//------------------------------// // Session 16 - Verdant Vines and White Clover - May 5th // Story: They're Never Coming Back // by Flashgen //------------------------------// Transcription of Session 16: Verdant Vines and White Clover Date: May 5th Time: 9:40 a.m. Interviewer: Doctor Blue Sky, PhD I was summoned back to my tent by Gilded Cage from Ponyville General, where I was assisting with inventory and requests. When I arrived, I found Miss Vines and Miss Clover, both deathly quiet. I took the time to turn on my equipment and began. Blue Sky (BS): Good morning, Miss Vines, Miss Clover. I take it Princess Celestia has arrived as well? White Clover (WC): Yes, Doctor. She's currently speaki—conversing, with Twilight. Vines has filled me in on some recent revelations, or at least her interpretation. BS: Do you mean Solace's return? It's a rather positive outcome, I'll admit. Both Miss Clover and Miss Vines were silent. Miss Vines' eyes were glued to the floor. After a few moments, she shook her head. Verdant Vines (VV): No, Doctor. I obviously don't have her words in front of me, but Twilight Sparkle confessed to… everything we read in Solace's journal. She claims that she found the ponies in Town Hall, isolated, and… used them for experiments. Twilight's seeming guilt over things apparently beyond her control came into crystalline focus. BS: You're certain of this? Miss Vines bolted upright, hooves stamping on the table and rattling an empty kettle and teacup there. VV: I know what I read! I know what she said! BS: Miss Vines, I'm… sorry, I don't mean it like—I was certain she did not believe that is all. WC: Despite our unique situation, Doctor, I don't think it helpful or appropriate to cast doubt on Twilight's words because she is not here. It is obvious she has been through a lot, and that trauma may have driven her actions and emotions, but if she says she did these things then we must accept it for now. Miss Clover moved closer to Miss Vines, placing a hoof on her withers. WC: And we need to approach this as professionals, Vines. Despite how what we deal with makes us feel, we have to seek the truth. Other things we want follow in its wake. Miss Vines relaxed and then slumped back down onto the couch. She took long, ragged breaths. Miss Clover approached me. WC: How are preparations at Ponyville General going, Doctor? BS: With the supplies we have, we could only adequately treat twenty at most, even with space for three times that. If rooms are ready at other hospitals, we can ship them off quickly, but… If Solace's current state is representative of others, I doubt they would survive the trip. WC: Princess Celestia can ensure we get the supplies needed here as quickly as possible. If Twilight does have some control over the return of survivors, we can try to have her wait. VV: We can't though, can we? Even if she did this to the ponies at Town Hall, the fact is that these creatures are still out there and want to harm the survivors. If we wait, there could be none left. There's no guarantee. She said she feels them, but… time is strange there. If she's experienced years then— WC: There may be no time left, yes. We can discuss it with Princess Celestia. Just as we'll need to discuss what to do with Twilight. Silence returned for a few moments. BS: She feels remorse. If there is any truth in what she's written, it's that she feels responsible, even before what happened with Solace. She wants penance. If she can, I'm confident, hopeful, she'll return and— VV: Give herself up? I certainly hope so. What's to stop her from plunging us all into this place? It's obvious now that with this journal, what happened to Pendant was her doing. We were there, Doctor. WC: It was temporary though, wasn't it? And if she wanted to kidnap you and do this again, she could do it whenever. Why would she send Solace through? VV: To gain our trust? It got Celestia here. It could all be dangling a carrot to get us to rush headlong off a cliff! WC: We could evacuate, for now. VV: To where? She says it moves: this world, this place. What's to stop it smothering everything? Thousands of ponies, maybe more, plunged into darkness. BS: Then why bring Celestia here if she could abduct her anywhere? You cannot be so defeatist, Miss Vines. WC: Blue Sky is right. As much danger as there may be, we can't let our imaginations run wild. The entrance to the tent parted and Princess Celestia walked in. I saw the armor of two royal guards just behind her, remaining outside. At her side was Solace's journal. Princess Celestia (PC): Clover, Vines, Doctor Blue Sky. I assume you've discussed what Miss Vines was privy to? WC: Yes, Princess. We were discussing the possibility of evacuating the town. Twilight's potential abilities related to this place, what she's capable of, and these other creatures all pose a risk to everypony here, including yourself. The Princess looked around at us and then down to the journal as she held it in front of her. PC: That may be prudent, yes. While I trust Twilight's intentions, there is still some danger. I do not think it will come from these other creatures, however, if her words are truthful. She says that she has not felt them for some time. It is possible their danger is a… lingering sense of paranoia. Still, with all that has happened, we cannot afford anything but caution. Shining Armor! As Princess Celestia called out, a unicorn poked his head in. PC: Have your guards alert anyone still working in the town, as well as those at the hospital. Only crucial supplies should be taken with them. I believe there's an appropriate clearing near Whitetail Woods, and it should be far enough from town. He simply nodded and galloped away. PC: I would suggest you all do the same. VV: What about the journal, Princess? The incident with Pendant, Sky, and myself clearly involved us… going to this place. WC: We'll still need to have it to communicate with Twilight, and I trust that there's no form of harmful magic within it. PC: I haven't felt anything from it, and one of your personnel confirmed, twice, that there was no dangerous magic. We will have to accept the risk, even if the magic of this strange place and its creatures is beyond our ability to detect. VV: Yes, Princess. PC: I will also have to ask you to keep the truth of matters to yourselves. To anyone but the four of us, this is a measure to ensure safety, not to prepare for anything we are to attempt. And this line of communication to Twilight is equally important to keep secret and secure. We all agreed. PC: I know it may be a lot to process now, but I should say one more thing, as you will find it when you make transcripts of my conversation with Twilight. PC: According to her, these creatures that attacked Ponyville and its residence were once ponies and other creatures. They were merely changed by this place, some worse than others. She believes they desire to return home, at least some of them. It is possible they could recover, but she is not certain. Whatever has happened to them, whatever they are now, we must be ready for them. PC: I will not abandon my little ponies. I will not forget them. The Princess left the tent and the three of us were left alone. Miss Clover and Miss Vines excused themselves. I was left alone for some time to gather what documents I considered most important, along with the recordings I still had. Twilight wants forgiveness, I know that. I want to forgive her, because I want it too. I feel I've led to ponies' harm just as she has, even if there is no guarantee I could have avoided it. I hope she is genuine. I would hate for my trust to harm even more ponies, even more lives.