When Worlds Collide

[Tinker Twinkle]

16 hours ago, Saphire Systrine said:

"Really now," said the princess in a cold tone, her eyes still unsettlingly emotionless, "You have thirty seconds to begin talking, or I will… encourage you to talk."

Tinker didnt have many options here. He could say what he knows, which wasnt much, something she probably wouldnt like, or say nothing. As his instincts begin to kick in, he can feel that he has the ability to transform. Maybe that is an option as well.

"Well, uuuuummm, I know that Saphire Systrine is an alicorn but not really an alicorn I don't really get it and it's I know that she has fangs and eats meat and her eyes for some reason have no pupils and there is just so much about her that I don't get and find kind of confusing she speaks in multiple pitches at the same time somehow and it seems she isn't really from here and that she knows Celestia for a really long time and and its her cutie mark looks metallic for some reason and the she was investigating these magic taxes ley lines in Ponyville which is somehow related to buildings cracking and then but at first I thought she was a changeling but then the freckles and everything about her is super pointy and then something she said about using portal technology for some reason and apparently she knows stuff about other ponies before they even introduce themselves with is kind of strange but not the strangest thing that has happened today and she uses this technology that I haven't seen before and it does stuff measure magic taxes ley lines and stuff and such and and then she referred to the places in Equestria as though she is not from Equestria and but she also said that she is from Equestria so that stuff doesn't make any sense she mentioned a bunch of stuff that didn't sound ponish somehow and she's from a place where the grass is red and there are lots of creatures made of rock and crystal and then she called Princess Celestia Solara and apparently they have known each other for a really long time and then it turns out that Saphire is a mare but at the same time not really a mare and there is something going on and she has saddlebags that drop things sometimes and I don't think I have seen her use her horn magic for levitation and I don't think I have seen her fly either which is kind of strange but I don't really know what she is and then and she wears clothing some of the time most of the time but she calls the technology she makes herself and the eyes they don't look any pony or changelin's eyes and actually I don't think I know of any species whos eyes look that at least not in Equestria but then she said that something about magic ley lines decreasing in the past few days and she thinks it's really strange and she was investigating this and she said that all creatures have ley lines and apparently they are ambient and that she can measure them so she said that Ponyville is the worst in this magic problem she must think it's a really big problem for her to bring this up to Princess Celestia and then she wears this ring on her horn when she is really fancy and she seems surprised about the developments of Equestria at the same time she is super aware of some problems in Equestria which is really strange and the but she refers to unicorns and and such as high level magic users for some reason it's something but maybe she's not from here and she said some stuff about metux and collective and communion and species and katari and katalili and she said one of the species means pain so she has the ability to cut through crowds and then she was interested in high speed electric trains but I don't know. Please don't hurt me." Tinker cowered, hoping Princess Luna wouldn't hurt him or force anything upon him.

Edited March 26 by Skylight Scintillate

[Saphire Systrine 209]

"You said 'like' one hundred and twenty-eight times," Luna responded without a beat, "Are you so inept that you don't know any other transitionary words? Not to mention what you said was quite useless. We already know everything you spoke of. It seems you are only as useful as your... abilities," she said, looking the quivering changeling up and down. The way she said that did not seem like he was about to be enlisted in service to the Princess of the Night. No, with the context of 'copying magic', maybe this meant something much worse.

[Tinker Twinkle]

9 hours ago, Saphire Systrine said:

"Not to mention what you said was quite useless. We already know everything you spoke of."

"But I told you everything I know!" Tinker cried. "I only met her earlier today, so why are you asking me? I don't know that much about her!"

Tinker trembled as he cowered. He wished that Luna would be kinder and more direct about what she wanted from him. 

"Why are you so mean?" Tinker quietly mumbled between his cries, mostly to himself.

[Saphire Systrine 209]

1 hour ago, Tinker Twinkle said:

"Why are you so mean?" Tinker quietly mumbled between his cries, mostly to himself.

Luna's face hardened for a moment in frustration, then softened.

"We apologize for our behavior," she said, her entire demeanor changing to that of a kinder, more loving ruler, "Saphire Systrine is a diligent, resourceful enemy, and while she will sometimes be kind like she did to you, you must understand that under that shell of a body she is a violent killing machine, and she only intends to use you."

The princesses' words were laced with a sense of genuine concern, if not a hint of frustration, but maybe not towards Tinker.

"While we may have her in our custody now," Luna continued, "she is fully capable of escape at any time. But…" Luna thought for a short time then said, "You may be able to help us stop her… your magic resists our anti-magic technology, similar to hers. If you would let us study you, maybe we can develop a method that can truly stop her."

The Princess of the Night smiled kindly at Tinker, "Will you?"

[Skylight Scintillate 2,094]

8 hours ago, Saphire Systrine said:

"While we may have her in our custody now," Luna continued, "she is fully capable of escape at any time. But…" Luna thought for a short time then said, "You may be able to help us stop her… your magic resists our anti-magic technology, similar to hers. If you would let us study you, maybe we can develop a method that can truly stop her."

The Princess of the Night smiled kindly at Tinker, "Will you?"

"O-oh?" Tinker sniffled, drying out his tears and straightening up. Like just about everything else he found out today, this seemed to answer and raise so many questions simultaneously. 

"O-ok, I will help," Tinker replied meekly. While Luna's more friendly expression calmed Tinker down somewhat, the sudden transition did feel strangely abrupt. He had no idea what to make of this situation. Sure, while he probably could use his changeling abilities, he got the impression that Luna would have expected him to do so and thus would be prepared to do anything to keep him under her control. The only thing Tinker could do was go along with what Luna wanted to do and hope that it all works out. Surely Luna wouldn't hurt her subjects, right?