It's been some time, and little Bastion has grown to enjoy life in Ponyville. Aside from a few nightmares and the occasional buzzing in his head, he's doing well and enjoying life.

All that is threatened, though, when a news article in the foreign press brands the ponies around him as abusive. Now the griffons are sending inspectors to talk to those around him, to make sure he doesn't need to be taken away. Everything he's done so far has to be scrutinised, including the things he doubts. His dreams, his nightmares, everything will be exposed.

Unbeknownst to him, things are shifting behind the scenes, and Princess Celestia is preparing for the unseen threat posed by the still-at-large Chrysalis, even going so far as to call in help from a Unicorn who fell off the grid a long time ago...