The Problem with Portals, The Second Arc

by Albedo - 917

After a worthwile period of Albedo calmly researching the portal and taveling from world to world, trouble seems to pop up even beyond the corrupt Plumbers. A team of misfits in the middle of the merging of worlds.

8. Limbo

Chapter 8: Limbo

Outside the Hokage Residence, Hidden Leaf Village, Land of Fire, Earth, Summer, 2014 A.D.

Jeff

"How many of these fuckin' things are there?!" Jeff snapped as he got rid of a pack of fake Loboans surrounding him, proceeded to grab one's head with his right hand and just explode it with brute force, the goo enveloping his hand in his fury, "These god damn things are not even the least bit tough or worth it, why is there so many of them?!" the last part of the question came out unnaturarily fast, as he was now more angry about his hoodie being dirty again than just the impossibility of the amount of enemies.

"Maybe because someone left the portal unattended?! I dunno, that surely can't be it can it?" Rainbow snapped herself as she flew by him, her sheer speed causing the wind to cut through another group. She did a dive into another group, scattering them as she, with unusual capability with her human body, roundhouse kicked them into a nearby wall, creating a large puddle of grey goo. 'Alright, this is kinda terrifying.' she admitted as she looked at her hands.

"I said I was sorry, didn't I?!"

"No, you didn't." Rainbow and Naruto responded in surprising unison as the ninja was effortlessly wiping out groups himself, to nobody's surprise, without the use of any techniques lest his dear teacher rip his head off for damaging the village. Not that he himself hadn't seen enough destruction in the past 6 months either.

"Wha- I was sure I-" he scratched his chin in confusion, however he was interrupted by a fake Loboan sinking its teeth into his neck, "That hurts you dumb mutt!" he shouted as he elbowed the creature into its group and finished them off with his knife. "Aaargh, this is so goddamn confusin'!"

"Just what kind of world did you even come from dude?" Rainbow asked with a deadpan face upon witnessing the carnage that Jeff brough to the battlefield following his little outburst. Bodies slowly turned into puddles around him with numerous amounts of cuts and fist shaped holes lining their bodies.

"Look, the whole 'supernatural powers' thing was a new thing to me too okay?"

"Suure~" Rainbow shrugged, "Of course."

"Hey! When did I ever lie to you?!"

"'Bout ten-fifteen minutes ago?"

"...Fair."

As the duo's banter continued on, the blond ninja successfully finished off what seemed to be the last group. As the somewhat quiet drumming of the portal seemed to have died down, possibly meaning its closure. The walkway in front of the Hokage Residence was filled with splotches of grey goo that were slowly dissipating under the light and warmth of the sun above. Naruto shook off some of the remnants from the single kunai he used as a weapon during the whole duration of this small-scale battle.

"Looks like we're done." he declared with a small smile and a short sigh.

As that statement was said the trio heard the sound of clapping coming from behind them. Jeff's ears perked up at what seemed to be a subtle metallic clang accompanying the gesture as he turned around with a surprised expression which soon turned into a wide-eyed stare. Behind them, in front of the building, stood an older gentleman, sporting a black turtleneck and a white scarf underneath a brown vest with a fancy white coat which was adorned with a gold trim and black and brown pouches, black pants and brown boots with gold straps in addition to a pair of goggles around his neck completing his ensemble. The metallic gauntlet in place of his right hand was a clear explanation of the clangs.

"Well done everyone!" the former professor complimented the trio.

"Oh boy, what have you got for us this time?" Jeff sighed, his surprised stare turning into a look of mild annoyance.

The professor however only chuckled in response, "My, I always tend to forget how you react to my appearances Jeffrey."

"Good to know, cause first time meetin' ya." Jeff shrugged as he put away his knife, "What sort of tragedy awaits us this time Prof? Assumin' you can talk about it or whatever?"

"Thankfully, nothing of the sort my immortal friend." Paradox shook his head with a smile, "Well hopefully nothing of the sort at least. My appearance here is purely for sharing information to assure things proceed how they are intended to."

"Meaning if you didn't show, something terrible would have happened?"

"That entirely depends on your choices."

"And that isn't super ominous at all."

"Haha, apologies, let me get straight to the point then." the professor declared with his smile slowly disappearing, a serious expression now etched onto his face, "Now, normally you and I both know I do not share information about the upcoming future, yet this was how things were meant to play out in this timeline. That is, in about 8 hours all seven of you, as in you and your little equine companions, are about to depart into another world again, this is something that is unfortunately unavoidable. As I have said, I am merely here to tell you of the fact that it will happen. However, your choices Jeffrey, are what will decide where the world line will end up proceeding forward towards. As much as it would make me happy to tell you outright, that is obviously not possible."

"Oh gee, thanks, that's sooo much better." Jeff sarcastically groaned as the professor just chuckled.

"Just make sure to protect those with you." the professor warned much to Jeff's dismay, "Lest you be forever trapped. Though I suppose, I of all people do not have to tell you that."

"Oh you're slowly makin' it worse! How the hell do you do that so casually?"

"I must admit, this meeting was brought to my attention quite at the last minute, but one must do what they must do." he declared with a shrug, "What young Albedo brought about with changes to this one world line has thrown me for a loop not once by this point... That has not happened in a good millennia. Nonetheless, I best be off now, I have to meet with your dear friends after all. Inform them as well."

"Time travelers and their messed up timelines..." Jeff grumbled to himself before just shrugged, "Fine, fine, do your thing, I'll do my best. But if even you only have a shoddy idea, the hell do you expect me to do about these things?" he angrily ruffled his hair, then his face slowly morphed into a creepy smile, enhanced by his scars, "Not how I imagined my life going a couple years ago. But what the hell, this is dope!" the professor just disappeared with a small smile in the same cryptic way as he appeared.

"Okay, who was that dude?" Rainbow spoke up, somewhat irritated, by this point not the least bit unnerved by Jeff's horrifying grin, "And why- No, how do you know him?"

"That, Dashie, was Professor Paradox. Dude's a time traveler, kinda different from the Doc, but fundamentally the same. Though usually when he shows up something really terrible is about to happen... Like that dear warning he just shoved on us."

"I can attest to that." Naruto chipped in, "Last time I saw him, he casually dumped the whole dimensional convergence thingy onto us."

"Oh yeah, Albedo told me about that, great stuff." Jeff shuddered, "Not like we didn't have enough bullshit to worry about already."

"Big bro Naruto!" the little Hanako came rushing over from the entrance of the building, "Lord Hokage said he wants to see all of you!"

"Oh great." both Naruto and Jeff gulped in apparent worry whilst the flying former pegasus girl just landed next to them, confusion visible on her face. "Let's go then, better not keep Sensei waiting." Naruto shrugged as the trio followed the little girl without fail.

Kakashi's Office, Hokage Residence, Hidden Leaf Village, Land of Fire, Earth, Summer, 2014 A.D.

"Enter." came Kakashi's voice from inside the office upon Naruto's knock on the door. The trio, with Jeff having put his bandana back on, entered the room to be greeted with the masked ninja crossing his hands in front of his face on the table. "I trust you managed to clear up our 'problem'?"

"Of course." Naruto grinned, crossing his hands on the back of his head, "I was surprised you didn't come rushing down like last time."

"Your young friends here have convinced me that it wouldn't be necessary." the Hokage chuckled as he pointed towards Twilight and Kikuchi, the boy sitting on the former unicorn's lap.

"I figured that even if I didn't know about Naruto, with Jeff and Rainbow around there wouldn't be a problem." Twilight chipped in with a shrug, "Seems the gamble worked."

"Yeah, it worked, but it wouldn't have needed to work if my dumbass paid more attention." Jeff groaned, "Either way, it's over, and besides a whole bunch of disheartening news we came out unscathed." he added with a shrug as he noticed Kakashi staring at him, however he couldn't quite discern what emotions were running through him, "Sup?"

"You're Jeff, I take it?"

"Yup. Sorry for the attitude and all, not really one to speak normally." he shrugged, "Either way, if you spoke to Twilight, I think you know that I'm connected to Albedo?"

"Yes, I do." Kakashi nodded, "It was quite a surprise to hear his name after Naruto told me what happened with the two of them, is he doing okay?"

"I hope." Jeff responded as Kakashi just raised an eyebrow, apparently this was not something they touched upon, "Well you see-" Jeff for the next ten minutes explained the whole event line that lead to them arriving in front of the Hidden Leaf after a nice introduction with the Forest of Death. "And now that Paradox gave us that great warning, I'm feelin' just damn peachy."

"I can see that." the Hokage nodded, according to him, Naruto has also filled him in about the good professor, "I suppose that portal that opened just now then-"

"Yeah, it connected somewhere else. And as it turned out, it really wasn't pleasant." Jeff shrugged, "Not like they left a trace." he clapped his hands together, "So, on that note I wanted to talk about our stay here with you and all, but apparently we won't really be around for that much longer."

"I suppose not." Kakashi nodded, "Your group always just comes and goes huh?" he added with a chuckle, "I am thankful that you thought of even reporting you guys being here."

"I mean, people like us stand out way too much, so rather than get the news from some third party I figured I'd just come straight here." Jeff shrugged again, "And to be honest, it was kinda a dream to meet you all, although not like this that's for sure."

"I'm still having trouble wrapping my head around this world being a television series somewhere out there."

"Ha, you know, you've seen one weird thing you've seen them all."

"I suppose so." the masked ninja shrugged, "Though it is weirder that someone I didn't know prior to today knows that much about me."

"Dimension travel will do that to ya."

Following this little exchange, Jeff and Kakashi continued to speak for a good hour about everything that has happened on both sides since Albedo has disappeared. The two former pony girls, along with the pair of siblings were listening intently. The duo got into such a passionate exchange that Naruto was starting to be surprised that Jeff could act as crude and violent as he did an hour ago. Soon after, they have said their goodbyes as Kakashi went back to work, and a satisfied Jeff left with the two girls and Naruto. Hanako and Kikuchi on the other hand too went back to their assigned 'jobs'. According to Hanako 'it was fun', a fact Jeff could never understand. 'Oh, girly how soon will you realize that nothing is fun in office work?' Jeff chuckled inwardly.

"So, what are we gonna do now?" Rainbow spoke up as the four of them stood in front of the Hokage Residence, "According to that professor guy we have about 8 hours before we end up somewhere else again. Let's make the best of that!"

"Weell~." Jeff spoke up curtly, putting a hand to his chin, "I've always wanted to try Teuchi's ramen, and since I now have the opportunity... What say you Naruto?"

"Sure, I was just getting hungry." he chuckled.

"Oh, wait. Does this guy serve anything without meat?"

"I think he does, why?"

"Probably for us." Twilight spoke up, "We might be physically human now, but I don't know if eating meat sits right with either of our original stomachs, or mentalities."

"Ah, yeah, that's a thing." Rainbow awkwardly declared.

"Rainbow!"

"What?! I forgot okay?" the rainbow haired girl crossed her arms with a pout, "That device thingy is way too powerful, I really think I could eat meat now."

"D-doesn't that feel wrong?"

"Eh, not really?" the former pegasus followed up with a shrug, "I mean, unlike back home where carnivores are not that common, this world is for humans, and most animals are more than likely not as... smart as back home."

"Smart?" Naruto chipped in, in surprise.

"Ah, their world is a fantasy world, ya know with gryphons and manticores and the stuff. Most of the animals can communicate in their own methods and are quite smart, so of course it'd feel like killing your next-door neighbor for food." Jeff explained, "Around here, from my knowledge only the summoned animals have thoughts and speech capability, right?"

"Yeah." Naruto nodded before his eyes went wide, "Those and... Star."

"Oh shit." Jeff suddenly realized as well, "Yeah, how can... How can that spider talk?" it was then that he and Naruto looked at each other with a pained expression.

"The portal..?" they both declared at first confidently but it died down by the end of the word.

"A single spider?" Rainbow raised an eyebrow.

"She may have been an extra from when Albedo came around." Jeff mused, "Not noticing the portal opening when he didn't even know it was a thing is not that farfetched."

"But why in my room?"

"That is the bigger part of the problem." Jeff nodded, "But so far she's harmless, isn't she? And you have a talking buddy now!"

Naruto's eyes went wide before he started laughing, "Yeah, that's true."

"Either way, back to the initial topic Twiley, no one is forcing you to, but your current body should be able to handle it... If you're comfortable with the idea that is. Though, I'm pretty sure Teuchi can cook ya up something you will enjoy."

"Eh, I'm still gonna try it." Rainbow shrugged. "Don't always get the opportunity."

"A-are you sure?"

"Look Egghead, I was a herbivore not a vegetarian." Rainbow chuckled, "Besides, I'm always up for new things."

"Well, what are we waiting for then?" Naruto smiled at the, to outside listeners, odd exchange as he turned to lead the way towards his favorite ramen shop.

Ichiraku Ramen, Hidden Leaf Village, Land of Fire, Earth, Summer, 2014 A.D.

As Naruto lead the group through the city, the girls continued to marvel at the size and the architecture of the large village, seeing different shops and all kinds of people walk and work up and about the streets were somewhat exciting, even considering what they have been through recently. They were more often than not given side glances, but they couldn't really blame the people of the village, considering they still, even with Naruto, stuck out like a sore thumb. However, Naruto being there did help them somewhat get used to their presence.

The girls were the first to enter through the small curtains of the shop, the owner almost immediately ushering them to sit with a smile. But as soon as he saw Naruto enter, he smiled much more warmly, the boy returning the gesture as he himself took a seat, Jeff entering soon after.

"Ah, Naruto! Good to see you!"

"Same to you pops." Naruto chuckled as he took note of the other guests in the shop, those to his surprise being Hinata and her team, sans their teacher, the girl in question going red in surprise for a couple seconds, more so for the fact that Naruto was yet another with two unknown girls. "Oh, hey guys!"

"Naruto! It's been a while." Kiba grinned widely as he put a hand on the blond's shoulder, "What've you been up to, or more like, who're your friends?" he then leaned in close his smile quickly fading, "Are you cheating on Hinata?"

"Kiba!" the girl, now even redder, shrieked slightly at the accusation.

Naruto looked surprised for a second before he started laughing, much to both Kiba's and Hinata's surprise, "Do you really think I would do that?"

"H-huh?"

Jeff then walked up next to them, his masked appearance and pale complexion visibly giving Kiba a fright, which was further reinforced once his blue eyes barely locked with his before he put his hand on Naruto's shoulder as well who, in turn, looked up at him, his eyes then landed on Kiba again "Do they..?" he asked somewhat silently.

"Oh, yeah, yeah. They know, they've met." Naruto confirmed much to Team 8's confusion. Their confusion only worsened when the sudden tense aura almost immediately dissipated and the masked man could almost be seen smiling even with their mask on.

"Oh okay then, that's cool." Jeff chuckled, "In that case nice to meet all of ya. I'm Jeff."

"Uh, hi?" Kiba asked in surprise.

"These three are Albedo's friends." Naruto clarified, as even Teuchi started listening in. "The portal opened again and they somehow ended up here of all places."

"Oh wow." Kiba suddenly relaxed, which Jeff thought was unusual, "That's a surprise. It's been a good couple months since they... left."

"Yeah, he told me about it." Jeff nodded, "Believe me he'll come back sometime, he misses you lot." he shrugged, "But for now, we can talk with food, cause I'm starvin'." it was then that he took of his bandana that the surprises for Team 8 continued, "Yeah, yeah, I know."

"Sooo, anyway, you guys are Naruto's friends I guess?" Rainbow spoke up, her mouth now full of hot food.

"Eh, Rainbow, do you usually talk with a mouth full?" Jeff spoke up incredulously.

"It hot!" she wheezed out between ragged breaths.

"Eat it slowly then!" Jeff deadpanned, "It ain't rocket science!"

This little exchange was sufficient enough to lighten the mood for everyone as even Teuchi laughed along, he not being one to care about appearances, and Team 8 was now slowly warming up to their new guests. They each introduced themselves, as Jeff and Naruto recounted their odd meeting at the start of this day, as the trio listened attentively.

"So, I take it Albedo is probably searching for you?" Shino spoke up, "Along with this Doctor?"

"More than likely." Jeff nodded between bites, "Though it's probably really damn hard even with the TARDIS." he shrugged, "And as I told you we didn't exactly get the best of news an hour ago."

"But was he supposed to tell you that?" Kiba asked honestly, "Isn't that a spoiler or whatever?"

"Apparently if he didn't tell us it wouldn't have happened which would have been bad otherwise." Jeff sighed.

"God, time travel is so damn confusing."

"Preaching to the choir." Rainbow nodded along.

"Either way, in about 6 hours and a bit we will be once again whisked off to god knows where without any rhyme or reason." Jeff groaned, "But hey, at least we got food." he added with a shrug.

"You seem quite easygoing about all this." Shino added.

"Oh no far from it. I may be immortal but if I die everyone will be temporarily in danger, I am worrying beyond belief and hiding my fears in food. But thank you for the vote of confidence Shino." he then turned to Teuchi, "And you sir, thank you for the great food."

"Hey, I'm glad that even otherworlders enjoy my food!" the master laughed. "Enjoy yourself, and rest so you can be ready for whatever it is that may come."

"Oh, you better believe I will." Jeff laughed, "It seems like you two enjoy the food as well eh?"

"Of course!" Rainbow nodded vigorously, "This is so good!"

"Yup, more votes for food perfection!"

"W-whenever Albedo comes back, will you guys come too?" Hinata spoke up with a small smile.

"I don't see why not." Jeff nodded, "There's still a good bit I wanna see in the village, and without the overarching dread of not being safe anywhere looming over my shoulders would be way nicer than right now. Either way though, it was really good to meet you all, kinda like a dream come true."

"And I can't believe our life is a TV show in some other world, man!" Kiba laughed, "That's equally weird."

"Cheers for weirdness then!" he laughed as the others joined in too, spending at least another half hour in Teuchi's shop, who himself did not mind the company at all, even with Jeff's occasional crude language use. After everyone has finished their food and they paid, the group said their current final goodbyes in front of the shop as Team 8 headed off towards a different direction, leaving Naruto, Jeff and the two pony girls by their lonesome once again.

"Alright then, wanna go back home and play some games?" Naruto offered as Jeff's and Rainbow's eyes almost lit up visually as well.

"Sure why not! We have a good couple hours to kill."

Once back at Naruto's house they found the others tuckered out and sleeping the whole day away, to the point where Jeff almost felt bad waking them all up and dumping bad news on them right off the bat, almost. He enjoyed it much more where he could scare everyone but Fluttershy awake, causing him to get hit by both Rainbow and Twilight, but also to laugh out loud, the laughing eventually waking up the pegasus as well. Still the news weren't exactly taken keenly by anyone in the room either, to no one's real surprise.

As Jeff explained what they would be doing going forward, everyone seemed to be on the agreement that they had no possible way of waiting it out until Albedo and the Doctor found them, especially with how likely it was for the portal to take them even further after the upcoming transfer. Their situation itself was an uncertain one, without any way to make it certain. Naruto wanted to do his best and support them, however that obviously would have been futile after the time limit was up as he couldn't really just up and vanish himself and go with them, and as weird as it was for him to put his trust in him, he seemed to instinctively know that Jeff would stop at nothing to protect the group, easing his worries a little.

As they continued their talk, Naruto brought out some cards from a nearby drawer and some of them started to play in rotation, at the same time still discussing what their plan would be in the coming days, or worse weeks. None of them were certain at all that they would be returning home, however no one dared mention this fact out loud fearing that they would bring the mood down.

However, as the girls have gotten into the card game, the mood only seemed to be on the rise. Everyone was really enjoying themselves, keeping scores and having a great time caused them to quite literally forget about all their troubles even if only for a spell. No one seemed to realize by then that at best only a couple minutes were left since the promised time by the time traveler. In the end it was Twilight who caught everyone's attention about ten minutes before the portal was supposed to appear.

"Goddammit and I was havin' so much fun too!" Jeff groaned in annoyance as he put down his cards on the table and got up, all the pony girls around him doing their fair share of groans, "This isn't the last time you have faced me Naruto!" he suddenly shouted all dramatically, "You will rue the day you have crossed me!"

"I will be ready for your return." Naruto said, mimicking a samurai hand motion and bowing, which caused both of them to burst out laughing, "Hah, I'm gonna miss you guys."

"Same here big guy." Rainbow smiled as she put a wing around him to symbolize a hug, "But with how things are going, I'm sure we'll meet again."

"Oh definitely." Derpy nodded, "Nothing is certain other than the uncertain."

"Well, if that ain't profound, I dunno what is." Jeff deadpanned before smiling and reaching out a hand, Naruto walked closer and shook it, "It was really nice meeting you."

"Same here bud." Naruto nodded. "Till next time?"

"Of cour-" however without finishing his sentence the portal closed just as fast as it opened, taking all of them but Naruto with it, who was just left there in stunned silence.

"That's a first... That's not good." he muttered to himself in worry.

Wasteland, Unknown Place, 2345 A.D.

The portal, as if for nostalgia's sake albeit for the wrong people, opened up in the middle of the night sky above what undeniably was a wasteland. Jeff opened his eyes to find themselves several meters up in the air, at a distance where the fall at best would break bones, at worst would prove to be lethal. In an almost reflexive action he reached for his knife before clicking that it would be useless here, so he did the next best thing, started shouting at the top of his lungs.

"Oi, flying people, on the double!"

The shout shook the others awake, the portal's transition somehow knocking every one of them out, including the recently awoken Jeff, as Fluttershy, Derpy and Rainbow each caught one person, the shy pegasus with a bit more trouble and a lot less grace as she winced in pain from her still healing wing, so now the only one still falling was none other than Jeff who just, potentially, smiled underneath his bandana with a thumbs up given to the three pegasi.

"Aight! Nice going everyone!" he shouted as he plummeted closer and closer to certain doom, everybody turning their heads away as they only heard a thud on the cracked ground. They almost immediately flew after him, finding him with his neck at an unnatural angle as his eyes focused on them, however when he tried to speak, no sound came out, only pain. That was enough for him to pick his head up from the ground, as it healed itself back to its original position unnaturarily fast. "Alright, so this is a shitty predicament." he declared, taking up the position of Captain Obvious, "You lot alright?"

"As alright as we could be sugarcube." Applejack sighed as Derpy put her down on solid ground, "The same can't be said for you I suppose."

"Eh, I'll manage." Jeff shrugged, "But I have the sinking feeling that this place is not gonna be healthy in the morning so we probably should find shelter." he let out an annoyed sigh, "Anyone have any good ideas?"

"I see a building over there." Fluttershy meekly pointed to their left where indeed stood a building, albeit half buried and quite crooked.

"Well, it's certainly better than nothing." Twilight sighed, not seeing any alternatives in their immediate surroundings, "Let's go everyone, I learned one thing and that's to trust Jeff's unnatural instincts."

"Couldn't ya have called it something more... flattering, Twiley?" Jeff groaned as he walked up closer to the lavender unicorn.

"I will, when you start acting at least somewhat comprehensible."

"So never, I get it." Jeff laughed, Rainbow, to the unicorn's surprise, joining him. "Either way we went from bad to worse. Now we have a timer for a different reason."

"How do you know that the morning isn't safe?" Pinkie couldn't help but ask.

"This place's vibes seem eerily familiar to the one wasteland Albedo and Charmcaster told me about, she's another friend, and in that world Albedo has determined that the Sun pretty much just straight up kills things, so I really don't want eternal suffering for myself, and temporary suffering for you all." he shrugged, "So ya know, lookin' out and all that." he then shuddered, "There are also Sandworms on this world so be really, really careful not to get hurt, at all. AT. ALL."

"Okay, okay jeez. We get it." Rainbow groaned, "What's so bad about some worms anyway?" however to her immediate surprise Jeff got right up into her face unnaturarily close, his eyes wide with what appeared to be fear more than insanity, "W-what?"

"You do not know, of course you do not." Jeff muttered, "Sandworms are something you should fear, you should have nightmares about, you should only see at the end of the line where everything already went to shit by then. Sandworms are indestructible creatures of destruction right on the tippy-top of all the food chains that ever existed. Imagine a goddamn shark, except it's a stupid worm that's over 50 meters long, has indestructible projectile scales and only cares about devouring you whole." he shuddered once again, "They are the apex predator, up there with that goddamn mantis. If you see one you better prey you are faster or you will never live to see the next minute." he then cracked his knuckles as if to help him calm down, "It also doesn't help that I was semi digested by one before I clawed my way outside."

Everyone visible started shivering at the information just given to them, almost as if they only just now noticed that the wasteland at night was quite a cold place. The rest of the trip towards the building was very, very quiet as they were now a hundred times more careful not to get hurt, because apparently even a drop of blood would spell their doom. Something that was capable of stopping Jeff would more than one hundred percent mean their demise.

Long abandoned Building, Wasteland, Unknown Place, 2345 A.D.

As they arrived at the building, Jeff suggested they climb the stairs so they be at a safer vantage point for the next day, as they will have to spend the whole day inside, considering that they more than likely barely had any time left of the night. As they found a suitable place on what formerly could have been a floor on a higher elevation, Twilight began doing her best on setting up a fire so that the group wouldn't freeze to death.

"Alright, so..." Rainbow spoke up, her behavior immediately suggesting that she was already bored, "What do we do now?"

"If you don't have a way to open up a portal outta fuckin' nowhere, I say we wait." Jeff shrugged as he laid back on the dusty ground.

"That's your great plan?"

"Look, whaddaya want me to say?" Jeff looked up at the pegasus, "That it'll all be okay, and we'll all be fine? Well, news flash. I can't fucking guarantee that! I told ya lot a buncha times, I'm not either the Doctor or Albedo, I'm not the great Ben Tennyson, I'm no one. If you have a better plan, I'm all ears an' listenin'!" he waited a couple seconds as everyone remained quiet, and Rainbow turned away a couple seconds later. "Yeah, thought so." he grumbled, "If no one realized already, I ain't fun to be around, so just... Dunno, do whatever ya want." he added with a dismissive wave of his hand as he turned the other way and proceeded to go to sleep, or at least try his best to do so. But how he ended the conversation really didn't sit right with him, which caused him to sigh and turn towards the others again, "Listen, I know I'm harsh. And I won't even try to apologize, but ya can't honestly expect someone like me to have all the answers. Hell, you guys are far more competent at these kinds of things! My only advantage over all of you is literally that I can't die, that's it. You should be helping my dumbass along, not expect answers from me." he then scratched his head in annoyance, "Okay, that's it, night."

Interestingly enough, the girls, getting over their initial surprise, all showed a small smile.

"Guess we're just stressed after all that happened." Applejack spoke up quietly, "We've been getting thrown into situation after situation startin' with that war, and now this ol' mess."

"Y-yeah." Fluttershy nodded, "We barely had time to rest, so what could it have been like for him?"

"From what they've told us in the TARDIS, even the whole immortal thing is new for him." Derpy revealed, "So it's probably not just us that have a lot of stress on their shoulders."

Rainbow was listening in on their conversation as she passed a glance at the fast-asleep Jeff then she sat down next to them with her forehooves crossed, "Maybe I was a bit over the top."

"Maybe?" Twilight raised an eyebrow.

"Okay, a lot! Fine, I admit. I was really reckless ever since those two have appeared." she admitted, "But can you really blame me?! With what we've been through, someone who's that nice... And that powerful... They were too suspicious." she added, referring to Albedo no doubt. "And... Since Twilight didn't say anything, I thought I had to... Sorry, I really should have paid more attention when you to told me what they said. Guess I was just out of it."

"We don't blame you sugarcube." Applejack smiled, "I'm sure without context most of us would have been like that, even if that's a flimsy excuse for you." she chuckled.

"C'mon! I said I was sorry!" Rainbow pouted.

"We know." Pinkie laughed, "But you had it coming."

Her pout persisted for a couple seconds before she too began gently laughing, "Haha, I guess I did." she then let out a sigh, "I'm sorry guys."

"Hey, no worries. We're all used to it." Pinkie laughed causing the pegasus to pout again, and the others to laugh along at her expense. "On that note, if we're gonna be serious about this, do you think we're gonna get out of here?"

"Out of here?" Applejack raised an eyebrow, "Sure. Back home? I... I don't know Pinkie." she admitted, "I wanna be positive and say that we will, but we have to admit, Jeff is right. We have nothing to base our hopes on, as that's all we really have, hope. Hope that we will get home, that they will find us."

"If they're even looking for us." Rainbow grumbled.

"Rainbow! Why wouldn't they be?" Twilight asked in surprise.

"Huh? Oh! Sorry, I worded it wrong!" Rainbow declared, immediately recognizing her mistake, "What I meant wasn't that they aren't looking for us, it's maybe a 'they can't look for us' instead." everyone gave her somewhat confused looks, "Look, you guys know what Jeff and that Albedo guy said about the portal right? It's unpredictable, as in it's obvious that we ended up somewhere, but they really have... no way of following us. How would they know where we are exactly?"

"That's... That's true." Twilight admitted as her eyes went wide, "We trusted so much in the TARDIS we really forgot about the fact that we're nowhere near Equestria right now." she declared, her voice quivering.

"Exactly!" Rainbow nodded eagerly, "And even if they do somehow locate us, what exactly determines when they arrive? We could literally miss each other by minutes if the portal really just opens as randomly as it seems to."

"Wow Rainbow, don't take this the wrong way, but that's pretty smart coming from you." Pinkie chipped in, a lot less chipper now that the situation has dawned on them.

"I know I'm reckless but I'm not stupid Pinkie." Rainbow rolled her eyes, "Either way though, Jeff may be right here... We're in a really shitty situation."

"No joke." Derpy nodded, "What do we do now..?"

"We should probably get some sleep everyone." Applejack spoke up, "If we're gonna be spendin' the entire day in here we better make sure we at least get a proper rest."

"Agreed." Twilight nodded, along with everyone else. They soon joined Jeff in drifting off to a relatively peaceful sleep.

To everyone's visible worry and annoyance they spent the entire day avoiding the rays of sunlight shining into their hideaway room, as they could do nothing else in a world as dangerous as this one. No one wanted to test whether Jeff was actually right about the Sun being deadly as such they stuck with the safer option, that being to actually do their best to block all natural light sources to the best of their ability, without actually stepping into them, which proved to be more troublesome than fruitful. But in the end, by the middle of the day the room was completely isolated from any form of sunlight which left them once again listless, waiting for the night.

By nightfall, everybody was ready to finally leave their hideout behind, their only source of nourishment being water conjured up by Twilight, a task that was difficult to do many times considering how much magic it has drained. Nonetheless the night cool air was welcomed by everyone equally as they were now out in the cracked wilderness, without any form of visible life, wondering in search of a potential way out of this world.

"We've been to a lot of terrible places so far, but this must take the cake." Twilight sighed as they continued to walk along.

"Eh, I've seen worse." Jeff shrugged, "None that I'd like a repeat of mind you."

"Are you just seriously trying to one up us?" Rainbow grinned with a roll of her eyes.

"Nah, I'm serious." Jeff turned back, his eyes signaling that he too was grinning, "Compared to some places where we ended up, this is a walk in the park. You just gotta avoid getting hurt and the Sun. All in all, not so bad."

"Do I... Do I wanna know?" Rainbow asked, her face full of worry, as she flew close to Jeff.

"Nah, I think I'll spare ya the details." Jeff shrugged, "I think ya had enough bullshit thrown at you recently for me to add to that."

"Fair enough." the pegasus conceded with a sigh, "So, do you have any idea where we're going?"

"Actually I do." Jeff nodded, "I saw a building in the distance that really reminded me of the one Albedo said they were staying at here, which if true would confirm we're in that world. So, no need to push me into the Sun anymore."

"C'mon, I told you it was an accident!"

"Sure, sure." Jeff shrugged, "Either way, if we get to that maybe through sheer dumb luck the portal will open and we'll be somewhere safer or something." he then let out a sigh, "Who am I kidding, I'm hoping we can go somewhere where I don't have to think about ways for us to not die instantly."

"That would be nice." Pinkie chipped in as she too started walking, or in her case bouncing, at Jeff's pace. "Was it always like this when you were traveling with Albedo?"

"Pretty much yeah." he nodded, "He, Hope and I have always gotten into ridiculously weird or dangerous worlds and then right after end up somewhere completely mundane without any connection or even the mention of danger. It had no rhyme or reason, but it always seemed to be the pattern, as if there was actually a pattern it followed or something. I dunno, I sometimes think that thing can actually think and is just purposefully messing with us." he shrugged. "Either way, neither Albedo nor Hope are here, so I think even if that was a true theory it'll probably go right out the window."

"Wait, who is this Hope person you kept mentionin' just now?" Applejack chipped in.

"Ah, I haven't actually told you guys about her yet huh?" he smiled, "Well besides Twilight and Derpy I'd think."

"Yeah." they nodded in agreement, "Albedo has said some things but it's probably not everything."

"Ah well, in that case, you can think of her as the most powerful sorceress from back home. If it's magic, she knows her stuff, no matter what it may be." he informed them, "That's why I'm kinda hoping Albedo somehow got home and got her to help, she could easily find us. You see, she can track anyone as long as they're still alive, and with the TARDIS that probably expands through dimensions now as well."

"Someone capable of magic?" Twilight's eyes lit up.

"Haha, I knew that would catch your attention." Jeff chuckled, "I'm sure you two can impart some knowledge to each other, assuming that the magics are not too different between our worlds." he then awkwardly rubbed the back of his head.

"What's the matter?" Fluttershy asked as she noticed his expressions change.

"Well, I know I just said that she can find anybody... But maybe they can't find us after all."

"Huh, why would you say that after all that hype?" Rainbow seemed visibly disappointed.

"Remember one crucial detail I said about how she can find people?"

"As long as they're alive, right?" Applejack recounted, "Then she knows you right, there shouldn't be a-"

"Applejack dear, you know how I can't die right?" he stopped to turn around and look at everyone, who, with Applejack at the front, all nodded, "I didn't really tell you how that's possible did I, besides my whole race thing?"

"N-no, I don't think you did." Fluttershy nodded.

Jeff let out a prolonged sigh as realization began to settle in, "You see, unlike Albedo I'm something that's apparently called an Undying, that part you now. The part that you don't know is that Undying are a race that, obviously, cannot die under any means... However, that has a condition."

"A condition?" Pinkie repeated ominously, not catching on the desperate horror the young man was probably emanating.

"You see, apparently no one knows if they are an Undying." Jeff let the matter hang for a couple seconds, "Not until they die." Pinkie audibly gasped even though this shouldn't have been cause for surprise, the others however looked on in worry.

"The time you said you got shot..?" Rainbow asked only to get a nod as a response.

"Yup. I really haven't noticed but ever since then, I haven't aged a bit, my wounds after that healed in seconds and I never run out of stamina... I can keep going on and on and on... Forever. Surprisingly I survived being bleached and burned though, but that's beside the point. But you should know what I'm getting at by now shouldn't you?"

"You're... You're physically dead..." Twilight gasped as Jeff once again just nodded, "But, but you're still-"

"Moving and doing fine, right?" Jeff chuckled, "Yeah, same here Twilight, that feeling never left. And I really don't think it ever will."

"So what you meant by she can't find you... You literally meant it?" Rainbow asked.

"It's like I'm simply off her radar." Jeff nodded, "So basically if I ever get lost, I'm probably fucked." he admitted.

"Like... Like right now..?" Derpy asked, her face now fully flushed with worry.

Jeff however only laughed at that much to everyone's confusion.

"W-what's so funny?" Rainbow snapped, though her voice cracked in the middle of it, making her sound much less intimidating.

"No, no, nothing really, it's just you guys really don't believe in yourselves enough!" he grinned, "I may be off her radar, but she can track magic a lot easier than normal life signs... Which one of us here is capable of magic?"

Twilight's eyes immediately widened, "M-me? But how-"

"Twilight, the Doctor... Does he or does he not have a time machine?"

"Wait, you're saying your friend can track me simply from me using magic sometime in the past?!"

"Pretty much yeah." Jeff nodded confidently, "She's not the most powerful sorceress back home for nothing." he followed up with a shrug, "But even if the Doc didn't come up with the idea, Albedo would have suggested it."

"Are you absolutely sure?" Rainbow asked with a raised eyebrow, "Seems farfetched."

"Yup, exactly the reason why I believe they would have done it. Albedo's résumé is basically just the word 'farfetched'." he shrugged again.

"You really trust him huh?"

To the pegasus' surprise that caused Jeff to stop in place and turn back once again to face her, and her only. "If I could die, I would trust him with my life. He's... He has brought me out from a place I wouldn't have wanted us to go... I don't... I don't think I really can ever thank him or whatever circumstances allowed us to meet." he admitted, "You may think I'm fanboying or something, but think back to how I acted back at the library... And imagine that as the normal me. That's what was the case, I almost feel like I've gained a sense of self ever since meeting him. To be honest, I probably still cause a lot of problems for them, but they seem to like me... So, guess what I'm tryin' to say is that I finally feel like I have a family."

"Wow... S-sorry I doubted you." Rainbow honestly apologized, "I didn't know."

"No, no, that's fair." Jeff smiled warmly behind his bandana, "And, to be honest with you all as well, after what you've said you've been through, I'm really surprised you're actively following me and putting your trust in me."

"Well sugarcube, I think you've proved to us more times than not that you're really different from the one we met." Applejack admitted with an honest smile, "Plus, I think we can take a little crazy after everything. Especially the good crazy."

"Yeah, I mean we're friends with Pinkie." Rainbow added with a shrug, gaining a small glare which soon turned into a smile as everyone shared a small laugh.

"Eh, can't really refute that." the pink pony shrugged as they continued forward towards the two 'hugging' buildings.

"...Thanks guys." Jeff added silently as Rainbow flew close to him and briefly touched him with her wing a couple of times.

"No worries bro." the rainbow maned pegasus grinned confidently, "After all the things, I'm sure we're a group now."

"Ha, I guess we are." Jeff nodded along, "And with our great luck, this probably ain't the last time we get stuck somewhere."

"I don't wanna say you're right, but I'm inclined to believe ya." Applejack nodded along, "To think a couple months ago everything seemed so normal."

"Tell me about it." Jeff agreed before he briefly glanced back, "No, really, tell me about it. I'm interested."

"Well, if you really mean it." Derpy spoke up as the six ponies began retelling everything from Twilight meeting and disappearing with the Doctor to them ending up in a war with an alternate Doctor who was maybe a little more psycho than normally possible. Rainbow could swear Jeff's face switched emotions every minute with how the stories were told to him in quick succession.

"Well goddamn that's a lot of shit." Jeff declared honestly before reaching for his mouth for a brief moment, "Sorry, was too worked up, just realized I'm being a major hypocrite right now."

"What do ya mean?"

"Well, I told you guys not to swear, and here I am putting sailors to shame."

"Eh, don't worry about it."

"Ya sure?"

"I think we've been surrounded and exposed to a lot worse things than swearing at this point." Twilight added with her equivalent of a shrug, a fact that surprised Jeff.

"Well if you guys say s-"

The group moved forward for a couple more seconds before everyone realized that Jeff has shut up way to abruptly. That was when they realized that in the mild light of the moon, they did not see the fact that he was now suddenly a head shorter than usual. His body was now standing, surprisingly, without its head, his arms crossed as if he was irate. That was when from the distance they've heard.

"I really fuckin' didn't need this ya damn bird!"

The situation was so surreal to everyone that for another brief couple seconds no one moved at all before Rainbow looked at the others who all nodded in unanimous agreement soon after which the pegasus shot off with a rainbow streak, chasing after what seemed to be a massive mutated condor.

"Yeah Rainbow, go after the giant mutated bird, great idea!" she grumbled to herself as she gulped soon after. "Hang on, I'm comin'!" she shouted after Jeff. As she caught up to the culprit, the bird let out a horrific screech once it noticed in surprise Rainbow approaching, "Yeah, yeah, shut up bird breath!" she snapped in annoyance as she sped up and rammed the bird from the side, the momentary stun causing it to let go of Jeff's head, as the pegasus took the opportunity to catch it and immediately high tail it backwards.

"Rainbow, whilst I appreciate the save, I think we forgot a crucial detail about this whole thing." Jeff's head spoke which only just now surprised the pegasus, "Don't ask how I'm talking without actual working vocal cords right now, I don't know, and frankly I don't wanna know, back on topic."

"R-right, what do you think we're forgetting?"

"My body is bleeding."

"..." the silence as Rainbow's face went wide in utter horror was enough for Jeff to know that she more than likely understood his fears now. The girl immediately shot off like a rainbow trailed rocket towards the rest of their group.

"Rainbow..? I-is there a problem?" Fluttershy asked, her worry visible on her face clearly.

" MOVE IT!" the incoming pegasus shouted at the top of her lungs, however the others didn't seem to get it which caused her to point at the body with its arms crossed in a hurry. Once they looked at it, it only took a second before they all started running at full speed ahead of the approaching pegasus and away from the even faster approaching danger under the sand of the night. "W-what about you?"

"Just toss my head and hope I catch it, you worry about yourself!" Jeff shouted with a confident grin, "I'll catch up soon enough."

"If you say so..." Rainbow awkwardly locked eyes with him before throwing him with full force after which she sped off following the others.

"Okay body, you can do this!" Jeff confidently stated as he saw his body raise its arms to catch him... Only for him to fall on through without them reacting and him landing face first in the cold sand. "For fuck's sake man, can't you do this right?" the body hung its upper torso forward as if he was regretting it as it walked forward and bent over to pick up the head, "See, it ain't that hard!" he grumbled as his body put his head on albeit in reverse causing him to be even more irate before twisting it back into its correct position, the bandana now around his neck. "How is it that both of us got stuck in the head?"

' I... I don't know. I didn't know that it can do... That whole thing.' younger Jeff's genuinely surprised voice resounded in his head.

"At least we know now. Stupid ass bird." Jeff grumbled as he sped off himself, causing a blow of wind to strike the sand as he started. It only took him a couple seconds to catch up to the others as he already heard the sand rustling behind them.

"Woah, how the hell did you catch up to us already?!" Rainbow snapped in pure amazement.

"Well, ya know, when your body doesn't care whether your bones break or not, you can use it to its full potential." Jeff shrugged before he pointed behind them, "But we have guests." from out the ground as if they were some sort of shark, they could see the back scales of multiple sandworms appear and disappear in the sand.

"Uugh, that's beyond creepy." Derpy shuddered as she tried to keep pace with the rainbow maned pegasus.

"You haven't seen one from the inside yet." Jeff shuddered which completely unnerved everyone, "Just sayin'." he added with a shrug.

"What do we do then?" Applejack asked between breaths, as they were now getting closer to their destination, however they were obviously bringing unwanted guests.

"We need to abandon the building and just keep at it." Jeff declared, "These things don't care about anything that's blocking their path, they just want to eat whatever bled." he sighed, "Which reminds me, Twilight, could ya do somethin' about this?" he asked indicating to his hoodie's collar, "It might not be much, but it might throw them off us long enough for us to take a breather. Well, you guys not me."

"Y-yeah, okay, just a sec." the lavender coated unicorn nodded as her horn has lit up and the stains on Jeff's hoodie disappeared within seconds.

As Jeff took a peak behind him again he noticed that the worms were noticeably getting slower and slower in their approach which caused him to grin manically wide. "Hah yeah! Fuckers don't have eyes! Albedo was right!"

"I thought you've seen one of these things up close and personal?!"

"Yeah, but we weren't really concerned about whether the things had eyes or not!" Jeff raised in his defense, "This means that they rely on whatever thing they use to sense blood, and hearing... Which means that we might not have to abandon the building after all! Up to the highest floor you can go, then shut up!"

Ruins, Wasteland, Unknown Place, 2345 A.D.

"Gotcha!" Rainbow and the others nodded as they quickened their pace to reach the buildings in front of them. As soon as they climbed the stairs to what once might have been the second highest floor, now barely the third, they saw that surprisingly, the inside of the building looked relatively safer than the outside. Even if the building they entered was surrounded on all sides by others, the felt a tad bit safer right now. They all got close to the floor as Jeff slowly moved his finger to his mouth, indicating that the others should stay quiet, who all nodded in response. In their anxious waiting time, they all took in their surroundings, most notably that all the broken windows were barred with furniture and anything easily movable. Jeff was surprised the others could see him and his instructions clearly in the dimly lit room, but for the moment he couldn't exactly question it further.

As time passed, the group seemed quite tuckered out as most of them have fallen asleep in close proximity to each other. Once things were confirmed to have calmed down, and the Sandworms' presence could no longer be felt, Jeff finally felt a genuine smile come to his face at the sight, before he noticed that most of the group, the ones that were sleeping especially, were quite visibly shivering. He huddled over to the lavender unicorn and gently poked her to shake her awake. She wasn't quite sleeping, but she was on her way there.

"Hey Twiley, sorry to ask this, but the others are freezing." Jeff said as he pointed at everyone else, almost not being too convincing himself with his hands as cold as ice, "Do you think you have something for that?"

"I... I can probably conjure a fire to keep us warm yeah." the unicorn nodded.

"I wish Hope was here." Jeff muttered, "I mean no offense to you, but constantly keeping the fire up will probably be draining to you, it'd be nice if we had blankets or some shit like that. I can't have you guys dyin' on me."

"No worries, I don't think it'll come to that." Twilight smiled, "And thanks for your concern, but this doesn't require much, only if I adjust the heat, which currently doesn't seem necessary." she added with a wink as Jeff noticed the others stop shivering, "You can go back to sleep if you want, I'll stay up for a bit. I have some things on my mind."

"You sure? I can stay up for a good while if ya need me." Jeff offered but the unicorn just shook her head, "Alright, but if you need something don't hesitate to poke me with something."

"P-Poke you?"

"I have trouble believing people who wake me up have good intentions, if you know what I mean." he briefly looked down at his hoodie's pockets where Twilight knew the knife was located as she mouthed 'Oh' soundlessly before nodding. "Sorry, I don't exactly have good memories of that." he added with a shrug before he lay down next to the others. He then abruptly raised his head, "Oh yeah, one more thing, there's a storm coming, don't be surprised." he then laid his head back down.

"O-okay then." the unicorn nodded awkwardly, still not fully used to the boy's weird antics.

Nonetheless even if she didn't believe him, which at this point was hard to, the sandstorm did in fact hit their collage of buildings acting as their current hideaway as its sound was clearly, albeit muffled, heard throughout the barricaded room. Nonetheless none of the group even seemed to show signs of waking up, causing the unicorn to show a small smile as she also let out a sigh.

'I'm starting to think traveling with the Doctor of all people was safer.' she chuckled inwardly. 'But if these two's theory is actually right, the reason he came to Equestria in the first place was because of this stupid portal... Haah, everything became even more confusing than it already was.' she then smiled, 'Though not like that's not the norm nowadays.' she shrugged before glancing at a nearby crack in front of one window, she trotted over and looked outside briefly as the sandstorm was still enveloping them, she used her magic to move the wardrobe blocking the window over a bit to this time block it completely, not chancing deathly sunrays hitting anyone. 'I guess I should go to sleep as well.' she lay down next to Rainbow and Jeff and closed her eyes slowly, 'Hopefully tomorrow will be better.'

6 hours later

Limbo

Surrounded on all sides by large pine trees reaching up to the grimdark grey sky, the group of six ponies and one human were waking up to quite a shocking sight. No color seemed to exist around them, just shades of grey, black and white. Their own forms were pitch black, their eyes large white spots which cast an eerie image of their group. As everyone slowly woke up and looked around in horror, the eyes of Jeff visibly shrunk, instead of his pupils, and started twitching as he raised his arms in irritation.

" What the flying fuck just happened!?" he shouted in a deep voice, much unlike his regular one, "We can't even sleep a bit without that goddamn thing screwin' us over?!"

"Apparently not." Rainbow spoke up, surprisingly calmer than Jeff expected her to be, "Any idea where we could be this time?"

"I have a couple." Jeff nodded, which was hard to make out without a clear backdrop. "With the whole aesthetic and dreadful feel this place gives me, I'm leanin' towards this one. You see, there was a game like this back home, the visuals were similar to this forest, so I'd think it a safe guess that's this place. It was called Limbo in game. Never really had time to play it myself, but I saw enough to know we're in it deep."

"Great, from bad to worse huh?" Applejack groaned, "I ain't even gonna ask cause that would just make it worse."

"Hah, you guys are at least learning that jinxing apparently is a thing." Jeff chuckled, "Either way, I guess we should move along, it's definitely safer to move than to stay still."

"What to look out for then?"

"Any movement you hear, keep an eye out around you and stick close to each other... Don't wanna pressure you but if we get separated, you'll probably die. And, before you protest, not because you guys are incapable of defending yourself, but because this place is something unusually treacherous."

"G-Got it." Derpy nodded, along with the others.

"Great. Let's move." Jeff pointed forward with his hand, "Rainbow, Derpy, hate to ask ya, but can you guys scout ahead? If you see anything you can shout back, cause at that point it has already seen you." Fluttershy briefly looked at Jeff, and though no one could see it, a small smile formed on her face, her wing was still healing after all.

"That's supposed to make us feel better?" Twilight asked with a raised eyebrow.

"No, not in particular." Jeff shrugged, " But, we do need to know if we'll run into anything or not."

"Alright, alright, I get it." Rainbow let out a sigh as she and Derpy locked eyes and nodded, "We'll go check."

"'preciate it."

The two pegasi took to the air, and because the two have similar hairstyles, Jeff could literally not tell the difference between them currently unless they spoke so he felt even worse that, that particularly was one of the reasons he chose those two to check. The other was that he saw how Fluttershy was not exactly going strong in the mental department due to probable high stress levels, to the pegasus' possible dismay if she found out, he forgot the actual damage her wing was recovering from.

As the two pegasi flew through the trees, the shrubbery looking more and more similar, the two almost couldn't even tell if they were making progress in moving forward at all. For a good five minutes they really couldn't tell any difference, everything they passed looked like something they have already seen or went by... That is, until they noticed one strange thing in a nearby small clearing, one that contained a small hill.

"Hey, Derpy! Do ya see that thing?"

"Yeah, what do you think it is?"

"Nothing good I bet." Rainbow clicked her tongue in frustration, "We should go back and te- Oh shit! Scratch that! Double time it back, we gotta run!"

"W-what, wh-" however Derpy's eyes widened before she could finish her question as she saw what seemed to be two pairs of massive and long black spider legs emerge from underneath the small grey patch of grass that acted as a hill, soon after another two pairs emerging from the back, and in a matter of seconds in an almost human like fashion the giant beast threw a chunk of dirt at the two pegasi who could barely dodge out of the way.

"Okay, we get it, you're pissed!" Rainbow shouted, briefly clicking her tongue at what probably was an influence from Jeff, "But can you please kindly fuck off?!" she shouted louder in irritation. "JEEEFFF!" she shouted soon after as she immediately took off with a colorless rainbow trail, which now sparkled in various shades of grey, immediately getting the young man's attention.

"What is it? What'd ya see?"

"Big-ass spider!" the pegasus shouted as she barely landed on her feet, sliding across the ground, then ran back up to face Jeff, "And it's really peeved!"

"Oh great, of all the things we could have run into!" Jeff sighed, "Fuckin' dammit!" he punched a nearby tree in anger, blowing a hole in its bark which soon cracked enough for the tree to fall over, "Oops."

"W-what do we do?" Derpy asked as she landed next to them, out of breath, none of them commenting on the poor tree's fate.

"What else can we do?" Jeff asked with a hand on his face in frustration of their current situation, "We have to fight the thing, or it won't stop chasing us."

"Really?" Twilight asked with a raised eyebrow.

"If it's anything like the one in that game, it won't stop chasing even if you dismember it, as long as it can move, it will follow." Jeff groaned, "Persistent fucker that one."

"You can say that again." Applejack sighed, "Alright people, whether we like it or not, we have a spider to kill!"

"That's the spirit!" Rainbow cheered. "I was talking about not wanting to do it by the way."

"A-any advice then?" Fluttershy meekly spoke up for the first time in a while.

"Umm, let's see... I don't think there really is any? You just have to beat the thing up enough for it to stay down... That however is the hard part." Jeff honestly admitted, "I mean, it is still just a spider."

"Figures." Rainbow groaned.

"Flutters, I know how you are with animals, but trust me that in this world, these things don't care about anything but their stomach."

"I-I get it." Fluttershy nodded, "I think I already got mostly used to that fact." she presumably smiled, but as previously stated, no one's mouth was currently visible.

"As long as you're ready for it." Jeff nodded, "Alright team, let's mess the fucker up!"

' You're swearing a lot recently.' younger Jeff noted in their mind.

'Eh, bite me. I'm excited.'

' Of course you are.'

'Oi, don't get sassy with me Jeffy!'

" Well excuse me for being bothered by it!"

"Huh?" Twilight spoke up with a raised eyebrow.

" Huh?" Jeff asked back before he realized, " Oh, what? Y-You heard that? How did this happen?"

"Literally, what are you even talkin' about?" Rainbow asked in surprise.

" Um, right, so, hello everyone, I'm Jeff's younger self's conscience." younger Jeff said through current Jeff's voice, " We had an argument and somehow I got in control."

"Oh! So he was serious about that!"

" Yeah, I don't think we would have had any reason to lie did we?"

"Guess not, no." Rainbow shrugged.

" I... I'm gonna switch back, I dunno how to fight. I don't want to ruin this chance or anything." Jeff meekly nodded, "Ah, boy that was unexpected." Jeff shook his head, "Sorry 'bout that peeps, Jeffy doesn't like me swearin'."

"Eh, we got used to it." Applejack shrugged, "Not the first person with the mouth of a sailor." she added with a chuckle.

"Ouch, my nonexistent pride just shattered." Jeff chuckled as they heard a high-pitched screech behind them, "Ah, guess talky time is over, fighty time is just about to start... Again."

"Okay, let's give this thing hell!" Rainbow declared with one front hoof raised high as if leading a charge.

Inside the TARDIS

The spaceship's phonebooth like doors opened inwards as a very tired Doctor and Charmcaster stepped in, the white haired human after them just groaned in frustration, at this point fatigue was naught but a foreign concept to him yet his face clearly reflected the fact that he was still not exempt from the mental kind of fatigue. But if one were to look at the other two sprawled over the floors of the spaceship, they would have had enough proof to realize that things were more than likely not going too well.

"Forty-two worlds..." the Doctor groaned as he was looking at the ceiling. " Forty... Two..."

"All without anyone or anything we even remotely know..." Charmcaster joined him in complaining.

"How could forty-two consecutive worlds all contain traces of the same individual?" Albedo asked out loud from no one in particular. "It hardly makes any sense."

"I know right?" the sorceress nodded along, "But I really did feel Twilight every time."

"Maybe they were traces from the future?" the Doctor offered. "Or worlds they traveled through?"

"What do you mean?" Albedo asked with a raised eyebrow.

"I mean, it was not once that I met an alternate version of myself or something similar. So, what if all the times you have felt Ms. Sparkle's presence it was from worlds that we would visit in the future?" the Doctor expanded on his first theory.

"Oh lord, if that's the case this is gonna take ages!" Charmcaster reached her arms out and wiggled them in visible frustration. "I like your other theory better."

"It will indeed, however that seems like quite a plausible theory with how we now suspect the portal to work." Albedo nodded with a slight groan, "As if we did not have enough problems already. But, to be honest, I also do like your other theory better."

"Tell me about it." the Doctor sighed himself as he chuckled soon after. "Let's take a small break and continue after?"

"I wouldn't mind that to be honest." Charmcaster nodded with a small smile and a hand on her temple, "Do you have a break room and a book or something?"

"Of course! Just go down that hall and turn the second right, it's a smaller room with a bookcase you might fight endearing."

"Thanks Doc. Sorry about this guys."

"Do not worry about it dear, you are the one who is working the hardest out of all of us."

The sorcerer just snickered and started walking over towards the doorway, "Sure, sure." as soon as the girl left and was out of sight, Albedo turned towards the Doctor.

"Hey Doc, can I speak with you for a minute?"

"Of course." the Doctor nodded.

"I really wanted to keep this to myself, but I feel I held onto it long enough." Albedo awkwardly rubbed the back of his head, "If... If we do not find them in the really near future, I am afraid Hope will not be able to hold her conscience for long. She wants to stay strong for everyone's sake but it is really wearing on her as we are going along."

"Yeah, I've noticed that too." the Doctor nodded, "She really seems to be pushing herself for us, and I feel bad for that."

"There is one other thing, one thing that I really do not want to think as a possibility."

"...The fact that we might never find them?"

Albedo let out a brief sigh of surprise before nodding, "Indeed, if things go like this, it might actually be like how Hope said, we might be looking for an eternity." his eyes then suddenly and inexplicably switched colors, well his right eye that is, turning green much to the Doctor's confusion, "I. Getting. Angry." he stated, "Everyone. Missing. Annoying. Frustrating. Infuriating." his eyes then suddenly switched back without any further explanation once again, "Whoa buddy, I get it, I think we are finally in agreement. It is extremely infuriating that the portal seems to be messing with us at its own leisure."

"Woah, was that your other... personality?"

"Hmm, I suppose that is a good enough word to use for him. But yes, he is my new resident up here." he pointed towards his head, "Death did say he was quite chatty and agreeable... Most of the time."

"Except when he stabbed Jeff."

"...Except when he stabbed Jeff, yes." his eyes changed again, "Did. Not. Apologize?"

"No, you really didn't mate." the Doctor smiled gently, "But it's at least a start that you recognized that."

"Oh." he looked down, "Sorry." his eyes shifted back, "It really is not us you should be apologizing to buddy." Albedo chuckled, "But it is good to know that you are at least looking out for me." his eyes shifted again, "Like. Brother. Protect." and back to normal again, "I appreciate that, really. Also, thank you for talking to me on your own volition."

"Out of context this scene would probably be so confusing." the Doctor declared with a small grin.

"I bet it would be." Albedo chuckled. "Anyway, let us try our best not to think about possible terrible what if scenarios and instead focus our efforts on actually finding them."

"Of course, hadn't planned on giving up yet." the Doctor nodded.

The two shared a chuckle before they decided to join the sorceress in the break room as the TARDIS wandered aimlessly through the Time Vortex. Albedo was more and more realizing how he was a lot more exhausted mentally than physically, same with the Doctor, but the two still enjoyed the company that was presented to them as they sat quietly for at least half an hour reading various sorts of books by all sorts of famous authors the Doctor claimed were authentic. As such, both the alien and the sorceress took great care not to ruin any of the books they have got their hands on, whilst also making sure to get as immersed as possible in whatever story the books presented to them. Interestingly enough the room had a small cupboard filled with snacks and tea as well making their relaxation time just a bit sweeter.

Once the trio has decided that their relaxation took more than enough time, they decided to head back to the control room of the TARDIS, with full intentions of finally finding their missing friends. What they did not account for however, was the fact that the one, no the thing, that caused this whole mess in the first place was awaiting them quietly in the control room, its hum droning on as background noise. It was the portal, open and patiently waiting.

"Well, that's unexpected." the Doctor dumbfoundedly declared with his eyes going wide.

"It most definitely is." Albedo nodded before scowling, "What is it that you want now?"

"Are you seriously talking to it?"

"At this point, I have every reason to believe that our friend here is at least a bit sapient with how it's openings have been coordinated. Even if it is not, I needed that."

"Fair, I guess." the Doctor shrugged, "Do you think we should go through?"

"It can't be worse than searching endlessly." Charmcaster shrugged.

"Indeed, and if the need arises, I now can get us back here without much problems as you know."

"Yeah, I guess it can't hurt... Much."

"Real confidence there Doc." the sorceress chuckled at the worried look the ponified Time Lord was showing.

"Excuse me for not having as much experience with dimensional anomalies as you two!" the Doctor mock pouted before laughing, "But if you think it's fine, it should be. I trust you two."

"Oh, thank you." Albedo beamed, "Well then, shall we?"

"Let's go." the sorceress and the Time Lord nodded as all three of them stepped through the portal with some expectations.

Limbo

The trio stepped out of the portal that has opened on the TARDIS into a forest of full monochrome. It almost felt like someone turned on a filter whilst taking a picture, it felt quite surreal. The darkness and colorless world around them almost seemed to enclose them in a small box, a suffocating feeling accompanying this sensation.

"Well if this place ain't just peachy." Charmcaster groaned with a roll of her eyes, only just now noticing that only their eyes were visible, and even those were just white glowing spots, "Woah, that's new."

"Quite so." Albedo nodded as strangely, the letters above him now where glowing white with an ominous feeling accompanying them as well, "We are apparently in Limbo."

"Oh that's just fantastic!" the sorceress groaned, "It just had to be a bleak place."

"Again, how the hell do you know where we are within just a couple seconds of being here?" the Doctor asked, audibly confused.

"Right, I did say I would tell you later." Albedo nodded, "So, for currently unknown reasons, wherever we end up I always see large floating letters telling me my location. This time it's rather ominous I must say. It's just glowing at me... Menacingly."

"Giant... letters?" the Doctor visibly deadpanned, his large white orbs-for-eyes going wider. "And neither you nor Death know the cause?"

" We do not, no. And for your information, even I cannot perceive these letters even though we share a body. But I am inclined to believe him as it has always been accurate, or vague but at least accurate."

"Is that not concerning you?"

"Eh, it was at first." Albedo admitted with a shrug, "But at this point it seems to be just one other unnatural thing that consistently happens to me."

"Is that right..?"

"Either way, Hope dear, could you do a quick search?"

"Sure, just a sec." the sorceress nodded as her eyes and hands started glowing white, surprising the aliens for a second, even more so when the glowing abruptly stopped. "They're here! It's definite! I can sense her magic!" she shouted suddenly, though the two could tell from her voice that something was not right, "But her magic is fluctuating, something's not okay... They might be in danger!"

"In a place like this I cannot refute that." Albedo nodded before letting out a sigh, "Hey, can we switch?" that sentence confused the sorceress.

"What do you mean..?"

"You. Sure?" the slightly deeper voice spoke from Albedo's mouth further enhancing the girl's surprise.

"Huh, since when do you-"

"Look, you are supposed to be my anger, as long as you know who are on our side, I think I am going to let you handle whatever it is they are fighting. As opposed to us they need a break."

"Neat." he said, "Alright. Let us. Go." he nodded before his body began changing.

"It seems they worked out their differences." the Doctor smiled, "So at least you don't have to worry about that." he added in a whisper, though the two were soon after were left confused and utterly surprised at what he has done.

Charmcaster recognized the initial body frame to be that of a Vaxasaurian, the alien species that she has come to know as Humungousaur thanks to Ben, but it began drastically changing soon after. She assumed at first that the other personality just hyper evolved the creature, which more than likely was right, though it did not stop there. The creature suddenly gained a lower pair of arms and soon after its whole body started gaining white glowing lines running amok as if they were made of magma. To finish off the monstrosity, large moth like wings sprouted from its back, bearing the same lines.

"What the hell have you done..?!" she asked more in amazement at the possibility than in a scolding matter.

"Firepower. Lot. Of. Firepower." the creature he was controlling said in a deep growling voice as he briefly turned around to look at the sorceress' glowing eyes, "Trust?"

"Albedo seems to trust you." the girl nodded, "And as hard as it is talking to his body but not to him, I'm sorry I have to ask, but... You know who are with us, right?"

"Yes. Checked. Memories." the huge creature nodded. "Dunno. With. Black. Filter. Though. I... Try."

"Off you go then!" the Doctor chuckled, "We'll catch up."

"Understood." he seemed to chuckle, surprising the two as that showed yet another spurt of fast growth. With a flap of its wings the creature took off with a huge gust of wind being left in its wake.

"Alright, let's catch up." Charmcaster chuckled, though the Doctor noted a bit of shaking in her voice.

"...Are you alright?"

"I'm... I'm not sure. I'm probably not... I dunno if I can be after all this."

"Hey, you told him about the potion." the Doctor smiled surprising the girl.

"You knew?"

"I heard is the better term." he smiled, though it was invisible. "I'm sorry if that was inappropriate, I caught your conversation once I walked up to you back in the cave, I apologize." he added quickly, "I think he took it great, and I have to be honest with you, if you are determined about this, you should go ahead." he put a hoof on her shoulder again, "He really seems to need you to be there for him. I'll try my best as well, but my stays are more than likely always going to be temporary, but I do think you can help him out more than you think."

Charmcaster smiled as she chuckled for a bit, "I think that's a two-way deal Doctor." she added, "Thanks for talking to me about this."

"Of course, anytime." the Doctor nodded, "As long as you two will actually talk it out in length."

"I'll do my best." she nodded, "Now, I think we should go before he gets all the fun."

"I think you're forgetting that I'm a noncombatant!" he shouted after her as they sped off towards the direction the creature flew towards.

Limbo

Jeff was having trouble admitting to himself that they were not exactly faring all too well against the giant eight legged creature currently trying to gut them like fish. Sure, he was gonna be fine in the end and everyone was doing their best, that much was sure, but even including Jeff himself, he could tell that they were still more than tired to have a good handle on the fight. He also had trouble adjusting his tactics from insanely reckless to team friendly. He had to admit, he was not at all used to fighting in a large group like this. It also didn't help that somehow from one minute to the other, there seemed to be more than one spider in their sights.

"Oh for the love of-" Jeff groaned upon noticing the fact, "Dash! Any more?!"

"No! I only see these three!"

" THREE?!" Jeff snapped, with his white orbs going wide, "God damn it all!"

"Yeah, exactly!" she nodded as she flew over next to him, "So, what's the plan?" the pegasus asked as both of them looked on at the still incoming spiders that were only barely slowed down by the large group of trees blocking their enormous bodies from advancing directly.

"All of you look tired enough already, we won't hold out for long like this." Jeff grumbled as he took a brief look at the pegasus next to him, "Well, except for you... What's up with that?"

"I guess I'm just used to being tired, but I guarantee that I'm also barely keepin' it together. You're the only one that's doing okay... Sorta."

"Yeah, thanks." Jeff rolled his eyes, "To answer your question though, I have no idea, I'm actually running out of ideas. I mean, I knew they wouldn't really care if I cut one or two limbs off but this is absurd... They just won't stop no matter what we do! Fuck, this is so annoying!"

"Tell me about it..." Rainbow groaned before to Jeff's surprise she actually landed next to him instead of continuing on floating, "Guess this is the end, huh?"

"Huh?! Are ya seriously giving up right now?!"

"What else do you want us to do?!" the pegasus snapped back in audible anger, surprising Jeff greatly, "Everyone is beyond tired! We can't do jack shit to these things, and they just. Keep. Coming! It's about time we fa... ...ce the truth..?" the girl's eyes seemed to go wide in despair, or at least something similar, it was hard to tell with just white orbs, as she saw something utterly monstrous approaching from the sky. Jeff was sure that if the world wasn't monochrome, all color would have been drained from her. "W-What... Is that..?"

Jeff squinted at the sky as he suddenly made out the monster coming towards them at great speeds that the pegasus more than likely saw. It and its four arms and vaguely saurian appearance along with the completely out of place moth like wings on its back and the various white lines running over his body made it more than obvious to Jeff what, no who, it was. He immediately started grinning and cackling, initially making the pegasus think that he had lost it, before he broke out in a sprint towards the creature.

"WHAT ARE YOU-" she however stopped herself once she saw one crucial detail on the thing's chest that made her mind go blank for a second, "No way..." she muttered as she clearly made out the hourglass symbol she barely caught a glance of back in Ponyville.

The creature landed right on top of one spider, its sheer mass making it cry out in what sounded to be massive amounts of pain. Without a shred of mercy, the creature slammed its two left hands' fists onto the arachnid's head making its suffering come to a quick end.

"Holy shit dude! You have no idea how happy I am to fuckin' see ya again!" Jeff shouted out in excitement, only to have two cannoned hands pointed towards him, "Woah, hold the damn horses, it's me, Jeff!"

"Jeff?" the deep voiced surprised the young man as the cannons lowered, "Sorry. Hard. To. Tell."

"You're... Not Albedo."

"No. He. Sleep. He. Tired. I. In. Control. No. Name. Yet. Speak hard."

"Oh! You're the other guy!" Jeff was now grinning again, completely forgetting the time the 'other guy' stabbed him through the throat.

"Yes." he let the answer hang for a bit before continuing, "Sorry."

"Huh? For what?"

"The. Stab." he revealed, "And. The. Threatening. Right. Now."

"Oh! Don't worry about that dude as long as it's about me. I'll bounce back faster than you can blink!"

"I. See." he nodded.

"I know you said that talkin' is hard, and that I'm keepin' you from stopping that, but what even is this form?"

"Amalgam. Of. Many things." he stated, "Vaxasaurian, Evolved plus Tetramand plus Pyronite plus Necrofriggian. Mind is... Less smart. Less strain. On me."

"That's so damn awesome!"

"Thanks!" his tone of voice raised as if he was actually happy.

' He is learning at an exceptional rate... Is this the Galvan influence?' Death mused in his thoughts.

"Other glowy orbs... Ponies?"

"Yeah, it's only the spiders that we don't like."

"Okay. On it. Step back. Please." he presumably smiled, "Gonna be. Quick."

"On it Cap!" Jeff grinned, though it wasn't visible, as he stepped back and ushered everyone behind him as the mutated alien transformed all his four arms into cannons which under the span of a second started firing off a multitude of flaming bullets hitting the spiders still remaining, head on. Switching back from the cannons he went onto the offensive as he now was bashing them from left to right, into trees and at times with trees. "Whooo! A man after my own heart!"

"That's just mindless destruction!" Twilight snapped.

"EXACTLY!" Jeff shouted in his over excited state leaving the unicorn dumbfounded.

"Ah, there you are everyone!" a familiar voice came from next to them as everyone looked to their left noticing another equine form and one that more than likely belonged to a young woman.

"Doctor!" Twilight seemed to lit up at the voice of the Time Lord as the two approached them.

"Ha, I was right!" Jeff raised his right fist high, "They did go to get ya!" he added as he walked up to the young woman.

"Wait, you're Hope?!"

"Uh, yeah, that's me." Charmcaster awkwardly nodded, "I take it Jeff didn't shut up about me?"

"Hey, why'd ya phrase it that way?!"

"You have trouble not talking sometimes." Charmcaster put a hand to her hip as Twilight and Rainbow started snickering, the others too tired to do anything more than smile. "But yeah, of course we'd look for you, you dummy!"

"I guess you're right, sorry." Jeff rubbed the back of his head awkwardly, "We kinda gave up on that halfway."

"I figured." the Doctor nodded, "But after forty-two worlds it was kinda hard to just up and give up."

"F-forty-two?!" Rainbow's eyes figuratively bugged out, "It took you that long to find us? Dang."

"Yeah, you got lucky." Jeff nodded.

"Lucky?!"

"Yeah, I mean, if you think about it, what were the exact chances of them finding us out there in the big-ass multiverse?" the young man pointed out, "We got really lucky here." he then clapped his hands together, "Whatevs, besides the point. What's up with big crazy over there?"

"Death apparently said that he's friendly." the Doctor revealed, "And... destructive."

"Ah, well. That came in handy here." Rainbow shrugged. "And is kinda obvious."

"Sure did." Applejack nodded, "I'll expect an explanation tomorrow though."

"Same." the others chorused.

"That... Can be arranged." the Doctor nodded with a smile.

As the newly reunited group started chatting happily, despite the fact that a practical massacre was going on behind them, would normally have been a questionable scene. However, to this group this was way between the lines of normalcy. As their small talk continued a bright flash of white light signaled the fact that the spiders were more than likely gone.

"Done." he said as he joined the group, "Everybody here?"

"Yup, everybody's here and accounted for." Charmcaster nodded, looking him straight in the eye. "You okay?"

"Guess. I dunno. What. Normal is." he shrugged. "I'm barely. A month. Old." he added, using contractions and now in a more structured sentence group.

"Fair." Jeff nodded, also shrugging, "So I guess you'll be staying around then huh?"

"Likely." he nodded, "Still. No one. Gave. Name." he sighed, "So. I'm just. 'You' still." he then turned to Jeff, "If you. Suggest to. Name me. Something absurd. I'll deck. You."

"Woah, okay." Jeff held up his arms, immediately giving away that he was thinking about it.

"I. Knew it." he crossed his arms and groaned.

"Are you sure we should leave? Did you-" the Doctor started only to get interrupted half way.

"Look. Do you. Want to. Care about. The wellbeing. Of those. Things? Or do. You wanna. Go home?" he crossed his arms with the motion of a raised eyebrow, which with the lack of any visible facial motions was only reflected in his eyes' movements.

"I just wanted to make sure, that's all." the Doctor would have raised his arms defensively if he could, "If you say it's okay, then I'll take your word on it."

"Appreciate that. Ready to. Go back?"

"I think we are." Twilight nodded, though uncertainly, the prospect of dealing with someone with multiple personalities was not in her list of experiences. "Where did you guys leave the TARDIS?"

"There was. No need. To take. The TARDIS." he spoke up again, confusing the unicorn in the process. "Here." he snapped his fingers as a swirling white portal opened up next to them, "Instant TARDIS."

"Holy shit! You can open portals now?!" Jeff shouted again.

"Yes."

"Since how long?"

"Couple hours?" he shrugged. "Whatever. Let's go." he ushered everyone into the portal, one after another, only entering after the last one of them, that being the Doctor, entered.

Inside the TARDIS

"Sweet Celestia, I forgot what colors look like!" Rainbow groaned as she leaned on the ground of the control room, finally happy to have a safe place to rest.

"After that place, I'm not surprised." Charmcaster chuckled, "Speaking of colors though, you guys are a lot more colorful than I imagined."

"Yeah, we got that before sugarcube." Applejack laughed as well.

"Sorry, I figured that'd be the case." the sorceress rubbed the back of her head shyly, "Anyhow, the Doctor told me some things about you, so we can at least skip the introductions on one part." she shrugged, "As you probably already know, I'm Charmcaster... Or Hope."

Everybody chorused a quite orderly "Nice to meet you." in response to the girl's introduction which only elicited yet another snicker from her. He then turned towards him, almost expecting an answer, "So, where do we go now?"

"Huh? Uh. Back home?" he asked with a shrug, "Dunno. TARDIS. People. Need rest. I guess."

"Ya got that right buddy!" Rainbow groaned in agreement.

"But. Their world. Unsafe."

"What do you mean?" the Doctor immediately spoke up in concern at the ominous statement.

"Oh. Not for. The inhabitants." he shook his head, "For you."

"And that makes it better how exactly?"

"It doesn't." he nodded, "I'm just. Saying that. You shouldn't. Go back for. A while. Something felt. Off. Potential danger."

"But Rarity's still back there!" Applejack argued.

"I told you. Not for. The inhabitants." he let out a long sigh as if to catch his breath, "Something. Not right. With the. Portal. Feels... Nauseating."

"You're saying you can somehow tell if something is gonna go wrong?" Charmcaster raised an eyebrow in disbelief, more at the convenience than the possibility.

"Maybe. I dunno." he shrugged again, "Just saying. We shouldn't. Go back to. Equestria for. A hot minute."

"Alright, as stupid as they might sound, your hunches saved us more times than they should've." Jeff spoke up with a groan, "And you're pretty much Albedo so I'm trustin' you with this."

"Thanks." he nodded with a grin, "But damn. Talking. Hard. Very."

"Ah, you're back to broken words again."

"Yes. I... Tire-" he shook his head as his eyes switched color suddenly, back to their original crimson color, "Oh, guess that was the end of my nap then." he shrugged, "Felt nice while it lasted."

"Albedo!" Charmcaster exclaimed in happiness, "Did you seriously just go to sleep whilst we were trying to save everyone?!"

"I mean, since the opportunity presented itself?" he chuckled, "Besides, it seems like our friend handled himself for his first major activity."

"Dude, I know you two share a body and all, but you should've seen it!" Jeff exclaimed in what seemed to be utter happiness.

"Yeah, it was pretty crazy." Rainbow nodded along as she sat up. "He turned you into some crazy big creature thing!"

"And he totally smashed those spiders to bits!" Jeff added with extra sound effects to further 'enhance' the retelling.

"Well, if one thing I did get from this is that you two absolutely suck at telling stories." he deadpanned much to the other two's dismay, "What exactly did he turn me into that left such an impact on both of you? Especially you Jeffrey?"

"Oh! Oh! Right, just a sec." Jeff nodded before he pulled out his phone, "I recorded it cause my dumbass can't remember stuff like that!"

"Are... Are you proud of that fact..?" Charmcaster and Rainbow said in unison, then looked at each other before bursting out into a short-lived laughter. Jeff gave them a glare before searching up the sound file and pressing play on it.

'Amalgam. Of. Many things. Vaxasaurian, Evolved plus Tetramand plus Pyronite plus Necrofriggian. Mind is... Less smart. Less strain.' a deeper voice resounded from the phone for a couple seconds before the sound clip ended.

"That many, and what more, at once?!" Albedo voiced his surprise with a mild shout, "I did not know I can combine the alien forms themselves..." he muttered to himself. "Doctor, is there a larger room inside the TARDIS?"

"While I really don't like that look your giving me, and how that question sounded, I am inclined to say, yes, there is." the Doctor nodded with a sigh, "Follow me."

Gym, Inside the TARDIS

"You... You had a high school sized gym... Inside the TARDIS?" Jeff asked as his mind was visibly failing to comprehend the usefulness of the room as Rainbow joined his confusion with a vigorous nodding.

"I have a lot of things in the TARDIS Jeff." the Doctor shrugged, "Honestly, I can get lost sometimes."

"And the use for that is..?" Twilight spoke up with her own question.

"Shush now, they might be useful sometime!"

"Sometime outside our lifespan." Rainbow rolled her eyes with a groan as everyone but the Doctor shared a chuckle.

"Anyhow, since ya asked about this, ya wanna try the big monster combo I guess?" Jeff asked as he turned to Albedo who only nodded.

"That was my intention, yes."

"Just as I feared." the Time Lord sighed, "Oh well, might as well go for it." he shrugged with a small smile, actually quite curious.

"Alright then." the former Galvan cracked his neck as he closed his eyes and started to concentrate. The initial transformation into a Vaxasaurian still caused quite a bit of surprise to the pony group and the Doctor, the interesting red belt slung across his pale brown torso baring the hourglass symbol, and the pair of black pants with red markings that covered his entire lower torso safe for his feet was an interesting choice of attire in the Doctor's eyes.

'Then again, it is a humanoid dinosaur creature... Perhaps I should not expect much in that regard.' he shrugged after making a mental note.

What followed soon after however was much more of a surprise, now seeing it visibly take place. That being when Albedo evolved the creature, causing its skin to turn a very pale green as a large turtle shell like armor piece, complete with spikes and a pale dark blue coloration, now adorned his back, his head was also covered in a helmet like growth, to the Doctor it looked similar to an ankylosaurus, which was further reinforced as at the end of the creature's tail was now a similarly blue colored spiked mace. The clothing it lost was now replaced by armor and mechanical plates sticking out from various places of the creature's body as the sash also disappeared, the hourglass symbol now quite literally merged with the creature's armored torso, sickly appendages sprouting from it on four sides. He now spoke in a deeper voice, "Alright, now comes the fun part I suppose."

"Do you know what you're doin'?" Jeff asked with a raised eyebrow in concern.

"Absolutely no idea." he honestly admitted which almost floored everybody, "But technically I did it once." he shrugged soon after which looked quite odd coming from a large armored dinosaur creature. He clenched both his large fists as with a brief moment of concentration a second pair of arms suddenly appeared under his current ones which made him grin from success, "Alright, Tetramand successfully applied."

"Doing good so far." Charmcaster nodded reassuringly.

"Ah, so the four arms come from a different alien as well." the Doctor mused with a smile, "Interesting. What about those white lines we saw though?"

"That should be the next part." Albedo nodded as in a matter of seconds his whole body began to be covered by what seemed to be magmatic rocks, pure fire visible through cracks which the Doctor immediately associated with the white lines, as they soon covered the dinosaur creature's whole body. Its red eyes replaced by two larger gaps in between the stones as their ends began flaming. "And now for the final part." he nodded to himself as large pale blue moth like wings sprouted from his back which within a matter of seconds were also covered by the rocks and fire. "Ha! I got it!"

"Oh yes you do!" Jeff jumped in joy, "You look even better in color!"

"A-and a l-lot more terrifying!" Fluttershy meekly spoke up from behind Applejack.

"This is sure to prove itself useful in the future."

"Oh, one thing though!" Jeff spoke up again, "Your other self said that this would cause way more strain on you guys."

"Yes, I suppose that is an acceptable compromise." Albedo nodded as he turned back his forms one by one, not exactly sure what would happen if he tried to revert all at once. "But for now I do not think that will be a problem." he shrugged, "Thanks for the opportunity Doctor."

"Ha, thank you for showing me this!" he chuckled, "Now then, after a spectacle like that, are we ready to head back to your world?" he then narrowed his eyes, "Hopefully intact this time?"

"You are never going to let that go, are you?"

"Oh, you better believe I am not about to!"

"Give me a break here!" the Galvan groaned as the rest of the group just laughed at their exchange as they made their way back towards the Control Room, once again with the Doctor's guidance. "Oh, lest I forget! Before we do that though, we should make a stop back at the Mining Outpost, I promised that we will return."

"Ah, I see. Alright, I guess we can make a detour." the Doctor nodded along with a smile.

Break Room, Dwarven Mining Outpost, Amazon Rainforest, Brazil, Earth, Summer, 2018 A.D.

The TARDIS began materializing itself in the middle of a larger room with a long table in it, lined with a multitude of chairs. The table itself had a multitude of very tasty looking food items on it placed in larger patches onto the neatly set table. It was almost as if the dwarves were preparing for a feast, no not as if, that was more than likely what the preparations were going on for. However, that all stopped once an unfamiliar noise filled their ears, making most of them, who were not too immersed with their work, immediately turn their heads towards the source of the noise, an empty patch near a cavern wall.

"Wha' in blue blazes is that noise?" Duncan, one of the head dwarves, asked in utter confusion as Orwell and Simon joined him with a smile on their faces.

"We're 'bout ta have visitors Duncan!" Orwell declared with a wide grin as within a matter of seconds, the blue police box appeared out of thin air, leaving the blond dwarf confused.

The doors on the mysterious police box opened inwards as the white haired head of their savior popped out, looked around, and upon spotting the trio sported a wide happy grin, "Ha, first try!"

"That never happens." Twilight commented from behind him, "Are you sure?"

"Oi, don't just casually diss me and my TARDIS Ms. Sparkle!" the Doctor groaned in mock offense from the inside.

"Hey, you set a reputation for yourself man." Rainbow shrugged.

Albedo stepped out of the box and walked up to greet the trio in person, he extended a hand which each of them shook in turn with a smile as Orwell just put his hands on his hips and belted out into a good natured laughter.

"Ya did say ya were gonna come back as fast as you can, but I sure as hell didn't expect it to be in a couple hours!"

"Believe me, that is record time for us." Albedo laughed, "I see all of you are in the middle of preparations."

"Yeah, once we sent over securicam footage to HQ ta back up our claims about crazy space ghosts, they suddenly sent us over a whole buncha foodstuffs." Simon revealed with a confused shrug, "Dunno either man, but free food is free food. So, we thought we'd take a break for today and celebrate that we are not horrible purple mutant creatures!"

"And, now that ya guys are back, I suppose it came in handy as well!" the brown-haired dwarf added, "So come on, let's eat an' drink an' all that! ...Once we actually prepare everything." he awkwardly rubbed the back of his head upon realization which caused Albedo to snicker.

"I believe there is more than enough of us to help out here." he offered as everybody exited from the TARDIS, the dwarves at this point not even the slightest bit confused at the pastel colored group of ponies and Jeff. The group was already as weird as it could possibly get.

"Yeah, let us help." Charmcaster nodded, "We could use that much to wind down, it's been a tough couple of hours."

"Suit yerselves!" Orwell nodded, "We ain't about ta refuse some volunteerin' helpin' hands and... err, hooves?"

"That works for us." Rainbow shrugged with a grin, "Tell us what we can do! Oh, I'm Rainbow by the way." she added as everyone else introduced themselves back and forth and then set off to make preparations. It did not take long before everyone was sitting at the table, Albedo's group closer to Simon's group upon everyone's requests. In barely half an hour everyone seemed to be having the time of their lives, some of the dwarves gotten drunk beyond belief in that short amount of time whilst the others were quite overjoyed that everything seemed to return to normal for them. Albedo, the Doctor and the dwarven leader duo, Simon and Orwell, were chatting away about what happened with them until they found their friends, as the two dwarves were more than eager to listen in earnest.

In a couple hours, after the good majority of the food and drinks were gone, the ones not dead drunk were cleaning up everything in the large room as everyone was preparing for their friends' departure. Orwell, despite being one of the dwarves who drank the most, did not at all appear drunk or even tipsy, the same could also be said about their leader Simon, the two of them standing in front of Albedo and his group with large smiles on their faces as everyone around them either threw away the trash or picked up drunken dwarves to transport them to their temporary quarters.

"Dang, I really dunno how we're ever gonna thank ya." Simon smiled with a slightly depressed sigh as he looked up at Albedo.

"And I have already told you that, that is not necessary." Albedo smiled back, "I could not well enough leave you in your dire situation. Do not worry about it, really."

"Sonny, ya kno' we can' exactly do that don'tcha?" Orwell crossed his arms with a slight frown, "Dwarves don' exactly like bein' indebted to anyone ya see?" he then let out a short sigh before smiling, "So... Anythin' on your mind?"

"Hmm... If you are that adamant about it, I cannot well refuse." he sighed, "In that case, you really cannot help me right now, but you mentioned that you guys like to tamper with weapons and tools, right?"

"As well as any ol' dwarf, yeah." Simon nodded.

"Well, I have... Had a weapon of my own you see, but currently it is of the same fate as my companions were, lost, somewhere out there." he solemnly smiled, "So, I would like to request, that if I ever were to get it back... No, when I get it back, would you be so kind as to perform regular maintenance?"

"Sure I would!" Orwell nodded eagerly, "I've been needin' to relax a bit after all the work even without the alien ghost business. I'd be glad ta help ya out." he then scratched the back of his head awkwardly, "That is if I can help with it. One wee problem with that though, we don' exactly have a way ta contact ya do we now?" he looked behind him, at the TARDIS, where everyone was waiting for him, the Doctor lightheartedly listening in on their conversation from the doorway, "What with the whole dimension schtick?"

"Ah, of course!" Albedo nodded before taking out his phone from his jacket's pocket, "Do one of you perchance have a phone or a similar device? I have another device that could work, but I am confident in believing that none of you are telepaths."

"Yeah... That ain't gonna work. But I do have a phone!" Orwell nodded as he walked over to what appeared to be a coat rack and from one of the jackets, he picked up a phone that looked a lot more technologically advanced than Albedo's one. "Why?"

"May I?" he politely asked for the device which the dwarf eagerly gave, "As it turns out, through some strange events in the past, this number right here, somehow redirects to my phone, and my phone only. Even between dimensions." the alien explained, "It might be a bit costly if you were to call me though." he joked.

"That's fascinating." the Doctor spoke up from behind them, "How exactly did you find out about this though?"

"Umm, Kevin used Gwendolyn's phone somehow to call me once when we were in a precarious position, even with knowledge of the barrier, I do not know what caused it to happen to be perfectly honest, and he himself does not seem to remember so it is still a mystery, nonetheless the phone rang and we could hold a conversation."

"That's marvelous!" Simon exclaimed in happiness, "So, by that I guess you're also sayin' to call you if there's ever another portal?"

"I would also appreciate that, yes." Albedo chuckled, "There you go, all input and named." he smiled as he handed the phone back. The number had the name 'Albedo (Sonny)' input in it and with a goofy picture of Albedo smiling to decorate the contact.

"Ah, ya could've told me if ya didn' like bein' called that!" Orwell spoke up with a gentle smile.

"Come now, you were so into it, I could not take that from you!" Albedo chuckled as the Doctor had a smug grin on his face, confusing Simon as Orwell could not see him, as he seemed to know where this was going, "I just, you know... Thought I would let you know that I am more than likely older than you." he smiled as he closed his eyes and turned around.

"Wha-?!" the brown haired dwarf along with his boss did a simultaneous double take. "H-huh?" he then sighed, "I feel like I'm gon' regret this, but... How old are ya exactly?"

"917." he smiled as he put his hands on his hip.

"What in blue blazes?!"

"Second time we heard that today boss." Orwell chuckled as he put his phone away once more with the friendly immortal's number inside it. "That sure as hell wasn't on the list of things I was expecting to hear today."

"I can imagine." Albedo chuckled, "Now, I am sorry that I must leave on this surprising note, but before that I think I can do you guys one last favor?"

"Huh? What do you mean?"

"I believe you have mentioned that your teleporter is not operational?"

"Oh lord, you aren't thinkin' of..?"

However as if it was supposed to serve as an answer, Albedo was enveloped in a brief flash of red light to be replaced by a humanoid creature with very long arms and large hands, his body having red marks on a black base running along his back whilst the reverse color scheme was present at the front as the red lines formed a circle on his head which made it looked like an eye, the same mysterious hourglass symbol neatly staying on his chest. It was a Galvanic Mechamorph, which Benjamin simply dubbed as Upgrade. "If you would be so kind as to direct me towards the device."

Orwell just let out a chuckle after a brief whistle before guiding the alien over to the device's location. Once near it Albedo immediately merged with the device and in seconds began fixing it up and, as the nickname would suggest, upgrading it to last longer amongst other various small technical upgrades which only increased its performance.

"That should do it." the former Galvan declared, clapping his hands together, before he turned back.

"Yer just aimin' to make us collect a big debt aren'tcha?" Simon just whistled upon looking at the finished device, "How exactly are you expectin' us ta repay this?"

"I told you I do not require anything else besides the maintenance on that weapon so you do not have to worry about this." he smiled, "But, I believe I must be off now."

"Yer just gonna leave like that?"

"I apologize, I shall return whenever convenient but we must get going." Albedo showed a guilty smile.

"I see, in that case we best not keep ya." Orwell nodded as the trio moved back towards the TARDIS.

Albedo boarded the space ship and looked back at the two dwarves, "Until next time you two!" with those simple words and a wave from him the TARDIS dematerialized and disappeared through the time stream and between dimensions in a couple seconds.

"Well boss, we made some interestin' friends today."

"You can say that again." Simon chuckled.

"C'mon, let's go get some shut eye."

"I don' really think I'm capable of that right now Kingsley." Simon shuddered with excitement but nonetheless followed his second in command.

Main Hall, Colony Evacuation Shelter, Pacific Ocean, Earth, Summer, 2014 A.D.

"That's one hell of a story." Kai commented as she Ben, and his cousin who joined them recently just exited from her office.

"Yeah, no wonder they don't really like talking about it." Gwen nodded, "But at the same time... It feels like they want to feel familiar with us."

"I can't even imagine what that must feel like." Ben admitted, "We look exactly alike with people that they've lost... I, I don't know what to say to that."

"For how young they are comparatively, they are really holding it together." Kai added, "I guess like us in a way."

"Those two are almost terrifyingly competent with those weapons of theirs." Gwen added, "Makes sense now I guess." she sighed, "If only they didn't have to do that. Do you... Do you think that Fuse guy could become dangerous for us?"

"I don't know Gwen." Ben responded honestly, "From what we know of him, we probably couldn't take him if he exists in this world as well. But if he doesn't, as much as I hate to say it, it's best that only one world got sacrificed. Let's just... Let's just hope he doesn't find out anything about the portals... It could cause a disaster anywhere he visited."

"That's true. Those kids seemed brave, but I hope I'm not the only one who could tell that they are scared." Kai added.

"It's understandable." Gwen said with a frown, "All alone, in a place you only vaguely know... With people who look like your loved ones." she turned to Ben, "How is Ace handling this?"

"I... I really don't know. On the surface he seems okay, he's smiling and he's friendly. But even if I know he trusts him, he still seems to flinch every time he sees Albedo, but I don't think he noticed it yet." he let out a sigh, "I know he probably doesn't want us to worry about him, but... He's not exactly doing okay." he admitted, "Though Albedo did promise him that if he gets an ability to freely travel through worlds their first destination would be their old world, to change it."

"Would that mean that they'd go back home?" Kai asked.

"I'm afraid not." Ben shook his head in denial, "If Albedo manages to get back to their past, that's what it will be, the past. If they change everything, that will create a parallel world where they did not need to evacuate... Their home... It's already-"

"...Oh."

"I think they know that." Gwen added, "They, or at least Dawn and Dexter, are slowly coming to terms with that. But, do they know of this promise the two made?"

"I don't think so Gwen." Ben shook his head again, "They only told me about it in passing, so I don't think word got around to those two."

"I see..." Gwen clapped her hands together, "Well, I suppose we shouldn't dwell on it ourselves. We'll be there for them if they ever need help either way, won't we?"

"Ya bet we will." Ben nodded, "I'm gonna be sure of that."

As the three made their silent pledge to each other about their friends, a strangely familiar noise started ringing throughout the main hall again as Ben's eyes went wide and started to dart across the room in a visible worry. He knew this noise, of course he did, the last time he heard it, him and his girlfriend almost got flattened by what emitted it.

"I'm having the worst case of déjá vu right now." Ben grumbled as both Kai and Gwen looked at him in worry.

"What is-" Gwen managed to ask before being interrupted.

The one that interrupted her was a blue police call box appearing out of thin air in a short distance from them, its doors wide open with Albedo looking worriedly at them, hastily waving his arms around to tell them to move out of the way. What they didn't notice was that his right eye was green.

" Incoming!" he shouted in a slightly deeper voice, his hands turning into a pale red goop like substance as they extended forward and grew in mass enough to stop the phone box in its tracks and suspend it in midair, making it come to an almost immediate halt, safe for inertia. "Ha! Better landing. Than last. Time!"

" Really not reassuring!" Ben heard the Doctor's voice from inside shout in anger, " What is this dimension made of?!"

"Anomalies." he simply stated, then he noticed the trio close to them, Ben in the form of a Segmentasapien encapsuling himself and his friends in a dome which disappeared when he looked at them, "Oh. Hi Ben!" he waved ecstatically like a child.

' Ben?' the hero asked in surprise in his mind, ' What happened?'

As the goop like substance of a Polymorph slowly disappeared, gently putting the TARDIS to the ground, who Ben thought was Albedo stepped out of the space ship looking back at it with his hands on his hips, "Ha, she's in one piece now Doc!"

"Told you, not reassuring!" the Doctor once again shouted from inside as Ben saw him fiddling with what appeared to be a large circular device.

"Albedo!" Ben shouted as he turned back, this time with a smile on his face, "You guys are back! Really couldn't let go of the dramatic entrance, could ya?"

"Not our fault." he said with a shrug as he turned around with a smug grin, making Ben, who was now closer, clearly notice his right eye, "This dimension. It's... Tricky? For some reason. It's hard to. Get into. Makes ships like. The TARDIS, mess up. We don't know. Why." he then looked directly at Ben, this time both his heterochromatic eyes focusing in on him and the two girls, "Also, not Albedo." he added as he pointed to his eyes, "See? Different."

"H-huh?" Ben was visibly shocked, as were the other two, who were even less clued in on what happened in that Wasteland world, "That means you're... The other-?"

"Yup." he nodded ecstatically, "Getting. Smarter every. Minute!" he proudly declared before quite comically deflating, "Smart is... An overstatement, I'm stupid as hell." he saw Ben mouth 'What about that time?' as if to avoid directly asking it in front of the girls, thankfully he picked up on it, "Yeah, probably because of that. Kinda. Trigger happy." he shrugged, "No name. Until I have one. Call me No. 2 or something." he chuckled, "That's fun."

"Ah, o-okay." Ben nodded awkwardly at No. 2's suggestion, "Don't take this the wrong way, but if you're in control, what happened to Albedo?"

"Nothing major." No. 2 waved dismissively, "Passed out during travel. Got too much into testing something. Tell ya in a bit?" he mused, "He should be up soon."

"And you guys didn't stop him why..?"

"Do I. Look like. A responsible person?" No. 2 asked with an incredulous expression, "Dunno bout. The others tho." he then noticed how weirdly Ben was staring at him, "Couple months old. That's a lie. Only like. A month. Speaking still hard. Don't stare. Rude."

"Right, sorry." Ben chuckled before No. 2 as well started snickering, "You're a lot more easygoing than what I'm used to."

"Yeah, I guess." he shrugged, "Anger and fun. In massive dosages. And some extra side-effects, we don't. Talk about those." he declared.

"Are you two planning on letting us in too?" Gwen asked with a raised eyebrow as she and Kai walked closer to the two of them.

"Yeah, of course." Ben nodded, "Let's just wait for everybody to get out here first, okay?"

"Everybody? How many peopl-" Kai was about to ask how many people they have brought with them before for whatever reason she almost felt her blood freeze once a certain someone stepped outside the weird phone box. That someone being Jeff, a person Gwen only saw on a screen and Kai was still not told about.

"What's the hold up?" Jeff spoke up with a raised eyebrow, his skull patterned bandana completely covering his mouth.

"Nothing. Catching Ben. Up." No. 2 said with a shrug, "I'm. Regressing. In speech. Again."

"Then stop talking?"

"Fair."

"So, on that note, hey Ben!" he said happily as he extended a fist, as Ben returned his fist bump. "We miss anythin'?"

"Don't think you did, no." Ben shook his head with a smile, "But you guys have to catch us up as soon as possible."

"Oh believe me, this'll be a stupid story." Jeff chuckled before he noticed the undeniable stares coming his way, "Oh! Gwen and... Kai?" he declared first happily then in confusion, "Judging by your expression you don't have a clue who I am huh?"

"The topic didn't really come up, sorry." Gwen apologized as she seemed to calm down a bit. Jeff's presence was something she did not expect. It was overwhelming to her even despite the fact that he was not showing any life signs. "Are you okay?"

"As okay as I can be." Jeff shrugged then turned to Kai, "Oi, Earth-whatever to Kai, you in there?"

"H-huh?" Kai asked in surprise as she looked at her hands to notice they were shaking.

"What are you doing Jeff?" Ben asked, the name almost sending bells ringing in Kai's head.

"I dunno." Jeff shrugged honestly, but still he was clearly worried, "Gwen, can ya tell me anythin'?"

"I don't know why, but you have a very overwhelming presence." Gwen revealed, "I can't explain it, but to someone without powers it might be even worse of an effect."

"Oh, great. How do I uninstall it?"

Gwen snickered at that before continuing, "I could put a dampening spell on you until we figure out what the problem is."

"Oh, let's go with that then, sure." Jeff nodded along, as Gwen uttered a short spell and he briefly glowed for a second, "On that note Kai, this time hopefully better, I'm Jeff. Perhaps you've... heard of me?" he asked cockily as he took off the bandana revealing the carved smile which slightly took Gwen back seeing it up close, however it didn't really do much good for Kai.

"Put that back on." a friendly sounding female voice spoke up from inside the ship as Charmcaster appeared and gently smacked the back of Jeff's head. "At least for now."

"Fine, fine!" Jeff chuckled, "I don't care either way."

"Hope!" Gwen happily shouted as she practically ran up to the older girl to envelop her in a warm hug, "I haven't seen you in so long!"

"Haha, I'm here now Gwen." she smiled, "It's really been a while."

"It sure has." Gwen nodded, "I'm glad you're okay."

"Ha, with those two," she referred to Jeff and Albedo, "I had to be." she followed up with a shrug.

"So, you're Charmcaster?" Kai asked, walking up to them, now a good deal calmer that the spell was in place. A large burly man in the background, by the name of Paul, could be seen picking himself off the floor as he briefly collapsed once Jeff appeared, however to his relief, no one saw his blunder, "Ben told me about you, I'm Kai. Kai Green." she greeted the sorceress with a smile.

Charmcaster chuckled, "Nice to finally meet you Kai. Oh, by the way, everyone around here calls me Hope, you can do that too, no worries." she smiled, "We're gonna be seeing each other a lot going forward after all."

"Normally that would be totally ominous." Ben chipped in, "But in our situation..."

"All normal." No. 2 chipped in as well, "Not like anything we do is normal." he mused, "Well, anything you do, I'm... New."

"New..? What are you-" Gwen spoke up before she finally took note of the heterochromatic eyes, "Who are you?"

"OH! Someone who realizes first try!"

"What are you guys-" Kai was once again interrupted as a clearly annoyed female voice spoke up from inside.

"Can. We. Get. Out already?!" Jeff cringed, being the closest to the door, as Rainbow's head appeared next to his' and began shouting, surprising the girls once again. "You've been talking on and on and on, can we do that after everyone's out?"

"Fair point." No. 2 shrugged with a nod, "Anyplace where we can. Discuss everything?" he then sighed, "After you get over the talking ponies again?"

"Yeah, what's up with that anyway, didn't you guys already meet the Doc?" Jeff spoke up with a nod.

"They did yes." the Doctor nodded along too in confusion.

"Sorry, sorry." Kai apologized with a giggle, "I guess it's more unexpected than anything else, sorry about that."

"Hey, no harm done. I don't think you guys will be the last either." the Time Lord smiled, "I did receive a little trinket from Albedo soon after though." He added as he pulled out the ID mask from his pocket.

"An ID mask?!" Ben exclaimed with a wide grin, "You still had one of these?"

"Technically. We have two." No. 2 responded, "One is trash though."

"Yeah, it would have been so great if someone happened to tell me they even had an ID mask." Charmcaster passive-aggressively snapped at No. 2, somewhat surprising Gwen.

"Hey! Don't look at me, it ain't me ya mad at Hope!" he defensively put up his hands.

"I know, but you're the next best thing."

"I dunno whether to. Be hurt. Or impressed." No. 2 declared in a deadpan.

"Alright, stop!" Kai spoke up, clearly annoyed, "Can we just take this to the meeting room?"

"Finally, a good idea!" Rainbow flew over and nodded, the two looking oddly similar whilst crossing their arms, or in the pegasus' case forelegs.

At the scene the cousins looked at each other and bursted out laughing soon followed by Hope and the Doctor as the Time Lord put the TARDIS one second out of sync and made it disappear as the large group was now on its way towards the meeting room, well Gwen's 'office' more precisely.

Gwen's 'Office', Conference Room, Colony Evacuation Shelter, Pacific Ocean, Earth, Summer, 2014 A.D.

As the conference room was slowly getting populated, everyone soon deciding that Gwen's office would be a cramped fit with everyone inside, Gwen was getting more and more confused at their situation, the same could be said of the Navajo girl as the two looked on at the happily chatting ponies and their friends at the large table.

"So... Anyone mind filling us in on whatever happened?" the redhead asked as on her two sides both Ben and Kai nodded in agreement. Then the three of them immediately looked at No. 2 and the Doctor, sitting next to each other, with accusing glares as Gwen did a loud fake cough. "How about you two start..?"

"Oi, why is it always me gettin' the blame?!" the Doctor snapped.

"Oh, it's the same for you too?" No. 2 spoke up, turning towards the Time Lord, "I'm getting blamed for things I didn't. Do." his eyes suddenly flashed back to their original crimson ones, "Okay, okay, I am awake now! Apologies to all involved!" he coughed awkwardly, 'Thanks for the help.'

' Sure.' No. 2's mental voice resounded in his head.

"So, about what happened after we left here-" the former Galvan started their story, at certain parts being helped along by the Doctor, Jeff and Charmcaster, as they recounted everything that has transpired after they left their base upon recruiting the sorceress.

They went into detail about meeting the dwarven mining group and their dire situation. Particularly the detail about an alternate Zs'Skayr that sent shivers down Ben's spine, especially after the vaguely cryptic description of his 'master' and their apparently psychotic nature, and the alternate Ben's demise. Albedo and Ben went into a bit of an anecdote explaining No. 2's origins to particularly everyone besides Charmcaster, and then they detailed his terrifyingly fast growth into a full-fledged person of their own. Soon after the traveling trio detailed their experience with going through forty-two plus worlds in a row before actually locating Jeff and the missing girls, who in turn, after introducing themselves to the outpost trio, all told their side of the experience, greatly surprising Albedo this time. Jeff, whilst telling the story, leaned back in his chair and crossed his legs on the table, putting his hands behind his head nonchalantly.

"You... You actually ended up there?" Albedo let a small smile show, "Wow, it feels like it has been so long, were they doing alright?"

"Peachy, despite the odd warning of Paradox and the fake Loboans." Jeff chuckled, "They miss you two a lot, especially Hanako and her lil' bro."

"Yes, perhaps we should... Go back and visit sometime." Charmcaster mused.

"Either way, that's a lot to take in guys." Ben spoke up as he leaned back in his chair, "Though at least that explains why No. 2 had to stand in for you. You really don't know your limits."

"I am testing if I have limits!" Albedo triumphantly pointed to the sky before quieting down, "I apologize for my thoughtless actions once again however. Also, No. 2?"

"Temporary name until actual." Jeff responded.

"Ah. I see." Albedo nodded, "Now then, I believe everybody should be all caught up?"

"Yes, thanks for that." Kai nodded with a sigh, "Is this the current 'norm' by the way? Because I didn't know what I signed up for if so."

"Kai, c'mon, it was the norm even before that!" Ben chuckled, "It's just a bit more... multidimensional."

"Gee, really helpful." Kai rolled her eyes in response before laughing, "Still, this is interesting."

"What is?" Albedo asked.

"This whole situation, despite the whole Plumbers coup thing, it's somewhat exciting isn't it? I think it would be, going through all sorts of dimensions and all that?"

"It's all fun and games until a giant worm eats you." Jeff bluntly declared, "But otherwise, girl, you're speaking my language! Adventure!"

"Oh no, here we go again..." Albedo and Charmcaster said in perfect unison with worried faces.

"I am not even gonna question that." Kai honestly declared.

"On that note, what's your plan going forward?" Ben asked from the former Galvan.

"For now, I think we are going to go back to the base and have everyone relax, as we have been told by my dear other self, we cannot go back to their world yet." Albedo revealed, "Something is apparently off with the portal and it could cause some kind of situation. I do not know how he can feel it, but I am inclined to trust myself."

"Aren't the guys going to be overwhelmed?" Ben chuckled.

"Well, I will overrule it because I am the boss." Albedo smugly crossed his arms before bursting out into a laugh, "No, to be honest that is a possibility, no, it will more than likely happen, but we have the space to accommodate everyone for however long it would take."

"So, what he's saying is you're welcome back home." Charmcaster summarized, looking at the Doctor's group.

"Does that mean we're going back?" Ben asked from Albedo.

" We are, yes." Albedo nodded, "We just wanted to report that we have come back. Buut, as it seems like a certain someone is enjoying the company, so I do not think it would hurt to stay for a bit longer, eh?" he winked at the hero slyly who only blushed slightly at his implications, "I believe I have my confirmation." he chuckled, "Now then, we shall leave soon, but I still have one more thing to discuss... That is if you would be so kind as to inform me of our dear Dawn and Dexter's location?" he inquired from Gwen, who whilst not understanding the reason, was more than happy to disclose their location. She probably would have been weirded out or even straight up defensive a year ago, but she had to admit it to herself that she was trusting their former adversary more and more.

"Yeah, they should be in their rooms, just a sec let me give you the location."

"Thank you kindly." Albedo nodded as he stood up and started leaving, "This should only take a couple minutes, be back in a bit."

"What was that about?" Gwen asked from Charmcaster and Jeff in particular.

"Guess what he got a hold of now." Jeff sighed along with the sorceress as both of the cousin's eyes went wide.

"Holy shi-" Ben was about to curse before he caught himself, unintentionally. "That's huge!" he exclaimed happily, completely disregarding whatever might have lead to that point.

"Yeah, it really is." Charmcaster nodded, "I suppose he would like to share the information with those two as well, it is about their world after all."

"May I inquire what we are being left out from currently?" the Doctor spoke up before Ben did an awkward chuckle.

"Aaah, you see-"

Ben did his best to as quickly and as efficiently tell everyone on the Doctor's side about what Ace and his friends have told them about the world they came from in a desperate attempt to escape. The reactions were varied, but all leaned towards 'shock', and a general understanding of Albedo's promise to the young man.

"I see, I'm beginning to understand everything about this situation, or at least I hope I do." the Doctor nodded, "Is everyone you know in such a desperate situation?"

"If our own isn't any indication." Ben shrugged, "In a sense we're all used to dire situations, this is just a new level." he sighed, "A level I didn't think we would ever come to."

"Indeed, interdimensional mishaps are seldom a common occurrence." a gentlemanly voice spoke up from behind Ben, giving him the shock of the day.

"Paradox! Stop doing that!"

The time traveling professor chuckled with a gentle smile, getting some glances from the Doctor and the girls minus Rainbow Dash, "My apologies Benjamin, I am short on time, as such I could not really choose where I would arrive, only when."

"Is there an actual problem this time Prof?" Jeff spoke up as he sat up normally, unusually serious if Rainbow had to admit.

"Oh no, nothing of the sort! I am just here to know if you heeded my warning. Though I suppose knowing the outcome of the situation hardly begets a second check. However, I do have some interesting, if not concerning, news to all of you."

"When you say it's concerning Prof, I don't think I wanna ignore it." Ben gulped.

"I'm afraid to inform you that this world is officially off my radar. I do not... Know anything that will happen in the future from this point on, I have never been in this one from this point on. Not this current version of me at least, which would mean..."

"That this world is forming... Because of us?" Charmcaster questioned, the Doctor and his group, especially the Time Lord intently listening into their conversation.

"That seems to be the case, yes my dear." the professor nodded with a small smile, "Perhaps with time, things will return and I will be able to be more helpful in terms of things, but, concerning this world, for the time being I do not believe I can be of any more help."

"Do not worry about that Professor!" Albedo cheerfully spoke up as he has just returned to the room, "We already knew this would happen, or at least you did, did you not?"

The professor laughed heartily, "It seems I cannot hide even that much from you, can I now? I did have an inkling of something like this transpiring once we have confirmed you to be a special case."

"Ey, the special snowflake causes more problems! Whoopde-doo!" Jeff teased with a thumbs down, "What we gonna do now, did you tell them?"

"I did, indeed." Albedo nodded, "They were surprised of course, but otherwise I received no requests to stop." he sighed, "Perhaps it is for the better."

"Oh, is this perchance about young Ace's world?" Paradox spoke up with a question.

"Oh, you know of it?!" Albedo happily asked.

"Of course I do! After all... I was the one who brought them here." Paradox revealed to everyone's shock, "Or rather, I will be the one."

Alright, so with that beautiful cliffhanger, I am ending this short yet at the same time really long three-chapter arc that took forever to get out to all of you still around.

Nonetheless, whilst it may not really seem like it, this was one arc of the original draft of the story that I really liked, but felt that I didn't realize it how I wanted to. As such, this complete rework of it is what I feel I am satisfied with. On the other hand, whilst it may seem like a simple side adventure, which I won't deny it to be, it set the stage for future events with some characters and revelations. Especially with this ending which was specifically made for the rewrite, not that this says much.

Yes, alternate Zs'Skayr will return sometime, along with his dear old master that he so smugly teased the group, or more specifically Albedo, about. I understand if he feels underwhelming, that was kind of the purpose of his character. To be an almost complete opposite of main universe Zs'Skayr. The main version is obviously manipulative, calculative and an actual boss that ruled with fear, for the most part, but this alternate one is clearly inferior, even if his master is supposed to be a character to be feared, he should feel much more like a minion than main Zs'Skayr does.

I am also sorry if the phone thing seems a bit on the nose, but I figured it would be a time skip thing, so I'm just gonna call it a Deus Ex Machina for this part and call it a day.

Either way, I learned not to make promises as getting these chapters out took way longer than I intended, and I do not have an excuse for that besides real life getting in the way of it all. I promised in January to get it out as soon as possible, that became September. As such, I will not promise an ETA for the next chapter, but it will come, sometime.

If you're still around, thanks for all the support, even if you only just read it in your spare time, I appreciate it. Till next time.

Also, PS, sorry for formatting errors again.