As you make your approach towards Zecora's hut, deep within the Everfree, Lupina begins regaling you and the group with information regarding the flora and fauna around you. She speaks long and clearly, going on about every wonder present around you. A whole lifetime's look back at the long history of the forest, and this crystal tree, and you couldn't be more happy to listen to every piece of information presented before you. Every joyous birth and tragic death of it's dwellers, both plant and animal, are spoken to you and you gladly soak in all the information.

Your companions, on the other hand? Canny's not listening, and seems more than a little bored when she is. Fluttershy would probably like it, but she's still limping on her injured foreleg and doesn't seem focused at all. And then there's Ziggy, who seems about ready to interrupt. "This tree, an old oak, had it's seed planted more than a hundred years ago," Lupina states proudly, gesturing to another tree. "It has lived longer than all of you, and has seen it's fair share of-"

"Basically, it's old and has nothing to do with anything," Ziggy recaps, more than a little impolitely.

Lupina snarls and comes closer. "Excuse you," she tells him in a low, irritated voice. "This is my home, and I refuse to allow you to disrespect it so easily."

Ziggy shrugs. "If it's that easy, probably means I'm allowed to mock it." And thus, the two of them audibly begin arguing. You can't even tell what they're saying over them shouting over eachother at every turn. It's a little disorientating to try and keep track of what they're saying.

Canny, meanwhile, has had enough. "Oh, bugger me joggin'," she grumbles, before running over to them and shouting "Oi! Quit it!" This isn't something you really want to deal with right now, to be quite honest.

As the two, now three, bicker, you notice tears in Fluttershy's eyes. Someone crying? You need to help out. Stepping closer, you start to comfort the mare, clearly far more shaken at her first Stand battle then everyone else, by simply saying "You okay?"

Fluttershy shrugs and shakes her head. "M-My shoulder hurts...and I wasn't m-much help at all," she tells you in a shaky, quiet voice.

You respond with a head shake of your own. "Fluttershy, you did fantastically," you tell her, drawing her wandering eyes back to you as they widen slightly. "You fought smartly, and bravely, when it must've been hard for you to even think. You managed to intimidate your own Stand into doing his best, and that wolf is..," you pause. "...Temperamental. " Throughout your complimenting, her eyes grow wider and a blush is present on her face. She looks stunned, and a little confused, too. "Basically, I'm proud of you," you finish.

Blinking twice, Fluttershy starts with a stammer, which takes a second to clear. When she does, though, she smiles and responds "Thank you...I-I'm a bit confused, though." She lowers her head down. "You did a lot of the work...I-I don't even really like fighting, not unless my friends are in danger."

"And?" you say to her, still smiling. "We're friends, or at least getting to know eachother. You did what you felt was right and defended yourself and us. Just because me and Canny threw the most punches or Ziggy got her down, it doesn't mean you and Powerwolf didn't clean house on everything we couldn't stop."

Fluttershy picks her head back up, gazing into your eyes, and her smile grows wider. "T-Then I'll keep doing my best...as s-soon as my shoulder's better, anyway."

Satisfied that you pulled her out of her funk, you turn to the rest of your little party, only to see that the argument has...devolved, to say the least. With a growl, Lupina tells them both "The sanctity of nature is important! Without understanding the outside world, how is society supposed to coexist without it?"

"I'm not saying we can't "understand the outside world," doll," Ziggy responds, arms crossed. He's brought out his Stand by now, and he is hovering right next to Space Oddity, which also has it's arms crossed as much as the bulky suit will allow. "I'm saying we don't need the backstory of every branch to make progress. I'm here for the cretin who took my China Doll from me. Come to me with pretty flowers when I'm done with that."

"They aren't just pretty flowers!" Lupina argues. "These are living beings, old and strong, and though they can't speak, I am here to be their voice. If you don't respect that-"

"Okay, okay, look," Canny tells them both, "far be it from my station for the brilliant and attractive inventor in the area to play diplomat, but..." She first points to Lupina, addressing "Look, Loopi, I'm sure he's not apathetic about the stark beauty of nature and all that. He's just focused, been through the ol' block. I know what it's like to lose yourself in your work." Lupina seems about to argue, but then sighs and nods along. Apparently, she may also know what it's like to have such a heavy focus.

Before you can say anything, she turns to Ziggy and responds "But you, mate, obsessing on this isn't gonna help anyone. The way you're approaching this problem is basically you going-" She then changes her accent to a rougher one to imitate "-Pip pip, me problems are more important than yers, guv-" and then switches back to her natural one to go "-And that is not how you go about it. We're gettin' the reindeer, now hold onto yer trousers, yeah?"

Ziggy blinks twice and then mutters "My accent sounds nothing like that," before shaking his head and shrugging. "Perhaps my attitude is a bit standoffish, yeah. I just need to find this reindeer before I can...do anything else."

"The pursuit of closure by revenge," Lupina states. "It seems noble...but it is corruptive. It has dragged you to a darker root of your psyche. May we find this reindeer so that we may all know the real you."

"Amen to that, babe-"

"Don't call me babe, Ziggy. You are pushing me."

After a short while of more walking, you finally find the old shack. You had to avoid Poison Joke and other minor inconveniences to get her, but as Lupina says "We are here, Bearer of Kindness and...the rest of you," you can obviously note that you've arrived. A tree, hallowed out and obviously lived in sits before you. Above the faded red door lays a mask, followed by hanging sacks as your gaze shifts up each and every branch.

You don't want to waste any more time. It was the longest walk of your life, it felt like. You walk up and knock, and only have to wait a minute before it opens a creak. Behind the shadow of the open door lies a blue-tinted eye, staring back at you through the darkness. "Uh...hi?" you say, an unnerving chill passing through you as all you can see is someone staring. "Uh, this Timberwolf, Lupina, lead us here. Are you Zecora?"

At that, the door opens, and indeed reveals the Zebra in question. She stands a little taller than you, Canny, and Fluttershy, though still dwarfed by Ziggy and Lupina should she sit down, and is adorned with gold bangles around her neck and left foreleg. Her ears are also adorned with a gold earring on each, and her mane is styled in a mohawk. Upon getting a better look at everyone, she smiles. "Ah, Lupina, welcome back! And Fluttershy, too...was there an attack?"

"Yes, by...me, unfortunately," Lupina responds, stepping forward. "i mistook the Bearer of Kindness and her allies for intruders, and aimed to protect the forest from them," she explains. "Luckily, they were more than capable of keeping themselves safe."

Zecora sighs and shakes her head. "That is unfortunate, but at least you're alright. Come in, travelers, and restore your might." She goes inside to allow everyone to pile in.

The inside is a circular room filled with shelves, the shelves themselves storing potions and what looks to be ingredients for said potions. There seems to be masks on every wall, with a dreamcatcher over the door you just walked through. And really tying the room together in the back is a cauldron with a glowing green liquid inside, ominously though harmlessly bubbling. "Nice, erm, cauldron," you say first.

Zecora closes the door behind Ziggy, the last one in, and responds "I understand it's spooky, with it's ominous glow. But do not fret, it's just for show." Canny opens her mouth to say something as she looks over to said cauldron, but then she goes silent as her eyes nearly bug out of her head. When you and the rest follow her gaze, you can see Powerwolf inching closer to it, jaws open and seemingly aiming to chew on the pot.

"POWERWOLF, BAD!" Fluttershy suddenly blurts out, followed by a blush and shrinking back as everyone then turns to stare at her. Still, it seems to work, as you can hear Powerwolf's jaws shut on empty air and grumbling before he vanishes. "...Sorry..."

"It is fine, though I know not what you mean," Zecora waves off with a shrug as she walks over to the cauldron herself. "I'm sure you noticed something, but not something I've seen."

Canny moves to you and whispers "Why's she rhymin'?" You shrug and look around at everyone else. Lupina sits patiently, wooden tail wagging as she looks annoyed at Ziggy. Ziggy himself is looking over the potions with a judging and critical eye. Meanwhile, Fluttershy has brought Powerwolf back out and is managing to pet him without recompense, though he does look a little irritated.

Zecora, all the while, is grabbing bandages on a shelf close to the cauldron with her mouth and bringing them over to all of you. She motions for you to open your wings, and when you do, she bandages the small bleeding wound cutting through your left one. "I must say, these trinkets are quite...notable," Ziggy thinks aloud, seemingly trying not to dismiss them. You think to yourself how that's progress before gritting your teeth as the wound is covered by bandages.

"Zecora's really good about storing her potions stuff," Fluttershy quietly hums back in agreement, still petting Powerwolf into docility. A hum of agreement washes over everyone. Finally, the party is unified on something. You grin softly as Zecora finishes patching you up and moves over to Canny.

Meanwhile, Ziggy finally asks the million bit question. "So, we've heard about your dear deer problem," he says, leaning back against the wall and patting off spare dust from the sleeve of his suit. Of course he'd keep it as pristine as possible. "I've been looking for a deer, who stole my beloved China Doll from me long ago. He may be with the raiders, and we need your help to track them."

Zecora places the bandages back on a shelf to respond as she looks over Canny with a watchful eye. "Yes, I know of whom you speak. They drain my resources, and leave me weak." She scoops up the first aid on her hoof and balances it as she takes some gauze and wraps it around some mild cuts. "A group of raiders they are, always strong. I can hold them back, but never for long."

"Seriously, why the rhymin'-OW!" Canny mutters, interrupted as Zecora gets another cut wrapped.

"So, you know where they are?" Ziggy continues, picking up a sprig of mistletoe from the shelf. Around the sprig, you can see a note saying "Just in case - Loki Redmane". "Lupina said you did," he notes, inspecting the sprig carefully. "We may butt heads, but I'm not inclined to think she was wrong on that front, madame."

Zecora nods and moves on to heal Fluttershy. After inspecting her shoulder wound for a second, she sighs and then takes a deep breath. Rather than grabbing a bandage, she moves her hoof in and touches the wound. Immediately, a golden arc of electricity moves in, sparking between the appendage and the healing slash. And it is indeed healing, as you and everyone else can see the skin begin to settle. You haven't looked to see everyone else's face, but your jaw has dropped in awe at the sight. Once she's done, Fluttershy is as good as healed. "W-What?" Fluttershy asks aloud.

Lupina, however, is more familiar with it, it'd seem. She steps forward and asks in a low tone "I wounded the Element of Kindness enough to require Hamon?"

Zecora nods, but leans in and pets her hoof across the top of Lupina's wooden head. "Do not be alarmed, it was not severe. But using this talent was all I could do here." She turns to Ziggy and nods. "That was indeed Hamon, an extension of my soul. Through it, I may feel whole. It and Voodou has protected my home, but they have a large group and are rarely alone." She sighs, and paces around the shop, seemingly in thought. "It's not just me, and not just equines. The possessions of all are on the line. Griffons, Diamond Dogs...a green dragon, too. They are up to no good, I believe that to be true."

Canny raises a hoof up to ask about the rhyming again, presumably, but then twigs onto a big part of that sentence. One Fluttershy beats her to. "T-They stole from a dragon?"

"Indeed. Their greed begets fear. Their malice unending, and their clan drawing near." Zecora moves towards Ziggy and looks over him carefully. "They live in a village, the map shows they're close. If it's a thief you want, he's likely there most." She gives him Hamon and other treatment for his wounds and then goes to grab the map in question. She splays it out on the wall and then uses a couple spare tacks to keep it up. The village, according to a key drawn on the map, is noted by a red X deep into the forest. The actual kingdom of the deer, however, is a blue X even deeper still.

"They're separate from the kingdom," you note, feeling that should have been obvious from the deer at large lacking hostility. "Should we go to them about this? They should be under their jurisdiction."

Lupina shakes her head and walks up to your right side, looking over the map. "The Deer are far-off and isolated," she notes. "It will take longer to reach them, and with less reward."

"Besides," Ziggy notes, still leaning against the wall even as he looks over the crude map of the Everfree, "the dastard and marauder I seek wouldn't be caught dead in society as a whole." He crosses his arms and mutters "Not to mention a lot of bloody nature freaks."

Lupina turns to him with a look of irritation as she bares her teeth. "And just what do you mean by nature freaks?" she growls out.

Canny shakes her head and moves in to break it up, only to Fluttershy to bear a question that catches their attention in of itself. "U-Um, so," Fluttershy begins, "should we, um, perhaps tell Twilight and Princess Celestia? This seems like a big deal." She hides behind her hair. "If, um, that's okay."

"It's fine," you state, "except...I'd rather not." Everyone looks to you, and you respond to the unanswered question of "why?" thusly: "Twilight, she's a good mare, good head on her shoulders. But if we tell her, she'll tell Celestia, and if we tell Celestia, that just cuts out a middle-man. Remember what the Patient said, Canny?"

She nods. "Hidden failures...our beloved monarch has more secrets 'an she does treasure."

"Precisely," you respond. "So, I say, let's all go to the deer village first. Take care of Ziggy's baggage and stop this...China Doll taker before he does more damage." You bring a hoof up and in, letting it hold in the air. "Who's with me?"

Canny brings her hoof in first, muttering "Aye."

Ziggy is next, putting his paw on top of your hooves. "I would love to rid the world of this blight."

Lupina takes a second, eyeing Ziggy and Fluttershy, before bringing her paw in. "These raiders violate the sanctity of my home, and Zecora's as well. They must be stopped."

Fluttershy, meanwhile, hesitates a little more. She looks nervous, and even looks over to the door at one point. But then, a large wolf paw joins the huddle; it's Powerwolf, the Stand of Assertiveness itself, and it has made the choice for her. Fluttershy and her Stand share a look, before it fades away and she, herself, joins in.

You smile. "Alright, team. Let's go solve this mess once and for all, aye?" You break the grip and look to Zecora, already packing the map into a saddlebag as well as a few healing reagents. "Those for us?"

"I would love to come with, and right this wrong," Zecora responds, shaking her head. "I cannot just stand by. This has taken too long." She throws the saddlebag over her own back. "Let me come along, my Hamon will aid. And my reagents, too, will ease this raid."

You nod, and with Zecora in tow, you all leave the hut. After Zecora closes the door to her hut, Canny asks "Okay, but why rhy-"

"Lupina," you interrupt on accident, but decide to go through with. "Would you possibly consider meeting with our leader in Ponyville? Mayor Mare, I mean. I'm sure Ponies would be glad to see there's a guardian to guarentee safe passage."

Lupina sighs and shakes her head, rattling leaves between her ears. "I will have to decline that, Shooting Star," she answers and rejects. "I protect the Tree, but I am not the forest's "voice." It's not my responsibility to bend the other, hostile wilds and tame them to Evolution's destiny." She looks up to you and asks "All I seek is meeting the Elements and Former Bearers. Is that workable?" You nod, because of course that is, to which she responds "Excellent."

"Now then," Ziggy declares, "Let's go stop these thieves in their tracks once and for all. And Emeritus...you bastard..."

"We're coming for you."

What is the next course of action for your party?
Stand for Equestria: Origin of Harmony

Author's Notes:

AND WE'RE BACK, WOOOOOOOOOOOHOOOOOO!

Sorry, everyone! My anxiety hit rock bottom and it's taken this long for my medication to kick me in the ass and go "WRITE DAMN IT" and then I did and it rocked, I am so glad to come back to this and I hope y'all all return to join me because this rock, aaaaaaaa.

...*ahem*, but yes, hi, sorry for the delay. Read above. So, question!

What is your favorite example of a good reboot?

This can be anything from a new show rebooting an old one, or the old show coming back with a fresh face. Personally, my top example of the former is She-Ra and the Princesses of Power (if you don't count MLP, tbf), and my favorite of the latter is JJBA Part 7. It all comes full circle, eh?

But yeah, hope to see y'all next chapter! ^-^