“It's true some days are dark and lonely, and maybe you feel sad, but Pinkie will be there to show you that it isn't that bad.” - Pinkie Pie

Lucky Break, having only been on the road for half an hour, was already regretting it. Pinkie Pie was nearly impossible to keep up with. She’d get into every little nook and cranny of every single building.

It was like foalsitting, but instead of it being a foal, it was a grown mare hopped up on what Lucky Break could only assume was a mixture of caffeine, sugar, dash, and quite possibly the essence of hyperactivity itself.

“Lucky! I found another one!” Pinkie shouted from a nearby building. How did she keep getting ahead of Lucky?

“Pinkie, get back here!” Lucky called out, seeing the pink mare walking back out of the building and going into another one.

Lucky, although she was usually the hyperactive one in a group, was never like this. This was randomness. This was chaos. At least Lucky had a plan. Pinkie didn’t seem too focused on it, though. As Lucky Break broke into a sprint, she thought about how easy it would have been to have just given Pinkie a map and a general direction and just let her go solo.

However, if Lucky did that, she herself would still be back at her casino, at risk of being visited by Wreckage once again. She needed to lay low for a bit, as Wreckage’s gang was one that was ruthless. No doubt, the psychotic mare would’ve sent some ponies after her.

Lucky just couldn’t count on her luck forever.

Finally catching up with the mare in a broken-down grocery store, she panted as she stepped through a glass door that had been shattered. “You are gonna be the death of me, you know that?” she asked.

Pinkie was rummaging through the drawers behind the cashier counter, tossing a few things while inspecting a few select objects. “If I’m in the future, there must be some kind of magical gadgetry doohickeys!”

“Ponk, it don’t work like that,” replied Lucky. “Nothing’s advanced since the megaspells. I told you earlier.”

“Aww, so no robots? No laser beams?” complained Pinke, resting her chin on the counter, lower lip quivering.

“Well, we do got robots and laser beams, but those were here before the megaspells,” explained Lucky.

“Well, where are they?” asked Pinkie, climbing up onto the counter itself before hopping off and landing next to Lucky. “I haven’t seen a single one here.”

“They’re pretty scarce,” answered Lucky. “Most machines are either restricted to buildings and factories while lasers… well, we call those magical beam rifles, but you know what they say. They say potato, I say I don’t give a fuck.”

Walking back out into the street, Lucky could hear Pinkie humming to herself. Why the pink pony was always so cheerful, especially in a depressing place like this, Lucky would probably never know. She wasn’t sure how Pinkie’s mind worked, and she wasn’t even certain if she wanted to know. All she could do was roll with it and pretend this was Pinkie’s version of normal.

“Soooo, how’d the world get like this exactly?” asked Pinkie. “Someone must’ve thrown a really big party.”

“Yeah, yeah,” said Lucky. “A big party… with loads of fireworks.”

“Sounds fun!” replied Pinkie.

Lucky smiled sadly and muttered, “Not as fun as you’d think, Ponk.”

Lucky Break had tried to explain the megaspells to Pinkie multiple times, but it didn’t seem to leave an imprint on Pinkie’s brain. In fact, her attention span seemed to shift constantly from one topic to another. The very idea of being able to block out all the depressing shit was unheard of.

Pinkie, skipping merrily, reminded Lucky of her mother’s stories. Her mother would tell her all about what Equestria was like way back then as told to her by her own mother. It was a time when ponies were carefree and didn’t have to worry about the bigger things.

Pinkie Pie, known for her party-planning business in her early days, was one of the few ponies who could bring a smile to literally everyone’s face, or so Lucky was told. Thinking back to what her mother had said, she did have some doubts about her own ancestry, but she did indeed have what was known as the Sense, a special trait very few possessed, mostly seen within the Pie family.

Her grandmother also had the Sense, but it wasn’t luck or disasters. Her grandmother’s sense was able to let her tell when someone was lying. Lucky didn’t dare lie to her, because whenever she did, her grandmother would immediately know, then Lucky would get scolded.

Lucky was so deep in thought, she didn’t realize that she and Pinkie were nearing a group of travelers. Lucky wasn’t sure if they were friendly, so she attempted to keep her distance as they passed by each other. Pinkie, however, had other plans.

Pinkie, seeing an old wagon of junk being hauled by one of them, immediately asked, “Are you merchants?!”

Lucky took deep breathes, kicking herself for not expecting it. “They probably are, Ponk, but we’re not here to buy. Let’s keep moving.”

One of the stallions looked at Lucky and said, “Now, hold on a minute. It would appear that the fine mare has an eye for merchandise.~”

“No,” said Lucky. “She doesn’t. She’s not from around here.”

Pinkie, her front half-buried in the junk-filled wagon, giggled before pulling out what looked to be a very old saxophone. “Oh my gosh! I’ve been looking for one of these!”

Lucky, confused, asked, “Why?”

“We’re gonna need it later!” said Pinkie. “It’s really important!”

“The saxophone is important?” repeated Lucky. “Hogwash.”

“Two hundred caps,” said the merchant.

“Does she look like she’s got the currency?” asked Lucky. “C’mon, Ponk.”

Pinkie turned to Lucky and whined, “Pleeeeaaase? We really need this if we wanna help my friends!”

Lucky had a look of both confusion and disgust mixed into one. Confusion from the mare’s strange insistence, and disgust at the very fact that Pinkie was using the same face that Lucky would give to her mother when asking for something.

“Didn’t ya hear her?” said the merchant. “It’s really important,” he mocked.

Lucky groaned as she looked through her saddlebag. “Ponk, if we’re gonna get this, we’re using your bottle cap collection. I would’ve given it to Wreckage, but you fired her out of a fucking cannon. I doubt she’ll want them now.”

“Okay!” agreed Pinkie.

Lucky hoofed over the box to the merchant and he shook it a bit, the sound of metal caps hitting each other. With a false grin, he tipped his hat and went on his way. Pinkie was overjoyed, prancing around with the saxophone in her hooves.

“I wouldn’t play that yet if I were you, Ponk. It’s most likely used,” warned Lucky. “Wait until we get to Tenpony.”

As they continued along their way, Pinkie asked, “Why are we going there?”

Lucky replied, “Well, I’d rather not be in the casino when Wreckage comes looking for me, and Tenpony’s got some tight security these days since the Enclave made it into a shelter.”

“Maybe they know where my friends are!” exclaimed Pinkie.

Lucky ignored the claim. She wasn’t very sure of that statement. The chances of Pinkie’s friends being there would have been low if what Pinkie said was true. That portal whosimawhatsit apparently separated them. But, then again… Lucky was with Pinkie, so luck would probably be on their side.

“Maybe,” said Lucky. “We’ll have to see eventually.”

As they kept walking, Lucky couldn’t help but feel an itch on her back. She ducked, a bullet whizzing overhead and shattering a window. “Just my luck,” she muttered. She looked at where the bullet had come from, seeing a raider.

Pinkie, to Lucky’s surprise, walked over with a smile and introduced herself, saying, “Hi! I’m Pinkie Pie! What’s your na--?!”

Lucky pulled Pinkie back, the pink mare just barely avoiding getting shot at. “What are you doing?!” Lucky scolded.

“Just greeting another pony!” exclaimed Pinkie with a grin. Her fur suddenly stood straight up, the pink pony ducking, a bullet whizzing overhead.

Lucky, her back itching, moved Pinkie a little bit to the left, another bullet whizzing by as she said, “You can’t just go around greeting every single pony you meet! That’s a raider!”

Pinkie’s fur repeated its sensation again, and she ducked once more, saying, “But you never know who needs a smile to come their way!”

As another bullet flew over Pinkie, Lucky rolled her eyes and shouted, “This isn’t the time!”

The raider fired her gun once again, the bullet luckily missing Lucky Break and ricocheting off the street and shattering a window.

Pinkie gently pushed aside Lucky, saying, “Relax! I got this!”

As the raider aimed her gun directly at the pink pony, whose knees went wobbly. Her tail twitched at the same time. She quickly jumped, and the bullet went whizzing past underneath.

The raider’s face showed a great deal of confusion as she pulled the trigger again, the gun clicking as Lucky Break stepped in the path of where the bullet should’ve fired at. It appeared the gun was empty.

Swearing, the raider opened up the gun to reload. Lucky then grabbed Pinkie’s hoof and pulled her down an alleyway and took cover behind a dumpster. She heard a bullet firing, the projectile hitting the dumpster. Reaching into her saddleback, she pulled out a revolver and poked her head out from cover, firing back two shots, one of which hit a building wall while the other hit an old fire hydrant.

The hydrant shook, the bolts that were once holding it down popping out and allowing the hydrant to propel up with the help of extreme water pressure. The green, sludgy water spewed everywhere. The raider tried to run for cover to avoid the substance, but as she ran, the hydrant fell down, crashing against her head.

Lucky winced, holding her hoof up to cover Pinkie’s eyes. “Where is she?!” Pinkie asked.

“She’s fine. Just took a nap. Let’s go,” said Lucky, guiding Pinkie as far away from the bleeding raider as possible.

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

As Thorax neared the tower up ahead, he saw a group of ponies standing on top of the roof. This seemed a bit more promising, as they were wearing what appeared to be matching uniforms. An army of Celestia’s perhaps? He didn’t know much about her forces, but if they were organized, then they were probably more lenient to talk.

Landing in front of them, he said, “Hello, there. I am Thorax. Do you know where Celestia is?”

One of the ponies walked up to Thorax, aiming what appeared to be a weapon of some kind. “Back, mutant freak!”

Thorax was unsettled, saying, “There’s no need for aggressive behavior.”

“I said to get back!” shouted the pony once more. “Final warning!”

Thorax didn’t like the disrespect coming from these ponies at all, but as he thought more about it, an idea popped into his head. “Alright,” he said. “I’ll leave.”

Thorax made sure to fly out of their eyesight, eventually going behind a building. A green flash quickly enveloped him and in a matter of a split-second, he looked just like one of the armored ponies. He flew back over, landing on the roof, and a few looked at him with confused expressions.

He walked as casually as he could, eventually making it to the door, but as he was about to turn the handle, he heard somepony shout, “HEY!”

He froze, but eventually looked back, seeing one of the soldiers walking up to him. Looking down at his chest, he realized he had forgotten to replicate the odd emblem that was on their armor. He couldn’t change now, he’d make a noticeable flash of magic.

The soldier reached him and suddenly asked, “Do you know if Study Guide’s looking for an intern? My cousin’s been asking me about it for a while, and I’ve asked the other guys, but they’re not normally on the up-and-up with details.”

Thorax was both relieved and even more stressed at the same damn time, and he wasn’t sure how that was even possible. He had to think of an answer, and fast. He instantly said the first thing that popped into his head.

“Uh… Have you talked to equine resources?” he asked, hoping they still had one in this horrific future.

The stallion rubbed the back of his neck, looking unsure and replying, “Well, I would, but the higher-ups aren’t exactly chatty unless you’re willing to send in paperwork. Do you know where I’d send a form first?”

Shit.

The door opened up, and a white mare with a blonde mane stepped out, holding what appeared to be a cider bottle of some sorts. Thorax looked over to the soldier and quickly said, “Uh, no. Maybe ask her?”

“Not my problem,” the mare immediately replied. Her blue eyes looked at Thorax’s armor, the pupils fixating on his own a split-second later. “Who are you?”

Thorax, absolutely hating this game of Twenty Questions, simply replied, “J-Just another, uh, soldier?”

The mare opened her mouth, but closed it soon after, looking like she didn’t even want to bother. After a bit of thinking, she said, “Follow me. I need you in the lab.”

Thorax felt that he should’ve stayed at home. As he followed her into the building, they inevitably entered an elevator. The mare pushed the fifth-floor button, and the elevator began to descend once the doors closed.

As the number lowered, Thorax could hear a strange screeching growing louder and louder. “What is that?” he asked.

The mare quickly pushed the red button at the bottom, just below elevator number buttons, stopping the elevator and causing both the mare and Thorax to stumble. Thorax could hear something scraping against the door, tapping rapidly.

The mare held completely still, putting a hoof up to Thorax’s mouth and keeping him quiet. She pulled a walkie-talkie device out from her coat pocket and squeezed the button on it three times. After a while of silence, she did it again, making Thorax wonder if she was trying to signal somepony without talking. Whatever was on the other side of the elevator door, it was clear that saying anything right now would make the situation worse.

After several minutes, the sound of magical blasts could be heard from the other side, making whatever creature was there screech in pain. The mare sighed in relief and pushed the fifth floor button, making the door descend a little lower before opening up to reveal the corpse of a horrific creature on the ground, a pegasus in armor standing over it with an odd fuming weapon.

“I came as soon as I got your signal, ma’am,” said the soldier.

“Get this mess cleaned up. Have the body delivered to the table and I’ll see if we can learn anything new tonight,” the mare responded.

The mare stepped over the corpse, as did Thorax with a look of disgust and horror on his face. Following her to the end of a corridor, she opened the door at the end. “Sorry about the stalker,” she said briefly. “We’ve been recently seeing some of them escape containment as of recently, and we’re not sure why.”

Thorax wasn’t exactly sure what a stalker was, nor was he sure if he even wanted to know. “That’s alright,” he said. “I’ve seen a few odd things today already. This is probably just the icing on the cake.”

As soon as they entered the room, The mare closed the door and suddenly slammed her cider bottle against the wall, creating a sharpened end. She pointed it at Thorax and quickly said, “Alright, hateling. Stop playing nice. I’m very busy today, and I don’t want any more bullshit. I’ve had enough with the lookalikes, and I don’t need another coming in.”

Thorax stepped back, surprised that she had found out so quickly. After a moment of hesitation, he revealed his true form, only making the mare confused. “Look, I’m just trying to find Celestia.”

Her eyebrow raised, she circled him, her cider bottle still pointed at him. Inspecting him, she said, “I’m not sure if you’re just in another disguise or if you’re a hateling who mutated to look as gay as fucking possible.”

“Is that an insult?” asked Thorax, unsure. The concept of that word being an insult was unheard of back home.

“I mean, I’m not picky myself, but words can still have double meanings,” stated the mare. “Normally, I can tell who’s a hateling and who isn’t, based on their behavior, but you… you were found out through a different method. That armor was fucking tacky.”

“Forgive me if I don’t keep up on pony trends,” Thorax apologized falsely. “I’m just here to find Celestia and the rest of my friends. I don’t mean any harm.”

The mare slowly lowered her bottle. “Let me guess… Twilight, Fluttershy, and Rainbow Dash.”

“Yes!” Thorax replied. “Have you seen them? Are they here?”

“Yeah,” she answered. “They’re here. Don’t tell me they’re hatelings.”

“Hatelings? You mean changelings?” asked Thorax. “No, they’re not, and I’d prefer it if you didn’t use such insults like that.”

“What, hateling?” assumed Study. “It’s what you are. The original specimen of changeling hasn’t been seen in two hundred years. Now, I don’t know what you exactly are, but if you’re a shapeshifter, I can only classify you as what I currently know at the moment: a hateling.”

“Two hundred years?” Thorax queried. His face had an expression of concern. “So, my suspicions were correct. I’m definitely in the future.”

“Excuse me?” questioned Study Guide.

Thorax cleared his throat, then answered, “I’m from the past. I was sent here through a portal due to an accident.”

“I haven’t exactly heard this from the others,” stated Study Guide, her eyes squinting. “I’m not usually likely to believe in time travel, but if more of these lookalikes keep showing up, I’m seriously going to need to do research of my own, because this is fucking ridiculous.”

Her walkie-talkie suddenly emitted a short burst of static before a stallion’s voice from it said, “Professor Study Guide? We’ve got a problem. There’s a mare here at the entrance, and she’s been bothering the guards with ceaseless questions.”

Study pulled out her walkie-talkie from her pocket and replied, “I’ll be out there in a minute.”

“Please, hurry,” the stallion urged. “I don’t know how much the guards will take until they start shooting.”

Study looked at her broken cider bottle. “Well, at least I haven’t lost the wine.”

Thorax rubbed the back of his neck, feeling uncomfortable. He’d never dealt with a mare who was so unpleasant.

“You, bug, change your appearance. Just a normal earth pony,” commanded Study.

Thorax wanted to question it, but just wanted to get everything over with even more. He did as she asked, changing into a green earth pony with a tulip for a cutie mark.

“Too happy,” critiqued Study. “Add a bit of dirt, change the cutie mark to a rusty nail and you’ll be fine.”

Thorax groaned, tapping his front hoof impatiently as he changed accordingly. Study looked over his form, then nodded, motioning for him to follow her, and as he did, he couldn’t help but wonder how Chrysalis would have fared out here. Although a place as broken-apart as this wasn’t to his liking, maybe Chrysalis appreciated places like this more.

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

Chrysalis wore a face of disgust when she had heard how her changelings had been living for the past two hundred years. According to one of her new advisors, the changelings had been forced to live off of hate for all this time, as love in this world was extremely scarce, almost nonexistent. The changelings, now having become the hatelings, resorted to tactics that pitted ponies against each other to increase the amount of hatred they could consume.

“This is unacceptable!” shouted Chrysalis. “My own hive has fallen into a most pathetic state!”

Cozy, standing next to Chrysalis, asked, “Do you think it’s because they didn’t have somepony to lead them for all this time?”

Chrysalis thought for a moment, then said, “Perhaps. And even so, I believe Thorax’s reign may have made it worse.”

“Who?” asked one hateling.

“The traitor who took my throne?” answered Chrysalis.

“Never heard of him,” replied the hateling.

Chrysalis’ mouth opened slightly, the queen in a bit of shock and wonder. “Really? Don’t you pass down stories of the past?”

Another hateling walked up to Chrysalis, saying, “We do, but we’ve never heard of anyone named Thorax.”

Tirek chimed in with a thought. “Perhaps we may be in an alternate timeline where you kept your throne somehow, or Thorax never existed.”

Chrysalis grinned with the most mischievous quality. “Oh, this is rich. No Thorax?~”

Cozy had a sudden realization. “Wait, if we’re in an alternate timeline, what happened to the Chrysalis here?”

Chrysalis looked down at the two hatelings for an answer.

“From what we recall, you had abandoned us,” replied one hateling, bracing himself for sudden backlash.

Chrysalis’ muzzle twitched, a hint of enragement in her eyes. She remained calm, however. “I refuse to believe that any version of me would abandon my hive.”

“Well, since we’re talking about the hive right now,” said Cozy, “what do we plan to do with it tonight, exactly?”

“Tonight, we will attack Manehattan. According to my changelings, there’s an organized group in the city called the Enclave. There is no doubt in my mind that they are what is leftover of Celestia’s pitiful kingdom, and if they truly are a mere remnant, then that means they’re weaker than what I’m used to facing.”

“Didn’t they say something about lasers?” asked Cozy.

“You forget that I have mastered the art of deception,” replied Chrysalis. “We’ll infiltrate their inner circles and take over before they can even fire a single magical blast.”

“Not to mention that I can absorb their magic,” added Tirek. “It will be easy.”

“Especially if there’s no Twilight or her pathetic friends,” said Chrysalis with a smirk.

An injured hateling, his wing missing, ran up to Chrysalis, shouting, “Th-There are scorponies in the city!”

Chrysalis simply stared at him with annoyed confusion. “Scorponies?”

“Y-You know, the enemy of hatelings?!”

“Another hive, I assume,” said Chrysalis. “Go get patched up. With my guidance, you’ll never have to worry about these scorponies ever again.”

Cozy seemed to have an unsure look about her, but Chrysalis didn’t let the lack of morale phase herself. Tonight would be the night her reign over the pitiful wasteland begins.

Tirek looked down at Cozy, saying, “You seem to be quiet recently.”

“Oh, it’s nothing,” said Cozy. “I’ve just been thinking a lot about our recent…”

“Defeat?” Tirek finished.

“Yeah,” said Cozy.

“Don’t tell me you’re thinking of giving up,” said Tirek, his eyes focusing.

Cozy suddenly waved her front hooves and shook her head. “Oh, no, no!” she said. “I’m just trying to figure out where we went wrong. Our plan was perfect.”

Tirek looked over to Chrysalis, and Chrysalis said, “The only reason we lost was because we were too confident. We weren’t fully prepared. Even with Grogar’s magic at our disposal, we didn’t have an army on our side. They did. Obviously, it was numbers that saved their pitiful lives.”

“And what about their supposed friendship magic?” asked Tirek.

“Friendship is nothing more than an alliance with sugar on top,” stated Chrysalis. “It’s unnecessary. I refuse to believe that their friendship had anything to do with it!”

Chrysalis pointed to a random hateling, shouting, “Get the others ready! I want this army in order!”

The hateling quickly scrambled, running off to find the other ones.

Chrysalis looked at a map that had been laid out in front of her earlier. Manehattan was indeed a place she’d need to secure for her new hive. The rest of the wasteland seemed to be too broken-down for her tastes. Next, after securing Manehattan, she’d go to war with the rest of them, taking over this forsaken continent. No longer would she suffer defeat.

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

Lucky did what she could to keep Pinkie from bothering the guards until this “Study Guide” could come out and show them around. Unfortunately, there was nothing to keep the pink pony silent. She asked ceaseless questions about the future, wanting to know all about the magical gadgetry at work in the world today.

“So, you’re some kind of cyborg, right? I mean, you’ve got all that fancy metal stuff all over you,” said Pinkie, referring to the Enclave guard’s power armor. The guard simply stared ahead, staying quiet. Lucky could tell that he was trying not to lose his patience and sanity.

Pinkie simply ranted with her questions. “Can you shoot lasers from your eyes? Do you need to charge overnight? Is there a playlist in there? If so, is it techno? I prefer polka, myself.”

“OH, MY CELESTIA, SHUT THE FUCK UP!” the guard shouted.

Pinkie flinched, reeling back a bit. “Wow. Who put a fish in your toaster compartment?” she sarcastically commented. “Someone needs to call a toaster repair pony.”

A white mare with a blonde mane stepped outside, grumbling, “Alright, who’s out here bothering the-- aww, shit.”

Lucky walked up to the mare, asking, “Are you Study Guide? They said you’d help us out.”

Study Guide seemed to have tired eyes as she watched the pink pony jumping up and down. She sighed and said, “Alright… You know what…? C’mon, follow me. I’m done questioning this shit.”

After a quick elevator ride and a short walk, Lucky found herself face-to-face with ponies she thought were dead two hundred years ago. Study Guide, on her way into the room, asked, “Does this thing belong to you?”

Twilight smiled. “Pinkie!” she exclaimed. “Where’d you end up?”

“My casino,” answered Lucky. “She, uh, saved me from certain death.”

“Pinkie saved you?” asked Dash. “Hm… Sounds about right, but I’m expecting it was in the most ridiculous way.”

“According to her story? Yeah,” said Lucky. She smirked, then saying, “She’s pretty good at cards.”

“Quick hint. You should never challenge Pinkie to a game,” stated Twilight.

“Gee, that certainly helps me now,” said Lucky.

“You challenged Pinkie?!” Rainbow Dash blurted out.

“Oh my,” said Fluttershy.

Lucky nodded, and Dash laughed. To Lucky, she wasn’t sure if she was being teased or not. Either way, Pinkie was with her friends, and Lucky was in a safe place that was far away from wherever Wreckage was.

Study Guide looked at Rainbow Dash and suddenly commanded, “You, I need a strand of your mane. That goes for the rest of you as well. If you’re really who you claim to be, then perhaps I can keep it a secret for now. If you’re fakes, none of us would have any problem in doing this, either, because then I can stop thinking about it and go back to drinking.”

“Why is this necessary?” Twilight asked.

Study sighed and said, “Look… If you’re really the ministry mares, the Enclave would have no problem throwing you all into a prison and experimenting on you. There are a lot of weapons that could easily be unlocked using your own spectral signatures. I’d rather that the Enclave didn’t do so.”

Lucky noticed a red-maned, white-coated mare walk up to Study Guide. The mare pushed Study Guide a bit away. “You’re not taking anything from them,” said the mare.

“Your name is Dusk Feather, isn’t it?” asked Study Guide. “Based on your records, you have killed not one, not two, not even three, but around four or five or your own fellow Enclave. If you haven’t noticed, you’re still alive right now. I could easily turn you in, but I haven’t, because I actually believe in having some standards, some amount of dignity.”

Dusk Feather stepped back, looking unsettled.

Study Guide then continued. “You’re in quite the situation here. Either hand over the DNA for investigation, or I forcefully take it. I’m certain that some of you like to have your personal space.”

Twilight plucked a strand of her mane out and floated it over. “Here. Just take mine, but leave the others alone. Mine alone should be proof enough.”

“I assure you, Miss Sparkle, your cooperation won’t be forgotten,” said Study. “Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have to go analyze this.”

As soon as Study Guide left, Rainbow Dash shouted, “What was all that?! Who does she think she is?!”

“THE BITCH KEEPING YOU ALIVE!” Study’s voice echoed back down the hall.

Dusk Feather walked up to Lucky and said, “Sorry about that. You must be confused. A lot of us are.”

“I’m not gonna question it. I’m just here to hide,” said Lucky.

“Hey, we’re kinda in the same boat,~” said Dusk with a grin. “Only, you know, you’re safe from whoever you’re hiding from and I’m surrounded by potential enemies.”

Lucky chuckled nervously. “You’ve made quite a few, I bet.”

“You don’t know the half of it,” replied Dusk, looking tired.

A young abyssinian approached, asking, “Hey, what’s with the, uhhhh…”

Seeing where the kid was pointing, Lucky looked at her leg. “I get that question a lot. I’d rather not say.”

“Well, alright then,” the kid replied. “So, what’s your name? I’m Tricks!”

“Lucky Break,” replied Lucky. “I assume you can guess my talent. Though, I wouldn’t call it a talent. More of a… benefit with a side of curse.”

“I don’t get it,” said Tricks, scratching his head.

“I’ll explain later,” said Lucky. She walked over to Pinkie and smirked. “So, Ponk… Whatcha gonna do now?”

Twilight answered for Pinkie, saying, “Our first order of business is to find out exactly what happened. We don’t know why we ended up here. I suspect something already, but I’m still not completely sure.”

“In the meanwhile, it’ll be like an interdimensional sleepover, but with lasers and robots and MP3-player cyborgs!” exclaimed Pinkie, jumping up and down excitedly.

Lucky smiled and chuckled with uncertainty in her tone. “Uh, yeah, that’s… that’s great.”

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

Zone and Taipan walked side by side down the street. They were heading back, and Zone, still suffering from a limp, couldn’t stop thinking about Taipan’s willingness to save her. Hardly anyone had ever stuck their neck out for her, especially a complete stranger, one that was another creature entirely.

In Zone’s mind, she had many conflicts. From her past, she had learned to stay solo. From all the abuse, she had learned to be stern, and to keep from being too kind. To show kindness was a weakness, and the only reason she had ever helped Fluttershy was because that very pony was an idol to her when she was younger.

She had found a book when she was a foal, detailing the life of the ministry mare and her acts of kindness towards others, no matter who it was, or even what they were. Wanting to be like Fluttershy, Zone had tried to be kinder towards those outside her tribe.

But, when she did, she had lost a shortly-known friend that day, her book being burned by the chieftain. Since then, Zone had hardened, steeling up her heart to the rest of the world, at least, until she had met the ministry mare herself. Now, she didn’t know what to believe in, whether it was kindness or if it was indifference.

“Taipan,” said Zone. “When you were saving me, what was going through your mind?”

“Hmm,” Taipan thought. "Not much. See you in danger and helped. I consider you pack member, even if in name."

“I am not even your own kind,” said Zone. “Surely, your own leaders have something against outsiders?”

"Some do, some don't, but any creature can challenge alpha for alpha, "Taipan informed. “It rare, but not uncommon.”

“That is not at all how my own tribe works.” said Zone. “If you were not a zebra, you weren’t welcome. Those who could easily kill a zebra, like… my father, they used the threat of death just to stay within the tribe and to keep me from being executed.”

Taipan shrugs "Life harsh. Only strong tough out long enough to change things for them, better or worse."

Zone wanted to be able to call Taipan her friend, but she was still afraid to consider her as one. Having lost a friend so quickly the first time was bad enough. To lose another one would crush her. She continued her walking, staying quiet for the next few minutes.

After a while, she finally asked, “Do you think it is possible to have an entire tribe of different creatures?”

Without hesitation Taipan replied. "If alpha strong enough to do so. Strong enough alpha can do anything."

Zone softly smiled at the thought. Perhaps one day, if she became a leader, she could lead her own tribe, but for now, she still had a lot to learn about leadership.

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

A lone figure stood underneath an ancient balcony, shielded from the rain. Looking out at the streets with purple eyes, she whispered under her breath, “They’re gathering… I can see it…”

Two-legged, she walked out into the torrent of droplets falling from the sky, the cold of the water not really bothering her, for she had lost most of her senses long ago. She couldn’t feel the cold, nor could she feel the warmth. Could not taste, could not smell. She was blind in all but sight and sound.

Pulling back her cloak, she revealed her face, a young adult abyssinian female with one half of her lower muzzle missing on her right side. Around her neck were the pawprints of the one who had betrayed her two hundred years ago, a brutal reminder of how love could just suddenly lose its innocence.

Gray-furred, she blended in perfectly with any shadowy area she went into, always silent as she walked. But now, it was daytime, her figure fully visible for any possible attacker to see, but she didn’t care at this point in her long life span. To die was a blessing.

Behind her spoke a small, raspy voice. “Lady Scarlet? Are you alright?”

She turned around, seeing a smaller orange-furred abyssinian girl, covered in rags. She had the look of concern on her face. Scarlet had known her for a long time, having become like family. She walked back underneath the balcony and patted the small child’s head.

“Yes,” said Scarlet. “I’ve just had a vision. They’ve come to free us.”

“Free us?” the younger one repeated. “But that’s impossible. As long as he lives, we’re--”

Scarlet shushed her. “It’s not impossible anymore. Everything changes with enough time.”

Scarlet thought back to when it had all happened. Disgusted by the thought, she merely thought back even further, to when things were better in her life. Surrounded by family, she had always felt loved, especially on the eve of Hearth’s Warming.

She’d exchange gifts with those who were close to her, and had even donated to the local orphanage so that they could buy proper gifts for the younger ones. She had loved life, and she had loved the people. She had been so naive, but because of her position, it was only natural. She herself had nothing to worry about. She had no quarrels, as everyone had loved her. She had no enemies. And her father had been even more beloved, ruling over the kingdom of her people.

Scarlet sighed with a smile. “It would be hard to explain,” she said to the smaller one. “While it feels like it has been so long, it has really only been a short time.”

“I don’t understand,” said the child. “It’s been two hundred years.”

“It has been, and it hasn’t been,” said Scarlet. “You will most likely never understand, but that is okay. We’ll regain freedom, and then you won’t have to worry about being trapped within this accursed town ever again.”

Scarlet had known about them for only a while now, these rescuers, saviors who would deliver everyone from a life of pain and suffering. But there was also another who appeared in her visions, a figure who would do everything to stop the six heroes.

She had foreseen the end, and while it was satisfying, it was also frightening. She could not see how it would happen, but she did see the result. She entrusted her long life in the hands of fate to free her and reunite her with the one she loved. They’d be together again, and nothing would rip him away from her.

She’d make sure of that.

Scarlet looked at the child and smiled. “I think I know why you’ve come to find me again.”

The child nodded slowly and said, “I just wanted to hear it one more time before night falls.”

Scarlet took the child’s hand and led her back inside the building. It was a small home, one that they all had a part in repairing. They all did their best to keep the town in as decent condition as possible, but they could only do so much. Rain leaked through the roof often in various different spots, but they at least had some buckets to keep the floor from getting wet.

Leading her upstairs, Scarlet opened the door to a dark room. She muttered strange and exotic words under her breath, a candle in the room suddenly lighting up with a purple flame. A simple spell she had learned from her love long ago. He was always so gifted in magic, especially since…

Scarlet walked over to the bedside table and slid open the drawer, taking out an old, crimson-colored box. She let go of the child’s hand to turn a metal key underneath the box, winding it up. When she finished, she set it down on the bedside table and listened to it play.

/zab-paradox/scarlets-lullaby

[If clicking it doesn't work, use this link. https://soundcloud.com/zab-paradox/scarlets-lullaby ]

As the notes filled her ears, she softly sang under her breath.

Hush now, dear. There's no need for you to fret.

There’s no need to worry about life yet.

And as long as I'm here, you're safe.

I'll be there within your dreams.

The box eventually slowed down, the music stopping. Scarlet smiled and asked, “Is that all?”

The child nodded, the smallest hint of a smile on her face. “Thank you, Lady Scarlet.”

Scarlet patted the child on the head and sent her out of the room. Scarlet then wound up the music box once more to listen to by herself. She had always carried it everywhere in her bag, a reminder of her late mother. The song was a melody that was passed down by her mother’s side of the family tree.

Once the music ended again, Scarlet held out her hands, her claws extending slightly as she muttered more of the foreign language under her breath. A magical sphere slowly faded into existence, showing a tall tower in a city called Manehattan.

She had never been there while she was alive. Perhaps she’d go there one day when she’d leave her prison. She chanted a bit more, the scene zooming in through the window and showing four of the six ponies who were fated to save them all.

Scarlet watched in fascination, longing to call out to them somehow, but she knew she couldn’t. They’d arrive eventually, but for now, they had other places to go to, people to save. Scarlet would be saved for last, and then she’d finally be free. She’d finally get to go home and reunite with him. She wondered how time had treated him, her smile slowly vanishing.

As long as he lived, she was trapped. As long as he lived, she would remain here.

Looking at the scene, she took notice of an abyssinian boy, the same fur color as her. Intrigued, she zoomed a bit on his face. Impossible… There was no way he could be--

Someone knocked on the door, startling her. Having lost her focus, the sphere flickered away, vanishing from sight. Regaining her calm, she stood up and walked over to the door, opening it. It was another one of the children who remained here with her. It was a young, yellow-furred abyssinian boy wearing a blank, white mask with the mold of a feline face.

“What is wrong?” asked Scarlet.

The boy said, “There are some more intruders, Lady Scarlet. Shall I kill them?”

“Find out if they’re hostile first,” instructed Scarlet. “If they are, you may do what you wish.”

The boy chuckled, then silently ran off, his footsteps not making a sound. A few minutes later, Scarlet heard the screams of two people, followed by the sound of gunshots. Soon after, it went silent. She heard knocking on her door again, and upon opening it, she saw the boy with a knife, his fur drenched in blood.

“Could you not have done it cleanly?” asked Scarlet. “Your fur is messy again.”

“I’ll just stand in the rain,” said the boy cheerfully, having enjoyed his twisted version of playtime. Scarlet slowly nodded and simply closed the door, hearing the boy’s footsteps slowly fade away as he left to do so.

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

Starlight and Trixie had made their way back to the surface, with Starlight being none too happy about her situation. Unlike Trixie, however, Starlight stayed quiet about it.

“Ugh, I can’t wait to get back home and clean up,” Trixie complained. “The sewers are not Trixie’s natural habitat.”

“We just need to find the others,” said Starlight. “The sooner we find Twilight, the sooner I can get my magic back and the sooner we can get back home.”

“Why’s it always Twilight, huh?” asked Trixie as they walked down the sidewalk. “I thought you were supposed to be smarter.”

“I’m sorry,” said Starlight sarcastically. “I didn’t see you pursuing me across time and space to stop me from ruining the timeline.”

Trixie leered in Starlight’s direction, but said nothing. As they continued, Starlight read some of the signs on the abandoned stores they passed. Many of them were faded, and some were just so worn down that they weren’t even visible anymore.

“I wonder how all this came to be,” said Starlight.

“I bet it had something to do with Twilight,” Trixie commented.

Soon, they came across an old wagon, and sitting next to it was a pony. He wore an old hat and was tan-coated. His brown eyes noticed Starlight and he asked, “Do I know you? You seem a little familiar.”

“I doubt it,” said Starlight. “I’ve never been here before, and I’m suspecting that I’ve just crossed timelines again.”

“Again?” the pony muttered.

“It’s nothing,” assured Starlight. “Do you know where my friend and I might find proper shelter?”

The pony chewed on something in his mouth, then spit out some kind of black gunk onto the ground, making Trixie reel back in disgust.

“Eww!!!” whined Trixie.

“Last I ‘member, Tenpony Tower was takin’ in the homeless,” said the pony. “I recommend goin’ there if’n yer lookin’ fer shelter.”

“Do you know where it is?” asked Starlight.

“It’s the tallest building near the center of the city,” said the pony. “Ya can’t miss it. You can even see it not too far from here.”

Starlight looked up, seeing one jutting out above the rest. “Hm… Thank you,” she said. “We’ll just be on our way.”

“Watch out fer raiders,” said the pony. “There aren’t that many near the tower, but out here, it’s fair game.”

“That explains those creeps from earlier,” remembered Trixie.

Starlight nodded and the two continued on their way, keeping on their guard. It wasn’t known who would get in their path, or if they’d encounter any more monsters along the way, but one thing was for certain: this place was the stuff of nightmares.

Author's Note

Late Christmas chapter, yay, lol.