My Little Pony: Echos of Dream Valley

"You're welcome my princess. Is there something else you needed to tell me?" he asked

"Well there is a bit of news concerning Captain Shining Armor," Luna paused for a moment "you see he is going to be wed very soon. The problem here is that you are one of our advisers, and you're supposed to be present for such major events." Luna resumed her pacing "And given how injured you still are, you can not do that. You will need to appoint a temporary replacement," she tapped her chin thoughtfully "Who should it be?"

"I know somepony who can do the job, but I'll need you to bring everypony in here. Well everypony that matters anyway, which means that Celestia will need to be here as well." he replied

"Very well." Luna said as she trotted to the door "I will bring my sister as well as Twilight, Megan, Ace, Sunset, and Trixie. I do not think that your other friends will be healed just yet."

Bryan laughed "Yeah and I bet Rarity's a little cranky about it too."

Luna smirked and left to round everypony up.

Pinkie snuggled up to Bryan and sighed. "Bryan do you think the doctors will let me stay with you tonight?"

He smiled at her "I don't see why not, I'm not in any real danger anymore and you wouldn't be underhoof. We'll ask Nurse Redheart and see what she says." Bryan looked at Pinkie thoughtfully "Hey Pinkie, I've wanted to say something to you for a while but I could never figure out how."

She nuzzled him and asked "What is it honey?"

Bryan blushed "Well I'm not trying to bash your mane and tail, and I don't like it when your sad. But I have to say, that your natural beauty really shows when your mane and tail are straight. Not that I don't like them poofy, it's really cute." he stroked her mane

Pinkie blushed and buried her face into the blankets "You-you think I'm pretty?" she said her voice small and squeaky

"Oh definitely. You are a very beautiful mare Pinkie, it doesn't show very easily but you are. The best part is that it comes from your heart, that makes it meaningful." Bryan said smiling he then leaned forward and kissed Pinkie on the nose

She giggled "You silly filly you don't need to kiss me on the nose anymore. Just kiss me, like this." she placed her hoof on the side of his face and pulled him into a sweet kiss.

A kiss that earned an "Awwwwww." from their impromptu audience as Luna had just trotted into the room followed by the others. And a chorus of giggles from both princesses, Megan, Twilight, and outright laughter from Ace, Trixie, and Sunset.

"And ponies say I'm a player. He only was considering having a herd this morning, now he found his third mare be for I did!" Said Ace be fore he started laughing again. The two changelings holding him up from rolling on the floor.

At first looked like Bryan was going to protest Ace's statement. But then his face turned into a sly smile. "Well that's just one more thing on steadily growing list of thing that I've one-upped you on lately Ace." he replied and then took Pinkie's face in his hands and gave her a deep tongue kiss in front of everypony.

"Whoa," Pinkie panted her face red "I want another! Come here baby!" she said as she kissed him again.

"No they picked you... I earned mine your just lucky." said Ace.

Trixie snorted and said. "Lucky is right I mean you nearly died from mana overload then, there was the time with the manticore and, that time when you got swallowed by the quarray eel, that time you helped Rarity and Spike dig gems and the dogs wanted to roast you, and the time you nearly died doing your first overload, and that time when you were learning magic from me, and then the rock slide, and the whole mare of shadows prank you and Dash did, and- "

Sunset cut her off. "We get it Trix. But yeah at least when Ace nearly kills himself he has a plan you just walk in to it and somepony pulls your flank out of the fire."

Bryan smiled "They picked me Ace because I don't go out of my way to get in trouble. I'll admit to having been unlucky, badly unlucky but at at least my 'plans' involve actual thought. As for the mana overload, well that was really crazy. But Trix, I've never been swallowed by a quarry eel, I've never even been to Ghastly Gorge. That was just a crazy dream after all. There was also never a rock slide that I was involved in, I was in Canterlot that day and only heard about it from you and Ace." he stuck out his tongue "I have never just walked in and counted on somepony to just pull me out Sunset, you're thinking of Charger. He doesn't act as smart as he is sometimes."

Luna laughed "There are simply to many crazy events to believe sometimes. I'm lucky that I can keep everything straight at times."

"It is true." Celestia said "Things have definitely gotten more interesting since both Ace and Bryan have arrived in Equestria. So who's your choice to replace you for the time being as our adviser?"

Bryan looked at both princesses "That's an easy one, the only qualified individual in Equestria for the position at the moment is none other than Megan herself. So in my capacity as royal adviser on human matters in Equestria I do hereby appoint you Megan Williams as my interim replacement." he looked at the royal sisters "Do you two accept my appointment?"

Luna and Celestia nodded in accent "Yes," they said in unison "we accept your replacement."

"Very well," Bryan said now on to other business."

"Hey this place was crazy long before I got here.... and Charger is a mare.... though her being as tall and Cadence, fights like a bulldozer, but twice as stronger and always in full plate armor, does make it hard the tell. I mean it's become common for her to be called sir and she stopped correcting other ponies. Though must jump in shock when she speaks." said Ace

Bryan faceplamed "I said he when I meant she didn't I?" the question was rhetorical "I must have been hit harder in the head than I realized." he hung his head. In two years of having known her he had never once mistaken her for a stallion despite her physique.

Megan giggled "I can't say I've ever seen you do that before Bryan." she looked at Luna and Celestia "I don't really know what's involved with the job, but I'll do my best."

Celestia giggled "That's exactly what Bryan said when we appointed him to the position. Now on to the business at hoof, there is going to be royal wedding in Canterlot soon. Twilight I would like you and your friends to help with the wedding preparations. "

Twilight bowed "We would be honored princess."

Celestia smiled "Good once Rarity is back on her hooves we'll discuss what everyponies role is to be."

Luna turned to Ace "I will of course need you to deal with Charger and help to set everything up." Luna's face turned serious "Oh and do keep the commander away from Bryan so that he may recover please. I do not wish him to bothered by her obsessive need to do far more paperwork than is necessary."

"Good," Celestia said with that out of the way we can begin to get down to business." she trotted out of the room with Twilight while Megan stayed behind to talk to Bryan for a moment.

"Awwwwww but I was going to assign him to be her clerk....." Said Ace with a fake wine and stupid grin.

Luna stopped and promptly facehoofed turning back around she looked right at Ace and Bryan, it was clear the news was bad. "Actually I had forgotten for a moment," she sighed " doctor Candy Stripe recommended that Bryan be placed on medical leave until such time as his psychological recovery is deemed complete enough for him to return to active service. I am sorry Bryan, but once I inform Bone Saw it'll be fully official. Really once she gave Tia and I her recommendation our course of action was but a formality."

Bryan stared at the night princess "I see," he drew in a long breath to steady himself "I understand my princess, there is no use endangering others because I'm no longer fit for active duty for the moment." he turned to Megan "That also means that you'll be in the adviser's position until then Megan."

"Bryan....." Pinkie said softly.

Ace's eye twitched "Not that psycho babble, horse apple stuff! It's a load of ponyfeathers. The best thing he can do, is in action as soon as he's able and put that bug queen and her bad pick up tactics behind him! I mean come on don't tell me you believe that stuff B?" Said Ace. Ace had be evaluated as "mildly unstable" after his short run as a drill instructor, had him have to take a mandatory visit to the shrink. But Luna felt he was stable enough to work, just kept him off the training roster.

Bryan sighed "Ace, I dislike psychology as much as you do. But it's not completely merit-less, research in the human military as well as countless other cases show that that's not the case. Soldiers are so traumatized require proper treatment. Without it they are a risk to their team, if I were to freeze up at a critical moment it can cost lives. I am not willing to take that risk, it's not like I was the best choice for this kind of life to begin with." he looked at Ace pointedly "Even you can only take so much before you break, nopony is unbreakable. I won't put myself before others, it's not my way."

Pinkie nuzzled him and hugged him. "But," she said "you wanna help everypony, you wanna protect everypony." she said sadly

"There are many ways to do that Pinkie. I'm not as mentally durable as you Ace, the kind of things you can just shrug off effect me very deeply. I am simply more vulnerable than you. It's not up for debate anyway, this comes from the top. Luna has said that I'm inactive, then I'm inactive. It is as simple as that. I will be able to resume my service as an adviser at some point, but as a guard." he just laid back "That's in question for now."

Ace looks him in the eyes. "I never pegged you as a quitter lieutenant." Said Ace in tone sold cold that most even a wendigo would get chills. He then left on his own strength grunting in pain as he flapped his wings. A few second later the changelings blinked looked at each other then ran after him...

"I'm sorry he said that. He didn't mean to just call you like a common grunt like that, at least Trixie hopes not." said Trixie as her and Sunset shared vary worried glances.

Ace was well known for calling his troops by name and went out of his way to know each one of them. If he stopped using your name it meant he didn't care any more about you....and his mares where very worried now.

Bryan shook his head "He is upset right now Trixie. Even he knows that this decision is for the best, he'll get over it." he smiled "He's not the type to throw everything away because he's plot hurt. The problem with me is that this not my first major trauma, it's my second. That made me more susceptible to another, when I come through this I'll make a decision, not before then. The only barrier is the medical assessment, if that goes against me I'm done." he sat up his spine popping "I'm not done just yet though, it'll just take time."

Megan looked at Trixie and Sunset " Shouldn't you two go after him? If he does anything really stupid right now he'll be the one on a shelf."

Pinkie looked mad "What a meanie, that's very dumb to act like that." she said coldly

Bryan squeezed her "Pinkie, just let it go. He's never stared this down before. This is exactly why I stay away from leadership roles. This kind of thing is harder than it looks."

"My changelings will keep a eye on him...... I hope..." Said Sunset.

"Trixie is a bit worried. Not for Ace lest all he do is hurt himself. That's nothing new, Trixie is starting to believe, that his sister is not the only immortal in his family..... But what really has Trixie, worried is if he does feel you not putting up more of a argument might seem like a betrayal to him..... Ace has short list of ponies he doesn't like a shorter list of ex-friends but the shortest list of all is those that betray him and are still alive.... Trixie had gotten him vary drunk mind you before he said anything about it mind. But what he did say was a bit unnerving. And Trixie quotes "The fate a traitor deserves is a slow painful death then body tossed to the Everfree." Trixie feels that you might have to have words with him in while using a vary good illusion or nine to keep him from doing anything stupider then normal."

Bryan chuckled "They are way to slow Sunset, they'll never catch him unless he allows it." he looked at Trixie "I'm surprised at you two. I can't believe that you can't see how scared he is. There is no list shorter than that one, he is scared by almost nothing, but this is it. He has never had soldier under his command ever be put on medical leave before. I would have heard about it if he had, right after the two of you." Bryan shook his head "He won't do anything to stupid, that will piss off Luna. He would never risk her ire, never. I can't deal with him right now anyway, so it's up to you two." he laid back down snuggling with Pinkie.

Megan stood there in shock "What's wrong with him anyway?" she asked Trixie "That kind of attitude will only get him killed, he can't do anything that way."

"That's the thing as sad as it he's more used to his troops dieing! And most those in thirteenth are off their nut in one way or another." Said Sunset

"He...... Well you saw his cutie mark ?" asked Trixie

"Ace is literally a war pony with out a war by his birth. Add in the honor driven culture of Neighpon, the weapon master that taught him to fight, the training at the monastery after that.... Well he just sort of turned in to that. I mean he is eldest son of one of the last direct blood lines to General Firefly. In fact the only other families of that line left are Do, Dash, Fly main branch who's head is Spitfire Captain of the Wonderbolts which Firefly founded. The other family heads are Rainbow Dash, Daring Do. All of which have reputations for being brave, foolish, and reckless. It is in there blood. And will sadly it will be in our foals to. I just hope where as lucky as Ditzy Do was and just have unicorns at least then they will hopefully be smarter then father and plan farther ahead then the next five minutes." said Sunset

"Trixie thinks that is worse for her future foals.... Trixie is a descendant of Star Swirl the bearded... and possibly Celestia. So Trixie and Ace's foals are going to be trouble. Trixie just hopes they aren't alicorns!" said Trixie

"Stars forbid ether of us has a alicorn foal. Knowing our luck they'd grow up to be Equestria's princess of war!" said Sunset

Bryan looked at Trixie "Ya know Trix you don't need to talk like that it's not performance." he drew in a breath "Yeah Equestria doesn't need a war princess for sure." He started laughing "I can't believe I'm the only marginally stable member of the thirteenth, it's crazy. Yeah Ace, Daring, Ditzy, and Rainbow are all descendants of General Firefly." he looked at Megan "She's not our Firefly Megan, although their personalities are quite similar. Though Equestria's Firefly was way more daring, and reckless." he said

Megan shook her head "Bryan just how much do they know about the Smooze?" she asked

He shook his head "I couldn't tell the full story because I knew that fillies and colts would be reading. So I left out the worst of the details, Nopony knows how bad it was except the princesses, I had planed to tell everpony the complete truth the day you showed up. Everything went straight to Tartarus and kept me from doing so." he looked to Trixie and Sunset "I am very sorry you two, though I suspect that Ace had already figured out that there was more to the whole thing than the books let on. he does know that the books have been translated into Neighponese doesn't he?" Bryan once again showing his almost frightening level of intuition.

Pinkie gasped "What how did you know that Bryan?"

Bryan smirked "I overheard Luna complaining about Ace's reports all being Neighponese one. It never made sens to me that she would though, I mean can read, write, and speak it fluidly." he scratched his head at that

"Yes but the book store charges a extra ten bits for books that are not in Equish." Said Sunset.

Bryan cringed "That's six hundred and fifty extra bits over the book series. No wonder he doesn't have them." he was thoughtful "Pinkie you need to go to Celestia, I'm pretty sure that she has something for you to do with the wedding. You should go too, Megan, if there's anything they want you do Luna or Celestia will be the ones to ask." they look at him worried "I"ll be fine by myself for a bit," he looked at Trixie and Sunset "Well by myself if they leave the room anyway."

"Ok honey." Pinkie said kissing Bryan before hopping down from the bed and trotting out of the room.

"Are you sure?" Megan said skeptically

"It'll be fine. Ace is not used to feeling helpless, and right now he feels helpless." Bryan said.

Sunset and Trixie sighed. "No he knows he's helpless he's just not used to not fighting. Ace is the type who would fight even if he can't win. Like trying to stop the tide with a pail, kind of thing." Said Sunset. As the two turned to leave.

Trixie looked over her shoulder "He may have seen this coming. But that doesn't mean he wouldn't fight against it. As he expects all the thirteenth to fight no matter the odds. After all its only fate if you accept it. As Ace once said."

Bryan chuckled "I have no other path right now, this is out of my hands at the moment. Ace needs to learn and accept that sometimes there is no fighting to be done." he laid back and looked up at the ceiling. He sighed "No fighting to be done at all." he closed his eyes and drifted off to sleep

Ace was at the hospital rehab gym doing one wing wing-up with his good wing. "Stupid ape, you die if you stop fighting. Why did he give up like that. Didn't he learn anything I tried to teach him. Just cause there is no option visible doesn't mean you give up. If you don't see a exit you make one. If there is no path you cut one. That is the purpose of the thirteenth we fight that which others flee from. We are not aloud to give up till we can no longer fight."

The changeling Drones stand there fidgeting not sure what to do they have called out to there new queen about there king's behavior but she just gave them a keep him from being stupid command. Which neither was sure what to do.

"And just what makes you think that eveypony thinks and acts that Captain Crimson Moon?" an all to familiar voice said. It was the voice of the Lunar Guard head captain. She was staring at Ace from the doorway "You should know better than most anypony that his nature and character aren't centered around fighting. What's more, are you really so arrogant to believe that he has given up? All of us are lucky if we never face what he is facing right now." her tone softened "He didn't give up he's just smart enough to see that he has no choice at the moment. He has accepted that there is nothing he can do. Why is that wrong?" her purple eyes fixed on Ace with a stare that could freeze a pony's soul.

Ace looked her in the eye his stair the soulless look of one who has seen more death then most sane can take.
"It's wrong cause saying there is no option is the same as quitting, giving up, dieing. You have spent too much time in that push seat in Canterlot. You don't see the warrior I see in him he has potential to be a captain in his own right. But he needs to stop that defeatist thinking and grasp his fate. I had half escaped when the girls showed up. He was defiant and brave in the face of the bug queen. There is more to him then meets the eye. And I will rot in the pits of Tartarurs before I let him throw away his potential."
The drones were holding Ace back more then holding him up. Even as injured as he was he was still the better fighter between him and most of the guard. He was Also out of his clothes letting the head captain see for the first time the scars she has heard of in rumors. His body was vary scared some looked like they should have been fatal or crippling, and his body must had been eight percent fat, it was little wonder he would match average earth ponies in strength. The two changelings gave the head captain a glare for her starring.

She was across the room so fast nopony could react. Ace felt himself sailing through the air only to be pinned under her far more experienced hooves. She spoke coldly and plainly "You get an attitude like that with me again and I'll bust you back down to Ensign and train you myself Ace. Remember that I earned that 'plush chair' and that you are sometimes holding on to command by the slimmest margin. Were it not me and Princess Luna the other captains would have drummed you out by now. Call off your pets before you lose them!" she didn't even look at the changelings but knew there were going to make a move. Now nose to nose with Ace she spoke "You do not make all the decisions around here Ace, there are times when there is no option, no battle, no path at all. Sometimes life deals you a hoof and you get to do nothing about it. If you keep up the way you're going, it'll be sooner rather than later for you. Is that what you want your mares to deal with? A broken warrior who can only relive glory long behind him? Because that's what you're going to be.." she turned and trotted for the doorway. "And don't even think about retaliating." she said as she left the room

"You use the same shampoo as Trixie does." Said Ace as he got up, with a smile. "And to answer your question I'll die before I let my self get that way. The day I can't fight is the day I outlive the stars in our princess's night sky." Ace was limping out now blood dripping from a reopened wound and he paying it no mind but the drones were buzzing about in a tizzy about it.

Ace's room.. "Are you trying to get fired! Your lucky Luna likes you! Or you would have been kicked out of the guard long ago. And what if the head captain dose push for your removal? What if she gets it, what then? Did you ever consider that!" Trixie was red from shouting at Ace.

"Yes and to be honest I would make more money as a sell sword. But that means we would have to move back to the my family home in the islands." said Ace as he lay in bed with both changeling drones now on him to keep him there.

Sunset sighed. "That's our Ace, he always has an answer. Not always a smart one or the right one. But he always has an answer.... even if it's as simple as hit it harder."

Across the hospital the head captain is finishing up checking in on her other injured subordinate. Bryan just looked at her and sighed "He really is stubborn sometimes." he said shaking his head "He also jumps the gun as it were. Well thanks for checking on me head captain, but there's really nothing more to say at the moment."

"I know." she replied "Still you'd think that he would have learned the difference between a warrior and a spell-caster by now. I'll come back by to check up with you later, I'll be remaining in Ponyville for the thirteenth's transfer so that Commander Solis doesn't bother the mayor with excessive paperwork." she turned to leave when the door opened to reveal Pinkie and Megan. She trotted past them and nodded as she did.

Pinkie trotted up to the bed and climbed back into it with Bryan cuddling up to him. "Hey sweetie, I talked to Nurse Redheart and she said I could stay with you tonight." she squeed happily.

"I'm glad Pinkie." he said tiredly

Megan smiled and reached down and caressed his cheek "I can stay too." she said softly

Bryan moaned slightly at Megan's touch "As much as I would like that, you need to look after Twilight. She can be a real hooffull at times like this. She'll need you Megan. So when do you girls leave to help with the wedding?"

Pinkie sighed "It's tomorrow. It'll only be for a few days though. I just wish you didn't have to stay here." Pinkie said

Megan looked at him "I agree, will you even be alright here by yourself?"

Bryan smiled "I won't be alone Megan, I've got lots of friends in Ponyville. They will watch over me for a few days. Actually," he began "Ditzy came by earlier and told me that Dinky's better now. They are keeping the fillies and colts overnight for observation. So I'll be in good hooves, so go on Megan. take care of Twily for me."

Megan bent down and kissed him "All right Bryan. I'll see you when I come to get Pinkie for our trip to Canterlot."
He smile at her as she left to return with Twilight. Pinkie nuzzled him, and eased him back to sleep. It would be a long few days for everypony......