Ask Lyra

What? What?! How can that possibly be?! Do they not remember? Could they be too young to know? How could that show have possibly not had even a slight impact on their lives? It was huge to me!

This may come as a shock, but I had a hard time learning how to read and write. By second grade my reading and writing was still kindergarten level. I could recognize the letters, but little else.

And it was frustrating! I hated it! I hated being sat down in a group, constantly struggling as the other students got better and were moved to other groups with similar skill levels! It got so bad they eventually started moving me to a special ed classroom during reading and writing because they could not provide me with the individualized attention I needed.

But I wanted to read. Not because I was supposed to. It was resources like Reading Rainbow that made want to read; that showed me the stories I couldn’t read on my own. Then I could look at the book they showed and at least understood what was happening. I’d become invested. And that’s the most important part of learning something. Being interested in your work gives you drive.

And there was no click. I didn’t just get it. I was always a year or two behind. I struggled on through junior high, high school, college- I still can’t read advanced terminology out-loud. I learned through memorization. Stuff like medical journals? You could give me a solid minute and I’d still never figure out how to pronounce that stuff. But I can deconstruct the word and approximate the meaning. If I see it again, I’ll can separate it from similar words.

I can read. And write? From tenth on through college I got straight As in Composition, even as I struggled in other classes. I didn’t get corrections from teachers on my papers, I got notes in the margins. “I love this part!” “This is a great line!” But it wouldn’t have happened if I didn’t have something to get me started. Reading Rainbow was that something. And I’m not special. If it was that something to me, it was the same to others- can be the same to many more!

1) Before I found out, I thought it was Johto. Not because it was amazing or anything, but because after you beat the league there, you go to Kanto too.

2) Usually saying you’re sick makes ponies want to stay away from you.

3) Ominous, but thanks!

4) B: Let’s just say I’m more than familiar with Ponyville. Perhaps I prefer the hustle of the city, or maybe the grass is just always greener. It’s hard to tell.

5) B: You can bark up this tree all day.

So I’m sick (yes, again).

Slow updates might get slower for a bit.

1) Thank.

2) Verbal irony, or brogre master race? You decide!

3) Well, I never got to visit Hoenn, so I’m at least interested. I’ve heard more than once that it’s the fan favorite area from the series. Pokemon Art Academy looks nice. More of something I’d expect to see online for free, though.

4) I know! And how about the thing just transporting itself to some random place in Ponyville and sprouting up! It’s like the thing is sentient! I’d honestly be afraid to live there.

5) B: For clarity’s sake, a theoretical puppet master organization wouldn’t be the one doing the cohesion in our example. It’s you. Right now.

1) Bon-Bon: Aw. You’re just the sweetest thing! I’m waiting for my favorite author to release another novel, so for now I’m reading a book called The Third Eye Alumni. Its draw seems to be that the story is told through the villains’ perspective, which are a group of psychics that use their powers to predict and manipulate events. It sounds smart, but its execution is pretty stupid. I might not finish it.

2) I try to. I don’t always remember though. Back in R/B/Y I had to go all the way back through the Unknown Dungeon because of that.

3) B: If you think one of the most well-trained guards in Equ-

Ex. Ex-Guard.

B: … One of the formerly most well-trained guards in Equestria can be coerced into revealing information against his will, then you’re not qualified to operate a push mower.

4) Oh, well I’m glad you’re not upset! I just wanted to make sure you knew for the future.

1) Oh no! I don’t think you had to do that! Unless they removed the function in X and Y, any legendary you beat on accident will respawn after you defeat the Elite Four and Champion again!

I’m so sorry! I’d have told you if I knew you had a problem!

2) B: I didn’t say the talent got little attention, I said the mark did. You might not understand the meaning behind the mark. You’re looking for a picture.

B: And… I don’t know if I will or not. I shouldn’t, but I might.

3) I don’t know! I’d like to hope we’d have a library somewhere in town. But for all we know Prin… Twilight might convert part of her castle into a public library. I could see her doing that.

4) B: And you would spread unrest under covert military conditions where every minor outburst must be treated as though an insurmountable front could result from inaction.

5) Lyra: Sure! I’ll try to get a picture later of him. All the ones we have are pretty old.

Bon-Bon: Oh, I’ll live. But hey! Thanks for thinking of me! And the store is fine. Just in that gentle lull between major sale periods. Gives me more time to read.

1) Ma~ybe. I’ll have to find out sometime soon!

2) B: I find your frank, but genuine concern… strange. Very well. The cutie mark is well known, but few pay any attention to it.

3) B: That wouldn’t help anyway. I use illusionary magic to mask my identity. You’re looking for somepony else who has my cutie mark. You’ll never find me.

4) Me too. Not that destroying half of a forested biome, along with hundreds of books is a minor incident.

5) B: Thug? I believe I’ve already given you more answers then you deserve.

B: Serve your country by spreading peace. Fail to do that and you only prove you can’t be trusted.

B: You can’t do anything about it anyway. Maybe nopony can.

B: Nightmare Moon was a mere ten generations ago, yet it was reduced to legend. Myth. Chrysalis, Discord, Sombra, Tirek- Ponies might be aware of Tartarus, but if they really knew what it housed? And all that pales in comparison.

B: Fear. Fear breeds panic. Panic breeds fear. And it all just makes things easier for them. Fear gives them opportunity. Panic and it’s already too late. Too late for you. Too late for your family. Too late for your friends.

B: Control, sedation, peace- Peace above knowledge. Peace above fairness. Peace above happiness, if necessary. It’s the only way we’ve slowed them this much.

B: Altering minds? We should be so lucky. Those involved are completely aware. Struggling for an eternity until there’s no will left to fight. Then watching in horror. Helpless against forces beyond their control, without so much as the strength to call out. To end their own suffering. To prevent the suffering they will soon cause.

B: And yet you ask, like a brave little foal. As though knowledge will somehow protect you. And I say to you again…You have no idea what fear is. If you did, it would already be too late.

1) That… was the worst thirteen minutes of… anything, that I’ve ever sat all the way through. Ah… I don’t even understand. It was obviously intentionally bad. Was it actively parodying itself, even as it played?

2) Well, it certainly didn’t look good last time I saw it. Everything though? Probably not. I mean, it had a basement.

… I’m so sorry… You came looking for me. This is my fault…

3) B: I don’t believe my talent leaves much to be discussed.

B: If you’re not willing to try, then it sounds to me like you’re not invested enough. Certainly wouldn’t shorten my lifespan.

4) I considered it, briefly. But it was just a phase. It’s ogre now.

1) Oh my Cels! Are you alright?! I heard you were hurt!

The castle? It’s ugly. It would be ugly in the Crystal Empire. But in Ponyville? It’s ugly and out-of-place.

2) B: Looking for ponies who are earnest on the internet. That sounds like a fabulous idea.

3) Now this I had not heard of. The subjects on the wiki sound ridiculous. But if they were true, I could certainly see a point to the show.

4) I know I said it before, but… I mean, Death Knights start at 50 and literally get to 58 in about two or three hours. The big difference being, by the time they added Death Knights, the level cap was 80. The cap in Tera is still 60. Not that I don’t want to try it when I get a chance.

5) B: Well, if you’re so interested in making a game of it. There’s only so many cutie marks. You creatures clearly have access to resources from our world. Surely you can find some kind of listing.

6) That makes two of us.

B: I told you all I know.

Why does that sound familiar?

1) B: A broad concept, but at the same time too specific. Suppose, if you can, that physical objects aren’t the only things that can disappear. Someone can be right in front of you- you can touch them; hold a conversation with them. But they’re still gone. You might not even be able to tell it.

B: It’s easier to live when you think you know what to be afraid of. Knowing? That’s something else altogether.

2) B: I don’t have problems, I have habits… Apprehensions, maybe.

3) B: I’m on a vacation for the rest of my life.

4) Forced memes are not okay. There’s already too many!

5) B: I can’t say. Maybe if I had a common cutie mark like an hourglass. Not that mine is incredibly rare, but it’s uncommon enough.

1) B: Learn to live in the shadows and we’ll see how eager you are to step into the light.

2) B: If you’re not going to answer, why should we?

3) B: Sounds like a pretentious college student’s freshmare thesis on destiny. Trying to be deep without understanding what deep is. And you can take your gardening offer and-

Gonna cut this early before it gets any more insulting!

4) I myself feel that three struck the best balance, because one constantly restricted the player’s movement, and two put pits and enemies in just the right places that-even when you knew they were there you’d slam right into them unless you slowed down.

1) Why do I keep seeing this? Is this the new forced meme or something? ‘Cause this can’t be a real thing.

2) B: … My cutie mark has nothing to do with what I’ve been doing for the last five years. But then again, as a guard before that, what I was doing still had nothing to do with my special talent.

B: I’ve… never actually worked in the field before.

3) Are you kidding? There’s the tabletop game I’ve been putting off. I was given a drawing tablet that I haven’t used in, like, two years. I managed to get a musical piece done for Sir Lintalot, but there’s still another one I was working on before that I’ve stalled on. It’s like the only thing I want to do right now is ignore everything.

Oh, and B doesn’t care. I mean, he’d have to make up a new alias that isn’t the one he’s using now- 'cause he still can’t use his real name.

4) B: Hmph. Your very question betrays how little you know. What does it mean to disappear to you?

5) I’ve heard of it. But I’m really more interested in the psychological and sociological side of your universe. As I understand it the show touches upon more broad concepts than the original. Is there an episode about society and culture as a global civilization?

1) B: Take time off from retirement?

2) B: Members of CUE work for five years. No extensions. My time was up.

3) Oh, I know that feeling. Wouldn’t life be so much easier if time was the only thing we had to balance?

4) I believe the concept you are describing is fate. Even supporters of fate must first accept something as being fated.

Of course, having the option to choose to accept fate, consciously or not, sort of throws a wrench in the sequence.

Our magic came back!

We searched inside, but we didn’t find anyone, so I guess nopony was harmed. Our house isn’t really safe right now, so I’m not sure where to- What? What are you pointing-…

Wh… What am I looking at?

I’m okay… Bon-Bon and Tootsie are here too. I think Discord might have took us to-… Oh… Oh no…

I… I hope nopony was inside.

Lyra: Tartarus would have been too good for you, Discord!

Discord: Oh, you’re really just making this so much more difficult for me.

B: Argh!

???: They do grow them strong these days, don’t they?

Lyra: NO! Let him go! [Gasp]

[Crash]

Discord: Well, that seemed a tad unnecessary.

???: Hmph.

[Fading footsteps]

Lyra: Discord… Why…?

Discord: Please. You ponies were just using me.

Lyra: He’s using you… When he’s done… He’ll…

Discord: He’ll what? Cook me some fried squash? … Lyra? …

[Recording timed-out]

1) B: I am without purpose and I feel as though my life has lost all meaning.

2) Oh my gosh! Congratulations! That’s fantastic! And Bon-Bon got her brother-in-law to look after Simple. Evidently he both couldn’t make it and agreed. Color me surprised.

3) Lyra: Oh for pony’s sake… There was nothing-

B: [Sharp intake of breath]

Lyra: … Is-?

B: Something’s wrong.

Lyra: Ri~ght… He’s not taking his retirement very well, if you couldn’t tell.

4) Yes! I remember! I loved that tumblr! It was great! You portray a funny old pony very well!

That was nuts. I mean, what were they thinking?! How could they not have a contingency in place in case of emergencies?! That ice cloud could have killed dozens!

But, oh mare! Spike was all- zip zip zip! [deep inhale] Buuuuuuuuph! And it was gone just like that! Nothing but a gentle rain! Way to go, Spike!

Oh… And for all those ponies who were all, “Where were the princesses? What were they doing?” Well, who are those two in the left corner of this picture I took?

Risking their lives to help? I think so.

1) And SoB stands for ’Son of Bubbie’. It’s the same thing, really.

2) If I remember right, somepony did a really cool gift art for me, and I was all “Oh my Cels! Thanks! This is great! Thank you so much” or some such chain of gratitude. And then the next time I got something I thought to myself, “Shouldn’t I thank this person too? Wouldn’t that be rude not too?”

3) Lyra: What? No! Why would you say that? I’m not a creep! I’m not a weirdo! What the [omitted] am I doing here?! I don’t belong here!

Bon-Bon: Stop yelling! I’m trying to sleep!

Lyra: S-sorry…

4) Yes, controls. I don’t care if your sluggish, unintuitive controls were intended by design. I don’t like them.

[A dulled roar, as if within a massive crowd.]

Lyra: Okay. And you said I could post this too, right?

B: Sure.

Lyra: Alright! Take it away! Magic disabling! Go!

B: The notion of suppressing spell casting has been the subject of much research for nearly as long as spell casting has been around. There hasn’t been any real effective method up to this point. But it seems crystal ponies have created one. And it’s quite elegant. They used spell threading to weave together a complex Counterspell that sticks to the unicorn’s horn.

B: Now, a Counterspell wall isn’t a new concept. But crystal ponies took it so much further. They created a spell wall that seeks out sources of magic and wraps them in a Counterspell while leaving the rest of the subject unaffected.

B: It’s absolutely remarkable. If the Counterspell wrapped up the entire unicorn, then this would leave the subject in an unpleasant condition not far removed from being at a high altitude and breathing in thinner air. But because it targets only the source of magic- it’s the perfect solution to unwanted spell use for a public gathering. It could even be repurposed as a pacifying tool during riots or further, a non-fatal instrument of war.

B: That they created something so incredible such a short time after their return is simply astounding.

1) Uh… Okay? Not that I talk to York too much these days, but he’s never mentioned you before. Then again, most of his conversations involve movies I’ve never heard of or actors I don’t recognize by name.

2) I know what they were thinking. “Children will have a harder time breaking this and it’ll be cheaper for parents to buy.”

No PokeCenter wasn’t so bad. Mostly you just have to watch your PP levels, strike super-effectively for efficiency, and replace moves accordingly. At least until you get your first Leppa Berry. Granted, that’s quite a while, but there are a few points in the game where your Pokemon are auto-healed.

3) Bon-Bon: Oh my gosh! That’s exactly what she does!

Lyra: Sh-shut up!

4) Spike, you know I’m usually the first to come to your defense. But that was not alright.

Lyra: Oh Spike… Why couldn’t you just walk away…? Why couldn’t you just stop?

Bon-Bon: I was offended. I’m not from Cloudsdale and I was offended!

1) Aw. I was hoping you’d be here.

Opening ceremony was pretty cool. I’d never been to the games before. Also, they had Spike from Ponyville light the torch! Which must have been a last minute addition, because it wasn’t in the program.

2) Lyra: Phone filter? Magic fight competitions? Always looking for excitement, eh?

B: I’d keep it down about magic duels. Not the sort of conduct government employees are expected to be involved in. Just my two bits.

3) Bon-Bon: I would say that Lyra is very much a nerd, but not a dork. She’s too socially-oriented to be a dork. She gets excited about the silliest things, though. Like-

Lyra: That’s enough out of you.

4) Yeah… If I’m not doing well then I’m not having fun. I hate games that just kick my butt even when I know what I’m doing.

1) Ew. 2DS. If it can’t fold closed, what’s the point? The screens, or screen covers, are just going to get all scratched up so you can’t see anything.

But when I played through the second time, I sort of set up a challenge. No PokeCenter and no EXP. Share. Early off it was tough because of the lack of revives/PP restoration, and later on enemies were really strong. Every single Pokemon used against me by the Elite Four/Champion were all higher leveled than mine. It was a much more interesting journey!

2) I didn’t know that, no! That’s so sad!

But, wait. You are going to the Equestria Games this week, right? I mean, with the opening ceremony tomorrow, Ponyville has to practically be a ghost town by now! Although, I don’t know if that would make investigating harder or easier.

3) Well look what the cat dragged in! How’s it going, Strawberry?

4) Lyra: Actually, most of the jobs I’m applying for are in data entry. If there’s one thing I can do, it’s type.

Bon-Bon: Sure, I sing a little. I mean, it’s the middle of the night and we’re on a train, so I’m not going to sing right now. But you get the idea.

I couldn’t edit your text by reblogging it so this was the closest thing I could do. Sorry.

Also I had suggested it as an alternative to the Grininja picture. You didn’t turn me down or anything! And now I have both! Thanks!

1) One? ONE?! How about five?! One. Two. Three. Four. Five!

… Sarah…

2) Oh. Um… What? The princesses cleaned everything up. What’s left to do?

3) No… I’m not so good at Metal Slug-style side-scroller shoot-em-ups. It’s just too much elaborate stuff on screen at once. I get overwhelmed.

4) Of course! It was my pleasure!

5) Illumise most notable feature seems to be that she’s the worst Prankster user in the game. Not much to salvage there that couldn’t be done better elsewhere.

6) Oh! Yes! That makes more sense!