also made of brass. They are approximately the size of a quarter in diameter, while being a half-inch thick. Stamped on the top of each is what appears to be a horseshoe.
(End Supplemental)
The letters detailed below are listed in the order that Twilight opened them. Once we expressed our interest in their contents she was more than willing to read them to us so they could be translated.
(UPDATE: As of the end of the day, 05/02/2015, the translations so far appear to be accurate based on what the algorithm calculates. The last letter continues to defy reasonable explanation.)
The first letter is identified as being written by ‘Applejack’ and begins below.
-----
Howdy(1) Twilight!
I hope this letter finds you well. We’ve all been worried sick about you since Discord pulled his trick and sent you wherever you are now. Before I say anything else I want you to know that each and every one of us is doing everything we can to find you, or to make sure everything is just the way you left it when you get back.
There’s been no official announcement about Discord or your disappearance, but we were specifically told that if anyone asks where you are, then we’re supposed to say you’re on a mission abroad to help save Equestria.
I know I’m just a simple pony, but I’m bright enough to realize that explanation is two bits(2) short of being a flat out lie. There’s just enough truth in it that I can tell it and still be believable, but it still makes me feel right guilty. The worst part is telling Applebloom(3), since she can read me like an open book but she doesn’t know when not to pry like Big Mac(3). In the end she thinks you’re out being a secret agent for the princesses or something, and I figure that’s less terrible than the truth.
Now don’t you go worrying about that down talk from me, Sugarcube(4). I am still myself, and Discord never got the chance to cause any mischief. You just concentrate all your worrying and use it yourself to get home. I know that you will make it back to us. I don’t lie, remember?
Your Friend, Applejack
------
(1) – Yes, Howdy. Direct translation from Twilight.
(2) – Bits are apparently the form of currency in Twilight’s nation if not the world. She describes them as something akin to the gold coinage used about a century past.
(3) – Applebloom and Big Macintosh, siblings of Applejack.
(4) – A term of endearment that Applejack has for her friends.
(McKendrick Supplemental)
I never thought I’d be brought in to discuss the hand-writing of alien creatures.
The writing in this letter is, as far as I can tell, extremely rough. To draw a comparison, the characters when compared to the other letters (excepting Rainbow Dash’s letter) appear rigid and block-like. Either Applejack doesn’t write much, didn’t receive proper writing education, or it might just be a quirk of being forced to write with her mouth.
The pressure to the paper combined with the letter slant can be used as a good indication of emotional state as we go through the letter. The paragraph starting with ‘There’s been no official announcement’ starts to see slanted lettering and increased pressure on the paper, which would seem to support the content of the letter and the writer’s distaste for half-truths.
Kim says this particular entity is a paragon of the virtue ‘honesty.’ Perhaps it’s not a choice for her but a compulsion?
(End Supplemental)
------
The second letter is from ‘Rainbow Dash.’
------
Hey there, Egghead(1).
Discord must have sent you preeeeetty(2) far away if it’s taking you this long to come back, right? Like across the universe or something. Oh, have you seen any aliens? Cause that would be so cool, unless they’re mean. In that case I’d have to come find you and kick their flanks. Of course you’d probably bore them all to death with a lecture on friendship before I got there(3).
I know you’ve got more important things to worry about, but I just wanted to let you know the Equestria Games(4) are on hold. Celestia’s been locked up in Canterlot looking for you since this whole thing happened and everypony in the world didn’t want to start the games without her in the opening ceremony. I was thinking once you get back, we could all go make sure the Crystal Empire gets to host the games this time. They really need a break to go their way to get them back on their hooves after that whole Sombra thing.
I’ve also wrapped up one of our group pictures in this letter, and I expect you to bring it back! It’s one of my favorites, but I figure you could borrow it for now. I swear, Egghead, when you get back and don’t immediately give the picture back I’m going to follow you around with a rain cloud for a week, and buck the normal weather schedule!(5)
I –will- see you soon.
RD(6)
------
(1) – Yes, Egghead. This translation is apparently originally derogatory in nature but it’s used more as a term of endearment towards Twilight.
(2) – Yes, the word is stretched out like that in the original text, complete with an obnoxious amount of repeated letters.
(3) – Without context it might seem like the author of this letter is rather abrasive. Frank has some feedback regarding why this may be.
(4) – The ‘Equestria Games’ are described as an analog to the Olympics here on Earth.
(5) – Rainbow Dash is the weather team leader for the area that Twilight lived in back home. As mentioned in previous research notes, Pegasi have the capacity for weather control. Apparently she isn’t exaggerating when she said she could follow someone around with a raincloud.
(6) -- The letter is signed with initials rather than full name.
(McKendrick Supplemental)
The writing in this one could only be described as sloppy. While the letter written by Applejack had problems, there was clearly an effort to make it legible. This letter, however, is a scrawling mess. The lines of text aren’t straight by any definition of the word, and the size of the lettering tends to vary wildly along with the spacing between words and letters.
After reviewing the content of the letter, I have to also comment on the character of the letter itself. Just based on the wording combined with information provided by Twilight, the abrasive wording is actually a subconscious attempt at self-sabotage or a way to reassure herself that her friends are as loyal to her as she is to them. She is proportedly a paragon of the virtue ‘loyalty’ so she is expected to be so with her friends, but I suspect she’s painfully aware that her peers aren’t held to that standard.
Without meeting the subject in person I can only speculate, but she strikes me as one who covers up her own fear and insecurity with her boasting and showmanship. If my suspicions are correct, that holding the status of paragon may act as a compulsion to that virtue, it would only compound the issue.
(End Supplemental)
(Vahlen Supplemental)
The picture included with this document appears to be made of the same papyrus-like paper that the letter is written on. It is a photo rather than a hand drawn sketch, but thus far analysis has been unable to determine how the picture was captured on the paper without any of the chemicals we use for our pictures.
The subjects of the picture itself are Twilight and the five friends who sent her letters. The background appears to be a town square with one to two story buildings in the background. No technology higher than our mid nineteenth century is visible in the picture.
Twilight’s explanation involved the use of magic, which I’m afraid doesn’t tell us much at this point.
(End Supplemental)
------
The third letter is from ‘Fluttershy’.
------
Hello Twilight,
I am so sorry that this happened to you. Had I spoken up when Discord was freed, things might have gone differently. This shouldn’t have happened, you should still be here and that mean old Discord should be locked in stone. The hill where we freed Discord has been turned into a small castle by Princess Luna to hold Discord, and a lot of the local animals are really upset that the open field isn’t there anymore.
Not that I’m criticizing Princess Luna’s decision!(1) She did what was necessary to keep us all safe and to keep Discord locked up until the Elements are reunited and we can punish Discord for good. I don’t want to sound mean, but Discord has gone too far this time. I just hope you come back soon so everything can go back to the way things were before.
Since you’re probably curious, I’ve been stopping by the Library to check on Owlicious(2) and Spike. They’ve been getting along quite well, I suspect they came to an agreement in your absence. Spike is doing an admirable job keeping things running, though he has refused to take the title of librarian for himself. He’s waiting for you to come back so we can pick up where we left off. We all are.
I hope you’re doing well, wherever you are. Please don’t ever doubt that we’re still looking for you. We will find you and bring you home safely.
Always your friend,
Fluttershy
------
(1) – The overly apologetic tone of the letter seems to fit with the character described by Twilight, though honestly she sounds like a bit of a doormat.
(2) – Twilight’s pet owl and second assistant at the library that she works at, apparently.
(McKendrick Supplemental)
The writing here displayed exceptional penmanship, despite it being done with her mouth. While I couldn’t make heads or tails of the characters, I could tell that the person who wrote this is careful about every word they wrote.
And with that in mind, combined with information gleaned from Twilight, I’d tentatively diagnose Fluttershy with avoidant personality disorder. Her social phobias, extremely limited group of friends, overly kind and forgiving affect as well as her preference of the company of animals rather than peers that she isn’t friends with all seem to indicate this. From what I understand she was the victim of bullying at a young age, and is extremely attached to Rainbow Dash as a longtime (and likely only) childhood friend.
This would sugguest a bit of a symbiotic relationship between the two. Rainbow Dash needs Fluttershy because her childhood experiences ensure that the latter will always stay loyal to the former. Fluttershy needs Rainbow Dash because the latter is so forgiving of the former’s perceived shortcomings and failings.
(End Supplemental)
------
Next is ‘Rarity’s’ letter.
------
Twilight,
I cannot express in words how worried I am for you, darling. You just disappeared from the field right in front of Discord and I nearly died of fright. Princess Luna assures us that you’re alright, and I feel deep down that she’s correct, but at the same time I can’t help but worry for you.
I’m not the only one who’s worried. All the girls were rather distraught after the events that took you from us, and especially poor Spike. I suppose that should be expected, since you’re like a sister to him, or perhaps even a mother. You’ve raised him for most of his life, it’s only natural for him to be so concerned.
I suspect that he has been preventing his worries from consuming him by throwing himself into work at the Library. While I normally approve of such hard work and dedication, it is quite clear that his current state prevents him from taking any sort of a break. As such, I’ve taken it upon myself to borrow him on occasion to help me with one of my little projects. At least that’s what I tell him. It is partially true I must admit, but it’s more to get him out into the fresh air on a somewhat regular basis and have some fun.
I’m afraid I can’t help him the way that the others do other than give him my time, and I am more than willing to give as much as he needs and more until you come back to us. And you will come back to us. Celestia as my witness(1), I will see you reunited even if I have to wring Discord’s neck to achieve it.
Please, darling, come back soon.
Rarity
------
(1) – In the context of this letter this seems like an oath to a religious figure in the way that we are familiar with, but Twilight continues to insist that Celestia isn’t the subject of religious devotion.
(McKendric Supplemental)
At first I was convinced this was going to be a case of manipulative narcissism, where Rarity’s generosity was used to indebt people to her if they wanted her gifts or not, but after looking at the letter and reading the transcript I’m forced to revisit my initial opinion.
The script is beautifully rendered in flowing formal characters that almost look like calligraphy, and combined with the vocabulary and sentence structure I’m assuming she is cultured and had a healthy upbringing. Again, all these evaluations are done purely through second-hand stories and these limited written materials, but this one gives me the impression that she’s well-adjusted and gives none of the warning flags that some of the others have given me.
(End Supplemental)
------
The next letter that was discussed is from ‘Spike’, the dragon who is Twilight’s librarian assistant and, presumably, the one who transported the letters to Twilight.
------
Dear Twilight Sparkle,
I miss you a lot. It feels like it’s been a lifetime since the last time I saw you. I knew it was a bad idea to let Discord free. And now you’re all alone somewhere where we can’t help you. I know it’s going to be hard, but I don’t want you to worry about me, okay? I know you will anyway because you’re nice like that, but I want you to know right now that the Library will be exactly the way you left it.
The girls have all been amazing to me, also. They’ve all been helping out in their own ways. Plus I’m getting to spend time with Rarity which is always a plus(1). But I’d rather have you back, Twilight! You’re family! I wish you were back home and everything went back to the way it was before, you know?
I really hope this letter reaches you. Luna said she would try to track the letter as it’s sent to try and find you(2), but I honestly don’t know if that will work. The letter travels instantly to whomever I send it to. Then again, this is Luna we’re talking about. If anypony could do it, it would be her. Well, her or you.
I will ask if we can send more letters later(3). If she was able to follow this one even for a bit then it might give her a better idea on where to look. If we send more she might learn more!
Wherever you are, just hold on a little bit longer, okay?
Your Number One Assistant,
Spike
------
(1) – After speaking with Twilight, it was shared that Spike has romantic intentions for Rarity, though the age difference makes such a relationship unlikely. The species difference is for the most part a non-issue, as Twilight mentioned in a previous discussion with Pvt. Jenkins.
(2) – This raises a troubling point, as we are in no condition at this time to entertain visitors from an apparently peaceful third party in the middle of our war.
(3) – If we can further document these occurrences as they happen, we might gain a better understanding of how this ‘dragonfire’ works. The natural downside is that every message sent would be one message closer to Earth’s location being compromised.
(McKendrick Supplemental)
It should be apparent to most readers and observers of this material that the person who wrote this is a juvenile. He’s clearly attached to Twilight.
(End Supplemental)
------
The next letter comes from Shining Armor and Cadance, Twilight’s brother and sister-in-law, who also now rules a neighboring nation to Twilight’s. As Cadance’s described powers are something we are quite concerned with, this letter has been earmarked for further scrutiny to try and glean any character tells that might aid us in future interactions.
Also, the icon affixed to this letter wasn’t the brass horseshoe, but what appears to be a flawless diamond cut into the shape of a heart.
------
Dear Twily,
If the introduction didn’t give it away, this is your brother writing. Luna invited Cadance and me to help out around Canterlot while she and Celestia continue to search for you, and she also explained what happened with Discord.
I want to say that I’m not worried one bit. You’re the one who faced down Nightmare Moon, and an Ursa Minor, plus Chrysalis and the Changelings(1) and Discord not once but TWICE. Your mastery of magic is unrivaled and I am certain that you’ll find a way back to us.
I’m afraid I’ve never been that good of a liar. Twily, I’ve dedicated my life to protecting the Princesses and everypony under them, and especially you. It makes my blood boil that this happened to you even though it was the Princesses’ decision in the end and from what I hear I couldn’t have prevented it even if I had been there.
It also terrifies me that this is something that I can’t fix like a big brother should; that I can’t protect you from whatever things you see there. If there was the slightest chance of success I’d rally the Guard and march through Tartarus(2) to find you. I wouldn’t have to order them, either. You might not know it but every Guardspony knows you, by reputation at the minimum. You’ve helped save Equestria countless times before and every last one of them would volunteer to scour the stars and the darkness in between to find you again. I know what you’re doing right now, Twily, you’re shrugging bashfully and saying something like, “It was nothing.”(3) Don’t. You’re a true hero to all of us, and to me as well.
I think I’m going to turn the letter over to dear Cadance before I further destroy my strong big brother image any further.
Twilight, I know we do our usual greeting whenever we converse but I would forgive you if you did not this time. I imagine you would look rather silly doing ‘a little shake’ to a letter. I hope I managed to make you smile, as I’m afraid that’s all I can do with just a letter.
I can scarcely imagine what you might be going through right now, but I can feel your heart, Twilight. It’s faint and it’s far away, but I can still feel you. I don’t think I can sense where you are with my power(4), but it fills me with joy to know that wherever you are you’ve found some degree of comfort, if not happiness. I hope the knowledge that we continue to search for you adds to the happiness in your heart as well.
And I’m not quite certain, but I could have sworn I felt something tugging on your heartstrings recently. I obviously don’t know the circumstances but I’m overjoyed that someone that isn’t a book has found at least a small amount of space in your heart. To see such a thing blossoming in someone I know so well is a beautiful thing, Twilight. Perhaps when you return you and I can go spend a day at the spa and you can tell me all about him (or her)!(5)
Also, don’t forget your breathing exercises.(6) I know how worked up you can get when you’re all excited. Nopony likes a hysterical mare! And don’t grumble and scowl, no pony likes a grump either.(7) Though you are rather cute when you’re embarrassed. (8)
Oh, and don’t worry about Shiny. I haven’t told him a thing. I imagine if I did his brotherly indignation would somehow bridge the gap of space and time just so he could threaten bodily injury on your special somepony. He’s just a wee bit overprotective, but you know that already.
Oh dear, I’m rambling now, aren’t I? I suppose I should close things up before I have to fetch another piece of paper. My strongest advice to you Twilight is to cherish the things that bring you joy wherever you are, and remember that we will find you no matter what. Never forget that, alright?
Sincerely yours,
Shining Armor
Captain of the Guard
Prince of the Crystal EmpireMi Amore Cadenza(9)
Princess of the Crystal Empire
Guardian of the Crystal Heart
------
(1) – Twilight has mentioned the Changelings in passing but has never elaborated on her experience with them. If there was some sort of invasion then that might explain her reluctance to discuss it. Perhaps with this letter we can better frame our questions to approach it more gently.
(2) – Tartarus, according to Twilight, is a prison where only the truly evil are kept. As we can neither confirm or refute this, or their measure of ‘evil’, this explanation will have to suffice.
(3) – She was doing just that as she read the letter.
(4) – This raises a major security concern, especially considering the potential fate Twilight might face were she transferred to a less hospitable holding location. If this is accurate, Cadance can detect Twilight’s emotional state regardless of the distance. If she were abused in any way then any first contact with Twilight’s people would no doubt be colored in such a way that peaceful cooperation would be impossible.
(5) – Bloody hell. What started as something akin to a non-malicious prank by Jenkins to get Twilight’s mind off of Vahlen’s aggressive testing procedures seems to have blossomed into a ticking time bomb. If this is accurate then there’s some truth to Jenkins’ ribbing Twilight, and Harris still doesn’t know about it. We’ve got to get this straightened out before it goes on any further. I do not want to see what Twilight would do when she finds out none of it was real after she decides to act on it.
(6) – Immediately after reading this, Twilight performed said breathing exercise. It appears to be a simple breath-in, breath-out exercise that takes approximately five seconds per cycle to complete.
(7) – She was grumbling and scowling after reading that.
(8) – She is!
(9) – This is apparently Cadance’s full name, as ‘Cadance’ is just a nickname.
(McKendrick Supplemental)
As this is a two part letter for two separate persons, the evaluation here will be broken up accordingly.
Shining Armor appears to be honest throughout his writing. Judging by spacing, precision and paper pressure when he was getting to his fears, he is being completely honest about his worry for Twilight. For all of Twilight’s peculiarities and quirks, her brother seems to be well-adjusted.
Princess Cadance is definitely not what I was expecting. From the materials that Kim and Joel provided me, I was expecting something akin to a chessmaster with powers of emotion bordering on mind control. I see no indications of such a manipulator in either how the text was written or the content of the letter itself. She seems about as benign as a meddling but welcome friend, which, if you read between the lines of Twilight’s descriptions, that’s exactly how she seems.
Of course, Kim and Joel have a very valid point. Those with power have a tendency to use it to get what they want. It’s not beyond the realm of possibility that Cadance acts this way to someone she truly cares about while keeping the common folk under an iron boot. I don’t get that feeling from the letter but it’s just a letter. For all we know she had someone else dictate it for her and this isn’t her handwriting.
(End Supplemental)
------
The next letter is believed to be from Princess Celestia. This assumption is based on the icon attached to the clip, which is that of a many-pointed star and is made entirely of pure gold. Twilight also asserts that it is her handwriting.
------
I am so sorry.
------
(McKendrick Supplemental)
So much is said in those four little words. So much more is said in the words that didn’t make it onto the page.
The writing style was slanted and almost mashed together with very little letter or word spacing. Combine this with the chemical analysis of the paper sheet that found traces of what appeared to be tears only adds evidence to the theory. Further evidence is provided by the paper pressure. Analysis shows that other papers were stacked on top of this one and were written upon before this final sheet was chosen for the letter. As we did not want to show too many of our tricks to Twilight, we kept all of this information confidential.
What this tells me is that Celestia is devastated by what happened and is likely still in an extremely fragile emotional state. If Twilight’s reports are accurate as to her power, I imagine if Cadance were to report the unicorn’s heart dying out, then Celestia might just show up in our system and toss the Earth out of orbit to let all of humanity freeze.
We’ll have to tread lightly. Very lightly.
(End Supplemental)
------
The next letter is written by ‘Luna’, and is marked with a clip icon that consists of a pitch-black circular base made of an as-yet unidentified metal, with a crescent-moon in the center that is made of white marble.
------
To Twilight Sparkle,
I pray that this letter reaches you in good health, as we all fear for your safety even now. Cadance assures us that you are well wherever you are, and Discord also asserts your safety as well(1), though I don’t trust him; not one bit.
Discord has been contained, at least for now.(2) A prison has been constructed and staffed outside of Ponyville with the expressed purpose of preventing his escape as well as protecting the secret of his freedom from the public. It is an imperfect solution, I will grant you, but it’s the only solution that we have.
Please do not criticize yourself over the events that have transpired, Twilight. No one could have predicted Discord’s actions, and no one blames you for attempting to complete Discord’s challenge and save your friends the trouble. It is simply more evidence of your bravery and willingness to volunteer in my eyes, no matter what the results.
I continue to search the skies for any sign of your presence, though I fear it will be a long and arduous process. When Pinkie Pie contacted me with the idea of sending you a message through dragonfire, I must admit I felt quite foalish for not thinking of it first. Thousands of years of wisdom and the best suggestion I get is from Pinkie Pie of all ponies.
I will attempt to track this message and the others that are sent to get a better fix on your current position. If I am able to find your current location, I will have another message sent beforehand before I come to collect you. Worry not, dear Twilight. I will be coming to collect you as soon as I can(3).
Until then, stay strong my friend.
Princess Luna
Lady Lunar
Guardian of the Night
Your loyal friend
------
(1) – This is a rather disconcerting piece of information. We had been under the impression that Twilight had been, for lack of a better phrase, dumped here and forgotten so Discord could do whatever he does without fear of reprisal. That he was actively monitoring Twilight’s health and relaying it to her rulers (and combined with the fact that he could, in theory, take her back there at any time, or send more of her people to her location) is even more distressing.
(2) – If Discord has been contained then that likely means that all available resources are being directed to find Twilight. It might be best to plan on when they find her, rather than if.
(3) – Perhaps we should gather the Stardust team and Bradford together to actually iron out a first contact scenario that doesn’t involve copious amounts of guns? This is clearly a statement of intent and I’d rather not piss off the pseudo-deity when she comes to claim the friend she’s lost.
(McKendrick Supplemental)
This one was quite possibly the least informative set of handwriting samples I can imagine. It’s beautiful script and handwriting, I’ll grant you that, but there’s so little variance in any of the traditional handwriting markers that there’s no way to tell what she was thinking as she wrote it. Character and word spacing is completely uniform throughout the entire letter, and the characters themselves are so exact that I almost mistook it for typeface.
The only conclusion I can grasp is that whomever wrote this has been writing for a very long time, and they have a very good grasp on keeping their emotions from bleeding into their work.
(End Supplemental)
------
This last letter is written by ‘Pinkie Pie’, and like the first few letters has the standard clip icon.
Also, I have no idea how she managed it, but I looked away just as Twilight opened the letter and when I looked back there were several baked goods on her table. Twilight explained that they were included in the scroll and that they were for us. How does one include frosted cupcakes in a SCROLL without getting frosting everywhere? And how did she know the exact number of people involved in the Stardust project, as well as our preferences?
(Vahlen Supplemental)
I was watching in the observation room when she opened the letter. I saw it with my own two eyes and I have no idea what happened. It was like looking at an M. C. Escher painting in motion.
(End Supplemental)
Regardless, Twilight’s starting the letter now.
------
Dear Twilight Sparkle,
ELERIUM.
Sincerely,
Pinkie Pie!
Stats
Page generated in 0.023 seconds
Total duration
990 users online
237,269 hits today, 2,314,256 yesterday
FIMFiction
My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic Fanfiction
Designed and coded by knighty & Xaquseg - © 2011-2024
Follow & Support Us
Support us
SubStar
Chat!
Discord
Follow us
Twitter
MLP: Friendship is Magic® - © 2024 Hasbro Inc.®
Fimfiction is in no way affiliated with or endorsed by Hasbro Inc.®
Good evening folks!
So here are the letters you've all been waiting for. I'm posting this now since I'll be mostly off doing other things starting tomorrow and for approximately a week. You may have to wait until late next week before the next chapter is posted, I'm sorry to say.
Anyway, I hope you all enjoy this entry, and thanks in advance for your comments!
Space Cadance knows when you have a crush.
2996488
Remember little colts and fillies. CADANCE IS ALWAYS WATCHING YOU.
...Pinkie, you clever, clever girl. We may not know how you do it, but apparently you know what Twilight is looking for to help these people out. :D
2996523
2996525
They were wondering what Arcanite was.
Man, they're gonna shit themselves now.
Wow, this chapter had me laughing a few times! I'll bet quite a few members of the X-Com project (as well as the council) are going to be suddenly relieved when they find out exactly how close they came to having a few rampaging demi-god class beings show up looking for Twilight (After all, Discord probably wouldn't have broken his promise, which would mean he'd have shown up if something happened, I presume).
Fun chapter. Excited for more.
Pinkie Pie... you crazy, brilliant mare. You just changed EVERYTHING!
Of course that would be the material that is the equivalent of Equestrian Arcanite.
OH MY GOD.
Pinkie's letter.
I had to get up out of my chair and laugh as quietly as I could, it's midnight here. Perfect.
I've been away a week and it was a treat to come back to three chapters of this! I especially enjoyed Vahlen's scene with Twilight, I think you've really captured what makes her tick and made her an engrossing character.
I like the Elerium shot.
...you know, now I'm wondering what would happen
ifwhen Jenkins meets Pinkie Pie....poor Harris2996539
Eeexactly~
........ DAMNIT PINKIE PIE!!!
Pinkie Pie is the best pony in this chapter. And confirms my suspicions.
I'd image Elerium is probably pretty rare in Equestria.
A very great part of me wants to see Twilight have a full-body suit with purified elerium woven throughout, elevating her abilities from overpowered to ludicrously powerful (At least by the climax of the story)
Edit: The handwriting analysis is a little odd, especially considering they are looking at alien script, and have no idea how ponies respond in that manner.
2996523 2996525
Do not attempt to understand Pinkie Pie. That way lies madness.
2996539
2996550
Indeed. Consider that they've just learned that Equestrians can get messages to Twilight despite all their security, AND they can determine if she's still alive as well.
2996555
Thanks for stopping by! And the contents of the letters (if they can be trusted) gives XCOM a lot to consider.
And you do bring up a good point. What would Discord have done?
2996563
2996568
Glad to have you back! I had been sitting on Vahlen's secrets for the length of this fic, so I'm glad to hear her characterization is well-recieved!
2996581
Thanks!
2996591
You'll have to wait and seeeeee!
And now I have to stop this comment. It's getting to large! On to the next reply megacomment!
...H...Handwriting analysis. As in Graphology? As in the pseudoscientific bullshit that is about as valid as palm reading?
I need to go lie down.
Ahhhhh, the Crystal heart is elerium. An element that is that and powerful AND linked to x com should have been obvious. Please though, no more pinkie pie clues, it's pinkie so you can't see anything coming
PINKIE PIE IS WATCHING YOU... ALWAYS!!!
2996595
She still loves you, I'm certain!
2996597
Regarding arcanite scarcity, Twilight -did- say that arcanite stockpiles were destroyed after the Winter War. And history books are always accurate, yes?
2996606
I'll admit I'm no expert on head-shrinkery but since I can't write equestrian and upload scans of the letters, I felt it was a good vehicle for discussing what the writing actually looked like. : \
2996617
Pinkie Pie is watching you. FOREVER!
2996635
Yeah, I'll accept that. Sorry if my comment sounded a bit harsh, I don't react well to pseudoscience.
Sometimes to the point where I kind of come across as an asshole.
As an actual real-life practice I think that it is bunk. As a story mechanic or whatever it works pretty damn well.
2996605
Well, I presume he would have returned Twilight, or at the very least protected her in some manner. As for messing with X-com ... that would probably depend on exactly how magnanimous he was feeling at the moment. It could range from funny that X-com always has in a restricted file to so devastating that X-com is shut down entirely, thus dooming earth.
2996606
You're reading a story about magic ponies. Suspension of disbelief FTW!
XCOM isn't meant to be interpreted as hard scifi anyway. As any scientist or engineer can tell you, science is slow.
One thing that doesn't get noticed, Shining's comment that he wouldn't need to ask for volunteers to storm Tartarus. Beyond Celestia's wrath, well every Guard will be looking for payback if Twilight is hurt. For all her power she is not a pony trained to hurt others.
2996649
There's this thing about suspension of disbelief... If unbelievable things are portrayed in a believable manner there is no issue. That's why "It's magic, I don't have to explain shit!" never gets a free pass as an excuse not to have to explain something that really doesn't make sense in the context of the story itself.
While XCOM may not be purely hard scifi, the characters in XCOM and the series as a whole is generally pretty serious about the way they treat their science. That is, the stuff they encounter is pretty damn crazy but they respond to it rationally and reasonably. For example, if you read their interrogation and forensic reports the way they go about gathering and analyzing information is pretty reasonable. They don't resort to using Phrenology or palm reading or something like that.
EDIT: On a completely different topic:
Or is that just what she wants you to think? Maybe she is just that good, did you think of that?
In the words of Mordin Solus:
EDIT2: Oh, and if Pinkie's message means what I think it means then: CALLED IT!
Interestingly, that might mean that psionics is magic and vice-versa. I can buy that...
ELERIUM = ARCANITE.
2996678
See, that's the thing. It may actually be unreliable and just as stupid as phrenology, but the way it is presented here sounded for the most part reasonable. I'm attributing their correct interpretations of negligible variations to the fact that they are XCOM, and thus awesome at SCIENCE!! (Not to be confused with science). And really a lot of it they were extrapolating from prior descriptions anyway.
2996646
I'm glad I was able to explain my reasoning. I always feel a bit of trepidation whenever I try to sound like an expert on a subject that I am NOT an expert of. :S
Again, it was more used as a vehicle for describing how the letters appeared and their impressions than a scientific study.
2996647
Discord strikes me as a 'hoist by your own petard' kind of character. If Twilight were to become damaged that he would need to intervene, he'd likely sabotage XCOM in such a way that their torture practices would result in their being disbanded.
2996672
Another excellent point.
2996678 2996649 2996757
It's just another thing that I have to balance. Believability versus MAGIC~!
Let the mind games continue...
2996749
:D
I teared up at Celestia's letter.
(admittedly I just got back from the therapist so that's a little easier than normal but still)
Pinkie's letter. Wow.
I imagine Pinkie planned to write something else for the body of the letter, but Pinkie Sense kicked in the moment quill touched paper, and she ended up scrawling ELERIUM in big block letters across the entire page.. And then, because she knows to listen to the Sense, she just signed it, placed the cupcakes on top, and rolled it up.
2996762
You might be the first person to mention Pinkie's abuse of cupcake space when mailing her letter. Same with Celestia's letter.
And in Pinkie vision (aka Pyrovision) perhaps she did write a regular letter? Or elaborate escape plans? Or how best to serve man?
2996785
Well, I mean... It's Pinkie.
2996793
A perfectly valid point.
The day Pinkie Pie sets her hoof on Earth.
Invaders: "RUN FOR YOUR LIVES!!!"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TZPwR3NaJlM
Am I the only one who wants Vahlen to meet Pinkie Pie?
I see several members of the staff resigning to entering monastic life.
Damn it Pinkie, stop breaking reality with your far sight!
2996827
Before any retreat there must be a dance and musical number.
2996852
Or get shipped off to the loonie bin, wrapped in straight jackets and mumbling 'That should not be possible...' while rocking back and forth.
Oh god, they know it's Elerium now...
I can't wait for Shen and Vahlen to develop an Elerium battlesuit, cause either two things are going to happen. Either A.) Twilight is going to have a goddamn panic attack and likely level the entire complex, or B.) She is going to basically make the thing a single person, 8 foot tall Gypsy Danger that only one person can use. Either way, epic things are going to happen, for better or worse.
Pinkie outright saying ELERIUM seems a bit much, even for her. Maybe if it were hinting that Elerium=Arcanite or something along those lines it would be more fitting, but as it is it feels kinda like straight Deus Ex Machina.
2996605
Since discord was still in his original mindset, I believe he would teleport Twilight back before she got killed, when it was obvious that she had no chance of completing the challenge. He would want to see her reaction to her failure, and he wouldn't get that if she died. Oh, and he'd likely be atomized by Celestia for doing that to her in that case. He wouldn't want that.
Oh, and was Pinkie's letter written in english? If not, how would she have been able to translate to the name of an as-of-yet unknown element? If it was in english, I'd explain it as being Pinkie Pie, but if it wasn't... I don't know.
2996827
"We are equestrians, and we come to PARTY!"
I could imagine Rainbow Dash giving the stereotypical "Take me to your leader, Earthling!" line.
I could also see the changeling becoming a big topic of discussion in this fic. They'd certainly have use in Earth society if the two populations began to coexist. Spies! Spies everywhere!
Oh... Pinkie you are amazing!
Initiating error report:
1) Rainbow Dash's signature is not inside the letter's box.
2) Excerpt from Rarity's letter:
(you need a "he" in there.)
3) Excerpt from Luna's letter:
End error report.
By the way, you have good timing. I've had a very sad day because I had to help take the family dogs to the vet to be killed. Then I had to help bury them.
I'm finally getting over it, (i.e I'm not reduced to a blubbering wreck at the thought of them) but it helps to have something nice happen today.
...It was such a pretty day too.
not being familiar with X-COM, Pinkie's letter seemed completely random to me until I read the comments.
From these letters, Twilight's future as being safe from 'experiments' should be pretty well secure. Multiple pseudo-deities are tracking her health, her happiness, and one knows her exact location. And two of them are actively looking for her. They all have the means to arrive on Earth as well.
Also their description of Discord they have, should give them one very dangerous possibility. Should Twilight be badly harmed, Discord might just tell the others not just of her fate, in detail, but also Earths location, and provide a direct line to it if they're incapable of doing it themselves.
Because what could possibly be more chaotic than turning a two way war into a three way war?
I'm kinda wondering why they didn't comment more on the fact that Pinkie sent them the right amount of cupcakes for everyone on the Stardust team to get one.
No comment on Pinkie's letter from the staff? Especially with such an evocative word to send....
2997012
They have no idea what the connection means. Hell, hinting at the connection would probably help them more than a one word message that no one understands.
2997313
They did at the start.
ELERIUM.
2996888
If Pinkie Pie predicts a perilous predicament and prevents it's performance, would it perpetrate a paradox?
(That was horrible, I know.)
2996913
It will be interesting to see if (or how) Twilight affects Elerium research...
2997012
I can certainly understand that belief. Pinkie Pie is a character that can vary wildly in fiction, and I had to consider how I wanted to portray her in her (albeit brief) appearance here. I don't foresee further appearances for a significant amount of time, and I doubt they'll be as brazen as this one.
2997065
You are quite right regarding what he'd do with Twilight. After all, how can he gloat about winning the bet if she's dead?
And the Changelings will come up in discussion at some point in the future.
2997085
Not going to argue with that.
2997157
Thanks for the error report, I'll get on that as soon as I can.
And I am very sorry to hear about your dogs, though I'm glad I'm able to brighten your day. To be honest, this fic broke several years worth of bad luck for me. May of last year, the cat I inherited from my sister had to be put to sleep (some jerkbag in the neighborhood poisoned him), the may before that the cat I had for almost 15 years had to be put to sleep. The year before that I lost an amazing job.
It goes on and on and on...BUT, I finally posted this fic THIS may, and my terrible luck seems to have been broken. I'm glad that I'm not the only one benefiting from it.
2997167
Ah, I keep forgetting that some folks might not be 100% familiar with the XCOM side of things. I may be able to help alleviate that in the future...I'll see if I can scribble out a blog post with my idea.
2997202
Another excellent point. Perhaps that was his plan all along? Twilight dies, thus preventing the Elements from turning him to stone, AND he motivates the Equestrian state to perpetrate total war against the humans. Or not. >_>
2997261 2997313
This letter was being transcribed as Twilight was reading it. Expect XCOM's reactions in the next chapter! (I know I'm terrible with cliffhangers)
2997333
I think this issue will best be answered with the next chapter. Sorry!
2997392
YES.
Decent Chapter, although I have to say that whole "Celestia can toss the earth out of orbit" thing is getting tiresome, also, points off for using a major cliché, Pinkie Pie breaking the fourth wall, all of my no goes into that.
2996749 What the hay is elerium?!
2997446
Why wouldn't the humans assume that she can? They don't know what she's really capable of. They're having to make assumptions based upon what they're told.
This is all written from their point of view, remember.