The Consequences of Being a Hero

Chapters

A Presumed End to A Life Rescued
Activating Displacement Protocol
And then There Were... 2? Part 2
And then There Were... 2? Part 3
And then There Were... 2? Epilogue
The Dwindling Embers of Judgement's Day
Rock Bottom Against A Dragon
Rest, Relax & Ready for Action! Part 1
Rest, Relax & Ready for Action! Part 2 (cross-over with DisplacedWriter)
Rest, Relax & Ready for Action! Part 3 (cross-over with DisplacedWriter)
Rest, Relax & Ready for Action! Part 4 (cross-over with DisplacedWriter)
The Sotoraggian Herald
Aggravations and Interrogations
Rotten Apples in the Blood Moon's Light
Conflict
Desperate Times, As They Say...
...And Like The Times Before... Part 1 (cross-over with DisplacedWriter)
...And Like The Times Before... Part 2 (cross-over with DisplacedWriter)
...And Like The Times Before... Part 3 (cross-over with DisplacedWriter)
...And Like The Times Before... Part 4 (cross-over with DisplacedWriter)
...And Like The Times Before... Part 5 (cross-over with DisplacedWriter)
Some Scars never Heal
And then There Were... 2? Part 1
Can't Sleep On It, Trouble's a Buzz!

A Presumed End to A Life Rescued

[Baumann's Market]

The whole location looked like a warzone, and the war within it was still raging on. On the outside, it was a shoot-out, but it was also a hand-to-hand fight. Several thugs, each of them were either aliens of some sort, or humans that had a sense of familiarity with crime and chaos. Some of the thugs wore very punk-ish gangster-esque outfits, firing off small alien guns, while some of the aliens were firing much larger, and far stronger weapons. They had the way to the front entrance walled off, blocked by several strong-armed individuals.

The plumbers took cover behind their vehicles, pinned down by the constant rate of fire. They constantly tried to fight back, attempting little by little to push the opposing enemy back, but nothing seemed to work. They had dealt with invasions worth more trouble than a bunch of gangsters like these, something much bigger had to be happening here to require such push back.

The Plumber on the far right activated some kind of metal ball, chucking it over his head and right into the face of one of the thugs. It clung to their face, and as they tried to remove it, an explosion soon followed, knocking the gangster out, and knocking back a fair few of the other attackers. "It's times like this where I wish I was back on my homeworld! These blasted fools are pressuring us to stay in cover, and we can't stay here forever!" The plumber remarked, readying some kind of bladed staff.

The plumber in the middle sighed. "I get what you mean, this is getting ridiculous. At this point, we should just give them a taste of their own medicine, fight fire with fire!" they remarked.

The plumber on the far left holstered their weapon, slumping against the vehicle as they try to steady their breathing. "This is getting us nowhere. If we don't take them out, Magister Tennyson and his squad won't be able to get inside! Here's to hoping that backup comes soon!" they stated.

Almost as if a prayer had been answered by a higher power, the sound of metal smashing against someone's face could be heard. A grunt and a muffled cry of pain could be heard, and the sound of seizing gunfire was also prominent too.

The plumbers peaked out from cover, seeing Scott, holding a small metal rod like a baseball bat. The thug at his feet was recoiling bad, and the small bits of blood on the blunter end of the rod was pretty self-explanatory.

Scott spun the rod around with his fingers, gripped it tight, and smiled. The remaining thugs just stood there, wondering what exactly just happened. This guy, he wasn't in a uniform, but he seemed like the type who has his fair share of run-ins with criminals. Something was off, one could even say, he was different. "Alright, I don't know where to start with you, okay? I mean, do you even know who you're talking to?" Scott asked. The thugs didn't answer, they were just confused.

Scott's smile faded into a scowl, and out from his right pocket, he quickly chucked something as it slid to their feet. Before they could react, the thing beeped and ensnared them in a powerful bright yellow energy bind. The more they struggled against the binds, they were shocked beyond compare. The plumbers came out of hiding and witnessed what exactly happened, a bit surprised themselves.

The plumber took his helmet off, revealing a man with a tanned-skin tone and cornrows. "Way to go, Cadet. I probably could've handled it, but they were relentless on keeping us pinned. I also appreciate you answering the call when you did." The man thanked.

Scott simply nodded. "Thanks, pally. Let's get this over with, I got tons of vacation days that need to be used." Scott remarked, walking to the front of the building.

The man put his helmet back on and followed suite, as did the other two, readying their weapons.

***

As they walked in, it was clear this little operation went off the deep end. The actual store was totaled. Everything was either destroyed, slung across the room, or on the rare case, untouched, but just barely scuffed. And judging by the fighting that was happening on the inside, the fun wasn't over.

On the far left, A woman with orange hair in her twenties was casting magic, and a man in his twenties with long black hair, and an X-shaped scar on his chin absorbed and covered himself in a layer of concrete, forming his hands into blades as he readies himself for an attack. The foe they were facing seemed to be some kind of giant white gorilla, with a man's head in a jar being in place of the gorilla's actual head. "I have visuals on Gwendolyn Tennyson and Kevin Levin. Looks like Dr. Animo's involved in some way. Base, do you copy?" The man spoke into his badge.

"Loud and clear. You're clear to engage. Over and out." Another voice spoke.

The man ran in, readying his weapon as he fired at the individual. Scott wanted to run in and help as well, but to his right, he saw a man with feline-like features, dressed in a white, blue-gray and black suit fighting off what looked like a woman with unnaturally pale white skin, red hair and black and red armor with a white skull emblem on the chest. She swung her claws and was beginning to trip up the man.

Scott was about to move in, but was stopped by the other two plumbers. "At ease, Cadet. We got visuals on Rook Blonko, and Rojo. We are clear to engage." He stated. "You stay out of the fight for now. Without your gear, you're about as helpful as an Ectonurite in the daytime." He remarked.

The two other plumbers ran in, weapons drawn as they began to attack Rojo. Scott gritted his teeth, but soon noticed something important. Ben wasn't here, he wasn't fighting these two, and didn't take care of the thugs outside. Needless to say, Scott could feel that something was wrong. He didn't know what, nor why, but he had an idea of where.

Scott jumped over the counter, noticing a man cowering. The man himself looked to be in his early seventies, partially bald and has gray hair on the side of his head with a pot belly, and had a well-grown black mustache. He wore glasses, a dark pink bowtie and a light pink-striped yellow shirt with a dark pink apron and brown pants. "I don't suppose you'd be willing to tell me where I can find someone, could ya?" Scott asked.

The man looked at Scott and was practically terrified. "I already told you hooligans that I have no idea what you're looking for!" Baumann protested.

Scott rolled his eyes and pulled out his badge, showing it to Baumann. "You wanna try that again?" Scott asked, leering at the old man.

Baumann saw the badge and calmed down a fair bit. He gulped and tried to breathe. "What do you want to know?" Baumann asked.

Scott pocketed his badge. "I can't help but notice a certain someone is absent in this fight. On the off-chance Ben Tennyson came through here, where can I find him?" Scott asked.

Baumann started to become more irate. "That blasted troublemaker! Every time he comes into my shop, the destruction of my property is inevitable! He did come through here, but as far as I know, he's probably long gone. I say good riddance! As soon as all of that is settled, I need to look into other locations to put my shop, somewhere I can only hope Ben Tennyson, or anymore troublemakers can't find it!" Baumann remarked.

Scott groaned. As easy as it could've been for him to get angry and pry the information he needed, and throttle someone for slandering a hero after all the good they've done, he knew very well that it would only cause trouble, and it would most likely cost him his job. Scott took a deep breath, and sighed. "Can we get back to the topic at hand? Where did you last see him?" Scott inquired.

Baumann slowly got to his knees and pointed to the broken doorway, leading to the storage room. "Ben and some tall imposing individual were fighting before the rest of you got here. He ended up turning into that large orange-shelled ball of destruction and they ended up crashing into storage. They were probably using my storage as a quieter means of upholding some kind of deal. Something about a revolution in technology." Baumann explained.

'This gets weirder and weirder, just as I expected it to. This doesn't add up. Animo and Rojo, now some unknown attacker is in the mix. This is gonna be a problem, and I'm about to throw myself into it.' Scott thought.

Scott sighed and got up. "I'll see what I can do. Till then, I'd recommend you leave the store. Better to be alive later than to die early." Scott stated. Before Baumann could make an objection, Scott had already jumped over the counter and ran into the storage.

Baumann sighed. "Wonderful, that kid's just as attracted to trouble as Tennyson." Baumann remarked.

[Storage]

The whole room was dark. It was like the lights had been drained of all they had, but were still desperately trying to illuminate light amidst the shadows. Scott carefully moved around, hearing the distant sounds of a fight that has yet to end. Before Scott could go any further, he heard something pass through the shadows behind him, and he quickly turned around, but nothing could be seen amidst the darkness. He heard something rush by even closer, and he turned around, but was once against met with nothing.

'Great, something's fucking with me. Just what I need, an annoying pest keeping my attention. I need a plan, and unfortunately, that plan might require me to be able to see in the dark. What do I do in this kind of situation?' Scott thought to himself.

He heard the thing constantly rushing by, almost as if it was moving within the shadows itself. Scott pulled out his phone and turned on the flashlight, hearing a sudden hissing noise, one that buzzed with anticipation. It was like a snake was getting ready to attack and bite into its prey, but it almost sounded insectoid in nature. With the light on, he shined the light in all directions, only to find nothing. To a normal individual, they would've brushed it off.

Not Scott, he heard this kind of buzzing before. Then, he heard the chittering, he heard it echo around him, the sound of clicking soon followed as well. The sounds, the way they were made, it was familiar. He never thought he'd get the chance, the opportunity, to face those overgrown bugs again. Looks like today really was lucky, but Scott was unsure if it was his, or theirs.

Scott heard something land behind him. He whipped around, one of his hands balled into a fist, and was immediately kicked away before he could defend himself. The phone flew out of his hands, but he wasn't out of the fight yet. Scott quickly got back up to his feet, and was staring back at those same monstrous things he witnessed years ago.

The holes in their bodies, the malformed wings, the strange armor they wore, the sleek black chitin covering their bodies from head to toe, and those big bulbous eyes. The very same strange horse-fly looking alien freaks, only this time, he planned to fight with all he had, and was gonna stomp them out for good. "I was hopin' to see you ugly bugs again. You three freaks are gonna get stomped like roaches for what you've done, ya got that?!" Scott called out angrily into the darkness.

The buzzing and swirling air from their constant flying was enough to tell Scott they were trying to confuse him. Thankfully, he dealt with plenty of species before that tried the same thing, and he knew how to gain the advantage. Scott looked around, only to notice the faint glow of his phone underneath one of the shelves. Scott made a mad dash towards said shelf, and heard one of them tailing him, trying to dive bomb and land a strike.

Scott quickly dove down, sliding on his stomach as he vanished under the shelf. The subtle sound of the creature colliding with the shelf was enough to signify that they were gonna be hurting after this. Scott quickly crawled out and shined the light in its face. He heard the discomfort in its chittering and tackled into it, punching it in the face and firmly planting his right knee into its stomach. He heard one of them trying to rush in and assist its ally, only for Scott to grab the creature and shove it into the incoming one.

Scott hopped over both of the creatures, only to be grabbed by the throat by the last one, then thrown over to the other side of the room. Scott crashed into several shelves and crates, and even ended up landing on a piece of broken glass, ending up with a piece of it piercing his left side. He cried out and gritted his teeth, feeling the pain of his skin and flesh being torn into. Scott tried to move, but the last remaining creature landed on him, pushing the glass further into his wound. Scott coughed hard the moment the creature's foot was planted on top of his chest, pressing hard onto his ribcage.

It felt as if the end was near, until he heard a voice come from the biped insect. "You've been looking for us? For what reason do you have to seek us out!" The creature hissed.

Scott groaned and mustered enough strength to deliver a solid right hook into the creature, staggering it and knocking it off of him. Scott rolled onto his right side and slowly got onto his knees, heaving as he looked back at the insect. "You freaky bugs killed my parents! You even approached me, you and your stupid troop!" Scott lunged at the creature, trying to grab hold of it and fight. "You left me alive, and I'm gonna make you regret it! Do you know how failure tastes? Let me show ya!" Scott remarked.

The creature hissed and growled as it tried to shake Scott off, but he was keeping quite a tight grip on the creature. Scott tried to keep fighting, but the pain caused by the impaling glass shard was getting harder to ignore. It hurt like hell, and burned like it, too. the creature tried to fly up, revealing a suspended walkway above.

The creature tossed Scott to the walkway, dusting itself off. Scott's body onto it as it landed, causing him to gasp and grunt, holding his side. "You've met our kin before? I'm surprised you've encountered us Changelings. We figured this world's strongest hero, the legendary 'Ben 10' would've been the first. But, you're mistaken, we never killed anyone. The creatures you encountered, they couldn't have been of our kin." The changeling remarked.

Scott reached to his left side, grabbing the shard of glass and began pulling it out with a lot of difficulty. He screamed and yelled out in agony, feeling the searing white hot pain as the glass slowly left his wound. Soon, the glass was out, and the blood-stained shard fell back down to the darkened ground. Scott felt the crimson drip down the side of his body, but he still hobbled his way back onto his feet. "I was nine. I lived on a farm. You were a bunch of scavengers. That remind you of anything!?" Scott reprimanded.

Soon enough, Scott slumped to the ground, feeling the cold metal against his skin as he struggled to keep moving. The changeling walked forward and looked as if he was going to attack, but Scott couldn't move another inch to save himself. He felt weak, he felt as if he had no stamina, no energy, he was practically a dead man. He closed his eyes, and waited for the end, hoping it'd be swift.

But, the end never came.

Scott slowly opened his eyes, feeling something cold and sticky pressing against his wound. Scott moved his gaze, seeing the changeling kneeling above him, applying a strange green goo over his wound. After that, he noticed the creature reaching into his pockets, only to find the badge he had. Scott was too weak to fight, let alone protest, so the changeling examined it, began to think about something, and finally put two and two together, putting the badge back in Scott's pocket.

The changeling looked down at Scott. He was pale, like he lost a lot of blood. Judging by how increasingly more red the spot he collapsed on was, it was a miracle he didn't die on that walkway. "Wh... you... huh..." Scott muttered weakly.

Scott was sat up against the railing, with the changeling examining the creature. "You're a rather odd human, but you do fight fairly well, but your methods are rather unorthodox. Forgive me, had I known prior that you were a plumber, me and my comrades wouldn't have assaulted you the way we did. I also hadn't known you were injured upon the initial landing, not until I noticed the bloodied glass fall back to the ground. Wasn't until I noticed your badge that I knew of the potential trouble I could bring down upon my brothers." The changeling explained.

Scott gritted his teeth, grunting as he tried to get into a more comfortable position. He was hurting and weak enough as is, but at least he wasn't dead, he was grateful, at least. The changeling pulled a glass flask of a glowing viscous violet fluid, opening it. "Here, you can drink this. It's a special magical elixir made from our magic. Your wounds will heal naturally, but it'll take too long, and you could die of blood loss, or disease before it ever heals all the way. If I give you this, will you not attack me, or my comrades once you've healed, and let us explain?" The changeling asked.

Scott wasn't about to die on that walkway, and while he knew those things were in some way connected to the ones that attacked his home, he wasn't going to jeopardize the mission all for petty revenge. 'I really gotta get therapy for this, I can't believe I let myself get to this point… I'll do it during the use of my vacation days.' Scott thought. Scott shifted his weakening gaze to the changeling and tried to shake his head yes, albeit he was slow, exhausted, and still lost a fair amount of blood.

The changeling opened Scott's mouth and poured the liquid from the vial down his throat. Scott's face looked dissatisfied with the taste, though the changeling found it rather humorous. In an instant, Scott felt his wound close up, he felt the fatigue, the dizziness, the exhaustion, it was fading away. He felt his energy come back, his stamina was rejuvenated.

The changeling helped him back onto his feet, though his clothes were now stained in crimson. "Well, aside from the blood on my good clothes, I feel right as rain again. What was in that stuff? It tasted like fifty-year old stomach medicine and rotten cherries." Scott asked.

"It is made of changeling magic. We changelings don't have hearts, so we feed off of love, and we mainly bring it back to our hive, to give to our queen." The changeling explained.

Scott looked at the creature, confused and curious, but mostly confused. "Why did you heal me? You easily could've left me for dead, but you stayed. You tried to stop the bleeding, sat me upright, and healed me. Why?" Scott asked.

The changeling looked Scott right in the eyes. "I did it for the betterment of my brothers. As a plumber, you were doing your job, and again, had we'd known prior, we wouldn't have attacked. But unfortunately, we were pawns in a grander plan, as much as it pains me to admit." The changeling explained.

"You got a name?" Scott asked.

"Exos. My brothers are named Mandible and Tennae." The changeling said.

"In that case, I'm Scott Baristo, but you can call me Scott, if you so wish." Scott introduced.

Scott remembered why he was here, about the illegal tech trafficking ring. He really let his past experience drive him off the designated path this time. "Which reminds me, Exos. What exactly is being smuggled through here, a weapon? An experimental bio-weapon? A bomb capable of destroying planets? It's not one of those Annihilaargs I heard so much about, is it?" Scott asked.

Exos simply shrugged. "We aren't sure what it is, but according to what many potential benefactors have discussed over the conceptualization of this deal, it's supposed to be something that'll allow the one on top to finally defeat all forces for good and justice. It could overwrite a set of code, and replace it with a singular specific kind of code that turns machines into full-blown weapons of majorly assured mass destruction. But, others have called it a knock-off." Exos remarked.

Scott thought about what it could've been, but nothing immediately came to mind. But, then again, there was one individual who had a knock-off device, one that could easily compare to something Ben Tennyson was known for wielding. Scott's face went pale again, and a sense of concern washed over him. "What did they think it was a knock-off of exactly?" Scott asked, his tone full of caution.

Exos saw the human's expression, and could practically smell the fear coming off him. "Something called an Omnitrix, whatever that is. It's supposedly what this 'Ben 10' individual uses to mimic our shapeshifting capabilities, only it seems much more complex. Why do you ask?" Exos asked.

Scott's face got even paler, but before he could explain, the door behind them burst open, sending them flying to the other end of the walkway. Where Exos could fly and easily recover, Scott was just trying to find his footing again, only to then crash into another door. Out from the newly created hole was a towering figure, one that was all too familiar to anyone who's seen or heard the news.

The figure was tall, he was incredibly huge. He looked imposing, as did the red armor he wore. He had a beard, one consisting of numerous tentacles. His skin was green, he wore a set of red metal gauntlets with blackened claws. He grinned as he stared down the human and the changeling. His red eyes shined as he threw an unconscious guy in his twenties onto the walkway.

"W-Who is this towering creature?" Exos asked.

Scott gulped. "Vilgax, conqueror of worlds. He once outsmarted an interdimensional energy demon, known simply as the Diagon, and took its power for his own. Some have even heard he went to other timelines to find evil versions of Ben 10 to make an army, but I don't know if that's actually true. If he can outsmart a literal energy demon, then I believe it." Scott explained. "In layman's terms, we're fucked!" Scott exclaimed.

Exos looked at the unconscious man on the walkway. "And him? Do you know who he is?" Exos inquired. Scott looked down at the individual that Vilgax tossed over.

The guy was dressed in a white t-shirt with a green stripe going down the middle of it, as well as a black long-sleeved shirt underneath that. He had a black belt around his waist with a big green 10 in the middle of it. He wore dark blue jeans and had bulky armored knee pads. He had black boots with white detailing and steel toe armoring. He also had a familiar watch on his wrist. It was bulky, but it was also sleek and incredibly good looking, the main colors being black and gray, with green and white being excellent accent colors, but the bright green hourglass shape in the midst of it was all Scott needed to see to indicate that this was him.

Scott shuddered, terrified of the situation. "That's Ben Tennyson. Wielder of the Omnitrix, the Protector of Earth. He's one of the strongest, most versatile, and most creative superheroes I've ever seen! But as he is right now, I'm a bit worried about our odds." Scott briefly explained.

A sinister smile formed on Vilgax's face as he stepped forward. "You should be. Finally, I have incapacitated the mighty Ben Tennyson, after eleven years of your constant interruption, you stopping my plans, defeating me like I won't come back to settle the score! But now, I'll finally have what is rightfully mine! I'll take your blasted Omnitrix, and create the army I sought to have all that time ago! I may not have need for that pathetic knock-off, after all!" Vilgax rejoiced.

Scott heard the conqueror mention a knock-off, and his brain finally put two and two together. He fished out his badge and activated the communicator. "All plumbers on this frequency, please respond! Vilgax has defeated Ben Tennyson! I repeat, Vilgax has defeated Ben Tennyson, this is not a drill! I repeat, this is not a drill! I'm requesting backup at Baumann's Market! Does anyone copy?!" Scott was panicking, breaking out in a nervous sweat. Not a single response came back through.

He felt useless, he felt terrified, he felt the same way he did as a kid, knowing that changelings, whatever those things are, killed his folks. Now, he's about to watch Vilgax, Ben Tennyson's most notorious enemy, finally kill his hero.

Scott didn't want to watch this, he wanted to do something to help. But, what could he do realistically? He was only human. This was Vilgax he was facing, seeing him approaching the unconscious body of the hero he looked up to in times of his own crisis, it was terrifying to see. Scott doesn't know why he did this, let alone even think it was a good idea, but under so much pressure, the situation escalated more and more, and Scott just couldn't take it.

Scott attempted to run towards the conqueror and attack. Scott did land a single punch on the conqueror, but it felt more like a love tap. Scott stood in front of Ben's unconscious body, shaking and trembling at the sight of the conqueror scowling down at him. "I- I won't let you do this! By authority of the Plumbers, you are under arrest!" Scott exclaimed. He felt the adrenaline pumping through his body, and he knew what he was doing was basically suicide, but he couldn't just stand by and watch Earth's mightiest hero go down like this.

For a moment, everything went silent. Vilgax stared down at the human, while Exos carefully pulled Ben's unconscious body away. Scott's eyes were wide, his teeth were gritting together so hard, he thought he'd break every tooth in his mouth. Without warning, the tentacles that dangled down Vilgax's face quickly ensnared Scott, holding him still. He raised his right arm and stared down, smiling.

Scott watched Vilgax's hand come down at a dangerous speed, and the moment it collided, the sound of something snapping, breaking, and dislocating could be heard throughout the entire building. Scott was quite literally knocked off his feet. The entire left side of his body felt numb, but he was more worried falling off the side of the walkway. He tried to stop and save himself, but the blood on his hand made it hard to keep a firm grip on anything.

Before Scott knew what happened, he landed on top of the shelves in the right most corner of the room. The shelves began to collapse, and as Scott landed on the floor, he was buried under the shelves, and blocked off by crates. The pain was basically unbearable, Scott felt like everything got bent and broken, then fixed, and then broken again. He felt his consciousness fading, and he could hear the faint, if not booming laughter coming from Vilgax. He desperately wanted to move, but he lost the stamina he had.

'Dammit, I knew that was a bad idea... Why did I frickin' do that?! I knew I wasn't gonna win that fight, but I just had to step in. I might as well have shown up dressed as a giant chicken, while holding fried chicken! I can't feel anything on the left side of my body, and whatever I can feel, I don't even have the strength to muster out a cry for help, not even a whimper. I'm gonna end up a dead man today, and it's a miracle I haven't ended up a dead man yet in this blasted career, until now.'

Scott could feel everything slowing down and speeding up, and he felt the crippling injury he was afflicted with. His body was going through another adrenaline rush, but he couldn't do anything with it. He felt his muscles tear up, swell and flex on their own, the pain and torment was agonizing. He felt like one of those one billion piece puzzles, except a hundred twenty-eight pieces were missing, or broken beyond actual use or repair. Everything was going dark, darker than it previously was without any proper lighting.

'So, this is my life story. As a child, my parents were killed by something known as Changelings, some sort of freaky magical race of bug people that have a passing resemblance to horse flies. I learned the name of the hero behind the aliens that saved the day. I joined the plumber academy and would eventually qualify to become a cadet. Now, I'm a crumpled up, broken heap of a man. The moment I get to be in the same room with my hero, it just so happens that debatably, his worst enemy, is trying once again, to get revenge. Either I have the worst sense of timing, or today was just one of those days where I get smacked like a ragdoll, and then I have to spend most of my vacation days trying to heal. Knowing my luck, it's one of those days, but I had a job to do. I've always got a job to do, even when I'm trying to go on vacation!'

Unbeknownst to him, something had fallen out from one of the crates, and landed right near his right hand. Within the cover of darkness, it didn't seem like anything special. But, then a strange green glow began to emanate from it, illuminating the small contained trap that Scott's crippled body was trapped within. Scott felt as if everything was finally about to go limp, and while the green glow did catch his attention, it was the hourglass emblem that it sported that truly made him wonder.

Through the pain, knowing that he'd go unconscious soon, he let a small smile form on his face before his eyes began to close.

'Guess this is how it ends. Ma, Pops... if you all can hear me, wherever you ended up... I'm on my way... Sorry to make you wait so long, I was... doing my best, with what little I got left... But hey, I finally got to see my hero in person, even if he never gets to know... That's good enough for me... Not bad... for a Boston boy born from the sticks...'

A loud digital pinging sound soon echoed out, all while Scott fell limp. While he couldn't feel it, let alone be aware of what was happening around him, something did end up clasping around his wrist. Amidst the green glow, was a bulky watch. It looked like what the Omnitrix initially looked like, back when it was first conceived as a prototype, but there were some obvious differences with this version.

Instead of four white tubes plugged into the device, there was only one. It also had an extra button above the main button used to prime the device. It looked impractical, one could even say incomplete, compared to the original design, but it did look fairly well-put together. The device had fixated itself upon Scott's wrist, and after a minute of the interior mechanisms firing up, the device shined bright.

[All systems online. All basic functions and standard features have been granted access to user. Default DNA sample has been collected. Human DNA sample recognized, Scott Baristo has been registered as this device's user. Estimated Time for permanent genetic bond, unclear.] A calm synthetic digital voice spoke out from the device.

The Omnitrix-like device suddenly began to project a thin layer of green light over Scott's body, but that light vanished as soon as it was deployed. The device began to blink and glow a red color, only to start flashing rapidly from red to white. [ERROR. Host physical health is critical, user death is imminent. Initializing Fail-Safe Protocol... Two DNA Samples have been identified within prior incomplete default playlist. Initializing...]

Activating Displacement Protocol

Vilgax marveled at his handiwork. He laughed like he never laughed before, letting his evil deed become a beacon to those nearby that know not of the danger he can be. "What a pitiful fool. Sacrificing your life for some fool, who stoked the fires of which my passion, my hunger, my yearning for the Omnitrix's power in the first place!" Vilgax spat in the direction of where Scott's body had careened towards. "Pathetic. That is the consequence of being a hero, foolish human! You should've known you were outclassed from the beginning. But, enough of that, time to claim the device I beheld so long ago. Say your prayers, Ben Tennyso-" Vilgax looked down, noticing that not only was Ben not there anymore, but the insect that stood with the human he just swatted away, was also missing.

Vilgax leered down at the darkness below, roaring out in a fit of rage.

***

Back on the ground floor, the other side of the room was abuzz. Exos and his brothers watched Ben, noticing him stirring and beginning to awake. "Oh man... feels like I got hit by a whole building," Ben said groggily, rubbing his eyes. He stretched and cracked a few parts of his body as he looked up, only to be immediately terrified by the three changelings watching him. "Ahh!! Giant mutant bugs!!" Ben exclaimed, rolling backwards as he got ready to activate the Omnitrix.

Exos stepped in front of Ben Tennyson, shielding him from his brothers, and vice versa from the hero. "Do not attack, and do not panic, we are not your enemies. Just wayward souls, who became pawns in a grander plan. One of your own, they are injured, they may require extensive and immediate medical aide." Exos stated.

Ben raised an eyebrow. "My cousin's hurt? She must've dropped her guard and got attacked, but even so..." Ben wondered, still keeping his fingers hovered over the device on his wrist.

The changeling on Ben's left, Tennae, they stepped forward. "Not your blood, a plumber. An ally who gave Exos time to hide you. The monster you call Vilgax, made immediate and devastating work out of them. They crashed somewhere down here, and by the sounds of what happened before we hid you, it sounded like this 'Scott Baristo' was dealt a fatal blow. You humans are fragile creatures, but full of surprises. Living a blow like that, and surviving the landing, I doubt is one of those surprises." The changeling explained.

Ben took a moment to let this information sink in, but he never heard of anyone named Scott before, but Vilgax was definitely in for a devastating beating now. "Did he say who he was affiliated with?" Ben asked.

The changeling on the right, Mandible, stepped forward. "He was one of the Plumbers, as told to us by Exos, the one who was with that human and quickly hid you away with Vilgax distracted by the human's sacrifice, looking for whatever Vilgax was after." Mandible stated.

Ben's eyes widened, he growled out of irritation. "He is after some sort of knock-off based on your device, Ben Tennyson. It's unclear as to where exactly this device was being kept, but Vilgax will probably want to deal with you, before you can stop him from acquiring it." Exos explained.

Ben frowned at those words. He activated something on the watch and began to speak into it. "Omnitrix, do an automatic search through plumber records for a Baristo, Scott." Ben stated.

The Omnitrix chirped and a small holographic list began to churn through several bits and pieces of information. It then stopped on the file, labeled Baristo, Scott. Ben tapped on the file. "Let's see here... youngest student enrolled, travesty before enrollment, served all of last year to do his job... kid's quite the worker," Ben scrolled down further, reaching a key point in his file. "Scott Baristo was turned into an orphan by age nine. Five years ago, around the time Ben Tennyson's identity was leaked to the public, nine-year-old Scott Baristo told the earth authorities that three human-shaped fly-like creatures had..."

There was a pause. Ben's words caught in his throat, but he knew what happened next. He was impressed, knowing someone so young could go so far, but he wondered why he was here, specifically. By that point, he stopped reading, focusing on the three insects that stood before him. "So, what are you three about?" Ben inquired.

Exos cleared their throat. "Scott Baristo, he was familiar with our species, just not by name. He claimed that we were the ones responsible for the untimely end of his family. In reality, we were pawns of a grander plan, one that had no involvement with his family, or Scott himself. We initially just wanted to go back home and report back to our queen, but we've been trapped on your world for a good year and a half, we know nothing of the years prior," Exos stepped closer to Ben, taking a knee. "You are an impressive and kind-hearted human, Ben Tennyson. Scott's words of praise in your name, they show a rather enthusiastic sense of aspiration for your heroics." Exos stated.

This was a lot for Ben to take in, but he didn't have much to contribute. Soon enough, he noticed a yellow glow coming off of the Omnitrix. "Something tells me I know what this thing's gonna start yapping about." Ben remarked.

[Uncatalogued DNA Detected.] The Omnitrix chirped. Before the changelings knew what happened, a yellow beam of light passed over Exos. After a few seconds, the light soon diminished and the Omnitrix beeped again, showing off a holographic icon of a changeling. [Unknown DNA sample acquired. Scan complete. Changeling DNA is now accessible for transformation in primary playlist.] The Omnitrix soon returned to being inactive, leaving Ben quite surprised. "Huh, I guess I can become one of your species now. What can you guys do anyway?" Ben asked.

Tennae was the first to explain. "We can utilize magic to shapeshift, we can look like anything, or anybody. On top of that, we can spew a sticky resin, which makes it easy for combative purposes, and for hunting prey. We can fly, thanks to our wings, and we feed off of emotions. The more emotions we drain from an individual, the more they will be weakened." Tennae explained.

Before anything else could be asked, the lights that had been darkened this entire time, soon flickered back on. The mess that had been created in the shadows was evident, and Ben winced at the sight. "Yeah, Baumann's gonna be on my ass for this one, I know it." Ben joked, a small smile forming on his face.

Vilgax landed on the ground, glaring daggers at the alien, as well as the three insectoid creatures. "Pests, the lot of you! Get out of my way, the Omnitrix is mine, do you hear me?! Mine, and mine alone!" Vilgax roared out.

Ben cycled through his transformations, and pressed down on the watch. In a flash of light, he had become one of his classic transformations. A tall red bipedal man with tons of muscle, and four arms. He wore no shirt, but did wear a green sash with the Omnitrix's emblem on it. He had a white belt and black pants, all while he cracked his knuckles, all twenty of them. This was the Tetramand form that Ben affectionately called Four Arms.

"If you really want a piece of me that bad, then let me give you a hand... or four!" Four Arms remarked with a grin.

Vilgax roared out, firing lasers from his eyes. The changelings scattered, while Four Arms shielded himself from the attack. Another flash of light then showed another alien, one that was just as nimble, as it was annoying to deal with.

It was a small blue four-armed monkey, it had six green eyes and constantly leapt around. It wore black pants and had the Omnitrix strapped to its chest. This was what Ben referred to as Spidermonkey.

The monkey shot a huge glob of white webbing at the conqueror, which only infuriated Vilgax even more. "I'm going to skin you alive, slowly and in pain, Tennyson!!" Vilgax threatened.

Spidermonkey clung to the wall, staying as far up as he can. "And someone should've taught you to play a bit nicer. Seriously, was knocking me out the best plan you had?" Spidermonkey remarked.

They leapt off the wall, only for another flash of light to envelop them. This next alien was something rather new, but also pretty familiar. It looked like a giant bright sickly green pufferfish. It had black pants, a green belt, and the Omnitrix was located on top of its forehead. This was an alien that Ben called Spitter.

The alien inhaled and spewed out a sickly green liquid right down at Vilgax, who dodged out of the way, only to be met by a sudden glow of green flames. Vilgax turned around, only to go wide-eyed, seeing Four Arms, Spidermonkey, and another him leering at him. Vilgax roared out and threw a punch, staggering the fake him, until Four Arms and Spidermonkey tackled him, attempting to pin him and keep him still. He struggled hard, and finally managed to shake them off, causing the changelings to change back to their normal form.

Spitter landed on the ground, letting another flash of light transform him. This next alien was recently acquired, practically brand-new. He was a tall black bipedal insect, very reminiscent of a horsefly. He had holes riddled throughout his body, which was covered in a sleek black chitin. He had a set of ant-like mandibles, as well as a set of mangled fluorescent green wings. His fingers and toes became claws and talons, and the Omnitrix was embedded into the left pectoral, right where the heart would be located.

The changeling cheered. "Yeah!! Looks like I'll get to try out this new guy after all! Not sure what to call it, but for now, I think Wallflyer has a nice ring to it!" The changeling remarked.

Vilgax growled, firing lasers at the insect. Wallflyer constantly zipped around and would cautiously let some of the stray beams pass through the holes in his body. "Never thought I'd say this, but for once, I'm glad I'm riddled with holes!" Wallflyer quipped.

He flew in fast, striking Vilgax in the face as he flew out of his reach. The changeling repeated this process a few times, but was eventually grabbed by the leg, seeing Vilgax grip onto his ankle as he aggressively slammed him against the floor, as if he was trying to actually smear the changeling hero on the ground. Vilgax slammed the alien against the ground several times, and it was clear that this was getting to be a lot of trouble. Once the physical beating stopped, Vilgax pinned Wallflyer under his foot, knocking the wind out of the changeling, and fired his lasers onto the hero at close range.

It was a vicious and aggressive display, but soon, the onslaught came to an end. Wallflyer couldn't move, he felt as if his entire body was on fire. Before he could try moving, Vilgax reached down and grabbed hold of the Omnitrix's badge. He pulled at it, causing the device to let out several noises, and causing it to spark with green electrical energy. Wallflyer hissed and cried out, only to spew resin into Vilgax's face. Vilgax recoiled, letting go as he attempted to pull the substance off his face.

In a flash of light, Wallflyer turned back into Ben, who struggled to get back on his feet. He felt sore, but that was always a good thing to him, it reminded him that he was alive. "Man, I'm gonna feel all this tomorrow." Ben groaned.

He crawled his way to the collapsed shelves and crates, sitting up behind one of them, in hopes that once Vilgax can see again, he'll assume he left. Ben tries to activate the Omnitrix again, knowing he might have to take things up a notch, but before he can try and transform, the Omnitrix suddenly locks up. Ben grumbles, getting frustrated. "This is the definitive version, and yet it continues to piss me off. What's the problem now?" Ben wondered.

[Unknown Omnimatrix energy signature has been detected. Unknown Omnimatrix unit is nearby.] The Omnitrix chirped.

Ben was surprised, but at least he had an idea of what this meant. "Couldn't be the Nemetrix, I know it isn't Albedo, it can't be an alternate me... must be that knock-off Omnitrix that squidface is after. If he can't have the original, then he's willing to settle for a cheap copy." Ben said.

He got on his stomach, looking past the various small gaps between the shelves and crates, and he did see some kind of bootleg Omnitrix, but it looks like someone else ended up getting it stuck to them instead. "Oh man... well, at least Vilgax didn't end up with it," Ben slowly wormed his left arm through one of the cracks, and positioned the Omnitrix in a manner that focused on the unconscious man's face. "Ok Omnitrix, can you run a scan and use facial recognition to identify this guy?" Ben asked.

[Request Acknowledged.]

The Omnitrix showed a holographic green screen that focused in on the man's face. His eyes were closed, the left side of his body looked bent, broken, disfigured beyond repair. After a few scans of the man's face, the Omnitrix immediately began the search. Ben pulled his arm back and kept a lookout for Vilgax, noticing that he was now being distracted by the changelings.

[Facial recognition scan complete.] the Omnitrix pulled up a list of details, along with a photo for comparison. [Scott Baristo, Cadet Rank. Ben 10 Fanboy. Plumber Academy Graduate. Highschool Drop-Out. Wielder of Unidentified Omnimatrix Unit.] the Omnitrix listed off.

Ben looked through the cracks, noticing a plumber's badge that now rested inches away from his body. Ben tried to transform again, but was immediately cut off by the sound of another voice.

[Initializing Fail-Safe Protocol...] A calm synthetic digital voice spoke out.

Ben's eyes went wide, looking towards the sudden increase of brightness from a green glow emanating from the Omnitrix-like device. "Oh man, that's not good." Ben stated with concern.

***

Exos, Mandible and Tennae looked like they had seen better days. Parts of their body were breaking, they could barely stand, and they seemed drastically weakened. "Now, I'll make sure you insects stay out of the way. Prepare to--"

"Get down!!" Ben exclaimed. In a flash of light, Ben was replaced by a lean blue bipedal reptilian creature. It had black claws, a black helmet, a tail, a green stripe going down its chest, strange ball-like spheres on its feet, and the Omnitrix on its chest. This was Ben's Kinecceleran form, XLR8.

The form moved like a blur. Before Vilgax knew what happened, the three changelings, along with XLR8, were gone, with a blurry blue trail leading back to the main market area. Before Vilgax could chase after them, a sudden pillar of green light caught his attention. The shelves and crates had been blown back, all while Scott's body was suspended in the air by an unknown force. Something began to spark and crackle on his right wrist, and Vilgax could only tell from a glance that it was what he was looking for.

Vilgax growled, scowling at the oblivious human. "You!! That's my Omnitrix, you pitiful piece of human scum! Hand over what rightfully belongs to me, or else death is what you will get in kind!" Vilgax threatened.

Scott couldn't give an answer, but the device attached to him responded, in a way. In a flash of green light, Scott's body transformed into a humanoid-shaped figure, but then it became an amorphous alien made out of some kind of sludge. Vilgax couldn't tell what was happening, but Scott's body constantly changed back and forth between the two transformations at a rapid rate, almost asynchronously.

Suddenly, Scott was returned to normal. He still hovered in the air, unaware of what has been happening. The device then responded again.

[Fail-Safe Protocol succeeded. User preservation has been accomplished. User diagnosis has been completed.] The device chirped.

Vilgax growled. "I won't be ignored! Hand over the Omnitrix, human! Now!!" Vilgax commanded.

Scott didn't respond, but instead, the device on his wrist, gave another response. The device cycled back and forth between two black icons of a humanoid shape, and an amorphous sludge creature. It did this for a solid minute and a half, only to then return to its inactive mode.

[Attempts to sync with Primus have failed. Attempts to sync with Prime Omnimatrix Unit have failed. Diagnostics show no problems with internal or external software and hardware. Attempts to contact creator have failed. Current setting is already occupied with Omnimatrix unit wielder.]

Scott slowly began to come back to reality. He felt weird, it was like he died, feeling nothing. But then, he suddenly felt life constantly shift through his body, and it felt as if he was brought back from the dead. He felt a familiar soreness in every part of the left side of his body, but nothing felt broken, or in pain. In an ironic way, it felt unfamiliar.

Scott noticed one thing, the fact that no ground was beneath his feet, yet he didn't seem to move. His eyes snapped open, filled with terror and confusion. "What the hell is going on?!" Scott exclaimed.

Vilgax growled, roaring out in a fit of rage. "I've had enough of these blasphemous games! If you won't listen, then I'll take it by force!" Vilgax roared out.

Before Scott could try to defend himself, the device that attached itself to him began to glow. Scott looked back at Vilgax, whose eyes were glowing a bright red. "He's gonna shoot me out of the air, and I can't move! Why did I even bother trying to go on vacation if this was gonna happen! I love my job and all, even with how chaotic it can get, but stuff like this? It's too much! I want to get out of here, I don't care where!" Scott exclaimed, panicking as Vilgax fired off one more laser blast from his eyes.

It was weird, it was like the world had begun to slow down, all except for Scott. He looked down, seeing Ben and his friends running in, trying to stop Vilgax. He saw the bright red beams getting closer and closer, all the while, the brightness around the watch got to the point where Scott couldn't tell how close the beams were getting.

As Scott closed his eyes and braced himself for the end, the device on his wrist reacted and began to glow brighter. [User Request has been Acknowledged. Activating: Displacement Protocol...]

Scott was confused, but he was more terrified. 'Displacement Protocol? What's that supposed to do?' He thought.

A bright flash of light enveloped him. Scott saw the world he once knew devolve into a wormhole full of vibrant colors and hard to look at patterns. It felt as if his body was being flung every which way, but it also felt completely still and stiff. He wanted to scream out, but with how his body felt, combined with the speed he was being flung at, it was already hard enough to keep a coherent thought together.

Scott managed to muster out one scream. A scream that would haunt even him to his dying day. The whole world went white, and Scott eventually lost consciousness.

[Equestria Outskirts; 2 months before the Summer Sun Celebration]

A portal of white light opened up, and from above, Scott's unconscious body crashed right into the soft grass-covered ground, within a small and secluded wooded area. The portal in the sky above immediately closed, indicating that this was a one-way trip. Scott's body remained motionless, all while the sunset finally came down, and Scott would end up alone, within the cover of night.

Author's Note

A bit of a minor change at the end, you'll see why in a later chapter.

And then There Were... 2? Part 2

[???]

Scott laid on the ground, his body ached like something just hit him in the gut at a hundred miles per hour, all in the span of a nanosecond. He quickly got back up to his feet, feeling a jolting sensation coursing through him, like electricity. He looked around, the farm house was in a state of ruin, yet the sweet, and stomach churning scent of candy, iron and decay could still be found in the air, yet it was now accompanied by two new aromas.

Apples. The smell of a crisp, ripe, juicy apple, whether it was eaten as is, baked into a pie, turned into juice, roasted over an open flame, or stuck on a stick and paired with various meats, an apple always tasted much better after a long and hard day's work. Scott couldn't remember the last time he ate an apple, it had been a few years. Scott's mood suddenly began to sour, remembering why he felt such a devastating pain in his stomach, all because of an orange mare with three red apples on her ass. It was an odd thought that came to him, even when he remembered what his job entailed, but he tried to forget about it, for now.

The second smell was all too familiar, it reminded him a lot of Christmas. Cinnamon. A common ingredient in certain recipes, apple pie being a prominent example. It was such a familiar scent, yet it was foreign to him. It was a dry smell, so dry that the air around him began to become warm and arid, all while small flakes of cinnamon began to kick up in the air. Just by breathing it in, he felt as if his throat was on fire. Scott ran away, leaving the destroyed and ruined farm house behind him, only to trip, fumbling to the ground.

He looked around, noticing that the wheat field had suddenly looked flattened, like a stampede of something came on through, trampling everything in its wake and ruining the yield that the crop would've eventually brought. He felt a fire burning inside him, one that truly hated seeing such hard work and effort be ruined in the blink of an eye. Suddenly, something came to him, thoughts of the first Christmas he ever spent without his parents, training extra hard and pushing himself to be better. It was the only time that the academy students had time off, to enjoy the holidays and unwind a bit. Scott though, he remembered everything he did on that day so vividly, to think he had been there for a year, and at the age of ten, he finally broke down.

The look on his face became melancholic, yet so very angry. He woke up, knowing what the day was. He made his bed, took a shower, got dressed and then ate. The instructors stated that today was an off-day, a time to pack up and leave for the holidays, to celebrate with family. Scott wasn't as enthused as everyone else, so he did go back to his room, and looked at the punching bag that hung in the corner. Scott's emotions boiled within him, and he attempted to vent his frustrations, beating on the bag as much as he could. Scott remembered that for the first time since he got to the academy, he cried himself to sleep, spending the holidays alone at the academy.

Scott sighed, sulking as he kept his head near the ground, his expression changed from anger and melancholy, to one of sorrow, acceptance and sadness. The dark stormy clouds had soon disappeared, allowing for a dark, star-littered night sky to shine down. The moon shined bright, almost as if to cast a spotlight on the human, allowing him a chance to speak. Scott got to his knees, a look of longing glimmered poorly in his eyes. A strange feeling of calm and dread washed over him, only for a small pitiable smile to form on his face.

"I guess I got too used to the feeling of loneliness on that day, it would explain why I don't have any friends, but also the need to have at least one. But, it makes sense. Paying my final respects to my folks, that was all I wanted to do for Christmas, every frickin' year, but something always came up and pulled me away, now, I'll never get that chance to pay them properly," Scott slowly got to his feet, staring up at the moon, noticing the image of some kind of unicorn-like figure imprinted into the moon itself. He stared up at the glowing orb, looking visibly more and more upset.

Scott balled his hands into fists, feeling the stinging sensation in his eyes as tears poured down his cheeks. "I'm stranded in a strange world, I got kicked in the stomach by some talking orange pony, just because I was trying to help, and I don't even know what's happening now. I just feel sick, I feel pain, not just the physical stuff, either. I've been assaulted, I died, got assaulted again, my parents were murdered, I can't even go back home, and I think I'm gonna die again! It's like the world is laughing at me, and I'm at my limit! If the world had teeth, I would've punched them all down its throat, spat in its face, then told it to fuck off! Can I get a sign that the universe is ready to spare some mercy for me?!" Scott cried out to the heavens above, the anguish in his voice breaks and echoes across the air, causing the whole place to suddenly go dead silent.

"Interesting," A quizzical female voice echoed around him. He couldn't see anyone, or anything, just the remains of the farm house in the distance, and the trampled wheat field that spanned as far as the eye could see. "I've never seen a creature such as you before, but it would appear my powers of traversing dreams can still be of use, even on the dreams of... whatever it is you are, biped." The voice echoed.

Scott couldn't tell where the voice was coming from, but soon, the moon began to shine even brighter, the light was almost as blinding as the sun on a summer's day without a cloud in the sky. A blackened silhouette appeared in the middle of the moon's blinding light. Scott rubbed his eyes, noticing that the light was finally beginning to dim substantially. He looked at the silhouette, only to be incredibly surprised, and thoroughly confused.

The silhouette was shaped like an equine, only much taller and thinner than the mare he had met previously. She had a dark purple coat, with a black splotch and smaller black dots on her flank, with a red crescent moon in the middle of said splotch. She had a bit of tuft to their coat, making it look puffier. She had a dark blue mane and tail, colored with a darker and lighter shade of blue, allowing what looked like very bright light blue stars to shine in her mane and tail. He had a bat-like accessory adorned on her head, with a small white crescent moon on her forehead. Her coat didn't seem to completely reach over her hooves like the orange mare's did, allowing her uncovered purple hooves to be shown.

Scott raised an eyebrow, wondering what exactly was happening, but remembered what he assumed this mare said about dreams. This was all a dream? No, it couldn't be, despite how bizarre the environment was, how everything felt so ethereal, it felt so real. The smells, the sights, the memories he put aside that came back to him, all of it felt real.

Scott fell back, sitting on the ground as he met the pony's gaze, her dark teal eyes shining bright within she shadow she cast, seeing her look down at him with a smile. "Greetings, you must be the foreigner that fell through that strange rift, aren't you?" She asked. Scott was at a loss for words, unsure of if this was a real interaction. Scott slowly nodded his head in an approving motion, and the mare got closer. "Fantastic, and rather fascinating, too. I never thought I'd be the first to witness a lifeform not native to our world. You look like you came from another planet, or someplace else further out. Pray tell, creature, dost thou have a name, and what all have you experienced thus far of our world?" The mare inquired.

Scott was truly at a loss for words, but this was the second polite interaction he's had with the natives of this world, and he intended to make it last as long as he could. If this was a dream, and this mare was somehow communicating with him through his mind, then he was gonna make this conversation last till he wakes up. Scott scrambled to his feet, dusting the dirt, dust and wheat off his clothes. "I am Scott Baristo, I'm an agent of the Plumbers, and no, not the ones that specialize in plumbing or fixing toiletries. We are an intergalactic force that defends the galaxy from extraterrestrial and supernatural threats and forces. My rank is Cadet, a rank I've upheld for a whole year, and it may not mean much if I've been rendered unable of venturing back home. If you're to refer to me, then you may refer to me simply as 'Scott', if that's what you so wish, mysterious dream-invading mare." Scott introduced, knowing fully well how insane he must've sounded.

A concerned and uncertain expression formed on his face, to which the mare stifled a chuckle. The mare looked quite impressed, though she did seem pretty tickled by the human's explanation. "Quite the explanation, and quite the resume. From the sounds of it, you seem like a military-bound individual, am I right?" The mare inquired.

'I suppose that's one way of looking at it, the Plumbers are kind of a more space military type of group, with all that crazy alien gear they got, rather than being space cops. What kind of cop would roll up to the scene of a crime in a tank!?' Scott thought, dusting himself off as he looked the mare up and down, unsure of what to refer to them as. "Forgive me if it's a bit impolite of me to ask, but what's your name, if you don't mind me asking?" Scott asked.

The mare looked a bit surprised, her cheeks becoming a light shade of lavender as she laughed. "Oh, my apologies! I completely forgot about my introduction! What a silly mare, I am!" The mare cleared her throat, then made her eyes glow white, any trace of her pupils or the dark teal color was replaced by a blinding white void. "I am Luna! One of the princesses of Equestria, princess of the night and savior of dreams!" Luna proclaimed, her voice booming loud and stunning the young man effectively. "If you so choose, refer to me as Luna, or Princess, if you prefer formal interactions. Just not Lulu, that nickname is tied to embarrassing memories." Luna stated.

Scott took a minute, hoping his ears weren't gonna burst, and thankfully he was fine. "I suppose that's fair. I didn't think I'd be speaking to a princess, though. I guess since you're here, maybe you can assist me with the issue of a misunderstanding?" Scott asked.

Luna raised an eyebrow, curious as to what issue could've arisen. "What kind of misunderstanding?" Luna inquired.

Scott took a deep breath and sighed. "Some time this morning, I had finally woken up and found myself in... what was your world called again, Equestria? I found myself here. I don't know how to explain this without sounding crazy, but I'm not your average human. If anything, it's because of the watch that's attached to me, that makes me quite the anomaly. Apparently, much like changelings, I have the ability to transform myself into other creatures, becoming more capable than I am in my normal form, the one you see before you, and able to utilize powers and abilities I once considered to be a fantasy." Scott explained.

Luna was surprised, as well as confused and suspicious, but Scott continued. "Back in my world, I came across a species of creatures resembling horse flies. They had magic, they supposedly could, and proved true to disguise themselves as anything, or anyone. I met three, or if you can believe it, six of them back where I came from, and it wasn't pretty. They called themselves changelings, the three I first met killed my parents, and the other three, were surprisingly understanding," Scott could tell by Luna's face, she was shocked, then appalled, then disgusted, then angered, and then stopped at confused.

Scott couldn't tell which emotion was worse, but he continued. "That orange mare I met previously today, I think her name was Applejack?" Luna's eyes widen, a sense of familiarity came to her. Scott took note of her reaction, but focused on continuing his side of the story. "She seemed to know what changelings were, and seemed pretty irate about them. I guess that explains why I'm unconscious and dreaming, and why she kicked the hell out of me earlier. She assumed I was a changeling, but from how she spoke about them, I tried to reassure her that I wasn't a danger, that she wasn't in any trouble, or in a dangerous situation, but she clearly wasn't having it," Luna was processing the information slowly, seeming almost worried, but she seemed to be in disbelief. Scott watched the mare's body language, and could tell that she seemed familiar with the pony who assaulted him.

'For once, my training is paying off. I've still got a bad feeling about this, though. Better be careful and play it safe with what I say next, lest I somehow end up knocked out again, and end up in a deeper state of unconsciousness. I may never wake again if I say something wrong.' Scott thought cautiously.

He cleared his throat, getting the mare's attention. "Anyhow, I doubt that matters in the now. It wasn't until I felt something small, metallic and blunt knock me on the back of my head, a little bit after Applejack knocked the wind, and a bit of blood out of me. I woke up, seeing that I've been brought back here, memories old and new are coming to me, it's like my life is flashing before my eyes, but only through bits and pieces," Scott was about to say something else, until another storm began to roll in.

Scott sighed, disappointed by the lightning strikes that began to strike the ground, lighting up and setting the wheat ablaze. "Unfortunately, I think this is all the time we have for our chat, Princess, it was a pleasure to meet you... at least, I think we met, still not sure about this dream stuff. As of now, I don't know where my body is currently, but I'm hoping I don't wake up in a cell. It's not a crime to help people, especially when their livelihoods are put at risk, I was trying to help in any way I could, with what little I knew. I'd try looking for that Applejack lady, she might know what happened to me after I got knocked out, though I highly doubt you'll get a solid answer. Said she was going somewhere called Canterlot, so maybe you'll find her there. In case you do, tell her that Scott Baristo, the human she kicked in the gut, hopes she got to her destination alright, and is keeping her family safe." Scott stated.

Luna absorbed the information, clearly unsure of what to make of the situation, but it wasn't long until a lightning strike landed right beside Scott, revealing the man that looked like him, glaring daggers at him. The man grabbed Scott by the throat and held him in place. It was odd at first, but Scott didn't try to fight back. Luna tried though, but to her own surprise, she passed right through the man that held Scott in place, as if he were either a phantom, or an apparition.

Scott closed his eyes, seeing the bright flash of light coming down towards him. He gritted his teeth and braced himself for the hit, and the flash of light struck him.

[Canterlot Dungeon; 1 Month Later...]

Scott snapped his eyes wide open, now awake, and reeling from a sudden pain in his stomach. His throat felt dry, and his stomach was beyond empty. He felt as if he was on his last legs, and he couldn't even feel the ground beneath his feet. He felt cuffs around his wrists, he weakly looked up and noticed his hands were chained, and he was left hanging in place. He noticed several trays full of food that looked like it had gone bad, or spoiled for the last few weeks.

Scott gritted his teeth and mentally cursed himself. 'I woke up in a cell, and by the looks of it, they left food here for me, and knew I wouldn't be able to get any of it. They starved me while I was unconscious, go figure. The colorful ponies are more psychotic than they look.' Scott thought to himself.

"LET US OUT, NOW!! WE'VE BEEN DOWN HERE FOR TOO LONG, THIS IS BARBARIC! TECHNORG WILL NOT BE PUT IN ANOTHER PRISON FOR SOMEONE'S ENTERTAINMENT, NOR WILL THE HUMAN!! A HUMAN SAVED TECHNORG'S LIFE FROM ETERNAL SERVITUDE, AND GAVE TECHNORG A SECOND CHANCE!! IT WILL NOT GO SQUANDERED IN A PUNY CELL!!" A loud thundering voice roared out.

In one cell, a very muscular dark orange-skinned humanoid creature with two horns growing out of his chin, apparently named Technorg, was yelling at a white stallion, who seemed to not be intimidated. Technorg had yellow eyes, sharp teeth-like lips, a strap around his torso, grey metallic pants with black lower legs, and a large broken metal stump in place of his left hand. He was also equipped with a cybernetic implant covering his left shoulder and pectoral.

The stallion readied his golden staff, ready to stab the hulking orange behemoth, until another creature began to get aggressive. The other one looked like a thin, withering black blob, with dull violet patterns on its body. It looked very effeminate in its body shape, but it was clearly another creature, angry for its imprisonment.

The blob seemed to sneer at the guard. "One of these days, these foul equine creatures will know pain and destruction unlike any other! Once I get my hands on some technology from this world, you equines will beg for my mercy!" The entity remarked, his voice sounded venomous, yet synthetic as it warped with every syllable.

The stallion was about to get ready for an attack, until suddenly, the sound of two individuals descending the stairs echoed out. The prisoners flinched and straightened themselves up, as did the guard, a bead of sweat moving at agonizing slow speeds down his face as he stood at attention. The stallion turned to the staircase, and upon seeing who it was, the guard was mortified, but also relieved as he gave a salute.

Two ponies towered above the guard. One was Princess Luna, the other, her eldest, and more strict sister. Princess Celestia.

Celestia's coat shined like a white fire, her pink and sky blue mane was short and curled at the front, the patterns burning like a calm and controlled flame. Her tail looked like a cascading and luscious show of fire, pink and sky blue like her mane, styled and tying together to look like a tail. Her horn was long and slender, and her frame, bigger and a bit wider than Luna's. She wore some kind or ornamental black head piece, similar to Luna's bat accessory, only it more resembles blackened horns with golden stripes. She also had a black neck piece with bronze crests and a golden diamond in the center.

The guard was shuddering in place, terrified to meet Celestia's gaze. "I assume this is the room the foreigner has been held within, the foreigner my sister has informed me of?" Celestia asked, an emotionless scowl forming across her face, causing the guard to heave.

The guard nodded. "I assume you also treated him like a normal prisoner, making sure he was dealt with whenever?" Celestia asked, clearly expecting an answer from the mortified guard.

The guard did not answer, and seemed as if he was hiding something. Celestia leaned down and stared the guard in his eyes, the stallion was close to tears, his lip quivering, he knew the answer to her question, but dared not answer out of fear.

Celestia closed her eyes and moved her head back up, then looked at Luna. "Check the foreigner. If he's as you described, then he has a side of the story we did not get from the guards who brought him here, or the daughter of Bright Mac that claimed numerous times that it was all a misunderstanding. You have an hour to figure out if he's truly what he claims to be, and to figure out why he's here. If the information is satisfactory, he shall be set free and given the royal pardon. If not, he will rot in that cell till he provides information." Celestia ordered.

Luna was taken aback, but she quickly made her way to the door, to which the guard unlocked, and Luna slipped inside as the door shut behind her.

***

Within the darkness, Scott's body, now thinner and deprived of proper nutrients, vitamins and proteins, surrounded by untouched spoiled food that had been sitting out for weeks. Luna gulped and noticed Scott's gaze was fixated on her, it was like he was staring at something from a dream.

Luna cleared her throat and approached the human, who dangled in place. "Greetings, are you Scott Baristo?" Luna inquired.

Scott nodded his head in approval, albeit it was with very little strength. Luna winced, noticing just how frail he looked. In the mind, Scott looked fine a month ago, but being unconscious, asleep for a whole month, in a world he wasn't familiar with, he was essentially not sure himself if he could eat or consume anything they brought him.

Luna slowly got closer, getting a closer look at Scott himself. From under his right cuff, the Altnetrix was attached, and Luna decided to ask another question. "You claimed you could transform, and you say you aren't a changeling. Is that device truly responsible for your capability to transform?" Luna asked.

Scott nodded yes, though he clearly looked as if he was about to collapse back into unconsciousness once more. Luna's hooves were tied, and clearly something had to be done. "Sister! Set him free for the time being, he needs nourishment! He looks as if he hasn't eaten in weeks! There's untouched spoiled food littered around, how is someone supposed to eat if their hands are restrained, and they are dangling in the middle of the air?!" Luna exclaimed, her voice ricocheting off the walls.

Scott felt himself wake up a fair bit, just hearing princess Luna yelling. Scott weakly tried to pull his hands out of the cuffs, but while his hands and wrists were incredibly slippery, due to sweat, he still couldn't slip free. Scott was practically drenched in sweat, and he had no real way of knowing how to get out. He could've transformed if he could free the Altnetrix from the cuff, but he had an odd feeling that trying to brute force an escape, would most likely land him in much hotter waters than he was already submerged in.

Before he could keep thinking on that, the light to the hallway soon shined bright. Scott was already weakened and weary, and he felt as if he's not eaten in decades. Celestia and the guard stepped in, the guard looked more scared of Celestia than of Scott's current condition, and Celestia was just surprised, not a single word came to mind when she saw the human's visage in front of her eyes. "Please... so hungry..." Scott muttered quietly, his voice dry and raspy.

A set of keys were levitated to the cuffs, unlocking them in slow succession. His body fell with a hollow thump, and he groaned. Luna quickly moved forward, moving the human onto her back. Scott felt several kinds of weak, and while it did bother him, he knew it was because he was human. Sure, a human could go for a month or two without eating, but factoring in the lack of water and hydration, it was a miracle that Scott wasn't dead again. Luna quickly moved the human onto her back, and ran out of the room and back up the flight of stairs.

Celestia seemed to approve of these actions, but she definitely didn't like the looks of that human. Not because he was different, far from it, but if the claim that he can transform himself is true, and he's not one of the changelings, something might have to be done, whether her sister approves of it or not. "I fear that change is coming, much sooner than anticipated. While my sister tends to that... human, I'll once again be handling my royal duties." Celestia stated.

In a flash of magical light, Celestia had vanished without a trace. The guard took a deep breath and tried to steady his nerves, but it was all too clear to him, that he was gonna be in some serious trouble later.

[Several Hours Later...]

[Royal Guestroom]

Scott laid in a neatly-made bed, unconscious and unmoving. He felt brittle, he felt as if he was devouring himself without doing anything, like his own body was trying to drain moisture from the blood in his body, or from his brain just to sustain itself. Before Scott could accept that he was going to die again, he suddenly felt a freezing cold liquid pour into his mouth. Tasted like mint, but it burned his mouth like fire, not that he had the strength to do anything about it, anyway.

Before Scott knew what happened, another liquid had been poured into his mouth. It tasted like sour grapes, but went down smooth, like a spoonful of honey. He felt a tingling sensation throughout his body, and while he was still weak, he began to feel the weakness in his body less and less. Scott's eyes slowly fluttered open, and instead of the small, dark and disgusting dungeon he initially woke up in, he found himself within a large, but still fairly small room. The bed he was in, it looked lavish, and pretty expensive.

Scott sighed. 'I think I've either died and ended up in rich people heaven, this is Hell's waiting room, or I'm inside a very big castle... The first and last options are very likely to be true, but I'd be pretty surprised if the second option held any water.' Scott let a small smile form on his face as he sat up, noticing a slight chill run up his spine. He hugged himself, keeping the purple blanket on him as he shuddered. 'Oohh! It's cold in here, even with my... w-with my... wait, where's my--' Scott looked under the blanket, his eyes going wide as he noticed himself.

Aside from still being in a pair of black boxers, he might as well have been buck-naked. Scott uncovered himself, noticing his upper body, and his slightly thinner physique. Scott wasn't a beefy dude to begin with, but he was pretty average, even with his extensive work out routine, but he didn't think he'd end up thinner than he already was. His legs had gotten a bit thinner as well, but still had some muscle to them. Scott scrambled out of bed and looked around frantically, trying to find his clothes. As he was looking, he didn't notice the door opening as someone walked inside.

Scott was trying hard to not panic, especially since his training hasn't prepared him for something like this. Even if it had, he'd find it oddly specific to begin with. Scott looked down at his wrist, noticing the Altnetrix was still on his wrist. "Ok, so this watch is still with me... this hasn't been me hallucinating in post-mortem, and I'm not sure if that's better or worse. Safe to say, this whole world, and its native species, have caught me off-guard, and I need to get out of here, but I need my clothes back, this is indecent. Do these ponies have spaceships? I can only hope, because--"

"Um... excuse me?" A courteous voice interrupted him. Scott froze as he slowly turned around, seeing a bright gray mare with a unicorn horn, a faded velvet mane, and was dressed in a maid's outfit. "Is this a bad time, monsieur?" The mare asked, trying to avert her gaze.

Scott was in disbelief, and was still very much confused. 'This is officially one of the strangest days, if not the worst day of my life.' Scott thought, a look of embarrassment forming on his face. His face was getting red, and he really needed a moment to figure this out. But, he still needed his clothes. He focused his attention on the mare, who seemed equally as embarrassed as he was. "Question, was I wearing my clothes when I ended up here, or did I lose them and I've just been in denial?" Scott asked.

The mare cleared her throat, using her magic as she set some familiar looking folded clothes on the bedside. "My apologies for barging in, I assumed you'd still be asleep. The princess of the night has taken quite a liking to something like you, usually she stays in her room, or is kept by her sister's side at all times. Once she told the staff of your condition, she had us working around the clock to ensure you were nursed back to your prime." The mare explained.

Scott quickly grabbed the clothes and immediately put them on, covering up his near-nude physique in the only clothes he had. The mare looked at the device on the human's wrist. "I'd also like to apologize if your device wasn't removed. We initially wanted to make sure that everything was off so we could come to a better estimate, but princess Luna instructed us that the device stays on, lest we increase risk of failure to your recovery." The mare explained.

Scott looked down at the mare, smiling. "I guess it's a good thing you listened to your princess. This thing saved me from death once before, and I didn't want to find out if it could do that again, but since I'm alive, and you didn't see anything weird happening to me, I'll assume I'm safe from the clutches of death... for now," Scott was about ready to leave, but he still felt the smooth cold marble on the palms of his feet. "Oh! Shoot, I almost forgot! I need my shoes!" Scott remarked.

The mare looked sheepish, showing Scott his shoes, only to reveal that they were mangled and broken beyond repair. Scott was surprised, confused, and oddly concerned. "So sorry, monsieur, but we tried everything to clean your footwear, but they did not survive the cleaning process. The clothes you wear, however, they survived just barely. They were torn a fair bit, but with some magical assistance, your clothes have been mended with a thread of golden silk, and thoroughly stitched and repaired with a crystal needle. 'Only the best' as our former ruler used to say." The mare stated.

Scott looked at his shirt and pants, but he noticed no stitch marks, let alone any golden thread sticking out amongst the dark colors. It had to be magic, but he then got to wondering if they used magic on the Altnetrix. Considering he heard a rumor a couple years back, that the original Omnitrix didn't react well to magic, he was gonna have to be extra cautious.

Scott cleared his throat and began to walk towards the door again. "Well, I'd love to stay and chat some more, but I need to find a way back home. I have a job to do, and while it's evidently clear that aliens are also in this world, I'm not too confident in my chances of survival, even with royal intervention on my side. So, I bid you, adieu, little maid pony! Thanks for fixing my threads, though! Once I figure out your currency, I'll be back to pay you substantially!" Scott remarked.

Scott opened the door, and before he could walk out, he felt a hoof collide with his face, sending him flying back into the room, and crashing into a wall. Scott slid down to the ground and groaned out in pain, as well as irritation. "Why!? Why does a random act of kindness just equate to getting smacked around every time?! What the hell is seriously wrong with this place!?" Scott exclaimed, holding a hand over his face.

The mare winced as she looked to the door. The mare that walked through was a dark magenta mare with yellow eyes and slit pupils. They were clad in armor, colored in black, white, and red. They had dark purple bat-like wings on their side, and their mane and tail were colored in the same manner. The mare bared what looked like fangs, and immediately tried to lunge at Scott. Before he could fight back, the maid smacked the armor-clad mare, which in-turn got their attention.

The armor clad bat mare hissed and leered at the maid, who didn't seem very happy with the situation. "You blasted Chiropthestrian, what is wrong with you!? Do you seek death, or are you just naturally thick-skulled?!" The mare chastised.

The bat mare hissed. "How dare you interfere! I was told that we had a strange creature in one of the guest rooms. I came to save your Faust-damn life, and you dare call me thick-skulled!? That is a monster, not a wayward soul in need of pity." The bat mare hissed.

The maid smacked her hoof against the bat mare's head numerous times. "The princess wanted us to make sure he was alive and had proper nourishment, and you're about to make the last few hours of hard work seem like they're all for naught! The princesses would have your helmet, and your head for such a blatant attack!" The maid continued to chastise.

"You both are half-right, and half-wrong," Scott interjected. Scott rubbed his face and gritted his teeth as he activated the Altnetrix, selecting the icon of an amorphous goo-like creature. "I may be a different species from you, but I'm no monster. I can just change into them, get your facts straight," The bat mare did not like that response and got into a stance. "But, you are right on one thing... I'm not the one who's gonna need pity in the next few minutes. We can do this the easy and negotiable way, or we can do this hard, stupid and violent way. You sure you wanna solve this with violence, batsy?" Scott remarked with a smug grin, priming the Altnetrix for transformation.

The bat mare hissed as they charged at the human. Scott was about to push the core down, until the bat mare was enveloped in a magical red aura. Scott looked around the bat mare, which was inches away from his face, and saw Celestia. The bat mare was turned around, and she was now the one at someone's mercy. Celestia looked at the human, who seemed to be back on his feet, which was a promising turn for progress. His side of the story might just be acquirable after all.

Celestia glared at the bat mare, seeing the fear in her eyes. "I'd appreciate it, if you didn't attack them and put them under again. I'm telling you this once, and only once. That's your first, and final warning, Nocturned. Do I make myself clear?" Celestia asked, her tone of voice low, but spine-chilling, especially with that glare. Scott knew it wasn't directed at him, but already he felt a shuddering chill go down his spine.

The bat mare nodded her head, and was soon released from her magical grasp. "Now, apologize and escort him to the throne room ASAP. My sister, him and I have important things to discuss, regarding his sudden appearance, and the apparent assault and acts of wrongful imprisonment that must be acknowledged, and dealt with accordingly." Celestia stated.

Before Scott could ask a question of any kind, Celestia had left the room. Scott frowned at this, but soon saw the bat mare, what he assumed was the horse equivalent of kneeling before someone. "My humblest apologies, creature. I assure you, this won't happen again. Please, accept my apology." The mare apologized.

'This place is crazy, but I guess it's better than being invaded by the Incurseans, crazy war-hungry frog bastards...' Scott thought. He looked down and kneeled before the mare. "I, Scott Baristo, formally accept your apology, miss Nocturned, I presume that's your name, am I wrong?" Scott inquired.

"I am Nocturned, yes, captain of the Night Guard," Nocturned introduced. "Come, the princesses obviously request an audience with you, which is quite rare... the princesses haven't requested the audience of anyone, pony or not, for the last three-to-five centuries. You must be a special case, if princess Luna stuck her neck out for you." Nocturned stated.

'Special is definitely one way to put it, but it's not the word I'd use. Here's to hoping I can finally get answers, and maybe find a way to get back home.' Scott thought to himself, following Nocturned out the door. 'I wonder, though... what's been going on back in my world?' He solemnly thought.

[Ben 10 Dimension]

[Four Months after Scott's supposed demise...]

Several individuals stand on the side walk. Five of them are Ben Tennyson and his allies, along with several other human, humanoid-shaped, or straight up aliens in plumber uniforms are looking down at a memorial. A picture of Scott is framed and set up on a stand, along with several assortments of white, green and blue flowers. The mood was grim, silent, like the whole place lost its voice.

Ben stepped forward, placing a faded gold sumo slammer card right next to the frame, as well as an outdated plumber's badge, one that resembled the Omnitrix's appearance when Ben became an alien. Kevin stepped forward, setting an unopened can of soda, as well as a car key on the other side of said frame. There was something written on Scott's picture.

"Let me spell it out for ya, pally. Okay? Grass grows, birds fly, sun shines, and brotha, do you know what I do? I do my best, like everyone else. Haven't had a break yet, and knowing my luck, I hope I never do. Someone has to answer the call, even in trying times, you gotta move on." -Scott Baristo

A man stepped forward, standing aside the memorial.

It was Magister Prior Gilhil, readying a speech written on a piece of paper. "This quote, Scott Baristo would tell that to himself every time he woke up in the academy, it bugged the hell out of everyone who bunked near him. Scott Baristo, what could any of us say about him? He wasn't close with anybody, he greatly admired the work of our own Ben Tennyson, and usually showed up to work, not happy, but determined," Gilhil sighed. "Scott Baristo, orphaned at the age of nine, was always pushing himself to do his best, even on his worst days. As a child, he was hot-headed, motivated to keep moving, as to not end up like his late parental figures. As a teenager, he was just as reckless, and it's a crying shame he never got further in his life, but what I believe, is that he went out on his own terms. He went out like a hero, doing all that he could."

The numerous individuals, they stayed silent, as did Ben Tennyson and his team. Ben held his head down low, much lower than everyone else's, a twinge of shame forming on the hero's face at that last statement.

"He went out doing what was right, standing against Vilgax. Not many can make such a claim, or achieve such a feat of bravery, it's a shame he's not around, he has deserved a bit of time off the force for such an act. You can argue that he died with an unfulfilled life, or a life that ended too soon, but to me, I think he got the break he's been wanting for a long time. I don't say these things without meaning, folks, I was there to pick that boy up when he had fallen down. I asked him once, what he wanted to be, or who he wanted to be more like, when he was older, and more capable of handling himself. At the time, he was silent, most likely processing everything that occurred during the end of his parents' lives. I believe, at the time, he had an answer, an unorthodox and rather silly answer, but a selfless and inspiring answer all the same."

Gilhil went silent for a moment, everyone stayed silent, though Ben Tennyson had vanished amongst the ever-expanding crowd, his head held lower than ever before.

"He wanted to be a hero, to save lives, no matter what had to be done to do it. Specifically I never condoned the idea of heroes, at the time back then, Ben Tennyson's secret was just revealed to the public, and the kid must've seen the news broadcast the night before everything changed. He wanted to be like Ben Tennyson, to do what's right, to keep fighting, even when the odds were against you. I hope you realize you did good kid, just wish you didn't have to die so young." Gilhil folded the paper, tucking it into one of his utility pockets and walks back to his spot, standing in silence.

Soon enough, the crowd began to disperse, and only then, did a flash of green light shine out, revealing a bipedal red manta ray with a white harness on its chest, and black shorts. This transformation, was what Ben called Jetray. Jetray, before anyone could get his attention, had launched himself into the air at blistering speeds, causing a sonic boom to ring out.

Before anyone had time to register what happened, Jetray had already exited Earth's atmosphere, and was flying through the vacuum of space. 'I'll find you, one way, or another. I failed you once, kid, I won't do it again. You're out there, somewhere, and sooner or later, I'll find ya, and I'll get you back home.' Jetray thought.

Author's Note

Well, at least he didn't get knocked out again this time, for now at least.

I'm well aware that this story is moving quite slow, but it takes me a bit of time to make sure every detail is as I want it to be, sometimes that means stories come to a halt at times.

Also, big props to AstralFlare42 for the idea of including aliens that exist in Equestria, like an Undertown situation. I kinda took it in another direction, for now, but I do like how I structured certain parts together, and planting the seeds of what's to come.

I'm also enjoying this B-Plot I'm doing for Ben, I was initially gonna stop it, but I actually kinda like the direction I'm going with it.

Part 3 will be on its way soon, it's just a matter of figuring things out and how events will correlate.

And then There Were... 2? Part 3

[Throne Room]

Celestia sat on a throne, adorned in gold and encrusted with various jewels. It seemed to glisten in the most fantastical way once the sun's rays bounced off it. Luna seemed to have a throne of her own, though it looked to be made out of stone. It looked really well-chiseled, if that were the case, but the numerous white stars painted onto it, as well as the black throw pillow placed on the seat, it looked almost... well, terrible isn't the word that came to Scott's mind, though it easily showed him that it's likely everyone here had a favorite princess, and that princess was Celestia.

Luna looked uncomfortable, and Scott did not blame her. If he had to sit on a throne made of stone every day, and people still favored someone else, he'd be uncomfortable too. "Well... that's a, rather... uh... shiny throne ya got, princess Celestia, I can see my glaring flaws staring back at me in every gem!" Scott stated.

Celestia nodded. "I take great pride in making sure everything's up to the royal standard, but my throne is not the subject of today's conversation, foreigner." Celestia stated.

Scott nodded and looked around, the throne room was much smaller than he initially thought it would be. He was expecting a room that defied physics, a room as grand as its rulers, but it was rather, plain. Say for Celestia's expensive throne, and Luna's throne of stone. "I'm well aware of the subject, I'm just hoping this doesn't become a re-occurring trend." Scott remarked.

Celestia nodded. "Let's get this underway, then. Guards! Send her in, she's waited long enough!" Celestia called out. A couple guards saluted the princess and opened up a set of golden double doors, allowing Applejack, the mare that kicked him square in the gut, to walk in. She trotted across the floor, just as enamored by the throne room as he was, but she kept her focus on him, a look of guilt and determination painted on her face. "Applejack, daughter of Bright Mac, You met this human a month ago, is that right?" Celestia asked.

Scott was stunned at Celestia's words. Scott looked himself over, seeming surprised. 'A month? I was knocked out, deprived of food, water, sunlight and movement, and locked within a dark, disgusting, damp and humid cell, for a whole month?! How am I alive, how do I even have any semblance of strength to move, fight back, speak, or even comprehend a single thought?! I should look like a shriveled up prune right now! I should look like how a Highbreed looks when they've been stranded on a planet comprised of only dry-ice and sand!' Scott thought, bewildered by the time that passed.

Applejack looked at Scott, seeing him in quite the state of surprise, watching him checking his body, almost as if logic was thrown out the window, and snapped its neck upon landing. Applejack smiled and chuckled, snapping Scott out of his bewilderment and soon stopped, realizing he must've looked foolish. "Ya must be mighty confused on what's happenin', huh partner?" Applejack asked.

Scott took a deep breath and sighed. "Well, you're not wrong. I didn't think I was out cold for a month, but then again, I survived whatever the hell brought me to your world, so I can't be too bothered. Anyways, I might be walking around fine and dandy now, but don't think for a second I'm not mad about the sudden attack you did to me! Seriously, is lending a hand, offering help, and helping thy neighbor seriously punishable to be locked in a dungeon or something, or was that day a month ago just the exception?!" Scott remarked.

Applejack smiled nervously, until that smile eventually faded. "Alright, I'm willin' to admit, that was a rash decision, and it got ya thrown in the slammer, that's my fault. I wanna say I'm sorry, and let bygones be bygones. But, that's why I'm here, it wasn't fair for ya to be punished, especially after what I was told by Princess Luna. I followed those feather-brained guards back to Canterlot, and, well it took me a while on hoof, but they took ya to the castle with ease. I tried to get inside, to explain that it was a misunderstanding, a bit of an error on my part, but these guards don't listen. It wasn't until Princess Luna asked me to stay and get my side of the story, that I knew this was the best course of action. Hope ya didn't starve down there." Applejack explained.

Scott scowled at that. "Knocked unconscious, for a whole month, I woke up hours ago, lady. How the hell was I supposed to eat, especially when my hands were cuffed, I was hung up like holiday decorations, and the food was put OUT OF MY REACH on purpose!?" Scott exclaimed, his voice reaching out through the entire room. Applejack winced, but she had to be honest with herself, she'd be just as irate, and just as pissed as he was, if that happened to her. "I'm hangry and I just got assaulted again minutes ago by some Vladat-pony hybrid creature, I'm not having a good time at the moment." Scott remarked.

Luna got off her throne and trotted downwards to stand next to Applejack. "I believe Scott wanted me to pass a message along to you, in case of an unexpected passing. He was hoping you were keeping your family safe, and that you made it to Canterlot alright," Applejack was confused by such a message, and Scott was about to explain, until Luna continued. "Judging by the side of Applejack's story, she assumed you had less than kosher or appropriate intentions, and that was after you had transformed back into your default state of being. Beforehand, is a different story, there's two sides that have yet to be heard. Depending on if these stories correlate properly with their information, no charges will be made, and you both will walk free." Luna decreed.

Scott sighed, and began to explain his story, from the moment his parents were murdered by strange changeling-esque creatures, to regaling the ponies of the heroic exploits of Ben Tennyson and his team. By the time he got to the mission that left him stranded in Equestria, he told the tale of how he even ended up in Equestria in the first place, recounting the feeling of a slow, painless, but conscious state of death, being brought back to life, and the feeling of being flung through reality, the dimensions shifting every which way, till it all stops and he ends up in a small clearing right next to the path Applejack would be on. Even showing the Altnetrix to Applejack and the Princesses.

He explained, in the best way he could, that it was a bootleg/inferior version of the original Omnitrix Ben had, the one that allowed him to turn into aliens and such. The princesses were quite impressed with how Ben Tennyson, a human, at the age of 10, had been able to save his universe well into adulthood, it was impressive, as well as concerning. Applejack looked at Scott, and for once, she could tell he was telling the truth, despite how insane it all sounded. She wasn't sure how to feel about the whole 'alien' thing, the changeling accusation made sense, but aliens?! That also explained that funky watch on his wrist, which she didn't pay much attention to upon first glance.

Applejack slowly, but surely explained her day long before she crossed paths with Scott, up to the point where her wagon came to pieces. Scott could account for everything and fact-check when he could, piecing the story together the best they could.

Scott looked at the Altnetrix, scrolling to the amorphous sludge-like creature, and decided to mentally prepare himself for what this could be like. "Applejack saw me as a Vreedle, and it's been a month since I last used this thing, so hopefully, by trying to transform again, it won't backfire." Scott stated carefully.

Luna stood in front of Applejack, all while Celestia stared curiously at the device. Scott took a deep breath and sighed as he pushed the core down, enveloping himself once more in a flash of green light as he began to change.

Scott's body felt like it was undergoing pins and needles, all while a strange purple sludge began to flow throughout his body. Soon enough, his body began to melt and merge with the sludge, causing everything to feel sticky, gooey, malleable, and most importantly of all, intact. Scott didn't gain any muscle, but he felt stronger than he did before. A pair of green orbs shine on what seems to be a head, and a mouth began to open, murky and melting as the creature swirled and shifted. A black collar formed on the creature's neck area, with white detailing along the ends, and the Altnetrix's emblem formed on the middle of the collar. The sludge made a gurgling roar-like sound as the flash of light died down.

As the light died down, the ponies stared in shock. The sludge like creature looked rather thick, the purple gunk that made up its body constantly shifted around as Scott looked at his new form. "Huh, I'm a Lenopan," Scott raised one of his hands, watching it form into a mace. He smiled and laughed like a kid on Christmas morning. "Oh man, this is all kinds of cool, if not absolutely strange." Scott stated, his voice was low in tone, constantly bubbling and gurgling between syllables. Soon enough, the Altnetrix soon chirped to life.

[Transformation sequence complete. Lenopan DNA sample has been properly catalogued in database.] The Altnetrix notified.

"Ok, I'm definitely gonna have to name this one something good! Never saw Ben Tennyson turn into one of these before, I'm surprised he never tried. One of his cousin's half-Lenopan, for crying out loud!" The Lenopan remarked, seeming more and more intrigued.

The ponies watched on as the sapient sludge creature continued to shape its body into various things, even going as far as to shape itself into Scott's human form, albeit very different. He now wore a black and white necklace, with the Altnetrix dangling right off it, a pair of white shorts with black detailing, black fingerless gloves, as well as white and black sneakers. "This is awesome! I've never once felt anything like this. I admit, I feel a bit denser than normal, it's like my body's made of silly putty and wet cement, but I'm not complaining! This is fantastic, I can see why Ben Tennyson always puts his trust into this thing, now! This is quite the experience!" Scott remarked, allowing himself to return to his original amorphous sludge-like form.

Celestia noticed the carpet becoming darker under the sludge creature, and grimaced. "It's a bit messy, that's something we can certainly agree on. In any case, we'll need to figure something out. A human, with the power to shapeshift into creatures unheard of by pony-kind, could become quite the danger. You've been taking this news rather well, Scott Baristo, maybe at one point, we could learn more about your world, just to try and figure things out," Scott nodded his slimey and viscous head. "For now, you must be famished after a month of little to no proper nutrition, am I correct?" Celestia inquired.

Scott's slimey smile spread so far across his face. "I'm practically starving, I could go for a buffet right now. I'm not sure what your policy is on meat consumption, but if you got meat, I'll gladly eat that too. Gotta get back into shape, I'm thinner than I was a month ago." Scott confirmed.

While the ponies did wince at the idea of meat being consumed, they did all seem to remember something, and went along with it. "I'll inform the chefs to prepare some, if we have it. Do you have a preference?" Celestia asked.

"As long as it isn't a horse, pony, or something as sapient as you or me, then no, princess, I have no preference... well, scratch that, I'll gladly take some chicken, if ya got it." Scott confirmed.

Celestia took a deep breath and nodded. "Luna, lead these two to the dining area, I'll send word down to the kitchen. Oh, and mister Baristo?" Scott looked back at Celestia. "In the future, try to refrain from using this 'Lenopan' form within the castle, it's leaving a bit of a mess." Celestia stated, pointing to the obvious darkening stain in the carpet, and the sludge trail he left behind. In a flash of magical light, she was gone.

Luna began to move in one direction, all while Applejack and Scott followed behind. Thankfully, the sound of a low droning beep started to blare out from the Altnetrix, and since Applejack was familiar with the sound it made, she was able to put two and two together, and knows that the device he used is running out of power. In a blinding flash of white light, Scott was turned back into his normal human self, and he was thankful, it was time to eat like a king... or like a starving hyperactive man-child, he'll figure it out once he gets his meal.

[Canterlot Dungeon]

The aliens sit in their cells, time passes by like sand in an hourglass. For the first time in a long time, they had been silent, still, motionless in confinement. They barely had time to process what happened hours ago, prior to the smaller princess running out, with the human saddled on her back. None of it seemed right, but at the same time, maybe it was a wake-up call. They all did notice something familiar about the human, specifically the green hourglass emblem he sported that was on the watch he wore. It was a brief moment, but they saw what must've been the Omnitrix.

The guards were uneasy, they always had to hear the aliens talk and rant on about how one day they'll be free again, but that day never came for the past few years, now that they weren't talking or ranting, the guards felt that today, might be the day that everything gets turned inside out, and flipped upside down.

Technorg sat in his cell, legs crossed, his large body frame taking up most of the space in his cell. He sat and thought back to the sight, the sight of the hourglass emblem he saw so long ago, on a watch, worn by a ten-year-old boy, being bullied by some atrocious amalgamized freak of nature. 'Ben Tennyson... you saved Technorg and everyone else from Slix Vigma's gladiatorial prison, now it is Technorg's turn to return the favor. No prison will hold Technorg again, nor will it ever hold Ben Tennyson.' Technorg thought.

The blob creature merely sat on their dingy little bed, silently pondering to themselves. 'The Omnitrix... so, Azmuth was able to finish the device after all, that's an interesting development. Looks a bit different from the original schematics, but nonetheless, at least he finished it... to which, this might just be my chance to escape this place. With the Omnitrix in my grasp, these equines will need a new definition of 'Hell' by the time I'm done. But how to get ahold of it in an easy and stealthy fashion, that's the real question... I'll think of something, I may be a Galvanic Mechamorph, but I still have tricks up my sleeve.' The Mechamorph thought to itself.

The mechamorph let their body relax, allowing a part of their self to be separated from his being. The separate piece shuddered, and formed into a small, but almost identical version of the mechamorph it spawned from. The mechamorph pointed to the window of his cell, causing the smaller mechamorph to start climbing out. "Go forward, my surrogate. Collect the technology of this world, and free your progenitor from this prison. This world will know hell, like no one has known before, and they will all cower and bow before me... so says I, Automate!" The mechamorph instructed.

The smaller mechamorph nodded, going through the bars as it landed on the ground, slithering into a few bushes. Automate lounged on their bed, waiting as it looked to the wall, the wall that kept them and Technorg in separate cells. "Soon... The Omnitrix will be mine, and when it is, I'll finally be able to get out of here, and if there's no way back to Galvan B, this world will be mine to rule," Automate looked at the square holes in the gate that contained them, then shifted their gaze at the guards. There were more of them, and two of them was hauling off a large spikey mace end, one that belonged to the Detrovite in the cell next door. Automate had no mouth, but it's safe to say, they were smiling, and it consisted of a solely sinister plan. "Time to finally leave this place. It's been... long enough." Automate remarked.

A unicorn stallion pushed the cart by the cell, and Automate made their move. Without warning, Automate forced their blobulous body against the gate, allowing parts of their being to push through the holes, bits and pieces fell to the outer side of the hall, all while the rest of them kept its physical form, slowly but surely escaping the cell. The guard stopped, shocked at what the creature was doing, and assumed it was a display of self-mutilation, until their body began to reform from the pieces that fell to the ground. Parts of them moved under the gate, building their physical body back up, but the other parts were threaded through a hole, increasing the process of rebuilding themselves on the outside of the cell.

The guard stopped and called a few of the others to his side, and while they were hesitant of the problem that was escalating, they did have a job to do. They stood around the mechamorph as its physical form was finally reformed into completion, and without so much as a warning, or an errant twitch, Automate lunged forward at the large mace end, melding their hands over it as the piece of tech began to wither and decay. Technorg tried to hide himself as much as he could, watching the only semblance of defense that was stripped from him, being withered and destroyed by the mechamorph. He had never seen the mechamorph do such a thing before, but it was clear that today was a special day, a day that would mean everything changes, forever.

Automate removed their hands, and noticed the guards, aiming their spears in their direction. "I see the cavalry wishes to be pulverized. Fantastic, I was in need of
some brave volunteers, anyway." Automate remarked.

The stallions readied themselves, staring the creature down. "If you know what's good for you, you will stand down and go back in your cell." One of the guards warned.

Automate let out a chuckle, their synthesized laughter echoed throughout the dungeon block, and though the guards stood their ground, the artificial creature's laugh sent chills down their spine. Automate looked at the guards, and quickly pieced together that this wasn't some kind of joke, let alone a bluff. "Oh, you're serious? You're actually going to try and stop me from leaving? Cute," Automate's left hand soon began to warp and change, becoming the mace end he had presumably destroyed, now crackling with a violet energy, protruding large energy spikes from every angle. The guards were shocked, as was Technorg, and Automate stared right at those who stood in his way. "Let's see how long it takes for you to regret your choices." Automate sneered.

The guards yelled out and charged at the mechamorph, spears drawn and ready to fight. Automate swung the mace at Technorg's cell, tearing the bars down with a single strike. He then flung the mace right at the stallions, knocking a few of them right across the hall. He maneuvered around the stallions, avoiding their attacks with minimal effort and slamming them to the other side of the hall, then he started rounding up their staffs and shattered them to pieces with his mace. "How ridiculous, you ponies use such a flimsy material for your weapons, but with the right mixture of metals," Automate grabbed hold of the broken spears, pocketing them inside of his body. "Gold can be quite the resounding resource. Now, who wishes to meet their end first?" Automate asked.

Automate moved forward, looking down at one of the guards, their helmet was off, and they were downright terrified. They swallowed and gritted their teeth, looking like they were on the verge of tears. "I worship the Sun and Moon, and I pray they eclipse your pitiful attempts to overthrow their might!" The guard refuted.

Automate walked forward and raised the mace, and without hesitation, brought the mace down, and a sickening crunch was all that could be heard. The stallion fell limp, and their body was thrown haphazardly into Automate's cell. A huge splotch of crimson liquid stained the mace, but soon flicked the crimson red across the walls, all while the stallions were rendered incapable of stopping the mechamorph as it slowly approached them. Technorg had faced many a tough opponent, but this mechamorph seemed less like a warrior, and more like a monster with a chip on its shoulder.

Technorg slowly left the confines of his cell, and as the mechamorph raised the mace towards the stallions, Technorg left, making his way up the staircase. He tried to block out the sickening cacophony of crunches that echoed from the dungeon floor, but it was devastating. 'Must find Ben Tennyson. Technorg must find Ben Tennyson.' Technorg thought to himself.

[Dining Hall]

After a fair bit of moving around, Luna finally found a set of doors she was looking for. "Here we are, the dining hall. I apologize if it took longer than anticipated to find the room, I'm more used to teleporting around with magic... magic, that I unfortunately don't have anymore." Luna remarked.

Scott raised an eyebrow at that last bit, but decided to say nothing about it. "Here's to hoping the table was set during our trek, I'm ready to consume this buffet like it's a balanced breakfast!" Scott remarked.

Applejack rubbed her stomach, feeling it slowly going empty. "Ah gotta agree, I don't think I could turn down a bit ah meat at this point, I'm gettin' hungrier than a ornery tape-worm!" Applejack stated.

Slowly, princess Luna opened the doors, showing off a large room, with a larger table, stretching from one end of the room, to nearly the other end. Several chairs were lined and set up appropriately, all while the table was covered by his huge white decorative cloth. "You two may take your seats, I'm sure the chefs will be on their way soon." Luna reassured.

Scott made his way to the halfway point of the table, and sat down. Applejack sat right across from him, and Luna was a few seats down from the both of them. The three of them sat in uncertain silence, so Scott decided to ask a question that's been brought to the forefront of his mind. "So, this might be a bit weird for me to ask, but how did you do that dream stuff, princess?" Scott asked.

Luna did not respond. Scott let her remark about her no longer having magic ring out through his head, and the more he thought about it, the more he tried to think on the logistic possibilities as to how she could look into, let alone enter his dreams, without magic. "Do you truly need magic to go into my dreams, or are you a natural-user of Somnokinesis?" Scott inquired. Again, the princess did not respond, but she did give Scott a confused look. "Somnokinesis is essentially the superpower of Sleep Manipulation, sometimes that can involve the concept of dreams." Scott explained.

Luna sighed. Applejack looked at Scott, unsure as to what he's getting at. "You seem like a chatty type, partner. How come you're questionin' the princess?" Applejack asked, seeming uncertain to Scott's intention.

Scott realized what exactly he was doing, and mentally kicked himself in the face. "I'm not trying to be rude, let me be clear. I'm just trying to figure out as much as I can, if I truly am stuck here. I don't want to believe it, and I still don't want to imagine the idea of me going home, as an impossible quest. I guess I'm trying to make the effort to understand," Scott gestured to the princess, meeting her gaze. "She's not some magical unicorn, she has no horn, and she's no pegasus either, she has no wings. She mentioned something about not having magic anymore, and she said she was a 'savior of dreams', and I'm curious if that has anything to do with the lack of wings and horn." Scott explained.

Luna held her head down, though she didn't seem upset from what Scott or Applejack could perceive. Luna looked back at Scott, stood up and turned her back to him, showing off the mark on her flank. A red crescent moon, amidst a splotch of blackness. "Do you see this mark, Scott Baristo?" Scott slowly nodded. "This mark, it's known as a Cutie Mark, it's what defines my purpose in life. Everypony has a cutie mark that defines what they're meant to do in life." Luna stated.

Scott tried to not question how that worked, but then thought on everything else with that knowledge. Suddenly, some things started to make sense, and he looked over at Applejack, who seemed reserved.

Scott looked back at the princess, noticing her walk closer. "My purpose, it's to guard and preserve the innocence and safety that a dream can bring, battling the nightmares, keeping them at bay as my subjects get a good night sleep. I used to be much like my sister, an Alicorn. I once embodied the magic of all three pony tribes, and each and every time I traversed the dream realm, kept away the nightmares, and gave words of wisdom to the subjects that required my aide, I've come to realize how futile and fleeting it was to be an Alicorn," Luna stood in front of Scott, her eyes locked onto his, all while he was unsure of what was about to happen.

Luna stared into his eyes, which ran a chill up and down his spine. "Can you imagine it, an almost god-like creature with power beyond it's own comprehension? It wasn't my place to use that celestial power. My sister, however, thought my worry to be trivial and nonsense. She frequently used her power to move the sun, bringing forth the sunrise, and the solar rays needed for farmers to grow their crops. All while I used my power to bring about a beautiful night. It was all I could do, but I didn't like having such power at my grasp, needless of the situation. It's why I chose to pass my power, along with my status as an alicorn, to Celestia. After a long time of returning to my earth pony roots, I soon found my way back to the dream realm, able to channel my magic through nature and continue my duty as the savior of dreams." Luna explained.

Scott took a deep breath and let this information sink in. He sighed, trying to think of a proper response, but he couldn't. He did hear rumors of one of Ben's transformations, Alien X, being one of, if not the strongest transformation he had. Literal omnipotence, able to do anything and everything, all with the caveat of debating on the proper use for such power. Scott was thankful he didn't end up with that transformation, otherwise, nothing would get done, or he might end up stuck.

'For a world of magical talking pastel-colored ponies, this truly did catch me off-guard. I'll have to figure this out in my own time. Then again, I wonder if I can turn into one of them. It may not be a good idea, since they are magical creatures, but at least I'll be able to come to a better understanding of these equestrian lifeforms.' Scott thought.

Before Scott could say something, the sound of loud footsteps echoed. They were heavy, it was like a giant was wandering the halls, though the room did not shake. They got closer, and closer, echoing louder as they seemed to get closer. "I don't know why, but I get the feeling that something's gonna disrupt the meal... and it hasn't even gotten here, yet!" Scott remarked.

Scott stood up, and the doors on the other side of the room burst open, as did several large chunks of the wall. Scott backed up, reaching for the Altnetrix, until a big, muscular, and orange thing came charging at him. "Aw crap!" Scott exclaimed. He tried to get out of the way, but was soon caught by the orange mass of muscle. It soon came to a stop, with Applejack and Luna staring at the creature in awe. Technorg held Scott in his arms, all while Scott tried to get himself free. "This has to be the worst month of my life, and I almost got devoured by an Ormerowon once!" Scott exclaimed, squirming to get free.

Technorg looked down at Scott, smiling. "Fear not, Ben Tennyson, Technorg's life may not belong to you anymore, but Technorg will return the favor in-kind, to repay you for freeing Technorg from the enslavement of Slix Vigma," Technorg looked at the two mares, noticing the tension in the room. "Technorg will start with these two ponies, they must be your oppressors." Technorg stated, leering at the ponies.

Scott, freed his arms and activated the Altnetrix, selecting the icon he needed. "Pal, I'm giving you one chance to put me down, and let me explain, because if you don't, by authority of the Plumbers, under the Casey-Kelly Accords, I'll have to put you under arrest for assaulting an officer of galactic law!" Scott warned.

Technorg raised an eyebrow. "You've become a Plumber? I'm impressed, you've become a formidable force for good, Ben Tennyson. You'll have to regale Technorg of the battles you've won once we've escaped." Technorg praised with a smile.

Scott was clearly not happy. 'This guy's not listening, I just warned him that I'd arrest him, and he's calling me Ben Tennyson? I don't look a damn thing like him! Besides, I'm not like him in any way, and it's time I showed how I'm different.' Scott thought.

Scott pushed down the core and in a flash of green light, Scott had transformed into his new Lenopan form. "That's it, I'm gonna put some dirt in your eye!" The Lenopan then thrusted both its arms up into Technorg's face, obscuring it with the sludge-like substance. Technorg let go and the Lenopan got in front of the mares. "Now, let's see if you can learn the difference between a hero, and a trained plumber cadet!" The Lenopan snarked, forming his arms into mallets.

Technorg finally removed the mud from his face, and seemed surprised, and attempted a civil response. "We can fight and compare strength later, Ben Tennyson. For now, we must leave, they'll overwhelm us if we don't move now." Technorg remarked.

The Lenopan scowled. "I'm not Ben Tennyson, you dim-witted Detrovite! Where did you even come from!? I was under the impression that this world was strictly full of magical creatures." The Lenopan questioned, giving a skeptical look towards the princess.

Technorg was shocked, but soon recognized something. Something about the way the badge on the sludgepuppy looked, it did not seem familiar, like he initially thought. "Then... Ben Tennyson, he has passed?" Technorg questioned, seeming somber. "Technorg was here for too long... Should've fought harder to escape, shouldn't have given up so easily." Technorg groveled.

The Lenopan was practically at a loss for words, and couldn't hold back his frustration. "First of all, Ben Tennyson would've been dead, if I didn't risk my life standing against the towering prick that is Vilgax! Second, according to most records, Ben only ever mentioned fighting a Detrovite criminal named Vulkanus, who's been causing trouble on Earth! How is it that you know about Ben Tennyson, when you have never come up in Plumber Records before?! Why and how are you even here!? Who are you!?" The Lenopan exclaimed out of frustration.

The room was quiet, and as Technorg let the Lenopan's words sink in, the sound of several gasps echoed through the room. Luna and Applejack turned to see the royal chefs, cautiously entering the dining room, as did a few guards, who were just as concerned about the situation as anyone else would be. "Princess Luna, we received word from your sister that we had a meat-eater to feed in this feast, is this true? Also, forgive me if I'm overstepping, but what's happening here?" One of the chefs inquired.

Luna sighed. "My loyal subjects, please do not be scared. I assure you, this situation is under control... it is under control, isn't it, mister Baristo?" Luna asked, shifting her gaze towards the crowd of ponies, then back to the Lenopan, uncertain of her own claim.

The Lenopan remained motionless for a moment, then slowly moved towards Technorg. Once the Lenopan was close enough, the Altnetrix began to beep, flashing in rapid succession as the Lenopan was enveloped in a flash of white light, transforming Scott back into his normal self. Scott knew very well he wasn't Ben, as much as he wanted to be, but he couldn't, in good conscience, fight someone without knowing the facts. With how Technorg spoke about Ben, he made it seem like he owed him his life, something that didn't seem to bode well, or make sense to the displaced plumber. He remembered wanting all the facts pertaining to his first run-in with the changelings at age nine, but got nothing remotely close, until he ran into Exos and his brothers, and how different they were from the changelings he first encountered. How long would it be until he's provided with the answers he's been searching for?

Scott thought for a moment, then sighed and tapped Technorg's shoulder, causing Technorg to look up at him. Before Scott could say anything, however, the distant sounds of screaming began to echo out. Scott was getting frustrated again and looked back at Technorg. "Was there any other alien lifeform with you?" Scott asked.

Technorg nodded. "Automate, a Galvanic Mechamorph that can be upgraded when he absorbs technology. It's why I was hoping to escape, he recently acquired my mace, and is now on a killing spree. He freed me, but that does not mean I follow his cruel methods of retribution. Technorg's a warrior, a noble, and honorable gladiatorial champion, not a blood-spilling tyrant machine." Technorg explained.

Scott's blood ran cold, and a memory came back to him. The black and red creature, the one that attacked and stole something, and almost conquered Galvan Prime, it had a similar ability. It could upgrade itself with the tech it acquired, but there was another mechamorph with such a condition? How is that possible? Scott tried to steady his breathing, feeling his body shudder. "A mechamorph that doesn't upgrade tech, but the tech upgrades him? It's that rogue mechamorph, Malware, all over again! Ben had trouble with Malware before, and I only caught glimpses of the damn thing, that's a dangerous individual!" Scott tried to activate the Altnetrix again, but it seemed to be recharging. "Oh, that's just great. Mental note, don't immediately rely on the Altnetrix, solve a problem the old-fashioned way first, then rely on the super powers." Scott grumbled.

Applejack stepped forward. "Can you explain what in tarnation is goin' on?" Applejack asked, seeming thoroughly thrown out of the loop. "Ya make it sound like Equestria's in danger, or something." Applejack remarked.

Scott looked Applejack in the eye, a sense of dread and panic surged through him. "That's because it is in danger! As long as this 'Automate' individual is running around, no one's safe! I can only hope one single piece of alien tech is all he can find, lest everything goes further into chaos!" Scott stated gravely. "Why is he even trying to destroy Equestria anyway?" Scott wondered.

Technorg stood up, clearing his throat. "The mechamorph isn't going to destroy this land, not immediately. He's going to try and conquer it. He already has several dead ponies on his body count, there's nothing we can do to stop him. What's worse, is that if he gets his hand on the Omnitrix, all is lost." Technorg explained.

Scott gritted his teeth and felt angry, nearly as angry when he got called in for that job a month ago, the same one that lead to him being stuck here. "Well, good thing I don't have the Omnitrix, I got the Altnetrix instead. Let's see how bad I can piss off a walking sack of nanites, knowing he got his ass kicked by someone with a bootleg version of the most powerful peace-keeping alien device in the universe." Scott stated walking towards the door.

"Now hold on an apple pluckin' second!" Applejack yelled out. Scott looked back, seeing the orange mare look irate. "Yer not goin' out there, not on yer own! I don't know a lick of anything about these mechanic-morph things, or aliens, and what have you, but ah know I'm not gonna let ya go out there, just so you can get beat again! Ah am goin' with ya, whether ya like it, 'er not!" Applejack firmly stated, now standing in Scott's way.

Technorg walked over and kneeled down to Scott. "Scott Baristo, you spared Technorg from being imprisoned, and you're willing to face impossible odds, just to save a world that you don't originate from. You may not be Ben Tennyson, but you have his spirit, his drive to do good wherever he can. Technorg will fight with you, not just to earn freedom, but to prove that we are not each other's enemies." Technorg stated.

Scott was about to say something, until he felt princess Luna's hoof on his arm. She looked concerned, but her eyes were burning with a passion for fighting and combat, all in the name of justice. "Do not count me out either, Scott Baristo. I know you've only just met me, as well as Applejack, and this giant creature who has volunteered for a chance at redemption, but I see it as a sign. One should never fight a battle such as this, especially at this scale, all on their own. They'll do more harm than the good they intended to create." Luna stated.

Scott looked around, a sense of warmth could be felt in chest. Either it was a fuzzy feeling, knowing he had allies to help him fight, or it was heart burn. Scott assumed it the latter, due to a lack of proper nutrients in his body, and faced the three individuals. Scott took a deep breath and exhaled, trying to keep his composure. A stoic and determined expression formed on his face, a glint of light flickered in his eyes. "Well, I don't have any power to decree this as a Cadet, but for this moment in time, you are deputized agents of the Plumbers. Now, here are the facts as I understand them, so listen up," Scott started.

"One, this world is in danger, more danger than you could ever fathom existing in decades, and I won't stand by to let that thing have its way, not like how Malware almost conquered Galvan Prime a few years back! Two, this may not be my home, my world, my dimension, my universe, I basically don't belong here... but, I'll fight like I always have, to protect and serve, to put my life on the line for those who need it! Three, and this is crucial, I've been desperate for a break, I've stocked up on vacation days like I'm stocking up food for the end of the world, for crying out loud! But, sometimes you have to make sacrifices, and I'm far from done making all of mine! Is that understood!?" Scott declared.

Scott could feel the blood pumping through his body, the adrenaline coursing through him at record-breaking speeds, he felt like he was back in his element, and a small smile formed across his face. For a moment, he felt like he was back on top of things, and this was just another job. Sure, Ben Tennyson, and the rest of the plumbers weren't here to provide support, but at least he was there, the only plumber on the planet. For as long as he was here, any problems in this world, extraterrestrial, or supernatural, that was in his job description.

Technorg nodded, forming his right hand into a fist. Applejack and Luna nodded, and that was all the confirmation Scott needed. "Good, I don't need to repeat myself. Technorg, you'll go ahead of us and try to stall for time, you've been in his presence for much longer than I have, so you've got an advantage. Princess, I think it'll be in our best interest if you rally whatever guards you've got on-duty, and prepare for a fight, we'll need all ha- hooves, on deck for this." Scott ordered.

Technorg nodded, running out of the room and through a wall. Luna simply nodded and ran back the way they initially came from. "What about me?" Applejack piped up. "What's my part in this?" she questioned.

Scott's smile never faded. "We're gonna get you a weapon, just to be cautious. Once you've got a weapon, we're going straight to Automate, and cutting him down to size." Scott explained.

Applejack reached into her satchel, pulling out a woodcutter's axe, and began brandishing it like a staff. Scott was rather surprised, but since he knew this couldn't go wrong, in the metaphorical sense, it did seem like they were ready. "Alright then, let's go destroy an automated system of mass destruction!" Scott declared, hearing a sound come from the Altnetrix, signifying that it returned to full charge.

[Canterlot Market]

It was mass hysteria. Where some ponies were dead in the streets, bludgeoned into red paste, others were too injured to flee, and the rare few made it out alive, but not without the mental scars. Automate swayed slowly down the path, allowing several thin tendrils to spawn from their back and lurch outward to the stands. Much to Automate's displeasure, there wasn't any significant tech that they could acquire, not even from some stand that was dressed to the nines with technological marvels made of gears and crystals. Automate was getting furious, raising their mace to the sky again, until they heard a loud set of lumbering footsteps. The mechamorph turned around, seeing Technorg coming towards them.

"Ahh, finally come to your senses, Detrovite? Are you here to join me, or to stop me?" Automate questioned.

Technorg kept calm. "We don't have to do this, Ben Tennyson can take us home. He has gained access to power beyond both of us, and has promised us to take us back with him. He fetched me to retrieve you, so that we may leave this world behind." Technorg lied.

Automate was not listening, at first, but the prospect of finally going home did hit close to the mechamorph. "Even with the many dead men and women that lay before me, the blood that is now caking within my circuits, I can't imagine Azmuth would be pleased." Automate remarked.

Technorg slowly approached. "Ben Tennyson knows of your condition. A mechamorph back home, named Malware, had the same imperfections as you, but he lost himself to the carnage he wrought. You can come back from this, everything will be fine, we just need to leave." Technorg stated, putting a hand on the mechamorph's shoulder.

Automate, without a moment's hesitation, quickly swung their mace at Technorg, sending him back a fair distance. Technorg got up, rubbing his jaw as the mechamorph ran forward to strike another blow. Technorg blocked the attack and tried to counter, but was soon struck in the gut and was delivered a powerful uppercut by Automate, staggering Technorg as he tried to keep himself in the fight.

"You always were a persistent and powerful fighter, Technorg. A shame you'll die protecting these equestrian vermin!" Automate remarked.

Technorg ran forward, punching and kicking the mechamorph as hard as he could, but Automate would constantly create wristguards to lessen the damage done. Technorg was fighting as hard as he did back when he was a champion on Slix Vigma's ship, but it didn't seem to be enough. Unlike Automate, Technorg was getting exhausted. Automate took a moment and slammed the mace into Technorg's stomach, knocking the wind out of the Detrovite. With a few more well-placed hits, Automate had essentially put Technorg on the defensive, but Technorg couldn't keep up with Automate's sudden burst of speed, and the power behind the mechamorph's attacks, it was becoming too much for Technorg to handle.

Technorg fell backwards to the ground, battered and bruised, trying to move but can't. Automate raised their mace, ready to finish the fight. "It's a shame, really, I needed a right-hand man to do the dirtier work, but you just sauntered off as I took care of business. I guess neither of us are going home, and you know what? I like that, quite a lot… this world will be mine to rule, and once I get the Omnitrix, I'll conquer this world, find my way back to our old world, then conquer it too! Ben Tennyson is stuck here with us, so he won't be able to stop me if he tried," Technorg tried to move, but it was clear to him, he was about to die. "Any last words before I send you off to the ethereal void of nothingness?" Automate asked.

"I got three, you artificial freak!" A voice called out. Automate looked forward, seeing Scott in the distant, with Applejack by his side. "It's Hero Time!" Scott exclaimed, running towards Automate. Scott quickly activated the Altnetrix and pushed the core down, transforming into his Vreedle form.

Automate wasn't ready for that, but was soon hit with a barrage of punches. Automate tried to anticipate the Vreedle's movements, but found himself getting beat, battered, and knocked around. The Vreedle pushed his fist through the mechamorph, and though it did nothing, it left Automate distracted as the Vreedle jumped and slammed the flat side of his feet into Automate, sending it back a fair distance.

The Vreedle walked over to Technorg, pulling the Detrovite back onto his feet. "I reckon we might wanna figure out how to keep this sucker in one place, and ensure he stays there. Anyone know how to make an Electromagnetic Field?" The Vreedle asked.

"There is very limited technology in this world, but you're welcome to try," Technorg got up and moved past the Vreedle. Applejack ran towards the mechamorph, readying the axe she held in her mouth. "We'll distract for as long as we can. Good luck, Scott Baristo." Technorg stated, running back into the fight.

The Vreedle cautiously moved about, looking at several pieces of dismantled gadgets, shattered crystals, and what-have-you that littered the ground. Something did come to the Vreedle's mind, the thought of an explosion that could shut down Automate, and keep the whole kingdom in one piece, it sounded like a promising venture, but it was easier said and thought of, rather than done.

The Vreedle scoffed, seeming incredibly bothered by the impossible odds. "I'm in trouble. How in tarnation am I gonna craft an EMP out of shiny rocks, busted scrap, and a bunch... of junk... Wait a god damn minute," The Vreedle quickly scooped up some of the scrap, shattered crystals, as well as a few gears that weren't too busted up, and ducked down behind one of the stands. The Vreedle carefully looked at the stuff he collected, and he felt it all coming to him, like a sudden burst of inspiration just shot through his head. The Vreedle smirked and nodded slowly, seeming satisfied with whatever idea just popped into his head. "Alright, I see what I'm workin' with now! This'll help a ton for findin' out a name for this feller, too!" The Vreedle remarked.

Back with Technorg and Applejack, they were giving Automate a fair bit of trouble, but it clearly wasn't doing much. Automate was truly at a disadvantage, noting that the axe Applejack had, he couldn't absorb it or upgrade himself with it. He tried to take the rest of Technorg's arm, but Technorg was being extra careful, making sure to keep his distance as the mechamorph tried to find a way to make himself stronger. Soon enough, though, things were getting exhausting, but Automate was clearly still capable.

Applejack gritted her teeth and stamped the ground. "This varmint's slippery, like a wet bar of soap soaked in grease! I can't hit them!" Applejack remarked, frustrated by the mechamorph's continued evasion. The sweat drenching her face was making things hard to see, and it was becoming more and more difficult to keep her axe up. "That human better have some kind of plan, we're runnin' out of stamina 'ere!" Applejack stated, her breathing was becoming exasperated.

Automate swung wildly, knocking the Detrovite and the pony back, causing them to crash and skid against the wall. They collapsed, and as Automate moved forward, he saw the Vreedle marching forward, clutching two strange contraptions in his hands. Applejack and Technorg looked at the Vreedle, seeing him smile was reassuring, but also confusing. "I'll take it from here, you lot go back to the castle." The Vreedle stated.

Applejack wanted to say something and object, but The Vreedle just looked at her, almost in a knowing way. "Don't worry, if anything happens, I'll bounce back. It always happened during most missions I've had on the job, and off the books. If aliens haven't killed me yet, I doubt they will now, especially not some carbon copycat takin' Malware's schtick." The Vreedle reassured, or tried to.

Automate stood still, watching the Vreedle approach him, clutching a couple items in each of his hands. "And I see you made a horrible mistake, assuming I'm anything like that broken pile of wasted life code. Where others called him a subspecies, I am the true picture of what a mechamorph subspecies is capable of! Now, kindly die by my hands!" Automate blustered.

Applejack slowly got to her hooves, but she was too weak to move. All she could do was duck behind a nearby stand, abandoned in the midst of the chaos. "Ah hope this odd little plan of yours works partner, otherwise all of Equestria's gettin' sent up the creek." Applejack muttered to herself.

[Ben 10 Dimension]

[Galvan Prime]

Jetray flies down onto the planet, landing onto the ground carefully as he transforms back into Ben. Before any of the Galvan residents could properly see the alien hero, he was carefully, but immediately sprinting towards the huge tower, the one sporting the same hourglass emblem as his watch. He tried to be careful, as to not hurt anyone, or break anything, and was dead-set on getting some help, help that only the creator of the Omnitrix could give him.

Ben entered the building, immediately activating the Omnitrix again, transforming into a ghostly form, one that was a pale off-white color with a single green eye, dressed in gray cuffs and green chains, with the Omnitrix being fixated onto the ghostly creature's chest, holding those chains together. Ben called this form, Ghostfreak. Ghostfreak made no time for pleasantries as he phased through the floors, moving upwards as he made his way to the top.

Ghostfreak stopped moving upwards and moved forward, coming across a huge metal door, once again brandishing the same emblem that the Omnitrix had. Ghostfreak tapped the Omnitrix and transformed himself back into Ben, and walked inside as the doors opened up for him. The lab was filled with numerous Galvan, each one working overtime on various machines and running calculations on various smaller machines. Ben was more fixated on one Galvan, one that looked older than the rest, the Galvan he needed to see.

The Galvan had various whisker-like tendrils growing from their face, and the armored robes he wore, colored in black and green, held together by pieces of silver metal, he was called the first thinker for a reason, and that reason has given him more than his fair share of grief and mayhem. The various Galvan watched as Ben walked up to the esteemed Galvan, who seemed unaware of his presence. Ben crouched down and opened his mouth to speak, only to be interrupted by the esteemed Galvan.

The Galvan turned around and looked at Ben, unimpressed. "Benjamin Tennyson, I assume your friends, as well as your grandfather's here with you?" The Galvan inquired.

Ben frowned. "I'm here on my own accord, and I come alone, Azmuth. Let's cut our usual back and forth for the moment and get to why I'm here. I need your help, I need to find someone who's gone missing." Ben stated.

Azmuth looked at Ben, mildly puzzled. "You need my help, not with anything pertaining to the Omnitrix, but for a missing person's case? I'd much rather work on the Omnitrix than waste my resources on someone not worth my time. Go and ask Chadzmuth, that's more in-line with his profession than it is mine." Azmuth stated.

Ben gritted his teeth, his expression became more like that of agitation. "Azmuth, this is more in-line with your work than you think. After all, Vilgax wouldn't've been involved in all of this if someone didn't make another copy of your Omnitrix, something he wanted for himself, most likely for his latest scheme! That bootleg Omnitrix got strapped to a kid, and that kid was a plumber cadet, they, along with that bootleg, are gone without a trace!" Silence soon filled the room, with Azmuth seeming surprised, but also seemed to be filled with an emotion that he couldn't quite name. "Everyone thinks they're dead, but I don't buy it, they're out there in the universe, somewhere, and they don't have the means to get back here! That bootleg is still an Omnitrix, and that watch is your responsibility, so kindly take me serious about this, and help me find them!" Ben argued, his voice rising in volume.

Azmuth stared at Ben, seeing the grit, the determination, the will to do what's right, something he saw back when he first met him as a boy. However, he did also see a burning sense of shame, something he saw when Ben Tennyson relinquished the Omnitrix to be in Vilgax's hands a few years back.

Azmuth mulled over on everything Ben had said, and couldn't help but wonder. "It's not the Nemetrix, is it? Albedo didn't somehow lose the Ultimatrix either?" Azmuth asked, wanting to confirm.

Ben shook his head, his agitation slowly dissipating. "It wasn't either of them. It was some kind of mock-version of the prototype you made all that time ago. It had one white tube, two buttons, and a black dial. It looked like someone gave up mid-way on completing a replica of the prototype, but it seemed too intentional." Ben explained, trying to describe the bootleg Omnitrix device the best he could.

Azmuth closed his eyes and tried to think hard about such a device, and while he could easily imagine something like that, something with shoddy craftsmanship, but excellent detail specifically, it was a rather odd combination of details. "And you said that they disappeared without a trace?" Azmuth asked.

Ben nodded. "There was a lot going on at the time. That cadet saved me from being turned into paste, but I think it cost him his life. When that bootleg ended up on him, in some way or another, that watch must've had a fail-safe, like how the Definitive Omnitrix does. It must've saved him, but then they vanished before anything could be done. I tried countless times to try and find that watch's energy signature, but everything I tried came up as a failure. Gwen even got a hold of his badge, as well as his phone, but even with two items to track, she couldn't find anything." Ben explained, a sense of shame washing over him again.

Azmuth walked over to Ben and began to examine the Omnitrix. "Seems like you've been busy, very busy," Azmuth cycled through the Omnitrix's various transformations, only to soon come across Wallflyer's icon. "Well, this is quite the discovery. I wasn't expecting to see such a magic-rich species today, especially within the Omnitrix. That would explain the complications you've been having with locating this missing cadet, as well as that Omnitrix knock-off that he ended up stuck with, the natural flux of magic this creature has is causing minor hiccups in the Omnitrix's system, no wonder your efforts have been fruitless. Where did you get the sample for this transformation, if I may ask?" Azmuth inquired.

Ben raised an eyebrow and noticed Wallflyer's icon. "Oh, you mean the Changeling? There were these bipedal horse-fly alien dudes that the cadet knew, in one bad way, and in another surprising turn of events. I'll have to send you a copy of his personal files, you can judge for yourself when you read it. I hadn't seen anything like them, and apparently neither did the Omnitrix. Wallflyer can shapeshift with the use of magic, fly, and eat emotions. I'm not even gonna lie, that last power sounds so interesting, even if it sounds very ridiculous." Ben remarked, a small smile forming on his face.

Azmuth looked to the six green square patterns on the side of the Omnitrix, and began to press on them in a sequential order. The Omnitrix brought up a hologram of Wallflyer, and Azmuth moved the icon over to a separate terminal. The terminal whirred and came to life as Azmuth typed away, numerous holographic screens spawned around him and Ben, all the while several images of a dark, decrepit and near-lifeless world were shown. "Okay, that's terrifying, what is that place?" Ben asked, a little surprised by the wasteland he saw in the images.

Azmuth scratched his chin and looked towards Ben. "This is apparently their home planet. Equus-IVG. I'm not sure where this could be, as the data indicates that it's within your Milky Way Galaxy. I also find that to be impossible, as I've never seen or heard of a planet such as this," Azmuth looked back at the terminal, typing something in as it shuts down. "One theory I do have, however, is that the Omnitrix bootleg the cadet is stuck with, it unintentionally brought these Changelings to our world, and vice-versa, it brought your cadet to their home world by mistake. I'm uncertain if he's still alive, but perhaps this is a chance to learn something, something I've been meaning to learn for a while. I'll give the Omnitrix an update I've been meaning to give for a while now, and this is the perfect time for it." Azmuth remarked in a cryptic fashion.

Ben looked puzzled, raising an eyebrow as Azmuth walked over to a small holographic keypad, typing away as he pressed one final button, causing the Omnitrix to flash green, then glow with a pink-ish light. "A new update has been installed. Arcane Protocol has been properly integrated within Omnitrix system. Changeling DNA Sample has been categorized in the Sorcerer Playlist." The Omnitrix indicated.

Ben was surprised, but still confused. "I've been wanting to give the Omnitrix that update a long time ago, especially after the incident that made me into a To'Kustar. This will allow the Omnitrix to properly gain the samples of magical creatures, and treat their magic-based abilities as biological traits, rather than foreign or malicious data that can cause unforeseen glitches in the Omnitrix's programming. Now, go find that boy and give me some data to work with!" Azmuth stated.

Ben snapped out of his surprised state and nodded. In a flash of light, Ben transformed into Ghostfreak and phased out of the nearby window, only to transform into Jetray, and fly back into space.

Azmuth looked to the other Galvan that had watched everything transpire, and merely smiled. "It's alright everyone, this is just another normal day for Galvan Prime. Everyone take a break and think about what you saw, we have a lot of work to do." Azmuth remarked.

[Canterlot Streets]

The Vreedle charged forward, roaring out an aggressive guttural yell as he and Automate fought. They brawled hard, the severity of the situation made them feel like they were fighting for eternity. The Vreedle knew his punches were connecting and causing the mechamorph to stagger, but physical strength was obviously not the play here, and he knew that, he was trying to stall, or keep the mechamorph's attention on him.

The two soon ended up in the quiet and empty streets of Canterlot, and the Vreedle soon stopped punching and immediately started running to the grassy plains. "C'mon, you freaky piece of scrap! Ya want the Omnitrix, don't cha? Then come try and take it!" The Vreedle called out, taunting the Mechamorph as it gave chase.

Automate roared out in frustration, giving chase to the transformed plumber. The Vreedle reached into his pocket and pulled out the thing he made, smirking as he came to a stop, standing amidst a lush grassy green field. Automate didn't stop running, but the Vreedle was hoping for exactly that. In a quick move, he thrust his hand forward, pushing and burying the thing he created inside of Automate, then rolled to the side, hearing the Altnetrix's timer begin to reach its end. "You fool, you tried to blow me to smithereens!? You only doomed this world further! Once I get ahold of the Omnitrix, you and this backwater world will finally know what it's like to be imprisoned!" Automate blustered.

The Vreedle smirked, and soon burst out in a fit of laughter. Automate was taken aback by the sudden reaction. "You're laughing? I'm on the verge of victory, victory that will mean the enslavement, the entrapment, and the complete terraforming of this planet and its moon to make into my own empire, and you're laughing!? Have you gone mad, Ben Tennyson?!" Automate remarked.

The Vreedle got up, just as he was enveloped in a flash of white light, and revealed Scott Baristo. "Sorry to burst your mechanical bubble, paly, but I'm not Ben Tennyson, and this isn't the Omnitrix. You've been had, you got played like a fiddle, and without you even knowing, I cut your strings and threw them in an incinerator! Feel free to try and absorb that bomb I lodged into your body, I doubt it'll help you, though." Scott remarked.

Automate did try to absorb the bomb, but nothing happened. It was still stuck to them, practically stuck within them. They tried to remove it and absorb it again, but couldn't. "What... what is this!? It's a bomb, consisting of technology! Why can't I absorb it, what did you do!? Answer me, you pitiful human!" Automate demanded.

Scott smiled. "Simple. I wasn't exactly sure what my Vreedle form could do, but explosives seem to be quite the familiar topic. If I had to guess, I used Bombadier to cobble together some of the stuff you couldn't add to your nanite-body. It was too primitive, and judging by the crystals, you most likely don't react well to magic, so this ought to be fun, in a strange circumstantial way," Scott pulled out the trigger for the bomb, resting his thumb gently on the button.

Automate stared at the human, seeing the trigger in his hands brought him to a stop. "Ya know, I should be scared for what I'm about to do, but I have so much on my plate that I need to figure out already, and dealing with a rogue mechamorph is not on the list of things I need to deal with. So, forgive me when I say, that I don't need some rogue, psychotic mechamorph causing trouble for good people that did nothing to warrant your rage, or sudden mass-murder spree! Prepare to be at the epicenter for the first magical EMP, and don't worry, if I ever find a way back home, I'll make sure there's a nice electro-magnetic cell waiting for you when you wake up again." Scott remarked.

Automate lunged at Scott, and Scott, without a moment's hesitation, rolled out of the way and clicked the button, causing the bomb lodged in Automate's chest area to begin glowing. Scott looked at Automate, smirking. "Hasta la vista!" Scott said with a smug grin, running away from Automate at full sprint, right towards the kingdom of Canterlot.

Automate tried to give chase, but soon felt the bomb sparking. The mechamorph tried to remove the bomb, but it was practically stuck to him. Automate roared out, crying out in a rage, but also out of terror. They tried to tear their self open to remove the bomb, but their nanites continued to close up the wounds they inflicted on themselves. "Curse you, Scott Baristo! One day, I will return, and your Omnitrix device will be mine! You will rue the day you got one over on me!!" Automate exclaimed out in a rage.

A bright flash soon encompassed Automate, their final scream of horror dying out amidst the sparkling and crackling explosion of light. Electrical sparks crackled throughout the sky, attracting the attention of nearby pegasi as the light soon died down. Automate was still in the same place he stood, trying to rip himself open, only for it to fail. His body was now comprised of a red stone-like material, and it covered his body entirely, as if he was turned into a statue.

Scott looked back at Automate's stone body, then looked towards the castle. "Well, that's one problem solved. I better talk to the princesses and let them know the issue's been resolved." Scott told himself.

Scott ran through the streets, all while Automate's statue rested in the field, motionless and devoid of any signs of life.

[Throne Room]

Several guards had been gathered, tons of them lined up as Scott burst through the door. Scott was about to speak, until his words were caught in his throat, bearing witness to a truly saddening sight. A few caskets were now present in the room, each with a picture of a fallen guard, or a fallen citizen on each cover. Celestia and Luna looked towards Scott, and he stepped forward, the air was thick with tension, and though he hated the very thought, he felt as if this could've been prevented, maybe if he knew sooner, he could've stopped things before they escalated.

Scott stepped in-between the princesses, closing his eyes as he attempted to hold himself back. "I'm sincerely sorry for your loss, your Highnesses. I know the Plumbers have suffered great losses in the past, there was a certain time where death was like a plague, and nothing could stop it. It was a purge, a purge created by a nasty group of people known as the Forever Knights," Celestia and Luna looked down at Scott, a sense of sadness and dread coursed through him. "Innocent humans and aliens lost their lives in that incident, but with Ben Tennyson's help, it's through knowing that we're still here, we'll keep going for them, even when they're long gone, and someday, we'll avenge them. That's how I looked at it, and not many liked or shared my perspective, mainly for how grim it was, but justice comes for those who think themselves above it, and Automate thought themselves above everything." Scott iterated.

Celestia reached a hoof out, placing it on his shoulder, as did Luna. "Hardships are a part of life, Scott Baristo. I fear that with the sudden attack and escape of this 'Automate' monster, his defeat will be a calling card to more dangerous individuals in the future. I have no right to ask you this, as you are not one of my subjects, but I fear that Equestria might be in more danger than previously prophesized," Celestia looked to Luna, and they both knelt down to Scott. "Scott Baristo, wielder of the device you call the Altnetrix, will you stay in Equestria, just for a little while longer, and keep the realm safe from these Extraterrestrial threats?" Celestia asked.

Scott was hesitant to answer that question, but knew it was gonna be quite the regret to hold on his shoulders if he left, especially since they were counting on him. The human sighed and looked to the Altnetrix. "I'd like to discuss this with a couple other parties before I make my final decision, is that alright?" Scott asked.

Celestia and Luna nodded. "Do you have any possible candidates for discussion?" Luna inquired.

Scott thought about it, and did have a couple individuals in mind.

[Ben 10 Dimension]

[Baumann's Market]

By the time Ben had gone back to Earth, nightfall had draped over Bellwood, and he was about to finally get his answer on Scott's disappearance. Ben walked into the back, and moved over to where Scott had vanished. He fiddled around with the Omnitrix and soon waved it around, finally picking up something. "Unknown Omni-Energy signature detected." The Omnitrix chirped.

"Can you track it?" Ben inquired.

"Scanning..." The Omnitrix began to whir, letting a bright green scanner move across the room. The scanner moved back and forth, constantly collecting samples of the residual energy in the area. The scanner soon dissipated and the Omnitrix blinked. "Scan complete. Unknown Omni-Energy signature has traversed this dimension, and into a parallel dimension tied to another universe." The Omnitrix chirped.

Ben was shocked and surprised, but was at least relieved that he was alive. "Can you give me the numeral designation for the dimension?" Ben inquired.

"ERROR. Dimensional location cannot be accurately pin-pointed. Unknown energy influx seems to be conflicting with recent update to Omnitrix systems." The Omnitrix chirped.

Ben was confused, but at least he has a proper idea for what has transpired now. 'So, the cadet's in another dimension, tied to another universe. That certainly narrows down the search in my home dimension, but that casts an even wider net, a bit too wide than I'd like to admit. Don't worry, Scott, we'll find you.' Ben thought.

Author's Note

A fair bit of development has occurred, even if it isn't much in retrospect. But, at least I got this chapter done. Next one will be an Epilogue, and this story'll properly kick off from there.

Here's a basic explanation for the stuff Ben had added to the Omnitrix.

Arcane Protocol - It's a new feature that allows the Omnitrix to now recognize Magic as a biological trait, rather than foreign/malicious data.

The Sorcerer Playlist - Something that was added alongside the Arcane Protocol. It's a playlist entirely dedicated to the more magic-based transformations (i.e. Anodites, Dragons, Changelings, etc.)

NOTE: The Altnetrix won't get these upgrades/updates for a sole reason that I won't elaborate on at this time.

Also, finally, this three-parter is done. All I need to do is the epilogue, and I can take a break for the next couple minutes.

And then There Were... 2? Epilogue

[Throne Room]

Scott quietly moved throughout the halls, trying to remain quiet as he gripped a piece of paper in his hand. He walked by a few guards, noticing their stoic, yet solemn expressions. It was nerve-wracking, but at least he had a choice, ready to be made and deliberated on extensively. Scott stopped in front of a pair of giant golden doors, and sighed. He looked down at the paper in his hands, and then looked to the Altnetrix.

Scott sighed. 'God, give me strength.' Scott thought.

Scott walked up to the doors and opened them up, noticing the princesses. They sat on their respective thrones, and they soon had their eyes fixated on him. Scott swallowed and entered, kneeling before the princesses, his mind wracked with distress. "Scott Baristo, did you come to a conclusive choice?" Celestia asked.

Scott nodded, not uttering a single word. He looked down at the paper, a look of uncertainty forming across his face.

(Two-and-a-half Hours Earlier...)

[Royal Courtroom]

Scott sat in his seat, pencil and paper at the ready as he gazed at the three individuals he believed had the best judgement, in one way or another. In truth, Scott didn't know anyone in this world who could give him sound, logical and reasonable advice. Applejack, the stranger from the road. Nocturned, a guard doing her job. Technorg, an alien gladiator turned prisoner and temporary hero. 'I'm so fucked.' Scott thought.

Scott cleared his throat and looked at the three individuals he selected. "I'm sure you three are curious as to why I called you here in this room, especially after the horrors that Automate had wrought upon innocent lives, correct?" Scott asked.

Applejack nodded. "What's this all about, partner? Clearly somethin' important is on the line, considerin' this is a room fer pencil-pushin' politicians." Applejack assumed.

"Technorg agrees with the pony. The air in this room is tense, thick with uncertainty and importance, though it does share some familiarity to the debate chambers back on Technorg's homeworld." Technorg agreed, looking around the room.

Nocturned sat up, their armor was essentially off for the time being, leaving them draped in some dark blue robes. "I'm not sure why you called me here, but I personally believe my presence will not be needed. Was never a fan of politics anyhow, so feel free to state your peace, I guess." Nocturned remarked.

Scott took a deep breath, and sighed. "I'm don't have to sugarcoat this, then, already this is a better start than I hoped," The three individuals look to Scott, noticing a pencil and paper in his hands. He wrote something down and soon passed it amidst the three that sat before him, showing two options.

Accept or Decline.

Technorg stared at the options and was confused. "Accept... or Decline? Technorg does not understand." Technorg said.

Nocturned looked to Scott, confused as the paper was passed to her. She was just as confused, if not dumbfounded, by the bareness and simplicity of the vote. "I've heard of political votes being less bare bones than this. Does the word 'Elaborate' exist where you come from?" Nocturned remarked.

Applejack looked at the paper, and could hardly believe how true the Detrovite and the bat-pony's words were. "Partner, what exactly are we votin' for?" Applejack inquired.

Scott was silent for a moment, but soon cleared his throat, ready to speak as clearly as he could. "Princess Celestia has informed me that Automate is truly no longer a threat to Equestria, for now. However, she's scared by the idea of Automate's defeat being a calling card, specifically for those who believe that Equestria's the place to be to cause havoc on a galactic scale. She's worried, incredibly and rightfully so. Automate clearly wasn't afraid to get a bit of blood on his compiled nanites if he had to." Scott then raised the Altnetrix upwards, showing it to the three. An expression of sadness and determination was painted on Scott's face, a mixture of two emotions he hadn't felt at once before.

The human took a deep breath, and sighed as he straightened up. "Even before Automate's defeat, they had every chance to strip the Altnetrix from me and gain the power that would ultimately determine that your world would've been in some serious danger, but they were too caught up in their own hubris and it gave me the chance to exploit it. I want to make things clear, Equestria, according to Celestia's own words, might be in more danger than what was, and I quote, "Prophesized". I don't know what she's on about, but I feel a sense of confliction between two parts of me. On one side, I want to go back home, back where I belong. Yet, on the other side, I can't, in good-conscience, leave this place, knowing aliens are here, and may try to cause problems for those who don't even know or even might be aware that they might be amongst them," Scott took another deep breath and thought for a moment, almost as if he was carefully picking his words. "That's why you three are here, one way or another, whether the first encounter was pleasant or downright horrible, you've met me and seen not even the bare minimum of what I can do. I seek your opinions, and your vote on the matter. Do I accept Celestia's offer and try to keep your realm safe from alien threats, or do I decline and find a way home?" Scott explained, taking a breath as he sat back down in his chair.

Silence echoed through the room and looks of surprise and shock came from the two ponies in the room. Technorg, however, seemed perfectly aware of what his answer was now, taking the paper and making his vote. "Technorg has made his vote. Technorg wishes for you to stay. The way Technorg sees it, this world, if left to its own devices with aliens running around unabated, will fall. This world does not have Ben Tennyson, so with you around, you can ensure this world will be safe, so that it can flourish and show off its true potential." Technorg explained.

Scott was surprised by Technorg's answer, but kept his composure. The paper was passed to Nocturned, who was still shocked at the human's explanation. Nocturned took the pencil and marked down her answer. "You've got guts, human, I'll give you that. So, don't take it personally when I say it'd be embarrassing, infuriating and disheartening, to see a capable soldier such as yourself, blatantly disregard his duty to protect and serve. Princess Luna spoke to me after Celestia got onto me about our first encounter, it was some time after you and these two took to the ground and fought the monster yourselves," Scott raised an eyebrow. Nocturned sighed, seeming annoyed. "The princess told me, in her own words, that you were a capable soldier, a soldier who had seen things that have no right to being as crazy, or as plausibly true, as they sound. In my own personal opinion, the royal guard, as well as the Night guard, could benefit to learn a few things from a soldier such as yourself, especially after such a devastating loss. I get it, this isn't your home, you're essentially an outcast amongst all of pony kind, much like the big hulking orange orc over here, but you still fought to save our world from that creature. Ask yourself, human. What's stopping you from doing all that again?" Nocturned inquired.

Scott nodded, and watched the paper be passed to Applejack. Applejack looked down at the paper and took the pencil into her mouth, maneuvering the pencil to mark her answer. "Partner, don't take this the wrong way, I know ya probably wanna get back to wherever it is you came from, believe me, had it been me in your situation, home would be the first thing on my mind, no doubt about it. But, I feel like it'd be in yer best interest to stay. I don't know a whole lot about ya, but you were willin' to stay and fight to save Equestria, even after a couple bad first-impressions could've essentially led ya to leave without another word, and then Equestria would've been shipped up shit's creek in a boat riddled with holes, and all without paddles. If the princesses are worried 'bout more of 'em, that's a sign that usually means, your talents aren't gonna be squandered. From what the big feller's sayin', somepony back where you came from, is some powerful individual. If the princesses think they don't stand a chance, who do we rely on to deal with these types of threats, if the princesses can't handle it?" Applejack asked.

Scott was torn, but did feel a warm feeling inside him, though it was just for a moment. 'If I leave and more aliens show up, and they're less than friendly, I might as well have pony blood on my hands. The entire population of an entire species, dead, all because I left them defenseless. But, I still have a job to do... but, wouldn't I technically be shirking my responsibilities by not lending a hand? When did my job get so complicated!?' Scott thought.

Scott took a deep breath, and sighed. He took the piece of paper, got up from his seat, and moved towards the door that led to the hall. "Thank you all for casting your vote... I'll let the royals know of the final decision." Scott turned back and saw them looking at him. "You're free to go about your usual business and what have you." Scott stated, walking out of the room, the door closing behind him.

(Present Day)

[Throne Room]

"Scott Baristo, did you come to a conclusive choice?" Celestia asked.

Scott looked down at the piece of paper. A look of uncertainty formed on his face, but that soon faded as he took out a pencil and marked his own vote onto it. He looked it over, and though he felt as if a pit fell into his stomach, he knew he was making the right choice.

Scott looked up at the princesses, noticing the two of them looking at him, expecting an answer. He also noticed two other ponies that looked unfamiliar to him. One was a lavender purple unicorn mare, her body decorated with darker purple stripe-like patterns. The other was, supposedly, an older mare. She was taller than the purple pony, but had a more slender physique, was also a unicorn, but had a yellow and red mane with shimmering green eyes.

Scott shook his head and brought his focus back to the topic at hand. "Your highnesses, a conclusion has been reached, and..." Scott began to trail off, looking back down at the paper. He saw the results clear as day, and knew he had to. Four to Zero, in favor of staying. He felt off, he didn't know why he felt so uncertain, so excited, yet so unprepared, but he felt an unfamiliar smile form on his face, and he raised his face to the princesses, letting them see his expression. "It's a unanimous vote, in favor for my continued/extended stay in your realm. I don't know how long I'll be in your realm, but for as long as I'm here, I swear to you, nothing extraterrestrial will cause more destruction, or needless carnage, in your kingdom from here on out. I'll try my best, and give it all I got, if that's alright with you." Scott declared.

Celestia and Luna smiled, and the two other unicorns seemed to beam with a sense of shared appreciation. "Excellent news. I hope you don't mind, but we took some liberty of buying some unused property, and setting it up appropriately for you. Only the necessities and whatever may assist you with your basic dietary needs, and we've also stocked a few shelves with the most up-to-date books about Equestria, just so you can get a basic idea on what you might be in for." Luna explained.

Scott smiled, something that was feeling more and more familiar to him. "I appreciate such a forthright action, but I get the feeling that the residents of this high-class place, Canterlot, was it? I don't think they'll appreciate, let alone approve of your decision to let some non-equine creature with shapeshifting capabilities and otherworldly origins live amongst them in such a rich, stuck-up, upper class paradise. Excuse my disrespect, I mean no harm, let alone any offense." Scott stated.

Celestia snickered, but soon composed herself. "Your idea of disrespect is rather accurate to some of Canterlot's finest nobles, Scott Baristo, but that's nothing new to us. No harm, no foul, as they say. Hence why we're pleased to announce, that your new temporary homestead is not in Canterlot." Celestia reassured.

Scott was relieved, but also confused. "If it's not here, then where exactly am I taking up residence?" Scott inquired.

Celestia winked. "You'll see. I've arranged some special transport to get you there, and I've informed the mayor of your situation, so you'll have to expect them to drop by and visit, she loves to see fresh faces, especially when they're of the kinder sort." Celestia stated.

[Ben 10 Dimension]

[Earth]

Ben walked down the street, typing up a mass text as the starry night sky shines down, the deep and dark, yet illustrious blue-violet night sky in contrast to the various stars twinkling amidst the darkness.

Ben sent the text and put his phone in his pocket, listening to the chirping sounds of crickets, and watching several cars pass him by. "Okay, so the text was sent, now I just gotta wait for a reply. In the mean time, crime has been a bit slow, almost too slow. I'll grab a quick coffee, and be on my way, see if I can scope out anything unusual." Ben remarked.

Ben stopped and turned to his left, seeing a coffee shop right nearby. He walked up to the front door and was about to go inside, until suddenly, everything seemed to stop. Ben seemed to stop in place as well, but was clearly ready to throw down. He whipped around, ready to transform into an alien, until he went wide-eyed, seeing a familiar face... with an unfamiliar sense of dread coursing through him.

"Hello there, Benjamin. Lovely night for a stroll, isn't it?" A man called out. He sounded so familiar, he looked exactly like him, so why did Ben suddenly feel less safe?

Ben stared at a man in a tattered, torn, and thoroughly stained white lab coat. The stains ranged from a pale red, to sometimes pure gray and a sickly green. The goggles around his neck were cracked, worn-out, showed signs of wear and tear, and one of the lenses were basically gone. The gauntlet that he usually had, was now nowhere to be seen. His cane was also snapped in half, and he was clutching onto the upper half of it tightly. Ben looked the man in the face, seeing a calm, yet vaguely irate look in his twitching eyes. He had a calm, unnerving smile, and the slicked-back, well-kept black hair, it was now beginning to look very messy.

Ben simply stared, and could only utter a single word. Not with appreciation and acknowledgement, but with concern, and unknowingly phrased it as a question. "Paradox?" Ben cautiously asked.

The man said nothing, but his smile seemed to become more and more unnerving. Something was clearly wrong, and Ben knew it. Paradox knew it, yet he asked a question, his calm voice no longer matching the almost psychotically calm expression on the man's face. "I hear you're looking for someone, a plumber, vanished without a trace, presumed dead. I can take you there, to him, to that other universe outside our own. You could say I'm quite, 'familiar' with such a universe, so to speak. What say you, Ben Tennyson? Shall I offer my assistance to you, and help you in the matter?" Paradox offered, offering his hand for a handshake.

Ben couldn't place why Paradox was making him feel so odd, like he was in the midst of a universe-sized crisis, but he knew he had to decline. "Uh, I'm okay. I've got a plan, and I figured it'd be best to just give you a break from dealing with me." Ben lied, trying to come up with a proper excuse.

Paradox's unnerving smile faded, leaving him with a wide-eyed frown. Time was still not continuing, and almost immediately, Ben scrolled through the Omnitrix and landed on the alien he was ashamed of not using sooner. Alien X. Even as Ben laid his eyes on the icon of one of his most powerful alien transformations, and got ready to transform... he still felt a sense of dread.

"You know, you're the second Ben Tennyson to refuse my help, and after all I've done for you, this is how you repay me, by denying my aide?! This is the second time this has happened, and I'm not exactly sure why this is happening. You are looking for the boy known as, Scott Baristo, correct? Perhaps I should just go visit him, and tell him that his world is moving on just fine without him and had been disowned by his hero, or maybe I'll give him a proper reason to not try and refuse my aide when I offer it on a silver platter, by eradicating the universe he's stuck in!" Paradox's voice roared out, echoing around Ben in a rage.

Out of options, he immediately slammed down the core, and transformed into the selected alien. One of his strongest forms.

The alien stood tall, humanoid in shape. It had three eyes. Two normal ones, and one that was turned sideways, and placed in the midst of his forehead. He had two horn-like protrusions coming out of his head. His body was a black mass of space, decorated in stars. He wore a pair of white and green gauntlets, even dawning a pair of gloves that covered his six-fingered hands. He wore green and white armor all across his body, and the Omnitrix was fastened to the alien's chest piece.

Paradox was no longer in-sight, but he was clearly still around. "Really, you're going to use the Celestialsapien? I forced you to turn back once, what makes you think I won't do it again, hm? What did you hope to accomplish with this?" Paradox wondered, mocking the star-clad entity.

Alien X said nothing, but he did end up snapping both of his fingers, and smashed the ground with his fist, causing some type of transparent mirror-glass stuff to shatter, letting time resume. Paradox groaned, seeming rather annoyed. "Of course, I forgot you have unlimited access to the full-power of a Celestialsapien, how could I forget!? Nevertheless, you're clearly unappreciative when a familiar face offers you some help. I'm not the bad guy, Benjamin! Fine, have it your way, Benjamin Tennyson, but mark my words. I'll always be watching, and you better watch your back." Paradox warned.

Alien X tapped the Omnitrix, transforming Ben back to normal, though he was clearly shook up. Ben, without a moment's hesitation, began to run, going full-sprint down the road, rushing past people with a look of fear in his eyes, and a sense of dread in his heart.

Ben couldn't think about anything else, not even the response he got to his mass text. All he could think about, was the dread. 'What the hell was that, and what the hell was his problem!?' Ben thought, keeping up the full-sprint as he ran, unaware of the streetlights flickering and glowing green as he passes by.

Author's Note

Finally, the epilogue is done. Scotty boy's staying in Equestria, and Ben's cookin' up a plan to try and find this other universe, so that'll be fun.

Also, big surprise, something's up with Paradox.

Don't worry, the next chapter will be out eventually. Life came up and pulled me away, but now I'm back, and ready to keep writing.

The Dwindling Embers of Judgement's Day

[Canterlot Stationway]

Scott was unsure as to where he was going, but he had faith that the royals wouldn't screw him over, especially after he saved their asses. Wherever he was going, apparently transport had been arranged to get him there, and though he was already on the way, he didn't really appreciate being escorted by several guards to where he needed to go.

He got several stares of disgust, plenty looks of horror, and on occasion, somepony would try to throw something at him. He knew that some ponies weren't gonna be happy, even after he saved their entire race from total extinction, or enslavement, but by this point, he was starting to see a rather uncomfortable form of familiarity in these ponies. The way they were irate about being saved, it almost reminded them of the Forever Knights.

Scott ducked his head, noticing that a horseshoe was tossed at him, and Scott let a bit of his leniency slip. He stopped in place, looking at the people who were being angry, and the guards stopped as well, looking nervous. "I see how it is, you'd rather die by an alien than have your lives and city be saved by one. That's one odd form of logic to your bigotry, but hey, whatever floats your boat. It's not like your princesses asked me personally to stop said threat from putting your entire species on the extinct species list, or to make sure you weren't conquered and turned into a bunch of slaves, or anything! Never knew pompous rich-folk would rather die in chains than live free without them." Scott remarked.

A few of the ponies continued to boo and get aggressive with the human, some have even tried stepping forth to get closer and take things to a physical brawl. Had it not been for the guards stepping in, or Technorg, who noticed the commotion, things would've gotten a lot hairier. Scott continued to walk away, and soon enough, Technorg followed suite.

Scott dusted himself off and began to twist the dial on the Altnetrix, cycling between Bombadier and Smudge, his Lenopan form. "Two transformations, and very little to work with. Can't say this is the worst day of my life, but it's certainly not in my top 20 best days, either. Maybe if I'm lucky, I'll figure out a way to unlock more transformations. I know there's another method, but I don't even know if this bootleg comes with that feature... then again, this is based off of the old incomplete schematics back in '06, so maybe--"

"Human, did you hit your head during the fight? You're talking nonsense, and the guards are staring at you." Technorg interrupted.

Scott looked up at Technorg, who walked beside him. He looked back at the guards, giving him confused and questionable stares. Scott sighed. "I'm alright, just assessing the situation. I'm also trying to figure out how I'm going to gain more transformations. I have access to a Vreedle and a Lenopan, I have a fifth of my arsenal, and the other four-fifths are essentially not here. I know the original was rumored to have over one-million samples within it, but there's no telling what I'll unlock in this thing, since it was connected to the definitive model before I ended up here. I still need to figure out why it was connected to it, though, nothing good could've come of that if Vilgax got his slimy hands on it," Scott continued to fiddle with the dial. "Plus, the original Omnitrix had a bunch of different codes that could be accessed, but again, those were rumors I've only heard. If the Altnetrix is based on the same schematics as the original prototype, even if they were incomplete, maybe this has some codes worth unlocking, and making my stay here much easier for me, and for those around me." Scott explained.

Technorg leaned down, tapping the dial slightly. Scott was about to panic, but nothing happened... well, not at first. The Altnetrix did seem to recognize the Detrovite's touch, and for a brief moment, the hourglass changed into the diamond shape halfway, creating some kind of DNA Helix shape. The green color it usually sported was now beaming with a pale yellow color. The core spun around as the device began to whir, only to soon stop, returning the icon to the usual hourglass shape, and sporting the green color it had a moment ago.

[Familiar DNA Sample acquired. Scanning in-progress. All functions will be unavailable to ensure the sample is not corrupted or damaged. Please stand by.] The Altnetrix chirped.

Scott frowned, but at least he had an idea on what he was working with now. "Okay, so it didn't do the whole ranged-scanning thing that the new device could supposedly do, but the interface is practically identical to the newer models. What an interesting blend of past and future ideas, even if it's gonna be tedious to get a full playlist going. Here's to hoping I get lucky, and face some greedy bastards trying to grab this thing, certainly makes it easier for me." Scott states, seeming more annoyed rather than satisfied.

Technorg looks down, seeing that Scott was nearing his supposed transport. A dark blue chariot with two more of those bat-pony creatures at the front, waiting patiently. "Apologies, human. I didn't think it would do anything, now it seems I've made things more difficult for you, more so than I initially thought." Technorg stated.

Scott raised an eyebrow, seeming confused. "Hey, don't beat yourself up, Technorg. Neither of us know the full extent of this bootleg's capabilities, so you're not to blame, and neither am I. Besides, look on the bright side, once the sample has been recognized and added to the current playlist, we can see how my new Detrovite transformation works, maybe with a sparring match or two. Doesn't that sound good?" Scott reassured.

Technorg, though relieved, still feels a bit bad. "Relax, big guy. Why don't you go on your way, and I'll take care of this. I gotta go anyway, take care of yourself out there." Scott stated, moving towards the chariot.

Technorg watches as the human sits down in the chariot, and soon goes on his way, walking through the lower Canterlot district as the chariot soon takes to the skies.

[Elsewhere...]

Deep beneath the surface, the inner machinations of a dark, damp, and derelict lab begin to whir to life, pistons and gears moving in ways they didn't seem to move before, numerous thick cobwebs and bits of vines and overgrowth fell to the floor, a surge of light shining through what looked like crystals, chiseled and sculpted into the shape of computer screens. In the center of the room, was a large pod, with something equally as dangerous inside.

"Synthroid charging station has successfully rebooted. Plumber ID tracker installed, counter-measures implemented. Awakening Synthroid Model 800.101 from Hypersleep Protocol." A broken, disembodied digital voice spoke out.

Within the pod, something began to stir. Whatever was inside, it began to pound on the door, slowly, but effectively making dents. The more it punched the metal door keeping it within, the more the door began to give way. Soon enough, the door was sent flying into the console, and the beast within stepped forth. It looked essentially humanoid in its body shape, but the way it looked, it was clearly otherworldly. It was this black slender figure, was prominently robust in its upper body, a few mechanical panels were exposed along its forearms, wearing a grey belt, as well as having a large red circle in the midst of the panel on its chest. Its face was more terrifying, just a metal plate in the shape of a face, with those small, piercing, yet unforgettable red eyes.

"Synthroid Model 800.101, congratulations on your survival. The creator is currently out at the moment, but the original mission has not been changed. Recently, a plumber ID was located, specifically ten kilometers west of our location. You know why you were created, and you know what must be done. Terminate the Plumber, and ensure that he, nor any other plumber operatives, will find us." The voice stated.

The Synthroid nodded. "Understood. Activating... Judgement DayInitiative." The Synthroid remarked, its voice low, warped and soulless.

The Synthroid marched towards another set of metal doors, prying them open easily. The Synthroid soon vanished into the shroud of lingering shadows, ready to complete its goal.

A few hours had passed since Scott's departure from Canterlot, and it's been a peaceful transition so far. The chariot moved at a very brisk, but manageable pace. The guards were earth ponies, so in Scott's eyes, they were used to hauling around heavy equipment, or supplies of any kind. He didn't personally think he weighed that much, or exceeded it, but was willing to encourage the guards to take a couple breaks, just to ensure they don't pull something. All the while, the Altnetrix was still sampling Technorg's DNA, showing the icon slowly loading.

If Scott had anything to complain about though, it was the Altnetrix's processing speed. 'Jeez, I've used dial-up internet that goes faster than this... I just need to have patience, and I'll have to pick my battles carefully. Can't run the risk of putting someone in danger,' Scott then felt another thought or two form in his head. 'Actually, now that I think about it, how do I even keep these equestrians from erupting into a panic, or explain to them that I'm not an enemy?! Either I'm overthinking this, and the princesses thought about this beforehand, or the moment I end up where I need to be, I'll have to either fight through civilians, or run like my life depends on it.' Scott thought, a look of stress and regret forming across his face.

"So, hooman... did I say that right, hooman? How do you pronounce the name of your species?" Scott snapped back to reality and looked at one of the guards. He looked younger than the rest of the guards he saw, but Scott could deduce that he was a new recruit, a new blood, as Gilhil once referred to him. Though he was still a pale white pegasus with a blue mane, the only difference between this stallion and the other guards was that he was the same strange bat-creature as Nocturned, judging by the slit pupils in his eyes and the bat wings. His eyes were a cyan color, something that also surprised Scott. "I just want you to know that we'll be nearing Ponyville in a matter of hours. Furthermore, I'm sure Princess Luna didn't have enough time to inform you, but she has given you the chance to assign one of the guards as your personal guide, that way you won't get lost, or easily ambushed by any incoming threats." The stallion explained.

Scott nodded. "Thanks, uh..." Scott soon realized that he wasn't gonna be able to remember a portion of these ponies' names, and felt a bit worried.

The stallion smiled patiently. "Private Zapp, at your service, sir." The stallion introduced with a salute. Scott eyed the stallion, knowing that something about this stallion reminded him of something about himself. It was his eagerness to do his job, but he didn't have the issues that Scott had developed during the job itself. 'The simpler times, Scott. Simpler times...' he thought to himself.

Scott nodded, hoping he'd remember his name. "Well Zapp, for your information, you pronounce human like hyoo-muhn, practice that for a couple days, inform your guard friends about it, and you'll eventually get used to it," Zapp nodded in approval, returning his view to the front. As Scott continued to examine the Altnetrix, he then heard a high-pitched whistling noise, as well as a slow rumbling boom echo out. Scott looked up, and the guards stopped moving, noticing the sound, as well. "I don't suppose any of you would know anything about that, would ya?" Scott asked.

The guards shook their heads, confirming that they knew next to nothing. "Either it was a sonic rainboom, or an enemy attack. Either way, we have our orders! Protect the hooman and escort him to the location!" One of the guards stated, raising a golden spear in a defensive stance.

Zapp gulped, looking nervous as he pulled a small golden dagger out from under his armor. Scott was surprised, but not for long. The high-pitched noise and the low rumbling began to mix together into a low bellowing explosive cacophony of thunder. Before anyone could say anything, a figure landed right in front of them, revealing itself to be the Synthroid. The guards jumped back, readying their weapons, all while Zapp was starting to frantically look around, his eyes were filled with fear.

Scott got up from his seat as he focused his attention on the Synthroid. "Haven't seen one of these up close before," Scott stepped past the guards as the Synthroid made eye-contact with the human. The guards wanted to protest, but the human was already face-to-face with the Synthroid that landed right beside the cart. "How long has this Synthroid been here, and more importantly, what the hell woke it up?" Scott wondered, curiously eyeing the man-shaped machine.

Scott reached a hand out to the Synthroid, only for it to immediately grab Scott by the collar of his shirt, lifting him up. Its eyes glowed a vibrant red as a beam of light cascaded over Scott's face. "Identity confirmed. Scott Baristo, Plumber Cadet. Human. Judgement Day Initiative has entered Phase 1." The Synthroid stated.

Before Scott could question what was happening, he was suddenly chucked to the ground, with the Synthroid walking towards him. Scott quickly got back to his feet and activated the Altnetrix, selecting Smudge's icon. "Listen up, robotboy, you really don't wanna tussle with me! As of now, you're not dealing with the average Plumber Operative anymore, so let's just calm those servos you got and-" The human's words fell flat as the Synthroid continued its approach. "Why did I think that was going to work, I just need to fight!" Scott reprimanded himself, pushing the Altnetrix's core down.

Unfortunately, he wasn't enveloped in a flash of light, but instead, was met with a type of broken buzzer sound. [ERROR. That function is unavailable. Detrovite DNA Sample has not been fully processed. Please stand by.] The Altnetrix informed.

Scott grunted as he started to back away from the Synthroid. "Ok, that's on me. I should've expected that," Scott started to back up as the Synthroid got closer. "I don't suppose you'd like to introduce yourself, would ya?" Scott asked.

As the Synthroid continued its approach, the guards had run towards it, jamming their golden weapons against the back of the Synthroid's body. While they did manage to leave a few dents, none of them actually punctured the metal. As expected, the Synthroid turned around and swung its arms at the guards, snapping the golden spears in half with a swipe of its hand. This shocked the guards, causing them to back away as the Synthroid focused its attention on them.

Scott ran forward, grabbing one of the snapped off golden spear tips as he brandished it as a weapon. Scott jumped onto the Synthroid's back, and repeatedly jammed the golden spear tip into the side of the Synthroid's head, making a lot of dents in the cranial area of the machine. The Synthroid tried to fight back and disrupt the onslaught, and managed to grab hold of the Altnetrix, causing a series of noises to emanate from the device.

Scott groaned. "Hey, find your own bootleg, this one's already taken!" Scott thrusted the golden spear tip into the back of the Synthroid's head, finally managing to puncture the metal and jam it out on the other end. The Synthroid let go of the Altnetrix, revealing the same pale yellow DNA Helix shape. "I know you wanted all of me, but for you, be glad I was generous enough to give you the tip!" Scott quipped, jumping off the Synthroid as he ran back to the chariot.

The head of the Synthroid began to spark and crackle, all while the Synthroid began to deactivate and collapse to the floor. Scott took a breath and sighed, looking back at Zapp, who had hidden behind the chariot. "Hey, you alright? Not used to that kind of action, are ya?" Scott asked.

Zapp came out of hiding, getting a look of disappointment and disapproval from the other guards. Scott, on the other hand, just held a hand out, expecting the bat-like pony to take it. Zapp steadily took the hand in his hoof and was pulled back onto the rest of them, standing tall, but ashamed. "Many apologies, I wasn't prepared for such a threat. You managed to handle yourself quite well, but even then, I should've tried to assist the guards." Zapp stated, looking sheepish.

Scott chuckled. "Classic rookie behavior. You think you'll be ready for a moment like this, but in reality, when it finally happens, you either are ready, you freeze up, or you run away and hide. I'd say you made a valiant effort, as did the other guards," The ponies just seemed confused. "I know what it's like to be in your position. To feel like you should be ready to take on anything and everything, but no one's truly ready, because something can change the whole scenario, and the initial game plan will be forced to change on the fly. Whether you fight, run, or hide, all of those are valid responses." Scott reassured.

Zapp hung his head low, and Scott seemed pretty dissatisfied. "Okay, how's about I tell you a story, a story that better explains how I felt in your position, and how I was able to better prepare for it later. I'll tell you all about it on our way to this location I'm supposed to be taken to, alright?" Scott offered.

One of the guards, a pale white unicorn, walked forward, a skeptical expression on his face. "What could you possibly tell us that relates to the sudden ambush that just happened?" the guard asked.

Scott smirked. "How about one of the first times I ever saw my hero in-person, fighting against a friend that sacrificed his sanity for the better of all?" Scott suggested. The guards were curious as to what that could've pertained to, and Zapp, though he still felt ashamed, was curious himself about the story itself.

Scott hopped back into his seat and cleared his throat. "It all started back in my youth. I was still fairly shaken up by the trauma I had been through, witnessing a bunch of unknown creatures murder my folks... Little did I know, on one specific day, the day all academy students finally graduate, things had become complicated outside of the academy walls, as of late..." Scott started.

[Ben 10 Dimension, 3 years & 2 weeks ago...]
[Plumber Academy, Graduation Day]

A twelve year-old Scott splashes some water on his face, only to comb a small spiked up piece of his hair back down. He walked away from the mirror and dressed into his usual attire. A white camo-patterned t-shirt, black cargo pants, steel-toed boots, and hooking up a plumber badge to the chest area of his shirt, tapping it as it activated.

"It was an ordinary day, but unlike any other, it was graduation day. It had been two years since I lost my folks, and being around a bunch of people who only cared about being a Plumber for the benefits wasn't exactly a good way of keeping my own morale high. I remember working hard, wanting to prove myself that I could make the cut and be a plumber that was worth his salt. My mates weren't exactly optimistic of a kid as young as I making it in an unforgiving world, but they knew I had what it takes, and it made some of them pretty furious."

Scott moved throughout the halls, saluting his elders whenever he could. Scott made his way into the training area, seeing most of his mates standing in-line, and he was prepared to join them. As he did, they were handed five papers each, along with a pencil and eraser.

"For context, the only way an academy student can prove they have what it takes to be a part of the Plumbers, they have to take two different tests. One of them is a written exam, consisting of five pages, each one consisting of 20 questions, 10 questions on each side of the pages, rounding up to 100 questions. No one was sure if they had what it took to get through the written exam, but I was pretty optimistic about my chances. Once the written exam was over, a number of students would be sent out of the room, signifying that they failed the exam, and wouldn't be graduating this year. There was around thirty-eight academy students in that room, and only five of us were left to take the second portion of the graduation test."

As the last few students finished their tests, thirty-three of the students had left. Some were angry, some were in tears, others were more calm and optimistic than the ones who looked utterly depressed.

Scott stood by four of his high-ranking mates. The Vreedle Brothers, Octagon and Rhomboid, they enrolled to make their father proud, and hope to get more out of life by joining in on the side of 'the long arms of the law'. It was almost hard to believe that they had turned over a new leaf, and still kept to that change. Tack, a blue-skinned humanoid alien with large black eyes, pointy ears and a black mohawk. Supposedly, he wanted the chance to meet Ben Tennyson, something that he and Tack shared in passing conversation. Scott hadn't heard from or seen Tack since graduation. Then, there was him. Rook Blonko, a Revonnahgander that was a long way from home. Even for a pre-teen of his species, Rook was tall. Not as tall as the Vreedle brothers, but tall nonetheless. He joined the Plumbers to make the galaxy a better place, something that Scott could easily respect. Scott had a lot more to respect about Rook Blonko when he found out he became Ben's partner. Though they never talked much, they were familiar with each other during their time at the academy.

"Since it was only five of us that were moving on, they wanted to make the occasion a bit more grand. With some coaxing, and a lot of hard work, they were able to bring in one of Ben's allies to demonstrate as a threat. Little did they know that he wasn't in the best place mentally when they found him."

Scott and his mates looked down at the floor, seeing it raise. What they saw had shocked them beyond compare.

On the raised platform was this giant creature. It looked like a horrible mix of a bunch of different alien species. The only odd thing anyone could recognize about the creature was its jet black hair and the torn up jeans that struggled to fit on its body.

"The instructor for the test, Magister Coronach, had managed to coax what was supposedly Kevin Levin, into coming to the academy, proclaiming that a pal of his, named Argit, was hiding out there. If he complied to help with the test, then Argit was his to do as he pleases with. If not, he'll be attacked with lethal force. It was downright terrible, especially since everyone knew what happened to Osmosians in this kind of state. The power they absorb deteriorates their mind at a rapid rate, and it drives them mad. Kevin had undergone such a mutation before as a child, and thanks to the help of someone, he was able to change back to normal. It was honestly impressive to know that was even possible, but in that moment, it didn't seem like Kevin wanted to be fixed of whatever caused his newest mutation."

Scott, Tack, Rook, Octagon and Rhomboid shuddered, unsure of how they'd be able to graduate from this test. Kevin roared out in an aggressive manner, seeming almost like a mindless animal, hating the restrictive nature of its chains. Soon enough, Magister Coronach was swatted away, sent flying into a wall and falling onto a bunch of boxes. Kevin phased through the chains that restrained him, and spewed a stream of fire down at the recruits.

They all dodged out of the way, and immediately made a break for the weapons. They each grabbed a weapon they were best-equipped to use, and started to open fire on the amalgamized Kevin. Kevin groaned and suddenly made a clone of himself, and it phased through the ground, leaving the real Kevin to deal with the graduates.

"We were all scared. Kevin escaped his restraints, can't really say I blame him for wanting out, but he was now a danger to the entire academy, as well as to us. The whole academy was put on lockdown, and we were trapped in that room with a monster. It was clear to me that our weapons had no effect on it, and I found out why when it shot out a bunch of rainbow colored laser beams from its eyes. It absorbed the energy from our attacks and fired it all back at us. I ended up taking shelter behind a few boxes while Tack tried to find a way to escape. Rhomboid and Octagon, along with Rook, continued to keep Kevin's attention on them. I felt weak, mainly because in-comparison to the amalgam monster that was running around causing havoc and attacking my mates, I felt as if there was nothing I could do."

As everything broke into chaos, one of the doors was ripped open and slammed into Kevin at high-velocity speeds, knocking the amalgamized Kevin back. Everyone looked towards the door, seeing a large rocky creature with a strange glowing core in its stomach. It wore black shorts with a white belt, and it had the Omnitrix's badge within the center of the glowing core. This was the alien that Ben recently called Gravattack.

"Almost as if there was a higher power, listening to our plight, Ben Tennyson came in to stop Kevin from wreaking havoc. If Ben hadn't managed to step in when he did, we would've died that day. It was an eye-opening experience, one that has helped me push forward and fight the most dangerous battles I've ever tackled in my lifetime after that fateful day. We were all soldiers in that very moment, fighting and trying our best, no matter what the response to the situation was."

Scott adjusted himself in his seat as the guards kept facing forward, still listening to the human's story. "Long story short, every choice you make as a soldier, is a valid choice. If you need to make a tactical retreat, then it must be done if the current tactic isn't working. If you must fight, then you must win that fight, or know when to admit that you've lost, and do a tactical retreat. If you feel that you must hide, that's alright too. Hiding can give you the advantage of surprise, as long as your enemy can't find you," Scott took a deep breath and sighed. "In conclusion, there's no right or wrong way to be a soldier. As long as you don't kill innocents, no matter what race, gender or species they are, you're doing something right." Scott stated.

The guards were speechless and impressed. They were also skeptical to the human's story being true, but on the off-chance that it was all facts and no embellishment, the guards were starting to recognize that they were escorting, what they'd consider the closest comparison to a seasoned veteran, that came from another world. "So, there's just all-powerful hoomans and space-faring monsters that work together to protect others? Sounds like a fantasy, with all due respect." One of the guards remarked.

Scott smirked. "Says the one who's working with bat-winged ponies. Back where I come from, Unicorns, Pegasi, and whatever your princesses are, they don't exist. Think about that before calling someone else's typical Tuesday a fantasy, pal." Scott remarked, chuckling as he leaned back in his seat.

Zapp looked back at the human, who was rather intrigued by Scott's story. "So, what happened after you graduated and became one of these 'Plumbers', as you call them?" Zapp inquired.

Scott sighed. "Well, it was a strange and rather grim set of circumstances that followed. Kevin was still lost to his mutation, and eventually escaped, then a lot of stuff happened afterwards. Eventually, it all lead up and culminated to a stand-off between best friends. My idol, the very inspiration I had to become a Plumber, Ben Tennyson, going against his best friend, a former enemy who could mimic Ben's powers and do some equally crazy stuff, Kevin Levin. Ben, at the time, was equipped with a device called the Ultimatrix. It was a lot like the Omnitrix, only it had a special function that could amplify his transformations to a whole nother level," Zapp was clinging on to every word Scott was talking about, impressed and entertained by the story itself. "Ben had the power to put Kevin down for good, but at the end of the day, it was still his best friend, his mind was just deteriorating because of all that power he absorbed, just to stop a whole other threat prior, but that's a story for another day. The story ends with Kevin being fixed and returned back to his normal self, the two make amends, and their bond became stronger than ever." Scott explained.

Zapp looked forward, thoroughly entertained by Scott's story. "Wow, sounds like being a Plumber is a lot more exciting than just being a royal guard." Zapp stated.

Scott smiled for a moment, until he felt an odd feeling pulse through him. It wasn't pride, it wasn't cheer, it wasn't anger, he didn't feel fearful, he was stumped as to what exactly he was feeling. Scott eventually looked back at where the Synthroid was laying, only to go wide-eyed as it started running towards the chariot. "On your guard, soldiers, we're not done!" Scott hopped out of his seat as he rolled onto the ground, only to be met by the Synthroid punching him away, making the human's body skid across the ground. "Damn, hits like a tank!" Scott remarked, getting up to his feet.

The Synthroid approached Scott, letting its red eyes shine down on the human. "Beginning phase 2 of Judgement Day Initiative." The Synthroid announced, grabbing Scott by the neck as it lifted him up off the ground.

The guards were terrified, solely because they thought the robotic creature had been taken care of. Scott felt the Synthroid squeezing his neck, which was making breathing a lot harder than it needed to be. Soon enough, the Altnetrix suddenly flashed its usual turquoise light, showing one new alien icon. [Scan complete. Detrovite DNA Sample has been restored to Playlist 1-A. Uncatalogued DNA Sample acquired, Scanning In-Progress. All functions have been reactivated.] The Altnetrix chirped.

Scott quickly reached for the Altnetrix, popping the core up as he tried to transform. In a swift move, there was a sickening squelch that came from the Synthroid itself. Scott's body went limp, and the guards were in a state of panic. Before anything could happen, the Synthroid looked back at the Equestrians, and began to approach them, dropping Scott's body to the ground, unaware of the fact that Scott's body was becoming purple in hue. "Plumber threat has been neutralized. Worldwide Termination can begin." The Synthroid announced.

Before the Synthroid could try laying a finger on any of the guards, a mound of purple sludge started wrapping around its torso, only to then pick the Synthroid up, and repeatedly bash it against the ground. Behind the Synthroid, was Scott's Lenopan form. "Alright, now ya pissed me off! Here's some mud in your circuits, rust bucket! Feel the wrath of Smudge!" Smudge slammed the Synthroid onto the ground, knocking most of the limbs on its body loose, the alien robot was trying to fight back and break free, but nothing seemed to be working. Smudge then encased the Synthroid in a bubble of gunk and tossed it away, letting it crash onto a spot in the big open field. "Now that's dirty fighting!" Smudge quipped.

The guards were speechless, they had no words as to what just happened, but it was clear that the fight was still too far from finished. The muck-stained remnants of the Synthroid barely managed to pick itself up, hobbling on one leg as it attempted to approach the alien-powered Plumber. Smudge then transformed its arms into large spiked maces, glaring at the persistent robotic menace that continued to try and attack. "Man, they still make them like how they used to, huh, falling apart at the seams and still itching to get blood on their hands. What's the point in continuing this fight, especially when you're falling apart!" Smudge remarked.

The Synthroid continued to hobble towards the transformed Plumber, reaching its busted and split open mechanical hand out. A large beam of light cascaded over Smudge, almost like the Synthroid was scanning him. The beam of light moved over the Lenopan's body a few times, only to then stop at the Altnetrix. The Synthroid started to rumble and spark, causing Smudge to raise his guard up. The Synthroid started to spout out ineligible sounds and gibberish, then started to collapse right then and there, but not before speaking its final message. "Error. Paradox in objective sequencing detected. Terminate Plumber threat... Protect Altered Omnimatrix... A fatal error has occurred. Can't protect plumbers, threat to creator. Can't destroy Altered Omnimatrix, would go against creator's programming... A conclusion cannot be reached, activating memory wipe; Activating self-destruct..." The Synthroid spoke.

Smudge was confused at first, but before he could inquire as to what the Synthroid was talking about, the Synthroid's body was starting to glow a vibrant red, and a heat unlike no other was radiating from the robotic specimen. Smudge wasn't entirely sure what the Synthroid's self-destruct was going to do, let alone how far its range was gonna be, but he quickly coated his slimy body over the Synthroid itself, only to look over at the guards. "Get out of here, now! This thing's gonna blow!! I'll contain the explosion however I can, but you need to get out of its range! Find shelter nearby, if you must!!" Smudge called out.

The guards were unsure as to what exactly they should do, but they ran anyway, fearing the worse, all except Private Zapp, who stood his ground, watching the alien hero risk his life. Before anything could be said or done, a large earth-shaking explosion erupted from the Synthroid, tearing it to pieces, and sending globs of Smudge flying everywhere. The explosion tore a few trees out from the ground and flung them a few miles away, left cracks in various hills in the area, even creating a smoking crater at the epicenter of the blast. As viscous purple gunk rained down, it all slowly started to pull together, slowly reforming Smudge back into his original form. Zapp approached the transformed Plumber, and in a flash of white light, Scott was transformed back into his normal self, and the Plumber took a knee.

Scott's eyes widened as he slowly composed himself, realizing that for a moment, he was quite literally blown to bits. He could've been dead if he had transformed into anything else, but that didn't concern the cadet, not really. What concerned him was what the Synthroid said before it decided to take itself out. 'Protect the Altnetrix, kill the Plumbers, that's concerning, then again, I never thought I'd see the day that a Synthroid would be programmed to protect something... it said that the Altnetrix wasn't allowed to be destroyed, otherwise it'd go against the ones and zeroes that its creator told it so. Did whoever it was that made that Synthroid... also make the Altnetrix? How... and why?' Scott thought, looking at the dismantled, smoldering scrap pile that remained of the Synthroid. Scott sighed, seeming disappointed. 'I probably could've handled that better, maybe disable it before it wiped its memory. Could've had something genuinely useful in its files, but that's stupid of me to think it'd be that easy, to think I'd be that lucky, for that matter, to find answers immediately... such is the life of I, Cadet Baristo. I'll figure something out, but for now, I shouldn't be wasting anymore time. Better to get to this place now, than to deal with that Synthroid again.' Scott thought to himself, looking down at the Altnetrix, a bit dissuaded by its white hourglass as it recharged.

Zapp lightly tapped Scott's shoulder, which made the Plumber flinch and back up a bit, only to recognize that it was Private Zapp. "A-Apologies, hyuumon! I-I noticed that you were taking a knee. Are you alright, are you injured? Your brain didn't die, did it?!" Zapp panicked.

Scott sighed, and gave a thumbs up. "I'm alright, Private, just thinking about what just happened, is all... Look, we've dawdled enough because of that murderous rust bucket, and now we might be late. Let's get the chariot and move forward. I'll explain all I can on the way there, everything I can make sense of, at least." Scott ordered, getting back on his feet as he walked in the direction of where the stallions ran, all while Zapp followed his lead.

[Ben 10 Dimension]

[Earth]

Pillars of smoke rose into the air as a collapsed building started to become a smoldering pile of ash, waste, and dwindling embers. Ben Tennyson, along with Kevin Levin, were on the scene, watching as a wrinkly green-skinned man with mechanical goggles, long and ragged white hair and wore what looked like a Rhino suit made out of spare parts, was escorted into the back of a Plumber-licensed vehicle. "I'll get you, Ben Tennyson! Heed the words of Dr. Animo!!" Animo exclaimed, the doors of the vehicle closed on him, and he was driven away.

Kevin yawned and let the asphalt coating on his body crumble away, as Ben dialed in an alien, walking away from the scene. "Got somewhere to be, Tennyson? Usually you'd take your time to let Animo go on about some monologue he has for his latest scheme," Ben didn't reply and got ready to transform. Kevin raised an eyebrow and ran towards Ben. Before the hero could transform, Kevin grabbed his arm and looked down at his best friend. "Alright, spill it, dude, you're being weird. What's going on?" Kevin asked.

Ben pulled his hand away and sighed. "I ran into Paradox a few days ago. I sent out a mass text about the project to you, Gwendolyn, and Rook, and as I was waiting for your responses, Paradox just showed up." Ben stated.

Kevin chuckles, seeming reassured. "Of course, I should've figured. So, is Paradox gonna help us, or is he just as cryptic as he was when we saw him last?" Kevin asked.

Ben didn't seem to be responsive to Kevin's question, not at first. Ben closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and slowly exhaled. "Something clearly wasn't right. When he showed up out of the blue, I didn't feel the same sense of safety I felt when he showed up in our previous encounters, I felt like I was in danger," Kevin seemed confused, but the look on Ben's face said everything he needed to know. "Paradox looked like he went through hell. His labcoat was in tatters, stained in reds, greens, sometimes even grays. His goggles were cracked, like they had been through a number of cataclysms before showing signs of wear and tear, one of the lens was practically gone. He didn't have that big gauntlet anymore, his cane was broken in two, and his face... he looked like he was on the verge of a psychotic break!" Ben explained.

Kevin looked at Ben with a skeptical look in his eye. "We're talking about the same Paradox, right? The cryptic know-all and seen-all labcoat wearing dude from the sixties, the guy who sent us back in time to save his friend from becoming a time-decaying monster, the guy who got us to Alien X's home? That Paradox?" Kevin inquired.

Ben scowled at Kevin, practically in disbelief that Kevin wasn't convinced. "Do you seriously want me to use Stem-Squid and make you relive what I went through?" Ben rebutted.

Kevin was surprised, but not at all intimidated. "Look, if you're telling the truth, it couldn't've been Paradox that you ran into. For all you know, it could've been Eon in disguise." Kevin remarked.

Ben stood firm. "Why go through all that trouble, when Eon's been one for the direct approach? Sure, he'll hide his face every now and then, but I know that was Paradox... I don't know what happened to him, but he snapped when I declined his offer for help," Kevin was confused even more, but now he was equally as intrigued. "He knew who we were looking for, and even knew where exactly to find him, said he was familiar with such a world, but he was clearly not safe to be around, let alone accept his help in that state. When I denied his assistance, his demeanor changed on a dime, like he was dropping an act." Ben explained.

Kevin looked around, then back at Ben. "How so?" Kevin asked.

Ben sighed. "In his own words, I was the second Ben Tennyson that refused to let him help. He said he wasn't sure why this was happening, and then he threatened to destroy the universe that we're trying to get to, just because he was angry that I wanted him to take a break. Paradox left me no choice but to transform into Alien X, right then and there," Kevin was astonished, but Ben kept talking. "He tried to trap me in frozen time, but Alien X was always strong enough to counter any of Paradox's tricks. He claimed he wasn't the bad guy, but that didn't justify the murderous intent that radiated off of him, even before he got aggressive. Eventually, he back-pedaled, letting me have my way, but when he left, he warned me that he'd always be watching, and told me to watch my back. I've been trying to keep myself busy, getting my hero work done as soon as possible, just so I can relax and worry about the project. Something clearly isn't right with Paradox, and it might complicate things from here on out." Ben explained.

Kevin wasn't sure how to respond to any of that information, but if Ben saw that Paradox was becoming a problem, then clearly this was going to be an issue they needed to remedy. Kevin sighed and looked at his best friend. "Then what's the plan, Ben?" Kevin asked.

Ben dialed in the alien he was going to transform into, and as Ben pressed the core down, he was transformed into a sleek, thin, tall, yet surprisingly robust cyan colored demon-like humanoid that had four eyes that were entirely green, had red eyes, slit pupils and sharp fangs. It had long white hair, three black and white striped horns that jutted out from Ben's head, a squared jaw, pointy ears, a scruffy and wispy white tuft of hair on his chin, two fingers and a thumb on each hand that was connected to long, thin, gangly, but slightly buff arms, two-toed feet attached to long, gangly and slightly buff legs, a demon tail, and seemed to wear what looked like a black collared suit-jacket outfit with a green V that stopped at a white belt, where the Omnitrix was placed in the middle of. His arm sleeves seemed to end with white and green stripes, as did the spandex pants that covered the alien's legs.

The demon-like alien smiled and looked down at Kevin. "We are going to continue as planned, until Paradox decides to show himself again. Once he does, we're going to spring a trap of our own, and Dereleaper is our best bet to make sure it all pans out in our favor." Dereleaper explained.

Kevin thought about the idea, and figured things couldn't get any worse, so he nods and grabs hold of the tall alien's arm. "Well, what're we waiting for? Let's go get Gwen and fill her in." Kevin remarked.

Dereleaper and Kevin soon vanished in a puff of dark green smoke, completely unaware of the hidden individual hiding amidst the rubble of the previous fight. The figure glares and starts to retreat further into the pile, as if it was buying time.

[Ponyville Outskirts]

The guards, Private Zapp and Scott finally manage to find each other again, only to notice that they were right next to a large handcrafted wooden sign on the side of the path. It was bright, colorful, everything Scott wasn't expecting on a typical road sign. Scott stepped forward and read the sign aloud, trying to see if any of the ponies react. "'Ponyville, 3 miles ahead!' Is that where we're headed?" Scout asked.

The guards nodded, seeming confused. "Yes, but it would seem that the princesses have underestimated you, along with your capabilities. Ponyville's a great place, don't get me wrong, but why in Tartarus would they send someone like you to such an uneventful and boring place like this?!" Scott looked over to the guards, then noticed Private Zapp, who seemed just as confused as his fellow soldiers. "Based on the stories you told, Cloudsdale sounds more your speed!" One of the guards remarked.

Scott put a finger to his chin and examined the sign closely, but didn't seem to find anything to be skeptical or suspicious of. "While I'm not familiar with a place called "Cloudsdale", I'm sure your royals had a reason for sending me to this place. I'm not exactly a native to your world, so it probably makes the most sense for me to be in a smaller and less-populated environment, for the sake of not ruining their fancy and upper class city of Canterlot, next time an alien threat makes its rounds," The guards paused for a moment and started to take the human's words into consideration. Scott looked to the sky, noticing the blue sky becoming more and more orange as the sun began to set. "Either that, or your favorite princess isn't exactly fond of other creatures that don't walk on all fours, and have hooves. Not like it matters, we're miles away from Canterlot, and it'd be pointless to go back and ask. I say we stay the course, and hopefully we'll make it to this "Ponyville" before the sun completely sets." Scott remarked.

The guards nodded, and as Scott got back in his seat on the chariot, he suddenly realized what he was doing. He was commanding soldiers, and they were listening. Scott felt an odd sense of well-deserved pride, as well as an uncomfortable and unfamiliar sense of rebelliousness. He was just a Cadet, yet he's the one making the decisions, taking charge in conflict, risking his life for those he barely even knew. He knew he was far beyond the rookie he used to be when he became an official Plumber, but he was still just a Cadet, a Cadet who followed the rules, only stepping out of line when he sought justice for those who were being given the short end of the stick.

Scott stared at the setting sun as it disappeared amidst the tree line, feeling split on how he was going to tackle all of this on his own. The human was the only Plumber in Equestria, and the only gear he had was his badge, his wits and the Altnetrix.

The Altnetrix, it brought him here, but it can't take him back to the world that he unintentionally left behind... Scott isn't sure how he's gonna figure any of this out, but he's gonna hope that when he gets to Ponyville, he can speak with the mayor and get an idea on what it is he'll be able to do.

Scott sighed as the chariot continued to move down the forested path, and he closed his eyes, putting his hands together. 'Ma, pops... If you can hear me, give me the strength, the patience, and the perseverance I need to get through this. Lord knows I'm gonna need it.' Scott thought.

Author's Note

Miss me?

It's been a few months since this story was updated, all for good reason, mind you. I had a near-terminal case of writer's block for this story, but now that's come to pass, and I'm ready to keep telling Scott Baristo's story.

Figured I'd allow for the Omnitrix to steadily keep acquiring alien DNA throughout Scott's encounters with alien life in Equestria, not only letting him familiarize himself with what alien life is still thriving in a magical place like this, but by also giving him more options to defend himself and protect others who come across dangerous aliens, monsters, or other types of mythical/extraterrestrial creatures and entities.

For those who still follow this story and the other stories I have yet to update, I'm genuinely sorry it took this long. I'll update them when I get the chance.

Speaking of updates, now Kevin's been informed of Paradox's sudden mood shift. With both Ben and Kevin on the same page (for now), Ben's plan to find Scott is gonna be difficult with Paradox watching them.

Also, fun fact, I felt like expanding on the possible aliens this Ben might've unlocked that Ben Prime hasn't got access to, even if it's just the one new alien introduced in this story.

Dereleaper is the Omnitrix's DNA Sample of a Nokkurtzø from Synertia. This alien species is exclusive to this
story's version of Ben Tennyson.

Pryokinesis, resistance to fire, night vision, prehensile tail, camouflage capabilities, teleportation, enhanced acrobatic reflexes and hand-to-hand combat prowess, Dereleaper is an alien Ben can always depend on when in a tight situation. He may have the looks of a hellspawn, but he's got the heart and soul of an angel as he takes down his foes. Combined with Dereleaper's unique medical skills, he's truly an angel of hope underneath his demonic apparel.

(I based Dereleaper off of Nightcrawler from Marvel, as well as the Imp Demons from Helluva Boss. Both are already demon-esque, with one being a race of demons, and the other is a mutant with a demon-like appearance, an alien race based off of the two that keeps to the demon inspiration was the best solution. Ben already has an alien based on Ultraman, so I see no harm in this.)

Finally, I also wanted to give Scott some development regarding his role as a simple Cadet amongst the Plumbers. And by Development, I mean the start of his development. Scott, in terms of being a leader of sorts, as well as a superhero in his own right, he's out-of-his-depth, more-so than usual.

It's gonna take him a bit of time for him to get used to the following:

1) Being stuck in another world with no way back to his own.

2) Being the only member of his species.

3) Being stuck with a bootleg Omnitrix, most likely till the day he keels over.

Hopefully Scotty boy can figure out how any of this is gonna work out for him, otherwise it might just kill him when he least expects it.

Rock Bottom Against A Dragon

[Dreamscape]

On the farm, something was clearly different this time. Scott picked himself up, feeling another aching sensation throughout his body, but was soon made aware of how different the farm was. The farm house was now more akin to a two story house made out of trailers, large metal structures that were particularly fused and built together in-tandem, into some odd, metallic mockery of normalcy. Scott walked forward and tried to enter the building, only for it to suddenly fade away the moment he reached for the door knob.

Scott looked to the fields of wheat, only to then be met by a large, freshly cut field of blue grass. Confusion and curiosity flooded Scott's brain, but he walked onto the discolored grass all the same. He walked onto the grass for a good few minutes, then looked back at his own footprints. At first, there was barely any sign that he had been on the field, but as Scott carefully looked at the footprints, he noticed that they started off small, then they got bigger and bigger, until the footprints matched those of his own shoe size.

Scott stared at the footprints for a moment, only to then realize that they were his own, but it was the footprints at the beginning that resembled that of a child's. The shapes of the prints seemed to change as he got older, in ways that he was familiar as to why. Scott kept walking, watching his own footsteps as he crossed over to the other side of the field, then looked back to where he came. Some of the footprints now seemed to change drastically.

One set of footprints was much bigger, resembling that of a boot print. The other set of footprints was heavy, deeper and more buried into the ground, like his feet were made of metal. Another set of footprints had purple gunk seeping and mildly flooding out of the foot-shaped indent in the ground. The final footprint was huge, had two claw-like toes, and seemed so much bigger than he expected.

Scott wasn't sure what was happening, but eventually, he turned around to step off the field, only to be surprised as he saw the man again, standing on the other side. Scott tried to reach out to the man, only for him to step back, causing Scott to trip up and fall onto the ground. Scott got up and smelled the air around him, finally catching the smell of the grass.

Lavender. Scott was perplexed, he wasn't sure what the purpose was for blue grass to smell like Lavender, but soon enough, he felt himself getting sleepy, much to his displeasure. Scott struggled to keep himself awake, but he was struggling hard. Scott tried to reach for the Altnetrix, but found that his arms had suddenly fallen asleep, causing his body to fall onto the grassy field with a mild thump. Scott felt his muscles relaxing, yet fighting against him. Everything was starting to spin, and he couldn't process what was happening. Before he knew it, everything was getting blurry, hard to make out, but soon enough, the man had vanished, and Luna stood in his place.

Luna knelt down and smiled. "Rest and put your mind at ease, Scott Baristo. You are at peace during your slumber, do not forget that when your mind starts to get ragged." Luna reassured.

Scott wasn't sure how to take this information, but his body was too tired and too relaxed to care. He felt his eyes trying to close on their own, but tried to keep himself awake.

Soon enough, he started to hear a familiar voice calling out to him. It sounded gentle, unexperienced, yet its tone was nothing but urgent.

[Ponyville; 5 hours later...]

Scott snapped his eyes open, feeling someone shaking him. "Scott!! Scott, wake up!" Scott eventually managed to grab Zapp's legs and stop his continuous shaking. Scott shook his head for a moment and let his eyes adjust, noticing that it was now pitch black outside, with the only light coming from the moon above, as well as the stars that gleamed amidst the night sky. Scott was genuinely surprised, as well as mildly nostalgic, but mostly ashamed. The last time he saw the night sky like this, it was on the same night that Ben Tennyson's secret was revealed to the world. It was also the night before he lost his parents. Scott hesitantly opened his mouth to say something, until Zapp turned his head towards the lit up village ahead. "Look up ahead, Ponyville's in sight! By the looks of it, it seems that they were expecting us!!" Zapp informed.

As the chariot got closer to Ponyville, Scott took note of the various decorations that depicted the sun, the moon, as well as numerous red ribbons, crimson-colored costumes and darkened stars that hung from brown yarn strings. Scott was snapped out of reality for the moment, seeming rather confused at the decorations, but thankfully, he was starting to get used to seeing more of these sentient pony-like creatures, and one of them seemed like the type he was eager to meet.

The pony in front of the numerous others that waited, was a mare with a gray mane, a light brown coat, was adorned with glasses, and dressed in a single bow tie. 'That must be the mayor, at least, I hope it is. Otherwise, I'm gonna look like an idiot, if they don't see me as a monster, first.' Scott thought.

Scott ducked down in his seat, all while the ponies cleared the way, revealing a few guards that stood firm, saluting the guards at the chariot's front. The guards snickered, much to Scott's confusion. "Relax, hyuumon, they're not gonna hurt ya, they would've tried already, if they didn't get the news from our early team! Let me explain," Scott looked at the guards skeptically, earning a smug grin from the stallions and mares, except for Private Zapp, who was very confused. As Scott got off the chariot, the stallion up front was clearing his throat. "During the last remaining hours you spent in Canterlot being harassed by its 'noble' residents, Luna requested that we had a couple guards move ahead of us, and inform them that the princesses have a special non-pony guest coming to stay in their town for an indefinite amount of time, eager to make themselves at home and willing to do all they can to help with any 'unnatural' issues beyond the royal guard's usual capability." The guard explained.

Scott's interest was piqued, as was his curiosity. "Unnatural issues, like aliens? Aliens have been here causing trouble!?" Scott inquired.

The mare next to the stallion nodded and smiled. "On occasion, yes. Most other times, something will come out of that heavily wooded area on the edge of the village, and depending on whatever comes out of it, will tear random parts of this village to shreds," the mare pointed towards a large, unexpectedly spooky forest. "The locals call it, the Everfree Forest. Long ago, it was said that the Everfree was just a normal unenchanted forest, until some pitiable fool decided to practice the occult, spreading dark magic across the entire landscape, causing it to essentially become a well-known tourist attraction, as well as a breeding ground for danger and the unknown," Scott's eyes widened as he swallowed, feeling his throat go dry as the mare continued to explain. "As recent reports have stated, before you showed up a month ago, the Everfree has become home for a number of unexplained and unfathomably powerful monsters not native to Equestria itself, with the kind of power that allows them to bend the Everfree, and the beasts that live within it, to their indominable and sinister will." The mare explained.

Scott was a bit taken back by everything the mare had said, and all the while, his mind was racing. He was curious, he was intrigued, he was nervous, he was excited for the challenge, he was practically ready to get back to doing his job as a Plumber, and yet, he was also worried. If aliens were in this 'Everfree Forest' place, and they come out just to cause destruction, what exactly was Scott going to do once he captured one of them for arrest, and had no real way of keeping them contained without a Plumber base, or the kind of alien technology made to imprison alien criminals? Scott felt a drop of sweat trickle down the side of his head as a look of worry and concern pulsed through him. 'I might be in over my head this time, I should've asked if Technorg wanted to come with me. At least I'd have backup.' Scott thought.

Scott sighed. "My plumber training didn't prepare me for anything like this, especially if there's no way to properly contain the threats that escape this forest, if the reports are true. This is gonna be difficult, far more difficult than I initially thought it'd be." The human remarked.

The mare in the bow tie walked to Scott's side, clearing her throat as she got Scott's attention. "I see you're eager to get started on handling our problem. You needn't worry about capturing them, just ensure that they don't hurt anypony, and you'll be compensated for your service. For starters," the ground began to shake. At first it was barely noticeable, but something has been getting closer, and closer. The ground started to shake even more, with the resident ponies starting to get worried, hugging some of the smaller ponies tightly, as if they were protecting them. "I'm sure the guards told you already, but if I may remind you, we're currently facing a large problem, from a large creature that's been agitated by some of the unfamiliar inhabitants of the Everfree Forest." the mare explained, backing away.

Scott looked towards the forest, and even amongst the night sky, Scott's eyes widened at the gargantuan sight of the creature. The creature was standing far above the trees, it was definitely larger than most of the alien species Scott was familiar with in his line of work, but thankfully, it wasn't as big, let alone bigger than a To'kustar. Unfortunately, he had no real way of handling a Dragon, despite them existing back where he came from, they disappeared altogether in an instant.

The dragon was soon illuminated by the moon's light, revealing its huge wings, a set of ginormous purple back scales jutting from the top of its head, only to end at the tip of its tail, with the last purple scale being in the same shape of a lit flame. Its green eyes shined in the night like the stars above, but it was utterly horrifying, rather than nostalgic. The pitch black scales that covered the entirety of the dragon's body was enough to almost conceal it in the shadows of darkness. It roared out like a symphony of thunderstorms, all while a stream of red hot fire was spat from its maw, lighting up the sky in a show of burning light.

The creature stomped forward, all while the ponies began to panic, and Scott was both ready to defend, as well as ready to start shitting bricks. 'A Dragon. I never thought I'd see the day I'd get to meet one of these gargantuan galactic cartographers... wait, what the hell could've pissed off something like a Dragon!?' Scott's thoughts raced hundreds of miles per hour, all while the Dragon started to encroach closer to the village. Scott shook his head and immediately tried to activate the Altnetrix. "Alright, guess it's time to get serious," Scott popped the core up and scrolled through his playlist, noticing the Detrovite icon being available for transformation. "What better way to get serious, than to improvise! It's Hero Time!" Scott exclaimed. He pushed down on the core, and was enveloped in a flash of turquoise light.

Scott's body began to tense up and bulk. His skin turned into a light tanned brown color as two blue-gray spikes grew out of his chin, and a black stripe formed on the top of the alien's bald head. A black and white chestplate formed over his muscular body as a bulky white collar formed, with the Altnetrix becoming prevalent in the center. A sleek and sleeveless one-piece black suit formed over the rest of the alien's body as his feet became two large sharp blue-gray claws. A white belt forms on the alien's waist as black fingerless gloves form on the alien's large beefy and meaty hands.

The alien flexed its muscles and roared out, practically prepared to fight.

As the flash of light died down, the Detrovite roared out and looked itself over, smiling as it cracked its knuckles. "Ohohoho!! This is gonna be sweet!" The Detrovite commented, its voice was deep, gruff and gritty, like it had gravel in its throat. The resident ponies were in shock that the human just changed his form, but before anyone could start an uproar out of panic and fear, Private Zapp quickly stood between them and the transformed Plumber as he ran towards the dragon.

Private Zapp took a deep breath, and slowly exhaled as he faced the crowd. "Everypony, do not panic! I know you're scared and worried about what your eyes have perceived, but I assure you, the princesses have seen this individual save Canterlot the day before from a monster that would've enslaved us, had he just left us to fend for ourselves. The princesses are more than aware of his 'unique' ability to change into other unforeseen creatures, and trusts that he will use them to help us in these confusing and trying times! Please do not panic, or attempt to attack, he's not a Changeling, it's been disproven!" Zapp tried to reassure the public, and while they did stop themselves from panicking and forming an angry mob, they weren't as optimistic in their chances of survival as they were moments ago. "Please, just trust him! Back where he comes from, they have an entire organization that handles problems of this magnitude, maybe even greater than this! He's trained for this kind of work, but that won't stop us royal guards from making sure you're all safe and sound! if everyone's accounted for, we'll begin with a bit of temporary evacuation." Zapp called out.

Evidently, everyone was worried and uncertain about their chances. Soon enough, somepony started pushing through the crowd. The pony was a stallion with slicked-back dark gray hair, and a grayish amber coat with light azure eyes full of concern and worry. Aside from being dressed in a blue jacket with a white dress shirt underneath and a red tie with a yellow dollar sign on it, he also had three money bags on his flank. "Where is she?! Where's my daughter!?" The stallion cried out.

The guards stood in the stallion's way. "Settle down, sir, we know you're frantic at the moment, but are you a hundred-percent positive that you didn't overlook your filly amidst the crowd?" The guard asked.

The stallion furrowed his brow and groaned. "My little princess hasn't been by my side since her mother pulled her out of public school! She's a heavy sleeper, she might still be at home, unguarded and unaware of the danger coming though!" The guards looked at each other. They were worried, sure, but they didn't move from their spot. "Let me through and let me find my little girl, please!" The stallion pleaded.

The guards stood firm, all while the dragon's roar echoed throughout the sky. "Not while the dragon's approaching, you'll get yourself hurt, or likely killed!" one of the guards stated firmly.

The stallion gritted his teeth, only for a larger red stallion to stand by him, resting a hoof on his shoulder. "I'm sure it won't be long, Rich. Let's let this whole debacle settle itself out, and once the coast is clear, I'll help ya find yer kin." The stallion reassured.

Rich looked to the stallion that towered above him, seeing a resolute smile on their face. Rich sighed and backed up, only to sit on the ground, rubbing his front hoof on the soil. "Big Mac, I sincerely hope you're right." Rich remarked.

The red stallion, known as Big Mac, chuckled and sat down beside the stallion. "I'm not sayin' I was, but I know for a fact that this is just another one of them days." Big Mac stated.

The Detrovite leapt from house to house, still being dwarfed by the sheer size of the dragon. The dragon itself was just now starting to move towards a small school house-like building, where a couple ponies had run into for shelter, upon seeing the stream of fire that came from the dragon's maw earlier. The dragon was looking around, as if it were trying to find something.

The Detrovite jumped onto the roof of the schoolhouse, and waved its arms into the air, trying to get the dragon's attention. "Hey, over here, ya gargantuan gecko!" The dragon looked down, seeing the Detrovite, and started to growl, glaring at the alien as clouds of thick smoke started to rise from the dragon's nostrils. "You got one chance to leave these ponies alone, and go back to where you reside! Because if you don't, I'll be forced to take you down, and take you in under Plumber custody! It's either we do this the easy way, or the hard way!" The Detrovite cautioned.

The dragon roared out, leading to the Detrovite jumping off the roof, and running towards it. "It was gonna be the hard way anyway, so good choice!" The Detrovite remarked.

The Detrovite smirked, lunging at the dragon's large foot as he started punching and stomping it wherever he could. The dragon didn't seem that affected, but could still clearly feel the violent attempt be made. Upon realizing that the dragon was barely feeling any of his attacks, he immediately tried to climb the dragon, to which the Detrovite was met by a stream of fire encompassing him. "Hah! Nice try, if you thought taking me down was gonna be easy, you're in for a serious reality check, jumbo!" The dragon soon stopped its fiery assault, but was surprised to see that the Detrovite was just fine. The Detrovite continued to climb onto the dragon, all while trying to keep a good grip as the dragon tries to shake him off. "Woah!!" the Detrovite exclaimed.

The dragon continued to squirm and move, until it eventually lost its footing, falling on its side into a field. The Detrovite flew off for a moment, ripping off a few black scales in the process as they skidded across the ground. The dragon slowly starts to pick itself back up, all while the Detrovite got back to its feet and dropped the scales, running back towards the fire-breathing beast. The Detrovite slams his fist into the dragon's face, managing to land two consecutive hits on the large scaly beast until he gets caught in its jaws. The dragon lifts the transformed Plumber into the air, ready to fling the alien away, until something stormed in and kicked the beast's jaws open, dropping the alien as he slid down the side of the dragon, landing on its back.

The dragon watched as a rainbow blur flew around its head, only to suddenly hit it in the bottom of its jaw, and back away. The blur soon revealed itself as a slender light-blue mare with wings, with both a rainbow-colored tail and mane. The mare smirked and kept trying to fight the dragon, narrowly avoiding streams of fire that the dragon attempted to use to attack the flying annoyance. "Come on, hot shot, is that all you got!? I've barely even broken a sweat!" The mare called out, sounding cocky and rather confident in her skills. The dragon roared out and spewed more fire at the pony, but the mare was flying too fast for the dragon to land a solid hit.

As the mare distracted the dragon from up above, the Detrovite was climbing along the back of the beast, noticing plenty of signs of previously healed wounds, battle damage that eventually became healing scars of the battles its fought. The further the alien climbed, the more it seemed to look that the dragon's outburst and rampage wasn't being caused out of anger that's been left unchecked, but rather, self-defense. "This is rather odd, I hadn't even considered that the dragon wasn't the initial aggressor in this situation. How am I gonna figure this out?" The Detrovite grabbed one of the huge scales and looked over to a wound on the dragon's left wing. Before he tried climbing further, he noticed something reflecting the moon's light off of it from said wound. Without much thinking, the Detrovite jumped to the wing, only to notice a large blue-ish green crystal lodged in the wing's support bone, and caked over in dried blood, practically stuck. "Let's see if I can't make any use of this." The Detrovite remarked, grabbing the crystal and yanking as hard as he could.

The dragon roared out in pain, trying to shake the Detrovite off of itself once more, only for the mare to fly high into the air, and come down at blistering speeds, just to slam her two backlegs into the bridge of the dragon's muzzle, staggering and stunning the beast for the time being.

The mare flies around, noticing the alien trying to pull the crystal free from the dragon's wound. The mare gritted her teeth and smirked, readying herself to charge in and attack. "Two problems for the price of one, piece of cake! He'll be dealt with in just a few short sec-" Before the mare could fly in and try to fight the Detrovite, a blue-ish green crystal whizzed by the mare's face, startling her as she landed on the dragon's shoulder. She looked towards the ground, only to see a large robust crystal lady charging in the direction of the dragon, wearing what looked like crystalized bones along her body like armor. The mare groaned, becoming both annoyed and concerned, that she might be outnumbered. "Great, just great! First a dragon, then one of those weird orc things, now this crystal chick's back! This is not my night, is it?! Way to go, Rainbow Dash, you got cocky and now backup's arrived! That's fifteen-hundred bits I'm not gonna be able to collect!" Dash remarked.

The Detrovite looked up, finally having plucked the crystal from the dragon's wound. "There we go, one Petrosapien crystal removed from a dragon's wing joint," The Detrovite felt numerous crystals pelt his armor, only to be met by the Petrosapien lady, who was staring the Detrovite down. "And the Petrosapien that lodged the crystal into said wing joint has come right to me, I'd say this is my lucky day, but let's be honest, I'm not doing something as stupid as letting my guard down. Care to explain, miss whoever-you-are?" the Detrovite inquired, cracking his knuckles.

The Petrosapien rushed towards the alien hero, forming her arms into battle-axe blades as she swings. The Detrovite jumps over her, only to hear the disgusting sound of flesh being sliced into, and bones being cut apart. The plumber turns around and barely has time to notice the large wing be severed, only to fall to the ground. The Petrosapien lady turns around, leering at the Detrovite. "Who I am is none of your concern, nor is my business any of yours." The Petrosapien lady snided.

The Detrovite was shocked, but it seems that the dragon was unaware of the loss of one of its wings, so the hero had a moment to figure this out. The Petrosapien lady rushed towards him, eager to try and land a strike, but the Detrovite was able to cross his arms and guard himself, wincing as he felt his right arm get cut a fair bit. The alien hero rushed forward, ramming the lady with his shoulder and punching them back, all while Dash watched from above. She wasn't sure what was going on, but as far as she was concerned, the dragon was losing, and that was all that mattered, for now at least.

The two aliens soon got into a fierce brawl, smacking each other around as each fighter tried to find a way to gain an advantage worth keeping, but unfortunately, the two were starting to get winded. Scott had never faced a Petrosapien in physical combat before, but with how this Petrosapien was fighting, she's clearly familiar with Detrovites. "Rather stubborn, and kinda rude, aren'tcha? Why'd you piss off the dragon?!" The Detrovite questioned.

The Petrosapien gritted her teeth and got ready to fire off more crystals, but the Detrovite quickly grabbed her face and tossed her to the ground, with the Detrovite hopping off to keep it busy. The Petrosapien landed, with the Detrovite standing before her, ready to fight. "I tend to forget how persistent and stubborn you Detrovites tend to be, but as far as I'm concerned, you're not worth the energy, you're just a simple-minded brute who serves no purpose. One of the dragon's wings is permanently clipped, and that's enough for me," The Petrosapien crossed her fingers and pointed them upwards, causing several dense crystal tendrils to jut out from the ground, only to ensnare and trap the Detrovite. the Petrosapien lady starts walking away, making their way to the severed dragon wing. "Be lucky that I spare your life this night, Detrovite, this is the only instance you will witness of my mercy. Should we cross paths again, I will not hesitate to dismantle your skeletal structure, re-construct your lifeless body into a new set of hunting gear, and turn your fleshier bits into bait for my future prey. You, and that prismatic-colored airborne equine." The Petrosapien calmly warned.

A chill ran up the transformed Plumber's spine, all while the Petrosapien started harvesting the wing. Soon enough, the Altnetrix started beeping, and in a flash of white light, Scott was transformed back into his normal self. Scott almost thought that he was in much more danger, but thanks to the drastic decrease in size and muscle mass, the crystal tendrils could no longer hold him, and he was able to climb out and run away. The Petrosapien could've gone after him, but she didn't seem to immediately care about who she had trapped.

Scott ran through the field, watching as a large one-winged dragon roared out aggressively and a rainbow-haired mare started flying towards him. Scott came to a stop as he saw the Dragon looking around, as if it were looking for something. Scott didn't have much time to focus on this when the mare got up in his face. "You! What the hay are you, and what did you do!?" The mare questioned aggressively.

Scott took a deep breath and sighed. "Remember that big creature that was pulling a crystal from the dragon's wing joint? That was me, this is just what I normally look like. I'm Scott Baristo, wielder of the Altnetrix, and Plumber Cadet, reporting for duty to protect and serve!" Scott made a salute, and decided to exhale and relax. "As for what I did, the basic answer to that is nothing, more accurately, nothing yet. The Petrosapien lady ended up cutting its wing off, fighting me, and is harvesting the wing as we speak. I wasn't told that I'd have backup on the way, are you with the royal guard, by any stretch of the imagination?" Scott explained, inquiring who the winged mare was.

Rainbow Dash wasn't sure what to make of what Scott had said. All she really focused on was stuff about the dragon, and while she was skeptical, the dragon was starting to tear the roofs off of houses and stores. The mare sighed and landed on the ground, standing tall as her eyes barely had to shift upwards to meet the human's gaze. "You'll have to explain that later. For the sake of being simple, I'm Rainbow Dash, and I used to be with the guard. Lets say for now, I believe you that you're with the guard for some reason, Celestia knows I'll never understand. Why should I trust you, and how do we stop that dragon from ripping all of Ponyville asunder!?" Dash questioned.

Scott nodded his head, not bothering to acknowledge the Altnetrix, since it was already starting to recharge. "Well, I can't transform again until the watch has recharged, but I do know there's a possible and peaceful solution to this," Dash looked uninterested and confused by Scott's words, but she continued to listen. "That dragon was only trying to find something, but now it's furious that one of its wings was severed by a hunter, i.e., the Petrosapien wearing crystalized bones. If I were a betting man, and thank the lord himself that I'm not, the dragon is probably a parent that's looking for its missing child! So now, the mission's a bit more simple. Find the dragon's child, use it to lure the dragon parent away from the town, and get them both as far away from here as we can get it without dying, and without getting anyone else killed." Scott explained.

Dash frowned at that plan, as well as the explanation. "We could just keep fighting it till it gives up, ya know. It usually works!" Dash remarked.

Scott gave the mare a deadpanned expression. "And it's a miracle you didn't die at all with such a brutal assault tactic," Dash raised an eyebrow in confusion, all while high pitch screaming echoed out. The two looked back at the dragon in the midst of Ponyville, only to find the beast ripping a very nice roof off of a building, then snatching up a small light purple filly with swirling purple and white streaks in her mane, and a tiny tiara on her head. The filly screamed out in terror, making Dash and Scott worry, but the human still had a plan. "Look, Miss Dash, it's do or die at the moment. You can clearly fly very fast, go save the child and get them out of here! I'll keep workshopping the plan from here, context is key in these kinds of missions, it's not always as black and white as one would typically figure!" Scott stated.

Dash nodded her head, a bit hesitant to listen to the human, but did fly off towards the dragon. As Dash raced to save the filly, Scott looked over to the severed wing, noticing the Petrosapien lady was still in the vicinity. Scott took a deep breath and quickly ran towards her, reaching into his pocket and pulling out his badge, flashing it for the alien woman to see. "You have messed up, big time! By authority of the Plumbers, you are under arrest for reckless endangerment of innocent lives!" The Petrosapien looked over at the human, practically perplexed by the human's presence, but the determination in his eyes was enough to tell that Scott meant business. "Hands where I can see them, get on your knees! You so much as fire a crystal, make a blade or summon more crystal tendrils of any kind, and you're gonna wish you hadn't done something so stupid!" Scott ordered.

The Petrosapien lady gritted her teeth and prepared to run, only for something to poke the Petrosapien in the back. Private Zapp, now armed with his golden dagger, was ready to fight. "Scott, I'm guessing this is a bit more than you could handle on your own, sir?" Zapp inquired.

Scott sighed and nodded his head. "I thought it'd be a simple job, but the more I studied the dragon's facial expressions, as well as the body language, and numerous scars on its body that were a product of hunters, I knew this wasn't a typical problem. I could've been eaten if that rainbow-haired pony didn't save my life," Zapp was confused, but Scott simply shrugged his shoulders. "I'll explain later, but for now, this Petrosapien is going to help us fix this, since she is now part of the problem!" Scott explained.

Zapp glared at the Petrosapien, who was clearly not in the best position. "Here I thought I've escaped the Plumbers, telling me where I can or can't hunt. I have bills to pay, everyone in the cracklin' galaxy does! These exotic beasties are my ticket to one-upping that Zaroffian Ben 10 fanatic, and I figured if I was to go big, I'd have to get something much bigger than some supposed 'hyper-evolved' Vaxasaurian," Scott was mildly surprised, but not enough to be worried. The Petrosapien kept talking. "Eventually, I started cruising through the Milky Way, looking for a proper hunting spot in you humans' home turf. Soon enough, something I couldn't see shot my ship down, everything blew up, and I found myself 'ere one morning. My ship is nowhere to be seen, but I'm alright with proving how dangerous I was naturally. I've ripped through these beasts like the Antrosapiens ripped through Petropia, and while it was challenging, I wanted that big lizard mounted on my wall, but even here on this barren technology-bare planet, the Plumbers have found me!" The Petrosapien growled.

Scott frowned, he was disappointed. "Don't suppose you have a name, or anything else to confess?" Scott inquired.

The Petrosapien gritted her teeth and the moment one of her hands formed into a blade, Dash came flying in and ended up colliding with the crystal alien, knocking her off her feet. In Dash's arms was a small unicorn mare, who was shaking and twitching in Dash's hold. Scott recognized the look on that filly's face, and despite the memories he had of that fateful night, he repressed them for the time being.

Dash groaned and slowly got up, only to be met by the angered expression of the Petrosapien. "How ya doin'?" Dash asked.

Dash, as well as the filly, were shoved away, and the Petrosapien tried to run, until the dragon landed right in front of her, causing the Petrosapien to panic. "Oh no, you don't want me, I taste terrible!" The Petrosapien panicked.

The dragon moved its head lower, opening its jaws as it prepares to try and bite onto the crystal alien. Scott was conflicted for a moment, but decided to quickly rush forward and pull the Petrosapien away, all while the jaws nearly managed to catch the two in its grasp. "Private, escort the filly to her parents, and take miss Dash with you," Dash was about to open her mouth until Scott grabbed her muzzle and closed it shut. "Listen to me, as much as I appreciate the assist, even if you didn't intend it, this is still a dangerous situation for civilians, especially for children. I'll take it from here, just go and make sure that kid gets back to her folks! Go now!!" Scott ordered.

Zapp nodded his head and carried the traumatized filly in his arms, flying away as fast as he could. Dash was hesitant, but she started flying upwards. "You better not get yourself killed, you have a lot to explain, buster!!" Dash exclaimed, flying after the bat pony.

The petrosapien was about to leave, until Scott pulled on her arm. "Where in the hell do you think you're going! You're gonna help me fix this mess, and unless you wanna die now, this is the time to cooperate, for your own safety!" Scott remarked.

The crystal lady pulled her arm free, but Scott simply jumped on her back, putting her in a headlock. "Why are you so insistent on getting me killed, you idiot, 'protect and serve' my shiny crystal ass!" The dragon roared and opened its mouth again, trying to eat the two creatures as they bickered among themselves. Soon enough, Scott jumped off the woman's back and started to quickly gain some distance. "Do you have any idea who you're messin' with!? I'm a freakin' Petrosapien, dumbass!! I'm a hunk of serious crystal, and there's nothing you can do to hurt me!" The crystal woman exclaimed.

Scott smiled and pointed to the dragon. "I know, but he can, you wanna answer to him?" The petrosapien woman was then snatched up in the dragon's maw, her right arm was essentially trapped between the dragon's teeth. "It's either answer for your crimes, or die because of them! There's no in-between about any of this, whoever-you-are! Like I told the mare, it's do or die! Which is it, ma'am?" Scott inquired, shouting from the solid ground beneath his feet.

The petrosapien struggled to get herself free, but the dragon's grasp was actually pretty difficult. At first, she wasn't worried, but then her trapped arm felt like it was starting to melt. The crystal woman panicked, breaking her arm off as she fell to the ground, immediately regenerating it. The woman glared at Scott, who didn't seem that worried. "You son of a bitch, you were gonna let me die! All for what, a couple of stupid equines!?" Scott backed up, gesturing to the dragon. The woman looked up, only to be rather mortified by the hungry look in the dragon's eyes as it effortlessly devours the woman's old crystal arm. "Oh no... that's not okay, not in the slightest! That thing can eat crystals!?" The petrosapien shrieked in horror.

The woman looked back at Scott, seeing a smug grin on the human's face. "Well well, look who just ran out of options, and realized that she's in just as much danger, as everyone else around her," The woman gritted her teeth as she backed up, seeing the dragon start to slowly approach. "So, still feel like your consequences don't matter?" Scott questioned.

The woman gritted her teeth and groaned. "Fine, I'll help you! What do you want from me!?" The woman exclaimed, jumping out of the way of the dragon trying to snatch her up again.

Scott backed up and kept his eyes on the petrosapien. "More information on this particular dragon you've been after. Was it protecting any eggs?" Scott asked.

The woman frowned and scoffed. "That's what this is about, a buncha eggs!? It ain't my fault that some overgrown crocs took a bunch of 'em, shouldn't've been chasing me, anyway! It still has one egg left, no big deal!" The petrosapien exclaimed irately.

The dragon roared out, still approaching as it readied another stream of fire. "Let me be a bit more specific, lady. Did it have a mate, a partner that helped make those eggs!" The petrosapien paused for a moment, then immediately started to try running away. Scott was disgusted, and felt nothing but anger and sheer disappointment. "Don't tell me that gear you're wearing is made out of its mate... please, don't tell me it's made out of the dragon's mate!" Scott exclaimed, clearly exasperated and infuriated.

The petrosapien woman was uncertain. She tore her gear off and threw it at the dragon, causing the dragon to snap its jaws down on it, only to then recoil in disgust, spewing the gear away, clearly angered by the gear's taste as it roared. Scott stood to the side, watching as the dragon was no longer fixated on him, but on the petrosapien woman, who seemed rightfully fearful of her life. "Don't you think you should help me, how do I get this thing away from me!?" The woman exclaimed.

Scott shrugged his shoulders, letting a pessimistic look form on his face. "If I knew how, this dragon wouldn't still be here! You made a tasteless piece of gear out of the dragon's mate that you killed, you led hungry predators to its nest and got all but one of its offspring killed before they could hatch! You pissed off a dragon, killed its mate and nearly all of its unborn children, and endangered numerous lives that are native to this world!" The woman was terrified, yet at the same time, she felt something inside her tough crystal body, something that resembled guilt and fear. "You want my help? Fine. Lead it back into the forest, and get it away from those who could be easily injured or killed by it. I'll be right behind you, just don't let him catch you. He's fixated on you, he got a taste of you, and now, you're the one who's being hunted by an angry single-father. A widower, who's feeling particularly extra toxic about being hunted by his mate's and his unborn children's killer." Scott remarked.

The petrosapien wasted no time in running, making her way into the everfree forest, all while the dragon roared out and chased after her. Scott looked down at the Altnetrix, noticing that it was still recharging. "Just a little longer, and this'll be a bit easier." Scott remarked, chasing after the dragon.

[Ponyville Outskirts]

The ponies are waiting patiently as the dragon goes back into the forest, all the while, there doesn't seem to be any sight of the transformed human. As Dash and the rest of the guards slowly move towards town, the dragon's roar can be heard moving further and further away. "Is he luring the dragon away from town?" One of the golden guards asked.

Zapp nodded his head, looking back at Rich, who was cradling the traumatized filly in his arms. "Most likely. He probably couldn't fight it off, Celestia knows we couldn't put dents in that thing, it's a faust-forsaken dragon for Luna's sake! We'd be better off fighting those slimey acid creatures, or them one-eyed specters, not a damn dragon, we ain't strong enough, let alone paid enough, to deal with that! If the princesses really trust that Changeling wannabe to handle it, then let him get ripped to pieces, we'll still be alive by the end of the day!" One of the bat-winged guards remarked.

Zapp sighed and looked to the rainbow-haired mare, who was fidgeting in place impatiently. "Miss Dash, are you alright? You're not thinking of going back to that chaos, are you?" Zapp inquired.

Rainbow Dash smiled and shrugged her shoulders. "Nah, I'm just waiting for that Scott guy to come back. I don't know how that watch of his is able to change him like one of those fuck-ugly feeling feeders, but I personally don't care, if I can be honest. I'll get an explanation out of him when he comes back, it's just a matter of time." Rainbow Dash remarked.

Zapp simply sighed, looking back at the forest. "Let me tell ya, Filthy Rich nearly flipped when the roof of his mansion got torn off by that dragon. Do you think it was attracted to expensive stuff, probably looking to add something new to its horde?" Zapp asked.

Dash snickered and shrugged her shoulders again. "Maybe, with how rich that guy's whole family is, I'm surprised they don't get attacked by dragons every hour," Zapp chuckled and sat down, watching as the other guards go to the townsfolk, seeing if everyone was fine and accounted for. "Hey, Private. What's your connection to this Scott guy anyhow, what's his story?" Dash asked.

Zapp cleared his throat and sighed. "Well, I was one of the guards stationed by Princess Luna to escort him to Ponyville, by the unanimous order of both Canterlot princesses. His story is, uh, complicated, but from what I've gathered, he's just a simple worker who tries his best to keep innocents safe, regardless of what they are," Dash was barely interested, but hearing it come from one of Celestia's guards was a bit jarring. "Apparently, back where he comes from, there was already someone who could transform into, in his opinion, much crazier things than he can. From what he's told me and the guards I was with, this 'Ben Tennyson' individual, he sounds like a mighty force for good. Must be some kind of Alicorn or something, but what would the human equivalent to an Alicorn even be like?" Zapp wondered.

[Everfree Forest]

Scott ran through the brush and hopped between a few holes as he kept up the chase. The dragon was in a frenzy, spewing fire down at the petrosapien lady, it was upset, angry beyond compare.

Scott continued to fiddle with the Altnetrix, though he didn't have any actual idea on which alien to use. 'I could use Smudge, take this thing on Dragon-to-Dragon, but fire attacks could make my body harden too much. My Detrovite form could easily tear the smaller scales off of its body, so that would be ideal, but what would the plan be from there? Bombadier is out of the question, not enough useful materials, anyway. Did the watch collect that Synthroid's DNA earlier? Do Synthroids even have DNA to scan!? If Ben can become things like Atomix, Clockwork, or Echo Echo, who knows what'll happen to me when I transform into that!' Scott thought.

The petrosapien leapt across rocks, crossing a pool of scalding hot water, where large crocodile-like creatures dwelled, their rocky exteriors floating above the water seemed to make it easy to act as camouflage, but Scott simply ran around, while the dragon stomped through, disturbing the crocs.

Scott saw a couple vines dangling from the trees and jumped up to a couple, swinging on them as he tried to keep within range of the dragon and the petrosapien. Scott swung from one last vine and landed back on solid ground, pacing himself as he tried to figure out a solution. Scott ran along a path, watching as the petrosapien suddenly jumps off a cliff, down to the path he was treading on. The two continue to run, with the dragon following close behind.

The petrosapien fires a few crystal shards at the dragon, but it doesn't seem to work like she hoped. The dragon had its mouth opened, letting the shards fly in without much sense in direction. Scott continued to try and work the Altnetrix, but despite being so close to being at full-charge again, it wasn't gonna work. Scott and the petrosapien stopped at a dead end, which was a large and high cliff that led down to solid ground. The dragon stops its pursuit, growling as it slowly moves towards them.

The pair of them move away slowly, getting closer and closer to the edge of the cliff. Scott continued to try and make the Altnetrix work, all while the Petrosapien tried to shove the human forward, in hopes of buying herself more time. The dragon roared out, until the Altnetrix finally got back to being full-charge again. Scott quickly popped the core up and cycled through his aliens. Much to both his relief and concern, the moment he twisted the dial past his Detrovite form, he was met with an icon that bore a resemblance to the Synthroid that attacked him, Zapp and the other guards before making it to Ponyville.

Scott quickly pressed down on the core, and in a flash of light, Scott was replaced by an imposing figure. The creature was much taller and muscular than Scott was, it was a black cybernetic being with a flat silver metal face with two glowing green dots for eyes and two glowing green lips. The mechanical man seemed to wear a white top similar to the pattern on Scott's t-shirt, a white belt, as well as white gloves and boots, all while the Altnetrix rested securely on its chest.

The dragon roared and spewed a stream of fire on top of the Synthroid, only to then be taken aback when a hand punches the dragon back. The Synthroid was completely fine, and it marched forward. The dragon swatted it away with its tail, but aside from knocking it towards the cliff, it didn't seem to do anything. "Pathetic. To think such a magnificent, legendary, and incredibly hard-to-find alien species such as this, would be so disappointing in actuality. If I am to uphold justice, to protect all life, then consider what I'm about to do to you, a sign of caution for when you decide to cross my path again, griever." The Synthroid stated.

The Synthroid rushes forward and holds its hands out, forming them into cannons. Lasers and electric beams were suddenly fired at the dragon, slowly chipping away at the scales on its body. The dragon recoiled from the attack, then tries to crush the Synthroid beneath its feet, but the Synthroid jumped into the air, delivering an uppercut to the dragon, knocking it on its back. The petrosapien was about to try and leave the scene, only for the mechanical humanoid to pull the dragon towards the cliff by its tail.

The Synthroid tossed the rest of the dragon off it, and dangled the huge beast over it. "There are two ways this can end, dragon. You forget about the petrosapien and take your last and only intact egg away from here, so it may grow, flourish and thrive! The second option involves none of that. In fact, it involves me tearing off that other wing, breaking every bone in your body, and dropping you from this cliff with no real chance of survival without support," The petrosapien was shocked by the Plumber's actions, yet she couldn't look away. "Which is it going to be. Forget vengeance, raise your child and protect it till your last breath, or waste your last breath now, abandon your kin, leave this world a coward, so your hatchling will die alone?" The Synthroid suggested, purposefully letting its grip on the dragon's tail loosen more and more.

The dragon was starting to fear for its own safety, the dragon started to panic, and to the Synthroid, that was all he needed to know. The mechanical humanoid pulled the dragon up and let it climb up, trying to rest. "You made the morally and ethically right choice, dragon. Now go find your egg, and raise your spawn like your mate wished for you to." The Synthroid stated flatly.

The dragon soon ran off, fearing the machine that threatened its life, leaving the petrosapien alone with the transformed Plumber. "I believe that it's time for you to take your reprehensible "hunting" somewhere else, preferably far away from the equestrians that inhabit the town nearby. If you don't, I think you know what I intend to do, and it will not be a pretty sight." The Synthroid advised.

The petrosapien nodded its head and she slowly started to walk away. "Just so we're clear, this isn't over. I'm glad I didn't get eaten, but now I need new gear, and stronger prey. I hope you cross my path again, Plumber, because I'll have the upper hand," the petrosapien started to move towards a path that goes deeper into the forest, only to turn around and look back at the Synthroid, who seemed to stare at her. "The name's Crystal, by the way. Try to remember my name when we see each other again." Crystal introduced, waving farewell as she ran down the path.

The Synthroid walked down the path that lead back to town, only to pause for a moment, staring down at the water. The reflection of his green eyes, the lifelessness behind them, nothing more than a murderous machine. The Synthroid carefully treaded the same path Crystal took, only with more caution, and taking the time to not harm or disrupt the wildlife.

Scott felt incredibly unlike himself. He never knew himself to be so cold, so cruel to another living being. As he continued his slow trek back to town, he could've sworn the moon's light seemed redder, but for all he knew, it was just his nerves getting to him.

As the Synthroid made its way back to town to reassure the pony folk that the dragon, along with its alien aggressor, have both been dealt with accordingly, the moon seemed to reveal a shape on its surface, one that seemed to vaguely look like a mare, not that Scott was paying attention, and walked through the Everfree, hoping the Altnetrix would time out before he got back.

Regardless, the main issue was resolved, but Scott knew that this could only get worse, before it would get better. Unbeknownst to the stranded Plumber, however, the worst was yet to come, and it was going to be very difficult without proper preparations.

Author's Note

So, this was a neat little chapter to end on, for now.

EDIT: For those who happen to have noticed anything majorly different thus far in the story, I'm going off of my own custom-created made-from-scratch lore for each chapter (for the Ben 10 segments and the MLP segments). My way of making things a bit more different, since Scott isn't your average Displaced.

Rest, Relax & Ready for Action! Part 1

[Ponyville; 29 Days till the Summer Sun Celebration]

The next day had finally come to pass, with Scott being exhausted, but still very much attentive. He was in a big building near the center of town, most likely the Town Hall, or whatever the pony equivalent to that would be. The gray-maned mare with the glasses and bow tie was sifting through paperwork without a care in the world, and eventually pulled out a small laminated folder with both a large red crescent moon and a shining sun with a red center stamped on the front.

Scott raised an eyebrow at this, but the mayor seemed rather satisfied as she opened the folder. "Let's see here... rogue monster capable of destruction beyond comprehension, stopped by the hands of a shapeshifter. Rather exciting first fight for you, isn't it, sir?" The mayor inquired.

Scott smiled and held his hands up. "It was nothing, just trying to make sure everyone was safe, it's part of the job. Automate reminded me too much of another member of his species, capable of rather incredible feats that the rest of his kind couldn't replicate, but proceeds to use them for less than good intentions," The mayor smiled and continued to look through the file. "Besides, I didn't handle the threat on my own. A couple ponies helped out too, as did an alien who didn't agree with Automate's destructive and blood-stained actions." Scott explained.

The mayor simply grinned and flipped to another page, showing a rather artistic representation of the dragon situation from last night. "Says right here that the dragon was dealt with peacefully, is that true?" The mayor asked.

Scott tensed up a bit, but knew he had to answer. "Yes, and no. Yes, it was handled peacefully, to a very small degree. No, because I feel horrible about threatening the life of another being, regardless of the wrong they've done, that doesn't justify or make what threats that come out of my mouth any less wrong," The mayor was a bit confused, and Scott sighed. "The dragon was trying to protect its children, but someone lead a bunch of crocodiles to its nest, where all but one of the eggs were destroyed. It literally only had one unhatched child to worry about, by that point. It lost its mate, and came face-to-face with their murderer. The crystal woman, simply known as 'Crystal', was looking to make money off of the stuff she hunted. The dragon was a much more aggressive creature than one would've expected, but it was simply trying to protect its last and only surviving egg." Scott explained bitterly.

Scott took a deep breath, and sighed. "To put it simply, yes, the problem was taken care of. Doesn't mean I'm happy with the means I used to get it done, though." Scott briefly remarked.

The mare nodded and turned the page. "I'm well aware that most creatures don't have it in them to be as cutthroat as so few have become, our resident animal whisperer, Fluttershy, is one of the few who absolutely refuses to get angry, let alone violent," Scott thought about that for a moment, but before he could say anything, the mare pointed to a photo of one of the Synthroid's remains. "Some of the guards that escorted you here also told me you had an encounter with one of these murderous machine people. I assume you're able to transform into one of these as well?" The mayor asked.

Scott sighed. "That was the very Synthroid that tried to blow itself up. I tried to shield the blast as one of my transformations, and despite still being blown to bits, I was lucky enough to choose the one that could regenerate from wounds like that," The mayor was a bit surprised, at first, but it was clear this human had experience with laying his life on the line for others. "As for if I can transform into one of them... yes, I can, it was how I was able to handle the dragon. I'll need to practice and train with these transformations, just to keep a better grasp on myself. From what I've read about Ben Tennyson and his experiences with the Omnitrix, some of his aliens tend to alter the personality of the user. I never knew I could be so cold, let alone cruel... practice would definitely be important, just to get a better grasp on my transformations." Scott explained.

The mayor closed the folder and filed it under a specific category labeled "Shapeshifters", and looked at the human. Despite his calm and collected visage, he was clearly repressing and withholding information. "Well, from what information we've managed to gather from you, from a professional standpoint, you already have quite the record as a lawstallion, mister Baristo. I may not understand myself on why you ended up here, but I hope we can continue to work with one another, if you see it fit. As the mayor of Ponyville," the mayor took a stamp and pressed it onto a piece of paper, then handed it to Scott. "I hereby declare you a permanent resident of our town! Welcome home, Scott Baristo. I'm sure the guards can show you to the home that's been selected by the princesses. I'll also send a scroll to you through one of the guards, should another problem pertaining to your expertise arises once more." The mayor stated.

Scott took the paper and shook the mayor's hoof. "Thank you, miss. I know I'm practically an alien myself in your town, but if the princesses have dubbed that my business is needed here, then who am I to argue. Thank you for your warm welcome, and sorry about the damage done to the town. I'll personally help with repairs anywhere I can." Scott stated.

The mayor smiled and started to go through her paperwork again, adjusting her glasses. "It's no trouble at all, just relax and take some time to yourself. I imagine someone as capable as you is probably exhausted from running around so much, so just take a moment to get to know the town, and help out where you can. I'll let the princesses know that you made it here, and already took care of our dragon problem!" Scott nodded his head and made his way to the front door, until the mayor quickly trotted over and handed him a small card. "I almost forgot, if you need anything from the Golden Oaks Library, feel free to use that card. It makes checking out books so much easier." the mayor stated.

Scott nodded his head. "Thank you very much, miss mayor." Scott thanked.

The mayor smiled. "Please, call me Mayor Mare, it is my name, after all." Mayor Mare introduced.

Scott put a hand to his face, clearly trying to hide the rising urge to succumb to an aneurysm. "Names are going to be a difficult game as long as I'm here, aren't they?" Scott questioned.

Mayor Mare simply chuckled. "Don't you worry about that, you'll get used to it." Mayor Mare reassured.

Scott sighed, reaching for the door handle. "I sincerely hope so," Scott opens the door, and gestures for the mayor to exit. "After you, miss Mayor." Scott said.

The mayor smiles and walks out. "Quite the gentlestallion we have here!" Mayor Mare remarked.

Scott's right eye twitched, but he simply took a deep breath, and sighed. 'You'll get used to it, eventually... maybe... god I hope so.' Scott thought, a small bead of sweat trickled down his face as he walked out of the building, pocketing the library card as he closed the door.

Scott walked down the street, surrounded by the guards and being lead by Private Zapp, who was trying to figure out a small map on a sticky note. "Lets see... it says here we're supposed to take him to the beaten path, then stop once we see a cabin. Who's familiar enough with Ponyville to know where we're going?" Zapp asked.

One of the bat-winged guards walked up and plucked the note out of Zapp's grasp. "Guess the princesses wanted him to have some peace, while still keeping him remotely close to town. This 'beaten' path is somewhere to the west of the Whitetail Woods, ponies only go there for the 'Running of the Leaves'." The guard explained.

Scott was confused, he was gonna have to familiarize himself with the customs and holidays of this world, because he was already confused about how these ponies do celebrations, and wasn't sure if that counted as one. "If I can interject for a moment, what's so special about these 'Whitetail Woods'?" Scott asked.

The guard cleared his throat. "Well, you're not at all familiar with how things work around here, that's to be expected. Those woods are important, because sap is usually harvested from those trees. With Beehive Hollow also being relatively close by, it's also where we get our local natural source of honey and honeycomb," Scott was actually rather intrigued by the information, and genuinely wished he had something to write this all down. "There's also a few recreational areas and trails, but it's more commonly associated with the Running of the Leaves. It's an annual "race" that acts as a means to motivate the competitors to shake the ground, knocking the autumn leaves off to eventually prepare for winter." The guard explained.

Scott nodded, seeming rather interested that he'll be living in such an area. As he and the guards started walking to the Whitetail Woods, Scott figured he'd ask a couple more questions. He was eager to learn, but he'd rather have all the facts before making a decision. "So, is there anything else I should know about those woods? There aren't any alien problems, or otherworldly threats there that I need to know about, right?" Scott asked.

The guard shook his head. "Nope, last time we dealt with those strange creatures, we warded them off with just a bit of brute force, nothin' too extravagant." The stallion reassured.

Now Scott was getting curious. "What exactly were these strange creatures like? What could they do, what did they even look like?" Scott asked.

The guard sighed. "You're asking a lot of questions, biped." The guard remarked.

Scott smiled. "It's part of the job, and everyone's just trying to do theirs, sir." Scott rebutted.

The guard was about to argue, but just let out an annoyed sigh. "The creatures in question looked like overgrown rats, the epitome of the phrase 'freak of nature'. If you happen to see any of them nearby, keep them away from ponies. They're freakish, they're crafty, they're no-good scavengers and thieves!" The guard explained, sharing a warning of caution with the human.

Scott nodded, feeling a sense of familiarity with the description of those creatures. As Scott and the guards continued on their way to the location of Scott's new home, he soon took notice of Rainbow Dash in the near distance, shopping for something while a small light orange pegasus filly with pink-ish purple hair walked by her side, practically circling the rainbow-haired mare with excitement.

The filly laughed and cheered, all while Dash smiled and rolled her eyes. "Okay, okay! You know you can dial it back around me, Scoots, ya know that?" Dash commented.

The filly stopped and smiled widely. "I know, but you're just so cool! You fought against a monster made of crystals, and fended off a dragon! Even if you got a small portion of the reward, that doesn't downplay that you had a hand in saving Ponyville! You were already cool, now you're twenty-percent cooler!" The filly cheered, flittering their small wings together.

Dash chuckled and rubbed the filly's head, finally noticing Scott coming her way. "Thanks for the vote of confidence, kid, but how's about we learn a bit more about Ponyville's newest arrival, the same guy who helped me fend off those nasty monster creeps," Dash lugged the filly onto her back and trotted forward, meeting Scott's gaze. "Hey there, stranger! Your posse doesn't mind if Scootaloo and I tag along, do they? You still have a lot to explain, y'know." Dash remarked.

Scott smiled and nodded. "Of course, where are my manners! I suppose it would be fair, since you and I aren't that close, but we did try our best to keep Ponyville intact and not destroyed beyond comprehension," Scott looked down at the guards, who seemed a bit tense, all of a sudden. They looked suspicious, eyeing Rainbow Dash carefully, as if they didn't trust her. Dash gave the guards a sneer, clearly not appreciating the mild hostilities thrown her way. Scott cleared his throat, getting the attention of the guards, seeing the obvious signs of worry and skepticism on their faces. "Gentlemen, they can come with us to my new home, right? Like one of the textbook religions back in my world once said, 'Love thy neighbor as thyself'. If I'm gonna be staying here a while, then I better start making friends, helps to feel less lonely. Besides, she did help me out and kept me from getting eaten by a dragon, I do owe her one." Scott inquired.

The guards were uncertain, clearly not trusting the human's judgement, but then Private Zapp stood forward, holding his hoof out as a gesture of good faith. "If Scott is willing to vouch for her and put in a good word, then I suppose we can trust her, just this once. Celestia and Luna trust him to handle any threats that come this way, alien or otherwise. So, should miss Dash misbehave or step out of line, Scott can handle it. I have faith that Scott is making the right call here," Dash shook Zapp's hoof, and he backed away, gesturing for her to come closer. "As I said earlier, should you step out of line, Rainbow Dash, there will be consequences." Private Zapp stated formally, trying to sound firm and stoic.

Dash rolled her eyes and trotted forward, flying by Scott's side as the guard resumed movement. "Man, the guards seem to be having an off day. They also seem to have an issue with you, what's that all about?" Scott asked.

Dash sighed. "I'll tell you later, I'd like that explanation first," Scootaloo steadily sat herself up and tried to stand on Dash's back. "Where are we going, anyway?" Dash asked.

Scott snatched the sticky note from the guard and gestured to Dash to read it. "Some place called the Whitetail Woods, the princesses are having me stay here to keep an eye out for anymore alien threats, or anything else that's abnormal, even by the Equestrian standard, for the ponies that live here, so they bought, furnished and stocked up the whole place for my arrival, just so it's easier to do my job," Dash wasn't even sure how to process any of that, but the mixed look of shock and utter disbelief on Dash's face after Scott mentioned the princesses, it pretty much confirmed that she stopped listening after that. Scott gave the pegasus a deadpanned expression and cleared his throat, snapping Dash back to reality. "In a sense, we're heading to my new home, which is located in the Whitetail Woods. Or, if that's too much to handle, I'm the new neighbor on the block, nice to meetcha!" Scott rephrased, introducing himself as he stuck his hand out for a shake, giving the rainbow-haired mare a wink.

Dash was a bit surprised that he was going to be sticking around, but she also figured it'd be her best chance to learn a bit more about him, maybe see if he's working an angle. Dash smiled and decided to shake the human's hand with her hoof. "Nice to meet you too, pal. So, what's your name? I didn't hear it quite right, what with the rampaging dragon and such last night." Dash inquired.

Scott reached into his pocket and grabbed his wallet, pulling out a driver's license. "I'm Scott, Scott Baristo, Scotty if you're an arrogant prick," Scott put his license back into his wallet, then put it back in his pocket, only to then pull out his Plumber's badge. "I'm a Plumber, I fix problems that need obvious fixing, the kind of problems that regular folk, no matter the species, status, rank, or position of power they're in, can handle." Scott introduced.

Dash was incredibly confused, but Scootaloo let a snicker escape her. "So what, you fix a bunch of toilets or something?" Scootaloo asked, laughing as she held onto Rainbow Dash.

Dash was about to open her mouth, until a hearty chuckle escaped the human. "That's not the first time someone's asked that, but I've got all the time in the world to explain to you what the Plumbers actually deal with. First off, I'm a deputized agent of the Plumbers, but I wasn't always. Back in the day, before I was born, the Plumbers were a top-secret organization. By all accounts back where I came from, they shouldn't exist, but they're a branch of government that specializes in otherworldly, supernatural, but most commonly, extraterrestrial threats. The Plumbers are like the Royal Guard, but we've been out in the stars for possibly as long as your princesses have been around, or in power, for that matter," Scott stopped and took a moment to breath, all while Scootaloo and Rainbow Dash were both surprised. Where Scootaloo was impressed, smiling from ear to ear, Dash was a bit skeptical. "Second off, you'd be surprised that it took me the first two years of my official deployment as a Cadet, just to re-memorize that and learn to repeat all of that by heart," The rainbow-maned mare was still skeptical, but Scootaloo was rather enthralled by Scott's explanation. "Third and finally, The 'fixing toilets' schtick, that's just a front, a cover, so we don't scare the masses that still fear or despise alien life back on my planet. It's a lot to explain from just that alone, but we can talk more when we get to my new home, if you two aren't busy at the moment." Scott explained, taking a deep breath as he tried to get some air back in his lungs.

Dash shrugged and kept flying beside the human. "Eh, got nothing better to do. I'm just taking care of her for the day, letting her know who the coolest mare in town is, the usual, might as well hang out with the guy who ran head-first into the Everfree forest, just to finish the job." Dash remarked.

Scott smiled and gave a thumbs up, all while the guards looked at each other, uncertain and clearly displeased as they continued to walk, eventually moving onto a lighter paved trail.

[Outer Space]

Somewhere above the planet's atmosphere, a strange red mist was trying to dive below to the planet's surface, but soon found that a magical barrier was keeping it in place. The red mist seemed to give up, moving towards the moon, all while a small round ship with curved wings manages to fly through it, as if there wasn't a barrier up in the first place.

Inside the round ship, was an agitated individual clad in blue and red armor, with six bright white markings on its mask. It seemed to speak in a garbled and distorted language, all while the ship started making head way to the planet's surface.

The figure pressed a button on the ship's console and got up from its seat, making its way to an escape hatch. The console had a holographic screen on display, showing a familiar hourglass emblem as the alien willingly made its way into the void of space, only to make the rest of the descent to solid ground on its own, blasting off with a jetpack.

[Whitetail Woods]

As Scott, RD, Scootaloo and the guards continue down the path, now entering the Whitetail Woods, Scott is actually in awe at how beautiful it all looked. Big thick brown trees with numerous amounts of fresh green leaves that sprouted from every branch towered above him, and it reminded him of home in the best way. He also noticed some orange, red, and yellow leaves starting to come in as well, signifying that autumn was currently on its way. Scott smiled, remembering a time where he used to rake up a large pile of leaves every thanksgiving, then jump into them without a care in the world, hollering and laughing till the sun finally set.

Scott looked towards the river, once again feeling a sense of nostalgia. He remembered a time where he and his dad would put on their bathing suits and jump into the creek near their home, playing around and having tons of fun.

Scott stopped for a moment, stepping over the guards that had him walled in, and simply walked over to the river, taking in the fresh, maple air that permeated his nostrils, his smile growing wider as he sat at the edge of the body of water that slowly flowed past him. 'It's like I never left...' Scott thought, closing his eyes as he let out a sigh of relief.

The other ponies were confused by the human's lax attitude, leading up to Private Zapp marching over to see what the situation is. "Scott, we're a mile-and-a-half away from the home's location. Is there a problem you've noticed on our way here, what seems to be the issue, sir?" Zapp inquired.

Scott's smile faltered for a moment, and he looked at Zapp. "There's no issue, at least, none that I can find at the moment. This place, it just reminds me a lot of the farm I grew up on... secluded in the woods, smelled like fresh maple every day and night, we even had a stream of water near the house like this one," Scott reached a hand into the water, chuckling as the cold water slowly moved past his fingers. "I feel at peace. For the first time in a while, I feel at peace, for the most part." Scott explained.

Scott looked down at his reflection, only to suddenly see it change into the face of a Changeling, hissing and snarling at him with blood stains on its face, making Scott back up a bit, seeming mildly startled. Scott rubbed his eyes and looked down at the water again, only to see his own reflection. The sudden show of terror in his eyes, the powerlessness and uselessness that he felt that night, it was going to haunt him.

Zapp noticed Scott's sudden change in behavior, only for Scott to shake his head and get back on his feet. "You said the house was a mile-and-a-half away, correct?" Private Zapp nodded his head, confirming Scott's inquiry, but as he opened his mouth to ask Scott about his reaction, Scott put a finger to the stallion's lips. "Let's not dawdle, then. I'm eager to finally sleep on a bed, or to have dinner, for that matter! I haven't eaten since we left Canterlot, for god's sake!" Scott commented, running towards the guards.

Zapp looked back at Scott, noticing him trying to act like nothing happened. Zapp was concerned, something in the water clearly had the Plumber spooked, but the bat pony was unsure as to what, and why. Nothing seemed wrong at the moment, but Scott clearly saw something, and to the bat-winged guard, it wasn't something you could just shrug off, forget and walk away from.

Dash walked forward, with Zapp walking alongside the rainbow-maned mare. As much as his fellow brothers and sisters in arms were clearly uncomfortable around Rainbow Dash, Zapp didn't seem to have any qualms with the mare herself. He was unsure of the obvious show of bad blood between her and the guards, but if Scott trusted her to behave, Zapp would have to handle this particular situation with something his compatriots didn't usually use. Tact.

After a half-hour of walking, they eventually found themselves at the location. The house itself was made out of stone bricks, had a chimney with wisps of smoke billowing out from above. It was obviously big enough for Scott to be comfortable, but it also seemed to be attached to an abandoned barn that was twice the size of the house itself.

Scott was rather surprised by how rustic it looked, not that he was complaining. Dash rolled her eyes, seeming unimpressed. "Seriously, a stone hut? That's was what the princesses picked out? Where's the iron bars, let's actually make it look as uncomfortable and unwelcoming as we can." Dash remarked sarcastically.

The guards groaned at Dash's show of disrespect, but Scott wasn't deterred by the rainbow mare's words. If anything, he just smiled and walked to one of the walls, running his fingers along the cold stone surface. The coarseness and grittiness of the material, it reminded him of home, as well as his time in the academy. "I think it'll be fine. Reminds me of the cellar my old house used to have. It also reminds me of the weight training regimens a couple of my former peers would take. It's like I never truly left. It just needs some personal touches, before it can truly feel comfortable and welcoming for visitors." Scott stated.

Rainbow Dash frowned. "You're just fine with anything, aren't you?" Dash questioned.

Scott smirked, looking back at the mare. "What, is it not to your liking? With how tough and brave you are, I figured something like this would've been expected, I didn't think you'd be so sensitive about a house and its looks." Scott remarked.

Dash was not willing to give the human a proper response to such a comment, but Scootaloo simply hopped off Dash's back and walked to the door. "Can we go inside now, please? I'm actually a bit hungry." Scootaloo asked.

One of the guards walked up to the door and pulled a dusty metal green key out from their helmet and unlocked the front door. "Keep in mind that since this is the hyuumon's residence, he has a bit of an... acquired taste, according to what he's told the princesses. Thankfully, we stocked up on fruits and vegetables as well, just to balance things out." The guard announced.

Suddenly, a question popped into the filly's head. "What do these things eat, anyway?" Scootaloo asked.

Scott sighed. "Typically, we're omnivores, kiddo, means that we humans can eat both plant-based foods and meat. Some humans tend to swear off meat and become vegetarians, which means only eating vegetables and fruits for the rest of your life, where others prefer a more carnivorous lifestyle, eating meat. Then there's everyone else, who tend to eat whatever they feel like, meat, vegetable, fruit or otherwise," Scootaloo nodded, taking all of that into consideration. As the filly and the guards entered the hut, Scott was about to walk in, until something pulled him to the side. Zapp stood in-between Scott and the doorway, looking fairly concerned. "What? Was I not supposed to say that?" Scott asked.

Zapp took in a deep breath and slowly exhaled. "It's not that. Scott, before I let you indulge in getting your fill to eat, is there something you're not telling me, or the guards, for that matter?" Zapp inquired.

Scott was surprised, but at the same time, with how he reacted back at the river, it was obvious that at some point someone would ask. Scott sighed and looked down at Zapp, a mild look of anxiety could be seen in the human's eyes as he found the words he needed to speak. "I suppose I didn't tell you, or the other guards, for that matter, what happened to me before I became a Plumber. I know I should explain myself, but some scars never heal, sometimes they remain open, plaguing you till the end of your days," Zapp was unsure as to what Scott was referring to, but Dash finally got her chance to learn a bit about this human. "In my case, the day I became an orphan, is something I don't like discussing. With how much these woods remind me of home, I guess it isn't impossible to think that old memories would start to resurface. I apologize profusely, if I was acting a bit sketchy." Scott apologized.

Zapp nodded his head, but he still felt unconvinced. "I'll accept your apology if you tell me why you reacted like that. I am sorry of the circumstances of the past that plagued you, but the Whitetail Woods are not something to fear, unlike the Everfree Forest. You know something." Zapp stated, pushing further.

Scott frowned and tried to step around the guard. "I do, but I don't feel comfortable enough to share it. I'm hungry, my mind is cluttered, just give me some time to decompress, and I'll explain what I can." Scott suggested.

Zapp blocked the doorway. "I'm sorry, but this is something that needs to be handled now. What did you see in the river?" Zapp questioned firmly.

Scott tried to get past Zapp, but he couldn't seem to get any further through the doorway, until he felt a pair of hindlegs slam into his gut, shoving him back. Shock and agony, that's what Scott felt. While he was fortunate that the air wasn't knocked out of him, that didn't mean Scott wasn't getting irritated. "You're being rather upfront about a reaction, why do you care so much about this?" Scott questioned, holding his stomach as he tried to not fall over.

Zapp unsheathed his golden dagger, readying himself for combat. "I care because I don't want this having an impact on your work. If the princesses trust you to do something like this, then that's one thing. You being jumpy over something you saw in the river, is something else entirely! Am I supposed to stand by and let you freak out in the midst of a fight, or should I do my job and take out all threats!" Zapp stated bluntly.

Scott let a smug smile form on his lips. "You're a few years late for that, it's always impacted my work, positively and negatively. I'm all alone, nowadays, no family because they're all dead, no friends because I can't risk endangering them, I'm only remotely close to barely even a few of my workmates, and even then, we weren't that close. We know of each other, but that's as far as it goes, all things considered. You have no room to tell me that being jumpy over unresolved trauma, is not justified," Scott straightened himself up and walked towards Zapp, who stayed on his guard. "You care if this impacts my work efficiency?! I saw a bunch of Changelings rip my parents asunder, clawing at their bodies and draining them of everything they had! You think I'm scared that my issues will affect my work ethic and how well I do it, but you clearly can't see that you're wrong! I already stared death in the face numerous times over the course of my career. Allow me to list a few off, just to put things into perspective." Scott stated.

Scott cleared his throat and started to count off events on his fingers. "I was almost eaten alive by an Ormerowon on my first year of duty... for context, that's an alien zombie, put that into perspective for a moment and tremble! I also nearly got my neck snapped by demented genocidal stone statues, that wasn't fun! I thought I was truly dead when I tried to cover that Synthroid's self-destruct, something that happened yesterday! I was on the frontlines when an alien race called the Fulmini tried to attack and destroy my planet, I would show you my medal of honor, if I had one! The Fulmas Confrontation is now something being taught in the academy I used to go to! Finally, I had to resort to the most cruel and unfeeling species I've ever met in the galaxy, just to save the life of a hunter that provoked said beast, killed its mate, and was responsible for the deaths of all its unhatched children, except for one sole survivor. I could go on and on, but by this point, you should get the picture by now!" Scott yelled out.

Zapp kept his composure, but it was clear that Scott, despite the smile on his face, was finally pushed to the edge. "In simpler terms, Private, I'm used to laying my life on the line for those I barely even know, even if I gotta show some tough love, it's my job. I was never one to get too close, but I guess I already made that mistake, because I risked my life to save the hero that inspired me, and now, I'm stuck with this thing, the sole reason why I'm stuck here," Scott shows off the Altnetrix, with Zapp actually starting to feel a bit bad. "If you think I'm scared to die, you're only half-right, at best. If I die, I'll finally see my family again. If I don't, I'm still fighting, living my life for them. Either way, I'll have completed my life's mission, to make sure the world is safer than it was when those monsters took my family away...You wanna get in the way of someone who has nothing but their life left to lose, go on ahead, flip that coin. I dare you." Scott gravely warned, hovering his hand over the Altnetrix as he stared Zapp down.

Dash quickly got in-between the man and stallion, trying to keep them as distant from each other as she possibly can. "Okay, let's not do this, okay? Scoot's in there, and should this escalate into a brawl, I don't want her in danger. So, for the sake of handling this like reasonable and mature individuals, let's take a chill pill, go inside and talk this out, alright?" Dash suggested.

Zapp put his dagger back in its sheathe, trotting inside the hut without another word. Scott dropped his guard and sat down on the grass, leaning against the brick wall. Dash stood in front of the human, unsure of what to think. "What you said... was it true?" Scott looked at the mare, unsure as to what she was referring to. "Did you actually end up an orphan, because of a Changeling attack?" Dash asked.

Scott sighed, nodding his head. "It's not something I'm particularly okay with talking about... I was nine when it happened, it's stuck with me for a long time, and since then, I had to adapt. I had no other family to rely on, and the Plumbers were willing to let me stay at one of their academies, as long as I learned something. That was how I ended up joining the Plumbers in the first place," Dash sat down in front of the human, listening intently. "Despite graduating at the ripe age of twelve and seeing my hero at work on the rare occasion, I worked as a rookie for a year or so, then I became a cadet, one of the best in the field. I was content with staying in my lane, but I always stepped out of line for a reason. I hated seeing injustice across the few galaxies I've traveled to, it reminded me too much of the injustice that plagued me, the very thing that made me into who I am today." Scott explained.

Dash looked away, feeling rather dumb. "I guess that's something we have in common, I just didn't think it could happen to anyone else." Dash stated.

"How so?" Scott asked, raising an eyebrow in confusion.

Dash scoffed, letting a smile form on her face. "Something big happened that made us who we are now. What I meant was, specifically, what're the odds that Changelings were the common denominator to affect us both! It's crazy, isn't it?" Dash remarked.

Scott was confused, but mildly surprised as well. "Changelings did something to you, too?" Dash nodded her head, which made Scott rather baffled. "If you don't mind me asking, what happened?" Scott asked.

Dash looked back to the door, seeing that Scootaloo was eating an apple with one of the guards. She sighed and looked back at Scott. "Scootaloo's parents are out of town, as far as the kid's concerned. What I know, personally, is that her parents don't exactly scream 'Parents of the Year', if you're pickin' up what I'm putting down. Her parents are explorers and adventurers, Snap Shutter and Mane Allgood. They weren't exactly interested in their kid's life, so she ended up living with her aunts in Ponyville, after moving out of Cloudsdale, while her parents went to some foreign place called Shire Lanka," Scott was mildly surprised, but decided to keep listening. "Scootaloo is an energetic kid, and as you could probably tell, is my biggest fan. Initially, her aunts hired me as a part-time sitter, but over time, I started to really care about her, especially when she started talking about her parents. She doesn't have anyone else besides her aunts, so I stepped up and became an older sister, of sorts, it was the least I could do. It was a bit difficult though, juggling my responsibilities at the weather factory, my royal guard training, and taking care of her while her aunts take a much needed break. So, I made a decision." Dash explained.

Scott took a moment to take everything into consideration. "So what exactly did you do?" Scott asked.

Dash smirked. "I left the guard before I could truly join them, they've declared me unfit for the guard ever since. Then, I demanded a nine-percent raise at the factory till I finally got it, and decided to take Scootaloo under my wing, metaphorically speaking." Rainbow Dash explained.

Before anything else could be said, a couple of the guards walked outside, handing the pair some food. Dash got a couple apples and a bottle of cider, while Scott got something reminiscent of a large chicken leg and a beef patty. Scott willingly took the food, but Dash was just ignoring them. The guard cleared his throat, and much to the obvious chagrin he was feeling, he readied himself to speak. "For the sake of doing our job, we're giving you some food. We may not trust you after your abrupt abandonment, but considering you have a filly with you, one that looks up to you, we gave her food, for the sake of making sure she doesn't go hungry. You should eat, too, gotta keep your strength up, anyway." The guard formally stated.

Dash rolled her eyes and begrudgingly took the offer, gnawing off the bottle cap and spitting it into a nearby bush. Scott chuckled, giving a thumbs up. "Strong jaw ya got there, my dad used to do that to the caps on glass soda bottles, he was a man who loved his cola, let me tell ya." Scott remarked.

Dash snickered, all while the guards walked back inside. "Thanks for the food, soldiers, don't forget that you need to eat, too! A hungry soldier is a distracted soldier!" Dash called out.

The guards let out a collective groan, until all of them started laughing. Zapp walked out of the hut, chugging down a bottle of cider as he looked down at the two individuals that conversated outside. "Well, are you not coming inside or not?" Zapp asked.

Scott shrugged his shoulders. "I'll probably go inside later, it's nice out, and I get the feeling that you want to talk," Zapp didn't say a word, he just took a long sip from the cider he was drinking, which in-turn, proved Scott's point. The human got up on his feet, and even pulled Dash back up on hers. "Yeah, talking is something you need to do right now. Come on, let's take a walk and see the rest of the woods, my ma always told me that a calm and collected environment can make a conversation smoother than butter, so let's get going." Scott remarked.

Dash walked into the hut and hauled Scootaloo onto her back, all while Zapp tossed the bottle onto a closed barrel, following the human as he walked down the path. Dash exited the hut and followed after them.

At a nearby waterfall, a golf course was set up nearby a country club. Numerous mares and stallions wore fancy golf-related attire, readying their bags full of golf clubs for a game or two. Unfortunately, this was anything but a good day for golf. The alien flew above the course, letting small wrist-mounted lasers rise out of a compartment in the gloves. The alien spoke in its garbled voice, then fired upon the unsuspecting ponies.

Everyone started to scream and panic, with the rare few trying to actually fight back against the alien. Some managed to stagger it, others made a couple dents in its armor, but they didn't defeat or kill it. Most of the ponies that fought back were disposed of easily, leaving their battered and unconscious bodies on the ground as it set the golf course ablaze.

One of the conscious and surviving golfers, a pale grayish pink earth pony mare with a pointed up muzzle who was terrified, desperately trying to see through the fire and flames for an escape, only to hear the slow and heavy clank of the alien's footsteps approaching. The mare's opal eyes widened in fear as she tried to pull herself away, trying to crawl across the ground with all her might, just trying to escape her fate, but soon enough, the alien grabbed the mare by her messy and matted up heliotrope colored mane, and picked her up off the ground.

The mare screamed as she tried to squirm free, but she couldn't loosen the alien's grip. The alien once again spoke in its garbled and incoherent language, which just confused the mare to no end. The alien spoke in its language yet again, but the mare was still incapable of understanding what was being said. The alien let out a sigh, letting a small mechanical pincer clip a large bang from the mare's mane, and pulled it into the suit. The white lines on the alien's mask started to light up, then the alien cleared its throat.

The alien leered at the mare, and decided to speak again. "As I was saying, Equestrian..." the alien's voice was low, hoarse and rough on the mare's ears, but she had nowhere to run. "I have asked you cretins many times, and you give me nothing. Now that I speak your language, you will understand me now. This is the last time I will repeat myself to you inferior equine creatures, so choose your words carefully, or a swift death is not what you'll get in kind." the alien threatened.

The mare, practically on the verge of passing out from fear alone, her heart was pumping like crazy, her breathing was erratic, slowly filling up with smoke that came from the fires nearby. "W-What do you want?" the mare stuttered, horrified by the alien's attack.

The alien dropped the mare and stomped on her chest, pinning her and causing the mare great pain. The alien leaned in close, uttering only four words as the mare slowly lost consciousness.

"Where is theAltnetrix?"

Scott, Zapp, and Dash walked through the orchard of maple trees, letting the steady peace of nature calm them. Scott took a deep breath, and exhaled, letting a smile form on his face. "Doesn't this feel great, letting nature soothe the anger that dwells within you?" Scott inquired.

Zapp sighed. "I'll admit, this is peaceful, but you clearly don't understand what I'm feeling. I'm not mad, just frustrated. Why did you react like that when you looked into the river, why hide something like this?" Zapp inquired.

Scott sighed. "To make a long story short, I was being reminded of home, the one I used to have, specifically. I saw my reflection turn into a changeling, and I reeled back, because I wasn't sure if I was ready to face the past, not after how I've clung to it... how I let it haunt me," Dash and Zapp said nothing, but Dash simply sat down beneath a tree, resting Scootaloo on the soft green grass. Zapp listened intently as Scott talked. "I've already been through a lot of stuff because of that day, and while I love my job as a Plumber, I do wish I could get a break, just to relax, to rest without worrying about danger of any kind, to not have to be ready for action and grab the weapon I keep under my bed... I just want a moment to face myself and compare how I used to be." Scott explained.

Zapp sat down and sighed, looking out to the river nearby. "I'm sorry for all this, I just figured... it'd help to tell someone that, even if it's just a stranger, like me." Zapp stated.

Scott shrugged his shoulders. "Don't worry yourself to death about it, it won't do either of us any good. Besides, you're no stranger, you're more of an acquaintance. Just barely an acquaintance, but still, it's progress. Dash is an acquaintance, and she hasn't caused any trouble, I'd say everything's pretty chill," Scott sat down and leaned back onto the ground. "When was the last time you ever just relaxed, went out to do something you've been wanting to do, but work got in the way? When was the last time you went out to have fun, to forget about the job and responsibilities you have, just to get a heavy weight off your shoulders?" Scott asked.

Zapp stayed quiet for a moment, he'd been a rookie for a couple years, he wasn't sure when he was going to get a promotion, or if he'd even get a promotion, he was just trying to do all he could, make the right decisions, no matter how mad someone gets because of it. Zapp was about to answer, until he noticed something different about the air. Zapp took in a deep breath through his nostrils, and aside from the smell of the maple trees, he was picking up on the smell of something burning.

Scott soon picked up on the smell, too, as did Dash. Scott got back up to his feet, looking around, only to notice a large trail of black smoke in the air. "Oh man, that's not good!" Scott yelled out.

Dash flew into the air, spotting where the smoke was coming from. "Looks like the country club got caught on fire! They're gonna need some help!" Dash called out.

Zapp and Scott looked at each other, then nodded. "Scott, I think you know what has to be done. I'll go back to the hut and let the other guards know! The Pegasi and Bat-Ponies can make their way to the weather factory to inform the rest, you need to see how this happened, and get any living ponies out of there!" Zapp commanded.

Scott nodded his head, immediately running towards the rising smoke. Zapp looked down and put Scootaloo on his back, then looked at Dash. "Rainbow, you need to follow Scott. I'll make sure the filly stays safe in the hut. Move it, now!" Zapp ordered.

Dash followed after Scott, while Zapp quickly made his way back to the hut. 'I sincerely hope they can handle the situation before the weather ponies get there.' Zapp thought, stamping his hooves onto the ground as he flapped his wings.

Scott and Dash eventually made it to the crumbling country club, noticing that a whole golf course was reduced to scorched and blackened ash, unconscious ponies littered the entire area, all while the country club's building was surrounded in flames. Scott looked at the various unconscious ponies that were scattered across the course, with one of them catching his attention. A mare with a pointed muzzle was trying desperately to crawl away, but was clearly too weak to move. "Dash, that mare needs help! I'll check the others, see what we're dealing with here." Scott stated.

Dash quickly flew over to the mare, all while Scott knelt down to one of the ponies. By the looks of it, they were a stallion. Aside from the singing burns and the ash that stained their pristine white coat, they also had light blue hair, a monocle, and a unicorn horn. Scott tried to locate the heart, and though he could feel a heartbeat, it was faint, and fading fast. Scott reached into his backpocket and pulled out his badge, tapping the red center twice as it lit up. Scott opened the stallion's eyes, shining the light into them. Almost immediately, the stallion started to react, grunting and groaning in pain, squeezing their light azure eyes shut.

Scott sighed in relief. 'That's one, now to get them out of here,' Scott carefully started lifting the stallion, earning a pained and distressed groan, their body started to twitch and spasm. "S-Sir, please don't struggle, I'm trying to help you!" Scott stated, trying to calm the stallion down.

The stallion was eventually hoisted onto Scott's back, where he tried to carry the stallion off the course. "T-This pain... it's r-rather agonizing... my body f-feels like stopping, b-b-but I can't help but want t-to move..." The stallion hoarsely stated, his breathing was rather stunted and puffy.

Scott sighed. "I can understand that feeling. You got a name, location of residency, anything I can work with?" Scott questioned.

The stallion rested its head on Scott's shoulder, clearly fading in and out of consciousness. "F-Fancy... Fancy Pants.. C-Canterlot..." Fancy Pants managed to grunt out.

Fancy Pants eventually fell completely into unconsciousness, which meant Scott didn't have a lot of time. Scott quickly ran towards a maple tree, and rested the stallion against it. "I'll be right back, I just need to-" Something whizzed by Scott's head, blasting a hole in the side of the tree. Scott went wide-eyed as he turned around. On top of the flaming country club, Scott saw the alien looking right at him, with its wrist laser aimed right at him. The human was shocked, but at the same time, he was eager to make them pay, feeling the anger start to rise. "A Sotoraggian... of course, it had to be a Sotoraggian." Scott grumbled.

The Sotoraggian flew towards Scott, landing in front of him as it was now in much better view. Its multicolored armor was throwing the plumber for a loop, but he recognized a Sotoraggian when he saw one. "So, which one are you, dummy? What dumbass assortment of numbers do I call you?" Scott remarked.

The Sotoraggian sneered at the Plumber. "I wasn't expecting to see a human on this ball of dirt and water, not like it makes a difference. And for your information, I am Seventy-Four, a hitman who's paid quite a lot for dealing with morons like you," Scott was immediately taken aback by what he just heard, and instinctively reached for the Altnetrix. "Speaking of, I happen to have been paid by a rather interesting individual to collect the Altnetrix, as its sightings were last located on Equiis Prime, the planet that will become your grave. Hand the device over, and no one gets hurt, got that?" Seventy-Four inquired.

Scott pointed to the numerous unconscious ponies. "What's all that, then, punishment for sucking at golf, you psychopath?!" Seventy-Four growled and readied his weapons. "Forgive me, I'm used to Sotoraggians speaking gibberish and garbled noises. Either you're not a Sotoraggian, or you're much more dangerous than I thought... I don't know what the hell you are, or who paid you to take the Altnetrix away, but that's not happening! You want it, come and get it!" Scott exclaimed.

Much to Scott's chagrin, Seventy-Four was much faster than he anticipated, grabbing Scott by the throat, and trying to pry the Altnetrix off of his very being. Soon enough, the Altnetrix shaped its usual turquoise hourglass into the same pale yellow DNA Helix. "Oh great, this is happening again." Scott groaned.

[Familiar DNA Sample acquired. Scanning...] The Altnetrix's dial spun for a moment, causing the Sotoraggian to immediately back off, letting Scott go as the Altnetrix cycled through the only four aliens Scott had, only to then cycle to an icon of a Sotoraggian. [DNA Scan Complete. Sotoraggian DNA Sample has been restored to Playlist 1-A. Playlist 1-A has been restored to fifty-percent.] The Altnetrix chirped.

Seventy-Four groaned and turned away. "Damn it! The device has already bonded to your DNA, and now it's scanned me. This complicates things, but it explains why the Synthroid was reported to have been destroyed! To think some lowly human would once again be wielding the power of a device like this... truly, this couldn't've gotten any worse." Seventy-Four stated.

Scott pulled out his badge. "By authority of the Plumbers, you are under arrest for assault, arson, endangerment and destruction of property. As the only Plumber on this planet, you answer to me, so start answering my questions," Seventy-Four turned around, watching Scott pocket his badge. "Who paid you to collect the Altnetrix, and why?" Scott questioned.

Seventy-Four snarled and immediately flew off towards the skies. "You'll get nothing from me! I'll be back, if I have to kill you, or billions of these inferior creatures, just to get that watch, then so be it!" Seventy-Four called out.

Scott was about to try and go after him, but soon remembered that a bunch of ponies needed medical attention. Scott hesitated for a moment, just to grit his teeth and twisted the dial to Smudge's icon. In a flash of light, the Lenopan quickly rounded up every single unconscious pony in the vicinity, and laid them into a cart. As he did, the ponies from the factory were just arriving on the scene, obviously terrified of Smudge himself, but seeing that he was trying to get the ponies out of the way, a few of the guards quickly hooked themselves up to said cart, and trotted back to town.

Dash watched as Smudge went back to the direction of the stone hut he'd be staying in, and followed after him. "Hey, you alright man?" Dash called out.

Smudge kept moving, slithering between the trees. "Not necessarily, that Sotoraggian just revealed he got paid by someone to get this watch. He did all of that damage to innocent ponies, just for this stupid watch!" Smudge moved back onto the main trail and immediately decided to try and blend in. Smudge molded himself into the shape of an earth pony stallion with a dirt brown coat, long grass green hair, bright turquoise eyes, strapped with a black and white harness that had the Omnitrix fixated on the center of it. "I need to get back to the hut, formulate a plan! I can't let this bastard have his way, not after that! He'll be lucky I decide to uphold the law, rather than kill him where he stands!" The disguised Lenopan remarked angrily.

As Smudge trotted away, Dash followed close behind, she needed to make sure Scootaloo was alright and safe. This wasn't how Dash thought the day was going to go, but chances are, if she didn't decide to stick around with this human shapeshifter, it could've been worse than it was.

[Outer Space]

Seventy-Four found himself back in his ship, exiting the planet's atmosphere and flying through the magical barrier. The Sotoraggian put the ship into auto-pilot, then took a knee on the floor.

Suddenly, the holographic controls, along with the interior lighting of the ship, changed into a bright crimson color, and a blurry, distorted equine-shaped figure presented itself. "Ahh, Seventy-Four, what an expected surprise. Didst thou collect the device like I paid you to?" the figure inquired, their voice was sharp and venomous, like a black widow's bite, but their tone was smooth and sickly sweet, like red velvet.

Seventy-Four shook his head. "Negative, ma'am. The Altnetrix seems to have bonded to the DNA of a human, one of the meddlesome creatures I told you about in one of our previous reports," Seventy-Four presses a button on one of his metal gauntlets, showing a video recording of the Altnetrix scanning Seventy-Four's DNA. "To make matters a bit worse for wear, the one who wields its power is one of the Plumbers... I was hoping that report I got was wrong, but we may have a problem, after all. The Altnetrix's arsenal has now also been restored to fifty-percent, just by re-acquiring my DNA. Apologies, I got a bit sloppy because of my emotions. I will return in two of Equiis Prime's rotations, this human won't stand in your way." Seventy-Four reported.

The equine figure didn't seem discouraged, but it wasn't happy with the report, either. "'Tis but one failure you won't make again. From what thou hast told me of these "Plumbers" in passing, specifically, the legends of one "Ben 10" and his exploits with such a familiar device, we can easily surmise that this Earthling won't be a thorn in our side, as long as we can keep him distracted. Exterminate him, if thou sees it fit, just understand that I won't tolerate another failure on thy part. Understood, Sotoraggian?" the mare inquired.

The Sotoraggian nodded his head, the white marks on their mask started to shine red as the moon's surface reflected off of his black mask. "It shall be done, as you've commanded." Seventy-Four confirmed. Almost immediately, everything started to return to its usual color, all while the same red mist that persisted on pushing through the magic barrier out in space, poured out from the Sotoraggian's suit, as if the suit itself was readjusting itself for pressure.

Seventy-Four returned to his seat, flying his ship to the surface of Equiis Prime's moon, hoping to ready himself for his next encounter with the Altnetrix-equipped Plumber.

Author's Note

Well, this is one way to start another multi-part chapter. Figured I'd introduce a new antagonist once every occasional chapter, but for now, this will do.

With Scott's arsenal increasing in available alien species, as well as Scott trying to come to terms with the trauma he suffered from, the tension is high, and he needs to train.

Here's where things get interesting:

With Scott being a Displaced, albeit not your typical Displaced, I'm thinking about bending the rules a bit, to allow for a crossover with another Displaced. So, I may ask around for whoever might be willing to crossover. I sincerely hope this works out, haven't done a Displaced crossover since... 2021 to 2022!?

Here's to hoping how this first crossover will go, otherwise I'll concede and admit this was a bad idea.

Rest, Relax & Ready for Action! Part 2 (cross-over with DisplacedWriter)

Author's Note

Big and massive thanks to DisplacedWriter for allowing me to cross-over with him. Go check him out, and check out his story, "[Displaced] A Forced Hero Rewrite" It's some of the greatest writing I've ever seen, the story is very good, you should check it out.

EDIT: (DisplacedWriter also wanted me to state that the Jeff in this cross-over is Future Jeff, not present day Jeff. Just wanted to clarify!)

Rest, Relax & Ready for Action! Part 2 (cross-over with DisplacedWriter)

[a couple hours after the previous part]

Scott felt his blood boiling from how angry he felt. He ran through the woods, not caring that the watch he wore timed him out minutes ago, he needed to get back to the stone hut and check if it had been attacked.

As Scott ran down the path, Rainbow Dash was following close behind. “Ya sure you don’t wanna pace yourself? You haven’t stopped running since the injured got carted off to Ponyville General!” Dash called out.

Scott skidded to a stop, a look of sheer irritation and shame was seen clearly on his face. “We should’ve gotten there sooner, now that Sotoraggian’s out for my head, and innocent ponies suffered because of it. I’m going to rectify this mistake, even if it means I have to stain my hands in red! My duty as a Plumber means I protect and serve, something I was too late to do for those ponies. If it happened to that kid you let pal around with you, you’d be feeling exactly what I’m feeling!” Scott stated firmly.

The pegasus had only known this human for a day and a half, and already she could tell that one thing could set him off, and that was unnecessary casualties. “Well, I can’t argue with that, but still! That thing said it was after something, the Alt-er whatever it is. Why didn’t you give it up?” Rainbow asked.

Scott gave the rainbow-maned pegasus a deadpan expression. “The Altnetrix, that’s not coming off, period. I’m not going to let this thing fall into the wrong hands, hooves, claws, and slash or whatever else that intends to use its power for evil! If Magister Tennyson was willing to blow his watch up, just to keep it out of a psychotic conqueror’s hands, then I have no qualms with making sure villains and hitmen don’t get their way.” Scott remarked.

Before the pegasus could say another word, Scott ran to the left, noticing the stone hut in the near distance. As the two made their way to the hut, it was obvious that something was different. There that sat nearby, was some kind of stone monolith with three pointed arrows, almost forming an ‘eye’ with no pupil. The wind suddenly picked up as it blew through the hole, making pleasant notes that repeated every five seconds.

The human and the pegasus were, for lack of a better word, baffled by the presence of this strange monolith. “You don’t think that Soto-whatever it was left this behind as a warning, do you?” Dash moved past it and knocked on the front door of the hut. “Scootaloo, are you okay in there? Is anypony home!?” Dash called out, knocking on the door frantically.

Scott approached the monolith, studying it carefully. “I don’t think this was what the Sotoraggian did. It looks ancient, almost… alien, in rough comparison. I’m not familiar with this marking, though… If I could turn into a Thep Khufan, it’d probably be easier to translate, but I… wait,” Scott pulled out his plumber badge, and suddenly remembered one of its key features. Scott laughed and put a hand to his head. “Of course, the universal translator! Finally, I can put it to use!” Scott remarked.

Scott tapped on the badge’s center a few times, and held it up to the monolith, letting a small red scanner cascade over the monolith. Soon enough, the scanning process stopped, and the badge let out a series of beeps before displaying the results in a bright white text. "Scans indicate this is a token from another world, error, cannot pinpoint origins. Scans reveal this will allow the summoning of another entity. Deeper scans reveal the monolith contains other worldly magic that can be activated by humming or singing the musical songs it is resonating in order to summon said entity. Scanners are picking up strange wolf DNA within the token."

Scott’s jaw dropped, and his head was now full of questions. “This monolith… a token?! Now I’ve heard everything, and I once argued with an Appoplexian about which Sumo Slammers movie was better,” Scott was genuinely confused with what was happening, but he decided to take a moment to think. “So, this monolith is a token, whatever that means. The scans indicate that it’s capable of summoning an entity, contains otherworldly magic activated by singing, and is picking up trace amounts of wolf DNA within it… either Dr. Animo has invested in the occult, or this is something from an entirely different world altogether! Just when I was getting used to the strange world I ended up in already.” Scott remarked.

Dash continued to knock on the door, but soon found herself frustrated, yet relieved that no one came to the door yet. “Doesn’t seem like anypony’s home. Your bat-pony pal must’ve kept his word, getting Scootaloo out of danger, should it come their way. But why is there just a random stone with markings on it, especially after what happened at the country club being nearly razed to the ground?!” Dash questioned.

Scott shrugged his shoulders. “I don’t have a clue. I’m a Plumber operative who’s been in space, not some street corner magic man. But, if I had to guess on how we get our answers, we might have to summon what’s in there, or whatever sent this here. Stand back, I’m gonna try something,” Dash was hesitant, but she already knew that Scootaloo was likely out of danger, so she backed away and let the human do whatever he was going to do. Scott cleared his throat as he took a deep breath. Pursing his lips together, Scott starts to whistle the same tune he heard come from the stone, making sure to blow air through the hole in the monolith. Scott soon stopped, and backed away, hoping whatever he did worked. “Now, we wait.” Scott stated.

The two are suddenly startled by the sound of a loud wolf howl in the air as the ‘eye’ of the stone began to swirl with green wind magic, and from out of the hole a spectral gray, red, and green wolf leaped out, soon landing behind the two. Slowly, it turned around to gaze at the two with its glowing blue eyes. Despite the eeriness of the creature, Scott noticed the wolf is wearing two blue rings in its pointed ear tips. “Well, this is rather… unexpected. Canine of the Monolith, can you understand me?” Scott inquired, unsure as to what exactly he should say. The ghost-like wolf gave a soft nod to Scott.

Scott carefully approached the ghostly wolf and knelt down. “Perhaps you could educate me on why this unnatural monolith is in front of my humble abode, or where it is you came from?” Scott asked. The wolf nodded once more, but before Scott could say another word, it suddenly leaped toward him, and at that moment his vision suddenly spun around, causing it black out.

As his vision cleared, he suddenly found himself somewhere else high above the clouds, yet oddly Scott is standing on top of them as if on solid ground. As the plumber looked up, he saw the wolf again sitting nearby, and with another howl, a bright light blinded him momentarily. The second the light clears, the wolf is gone, now replaced with what looked to be a figure wearing a thick cloak and hood of red feathers, with the only hint seen underneath were his leather boots.

Scott was unsure as to what exactly happened, but eventually, he did find the words he was looking for. “I’ve seen a number of strange, supernatural and extraterrestrial things in my time, but this might just take the cake. Who and slash or what are you, where am I, and why did you bring me here?” Scott looked around, noticing that he could see Canterlot Castle from where he was. “Okay, that’s very trippy. What’s happening?” Scott inquired.

“You’re currently in a mindscape; a dream-like state so we may speak in private. As for who and what, I’m Jeff, a Hylian.” Jeff said as he reached up to lower the red cloak, revealing the face of an adult with blond hair and facial hair in the form of a goatee and mustache. “It's a precaution I applied to my token as I never know who might summon me and what their intentions may be.” the Hylian explained to Scott.

Scott was now incredibly confused. “Hylian? Never heard of a species such as that, but I’ve also never been stranded on a planet full of pastel-colored sentient equines capable of utilizing magic, and are easily threatened by aliens… starting to think I hit my head when I showed up here,” Scott tried to keep himself calm, but he was struggling. This place was different from the dreamscape he often found himself in during his time asleep, it was like being blacked out, but the body doesn’t see anything wrong, so it keeps going. “Look, you are inside the mind of a Plumber operative, and by my authority as a Plumber Cadet, why do you continue to call the monolith your “token”?” Scott inquired.

"Our minds to be exact. The mindscape is just using your memories of Equestria, nothing else. I call this Howling Stone my token,” Jeff pauses to grab hold of a necklace of a much smaller monolith tied to leather string. “It is an item I created myself that allows me to travel the void and its paradoxical chaos safely.” Jeff explained, however, upon seeing the confused look on Scott’s face, made him continue. “The void is a giant gap between our universes, there are infinite numbers of Equestrias outside of yours.”

Scott let out an exasperated sigh, only to be rendered shocked when he heard the last few words Jeff iterated. “I-Infinite Equestrias? Giant gap between universes? Is this what illicit substances are like, because I certainly feel as if something isn’t making sense… how- how is this possible? What are you, some sort of figure out of time, like that Paradox guy Magister Tennyson usually allies himself with?” Scott questioned, feeling a minor bit of strain within his head.

Jeff couldn’t help but let out a chuckle when Scott asked if he’s a figure outside of time. “You could say that thanks to the goddess of time Nayru as she lets me travel through time easily using her song. Also, you’d be surprised what Displaced are capable of, so depending on whatever tokens appear in your world, you’ll get to meet all sorts of oddities.”

Scott felt as if everything was spinning, until he heard one word echo through his head. Displaced. Scott remembered the very moment everything changed for him, he looked to the Altnetrix that was resting on his right wrist, and finally, everything started to finally calm down. “Pump the breaks, my feathery friend, explain to me… what is a ‘Displaced’, and how does one qualify as one of them?” Scott inquired, now feeling skeptical and curious of his situation.

“A Displaced is someone who has been torn from their world and either changed found their body changed, or sent into another world by whatever powerful beings are out there, usually the most common lead being after buying an item from a shady merchant, while other stories i’ve heard from other Displaced being meeting some entity, or touching some object, or they died and woke up in a different body, the list goes on.” Jeff explained to the best of his knowledge.

Scott continued to stare down at the Altnetrix, all while a buzzing sensation seemed to ruminate inside his head. “But, none of that happened to me… I was on my way to the bus stop to go visit my family’s old farm, to pay respects, but then I got called in for a job a block away. I went to that job, completely unequipped with my usual gear, and despite being alive, I risked my life for Ben Tennyson,” Scott showed Jeff the Altnetrix, letting its usual turquoise glow shine brightly. “His arch nemesis, Vilgax the Conqueror, he knocked me flat, sent me flying and crashing to tons of crates, buried me under them, too. One of them had to have this watch I’m wearing inside one of them. It saved my life, but then it activated something called the Displacement Protocol. Before I knew what happened, I ended up in Equestria, now equipped with an Omnitrix-like device, my Plumber badge, and no real way back home. I didn’t have a lot back home, but it still sucks that I was suddenly ripped away from everything I knew. Are we the only ones this has happened to, or, dare I even ask, are there others?” Scott inquired, the gravity of his situation was finally starting to hit him like a twelve-ton bag of cinderblocks.

"Ah, then chances are your.. device, whatever you called it, may have been messed with by a Void Dweller's proxy. And before you ask, a void dweller is one of the powerful entities I mentioned while a proxy is some kind of ‘body’ they send to other worlds since their original form is too powerful to go near any of our worlds. They’re the ones responsible for so many humans being changed and sent away for whatever twisted amusement they’re going for.” Jeff explained with a soft sigh as he remembered his old world.

Scott felt disgusted, horrified, but above all else, he felt angry. Sure, now he knows he and Jeff weren’t the only ones plagued by such a fate, but to know that they’ve done this numerous times to many unsuspecting individuals, he was pissed beyond compare. “Of all the deplorable things they’ve done, this is number one on their list of possible crimes! How such powerful beings could do such things to unsuspecting souls, is beyond me, but someday, they will all pay for their misdeeds! As soon as my work in Equestria is done, and I find my way back, I’m going to be the first plumber to put one of these ‘Void Dwellers’ under Plumber custody, I don’t care how, I’ll make it happen. I promise you!” Scott declared.

Jeff raised a leather covered hand. “Don’t bother, it’d be best to focus on whatever pleasant life you’ve got in this Equestria than to start a war with things beyond your understanding..” the Hylian said with a warning of caution; his voice full of concern and worry.

Scott, who was clearly still fuming over how these Void Dwellers had ruined numerous lives, was very much not okay with letting this go, and yet, he didn’t have it in him to worry about that. If he couldn’t face an alien hitman who hospitalized numerous ponies just for this watch, he wouldn’t have time to face the monsters that put him in Equestria in the first place. Not even to mention, he’s only got five aliens on his roster, and he can’t rely on the Altnetrix forever. He got by without it before, he can adapt to this, he just needed a plan of attack.

Scott took a deep breath, and sighed, feeling severely disappointed in himself for having no choice but to let the Void Dweller situation go, but he knew that this was for the best. There was another threat that desired his attention, and by the fires of hell itself, he was gonna give them the kind of attention that was bound to get them killed.

As soon as Scott calmed down, he faced the Hylian and looked around the mindscape, unsure as to what his next move was supposed to be. “Alright, well, if I must forget about the Void Dwellers and their reprehensible crimes against numerous universes, then fine. As of now, a Sotoraggian hitman is after me, and I need to stop them. Any ideas, or anything you can teach me to deal with him?” Scott asked.

“Quite a lot of things actually; swordsmanship, archery, magic, and so much more. Before I do teach you anything, it’d be best to do this outside the mindscape.” Jeff said as he held up his hand, causing the surrounding area and Scott’s vision to fade. The next second Scott knew he was about where he was before, with a confused and shaky Rainbow Dash standing on the sidelines. As Scott turned to his left, he found Jeff leaning against the nearby wall of the hut.

“Sorry about the whole ‘leaping into your head’ thing there.” Jeff said with a hand raised.

Scott quickly got back onto his feet and looked at Jeff. “Man, that mindscape stuff is quite the trip, especially for first timers,” Scott shook his head and looked over at Dash, who was genuinely confused, and at a loss for words. “Oh… right. Uh, Dash, this is Jeff, the wolf ghost that jumped into my head. Apparently, he’s what he refers to as a ‘Hylian’, a species of life I’m not familiar with. He’s here to help me prepare for the Sotoraggian’s eventual return. Speaking of, what’s the first thing I’m going to learn?” Scott asked, dusting himself off.

“Whichever can help you with… Soteraggo- whatever you just said..” Jeff said with a frown.

Scott thought about the possibilities for a moment, but he finally came up with a decision. “If you have an item of sorts you’d be willing to part ways with, or be willing to train me in swordsmanship, that could benefit me greatly. I’m handy with a pistol and a baseball bat, but believe me, they don’t last long against aliens like the Sotoraggians. I need to completely pull the wool over their eyes, if they even have any. I don’t suppose you’d have anything comparable to a flashbang, would you?” Scott asked.

Jeff reaches into his pouch as he shuffles through it, soon pulling out what looks to be some kind of oddly shaped walnut. “A deku nut would be of help, they’re the dried buds of Deku Babas. How many will you need? If you need a stable supply then I’ll need to give you a deku seed instead so you may grow them yourself..” Jeff explained as he handed the Deku Nut to Scott. “It will release a bright flash that’ll blind or stun others, just be sure to cover your eyes before you throw it down. As for swordsmanship I can teach you, you would be the second person I've taught about so far.”

Scott examined the Deku nut carefully, smiling and nodding his head in approval. “Incredible, it’s like nature’s homemade flashbang! Rather impressive, I’ll take a couple seeds off your hands, if that’s alright. The more ammunition for taking the bad guys by surprise, the better this world will end up being,” Scott pocketed the deku nut and looked back to Jeff. “I’ll gladly take the swordsmanship lesson, if you’re offering. I would gladly like to see how well I can fend for myself with a blade, rather than the typical blunt instrument.” Scott stated.

Jeff into his pouches again to pull out a small leather bag full of deku seeds. "Just plant them in soil, preferably somewhere safe because once they've grown big enough, they will be hostile toward everyone else, that is you as their caretaker, they're like a more active Venus flytrap." the Hylian explained as he placed the bag into Scott's hand. Jeff took a glance at Rainbow Dash who still looked confused by all of the new stuff, especially since Scott isn’t the only human looking figure.

Scott walked over to Dash and knelt down. “Look, I understand your confusion, believe me, it’s a lot to take in for me, too. I’ll explain what I can to you, as well as Zapp when he gets back, when this is all said and done. I promise, this is for the betterment of Equestria as a whole. Can you trust me, just this once?” Scott requested.

Dash was uncertain, giving a slight glance at Jeff as he leaned against a tree. The pegasus sighed and nodded her head. “The list of stuff you gotta explain is getting larger every day, you know that?” Dash remarked.

Jeff chuckled quietly behind his hand. “It’s going to be infinite eventually.” the Hylian said quietly to himself.

Scott smiled. “I know, and I’ll explain all I can when this is over, you have my word,” Scott stood up and walked over to Jeff, offering a handshake. “Consider this a done deal, let’s get to work, shall we?” Scott offered with a smirk. Jeff took Scott’s hand and gave it a firm shake.

“To make this trainer better, do you by chance have an image of this guy you need to deal with?” Jeff asked Scott as he lowered his hand from the handshake.

Scott sighed and pulled his hand away. “Unfortunately, I didn’t have a camera at the ready. But, I do have a description as to what he looked like. He was a couple feet taller than me, dressed clad in blue and red armor, had five white marks on a black helmet, and had wrist-mounted lasers. Keep in mind, this wasn’t your usual Sotoraggian, however. This one, unlike the rest of his kind, could actually speak coherent English. Most of the time, they speak in strange alien grunts, groans, screeches, it’s like they’re butchering the Korean language, and grilling it in a skillet. This particular Sotoraggian, calls himself Seventy-Four, was speaking and understanding English, something I’ve never heard a single Sotoraggian do before. Needless to say, he’s a nasty and downright psychotic monster. The Altnetrix was able to scan his DNA when he grabbed it, but I’m a bit hesitant to use the form. There’s always the possibility that it could also change my personality, and that’s a pretty prominent issue, from what I’ve learned about Ben Tennyson in the academy.” Scott explained.

“So a little similar to my transformation masks where I feel and act like the mask I became.” Jeff said with a nod as he runs the description about the Sotoraggian creature through his mind.

Scott was now thrown for a loop. “I’m sorry, but similar to the what that you have? Pardon me!?” Scott wanted to inquire more about the mask, but immediately stopped himself, he had enough on his plate right now. “We can discuss that at a later date. For now, let’s focus on this. What’s the plan here?” Scott inquired.

Jeff let out a laugh of amusement at Scott’s confusion. “I’d be here all day if I had to explain my many strange powers and equipment, but yes, let’s focus on the matter at hand.” Jeff explained as he took out his ocarina of time. Placing the tip to his mouth, he begins to play a haunting melody, causing the ground to shiver in response. As the song ends, a figure slowly emerges from out of the earth, taking on the form of a strange golem in an attempt to mold into the creature Scott explained. To the plumper’s eyes while it did look like him, it wasn’t a perfect copy as there were some details missing here and there. “This will be your training dummy.” The Hylian said as he gestures with his hand toward the statue.

Scott was both impressed, and rightfully terrified. Sure, it wasn’t a perfect one-to-one copy of the Sotoraggian that attacked hours earlier, but it was still pretty intimidating. “I’m fighting that… a literal stone replica of the alien that devastated and severely injured numerous ponies… well, I asked for this, what’s the next step? I’m not exactly confident in using my powers, but then again, it’s safer, knowing one of them can regenerate and reform itself.” Scott stated, trying to stand his ground. The training hasn’t even started yet, and he’s already worried.

Jeff places the ocarina of time back into his pouch and soon was pulling out a tiny rod, only for it to suddenly grow to its full height. It looked to be a wooden rod with a glowing red gem on top. Scott, by this point, was at a loss for words. He’d seen magic be used before by many strong sorcerers, but he’s seen nothing like this. Jeff places his hand over the rob as it takes on a fiery glow, and with a swing of the staff, a glowing orb rushes into the statue, causing its eyes to light up as it sprung to life.

The Sotoraggian replica immediately busted out a couple shoulder lasers, as well as deploying the wrist-mounted lasers. It also started to hover in the air, like the jetpack it had was actually functional. The Sotoraggian replica grabbed a chunk of rock from its side, clutching it like it was a firearm-esque weapon.

Jeff reaches into his pouch to take out a steel sword, soon tossing it over to Scott, who manages to catch the sword’s handle, twirling it around with his fingers to straighten the blade towards the sky. The blade was a bit heavier than Scott expected, but he was willing to manage. “Starting to see how the Forever Knights preferred their medieval weapons, before getting into alien tech!” Scott commented.

“Now, I’m going to let it fight you for a bit so I can observe how you can fight without your Omnitrix, then I’ll offer suggestions on how to improve.” Jeff explains as he raises the magic rod, commanding the statue to fight Scott.

The statue rushed forward, and Scott instinctively rolled to the side to dodge. The statue barely missed, but was quickly moving forward to land a strike. Scott barely managed to get the sword up and use it to block the statue’s attack, unfortunately, Scott got knocked back, along with the sword flying out of his hands, landing nearby in the brush.

“When facing a foe stronger or bigger than you, don’t block the attack head on, you’ll just end up straining your arm or worse breaking them, instead, pushing and deflecting it to the side to throw off their balance.” Jeff instructed as he uses the magic rod to bring the sword back using green winds. The sword gently places itself into Scott’s hand.

Scott grips the blade’s handle tightly, taking a deep breath to calm his nerves. Scott mentally prepares himself, and nods to Jeff, signaling to him that he’s ready this time. Jeff commands the statue to fight Scott again, and the statue rushes forward. Scott rolls out of the way, like before, but quickly turns the flat side of the blade to the statue. The statue charges towards Scott, ready to knock the Plumber back again, but Scott quickly steps to the side, and tries to slice the statue’s side. Surprisingly despite being made of stone, Scott’s attack managed to cut through it. The plumber shakes his head deciding to figure out the logic behind it later..

“Good, good, keep on your toes. The less attacks that land on you, the least harm you’ll have to worry about.” Jeff nodded in approval.

Scott nodded, but kept up his guard up as the statue continued its attack. It rushed forward, trying to swipe and knock Scott off his feet, but the Plumber was backing up a lot, trying to keep his distance from his sedimentary attacker. Scott watched as the statue jumped into the air and tried to claw at the Plumber, but Scott then made the attempt to try and deflect the attack, knocking the statues claw to the side and causing it to look on in confusion as if it didn’t understand what just happened. Before long the statue had stumbled past Scott.

As the statue lurched forward for one last attack, Scott jumped over it, and tried to stab his sword into the back of the statue. Unfortunately, the statue managed to barely roll out of the way, before collapsing, anyway.

Scott let his sword stand amongst the ground, all while he took a knee, just to catch his breath. “I never thought I’d see the day where I’m wielding a sword and fighting a Sotoraggian statue, but I guess crazier things have happened… heheh.” Scott weakly remarked, chuckling lightly as he fell back onto the ground, catching his breath.

“Oh trust me, you’ll be seeing alot of that the longer you live in Equestria, especially when you meet more Displaced, that is if more of their tokens arrive here, just keep one thing in your mind; not all Displaced are have intentions, to be wary when you summon one, lucky for you my token got here first.” Jeff said with a nod.

Scott sighed and slowly picked himself up, just barely getting to his knees as he tried to stand up. Scott climbed the sword he stuck in the ground, now leaning against the blade that cleaved through a stone statue. Jeff raises his magic rod, causing the statue to mend itself and raise back up. Jeff makes his way over to Scott as the Hylian holds his staff over Scott.

“[Life]” Jeff spoke in some kind of Hylian language, causing Scott’s translator to speak the word in english. Scott feels his fatigue being restored as a pleasant sapphire blue surrounded his body. “Other than the wrist blades, the shoulder cannons, and the jetpack, is there anything else you can tell me?” Jeff asked as he looked down at Scott.

Scott stood up and dusted himself off, trying to think. “Well, I know alien tech doesn’t respond to magic all that well. According to one of the old files on the Plumber HQ computer, a magic spell was able to cause Magister Tennyson’s Omnitrix to go absolutely haywire, it would not work right until it was fixed. In general, magic is like foreign malware to alien tech. It’s possible that magically-enchanted weapons could achieve a similar result, it at least gives me an excuse to wield a ‘magic wand’ of sorts, but to be honest, unless there’s a magic baseball bat lying around, my chances were slim to none already, but now my chances of survival are a smidge higher.” Scott explained.

“I believe the best chance at beating this guy is for me to teach you one of my spells that will allow you to infuse your weapon with an element, and since it is magic in nature any of the three will do. What would you like, Frost, Thunder, or Flame?” Jeff asked curiously with a smile.

Scott thought about the idea for a moment, and figured the idea of wielding an electrically charged bat sounded rather ingenious. “Let’s make it thunder, because Seventy-Four is in for a serious shock, when I send him home runnin’!” Scott remarked.

“Ha, I like your way of thinking.” Jeff said as he drew out his Master Sword, holding it in his hands. “To channel the spell of Thunder Blade, or in your case Thunder Bat, remember the courageous feeling that rushes through your body as you attack defiantly, desiring to defend those you cherish most.” Jeff explained as electricity began to dance along his blade.

Scott nodded his head, remembering the world he left behind, and remembering that innocent ponies are at stake in this world. “Consider it done. Call me Thor, for I am the god of thunder, and I shall smite down evil where it stands!” Scott looked around, still needing a weapon. “Okay, now where am I going to find a baseball bat around here?” Scott looked over to the sword still in the ground, and shrugged his shoulders. “It’ll have to do, for now.” Scott remarked, pulling the sword from the ground, gripping the handle tightly.

“I usually draw the electric from Farore’s Orb, so yours will need to draw upon yourself or,” Jeff pauses as he waves his hand over the air. “Harmonic magic from your surroundings.” Jeff said with a gesture.

Scott looked around, and decided to raise his sword to the sky, closing his eyes as he tried to concentrate on drawing in magic. Scott wasn't sure how to do something he’s never done before, but he simply just tried to keep a cool head, to think about how if he just left this world to its own devices, this world would’ve been conquered, enslaved, or destroyed.

By staying in this world and lending a hand to those who couldn’t handle aliens, or anything of the similar sort, it made Scott feel that his choice to stay here mattered. Even if it meant never returning to the world he knew before, what he was doing in this world mattered. These ponies mattered, any other sentient creature who couldn’t stand against these extraterrestrial invaders mattered, despite possibly no longer being an official Plumber, his job still mattered to him, because it allowed him to help people, aliens and ponies like this, because it mattered.

Suddenly, something started to jumpstart within the Plumber, something rather shocking, it surged and built up within him until it almost felt like it would explode out of his chest. With a jolt, Scott’s temporary steel sword ignited with electricity; crackling fiercely only to suddenly vanish. Scott could feel the sensation in his chest from that sudden rush of courage.

“It’ll take a few practices as I sense your magic just woke up inside of you, no doubt your body feels a little jittery.” Jeff said with a nod as he sheath his master sword; the electric fading away now that it wasn’t in the Hylian’s hand.

Scott could feel his entire body jittering, sometimes even twitch on its own, but Scott simply smiled, laughing as he set his sword down. “This is the strangest sensation I’ve ever felt in my life. It’s like I suddenly underwent a sugar rush, and downed five full cans of some sort of energy drink in one sitting, minus the horrible after effects! Ooooohhhh, jittery! I wonder if this is what a Conductoid always feels like. Living electricity in a suit, trying to burst out! This is actually kinda cool!” Scott took a deep breath, trying to calm his body down, all while looking at the Hylian. “So, what happens now, magic man?” Scott asked, curious as to what was next.

“Just don’t let it rush out so quickly next time once that feeling starts, otherwise you might end up casting a Thunder Shot instead of a Thunder Blade.” Jeff said with a chuckle, then paused to think. “Hmm, let’s see what else to teach you..”

Scott nodded, thinking about what else could be done. Suddenly, Scott’s mind started to linger back to Jeff’s mention of transformation masks. “Hey, Jeff! What exactly were you on about earlier, in regards to masks?” Scott inquired.

“I’ve got transformation masks, most of them I’ve gained when..” Jeff pauses to let out a sigh through his nostrils due to things he remembers of the past. “I had to help heal and soothe a few spirits who had a lot of unfinished business left in Equestria. Using the song of healing, I helped them find peace in the afterlife, leaving behind a mask that when I wear it, allows me to gain their memories, body, and abilities. I.. well, curiosity got the best of me when I wanted to study how the masks work, and after a number of years I've managed to learn how to make my own transformation masks, minus having to heal a spirit or undo a curse that forced an unwanted transformation.” Jeff explained to Scott.

Scott was rather impressed, and it put him at ease to know that Jeff wasn’t a bad guy. “Sounds like one hell of a legend, if you ask me. Good on you for helping them find peace, goes to show how nice of a guy you are.” Scott thought, the idea of having a mask would be rather useful, should the Altnetrix fail at any point.

"I do what is morally right in my heart, even if it means putting my life at risk to make sure everyone and everypony gets to live in peace, admittingly, being the hero wasn’t easy when I first arrived in Equestria, especially since as I lived in my Equestria, I learned that a lot of creatures remembered Link of legends, so considering I was Displaced with his body, I had to try and live up to his fables." Jeff explained with a nod, making Scott realize why Jeff looked so worn, like he faced countless battles.

Scott shuddered. “Yeesh, no wonder you look like a battle-born veteran, you’re in the body of one! That’s actually kind of insane, but also pretty neat. Probably not so much for this Link guy, however he’s handling any of this, but hey, sometimes ya gotta make the best out of a bad situation, right?” Scott thought back to those masks again, and suddenly got an idea. “Say, you wouldn’t mind me having one of those masks, would you? It’d be nice to have something to rely on in case this space-bound bootleg decides to not work when I need it to.” Scott requested.

Jeff let out a snort of amusement at Scott calling the Altnetrix a bootleg. “Sure, it’ll just take a bit of wood to curve it and magic. What body are you looking to have? Don’t tell me anything powerful, like an alicorn..” Jeff warned with a frown.

Scott gave a wry smirk. “Oh rats, just when I was hoping to become the prince of Boston,” Scott playfully remarked, causing Jeff to softly bap Scott upside his head “Nah, I’m not looking for a horn and a pair of wings, sounds a bit redundant, if you ask me. I’m actually rather curious if you have a Hylian Mask up for grabs.” Scott inquired.

Jeff held up a hand and opened his mouth to say something, then closed it, opened it again, then closed it. The Hylian’s ears twitched a few times as he thought about it. “That has got to be the most unexpected request I've had, most would just go for a unicorn, pegasus, or earth pony mask.” Jeff said in surprise.

Scott snickered. “Please, as interesting as it would be to simply get masks of those ponies, seems too easy, personally. In my opinion, maybe I’ll get those ponies’ DNA one day, I don't know, but I’ll get it. My point is, I’m not familiar with any species of life that resembles anything compared to whatever the hell a ‘Hylian’ is, so I’m rather intrigued, curious even, to see what being a Hylian is like, even if I know the Altnetrix might not even count it. I mean, come on, I see aliens and magic every day, before and after I left my old world behind, this couldn’t possibly be any different from what I’m used to, could it?” Scott inquired.

“Well, as far as I know, there’s only three Hylians across the void. Me, Mike, and Johnny, all of them Displaced as the hero of legends however each one using a different set of powers and being different incarnations of Link, so in short me including them are the only sources of information about what a Hylian is, so I'll give you the short explanation. First, A lot of Hylians are magically in tune with magic, so there’s your explanation of why a lot of my powers work the way they are, second.” Jeff pauses as he pushes his long ears up. “Those ears aren’t because of how Hylians have evolved, but they allow me to hear the messages of the Goddesses, or I suppose Gods depending on the world.” Jeff said as his right pointed ear twitched when he heard a distant voice. “..Like now your Celestia said something about how she can't believe another summer sun celebration is a month away as she wants to write to her daughters but decides against it as she thinks they’ve got everything under control, they’ll write to her when they’ve got the chance.” Jeff said, repeating what he just heard.

Scott was rather surprised. “So, Princess Celestia’s a mother. I'll be honest, I’m not entirely surprised, every royal family has heirs to the throne, even if they have to adopt. What surprises me more, is how you were just able to confirm that the tall horse is a goddess. What else do you hear, anyway?” Scott inquired.

"Hey, I didn't write the rules of how those works, I mean really all of this was a work of fiction in my world back on Earth before I got Displaced and learned all of this is as real as living and breathing. As for what else I can hear, just as I mentioned as to whoever is a god or goddess, and I don't mean it as a self-proclaimed title. Don’t worry, it's controllable hearing, I can just choose to ignore it and it never comes.” Jeff explained as he stretched his arms above his head.

Scott nodded his head, impressed, and now with one more question on his mind. “What do you mean this was a ‘work of fiction’? I deal with this kind of stuff back on Earth everyday, and you’re telling me this is fiction? How is this possible?” Scott asked.

"The legend of Zelda was just a game, just a story on a screen with controller in hand...” Jeff explained to Scott.

Scott looked unamused and still confused. “You described a video game. You’re telling me that numerous displaced individuals can end up in the bodies of video game characters that come from fiction, regardless of what it is? Not only is that kinda interesting, but it makes me hate the Void Dwellers more than I previously did moments ago.” Scott remarked.

"Video game characters, anime, manga, anything. If you can think of it then it's most likely exists somewhere out there across the vast void, there probably is a Displaced Vilgax out there. I have met a Displaced Ben Tennyson before while a few others were Displaced with some variant of the Omnitrix.” Jeff said with a shake of his head.

Scott officially felt like his brain was on overdrive. “You met Magister Tennyson?! There’s more people out there with watches like mine!? Why would these monsters turn innocent people into Vilgax, of all people!?! What a special kind of sick and twisted you have to be, just to do this to innocent people!! I’ve never wanted to kill anything more than I do right now, I just wish I had the means to do it!” Scott exclaimed in a blind fury.

"YYyyep." Jeff said with an extra 'pa' at the end, then raised his leather covered hands as Scott got heated. "Hey, if the void dwellers wish for it, it will happen, any human can become anything, and since the void is forever growing infinite, there'll be no end to what a void dweller can do. To give you a general idea, you can try asking Celestia about Discord, while he isn’t a void dweller, his chaotic reality warping is a good example of what they can do.” Jeff said as he gently pushed his hair out of his eyes.

Scott took a moment to let everything sink in, and the more he did, his anger soon subsided. He turned to look at Dash, who had clearly undergone information overload, and was now asleep on the ground. Scott took a deep breath and sighed, walking over to the slumbering pegasus and picked her up, putting her on his back.

Scott looked up to the sky, noticing the sun beginning to set. “Well, this was an eventful day. In regards to what you said about ‘Discord’ or whatever that thing is called, I’ll try to remember when I report to Celestia first thing in the morning. You never let me know if I could have that Hylian mask. Is it a yes, or a no?” Scott asked.

“OH! Right, yea, I can, I just need time to get wood and curve a face into it.” Jeff said with a nod. The Hylian had gotten so caught up in the conversation about the void dwellers that he had forgotten. The way Jeff talked about them told Scott that the Hylian was not a fan of what they’ve done, and now, clearly the Plumber had a bone to pick with them as well.

Scott walked over to the front door, opening the door as he directed Jeff to one of the nearby maple trees. "I have tons of Maple wood for you to use for your masks, especially the Hylian mask I requested. Feel free to pick a tree and cut it down, simple as that. Anything you don't use, I can save for my fireplace, it's the least I can do to pay you back, I don’t have a lot, let alone any little bit to give in return." Scott offered.

“To be honest, being summoned and spending time with someone who is human or used to be a human is a nice refresher, I mean the ponies back in my Equestria are wonderful but it’s nice to talk to someone from Earth regardless of which one.” Jeff said with a smile as he got up from sitting.

Scott smiled as he set the mare down on a small sofa, then took a moment to admire the interior of the hut. The fireplace was lit with a small cozy fire, the wooden table looked incredibly sturdy, the hardwood floor felt incredible beneath his feet, it truly reminded him of home. “Oh if Ma and Pops could see me now… they’d probably laugh at me, but still be proud that I finally made it… kinda.” Scott quietly said, finally letting himself relax for a moment.

Scott’s attention was drawn as he heard the sound of bones creaking, making him look out the window. Upon gazing outside, he notices blue and purple lights dancing around Jeff and some kind of mask clinging to his face. With a loud crack of thunder and a flash of light, Jeff suddenly changed before Scott’s eyes, now appearing as some kind of rock-like creature. The only thing of familiarity that told it was Jeff was the red cloak he wore, which had grown to still fit him despite the transformation. What made Scott’s eyes almost pop out was when he took out what looked to be some kind of metal hammer, and with a mighty swing, destroyed parts of the trunk, causing the tree he hit to come falling down with a loud groan.

Scott had no idea what he was looking at, but he had to admit, it did look pretty cool. “Well, I guess that’s one way of getting wood. I’m surprised you didn’t wake up Rainbow Dash doing that.” Scott remarked, thoroughly surprised.

For the remaining amount of daylight, the rock form of Jeff took the tree away from Scott’s home as he got to work in breaking it down into smaller pieces using the Megaton Hammer, not the most effective way but it worked. Once it was all said and done, Jeff sat outside, using a knife to curve at a piece of wood. Slowly overtime the wood would start to take on the face of Scott except with the added additions of Hylian ears.

Meanwhile, Scott went back into the hut and looked into a bag full of pre-stocked meats. “Man, there’s a lot of this stuff to go through. Beef, ribs, more of that weird chicken stuff, aha! There’s what I’m looking for,” Scott pulled out a small bundle of linked sausages. “Bacon dogs! This is good eating right here.” Scott remarked.

Scott snipped off a few of the sausages and skewered them with a couple metal forks, and let them roast close to the fire for a moment. “Almost feels like I haven’t eaten in months! Technically that’s true, the guards knocked me out and had me in a cell for a month, knocked unconscious for the whole thing… At least that it worked out fine, no one got into trouble and no one got thrown into the dungeon again. I can finally eat in peace, knowing so much, and yet so little.” Scott quietly remarked, watching as the sausages cooked close to the open flame.

It was a learning experience that day. Scott learned of things he could barely comprehend, but he also learned that he wasn't alone out in the ever-expanding infinitum of the Omniverse, knowing there's more displaced out there. At least for the first time, he's made a friend out of one of them, and intends to get stronger thanks to their efforts.

Maybe one day, he can hope to do the same.

Rest, Relax & Ready for Action! Part 3 (cross-over with DisplacedWriter)

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Rest, Relax & Ready for Action! Part 4 (cross-over with DisplacedWriter)

The hut was silent. Several guards, Jeff, and Dash were at a temporary loss for words, all while Scott was unconscious, unaware of what was happening around him. In any other case, this probably would’ve been a normal situation, but this was pretty out there.

Dash sighed, rubbing her hooves against her temples. “Okay, before anypony, or anyone decides to draw a weapon, let me be the first to say, this is the strangest situation you’ve seen the human in since he got here,” The guards looked at each other, rightfully concerned, but not objecting to the mare’s words. “And this pointy-eared dude in the fancy rags is from another world, who came to help… trust me, I don’t entirely understand any of this as much as the next guy, but you have to believe me when I say, this guy is one of Scott’s allies. AKA, someone you can trust.” Dash tried to explain.

“..It's called a Roc’s Cloak..” Jeff whispered in annoyance that Dash called it rags.

Dash shrugged and looked a bit disinterested, though the smug grin on her face told a different story. “Zap Apple Jam, Applesauce, same thing, minor difference, pretty boy.” Dash casually remarked.

The pristine white stallion with bat wings stepped forward. “And how can we trust your word as the truth? You ditched the guard the moment you were about to join us! That’s the most blatant show of disrespect you could display to the royal guard, and since then, you haven’t exactly been the most trusted pony in these kinds of situations, regardless of how strange the circumstances are.” Zapp explained firmly.

Dash rolled her eyes and trotted towards the bat pony. “Uh, last I checked, I was there with Scott, when some murder-craving alien torched the country club! We’ve been trying to formulate a plan on how to stop this thing, and we don’t have that much time to think of anything else! From what I’ve slept through, these two have been dealing with some serious horse apples without you,” Zapp felt rather threatened when Dash phrased her words like that, but kept his composure. “And now he’s dealing with a bit of an information overload. Scott’s passed out on the couch, transformed into whatever blondie McElf-boy over here is, and we don’t have a plan! Where did you and your little hoof troop even go!? I stuck around, and the rest of you were gone! Remind me, who can’t be trusted again?” Dash reprimanded.

“Leeet’s just take a moment to breath..” Jeff said as he slowly got up from his seat, sensing that tensions are currently high. “It's been a very rough eight hours, I’d explain why but it’d be best we wait for Scott to rest up from the knowledge dump he had..” the Hylian said with a calm voice of caution.

Dash and Zapp looked at each other, then back at the unconscious Plumber. They both backed away and refused to look at each other, though it’s clear they both had their own concerns about the human being, well, currently unavailable. Zapp sighed, grabbing an apple from the bag of produce. “So, let’s start from the beginning, and slowly work our way up from there. Start with introductions, who and what are you?” Zapp asked the Hylian.

"I'm Jeff, a Hylian, which is a form Scott is now after making and giving him a magical mask. A pleasure to meet you." Jeff said as he held out a leather covered hand.

Zapp cautiously stepped forward and placed his hoof in Jeff’s hand, allowing the Hylian to give a firm but gentle shake. “So, how did Scott end up like this again?” Zapp inquired, gesturing to the “Hylian” that was peacefully and blissfully unaware of what was happening around him during his unconscious state.

Dash groaned. “The reason he looks like that is because of some fancy magic mask Jeff made for him.” Dash explained.

“Take note I did mention magic, so of course it's not gonna look like a normal mask until Scott willingly takes it off him.” Jeff explained further, earning some strange looks from Zapp.

Dash sighs, clearly starting to get a headache. “Just think about it, pal. If Scott could already use some weird watch to turn into alien monsters, is it really that hard to believe that there might be magic masks that can do the same thing?” Dash asked, trying to apply logic to Jeff’s explanation.

Zapp opened his mouth to say something, only to then immediately close it and look at the floor in embarrassment.

Dash smiled, feeling proud that she got a win out of that, but soon enough, Dash was focused back on the topic at hand. “To briefly explain things, Scott and I were on our way back to the hut to formulate a plan against this psycho alien hitman who wants Scott dead. When we got back, we found an ancient stone-thing that wasn’t there before, and one thing led to another, we summoned Jeff here to our world. If you think that’s crazy, you’ve heard nothing of the sort.” Dash explained.

Zapp took a deep breath and slowly exhaled. “Let’s say I believe you, where do we go from here, Dash?” Dash shrugged her shoulders, which frustrated the bat pony a fair bit. “Well, if you have no ideas, how about we go back to Canterlot Castle, see if Scott can explain things to them, since they’ve been panicking the whole time about a magical imbalance!” Zapp stated sternly.

“Yeeaaa, a lot of that would be because of me teaching Scott new things, I’ll explain further once we get to Canterlot, because it’s gonna end up as quite a long list…” Jeff said before letting out a soft sigh.

Zapp was now mildly surprised. “What exactly did you teach him, ‘How to frighten the princesses 101?!’” Zapp tossed the leftover apple core over towards the fireplace. “How long is this list going to be exactly, from the throne room to Time square in Manehattan!?” Zapp asked rhetorically, the tone of his voice getting higher as he panics.

“No. I was helping to prepare him for this one alien that Dins knows where he is now, probably waiting to strike just as suddenly as that one mad creature that was here hours ago.” Jeff said as Zapp raised his voice. The Hylian didn’t want to say ‘human’ as to further concern the guards of a third alien being around.

The rest of the guard were very much concerned by what the Hylian meant, concerning a ‘mad’ creature, but they quickly derailed that train of thought, unsure as to what could happen if it continued. Before the conversation could move forward any sooner, Dash soon took notice of an obvious missing pony among the guards. Dash looked carefully amongst their ranks, and could confirm that a certain orange filly was not present.

Dash gritted her teeth and grabbed one of the guards by their necks, pulling them close. “Where’s Scootaloo!? Tell me now, and maybe I won’t consider ripping through you like a monster on the prowl!” Dash growled.

The guards were actually a bit startled by the pegasus, but then said filly waltzed right into the doorway, to which Dash immediately rushed over to hug and squeeze Scootaloo tightly. “Hi, Rainbow!” Scootaloo wheezed out, smiling.

Rainbow Dash let the filly go, smiling from ear to ear just knowing Scootaloo was safe. However, Scootaloo soon noticed the Hylians in the room. One of them being Jeff, and the other, being an unconscious Scott, unbeknownst to the filly. Scootaloo immediately tried to put on an angry face, then yelled out and charged at the unfamiliar humanoid figures.

Scootaloo first targeted Jeff, jumping at him to try and tackle him down. Jeff lowered his body and moved his hands down, catching the irate pegasus as he flailed her tiny wings rapidly like a dragonfly. “Aww, that’s cute, she thinks she’s dangerous.” Jeff stated.

Scootaloo continued to flail in Jeff’s hands till she finally had enough, deciding to try and bite the Hylian’s hand in an attempt to get free, only for her to hurt her teeth on the leather covered glove, making Jeff frown. “Alright, alright, settle down. Tensions are already high enough as it is.” Jeff said as he reached into his pouches quickly, soon taking out a beautiful yellow gem. “I’ll give you this if this would help gain your trust?” Jeff said hopefully.

Scootaloo’s sights were now fixated on the gem. She smiled and immediately jumped up, snatching it out of the Hylian’s hand. She then landed onto the unconscious Hylian’s stomach, giving the Plumber an abrupt wake-up call as the filly hopped off the couch, holding the gem close.

Scott groaned loudly, grabbing his face as he gave a not-so-gentle tug on the mask, unaware of what exactly was happening, or why it felt like he got kicked in the gut again. Blue and purple lights started to envelop the Hylian, and in a flash of light, Scott was back to his normal self again, letting the mask drop to the floor as he held his stomach. “Really, the gut again?! Why is it always the gut, would it kill these ponies to spread the pain around!” Scott was reeling for a moment, but then soon noticed everyone, besides Dash and Jeff, looking at him in surprise and shock. “What, do I have something on my face?” Scott asked.

“I thought you’d be out longer.” Jeff said with a nod.

Scott groaned and rubbed his eyes, all while Zapp immediately stepped forward. “Scott, I know you must be experiencing the rudest awakening at the moment,” Zapp pulled Scott’s arm, trying to get the human out the door. “But we need to go back to Canterlot, the princesses are in a panic!” Zapp stated worriedly.

Scott managed to pull his arm free, slowly letting his eyes readjust to his environment. He was back in the hut, and as much as he wanted to question why or how, he was soon thrown off by how the outside looked from the window. It was practically the afternoon, and the Sun was nearly ready for sunset.

Scott slapped his face a couple times and looked over at Jeff. “Oh, you’re still here? Well, if the princesses are freaking out… then I might as well bring my new pals along for the ride, the more the merrier!” Scott declared.

“Well of course,” Jeff said with a chuckle, only to stop mid laugh to clear his throat. “We’d best head on over to the princesses before they send more guards thinking somethings gone wrong.”

Scott shivered at the thought. “Last thing I need is more guards. Zapp and the other eight guards are enough, nine if you count Dash.” Scott remarked, picking up Scootaloo and placing her on Dash’s back.

Scootaloo was confused, but soon felt a hoof pat her head. Dash smiled as she got the filly’s attention. “I’ll tell you all about it on the way, squirt. Just promise me you’ll be on your best behavior, your aunts will probably tan my flank for keeping you out for more than a day, anyway.” Dash stated.

As the ponies and the two Displaced heroes started running and or flying down the path, hoping to cut through the woods and shave off a bit of some time, the sky continued to get darker, all while the moon started to rise, emitting a crimson glow.

As the pegasi and bat ponies took to the sky, with Dash making sure Scootaloo was safe during take off, Jeff pulled out his ocarina, only remembering something rather important. “Shoot, force of habit. There aren’t any owl statues here.” the Hylian said with a frown. Suddenly, Jeff’s right ear twitched upon hearing a certain pink pony’s voice speaking into it.

“Hi, Jeeeff!! Someone ordered an Owl Statue?” Before anyone could question anything, the snapping of fingers echoed out. “And presto!! Play that ocarina, hero!!” Pinkie’s voice echoed out.

"Tch.. You're doing quite a lot for me, Carniva..." Jeff said with skepticism in his voice, wondering why a spirit of parties and laughter would help him, especially when she knew very little about him other than his name alone.

A giggle echoed out. “I’m just returning the favor! Besides, better for the princesses to focus on you, rather than ME! Now, get a move on, they can really be something scary when somepony’s a no-show!” Pinkie’s voice echoed out.

Jeff shook his head in amusement, but mentally praying it remains as just her redirecting attention and not some form of interest toward him. The Hylian still remembers the many other visits in other worlds where ponies had that kind of interest. Placing the ocarina of time’s mouth piece to his lip, Jeff plays the Song Of Soaring, allowing gold wings to sprout from his back, wrap around him, and make him vanish with a bright flash of wind and scattered feathers.

Scott watched as gold wings sprouted from the Hylian’s back, and could only frown. “Everyone but me, and a couple other guards can’t fly! Fine then, let’s see if I can’t make this easier,” Scott activated the Altnetrix and selected Smudge's icon. As Scott pressed the icon down, Scott ended up not being as lucky as the Hylian he befriended. Instead of becoming an amorphous shapeshifting sludge, he ended up becoming his Detrovite form instead, now becoming significantly slower due to the increased muscle mass. “Wha-!? Gravedigger!? Of all the times this thing had to mess up!! Fine, let’s make this a bit easier!” Gravedigger stated, picking up the flightless ponies and hoisting them on his back, trying to pick up the pace.

As the Detrovite followed behind the pegasi and bat ponies, and the gold-winged Hylian was gone in a flash, it truly did seem like a return to form, even as the blood moon’s crimson light cascaded down.

[Canterlot Castle]

Jeff is first to arrive as his ball of wind lands on the ground, soon expanding and scattering the golden feathers. Luckily for the Hylian, the owl statue was sitting behind the trees, avoiding the cause of panic among the pony folk. Reaching down and unhooking the unicorn pony mask, Jeff puts it on, briefing flash as if there was a bolt of lightning in the distance.

The Hylian is now a red furred blonde maned unicorn with random splashes of greens wherever the roc’s cloak wasn’t covering. “Haven’t used this form in quite a few years.” Jeff said as he walked around a bit. The cutie mark upon his flank was that of a single triforce with sword and shield behind it.

From above, Dash and the guards eventually manage to get to Canterlot, all while something heavy stomps close behind. The guards and Dash land next to the disguised Hylian, all while Gravedigger, along with the rest of the flightless guards, eventually manage to catch up, with the Detrovite sweating and panting a lot. The Altnetrix started beeping, and in a flash of white light, Scott was returned to his normal self, with the unicorn and earth pony guards jumping off of him.

Scott dusted himself off and wiped the sweat from his brow. “I’m starting to now understand why Magister Tennyson always wanted a manual for the Omnitrix… I’m starting to wish I had a manual for this thing myself.” Scott remarked tiredly.

“Ain’t that the number one golden wish?” Jeff said with a chuckle as he trotted over to Scott’s side.

Scott sighed as he managed to get his breath back, and walked up to the drawbridge, noticing that it was closed, with only a large moat to block their path. “Hey, anyone on the other side!! We got the call that the princesses were flipping out, and we came as soon as we could to help! It’s me, Scott Baristo, the human you morons imprisoned and nearly starved for a whole month in the dungeon! I’m still not over that, you know!! Let the bridge down!” Scott exclaimed.

Dash facehoofed and sighed, feeling primarily extra stupid that she didn’t come to realize this sooner. “So that’s what Applejack was talking about last month, you’re the guy she kicked in the gut because she thought you were a Changeling!” Dash remarked.

Scott whipped around and glared at Dash, he was not in the mood to be reminded of that, but he did have to admit that she was correct. Soon enough, the drawbridge started coming down, revealing a familiar bat pony who motioned for them to come inside.

Jeff softly cringed at the mental image. "Did it leave any permanent damage? I mean Applejacks one Tartarus of a bucker…” the Hylian asked Scott in concern.

Scott groaned. “It knocked the wind out of me, and a couple pegasus dipshits knocked me out cold after. I’ll explain later, for now, move!” Scott stated, running into the castle. The pony-guised Jeff nodded as he ran after Scott, with Dash and Zapp quickly flying after the two, with Scootaloo still hanging on to Dash.

Scott ran down the halls, feeling the carpet against the bare soles of his feet as he traversed the bright marble corridors. Scott could feel his heart racing faster than it ever did before, and for a moment he felt terrible, but in the next moment, he never felt so alive. It had been a while since he ran like everything was on the line, it felt genuinely invigorating to the Plumber, but now wasn’t the time to think about that.

Jeff galloped alongside Scott; his hooves echoing throughout the halls. The hylian’s cloak whipped wildly as he ran. “I’m seriously sorry about causing the princesses panic, I didn’t know they sensed magic that well..” Jeff said with a frown.

Scott shrugged his shoulders as he kept running, with Dash and Zapp now flying above the pair. “It’s fine, I’m sure an explanation or two will fix this… maybe, depending on what their freakouts are like, to be honest!” Scott reassured, noticing a large set of double doors, as well as the muffled panicked cries and shouting of Celestia and Luna, as well as two other feminine voices.

Scott ran forward, charging shoulder first towards the doors. The Plumber yelled out and jumped at the doors, forcing them open as he rolled on the floor. Scott got back to his feet as he held his shoulder, only to then notice a pair of purple striped hooves adorned in gold rings in front of him. Scott looked up, noticing the same striped unicorn he saw before, only now, he had a better view of what she looked like. Dark purple hair with white streaks, a spiky and messy tail, and a luxuriously cared for mane, with a singular golden earring.

The mare was surprised, backing away slowly as she seemed to try and hide her face, seeming almost entirely shy. Jeff softly blinked as his eyes looked up and down the zebra in surprise of how different she looked compared to his homeworld’s Twilight. '..This world’s just full of surprises..' the heroic pony thought.

Scott sighed. “Um, pardon me, miss…” Scott started trailing off, he was struggling with names again.

The mare slowly raised her head, and cleared her throat. “I-I’m… Gleaming Dusk… I’m Princess Luna’s student… you must be looking for them, right?” Gleaming introduced meekly, a bit of light pink starting to glow in the mare’s face.

Scott nodded, trying to look around for the princesses, but clearly can’t seem to actually find them, despite hearing them not even a moment ago.

“..But didn’t we just hear,” Jeff pauses as he looks around in confusion. “Them?”

Gleaming nodded her head, a look of concern and worry formed on her face as she looked to the ceiling. “They have been panicking about a supposed ‘imbalance’ related to magic. I personally don’t know what’s gotten into them, but it’s got them panicking like no tomorrow… I’d like to help, but Sunset, being Celestia’s student, she’s the only one who can usually reign them in. I-I don’t have the power, nor the magical potential to assist.” Gleaming explained.

In a flash of light, the two princesses reappeared, with a black maned mare standing in-between them, holding the princesses still as they frantically flailed around. “At least this isn’t like last time, when someone ate the last shortcake. I swear, I love my mentor, but she has a serious addiction to sweets!” Sunset stated, dropping the two princesses in a moment.

“Celestia does love her sweets, though.” Jeff said with a nod.

Scott frowned, letting out an exasperated sigh. “Okay, so what’s going on with you two, if I may inquire? From the sounds of it, you make it seem like the castle’s on fire!” Scott remarked. The pony-disguised Hylian silently wonders if the two sisters found out about Carniva’s escape.

Celestia stands up, flaring her wings as she looks down at the Plumber. “Scott Bariso, a magical imbalance is a serious matter. When there’s an imbalance, it typically means that there’s a sudden shift in the natural order,” Celestia dusted herself off as she lowered her head down to Scott’s level. “In this particular case, foreign magic has been introduced to our lands yesterday, we were wondering if you had any ideas, or any involvement with magic that isn’t native to Equestria. We also felt a dimensional imbalance, so kindly tell us… what have you been up to, and dare I ask why you’ve indulged in such acts?” Celestia questioned, a blank expression could be seen on her face.

“That would be because of me, Princess Celestia.” Jeff began, calling her by her full title as to not be disrespectful to her.

Celestia was surprised, as well as concerned. “One of my little ponies is the cause behind this?! How is this possible?” Celestia examined the pony-guised Jeff. “I see no wings on your body, so you clearly aren’t an Alicorn, but there’s clearly some sort of foreign aura entangled around your very soul. What is thy name, my loyal subject?” Celestia asked.

“In this form, I go by the name Protective Shield, but..” Jeff pauses to look over at Scott. There is some hesitation with Jeff as he reaches with a hoove to place it upon the howling stone necklace around his neck. Celestia is confused, but also very curious as to what’s about to happen. Returning his gaze to Celestia, the unicorn resumes. “My true name is Jeff, and I’m not from this world.” Jeff introduced.

Scott motions to Jeff to take off the mask, then looks to the princesses. “I can assure you, this isn’t what he normally looks like… not sure if that makes things better or worse, but you’ll have to let me explain to the best of my abilities,” Scott nodded towards Jeff, letting him know that it was alright to take the mask off. Letting go of his howling stone neck, Jeff's horn lights up in a gentle emerald green, using a telekinesis spell to grab hold of his face. Blue and purple energy swirls around his face, and with a brief flash Jeff returns to his original form, with the unicorn mask in hand. Celestia and Luna are surprised, very bewildered to see the Hylian’s true form, yet at the same time, relieved, to a degree. “Your highnesses, this is Jeff. He’s what the goddess of his world, Nayru, would call a Hylian, a magical elven species not native to Equestria, and most certainly not native to the world I came from. I assure you, he’s no threat to anyone, other than the evil’s bane. He’s, as of recently, my friend, my guest, and above all else, the guy who is training me to deal with a psychotic alien hitman who was responsible for torching the country club, and injuring numerous ponies in the process.” Scott sheepishly explained.

Celestia was very much confused. “Evil’s Bane? I never thought I’d hear disharmony and unruly chaos be described in such a sinister manner, but if he stands to help those in need, then I suppose that’s not a cause for alarm,” Scott let out a sigh of relief. “However, I’m rather curious as to why he’d have a mask to turn himself into a pony in the first place. I sense no inherently evil or dark magic coming from it, but I must ask, anyway. Should I be concerned about this?” Celestia questioned cautiously.

"My Master Sword has gone by many names and wielded by the many heroes of the past. Evil's Bane, the sword that seals the darkness, the sword of resurrection, and lastly, the sacred sword. As for why I had a mask to change my shape, I did so out of caution, considering what Scott told me that the ponies don’t react to species that aren’t natural to this world.” Jeff explained as he hooks the unicorn mask onto his belt. “The influx of magic you sensed near Scott’s home was me using magic and teaching Scott here one of them.” Jeff explained.

Celestia and Luna gave a confused look towards Scott, who returned the favor with a deadpan expression. “Don’t give me that look, you had me imprisoned in the dungeon for a whole month, starved and thirsty as hell, over a misunderstanding! If it wasn’t for Luna saving me from death’s grip, you’d be conquered, enslaved, then killed by a rogue genocidal Galvanic Mechamorph by now!” Scott crossed his arms in disbelief. “Besides, I need to learn these things because it’s important for Equestria’s survival. You tasked me to handle the aliens, and I will handle them… the ones that aren’t exactly nice, kind or misunderstood, anyway. There’s always the chance that the Altnetrix will fail on me when I need it most, like it did a couple miles ago on foot. My point is, dangerous stuff is coming, and unless you wanna imprison or exterminate anyone or anything that can help me save your land from an alien invasion, then you’ve doomed your kingdom to die!” Scott stated in his defense.

The princesses looked at each other, then back at the Hylian. “Well, if it’s not too much to ask, mister ‘Jeff’, but where is it that you hail from?” Luna asked.

“Another Equestria across the void vastly different from this one.” Jeff explained with a nod.

That got the princesses’ attention. Celestia was surprised, and Luna was shocked. “There are more Equestrias?!” The two sisters yelled in unison.

Scott facepalmed and groaned. “Oh brother, here we go again…” Scott snided.

"Infinite and growing still; each Equestria whose creation starts and continues differently, following either a different timeline or a whole different world completely. To put it in more simple terms, if any of your apprentices is familiar with this, think of the multiverse theory." Jeff explained as he gestured his hand through the air.

Gleaming Dusk nodded her head. “I was actually reading a book about that yesterday. When Celestia said there was a dimensional imbalance, I had to wonder if it was the work of something capable of casually walking between worlds,” Scott and Jeff froze for a moment, then gave each other a knowing look. “But once the princesses started panicking about a magical imbalance, they wanted to get an explanation from the one they trusted to handle situations similar to this.” Gleaming explained.

Well," Jeff began to say as he chuckled. "Less walk and more.." the Hylian paused to rotate his hand. "Leapt through the void using Twili magic and Farore's Wind." he explained, earning a mixture of expressions and reactions.

Scott let out a dry chuckle, before a look of nervousness formed on the Plumber’s face. “Or simply just appearing out of nowhere, due to just being a time walker.” Scott stated, earning more mixed expressions and reactions from the poor zebracorn.

Luna raised an eyebrow at Scott’s words, but decided to forget about it. Sunset Shimmer, on the other hand, trotted up to Jeff, smiling from ear to ear, with a quill and notepad held up by her magic. “May I please ask about what kinds of magic you usually specialize in?” Sunset inquired, becoming very giddy as she seemed to shake in place.

"Ooooh boy and there's that familiar gleam in a pony’s eyes I've seen all too often in many equestrias i’ve visited..” Jeff said as he placed his leather covered hand onto his face, gently laughing as he looked upon the unicorn nerd.

Jeff smiled as he started to explain. “Magical songs, elemental magic, healing, some shapeshifting, pocket dimension pouch,” Jeff pauses as he gestures to the two pouches that were attached to his belt. ”Enchant rings, empowering my sword or arrows with Light and elementals. The rest of the stuff I've got is mostly weapons and equipment that helps me with dungeon exploration and combat, especially against dangerous big monsters. And before you ask no, I can't show all of my equipment other than the Roc's Cloak you're seeing wrapped around me that allows me to jump high. As for the transformations I do so through the use of masks, either ones I created, or from healing spirits or removing curses.” Jeff explained to the best of his memories, and hoo boy does the Hylian Hero alot of.

Scott let a mild chuckle escape him, only to then notice Gleaming staring up at him with the same stuff. “From what Princess Luna has told me about you, you can transform into other species, correct? Could you show me all of them, for documentation purposes?” Gleaming inquired with a wide smile.

Scott simply sat down, letting out a sigh of defeat as the zebracorn looked at him with an expected look.. “Great, now I have another one to deal with… fantastic,” Scott sighed and held up the Altnetrix for Gleaming to see. “This is the watch that transforms me into numerous species, though for the time being, it’s only five species I can currently turn into… technically six, if you want to count the Hylian mask Jeff made for me,” Gleaming was writing down every word as she continued to listen. “I have yet to transform into my fifth form, gained from said alien hitman that Jeff was training me to deal with. It’s known currently as a Sotoraggian, and since the Altnetrix tends to take a bit to recharge after every transformation, maybe at one point, I’ll let you observe this transformation up close, should it be alright with Princess Luna.” Scott explained.

Gleaming was writing incredibly fast, flipping through the pages as she continued to write and sketch down the last bit of information Scott had to give. “I sincerely look forward to such an event. I know the princesses tasked you to handle the aliens that have been… well, less than scrupulous, and definitely villainous in Equestria, but I do believe that there are lifeforms that are actually rather friendly. I mean, if your elven friend is anything to go off of, I’d say there’s a chance!” Gleaming stated with a smile.

“Not all of them though, so it helps to be careful with whom we meet. Scott is lucky to have found my howling stone token first and summoned me first instead of someone vile.” Jeff explained, causing Sunset’s ears to perk up curiously at the mention of a stone.

Scott smiled and gave the Hylian a thumbs up. “Yeah, it’s honestly rather sobering to have a friend who knows what it’s like to be in my situation, or at least just be a nice and kind individual… It helps to forget the bad times, and focus on remembering the good that came with it.” Scott stated briefly, wiping away a single tear from his eye.

“And those are times I’ve got plenty of, due to me being a Hylian, which I forgot to mention live longer than normal humans.” Jeff explained, causing Sunset to write even more.

Scott snickered, rolling his eyes as he looked out to the outside, feeling his smile slightly falter as he beholds the blood moon, only to then watch it fade to a normal night sky. Scott closed his eyes, thinking back to how he’d usually be out at this time of night, catching fireflies and not having a care in the world. Scott opens his eyes, bearing witness to an overhead view of Canterlot, a city that reeks of prejudice.

Scott feels a hoof on his arm, soon snapping out of his trance. Gleaming looks up at the human, seeing the solemn and mildly pained expression on his face, despite trying to hide behind a smile. “Oh boy, I think it’s finally starting to settle in… knowing this is the world I’m stuck in, and going home… going back to the world I knew… that’s definitely not happening anytime soon, is it?” Scott asked, looking over at Jeff.

“..It.. well. Mmm… it's a very mixed bag. It is possible to return home, but it is super difficult. There is a never ending number of worlds out there, and even if you were one day to get strong enough to travel the void without harm and without needing a token to be summoned with and by someone, it would take you a long time to find your Earth. As Applejack would often say to me ‘It's like trying to find a golden needle in a haystack.’” Jeff explained with the deepest of frowns.

Scott took a deep breath, feeling his entire being shake and shutter momentarily, feeling the stinging sensation of tears in his eyes, yet he kept the smile on his face, trying to not bring everyone else down with him.

Scott tried to steady his breathing, but he felt too shaky to focus. The Plumber sat down on the ground, and for a moment, the smile on his face…

It fell apart.

Scott slumped against the glass, hanging his head low as the tears started to cascade down his face. He had no concrete idea as to what he should do, probably because he’s finally realizing that this situation he’s in, there’s nothing he can do to change it.

Even if by some rare and extra lucky miracle he unlocked Alien X, the most legendary transformation in Ben Tennyson’s arsenal, there was no guarantee that his powers would even work. Scott covered his eyes with a hand, trying to save face, but by this point, one has to consider just letting everything out.

Scott Baristo. A Plumber, a hero, a hard worker, but deep down… he’s broken, and despite putting himself back together, something broke him again.

"Hey," Jeff began as he kneeled down, reaching over to pat Scott's back. "At least you know you're not the only human in this situation, so if any more tokens appear just remember they are items that come in all shapes and sizes and they were all created by those who were either once human or they are still human but they were displaced with a set of unique powers. You can make more friends, I mean if you don't mind them being different earths, but if human companionship aren't enough? Well, let me know how I can be of help, alright? Remember, you've also made a few new pony friends, even if they aren't the same as you." The Hylian said in an attempt to shine some positive light.

Scott took a deep breath, then exhaled. Scott had to admit, the Hylian had a point. He does have friends, and they may not be the same as him, but they stuck around, and continued to do all they can. Scott sighed, wiping the tears from his face as he tried to find his footing. Scott looked over at Dash and Zapp, seeing them stand nearby, looking at him with patient smiles.

Scott took a deep breath, holding the air in for a moment. Scott exhaled and sighed, he felt emotionally drained, but he felt a bit better. He wasn’t entirely at a hundred-percent, but he was getting there. Scott gave Jeff a thumbs up, and leaned against the wall. “Well, this has been a very wild time, and I’m not gonna lie, if Displaced stuff can make someone feel like this, I might need a couple days to myself to recuperate.” Scott remarked.

Celestia and Luna exchanged a glance, and looked over at Scott. “Scott, what do you mean by ‘Displaced’?” Celestia asked.

Scott stood upright and cleared his throat. “From what Jeff has explained to me, there are these beings known as ‘Void Dwellers’ who take random humans and put them through a process called ‘Displacement’. Those who went through displacement were dubbed ‘Displaced’, individuals who were plucked from their realities, and either changed, or left unchanged, and placed into Equestria… or rather, their own versions of Equestria.” Scott briefly explained.

“I also mentioned there being infinites, each of those Equestrias have a Displaced.” Jeff pauses to raise his howling stone necklace. “This is called a token, an item each Displaced eventually creates and personalizes that once created, gets sucked through a portal, replicated, and sent across the void, which is basically a huge space of paradoxical chaos. Each copy is sent to those Displaced who can use those tokens to summon the one who created it for the sake of.. Well, whatever it is they need. So if by chance you see or sense more oddities, just remember it is Scott who can summon them and can freely send them back if he finds more of those tokens.” Jeff explained to the best of his abilities.

The princesses were silent, they took a moment to let all of this information sink in, all while Scott stepped forward. “So, if each Displaced has a token, does that mean I have one, too?” Scott inquired.

"Not yet though as you'll need to make it, and you can either use an existing item and empower it with your essence, or manifest one out of thin air much like I did with combining Twili Magic and Farore's Wind.. Although I have met some Displaced who were given their token upon Displacement and didn’t know it was one till they found out… Ah, that reminds me, do be careful with your copy of my howling stone. It's capable of turning you into a wolf if you focus on its energy.” Jeff explained as he rose back up onto his feet.

Scott thought about that for a moment, and simply backed up for a moment. “I’ll hold off on making a token for now, this is a lot to take in. Let me get used to… all of this, recuperate, and I’ll get back to you on that,” Scott rubbed his eyes and yawned.

"Its quite alright, making the token isn't important, it's only an option if you wanted to travel to those other equestrias. However, if or when you do decide to make that token? Do me and yourself a favor; ADD a safety feature so if by chance you get summoned by something unpleasant, you can use that safety feature to send yourself back home asap and prevent any further summons by the same person.

“I can’t help but feel like I’m about to sleep. On the off chance that I ask this without sounding rude, but how exactly are you gonna get home?” Scott asked the Hylian.

“Oh, it's quite simple. Just grab hold of the howling stone around your neck and say the words ‘your contract is complete’ and I'll be my own. Please do think a bit first, if there are any last requests you’ve got, because once I’m sent home, you’ll have to go through the process of singing into it to summon me again.” Jeff said with a warning

Scott took a deep breath and sighed. “I have two last requests. I wouldn’t mind having a camera, to make it easier to capture the likeness of the bad guys that are probably trying to hide.” Scott requested.

"Hmm, Camera.. Well, there is the Deluxe Picto Box, I'll need to head on over to Memorable Lens’s Camera Shop and see if he's got anymore in stock. To avoid having to go through the trip and such, I’ll need your permission to place a Twili portal near your home, which will look like a green swirling hole in the sky, just uh.. Don’t let anypony go prodding it while it's up there.” Jeff explained to Scott, pausing to give Sunset a knowing stare.

Scott nodded his head. “I’ll make sure of that,” Scott remained a bit silent, but eventually, he did manage to find the words. “I forgot to grab the Hylian mask back at the hut, but I’m wondering if you could relay a message to Nayru, when you return to your Equestria. I know you could do it here, but I’d prefer if you wait till you go back to the Equestria you came from.” Scott explained.

“Can do, buddy.” Jeff said with a nod and a thumbs up.

Scott pulled Jeff close and whispered the message into his ear. Scott slowly pulls away, nodding to Jeff as he readies himself. “Guess this is the final goodbye… oh! I guess I do have something else for you to have, since I doubt it’ll mean much for me without anything to transmit extranet data to,” Scott pulled his badge out of his pocket and put it in the Hylian’s hands. “Here, something tells me you’re gonna need it more than I will. Consider it my way of saying thanks, for everything. Should we meet again someday, you better take care of that, it’s still alien technology. Universal translator, built-in scanner, it’s also got a flashlight setting.” Scott stated.

"Oh hey, this'll come in handy. There's been a lot of ancient Hylian words that's been a pain in the behind to translate in the Book Of Mudora.. With this, I'll be able to learn more about Hyrule's ancient, their magic, and whatever else, Dins, I could have used this a long time ago." Jeff said with glee. Feeling the gaze of a unicorn, Jeff looks over at Sunset. “...Alright, alright, if I can manage to translate more, I’ll send you a copy, I feel like it’ll benefit you both.” the Hylian said to both Scott and the unicorn nerd.

Scott smiled. “Well, if this is it, then I sincerely hope that we meet again someday. It was quite the experience meeting you, Jeff, I never thought I’d have friends before, but I guess I was too used to burying myself under my job as a Plumber. I was always so focused on helping everyone else, I forgot to help myself where it mattered. I hope everything works out for you back in your Equestria… and hey, I know my status as a Cadet is rather null and void, but with me handing my badge off to you, I’d like to think of it as my way of spreading the Plumber’s legacy to places that desperately need it. Welcome to the Plumbers, Jeff, it’s only gonna get crazier from here, but we’re all counting on you.” Scott stated, saluting to the Hylian with a proud smile.

“Tch, isn't it always crazy anyhow?” Jeff said with a chuckle as he took the badge from Scott. “Later on when you get time, you really need to write to me about the plumber's history, why are they called plumbers, the aliens.. There’s so much I’m not getting.”

Scott smirked. “Well, for starters, America’s founding fathers were the first founding members of the Plumbers, so take that for what it stands for. As for the why, good question, I’ll write to you when I figure it out.” Scott remarked, chuckling.

Scott took a deep breath, steadying himself as he grabbed the howling stone, feeling a bit bittersweet. “Jeff, your contract is complete… keep doing the right thing, pal, It’s Hero Time!” Scott spoke out.

With those words ushered, Jeff's body slowly turns into many particles, soon reforming into a wolf sitting upon the floor of the throne room, but rather than the ghost form like before, it appeared to be a wolf in clearer detail, especially those dark blue eyes full of intelligence, courage, and experience. From above, a green twili portal opens up, and with head held high toward the portal, Wolf Jeff lets out an echoing howl as his body turns into many twili particles, soon flying into the portal. Once the hero was gone, so to the twili portal, however it would eventually reappear in the sky above Scott's hut.

Scott smiled, feeling a warm sensation in his heart. “That guy’s gonna go places, and he’s gonna show every last bad guy in his world, just who exactly is the top dog over there… give them hell, pal, like they’ve never seen before.” Scott whispered.

The sound of someone clearing their throat could be heard, and Scott turned towards the princesses. “I must say, human, I wasn’t expecting any of this to happen, but perhaps you’ve made the right decision with letting that other fellow in… seems to have done you some good, and not just in training. Though, perhaps you should let us know of the next one, just so we can prepare ourselves, just in case.” Celestia informed.

Scott took a knee and nodded his head. “Of course, my deepest apologies, your majesties.” Scott apologized.

As Celestia and Luna walked away, Gleaming Dusk and Sunset followed suit, with the both of them waving goodbye as they followed their respective mentors. Scott smiled, then looked over at Dash and Zapp, who were walking back to the entrance with a very tuckered out Scootaloo sleeping on Dash’s back. Scott quickly ran after them, completely unaware of the moon’s unexpected change.

[Scott's Residence]

After a long and carefully escorted walk, Scott walked into his hut, whereas Zapp decided to escort Dash and Scootaloo back to Ponyville, which wasn't that much further. Scott yawned and closed the door behind him, laying down on the sofa as he fell asleep, too tired to notice that the mare in the moon looked a bit redder than it did before.

Author's Note

Big and massive thanks to DisplacedWriter for allowing me to cross-over with him, you need to seriously check out "[Displaced] A Forced Hero Rewrite" It's my new favorite story. Check it out!

Scott's stuff he got after the cross-over:

Deku seeds

x1 Deku Nut

Swordsmanship training

"Thunder Blade" spell (allows the caster to empower any weapon with electricity)

Hylian Mask

Deluxe Picto Box

(Scott will also get a book that's full of Hyrule's history, the many races that exist, etc. in a few days)

The one thing Scott willingly gave up:

Plumber's Badge

With this cross-over completed, it's time for things to return to a sense of normalcy.

Well, as subjectively normal as it can get in Equestria. Let's see how things work out from here. I hope you enjoyed this chapter, and the cross-over in general, me and DisplacedWriter had a ton of fun doing this.

The next chapter will be out soon. It's time to get back to business.

The Sotoraggian Herald

[Scott's Residence; 27 days till the Summer Sun Celebration]

Scott made no time for hesitation. The moment he woke up to the morning sun's rays shining down on him through the window, he had a feeling that this was the day he needed to get stuff done, before it was too late.

In the front yard, Scott had already started planting those deku seed things he got from his new Hylian friend. While he only did have the one Deku Nut, he intended to make sure it was used wisely and precisely at the right moment, whenever that would be. Scott got up and noticed the dirt on his hands, feeling the sweat drip down his forehead. Scott let out a relieved sigh as he quickly rushed over to the river, washing the gunk off of his hands as he activated the Altnetrix, selecting Smudge's icon.

In a flash of turquoise light, the Plumber was transformed into his Lenopan form. Smudge then shaped his hands into buckets and scooped up a couple buckets full of river water, making sure to quickly and carefully move back to where his seeds were planted. Smudge held the buckets over the ground and created holes in the bottoms of the buckets, letting water cascaded down onto the soil, watering the deku seeds he planted.

As the buckets slowly emptied out the last droplets of water, Smudge looked around carefully, then morphed his form to look human. Scott entered the hut again, and immediately tried to figure out his next move. He looked over to the wall, where the Hylian mask now hung, and nodded his head in approval. "I'll have to wait till the Altnetrix times out before I use the mask, but hopefully I can figure this stuff out soon." Smudge commented, shifting back into his amorphous sludge form.

The Lenopan grabbed the Hylian mask and left the hut, carefully looking around, noting the tranquility of the woods around him. It was peaceful and quiet, not a single pony was around yet, but Scott knew that silence could have its down sides, if yesterday taught him anything. Soon enough, the Altnetrix started beeping, and in a flash of white, Scott was transformed back into his normal self, to which that didn't last for long.

Without a moment's hesitation, Scott placed the Hylian mask upon his face. Blue and purple lights enveloped him, and though the transformation still felt entirely different from when he uses the Altnetrix, he was starting to adjust, even if it was at a snail's pace. In a flash of light, Scott was now in his Hylian form, something he hasn't had the chance to name since he met Jeff.

Scott figured the names would have to wait, and he walked over to a large tree branch on the ground. Carefully, Scott started to break off the smaller limbs till the stick was completely bare, if not for a few broken notches. Scott clutched the stick as if he were holding a blade, giving a few practice swings as he tried to control the makeshift weapon in his hands. While it didn't seem like much, a weapon is as good as any other, depending on how one uses it. In Scott's case, it was to practice that thunder blade spell.

Scott frowned at the stick, but still decided to make use of it while he could. 'It's not a baseball bat, but it'll do, for now,' Scott thought.

Scott gripped the stick tightly, taking a few deep breaths as he tried to clear his mind of distractions. He started to think back to what worked last time to draw that magical power out. 'Hopefully my theory stands to be correct, otherwise this may prove to be painful...' Scott thought.

Scott looked around, and decided to raise his stick to the sky, closing his eyes as he tried to concentrate on drawing in magic. Scott tried to keep a cool head, to think about those that matter to him, those he needs to protect. Then, he felt that familiar sensation again. It surged and built up within him, until it almost felt like it would explode out of his chest. With a jolt, Scott’s wooden stick ignited with electricity; crackling fiercely as pieces of park splintered and flew off from the intensity. He felt the courage he had dwelling within him, and it pulsed through him like a familiar rush of adrenaline.

Scott knew he was on the right track, but he needed to keep his focus. Scott kept thinking about how this world was worth protecting, like the world he was born in. He thought about his parents, knowing that he was doing this for them, Scott felt his resolve strengthen, and the electricity started to shape around the stick. Before anything else could happen, however, something tackled the distracted Hylian to the ground, causing him to drop the stick on the ground, and the electricity to fizzle out and vanish.

Scott groaned and opened his eyes, only to see Private Zapp, who now stood over the toppled Hylian. "Scott, good thing I got to you when I did, there's a situation in progress on the railroad!" Zapp informed.

The Hylian frowned and got up, letting Zapp ready his wings. "I was in the middle of training at the moment, but no one said being a Hero would be easy as pie," Scott could hear the faintest sound of Pinkie's laughter in the distance, and he rolled his eyes. "Fine, what's the problem?" Scott asked.

Zapp cleared his throat and pointed to the rising pillar of smoke in the distance, making the Hylian's heart skip a beat as his eyes widened. "Oh no..." The Hylian muttered.

before Zapp could try and explain the situation, Scott already broke out into a full-sprint, making his way to the danger ahead. Zapp sighed and flew after the human, trying to simply come to terms with the madness. "Okay... word to the wise, Private, explain the situation first, ask for his help right after." Zapp told himself.

[Railroad Lines]

Scott and Zapp quickly made it to the scene, where a train has toppled over, and the rails seem to have been damaged. Scott quickly made his way down to the scene, where numerous ponies were worried. The Hylian quickly climbed onto the train, but so far, he couldn't see any signs of passengers, or the conductor.

Scott decided to then put one of the Hylian's abilities to use, and started to think about Celestia, angling his left ear in the direction of Canterlot. "Princess Celestia, I require your help! Your ponies are at a dangerous scene!" Scott called out.

Scott could hear the full-frontal sound of Celestia yelping and sounding surprised. "H-Hello?! Who's there?! Identify yourself, naive!" Celestia cried out.

Scott facepalmed and sighed. 'Right... she hasn't seen me as a Hylian yet...' Scott gritted his teeth and decided to keep going. "Celestia, it's me, Scott Baristo!! I'm calling out to you, because your actions are required at this time!" Scott called out.

Celestia didn't speak for a moment, but then a semi-relieved sigh could be heard. "H-How are you talking to me?! Are you invisible, or is this another thing you learned from your friend?" Celestia inquired.

Scott sighed. "Hylians have a natural ability to listen and communicate with gods. Considering I'm talking to you, that says enough, now please, Princess. Listen to me," Scott kicked open the door to one of the train cars, seeing luggage and numerous stuff tossed around in a messy fashion. "Your ponies are in a dangerous situation. We're at the railroads in Ponyville, a train seems to have toppled over, and so far, I don't seem to be noticing any casualties of the sort, let alone anypony trapped inside thus far. How soon can you get down here?" Scott asked.

Celestia took a moment of silence before responding. "I can be there with a simple teleportation spell. I assume you want me to calm the masses?" Celestia asked.

Scott frowned. "They're your subjects, I'm still a stranger to most of these ponies, with a hefty exception to a couple of them." Scott stated.

Celestia sighed. "I'll be on my way soon. Should trouble arise, update me and I'll be quick." Celestia informed.

Scott nodded his head, and resumed focus on looking through the wreckage. So far, the train was in fairly good condition, albeit for the broken windows. Scott carefully moved around, kicking the next door open, noticing that the next train car had flickering lights. Scott peered into the window, seeing a pony just suspended in the air. From amidst the darkness, the lights soon came on, revealing the Sotoraggian hitman, Seventy-Four, has returned.

Scott kicked the door down and glared at the alien. "I should've figured you'd come, knowing these ponies were in danger. You needn't worry, however, they escaped the train just fine, no injuries, no deaths... because the only one who's going to die today, is you," Seventy-Four crushed the pony's head in his claws, spraying... stuffing everywhere? "I will admit, I never saw this species before. Regardless, you stand no chance against me, Plumber, what do you say to that?" Seventy-Four asked coyly, letting light blue energy blades jut out from the back of its heavily armored hands.

Scott smirked and pulled out the Deku Nut he was saving. "I say, catch me if you can!!" Scott closed his eyes and threw the Deku nut at the Sotoraggian's feet, causing the hitman to be blinded and stunned, growling and snarling out in annoyance. Scott quickly hopped out of the train car and ran out into the field, pulling the mask off his face. Blue and purple lights envelop him, and in a flash of light, Scott was back to his normal self, still running as far as he could as he hooked the mask to one of the belt notches on his pants. Soon enough, he stopped running, and looked back at the toppled train. "Okay, I think this'll be far enough. Time to get serious, this guy is not getting away from me!" Scott firmly stated.

Seventy-Four launched himself through the car, flying very fast towards Scott. "You're going to regret that!!" Seventy-Four exclaimed.

Scott smirked. "I've heard that before!" Scott remarked.

Scott rolled underneath the Sotoraggian and continued to run. Scott looked at the Altnetrix, and saw that it was still recharging. 'No problem, I just need to stall for time, find a weapon and give this jerk a piece of what I'm truly capable of.' Scott thought, immediately running towards Ponyville in the distance.

Seventy-Four launched himself after the human, readying the other weapons he had at his disposal. Back at the train, Celestia had appeared, her very presence was enough to distract the ponies from the craziness happening as they all bowed to her.

[Ponyville]

Scott ran through the streets as fast as he could, all while Seventy-Four fired a barrage of lasers in his direction. Scott jumped, rolled and slid across the ground as laser fire passed him by. For a moment, Scott noticed a small shop to his left, but he didn't have the time or the focus to just go for it, not while the Sotoraggian was on his tail. Scott hopped over a bench, and ran towards city hall, to which Seventy-Four attempted to try and grab the human. Scott ran towards the wall, and immediately jumped on it, then jumped off it, stepping onto Seventy-Four's helmet in the process as he jumped away, continuing his daring escape.

Seventy-Four groaned and rushed towards the human, readying the energy blades as he sliced downwards. Scott leapt forward, causing the blade to only cut through a portion of his jeans, creating a perfectly sliced hole in the Plumber's legwear. Scott quickly came to a stop and turned around, trying to land a punch on his pursuer. Seventy-Four caught the punch and flipped Scott onto his back, earning a sole grunt of pain from the hero. "You seem rather gutsy human, leading me into a populated area like you did. I assure you, death will be swift for you," Seventy-Four grabbed the Altnetrix and pulled at Scott's arm. "But after that cheap trick of blinding me, I make no promises. This isn't personal either, it's just business." Seventy-Four stated.

Scott eventually managed to find his footing again, and once he got to his knees, he sweep kicked the Sotoraggian, knocking the hitman to the ground. Scott pulled his arm free, trying to activate the Altnetrix. Thankfully, he was able to select a form, though he lingered on the icon of his Sotoraggian transformation. Scott just let the watch return to its standby mode. 'Not yet.' Scott thought.

Scott got on top of the Sotoraggian, holding his hands above the alien's head as they struggled. "Now, how's about we have a chat, shall we?" Seventy-Four sneered as he growled at the Plumber. "Should've figured you wouldn't cooperate. At least answer one question, you owe me that much! Who sent you to collect the Altnetrix?!" Scott interrogated.

Seventy-Four managed to shake his hands free and swat Scott away, causing him to skid across the ground. "That's for me to know, and for you to forget about," Seventy-Four then morphed his arm into a cannon with four large barrels, aiming it down at Scott. "It's honestly pathetic, you know. Wasting that watch's power to save people, to do the right thing, I swear, it's like you're trying to make me gag! I'll be doing this planet and its inhabitants a favor painting this town red with your entrails, than to ever let you live another second!" Seventy-Four reprimanded, seeming genuinely disgusted.

Scott smirked and laughed. "Guess I'm just better at my job, than you are at yours." Scott commented.

Seventy-Four roared out, firing much larger lasers at the human, who managed to roll out of the way and notice a small knife on the ground. Scott grabbed it and brandished it like a proper blade, staring the Sotoraggian down. Seventy-Four let one of the energy blades out and rushed forward, to which Scott responded in kind.

The two charged at each other, but before a strike could land, Scott rolled underneath the Sotoraggian and quickly turns the flat side of the blade to his attacker. Scott sees Seventy-Four rushing towards him again, but Scott quickly steps to the side, and tries to slice through the Sotoraggian’s armor. Surprisingly enough, despite the armor being very alien in its origins, Scott’s attack managed to cut into it, if not just make a small gash.

Seventy-Four was now confused, and rightfully concerned. 'W-What!? He managed to cut through my armor, just like that?! How is this possible?!' Seventy-Four came to a stop, and despite the mask obscuring his face, he was very angry, glaring daggers at the human. "I'm not sure how you did that, whelp, but it's of no concern to me! I will collect the Altnetrix, and this world shall fall!!" Seventy-Four declared.

Seventy-Four rushed at Scott and tried to cut into the human with his energy blade, to which Scott was managing to barely dodge and evade for a moment, though parts of his clothes got more and more torn up with every misstep. Eventually, Scott started backing away from the Sotoraggian's attacks, trying to keep his distance. Seventy-Four quickly jumped into the air, launching himself high into the sky with his jetpack, then started hurdling himself down towards the human. Scott went wide-eyed, but tried to keep his composure.

Scott watched as the Sotoraggian hurdled down towards him and tried to slice the Plumber in half, but Scott then made the attempt to try and deflect the attack, just barely knocking Seventy-Four to the side, letting him land onto the ground as Scott backed away. Seventy-Four got up, only to look on in confusion, as well as irritation. It didn’t understand what just happened, or how his attack failed, but by this point, the Sotoraggian could at least recognize that he was being played for a fool.

In a mere moment, Seventy-Four roared out in a display of aggression, firing his cannon at the human, in hopes of ripping Scott to pieces and reducing him to ash. Scott, out of instinct, slammed down on the Altnetrix at the last second, all while a bright light enveloped him, and an explosion rang out through Ponyville. though the blast wasn't big, the sound could be heard from Canterlot.

A large dust cloud formed over where Scott was, and as it cleared out, Seventy-Four was met with a new face. Seventy-Four was already agitated, but now, the hitman was absolutely livid by what he saw.

The new figure stood up, revealing a Sotoraggian, standing a few feet taller than the human, but just barely a foot and a half over the Sotoraggian hitman. Clad in gray armor with black and white shoulder guards, black arm plating, with a bit of cyan-ish blue-gray skin from the exposed arms and fingers. The helmet had two turquoise colored diagonal lines pointing down, with two turquoise colored smaller rectangular stripes pointing diagonally upward beneath them, on each side of the mask. The Altnetrix's badge was smack dab in the mid-center of the Sotoraggian's armor.

The transformed Sotoraggian looked itself over, seeming rather pleased with the outcome. "You're gonna need something stronger if you wanna take me down. I prepared for this, and you're gonna feel the full extent of it!" The transformed Sotoraggian taunted, cracking its knuckles as its synthetic-sounding voice spoke out.

Seventy-Four roared out, the sheer agitation and fury the Sotoraggian hitman felt was beyond mere words, and by this point, he was far from done with his task. The two Sotoraggians ran at each other, getting into an old-fashioned brawl. The two aliens traded and exchanged blows like nothing else mattered in that moment, and all of Ponyville was witnessing the fight from inside their homes and places of business. The two Sotoraggians attempted to choke each other out, but soon enough the Plumber got the advantage in the fight, headbutting Seventy-Four away, then delivering numerous left and right hooks to the hitman.

The transformed Sotoraggian was letting loose everything he had, but unfortunately, he did not keep the advantage for long. Seventy-Four fired his cannon at the hero, sending them flying back, letting them crash into one of the buildings nearby. A large dust could soon formed, and a white flash could be seen among the dust.

Scott, now back in his human form, was really starting to get angry. 'I knew it'd be too risky to immediately try out the new guy... but at least his armor could resist the laser fire well enough. Now I need to take this fight up a notch, but how,' Scott got up and looked around, noticing shelves that were full of cheap and poorly cobbled-together trinkets, as well as other matters of strangeness. Scott looked over a counter, noticing two similar stallions ducking for cover, as well as noticing a bat handle that was sticking out from the bottom shelf behind said counter. Scott smiled and eagerly grabbed the handle of the blunt instrument, and upon pulling it out for him to see in full, the bat was a bit smaller than he initially anticipated, but he could adapt. it was a wooden bat painted black, with white bandage wrap-like material wrapped around the handle. Scott gave it a few test swings, twirled it around with his fingers, and smiled. 'There we go. Now it's time to do some serious damage.' Scott thought.

A shrill scream echoed out from outside, causing Scott to immediately run towards it, leaving the stallions in the shop none the wiser as to what was happening.

As Scott ran back into the empty streets of Ponyville, the human was shocked to see that Seventy-Four was now holding a pony hostage. Seventy-Four had a mare in a headlock, aiming his cannon at their head. Scott gritted his teeth and walked closer, all while the Sotoraggian pressed the cannon against the mare's head. "Stop moving, Plumber. One more step, and the equestrian will be nothing but ash!" Seventy-Four threatened.

The mare yelped, screaming out in panic as the cannon was primarily all the mare could see. Scott stopped moving, though he did clutch the bat tightly in his hands. Seventy-Four aimed the cannon at Scott, the both of them stared each other down in silence. "Using a hostage to put a situation in your favor. Somehow I knew it would come to this, but I never pegged your race as a bunch of hardened sore losers." Scott remarked.

Seventy-Four stood his ground, and continued to keep Scott where he stood. "Shut up, you inferior human! Here's what's going to happen, Plumber. You give yourself up, and hand over the Altnetrix, or this mare's blood will be on your hands till your final hour. Attempt to fight once more, and there will be no mercy for you, or these pathetic Equestrians!" Seventy-Four shouted.

The mare was terrified, practically breaking down in tears. Scott was worried, he knew how the Sotoraggians were always the kind to finish the job, no matter what they had to do, but unlike the Plumbers, the Sotoraggians were willing to get innocent blood on their hands.

Scott took a moment to think, and then took one more step forward, before pointing the bat at the Sotoraggian. 'Haven't had the time to practice this much, but hopefully, this will be enough... I sincerely hope it is,' Scott cleared his throat and sighed. "Unfortunately, you seem to have forgotten something about the Plumbers... we don't make deals with terrorists. Here's what will actually go down. You let the mare go, you go back to wherever you came from, and you tell your benefactor that I won't tolerate such a show of blatant disregard for life," Scott walked closer, gripping the bat as he brandished it like a blade. "However, if you decide to fight back, then I promise, you will regret it for the rest of your life... or for the next few moments when I'm beating you to a pulp, results may vary based on the training I've received." Scott warned, glaring at the Sotoraggian.

Seventy-Four simply laughed. "You have to be joking. Hardly any of your transformations can last against me, and you might be a Plumber, but your training couldn't have prepared you for the likes of someone like me." Seventy-Four remarked, letting the cannon power up.

Scott smirked, pointing the bat to the sky as he closed his eyes. The Sotoraggian was confused, until Scott opened his mouth to speak again. "Who said anything about 'Plumber Training'?" Scott questioned.

Scott tried to to concentrate on drawing in magic. He tried to keep a cool head, to think about those that matter to him, those he needs to protect. Then, he felt that familiar sensation again. It surged and built up within him, until it almost felt like it would explode out of his chest. The Sotoraggian wasn't sure what the human was doing, but could clearly tell that the human either lost all traces of sanity, or had an actual plan.

With a jolt, the bat in Scott’s hands ignited with electricity; crackling fiercely as splinters cracked and flew off from the intensity. Scott felt the courage he had dwelling within him, and it pulsed through him like a familiar rush of adrenaline. The Sotoraggian was aghast by what he was witnessing, and immediately tried to attack, only for the mare he was holding hostage to squirm free and try to flee the scene.

Scott knew he needed to help the mare, but he kept his focus. Scott kept thinking about how this world was worth protecting, like the world he was born in. He thought about his parents, knowing that he was doing this for them, Scott felt his resolve strengthen, and the electricity started to shape around the blunt instrument.

Seventy-Four aimed his cannon at the mare, ready to take them out, but then his attention was drawn back to the human. Scott kept thinking about everything that mattered in this moment. If he kept fighting, he needed to finish this now. Incapacitate or exterminate, either option would work, but Scott then thought about what mattered most... Answers.

Scott could feel his body telling him to stop, but Scott kept going. Soon enough, the bat engulfed in light, now entirely enveloped in a yellow glow, crackling with electricity as it danced around and along the blunt instrument. Scott had no idea if this was supposed to happen, but he didn't care at the moment. Seventy-Four was his problem, and he was going to make sure the Sotoraggian regretted coming to this world.

Seventy-Four was astonished and very confused. 'Is this magic?! How, how can he use magic!? Perhaps I wasn't prepared like I thought... she's gonna be pissed.' Seventy-Four thought, now thoroughly concerned about his chances.

Scott stepped forward, twirling the crackling bat with his fingers, and glared at the Sotoraggian. "I don't even know where to start with you. Do you even know who you're talking to? Do you have any idea, any idea who I am!" The Sotoraggian started backing away, only to feel a strange sensation within his body. His armor was beginning to lock up and shut down, as did his physical body. Seventy-Four tried to move, but he felt as if something was invading his mind. "I'm a force of nature, moron! I hurt the bad guys and save lives from scum like you, and now, you're gonna get whacked!" Scott explained, walking towards the panicking Sotoraggian.

Seventy-Four couldn't handle what was happening, and by the time Scott was standing face to face with his pursuer, they were on their knees. The Sotoraggian didn't do anything, say anything, they didn't even try looking the human in the eye, they were already under attack from the inside.

Soon enough, a mare's voice could be heard echoing from the suit. "Seventy-Four, the human is standing above you, ready to fight, yet you decide to try and run away? Need I remind you what happens to those who try to defy me?!" the Sotoraggian started to scream out, all while the red mist began to burst from Seventy-Four's suit, like steam trying to alleviate excess pressure. The red mist began to swallow the Sotoraggian the more it escaped the suit, all while the Sotoraggian's screams started to become more muffled. "I knew I should've done this myself, but that barrier still has me trapped. Good thing you were always willing to keep a piece of me on your person... makes it easier to do this!" The voice stated.

The Sotoraggian's body started to violently shake and tremble, the red mist had now completely consumed the Sotoraggian, but it now seemed to be undergoing a transformation of some kind... no, a mutation. Scott backed up, watching in confusion as the Sotoraggian stood up, undergoing an unsightly and unforeseen change.

The red mist poured itself back into the suit, only for the suit to start crumbling away. Pieces of the suit fell to the ground with many a clatter, only to then reveal the actual alien beneath the armor. Seventy-Four's skin was a pale white, his eyes were now malformed and obscured by the red mist, all while his jaw became unhinged, riddled with sharp teeth. He spontaneously grew another sharp tooth-filled mouth right where his throat was. Seventy-Four's claws seemed to get sharper, growing numerous smaller spikes and thorns along his arms and torso, as did more smaller stubbier arms. The Sotoraggian's chest seemed to open up, revealing an orb consisting of the same red mist, all while six piercing red eyes opened up on the creature's chest, glaring intensely at the Plumber.

Scott was unsure as to what he was looking at, but he knew it was the Sotoraggian... or at least, it used to be. A guttural and gargled growl escaped the mutated alien, but Scott stood his ground, gripping the Thunder-Bat tightly. "You can change your form all you want, but that doesn't mean I'm letting you go. You still have a lot to answer for!" Scott exclaimed, rushing towards the changed Sotoraggian.

Scott swung the bat across the Sotoraggian's face, letting sparks of electricity fly off upon impact. Scott beat on the alien with his bat as hard as he could, and while it was doing some significant damage, it was also starting to piss Seventy-Four off. The Sotoraggian roared like a mindless creature, and swatted Scott away, causing him to skid across the ground. Scott quickly got back onto his feet, only to be taken by surprise when Seventy-Four was already rushing towards him, swatting him away again, only to land onto a bench, breaking it in the process.

Scott groaned, feeling like he just got hit by a truck, but much to his disappointment, it wasn't. It was something far worse, and Scott saw it trying to stomp on him. Scott rolled out of the way, and swung the bat at the alien's ankles. While it did stun them for a moment, it didn't seem to be hurting him like he'd hoped. Scott quickly looked around, noticing that everypony was still inside their homes, which made him feel a bit relieved, but he needed to take this fight somewhere else, somewhere that would mean Ponyville is untouched by the chaos that follows, then Scott remembered the Everfree Forest, and an idea came to him.

Scott watched as the Sotoraggian monster tried to snap its jaws at him, but Scott quickly blocked its attempt with his Thunder-Bat. The moment the creature's teeth came into contact with the weapon, it reeled back as an electrical current pushed through its body, enraging it even more. Scott started running towards the Everfree Forest, hoping the monstrous alien hitman would follow suit. "Come on, you Sotoraggian sack of garbage! Are you a hitman or a prepubescent bully!?" Scott taunted.

The Sotoraggian monster roared out, rushing after the human. Scott ran as fast as he could manage, trying to avoid any attacks the monster threw his way as it gained on him. Scott looked to the Altnetrix, seeing that it was still recharging. Scott sighed and ran into the forest entrance, all while the beast chased after him, like a predator to its prey.

[Everfree Forest]

Scott quickly ran through the brush, all while hearing the monstrous Sotoraggian leaping and swinging through the trees, trying to catch the human. The Sotoraggian was feral, practically behaving like a beast, rather than a sentient being.

Scott went the same way he did when the petrosapien girl, Crystal, was being chased by a dragon couple days earlier, but the only difference this time, he was the one being chased, and instead of a dragon, it was some sort of monstrous Sotoraggian beast. After a bit of running and swinging through the forest, Scott stopped at a dead end, the same large and high cliff that led down to solid ground, to which the Sotoraggian landed behind him, cornering him with no chance of escape.

Scott turned around, gripping the Thunder-Bat as he held it close, ready to fight with all he has left. The Sotoraggian roared out, and Scott yelled out angrily, then they charged at each other. Scott slammed the bat into the creature's stomach, and then delivered a serious haymaker to the beast's face. The Sotoraggian retaliated by biting down on Scott's arm, blood seeped from the wound as Scott yelled out in pain, but he didn't stop fighting. Scott aggressively pulled his arm away, trying to ignore the pain he was suffering from, and repeatedly struck the Sotoraggian monster's head with the bat. Numerous electrical currents pulsed through the beast's body, staggering and stunning it as the human wailed on it without mercy.

Scott then hit the Sotoraggian with one more strike, and just like that, the beast was knocked out cold. The electrical energy soon faded from the blunt instrument in Scott's hands, but all the same, Scott had won the fight... or, at least, he thought he did.

As Scott backed away from the unconscious Sotoraggian beast, Scott saw the red mist leave Seventy-Four's body. At first, the mist seemed to be looking at the human, but then it trailed off, floating off the nearby cliff, then dissipating into nothingness. Scott had no words for what happened, let alone what he saw, but Scott simply walked over to the unconscious Sotoraggian, who was slowly returning to his normal self again, and dragged his unconscious body back to Ponyville, hoping that without his gadgets, the Sotoraggian would then be at the ponies' mercy, and his mercy.

Scott could feel his left arm getting colder, slowly growing numb to any feeling or sensation, but he chocked that up to the fact that his arm was losing blood, not so much to how a feral alien bit him and punctured the flesh. Scott pulled the Sotoraggian to the entrance, feeling the blood drip down from his wound like rain.

He won the fight, but despite how prepared he was, it still felt like he lost.

[Whitetail Woods]

After a few long excruciating hours of dragging an unconscious Sotoraggian through Ponyville, Scott eventually made it back to his hut, slowly pulling the unconscious alien back to it. Once he knew everything was fine, Scott used the Altnetrix to transform into Smudge. The Lenopan let his injured arm regenerate the damage as long as he was in alien form, and then he trapped the unconscious Sotoraggian in a huge glob of sludge that hardened around the alien, keeping him trapped.

Soon enough, Smudge simply moved over to the river, looking down at his reflection. Despite being transformed, Scott could see a bit of himself in the aliens he transformed into, even in the Hylian form he had access to with the mask... he could hardly believe he was looking at the same person, let alone that he was that person. Smudge let out a gurgled sigh, all while someone landed beside him.

Princess Celestia, the most favored of the two royal sisters in his Equestria, looked at him with curiosity, as well as concern. "I assume everything went well?" Celestia asked.

Smudge scoffed, pointing towards Seventy-Four, who was unconscious and trapped in hardened sludge. Celestia nodded in approval. "Good, he's been captured. I hope you know what do do with him, someone like that can't be allowed to roam free, not after harming innocent ponies," Smudge stayed silent, as if lamenting on the events that happened prior. Celestia noticed the Plumber's silence, and started to wonder if she had said something she wasn't supposed to. "Scott Baristo, forgive me for pointing this out, but you seem troubled. I know I'm not my sister, in terms of considering the feelings of my subjects... but, I am always willing to listen. Pray tell, what troubles you, has something befallen your friend?" Celestia asked with concern.

The Altnetrix starts to beep, and in a flash of white light, Scott is returned to his normal form. "No, it's not that... it's just, nothing seems to make sense anymore, not like how it used to. I never thought I'd see such a vicious display, especially from something so... out of place, it was bizarre, to say the least. The fight was practically standard, something I could've dealt with easily if I had my Plumber gear. Even with alien powers and a magic mask, plus a couple items, it was fairly standard..." Celestia simply let the human speak, though she was listening as well as she could. "Then, all of a sudden, I'm not fighting a hitman anymore... I'm fighting a vicious, mindless monster that's trying to tear me limb from limb. I don't know what that mist inside the suit was, but whatever it was, I think it had me hallucinating. I managed to get it to follow me to the Everfree, just so I could take the fight away from the village... but I never could've anticipated this," Scott was genuinely confused and concerned by what kind of living nightmare he just experienced. "How was this even possible?" Scott questioned.

Celestia seemed confused, but clearly this fight was a bit more than the Plumber could manage, and he was barely able to make it out alive. Scott sighed, looking down at the river flowing by, feeling a sense of calm wash over him. Celestia sighed, standing up as she looked down at the human. "I'm not entirely sure as to what exactly happened during your encounter with this... alien, but Luna and I, along with our faithful students, have the utmost faith in your capabilities," Scott looked at the princess, unsure as to what exactly she was getting at. "Scott Baristo, we are no strangers to tough challenges and close calls with danger, and we know you aren't either, so should you find yourself seeking solace from the unknown, Luna is always willing to listen. I sincerely hope you enjoy the rest of your day, human, I bid you adieu." Celestia stated calmly.

Scott nodded his head. "Farewell, your highness, I wish you have a great day, as well." Scott stated, saluting to the princess.

Celestia's horn glowed in a golden aura, and in a flash of light, the princess teleported away, leaving the human to his own devices. Scott took a deep breath, and slowly exhaled, feeling a sense of calm... as well as uncertainty.

Scott looked up at the portal above his hut, debating on what he could do, but then an idea came to him.

[Scott's Residence]

As the sky got darker and darker, Scott walked into his hut and grabbed a small piece of parchment, as well as a small bottle of ink and a quill. Scott started writing down something on the parchment, periodically stopping to think of how to word what he was trying to convey, and soon managed to come up with something to say. He signed the paper at the bottom, rolled it up, and tied it closed with a piece of string from one of the bags.

Scott put the scroll above the doorframe, and laid down on his sofa, not even bothering to look up at the moon as it got redder and redder. From outside the hut, the sound of squirming could be heard, and Scott simply let it be, knowing it was most likely Seventy-Four, who finally regained consciousness.

[Dreamscape]

Scott was back on the farm, and lo and behold, there were a few noticeable differences. One difference was that there was more to the farm than just a simple farmhouse. There was a barn, but it looked old and ancient, as if someone purposefully made it out of stone, metal and magic. The more Scott looked at the farm, the more it seemed to remind him of the howling stone, the one that summoned Jeff to his world.

Another noticeable difference was a couple Hylian children tending to a small patch of Deku seeds. One child was a boy with long messy and very wild brown hair, and the other was a girl with very well-taken care of blonde hair that cascaded down to her back. Scott felt a sense of familiarity about them, but he didn't know why, he never met them before, or even heard of anyone like them.

Scott looked to his side, noticing a small white ocarina with a familiar turquoise hourglass symbol painted on the side of it. Scott wasn't sure why he had it, but at the same time, he didn't mind it, he always wanted to play an instrument. Scott decided to sit down on the steps of the farmhouse, and decided to play the song he heard from the howling stone before, just for the hell of it. As Scott slowly played the song, and trying to figure out how to hold the damn thing and play the notes right, Scott slowly figured it out.

As he played the final note, that was when all hell broke loose, and the nightmare began. The world around him began to shake, which provoked Scott's fight or flight response. Scott looked over to the kids, wondering if he could save them, but upon seeing their hollowed eyes, as if their faces were just masks they wear, Scott tried to leave and make his way to the barn.

The world around him got redder, all while some strange tune echoed out, playing in-reverse. As Scott ran to the barn, that's when he saw it. A hand burst out from the ground a few feet in front of him. From out of the ground, a familiar figure was back to enlist torment. The man who looked like him, only now he was rotting, his skeleton was out for all to see, his rotting and discolored skin, coupled with the lifeless milky white eyes he had, a mixed look of hunger, anger, disappointment, and excitement was something Scott wasn't prepared for.

The man, despite his lack of lips, smiled, rushing towards Scott, all while storm clouds rolled in, sending down large bolts of blackened lightning to rip the ground apart. The man grabbed Scott and held him still. Scott frantically tried to escape, but soon felt them bite into him. Scott opened his mouth, but nothing seemed to come out, not a single sound.

Soon enough, a black bolt of lightning struck Scott where he stood, and everything seemed to just stop.

Scott sat up screaming, panting heavily as he wiped his face with his shirt. His face drenched in sweat, his eyes full of tears. Scott slowly looked out of the window, only to be met by the mare in the moon, looking down upon him as the blood moon intensified.

Author's Note

Well, this chapter certainly had an ending, probably the darkest I've considered making it.

I would explain why he has this kind of nightmare, but that's for another chapter. Soon enough, business will return to normal as usual, but for now, Scott needs answers, and Seventy-Four has them.

Also, I was going to include a whole nightmare scenario in this chapter, to show that this fight had left some serious mental scars on the Plumber operative, but I decided to not do that... yet.

We're gonna take this as slow as possible, but I'm at least satisfied with how this chapter ended up being... because now, we're starting to get into the first major arc of Scott's story.

For simplicity's sake, we'll call it the Blood Moon Arc, and it's only gonna go further into mayhem from here. For now, however, Scott has plenty of time to figure out what's been going on, particularly with the unnaturally frequent blood moons.

Aggravations and Interrogations

[Scott's Residence; 26 days till the Summer Sun Celebration]

Rainbow Dash and Scootaloo walk up to Scott's hut, noticing a couple patchy spots in the ground like something small was buried, as well as a familiar Sotoraggian that made the pegasus' blood boil, but it was satisfying to see the hitman now trapped in what looked like hardened mud. "Serves you right, jerk, enjoy your muddied soak," Dash knocked on the door, giving a serious stink eye to the trapped Sotoraggian. "Hey human, are you home?! It's me, Rainbow Dash! I heard about what happened in town, nice job giving this alien freak what for! Mind if we come in?" Dash called out.

There wasn't a response, but there was an audible shuffling sound coming from inside the building. Dash and Scootaloo look into the window, noticing what looked like Scott moving towards the front door. The door opens up, revealing an exhausted and emotionally drained Scott Baristo. Scott yawned, feeling as if he hadn't slept at all last night. "What time is it?" Scott tiredly asked.

Dash backed up, and saw how the Sotoraggian was still trying to break free. "Uh... it's fifteen minutes till ten, why?" Dash asked.

Scott grumbled and walked out of the hut. "You two, you're free to help yourself to whatever you want to eat, unless it's the meat, then don't touch that. I'll be back in a minute, just need to do something real quick." Scott stated, walking away from the two pegasi as he made his way down the path.

The pegasi looked at each other, and slowly followed the human shapeshifter from behind. As Scott walked to the river, he came to a stop, and activated the Altnetrix. Scott dialed in the alien he needed, and pressed the core down. In a flash of turquoise light, Scott was transformed into Smudge. The Lenopan morphed his hands into buckets, collecting more water from the river as he went back to the hut. Scott went to where he planted the deku seeds, and watered them carefully, all while he sneered at the struggling Sotoraggian.

As the buckets emptied out the last remaining droplets of water, Smudge morphed his hands back to normal, and soon enough, the sound of wings flapping could be heard getting closer. Private Zapp, along with a couple other guards, had now come to see the human, who didn't seem to be in the best mood. The Altnetrix started beeping, and in a flash of light, Scott was returned to his normal form as he dusted himself off. "Cadet. I'm gonna assume that you're here for this?" Scott asked, gesturing to Seventy-Four as he squirmed to escape his muddied binds.

Zapp nodded his head, though seemed a bit fidgety. "Y-Yes, uh... we're going to escort him to the Canterlot Dungeon, where this b-beast will rot in a cell... for the rest of his days." Zapp stated, stuttering a bit.

Scott noticed the unconvinced look in the bat pony's eyes, as well as a shine of blue in his sclera. Scott seemed hesitant, at first, but simply shrugged his shoulders, then decided to grab his bat, and swung at the dried mud. With every swing, the mud started to crack and chip away by the chunk, all while Scott let his mind wander as he tried to free the Sotoraggian from his overnight captivity.

Scott raised the bat over his head, and with one more swing, the mud cracked and finally opened up, like some kind of fossilized cocoon. The Sotoraggian tried to stand up, only to immediately fall over, struggling to crawl away. "Guess the blood stopped rushing to his legs after a night of sleep sitting, but I actually wanted to propose a suggestion, one that'll benefit us greatly," Zapp seemed concerned, but the other guards, as well as Dash and Scootaloo, were curious as to what the human had in mind. "After what happened yesterday, I haven't got much sleep... I say, before we lock him up, let's interrogate him. He may have information on his employer, and I need that information now more than ever. Equestria needs this information just as much as I do, as well, so it's very mutual for us to work together on this, is it not?" Scott suggested.

Zapp seemed apprehensive at the idea, something that Scott couldn't ignore, but did take his reaction into consideration. The other guards and Rainbow, on the other hand, were actually pretty eager to go along with this plan. "Makes a lot of sense, now that I think about it. By getting info out of them, we'll know what kind of shady space monsters to be aware of, no offense." One of the guards stated.

Scott simply shrugged his shoulders. "None taken." Scott assured.

Zapp frowned. "Maybe instead of that, we should just lock them up, on the off-chance they don't comply. Besides, the guards are currently collecting whatever remnants of its gear is still lying around in Ponyville, and have made sure to keep any fool-minded individuals from taking anything especially dangerous. They're no longer a threat, we should just put them behind bars, and that's that." Zapp argued.

Scott, along with the other ponies, were confused by Zapp's responses, but Scott simply brushed them off. "Even so, this information could provide us with an advantage. Hear me out, if I can figure out how to work its technology and find its ship, we could advance numerous corners of Canterlot and Ponyville by a few tech levels. From what I've observed, your planet's tech level is one," Scott walked over and grabbed the Sotoraggian's arms, putting them behind its back as he kept it pinned down. "With the help of Sotoraggian technology, we could bump up your planet's tech level to three, maybe even four or five, if we're lucky! I'd have to run this by the princesses, first, and explain how important a planet's tech level is, but Equestria's citizens wouldn't have to worry about hiding from alien life anymore, or fearing that the next attack is their last, because by advancing and learning to understand the unknown, you can better yourself, better equip yourself for the threats coming ahead," Scott pulled the Sotoraggian aside and held them to the ground. "I'm not sure if it's possible right now, but maybe with enough time, patience, effort, and alien technology, we could establish Equestria's first ever Plumber base, and better prepare ourselves for higher-ranked threats!" Scott explained.

The ponies, except for Zapp, seemed rather interested in the idea, even if it was rather ambitious. "Well, let's take this one step at a time, Scott. First, we need to get information out of this alien dirt bag. Has he been talking at all?" Dash asked.

Scott shook his head. "He's gone back to speaking his native language, can't understand a word he's saying. If I were a betting man, and thank Celestia I'm not, his helmet probably had a built-in translator. It would explain how I was able to understand him, but even then, letting him have a piece of his tech back could result in trouble," Scott took a minute to think, all while the Sotoraggian tried to break out of Scott's hold. Seventy-Four was irritated, spouting more sounds out that no one could translate. Scott sighed and pinched a spot on the Sotoraggian's neck, causing them to go stiff, and then slump to the ground, surprising the ponies. "Nerve clusters. Irritate one enough, and it's nature's snooze button, for most species, anyway. Look, how's about we take a moment to let the guards take this moron to a holding cell, and when they're ready for us, all set up back in Canterlot, we can head on over and slap his helmet on him, then finally get some answers. In the mean time, I've been meaning to get a proper tour of Ponyville. I could use a couple easy hours before we interrogate him, gives me time to process things and have a clearer train of thought." Scott explained.

The guards nodded, hoisting the unconscious alien onto their backs as they fly towards Canterlot Castle. Zapp, however, didn't go with them, which raised a bit of suspicion in Rainbow Dash. Dash nudged the bat pony, only to earn a look of confusion. "Hey, aren't you gonna go back with them or something, it's your job, isn't it?" Dash asked.

Zapp seemed confused, but almost immediately seemed to recognize what Dash was talking about, only to shake his head urgently. "N-No! No, there's no need for that. If a-anything, I could use a day off myself... it's exhausting when these monsters cause t-trouble for everypony, so I could use a day to relax, recharge my batteries, as it were." Zapp nervously responded.

Dash tilted her head, seeming confused by how Zapp was reacting, but she eventually backed off, watching as Scott jogs down the path. "Come on, slowpokes, we're wasting the morning rays just standing around!" Scott called out.

Dash rolled her eyes, smirking as she flew after Scott. Scootaloo followed after her, all while Zapp trailed behind them, letting his eyes close, only to reveal bright blue orbs in their places, only to blink his eyes a few times, letting them return to normal as he tries to catch up to them.

[Ponyville]

The four of them walked around the streets of Ponyville, with Dash waving at the numerous citizens. Zapp, on the other hand, had his head hung low. Scott looked over to the last place he saw Seventy-Four during their fight in Ponyville, noticing several royal guards carting off every piece of what remained of the Sotoraggian's armor. Scott looked around Ponyville, and took some obvious notice that the stuff that was broken was somehow magically repaired, like the fight never happened. "Wow, clean up crew works fast, if only it was this proficient back home." Scott commented.

Dash snickered. "If you're impressed by that, then you're gonna get a kick out of seeing what we Pegasi do for a living," Dash flew ahead and up to a cloud. Scott looked up in confusion, only to see Dash slam her back legs into the cloud, causing it to suddenly disappear, practically exploding into nothingness upon impact. Scott was a bit confused, but he had to admit, he was a bit impressed. Dash flew back down and smirked. "We Pegasi have a natural ability of controlling and manipulating the weather. Flying is something we already could do biologically, but it's honestly pretty cool to be apart of weather control. Doesn't mean I plan to give up my dreams of joining the Wonderbolts, though." Dash explained, bumping hooves with the enthusiastic Scootaloo.

Zapp rolled his eyes, sneering a bit. "Like how you gave up on joining the royal guard, miss Dash?" Zapp questioned sarcastically.

Dash whipped her head around, glaring at the bat pony, who simply flashed his fangs as he smirked. Scott cleared his throat, getting both of the grown ponies' attention. "Let's not get at each other's throats so early, alright? It's not healthy to be this irritated at such early hours in the day," Scott looked around and notices a small sixties-themed diner on one of the street corners. "Tell ya what, I haven't had a proper breakfast yet, and I don't know how dishes in your world taste, so let's get some grub before we do something dangerous. Shall we?" Scott suggested.

As the human walked over to the diner, Dash and Zapp simply looked at each other, giving each other one last glare, then following Scott's lead, all while Scootaloo raced ahead of them both. "Wait for me, all I had was an apple!!" Scootaloo yelled out.

[Canterlot Dungeon]

Seventy-Four slowly started to come to, only to find himself in a dark, dim and unbearably cold room made of stone and metal. The Sotoraggian tried to get up and escape, only to find that he was chained to the ground by his ankles and legs, and his arms were chained behind his back. Seventy-Four called out in his unintelligible language, but it seemed like no one could hear him... or gave his garbled nonsense any attention.

Seventy-Four tried to break free of his binds, but clearly didn't have enough strength to do so. The Sotoraggian slumped down to the ground, deciding to try and conserve his strength for when he'd need it.

[Ponyville]

Scott and the three other ponies walked inside, met by a couple mares passing by in frilly shirts and skirts, with roller skates on their back hooves. Scott looked around, noticing how the interior of the place looked very in-tune with the nineteen-sixties aesthetic. It was certainly appealing to the eyes, had it not been for the talking pastel ponies that were now cautiously looking at him, Scott would've assumed he got flung backwards in time. "Well, this is an interesting joint, what's this place called?" Scott asked.

Dash stepped forward. "Relax, everypony, this guy's the same guy who stopped the dragon, as well as that weird alien in armor! He's a trusted friend and guest of the princesses." Dash reassured.

The ponies slowly returned to their usual business, all while the four of them moved to the counter to order. The mare behind the counter only looked at Scott for a couple moments, then immediately got ready to resume her job without a care in the world, letting her unicorn horn light up with a magenta aura. "Welcome to The Doo-Wop Stop Diner, where our food's so good, it'll be like you're back in the past. Can I take your order?" the mare asked, sounding completely disinterested.

Scott looked over the menu that hung from the ceiling, and Scott really didn't know what to try first. The human shrugged his shoulders. "It's my first time here, do you recommend anything?" Scott asked.

The mare's eye twitched as a scowl formed on her face, but that soon faltered when she pointed to what looked like a deep fried rectangular dessert item with a gooey rainbow-colored filling. "I recommend the Zap Apple Pie, it's... I can't believe I have to say this," Scott raised an eyebrow for a moment, then saw the mare force herself to smile. "It's shockingly delicious!" The mare said through gritted teeth.

Scott shuddered and sighed. "It's times like this where I'm glad I didn't get a part-time job for fast food," the mare's forced smile soon faded away, letting the mare return to her normal and rather sour mood. "I guess I'll try a Zap Apple Pie, then. May I get a chocolate shake with that, too, please? I'll take a small." Scott asked.

The mare shrugged and typed away on the old-fashioned register that sat in front of her. "Are you three with him, or is it separate?" the mare asked.

Dash smiled and stepped forward. "We're with him, but I'll pay for all of us. I'll take an order of horseshoe fries, medium, a double hayburger with extra lettuce, and an ice water," the mare typed away at the register, all while Dash helped Scootaloo get a view of the menu. "What do you want, kid, what looks good?" Dash asked.

Scootaloo smiled. "I'll have what Dash is having, just subtract the lettuce from my hayburger, and load it with ketchup. I'll also take some nuggets, too, please." Scootaloo ordered.

The mare looked up at the menu, seeing the nuggets she was referring to, seeming genuinely confused. "A pony, much less a kid... wanting a meat-based product... this day just keeps getting better and better. Sure kid, why not, we're not liable if you get sick," the mare typed away at the register, and finally set her sights on Zapp, who seemed to be staring at her intently. "What about you, guardsman? What's your order?" the mare asked.

Zapp didn't seem to respond, but Scott could tell just by looking at him, that he was getting twitchy. He was constantly adjusting his wings, he was a bit stiff with his movements, but he could tell the bat pony was obviously struggling to keep his nerves steady. Scott groaned and stepped in front of Zapp. "He'll have tea and anything with fruit, if you don't mind." Scott ordered.

The mare shrugged her shoulders and typed away at the register one more time, and finally saw the total for the meal. "That'll be 1,200 bits, plus tax." The mare stated.

Dash winced at the mention of the number, but ended up fishing out a small leather satchel, pulling out a few large golden coins as she handed them to the mare behind the counter. Scott was rather surprised, he wasn't familiar with this world's currency yet, but if currency was in gold, Scott was a bit worrisome for how he'd provide for himself once the food back at the hut finally runs out.

The mare tosses the bits into the register drawer, and takes a long slip of paper to the kitchen, disappearing behind a bright neon pink door as steam escapes. Scott notices an empty booth near the windows, and leads the others over to it. "Well, that went alright. Can't say I blame that mare for not smiling, sometimes working sucks, especially if you had something important to do that day," Scott looked over at Zapp, who was hanging his head low, bearing his fangs in a defensive manner. "Hey, relax a bit, sometimes it's difficult for people like us to drop the guard/plumber/law enforcer routine and relax. The day I finally stopped thinking that my job was all that mattered, it was the day I ended up here! That was a month ago, for Pete's sake." Scott explained, trying to reassure the guard.

The four of them sat down on the cushioned seat, waiting patiently for their food to be ready. "And now, we play the waiting game." Dash remarked.

Scootaloo rubbed her stomach and sighed. "That's the worst part, just having to wait when we're already hungry! I knew I should've tried to sneak a cookie from home." Scootaloo bemoaned, feeling her stomach growl.

Scott smiled. "It's not all bad, kid. Sometimes the wait is worth it, just means the food's gonna taste even better, right Zapp?" Scott turned towards where the bat pony was sitting. Heavy emphasis on was, because he was no longer there anymore, like he vanished into thin air. Scott looked around, but saw no sign of the bat pony. "Zapp? Private, where'd ya go?" Scott called out.

Dash felt her suspicion start to rise, as Scott's suspicion rose higher. Something was clearly not right, and something had to be done. Before they could do something, their food was brought out by the same mare, who clearly seemed irritated. She set the food down with a light slam, startling the three a bit, all while she turned around to go back to the kitchen. "Enjoy your slop, I don't get paid enough for this. Have a dandy-ass day!" the mare called out, clearly dealing with aggravation of some kind as she trotted away.

Dash scoffed and started to dig into her burger. "Guess that pony's having a bad day. Maybe you were right about one thing, Scott," Dash took a bite from her burger, all while Scott took a sip from his shake, slightly off-put by the mild bitterness to it, but otherwise, it wasn't that bad. Scott broke open his Zap Apple Pie, seeing white apple chunks drenched in a cinnamon-scented rainbow filling. Scott wasted no time in scarfing the treat down, and while it did taste a little off, it was definitely good. "Think soldier-colt will mind if I take his food? I doubt he'll miss it." Dash commented, reaching over to swipe his meal.

Scott sighed. "Zapp's been acting a bit off, as of late. Ever since the last Blood Moon, it's like nothing's been the same. He's a nice guy, I can tell just looking at him, but I never suspected that a rookie would be so apprehensive about upholding justice." Scott remarked.

Dash looked confused, swallowing down another bite from her burger. "Didn't you refer to him as a Cadet back at the hut?" Dash asked.

Scott nodded his head. "Yeah, because I wanted to know if he'd correct me. It's how I can tell if someone's hiding something, besides how shifty and inattentive he's been lately. If he's still a rookie, why'd he not correct me when I referred to him incorrectly? Why has he been acting so strange?" Scott questioned.

Dash took a moment to think about it for a moment, but as she did, the sound of screaming and terror sounded out from the outside of the diner. Scott sighed, chugging down his shake as he runs out of the diner, already reaching for the Altnetrix.

Dash sighed, getting up from her seat. "Scootaloo, stay here, I don't want you getting hurt. If the ground starts shaking, hide under the table and tuck in your head." Dash cautioned, bolting out of the diner.

Scootaloo looked out the window, wondering what kind of fight was about to go down this time. Scootaloo smiled widely as she pressed her face against the glass. "Go get 'em, Dashie!" Scootaloo cheered.

Scott and Rainbow Dash navigated through the panicking ponies, only to then finally realize why they were freaking out in the first place. Up ahead was a large black stallion-shaped creature, one that had a large stinger in place of a tail, and a singular hercules beetle like protrusion coming out of its forehead. The creature was towering over a red and black mare, who now seemed more lifeless, gray and black, now that a bit of red was now dripping from the stallion's muzzle, all while it showed off its big blue compacted eyes. It hissed and readied itself for a fight.

Dash and Scott were terrified, but above all else, they were beyond angry. "Changeling." The two muttered in unison.

Scott activated the Altnetrix and pushed the core down, not bothering to look at what alien he had picked. As Scott is enveloped in a turquoise light, Scott was then transformed into his Synthroid form. "As much as I find it worrisome to rely on Protectron, this is the one exception I'm willing to make." The Synthroid stated, glaring at the changeling as it lets electricity build up in its palms.

Dash flared her wings and sneered at the changeling. It hissed out and tried to fly away, only for a bolt of electricity to tear right through its wings, creating various holes that caused the bug to crash back to the ground. The changeling charged at the two heroes, and in a quick step, they leapt to the side, letting the changeling rush past them, only for Dash to fly towards it and yank it into the air by grabbing its stinger with her teeth.

Dash was about to slam the changeling to the ground, until the changeling managed to get itself free, then jabbed Dash's left wing with said stinger, causing the pegasus to cry out and fall head first onto a cart full of fruit. Protectron readied itself as it ran towards the changeling, only for the changeling to start running away. The Changeling enveloped itself in a burst of green flames, only to then disguise itself as a Synthroid, only it was now colored white and yellow.

The two synthroids started to duke it out, throwing punches at each other as they tried to find an opening. Protectron decided to charge his fist with electricity, and managed to land a right hook into the fake synthroid's face, which then managed to cause the faker to shift into its normal insectoid form. The changeling's wings were still too damaged for take off, so out of instinct, it fired a beam of magic at the hero, causing the beam to collide with the Altnetrix. A brief mix of turquoise and teal lights shined through, showing that Protectron was unharmed, as was the Altnetrix, though it did seem to be reacting in a way to the attack.

The changeling hissed at the mechanical superhero, and used a teleportation spell to get away, vanishing in a flash of teal light. Protectron seemed irritated, though it didn't seem to convey emotions all that well. It felt irritated, but at the same time, he just backed off.

The synthroid walked towards the cart that Dash was still in, pulling the pony out and shaking the fruit mush off of her body. "Thanks for the clean-up, but that faust damn bug still got away! That's the first pony casualty via Changeling attack we've had in the last few months, and they chose now of all times to attack?! The aliens are already enough to deal with!" Dash suddenly realized what she said and smiled nervously at the synthroid standing next to her. "Uh... sorry, Scott, no offense." Dash apologized.

The Altnetrix started to beep, and in a flash of white light, Scott was turned back into his normal self. "Again, none taken. I'm just as pissed as you, knowing that bug got away, where was Zapp when you needed an extra hoof!" Scott remarked.

As if Scott spoke of the devil, Zapp came flying down, stumbling as he landed, noticing the aftermath of the fight. "What happened?! I heard screaming, and then everything got quiet!" Zapp soon noticed that Scott and Dash were looking at him, both seeming equally pissed at the bat pony. "What?" Zapp asked.

Scott stepped forward. "Private, where the hell have you been! One of those changelings showed up and got somepony killed, and we had to handle it ourselves! The damn thing got away from us, we could've used an extra hoof if you didn't suddenly vanish!" Scott remarked, seeming rather disappointed.

The bat pony lowered its ears and seemed embarrassed. "I was just trying to find a couple guards, we do need an update on that alien's condition, after all. With its tech in our possession, we could easily get it to talk, in return for its limited freedom. I didn't think a changeling would attack again so soon, though, I would've stayed to fight had I known." Zapp explained.

Dash groaned and got up in Zapp's face. "You shouldn't've bailed on us, anyway, bat boy! That changeling was freaking huge, like it had some meat on its bones! It's a miracle it could even fly with those wings at all! We narrowly got lucky to keep it on the ground, but it teleported away, we don't know where it went," Zapp sank into his armor, but he clearly did not appreciate being talked to like this. "Now that thing's got its fill, and got somepony killed! If that thing had managed to beat us both, everypony else would be put at risk! Scootaloo would've been put at risk, for crying out loud! Get your head out of the fruit bowl, batty, and focus on doing your job!!" Dash reprimanded.

Zapp and Dash glared at each other, flaring their wings as they readied themselves to fight, but not until Scott got between them, holding them back. "Hey, hey!! Break it up, both of you! Fighting each other isn't going to bring that bug back, and it's not going to help that poor pony, so stop it! You're both making a scene!!" Scott exclaimed in a commanding tone.

Zapp swatted Scott's hand away, letting his hoof scrape against the Altnetrix. Zapp then started to fly away. "I won't forget this! Take care of the alien issue yourself, I have other jobs to do, anyway!" Zapp shouted out, taking to the skies.

Scott frowned, all while Dash was clearly irate. "I hope you clip your wings on the way back to Canterlot, you vampire wannabe!" Dash turned her head towards the diner, seeing Scootaloo run towards her. "Come on, kid, we're going to get you home. If Canterlot still has that alien freak in a holding cell, or managed to keep it in a holding cell, I wanna make sure I get there before that fang-faced screw up. But I need to get you home, first." Dash stated, lifting the orange filly onto her back.

Scott groaned. "Dash, we could just leave now, take Scootaloo with us. I'm sure she'll be safe around tons of guards, and with us nearby, nothing could possibly happen," Dash didn't say a word, and just flew off further into town. Scott looked around, noticing the ponies staring at him with a mix of concern and confusion. Scott took a deep breath and sighed. "Don't worry, everypony, the changeling is gone... someone ended up dead, but I promise you... this won't happen again. Please, carry on with your day as usual, let me and the guards take care of cleaning up this mess." Scott tried to reassure the crowd.

With a few moments of hesitation, the ponies did eventually go back to business as usual, all while he and a couple guards stationed in Ponyville examined the body. Obvious signs of fang marks, the body looks not just physically drained, but the body looked so emotionless in death, like every last emotion was sucked out of the poor mare.

The mare looked just like how his parents did that night, and while it made his blood boil, he could feel the dam starting to give way, wiping his eyes as a couple stray tears start to form. Scott gritted his teeth and started to back away. "Sorry fellas, but I can't stand to look at this... I'm... I-I'm going to head back to my hut, to prepare for the trip back to Canterlot." Scott stated, running towards the whitetail woods.

Scott could feel the bile rising up in his throat, but he just tried to keep it down. He felt strange, like some kind of toxic feeling was pulsing throughout his body. He didn't know what was wrong with him at that moment, he just ran back to his hut, trying to keep his composure as he passed various ponies by.

[Scootaloo's Home]

Dash landed down in front of a two-story house, and knocked on the door, waiting for the filly's aunts to answer. Scootaloo fidgeted in place, all while Dash was trying to get her to calm down. "Try to relax a little, kid. I know things got a bit chaotic back at the diner, but you're safe, now. I'll try to explain it all to you when you're older, and don't go tellin' your aunts about the changeling. They already worry about you plenty, don't start giving them heart attacks." Dash reassured.

Scootaloo looked away, noticing a couple bat pony guards patrolling the streets. Scootaloo sighed and looked back at Dash. "Did you mean all those things you said to that guard, Dash?" Scootaloo asked.

Dash tensed up, and sighed. "Look Scoot, I was worried about how the situation could've went. A mare... well, they're not gonna get back up after what that bug did to them. I don't think I'd be able to reign myself in if those things got hold of you, I know I couldn't... that guard who was with us, he shouldn't've bailed on us in the first place. If your friends are in trouble, you do what you can to get them out of it. It's all about loyalty, kid, remember that." Dash attempted to explain.

Scootaloo sighed and hopped off of Dash's back as the front door opened up. In front of Dash were two mares that seemed rather relieved to know Scootaloo came home. One mare was rather plump, dressed in a light blue sweater, had a pale light grayish olive colored coat, scarlet eyes, and a messy, yet properly cared for scarlet and tangelo mane and tail, and a cutie mark consisting of a sail boat on a small body of water, with the sun shining above it. The other mare was rather thin, but was clearly taking care of herself. She was dressed in a light lavender sweater, had a very pale yellow coat with pale light grayish persian blue eyes, and an arctic cyan colored mane and tail. Her cutie mark consisted of a sewing needle, and a small roll of light blue sewing thread.

The two mares smiled and hugged the filly, all while Dash slowly snuck away, taking to the skies as soon as she could. Usually she'd stay behind, thank the kid's aunts for letting her spend time with the kid, reschedule for another potential sitting, but Dash wanted to make sure things were safe. Dash quickly flew over to the whitetail woods, hoping the human was having any better chances of figuring this out.

[Scott's Residence]

Scott was rummaging through his belongings, finally managing to grab the Hylian mask. He clipped the mask to the side of his pants on one of the belt notches, and looked over at a camera-like device. Scott grabbed it and hooked it to the other side of his pants, but starts to feel sick to his stomach again. He tries to shake off this feeling and continue preparing himself for the trip to Canterlot, but then he suddenly hears a large set of footsteps coming towards his home.

Scott ducks down under the window, grabbing his bat as he readied himself for another fight. 'Great, just what I need right now, another attacker! That damn bug probably recognized me!' Scott thought, bracing himself for what was to come. Scott stayed out of sight for a moment, listening closely to how huge this new attacker could be. Scott had a lot on his plate already, and this was something he didn't want to deal with right now, but the problem's literally outside of his hut, he'll be trapped if he doesn't try to make a move.

Scott thought about his situation for a moment, then finally came to a decision. He didn't like his decision, but it was better than letting ponies succumb to another dangerous threat. Scott got up and threw the door open, readying his bat, but soon came across a familiar silhouette, one that was lacking a hand of any kind. The figure stepped back, revealing themselves to be Technorg. "Greetings, Scott Baristo, it's been a bit since we last met. I believe we have something important to discuss." Technorg greeted the human.

Scott felt his panicking begin to lessen, but he was still a bit off-put by the sudden visit. he wasn't even sure how Technorg found him, but at least he knew the Detrovite was in good spirits. "Technorg, I wasn't aware that you were in the area. Not that it isn't nice to see you, because it is, I'm just a bit busy at the moment. Important plumber business, and such, gotta head back to Canterlot to interrogate that Sotoraggian jerk wad." Scott explained, dusting himself off as he lowered his weapon.

Scott tried to walk past the Detrovite, only to be stopped by his huge arm blocking the way. "So, you encountered the Sotoraggian already, and had him detained as well. You're starting to get on top of things by the sounds of it. But, I assume you know why he's here then, correct?" Technorg asked.

Scott nodded his head. "Yeah, he was here to collect the Altnetrix, but thankfully, he didn't. If anything, he just made it easier to scan his alien DNA." Scott stated.

Technorg didn't seem satisfied with that answer, still refusing to let Scott pass. "Excuse me if I don't inherently believe you, but I sincerely doubt that. If he was here for the Altnetrix, why would he give up so willingly, instead of trying to pry the device from your body?" Technorg questioned.

Scott shrugged his shoulders. "A lot has surprisingly changed in the last few days, big guy, I don't know what to tell you. Things have been rather tragic just moments ago, but hopefully there's a way to nip these problems in the bud before they become reoccurring pests," Scott stepped back and saw the unconvinced look on the detrovite's face. Scott sighed, and let his guard down. "I'll admit, the Sotoraggian thing is a bit of a new development, but it's nothing we can't handle, since he doesn't have his suit anymore. But now, changelings are making an unwelcome comeback, and they already have one kill. how am I going to deal with this? Somepony's already dead, for crying out loud! Say what you want about how civilians shouldn't get involved in dangerous situations, but that's going to sting for a few weeks." Scott explained.

Technorg sighed. "You are not that educated on this world's legends, are you?" Technorg questioned.

Scott was a bit confused by Technorg's question. "I know there's something up with the moon, its blood moon phenomenon, and likely whoever's up there. They've been making sleeping harder to endure, and the sudden mutation that Sotoraggian underwent was definitely not expected, I know that Sotoraggian has something to do with the mare in the blood moon, but that's what this interrogation is going to solve. I need to make connections, I need to see the bigger picture, it's just taking a bit more time than I thought it would." Scott explained.

The Detrovite seemed mildly frustrated, but Technorg could clearly see that Scott was trying his best, he's just a bit off track. "Nevertheless, I am here to help. Anything you need Technorg to do, I can help provide. Just say the word, and I'll do my best to lend a hand, out of the kindness of my heart," Technorg grabbed the human and tossed him onto his back. "But for now, let's see how useful interrogation tactics work on a Sotoraggian." Technorg commented.

As the Detrovite was about to leave, Dash finally came onto the scene, bewildered by the sight of the large alien, but then saw Scott on top of the alien itself. "Hey Dash, meet one of my friends who helped me save Canterlot. We'll introduce each other on the way, we need to get to Canterlot!" Scott yelled out.

Dash rubbed her eyes and sighed, letting a small smirk form on her lips as she followed the large muscular alien, and the Plumber that rode on his back.

[Canterlot Castle]

Scott stayed on top of Technorg, all while Dash listened to them talk about how they first met. At first, it sounded like absolute nonsense, but the more they told the story, the more it seemed like Dash missed out on the fight of a lifetime.

After their story was finished, Dash was just shocked, and eventually just tried to make sense of it. "So, some weird mechanical blob was trying to take over Equestria, and would've succeeded in doing so, had it not been for you two, Applejack, and Princess Luna?" Scott and Technorg nodded their heads, to which Dash just sighed and shrugged. "Either this is an elaborate prank you've set up, or this is the craziest confession I've ever heard. I'm surprised Applejack never said anything about it, she's always going on about how good of a rodeo champion she is, how many blue ribbons she brought home, I would've thought she'd want everypony back in Ponyville to know about how she fought an alien, and won!" Dash remarked.

Scott shrugged his shoulders. "Applejack, from what I can tell, doesn't seem like the boasting type, but I could be wrong." Scott remarked.

Technorg stopped before a couple of guards that stood near the drawbridge. Scott hopped off Technorg's back and stepped forward, which had the guards nervous. "Scott Baristo is here for the interrogation of the latest prisoner. Soon, answers will be given," The guards sighed and looked to the drawbridge, making signals with their hooves. The bridge slowly came down, and just like that, Dash and Scott were allowed entry access. Technorg simply stood beside the bridge. "I shall wait out here for your eventual return. Good luck, wielder of the Altnetrix." Technorg announced.

Scott and Dash walked around the marble halls, looking at the interior of the castle itself with less urgency than last time. The two saw the various guards, maids and what have you walking past them without a second thought. Scott looked over at one of the hallways, noticing a large abundance of guards coming in and out of a stairway, and motioned for Dash to follow him to it.

As the two walk down the stairway, they soon find themselves inside the dungeons of Canterlot. Scott looks around, noticing that there's been a few new alien prisoners added behind bars. One of these aliens in particular looked like some kind of deformed anthropomorphic hedgehog porcupine thing with black spines, gray fur, bulging yellow eyes, and wore some kind of tattered jacket covered in bandages. Scott knew this alien, he recognized that rat-faced prick anywhere, but he decided to simply walk past and not acknowledge the alien for the time being, he had bigger fish to fry in this case.

Scott and Dash moved towards one of the heavy guarded doors, and the guards immediately stood up straight. Beside one of the guards, was a basket that was comprised of the pieces of Sotoraggian armor that the guards had collected from the aftermath of yesterday's fight.

Scott reached into the basket and pulled out the helmet, then he looked towards one of the unicorns with a steady expression. "Open the door, let's get this party started." Scott advised.

The unicorn nodded, using their magic to undo the locks. Slowly, the metal door creaked open, showing the Sotoraggian on his knees, hanging its disfigured face down low as Scott and Dash stepped inside, closing the door behind them.

Scott activated the Altnetrix, letting its turquoise light illuminate the darkened room. Scott and Dash carefully circled the Sotoraggian before letting it have its helmet back. Scott placed the helmet on, and in an instant, the helmet powered up. The Sotoraggian continued to struggle in its chains, aggressively speaking in its native tongue, until a subtle warbling effect started to translate the language into something understandable. "--With a damn swine, you pathetic equestrian wastes of space! You think you've won, but you haven't! I knew I should've just left you fools be if it meant I got captured! A bunch of worthless credits isn't worth being imprisoned by lower lifeforms, especially if one of them is a Plumber!" Seventy-Four threatened.

Scott frowned, but Dash seemed rather entertained. "Quite the mouth on this one, how do interrogations usually go where you come from, pal?" Dash asked.

Scott smirked. "How about a good ol' fashioned round of good cop, bad cop. I'll gladly be bad cop, because this jerk knows firsthand, I can be rather beastly." Scott suggested.

Dash flashed a smirk herself, and they both gave Seventy-Four a knowing look. "Look buddy, all prejudices aside, we're willing to let you go, you just need to tell us why you went through all of this trouble, nonsense, and everything else under the sun, just for my friend's watch. It'd also be nice to put a name to whoever hired you, so it takes less attention off of you. Without your fancy armor, there's literally nothing you can do, so why don't you tell us what we wanna know, and we'll let you go scot-free. That offer is as good as it'll get." Dash offered.

Seventy-Four growled and tried to swing at the mare, but she immediately backed up, getting out of his reach. Scott walked behind the Sotoraggian, readying his bat as he focused on channeling magic through it. Scott felt the tingling sensation, and watched as his bat crackled with yellow electricity, and readied himself to bring the crackling weapon down on the alien. "Look pal, we can understand you, and you can clearly understand us, so here's what's about to happen. Unless you want to find out what the pony equivalent to an electric chair is like, you better start talking, or I start swinging. What's it gonna be?" Scott questioned.

The Sotoraggian wasn't sure if he heard the human right, but if he did, this was going to hurt in many different ways. "You don't have the guts, let alone the balls to try that on me. You need me for info, and if you take me out, you get nothing." Seventy-Four remarked.

Scott gave the Sotoraggian a deadpan expression, and proceeded to crack the bat against the alien's back, sending a powerful electrical current through his body, as well as bruising the top right corner of his shoulder. Seventy-Four growled out in pain, he underestimated how much that hurt, because the pain he felt from the impact, coupled with the electric shock that coursed through his body, it certainly painted a picture to how this was going to go.

If anything had surprised him that day, it was the fact that the Plumber was following up on his word. The Sotoraggian's body jittered and twitched from the electrical current, all while Scott walked back around to look the alien hitman in the mask. "Still think I don't have the guts, Sotoraggian? That was a warning shock, a small taste of what's in store for you when you decide to not comply. The next few times I use this bat to put a shock to your system, won't be a warning, but the last show of restraint you'll most likely feel from every time I strike you down. It's your choice, pal, shock or speak," Seventy-Four didn't speak, but to Scott, that didn't matter right now. Scott walked back behind the alien, and swung the crackling blunt instrument into the alien's side, earning a jittery and stifled grunt from Seventy-Four. "Go on, keep being a moron, I dare you. You put innocent lives at risk on two separate attempts, just to get this watch. Get to stepping and start yelping, twinkle-toes." Scott warned.

Seventy-Four groaned, feeling his unarmored body be battered and shocked, rendering him jittery and feeling the pain. "I... I-I... won't talk! You can't make me!" Seventy-Four exclaimed.

Scott frowned and put his bat away, finally resorting to using the Altnetrix, but then Scott gets an idea. It was a truly vile idea, but if it was the only way he was gonna get an answer out of this guy, he needed to try. Scott slowly backed up, supposedly accepting defeat. "Well, I guess that's that, then. I suppose you leave me with no other choice, but you Sotoraggians sure love to make things difficult, don't you? Don't say I didn't warn you," Scott looked to the Altnetrix and started to tinker with it, twisting the dial in various ways, even pressing and holding the button for moments at a time. "Just so you know, you brought this on yourself, and I intend to make sure you can't escape from this." Scott commented.

Seventy-Four wasn't sure what the human was doing, but it couldn't've been any worse than getting struck by a bat, and shocked beyond compare. "Are you trying to dial in one of your pointless transformations, human? None of them will break me, you'll get nothing." Seventy-Four taunted.

Scott smiled casually, something that actually had Dash concerned for a moment. "Ever heard of the SDM, Seventy-Four?" Scott asked.

The Sotoraggian's mood seemed to change. He stared at the Plumber, as if the human had spoken in the Sotoraggian's native language without verily a hassle. Seventy-Four gulped, seeming nervous. "SDM? N-Never heard of such a thing! What's even this 'SDM' you speak of?" Seventy-Four questioned, trying to feign ignorance.

Scott chuckled and continued to fiddle with the Altnetrix, all while Dash was confused and mildly concerned. "Uh, what's the SDM, and why's he suddenly so squirmy about it?" Dash asked.

Scott looked to the pegasus and simply focused on the Altnetrix. "It stands for Self-Destruct Mode. If the Omnitrix was set to self destruct, it could potentially have enough power to eradicate the entire universe, if the charge built up for a few days, maybe a week or two, depends really," Dash's eyes went wide, a newfound sense of concern could be felt creeping up her spine as Scott continued to speak about it in such a casual manner. "I'm not entirely sure if the Altnetrix has that mode, but Seventy-Four sure is hoping that it doesn't. For his own sake, he better hope he's right, because if he doesn't start talking, it'll be a vicious display of unjustified universal extinction. He'll be dead, as will his benefactor, and all life, be it benevolent or malevolent, will be destroyed and wiped out with a bang." Scott explained.

Scott watched as the Sotoraggian struggled to escape the chains that held it, but it couldn't break free. It tried to loosen the cuffs, yank the chain loose, but it couldn't. "You wouldn't! You'd take this whole world out, just for information!? Have you lost your mind?!" Seventy-Four exclaimed, clearly shaken by Scott's attempts to activate the SDM.

Scott gestured to the bat on his back. "Wanna go back to the bat again, or shall we figure out if your armor is universal destruction-proof?" Scott questioned, a sneering smirk forming on the plumber's face.

Seventy-Four growled and tried to escape its binds again, but it was futile. The terror had finally settled in, and the Sotoraggian was out of options. "Fine, I'll talk! I'll talk, alright?! I'll tell you what you want, but please, spare my race! Stop messing with that thing!!" Seventy-Four pleaded.

Scott stopped messing with the watch and got up in the Sotoraggian's face. "Then answer the questions we give you, or you're gonna wish you hadn't made an enemy out of the Plumbers!" Scott pulled the alien up and glared at them. "Who sent you to collect the Altnetrix, where is your benefactor, what was that red mist that poured from your suit, for what other reasons did you come to this planet for, and do you have anything to do with the changeling that attacked Ponyville hours ago? Answer me, or everything goes to ash and waste!" Scott exclaimed.

Scott dropped Seventy-Four to the ground and backed up, glaring down at the hitman that attacked and caused harm to several innocent ponies. The Sotoraggian eventually calmed itself down, and started to speak. "I have no contacts or ties to those emotion-craving insects. I wasn't even aware that one attacked the little village we fought in, would've gutted the damn thing myself, if it had any," Scott and Dash looked at each other, unsure of how to take that response at any value. "As for the previous questions... there's very little I know about my employer. I know that her name is Eclipsed Blackheart, and she's one of these pathetic equestrians. I know not as to why she desires the Altnetrix, but I do know that their creator was known to be quite the quack, they just showed up to Equestria a few years back, had very few pieces of tech with them, and now their creations and their ruins are all that remain, no one's seen the Altnetrix's creator in some time since they vanished." Seventy-Four explained.

Scott was mildly surprised, now wondering if this watch's creator was still alive. "The red mist, it's one of Eclipsed Blackheart's manifestations. It's a piece of herself, betrothed to those she sees as worthy to be her heralds. Her heralds are gifted small portions of her power, and when they need an advantage to turn the tides in their favor, her mist enters their bodies, and transforms them into something fierce. From what I understand, many heralds came before I stumbled upon this backwater planet, but she is an entirely different breed. Her power, it commands respect, it deserves to be feared, and as you are now, Plumber, you don't stand a snowball's ghost of a chance in hell," The two looked at each other, a sense of concern and weariness could be felt between them, but Seventy-Four still had answers. "My benefactor, Eclipsed Blackheart, she says she's confined to this planet's moon, but soon, her escape will be inevitable. She relies on the confines of my power armor, to hide her presence from this world's royal family. I know not of the significance behind such actions, but I was promised billions of credits to bring her the Altnetrix. She gave me other tasks, as a way to still earn my pay, if obtaining the Altnetrix proved to be more difficult than originally anticipated. Needless to say, she was right, but even with that sudden mutation, the boost in power granted by the mist, I still lost, and now, my connection to her has been severed." Seventy-Four explained.

Scott and Dash were both feeling a mix of many emotions. Scott didn't know where to start with the information that Seventy-Four provided, but at least had an idea on where to start with finding out more about the Altnetrix. He wasn't familiar with an 'Eclipsed Blackheart', but he figured asking the princesses would be a neat way to start, unless there's a library about old legends.

Dash was not sure about any of this. On one hoof, she wanted to believe that what the alien was saying has some truth attached to it, but on the other hoof, the only other alien she can trust is standing right next to her, and he just explained that there was potentially a self-destruct on that watch that could possibly take out all of Equestria, maybe more. Needless to say, it was a lot for her to take in, especially all at once.

Dash took her time to let the information sink in, and finally looked towards Scott, who seemed rather curious about something. "Two more questions before we end this. How much time do we have before Eclipsed Blackheart returns to Equestria, and why has she been on the moon in the first place?" Scott questioned.

Seventy-Four was silent for a moment, but before the Sotoraggian could say anything, the door was pushed open, revealing Private Zapp, who seemed more calm and collected than he was previously. "I hope you got your information, it's time for this extraterrestrial piece of trash to pay for his crimes against Equestria and its citizens." Zapp stated firmly.

Dash and Scott simply removed the helmet, left the room and put it into the box with the rest of the armor pieces. Scott picked up the box, noticing how heavy it was, and was ready to use one of his stronger aliens to carry it out. Before Scott could activate the Altnetrix, the sound of chains snapping could be heard, as well as the sounds of a brawl. Scott and Dash turned around, only to see two bat ponies be tossed out of the room, colliding with a brick column as Seventy-Four tried to escape. Scott tried to transform, but Seventy-Four pushed the human aside, though he was able to catch himself on Rainbow Dash.

Zapp ran out of the room and immediately flew after the escaped extraterrestrial. "You two, stand aside! I'll take this one, this time. Don't worry, it won't get far!" Zapp called out, gaining after the escaped and unarmored Sotoraggian.

Scott and Dash were not gonna take this sitting down, so they ran after Zapp, but Scott was then stopped in his tracks as someone pulled on his right arm, hearing that something was trying to access the Altnetrix. Scott looked back and saw the same prickly rodent alien, and punched them back, making them reel in pain. "Ow!! What was that for!" The rodent alien called out, clearly irate about the sudden attack it received.

Scott groaned and noticed the Altnetrix was glowing a pale yellow, forming a helix. "Great, now I'll be able to transform into vermin, great. Thanks a lot, you snake." Scott said sarcastically, trying to catch up to Zapp and Dash.

The alien sneered as Scott ran away. "The name's Argit, ya freak!" Argit exclaimed.

Zapp chased the Sotoraggian through the halls of the castle, causing every guard in the castle to suddenly be thrown into a panic. Dash and Scott were following behind, but they weren't as close as they hoped. Scott got hung up by Argit, but has been steadily trying to follow the path of chaos left in the chasers' wake.

Scott continued to run through the chaos, turning corners and jumping over various obstacles, but then, he came to the end of the road. A large open window, where the Sotoraggian was standing. Zapp had him cornered, as did Dash, but it was clear that Seventy-Four was not in the best mindset at the moment. "Leave me be, you pitiful equestrians! I won't stick around for this, I won't stay for when Eclipsed Blackheart comes back! I won't die with the rest of you puny ponies!!" Seventy-Four exclaimed frantically.

Scott needed to handle this situation as peacefully as possible. He twisted the Altnetrix's dial to Smudge's icon and was ready to transform, but then another idea came to him. Scott twisted the dial to his Sotoraggian form, and then twisted further, revealing an icon similar to that Argit guy the watch scanned.

As much as Scott didn't want to, he needed to handle this as passively as possible. Scott pushed down the core, and in a turquoise flash of light, started to transform.

Scott's bones started to shift, his ears elongated to point high upwards and his hair suddenly grew out, becoming tougher, spikier, as if they were quills. His face elongated into a rodent-like muzzle, all while dark gray fur started growing over his body, except his hands, feet and tail.

Scott hissed and let out a shady chuckle, shifting his eyes back and forth as he lunged forward.

In a flash of light, Scott became his newest transformation. The form itself was rather thin, wore a black top with a white collar, white pants and had the Altnetrix's badge in place where a belt could've been. Dash and Zapp were a bit confused by the sudden new alien, but Scott wasn't planning to waste time. He didn't know how high the window was from the ground, but he had to do something fast.

Scott quickly got on all fours, and fired a couple quills at Seventy-Four's legs. The quills pierce the alien's flesh, but the legs seem to become rigid, almost locked in place via paralysis. Seventy-Four was rendered immobile, but he was already starting to fall out of the window. Zapp quickly rushed forward and grabbed the alien's waist before they fell, flapping his wings with more effort than ever before.

Zapp looks towards the transformed Plumber, and simply nods his head. "Don't worry, I'll take care of this. There's a holding cell in Tartarus meant for scum like this... thanks, Scott, I owe ya one." Zapp called out, carrying the motionless hitman in one direction.

As Scott and Dash watched the bat pony fly away with the unconscious Sotoraggian, they looked at each other with both a mix of confusion and mild aggravation. The two of them walked away from the window and walked through the halls, uncertain as to what exactly just happened. "I get the sudden feeling that this might be a problem. I didn't think he'd break out, just like that! I half-expected it to be a simple show of surrender, he really wanted out of here. Why do you think that is?" Scott asked, trying to get used to the new alien he has access to.

Dash shrugged and flapped her wings, flying next to the alien hero. "Who knows, this is all still a bit much to get used to. First that elf guy shows up, now there's some kind of crazy mare thrown in the mix? Nothing's adding up, there has to be a reason for any of this." Dash wondered.

Scott and Dash had no idea as to what exactly they were supposed to do now, but again, it was a lot to process. They have plenty of time to figure this out, but the human can't seem to get Zapp out of his head. Ever since what happened with Seventy-Four the first time, things haven't been the same... Scott needed answers, and eventually, Scott will have to figure out how to weasel them out of the bat pony.

Something isn't right, and Scott is sure of it, now. He needs to figure something out, he needs to prepare, but he has no clue as to where he should start. Scott took a deep breath, and slowly exhaled as the Altnetrix started beeping. In a flash of white light, Scott was returned to his normal form. Soon enough, the two knew that Technorg seemed interested in what was happening, even seeming like he met the Sotoraggian before, but no one seemed to know why any of this was happening at all. Scott feels like he's on the cusp of some grand discovery, a revelation that could bust this whole thing wide open, but for now, he has to keep looking.

[???]

In the midst of a dark, shrouded and decayed forest of blacks and grays, Zapp hid within the tree line, seemingly looking out for something. Zapp carefully reached into his satchel, pulling out a small crystal orb the size of his hoof. Zapp carefully whispered something unintelligible to it, causing it to glow green, which made him smile.

"Mother, it's me. I'm on my way to you. Phase 1 is almost complete, Phase 2 is just around the corner. Contact you later." Zapp quietly stated.

Zapp pocketed the orb back into his satchel, letting his eyes shine completely blue for a moment, all while an unsettling buzz seems to echo from atop the trees. Numerous blue orbs reveal themselves hidden amongst the leaves, as well as with numerous sharp fangs.

Zapp carefully looks behind him, smiling as he sees Seventy-Four's unconscious body, with his bare chest now torn into, bloodied and scarred, barely twitching every now and then. "Ohh, mother's going to love the company I'm bringing home. Prepare yourself, Sotoraggian, because the only way you're getting out of this... is in an unmarked grave." Zapp remarked.

Rotten Apples in the Blood Moon's Light

[20 days till the Summer Sun Celebration]

A few days have passed since the almost successful escape attempt that the Sotoraggian hitman, Seventy-Four, had tried to make, only to be stopped by Scott Baristo, and his new official sixth transformation. Scott is currently outside, the setting sun's rays gleam down as he continues to adjust the camera-like device he had on him days earlier, setting it up on a tree stump as he records a video message. Scott clears his throat, readying himself to start documenting his thoughts.

"Scott's Video log, entry zero. It's been a little bit since I focused on anything regarding my job, my promise, or just trying to get to the bottom of this whole mess, it hasn't been easy, but no one ever said it would be. Allow me to explain. Approximately, five days ago from today, a Sotoraggian hitman known as Seventy-Four was brought to the dungeons of Canterlot, where Rainbow Dash and I interrogated him, getting information that still has me asking questions, regardless of what previous questions have now been answered. But first, let me clarify and explain something. This video recording, photograph-taking device is what Jeff calls the "Picto-Box", some kind of magical camera, I assume. I'm using it to document my thoughts regarding... anything, really. However, when I initially encountered it manifesting from that portal thing, then onto my doorstep during a rather upsetting blood moon, I wasn't that inclined to use it at first. I was hesitant to have anything to do with it, because I initially thought the portal was affected in some way by the blood moon phenomenon, and might've somehow cursed the device. But after examining it, testing it myself, and even taking a few example photos after the blood moon passed, for safety reasons, I was able to confirm that the camera is functional and harmless, thankfully, and doesn't seem to be affected by the lunar rays of the blood moon at all. I still know next to nothing about how this device works, but I could easily say the same about the Altnetrix. This camera has no batteries to use as a power source, but if I had to make an educated guess, it's likely due to this harmonic magic that makes this world so... well, eccentric, to say the least."

Scott walks over to the camera and brings it over towards the house, all while holding a wrapped up scroll he had made for emergencies amidst the setting sun. The human points the camera at the Twili portal opened above his home.

"But, that's not what I want to discuss. The portal, is what has my intrigue, and my concerns. From what I can understand, there seems to be an unprecedented period of lag. From what I can recall from my last conversation with Jeff, the portal he had opened is likely linked between our respective Equestrias, hence how hypothetically easy it is for items to be delivered. I am also worried that something malevolent could also come through, but it's not like I've done much experimenting with this kind of stuff, and I've also hypothesized that the lag is because our respective Equestrias likely running on different time zones, so it's no wonder I got this Picto-Box thing just a few days after Jeff left back to his own world. I'm curious if the portal acts as a two-way delivery system, so I'm going to try throwing a scroll, a friendly note of sorts for Jeff, just to test if the portal is truly a two-way link between our respective worlds. If the letter comes back, or if I get something in return, then that confirms my theory. If not, then my letter is probably gone for good. Good thing this is an experiment, otherwise, I'm pretty sure choices like this would've killed me by then."

Scott unwraps the scroll, seeing a simple greeting and a poorly drawn thumbs up, along with his signature. Scott re-wrapped the scroll and stuck it in an empty cider bottle, then chucked the bottle through the swirling portal, watching the bottle essentially vanish to Celestia knows where. Now, Scott just had to wait for a response.

Scott walks over to the Picto Box and stops the recording, yawning as he walks over to where his deku seeds were planted, feeling satisfied that he's been keeping them properly watered. The human notices that it's getting late, and soon decides to retire to his sofa for the time being.

Scott grabs the camera and brings it inside, closing the door as the sky became redder and redder. Scott sets the device on the table, grabs a couple apples and pre-cooked bird rotisserie, skewering them on a metal rod as he let them slowly warm up over the fireplace. Scott looks around and notices that the outside world looked a bit darker out, though some obvious tints of red could be seen, he expected that by this point. "Probably just the clouds obscuring the light a bit," After a couple minutes of waiting, Scott took the skewered fruit and meat off the fire and eagerly started munching down on his dinner. Scott felt satisfied, content even, he felt like he could finally lower his guard, even if it's for a minute. "Man, now this is the break I've been needing. Baked fruit and meat, a roof over my head, living in the tranquility of the woods for the first time in six years, this is a very good sign." Scott remarked, taking a huge bite of the chicken meat.

As Scott continued to eat his dinner, he heard a knock at the door. The human was confused by this, considering he wasn't sure who'd be stopping by at this hour. Scott put his dinner on the table, setting it aside as he got up to answer the door. The knocking persisted, and Scott carefully gripped onto his bat, unsure as to who or what was trying to gain access to his home. "Give me a moment, please, I'll open the door in a moment. Try anything funny, you'll get a bat to the face, it's a fair warning." Scott called out, expecting a reply.

Scott gripped the door knob tightly, he didn't know what to expect, but he was at least prepared to handle it. Scott carefully opened the door a smidge, and despite how red it was outside, Scott saw the silhouette of a pony. From what he could barely see, they didn't have a horn, or wings of any kind, and seemed to wear something on their head. "Can I help you?" Scott asked.

The pony didn't answer, but they did finally open their eyes. All Scott saw was a set of green eyes, and the pony stuck their head in, revealing themselves to be Applejack, a pony Scott hadn't seen much of since the fight with a rogue mechamorph. "Howdy partner, mind if ah come inside for a minute? It's a bit too red out to know where in tarnation I'm goin'." Applejack requested, smiling at the human.

Scott was hesitant, but judging by the look she had in her eyes, she was earnest in her approach, and he didn't exactly have any ill will towards the mare. Scott nodded his head, opening the door further, letting the mare walk inside. Scott closed the door and grabbed his fruit and meat skewer, sitting on the sofa as he continued his dinner, all while Applejack looked around the small interior. "Nice place ya got here. A bit small, kinda rustic, but it's got some charm to it. Not real sure on that swirlin' vortex that's above yer roof, though," the mare looked at the human, who was simply staring at her, all while slowly chewing on a piece of meat and baked apple skin. Applejack could see the look on the human's face, mildly apprehensive and awkward. "I uh... I'm guessin' this is the first time somepony's just come to visit?" Applejack asked.

Scott swallowed his food and sighed. "In general, no. Rainbow Dash and a kid she babysits have come around to talk, visit, discuss everything crazy that's been going down, I occasionally run into the guards every now and then, but that's just standard, since the princesses had me moved here after what happened with Automate, maybe nearly a week or so ago? Time is strange in Equestria," there was a sudden thunk that came from the roof, and Scott quickly got up and walked out into the crimson night, noticing a bottle was now laying in his yard. Scott picked the bottle up, bringing it inside and opening it up, finding a new message. 'Testing out the Twili portal?' Scott unrolled the paper and saw that it was from Jeff, letting a small smile form on his face. "Yeah, this confirms my theory. The Twili portal acts as a link between worlds. Well, mine and Jeff's, specifically. Honestly, it's rather fascinating! I almost want to experiment with it more, but I have tons of important stuff to figure out, and considering I've been cooped up in this hut for five days with no visitors, I'm going to assume that everyone is still trying to process that poor mare's death that happened days ago. Magi Feather, I think that was her name, according to the obituary." Scott explained.

Applejack watched as Scott continued to walk around and set stuff down, all while trying to finish his dinner. The farm pony wasn't aware that Dash had already met the human, but that was something she could worry about later. For now, she just focused on Scott and his semi-erratic movements. She never saw Scott move around like how he was doing right now, seeming rather jittery, occasionally yawning as he continued to try and put together some kind of makeshift charm, or something like it. The charm looked to be made out of sticks, string, beads and feathers, bundled and tied together with small bands keeping them together. "What in tarnation is that?" Applejack asked.

Scott held up the small charm as he hung it over his sofa. "A dreamcatcher. They're a popular little trinket back where I come from. It's said that these bad boys will help people have good dreams, and after being plagued by nightmares ever since I got here, I'm in dire need of a goodnight's sleep, and I'm hoping that the blood moon will finally stop trying to piss me off. I'll find out in the morning to see if it worked," Scott sat down on the sofa and looked over at the orange mare, still unsure as to why exactly she was here. "Applejack, how did you even find me, and why exactly did you come looking for me in the first place?" Scott asked.

Applejack's mood seemed to shift for a moment, a soured expression formed on the mare's face, and Scott could clearly tell by how she looked right now, she got herself into trouble, the kind of trouble that's unordinary. "Partner, do you remember when we first met a month or so ago?" Applejack asked.

Scott let a playful smirk form on his face. "Yeah, my stomach just aches when I think about it," Applejack hung her head at that remark, and Scott felt rather insensitive. "Okay, I'm sorry, I just had to get one, considering everyone else already did. I'm still not over it, but I'm trying to. Bad blood isn't good for business, as they say. Why're you asking about this anyway?" Scott questioned.

Applejack raised her head and took her bandana off, brushing some blonde hair out of her eyes. "On the topic of blood... ah got a problem, one that could uh "relate" to these 'ere blood moons. Are ya familiar with what typically happens on a blood moon night, sugarcube?" Applejack asked.

Scott shook his head and shrugged his shoulders. "I assume messed up nightmares are a part of it, aren't they?" Scott questioned.

Applejack nodded her head, though she seemed bothered by the answer. "It's a small part of the issue, but blood moons are known to be an omen in Equestrian culture. From us humble earth ponies and Zebras, to the Pegasi and Bat Ponies flying through the crimson skies trying to seek shelter in their homes, to the Unicorns and Kirin that study its magical effects on... well, everything its light encompasses," Scott was a bit confused, but kept listening, he felt like this was important. "It's either a show of good faith or a show of caution that imbalance is upon us, and a force of evil would be foretold to return. Last time this happened was during the last Summer Sun Celebration that Equestria ever celebrated, and that was a thousand years ago." Applejack explained.

Scott seemed rather curious about how this blood moon was so important, and now was the time to get info. "Tell me, is it normal for blood moons to be this frequent? I've been feeling uncertain ever since they started, it hasn't been easy to stay on top of things, and the nightmares are definitely a hinderance. What's this got to do with your problem?" Scott asked.

Applejack pointed a hoof towards the window, specifically at the blood moon itself. Scott saw the outline of a mare on its surface, something he was already familiar with gazing upon every time the sun started to set, or when he was tormented by his nightmares. "Ah can't really put mah hoof on it, but ever since that strange armored figure showed up and started raising hell like he was pavin' a path to Tartarus' gates, the blood moons have been... different. I say that they're different, because their magic has caused my dog, Winona, to run into the apple orchard. Despite searchin' for as long as we could, we couldn't find her... but, we did find something else, and uh... needless to say, we think this might be a problem you can solve, what with your "special skills"." Applejack explained, clearly avoiding any chance she had to speak about what it was that she needed to have dealt with.

Scott was a bit suspicious and obviously skeptical of Applejack's story, but figured this was the only time he'd probably have an opportunity like this, to see what he's working with, or possibly facing against, under the terms of how dangerous this blood moon could be, as well as considering everything he learned from Seventy-Four during his interrogation.

Against his better judgement, Scott sighed and nodded his head, holding his hand out for a handshake. Applejack was about to reach out with her left hoof, until Scott pulled his hand back. "I'll see what I can do, but under one condition," Applejack nodded her head as Scott opened his mouth. "I want you to be upfront with me when we get to the initial sight of the problem. No stuttering, no hesitating on your words, and no lying to me. Depending on how bad this problem is, if lives are at stake, you need to be completely honest and upfront with me. If I'm gonna help you, I need all the facts, and every side to this story, understand?" Scott inquired, slowly gesturing for a handshake.

Applejack seemed hesitant, a red flag went off in Scott's mind, but soon enough, the mare let Scott grab her hoof, and they shook. "It's a done deal, partner." Applejack confirmed, smiling a bit more.

Scott nodded his head, though he still saw a momentary sign of concern in the mare's eyes. This was going to be a strange case, Scott was sure of it. "So, when do we start?" Scott asked.

Scott and Applejack walk through Ponyville, staying close to each other as Scott tries to peer through the ridiculous amount of red shadows that made it so hard to see. He was practically blind, and he didn't know what to do to fix this. "I didn't think you wanted to leave now! We could've just left in the morning, at least it'd be easier to see where you're going! I'm like an Opticoid in a sandstorm, I can't see a damn thing, at least there isn't grains of sand in my eyes this time!" Scott remarked.

Applejack stepped closer and rested a hoof on his hip as they walked, with Applejack leading him to their location. "First time out in the thick of it, isn't it? Trust me, it ain't pleasant by any means! Don't get me wrong, I would be pretty concerned if yer watch was affected by the blood moon's magic, but considerin' it ain't been acting up in any fashion, I'd say yer fine for the time being!" Applejack and Scott continued to move, all while the sound of a commotion started to echo out in the near distance. Assuming someone was in trouble, or getting attacked amidst the crimson shades, Scott turned and tried to follow the sound, only for Applejack to pull him back. "Don't go followin' that sound, partner, it's the blood moon's way of tryin' to trick others into succumbing to its call, like a Siren's song in a cloud of thick fog." Applejack cautioned.

Scott almost didn't want to believe Applejack, but soon enough, as Scott and Applejack got further and further away, the commotion got quieter, to the point where he couldn't hear it anymore, but could hear a violent hiss from the same direction. "That hissin' means that the meal it was lookin' fer is gettin' further away. Trust me, partner, I know ya wanna help others, but sometimes ya gotta worry about helpin' yerself. I don't tell ya this to get on to ya, I'm just doin' what a friend would do, keep their friends out of dangerous hooves." Applejack explained.

Scott groaned, he was clearly frustrated, but it wasn't because of Applejack. He was frustrated with these blood moons, they were clearly more dangerous than he initially thought, but he wasn't anticipating anything like this. "How do you know about this stuff, just how frequent are these blood moons if they're this much of a problem!? Why are you so calm about this?" Scott asked.

Applejack stopped and pulled her bandana over her eyes, then looked up where Scott was standing. "While they are an issue for everypony else, ya'd be surprised by how beneficial and detrimental this blood moon stuff is for my family's business. On occasion, when a blood moon happens, it imbues its magic with a few ripened apples in our orchard, and they become what we call Crimson Crisps. They're a lot like Zap Apples, in the sense that they're very rare, and rich in magic," Scott was confused, but Applejack simply pulled him along as she continued to explain. "Crimson Crisps are typically black in color with white stems, five times bigger than a peach, and they're incredibly rich with not just magic, but also high trace amounts of iron. They can be a bit bitter due to them being high in iron, but they're usually harvested and sold to bigger companies, the iron in these apples are typically harvested to make supplements for those with dietary deficiencies, and the seeds are sent to local farmers and greenhouses across Equestria. Mah family's been dealin' with the blood moons for a long time, probably ever since my great-great-great grandpa first moved to this land to settle with everypony else back then, I'm accustomed to them, as are my siblings." Applejack explained.

Scott was rather unsure how to process that information, though he was a bit skeptical on how she answered it all. 'Either she knows her stuff, or there's something more going on here than just the blood moon.' Scott thought.

Soon enough, the two pass under a hanging sign that read 'Sweet Apple Acres' on the front of it, but due to the crimson shades that had Scott blind for the moment, it just looked like a red board with nothing written on it. Applejack and Scott slowly walked down a long straight path, still blinded by the crimson shades. Scott looked around, and while everything was slowly starting to finally get clearer for the human to see, Scott felt an uncomfortable feeling in his gut, like something, or someone, was watching him from the shadows.

Scott was not used to feeling so exposed, yet hidden at the same time. "Applejack, I don't mean to sound like a whiner, but are we almost there? I don't think we're alone out here, I feel as if a set of eyes are on us, and they aren't exactly the friendly type." Scott remarked, seeming unnerved.

Applejack simply chuckled. "Don't you worry, partner, I reckon we're almost there, we just gotta keep pushin' forward. Once you pick up on the smell of cinnamon, you'll know when we got tah my family's farm or not." Applejack reassured.

Scott sighed and kept walking, following the mare in front of him. Scott carefully looked around, noticing what looked like a treehouse up ahead. It looked rickety, not even to mention a tad bit old and abandoned. 'Must've been made for a kid, though it seems a bit too old to be used now... maybe, just maybe, I could fix that, but I'll have to worry about that later.' Scott thought.

Scott looked at the Altnetrix, thinking about dialing in one of his transformations, just in case something goes wrong. Before Scott could pop the device's core up, he started to pick up on a smell. It was reminiscent of baked apples, butter, sugar, and above all else, cinnamon. Applejack took a whiff of the air, and smiled. "Welp, we're nearin' the farm, now! Come along, partner, ah think Granny's taking an apple pie fresh out the oven!" Applejack commented, running forward.

Scott tensed up as he ran after the mare. He doesn't know why, but knowing that this blood moon was exceedingly more dangerous than he initially thought prior, it put Scott on edge, and he did not like being on edge the whole time. Scott looked behind him for a moment, only for there to be nothing but crimson shades. Scott groaned and turned to where Applejack ran off to, and followed after her.

From behind Scott, something did step out of the shades. A pony-shaped figure that wore a skull shaped mask and had mechanical pieces of tech and scrap jutting out from its body. As Scott vanished from its view, one of its hollowed out eye sockets glowed with a persistent green glimmer as the crimson shades hid them from view.

Scott ran along the path for a few minutes, the smell of cinnamon was becoming very strong, almost overwhelming, so Scott stopped to rest for a moment, taking in deep breaths as he tried to collect himself. "Really starting to hate not having a speedster in the Altnetrix right now. XLR8, Fasttrack, I don't care which, a fast alien would be nice. Hell, I'll even take Dereleaper, for god's sake, anything to get to that farm quicker!" Scott bemoaned his situation for the moment as he rested, still having his sense of smell be overwhelmed by the scent of cinnamon. Scott gagged and tried to keep himself together, though it was starting to finally get a bit difficult. With every breath he took in through his nose, a bit of him burned from the inside, likely because of the potent cinnamon smell. Regardless of how sweet it smelt, it was too potent for the human to handle, even indirectly. "I can't think straight, this cinnamon is becoming a hinderance. Damn it all, why did I agree to this!?" Scott groaned.

Scott leaned against a white picket fence, letting his mind process the second thoughts he was having about his situation. Scott tried to keep himself together, but being constantly bombarded by the blood moon's lunar rays was actually starting to take its toll on him. He wiped his forehead, feeling droplets of sweat on his fingers. It was the dead of night, cool as cool can be, and he was sweating like he was working out in the blazing sun. Scott needed to find out more about this blood moon stuff, or it's gonna up and kill him someday.

Scott figured that enough was enough, and decided to try and transform. Scott pushed the button and popped the Altnetrix's core up, then started to dial in an alien with natural heat resistance. Scott landed on Gravedigger's icon, and as Scott pushed the core down, a buzzer-like sound echoed from the device. [ERROR. User input is unresponsive. Please stand by...] The Altnetrix chirped.

The human gritted his teeth, but before he could do anything else, he heard the sound of hooves galloping across the ground. Scott turned towards where Applejack ran off, only to see a new sight in front of him. A large farm with a house, a barn, a couple sheds, and apple trees as far as the eye could see, and thanks to the crimson shades, it wasn't much to behold at the moment.

Scott walked towards the farm, seeing a huge stallion pushing a couple barrels into the barn, while a smaller filly is moving what looked like a burlap sack into one of the sheds. On the porch of the house, Applejack was sitting next to an older mare, who was knitting something without much of a care. "There better be a good reason as to why she ran out on me." Scott remarked, frowning a fair bit as he approached the farmhouse.

Applejack was smiling, and finally noticed the aggravated Scott that was approaching her. "Hey partner, glad you could make it! Sorry for runnin' off like that, I know there's no excuse for it, but I just had to make sure everything was fine before ya showed up." Applejack apologized.

Scott was clearly not okay with being left behind, but he was here to help them with a problem, even if he didn't know exactly what the problem was. "Well, we still need to head to the sight of the problem, so if you'd be so kind as to lead me there, then I can do my usual thing and figure this out for you." Scott stated.

Applejack nodded, but the older mare got between them. "Now hold on a minute there, sonny boy! Word around town is that you've been livin' in the Whitetail Woods, that correct?" the older mare asked.

Scott nodded, unsure where this was going to go. "Yes, that's true, though I fail to see what that has to do with anything." Scott inquired.

The older mare walked towards the front door and opened it, a powerful and potent smell of apple-themed goods overwhelmed his senses. "Then ya must be hungry! Come on in, take a load off and get your fill! Can't work on an empty stomach, now can ya?" the older mare suggested.

Applejack smiled and looked at Scott. "Ah suppose introductions are in order. That there's Granny Smith, and ahm sure ya saw Big Mac and Apple Bloom when ya walked in. I get that this may not be the best time for introductions, there is a problem to fix, after all, but ah do believe in starting on the right hoof. What better way to work together, than by gettin' to know each other better!" Applejack remarked.

Scott sighed and watched as the two aforementioned ponies walked inside, with Applejack gesturing for him to go on in. Scott stared down at the mare suspiciously, and cautiously walked inside. Applejack followed suite, closing the door behind her, all while the figure from before continues to watch from afar.

After being lead by Applejack to a sink and washing his surprisingly filth-ridden hands, Scott crouched down and crossed his legs at the table, looking at the spread of food on the table. Various vegetable platters and apple-related dishes and desserts were basically calling to him, and Scott couldn't help but want to eat, but he tried to limit himself, just so he got his fill.

Scott filled up his plate the best he could without overloading on one thing, and tried to pace himself. Scott barely even knew what was happening to him, yet he ate like he hadn't eaten anything in decades. The food tasted indescribably good, it was like every bite was a slice of heaven for his taste buds.

Applejack watched as the human indulged in the food, smirking. "Looks like someone was hungry. Even after you ate dinner a couple hours ago, you're eatin' like how I thought you would after what happened back in Canterlot. Then again, no one can resist the apple family's cooking, and ah guess we can add humans to that list, too." Applejack commented as she bit into a sandwich.

Scott stopped eating for a moment, swallowing down what food he managed to shove into his mouth before trying to speak. "I haven't had a home cooked meal in a while, I guess I kinda lost myself for a moment. Don't get me wrong, I'm not starving, the small meals I make back at my hut, and the 'meals' I used to make back during my days in the academy, they got me through the day just fine, but nothing beats the comfort that comes from a home cooked meal," Scott used a napkin to wipe his face as he looked at his nearly emptied plate, seeming a bit embarrassed. "I just wish I didn't start eating like a pig just then, that was unacceptable." Scott explained.

Granny Smith simply fixed her plate and smiled. "Sounds to me like you're a bit scared to let yer guard down, not just when yer alone, but around others as well. Ah know what that's like, not lettin' yer guard down most days, becomes a bit of a nasty habit, ya know. Ah wasn't exactly friendly with my son's wife, that's fer darn sure, but if they didn't get together, I wouldn't have such incredible grandkids like these three," Scott looked to Applejack, as well as the other stallion and filly that sat at the table. "It's a rotten shame that they aren't with us, they'd have a real hoot of a hollerin' seein' all them strange monsters today, they'd never let me be for five minutes without worryin' over everything, I guarantee ya." Granny Smith remarked, laughing a bit.

Scott smiled, letting a chuckle escape his lips, all while Applejack seemed a bit uncomfortable with the topic, as was the red stallion sat next to her. The yellow filly, Apple Bloom, on the other hand, didn't seem to understand what exactly was being talked about at that moment, nor did she understand her siblings' reactions, but Scott had a small developing theory racking around his mind, and something started to stick. It wasn't exactly sound, and there was no proof to confirm it in any way, but he decided to keep this thought in the back of his head for the time being. He had some inclination to what the real problem was, and was starting to suspect that it was personal in the subject matter.

Scott quickly started eating what was left on his plate, wanting to get on with solving their problem, only for the filly to tug on his shirt, seeming to want his attention. Scott looked down, swallowing down the next bit of food as he readied himself to listen. "Yes, is there something you want?" Scott asked.

Apple Bloom pointed to the Altnetrix with her hoof, much to Scott's concern. "Ah never saw a bracelet like that before, what is it, does it do anythin' special?" Apple Bloom asked.

Scott sighed in relief, letting a small smile form on his face for a brief moment. "Well, it doesn't tell time, that's for sure. It can turn me into the kinds of monsters, or as my people from where I come from call them 'Aliens', that everypony has been seeing around town, and on occasion in Canterlot. So far, I can turn into six of them, but I'm fairly certain that number will keep growing at this rate," Apple Bloom seemed to be paying attention, but Scott could tell that the filly was not entirely satisfied with that answer. "I will admit, it's not like the completed version of a device someone I know uses, but it works fine, all things considered. This thing has a second button, and I don't even know what it does, but maybe one day, if I'm truly out of options, I'll figure it out when I need to know it most. It gets the job done, regardless." Scott explained.

Apple Bloom moved a couple inches closer and pointed at the device again. "Does it fix things too?" Apple Bloom asked, a hint of hope could be heard in the filly's voice.

Scott kept smiling and nodded his head in approval. "Maybe, I don't entirely know myself. With everything that's happened, I haven't exactly had the chance to figure out most of this thing's basic functions," Scott saw Apple Bloom's curiosity in her eyes, slowly turning into what Scott could only describe as solemn hope, a feeling that Scott was very familiar with when his parents died. Scott's blood felt ice cold for a moment, but he kept his composure. "To simplify, it could fix things if it's got that function, but I don't know if it does, it's still pretty new to me, even now. Why do you ask?" Scott inquired cautiously.

Before Apple Bloom could say anything, Applejack quickly got up and took everyone's plates to the sink, hiding her face under her bandana. Scott couldn't figure out what changed all of a sudden, but the air in the farmhouse, it felt tense, like the air itself could crush your wind pipes without a moment's hesitation if you even did so much as breathe wrong, or without permission.

Granny Smith sighed and got out of her seat, moving over to the sink, motioning for Applejack to get out of the way. "Applejack, why don'tchu bring yer friend a glass of water, he looks rather parched, don't he." Granny Smith stated firmly.

Applejack's eyes widened for a moment, looking over at Scott for a moment, only to see the confusion in his eyes, as well as the cautious expression on his face. "Right, of course, granny." Applejack confirmed, trotting over to a cabinet filled with glass cups and mugs.

Scott raised an eyebrow, seeing that Applejack was looking for a glass, despite all of them being right in front of her. Scott knew that something was up, and slowly hovered his hand over the Altnetrix, ready to act in case things got violent, and yet, something no one was able to see seemed to pulse through him, a calm, yet furious presence seemed to be pushing down on the human. Scott tried to get up from his seat, but it was like he was tied to the chair, and the chair was screwed into the floorboards. Scott had no idea what was happening, he had no way of rationalizing this, but he knew there was something wrong, he couldn't smell the cinnamon anymore.

Then he heard it, a voice that seemed to make itself known in his head.

"You need to leave, it's on the hunt again. Get out. Get them out!" An unknown voice whispered into his ear, it was masculine, raspy and spoke with a sense of urgency.

Scott felt a chill run down his spine, but he was more confused than ever. Scott looked to where the voice came from, but saw no one that fit the voice. Scott looked over to Applejack, noticing that she was trying to keep herself together, constantly wiping her eyes with her hooves, signs of tear stains could be seen on her orange coat. "Applejack, I think you need to tell me the truth," the mare whipped around, trying to hide the obvious fear she felt behind an angry and almost merciless expression, like she'd try to kill him if he said another word more. Scott gulped and let a sigh escape his lips as he looked the mare in the eyes. "What kind of problem is plaguing your farm, and how exactly does the blood moon tie back to it?" Scott asked cautiously, he was in too deep now, even if he left the farm, he felt like running wasn't going to fix whatever this was.

Applejack kept her angry face up, trying to hold back the tears that were whelling up in the corners of her eyes, her lip started quivering, like she was on the verge of letting the dam finally give way. "A-Ah can't... Ah c-can't face it, not this time! I just can't, I ain't got the strength fer this no more!" Applejack spoke, her voice breaking as she gritted her teeth.

The red stallion, Big Mac, quickly moved to his sister's side, trying to comfort her any way he could, only to look at the human with a sympathetic, yet halfhearted look in his eyes. "I'm mighty sorry to know ya got mixed up in this, partner. Ya may not know entirely what's happenin' now, but once that thing makes itself heard, you'll find out soon enough. If'n ya thought the Blood Moon was bad before, things tend tah get much worse on our farm, it's been like this fer centuries, our family's many generations have been plagued by this nightmare made manifest. We don't know how tah stop it, but it seems content with stayin' on the farm, so at least Ponyville's safe, but who knows how much longer that'll last." Big Mac apologized, trying to comfort the eldest sister of the family.

Apple Bloom felt rather uncomfortable, yet something was clearly keeping her calm. Scott looked over at Granny Smith, who was now staring out the front door, wide-eyed in disbelief. "B-Bright Mac? Sweet Celestia, is that you, sonny?" Granny Smith called out.

Scott slowly got up from his seat, no longer mysteriously stuck in place by what seemed to keep him there, and looked out the front door. Scott's eyes widened out of fear, the sheer terror and blood-curdling fear that pumped through his veins could've been enough to kill him three times over in an instant, but he was alive, and that was the unfortunate part of this whole situation.

There was a pony outside, a stallion with a faded yellow coat and a spoiled red mane that looked matted and mangled beyond compare. Scott looked over at Apple Bloom, noticing that the strange stallion outside had some resemblance to Apple Bloom, then Scott's brain finally started to kick into gear. Scott did a slow double take between the filly and the stallion outside, and was now starting to get very uncomfortable himself, his stomach was beginning to churn, and he wasn't exactly sure why it was, but he had a sure-fire feeling that it was in-relation to the stallion outside.

Scott looked outside towards the stallion, noticing the signs of rot on their hooves, minor bits of bone and exposed flesh started to show, and there was something else, some kind of red mist that seemed to mix with the stallion's saliva, creating a thick, sparkling dark red goo that occasionally dripped from the stallion's rotting mouth. It was clearly hiding its face behind a worn out, tattered, dirty and nearly dismantled stetson. The words from that unknown voice seemed to echo in Scott's head, and finally, Scott was starting to come back to reality, and right now, there was a family in trouble, they needed help, and he was the only one who could.

Scott stepped away from the door and activated the Altnetrix, now finally able to access his alien forms. Scott selected his newest transformation, and pushed the core down. In a flash of turquoise light, Scott was replaced by the large rodent-like creature he scanned five days ago, and he looked to the three siblings. "Don't know if this is a good time to tell ya, but staying here is gonna get ya killed. Don't ask any questions, I'm gonna get you off this farm, it's clearly not safe for you. Get your personal belongings, find a wagon, and hit the old dusty trail back to my hut. I'll watch your back and keep these trotting dead freaks off ya for as long as I can." The alien explained.

Applejack was rather taken aback by the human's new transformation, but figured that since he was still willing to help, Applejack dried her tears for the moment and trotted forward, giving the alien a quick side hug as she leaned in to whisper in his ears. "Go into the orchard, and don't stop till ya found an apple tree that's bound to a pear tree. That's where the problem started, and hopefully, tonight will be the night that it stops. Thank ya kindly, partner, I'll explain when all ah this is over. Promise." Applejack thanked, directing both of her siblings to head up a flight of stairs, only to follow right behind them.

The alien moved Granny Smith aside, seeing that the dead stallion was moving closer to the farmhouse. The old mare tried to move towards the door, just to get closer, but the alien got in front of her fast. "Go to your grandchildren, help them as they've helped you. I need to talk to this one." The alien remarked.

Granny Smith almost didn't wanna listen to the transformed human, but the alien was clearly not wanting to see an old woman throw her life away on a whim. The old mare sighed, hearing hooves clamoring from above as drawers and doors opened and closed like it was the holiday season. Granny Smith saw as her grandchildren trotted down the stairs quickly, with Big Mac carrying Apple Bloom and her bag on top of his back. Applejack only had a small bag, but it was all she needed. "Ah packed a few of yer things already, Granny, now we need tah get to the cart." Applejack stated urgently.

Granny Smith pointed towards a door on the opposite side of the kitchen. "We can mosey on out the back. Your human feller is, well... takin' care of yer father, as it were." Granny Smith stated, seeming rather hurt just saying that.

Applejack didn't know how to respond to that, but simply lead her family to the door, all while the real fight was happening mere feet from the front door.

The alien readied its quills as it looked at the rotting stallion, tipping its stetson as a strained smile formed on its face, causing the alien to grimace and shudder at the sight. "Howdy there, ya overgrown rat. Fancy lettin' me inside mah home, or is this gonna get ugly... well, uglier?" Bright Mac asked.

The alien snarled and readied itself to fight. "I'm not sure what's happening, or why the blood moon seems to have it out for your kin, but I'll say it clear... you're not going to lay a rotten flake of skin on them, without getting several quills to that molded brain of yours. Capiche?" The alien remarked.

The rotting Bright Mac let out a dry chuckle, before hacking up more of that red sparkling goo. "Don't try tah be a hero, son, didn't end well fer me... you're better off leavin' on yer own, alien, my quarrel ain't with ye anyway." Bright Mac warned.

The alien didn't move, it just stood firm. "If you think I'm going to let you hurt an old woman, let alone a child, then something tells me that if you were still alive, we wouldn't've gotten along in the first place. Now, let me show you why I call this one, Needlepoint!" Needlepoint ran forward and jumped into the air. Bright Mac quickly looked up, only to get several quills shot and riddled throughout his body. Needlepoint backed away, only to notice that the needles weren't paralyzing, or knocking the stallion out, which did frustrate him. "Okay, paralysis and knocking you out isn't gonna work... kinda the only reason I picked this alien, I figured it'd be easy, but apparently my quills don't work on the living dead... great." Needlepoint remarked sarcastically.

Bright Mac growled and lurched forward, trying to tackle the alien down. Needlepoint jumped over the stallion and fired more quills at the stallion's hooves, trying to trap and restrain the stallion in one place. The quills pushed through the stallion's legs, and even punctured through the hooves, but it wasn't enough to trap the stallion. Bright Mac lurched forward, trying to bite Needlepoint, but the alien simply fired more quills into the zombified stallion's mouth, leaving the stallion's rotting jaw incapable of closing, jammed full of quills.

Bright Mac tried to get the quills out, all while the apple family throws the barn doors open, clamoring to try and get the cart ready to go. Needlepoint continued to keep Bright Mac preoccupied, but that didn't mean the apple family was safe. One problem was being distracted, but something else was still out for the heads of apple farming ponies.

Something black rushed past Bright Mac and Needlepoint, and it was heading straight for the barn, to which Bright Mac let out a muffled laugh, as if he won the fight.

Big Mac was busy trying to make sure his family was in the cart, but before he fastened himself to the front, the black figure, a pony dressed in a skull mask and had mechanical pieces of scrap jutting out from its body, stood in the doorway. Big Mac froze up for a moment, only to notice something rather familiar about the pony.

Behind the mask they wore, was a huge amount of poofy, curly, matted and mangled faded orange hair that looked frazzled and torn up. Their bright light yellow coat was faded, almost darker due to the dirt that seemed to bleed and mix as it clung to it haphazardly. The mare looked sickly, unexpectedly thin, like they've been starving themselves for weeks, maybe months without end. The mare's front and back left legs were covered in some kind of mechanical armor, all while small metal spikes and needles protruded from the bottom of her front and back right hooves.

Big Mac shuddered, trying to not focus on the mare in front of him, trying desperately to fasten himself to the cart. The mare moved forward, trying to strike the stallion down, only to then be met by the sound of metal clanging against their head. The mare skidded across the dirt floor, only to reveal Applejack wielding a shovel like a weapon. She wasn't proud of what she did, but she knew it had to be done. "Get tah movin', Mac! I'll give yah directions, just don't stop movin' till we up an' get there!" Applejack stated.

Big Mac nodded his head, and the moment he started running, pulling the cart out of the barn, the mare had gotten up and tried to chase after the apple family. The mare lunged at the cart, only to be riddled with several quills that were buried into her side, practically pinning her against the picket fence. The mare watched hopelessly as the apple family fled towards Ponyville, vanishing from her sights as she struggled to free herself.

Needlepoint ran over as Bright Mac continued to remove the quills from his mouth. The mare's mask soon fell from their face, revealing a literal skull that has no trace of flesh, skin or even eyes, just two bright turquoise embers that burned in their place among the dark hollow eye sockets. The alien recoiled at the sight, jumping back a fair bit as the mare struggled to free themselves. "If the rotting ball over there is their dad, am I wrong to assume that you're their mother? If so, I guess hell hath no fury like a mother's vengeance." Needlepoint quipped.

The mare, despite not having any lips, seemed to actually revel in the joke, a raspy chuckle escaped the mare, all while Bright Mac starts to get down to the last few quills. "Pray tell, why are you getting involved in this, sugar? You don't have a stake in this issue... it's a family matter, after all. This doesn't concern you, it's not your problem to fix, not your responsibility." The mare questioned.

Needlepoint sighed. "I owe it to a friend to help in any way I can. Besides, this blood moon stuff is already driving me up the wall, the sooner it stops, the better it'll be for everyone. Besides, how can their own parents hate them so much, to the point of wanting to kill? The afterlife must not be all that's cracked up to be, if you two suddenly returned for a familial vendetta." Needlepoint remarked.

The mare seemed to think on the question for a moment, but Needlepoint would end up fixating his sights back on Bright Mac. The zombified stallion tried to tackle the alien, only to get into a wrestling match that wasn't working out the way the stallion had planned. Unfortunately, the Altnetrix was starting to beep, and in a flash of white light, Scott was returned to his human form, which wasn't exactly appropriate for a fight against a zombie stallion. "Sometimes I just hate this thing." Scott bemoaned, shoving the stallion away as he tried to get some distance.

Bright Mac got up and was about to charge at the human, only for the mare to pull them by their tail, stopping their assault. "Alright hon, that's enough. Ah think this young man proved himself enough tonight, don't ya think?" The mare inquired.

Bright Mac seemed to stop, brushing his matted red hair out of his face, revealing a set of bright milky white eyes that looked glossed over, lacking any sign of life or emotion, yet the stallion seemed rather... relieved. Bright Mac let a small chuckle escape him, and nuzzled his rotted muzzle with the skeletal muzzle the mare had, confusing and reassuring Scott of his worries at the same time. "Just barely. Changin' his shape like that, like one ah them bugs, it just ain't right, it ain't natural... but, if Applejack's alright with 'im, I suppose ah can let it slide, Buttercup, just this once, though." Bright Mac stated firmly.

Scott was finally starting to experience insanity in its purest form, and has fallen to his knees. "What in the hell is actually going on!?" Scott exclaimed, clearly at a loss for what's happening.

The mare, referred to as Buttercup, simply trotted forward and offered a hoof to the human. Scott grabbed it and was pulled back to his feet, and then lead towards the orchard. "Mind if we walk and talk, partner? It's a bit of a doozy, we'll warn ya now." the mare inquired.

Scott rubbed his face, letting out a tired and exasperated sigh. "With everything that's happened so far since I came to your world, sure, why not." Scott remarked, accepting the chaos that he was starting to get wrapped up in.

The mare chuckled as she, Scott and Bright Mac walked towards the orchard, all while the blood moon's rays started to lessen, the night sky was slowly returning to normal.

As the three walk into the orchard, Scott starts to see some of those special blood moon apples that Applejack was talking about, only they were starting to rapidly rot, dropping from the tree branches and breaking open upon contact with the ground. "It all started some time after our official secret wedding in this here orchard. Me and Bright Mac went against our families and wanted to be together, so we wanted to have a secret wedding, one that would be official and binding, but our folks weren't exactly happy, at first," Scott raised an eyebrow, only for the mare to wipe what looked like a tear from her empty eye socket. "Granny Smith was rather protective, to say the least, but she welcomed me into her family with open hooves. My daddy was quite the stickler, and ah know he loved me, but he let that stupid feud between his and Granny's families drive a wedge between us, and I haven't seen him ever since he moved tah Vanhoover. Unlike Granny Smith, he missed out on watchin' his grandchildren grow up, he never got tah meet them, make that connection, as it were." The mare explained.

Scott took a moment to process what the mare told him, and let her continue speaking. "What exactly happened to you two? That poor old lady thinks you're both dead, but you're clearly right here, physical and tangible as can be." Scott inquired.

Bright Mac stepped forward as they kept walking. "Durin' Apple Bloom's first blood moon, back when she was just a newborn and our previous two kids were handlin' the night market with Granny, we were makin' sure she wasn't alone. We took her into the orchard, to familiarize the place for her, so she isn't scared of it at night. Little did we know, it wasn't the orchard, or the night time that was meant to be feared. Rather," Bright Mac took off his stetson, only to reveal a bite-sized chunk of his head missing, exposing a portion of his chewed up brain, making Scott's blood run cold again at the sight of it. "It was what the blood moon would summon that was to be feared. Got me an' Buttercup good, but despite how hard we fought, despite comin' out on top, despite keepin' our baby girl safe, our injuries took us like Tartarus in a hoof basket. We managed to get Apple Bloom back to the farmhouse, tuck her into her crib just as those three came home for the night with a good profit, and we discreetly snuck back into the orchard. We ventured towards the location we had our wedding, cementing our vows by planting an apple seed, and a pear seed together, metaphorically demonstrating our devotion, and our commitment to our forbidden union. We rested underneath each other's respected tree, and we eventually passed in each other's arms, succumbing to the blood moon's attack." Bright Mac explained.

Scott was at a loss for words, he didn't even know how to verbally respond to such a story, but his throat certainly felt dry after hearing it. "I... I-I'm so sorry. I feel like I should say something else, but dear god, I'm so sorry that happened to you. In a strange, twisted and kind of similar way, I know that that's like. My parents were killed by the same bugs you compared me to," Now it was Bright Mac's turn to be at a loss for words, hiding his face behind his stetson. "In a strange way, I know how it feels. I lost my parents at the age of nine, and all three of your kids, plus their grandmother, lost you both. My point is, a parent's worst fear is outliving their children. Their second biggest fear is not being there to help them when they need you the most. I can't imagine how your eldest son and eldest daughter got by without you after that, nor do I claim to know what it's like, because I do know what it's like, and if I had to describe that feeling, that traumatic experience, in one word... Damning." Scott explained, hanging his head low.

The three of them were silent for a moment. You could hear a pin drop and collide with the soft blades of grass from how silent it was. "My point is, I'm not entirely sure why you both were willing to attack your family, the family that still misses you, cherishes your memory, can't even imagine having to fight you, or something that barely looks like you, but there had to be a reason. Not saying it excuses what you tried to do, but there had to be a reason. A method to this madness." Scott remarked.

Bright Mac and Buttercup looked at each other, smiling for a moment, and lead the human into a clearing. Scott walks out, seeing that the blood moon was back to normal, the mare in the moon was still there, and the night sky was back to its usual cosmic beauty. Within the clearing was the same tree that Applejack told him to go find. Scott beheld how the apple tree and the pear tree were quite literally intertwined with one another, seeing a heart-shaped hole made by the branches and leaves. It was beautiful, impossible, but above all else, it reminded him of home.

The three of them approached the tree, and while Buttercup and Bright Mac were able to walk further towards the tree, Scott was stopped by a magical red bubble. Scott looked at Bright Mac and Buttercup, who seemed to have solemn and somber smiles on their faces. "Sorry, sugar, but we left somethin' crucial out, hope ya understand why. When we died, the blood moon's magic cursed our souls, binding us to the tree that seals our vows. As long as this tree still stands, our souls will be forced into physical form, powerful and potent physical illusions made by the blood moon's magic," Scott's eyes widened as the ground shook. Large tree roots jutted out of the ground, enveloped in the same red mist Scott saw a couple times before. "Tonight, however, is a rather peculiar one. The blood moon has gotten stronger, and it's magic has granted us undeath, to a degree. We have our physical bodies back, but this isn't how things are supposed to be. Ya need tah put our souls at rest, we never wanted to haunt or harm our children, or anypony for that matter... the blood moon's caster is demandin', ain't she? Ya gotta uproot our tree, human! Put our souls to rest, and save our kin!" Buttercup explained.

Bright Mac nodded. "Don't ask how, but we've seen ya fight, partner. That strange blob in Canterlot, that armored wacko from the stars, the dragon runnin' amok, that crystal woman, and that Celestia forsaken bug that showed up in town. Ya got guts, kid, so put us to rest, before we rip 'em out of ya!!" Bright Mac warned.

Red mist starts to envelop both ponies, then completely pulls them into the trunks of both trees. The sky starts to become red, and the mare in the moon is now looking down, watching the fight as it prepares to unfold.

The trees start to grow out further, the leaves start to open up into gaping maws, roaring out as they look down at the terrified and very concerned Scott. The apples and pears start to grow and change. The apples become crimson crisps and the pears become three times bigger than normal, their green skin changes to a more violet hue, with various white bruise-like spots forming on the exterior.

The shadow that casted over the human was beyond rational comparison. The two-headed Appear Tree butted its heads together, nodding as they fixated on Scott himself. "It's times like this, where I wish I was working fast food during the graveyard shift. This, this is not okay... I'm gonna die, and it's gonna be painful." Scott gulped.

Scott immediately ran back to where he came from, only to find that the way back into the orchard was now blocked off by tree roots. Scott comes to a stop, looking back at the two-headed fruit tree that was clearly ready to eat him alive. Scott falls to his knees, shielding himself as the apple mouth lunges down, trying to snatch him up whole, only to suddenly come up short, shaking a few crimson crisps off of its branches, and some land onto the ground, perfectly intact.

The mouth moves back and Scott tries to grab one of the crimson crisps, though it is rather heavy, he's able to barely get it over his head, all while the pear mouth lunges down at him. Scott panics and throws the magic apple at the open mouth, rolling to the side as he just barely avoids getting snatched up in the mouth's grasp.

The mouth chomps down on the crimson crisp and swallows, only to seem thoroughly repulsed by the taste, letting its magic pears fall to the ground, with very few of them staying intact. The pear mouth retreats as the apple mouth gets aggressive, snapping its jaws in the air as it slams on the ground, trying to knock Scott off balance.

Scott tries to keep himself upright, but after a bit of struggling, the shaking finally stops. Scott sees the pear mouth getting ready to fight again, snapping its jaws towards him. He rolls out of the way, causing the pear mouth to retreat, only for the apple mouth to charge right at him, ready to swallow him whole. Scott thought about what happened to the pear mouth, and decides to try it again, throwing one of the magic pears into the apple mouth.

The apple mouth munches down on the pear, and is immediately disgusted by the taste. It retreats like the pear mouth did, only for the pear mouth to ready itself for some kind of attack. Scott saw it puff its cheeks up, and saw tons of small seed-like projectiles heading his way. Scott activated the Altnetrix and tried to transform, but was hit dead-on by tons of seeds that actually hurt him.

Scott staggered back, covered in red spots from head to toe, but he didn't give up. Scott saw the pear mouth lunge at him, and Scott did the same thing he did before, throw a crimson crisp into its mouth, and watched as it recoiled with distain, and now had to put up with the apple mouth again.

This fight was becoming very dangerous, as well as tedious. The more he fed the mouths the wrong fruit, the more it seemed to hurt them, as well as anger them. It was clear that this was working, to some degree, but the mouths were getting relentless, he was running out of moments to stop and breathe. Scott needed another way out of this, a way to stop them from attacking altogether.

Scott looked to the fruit still on the ground, and an idea came to him. Scott quickly managed to carry one of each magic plant in his hands, just barely keeping himself balanced. The two mouths lunged forward, and he threw each fruit into the opposite mouths, seeing both mouths recoil and roar out in disgust. Scott rushed forward, punching and kicking each mouth as hard as he could, hoping it would at least do some damage.

The mouths retreated, though that didn't mean they were done. The mouths clamped down on one another, connecting themselves together as their branches formed a large wooden claw. Scott was terrified, he wasn't sure how to counter this attack, considering this was a first. The claws simply fell forward, clearly intending to crush Scott into a bloodied paste.

Scott was worried, beyond terrified, even. At first, it seemed like he had a chance. It was slim to none, but he was winning, now he's finally lost it. He wanted to use the Altnetrix, just to make this easier, but he knows he can't rely on it forever. However, how is he supposed to deal with this? Nowhere to run, nowhere to hide, he can't roll away from this, and he certainly can't parry something that huge.

Scott gets ready to just accept his fate, but before he closes his eyes, he notices an opening in the claw's palm. Just like that, Scott had an idea. Scott quickly ran into position, following the palm as the hole got closer to the ground. Scott jumped and grabbed onto the ledge, climbing inside as it landed onto the ground. A turquoise light bleeds through the wooden claw, and laser beams begin to cut through it, revealing Protectron.

Protectron flew towards the tree, firing lasers at the base of the trees themselves, catching them on fire. The mouths try to snap their jaws at the robot, and while they do catch its arms in their grasps, electrical beams shock and repel the large attackers. Protectron morphs his hands into cannons and unleashes literal bullet hell on the Appear Tree monster, firing lasers and electrical beams at both of the mouths, clearly causing them plenty of distress.

The synthroid continues its rate of fire on the monster, but seems to start growing bored of it. Protectron lands on the ground, getting up close to the base of both burning trees, grabbing them without a second thought. The alien robot starts to lift as much as it can, causing the trees to roar out in pain and agony, yet it continues to try and pull them out of the ground. Protectron increases its grip strength and hold on the beasts, pushing himself to lift them further, despite their resistance.

Soon enough, Protectron has both tree creatures uprooted from the orchard, and tosses them to the ground, firing his lasers as much as he can, all while the Altnetrix starts timing out. The Appear Tree's roars and cries soon become deafened, silenced by the sound of crackling and burning embers. Protectron is enveloped in a flash of white light, returning Scott to his human form.

Scott falls back onto the ground, marveling and silently staring at the burning trees he had to fight. Scott wondered if those two ponies felt any of what he was dishing out, and while it did make him feel horrible, feeling remorse for his current actions, he felt slightly relieved, wanting to believe that those two were now at peace, knowing that their family likely won't be harmed anymore, especially because of the blood moon.

Speaking of which, Scott saw that red mist leave the trees as they burned, moving towards the sky, specifically the moon. The mare in the moon was no longer watching the fight, but was back to its original position. Scott laid down on the ground, his body exhausted, pushed to its limits. Scott closed his eyes, slowly falling asleep in the midst of what looked like a warzone.

Scott needed more answers, and in a way, he did get what he needed, just not directly from Applejack. The human clearly needs more practice, but everyone needs a break. Scott was happy to help, despite his life being put at risk again, but at least he can rest with a lighter conscience, knowing he put two souls at rest once more.

Conflict

[16 days till the Summer Sun Celebration]

"Scott's Video log, entry one. It's been three days since the last entry. I'm currently putting together a list of important questions for when I see the princesses again, and I need to make sure I have every last base covered. I'm not sure what it is about the mention of Eclipsed Blackheart that has me second guessing everything I thought I knew, or how the Anthodopterran monarch knew anything about them, but I intend to get to the bottom of it. On a related note, I'm still trying to process what happened with the Anthodopterrans," Scott looked away from the lens, looking vehemently disgusted. "Zapp, he-- h-he didn't even give me a chance to get them to leave peacefully, he just attacked them, burning everything down to the ground with some fancy burning arrows, burned the bodies of the Anthodopterrans and his soldiers, too... likely didn't want any evidence of his involvement, then he's in for a surprise once he finds out I saved one of the Anthodopterrans... it's not their entire species, but at least I saved someone," Scott clenched his teeth, a burning righteous anger had been roaring in his chest ever since he got Zapp out of the Everfree. "He doesn't even seem that choked up that he lost some of the soldiers to the Anthodopterrans, or to the raging fires he started... I never felt so ill and angry in my entire life, and that was definitely my breaking point, but I kept myself in check. Thankfully, I left out the part that pegasi were going to put the fires out, and anything that survived, I'd personally make sure to get my hands on it. I won't let him get away with this, not while he got sloppy," Scott looked frustrated and conflicted, but he took a few deep breaths as he kept his wits about him. "Many apologies on my part, getting angry isn't going to solve anything, but I need to be careful about my emotions. One slip up could mean I let him go for nothing. After Dash, AJ and I are done questioning the princesses, I'm going to send them both back to Ponyville, while I lag behind, hoping to find and confront Zapp on his horrendous change in behavior. I don't expect to get anywhere, but I will be keeping my eyes and ears open for any inconsistencies. Wish me luck. This is Plumber Cadet Scott Baristo, signing out. End Log."

Scott stopped the recording on the Picto Box and hooked it onto the side of his jeans. Scott looked at the Altnetrix for a brief moment, and all he could feel was something crying out for justice, the kind of justice he let slip through his fingers by letting Zapp go without suspicion.

Scott heard a knock on the door and got up, opening it to see Flintgraad and Pitch, the two bat ponies he, Dash and AJ saved from the Everfree. "Hmph, the other guards weren't kiddin', you are one tall sumbitch!" Scott wasn't expecting to hear that so early in the morning, but Flintgraad's attitude seemed to let a small smile form on his face. "I don't suppose we were properly introduced. I'm Flintgraad, and the mare next to me is Pitch Ink. We were part of Zapp's crew, but from what's happened since then, that's probably the last thing ya wanna hear, and I understand wholeheartedly," Scott sighed in relief, he was thankful that someone at least understood how he felt. "We just wanted to stop by and let you know that we are in your debt for saving our hides not just once, but twice on the same day. We'd either be food for the bugs or fuel for the fire, ain't that right, Pitch?" Flintgraad explained, looking over at the mare by his side.

Pitch nodded her head and held her hoof out, as if gesturing for a handshake. Hoof shake? Scott still wasn't that caught up on the Equestrian-friendly idioms yet, but decided to shake Pitch's hoof firmly, smiling a bit at the appreciation shown for his hard work. "Now, I know you must be busy, but one thing to note is that uh... word got around recently that you're on your way to Canterlot, and you're gonna request an audience with the princesses. Flint and I wanna come and state our case, since we were there and saw the whole thing go down, if that's alright with you." Pitch suggested.

Scott sighed and thought about it for a moment. He wanted this to be just him, Dash and Applejack, but then he began to think about the possible benefits of letting these two come with him. Knowing he had two living witnesses to Zapp's sudden display of cruelty and betrayal, it was likely the sort of useful info he could use right now. Scott quickly grabbed his bat and the Hylian mask, just so he'd be more equipped and prepared in case anything happened, then stepped out of his hut. "That would be for the best. You two are the only living witnesses and the only known survivors of Zapp's group that can provide your own perspective on what happened," Scott looked up at the sky, noticing the sun still rising. "Come on, we need to get to Canterlot before the conductors break for lunch." Scott stated, closing the door behind him.

Flint and Pitch followed behind Scott as they ran down the trail, unaware that something has decided to hitch a ride on the tail end of Flint's armor.

Within Canterlot Castle, Dash and AJ were sitting patiently inside, waiting for Scott to arrive. "He just had to make us wait. Freaking great, when exactly did he say he'd be here?" Dash asked impatiently.

Applejack snickered, much to Dash's chagrin. "Still as impatient as ever, huh Dash. Not used to havin' someone make you wait for 'em for a change?" Dash scoffed and turned away. The farm pony put a hoof on the impatient pegasus' shoulder and smiled. "Relax, I'm just pullin' yer leg. Scott said he'd catch the last train on the morning schedule, and I know he'll be here in no time at all." Applejack reassured.

Dash sighed, relaxing a bit as her wings fidgeted. "I hate waiting, it's just-- Why didn't he just hitch a ride with us when we asked! A bit of blood on his clothes wouldn't have been that bad." Dash remarked.

Applejack put her face in her hooves, rolling her eyes as a smirk formed on her face. "Dash, ya never approach a royal drenched in blood, no matter the color. Not only does it make ya look like yer more than a few scraps shorter than a blacksmith, but it's not appropriate either," Dash stopped fidgeting and tried to keep herself still, but it wasn't working all that well, considering she still needed to move and fly. "Just try to calm down and take some slow breaths, it works for that human feller." Applejack advised.

Dash sighed and tried to breathe slowly. She hated to admit it, but ever since the sudden wildfire in the everfree, the pegasus has been desperately trying to keep herself from freaking out and jumping down Zapp's throat. "Why did he even do what he did? Where's the logic in what he did?" Dash questioned, trying to change the subject.

Applejack looked at the pegasus in mild confusion. "You're gonna have to be a bit more specific, there was a lot happenin'," Dash frowned at that response, but she had to agree with the farm pony. "Who exactly are ya talkin' about Dash, Scott or Zapp?" Applejack asked.

Dash groaned in frustration and shrugged her shoulders. "Both, I guess. What Zapp did was messed up, practically on the level of Tartarus itself. What Scott did was not just stupid, but it was such a stupid decision that I'm trying to invent a new word to describe how dumb it was to let him go after what he did." Dash remarked.

Applejack steadily nodded her head. She figured what happened at the everfree forest had been, metaphorically speaking, burned into Dash's brain, and by some degree, it had been burned into hers as well. She couldn't sleep properly without hearing the lingering sounds of screeching pain from the Anthodopterrans, but it's not like she could do anything about it.

What pissed Applejack off more though, was that Zapp individual, and how Scott seemed to feel about his sudden attack. From Applejack's perspective, she could see that it felt so unprovoked and sudden, she could see how Scott was almost becoming oblivious to the fires that night. As much as Applejack didn't want to agree with Dash, she had to admit that she was right, in the vein that Zapp shouldn't've been let go for such a heinous act.

Applejack wasn't sure what Scott was thinking, but he clearly had his reasons, and he was just as disappointed in himself for letting him go, so she can't fault him too much if this helps with getting the princesses to hear their plea. "Scott is a strange creature, but he has done a lot of good since comin' to Equestria. Try not to give him much grief about the whole "Letting Zapp Go" thing, he's probably still feelin' the shock, hasn't processed it yet, and is hidin' behind a brave face to not make anypony concerned, ah seen that type of behavior before," Dash looked at Applejack with a curious expression. "Long story short, Braeburn nearly got into a rather sticky situation back in Appleloosa. Somethin' involving a city girl appropriating their culture, then it escalated into a shoot-out, someone lost their violin, then it ended with him gettin' locked in the brig dressed in drag. By the time I bailed him out, he was still putting on a brave face, like he didn't want me concerned, but deep down, he's still wonderin' how things went as far as they did." Applejack explained.

Dash sighed and rubbed her temples with her hooves, letting a dry laugh escape her lips. "Your family is crazy, ya know that, AJ?" Dash remarked.

Applejack smirked, but then the sound of the drawbridge coming down got their attention. The sight of Scott walking in reassured the two mares, but what confused them was seeing Flintgraad and Pitch walking behind him. "Speakin' ah crazy, good tah see you made it, partner! We're still waitin' for them fancy royal escorts tah give us the right away, so take a load off," Scott smiled and sat down in one of the small chairs, all while Flintgraad and Pitch stood at attention. "So, they're here as well, what in tarnation are ya plannin', Scott?" Applejack questioned.

Scott pointed to the two bat pony creatures and cleared his throat. "They wanted to give their perspectives on what happened that night in the Everfree. I was on my way out the door this morning when they showed up. I would've been here faster if I transformed, but since they stopped by, I took the train here instead. Fun fact, did you know ponies are prone to panic when a human's on board? Crazy." Scott remarked.

Dash snickered, all while Applejack groaned and put her face in her hooves. "Of course they panicked... here I was thinkin' it was a normal train ride, land sakes." Applejack hissed.

Flintgraad cleared his throat. "The passengers were more terrified of impending danger, rather than being terrified of the human himself. They also spotted me and Pitch, which also freaked them out. Most ponies rarely see our kind out and about, it's why we are primarily night workers. We weren't put on Luna's night guard for nothing. Pitch and I had a couple cups of coffee before approaching your shapeshifting friend, so we're not as exhausted as the rest of our kin must be." Flintgraad explained.

Pitch nodded in agreement. Scott yawned and pulled an apple out of his pocket, biting into it as he leaned into his chair. "So, how long have you guys been waiting for the right away so far?" Scott asked.

Applejack looked over at the closed set of doors, noticing that the guard was still waiting in front. "About a couple hours now. Didn't think it'd take this long, otherwise ah would've gotten mah daily chores done, and still have the time to wait." Applejack answered.

Scott handed Pitch his apple and got up from his seat, approaching said guard. "Excuse me, do you know how much longer me and my compatriots will have to wait for the princesses to be ready? Not trying to sound rude, but this is very crucial to my job and lives are potentially at stake. You understand, right?" Scott asked.

The guard didn't seem to pay the human any mind, which did irritate Scott a bit, but not enough to start a fight, he knew better than that. Then, a set of hooves could be heard coming from behind him, stopping right by the right side of him. "Excuse me, but if I may interject, might there be a problem here?" A smooth, posh, regal and dainty voice spoke out.

Scott looks down to his right, being rather surprised by the unicorn stallion that stood beside him. They had a pristine white coat, bright turquoise eyes, dark purple cloven hooves, wavy and messy blonde hair with a well-styled tail, a tuxedo top with a white dress shirt underneath, as well as a dark blue bow tie. From underneath an extended part of the tuxedo's coattail, Scott could see what looks like a periwinkle colored compass of sorts on their flank.

The guard in front of the door seems to immediately take notice of the well-dressed stallion and seems to nearly trip over themselves. "P-Prince Blueblood! A-Apologies, your highness, y-your aunts are preparing themselves for a m-meeting." The guard sputtered out.

Scott's interest was now piqued. 'Celestia and Luna are aunts, never knew that. This is their nephew? I never would've guessed... kinda pisses me off that the guard was so eager to get brown on his nose when it comes to royalty, though, but that's politics, and thank god that's not my specialty.' Scott thought.

Blueblood smiled warmly and chuckled. "Right, the meeting. The one with the human, I presume, about why the Everfree suddenly erupted into a pyre of flames?" That got Scott's full attention, as well as Dash, Applejack, Flintgraad and Pitch's. The guard was sweating profusely, stammering gibberish as they tried to think of actual words to say. "Speaking of, it's nearly about time for that meeting to begin, isn't it? Show a bit of kindness to a fellow soldier and let them pass, would you kindly?" Blueblood asked politely.

The guard nodded his head quickly and opened the door. "T-The meeting will be taking place in the last room on the right! Can't miss it!" The guard stated frantically, smiling nervously.

Blueblood nodded his head. "Thank you, that'll be all," Blueblood looked up at the human, seeing the curious and puzzled look on his face. "Scott Baristo, was it? It was fairly pleasant to make your acquaintance. I am Prince Cas Amore Blueblood, or just Blueblood if you so prefer. I do wish I could attend such an important meeting, but my duties call for me elsewhere in Canterlot's ground district, so I wish you and your allies the best of luck with this fiery kerfuffle," Blueblood turned around and walked towards the drawbridge, but then stops for a moment as he shakes Dash's hoof, and continues on his way. "Tell my aunties that I wish them the best, and should they need my expertise, they can find me in the soup kitchen on Larson Road. Fare thee well, shapeshifter!~" Blueblood stated, casually walking away.

Scott, as well as the other four ponies were just as confused as the prince walked away. "Who in the hell was that? I spaced out for a moment." Scott commented.

Applejack sighed as she looked at the human. "That was Prince Blueblood, Princess Celestia and Princess Luna's nephew. He's somethin' of a celebrity in and outside of Canterlot, but he certainly don't act like a royal, from what I last heard." Applejack stated.

Dash scoffs. "That's putting it real mildly, AJ. Blueblood's the poorest royal in Canterlot's royal family, he's barely got a few hundred bits to his name nowadays, but he's rich in selfless acts. Ever since that near death experience he had years ago, he hasn't been the same. No longer is he the spoiled and entitled little jerk he was as a kid, but now he's this kind, generous and selfless stallion who could do no wrong, even if it got him his family's fortune back." Dash explains.

Scott raises an eyebrow, curious as to what Dash meant. Before he could ask, he immediately remembered the meeting he wanted arranged with the princesses. "Hey, let's talk about this later. For now, let's get down to business and meet with the princesses. We have enough on our plates, so let's deal with one thing at a time." Scott spoke up.

Flintgraad nodded his head. "The human is correct. We can speak about the prince when we aren't preparing to meet with the royal sisters." Flintgraad stated, agreeing with the human.

Applejack and Rainbow Dash nodded their heads, and the five of them made their way inside and towards the last door on the right. The guard stayed out of their way, and once all five were inside, he closed the doors and resumed guarding the entry.

As the five of them walked inside the room, they saw Celestia and Luna, with Gleaming and Sunset by their sides. Scott bowed and took his seat, as did the other four ponies he brought with him. "Your royal highnesses, it's a pleasure to finally speak to you again, I just wish it wasn't about something so... drastically unexpected." Scott spoke.

Celestia nodded her head. "Likewise, mister Baristo. Luna, could you please read the report we got from Privateer Zapp the day of the fire?" Celestia asked.

Luna stared at the human for a solid minute in silence. She saw a false show of bravery behind the human's eyes, and behind the façade was a feeling of guilt, shame and regret. Luna sighed, knowing she needed to know the whole story after this. "Of course, sister," Gleaming pulled a scroll out of a satchel and handed it to the princess. Luna then cleared her throat and began to read the report. "From what reports we got from the leader of the scouting party, all but Zapp had been executed or lost their lives in the fire, as well as what seemed to be a hive of unidentified species of insect no bigger than a dog. There were whispers among Ponyville's guards that you, miss Applejack and miss Dash ventured into the everfree to go after them and supposedly, a fight broke out, resulting in many casualties. Can you explain your side of the story?" Luna requested.

Scott looked at Dash and AJ, who nodded their heads. Scott looked back at the princesses. "If it's alright with you, princesses, these two guards come from Zapp's scouting party, they came forth to me so they could have a chance to tell you their side of the story." Scott suggested, gesturing to Flintgraad and Pitch.

Luna was a bit surprised to see two of her former night guards standing with the human. Celestia was more-so confused and rather suspicious of what exactly the human was doing. "Pray tell, who are they, are they off-the-clock, and why are they here to tell us their story?" Celestia asked, seeming skeptical of why two bat ponies were present in this meeting.

Scott sighed. "Since you asked, these two are Flintgraad and Pitch, they're the only confirmed survivors of Zapp's scout troupe that we saved from the fire, because the rest of them were attacked and swiftly killed by the alien species that was going extinct, and were just defending themselves. That alien species is now extinct due to the fire, so there's also that to consider," Luna and Celestia looked rather surprised, but Scott held his hands up defensively. "Don't worry, I'll be sure to explain that part of the issue in a moment, but please, If you'd be so kind to spare your time to do so, please hear them out. I beg of you, it's important to know that you've been fed false information in that report..." Scott paused as he felt a cold sweat on his brow, or was that... Scott was silent for a moment, but he eventually found his words again. "I don't say that lightly, and I've never said that at all before, regardless of who my superior was... please don't assume I'm stepping on anyone's hooves for not being okay with what happened that night, I would've rather handled it peacefully and relocate the species to a safer environment, rather than deal with the surprise wildfire that started." Scott pleaded.

Luna and Celestia looked at each other for a moment, then looked to Flintgraad and Pitch. "If mister Baristo says your stories about the incident tell a clearer story, then we would like to get a clearer side of the story to this whole situation. Speak whenever you're ready." Luna stated.

Scott gestured for Flintgraad and Pitch to speak their perspectives, leaving only Flintgraad to debate how he was going to word his explanation. It took the stallion a moment to find the courage, and he tried his best to keep his nerves calm and steady. "I-It was hours after the latest blood moon a few days back before the incident. Pitch and I were about to clock out and go home after we did our last nightly patrol, until Zapp approached us and offered us a spot on his new troupe," Scott, AJ, Dash and the princesses listened intently, all while Sunset and Dusk wrote and documented Flintgraad's story. "He described it to us as a scouting position, out-in-the-field type work to chart out the Everfree Forest and hopefully bring back some old artifacts for the royal archaeologists to study. We told him that we weren't exactly the brainy-types he'd need for such a troupe, but he reassured us that we'd be guarding and protecting the brainy-types he supposedly already got for his troupe," Scott was rather confused at Flint's words, as were Dash and AJ, since they didn't see any archeologists or any of their equipment among the soldiers they found. "He told us we'd start the job a day before this whole mess occurred, which was the day after we clocked out. We were tight on bits, too, bills and taxes aren't exactly cheap, ya know. Zapp promised that he'd give us a couple more bits to help us get by after the mission was successful, so... because we needed the bits, we took the offer." Flintgraad explained, feeling a bit ashamed.

Pitch nodded her head, rubbing Flintgraad's back as he put his head down on the table. "When the dawn broke the next morning, we clocked in like usual, and then Zapp came to bring us to the Everfree. Flint and I noticed there weren't any archaeologists in the troupe, just more soldiers. He told us that they were armored up for their own protection, which in hindsight, it should've tipped us off that something was wrong. We just realized too late why he needed us," Celestia continued to listen, while Luna was just trying to process the information Pitch was giving. "When we got halfway down that uncharted trail, we heard a buzzing sound from the trees. We didn't have enough time to react until our helmets suddenly vanished off our heads. Something tough and thick smacked against our heads and knocked us out, he abandoned and left us at the mercy of those creatures," Luna looked appalled that one of her former night guards would betray and abandon not one of their own, but two, and on false pretenses by an attempt of premeditated murder. "We eventually woke up, stuck to some kind of wall as the mother of those bug things stared at us, as if trying to figure out who and what we were. They backed off and their monarch told us that she wasn't going to kill us, but she was still trying to ascertain if we were friend or foe." Pitch explained.

Scott looked at Pitch and Flintgraad. "That actually reminds me. I was meaning to ask you both, did she tell you both anything in particular?" Scott asked.

Pitch nodded her head. Scott was just concerned for what he was about to hear, as was Sunset and Dusk. Applejack and Rainbow Dash were mentally preparing for the worst. "She said she was only after one of our troupe's members. She described them as, and I quote, "A thrall that masquerades behind a false façade. They sensed their vile pheromones, hiding behind a wicked guise of magic, one that once again lead more poor souls into what would be a death trap, masquerading as an ambush"," Scott's eyes went wide, his face seemed to lose its color for a moment as a sickened and frightened expression slowly formed on his face. Scott felt like he was gonna throw up, scream or try to do both at once, but he did feel a burning anger rising. One he recognized all too well. "Flint thought it was nonsense and tried to break out, but he found out the hard way that by doing that, the goo that held us drained us of our magic, weakened the hell out of us, even making me pass out in the process." Pitch explained.

Scott looked over at Applejack and Dash, seeing the fire in their eyes and looks of disgust. Scott looked over at Pitch, who gestured for Flint to continue his side of the story. Flint cleared his throat and readied himself to speak. "We had been up on that wall for a day, but there was a few things the monarch told me, because she eventually realized me and Pitch could be trusted as friends of her hive. She asked if we knew of a person who wore a powerful watch, capable of turning them into these things called "aliens", and we knew nothing, until we finally met him properly days after the incident," Celestia felt very conflicted with what she was hearing, but it was becoming rather obvious that there was a pest in her ranks. "She told me a lot of strange things, things I'm sworn to only tell to the one who wields the uh... What do you call that thing on your wrist again, mister Baristo?" Flintgraad asked.

Scott held up his right arm to let the Altnetrix be shown. "The Altnetrix. Don't worry about it, you'll get used to saying that if you and your pal stick around," Scott took a moment to think about what Flintgraad said just a moment ago, and suddenly the gears in his head started going into overtime. "Wait- What do you mean by that? Things she swore you to only tell me, what exactly did she want you to tell me? Why didn't you tell me this on the train ride here!?" Scott asked, his curiosity starting to get the better of him.

Applejack tapped on his shoulder. "Let Flintgraad finish the explanation, partner. I swear your brain functions like a squirrel who discovered coffee," Applejack looked over at Flint. "Sorry about that, partner. Please, continue." Applejack said.

Flint nodded. "No apologies needed, I'd be curious too with such a device. But, things basically end there for Pitch and I's side of the story. Pitch was still passed out, and I was getting there myself when these three showed up to save us," Flintgraad looked at the princesses. "I started to pick up on the smell of smoke before I passed out, and it was clear that someone didn't want witnesses or evidence of their involvement, especially if they risked setting fire to the Everfree, the most unpredictable and hostile environment next door to Ponyville," Flint shifted his gaze to Scott, Applejack and Dash, smiling gratefully in appreciation. "Pitch and I, we would be burnt to ash piles, had it not been for mister Baristo, miss Dash and miss Applejack here getting us out of there, your highnesses." Flintgraad concluded.

Celestia and Luna looked at each other with concern, then looks down at the supposed report. "Well, that certainly... denotes the entire report Zapp sent in. Still, we need Scott's side of the story, just to confirm if this is true," The princesses look at Sunset and Dusk, who immediately get some new parchment ready to write on. Luna and Celestia look over at Scott. "Start from the beginning, if you would kindly." Luna suggested.

Scott took a deep breath and sighed. "It all started a few days ago on the day of the incident, hours before it all went to hell in a handbasket. The morning was on the rise, and I was trying to get some much needed and very much missed hours of sleep after what I had to put up with during the last blood moon on Applejack's farm," Scott gave a side-eyed glare at the farm pony, earning a nervous chuckle from the farm pony. "And I just wanted to spend the day catching up on catching some Zs. But it seemed like I was not allowed to relax that day, so me, Dash and Applejack went to the Everfree to see if Zapp and his troupe needed any assistance. It was only after seeing the rainbow powder scattered all over the Everfree, which made it become quiet and tame," Luna and Celestia looked at each other in mild shock, then back at Scott. "That was the point in contention when I knew I had to handle this, or this was going to escalate. How ironic, truly, given what happened." Scott stated.

Scott cleared his throat and continued to speak. "Zapp and his soldiers knew jack diddly squat about who and what the Anthodopterrans were capable of, so that explains a lot about needless casualties. We ran into him and he claimed that the Anthodopterrans ambushed him and his soldiers, but the truth is often stranger than fiction, as we humans say," Luna looked at Scott, noticing a look of anger, disappointment, and shame on the human's face. "The Anthodopterrans only perceived Zapp as the only threat in their eyes, due to his abnormal pheromones and hiding behind another form. He used his own soldiers as bait, meat shields, possibly both, so he could escape and try to manipulate us into assuming the Anthodopterrans were a real tactical threat, trying to play us for fools, but he clearly forgot who he was dealing with," Scott's expression slowly formed into pure pain. Something was irking the human, and it was driving him nuts, like it tried to divide his thought process. "However, I knew from the start that Zapp was trying to prepare an alibi for his own supposed "failure" regarding that mission... if it even was a mission at all to begin with. As a Plumber, you're trained to hone your skills and utilize them at all times in the field, but I... I never thought Zapp's change in demeanor would come to such extremes," Scott wiped his face with his hands and slowly processed the information racking around his brain. "The Anthodopterrans are sentient beings, but they couldn't ambush a snail with the buzzing sound they emit. Zapp got innocent ponies killed for a goal I still have yet to figure out, and pushing the Anthodopterrans to extinction seems like just the beginning of something worse... they didn't even stand a chance, he made them suffer and burning them to ash was... cruel, worse than cruel." Scott explained, his tone slowly became more cold, disgusted, disturbed and disconnected, all while the anger inside him just burned like embers.

The room was abnormally silent, the air was tense and heavy. AJ and Dash looked at Scott, a bit surprised and mildly taken aback by the words the he spoke. The princesses could feel it in the air that something has brewing within the human's mind, two different sides waging war and arguing over what needed to be said or believed. Scott took a moment and tried to compose himself, but Scott's exhaustion was starting to finally wear his will down, and his personal feelings were conflicting with the logic he usually applied to his job in situations like this.

Still, Scott could barely believe the words that came out of his mouth. He thought of Zapp as a friend, yet everything that happened with that sudden changeling attack in Ponyville, Dash and Zapp's falling out, the incident with the Everfree wildfire, he felt like he was finally starting to feel the weight of his job as a Plumber, or was it the hope that he had a friend, or someone he could trust who understood the difficulty of the jobs they had, and everything about this incident had finally felt like a dagger buried in his spine?

Scott had more than many questions and opinions desperately bouncing in his head, it almost felt like he was going to split in two. Nothing made sense from a personal perspective, but from a logical perspective, it made perfect sense. Zapp was a rat, a traitor, responsible for luring soldiers to their deaths and used arson to rid any evidence that pointed to him, yet he couldn't imagine the same bat pony he first met being capable of such horrors. While he never had the chance to say it, Zapp was a friend, something he hadn't had since he lost his parents.

Scott got up from his seat and couldn't seem to look the princesses in the eyes. "I need a moment on my own, I'll keep it brief. I'll be back." Scott stated, his voice sounded almost hopeless.

It didn't take any special training, magic or whatever for everypony in that room to notice that Scott was clearly split on the incident. Sure, he did care about the casualties that didn't have to happen, and didn't approve of Zapp's actions, but Scott clearly felt uncertain for condemning one of the few ponies he's worked with to stop alien-related crimes in Equestria to being a traitor.

Celestia was about to get up, but Princess Luna got up first and immediately stepped in front of Scott, blocking the door. "Scott Baristo, you clearly seem conflicted. Am I right to assume that Privateer Zapp is a friend of yours?" Luna inquired.

Scott clenched his teeth as he walked past the princess and opened the door. "That's what I need to figure out. I'll be right back, apologies for the disruption," Scott put one foot out the door, before he remembered something. He looked back at the princesses. "Before I go, I ran into your nephew, Blueblood. Nice guy, he wishes you the best." Scott stated briefly.

As Scott walked out the door and closed it behind him, Luna looked to Applejack and Rainbow Dash. "What was that about?" Luna inquired.

Dash shrugged her shoulders. "I guess he just wanted to remind you that your nephew wished you the best, I don't know exa--" Dash felt Applejack nudge her in the side, interrupting her sentence. "Ow!" Dash yelped.

Applejack sighed and rubbed Dash's back. "She's referrin' to Zapp and his supposed connection to Scott. Never heard of or met the feller before until the Everfree caught fire. Ah didn't even know bat ponies could even look like some of Princess Celestia's guards," Celestia and Luna were now very confused, to which made both mares feel concerned. "Ya know, light blue mane and a pristine white coat, it was like mah eyes were playin' tricks on me, like one ah them fancy schmancy illusions, ya never noticed how a ton of yer guards look the same?" Applejack inquired.

Celestia nodded slowly. "I'm well aware most of them look the same, since a lot of them do descend from a few close-knit families that served equestrian royalty for many generations. Numerous similarities in appearances were bound to happen if they kept to making the guard more diverse," Celestia looked towards Luna, seeming concerned. "But I've never heard of, let alone seen a bat pony that had such a distinct color scheme that lumped them in with the rest of my usual guard detail. Unless one of the night guard began fraternizing with one of the day guards after their shift, there's no record of a bat pony with such a description. You're certain they're as you described?" Celestia inquired.

Dash nodded her head. "Yeah, I've been around Zapp often when I work with Scott, and he looks like one of the night guard, but colored exactly like one of your day guards. With all due respect, how in all of Tartarus does someone like that not stick out to you?" Dash questioned.

Luna places the report Zapp sent to them, staring intently as a look of fear seems to rise within her. "That's a very good question, but here's another string of questions. There were reports of a supposed "Sotoraggian" creature that attacked an exclusive club, and then days later, attacked Ponyville. They were caught and interrogated by you, miss Dash, and mister Baristo, but hasn't been prosecuted for their crimes due to their escape from our custody." Luna stated.

Dash was now very confused. "Wait what? Me and Scott chased after that psychotic alien thing when it broke out. Zapp even assisted us in catching it, how did... d-how did... w-wait a minute..." Dash paused for a moment, trying to remember what happened that day. She remembers Zapp carrying Seventy-Four away to a special cell, likely to disarm him and lock him up, but now something wasn't adding up for the blue pegasus. 'If Zapp took him away, and Seventy-Four has yet to be prosecuted and is dubbed as an escapee, then where... oh my faust, he didn't!' Dash was finally starting to realize that Zapp didn't bring Seventy-Four to their cell. "Oh dear Faust... Z-Zapp had Seventy-Four in his hold when Scott rendered his alien bounty hunter butt unconscious. Zapp said there was a special cell in Tartarus for him, but if he's dubbed an escapee... Zapp didn't put him back in a cell, but instead took him somewhere else!" Dash exclaimed.

Applejack looked at the pegasus by her side with a concerned expression. She could tell clear as day that Dash wasn't lying, and that kinda scared the farm pony a bit. "Dash, answer this carefully. If Zapp didn't take him and throw that sucker in the slammer, where in tarnation did he take that armor-clad varmint?" Applejack asked cautiously.

Dash shrugged her shoulders. "I don't know, but it would explain why Seventy-Four isn't locked up now, or getting prosecuted for their crimes. Zapp has been playing an insane game of manipulation tactics, and is clearly up to something, and it isn't good. It would also explain why he was also absent during the Changeling attack in Ponyville, and only came back when the Changeling was chased away." Dash stated.

Celestia was very concerned hearing about a changeling attack in Ponyville, and was beginning to wonder why this wasn't immediately brought to her attention. "What's this about a Changeling attack!? What happened!?" Celestia inquired, her voice filled with distress.

Dash cleared her throat. "Me, Scott and Zapp were taking a day to ourselves to relax. We went to order our food at a diner in town, when we heard a commotion outside. Before we heard the commotion, Zapp snuck away while we weren't paying attention, that's important to note. Me and Scott ran out and saw a big muscly changeling on top of a pony they killed. It was horrific," Dash paused for a moment, but shook her head and continued to explain. "Regardless, Scott and I managed to fight against the Changeling, sent it running back to wherever it came from. Zapp finally came onto the scene after the Changeling fled, and I told him that he should've been there helping us, and he got all uppity about Seventy-Four's condition, talking about the machines it had, or whatever. He was just fixated on Seventy-Four, not the dead pony or the changeling responsible for their murder." Dash remarked, clearly still angry about what happened that day.

A lot of this information was rather new for Celestia and Luna, they almost wanted to assume Rainbow Dash was lying, but they saw Applejack's face. The orange mare's face wore a rather horrified expression. It was a mix of terror, anger, and pure shock. Rainbow Dash was telling the truth, her body shook with rage just remembering that day.

Applejack pulled Dash in for a hug, being surprised by how Dash reciprocated the gesture without hesitation. Celestia and Luna looked at each other, both had a knowing look on their faces, unaware of the problem that was in the room with them. The small unseen thing that hitched a ride on Flintgraad's armor managed to scurry to the door undetected, and wormed its way under it, scurrying in the opposite direction of where Scott went.

Once it was far enough from the meeting room, it enveloped itself in a burst of green flames, shapeshifting itself into one of the guards and walking away like nothing happened.

Speaking of Scott, he was no longer inside the castle, but was now on the streets of Canterlot. He walked through a crowd of ponies that seemed to pay him no mind, but Scott tried to not pay them any attention at all, the conflicting thoughts in his head screamed in his head, as if the angel and devil on his shoulders finally lost their damn minds and constantly shriek like judgmental banshees.

Scott walked through the streets of Canterlot, trying to process what happened in that room, all while looking down at the ground. 'Come on, Scott, you need to focus. Zapp did some pretty bad stuff, the kind of stuff that the Plumbers would go on manhunts for. You heard what happened with Area 51, the military imprisoning tons of innocent aliens against their will, and one of them was willing to die if it meant seeing their family again... Magister Tennyson really didn't like talking about that incident, and I wouldn't blame him,' Scott looked up, noticing a few ponies looking at him. Scott smiled and waved at them, only for them to sneer and walk away. Scott's smile faded and he sighed. 'Now I'm the alien that's trapped, but at least I'm making the attempt to save this world, rather than demand vengeance and senseless bloodshed, and Zapp... he was what I could consider a friend, but after all of this... why would he do this? What reason does he have to do any of this!?' Scott thought.

Scott hears a commotion, which snaps him out of his train of thought and inclines him to look up ahead. He notices Blueblood as he stands in-between two quarreling mares. "L-Ladies, please! I-I'm sure there's a way to resolve this peacefully, I assure you." Blueblood pleaded, trying to de-escalate the situation.

The mare on his right growled through her clenched teeth, glaring daggers at the mare in front of her. "As if! I'll knock those fake lashes out of this poor excuse for a pony! And that's just the start of what I'll do to her!" The mare threatened.

The mare on his left smirked and cracked her neck. "Try it, you fast food junkie! I'll knock the tens of thousands of calories you shoveled down your spacious whore mouth out of your fragile little body!" The other mare taunted.

Scott walked over and cleared his throat, getting the mares and Blueblood's attention. "A-Ah! The human has graced Canterlot with their presence. I presume the meeting went well?" Blueblood inquired.

Scott looked... surprisingly uncomfortable at the mention of the meeting, but tried to keep his thoughts to himself. "It's complicated, I stepped out for some fresh air, to clear my mind and such. What's happening here?" Scott asked, trying to change the subject.

The mares immediately started butting heads, believing the prince to be distracted. "I'll tear your mane up with my teeth, you homewrecker!" One mare exclaimed.

The other mare tried to put their hooves on the opposing mare's neck. "Not before I loosen you up, like your bachelorette party, you hussy!!" The other mare roared out.

Blueblood was rather terrified by the mares that were going to start a brawl in the streets. Scott couldn't believe what he was seeing, but he did feel as if the prince needed some assistance. "Apparently we're both dealing with some serious shit." Scott stated.

The prince nodded his head, backing up as the sight of the mares trying to fight each other left him a bit worried. "Context is key, old boy. I was on my way to the soup kitchen, when I see these two mares arguing about a rather promiscuous issue in their personal lives, so I was trying to simply provide some help to these mares who were having an issue about love, and it didn't go as well as I had hoped," Prince Blueblood points to the two mares who are wrestling in an aggressive manner, trying to tear each other apart. "Somehow, I unearthed two marital scandals for the price of nothing at all in the midst of it, and now they're getting aggressive. I can't help but feel that I may have unintentionally stoked the fires of their ire, and I haven't been able to get them to calm down. I'm at a loss to know what exactly it is I need to do, but I can't in good conscience let this go on unabated." Blueblood explained.

Scott's eye twitched, out of every second he spent in the academy to train himself to become an intergalactic law enforcer, he always struggled with these particular cases, and the fact that this happens in another world populated by ponies, didn't make him feel any better. Scott looked to the direction he came from, noticing a few guards approaching. "Oh great, now the guards have been assembled, this can only end well," The guards stopped and looked up at the human, while Scott focused on the tall mare in front of him adorned in golden armor that complimented her white coat. "Well, I'm ready to expect the worst. Who might you be, and what's going on now?" Scott asked unenthusiastically. Scott wasn't mentally prepared for going back to that meeting, not while his own thoughts on the situation were having a civil war. He needed a distraction, and the approaching guards were not that in the slightest.

The mare took her helmet off, revealing a long unicorn horn and a well styled, but still matted and split end-ridden purple mane. "Admiral Tempered Cut, reporting for guard duty. Terribly sorry to approach on masse like this, darling, but we've been meaning to report to the princesses that another one of those "aliens" you're so familiar with, has been causing problems recently." Tempered explained.

Scott's eye twitched again, but he let out a sigh and nodded his head. "I'll check it out as soon as I can. Give me details, what do they look like and where did you and your guards see them last?" Scott asked.

Tempered cleared her throat and took a deep breath. "They were a golem of some kind. They were incredibly large, slim yet robust, comprised of this lovely assortment of Moonstone gems and Moonstone deposits, but don't let its smooth and decadent appearance fool you, it's quite the beast," Scott raised an eyebrow at the description, he's never heard of an alien like that, and he doesn't exactly have his Plumber Badge anymore, so information was more sparse than ever. "As for where it was last seen, it was last seen heading for Canterlot's abandoned mines. It's on the other side of the mountain that Canterlot's castle is built along the side of, you can't miss it. Follow along the old railroad tracks to the north, hook a left, and you'll find the entrance." Tempered explained, handing a folded paper map to the human.

Scott took the map and saluted to Tempered Cut, who in turn saluted back. Before Tempered left, however, Scott quickly tapped her head a moment, getting her attention again. "Hey, if you wouldn't mind, could a couple of your guards handle this domestic situation, and another couple guards help escort Prince Blueblood to the soup kitchen? If this strange creature, if it's even an alien, is causing problems, then I need to take care of this ASAP. When you're done, inform the princesses that an alien problem came up and had to be dealt with." Scott requested.

Tempered looked at the two arguing mares getting ready to charge at each other, and Blueblood trying to find a way to end their conflict. "I'll see what my guards and I can do. Fare thee well, darling, hope everything goes well." Tempered Cut stated.

As Tempered and her group of guards disperse, Scott runs in the direction Tempered Cut told him, all while a guard slowly steps out of an alleyway the human passes. Zapp was following behind the human, keeping himself a few feet away as he eyes Scott in a curious manner. "Well well... Scott Baristo, this isn't the meeting room. Where are you going?" Zapp asked himself, letting a wry fanged smirk form on his face as he took to the skies, flapping his wings.

As Tempered Cut and a couple other guards escorted Blueblood to the soup kitchen, the prince couldn't help but stop dead in his tracks and notice Zapp flying into the air, following Scott from above. Blueblood didn't think about what he should do, he just acted on the first impulse that came to mind. Before Tempered Cut could ask why Blueblood had ceased in moving, Blueblood ran in the direction of the castle. "Auntie!!" Prince Blueblood exclaimed in a panic.

Tempered and her guards ran after Blueblood, unaware of the entity that followed Scott from above. One of the other guards who tried to help with the two arguing mares, simply looked in Zapp's direction for a moment, smiling in a sinister manner, chuckling as their eyes became entirely blue and bulbous for a second, only to then return to normal.

Somewhere within the more restricted sections of the castle, the fake guard looked around carefully, as if looking for any signs of other ponies. Once it confirmed that it was alone, a burst of green flaming lights enveloped it, revealing the changeling's true form. The insectoid pony creature fluttered its wings and noticed a large blue door that had a large lock on it.

The changeling shapeshifted itself into a Detrovite, and tore the lock into pieces, tossing the pieces aside as it threw the door open, nearly knocking it off its hinges in the process as it changed itself back into its guard disguise. The changeling walked inside, seeing a huge collection of old books and scrolls on dusty shelves, but it knew what it was after, and it didn't intend on wasting time looking around.

The changeling flew up towards a large glowing blue light contained in a large hourglass-like structure. The changeling changed back into its real form, reached a hoof into its mouth, and pulled out what looked like a small shard of red glass. The changeling carefully refracted the blue light off the shard, letting a green beam of light refract and bounce around the dark room, until it landed on one particular book.

It looked to be made of solid stone, heavily bound in thorns. and the pages inside seemed to be made of some kind of marble. The changeling swallowed the red glass shard with little issue, changed back into its guard disguise and grabbed the book, walking out of the room. As the guard stepped into the hallway, he noticed a few guards standing in his way, likely curious about the noise he had made breaking the lock. One of the guards stepped forward, standing in the changeling's way. "Hold it, soldier! What in Celestia's name is goin' on here, and why in tarnation do you have that book!? There's a reason why it was locked up!" The guard questioned, staring at the disguised changeling sternly.

The disguised changeling said nothing, but it did let a wry smirk form on its face. It let out a buzzing chittering noise as its eyes became bulbous and blue, which immediately put the guards at ease as they readied themselves for a fight. "Good, you're one ah them bugs. Means we don't have to be the civil and merciful types. Swat the bug, you glorified show ponies!! That book doesn't leave the castle!!" The guard ordered.

The guards charged at the changeling, who changed into its real form, and flew into the air. A couple bat ponies and pegasi flew up to intercept it, but the changeling barreled through them. A few of the ponies crashed into the walls, the sound of various snapping bones and pained yells echo out as the changeling flies through one of the windows, shattering the glass as the few earth pony guards threw their spears, and the unicorns fired magical blasts, to which nothing seemed to significantly slow down or damage the insectoid infiltrator.

The guards looked at each other, each one concerned and terrified of what to do now, but it was clear that they were in for a hell of a stern reprimand from the princesses.

The princesses, their students, Flint, Pitch, as well as Applejack and Rainbow Dash left the meeting room, seeming refreshed. "Well, a lot has been covered today, can't help but wonder where mister Baristo went off to instead of returning to the room, but I'm willing to bet it was important. This meeting will be the first of many, I presume, so it'd be wise for both miss Applejack and miss Dash to properly prepare themselves and keep working with Scott to bring this "Zapp" individual to justice." Luna stated.

Applejack looked around, noticing a distinct lack of noise in the hallway, until a bunch of guards came barreling down the hallway, carrying a few pegasi and bat ponies on their backs. Their bent and broken wings looked unnatural, but it was clear the princesses had yet another issue to take care of. Celestia cleared her throat and looked down at the guards, who kneeled in front of her. "Based on what happened to these guards, am I right to assume a problem has arisen?" Celestia inquired.

One of the guards looked up at Celestia. "It was one of them damn bugs, your highness. They disguised themselves as one of us, and broke the locks on the royal archive! They stole that old stone book and broke these poor bastards' wings! It shattered a window and flew away, none of us could hit it!" One of the guards explained.

Everyone was shocked, but the shock was the least of their worries. Luna and Celestia looked at each other with concern, until the doors to the castle's front entrance were thrown open, revealing Blueblood and Tempered Cut, who were running right for the princesses. "We have a problem!" Blueblood exclaimed.

Celestia put a hoof to her face, grumbling. "Blueblood, whatever you're talking about can wait, we're already dealing with a crisis. A changeling breached the castle, broke into the archive, and stole that forsaken book," Blueblood was taken aback, genuinely surprised at the news. Celestia knew her nephew rather well, so it concerned her that this wasn't the problem he was referring to, and something was clearly off if he came to tell her face to face. "Pray tell, dearest nephew, what could be so important for you to tell me this instant?" Celestia inquired.

Blueblood looked to Applejack and Rainbow Dash, and sighed. "That "Zapp" individual, the very same individual that your meeting was about? He's shown his face in Canterlot a recent moment ago. He's tailing Scott Baristo to the abandoned mines, where the human intends to face some kind of Moonstone golem gone rogue," the guards were shocked, Applejack and Rainbow Dash were very concerned, but also rather irritated. Flintgraad and Pitch huddled together, almost out of fear. The princesses were clearly angry. This was all calculated, a setup. A means of distracting not just the princesses, but also the displaced Plumber as well, just to steal a very dangerous book, and to get Scott out of their way. "If you're telling me that the same book we're both thinking of was the one stolen, and by a changeling no less, I suspect foul play is at hand. We need guards to go to the mines and provide aide for the human, he's likely not aware that he's being tracked!" Blueblood explained.

Tempered Cut bowed her head at the princesses, and saluted to them, all while Applejack and Rainbow Dash eyed the mare with a sense of familiarity. "This is the first I'm hearing that the archives were breached. Your highnesses, with all due respect, the human informed us to aide your nephew with escorting him to the soup kitchen, and to solve a domestic dispute in-progress, we're a bit stretched thin. If I could request your permission, I'll venture to the mines and provide the human with aide, should he require it." Tempered stated.

Flintgraad and Pitch stepped forward. "We'll go with you. We have a personal problem with that poor excuse for a pony and the things he's done, so we intend to make him pay, with all due respect, ma'am." Flintgraad stated firmly, saluting to Tempered Cut. Pitch Ink followed her friend's lead, saluting to the mare.

Applejack and Rainbow nodded and stepped forward. "Count us in, too. I'm gonna buck that jerk's teeth down his throat for endangering Scootaloo's well being, and for trying to burn us alive." Rainbow Dash remarked.

Applejack nodded her head, agreeing with the pegasus by her side. "Ah still owe it to Scott fer helpin' me during that blood moon. Plus, ah want tah take a crack at that wily no good fer nothin' varmint." Applejack said with a smirk.

Blueblood stepped forth. "If you're heading to the mines, like you mentioned earlier, you'll need someone to get you there the fastest, and my special talent isn't in directions for no reason at all. Besides, he intended to help me, so it's only fair that I return the favor." Blueblood stated.

Tempered was a bit hesitant, but she knew she'd need all the help she could get. "Then let's not waste anymore time. Come along, darlings, we have to play a bit of catch up!" Tempered Cut ordered.

Meanwhile, Scott has been moving through the forest, pushing through the brush as he looked for any signs of train tracks. So far, he was having very little luck, and as if things weren't already sucky enough, he felt like someone was following him. He heard the sound of buzzing and chittering, like it was some kind of large insect, and he really wanted to hope it was just a bug, and nothing else.

But, life isn't fair, and Scott learned that when he lost his parents. Scott stopped in his tracks, not even bothering to turn around or even look at his surroundings. He hung his head low, feeling as if a set of eyes were on him, he felt a gaze ever since he left Canterlot a mere moment ago, and here he was, feeling that same gaze after running three miles away from Canterlot itself and spent an hour pushing through the brush.

Scott took a deep breath, and mentally prepared himself for the worst. That was when the buzzing and chittering stopped, leaving Scott in nature's sounds of silence. "You know that I know you're there, hiding from me, right? You've been following me, keeping your distance since I left Canterlot without so much as a heads up. The moment Blueblood started yelling, I knew something was wrong, so I kept my cool till I knew we were alone. Ya might as well show yourself, we need to talk, Zapp." Scott called out, his tone of voice was almost sad, yet clearly agitated and disappointed.

From the top of one of the trees, Zapp drops down and smiles at Scott, eliciting no response from Scott. "Guess you're smarter than I gave ya credit for. Then again, you were trained for these kinds of situations, so I'm not--"

Scott wasted no time and readied his bat, gripping the handle so tight, he felt as if the wood was splintering and digging into his fingers. The bat crackled with magical electrical energy, and Zapp finally saw the human's expression. A scowl that seemed to make the bat pony catch his words in his throat. Scott wanted answers, and he was going to get them. One way, or another.

Scott pointed the bat at Zapp. "Cut the crap, Private, or do I just call you Zapp... can I even call you that anymore, or is that a fake name you came up with?" Zapp's eyes widened a moment, Zapp's eyes darted in every direction, then he started to back up as Scott stepped towards him. "Either way, you sure do like to lie, quite the nasty habit you suddenly picked up, and apparently, arson is quite the hobby, if the Everfree meant anything." Scott stated coldly.

Zapp tried to act as if he didn't know what Scott was talking about, but it was becoming all too obvious that Scott was in no mood for games or tricks. "Tell me. Were you taking an interest in me out of the kindness in your heart, because you wanted to be my friend, or were you just trying to use me till you set the Everfree on fire!?" Zapp gritted his teeth and charged at Scott. Scott brought down the bat, which made Zapp jump out of the way. Electrical sparks shot out in every direction as Scott ran at the pony. "A lot of stuff isn't making sense, Zapp, cut the bullshit, stop lying, start talking and explain yourself! Where were you really when that changeling attacked a pony in the middle of town, why did you think it best to leave your group behind in the Everfree and attempt to burn their bodies, why did the Anthodopterrans only perceive you as a threat?! Do you have something to do with Eclipsed Blackheart, or is it something else!?" Zapp dodged Scott's many attempts to swing the bat down onto him, but Scott finally managed to hit Zapp in the side of his torso, shocking the pony badly as they careened into a tree. "Why? Why!? WHY!!!" Scott exclaimed, his voice beginning to break as the anger and betrayal finally won over in his mind.

Scott's voice echoed out across the air, it sounded horrifying. Like a dying gasp and a second wind all in one guttural scream, fueled by nothing but betrayal, anger, confusion and sadness. He was conflicted, he felt horrible, he was mad at Zapp for what he'd done, and didn't even know the rest of the things he's done. He wanted Zapp to explain himself, yet another part of him didn't wanna hear more excuses or lies. People and aliens died because of his lies and excuses, and he was done putting up with it.

Zapp weakly got up, and it was rather obvious that things weren't working out. 'Okay, this isn't right. This was supposed to be an ambush to get him out of the way, but he got the drop on me instead! Now he's getting aggressive, I need a new strategy,' Zapp looked up, his eyes widened at the sight of Scott standing above him, brandishing the bat with both hands. Scott's eyes stung like hell, his face now wearing an expression reminiscent of anger, all while tears stained his face. Zapp could hear Scott's breathing. it was erratic, and he was clearly hesitant on what he needed to do. "A-Alright, you win... w-what do you want to know?" Zapp asked.

Scott used one of his hands and roughly grabbed Zapp by the scruff of his neck, picking him up as he stared into his eyes. "I want the truth, you know that. Who are you really, what are you, why did you do all of those horrible things, who do you work for, what is the endgame for all your crimes against not just ponies, but alien life as well?!" Scott gritted through his teeth.

Zapp let a dry chuckle escape his lips, which simultaneously angered Scott further, and confused him greatly. "You're certainly full of questions, but not all of them were the right questions to ask," A green fire envelops him, causing Scott to let him go. Scott's eyes widen as the flames dissipate, revealing some kind of blend between a stallion and a changeling. "As for the who, I'm what my kind call "The Hybrid", but the name Zapp was something I concocted all on my own, for when I used my disguise to integrate myself into pony kind. I drew my own pony form long ago and was able to mimic it perfectly, but to answer you plainly, I am Chitin. Bastard son to the changeling queen, and the eldest of the queen's three sons." Chitin introduced.

Scott gritted his teeth, he felt as if his stomach was churning and turning itself inside out. Something didn't sit right, and it wasn't the fact that Zapp, the pony he once considered a friend, never existed... no, this was different, a different kind of unsettling. "As for the what, I suppose you're entitled to a more... familiar reminder. Tell me, you remember when that elven creature showed up, don't you? I believe they were a Hylian, from what was explained previously, correct? Pathetic." Chitin remarked.

Chitin was immediately met with a sudden hit to the face, the sound of his snout cracking and breaking sounded unfathomably sick. The end of Scott's bat was now covered in a light mucus green substance, likely blood that came from Chitin's busted muzzle. "You're the one who's pathetic! I trusted you, and you got people killed! You made an entire alien species endangered!!" Scott exclaimed angrily.

Chitin smirked, wiping the light green blood with his hoof. "And? Am I supposed to feel bad for making sure no other insects can challenge the changelings, get real!" Scott, through many tears and a brief moment of contemplation, swung his bat again, but Chitin jumped out of the way and snickered, which just pissed Scott off more. "Ya know, it's kinda funny. Never thought I'd face some whiner, who ended up stuck with the most powerful alien device in fiction. All that power at your disposal, and you waste it on a bunch of meaningless lives, when in the grand scheme of things, you couldn't comprehend what it means to be in this position. I'll gladly watch as you get annihilated." Chitin snided.

Scott was very confused, but his anger was still prevalent. He grabbed Chitin, Zapp, whatever he was supposed to call him now, Scott grabbed them by the neck and pulled them close. "What the hell are you talking about!? Why are you doing this!" Scott exclaimed.

Chitin laughed, which was getting on Scott's nerves beyond explanation. Chitin kicked Scott away, but Scott was done messing around, and Chitin was done entertaining the human. Scott got up, tossed his bat aside, and cracked his knuckles as he lunged at him. The two got into a very messy brawl, with Chitin shapeshifting a type of bladed stinger and a pair of pincers onto his body, but Scott didn't care anymore. Chitin charged forward, snapping his pincers at the human, only for him to dodge and deliver a jab to Chitin's face. Chitin shook off the hit, but was suddenly met by a jump kick from Scott, pushing the hybrid into another tree.

The human got to his feet and charged after Chitin, who then swung his stinger at the human. Scott ducked down and narrowly avoided the attack, though the stinger did brush against the side of his neck, cutting into his neck a fair bit as a bit of blood slowly seeped from the wound. Scott put his hand on his neck, then saw the blood for himself, and managed to get Chitin into a chokehold. The changeling tried to break free from the hold, but Scott decided that he was done with the niceties, especially if this guy wasn't his friend, let alone an ally.

Scott proceeded to slam Chitin's face into the ground repeatedly, then lets him go, only to then kick him into another tree. Chitin coughed up a bit of light green blood, all while it leaked from his nose. Chitin growled, barring his fangs as he got into a stance. Scott glared at the changeling, deliberately ignoring the issue of blood slowly pooling in his mouth, and just spits a large glob of dark red onto the grass. The two were already covered in scrapes, cuts, and a few bruises were beginning to form on their bodies, but that didn't matter to either of them at that moment. Scott's shirt was starting to become more and more stained in his own blood, his body felt numb, but it was obvious that Scott intended on making him pay, even if it got him killed.

Chitin shifted into a lookalike of Needlepoint and unleashed a barrage of quills. Scott dodged and rolled across the ground, all while Chitin continued to try and make him into a human pin cushion. Scott kept moving and exerting himself so he'd stay ahead, but then he stopped in front of a tree. The quills fired, but Scott was luckily unharmed, though his clothes were now getting torn up. Chitin laughed, thinking Scott was trapped and at his mercy, only to be irritated when Scott pushes through the quills, tearing his shirt and jeans extensively. Scott's shirt was already stained in his blood, and he was feeling woozy from blood loss, but the adrenaline coursing through his veins, and the anger he felt for Chitin, it made for one hell of an anesthetic.

The two were unrelenting in their brawl, to the point where Chitin managed to dislocate Scott's left leg, while Scott broke both of Chitin's hindlegs. The two were in excruciating pain, but they were both getting exhausted. Chitin wasn't as winded as Scott was, but he was certainly feeling it.

Scott slowly backed up, hoping to think of a plan, only to suddenly bump into a large creature that towered above him. Scott turns around, seeing the creature that Tempered Cut described to him. A golem made of moonstone gems and moonstone deposits, though it seemed a bit more feminine in its body shape than what Scott was expecting. Bright white in color, often having streaks of blues across its smooth mineral structure, with two bright purple eyes staring down at the beaten, bruised and bloodstained human.

The moonstone golem reached out to Scott, to which he slowly backed away, wincing from the pain in his dislocated leg. "Guess our fight's over with, but I'll let you face that, and I'll watch you get every ounce of red beaten out of your body... You humans weren't around when these babies were made, so you're not that familiar with what a Hecatrelom is, or what it's capable of. Gotta love how things work out... you get angry and ruin my ambush, and now you'll get the hell bludgeoned out of you..." Chitin suddenly heard the sound of various voices to the left, and sneered. "Nevermind, then... looks like your backup's arrived. This isn't over, and it's not the last time we'll see each other. Just remember to heed your elf friend's words, and you might just survive to see the end of everything you tried to protect here." Chitin remarked smugly, flying away from the scene.

Scott growled in irritation, but soon noticed his bat was at his feet. Scott grabbed and readied his bat, hoping to strike Chitin, but his anger finally reached its boiling point. He couldn't focus on what mattered, and ended up firing a loud thundering shot of electrical energy at the changeling hybrid by accident. Chitin felt the electrical current pulse through him, earning a startled groan of pain and agony, but he continued to fly away, though he was now in critical condition. He eventually couldn't push through the pain another second, and crashed into a nearby river.

Scott groaned in frustration, only to then remember that the Hecatrelom was trying desperately to reach out, almost as if it was focusing in on Scott's anger. Scott tried to back up, but soon enough, he tripped over one of the old train tracks, landing on his ass as the golem reached down at him, seeing himself in the reflection of two moonstones in the palms of its hands. Scott's anger began to dissipate, and his anger began to subside, letting a feeling of shock and shame begin to wash over him. 'Dear god, what have I done... What have I let myself become?' Scott thought.

He looked up at the Hecatrelom that stood above him, looking as if it were trying to come off as friendly. "L-Look, I don't know how much you heard or saw, and it may seem like I was attacking him out of nowhere, but there's a lot going on. It's hard to explain, but he-- h-he..." Scott lost his words, barely able to speak at all upon feeling the moonstones rub against his temples, glowing with a soothing white light.

Scott stopped moving, and his body began to relax. As if all negative thoughts in his mind were fading away, a feeling of calm began to pulse throughout Scott's body. The Hecatrelom gently massaged the human's head for a few seconds, before letting its eyes fall upon the Altnetrix. Scott manages to finally push through the sense of calm, noticing the golem's eyesight being directed to the watch, and decides to try and interact with it.

Curiosity got the better of the golem, and it begins to reach its hands to the dial, barely letting its big and bulky fingers graze the faceplate before the Altnetrix finally starts to glow yellow, indicating that its DNA was being scanned and sampled. The golem flinches and jumps back, as if worried it had broke the watch, something that Scott took definitive notice. He looked back at where Chitin flew off, and while he did want to drag that bug to the princesses and make him pay, he didn't want to let his anger get the better of him and take the law in his own hands. He was a Plumber Cadet, not a crooked cop, he'll bring Chitin in one day, but that day wasn't today. Too much was on his mind, his emotions felt volatile, and his wounds were pretty severe, he was done fighting he'll bring Chitin in when his emotions aren't as aggressive as they were today.

Scott got back onto his feet, wiping the tears from his face as he slowly approached the golem. "Hey, it's okay... T-The watch is fine, it just took a sample of your DNA... It's not broken, if that's what you're... worried about," The golem stopped trying to back away, and seemed more so curious, as well as cautious. Scott felt himself calming down, but now he was starting to realize that he might've lost more blood than he initially thought, slowly stumbling forward like he was drunk. "I'll be honest with you... I don't know if you can understand me, but the Altnetrix, the watch on my wrist, isn't broken. I'm... I-... rrrghh..." Scott fell to his knees, trying to prop himself up with his arms. Scott coughed up a bit of blood onto the ground before finally collapsing onto the ground, falling unconscious as his wound continued to bleed, his bat bouncing and rolling across the ground.

The Hecatrelom slowly approached Scott's body, lightly poking him as it grew to be concerned at his lack of movement. Noticing the sound of multiple somethings approaching the area, the Hecatrelom seems conflicted on if it should leave the human be, or take him with it, should it be predators. The Hecatrelom quickly ran away, feeling guilty that it left someone injured to the elements, but it was clearly scared.

"Come on! I heard the thunder come from this direction!" Dash's voice called out.

"Rainbow, slow down! Ya don't know what you're gonna run into!" Applejack called out.

From the brush, Applejack and Dash step into view, and soon notice the blood on the grass, as well as the bits of white and blood stained fabric pinned to a tree. "Woah... okay, something happened here. Is it recent?" Dash asked.

Applejack lightly tapped one of the red stained blades of grass, only for a small string of blood to stick to the bottom of her hoof. The farm pony shuddered, it was still warm to the touch. "Looks like signs of a scrap, and it got more messy than last year's cider season," Applejack walked over to the quill-ridden tree and tore off a piece of the pinned fabric. "Dash, can you make heads or tails of this?" Applejack called over.

Dash flew over, seeming surprised by the quills and the blood stained fabric. "Those quills came from Needlepoint, one of Scott's newer forms, but that fabric could've come from his shirt. Either he was fighting against Zapp, or somehow he was... I dunno, fighting himself? Maybe he ran into that golem thing, and Zapp happened to get involved. I'm spitballing ideas here, but I'm not entirely sure myself... sheesh, things must've gotten hectic." Dash stated, shuddering at the thought.

Not long after, Dash and Applejack move further ahead, seeing more and more red and light green blood staining the grass and the trees. "Well, ah can't say he doesn't know how to defend himself, things clearly got aggressive, but sweet Marlene, just what exactly happened 'ere?" Dash looks around until she finally looks ahead, her eyes widen, and she drops to the ground. Applejack looks over at Dash, seeing how still she was, it was rather strange to the farm pony, and she tries to snap Dash out of her sudden state of being. "Dash, what's wrong?" Applejack looks over to where Dash was looking, and suddenly began to understand why the rainbow mare was frozen in place. "Land sakes..." Applejack uttered, a chill traveling up her spine.

The two saw Scott's body a few feet away. Unconscious, stained in blood, his clothes torn to shreds, covered in bruises, cuts, and scratches. "AJ, go and get the others! We need to get him some help!" Dash stated urgently.

Applejack shook her head. "No, you're faster than I am, you go get the others!" Applejack stated.

Dash wanted to stay, but her friend was on the ground, unconscious and stained in blood, she needed to get him help. Dash flew back the way they came faster than a speeding bullet, while Applejack stayed by his side. The mare noticed the wound on his neck, and took off her bandana, wrapping it around his neck and applying pressure, earning a wince of pain from the unconscious plumber. "Don't you clock out yet, partner, help's on the way. Dash is gonna get the others, and yer gonna be fine," As hopeful as Applejack was that Scott would be fine, he felt unnaturally cold to the touch. Applejack's mind was racing as she nervously gnawed on her lip. Soon enough, Dash, as well as Flintgraad, Pitch, Tempered and Blueblood came onto the scene, almost aghast by the scene. "What're ya waitin' for, an invite?! Help me get 'em to a hospital!" Applejack exclaimed.

Dash looked around, even flying above the tree line to see further ahead, but she didn't see any sign of Zapp. Dash landed on the ground and got underneath her friend, helping take some of the weight off of Applejack. "So, I know this isn't the best time to talk about this, but something doesn't make sense. Let's assume Zapp was here, and Scott likely had to fight him, how did things get this aggressive, and where'd he go?" Dash asked.

Applejack shook her head. "Ah couldn't begin to wonder where that shifty varmint went. If we was followin' Scott, like the prince said, he likely heard us comin' and made out like a bandit before sunrise. Regardless, I am more concerned for this feller's well being than for that poor excuse for vermin, and maybe when Scott wakes up, it's likely he knows something about what happened." Applejack stated.

Prince Blueblood approached Scott's body, noticing that on his fist, was the same light green substance that was present on the grass and one of the trees. Blueblood takes a handkerchief out of his pocket and wipes Scott's hand clean, then pockets the now unclean rag in one of the pockets in his suit. He also noticed Scott's bat on the ground, and picked it up with his magic. "I'm sure a couple of the royal alchemists can figure out where this green slime came from, just in case the human's memory isn't up to snuff when he awakens. Better to play it safe for everyone, than to hope for miracles and run risks. Still, from how auntie Luna spoke about this individual, I never expected him to be on death's doorstep." Blueblood stated, mildly horrified by the human's condition.

The six ponies carefully maneuvered through the brush, taking great care in making sure Scott's body was unharmed on the way back to Canterlot. This was a very tense day, not just for the human, but for his allies, too. The meeting went as well as anyone could hope for it to, a changeling snuck in and stole a creepy stone book, and now Scott was beaten, bleeding, and in dire need of medical attention, all because of the mental conflict about what to do about Zapp, and the physical conflict he endured against Chitin, the changeling behind Zapp all along.

Scott wasn't sure what he was going to do now, he was still unsure what Chitin meant by how he wasn't asking the right questions, but maybe Chitin was playing him for a fool the whole time, yet something didn't feel right.

Chitin stared down at a magical orb that glowed with a vile green energy, looking at Scott's pony allies carry his carcass off to Canterlot. He roared out in frustration, stamping across the hardened resin floor in a fit of rage, attracting the attention of two more changelings. One was smaller, more meek, and the other was taller, more mature in stature, had purple eyes, and was clearly entertained at Chitin's outburst.

Chitin growled, emitting a buzzing and chittering sound. "That stubborn prick, can't even die properly!! Should've known nothing good lasts forever, and now he knows my identity! I should've figured it was too much to hope for that damned Hecatrelom to pound him into a paste!!" Chitin's anger soon shifted into a sense of panic, and all he felt was a looming sense of terror. "This is bad... no, this is worse than I could've imagined! With Scott Baristo still alive, I'm running more of a risk of him finding out who and what I actually am! I have to hope he doesn't try to contact that damn Hylian when he recovers, or I'm doomed, and everything I've worked hard to do for this hive will be tens of thousands of years of preparation, infiltration and integration wasted! Wasted, I say!!" Chitin exclaimed, a nervous sweat trickled down the side of the hybrid's face.

The purple eyed changeling approached Chitin and smacked his hybrid brother on the back of his head. "And you've clearly forgotten what an inside voice is, brother. Honestly, might be the only time I tell Thorax that he has better manners than you do," Chitin sneered and barred his fangs, but the pure changeling wasn't phased at all. "Let me get to the point, Chitin. Mother isn't ready for her invasion, and if what information you got from this human is true, that the mare in the moon is fated to return, let's let him deal with it, and if he succeeds in stopping this "Eclipsed Blackheart" from usurping the royal sisters, this just means we need to bide our time and let mother take the reins." The changeling stated.

Chitin scoffed, clearly unamused by his younger brother's sass. "Pharynx, need I remind you that I am the result of combining pony and changeling biology together, and can do things purebloods cannot? Mother made me like her for a reason, and I will prove that my creation was no mistake on her part. Maybe you should work on getting Thorax to grow an exoskeleton and get him out of the hive for a while, teach him what it means to be a devoted member of this hive!" Chitin remarked snidely.

Pharynx hissed, but decided to keep his composure. "Well, if it makes your privileged pansy flank feel better, we're making fantastic progress with that Sotoraggian you brought home, just in case you were curious. The tech he had on him is wonderful, for something not of our world." Pharynx stated with a smirk.

Chitin, Pharynx and their youngest brother, Thorax, traveled down a set of stairs, looking at the various other changeling drones examining the tech from Seventy-Four's suit. Seventy-Four himself, now stripped of every piece of his armor, also seemed to be alive, but he twitched in unnatural and erratic manners, almost like he was convulsing. "We also deduced pretty fast that the suit also acted as a form life support. This alien bastard won't survive the next thirty-six hours without it. Whatever this thing's planet is usually like, it seems like Equestria and its environment isn't exactly hospitable for its kind. If only we could say the same for that human who's given you trouble, but this tech will benefit our invasion plans, once we've figured out how to replicate it and make more of it." Pharynx explained.

Chitin watched as the few changelings fumbled with and examined the Sotoraggian's armor and equipment, and while it was some form of good news, it wasn't enough to make him forget his failure of getting rid of the wielder of the Altnetrix. "Still, Scott Baristo will be a problem, he was able to deal with this Sotoraggian on his own, so it's no surprise I lost. Damn that human and his bootleg watch. He didn't even bother transforming, he fought me on his own. No weapons, no magic, no transformations, nothing, and I still lost. This won't stand, and I won't lose again." Chitin growled through his clenched teeth.

Chitin turned around and began to walk up the stairs. "Both of you, return to what you've been doing. I need to have a private discussion about this matter with mother... she's not going to be pleased, but it must be done." Chitin ordered.

Chitin walked over to a large bubble-like protrusion in the wall, and tapped on it. "Speak, whelp! I'm busy!" A cruel and commanding feminine voice spoke out.

Chitin took a knee and hung his head low. "Mother, it's me, Chitin. I have news about the mission. In regards to the wielder of the Altnetrix, he... he's still alive, my ambush failed, but he is in critical condition, he lost a lot of blood during our fight. I intended to leave him for dead, but his allies managed to find him," a tense feeling of silence permeated the odd hardened resin room. "We have been making progress with the Sotoraggian's technology, though, if that means anything. I won't lie to you, this mission was a personal failure, all the way through. I'm not even sure if our spy managed to steal back your book, but I stalled the Altnetrix wielder for as long as I could so they would succeed." Chitin reported.

A set of hoofsteps approached the other side of the bubble. The bubble opened up, splitting open to reveal a tall lanky bipedal insectoid creature. It had long cascading dark teal webbing-like hair, deformed moth wings made of the same web-like substance, but a pitch black three fingered hand reached out and caressed Chitin's cheek, surprising the hybrid, all while a slightly distorted chuckle caught his attention. "You did what you were supposed to do. Far as I'm concerned, you did your job perfectly. You manipulated him, befriended him, earned his trust, and managing to make that pathetic homosapien bleed in your confrontation, you truly are my offspring," Chitin bowed his head to his mother out of respect. "Still modest and loyal to me, unlike your father. He'd he horrified of the stallion you've become, and the thought delights me. Far as I'm concerned, I'm actually eager to see the Altnetrix wielder recover from what you've done to him. It will make it all the sweeter, not just watching Celestia and Luna crumble beneath my feet when I take Canterlot by surprise, but being able to tear the Altnetrix from its wearer's lifeless corpse, and to bestow it's power unto you, will be the ultimate demonstration of despair." The woman expressed in a joyous and sinister tone.

Chitin nodded his head, letting himself be pulled into an embrace by the woman. "Many thanks, my queen. I shall return to my duties. Farewell." Chitin stated briefly.

As Chitin walked away, The changeling queen walked back into her room, studying a small terminal on the floor of her private quarters, chuckling to herself as she eyed a holographic image of Scott himself. She reached over to the terminal, clutching the stone book that was stolen from the royal archives in an eager manner. "Soon, Scott Baristo, you will know the true terror of the changeling empire, and you, much like those who came before you, will know true devastation... by the hands of I, the Changeling Queen, Chrysalis." The changeling queen smirked.

A sinister symphonic cacophony of villainous laughter echoed from the queen's chambers, all while she relished in the thought of annihilating this new Altnetrix wielder.

Author's Note

And so, the truth comes out. Zapp isn't a pony, he's a pony/changeling hybrid named Chitin, and apparently, he seems to know a lot more than he lets on, and not just about Scott's alien watch, how peculiar.

And now, the changeling queen has set her sights on the human, as if danger wasn't bad enough.

The changelings are making their moves. One ambush failed, but that doesn't mean they got away empty-hoofed. That book is likely going to be a problem later on, but one can only hope things relax from here on out.

Oh yeah, Scott's kinda unconscious again, but at least he got another new DNA sample, in the form of the Hecatrelom.

The Hecatrelom, much like the Anthodopterrans, is another custom alien species I came up with. Similar to how Diamondhead and Chromastone have a complex connection, the Hecatrelom share a connection with another species. Rocks' species, the Basalt.

I'll likely go into the lore of the species at a later date in a much later chapter, but for now, know they do have a power relating to absorbing emotions and converting it into energy, in a similar manner to how changelings feed on emotions, and that's as much as I'm willing to disclose, for now.

Hope you guys enjoyed this chapter, because the next one will be out whenever I finish it.

Desperate Times, As They Say...

[Ben 10 Dimension]
[Gwendolyn's Apartment]

Gwendolyn Tennyson, the more studious member of the Tennyson family, and cousin to the world famous Ben 10, was casually sitting in her living room, sipping on a robust golden red liquid swishing around in a wine glass, all while studying a scroll that depicts a spell which pertains to speaking with the dead.

Gwen sat the glass down and enveloped her hands in a pink aura, letting magical particles form and contort into the shape of a ritualistic symbol. Her eyes snapped open, glowing with the same pink glow. "Spells and binds, shine and respite, to speak with the dead is what I desire tonight. Sift through blood, rot, flesh and soil, let me speak to the soul that has my cousin in turmoil." Gwen chanted rhythmically.

The ritualistic symbol seemed to shatter, which earned an annoyed scowl from the sorceress. "Damn it, another failed connection to the other side. This is the sixth time this week, these spells aunt Verdona gave me should be working, but they've failed. I don't get it," Soon enough, a poof of dark green smoke appears in front of her, which doesn't surprise her in the slightest. Kevin, along with Dereleaper, made themselves known as they saw Gwen down the entirety of her glass's contents. Kevin walked over and sat with his significant other, hugging her tightly as she returned the gesture. "Nice to see you guys. How'd it go with Animo?" Gwen asked.

In a flash of green light, Dereleaper was turned back into Ben, who looked as aggravated as she did. "He seriously needs a new hobby, and that's asking a lot, coming from me," Gwen chuckled, but she could feel that Kevin and Ben were here for another reason, aside from just dropping in to relax after another job well done. Ben cleared his throat, his expression looked unfamiliar. "Gwen, we need to talk about another problem." Ben stated upfront.

Kevin let Gwen go and stood with Ben. "It's Paradox. Ben had an encounter with him a few days ago, and things nearly got violent." Kevin stated.

Gwen was rather surprised, but at the same time, she was also confused. "Paradox, the time walker? You're sure it wasn't Eon in disguise, right?" Gwen asked.

Ben furrowed his brow, as if annoyed by the question. "Yes, I'm sure. Eon's always been more of the direct approach, while Paradox was as cryptic as ever, the issue is that he's acting crazy. He already looked like he went through several cataclysms before coming to me, and he knows where our missing plumber is, and I told you he wasn't dead, Paradox was able to confirm it during his good guy act," Gwen was still confused, but her surprise had shifted into curiosity. "Apparently, Cadet Baristo, he's in another world, one that Paradox said he was familiar with. We could likely find a way there on our own, solely because I don't think it's a good idea to rely on Paradox to aide us in this situation, not while he's aggressive and against us, but now I'm concerned about how he could likely interfere," Gwen listened intently as Ben tried to shrug off the odd feeling traveling up his spine. "I can't constantly rely on Alien X, on the off-chance Paradox manages to come up with a plan to force me to change back or lock Alien X out of the Omnitrix, so we were hoping you had some ideas." Ben explained.

Gwen took a moment to refill her glass, taking in all the information her cousin just gave her and tried to process it. As she did, she took a few deep sips of the golden red liquid, and sighed. "So Paradox is going insane, that kid's still alive after all, which explains why these spells aren't working, and finally, you're wondering if I can help you out with a multiverse-scale rescue mission?" Gwen inquired.

Ben nodded his head, and proceeded to scratch his neck. "I know it sounds strange, but you gotta admit, stranger things have happened. Besides, this could be a chance to learn something about aliens we've never seen... what do you say?" Ben asked.

Gwen snapped her fingers, causing the scrolls, and the drink she was consuming to disappear in a flash of pink light. Gwen stood up and snapped her fingers again, letting a blue, black and white cloak manifest onto her body, as well as a magenta colored burlap satchel hang on her side. She manifested a black cat mask in her hand, decorated with blue markings and white rune markings. She placed the mask onto her face and smiled at her cousin. "If it's a bit of luck you need, you came to the right lady, Ben." Gwen stated confidently.

Ben nodded his head, his expression remained unchanging. Kevin was on the phone during their exchange, and ended the call, pocketing his cell. "Just got off the phone with Rook, he heard the whole thing, and he's willing to help us out. He's your partner, Tennyson, you know he'll follow you to the end of the world, right?" Kevin remarked.

Ben smirked. "He already did once, what's one more time. Come on, let's head to the base, we need to get to work while we still can." Ben stated.

[Equestria - Canterlot General Hospital]
[14 days till the Summer Sun Celebration]

The various doctors and nurses in the building were tending to various patients, and one of these patients was Scott himself, who's been having a bit of a peaceful slumber, all while Luna, Applejack, Rainbow Dash, Flintgraad and Pitch Ink sat by his sides.

Rainbow sat there, clearly angry, seeing her friend out like a light and hooked up to hospital equipment. She hasn't been able to visit him for the past two days until now, and two days prior, the day he was admitted as a patient, she, nor the rest of the ponies who helped him get there, weren't allowed to go in. Dash was more than ready to tear the hospital desk attendant a new hole if she didn't get out of her way, and that was because she'd feel the same way if it was Scootaloo. Thankfully, Applejack was able to get the rainbow pegasus to see reason and talk some sense into her, but that didn't mean she farm pony wasn't as angry, if not more, the farm pony just had more restraint and discipline than the pegasus.

It wasn't until Princess Luna came in, hearing about the news From not just her nephew, but also from General Tempered Cut herself, she made serious headway to make sure Scott was alive and well the first time around, she wasn't going to let death get a second chance to claim his soul. During Scott's time in an unconscious state of being, Celestia was made aware of Scott's current condition ahead of time, and decided to make headway for a kingdom north of the Everfree Forest, searching for a remedy to restore his health. In reality, she was not looking forward to having a repeat of the dungeon incident when Scott first came to their world a month or so ago, so it was important that she took care of this herself.

She had faith in the various doctors of Canterlot, not a shred of doubt, but Celestia was always going to be concerned for her people, and right now, that human was one of her most capable subjects at this point in time. Losing him, especially after the changelings struck with such cunning and ferocity, it wouldn't do Equestria much good if this human were to die now.

Applejack looked over at Scott, then at the bloodied bandana in her hooves. "This is outrageous, bordering on insanity! How in tarnation did he get so messed up, how did that varmint Zapp even do all this to him?!" Applejack wondered out loud.

Dash shrugged her shoulders and put her hoof on one of Scott's hands. A burning hatred smoldered in the rainbow maned pegasus, she was beyond being angry. Anger didn't begin to cover what she felt for Zapp, and yet, she felt her rage fade away. She doesn't want to spend her time visiting her friend angry and bitter, craving vengeance. "I don't know, but we'll get him. I promise." Dash said gravely.

Luna nodded her head. "Miss Dash, please. Calm yourself, we must tackle this with a clear mind. I understand he's your friend, but throwing yourself into violence will not help him." Luna advised.

Flintgraad nodded his head. "The princess is right. Besides, if your friend is as tough as some of the guards have proclaimed, then I doubt his story will end here." Flintgraad added.

Applejack frowned. "And just why exactly are you two here? The princess bein' here, I understand, but what reason do both of ya have?" Applejack asked.

Pitch Ink stood up from her seat and looked the orange mare in her eyes. "He saved our lives after Zapp tried to take ours away, and he did give us a chance to tell our story to the princesses to unveil the truth about that poor excuse for a pony. We'd be remiss if we just let him lay here without showing we appreciate what he's done for us." Pitch explained.

Applejack didn't say anything further, she just sat back down, clutching her bandana. After a couple minutes of sitting in silence, a doctor pulled back the curtains with their magic and looked at the small gathering of ponies present, then his eyes landed on Princess Luna. "Your highness, we have some good and bad news. Our medicine, it's doing all it can for your human friend," The doctor approached the human and put his hoof on their forehead. "No signs of fever or erratic muscle spasms in the cranial area, and we've had him constantly checked out four times per day, by order of Princess Celestia. He's not sick with any disease we have on file, nor is he exhibiting any symptoms to show any sickness at all, but unfortunately, that's about where the good news ends." The doctor explained.

Luna was mildly relieved, but she was still concerned. "What's the bad news?" Luna inquired.

The doctor sighed and started to undo and turn off some of the equipment that Scott was hooked up to, which made the ponies worry. "The bad news is simple, he's been unresponsive and he hasn't woken up. He's clearly not sick, his injuries are healing at a miraculous rate, and a lot of the blood he lost has been replaced by a magical synthetic plasma we concocted, but for some reason, he hasn't been able to respond to outside stimuli. We're fearing the worst and we might have to assume he took a devastating blow to the head, and it could've put him in a comatose like state. He may never wake up, and we don't know if he ever will." The doctor somberly explained, averting his gaze from not just the human, but from the ponies who looked at him with shock.

As the doctor carefully took out the IV in his arm, he walked away. "I'm sorry, your highness, we tried our best. We never had a human patient before, and frankly, it's a miracle he lasted this long. I recommend saying your goodbyes and--" The doctor's words were interrupted by something he saw out of the corner of his eye. The doctor looked back at the human, and noticed his foot steadily twitching. "T-That can't be right, he hasn't responded at all to-- no, i-it could just be rigor mortis setting in, b-but not this soon... Why would his body start responding now?" The doctor wondered, genuinely intrigued.

Everyone watched as Scott's twitching started to become more apparent. His knees began to jerk, his chest heaved upwards in an unnatural manner, all while the Altnetrix begins to react. [Host physical health is critical. Initializing Fail-Safe Protocol... Initializing...] The Altnetrix chirped.

Before anyone could comprehend what happened, Scott's body was enveloped in a turquoise light, and his body started to change. At first, he took the shape of Bombadier, then he took the shape of Smudge, then Gravedigger, Protectron, Commander, Needlepoint, and finally, the new transformation he gained when the Hecatrelom came into contact with the Altnetrix. It was hard to see what this new form looked like, due to it all being covered in light. Scott's body shifted from form to form in rapid succession asynchronously, like how he did when he first ended up with the Altnetrix in the first place.

The rest of the hospital staff was in awe and were very concerned by what exactly was happening. Flintgraad, Pitch, Applejack, Dash and Luna were just as bewildered by what was happening to the human, but in a sudden explosion of turquoise light, Scott was returned to his human form, falling back onto the bed his body has been lying in for the past two days.

Scott's eyes slowly began to open, clearly unadjusted to the bright hospital lights. Scott slowly sat himself up, rubbing his head as he looked around, surprised to see Dash, AJ and Princess Luna on one side, and was as surprised to see Flintgraad and Pitch Ink on the other side. He was practically surrounded, but not in the bad way. Scott winced and felt his neck, feeling a large scar along the side of it, which made him jump at the discovery.

Scott shook his head and rubbed his eyes, not immediately recognizing he was in a hospital. Scott felt very confused, but from the feeling of the scar on his neck, he knew exactly what happened. "Hey, bud. Are you okay? How do you feel?" Dash asked, reaching out to the human.

Scott looked at Dash and simply put his hand on her head. "Like I just got out of a fight to the death. Where am I, and how long have I been out? Feels like weeks." Scott remarked, stretching his body a bit.

The doctor stepped forward, snapping himself out of his bewilderment. "Well, introductions are in order. I'm Dr. Trotskovich, but you can just call me Dr. Trotsky. Your friends brought you here when they found your body outside of Canterlot, battered, bruised, and covered in blood, likely because of the wound in your neck, it's a miracle you recovered at all," Scott gingerly rubbed his scar, but his expression spoke of betrayal and regret. "Apparently, from what the scene depicted, according to Prince Blueblood and miss Applejack's statements, there was a grisly conflict that occurred. They didn't see the conflict themselves, just the aftermath, but it became rather clear that you were one of the main participants. What do you remember, if you remember anything at all?" The doctor inquired.

Scott didn't say a word, but it was clear that Scott didn't want to disclose the information to the doctor. "Doc, that information is classified. As in, meant for royal ears only. I mean no disrespect, and I'm appreciative of all you've likely done to save me, but I'd like to talk to my friends, and the princess, alone for a moment." Scott stated respectfully.

Dr. Trotsky nodded his head and backed away. "Of course, I'll come back later and see if you're fit to be released." The doctor said, using his magic to close the curtain.

As the doctor stepped away, Scott sat up and dusted himself off, noticing his allies' eyes were on him. He struggled to find the words, at first, but then he takes a deep breath, and slowly exhales, trying to calm his nerves. Then, he decides to speak. "I know you likely have questions, like what happened, where was I going, why was I covered in blood... who was I fighting that could be capable of doing such damage... right?" Luna, AJ and Dash nodded their heads, as did Flintgraad and Pitch, and Scott figured they deserved the truth. "Before I answer those questions, and I intend to answer them, I want to profusely apologize for not speaking my mind earlier at the meeting, as well as for my abrupt leave. I was trying to keep things professional, but it was... difficult, for lack of a better way to describe." Scott inquired.

Dash sat next to Scott and put her hoof on his shoulder. "Hey, you don't have to apologize for that. You thought Zapp was your friend, and he took advantage of that. That doesn't matter, now. What matters is, you're fine, and we're glad you didn't kick the bucket." Dash stated.

Applejack trotted forward and patted his leg. "Partner, we're glad ya ain't dead. We're rather ecstatic that you're alive and well, and while ah don't right properly understand what in tarnation that watch did, it saved yer life, and... I am forever grateful that despite such rough tumblin' beginnings that happened between us, I am pleased as pie to know yer alright, even after that gruesome attack ya endured." Applejack stated with a proud smile.

Luna cleared her throat, a concerned expression could be seen on her face. "If I may interject, but we're getting off track," Scott looked at the princess, seeing the serious gaze in her eyes. "Scott, don't misunderstand what I say as conjecture. I am glad you're alright, relieved even, but if you could kindly tell us what managed to incapacitate you in the first place, it'll be easier to understand and plan how to avert this issue in the future." Luna suggested.

Scott was rather surprised to know he was out for only a couple days, but he understood where Luna was coming from. "Well, let me tell you something I learned about that jerk, since this all revolves around him trying to ambush me." Scott stated bluntly.

Applejack and Dash gritted their teeth. As if Dash didn't already think Zapp was crazy, she and AJ were pissed to know he was also a dirty fighter. "That low down rotten coward!" Applejack and Dash exclaimed in unison, startling some of the nearby hospital staff, as well as a couple of other patients.

Scott rubbed his ear, as if his hearing became a little more sensitive during his time unconscious, but he couldn't help but laugh a bit at their reaction. "Ladies, please, I appreciate the enthusiasm, but please, inside voices. Besides, if you think that's bad, contain yourselves, we're not even half way through the story." Scott remarked.

Flintgraad stood up and moved in front of Scott. "You mean there's more to this sudden show of combat?" Flintgraad inquired.

Scott nodded his head and furrowed his brow. "Me and "Zapp" had a bit of a discussion as we fought. Turns out, he wasn't a pony at all... well, not an entire pony. He was a hybrid, a mix between two species, and I saw the bastard for what he was, but he was contradicting himself a bit in that regard, even when he showed me his true form," Scott stopped himself for a moment, silently gauging the looks on everypony's faces. They seemed confused, yet curious at what he meant. Scott sighed, he wasn't going to beat around the bush and sugarcoat this, he needed to be upfront and honest. "The pony you know as Zapp, he never actually existed. The pony I thought to be one of the few friends I had in Equestria... was a changeling in disguise." Scott stated.

All of the ponies were taken back by the statement, but Scott kept talking. "Zapp was a disguise, a cover. One concocted by a changeling named Chitin. He made Zapp as a cover, to integrate himself into your society, and I couldn't begin to theorize how long it took him to do that before I came along. He said he was the eldest son of the changeling queen, so there's another problem," Scott looked at the Altnetrix, remembering how Chitin was able to shapeshift without any issues, something Scott envied a fair bit. Unlike Chitin, Scott still had a time limit to his transformations. Scott sneered and traced a finger along the scar on his neck. He shuddered, knowing very well that he still had a long way to go. "I know very little about changelings from the past three encounters I've had with them, but he managed to land a few good hits, but he's a dirty fighter, a coward who had to try and ambush me. Doesn't make any of this easier to digest, but it's enough to tell me that I need to keep getting stronger." Scott explained.

Flintgraad smiled, nodding his head. "Persistent is a word that easily describes you, human. You just came back from what was essentially the brink of death, and you're already trying to get back to work. I like your spirit, you're all business and no playing around, when you need to be, but sometimes ya gotta try to recuperate." Flitngraad advised.

Luna nodded her head in agreement. "I concur, Scott Baristo. You just managed to escape death's grasp, and you're already speaking about overexerting yourself? I know the guards tend to keep themselves in shape during their recovery periods, just so they don't suffer a decline, but you need to take a moment and rest. You just woke up from unconsciousness, take this time to gather your bearings." Luna stated.

Scott shook his head without hesitation. "Sorry your highness. With all due respect, I can't do that, not while Chitin is still out there. Besides, I've been lucky enough to not be dealing with blood moon insanity during these past few days," Scott looks to Dash with a serious expression. "If I'm gonna help Equestria, I need to get stronger and start getting answers. Dash, can you and AJ tell me anything about the meeting, anything at all?" Scott asked.

Dash nodded her head, though she was still trying to wrap her brain around the idea that Zapp was a changeling. "You remember when Seventy-Four tried to escape, and you managed to knock him out with that weird rat thing you turned into?" Dash inquired.

Scott activated the Altnetrix and cycled to Needlepoint's icon. "Needlepoint, that's the one you're talking about, and yeah, I remember. Why, what's up?" Scott asked.

Dash gnawed on her bottom lip nervously, and finally just decided to come out with the truth. "Seventy-Four wasn't brought back to his cell, and wasn't tried for his crimes. Zapp, or Chitin, whatever you wanna call that raging flankhole, he took Seventy-Four and his stuff somewhere we aren't familiar. When you mentioned that Zapp was Chitin, a changeling in disguise, it feels rather obvious now to assume that the changelings likely have his body and his stuff in their possession." Dash explained.

Scott scratched his chin as a curious expression formed on his face. "That answers one question, and now more questions are in its place. What reason do they have to keep his body? Are they after his technology, did some of that mist remain in his suit, do they want info on the Altnetrix? Is it because Seventy-Four was hired by the mare in the moon?" Dash could visibly see the gears in Scott's head going into overtime, almost expecting steam and smoke to pour out of his ears with how hard he was thinking, but she had to admit that he was asking the right questions, and she needed answers herself. "It's a peculiar set of circumstances, I swear," Applejack opened her mouth to say something, but was interrupted by Luna, who abruptly got up and quickly tried to walk out without saying a word, but she wasn't exactly discreet. "Princess Luna? Where ya going?" Scott asked.

Luna didn't say a word, let alone acknowledge the human's question. Luna just pushed through the curtains and quickly ran off, leaving the five individuals to simply stare in the direction where Luna fled. "Huh, never saw a princess run away before. It's honestly kinda strange." Applejack remarked.

Dash looked at Scott, seeing a strange expression on his face. One that seemed to express a feeling of confusion and concern. "Scott, you alright?" Dash asked, resting her hoof on his knee.

Scott didn't seem to respond, but it was rather clear that something was brewing in her human friend's head. Soon enough, Dr. Trotsky briskly trotted to the human, handing him two slips of paper. One of them was less of a piece of paper, and more of a scroll with the royal seal. The other was what looked like a hospital bill. There was a rather large price for his admission scribbled out in a huff, with the same royal seal being stamped next to it, likely meaning the bill was paid by Luna herself. Underneath the scribbled out number was a message.

Dr. Trotsky cleared his throat, getting Scott's attention as he gave the human a patient smile. "Well, I'll let you five be for the moment. Scott Baristo, you've been officially cleared by Canterlot General Hospital to check out when ready. Thank you for accepting our services." Dr. Trotsky briefly stated, trotting towards the same direction Luna fled to.

Scott raised an eyebrow and looked down at the message on the bill, slowly reading it to himself.

'Forgive my lack of response, Scott, there's too much traffic in the hospital. You've made it this far, and you're clearly starved for answers, and for one of them in particular, I have the answers you seek. All I ask is that you come alone, and take the scroll Dr. Trotsky gave you, it's for your eyes only. You can tell your allies the truth, if you must, but I request that you don't disclose the location, my identity, and come to my location alone. Venture to the castle before the blood moon happens tonight, and talk to one of the bat ponies on guard. Tell them to "Take the day off" and they'll escort you to a large room. That room is where I typically retire to, day after day, so it's the most secure location for us to talk unabated. We'll discuss this further, while we still have time.'

~Princess Luna

Scott was pleasantly surprised by the message's contents, also relieved that he didn't piss her off, but after what happened with Chitin, he was justified in feeling cautious. Scott weighed his options, and while it would be beneficial to have Dash, Applejack, Flint or Pitch with him, heck, he'd take Technorg with him if he knew where he was right now, but he needed to do this right. Luna did all she could to save him the first time, and she paid his hospital bill, Scott owed it to the princess to do things her way.

Everypony saw Scott staring at the letter, unaware of what was written. "So, how many bits do we need to pool together?" Dash quipped.

Scott shook his head, handing the "bill" to Dash, then gestured for Applejack, Flint and Pitch to come forth. "You four should read this, and I hope you understand why I'm going to go through with this." Scott stated, pocketing the scroll in his ripped up jeans, not even acknowledging Dash's attempt at humor.

The ponies' reaction to the message on the bill was rather varied. Dash was concerned, AJ was apprehensive to the idea, believing it to be another trap. Flint and Pitch seemed more calm, compared to the two mares beside them. "The princess is merely requesting a private summons. She does this a lot with nobles and other royals visiting Canterlot, or rather, she used to. Apparently, she stopped this practice a thousand years ago, with very little to no reason to explain why. My mother was one of Luna's elite guards, she oversaw these meetings closely, so it's strange to believe that she'd suddenly request a private summons now, after what happened." Flintgraad explained.

Scott felt like he got hit with a sudden case of whiplash at the implications, but was able to keep himself focused on the main issue at hand. "A-A thousand years-- Ya know what, not important right now. I don't know how things are done here, but was this "private summons" practice ever outlawed, or is it still legal?" Scott asked.

Flintgraad held up a hoof. "It's still legal, don't get me wrong, most individuals tend to see these summons as less than favorable, almost like a whisper that could start a war. It's a night guard's sole duty to constantly educate and update Canterlot's many laws, and we bat ponies, or Chiropthestrians, to those our kind trust within reason, are always dedicated to upholding the law, even if it means breaking a couple every now and then," Scott raised an eyebrow at that comment, more so out of curiosity, rather than contempt. "Bat ponies, Chiropthestrians, whatever you prefer to call our species, we're a lawful species, with an innate sense of justice and a tad bit of vigilantism." Flintgraad explained nobly.

Pitch smiled and nudged Flint's side. "Steady now, Flinty, your pride is showing. The human asked if the summons were still legal, he didn't ask about our people's history." Pitch playfully joked.

Scott smiled at the two bat ponies and their attempt to bring some levity to the conversation, and in a way, he was glad to learn a bit more about their species, almost curious enough for a certain idea to start burning bright in his head, but Scott still knew little about the dangers ahead.

He shook his head and noticed that he was still in his hospital gown. "Regardless, I need to take every opportunity I can to learn about who and what I'm up against. Whether it's Eclipsed Blackheart or the changelings, someone has to step up and stop their plans, otherwise, it'll be like nothing was done to stop Automate," Scott looked over at his tattered, ripped up, and lightly stained clothes, noticing that they were still folded up and sitting on the right side of his bed. "My only pair of clothes, now slowly becoming reduced to modern tatters with faded blood stains. There's a metaphor in there somewhere, but that's not what I'm educated in. Can you four step out and close the curtains so I can get changed?" Scott politely requested.

Dash and Applejack nodded their heads, while Flintgraad and Pitch followed them out. Scott frowned at the ruined state of his clothes, and let out an exasperated sigh. "Oh what I wouldn't give to have an alien that can materialize clothes out of thin air, right now... oh yeah," Scott twisted the Altnetrix's dial to the new alien he gained from the Hecatrelom. A slim yet robust humanoid golem-like creature. "I'll have to test this guy out later." Scott remarked to himself.

Scott tossed the gown away and got dressed in his clean, yet still tattered and ripped clothes, feeling as if they were cleaner to the touch. They smelled lovely, like lavender and citrus, but he hasn't seen a single washing machine since he got here. 'It's weird, it feels like someone washed these. Not gonna complain, I feel a little better already, knowing I don't smell like a garbage heap, but the rips and tears are still present, my shirt looks more like a weirdly patterned towel, my jeans look like they came right out of two thousand eight, and I've been walking around barefooted this entire time...' Scott finally realized another obvious issue. His only pair of clothes was in tatters, and he had no other clothes in his size, let alone meant for his species. 'Well, that's a problematic issue. I really do need some new threads, maybe some actual armor, too, I've been running around in my casual clothes ever since I got here, and I don't have my Plumber suit. How in god's name have I survived this long... maybe I can send a message to Jeff, see if he knows of a tailor who can help me out. I know I'm in need of one, by this point.' Scott thought.

Scott slipped his shirt on, carefully making sure he didn't poke his head through the holes made during his fight with Chitin. As Scott checked to see if everything was in order, and making sure he still had that scroll, he pulled back the curtain, not met by his friends, but by another doctor. This one was a mare, had a curly orange mohawk, a sky blue coat, and white spots all over her body. She stared up at Scott with bright hazel eyes and smiled. "Hello, you must be the human. Baristo, Scott. Am I correct?" Scott nodded his head, and the mare pointed to the staircase. "The way down to the ground floor is that way. You're on the fourth floor, so do be careful, it's a busy day." The doctor informed.

Scott nodded his head, giving the doctor a thumbs up and made his way to the staircase, all while the doctor smiled in his direction. As he disappeared from her view, the doctor couldn't help but let a slight smirk form across her lips as she continues on her way.

After checking out of the hospital, Scott walks out onto the streets of Canterlot, where Dash, Applejack, Flintgraad and Pitch were waiting for him. "So, ready tah get this over with, partner?" Applejack asked.

Scott nodded his head, letting a chuckle escape his lips. "Better now than not at all, and piss off the princesses in the process. I may wear an Omnitrix, but that doesn't mean I'm anything like magister Ben Tennyson. Trust me, he may be one of the most legendary heroes back where I come from, but coming from someone who has the work experience and watched alien royalty tear through whole city blocks, attempt to conquer and destroy planets over who takes his hand in marriage, trust me when I say that pissing off princesses is not the way to do things, and I don't like the idea of being in that situation, thank you very much." Scott stated, chuckling nervously.

Dash stared at Scott for a solid minute, and laughed. "Dude, your old world sounds nuts! I'd love to ask you more about what your old world was like, just to learn something about ya, but that can wait when we're both free and not fighting monsters, aliens or whatever comes our way," Dash let out a soft yawn and rubs her eyes tiredly. "I gotta get goin' anyway, I need to get a quick nap in so I can have the energy to keep myself in shape. That, and I need to get back to Scootaloo, too. Catch you guys later!" Dash stated, taking to the skies and flying in the direction of Ponyville.

Applejack yawned, feeling incredibly tired. "Ah better get goin' as well, need tah get back to my family's farm and start preparin' fer the Summer Sun Celebration too, mah family's providin' the large majority of food this year and it's gonna take a while, not even tah mention makin' more room fer my other relatives. It's a couple weeks away, so maybe ah'll see ya participating. Till then, have a goodnight, y'all!" Applejack called out, trotting her way to the train station.

Flintgraad and Pitch looked at each other, then at Scott. The two bat ponies shared a look, nodding their heads as they whispered something to each other. Scott wasn't sure what the two bat ponies were talking about, but simply looked towards Canterlot Castle, its grand size was intimidating from a distance. Remembering the message on the bill, he decides to look to the sky itself. The sunset had slowly transitioned into a deep violet night sky, where the stars began to shine and twinkle in the violet abyss, and much to his concerns, the moon was rising, and he needed to start moving.

Scott didn't want to imagine what Canterlot was like during a blood moon, and would rather just make his way to the castle. If this was important, he needed to get to the castle as soon as possible. "Well, I need to get going. Can't keep a lady waiting, especially if it's royalty," Scott starts to take a couple steps forward until he feels a magical aura envelop him, stopping him in his tracks. Flintgraad had used his horn to hold Scott still with a spell, a black magical aura glowing around his horn, and the same aura had kept Scott immobilized. "Hey! What's the big idea, pickin' on someone who just got out of the hospital!?" Scott angrily shouted.

Pitch walked in front of the human and looked up at him. "Apologies, but Flint and I were talking, and we were both eager for answers ourselves. We won't take up too much time, so we'll be upfront about what we want to know," Pitch nodded to Flint, who let the spell dissipate. Scott stumbled a bit, but kept his footing. "Tell us, how did you escape death back there? Did it have something to do with your device?" Pitch inquired, tapping the device with her hoof.

Scott yanked the Altnetrix upwards to keep it out of the bat pony's reach. The device briefly flickered yellow for a moment before returning to its usual turquoise color. "The Altnetrix, from what I understand, is a bootleg version of magister Tennyson's Omnitrix, specifically the prototype he found when he was ten, but it's clearly a little more advanced than the prototype itself, there's a lot I still don't know about what the Altnetrix can and cannot do," Pitch and Flintgraad were listening intently, and it's clear that he needed to be brief. "If I had to take an educated guess, it's possibly likely that it has a few functions that earlier and later Omnitrix models would've likely had. It's clear to me that the Altnetrix has a fail-safe protocol, much like magister Tennyson's Omnitrix does, and that kept me from dying. If it activated once, of course it'd do so again if its wearer was on the cusp of death." Scott hypothesized.

Pitch was impressed at such a concept. The idea that the watch attached to the human has saved him from death not once, but twice, it was fascinating, but at the same time, a device like that can be pretty dangerous on its own, and if someone unscrupulous were to get their claws, hooves or whatever on it, they'd be even more dangerous by default. "Dually noted. Next and last question, what're you going to do now, since Chitin's on the loose and knows where you currently reside? Ponyville doesn't seem to be safe, as long as Chitin has his big bulging bug eyes targeting you." Pitch inquired.

Scott opened his mouth, and it stayed open for a good few minutes without a single noise coming out. A sudden look of realization and genuine concern slowly formed on Scott's face. He didn't know what he was going to do now, especially if his presence was just gonna start attracting changelings. Even before he found out the truth about Chitin, changelings were clearly a problem in Equestria, one that needed to be taken care of, but Scott had to deal with one threat at a time. The first major threat on his list was to stop Eclipsed Blackheart when she returns from the moon, and he didn't even know where to start with that.

Scott closed his mouth, took a deep breath through his nose, and slowly exhaled. "I'll... have to get back to you on that. You two, Applejack and Rainbow Dash will be the first few to know when I come up with a plan... till then, I need to prepare for a greater evil, and I'll start with meeting Princess Luna. Have a goodnight, both of you. Thank you for all you've done." Scott stated briefly, running down the streets as he locked his eyes onto Canterlot Castle.

Pitch and Flintgraad looked at each other, a look of worry plastered on both their faces. As the two bat ponies fly into the air, going the opposite direction of the castle, the air became tense throughout Canterlot that night, and the moon was slowly rising into place.

It took Scott nearly forty-eight minutes to get to the castle on foot without his transformations, but he eventually managed to get to the raised drawbridge, and saw the bat ponies on guard. 'Okay, say the thing that was explained on the message, and you'll be fine,' Scott walked up to the guards, and upon noticing the human's presence, they were a bit concerned. Scott cleared his throat and tried to keep his composure. "Hey fellas, why don't you take the day off." Scott stated.

At first, the guards didn't know what the human was talking about, but after a couple minutes of silently waiting for something to happen, the drawbridge was let down, revealing Nocturned, who motioned for Scott to come inside. Scott quickly hurried inside the castle, not wanting to be caught in another blood moon, and looked down at the bat pony, noticing that she seemed a bit worried.

Thinking nothing of it, Scott smiled at Nocturned, who didn't bother to respond back, and began to lead him through the halls. "I gotta say, of all the ponies I expected to see tonight, I wasn't expecting you. I don't say that to be rude, I'm just pleasantly surprised." Scott stated.

Nocturned simply rolled her eyes and kept moving. Scott let his eyes wander the halls, noticing tons of old tapestries that likely depict Equestria's history. Curiosity getting the better of Scott, he pulled the Picto Box from his hip and started to take pictures of the tapestries, as well as the stained glass that seemed to depict tons of events. One tapestry showed a strange shadowy cloud looking over a kingdom made of crystals, with various saddened and depressed ponies chained together, while another depicted what looked like UFOs descending on a village, and the princesses were saving the day.

Each tapestry that Scott took a photo of seemed to depict a major event that happened long ago, but out of all the tapestries, it seemed like there was a huge tapestry missing from the rest, and judging by the dust that probably clung to the missing tapestry was now clinging to the carpet, the tapestry was likely moved recently.

Scott was in awe of the various tapestries he managed to snag photos of, and they may prove to come in handy later. Scott hooked the Picto Box back onto the side of his jeans and continued to follow Nocturned. Every time they turned a corner, the castle seemed to just be bigger than he expected. He saw a glimpse into a well-stocked kitchen with tons of cooks preparing meals, a room full of fermenting barrels and distilling equipment, a small lab comprised of dark bricks and stocked with tons of glass bottles, flasks and containers with various unicorns and zebras inside, he even got a small glimpse into how the guards train, seeing a couple of them sparring.

'Man, I'm sure glad I didn't immediately assume these ponies weren't capable, otherwise I'd be looking like quite the ass.' Scott thought.

Scott continued to follow Nocturned as a small trio of maids trotted past. Each mare was different, in a way. One was a bat pony, another was a zebra, and the last one was some kind of strange unicorn variant. Their horn seemed to branch off with two different ends, they had these strange scales on their backs and hooves, as well as luxurious long manes. Scott tried to not pay too much attention to them, but eventually walked face first into a marble pillar, feeling a painful sensation all over his face.

Scott groaned as he rubbed his face, only for Nocturned to pull him along by his arm. "Been a few weeks since we interacted, heard a lot about your recent achievements in Ponyville, but from what I'm seeing for myself, you're still as lost as when Princess Luna took you out of the dungeon." Nocturned griped.

Scott sighed. "Nice to see you again, too. Knock the wind out of anybody else while I was gone?" Scott inquired.

Nocturned barred her fangs and hissed, but she seemed to just calm down, as if she was trying to just ignore him. "Of all the creatures to do one of these summons, a human has to be up there as one of the top three most concerning species, right behind dragons and those damnable diamond dogs." Nocturned snided.

Scott could hear it in her tone of voice, she was angry and clearly upset, but it wasn't at him, he heard no conviction in her words. She didn't mean what she was saying, but she was clearly not okay. "Is something wrong, or should I do this another time and let you sort out your problems? I'm flexible these days, so I could--"

"No! I'm fine! I just... I need to do this. Now shut up and keep following me, we're almost there." Nocturned interrupted.

It was in that moment that he felt a bit of deja vu. Something about how the bat pony spoke, the way she felt so angry and upset, it was familiar. The human could only wonder if recent events have caused the nocturnal pony some grief. As the two approached a large door, Scott decided to ask a rather dangerous question. "...Is this about Zapp?" Nocturned didn't even bother turning around, she just crouched down, covering her face with her front legs. "I... I'm sorry, really I am... it's still kinda fresh in my mind, too," Scott stepped around the mare and sat in front of her, looking down as she wiped away a couple tears. "You wanna talk a little about it, before I talk to the princess?" Scott asked, showing concern for the mare.

Nocturned hissed at the human, but she was clearly in a lot of emotional distress and turmoil. Scott reached out and lightly petted the mare's head, trying to provide a form of comfort. The mare moved the human's hand away and backed away, trying to hide her tears. "What does it matter to you, how did you know him?" Nocturned asked.

Scott looked away from the mare, as if ashamed. "For a little while, I thought he was a friend, and despite the horrible things I saw him do and heard what he did to his fellow guards, I wanted to give him the benefit of the doubt... I didn't get much of a chance to when he tried to ambush me two days ago, and had me hospitalized," Scott pointed a finger at the scar on his neck. Nocturned was rather surprised at the size of the scar, but she didn't say a word. "Got a few good hits on me, but I made him hurt just as much. What sucks more is that his name wasn't Zapp, he never even existed... I promise, one day, we'll get him and make sure he faces the long arms of the law. Justice will prevail, and he'll get what's coming to him, whatever that may be." Scott reassured.

Nocturned simply held her head down, her lips quivered as she tried to hold back the urge to scream. The bat pony turned away from the human, but before she could walk away, she uttered one more set of words. "...It's either you bring him in, or I will." Nocturned growled, taking to the air as she flew down the hall.

Scott turned towards the large door and stepped forwards. He lightly knocked on the well-carved wooden door and waited for a response. As he waited in the silence of the castle halls, he could swear he heard a set of hoofsteps on the other side, but they would suddenly stop, as if waiting for something.

Scott didn't want to waste anymore time and risk making the princess impatient, so he simply decided to speak up. "Princess Luna? I've come per your note's request. May I come in, or are you not... for lack of a better word, decent?" Scott cautiously asked.

The door slowly cracked open, and Luna looked around, noticing that Scott was on his own. "How did you get past the guards?" Luna asked.

Scott was confused by the question for a moment, but when he finally realized what Luna was doing, he couldn't help but let a smirk form on his lips. He had to applaud the princess for using such a clever tactic. "I told them to take the day off." Scott stated confidently.

Luna smiled and opened the door further, beckoning for the human to step inside. "You have the scroll with you, yes?" Luna inquired.

Scott stepped into the room, noticing that the room was barely visible in the darkness, aside from the various blue flames that burned brightly on various blackened candlesticks and oil lamps. The human pulled the scroll out of their pocket and gave it to the princess. "As you requested, your highness," Luna nodded her head and took the scroll into her mouth, and opened it up on a table. "Princess, if you don't mind me asking, what's with the sudden cloak and dagger approach, all for an answer to a question?" Scott asked.

Luna shook her head. "I was worried that Celestia would try to silence the truth, all for the sake of keeping her subjects free of woes from our past. I'm sure you're familiar with her student, Sunset Shimmer?" Scott nodded his head, much to Luna's appreciation. "She wasn't Celestia's first student, nor was Dusk mine first either. Over a millennia ago, Celestia and I were made into the royal Diarchy for Equestria. Two powerful Alicorns with near limitless potential, and we did a lot of good for many of our subjects. We failed a lot of them, and we eventually found forgiveness in time," Scott raised an eyebrow out of curiosity, and was wondering where the princess was going with this, but almost immediately, the blue flames suddenly changed into the same blood red color that the blood moon would emit, which freaked him out a bit. "However, there was one we could not save from their own internalized evils and doubts, even despite our best efforts. You know her as the mare in the moon, this "Eclipsed Blackheart" individual, but for Celestia and I, she went by a name only we can remember." Luna explained.

Scott looked at the princess as she hung her head low. The vague expression he could see on her face was like a mix of guilt, shame, as well as regret. "Listen closely, Scott Baristo, prepare as much as you can, and make sure your allies are prepared as well. Keep this scroll on you at all times, and take extreme heed to look at its contents for yourself. It'll be two weeks before they return, so look out for a sign from the ancient texts. "On the longest day of the thousandth year, the stars shall aid in her escape, and she will return to exact her revenge on Equestria". Keep your eyes on the sky, and don't lose hope. I'm not sure if you have a means to get the attention of that "Jeff" individual, but see if he can offer you anything more to aide in the final battle that's encroaching closer." Luna explained.

Scott was trying to take all of the information that the princess threw his way, and while it wasn't much, the warning was appreciated. Two weeks before Eclipsed Blackheart came to try and conquer Equestria, as well as to try and take the Altnetrix from him, it was a lot to consider, but Scott was luckily prepared for this, no doubt thanks to him remembering the conversations he had with Jeff and the goddess Nayru.

Scott's initial shock was soon replaced by a restored sense of composure, and a calm demeanor. "Princess, your warning is very much appreciated. Since we're discussing what happened all that time ago, how did you and your sister banish her to the moon anyway? It would be useful to know how she was beat last time, in case any plans I come up with end up failing miserably. Better to have a backup plan on hand, just in case." Scott inquired.

Luna looked worried, almost hesitant at the question. "You'd have to be more specific, Scott Baristo. There's not a lot that can combat an Alicorn, especially one with an unstable amalgamation of magics." Luna stated.

Scott sighed, but he didn't back off. "Then let me give you some context. When I first met Jeff, he spoke to me about something in his world called the "Elements of Harmony" and when I asked the goddess Nayru about them, she said they were magical artifacts that could seal away chaotic beings in stone, she also mentioned something about a kingdom made of crystals, still not sure what that means, but most importantly and most relevant to this conversation, they can also seal away beings on the moon," Luna's heart was already beating like crazy, so it physically hurt her when it nearly skipped a beat at the mention of the elements. Luna's eyes were wide and full of fear, something Scott was familiar with. "These elements of harmony things... could they stop Eclipsed Blackheart, if they were brought together?" Scott asked.

Luna was eerily silent. The flames on the candles went out, as if a sudden breeze snuffed out the light that emitted from the flames on the wicks. Luna eventually snapped out of her sudden silent daze and looked up at the human. "T-The elements of harmony... C-Celestia and I... we haven't used them in the past thousand years... I sincerely doubt that without my alicorn magic, I could use them at all. Celestia, even with both of our alicorn magics combined, she wouldn't be able to do it, simply due to her own regrets for what became of the mare in the moon prior to her banishment. I'm sorry, but the elements may not be of much help." Luna vaguely explained.

Scott could see that Luna's demeanor had changed on a dime. Luna's body shuddered and quivered at the mention of these elements, and she could no longer look Scott in the eyes. "Then... what if I used them? I could use their power to seal away Eclipsed Blackheart again and make sure they can't escape at all. You and your sister clearly have your regrets about this person, so I could simply do it myself, if I can find the elements' location." Scott suggested.

Luna shook her head, though she did appreciate the sentiment that Scott would take up such a heavy responsibility. "I'm afraid that the elements won't work for you. There's too much at stake already, and the elements are truly a desperate final gambit, nothing more and nothing less. Look, I appreciate the sentiment, but the elements need to be wielded by someone, or multiple someones who embodies the power of friendship. They must embody Honesty, Kindness, Laughter, Generosity, and Loyalty. Only when five of the six elements are joined together, ignited by the spark, the sixth element of harmony, Magic, will present itself, and the elements of harmony will be restored to their full power. Celestia and I were the last ones to use them, and nothing's been the same since then." Luna explained.

Scott found a small stool to sit on, and processed what Luna had said. Scott had to admit, he didn't embody a whole lot of these criteria. He definitely considers himself generous and kind, even with a job like his, and he's been an honest and loyal worker for the plumbers ever since that fateful day... but to embody all of these traits, when it comes down to friendship, even Scott knew that Luna was right. Even if she didn't outright say it, Scott was only now experiencing what it's like to have friends, and one of them betrayed his trust recently.

Scott didn't know anyone or anypony who embodied these traits, and was trying to wrap his head around how to face such a prevalent issue, but nothing seemed to be clicking in his head. Scott was ready to give up, but then he remembers what Luna told him a moment ago. Jeff. That was how he even learned about these Elements of Harmony at all, as well as with Nayru's wisdom. Scott reached to his side and examined the Hylian mask that was made for him, and finally realized what he needed to do. The answer was staring back at him through the empty eye sockets of that mask.

Scott quickly got up and grabbed the scroll, tucking it into his back pocket. "Luna, I may have figured out a solution to our blood moon problem. Send a few messages to Applejack, Rainbow Dash, Flintgraad and Pitch Ink, as well as Technorg if you can find him, just tell them that I might be gone for a couple days. The answer hasn't just been staring me in the face, it's been above my house in the Whitetail Woods!" Scott forced the door open and sprinted down the hall, leaving Luna rather confused to the human's sudden revelation. "I'll be back soon!!" Scott called out.

Luna wasn't sure what Scott was referring to exactly, but it was rather obvious to her, that maybe Equestria will be saved from certain doom, after all.

Scott had never moved with such speed and purpose before, but he was clearly in dire need to push forward. He had two weeks to prepare himself, as well as his allies, and he needed to act fast. Before Scott could even comprehend his next thought, he came to a sudden halt and made a sharp right, seeing his shack in sight. Scott ran all the way from Canterlot Castle, to his home in Ponyville, his face and body was showered in sweat, but he simply wiped it all away with his torn up and tattered shirt, not that it mattered now.

Scott looked up at the Twili Portal above his home, and knew he needed to act now. Scott rushed inside and grabbed his bat, gripping it tightly, then he prepared a small bag full of fruit and cooked meat that he could take with him. Once he knew he was prepared, he immediately ran out of the shack and started to climb onto the roof.

As he got to the top, he stared into the large magic portal, and for a moment, he hesitated and started to second guess his sudden spur-of-the-moment decision. He wasn't sure what to expect when he goes through the portal, but if he's in dire need for information on the Elements of Harmony, even if it comes from another Equestria all together, knowing something about this sort of thing is better than knowing nothing at all.

Scott took a deep breath and sighed. "I hope Jeff's expecting me, because I'm gonna be in a world of hurt if I don't end up where he is," Scott backed up a bit and got into a track runner's position. Scott closed his eyes and took a deep breath. "Time to take a risk, it's all I can do now. Let's do this thing!!" Scott exclaimed.

Scott opened his eyes, now filled with a great sense of determination, ran forward and leapt up to the portal, bracing for whatever may happen now. He's made his choice, even if it wasn't the safest one to pick. 'Got out of the hospital, talked with the princess, and now I'm jumping into a magical portal to go to a friend's neighboring Equestria... I guess I followed in Magister Tennyson's footsteps, after all. Gonna hope this doesn't hurt...' Scott thought optimistically.

Author's Note

I'm willing to admit, that maybe having Scott recover so soon sounds a little bit like a copout to keep the story going forward, but to me, this just proves how tough and durable Scott actually is. Sure, without his fancy gadgets and the Altnetrix, he's as human as you or I, but he's proven himself to have survived very dangerous threats long before he came to Equestria. He came from a version of the Ben 10 Universe, has plumber training, it's no surprise he's getting back up so easily. Not even to mention the fact that the Altnetrix's fail safe protocol kicked in again at the right moment.

I'd say it's not that farfetched to see Scott want to get back up and get back to work. Scott won't let getting his ass kicked by a magic house fly affect him too much, but it's starting to become apparent that the real danger is slowly encroaching closer to freedom as the days go by.

Also felt great to expand a bit of lore about Celestia, Luna, and the mare in the moon, Eclipsed Blackheart, even if it wasn't much, in retrospect. Luna and Celestia aren't exactly proud of what happened a thousand years ago, and even when the fate of Equestria hangs in the balance, knowing this familiar threat is about to return with the elements nowhere in sight, as well as Luna and Celestia's regrets holding them back, it shows just how deeply cut the two royal sisters were all that time ago. Time heals all wounds, but the scars are there forever, reminding you of where they came from.

And so, remembering his first encounter with a displaced, being Jeff, Scott gets the idea to try and go solo, to venture from one Equestria to another. To travel from his Equestria, to Jeff's, in hopes of getting some much needed help.

Scott's hoping he made the right choice in jumping head first into the Twili Portal, and for his sake, he's hoping he did.

The next couple chapters will most definitely be multi-parters for the second cross-over with DisplacedWriter, so this'll be an interesting turn of events going forward.

Hope you all enjoyed this chapter, for how relatively short and simple it was, and hopefully everything works out when we write the cross-over. I'm genuinely excited to do another one, and I'm still keeping it intertwined with the plot, so it makes sense.

...And Like The Times Before... Part 1 (cross-over with DisplacedWriter)

Author's Note

Readers are to be warned of sensitive and mature topics/themes.

Also, this takes place in the future of DisplacedWriter's story, so in case some of you comment what's up with the character "Muna", she's a future character, so don't get confused. She's still nightmare moon in the current story of "[Displaced] A Forced Hero Rewrite".

I hope you enjoyed this chapter, because it's only getting started from here.

...And Like The Times Before... Part 1 (cross-over with DisplacedWriter)

[Jeff's Equestria]

Scott could barely remember what happened. Last thing he remembered was getting on the roof of his shack, then he jumped into the Twili Portal. At first, it felt like he was rising through it, but soon started to feel a sense of panic as it felt like a falling dream, or like something was pulling him down.

Scott saw various colors and lights as he felt his body fall fast through the portal, but he didn’t bother screaming. Scott tried to get a grasp on what he was feeling, but everything felt so… foreign.

It didn’t even feel like he was holding himself together, but scattered into many particles. Scott was truly in awe as he let whatever happened take its course. He trusted Jeff well enough to know he wouldn’t leave a portal over his home if it would kill him, so he relaxed and let everything happen.

His body broke down into pixelated particles, piece by piece, like he was being disassembled. His pieces traveled through the portal, it was all such a strange new experience, yet he didn’t feel any inherent pain or discomfort. It was just… so new. All around him, Scott saw nothing but black and green rapidly moving past him and a weird sense as if floating and falling at the same time. Before the plumber knew it, he was already touching down on grass, finding himself somewhere quite familiar.

Scott looked up at the sky, noticing the small wooded clearing he was in. Scott got up and looked around, noticing a few small animals, and almost immediately, Scott felt a strange sense of deja vu. “Huh… this is a familiar sight. Either the portal thrusted me forward a couple hours, and dropped me back here… or the portal did send me to Jeff’s Equestria… the fact that I’m here, though, confuses me like never before.” Scott commented, analyzing the familiar location.

Cautiously, Scott readied his bat, channeling the magic into it as it crackled and sparked to life. Scott walked forward, looking for any signs of familiarity in the area. “Let’s see… if I keep going this way, and then turn left,” Scott did as he himself instructed, and lo and behold, he found the same small stream he used to see his reflection when he first used the Altnetrix. “Well I’ll be damned like a sinner in June. Well, this brings back memories… and an aching in my stomach, I can practically feel the air leaving my lungs… let’s hope I don’t repeat history with this world’s Applejack, I don’t think I could take it.” Scott remarked.

Scott continued down the path he remembered taking, even instinctively ducking behind some bushes, and looking out to where he expected to see the train tracks. As far as he could see, nothing seemed inherently different upon first glance.

However, the sounds of strange creatures nearby began to drag the alien hero’s attention in its direction, as well as the sounds of a fight and a high pitched scream followed by some kind of panicking words. Scott let a small smile form on his face and rolled his eyes. “Well, even in another world, hero time always seems to strike.” Scott remarked, gripping his bat tightly as he ventured forth to the fight in progress.

Scott moves through a bit of brush before coming up on quite the strange scene. Three bipedal goblin-like creatures were getting aggressive with a much smaller creature, one that seemed to have strange patterns on its body, and a leaf mask on its face… or, was the mask actually its face?

Scott wasn’t sure what to make of the situation, but it was clear that the odd creatures with blades were the aggressors. Scott stepped out of the brush and whistled to the creatures. “Don’t you even think about attacking that defenseless creature. Unless you want a thorough swatting, you back off, or by my authority as a Plumber, you three are busted on heavy assault charges.” Scott warned, brandishing his bat as he glared at the creatures.

One of the odd creatures snarls and points their blade in Scott’s direction, earning not even a twitch from the newcomer. “Filthy Hylian. Can’t keep nose out of business. Kill you and take your ears!” One of the creatures growled.

One of the other creatures stopped the other one, and pointed at Scott. “No, not Hylian. Look. No pointy ears. Can’t hear gods. Pointless creature not worth time. Back to business.” The other creature remarked.

The third creature snorted and glared at Scott, who was still undeterred by their remarks. “You. Not Hylian. What are you. Who are you. Ally to Hylian?” The creature questioned.

Scott gripped his bat tightly, letting it spark to life as he smirked. “You’re talking about Jeff, right? Well, it’s none of your business. Now, this is the last time I’ll say it, and after that, it’s going to be very difficult for you three to walk again if you don’t listen,” The odd creatures, upon hearing Jeff’s name, suddenly focus all of their attention onto Scott, brandishing their blades as they ready themselves for a fight. “This is the last warning you get. Back down and leave that poor creature alone, or you’re going to find out if monsters deserve the afterlife.” Scott threatened.

The creatures growled, all while the smaller creature ran towards a rock and hid behind it. Scott scoffed. “I knew this was going to happen. Well, if you three are going to get in my way, on top of your assault charges… let’s add an attempt to assault a Plumber Cadet to that list.” Scott gravely remarked.

Scott ran forward and readied his bat, all while the odd goblin creatures readied themselves for a brawl. Scott slid across the ground like he was trying to get to home base and smacked the creature he was running towards into the stomach with his bat. The creature was stunned by the electrical charge, but another of the goblin creatures was able to catch Scott off guard for a moment, knocking the bat loose from his hands.

Scott gritted his teeth and jumped back onto his feet, and delivered a left hook into the goblin’s face, but just barely managed to get nicked by their blade. Scott already looked like he was a mess. Torn up and tattered clothes hanging off of his body, it’s not like one more cut in the cloth was going to matter.

Scott quickly made a mad dash for his bat, only for one of the goblin creatures to try and tackle him to the ground. Scott struggled to shake the creature off, but the creature was basically wailing on him, but that didn’t mean he was going to give up, not so soon.

Scott slowed his movements, all while the goblin on his back tried to steer him towards the other two, who had their blades brandished and ready to skewer the human with no hesitation. Scott smirked, and jumped backwards, using the goblin creature on his back as a means of cushioning the blow.

The goblin creature wheezed and groaned, feeling like something definitely broke on impact with the ground. It tried to reach for its blade, but Scott was quick to grab the blade himself. “I’m gonna borrow this for a moment,” Scott clutched the blade tightly, focusing hard on the blade itself. The two goblin creatures charged at him, intending to cut Scott down like the twig they thought him to be. Scott stopped focusing for a mere moment, and tried to push past the two charging creatures. Scott barely managed to push between them, but not without a couple scratches to his sides. “You are some strange looking creatures, and you’re tougher than you look, I’ll give you that. Your blade handling could use some work, though.” Scott commented.

The goblin creatures were getting irritated. This was clearly no Hylian they were dealing with, but the creature seems to clearly know what it’s doing. “Dumb creature! Stand still for stabbing! You not Hylian, but annoy us the same!!” one of the creatures roared out.

Scott smiled. “Well ain’t that nice, I remind you of my pal! I’ll admit, I’m no master swordsman, bats and pistols are more my forte, but if you think handling me in my regular form was bad, you haven’t even seen what I can turn into yet, and you’d probably be pissing yourselves if you did,” the goblin creatures were beyond angry, it was almost like discovering fool’s gold in a gold mine, they were furious, but they pondered on the human’s words for a moment. He could transform? How was that possible? They didn’t have enough time to ponder on that thought, and watched as the human planted the blade onto the ground, and began to twist the dial on that strange watch that was attached to his wrist. “Allow me to teach you oddballs a thing called karma. Do something good, something good happens to you. Do something bad… well, I’m sure you’ll get the idea once I’ve taught you your lesson.” Scott stated, landing on his newest addition to his roster.

Scott popped the core up and pushed it down, enveloping himself in a turquoise light. As the flash of light died down, the goblin creatures, as well as the smaller leaf mask faced creature were in shock and awe at the creature that stood before them, one that Scott was only now using for the first time.

The hulking goliath of this creature, standing around eight, to eight-and-a-half feet tall, comprised entirely of Moonstone gems and moonstone deposits. Sleek in its frame, but still incredibly bulky. Moonstone spheres grew out of the alien’s body, its sleek white marbled skin patterned with blue-gray markings, all while clad in its suit, one befitting of such a peaceful species, now being used for combative purposes.

Its turquoise eyes were fixated on the two goblin creatures, who were beyond angry… they were scared. “I-Impossible! C-Creature not exist!! How turn into Armos!?” One of the creatures sputtered out in fear.

The goblin creature on the ground slowly got up, but upon seeing the Hecatrelom that towered over him and the other two members of his kind, he already felt like something physically shattered, and now… something else seemed to break. His will to fight. The injured goblin creature quickly crawled away from the scene, all while the other two were left to fend for themselves.

The third goblin creature was understandably pissed beyond belief. This odd non-Hylian creature made lightwork of one of their species, and now it’s shown that this thing was practically toying with them, revealing one of its many forms. “GRRAAAAHH!!!! NOT MATTER!! Not going to lose. Not going to die! You cheat!! Bokoblins won’t stand it!!” The Bokoblin roared out in a fit of rage.

The transformed hero could feel the emotions running wild in the three Bokoblins. Fear, confusion, anger. “Let’s calm down, or I’ll have to do something drastic.” The alien spoke out. Its voice was smooth, angelic, calm in its tone.

The alien started to walk towards the two Bokoblins, recognizing that their leader had already crawled away to flee the fight they lost. The Bokoblins tried to stab the alien, but soon found that their blades snapped in half upon first contact, rendering their blades worthless.

The alien narrowed its eyes in mild frustration, and put its hands on their heads, letting the moonstone spheres in his hands glow bright. “I. said. Calm Down.” The alien repeated, its voice becoming deeper and more stern, like a father putting their foot down when their child disobeys.

The moonstone spheres begin to glow, and an ethereal white mist begins to leak from the spheres in his hands, coating over the Bokoblins as they start to finally calm down. For the two creatures, it was a foreign feeling, a sensation they never felt before. For the first time in a long time, it felt like their minds were finally clear. They dropped their weapons and slowly backed away, beholding the creature as if they were staring at a god they long since forgot existed.

The alien looked at its hands, seeing that the orbs in his hands were now red, as if seething and burning with an animalistic rage. “Interesting. I can absorb emotional energy… I’m like one of those cheap color changing mood stones, only better…” The alien looked at the Bokoblins, seeing that they were just in awe of the environment around them. Scott got an idea, and cleared his throat, getting the two Bokoblins’ attention. “Hear me. I am… uh… Moodstone, and by my authority as a Plumber operative, I hereby put you both under arrest for your crimes. You are to turn yourselves in to the law enforcement of this land, and work hard to earn forgiveness from those you have wronged. Tell them that an ally of Jeff’s has sent you their way to make things right.” Moodstone announced.

One of the Bokoblins, despite feeling a sense of peace within their head, seemed discontent on doing what the alien just commanded of them. “Do we have to? Now we have clearer head, can think better. No longer hear commands, why follow yours?” The Bokoblin complained.

The bokoblin standing next to him then smacked him upside the head. “Quiet. The mood god blesses us with clearer minds. No more demands, no more sleepless nights for patrols. Let us go and do as expected of us. The mood god gave us blessing… could easily take it away.” The other bokoblin warned.

The Bokoblin froze at the thought, and soon began to see what his comrade was seeing. A chance to start anew, and to not be clobbered into submission. The Bokoblins bowed to Moodstone in an appreciative manner. “M-many thanks, mood god. We are grateful for blessing. Won’t take granted.” The bokoblin stated.

The two Bokoblins started walking in the opposite path that the third bokoblin went, and soon enough, the smaller leaf mask faced creature eventually came out of hiding, completely impressed and in awe at Scott’s actions. “A… Are they… gone?” the small creature asks.

Moodstone kneels down to the small creature, and despite not having a mouth, it does seem to try and look friendly to it. “Heheh… those two won’t be causing problems for anyone anymore, but I can’t say the same for the one that crawled away… he’ll likely rear his pig faced mug out later, but I’m sure Jeff can handle it,” The small creature seems to giggle, and approaches the large moonstone alien. “Are you alright? You weren’t injured too bad, were you?” Moodstone asked.

The small creature nodded its head. “I’m alright. I’ve never seen anything like you, though. But, if you know of him, the hero, then you must be a capable fighter yourself, if you believe in him,” Moodstone smiled, knowing that Jeff seemed to be quite the talk of the town. “I’m Deko. I was trying to spread the seeds of Everfree, like I was supposed to.” Deko introduced.

Moodstone’s curiosity peaked at the mention of Everfree. “Everfree? Like the Everfree Forest?” Deko nodded its head again, and the alien hero was beginning to grow equally as curious as he was concerned. “If you don’t mind me asking, little one… why would you want to spread Everfree?” Moodstone inquired.

Deko could see the concern in the alien’s eyes, as well as a burning curiosity. Deko was hesitant to speak further, but it did save their life, so they decided to explain. “She’s nothing bad, I assure you. Everfree is a mother, one that cares and nurtures life sewn with her seeds.” Deko explained.

This just made the alien hero more curious. Deko referred to the Everfree as a she, like it’s alive. “Forgive me for not being educated on such matters, I didn't mean to offend. Back where I come from, the Everfree Forest is a chaotic and dangerous place, home to many dangerous beasts, and I’m thankful that the only dangerous beast I’ve faced in the Everfree, was a mourning dragon.” Moodstone explained.

Deko laughed and patted the alien’s large hand. “All is forgiven. I don’t understand what you’re implying though, the only Everfree I know is her. If you want, I can make sure Everfree recognizes you as an ally, since you saved Deko.” Deko offered.

Before Moodstone could respond, the Altnetrix started to beep, signifying that the transformation time had ended. In a flash of white light, Scott was returned to his normal form, much to Deko’s surprise. “W-Woah! Y-You changed your form! So Deko wasn’t seeing things. Hmm… you don’t have pointy ears, so you’re not a Hylian. What are you, mister?” Deko asked.

Scott smiled. “I’m Scott Baristo, Plumber Cadet, and Wielder of the Altnetrix, a device that can turn me into a bunch of alien superheroes. Back where I come from, I act as the sole member of the Plumbers. It’s a group of law enforcement that deals with extraordinary threats and keeps the peace. I gave Jeff my badge and made him an honorary member. Speaking of which, what direction do I go in to find him?” Scott inquired.

Deko pondered for a bit, and came up with an idea. “You could go to Canterlot. Plenty of ponies and other manner of creatures there who likely saw him. Not sure how they’ll react to you, though, just follow the same direction those two monsters you fixed, and you’ll be on the right path.” Deko explained.

Scott thought about that for a moment, but then he remembered that he brought his mask. “Well, if push comes to shove, I’ll have a proper disguise, but I’ll save it unless I really need it. Thanks again, Deko. By the way, what exactly are you? I’ve never seen anything like you before.” Scott asked.

Deko bowed his head. “Why, I’m a Korok! Can’t you tell?” Deko stated.

Scott shrugged his shoulders. “I wouldn’t know, Koroks and whatever those pig faced goblins were, they don’t exist where I come from. When I met Jeff, it was the first time I ever met or encountered a Hylian. Everything here is kinda new and uncharted territory for me.” Scott explained.

Deko was a bit surprised by Scott’s words. “WHA!? W-We don’t exist?! How?! Y-You must come from a dangerous place, mister Scott.” Deko exclaimed in disbelief.

Scott chuckled at the Korok’s reaction. “It’s got its perks, the only con is that I haven’t found a way home. But, enough about me. I don’t know my way around, so what say you come with, and be my navigator, help me get to Canterlot?” Scott asked.

Deko hesitated for a moment, but finally gave his answer. “I’ll gladly help, but only after I’m done with spreading Everfree seed. After that, I’ll gladly help you.” Deko stated.

Scott shrugged his shoulders. “Okay, and how long will that take?” Scott asked.

Deko takes a moment to remember when he started that day, and seemed to come up with an answer. “About an hour, I was in the middle of spreading Everfree seeds, but then I was being attacked by those nasty bokoblins.” Deko explained.

Scott was a bit worried, knowing he’d have to wait an hour for this little guy to spread a bunch of seeds, but then an idea came to the Plumber. “Here’s a thought. Why don’t you let me help you out? Cuts down the time it’ll take to do this on your own, and you don’t have to wander around on your own and risk getting attacked again. I help you, you help me. How’s that sound?” Scott asked, smiling a bit.

Deko was a bit surprised to know this human, this total stranger, was willing to stay and help, but at the same time, it made him happy. “Thanks for the offer, mister! I just wish there was a way to make sure all of these seeds are spread. Got any ideas, mister?” Deko asked.

Scott was a bit stumped, and using the Altnetrix was out of the question, since it was recharging. ‘Hmm… spreading seeds in a timely fashion and cutting down the time to do it all by hand. Come on, Baristo, you have a brain. Use it to think of an idea,’ Scott felt a breeze blow by, as well as a small piece of a dandelion floating in the wind. Scott’s eyes widened, and a smile formed across his face. “Mother nature, she’s the solution.” Scott remarked.

Scott walked down the path a bit, and noticed a few dandelions growing in the weeds. “Deko, come over here and bring the seeds. I got an idea!” Deko quickly hobbled over to where Scott was standing, and noticed him pointing at some dandelions. “If we put some of these seeds on the dandelions, the breeze will pick up, and the seeds will be scattered much farther distances. We can use these dandelions as an example, a proof of concept,” Scott plucked one of the dandelions and held it down at Deko’s level. Deko carefully waved his little nub like appendage over the dandelion, showing what looked to be numerous seeds. “Observe closely,” Scott felt the breeze again, and watched as the seeds clung to the discarded pieces of dandelion fluff that flew upwards, watching as the wind carried the seeds into the air. Deko watched on as Scott knelt down. “See? And with a few more dandelions, we can sprinkle those seeds on there, and let nature do the rest.” Scott explained.

Deko was amazed by Scott’s solution. ”Wow, I didn’t even consider that! You must be a real genius back where you come from! Though, I have to ask, who’s ‘Mother Nature’?” Deko asked.

Scott raised an eyebrow at the Korok’s question, and decided to elaborate further. “Mother nature is, well, a force of nature, responsible for the plants, animals, insects, as well as beings like you or I, she’s the natural order of things. I’m almost convinced that maybe your Everfree may just be this world’s Mother nature, with how you’ve described them, so I thought you must’ve known.” Scott explained.

Deko thought about what Scott said, and seemed silent for a moment, but it looked like it was focusing on something. Scott wasn’t sure what Deko was doing, but before he could ask, Deko looked up at Scott and seemed rather jovial. “I just told Everfree about this idea for what you call, “Mother Nature”, and it would seem that she’s intrigued by such a concept.” Deko stated.

Scott was a bit confused. He saw Deko focusing on something he couldn’t see, and almost assumed the poor thing was staring off into space. “Uh… how did you do that?” Scott asked curiously.

Deko pointed its little nubs at its head. “Koroks have a connection to Everfree. You really aren’t from here, are you? Where do you come from, and what are you?” Deko asked.

Scott sighed, and put on a patient smile. “How about we walk and talk, you can ask me questions, and we can still get a move on to Canterlot.” Scott suggested.

Deko was soon picked up by Scott, and placed on his shoulder. Scott began to walk, and decided to answer Deko’s questions. “In a strange roundabout way, I come from another Equestria, one full of life forms that exist, live and thrive beyond the stars,” Deko was still amazed at the response, but was also curious. Another Equestria, could such a thing exist? “And to answer the question on what I am. I’m a human, from Planet Earth. We humans are typically a powerless and magicless species, but we can learn and adapt to new things pretty well. We’re as basic as basic can be, but we make the most of it and keep pushing forward. Some of us use extraordinary gifts and gadgets to help others in need, while other humans are typically villainous, or somewhere in-between.” Scott explained.

Deko continued to listen to Scott’s words as he walked along the path, though he wasn’t sure if Canterlot was really far away, he was glad to pass the time with a traveling buddy.

After several hours of walking, and noticing that the sky was getting a wee bit darker, Scott and Deko were still casually chatting away. “--And then the princess developed this odd complicated feeling for magister Tennyson. It’s still funny to look back on, but it just proves to me that Ben really does have an effect on those around him. For better, or worse, it really depends.” Scott explained.

Deko was very confused, but still amazed. “Wow, this Ben Tennyson individual sounds really brave, if not kinda immature at times. You said he also went through time?” Deko inquired.

Scott nodded his head. “Yeah, but it all gets very complicated, more complicated than the story of how an alien frog princess, and another alien princess with strength to rival Hercules both fell in love with the Hero of Heroes in my world.” Scott cautioned.

Deko looked at Scott’s watch, or as he learned during their talks, the Altnetrix, and was pretty curious. “So, that watch can turn you into those star monsters, like that Ben Tennyson guy can?” Deko asked.

Scott once again nodded his head. “That’s the long and short of it. I’m just more limited to my choices of transformations, I don’t even have a complete arsenal of ten yet, but I’m working hard to remedy that. Why do you ask?” Scott asked.

Deko looked down at his nub appendages, then at Scott himself. “Can you turn into anything?” Deko asked.

Scott shrugged his shoulders. “I mean… maybe? If the thing I wanna turn into has DNA that’s different enough from my own, then it’s possible I could. Take you, for example, a Korok. Your DNA would likely be different enough from my own, and I could become the prime example of what a Korok should be, from its looks to its powers and abilities,” Deko was definitely amazed with that idea, but Scott continued to talk. “Take Jeff as an example, too. If I had Hylian DNA within the Altnetrix, I’d be able to do all the things a Hylian can do, and maybe more. Ben was able to use his aliens in unique ways, I don’t see why I couldn’t do the same myself.” Scott explained.

Deko was rather surprised at the idea of a Hylian stronger than Jeff, but simply chuckled, believing it to be an extension of the truth. “That watch must be real strong. Better hope no evil forces plan to seek it out.” Deko remarked.

Scott laughed nervously. He wasn’t going to tell Deko that it was kinda too late for that to not happen, but he didn’t have it in him, so he kept it to himself. “A-Anyways, we’ve been walking for a while, are we sure that Canterlot’s this way?” Scott asked, noticing the sky getting darker.

Deko looked around and noticed that there was a lack of travelers on the road. Scott decided to step off the path a bit, and looked out into the distance, hoping to find some indication of Canterlot nearby. After a few minutes of looking out, Scott manages to see a large castle on the side of a mountain, but from where he was standing, it was ridiculously far away.

Scott felt very disappointed. “Well, hours of walking and we’ve barely budged a mile… oh boy, we’re in for some serious stuff, aren’t we?” Scott remarked.

Deko started to shake, quivering as he clung to Scott’s head. The pair look up and notice the moon rising over the mountain in the distance, and Scott nearly had a panic attack at the sight of it. “Maybe it’s time to hunker down, we can lay against one of the trees for the night.” Scott remarked, feeling a dreadful sense of unease.

Deko shook his head. “That would be best, but stay on your guard. The night time is a very dangerous time to be outside. The Wolfos will be out hunting, and the Stalponies will come back from their graves to attack the living!” Deko frantically cautioned the alien hero.

Scott raised an eyebrow at Deko’s word of caution. “What the heck is a Wolfos? What the heck is a Stalpony?!” Scott questioned.

Deko just stared at Scott for a moment, realizing that Scott’s claim of being in another equestria might’ve been more truthful than expected. “Wolfos are bipedal dog monsters, they typically come out at night and hunt for prey, they’re a nasty bunch,” Scott nodded as Deko kept talking. “Stalponies are a very dangerous breed of monster. They’re the skeletal remains of ponies long since deceased, and they can be very aggressive towards the living. The Ponalfos are earth ponies, so they’re still physically strong. Stalicorns are unicorns, so their magic is pretty dangerous in general, and the Stalgasus are pegasi. They have no feathers, but they can still fly and be quite the dangerous foe! It’s terrible!” Deko exclaimed in fright.

Scott was at a loss for words. Resurrected skeletal remains of ponies, and they’re still just as dangerous and capable as the ones back in his Equestria. “Yeah, that’ll do it, that’s a pretty good reason to stay inside at night.” Scott remarked, genuinely horrified by such a monstrous manner of defiling the deceased.

Deko started to shake, eventually falling into Scott’s arms. “What do we do?” Deko asked.

Scott looked up at the trees, and did have one idea in mind. “Well, maybe we don’t have to directly confront these nasty creatures. We can still use the tree, but if we climb up and sleep on its branches, they can’t get to us, and we just gotta be still and quiet, so they don’t notice us.” Scott suggested.

Deko nodded his head, and the pair started to climb one of the nearby trees. Scott carefully made sure that he was not being watched from afar, constantly stopping to look around for any prying eyes before continuing his ascent. Eventually, Scott and Deko manage to climb to the branches and relax for a moment.

Scott looked down below, noticing a lack of activity, but still kept on his guard. Scott surveyed the bottom of the tree for a good few minutes, and finally began to relax, knowing that he and Deko were safe for the time being.

Scott yawned and laid against the tree, closing his eyes. Deko, meanwhile, was looking at the bright and full moon in the sky, slowly drifting asleep underneath the lunar light.

Scott would eventually fall asleep as well, finally feeling like he can enjoy a peaceful night sleep since his displacement.

[Dreamscape]

Scott’s eyes snapped open, a familiar numbness washed over him as he stood in the same strange place. A farm house he used to call home, but is now decayed and withered by the passage of time.

Scott walked slowly around the area, expecting to see a monster in the corner of his eye, lurking and stalking him, like a Wolfos looking for prey.

Before Scott could register what happened next, several skeletal hooves and hands broke through the ground beneath him. Each skeleton seemed to wear an ethereal mask, a spiritual covering over their skulls that looked like his allies, and the family he’s lost.

Rainbow, Applejack, Technorg, Flint, Pitch, even Princess Luna, it was like a nightmare entwined with something vile. His mother and father even sought to attack him.

He saw a lot more of these skeletal monsters, a bunch of them wore Plumber uniforms, only covered in rust and were damaged beyond repair.

Scott tried to ready his bat, but found that he didn’t have it. He reached for his Hylian mask, but found the same result. Scott looked to the Altnetrix, noticing it withered, sparking and busted beyond repair.

Scott backed away from the slowly approaching army of stalponies and other skeletal imitations, only to back into someone who’s been staring at him since he arrived.

Scott turned around, seeing Ben Tennyson, only, he looked dead. His eyes were dull, almost colorless, his skin was losing pigmentation, becoming almost gray. He wore what looked like a tunic, but stylized and colored with his typical ensemble. He had what looked like a forced grin on his face, and his hair looked matted, messed up… permanently soaked and drenched in water.

Ben’s smile faltered a moment, and he stared staggers at Scott. “Is this all you can offer? You got an Omnitrix of your own, and you’re turning tail when things are getting heated… Why, why are you disappointing me, kid… Why are you disappointing me, Scott?“ Scott tried to move away, but the skeletal army was surrounding him. Ben seemed to teleport forward. Not step, teleport. With every minute that passed, Ben got closer, and closer. “I drowned in my responsibilities because of you, all because I’ve been trying to rescue you, but you can’t even save these ponies like I could’ve… Why are you being so stupid, why are you not giving me an answer?! I’m your commanding officer, Baristo! Give. Me. An ANSWER!!” Ben roared out.

Scott fell to his knees, covering his ears as the army descended on him. Scott’s breathing was getting heavy and ragged, but he tried to keep himself calm, trying to remember that this was just a nightmare, but it was far more difficult to push past the distorted wails of the damned that came from every skeletal imitation that lunged at him.

Scott finally caved in. “I’M JUST DOING MY JOB! WHAT ELSE DO YOU WANT FROM ME!?” Scott exclaimed.

“BEGONE, THOU DISTURBING SPECTER OF THE NIGHT! MAKE THEE THY JOURNEY BACK TO THE FORSAKEN ABYSS FROM WHENCE THOU ART SPAWNED!!” A voice exploded throughout the dreamscape as energy erupted from the corners of the area. Everyone burned away quickly turning to dust. Serenity returned to the farmhouse, returning it to the way Scott remembered fondly.

Scott felt a slight ringing in his ears, but despite that, and the tears in his eyes blurring his vision, he was stunned by how new his childhood home looked. The cracks in the wood floors looked like they had been sealed up, and the metal support beams didn’t look rusted all to hell, but fresh out of the factory.

Scott sniffed and looked over at a door, one he recognized all too well, opened it slightly, seeing himself, playing with some toys inspired by Ben Tennyson’s alien forms.

Scott backed away, and looked to the front door, seeing a pony standing and staring at him. “P-Princess Luna?” Scott asked.

“Methinks it be most amusing that none have addressed me with such a moniker in a great many moons. Verily, I am known as Muna, the divine ancestor from whence sprang forth Luna and the dread Nightmare Moon.” Muna said as she stepped into the light.

Scott swallowed hard and tried to find the right words, and constantly tried to wipe away the tears in his eyes. “Y-You’re an Alicorn in this world. I… I shouldn’t be surprised, b-but I am kinda reeling right now from… that. I’m sorry if I’m not bowing, taking a knee, or showing any kind of formal show of respect, just… processing.” Scott sputtered, his mind felt like it got squeezed like a kitchen sponge.

“Hush, I beseech thee, and refrain from speaking. Draw in deep calming breaths, thou mustn't succumb to panic now.” Muna suggested. It took Scott a while to realize that she spoke with two voices in unison, one sounding beautiful and the other a little bit haunting.

Scott followed Luna’s instructions, drawing in deep breaths and exhaling. He felt himself becoming calmer, though he was still a little rattled by the nightmare itself. “You… kinda sound different. You sound like beauty personified, but at the same time, you sound as if… you’re not of the mortal plain… I- I wasn’t expecting to meet you like this, I would’ve hoped to have a bit more dignity, and less tears… I suppose it’s easy for me to tell you that I’m like Jeff, in the sense that I’m a displaced. Do you know about them, Princess Lu- Muna?” Scott asked, quickly trying to correct himself.

“Indeed, we are of the ilk of a Goddess, though in truth, we are diminished from the grandeur we once held at the very genesis of Equus's craftsmanship. Aye, we have become cognizant of the entities thou referrest to as the Displaced. Jeff, a fellow conversant, didst elucidate upon their nature ere this encounter, yet our gaze hath never before fallen upon one such as thee. Thou presentest an image of Hylian lineage, and yet thou art devoid of the stature, the pointed ears, and the distinctive eyes which are their hallmark.” Muna said as she got close to study Scott’s features, although a bit too uncomfortably close for Scott’s liking.

Scott pointed at himself. “Well, that’s because I’m a human from Earth, this is what some humans look like. If I had the Hylian mask on me that Jeff made for me, I could look a little bit more like what you’re probably used to, but that involves likely listening to Nayru again, and I’m sure she’s got better things to do,” Scott thought about what else he could say, but did notice that he wasn’t usually so aware of his nightmares after Luna’s interference. “So, is this what your alicorn magic makes you more capable of? Instead of just saving people from their nightmares, it’s gone from a nightmare to a lucid dream? Fascinating.” Scott stated, clearly amazed.

“"Verily, the nocturnal terrors we face are of our own making; born of malice and envy from a time long since past. With earnest endeavor, we strive to purge the remnants of this grievous burden, yet lamentably, they have multiplied with an exasperating vigor.” Muna explained, then paused when Nayru’s name was mentioned. “..A name I have not heard in so many eons. When did you last hear her?” Muna inquired.

Scott shrugged his shoulders. “Back in my Equestria, it was likely two to maybe three and a half weeks ago, give or take? It was during me and Jeff’s first encounter with one another. He gave me a Picto Box, which looks like a real fancy camera, taught me the Thunder Blade spell, to which I turned into the Thunder Bat, gave me some Deku seeds that I’ve been taking meticulous and hard-earned care of, trained me to use a sword, and finally, he carved the Hylian mask for me, just in case my watch, the Altnetrix, ever stops functioning, as it’s my main source of shapeshifting. I can assure you, I’m no changeling, I’m not a threat to no one, besides Evil itself. It was from remembering that encounter, that it’s the reason why I’m here.” Scott explained.

Muna let out a humming laugh of amusement. “Well of course thou art no changeling; none can hide their true selves within our domain. Jeff is of quite a noble heart to bestowed upon thee gifts.”

Suddenly there is a brief flash over Scott’s vision. Scott flinched and seemed to be caught off guard. “Woah! Princess, with all due respect, warn a guy next time you do that, almost thought I was dying in my sleep.” Scott remarked.

“..Remarkable, thou can alter thy form with such a thing.” Muna said impressed, then paused upon hearing Scott’s next words. “Neigh, you weren’t dying, merely a quick look though thy mind. Apologies.” Muna stated.

Scott nodded his head. “No immediate harm, no foul. Water under the bridge, as they say. On the topic of the Altnetrix, yeah, I can change myself into a bunch of aliens. So far, I have seven forms available. If you think my device is impressive, just know that this is a bootleg version of the real deal. You’d be impressed by half the stuff magister Tennyson has done.” Scott stated.

“Still, to have so many forms and powers at thy, and yet not be a Hylian is still impressive.” Muna said with a nod.

Scott smiled and sat down on the floor. “It’s just another normal day for me. Even knowing I’m stuck as a displaced individual, I’m hoping that by continuing to do my job as a Plumber, I can bring the most common part of my old life to Equestria, and maybe start up an Equestrian sector… anything to help me cope, and keep myself busy.” Scott remarked.

“...Plumber?” Muna asked with a tilt of her head.

Scott couldn’t help but snicker a bit. “You looked into my head, but you didn’t see my past as a Plumber Cadet?” Scott questioned.

“We only delve into the subject of thy Altnetrix, or ‘watch’.” Muna corrected.

Scott smiled and sighed, a slightly pained look in his eyes. “Well, I’ll abridge this the best I can. The Plumbers, back in my old world, are a secret government group that handles otherworldly threats. Magical, Supernatural, Extraterrestrial, Extraordinary, you name it. Anything that seems too strange, even for a place like Equestria, the Plumbers take care of it. Think of us like a police force, but we’re stronger than the government, and we’ve been in space. As of recently, like two to three and a half weeks ago, when I first met Jeff, I gave him my badge. It was my way of making him an honorary member of the Plumbers. We’re the good guys, even if we’ve had a few bad people go AWOL, we still did our jobs accordingly and effectively.” Scott explained.

“Good to see there are heroes of fables far away than just simply Jeff alone, it tells me Equestria is in good hoof-” Muna paused to clear throat. “Hands, in good hands.”

Scott chuckled and gave Muna a thumbs up. “It’s nice to know that I haven’t pissed you off, and the same can be said about my Luna. It’s honestly fascinating that history between mine and Jeff’s equestrias are so different. You’re an Alicorn, and my Luna gave up her Alicorn status to avoid temptation… I’ve only scratched the surface of what Jeff's Equestria is like, and it’s just real nice to know that we didn’t get on the wrong foot or hoof.” Scott reassured.

“Equus has quite alot of history, and before that; Hyrule’s history back when it used to be around about… Fifteen thousand years?” Muna said as she furrowed her brows trying to remember so far back.

Scott looked dumbfounded, like his brain just shut off. “Fifteen thousand!? The longest I’ve heard about Equestria’s past was fourteen thousand years less! Are Alicorns immortal beings?!” Scott questioned.

“We might be wrong though as we were trapped on the moon for one thousand of those years, and it can give you such a crick in the neck. Yes we art immortal, we ‘did’ mention we were once an ilk of a Goddess before we took on a mortal shell to be among our creations.” Muna said before softly giggling; her voice echoing throughout the dreamscape.

Scott was simultaneously impressed and curiouser. “Fascinating. I had a personal theory that the Alicorn state was merely a magical mutation, I wasn’t aware immortality was such an important variable!” Scott remarked.

“Alicornhood is only attuned through two ways; you’re either already art one at the birth of the universe exploding into being, or you face something far greater than yourself; to show absolute to overcome it. An example of that is of Celestia’s niece Cadance, princess of twilight when she and the hero took down the usurper king who used to hold the power to reshape Equus, thus leading to her ascension.” Muna explained.

Scott was very intrigued by how the alicorn stuff worked in Jeff’s Equestria, but then Scott remembered why he was here. “Princess, if you don’t mind me asking… Me and Deko, the Korok I saved from a couple of bokoblins, we’re on our way to Canterlot… I’m hoping to find Jeff and ask him for help, in regards to a serious, and in your case, familiar problem in my Equestria. Do you think you could… I don’t know… pass on a message to let him know I used the Twili Portal to… come here, and I’ll meet him in Canterlot?” Scott sheepishly asked.

“Hmm.. that I can if there isn’t a monster attack for him to take care of. Last week it was a strange sandworm and the week before that it was a sea monster.” Muna explained as she used her magic to manifest a couple of images.

Scott simply smiled. “And much like my Equestria, there’s never a dull moment in Jeff’s home turf. I can only hope I get lucky and there isn’t a monster attack, because this is kinda urgent and important,” Scott soon got up and looked at the front entrance. At first, he was going to step closer, until a familiar figure stepped into view. The man that looked a lot like Scott, only, stranger. His hair was white, his skin was as dark as a casting shadow. It’s eyes stared directly into Scott’s, nothing more than a beaming pair of red spheres. It showed no malice, yet something sinister still persists.

“...I sense this is something not of Nightmare, but of a mental scar. We won’t be able to erase this one, Scott, but we can try to help the best we can.” Muna said as he planted a hoof into the dream grounds.

Scott sighed. “There’s no point. Even if you could do something, whether it’s my Luna, or you, it won’t slow it down or repress it… I don’t even know what this thing is, but every time I’ve had a nightmare be… healed, pushed back, or fended off… that thing will always show up, and when it does… it usually means one thing,” Scott walked forward, now mere inches away from this dark reflection of himself. And he tapped his cheek, as if expecting a punch to be thrown. “It’s time to wake up.” Scott stated.

The figure readied a punch, and Scott didn’t fight back or struggle, something about this lack of resistance made it hesitate, but not for long. Scott was struck and sent flying, the dreamscape was crumbling.

Scott snapped his eyes open, he noticed that Deko was on his chest, sleeping peacefully. Scott smiled softly and carefully held his friend close while slowly climbing down from the tree.

Scott looked out to the sunrise, welcoming a new day, and a chance to keep pushing forward. The human slowly walked forward, carrying the sleeping Korok in his arms, and made his way towards the distant castle up ahead. “Canterlot, here we come.” Scott quietly stated.

Scott could barely handle the idea of walking any further, it’s been a rather long walk, hours of passing by lush green fields, and following the train tracks like a hitchhiker. At least he was well rested, otherwise he’d be complaining till the cows came home. Deko was calmly sitting on the back of Scott’s neck, looking out at the environment from a taller view. “So, how far do you think we have left to go before we get to Canterlot? Because we’ve been walking for hours, and it has felt like we haven’t gone anywhere.” Scott remarked, trying to shield his eyes from the brightness of the sun.

Deko looked ahead, and noticed a tunnel coming into view. “I see a tunnel, must be large enough for those trains to go through!” Deko pointed out.

Scott looked over and saw the mountain he saw yesterday, as well as the train tracks he was following that continued into the tunnel. “Huh… maybe it wasn’t as long as I thought, it just felt like it. Time to hope I can finally talk to Jeff, if I find him!” Scott remarked.

With what energy he had, Scott held onto Deko and broke out into a sprint, and managed to make it, but soon found that his hopes were dashed into the rocks when he saw more stairs. Scott’s eye twitched, he groaned in frustration, but he just decided to keep going, no matter how much his feet ached. “Oh great, more stairs… might as well throw Vilgax my way, what’s another set of broken bones.” Scott griped.

Scott made sure to say his goodbyes to Deko, and continued on his own, steadily walked up the flight of stairs, but was thankful for the shade that was provided from the sun’s rays. Scott eventually found himself on a smooth concrete path leading upwards, and could hear the sound of multiple voices, likely ponies waiting for the next train. Scott quickly rushed up the path, and found himself in a pretty sophisticated train station. Brick paths, multiple track lines, around ten to be exact, and it was chocked full of ponies, as well as a couple other species native to this world. Gorons, some kind of bipedal fish humanoid, a small merchant wearing a fancy cone hat and leaf stache, as well as some bipedal avian creatures, each one resembling some kind of species of bird.

Scott whistled, clearly impressed by the state of the place. Unfortunately, his whistle caught the attention of every single pony in the station. Trains stopped moving, all movement just seized, and Scott was being stared at by an innumerable amount of eyes, each one judging him.

Everyone was surprised and confused by Scott’s presence. “Is that the Hylian? He looks so different, and he’s dressed in strange tatters.” One pony speaks up.

Scott slowly walks forward, trying to make things less awkward. “No, can’t be. His ears aren’t pointy, but maybe it’s one of those fancy masks. Goro.” A Goron remarks.

Scott notices another set of stairs going up, and tries to move through the small crowd of ponies carefully. “He’s so strange looking, I doubt that’s because of a mask. Has to be someone new, he doesn’t carry the sword he has.” A Zora pointed out.

Scott slowly inches closer and closer to the stairway, only to have his path blocked by two golden spears being formed into an X shape. The human looks down at the guards, who are eyeing the human suspiciously. “Hey there, I don’t suppose you’d be willing to let me pass?” Scott politely asked.

The two guardsponies gave Scott a long hard look as if he was an alien.. Which wasn’t too far off from the truth. One of them ignited their horn, casting some kind of spell that made Scott’s body flash in blues and purples. “...Not a changeling.. What business do you have in Canterlot?” The guard questioned.

Scott sighed in relief. “Well, I’ll be honest with ya, as a fellow lawman myself. I’m here to ask for help, not from your princesses, but from a Hylian named Jeff. We met and he was able to train me and give me what I needed to handle an extraterrestrial threat that could’ve caused more than just problems for my world,” the guards raised their brows in suspicion, but Scott kept his composure. “See, that threat I apprehended… ended up getting stolen away by changelings, and with his tech in their hands, it’s already going to be an issue when that threat’s boss comes calling. Jeff might be the only one who can provide me some aide in gathering research so I can stop it. Put yourself in my shoes… err, horseshoes, soldier, if you had friends who could be wiped out by a dangerous threat, wouldn’t you do anything and everything you could just to stop the bloodshed?” Scott explained. Everything he said was technically true, but he wasn’t really counting on luck to be on his side, he was still hoping for the best.

“If it is so urgent to request of Celestia’s Champion, then why haven’t you sent him a letter via dragon fire?” The guard questioned.

Scott’s face twisted into that of pure dumbfoundedness. “That’s a thing here?! First I’m ever hearing about it! It’s my first time here in Jeff’s world, things are very different, and judging by the numerous eyes I still have on me,” Scott looks back to see a couple ponies in the steadily forming crowd sneering and glaring at him with disgusted expressions on their faces. “Some things haven’t changed, not that it matters.” Scott stated briefly.

“...Yes, Jeff’s dragon, although despite being slow in learning the spell, receives letters sent by princesses, kings, royalty, Dukes and Duchesses, and sometimes on rare occasions by the Dragonlord of the Dragon Isles.” The guard explained.

Scott was thoroughly at a loss. This was all a first for him to hear it. “You said Jeff had a dragon?” The guard nodded his head. “The first encounter I had with a dragon was when it was in a fit of rage, solely because it was mourning its mate and dead children. Anyone can pull the race card, but it doesn’t matter what species you are, no one deserves that,” Scott tried to think of a way past, but by this point, it was either fight or flight, and he did not want to risk a political incident. “Look, this is very important. I didn’t know a damn thing about getting messages from dragon fire, I would’ve asked Princess Luna about that before I came here, not like it would’ve mattered, different worlds after all, wouldn’t be sure if it’d work. I only got here because Jeff was kind enough to leave a Twili Portal over my home, it’s how I got here! Please, my world could be at stake. I just got friends, I can’t lose them so soon!” Scott pleaded.

“It's alright, boys, he can come through.” A voice spoke out, causing the guards to turn around. Low and behold there she was, Muna in the physical realm. She looked almost the same but her twin voices were now one voice.

Scott looked at Muna, and bowed his head. “Many thanks, Princess. Hey, your voices are one now, and you’re not using the olde English like you were in the dreamscape!” Scott thanked.

“I only speak that old tongue when we’re in the dreamworld, or if my other half wants to speak.” Muna said with a nod as the guards moved out of the way to allow Scott through.

Scott stepped forward. “So, which half am I speaking to now? Or is it both? This might confuse me for a bit…” Scott quipped, chuckling a bit.

“Me of course.” She said with a soft giggle. “I don’t let her speak out in public, our.. past deeds is still fresh on everyponies mind, well until Nightmare Night arrives, then it's fun and games rather than fear and dread.” Muna explained.

Scott nodded his head in understanding. “Yeah, the whole mare in the moon thing. That’s still a problem in my world, it hasn’t happened yet, but I have two weeks left to find a solution… it’s why I’m here, actually.” Scott said, looking at Muna, his expression serious and concerned.

Muna’s eyes narrowed into slits for a moment. “..How serious is it?” she asked in concern.

Scott hesitated for a moment, but decided to come out with the truth. “If it helps anything, it’s not you, err, my Luna, nor is it Celestia. It’s someone they knew, Eclipsed Blackheart, she’s been constantly creating a Blood Moon phenomenon at a constant rate, and she’s only now hiring armed bounty hunters to look for ways to escape or take me out… I was told of one possible way to stop her, but I know next to nothing about them, other than from what Jeff, Nayru and my Luna were able to tell me.” Scott explained.

Muna softly cringed the names they were given, while a soft hiss escaped the corner of her mouth, hinting that Nightmare Moon did not approve of such names, especially this otherself’s actions. “Well, there is a way, but.. Let us get to the castle and speak in private..”

Scott nodded his head, and followed Muna’s lead. Scott looked down momentarily at the Altnetrix, then noticed Deko was gone, but instead of concern, he was determined. He won’t let his Equestria down, he won’t let his friends down. He has a job to do, and he’ll get it done.

He needed to learn more about the Elements of Harmony.

...And Like The Times Before... Part 2 (cross-over with DisplacedWriter)

[Canterlot Castle, Jeff's Equestria]

Scott was beginning to develop a vendetta against flights of stairs. First, it was a flight of stairs to a train station, then it was another flight of stairs to Muna’s room. The castle was rather intrinsic and beautiful, inside and out, but it’s not like Scott was there to be a tourist, he was there to get help from a friend.

Scott sat on the princess’s bed, marveling at how… incredibly similar Muna’s room was to his Luna’s, especially down to the candles. “I guess all Lunas share the same taste in decor.” Scott stated.

Muna’s horn glowed and her eyes flickered white for a moment, and it felt as if a pulse of magic pushed past Scott. “There, now I have ensured that our conversation will remain private, no one will hear a thing we say.” Muna stated.

Scott nodded his head. “Well, I’m not gonna beat around the bush with this, so I’ll be upfront,” Scott cleared his throat and mentally prepared himself for what he was about to request. “I need Jeff’s help in researching his world’s elements of Harmony, so I can figure out how to properly utilize the ones in my world, if I can somehow make them work again.” Scott explained.

“Well, he and the element bearers are actually the reason we are what we are. They used the elements to weaken me before removing Nightmare Moon into a mask using the Song Of Healing.” Muna reaches up, however there is hesitation, but eventually she gently grabs her face, giving it a soft tug. Purple energy swirled around her head before with a bright flash blinded Scotts vision. As the light cleared, Luna stood there, looking alot like Scott’s Luna, however there was no crescent moon on her forehead, no red moon, and her hair flowed alot freely, looking a little less misty. As Scott looks down, he sees her holding what looks to be the face of Nightmare Moon in mask form.

Aside from being creeped out by now technically seeing the face of Nightmare Moon for the first time, he was more surprised to know that this Luna was wearing a mask the whole time. “Wow… For the first time in my life, I’m at a loss for words.” Scott remarked, a bit of his boston accent slowly coming forth.

“Oh come now.” Luna said with a huff. “Even from a human my beauty still tends to wow.”

Scott tenses up and starts to panic. “N-No, that’s not what I meant! Not at all! I just- I- I didn’t mean to- Ah crap!!” Scott panicked, more of his boston accent was slowly taking over. His face was becoming surprisingly red, as if he were a ripe tomato dunked in red paint.

“PFFTAHAHAHAHHAHA!” A laughter erupts from the mask before floating into the air. “Oh my stars, look how red he looks!”

“Nightmare please!” Luna said with another huff, reaching out to grab the Nightmare Moon mask, only for it to hover out of reach.

Scott covered his face and groaned in embarrassment. “Wasn’t expecting to be teased today, freakin’ unbelievable!” The alien hero scoffed, he was not having the best time.

Luna managed to yank her down via magic, quickly wrapping her forelegs to hug the mask.

“Awww, come on, let me tease him some more~”

“No, Nightmare. We don’t need to be making his future special somepony to get the wrong idea, Hylia damnit, why are you like this?” Luna said with a scuff.

Scott let out a dry chuckle, and looked at the mask. “You are lucky, so lucky, there isn’t a word that can describe it. How, you may ask? Simple. If it wasn’t Princess Luna, I woulda apologised to my friend in advance for how much damage I can and could put you through,” Scott was mildly seething. “The last time someone thought they could tease me, they ended up dead. Not by my hand, mind you, I’d be out of a job if it were. They didn’t even deserve it, but the scumbag who did it, got his desserts. You’re a mask, and aside from floatin’, from what I heard, you ain’t exactly a saint, from what little I gathered from Jeff and I’s last conversation. Not much you can do against a trained soldier without a body.” Scott ranted defensively.

“...Well now, the tomato turned into a hot pepper..” Nightmare said in mild surprise at the sudden shift in attitude.

“Don’t get any ideas, back on you go.” Luna said as she placed her back on, causing purple energy to swirl around and with a thunderous flash, she was back to her true form.

Scott closed his eyes and slowly took in deep breaths. Scott rarely ever got that heated, but when he did, he certainly wasn’t proud of himself afterwards. Scott’s face eventually returned to its normal color, and he looked at Princess Muna. “Sorry about that, princess. It’s ironic, I can have the thickest skin when it comes to insults, but the moment teasing happens, it’s like a hollow point ripping through a sponge cake.” Scott apologized, feeling ashamed of his outburst.

“You should really work on that then because if there is a special somepony who has interest in you, anger would not shine a good light.” Muna said with a half frown, while the other cheek was a grin for a moment before it got forced down.

Scott sighed. “I’m well aware that anger would likely be a turn off, almost made my folks split a couple times, but they worked it out… If they could do it, I can too,” Scott took a deep breath and locked eyes with the princess. “But, enough about me. Let’s get down to business, then I’ll spill my guts later, if it makes ya happy.” Scott compromised.

“What is it you wish to know about the elements of harmony?” Muna asked as she took a seat by her table.

Scott waited a moment before speaking. “I need to know as much as I can. How were they made, how do they rely on the power of friendship, why do they rely on friendship to work, how does one qualify to wield even one of these elements, where do I find them? Stuff like that.” Scott explained.

“They are known as the elements of harmony, six powerful medallions that an old goddess friend of mine had before she went on her journey. She never came back but the six medallions were found by six ponies, each of the medallions presenting a piece of harmony and a virtue: Honesty, Kindness, Laughter, Generosity, Loyalty and lastly Magic. Combined together and used, can be used to cleanse darkness, seal evil, or correct imbalanced hearts. They used it against me when I was Nightmare Moon, however Jeff, due to his kind heart, and due to a promise he made to Celestia, he sealed her into the mask I showed you earlier. If it wasn’t for him, I wouldn’t be here, and we would not be complete, I, as Luna, would only be half of what remains of our true selves.” Muna explained.

Scott was rather surprised, but he was focused on two important pieces of information. Those six virtues, he heard the same thing be said when he asked his Luna, so it must be either a constant across infinite Equestrias, or a random coincidence. Then there were the elements’ uses. Cleanse darkness, sealing away evil, and correcting imbalanced hearts, pretty similar to what his Luna told him before he left.

Scott carefully thought about the information that he was processing, but he didn’t exactly have any concrete ideas, however, Muna did say that six ponies found those medallions, and those were the elements of this world… an idea had come to Scott’s mind, and he was hoping it was a good one.

Scott stood up. “Princess, could I meet with this world’s Element bearers, see if they know anything more? You’ve been very helpful and rather patient with me, but I’ve heard most of this stuff already from my Luna, minus the mention of Jeff and the old goddess, and turning Nightmare Moon into a mask. Maybe if I knew who wields them here, perhaps I can try and figure out more accurately who will wield the elements in my world, once I’ve seen who these brave souls are. If they happen to know Jeff, then I can trust that they may have an answer.” Scott explained.

“You will find all six of them in ponyville. If you wish to get there faster, I suggest going to Jeff’s home to the west side of Canterlot between Faust and Craig street and ask him for a quick transport over.” Muna explained.

Scott sighed and nodded his head. “Let’s hope some of the citizens of Canterlot don’t try to assault and berate me. My Canterlot’s citizens definitely tried that after I saved their lives, didn’t work, and let's leave it at that.” Scott briefly stated.

Muna’s horn glowed as she undid the spell, and the alien hero walked out, waving to the princess as he left.

[Canterlot Streets]

Scott quickly found his way to the streets of Canterlot, and was already seeing a couple of ponies sneering at him. “Just another day.” Scott remarked.

Scott walked down the street, keeping an eye out for any street signs that tell him where he’s going, all the while, he tries to make sure he isn’t stepping on anyone’s hooves. The nasty looks were enough, he didn’t need someone screeching profanities over an accident.

The alien hero looked at the various stores, even seeing that Deku Scrub merchant from the train station, and while the items on sale were very interesting, Scott didn’t exactly have the money to be window shopping at the moment, but at least he could browse the wares.

Even if he had the bits, he didn’t even know what in the hell a “Rupee” was, but judging by the picture of what the currency was, it did look a lot like that one odd gem thing he saw Scootaloo have at one point. “It’s not easy being near flat broke, especially in another world.” Scott remarked.

Scott kept looking out for street signs, but by this point, his feet were aching like no tomorrow. He was barefoot, his only pair of clothes were still ripped and tattered beyond a simple fix, he didn’t have a bit or rupee to his name, and it was basically salt in the wound that he was starting to get lost.

Scott groaned and was about to scream, but as he was about to let out the most guttural and purely frustrated scream that will likely terrify the entirety of Canterlot, his scream was cut short as someone bumped into him. Scott looked down, only to be met by a… Dragon?! Sure enough it was indeed a dragon with a long serpent like body with red scales and an orange belly. It had three digit hands, a black curled horns, glowing green eyes and- wait, was it’s hair on fire?

Scott had to rub his eyes for a moment, just to confirm that this was what he was seeing, and sure enough, that was a dragon, and a very unique one at that. Scott looked down at the dragon, and knelt down. “Uh… hi there. Do uh… do you know which way is Jeff's place of residence?” Scott asked. Of all the times to encounter a dragon for the second time in his life, this was not what he expected.

“Jeff's home is Jeff's home! There!” She bellowed out in half broken English before suddenly zipping off past Scott as she… flew? Scott had to rub his eyes again at seeing the dragoness fly using only the fire of her hair.

Scott, like the first time he encountered a dragon, was in awe, but finally managed to find out what the guard was talking about. This had to be Jeff’s dragon. “Well, that’s one way of finding my way. Now I only hope that I can keep up!” Scott remarked.

Scott ran after the dragon, passing a few ponies in the process as he hoped to find his friend’s home. Scott was not exactly sure what this Canterlot was like, but judging by all the shops, it certainly had a lot to offer in terms of its unique selection, his only had clothing shops and fancy restaurants as far as he could see. There was the soup kitchen, but he didn’t get the chance to explore that, there was work to do.

The dragoness eventually zips off to the right, quickly into and entering what looked to be the mailbox slot. Scott stopped to catch his breath, noticing the rather quaint homestead that the dragon led him to. Scott quickly dusted himself off, despite most of his shirt being torn to shreds and loosely hanging off his body, and his jeans were more ripped than the fashion trend that made it popular, and still being barefoot, he tried to make himself look decent.

Scott sighed and walked towards the door, knocking on it firmly, but also trying to be friendly about it. 'Okay, he doesn't know you were dropping by, just play it cool.' Scott thought to himself.

A moment later Jeff answered and the Hylian suddenly went blinking rapidly. “... How in the sacred realms did you get here, Scott?” Jeff asked in surprise.

Scott smiled and laughed weakly. “Twili Portal above my home, remember?” Scott held out his hand for a handshake. “Your world is crazy, lemme tell ya, but I’m not gonna lie, it’s pretty interesting. I met your world’s Luna… or rather, “Muna” in my dreams, and in person. Lovely lady, very patient, did not care for that teasing mask, though.” Scott stated, clearly exhausted.

“Ah, yea. Nightmare Moon loves to play around and tease, be glad she doesn’t give horrific nightmares like she used to do with me seven years ago. Poor Celestia did not get much sleep back then.” Jeff said as he opens the door fully, allowing Scott inside. “Also, I wish you had contacted me via my token before trying the Twili portal. I’m surprised you’re not in some kind of animal form yet.” Jeff remarked.

Scott’s eye twitched for a moment. “Jeff, whether it was the big version of that ancient stone, or a smaller version of the one you showed me and the princesses, you didn’t give me your token, or a copy of it. But, we can discuss that later,” Scott stepped inside Jeff’s home. It wasn't an expensive place, but it was very comfortable and homey. Scott looked the Hylian in the eyes, a serious and concerned expression on his face. “I’m not gonna sugarcoat this for you, pal, I didn’t have a lot of choices, and believe it or not, two weeks isn’t a lot of time to cover this kind of ground, especially on my own. I need help learning more about the Elements of Harmony, I can’t afford to lose the friends I just made to some psycho blood moon making mare. Please, I’m begging ya. I’ll get on my knees, if I must.” Scott pleaded.

Scott’s never been one to stoop as low as to beg, but this was a particular exception. He was running out of time, and needed Jeff's help. “Check around your neck, Scott. After you summoned me the first time, the statue would have shrunk down and appeared as a necklace. As for the elements of harmony, they’re basically coin shaped objects the mane six use to get rid of threats that either can’t be tamed, can’t befriended, or can’t be solved peacefully. Discord is a good example of this considering his chaotic ways and his constant over the top pranks. The six medallions are in the hands of Twilight Sparkle, Rarity, Pinkie Pie, Rainbow Dash, Fluttershy, and lastly Applejack.” Jeff explained to the best of his knowledge.

Scott felt around his neck, only to flinch at the feeling of the necklace in question. “How long was that there?! It’s like wearing something so light, like you're wearing nothing,” Scott felt remarkably stupid in that moment, and could only hope he didn’t forget about anything else. “Aside from… my most obvious fuck up, you mean to tell me RD and AJ can use the elements? W-Who’s Rarity? We’ve already met Gleaming in my world, Dash did compare you to a ‘Fluttershy’ when we first met, and… you saw my world’s chaotic pink pony, Carniva… I feel like my head’s spinning.” Scott remarked worriedly.

“SSSSH-!” Jeff said as he quickly covered Scott’s mouth. “Don’t mention that name, you’ll summon her. As for Rarity, she’s a white pony with purple curls, quite a fashionista.” he finished before uncovering the plumber’s lips.

Scott tried to remember if he saw anyone with that description, but the only pony who vaguely matched it was the admiral who… “Question, she wouldn’t happen to say ‘Darling’ at the end of her sentences sometimes, would she?” Scott asked skeptically.

“Yes, quite a lot but only to friends and ponies she’s gotten along with. Why do you ask?” Jeff said with a tilt of his head.

Scott furrowed his brow, feeling the kind of emotion that has no word or meaning, but it was not positive. “I met a pony like that, but she was no fashionista, and had no purple curls. Admiral Tempered Cut, that’s who it was, she was part of the royal guard, had short purple hair and said darling sometimes after sentences. She, along with a few other ponies, were the ones to find me when I was bleeding out because of that damn traitor!” Scott explained, his anger slowly resurfacing due to the memory of that fight.

“Multiverse tends to change things around, but what’s important is finding the following; One, a pony that is good at making others laugh. Two, a pony that is very generous, third a pony who is very kind, fourth a pony who is very loyal to her friends, and lastly a pony who is very good at magic, like very obsessively so. Small thought to take note of is that those ponies may be pegasi or unicorn, maybe even alicorn, even their genders may not be female.” Jeff said as he raised each finger.

Scott thought carefully about what Jeff said, but then something came to mind. “Wait… what happens if it doesn’t turn out exactly like that? For example, there are Zebras and Bat ponies, as well as some kind of strange variant of unicorn… is that possible?” Scott asked.

“Then that’d be a first for me as most worlds just follow the same formula, but nevertheless keep an eye and ear out, maybe even ask your Celestia if she’s had any kind of prophesied visions.” Jeff advised.

Scott was grateful to have some more specific details, and yet, it felt like he was missing something. Scott thought hard on what seemed out of place, and then it hit him. “Jeff, how exactly do I get home? I don’t have a token.” Scott asked.

“The Twili portal should still be in your world, all I gotta do is concentrate on my token and I'll zip over, I can also call on Cadance to send you back.” Jeff said as he gestures with his thumb, showing a smaller Twilight portal in the living room behind him.

Scott was amazed. “Huh… you can do anything, huh?” Scott stared at the smaller Twili Portal for a solid minute, before realizing there was a name he wasn’t familiar with. “Wait, who’s Cadance?” Scott asked.

“Princess Of Twilight.” Jeff said, and after those words were spoken, particles flew out of the portal, soon reforming into an anthropomorphic alicorn with pale skin and wearing a black dress. Her humanoid figure, coupled with the few equine traits she had, coupled with the ancient markings and the blue crystal heart on her leg, and the large wings, Scott was definitely unsure of what he was looking at, but he wasn’t going to be rude, he’s had a rough day, but he’s not gonna be rude, especially to a princess.

Scott cleared his throat and took a deep breath. “Jeff, I’m gonna be the straight man and tell you the first thing on my mind. In the past six years I’ve spent, from a child to now as a teenager, from having my life ruined by changelings, to seeing the galaxy and meeting tons of incredible and fascinating alien species, some even comparable to gods… despite how clearly beautiful this woman is, I don’t know what I’m looking at.” Scott explained.

Cadance let out a soft giggle. “First time seeing a Twili?” Cadance inquired.

Scott cautiously shook his head. “You have a lot of pony features, so in case Twili was the wrong answer, Hybrid was definitely my second guess… wait, there’s a race called the Twili!? I thought it was just another variant of magic!” Scott asked.

“It’s both. Twili magic used by a race of Twili ponies. We’re called Twilis due to living in a realm of constant twilight. I look like this due to a curse Sombra placed on me when he yanked me and my kingdom to his world as a last ditch effort to rule over it. Due to me and my ponies being in the realm of twilight, we ended up transformed by it.” Cadance pauses to raise her hand, causing a crystalized black heart with green runes to appear over her fingers. “After me and Jeff defeated Sombra, I earned my cutie mark and became an alicorn. I wanted to return to my normal size so I tried to use the crystal heart’s magic to cure me, and well, here I am in a more humanoid form similar to Jeff.” Cadance explained.

Scott wasn’t even standing upright, he collapsed and sat against the wall trying to process the rest of Cadence’s words. “Wh-... I feel like I aged five hundred years, everything is not making sense, and I don’t mean that in an offensive way… my head is killing me, and it’s not going fast enough.” Scott stated, trying to gather his bearings.

“Welcome to the multiverse where anything is possible, think of it like the millions of aliens that come in all shapes and sizes. Does that help explain things?” Jeff asked.

Scott hesitated for a moment and slowly nodded his head. “Does anyone have a remedy for headaches? My head feels like it’s going to explode.” Scott asked weakly.

“I’ve got you.” Jeff said as he raised his hand toward Scott’s head. “[Life]” he said in a foreign language, causing cleansing waters to wash over his head, feeling very soothing and calming, like a very nice dip in the pool.

Scott slumped over and could feel his whole body relaxing, as well as his headache subsiding. “Oh man… Thanks a bunch, that was a lot to take in. It’s times like this where I have to wonder how Magister Tennyson went through all this at the age of ten. He must’ve been a stubborn kid, Christ almighty.” Scott groaned, steadily picking himself up as he leaned against the wall.

“Or a very imaginative and open mind. Speaking of which.” Jeff said as he reached into his pouch, soon pulling out the plumbers badge and a green book. “This helped me alot in translating the Book Of Mudora, revealing a lot of Hyrule's history, revealing the location of many artifacts, spells, and items.” Jeff stated.

Scott gladly took the book, but he was rather fixated on his old badge in Jeff’s hand. The alien hero smiled and pulled the Hylian into a hug. “Thanks for putting it to good use, and for what it’s worth, I’m sorry about the unannounced visit. It’s been… a rather stressful couple of days…” Scott remarked.

“I can relate, what with what goes on around Equus. If it ain’t crazed monsters, it's evil trying to stir up trouble.” Jeff said with a shake of his head, he turned to go sit down on the nearby couch along with Cadance; her arms gently wrapped around his neck, dropping a rather obvious hint to Scott.

Scott picked up on the hint and simply smiled, giving the couple a thumbs up. “Good on you both. Not the first time I’ve seen a cross species relationship, just the second time I’ve seen it work out. Just another day being a Plumber Cadet… Man, I’m exhausted,” Scott slumped back down against the wall. “It’s nice to sit down and relax for a moment. No alien activity, no changelings… it’s crazy, I love my job, it’s the one thing I’m good at, but good lord, it takes a lot and rarely gives, and I’ve been at this since I was twelve. Heheh… how am I still alive, I’ll never know.” Scott remarked, letting out a dry chuckle.

“Take as much time as you need, time flows differently in each world, you could spend two weeks here and it’d just be a few hours in your world.” Jeff explained.

Scott chuckled. “As easy as that sounds, and as much as my body wants to relax, a Plumber’s work is never done… I’ll rest a little longer, but then I have to start thinking. I have to think, have to plan, could be the only chance I have… even if I stop Eclipsed Blackheart, nothing will ever satisfy me once I put Chitin in jail… he tricked me, used me, and thought he could kill me… why was I so willing to trust him… I watched him kill an entire race, and still I wanted to trust him…” Scott groaned, the hero was still reeling from the betrayal, it was all so fresh in his mind, as well as the scars on his body.

"But you are not the only plumber, Scott, nor the only hero. Don't be like Atlas who was the only one to keep the sky lifted. So please for the sake of your sanity, call on me or anyone to help you out, alright? I’m one of your only humanoid friends in those two Equine worlds of ours.”

Scott lowered his head, but he got the message. “I don’t want to let them down… I keep pushing and pushing, I’m basically fresh out of a two day coma, I blacked out and bled out for the first time in my life and career, and despite recently recovering, I’m still pushing myself to work… it’s just one danger after the next…” Scott struggled to get up, but managed to stand on his own two legs. He looked at his tattered clothes, no more than shredded remains of what used to be his clothes he’d wear when he wasn’t on duty… now, ripped apart, torn into mere ribbons of cloth. “What am I going to do… If I come up with a plan and it doesn’t work… if the elements don’t work… what the hell am I going to do?” Scott shuddered, terrified of the idea of losing again, and not getting back up.

The fear in Scott’s eyes said it all, he was hurting, physically, mentally, he felt terrified, just as he did when he first encountered the changelings standing over his parents’ dead bodies years back. “I… I need a moment to… think.” Scott requested.

“Think it's time for a cold one, My treat, what kind of drink would you like that’ll help you out?” Jeff said as he got up, causing Cadance to let go of his neck.

Scott looked at Jeff, emotionally drained. “I’ll take an orange soda if you got it, please…” Scott requested.

“Can do, bud.” Jeff said with a soft salute as he headed into the kitchen. Moments later returning with a can of orange soda that was nicely frosty. Jeff tosses the can over to Scott while a can of strawberry was thrown over to Cadance, she caught it in her magic’s telekinetic grip.

Scott cracks the can open and takes a sip, feeling a cooled sense of relief wash over him. For a moment, it felt like he was back in his old world, walking along with his parents enjoying a warm summer day in the city. ‘Oh how simple those times were…’ Scott thought, feeling his nerves finally start to calm down.

Scott sighed and examined the can. “I haven’t had one of these in a long time, not since I graduated from the academy. Usually stuck to alien cuisine and MREs. Thanks.” Scott said, taking another sip from his soda.

“Anytime, sure it ain’t like earth’s soda but it's better than nothing despite its mostly fruit flavors.” Jeff said with a nod and a smile.

Scott chuckled a bit, and while it was nice to be a bit more clear of mind, he couldn’t help but be appreciative for his friend, seeing him happy with someone he found companionship with. “So, how did you two… get together, as it were? I’m sure that’s quite the love story, and… I could do with a bit of a break from constantly worrying about everything.” Scott asked.

“I did tell a bit of it, what with Sombra, my cursed imp form, how I tried to return my body to normal using crystal heart but instead it gave me this form. My guess is that I was in the Twilight Realm for so long that the energy has pretty much fused with my body.”

Scott nodded his head, and without the overstimulation and headaches he was feeling a moment ago, it was beginning to be a lot easier to understand. “Fascinating. It’s like a process of evolution and adaptation, only on a more magical and arcane scale.” Scott commented.

“Kind off. Think of it like the difference between a unicorn using magic while in the Twilight Realm but having to draw upon a different source rather than harmonic magic.” Jeff explained.

Scott was very intrigued by such a concept, but thinking back on previous dangers back in his old world made him glad he was displaced when he was. “Thinking back on it, I’m glad I was displaced where I was, and at the time it happened. If this happened during Aggregor’s hunt for the Andromeda species, or when Albedo managed to complete the Ultimatrix, I couldn’t begin to imagine what Twili Magic could’ve done for either of them. We’d both be in a worse world of hurt.” Scott remarked.

"They wouldn't be able to handle it, they'd turn into a spirit or an animal form.” Cadence explained.

“Not unless they’ve got some kind of holy item like my master sword and triforce of courage. The mane six was able to help me and Cadance out thanks to their medallions of harmony when inside the Twilight Realm.”

Scott nodded his head in understanding. “I wouldn’t put it past them to still try, villainy is like cancer. You can slow it down, but it’ll find a way to persist,” Scott looked at the book he got and flipped through the pages, managing to find a page that talked about the Twilis. “Aggregor has the ability to absorb energy, materials and DNA. If he managed to find a random member of the Twili species, he would essentially gain access to their powers and abilities, but it’d only be at a fraction of the strength. Albedo is a smart guy, and wields a device similar to Magister Tennyson’s Omnitrix, only it can evolve the DNA Samples into something truly monstrous. If he got access to Twili DNA, he could evolve the species further into a true destructive force of unfathomable potential,” Scott shuddered at the idea of a hyper-evolved Twili. “My point is, they are dangerous on their own, and could become even more so if they gain access to Twili DNA or Twili magic. If you happen to see either of those two in your world, don’t hesitate to drop by unannounced if it’s that bad. You’ve helped me out, and it’d be hypocritical of me to not return the favor. I’ll keep an eye out for them myself, can’t be too sure.” Scott explained.

Jeff thought about Scott’s words. “..Twili Magic sure, assuming they don’t get corrupted from using it.” he said, remembering what happened to the games with the Mirror Of Twilight and the Fused Shadow.

Scott was about to ask about what he meant by corrupted, but he could probably find more in the book he got, but he was still confused. “Jeff, how long has it been since our last encounter? Maybe it’s just me, and the few tears still in my eyes, but I could swear you look, well, older. Time really does work differently here, doesn’t it?” Scott wondered.

“I did mention that each world has a different timescale. Your world might be faster than mine.” Jeff said with a nod.

Scott was definitely confused, if he wasn’t already. “How does that make sense?! From what I experienced during my conversation with Muna, the whole mare in the moon thing and finding the elements of harmony have already happened here, whereas neither has happened yet in my world. The mare in the moon is still in the moon, but with the information you gave me about what qualifies you to use the elements, I may still have time to figure this whole thing out.” Scott stated.

“Oh for the love of Nayru, Scott, stop applying logic to everything, you’ll get a headache like trying to figure out how Pinkie Pie does the things that she does.” Jeff said with a frown. “You seriously don’t want to experience the same mental breakdown of what Twilight Sparkle went through, or lesson zero as she called it.”

Scott’s eye twitched again. “Don’t know what a ‘Lesson Zero’ is, but logic is my safety net in times like this. It helps me make sense of things, so I don’t break down. I never said logic was the perfect solution, as you likely saw,” Scott took a deep breath and tried to keep his composure. “Besides, we both know that in my world, it’s a headache on its own to comprehend that odd little ball of pink chaos.” Scott explained.

“Exactly, so think of all of the worlds exactly as said ball of chaos, they either make no sense or they follow a different kind of laws and reality.” Jeff explained.

Scott sighed and held his hands up in defeat. “Alright, let’s say you win this one, before we both break down,” Scott stood up and took another sip from his soda can. “But you gotta admit, it does seem rather strange. Maybe it’s another show of influence from those void dwellers you told me about, it would make sense with how many innocent people they’ve likely displaced, I’m still thankful it was you who I got to meet first. I just wish I wasn’t here in your Canterlot on my own, it’s a shame that Korok I helped out couldn’t go in, for whatever odd reason.” Scott stated.

“Koroks prefer nature rather than busy bustling cities, a lot of them are quite shy.” Jeff explained.

Scott shrugged his shoulders. “I mean, he was getting attacked by three of those Bokoblin things. Managed to use one of my new transformations to calm a couple of them down and convince them to turn themselves into the law enforcement of your world, but the third one, likely their leader, I might’ve broken something in them, but they scurried away, likely nursing their wounds,” Scott flipped through the pages of the book again, managing to find a section about Koroks, though he did notice a lot of paper clips that had what seemed to be translations of the Hylian texts. “It was my first time meeting a Korok at all. Maybe you know them? His name was Deko, he was spreading the seeds of Everfree, and I’m quite surprised to know that the everfree forest is, from what I was told, alive. This all happened yesterday, mind you, the first few minutes I ended up here, and I was already doing the whole hero thing so casually.” Scott explained.

“Well of course I know him, I visit him and the great Deku and Muko trees often in Everfree. And yes, she is the spiritual guardian of her forest’s namesake.” Jeff said with a nod. “..Wait, since you helped him out, did he give you a Gasha Seed?” Jeff asked.

Scott was initially confused, but he did soon notice a bump in his back pocket. Scott reached into the pocket, and pulled out what looked like a blue tear shaped seed. Scott was thoroughly confused. “Now how did that get there? Is this a Gacha whatsit?” Scott asked.

“Gasha Seed, not Gacha. You plant them in the ground, take good care of it, and it’ll bloom into a Gasha Tree, and eventually a basketball sized Gasha Nut. Crack them open and inside you’ll find a collection of goodies, mostly toys, Knicknacks, candy, or whatever small that’d make you happy.” Jeff pauses to show his hand, showing a number of rings. “It's how I got those enchanted rings.”

Scott smirked and laughed. “Okay, show off that magical bling, it’s not a contest,” Scott examined the Gasha seed in his hands, and could only stare in awe. “Maybe, just this once, I’ll let logic take a break, there’s no way to explain toys, candy, and knicknacks coming from a nut that grew from a tree, that was only grown from a seed shaped like a blue tear.” Scott remarked.

“Just remember it's only for one time. If you want more, you’ll need to perform good deeds to encourage it to grow another nut.” Jeff explained, and it made Scott realize why the Hylian had so many rings considering the good he does.

Scott nodded his head. “I’ll be doing a lot of good once I get back to my world, but I do want to do one thing, if it helps any. For putting up with… everything relating to my unannounced visit, is there anything you want in return? After putting up with all of this, I may not have money or a lot to give, still living in a shack mind you, but I can figure something out when the time comes.” Scott offered.

“Honestly, knowing you’re able to take care of things in your world with my help, is enough of a reward for me. Besides, I doubt there is anything you can do I’ve already got now.” Jeff said with a raised hand.

Suddenly, Scott’s hair is assaulted by Volv playfully attacking. Scott flinched for a moment, but simply laughed at the sudden show of playfulness. “I guess it goes without saying I followed your dragon to your home. Never saw a dragon quite like this before.” Scott remarked, reaching out to pet Volv.

“She’s a Subterranean Lava Dragon,” Jeff pauses to lower his voice. “And the only one of her kind since I’ve not been able to find another like her.”

Scott was taken aback. “She’s endangered, on the brink of extinction? T-That… that’s terrible! What kind of heartless monster would do such a thing to such a magnificent creature?” Scott wondered, disgusted by the idea of hunters and poachers existing in this world.

“I don’t know since nothing in Hyrule historian nor equestrian have told me why, for all I know she might be from a bygone age, either that or her race was dangerous when they’re fully grown and easily controlled by evil magic.” Jeff said with a sigh, remembering the manga all too well.

Scott could feel his blood boiling, but he kept his composure, though he was still angry. If this had happened to the dragons in his old world, or in his Equestria… There's no divine force or godlike alien species that could stop him from doing something very out of line, considering his line of work.

Scott put a hand on Jeff’s shoulder and looked the Hylian dead in the eyes. “Say the word, and I’ll be here before your heart can beat, and I’ll gladly find the perpetrators, one way or another. Call it some good ol’ fashioned Plumber justice.” Scott stated seriously.

“If I find out I might.” Jeff said before reaching up to ruffle up Volv’s fiery hair, who was currently laying on top of Scott’s head.

Scott smiled at Volv and lightly scratched the bottom of her chin. “It’s interesting that this breed of dragon can do what most Pyronites can do when they're off their home planet, controlling their natural fire and flames so they don’t burn anything or anyone by accident. Phenomenal, I wonder if this breed of dragon exists on Pyros, might be something to look into if I ever find a way back.” Scott remarked.

“Hey, anything is possible with the multiverse, it's all about finding it first.” Jeff said with a chuckle as Volv wrapped her mouth around Scott’s hand, quickly wrestling it.

Scott laughed and playfully tugged his hand away, playing a game of pseudo tug-o-war with the dragon. Eventually, Scott managed to pull his hand free from Volv’s mouth, and sat down on a chair, letting the dragon sit on top of his head. Scott smiled as he looked around the room, seeing Jeff and Cadance, and noticing the orange soda he still had in his hand, he felt at peace. In a roundabout way, this is the most normal he’s felt in the past few years.

Scott took a deep breath and sighed, chugging what was left of his soda, crushing the can with his hand and pocketing it. “Well, this has been a pretty good visit. Again, sorry for dropping in unannounced, and next time I need ya, I’ll try to remember the necklace. Seriously, it feels like I’m wearing nothing at all, but then again, my clothes are kinda torn to shreds, so I already felt like that anyhow.” Scott apologized, chuckling a bit at his situation.

“Hey, would you like Rarity to make you new clothes? I’m willing to pay.” Jeff offered.

Scott snapped his fingers. “Oh! Right! Muna said that you’d be able to get me to Ponyville. I… if your friends don’t mind another human, or in this case, Hylian-like figure in their presence, then I suppose it wouldn’t be too much trouble… I’ll pay you back for it when I eventually get the bits, it’s the least I can do.” Scott accepted the offer.

“No need, I get plenty of rupees from doing my job as Celestia’s guardian. And yea, I can get you to Ponyville quickly, but it’ll need to wait till tomorrow.” Jeff said with a nod as Cadance got up.

“I’ll see you later then, love~” Cadence said before giving him a goodnight kiss on his cheek.

Scott carefully took Volv off of his head, and sat her gently in the chair he sat in. “There, something more comfortable than my head for you to rest on.” Scott stated, petting Volv’s head as he backed away.

Scott laid on the floor, and simply tried to relax a bit. ‘Second night in another Equestria. At least I’m not at risk of being attacked by a Wolfos or Stalpony. Rough start, but tomorrow is another day.’ Scott thought.

Jeff gave Scott a long stare. “..Scott.” he began as he walked over to the crouch, gently pressing his foot down on some kind of pedal. Slowly out came a bed that was built into the couch. “Unlike most ponies’ homes, you won’t be sleeping all cramped up.” Jeff said.

Scott sat up, impressed by the foldout bed. “Your couch is clearly better than mine, it doesn’t have a built-in bed, but it does the job,” Scott sat up and laid on the bed, adjusting to the softer and more cushioned feeling on his back. “Woah… yeah, your couch is definitely superior to mine.” Scott remarked.

"Hey, it pays to order from Minotaurs as their height is the closest to humans.” Jeff said with a chuckle.

Scott looked at Jeff with genuine confusion. “Minotaurs… like, the ones from Greek mythology? T-Those exist here!?” Scott asked.

“Yes, head of a bull, upper body of a man, lower half of a bull. Damn fine builders, carpenters, and furniture makers.” Jeff said as Volv leaped down from the chair to run off into the kitchen.

Scott blinked his eyes rapidly, then just simply sighed. “The more I learn, the more it seems logic dictates that it wants to punch its own ticket by this point… if I ever encounter a Minotaur in my world, we should definitely see how strong I am as one next time we meet.” Scott remarked with a cheeky grin.

“For someone who met a lot of Aliens before their Displacement, you sure do doubt a lot when you learn or see new races.” Jeff said amusingly.

Scott shrugged his shoulders. “It comes with the territory. Azmuth, the creator of the Omnitrix, was skeptical of magic, despite managing to somehow gain access to the DNA of a Celestialsapien, something that’s very much just godlike and divine in nature,” Scott sat up and thought about his next words. “It’s like introducing a two to binary code, made up entirely of ones and zeroes, the moment a new variable is introduced that it has no prior knowledge of, everything seems to break and dismantle, but it would seem that the Altnetrix is different in that regard. It brought me to Equestria through displacement, and I don’t know who made it. I hope to find out one day, and when I do, I’ve definitely got some choice words for them, to say the least.” Scott explained.

“Funnily with how you act, you're the ones and zeros, and the other worlds across the void are the twos.” Jeff pointed out.

Scott opened his mouth, then closed it again. “Fair point… Hey, speaking of,” Scott pulled Jeff closer and decided to whisper into his ear. “Do they know that some of the stuff in your world comes from a game where you come from? I ask because I don’t want to say something stupid.” Scott whispered.

“Celestia has some understanding of it once she understood about the whole multiverse void and how Displaced can become and do anything. Cadence however I haven’t introduced yet, while Muna is just happy not to know about it.” Jeff whispered back.

Scott nodded his head. “So, tell me more about this “Game”. Is it popular where you come from, or is it like its own separate little niche?” Scott asked.

“Oh very popular, a series infact, but to better understand it, it’d be best if I compare it to something from your earth. Are there anything like some elf swordsmen who goes around exploring dungeons, collecting items, solving puzzles, taking down bosses, etcery?”

Scott looked at Jeff with a deadpan expression. “Aside from the only difference between the game I’m thinking of, and what you’re referring to, you just described Sumo Slammers. Instead of an elf swordsman, we have Ishiyama, a sumo wrestler who battles the monstrous demon known as Kenko.” Scott remarked.

“In Link’s case, the original that came before me, the one he had to take down was Ganondorf.” Jeff said with a nod, but before Scott could ask who, the Hylian raised his hand. “Read the book, it’ll explain everything, think of it as a bedtime story before you sleep.”

Scott grabbed the book and opened it up, flipping through the pages carefully as he tried to find information on this “Ganondorf” individual. As he continued searching, he did find a page that talked about a race of people that lived in the desert. “Hmm… Gerudos, huh? Yet another species I’ve never heard of. Almost seems like they’re exclusively female, least I know what to expect if I ever decide to get a DNA Sample,” Scott flipped through the pages again, finally finding the page that talks about Ganondorf, and seems to recognize some similarities he shares with the Gerudo. “Hmm… that’s odd… either I’m more tired than I thought, or he’s a Male Gerudo… Nah, couldn’t be… then again, alien ancestry tends to show more often after two or three generations…” Scott wondered.

“A male gerudo is born every one thousand years.” Jeff explained.

Scott raised an eyebrow. “Seriously? Gerudo genetics must not be that forgiving of males of their species if one is born every one thousand years… seriously, a whole Millenia for a male? Sounds… disadvantageous. Even asexual species like Necrofriggians still give birth to about twelve to fourteen offspring, just ask Magister Tennyson, he has fourteen Necrofriggian children.” Scott questioned.

"YYeaaaaa, read a little further." Jeff suggested as he gestured with his hand.

Scott did as his friend suggested, and his eyes widened. “Gerudo women, who are almost exclusively female, typically mate with Hylian men to procreate”?! Just how dominating are their genes, and why such disdain for the males of their species? Does it have something to do with Ganondorf himself?” Scott asked.

“You’re close though, it's because he betrayed their trust, and then many years later, he becomes something called Calamity Ganon, some kind of giant boar made of pure malice. Should I explain further or would you like to read it yourself?” Jeff asked. Scott took note that the Book Of Mudora was a little on the thick side.

Scott gulped and closed the book. “Explain it further for me. Please.” Scott requested.

“Well, many years into the past, at the very beginning when Equus was very young, back when Hyrule used to exist, Demise, Ganondorf’s original form and name, went to war with the goddess Vespera, the goddess of friendship and harmony, also known as one of the six goddesses responsible for Equus’s creation.”

Scott rubbed his eyes and sighed, seeming annoyed. “It’s always someone giving their kind a bad name, and simultaneously picking fights with divine forces… if I had a dollar for every time someone did this, I would’ve been able to retire at the age of thirte-” Scott let those words echo around in his skull for a moment. “I’m sorry, Who, the goddess of what now!?” Scott asked.

“Hey, this is very old history that I had to learn from Celestia and Luna, and this planet had A LOT of it. Vespera is the reason why the medallions of harmony exist, in fact they were once her powers before she took on a mortal form.” Jeff explained slowly in an attempt to avoid Scott going blue screen on him metaphorically.

Scott stared at Jeff in silence for what felt like hours, but was just two minutes. “This is insane, and I used to think stories about Ben holding the big bang in his hands were ridiculous…” Scott took a moment to process the information given to him, massaging his temples as he looked down at the closed book. “I can only imagine what kind of strange foreign history exists in my world… Wait, the tapestries! I have pictures of the tapestries in my world! They should be on the Picto Box you gave me, but that can wait till tomorrow, we already got something to do, so this could wait till then. Maybe you can make sense of what they depict.” Scott stated.

“Just a wild guess, you found them in a castle of the two sisters?” Jeff asked curiously incase of parallels.

Scott looked at him with confusion. “Is… is that what Canterlot Castle’s actually called?” Scott asked.

“No, this was Celestia’s and Muna’s first castle back in the Everfree before they moved to have a castle on the side of the mountain,” Jeff explained before pulling out his Picto camera, soon turning it on and scrolling through his pictures. He holds it up to Scott, showing the six pictures of the goddesses with the last one cracked and loss of colors. “Those were glass windows I came across when I explored their old castle when the book of Mudora talked about there being old treasure.”

Scott was rather impressed, but he wasn’t even aware that they had an old castle in the Everfree. “These are some phenomenal photos, but these are the photos I was talking about,” Scott grabbed his Picto Box and pulled up the photos for Jeff to see. The pristine white walls clearly indicated that they were taken inside Canterlot Castle back in Scott’s world. Each tapestry depicted events of Scott’s Equestria’s history, as did some of the glass stained windows, but those photos seemed distorted, or were likely capturing the gleaming light of the flash. One photo showed a tapestry that showed a strange shadowy cloud looking over a kingdom made of crystals, with various saddened and depressed ponies chained together. Another tapestry depicted what looked like UFOs descending on a village, and depictions of a younger Celestia and Luna were saving the day. “Seems like the princesses in my world were pretty busy, and dealt with aliens long before my displacement. I would’ve asked them myself, but my mind was more focused on getting your help.” Scott explained.

“Wait, that one picture, it's almost a parallel to Cadance’s kingdom back when I entered the Twilight Realm to save her, almost the same saddened and depressed look.” Jeff stated.

Scott clenches his teeth and decides to quickly change the subject. “Well, what can you tell me about this tapestry? The one with the UFOs. Does the location ring any bells?” Scott asked.

“I mean, I’ve fought aliens who beamed themselves down in light who were trying to capture Applejack’s cows, but that’s about it, no UFO flying around. But if I had to take a guess, this is either a piece of history explaining alien visitors, or a prediction of visitors to come. Did you ever get whoever made those tapestries?” Jeff asked with a tilt of his head.

Scot shook his head. “No, but I did notice one thing, out of the arrangement of tapestries,” Scott scrolled to a photo of what looked like an empty spot on the wall, shaped the same way the previous tapestries looked, as well as a noticeable pile of dust on the ground. “One of the tapestries was moved. What it depicts, I don’t know. Who made them, your guess is as good as mine. However, it seems a bit odd to leave the other tapestries on display, but move one of them that’s clearly been there longer than the others.” Scott explained.

Jeff began to slowly walk back and forth thinking deeply about it. “..I have a feeling someone doesn’t want you to know something. I’d offer time travel so that we’d see who moved it, but we don’t need a certain doctor who knock off to come after us..” Jeff remarked with caution.

Scott nodded his head in understanding, a slight scowl forming on his face. “Yeah, that’s no surprise. Doesn’t matter what species you are, if you’re a royal, you’ve got secrets to hide. I doubt this was my Luna’s doing, she was willing to discuss the problem with me face to face, it could be my Celestia’s doing, she was pretty cautious of me when we first met, can't be sure though,” Scott wasn’t familiar with this ‘Doctor Who’ Jeff spoke of, but he was familiar with the individual that seemed to best parallel. “Trust me, I’m not that eager to face Professor Paradox again. Also, I know it’s probably a bit late for this, but I’m sorry that he tried to attack us when we first met. I don’t know what provoked such a response, but something clearly happened back in my old world, and I can’t help but feel like that was a sign of worse things to come…” Scott apologized profusely.

“Bah, no worries, I mean I've been living in my Equestria for almost eight years, I'm used to it.” Jeff said with a wave of his hand.

Scott smiled, but he was still concerned, and for the right reasons now that he thinks back on that encounter. “Yeah, but… that was the first time I ever met Paradox, and he was nothing like what magister Tennyson described. Cryptic, yes, but he was so aggressive, I was surprised he knew about your sword, or that you were a Hylian, so that concerns me… I’ve got a lot of shit to do when I get back, but I’ll deal with it one step at a time.” Scott stated.

“Considering he can time travel, he probably knew beforehand before he arrived. What he wasn’t expecting was me attacking him, and it's likely thanks due to Nayru’s blessing that it makes me immune to time shenanigans.”

Scott smirked. “Lucky you!” Scott playfully punched Jeff’s arm. “I’ll be lucky enough that the Altnetrix gives me another extra life if things go wrong. Even then, we both got it bad if someone from my old world has it out for the both of us.” Scott stated, shuddering at the very thought.

“Nothing to do with luck, Scott.” Jeff said as he rubbed along his arm. Jeff would have liked to tell Scott that Nayru is the reason why he’s here, but knowing Scott he’d just get mad.

Scott smiled, and a yawn soon escaped him. “I think discussing the historical differences of our worlds is tiring me out… strange, death metal has the same effects.” Scott quipped.

“You did have a long day, what with you taking a chance with the Twili portal without me knowing, you could have ended up anywhere in Equestria.” Jeff said with a frown.

Scott grinned. “My job is about taking risks. Aliens, supervillains, magic psychopaths, demons, time travel, alternate dimensions… what’s life without a little risk anyhow? At least regardless wherever I ended up, I was lucky to end up in the same spot I landed when I first got displaced, it was familiar to me,” Another yawn soon escaped the alien hero, and his eyes felt very heavy. “Yeah… I think it’s time to sleep. Maybe if I’m lucky, I’ll run into Muna again. Knowing how my nightmares are, she shares something in common with my Luna, saving my ass when I need it most.” Scott remarked, laughing a bit.

“She’s here every night as it's her domain to make sure everyone and everypony sleeps well.” Jeff said as he stretched his arms above his head. “Will the pillow be enough for you to sleep?”

Scott nodded his head. “I’ll be fine. I’m just hoping that the last nightmare won’t be on repeat. Seriously, why the hell was Magister Tennyson this weird elven statue thing?! As if the drowning imagery wasn’t bad enough.” Scott remarked, shuddering at the mental image in his head as he laid down.

“Alright bud, but if you ever need anything, just ask. You are my guest afterall and this is your second time sleeping in another world afterall.” Jeff said with a nod.

Scott gave a thumbs up and closed his eyes, trying to relax. “Goodnight, pal. See ya in the morning…” Scott yawned.

Another day has come and gone, with Scott and Jeff finally united again, the morrow will be quite eventful when the duo's next destination... is Ponyville.

...And Like The Times Before... Part 3 (cross-over with DisplacedWriter)

Something has gone wrong. We don't seem to have an archived copy of that chapter.

...And Like The Times Before... Part 4 (cross-over with DisplacedWriter)

Scott and Jeff leave the boutique, and Jeff takes the lead, with Scott following close behind. The duo move east of town, with Scott still feeling ponies eyes on him, staring as he passes by them. As they continue to move forward, they eventually end up arriving at a building with a sign that read “Canon Express”.

Scott raised an eyebrow at the sign. “Huh… I guess we’re at the right place…” Scott watched Jeff walk into the building, and Scott sighed as he followed suite. “Well, if this is how it ends, via cannon fire, at least I went out with a bang.” Scott remarked.

As the duo arrived inside the building, Scott saw two creatures behind the desk, a bird-like humanoid and an earth pony who was standing on some kind of platform with mechanically legs. “Oi Jeff, here again to use the canon?” the earth pony asked.

“Trip for two this time, he’s new to taking the canon.” Jeff explained as he started shuffling through his pouch.

Scott waved to the workers, trying to look more optimistic. “Nice to meet, and don’t worry, I’m not here for trouble, just to clarify. It’s work related.” Scott stated.

“No worries, we’ll get your airlegs working in no time!” The winged humanoid said.

Jeff nodded. “Scott, this is Emerald Bristle-”

“Yo.” Emerald said with a salute of his hoof.

“-and Maslivi, a Rito, by the way.” Jeff finished their introductions.

Scott nodded and held out his hand for a handshake. “Nice to meet you both, I’m Scott Baristo. I’ve run into my fair share of earth ponies, but it’s always a privilege to meet a new species. Hopefully life here in Equestria has been safe and relatively peaceful, if you overlook the monster attacks.” Scott introduced.

“You're damn righ' cheers to this guy righ' now.” Emerald said with a gesture of his goof toward Jeff.

“I’m just doing my job whenever the mane six isn’t emerald.” Jeff said sheepishly as he rubbed the back of his head.

Scott smiled and nudged Jeff’s side a bit. “Come on, don’t be so modest, you’ve clearly done a lot to help others, be proud of that, just don’t lose your head,” Scott looked back at Emerald and Maslivi. “Speaking of… this is my first time going through cannon travel. How exactly does this work?” Scott asked, feeling uncertain.

“Its real simple, you ge' comfortable inside the canon, and this here half bird half canon will take aim and launch you into cloudsdale. Don' worry ‘bout the landing, the clouds there are super soft!” Emerald explained with excitement in his voice.

“Figuring out this ancient thing took us a lot of work, trial and error, and a lot of bruises with us as the test dummies.” Maslivi said as he gestured to the room next door.

Scott simply blinked, trying to figure out if he heard these two right, then he looked at Jeff. “Well, not like we got any other choices. You said there’s no owl statue, and I don’t have a flyer, so… I guess we’re going into the cannon… Celestia, help me.” Scott remarked nervously.

“Don'' you worry abou' your pretty lil' head, we'll ge' you there!” Emerald said as he grabbed a crank on the mobile device, making its mechanically legs move itself forward into the next room with Maslivi following behind.

Scott looked to Jeff. “Well, lead the way. Anything I should do before that thing goes off with us inside it?” Scott asked.

“Just don’t think about it.” Jeff said with a nod as he followed the other two.

Scott frowned. “Gee, thanks.” Scott said sarcastically. Scott tried to focus on the deep breaths and keep his composure, following Jeff as they continued to walk.

As they entered the next room, Scott saw what looked like a cannon made of stone sitting with bird legs, it was even sitting like one too. Jeff walked over to what looked like a chain dangling from its back, and with a soft pull, Jeff was yanked inside. A second chain slid out and dangled, as if waiting for Scott. Scott sighed and walked over to the chain, and with a soft pull, he was pulled inside as well.

The two were inside some kind of small round room that was a little on the cramped side. There were two seats in the middle of the room. Jeff quickly sat down and prepared himself for the ride. Scott, on the other hand, was just trying to keep himself calm. “I’m having second thoughts about-”

“Left off in three.”
“Two.”
“ONE!”

The whole room shook as the canon moved about and rotated its body. There was a moment of silence before it started to vibrate along with what sounded like energy building up. Suddenly the front opened up and there they went being shot through the air super high up.

Scott yelled out as he went flying through the air. Scott could feel the wind blowing in his face, the lack of solid ground beneath his feet, seeing clouds at his eye level, it was a very crazy thing to experience. It was like skydiving, but in reverse. Meanwhile Jeff still remained in his seating position being as cool as a cucumber. “How are you so unfazed by this!?” Scott exclaimed, flailing around in the air.

“Sora’s training a number of years back, he basically dropped me in a loop through portals just so I wouldn’t be bothered by this, it was also to help me with fighting mid-air aerials or a very long skydive. Sora is basically a Displaced, I’d say of what but I doubt you’d know what Kingdom Hearts is.” Jeff explained as he turned to look at Scott; his hood and hair whipping with the wind.

Scott let out a frustrated groan. “You’d definitely be right about that, pal!” Scott exclaimed.

The duo continue to ascend through the air, until what looks like a city standing among the clouds comes into view.

“There it is, Cloudsdale, city of the sky where most of the pegasi live at. Buckle your legs, we’re about to touchdown.” Jeff warned Scott as he bowed his legs.

Scott immediately curled himself up into a ball, bracing for the landing. Jeff manages to land on the cloud feet first, where Scott gets a bit stuck halfway through the cloud, as he tries to keep himself from falling off the edge

“Oh hey, an alien pancake.” Jeff said jokingly in an attempt to enlighten the mood.

Scott seemed to yell in frustration, with it all muffled because his face was in the cloud. Scott eventually pulls his face free, showing he now had a glorious cloud stache on his face. Unamused, he shakes off the excess cloud on his face, and gets back onto his feet. “I bet you felt that way the first time, otherwise, I call hacks,” Scott looked above, seeing tons of pegasi flying around the air. “I do have to admit, though, this place… is pretty trippy.” Scott remarked.

“Nope, Sora’s training came first before the canon trip, no haxs here.” Jeff said as he purposely misspoke the word hacks.

Scott frowned at Jeff’s response, but he decided to simply let it go. “So, what’s up here in Cloudsdale, other than what looks like a hippy’s dream come true?” Scott asked.

“I mean.. don’t freak out, but…” Jeff pauses to allow Scott to look around, noticing many stone houses floating on the clouds with no supports holding them up, even the roofing on the houses had clouds.

Scott was very confused. “How, and I swear if you say magic, these ponies are going to see a rare opportunity to see an elf fight an alien robot.” Scott remarked, completely baffled by how the houses are even standing.

The Hylian smiled. “I mean eventually you’ll be seeing this again back in your world and get the same exact answers.” Jeff said with a chuckle as he held up his arms in a half shrug and half held in defense.

Scott’s eye twitched, he groaned in frustration. “We haven’t even been here in a minute, and I’m already asking questions… let’s get a move on. What should I expect to see, a rainbow factory, because why not?” Scott remarked.

“I mean it's where they all come from instead of being formed by rain droplets and air.” Jeff said as he gestured to a building that was making the rainbow.

Scott looked back at Jeff. “Magic just dictates everything in Equestria, doesn’t it? Dare I wonder what the afterlife is like, when it’s not being disturbed? Maybe later… let’s go.” Scott remarked, feeling like he was driving himself nuts with questions.

Hey, magic is universal with the only limitation being.. Whatever system is in place.” Jeff said with a shrug.

The pair continued forward, walking through Cloudsdale, all while Pegasi continued to fly around, some dressed up in some kind of work uniform. “So, just where exactly do we have to go, to get to your Rainbow Dash? Because I’m not gonna lie, a couple of these houses look the exact same to me.” Scott inquired.

“Wow, racist toward houses much?” Jeff said jokingly with a snicker, earning a bemused expression from the human. “No, she lives in the Cloudominium, which is kind of tower shaped.” Jeff corrected.

Scott chooses to not respond to that, solely for the sake of his sanity. “I’m guessing a Cloudominium is like a Condominium? That oughta be fun, hopefully it’s not as hard to navigate,” Scott couldn’t help but notice how soft the clouds were beneath his bare feet, it was like walking on a pillow made of dreams. “So, what is your Dash like? You met mine, and she likely told you a bit about herself.” Scott asked.

“Very competitive, always aiming to be the fastest pegasi across Equestria, and responsible for something called the Rainboom, and I kid you not that's what they called it.” Jeff said, before hopping over a small hole in the cloud.

Scott rubbed his face and groaned. “Why am I not surprised… My Dash hasn’t mentioned anything like a ‘Rainboom’ or anything similar, so maybe it hasn't happened yet where I come from.” Scott remarked.

“When it does, its gonna have a kind of…” Jeff pauses to think as he rotates his hand. “A domino effect depending on who sees it.” Jeff hesitates.

Scott looked at Jeff with a mixed look of confusion and curiosity. “What’s that supposed to mean?” Scott asked.

“According to Celestia, it’ll lead to many ponies being fated to meet and become friends, cause you know harmonic magic.” Jeff explained with a shrug.

Scott’s mental fortitude was being stretched thin, but his resolve to keep going is still as strong as ever. “So this is what it’s like, slowly going insane… I have a lot to discuss with my Celestia, and I’m definitely not taking no for an answer, but that’s for when I get back home,” Scott looked around, barely seeing any sign of the Cloudominium. “How much farther do we have to go to get to the place your Dash is staying in?” Scott asked.

“Just around this corner aaand… here it is!” Jeff pauses to hold his arms out as if to say 'tada'.

Scott looks to where Jeff is holding his arms out, and is absolutely shocked by how big the building was. His jaw dropped when he finally saw it. “I thought it was a Condominium, not a tower! How can she afford a tower!? Your Dash must be loaded!” Scott exclaimed.

“She takes part in a lot of races and wins quite a lot, not to say she’s the absolute best. There’s been times she’d get depressed or distracted by things” Jeff said as he resists the urge to mention her head in the clouds.

Scott manages to finally close his mouth and snap out of how huge her home was. “So… how do we get up there? I don’t have a flying alien, and again, none of those owl statues in sight.” Scott asked.

Jeff took a step and paused, Scott had to rapidly blink as he saw the clouds form out into a mist-like bridge toward her home. Scott threw his hands into the air and simply walked forward across the bridge. “Sure, why not, that works.” Scott remarked, clearly done questioning how things work anymore.

“You really need to open up your mind more, Scott..” Jeff suggests, concerned for Scott’s mental well being.

Scott gestured to the door. “Just knock on her door, I need a moment… freaking mist bridge, what did I expect.” Scott remarked, feeling frustrated, but on the bright side, at least his head wasn’t hurting this time.

Jeff raises his hand, giving the door a firm knock. The pair waited for a moment, the muffled sound of something flying around from inside the residence could easily be heard, as well as the sound of something falling over. “Just a moment!!” The sound of a muffled raspy voice called out.

Scott looked over at the door. “I’m not sure what I expected, but I guess voices and how they sound just stay the same.” Scott quietly commented.

The sound of glass clinking could be heard, and soon enough, the door slowly opened up, revealing a very tired and exhausted light blue pegasus. Aside from some physical details that have remained the same, the only differences Scott noticed was the lack of clothing, and a bigger set of wings.

Scott moved his head to the side, glancing at what the interior of the home looked like. Tons of empty glass bottles. “Sheesh… looking at that hurts my liver on its own.” Scott remarked with concern.

“Pegasi are built a little differently.” Jeff said, then looked as if he was bracing for impact.

Scott raised an eyebrow at the Hylian’s sudden bracing, but before he could question it further, the blue pegasus suddenly pushed forward and roughly bear hugs Jeff with her wings. “HEeeey! Good to see ya, Jeff!” The pegasus gives the Hylian a bit of a harsh pat on the back before noticing the other humanoid figure on her property. “Who- Who’s this square?” Dash commented.

Jeff rapidly expelled his air at Dash’s usual rough greetings. “G-good to see you too.” he said through a wheeze. He takes a moment to get his air back. “This is Scott, a friend of mine.” Jeff introduced.

Scott opened his mouth to introduce himself, but before he could, the pegasus immediately pulled him into a hug, earning an audible and deserved groan of pain. He could already see another hospital visit in his future. “Nice to meet. You look a bit like Jeff, just… kinda more basic. What can you do?” The pegasus questioned.

Scott was barely able to free himself from the tight and rough constricting he was enveloped in, and could feel his upper body aching. “Well, if by basic, you mean human, then yeah… man, even my Dash isn’t that rough, you got some serious strength,” Scott thrusted his arms out to his sides, a mild crack sounding out as Scott seemed to relax. “As for what I can do, I can turn into aliens.” Scott explained briefly.

“Its a lot like how my magic and masks work, except more... advanced.” Jeff said, avoiding the whole concept of explaining about the watch’s tech.

Scott nodded his head. “More or less, yes. I have a time limit on my forms, whereas with the masks, anyone could stay in a specific form for as long as they want. In short, similar concepts, different means of transforming, one method lasts indefinitely longer than the other,” Scott could smell cider, and was once again drawn to the unfathomable amount of glass bottles he saw inside. “You mind if we come in, ask a couple questions, or… is now a bad time for you?” Scott asked.

Dash raises a hoof. “Nah, nah, it’s all good. Come in, a few bottles isn’t gonna be much of an issue,” Dash looks through her home and can’t help but notice the few piles of bottles. “Or ten, maybe tons…” A nervous chuckle escapes the pegasus, but she pushes the door open and flies inside. “It’s fine, I’ll clean it up later, just watch your step, barefoot.” Dash called out.

Scott sighed and looked at Jeff. “Can you say moderation? Cause I don’t think she can…” Scott remarked, slowly stepping inside the home.

“YYeaaaa, since she got a taste of Applejack’s Cider, she’s been kind of hooked.” Jeff whispered as he entered alongside Scott. Inside was as lavishing as the outside.. Well, other than the random piles of bottles, papers, and confetti. Scott eventually realizes that a party was had here, especially with the banners hung up saying ‘#1 racer’.

Scott was rather confused by the banner. “She’s a racer? Huh… I guess with speed like that, you gotta capitalize on what you’re known for,” The alien hero carefully maneuvered through the bottles, eventually making it to what was the sofa, carefully placing a few bottles that covered the cushions on the ground beside its frame, and taking a seat. “Must’ve been quite the party, you’re certainly different from what my Dash is like, going off of… not just the bottles.” Scott stated, trying to lessen the harsh judgement of his words.

That got the pegasus’ attention. “Hold up. MY Dash? What, is someone trying to copy my awesomeness out of jealousy?” Dash remarked.

Scott looked at the bottles scattered everywhere, and decided to not get into a pissing match today. “How are you able to drink so much? Your liver must be as strong as a Tetramand, and as persistent as an Appoplexian. You ponies function in a way I’ll never understand, even if I can somehow figure out how to turn into any variant of your species.” Scott remarked.

“Ex-nay on the alien ame-nay. She really doesn't know what any of those are..” Jeff remarked as Dash gave Scott a confused look.

Scott facepalmed and sighed. “They’re alien species that come from my world, tough, aggressive, combative, and stubborn as shit. Nuff said on that topic,” Scott leaned back and let himself try to remember why he was here. “Look, we didn’t come here just to discuss the differences between you and my Dash. I’m here to learn a bit more about this world’s elements of harmony, since I’m dealing with my own mare in the moon at the moment. We already discussed a few things with Applejack, and Jeff was hoping that maybe a bit of loyalty will be able to shine a light on things happening in my world.” Scott explained.

Dash seemed a bit stunned in silence. For a moment, Scott was just concerned with how quiet she was, it was like you could hear a pin drop. “Y-You’re joking. You’re dealing with that too? Don’t worry, just let the me in your world take care of Luna, and it’ll be fine.” Dash casually remarked.

Scott looked at Jeff for a moment. “You wanna tell her, or should I?” Scott asked, a deadpan expression on the Plumber’s face.

“Nooot the same Nightmare Moon you’re thinking of, Dash. Besides, she’s still in the mask, remember? Song Of Healing and all that?” Jeff said as he rotated his hand.

Dash seemed to look a bit confused, then she looked at Scott. “Wait, you’re serious? W-Well… I-I’m still sure your me can handle it… right?” Dash questioned.

Scott stayed silent for a moment. It felt like an eternity, but a few seconds still feels like too long. “I can turn into aliens, and I'm not even sure I can stop her. With or without the elements, take your pick, still sounds like a losing fight if I’m doing this alone. It’s why I’m here,” Scott pulled out that same piece of paper and a pencil, scribbling down the six attributes that represent the power of friendship, and showed it to Dash. “I need to figure out who will wield the elements in my world, I need every advantage I can get. My Dash is pretty capable, she’s got that royal guard training, and long before I showed up, it’s done her a lot of good, but even then, I have my concerns.” Scott explained.

Dash examined the piece of paper, noticing her initials by the word “Loyalty”. “Not gonna lie to you, I’m a bit disappointed that this other me you’re talking about, she doesn’t sound as awesome as I was hoping,” Scott furrowed his brow out of mild frustration. “But, I’ll try my best to tell you what I know… what is it exactly you want me to explain again?” Dash asked.

Scott got up, walked over to Dash and looked down at her, staring into her eyes. “What does it mean to be loyal? How did you pass your test to embody loyalty?” Scott questioned.

Dash thought hard about the human's question, but was able to come up with a proper answer. “It's about never turning your back on those who need you, even when danger is around every corner, you never abandon someone to handle it themselves. And most importantly, treat your friends as if they’re the most valuable thing in your life.. Well, unless they lose your loyalty.” Dash explained.

Scott let Dash’s words bounce around in his head as he thought back to those who he valued, those who have kept and earned his loyalty… as well as to the changeling who lost it. Scott nodded his head, not uttering another word, and returned to his spot on the sofa. “It’s ironic. I didn’t even let my friends know I’d be gone for a bit, only Princess Luna knows of where I could likely be. I told her to send out letters, to inform them, just in case I was gone for longer than anticipated… but despite how much I value them, I didn’t even have the guts to tell them myself. They deserved to know, they helped me out a good chunk since I ended up displaced, but they had a lot on their plates already, with that celebration coming around… I thought…” Scott’s words trailed off, a dry chuckle escaped his lips as he covered his face with his hands.

Dash flew over to Scott’s side and pulled his hands away. “Hey, hey! Don’t make that face, only Fluttershy makes that face! Get a grip,” Scott scowled at the pegasus, but it didn’t last long when he saw the mare’s expression. The determined look in her eyes pierced through him. “So what, you made a mistake, you can still go back and they’ll still help you, unless they’re incredibly prickly and hard to convince,” Dash could see that Scott was not exactly feeling any better, but she decided to take a bit more heed with her words. “Look, I get it, you feel like you messed up big time and you feel like it’s gonna be a witch hunt when you get back, but it’s not as bad as you’re letting yourself believe. Sure, ya messed up not telling your friends you’d be gone a bit, but if your world’s me is anything like me, it’ll take more than that for her loyalty to waver.” Dash explained.

“And if I may add my two cents? Just imagine your loyalty to your friend, Ben Tennyson.” Jeff said considering how much Scott talks about him.

Scott let a small smirk form on his face, both baffled and happy at the prospect of being friends with his hero, but the Hylian did have a point. He’s been loyal to his dedication of doing his job, doing what’s right, helping others, but Dash also had a point. Maybe it wouldn’t be the end of the world when he got back, with everyone being mad at him, but if his new friends were still loyal to him after everything that’s happened already, maybe everything’ll be fine.

The alien hero nodded his head. “Maybe you both are right… I slipped up with not being honest, as in not telling them at all myself, and with loyalty, not waiting a few more moments to explain in the first place, but if they’ve been willing to stay by my side, even after everything, then maybe… maybe everything will be fine.” Scott admitted.

Dash smiled and nudged Scott. “That’s what I’m talking about! Nothing like a pep talk and good friends to get yourself in a better head space!” Dash exclaimed.

Scott smiled and rolled his eyes as he sat back up and lightly nudged the pegasus off the couch. “Yeah yea, I guess I’ve been getting in my own head recently, and even more so since I got here. It’s still a huge bit to take in, but slowly, I’m managing. Just hoping I don’t run into any more trouble, and maybe, if Nayru’s looking out for me, like she’s definitely doing with Jeff, I’ll probably be home in one piece… relatively speaking.” Scott remarked.

Dash stood up, shaking herself as she unruffled a few of her feathers. “I do have to admit, your Dash might sound a little cooler than I give her credit for. I mean, to subject yourself to guard training, takes a serious set to be able to do any of that.” Dash remarked.

Scott smiled. “She’s pretty alright. She definitely cares a lot about Scootaloo’s safety. Seriously, that kid is usually just attached to her hip whenever I see them, it’s like a child clinging to their mom,” Scott chuckles as he thinks back to when he and Dash first met, it was quite the crazy introduction. “But, after the changeling attack in Ponyville, my Dash has definitely been taking things more seriously. A pony got killed, god rest her soul, but she’s taken a lot of responsibility for making sure Scootaloo stays safe. I don’t know if that kid actually has parents, she lives with her aunts and my Dash is more like a mother figure, if anything, but… she knows what she’s doing. That guard training definitely paid off when a dragon came through.” Scott remarked.

Jeff’s right ear twitched as Nayru’s laugh fills his ears at Scott mentioning God.

“The kids got spirit, I mean the Scootaloo of my world.” Dash clarified.

Scott chuckled. “Yeah, my Scootaloo’s no different, she’s definitely got the fire of a fighter for someone so young. Reminds me of myself, before tragedy struck.” Scott agreed.

Dash nodded her head, but she did catch that last part. Against her better judgement, she decides to let it go. “Well, this was an entertaining and educated talk, but I should probably get started on cleaning up this mess, it looks like a brothel without entertainment.” Dash remarked.

Scott nodded his head. “Yeah, it would be rather inopportune to have more visitors, and they see your home in such a state. Certainly won’t win you neighbor of the year, but you’ll definitely be known as the neighborhood party animal, so roughly the same thing.” Scott quipped.

Jeff couldn’t help but laugh while Dash was blushing purple. Dash stammers a bit, but manages to get a couple laughs out. “Okay, smart guy, you’re a riot, but you’re a bit late to the party, it’s basically over. I’ll see you guys later!” Dash stated.

Scott chuckled as he made his way over to the door. “Come on, Jeff, let’s leave her be to get her home back in order, we still got a few places to be,” Scott opens the door and looks back at the pegasus as he steps out. “Nice meeting ya, Dash!” Scott called out.

The pair walk out the door, closing it behind them and making sure they carefully step across the bridge. “Leeet’s see.. Fluttershy, Twilight Sparkle, and Pinkie Pie are the last few, at least this visit wasn’t depressing.” Jeff whispered to Scott.

Scott nodded his head in agreement. “Well, I’ve never met my world’s Fluttershy yet, if there is one, so let’s change things up a bit and go see her. I’ve heard my Rainbow Dash mention her a couple times, so I’m curious to know what I should expect.” Scott suggested.

“And this time, no canon.” Jeff said teasingly.

Scott let out a sigh of relief. “Thank god. I don’t know who this Sora is, or whatever in god’s name is Kingdom Hearts, but if I ever run into them, I’ll mention you and see where it goes.” Scott remarked, feeling less tense than he did before.

Jeff chuckled. “Just remember, his body is from a game, so don’t be surprised about his powers like the Keyblade and the spells he fires from them.” Jeff explained as he took out his ocarina.

Scott’s eye twitched, but he refused to ask for further elaboration. “Duly noted, now play that funky magic music, pal!” Scott stated.

With the ocarina piece in mouth and a song later, the two were whisked away toward the Everfree in a whirlwind of magic and air.

The two arrived near the mouth of the Everfree, near an Owl Statue. Scott would notice this one was older than the previous one and the only statue with song notes etched into its base. “Hey Jeff, what’s up with this statue? Looks like it has song notes marked on it.” Scott asked.

“This is where I learned the song of soaring so many years ago.” Jeff said as he placed his hand onto the statue. “And a day later after my Displacement.” Jeff said in a nostalgic tone of voice.

Scott’s eyes were so fixated on the song notes, the very idea that Jeff learned this song a day after he ended up displaced, was quite the impressive smack to the face. “Crazy… wait, you learned that a day after you came here? Talk about not wasting time, you must’ve known what you were doing, even back then.” Scott remarked, a bit surprised by the reveal.

“Knowing it? Yes, having the experience, no,” Jeff pauses to pull out his Picto camera, turning it on and flipping through pages, he soon shows Scott a picture of what looked to be.. Actually, Scott didn’t know what he was looking at, it looked like a cross between a crab and a spider wiith a single big gohma staring at the viewer from a distance. “Not the same Gohma but the picture is enough to explain what I fought back in Great Deku Tree’s Trunk, imagine this but much bigger, a queen basically..”

Scott was blinking slowly, trying to ascertain which way he needed to crane his neck to get the best angle at this oddball of a monster. “Jeff, either you managed to find one of Dr. Animo’s animal mutations gone horribly wrong, or… I’m likely looking at some kind of demon… knowing my luck, it’s somehow both. What the heck is a Gohma, and why does it sound like a set up to a bad joke about a one-eyed monster?” Scott questioned.

“Like I said, Queen Gohma, while sure taking one down is easy now but back then, all I had was a bow, arrows, sword, shield, this cloak, and the ocarina of time. She and her little babies could have killed me if the Triforce wasn’t fueling courage into me to survive it,” Jeff frowned at the old memory. “If you think that’s messed up, then you oughta see Bongo Bongo,” Jeff said as he slid to the next picture, which revealed quite a hideous creature with floating hands and appearing upside down looking down at the viewer with red eyes.. “I didn’t have the Lens Of Truth at the time and had to use my camera just to see the bastard.” Jeff explained.

Scott was just more concerned, but he decided it would be best to wait till he returned to his Equestria so he could safely look through the book Jeff provided, for the sake of his safety. “Your world continues to simultaneously intrigue me and freak me the hell out. I’m a bit more thankful to have not encountered these things when I first got here,” Scott shuddered at the idea of fighting such a creature on his own, but decided to focus more on the Everfree. “Well… let’s move on from creepy creatures, and go visit this ‘Fluttershy’ I’ve heard so much about.” Scott stated, wanting to change the topic.

Jeff places his camera back into his pouch, giving Scott a brief nod before turning to walk away from the Everfree Forest’s entrance and toward the hill. Soon, the two heroes arrive at what looked to be a cottage, a very quaint one at that. The area radiates absolute serenity.

Scott couldn’t help but admire how cozy the cottage looked, almost like something out of an old fairy tale. “Well, it’s a nice place, may as well approach and knock on the door,” Scott walked forward, and carefully knocked on the door. “Hopefully someone’s home, otherwise, this visit would have waited for later.” Scott remarked.

The sound of animals could be heard from the inside, Scott could barely believe what he was hearing at that moment, he could’ve sworn he heard a bear. Scott carefully backs away from the door, and cautiously hovers a hand over the Hylian mask hooked onto his hip.

“Also uh… word of caution.. Do NOT attack what you’ll see in there, Fluttershy has quite a number of exotic enemies she… surprisingly tamed.” Jeff should as he placed his hand on Scott’s shoulder.

Scott was very concerned, but it slowly devolved into sheer confusion. “Wh… what do you mean “tamed”?” Scott cautiously asked.

As Scott asked that question, the door burst open, while various monsters ran, flew, skittered, scuttled, or just lunged past the duo. A couple strange slime creatures with big weird looking eyes, some kind of one-eyed bat that flew right past Scott’s head, some kind of strange magician bird, bipedal lizards, some sort of burrowing creature, another one eyed creature, some sort of land squid, a centaur lion creature that just oozed with intimidation, some kind of rodent, some kind of odd sentient wrecking ball looking creature with sharp teeth, some kind of one eyed seed with legs, a plant creature with large teeth, some sort of rat shaped creature that scurried around, and finally, a creature that Deko once described as a Wolfos.

Scott stood there, pale in the face, stunned in silence. Finally, a yellow pegasus slowly makes their way to the open doorway. “O-Oh my… so sorry, they get a bit antsy… w-when they’ve eaten…” The pegasus said, her voice soft spoken and timid.

“...Is that a Gohma?? Uh.. Fluttershy, sweetie.. You are aware what a Gohma can become, right?” Jeff asked in concern.

Fluttershy nodded her head. “Oh, I know, but it needed help.. It was injured, scared, alone, it was horrible… I just had to help it, and it’s rather friendly once you get to know it,” The pegasus soon noticed the still stunned and silent alien hero, who had remained still as a statue after a bunch of monsters ran past him. “Oh my, is… is that a… friend of yours, Jeff?” Fluttershy asked.

“Yes, this is Scott, a human from a far away land.” Jeff said as he got to the point, which wasn’t a lie.

Scott was practically petrified, his eyes wider than dinner plates, pale in the face, like all life had drained from him. “Um… is he okay? Oh my… he doesn’t look too good.” Fluttershy asked.

Jeff snapped a finger in front of Scott’s face, but getting no reaction. “...AAHHOHMYGODANALIENISATTACKING!” He exclaimed to get Scott out of the zone.

Scott snapped out of his frightened daze and nearly fell onto the ground, but managed to instinctively slam his hand on the Altnetrix, a habit he’s recently developed since his displacement. In a flash of turquoise light, Scott found himself on the ground, transformed into Smudge. “Uggh… am I dead?” The Lenopan asked, slowly picking its amorphous sludge body back up from the sudden startling yell.

“..ok, maybe not the best idea..” Jeff said with a soft cringe.

Jeff and Smudge looked at Fluttershy, now seeing her be initially surprised, but slowly, her expression became more and more excited, a big smile forming on her face as she flapped her wings with excitement.

Smudge slowly shapeshifted himself into his human form, dressed in a more uniform black and white jumpsuit with the Altnetrix dangling from a chain. “Uh… well, at least she didn’t faint… I would’ve figured with a name like FlutterSHY, I expected fainting…” Scott remarked.

“Not with animals and monsters, No, and.. Well, you certainly looked like one a moment.” Jeff said in amusement.

Scott looked over to where Fluttershy was, only to then be thoroughly surprised, and slightly startled, when she was now face to face with him. “Oh my gosh! That was incredible, remarkable, even! How did you do that, what are you exactly, you must come in, tell me everything!” Fluttershy questioned, practically eager to pick at Scott’s brain.

Scott smiled and laughed nervously, then glanced at Jeff. “What is happening?” Scott worriedly asked.

“She loves anything that’s new and exotic, like a new discovery of a new species. She acted the same way to me, even more so when she saw me turn into my wolf form.” Jeff explained.

Scott sighed, soon finding himself being pulled into the cottage. “So this is what it’s like being on the receiving end of one of those rom coms… why would anyone desire this, I’ll never know.” Scott remarked, no longer bothering to hold the disguise, letting Smudge return to his true form. Jeff let out a soft chuckle as he entered next.

“Just don’t overwhelm too much, Flutters.” Jeff said, using his nickname for her.

Smudge eventually felt Fluttershy let him go, despite a bit of his amorphous sludge body clinging a bit to her forelegs. “Sorry, Lenopans are typically very mucky,” Smudge decided to simply make himself smaller, to reduce any kind of mess he could likely make. “So, this is Smudge, my Lenopan form. Basically mud people, they’re amorphous sludge bodies make them capable of taking the shape of whatever they want. They’re useful for sneaking around and having a man on the inside for covert missions, but I have yet to do any of that myself.” Smudge briefly explained.

“Sounds like something from… whatever it is in your world that’s a monster taming game..” Jeff said with a frown since he couldn’t tell Scott about the Ditto.

Smudge raised what resembled an eyebrow. “You’ve got Pocket Quest in your world too? In my world, it’s a very underrated monster taming game, rarely made it past Japan, and became very niche among the residents of Undertown. Aliens love that game.” Smudge remarked.

"Something like that, but it's called Pokémon, short for Pocket Monster," Jeff explained then waved a hand to Fluttershy. "I'll explain more later."

Smudge chuckled. “Ahh, I see, different versions of how things are portrayed across different worlds. I would’ve gotten more into Pocket Quest myself, but it’s so tedious to grind and play to the meta. They set that up way too soon in the first iteration, and that likely made it fail in the states.” Smudge remarked.

Fluttershy listened intently, even if she was a bit lost at what the two displaced were talking about. “So, your world seems similar to what Jeff usually talks about, are you two from the same place?” Fluttershy asked.

“Well yes but actually no. Same earth, different reality.” Jeff explained.

Smudge nodded his head. “I don’t understand it myself sometimes, but it helps to have information on what someone else has seen outside our reality. For example, right now, I am residing in another Equestria. Mine doesn’t have all the plentiful monsters that your world has, but more so, aliens. Species of life that come from beyond the stars, some naturally reside in other dimensions, or even outside of creation itself. It’s easy for the info to overwhelm you, but as long as you take things one step at a time, it becomes easier to understand.” Smudge explains.

Jeff clears his throat, getting both Smudge and Fluttershy's attention. “Before this gets out of hand and you ask him a lot more questions about those Aliens, Flutters, we’re actually here for something important.” Jeff spoke quickly.

Smudge chuckled. “Right, thanks for the reminder,” The Altnetrix flashes and beeps out a few mechanical tones, and in a flash of white light, Scott is returned to his normal form. “Miss Fluttershy, I’d like to ask you some questions about the Elements of Harmony. My world is in a tough spot, the encroaching threat of the mare in the moon in my world is coming fast. I need information about how the elements work, or how you managed to pass your test to wield your element.” Scott explained.

Fluttershy seemed rather relaxed, and nodded her head. “Okay, I’ll try to answer them the best I can. What do you want to know?” Fluttershy asked.

Scott smiled. ‘Straight to the point, thank you, Fluttershy,’ Scott cleared his throat and mentally prepared himself. “The element you bear, how did you come to wield it, and how did you pass the test provided to wield it?” Scott asked.

Fluttershy got up and retrieved the medallion where she sat it down. She came back, showing it to Scott. It was a yellow coin, as big as her hoof, with her cutie mark engraved into its metal surface. A butterfly. “I always showed kindness to everyone, it didn’t matter if they were weak, or evil, a bit of kindness can go a long way, as long as you don’t let others abuse it,” Scott reached out and lightly grazed his thumb over the coin. He could feel the coin’s power, flashes of images of that day, the day he got displaced. He was injured, bleeding out, but a changeling was the one to save him. Though the feeling was brief, Scott couldn’t be more appreciative, knowing deep down, not all of them were bad. Scott smiled and looked up at Fluttershy, though he looked a bit surprised, seeing her look a bit sad. Scott gave the medallion back to Fluttershy, to which she held close to her chest. “There was a time where my kindness was abused, it was difficult, but I was able to use the medallion due to my desire to make the world a better place. To help everyone understand Kindness.” Fluttershy explained, a soft smile forming across her face.

Scott pulls the yellow pegasus into a hug, and though it shocks her at first, the pegasus returns the hug, both sharing a gentle embrace. Scott soon lets the mare go, and stands up. “I hope my Fluttershy is like you. Kind, but still brave enough to push on and share that kindness with others, whether or not she bears one of the elements.” Scott stated with a smile.

“I’m sure she will, if she finds good friends.” Fluttershy said with a smile.

Scott nods his head. “Well, if I ever meet her, I’ll gladly make sure everything works out. Good friends can be hard to come by, but it’s the ones who stick with you, that lasts for a long, long time,” Scott stretched and walked to the front door. “Well, miss Shy, thank you for your time, and for letting us in your lovely, cozy little home. I’ll be sure to remember everything you told me when I get back home. For now, Jeff and I do have to get going, places to be and such.” Scott stated.

“But for next time? Don’t end up frozen like a deer in the flashlight when you see my animal friends.” Fluttershy said.

Scott laughed. “Don’t count on it, but I’ll certainly try,” Scott opened the door. “Let’s get going, pal, we still have two more ponies, I think, to go and see.” Scott remarked

The whole room erupted with a series of grunts, growls, rumbles, and other noises of all the animals saying their goodbyes.

Scott and Jeff waved goodbye as they walked away. “Well, that was quite the introduction. If your Fluttershy’s like that, then I’m quite curious to see my world’s version myself. It’s honestly interesting to know she’s such a kind soul… also, that medallion must be made of some strong magic, coulda sworn I saw a past act of kindness flash before my eyes.” Scott remarked

“The medallions are very potent, especially when it turned Discord to stone, I suppose to give the mane six more time on how to reform him.” Jeff said with a nod as he made his way back to the owl statue. “So, we’ve got two left, The pink party pony pinkie pie, or the librarian Twilight Sparkle.” Jeff states.

Scott thought about the choices carefully. On one hand, he was curious about his universe’s version of Carniva, or Pinkie. On the other hand, he wasn’t sure what to expect with Twilight. Gleaming Dusk, back in Scott’s Equestria, was part unicorn and part zebra, so he expected differences, all the same.

Weighing his two options, he figured now was as good of a time as any, to meet with Twilight. “I guess we’re going to the library. I’m quite curious to know how different things are between Gleaming and Twilight. And, of course, to learn more about the elements.” Scott decided.

“Volv might be there to play with Spike, I just hope Twilight fireproofed the place, considering the last time Volv sneezed on a book.” Jeff said with a nervous chuckle before moving the ocarina mouthpiece to his lips.

Scott took a deep breath and sighed, giving a thumbs up as he readied himself for another magical song. With a whoosh of whirlwind, the two were gone.

Soon enough, the displaced duo suddenly arrived onto Twilight’s Balcony. “Twiiiiiliiiiight, I’m here.” Jeff called out, causing the sound of clopping to be heard, slowly raising in volume. Opening the glass doors, Twilight came skidding to a halt, looking very excited to see Jeff. Scott’s mouth dropped at the sight of her hair that looked partly flowing, looking similar to Muna’s, but it wasn’t flying with the air as free as hers. At her flank, it looked to be a mix of a large six sided pink star surrounded by smaller white sparkles, and two faded triangles, with the left-most one glowing.

Scott manually closed his mouth, almost baffled and amazed by the sight in front of him. “She- She’s a- Y-You-! She’s an alicorn here!? Like teacher, like student. Congrats.” Scott commented, giving Twilight a bit of applause.

Twilight let out a sound through her lips. “Please don’t tell me you’re another creature to ask for my autograph or praise me for something..” she said with annoyance.

Scott shook his head. “No… I’m from another Equestria, my Twilight isn’t an alicorn. Why are you so annoyed by, from what I can tell, is clearly a rare honor? I figured you’d be… well, excited, to stand on equal ground with your mentor. Am I missing something?” Scott asked.

“I’m sorry, come again? Another Equestria?” Twilight asked, completely forgetting the rest of Scott’s words.

Scott sighed. “Okay, to save a bunch of long winded explanations, I’m like Jeff, a displaced person. I am human. I was ripped from the world I know, which was already strange, and thrust into one of infinite possible variants of your world. Mine shares one thing in common with my old world… Aliens. I can change into aliens, too, does that help?” Scott explained.

“Nerding out in three.. two… one-” Jeff counted down.

And off she went, yanking off a variation of quills, ink, and paper parchments from their shelves coated in Twilight purple magic mixed with yellow sparkles.

Scott chuckled. “Oh yeah, she definitely reminds me a lot of Gleaming. Eager to learn,” Scott stepped forward and thought about his next words carefully. “Probably shouldn’t’ve opened up with that, but the song and dance stopped being fun the moment tension fell on me. Listen, I’m here for something important, mainly information on the Elements of Harmony, and how you proved yourself worthy to wield one of them. It’s important, and if you have questions, I’d like to ask that we keep them related to the topic.” Scott remarked.

The moment the elements of harmony were mentioned, all materials froze in mid-air. “...Oh Celestia..” she said with a soft groan. “Are you with the newsponies? Please don’t say yes..” Twilight bemoaned.

Scott shook his head no. “Back in my old world, before I was displaced, I was part of a special law enforcement team known as the Plumbers. We took care of a lot of magical, supernatural, extraterrestrial and extraordinary problems. This watch, the Altnetrix,” Scott showed Twilight his Omnitrix bootleg. “It sent me to the Equestria I’m familiar with. Before I met Jeff, I was the only Plumber active in Equestria, something I gladly decided to share the load with by making Jeff an honorary member, but that’s beside the point,” Scott thought about how to describe his situation, but he knew how to, he wasn’t stressing or overthinking. “I’m currently two weeks away from facing my variant of the Mare in the Moon. Good news, it’s not Luna, nor is it Celestia.. Bad news, I fear that from my own experience, it’s someone much worse. Eclipsed Blackheart, she manipulates the moon and creates a blood moon; it has a wide array of effects, from affecting dreams, to disturbing the dead. I need to know how you embody your element, and I need to know how you became worthy to wield it.” Scott explained, taking a deep breath as his face momentarily gained a slight light blue tint.

The human felt lightheaded and sat down for a moment, feeling a bit woozy, as well as minor aching in his lungs. “Oh man… I need to remember to breathe, next time I do that.” Scott gasped.

Twilight between her supplies, then back to Scott, then back to her supplies. She lets out a soft whine of defeat as helping another world was more important. Eventually she places them all back in their original sorted locations. “Being the element of magic, and waking up finding out you’re the incarnation of the ancient goddess Vespera, after I passed the temple's test was very overwhelming, and I’m still in denial of it..” she gently rubbed the back of her hoof. “I mean I’m happy I’m on pair with my teacher, but I kind of miss being a regular unicorn tending to my books, I mean Nayru’s knowledge it was bad enough I had to take down a mad titan Tirek to protect Ponyville, I would have lost my library if it wasn’t for Jeff’s quick thinking with that mirror shield.. Uh, what was your other questions?” Twilight asked.

Scott took a moment to get his breath back, and to process the information given. It was a lot to consider, and in a way, he understood her denial. He’d deny using his powers out of respect for Ben Tennyson if he went back with the Altnetrix, but still, doesn’t mean he couldn’t do anything good with it. He was a bit confused by the name Tirek, but figured it was just another monster from Jeff’s game, and moved on with his thoughts.

Scott sighed and smiled at the alicorn. “Hey, I get it. I can relate to the struggle, more than you know,” Twilight was confused for a moment, but then Scott gestured to the Altnetrix. “Before I ended up stuck with the Altnetrix, I was just someone doing my job. I got called in while I was getting ready to use one of many days off I’ve had to save up, because I got called in a lot,” Twilight was a bit lost, but Scott seemed calm, despite the saddened smile on his face. “In my world, there’s a hero, named Ben Tennyson. He’s the hero of heroes, equally comparable to a god amongst mortals, and that’s without hyperbole or exaggeration,” Scott activated the device, and slowly scrolled through the seven icons he had access to, for Twilight to observe. “I always wanted to be like him, but when I got displaced, and found myself stuck with the Altnetrix, I wanted nothing to do with it. I tried to remove it, but it didn't work. I could’ve gone my entire life in isolation within my Equestria, but I’d hate knowing I have power that can save people, do good for them, like Ben Tennyson did for the entire universe.” Scott explained.

Twilight was rather confused. “I fail to see how this correlates…” Twilight said worriedly.

“I think what Scott meant was that he can relate to you wanting to be normal, not wanting all of this power.” Jeff explained.

Scott smiled and snapped his fingers. “Right on the money, pal… I’m sure you felt that way once before, it’s just… it just makes sense to feel this way. You idolize someone, look up to them, want to be with them as they face impossible odds… but the moment you’re granted just that, it’s scary, foreign, viewed almost like a curse, rather than a blessing,” Scott let the Altnetrix return to its inactive mode, and looks back into Twilight’s eyes. “But, over time, you start to realize that with this power, you can do all sorts of things, grow in ways those you idolized never got that chance to do, to grow into your own and make this power unique to you… does that make sense? I think it does.” Scott explained.

“True, but I could do without the.. You know, newsponies at my door, fans wanting autographs or for me to ‘bless them’ or ‘kiss’ their foal’s forehead. It’s difficult to live my life without somepony breathing down my neck..” Twilight said with a frown.

Scott smiled. “I imagine that’s what Ben felt like. When his secret was revealed to the world, word around the academy was that the press was practically waiting at the front door of his home. He was around my age, at the time his secret got out, but he embraced his fame. It had its pros, and its cons, his ego might’ve been inflated a little, but he was able to balance things out. No one asked him to kiss their babies’ heads, or bless them like he’s an alien messiah, though he definitely gave a lot of autographs, he still used his powers to help people, even participating in charity events. Eventually, he realized that the fame, it wasn’t about him, it was about those who he helped live a better life,” Scott moved to Twilight’s side and sat next to her. “Think about it, I don’t know how a new princess is chosen in my Equestria, or in yours for that matter, but if the princesses ever feel like they can’t handle something, that’s your chance to step up and prove that your new uh… alicorn-ness, wasn’t the curse you thought it was, but a blessing in disguise. Heck, who knows, you could teach them a few new things. Power, regardless of how you get it, or end up stuck with it, requires balance, and I sincerely doubt you have an evil thought in your mind, or an inclination of evil in your soul, I don’t need magic to know that. Think about it like this, it’s a learning experience, and you won’t learn anything, if you refuse to put in the effort.” Scott explained.

"...Balance, just like the three pieces of the triforce..." Twilight paused to look back at her flank, and the glowing triforce piece that resonated due to Jeff being nearby, even Scott noticed the triforce on Jeff's right hand was glowing. “..As for how it is chosen, I.. I’m still researching about that, but I’ll need to get back to you at a later date. There’s still so much ancient history to recover.” Twilight stated.

Scott was a bit confused by whatever this "Triforce" was, but, like he said prior, one step at a time. “I see, well, I’m sure Jeff can lend a hand. He still has my badge that I gave him, and it has a universal translator, so, don’t hesitate to ask for help. You can always rely on your friends for help,” Scott got up and stretched his back for a moment. “Man, I haven’t thought this clearly in a long while. Feels nice, no headaches. Is there anything you wanna ask me, just in case you’re curious?” Scott asked, looking towards Twilight.

“Too many to be honest. I mean Jeff talks about the worlds he goes into but he could never tell me everything.” Twilight stated.

“Because your book would end up way too thick.” Jeff said with a snicker.

“Oh hush!” Twilight exclaimed before throwing a couch pillow at the Hylian.

Scott smiled. “Well, I’ll share three bits of information for ya, so write this down,” Twilight used her magic to pick up a notepad and a pen, ready to begin scribing. “First off, Luna is an Earth Pony in my world. She willingly gave up her alicorn magic, but became in-tune with nature, thanks to her earth pony magic, to keep up her duties of helping ponies with their nightmares,” Twilight was surprised, but equally fascinated as she wrote down Scott’s words. “Second off, I’m not sure if I’d qualify it as important, but a pony in my world, named “Sunset Shimmer” is Celestia’s student, and your counterpart, Gleaming Dusk, is Luna’s student. Use that info for what you will, it’s up to you,” Twilight continued to write on the pad, and Scott decided to round things out with a simpler reveal. “Finally, the third bit of info, you aren’t an Alicorn, as I probably alluded to when I first saw you. But, that wasn’t the entire truth. In my world, you are part unicorn, and part zebra. Again, do what you will with that info.” Scott explained.

“Still a lot to fill but it’s a start.” Twilight said happily. “Is there anything else you’d like to know?” Twilight asked.

Scott thought long and hard about what else he could say, but then he remembered Jeff mentioning another name he didn’t recognize. “Jeff, who did you say Volv was here to play with, again?” Scott asked.

“Spike, a young short dragon. He’s.. somewhere in this library, or maybe reading elsewhere." Jeff responded.

Scott thought for a moment, but didn’t seem to remember any mention of a young dragon in his Ponyville, or in his Canterlot. “Huh… another name I have no recollection of… either there’s no Spike in my world, or maybe…” Scott trailed off as he tried to think.

"HEY! Volvagia, come on, get back here with my gem sandwich!" A voice called out as Volv zipped past Jeff with a sandwich in its mouth.

Scott looked at the doorway, seeing Volv zip by, as well as a small child sized dragon running close behind. Suddenly, Scott feels an odd sense of familiarity. “Hmm… the kid looks familiar, but I never saw him before till now… How did you end up caring for a dragon, miss Twilight?” Scott asked.

“Oh! That was a long time ago when I was given a test to hatch it. Didn’t go as planned, that is until I had my first magical surge to force it to hatch. Celestia came to the rescue to get it under control.” Twilight explained as she thought back that day.

“And it was during a Rainboom, which oddly also happened the same time I pulled the master sword from the pedestal of time.”.. Jeff said with a frown, even to this day it was still odd timing.

Scott thought about that word again. Rainboom. What was it? Scott was made curiouser and curiouser. “I have two final questions, if you don’t mind,” Scott decided to ease his way into such a question. “First question, forgive me if it’s personal, in any way… Where did they find his egg?” Scott inquired.

“I didn’t ask. Never thought about it at the time…” Twilight said as her ears lowered.

Scott felt odd, a strange tightness in his heart. It was like being concerned, scared, and angry all at once, but it was also like acting on his fight or flight instincts. “Ok… okay, so, last question, before we take our leave,” Scott didn’t feel right, he felt tense. “What is a Rainboom?” Scott asked, his body twitched slightly.

“It's a powerful rainbow shockwave that is made of extreme harmonic energy. Rainbow Dash is the only one who has done this before!” Twilight exclaimed. Jeff has been sitting just listening and letting them chat.

“I… I need some fresh air….” Scott said as he moved toward the balcony.

Scott leaned against the railing as he closed his eyes. He felt overwhelmed, but as he looked out to all of Ponyville from where he was, it felt like a healthy reminder that sometimes he just needs to relax, and just take it all in.

Scott thought about home. His old world, the Equestria he was displaced to, home seemed synonymous with both worlds, despite Equestria still feeling so new to him, despite the time that’s passed.

Scott took a deep breath of the fresh, calming crisp air of the outside, and could feel the tenseness in his body melt away. “I… I really should’ve taken one of those vacation days back home, long before I ended up in these kinds of situations… I’m starting to think I might be a chronic workaholic… damn it.” Scott quietly commented to himself.

Scott looked up to the sky, and could only imagine where he’d be if he didn’t get stuck with the Altnetrix. Probably still working his life away, burning himself out and then likely getting himself killed doing something equally as stupid as what got him in this mess.

Scott scoffed and chuckled, looking at the device’s turquoise glow. “I’ll find a way back… maybe not tomorrow, maybe not in years, but I’ll find a way… but, first things first. Business, the kind that I have with those who constantly do things that get the Plumbers’ attention,” Scott turned around and walked back inside. “I think this brings an end to our visit. One more pony to speak to, and I could definitely use a laugh or two after this.” Scott stated.

He felt like he was in shambles. Not physically, but his headspace is lacking in structure. He’s got information, but that information was useless if he wasn’t focusing, and right now, he needed a mild distraction from the constant trains of thought going around in his head.

...And Like The Times Before... Part 5 (cross-over with DisplacedWriter)

“I think it's time for a little downtime, so how’s about a milkshake at Sugarcube Corner? My treat. Just something to get your mind off of things. Only costs a blue or a red rupee depending on what you want in it, or in your language, five to nine dollars.” Jeff offered, watching as Scott’s eyes lit up.

Scott smiled. “You got milkshakes here?! I’m in! Don’t know what a Sugarcube Corner is, but if it’s anything like the diner back in my Equestria, I’m going to enjoy this, and hopefully, a changeling doesn’t attack this time!” Scott remarked, jumping onto his feet.

“Sugarcube Corner is a hangout where ponies can order all kinds of sweets.” Jeff explained as he walked down the road. It wasn’t too far from Twilight’s Golden Oaks Library as they eventually came across a building which looked like a life-sized gingerbread house and a birthday cake on top serving as a chimney.

Scott was a bit confused at what he was supposed to say, but by this point, he’s stopped asking questions. Especially since this building, in particular, just felt like a headache waiting to happen if he had questions. So, he had none to ask. “Cozy, hopefully Hansel and Gretel don’t mind visitors.” Scott quipped.

Jeff let out a sharp tch of amusement before giving Scott a playful punch to his shoulder. “Cheesy joke is cheesy.” he said with a chuckle as they entered the building with a classic lil dingling of the door. Inside, at least looked the most normal other than the candy cane pillars here and there. In all honesty, this was the most normal Scotts scene since being Displaced as the whole scene looked like an old fashioned malt shop.

Scott smiled and let out a hearty chuckle. “Now this is something else, it looks like that old hangout spot that Burger Shack was going for, before they became more creative,” Scott approached the counter, noticing a small service bell in front of him. “Well, no better time to give this thing a ring-a-ding,” Scott lightly smacked the top of the bell, letting a ringing sound echo out. “Now, to wait.” Scott remarked.

After a moment of waiting, a tall and lanky stallion with curly orange hair wearing an apron and a hat approaches the counter. “Hello there! Welcome to Sugarcube Corner, how can I help you both today?” The stallion asked with a smile.

“Hiya Mr. Cake, same as before; a nice chocolate chip milkshake,” Jeff said with a nod as he took out a red rupee.

“And I’ll take a double chocolate and mint chip shake, extra whip cream, please.” Scott requested.

“Heh, we almost think alike.” Jeff said amusingly as he took out an extra red rupee, placing them both onto the counter.

Mr. Cake carefully wrote down the orders and tore the piece of paper he scribbled it on. “Fantastic, they’ll be ready in a moment.” Mr. Cake stated.

Mr. Cake walked to the back of the kitchen, vanishing from view as the displaced duo waited patiently for their orders. “And now, we play the waiting game… this game sucks on an empty stomach.” Scott commented.

Jeff let out a soft chuckle. “Let’s take a seat and in the meanwhile I’ll explain the rupee system just in case you earn any when you come to visit again.” he said with a nod as he headed on over to one of the tables, luckily for the two displaced, the tables were tall enough, most likely the Cakes being thoughtful of some of their less pony customers.

Scott sat down and could feel himself take a breather. “Man, it’s crazy to think we’ve been all over your Equestria, hyperbolically speaking. We’ve been to Cloudsdale, Sweet Apple Acres, the boutique, the library, it’s surprisingly lively,” Scott cracked his knuckles and leaned back in his seat. “So… how does one use the “Rupee” system, as you’ve taken to calling it?” Scott asked.

“It's pretty simple to use, it's kind of like our world currency, except its gems instead of paper and coins.” Jeff pauses to take out a variety of colored gems that also vary in size. “First, you’ve got the lowest, the green rupee, like the penny of this world. Next the blue rupee, the nickel in a way, then the red rupee which is like the quarter, except it's twenty instead of twenty five. The purple rupee, like the fifty cent piece, next the orange rupee, which is a hundred rupees, or kind of like a hundred dollars, next silver is two hundred, and lastly the golden rupee, the highest of the valued rupees capping at four hundred. Hopefully comparing it to our other world helped you understand?” Jeff explained.

Scott had the blankest expression. “Hylians sure like to complicate their own currency in this game, don’t they?” Scott questioned, a very confused smile forming on his face.

“Be glad I didn't include the Rupoor, which has this curse that lowers the value of rupees it is near." Jeff said as he put away the rupees quickly, not wanting any ponies to get jealous.

Scott yet again felt the need to ask questions, but he refrained and saved his questions for later. “I sincerely hope the education system hasn’t overcomplicated basic economics. If the Plumbers didn’t have to dumb down credits for a nine year old to understand, you’d think I’d understand this better,” Scott looked back at the counter, waiting eagerly for his shake. “Sure is taking a bit.” Scott remarked.

"Here, lemme point out that the numbers kind of go in a multiplier kind of way,” Jeff pauses to take out a napkin, and began to write down numbers using a very soft concentration of Din’s fire to burn it on. “One, five, ten, twenty, fifty, one hundred, two hundred, four hundred,” he wrote down, even including the colors for each.

Scott stared at the napkin and the numbers on it. He knew how to associate each number with the colors assigned to each number, but despite how all of it seemed to be complex to him, he was able to slowly make sense of it. “Well, that’s a seriously confusing system, but if I tag along in your world for a couple more days, I’m sure I’ll get a grip on it. It’s like riding a bike.” Scott remarked.

"If you can figure out the complexity of an Omnitrix, then surely you can learn how the rupee system works." Jeff said with confidence in Scott.

Scott opened his mouth and raised a finger, then he closed his mouth and put his finger away. “Touche, my elven friend… Touche. First, I have to figure out bits, then the Rupees come next,” Scott looked over at the counter again, steadily getting impatient. “How long does it take to make a shake usually, a couple seconds, a minute or so?” Scott asked.

“You can’t. rush. art.” An elderly pony at the next table said.

Scott frowned and sunk into his seat. “Starting to think we should’ve grabbed a bite to eat at the princess’s place. Would’ve definitely tied me over.” Scott remarked.

“It’ll be worth the wait, trust me.” Jeff said with a smile.

“Here I cooooommmee~” A young voice called out in a sing-song voice as the door to the kitchen swung open. What Scott saw made him do a double take, a plump pink pony with blue eyes, a poofy mane and tail on rollerskates. Scott officially felt like he’s lost his mind, but he was determined to make sure to not freak out. The pink pony sounded and looked a fair bit like Carniva, but a lot less like a mishmash of parts, and more like a peppy and happy pink pony. “Hope you’re thirsty, shakes are on the way to yooooouuu~” the pink pony called out.

Scott’s jaw nearly dropped onto the table, but he was thankful enough to not let that happen. “Jeff, I’ve never felt more frightened by the color pink, than I do right now.” Scott commented worriedly.

Jeff snickered and patted Scott’s shoulder. “Relax, she’s… relatively harmless.” Jeff reassured.

Scott gnawed on his bottom lip, feeling nervous, but he was able to keep himself relaxed. Soon enough, the pink pony rolls over to their table, setting two glasses full of their individual orders of shakes. “Two shakes, not stirred! Enjoooyy!~” the pink pony called out, smiling widely.

Jeff smiled and held his glass, while Scott tried to keep himself calm, grabbing his glass. Scott watches as Jeff takes a sip from his glass, clearly enjoying himself and his shake. Scott sighed and took a quick sip of his shake… it was good, like, impossibly good. Scott couldn’t remember the last time he had a good honest to god milkshake, but this was the best one he’s ever had.

Scott took out the straw and took a big chug of the shake’s contents, licking the excess shake off of his lips. “That’s pretty damn good! I guess the wait was worth it, funny how that works out.” Scott remarked, taking another chug of his shake.

“Whoooa, you shouldn’t chug it like that, you’ll get brainfreeze!” Pinkie Pie exclaimed.

Scott sat the glass down, almost emptied of its contents. “Please, I’ll be fine. I worked with Polar Manzardills and Necrofriggians, it’s gonna have to be as cold as he-” Scott could feel the lingering headache, and the frosty cold sensation on the roof of his mouth. His eyes widened as he slowly leaned against his seat. “Oh no… oh.. OH THAT HURTS! THAT IS RIDICULOUSLY COLD!!” Scott exclaimed through clenched and gritted teeth. He clutched the sides of the table as the cold sensation continued to persist.

“I waaaarned yooooou~” Pinkie Pie said in a singsung voice before she rollerskated away, only to return what looked like an orange ball with a tag: when under an emergency. She hands it to Scott. “Suckle on this, it’ll help it pass faster.

Scott took the ball and without hesitation, popped it into his mouth and started to suckle on it. Almost immediately, Scott was hit with a sudden fruity flavor, like it were an orange. It had a tangy taste to it, as well as something else. The more the human suckled on the orange ball, the more this strange something else started to intensify, like it was spicy. Scott didn’t know what he was suckling on, but he definitely didn’t need some kind of fruity, tangy and spicy taste on his palette.

Scott pulled the ball from his mouth and awkwardly placed it on the table. “That… was a cacophony of strange things. Fruity, spicy, tangy, might as well have told me you put chili powder in an orange soda,” Scott coughed a bit from the lingering spice in the back of his throat. “What in the high tides of hell was that anyway?” Scott asked.

“Just be glad it was only a brain freeze without the sugar rush, bouncing pain is not fun! That was a cure for brain freeze, something spicy to melt the cold.” Pinkie explained.

Scott was about to question the logistics behind that, but considering his brain freeze was gone, he decided to not question it, for the sake of his sanity. “Cool… anyway, you must be Pinkie, right?” Scott held out his hand for a handshake. “Nice to meet ya. I’m Scott Baristo, a friend of Jeff’s from another Equestria… thanks for the brain freeze cure.” Scott introduced.

“Nice to meet ya!” Pinkie said as she took Scott’s hand, quite literally shook it, causing both Scott and Pinkie to bounce. Her body was jiggling with excitement, while Scott felt like he was being worn out like a rubber band. Scott managed to pull his hand back, his hair was now in a mess, sticking out in various directions, like he got caught in a whirlwind. Pinkie smiled at the new visitor to Ponyville, but then her eyes were fixated on his watch. “Oooo, that looks like one heck of a nice watch! What does it do?” Pinkie asked, smiling widely.

Scott covered the watch with his hand, and looked over at Jeff, who seemed unfazed by the entire interaction, and still slowly enjoying his shake. “Jeff, I require your assistance?” Scott asked.

“It's a.. Well, it's a watch but it tells time in a veeeery fancy, you wouldn’t really get it.” Jeff said after a moment of nervousness.

Scott slowly nodded his head. “Y-Yes! It’s a very fancy watch that tells time… and nothing else.” Scott cautiously said.

Pinkie giggled and backed away from the pair. “Fair enough! So, what brings you two here?” Pinkie asked.

Scott sighed. “I’m trying to learn more about the elements of harmony, and Jeff is helping me get around, otherwise I’d be as lost as a rooster without its head, and just as senseless.” Scott explained.

“Ooooooo, that was a doozy of a day! Monsters everywhere, so many meanies, none of them appreciated a good laugh!” Pinkie pie said with a playful pout.

Scott nodded his head. “Must not have been a good day for going around, especially if Nightmare Moon was free. You represent the element of laughter, I assume?” The pink pony nodded her head. “I’ve got a couple questions, if you’d be willing to answer them. Do you have time for a quick break?” Scott asked.

“Sure!” Pinkie Pie exclaimed before planting her rear in one of the seats. Scott could have sworn he could heard a ‘boing’ sound when she sat. “Okay, what kinds of questions ya got for me?” Pinkie asked.

Scott sighed and took a moment to close his eyes, taking deep breaths as he thought carefully about the questions. Scott took a slow sip from what remained of his shake and sighed. “How did you pass the test to bear one of the elements, and what exactly does it mean to embody Laughter?” Scott asked.

“My test was super easy, I just told a very good joke to a group of trees with creepy faces like this-grrrr!” Pinkie Pie said with a poor imitation of the tree.

“She means this.” Jeff pauses to show a camera of what looked to be a very angry version of the scrub he saw back at the station, but with red eyes and orange leaves. “A deku scrub, mean plant-like creatures that pop out of their burrow to spit deku nuts at you.” he explained.

Scott was rather surprised and intimidated by the deku scrub in the picture, but if a pony like Pinkie could survive such an encounter, much less laugh about it, Scott feels rather convinced that this pink mare is quite capable. “Quite brave of ya to fight, much less laugh, at such a dangerous opponent. I’m impressed.” Scott praised the pink pony, even clapping his hands a bit.

“I know right? I had to bounce and dance around the hole we were in though.” Pinkie said with a giggle, giving Scott’s head an unwanted mental image.

Scott was confused at the mental image in his head, but decided to not question it. “Okay, but what does it mean to embody Laughter?” Scott asked.

“Do your best to help your friends whenever they’re down, make them happy, give them a little laugh, especially with a biiiig party with friends!” Pinkie Pie said with a happy hop, making her body jiggle with excitement.

Scott smiled and rolled his eyes. Scott hadn’t expected Pinkie to be so happy, it’s almost as infectious as her sense of joy. He thought about her words, and he intended to take them to heart once he got back to his world. After all, the summer sun celebration was coming, so after he’s done with the danger of Eclipsed Blackheart, he’ll party with his friends till he can’t party no more. He’ll tell them everything he saw and learned here. The good, the bad, all of it.

Scott nodded his head and gave a thumbs up to the happy pink pony. “Thanks, Pinkie, this’ll be a big help.” Scott thanked the pink pony.

“Anytime! They don’t call me the pinkie pie party pony for nothing!” Pinkie Pie said with a smile, causing Scott to blink at the tongue twister.

Scott sighed, smiling as he stood up from his seat. “Thank you very much, Miss Pinkie. Not just for the shakes, but again, for answering my questions. May you have a great day, and keep doing what you’re doing.” Scott stated.

“Which shake? The milkshake? The handshake?” Pinkie Pie paused to look toward the reader. “The harlem shake?” Pinkie asked suspensefully.

Jeff looks off to the side in confusion, wondering where she’s looking. Scott was also just as confused as his friend. Scott himself looks to where Pinkie is looking, but doesn’t see anything. All he sees is a couple empty tables near the corner of the room. “Okay… on that strange note, we better get goin’. Thanks for the milkshake, the handshake, and whatever else you said.” Scott stated, walking to the front door.

“Thanks for helping out though.” Jeff said with a nod as Pinkie took the empty glasses.

“Anytime, Jeffy!” Pinkie said with a pep to her step before skating off.

“..Never understood why she calls me that..” Jeff said with a shrug as he went to follow Scott outside.

As the two displaced leave Sugarcube Corner, the daylight is slowly becoming a bit more orange in hue, the sight of the sun slowly lowering towards the horizon was beautiful to see, but the day was steadily coming to an end, and soon, the night would be back in full swing. “Man, we’ve been making progress! We’re like a tabletop tag team, two adventurers whisked away into another world, and going on adventures in the local village till the sun goes down! Crazy, isn’t it? It feels like a couple days have passed, heck, maybe even a week, but it’s been a whole day!” Scott commented.

“Good thing we’re not rolling dice though.” Jeff said jokingly, reminding Scott of a tabletop rpg game that he used to play back during his time in the academy. He remembers his first game fondly, playing a halfling scout, and getting a natural one in the tutorial. He didn’t make it far in that game, but he remembers his time fondly.

Scott smiled, letting the memories of momentary bliss and good fun run free in his head, it was always a saving grace for Scott to remember his days as a rookie.

“So far, not a single monster attack.” Jeff said happily as he looked toward the sky, noticing Celestia’s sun was lowering. To Scott’s eyes the sun was moving.. Uncomfortably fast.

Scott rubbed his eyes, just to see if he was hallucinating, but as he moved his hands away from his face, the sun was still moving very fast. “Jeff, what’s happening to the literal celestial body that is the sun!? Should we be concerned about this?!” Scott asked, genuine concern and worry could be heard in the Plumber Cadet’s voice.

"Oh, right, I forgot to mention that Celestia raises and lowers the sun, it doesn't move on its own like the sun back on earth, meanwhile Princess Muna raises and lowers the Moon. And before you ask, no, it does not upset the balance of things, it's just how magic works, I mean I can do the same with the Sun Song, but that’s only if Celestia uses one of her sick days." Jeff explained.

Scott groaned in frustration. “I… I’ll have to see if that’s the same back in my Equestria, because this feels… odd, ironically enough,” Scott looked back at the sun, watching it vanish past the horizon. “Of all the things I’ve questioned, this… this, ironically enough, wasn’t anywhere near what I thought I should be worrying about… oh how wrong I continue to be.” Scott remarked.

“Would it make sense if I told you they’re two of the six goddesses that created Equus?” Jeff suggested, making Scott’s mind echo with Muna’s words.

Scott sighed. “I heard about that from Muna herself, but I’ll be honest, while it does kinda freak me out… I’ve come to accept that, and there’s an obvious reason why. Celestialsapiens, they’ve been known to be capable of anything and everything under the sun, moon and the stars that surround them… I’m more than willing to believe in goddesses, if things like Celestialsapiens exist. It’s like finding god all over again, only it’s not metaphorical. It’s quite literal.” Scott explained, taking a deep breath as he tries to keep himself calm and composed.

“Like when Nayru spoke to you when you had the Hylian mask on?” Jeff asked as his right twitched.

Scott nodded his head. “Speaking of which, it feels rather rude to not have greeted Nayru yet. Been here for what, three days, and I haven’t put the mask on? Feels kinda disrespectful, gimme a moment,” Scott unhooked the Hylian mask from his side and was about to put it on his face, until Jeff stopped him. “...you’re not making this easy, bud!” Scott remarked.

“Ah-ah-ah, not here. The ponies aren’t used to the transformations yet. Let’s take this to Twilights, she at least understands my Hylian magic shenanigans.” he suggested.

Scott thought about what Jeff was saying, and for a moment, he figured it was a fair assumption. Just because Fluttershy wasn’t negative about his transformation, doesn’t necessarily mean everypony else will be the same. “Damn it… okay, fine, let’s go back to the book horse.” Scott caved in, hooking the mask back to this side.

“Pony, Scott. Horse is actually a subrace name for the saddle arabians. Yes, yes, I know it's another horse pun.” Jeff said as he headed over to Twilight's tree house.

Scott followed close behind Jeff, the night sky slowly becoming illuminated by the moon, and the numerous twinkling stars.

After a long walk, Golden Oaks Library was finally in view, the lights were on, and the silhouette of an alicorn could be seen flying around. “I’m beginning to think you didn’t use that instrument to get us back here for a reason. Nothing says safe at night like wondering if a mugger’s on the prowl.” Scott quipped.

“I only use the song of soaring when it's across the map, while the Twil Portals are across the void’s multiverse, and then I’ve got Farore’s Wind, which allows short ranged teleportation, like returning to the start of a dungeon.” Jeff explained as he opened the door.

Scott walked inside and stretched his back a bit. “I’m just saying. Instantaneous travel across your world, to others, or just short ranges, it would save so much time, like, who needs a car, a train, a plane, or a spaceship for that matter, when there’s all that you got?” Scott questioned.

"True, but then you wouldn't get to see parts of Ponyville if we zipped around more often.” Jeff said knowingly as Twilight descended from the staircase.

Scott sighed and rubbed his face tiredly. “Fair point, but you have to admit, if those owl statues were standing everywhere, you would use them. I would if I could, if it was important enough.” Scott stated.

“I mean Miss C did make an owl statue in your world.” Jeff pointed out, using a nickname to address her without risking summoning or attracting her.

Scott furrowed his brow. “Yeah, and it’s all the way in Canterlot! Ugh, couldn’t even throw me a bone and just teleport us to Canterlot, had to give you a fancy statue, and I had to leg it the whole way there carrying a bunch of guards on my back!” Scott snarked.

-click, click-

Twilight blink in confusion as a bone… was thrown at Scott from a portal.

Scott looked at the bone, both curious and very concerned. “I’m going to hope with all the energy I have left, that this didn’t come from somewhere important… damn it, I asked for her to throw a bone, and what do I get… exactly what I asked for… I’d be more pissed if this wasn’t kinda funny, but still…” Scott remarked, a wry smirk forming on his lips.

“I’d ask a question, but I’m sure that can wait, from the look of things you’re a little tired.” Twilight said with a wave of her hoof.

Scott nodded his head, casually leaning the bone against the wall next to the front door. “Yeah, we’ve been all over just to find answers on the Elements of Harmony. We’ve talked to you, your friends, and though Jeff wasn’t with me at the time, I talked to Muna about them. Learned a lot, very useful information, but everything attached to me is demanding sleep.” Scott explained, a stray yawn escaping him.

“Be sure to give a little prayer though.” Jeff suggested as Twilight walked off to get the guest room ready.

Scott nodded his head, putting his hands together, and closing his eyes. “Nayru, thank you for ensuring that my arrival here was successful and unharmed, for keeping an eye on me as I walk through this beautiful and dangerous land to find the Hylian I can proudly call a friend, and for the information I have been given by the medallion bearers of your Equestria. Thank you, words can’t describe.” Scott stated aloud.

Jeff's right ear twitched. "..You might wanna also thank Farore and Din, one sounded jealous and the other upset."

Scott nodded his head. “To Farore and Din, I also thank you for letting Nayru guide me. Not just to save Deko, for his guidance to Canterlot, or for an audience with Princess Muna, but mainly, and most importantly, for letting me find my friend, Jeff, and gain his aid in my quest for information.” Scott stated aloud.

"Farore is now happy and Dins.. sounding a little cocky." Jeff said with a snicker.

Scott frowned. “How nice… Anyways, I’m hoping the guest bed isn’t bad. I’d hate for your foldout couch to be the only superior bed I’ve slept in comfortably since I got here.” Scott remarked with a laugh.

“About that, I had to put together two beds considering you and Jeff’s height.” Twilight stated.

“Eh… I can sacrifice some of the size anyhow.” Jeff said with a wave of his hand.

Scott raised an eyebrow in confusion, but he was too tired to think, his body felt like jelly. “Not even gonna elaborate on that, I’m steadily becoming less and less awake, and I know I won’t understand anything Jeff says when I fall flat on my face. I’m going to head to bed, I’m exhausted, and my body is shutting down like a machine.” Scott commented. Another yawn escaped the Plumber, and he slowly tried to shuffle forward.

Jeff gave a silent nod to Scott before holding onto his howling stone, concentrating on the Twili magic within. The hylian's body shrinks down, taking on the form of a wolf with red shaggy fur, grey lines on the edge of said fur, and grey underbelly. The middle of his chest had a star shaped scar.

Twilight let out a soft whine. “I really wish you and Cadance would tell me how that works.” she pouted.

Jeff shook his head in amusement and said nothing, but Twilight knew the answer as Twili Magic was difficult to wield. Twilight heads Scott over to the guest room, warning him a few times to duck his head, but he eventually reaches the bed, falling and collapsing into it. Wolf Jeff meanwhile slept at the foot of the bed, allowing the alien to take the rest.

Scott bundled himself in the blanket, immediately falling asleep on the comfy mattress, peacefully and blissfully sleeping away.

Scott’s sleep was dreamless that night. No nightmares, no racing heart, but no Muna this time. Slowly as the light returned to vision, he smelt something good, much better than Jeff’s cooking.

Scott sat up and yawned, stretching his back as he got up. “I don’t know what smells so good, but I know I want a piece of it,” Scott got up and walked out of the room, making his way downstairs, nearly tripping over himself, as he was still waking up, but he eventually found his way to the kitchen. “Morning… what smells so good?” Scott asked, scratching the back of his head.

Scott found Twilight cooking at the stove wearing a purple apron. In her magical grip she was flipping pieces of what looked like frenchtoast in a pan, but what got Scott puzzled was that the other pan to the left was cooking gems? And it wasn’t even the rupee currency but smaller less glamorous gems.

Scott blinked his eyes a couple times, even pinching himself to see if he was dreaming. Lo and behold, he now felt particularly sore in his neck, and was still confused. “Uh… princess? I don’t know if anyone’s taught you how to cook, or if that comes with the territory of being a princess, but I’m pretty sure it’s likely a hazard to be cooking gems in a pan… Why are you cooking gems in a pan at all?” Scott asked, walking over to the coffee machine.

“This is for Spike, he likes his gems cooked. Is that not common in your world’s Spike?” Twilight asked curiously as the mentioned dragon walked in with a yawn with a lazily half away Volv on his head.

Scott rubbed his face, he was not expecting that to come up in conversation so soon. “That… is a hard question to answer. In my world, my Twilight, Gleaming Dusk, she doesn’t seem to mention anything about a dragon being in her care, and I sincerely doubt Celestia and Luna know anything about a dragon in Canterlot… I’m not sure what my world’s Spike is like, I’m not even sure if he was ever born… Your Spike certainly reminds me of the first dragon I saw, but that’s not saying much, that just opens up a whole other can of worms…” Scott explained, still shuddering at the image in his head.

Volv’s head perked up at the mention of worms as she suddenly went scrambling around the room, only to pause and pout that she doesn’t find any.

Spike softly blinked as he looked at Scott in confusion. “...Another Hylian?” he asked. Due to how focused he was on trying to get back his sandwich yesterday, he hadn’t noticed Scott.

Scott sighed, letting a tired smile form on his face. “Not a Hylian, I’m human. Name’s Scott, Scott Baristo. I’m a friend of Jeff’s from another world, and like him, I’m a hero… or rather, I’m more so just doing my job.” Scott introduced, pouring himself a cup of coffee. Luckily for the plumber, Twilight has prepared it for him, no black and thick coffee this time.

“I never could wrap my head around the whole multiverse thing, Honestly I find it scary there’s multiple versions of ourselves out there..” Spike said with a shudder.

Scott smiled. “It’s not as bad as you may seem. I’m lucky to have not run into another me, I’d probably shut down if I did, it’s a new experience that hardly anyone is prepared for,” Scott sat his cup of coffee down on the table and took a seat. “Think of it this way. If you ever meet another version of yourself, it gives you a whole new perspective on you as a person. You could be frightened by it, you could not make sense of it, or, you could learn from it and gain confidence in that you are who you are, and no matter how many versions of you exist in the multiverse, as long as you remember to be yourself, you’ll essentially become something greater. Never give up, never succumb to fear, all you have to fear is fear itself, and that can be conquered.” Scott explained.

Spike tapped his claws onto his chin in thought. “Maybe I’ll meet a power ponies version of myself?” Spike said giddily.

Scott shrugged his shoulders. “It’s possible, the multiverse is infinite in possibilities, you may even meet a pony version of yourself, or a Hylian, ya never know.” Scott stated, sipping on his coffee.

“I-infinite?” Spike said before giving a rather familiar look that reminded Scott of himself.

“I tried explaining the same thing, but his young dragon mind just can’t handle it yet..” Twilight said with a sigh as she hovers a cooked gem over Spike’s noose, snapping him out of it.

Scott chuckled lightly. “It was worth a shot, he is still a kid, after a-” Scott was then cut off by the sound of shouting coming from upstairs. It sounded like someone was going to war or something similar to one. Scott sighed. “I’ll be right back, I’m betting five bits that’s Jeff.” Scott remarked, chugging the last of his coffee as he made his way to the stairway. Scott would find Jeff swinging his sword at what looked like a dummy, although a poorly made one at that, just a stick with arms, rusted armor, and a pumpkin for a head.

Scott walked over and cleared his throat, hoping to get the Hylian’s attention. “Morning, but it seems to me you’ve already gotten back on the grind of training. How’re ya feeling?” Scott spoke out.

“Good but not for long, Everfree alerted me via telepathy that a Armogohma she just drove away is heading this way while apologizing profusely.” Jeff explained as he took out his camera, showing a semi rough pic of the creature, it looked similar to the Queen Gohma but armored with silver scales and skin and a lot more spider looking, plus with its head located on its back.

Scott shuddered at the picture, less out of fear, and more out of disgust. “Why couldn’t it be one of the smaller ones… Well, looks like we’re gonna be neck deep in some serious shit this morning, how do you usually defeat one of these creepy overgrown wall crawlers?” Scott asked.

“The last time I fought one was in the temple of time, but in a different time period due to time travel. If I had to take a guess, either a baby of the original, or this bastard survived my golem’s attack.” Jeff explained as he looked out.

Scott sighed and could remember how difficult those statues were, he was still perplexed how he was able to cut one in two, but this “Armogohma” thing sounded like a real dangerous prick, and if it was making headway to Ponyville, something had to be done. “Must be tough, if it could survive those golem things you made. But, that not-so-itsy-bitsy spider hasn’t faced two heroes at once, so we got that advantage.” Scott remarked.

“Another usual morning?” Twilight asked with a sigh as she made her way upstairs.

“Another usual morning.” Jeff said in confirmation.

Scott nodded his head. “Something called an Armogohma is coming to town, and from what I saw in the picture, that’s a large bug that needs squishin’! What’s the game plan, Jeff? This is your world, your turf, you got the reins on this one.” Scott asked.

“We aim for the eye, any kind of projectile will work. Don’t bother with the rest of the body, not unless you’ve got something in your alien arsenal that can melt its armor, or if you’ve got a big or strong form.” Jeff explained, earning a curious look from Twilight.

Scott shook his head. “Never thought I’d be unlucky to not have To’Kustar DNA on hand for such a situation, or a Polymorph… but, I do have a couple tricks up my sleeve. All I ask is that you focus on the eye, I’ll keep the gargantuan tarantula focused on me.” Scott stated.

Jeff nodded to Scott before looking at Twilight. “You know the drill, split your friends to the four corners, north south east west, no doubt she’ll coming in with a army of her children, or start laying them to try and kill off the civilians, and yes, Scott, she can reproduce them like crazy similar to Queen Gohma.” he explained, causing Scott to look rather disgusted, but it’s nothing he can’t handle.

Scott nodded his head. “Then what’re we waiting for? Let’s send the spider queen crying back to her hovel! It’s Hero Time!” Scott proclaimed proudly.

“Heh, you’ll make Ben proud with that one.” Jeff said as Twilight teleported herself away, meanwhile Spike ran into the basement, he was young afterall and not ready for monster slaying.

The duo quickly run down the streets of Ponyville, everyone is in a panic, either running the opposite way, or trying to seek shelter in any building nearby. Regardless, Ponyville was under attack, and soon, the Armogohma could be seen up ahead, skittering around on its spider legs.

Scott shuddered. “Man, it’s even uglier in person! Jeff, you go after the eye, like we talked about. I’ll make sure this bug works up an appetite, one she’ll never get the chance to satisfy!” Scott remarked.

“Be sure to watch out for its laser eye.” Jeff said before dashing away with master sword and hylian shield.

Scott’s eye twitched. “Laser eye- YOU COULD’VE SAID THAT SOONER- damn it! No matter, laser eye or not, it’s time to put the plan into action. Hopefully the Altnetrix is feeling generous,” Scott activates the device and scrolls to Moodstone’s icon. “Okay, Altnetrix, now would be a good time to not give me the wrong alien. I need Moodstone. Not Smudge, not Needlepoint, give me what I need. Come on, Moodstone!” Scott pleaded, pushing the core down.

In a flash of turquoise light, Scott was replaced by the alien he requested, the moonstone golem himself, Moodstone. Moodstone looked himself over, and was very satisfied. “Good, that’s the hard part out of the way… now, it’s time to play prey. HEY! ARACHNOPHOBIA!! How’s about you chew on something with a bit more bulk to its body!!” Moodstone called out, trying to get the Armogohma’s attention.

Moodstone managed to get her attention, making her look at the golem- aaaand she’s already firing a fiery laser at him, telling the alien hero that The Armogohma had some serious business with the Hylian Hero, Jeff.

Moodstone rolled out of the laser’s way, and started running towards the Armogohma. “Hey! When a hero gets your attention, you take what you can get, spider freak!” The alien quickly tried to find another way of getting the Armogohma’s attention, and soon got an idea, looking at the orbs on his body. “Let’s see if we can’t make this spider throw a fit. Now, I just need the emotions to make it really hurt… and I know just where to get all of that emotion from.” Moodstone remarked, looking straight at the Armogohma.

The sound of an arrow screams the air, making an impact onto the spider’s eye, causing it to spin around to look at Jeff in pain and anger.

With the Armogohma focused on Jeff, it gave Moodstone the opportunity to jump onto it. Moodstone quickly moved towards the beast’s head and placed his orbs onto the Armogohma’s head. “Relax, let’s see if we can’t alleviate a bit of that anger you’ve got, spider beast!” Moodstone remarked, trying to absorb the emotional energy from the Armogohma.

Moodstone could feel the energy he was taking, and it was a lot more than he thought he could handle. All of the orbs on his body were now brimming with a red rage, burning like a roaring fire, whipping around like a whirlwind, but it was all too much. Moodstone groaned as he felt himself get tossed off the Armogohma’s back, landing in a nearby alleyway as the creature continued to fixate its attention on Jeff.

“You remember me all too well..” Jeff remarked as the charging armored queen forced the Hylian roll out of the way. As Armogohma turned its body around, Jeff was setting up with another arrow nocked into his bow.

Moodstone picked himself up and ran back to the fight, grabbing one of the Armogohma’s legs and trying to pull it back. “You are the most persistent pest I’ve ever seen! Where’s the god of exterminators and pesticides when you need one!” Moodstone looked over at Jeff, and could see him setting up another shot with his bow. “Jeff, hurry! This thing’s putting in a lot of work to see you off to the afterlife, and it’s kinda pissing me off that it won’t fight me!” Moodstone called out.

“Smash your arms into it!” Jeff exclaimed as he kept running to try. “The thing’s gotten faster than before.” he said before cursing in Hylian to himself.

Moodstone wasn’t sure what smashing his arms into the Armogohma would do, but he did notice that the little emotional energy he was able to take was stored in the orbs on his arms. “You got it!” Moodstone quickly climbed the Armogohma’s leg, feeling it try to shake him off, but he persisted. Moodstone got on top of the body and jumped as the Armogohma tried to throw him off, sending the alien golem into the air. Moodstone blocked his face with his arms, and let himself start to fall back towards the beast. “Time for you to get squished, you monstrous insect!!” Moodstone roared out.

Moodstone came crashing down onto the Armogohma’s back hard, causing the beast’s legs to buckle and end up in a stunned state. “Now, Jeff!! Poke this damn thing in the eye!” Moodstone exclaimed.

“Got it!” Jeff yelled out as he slid to a stop; spinning his body around to line up the fire; din’s fire dancing along the arrow’s tip. He releases the arrow, piercing the spider’s eye and setting a part of its body on fire. It let out an angry scream as it started flailing around like a bull trying to buck Moodstone off.

Moodstone clung to the Armogohma the best he could, but then he heard the Altnetrix timing out. “Oh man, I hate that sound!” In a flash of white light, Scott was turned back into his normal form, and soon lost his grip, landing head first against one of the nearby house’s walls, and landing on the ground in a daze. “Oww…” Scott groaned in pain.

“I seriously hope you find the Master Control on that thing..” Jeff helped out as the Armored Queen focused on Scott. Raising its abdomen, it started spitting out its offspring, and the sight of it did not sit well with Scott.

Scott heaved and shuddered, feigning a worried expression on his face. “I can’t help but feel like I’m underprepared,” Scott reached for his bat, and let it crackle to life with magical electrical energy. A smirk forms on his face. “There, that’s much better… So, any other plans on how to stop the spider psycho from taking the town?” Scott asked.

“Hold up, get the Hylian mask on, since it-!” Jeff cut off his sentence as the spiderlings went charging at him, forcing him to focus his arrow’s shots on them. Unlike its armored mother, they were dying in one shot via the eye.

Scott quickly unhooked the mask from his side, putting it on his face without hesitation. In a flash of blues and purples, Scott was now in his Hylian form. “Astounding, now it’s time to play a bit of guess who with the Armogohma!” Scott kicked one of the spiderlings into the air and smacked it away with his bat, hitting the Armogohma’s abdomen directly. “Yoohoo!! Freaky arachnid abomination of nature!! Can you guess which of us is which?” Scott taunted.

Armogohma’s eye… eyes? All fives of its eyes looked straight at Scott before charging; its armored legs loudly stomping toward him.

Scott laughed heartily and started to sprint away, with the Armogohma going after the false Hylian. “I believe I got its attention! Take your shots where you can, my friend, I’ll keep the queen hungry!” Scott exclaimed.

Jeff quickly leaps up onto the building to get a better aerial view of things before lining up the shot. Suddenly the Armogohma fires its fiery laser at Scott, turning up the heat. Scott narrowly managed to move out of the way, but he did notice that part of his clothes were a tad bit singed. “No appreciation for good fashion nowadays, you’d think a queen wouldn’t act like such a hoity-toity pain in thine ass!” Scott quipped, continuing his distraction.

Scott had to go on the defensive as the queen kept firing heat beam after heat beam. After dodging another shot, Scott could hear Rarity exclaim from a far distance. “Ack! Gohma blood, this stuff is always so hard to wash out from hair!” Rarity exclaimed.

From far away, Rainbow Dash's voice called out, yelling something about ripping till its done.

An arrow makes its impact on Gohma’s eye for the third time, forcing it to close as it starts to madly rush into things. “Oh, NOW it's starting to get smart.” Jeff said with a groan.

Scott quickly jumped out of the way of the Armogohma’s mad rush, but it was starting to destroy a lot of the homes and buildings in the village. Scott gritted his teeth and gripped his bat tightly. “That’s it, I’m gonna pull that thing’s eye out!” Scott ran towards the Armogohma, rolling out of the way of its huge legs, and began to climb onto one of them. “This thing’s gonna get the tasing of a lifetime!” Scott exclaimed.

Its eye suddenly opened, spinning around creepily as it zoned in on Scott; its eye now building up fire. Scott growled and held onto his bat like his life depended on it. Scott wasted no time in getting to the eye, and raising the Thunder Bat over his head. “Spin your webs in hell, spider!” Scott exclaimed, slamming the thunder bat as hard as he could, mustering more magic into the spell than he ever did before, hoping it would make this arachnid terror finally drop.

The swing interrupted its attack as the electric was quickly conducted onto its armored body, causing it to let out the most ear piercing scream. Its scream caused its offspring to come rushing over to its mother, soon firing tiny beams from their eye at Scott in an attempt to save her.

Scott felt a bunch of the beams hit him from all sides, and while it did hurt, he mustered enough strength to hop off the Armogohma. He got back on his feet, propping himself up on his bat. “This thing is relentless! There’s a thing called being dramatic, you overgrown bug!” Scott exclaimed.

Jeff leaped off the building as he came down on Gohma, reaching into his pouch to pull out a metal hammer. WHAM! The sound of his hammer making contact with its eyes caused its body to come crumbling onto the ground before Jeff quickly leaped off to put some distance between him. “You managed to buy me enough time to use my Megaton Hammer on it.” Jeff said as he gestures a thumbs up to Scott.

Scott smiled and gave a thumbs up in return, then he pulled the Hylian mask off. In a flash of light, Scott was his normal self again, and he hooked the mask back to his side. “Nice to know that’s over… That thing just didn’t want to die, but it certainly wanted you dead, though. Let me know in advance the next time I ever come by for a visit if a monster’s got a personal vendetta against you.” Scott quipped, laughing a bit.

“It's not over yet though.” Jeff pointed out as its offspring came charging at them; their eyes glowing red. The rest of the remains was pretty much a clean off job for the two heroes and the mane six.

Scott groaned, readying the thunder bat as he glared at the Armogohma’s offspring. “I’m not usually one to advocate for this, but I guess it’s time to crush some bugs… again.” Scott remarked.

After what felt like, and was actually a good couple of hours making sure each of the Armogohma’s offspring was defeated, Ponyville was saved from danger yet again, thanks to the Hero of Hyrule, and his Alien Ally.

“At least there weren’t any casualties or anypony being foalnapped.” Jeff said with a nod as he went to rinse the green blood off of his Megaton Hammer at the nearest pony fountain.

Scott nodded his head in agreement, dunking his head into the fountain to wash off a bit of the blood on his face. Scott pulled his head back up and shook his head, spraying water around. “They sure like being pests, that’s for sure, so we had to treat them as such. I’ll be honest, you surprised me with that big ass hammer, where did you even pull that from?” Scott questioned.

"It's all monsters have; just wild instinct for survival, going after whatever will be the death of them,” Jeff exclaimed before pulling the hammer out of the waters. “Oh this? It's the Megaton Hammer, pulled out from my pouches which are magically enchanted to shrink down items and store them away. It’s.. kind of like an infinite pocket dimension.” he explained hoping it’d make sense.

Scott nodded his head. “Infinite inventory space, just like a video game… guess I shouldn’t be that surprised, but still, fascinating,” Scott brushed his wet hair to the side to get it out of his eyes. “We really got ourselves into quite the struggle. What was that thing’s problem with you, anyway? I know when a beast has been pissed off, and that thing was vehement and determined to see you put six feet under.” Scott questioned.

“Like I said, I fought it before when I had to time travel into the past, back when the Temple Of Time was in its prime,” Jeff pauses to look at Scott. “Which mind you was five hundred years..” Jeff explained.

Scott sighed. “Whether it’s my old world, or your Equestria, Time Travel is still a headache. For the sake of my sanity, I’ll believe you. So, I guess I got all the information that I need… I guess it’s time for me to go.” Scott said solemnly.

“Time Travel I take quite seriously, so yes, it can be a headache.” Jeff said, deciding to not go into a long winded exclamation about it. “And hey,” Jeff began as he placed a hand onto his shoulder. “You’re always welcomed to come back, it doesn’t need to be a visit with me though, but please be sure to send a letter so I can make sure the Twili portal is stable. You could have turned into an animal when you went through it.” Jeff cautioned.

Scott chuckled a bit. “I’ll be sure to remember writing the letter. It still surprises me that you get mail via dragon fire, that’s insane,” Scott gets up and dusts himself off. “Well, time to see what all has gone on in my world during my absence. Because I know for damn sure, if there’s a problem, I’ll have to fix it. Let’s see, I have everything, don’t I?” Scott felt around his pockets and his whole body. “Let’s see… Hylian Mask, Picto Box, Thunder Bat, Gasha Seed, Book of Mudora… I think that’s it, am I missing something?” Scott asked.

“Actually there is something you’re missing. You explaining everything to me, and I am NOT going to waste this opportunity to learn about other worlds.” Twilight called out as she appeared in a burst of magic energy.

Before Scott could think about it any further, he was suddenly enveloped in her magic, and was pulled to Twilight’s side. Scott tried to move himself, but he was immobilized. “Uh oh. Uh- Jeff, I can’t move!” Scott exclaimed.

“Telekinetic magic, Scott. You won’t be able to move till she releases you.” Jeff said with a laugh as Scott is taken away to the Golden Oaks library.

Author's Note

And that's the end of the second cross-over I've done with DisplacedWriter. Go check out his story, it's great, seriously, go give it a read if you haven't already.

Scott's stuff he got after the cross-over:

x1 Gasha Seed

x1 Book of Mudora

Scott's clothes were fixed, got a new Jacket and shoes

Information on how the elements of harmony work, will make finding his world's bearers easier.

x1 Pear Butter's music box (A gift for Scott's AJ)

I hope you enjoyed this cross-over, we certainly enjoyed writing it. The story will continue onward in the next chapter.

Some Scars never Heal

[Ben 10 Dimension]
[Earth]

It was a warm summer's evening, the fireflies buzzed all around as a single mother sat on her porch, watching the sun slowly set as her son, a young boy runs around, laughing, smiling and just being generally happy as he chased and danced around with the glowing bugs.

The boy was pale, caucasian, about as white as a ghost, needless to say. He had very little distinct facial features, but his green eyes shined in the rising moon's light, it was almost magical. Almost being the operative word, because it was time to say farewell to the fireflies, and head inside. He ran to the porch and into his mother's arms, excited as can be. "Ma, did ya see me?! Did ya see me, Ma? Didja?!" The boy asked with a smile on his face.

The mother smiled, holding her son as she carried him inside. "Yes, my little Scotty, I saw. You're always so hyperactive at night, but the moment you tire yourself out, it'll be sweet dreams for the whole night," The mother opened the front door and walked inside, closing the door behind her and setting the boy on the couch. "But, that's assuming you'll go to sleep, and I know ya won't." The mother remarked with a grin, ruffling her son's brown hair.

The boy chuckled and grabbed a remote, turning on the TV as the mother walked to the kitchen and began to clean the dishes. Soon enough, the sound of a news broadcast began to play, and the mother could only smirk and roll her eyes. 'My baby sure loves to be informed, just like his grandma.' The mother thought.

The boy sat on the couch, crossing his legs as he listened intently. "Good evening, I'm Will Harangue, and we'll be bringing you the news tonight. First up, there was yet another wildfire in Yosemite National Park, caused by a band of terrorists known as the 'Forever Knights'. The second major wildfire to occur, unlike the devastating wildfire that plagued it five years ago, along with a robot attack. Some have made claims that this strange swampy superhero, calling himself by the moniker 'Swampfire', was on the scene, attacking the terrorists and absorbing the flames, some reports even go as far as to imply he planted seeds to try and restore the damage that had been done. If you ask me, these alien 'heroes' are menaces to society, anywhere they go it's destruction on all fronts, and don't get me started--"

Scott rolled his eyes, seeming annoyed. "Man, this Willy guy is always so mean! At least Swampfire showed up to help, while you sit at your fancy big city desk and push fancy legal papers and polish the specs on yer face ta look purdy." Scott remarked, blowing a raspberry at the man on TV.

A deep booming laugh echoed across the house, revealing a tall, rotund, but incredibly muscular man, looking down at the boy with a smile. He was dressed in a green flannel dress shirt and dark blue overalls. "Ain't that the truth, son. You have your fun already?" The man asked, his voice sounding heavy and tough.

Scott looked up and smiled from ear to ear. "Hey pops, yeah I had my fun. Just watching more stories about the alien superheroes before bed. Man, they rule!" Scott cheered.

The man laughed again, moving to the kitchen as he kissed his wife on the cheek. "He's real excited tonight, think he knows something we don't?" The man asked, a sense of whimsy in his tone.

The woman smiled and pat the man on the back. "He seems to really like those alien things savin' people, I guess it was bound to happen in a world like ours. Anything's possible, I 'spose." The woman responded.

Soon enough, they looked over at their son, seeing him get closer to the screen. "Ladies, Gentlemen, and everyone else watching this broadcast. We have a special announcement, and it does pertain to these alien 'heroes' you all love so much. An anonymous source sent in a compilation of clips, each one showing off a random assortment of these aliens, and has claimed to have found the individual behind all these creatures," there was silence, only a few murmurs from within the studio, and Scott was intrigued to see where this could go. "Yes, you heard me right, everyone. It's not multiple individuals involved, it's one person. We'll play the clip now, and at the end, we'll show the image of the man behind these alien monsters." Will finished up.

The man and woman looked at each other, just as curious about the broadcast as their son, but they chalked it up to propaganda. If it truly was one man behind all those aliens, surely they would've come out about it at some point. Right?

They looked over at their son, his eyes going wide as he saw numerous aliens moving around in the video. He saw a giant eyeless orange dog, running across a river in the woods in broad daylight. He saw a large rotund creature with orange shell plating across its body. He saw Swampfire, sprouting vines from his back like tendrils. He saw numerous small white creatures, running and leaping everywhere, shouting and duplicating. He saw a bunch of aliens, each one brandishing the same green hourglass badge.

Scott wasn't aware that someone else was talking in the midst of the clips, but at some point, Scott finally snapped back to reality, as if he was in a trance. He saw the clips come to an end, only to show a photo of an individual. In the photo was a fifteen-year old boy with green eyes and brown hair, dressed in a green biker jacket, blue jeans, and had a green watch with that same hourglass emblem on it.

"All of these alien heroes are one man, one man who has dedicated his life to stopping evil at all costs. His name, is Ben Tennyson." The unknown voice remarked.

Scott stared at the screen, his mouth opened agape, his eyes wider than they ever were before, his heart was pounding, and before he knew it, Scott found the strength to get up, look at his parents, and fell backwards, going unconscious.

***

The next morning, Scott slowly woke up, only to find out he was in bed. Scott groaned softly, rubbing his head and got up, leaving his room and going downstairs. He notices that his mom was watching the news, the same broadcast that came on last night. "Ma?" Scott called out.

The woman jumped, turning towards her son as she walks up to him, holding him in her arms. "Hey hon, did you sleep well?" she asked.

Scott hugged his mother and smiled. "I'm alright. I do feel pretty great this morning, but last night, was probably the best night ever." Scott remarked.

The mother let her son go and Scott was a bit surprised, if not confused. His mother's eyes looked wet, and the little makeup she had on, was running, streaming down her face. "Ma, is everything okay?" Scott asked.

The mother sniffed and kept her smile. "Why don't you eat some breakfast and get ready for school. I need to uh... talk with your father real quick." The mother responded, dismissing her son's question.

Scott looked back at his mom and raised an eyebrow. "I don't go to school, I'm homeschooled... Something ain't--"

There was a scream, a scream that could only be described as one of sheer terror, and utter despair. "Ma?!" Scott called out.

The sound of a struggle could be heard, along with some inhuman noises, too. It almost sounded like the chittering of some kind of bug, but it wasn't any bug Scott ever heard of. Scott was terrified, he didn't know what to do... well, he did know what he wanted to do, but he didn't know if he should, glancing at the steak knife on his dad's untouched plate.

The sound of stuff breaking, and the cracking of wood echoed out, and Scott decided to at least try and help. Scott grabbed the steak knife and hurried up the stairs, noticing that the hallway was a total disaster. The picture frames were shattered, there was claw marks on the walls, and a strange green goo that clung to the ceiling. Scott felt his breath catch in his throat, and tried to muster the courage to move. He just barely managed to do just that, tears slowly welled up in his eyes as he made it to his parents' bedroom.

Scott, without thinking, ran inside. His eyes went wide, he felt confused, angered, upset, and horrified by the scene. Of all the things he's seen, like crazy supervillains attacking on the regular, or alien superheroes, this was somehow, even stranger.

The sight before him reeked of death. His father laid on the floor, unmoving, his chest clawed at, bleeding. He was pale, incredibly pale, like death just took him before he could attempt a rescue. He looked to his side, noticing three larger men, hunched over what looked like his mother. She was clearly dead, though she looked as if she was drained of everything she had. Scott wasn't aware of what was happening, but he felt his body trembling. He felt a pit the size of the moon drop in his stomach, he felt sick. He felt scared.

The three individuals soon stood up, and immediately turned around, staring at the child. The creatures looked like aliens of some kind, specifically like horse flies, or something similar. Their bodies were covered in a sleek black chitin, and even wore armor to some extent. They had these decrepit and malformed wings, and these huge bulbous fly-like eyes, each one shining blue as they chittered, clicked and hissed. They also had noticeable holes in parts of their body, though nothing about the body's interior could be seen.

Scott knew this was a losing fight, should he decide to fight in the first place. Scott might've been a child, but he wasn't stupid. Sure, he didn't want to leave his parents, even if they were already gone, but he needed to leave. He needed to run. He needed to find help.

One of the creatures walked slowly in his direction, seeming to be more careful with its body language. Scott backed up, keeping the knife in front of him, ready to throw down if he had to. The creature continued its advance towards Scott, slowly reaching out its three-clawed hand to the child. "I- I don't know w-what you are, but I-I won't go do-down without a f-fight! You hear me!? Keep ya distance a-and this doesn't have to get any worse!" Scott warned, his voice cracking as he tried to keep himself calm, failing miserably.

The creature stopped moving, as did Scott, who was one step away from falling down the staircase. Soon enough the other two creatures marched forward, joining its comrade by its side, and surrounding Scott. "What are you? W-What do you want?" Scott asked. He was trying his best to suppress his fear, his anger, but it was all slowly bleeding out. The creatures didn't respond, only looking amongst each other, then focusing back on the kid. Scott gulped, terrified. "We... w-we don't have that much money, if th-that's what you're after." Scott responded.

Again, the creatures looked amongst each other, but only then did they back away. They fluttered their wings and left through a hole in the ceiling, flying into the air as they left for wherever it was they were going next. Scott squeezed his eyes closed and gritted his teeth, falling to his knees as the tears finally flowed free. The tears poured and fell to the wooden floor, and Scott just couldn't handle it.

Scott went back downstairs, almost immediately making his way to the house phone that hung to the wall. He dialed the three digits he knew to dial, and was barely able to figure out what exactly he was supposed to say. Once the call went through, he heard the operator. "Nine-one-one, what's your emergency?" They asked.

Scott tried his best to keep himself composed, but a few stray whimpers and sobs escaped him. "Sir, is there a problem?" The operator asked.

***

Hours passed since the call. Scott just couldn't keep it together, but through it all, at least he got the message across to the operator. By the time nightfall came once again, a white alien ship landed right near the property.

Before Scott could move an inch, several individuals, human and alien, dressed in white suits of armor marched up to the home and moved inside. Soon enough, one of the armored men marched right up to Scott, kneeling down before him. "I'm gonna guess and say you're Scott, right? Scott Baristo?" The man asked, his voice tough and full of grit.

Scott said nothing, but he nodded in approval. The look in his eyes, it was clear a lot was on the kid's mind. 'Well this makes things complicated. I'd call those blasted kids here, but I doubt they could handle the aftermath of a gruesome killing... Well, Levin is the exception, he seems like the type. This is gonna be complicated.' The man thought to himself.

The man removed his helmet, revealing a mostly obscured green face with a strong chin. "My name is Gilhil, I'm with an organization known as the Plumbers. We were told by the operator that you had a run-in with three individuals of the same species, is that right?" Gilhil asked.

Scott nodded his head once more, seeming more disheartened than he was before. Gilhil sighed and stood tall, holding out his hand to the kid. "You look like you need a change in scenery. Don't worry about your folks, they're in good hands. Not all aliens are--"

"Horrible monsters?" Scott interrupted. Before he said another word, he took Gilhil's hand and stood up, keeping his gaze fixated on the ground. "I know, because Ben Tennyson is all the proof I need to know that not all aliens are horrendous monsters. I just wish I could've said goodbye, that's all. Heck, I wish I knew what those overgrown horse flies wanted in the first place. They didn't take any money, none of the valuables, either. They just killed my parents, left me alive and flew away." Scott remarked.

Gilhil gritted his teeth, but he held his tongue. But, even so, the boy's words did give some insight into his perspective, despite how odd it seemed to be. A random attack on a small family, no robbery, just murder the parents and leave the child alive? It didn't make sense, but it was three members of one singular species, most likely insectoid, so at least he could narrow the search down later. "Kid, why don't we take you back to the base, and see if we can't help alleviate the pain. Is there anything you want to get before we leave?" Gilhil asked.

Scott thought for a moment, then took his hand away from Gilhil's. He ran back into the house and back up to his room, pulling a drawer open as he grabbed a t-shirt. It was a black and white shirt his dad got him for his seventh birthday, remarking that he'll grow into it some day. Scott smiled, but it didn't last, so he packed it in a plastic bag. He looked back, seeing Gilhil standing in the doorway. Scott nodded, holding the plastic bag as they left the house.

Gilhil and a couple other plumbers escorted Scott onto the ship, where he was buckled into the front seat, clutching the plastic bag. "Tell me, kid. Is there someone, or something you want to be like when you're older?" Gilhil asked.

Scott knew his answer, even if it seemed a bit silly. He clutched the bag containing the shirt, slumping back into his seat, tired and exhausted. So much happened in such a small span of time, and whether it was him, grieving in silence, or the fact that he saw first-hand that his folks were dead, and saw the monsters responsible, he felt sick to his stomach.

5 Years Later...

[Bellwood, USA]

A man in his near teens walks down the street, his head held low. He had shorter, but equally messy brown hair, wore a black t-shirt with white detailing, dark blue jeans, and had some kind of oddly-shaped badge sticking out of his left pocket. His green eyes were full of determination, but they also showed a sense of shame. He reached into his right pocket and pulled out a small notebook and pencil. The notebook looked beat up, and worn out in certain areas. Even the springs holding it together were beginning to loosen up and rust. He flipped to a blank page and began writing.

Day 730:

"It's officially been one-and-a-half years, nearly two years since I became an official plumber agent, but it's been a crazy time in-between back to where I used to be, and to where I am now. I doubt anyone else is gonna read this, but I suppose a self-recap would help me put the pieces together, and maybe it can help me cope.

If I remember correctly, this is the same day that my parents got killed by those strange insectoid creatures. I remember that night, almost vividly. Magister Prior Gilhil took me to this fancy space station and had people ask me questions. It was boring, but I was still reeling from the sudden loss. In an attempt to try and ease my pain, he took me to one of the training rooms. I met a lot of interesting individuals there, but Gilhil seemed to have other plans. He gave me one of those fancy alien guns and gave me a target or three to shoot at. I immediately asked if it was because I was raised out in the sticks he was letting me do this, and while he didn't say a word, he definitely felt silly after that.

But, I can't say I blame him. Even at the early age of eight, my dad always took me hunting. While it wasn't as fun as I thought it'd be, it helped put food on the table, and money in our pockets. When he gave me the gun, and pointed to the targets, it was like shooting fish in a freakin' barrel, from how easy it seemed. Before I could give the gun back, the most notorious pains in my ass would come blastin' through the doors, and by instinct, I shot at them without a moment's hesitation. Knocked the weapons out of their hands and rendered them incapable of fighting back.

After witnessing me take down the two individuals that I'd soon come to know as the Vreedle Brothers, Gilhil was sort of impressed with how I handled the situation. In his own words, he said I had potential. Potential to be a Plumber that would stop at nothing to do what's right, to ensure that no one else had to suffer like I had. I didn't like the prospect of being a law-man, in space or on Earth, but I felt like I owed it to my folks to do some good, even if it meant they'd never be around to see, or hear about it.

I admit, the training wasn't that bad, it just seemed like a boot camp up in space. It definitely wasn't easy, though. The drills, the exercises, the protocols, it all felt like some special way of saying semantics, and I didn't like it, but I toughed it out. By the time I turned fourteen, I had proven that despite my age, my size, and the fact that I was human, I proved to the other students that I can handle anything, and I wanted to prove it.

I would eventually graduate and become an on-duty plumber cadet, even if the uniform didn't fit me properly by the time I got a year older. I admit, being a cadet kinda sucks, but I'll keep going, I spent the last four years in the academy, and even had a run-in or two with Ben Tennyson himself, getting to see him work hard and prove why he's a hero in the first place. If I can survive being almost jettisoned out into the cold, unforgiving vacuum of space, or survive a surprise assault from some Plumber Black Ops gone rogue, then I can handle myself on a solo mission, or whatever I get called in for.

I can't quit now, not after everything that's happened. It's not what my folks would've wanted... or, at least, that's what I've been assuming. Speaking of, as of right now, I have some vacation days saved up, and it's the anniversary of my parents' untimely end. I'm currently on my way to the bus stop, hoping to pay my respects while I can. But, knowing how the last few times I tried to go and pay my respects went, I'm gonna be pretty damn pissed if I get called up to help. Again.

Well, I see the bus stop on the other side of the street. Here's to hoping this doesn't turn out like the last few times I've tried this."

Scott tucked the notebook and pencil back into his pocket and moved quick across the road. Before he knew it, he was on the other side of the street and the closest he's ever been to paying proper respect to his folks. He took a deep breath and sighed in relief, a brief smile forming on his face as he took a seat. 'Maybe this is my chance. Today has felt like a safe enough day, and at least I'm not standin' around, trying to look frickin' stupid. Maybe a day or three away from my job is exactly what I nee-'

The badge in his pocket began to emit a sequence of sounds, and the smile that formed on his face, faded in a near instant. Scott scowled and gritted his teeth, snatching the badge from his pocket and thought about what he should do. As much as he hated being constantly called away, just to mourn and pay respects, his job, even when he tried to get a vacation day in, was always the primary objective.

'One of these days, I'm gonna smash this badge under my frickin' heel, and scream.' He thought bitterly.

Scott took a moment, took a deep breath, and suppressed the unfurling irritation he felt. He spoke into the badge and could only wonder what the problem was this time. He knew that sequence of sounds too well, it was a sequence to notify that any and all plumbers, regardless of rank or position, are to answer the call if they're within range. "This is Cadet Scott Baristo, what's the gist, pally?" Scott asked calmly.

"Illegal tech trafficking ring. Baumann's market, can't miss it." The voice stated.

Scott rolled his eyes and got up from his seat. "It's your lucky day, I'm nearby, much closer than you think. If I run, I'll be there in a minute, maybe even a minute and a half. I'm on my way, sit tight." Scott replied.

"10-4. Over and out." the voice confirmed.

The badge went silent and Scott slid it back in his pocket. "After this, it's back to my business. No more distractions. In and out, stop the trafficking, and if possible, minimize casualties." Scott told himself.

Scott quickly ran down the sidewalk, blitzing around people that got in his way. He knew his objective, and he was surprisingly lucky to have had all of them be right near the bus stop. Whether it was a cruel joke played by fate, or him being lucky to be right near the danger, he knew he'd be remiss to think of himself. He didn't want others to suffer, and that meant doing every job he could, even when he's about to go on vacation.

And then There Were... 2? Part 1

[Ben 10 Dimension]

Everyone was at a loss for words, all except for Vilgax, who seemed to both marvel, and be irritated by his handiwork as he was arrested, and hauled out by the plumbers. He killed the earthling that stood in his way, but at the same time, he also destroyed the knock-off Omnitrix device he needed. Scott was nowhere to be seen, but the blackened segments on the wall as that burst of light instantaneously erupted; it was a terrifying implication, but that was all that could be considered.

Gwen raised her hand, letting a glowing pink aura shine as she tried to find something. From out of the wreckage of his temporarily collapsed tomb, was a busted and severely damaged Plumber's badge, and a phone, with its flashlight still on. Gwen frowned, and turned to Ben, who was now wearing a black long-sleeved shirt, and green sweatpants. He seemed lost in thought. "Ben, all I could find was a busted badge, and a phone. I'll send them both back to R&D, hopefully Blukic and Driba can figure out what went wrong. But, this might be a bit... pointless." Gwen stated, looking concerned.

Kevin walked over, kneeling down as Ben hovers the watch over something, noticing that the shapeshifting alien hero was in his own little world, and it did not seem like a happy place to be. At first glance, there isn't anything there, but Ben, he was trying to use the Omnitrix to find that other Omnitrix device. Unfortunately, he's been at this for hours, and hasn't found any trace of the signal. "If I can find that signal, we can try to pinpoint it and track him down. I just need that signal, that's all I need." Ben told himself, oblivious to his best friend's presence.

'Who am I kidding. That guy got himself caught in a lot of trouble. I can only imagine, and shudder at what kind of horrid fate that kid is going through. I should've used Alien X right from the start. I have full access to his power, his strength, all without restriction... why didn't I use it?' Ben thought, a sense of shame washing over him.

Gwen walked over and put a hand on her cousin's shoulder, causing him to snap back to reality and look at her. "C'mon Ben, Grandpa wants to talk about the situation further." Gwen said quietly.

Ben frowned, gritting his teeth as he stood up. Ben didn't utter another word, but he did end up changing into XLR8, speeding away from the scene at blistering speeds.

[???]

A field of wheat flows in a calming breeze. Scott carefully walks through the field, hearing the crunching of tiny rocks beneath his feet. The sun shined down as he continued to walk, knowing he would eventually end up right where he's supposed to be.

Everything feels, almost relaxing. The way the wind calming blows by, the smell of fresh air invading his lungs, he felt at peace. He saw a farm house in the near distance, it was familiar, all too familiar. As if the wind was its own entity, Scott heard a faint whisper in the breeze.

'Find me, Scotty. Find me.' the whisper pleaded.

Curious, Scott felt compelled to go forward, a small smile forming on his face. He walked towards the house, feeling a sense of calm, as well as a twinge of unease. Scott increased his speed, moving just a bit faster. The air around him did not change a bit, it felt too familiar to change... and yet, that sense of unease, it began to slowly grow.

Scott ended up on the porch of the house. It looked brand-new, like it was just built. The nails that kept the wooden boards in place, they aren't worn out, or rusted beyond compare. The wooden planks looked freshly cut and beautiful, as if whoever made this house, put everything they had into making it. Their sweat, their tears... their blood.

A strange smell soon permeated Scott's nostrils. It was sweet, too sweet. It was a sickly sweet smell, like he was in a candy store with the freshest goods. He wanted to take a long whiff of that smell, despite its sickly sweet aroma being too much, it reminded him of a better time, a simpler time. Unfortunately, there was another set of flavors in that sweet aroma, flavors that couldn't go unnoticed for long.

Iron. The smell of metal being welded together, cut into pieces, reduced down to a fiery liquidous magma, or reduced down into shavings. The smell reminded him of a few colors, colors that told him what exactly happened here. Black and Red came to mind, but there was still one more smell. It hurt to think about it, and it made his stomach churn. The sickly sweet smell, it slowly started to go stale, and then that unidentified smell could finally be figured out.

Decay. Scott picked up on this smell several times before. The stench of death, the rot, it began to cut through and overwhelm the sickly sweet smell, and it amplified the iron smell, too. Scott grimaced, knowing why this farm house was so familiar. It was the final resting place for his mother and father, the home he was raised in before their untimely end.

Scott noticed the sky, the warm and comforting sunset was now gone. In its place were several dark stormy clouds, each one with a tint of green to its gloomy palette, rumbling with thunder, the flashing light of what seemed to be lightning, sparking and dancing amidst the clouds. Scott didn't know what was happening, but if there was one place he knew he could go, when it looked like a storm was coming... he had to get low.

Scott ran around the house, noticing it become more splintered, grayed, withered, damaged, and decrepit. The wind began to pick up, no longer seeming comforting and calm, but became another warning of the storm coming his way. He turned the corner, seeing a pair of cellar doors, blocked off by a sticky green resin. Scott pulled at the doors, trying to brute force his way in, but the resin was gonna be quite the problem.

Scott turned around, only to jump out of surprise. He took noticed of a man he never saw before, one that wore his face. He seemed disappointed, angry, unhappy. He looked at Scott, gritting his teeth so hard, blood began to pool on his bottom lip. Scott was about to run, but soon found out that the man was already right near him, face to face. Scott felt his hands gripping on his wrists tightly. They felt cold, like he had been dead for a long, long time.

The man stared Scott down, seeing the confusion, shock, and fear in his face. He took a deep breath and stared right into Scott's eyes.

'WAKE UP!!' The man shouted.

He felt the venom, the vitriol in his words. The force behind his shout, it was enough to feel like he was trying to shout the skin off his body. Scott tried to break free from the man's grasp, but a flash of light soon struck him.

[Equestria Outskirts]

Scott's eyes snapped open, he felt a sudden rush of unwavering terror course through his body. Scott looked around, noticing the small wooded clearing he was in, as well as the morning sun shining down upon him. Scott tried to calm himself down, steady his breathing. He looked around, noticing a few small animals, ranging from a couple birds, a squirrel, as well as a small snake. Scott looked at himself, wondering if he was alright. He then noticed the Omnitrix-like device that was still fixated onto his wrist. The hourglass glowed a bright turquoise color.

Scott's eyes went wide, and a loud, shrill scream of panic echoed out from the clearing. Scott was screaming as he frantically flailed his arm around, struggling to remove the device from his body. "Get off me!! Back to the box of scrap parts from which you were conceived!!" Scott screamed, smacking the device against a giant rock.

[User Request Denied. Genetic Bond is already in progress.] The device chirped.

Scott got even more frantic. "Cancel! Cancel the bond, I am not one for commitment, and that sounds like too much!" Scott cried out, pulling at the device as hard as he could.

[User Request Denied. Do not panic, if you have any questions, feel free to refer to this unit's designation and state your inquiry.] The device chirped.

Scott stopped pulling and glared down at the device fixated to him. 'I know I should probably be excited, now I really am just like Ben. I have one of these things stuck to me now, and it's insistent that it stays stuck to me... Well, I guess if this thing is willing to answer my questions, this might be my chance to get answers. Let's try to reign in the panic, and not get too aggressive, Scott... you still need to get back home.' Scott thought.

His glare began to lessen, and he decided to play along. He sighed, rubbing his eyes as he began the questioning process. "Ok, you strange-lookin' bootleg hero watch, I'll play your game. What's your designation?" Scott asked.

[This Unit is designated, by its creator, as the 'perfect' recreation to the original Omnimatrix Unit, based around a set of incomplete blueprints dating back to 2006. This unit's creator designated this Omnimatrix unit, as the Altnetrix. Through meticulous trial and error, this unit's creator was to attempt creating more of this unit after successful trials, shipping them out anonymously across various galaxies to numerous criminal benefactors. This unit was shut down years ago, but not before activating the Displacement Protocol.] The device chirped.

'Altnetrix? And people have the nerve to complain about Ben's names for his aliens, sheesh...' Scott thought, a look of confusion forming on his face.

Scott straightened up and focused. "Ok. Altnetrix, right? What did the Displacement Protocol do, exactly?" Scott asked, curious as to know the answer. The device remained silent for a few seconds, but then it spoke once more.

[The Displacement Protocol, programmed in by this unit's creator, was to ensure that in the case of the fail-safe succeeding, but the threat is still prevalent, and the user is outpowered and outmatched, the Displacement protocol utilizes the energy it builds up overtime, then discharges it to randomly 'Displace' the user and sends them to another world, in or out of our foreseeable universe. Unfortunately, this protocol never got much field testing, and when it did, it never worked in proper succession. My calculations suggest that it would only work if the user needs an escape, and considering the Chimera's attempt on the life of this unit's new user, the Displacement Protocol was activated to ensure your safety.] The Altnetrix explained.

Scott was... well, he didn't know how to actually feel about that, or about anything that happened the other day. "Altnetrix, is there a way to get back to where I was before? If so, how? If not, why can't I go back?" Scott inquired.

[Unfortunately, the answer is no to both User inquiries. It's unclear as to why, but some systems within this unit have been restricted and locked behind safeguards after the first, and most likely, the only successful display of the Displacement Protocol. Any attempts to connect to the Extranet have essentially failed, signifying that data will have to be gathered manually.] The Altnetrix explained. Scott's anger subsided, but a sense of loneliness and isolation was now prevalent. Scott processed this information slowly, but it all still hit him hard, like a semi-truck going down hill at full speed.

Scott felt horrible, but he couldn't explain why. As far as he was concerned, he didn't have anything to go back to. The farm he grew up on, he had to sell for money he'd need later down the line. His parents were murdered, and he wasn't exactly close with anyone in particular, in or outside of work, so he doubted that anyone would know he was still alive, and somewhere else. The only thing he had left to lose was his job as a Plumber, and though he hated being called right when he's about to use his vacation days, he always loved helping people, no matter how small or drastically huge the problem was.

Scott looked down at the device, feeling a wet stinging sensation in his eyes. His lip was starting to quiver, and his stomach started to hurt, it felt as if his stomach was tied in knots, and brined in bleach for decades without end. "So... I'm stranded somewhere I don't recognize, I'm all alone, and there's no going back to the world I used to know?" Scott asked, his breathing becoming slow and shaky.

[Affirmative.] The Altnetrix confirms.

Scott gritted his teeth, his breathing became heavy and sharp, tears streamed down his face. He grabbed hold of the grass beneath him, ripping it out of the ground. He slammed his fists into the ground, devastated. He screamed as loud as he could, a mixture of sobs and aggressive fits of rage and anguish as he continued to drive his fists towards the ground, dirt and soil begin to stain his knuckles.

***

[A few Hours Later...]

Scott was slumped up against a huge rock, steadily trying to compose himself from the fit he had, despite feeling pretty pissed off about his situation. "With all of this bad news, you might as well tell me I've got cancer, too. Just rub more salt in the wound, don't even make it edible, just take a whole salt deposit and jam the whole thing into my wounds, why don't ya!" Scott angrily exclaimed.

[Your anger is quite potent. You could make an Appoplexian cower with how much aggression you keep within.] The Altnetrix remarked.

Scott took a deep breath, and held it for a moment. Scott slowly exhaled, and sighed. He sniffed and wiped his eyes, looking down at the device. "Well, I guess I'll get to the inevitable questions, then," Scott climbed on the rock, sitting on it as he looked at the Altnetrix. "Altnetrix, since you're still an Omnitrix-like... thing, does that mean you can turn me into other alien species, like the original can?" Scott asked.

[Yes. The creator of this unit had a goal during this unit's conceptualization. It was a bit different from Azmuth's original vision, but can be seen as the same, to an extent. The creator's primary goal was to show that there is more to a species besides what evolution had in store to make them either formidable warriors, or just common extraterrestrials with very little to offer. Much like the Omnimatrix unit that came before this unit, this unit can also transform the user into the prime example of any species. However, there is a complication.]

Scott raised an eyebrow. "And what exactly does this complication entail?" Scott asked cautiously.

[This unit, when it was last activated, had access to the entire library of the original Omnitrix's 1,000,912 DNA Samples. Specifically, alien species that Ben Tennyson either hadn't unlocked yet, encountered, or has encountered and never thought to check. However, upon reactivation after seven years of inactive use, this unit's systems have gotten a substantial update. This unit's less than secure link to both Primus, and Benjamin Tennyson's Omnimatrix unit, had been severed. This unit was only able to save two DNA samples and lock them in as default transformations. It's possible some remnant data and DNA for other species lingers within this unit's genetic repository, but this could take time to confirm or deny.]

Scott, despite being very confused, and more than a little suspicious to why this thing had a less than secure link to Primus and Ben's watch, but he wasn't gonna question it, not now. He doesn't know what this world has to offer in terms of dangerous threats, and if they end up attacking, he'll be glad he has two transformations to use, rather than none at all. "Taking everything you said into consideration, I am skeptical, and suspicious. However, I'm stuck with you, and I don't know of the potential dangers this place has to offer, so I'll take any transformations, rather than none at all." Scott stated.

[User input acknowledged.] The Altnetrix confirmed.

Scott pressed the button on the bottom. He watched the hourglass form into a diamond shape, displaying a robust human-shaped icon. "Well, no better time than to give this a try. I'll have to familiarize myself with these forms anyway," Scott pushed the button again, causing the core to pop up. Scott put a finger on it and lightly pushed, seeming nervous, excited, and hesitant. "Here goes nothing." Scott stated, pushing the core back into place. A green light soon enveloped him, and he began to change.

Scott watched as his skin bulged and turned gray, feeling his muscles bulk up and become a bit hairier, the increase in muscle traversed upward to his head. He closed his eyes, only to open them again, now shining green. His brown hair became black and shiny, and he felt his body warp and alter itself. He got taller, more robust. His jaw became a bit more square, all while his clothes began to change and alter around him too. His shirt felt tighter around his new body, now becoming a black t-shirt with white detailing at the end of his sleeves and his collar. He wore a pair of white jeans with dark gray metal cuffs, with black boots, decorated with a bit of white detailing. He had black wristbands, accentuated by a single white stripe on each one. The Altnetrix's badge was located on his chest. The alien smirked and let out a loud rousing cheer as he stood proud, crossing his arms as the flash of light died down.

Scott looked himself over, impressed, but also mildly bothered by what he became. Where he was around five foot six in his human form, this new form was taller than he was previously. Seven feet tall, robust and broad-shouldered. Scott walked through the brush, noticing a small stream nearby. He walks over, noticing his new square-jawed, gray-skinned transformation. His eyes widened in surprise. "I'm a goddamn Vreedle!" The alien yelled out. His voice was deep and had a not-so-subtle southern twain.

[Transformation sequence complete. Vreedle DNA Sample has been properly catalogued in database.] The Altnetrix stated.

Scott looked himself over, looking at the reflection of his transformed state. "I wonder if I should give these forms names. Then again, I don't wanna keep calling this one Decagon, or whatever. If I'm gonna name these, they have to be unique," The alien walked in one direction, following the stream. "Now, considering I heard a rumor that Ben's Vreedle form would be an expert with explosives, it only makes sense to figure out if this one does the same. But if it is, and I end up destroyin' something I know I probably shouldn't have, I'm gonna be in a heaping helping of trouble. What would be the safest option, especially if explosives are a prime conce-"

The sound of metal giving way and the snapping of wood breaking echoed out. "Gah!! Oh, for the love of Celestia!!" A woman cried out angrily. From the sound of it, she was pretty agitated.

'Oh that didn't sound good. I better move and investigate.' Scott thought, moving through the brush to get to the source of the noise.

***

After a quick minute of looking, the transformed Scott moves through the brush, only to duck down behind some huge bushes. He pokes his head up, ready to call out and offer his assistance, until his words get caught in his throat, and he beholds a rather odd sight.

Downhill was a set of train tracks. On the side of those train tracks was a well-tilled path, and along that path, a wooden wagon had collapsed into pieces. The woman who cried out, was technically a woman, but they were not human, that was certain. The Vreedle saw a pony, and they definitely didn't look like a normal pony either.

The woman was a mare, a pony with an orange coat, and three red apples on her flank. She had a blonde mane tied back with a red bandana. She looked rather nice looking, even if she was a bit agitated, most likely because of the heat and the collapsed wagon that must've belonged to her.

The mare looked like she was about to become red in the face. "When ah get back to tha farm, ah swear on mah life, Braeburn is gonna up and get it for messin' with this damn wagon! Next time I see 'im, I'm gonna make him run all the way back to Appleloosa!" The mare hollered, repeatedly kicking what remained of the wagon with her hindlegs. The mare then went around, looking for something. Didn't take long for Scott to notice the crates and barrels full of apples. "Ahm gonna wring that colt's neck out, I swear! How in fuckin' tarnation am ah supposed to get to Canterlot now!? Ah have a farm to keep afloat, dammit!" The mare shouted.

The Vreedle kept his head down, looking rather intimidated. 'I don't know why, but I'm gonna go down there, and offer some help. Really hoping this doesn't come back to bite me.' He thought.

The Vreedle stood tall, moving around the bush he hid around. Before he could let the pony know he was around, he ended up tripping over an exposed tree root. The Vreedle yelped, which did end up getting the mare's attention, only for her to look on in shock, and confusion, as the gray-skinned humanoid creature tumbled down the hill, eventually landing face first into the railroad tracks, landing with a thud. 'Major note... watch where you step before going downhill.' The Vreedle thought.

The mare was quite confused, though this wasn't the first time someone showed up out of nowhere, and their face ended up smacking into metal. 'Already my day's gettin' worse. Better find out what this is, otherwise I'm doomed anyway.' The mare thought, slowly trotting towards the human-shaped creature that lay on the ground.

The Vreedle eventually did get to his knees, feeling the sheer pain in his face from coming into contact with steel. "Fer once, I'm hella glad I don't have a nose. I think I woulda busted it open the moment it came into contact with steel," The Vreedle rubbed his face as he tried to gather his bearings. He groaned and turned to face the mare, seeing her look unamused, but equally curious. "Uh... howdy. I hope you don't mind, but I was in the bushes, listenin' in, I'm real sorry about your situation." The Vreedle explained.

The mare silently squinted her eyes at the Vreedle, she let her eyes wander up and down the alien's physique, and before he knew what happened, the mare smiled. "No need to be sorry, it can't be helped. That ol' wagon was gonna collapse at some point anyhow, and the moment my stubborn cousin starts messin' with it, of course it collapses when a delivery needs to be made." The mare remarked.

The Vreedle stood up and looked over at the broken wagon. He knew that he wanted to help remedy the situation, but it's only after looking at the wagon himself, that he's gotten an idea. "If you don't mind, miss..." The Vreedle started.

"Applejack, sugarcube. My name's Applejack." The mare introduced.

The Vreedle nodded. "Well, miss Applejack, I would like to lend you some help. You seem like a busy mare, and you seem to have someplace to be, so maybe we can help each other out." The Vreedle suggested.

Applejack looked up at the towering figure, skeptical of his claim. "I appreciate the offer, but what do you know about wagons? Forgive me if this is rude of me to say, but you don't look like the kind of individual that knows what they're doing." Applejack stated.

The Vreedle winced at those words, but he had to admit, somehow, he did know something about messing with stuff. "I give you my word, miss. If I can't fix your wagon, I'll gladly help you get your supplies to wherever the next destination is. I cross my heart, hope to die." The Vreedle reassured, smiling from ear to ear.

Applejack raised an eyebrow at the creature, but then she looked over at the immobile mess of a heap that her wagon had collapsed into. As much as Applejack was hating to admit, she was in a bind and needed money, and the wagon's collapse did not help with any of that. On top of all that, she was not fond of asking for help, she was prideful in doing everything herself... this, however, was a special case. Even if it meant her pride took a backseat, and got knocked down a peg, she still had to provide for the farm, above all else.

Applejack sighed, as if she had been defeated. She let a small smile form on her muzzle as she looked up at the creature. "Alrighty then. I don't want to argue and waste more time than what's already passed, so I'm trustin' you on this. Don't make me regret accepting your help, now." Applejack stated.

The mare stepped back, sitting on the ground a couple feet away. With the task now given to the Vreedle, they stepped forward and began examining the wagon, a worried expression on his face. 'I offered to help fix her wagon, and I don't have any tools. Really hoping I can fix this with my bare hands, otherwise I'm in trouble.' The Vreedle thought.

***

Up above the clouds, two stallions with wings looked down to the ground. They both had pristine white coats, and were well-equipped with golden spears and golden armor. "Spot anything yet?" One of the stallions asked.

The other stallion frowned. "Nothing yet. What about you?" They asked.

The stallion motioned for the other to look where he was, and as they did, they did spot something unfamiliar. Something that could only be identified as different, unseen, alien, or... monstrous. Down below, a robust gray human-shaped creature was currently observing the wreckage of a wagon. "That looks like that old wagon that comes to and from Ponyville, don't it? I bet that orange mare is making another expensive delivery to Canterlot." The stallion remarked.

The other stallion frowned. "So what the hell is that thing near the cart? That thing don't look like a pony, what's it even doing?" The stallion asked.

From where they were perched, the gray figure seemed to be looking for something around the collapsed wagon. It was only till now that they saw Applejack sitting a couple feet away, watching the creature try and figure things out. "You don't think it's a robbery, do ya?" The stallion asked.

The other stallion flapped his wings, keeping himself in the air. "Let's go down and take care of this, just in case." The stallion stated.

The stallion flew down towards the area of commotion, as did the other stallion. Either this was gonna go well, or this was going to bite someone in the sack later.

***

The Vreedle stopped fiddling around, wiping a bit of sweat off his brow, and eventually did come to a conclusion. The wagon couldn't be fixed, but that didn't mean he couldn't offer any additional sense of help. He looked over to Applejack and waved her over, but as she did, the sound of a low droning beep started to blare out from the Altnetrix.

They were both caught off-guard by the sound, but The Vreedle definitely had an idea as to what exactly was happening. He was out of time, and he was about to turn back. "Oh no!" The Vreedle exclaimed. A blinding white flash of light enveloped him, and as it died down, Scott was turned back into his normal human self.

Scott and Applejack looked at each other, both of them surprised and unsure of what could be said in that moment. Scott's mind raced, all while a look of irritation and fury was slowly starting to form in the mare's face. "Listen, I know how this must look, but there's really nothing to worry about. This is the real me, what you saw was--"

Scott didn't have time to finish his statement until two orange legs immediately struck him in the gut, knocking the wind out of him as a pained wheeze left his gaping mouth. His eyes went wide out of shock, seeing that Applejack turned around, and slammed her hindlegs into him. Scott tried to find the words, but all he could feel was something rushing up his throat. He tried to move, but the pain was too great.

Scott fell to his knees, until he finally uttered a set of words that felt like a good summary of what happened yesterday, and what happened just now. "H-How many times... am I gonna get beat... for helping people!?" Scott wheezed out, clutching his stomach.

Applejack stared him down, towering over his body. "Help? That's a likely cover story. Shoulda known you were a changeling, they hide in plain sight and attack ya when yer most vulnerable, and they can disguise themselves! Ta think, ya had me fooled! Not today, you overgrown bug, ya can't lie to an apple!" Applejack snarled.

Scott took a deep breath and tried to say something, until the sound of something landing made itself known. Scott couldn't move, and by the time whatever was rushing up his throat, he spit it out, seeing red stain the dirt. Before Scott could try and move, something tough and metallic smacked against his head, knocking him out cold.

Author's Note

Man, Scott can't get a break, can he?

But, on the bright side, we are introduced to one of Scott's two transformations, his Vreedle transformation. If you watched Alien Force, Ultimate Alien, or at least Omniverse, then you know who or what the Vreedles are.

Can't Sleep On It, Trouble's a Buzz!

[19 days till the Summer Sun Celebration]

After a bit of rest, and a long walk back to his home to inform the apple family of what happened, Scott was thanked and managed to get in Applejack's good graces, or rather, has started to get in her good graces.

Scott watched as the apple family left and went back to their farm, all while he simply sat down on his sofa, trying to figure out how to process the information he had gained. He felt exhausted, tired, metaphorically and literally drained, but at least he could get some time to himself. Just him, his sofa, his food, and forty winks he was eager to get back.

Scott laid down and closed his eyes, letting himself try to drift off to his dreams. Unfortunately, there was a knock at the door, which made him groan into the cushion. Scott got up and walked to the front door, grabbing his bat and readying it. He pressed his ear against the door carefully. "Who's there?" Scott called out.

A set of hoofsteps could be heard approaching the door from the other side, and the sound of someone clearing their throat made themselves known. "Hey Scott, it's me, Dash. Uh... haven't seen you in a few days, but word's getting around that you helped AJ's family last night with some serious blood moon stuff. Wish ya got ahold of me before you did, I was on my nightly patrol, when I see Applejack and her family fleeing their farm in their delivery cart. What's happenin' man, can I come in?" Dash asked.

Scott frowned, he wanted a day to himself, just so he can get some sleep, but Dash was at least courteous. Scott hadn't seen her since Seventy-Four tried escaping Canterlot five, now recently, six days ago. Nearly a full week since the interrogation occurred, and he hasn't interacted with her since then. "Is it just you, or is the kid with you?" Scott asked.

Dash was silent for a moment, but eventually she spoke out. "Scoot's dealing with her own stuff today. Said she wanted the coolest mare in Equestria to focus a bit more on fighting the bad guys, so I was thinking we could go out and patrol the place. You game?" Dash offered.

Scott sighed. "You know, I'd love to, but today isn't exactly good for me. I'm thoroughly exhausted from what happened in that orchard, and I'd like to just rest and relax. I can't run myself ragged, it won't help anybody. Maybe another time, but not now." Scott stated.

Dash raised an eyebrow in confusion, but shrugged it off. "Alright, suit yourself, but if there's something you need, let me know, I won't leave my friends hanging when they need it most." Dash reassured.

Scott nodded his head. "Will do." Scott stated tiredly.

Soon enough, Dash took to the skies in a rainbow blur, leaving Scott's hut behind as she pushed through the clouds. Scott sighed and fell face first onto the sofa, closing his eyes as he prepared himself to try and sleep again. 'Okay, I just need to relax, I need to sleep. If I run myself ragged, I won't be of much help to anyone. So, I just need to relax, and sleep for a few hours.' Scott thought.

There was another knock on the door, and Scott's eyes snapped open. "This is gonna be a trend today, isn't it?" Scott wearily asked himself.

Scott got up and moved towards the door, pushing his ear against the door again. "Who's there?" Scott asked.

The sound of bones cracking could be heard, which unnerved the hell out of him, until he heard their voice. "Heyyy buddy boy, took a little bit to find you, but I guess it's better to be late than never. Ya probably don't remember me, but we met back at that fancy palace. I grabbed you, you got a bit aggro, but it's all water under the bridge, right?" Scott steadily opened the door, only to be faced with the DNA Donor for Needlepoint. Scott furrowed his brow and groaned. "Allow me to introduce myself. Name's Argit, and I'm your potential new business partner." Argit introduced.

Scott threw the door open and readied the Altnetrix. "Unless you want to become my brand new rug, you're gonna leave, and you're not coming back. By my authority as a Plumber, I will not hesitate to exercise my rights to turn you in, criminal." Scott warned.

Argit sighed, shrugging his shoulders. "Well, it was worth a shot. I'll admit, you may have ol' benny boy's powers, but you definitely remind me of Kevin, mainly in the aggression you're giving off." Argit commented.

Scott stepped forward, glaring daggers at the alien on his doorstep. "Unlike Magister Levin, you have no intent of changing your villainous ways and suppressing your criminal urges. I'll only repeat myself once, because you clearly didn't hear me the first time, vermin," Scott grabbed Argit by his neck and pulled him close. Argit could see the exhausted, yet persistent burning fire that ignited the human's rage in his eyes, and was starting to get the impression that he wasn't welcome. "I'm not in the mood for this shit. I'm tired, I have a lot to think about, and believe it or not, should you press my buttons, I'll throw your not-so-sorry ass through that swirling portal above my home, and make sure you never come out, especially alive. Ever wanted to know what hell actually looks like? Keep testing my patience, rat, and you will find out soon enough, I promise." Scott warned gravely.

Scott let Argit go, and despite having his quills ready for an attack, Scott reached into his doorway, grabbing his bat. Upon seeing the blunt instrument crackle with electricity, the alien was actually rather hesitant to fight back, he could tell that Scott meant what he meant, and he wasn't sure if he was impressed, terrified, or both.

Argit let a small grin form on his face as he slowly backed away. "Okay, okay. I can take a hint, pal," Scott gritted his teeth and raised his bat. "Hey hey!! Easy, just tryin' to be friendly. Clearly you're not in a good mood, and that wouldn't exactly be good for me. I'll leave ya be, grumpy, but just so you know, this ain't gonna be the last time we meet. Remember that." Argit remarked, slowly walking away from Scott's hut, making his way towards the train tracks.

Scott groaned and walked back inside, slamming the door behind him. Scott jumped onto his sofa and tried to relax, practically hoping no one else would interrupt him, but with how the day started so far, aside from him doing his usual chores like water the deku seeds he had planted and checking his stockpile of food, Scott wasn't exactly hopeful that people and ponies would leave him alone for the day.

Scott closed his eyes and let out a sigh. 'Keep your cool, Scott. You're just tired, exhausted, there's a lot on your plate that needs to be put away. Just relax... relax...' Scott thought.

An hour later, Scott silently slept on his sofa, occasionally turning over every now and then to get comfortable. A small smile formed on the sleeping human's face, all while he enjoyed his peaceful slumber.

There was a knock at the door, and Scott's eyes snapped open, clearly starting to get irate about people or ponies suddenly visiting him. Scott groaned as he got up and looked out his window, seeing that it was Zapp at his door this time. Scott sighed and walked towards the door, opening it. "Let me guess... there's a problem that requires my expertise?" Scott asked.

Zapp nodded his head, much to Scott's disappointment. "There's been reports of a strange bug-like creature making nests in the Everfree Forest. It's not the changelings, but it has been scaring ponies away, spraying some kind of powder-like substance that has varying degrees of after effects. The other guards have come up with only one other possibility that this bug could be, and as you might've guessed, it's likely an alien. We could use your help with this one, it seems ready to lay eggs. The ecosystem might not recover when those eggs hatch." Zapp informed.

Scott's eye twitched, and for a moment, Scott considered slamming the door in the stallion's face and going back to his sofa. Instead, Scott sighed, and just grabbed his bat, glaring at the bat pony heavily. "Zapp, I'd usually love to help with these situations, but after what I've endured last night, I'm going back to sleep, and taking the day off. Get some of the guards, or even Rainbow Dash to help, she was just here an hour ago, wanting me to go on patrol with her." Scott remarked.

Scott closed the door on the bat pony, earning a dumbfounded look from the private. "I can't help but feel that you might be coming down with something... if so, then I guess I'll let you be, and take your advice." Zapp remarked, flying away from the hut.

Scott laid the bat against the wall and slumped back onto his sofa, exhausted as all get out. The human could barely keep his eyes open, and eventually drifted back to sleep. Scott tiredly pulled a small bit of cover over himself, letting himself slowly return to his peaceful and comfortable slumber, blissfully unaware of the Altnetrix flashing yellow.

A couple more hours pass by, and there's a commotion happening outside of his home. Scott groans and covers his head with the covers, but he knows that he needs to see what's going on. Scott uncovers himself and looks out the window, only to see Applejack and Rainbow Dash having an argument. Scott frowns, already walking to the door to greet another round of mild, yet incessant chaos.

Scott opened the door, hearing a small brunt of the argument. "--cause you had to drag him into it! Here I thought you were done with dragging others into your problems, Applejack!" Dash remarked.

Applejack sneered and stood unflinching. "Ah did it because ah wasn't sure if this would escalate, should something not be done in time! You should be familiar with what that's like, considerin' the guards give ya the stink eye every now an' then!" Applejack rebutted.

Dash gritted her teeth, an audible growl escaped the pegasus as she got in the earth pony's face. "You wanna go, Applesmack?! I'll toss your flank onto the ground right now!" Dash yelled angrily.

Applejack smirked and pushed herself against the pegasus, letting a grunt escape her lips. "Bring it on, Rainbow Crash! You'll be hogtied into next week 'fore you can lay a scratch on me!" Applejack taunted.

Dash groaned. "Freakin' hillbilly!" Dash insulted.

Applejack groaned back. "Feathery bitch!" Applejack insulted.

Scott was clearly too tired for this, and seeing the two mares getting all up in each other's faces on his property didn't make him feel any better. Without warning, Scott grabbed his bat, focusing hard as the bat crackled to life with electricity, catching the mares' attention. He gave a look towards the mares, a look that would've killed them both twice over, and started walking towards them, looking less than pleased himself. "You two wanna explain what the hell this is about, or are we going to have a problem?" Scott asked.

Almost immediately, Dash backed off, while Applejack was clearly confused. "Since when could ya do that!?" Applejack asked.

Dash smirked. "Ever since some elf dude named Jeff showed up, taught him how to fight and even gave Scott a few new toys to play with," Dash looked over at Scott, who seemed less than thrilled to be dealing with this. "Why don't you show her the mask!" Dash suggested.

Scott raised the bat above his head and smashed the ground with it, causing sparks of electricity to fly everywhere, which ended up startling both of the mares. "Both of you. Argument. Explain. Now!" Scott stated angrily.

Dash sunk and sighed. "Okay, okay! Sheesh, don't pop a vein there, dude!" Scott glowered at the pegasus, making Rainbow Dash gulp. "Applejack and I were wondering if you'd be willing to do something with us. You've been cooped up in your house for five days already, and the moment you leave it, it's during a blood moon, for Celestia's sake! Now you're becoming a bit of a homebody, just wanting to sleep all day. Ya gotta keep yourself in shape, otherwise, you might not be ready to face the next threat that shows up, whenever that'll be." Dash explained.

Scott frowned. "I'm fine, miss Dash, I just need a day to myself to just relax and rest. Sleeping during a blood moon isn't exactly safe, what with the nightmares and such," Scott looked up at the afternoon sky for a moment, seeming lost in thought. Scott snapped out of his daze and shrugged his shoulders. "But enough about me, tell me some good news. Did you ever find anything out with what info the Sotoraggian gave us?" Scott asked.

Dash shook her head. "Haven't had the time. Been working double time to make sure no other changelings or aliens try to get the drop on anypony else, it's why I asked you earlier today if you wanted to join me on my patrols. I know I'm awesome at everything I do, but in the end, I'm just one mare. Speaking of which, how'd that bug problem go, anyway?" Dash asked.

Scott was confused. "Bug problem? What bug problem?" Scott asked.

Dash's brow began to furrow. "The bug problem in the Everfree, some strange bug is spraying a bunch of colorful powders on ponies, ready to lay its eggs? That doesn't sound familiar? Did that lousy bat pony primadonna not show up to tell you!?" Dash questioned, clearly aggravated.

Scott's eyes widened and suddenly remembered that Zapp did show up today, and he told him to handle it. "I'm gonna guess that problem got worse without me, didn't it?" Scott asked.

Dash's jaw dropped, and Applejack simply chuckled, much to the pegasus' irritation. "Partner, it's clear tah me now, that blood moon last night clearly took it out ah ya, if'n ya didn't go with that bat pony feller to deal with tha darn bug thang, or whatever. Tell me, how tired do ya feel right now?" Applejack asked.

Scott was still pretty tired, but he had to admit, if he had the energy to be angry, then clearly he got as many winks as he needed already. It was past the morning hour, too, so he might as well do something today, since no one can actually leave him alone for a day. "I think I probably got enough sleep, but I need to eat before I do anything else. I'll go grab a couple apples, and then we'll head out. Might as well see what the damage is, that'll determine how we can fix this." Scott remarked.

As Scott walked back into his hut, grabbing more than a couple apples from a burlap sack, he grabbed the Hylian mask from where he hung it up, and hooked it onto the side of his pants as he left. As Scott closed the front door, he immediately remembered something he actually had to do. "Give me a moment, I just remembered I have plants to water, shouldn't be but a moment." Scott stated, immediately running towards the river.

Dash and Applejack watched from afar as Scott fiddled with the Altnetrix, and then transformed into Smudge. Applejack cleared her throat and looked at the pegasus that stood beside her. "So, how long have ya known about this?" Applejack asked.

Dash looked at Applejack, saying nothing at first, but seemed to slowly get confused the more she thought about the question. "What do you mean exactly?" Dash asked.

Applejack pointed to the huge amorphous pile of sludge carrying water in its makeshift buckets, letting it rain down on spots that showed very small and miniscule buds growing from the ground. "All ah this, Dash, for land's sake. These 'alien' varmints causin' trouble fer Ponyville, that human feller and his changing powers, him bein' from someplace else entirely that's unlike Equestria, this doesn't bother ya in any way?" Dash shook her head, shrugging as she continued to watch the transformed Plumber water his plants. Applejack was confused, but at the same time, she didn't know as much as Dash knew. "Well, what's changed since ah last saw 'im, other than havin' fancy electric powers? What in tarnation's goin' on?" Applejack asked.

Dash shrugged as Smudge tried to fiddle with the Altnetrix again. "It's a bit of a long story, but I'll try to summarize it. Basically, you know that country club that's nearby? That got attacked by an alien called a 'Sotoraggian' or whatever, it certainly had him steamed. We crossed its path, and Scott ended up basically realizing that he wasn't ready for a fight with someone like that, and declared that he needed to be more prepared, he wanted to get stronger," Applejack listened intently, though she still found this whole thing rather farfetched. "We came back to this hut, found a big ol fancy stone that wasn't there before, and then we met this dude who came from another Equestria, named Jeff. That elf dude taught Scott how to use a sword, channel magic into his weapons, and gave him a couple of other tools to help him, too. A couple days pass, Scott faces the alien dude again, apparently something else happens, there's a chase, Scott came out victorious, and we interrogated him together," A flash of white light enveloped the alien hero, and Scott was returned to his normal form. Applejack was trying her best to comprehend everything Dash was saying, but it was starting to get very difficult in some places. "We found out some wacko named 'Eclipsed Blackheart' is the alien's benefactor, somepony who'd pay him to take Scott's watch, and apparently do something else, we're not entirely sure. We would've gotten more info out of him, if that bat-brained guard named Zapp didn't interrupt. We don't know why Eclipsed Blackheart is on the moon in the first place, let alone when she's supposed to return, but I know this sounds like some serious shit. There's a lot we don't know, and I think it was messing with Scott for a bit." Dash explained.

The two ponies looked at the human, who seemed to be purposefully avoiding eye contact, a worried, embarrassed and conflicted expression formed on his face. "Ya must've been havin' a hell of a day tryna put the pieces together, huh, partner?" Scott continued to avoid eye contact with the mares, but it was obvious, his mind was thinking about something else. "Ah guess me showin' up durin' a blood moon to ask fer your assistance wasn't exactly helpin' yer thought process... I'm sorry, Scott." Applejack apologized, taking her bandana off as she held it to her chest.

Scott sighed, feeling solemn and ashamed, but he could feel like that later. The human sighed and finally looked at the mares. "I was glad I could help, regardless of how insane the circumstances were, but I'll be honest with you both. Despite me deciding to finally do something today, I personally just want to go back to sleep, my mind is too crammed full of important stuff, and it's hard to focus. Let's get this over with, and hopefully, it'll be a simple fix, and nothing goes up in flames." Scott remarked.

Dash smiled. "One can only hope." Dash reassured.

Within the depths of the Everfree Forest, Zapp, along with a few other guards, were moving through a path. This path lead through a thickly wooded part of the forest, the plants seemed to be stained with multiple brightly colored powders and dust. On rare occasion, some of these dusty powders will sprout miniature mushrooms, each one riddled with dormant spores.

Zapp carefully held a hoof over his muzzle, as did a couple other guards, though some guards didn't seem to take their environment into consideration, and soon ended up stunned in place, rendered immobile. The stunned guards were then caught in a couple webs, and yanked into the thick bushes of leaves above. Zapp gritted his teeth, but it was becoming rather clear that this job was a failure.

The few remaining guards seemed genuinely worried. "This isn't good, this is so not good. W-What do we do?" The guards looked towards where Zapp was, only to find that he was shuddering. "Private? What's wrong?" One of the guards asked.

The deafening silence between Zapp and the other guards was almost sickening. One of the Anthodopterrans charged at him, emitting a loud buzzing hiss, all while Zapp gritted his teeth and smirked, confusing the other guards.

Applejack, Rainbow Dash and Scott walked into the Everfree Forest, noticing that the forest-sized chaotic force of nature was a bit quieter than usual, it was almost serene. Some large parts of the forest was littered with a powder-like substance, ranging from a multitude of colors that made Rainbow's mane look bland by comparison. Scott's eyes widened at the sight, noticing that the huge crocodile-like creatures nearby were sleeping peacefully, all while their snouts were completely coated in powder.

Dash and Applejack slowly trotted forward, noticing how the Everfree Forest was now silent, still and at peace. "Okay, this is weird, even for the Everfree. This place isn't usually so... controlled. What happened here?" Dash swiped her hoof over a tree that was covered in powder, examining the substance that was now coated on her hoof. "What is this stuff?" Dash questioned.

Scott, without a moment of hesitation, immediately grabbed Dash by the leg and pulled her over to the water where the crocodile creatures rested. He dunked the powder covered hoof into the water, frantically trying to wash the powder off, all while Dash saw the caution in his eyes, it overrode everything he felt prior, and he just scrubbed the powder off like he was treating an infection. "Scott! What're you doing!?" Dash exclaimed.

Scott pulled Dash's hoof out of the water, seeing that it was now entirely lacking in any trace of the powder itself. Scott watched as the powder mixed with the liquid, a small visible rainbow stream could be seen mixing with the water itself, making its way to the crocodile creatures as they slumbered. Scott pulled Dash away, much to Applejack's confusion. "I'm only going to say this once, and you better take what I say seriously. Don't. Touch. The. Powder. You're very lucky nothing happened right away, otherwise you'd be in some very serious danger." Scott warned sternly.

Dash was confused, but Applejack stepped forward. "I reckon ya might be willin' to explain why, if it pertains to this bug problem?" Applejack asked.

Scott nodded, pointing to the stuff that's been covered in powder. "All it took to know what kind of bug problem we were dealing with, was seeing all of this rainbow powder sprayed everywhere. This isn't your typical fly, we're dealing with an alien. It's known as the Anthodopterran, a race of moth-bee like insects that rarely grow pass the size of a full grown husky," Scott started to scroll through the Altnetrix, readying himself for a fight. "They are commonly known for their abilities to fly, spray a poisonous powder, unleash mushroom spores that are potent enough to stun a Vaxasaurian, induce sleep via some kind of sweet scented aromatherapy, and often have their stingers create strong silk webs, whether for traps, or to carry around thirty times their bodyweight. They look rather cute, but don't let that fool you. They can be vicious, unruly, but if you get on their good side, they'll recognize you as a friend, an ally to their hive." Scott explained.

Soon enough, the sound of wings flapping could be heard coming closer. The three of them got ready for a fight, but soon saw that it was a familiar face. Private Zapp, who looked exhausted beyond all compare, fell to the ground with a mighty thud, with the three individuals standing above him, looking down at his exhaustion. "Phew, here I thought I'd have to run all over Ponyville just to find you. Listen, that bug thing I told you about, it just ambushed me and a few other guards! They got strung up in webs and yanked into the trees, I narrowly escaped as they sacrificed themselves to let me escape!" Scott and Dash couldn't believe what they were hearing, and to a degree, neither could Applejack. The farm pony had a look of skepticism and suspicion when Zapp tried explaining himself, and though he tried to sound distraught and terrified, he certainly didn't look it. The bat pony had a knowing look in his eyes, one that made her hold her tongue. "We must get this bug out of the Everfree, no matter what! Understand?" Zapp inquired.

Scott nodded his head. "Good thing I know what we're dealing with, now that I see this powder stuff for myself. Of course there'd be an Anthodopterran here, especially one ready to become a queen, to lay millions to trillions of eggs. There'd be enough drones to usurp Equestria's current total guard count hundreds of times over, but maybe it won't come to that. All I ask, is that everypony here trusts my judgement, okay?" Scott requested.

Dash nodded her head. "Pal, you've been doing good so far, it'd be pretty stupid to not trust you by this point." Dash commented.

Applejack smiled at the pegasus, then looked up at Scott. "Partner, ya did mah family a great service with what ya did durin' that blood moon night. Ah'd be as rotten as an apple tree growin' in a graveyard, if'n ah didn't trust ya now." Applejack stated.

Zapp seemed... uncomfortable with the two mares sharing their adoration for Scott taking initiative, but simply sighed. "I suppose the human has a plan. Saves me the trouble, but I'm going to prepare something, just in case things go south. I'll be back in a moment's notice." Zapp remarked.

Scott nodded his head, watching as Zapp flew out of the Everfree with haste. Scott wasn't sure why, but he certainly felt like something was different about Zapp. Maybe he was initially too tired and focused on everything else to notice, or maybe he was being purposefully naïve, because he was one of the few ponies to show him any genuine kindness and interest when he was being relocated to Ponyville, and yet, Scott felt as if the bat pony he took a liking to, was going down a dangerous path, one that's rather... red in color.

Scott shook his head and sighed. "Alright, let's get to the bottom of this issue, because Zapp said something that doesn't line up with typical Anthodopterran behavior. Sure, they make traps, but they're subtle about it. They'll wait from around a couple days to three whole weeks to see what their traps have caught. They're not cognizant enough to concoct an ambush strategy. Despite how aggressive they can be, they are social creatures," Scott walked forward, keeping his hand over the Altnetrix. "Something must be wrong if this is the case. If things start getting messy, you two need to run and get help. Find Technorg, if you can, big guy's probably hankering for a fight, anyway." Scott cautioned.

Dash and Applejack nodded, following behind Scott carefully as they walked through the Everfree. From above, someone is watching from the tree line, stalking the trio with the sole intent to brawl.

Scott, Dash and Applejack moved through the brush and onto a path, one riddled with various powders and webs strung out everywhere. They were on the right track, but they kept their guard up. Applejack looked at the powder, its rainbow colors were hard to look at, to the point to where her eyes were starting to ache. "These powders aren't easy on the eyes, huh. Why in tarnation do ya think these alien critters are so riled up in the first place?" Applejack asked.

Scott shrugged his shoulders. "I'm not sure, could be a number of things, really. They're usually so peaceful, until something gives them reason to act provoked. Maybe something, or someone, did end up provoking the soon-to-be queen of this particular hive, and she's had to speed up the process just to keep herself safe, and it's made her rather aggressive in the process," Scott steps over a fallen log, while Applejack jumps onto it, and Dash simply flies around it. "It's also likely that the Anthodopterran was being hunted already, prior to before Zapp and his merry band of guards showed up to try and handle the situation, which clearly didn't work out for them. Maybe by trying to track down the Anthodopterran, we're likely leading a hidden assailant to their location, which could likely escalate things further." Scott explained.

Dash nodded her head, though she was a bit skeptical at that last part. "Seems a bit specific, don't you think?" Dash questioned.

Scott nodded his head, readying his bat as he looked up to the trees. The environment was still quiet, unmoving, there was a clear distinct lack of chaos and anything trying to kill them in that moment, and yet, Scott still felt an air of danger nearby. "Whoever's hiding amongst the trees, show yourself and this won't get ugly! Don't think you can hide from me, I know when someone's wanting my head, being a Plumber will raise your awareness when you know what you're doing, so come out and prepare to face the music!" Scott called out.

The forest went silent, but it didn't stay that way for long. A figure clad in vines and crystals descended down, revealing Crystal, who seemed to have not yet left the everfree forest, seeking prey. "Guess you're not some scrawny puke, after all," Scott activated the Altnetrix and pressed the core down, immediately becoming his Sotoraggian form, Commander. "Look, I've been hunting this Anthodopterran queen for the past week, and I'm not giving it up for some stupid Plumber, and a couple of dumbass ponies!" Crystal remarked, forming her crystal arms into blades.

Commander readied himself for a fight. "Crystal. Should've figured I'd run into the love child of Tetrax Shard and Khyber the Huntsman. Full-on Petrosapien, but you just can't seem to understand that there's a difference between hunting and endangering lives," Crystal was a bit surprised that Scott transformed into a Sotoraggian. She heard about what happened when Seventy-Four came to this planet the first two times, and now he's basically off the grid. Crystal kept herself steady, leering at the transformed plumber with disinterest. "What, you couldn't've learned your lesson last time and become an explorer instead? Why are you after the Anthodopterran, of all things?" Commander questioned.

Crystal just sneered and rushed forward. She swiped her blades at Commander, but he was able to thankfully move out of the way and sweep kick the petrosapien, knocking her to the ground. He quickly got on top of her and pinned her arms to the ground, trying to keep her still. "You still didn't answer my question, why are you after the Anthodopterran?" Commander questioned.

Crystal spat a crystal at Commander's helmet, causing him to panic and let Crystal go, trying to remove the crystal that was now lodged into his helmet, mere inches away from his face. "Kiss my ass, cop!" Crystal managed to squirm free, and kick Commander away, then jumped back onto her feet, only to then be met by a powerful kick sending the petrosapien careening into a powder-covered tree, scattering the powder all over herself, and knocking the tree out of the ground, exposing its roots. Applejack had managed to buck Crystal away, though she was now starting to massage her back hooves as a look of pain and discomfort formed on her face. "Urgh..." Crystal grunted.

Applejack smirked, but she could feel the pain in her back hooves. "Hoo golly, that thing is tough! Ah think I nearly broke mah hooves doin' that!" Applejack winced.

Rainbow Dash flew straight towards Crystal, but immediately remembered what Scott said about the powder, and immediately backed off. Dash flew over towards Commander, who ended up transforming back into Scott, and helped him back up on his feet. "Okay, so, just how tough are these crystal people? I've faced her a couple times before you showed up, but she's pretty difficult. I need to know what I'm working with here." Dash asked.

Scott dusted himself off and looked at Crystal, who seemed to no longer be moving, but instead knocked out and reduced to an unconscious state of being. "Petrosapiens are a tough crystalline species of alien life. Not only can they be effective from a distance and through close quarters combat, but they're especially hardheaded, in the literal sense. Crystal seems a bit more tactical, however, due to her background as a hunter. Equestria has given her a whole array of challenges, and she's clearly adapted accordingly to stay on top," Scott cautiously walked over towards Crystal, noticing that the combined impact of force from Applejack's kick, colliding with the tree, and the vast amount of powder that now coated her body, had rendered Crystal unconscious for the time being. "But even they aren't invincible, just really difficult to knock out. It's not entirely sure how Petrosapiens are susceptible to the powder's effects, but I'm not gonna look a gift horse in the mouth right now." Scott explained.

Applejack trotted forward, still wincing from the newfound pain in her back hooves. "Land sakes, this is concernin'. D-Do we wait for her tah wake up, or-"

Scott shook his head, looking up at the trees, noticing a few of the Anthodopterrans in question looking at the scene. Some were very small and grub-like, indicating that some of the eggs have already hatched, others were more bee-like in shape, with pudgy, fat and rounded bodies. "Remember what I said earlier, they won't attack as long as we don't provoke them. Let's move forward and find the queen, maybe we can figure out more once we find their monarch." Scott reminded.

As the trio moved deeper down the path, the number of Anthodopterrans began to increase, and all they did was observe them from the safety of the trees. As they moved further and further down the path, they also noticed that the powder-like substance was becoming less and less frequent the more they went forward. Scott was intrigued by the behavior of the alien species that observed them, but then they saw something rather horrifying.

One of the guards was strung up against a tree, their face was a sickly vibrant purple, and it looked like they were foaming pink at the mouth, but they were rather lucid and aware of their situation, because once they saw the trio, they called out, their voice gurgling and spewing up more pink foam as poison pulsed through their body and deteriorated the guard's brain. "Dude, that is messed up. What happened to him?" Dash asked.

Scott shuddered. "They used their poisonous powder to make the poor guy inhale toxic fumes, and now that poison is deteriorating his body from the inside out. I told you, they can be vicious if you provoke them, but they won't attack you if you're a friend to their hive," Scott looked around, noticing that the Anthodopterrans haven't yet attacked them, which confused him for a moment. "But I'm curious, why haven't they attacked us yet? Do they see us as friends of their hive, or are they still trying to ascertain if we are friend or foe?" Scott inquired.

Applejack and Rainbow Dash were shaking and huddled together, preparing themselves for whatever could happen. Scott carefully looked around as he reached for the Altnetrix, but as he did, the Anthodopterrans seemed to recognize the hourglass symbol on the watch. The insectoid aliens looked at each other, making a chittering and buzzing noise at one another, and start to fly over towards the trio, which stokes a sense of panic between the two mares.

The Anthodopterrans buzzed around Scott in curiosity, seeming confused for a moment, but then finally decide to back off and bound towards a clearing up ahead, inviting the trio to follow them.

As they ventured into the clearing, they were rather surprised to see a much larger Anthodopterran, which wore a crown made of flowers and branches. The trio look over at the various smaller Anthodopterrans as they lower themselves to the ground, almost like a show of respect.

Scott, Dash and AJ stepped forward, and the large Anthodopterran fluttered its wings as it stares down at them. "So... it is true, what my children say. The wielder of the Altnetrix has graced Equestria's landscape once again," Scott was confused, not just at the fact that the Anthodopterran spoke English, but the implication that someone else wore the Altnetrix before him. "Though, he seems to be more... human, than what I last remember." The Anthodopterran Monarch spoke regally.

Scott took a deep breath and sighed. "Your highness, I wasn't aware that you already knew of me... though, the fact that you didn't know that a human was the one to end up with the watch this time, leads me to believe that the last one to wear this device... likely didn't make it," The monarch doesn't move, but it does seem confused at the human's voice. Scott clears his throat and takes a knee. "Allow me to introduce myself. My name is Scott Baristo, I'm a Plumber Cadet from another dimension... reality... universe... I-I'm from another world, if that makes it easier to explain. The two mares with me are Applejack and Rainbow Dash, they're friends of mine, so they mean you no harm," Dash and AJ cautiously wave at the monarch, which earns a hum of delight from the Anthodopterrans. Scott clears his throat and continues to speak. "The reason I am here is simple. I was recently informed by another equestrian friend of mine that the Anthodopterrans had made the Everfree Forest their new home, I'm sure your children have run into my friend and other ponies that traveled with him earlier today, considering some of those ponies are, well... currently sick from the powder you're painting the entire forest in." Scott introduced.

The monarch nodded their head and looked to the left, gesturing to another couple ponies who were stuck on the wall, yet they didn't seem to be in as bad of a condition as the last pony they saw. They were more freaked out as they struggled to escape their hardened resin binds, but otherwise, they were the picture of health. "Mm yes, these Equestrians have a special magical aura that radiates with potent and rich nutrients for my children. I was on my last legs when our hive ended up in this strange place, you see, I had no choice but to tame this unruly place and make it a home for my species. No harm was to come to this world's sentient life, but a strange and vile presence was lumped in with the rest of these equine creatures... something parasitic, something that takes and takes, and never gives, it tried to invade our hive. We assumed that the rest of them followed him blindly, and thus were captured, while the coward fled, leaving them to their fate." The Monarch explained.

Scott was rather confused, as was Rainbow Dash, but Applejack seemed to put the story together rather fast, and felt as if she knew what the issue was. "Partner, ya don't think this fancy bug queen is talkin' bout your pal Zapp, is she?" Applejack inquired.

Dash looked at Applejack for a moment, hardly believing that the farm pony was insinuating that Zapp got those ponies intentionally trapped, just so he could save his own hide. "Woah, okay, pump the brakes there, honky-tonk! That's a pretty heavy accusation," Applejack looked curious and unamused at the rainbow maned mare's comment, but Dash kept speaking. "Look, I don't always get along with the guy, especially after how somepony got killed by a changeling fairly recently in broad daylight. He always seemed strange, don't get me wrong, but even I would be able to tell when some guard's got less than noble intentions. He's just a bit all over the place, what with the alien stuff and such, and now changelings are back in the picture, it's stressful for everyone," Applejack didn't seem to be buying what Rainbow Dash was saying, but she had to admit that Dash was making some good points. It's been a particularly stressful time recently, and the winds of change have clearly spoken. "Besides that, he seemed pretty alright, according to Scott. If he was okay with Zapp, I can work with that, so I give him a lot of grief and bust his chops for a bit, but that's simply because I give him the benefit of the doubt." Dash defended.

Applejack sighed, her gaze was focused on the mare beside her. "I'm willin' to admit that you got a few good points, but that doesn't excuse leavin' what is essentially the ponies you are responsible for behind. The princesses would strip him of his position if they found out about this, and they have a right to know that one of their soldiers is startin' to go AWOL." Applejack stated firmly.

Scott paused for a moment, something didn't seem to click into place for the human. 'Could it have been Zapp? Why warn us of what lied ahead and say his group got killed in an ambush, but run away from the scene?' Scott stood in silence as he let his mind work, but then he finally came to a realization. 'Actually, now that I think about it, Zapp has been acting different ever since Seventy-Four's initial arrival in this world... Zapp, what is it that you're not telling me?' Scott thought to himself.

Dash scoffed and turned her head up to the remaining healthy guards in Zapp's group. "Forget the princesses for a moment, these two probably know what happened, given that they are healthy and clearly look like they saw a thing or two, so we should obviously ask them what happened, and try to ascertain what exactly unfolded through context clues," Dash flew up towards one of the guards. She looked at the guard on the left, a chartreuse colored stallion with a metallic prosthetic hoof, clad in armor from Celestia's guard. The bat wings and unicorn horn he had obviously showed that the stallion was formerly apart of Luna's night guard, though that raised questions Dash could ask later. "So, got a name?" Dash asked.

The stallion nodded his head and seemed to almost struggle to speak. "F-Flintgraad... urh..." Flintgraad shuddered as he felt his body start to churn and ache. "S-So hungry... throat dry... ne-need... fruit... water..." Flintgraad hoarsely begged. The stallion's voice deep and thoroughly spine chilling, though with an added dryness that could only come from sudden dehydration and a lack of strength from not eating anything, it was less intimidating, and more so just generally unsettling.

Dash nodded her head and looked over at Scott, who tossed a couple apples her way. Dash fed the apple to the stallion, slowly letting him try to get his strength back on his own as he fed. "I know this might not be the best time to ask, but I need you to recount what happened here, and we need to know just what exactly Zapp was trying to do here, especially if it concerns the Antohop-- t-the Anthrodopte--" Dash groaned as she pointed a hoof at the Anthodopterrans and their monarch. "The giant alien moth bees that are taming the Everfree! What was Zapp trying to do here?" Dash questioned.

Flintgraad swallowed down the last of the apple and sighed. "D-Don't know... everything went dark after Zapp ran away... last thing we heard from him... N-No... survivors..." Flintgraad's eyes started to get heavy, but Dash finally had enough. He pulled the stallion off the wall and brought him down to the ground, then he looked up at the pony that was beside him. A dutifully dull gray batpony mare, smaller than most adolescent mares her age, but definitely looked far tougher and more physically capable than the other mare guards Celestia had hired. The mare seemed to be missing her helmet, unlike Flintgraad, and it showed her mane, it was styled as a short and well trimmed crewcut, colored out of various reds and purples. "P-Pitch... s-she saw... t-the bastard's face... t-t-trai..t..o..r..." Flintgraad hoarsely choked out, before returning to a state of unconsciousness.

Dash heard Flintgraad's words, and couldn't help but be impressed... as well as rightfully suspicious of this whole thing. 'Yet another former member of Luna's night guard. Zapp sure knew how to pick 'em,' Dash pulled the mare off the wall and laid her down beside Flintgraad. She put a hoof to the mare's neck, and did the same with Flintgraad, and let out a sigh of relief when she felt their pulses. "They're still alive, they're just really, really, really lacking in proper nutrients and bed rest, probably overexerted themselves. We need to get them to Ponyville general as soon as possible." Dash stated.

Scott looked up at the monarch of the Anthodopterrans, and could see that the monarch was... upset? Scott wondered if Dash's choice to get these two ponies off the wall was a bad move, but soon enough, the monarch started to buzz. The other smaller Anthodopterrans started to fly out of the clearing, till it was just Scott, the two mares, two unconscious and nutritionally deprived guards, and the monarch themselves. "Uh, what in tarnation are those critters doin'?" Applejack asked wearily.

The monarch stopped buzzing and looked down at the individuals that sought to speak with it. "Be not alarmed, little pony. I simply instructed my children to search the Everfree for fruits. Give it a little time, and they shall return with a bountiful harvest," Applejack was still uncertain if the monarch was telling the truth, and kept her guard up, much to the monarch's dismay. "You still can't find genuine sincerity in my words. I suppose it's a reasonable decision, you've seen what my children are capable of when it comes to doing what we must to survive... Though truthfully, we never intended to harm anyone that didn't deserve our ire, but it was harder to distinguish friend from foe than one would assume," Everyone was confused by the monarch's words, but continued to listen. "One moment a stallion would be worth sparing, but once said stallion was encountered again moments later, something in their pheromones had changed to make them worthy of our wrath. After killing them, it was strange to see them alive again moments later, no longer hostile and aggressive; something had played us for fools, and innocent lives were taken in the crossfire." the monarch explained somberly.

Scott nodded his head. "The ones who inhaled that rainbow powder your species use as a defense mechanism. They were either poisoned, paralyzed, put to sleep, or on the rare case, outright killed from the inside. It's possible some innocent lives were caught in the crossfire, but now I'm more concerned that there were guilty parties involved," Scott thought for a moment about what was happening here, but it was becoming rather obvious that Zapp had explaining to do. "Tell me, was there a pony among these guards, one that ran the moment things got out of hand?" Scott asked.

The monarch nodded. "A pony, no, but there was a thrall that masquerades behind a false façade. My children saw their vile pheromones behind his wicked guise, and attacked without a second thought. Their comrades asked what was wrong, and the only answer they would get is betrayal," Scott felt a rather overwhelming sense of uncomfortableness as the monarch spoke their words. "We incapacitated and took the lives of a few of the thrall's allies, but when they did not show their true forms, even in death... we began to worry and fear the worst, and your presence here seems to have confirmed the worst has happened," Scott felt his stomach churning at the idea that he had been fooled, but he didn't want to believe that Zapp was something else in disguise. "That vile creature sacrificed his allies to save his own hide, and you said that you were friends with them? I'm afraid you might've allied yourself with a rather unscrupulous individual." The monarch stated grimly.

Scott shook his head, he felt unwell and uneasy. "This couldn't've been Zapp, i-it couldn't have been, it doesn't make any sense. Had to be someone else, s-someone who disguised themselves as Zapp, t-that has to be what happened!" Dash and Applejack watched as the human's face switched from curious, to concerned, then confused, disturbed, and finally, aggressively distraught. Scott's thoughts were speeding through his mind like a bullet train careening through the dark depths of space. "I- I-I don't want to believe it. Zapp-- I--... I won't believe it until I've heard it from him, even if I have to interrogate him. There- Th-There's too much going on in my head, and this is where I wish I just stayed in bed. Oh dear god..." Scott groaned, trying to ease his own mental stress of he situation.

AJ and Dash looked at each other, both equally concerned for the fact that Scott was essentially about to descend into a mental breakdown. The monarch felt a sense of sympathy for the human, but soon felt as if something in the air was different. Almost as if something was... burning.

Somewhere in the depths of the Everfree, a couple of the Anthodopterrans were carrying a few strange fruits back to their monarch. A third Anthodopterran was buzzing right behind the other two, but before it could actually catch up, something flew into it, skewering it to a tree as it slowly started to burn. This caused the small bug to screech out in pain, alerting the two Anthodopterrans to its cries for help, but then one of them ended up skewered and burned, leaving only one of them to fly away with the fruit they had in hand.

On the ground, Zapp found his way back, and was armed with a bow and a quiver full of arrows, each one had its tips covered in some kind of tar-like substance, all while Zapp held a torch in his hoof. "Time to rid this world of these pathetic insects, once and for all. Mother wants no competition from a couple of glorified bumblebees, can't have that at all," Zapp trotted forward, occasionally lighting a few segments of loose leaves, blades of grass, rotted tree stumps, and dangling vines with the torch's flame, slowly igniting the Everfree. Zapp took notice of one of the Anthodopterrans flying away in a panic, and Zapp slowly followed after it. "That's right, lead me to your monarch, worm... it'll be much easier to burn you bugs to crisp, than to peacefully smoke you out." Zapp said through gritted teeth, an unfeeling smirk forming on his face.

Zapp slowly trotted down the path, all while ignoring the horrendous path of dead Anthodopterrans he left in his wake, each one skewered and screeching out in pain as the fires rose in intensity. As the fire got more intense, the more the powder seemed to burn away before the plants, vegetation and Anthodopterrans and remaining ponies did.

Crystal, who was still knocked out, soon woke up once the powder burned off her completely, and she noticed the forest being set ablaze by some pony. The petrosapien remembered her fight with two mares and the Altnetrix's user, and quickly got up as she formed her arms into blades. "Ohoho... no one gets one over on me and gets away with it," Crystal hears something snap, and looks up, only to jump back as a huge section of a tree is split in two by the raging fire. Crystal tries to climb over it, but is overwhelmed by the amount of smoke that's trying to smother her. She backs away and decides to just leave and fight another day, and soon comes to see one of the Anthodopterran children struggling to get out from beneath a tree branch. Crystal smirks and tosses the branch aside and puts the Anthodopterran under her arm as he runs away. "Well, I guess one Anthodopterran is as good as any other..." Crystal quietly comments.

Zapp pays no mind to the petrosapien, he just continues to follow the other Anthodopterran to its monarch.

The trio, along with the monarch, start to panic at the smell of smoke, and the rapidly increasing levels of heat. "Did someone just light something on fire?! We need to leave, now! AJ, you get one of the guards, I'll get the other," Dash looks over to Scott, who is drastically trying to make sense of everything at the moment, feeling like the world is not just on fire, but spinning around him. "Scott, we gotta get the hay out of here! Transform into something and take care of the flames! We can't risk the fires spreading to town!" Dash called out, trying to get the unconscious batpony mare onto her back.

Scott knew that danger was encroaching on their location, but he also knew that the monarch, due to their large size, couldn't just be left here to burn. The monarch looked down at the human and simply nodded its head. "Go, wielder of the Altnetrix, save the lives of those in the town that borders the Everfree. Do not worry for me, I shall be fine. My children hast been slain and it's not like we were going to escape this new world alive, anyways. Whether we survive this fire, or die when Eclipsed Blackheart returns, it makes no difference to our species as a whole, death calls for us and it's done waiting," Scott was caught off guard by the mention of the same mare that was in Equiis Prime's moon, the same mare that sent Seventy-Four to this planet, but he hated to admit that the monarch was right. Save the monarch and any other Anthodopterran survivors, or make sure the fires don't spread to Ponyville and burn it all to the ground. Scott sighed and got up and started to leave, until the monarch suddenly let out a pained gasp. Scott turned around, only to see a flaming arrow piercing the monarch's throat. "Hrk! T-The betrayer has returned... G-Go, wielder of the Altnetrix! I... I-I will be fine. I will join... my c-children in death... may good fortune... shine... upon you..." The monarch weakly buzzed and choked out.

Scott was feeling a lot of emotions as the monarch's body started to smoke and burn, but he felt AJ and Dash pulling him towards the exit. Scott snapped back to reality and followed them out of the clearing, all while burning trees and branches started to collapse. The monarch closed their eyes and hummed out a low buzz as the fire began to rise.

As they approached the exit, they saw one of the Anthodopterrans fall to the ground in front of them, a flaming arrow in their back, and a few strange fruits in its grasp. Scott took the fruits and pulled the arrow out of the small alien bug and held it in his arms, trying to stop the bleeding.

Scott looks over to the path they took, only to see the aforementioned stallion who told him about the Anthodopterrans earlier today. Scott felt a lot of complex emotions running through his head, and decided to pull AJ and Dash into the brush, just to try and move around him and remain undetected. Zapp trotted forward and held the torch high, all while Applejack and Rainbow Dash ducked down behind a few bushes, and Scott hid behind a tree.

Zapp held the torch high and saw the dying body of the monarch inside the clearing, noticing the arrow in its throat. Zapp didn't hesitate to go inside the clearing, noticing the bow and arrow quiver he had on his person. Scott looked down at the injured Anthodopterran and knew he had to do something about this, and decided to try something risky. It was very likely that this wouldn't work and a fight could break out, but he needed to do this. He had to know for sure.

Scott handed Applejack the injured Anthodopterran and started to go back to the clearing. "Applejack, once you and RD get these two unconscious guards out of here, I need you to see if there's a veterinarian, or something close to one in Ponyville, and see if they can help that poor thing and nurse it back to health. Rainbow, see if any pegasi can get some rain clouds over here in the Everfree and get this fire out ASAP," Scott turned to the clearing and stared at it intently. It was a strange feeling seeing the fire and flames flicker, the reflection of embers danced in his eyes as he prepared himself to move. Regardless, he knew he needed to do this. "I'll deal with Zapp, but regardless of what happens next, just know that I've got a plan. I'll fill you in when all of this is over, so till then, don't assume anything." Scott explained.

Dash tried to pull Scott back, but Scott made a mad dash through the smoke and fire to get back to the clearing, even making the effort to use the Hylian mask he brought with him. Applejack looked down at the Anthodopterran, feeling it jitter and spasm from the wound the arrow made. It felt a bit gross for the farm pony, but at the same time, it didn't feel right to just let it die. Applejack sighed and lightly nudged Dash's shoulder. "C'mon, we should hurry 'fore the everfree decides tah be more dangerous. A wildfire is already dangerous on its own, but in the Everfree? I couldn't even begin tah wonder how hectic it could become," Dash didn't seem to want to find that out herself, but at he same time, she couldn't help but want to chase after Scott. Applejack saw that look in her eyes and tapped her shoulder a moment. "Hey, he'll be fine. He's a tough so and so, and if everything ya told me is true, then he'll come outta this fine. Let's not give him another reason tah worry. Alright? Come on, let's get the heck outta 'ere." Applejack reassured.

Dash hesitated, but she nodded and followed Applejack through the brush as tree branches broke and burned off from the flames. Dash looked back at the clearing for a moment, hearing the sound of the mask being put on from where she was. The two mares ran as fast as they could, fleeing the scene as they narrowly avoided the flaming branches and flickering embers.

Scott, now in his disguised Hylian form, carefully steps into the clearing as fire and burning vegetation becomes more and more apparent. Zapp, however, was nowhere to be seen. "Zapp!! Zapp, where are you!? Call out if you can hear me!!" Scott called out.

Zapp was currently behind the deceased monarch, who limped out into the open, looking as if he had been injured. "S-Scott! Good to see you're still here, what happened? The entire Everfree's been set ablaze! I-It's like Tartarus itself was relocated to Ponyville's doorstep! I came back here to retrieve personal belongings that belonged to my soldiers, but everything is burning!" Zapp exclaimed, feigning a sense of panic.

Scott didn't say anything for a moment, but he certainly felt angry, though he did his best to hide it. The years Scott spent as a Plumber honed his hearing exceptionally, and he could hear little to no sincerity in Zapp's tone, and the fact that Zapp didn't have his bow and arrows on him suggests that he planned to let it burn, discard any evidence to tie back to him.

It was diabolical, clever, sociopathic, psychopathic even, which made what he was about to do, seem very, very stupid. "I'm here because someone reported that you got lost in the Everfree, claiming that you never came out! Get moving, hurry, the fire is getting worse!" Scott informed.

Zapp rubbed his eyes, seeing that Scott was using his Hylian mask. "Were you really that concerned for my safety that you needed to transform?" Zapp asked, seeming a bit surprised.

Scott nodded, trying to keep things brief, though his anger was becoming rather poignant, burning within him with the same intensity as the fire and flames around them. "Yes, it's my job to make sure everyone's safe, now enough standing around! This place is burning up, so move it!!" Scott exclaimed, getting impatient.

Scott and Zapp ran out of the clearing as a few trees finally collapsed, causing a huge fire to be stoked above the tree line. It was like an explosion of fire and soot manifested without warning, scattering more burning sticks and branches throughout the Everfree. Zapp continued to run, letting a content smile form on his face, all while Scott focused on getting out of the Everfree.

Scott had a lot to say, but now wasn't the right time. 'This whole day was stained in blood, and it horrifies me to think Zapp is the reason why that is. I'll have to talk with the princesses about this before the whole thing involving this "Eclipsed Blackheart" individual. It's risky, but I've played the long game before,' Scott and Zapp finally found themselves at the entrance of the Everfree, and he noticed the look in Zapp's eyes that betrayed the smile on his face. Zapp was not who he was saying he was, and Scott tried his best to keep himself calm. 'I can play the long game again, because no matter how long I have to wait, I'll find the truth.' Scott thought.

As Scott and Zapp left the Everfree, Scott removed the Hylian mask and took a deep breath as he returned to his normal form, feeling reasonably disturbed by the smell of smoke and burning flesh in the air, but he knew that this was gonna be the start of something rather insidious. Malware was definitely a problem back in his world, even for Ben himself, so he knows this is gonna get messy. The human just wishes that the Anthodopterrans didn't have to die to make him see all of this, and now, there's hopefully one Anthodopterran left, he felt horrible already, now a species has ended up becoming endangered.

If he didn't have enough nightmares already thanks to the blood moon, this was going to make his plumber duties even more problematic, but that's just a sacrifice he'll have to be willing to make. Starting tomorrow, he's marching up to the princesses and is demanding a private audience with them.

Author's Note

Well, it's been one HELL of a minute since I updated this glorious story. Sorry for the long wait, tons of shit irl happening at once can be one heck of an unneeded distraction. Also didn't help that I almost lost complete interest in this story, but thanks to some recently new projects in the making, my interest has been reignited, so everything's fine now, don't panic.

Also, the plot for this story is taking a drastic turn, it's gonna get wild in the future.

Hope you enjoyed this chapter, and again, sorry for the long wait. Better for it to come out now, rather than not at all, right?

The next two chapters will be up soon...er. Sooner than you think.

FUN FACTS

The Anthodopterrans are a funny little custom species I came up with for a couple of my stories. Imagine if you mixed Silkie from Teen Titans, Dustox from Pokemon, and Mothra from the Monsterverse into one smol bee-moth alien.

I inspired their abilities to spray a rainbow powder that has many different effects, from the Pokémon moves Poison Powder, Sleep Powder, Stun Spore, String Shot, as well as Spore, to better emulate the abilities of them spinning strings of silk and having a defense mechanism against would-be attackers.

Here's another fun fact for ya, I was originally going to give Scott a chance to scan one of the Anthodopterrans so he could use their abilities to better combat the forces that have yet to reveal themselves, but I decided against it, figuring I'd give Scott a bit more time to adjust to Needlepoint and his other five transformations, and to make things more interesting now that the species is now endangered.

One more quick fun fact for ya. The two bat ponies that survived the encounter with the Anthodopterrans and the wildfire started by Zapp, named Flintgraad and Pitch, are two batpony OC characters from my old story, "FiM 10: Friendship is Galactic".

Figured I'd give them a better story and setting so I can properly flesh out their characters and do them some proper justice.