Erlöser sits in a chair beside the hospital bed where a bandaged Scorpia lay, seemingly asleep. The room itself seems to be fitted with specialised equipment, potentially used to treat members of Pathogen. After a few moments, Scorpia begins to stir. He then looks around to assess his surroundings before stopping on Erlöser.

"Didn't die this time." He states weakly.

Looking up from his sitting position, Erlöser sighs deeply and yawns a little before looking unamused.

"Yeah, well... Assuming we are on about the same thing... We have hospitals this time, plus you would have died if not for that wall thing." Erlöser rubs his eyes.

"Guess there's a plus behind being sent as far back as I was. An understanding of the castle... or, at least, a vague one." Scorpia states in response.

"I suppose... I've been sitting here processing what happened, among other things..." Erlöser stares vaguely at a random empty spot on the white ceiling.

"And?" Scorpia asks, shifting himself slightly.

"And what?" Erlöser's attention is drawn back to Scorpia.

"What are you thinking about? Or... What have you remembered?" Scorpia asks.

"I'm not entirely sure what I am 'remembering'... It's mostly fuzzy with only certain bits coming through." Erlöser rubs his forehead.

"Well, we obviously both remember me being run through, and inevitably dying... You have had more time to remember than I have, though." Scorpia replies, gesturing to his wounds.

Erlöser sighs and looks uncomfortable. "I might have lied about the fuzzy thing... I just... I don't know how to make sense of what I am remembering."

"Well, what is it that you're remembering? What doesn't make sense?" Scorpia asks.

"I think... Were we Changelings? I recall some form of a hive, maybe... A long time ago?" Erlöser states unsure.

"I'm certain about the Changeling part. As for a hive... it's likely, but I don't know." Scorpia states, pondering.

"If we were Changelings, it's more than likely we were in a hive... Does this mean that what I'm remembering is a 'past incarnation'?" Erlöser asks, not sure about the answer he wants to hear.

"I'm pretty sure that if it wasn't, the memory wouldn't have caused me to pause long enough to fall on your blade." Scorpia states, rubbing his chest.

"It makes sense, but how? More importantly why only now am I, we, remembering stuff from our supposed pasts?" Erlöser asks, sitting back in his chair.

"Well... I hadn't remembered a thing before I was given back my essence. Nor you, before it was removed, if I understand correctly. My guess is now that we're... 'us' again, we're finally going to begin recalling just who 'we' are." Scorpia states, sighing.

"Well... From what I can remember... My name is still Erlöser, I don't think I've had any other name... I also remember some other stuff to do with the Changeling 'incarnation', I suppose we should say.." Erlöser seems unsure how to feel about his memories.

Scorpia chuckles a bit before replying. "Of course your name is still Erlöser. I only go by Scorpia now because of our uncle's mistake. It was the name given to me by the mare who found and raised me when I arrived in that other Equestria. Anyway, what is it that we're remembering now?"

"Assuming you're the other Changeling I am remembering and seeing as they look the same as the one I stabbed... We were lesbians and extremely incestuous..." Erlöser states abnormally calmly.

"Well..," Scorpia pauses for a moment to collect his thoughts, "That would give ample reason for me to falter in an attack... And not just once, either."

"You appear abnormally calm about this information... Regardless if it does give reason to both falters." Erlöser raises an eyebrow.

"Well, I mean... What should I feel? Weird? Awkward? Surprised? It's in a previous life. The only way I can think it might matter now is if there was a life where one of us was male and the other female and... had a kid. Then there'd be a problem." Scorpia states.

"I seriously have no idea what I'm feeling right now... Kinda curious how that even ended up being a thing and how many previous lives did the same... I'm not really complaining. If anything, we were very attractive Changelings." Erlöser chuckles.

"Right..." Scorpia replies, looking at Erlöser, before raising his brow. "Speaking of... have you looked in a mirror lately?"

"You're not exactly the poster model for attractive stallions either..." Erlöser frowns.

"Has it ever looked like I care?" Scorpia asks, putting a hand through his mess of a mane. "That's not what I'm talking about. Seriously, go look in a mirror."

Sighing deeply, Erlöser gets up and exits the room taking a trip to the bathroom. Scorpia has mere moments of peace before Erlöser comes running back in.

"What did that son of a bitch for an uncle do to my fucking eyes?!" Erlöser is wide-eyed and panting.

"I don't know. This purple looks better than the red, though. Wonder if the rest will follow suit." Scorpia replies, looking at Erlöser's mane.

"Da fuck do you mean 'if the rest will follow suit'?! I didn't consent to this shit!" Elöser panics slightly.

"Look at it as an improvement. After all, red isn't really your colour. Especially that red," Scorpia says, pointing to Erlöser's mane, "against the blue of your coat. I, for one, welcome this change."

"It's not you who has to fucking welcome it! Why is it even changing now? Why is everything happening now?" Erlöser manages to control himself enough to sit back down.

"A cleansing, maybe? You did live with 'me' inside you for over a decade. Can't be too healthy to have destruction inside you."

"Cleansing of what? I don't do drugs... Ugh, this is so frustrating. The creepy disembodied voice I could handle, but as soon as you show up everything spiraled much faster out of control. Elder blood dragons, Kansen, our mother/father, the fucking head researcher for Pathogen as our uncle... What the fuck..?" Erlöser sighs deeply and rubs his eyes.

"Creepy... okay. Cleansing of... me, really. I mean... you're Erlöser. Salvation. And, generally, blue. I'm... Zerstörung. Destruction. Generally red... maybe maroon." Scorpia grabs a lock of his mane to emphasise his point. "So, maybe, your body is just putting itself back to how it was before Sinclair forced me into you.

"As for everything spiraling out of control upon my arrival... How do you think I feel? I got forced out of my home. I was comfortable right where I was. For me... It's actually somewhat annoying. You... you have family now. Those you care about. Those that care about you. You remember your situation just days before I got here?" Scorpia asks, looking out the window.

"I wanted to die, was taken in by Larvali, met the others, got thrown in with Flutterbat... I wouldn't exactly call it a cake walk either... Despite if you were sent away for an eternity basically, you still have family here too..." Erlöser sighs.

"I'm not saying it was easy for you... just that it's gotten better. In some strange sense. As you said, you wanted to die before. Didn't care for anything. That's changed. Everything changed around my arrival. And yes... I do have family. But... it's all weird." Scorpia states.

"Regardless of how weird it is... I mean, fuck, having blood abilities is about as weird as it gets around here, but add in that we are blood dragons? Yeah, it's a whole new level of weird, but we are and still have, family." Erlöser sighs, rubbing the back of his neck.

"Once this war or whatever ends... Assuming it does, what am I supposed to do? Stay here? Find a way home? This is, arguably, home. But that other Equestria is home. I just... I don't know what to do anymore. I know one thing that I should do and that led to me lying in a hospital bed." Scorpia sighs deeply.

"I wouldn't expect you to stay here really. Not if you have obligations in the other Equestria." Erlöser states as he folds his arms.

"That's the thing. At this point, it seems that I may have some in both..." Scorpia states, frowning.

"It's up to you then. I think mother said she'd check by later on you to see how you're doing." Erlöser informs Scorpia.

"I don't think I'm ever gonna know how to look at her..." Scorpia states, uncomfortable.

"That's something you'll have to figure out on your own." Erlöser states in response.

"Maybe I'll just pay Sinclair a visit later. Get him to help me figure it out..." Scorpia huffs.

"I guess, I'm going to go for a walk. I'll talk to you later." Erlöser gets up and stretches lightly before exiting the room.

Somwhere along the apartment complex buildings of Canterlot was one specifically where a pure white Pegasus stallion with ice blue eyes, a pitch black mane and tail with ice blue highlights wearing a plain white t-shirt and jeans combined with an apron is cooking breakfast. Musing over the box and its instructions, he continues to attempt to make pancakes which he places on two separate plates till they stack to five. He then begins to adorn the left stack with cut strawberries, blueberries, maple syrup and a sprinkling of sugar, meanwhile, on the right stack he simply places a small square of butter which begins to melt across and slide down the stack.

As he finished the plates, the stallion heard a light thud from the living room followed by a mare's voice. "Breakfast smells good~"

"I hope so, took me long enough to get it right this morning." He states checking over the plates and their contents before feeling happy with his work.

"I don't know how much you wasted, nor do I really care right now. I smell pancakes. Bring the pancakes, servant." The voice states expectantly.

"Yes, your majesty." The stallion states in response before grabbing two forks and the plates as he walks through the archway from the kitchen into the living room section of the apartment.

The living room is fairly simple with two sofas in an L shape with a large coffee table in front of them. On the wall, directly in line with the kitchen archway is a 75-inch tv. To the right of the room is a set of stairs leading up to a balcony area which leads to another room. Underneath the balcony, hugging the right wall is a hallway which leads other places. The stallion sets down both plates on the coffee table with the forks before slipping out of his apron. Sighing lightly, he looks to his left at the mare lying on the sofa he heard make the thud earlier. The mare in question is a pure white pegasus. Her mane and tail are a light pink with sea-foam green highlights. She's wearing a light grey t-shirt and a pair of pink pyjama pants adorned with quills.

"Making room for me to sit with you?" The stallion asks as he pokes her thigh gently.

The mare sits up and glares at him for a moment before scooting to the left a little. "Fine... But only because you made pancakes."

He takes his seat beside her before retrieving his pancakes to begin eating. "Did you sleep well? You seem a little edgy this morning."

"What I call playful, you call edgy?" She asks, before flicking his ear. She then gets her plate and takes a bite.

"You know I still have trouble picking out some things. I hope the pancakes are alright, I used half a box to get it right then used the remaining box and a half to make five thick, fluffy pancakes each." The stallion states as he takes a mouthful with syrup and a strawberry.

"If you used as much as you did and took as long as you likely did, they'd better be good, no?" She replied before taking another bite. "And didn't burn the apartment down this time. Good job, Frozen." She stated, taking another bite before patting his head.

"I haven't burnt anything in this apartment yet... Our old place had a terrible rating anyway. I figured I'd try to cook breakfast as you normally do the majority of the cooking, Aurora." Frozen states as he grumbles around a mouthful of strawberry.

"Well, you chose pancakes. Can't go wrong there. Normally. And I do the cooking, generally, because of the fact that we're currently in an apartment." After pausing for a moment she looked to Frozen, "You model Purity after yourself?"

Frozen deadpans at the mare before sighing deeply. "Just because I can't cook most things doesn't mean I modelled a character on that fact alone..."

"Just curious. You burned our home trying to cook. She nearly poisoned her party trying to cook... Maybe not her entire character, but at least that one characteristic."Aurora states pointing her fork at Frozen.

"If you say so, dear. Do you have anything on your agenda for today?" Frozen asks offering Aurora a fork of pancake with a strawberry, syrup and sugar on it.

Aurora takes the offer, and uses the chewing time to think before replying. "Not sure, yet. Things are getting a little crazy around, lately. But that could mean more fun. It could also mean far too much danger for those of us without blood abilities. So... I don't know. Nothing yet. You have something in mind?"

"The state of the city does have me worrying a lot about you lately... As for the agenda, I just need to drop into the editor to deliver the first draft of my latest work before I planned to pick us up something for lunch. Then when home again there was nothing I really had in mind besides spending time with you." Frozen states before nuzzling the mare gently.

Aurora returns the nuzzle as she replies. "If you're worrying and planning on coming back before too long, I'll just stay put. May get some more sleep so that I'm not so 'edgy' when you get back."

"I didn't mean you were being edgy... You know I like it when my mare is playful. I only worry so much because I don't know what I'd do if I lost you." Frozen shuffles a little closer to Aurora, giving her a soft kiss.

"Well, on the off chance that that should happen, Celestia forbid, I only hope you manage to turn that pain into inspiration for a great tale." Aurora states, poking Frozen's nose. "Luckily, we live in Canterlot and not Manehattan..."

"That's if I can write past all the alcohol, plus it'd be a very depressing tale. Yeah... I'm quite thankful I moved us, despite your hesitance at this place to begin with." Frozen states as he continues his pancakes.

Aurora gave a light laugh before replying, "I'm from the Crystal Empire. You could have moved us anywhere and I would have been hesitant."

"I suppose, but I'm happy you grew to like our new home. I'm slightly thankful I brought it on gut feeling given the recent news about the Crystal Empire..." Frozen sighs lightly before nuzzling the mare beside him.

"And Manehattan..." Aurora replies, returning the nuzzle. "The Kansen are getting increasingly more aggressive."

"Which is why I worry about you and others who are just normal like us. Always getting caught in the crossfire between the Kansen and the government." Frozen finishes his pancakes before putting his plate gently on the coffee table.

Aurora places her plate down before lying down with her head in Frozen's lap. "While that's true, why worry? It's not like you can do anything. You're just an author. Best to leave that to Bullet."

Frozen runs his fingers gently through Aurora's mane thinking for a moment.

"I suppose... We have yet to have a reason to use what Silver generously 'lost' for us. I worry because I would like us to live long enough for me to marry my beautiful mare, but I will try to stress less about it." Frozen states closing his eyes briefly.

"Don't go getting yourself killed out there and we'll make it to that day."

Leaning down, Frozen gently nuzzles Aurora while breathing softly.

"I'll try my best, I don't want to make promises I might not be able to keep given our world. Is it bad of me if I say I would rather stay here with you than take my work down to the office?" Frozen asks looking into her eyes.

"Bad? No, of course not." She laughed as she sat back up. "But it does still need to be done."

"I suppose, want anything specific for lunch? I can make a stop on my way back." Frozen asks standing up before stretching.

"Not particularly. Just make sure you don't run into any crazy Kansen. Your death isn't exactly on my wish list." She replied, stroking her ring with her thumb.

"I'll try, don't worry. Shall I just get our regular lunches or would you like me to make something when I get back?" Frozen collects a nearby brown package to put into a messenger bag that he puts on.

"You got lucky with the pancakes. Don't push it, please." Aurora replied, laying back down.

"Okay, okay, I'll just pick up the regular orders we have. See you soon, I love you." Frozen leans down to give Aurora a soft kiss.

Aurora returned the kiss before replying. "Love you, too. Now go. Get that draft turned in. And steer clear of crazy Kansen."

"Yes, love." Frozen states in compliance, grabbing his black long coat before leaving out the door.

The Canterlot streets nearby the apartment complexes are fairly busy with more bustling traffic than normal given recent events. Many heading towards the commercial areas to either buy supplies or drink their sorrows away. Narrowly weaving through said traffic, Frozen Quill hands out 'apologises' and 'excuse me's' while navigating his way through the ocean of people. Tripping slightly and stumbling forward the stallion is soon to fall over in his haste and the result sees his messenger bag flung from his person. It bounces and tumbles all the way across the street he'd hope to cross.

Feeling something bump against his leg, Scorpia looked down to see the bag. Picking it up he looked around for the owner whilst clutching his chest. "Still not quite there, yet, I guess... Now who-" He stopped, noticing Frozen on the ground. "Of course." He began navigating through the crowd over to him.

Sitting up onto his knees, Frozen rubs the back of his head before noticing his bag missing. "Shit... I can't lose all that work, come on." He begins looking around frantically, eventually standing up and looking a tad pale at the realisation he can't see his bag.

Upon reaching him Scorpia taps the back of his shoulder. "I have something that I'm fairly certain belongs to you."

Turning to face the source of the tap, Frozen stares at Scorpia. "Hmm? Ah there it is. Thank you for finding my bag, you have no idea how much work you saved for me just now." Frozen happily accepts his bag and puts it firmly on himself, unwilling to part with it again.

Scorpia laughs a bit, shaking his head. "I've more of an idea than you could know. Considering everything that's happening lately, I hope this one's good." Scorpia stated, pointing to the bag.

Frozen raises an eyebrow slightly in confusion. "Your choice words have me intrigued given you know not what I carry..." At that moment it begins spitting slightly of rain. "Perhaps you would let me treat you for finding my bag? There is a 'Sunbucks' nearby."

"Not one for coffee, but I could certainly use a rest... As well as getting out before a downpour." Scorpia replies, putting his hand over his bandaged wound.

"Either way, I'd like you to join me." Frozen states as he begins towards the before mentioned nearby establishment.

Leading Scorpia along, he tales him inside and secures them a window booth just as it begins raining in earnest. "It's likely a good thing you happened along when you did, this bag is sturdy, however, it's not so good in heavy rain. I can only imagine my fiancee would be a bit depressed if I lost my work, especially as she helps me a lot with it." Frozen sighs and begins looking through a nearby menu.

"Fiancée?" Scorpia asked, looking out the window.

"Mhmm, though I'm surprised I managed to ask her, even more she said yes. Silver was even more surprised given he thought we were just living together as authors, which honestly is how it started." Frozen sighs lightly before a cute, lime green Unicorn mare with aquamarine eyes and a pale yellow mane takes his order for a strong coffee.

Scorpia glances over, before returning his gaze to the rain. "'Together as authors'? You and Aurora already get that far here?"

Frozen once again gives Scorpia an odd look, not sure what to make of his words. "You speak very odd... We've been living together for a while I suppose. We started dating but didn't really feel the need to really tell anypony. I then might have bought us an apartment here in the capital. She was... Less than thrilled with the sudden news." Frozen smiles a little to himself.

Scorpia chuckles in response. "I can imagine."

"However, I had a gut feeling about the place... Given the most recent news about Manehattan, where I used to live and the Crystal Empire, where she used to live... I can't help but feel I made the right choice." Frozen explains as the waitress comes back with his coffee, asking if Scorpia wanted anything.

He turned a moment to look at the mare and politely decline before looking back out the window. "I won't dismiss that. I can't say I've been looking at the news lately... Though, as far as I can tell nothing bad has happened here, yet."

"I know it will... The government is here, this is ground zero for where the war between Kansen and Pathogen is fought in the background while we normal ponies are left in the middle..." Frozen adds his extras to the coffee before sipping it slowly.

"We've thought about it before, but it was a short lived idea. We'd have to start over again from what we managed to build here. Friends, the editor we use. She took a little while getting used to it here. I, personally, wouldn't want to do it to her again and she is adamant she doesn't want to move. I can't tell you how much I've worried and stressed about when a day would be our last or... What day would be hers." Frozen takes a deep breath before sighing. "Writing and Aurora seem to be my only outlets these days."

"Silly mare was always quite stubborn... Guess you're lucky she is." Scorpia replied, turning his attention to Frozen.

"She'd have to be to put up with me..." Frozen retrieves the package of his work from the messenger bag. "Perhaps you'd want a gander at what you saved?"

"I'll give you that, but I was more referring to her stubbornness to stay in the empire all that time ago. Anyway, what's this tale tell?" Scorpia asked, accepting the draft.

"Mainly a mismatched band of utter misfits and outcasts recruited by a princess to accompany her court wizard on a mission to a far away land. It's a work in progress, but Aurora seems to quite like it and finds it highly amusing in many places." Frozen explains sipping more coffee.

After spending a few minutes to get through the first few chapters he closes it, sets it down, and looks to Frozen. "Misfits is an understatement. Haven't gotten through too much of it, but I'm not expecting most of them to survive. Seems fine so far."

"That's kinda the point of the story though it'll be interesting to see who does. It's strange... Aurora is normally the only pony besides our editor who sees my drafts. Though I have to say some of your choice wording confuses me, or perhaps it intrigues me for use of a better term." Frozen stares at Scorpia.

"Speaking of what exactly?" Scorpia asked, returning his gaze out the window.

"How you speak with confidence about things to do with Aurora. Despite me never mentioning her race or much else about her personality. 'You and Aurora already get that far here', implying you're not a local, but at the same time implying something many would call stupid." Frozen puts his draft away.

Scorpia's ears shoot up as he turns his attention back to Frozen. "I... Don't even know how to begin to explain any of that..."

"By the looks of it, you didn't even know you gave that much away. To be quite honest, I don't think you really need to explain anything. I doubt a normal pony would even give it much thought, but... As I'm sure my beloved would agree, writers tend to be an imaginative bunch." Frozen looks out the window as the rain slowly dies down.

"Best I can possibly say is..." He paused to think for a moment. "Multiverse Theory? I actually really have no idea."

"Hmm with as much intrigue as you have, maybe you'd be able to write your own story one day. I hope we're around long enough to read it if you do..." Frozen idly comments as he stares at the dying rain.

"Normally I'd question that kind of worry, but with Kansen around... It's an understandable worry. Besides, you're the authors. Not me."

"Perhaps... It was nice to sit and talk. The rain can be quite soothing, especially when snuggled up with somepony you care deeply for." Frozen finishes his coffee while staring out the window.

"A chat with the one pony so far that, at least here, doesn't seem to change from universe to universe. And while that seems like a nice thought, haven't you something to deliver first, Frozen?" Scorpia asks, motioning to the bag beside Frozen.

"There you are, what are you doing walking around?" Erlöser walks over to them and sighs at Scorpia.

Scorpia motions to Frozen before replying. "Having a chat with a friend?"

"What friend?" Erlöser asks. As Scorpia turns back to Frozen he finds the seat opposite him empty with only the coffee cup and a few bits left behind.

"Sometimes I hate that colt... Someone I know from the other universe... This version isn't very different... He thought I was a normal and didn't seem to pay much attention to this hole in my cloak and chest." Scorpia replied, pointing. "Speaking of, think we can head to Rarity's? I need a change."

Erlöser sighs deeply. "Yeah, let's go before you end up wandering off again."

"Did you really expect me to stay in a hospital bed?" Scorpia asked, getting up and opening the door for them to leave.

"It was mostly wishful thinking..." Erlöser sighs deeply as they exit the café.

Author's Note

A chapter much delayed but honestly forgot I had completed before my proofreader's laptop died on him. Which is detailed in a blog post he did on my profile, that said any further updates are on hold till he is able to properly help me again so I'd ask everyone who still reads this to bear with us. See you guys next time.