// Analyzing telemetry...//

Error.

// Damaged memory cortex in Unit 11785.//

// Activate Emergency Procedure 3.7511.//

// Preparing Retrieval MU.//

******************

    “Twilight Sparkle, you Diamond Dog!”

    “H-hey, wait a minute, it’s not like t-that at all!”

    “It… kinda looks like that, sugarcube…”

    North Wind groaned softly as the soft, female voices dragged him out of blissful, resting sleep. As his bleary eyes cracked open, North found a new pair of ponies standing near him and the couch. One was a slender white pony, her fur as bright as North’s own, but with a vibrant purple mane and tail, both curled and primped with exacting care. She had a horn like Twilight, but no wings- her horn also was not as long as Twilight’s, just a simple (if still quite pretty) horn of pure, grooved ivory. Glancing at her flank, he saw a mark of three purple diamonds. Huh.

    The pony beside was… practically her exact opposite, except she was still female. Tall, broad, and muscular, this mare lacked a horn or wings, and was a yellow-orange color, fur-wise, with a blond mane, tied back into a braid, all underneath a brown, broad hat.

    “H-hi,” he mumbled out shyly, shrinking back into the couch as all eyes turned to him.

    “North Wind,” Twilight broke in quickly, giving the poor stallion a warm smile, “These are my good friends Applejack, and Rarity.”

    “Howdy!” Applejack replied cheerily, tipping her hat with a hoof, “Nice ta meet’cha!”

    “Indeed, Mr. Wind,” Rarity replied with a brilliant smile, and an air of sophistication that the other ponies seemed to lack, “A pleasure to meet a new pegasus in Ponyville. Dreadfully sorry about your accident, but I am quite sure if anyone can help you find your memories again, it will be Twilight here.”

    “T-thank you, Rarity, Applejack,” North Wind replied softly, a slow smile breaking across his muzzle.

    Thank god, more nice ponies, he thought in relief.

    ...what’s a god?

*********************

Error.

// Malfunction in Biogenesis Lab.//

//Analyzing...//

WARNING. UNAUTHORIZED REMOTE ACCESS.

// Activate Se-//

// Manual Override accepted. //

Welcome, Adminstrator N.

// Activate EVE Protocol. //

// Prepare Unit 8472. //

// Launching. //

*********************

    “Come on down, Derpy, the picnic is ready!”

    Not for the first time, Derpy Hooves wondered how she had gotten such good friends as she dived down from the clouds. Even with her wall-eyed look, she could see her best friends in Equestria gathered on a checkered picnic blanket; the last big picnic before autumn ended and winter began. Lyra Heartstrings and Bon-Bon were settled side by side, giggling at the expense of a glaring Octavia, who seemed to be covered in cotton candy. The glare wasn’t very strong though, and Vinyl Scratch, Octavia’s marefriend, was eagerly lapping the spun sugar off her fur and mane. Derpy gave a soft giggle of her own.

    The five of them had met in various spots- Vinyl and Octavia in Canterlot, Lyra and Bon-Bon during the former’s vacation in Fillydelphia- but it had been Ponyville that had brought them all together. Octavia had taken Derpy in after her disastrous run-in with the City Hall, calming the poor mare down and helping to smooth things over with a frightfully angry Mayor. Lyra and Bon-Bon hired her out to deliver their candies from their Confectionery, and Vinyl… well, Vinyl was just Vinyl. One moment a crazy party mare, and the next, the strong center of the group who could protect Derpy from anything.

    “H-help! S-someone help, p-please!”

    Derpy squeaked and tumbled end over end at the terrified scream, righting herself with only a little in the way of flapping. Her friends had heard the cry too, and were looking out towards the Everfree Forest. A small pony was scrambling over the hill on unsteady hooves… and was being pursued by a rather small manticore. Still large enough to kill though.

    “HELP!”

    Derpy steeled herself, and dove down towards the frightened mare.

Come on Derpy, you can do this, she thought to herself frantically, Just grab her and keep flying! Just… grab… her!

She made it within a good few feet… before she Derped. Her back hoof smacked a rock beneath her, throwing off her balance and aim. Straight towards the manticore.

“This is gonna hurt.”

*******************

    “Derpy!!” The four mares cried out as Derpy Hooves slammed into the legs of the manticore, throwing both to the dirt in a violent tumble, just behind the panicked mare.

    “Octy, take the mare back to our place!” Vinyl ordered immediately, charging forward, “Lyra, get Derpy outta there! Bons, let’s beat this guy!”

    Years of practice and clubbing had given Vinyl Scratch one heck of a voice, and her friends did not need any repeats. While Octavia quickly grabbed the frightened mare, dragging her back into town, the trio darted forward. Lyra’s golden aura caught the tip of Derpy’s tail, and yanked the bleary mare away, seconds before the manticore’s stinger slammed into the ground where she had been just seconds before. Beneath her purple goggles, Vinyl’s blood-red eyes narrowed dangerously as she gazed up at the manticore, stubby horn taking on a brilliant blue.

    “Yo, big boy!”

    The manticore turned around with a snarl, only to meow in surprise at the grinning Earth Pony leaping at him, propelled by Vinyl’s magic.

    “Suck some hoof!”

    While only a candy-maker, Bon-Bon’s hooves were as rock hard as any earth pony’s, and they hit with the force of a bag of bricks. The monster roared in pain and fear as he flipped end-over-end; his front legs, already damaged by Derpy’s hard-impact, snapped at the force, and the manticore practically crawled back into the forbidding forest. Vinyl smiled brightly, turning to high-hoof her cheering friend.

    “Nice hit, Bons!”

    The two-toned mare merely chuckled dismissively, “Nah, nah, it’s nothing.”

    Lyra smirked up at the two; an unconscious Derpy was held up by her magic.

    “Let’s go, mighty warriors. Poor Derpy took a bad hit, and that mare might be hurt too.”

*****************

    She was in a state of utter panic. The creature looked like Her, but lacked a set of wings, and was a soft gray, with a charcoal mane, unlike Her own dark red fur and white mane. None of this was right, none of it! She had woken up in the paws of that… monster, and only Her sudden screaming had freed her. And now this creature-that-kinda-looked-like-Her was… was… ...feeding Her oatmeal? The mare had sat beside Her during Her freakout and, with a soft smile, forced a spoonful into Her muzzle. It… was good. Really good. Rich, and sweet, with little bundles of sweet fruit mixed in that crunched as She chewed. The grey mare chuckled softly.

    “Better?” she asked with a grin; her voice had a curious accent to it.

    “I-I… I t-think so,” She replied, voice, and body, still trembling.

    “My name is Octavia Philaharmonica,” she told Her, keeping her voice gentle and quiet, one hoof reaching out to pet Her foreleg soothingly, “What’s yours?”

    No, no, no, not this. They didn’t know Her? Oh god, now what was She going to do…

    “I-I don’t k-know,” She whimpered tearfully, “I can’t r-remember.”

    Octavia merely nodded, looking Her over with her large, expressive eyes. Finally, she smiled again. She liked that smile; it was kind, and warm, and was so unlike the horrific grin of the other creature that had tried to eat Her.

    “Sunrise,” she told Her with a sage-like nod, “You look alot like a Sunrise, to me. Does that sound alright to you?”

    Sunrise. That… that was a good name. It was pretty. She gave a soft nod to Octavia, slowly smiling. Smiling felt good too.

    “Y-yes. Yes, I-I’d like that. T-thank you.”

    “OCTI!”

    Eep! Sunrise quickly burrowed her way under the covers of the couch-bed, trembling. Oh god now what?

    “Vinyl, inside voice. How is Derpy?”

    “Good, I think. Lyra scanned her, and she says it’s nothing serious. She’s better with those than me. Where’s the new mare?”

    Sniffling shyly, Sunrise slowly peered out from under the soft blankets, a blush coloring her cheeks. It was the other creatures from the hill; she had been far too busy running to get a clear look at any of them. The small, pure white mare with a spiky blue mane was nuzzled against Octavia; both had odd marks on their sides: lines and dots she just could not place for the life of her. A taller mint-green creature, this one sporting a horn like the white one, was walking beside a floating creature with… wings! Like her!

    “Sunrise?”

    Sunrise looked up with a faint squeak, blushing as Octavia smiled at her.

    “Girls, this is Sunrise. Sunrise, these are my friends, Lyra, Bon-Bon, Vinyl, and Derpy.”

    Both sides gave sheepish waves; the floating creature, Derpy, settled down beside her. She had a shallow gash along the side of her head, and had a great many scratch marks on her back and sides. Her eyes were closed, though she trembled every few seconds.

    “S-she… she was hurt too?” Sunrise asked Octavia softly, looking up at her, eyes suddenly rather bleary with tears.

    Octavia’s ears laid back, and the sophisticated creature gave a sigh, “Yes, dear. She was trying to get you away from the manticore and uh… missed.”

    Sunrise’s ears splayed immediately, eyes going from Derpy to Octavia a number of times; the tears were definitely flowing now. This creature, whatever she was, had tried to save her from that monster… and now she was hurt. With shaking forelegs and hooves, Sunrise gently tugged Derpy close, nuzzling into her fur and mane. She would make it up to her. She… she would..

    But the young mare was asleep.