The Influence

by GMBlackjack

X

Author's Note:

[IMPORTING…][…Akumakami here! Oh boy. Well, on the positive side, I think Fluttershy is alright. I think she just went into the glass lake place you started at. Still, Alderan? I got nothing on that. The only name of that, Alderaan, is from....basically an entire different set of universes commonly called Star Wars. Weird that this thing is named after a destroyed planet- don't worry too much, civilization was on a galactic level at that point there. Back on point, if you can't see where our starry friend flew off too,  circle around over the tree tops to see if you can find Fluttershy. Again,I'm fairly sure she just went into that space and you just can't get back to it.....The only question now is if Fluttershy comes out with a Witch's Eye or something similar. I wouldn't put it past Blackjack......which is to say that I would be tempted to in his shoes. Sorry I'm little help right now.  Though, look to the Moon next time you can to figure out if this is before or after Luna became Nightmare Moon- it varies a LOT how close it was between Discord's sealing and Nightmare Moon's. Either way, this explains why they haven't heard of Equestria much and why you only vaguely recall this name- you probably read it in a history book or something.
And your welcome for being a voice of reason, I tr- Okay, I'll be honest, I'm use to being one of the crazier ones. I'll admit, you probably wouldn't like some of my universes dealing with your settings. Oi, if Blackjack ever lets you peek into other worlds somehow, stay away from Herds of Chaos. And if you do, I will explain what happened in that world. ....Let it be known that thanks to Afizah, I am resisting the urge to let some counterparts from my universes talk to you. I do not promise I will hold out on doing that forever, so, fair warning. Akuma out! PS I'd say changing the past isn't always a bad thing, but I doubt you'd believe that. PPS Speaking of which......oh fuck. I fucked up. WE fucked up. Maybe. Or...maybe we're the reason Celestia thinks to reform Discord? Twilight, could this be one of those closed loop timetravels? Cause you told Diorite that Discord is living as an ally of sorts in Equestria. He will probably tell his higher ups about that eventually. Not sure how big of a ripple effect that would cause, but it might get to Celestia.....who might just recall that startling rumor that was being spread by an purple alicorn mare. Lot of mights but, timetravel.....and Celestia's one-eighty on Discord always had a lot of curious, since he was one of the only beings to truly get under her skin just by being there and than she suddenly thinks he could turn good- sorry, sorry! My creative side went into overdrive. Still, it is a valid issue to think on and discuss when Fluttershy gets back- when, not if… …Ponygood speaking. ...I want to believe your perception of time is slowed when the Import occurs, but I can't be sure. I kept thinking that you would have a difficult time fighting these creatures due to them being extremely powerful beings, magically speaking. But If this one was attempting to run away, you might have more power over them then I thought. Then again, apparently the name Alderan is another name for Canis Minoris, or the constellation of the lesser dog. This might mean this entity was made purely to run errands for its superiors. And there's the matter of Fluttershy. I suggest you cast some sort of dispel illusion spell if you can, since it's possible Fluttershy was hidden behind one. If there is no illusion, then she's either been hidden more physically or is already gone. And the implications of her being in Their possession are not pleasant. Seriously, I must warn you of how unpleasant it could get. Best case scenario: she gets angry and is able to use her Stare on Them, and get out somehow. If that doesn't happen, then They will either just kill her, torture her, brainwash her, and/or use her as a bargaining chip. They might want you to trade your life for hers, have very despicable forms of fun, or absolutely mess with your mind. This is where things get tricky. If They use her as a bargaining chip, They would likely threaten to harm her if you refuse the deal, and would say They would be willing to let her go if you surrender. However, I don't know just how trustworthy these beings are, which means They might not keep Their promises. But this is potentially about more than Fluttershy. You are a very powerful pony, and They might seek that power to wreak havoc on the world. So, even if They did keep their promise, is it worth letting your friend live if it kills everybeing else? Also, if They attempt to use a magically binding contact, try to study it for any loopholes either of you could use. Of course, They may not give you the time needed. Now, let's say you do agree to Their terms. If it isn't magically binding, you don't necessarily have to uphold your end of the deal, and could try to save both you and Fluttershy. Of course, there could be any number of Them, and having great power could be insufficient for winning against so many. If They do manage to capture you and you're unable to defend yourself, you might be able to kill yourself to power some super-powerful spell that can at least do serious damage to Them. But you being in that type of situation in the first place is not very preferable at all. And you may ask why I believe so firmly these creatures are evil. Simply put, your experiences with Them do not point towards some sort of misunderstanding. If it were a misunderstanding, the forest creature would have likely made some sort of sound as a warning that you're trespassing, or to get your attention. Of course, I may just be blowing this entirely out of proportion, and the process of finding that mysterious lake involves suddenly disappearing. Or maybe it's something else entirely. In the end, it's your choice how you want to play this out, and we can only give you guidance. I wish you the best of luck in your endeavors, whatever they may be. On a side note, it might be a good idea to aquire some sort of journal so that you can record the information we give you to digest at your own pace. Also, I'm sorry if I cause you discomfort in any way. I am not a very emotionally sensitive person, and one of my beliefs is that, if no-one else is willing to, I must make sure the whole, ugly, unbiased truth is communicated, despite how comfortable lies and half-truths might be. Make of it what you will, I still care about you and your friends, and I don't want to see the worst come to pass… …Hello, I am LeftMoss (well, thats more like a user name (not that it really matters)), and I may or may not be a pyromaniac, so I might want you to burn something in the future... probably. I tend to get those phases. I have an idea of what may or may not be there, a ruin with at least one laser weapons in a ruin buried deep below the desert, but that is just a simple possibility, we can never know. Also, music, my favorite kind though. Can you see this? or hear it? probably, probably not. Welp, thats it from me, except for the fact that I love the memes, like SPESS MEHREENS. Ah, yes, rambling, I kinda do that sometimes. Ok, not sometimes, A LOT, but whatever. I am just gonna be done talking… …I have no idea why I even put that video there... oh well… …It's been proven that Twilight can't see videos or pictures. A shame, too; that's some nice music… …uhh, you said SEE, not hear, so maybe she can hear the music… …She needs to be able to interact with the video to listen to the music in it, and she sees just a website address… … Ah, got it… …Princess Twilight Sparkle 2X4 of Equestria I'm speaking to you on behalf of the Recursive Organization. My name is Kasey Seiko, though most know me as Mrs. K, you may refer to me as either. I'd like to take responsibility for the general temperament of my employees. Key for his volatile nature, and Shutter for his arrogance. One of the biggest freedoms we allow in this organization is the freedom to uphold one's personal values. It's, unfortunately, lead to an indirect dissonance of opinions and philosophies, on what any of us should really do. But the employee structure aside, you've been very curious, and I hope to oblige you with as little emotional involvement as possible. So you're aware of Blackjack, aka "The Sweeper" is, as you've correctly guessed, on the same level as other 'primaries'. As a side note I quite like that term as it's much more appealing than 'Forerunner'. and in fact our organization was created by Keywii Cookies over a decade ago to keep track of Blackjack. Now, all primaries are world creators. Some are capable of creating whole worlds filled with living people, everything from the biggest celestial bodies to the tiniest of microorganisms. Others Are merely fitted for more simple ventures such as a small town with a few quite believeable people. Now for one reason or another, Blackjack is incapable of creating ponies. He's able to think of vast landscapes filled to the brim with environments and setting as real as can be, but cannot fully create a real pony. It's driven him to something of an obsession with your kind, always creating worlds with you in mind, but never creating you himself. This is where you come in. To put a theory of yours at reast, you weren't 'created' you were in fact taken from your home and placed into this landscape. What's in store for you is anyone's guess, but I want you to take solace in the fact that you are the one and only Twilight Aprkle from Equestria. As for what happens at the end of Blackjack's 'story' our best researchers aren't fully convinced yet, but the going theory is that due to new no content being added to the world, it enters a 'stgnant' state where everything is compeltely frozen and ever unmoving. A counter theory is that the world and everyone in it simply ceases to exist, though I doubt that myself. Now I hope I answered any questions you had as to the nature of the world's existence and about the Primary. However, I must be off, unfortunately I'm a busy woman and can't stay here to answer any future question you have. In my stead I'm reinstating Key, though not to worry, he'll be supervised so as to be perhaps a bit more helpful and a bit less angry. Thank you for listening Twilight, and as always, I've been Mrs. K. Good luck… …Groan Why did she hit me with a pipe? Ow. Twilight, Afizha here, what's been going on? Last I remember was telling you more about what I found out about the artifact you have stuck to you… …Alright, which one of you bozos flat-out told Spike he wasn't real? He's been having nightmares ever since. It took Princess Luna And me three days just to calm him down. Yea, I had to pass up a chance to be with the Wonderbolts because of what you said about Spike. Yeah, I won't throw you any parties until you apologize, even if I don't know how to jump through the screen to turn whatever room you're using to read this into a party. Sigh. Anyway! other Twilight, (that's going to get annoying fast.) I have heard of a creature with that name before. I don't remember what book I read it in, nor do I know how log ago it was, but that name had a strange meaning. It meant 'the two front paws.' It's said that the creature was part of a larger monster. I just don't know what… …Well, to be fair, your reality is being delivered to us by the same guy that's pretending to be an alternate version of this Twilight's dad AND a pair of good and evil twins. It was still Akuma that said it, though, he's the one that deserves to be educated in the ways of not terrorizing Spike. Speaking of whom, have a mustache… …Um... Thanks? But truth be told it wasn't the not-being-real thing, though, that's something I never want to experience again. It was what I saw when I handed Twilight the eye thing. It was strange and scary at the same time.  I saw T-Twilight injured severely. And the scary thing was I couldn't tell if it was the other Twilight or this one. All I know was that all I could see was a fire and a giant astral lion, At least two times bigger than an Ursa Major… …LeftMoss here, last thing I did, I removed, because rechecking information more than once... and now I want something to BURN. Yeah... …Storm crow here. You had combat so I can act at least some what. The things might not have any intentions at all the simplest explanation to me is that they are constucts acting on specific guidelines. Their might also be more than on kind green evil / or agressive, blue simply carry out a turn on off the phase of the lake like it is vibrating so two rooms that are in the same space just different frequencies. A third alternative is that you call just ended. It was communication device maybe you moved out of range or it timed out. Keep trying to use minimal force, because the more comfortable you get with violence the easier it getting to make a mistake. I was there when a friend went beserk when my eyes were extracted hundreds suffered for just being in the wrong place. It nearly killed him with regret. I have recovered one eye there other I have replaced… …josh here - I agree with Akumakami about Fluttershy being at the lake. I mean i'm pretty sure the ponies around here would have tried everything to get back to it before declaring it a lake you can only visit once. Also on the transcript of the things we say shows some weird symbols in place of where the video was suppose to be; I don't know if they mean anything or if it's whatever letting us talk to you incorrectly processing the video… …nickel here.  honestly i can't be sure of anything about what the others are saying, but i do prefer to take reasonable routes, probably why i cant bring myself to use a villain character for very long when playing games.  it is likely that the lake really can only be visited once and the loophole you tried didn't work.  i stopped trying to make sense of the creative part of the multiverse ages ago so while i wish i could help more directly i doubt i can do much when another origin is dominant, my understanding of this uses the term origin instead of primary and i have yet to nail down if it is a physical or metaphysical entity, but it definitely includes a split in the mind state to account for all the worlds overseen.  just do what you think is right, the possibilities are open and as I've said before, this world lacks any of the interface marks to indicate this will end poorly. Since it looks like there is time travel involved, you probably wont have to worry too much, this is probably far enough away to limit butterfly effect assuming you are still in your own timeline at all instead of in another world entirely, as a last resort blackjack could probably just steer the timeline to make it match up if thats the desired result, I've done it before with my own worlds and the end result isn't distinguishable from if it had happened normally and sometimes making an alternate timeline is the goal, but its too early to tell.  before i forget, when you find fluttershy you can tell her that we do hear her as long as she is near you and possibly if the focus shifts away from you for intervals, but most likely such intervals will be short and rare.  last note, you can probably see why i am hesitant to open up the worlds under my care to this kind of interface even if its the only way some of them would ever be restored to a full world… …It's Light and this message is for the other voices. Stop overloading her mind with so much information and stop telling her things that are useless we need to influence her decisions and actions and nothing more. I don't Dark even needs to drive her mane because your doing it for her. We need to only focus on her and the world around her. Anything else is meaningless. Twilight be careful, things are starting to heat up. I want you to be ready when the time comes.Dark here, I want to thank you all for helping me drive Twilight Mad, do keep up the good work. *Ahem*... KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL... …Oh and Eternus a word of advice, don't get in my way or you will live to regret it for the rest of your miserable life… …I just realized that it would be really tragically funny if your Eye activated immediately after a previous activation…]

"Oh! IT'D BE FUNNY WOULD IT!?" Twilight twitched. "Fluttershy's missing and all you can think about is how FUNNY THIS IS!?" She twitched - she didn't even know which of them that was. It could have been any of them...

She shook her head - she could think about it later, right now she needed to find Fluttershy. She lit her horn, attempting to diffuse any illusions as suggested. She felt her magic tug on something, but there was no visible effect. She tried a direct teleport-to-Fluttershy spell - and just appeared in a different area of the grassy field. She knew the spell worked - she was where the magic thought Fluttershy was. But Twilight saw nothing...

...The voices were right, she was probably at the lake. With that shark... But what about what Ponygood said? Whoever 'they' were, wanting to kill her, manipulate her, be sadistic... Or that Fluttershy wasn't as real as she was... Or....

She grabbed her head. "Agh! Agh agh agh! Stop - find Fluttershy. How could you get back into the lake... Or... find whoever they were... Ponygood, you better explain that next time. Why 'They.' What's the deal... The star creature? The thing I saw in the forest? The thing I saw in my dreams?" She galloped around the grasses, scanning the magic everywhere she could - she was tugging on something, just out of reach, just beyond her capabilities. She growled - this just wasn't going to do. "Ponygood... Why? Just... I don't know, why would anyone do those things? Why would you THINK that, jump to it as the first thing you think?"

She scrambled around for several minutes, finding nothing. Nothing to do, nothing at all. She sighed, falling into the grass, tears in her eyes. "Why... Why didn't I think of this... She could be just fine, looking at the lake for me... Or she could be in danger..."

She looked up at the sun, frowning. She was in the past - after Discord's reign and defeat, but before Nightmare Moon, seeing as the moon had looked normal. She thought about what Akumakami had said - had she just caused the future? Had she changed the future she knew? Or had she done nothing, and she was just looking far too deeply into things? Should she be paranoid, or was there nothing to worry about?

She'd experienced time travel twice before... Once she couldn't change anything no matter how hard she tried... And the other time the world was essentially destroyed. She didn't have enough information... She couldn't know.

She hated not knowing. She hated not being able to find Fluttershy.

Perhaps she should just wait... Fluttershy would look around, and find her own way out.

Lacks any of the interface marks to indicate this will end poorly... If Nickel was right, this wasn't a tragedy. It would end well. Which meant - Fluttershy was going to be fine. Right? ...Probably.

"Dark has a point, you know. You are all doing his job for him. Driving me maaaaaaaad..." She laughed. "Not sure I'm the same pony I was two days ago... You are all influencing me pretty hard, aren't you?" She looked out at the grass, a frown coming to her lips. "And you're all doing the same to each other... Threats.... That other Spike - I think - freaking out... Key... Flooding worlds together. This just looks like a recipe for madness, right now, utter madness..."

She stood up. "We need to start working as a team, people. All of us just bicker, fight, yell, scream, and contradict each other. That's fine, we have disagreements, we all believe different things, and we are all perceiving this world differently - which makes me think none of us are seeing this for what it truly is. No offense to you Miss K, or Zen, or Akuma... I don't think any of us can make any calls about what's going on. This is new for all of us. Am I real? Am I not? Are you real? Are you not? Are parts of this world real or not? Not only does it not really matter at the moment - none of us have the right to make that call, do we?"

She blinked. "I'm rambling. Great. One of the first signs of madness." She shook her head. "...We're in this together, whatever that means. I think we should focus on the goal - get home. I'm... open to ideas on how to do that. Stuck in the past and on the other side of the planet... And with Fluttershy..." She frowned. "...Should we - I - that's confusing - go to the leaders? Or would that interfere with the timeline too much? I'll... I think I'll wait for what you say on that."

She started pacing. "...Also, K? ...Thanks for taking the time to talk to me. I appreciate that, if nothing else. I hope to see Key in better spirits next time."

She plucked a piece of grass out of the ground, looked at it, and set it on fire. "There. Happy? ...You should probably see someone about your... burning tendencies if you can." She blew out the fire. "Man, that smoke smells disgusting..."

Then Fluttershy appeared a few yards to Twilight's right, a smile on her face.

"Fluttershy! Oh my gosh I was so worried-"

"Oh, I'm sorry, but I found the lake, and I didn't want to leave until I'd looked at it all..."

"I... I know." She rushed her into a hug. "We should have planned that better. Talked it through."

"Yeah, that would probably have been a good idea... But I met some nice animal friends in the lake! There's was this very helpful shark creature named Mildi..."

"...I'm pretty sure he tried to eat me."

"Oh, that's just what sharks do. You shouldn't take it personally." She smiled. "There was this gazebo thing on top of an island, completely empty, but filled with strange glowing markings."

"Yeah, I saw those - that's where I appeared. Didn't know what to make of them... Except my cutie mark was on the ceiling."

Fluttershy nodded. "Well, it was completely empty - Mildi told me much more than I could have ever found on my own. The lake, apparently, is over a thousand years old, and he's been there the entire time, guarding it. He said he was placed there to attack anything that showed up - even me, but I calmed him down. The lake is apparently bottomless as well, he's never swam to the bottom. And uh..." She frowned. "I'm... Sorry, this really isn't helpful, is it? He doesn't know much, and there wasn't anything else for me to look at..."

"...It's okay, Fluttershy, at least we know it really is here now and can be gotten back to... By ponies who have never been here."

"Oh! He did mention that a starry creature had been hanging around a lot lately, which was bizarre since he rarely sees anything come in more than once."

Twilight twitched. "...It's that thing that I keep seeing out of the corner of my eyes, I know it. ...It might be responsible for me being here..."

"I thought that was Blackjack?"

"He creates worlds, right? Surely, he wouldn't just drop me into a situation suddenly - he'd have provided a reason, a method... Like how you were drawn here by that machine in the forest..." She blinked. "...We should go check that out again, by the way. See what if I can figure anything out now that I'm thinking a little clearer..."

Fluttershy nodded. "I won't vanish this time, promise."

Twilight hugged her. "Thanks." The two of them took off to the sky. Twilight took one last look at the lake, frowned, and flew into the Bluemish forest...

~~~

Twilight thought she saw the stars of Alderan a few more times on the journey to the machine, but she was never sure. He was probably being careful. Twilight and Fluttershy landed in the middle of the machine, and Twilight performed a scan - it seemed to have power restored to it, but it wasn't reacting to her presence anymore. Nor Fluttershy's, for that matter.

"I don't get it... Why make this thing? It communicates with anything across space and time, and drags them here... I think," Twilight said.

"Maybe we're looking at it wrong? Maybe that's not it's true purpose, or something."

"Maybe... We'd have to talk with the ancients who built it to figure that out though." She lit her horn, prodding it again with her magic. "...No response. At all. It's like I used up my one free call."

Fluttershy stepped into the center, pressing down with her hoof. "And it just doesn't like me."

"Maybe you need a horn to use it..." Twilight frowned. "Or maybe it just has to sense something about you..." She frowned, her magic flowing in an unusual pattern. "...That's odd.."

"What?"

"I think I've picked up on a magic trail... This structure is drawing power from somewhere else... Somewhere far to the... North." She pulled out the map. "Probably in that northern desert."

"We're being provided a lot of branching paths."

"Maybe that's intentional..." Twilight muttered. She felt the Eye warm up again. "Well, here it goes. See you in a minute or so." She sat down in her meditative state, ready for the input...

Comments

[Keywii_Cookies55]

Twilight, it's Key, first things first, I'm sorry for scaring you, I help because I often have things to say but people basically ignore me or shut me out, after several year it gets a bit frustrating. I'm sorry for it.

So just to put your mind at ease, you are real, you are the real Twilight taken from Equestria. It's not entirely clear if Fluttershy is real, but there's also nothing saying she isn't the real version of your friend. The Sweeper is unable to create sapient life, and tends to grab from their homes, that's what I know to be real.

I think working together to help you is worth while, but I don't really trust anyone else to listen to what I have to say and actually try to work with me, I know the Sweeper better than anyone else here, and can answer any question about it, but I'll be told I'm wrong.

For example I can tell you that Fluttershy can't interact with the machine because she's not who was chosen, you were chosen, so most things will only work for you.

I'll not say anything more so you can keep from going mad, thanks...for listening at any rate, it means a real lot to me.

[Ponygood11]

Ponygood speaking.

There's a saying among my kind, although I don't know who said it. "Hope for the best, but prepare for the worst." You are in a dangerous situation, as you have personally experienced, and by expecting the best to happen, you end up unprepared for what actually happens. However, by taking steps towards the worst case scenario, you can at least not be caught entirely off-guard and have an increased chance of surviving the worst, or being pleasantly surprised when the worst doesn't occur.

That is what I'm trying to do. Since the only thing I can do in this case is talk, that is what I'll do to try and make sure you're prepared for the very worst that could happen. It's not much of a surprise that the worst isn't very desirable at all. Once again, I am sorry for causing you so much distress, but I doubt you believe me at this point.

And as for your supposed insanity? It probably doesn't really exist at this point, if you think rambling to yourself is a symptom. In fact, it's actually a good way to reinforce some information you may have gotten, or act as a sounding board for ideas in the event that no-one else can listen. I also believe it's good to be a little insane, such that the absolute monotony of life is a little more bearable.

But enough of that. Let's focus on not-as-morbid things, such as where to go next. Thinking back to when you first came here, I recall that you went to most of the locations recommended by us, being the lake, the town, and the forest. However, there is one location you have yet to go to, being the top of the mountain that someone compelled you to go to. There is also the Lost Desert, which we know a little bit more about, and the wide plethora of other potential locations on your map.

And I'm pretty sure there are more of those communication/collection devices scattered around the island. I think, if you can find enough of them, you might be able to summon the rest of your Element-bearing friends, and you can use your Rainbow Friendship Laser Power to do cool things. I wouldn't recommend using those altars until you find at least four if them, though.

Also, about the time-travel situation. I believe that time cannot be manipulated such that the future can be changed, and that going back in time to cause changes is the very thing that caused the future to be how it is in the first place. Essentially, the only things that can come out of time travel are ontological paradoxes. However, I haven't yet seen the episode of your show in which Starlight Glimmer destroyed the world, so I admit I don't have all the information.

Also, there's something weird in the method that Blackjack used to convey your adventure to us that I wanted to share with you.

"Then Fluttershy appeared a few years to Twilight's right, a smile on her face."

This was when she returned from the mysterious lake after you burned that piece of grass.

And speaking of Fluttershy, I have decided that, in the event that Blackjack takes us away from your perspective for a time, I will recount what happens so that you can be educated in it. This is assuming he ever does do that...

And for my final statement, I believe you can trust Key. Outside of this story, he and Blackjack are good friends, and he's been following Blackjack's works for a long time now. Hell, Black's even revived one of Key's old abandoned stories!

That's all for now. Watch out for any super-sized astral lions, alright?

[GMBlackjack]

8177969
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[PERHAPS ACCURACY OF INITIAL REPORT WAS CORRUPTED AND SUBSEQUENTLY FIXED POST INPUT]
[A RE-READ OF 'QUOTED' SECTION IS ADVISED]

[wizard0209]

Josh here - I vote talking to go to the leaders first, and a world to everyone else; if you have something else to say add on to the first thing you said; keep the confusion to a minim you know, also twi Fluttershy has been added to the main character tags so it's safe to say she's real 8177893 and key i'm sorry about what said before, had i'd known about that i wouldn't have bashed on you like that, i can't speak for everyone but i'm willing to hear you out this time, but this time do try to explain yourself a bit better this time

[nickle241]

nickel again, good to see that you are coping with this craziness. not to put to blunt a point on it, but i'm pretty sure most of us assumed you were fairly crazy even before you got here, of course that is part of what makes you so interesting, i just assume that everyone is a little crazy afterall sane is a relative term. just go with what seems right in this case, since the marks on your story include adventure and drama you can be sure that you will have a lot to do and find as well as a fair degree of stress off of the drama mark, personally i dislike that one due to the stuff it normally accompanies since i'm bad with people. also the interface looks like it may cut some of the content before me due to errors, it mentions that key and blackjack have helped each other before and they get along better than what you have seen would indicate. i cant be entirely sure of the veracity of all of it but to me this indicates that key's comments may not be all they appear. there is a chance i may miss the next entry window so it could be awhile before i can get back to observation.

[Keywii_Cookies55]

8177969 PONYGOOD THAT'S NOT ME YOU'RE MIS-

Key, stop, re-evaluate your position.

I-I just-I CAN'T DEAL WITH THIS!

ahem, I believe Key would like you to know, Ponygood, that he and Keywii_Cookies55 are not the same person, and also that he doesn't like being mistaken for others. Key?

Thank...thank you sir. Yes, I'm not the founder of the Recursive Organization, Keywii_Cookies is like The Sweeper, he's a creator, but he doesn't do much of it.

8178254 Thanks Josh, truth be told, when you're the shortest person around people ignore you quite alot, you'd think a person get used to that, but you'd think wrong.

Anyway, yes, we need to work together, and sort of put our different skills together, or something, and come up with a way for Twilight to beat the Sweeper and get hom.

[Ponygood11]

8178320 I was simply shorthanding Keywii's name, like I did to Blackjack in the same comment. I didn't intend to cause you distress, and I apologize.

Oh oh oh! I just remembered something that could help you with your anger! All you have to do is shout something as silly as "Fluffy Bubbles" as angrily as you can, and the ridiculousness of the situation should dissipate anger very quickly. This could be useful to you too, Twilight.

[Sonic Rainboom Dash]

Twilight #2, Spike here. Could you come up with a nickname so that we can speak to each other a bit easier? Cause calling you Other Twilight or Twilight #2 is going to get annoying fast.

When you mentioned to Northern desert, I looked up some information about it. Apparently about 100 years before Discords defeat, there was a race of ponies living there called Flutter-ponies. But after his defeat, they vanished, and the place soon came to be known as the Badlands. Be careful when you go because that is the last place my brother checked for changelings.

8178380 uh... why not just let her do the technique that cadence taught us? Deep breath in, hold for ten seconds, then release. Granted if your panicking then it's a good idea to think of something completely outlandish and have the shock break you out of your stupor. Like Kumquats! ...*sigh* Yes Pinkie, like kumquats.

[Ponygood11]

8178470 This isn't the Northern Desert you're looking for...

What I mean to say is that this continent is not the same as the one you're all familiar with. Therfore, they have two entirely different Northern Deserts.

And as for the anger management technique? It's funny!

[Light and Dark]

Light here and oh my God thank you Twilight for telling them to work together although I don't think it made much of a difference seriously these guys need to stop rambling oh and be careful when going to this power source it probably won't be 100% safe. Also Dark has gone quiet which means that Dark is planning something so you should mentally prepare yourself just in case.

[GamermanZendrelax]

This is Zen.

Going by what some of the individuals you met said about their leadership, I would imagine that going straight to the top isn't the best course of action. I say go to the desert.

Of course, there are some preparations that need to be made before you go. Depending on how far away it is, you'll need water and food for both yourself and Fluttershy, some means of keeping warm during the night (though you may know some spell that can accomplish this), and a map if you can get one.

[Ponygood11]

8179795 They have a map. It's how they learned of the desert in the first place.

[GamermanZendrelax]

8179988
Zen once again.

I had meant a map specifically of the desert. One that shows the locations of these ruins of particular interest in greater detail. I was too vague on that point, Ponygood, so I thank you for raising the issue.

[Sonic Rainboom Dash]

Be careful when you get there​. Trust not what your eyes can see, but focus on what they can't. Afizha out. Also, can someone tell me how another twilight manged to gain access to our link?