“I've learned that sometimes the solution to your problems can come from where you least expect it. It's a good idea to stop and listen to your friends' opinions and perspectives… Even when they don't always seem to make sense.” - Twilight Sparkle

"Why stop me, Zebra?" Taipan hissed as a badly-injured hateling flew away. "Food for week gone."

Fluttershy didn’t know what she’d be in for when she agreed to travelling with her new companions. At most, she thought there’d be a few pleasant conversations. This wasn’t pleasant at all.

“We cannot simply stop in the middle of the wasteland for a kill every time you see a bug,” retorted Zone. From what Fluttershy had gathered, Taipan’s species was known for hunting down hatelings and various other things, but it was mostly hatelings.

Taipan’s natural instinct to attack a hateling at first glance often drew comments from Zone, who would say that it was nearly barbaric, which would make the scorpony call Zone a hypocrite, as Zone also lived in similar condition

“There always needs to be a strategy,” said Zone. “You cannot simply attack at first glance. What makes you think you’ll get them every time?”

"Would have that time, but you saved food," Taipan growled as she slammed her tail on the ground, kicking up dust.

“Hmph… It is foolish,” replied Zone. “We zebra have a long history of hunting. There is also no sport in it, as it does not feel to be equal ground for both participants.”

“Did your tribe hunt animals, too?” asked Fluttershy as she walked.

“We have hunted animals, and we have hunted more than animals. The animals are for food, while the others are merely in defense.”

“But why would a zebra eat meat?” asked Fluttershy.

Zone gave an incredulous expression, surprised by such a question. “Look around you!” she exclaimed, her hoof outstretched, moving in a circular motion. “Do you not see that all plant life is gone? The land is barren, and we have nothing else!”

Fluttershy looked over to Taipan and asked, “Is this true? The entire land here is barren?”

"Kinda, might find weed or a dead tree," Taipan replied as she pointed to an example of a said tree about five hundred yards out from them.

“It is because of this that we hunt for meat,” added Zone. “Ponies would certainly understand in some sense, but ponies still have access to the occasional snack cake or canned food.”

Fluttershy rubbed the back of her neck, a little uncomfortable. “Zecora’s never told me about any of this.”

Zone raised a brow. “You do not come from this world, do you?”

“I am from Equestria,” answered Fluttershy.

“I believe you,” replied Zone. “It is just that I do not think you are from here here.”

“What do you mean?” asked Fluttershy.

“I think you are from an Equestria that is elsewhere,” answered Zone. “Such tales have been told by my tribe, of heroes who come from a realm that is elsewhere.”

"Big whoop. No one want to hear you chanting stories all night." Taipan complained the group resumed its journey.

Zone glared at Taipan with an annoyed expression. “Brutish and disrespectful. Not a good combination of traits.”

"No. Me just haven't eaten since we left,” replied Taipan. As if to provide proof, her stomach growled loudly enough to make Fluttershy flinch.

As they made their way into Manehattan, heading into the city limit, Zone replied, “Well, we’ll have to find something else then. If you wish to eat, I am certain that Tenpony Tower will have something. Just don’t attack anyone else.”

“Oh, I don’t think she’d do that,” said Fluttershy. “I’m sure this will all blow over, we’ll find my friends, and we’ll figure everything out.”

“You put a lot of faith in these friends of yours,” Zone remarked.

“We’ve been through everything together,” said Fluttershy.

Taipan looked at Fluttershy with a caring conveyance and asked, ”Your friends are your pack?"

Fluttershy nodded and said, “You could say that.”

Zone looked away, contemplation on her face. Fluttershy could see some hint of… sadness? Zone simply commented, “I see.”

“Do you think we’ll get to the tower soon?” she asked.

“Just a few hours,” said Zone. “It is a big city, and Tenpony Tower is near the center. We will get there before nightfall.”

Fluttershy was hopeful that she’d find her friends. She simply had the feeling they’d all be at Tenpony Tower. And if they weren’t she might still be able to find some other leads. After all, she had been through everything with the others, so she should be able to handle this situation as well.

Zone looked over to Taipan and asked, “Why do you want to start your own pack? It is a big decision, and certainly holds many responsibilities.”

"Because me want prove to self that I can do it. Spread my kind to new places," Taipan explained, jumping on a long-abandoned cart, her weight causing it to creak under the strain.

“Hm… You will need to be able to defend your pack,” replied Zone, a small smirk on her face. “You would need to be able to fight anything that comes to threaten you. Do you really think you have what it takes?”

"Only way to find out is to do."

. . . M e a n w h i l e . . .

Starlight and Trixie were horrified. Stable Eighty-Three was a place of torture, a place where unicorns were forced to live without their magic, and if they had ever resisted, they’d have their horns forcibly removed.

Starlight and Trixie had found the office of the “Overmare.” Inside, there was a skeleton laying back in the desk chair. On the desk was what looked like one of the weapons those stallions had been chasing Starlight and Trixie with earlier.

Starlight could only assume something had gone horribly wrong, and that the Overmare might have taken her own life. Even further evidence was provided on the terminal. The terminal, still on, displayed a message.

After sixteen years and twenty-nine days, it has become apparent that this stable can no longer function the way it was originally intended. I’ve been in charge for more than a decade and I can safely say that we’ve lost all control of the unicorns.

They have escaped the stable, and the residents, upon hearing this, have decided to leave, considering it is no longer safe. The stable door is now beyond repair, allowing everyone in and out as they please, due to a unicorn messing with the internal controls. We’ve even tried to destroy the controls outside the vault, but it was built just as sturdy as the doors.

As for the orchards on the bottom level, they have been completely destroyed by rebels, leaving us without a steady supply of food. Many of the residents are gone now, and I am the only one left. I will not be leaving. This is my last message. I am a failure, and I was only the first Overmare.

Starlight looked at the skeleton. Seeing the horn on it, she couldn’t help but feel there was a bit of irony. In fact, it reminded Starlight of her village, and she shivered at that thought, comparing herself to the Overmare.

Trixie, looking through the Overmare’s file cabinet, pulled out a folder, saying, “I found something.”

Starlight looked up at Trixie, sighing, a little saddened. “What’s up?” Starlight asked.

“Turns out your magic isn’t gone forever,” said Trixie. “It just takes months to return, up to a year or even more. They did bi-monthly checkups on the unicorns, and would use some suppression device whenever a unicorn’s magic returned.”

“A year?!” Starlight exclaimed. “I can’t be without magic for a year!”

“At least it’s not forever, right?” reasoned Trixie.

“No, Trixie!” said Starlight. “We need to find Twilight and the others and fix this!”

“Well, there isn’t really a way out of here other than from where we came in,” Trixie pointed out.

Starlight didn’t feel like going back out there, but considering that point, it was difficult to ignore. How long had they been down here? To her, it felt like several hours. Would those ponies be gone if they went back? She doubted that anypony would just wait around in the same place looking for two random mares.

With this in mind, Starlight sighed and said, “Fine, but if they’re still out there, I’m blaming you.”

“I’m fine with that,” replied Trixie.

Starlight looked at the skeleton one final time before heading out, unable to keep from comparing herself to this Overmare.

. . . M e a n w h i l e . . .

Ember stood in front of the entrance to a massive cave. This “Watcher” had given her directions to Dragon Mountain, where she was to supposedly meet him. Surrounding her, there was nothing but the wide open skies and the rocky mountain surface she stood on.

“Hello?” she called out, her voice echoing from the cave. “Uh, I’m here.”

There was no response, and Ember was beginning to wonder if she had been led astray. Suddenly, she heard thudding, rhythmic and loud. What came out of the darkness was a gargantuan beast of a dragon.

He looked down at her, exuding a serious aura, with his expression looking very stern and no-nonsensical. His scales, from what she could see as the light hit them, were a very familiar shade of purple, with a very familiar light-green underbelly. On his back, he adorned green spines.

Looking at her with one green eye, the right one having been utterly destroyed, he asked in a booming voice, “You mind telling me why there are literal corpses from my past walking around Manehattan?”

“Uh, I… don’t know what you’re talking about…?” replied Ember, looking up at him with the most puzzled of looks. “You’re… very familiar,” she said. “You wouldn’t happen to be related to a certain… baby dragon I know, would you?”

Watcher released a puff of smoke from his nostrils. He turned around, walking inside. “Come on. I need to show you something.”

Ember, walking after him, was surprised at how big this cave was, as it was much larger than she thought it’d be. Near the back, there were a variety of strange machines, with screens showing different locations in the wasteland.

On each screen were some of her friends, and Watcher, motioning to the set of screens with his claws, said, “You know, when I woke up today, I didn’t think I’d be seeing ghosts.”

Ember tried to put two and two together, from what he was saying to what was on the screen, along with his own colors. “Spike? Is that you…?”

“Who are you?” he asked. “And what in the Wasteland is going on?”

Ember wasn’t sure how to reply. This was possibly a future spike, but… that would mean that they actually did travel through time. Ponies, she thought. I blame the ponies. “I don’t know what’s going on,” she said. “All I know was that I had a meeting at Princess Twilight’s castle, went into the badlands, then got sucked in through a portal. Frankly, I blame pony magic.”

Watcher’s left eye twitched as he tried to collect his thoughts. “Princess Twilight? Castle? Portal?”

“Yeah, yeah, and yeah, in any order you’d like,” answered Ember.

Watcher slumped a bit, unleashing a large cloud a smoke from his mouth as he sighed. “Never thought I’d see this happening. It’s like a big slap in the face. I don’t know if I’m dreaming or if I’m being tricked, and if it’s either of the two, it’s sickening, haunting me and torturing me with what used to be.”

Ember walked up to the screens, then said, “I… don’t think you’re dreaming.”

Watcher, or… Spike, looked at her, saying, “Then what’s going on? I need to know, now.”

Ember replied with an unsure expression, “It’s a long story. Do you really wanna know?”

The older Spike nodded slowly, expectant to hear everything.

. . . M e a n w h i l e . . .

Zone was in her fighting stance, standing a few feet away from Taipan. Zone was prepared to show off her skills and to put this scorpion in its place. Fluttershy, sitting on a rotting bench, wasn’t sure how to calm the situation. They had just arrived at Tenpony Tower, but Zone and Taipan wanted to settle a score before attempting to go inside.

“So, Miss Taipan. You wish to show me what you can really do?” asked Zone, looking serious.

Taipan’s pincers glowed as she channeled her magic. "Sick of you talking down to me," she growled, preparing to strike.

“Do you expect respect when you haven’t earned it from me?” Zone smugly asked. “We are from two different cultures. In my tribe, I was forced to earn respect, and even then, I did not always get it. Come at me, bug.”

That did it. Taipan unleashed the furious barrage of magical stingers from before. Without thinking, Zone quickly dodged to the side and closed in quickly, jumping and getting ready to slam the entire weight of her tail down onto the scorpony.

Taipan instinctively moved out of the way, firing more of her stingers. Zone jumped back up, her tail taking at least one of two of the stingers. Zone, wasting no time, ran around Taipan, trying to confuse her with false movements. When it looked like she was turning one way, she’d actually go in the opposite direction, attempting to throw off Taipan’s aim.

Taipan, studying the movements, fired her pins, directly hitting Zone in the side. Zone’s own body slowed down, but she didn’t stop, her own willpower keeping her going. If she was going to go down, she at least wanted to take her opponent down to the same level.

Zone rushed forward, taking on the full force of Taipan’s pin-missiles, the stingers embedded deep in Zone’s own body. As she got in close, she turned, slamming her tail against Taipan before they both dropped, with Zone slumping down in her spot, and with Taipan skidding across the road.

Fluttershy, hooves to her mouth, gasped. Suddenly, she heard a crunching noise next to her. Confused, she turned, seeing an earth pony with a long, black mane and red eyes, holding a large red and white bucket of popcorn.

“You really know how to pick your friends, Fluttershy,” he said.

Fluttershy was puzzled. “Um, Who might you be?”

“Really? You don’t recognize me?” he asked. “I’m quite frankly offended. I thought we were friends!”

“Oh, I’m sorry!” replied Fluttershy. “I… really don’t know who you are!”

“I guess that’s understandable,” he replied. “I mean, if Rainbow Dash suddenly decided to get rid of that gaudy mane of hers and go with a normal fashion, I suppose no one would recognize her either.”

“So, who are you?” asked Fluttershy.

“Why, it’s me! Discord!” he replied.

“Oohhh,” she replied, nodding her head in understanding. “Um… I’m sorry, but I need to go see if they’re okay. Could you help?”

“I’m sorry, but I can no longer do that. Plot armor and all,” he replied.

Fluttershy tilted her head. “What?”

“It’s nothing,” said Discord. “I can only say that I’ve been temporarily nerfed like a videogame character would be a week after being released.”

Fluttershy didn’t know why Discord was in such a predicament, but at the moment, Zone was… getting back up??? Zone stumbled over to Taipan, looking down at her with what looked to be respect as she held out her hoof.

“You’re very formidable,” said Zone. “I would help you up with both my hooves, but one seems to be unresponsive.”

Taipan takes the hoof and with a smile says. "Underestimating foe will be your biggest fail."

“Perhaps,” replied Zone. “I will be warrier in the future.”

Fluttershy walked up to the two and asked, “Shall we head into the tower?”

“I am ready,” Zone answered.

"How you not dead" Taipan asked Zone as she followed lamely.

Zone looked back at Taipan. “Hm… Perhaps it is because I have such strange genes. This is not the first time I have grown resistant to a poison.”

“Oh, my,” uttered Fluttershy.

“Can we get going?” Discord commented. “I don’t have all millennia. I’d rather we get to a place where I can safely explain the horrific sidequest we have to do.”

As they made their way to the tower, there was already a white mare with a blonde mane waiting by the door. She took one look at Zone and said, “You, stripe, get going. I don’t want to do paperwork if they decide to disintegrate you.”

Zone looked over to Taipan and said, “You want me to leave, but the scorpion stays?”

The mare looked over to the scorpony and said, “We have an antidote for poison, but not for racism from Enclave troops.”

"What racism?" Taipan curiously thought out loud.

The mare replied, “I can understand you’re primitive, but do you ever pass down stories vocally? There has been racism going on between ponies and zebras for over two hundred years.”

“Oh, that’s no good,” said Fluttershy.

The mare took one look at Fluttershy, blinking multiple times in what seemed to confusion. She looked down at the wine bottle in her hoof and cautiously sniffed at the lid. “This must either be a bad batch, or I’m having one of those days.”

“What days?” asked Fluttershy.

The mare shook her head and sighed, saying, “I am Professor Study Guide. I assume you’re here to ‘find your friends’, if I’m not mistaken.”

“Oh! You’ve seen them?!” she asked with hope in her voice. Study Guide’s upper lip partially raised in disgust and annoyance.

“Yes,” Study answered. “The zebra must stay outside, though.”

"Oh, me remember you. You brought food to us for something," Taipan mused. "Me was little when it happened, so me not remember much."

Study Guide squinted her eyes at the creature, then asked, “Aren’t you the brat that kept getting into the food storage?”

Taipan nodded excitedly. "Me was very full after that."

Study Guide looked down at her bottle. “Alright, Study. Just gotta make it through today…” she said to herself.

“Is something wrong?” asked Fluttershy.

“It’s nothing,” Study replied. “Follow me.”

As the group followed, she looked back at Zone, then asked, “What did I say?”

Zone grumbled to herself, staying outside by the door.

Study Guide proceeded to lead the group into the elevator, saying, “Be aware, we’ve been experiencing breakouts of monsters in the building. Don’t go to the fifth floor.

“Doing a little mad science, doc?” asked Discord, looking smug.

“Enclave loves their pets,” Study answered.

While the elevator rose, Fluttershy could hear a very familiar tune playing from the elevator. Even without the lyrics, she could recognize it as the song Pinkie sang for Dash at her birthday party. She swayed her head to the song, smiling and imagining a happier place.

The elevator suddenly jerked to a halt, the lights dimming, screams emanating from above, making Study Guide sigh. “Damn it… I thought I could avoid paperwork today, but apparently fate wants to screw me over.”

Blood dripped into the elevator from the top of the door, Fluttershy’s eyes widening as she watched it slowly ooze down. She stepped back, pressing against the back wall. “I-Is that, is that, is that…?!”

“Really?” asked Study. “You commit to the part well…”

Discord covered Fluttershy’s eyes with his hoof, pressing the third floor button. With a grinding screech, the elevator proceeded onward. Study Guide pulled a device from her pocket and asked into it, “Can anyone tell me how a stalker managed to get to the second floor? If the entire third floor was massacred on the way down, I refuse to do any more paperwork.”

The door opened up, revealing that the ponies in the third floor waiting room were completely unharmed. Study Guide raised a brow, then said, “It must’ve gone through the vents and went past this floor entirely. But, after thinking about it, it makes sense. Stalkers won’t take on an entire crowd of ponies. It normally hunts for duos or singles.”

Fluttershy trembled as she walked out of the elevator, her face pale.

Taipan hugged Fluttershy. "It’s okay, cloudwalker. They were probably only injured… probably."

Fluttershy wasn’t sure if that made her feel better or worse.

Discord then said to Taipan, “Well, you gave a shot. I give it an eight out of ten.”

Study Guide guided them into a narrow hallway with doors on either side, saying, “If you need anything, I will not be available. If you are dying, I will not be held responsible. Upon entering your room, you hereby agree that should anything happen to you, it is not on me.”

Opening one of the doors, she stepped aside. “After you, Ministry Mare.”

Fluttershy didn’t quite understand what a ministry mare was, or if it was a compliment or an insult. She went into the room, her eyes catching Twilight and Rainbow Dash in her vision. A smile spread across her face and she hugged both of them at once. “Oh, my gosh! You have no idea what I’ve been through earlier!”

Twilight and Dash looked at each other with a look of unease. Twilight responded, “I’m pretty sure we do.”

“This place is crazy!” exclaimed Dash. “I can’t turn around a corner without running into some monster!”

“Oh, my,” said Fluttershy.

Study Guide took a deep breath, then sighed, saying, “I think I’m going to have to ask you three to stay in this tower until further notice. I’m usually a skeptic, but…”

She looked at Rainbow Dash, saying, “It’s hard to find mirror-perfect copycats in the wasteland.”

A red-maned mare behind Rainbow Dash spoke up, saying, “Hold on, you’re not gonna…?”

“I can,” Study Guide replied. “I might.”

"I'm gonna find some food." Taipan said to no one in particular before attempting to wander off”

“Hold up,” said Study Guide, stepping in front of her.. “Let me fill you in on your situation here. There’s a scheduled time for rations. You can’t just go looking for food in the tower, and, considering your species’ habit of hunting, I can’t just let you wander.

Taipan snorted. "Bah, your rules too much of pain in flank. Hungry now,” she said, then continued on her way sniffing the air as she moved.

Study Guide stepped in front of her yet again. “Then go outside and hunt with your zebra friend.”

"Must you be annoying?" Taipan asked. She walked into the room, then looked at Zone down below from the window before leaving the room once again. "Fine, but be back soon."

Twilight then asked Study Guide, “What is she, exactly?”

“That, Miss Copycat, is a scorpony. They’re normally found in remote areas of the wasteland, but it’s not uncommon to see them settle in places near Manehattan.”

“You treat her as if she’s a subject of study,” Twilight objected.

She received a glare from Study Guide, who replied, “I’m sorry, are you the researcher here? Have you been through what I have? You may be a citizen of the wasteland, but I’ve been assigned to go directly into the heart of the most dangerous areas. I’m pretty sure I can classify a scorpony as a subject of study, because at some point in my life, they were.”

Twilight seemed to be caught off guard by the rant. She timidly replied, “Well, could you at least try to be friendly towards them?”

Study Guide rubbed her chin, saying to herself, “Hmm… be friendly to a creature whose sole purpose is to kill and devour?”

Twilight was, to say the least, a bit surprised. “Kill and devour?”

Study Guide nodded, saying, “Yes, and if they sting you before you can escape, you have a slight chance of dying. Ponies are naturally resistant, but there are some whose bodies cannot handle the toxin.”

Dash rolled her eyes. “Just because she can hurt a pony doesn’t mean she will.”

“That may be so,” said Study Guide, “but the very fact that they were raised to hunt would normally put any wastelander in a cautionary state. I don’t take the risks.”

Finally, it was Fluttershy who chimed in, “But I’ve met the scorpony tribe outside of Manehattan. They were fairly reasonable.”

Study Guide rubbed her forehead, trying to get rid of her headache. “I wouldn’t call them fair. Nothing is fair when it comes to death and destruction. They are, in their entirety, hunters, and they will not give you the chance to escape should they decide that you look like brahmin steak.”

“I really think you’re assuming too much,” said Spike. “I mean, I’m a dragon, and I’m not going around eating anypony.”

Study Guide looked down at him and said, “You’re a baby dragon. Besides, they’re not capable of caring for anyone else unless they can get something out of it. It’s literally how their tribes work.”

. . . M e a n w h i l e . . .

Zone peered at the hateling from afar. She wanted to approach with some caution, perhaps a bit of a struggle, but with an eventual takedown. Thinking to herself, she planned out her attack, guesstimating whether or not she should go with her zebra arts or just use her tail.

Then again, her tail wasn’t doing so well after her fight with Taipan. She could attempt to approach from behind, then silently take down the foe. She nodded to herself, now certain of what her plan would be.

As she was about to approach, Taipan simply rushed as fast as she could, stingers already being fired from her tail. The hateling hissed, not expecting a surprise attack. He quickly flew up, narrowly dodging. Taipan quickly aimed up, and just as she was about to fire, Zone quickly knocked her aside with a few hits from the side. The stingers fired, missing the hateling, who stuck their tongue out before flying away.

Zone growled, “Why do you do this?! Do you not realize I had a plan of attack?! Or are you so hungry that your stomach thinks instead of your brain?!”

"This second time you stop attack, and you ruin hunt." Taipan growled " I had that! Then you hit me!"

“Oh, so you think you can do better?!” Zone shouted. “There is more to hunting than just rushing! It takes skill! It takes technique! It takes strategy! I’ve had enough of this! I’m going to hunt on my own!”

"Fine, me get more food than you." Taipan shouted back before going after the hateling that was more than likely nearby feeding on the sudden flow of hate.

Zone furiously turned away, her back to Taipan as she walked off, wandering down the streets. Anger ran through her system, the zebra-dragon hybrid having been fed up with her scorpion acquaintance.

It was only after she had gone three roads away did she calm down, her mind a little more focused this time. She took a deep breath, then exhaled, smoke coming from her mouth. She looked around herself, trying to determine where some lesser creature would hide.

It was then that she heard a familiar humming, a tune that made her fur stand up. Turning around, she saw him. It was another zebra, one with their hair in braids, a scar across their neck and eyes that radiated a blue that would remind one of the ocean.

On his flank, there was a zebra glyph, a special character that most zebras would paint to signify their names or what they stood for. This zebra name, however, was the symbol of death in her culture. He took one look at Zone and said, “It’s odd to see you out here. Did you decide to live among the trash where you belong?”

Zone’s tail slammed against the ground in warning, the zebragon not liking his presence. “Zion,” she replied. “Why, out of all zebras, did I run into you today? It could not be a mere coincidence.”

“You’re right,” he replied, walking forward. “Father was very explicit in his instructions. You may not recognize his authority, but that’s only natural. You were never one of us in the first place. You should’ve been put down the moment you were born.”

“Tell him I want nothing to do with you! You are not my tribe any longer!” she replied, teeth bared, smoke pluming outwards from her nostrils.

“Sorry,” Zion replied. “Even if you’ve left, I can’t let you live any longer.”

Before Zone could recognize his style of walking, it was already too late. He suddenly sprinted, closing in and slamming a hoof into her chest, knocking her back. She quickly recovered, stumbling a little as she stepped back, standing up on her hind hooves in a fighting stance.

“Don’t resist!” he shouted, sending a hit that was quickly blocked by one of her front hooves. She turned, slamming her tail into him, sending him skidding. She felt confidence from that, but it soon turned into hopelessness as he sprinted back at her, a quick jab to her stomach knocking the wind out of her. She attempted to slam her tail into him, but he quickly jumped back, avoiding the swing, then simply continued to pummel into her.

Zone was facing a foe above her league at this point, her injuries from fighting Taipan only making things worse. He had a stone-cold expression as he jabbed at her chest and stomach with quick precision, not giving her any chance to recover. He then finished with a kick that sent her flying into the wall of the building behind her.

Zone was disoriented, unable to properly get up. Every time she tried, the pain only worsened, making her collapse. Zion slowly approached her, looking down on her with an expression of disgust.

“Filthy hybrid,” he said. “Should’ve died in the womb.”

Zone looked up at him, her vision blurring. “At least I didn’t kill my own mate like you did.”

Zion’s eyes were suddenly alight with an anger within. He raised his front half, then slammed his hooves down on her side, making her groan with pain. “You want to know where yours is?”

Zone didn’t answer, her body still aching.

“Let’s just say he decided to try and play hero last week,” continued Zion. “The game didn’t end well.”

Zone felt anger brewing in the pit of her soul, but her body just wouldn’t respond to it. She merely slammed her tail against the ground in futility.

“But don’t worry,” assured Zion. “You’ll see him very soon.”

Zone’s eyes fixated on him as he raised his front half once again, this time ready to slam them down on her head. She silently cursed him in her mind, hoping that he would suffer for the rest of his days.

Then, the zebra stallion stopped, frozen in place as he felt a pain in his back. He forced his head to slowly turn, with pain shooting up his neck. Confused, Zone attempted to move her head a bit to get a better look. It was Taipan, already running at Zion with her tail raised in offense.

"Stay away from pack member!" Taipan screamed as she slammed into Zion's side, throwing him to the ground and pointing her stinger at him.

Zion scrambled to get back up, fighting against the pain. He stared at Taipan with anger as he took several steps back. “How fitting,” he murmured. “Only a freak would help a freak.”

Snorting, Taipan started to channel her magic, the end of her tail lighting up in preparation to fire. "Run." she ordered.

Zion looked at Zone one last time, an expression of pure hatred on his face before he turned around, running with somewhat of a limp, eventually leaving their sight.

Taipan then helped Zone up to her hooves, simply saying, “Alpha protects her pack."

Zone chuckled weakly, unable to keep in any amusement at the irony of her situation. “F-Fine… I will admit, some strategies have their place.”

. . . S t u d y G u i d e . . .

“This is Study Guide’s second report on the topic of scorponies. Anyone who attempts to distribute this information for monetary gain will be arrested, as it is to be public knowledge. Please be aware that this information can and will be updated in the following months as more reports come in from other researchers.

“Scorponies, although normally barbaric, have evolved to ambush, as food may have been scarce during the initial radiation spread. Of course, we have no evidence whether or not these scorponies were around shortly after the bombings or if they emerged more recently. All we do know is that most traits and behaviors are learned from generations of usage.

“Surprisingly enough, scorpony tactics are similar to that of small militia groups, which has been stated in our previous report. It is still unknown whether or not it is a learned trait or if it’s an inherent instinct. Compared to the Enclave military, these scorponies would be equivalent to a capture squad, utilizing nearly the exact same tactics.

“Against a single scorpony, the tactics are simple, but as the pack grows, the tactics become more complex and organized, each scorpony having a place in the ambush. For a single scorpony to attack on their own, it would be suicide. This is why they tend to travel in packs.

“It is unknown what would happen if a scorpony doesn’t find a pack. It is also unknown how a single scorpony would adapt, or if they would even refine their tactics if there are no other fellow pack members around. We are assuming at this point that scorponies could never survive on their own, hence the large tribes.

“Scorponies are also known to never associate with another species, let alone allow them into the pack. Most scorponies tend to stick with their own kind. I have yet to see a single scorpony work together with another species.

“This has been my second report. Study Guide, signing off.”

. . . S t u d y E n d . . .

Hindsight was wary of the new armor. Implementing balefire into a Steel Ranger/Enclave mishmash seemed very unorthodox, but it was very effective at getting ponies to do what he wanted. He looked at it through a plexiglass window, watching rifles fire magical beams into it.

He grew more and more fascinated as the green flames of balefire would emerge from within the suit itself to dissipate the beams. Any bullets from the most common wastelander weapons were simply disintegrated before they could even reach the suit.

“How is it that you’re unfamiliar with magic, yet are able to craft such a masterpiece?” asked Hindsight to Scalpel, who stood next to him.

Scalpel, also seeming intrigued, replied, “I’ve always been a fast learner. When I was only six, I constructed a nuclear fusion reactor for the school science fair. At ten, I was already building advanced A.I. capable of predicting even the smallest of movements. At fourteen, I graduated from a university for the intellectually-gifted and joined up with the enemy, simply to learn more.”

“You betrayed your own people, just for knowledge?” asked Hindsight.

“What are morals but an opinion?” asked Scalpel. “Besides, they never found out, and they don’t need to.”

“Morals keep us from corruption,” Hindsight countered.

“Let’s say your entire species went extinct,” said Scalpel. “And let’s say another species arose in your place. Your morals no longer exist. There would be a new set of rules.”

“Well, the world I’ll end up making is one where everything is corrected,” said Hindsight. “I’ll be justified in it, as I am being guided by a powerful deity.”

“This deity of yours seems to be a byproduct from your lack of a father,” analyzed Scalpel.

Hindsight was a bit offended. “You’re stepping out of line,” he warned. “Don’t bring my father into this.”

“I merely make observations,” defended Scalpel. “I have no offense towards you. In fact, my own father has been absent most of my life.”

Hindsight turned to face the plexiglass, focusing more on the armor. “I truly do believe in Lord Bale. If he were just a voice, I would not have come so far.”

“It could just be your inner thoughts making themselves more present,” suggested Scalpel.

“It doesn’t explain how Lord Bale knew when to use the transporter,” Hindsight reasoned. “There are times where it works and times where it won’t.”

“We’re always smarter than we think we are,” said Scalpel. “You give a false deity more credit than you give yourself.”

Hindsight stayed quiet, no longer wishing to argue with someone who couldn’t understand. He was able to get this far through the voice of Lord Bale. Lord Bale knew things that Hindsight didn’t, and so he was certain that his deity was indeed real.

“I may stick around,” said Scalpel. “There’s a lot of potential technology here I can take back with me. If you want better tech than what your pitiful Enclave can produce, you’ll listen to my advice, and you’ll give me a high position.”

“If you can get that factory running, then yes, I’ll give you what you need,” agreed Hindsight.

. . . M e a n w h i l e . . .

Watcher leaned back against the cave wall, his claws tapping on the ground as he sighed. Ember stood in front of him, her arms folded, having just told him everything. It was difficult to explain everything to him, but he was able to understand it rather well.

“I fear there may have been a botched spell involved,” Watcher theorized. “I’ve never heard of a Dragon Lord, and I’ve certainly never heard of Twilight being a princess.”

“Is this news heavy for you?” she asked.

Watcher nodded. “I think I can understand what’s going on, but…”

He pressed a claw against the screen showing Twilight, his eyes showing sadness. Ember wasn’t used to emotion as much as Spike was, but during her time with him, she was able to learn how to be a little considerate, if at all.

“What happened to you…?” she asked.

“I stayed isolated,” he said. “I was going through some changes, and… I was sleeping when my whole world was taken from me. I was torn to pieces inside. Twilight was gone, and I was left guarding a powerful secret.”

“A secret?” asked Ember.

“It’s a long story,” he said. “One I don’t want to talk about. I just want to see Twilight again. If this is truly her, then… I can…”

Ember watched Spike’s remaining eye. Tears gathered, pooling enough to drip down his face. She walked up to him, asking, “You can… what?”

Spike clenched his fist, the mighty dragon letting out a roar, not of anger, but of sorrow. Although most ponies wouldn’t understand the meaning of it, Ember could decipher it easily. She flew up to him, placing a clawed hand on the side of his face.

Spike’s remaining eye looked at her, and she couldn’t help but feel pity. This was a dragon without parents, whose only real mother was a pony that had been ripped away from him, the poor beast having been orphaned twice. The pain must have been unbearable, she reasoned.

Upon beginning to choke up, Ember stowed away her feelings and said, “I just need you to take me to her. You know where she is now, and now we can fix all this.”

Spike felt a renewal within, the dragon rising up. “Tenpony Tower,” he said. “We go now.”

Ember smirked. “Then let’s head out.”

. . . M e a n w h i l e . . .

Celestia sat outside on the top of the tower, the Enclave ponies behind her. Although she wanted to be alone, the ponies insisted on guarding the roof, as it was their job. Looking out over the wasteland, Celestia kept feeling this responsibility, one that she shouldn’t be feeling but did anyway.

It was all so familiar, and she came to a conclusion as to why. Based on her own adventure before becoming a proper princess, she could only reason that her emotions were mixing with her alternate self.

Whenever a pony from one universe stayed in another for a long period of time, both universes gained a gravitational pull, the two large bubbles of reality inching closer towards each other until they both merged into one.

But because there was much more than just one pony, Celestia could only guess as to what carnage would be wrought with these pulls. If they didn’t get back in time, there would be drastic consequences.

This wasn’t going to be a cakewalk. She’d need to wait until the rest of Twilight’s friends arrived. Only then could she explain the situation to them all. They’d need a way back home or risk losing it.

“I see you’ve come to the same conclusion,” said a familiar voice from behind.

Celestia turned her head, a small smile on her face. “Discord. I knew you’d be here, but in such a form?”

“Oh, this?” he asked, looking down at himself. “I’m merely trying it out for a while,” he bluffed.

Celestia could see right through him, as she had known him for far too long for his lies to work on her. She simply giggled and patted the spot next to her. “Come. Tell what you know of this place.”

Discord walked forward, sitting down next to her. “Oh, the tragedy. I could see all the events!” he emotionally feigned, a hoof to his forehead. “Such horrid visions!”

“Cut to the point, Discord,” urged Celestia, losing a bit of her patience.

“Can I just have this?” he asked. “I’ve lost my body already. At least let me be a little silly.”

“This isn’t the time,” said Celestia.

“Oh, it’s always the time,” he said, holding up his hoof, a watch with his old body pointing to the numbers. “It appears I have lost my major powers, but when it comes to comedic effect, it seems that’s still a thing. As long as it’s funny, I suppose…”

Celestia wondered who this would be funny to other than Discord. She shook her head and asked, “What happened here?”

“Ponies and zebras had a quarrel,” explained Discord. “Powerful spells were made, with both sides flinging everything at each other. Laws of magic were broken with such ease, and morals were smudged. War… never changes.”

“A simple war caused this destruction?” asked Celestia. “With what magic?”

“They call them megaspells,” replied Discord. “Capable of increasing a spell’s power beyond its original potential. I haven’t told Fluttershy what part she played, but I can tell you that you played an equal part in it as well.”

“I caused all this?” asked Celestia in shock.

“Yes and no,” said Discord. “You couldn’t handle the stresses of war, and so you passed the responsibilities down to your own dear sister. How’s that for family bonding?~”

“I would never!” cried out Celestia. “This other me might have, but the real me? I couldn’t!”

“Probably not,” said Discord. “I’m just telling you what happened here.”

Celestia then asked, “Do you know a way back?”

“In this world? Not yet,” he replied.

“Yet?” asked Celestia.

“Allow me to break it down for you,” said Discord. “Right now, the two realms are already colliding, having already introduced changelings to this realm.”

“Changelings didn’t exist here before?” asked Celestia.

“No,” said Discord. “And apparently, nothing major that had happened after my return has either.”

“No Crystal Empire, no Sombra’s return?” asked Celestia. “No Tirek, No Storm King?”

“None of those events after my return happened,” said Discord. “But they soon will. In the order that things have happened back home, they will be mixed here, changing the timeline here drastically.”

“This isn’t going to end well,” said Celestia. “We need a way back.”

Author's Note

And now, question time! Do you have anything to ask Study Guide about the wasteland? Put your questions in the comments below and she'll answer!~