Author's Notes:

Hey YOU, yeah YOU! Read this! 👇

Everyone: oH mY gOd VeNoMbLaSt UpDaTeD?

Yes, I apologize for the long wait I was having a crisis. A deep soul-searching break after my sister's, friend's, mother's, grandpa's, brother's, grandson's, uncles's fish died it was tragic and I had to plan the funeral. Anyways, I was thinking of re-writing this whole story... but then I asked a few of you what I should do, and many of you suggested I finish it... so that is what I am going to do.

But since you all helped me out so much we are going to play a GaMe *insert saw's face* Now before you all run away and lock yourselves in a closet, here is what it is. I am holding a little vote... and we are going to have a little shipping war!

Here are the rules:
1. You can ONLY vote once! So choose which ship you want the most!
2. Thumb 👍 up the ship you want to see after you read the chapter... I will post two comments.
3. Once you thumb it up, feel free to explain why you want that ship to happen... your vote may or may not come true in the future *giggles*

The ⛵ ships ⛵ are as followed: Rainbow Dash x Pinkie Pie 🎈 (PinkieDash) 🌈
Or....
Pinkamena x Pinkie Pie 😈 (MenaPie) 🎈

Moving onto the chapter, I have a little surprise in store you you.. hehehe. In this chapter we will be seeing the Tree's true intentions and who it really is! Like always things will be explained more in the final Civil War chapter that is coming up next! So without further ado, here is the chapter you all have been waiting for! Enjoy! 💖

Rainbow Dash trudged through the mud, Pinkie Pie tucked carefully in her wings and unmoving on her back. How long has it been? Weeks... months? She couldn't tell, for the river she was cast in washed them far away from Equestria. Here the sun's rays never touched her, the sky was pitch black... and time couldn't be deciphered. She tended to Pinkie Pie's wounds, but she hadn't even opened her eyes. The wound was bad, infected, and not healing at all!

She was supposed to be a brave pony, but as she walked she was sobbing. She was terrified of losing Pinkie Pie, her breaths were getting softer each second that went by. Rainbow Dash was starving, for very little green vegetation grew around here. A foggy liquorish haze swallowed them both, her lungs unable to grasp the air in the humidity while her hooves struggled to pull themselves out of sticky tar!

This place... she has never even heard of it! Was she even in Equestria? Did she die in that river, and this was the underworld? All the silence was getting to her head, she was starting to question if she was even alive. Monsters of strange races lurked here, they were faceless and humanoid according to how Twilight had explained humans to look. They had long slender bodies, with skin that was smooth and damp. They swam through the thick tar, with sharp claws that had torn through Rainbow's flank every time she fought them off.

She could hear their animalistic howls in the distance, waiting... they knew she was weak. They had no eyes, yet they could dodge her attacks... they had no nose, yet they could smell her desperation. Like a pack of hyenas, they laughed from a distance, slapping their tongues against the hot wind blowing from an unknown source. Their needle-like teeth had taken a chunk out of her leg, to where she was hardly limping.

Her back was producing a stabbing pain from carrying Pinkie Pie. She knew she would collapse from exhaustion if she kept pushing herself, but those... those THINGS kept coming! They were making a game of it, taking a piece of her and then retreating back into the lakes of tar until eventually, she was too weak to move. Her feathers were torn, deep claw marks embedded in her blue fur, and her hooves cracked and split from walking aimlessly for so long.

Pinkamena... what happened to her other friends.. what did that monster do to them? How was Equestria? Did they find some way to fight her off? Her hope was draining, there was no way in any possibility they could fight off such a powerful pony. She had to be honest to herself, Equestria was doomed... ruins at this point, nothing was left.

She would carry Pinkie Pie to the ends of the earth, but even if she were to... what then? Where would they go? Equestria was gone, Pinkie Pie was dying, and Rainbow Dash was hardly able to move anymore.

Rainbow Dash gently placed Pinkie Pie next to a twisted tree, its branches bare and sharp like knives as she rested her side against its trunk. Creatures of nightmares flew in the air, hissing, and cackling as they perched on the tree and stared at her with yellow beady eyes. She had tried to fly to see what was ahead, but those things had nasty talons that had knocked her right back on the ground.

When she had gone into the air, she just got an eyeful of darkness, with no sun to expose the landscape. Rainbow Dash grunted when her wound scraped against the rough bark, she wouldn't last much longer. She could hear those creatures walking far back, grinding their teeth together as they took a whiff of her sweaty and bloody scent. She called them 'nameless' for they were creatures that she couldn't think of a name for. They had no emotional traits, they hunt, track, kill, and eat and that was all there was to them.

Rainbow dash limped over to Pinkie Pie, dragging off the leaves encasing her stab wound. The scent was horrid, but the sight was even more sickening. There was no water around, she couldn't wash out the wound to keep the infection from spreading if they didn't get help soon... Pinkie Pie would most certainly die. It was gross, but she had learned urinating on wounds helped them heal... that was why the injury smelled so awful.

It seemed to be working enough to keep her alive, but it wouldn't work forever.

Her stomach rumbled, her vision blurry as her dehydration and hunger started to deprive her energy. The last thing she had eaten were a few vines growing on a rock, and that was what she thought could have been days ago. Her ears picked up on the nameless shrieking in the distance, hungrily calling their kin to join the hunt.

She saw the bald head of a nameless poke its head out from a pool of tar, its sleek and bony body slipping out before baring its terrifying teeth. The sharp needles parting from its lip, as its forked tongue slithered from its salivated jaws before hissing like a feral raccoon. These were not animals, but she was certain Fluttershy could have at least socialized with them enough to have them leave her alone. Even with her wings, she knew she had to be grounded for all her fights or risk Pinkie Pie being mauled and eaten alive.

She picked herself up weakly, before standing in the most solid stance she could muster. The nameless crawled at her at sonic speeds, outstretching its hands before Rainbow Dash used all her strength to send her hooves crashing into its jaw. It squealed, staggering back before collapsing onto the ground and spasming until growing still with black goop spilling from its mouth.

Their bodies were soft, it didn't take much to defeat them, but she was almost always outnumbered. She started to cry petrified tears when she saw the bubbles rising from the top of the tar, until one, two... five, eight, fourteen heads popped out, the number grew into the twenties, until finally the thirties. She wouldn't be able to fight them off, she could run and was fast, but they were always faster.

She quickly brought her nose under Pinkie Pie's stomach, before placing her on her back and running as fast as she could with her wounds! They screamed, before chasing her tail on all fours in packs that now grew into the hundreds causing her heart to pound so fiercely she was afraid she would pass out! She could almost feel their scorching breath on her flank, as she carried Pinkie Pie to wherever those things could not follow!

Rainbow Dash stopped right in front of a cavern, her hooves stopping just mere inches from throwing herself straight off the edge! She panted, her mane stuck to her face as she turned and saw the nameless covering every inch of her sight behind her... jumping on trees, advancing on the ground, tumbling over each other to reach her!

Rainbow opened her wings, clenching her eyes shut for a moment. I am not going to make it, my wings are too injured, but I have to try... I won't let them hurt Pinkie! She jumped, becoming airborne as the nameless tried to snatch her tail only to miss and tumble over the edge. They tried to stop but kept slamming into each other, causing dozens of them to tumble downwards into the massive cavern.

The canyon was several hundred meters across, and she already felt her flight becoming weaker. She flapped her wings desperately, her speed gaining as she strained every muscle she had! Something snapped, and she shrieked in pain as her left-wing waved uselessly in the air. It flopped beside her before she started crashing down below only to slam on a rocky ledge and drop Pinkie Pie beside her.

She painfully looked up, to see the opening of the cavern and the black sky looming above her. She looked behind her to see the bottomless canyon and the endless darkness awaiting for her to fall into it. The nameless growled and hissed at her from the other side until she saw them scrambling to the left... were they fleeing?

No... when a dozen went, the others followed with the same bloodlust they always had... they were going around the cavern.. and she was stuck here. It would take them a while, but when they reached her... it would be all over. Rainbow Dash crawled over to Pinkie Pie, before hugging her back and crying into her shoulder. She had failed her, she was helpless now... awaiting her own death because she couldn't protect her.

Perhaps if she threw herself down the canyon... would they follow and leave Pinkie alone? No.. they wouldn't, they would kill them both... the most she could do was shield Pinkie Pie with her body when she couldn't fight anymore. Rainbow Dash hiccupped as she hugged her best friend as hard as she could, her wing sending sharp pains throughout her body as the loose feathers snapped off.

This was it... our final moments. At least I get to spend them with Pinkie Pie, and she won't feel a thing. I cannot say the same for me.

"Wowie... you look preeeeeetty awful!" A voice said from above, as Rainbow Dash snapped her attention to something laying over the edge of the canyon. There was a pony here! Purple irises looked down towards her, with a wild grin and a mane that reminded her of the brightest sunlight. "This place is gloomy, and icky... why did you choose to vacation here?"

"P-Please... help us... those things are going to kill my friend... you have to help... I am begging you! I'll do anything!" Rainbow Dash sobbed, using the last of her strength to pick herself up to see the white pony cocking her head.

"Well duh, silly goose, why do you think I am here? Wait... What year is it?" The pony replied, blinking unworriedly at the bleeding pegasus with a tear-stained face.

"We don't have TIME, help US!" Rainbow Dash screamed, as she heard the nameless and their cries echoing.

"Ya know what, the better question is... are you in a war at this time... like with Pinkamena and stuff? My mind is a little fuzzy on her timeline is she a D- wait... aha! Sneaky, sneaky... trying to get me to spill the beans on her future, well it's not going to work because I am a vault that does not get distracted very easily- OOO, look at this rock Rainbow Dash!"

The pony picked up a rock before tossing it in her hooves.

"Coooool, this will make a great souvenir! I-I mean, for my eyes only... since Pinkamena would KILL me if she were to know I was here... OOO, is that Pinkie Pie down there? Hey... Hey Rainbow, can you like wake her up for me? Does she have any cupcakes... or like... anything? Traveling across dimensions can make a pegasus hungry!"

How... does she know my name? Wait she is a pegasus?? She can fly us out of here! Rainbow Dash pressed her hooves against the rocky slope, as she gazed up at the strange pony smiling down at her. "Hey... YOU, you have wings right?"

"Wings, guns, ropes, cannons, flamethrowers... even a fidget spinner, which is like suuuuper fun to play with. I once used a fidget spinner to annoy Pinkamena once, and she trapped me in a cage for the entire day hahaha! Ooh, look at your face... why are you so panicked? I am not going to annoy you with a fidget spinner you fuzzbucket!"

"I am panicked because I am about to get eaten alive, now help me! Please!" Rainbow Dash said, trying to find a way up but failing as she saw the nameless starting to crawl down the sides.

"Woooow, those things are reaaaaaally ugly... I hope you escape in the next four minutes, and I hope me being here didn't actually alter the past like Pinkamena said it would. I would help you... buuuut, I can't, not until Pinkie Pie wakes up from her nap in-"

"She is in a COMA, she is not going to wake UP!" Rainbow Dash screamed as the creature lunged at her. She kicked it hard, knocking it off the ledge as it fell down.

"OOO, ten points for Rainbow Dash! Yay team pegasus!" The pony cheered, before suddenly chewing on a bag of popcorn and waving her hoof in encouragement. "Rats... I forgot the salt."

A nameless sank its fangs into her shoulder before she was knocked flat on her back! Rainbow used her hooves to kick it off of her before standing up and headbutting it over the side.

"Booo, cheap move! Use a machine gun! What are you.. cheap? Oh... right... primitive world, no technology... Should I help... no... I shouldn't... but I should... AGH, why is my life so complicated? All I wanted was SALT!"

Suddenly Rainbow Dash heard something stirring behind her, and her heart leapt when she saw Pinkie Pie's eyes flutter open and her sickly pale blue eyes gazing at her. "D...Dashie?"

The blue pegasus was ecstatic that she was awake... but could she walk.. or climb? "Pinkie Pie.. we are in severe danger, you have to see if you can climb up while I fight these creatures off!"

"I... I can't move... you have to leave me... I failed Pinkamena, I am worthless."

"No! I refuse to leave you, I will fight or die trying!"

The pony threw popcorn on a nameless approaching, "PAY attention you are in a fight you diddlydot! You can talk about your faily fails in a moment!"

Rainbow Dash turned her head only to hear something that sounded like thunder crack from above her. The nameless screeched as its head burst into black goo, before the sound emitted again and it suddenly had leaking holes in its chest. The nameless limply fell down into the cavern, as the pony met Rainbow's gaze in boredom.

"That wasn't me... I didn't shoot it, don't look at me... I-I was just simply sitting here and watching you fail horribly." The pony giggled, rolling on her back and pointing. "OOO, look you've got more visitors!"

Three nameless landed on the ledge, as they hissed and exposed their teeth. Rainbow Dash spread her remaining wing, knowing Pinkie Pie was awake gave her strength. She threw everything she had at them, but she was still weak and they caught her back hoof in their hands before tackling her in a horde.

Rainbow Dash screamed in pain as they tore into her, and pinned her on the ground. She couldn't fight, as she felt them tear off her broken wing while her adrenaline slowly kicked in allowing her to struggle just a bit.

"Please... please... stop hurting Dashie... I-I can't watch this!" Pinkie Pie said as tears streamed down her face. Pinkie Pie tried to pick herself up but since she hadn't eaten in ages, was dehydrated, and infected... she could only shriek and collapse back on her side.

The howls of pain and the gaining of nameless piling on top of her were making her desperately scream and cry. The creatures eventually caused Rainbow to grow silent, unable to continue to struggle as they slowly finished her off.

"STOP!" Pinkie Pie screamed, so loudly it caused the cavern to shake. No... that wasn't from her voice, the earth pony looked to her hooves and gasped when bright golden light started going to her wound. The nameless stopped mauling the silent pegasus, as they shied away from the light and hid their heads with their claws.

"Finally... four minutes is up... I was really starting to doubt your survival rates, but now your good 'ol savior the cyborg can swoop in now!" The pony said, before cheering as she cannonballed into the canyon. Her butt smashed into the pile of nameless knocking them off of Rainbow Dash, when they were too distracted by Pinkie Pie.

The pony was indeed a pegasus, a strange mutant one it looked like. She had strange colors, her mane looking like living lightning but as fluffy as a ball of cotton candy. Her flank was white, while her purple ballooned Cutie Mark matched Pinkie Pie's to a tee.

She opened her wings, before landing in front of the nameless. The pony raised her forelimb before it started to fade and pixilated like some glitchy TV. Her skin opened up, revealing metal as it transformed into what appeared to be a large gun with a heavy but mini gas tank sitting on the top. The nozzle flicked open before lights came alive throughout little glass chambers embedded within the gun.

Pinkie Pie saw that Rainbow was in the crossfire. "DUCK!"

Rainbow Dash had her eyes closed but weakly responded. "Duck?"

"Goose!" The pony cheered, as she released a cloud of fire at the nameless who were turned to ash as soon as they came in contact with the scorching flames. "Cyborg used flamethrower... its SUPER effective! Hee-hee!"

Pinkie Pie covered her face from the bright flames, until they were nothing but piles of embers glowing on the rock. The pegasus suddenly ceased fire turning her foreleg back into a regular limb as she danced in place.

"Dashie... are you okay?" Pinkie Pie asked hoarsely.

"Oh wowie, you look reaaaaally bad!" the pegasus giggled, "I can try and reattach that wing with some super glue.... if you want."

Pinkie Pie seemed to have found the strength to stand, as the golden light surrounded her stomach and hooves. The white pegasus awed, as the earth pony got stronger each second that went by until she was just barely limping to Rainbow Dash without even paying attention to her own state.

Pinkie Pie gently lifted up her friend's head, only to see the Wonderbolt give her a weak smile. She was so happy Pinkie Pie was okay, but with the wounds she had, she wouldn't be. It gave her comfort knowing Pinkie wouldn't let her die alone.

"Pinkie Pie.... t-thank you for always giving me a smile... even in the worse places." Rainbow Dash coughed, her remaining wing trembling in pain and the wounds from the nameless stinging her flank.

"Why... why are you saying it like that?" Pinkie Pie asked, stroking Rainbow's shoulder as her head rested on her chest. The mare was weakly breathing, but didn't want to make her best-friend worry that she was not doing well... in fact.. she was dying.

"N-No reason Pinks... I-I just.." Rainbow faded off, hiding her face from Pinkie's as she felt herself starting to cry. "I-I just want you to remember no matter what happens I would never take anything I did these past few days back."

"Dashie..?" Pinkie Pie asked, suddenly resting her hoof on her cheek and turning her head to meet the pink pony's eyes. Rainbow didn't have any strength to fight her off to where she couldn't see her tear soaked face, and when Pinkie finally got why she was so upset... she couldn't bear to see her widening eyes. "Dashie.. no.. NO, you'll be okay! I-I pro-"

Rainbow Dash put her hoof to Pinkie Pie's lips. "No Pinks... I don't want you to make a promise you cannot keep. You'll beat yourself over it, I know you all too well."

"I can't not do anything... I HAVE to help YOU! P-Please Dashie... don't leave me... you are my best friend I cannot lose you too!" Pinkie Pie sobbed as Rainbow Dash caressed her cheek gently.

"You are doing something Pinkie Pie, I wouldn't want any other pony to be here with me while I go through this. B-But... you have to leave me... you have to let me go... I will only hold you back, and y... you are the only one who can get through to Pinkamena... and help our friends."

Pinkie Pie's tears fell on Dash's chest. "But I FAILED, I can't get to Pinkamena! I am useless... I need you Dashie!!"

"Pinkie leave me... or I am going to have to make you. Don't you get it? You lived for a reason, but my time is done... you still have a purpose, a mission... mine was keeping you safe and helping you realize that."

Pinkie Pie gripped the pegasus's shoulders once more with a death hold. "I am NOT leaving you, we stick together!"

Rainbow Dash gently unhooked Pinkie's hold on her, before sitting up with the last of her strength. Pinkie was confused and questioned what she was doing, but she ignored her. Dash dragged herself towards the edge of the canyon, and then she knew it clicked in the mare's head.

"No! NO! Dashie! NO! You will be okay, I-I'll do something... I'll carry you to safety!! DASHIE!" Pinkie Pie cried frantically but failed to shake her from her mindset. "I-I promise... I'll protect you... I'll do ANYTHING! Dashie... I can't LOSE YOU!"

"Ummm hellooooo… this isn't drama class, but two hooves up for performance I loved it!" the pegasus squealed, bouncing over to Pinkie Pie and hanging on the begging mare. "You've definitely got a fan mare, but... like why put on a play for me and pretend to throw yourself off a cliff Rainbow Dash?"

"I am not pretending...?" Rainbow Dash said with confusion.

"Oh... well why jump off a cliff? You should only jump off a cliff if all your friends are doing it... I think... I think that's how it works... shouldn't you just heal her Pinkie Pie? I mean... that seems the most logical."

"H-Heal her?"

"Yes, you silly filly... you have like... Light Magic.. you ding dong pong!" The pegasus laughed, pointing at Pinkie Pie's hooves and her healing wound. "That's why I couldn't help, you had to get your Light Magic for my gigantic fantastic plan of rescue for your friends!"

"L...Light Magic? Wait... Light Magic chooses its user... and it chose me?"

"Yeppie yep! It sensed you needed it the most, and you need it to help free Pinkamena!"

"Then... how do I heal Dashie... please!"

The pegasus cocked her head. "I dunno… usually one just does magic... this is why technology is better."

Pinkie Pie swallowed. "I don't know how to use it!"

The white mare stuck out her tongue playfully. "Yeah... I kinda thought that might happen, so I brought a first aid kit."

Activating recovery procedure, target acquired 'Rainbow Dash' species pegasus at one hundred and twenty-five pounds. A strange robotic voice said from within the mare's body making Pinkie Pie stumble back when her foreleg turned into a large cannon.

"Y-You aren't a pony... what... what are you?" Pinkie Pie squeaked, as the mare's cannon lit up. She shot something at Rainbow Dash who was too weak to move but was suddenly encased in a bubble of some strange liquid.

"I am half-pony." The pegasus giggled, before watching Rainbow Dash's wounds glow from within the cage she was contained in. "I am a genetically modified species of pony that happens to be sorta robotic-ish I came from a world that's waaaay, waaaaay, more advanced then Pinkamena's hee-hee! From the future!"

"Wait... you are from the future?" Pinkie Pie asked.

"Correcto! I am here to help, on one condition! But... that can come later, for now, I'll introduce myself! I am a cyborg that happens to be one in the trio of the most powerful ponies in the universe!" The pony turned, and suddenly one of her eyes turned a strange reddish color with visible metal frames inside. "My name is Surprise, and I am here to help save Pinkamena's world."

Pinkie Pie was shocked that Surprise had patched up Dashie to where she looked perfectly normal! Once Rainbow Dash was fixed right on up, and her wing was reattached with some highly advanced medicine and robotics they were silently following the futuristic cyborg through the marshland of darkness.

Pinkie Pie's wound had healed to where it was just a visible small gash, with bandages around it that Surprise had given her. Without really any warning, Surprise smashed pills in her mouth and forced her to swallow before saying that it had something to do with her infection while giggling.

"Um... Surprise... was it?" Rainbow Dash asked quietly.

"Yeppie yep! What's on your mind?" Surprise replied cheerfully, walking backward as she cheesed at the Wonderbolt.

"T-Thank you for helping us out back there... b-but... how is Pinkie Pie's Light Magic going to help us win against Pinkamena and the Tree of Harmony?"

Surprise skipped clicking her hooves behind her excitedly. "Oooo, well it's sort of like this. Light Magic has advanced healing, but also clears toxins in the mind and body! So ya know Mena is under that Tree thingie's spell right about now, and the only way to get her mind to go all powerful and smart and stuff is to use Light Magic to destroy the roots around her head!"

Pinkie Pie shook her head. "I-I just got this power, and I have no idea how to control it!"

"Yeah and not just that... how are we even going to get CLOSE to Pinkamena? She's extremely powerful!" Rainbow Dash added with a little bit of frustration.

"Actually it should be pretty easy... she isn't that strong right now."

Rainbow Dash stopped walking. "You're kidding... she's kidding... right?"

"Yeeaaaah I don't know if we are all talking about the same Pinkamena." Pinkie Pie said.

Surprise laughed sharply, before spilling out a flurry of words. "The really pretty demon that is obsessed with you... and hates me for some odd reason and will not be my friend.. and that just SO happens to be buddy buddy with the ugliest Goddess out there cough Aphrodite!? The mare that keeps IGNORING me... and will not let a grudge go about me cutting off her leg ONCE... why... why does she hate meee? I even offered to cut my OWN leg off to even the score... but nooooo, that isn't enough.. so I had to ask Chronos the friggin God of TIME to send me back here so SHE will accept ME!"

Rainbow Dash looked at Pinkie Pie with a strange look as the pink pony just blinked at Surprise who was screaming in anger. The cyborg was breathing heavily, before kicking a branch as hard as she could... which happened to be pretty hard since the branch went flying miles away.

Pinkie Pie approached the pegasus who seemed upset, before putting a hoof on her shoulder. "Hey... if it counts I accept you... and I am really happy you are here Surprise."

"I am sorry but did any pony pick up on the fact that Surprise said Pinkamena was a demon?"

Surprise turned her head with a bit of a scowl ignoring Dash. "Yeah... you are just so nice! No wonder Pinkamena connects with you so easily and just completely ignores ME! You know what... my head is starting to get all fuzzy with thoughts... let's talk about something else... like what I want in return for helping you!"

Rainbow Dash suddenly approached Surprise who had a strange look in her purple eyes. "W-What do you want from us... we don't exactly have much."

"Hee-hee, it is not a what... it's a who!" Surprise said, suddenly having her cheerful voice again as she gave them a large smile. Pinkie Pie swallowed hard, as the cyborg rested her gaze on Pinkie Pie and pressed her hoof into her chest. "Don't be so worried... I'd never do anything to Pinkamena's closest friend little fuzzbucket... I want.... Celestia."

"Why?" Rainbow Dash asked worriedly.

"Hmmm... simple really... I want to give her a nice warm hug."

"A hug? What fo-"

"With thirty gallons of gasoline... and a freshly lit MATCH! Or around her neck with a rope... dangling over a cliffside.. oooo, so many choices... gets me all excited. I only want to play with her... throw ourselves a nice party of two... hee-hee alone... in my workshop where no pony can hear HER! Ya know... normal stuff like that."

"N-Normal?" Pinkie Pie squeaked, taking a step back from the sadistic cyborg cocking her head.

"Yeah! Anyways we should probably get out of The Archeron River. All those creatures attacking Rainbow Dash were Lurkers.. they guard the gates to the underworld so no mortal can enter. Buuuut, don't worry they will not attack you anymore... since they got a taste of my flamethrower!"

Suddenly Surprise lifted her foreleg and allowed something to appear and materialize in her left hoof.

"What's that?" Pinkie Pie asked curiously.

Surprise spun the gun-like object in her hoof. "A portal gun! I saw it on this one show and I was like 'Surprise... you are one of the smartest and funniest ponies out there... it should not be hard to put together a portal gun' so I put my head together... well, not literally that would be gross. But... I spent hours studying Pinkamena's world and generated saved coordinates around your earth, so we could get there faster! Just be careful... it causes weeeeird side effects like random itching like allll over! And sometimes random cravings for weird things... like glue..."

Rainbow Dash stayed close to Pinkie Pie, which she assumed was because this cyborg freaked her out before asking a question. "Umm.. how advanced is your future again?"

"Thirteen point four million years ahead of this current era. But don't you worry your pretty little rainbow mane about it, right now... let's save your friends! You're welcome, not all heros wear capes hee-hee... but, I kinda want one now... can you ask Rarity to stitch me up one.. please?"

Surprise shot something green from her portal gun, before a dense greenish hole appeared in front of them. She shoved Pinkie Pie forward and pushed her through, before looking at Rainbow Dash.

"W-Wait... I don't wanna-"

The pegasus dragged her hooves, but Surprise was oddly stronger than her! "In ya go! Pretend it's a roller-coaster, just DO NOT breathe in the fumes... it smells like rotting God farts!"

Rainbow Dash was pushed in, and in seconds she was on the other side with Pinkie Pie. They stood in a strange leaking room, with gushing purple liquid squirting out of the walls. It looked like the inside of a bee-hive, but one they couldn't figure out the layout of.

"Weeeeee!" Surprise shouted before landing on her face. She laid there for a second before popping up and staring at them with an unreadable expression. "Do any of you happen to have glue on you?"

"Where are we?" Rainbow Dash asked, "This looks kind of like the inside of a changeling hive."

"Thaaaat's because it is!" Surprise replied, "Let me just get out my GPS... and we should be able to navigate Chrysalis's hive."

"Wait I thought Chrysalis is on our side?" Pinkie Pie said as Surprise shrugged.

"I am on your side!" A voice whispered. The group turned to see the queen looking around from the back of a wall, as she flicked her hoof to them to beckon them closer. "Come here... hurry, I have no idea where Celestia could be hiding!"

The trio went to the changeling as Surprise squealed. "Hi there-"

Chrysalis slapped her hoof over Surprise's mouth. "SHH! Do you want the Tree to HEAR you? Listen... after Pinkie Pie was thrown off the first hive I built... it was burned to the ground by Pinkamena. Celestia ordered me to build a magical hive with materials gathered by the Tree itself... this hive is like an outer shell to the Tree of Harmony... she said... it was... growing... and needed something to protect its heart!"

"How long were we gone? What happened to our friends?" Rainbow Dash asked.

Chrysalis looked around again. "Five days... enough time for Celestia to take over the Dragon Lands.. the Crystal Empire... and Thorax and his hive! The griffons were forced from their homes... seeking refuge in who knows where! The Tree of Harmony owns all now, and your friends are locked up and guarded near the Tree's heart while it saps out their magical essence!"

"The Tree of Harmony has a heart? How can a weed have a heart?" Surprise asked, with a cock of her head as the changeling shrugged.

"I do not know... but I am assuming if you get rid of the heart... it will die... Pinkamena said sapping its magic will cause it to wither... but that was before it formed a heart... it's becoming... alive!" The queen fluttered her thin wings before pulling the group closer and whispering. "Sombra tried to free Pinkamena with the crystal heart... but she shattered it, and now we have no way of getting her to realize what she is doing! If I were you... I'd run while you still can... somewhere far away!"

"Naaah, let's just stomp on a heart and then have a big 'ol party afterward... doesn't seem too hard!" Surprise said while rubbing the queen's head affectionately.

Chrysalis was confused about the pegasus which showed hugely in her face, but she snapped back into focus with a low growl. "Let me just say... impossible will be putting it easy. To get to the heart... you have to defeat Pinkamena. She guards Pinkie Pie's friends at the top of this hive, while Celestia speaks with the Tree on the lower floors."

"Okay... defeat Pinkamena, got it!" Surprise said.

"Then once you defeat Pinkamena-wait, what do you mean got it? Did you HEAR what I just said... I said you have to defeat Pinkamena!"

"Yeah, I heard you... I don't have cheese wedges in my ears you know hee-hee! What's next?"

"Umm... okay.... uhh... well, Pinkamena stole Luna's soul, but her Alicorn magic keeps her mind and body separate.. so she keeps an eye on what is around me... if you REALLY think you can sneak around Pinkamena you are going to need Luna's help. Or at least... drench yourself in mud to mask your scent... Pinkamena sleeps when Celestia does not need her assistance.. but that does not mean she cannot sense you."

Surprise shook her head. "Nopeie, masking your scent will not work. Pinkamena does not exactly smell the aroma of other ponies, she senses their magic silly! Also, it does not take brute strength to defeat her, Mena gets tired really easily because her stamina is low. I say we do not sneak in, we have the element of surprise here... Pinkamena will not use strategy, which we can do unlike her. Right now her brain is wired to attack and nothing else, making it quite easy to fool her a little bit hee-hee! Here's what we are going to do, for the spell to be broken... she has to be weakened... so I am going to drain her energy.. the reason why I am going to do this because since Pinkamena senses magic power... she will ALWAYS go for the big kahuna of magic! Ignoring the rest of you!"

Rainbow Dash shook her head rapidly. "Okay at first I thought you were a little crazy... but now I know you are REALLY crazy! She will tear you to pieces Surprise, and I mean really slowly and painfully! We've got no choice but to figure out a way to draw her from the heart with some sort of distraction where none of us could get killed!"

"No, listen! If any of you try and mask your scent, it will not work! A distraction will not work either, she has to be actively chasing another pony to be distracted! We have no choice but to fight her head on, she has to be weakened and drained... enough to where Pinkie Pie can use her light magic!"

The group stared at Surprise before the queen blinked in confusion. "I-I'm sorry but WHO are you again?"

"Just trust me on this one... what does Pinkie Pie say..? Oh yeah! I pinkie promise you all will survive if you listen to me... I know Mena's weakness, strengths, and the way she fights! I planned this perfectly for days... I cannot fail... I won't fail... because Pinkamena's past depends on it... and... and our friendship."

Pinkie Pie picked up on the sadness in Surprise's voice, hearing a bit of a tremble in her words.. but as soon as she realized her mood, she gave the group a big smile.

"Hooves in! We've got this wooo!" Surprise cheered, putting her hoof in as the rest of the mares put them in a bit awkwardly. "Good, let's go!"

"Chrysalis, you might want to tell the group to hurry... Celestia is finishing up her chat with the Tree." A ghostly voice echoed from inside the hive walls. Suddenly Luna appeared as a spectral spirit, floating around the group before pointing her hoof. "Did I stutter? Move girls! We do not have much time!"

Luna guided the way, with the group advancing to Pinkamena's lair with nothing but trust in the cyborg who seemed a little nervous as well. They did not have much confidence in her, but in Pinkie Pie's brain she knew everyone else's plans had failed.. hers, Sombra's... they didn't have much more to go on so this was all they had.

Pinkie Pie walked beside Surprise before nudging her shoulder softly to gain her attention. "Umm.. Surprise, how do you know so much about Pinkamena?"

The cyborg's ears flattened. "I-I well... I... don't... if I am being honest. I can monitor her bodily functions all day long and know about her physically like her magic and stuff... but... I don't know her backstory because she refuses to tell me. I-I felt like... if I helped her in the most difficult time of her life I could understand all the pain she has in the present. She's... sad... really... sad, and I don't know why... it kills me seeing her so unhealthy... there's something... invisible munching on her happiness and I want to be the one to make her not sad anymore."

Pinkie Pie could sense how distraught Surprise was over this problem, it almost pained her too! "Well... I wouldn't mind sharing with you everything I know... since you decided to help us... I am sure it could help your issue!"

"I-I just want to help her.... why won't she open up to me..? I want to be her friend so bad.." Surprise sniffed, but quickly wiped a tear from her eye as her head snapped up when sensing a powerful presence.

The top of the hive was flat, with heavy black clouds hanging overhead. Hundreds of large roots intertwined themselves with the base of the magical hive, while rooted cages contained unconscious creatures within. Pinkie Pie hid behind Rainbow Dash as the pegasus wrapped her repaired wing around her friend, and lowered them to the ground. Chrysalis pointed to a large active object vibrating within a shell of wooden branches, as each beat shook the flooring each time it pumped and stretched the protection around it.

Something hung next to the heart, wrapped in onyx wings and dangling upside down as the group swallowed in unison. Pinkamena slept on a large root, swaying casually as her body warmed itself within her own wings tucked in the shadows as Surprise turned to the mares.

"All of you have to steer clear of my fight with Pinkamena... and whatever you do keep Pinkie Pie safe, she is the only one with the power to get rid of the Tree's influence on Pinkamena. The Crystal Heart in your world was created by a God who created Light Magic... and now, Pinkie Pie possesses enough of it to-"

"Enough to what? Free Pinkamena? You think it is that easy?" A voice said, as the group whipped around to see a white Alicorn emerging from under a pile of roots. "If Light Magic could have saved her... Sombra would have succeeded long ago."

Chrysalis cowered as Celestia tapped her hoof on the roots, causing the demon to stir.

Surprise growled, her left eye evolving into a bright red glare as she lowered her head with a threatening snarl. She wasted no hesitation in lifting her foreleg and changing it into a gun, as she focused on the princess.

"Hmm? This is strange..." Celestia said looking at the cyborg who bared her teeth.

"She is not from this world... her aura... is odd... I can sense... Athena... on this one... and Chronos's power."

Celestia stroked Pinkamena's wing. "Awaken."

Pinkamena's glowing eyes emerged from under her wing, as she made a throaty hiss. Pinkie Pie was quickly brought into the air by Rainbow Dash who held her tightly, as Chrysalis hid behind Surprise who's eyes were as big as pothole covers. She was visibly shaking... from nerves? From fear? Pinkie Pie couldn't tell, as Pinkamena lowered herself to the ground and opened her jaws to reveal her gleaming fangs.

"Kill them all... and make sure this time they are truly sent to Hades."

Pinkamena charged... but Surprise did not move, it was like she was frozen! Pinkie Pie yelled at Surprise to get out of the way, but the cyborg remained.. and looked like she was lowering her gun!

The demon tackled Surprise before sinking her fangs into her shoulder. The mare screamed in agony as she weakly tried to push Pinkamena off of her! With the grip of a bear trap, her teeth remained latched in place and only to release when a chunk of Surprise's flesh went from her departing.

"Surprise!" Pinkie Pie shouted in alarm. The cyborg had glistening tears in her eyes as she looked up to meet Pinkamena's green and red ones.

Surprise panted, before speaking with a quivering voice. "P...Pinkamena... you know I'd let you kill me... but you don't know me yet.. so right now I am just a stranger... but I know you are... hurting... even now. I don't want to do this... but for you to be happy... for you to be safe... I-I have to fight you... I have to... I am so sorry..."

Pinkamena roared. "Finish her! Do it NOW!"

The demon lunged at Surprise's neck, as the cyborg squeezed her eyes shut. She brought her hoof across Pinkamena's cheek with blinding speeds, causing a sonic boom that threw Pinkamena across the roof until she slammed into several roots and grew silent.

Celestia did a double take.

The devastation caused by that one hit had ripped up the hive's roof and had scattered the Tree's roots all over the battlefield. Surprise looked concerned, her gaze intensely focused on where Pinkamena had landed.

"What.. the hell just happened..?"

The Tree's words were precisely what was on everyone's minds right about now.

Suddenly Pinkamena burst from the broken branches with a furious shriek. "Nunc ego sum DEMENS!"

Surprise gulped. "S-Sorry!"

Pinkamena's hooves started to fill with a green light. A robotic voice suddenly spoke from within Surprise as her body shook making her bounce on the ground. Switching to non-lethals stand by, opponent identified as Pinkamena, enemy's hostility greatly increased, user-force reduced.

"Spero te mori, foetida porcus!" Pinkamena growled, shooting a beam of Black Magic at Surprise who's mouth dropped open. She held out her hoof, and a disc appeared within her foreleg, absorbing the attack as she glared at the demon who drew her head back at the mare who was still standing.

"No.. you know what.. just NO! Apologize Pinkamena! I get you are corrupted... but that was super RUDE!"

Pinkamena bared her fangs. "Tu quis es? Iustus fasciculum nugas simul ad formam monstrum?"

"They can understand each other?" Chrysalis whispered to Luna as the moon Alicorn shrugged.

"RUDE!" Surprise shouted before charging at Pinkamena, the demon formed her scythe before swinging it over the cyborg's head. The mare dodged the blade before her foreleg transformed into a taser as she jabbed the metal prods into Pinkamena's abdomen making her spasm uncontrollably.

Pinkamena hooked Surprise in the jaw, making her cyborg eye flash on and off from the impact. She fell on her back but used her hind hooves to kick the warlock off of her making her slam into the wall. Pinkamena's head lolled, as Surprise sat on her rump and activated two guns lodged on her forelegs that she summoned. She opened fired, as tiny darts filled with glowing light blue liquid sank into the demon's flesh.

Pinkamena flapped her wings peeling herself off the wall, as she spun in place flinging the empty darts off of her. She landed but wobbled as her legs refused to keep her weight in check. Her muscles seemed to be extremely weakened, but she summoned up impossible strength and charged once more.

Surprise's foreleg turned back into a hoof before something glitched into the air. A smoke bomb appeared floating in front of her as she cringed. "I am so sorry... I-I know you hate this..."

The mare threw the bomb at Pinkamena who knocked it away with her wing, but that action caused it to bust open. An orange mist broke free and spread across the flooring making Pinkamena stop in her tracks.

"Quid... quid est hoc? Hoc olet.. citrus?" The demon said, as she tried to step away. "Hoc dolet... et est crassa! Quid est hoc, praestigiis! Non spirant!"

Pinkamena started coughing, as she wheezed and tried to bat the mist away. The demon's nose and eyes were watering as she shrieked and tore at her face trying to itch herself.

"Seriously? This is ridiculous!! Pinkamena it is just the smell of citrus, get your plot back in there and finish the job!"

"This is humiliating.." Celestia mumbled.

"SHUT UP!" Surprise boomed, veins popping out of her neck as she shot Celestia with a ball of energy. The Alicorn yelled out in severe pain, as she fell on her chin wincing from the sting of Surprise's gun.

Pinkamena was on the ground, hardly moving as she was forced to breathe in the fumes of Surprise's smoke bomb. The demon struggled to get up, but Pinkie Pie assumed the liquid inside those darts were to paralyze her and were finally taking their toll on the poor mare. The mist parted as Surprise approached, the Tree remaining quiet as it watched curiously and patiently allowed the pegasus to approach.

Pinkamena swiped her claws at Surprise clipping her chest, as the cyborg suddenly dropped a net over the demon that sealed itself to the floor. The net had appeared in a glitch-like reality, along with the gun Surprise was now holding as she pressed the tip to the glowering mare pinned in front of her.

The Tree of Harmony seemed to be shifting, as Pinkie Pie watched a root slither up to Surprise. Before the pink pony could shout at Surprise to look out, the cyborg shot the root several times without any expression at all.

"I knew you'd try and do that..." Surprise mumbled.

Surprise looked at the contained and trapped mare under the net, and Pinkie Pie could see the pain on the cyborg's face the more Pinkamena tried to lift the sealed net. The pegasus reached her hoof out, hesitating for a second before touching the wires making up the trap right in front of Pinkamena's muzzle.

She tried to bite, but Surprise didn't flinch. Pinkie Pie saw what she was about to do, but Rainbow Dash beat her to it. "Surprise... don't! Pinkie Pie already tried this! She will not listen to you!"

But... she didn't listen and pulled off the net.

Surprise threw the only thing keeping Pinkamena pinned off of her, and the demon immediately forced herself to get up. Pinkamena made a cry of pain when her weakened state knocked her back down, causing her to shiver vigorously from the lack of strength she had.

"Mena... you cannot fight anymore... you have been immobilized... I would never really hurt you, but I had to weaken you enough to where you could hear me." Surprise said as she crouched low and laid on her stomach. The mage panted, scrambling to get up but unable to truly cause harm from where she was at. "Look around you Mena... remember who you are... what you are fighting for... this isn't you."

"Scitis nihil!" Pinkamena screeched, dragging herself to Surprise.

The cyborg flinched... seemingly very wounded from what Pinkamena had yelled. "Y...You are right... I don't know anything, I know nothing about your pain, your struggles, your dreams... or your fears... but I do know that I'd do anything to learn. That's why I came here... I came here to understand you... to help you... to show you that I am here for you... no matter what."

Pinkamena was almost to Surprise using the last bit of strength she possessed. "Non credo verbum! Stillabunt tuum telum, si vos es iens dicere mendacium!"

Surprise's mouth opened just slightly. "I promise I am not lying... but... for you... I will drop my weapons."

"Are you CRAZY?" Chrysalis shouted. "She will KILL YOU!"

"Let me go Dashie! Surprise is going to get herself killed!!" Pinkie Pie yelled, struggling against Rainbow Dash's grip.

"No Pinkie Pie!! You've already been hurt... I will not allow anything else to happen to you!"

Surprise closed her eyes. Warning. All weapons, sensors, and auto-protection disabled AI temporarily shut down! The cyborg took a shaky breath, as she opened her eyes to look right into Pinkamena's who was just inches away from her muzzle. The entire group held their breath, Surprise was defenseless... an unarmed pony in the presence of a mare who could end her life in seconds... but... was hesitating.

"Pinkamena..." Pinkie Pie cried, tears dripping down her face as the demon turned her gaze to her. "Please... snap out of it."

"Kill her... KILL HER!" The Tree bellowed, as Pinkamena sat on her rump and continued staring at Pinkie Pie.

Surprise reached out and touched Pinkamena's cheek, making the demon's lip curl just slightly, but she did not push away. The pegasus turned her eyes to meet her own, as she tried to drown out the Tree's cries by having her focus solely on Pinkamena and the demon's only on her.

"Do it now Pinkie Pie." Surprise mumbled. Pinkamena was calm, the demon closing her eyes and giving into Surprise's touch as Pinkie Pie was lowered to the ground by Rainbow Dash who walked beside her. The pegasus refused to leave Pinkie's side as the two approached the demon who turned her head to look at Pinkie Pie.

"Pinkie.... Pie?" Pinkamena asked, making the pink earth pony's breath catch in her throat.

The happiness flowing through her heart seemed to ignite a spark in her, making her hooves dance with golden light as her brain caught onto what she had to do. Surprise backed away allowing Pinkie Pie space as the mare looked at her partner that has been with her during her whole life. Pinkamena lowered her head as Pinkie Pie reached out before the demon gently pressed her forehead against Pinkie's hoof letting the light wash over her.

"No... this is impossible! Stop!"

Cracks appeared in the crown Pinkamena wore, as the light grew brighter.

"You fools! You will not win even with Pinkamena back on your side! STOP!"

The crown shattered, falling into chunks on the ground until they withered up into ash. Pinkamena's purple haze flowing from her eyes fizzled out, as her beautiful ruby eyes came back into view. Pinkamena blinked several times, before lifting up her head and staring at the group who were leaning in fear.

"Where the buck am I? Who the buck is that... why the heck does my head hurt...?"

Pinkie Pie threw herself into Pinkamena hugging the mare tightly as she sobbed into her neck. Pinkamena looked around but securely protected Pinkie with her wing, as she stared at Surprise who was just staring at her with a hint of a scarlet tint around the bridge of her muzzle.

"Who are you? Have we met?" Pinkamena asked, "Did you... perhaps.. help us?"

Surprise seemed to be having a tough time speaking... as she tried to force out words but was unable to produce any other sounds except squeaking. Pinkamena looked rather curious of the newcomer, as she tried to process what was going on and remember what happened.

"Pinkamena.. you were overtaken by the Tree of Harmony... but Pinkie Pie.. and this strange pegasus helped bring you out of it." Luna said as Chrysalis nodded.

Suddenly something flowed out of Pinkamena... as Luna's body was reformed into its natural state. She stretched and yawned cracking her back as she shook out her starry mane.

"Umm... what is her name... I feel bad that I don't know who she is." Pinkamena said, getting up as Pinkie Pie whimpered when her hug was interrupted. The demon stopped in front of Surprise, as the cyborg shrank under her friendly gaze cowering away just slightly. "Hey... umm thanks for helping? But... who are you and why did you help us anyways?"

The pegasus still remained silent, as she fiddled with the ground with her hoof. She looked back up, her ears back as her eyes darted from Pinkamena and then again on the ground rapidly. Finally after a full minute of this... Surprise was able to choke some words out. "I-I u..uhh, I..I j-just." Surprise had enough courage to look up, but suddenly just went pale as Pinkamena raised an eyebrow at the sweating cyborg. She looked like she was getting sick, and suddenly just vomited a whole bunch of words out at once with no warning at all

"IreallywantedtobeyourfriendsoItraveledbackherebutyouaresoincrediblygorgeousIamkindaatalossforwords!"

Pinkamena blinked. "I have no idea what you said, but okay!"

The demon turned around, as Chrysalis and Luna hugged their friend happily. Pinkie Pie couldn't tell over all the happy cries, but she could swear she heard Surprise bonking herself on the head and growling. "Stupid.. Stupid.. Stupid!"

Suddenly the ground shook, throwing the group on their stomachs as something stirred from underneath them. Pinkamena guarded Pinkie Pie as the roots unraveled themselves from the battlefield, and made themselves look like giant tentacles with the way they were waving in the air. The roots tore up the hive, making Chrysalis shove Luna back to avoid the princess getting ripped up along with it. The cages containing Pinkie Pie's friends were unlocked, the roots shying away from the prison as the creatures inside stirred from their induced slumber.

"W-What is happening?" Rainbow Dash yelled over the sounds of cracking branches.

"I spent so LONG toying with the mortals... feeding off of worship from the friendship I spread... us Gods need worship to grow powerful... but YOU Pinkamena... saw through it! The only mortals worthy of living, are the ones that will SERVE me! I will not allow any creature to burn my forests, pollute my rivers... and sully my earth with their grime! I have endured it for so long... but the Earth screams out in pain... and I can ignore it no longer! The only ones who will survive this day... are the ones that will provide me with power, and the ones so easily manipulated!"

"Y-You tricked us this whole time? You didn't care about friendship... you just created something ponies would spread... harmony... a feeling that actually was giving you power all this TIME?" Pinkie Pie shouted, as the Tree's root slapped the pink pony aside.

Pinkamena didn't allow the root to coil around Pinkie's body, as she bit it to pieces with her fangs. "Who are you really? I know for a fact you are not just a tree!"

"Smart little demon aren't you, actually we are related you and I... you have the blood of one of my... followers... Alas, the time of using my pawns is over... I must wipe this world clean of anything that might threaten my power. I shall raise the new generation... be a mother to them..."

"Be... a mother..." Surprise mumbled, as the group backed away when the heart started to raise up. Suddenly the cyborg got it, looking up to the heart with a shaky hoof. "You are a t...ti...ti.."

The Tree hummed. "Yes Surprise... I am stronger then the Gods you know well... the titan known as Mother Earth, the mother of Kronos who birthed the Gods sitting in the thrones they do not deserve."

"A TITAN?" Pinkamena yelled, as she slowly widened her eyes when a face started to appear within the roots.

"Hello my sweet child... yes I am a titan, the most powerful one there is. Every earth in the cosmos is my domain, as long as you breathe my air or walk on my dirt... you will never be safe. The only reason you are alive is because I allowed it to be so... and so I ask of you this... do you really think you are ready to die facing the Mother Earth Gaia?"