[Well, the whole mirror universe fiasco is over. Everyone's back to normal... as well as this guy. Vanitas had been laying low the entire time, and is now starting to get bored. And becasue of this bordeom, he decides to adress the audience.]

Well, now that all that mirror universe crap is over, here's two questions for you all. One: Has anyone ever, i dunno, tried getting off this crate, or are you all so content with being lab rats that you're willing to stay here? And question two: Since this place takes away your powers, how do you keep from smashing your head against a wall?

[There's something different about the Lombax's posture when he appears onscreen, sitting poised with a makeshift crown over his head. And the smile that spreads across his face isn't the chipper, friendly one residents of the SOL have come to expect.

Whatever was happening now, this new, Mirrored Ratchet was taking full advantage of it.]

Greetings, peons. I trust you've all been enjoying yourselves? That's nice.

This is just your friendly neighbourhood Emperor with a little head's up - this ship, and all of its inhabitants are under my control now. You'll find the technicalities included on your respective doors-- [In the form of a hastily-handwritten letter covered in soda stains.]

--and cupcakes are provided for those who comply. For those who don't, an agonizing, firey death broadcast for the entire multi-verse to see.

Good day.

[You know that old intercom system Deep 13 has? There's a typical low screech as it starts up, followed by a few muffled taps.]

Is this thingy working? Oooh, it is!

HellOOOOOOOOOO, Deep 13~! This is DJ Pinkie Pie here, on the late late late show! Now I noticed that a lot of people have been feeling awfully grumpy and mean ever since we got here! Luckily, DJ Pie knows the super-special secret Ponyville cure for sad faces everywhere! So get your little confuzzled heads ready to be cheered up!

[And then...it starts. You cannot run. You cannot hide.]

[Cambot flicks on to reveal a boy in a strangely organic looking black and red bodysuit. The boy unsettlingly looks very similar to Sora sans the black hair and gold eyes. But when he finally speaks, it's clear by his tone he's anything but Sora]

So, anyone on this crate smart enough to tell me where the hell am I and where's the exit? And don't give me that "There's no way out" crap. There has to be a way out.

Wow! Is this Deep 13? [Pinkie's trotting around her new home, observing her surroundings.] This is so cool! Now Dr. Forrester and Frank are up there...and we're down here! It's just lucky I brought my party cannon with me, this place could totally use some spiffing up! Did everyone else get here okay? It got kinda bumpy there at the end!

Hey, hey! Dr. F! Now that we've both got new places, we should totally throw joint housewarming parties! First you come down here and help us warm our house, and then we'll all go up there and help with yours! It'll be GREAT!

Almost done.

[Why, yes, that is Namine with a black Sharpie marker. Looks like she found something to write/draw with, but really, is the wall between the staircase entrance and elevator on the fourth deck a good place for that? It's not even a very nice drawing, just a big frowny face from the look of it.

She seems pretty intent on her work, though. Normally, she tries to take everything on the SoL in stride, but having her movement restricted AND one of her main coping mechanisms taken away seems to be taking its toll. To the point at which she's given up using even subtle methods of protest/fighting back.

Finished, she looks up and finally seems to notice she's live on Cambot. Apparently she hadn't meant to make this public.]

Cambot! I thought I said no recording.

[She reaches to turn him off, but he floats away. Time for a rare Namine scowl. Anyone who looks closely, though, might notice that her hair has some blond tint to it, and her eyes are a pale, pale blue.]

[It looks like Sora is still stuck in black and white, but he’s not letting that or any of the other Satellite restrictions stop him now. He’s situated outside the nature deck, since the theatrical one is closed right now, and looks determined.]

Hey, everyone! I know this week’s black and white rules and stuff are being a pain, but we can’t let that stop us from doing something fun and creative. We should put on a skit or movie of some kind! If making fun of the experiments is helping the humans on earth get better, than doing even more fun stuff should help them even more!

We can bring stuff up to the top deck and do it there, so that the girls aren’t left out, too.

HEY!

[Umm, you know that thing where you feel uncomfortable if you start speaking out against authority? Yeah, guess who's not paying attention to that at all. If you look close, you can tell Zidane's still feeling the weirdness because his facial expression is a little off, but he's spent his life speaking his mind about everything (and, on a more subliminal side, overcoming oppression) so like hell he's not going to do it now.]

[Also he's just goddamn pissed if 90% of his expression is anything to go by. While he's been annoyed on the Satellite before, usually he just more or less goes with the flow, but this just hit the last straw for him. Because he's standing outside the theatrical deck and the Satellite not only stuck a bigass lock on the door, but took away all his picks so he can't just sneak his way inside.]

It's not enough to take away all our colors and anything that we can use to express ourselves, it's even worse that you're making the girls stay in the most boring part of this ship, but now we can't even open these doors?! Who in the HELL are you to say what we can and can't do, we are NOT your PUPPETS!

[And apparently he's... really serious about proving that wtf Zidane where did you get an axe?! It's not a huge axe, no, but it's still an axe, and his clothing isn't restrictive enough to stop him using it. He grabs it from where he left it propped up against the wall and immediately starts swinging it at the lock, over and over, striking the metal repeatedly in an attempt to get in.]

[He's not quite aware that the tip of his tail is starting to turn blond again...]

[Cambot narrowly ducks something flying past, only to have its lens covered up by some really ugly vest. The feed statics a little before it focuses on someone throwing clothing out of boxes on the theatrical deck.

It's Riku. Man, no wonder he's looking through other clothing. Wow, Riku, wow.

He looks up to see Cambot and pauses before he narrows his eyes at the little bot.]

You better not be recording.

[Liz. Office chair. Swiveling around in the chair staring at the ceiling looking bored as all hell.]

I swear, it feels like this week is never going to end.

[She looks up vaguely at Cambot.]

So...what do you guys think happened to Joel? It didn't look like he made it over that dimensional jump or whatever they called it, and even if he did he'd probably be worse off than we are about this whole Battlefield Dinosaurs thing.

And speaking of which...I kinda hope we don't stay here too much longer. I wouldn't put it past them to send someone up here, and I'd rather not spend another week avoiding traps. At least last time I had the benefit of being a cat.

[Mike and the Bots are all gathered up on the top deck, all dressed up in their pirate gear. But it looks like there's some big to-do going on...something is coming in on the Hexfield viewscreen! What's more, it doesn't look like the usual strange visitors. The screen first shows an odd, somewhat rickety spaceship, shaped a little bit like a large bolt.]

Mike: Well hey, it looks like someone is trying to hail us! But the transmission's coming in a bit fuzzy. Cambot, put it up on the viewscreen!

[Cambot does so. There's a lot of static, but behind it is none other than Joel Robinson!]

Joel: Hey everyone! It's Joel again. Looks like I finally raised enough funds to get myself a ship up here.

Crow: Woooooow COOOL, it's Joel!

Tom: Joel Joel Joel! He's coming back here again!

Mike: Oh wow, it does look like it!

Joel: Yeah, um, I’ll do my best, but mostly I’m just gonna try and get up there to fix the Twin-Screw Universal Controller. So just hang tight, okay everyone?

[The Bots begin to dance around, singing and making a whole lot of noise. Even Cambot seems to be bopping along.]

Mike: Uhh, yeah, I guess we will!

Joel: Yeah, so-- [The static takes over, and the feed from Joel cuts out. Mike looks pretty pleased.]

[Joel’s small little spaceship is steadily approaching the SOL. The question is...will it get here okay?]

Oh-hokay, so we're going that route, huh?

[Instead of looking annoyed by the sudden, drastic change, Ratchet seems to be getting into the spirit of things! There's even a large pirate hat on the Lombax's head, flicked up by a thumb as he steps upon an empty treasure chest.

Someone's definitely had experience with this, hasn't he?]

Pirate ships mean treasure, and treasure means you're not gettin' it before me.

[Faint voices are heard in the distance as Cambot approaches his targets down on the launch deck.]

Thanks for hanging out with me, dudette. I dunno why everybody’s been tellin’ me to go away this week. [A wild 90S KID and PINKIE PIE appeared!]

Ehehehe...gee, I dunno! That’s really weird!

[Pinkie’s still got on the same hooded black Batmare costume that she’s been wearing all week, though she seems to have accessorized it with some bright pink nose clips. 90s Kid, meanwhile, is still dressed up in his own Pumaman costume, which is starting to look disheveled from being worn all week, and even Cambot seems hesitant to get too close.]

Anyway, you sure this is gonna work?

TOTALLY! I used to put up tire swings all the TIME back in Ponyville! It’ll be just like that, except without any trees!

[Uhhh...is that chain to the tire swing...rigged up to the sprinkler head?]

Hmmmm...

[Pinkie trots around the swing, inspecting it, and then belly-flops into the middle.]

You can sit on top, ‘cause you’re heavier!

Alright, here we go...! [90s Kid grabs the chain, starting to climb up. The tire wobbles uneasily as he tries to pull himself up, struggling to find his footing. He almost makes it to the top of the tire when...

Suddenly there is a resounding SNAP and a blare of fire alarms.]

Ohcrap--ACKPPBT!!! [90s Kid is suddenly overwhelmed by a cascade of water from the broken sprinkler and the feed goes to static]

[By now Ven's learned not to be concerned when his regular clothes vanish - this is the SOL, after all. And at least the ones it's given him in replacement aren't that bad, apparently some sort of dark uniform with a white tie that's actually pretty comfortable and not horrifically embarrassing. Though he doesn't quite get why the SOL is literally forcing him to carry around a rabbit-shaped backpack when he really doesn't care about it. But every time he tries to leave it behind, it just shows up again, so he's given up on it for the time being and clipped his little badge to it. He's in the exhibition area, a rather familiar plush in his hands but looking at it with a more serious expression than the fake puppy probably warrants. Clearly he's got something else on his mind, and once he realizes Cambot's there he doesn't waste time in bringing it up.]

Hey, guys - Frank's puppy, his new one. It can travel through walls and stuff, right? Do you think it might be able to get up here and... I don't know, maybe make things even worse? They can change things around up here on their own already, but they don't come up here themselves so far. Do you think they'd send him instead?

...And was I just seeing things or did it steal a film reel from them?

[Cambot's bopping around on the theater deck, looking around at some scattered props as if he were looking for something. There's rustling in the background, and the occasional jangle or thud of some items being tossed aside.]

Hey, Cambot! Check this out!

[The camera swings around to Liz, wearing a somewhat familiar costume, convention badge hanging around her neck, and crouched over a box overflowing with koosh balls and assorted foam shapes. Liz holds up a little dusty object that appears to be a red button, unmounted to anything, but clearly meant to be part of a machine. She clicks the button a few times, and each time it emits a short buzzing sound.]

This'll be perfect, wouldn't ya say? [Cambot bobs up and down enthusiastically. Liz grins.] This is gonna be so great!

[Cambot focuses in on...a pair of legs? They look to be blue eagle legs, although animated in a style reminiscent more of Sam's kind when they were babies. Maybe it's because he's an adult, but Cambot can't see anything but his legs.]

Cambot. My face is up here, if you please.

[Cambot tries to comply, but just can't seem to manage to lift up past Sam's legs. Sam just groans, and continues on with what he was going to say anyway.]

Something MUST be done about these! This is certainly not funny!

[From above floats a colored piece of paper with the phrase EAGLE SEASON on it. And then another. Aaaand another.]

I keep trying to remove these dangerous and tacky notices, but there seem to be more underneath! This is most inappropriate!

[The fliers are looking to pile up now...]

[Sora is looking over the changes for this week...huh, it looks like he's in black and white. He shakes his arm, and it wobbles like a rubber hose.]

Hey...this is kinda familiar!

Did we go back in time this week, and without the time machine? Except the rest of the Satellite looks about normal...either way, it's kinda weird!

[Cambot is loyally keeping an eye on his person. Not that that's difficult; statues don't do much. Looks like she's just laying there asleep in her bed.

Though, is that a bit of color returning to her skin? It just might be! The arm that had been holding the mirror falls to her side. Her eyes open, and...

she sits up so quickly Cambot actually retreats a bit.]

Cambot, there's a snake, we have to--

[Then she finally seems to realize where she is, blinks, and looks around in confusion.]

What happened?

[Riku's trying to hide his face with an ice pack. Cambot isn't helping.]

Hey. Could someone help me find some aloe on the nature deck? ...It might be a few days before the swelling goes down.

[Cambot manages a good shot, albeit amongst its typical static. Wow, he's got some first and second degree burns across his eyes. Clearly he can see, but still, that's gotta hurt.]

[Cambot hovers around the hallway, coming around the corner a little nervously, drawing back in surprise when he finds Liz sitting in the hall looking...rather dazed. Cambot comes closer and...wait, is she sitting on 90s Kid?!

Yup. Yup, she is. 90s Kid is lying on the floor with an expression of bafflement, completely petrified much like Namine was, and Liz is slumped over on his stomach. She looks at Cambot, completely serious as she runs a hand through her hair.]

Listen up you guys, we've got some serious business. There's a basilisk running amok on the Satellite. I dunno how it got up here or where it's been hiding, but it's deadly. It's a huge snake, and its gaze can kill you.

As Mister Finevoice has demonstrated already. [She side-glances forlornly.]

Listen, just. Whatever you do, if you're in the halls, keep your eyes firmly focused on your own feet. Check around corners with a mirror, do whatever you can not to make direct eye contact. If you're careful and only see it indirectly, well...[she looks down at 90s Kid] It's better than the alternative.

Just. Be careful you guys. Please.