//------------------------------//
// Witness Interview - Twilight Sparkle - May 5th - 2 
// Story: They're Never Coming Back 
// by Flashgen 
//------------------------------//

Transcription of Witness Interview: Twilight Sparkle
Date: May 5th 
Time: 8:26 a.m.
Interviewer: Verdant Vines, Head Investigator

Doctor Blue Sky was still at the Ponyville hospital, helping with overseeing Solace’s care and assisting Tourniquet and the others with taking stock of medical supplies there. They should be sending off a request for enough additional supplies to take care of any survivors we may recover and a request for personnel is already being submitted as well.

I took the journal from Blue Sky and returned to my tent, awaiting the arrival of White Clover and Princess Celestia, though I have yet to receive a notice.





Good morning, Twilight. I hope you’re well.


good morning
Vines


I know Doctor Blue Sky already expressed his thanks, but I would like to give mine. Solace’s return is appreciated, even if his condition is severe. We’re making preparations while we can to ensure that any more survivors returned will be able to receive proper care as well.


you are
welcome
Vines

I am glad
he could
return
safely
securely
sheltered


I also saw that Blue Sky voiced similar concerns that I have about these dreams occurring in Canterlot, despite the lack of direct contact of these ponies to the town or the journals that we recovered. It may be that a stricter quarantine than we expected is required. I’ve sent a notice to Canterlot to have all those currently showing signs kept on-site there.


it seems
reasonable
yes

I wish I
knew more
about the
works
effects
consequences


It’s alright, Twilight. We couldn’t expect you to be completely knowledgeable on the subject. The hope is that we can do our best to contain and study it. Of particular interest is why Princess Luna cannot access these dreams, or is even aware that they’re happening.

However, for now we have other things to focus our attention on. I still would have preferred that you waited for my superiors before sending Solace back to Equestria, but it shows that we have a way to get ponies back from this other world.

Would you be able to bring more ponies back if you returned yourself?


no
it requires
one here
Me here
like a
bridge
gate
connection


What exactly does the process entail?


the world
is formless
but it is still
possible
to find the closest
points
places
between here
and Equestria

the world moves
along
Celestial
winds
ever changing
drifting
to void
to place

but it can be moved
steered
willed
by They
by Me

They came
first
then forced
all of us
here

smothered us

We can
I can
gather
survivors
affected
make a
bridge
home


And send them here in the process?


yes


Would it be all of them at once?


depending on
how many are found
corralled

groups are safest
could move
quickly
swiftly
before opposition

but alone
one by one
two by two
avoids detection


How long will it take to gather or find them?


here
weeks
maybe

there
day
two

it is all
difficult to know


And you talked about sending this world away?


it could be
possible
to force this place
this world
the shadows
away


Forever?


no
nothing is forever

but long
far away
may be longer if
careful
strong
quick


And if the others found out what you were doing could they stop you? Could they do all of it again?

(Twilight did not respond for several minutes.)


yes
that is
why it is urgent
the longer we stall
the more They
could know
could control
could consume


I’ll still need to talk to my superiors and to Princess Celestia. It will be all of our decision, together, on what to do. The risks involved are too great.


They are
all
is at stake

but this
was the only option I had
ALL ELSE FAILED


(It had been a question in my mind ever since reading it in Twilight’s journal.)

What exactly did you mean by that? You wrote it in your journal before you stopped. You said you came to your senses, but why did you give yourself up to it?


to understand
sometimes
you must open
your mind
heart
soul

to the
unknown

the unknowable
the strange
the bizarre

the abyss
the void
the darkness

I still do not
know if it was right
if it worked
if it was worth
all this pain

but I will not
let it happen again
to any pony
to any creature
if it is
within my
will
power
CONTROL


And if you hadn’t come to your senses?


there
are always
risks
for rewards


(I couldn’t truly doubt Twilight’s words at the core. Any idea could be extrapolated to an extreme in a situation so dire. Still, giving up her mind to whatever these creatures are is difficult to see as a sane choice.

It took me a few more minutes of dwelling to find another question to ask. I thought it important to find out more information about what happened, if I could.)

Did you find Solace in the state he was in? From his writing, it sounds like the place, those creatures, kept him alive without food or water or sleep for days, maybe longer until you found him.


yes
he would not
speak to me

traumatized


That’s expected given what he went through. And you said Town Hall was special? The location, I mean, or something about it?


it is hard to describe
still
looking into it
testing
experimenting


You said it was isolated.


yes


Those things still found him and everypony there. They forced him out into those halls, the only way forward, and then toyed with him and all the others. For what?


information


Possibly. Maybe what happened with Quill was what alerted them.


yes
the first event
before
things changed


Still, at Sweet Apple Acres and even your library, they didn’t seem interested in information. Not directly at least. Not like that.


I have
spent time
learning
what They do
how
why

there are not always answers
but I would stop
Them
from coming back

I did what
was needed
to learn


Twilight?


I could not
leave
so many
subjects
so much
to test
to understand
how it worked
how it ticked
how it affected
infected
spread

powers
effects
the world

I needed
information


Twilight, what are you talking about? What did you do?


it was a blessing
luck
happenstance
to find town hall
to find them
abandoned
untouched
ignored

it took so many weeks
months
to test
to understand
to know
the unknowable

they are all
no
some
still alive
still safe
they will recover

but the knowledge
I can stop it now
I can save them
I can prevent it
a LIGHT
in the darkness
HOPE
in the black

pushing back

I will pay my penance
We all will


but 
ALL ELSE FAILED
it was
the only way

the only option






I tried to process what she’d written, what she’d seemingly confessed to. It felt impossible to me, like I didn’t fully understand because the extent of it was too much to bear. As I stepped outside for a moment, mind reeling, I found Clover and Princess Celestia waiting for me. I tried to stammer an explanation, but Princess Celestia walked past me and into the tent, while Clover led me away.

The remainder of this interview was performed by Her Majesty.





My dearest, most faithful student.





Celestia

Yes, Twilight.


Princess
I---I-----I
I am sorry
I

Twilight, I cannot know for certain how much anguish you have had to endure alone, how much heartache you have had to suffer, or how much you torment yourself even now over your actions.

I only know that I am so sorry I could not be here to protect you, to shelter you, to have done something to push this terrible darkness and suffering away from you and my little ponies.


I do not
deserve it
Princess

forgiveness
rep-------

Twilight. I cannot know all that you have done, if what you say and confess to is true, but you have the power now to do more than that, to protect and save these ponies that are still alive with you. Then, together, we can push the darkness away.


We
cannot
I am
not
Me
We
are

Princess
They

They were all Us

Twilight, take your time, please. Relax. I need you to tell me what you can, as clearly as you can.


this place
it is
nothing
void
a blank slate
nothing was here
before Us
before We were taken

They were lost
changed
molded

infected

ponies
creatures
changed to
survive
thrive
here

My little ponies did this? For how long?


I
do not know
it is so
ancient
eternal
perhaps it was forever

We told
stories about it
without knowing it

before
it was one
two
lost
forgotten

Ponyville
it was chance
that this
happened

These others, what do they want?


They want
more
more to see
Their
sight

Their
mind

some
They want
home

others
They want
darkness
everywhere

She does too

And you did this to stop them? To understand them?


yes
I 
need
this knowledge
to fight
to save
to CONTROL

I
it was
all I saw
the only
way
path
LIGHT
forward

They
are not
mindless

They would do
this
again
everywhere
to everypony
to everything
to come back
HOME

to make HOME

Are they planning this now, Twilight? Are you sure?


yes
I am
certain


She
Fluttershy
They
it is all
They want


I felt it
when I was
lost

when I
refused to
stay
buried
forgotten

Will bringing those there back help, Twilight? Can we do anything from here? Can I do anything?


it is
the least
I can do
then
alone
I can send
it
They
Me
away

Alone, Twilight? You said you heard whispers. That you were being hunted.


I
am
I
have to
be
must

deserve

justice

Twilight, please. Are They really there, hunting you?


no
no I

They
I have
not heard
felt
Them

since I
regained
CONTROL

I do not
know where
They are



My whispers
were always
Me

for each
of Us
it is
Us
and this
place



Princess
I just
had to help

had to earn
some
forgiveness

serve
penance

Twilight, your safety brings me comfort, it truly does. Are the others safe? Those that are not changed, not infected?


some
I do not
know exactly

Can you bring them back, like Solace?


yes

it will
take time
to find
to focus
to bridge the gap

And you?


Princess

I do not
deserve



cannot
return



cannot
face
again

Twilight, I cannot force you to return. I cannot guarantee that you will not face consequences. I cannot promise that whatever has happened to you can be reversed. All of that said, please, if you can come back after returning the others, do.


I will
try
Princess

How long will it take, Twilight?


as I said
before
difficult to say
days for me

finding
gathering
molding
sending
preparing



they may
come slowly

I will ensure everypony here is ready to receive them. I will tell you when we are ready for the first.


I
understand

Thank you, Twilight.


thank you
Princess
Celestia

thank you