...Alex of the human Wasteland is gone. Home, I hope, but possibly taken.

Sun burn it all.

Since I can't go to him wherever he is, I - well, apart from losing a friend? I need someone who knows something about ionizing radiation and rad poisoning to help me run some diagnostics. I need a second opinion.

visual

[ A red bear sits on of the Agency’s roof. She’s never really gotten out of the habit of hanging out on rooftops. Even turning into a bear and getting a real place to sleep can’t break it. ]

So, Equestria. Got a question I’ve been meanin’ ta ask ya. What do ya believe in?

[ She’s got a stick of Pocky half-hanging out of her mouth, and she chews it idly. There’s a gorgeous sunset which is reflecting off of her fur. The image is filled with oranges and yellows. ]

Now, tha’s diff’rnt from what ya believe, see. I believe gravity exists, an’ tha’ everythin’ balances, an yadda yadda. Whatever else.

No… when yer losin’ hope, I wanna know what ya turn to. Who ya trust. What ya know’s right.

[ She shrugs and pulls out another stick of Pocky, the previous one chewed away. ] S’just a good thing ta remind yerself of sometimes, I think. Ya always gotta know why yer doin’ whatcher doin’. Otherwise ya might as well not do it.

I usedta believe in God. I mean, I still do, but I got ta thinkin’ he din’t have time fer magical girls like me. We struck out on our own, we got powerful an’ we paid the consequences. I still believe in Him.

But I also believed in my dad. I think I believed in him just as much. He’s how I knew God. Tha’s why it was bad when…

[ She chokes up and shakes her head. ] Well… never mind, tha’s private.

But tha’s not what drives me anymore. Not th’only thing, anyway. I still remember my dad, and I still pray ta God, but… things change. I’m not fightin’ fer them anymore. I think I’m fightin’ fer you.

[ A weak smile. ] One o’ you more than the rest. But still. … Heh, I dunno if this even makes much sense. But… I was talkin’ with Jappleack, an’ I don’ even think mosta what I want ta do is fightin’ anymore. Damn place… but… whether I’m fightin’ or not, s’still because there’s somethin’ I believe in. Somethin’ here.

[ She thinks for a moment, trying to figure out if there’s a better way to end it. She reaches out to turn off the recording. ]

Oh! Wait. One more thing. We got the shrine an’ tha’s good, but I was thinkin’ about creatin’ a meditative space out by th’forest. Let me know if ya’d have any interest in that.

An’, yeah, answer my question. What ya believe in. I really do want ta know.

*What is...is that yogurt all over David and his nice suit? Well, it's some sort of thick, goopy, pastel-but-appetizing colored muck, anyway.*

I have a bit of information everypony might find interesting, and in turn a question that might turn up an interesting answer. I spoke to Ms. Pers Muskiet Raker of Hoovesweek today with the intent of judging the possibility of buying the magazine to put an end to the propaganda I've heard stories about. My apologies for not warning you of the zombies' interference before the magazines hit the shelves, but I thought it might be entertaining to see the reactions.

But the zombies are just a minor detail, aside from the fact that everypony's favorite editer-in-chief seems remarkably unbothered by the fact that they hijacked the presses this issue. No, the really signficant part of what I learned was that Hoovesweek has already been bought. It was acquired just over a year ago, before the first of the Newponies arrived, and Ms. Raker seems to be uncomfortable with this fact. I also learned that the current owner isn't interested in selling, at least not for anything of material worth.

So, Equestria, here's my question to you: just when was it that Hoovesweek began printing these blatantly inflammatory stories? If the answer is what I think it is, well...I hope I don't have to explain the significance.

A point.

A world of demons is still a world with life and thus infinitely preferably to a dead world.

Another point.

A world of demons is no different than how this world is now, only more honest.

Would you disagree?

Now that we are back in Ponyville this late afternoon, I have been approached for a unique request. It seems that the resident chapter of the Party ponies would like to hold a Giving Festival on the 9th. This would however, entail cooperation from the two of us, in order to arrange the stars and the moon into the harvest state. The Giving Festival traditionally falls on the Harvest Moon, a sign of the autumn harvests as well as the Running of the Leaves later this fall. And thus being said, we would like to sponsor it with the gains from a previous venture.

If you would be so kind to aid us in our preparations, harvest foods and games will need to be set up in Ponyville for the day in question, as well as entertainment and other foods. A specialized brand of Moon Dumplings will be crafted as well, for when the Harvest Moon rises that evening.

Let us hope for a better fall, than it has been for our summer.

That being said, a second wave of enchanted t-shirts are available for this occasion. Feel free to order them.

[It starts with a shot of the sky. A small cat can be running over the scroll, trying to move it somewhere. Loud raspy breathing is heard nearby. The voice tries to say something, but all it seems to get out is coughing. Eventually, a black hoof appears to close the scroll.

Five minutes later, a message is sent out.]

Back here. Town square alley.

Body hurts. Breathing hurts. Can't get up. Need hospital.

If not real, go away. Tell Monojerk to stuff it.

[After asking around, Littlepip has a general idea of where and when she is. The past... It's so full of life. And the best part about this is that it's no memory orb.

So what does Littlepip do to celebrate? She opens the scroll which she asked about and looks really cheerful.]

Look!

[Her horn lights up with a green aura and some grass floats into vie of the scroll.]

Grass! Alive! Green grass! I love the past!

[And then Littlepip shifts the view down to the ground. She deliberately falls over and starts rubbing herself in it and rolling around in it.

...Give her some slack, she's from a post-apocalyptic future.]

When the scroll turns on, Hayate is practically vibrating, a wide grin on her muzzle.

"Hey everyone! Lyra gave me the Works!"

...HAYATE NO

"It was amazing and I've had it four more times since then!"

NO STOP

"So, um, I thought, since I am the Guardian Angel of Ponyville and all us scroll-bearers, I'd just say, well...if you're here in the Crystal Empire you should totally get the Works too, and if you're back in Ponyville you should still come here and get the Works. Seriously."

WHYYYYYYYYY

Hello everypony, new and old. My name is Velvet Remedy, and my friends call just me Velvet.

Once upon a time, I comforted someone in pain by singing them a golden oldie, and earned my mark; a singing bird on the wing. My Overmare - our Mayor, let's call her - decided in her infinite wisdom that my talent and my purpose was OBVIOUSLY in entertainment. My first name and my voice were, she told me, both 'Velvet,' after all.

Well. Let's call her mistaken. I don't mind singing; but that's no longer my life. My talent and my duty is different.

To spread both solace and freedom.

To that end, I'm going to try to set up a clinic in the Night Market. Payment is strictly sliding-scale. While I can help with most any injuries, my specialties are curing radiation sickness and...

[Here, she sighs, and there's a sadness in her voice]

...helping addicts recover. I have more than a little experience with that. Not firsthand, but secondhand was bad enough.

By the way, if anyone should think to make intelligence enhancing pills, particularly ones like chewable mint candies;

Don't. Just. Don't.

I'm open to questions.

H-hi everypony.

I wanted to ask if any of you are still interested in adopting one of the kittens I offered before. They're now old enough to leave their mother and live with you. Please let me or one of the other Fluttershys know as soon as you can. Of course if you asked for one earlier you are first in line.

Oh and um-

[She opens her mouth to speak but suddenly there is a flash of light and with a clap she bursts into rainbows, leaving Angel Bunny and the kittens sitting stunned and alone inside her cottage.]

So seeing as how Hoovesweek hasn't changed any since I've been gone, and they're still massive jerks, I've got a question.

Has anypony tried to talk with them and see what their deal is?

I mean they have an office in Canterlot where their editor in chief is. I mean, come on, what if we all tried writing to these ponies? I mean some of them would have to respond, right? Or...

[Surprise pauses a minute, and mumbles, as if thinking to herself.]

Man, what if we went there to talk to them? Like not all of us, I mean that'd be crazy! I don't think all of us could fit into their offices unless they had, like, one of those sky-rises or something with the large water fountains in the lobbies and everything. I mean I guess they could have that. I don't think they do though. They don't seem like they got that many ponies working for them.

Uh. Sorry.

Anyway, what if a few of us at least actually went to try and talk to them? I don't see any kind of bad outcome from it you know? I mean what's the worst thing they could do any of us who show up? Write something nasty about us? This is just going on too long though, you know? And it's rude and annoying and it's getting...kind of aggressive. At least more than I remember it. So I don't see nothing wrong with trying to talk to and see what their problem is. I mean there's gotta be something we can do better than just getting mad at what they write.

Citizens of Equestria! Your Prince Artemis speaks!

I have been turned into a stallion!

That is all.

Continue on your day.

[And Prince Artemis nee Princess Luna flips his mane in a very Fabio-sort of manner.]

There's some crinkling paper noises - a little like static - and then the voice of a mare. And what a voice. Rich, resonant, perhaps a little cracked around the edges; like - well, like the aural equivalent of velvet. Oddly enough. And she says:

"I'm to understand that I'm the latest in a string of odd foalnappings, then?"

She chuckles.

"I'm not going to bore you all with the details of how I found myself here and where I came from. Just with the here and now, and with what a dear friend calls the Good Fight. Or your Good Fight, anyway."

She pauses, then her voice grows firmer; resolved.

"You may call me Velvet Remedy," she says. "I stand ready to assist the people of..." is that a touch of awe in her voice? "...Ponyville against the Pale Pony. My talents are primarily medical."

A pause, then: "And musical, I suppose. Help me help you."

Finally, as a sort of embarrassed afterthought, she says - "Oh. And if anyone here, ah, collects bottlecaps, I have an interesting collection from my world to sell or exchange." She chuckles at that.

I've been here a little bit, so I guess its time to ask...where can I get work here? I worked mostly as a courier back in my world, but I can do other things as well. I'm, ah, not really sure where my skill set fits in this world, though. But I'm willing to try and pick up something new, especially since no one here takes caps and I'm sick of eating grass.

*Alex has been just grazing since he got here (except for Neph's delicious strawberries!), after all.*

And I guess I'll need a place to live? Or at least a place I can crash in when I'm in town.