(???)

Cutting.

Slicing.

Ripping.

Severing.

The cold metal cut right through him so much that pain meds weren't helping not one bit. Regardless, he still remained awake watching the machine do its work. Cutting away at his flesh before graphing synthetic tissue into his exposed body, was so much pain but this was the price of survival.

Evolve or die.

But hurt...

So much even long after the surgery was completed he could still feel the needles and blades dig into the flesh while the drills took apart his skeleton and reconfigured it before casting it all in metal.

He could almost hear it, even now in his dreams.

The sound of his own scream.

(Equestria Express)

"W-what?" Salem felt someone push at his arm causing him to wake up. "Who? Oh, it's you."

Looking into the white eyes of his 'partner' Salem pushed himself from the bed seeing the entity staring back at him.

"Was I doing it again?'

Nodding to Salem's question, the chimera gave a low sighed.

"Did I wake you?"

The entity nodded.

"Sorry."

Shaking her head, the hands of the entity grabbed his arm before trying to pull him from the bed.

"What is it-?" The moment he stood up from the bed his companion pointed to the bathroom. "Oh... Right, I forgot!"

Tugging at his limb the dark figure almost dragged him to the bathroom while he reached for his pack.

"Okay! Cool your jets. Jesus, can't let me have breakfast first can you?" Receiving the universal gesture for no, Salem gave a sigh before bringing out a small black bag and placing it on the sink.

Opening the bag, he then pulled out a comb and some scissors before going to the SCP before him.

"Now hold still,"

Twilight walked down the small hallway in the train cart before stopping in front of the locked door that led into the room Salem was resting in.

At least that is what she thought, but seeing how the other elements were up and this being the only door to the last suite she was pretty sure it was his. Knocking on the door Twilight waited for the 'human' to answer. While she waited, the princess of friendship could hear something clink and shift behind the door.

Giving another knock after waiting for a few moments this time she spoke.

"Salem? It's Twilight, are you alright in there?" Still nothing. "There is some food in the other cart if you want anything to eat for breakfast,"

Nothing but those clanging sounds, Twilight felt a dreadful thought cross her mind before looking at the lock on the door and knocking a third time.

"Salem? Is everything okay?" Twilight could feel her blood go cold for a moment before letting herself give in to her paranoia.

Using magic to unlock the door she let herself into the suite before peeking her head in. No longer muffled, she could hear water running from the bathroom and a snipping noise. Confused, she felt herself wander in while slowly creeping up to the open bathroom door, making for the side as she slowly tilted her head in to see the source of the noise.

"There that looks good," Salem's muffled voice spoke out and Twilight felt a wave of relief wash over her.

Still, she was a little curious about what was making that sound, so she peeked in.

Looking in, the purple pony saw Salem standing alone in the bathroom holding a pair of barber scissors and a comb, which was a little surprising but why did he sound like he was done cutting his hair even though he still had his helmet on?

Turning down to look at the floor she spotted cut hair trimmings on the floor around his metal boots.

"I think it looks good," Twilight overheard Salem speak. "What do you think?"

Her blood froze over before she ran out of the room and slammed the door behind her.

'Oh this isn't good... he probably thinks I was trying to spy on him or something,'

"What was that?" Salem and his companion looked out the bathroom to the door that exited into the main train cart.

Giving a shrug the entity turned back to the mirror to look at her reflection pulling back the freshly trimmed black locks within her fluff.

"Huh..." Placing his arms down he looked in the mirror at his partner's reflection before giving a smile. "You like it?"

His companion nodded at his question, causing Salem to chuckle, "Well, how about we do the rest later when we get the chance I'm starving."

His comment resulted in the fluffy mess turning back at him with sad puppy dog eyes.

"I promise we'll do it later and besides that shower is way too small," he said, pointing at the stand in the shower with his scissors.

The entity gave a low sigh before dropping back onto Salem's chest plate.

"Hey, a few more hours of long fur wouldn't hurt."

Sticking her tongue out at him, Salem chuckled before stuffing his grooming tools away in the bag and placing it back into his warp-pack.

"I swear you can be such a drama queen sometimes."

His companion only responded with another blowing raspberry with her black tongue, causing the dark-armored hoist to chuckle.

"What am I going to do with you?"

(The dining cart)

"Ah~!" Rainbow Dash smiled, leaning back in her seat. "Nothing beats Canterlot-style pancakes."

"Well... excccccuuussse me!" Pinkie pie commented on her friend's treacherous comment, "I thought you said that my pancakes are 'the best in the whole entire world'! What happened to them no longer being the best?"

Rainbow Dash smiled, holding her hands up defensively.

"I didn't say they were the best Pinkie, I’m just saying: Nothing beats... well…"

"Go on. Finish what you were saying," Pinkie Pie narrowed her eyes at the daredevil of the group.

"Look Pinkie, I didn't mean to- Oh hey look, it's Salem!" Rainbow pointed out seeing the dark-armored other-worlder entering the dining chart.

The rest of the elements and Princess Luna turned to see Salem walking up to the table in the middle of the moving cart.

"Mornin'," Salem greeted before sitting down in an empty seat next to Applejack at the end of the table. All the rest of the ponies within the train cart greeted him, although Twilight's morning greeting was a bit nervous sounding.

"How did you sleep, partner?" Applejack asked while Salem removed his helmet revealing his mismatched fur again.

"Like a rock," Lifting his nose in the air the altered humanoid smiled upon the sweet smell that loomed in the air. "Oh man! Pancakes! God, I haven't had these in... well, I can't remember but damn those smell good."

Luna summoned some of her magic to lift a couple of pancakes off the large platter in the middle of the table to Salem's plate, causing him to chuckle.

"Cool trick. What was that, some sort of Telekinesis?" Salem asked to which Luna chuckled.

"Yes, it's a similar telekinesis spell."

Looking at the night princess for a moment Salem flinched slightly before returning a chuckle, "Man, I am not going to get used to this." He turned from his plate and looked over to Twilight who had the butter plate in front of her. "Hey, it's Twilight right?"

The purple pony snapped out of her blank stare while looking from her food to the Chimera. "It wasn't me!" she snapped, causing Salem and the rest to give her a weird look.

"I just asked if your name was Twilight," Salem deadpanned, narrowing his eyes at the purple alicorn before pointing to a small plate in front of her. "Can you please pass the butter?"

Nodding, the Princess of Friendship summoned a similar spell that Luna cast a few moments ago, sending the plate floating into the air and towards Salem’s side of the table.

"Thanks." Taking the tray in his hands, Salem grabbed his butter knife before he remembered something. "Hey, is there any chance I can get a second plate?"

"A second plate? But darling, you haven't even touched your food yet," Rarity politely pointed out.

"I know, it's just something that I usually do," he replied cryptically.

"Why have two plates of food?" asked Rainbow Dash, giving him an accusatory look, “Do you eat two stacks of food for every meal? Just use the same plate and grab a second helping.”

Applejack shot her friend with a look of disapproval. "Rainbow Dash! Don’t you go judging him for his habits! For all we know, it could be part of his custom back in his home."

Not wanting to spark an argument, Salem spoke out hesitantly, "Actually, it's something I do because... Well… It's hard to explain but-"

"Because you want your friend there to have some food too?" Pinkie Pie pointed out, causing Salem's pointed ears to perk up while her friends looked to the spot next to Salem where she was pointing to.

"Um... Pinkie there isn't anypony there," Rainbow said, clearly confused.

“Rainbow, don’t be such a big meanie pants; she’s right over there," Pinkie grinned confidently towards the empty seat, "I mean, she's a little spooky looking like Salem, but that doesn't mean you can ignore someone like that."

"Pinkie darling, Rainbow is right; there isn't anypony there," Rarity spoke up to the pegasus’ defence, causing the pink mare to turn at the fashionista with puzzlement.

"You too Rarity?" Pinkie looked at each of her friends for confirmation; much to the party pony’s dismay as they offered only looks of shared confusion and bemusement. Which caused said party pony to lift her hands up in frustration, "Seriously? Why can't any of you see her?"

"Pinkie… Can you see someone standing next to me?"

All eyes then turned to Salem who was looking at Pinkie Pie while pointing his thumb at the space next to him.

"Of course I do!” the pink mare nodded enthusiastically, “I noticed her back when we first met you back at the Crystal Empire. I didn't say anything because she didn’t say anything, so I thought she was just shy and clingy to you the whole way to the train, so I gave her some space to get comfortable."

Salem lowered his arm and then looked up to the spot, almost as if he was looking up at someone.

A look of bafflement was on Salem's face before he spoke, "So you really can see Malo?"

Pinkie nodded again all the while the rest still held looks of confusion on their faces. "That's her name? It's nice to finally meet you, Malo!" Pinkie Pie waved to the spot next to Salem.

"Wait, if you can see her? How many fingers is she holding up right now," Salem asked while the group was looking at Salem, Pinkie, and the empty space.

"Two, five, seven, and now she isn't holding up anything," Pinkie Pie answered.

Salem nodded thoughtfully before turning to Pinkie, "Okay, that's weird. I thought I was the only one who could see her."

Pinkie tilted her head, "Why did you say that?"

"Because your friends can't see her."

"So?"

"I'm her host," Salem flatly replied.

"What does that mean?"

While the two continued to play twenty questions, Luna closed her eyes as she quietly cast a magical detection spell. She then opened her eyes to see the passive magical aura that was invisible to the naked eye. Orange, yellow, white, blue, pink, and purple; she could now see the colors of the Elements of Harmony enveloped their bearers, as well as her own dark blue aura and her sister’s golden light aura surrounding them respectively. As bright as they were, however, what caught her attention was the blank void where what should be the human creature that was Salem.

‘That's strange. So he has no magic. Or at the very least, not abundant. However…’

Igniting her horn again to cast a different magical vision spell, an older spell that was Starswirl’s making, the results were not what she was expecting. Opening her eyes once more from the casting, her pupils shrank in horror at the sight of what stood next to Salem, causing her to almost fall from her chair.

"By mother's mane! Salem, what in Equestria is that thing?!”

After briefly sharing a surprised look to his companion who replied with a confused shrug, Salem turned to Luna, “Wait, you can see her too now?”

“Answer the question, Salem!” Luna demanded as her eyes narrowed, still glowing brightly from her spell, “What is the nature of that creature beside you?!”

“Please Princess, just calm down a bit. She’s harmless,” he raised his hands up defensively, “More importantly, how could you see her?”

"I cast an old spell upon myself to see how you see things."

Salem lowered his hands as he noticed the dark princess partially relaxed, "Is that why your eyes are glowing yellow?"

Luna nodded, "A side effect from the spell. More to the point; why didn't you say anything about your companion here?"

Salem looked at her before looking back at his black furry friend next to him. "You didn't ask," he flatly replied.

"Wait, timeout!" Rainbow Dash stood up from her chair before giving the all too familiar 'timeout' gesture with her hands, "How come we can’t see this Malo person? Only Pinkie, Salem, and now Princess Luna can?"

Salem held out his hand to himself. "Well, I know why I can kinda," he mused before pointing to Pinkie, "As for pink over there, you got me."

"That doesn't really answer the question, darling. You said something about being a 'host' before, does that have something to do with it?" the Element of Generosity spoke up, to which the altered human nodded.

"Yes. See Malo here is an anomaly from my world known as SCP-1471-A," Salem answered, "And I think- hold on."

A robotic arm moved from his backpack before reaching the top of the pack before it pulled out a manilla folder.

"I have a copy of Malo and her sisters and brothers' file here if any of you want to read it," Salem promptly continued with a slight hesitation, "Although, fair warning; my partner here is a little… Different. Like me."

"Aww, that's sweet," Pinkie cooed with a smile.

"I didn't mean it like- OW!” he jerked in pain from his unseen friend. He glared at the empty space, holding his arm, “Hey! I was trying to explain... ugh fine.” Rolling his eyes at the spot, he handed the file to Twilight who was reaching for it.

"What's she doing with her hands?" Pinkie asked.

"Sign language. All SCP-1471-A(s) are mute. Though she likes to get my attention through other ways… Usually pulling me around most of the time," Salem answered with a chuckle.

"Oooooh! Can you teach me?" Pinkie gleamed excitedly.

"Well, I'm not really a good teacher myself but I know someone who can help you if I ever get a working computer RIG set up again," Salem answered.

The pink pony tilted her head inquisitively, "What's a computer?"

While the two continued to bicker, Twilight was already skimming through the folder before she stopped to a page containing a picture of SCP-1471-A. From her time in the mirror world, Twilight could understand a few of these things that the description talked about with the mention of how SCP-1471-A uses an app to appear to a human who downloaded said app. Noticing the purple alicorn shift on her seat, Fluttershy peeked over Twilight’s shoulder, slightly curious as to what was apparently standing next to Salem. The image she saw made her shudder.

"So it's a machine doohickey that can just do whatever it wants?" Applejack added, finding herself in Salem's discussion of what a computer was.

"No, not really," Salem replied, not noticing Princess Luna leaving her seat to see the folder in Twilight’s possession.

Standing over Twilight’s shoulder, a confused grimace on the princess's face as she observed the creature’s grim visage. Twilight, noticing Luna over her, passed her the folder. Taking the file, the Princess of the Night studied the image, scratching her mane in confusion as she noted ‘Malo’s’ differing appearance from the picture.

"So when you said your ‘Malo’ was different, is it because of her appearance?" Luna interrupted Salem explaining what a video game was to Rainbow Dash.

"What do you mean?" asked Salem.

"Your friend looks nothing like this picture," Luna held the folder out to the rest of the table, causing all but Pinkie and Salem to flinch at the photograph of an SCP-1471-A entity.

"Well, guess you can say she had a makeover like I did, but for Malo’s case there was less... pain on her end," Salem answered, retrieving the folder from Luna as she offered it back and slid it back in his metal pack. "Look, it's not a big deal. I would have gotten around to explaining why I usually ask for two things of food. I just don't want her to go hungry alright?"

Luna looked at Salem before giving a nod and bringing up another plate with her magic. All those who couldn't see Malo watched as the seat at the end of the table moved on its own before moving back forward followed by a knife and fork slightly lifting before they vanished. This caused the group that couldn't see her to feel a little uneasy as they watched the invisible anomaly eating the food before their very eyes and slowly disappear into nothing.

"Did she eat the knife and fork?" Rainbow whispered to Pinkie, to which the party pony stared at her with bemusement.

"Of course not, silly. She's holding them like everypony else. Why would you think that?"

"Well, I have this theory that might explain why,” Salem offered, “Do you guys have the whole Schrodinger's cat concept here?"

All the ponies besides Luna and Twilight shook their heads, to which the human provided a brief summary of the theory.

"Luna?"

Turning to her fellow princess, Luna looked down to Twilight who was still sitting down.

"How come we never heard of this SCP foundation in the mirror world?" continued Twilight.

Crossing her arms underneath her breasts, Luna shrugged, "I do not truly know, young Twilight. Perhaps my sister can resolve this question once we return to Canterlot."

"Right... forgot she went ahead to check the mirror," Twilight then gave a sigh. "Hopefully she has already figured this whole thing out,"

(Cantorlot castle, Medical hall)

"Sunset? Are you positive that you don't know what caused your sudden return?" Celestia asked the yellow-coated unicorn who currently had her broken arm in a sling.

"Honestly princess, I have no clue. One moment I was in the middle of my midterms, the next I shot out through the mirror like a cannonball!" Sunset hissed while a nurse tightened the wrappings on her cast.

Celestia sighed before standing up, she had hoped for some answers but all she had gotten since her arrival was more questions, especially with the sudden return of Sunset and the Sirens. Unlike Sunset, those three arrived mostly unharmed and escaped before the guard could catch them. From the report, the mirror shot out the four of them around the same time she, her sister, and the Elements went to the Crystal Empire to stop Sombra.

Which left her with a question that lingered in her mind the most.

‘Did Salem's arrival cause the mirror to do this? If so, did his arrival also cause the mirror to shatter after it shot the sirens and Sunset back into Equestria?’

Whatever the case, the magical relic she had for so long was finally gone along with any answers that she might have had in finding out what was happening in the human world. Then again, she should have known in her long life that answers wouldn't come to her so easily now would they?

Author's Note

(Special thanks to Joe Toon for editing again X)

3,000+ words.

Damn, I haven't done... well actually here I haven't but on my other writing account, I have posted a 3,000+ word chapter. Still, that's a lot of words but technically I only did 2,500 since there were like 500 here when I first started writing.

Luckily Gear Shift did help with some quick help in chapter 2 followed by me going behind myself and fixing a few grammar errors. So this story was under a sorta grammar edit or something, but I still need an editor.

So if you guys would like to help me with this story please I could use the help, especially now that someone is doing an auto-read of my story which I am so thankful to Fire Hearth Studios. He didn't have to do it but I'm glad he choose my story to read!

Now back to the story itself.

A lot happened in this chapter, from a flashback dream to a wholesome moment which led to the group learning of the presence of Malo (I know the original name for SCP-1471-A but I like it because it's sweet) and the return of Sunset and the sirens along with the destruction of the mirror.

Answers will not come to easily no matter who you are but I already said that now did I? XD

Along with that Malo isn't like her fellow kin, she's different and I'll explain later like I need to explain how Salem the way he looks and along with armor. There has been some confusion about his armor being SCP-5000 which it's not, it's something he had built using a prototype suit that the foundation was going to use for Project Olympia.

But for some context to help you all understand what Malo is like here.

Well, she is like Schrodinger's cat, she is there... but not there if that makes any sense at all, but she can't go teleporting wildly around. She has to be in the presence of Salem like the rest of the SCP-1471-A(s) but instead of seeing her all the time she will be physically near him.

Hope that helps you all understand.

But now... before my computer dies I hope you all enjoyed this chapter and I'll see you all in the next one!

P.S. I wasn't joking I really need an editor.