They're Never Coming Back

by Flashgen

Witness Interview - "Twilight Sparkle" - May 4th

Transcription of Witness Interview: “Twilight Sparkle”
Date: May 4^th
Time: 9:26 a.m.
Interviewers: Verdant Vines, Head Investigator and Doctor Blue Sky

There were no additional words marked in the journal since the interview was concluded with the pony claiming to be Twilight Sparkle on May 3^rd. Doctor Blue Sky was also in the tent with me while performing the interview, giving feedback and taking notes. Some of his notes are included here.

---

Twilight, are you there? We’re ready to begin again.

yes
good morning ?

Yes, it is, Twilight. Do you know how long it’s been since we ended our interview?

two
close to two days

I’m sorry again that you’ve had to be alone that long, Twilight. As I said, I have a colleague here to assist me with the interview. If some of my replies take a while, I may be talking with him. I don’t want you to have to speak with him if you’re uncomfortable, but if you’d like to converse with him, I have a supply of blue ink that he’ll use.

thank you
Vines
what is his name?

Blue Sky.

hello Blue Sky

(Blue Sky: Miss Vines informed me of Twilight’s greeting. I gave one in return.)

He says hello. He hopes you’re feeling well.

I am
HOPE helps
slept more
thought more

That’s good. I did have some questions though, about what we discussed yesterday: where you are and how this place works.

I will try
to answer

You tried to compare Equestria to this world. You said that Equestria is rigid and this world is flexible, and even mentioned physics. Is there a lack of those rules, the laws of physics, there?

when away
yes
when it is close it
copies
mimics

some things do not copy
LIGHT
weather
connections
some exist around
me
ponies
like thoughts exude coherence
keep rules
order

You mentioned that you left messages by reaching out when the world was “close” to Equestria. Are you able to see things or ponies that are here?

where they are
impressions
like murky water

Are you near us now?

no
the journal is connected
copied
mirrored

I can move it
still communicate

Are you in Town Hall? You mentioned finding Solace, that he was still safe.

Solace there
safe
I am
elsewhere
it is off
secure
isolated

(Blue Sky: Twilight seems unwilling to give her location. It could be a sense of paranoia, that writing it down leaves her vulnerable to whatever these whispers or creatures are. It could also simply be that she doesn’t know, but feels secure wherever she is.)

You mentioned yesterday that others were still alive, still safe. Do you know how many or who specifically?

no
I know how to gather
collect them
when the time comes

The time?

They want to be close
to do this again
They try to steer
connect
correct
this world

how is complex
difficult to express
like willing it to be
smothering by force

when it is close
we could leave
return
send this place
away

send Them away

You asked us for help in your first message. Is that what you need our help for, to bring those that were missing back to Equestria?

yes

(Blue Sky: Miss Vines and I had a quick discussion, mostly about the well-being of those in this other world, and about the state of those Twilight kept referring to as “others” and “They." If there were a safe way to bring these ponies back, Miss Vines would prefer it, but it could risk these “others” coming or causing these events to happen again.)

I am sorry for the wait, Twilight. You said yesterday that this world you’re in affects ponies, sometimes differently. Can you explain that in more detail?

this place
They
erode the mind
the spirit
the body

some ponies are
resilient
strong-willed

others
weak
malleable
molded

(Verdant Vines: We did notice that a lot of different effects seemed to be recorded in the journals: physical and mental. Applejack noted ponies changing physically, Twilight and Fluttershy seemed to be affected mentally. Solace was able to survive without food or water for days. Whether these effects persist remains to be seen.)

You were affected, Twilight, weren’t you?

I know you must
distrust
doubt
that I am Me

I am Me
I am Me
I am Me
I am Me
I am Me

I do not remember
it
the dark
when I
gave in

I remember
waking
searching
learning
regretting

so much lost
time
chance
HOPE

friends

(Blue Sky: I would have advised against Miss Vines’ question, but I was not consulted. I suggested she apologize if possible, to express her concern and that the question was merely to understand her experiences.)

I’m sorry, Twilight. I didn’t mean to upset you. I only want to understand, so that we can help you and those still lost in this place.

I
know
I am sorry

I understand
your doubt

books
and covers

You broke out of it, somehow, whatever happened to you. Could everypony else that was affected like you also recover?

I HOPE
even if far gone
they can return
to LIGHT

it may take
time
so much time

it may have taken
weeks
months
years
for me
I cannot know
cannot tell
cannot imagine

Do you know if anypony was immune? Unaffected?

no
they may
by degrees
be easier to recover

Would being here, back in Equestria, help with recovery?

it may
away from whispers
away from shadows
away from nothing

(Blue Sky:It is impossible to truly tell if this is a correct assumption. If Lantern or Pendant’s conditions are caused by this place and the creatures there, then any improvement seen by their movement to Canterlot may be in support of it. Then again, their issues may not be entirely related. We will need to proceed with some caution when it comes to treatment of anypony we recover.)

Thank you again for all of this information, Twilight. How can we help you? How can we help bring those ponies back?

I need to try
a test
if it works
others can come

You want us to bring you back?

no
Solace

he is safe
he was hidden
he will go
unnoticed

When can it happen?

need time to prepare
a portion close
a place safe
town hall

keep eyes
there
always

for you
I cannot say
how long
day
days

Will they be in danger? Could these others try something?

it is always
possible
when this world
is close

I cannot
promise

I’ll need to talk to my superiors before I can promise help with this, Twilight. We need to consider the dangers.

it will not need
help
yet
only eyes
only watching

I’ll see what I can do. I don’t have any other questions today, Twilight. I need to write some letters to my superiors, but Blue Sky will be able to talk with you, if you’d like.

I would like that
company
talking
writing
helps

Alright. I'll talk to you as soon as I have more, Twilight.

goodbye
Vines

Hello, Twilight. This is Blue Sky.

hello
Sky

Miss Vines made me aware of what you’ve gone through. I thought it might help if you had a chance to talk about these experiences a bit more openly. I don’t doubt that you’ve been truthful to Miss Vines, but she’s approached this as a professional, as part of her duties.

you do not
have duties?

I do have a job here, yes, but it’s not tied to finding out what happened to you and the other ponies that disappeared. I’m more concerned with what will happen when you and the others return to Equestria, and how this case has affected those working on it.

I’m a doctor, a psychologist. I was asked by White Clover, Miss Vines’ superior, to come here for the sake of the ponies working here. They had complained about nightmares and trouble sleeping, which Miss Vines has mentioned to you. They thought at first it was just the nature of the case getting to them. From what you’re saying, and what we have both experienced, it seems to be much more than that.

yes
They reach
grasp at minds
yearning

I
saw a dream
a few
they are scattered
memories

I cannot
recall
remember
reveal

That’s alright, Twilight. I don’t want to force you to have to pull a memory or information for me. I just want to talk. Do you truly feel safe? I know that Miss Vines is concerned with the safety of the ponies working here, but she also cares for your safety.

yes
I am
hidden
obscured
distant

Have you had anypony else to talk to, besides yourself?

no
Solace
would not speak
to me

That must be very difficult, to go so long alone.

(Blue Sky: I noticed spots forming on the page. It took me a moment to realize they were water stains.)

yes

You are not any longer, Twilight. We are here to talk with you. I know that we cannot every second of the day and night, but we are here. We will help you get back, if we can.

(Blue Sky: More of the spots formed.)

they are not
I left
them
my friends

(Blue Sky: I had assumed this a possibility, given the information included about how close Twilight was to her friends. Some of them were with her when they were taken, and others suffered terrible tragedies. Survivor guilt is a difficult symptom of PTSD to treat, especially when I cannot physically be there for Twilight.)

Twilight, you went through a very difficult experience. It’s one I don’t think anypony else in Equestria has experienced before you. Whatever you did is past. Whatever happened was not truly your fault. Your friends may still be alive. You deserve to be here, now.

I failed
them
myself
Celestia

my parents
my friends
nopony will
forgive
forget
trust me

Twilight, you cannot place the full brunt of what happened on your withers. It was caused by something out of your control. It affects ponies beyond your control. It continues to do things beyond your control, and you are working to save yourself and whoever is left there to save. You do not have to apologize for things outside of your control.

(Blue Sky: The tear spots stopped, but Twilight’s reply took several minutes.)

I am
sorry
Sky

thank you

You’re welcome, Twilight. I have a team of doctors here with me, and colleagues I can call on from Canterlot, Manehatten, Trottingham, and Vanhoover; we will be able to help you and everypony that comes back. I promise you.

I am glad
doctor

what happened
to Pendant

I am still sorry

(Blue Sky: I hadn’t considered it yesterday, but Twilight knew that Pendant was the one who carried the journal, even though her first words were written after the incident between Pendant, myself, and Miss Vines. I believed what Pendant went through was partly related to her mental stress from the investigation, in addition to whatever ill effect this other world or creatures had on her. I could also not deny that Twilight felt a sense of responsibility for it, even after I explained that she shouldn’t have to apologize for circumstances out of her control. I also recalled the voice I heard that night. “Not ready” it said.)

Twilight, was what happened to Pendant a side effect of what allows you to talk to us through this journal?

(Blue Sky: The reply did not come.)

Twilight?

(Blue Sky: I thought to alert Miss Vines.)

yes
the link
to establish
it took
reaching out

Pendant was
near
close
attached
malleable

I did not
want it to happen

I did not
want ponies in danger

I did not
want her to break
fracture
crack under pressure

She is alive, Twilight. She’s being taken care of in Canterlot, by the best doctors, I’m sure. Princess Celestia would waste no expense for their well-being.

I am sorry
I am sorry
I am

I am Me I am Me I am Me I am Me I am Me I am Me I am Me I am Me
I am Me I am Me I am Me I am Me I am Me I am Me I am Me I am Me
I am Me I am Me I am Me I am Me I am Me I am Me I am Me I am Me
I am Me I am Me I am Me I am Me I am Me I am Me I am Me I am Me
I am Me I am Me I am Me I am Me I am Me I am Me I am Me I am Me
I am Me I am Me I am Me I am Me I am Me I am Me I am Me I am Me
I am Me I am Me I am Me I am Me I am Me I am Me I am Me I am Me
I am Me I am Me I am Me I am Me I am Me I am Me I am Me I am Me
I am Me I am Me I am Me I am Me I am Me I am Me I am Me I am Me
I am Me I am Me I am Me I am Me I am Me I am Me I am Me I am Me
I am Me I am Me I am Me I am Me I am Me I am Me I am Me I am Me
I am Me I am Me I am Me I am Me I am Me I am Me I am Me I am Me

(Blue Sky: Twilight’s mantra continued until Miss Vines returned. She asked me to come with her. I wrote what I could several lines below, so as not to interrupt Twilight. Whatever the purpose of the mantra, it seemed to calm her earlier. If she needed it now, I would not want to stop her.)

Twilight, I have to go speak with Miss Vines. We will try to speak soon.

Comments

[GasmaskBrony]

Something I've noticed, 'Twilight' never states that someone i alive and safe in the same sentence. She also never states that she is safe, only hidden and secure. She also mentions that Solice WAS unnoticed. All of this added with her disjointed and odd way of writing plus a few odd little ways she stated things is starting to paint a very bad picture in my mind.

I also noticed Light is always all caps like hope is, this is making me think Light might be a cipher word, though Pendant mentioned the current cipher needed a four letter word. Though their might be another hidden message to come or hidden somewhere...

[Sigmacipher]

10219547
Hope is a four letter word.

Maybe it's the cipher word?

[Masterbeef117]

This is getting interesting indeed.

[Godiswithus3]

If Solace comes back, I hope he doesn't lash out too much.

[stag the story teller]

10219547

10224343
I mean they did reveal that hope was the cipher word in the previous story, so...