Unaware of the events happening in the streets of Ponyville, Starlight Glimmer, Sunset Shimmer, and Trixie had taken a quest of their own. It was true that they had cherished Manuel's arrival, but it was still strange enough for them to wonder if there was more they needed to know about it, either to protect him or the rest of the ponies. Whit that in mind, they traveled to Canterlot. If anypony knew something about what was going on, then that would have to be the wise Princess Celestia.

When they arrived, Celestia welcomed them with open arms. She could already read the distress on their faces as they approached her. "We're terribly sorry to bother you, Princess," Starlight said determined to get the answers she was looking for.

"You're not bothering me whatsoever," the princess reassured her. "I welcome all of you, so please, tell me what I can do for you."

"It's about Manuel," Sunset hurried to say. "We saw him in Ponyville, and we were shocked!"

"Yes," Trixie added. "We were so happy to see him too, but he doesn't remember us or anything about his life in New York."

"I guess we were just wondering how could this happen, and how can we help him get his memory back." Starlight was clearly concerned, and she tried her best to remain strong for her friends. "We figured you would be able to tell us what happened, and how to move forward."

Celestia smiled a sort of bittersweet expression taking over her delicate features. "I can only imagine how hard it must have been to find your friend only to realize he doesn't remember you," she said, and the ponies lowered their gaze to the floor. They were sad and worried, but all they could do was try to make things better in any possible way.

"I was the one who brought Manuel to Equestria," Celestia continued. "I saw him fight against a terrible enemy in the streets of New York, you might know him as the Green Goblin." The shocked expressions on the ponies' faces told Celestia that they knew about the villain and how menacing he was. "Even though he tried his best, the Goblin overpowered him and ended up defeating him. It was an unfair battle, and Manuel was suffering too much to be able to concentrate on the fight fully. The Goblin took advantage of his kind nature and Manuel had to make a choice. He could either defend some humans or escape a deadly blast. As you know him, you probably can guess what he chose."

"He's always been too good for his own sake," Starlight nodded as she answered. "I guess that explains his injuries."

"Yes," Celestia explained. "I was able to revive him, but since his body had sustained such extensive damage, I could only bring back a younger version of himself, that still carries some battle wounds. I explained to him what was happening to him when I brought him here, but I guess the trauma was far greater than I thought. Still, his memory should return eventually."

"Sister," a voice came from behind Celestia. When the pony moved forward Starlight and her friends realized it had come from Princess Luna. They hurried into a courtesy to show their respect and Luna smiled. "Oh, sorry, I didn't know you were busy."

"It is not a problem, Luna. We were talking about Manuel." Celestia moved a few steps to the side to make room for her sister.

"Oh, perfect. I just wanted to talk to you about something that might have to do with that." Luna looked out the window and her eyes turned pensive and deep. "I sense something strange. There's a shift in the universal fabric that's forcing the energy of the plane into unusual shapes."

"What does that mean?" Trixie asked as she looked between the princesses. "Is something bad happening?"

"I don't know," Luna answered. "But it is not something to ignore."

"I agree," Celestia said. "Considering everything that's been going on lately, we cannot ignore the sensations that the realm itself is sharing with us. Let me concentrate. If I can focus on the energy that binds our plane into existing, then maybe I can…"

Celestia felt silent as she closed her eyes. She had fallen into a deep state of concentration almost instantly. The rest of the ponies did their best to remain silent as she struggled with something she was seeing. Celestia's brow furrowed and her expression turned into something painful and concerned. Something was not right.

"Sister?" Luna asked, raising a tentative hoof in her direction. "What's going on? Celestia, please, you're scaring me."

Suddenly, Celestia was brought back from her trance. Her breathing was rough and she had to wipe her forehead from the exhaustion. "I had a vision," she said, and everypony gathered closer to listen to what the princess was about to say. "There was a rupture in our realm's surface. Someone arrived from another world bringing chaos, pain, and death."

The ponies gasped in horror. Just when they thought everything was going to improve this happened. They had reunited with Manuel after they'd thought he would probably remain as nothing but a distant memory. He had no recollection of his past, but they were sure that he would remember them in time. But now, something terrible was happening in Equestria, and they were suddenly afraid.

"It's the Goblin," Celestia confirmed as she regained her bearings.

"How can this be?" Luna asked clearly confused and annoyed. "Only powerful ponies can travel between worlds. Besides, didn't you say that he thought Manuel was dead?"

"Yes," Celestia confirmed her sister's assumptions. "I thought so too. Apparently, though, he hasn't come here alone."

"Is someone helping him?" Sunset asked, appalled.

"Who could be doing such a terrible thing."

Celestia took a deep breath. "Chrysalis."

The collective gasp was only a mild representation of the true shock they were experiencing. No wonder Celestia was so shaken up by the vision. "The Goblin also looks bigger and stronger than what he looked like in New York. Sometimes, people and creatures would see their bodies altered as they travel between worlds. But, of course, you know that well." Celestia said as she looked a the trio of ponies in front of her.

"What do we do now?" Sunset asked.

"There's not much time. The Goblin will be heading toward Ponyville soon. You must go there and warn Manuel. If you can't make it in time, I don't know what could happen."

The trio was stunned for a few seconds. It was as if the words had reached their ears, but the shock was too much for their bodies to process them. "Go!" Celestia urged them, shaking them out of their heads.

"Yes!" The three of them replied as they hurried out.

"Shouldn't we go too?" Luna asked her sister as the ponies left behind the sound of distant galloping.

"If Chrysalis is here, I don't want to take any chances. I don't want anything bad happening to Manuel either, but we cannot leave the castle unprotected." As always, Celestia was wise and her decisions felt right. Luna nodded and stood by her sister. It was a hard choice to make, but she trusted it was the right one.

With her horn glowing with a green aura, Chrysalis opened a portal toward Equestria. "Follow me and you will have your revenge."

The Goblin climbed tho his glider and crossed the portal, and several things happened at the same time. He began to grow, mutating and destroying his armor in the process. His skin turned green, two horns grew on his forehead, and two small ones on his chin. His shoulders grew several small bones outside his skin. His hands now were big, with nails like claws. His legs changed and grew bigger, his feet grew claws too. A fire began burning him from the inside and his hands were covered in fire, it felt hot but didn't burn anymore. He realized that now he was almost 10 feet high with big muscles.

His Goblin Glider suddenly couldn't support him anymore, and he began falling from that altitude. He was scared, but when he landed, he realized he wasn't hurt, and a small cut with a

tree branch began to heal quickly, closing in mere seconds. Strangely, he noticed his blood was orange in this form.

"Oh, silly me, I forgot to tell you," Chrysalis said. "The travel can sometimes change and mutate the travelers from your realm."

"This was not part of our agreement," the Goblin said. "And I can't fly now."

"True. But, now you look like a proper goblin," Chrysalis said. "Are you ready for some fun? We can take care of your appearance later."

"Oh, yes. I am ready, Chrysalis," he said with a deep voice that made the forest tremble.

A small fire had taken a bush next to him. The flaming bush illuminated the small patch of forest, and the goblin crushed it under his feet to stop the fire to spread.

"Looks like I need to get used to these new powers," the Goblin said to Chrysalis. "Tell me, where can I find the spider?"

"He was in Ponyville, not far from here," she said. "Follow that river and you will reach the village shortly."

Meanwhile, in Ponyville, Manuel was walking towards the library with Twilight Sparkle and Spike in stride. He still couldn't believe what he had done. Where did all that strength come from? Maybe it was one of those moments when the body acts on its own fueled by the adrenaline and the need to help someone. It still was strange. Hat about those strange flashes he had? He was still worried about them, and his memories. He had the chance to grasp a little of what was locked inside his mind, but aside from the strength he showed, he couldn't remember much.

Manuel sighed, there was nothing much to do anyway. Twilight had suggested some research to be done, but he wasn't optimistic about finding answers within books. Particularly considering that such books belonged to Equestria, and he didn't.

"Don't worry," Twilight reassured him even though he hadn't said anything out loud. "If we can't find what we need in the books, then we will try something else. One step at a time, ok?"

"Yeah, ok," he answered lowering his gaze to the ground. Manuel was grateful for having Twilight with him through all of this, but he didn't want to burden her with his thoughts.

"This is the library," she said once they had arrived. Manuel looked at the strange building and a tiny smile spread on his lips. It was shaped like a tree, and it looked as whimsical and fantastical as everything else around him. When Twilight had mentioned a library, he had pictured something along the lines of where he had woken up in Canterlot, but he found himself marveling at the structure.

They went inside and Manuel noticed that the structure was an actual real tree. He smiled as he inhaled the scent of live wood coming from every angle and did a quick survey of the shelves.

There were all kinds of books on them, from simple bedtime stories to obscure magical secrets. He wondered if maybe he could find a little information about Ponyville there too. It'd be nice to know more about the place he was now going to call home.

After only a few minutes since their arrival, the door opened again. Three fillies entered the library chatting amicably among themselves. There was another pony with them but she was older, probably around Twilight's age. "Girls, please don't make so much noise," she asked them in the quietest voice.

"Sorry, Fluttershy," they answered still too loud for a library, and the pony–Fluttershy–sighed.

As she turned around, Manuel noticed how pretty the pony was. She had cream-colored fur and a soft pink mane and tail. Half of her face was hidden by her luscious mane in an unconscious attempt to hide from the world. He wanted to meet her too, particularly since Twilight approached her and they seemed to be friends.

"Let me introduce you to Manuel," Twilight said as she signaled him to approach her. "He's not from around here."

Immediately, Fluttershy's demeanor changed. She was suddenly excited about meeting someone so different. She was talking so fast it was hard to keep track of what she was saying, but Manuel smiled anyway. It was nice to be looked at like that, even if it made him feel like a science experiment of sorts.

As Twilight was making the pertinent introductions thought, the library's door rattled and three flustered ponies entered the room. "Starlight, Sunset, Trixie, are you alright?" Twilight asked them as she examined their worried and disheveled status.

"There's no time!" Starlight shouted. "Manuel, I'm sorry but, the Green Goblin is here. Maybe you don't remember him, but he's coming to attack you. We need to get ready!"

Manuel was startled. The name rang a bell but he couldn't exactly attach a face to it. His blood was running colder for some reason, but he was not going to let fear take the best of him. He had no reason not to trust the ponies' word, but he also feared for their wellbeing.

"Go somewhere safe," he begged Twilight. "Please, take the fillies with you. You must protect them."

"There is not a chance in the world that I'll leave you alone." She responded. "You're my responsibility, and I will not let you fight whoever that is all by yourself."

Manuel felt a headache starting to bubble up behind his eyes. For some reason he couldn't yet comprehend, he was sad, afraid to lose the ponies he had come to care about and appreciate. "Ok, but we have to move away from the city. If he's coming after me, then we better keep everyone else safe by moving his target."

"Now that sounds reasonable."

As they moved away from the village, Twilight signaled for the direction of the forest where smoke was rising among the trees. "It is not common for a sudden fire to erupt out of nowhere," she indicated and Manuel nodded.

They walked towards the smoke, keeping in mind their objective to prevent the Goblin from reaching the village and jeopardizing the rest of the ponies. When they were closer, a ball of fire passed them by mere inches, falling behind Manuel and Twilight. They turned around but they couldn't leave, they were trapped.

"Hello there, spider-boy," the Goblin said as he approached them. Manuel was startled by his enormous frame and how menacing he appeared. "Fancy meeting you here, I thought you were dead."

Memories and confusing thoughts began circling Manuel's mind. Whatever the Goblin was saying made sense in a way he couldn't completely comprehend. There was nothing for him to say, nothing to do but to try and stop the monster, so he assumed a fighting stance and waited.

"Nothing to say?" The Goblin replied. "That's ok, I'll just have to make sure to eliminate this pest again, this time, for good."

The Goblin launched forward shooting fire from his hands. His bigger body allowed him to concentrate his powers better, creating massive incandescent streams that made everything around them burn. Manuel ran toward him, looking even smaller in comparison. He used his super strength to lift a heavy boulder and threw it at the Goblin's head.

The Goblin ducked, but just when he wasn't watching, Manuel punched him in the stomach. The giant beast doubled over in pain and retreated. He made a ring of fire around Manuel and Twilight and took a couple of steps back. He had intended to surprise Manuel and kill him in one single blow, but somehow the kid had found him before he could do that. It was time to retreat. He would have to try again once he had full control over his powers.

"Let's see how you get out of this one, you annoying little bastard," The Goblin said before running away back into the forest with maniac laughter on his lips.

"What are we going to do?" Twilight asked.

"I don't know," said Manuel. "But at least we and the rest of Ponyville are ok. We'll figure this out."