Chapters My Little Pony: Echos of Dream Valley
Lyra and Bon Bon were standing on the platform at the Ponyville train station, waiting for their human friend, Bryan, to return from Canterlot. Lyra shifted and fidgeted while Bon Bon stood and waited patiently.
"Bonnie," Lyra whined. "When is the train gonna get here? I'm hungry."
Bon Bon faced her marefriend of eight years and spoke, "It should be here soon, Greenbean. Although it's kinda weird that the train's running late. I wonder what's going on?"
Lyra gasped, "You don't think something happened to him again, do you?" Lyra's eyes were filled with concern.
"No, Lyra. If something had happened to Bryan, we'd have be told about it through a letter from the princess. It's more likely that the train has just been delayed," Her teal eyes focused on Lyra's large golden eyes, seeing her green unicorn calm a little.
"Yeah. You're probably right, Bonnie. Bryan hasn't had any bad luck like that in six months. He's fine, I'm sure," Lyra replied with a toothy grin.
Bon Bon was just about to speak when the train rolled up to the platform and stopped with a hiss. The steam billowed from the engine and the two, now excited mares, patiently watched the train cars for their friend.
They watched as ponies and the occasional griffon got of the train and collected their luggage; Lyra was the first to see him.
She let out an excited squeal and charged him while shouting with glee, "BRYAN! You're home!"
He looked at the green unicorn mare charging at him and stepped back to better absorb the incoming blow from his enthusiastic friend. He caught her with no effort and looked at her with a tired smile.
"Hey there, Greenbean. How ya been? Where's Bonnie?" He asked. Before Lyra could answer, her cream colored mare-friend answered.
"I'm right here, Bryan. Pinkie says she's sorry for not being here but Sugercube Corner got a huge catering order. She was still planning your third anniversary party, too."
Still hugging Lyra, he responded, "It's okay, Bonnie. I'm not upset about it; that's just the way it goes, sometimes." Bryan looked at Lyra and said, "Hey, Lyra. Would you get my luggage for me, please? You know how traveling screws me up."
Lyra squeed happily, "Sure thing, Bryan." She jumped down from his embrace and went to retrieve his bags for him.
Bon Bon looked at him smiling, "She really likes you a lot, Bryan."
Bryan smiled at the earth pony. "I'm way beyond blessed to have friends like you girls, Bonnie. So how were things here in Ponyville while I was off in Canterlot? No big crazy happenings while I was away?"
Bon Bon giggled, "No, Bryan. The gates of Tartarus didn't open again. There was no world shattering epic level events and Rarity didn't have one of her signature freak outs." Bon Bon laughed as Lyra returned to them with Bryan's bags suspended in the golden aura of her levitation field.
"Yeah. Well, the meeting in Canterlot was a total wash out, anyway. Those rumors of humans in the Crystal Empire were a case of mistaken identity." He commented dryly.
"Really, Bryan?" Lyra queried, "I was kinda hoping there might actually be some more humans but friendly ones this time. You know, like you. Not like those guys from last year. They were total flanks."
Bryan laughed mirthlessly and scratched the back of his head. "Lyra, nopony could have known that we would get a trio of hardened criminals with that incident last year. Bunch of dumb-asses. I still can't believe they tried raping an earth pony, of all ponies."
As they walked towards Ponyville to the library, Bon Bon spoke up. "Yeah, they couldn't have made a worse choice either. I mean that cousin of Applejack's is really strong. That couldn't have been more stupid."
Bryan snorted derisively, "I don't know, Bonnie. There were those rumors about me knocking up Daring Do for a while. I mean, you have one impromptu make out session with a famous and somewhat horny pegasus and all of the sudden you've gotten her pregnant."
Lyra giggled, "But you did have sex with her, didn't you? Bryan?" Lyra waggled her eyebrows at him. "Hey, how was she anyway? I've never been with a pegasus before."
"Lyra!!" Bon Bon shouted, "That's not nice!"
Bryan laughed, "Yes, Lyra. We went at it and she was great. You know she's coming to town to see her sister Ditzy soon; maybe you should see if you can talk her and Bonnie here into a threesome. She told me then that hadn't had any mares in a while and she said she didn't want to go to a brothel."
Lyra looked thoughtful while Bon Bon's face turned as red as one Sweet Apple Acres' apples.
Lyra then appeared at Bon Bon's side and rubbed against her marefriend, "Come on, Bonnie. It would be fun; we haven't had a threesome since we lived in Canterlot."
Bon Bon looked at Lyra and said, "I don't know, Greenbean. Shouldn't we have a threesome with somepony we know really well, instead?"
Lyra looked puzzled for a moment, "I don't think we could talk Ditzy into that, Bonnie. She's not that kind of pony."
Bryan erupted with honest laughter, "If you two were interested I would go for it with you girls. You're both hot!"
Bon Bon, for her part, just looked serious and tried to get conversation back on track. "Bryan, what happened to those guys?"
He stopped laughing and answered her, "Well, they got the royal guard on them and it turned into quite a mess."
Bon Bon cocked her head to the side, "What do you mean?"
While shaking his head he replied, "They were found in Canterlot and when the guards cornered them, they tried fighting back. It turned ugly when they managed to wrest the spears the guards had away from them: It ended with the guards putting them down. Such a waste." Bryan said sadly.
Lyra looked thoughtful again and asked Bryan a hard question, "Why do some humans even act like that, anyway?"
Bryan sighed, "I don't know, Lyra. It's something that the majority of us take seriously and look down on. I can't explain the things some humans do. Hell, I can't really understand what most of us do. We are a very mercurial race: On one hoof we're not a very mature species and at the same time we are. There's just no understanding it."
"Well, I'm confused," Lyra chirped.
"Try it from where I am sometime," Bryan deadpanned.
The rest of the trip to the library was filled with light hearted laughter and conversation. Bryan was truly happy to be back where he belonged; where he was truly meant to be. As they reached the library, Lyra decided to ask the remaining question of their conversation.
"So, Bryan," she spoke up as she opened the library door to step in, Lyra winced momentarily as he ducked inside.
"Well. Let's have it, Lyra?" Bryan asked.
Lyra paused her train of thought momentarily interrupted, "Ummm... Oh yeah, why were the rumors of humans in the Crystal Empire not true?" she said.
He looked at her and then remembered, "Oh yeah! Um well, you see a crystal pony had dropped her glasses and saw a group of minotaurs that were passing though the empire and she thought she saw humans because without her glasses and at distance, we don't look too different. By the time she found her glasses and put them on, the minotaurs had left. And that's how the whole thing got started. Princess Cadence was very apologetic over the whole thing. Still, two weeks in Canterlot for nothing, though."
As they walked into the library Bon Bon spoke up. "What a pain in the flank. Did you get anything out it, Bryan?"
"Yeah. An argument with the griffon ambassador and a headache the size of Canterlot," Bryan snarked.
Bon Bon shook her head sadly while Lyra winced at their friends' attitude.
"Sorry, you two. You didn't deserve that. I just feel like ten miles of bad road right now," Bryan remarked.
Lyra jumped up on his shoulders and hugged him from behind, "It's ok, Bryan. We know you didn't aim that at us." She nuzzled his cheek and dropped to the floor.
"Yeah. It's all right, Bryan. There's no need to be sorry about it," Bon Bon smiled up at him warmly.
Bryan looked around the library to Twilight talking to Vinyl Scratch and Octavia. He also saw Dinky Do sitting at a reading table reading a book.
A small smile crept across his face as a plan formulated in his mind. He carefully sneaked over to the reading table without the filly noticing him. When he was in position he acted. "Hey Dinky," he whispered into her right ear. "What are we reading?"
Dinky without looking up said, "It's book of stories by my friend Bryan that he wrote about another world of ponies."
"Oh, really? What this other world of ponies called?" He said sweetly.
Dinky replied sweetly, "It's a place called Dream Valley and there are a lot of really great ponies in the stories but also some scary bad guys, like Tirek the centaur." Dinky shuddered, "He's a big old meanie who wants to turn all of the ponies into dragons but Bryan and his marefriend, Megan, beat him with a magic rainbow; like boom!" She said enthusiastically.
Bryan just smiled and shouted, "DINKY!" as his he lightly jabbed his fingers into her ticklish sides.
"Ahhhhhhhh!" The small unicorn squealed and launched into the air, only to be caught in his arms.
"Bryan!" Dinky squealed and swatted at him playfully with a hoof while giggling.
Unfortunately, Bryan's plan worked to well and Twilight was caught in the scare as a casualty.
"Gahhhhhh! Bryan! Don't do that!" Twilight bellowed while Vinyl and Octavia were laughing their flanks off.
"Good one, Bryan," Vinyl said enthusiastically.
"Indeed, it was most amusing," Octavia said between giggles.
Still holding the grayish unicorn in his arms, he looked over at his friends. "So... Vinyl, Tavi. What are you two doing here, anyway?" He questioned.
Octavia spoke up, "We are here discussing the musical arrangements for your third anniversary party with Twilight, Bryan."
"Yeah," said Vinyl. "We're also here cuz Twily wanted to have a huge welcome home dinner for you."
"Yes," Bon Bon stated. "It's just too bad everypony else couldn't make it tonight."
Bryan replied with a dismissive wave of his hand, "There's no damage here, Bonnie. Everypony will be at the party tomorrow, anyway. It's nothing as a result."
"Yeah. Bonnie, it's not like the end of the world or something like that," Lyra said as she trotted over to the snacks set up on another table in the library's main room.
"Hey, Lyra. Could you bring me some those crackers, cheese and some celery, please?"
Lyra gave toothy grin and replied, "Sure thing, Bryan. I'll bring them over to you and Dinky here in a moment."
"Thanks, Lyra," he replied.
"Bryan?" Dinky said. "I wanna ask you something."
He looked at Dinky smiling, "Yeah, little one? What do ya need?"
"Well, I was wondering: Was Megan a real pony or is she made up?" Dinky asked.
He laughed at his little unicorn friend, "Actually Dinky, she is a real pony. You see, Megan was my first real human friend and, yes, we did date for a little while."
Dinky's eyes went wide, "Whoa, really?" She squeaked. "Wow! Do you think I could meet Megan somehow?"
"Well, I came here; so yeah, it could happen. I would honestly love the chance for everypony to meet her. I really think you would all love Megan a lot. You know, Dinky, Megan and Twilight have something in common," he responded.
"Wow! Really what is it?" she asked enthusiastically.
"Well," he began. "Megan was my first real human friend and Twilight was my first real pony friend here in Equestria."
Dinky smiled warmly at him, "Does that mean you're going to date Twilight, too?" She asked innocently.
There was another chorus of laughter around the library; Twilight, on the other hoof, was beet red.
Bryan smirked at Dinky, "Maybe but I was kinda wondering if your mom would be interested."
Dinky squealed and blushed, "Bryan! You know mommy likes you but I don't think she likes you like that!"
"Yeah, Dinky. I know. Ditzy has got her eye on somepony else. You wouldn't know who would you?" He asked her innocently.
Dinky, for her part, saw through her clever friend's ruse. She'd known him for three years and she knew better.
"Mommy said you'd probably try to get it out of me and said not fall for it. You'll just have to wait for her to tell you," She punctuated her seriousness by sticking out her little her orange tongue. "Anyway, I've got to get home so I can help mommy get everything ready for auntie Daring's visit." She levitated a bookmark into the book and closed it. "I'll see you tomorrow, Bryan." She left the library and galloped home.
"Well, everypony," Twilight spoke up, "Let's have dinner."
The dinner was a lighthearted affair that went well and ended with the two mare pairs heading home. When it came time for bed, Bryan opted to sleep with Twilight so he could actually rest. Twilight was upset that Bryan was so stressed out but gleefully took care of him, going so far as to hold him to ease him to sleep.
The next day was largely spent after breakfast by Twilight, Spike, and Bryan getting the library ready for Bryan's third anniversary party. Pinkie had insisted on having a party every year for the first ten years so that no matter what else happened to him, he would always have something good in his new life in Equestria.
As afternoon came the first of the party guests were arriving at the library. There was a knocking on the door. "Bryan, would you go and get the door please? Spike and I can finish this up." Twilight said as she and Spike finished hanging a banner.
"If you two are sure, Twily." he said
Spike waved his claw dismissively, "Go ahead, Bryan. We've got this."
"All right," Bryan said less tiredly than yesterday as he walked across the main room to the door. He opened the door to see the Cutie Mark Crusaders standing at the door with their sisters and Rainbow Dash. "Girls!" Bryan said his mood having suddenly improved one thousand percent.
"BRYAN!!" They shouted in unison as they tackled him in an enthusiastic group hug.
Bryan almost squeed as he hugged the three fillies who have been like little sisters to him for the last three years.
"I am soooo happy to see you three again. It was kinda brutal in up Canterlot," He hugged them as if his life depended on it. "I'm just relieved to be here with all of you again."
The crusaders giggled and cuddled with him like a trio of affectionate kittens.
The fillies released him and got down on the floor on the floor and Bryan noticed something on their flanks. "Girls, did you? You did! You got your Cutie Marks!" He jumped to his feet and gave and excited shout, "I'm so proud of you three. Well let me have a look."
Apple Bloom was the first to show hers to Bryan: It was a red, pale pink, and purple shield with an apple and a heart in the center; Scootaloo was next with the same shield that had a wing with a lightning bolt on it, and finally Sweetie Belle who also had the same shield but with a musical note inside of a star instead. Bryan exploded with joy and swept them into another hug. "That's really great girls," He squeezed them a little. "I'm just... I just don't know what to say," He sniffled a little.
"Hey. It's ok, Bryan. We're really happy about it, too," Sweetie cooed.
"And we're happy you're back home!" Scoots said wither her usual flare.
"Now, it's a only a matter of time before you get your cutie mark Bryan and will be so great when you finally do," Apple Bloom said enthusiastically.
Bryan shook his head and laughed a little.
Applejack chuckled as she walked inside and said, "You do realize they aren't gonna let it go, don't ya, Sugercube?"
Bryan smiled, "Yeah, but who knows. Maybe they're right. We still have no way of knowing how much the magic here has changed me."
As the minutes passed, the rest of the partiers arrived. Pinkie, of course, brought the party treats including one her signature "how did she get that in here?" cakes that seemed to be tall enough to reach the ceiling in the library's main room. With Lyra, Bon Bon, Vinyl Scratch, and Octavia arriving a few minutes after Pinkie. The last to arrive were Ditzy, Daring, and Dinky who was beaming up at Bryan when she saw him.
"Hi Bryan," she squeaked. "We brought some muffins mommy and I made for the party."
Bryan smiled, " Thanks Dinky. So when did you start baking?" It was then he noticed her flank for the first time. "Dinky, you got your cutie mark too?"
Dinky squealed with a cute little giggle, "Yeah. I started helping mommy with making muffins and some cakes too and whoosh," she stated. "My cutie mark appeared."
"Wow," Bryan said. "That's great, Dinky," He scooped her up and hugged her, "I'm so happy for you little one."
Dinky nuzzled her friend, "Now, maybe you'll get your cutie mark, Bryan." She tapped her hoof to her chin "What would it be do you think?"
He carried Dinky across the room as he thought about it. "I dunno, Dinky. That's a tough one. I mean I've been a writer for a little while now but wouldn't say I have a talent for it. I'm also a royal adviser to the diarchy when it comes to my race but it rarely comes up. So that's it." He put her down with the crusaders. "Nope, I have no idea what it would be to be honest. That's a mystery at the moment."
The four fillies looked up at Bryan, "Well, whatever it is, I bet it'll be perfect for you Bryan!" Scootaloo chirped.
"Yeah, it'll be just the right mark for you, Bryan." Apple Bloom stated.
"And we'll go bowling to celebrate." Sweetie Belle squeaked.
"I'll bake you a special muffin. It'll be big and have blue berries and chocolate chunks," Dinky said sweetly.
Bryan smiled at the fillies, "That would be nice to go bowling with you girls; I had fun the last time. Dinky, that special muffin sounds really good. I bet you'll do excellent job on it." The fillies beamed brightly. "Okay girls. I think Pinkie has some party games set up go and have fun, I'll be along after I talk to Ditzy and Daring for a bit."
"Okay, Bryan!" They said in unison and galloped off to have fun.
Ditzy trotted over to Bryan., "Those girls really love you, Bryan. So, Dinky said you had something to ask me?"
"Yeah. Though I think you know what I'm going to ask you, Ditzy." He said.
She giggled into her hoof, "That eager to know, huh?" He nodded. "Well, I'm going to go with Lily. I've know her for as long as I lived in Ponyville and she really loves Dinky, too."
"That's great, Ditzy. She really knows how to treat somepony right. I kinda wish she was here tonight."
Ditzys' face fell a little. "She's in Baltimare on family business. She told to tell you that she's sorry, Bryan. It came up rather suddenly."
He looked at her worried, "It's not bad, is it?" she shook her head. He breathed a sigh of relief "That's good to hear. I worry about her sometimes. She is a little delicate after all."
The grey pegasus looked at him while shuffling her hooves a bit, "I should have known that you wouldn't be mad at me Bryan. I mean, I know you and Lily dated for a while: She said not to worry about it and she was right."
"You worry too much about nothing sometimes, sis," Daring said. "Hey Bryan, you weren't kidding about these Pinkie parties; this is great."
Ditzy smiled at her sister and went to get some punch and a muffin.
He decided to tease the bold pegasus a little bit, "So Daring, I remember you saying that you been with any mares in a while and I think I've got something for you."
"Really?" Daring said skeptically, "And who would that be, I wonder? Cause if you're gonna make a smart remark about me and Ditzy."
Bryan cut her off, "Nope." He leaned in and whispered to her, "We already took care of that didn't we, Daring?" The adventurous pegasus actually blushed at that thought.
"No do you see that green unicorn playing the lyre over there?" He said while pointing to Lyra. Daring simply nodded.
"Well she and her marefriend, who's that cream colored earth pony sitting with Vinyl there, would like to have a threesome again and Lyra wants to try out a pegasus. So does Bon Bon for that matter."
Daring's eyes lit up, "I see. You know it has been a while since my last threesome, too. Even longer with a mare pair and they're a pretty sexy pair of fillies," She licked her lips hungerly. "I think, I'll help them with their little problem. That's what Daring Do does after all helps ponies in peril."
Bryan just rolls his eyes in response, "Yes. They are such damsels in distress, they are sooo vulnerable without you, Daring. You must formulate a plan of action rescue them from their peril."
The tan pegasus laughed, "Hey, a boring sex life isn't good for anypony. I mean you never complained, not once."
He shook his head. " It's that recklessness of yours that got us caught making out at that party Daring."
She flicked her grey-scale tail a crossed his thy and said. "Hey they only caught us making out, they didn't catch us in bed that's what matters."
The party went on into the night hours with everpony having a good time and Daring was circling Lyra and Bon Bon like a predator the whole time little knowing that Bryan had already suggested the idea to them, and that they were actually ready for her. When Daring "pounced" as the party wound down she was intercepted by the couple who "dragged" her away while everpony laughed, none more so than Daring's sister and niece.
Octavia whispered something into Vinyls' ear that made her blush as the two of them left, Spike went to his room, and the rest left needing to get the fillies home as there was still school the next day. This left Bryan and Twilight alone in the main area of the library.
Twilight looked up at Bryan. "Bryan," Twilight began "it's time you had a special somepony for real now. No more dating and messing around. You need somepony who loves and will take care of you."
He smiled tiredly. "Let's not talk about this here Twily, we both know where this is going so let's just do what we've needed to do for two years."
Twilight pounced on Bryan knocking him down with passionate kiss, and teleported them to their bedroom. She lay upon him in the bed she smiled as she broke the kiss. "I love you so much, Bryan. Let me make love to you, to show you how much you mean to me."
He stroked her mane. "Please, make love to me, Twilight Sparkle," He said; his eyes wet with tears.
Twilight saw that pain again. The pain she'd seen many times in three years. She would do all that she could to soothe that pain. It would not have a hold on him anymore. She kissed longer and deeper than before as she began to undress him.
*Squee*
Meanwhile in the heart of Everfree, something malignant stirred........
Author's Note
Here it is everypony, my very first Megan returns story. Let me know what you think and of course any ways in which it can be improved. And please let me know if I missed any spelling or other errors.
Whooo! Editing is now being done one Rusty Bascule, thanks a lot Rusty.
My Little Pony: Echos of Dream Valley
As Twilight and her coltfriend lay in their bed basking in each other's presence. Twilight softly stroked the side of his face with her hoof. As she absent-mindedly did this his breathing grew soft and steady. She stopped and looked over at Bryan's face, his eyes were closed. His eyelids fluttered lightly, she could literally smell the stress coming from him however. She silently gazed at him wanting to comfort him.
"Dinky asked him about Megan and by Celestia it hurt him to answer her. " she thought to herself quietly "Dinky didn't mean anything by it, she was just curious. And he did answer even knowing that it would hurt to do so. I just want him to feel better, I'm his marefriend. I have to do something to help him, anything no matter how small. " Twilight continued to caress his cheek while thinking, her thoughts were consumed with only his well-being.
"He still loves Megan, even after all this time. " she smiled at his dedication, knowing that this was her fate as well. Twilight decided to try something that her mother had done for her when she was a filly. She gently took his head in her forehooves and ever so gingerly moved head so that it now rested on her chest. He nuzzled into her chest fur and sniffled sightly, but the calming sound of her heart had him resting comfortably in seconds. She raised the blanket up over his head so it would shield him from the sun in the morning.
She quietly sang a lullaby that she had heard Ditzy sing to Dinky on a number of occasions. It was working. Twilight softly squeed to herself as he finally began to calm and fully relaxed into a deep sleep. "Bryan I don't know if you hear me right now." she spoke softly. "But I'll always be here for you, I love you. And if Megan does somehow come here to Equestria. I will do what I can to keep you happy." Twilight thought about it "Even we have to form a herd with her and some pony else. I will see you happy! " "I want you to be happy, my love." she cooed softly as she drifted off to sleep.
And still the malevolence in Everfree stirred...
In a classic cliche, morning came all to soon for the newly minted lovers. Twilight saw the warming rays of the sun as they flooded through her window. She reveled in the feeling of holding him so close. Two years, she had waited two years for this, and she wondered why. She gently lifted the blanket from over his head just enough to watch him sleep. His position hadn't changed in the slightest. Twilight looked on him with great fondness, she wondered to herself how she'd ever tried to live life without friends and without this, without love.
Twilight sighed happily. "I don't want this moment to end. I want to always be like this here, with him and tha... " her thoughts were abruptly cut off by the growling of her stomach. Twilight scowled angerly at the treacherous organ, in spite of not actually being able to see it, only to have it growl again. "No no no no no... please stop that! If you don't stop that he'll..., " Bryan stirred his green eyes opening. " wake up. " her thought was now finished. She was now looking into his eyes as she said "Good morning Bryan." with some forced cheer.
"Wow you're so," he hesitated searching for the right word "chipper this morning." he smiled up at her. He nuzzled into her chest again cutting off any retaliation from her. "This is great I have no motivation to move from this spot for the nex..." he was then cut off by his stomach growling. Bryan's expression was now sour. "Crap!" he said.
Twilight giggled and stroked his cheek in a soothing gesture. As he leaned into the caress she spoke to him. "We should get up Bryan. We can take a shower together and I'll take you to the Lunar teahouse for breakfast, how about that?" she softly kissed him on the forehead
Bryan sighed and nuzzled her chest once more. "Alright Twily, that would be great." he replied as he got up and headed toward the bathroom Twilight smiled and got up and followed him to the bathroom. Her mood had improved by that point.
Bryan turned on the water after getting into the bathroom as he waited for it to heat up he turned to Twilight and smiled at her.
Twilight smiled back as she trotted up to him and kissed him once again. She wrapped her forelegs around his neck she rubbed her body against his and gave him a half lidded gaze, after kissing him twice more she asked him a question. "Bryan would you like to have some fun with me in the shower?" she nuzzled him as she spoke and stroked his sides with her wings.
He got into the shower and she joined him awaiting his answer. "Not this morning Twily." he replied. "I just want to take a shower with you, get clean, and have breakfast at the moment."
Twilight reached out with her magic and grabbed a bottle of lavender scented body wash and a pouf. She used her magic to squeeze some of the liquid on to the pouf and began washing him with the pouf. "Why not Bryan? Is there some reason you sound like you don't feel well?" Twilight reached up to his forehead with her hoof and felt it to check his temperature. "Your not getting sick are you?" she asked concern creeping into her voice.
Bryan laughed "No Twily, I'm not feeling sick I'm just not up for what I need to do today. But I've long owed you all an explanation for the some of the things that you've been wondering about. And after we round everypony up, I'm gonna give you all that explanation. It's long overdue any way."
Twilight continued her ministrations and thought for a moment. "Oh ok, I was just worrying about you that's all."
Bryan smiled again as he knelt down and took her face in his hands and kissed her under the cascading water. "Twily you're just like Megan. Always taking care of me, protecting me, and loving me. Thank you." he said and he kissed her again holding much longer this time. After breaking the kiss he said to her "By the way I heard what you said last night, and I'm grateful."
Twilight resumed washing his body. She finished gently scrubbing him she had him sit down so that he could wash her body. It was her turn for him to clean her body.
He stopped for a moment and admired her beautiful, wet form under the cascading water from the shower head. He started washing her with the pouf after applying the body wash to it and lathering it up. "We're going to need more soon." he said.
After he had finished washing her body Bryan had Twilight turn her back to him so that he could wash her mane. He reached for the lavender shampoo on the shower rack and squeezed some into his hands and as he started to wash her mane he stopped briefly and leaned forward and nuzzled the back of her right ear.
Twilight leaned back into the nuzzle and moaned softly. "That feels sooo nice Bryan, please don't stop." she relaxed as he nuzzled her for a few moments longer. he pulled away and resumed washing her mane. Twilight gave a small squeak of disappointment but didn't stop him.
After he had finished washing her tail she washed his hair for him. He sat there in the shower with her as she finished up her task, she decided to try it on him. She softly leaned forward and nuzzled the back of his ear. He tilted his head and leaned into the affectionate gesture. They exited the shower and dried each other off. After they got ready they headed down the library's stairs they encountered Spike who was sitting at the kitchen table.
"Oh hey there you two." he said "do you want me to make you guys something?" he said looking up from his comic book.
Twilight smiled at her young assistant "No Spike I'm taking Bryan to the Lunar teahouse for breakfast so you can just do whatever. Well provided you clean up anyway. Twilight giggled.
Spike brightened up "So does that mean I have the day off?" he asked hopefully.
Bryan replied "That's right Spike. Just one thing though."
"Oh" Spike replied.
"Yeah," Bryan said "don't stray to far from the library today. We need everypony here for an announcement."
Spike chuckled "You guys don't need to tell everypony that you got together, we all know that all ready."
Twilight shook her head "That's not it Spike. Bryan is gonna tell us about his past."
Spike's eyes were wide, then his expression changed. "Well it's about time." he said with a broad smirk. "All right then see you two later."
Twilight waved before they left. "We'll see you when we get back Spike."
As they walked through Ponyville they watched every pony go about their morning routines of setting up stands and opening shops for the day's business. "Life in Ponyville sure has it's moments doesn't it Twily?" Bryan asked his marefriend.
Twilight smiled at him "It certainly does Bryan, I wasn't born here but I wouldn't want to live anywhere else. Bryan?" she asked suddenly.
"Yes Twilight?" he responded
"What are going to tell the princesses, about well... you know?"
He looked thoughtful for a moment before answering. "All I'm willing to say about it is that I think that you're ready Twilight. But we'll discuss this farther when we're alone later ok?"
Twilight nodded in confirmation and kept walking towards the teahouse with Bryan. She huffed slightly at not being able to trot to close to him or wrap a wing around him for fear of knocking him down. "I love him sooo much, but that upright posture of his is sooo unfair. If I do what I want to do I could knock him down. " Twilight lamented this for a moment, and moved closer to him nuzzling under his right arm.
He held her under his arm and smiled again as she snuggled up to him a little as moved through town.
They arrived at the Lunar teahouse and walked inside and sat down at an available table. Bryan and Twilight sat at the table and chatted a bit as they waited for their waitress to come to the table. As they did Bryan noticed that Vinyl and Octavia walking into the teahouse, although Vinyl looked to having trouble walking. Bryan called out to his friends.
"Hey Vinyl, Tavi, how are you two doing this morning?"
"Sup Bryan, Tavi thought it would be a good idea to have breakfast here, and it looks like you and Twilight had same idea." Vinyl said happily as she and Octavia trotted up to the table.
"Good morning Vinyl, Octavia, why don't the two of you join us?" Twilight said cheerfully.
Octavia smiled at the lavender alicorn and said. "Oh Twilight I've told you many times, you can just call me Tavi, all of my friends do."
Twilight giggled sheepishly. "Sorry Tavi, it's old an Canterlot habit, it comes back ever so often. So how are you this morning?"
Bryan chuckled and cut in "Yeah, and is there a reason you're trotting funny Vinyl?" Octavia blushed while Vinyl laughed boisterously.
"Tavi just rode me a little hard last night is all, it was great!" Vinyl laughed "She rode me hard and put me away wet, it was fantastic!" Octavia kept blushing and punched her marefriend lightly in the foreleg. "Tavi you're so abusive." she said teasingly and turned her gaze on their friends and decided to give them some of her humor. "Hey Twilight I'm surprised you can trot right or sit down today. I thought he he was gonna give you a real ride for your first time!" Vinyl laughed at her own very crude joke.
This was followed by a distinct whacking sound a moment later.
Octavia was not amused to say the least "Vinyl Elizabeth Scratch! You do not joke about a mare's first time! That's exceptionally rude."
It was then that their waitress trotted up to the table to take their orders. "Hey everypony what can I get for you this morning?" said a familiar voice. The table's occupants turned to so Lyra standing there with a pencil and pad held in her levitation spell.
Bryan smiled at their sea-foam colored friend. "Speaking of inappropriate things I though you'd be a coma after last night Lyra." he laughed.
"Last night was great I feel better than ever!" Lyra said excitedly.
Bryan deflated "You cheat Lyra." he said defeated by her good mood. "Oh yeah I had heard from Bonnie that you got a job for the off season, so you're working here?"
Lyra nodded. "Sure am." she said with a big toothy grin.
Everypony went about placing their orders and turned to light conversation as they waited.
Lyra returned with every ponies food and drinks and placed everything oh the table and turned to leave Bryan called to her. "Hey Lyra hold up for a minute."
"Yeah Bryan what do you need?" she eyed him for a moment "You don't want to hear about last night do you? Cuz this is not the right time."
He snorted a laugh. "No greeenbean that's not it. I need you and Bonnie to come by the library later, and you and Vinyl, Tavi. Before any of you ask I need to tell you all the truth about my past. Please understand that I've only kept quiet about it because it was to painful to talk about, not because I was trying to lie to you."
"Ok Bryan." Lyra said Vinyl and Tavi nodded in affirmation.
Earth...
Megan exited the house in a huff, she had sought out Bryan's parents hoping that they would help her to get back in touch with him. She should have realized that they didn't want to change their view of her. Ever since she had fallen in love with Bryan twelve years ago, and encouraged him to be his own person they had disliked her. Maybe they even hated her. "This is just sad, why can't some parents can't just be happy for their children. " Megan mused thoughtfully.
As she got back in her truck she absent mindedly stroked the locket she had worn for twelve years. She shut the door and turned on the engine. "They said he just ran away and disappeared." Megan said to no one in particular. "That's not him, there's no way he would do that." She said to herself as she pulled out of the driveway. As she drove down the street she thought about how every lead had been a dead end. She sighed and looked at the locket in the rear-view mirror.
She came to a red light and stopped. "I suppose you don't have a way to find him do you?" she asked the locket containing the Rainbow of Light. "I really miss him and want to be with him again." her stomach growled "I might as well get lunch and put gas in the tank. " she thought. Megan drove up a gas station with a restaurant across the parking lot from the station.
Megan pulled her truck into a gas station across the parking the parking lot from the fast food place, she sighed looking at the restaurant. "Bryan would probably laugh at me a little right now, for even thinking about going in there. Still he never complained when I took him to these kinds of places." she smiled at the memories. "I know you're somewhere Bryan and I'll find you, no matter what. And then we'll be together just like we always wanted."
Megan still mused about it as she went inside the station to pay for her gas. As she left that station she walked to her truck and drove it the short distance to the fast food place, she got out of the truck and went inside rather than use the drive through. "Bryan would definitely lecture me for driving while eating." She stepped up to the counter and placed her order of a cheeseburger, french fries, and a large chocolate shake. After she received her food she sat at an unoccupied table and began to eat. She thought about the many times away from Ponyland when they would sit together in place like this and eat. As she sat and ate remembered a more distant memory, a much more fond memory.
As Bryan leaned against the wooden fence on the ranch that Megan lived on with her family he stared into the sky marveling over what they had just done. He spoke to himself out loud "Wow what an adventure!" he mused "We just saved a bunch of sapient ponies from a demon centaur." he grinned cheekily "Try that James Kirk, you can't do that with a star ship and fancy weaponry." Megan laughed at him, as she brought some iced tea out to where he was. She paused for a moment, looking him over. Sure he was skinny and kind of nerdy, but she thought he was so cute with way acted, that naturally dark skin, sparkling green eyes, and short brown hair just seemed so, unimportant. She still thought he was cute though.
Megan thought about that day more lost as she ate while in one of her fondest memories. "Bryan," she said as she walked up to him. he nodded meekly "Here have some tea."
"Oh thanks Megan." he chirped enthusiastically as took the offered glass and drank from it. He looked nervously at her for a moment. "Megan," he spoke up "do you think I'll ever get a girlfriend? I mean I know I'm not the bravest guy, but I've got stuff to offer. Ya know I'm smart and all that."
"Bryan," Megan began "you are brave, you stood up to Tireks's goons for Twilight and everyone else. And you don't need a girlfriend because you've got me." She moved in front of him she slipped her arms around his neck and kissed him on the lips. After breaking the kiss she looked at him, Bryan was blinking. She moved to his right side and took his hand interlacing her fingers with his, and resting her head on his shoulder.
"Um Megan," he said shyly "isn't this a little fast? I mean I do like you, but we've only know each other for six months. shouldn't we, I don't know take more time, maybe?"
Megan simply laughed. "Bryan we've known each other for six months, that's plenty of time. Besides," she said with a sly smile. "we just went on an adventure together. I think we know each other well enough."
Bryan blushed and set his glass on a fence post. He squeezed her hand. "You're right Megan, you know that I'm a little..."
"Shy." Megan finished for him. Giggling she replied "Yeah I noticed." she kissed him on the cheek. He kept blushing.
Megan looked down at the table to see that she had finished eating on autopilot. Sighing she picked up the tray and walked to the garage can and dumped her trash inside and headed for the door. She walked to her truck and got inside while drinking the shake. She put on her seat belt and started the the engine after putting the cup in the cup holder. She left the parking lot and got onto the freeway, feeling defeated for the moment she decided to drive back home and think about her next move.
She pushed the power button on the in dash CD player and the music started, the song that came on was one her favorites, and his . She listened to the song as the miles melted away in to the distance. Hours passed and stopped at an empty rest stop, hoping to soothe the ache in her heart. She parked her truck and slammed the door as she got out releasing some pent up frustration and she went into the woman's restroom. When she was finished she stepped in front of the sink to wash her hands, she looked at her reflection in the mirror and winced at what she saw. Megan looked tired and haggard, but most of all she looked defeated.
After drying her hands she slumped against the back wall of the restroom and started to cry. It had been years since she had shed tears over this, Megan didn't know what to do now. Bryan's friends he'd made while in that town had simply told Megan that he was alive, but in a "better place" for him. His parents had given her the brush off and basically told that it was her fault that Bryan was gone. Megan kept crying until she noticed the locket pulsing, she wiped the tears from her eyes and pulled it from under her shirt. Megan inspected the locket wondering just what was happening, "What's going on here?" she asked in confusion.
Megan continued to stare at the locket as it glowed and pulsed. She could tell that the rainbow of light was activating. This caused her a moment of severe alarm, it had never done that on Earth before! "I've got to do something!" Megan exclaimed. She stood trying to decide on what to do but it was to late, the locket shattered enveloping her in a spectacular pillar of poly-chromatic light. Megan was floating. "Am I dead? What happened to me? Why did the rainbow do that?" As these questions floated through her mind she felt as if she was being pulled in a specific direction. "Bryan, are you there? Bryan I need your help, I don't know where I am. I don't know what to do." As Megan spoke these words the "current" pulling her got faster and faster.
It continued to pick up speed until Megan felt herself falling. She tried to scream but nothing came out. All Megan heard was the rushing of the wind, and then she hit the ground hard. There was no pain, no sickening crunch of breaking bones, and no spray of blood. A thick could of dust blocked her vision.
Megan's ears had stopped ringing and could hear voices. The voices were unfamiliar to her but knew she heard someone telling someone else to run. But then everything stopped the sounds which had been those of fighting and panic, had just stopped. Megan could feel the eyes of the others on her, she slowly stood. The dust began to settle, and Megan opened her eyes to see... Ponies!
Ponies and some kind of upright dogs? Megan's face contorted in rage. "You leave my little ponies ALONE! " Megan's eyes glowed and her aura flared...
My Little Pony: Echos of Dream Valley
"Swift Runner go and get the guard!" a large grey earth pony called out to a smaller tan colored earth pony who took off like a shot.
"Right boss." she called over her shoulder as she bolted for Ponyville. Megan watched as a large grey dog readied a spear it was holding.
Megan instinctively blitzed the six foot canine. "Oh no you don't!" she yelled as she rushed the dog. Closing the distance faster than either of them thought possible, she raised her left hand and slammed it into the dog's face knocking his helmet off and snatching the spear from its grasp. She pointed the spear at the rest of the dogs. "You don't do anything to hurt these ponies!" Megan said raw fury evident in her voice. The dog whimpered from the ground before passing out, while the ponies lined up beside Megan.
The burly grey pony stallion trotted up to Megan and stopped beside her. "The name's Rock Crusher, it's nice to meet you. And even nicer to see a friendly face, especially when that face is a human face." Megan stared at the pony.
"Human?" Megan queried.
"Yeah are ya related to that human in da night guard, his name's Bryan." he asked.
"I think I know him, maybe. Look we can talk later, we need to focus on the problem at hand." Megan said. The stallion smirked at the dogs who were standing and looking nervously at the interloper.
"All right ya mugs, ya heard tha lady. Line em' up and get ready to by some time till the guards get here."
"Right!" the ponies said in unison.
Swift Runner true to her name was running to Ponyville at top speed. "Just hang on everypony, just hang on. I'll get Ace and Bryan I promise. "
Ponyville........
Bryan came out of the restroom at the teahouse. He stretched and was met with satisfying pops as his joints released the built up pressure inside them. Then the building shook almost throwing him to the floor, as he regained his balance he heard a crash from his right. His head snapped around towards the sound he saw Lyra on the floor shaking lightly looking shaken and sick. "Lyra!" he shouted as he ran to friend's side.
She looked up weakly "Oh hey Bryan, could you help me up, I feel kinda sick all of the sudden."
Bryan picked Lyra up and shouted "Chamomile! We've got a problem!"
The teahouse owner poked her head out from the kitchen area. "I know Bryan I've got half a dozen sick unicorns back here!"
"Yeah and one more out here. "Oh shit! Vinyl! Cami I'm gonna take Lyra over to our table and see what Twilight and Octavia can do to help." The mare nodded and ducked back into the kitchen and began barking orders to the rest of her employees to begin helping the stricken unicorns.
Bryan carried Lyra to their booth "Twilight, I've got Lyra here how's Vinyl doing?"
The lavender alicorn looked up at him somewhat frantically "She's not so good Bryan. It's like she suddenly has spell shock." Twilight looked at Lyra as Bryan put her down on the table after clearing it to make room. "Bryan what's going on here? That magic surge, what the hay caused it?"
Bryan looked out towards the survey site. "I'm not exactly sure Twily, but that magic felt vaguely familiar somehow. Like it's something I've felt before." He looked thoughtful "I've got to get out to the survey site. Unless I'm mistaken, that's the epicenter of the event."
Twilight placed her hoof on Bryan's shoulder. "I'm not letting you go alone, I'm coming with you."
He shook his head "No Twilight, your first duty is to Ponyville. Chamomile has six sick unicorns in the back, and there are bound to be many more in all of Ponyville. They'll need you to organize things so that everypony gets to the hospital. Besides this is the other duty I have to Equestria, and Swift Runner will probably be at Ace's by now so I won't be going alone."
Twilight looked at Bryan with uncertainty "Al-alright Bryan I'll take care of things here." She reared up and kissed him before letting him go.
As Bryan left the teahouse he heard Vinyl speak. "Uhhhh, Tavi I feel like shit."
Octavia stroked Vinyl's back as she held her. "Shhhh, just take it easy Vinyl. I'm right here and I'm gonna help Twilight to help everypony out so you and everypony can get better. Ok?" The white unicorn smiled weakly at her marefriend and closed her eyes.
Bryan tore of to Ace's house, thankful for the endurance training that the Apple family had helped him with. As he ran he was also thankful for the military training he'd received from the lunar guard. "They must have felt that magic surge all of the way in Manehaten. Damn this is bad, I hope nothing happened to Trixie in this bucking mess! " He ran like mad to Ace's house.
Ace had just stepped out of the shower having desperately needed to clean up after last night's events. He wiped the steam from the mirror at that moment the house shook. "What the buck!" the red pegasus shouted, all farther profanities where cut off as he was suddenly shocked by his own magic with a loud ZAP! . "Owww," he said "that sucked." there was a pounding on the door matching the pounding in his head.
"Ace," a mare's voice said from the other side of the door "I need you out here something's wrong with Trixie."
"Buck!" Ace shouted as he opened the bathroom door. He was greeted by the sight of an amber colored unicorn with a red and gold mane and tail. "What happened Sunset?" he queried.
She fixed her aqua eyes on her mate "I don't know, we were cuddling and all of the sudden a huge magic surge came out of nowhere. I only had just enough time to shield myself and couldn't shield Trixie in time. She's really sick Ace!"
"Ok, ok calm down Sun Sun." He looked at her appraisingly " What you need to do is get Trixie to the hospital. I'm gonna try to find out where that magic surge came from."
"Alright." Sunset said "By the way what happened to you in there? I heard a loud zap, and I'm worried about you Ace."
Ace chuckled and leaned in to kiss Sunset Shimmer on the cheek "I got shocked by my combat magic, but I'm alright." He said as he pulled his armor from the chest he kept it in. There was a knock at the front door while he was getting dressed. "Hey Sun Sun will you go and get the door please?" Sunset merely rolled her eyes at the nickname and went down stairs to answer the door.
The sight that greeted her would have been comical, had it not been for the circumstances. She opened the door to a disheveled tan earth pony who was sweating profusely and an out of breath human. "Bryan, Swift Runner I take it you're here about the magic surge?" she questioned. Bryan leaned against the outside wall of of the house while he recovered. Swift Runner recovered first though.
"Well yes Sunset." she said still panting slightly.
"So What's going on?" she asked the other mare.
"I'm not entirely sure, but those diamond dogs that we were told to look out for invaded the survey site. And then just as we were getting ready to fight them off something fell out of the sky and crashed into the ground."
"Something?" Bryan asked with a raised eyebrow.
"Yeah we had no idea what it was at first and then the dust settled. And well it was a human!"
Bryan and Sunset's eyes widened "A human?!" they said in unison.
Swift Runner simply nodded. "She said something about not touching her little ponies. And glared at the diamond dogs like she was pissed, I didn't see what happened next because I needed to come and get you two."
Bryan looked at Swift Runner "You are absolutely certain that was a human female?" Swift Runner nodded again just as Ace appeared in the hall in his armor.
"So," he said "what's the situation?"
Bryan looked at Ace who was looking at him funny "What?" he said.
"You're out of uniform." Ace replied
"This is not the time to whine about regulations Ace." the red pegasus snickered "We've got a situation, and one my people seems to be at the center of it somehow." Bryan turned to Swift Runner "I need you to help with Sunset with Trixie, Swift Runner. Since she's not at the door with you Sunset I presume she's got spell shock like the rest of the unicorns in Ponyville." Sunset nodded. "All right then," he said "help Sunset get Trixie to the hospital. And then the two of you see if you can help anypony else out, Ace let's roll out."
Ace spoke up as he headed out the door. "Hey Bryan."
"Yes Ace." he replied
"If you die cause you're not in armor, can I court Twilight?" he said with a grin.
Bryan rolled his eyes "Yeah that'll really happen Ace." he said sarcastically.
"What do you mean one of your people might be at the heart of it?" Ace said as trotted out the front door.
Bryan spoke "I have no confirmation beyond Swift Runner's word Ace. But she said that there was a human female at the survey site. We have no way of being totally sure until we see her for ourselves."
The crimson pegasus nodded and took of into the sky without a further word. Ace launched himself towards the survey site.
Swift Runner watched as Bryan clapped his hands together an disappeared in puff of smoke.
Sunset Shimmer smiled at her friend's theatrics as Swift Runner stood there blinking in disbelief.
"Come on," Sunset said catching Swift Runner's attention "we've a lot of ponies who need help. Just hang in there Trixie." Sunset said aloud.
Bryan reappeared not far away from the survey site and took cover. He cast a hearing enhancement spell to listen in on what was going on.
Ace touched down a few moments later, thought not as fast as Rainbow Dash the crimson pegasus was no slouch by any means. "So what's going on down there?" he asked.
Bryan opened his eyes and stopped concentrating on the spell. "There's definitely a human woman down there. But that's not all." he looked at Ace."Do you remember that diamond dog shaman Princess Luna said we were to capture or kill if the need arose." Ace nodded "That literal son of a bitch is behind this attack."
"I'm gonna buck him to Tartarus and back!" Ace said coldly flaring his wings and crouching low.
Bryan placed his hand on Ace's shoulder "Easy there Ace. First take a look at what's down there, specifically the human woman."
Ace complied wondering what his comrade was getting at. He gazed at the standoff with his keen hawk like vision. What or rather who he saw seemed vaguely familiar somehow. He continued to look at this woman, she was fairly tall hardly shorter that Bryan himself. She had long blonde hair with a red bow tied in it at the base of her neck. He sharpened his focus and realized that she was dressed in a familiar fashion as well. She was clad in a brown vest with an orange shirt, blue jeans and a pair of boots.
"You do realize who that is don't you?" Bryan asked.
Ace stared in disbelief. "You mean that's..." He trailed off momentarily and snapped to a realization "That's Megan!" he said his voice barely a whisper. Bryan merely nodded.
*POMF!* his wings sprang up from his sides, stiff and unresponsive.
"You never told me she'd be that hot Bryan." Ace said shock evident in his voice.
"I haven't seen her in ten years Ace. Let's stand down for the moment. I wanna see what she does, then we can move in when the time is right and that mangy bastard can't escape."
"Right!" Ace said. "Then we'll take him out for good." he said clopping his front hooves together.
"Uh Bryan," Ace said breaking their momentary silence with a low whisper.
"What Ace?" Bryan replies somewhat exasperated.
"Hey if you die can I date Megan and Twilight? I mean you don't have your armor and all, so I figure they'll need somepony to take care of them afterward."
Bryan laughed quietly "Ace you don't court Megan Williams, she courts you. And after ten years of being forced apart from her you bet your flanks I ain't dieing today. Now pay attention or we'll lose our chance."
"That's different." Ace said quietly.
Ace resumed watching the survey site with Bryan. The two of them watched carefully, waiting for their best moment to intervene.
Megan looked over her pony allies and noticed a pegasus nervously looking at the dogs lined up opposite to them. Megan walked over to the purplish pegasus and looked her in the face. "Hey what's wrong?" Megan said soothingly
She looked up with her magenta eyes and spoke in a shaky fashion. "I-I'm just here to manage the weather team for the survey site. I, I can't fight!"
Megan ran her hand over her turquoise mane "What's your name my little pony?"
"Flitter my name is Flitter." she said still nervous.
Megan smiled "Ok Flitter, is there something else you can do?"
Flitter stared at Megan, this human was strange to her. She carried an air not unlike Princess Celestia's. She was warm, kind, and strong. Flitter smiled despite the circumstances. "Well the unicorns on the survey team are stuck in that building over there." she said while pointing with her hoof off to her right.
Megan's smile was reassuring and warm. "Ok Flitter I need you and the other pegasi to go in there and watch over those unicorns until we can resolve this and get them some help. Can you do that for me?" she asked softly.
Flitter simply nodded and trotted over to the building with the other pegasi.
Bryan smiled as he watched this. Flitter, Thunderlane, and Cloudchaser all entered the building.
Ace gave a low quiet whistle.
"Impressed?" Bryan asked.
"Very." the pegasus replied.
"That's merely the start of it Ace. Next comes that ass whipping of the century." Bryan stated.
As Megan walked in front of the lined up earth ponies it was clear to the diamond dogs. This newcomer wasn't going to surrender, she was going to fight.
As Megan did this Bryan cast his gaze to the sky looking very carefully for something.
Ace noticed his friend's unusual behavior and spoke up. "What in Luna's name are you doing B man?"
Bryan's face lit up like Hearth's Warming "Ah ah!" he exclaimed quietly "Ace I've found a lone cloud over the survey site."
"I see it." Ace responded "What do you have in mind Bryan?" he queried.
"See if you can get up to that cloud when the fighting starts. And if you get noticed Rex will figure out that something's up and escape."
"I'll give it a shot Bryan, but I'm not Shadow." he said.
"Well then," Bryan said with a sly smile "you'll have something to talk about with him when you pull this off. Now won't ya?"
Ace smirked "What about you?"
"I'll take advantage of the confusion and slip around behind them. "It'll be just like Tambelon all over again."
Ace crouched low and waited "Finally, " he thought something to work with. "
Megan walked back in front her pony allies and faced the diamond dogs "I'll give you one chance to walk away and give yourselves up. If you don't I'll be forced to hurt you, I'd rather not but I can't let you hurt these ponies." she leveled her spear at the dogs punctuating her point.
The diamond dog leader, who had been quiet the whole time, finally spoke. "So who do you you think you are? You stupid human! You're nothing I rule all of Equestria, the ponies don't want you to know this. Because they are afraid..."
Megan said nothing but instead chose to act she rushed the diamond dog line and slammed into two of their brutes with the shaft of the spear which shattered knocking the dogs nearly out of their armor. As the brutes hit the ground and bounced to a stop at the feet of their leader she spoke once more. "I'm gonna beat the living hell out of you then." Megan snarled menacingly.
Ace for his part was awe struck, his jaw hung open, his pupils shrank to pinpricks. He just couldn't believe that Bryan ever dated this woman!
"Yeah," Bryan spoke up with a smirk "I still can't believe it either. Now would be a good time by the way."
Ace shook off his reverie and rocketed into the sky landing on the stray cloud without so much as a poof. He crouched low once more and waited.
Bryan began sneaking around the enemy lines as Megan generated nothing less than absolute mayhem in the diamond dog ranks.
"What are you waiting for? GET HER!" Rex shrieked in his gravely voice. As the dogs started to rush Megan they were intercepted by Rock Crusher and his crew. The slate grey earth pony crashed into a group of diamond dogs flinging them into the air with sound not unlike the crashing of bowling pins. He stopped and reared up to avoid a spear thrust from a brute. He caught the spear shaft in his mouth and bit down, he then flung the diamond dog like a hoofball who went crashing into the ground some distance away.
Megan didn't stand idle though she cocked her right arm back and slammed her right hand into the face of yet another brute. They were going down quickly and Rex didn't understand how this soft, weak, human could be beating his troops so easily. The stunned brute flew with great force into three others knocking them all to the ground and out.
Rex was annoyed this human had caused him to much trouble. "ENOUGH!" he shrieked. "Now you have to deal with this, you stupid human!" he started chanting. the action stopped as a large earthen construct began to rise from the ground. "Ha stupid human now we see how you deal with this."
Megan stood firm refusing to back down even a little. "Is this it?" she queried. "I faced down Lavan with the princess ponies, and I'm still here!" Megan began to glow with a rainbow hue. She slammed her fists together and shouted "Come on!"
Rock Crusher and the other earth ponies backed off not sure what to do. But Megan stood firm, she would not back down. She didn't back down at Midnight Castle, not at Tambelon, and there was no way she was going to back down now. She stood ready as the massive stone construct raised it's right arm and brought it down with tremendous force. But Megan was gone.
"Where? Where is she?" Rex shrieked in a near blind panic.
Megan had jumped clear and was now running up the golem's arm. The golem tried to pull its massive stone arm back to throw the bold young woman off, but it was to slow and to late. Megan continued her fearless charge up to the construct's head. She reached the golem's shoulder and stopped. She drew back her right arm, and threw the most powerful punch she could. Ordinarily this would have resulted in a broken hand and certain death.
But Megan had changed in ways that were not currently understood, and with a bright poly-chromatic flash Megan poured the rainbow's power in to the surprisingly flimsy construct. It shattered from the sudden and violent introduction of a superior magical force. Rex was a very poor summoner, and it had finally come back to bite him on the tail.
Megan was falling, she thought she might die this time. It was not to be however Rock Crusher galloped at full speed and leapt into the air catching Megan before she hit the ground and became Equestria's first human grease stain.
"Now that was something, do you think you could do that again?" he asked as they landed.
"I don't think so." Megan replied as she got off of his back. She was sweating, panting, and she felt drained. But there was no way she was giving up.
Bryan had finished his approach up to the enemy rear ranks and had Rex, the shaman in his sights. He waited and watched, he knew the moment would soon arrive. Ace watched from the cloud knowing exactly what he was to do when that moment came.
The two watched the battle unfold, it was going well at first. But both of them could see that Megan was starting to tire, she wouldn't last much longer. She didn't yet have the stamina and she hadn't adjusted to her new powers, not yet. After the earlier display she didn't have much longer, and they knew it. It was no or never for the the two warriors.
Ace watched from the cloud and smirked. "Ok it's time." he told himself. Ace launched himself from the cloud diving into the fray generating lightning as he crashed into a group of brutes. A sound not unlike thunder sounded across the battlefield stopping the action for moment.
Rex turned to run and make good his escape but his run was stopped short by Bryan cutting off his intended escape route. "You're going nowhere Rex. Princess Luna gave us very explicit orders. You were to be captured or killed." Bryan clapped his hands together and electricity began to crackle around his hands. "Frankly we don't have the time to take you in, so you're going down." he said coldly.
As the diamond dog struggled to his feet and turned to run Bryan moved his hands apart forming a javelin comprised of lightning. Rex hit his feet and took off in a dead run. Bryan just let the weapon form fully in his right hand, he took aim at Rex and hurled the projectile at his target shouting "Lightning Javelin!" It struck the diamond dog from behind in the back of the head. He was dead before he hit the ground. That caused the rest of the dogs to break ranks and run, a few surrendered on the spot, it was well and truly over.
"Aghhh." Bryan grunted in pain and fell to one knee breathing heavily "D-damn." he said wincing.
Ace trotted over to him "What the buck Bryan? That spell wasn't ready you and knew it! What were you thinking?" Ace looked at Bryan confused, being reckless wasn't Bryan's M.O.
"Sorry about that Ace, I didn't have time to gather my armor and weapons before I left the teahouse. Your sister is gonna be pissed at me." he sighed "Twilight is gonna lecture me so hard for this. And I'll catch hell from Trixie as well, when she's better."
The red pegasus cast his gaze to the ground and scuffed it with a hoof. "Trix won't be giving you a hard time real soon Bryan." Ace looked up as Bryan's eyes widened "The magic surge did get her, and by now Sunset and Swift Runner have gotten to the hospital, I hope."
"I thought as much" Bryan said bitterly "We've got a real mess on our hands Ace, damn!"
Megan walked up to the two of them. "This is not the time you two! According to what Flitter said we've got some sick unicorns right here that need our help."
Bryan rose unsteadily to his feet. "Ok here's what we need to do then. Megan if you could go and get Thunderlane for me I would appreciate it. Actually bring Flitter and Cloudchaser here too."
She looked at him and asked "Why do you need them?"
Ace replied for Bryan "Because we need Thunderlane to fly to the Ponyville hospital and tell them we've got three more unicorns coming in. Also I'll bet Bryan wants him to deliver a message to Twilight too." Bryan nodded "As far as Flitter and Cloudchaser goes." Ace continued " We need them to help with getting the unicorns into the carts so the earth ponies can take them to the hospital. Is that right Bryan?"
Bryan stretched and spoke "Almost, what we need from Cloudchaser is for her to go to Fluttershy's cottage and bring her here to treat the wounds of the earth ponies who got hurt. The hospital will be to busy to deal with such minor injuries. At least for now they are minor."
Megan looked over at the ponies many of whom were covered in bruises, cuts, and other currently minor wounds. "I'll be right back. Oh and Bryan."
"Yeah Megan?" he asked.
Megan lunged at Bryan throwing her arms around his neck and kissing him very deeply on the lips. When they separated Bryan was blinking. Megan kept her face really close to his and whispered "I missed you so much Bryan."
Bryan sniffled slightly "I missed you too Megan. I don't know where to go from here but I still love you."
"I do too." Megan said before giving him a peck on the lips and walking back to the building.
"She's awesome. " Ace said "I don't think I've seen you speechless since you met Hammer." He cracked up at Bryan who drew in a breath after having forgotten to breath for a moment.
"Yeah," Bryan responded "she was always something special. When that part is done I'm gonna have to take her to Ponyville and send a letter to the princesses. So you'll have to take charge here in a minute."
"Hey," Ace said "it's me so don't worry about it alright" he said with a broad cocky smile.
"When you say there's no need to worry, that's when I worry the most." Bryan replied with a laugh.
Author's Note
There are a good number of references in this chapter. Who knows them all? Thanks much to my fellow Megan lover Gundam Dragon for the use of his OCs to help deepen this story's cast and add more life to it in the long run.
Gundamdragon's OCs: Ace Crimson Moon: pegasus, Shadow Wing Crimson Moon: pegasus, and Hammer Crimson Moon: ????.
Edit: This chapter has been revised with a larger part in the battle for Megan. Before anyone cries "Mary Sue" there is an explanation of what happened coming up at the beginning of chapter four, other than that Rex was bad summoner. Thanks go to Gundamdragon for helping me to come with the idea as well.
My Little Pony: Echos of Dream Valley
Bryan and Ace talked among themselves as Rock Crusher looked over his earth pony team members appraising their injuries, which were indeed minor unless left unattended. It was worrisome to him, he grumbled under his breath as he trotted to the supply shed for some first aid kits. While pretty self sufficient the survey team's one actual doctor was one of the sick unicorns. He cursed his luck under his breath, but at least it wasn't worse. Soon Fluttershy, one of the guardians would be here with her knowledge of first aid and would help his workers.
Ace was here too, and that was also good because royal guards were trained in basic first aid as well. "Maybe them whinny prissy ponies will finally stop gettin in the way of us havin a proper guard detail. " he thought somewhat bitterly.
"Ok," Megan said as she returned with the three requested pegasi "I've got all three of them here you two."
"Great, thanks a lot Megan." Ace replied
Megan smiled "I'm here to help Ace." she said warmly.
"Yeah," Ace laughed "it doesn't hurt that you're a total knock out too." Megan simply scowled at him. Ace just chuckled "Megan Trix is very good at that, so it doesn't work on me. Anyway," he said "Cloudchaser we need you to go to Fluttershy's cottage and bring her back here to help with every ponies injuries."
"All right," Cloudchaser said "is there anything else you need me to do?"
"Just gonna need an extra set of hooves to make sure we get it right when you get back is all." Ace said.
"Ok," Cloudchaser replied "I'll be back as soon as I can." she took to the air and flew in the direction of Fluttershy's cottage.
Thunderlane came to Bryan grumbling under his breath. Bryan noticed the stallion's attitude and spoke up "Is there a problem Thunderlane?"
The suddenness of the statement jolted Thunderlane out of his funk. "Yeah I think I that should have stayed to fight!"
Megan grimaced a little as Bryan just stretched and released some pressure form his joints. It reminded her of when their mother would give Danny that look when he was in trouble.
As Thunderlane looked up now somewhat nervously at the six foot human Bryan spoke again. "And do what exactly? Get yourself hurt? Maybe hurt worse than these earth ponies? Let me explain something to you about defending others when they unable to defend themselves, the thing you don't do is something rash."
"But, but..." Thunderlane pointed at Ace with his hoof and tried to muster a defense, but was cut off by Bryan. While Ace growled at him.
"Ace is a trained soldier, Thunderlane. You are a civilian on the Ponyville weather team. That team is led by my friend Rainbow Dash, who is your boss I'll remind you. So what the bucking Tartarus am I supposed to tell her when you get yourself killed or maimed trying to do a job that isn't yours to do?" Bryan looked rather intimidating to the pegasus in that moment.
Thunderlane simply nodded. "Ok what do you need me to tell Twilight?"
"Alright," Bryan began "I need you tell her about Megan of course, and that I'll be sending a formal request for aid for Ponyville to Canterlot. That's in addition to the information about the unicorns that are headed in to the hospital."
"Ok." Thunderlane said and flew off.
Megan walked up to Bryan and said "Wasn't that a little harsh?"
Ace snickered "I would have put him on his haunches for that. That is not the way you behave when there are real warriors to take care of things."
Bryan shook his head "Trust me Megan he got off easy. Ace gets a little territorial when it comes to this sort of thing."
"Ok" Megan said "Now can either of you tell me what happened back there? I know I'm strong but that doesn't explain that. I mean, I get it something happened and the rainbow is a part of me now. But still how was I able to do that?"
Ace and Bryan answered in unison "You overcharged."
Megan scratched her head in confusion "Overcharged?"
Ace looked thoughtful for a moment "Ok you know about a bit magic, that's good. Because you'll get this. What happened is that you got more mana than you normally would for your attack. That causes a state called an overcharge, which means you used a lot more energy than you had to. That caused you to take out that golem in one hit, instead of taking one-hundred. Although," Ace said "I've never seen magic quite like that before, have you Bryan?"
Bryan thought for a moment "It's a kind of magic that is concentrated in her body, like what's normal for an earth pony or pegasus." Bryan looked Megan over taking in the events of the battle. "I don't think she can use any energy projection magic though. We'll need Twilight and Sunset Shimmer to examine her and figure this out."
Megan seemed thoughtful herself. "Can this overcharge cause long term problems?"
"Oh yes." Bryan replied "Overcharge is very dangerous, I doubt you'll be doing anymore fighting for a while Megan. Your mana reserves will be be depleted, so your on inactive reserve for now. We also need to evaluate your unique magical abilities and have you trained to use them properly, I lost you once I'm not about to lose you again."
Megan smiled "I'm glad you haven't changed to much Bryan, I was worried about you."
"I'm not so sure about her fighting Bryan, she's untrained. I really don't want her getting in the way. I know she's got experience, but she is not trained warrior like us." Ace said uncertainly.
Bryan smiled at Megan warmly "You always said I need to remember who I am Megan. I'm not about to change that so completely, not for anypony."
Megan walked up to Bryan and slipped her arms around him again. She pressed her forehead against his "That's good Bryan, I-I'm really happy that we're together again." she looked into his eyes "what did you mean that you didn't know where we go from here."
Bryan sighed "I'll talk to you about it on the way to Ponyville Megan. Ace I'm heading out now."
Ace waved his forehoof dismissively "Get going Ponyville needs that aid. Oh and Bryan see if you can find some time to check on Trixie for me." Ace looked concerned, but said no more.
"I'll do that if I can Ace, at the very least Twilight should be able to give us an update. Let's head out Megan, we'll just be underhoof if we stay." Bryan started to leave and Megan followed him on his way to town.
Ace watched the two of them leave and looked at Megan rather intently "I hate to see her leave, but I love to watch her go." he said with a chuckle.
Cloudchaser flew towards Fluttershy's cottage "I should get there quickly. " she thought as she added some speed to her flight to arrive sooner. It wasn't too long before she had arrived at her destination and was knocking on the door.
"Just a minute." Fluttershy's soft voice answered from the other side of the door. The top half of the red door opened revealing the shy pegasus. "Oh my, Cloudchaser what brings you here?"
"We had a diamond dog raid on the survey site, nopony was seriously hurt but there's been some minor injuries. And we need your help because of the magic surge that ko'd our doctor."
Fluttershy gasped "Oh no, I've got to get my supplies together, I'll only be a moment." she said as she opened the door and retreated inside to start loading her saddle bags with the help of her animal friends. "So how bad are the injuries?" Fluttershy asked.
"Well from what I can tell they are all bruises, cuts and scrapes. But I don't really know for sure Fluttershy." Cloudchaser replied.
"Oh ok." Fluttershy responded as she finished "Ok my little friends I need to go out for a while, but I'll be back in time for everyponies dinner, ok." there was a chorus of noises in response to Fluttershy's words.
Cloudchaser quietly marveled at this, she'd heard about it but it was something to actually see it firsthoof.
Fluttershy trotted up to Cloudchaser "Alright I'm ready let's get there so I can help everypony out."
Cloudchaser merely nodded in accent as they took the air and headed for the survey site.
Thunderlane for his part was unhappy with having been admonished by Bryan for his willingness to help in the battle. He was a pegasus for Celestia's sake. His ancestors were warriors! And he can't handle himself in defense of other ponies? That logic just didn't make any sense to him. Still he flew on until the hospital came into view. He landed to see an overwhelming sight, there were easily about one hundred or so unicorns in the hospital, all with spell shock. As he trotted into the waiting room he was stopped by the hospital security chief, an earth pony named Night Watch.
"Excuse me, but are you related to somepony here? Because if aren't I need to ask you leave. We have enough trouble enough tending to everyponies needs as it is." Night Watch said tersely.
"I've got a message for Twilight Sparkle from Bryan of the night guard, it's important." Thunderlane replied
"I assume it's about the incident that caused the magic surge?" The security chief responded.
Thunderlane nodded. Night Watch turned to go back inside. He returned a few moments later with a worried looking Twilight.
"What's going on Thunderlane?" Twilight queried.
"Well the survey site was attacked by those diamond dogs. And then something really strange happened there was a loud crash and after the dust settled there was a human. She told us to watch over the unicorns on the survey team and then she was fighting the diamond dogs."
Twilight looked at Thunderlane "She was helping ponies out, like Bryan does? And she started fighting the diamond dogs?"
"Yeah" Thunderlane said. "It was crazy. It's like she was angry at them for messing with us. When Swift Runner took off she attacked one of the diamond dogs and knocked him out and took his spear from him. I don't know who she is, but I think Bryan knows her."
"Did you hear this mare's name Thunderlane?" Twilight asked.
"I think she called herself Megan. And that's what he called her too. I'm sure they knew her actually she kissed him and he didn't seem to upset by it." Thunderlane was thoughtful at that moment.
Twilight smiled "Is there anything else that you need to tell me Thunderlane?"
"Oh yeah he told to tell you that he gonna formally request aid for Ponyville from Canterlot. So he's definitely headed back to the library."
"Alright thank you Thunderlane I'll get back there as soon as I can." Twilight showed visible relief at the news as she trotted back into the hospital to continue helping to organize things.
Bryan and Megan began there trip towards Ponyville, Megan asked the question on mind. "Ok Bryan, what did you mean when you said that you didn't know where we were gonna go from here?"
Bryan sighed "I really don't know where we go from here because I have a marefriend, we literally just got together last night. I realize that this could not have been anticipated, but it's still a bit of a problem none the less. I love Twilight, but I still love you as well. I don't want to have to chose between the two of you."
Megan smiled "Bryan I don't know how to fix this either, but I can see that you do love her. I won't get in your way, if she makes you happy I'm not about to step on your relationship with her. So," Megan began "what happened to Ponyland since we were here last?"
Bryan laughed. "This isn't Ponyland Megan. It's Equestria, we are among sapient ponies here. But this is not Ponyland, I didn't come here over a rainbow bridge nor on the back of a pegasus pony. In truth I have no idea just how I got here in the first place."
"What do mean Bryan?"Megan asked "How can you not know how you got here? You've got to know how it happened. Unless you're saying it's some kind of accident."
"We're still trying to figure that one out Megan. I just fell out of the sky one day, just like that." he snapped his fingers "I was on my way home from one of Patty's parties... and boom! Here I am falling out the sky into a tree hitting every branch on the way down and landing in front of a very startled lavender alicorn. Twilight was studying a magical phenomenon and that's it instant human. A very hurt, emotionally unstable human."
Megan whistled "Wow Bryan, that's just, just amazing. What did you do when you saw her?"
"I was so disoriented that I thought I was back in Ponyland and seeing Twilight again. I called her name and burst into tears. My distressed state caused me to lunge at Twilight and grab her, hugging her I cried not knowing where I was or what was going on. It took two weeks for me to recover from that state just to end up in a worse state." Bryan said in a worrisome tone.
As they continued their journey into Ponyville Megan pondered the turn of events that caused Bryan be in Equestria in the first place. "But I don't get something Bryan, what did you mean when you said that you wound up in a worse state?"
"After my initial trauma had passed. I got really sick, it took a while before they figured out why I got sick in the first place." he said.
"Well what happened?" Megan gently demanded.
"It was the mana here in Equestria. As it turns out humans who are from a non magical universe, like ourselves can get sick from the mana here because our bodies aren't used to it. I doubt very seriously that we would be having this conversation if not for our time in Ponyland to begin with." Bryan paused for a moment before continuing his exposition "You see Megan, we come from a universe with no ambient mana at all. The universe that contains Ponyland has mana, but the levels are so low that we had time to adjust with no issues. Equestria is a whole different issue however, the mana levels here are supermassively different from the mana levels in Ponyland. So much so that they can cause intense pain and sickness in any human that has had no previous exposure to it."
"I see." Megan said "Bryan I have a question, what's an alicorn?"
Bryan stared blankly for a moment, before bursting into a fit of laughter. "It's not funny!" Megan protested angerly.
"I'm sorry Megan." he managed before calming down "I was actually laughing at myself. I totally forgot to tell you about alicorns, I am very sorry about that. An alicorn is a kind of pony that is neither earth pony, nor pegasus, nor unicorn pony. Instead these rare ponies have the traits of all three pony tribes. They have the strength and endurance of the earth pony tribe, they have the agility and weather manipulating abilities of the pegasus tribe, and they have the magical abilities of the unicorn tribe." He stopped for a moment and looked skyward.
Megan had seen him do this before. It was always done when he needed to compose himself. "So Bryan," Megan began "this Twilight, is, is she anything like her? You know the Twilight from Ponyland?" Megan saw some tears being shed from his eyes. She hated asking him that, because she knew it would hurt him badly. He and Twilight had been very close, and she knew that he dearly missed that pink unicorn.
"Aside from the amethyst colored eyes and the streaked mane and tail? No they are nothing alike." he sniffled slightly and Megan moved to hold him momentarily. She whispered into his ear that she missed them too.
They broke from the embrace and gazed into each other's eyes for a long few moments. Megan kept her arms around him for a few moments longer. When she finally withdrew they both felt a sense of being empty for a moment. Megan looked at Bryan and got them back on track. "So how is it that Twilight is an alicorn?"
"Well," Bryan said "you have to understand that the alicorn line is directly linked to the royal sisters. Princess Luna and Princess Celestia, both are alicorns and immortals. They are also the kind of immortals that can have children, but it's very difficult for them to do so. In the last one-thousand years they have had partners and spouses. The result is that twelve families in Equestria have ancestral ties to the royal family, but of those families only those of Twilight and Cadence have actually produced any alicorns."
Megan pondered that information for a moment "Wait. You're telling me that your girlfriend is a princess?" Megan was agape.
Bryan laughed "Not yet anyway. But she is a descendant of Princess Celestia's, which means she does have royal blood and is in line for the position." Bryan turned thoughtful "You know this situation is the perfect test for that actually."
"What do you mean Bryan?" Megan questioned
"Well it'll show how she can step up and lead during a crisis. It'll also show that knows that she is responsible for helping everypony in such an event. Princess Celestia would have had to have tested her on these things eventually, but it just happened to come up out of the blue. That's great my Twily will do just fine and be one step closer to the crown. It's well deserved and rightly so, she's very dedicated to others and making their lives the best that she can. I know from my own experience." he resumed walking towards Ponyville.
After a long silence had passed between them Bryan spoke up once again. "Hey Megan."
"What is it?" Megan replied
Bryan sighed "I need to tell you about some ponies around here, ones that will remind you of our friends from Dream Valley."
Megan smiled at him "I know there are probably some ponies that are a little like our friends from Ponyland Bryan. I'm ready to deal with it."
He shook his head sadly "No Megan you aren't. Do you remember Applejack?" Megan nodded "Well there is an Applejack here too, and I was no where near ready when I met her."
Megan just stared at Bryan "What do you mean Bryan?"
"When I first met her I freaked out, burst into tears and ran like mad." Megan continued to stare at him wondering what would have brought about such a reaction. "You see," he continued "she is an almost dead ringer for that silly pony. She has the same orange coat, emerald green eyes, Long blonde mane and tail. The only real differences are her accent, the stetson she wares, and the red bands she uses to bind her mane and tale. That's not all Twilight has a baby dragon for an assistant, a baby earth dragon that is green and lavender," Megan's eye widened "his name is Spike."
Megan stepped in front of Bryan bringing him to a halt. She looked into his eyes and gently raised her right hand to his face and caressed him tenderly. "I had no idea it's been so hard on him, how as he kept it together this long? " she thought to herself. "Bryan I don't have anything to say to you. I could say that I should have been there for you, and I should have. I really wanted to be here for you the whole time. I'm here now and I'm going to help you in any way that I can. I know that I'm not your girlfriend anymore, but I'm still your friend."
He looked as if he was about to speak, but she placed her index finger on his lips to quiet him. "Bryan I still love you, and I want what's best for you. That's why I'm willing to stand aside and let this mare take care of you. I really want to be the one, but that won't happen now. I'll learn to deal with it." she leaned in and kissed him full on the lips. As her tongue pressed against his lips seeking entry, she felt him relent and their tongues danced for a few moments.
Finally she pulled back and caressed his face again. Bryan leaned into the touch, as he did he noticed something on her left hand. something that looked out of place. "Megan let me see the back of your hand."
"Ok," she replied "I don't know why though." Megan raised her left hand and showed him the top of it.
Bryan stood awestruck. On the top of her palm was a mark not unlike a tattoo. The image confused him. what he saw was an open red locket with a rainbow emerging and making a heart shape. He took in a breath and spoke "Megan you've got a cutie mark!"
"What?" Megan said as she examined her right hand and saw the image. "Bryan what is this? why do I have a symbol on my hands like a pony?"
"I have no idea in Equestria Megan, this is unprecedented. We need to get to the library right now and get a letter to the princesses. Come on Megan." he took off towards the library at a much faster pace with Megan following.
They somewhat tore through Ponyville which was not very crowded due to so many ponies being at the hospital due to sick friends, family, and loved ones. When they finally arrived at the library Bryan stopped at the door. "Ok Megan be careful when we go inside here, Spike can be easily startled sometimes. And he is bound to be really worried at the moment, especially since he has a thing for Rarity's little sister Sweetie Belle."
"Why would he be worried right now?" she asked
Once again he sighed " Because Sweetie belle is a unicorn, and every unicorn in Ponyville except my friend Sunset Shimmer is sick and in the hospital form the magic surge that occurred when you arrived." Megan looked downcast but said nothing. Bryan took her face in his hands and said "Megan you're not to blame for what happened of that I am certain. I don't know exactly what happened yet but I know you would never go out of your way to hurt anypony."
Megan smiled but still said nothing more. "Ok let's go in." she nodded
Bryan stepped through the door after opening it to see a little dragon pacing back and forth in the main room of the library.
"Spike," Bryan said "I need your help."
"Oh," he said looking up "there you are Bryan I was getting worried when you and Twilight didn't come back from the teahouse." he looked at him and then noticed Megan "Bryan who the heck is that?"
Bryan drew in a shaky breath "Spike this is Megan, Megan this is Spike." Spike looked at Megan blankly "Look Spike we can clear this up a little later I need you to take a letter and send it to Canterlot."
Spike produces a quill and parchment from out of nowhere and replied "Alright Bryan I'm ready."
Bryan cleared his throat and began to speak.
To Princess Celestia and Luna
I am certain that by now you are well aware of the magic surge that has occurred. It was the unintended product of the arrival of another human. That human is the young woman I informed you both about all those years ago, none other than Megan Williams herself. The exact circumstances that caused her arrival are as of yet unknown and will be passed along at later time, when they are known. The true purpose of this letter is inform you both that wanted diamond dog criminal Rex was attacking the survey site at the time of Megan's arrival. She rallied the earth ponies at the survey site until Ace and I were in position and able to act.
Rex at one point during the fighting summoned and earth golem, this is when Megan stepped up and through the processes of magical overcharge destroyed the golem with a single rainbow powered punch. As a result her magic has been drained and she is unable to act as a protector for the time being, but this event allowed Ace and myself to eliminate the threat to Equestria that Rex posed. However there is bad news to go with the good, the previously mentioned magic surge has sickened nearly every unicorn in Ponyville. All save Luna's pupil Sunset Shimmer who had the knowledge and ability to shield herself from the event is still standing.
This brings me to the final point of this letter, it is in my capacity as your royal adviser that I must formally request aid for Ponyville's unicorn community. With only Sunset and Twilight standing neither of whom have extensive medical knowledge and thusly are unable to treat the large number of spell shocked unicorns. We need aid from Canterlot as quickly as you can send it.
Thanks in advance, your faithful subject Bryan Luna.
"Alright Spike send it." Bryan said. With those words Spike opened a window and breathed fire on the letter sending it to Canterlot. It was at that point that library door opened to reveal Twilight who had just come home.
She looked up at him and then looked over to Megan "Bryan who is this?"
Author's Note
Once again thanks are due to Gundamdragon for helping get unstuck with the idea for the letter's contents.
My Little Pony: Echos of Dream Valley
Bryan looked at his marefriend nervously. "Twilight, this is my first love Megan Williams. Megan this is Twilight Sparkle my marefriend."
Twilight squeed. "This is Megan? Bryan she is so beautiful!" Twilight trotted up to them and looked Megan over. "Wow so this is a human mare. I can't wait to study you!" Twilight said excitedly.
Megan's eyes widened and her jaw dropped while Bryan and Spike simultaneously facepalmed/clawed.
Spike rolled his eyes "Yeah that's not creepy at all Twi." he deadpanned.
Bryan just grabbed Twilight in his arms and carried her into another room, where he put her down and closed the door. "Twilight what in Tartarus was that?" he paced somewhat frantically around the room "You don't just say that to a human remember? What am I going to do with you?"
Twilight looked at him with horror on her face as the realization of what she had just done. "Bryan I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to do that." she sniffled a little
He walked over to her and bent down to look at her. "I know that Twilight, but you've just made a bad impression." he sighed "It's ok, Megan will be able to get over it. But you've got to be more careful than that. Megan is used to odd things and it'll be ok." he sighed again "I didn't mean to snap at you Twily, I'm very sorry about that." Bryan kissed Twilight
She pulled back after a while. "Bryan I need to ask you something." she asked
"Ok what is it?" he replied.
"Bryan Thunderlane said that Megan kissed you, is that true?"
Bryan looked her in the eyes and said "Yes Megan kissed me, twice in fact. And the second time was with tongue, I won't lie to you about it. In all honesty I'm really torn at the moment, I still love her too."
Twilight looked embarrassed for a moment "Di-did you kiss her back?"
"Yes" he replied.
Twilight caressed him with her hoof "Oh don't worry Bryan I've got an idea that will keep things from going badly." she giggled "We really should get back out there." she trotted towards the door and stopped casting a sideways look over her shoulders "Well come on, we don't want to let Spike's mind wander."
Spike was pacing again "Uh Megan do you think we should go check on those two? I mean they've been gone for a while now, and I don't want to find out they have been fighting." he said worried
Megan smiled and crouched down to look him in the eyes "Spike I've known Bryan for a long time. He won't fight with her, if there's anything to worry about it's that I may have gotten him into trouble with her."
For his part Spike stared blankly "How would have gotten Bryan in trouble with Twilight Megan?"
She replied "It's not smart to kiss someone else's boyfriend Spike, and I did that, twice."
The young dragon was shocked "Why, why would you do that?"
"It was stupid of me Spike, I know that. I know that I shouldn't have done that too, but it's hard. I haven't seen him in ten years." Megan paused choosing her next words carefully. "I know that's no excuse to intrude like that, and I'm sorry I did it. I'll level with Twilight and we'll go from there. Spike the best thing you can do in these kinds of relationship situations is own your mistakes and be honest about them, lying only makes things worse."
Spike stood there processing what Megan had just said. Then it all clicked in his head "That makes sense. I don't wanna mess up, but I'm gonna responsible when I do. I owe Sweetie Belle that much." he said with a smile
Megan smiled "That's good Spike, when you're with someone you need to think about them and not yourself."
"Well it's good to see you two are getting along." Bryan said warmly
"So your not fighting?" Spike said
Twilight giggled "No Spike we're not fighting, but I am little disappointed in Bryan at the moment."
Spike breathed a sigh of relief.
"You see Spike," Megan said "it's not wise to assume the worst."
"Uh Twilight?" Spike asked
"What is Spike?" she replied
"Well I wanted to know how Sweetie Belle is doing. I'm kinda worried about her."
"Last I saw her it wasn't really bad Spike, did you want to go and check on her?" Spike nodded "All right Spike, Bryan really can't give us that explanation right now anyway. So go ahead and check on Sweetie Belle."
Spike ran over to her and hugged her "Thanks a lot Twi." he said before running from the library like he'd been shot out of a cannon.
"Speaking of needing to go and check on somepony," Bryan said "I'd better go and check on Pinkie Pie. She's gonna be really worried about little Pumpkin and I don't want to leave her like that."
"Go on and do that Bryan, I want to talk to Megan anyway. And it'll be better if we can talk alone for a while." She reared up on her hind legs and kissed Bryan deeply.
After breaking from the kiss Bryan said "Alright Twily, thanks for being so understanding about everything. And I'm sorry for messing up like that."
Twilight smiled "It's alright Bryan, everypony makes mistakes. Besides you were honest with me about it, so I can't get to mad at you."
Bryan smiled appreciatively as he headed for the door "I'll be back later Twily, I might be hauling Pinkie along too, I'm not so sure about leaving her by herself right now."
Twilight called after him "I'll have things ready just in case Bryan."
Twilight turned to Megan "Well I'm going to make some tea, would you like some Megan?"
"Yeah that would be great, thanks Twilight." her stomach growled "And maybe something to eat too." Megan said blushing
Twilight giggled "I've got some salad in the fridge, I'll get it ready." Twilight trotted into the kitchen and removed the salad from the refrigerator and filled up the tea kettle before placing it on the stove and turning on the heat.
Megan was thoughtful while waiting on the tea and salad. She sat down at the kitchen table watching Twilight expectantly.
Twilight finished readying the salad and placed it on the table along with two smaller bowls. She put the salad in both bowls and spoke to Megan as she waited for the water to boil. "Ok Megan, you and I have something serious to discuss about Bryan."
Megan stuck a fork in the salad and asked Twilight What do we need to talk about Twilight?"
A long silence followed and was broken as the tea kettle whistled. Twilight levitated it off of the burner while bringing out some teacups and saucers. As she poured the water into the teacups and placed the tea bags in the water to steep.
"I'll be honest with you Megan, we both love Bryan very much, and we want to see him happy. In fact we love him enough to want to see him happy even if it's with another mare. That said we could still put him in the awkward and terrible position of having to choose. I know we don't want that ."
Megan looked at her somewhat stunned "Twilight where are you going with this?" she asked
"I'm getting to that." she replied while pulling the tea bag from her tea cup and adding some sugar to her tea. Twilight sipped her tea for long moment considering her words while Megan readied her own tea.
If Megan was feeling anything in that moment, it was nervousness. Twilight's earlier display and words had actually rattled the normally dauntless young woman. Granted Bryan had spoken highly of her, and he undeniably loved her. But still the words "I can't wait to study you." were getting to Megan a little. She knew that she was sitting across form a very powerful pony, and although she had dealt with many "god like beings" as humans would call them. Well it simply made her all the more cautious in these situations. Megan drank from her tea cup trying to soothe her fraying nerves. And to try to escape the oppressive silence that had once again descended on them.
"Ok," Twilight finally spoke up " There is an old practice in Equestria that is still used sometimes. And it's one that will keep us from forcing him to choose between us. I know that what I am about to propose may seem a little odd, but please hear me out." Megan nodded in accent. "Good, I propose that we form a herd with Bryan as our stallion so he will never be faced with having to make that choice. We can both be here for him, and have him be with us with no additional headaches."
"A herd?" Megan questioned "I don't know if he'll go for that Twilight. Bryan has some rather strict standards when it come to dating, and marriage he's got even more strict in his standards. I just don't see that working." Megan speared some of her salad with her fork and chewed thoughtfully. She did see the sense in what Twilight was saying though, it was a good idea.
Twilight just smiled "Oh I'm aware of that Megan, it's safe to say that I know him almost as well as you do. But there is more information for you to hear first. When you were at the survey site you met a red colored pegasus pony named Ace Crimson Moon didn't you?" Megan nodded. "Well Ace has a herd, and Bryan knows that. What's more Bryan knows both of Ace's herd mates personally, in fact he is friends with all three of them." Twilight stopped and started taking in Megan's reaction, it struck her as a little odd that Megan was so quiet about it.
Megan finally spoke "I get what you're saying Twilight, and it does make sense. But I'm worried about what Bryan will think about all of this. I know he's smart, but he's also really stubborn sometimes and he's usually right when he is." She said with a smile "I know we're going to talk to him about it, but it won't be easy for us. I think this is the best idea though, I don't want to make him choose. I love him as much as you do."
"So? You're saying that you're in?" Twilight asked beaming.
"Yes," Megan replied "I want to be with him, and I don't want to take him from you to get that. But we'll really have to work for this, he's got to have the right information to go along with it. And I want to make sure he gets it."
Twilight squealed with delight "Oh thank you Megan! He will get that information, after all Ace is on our side. And that will help a lot because they respect each other so much." Twilight struck a triumphant pose as she spoke eliciting a very feminine giggle from Megan.
Twilight looked at Megan "Is there some reason you're giggling at me Megan?"
Megan responded still smiling "Well there are two actually, first that was really cute Twilight, second is that is far from the weirdest idea to come from a pony." Megan struggled to stifle more giggles, but she and Twilight both dissolved into a fit of laughter."She's like Twilight and Wind Whistler in the same mare. " Megan thought to herself.
When Twilight finally got her laughter under control she asked Megan a question "Megan, did Ace hit on you?"
Megan still smiling herself said "Yes, and he's terrible at it. How does he have two mares again?" the two resumed laughing.
Bryan's body was tense as walked towards Pinkie's house. He was not looking forward to this at all. Pinkie would be devastated right now, Pumpkin Cake was like a niece to her, and to see her in a state of spell shock at such a young age. Well that would be hard on anypony, but Pinkie Pie and Fluttershy were easily the two most sensitive ponies in Ponyville. "Oh man Flutters is gonna be heartbroken over Rarity right now. I really hope she can keep it together, hang in there Fluttershy she's gonna be fine. " Looking up he realized that he'd arrived. Taking in a breath he knocked on the door, at first nothing. Then there was the scrambling of hooves on the floor before the door opened and he was whisked inside by the house's occupant.
It was Pinkie and she looked bad. Her usually poofy mane and tail were flat her coat was duller than normal, and her big bright blue eyes were watering. She looked up at him sadly and grabbed him while bursting into tears. Bryan held the pink pony as she wailed in despair.
"Oh Bry Bry I'm so worried about Pumpkin, she's so small and young. I just can't bear it!" she wailed loudly
"Shh, she'll be ok Pinkie, I sent a letter to the princesses asking them for help. They are getting everything ready right now I just know it." he squeezed her reassuringly "We'll have help for everypony soon, so just dry your eyes and calm down." he said soothingly.
Pinkie's crying gradually slowed. She looked up at him and sniffled "Oh Bry Bry are you sure?" he nodded She hugged him fiercely still sobbing for a few moments more.
"Pinkie," he said "I don't want to leave you here by yourself, not while this is going on." he nuzzled her forehead softly "What I need you to do is go and get some things you need to bring with you. Your tooth brush, nightcap, Gummy, and the things that he needs. I'm gonna take you to the library to stay with Twilight and me for a few days while this is taken care of." he hugged her tight "I also want to introduce you to somepony new too."
She sniffled some more "Ok Bry Bry, I'll get everything I need and be down here in a few minutes." she said as they released each other and she trotted upstairs sadly.
Bryan turned his head trying to contain the tears that were forming in his eyes. With a frustrated huff he stalked into Pinkie's kitchen and got some water. "Damn it." he snarled quietly "I knew it going to bad, but this is worse than I was ready for, shit!" he rinsed out the glass and put in the sink. Pinkie's hoofsteps announced that she was ready. Bryan turned to see his devastated friend. "Ok Pinkie let's go, and I promise I'll take care of you while your with us." Pinkie nodded sadly as they left the house locking it before heading to the library.
Across Ponyville Spike was still charging towards the hospital, he had never run so fast or far before in his life. But then again in all his crazy misadventures with her Sweetie Bell had never really been hurt. All of the other times they had just been some nutty thing that went wrong and pow, tree sap and pine needles. That or some crazy series of happenings that ended with Sweetie saying I'm ok. Spike smiled at those memories knowing that they would always look back on on them and laugh. This was very different though, Sweetie Belle had never had spell shock before and that made this really bad. As he burst through the doors he heard the sound of Apple Bloom and Scootaloo talking to nurse Redheart.
"Ahh come on Nurse Redheart, you've gotta let us in to see Sweetie Belle." Scoots said while buzzing her wings.
The mare gave a patient smile "I will only when the others nurses have finished their examination of her Scootaloo, you just have to wait a few more minutes. That's all." She saw Spike skidding to a stop "Hello there Spike, I assume you're here to see Sweetie Belle too?" he nodded Nurse Redheart looked over her shoulder and turned back to them with a smile "Well it looks like you're right on time Spike." she said as the nurses conducting Sweetie's exam came out of the back area. "Ok you three go and see your friend." she said as she started to look over the results.
As Spike, Scootaloo, and Apple Bloom walked/trotted to Sweetie's room they said not a word to each other choosing instead only silence as they entered her room. Sweetie was laying in bed hooked up to a heart monitor that was beeping regularly, an I.V. in her right foreleg, and a ventilator tube up her nose. It was a very disconcerting sight to say the least.
Spike was the first one to approach her bedside. "Sweetie Belle, I don't know if you can hear me right now, but Bryan and I sent a letter to the princesses and they gonna get someponies down here to help. So you'll be ok Sweetie Belle, I just know it." Spike clutched her left hoof in his claws struggling no to cry. "Please let Sweetie be ok, I want everypony to be ok. Just please princesses send help. " his thoughts were swelling with emotions.
Spike stood there holding Sweetie's hoof barely restraining his tears when he felt it. Spike quickly stepped back and belched up a scroll. He caught it and looked at the royal seal to confirm what he thought. "Yes!" he pumped his arm and turned to Apple Bloom and Scootaloo holding the scroll in his claws.
"Spike what's going on?" Apple Bloom asked.
"It's the response from Canterlot!" he said cheerfully he then looked at Scootaloo "Hey Scoots, you're really fast..."
Scootaloo quickly picked on what Spike was getting at "I'll get that scroll to the library in a jiffy Spike!" she said with determination. He handed her the scroll and she quickly left the room.
Spike turned to Sweetie Belle "Do you here that Sweetie Belle, help is already on the way." he said happily. As tears finally started to make their way down his cheeks. Apple Bloom put her hoof on his shoulder and smiled at him.
Scootaloo trotted through the hospital until she reach the doors and passed them to the outside. She secured the scroll in her mouth and crouched low, flared her wings and took off as quickly as she could without dropping the scroll. She flew across town in just a few minutes landing at the library with a slight thud. Scoots shook off the slightly rough landing and knocked on the door. when it opened she looked up to see Bryan standing there. "Oh hi Bryan." she said dropping the scroll as she spoke.
Bryan snickered and decided to tease her a little "Hey there Scoots, I see you're that you're dropping things as usual."
Scootaloo laughed nervously and picked up the scroll. She hoofed it over to him "Spike coughed this up at the hospital, it's really important isn't it Bryan?"
"Yeah," he said "it's the reply from Canterlot, thanks a lot Scoots." he reached down patted her on the head. "You should get back to the hospital and be there for Sweetie when she wakes up."
"Right!" she said and turned to leave but stopped. "Bryan I'll tell you when she wakes up, and Dinky too."
Bryan nodded "Thanks Scootaloo, that is appreciated." he said as she took off to return to the hospital.
Bryan close the door and broke the seal on the letter and began to read it.
Lieutenant Luna
He smiled somewhat at other official title and continued to read.
We are grateful for the timely nature of your letter concerning the situation in Ponyville. This delayed response is due to the fact that as soon as I read your letter we immediately began organizing a response. Aid for Ponyville will begin arriving by sometime tomorrow. In addition we will need the enchanted gem survey site to be closed off for the time being. You and Captain Crimson Moon are to secure the site. We will be working on sending the two of you some other guards to aid you in your duties in Ponyville. Also please inform Rock Crusher that he and his team will be compensated accordingly for the lost labor until the operation is properly secured and work can resume.
Additionally we understand the need for this new human to be clothed, so I am sending the royal seamstress as Generosity's guardian Ms. Rarity is no doubt unable to assist at this time. She will arrive tomorrow along withe first wave of royal doctors.
Sincerely Princess Luna
"Well," Twilight said "who was it Bryan?"
"That was Scoots at the door, the reply finally came in and Spike must have asked her to bring it to us." he replied as he walked back into the kitchen. He looked at Pinkie "Hey Pinkie," she looked up "Princess Luna is sending help for everypony starting tomorrow. So Pumpkin will be fine."
Pinkie's mane and tail suddenly re-inflated and her color returned to it's usual pink. "Oh Bry Bry," she exclaimed as she jumped into his arms. "Pumpkin's really gonna be ok?" she hugged him and sniffled.
"Oh definitely," Bryan said returning the hug "I know that the doctors will definitely start with the youngest ponies. So Pumpkin will be feeling better sometime tomorrow." he let out a breath of relief "I'm really glad that they'll be alright." he said.
Twilight looked over to Bryan "So will you and Ace get backup finally?" she queried.
Bryan nodded as he sat back down at the table "Yeah, though Luna didn't say when they were coming exactly." he picked up his fork and used it to cut off a piece of his enchilada. "I'm betting that it'll be soon though, it's probably a logistical nightmare up in Canterlot right now. There's a lot of crap that just got thrown at the diarchs right now so it'll take some extra time to sort it out." he ate some of his dinner and savored the taste of the food enhanced by the taco sauce. He finished chewing and swallowed "Ok," he spoke up " so what did you and Megan want to talk about anyway Twily?"
Twilight and Megan exchanged a mutual nod. Twilight was the first to speak "Well we talked earlier about this situation, and we decided that we didn't want to put you in the position of having to choose between us."
Megan picked up for Twilight "And we think that we came up with a sound idea."
"Which is?" Bryan questioned looking the two of them over.
They answered in unison "We want to form a herd with you Bryan."
Pinkie cheered while Bryan looked at them dumbstruck "Woohoooo," Pinkie cried excitedly "herd party." Twilight, Megan, and even Bryan burst into smiles and laughter for a few moments.
When Bryan calmed down he looked at Twilight and Megan. They are doubtless the most important mares in his life and this was a sensible path. He was however uncertain. "I appreciate that you two are willing to make such a compromise." he paused trying to word this carefully "But I'm not sure about it, I need some time to consider everything carefully. I won't just rush into this kind of thing."
All three of them nodded in accent. Not one of them wanted Bryan rushing into this. Not even Ace was likely to to tell him to just go for it, without thinking about it, he does after all have some serious moments of his own too.
"So for tonight Bryan," Twilight said "I want to you stay with Megan in the guest bed." he looked at her, she smiled up at him. "I'm not kicking you out Bryan, I just want to take care of Pinkie tonight. I also want Megan to be the one to take care of you, that's all."
"Alright Twily, I want Pinkie to be ok. And I can agree that I'm not the best choice to help her out right now." he said.
After dinner Twilight took Pinkie upstairs to help her with a bath and leave Bryan to have some time alone with Megan. He found her upstairs in the bedroom looking out the widow while leaning on the windowsill. "Ten bits says I know what you're thinking Megan." he said suddenly startling her slightly.
She turned to face him with a sour look on her face. It quickly turned sad though and she threw herself into his arms. Holding him tightly she cried "Oh Bryan I just don't know what to do. I am glad that these ponies can look after themselves, but I don't know what to do." she sniffled "And I have no idea what to do with this power I now have, I-I feel like I'm lost Bryan, what do I do?"
Bryan smiled "Megan you're not feeling any different then I was when I first came here." But he lifted her chin so that she was looking at him. "You are Megan Williams, Megan Williams will always find her way no matter how adverse things are." he continued to smile at her "You carried us through every trial we faced in Ponyland. You brought down Tirek, you led us through the worst things that any human has ever faced. You'll play your part Megan, you always do. I don't yet know what that part will be, but I know that now that you're here it'll all come together."
They watched as Twilight and Pinkie came out of the bathroom "Are you two all set for bed?" Twilight asked with a smile at having seen Bryan holding Megan. More than anything she wanted him to be happy, and forming this herd while not a given was the best course.
"We will be in an few minutes Twily, just let us get ready." Bryan headed for the bathroom and stopped for a moment. "You know," he said looking at Megan "It's a good thing I picked up an extra toothbrush by mistake when I was in Canterlot." he laughed "It's yours now so that's out of the way." he walked in to the bathroom and Megan followed.
After they got ready Bryan and Megan lied down together for the first time in ten years. They were quick to fall asleep, but they were unaware of the problems brewing just to the east of Ponyville at the survey site.
Author's Note
Well now, what is going on? Once again I want to thank Gundamdragon for helping with ideas for the story. Moreover I want to thank all of who read, enjoy, and favorite this story. This is meaningless without all of you.
My Little Pony: Echos of Dream Valley
Author's Note
This chapter includes some rather intense violence, reader discretion is advised. There is also some torture in this chapter as well.
Sick of It
Bryan woke to being in Megan's arms. He realized that his position had adjusted while he was sleeping. He looked up from Megan's chest at her still sleeping face. He listened to her heart and rubbed his cheek against her soft skin and closed his eyes falling asleep again.
He was awakened later sometime after the sunrise to the sound of Megan singing and Twilight nuzzling him. "Good morning sleepy head." Twilight cooed. "Are you awake enough to join me in the shower?"
He rubbed his cheek against Megan's chest again "If I didn't have to get up I wouldn't right now, I like where I am." he replied
Megan smiled and caressed his cheek "Yeah but you do need to get up, and I need to get a shower at some point too Bryan."
Sighing he got up and followed Twilight into the bathroom. He walked in and got undressed. He noticed that Twilight was looking at him funny. "What is it?" he asked her
"Oh," Twilight said sweetly "It's just that you seem to have a problem right now." she was looking at his crotch "Just get into the shower with me and I'll take care of it for you."
Bryan looked down to see what she was talking about. He said nothing and joined her in the shower while Pinkie and Megan were downstairs making breakfast and getting to know each other. Bryan and Twilight came down the stairs together dangerously close to each other and joined Pinkie and Megan at the table for breakfast. Afterwards Bryan got up and went to retrieve his armor and weapons. He would not be caught flat-footed a second time.
He walked to the door in his armor and kissed Twilight "All right I'm headed out to get Ace and work to secure the survey site. We should be done in a few hours, if we are not gather everypony you can and come looking for us." he paused thinking for a moment "Hey Twilight, would you put a tracer rune on my armor just in case?"
"Sure thing Bryan. I can even conceal it so nopony will notice it." Twilight replied.
Megan looked at Bryan worried "Are you expecting trouble Bryan?"
He simply nodded as Twilight took the steps to apply and conceal the rune on the back of his armor "There we go all ready Bryan." she said
"Thanks Twilight. You and Megan should go to the train station to meet the doctors coming in from Canterlot." He was thoughtful for a moment "Oh yeah Luna said that she was also sending the royal seamstress to help with your clothes Megan. As for you," he said to Pinkie "you need to stay in the library to look after the pets."
Pinkie threw a mock salute and squeaked out "You can count on me Bry Bry."
Bryan smiled at Pinkie's antics "I knew that I could Private Pie, do a good job and there will some cupcakes in it for you."
Pinkie squealed and giggled "Don't worry sir I'm on it!" she said happily.
"Alright than I'm off and I should be back soon." He said as he left the library.
As Bryan left the library Megan noticed for the first time a small brown rabbit look up at her twitching it's little pink nose.
Pinkie rushed in and scooped up the little lagomorph and cradled it her forelegs while cooing to it softly "Oh hi there Cinnamon, did you have fun playing with Gummy?" the rabbit squeaked at Pinkie and gave what looked like a little smile.
Megan look at Pinkie and asked "Pinkie do you know this rabbit?" she said as she petted her little head. the bunny squeaked at her cutely as she did this.
Pinkie giggled "Oh yeah definitely, she is Bryan's rabbit after all." Pinkie nuzzled her and cooed softly "Who's a cute little bunny wunny?" the rabbit nuzzled Pinkie's nose and nestled into her chest fur.
Megan couldn't help but smile, Bryan had always loved anything cute. And rabbits were definitely cute. Twilight caught Megan's attention after she finished clearing the table and setting the dishes in the sink.
"Hey Megan," She said as she headed for the door herself "I need you to come to the train station with me."
Megan looked puzzled "Why do you need me to come with you Twilight?" she asked
"Because," Twilight replied "You'll need to be introduced to the doctors and everypony else. The doctors are going to examine you when they get everypony healed, and the royal seamstress will need to talk to you about your clothes."
"Alright." Megan replied and followed Twilight to the train station.
The walk to the station was pretty quiet as not many ponies were out and about, there was still activity in the market as the passed through town. It was soon that they arrived at the train station.
As they waited Megan was once again thoughtful, there were never any trains in Ponyland. They barely had castles and houses, she looked around at her new surroundings she realized that was indeed not Ponyland. This Equestria was undeniably it's own place, what's more it seemed to have some human influence at a glance anyway. Closer inspection however disproved this, but she doubted that anypony would get mad her for thinking that way, it sure looked as if that was the case.
As the train pulled into the station and stopped with a hiss as the steam billowed from the engine it made some sense that she would think that. Megan watched as a lot of ponies disembarked from the nearly every last one of them seemed to be a medical professional of some kind. All of them were led by an unusually tall unicorn pony with a hot pink coat, red and white mane and tail, and "cutie mark" as Bryan had called it was a medkit over a heart. She looked Megan over with her large emerald green eyes.
In a soft voice she addressed Megan directly "I am doctor Candy Stripe, and you the other human very clearly." she continued to appraise Megan as looked at her "You seem healthy enough for the time being, so I don't think you'll mind if my colleagues and I turn our attention to the stricken ponies."
"No that's not a problem." Megan replied.
"Very good then, I do believe that the pony hired by the royal sisters to fill in for Miss Rarity is going to be out shortly. Lady Twilight if you would give the rundown on the patients condition and it's severity real quick we shall set to work healing them."
"Of course."Twilight replied trotting off talking to the doctor.
After a few moments more Megan was approached by an ice blue earth pony with light blue eyes and a purple mane and tail, her cutie mark was three bows. "So you are miss Megan?"
"Yes, I am but please just call me Megan." she replied
"Very well, if you'll come with me I'll we'll get to work. Oh by the way, my name is Roxy. It's very nice to meet you Megan." she said softly.
Megan smiled "It's nice to meet you too Roxy." Megan said warmly. "Uh Roxy, where are we going?" Megan asked curiously
"We are going to my regular employer's studio right here in Ponyville. Normally this kind of job would be left to Miss Rarity, but as she is indisposed at the moment I am to help you with your clothing situation." she said as she moved through Ponyville on her way to the studio.
Bryan walked to Ace's house from the library with a heavy step. He was somewhat disturbed by how empty Ponyville seemed without the usual daily activity. He also couldn't shake the feeling that something was wrong somehow, but there was no way for him to sure. As he approached the house he just couldn't shake the sense of impending dread that loomed over him. He knocked on the door and waited for Ace's response knowing that he was the only one home at the moment. As he waited his thoughts turned to his friend and mentor Trixie, she was by far the finest showmare in all of Equestria. A master illusionist she had quite literally taught him everything he knew about the art.
And countless times over the last year her lessons had helped him greatly. Whether it was keeping his head in a difficult situation, thinking on his feet under pressure, or just plain outwitting an enemy. All that she had taught him had value.
The door opened and Ace stepped out in his armor. "I figure I'd be seeing you today. So how's Trixie doing?" he asked
"Well," Bryan replied as they started towards the survey site "I asked Twilight about while we were in the shower." Ace snickered "And she said that Trixie was doing well, but would probably be out without treatment for a few weeks. Thankfully I sent a letter to Princess Luna last night and she's sending help, which has already arrived by now. As for us we are to secure the survey site until it is able to resume operation." Bryan sighed "Luna also said she was organizing some backup, but failed to mention who at the moment. I'm guessing it's because of the aid situation and logistics."
Ace nodded "Thorough, so what's really on your mind Bryan?"
"Twilight and Megan want to form a herd Ace." he replied flatly "I do see the sense in the idea......." Bryan trailed off.
"Really?That's great news Bryan, what did you say?" Ace asked with a smile
Bryan repressed the urge to glare at Ace knowing it wouldn't work. "I told them I had to think about it, this is not a small thing after all."
Ace froze for a moment, and then slapped Bryan on the back with his left wing. *Smack!* "What the BUCKING Tartarus were you thinking Bryan?! I need to think about it. Horseapples, you need that thick head of yours examined is what you need to do. You've got a pair of the hottest mares next to Luna and my mares, basically asking you for a threesome every night for the rest of your lives, and you say you've got to think about it!"
Ace shook his head in shock and disbelief. " Baka, that's just so stupid Bryan. That's one of the stupidest thing I've ever heard, and you can ask the rest of the thirteenth. I am an expert of doing stupid things" Ace fumed for a few moments as they continue to the site. After a minute or so he composed himself, took a deep breath. "Ok cause I out rank you I'm making this an order, When you get home apologize for being stupid and rut both mares senseless, or so help me I'll put you through that training all over again!" Ace said venomously.
Bryan shook his head, reckless as Ace tended to be he rarely lost his cool. It took a lot to get Ace to lose it, short of insulting Princess Luna, his mares or trying to harm them he stayed calm. But even the veteran of Everfree had his limits of what he would take, especially in the stupidity category. He was said to be reckless, but that was because he could trust in his rather considerable talent and ability. He was in the minds of many the greatest warrior in Equestria, few dared question it.
It was true the thirteenth was generally regarded with some disdain in certain circles. Ace in particular was though of as reckless, arrogant, foolish, and a poor excuse for a leader. The thirteenth was also considered by those Canterlot families who deluded themselves into thinking that they were "nobility" as a "dumping ground for the undesirables". Ponies like the thestrals or bat ponies as they were called. Then there were the ponies with long family histories of military service that were drawn to the thirteenth, ones that were actually talented in combat like Ace himself. There was also a small number of Griffons, loyal to Equestria, and loyal to the thirteenth.
And lastly there was Bryan himself, until yesterday Equestria's sole human citizen, and a member of a race that he admitted fought sometimes pointlessly. Of course that was far from true of all humans, in fact the vast overwhelming majority of humans never so much as even threw a punch without first being provoked. Ace's idea about their place in Equestria's defense was "Who cares if we win, we certainly helped." That was his attitude, that was the attitude of the whole Everfree Watch. The group in the Lunar guard that was one of the best.
Ace sighed "Well I'm glad that somepony finally listened to me. I mean Ponyville is right in the edge of the Everfree Forest." Ace huffed and kicked a rock down the road. " Also Fluttershy lives on the border of Everfree, and that zebra Zecora lives in the forest itself.... and then there is you marefriend Princess Twilight. So why haven't they moved my thirteenth into town, as I've requested in my weekly reports since I moved here! I mean it makes more sense than having them in Canterlot. Especially because those rich snobs that form parliament hate having them in the city in the first place!"
Bryan took in a breath "I honestly have no idea Ace, I'm still waiting for Luna to just put her hoof down." Bryan chuckled "I wanna be there when it happens though. Also," he said "remember to keep that last bit under mane. We don't need just anypony having that information at the moment." He shook his head "I am not stupid by the way, you were the one that told me that a herd only works when the mares love each other too Ace. And Twilight and Megan don't yet, though they are both bisexual, so there's a chance it'll work. I won't just rush into it, they both are to important to me. Ace what's really on your mind? There's no way that outburst was brought on by my decision, which we both know is for the best." Bryan queried.
Ace slammed his hoof into the ground "Two years B man! Two years we've been trying to have trying to have foals. And every spring there always seem to some idiots like Rex getting in the way. It's like they wanna stop my mares and I from having any foals!" Ace stomped down the road for a few meters, before resuming his normal trot.
Bryan processed this for a moment "Now that you mention it, that has been going on. It's like they are trying to avoid the next generation or something."
They arrived at the survey sight which was fairly tidy. It would take very little to secure it barring any unforeseen complications.
As they set to work Bryan shifted uncomfortably he couldn't shake the unease gnawing at him. He had been through this before, it always meant something bad was about to happen. Bryan's head shot up suddenly and pushed Ace out if the way. "Ace watch it!" he shouted at the same time he shoved him. A beam of lime green energy passed between them, missing them both by centimeters.
"Well, well," an unfamiliar voice said "you are quick aren't you?" the tone was condescending and dripped venom. They turned to see their attackers and were struck by what they saw. A creature as tall as Celestia, covered in a black coat? With large insect like wings, a horn that has holes in her hooves, mane, tale, and wings. She was surrounded by a swarm of smaller black creatures with pupil less blue eyes. Their mouths were open bearing two "vampire" like fangs, the taller one also possessed these kind of fangs.
As they got to their feet/hooves Bryan spoke "Changelings, I knew I sensed something was off."
"Changelings?" Ace said "You mean those troublemakers from the reports." Bryan nodded "Buck, this is bad." Ace said.
Bryan looked at the changelings for a long while. "We have a slight tactical deficiency Ace."
"Buck Bryan! Plain Equish!"
"We are badly outnumbered Ace, like very badly outnumbered. I can guess from what can see there are far more of them than I can count."
"So," Ace said "It's like one hundred to one."
"Probably," Bryan said "we definitely can't win, but we can give them a Pyrrhic victory."
Ace cocked his head.
"What I mean is that can beat them senseless even though we'll lose. We can buy time though, that's all."
Ace reared up and clopped his front hooves together "Let's stop standing around then!" he shouted with glee as he charged the enemy. He flared wings at the last moment and took off skyward with a large flight on changelings following after him.
Bryan took full advantage of the distraction and charged at the enemy. He lunged for their leader and slammed his right hand into her face sending her sprawling sideways and to the ground. He didn't celebrate however he instead turned his attention of the sea of drones that were hissing at him. "Well," he said coldly are you going to make noise like a bunch of cowards, or are we fighting?"
The changelings took up positions around Bryan circling him very slowly. They eyed him up not sure what to make of him. Their queen has by now gotten to her hooves and was eyeing him with similar curiosity.
Bryan smiled a predatory smile at them, he had them guessing and he knew it. So he pressed his advantage and kicked the nearest drone into the air, this stunned the rest just long enough for him to snatch the drone by it's horn. Jumping into the air he windmilled his right arm spinning the hapless drone before throwing it into the rocks with great force. There was a sickening crunch as the changeling collided with the solid stone stopping the advance of the others. Strange purple blood ran from the drone's broken body as Bryan pounced on two more drones grabbing them by their necks and running them into a nearby cart breaking them instantly.
He turned immediately as four drones rushed him while flying. Still holding their broken swarm mates he swung his arms slamming their bodies into the changelings knocking them to the side, and struck another that had charged in after the first four. His open palm struck the drone in the face stunning it instantly, but before it could fall he brought up his right foot and kicked the drone into a larger crowd knocking several to the ground. Bryan smirked as he saw a wave of airborne attackers come his way. They dove at him using a barrier of green energy, he continued to smirk however waiting for them to get close and then teleporting out of the way at the last second. He reappeared behind the cart looking over the stunned drones and thrust both of his arms into the cart, striking it with the heels of both hands toppling the cart over on top of them. It landed on four of the stunned drones with a sickening crunch and blood flew through the air landing with noisy splat. The action on the ground stopped entirely as the changelings were stunned into a momentary surrender. Bryan wasted not a moment in renewing his assault on the shocked enemy.
Ace was still rocketing into the sky with the his changeling pursuers, he smirked as suddenly executed a wing over maneuver and dove at them while sparking with lighting as he juked and dodged his way to the center of the formation. He stopped in the middle of the formation and let loose an explosion of lightning knocking every changeling out of the air. As the unconscious drones fell to their deaths Ace watched for more attackers. A flight of reinforcements came bursting through the clouds trying to catch Ace by surprise. The cagey pegasus was to quick and to wise though, he learned his fighting skills from the best in Neighpon. As they charged Ace from every direction he simply smirked and let lose a blast of air that propelled him out of the way by punching a hole in the enemy formation. After having made the hole in their formation and escaping Ace decided to play hardball.
He drew his Katana and readied himself. He dove on the changeling from above slashing his way through them with his sword. Fallen enemies rained down on the ground below as the fighting intensified. Ace finished his dive leveled off and flew to safe distance away from the following swarm, smirking once again he quickly started flying in tight circle. The changelings were far to slow to recognize their danger. When they drew to close they were caught by the tornado that Ace had caused. As it reached the ground it began sucking any changelings in it's path up decimating their numbers. Ace landed to admire his hoofwork and assess their progress in the battle. Bryan came running towards him with an impressive number of changelings after him.
He turned and stopped assuming a defensive stance "We can't keep this up Ace, there are to many of them."
Ace snarled "Don't you bucking give up on me Bryan! We're in the thirteenth, we don't give up!"
"Are you sure you sure you don't want to give yourselves to me?" a seductive voice echoed across the battlefield, as the largest of the changelings trotted up to them. "At my side you could have whatever you want, and whomever you want. I can give you everything your heart desires. What do you say boys?"
Bryan drew his swords "Go to Tartarus you insect!" he replied
Ace smirked "We got everything we need so buck off!"
"Very well boys. Get them, but leave them alive. I want them for myself" she said
The swarm closed in......
Ace and Bryan had battled hard, but they were nearing their limits.
Bryan bent over panting as the swarm watched him, he stood up fully. He gripped the handles of his swords tightly. "We don't have much longer. " he thought. He forced his body to move once more pressing his fading advantage. He surged forward and slashed at then changelings striking a pair of them with his blades. At the same time however he was struck by a group of them all at once. The first blow landed square across his face, the second caught him in the stomach, the third blow was a buck straight in the face knocking him to the ground. As he fell backwards he dropped his swords and stared up at the sky he thought about what was important. Images of Twilight, Megan, Pinkie Pie, Fluttershy, Rarity, Rainbow Dash, and Apple Jack flashed through his mind."I'm sorry everypony, I failed " as his body hit the ground he reached up to his neck where the locket Megan had given him years ago was. Still secure under his clothes and armor it gave him strength for what he knew was to come.
Ace stood on shaky legs panting and sweating. "Damn it!" he growled as his body threatened to give out on him. His ear twitched as he heard Bryan take the blows and fall to the ground. Wincing he lunged at the nearest changeling with a wild hay-maker, which missed cleanly. He was stunned by a swift blow that landed on his jaw, he staggered and took another savage face shot but he didn't buckle. The changelings then jumped the stubborn pegasus raining blows from every direction they could, after a few seconds of a vicious beating he stayed standing. Ace smirked "Is that all you've got!" he shouted defiantly.
The changeling queen tiring of Ace's defiant attitude lit her twisted horn and blasted Ace with a powerful stun spell knocking him out. "Take them over to that building and bind them." she said to her underlings "I want them to be ready for my special treatment." the drones did as they were told dragging both Bryan and Ace into the survey site's supervisor's building. They Dragged them in and secured them using their gel and awaiting the to awaken.
Bryan was the first to awaken. The sight that greeted him was the expectant face of the changeling's queen. She smiled at him and spoke "Well, well where's all of that bravado from earlier?" Bryan remained mute in the face her taunt "So still defiant eh? Well we shall soon fix that." she said charging her horn "Now let's see about you." she unleashed a spell into Bryan's body causing him to scream in agony. She continued to pour the spell into him seeking to break his will, but he resisted. She released him from her spell's hold "My but you're stronger than I expected." she lifted his chin with her hoof and met his eyes. Her large green eyes met a still defiant gaze from his, his focus unbroken. "Well now you are very focused, how admirable. But you can't last forever."
Bryan's reply to her threat was not what she expected. He laughed at her "I don't have to last forever, only just long enough. And considering how much time we wasted fighting you, and how long we've been out." He smirked at her "You don't have much longer before they come looking for us."
The queen just looked at him "You seem awfully confident for somepony who has been captured so easily." she leered at him "Now come here and give me sugar." she tried to kiss him, but he pulled away. "Now, now you really don't want to refuse me do you?" he stared at her with even more defiance than before "Very well, I shall have to persuade you." she said caressing his face. Pulling his head back and pulling his hair getting him to open his mouth she plunged her tongue into his mouth. As she tried to violate his mind she met with unexpected resistance.
Bryan continued to resist."No! Megan! Twilight! Pinkie! I'm not going to surrender! I am not giving up! I am a member of the thirteenth! But more than that, I am the one who stands beside his friends! I will resist! " in his mind he sees Twilight, Megan, and Pinkie Pie. Finding a solution to the unwanted invader in the form of the changeling's tongue he bites down with his incisors causing her to rear back howling in pain.
She glared at him with unbridled hate in her eyes. Her horn glowed "Oh I've only just begun to play with you my new pet."
At the studio Megan suddenly stood and looked at Roxy "Megan is there something wrong?" the mare asked.
Megan nodded "Roxie I need you to get me to the hospital, Bryan's in danger."
Roxie gave Megan an appraising look "How do know he's danger?" she asked
"I'm not really sure, I've just got a bad feeling. Like he needs me, so I've got to get to the hospital and get Twilight to come with me. She knows where he went." Megan said almost shaking.
Roxie trotted up to Megan and nuzzled the back of her right hand "It's gonna be ok Megan, I'll get to Twilight so you can go and help him." she trotted to the door and opened it "Come on Megan, we need to hurry."
Megan followed her to the door and out into Ponyville "How are we gonna get there?" Megan asked.
Roxie smiled "Get on Megan." Roxie smiled "I'll take you there on my back."
Megan got on Roxie's back "Are you really ok with this Roxie?"
Roxie smirked and said "Just hold on Megan I'm gonna get you there in record time!" she shouted as she tore off towards the hospital.
At Ponyville General Hospital Twilight was talking things over with Doctor Candy Stripe when her horn stared to glow "Twilight what's going on? Your horn is glowing."
Twilight's face dropped "Th-that's the tracer rune on Bryan's armor." her voice was shaky "It'll only go off when he's in danger." she was thoughtful for a moment. "Doctor I need you to heal Trixie right away. I realize that the treatment of the foals is your top priority, but I need Trixie to help me rescue Bryan. It's an emergency!"
The doctor nodded and turned to Nurse Redheart "Which room is ms. Lulamoon in?"
"Right this way doctor." Nurse Redheart said. Twilight went to the waiting area to get Sunset and begin planing a rescue.
After about twenty minutes Sunset Shimmer looked up at Twilight "Twilight I'm all for planing ahead and all, but there is nothing to really work with here." she waived her hoof over the map of the survey site. "Twilight I've got a suggestion, let's just go in there and put our hooves to the flanks of anypony who's got their hooves on our stallions." Sunset said with a determined tone, and an equally determined look.
Twilight huffed "Are you sure Sunset? I mean I don't want to just rush in there and put the guys in more danger." Twilight replied exasperated.
Sunset smiled at her "Twilight sometimes you just have to take the direct approach. If we dance around our stallions are gonna get hurt worse than they already are. I know you don't want that, especially with you having asked Bryan to herd with you and Megan." Sunset's tone was full of patients and sympathy for her friend. "I want them back too, Bryan is my first real friend. He was the only one that wasn't intimidated by Luna, and by me being her student."
The hospital doors then opened and in walked Megan carrying a very winded Roxie in her arms. Megan walked over to a bench and sat the exhausted earth pony on it. "Is there any thing I can get you Roxie?" she asked
The mare responded "No Megan I can get it, I just need a few minutes to rest and I'll be fine." Megan nodded and walked over to Twilight and Sunset.
Twilight let out a surprised yelp "Megan what are you doing here?"
Megan replied "Bryan's in danger and I'm not going to leave him like that. I'm going to save him Twilight."
"Well," Sunset said "you're just in time when Trixie's back on her hooves we'll get going and rescue our stallions."
Twilight's speech spluttered "B-but you're not recovered from the over charge yet! You've got to stay here Megan!"
Megan looked at Twilight with determination in her eyes "No Twilight, I wasn't there for him for ten years I'm not going to let him down. Not this time or ever again."
Twilight was about to say something but Sunset cut her off "She wants to protect her stallion Twilight, just like you do." Sunset nodded at Megan "It's a mare's duty to protect her stallion, so let her do it Twilight. If she thinks that she's ready then we need to respect that. You've had all this time to protect him, she was kept from doing it for ten years Twilight, why deny her that?"
Twilight nodded at Sunset "I won't, I just don't want Bryan lose her again Sunset. He just got her back!"
"Then let her do her job as his mare Twilight." a familiar and confident voice broke into the conversation.
They looked up to see Trixie had been restored to health. "After all I for one would never stand in the way of a mare that wanted to protect her stallion or mare. I mean really that's just stupid." she said while flipping her silver mane.
"Ok," Sunset said "now that we're all here are you ready Twilight?" Twilight nodded "Alright, Sunset said "Trixie get over here, Twilight and I are going to teleport that four of us to the survey site."
Twilight and Sunset crossed their horns and began to focus their magic after Trixie and Megan move closer to them. A moment latter there was a bright flash and a loud POP , and the four of them were gone. They appeared at the survey site and began looking around.
Inside the supervisor's building Bryan smirked "Your done." he said coldly as a voice from outside call out.
"Ok whoever you are come out and hoof over our stallions, and maybe we'll consider going easy on you!"
Ace finally awoke to the sound of Trixie's voice "Trix?' he said weakly. The cocky Chrysalis exited the building with remainder of her swarm to see three mares and a human?
Smirking she said "Just what do the four of you intend to do about it?" while glaring at Trixie
My Little Pony: Echos of Dream Valley
"Trixie intends to show you why she is in the heard of the greatest warrior in Equestria!"shouted Trixie as her horn light up and twelve summoning rings opened around her and from each rose a true nightmare from Tartarus Slepnirs eight legged horses each bigger then Celestia. They whinnied and stopped their hooves awaiting the summoner's command.
Sunset's horn had glowed as well but only one much larger circle answers to her call. After a few moments past nothing happens then a massive land shark from the elemental plane of earth rises out of the ground it's hide covered In sharp stone it's eyes gems. It's fin rose a massive fifteen feet above the ground as it circled. "Last warning or you will see who dangerous a earth bound Megalodon is in a fight."
Megan glares coldly "Hand them over, or I'll show you why those bad guys in Ponyland feared me!" Megan pops her knuckles menace dripping from her words.
Twilight lit her horn and narrowed her focus "Just give them back!" she shouts in an almost a Royal Canterlot voice.
Chrysalis chuckled. "How cute. Oh children~ mommy needs you~" On cue hundreds of changing swarmed in to her side. "Dears these nasty mares want to take mommy's New toys away... have your way with them then kill them!" She shouted.
Twilight spoke "Alright girls deal with the swarm as you need to. The queen however needs to kept alive, I will see her punished for her crimes against everypony. Especially those she's committed here."
Megan replied "Right, she'll have a few broken bones. But she'll definitely still be breathing." a faint rainbow colored aura surrounding her the whole time. "Let's do this girls!" Megan charged into they fray.
"She reminds me of Ace a little. No wonder Bryan got along with Ace right away." Said Sunset as her horn glowed then dozens of large rocks started falling on the swarm as her monster shark swallowed up dozens more as it breached showing the full size of sixty foot monster she summoned.
"Trixie agrees to leave the large bug breathing! But Trixie makes no promises she will be walking!" Trixie's horn glowed and she and her summons shimmer and vanish from sight confusing the swarm till her now invisible pack of beasts start ripping changelings apart with there wicked fangs leaving corrupted decaying wounds in their wake. As Trixie herself lashed out from thin air with storms of magic missile and withering masses of tentacles shooting up and intertwining changelings and crushing or strangling them to death as they drip with acidic goo that burns there bodies.
"Oh we don't need her to walk Trixie." Twilight said as he flung her her spells into the advancing swarm.
Megan was nowhere near idle as she charged into the swarm she slammed her fist into a changeling catapulting it into others knocking them all down. "Clear me a path to their queen! I want to have this out with her myself!" Megan said as she kicked a changeling into the sky and punched him into a wall when he came down.
Sunset smiled "Allow me I been wanting to test this spell." Her horn glowed black and she sent a black and teal beam to the head of one changing then it spit to two others then four then eight and so on till almost two hundred had a dazed look. "Ok my pets make room for her and get the other changelings!" The dazed ones eye's flashed and they turned on there fellows with blind obedience. As Sunset smirked. "I love the forbidden spells section."
Trixie chuckled as she cast another tentacle mass summon under Chrysalis's hooves, thanks to the open view. They raised up to restrain her these ones whee different then the others covered in bark and thorns looking like demonic tree vines .
Chrysalis screamed and squirmed "Release me at once!" She shouted shooting blasts at the vines.
"Ok Sunset let's see what we can do." Twilight said as gathered energy around her horn. She continued to gather the energy until it threatened to spill forth on it's own. Then unleashed it all at once devastating the changelings that were trying to attack and overwhelm Megan from the right. Twilight smirked at her friendly rival "Now about that Sunset?"
Megan exploiting the chaos created on the battlefield clasped her hands together interlocking her fingers together and as she reached Chrysalis she smashed her in the face with a double hammer fist. As the hapless queen staggered unable to absorb the blow due to the vine's thorny embrace Megan pressed her assault. She raised her left hand and slammed it into her face, then her right, Megan threw a few more punches as the battle raged around her. Finally she grabbed the queen's head with both hands and headbutted her right on the muzzle. The blow echoed across the battlefield and some ponies would later claim that it could be heard in Cloudsdale and Canterlot. "Give up!" Megan demanded
Ace and Bryan heard the sound and winced inside the supervisor's building.
Ace looked looked to Bryan. "Want to take bets on how she broke the bug's nose?"
"I'm guessing Megan went a little Krogan on her by the sounds of it." Bryan said with a smile that looked like one of Lyra's
Chrysalis' head was swimming her sight blurs and then she lost her link to the swarm as she blacked out. The remaining drones fled. All but the last two surviving drones that Sunset high jacked they looked around then just walked up to sunset and took guard stance.
"Um Twilight I released the hold on them after the queen was knocked out. Why are they not running like the others?"
Twilight cocked her head "I have no idea Sunset, they should be running a way too. Trixie any thoughts?"
Megan wiped the blood that was trickling down her face from the fresh cut she'd just earned. She glared at the two remaining changelings "Where are they!" she said forcefully.
Trixie reappears "If Trixie's guess is right your there new Queen Sunny. That spell gave you a pseudo mind link to how you control with it right? Changelings are hive minded. So when the queen was knocked out they might have piggy backed on the spell and bonded with you as there new queen. At least this based on what I read about changelings back in school said that if a hive losses a queen the drones will get absorbed by other hives and take on colors of there queen." She points to the drones as there colors and tones shifted to match Sunset's and their wings turned yellow orange like her coat. Last to change was there eyes.
The drones ignored Megan.
"Hmmm," Twilight said "this is fascinating. There has never been a recorded incident of this kind before! And we got to see it first hoof! Do you realize the implications Sunset! This way the changelings could be helpful instead of hurting everypony like they've been doing." Twilight squeed with excitement
"Uh Twilight," Megan said "that's really nice and all. But really need to find the guys." she rubbed her head a little.
"She has a point, you can scan our head at the hospital later book worm." Said Sunset with a smirk. She points at a drone and before she says a word it and the other point to one of the buildings......
"Wow." Said Trixie "it seems that verbal commands are not entirely required...."
Sunset looked at the comatose bug queen... "Trixie how did the other queens break there rival's swarm control?" She asked.
"By killing them, wh-....." Trixie's head snapped over to where the queen lay. She trotted over and did a basic scan spell.... "That explains how she's alive but lost control of the swarm...Twilight, Megan the mighty here drove a piece of the bug queen's skull in to her brain and damaged it. I think she destroyed her hive node. Also she broke her horn off." She then levitated said horn so all could see.
"Ouch yeah snapping a horn alone would put anypony out." Said Sunset as her drones flinched at her thoughts.
Megan's jaw dropped "I swear I didn't hit her that hard!" Megan rubbed her head "That does explain why my head hurts so much though."
Twilight gently pulled Megan down to her knees "Here, I'll fix this for you Megan." she charged her horn and poured a basic healing spell that also disinfected the wound. Twilight looked at Megan "Thank you so much for protecting him Megan. He's everything to me." Twilight leaned forward and kissed Megan before heading to the supervisor's building.
Megan looked at Trixie and Sunset and blushed "What!" she said as they smirked at her "It's not the first time I've kissed a mare." she said defensively as she headed toward the building.
Bryan in the mean time was losing a futile struggle to free himself from the changeling gel. He was becoming increasingly frustrated.
Ace was though abut six inches of his. He swallowed. "This stuff ain't half bad once you get used to texture a little on the thick side though. Would go great with cod or pike." Said Ace who that seeing magic and strength failed had the idea to chew his way out which was working.
Bryan promptly turned his head and began to empty the contents of his stomach. He retched for a full minute before stopping. Panting he said "That's beyond disgusting Ace." he coughed and hacked, and dry heaved as his skin took on a greenish color.
It was then that Twilight choose to enter and immediately turned her head trying to avoid following in Bryan's lead.
Megan trailed slightly behind her seemed completely unfazed however "Still have a sensitive stomach I see Bryan."
"Yes." he replied weakly tears in his eyes from puking so hard.
"I told him one night using the special potion me and my mares use and he won't think twice about things like this." Said Ace before taking a extra bite and chewing it open mouthed aimed at Bryan.
Trixie had heard the conversation at the door and rolled her eyes at her stud. "Acey Sunset and Trixie have trophies for you." She said as she walked over and kissed him after he swallowed.
"Oh what kind?" Ace asked with real curiosity.
"Well Megan here broke the bug queen's horn so Trixie grabbed it and her crown.... But Sunset out does Trixie this time by claiming to of the drones as her own... Just imagine the fun when we get home. Given they can turn in to anypony." She then pulls out her top end magic cell phone Ace bought her for when she was on the road it cost a lot of bits. She brought up a picture "And I got a pic of Megan and Twilight kissing."
Bryan's head snaps around and he sees the picture. His jaw dropped "It's definitely hotter in Equestria now, officially." Bryan drew in a breath "Just hot !" he began a breathing exercise Trixie had taught him during his original training. he never thought he'd have to use over something like this. And he'd seen Vinyl and Tavi in full make out session, four times!
"Trixie!" Twilight said "If that's your idea of a joke, it's a really bad one!"
Megan looked at Twilight dubiously "You're the one that wanted to start a herd Twilight. I mean it's gonna happen eventually right. If we don't fall in love then it doesn't work, or am I wrong somehow?" she said looking at Ace, Trixie and Sunset.
Sunset smiled as her drones got Ace free. Ace was just just grinning like the cat that ate the canary. Trixie chuckled as she tucked her phone back in a pocket. "Trixie finds it makes it easier." Said Trixie first.
"Definitely easier with only one bed." Added Sunset. What ever was on her mind made her drones nuzzle Ace as he got up with vary fond smiles.
"It also make life interesting and like grandma Fly used to say. 'May you either live a interesting life, or live in interesting times. I like to think I'm blessed to do both." Said Ace before taking a step and falling but being caught by the drones.
"Could somepony get me outta this please." Bryan said with no small amount of embarrassment "Also I can't stand up on my own, she tortured the crap out of me."
Megan was quickly by his side "Is there a knife of some kind anywhere around here?"
Twilight marched up to Bryan and spoke softly to him "I am so sorry she did that to you Bryan. I should have been here for you, maybe this wouldn't have happened." she nuzzled his cheek and then she used her magic to free him
Bryan looked up at Megan weakly. She placed her index finger on his lips "You don't need to say anything Bryan. I'll take care of it." she slid her left arm underneath his his knees and her right slipped around him. He blushed as she lifted him and cradled him in her arms.
He rested his head against her shoulder. "The last time you carried me like this was after the Smooze. I was to weak to move then too."
Twilight was shocked that Megan was this strong as to carry a full grown stallion like a foal.
"Wait I remember that story isn't she carrying you in a certain style. What as it again? Oh yeah a bridle carry." Ace said getting a snickering laugh from his mares and Sunset's new drones. Adding to his own laughter at Bryan's face which now matched Ace's coat.
Bryan smirked at Ace "You're just jealous because Megan won't carry you like this." He blushed even more "Besides it's, nice. I can't always be so tough, I wasn't born that way like you Ace."
Megan smiled at him as she held him "Bryan you're plenty strong, I wouldn't love you if you were weak. And I'm sure that Twilight wouldn't like to have a weak mate either."
"No," Twilight said "Bryan has his own strength. His character and determination are what makes him strong, they're also why I love him." Twilight sighed at noticed something outside the window "Everypony we've got company, very important company."
Outside Twilight saw Princess Celestia and Princess Luna as well as a thestral pony she instantly recognized. It was Captain Nightshroud Ace and Bryan's commanding officer. "We'd better get out there." Twilight said hurrying out the door.
Ace walked out behind Twilight and the humans, helped by the drones. He looked at his co, smiled. "Nighty you should listen to my dating advice more. Bryan did and he got a herd now. And look at me I got two mares so great that when I do need rescue they bring gifts." He wraps his wings around the drones. "And they're twins!" Said Ace smiling.
He looked at his mares. "I am the luckiest stallion alive." It was clear that ace was going to be kissing his mares flanks for the next few weeks both figuratively and literally.
Trixie smiles and sighs as Sunset rolls her eyes but the nuzzle her drones give Ace contradict this action.
The head captain fixed her dark purple eyes on her subordinate. "Ace is there some reason you're being nuzzled by creatures that are a proven hazard to ponykind and all of our allies? Also I would like to know who this human is and why she has Lieutenant Luna in a bridle carry." she looks around at the devastated survey site "I see that the queen has been apprehended however. But this survey site is now a wreck, and the two of you need to taken to the hospital."
Megan spoke up "My name is Megan captain, and I am in Bryan's herd with Twilight." Megan's face reddened a little
Celestia looked at Twilight "Well Twilight I would like to hear about what happened here myself. Would you give me a report after we get our wounded soldiers to the hospital?"
"Yes princess, I will once my primary concern is dealt with. Megan let's get Bryan into that cart over there and get him to hospital." Twilight trotted over to an empty cart that was still intact.
Megan followed while carrying Bryan, she said to him softly "It's gonna be alright Bryan, we'll take care of you." She looked at Twilight. "Who's gonna tow the cart Twilight?" Megan's question was answered when two other guards trotted over to the and one began hooking up the cart to the other. It was then that she noticed that many more ponies had begun to arrive. included was a jet black pegasus stallion she'd never seen before.
"Shadow Wing! Brother! You're late again! As usual, why is it you always miss all of the fun?" Said Ace as he waved to a larger Pegasus.
"Oh no not again! Why is it that whenever there is major trouble I find you, my big brother, at the scene and with at least one or more mares with you?" asked Shadowing
Ace just shook his head. "Cause I'm the Ace of hearts bro and I always have the winning hoof. You need to unwind more." Ace got a mischievous glint in his eye "Hey Sunset maybe we should let Shadowing have some fun with your drones. I'm sure with you as their queen they can easily rock his world."
Shadow paled. "I don't care who's drones they are! Keep the bugs away from me!" Said Shadow with more then a little fear.
"Aww. Don't tell me you still sore about that prank Trixie and Pinkie pulled?" Said Ace in mock concern.
"Prank! They knocked me out and I woke in a illusion of being in a bedroom dock deep in changelings! I almost had a heart attack!" Shouted Shadow as Ace was loaded in next to Bryan by the drones.
Trixie was snickering along with Sunset her drones were outright laughing along with Ace.
"Be honest what are you more upset by the prank it's self or the fact you still haven't popped your cherry?" Asked Ace this got the guards that knew both brothers to brake their composure and snicker at the younger of the two.
Shadow now turned as red as his brother. "Get him and Bryan out of here before I make my sister in-laws widows!" shouted Shadow
Bryan laughed at Shadow "Ace calls me uptight, so much for that assessment! Come on Shadow, it could have been worse." Bryan notices that the now bound changeling queen was stirring. As she awakened Bryan motioned for the pony towing the cart to wait. "As for you," he said as she looked up at him "you and you race could have been so much different than what you choose to be. You said before our mares arrived that your kind feeds on love. Well you could have all of the love you needed and more. You could have been loved by all of Equestria and rightly so no less. I mean look at Twilight, Trixie and Sunset. Look at the princesses, do have any idea of what a lot of ponies and even griffons and minotaurs would give to be able to be with them? Even if only a fantasy, they would given a lot. all you had to do was be symbiotic, instead you choose to be parasitic. Feeding off of others and sucking them dry. For what? Just to fuel your own ambition and lust for power! You have the power to give others their ultimate fantasies, and even find real and genuine love for yourselves."
Bryan began to tear up "You have no idea what I would give to be able to see them again," his voice cracked "being able to see and hear Twilight, Ember, Firefly, and even that sometimes pain in the brain Wind Whistler." No longer able to control his emotions he sobbed "I miss them Megan."
She silenced him by placing her finger on his lips "I know Bryan, I miss them too. I miss all of our pony friends from Dream Valley." Megan couldn't find the word to soothe him. instead she just held him. Twilight just looked down at the ground, she too had nothing that would help.
The guard resumed his trek to the hospital while the princesses openly wept at their human friend's anguish. Not a word was said by anypony else as the changeling queen was taken away. A dark blue unicorn looked at Ace's brother.
"So that's the human who works with your brother. I didn't realize that Ace could deal with an emotional pony like him. He must be an extraordinary leader then." She said her green eyes focused on the pegasus
Shadow sighs "Ace is something all right. Most the time, he is nothing but a happy flirt. He can be a great pony, when he's not being a total flank." Said Shadow.
Moonlight shrugged "I wouldn't know, I'm an only foal. I do find it to be funny that your brother was involved in finishing the job that we started two years ago. With all we can do she still eluded us, and he was ultimately the one who finished this. And that human too." she trotted over to Princess Luna to ask what came next.
"That's Ace no matter what when he gets involved things move faster." Said Shadow with a sigh.
The cart with Bryan, Ace, and Megan in it continued on it's way toward the hospital. Twilight was trotting beside the earth pony guard towing the cart. Bryan had fallen asleep while still in Megan's arms. Megan looked Ace over while they made the journey.
Megan spoke "Is there some reason you keep looking at me like that Ace?" she said as she watched Sunset, Trixie, and the drones keeping watch.
"Just wondering what could have been. I mean if thing had been different. Like say if you had been the one that first came here? Not Bryan..... " He smiles "That thick headed dolt never could tell a good thing when he sees it. Trixie and I both trained him. She taught him magic. I taught him grow a spine and to fight. You know I had to practically shove him to his first date with Twilight. The poor sap was so nerves that I had to buck him out the door and told him if he didn't at least kiss her he would be camping in the Everfree. He just can't act on impulse." Said Ace chuckling
"Trixie thinks you could stand to think more mister, I'm not going to die." chided Trixie
Sunset's drones giggle hissed as she spoke. "You know if he thought about his actions nether of us would be in heard. And with his tract record of surviving his own stupidity I'm inclined to believe he just might be immortal."
Ace smiled "Of course I'm immortal, I am Ace Crimson Moon! I am war incarnate! I am the greatest warrior to ever live!"He said with dramatic flare...
Megan removed her right arm from underneath Bryan and reached out and booped Ace on the nose prompting him to scrunch up his his face as a reaction. Megan giggled as she replaced her arm. "Ace," Megan said "I don't think that there would have been anything between us." she looked at Bryan still asleep "I never dated another guy after he was taken from me, only girls."
Twilight stared at Ace "Ace! You never did that!" she hung her head "We've never actually been on a date." she looked up "That was Lily not me. And you Sunset need to remember that Bryan was the one who introduced you to Ace in the first place. I still can't believe you tied him to a tree Trixie."
"Still had to buck him out the door." said Ace
"And he has my thanks for doing so. Even if Ace was a pain in the flank in his flirtation. I mean he never took no, get lost or a book to the face as a answer." Said Sunset
"Trixie remembers, Ace finally won Trixie over, when he dressed as jester and played the fool on stage decelerating his love for Trixie and being my assistant. He took his vacation days to do so on top of it." She looked at Twilight "Oh come on at lest Trixie's training didn't leave scars. Trixie means ninety percent of the scars Bryan has are from Ace teaching him to fight."
"Hey it's only eighty seven percent of them not ninety" Said Ace. He then remembered who was next to him in the cart. "I'm about to get a black eye aren't I." Said Ace looking right at Megan with his ears laid back and a classic male's I'm in trouble look on his face.
Megan uncharacteristically punched Ace right in the face. "Feel lucky you didn't get worse form me." Megan said indigently. Megan then giggled along with Twilight "I've go to say, acting a fool over a woman is usually just an expression. You actually went and did it, that's funny."
Twilight just shook her head "Yeah I remember how bad he was for that first date with Lily. I almost had to teleport him to her place." Twilight laughed "Ace did you really read those books? Because it seems to if you actually did you'd know how protective Megan is of him." she turned at looked at Megan. "Don't worry Bryan doesn't actually have scars, well not many anyway, the healing magic took care of most of it." Twilight saw the hospital over the hill "Ok we'll be there soon and we can get Bryan taken care of. Well as long as the doctors aren't to busy." Twilight's face wore a look of concern.
Megan just whispered to Bryan "It'll be alright, I promise." she held him close to her, and kissed him on the forehead.
"Ouch, yeah... I just forgot." Said Ace as he rubbed his new bruise. "On that note I will say it only took three fatal hits from a merciful weapon to get him to start a daily training routine and to learn to duck. Trust me my sensei was a lot harder on me his weapons didn't have mercy on them. I think I nearly died more time in the weapon masters training then the rest of my life combined."
The changelings shudder. "I can believe that with the scars you have... That one makes me wounder how you still have a left wing." said Sunset.
Twilight huffed "He already knew how to duck, he got better is all. I mean come on Ace you said yourself that was the only one to ever reach you during that one exercise. And I really don't wanna know which scar you're talking about Sunset." Twilight winced at thought of such a thing.
Megan looked at Ace skeptically "I'm not so sure I believe that he let you train him Ace. I really can't understand why he is even in the guard to begin with, Bryan hates conflict. He was always trying to resolve everything peacefully. He never wanted to fight, not even at Midnight Castle. He only fought when Tirek's goons threatened Twilight." she looked at fondly "He was always really attached to that unicorn, and Ember too, she was like a little sister to him."
Twilight giggled "He said that you had a lot to do with it Megan. He always said that you encouraged him to be strong, and to try and help others in any way he could."
"Ok I'll admit for me battle is wired into me, my cutiemark drives me to fight and win. But him." He points to Bryan "He's a hero type. I'm just a warrior I fight not because I have to or somepony needs me to, but because I want to. Him, he does it just because he wants to protect ponies. That's the major difference between us. He is the noble hero that chose to be one. I'm just a hero by circumstance. It also show in how we treat our models. He has display case. I have box full under the bed."
Megan looked at the back of her left hand, pondering the mark that had appeared there. "I don't know that Bryan would like being called a hero Ace. He's always been so reserved, to be called something like that. He wouldn't like it, he just wants to do the right thing." she held him closer as the cart came to a stop in front of the hospital.
Twilight smiled "I'll go in and tell the staff that you're coming in, and warn everypony about your drones Sunset." she blushed "Just give me a few minutes to straighten everything out."
Megan turned to Sunset "Hey Sunset do you have any idea why I have a mark, and do you think that Bryan will get one at some point?"
"No clue. You're the first non-pony to get one... Though the fact you did hold high hopes that Bryan and Twilight can have a foal." She teased her drones giggled.
"Just keep the CMC from learning that or they will make him a member. The last thing he needs is them dragging him on one of their misadventures to get him a cutiemark. Some ponies around town still hit the floor if someone shouts Cutiemark Crusaders." As if on cue a passer by screamed and jumped in a open trash can and slammed the lid."see?"
"Any thoughts on what it means then." she held up her hand showing her the heart shaped rainbow emerging from the locket on the back of her hand.
"Actually those three already have theirs." Bryan said having awakened "And they still think that I'm gonna get one." he winced as some pain surged through him. "I can't believe you called me 'the hero type' Ace, you know I hate that crap."
Twilight trotted out of the hospital "Ok everypony I've got everything straightened out. Let's go in." Twilight smiled at Bryan "Hey there sleepy head, how are you feeling?"
"I've been better," he frowned "I want some tea. I'd feel better with some of that."
"Make mine Jasmine. And I call it like I see it I fight cause I am. You fight because you have to. You might not call yourself one but that don't change what you are. Maybe when you accept it your get your cutiemark." Said Ace as the drones helped him out.
"Trixie remembers the books. That mark reminds Trixie of the Rainbow of Light. Maybe that's what it means you bring hope?" Said Trixie.
Twilight smiled "Well we can go inside, but we'll have to wait a bit. So I can get you both some tea, Megan bring Bryan inside please."
Megan moved her arm back under his legs and lifted him up and got out of the cart "I don't know Trixie," Megan said "I've always been helping ponies since Firefly and Medley first came and got Bryan and I, so maybe" she carried him into the hospital. "What is all of this about books anyway?"
Twilight trotted inside "Oh Bryan wrote some books about your adventures together. They are very popular, even Ace has read every one in the series." as they brought him inside.
"I like adventure stories. The Tails of Dream Valley are my second favorite." Said Ace
Megan just looked over her shoulder "Are you going to stay in that cart Ace?"
Twilight said "Trixie, Sunset come on get Ace inside. We can talk more in there."
Ace was just behind her with a drone under each wing. "Hey Megan cut me some slack I think my back leg is broken and I know my wings are out of joint. Also I got a case of blue balls from looking at the bug queens flank waiting to get rescued or escape." The glare from his mare was felt in stereo from the drones.
"What just cause she's a parasite doesn't mean I can't appreciate her curves. I mean come on she's built like Celestia, only minus the cake gut." said Ace his mares just sighed in exasperation.
Trixie and Sunset were frantically motioning to Ace to stop, but it was already to late. SMACK! Twilight smacked Ace on the back of the head "CELESTIA DOES NOT HAVE A CAKE GUT!" Twilight shouted while Trixie and Sunset rolled their eyes at their stallion's stupidity.
Megan and Bryan both winced and Megan carried him into the hospital at an accelerated pace.
"Well she is more plump then Luna is. That's for sure. And no number of your love taps will change that fact" said a unfazed Ace despite the lump he now had.the drones hurried him in side.
Sunset spoke up "He dose have a point. Celestia dose tend to over do the cake."
"How you think Trixie feels. Old Star Swirl had a fling with her. There's a chance you and Trixie are cousins...." Said Trixie keeping in step. "I mean think about the bell hat never married. The only reason I know I'm his descendant is his journals are passed down in the families of his blood line. No one knows who or how many mares had his foals."
Twilight was thoughtful "We very well could be Trixie, I mean you are one of the three most gifted unicorns magically in Equestria. I'm the Guardian of Magic, so it's very possible. The doctors should be ready to see Ace and Bryan in a few minutes. Trixie would you help me get the tea for them?" Twilight and Trixie trotted off together talking saying how wonderful it would if they were cousins. Both mares had always had a deep and mutual respect for each other as magic users. They had been friends for almost ten years and were sometimes mistaken for being sisters.
Author's Note
Ok first off I wanna thank Zeck for inspiring the speech Bryan gave to Chrysalis in this chapter, and allowing me to use my own version of it. If you haven't read The Bridesmaids by Zeck I highly recommend it, you get to see Berry, Bon Bon, and Octavia involved in some serious bad assery. I also wanna thank my Champion's Call co author for writing this chapter with me. We'll see if Echos becomes a full colab. And most of all I want to thank all of you who read this story, it doesn't mean a thing without you.
My Little Pony: Echos of Dream Valley
Megan sat Bryan down on a chair in the waiting room of Ponyville General. As carefully as she did this it resulted in him wincing as he was sat down on the chair. He gritted his teeth and let out a pained groan. "I'm sorry Bryan," Megan said "I'm being as gentle as I can."
He sighed "Don't worry about it Megan. There's nothing that can be done about it anyway." he sat and waited as Twilight and Trixie returned with some tea for both he and Ace.
"Here you go Bryan." Twilight said levitating the tea to him.
Ace took a sip. "How's your leg, bro? The big bug worked you over good in there. I mean ouch, I heard the bones cracking with what she did. Makes me glad I was not the one she wanted. Not saying I'm happy it was you, but I don't envy the pain you feel right now and the adrenalin hasn't worn of yet. I know I'm not going to be feeling chipper either in another five minutes."
Bryan laughed and then winced. He drank some of his tea and sighed again. "I think there are a lot of cracks in my skeleton, but no clean breaks. They beat the stuffing out you Ace, and it still took a high level stun spell to take you out. No wonder so many are afraid of you, you come across as invulnerable sometimes. Still I'm dreading the exam, there is no way I'm getting good news today."
Megan and Twilight looked Bryan over. The sight was worrisome to say the least, bruises seemed to be appearing before their very eyes.
"I'm going to go to the library and get Pinkie, I'll be back soon. Megan take care of him until the doctors come for him." Twilight said as she headed for the doors.
"Alright." Megan said. she turned toward Bryan and said "I think this is worse than the smooze Bryan." he merely nodded and finished his tea.
"Hey look at it this way worse story better ending. After all you got two lovely mares to give you welcome home after the docs let you out." said Ace
Bryan smirked "I don't think this is going into a book Ace."
"And you get my new drones keeping a eye on you to make sure you do what the doctors say. Honestly it's like you try to get yourself killed." said Sunset.
"No he tries and succeeds in making us fuss over him." said Trixie
Everypony in the waiting room and at the nurse's station erupts in a chorus of laughter at Trixie's remark making it clear to Megan that local pegasus has a bit of a reputation.
Both mares and drones giving that you've got to be more careful and stop worrying me look.
"No I just no it's not my time. After all I still have to get you two pregnant and now teach Megan here how to fight. Not that she's not skilled, but the street brawler style can only take you so far." said Ace.
Megan then smiles a sweetly as he could and actually batted her eyes at Ace "Ace would you be dear and shut up before this 'street brawler' headbutts you into a coma." Megan said while sounding surprisingly menacing.
Ace's ears lowered as he remembers the recently acquired bruise on his face. Trixie and Sunset laughed.
Bryan leaned close to his herd mate "That was a little harsh don't you think?" Megan simply gave him the sweetest look she could.
Nurse Redheart chimed in at that moment "The doctors will be here to take you two into the exam rooms in a minute. Bryan Are you sure you're all right?" Nurse Redheart asked with concern.
Bryan sighed once more "I am sure that I am not, how bad it is I can't say. It's bad though, I do know that." he and Redheart had be friends for three years and knew better than to pull any punches when it came to his health. He'd been unlucky a few times before in his misadventures with the Cutie Mark Crusaders, but it was never once this bad. Nor was his training as hard on him as the torture had been.
"Yeah Red he got it bad worse then when I trained him. Though your probably glad I was so hard on you otherwise you would probably be in the great pastures of Elysium right now." Said Ace
Bryan shook his head, he did not want to go there, not anytime soon. "The pain just reminds me that I'm still alive. That's fine with me, I ain't ready for Elysium and I'm not going to be real soon."
Megan gently took Bryan in her arms and held him, she desperately did not want to let him go.
A voice broke the room's silence "Alright Bryan Luna and Ace Crimson Moon, it's time for your exams."
Megan was seeing another new pony, a tall pink unicorn.
"Hello again doctor Candy Stripe." Bryan said nervously
She looked him over and asked him "Can you walk?" Bryan shook his head "I see," she turned to nurse Redheart "would you go and get a gurney please?" Redheart just nodded and left returning a few moments later with a large gurney. "Ok now we just need to get you on it." said the doctor "Oh and before I forget we'll have to do an examination on you as well." she looked at Megan.
"That's fine." Megan replied "But he comes first, and I need to be here when Twilight gets back with Pinkie." the doctor nodded and Megan picked Bryan up and laid him down on the gurney. "It'll be alright Bryan, I promise." she said softly and kissed his cheek.
The unicorn looked at Ace "Can you walk? Or do we need to wheel you in as well Captain Crimson Moon?"
"I can with help. Which I have." Ace said as the two drones held him up.
The doctor could see he was in bad shape as well. "Very well."doctor Candy stripe said "If the three of you will follow doctor Stable here." she said motioning to an amber colored unicorn with a brown mane and tail with blue eyes.
The doctor's face scrunched up "It's been a while Ace, I'm glad to see that you're not that bad off this time. I can't say I'm happy with Bryan's condition though what happened to him?" he asked as they headed for the exam room.
Megan sat in the lobby waiting for Twilight's return, her worry was all to apparent.
"Well you know him he turned down a mare that wouldn't take no for a answer. So the bug queen tried to make him say yes. I just got swarmed by her drones. It wasn't a fair fight though. It was only a two thousand or so to one. If she hadn't cheated and stun spelled me a couple times I would have won." said Ace as the drones helped him along.
Doctor Stable just shook his head "And it would have been better if he had said yes? Hmmm it took the same spell twice huh? What did you parents feed you when you when you were a colt Ace?" he asked as opened the door to the examination room.
Ace had to watch as Bryan was wheeled into the room across the hall, he looked even more miserable than before.
"I was raised in Neighpon doc. I ate what every pony else there does, rice, peaches, wheat, fish, chicken and pork. Not a lot of farm land in the islands so we have to eat meat to stay healthy. Though my fave was fried rice with white wine." said Ace like it was no big deal.
"Well you seem to made out of something different from most ponies Ace. Now let's get you up on the table and have a look at your injuries." he said as he prepared a medical scanning spell.
The changelings helped Ace to lay down of the table.
"Ok let's get you on the table then undressed. So we can see how bad the bruising is."She levitated him to the exam table. "Do you need help undressing?" Asked Dr.Candy Stripe.
"To answer the one question if he said yes. He would have to explain to it to his new herd. One a princess the other by most accounts and from what I see. Is me untrained as human female.... though that's just a rough evaluation of her skill so I think he chose the less painful one... Also the queen Chrysalis was hot but not the nicest of approach to finding a date."
Bryan winced while being levitated. "Just so you know doc, I am not making a habit of getting myself tortured." he said as laid there waiting her to begin the exam. "I don't think I can do it myself actually, I'm hurting more than I was a few moments ago." he weakly tried to move but found it to be impossible.
Doctor Stable looked at Ace "Well you're certainly right about that. I never thought that Bryan would end up in herd though, life is full of surprises." he began scanning Ace and found that the tough pegasus while injured wasn't bad off at all. "Well," he said "it seems that you only have a fractured right hind leg along with a number of cracked ribs, four of them. A nasty set of bruises," he looked at Ace's face "including a black eye. I'm not sure I want to know how you got that. That's it really Ace, other than a light case of spell shock form a single high level stun spell you're not hurt that bad. After a few days of rest and treatments for your cracked bones you'll be fine."
"That plus the wing out of joint. About that I thought.... Doc is it bad that I been hurt enough to know by pain what's wrong?" Ace Asked
The doctor carefully examined Bryan the look on her face was clear. "And you were doing with Ace? Did he hit you by accident? Or did you two fight a dragon army?"
The doctor tapped a bruise on Bryan's leg and grimaced at the his reaction. She did a full body scan after the two minute mark it was clear he was in bad shape...
"Six cracked ribs two broken, fracture left arm, broken wrist, slight concussion, hair line fracture in the left collar bone and right knee, and the right leg is clean broken. Plus to many bruises and cuts to count. Are you sure Ace didn't do this?" Said Doctor Candy Stripe.
The doctor scanned Ace's wing "So it is. Well Ace I wouldn't say that it's bad it really helps when patients can identify their own injuries. And you're no different than Rainbow Dash when it come to getting hurt, no more so than any other adventurous pony I've met." he grabbed Ace's wing and quickly set it back into place "There we go." he said adjusting his glasses.
After grimacing Bryan answered the doctor "No Ace didn't do this, and I think that I would have preferred to have fought a dragon army." he sighed "Ace and I were assigned to secure the survey site and were attacked by a swarm of changelings. After being defeated because we were so badly outnumbered, a thousand to one I think, maybe twice that. We were captured dragged into the supervisor's building and the queen tortured me when I refused to give her what she wanted." he drew in a breath "I've never had a cracked bone before, let alone any that were broken. Twilight and Megan are gonna freak, so is Pinkie." he was worried. His time as a guard could be over after this brutality.
"Hissssss. Thanks doc. At lest I can fly while the leg cast is on. I'm worried tho Bryan took some bad hits I know I heard bones crack. More then once. He's not the strongest warrior but he's definitely smarter then most. Buck he's smarter then me at most things. I'd hate to hear he has to be medically retired." said Ace
"Well your on your own with them. As to your job...... I can't in good conscience recommend you return to service. Not for a long while at least. But even then I am going to recommend modified duty till you are cleared by a medical professional. Does your unit have a assigned medic. Or a regular doctor for check ups?"asked doctor Stripe.
Doctor Stable looked at Ace "Well he may have to be, but only doctor Candy Stripe knows the human body well enough to make that assessment. I'm still trying to catch up with all the research she has published since Bryan first arrived in Equestria. Yes that leg of yours will be in a cast, and I would recommend that you not fly around to much otherwise you might strain yourself. It's not a crime for a warrior like you to accept help from his mares Ace."
Bryan looked at her "Yeah a griffon named doctor Bone Saw, he is really good and has read all of your research on me and my needs medically. To say that he knows what he is doing is to understate it actually. The two of you should compare notes sometime, I think you'll find some of his findings helpful." Bryan calmed himself "I think Princess Luna will be sending the rest of the thirteenth to Ponyville so he'll be here in a few days most likely."
"Ok doc sooner I'm in a cast the sooner I get to spend two weeks in bed with my herd." Said Ace.
"Wait you mean that Griffon with black beak all way has bone to chew on. Has full surgery kit in his jacket, and hits on every mare and molly, worse then Ace?" And for the first time ever doctor Candy Stripe looked like she wanted to kill someone.
Bryan looked at her "Are you all right doctor? I've never seen you lose your composure before." he scrutinized the doctor he'd know her for as long as anypony else and never once did she lose her composure. She was always professional on the job, and true to her name she was a sweetheart when she was off the clock.
"Ehhem sorry. I went to med school with Doctor Bone Saw. Let's just say while Ace is a flirt. He knows when to stop Bone Saw dose not and I lost count of how many times we caught the lecherous bird peeping in the mares locker room." She took a few breaths. "I'm fine with any luck I'll be in Canterlot again before I see hide or feather of that Griffin. Now let's start on patching you up. This may sting a bit."
Bryan's look was one of shock, it looked as if he might faint.
A few hours latter the princesses had arrived at the hospital. Princess Celestia was talking to Twilight trying to help Megan and Pinkie calm Twilight down, she was devastated to hear the extent of Bryan' injuries. Princess Luna on the other hoof was finally able to pin down this specific captain of her guard for a debriefing. He usually managed to pawn it off on a subordinate. this time he could not escape! She trotted into the room where he was recovering for the moment. They had decided to keep him overnight to try and keep him from doing anything strenuous.
Luna looked at Ace "Well Captain what exactly happened to you and Lieutenant Luna?"
"Whole swarm jumped us. I was holding my own till I took that second overcharged knock out spell then swarm overran me while I was slowed." Said Ace as he lays on his belly with the two changeling drones giving him a massage to his sore muscles.
Luna's eyes narrowed at him "Oddly enough the medical report say that only a single high level spell was used. I need an actual report Captain Crimson Moon, not this lax excuse for a report. And I'm going to have to ask this question as well." Luna sighed not wanting to ask but having no choice in the matter "I am going to ask you how you feel about Lieutenant Luna's fitness to serve in the thirteenth after this incident. So I need an accurate report captain." Luna demanded sharply.
"You know the reason I haven't advanced beyond this position in the guard, is suck at paper work right?..... I won't dismiss him. He was never one of my best fighters but he is one of the smartest. He'll be riding a desk till Bone Saw clears him. After that I'll have on light duty tell he's back to full steam. He's smarter than most of us. If he was to go though officer school he might make a good strategist..... but I doubt that he would do so willingly. Perhaps you can whisper in Twilight's ear Twilight and Megan are his herd now and only fool ignores his mares. Also with him on desk your reports will not be my normal Neighponiese, art. My father cursed me to his grave that I never learned to read and right mainland Equestrian. Don't tell Bryan but I didn't actually read his books but had Trixie or Sunset read them to me as we cuddled by the fire on cold nights." He gave the Luna a mischievous grin. It was no secret that Ace trusted Luna above all others save his own family.
Luna snorted "You do realize that he won't ignore his mares Ace. His loyalty is nearly the parallel of Loyalty's guardian herself. Also I doubt that you'll find another tactical illusionist anytime soon, also he lacks the organization to be a strategist. As for your literacy problem you need to resolve that, I can't keep letting you slide on this issue. You will have to learn to do these things Ace, besides the head captain's position will remain with Captain Nightshroud for many years to come yet. And given that Megan is largely responsible for the pony he has become I very much doubt that he'll sit behind a desk when he's able to do much more." Luna was thoughtful for moment "In the mean time Commander Solis will take you place in charge of the defense of Ponyville for a while. As of now I am ordering you to take some time off."
"I will my princess but I'd feel Safer if Charger or Jammer was in charge at lest I know they can fight... Um no offence meant to Solis. And give recent event's just giving Twilight a guard to command would be more effective after all she knows everypony and the area." Said Ace.
"I was referring to Charger Ace. Did you take a serious blow the the head? At any rate leaving Twilight in charge of Ponyville's defense at the moment would not be a good idea. My sister is preparing her for the impending coronation, there is also another major event coming up as well. I know you and Bryan don't appreciate Captain Shining Armor very much, but he and my descendant Princess Cadence are to be wed very soon." she tapped he chin with her hoof "From the medical report given to me by Doctor Candy Stripe I doubt our adviser will be able to be present though." the night princess turned "Please excuse me Ace, I will need to figure this out."
"Ok I think Megan hit me harder then I thought on the way here..... Thank you for your time my princess."
Luna arched her eyebrow and trotted out of the room. this was far from the first time Ace had gotten himself in trouble with a mare. Nor would it be the last she wagered."You are welcome Ace, it is our duty to see to the well being of our subjects." Luna said
As she trotted down the hall she realized that she would also have to talk with Bryan, this she dreaded. Maybe a brief chat with Celestia would soothe Bryan a little. She stopped outside of his room knowing that Celestia would already be inside, that's when she notices that Pinkie Pie was also waiting outside the room. Luna pondered this and watched to see what would happen.
Princess Celestia look Bryan over, he was still in a sorry state. Though the major injuries had been largely healed he was still bandaged up and looking rather unhappy.
He looked at the Sun Princess "How's Twilight?" he said worry apparent in his voice.
"She is calm now due in no small part thanks to Megan. She is a remarkable young mare Bryan, I can see why you love her so much and in time Twilight will undoubtedly share your feelings for Megan. Did you want my perspective on herding?" she said.
Bryan was thoughtful for a few moments "Really, I've already made my decision. I know why they brought it up and I appreciate why they are doing it."
"Oh," Celestia said "I would like to hear why."
Bryan sat up a bit more "They're doing this because they love me. So much in fact that they don't want to force me to choose between them and force me to hurt myself and one of them. They are doing it because seeing me happy means more to them then one of them getting her way. I know that this is very unexpected in my case, but I love them both very much. I will respect what they are doing and we'll see if there is a another pony who joins us, I won't mind as long as she is one of my friends. I already trust them with my well being so that's it." he smiled as he spoke.
Celestia smiled approvingly "That's very admirable of you Bryan. Sharing yourself like that is going to be hard for you, but I know you can do it. Now I have another matter I must address with you. Something far more grave I am afraid, but I must know if you will continue your service in the royal guard once you are fully recovered." her face had turned serious.
Bryan drew in a breath "That's up to Doctor Bone Saw really, if he decides that I'm to be medically retired then I'm medically retired. I won't lie I have been seriously considering leaving the guard after being tortured though. I am not the best person for the job in the first place, and I have my primary duty as both your and Luna's adviser. I haven't yet made the decision, I'll have to see what the doctor says first, then I'll make my decision. Given Twilight's impending coronation, I would serve Equestria best by choosing a different path though. I will tell you more when I know more." his words had both a resignation and a finality to them.
"Very well," Celestia said "know that you will have the support of all of the ponies that love and care for whatever you may decide. I will respect whatever decision you make, for now rest and get better." she turned to leave "I do believe that Pinkie Pie and my sister would like to see you."
"Send Pinkie in first, I am not eager to see Luna at the moment my princess." Bryan said solemnly.
Celestia opened the door and said "Pinkie Bryan wants to see you now." Pinkie nodded and trotted through the door closing it behind her. She trotted to his bedside and sat down on her haunches.
Bryan looked at Pinkie and said "From the look on your face I can tell that you know what happened to me." she nodded sadly "Pinkie come up here with me." he patted the right side of the bed.
Pinkie climbed up on the bed and laid down beside him. What she saw now that she was paying attention was bad. He was laying there an I.V. in his left arm and a breathing tube in his nose, she was about to ask when Bryan answered her.
"The doctors said it's precautionary, they don't know if I'll go into shock or have some other sudden unforeseen complications." he said as she saw that he was also hooked up to a heart monitor. "Now what did you need Pinkie?"
Pinkie sniffled sadly "Bryan," she began "I-I-I don't know I almost lost you and I never told you how I felt and I......I love you Bryan!" the dam holding back her tears broke she began crying and only stopped when he asked her.
"Pinkie," she looked at him still sniffling "How long have you loved me?"
"I dunno, a while I guess." she replied
Bryan even with all of the pain he was feeling, he smiled "Here we are, both of us just wrecked and yet you still make me smile Pinkie." he was thoughtful " I love you too Pinkie, I think I've loved you all this time and didn't see it. You were always there for me, I would be glad to have you in my herd. I know Twilight and Megan will be too."
Pinkie leaned in and kissed him her mane and tail re-inflating as she did "Can I stay with you? I mean Princess Luna wants to see you but I wanna stay with you."
"Sure thing Pinkie, I really need you here right now." he chuckled "For three years you've always been there for me."
"I always will Bryan." she nuzzled him as Luna opened the door.
"I am sorry to interrupt this moment Bryan but I really need to talk to you." Luna said
"It's ok Luna, we understand. Now what is it?"
Luna looked uncertain "I-I wish to apologize to you Bryan. When I advised you to join the Lunar guard I never envisioned that you would end up being tortured. I should have realized that......that something could have gone very wrong. I understand that you're probably angry with me at the moment, I am your princess and it is my duty to protect you, and I failed." Luna began pacing "No!" she said as she stopped "I did far worse than fail you! I knowingly and willfully sent you into danger. Even though I knew that could not likely survive some of the things that you might encounter, and far worse than that I was involved in declaring you to be a member of an officially protected species." she looked directly at Bryan "How can I be worthy of your continued loyalty after this disaster."
Bryan shook his head "Luna, nopony could have seen this coming. There was no way to know that the changelings would come here, no way of knowing any of it. You've proven yourself to me by caring about me time and again. You inspired me to stand with you, as a princess should. I am the one who took the advice, and I didn't have to. I choose this, I wanted to fight for Equestria and protect everypony. I don't know if I'm going to continue to serve in this way anymore, but you don't need to blame yourself." he smiled "I faced danger everyday in Ponyland, I choose to face it here, and I have no regrets. Neither should you, my princess."
Luna smiled at him "Thank you, my friend."
"Of course my princess." Bryan said smiling.
In a darkened room Sat a figure hidden by shadows sipping wine. "That useless bug failed. Good thing she doesn't know anything important." A crystal glowed red and the out line of a demon appeared in it.
"You're up mister nightmare maker and you'll be happy to hear that not only do you get a shot at Bryan but that Megan mare is here too do make things painful for both of them." Said the figure on the throne.
The demon like thing in the Crystal started to laugh maniacally and in deep powerful voice said. "They shall soon learn that their nightmares are very very real." He faded away Laughing.
The figure on the throne sighed, "That fool better not mess it up. But just in case. You!" A hoof pointed to the darkness "Start setting up for plan D."
Author's Note
Well everypony Echos has indeed become a full colab, so keep an eye out for more in the next little while.
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.
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."
My Little Pony: Echos of Dream Valley
Ace's room:
"So Sunset you and Trixie going to that wedding thing the rumor mill was gossiping about?" asked Ace
"We would but you're hurt." said Trixie
"Oh none of that Sunset has a pair of twenty four seven spies to watch me and with the thirteenth rolling in I'll have that bunch of thick heads wanting to check in on me and have me tell them stories. I swear half of the younger ones act like I'm their uncle or grandfather. Despite how hard I trained them. So you two go see to it you nag shiny to death about him marrying up to Luna's sweet descendant and remind him if he hurts her I'll mount his head over our fireplace." said Ace
The drones giggle as the two mares roll there eyes. "Fine but those two are not leaving your side no matter what." said Sunset.
Later that day Twilight and Megan had returned to the library and were getting ready to turn in as they had an early day tomorrow. Megan came out of the bathroom wrapped in a towel, her clothes had been washed and dried by Twilight who was finishing up when Megan came out of the bathroom.
Twilight looked up at Megan "So," she began "he really said that?" she asked resuming their earlier conversation.
"Yeah," Megan replied "it showed me just how much he loves you that he is that worried about you for it." she said as she removed the towel form her head allowing her long blonde hair to flow down towards the floor. It was then that Megan heard an unusual noise that sounded like a pomf.
Megan looked up at the source of the sound to confirm that it was indeed Twilight herself. Megan giggled and looked at the now very embarrassed lavender alicorn. "That excited are we?" Megan queried sweetly. She had gotten used to teasing her now ex-girlfriend Cindy, and her little sister Molly over her girlfriend Brandy. "Wife " she corrected herself, as she and Molly had gotten married as soon as Brandy turned eighteen.
Twilight's cheeks were completely pink as she turned her head to avoid looking at Megan. Now staring at the floor Twilight spoke "Well Bryan always talked about how beautiful you were, and he wasn't lying at all." she drew circles on the floor with her hoof "You are really beautiful Megan, and I really like the idea that we're going to be together at some point. You know not just for Bryan's sake."
Megan giggled and dropped the towel she was wearing from her body "Well?" she said "What do you think now?" her tone playful.
Twilight looked up and saw Megan's fully nude body, swallowing hard as she turned from pink to red as she said "M-m-m-maybe we should just go to bed. W-w-w-we have an early day tomorrow." she nervously trotted over to her bed
Megan rolled her eyes as she walked across the room and joined Twilight in bed. As she lay down she noticed that Twilight was facing away from her. "Oh come on Twilight, we're gonna be living together and sharing a bed more often than just tonight. You'll have to get used to looking at me naked." Megan chided "Besides," she said "you're going to be there when Rarity fits me for my dress and other new clothes so you'd better make the adjustments now. Especially since I don't have my new nightgown yet."
Twilight shifted under the covers "This is payback for when I said I couldn't wait to study you isn't it?" she questioned
Megan giggled "A little." she said as she gently took Twilight in her arms and pulled her up against her nude body. Megan moaned slightly as she rubbed against Twilight "Mmmmm, you're so soft Twilight." she said as she snuggled up to her. Twilight laid there frozen not quite sure how to respond to this.
Twilight could feel Megan's light breaths on the back of her neck as she finally closed her eyes and drifted off to sleep.
The next morning
Sunset was packed as was Trixie. As they where about to leave Trixie stepped in to weapon room and walked out with what looked like a large stack of boxes star topped staff and good numbers of matching knives. She floated the knives to Sunset. Who took them in her magic and tucked them in belt under her jacket.
"As Ace's herd mates we have to be ready to show why one of the greatest warriors in Equestria chose us." said Trixie
Sunset nodded. "And we have to watch out for any Canterlot elite that want to play grab flank with us or Bryan's mares." said Sunset.
The two nodded and walked out to the train station. Both in there favorite clothes and caring a few suitcases. As well as a stack of boxes marked danger high explosives...
Megan and Twilight made their way to the train station where they were joined by the rest of the girls. Pinkie came bouncing along a moment later. "Hi everypony." she said "Oh Trixie, Sunset I don't know you would be coming along too." she said cheerfully
"My teacher's descendant is getting hitched to her sisters descendant. You think Ace would let me or Trixie live it down if we missed out on making the poor colt suffer with a few incest jokes." said Sunset with a smile
"That and Trixie will not let a royal wedding happen with out her masterful skill with fireworks. Besides somepony has to keep Pinkie from blowing Canterlot off of the mountain cause she is thinking of a certain stallion and not how much of what she puts in the the fireworks." added Trixie with her trademark I'm the best grin.
Twilight glared at them "It's not incest when the blood relationship is separated by that much you two!" she huffed "Just because he's my brother and my family has those ties to Celestia doesn't make it incest."
Megan looked at Twilight "This stallion is your brother?" Twilight nodded "Did you tell Bryan that?" she asked
Twilight facehoofed and hung her head "No I forgot to tell him."
Pinkie giggled at Trixie "Well you are better with the fireworks than me Trixie." she looked at Twilight and Megan "Bryan is doing fine by the way. He was still asleep when I left, but I left him a note so he'll know."
The whistle of a train sounded drawing the mares eyes to the line as thick clouds of steam puffed up from a double stacked black steam engine rolling down the rails the engine had a the regular Friendship Express behind its cars. The twin stacked engine was one that Trixie Sunset and Twilight all had seen at least once it was the the military train engine used by the thirteenth and it looked like it was possessed. Tinted red silted Windows, spikes on the front a solid plow for a cow catcher. The whole engine and the one armored passenger cars and two strange freight cars and caboose all marched this them. Ace had his younger sister make every scrap of steel for the train he paid a pony in Manehattan to design it and had his unit build it in Canterlot. Behind the caboose was the regular four car friendship express train point the other way on the line.
The Red Thirteen as it was called cause of the red thirteen painted on the back engine his wickedly filling the station with steam mist as it stopped. Before the mist had cleared came the thundering sound of ponies unloading the the cars and a click as it was detached from the friendship express. When the mist clears the full thirteenth was standing at attention next to a large stack of crates. Five in the each row, and four rows total. The first row had red capes or cloaks on them. Off to the side were other ponies getting off the friendship express these where likely family of the thirteenth judging by how some of the foals acted.
The biggest pony in in silver mythril of the night guard full plate stepped forward a red cape flapping behind them. Then came a voice that if not for the coldness of the way the mare spoke would sound beautiful.
"Acting Captain Charger Solis and the thirteenth company of the Everfree watch of the lunar guard core reporting for duty lady Sparkle. The heavy plate was clearly twice as thick then it needed to be as mythril meaning that it was the same weight as normal full plate but three times stronger then a regular mythril suit would be. And the lances locked in attention position on the battle harness looked like they where created by a depraved mind two heavy bladed lances glinted in the morning sun. As the giant of a mare stood at attention with a salute to Twilight.
Dash whispered to A.J. "That mare is bigger then your brother!"
Applejack whispered to her marefriend "Eeyup, I didn't know that mares got that big." she replied as Sweetie Belle hid behind Spike, while Apple Bloom did the same behind Scootaloo.
Fluttershy backed away nervously and muttered "Oh my." prompting a loving nuzzle from Rarity
As the Friendship Express was readied for the return trip to Canterlot and the Red Thirteen pulled away Twilight looked up at the acting captain and swallowed hard "He he he he, hello Commander Solis." she spluttered. Ace's first officer and second in command always made her very nervous "I'm glad to see that Ponyville will be in such good hooves while Ace and Bryan are indisposed."
Twilight gathered herself "Oh and Princess Luna said that you are not to bother the mayor with excessive paperwork, she uh felt that I needed to tell you that to be clear on the matter. She also said that you should leave Bryan alone while he recovers, and that he has been placed on medical leave until it can be determined that he is fit for active duty again. Is there anything you needed to know before we leave?" Twilight asked
"No, Lady sparkle. Please pass my congratulations to your brother. It not often that one of us sun blessed wed so high above our station." (Sun blessed is old term for descendants of Celestia) said Charger before she about faced and started barking orders to the troops who with some glee went to work.
"Trixie finds it funny. My family only has a rumor of Celestia's blood line. But those that are in fact connected to her seem to have O.C.D. Charger and her paper work Twilight and her check lists. Trixie wonders if it's genetic?" said Trixie wile Sunset tried not to laugh at the joke.
Twilight turned to Trixie "And constantly talking in third pony isn't obsessive Trixie? It seems to me that you have your own obsessive quirks." she said with a broad smile as she trotted to the train leaving Trixie slack jawed.
Pinkie giggled "Zing! Good one Twi!" she said as she trotted after her. Megan simply shrugged and followed them.
"You know she has a point... but then again maybe your speech is the proof that Star Swirl the crazy bearded pony really did knock hooves with princess sunshine." said Sunset with a smirk before rushing off to the train.
"HEY! Trixie's mother told her it was presumptuous to speak of one's self in the first person! And Trixie will make you pay for that remark Sunny!" shouted Trixie.
"So A.J. what you think Trixie plans to do to punish Sunset? Whip or riding crop?" asked Rainbow as she daydreamed a little.
Applejack smirked "I'm thinking something along the lines of ropes and a riding crop myself RD." she said trotting to the train.
Fluttershy turned pink "Oh my." she squeaked.
Rarity however was a little perturbed "You do not need to discuss your bedroom habits in front of Spike and the fillies. It is most inappropriate." she huffed as she headed to the train.
Apple Bloom spoke "It's not like I don't hear when they're goin' at it." she trotted to the train with Scootaloo. Spike faceclawed and escorted Sweetie to the train.
When they got to their sets Trixie zapped Sunset with a spell shrinking her to about the size of a apple and was floating her in front of her face up side down. Sunset was shouting indignantly at Trixie. "Next time you will remember which of us knows the minimize spell created by Star Swirl the bearded." said a smug Trixie.
Twilight rolled her eyes and cast a nullifying spell returning Sunset to her regular size "Okay you two that's enough of that. Save your energy for the wedding preparations." Twilight huffed
Megan giggled "It's like they're sisters, it's kind of cute." Megan said sweetly as she took her seat next to Twilight
Pinkie bounced up to the two of them and settled in for the trip to Canterlot. She hopped onto the seat and snuggled up to Megan "Mmmmm, I see why Bryan likes to cuddle with you so much Megan. It's nice." Pinkie squeed as she got cozy. Megan just slipped her arm around Pinkie.
Twilight was starting out the window though. While she was happy to helping with the wedding she couldn't stop herself from worrying about Bryan. He came across as helpless in his very worst moments, even though she knew it wasn't true she was still the most protective of him out of everypony.
============
Blueblood had his magic phone out as he watched some of the guards setting up seating for the wedding. "This is disgusting why is Aunt Celestia allowing this! He is common guard! He is not fit for a princess to marry!" he said angrily in to the phone.
The voice that answered back was that of female it sound velvety and alluring. "And what would you have me to do my prince. Our dealings must remain hidden or would you have me make myself known? A prospect that would hinder you goals and upset my family who has agreed to aid you. If you want something done about this wedding, then you have to do it yourself." said the mare before hanging up on him.
"Why that witch! Humph! Very well! I'll just have to put a end to this farce myself then." said Blueblood as he turned and walked off of the balcony.
"I can't believe you two spent the whole train ride making out in your seat after you made up! I mean three hours of the heaviest kissing I ever seen in my life!" said Rainbow Dash as she walked out of the train her wings nearly getting her stuck in the door.
"What can we say, we have a vary happy herd." said Trixie"
"Also my changelings where showing Ace a live action play by play in on his bed." said Sunset.
Applejack looked at her marefriend "Dang it R.D. you should of kept your mind on me and not what those two were doing!" she huffed indigently.
Megan and and Pinkie followed Twilight out of the train and onto the platform. Pinkie looked at Twilight "Come on Twi, Bryan would want us to have fun and not worry about him." she said
Megan nodded in agreement "We'll be back with him in a few days Twilight. He'll be fine trust me, he's a lot stronger than he seems." Megan said as the others disembarked from the train.
Apple Bloom and Scootaloo exited the train and playfully bumped each others flanks as they did so. While Spike and Sweetie Belle help Fluttershy and Rarity to gather their luggage.
"Dash couldn't help but watch, Applejack. After all Trixie is in show business." said Trixie with a shake of her hips.
"That's right and she would not have her fame if she couldn't draw a crowd with just her looks alone." said Sunset.
"Quite so. Trixie gets there attention with her fireworks, hooks them with her looks and then floors them with her skills and powers." said Trixie
Sunset bumped her flank to Trixie's "Yeah but only five ponies get to touch her. The rest have to settle for looking." Said Sunset.
Applejack huffed "That don't mean you gotta act like a shameless flirt Trix." she said as he went to retrieve her bags
Twilight went to retrieve her bags and said "I know girls, it's just that Bryan is the only coltfriend I've ever had and I'm worried about him." she responded while levitating her bags. She looked at Megan "Didn't you ever worry about him Megan?"
Megan smiled "I worried about him a lot sometimes, but then my mother told that if I really wanted to take care of him I would have to make sure I didn't smother him. He needs to have room to do what he needs to do, and we need to support him along the way Twilight."
"Yeah," Pinkie squeaked "we'll be here for him when he needs us. That's we've done that for three years you silly filly." she booped Twilight on the nose as she giggled "He'll be just fine, and then when he's out of the hospital we get to take care of him ourselves."
"That's right," Megan said "we've got to deal with this wedding and then we'll take care of him. But for now let the doctors do their job Twilight." said Megan
Twilight smiled gratefully at her two herd mates "Thanks girls, you're right." she replied as she trotted towards the palace.
When they reached the palace they found the Canterlot fire team and the smoldering remains of part of the garden.... the part where the reception was to be.
The fire chief was talking with Celestia. "I'm sorry we got here so late your highness but this wasn't our first arson today a group of street foals from the Canterlot orphanage had been running about lighting fires. By the time we got this report the closest fire brigades had run out of water. We were in luck the weather team was able to rush those clouds in or the whole royal garden and zoo would have burned down." said Chief Wet Blanket.
Megan's expression soured and she turned to Twilight "Already there's something that gets in the wedding's way? Twilight this isn't right, something's going on here."
Twilight looked at Megan "Really? You think somepony did this on purpose?"
Megan nodded "There is no way this is an accident. I don't have Bryan's intuition but I know when something is a set up. This," she waived her hand towards the scene of the devastation "is on purpose."
Twilight gasped "You mean that somepony is trying to sabotage the wedding!"
Megan nodded "Yes, what we need to do is do go on like we need to but keep our eyes and ears open for anything suspicious."
"Shall we talk to the girls and have them help us?" Twilight queried
"Not all at once." Megan replied "We talk to them one on one when we can avoid looking like we already know their game. Also I think that Sunset and Trixie will already have figured it out too. So we need to be careful and alert, if we do this right we can catch whoever is responsible red-handed."
Blueblood walked out and gasped. "Look at this mess! Fire chief! What took you so long to get to the castle? What if, and Luna's stars forbid, one of the princess had been caught in the fire!" Said Blue Blood
"We had fires in the city Prince Blueblood that's started before this one. Mostly in the poorer district we had to-" the chief was cut of.
"You put the common rabble above the safety of Princesses Celestia and Luna? How could you let your men wast time and water on fires in unimportant places when you got word of the castle ablaze! The moment a fire starts here every firefighter in Canterlot should have dropped what there doing to put it out!" said Blueblood. The fire chiefs gold coat was turning red and two of his men had him by his tail to keep him from attacking the prince.
"You're pathetic!" Twilight shouted quite suddenly "Ponies like you who don't care about others are just useless!" her face darkened "It's no wonder you're just set dressing Blueblood." Twilight stomped up to him "Now just take your little bad attitude and go somewhere you can be useful, like Tartarus!" she fumed while Blueblood backed away in fear.
Celestia Stared coldly at her adopted nephew and struck the ground with her hoof cracking it "How many times have Luna and I warned you about that behavior Blueblood?" she towered over the stallion "If you continue to express such views I shall have no choice but to discipline you myself. Am I clear Blueblood?" her normally soft purple eyes were hard as diamonds.
"Yes Auntie..." mumbled Blueblood before he slunk of to pout.
"At least he didn't hit on me."said Sunset.
"Fucking Nazi." Megan said under her breath
Pinkie's ears twitched "That doesn't sound like you Megan."
Megan sighed "I'm sorry Pinkie, he's just so useless. Also I thought Twilight was gonna hit him, she's not like that a lot is she?"
Pinkie shook her head "No, she is usually very calm, except when it comes to this kind of thing. Princess Celestia always said that you need to treasure everypony around you."
Megan smiled "I see why Bryan admires her so much, Majesty said the same kinds of things to us. I wonder sometimes if she was grooming us to lead the ponies in Dream Valley."
"So you just met the very embodiment of snob how do you feel?" said Sunset to Megan with a smirk
"Slimy." Megan retorted "People like him are ruining our society. They are also very hard to put up with."
Pinkie giggled "Oh boy are they, he's like the worst when it comes to that." she bounced over to a still fuming Twilight.
Megan looked at Sunset "How long is it gonna be before she calms down?" Megan said worry etched on her face
"There's a reason she lives in Ponyville beyond being one of the six guardians. Blueblood has tried several times claim her as his herd alpha. He even went around saying that she was his and any stallion caught with her would be tried for treason at one point. He lost his air yacht for a month and that stopped that. He still believes that Twilight will be his though." said Sunset.
"Trixie has her phone ready to take a picture of his face when he hears that, as he calls him, the Hairless Ape has made Twilight a member of his herd. Ace will want to see it. Might even hang it in the thirteenth's new barracks." added Trixie.
Ponyville Hospital Bryan's room.
"Hello mine dear friend. Dr. Joker's Wild is here to cure your ills with laughter and smiles. " Said a white furred unicorn with a and dark green mane and tail. He spun on his hind hooves and waving his fore hooves in the air. With never failing grin of his that would give Pinkie's a run for its money
Bryan shook his head "Buck my life. I've got the Mysterious Mare do Well's archenemy in my room, I don't wanna know what comes next." he laid there wondering if it was to late to take hogtied and sedated in a rubber room package.
"Oh haha monkey boy. The whole thirteenth is worried about you... So I offered to look in on our fave primate. So you want the bananas or not?" Said Lieutenant Jokers Wild. One of the five tigers of the thirteenth. As he floated the bunch of bananas over to Bryan. Joker was know for his off and some times offensive jokes. But he was a chaos mage his magic was the best kind of unstable and he was the worst kind of crazy. Needless to say Ace and him got along well even had the same laugh that reminds Bryan of the Joker in the first Batman movie. It was one thing when Ace was laughing and Jokers Wild is as far as any who knew the Batman could say joker as a good guy. But when Ace and Joker where laughing together... well you almost expected some world take over plan or epic crime. What you mostly got was near heart attacks, and very bad puns, even for Equestria.
Bryan gave Joker a deadpanned look "Humans are apes Joker, how many times do I have to tell that. And I can't eat bananas they make me sick. You don't want to get on Nurse Redheart's bad side trust me." he sighed "I'm sorry that I've worried eveypony, again." he turned quite thinking about the vengeful return of his bad luck.
"Oh yeah. Keep forgetting... " he sat down next to the bed. "Ace said you might be leaving the guard. He's taking it hard. Ace has lost friends in battle and seen a few members before you join move on to new units. But we've never had anypony not able to keep going. He told us what the bug did, but still, who will I get pester about being a primate. Sure I call old saw bones a bird cat and other things. And Black Lotus is a hoot when I call her a butterfly. But you are the only one that deadpans back to me, well other then Charger, but you at least smile when you do it. I don't think she knows how to. Either that or she needs to fill out a form she can't find to be aloud to smile." said Joker.
Bryan threw his head back and laughed "Ok that was a good one Joker, that mare would fill out form to go to the bathroom if she could make it efficient enough." Bryan wiped a tear from his eye from having laughed so hard "Unfortunately it's a risk every soldier takes just by signing up Joker, I don't even know where the strength to defy her came from. I really don't want to leave if you can believe that, I may not be the best of us in the thirteenth but it does mean something to me. I don't always let on, but I respect you lunatics, and I knew that Ace would take it hard." he sighed "Can't I just go through one bucking year without some epic level bad luck? I mean really is that so much to ask?" he huffed indignantly.
"Yeah your the bad Luck in the Lucky thirteenth." Said Joker giving him a light tap with his hoof. "But that's way ace likes having you around you draw the chaos to us. And It's me tell you I know chaos. That aside I understand. But I'll make a suggestion. Don't leave the guard just transfer to a non combat role. Like say being one of those dressed up show pieces of eye candy that the princesses have around all the time. Ace might sleep better knowing you illusions where protecting Luna from an archers bolt. Or after that lovely young princess you got heating up the sheets with you, the party animal and that tall blond and flank kicking human girl, gets crowned you could be her guard. Provided you don't distract her to much from her work. And before you ask Jammer visited Ace as soon as we got in he told her she told everypony and other race. On that note my wife told me to invite you and your herd to my place for dinner once we're settled and your out of the hospital and that bunch is back from the Canterlot. Harlequin, and my son's really want to meet the hero's of their favorite book series."
Bryan scoffed "You insane motherbuckers never needed me for that. I remember what Luna told me when Ace started to look at me for the thirteenth, she told me that calamity finds you on a regular basses. So no you don't need me for that. I know that Twilight will need some guards after her coronation, but let's be honest. Of the two of us Megan is the warrior and the leader, I'm the support." he chuckled a little "It's always been like that between us, she out front leading us, planing, making sure we all get through it. And then there's me always beside her like her shadow, always helping but never leading. And that's for the best, Megan is like both Luna and Celestia, she inspires you to stand with her. And when she tells you that nothing can stop you, well she's right." he turned and looked at the unicorn "That sounds nice Joker, although I wonder when you of all ponies got a family."
"I'll have you know that next to old Bone Saw and and that mute minotuar I'm the third oldest guard in the thirteenth, the oldest of five tigers and thirty years Ace senior. I just don't want the pain in the flank that comes with being a CO. They forced Lieutenant on me. Hopefully I can retire before they decided to stop accepting the no I don't want a promotion again reply. But yeah I'm older then I look. Best thing about the guard life being in near death experiences keeps you fit. As to my wife and colts well Harlequin, was a stage performer but after we met I paid her way through school and she's now a shrink. You might meet her soon. As to my colts Loaded Dice is almost old enough to join up He wants to follow in hoofsteps of his heroes, you included, and Punch Line my oldest is of all things lawyer. He works for the law firm Do' We' Cheatum, and Howl. Mister Cheatum is the most honest lawyer I met next to my son. And Howl is the most intelligent honest and hard working diamond dog you could ever meet..... Yeah I know that's not saying much but trust me if you need legal aid ever they're the ones you want."
Bryan shook his head "I forget sometimes that you ponies age more gracefully than we humans. I mean look at Granny Smith, she's got to be pushing two centuries and she's still pretty sharp. I know what you mean though, they pushed my rank on me too. Were it not for Ace and Luna the other captains would have pushed me into my own command." he shook his head "That would have been more or less a kind of punishment for me. I can't get used to anypony wanting to follow in my hoofsteps, make sure he understands that this path is not one to be taken up lightly." He laid back "I'm not fond of the idea of having to see a doctor over this, but I'll do it. I have to think about Twilight, Megan, and Pinkie. They are my priority now, thanks Joker. I need to rest more now, and I've got a lot to think about still."
"No problem, and for the record, Ace actually had voted to give you a squad to command after he trained you but Luna chose not to. You should have more faith in your self. You smelly ape." said Joker before leaving.
Sunset had managed to fix the damage with a plant growth spell. But the wedding was cursed. The next thing that went wrong was a pipe burst soaked all of fire works, lucky Trixie had a spell for that. Then the refrigerator blew out literally, followed by a chandelier almost making a permanent impression on Megan and Shining as they talked in the reception hall. And now moths eating Rarity's hard work!
Rarity was livid, she ground her teeth and shouted at the bothersome insects as she swatted them away with her magic. "Shoo! Shoo! Go away you loathsome vile things!" she stood there trying to zap the annoying pests and huffed "Oh where is somepony to help with this?"
Twilight was trotting by and heard the commotion "What's going on here Rarity?" she gasped as she saw what was happening
"Oh Twilight darling would be a dear and get rid of these horrible things!" Rarity said huffing again "They are destroying all of my hard work!"
"Oh dear." Twilight said as she quickly thought of a spell that would drive off the moths. she charged her horn and cast the spell sending the obnoxious insects away "There," Twilight said triumphant "now they'll bother somepony who really deserves it."
"Thank you ever so much Twilight darling. Now if you would be ever so kind as to go and collect Megan I need to take her measurements so I can begin work."
"Sure thing Rarity." she said as she trotted off. She realized that Megan was correct and decided to try to set a trap with the help of Megan, Trixie and Sunset. The next time the would be saboteur struck would be their last.
It was midnight... most ponies were asleep as shadowed figure skulked through the castle halls. In a blue magic he carried a few squirming and mewling sacks. He slipped in to the room where the song birds were being a kept for the wedding. He slowly opens the first cage and starts to lift the first sack.
As his hoof got near the cage he received a vicious shock causing him to drop the bag. the lights suddenly came on and a voice caused him to freeze on the spot "Ah ha! We've got you now so don't move!" Twilight said as she trotted out of the shadows. Her face showed a look of disgust "Are you really this sad Blueblood? Trying to sabotage a wedding? You make me sick!" Twilight said indignantly.
"Me?! A princess is marrying below her station soiling her blood line with that lowly guard! This wedding is a insult to all Equestria and the royal family!" Shouted Blueblood. "And you lady Twilight are a disgrace to alicorns, slumming it in that lowly mud wallow they call a town! On top of that you keep company with cheap whores those freaky ape things and worst yet lesser breeds like pegasi and mud ponies. When you should be here in Canterlot entertaining the rich and famous elite and the royalty of upstanding nations."
Trixie and Sunset both drew weapons. Sunset floating several daggers from her jacket as in a flash Trixie's staff paired and she was on her hind legs with her fore hooves holding it.
"Twilight I would very much like you to say he attacked you and that he resisted arrest so we can kill him." said Trixie who had dropped the third pony for once.
"Forget the legal for play, we should just gut him and feed his corpse the quarry eels. No pony would miss him." said Sunset It was clear something he said hit a nerve.
"PRINCE BLUEBLOOD!" the Royal Canterlot voice rang through out the room as an angry Princess Celestia teleported into the room with a flash of solar light. Her hooves touched the floor and she radiated rage "Luna and I have done our very best to guide you on the right path as we promised your parents all those years ago." She pawed at the floor with her hoof and flared her wings "You are hereby stripped of your title and will brought before the royal court for your crimes of hate! Furthermore all of you possessions and wealth are to be stripped as well as your herd. From now on you name Blueblood will be a 'black' name for your behavior. Equestria is a beacon of unity and equality! Guards! Take him away!"
"Yes princess." they said as they trotted into the room and chained him. "You didn't think that you could say such things about the ponies who have done the most to protect Equestria did you, you scum?" the question was rhetorical as they led him away.
Celestia fumed at this latest turn of events. "I will leave the rest of this to all of you. Well done Twilight and Sunset, your quick analysis of the situation left us with our responsible party. I bid you all good night, I will have Luna track down any other schemes that he may have been involved in." she turned and left the room.
=========
The guards dropped one by one. As the tall busty red head human woman walked through the halls.
Blueblood looked up from his bed in the cell. "What took you witch?"
The woman waved her hand and the door opened. "Had to talk to Hidia first she's mad you screwed up big time."
"Your mother can soak her head in my chamber pot. Is my ship ready?" said Blueblood.
"Yes the old goat was able to do what was needed of him. Your new mansion is waiting. And our businesses partners are putting the burned out lots to use as the plan was meant to be. Minus one Prince in the castle. The other pawn is in place and is working as fast as he can with out trying Luna's notice." Said the red haired witch as she walked behind him.
"Good soon the world will be the way it should with a unicorn king and those worthless alicorns as my herd."said Blueblood as he escaped in to the night.
The shadows in the dungeon began to flow and coalesce into the form of a unicorn. She reached up with her hoof and tapped a headset " The target has co-conspirators, you were right. What do we do now?" she said in a silken voice that caused a chill with every word.
"Did you see what race they are?" asked Shadow Wing over the magic link.
"Yes." said the unicorn "It was a human. One I have never seen before, what's more she was a magic user." Eclipse looked around at the guards who were under the effects of a power sleep spell "Inform Princess Luna, there are others from what she said, and they have agents in the city. I will keep an eye on the wedding for right now. she said as roused the guards from their magically induced slumber.
"Wait it's a human mare? With magic... great all we need is for my brother to meet her and he be to busy flirting to fight." said Shadow before closing the line.
He rushed to Luna's side staying in her shadow. "My princess, Blueblood has escaped but he had help from a female human with powerful magic. And by the sounds of it Blueblood has other allies in the city. I think he may be up to something. Beyond trying to stop the wedding." Whispered Shadow just loud enough for Luna to hear. His training as a ninja had made him take to staying out of sight when he was on duty.
An armored unicorn pony was waiting at the ship in gold armor. "They know that you have escaped sire. Should we set the diversion in play to cover your escape?" Asked the armored pony as Blueblood boarded the ship.
"Do it." He said simply.
The unicorn nodded as across the city several bombs went off including one in the castle dungeon hospital wing killing Chrysalis who had yet to be interrogated.
Blueblood sipped wine as his ship left in the chaos. "And to think it all happened right after the thirteenth got their transfer. " said Blueblood with mocking sorrow.
"Yes they would have found you and your conspirators right after the fires. Now most of the poorer sections of Canterlot and lesser business are ablaze and most of the water has all ready been used. The city will lose a lot of the lower income districts." Said the woman as she looked out on the flames a tear in her eye.
"What the buck is happening!" Shouted Trixie as she and Sunset rushed in to the room where Twilight was having tea with Celestia and Megan.
Luna nodded to Shadow "Set the weather teams to work immediately then, and send the rest of the Night Stalkers into the city to round up those remaining in Canterlot. Also send word to the guard at the hospital wing of the palace."
Celestia looked at Trixie "Be calm my little pony, Luna and the Lunar Guard's second division have it well in hoof. Blueblood and his confederates will find Canterlot well prepared. I'll need everypony to get everything back in order so the wedding will proceed." she smiled wryly "They will find that their attempt to cause a disaster thwarted quite well."
The weather teams scrambled and the second used them as cover to move in and start taking the remaining accomplices who were simply left to twist in the wind.
What they found was not accomplices but mind erased ponies that acted as ether living bombs or programmed drones... and they all had been earth ponies or pegasi. Most of them young mares seen in his company.
Shadow looked at the empty eyes of the Pegasus mare sitting in the room. It was in a building that would have been burned down by the bombs...
"He wasn't attacking he was using the attack to destroy the evidence... " Shadow ran out of the room and lost his last meal over the rail.
"Luna it wasn't what we thought he was cleaning house with fires all the hard evidence that connects to him is on that ship! All the ponies we are finding are ether the bombs or vegetables! We have to get that ship or we lose it all!" called in Shadow Wing
As the capture team neared the ship it flashed out of existence. It wasn't invisible the goggles had a true site spell on them the ship was gone. The possibly greatest criminals had escaped.
Luna said to Shadow "It matters not we shall have him soon enough those that were harmed are the priority Shadow. Take them to the palace medical wing and have them restored. Blueblood will pay dearly for all he's hurt for the moment you will go to Ace and inform the rest of the thirteenth, Ponyville must be secured." Luna turned to Eclipse "Now you are in charge of guarding the wedding while Shadow passes the word along to Ponyville."
"Yes my princess." she said and faded into the shadows
"Tia will be very upset, but all is not lost." she turned to her secretary "Inform my sister and Ace and Bryan's herd mates as well as the rest of the guardians at once."
"Yes my princess." she said bolting out of the room and rounding up her co-workers to deliver the messages.
Trixie and Sunset sat with Twilight, Megan and Celestia having tea... well Twilight, Trixie and Celestia had tea. As Sunset was pacing throwing a knife in the air and catching it in her magic... watching this made Megan antsy.
Megan got up from her seat "Sunset could you please stop doing that? You're making me nervous."
Luna's secretary entered the room "My princess the accomplices had turned out to more victims of Blueblood's scheming, they are going to be tended to. The airship however was lost, I am sorry my princess he has escaped." the dark blue unicorn hung her head sadly.
Celestia raised her hoof "Be at ease Moon Dancer, he will not allude the second forever and we can fix the damage that his plotting has done. Have the others been informed?"
"Messengers are on their way as we speak my princess." Moon Dancer replied.
Celestia nodded "Very well then, I shall see about delivering a speech to everypony in the morning assuring them that we will have everything restored as soon as we can, and that the wedding will go forward." her face hardened "I will also reveal Blueblood's treachery as well, he will be named an enemy of Equestria. Now I must retire for the evening." she said as she left the room.
======
The crowds massed in the castle courtyard. It was early in the morning but most of Canterlot was there. Celestia walked out on a balcony and began to speak the crowd went quite at the sight of her. "My little ponies. Last night and in the days before we had seen much hard ship first the fires then delays in the coming royal wedding. All of this was the crimes of one pony one that I and my dear sister trusted and cared for. Our adopted nephew ex-prince Blueblood. He had been acting in secret for years sowing hatred and corruption in our nation. He escaped royal custody, and is fleeing with the aid of unknown parties. But fear not he is stripped of his rank and title, and his finances sized and will pay for both the buildings he has damaged and the care of those he has harmed. This afternoon we shall hold the wedding of Princess Mi Amore Cadenza and Captain Shining Armor. So let us forget the horrors we have suffered and celebrate this new and joyous day and rest assured that the guard will not rest till the traitor Blueblood has been brought to justice!" Said Celestia no one in the crowd could see the tears in her eyes as she spoke she shed tears remembering the happy innocent colt Blueblood had been we she first took him in. But all she could here was the crowd's cheers.
By late that afternoon as Princess Celestia had promised the wedding of princess Cadence and Shining Armor took place. Though not a grand affair it was an occasion for rejoicing indeed. As the bride and groom said their I do's and sealed their commitment to each other with a ring and a kiss the sting of Blue Blood's treason lessened. Trixie's fireworks display was succeeded by a spectacular Sonic Rainboom preformed by Rainbow Dash. The reception party planned by Pinkie and entertained by Trixie ended late in the night after a stirring duet of an original song preformed by Twilight and Megan.
The poisonous atmosphere of Blueblood's hateful crusade was quickly replaced by acts of kindness and cooperation in restoring the damage done by the failed scheme. Within the next month Blueblood's ego driven ambitions would receive another blow...
My Little Pony: Echos of Dream Valley
As the reception party wound down Twilight moved to see Cadence and her brother off to their honeymoon. She trotted up to the carriage with her older brother and listened as he spoke.
Shining Armor looked at her fondly and said "None of this would have happened without you, love you Twily." he said with a smile.
"Love you BBBFF." she replied somewhat sullenly
"Hey Twily what's the matter?" he asked while placing his hoof under her chin.
She looked up at him "I just wish that Bryan was here too, I know you two don't always get along but he should have been here to celebrate with everypony else." she said
Shining just chuckled "Twily I'm sure he's going to be alright, besides with the crap Blueblood just pulled he might have gotten hurt anyway." he said "So it's alright."
"Yeah you're probably right about that." Twilight replied looking up at him
"Remember to tell him that Cadence says hi." he told her "She really did miss him and wants him to be okay."
Twilight giggled "I'll remember to tell him. Now go on. You shouldn't keep her waiting."
As Shining Armor stepped into the carriage he asked her "Are you ready to go?"
"Oh," Cadence replied suddenly "I almost forgot." she says as she leans out of the window and tosses the bouquet at the mares waiting on the sidewalk.
Upon seeing what was about to happen this moment Rarity spoke up "Oh Megan darling, I believe you should look up."
Megan looked up and caught the bouquet a moment later when Cadence threw it. After catching it Megan blushed as the other mares offered their congratulations while trying to hide their disappointment.
Rarity however just gave a sly wink to Fluttershy who was standing to her right.
Fluttershy just shook her head and glared lightly at her marefriend.
Trixie and Sunset chuckled. Then Trixie called out "Megan, I think the fate writer is telling you something!"
Megan cocked her head in confusion and thought "Fate writer? " thought to herself
Sunset called out "Hey Twilight look who caught the flowers."
Twilight turned and saw that Megan had indeed caught the bouquet and blushed.
Ponyville hospital, Bryan's room.
There was a knock at the door. "It's Charger I'd like to have a word with you L... Mister Luna."
Bryan cocked his head "Mister? You usually call me Lieutenant, but sure Commander what do you need?" he queried. Bryan was perplexed to say the least, this mare was always so formal that she sometimes annoyed both Princess Luna and Celestia with her formality.
Charger walked in not in her armor but her uniform and she took a seat. "I heard about what happened and your choice, though you have not been with unit long and few of us knew you. I wanted to say that well you still were one of us. The troops have a party planed for you. A mix of a goodbye party and bachelor party given they heard about your herd. I also wanted to say this personally that you will be missed by all of us. Ace takes your choice hard and he sees your leaving as his failure in your training. But that's cause he more Neighponiese then he looks. He hides his accent well doesn't he?"
"Whether or not I am leaving has yet to be determined commander, the doctors have not yet had their say in the matter. However Twilight will need guards of her own soon, they'll have to be unobtrusive and can't get under hoof, or keep her from interacting with everypony. I've been considering it, and I know Ace pretty well by now, I know he views this situation as a failure, but tell me commander how he could he have better prepared me for what happened?" he sighed and shook his head.
"The truth is that this is more my fault than his. I didn't tell all of you some important background information that I should have." sighing again he resumed "If I had revealed that info Ace would have understood better than I'm in a bad position when it comes to facing trauma like that. If anypony failed commander it's me."
He smirked "As for him hiding his accent," Bryan shrugged "I have met some of his other siblings and not Shadow nor Hammer had accents either. Ace is only taking this hard because he is Ace, not because he from Neighpon. That's just the way some ponies are."
"His sister Hammer has the habit of mixing Neighponiese with Equestrian. But her accent is thrown of by her tone of voice, the other two younger sisters Chispell and Swordsong are thicker as they almost never leave the islands, hammer lives there but she delivers her orders in person. Most like that. Did you know she has started dating a thestral?" she said
"She asked him to find her a husband and set her up with a private from the Lunar Guard. After he and Shadow spent three weeks vetting him and half the guards in Canterlot. Major breach of power but they got Luna's approval." she shook her head.
"Yeah never in my life did I think I'd meet a Kirin, shows what I know doesn't it? I've never met those two, the only sisters of theirs I know are Hammer because she made my armor and swords, and Dixie I've met in passing because she's an airship captain working for the anti-piracy task force formed by Luna. So Hammer is with a bat pony huh? Well no I did not know that she was dating anypony." he was thoughtful for a moment
"She asked me about who I thought I would date when she took the measurements for my armor, I was a bit shocked that she asked to be honest." he said
"That does sound like Luna though, allowing something like that, she's a lover at heart. Still I for one am glad that they want the best for her, she is a total sweetheart and deserves the best pony she can get." he studied Charger "Is there something else on your mind commander? You seem a bit out of sorts as it were."
She fidgeted, looked around. The door was open but the hall was empty, she sighed. "Oh buck it! I will never get another chance to..." She rushed forward and kissed Bryan deeply before racing off so fast that Rainbow Dash or any Wonderbolt would be shocked a earth pony could move like that.
Bryan was never more stunned, not even when Megan kissed him for the first time. Blinking he tried hard to reboot his crashed mind and finally managed "What was that!?" He could manage no more than that.
Back in her room. "Stupid, stupid, stupid, stupid!" Charger was testing how many times she had to hit her head with a desk before she could forget what she just did, the desk lost...
A stray member of the thirteenth who was just trotting by heard the noise and knocked on the door "Uh commander are you all right? I heard something break and thought that I would ask how you are doing in there." said the confused stallion.
"Nothing to concern yourself with Lieutenant. Just the desk breaking. I'll pay the hotel bill for it." Charger sounded mad to the guard and as they all knew don't be around her when she is pissed off unless you like paper cuts.
"Yes ma'am." he replied before trotting off to his room.
Back in Canterlot Megan, Twilight, and Pinkie were just returning to their sweet in the palace after the party had finished. Megan sat down on the bed heavily and sighed.
"What's wrong Megan?" Twilight asked
"Yeah," Pinkie chirped "you seem a little worried." Pinkie jumped up onto Megan's back and held onto her shoulders.
Megan sat down on the bed with Pinkie still attached to her back. "I am a little worried I guess." she replied flatly "Bryan is in the hospital and I know how much he doesn't like that, he can take care of himself but he must be feeling a little..." Megan paused thoughtfully "I don't really know how to go about it, I just want to do something nice for him while he's still stuck there is all."
Pinkie nuzzled Megan's cheek "So you wanna do something nice for him huh?" Megan nodded "Well you can stay the night with him after we get back. Oh and maybe you can take him dinner, I'm sure Nurse Redheart and Doctor Candy Stripe will let you do that."
"Do you really think so?" Megan asked
Pinkie giggled "Sure, they both really like him a lot and Nurse Redheart is Bryan's friend. So Yeah there is no way it'll be a big deal." Pinkie squeaked
Twilight smiled at Megan "We'll help you get it set up after we get back to Ponyville. It's not something that's normally allowed, but I'm sure they'll make and exception for this." she giggled "You did help everypony out after all, and Nurse Redheart will like that you're looking out for him."
"Thanks you two." Megan said as she stood up with Pinkie still clinging to her "I want to take a bath before we go to bed."
"Okie dokie loki." Pinkie replied with one last nuzzle to Megan's cheek as she dropped to the bed.
Megan stretched and headed to the bathroom but was stopped when Twilight spoke up.
"Megan?" she said
"Yes Twilight." Megan answered
"Would you mind if I joined you? I would like to talk to you some more." she asked while fidgeting a little
"Sure Twilight." Megan looked to Pinkie "Are you coming too Pinkie?"
Pinkie smiled "Nah, I'm gonna let you be alone for while." she said in a teasing tone while giving a sly wink that caused both mares to blush before entering the bathroom together.
After Megan and Twilight went into the bathroom Pinkie flopped backwards onto the bed and giggled. Looking out the window at the moon Pinkie sighed happily and reached into her mane pulling out a picture that had been taken by Mrs. Cake one day, it was a picture of Bryan laying on his back with Pinkie laying on top of on her back with his chin on the top of her head between her ears. His arms were wrapped around in her in a hug with her forehooves resting on top of his forearms. She giggled again and kissed the picture. "We'll be home soon sweetheart, I Pinkie promise. "
With another happy sigh she returned the picture to her mane and decided to get ready for bed.
Pinkie trotted into the bathroom to brush her teeth she saw Megan and Twilight sitting in the bath tub chatting casually.
"Oh hi Pinkie," Twilight said "do you want to to join us before bed?"
"Nah," Pinkie "I'm just gonna brush my teeth and go to bed. I wanna see if I can send Bryan some snuggles in my dreams."
Megan giggled "That's very sweet of you Pinkie, I'm sure that Bryan will appreciate every last one." Pinkie simply smiled.
Pinkie had exited the bathroom leaving Megan and Twilight to their talk. She jumped into bed and snuggled into the blankets and smiled.
In Trixie and Sunset's sweet
Trixie sighs as she looked at the stars. "So Sunny, are your drones keeping our idiot stud where doctors want him?"
"Yeah this some of things he dose with them, I'm making note of to lecture him on later. You and me as humans? How the changelings even manage that is beyond me and even more is that fact I didn't know they can change size or into anything they want. He is having to much fun with them." said Sunset looking to Ponyville.
"We both knew that was going to happen anything we need to smack him in thick skull of his for?" said Trixie
"No but some we will talk with him about. Like the fact he has a book of mares he'd slept with before we started his herd." said Sunset.
"He told us about that, what's the issue with now?" asked Trixie
"Pictures." answered Sunset
"Oh I see, well we can't fault him for reminiscing about his past glories now can we." said Trixie
"Hello pot this is kettle I'm black. Would be close to his response, given our own wild boasts." said Sunset as she climbed into bed.
"Of all the things our herd is, modest is not one. Though we can back it all up." said Trixie as she jumped on and laid her head on Sunset's flank.
"Aww I love when we travel together cause you all ways bring Trixie's favorite pillow."
Sunset rolled her eyes. "Yes I know you love my plot." She then used her magic to blow out the candles.
The next day was an early one as everypony save Megan and Applejack struggled to meet the train to Ponyville on time. The ride back was largely quite as most ponies went back to sleep during the three hour trip.
Among those still awake after boarding that train were Apple Bloom, Scootaloo, and Sweetie Belle who wanted to go go and visit Bryan at the Hospital after they got back. Rarity was also encouraging Fluttershy to do the same when they got back due to her concerns for him.
Later that day
Megan had gone to the hospital with Twilight to help set up the arrangements for the dinner, while Twilight spoke with Nurse Redheart and Doctor Candy stripe she encouraged Megan to go and see Bryan in his room.
She arrived a few minutes later to see that Fluttershy and the CMC were still visiting him. She opened the door quietly to hear Bryan telling the fillies an story about a crazy little adventure he and Ember wound up on years ago. She smiled as she listened watching the three fillies as they listened in rapt attention.
She entered the room quietly and stood beside Fluttershy and listened as Bryan finished his story. At it's conclusion Sweetie Belle giggled, and Bryan looked at the adorable unicorn.
"Sweetie Belle you just giggled, you know what that means." he said with fake menace.
"What?" Sweetie questioned sweetly
He grabbed her and shouted "Tickle monster!" as he said as he began to tickle her.
Megan then added her own giggles to Sweetie's as he did this before she joined in the tickle attack on the other two crusaders. After a good few moments of tickling and laughter Megan spoke to Bryan. "And to think." she said between laughs "You always doubted your ability to be a father."
This caused him to stop and turn red in the face while Sweetie Belle, Apple Bloom, and Scootaloo looked on confused.
"Bryan," Scoots said "What is she talking about?"
"Yeah." Apple Bloom echoed "I don't get it."
Sweetie Belle just looked at him with great curiosity.
"Megan! I, yes I did have doubts." he looked to the fillies and sighed " I just had doubts about my abilities as a parent for a long time, but that was a long time ago. I don't carry those doubts anymore. Beside I'm more like a big brother to these fillies than a father, they kinda adopted me as one."
Megan smiled "That's nothing new for you Bryan, I'm glad to see you're doing alright, but I wonder why you're still here if all of the major injuries are healed."
He sighed "It's because of the entropy spell used on me by the changeling queen, it left behind some negative energy that the doctors wanted to monitor, that why I'm still here for right now." he said "Anyway I get that you're visiting and all and I am happy to see you Megan but you've got that look in your eyes, that one you get when your up to something."
The fillies and Fluttershy looked at Megan expectantly
"Oh I was talking to Doctor Candy Stripe and Nurse Redheart about staying with you tonight, and doing something very nice for too." she replied
Bryan cocked his head "Oh really? What?"
Megan smiled and said "Having a nice dinner with you, just you and I to catch up and have some time alone with you."
Bryan smiled at that while Fluttershy, Apple Bloom, Scootaloo, and Sweetie Belle just gave a collective "Awwww." followed by Sweetie squeaking "That's so sweet!"
Bryan laughed "I told you Megan was like that, I presume that you still need to get some things ready for tonight." he stated
"Yes, Megan replied "so I'll be back later."
That's ok." Bryan said "I need to rest before then anyway. before you three go," he said looking at the crusaders.
"Yes Bryan?" they inquired
"I need you to tell your sisters to come here tomorrow, I meant to explain a bunch to everypony about my life of things. I know all of you have questions and you've waited long enough." he looked to Fluttershy "I need you here too, and Ace, Trixie and Sunset too. I owe all of you this, it will also help if somepony can tell Ditzy and Lily as well."
"Don't worry Bryan." Megan said "Twilight said you would want to clear things up and we're already on it. So there's nothing to worry about."
"He hugged the crusaders and said to them "I promise you'll all know about it then, after school of course."
"Okay Bryan." they said somewhat disappointed at not being able to get out of school the next day.
Megan watched them leave "They really are attached to you Bryan." she bent down and kissed him much to the delight of the fillies who were watching from the doorway quietly. Once the kiss broke Megan said to him " Just get some rest now Bryan and I'll be back later." she kissed him once more and watched him close his eyes and fall asleep.
As she turned to leave she saw them still watching. Megan smiled and said quietly "We need to go now girls, he needs to rest."
The trio of fillies nodded and followed Megan out of the room.
Megan spent the rest of the day getting things ready with Pinkie and Twilight, as she spent time with them she began to feel a bond forming between herself and the two mares. Megan however held no illusions, she had to bond with them over time like Bryan had, he had spent three years bonding with them. She had a ways to go to say the least.
Later that evening Megan returned to Bryan's room at the hospital with a picnic basket filled with the food she had prepared with Pinkie's help. She approached his room and knocked on the door.
"Come in." Bryan responded.
Megan entered the room to see Bryan reading an book on herding of all things. "Studying?"
He looked up at her "Getting a refresher actually, I've already read up on it a bit. I just needed to remind myself on some of it is all." Bryan closed the book and put it down on the nightstand next to his bed. He sat up a little more and looked at Megan "I know you have thing to ask me so I've been getting ready to explain what I can to you tonight."
Megan began unpacking the food from the basket and handed some food to Bryan. As she passed him a chicken sandwich and a bottle of water she looked thoughtful.
"So Bryan." she said
"Yes Megan? I presume you want me to tell what I've learned about herding in Equestria, or is something else on your mind?" he replied
"Actually," she said "I want to know more about this training Ace says I need to do."
Bryan leaned back for a moment and sighed "Honestly Megan I can't tell you too much because it's different for everypony that goes through it. What I can tell you is that it will last for three months, and that on the first day or two Ace is going to try to see where you are strongest and weakest." he drank some of the water thinking for a moment. "I really don't know how Ace is gonna handle you really, I didn't have a magical artifact fuse with me before my training started. So he'll have his work cut out for him. I can say that it will be hard, and that he going to try to get you to hate him. He will also try to distract you to test your focus. That's what he did with me, also I can say that you'll be stronger than ever when it's all said and done." he finished with a smile
Megan looked at Bryan confused "Do you mean you... enjoyed it?!" she said with obvious shock
Bryan gave her a satisfied smirk "Oh hell yes I did!" he chirped enthusiastically "I was very satisfied by the challenges I was given, I even got meditate under a waterfall in the Canterlot mountains." he drew in a steadying breath "That is quite an experience, I highly recommend it."
Megan was flummoxed, here was the former timid, nerdy bookworm of a boyfriend she'd promised to love no matter what showing the confidence she had long felt he could have. Her eyes watered and felt her heart swell with a mixture of love and pride. "Bryan," she said "when you're better I am going to make love to you and show how much you mean to me." she smiled as she spoke
Bryan just smiled in response "Let's talk about herding after we eat okay Megan?"
Megan nodded and went about getting the rest of the food out do they could eat. The discussion during dinner was about what they'd done since they last saw each other, for a bit anyway. After that it simply became a quiet and loving affair with both of them reveling in each other's company in silence while they got ready to discuss their herd.
When they finished dinner Megan looked at Bryan. "Bryan I have concerns about this herd, now many of us are there going to be?"
Bryan smiled at her and replied "Well there's no need to worry Megan, herds in Equestria are limited to four members. Centuries ago they were larger, but ponies realized that that was hurting them, so a size limit was established."
Megan was visible relieved by this information. "So how does this work exactly. I mean what's involved with this?"
Bryan was thoughtful for a moment "Well we'll have to got to town hall and do some paperwork declaring our intention to form a herd, and that's it really.I don't really know much about that part of it, we'll have to see when we go to do it."
Megan cocked her head "The book didn't say?"
Bryan laughed "Oh it did alright, it was just so technical that it would take Twilight, Tabitha, Sunset, or Wind Whistler to understand it. It's really hard." he said still laughing.
Megan giggled "I see, when I met her Tabitha did strike me as being very smart."
Bryan noticed that Megan was Blushing when she said this. "Megan, you two didn't do anything..." He paused for a moment trying to find the right words. "Impulsive did you?"
"Well, I did need a place to stay and she insisted that I not stay in a hotel. I understand if that hurts you Bryan." she said.
"Nah." Bryan said "I wasn't dating either of you when that happened, and besides I've been impulsive like that too. With two mares, a unicorn named Amethyst Star and then with my friend Dizty's older sister Daring. So there's no damage here." Bryan yawned and stretched "Damn, I'm about done here, we can pick this up in the morning. Besides that's about it really, oh yeah we can only take on another mare if one leaves the herd. That and we'll need to pick an alpha mare."
"Alpha mare?" Megan questioned.
"Yeah, " Bryan replied "we need an alpha mare to be in charge of our herd. We can deal with it later though." Bryan looked nervous "You know what tonight is Megan."
"I know," Megan said quietly as she started to get into bed with him. She pulled his head to rest against her chest. "Better?" she asked
Bryan nodded "It would help if you sang to me too, this night is always really hard on me."
Megan held him and began to sing to him. She sang this song to him because it brought up some of his most treasured memories from Ponyland, the memories of the fillies that became his little sisters.
My Little Pony: Echos of Dream Valley
The next day and while Bryan sleeps with Megan Ace's energetic nature has finally begun to cause problems for the hospital staff.
"Come on! I've been holding back for days! Get these blasted bandages off me or so help me I'll cut them off myself!" shouted Ace. Ever the active pony he can only take so long sitting still for a reason he doesn't like.
"Captain Crimson Moon!" Nurse Redheart bellowed. "If you don't sit still we can't asses your injuries to tell whether or not we should take them off. Now sit still or I'll call Doctor Bone Saw in here to hold you down!" She said glaring at Ace with her blue eyes filled with annoyance at her most troublesome patient aside from Rainbow Dash.
He settled into a sitting position with a pout.
Nurse Redheart rolls her eyes "Thank you captain, now let's see about those bandages." She went about checking his injuries. Nurse Redheart spoke up after a few minutes of examining him. "Well I have some good news, we can take most of the bandages off, but we still have to leave your left wing bound for the time being. It still has to heal."
There is a knock at the door as she begins to remove the bandages. With an annoyed huff she trots to the door and opens it to reveal Nurse Coldheart standing in the doorway. After a brief exchange with the other nurse she says to Ace. "I've just been informed you have a visitor as well captain, a black pegasus." She removed Ace's bandages and left the room to go and inform the visitor that he could go in and see Ace.
Shadow walked out from behind the door not having not waited. Ace smiled at the younger Pegasus. "Hey little brother. How is it living under Luna's flank?" His tone clearly teasing.
"Nicer then you imagine it would be brother. I see you still can't keep out of trouble. And now your one mare still has her pet changeling drones." said Shadow Wing.
Ace punches his brother in the shoulder. "You are just jealous I get two more mares in my bed and still have a blank herd slot. Anyway how's Hammer liking that coltfriend we chose for her?"
"Last I heard he came back from meeting her with a new set of armor and weapons. He also had one of her shed scales tied around his neck." said Shadow
"That's good. She deserves a good stallion." said Ace.
Shadow frowned "Blueblood made a move. He tried to stop Shining's wedding."
"Damn I missed my chance to cut of his horn and feed it to him. How did you kill him?" said Ace
"We didn't the plothole got away leaving a lot of mind wiped victims and he had help. He was aided by human that can do magic, a female one. That's not Megan." said Shadow.
"I guess things will be getting fun then from now on." Said Ace his body sparking with electricity.
"Yes it will. Try not to level the nation." Said Shadow as he started to back away from his brother.
"No promises little bro. Tell Luna I'll kill the fool as soon as I can." said Ace
"I will." and with that Ace was alone again.... and the nurse still can't find Shadow to let him in.
Nurse Redheart returned to Ace"s room. "Well this is embarrassing, we seem to have lost track of your visitor captain. You have my sincerest apologies." she said quietly.
"My brother already was here you just missed him. I'm surprised you did not see him in the hall." Said Ace knowing full well she would only see him if he wanted her to. But that doesn't stop him from messing with ponies.
"Well your brother must be made out of wind and shadows then, because I didn't see him or hear him. Now I need to go and check on Bryan, if that is he is awake by now. I swear that Megan is better than any medicine we have. Just by her presence alone she has him as content as the day he graduated your training Ace. He had a smile like one of Pinkie's for a long time afterward." Nurse Redheart said as she started to leave the room.
Ace just chuckled.
Nurse Redheart stopped for moment "He was only that proud one other time, and that's when he began his apprenticeship with Trixie. Do try to remember that he does value his accomplishments, he's just not as vocal about them as you are captain." She smiled before leaving to go and check on Bryan.
The drones move from the corner and Ace smiles. "You two want to play a prank for me?" The drones looked at each other then nodded. He then whispers in there ears.
Nurse Readheart trotted down the hall to Bryan's room. She worried about him inside, she knew that he was resilient, but it never kept her from worrying. Having arrived she knocked on the door only to have Megan answer.
"How is he?" Nurse Redheart asked
"He's fine." Megan replied "He's awake now so come in."
"Thank you Megan. she said as she came into the room. Bryan was attempting to stand up on his own but stumbled only to be caught by Megan.
"Take it easy Bryan." Megan said "You're not ready to move around just yet."
Bryan stretched his aching muscles "I need to try Megan, I've been laying still for too long."
Nurse Redheart trotted up to Bryan "I know you're eager to not spend all day in bed Bryan, but you need to take it slow. You haven't recovered all of the way just yet."
He smiled at her "I know, but I'm feeling a little cooped up and need to move around a bit. I'll go stir crazy if I don't."
Redheart smiled "Then let Megan help you. I'll be back later to check up on you again before you have your little gathering later today, okay Bryan?"
"Y-yeah." he said
"Okay Bryan," Megan said " let's try this again, but take it slow this time."
Nurse Redheart left having been convinced there was no need for her presence for now.
Bryan was getting around the room in a shaky fashion with Megan's help. He couldn't wait for later when he finally told everypony what he could about his life before Equestria.
A moment later in walked two human girls with smiles. One had silver hair and purple eyes in a wizard hat and cape as well as shiny blue leotard with a silver bowtie and matching high heal knee high boots and elbow length gloves. The other had fire like red and bond hair, light teal green eyes in in black leather jacket with a maroon under shirt with sunsets cutie mark on it, a orange mini skirt with purple and yellow strip on one side and black combat boots.
"Hey Bryan! How are you feeling?" Said the red/bond with a voice that sounded like Sunset Shimmer.
"Yes Trixie decided to check on her star pupil." Said the other woman.
Bryan inwardly facepalmed, Ace could do a lot of things really well, pulling a solo prank on him wasn't one of those things. Curiosity however abounds in his mind as to where this was going. "Well I didn't realize that you two would decide to pay me such an unexpected visit. So are you just here to show off the results of this new spell? Or did you have something else in mind?" he said
Megan was confused however "Uh Bryan aren't they ponies?" he nodded in ascent "Then why are we seeing humans?"
Bryan thought carefully about this situation. "Is Ace trying to get me? Or is he trying to get Megan? " He looked at his for the first time that he could speak of clueless lover. She was definitely stunned, this was too good of a chance to mess with her.
"What are you talking about? We are the same as we we always are? Did Ace put you up to playing a prank on us?" Said Sunset accusingly.
"Never mind that lets introduce who we bumped in to in the hall. After all they came here to see them." said Trixie
"Oh right come on in." Said Sunset as the two women stepped aside.
In rolled a yellowish coated gray maned and tailed old mare. With a cutie mark of five apples. She was in a wheel chair being pushed by a equally old purple Pegasus mare with Blue gray main and tail. "Well. It's been so long Megan , Bryan. I didn't believe my great grand daughters' letters. But when they said Megan was had come back to us. I just had to see for myself." Said the old mare.
"I believe it. My Great grandson is not a fibber he may exaggerate but never lies out right specially to me. It's great to see both of you again sorry it's not in Dream Valley. But things got cold there." Said the Pegasus.
"Yeah," Bryan laughed "that's because Ace knows you could still kick his flanks like he was a first day recruit in the Lunar Guard. Even at your age Firefly. Hmmm, I guess your coat darkened as you older. I remember it being pink, but then again that does happen to some humans with their hair color." Bryan was wondering if Megan would remember the things he had told her about Equestria when she arrived. If she didn't in this moment, well it would be mean, but even Megan would laugh because of own forgetfulness.
Megan stared at the two mares "Applejack? Firefly? I don't get what's going here, you two," she said pointing to Trixie and Sunset were " you two most definitely ponies when I saw you yesterday, not humans. And I-I-I just don't know." Megan stammered.
Bryan now wore his very best "game face". Trixie and Ace had taught him well and was not going to blow it right now. Inside however he was cracking up, he had never seen Megan confused. And though he loved her dearly, this, this was too rich.
"Hey Megan what wrong? You look faint maybe you should sit down." said Firefly.
"Did you eat a bad apple Megan? I did and my tummy felt really bad the whole day." Said Applejack senior.
"What are you talking about Megan of course we are ponies right. Trixie." said Sunset
"Of course the Great and Powerful Trixie is the greatest of all unicorn mages." Said Trixie waving her arms making her cape billow behind her.
"And you're as big a bragger as Your grandfather Star Swirl." Said Firefly shaking her head. "Honestly what dose Ace see in you?"
Bryan looked at Megan "Maybe your apple you got when brought us breakfast earlier was a little bad. I mean the apple family is great on quality control, but stuff can sneak though even coming from them."
"I did not eat a bad apple Bryan, and those two aren't ponies right now." Megan retorted
"Well," Bryan said "Trixie is a very gifted illusionist, maybe she and Sunset are appearing as humans to mess with you a bit. They do pull pranks with Pinkie and Rainbow sometimes." Bryan was thoughtful for a moment "Though it's usually just Trixie, but since Sunset was Luna's apprentice and Luna is a well known prankster herself she has been know to pull them every so often."
Bryan then looked at Firefly "Well, far be it from me to be shallow but Trixie is as good a she says for one thing. And for quite another she has a great figure. I mean she's sleak, toned, athletic, and has really nice flanks."
"Has somepony been fantasizing about his great and powerful teacher's, great and powerful plot?" She turns and bends over shaking her hips.
Sunset smirked and smacks it. "Sorry Bryan but her flanks belong to me and Ace." She stuck her tongue out teasingly.
Firefly rolls her eyes. "See Megan, look at how ponies act now a days. Back in Dream Valley we never did anything like that. My daughters in law are terrible flirts. If only Ace had met a nice mare like you."
Bryan blushed "Yes I have been a little, I mean you really can't blame me can you? You're a very attractive mare Trixie." he sighed "I know Sunny, but it's hard not to think about it sometimes. Seriously she actually wondered why I was distracted during her lessons sometimes. It's hard not to be with such a formidable distraction."
"Bryan!" Megan said shocked "What would Heart Throb say if she heard you say that!" She turned and looked at Firefly "I don't know if that would have helped."
Bryan looked at Megan "She would commend me for being honest like you both told me to be." he sighed "I'd never try to act on it Megan, Trixie is in a committed relationship, but if I were to lie about it to her I'd lose her as a friend, I'm not about to do that." he hung his head "It makes me wish I had actually told Twilight about my feelings for her back then. I would never have loved you any less or left you for her, but well with the way you felt about Firefly... Maybe we could have had our own herd then, you know just you, me, Firefly, Twilight, and Applejack. We both love that silly pony after all."
"Aww that's nice of you to say." Said Senior Applejack before she rolled over and hugged both of them best she could.
"Shame about that Megan but look at it this way. If that did happen you would have legal relation to my reckless foal of a grandson." Said Firefly fly giving Megan a kiss on the cheek.
"Awww!" Came from Trixie and Sunset as they hugged.
Megan returned the hug and then said "I really need to sit down." She walked over to a chair and flopped into it. This is just too much." She said clearly feeling exhausted.
Then they heard it, it started in sputters but soon was clear and full that insane cackle that only one pony had. A shimmering revivals Ace in a wheel chair with Trixie and Sunset next to him all three laughing there flanks of the human versions started to as well dropping there forms in a flash of green fire. The old ponies shimmered as the illusion fell to reveal Applejack and Rainbow Dash. Rainbow now rolling with laughter and AJ trying hard not to join in.
"A'hm sorry -phft- sugar cubes, but -phft- they dun talked me in to it." Managed AJ before joining Dash on the floor.
Bryan lost his composure just a moment later and began laughing his ass off.
Megan jumped to her feet "Bryan Alexander Drake! I can't believe you were in on this. Why would you do something like this to me?"
"Okay Megan calm down and I'll tell you why." he replied
"Okay Bryan, I'm sorry I snapped at you." she said
He waived his hand dismissively "No harm no foul Megan. I went along with this simply put because you're impossible."
"Sorry, what I mean by that is that it's nearly impossible to prank you. Normally you're so quick witted and alert that it just can't be done. So we had to take the once in a life time chance to prank you, I mean really it'll never happen again because you're just too quick." Bryan said with a smile.
"I did make it easier by forgetting the this isn't Ponyland didn't I?" her question was rhetorical, as she was already aware of the answer.
"Yeah, you did. Oh and by the way that's not my name anymore. When I moved out their house and in with Tabi she took me to the courthouse to get my last name legally changed. So," he said "it's Bryan Luna now." he laughed "Being a big brain Tabi choose the old Greek word for moon."
Megan smiles at everypony "Okay we've all had our fun, but now it's about time to get ready for that explanation."
"Just about." Bryan said "The fillies will be out of school soon." he looked around the room "We can't do it here though, there's not enough room for everypony. So let's go outside around the back of the hospital. It'll be less disruptive that way, that and I need to get out of this bucking room for a bit."
"I know what you mean." said Ace.
"Well then let's not sit around here, I need to feel the sun on my skin, and the breeze too." He said as he tried and promptly failed to walk on his own. Luckily Megan was across the room and caught him before he hit the floor. "Sorry," he said blushing " I forgot."
Megan smiled and kissed him lightly "It's okay Bryan, I know this has been hard on you. Especially with today being the anniversary of the Smooze incident."
He gave a weak smile to her and quietly thanked her.
Applejack pushed the wheel chair she had entered in over to them.
"Thanks AJ." Bryan said " Guess I'll need this for now."
"I figured you would." Said Ace. He then looked at Megan. "Please tell me you landed a punch on blue balls back in Canterlot before he bugged out."
Trixie and Sunset jumped. "How you know about that? We haven't even told you yet!" Said Sunset as Trixie was slack jawed.
Ace smiled. "What you think I don't know what happens with my mares? Just cause I'm not around doesn't mean I don't know what you two get in two. I am a Captain for a reason. I keep a eye on Equestria.
"No I didn't get the chance." Megan said "He tried to drop a chandelier on Captain Armor and myself.
Bryan rolled his eyes "You mean that Princess Luna ordered Shadow to come here and tell you about it."
"Aww no fair spoiling my badflankness in front of my herd. You know I have to get you back for this right?" Said Ace fake whining the first part.
Bryan rolled his eyes "I never have any super dramatic moments Ace, so I doubt it. Besides you just need to quit, there's now way you can match Trixie's flare anyway. So yeah, it's not gonna happen." He chuckled as Megan wheeled him along.
"You never saw me on stage with her." said Ace
"Hey it worked. Right Trixie?" said Ace
"Trixie only agreed to stop him from stealing Trixie's audience." Said Trixie with a smirk. "But it did turn out enjoyable."
Megan and Bryan laughed. "Good one Trix." Bryan said "But my point still stands, he doesn't have your flare. Only you can have that."
"I'll never understand the dynamic you and your mares Ace. It really seems you guys have got a real good thing going." Megan said between giggles.
They arrived outside and Bryan took in a breath enjoying the feeling of the sun and breeze on his skin. Megan looked at him "Would you like me to get some tea for you Bryan?"
"Thanks Megan, I'd like that a lot." he smiled appreciatively.
She kissed him and went back inside.
Bryan gave Ace, Trixie, and Sunset and dopey look "Wow she's great."
"Yeah she is. Shame she's wasted on you." teases Ace.
"No that's Trixie and Sunset being wasted on you." Bryan said laughing.
"Hey at least I can handle two at once." said Ace
"I prefer to give my mares individual attention." Bryan retorted "That way they get all of what I can offer without any distractions. Anyway we've still go a little while before everypony else gets here, let's take it easy for a while." Bryan smirked "You need it more than I do anyway."
Sunset and Trixie giggle as Ace looked shocked. "Need rest? Thanks, but I've rested plenty. I need to be discharged is what I need." said Ace.
Bryan shook his head "You can slow down by choice, or you can be forced to slow down Ace. I advise the former before the latter happens."
Later that day...
The rest of the ponies Bryan had been waiting for had arrived at the hospital just as Megan said they would.
"Leave it to Twilight to be this organized about it. " he thought to himself.
"Well now that everypony is here I can do what I should have done earlier. I can explain myself to all of you." he sighed "I'm well aware that some of you will probably find what I am about to tell you shocking, and some of you have no doubt already figured it out to some extent." He looked right at Ace, Sunset, Trixie, Twilight, and Pinkie.
"So I'll just start by saying that the Tails From Dream Valley aren't just a bunch of stories I made up, they actually happened." he said awaiting the reactions of the gathered crowd of friends.
"That was obvious." said Ace.
Bryan laughed "I guess it was my way of confessing it to all of you."
"Whoa!" Scootaloo said "That actually happened! That's so cool." she said enthusiastically.
Bryan nodded "Eeyup Scoots, including your favorite part when Megan turned a huge sunflower into a catapult to escape the Smooze." He couldn't help but smile at the filly's antics "So what questions do you have for me? I'll answer as best I can."
Rarity spoke first "Darling, you and Megan really were together at such a young age?"
"Yeah," Bryan said "it's really rare but it does happen among humans sometimes. Before that when Megan and I were friends I went to her family's ranch everyday after school, I pretty much lived there after a while."
Applejack naturally looked troubled at this information, but kept silent for the moment.
"So when exactly did it happen dear?" Rarity asked
Bryan smiled "After we rescued our pony friends from Midnight Castle and Megan blew Tirek away. We had come back to her family's ranch after Firefly and Medley had brought us back. I remember being so wound up that I couldn't sleep that night. That is until Megan coaxed me into bed with her, she had me rest my head against her chest and sang to me until I fell asleep. It didn't take long after she started to sing."
Rarity was beaming and nearly swooned "That's so wonderfully romantic dear! So when did you and Megan finally make love for the first time?"
Bryan started coughing, Megan was blushing furiously and Fluttershy was agape at what her marefriend had just asked.
"Ummm, well." Bryan said after having recovered "The truth of the matter is that we haven't yet."
"Why ever not?" Rarity inquired "It sounds as if you were both quite taken with each other."
"Well that's because we were far too young then Rarity. I mean Megan and I were just too young at that time." Said Bryan stammering a little.
"Rarity!!" Sweetie Belle squeaked indigently.
Rarity looked horrified at her faux pas, suggesting such a thing of two so young at the time, and in front of her little sister no less.
Megan spoke up "Could we have a question a little less personal please?"
"What happened to stop you going back and forth to Dream Valley? From the size of it you two could have just moved in there and lived happily ever after with the ponies there." Said Ace finally poking the elephant in the room that has bugged him since reading the stories.
Megan took Bryan's hand interlacing her fingers with his. "The rainbow connecting our wolds eventually disappeared, we have no idea why or how. It just did. Had it not happened Megan and I would have ultimately moved to Dream Valley and lived our lives there." Bryan said tears beginning to well up in his eyes.
Megan squeezed his hand reassuringly.
Applejack just looked at Bryan "But what about your family sugarcube? I mean they had to worry about you at times, did they even know about all of this?"
Bryan sighed again "No Applejack, my real family is in Ponyland." He looked up at Megan who simply looked back at him and nodded. "I have parents, but I can't call them family. They are to selfish for that, no instead my family lives at Paradise Estate. I was basically adopted by some the ponies there, it started with my little sister Ember, she looked at me like an older brother. So that's what I became, to all of the fillies at Paradise Estate. Then Wind Whistler, Paradise, Gusty, Fizzy, Posey, and Sweet Stuff all took me on as a younger brother. Then Heartthrob, Ribbon, and Cupcake all started to treat my like I was their son. So my family lives in Ponyland, and it would be great to be able to visit them again." he said sadly.
Sunset tilted her head and asked. "When did it appear in the first place?"
Megan answered "I don't really know Sunset, it was just there one day. We never had an explanation for it."
Bryan merely nodded.
"Is it possible someone or something closed it on purpose?" asked Trixie
Megan and Bryan looked at each other "We can't rule it out Trixie." Bryan said "But we can't know for sure one way or the other."
"And that doesn't worry you?" asked Ace "I mean I hate to be the voice of doom but aren't you worried? I mean the witches may have been three shoes short of a full set. But they did have magic for all you know right know they could have everypony in chains as there slaves or worse." Says Ace making it the fourth poke at the giant white elephant in the proverbial room.
"Not likely." Bryan said "After a while Draggle turned her back on her mother and sister because of the way was she treated by them. She even started to learn to use magic from our unicorn friends and was guarding them when we left."
"Besides," Megan replied "with all of the new friends and allies we helped the ponies gather they would have a hard time Ace. I don't think that Hydia and Reeka would have tried anything with Draggle there because she knows their tricks."
"That and since the Smooze was driven back and their plan to usurp Flutter Valley failed we never heard from them again. Not until Draggle changed sides. Even if this were true Ace what do you propose we do about it? We are cut off from Ponyland and have no way to get back, none that we can speak of."
"Three words. 'The magic Trinity.' Twilight Sparkle talent magic, Sunset Shimmer talent using both light and dark magic schools without backlash, Trixie Lulamoon talent magic specialized in Illusions. You know the three strongest spellcasters since Star Swirl the Bearded and one is his descendant. Yet you never once thought of asking can you make door to Ponyland?"
"Magical Trinity?" Megan said
Bryan rubbed his forehead "It's the title given to the three most magically able ponies in Equestria Megan. Twilight one of only two alicorns born in the last one-thousand years, the guardian of magic and a descendant of Princess Celestia, Sunset Shimmer is as Ace said able to use both so called light and dark magic without the backlash that everypony else experiences from both due to their power level, and Trixie Lulamoon, like Sunset she is a graduate from the Royal Academy for Gifted Unicorns descendant of Star Swirl the bearded and illusionist extraordinaire." Bryan waved his hand to each mare in turn. "These three exceptionally gifted mares are known as the Magical Trinity, or the Magical Triumvirate if you're feeling fancy." Bryan was deep in thought for a few moments
"The problem is Ace that we had no trace of Ponyland magic until now. Even though I had though about it after meeting Sunset and Trixie the texts I've read as well as those I had asked said we would need that link to Ponyland, which we only just now have." Bryan said
"What do you mean Bryan?" queried Megan
"What I mean is that even though it is fused to you as it is Megan the rainbow is that link. And from what Princess Luna and Celestia had told me that would be the best way to create a stable gateway. Given how intelligent both Twilight and Sunset are it could now be done, there's also Pinkie's inexplicable ability to add to these things. What I really want to know is why exactly you're so... disturbed about all of this Ace." Bryan said
"It seemed in the stories one thing after another attacked each stronger and more planed then the last. Add in that you both been gone from there for how long, and Megan has their only defense super weapon? It might just be me imagining things, but my old warrior instinct just screams at me that those ponies if not in trouble now are going to be in some deep trouble soon. It comes up whenever I think about how important you two were to them. Megan by the way things seem in stories you where almost to them what Celestia and Luna are to us. " He looked at them both his eyes hard. "If not for you two how many time would their world have ended? Draggle may have changed sides but she was always the weaker of the three from what the stories said. She also had a history of spells backfiring with a book in front of her. Knowing she is on their side is some comfort but at the same time what if a foe like the Grogar or Tirek returns, or if her mom and sister have something worse then the Smooze. I mean most of their attacks was just aimed at warping the land the Smooze was dangerous cause of collateral damage from it. But what if they attacked directly. I mean even I can shoot lightning, and I'm technically a passive magic tribe. If they actually target the ponies... Well I don't like to think about that kind of thing but it is my job to do so."
"What you're forgetting Ace is the Princess Ponies, and the Flutter Ponies both groups are very powerful. And then there's Catrina, Porcina, the Bushwoolies, Furbobs, Stonebacks, Grundles, the Troggles and the Moochick. There is also Queen Bumble and her swarm, they are powerful in their own right. We left them well able to care for themselves, even with Queen Majesty in such bad shape after Triek's attack on her. Triek is long dead and Grogar is forever trapped in the Nether Realm. Not even Hydia and Reeka can get to him, Crunch the Rock Dog has a piece of the Heart Stone and is a friend and ally to the ponies. these are in addition to the countless other sapient beings in their world. It would be very difficult for just two witches to cause them any grief Ace." Bryan sighed "Still we do have the ability to find out for certain now, and Luna did say that we'd be foolish not to use it."
Megan just looked at Ace "I'm a little lost, you know what they can do, and we have no idea how much Draggle has improved in ten years. Why are this worried about it Ace? I know what you just said makes sense but I think you might just be over thinking this."
Everypony sat in stunned silence, nopony had ever accused Ace of over thinking before.
"The report on Blueblood's escape... He had a human female helping him." We have no knowledge of her or how long she has been in Equestria or where she's from. But she had magic. I never like unknown enemies and call it paranoid but the fact that you two are both here and a unknown human with magic backing Blueblood, a pony that couldn't find his own plot with compass, map and picture directions? I'm from Neighpon and even I think something smells fishy." said Ace.
At that moment Pinkie suddenly broke into a full body shudder.
Bryan's eyes widened "Pinkie Sense." he whispered "Ace we've definitely got some trouble now, we need to start making preparations." he said frantically.
Megan squeezed Bryan's hand again "What's going on Bryan, why did Pinkie shiver all of the sudden?"
Bryan looked up at her "It's Pinkie's Pinkie Sense."
"Pinkie Sense?" she said
"It's a form of precognition, and the last time she had a full body shudder like that it was, well it was a big deal." he said "I can't do anything until the negative energy is cleared from my body anyway, so you'll all have to take care of it."
Twilight was already beginning to take charge "Sunset Shimmer I'll need you help to begin researching the gate to Ponyland." she looked at Megan "That means we'll need you too Megan. Trixie, Spike I need the two of you to get a letter to the princesses right away to inform them what's going on. Fluttershy, you and Rainbow go and see if Zecora has anything that'll help our stallions get better sooner. Everypony else we are going to need you to help Commander Solis get to know Ponyville better, we need to get some defensive strategies ready just in case." She said as everpony went about there tasks.
"Twilight," Ditzy who had been quiet until now said finally speaking up "is there anything we can do too?"
"Yeah!" Vinyl chirped "I wanna help too."
"I'm sure you all can help out somehow." Twilight said
"A witch." Bryan said under his breath.
At this moment Charger began to approach with a few of her and Ace's subordinates.
"Charger call in the ship! I want it on patrol I don't care if Steamer complains about having to sleep in her wheel house again get her and the Blood Moon in the air yesterday!!" shouted Ace
"But sir the assault ship is normally only used for deep strikes in to the Everfree." replied Charger.
"I designed the BUCKING thing with help from my sisters! I know what it's for. I want it in the skies till the threat passes and I want Volley, Razzle and Dazzle on it ready to provide support fire! I may be out of the trenches but I am still your captain now move your flank!" ordered Ace.
"Sir! Yes sir!" Shouted Charger before running off.
Ace and Bryan were left for Sunset's drones to wheel in.
"Bryan... I hate being right all the bucking time." said Ace
"It's not all of the time Ace, but often enough." Bryan replied
"Enough that I wish I was wrong about the bad things coming. Worst part is for part of this I'm stuck here." said Ace
"Well if anypony can speed this up without hurting us it's Zecora. Ace do you think that Hammer has her special project for me done just yet?" Bryan said "Also I'm not sure what's on Sunset's mind, but if I'm reading this drone right she's really worried." He said looking at the drone in charge of his wheelchair.
"She will bring it when it is, and yeah Sun Sun's worried." said Ace
"Well then it's a stupidly boring wait fest, at least it's not gonna be much longer with Zecora getting involved." Bryan replied.
It was going to be a long few days for everpony involved.
My Little Pony: Echos of Dream Valley
Bryan fidgeted a bit in his wheelchair as they were proceeding through the hospital halls. "Okay Ace I've gotta ask. Why all the sandbagging during the battle with the changelings? I know we were badly outnumbered, but I also know that you're much better than that." he said.
"They had more then numerical advantage there. One the air was dry and cloudless. That is a disadvantage to me as I have to take longer to charge my lightning. On top of that I had to watch my shots so as to not hit you which was the tallest conductor around. I also did not have my good gear with me not expecting any real danger. Even then I was curious what they wanted... I just didn't know that that the hive's queen had gone nuts. Torture is not in the normal changeling M.O.
"Basically it was a mix of a bad call, poor conditions and lax guard. Same screw ups I point out in the capital all the time. Crow is not very tasty, but Blueblood's stunt hopefully opened everypony's eyes." Explains Ace he was using the I'm getting too old for this shit voice Ace was older then Twilight and her friends, he was even a few years older the her big brother. But no one really saw it in him unless he was being serious. Then it was like a magic switch was hit. The lines darken, scars stand out more, and his pupils shrank giving him a hard stare. It is when he is like this you can tell the years were not kind to him as he pretends they are.
Bryan pondered Ace's statements for a long moment. "I hate to say this but I was honestly afraid something like this would happen. My experiences in Ponyland left me with a lot of nasty shocks. We had to deal with so much on the fly as it were back then. Many of the ponies in Canterlot were complacent, I did what I could to warn the princesses but some the members of Parliament didn't want to hear it. Makes me wonder if some of them were on Blueblood's payroll." he said bitterly. Luna and Celestia had listened to Bryan and Ace both, but were repeatedly blocked by politicians that felt that there were no immediate threats.
"Politics, from the root words poly meaning multiple ticks and a blood sucking parasite." Said Ace with a shake of his head.
Bryan laughed "Yeah I've heard then before. We humans have that same expression. The parallels between human and pony culture amaze me sometimes." he looked Ace over worrying "I said you needed to slow down for a reason Ace, the thirteenth can afford to lose a lieutenant; but we can't afford to lose our captain. You're not invincible and you do need to remember that. Especially since you want to have foals, they are going to need you to be there for them and can't do that from Elysium." he sighed for not the first time that day "We're gonna have to take them from Ponyland, aren't we Ace?" it was less a question and more of a statement.
"Yeah, but hey look on the bright side Pinkie and Surprise in the same place, and then all those new sea ponies. The lake will be a regular party spot." He said with a chuckle then stopped and blinked. "Hey! Who said I would end up in Elysium? You and I both know I got standing reservation in Tartarus for my next job as the Captain of Queen Hel's personal guards. She'd be foolish to let my skills go to rot in some pasture." Said Ace with a smile.
Bryan laughed "You forgot about Fizzy, she's a regular party pony too. It will be nice to have my family here though. It's just that the idea of getting them to leave Ponyland doesn't sit well with me, even if it is for their own good. I know we can't help them from Equestria, but still it makes me feel bad thinking about it. As far as that goes," Bryan paused for dramatic effect. "well Queen Hel decided that there's too high of chance you'll lead a successful coup and take over. So you're headed for Elysium whether you like it or not." Bryan shook his head "Queen Hel. You know that Luna is in charge of that around here Ace, it's part of her being an alicorn."
"You have not seen them all. After all where did Celly and Lunny come from? There are more Alicorns out there. I have seen Soulful Harvest myself more then once." Said Ace said before doing a series of hoof gestures, to drive off bad karma.
"The sisters and their descendants are not the only ones the world is to vast. Also they can't do everything. Why else would we have the guard if they could?" Ace added.
"Actually," Bryan said "Luna and Celestia told that their parents were both unicorns. How and why they were born alicorns is anypony's guess. It just happened." Bryan watched this with great curiosity. "You mean there is a pony grim reaper Ace? That's extraordinary! You have been close enough to death often enough I guess."
He just shook his head "It's Tia and Lulu Ace, Celly and Lunny just sounds silly. It's no secret that the royal sisters can't do everything, they aren't all powerful after all. The guard is needed because they alone can't defend everypony. As for other alicorns unless we actually have evidence of their existence it's a bad idea to spread that around. We just don't know that, nor should act like we do."
"I've heard the stories of them from Weapon Master. And seen the soul collector myself enough to believe what he told me is true there are other, older alicorns out there. They just aren't as public as the younger ones." said Ace
"Also I find my nicknames for them cuter, also Celly hates it when I call her that and she gets this funny twitch in her right eye."
Bryan shook his head "Ace I doubt that, just because there are four confirmed alicorns means nothing for there being more. And frankly I'd rather not see this soul gather for myself."
"Besides Lulu is way cuter, I can see her as a filly with a rope tied around her waist and a little robber mask on hanging in front a cookie jar for some reason. And Tia crouching down in hiding waiting to bandit some cake." Bryan said laughing "I can see it! Little Lulu the cookie bandit, and little Tia the cake thief."
"That's one thing we can both agree with. Those two must have been quite the pair of troublemakers when they were foals. I was just a stubborn, defiant, and smart mouthed run away. According to the weapon master at least. Then again I'm a Pegasus. Do you get the feeling that our foals will be hoof fulls as punishment for us joking about this?" said Ace.
Bryan facepalmed "Considering one of my herd mates is Megan Williams I'm in for a very willful child. I just have no idea if that's a good thing or not. And I have no idea if I'll be able to handle my foals with Twilight and Pinkie, that is if things in me have changed enough to make that happen." he rubbed his forehead "I don't think that will happen though, when I helped Ditzy with her heat she didn't get pregnant. So it would seem that humans and ponies aren't compatible. Also," he said "I've always known that I would have daughters for some reason, I have no idea why. have you ever had that happen Ace? You know where you just know you're going to have certain kinds of foals?"
"Yeah I know I'm going to have more daughters then sons. Because I was born with a silver gray mane and tail. So I will have many daughters to worry over. And that they will scare the horseapples out of their special someponies.
Bryan laughed "Ace that is utterly preposterous! Even with what little I know about pony genetics I can say with total confidence that the color of your mane and tail play absolutely no role whatsoever in the gender of the foals in you family. It simply isn't possible. Your near obsession with these meaningless superstitions defy all logic and evidence." Bryan then deflated "That's exactly what Wind Whistler would have almost word for word. I guess I really miss her more than I realized, it seems."
"Yeah the weapon master maybe a grouchy, grumpy, scaly old wind bag. But I do miss hearing him lecture me about when he was young or the back before those two young alicorns took over the sun and moon stories. He never shut up while my siblings and I was training under him and living there." Ace said with a nod. Then there is a flash of light and a scroll hit him on the nose.
Ace mumbles as he unrolls the mail. Then turns so pale he looked pink.
Bryan was stunned, never had he seen this happen without Spike in the room. "What is it Ace? I've never seen you turn pale before."
" A letter from hammer. What was that saying you used that week we got no sleep for three days cause it was mission after mission? When it rains it pours. Well get a umbrella. She reminding me that the annual family reunion is coming very soon and to make sure it's not missed like last two years she is taking over for me as organizer. That's not so bad in of itself but she found the family records and is inviting every last pony descended from General Firefly. It's not a big list but it has some notable ponies. They being my cousins Spitfire and Blaze in the bolts and the Guardian of Loyalty Rainbow Dash, as well as your friend Ditzy and her sister Daring Do. All three of there families are technically part of the same legion as mine. So that means the whole family is invited home to my mansion in Neighpon!" said Ace.
Bryan sighed once more "I'm not gonna make any smart remarks, something else will happen if I do."
"See I told you the fate writer is real this is punishment for your neigh saying. So you get to come to the reunion as a distant cousin. After all both Trixie and Twilight are descendants of Celestia and Trixie is part of my herd and Twilight's in yours. So guess what that makes you?"
Bryan deadpanned at Ace "This isn't punishment Ace, it'a coincidence and nothing more. Great not even the last thing I need is a legal relation to an insane pegasus pony with an invulnerability complex."
Days later after a visit from Zecora and some rather foul tasting medicine she'd concocted Ace and Bryan were out of the hospital and back in their homes. Both were working to help make sure that Ponyville's defenses were readied. There was some tension in the air as word of Twilight's impending coronation began to spread. It was a full week later when a letter would arrive that would change everything.
To the stupid pet monkey of auntie Tia.
I have a old friend of yours. A young mare by the name of Wind Whistler. She is very well spoken for a Pegasus I must say. You have one week to stop Twilight's coronation, have auntie Tia pardon me, and admit that you and that female human where in cahoots with those human murderers that attacked our ponies, and are really part of a invasion plot. Do all of this and I shall free her. If you don't well she will still be a lovely and enjoyable company but she won't have much to say anymore.
Sincerely the rightful ruler of Equestria Prince Blueblood.
Bryan read the letter and had restrain himself from tearing it to shreds. "How dare that coward mess with my family!" he turned to see Twilight lost in though while going over some papers she and Sunset had written with the data on Megan's fusion with the Rainbow of Light. "Twilight!" Bryan said suddenly causing her to jump. He grinned sheepishly "Sorry, I need you and Spike to send a letter to Canterlot and inform the princesses of what's going on." he said placing the letter on the table.
Twilight picked it up in her magic and scanned it "This is terrible! What are going to do Bryan?"
"I've got to go and find Ace, then I've got to go to Canterlot so we can deal with this."
Twilight trotted over to him and reared up to be face to face with him "Okay Bryan I'll get Megan to help get your things ready." She kissed him for a long moment before breaking it and letting him leave.
Bryan stormed out of the library to find Ace. He was seeing red this time.
Ace was not hard to find he had turned half the thirteenth in to a labor team and was with them building a what he called barracks but anypony that saw it knew it was full fortress that could shelter the town and the thirteenth in the event of a full invasion. This was par for Ace who often went with better to have it and not need it then to need it and not have it approach.
"Overdoing it as always I see." Bryan deadpanned "Ace I need to talk to you at the library, and there's something you need to see as well." he said. Ace could feel the rage radiating from Bryan.
"This is hitting Dream Valley like I predicted isn't it?" Ace said with a sigh as he handed off the blue prints to the foreman pony.
"You'll see, it's worse than that actually. I could tell you, but I want you to see the letter I just received." Bryan shook his head "It gives new meaning to the word arrogance." He said as turned back toward the library.
Ace followed, and said. "If it's Blueblood then I won't be surprised. You look up egotistical, arrogant, snob, idiot and plothole, you will find his picture under each one. And after that last stunt traitor in the next reprint." He chuckled at his joke.
"I think we'll have to add more to that list." He said as he opened the library door and marched to the table where the letter rested "Take a look at this." he said handing the letter to Ace.
Ace read the letter and soon it was ignited by his body sparking with electricity. "When I get my hooves on that genetic dead end I'll make him beg me for death before I give him to the punishment division! I am going to show him a rainbow of pain he never imagined. I... I'll... get Megan and the others I'm going to find him now!" Shouted Ace. Right now Ace was looking like the pony the rumors said he was. His fur darkened looking like dried blood golden lightning cracked and surged over his body his eyes glowing gold his hair like silver spikes sticking up strait. This was a view of Ace Bryan never seen, this was the cold killer that stalked the Everfree making the monsters cower in fear.
"No Ace." Bryan said "We'll need you here to protect Ponyville in case they decide to attack it. I'll go to Canterlot and get some help from the second. This situation requires deft touch, if they really do have Wind Whistler subtlety is needed; not direct force."
Twilight was coming down the stairs with Megan and heard the two of them.
"We need to be careful and considered on this one Ace."
Megan spoke up "What's going on Bryan?"
Twilight looked up at her and shook her head. She knew that Ace and Bryan were mad and she wanted to let them cool off for a moment. Megan simply nodded in understanding.
"You're not cutting us out, and how you going to even find them?" Ace took a deep breath and calmed his mind.
"Okay it's time to pull out something from my bag of magic spells. Bryan Megan stand back to back and think of Wind Whistler." Ordered Ace as he stood on his hind legs and put his for hooves together.
Bryan and Megan looked at each other for a moment and did as asked.
"What do you think he is doing?' Megan whispered as she took Bryan's hand.
"I don't know." Bryan replied quietly as he held her hand.
Electricity built up around him then started to form a circle around Bryan and Megan. "Now focus on the pony he has as a hostage. This spell can be vary tricky to cast normally but finding one thread when you two are tied to so many and the fact I have to do this the hard way means I need your help. Also if you lose focus there is ten percent chance of getting electrocuted cause I'm using lightning to make the spell circle." Explained Ace before he closed his eyes.
Then he started chanting.
"Okay that was exhausting. I'm glad I don't need to use that to see my own soul ties." Said Ace before he fell to the floor.
Megan was stunned "Bryan what is this? Is it some kind of magic?"
Bryan stood silent and thoughtful, then his eyes widened suddenly. "Megan do you remember the myths about the threads of fate?" he asked
"You mean those old stories about the threads that are supposed to bind us to our loved ones?" Megan replied
Bryan nodded "Yes, Ace was somehow able to use this spell to help us to see our bond with Wind Whistler. Great," he said "now that I know where she is I can go to Canterlot and get the help I need to effect a rescue." he squeezed Megan's hand "I need you to stay here with everypony else in case they do try to attack Ponyville Megan. You may not be trained yet but you are experienced, and with your help the thirteenth will be all the stronger for it."
"Hey I said we ain't being left out. The spell has rules complex ones too given it from the old Neighponese Necromancy school of magic." Said Ace huffing from using so much power. Even if he can use casting magic a little it uses a lot of his power to do so compared to a unicorn doing the same spell.
Twilight just stares slack jawed "A Pegasus just cast a spell?!"
Bryan just looked at Twilight "This shocks you but a spell casting human doesn't? I know you don't mean to be but that's really cold Twily." he turned to Ace "This is a matter of family honor for me Ace. Would you deny me that? Look this requires subtlety and precision, we can't have you busting down the door a like a bunch of U.S Marines from some bad action movie. That will go wrong, what is needed here is stealth and very high levels of skill. That's why I am going to Canterlot, I'll need help from your brother Shadow and his subordinate Lieutenant Glow." he said
"The two of them are better suited to this kind of delicate operation, besides I have an idea in mind to tell if they have replaced her with a changeling. One you're too impatient to sit still for. Your approach would be great for covering an escape if things went sour, but not for getting her freed in the place." he said
Megan was impressed by Bryan yet again, he had grown so strong and confident. Now if he would just grasp and own it.
Twilight was silent, she had made a very bad blunder. If a human could learn to cast spells why not a pegasus? Or even an earth pony?
"I know but you still need to get there cousin. And besides only those that witnessed the casting, the caster and those who are connected can see the thread. Which will stay viewable as long as the connected souls have not crossed over. This spell was originally made to find and put to rest the soul of lost dead. The fact that the thread appears shows she is the real deal. As to stealth my Brother is not the only shadow my house casts. Right Shadowrunner?" said Ace
"Yes my Lord." Said a male voice behind everyone surprising them behind them was a pony clad in Luna's guard ninja armor like Ace's brother Shadow Wing wears. But this pony was ink black and had brown eyes and blueish gray mane and tail. He was bowing behind him.
"My personal Ninja Shadowrunner. He was classmate of my brother's. When he saved his life he pledged service to my our family. Given my brother was a ninja himself he became one of three vassals in my service. When he's not on a mission he is always with in striking distance of me should I be attacked. Barring when I'm with a mare. He can see the thread, my brother and his partner can't. Also we need to move fast and be near by for the evacuation so I'll get some troops fast and the ship we will pick up my little brother on the way. And don't worry I'll leave most of the unit here to keep our mares safe. I'll leave Joker's Wild in charge." Said Ace now standing again.
"Alright, but you need to stay back at first. We need to use strategy here not brute force." he turned to Megan "I'll need your help to get into my armor more quickly Megan. please come with me." He said leaving while the room and going upstairs.
"Okay." Megan replied as she followed him.
Twilight scuffed her hoof on the floor. She felt conflicted, she was the Guardian of Magic and she had missed something that was now obvious to her. Everypony had latent magical ability, so there was no reason ponies that weren't unicorns or alicorns could learn to actively use it. She felt bad for being so blind to this for so long.
Bryan returned with Megan a few minutes later in his armor. "Okay let's roll out." Bryan said
"Twilight, I know you're conflicted and confused. You're from Canterlot where unicorns are the magic stars. Before today only eleven ponies outside my siblings have seen me do that. I'll teach you the spell if you want as long as your okay with a necromancy spell. Bryan I'll get my closest warriors, this is a family matter cousin and Blueblood may be a a cousin too but he betrayed the family and he needs to pay for that betrayal." Said Ace before he left.
At the landing field outside town the Blood Moon was setting down engine running. Bryan recognizes some of the ponies but two of the stallions he hardly knew. "Being that you have spent time with the others on light missions in the past or spoken with them. The giant in the Black Armor is my vassal Red Hair, he serves me not Equestria and that is only cause I whipped his flank and spared him. The other is Hex Mark a drinking buddy from my younger days and master at braking curses and hexes. Hex and Shadowrunner, will go in with you and my brother and his partner. Me, Red, Razzle, Dazzle, Charger, Jammer, and Steamer will hold in the ship for when you get the mare. Send out a signal and we will make a very big distraction."
All the ponies where armed to the teeth and the heavy battle bridles. Ace had a Crystal blade on his hip while Steamer had what looked to be a sharpened battleship anchor, and Red had a pike that was actually flaming and it looked evil as his black armor. If anypony looked at this gathering of armed ponies they would think that they were mercenaries of a evil despot.
Megan bent down and held Twilight "It's okay Twilight. I had no idea that pegasus ponies could learn to cast spells like unicorn ponies either. We all make mistakes and none of us if knows everything." Megan said while stroking Twilight's mane.
Bryan looked at Ace "You're bringing the Crystal Zephyr Ace? Okay now I know you're being serious. Alright when we have I'll let lose with some of the most spectacular fireworks Trixie taught me. When Shadow and Moonlight are with us I'll explain the plan for when we're inside and trying to get to her." Bryan closed his eyes and executed a quick series of hand gestures. The previously hidden runes on his armor activated glowing brightly for moment before fading. "One of these days I'm gonna find a way to properly thank Hammer for this armor and my swords." He said while boarding the airship.
"He he he she has a weakness for shellfish."Said Ace as he motioned every one to board the ship.
Steamer came over the radio. "This is your pilot speaking we will have short lay over in Canterlot then we will head straight to gut Prince Blueblood with his own horn. In-flight drinks are in the dining hall and today's special is the standard gray glop that we always get. Thank you for flying crazy suicide mission air line. Also on a personal note when we kill Blueblood I call dibs on eating his liver."
Many of the ponies laughed at this.
"Huh, I'll have to ask Rarity for help with that one then. She'll know for sure where to get the best stuff." He turned and looked at Ace. "You do realize that Blueblood won't be where they are holding Wind Whistler don't you? He'll have a bunch of underlings guarding her and it won't even be at his current base."
Bryan shook his head "This is one messed up crew."
Ace chuckled. "We are the thirteenth. Of course we are messed up we chose to go into the most dangerous places and situations in Equestria and beyond. We have to be crazy on some level or we wouldn't pull off half of what we do. And besides know that plothole he is probably there gloating before the mare and harassing her with his ego." Said Ace as the ship zipped along in the air.
Bryan laughed "He's too much of a coward Ace, he won't be there I can promise you that."
When the Blood Moon landed in Canterlot they found Shadow and Moonlight waiting for them in response to the letter sent by Twilight and Spike earlier. The ponies hurriedly boarded the airship and sat down as Bryan began to lay out his plan. This was a side of Bryan Ace had never seen before, the calculating and planning side that had never come out before. This week was shaping up to be full of surprises for everypony involved.
"Okay," Bryan said as they all sat down "Now what I need to know before explaining my plan is just how many of you have read the Tails from Dream Valley. It's important for my plan that you know what I will be referencing here."
All but Red Hair raised a hoof. He looked around then scratched the back of his head. "I um, prefer romance novels and detective stories." He said his accent so thick it's clear that he almost never spoke Equish.
"That's fine considering you won't be going in with me at first." He Looked at the infiltration team "The fact that all of have is very important though." Bryan thought for a moment and then spoke. "Okay when I get inside I want all four of you to stick to the shadows and follow me as quietly as you can. When I reach Wind Whistler I want you to take up up the best spots of advantage you can, when I'm ready I'll give a signal to strike in this form. I'll ask her what the answer to Paradise's riddle was when we were searching for the Golden Horseshoes to save Mimic." He looked at them seeing that they were following him so far, they were. "Because you all know her mannerisms you all know she will answer that in a very specific way, that is the signal to strike. Take out every last one guarding her and I'll free her and start our escape."
He turned and Looked at Ace. "When we have cleared enough distance that's when I'll signal the rest of you to bust and raise Tartarus. Any questions?"
"Not a question just something you keep ignoring the thread spell would not have worked if it wasn't actually her. The spell works on the souls of subjects. It is one hundred percent her. No need to do tests like that she is probably driving the guards crazy trying to figure out why a gold string is coming out of her foreleg and only she can see it." Said Ace with a smirk.
"It's called a disguised signal Ace, I don't wanna just shout out ATTACK! That's too forward, this way we'll take them completely by surprise. Like an infiltration team is supposed to do." Bryan glared at Ace intensely "And that is exactly why do the test, they might have replaced her with a changeling Ace. If that is the case we can change tactics and overwhelm them by force and get her out that way. So to put it another way they're screwed no matter what they try because we'll have the benefit of surprise either way." Bryan said
"Except that the closer you get to her the shorter the thread gets and it will only lead to her, even if she moved cloaked or or a disembodied spirit as long as her soul is on this plane the thread will lead you to it. If she is dead... Well we find the soul then the body go see my sister and have her put the soul back in." Said Ace, everypony but Shadow Wing, Shadowrunner, Red Hair and Hex Mark took a large step away form Ace as he just said that with the most scary chipper tone one could have.
"Captain I want to point out that you forgot having a Necromancer as a accepted and loved member of one's family is not normal any more than bringing a pony back from the dead." Said Charger with a deadpan tone, showing she had to remind him of this before.
"Ace this is a strategy, that requires thought. You're spell is nothing more than a tool, it's not the solution. This is the solution and it involves that tool. We can't let the enemy know that we know that it's really her. We'll lose the element of surprise if we do, that is critical to the success of a hostage rescue." Bryan said
Bryan had stayed out of the many exchanges between Ace and Charger for many reasons. This exchange would be no different.
"That's why it's useful, that is why Red is here today. I couldn't just let him stay dead that day. After all he is Red Hair the sixth his family has very strong warrior tradition. It would have been a waste." said Ace
Charger rubbed the bridge of her snout "It is easy to forget you are not a normal pegasus by any usage of the term." said Charger
"Thank you!" Said Ace with pride.
"That was not a compliment!" shouted Charger.
"Enough both of you." Bryan said coldly "Ace we are not falling back on magic just so you can be stupid and reckless about this. Wind Whistler fought a Necromancer once remember that. I am not sacrificing her dignity just so you can play at being a one pony demolition crew. We will follow my plan and do this the right way. I will not stand by and watch you endanger her like that." Bryan rubbed his forehead "If you're thinking that they're smart enough to lay a trap for us you're in for a lot disappointment. This was such an arrogant move that there's no way they'd think to guard against a rescue attempt. And if they did they will be expecting your method not mine." Bryan calmed himself "This only proves their desperation, not their cunning."
"That or Blueblood had this idea, and I say if he wants me to show off. I should I mean if I go out there and be in the spotlight it could help." said Ace .
"Not right away Ace. No we'll sucker punch them in a few sensitive ares first." He motioned indicating the infiltration team "I'll be the bait, and then they will strike when I give the signal. Then I'll grab my sister and we'll run like mad. Then you come and shatter their delusions of being ready for you while the infiltration team gets Wind Whistler back to the airship. At that point I'll join you and preform the other half of my duties today." Said Bryan with a smirk.
"Okay, one thing I'm changing as the commanding officer! I want you to stay with her. Takeover for Steamer, she hasn't had a good brawl in a long time and you have a displaced sister to comfort. She has just been kidnapped and is in a strange place. She needs somepony she knows and trusts and of all of us that's you. Besides I know you been wanting to see Steamer fight. You want to know how she uses that massive anchor." Said Ace with a that evil smile he gets that says someone is going to regret the misfortune of their birth.
Bryan's jaw dropped "I knew of no such thing until right now! An anchor for a weapon, that's next level stuff Ace." Bryan steadied himself and rubbed the back of neck. "Yeah pent up aggression is not healthy, she should get that out soon." Bryan then gave a wicked smile "You'd better not let any of them through then. I might have to forget myself and show them what I can do I'm really angry." He said with a predatory tone that creeped everypony out just a little.
Bryan sat down and said "Let me know when we're there. I'm gonna take easy for a bit." he reached under his shirt and pulled out the locket he was wearing. Opening it he gazed at a picture of he and Wind Whistler he had kept in the locket.
"Don't worry about them getting through. Worry about us going overboard and not leaving any left for my little brother to tor- um.... I mean interrogate." Said Ace as he went to his cabin.
Bryan place the locket back underneath his armor and shirt. He jumped to his feet and headed to the galley to get some tea and just spent his remaining time staring out the window. He thought about Wind Whistler and all they'd been through together. He couldn't settle the disquiet in his heart, not until his friends and family were safe.
In the distance he saw the string going out the window and to a large mountain that looked like it had been honeycombed with mine tunnels and rail ways and crude stone work applied to it even a statue of Blueblood made from its peak...
Red walked up next to him. "We level this place after save mare. Yes?" He said with a chuckle in his broken Equestrian.
Bryan put down his empty tea cup and said "No Red, that's what they would do. We have to be better than that. Besides we have no idea how many innocents might be there. We are the thirteenth, we protect the innocent not harm them." He looked at the stallion "You know if you can stand how sappy we are The Tails From Dream Valley has a lot of romance. That is if you can take a saccharine childhood romance." he laughed "It's time to get ready, we'll be landing soon." Bryan said this more to himself than to the stallion standing next to him.
"Humm..." Responded Red Hair as he looked on. He knew he had to wait for his shot at them.
In the ready room Shadow Wing, Shadowrunner, Hex Mark where unnervingly quite as they mentally prepare for deploying.
Bryan entered the ready room and sat down silently awaiting their landing.
Shadowrunner asked. "Master Bryan. Have you ever used the assault launch before?"
Bryan looked at Shadowrunner "No I have never used it before. I'm not exactly familiar with all of the features on this airship." he said
"Strap into the wall and hold on. We normally drop right into a hot zone but because we need to use stealth we will drop here and go in on hoof." Said Hex as he helped the mare on the team lock herself in with his magic given it was Moonlight's first use of the device
"Our Lord had designed the ship to be a siege weapon that said the room has a damping spell like the Pegasus pulled chariots to allow nonpegasi to travel faster. So all you have to do is hang on and as our Lord says enjoy the express elevator to Tartarus." Said Shadowrunner as he straps in next to Shadow Wing. The two of them side by side made them look like twins if not for the fact Shadow Wings Armor had Luna's crest on it while Shadowrunner's had Ace's on his chest and Luna's on his right shoulder, both had same symbol on there head bands which must be there school's crest.
Bryan started to strap in and looked at Shadowrunner "Shadowrunner do not call me master. I will suffer only two formalities, so if you must address me formally do so only as Adviser Luna or Lieutenant Luna. And never do so when in a personal situation, and before you give me any honor speeches I will tell that my code of honor allows only those two title only under official circumstances." He said in a clear tone that would allow for no argument.
Moonlight looked at the human in confusion. He had just plainly said the his well-earned titles caused him to suffer. She just couldn't understand his point of view, he did preform vital duties to both his own race and Equestria, so why not accept such things? She looked at Shadow Wing for some help in understanding.
Shadow Wing shrugged. "Don't look at me I have a hard enough time understanding my brother and sisters. I am not going to even try to get in the head of our soon to be cousin." Said Shadow Wing to Moonlight.
Shadowrunner looked at Bryan "I understand... Adviser Luna. Before you protest serving the family is my duty so this is not a personal situation until the mare is rescued."
"Very well." Bryan said while waiting for the drop.
The P.A. came to life with Ace's voice. "We have reached our destination. Please return your seats and tray tables are in their upright and locked position and do try not to throw up on the pony or other sapient species next to you, and please keep your hands and feet inside the drop capsule at all times while in motion." The room starts to move with a clanking noise of gears.
"Thank you for flying insanity air and have a nice landing." Came Ace' s voice just before what sounds like a compressed air or steam cannon firing and then a strong feeling of weightlessness.
Bryan closed his eyes and held on. This was almost as bad as his experience centered around that reckless pegasus Lightning Dust.
The ride stops as fast as it started and the ramp dropped open. "Bottom floor bath products, lingerie, and damsels in distress." Came Ace's voice.
Moonlight looked sick.
Bryan stifled a laugh as unstrapped himself and stood up. "You need to get it together Lieutenant Blood Moon, we need to go now." He said as he exited.
Moonlight struggled to unstrap herself after the brutal elevator ride.
The ninjas where already gone as if they where never there. Hex helped her loose then joined Bryan.
"Okay you two I need you to stay as close as you can without blowing your cover. You two are the senior spell casters here and I'll need you closer as a result." Bryan dashed off following the thread.
Moonlight melted into the shadows and followed him.
Hex Mark ran after them staying close.
The two ninja were ghosts, Bryan would see glint of armor here or there but nothing solid.
Moonlight jumped from shadow to shadow ease in the underground environment.
Bryan continued on following the thread to his destination.
As they went higher and higher in the mountain they saw it was packed with armed goons. Mostly dogs but a few others races all clearly paid help. But the shock was in a large chamber below a balcony was a Troll sitting there looking bored with a color around his neck.
They had to stop and wait as a procession passed by "Are you sure it's his ship?" Came Blueblood's voice.
"Oh yes oh great King of Kings. It is the Blood Moon of the thirteenth. There is no ship like it in the air. Our scouts spotted it waiting in the distance. Most likely they are waiting for Sun to rise behind them to attack." Said a female Dog twice the size of Bryan.
There two were with dozens of guards all heavily armed. "Very well I will leave by train then through the mine. After you deal with that pest and his blood thirsty savages join me in wastelands. That bug's troops failed but their old hive has some use still. And bring that mare with you. She will be a nice toy for my temporary home." said Blueblood.
Hex had his hoof over Bryan's mouth and was holding him back. "As you wish oh king of kings. I live to grant all your desires." Said the female dog.
"Yes you do just like a good dog should." Said Blueblood as they faded from sight along with all the guards.
Hex whispers. "We will get him another time. We know where he is going now."
Bryan nodded and waited. as the enemy troops passed he looked at the thread once again. He silently motioned for others to follow him to Wind Whistler's location. He was thankful for the stealth training Shadow Wing had given him. He was also grateful for the enchantments on his armor that helped him move with both swiftness and stealth. He marveled at the mix of skills and talents in Ace's family, truly they were amazing to him.
The thread led them to the top from the windows it was clear that the where in the horn of the Blueblood statue on top of the mountain. Also the next door was stone with a minotuar and four diamond dogs guarding it. Ace was half right about Blueblood being confident enough to be here but the amount of payed muscle was surprising either Blueblood was getting smarter (which no pony would believe) or he has more allies then either Ace or Bryan predicted.
Bryan looked at the hired goons thoughtfully for a moment, and then got a small sly smile under his helmet. He started to cast a spell that would make he his cohorts look different. A few moments later a quartet of diamond dogs being led by another minotaur stepped forward. The new minotaur spoke to the other "We've been sent here to relieve you."
"What? Our shift just started five minutes ago?" said the minotuar
The one dog sniffed "I don't know their scent, are you new?" he asked
"We were just sent up here to take over, I don't know what's going on really. I think that Lord Blueblood intends to move that mare you're guarding somewhere." Bryan replied
The minotuar shakes his head. "Well whatever let's go get some chow guys."
The one dog keep sniffing as he walked by with the rest lingering on Moonlight.
Bryan stepped forward and backhanded the annoying dog and glared at him "Watch where you're sniffing flea bag!" causing the dog to whimper. He just looked at the minotaur and shrugged "Dogs." he said while turning back to the door.
The minotuar chuckled as he and the dogs walked a way one rubbing his cheek. After about a minute the sound of there steps was gone.
Bryan waited just a moment longer, when he was as sure as he could be he turned to the rest of the team. "Okay everypony quickly now we have get in there rescue her and send the signal" He said as he started to open the heavy stone door.
Moonlight moved in to the hallway to keep watch.
The door was locked from the outside by a simple iron slide bar which Hex just slid open. Inside the room was three adolescent dragons and one Pegasus mare... who was lecturing the dragons that where cowering in the corner.
Over the mare's long winded lecture, and proper sounding voice, you could hear the three dragons suffering.
"Grabble do something!" Shouted the lanky purple one.
"And another thing, you really have to start being more respectful of others." The mare said with an annoyed huff.
"Yeah make her stop!" Shouted the bulky one.
"Don't slouch!" she continued her lecture "It's bad for your lower back later in life."
"Like what? She won't shut up!" He looked at the door. "Please save us!" He called out to Bryan and Hex.
Hex looked at Bryan "Dose she really need rescuing?" Asked Hex jokingly.
Bryan was snickering, trying to remain professional. He calmed himself "Hex take these three dragons into custody, they were involved in a rather serious assault sometime ago and need to face trial for it." he sighed "I see you haven't changed at all Windy."
The mare jumped and turned in place shouting "I told you not to call me that Bryan!"
He chuckled again "I guess a covert signal wasn't needed to help you big sister." He said with a smile nopony needed to see.
"Wait, what are you doing here?" Wind Whistler said her tail still twitching with annoyance.
Bryan walked over to the window "Rescuing you, or rather rescuing these weakling dragons from you. I should have realized that you'd have them on the ropes when I got here." He made a quick series of hand gestures and shot a beam out of the window that angled sharply skyward and burst into a brilliant display of fireworks. He turned and spoke "Okay the strike team has been singled we bunker down here and wait."
Almost instantly they they heard impacts of spell blasts hitting the mountain as the ship raced in.
Shadow Wing appeared and shook his head and said."You do realize you should have waited till we where outside right Ace is on the war path today cousin. And you gave him his green light to turn the thirteenth loose on these fools."
Shadowrunner walked in through the door dripping in blood. "The way to a upper balcony is clear Adviser Luna."
Hex chuckled "Well you all have fun on the ship I'm going to score that troll kill before the captain can. Come on Shadowrunner let's cause some chaos." As he spoke glowing marks appeared on his armor and the his hoof prints left frost on the floor.
Shadow Wing shook his head as he cuffed the dragons. "You three are so lucky, you know that right?"
The three dragons just nod and Grabble said. "First her lectures now the Lunar guard psycho killer unit. Okay its official Blue balls is so not paying us enough for this scaling job."
Wind Whistler whipped her hear in the red dragon's direction "Watch your language! There is no need to be so crude!" the dragon whimpered and Bryan chuckled. His sister was fine alright.
Bryan looked at Shadow. "This way they are too distracted to even try to stop us Shadow. Come on big sister let's get out of here before Ace decides to get serious." He said while running for the balcony.
Moonlight looked at her commander "Do we stay and help the strike team, or should we escort them back to the Blood Moon sir?"
"Leave the massacre to my brother and his troops we are warriors and intelligence agents besides, we got prisoners to deal with said Shadow Wing.
"Yes commander." Moonlight replied with a salute as she helped him herd the prisoners toward the airship.
My Little Pony: Echos of Dream Valley
Instruments of Destruction
Author's Note
This chapter presents a battle so there is some kind of intense violence within the teen rating, reader discretion is advised.
Instruments of Destruction
The assault spear dropped on the balcony before Bryan and those with him Ace and those he chose stepped out of it. Red Hair the sixth, Charger Solis, Jammer, Melody (Steamer) Steam and Razzle and Dazzle showstoper the twin unicorns.
"Bryan you keep the ship out of trouble and make sure those three don't anything stupid understood?" ordered Ace
Bryan rolled his eyes "Don't test my abilities or anything." He said while marching to the spear. "Okay those of you not going with Ace are with me. We'll keep the Blood Moon at a safe distance until and unless we have a clear need to get involved. Let's move!" he said "Come on Wind Whistler we need to get aboard now."
Wind Whistler examined the assault spear "I am not so sure about this Bryan, is this thing safe?"
Bryan smirked "It's safe, but it's one heck of a ride coming down. So going up should be an experience." He said going inside of menacing looking device.
Wind Whistler followed, albeit reluctantly.
Once the ramp closed Shadow Wing made sure the mares and prisoners where strapped in. Before hitting the recall button. The spear was yanked back on the pull wrenching free from the ground making it bounce and sway all the way up till was pulled in to the locking mechanism and rotated back in to its dock. "That is why I hate these things. Going down is easy but my brother never actually put as much thought in to getting them back beyond reel it in fast." Complained Shadow as he unhooked.
Bryan winced, he now officially hurt in ways he had no idea he could. "Oh, ow, it definitely needs work." He says struggling to unstrap himself. He looks at Wind Whistler and asked "Are you alright big sister?"
Wind Whistler takes a moment before she replies. "I have had worse than this Bryan, but I would prefer to not repeat this experience anytime soon." She said as she tried to extricate herself.
Come on my elder brother loves to have a audience when he actually lets lose. The wheel house would have the best safe view of the action." Said Shadow from the doorway.
Bryan nodded and called out to some guards "Take these three down to the brig, and don't let them slip away or I'll give you nightmares for month." he said sternly
Wind Whistler trotted beside Bryan to the wheel house "Did you really need to be so hard on them Bryan? I'm sure they wouldn't let those dragons escape."
Bryan shook his head "For the moment I'm in charge up here Wind Whistler and I can't afford to be seen as being weak. I'm not among Ace's most trusted lieutenants for nothing. So no, I wasn't too hard on them, Ace will have my hide if they screw up." He said firmly.
"My brother is extreme with punishment after all a collection of merciful enchanted weapons and herd mates that at two of the strongest spell casters in Equestria. He has quite a arsenal for punishment. Though he is slightly more lax on family Charger is not. And she would and can bury a pony or human in paper work. Death by an infinity of paper cuts." explained Shadow.
Wind Whistler just stared at the jet black pegasus "I see, I think." she replied
Bryan nodded "Yeah I really don't want to deal with all of that paperwork, again." He said sounding defeated.
Below they could see Ace and the thirteenth Hex and Shadowrunner had rejoined them and looked fine an large mob of enemies was gathered before them.
Shadow Wing chuckled "Looks like we got here in time for the show. Hey Moonlight magic up us some popcorn. This is a something you only get to see once in a blue moon." He said looking on the seen below.
"Warriors of the Equestria's thirteenth regiment answer me! Before the enemies of Equestria, who are we!?" Shouted Ace as he drew his sword the air around him crackling with gold lightning.
Each of those he chose to fight took stance and drew their weapons or charged there magic. Razzle and Dazzle had magic energy swirling off them forming a spiral, Charger was in her full plate bladed lances lowered and locked the spikes and blades on her traditional earth pony berserker full plates glinted with malice in the light. Red hair took a stance on his hind legs holding his pike the head of which head was coated in flames that seemed to have spread to his mane and tail. Jammer pulled a keytar in front of her and as she took to the air. Shadowrunner opened his wings letting the serrated hooked wing blades glint in the light of the setting sun. Hex drew a Nieghponese (Chinese) short sword as strange marking started glowing over his body. Steamer's pendant glowed as her giant bladed anchor appeared and her pony body cracked and shatters revealing her to be a siren pony. She grasped the large weapon running her tongue over her sharp teeth.
Shadow shutters "I actually dated her before we joined the guard."
Below the thirteenth shouted. "We are the blade of Equestria's sword! We are what the nightmares that hide in the dark of the night fear!" The sun sank below the sky and the moon rose draping every thing in a cool soft red light. "We are the Everfree Watch! Ace Crimson Moon's Thirteenth regiment of Luna's Guard!"
"What is in your right hoof?!" Ace shouted
"A weapon forged of the souls of the dead!" they shouted
"What is in your left hoof?!" Ace shouted
"Thirteen bits to cross into Tartarus!" they answered
What do you see before you?!" shouted Ace
"The enemies of Equestria that I am to kill!" they shouted.
"Then I release you chains my demons! Go forth and attack!" Ace shouted.
Moonlight walked up to Shadow holding some popcorn in her levitation spell. As she hoofed it over to him she looked at the sight below "This is a very impressive gathering of warriors commander. I have never seen the thirteenth in action before."
Bryan and Wind Whistler looked at each other shocked "She's a sea pony!" they both exclaimed in unison.
Bryan turned to Shadow "You dated her!? You dated a sea pony? I didn't even know there were sea ponies in Equestria." Bryan shook his head, there were some obvious differences but the basics were the same. Steamer was a sea pony no doubt about it.
Wind Whistler blinked, this was a shocking development. "I can not believe this, dragons weren't really a shock, but a sea pony most certainly is. And she looks so different too."
Bryan nodded "Yes, she is much bigger for one thing and her teeth clearly show that she's a carnivore too. I wonder how she moves around without her regular pony form though, unless..." Bryan's eyes widened with shock "Her pendant!" he shouted
Wind Whistler looked at him "What about it Bryan?"
Bryan scratched his chin then spoke "I'll bet it allows her to move through the air in same way she moves through the water."
Wind Whistler eyes widened with a realization "The lower resistance of air would mean that she would far more effectively in the air than in water. The result should be quite deadly."
"It's worse then that. Her kind have vocal magic as well as the pendant was actually a part of her body if you look at her chest you can see her sea gem. Sirens are the sea pony equivalent of unicorns. They can only hover on land not fly but it still gives them one heck of a speed boost and the max height is restricted by how much power they have. They can also feed on emotions like changelings and windagos do. But only to increase their power and they feed on conflict. So her being in the thirteenth was basically a lifetime all you can eat buffet." Explained Shadow Wing before taking a hoof full of popcorn.
Below the battle had began in earnest. Ace had yet to swing his sword instead directing massive strikes of lightning with his wings at rang leaving charred and burnt smoking corpses in the wake of each bolt.
Red was showing why his family passed down his ancestors name. He strode forward taking swing with each step wading in to the enemies leaving Those that where not cleaved in twain by his pike to writhe in agony as they burn alive. "Is this the best you got?! When will some one provide me with a descent challenge!?" He bellowed before bring the pike down slicing a minotuar in half down the middle along with his weapon and smashing through the floor in to the room below taking him from sight.
Razzle and Dazzle where living up to there names they launched volleys of spells at the enemies as the danced with each other the spell would explode on impact making shower of gore and blood around the as they danced to a song in their heads.
Charger was streak of red glinting in the moonlight as she ran and ran throes that did not die on her lance blades suffered as her momentum dragged them in close were they where ripped to bits on her armor as her spiked shoes tore their lower halves to the ground beneath her hooves.
Above Jammer was playing her concert of death her music blowing out the ear drums of the griffons causing them lose there balance, and thus ability to orient themselves in flight dooming them to crash or fall to there deaths.
Back on the ground Hex was showing how his magic truly worked the wards on his body gave him grace and speed but the ones on his sword could only be called evil. Every strike even the slightest nick caused those hit shriek in pain as their limbs withered and died or they themselves did.
Shadowrunner was showing his way of fighting quite messy for a ninja. His serrated hooked wing blades where used to great effect cutting throats and arteries leaving his victims to die in pools of there own gushing blood.
Steamer skimmed around like a shark swinging her anchor and spinning with it and taking bloody chunks out of her foes with her knife like teeth.
Wind Whistler stood silently watching the battle without so much as a word.
Eclipse looked at Bryan and asked him. "Lieutenant Luna why she being so quiet?"
"She has read about actual military conflicts, but has never actually seen one happen until now Lieutenant Glow. And it was simple bad luck that her first such battle would be between members of the thirteenth and a bunch largely unskilled thugs. It's not so much a battle as a one sided slaughter down there." Bryan replied
He turned to Shadow "So steamer is a siren pony then? If there are sirens there logic dictates that there would be sea ponies as well." he said "What's next? Equestria has Flutterponies too?"
"Black Lotus is one but she hides it like steamer. Riptide, Undertow, and White Cap are sea ponies. They also use magic to hide this as well as about a dozen other of the thirteenth are not actually regular ponies using magic to hide what they are. The reason is some would be called monsters if not in disguise. That said I don't know how many or all there names. Just that Ace recruits outside of the normal channels. Yes we take in those guard recruits that show promise. But most he picks from the public. Jammer was a grown mare with no cutie mark when he met her in Baltimare, Red Hair was a bandit and though he is not here he actually found Joker's Wild in brig psych ward awaiting a section eight discharge for his experiments. My brother sees the world differently where most ponies see a monster, a mad pony, or an evil pony. He sees strengths that need refocusing. That said I think my brother is totally nuts in my mind. But I still do as he asks cause he dose only what he thinks is best for Equestria or his family." said Shadow Wing
He looked at Wind Whistler "Watch and remember well what you see Wind Whistler. Bryan calls you sister he is soon to be Ace and I's cousin so this is him fighting for you our cousin this is how far he goes for family. Soon he will go to Dream Valley and bring the rest of the ponies in Ponyland and beyond to safety here in Equestria. What you see is what awaits those who threatened you and your kin back home." said Shadow "Welcome home cousin."
"Enough of these games, let's make our point!" Shouted Ace. He raised his sword above his sword and flapped in to the air as the Katana glowed and changed in to a massive full blade. "Crystal Zephyr! Split the sky in twain!" He shouted before swinging his blade. There was a great gust of wind that struck Blueblood's stronghold which caused a wall to collapse and sending the debris into the valley bellow with a massive crash . He landed before the trembling enemies his troops forming up behind him Red hair bursting out of the ground his whole body in flames with a diamond dog impaled on his weapon. "Come who has the courage to stand before us!" shouted Ace.
The enemies turned and dropped their weapons and fled from the thirteenth. Ace's weapon shifted again in to a pike. "Kill them let not a single warrior escape!" Shouted Ace. He and his men charged after them deeper in to the mountain out of the site of the ship but sounds of the battle still echoed from within as smoke started to rise from caves and windows.
Shadow sighs "Well all a we can do is wait for them to finish. My brother is never one to leave enemies a resource. A base like this would have been a good stronghold and even a good source of materials as a mine. Now none of the survivors will want to be in a thousand miles and any stories about it will make them avoid it. Because when so many die a curse is said to haunt such places." Said Shadow as he takes some more popcorn.
After an hour had past the sounds of battle started to die down after another blast and another wall being blown out saw the dog skidding along the ground bouncing three times before rolling to a stop. Ace walked out spinning his weapon as turned from the fullblade to katana as he walked up to her. "Buck! She's out cold. What a weakling, I though I could get a challenge out of an Alpha." Said Ace as stands over her. Slowly the other members of the strike team walk out of the the mountain base. None of them look injured or even winded. Steamer, had a bone of some kind in her teeth as she floated over chewing on the other end.
Ace looked around "We will bring her with. She might know where blue balls went. Will send the grunts of Celestia's guard to secure what's left here." Said Ace getting nods. He spread his wings and massive gold bolt of lightning climbed to the sky calling for pick up.
One pick up by the elevator from hell later Ace and pony Steamer walks in to bridge. "Where is my new cousin?" Said Ace as he walked on to the bridge out of his armor. He looked at Wind Whistler. "There she is. Give your little cousin a hug." He said before trotting over and hugging her with his wings.
Wind Whistler looked at Ace confused "How in the world did you do that with your sword?"
Bryan laughed "I can answer that a little. The Crystal Zephyr is a magic weapon that amplifies it's user's latent magic."
Wind Whistler looked at Bryan "Well that seems quite obvious, but what I really want to know is it is able to change shape. This feature is illogical, it is a weapon and not capable of changing it's shape."
Bryan smirked at her "Accept when it responds to the will it's owner." Wind Whistler's jaw dropped and Bryan waved his hand dismissively. "It's an easy oversight to make. Anyway it's a kind of sympathetic magic like the Rainbow of Light is."
"Yes but where on earth did he find it? A weapon like that wouldn't just be laying around somewhere."
Bryan looked at Ace "You wanna answer that one or should I?"
"Would you believe a talking crocodile creature and Fox girl gave it to me after I helped stop a snow-clops from releasing the wendagos when I was younger?" said Ace.
Steamer facehoofed "Not that story again captain. When will you actually tell us how you got that thing? Every time anypony asks he spins a tall tail about another dimension and islands floating in the sky and no one, not even us in the thirteenth believe it."
"Fine be that way but I keep telling you guys the truth sometimes fact is stranger then fiction." said Ace.
Wind Whistler's pink eyes narrowed at Ace. "That is an utterly preposterous story Ace!" she said
"Actually the story I was told is that he found it in a crystal cavern while on assignment in the Crystal Empire. He didn't say what the mission was though but it sounded really important to me." Bryan looked at Ace with an expression of nice try but nopony will ever buy that one Ace.
Wind Whistler then turned and looked at Bryan "And why are you in a military group Bryan? I know how strongly you dislike fighting. So why join an organization that guarantees that you'll be fighting?"
Bryan got down on his knees to look her directly in the eyes "There is a lot I need to tell you about my life big sister." he sighed "Including the changes in my romantic relationships. Before that however I will tell you that Megan is here with us and waiting for us in Ponyville."
Her eyes softened "All right Bryan, where are going to have this conversation?"
He smiled "Let's go down to the galley and get some tea while we talk." Wind Whistler nodded and followed him to the ship's galley.
"Don't forget about she gets to come to my mansion for the reunion. After all you are a cousin now given one of your herd mates and mine are cousins. And the That story nopony believes is what I didn't tell you." called Ace.
Bryan looked at Wind Whistler "If you'll follow me it's right this way big sister." He said as they left for the ship's kitchen.
After arriving they sat down to some Jasmine tea and Wind Whistler asked Bryan "So what's this about a herd? Aren't you still with Megan?"
Bryan smiled "Back together with Megan more like, and it was her and Twilight that brought the idea up in the first place."
Wind Whistler looked at the human she'd took on as a brother quizzically "What do you mean back with Megan Bryan?"
He sighed "We were separated for ten years and wouldn't you know it. The day after Twilight and I had our first night together Megan comes back into my life." he laughed.
Wind whistler looked at him expectantly "What do you mean you were separated Bryan?"
"Look sis, I really don't wanna talk about it. It's something that happened and I'm done dwelling on it is all." he replied
"So you're not letting it get in your way then?" she said
Bryan nodded "Yeah, it's a my past is not today kinda thing. I've moved on from those events and I'm not letting them weigh me down." He said with a smile. "So yeah Megan and Twilight discussed the idea while Ace and I were doing some work to secure a survey site outside of Ponyville. We got attacked and captured by some changelings, and after a bit Megan, Twilight, Trixie and Sunset came and rescued us. It was a classic role reversal for not the first time in my life." He chuckled dryly "I do appreciate that Megan is there for me when I need her, but I need to stop getting in tight spots where she has to rescue me."
Wind whistler looked at Bryan "So how many are going to be in this herd of yours Bryan? I know you well and I also know how feel about certain things."
Bryan gave a lop-sided smile "Yeah, I know. there are size limits on herds in Equestria, there can only be four of us in the herd." He stopped to think for a moment. "When Ace and I were in the hospital after the damage done to us by the changelings our fourth herd mate joined us. A very bouncy and cheerful earth pony by the name of Pinkie Pie. She came to me in my room and confessed her feelings, when I asked her how long she had felt that way she couldn't be sure." he chuckled again "When she told me that she felt that way I realized that I loved her too, and the rest is history as they say. I know you're not shocked by this, me falling in love with ponies."
Wind Whistler chuckled herself "No little brother I am indeed not surprised by this from either you or Megan. From almost your first moments in Ponyland the two of you demonstrated your xenophilic tendencies. So it's no surprise at all."
The two fell into a comfortable silence for a little while and then Wind Whistler spoke up again. "So Bryan you're fighting, what changed?"
Bryan smiled "We were fighting when were in Ponyland too big sister. It may have been by different means but it was still fighting all the same. I was just too young to realize it all of the way back then."
She considered his words for a moment. "Well I'm sure you have good reasons for what you're doing Bryan. I don't see you having done this on a whim after all."
Bryan snorted suddenly. "I must have sounded so stupid and naive back then. Fighting isn't the way." he shook his head "That's just not true sometimes you have no choice but to fight, especially when you want keep those you love." he slammed his hand on the table in frustration.
Wind Whistler placed her hoof on his hand "Bryan you were very young then and couldn't know what was ahead of you. These are things you have to learn as you grow older. Even with your level of intuition you can't predict the future." She said as she stroked his hand in a soothing gesture.
Bryan smiled at her.
As they sat there having a light-hearted conversation about the goings on in Ponyland some of the Blood Moon's crew trotted into the galley. Bryan looked up and saw them and the expressions they were wearing. "Crap." He muttered to himself as they approached the table they were sitting at.
Razzle and Dazzle the twin sisters reached her first. "Oh my gosh! I can't believe we get to meet you in person!" They squealed in unison (while some twins will finish each other's sentences when excited these two talk as one) "Can you sign our books?" they asked.
Red walked around the line and helped him self to some sake the captain kept on the ship. He poured three cups and as he was walking past he set two on the table between Bryan and Wind Whistler. "You two might need this." He said before walking a way taking a sip from his cup.
Wind Whistler looked at the two of the curiously "Alright I suppose I can do that." She said taking the book in hoof and reading the title. It read Rescue at Midnight Castle by Bryan Luna. She looked at him "Bryan what is this?" She said in a even tone that betrayed nothing.
Bryan facepalmed "I wrote about our adventures in Ponyland. I did it I part to deal with how badly I was missing all of you. Also a part of me really wanted to share these stories with everypony." he sighed "I just couldn't be dishonest with all of these ponies, many of them helped me when I was at my lowest."
"I see." Wind Whistler said flatly. She turned back the twin unicorns "Do either of you have a pen?"
Jammer hoofed hers over. It had a bat on a spring dangling thing on it. "Use mine it can even write when upside down." She said under her wing was a copy of The Return of Tambelon story.
Behind her was Shadowrunner with a stack of books and ink pot and quill. With Hex behind him floating a single book.
Red was sitting at table nursing his drink as he watched with amusement.
Wind Whistler looked slightly shocked. All of these ponies not only knew who she was but had some kind of fan thing going on for her, and she presumed the other ponies of Ponyland as well. As she took the pen and began to sign she asked "Is these anything specific you would like me to write?"
Bryan meanwhile glared at Red, it was fairly well known in the thirteenth that Bryan had a very bad reaction to any kind alcohol.
Red just smiled and raised his cup to him.
"To Dazzle from Wind Whistler would be good." said Dazzle.
"Same for me only my name is Razzle, you are so awesome some say you are the smartest pegasus ever based on the stories." said Razzle
Bryan's glare turned into a piercing gaze.
"Very well." Wind Whistler said as she signed. "And I wouldn't say I'm the smartest pegasus, I am certain that there are other pegasi as smart as me."
Bryan muttered under his breath "Luna help me if I'm the same room with you, Twilight, and Sunset." Bryan said "My head will explode."
Wind Whistler just gave him a sharp look and returned to the task at hoof.
Razzle and Dazzle giggled and squealed as they took back there books and pranced off.
Jammer set her book down. "Can you have mine say to Jammer thanks for helping rescue me. Best wishes Wind Whistler." Said Jammer blushing as she used her leathery wing to set the book on the table.
Ace walked in and chuckled at the sight. He walked to the table. "Having fun being famous and an idol to millions of foals everywhere?" Asked Ace with crooked grin.
"Really I am no more responsible than anyone else for our successes. I just don't understand it." Wind Whistler replied.
Bryan just shook his head and smiled. "That's my big sister. " He thought to himself.
"It's not so much how or what you did and more about who and what you are. Many ponies even pegasi themselves see level headed thinking, and planed organization as something more of a unicorn thing. Not something us brash, quick tempered and often quicker to act pegasus ponies do. While there are few exceptions most public hero's younger ponies see are ponies of action. Even the more educated ones like Professor Daring Do. Or our world's General Firefly my ancestor are better known for skill and speed then for their brains and problem solving. I mean most ponies see a Wonderbolts show and all they see is cool stunts not the hours of math behind them." said Ace
Wind Whistler looked at Bryan.
He shrugged and said "It's true big sister. The pegasus ponies of Equestria are well known for being action oriented, and not for being big brained thinkers. There are a few notable exceptions like my friend Ditzy, who is more known for being a sweet slightly scatter-brained single mother and very good mail mare. The pegasus ponies of Equestria have along history of being weather managers and a long and proud tradition of military service. In fact the majority of the royal guard has always been comprised of pegasi. So a hyper intelligent pegasus like you really breaks the mold here in Equestria."
Bryan turned to Ace "Actually all of the Ponyland pegasi are very different than the pegasi here. Mama Heart Throb and Princess Tiffany are both very prissy like Rarity is. This is going to be a rough integration I'm afraid, especially since Ponyland ponies are so few in number. even with the Sea Ponies and Flutterponies there are only about a hundred or so."
"Just keep those Flutterponies away from Black Lotus. There is a reason she dose not mix with her own tribe. As for the sea ponies I'm sure they will be able to find a happy home in ether Ponyville lake or the Sparkling Sea, though if I remember most sea ponies mares are snobbish jerks... That is from what I was told by Aquarestrian ponies in my ranks. That can vary though." He puts his wing around Wind Whistler. "You will love his choice of mares though Pinkie is like Surprise if the book are anything to go by and Twilight Sparkle is a alicorn princess and lives in a library. So you and her should get along swimmingly. And you know Megan." said Ace
Shadowrunner set his stack of books down. "It's for my foal back home... she's a week flyer but she liked the stories. Her old set is wearing out so I figured a new autographed set would make her day. Also can you sign them too m- Bryan and maybe get Megan to sign them as well." He scratched the back of his head. Clearly having a hard time asking for this favor.
"Well I think we'll keep them in the lakes and rivers around Ponyville, if the Sea Ponies from the Shining Sea are really like that I don't want them to deal with it." Bryan replied
Wind Whistler looked at Ace "We'll see, these ponies should be able to meet with our approval." She looked at Bryan with a serious expression. "I want to be certain these two ponies will do nothing to harm you Bryan, and the rest of your sisters and your mothers will want to meet them as well."
Bryan laughed "They never would big sister, and I'm sure you'll love them too." He then looks to Shadowrunner "Well I know Megan will have no problem doing that if it's for a foal, and neither do I." he then looks to Ace "I think Twilight will want your help with security for her coronation by the way Ace. We'll need to confirm that, but I suspect it's true."
Wind whistler sniff at the sake in the cup "Oh this smells awful, what is it?"
Bryan looked at her "It's sake, and you shouldn't drink it unless you wanna be put on your ass for a week." she stared at him "This isn't the strong stuff either. That would put you out for a lot longer than that." He said while handing his cup to Ace.
Ace downed the whole thing in one shot. "Smooth. Very week. It's from Oatako island. One cup won't knock her out she might be buzzed or tipsy at worst. Besides she will have to at least have a sip of sake at the reunion as well you. Formality and all that tradition things." Said Ace as he set the empty cup upside down.
Bryan shook his head "Ace if she or I do that we'll be too sick to do anything. There is no alcohol in Ponyland of any kind that I can speak of and nopony there has ever had any. And I would rather not have them get into it because it could hurt them."
"That is why it's my mission from now till the reunion to build up you twos tolerances for alcohol." Said Ace with the same smile he would have when he was training Bryan.
Bryan shook his head "It doesn't work that way for me Ace, I will always get sick no matter what. You can't force something like that it will go badly."
Wind Whistler just looked at Ace "I personally have no interest in drinking something like this, it seems awful to me."
"You both will have to if the emperor dose decide to drop in a sake toast is tradition and is mandatory death for disrespecting him to any that don't. Lots of old traditions and being stuck in their ways back home." Said Ace sounding a little sad about it.
"That is something that is meaningless Ace." Bryan replied "I can't change my vulnerability to alcohol. And given how strong sake can be it might be deadly following that tradition. The Emperor will just have to deal with reality for a change and realize that the world doesn't run according to his will or traditions."
"He sounds less like a ruler and more like tyrant to me." Wind Whistler said bluntly.
"Actually he hates sake. But you can't change a tradition unless three generations of emperors sign the change he is the first to try and change that one. I'll think of something though if he shows up. I always do." said Ace
Bryan and Wind Whistler looked at each other unsure of what to make of this new information.
Later after the return to Ponyville and Ace having to persuade Charger to not make and in depth personal report on the rescue mission directly to Princess Luna. Twilight did indeed ask Ace if he and the thirteenth would help provide security for her coronation. She insisted that she didn't feel comfortable trusting anypony else at this point.
Wind Whistler watched Twilight with Bryan during the preparations, and she did like what she was seeing. She also watched Pinkie during these events too. After a week the day had come.
The Thirteenth made for a grand if intimidating honor guard. With half in the finest ceremony armors some older then Celestia herself. Others were hid in the crowd watching for anything suspicious those not pleasant had what Ace called the fun job Forest patrol which was simple walk around the edges of and any nasty they tried to leave beat back in.
Bryan was standing and waiting for the ceremony to begin while talking briefly with Wind Whistler.
"Well I must say that I've found both Twilight Sparkle and Pinkie Pie to quite attentive to you and your needs Bryan. I do not feel that they will fail to take care of you when you need it." she said
Bryan laughed a little "Yeah they've always been like that since I first came here. Twilight was actually the first pony I had contact with and if she hadn't acted as quickly as she did," he paused for a moment "I just don't know what would have happened to be honest."
"Well regardless I am certain this herd of yours will work out well Bryan. even though you have proven to adverse to leadership type roles in the past." Wind Whistler replied.
Bryan started to crack up at the remark while Wind Whistler fumed at him. "Bryan I fail to what so so funny about that observation!"
After a few moment he calmed himself and spoke. "Sorry big sister, it's just that mares are in charge of the herds in Equestria. When you are in a herd the group chooses an alpha mare to be that head of the herd. Marriages are co-equal partnerships though."
"Oh I see." Wind whistler said "So who will be the alpha mare then?"
Bryan though for a moment "Megan will probably be our best choice. It's not that Twily or Pinkie couldn't do the job of being an alpha, it's just that Megan is our best choice. And I bet they will agree with me. It's still all being sorted out at the moment. Things have been kinda getting in the way."
"I see." Wind Whistler replied "It does make sense to me that Megan would your choice for the position. And from what I am seeing from your herd mates I do think that they will agree with you Bryan."
He nodded "Exactly big sister."
Wind Whistler looked at Bryan "Bryan shouldn't Megan have joined us by now?" she asked
Bryan chuckled "Yeah I'm betting that Coco is fussing over some last minute details on her dress. No doubt Rarity is doing the same with Twilight's. I'll go and check on them real quick."
"I will go and wait with the others." Wind Whistler replied.
As he walked down the hall Bryan thought hard about the events that were unfolding. It was odd to him, like it was contrived somehow. Like someone was intentionally setting things up to go a certain way. As he reached the door to the room where Rarity and Twilight were he couldn't help but feel a small sense of dread, to much of his past was suddenly coming back into his life, and all at once it seems. He reached out and knocked on the door. "Rarity, are you almost done in there? Everypony is waiting?" he said
The door opened and Rarity stuck her head out "It's going just fine in here darling, I am very nearly done." she replied
"Okay may I see Twilight then?" asked Bryan
Rarity gave a silvery laugh "Oh heavens no dear, it's very bad luck for you to see your princess in her dress before the coronation."
Bryan raised his right eyebrow "I think you're confused Rares, that superstition applies to seeing the bride before than wedding."
"Bryan darling you have waited for three years to see Twilight be crowned and five more minutes won't hurt you. Besides being in a herd isn't that different in many ways dear. No go on darling, off with you now. Shoo, shoo!" She said shooing him with her hoof.
He just smiled "Okay Rarity, you're right. I can wait a bit longer, though I am still going to check on Coco real quick. She was really nervous, the poor thing."
"Please do dear, I am rather worried about the poor dear." Rarity responded.
"I'll see you at the ceremony then Rarity." Bryan said as he left. "I doubt she has bit off more than she can chew." Bryan mused to himself as he went down the hall to the room where Coco and Megan were located. He walked up to the door and knocked on it.
"Just a moment." Coco's voice came from the other side of the door. "Oh hi Bryan." Coco beamed "What are you doing here?"
He smiled "Oh I am here to see how it's coming, and check on you for Rarity."
Coco blushed "Well I am all done and was going to come and get you so you could see the dress." She looked up at Bryan. "Rarity was worried about me?"
"Yeah." Bryan said as he walked into the room "You know how she is by know Coco, she cares for all of her friends and worries about them."
Coco smiled "I know, I'm really grateful that she gave me this chance to work on Megan's clothes. I't a great opportunity for me. Okay wait right here for just a moment Bryan." She said before heading behind a privacy screen. "Are you ready?" Coco said from behind the screen.
"Yes let's see it." Bryan replied
"Okay Megan it's show time." Coco said as Megan stepped from behind the screen wearing a royal purple and midnight blue dress with silver trim.
Bryan was speechless while Megan giggled "You see Coco? I told you he would be impressed."
Bryan stepped back to get a good look at Megan's dress. It was quite a sight. "Wow Coco you did a great job." he said
The blushing earth pony smiled "Thank you Bryan." Coco replied.
Bryan got a look at Megan and noticed something different, a royal purple ribbon decorated her hair rather than her usual red or pink ribbon. He whistled. "You look great Megan."
Megan smiled "Thank you Bryan, but aren't you supposed to be getting ready too?"
Bryan facepalmed "Luna's grace! I forgot!" He replied rushing out of the room and across the hallway to get ready. Megan and Coco looked at each other and giggled.
He entered the room to see as with his fore legs crossed and floating in the air with his wings flapping. "You're late Cousin. And given you will be part of this ceremony and marrying those mares today I had something made for you. Consider it sort of a wedding present."a men's kimono "This one is used manly for weddings and herd ceremonies. But the colors are midnight blue to black rather then white gray. Also those swords are for ceremony as well but if anything tries something they can still be used I had wood sheathed in sliver plating. So the Katana and Wakashi match with Luna's guard pattern. It will be the last night you wear Luna's colors. The rest of the unit are in the new parade armor with Twilight's marking on it. I have a hoof band of storing with mine in it so I will quick change when I'm done making you look like a noble." said Ace
Bryan facepalmed again "It's a herding Ace, not a wedding. remember there is distinction between them in Equestria. And I really don't need to look like a noble, they're stuck up and selfish. I swear you're as bad a Rarity is sometimes."
"Yes but only when it counts. Now quit your fussing and get changed as you need to look the part and shove it in their snobbish faces that you out rank those collective plot heads. Besides, they hate when I influence anything in court and you dressed in this well drive them to squirm in their seats. Besides I'll rot in Tartarus before I let Rarity stuff you in a purple sequined tuxedo. " He said as he opens the door to show exactly that and it had a pink puffy blouse under shirt with it. "So stallion up and wear the robes or do you think you can pull of a Canterlot music awards tuxs? At least mine makes you look like a real stallion and you get swords with it."
Bryan facepalmed once more "Rarity when this is done we are gonna have a long talk about that thing." He muttered under his breath. He loved Rarity as much as any of his friends, but her sensibilities were too much for him sometimes. He started to get into the kimono and said to Ace "You do remember those upperclass ponies aren't nobles don't you Ace? I'm sure they don't act very differently but they are just to wealthy for their own good. Well accept Fancy Pants, he seems to be a genuine stallion to some extent at least." He looked at the flamboyant tux once more and shook his head.
"I call them the same as they act besides they are to much like the nobles back home which is why I avoid having a reunion. Because it invites all the ones with blood ties to me to come over and try to get me to aid in what ever stupidity they are planing against each other. Even though I just report it to the emperor or empress and laugh as their schemes fall apart and they still haven't figured out I am the snitch. Either that or they really do believe kirin are gods like alicorns. Which is why I set Hammer up with a nice bat pony rather then accept those match making offers from the other clans. Mind you Night Shadow is good soldier and is rising in the ranks on his own but you don't make officers without a mare behind you. At least not with out a lot of gifts that he dose not have." Said Ace as he ties the sash properly. "There you go, the up side is you get to keep your normal underwear too. Unlike what Rarity had made you. Trust me when I say that mare needs to get a book on the difference between stallion' s and mare's fashion." added Ace.
Bryan laughed "Those idiots never do learn, that's why they are not real leaders like you or the princesses. Though I am still confused by the idea that alicorns are gods of any kind, Cadence and Twilight are just ponies the same as Luna and Celestia. There is nothing 'god like' about them." He stretched a bit "As for Rarity she just wants make sure everypony looks their best, she just gets a little overly enthusiastic sometimes. Like Sweetie Belle, only not as cute."
"That's one way to put it. She tried to put me in matching suit. I made her faint when I showed her my dress armor." He activated the ring of equipment and in a flash he was in a gold suit of traditional Equestria full plate with the wing gloves and spikes and slit visors. On the flanks had his cutiemark but on the for head and chest was twilight's start. "I found a set of traditional full plate it's a little heavier then my normal armor but it looks a lot cooler and has that nice heavy clank that intimidates and one wanting to cause trouble. Also the gems of Twilight's cutiemark at enchanted it has a reactive speed shield and water breathing so it doubles as a dive suit and anti magic as gold deflects spells and reduces there impact."
"Nice, very nice indeed." Bryan replied "Well we'd better get out there so we're not late." He said as he exited the room, only to find Megan and Coco waiting for them. It was then that they saw Coco's dress which was simple white and pink dress that reminded Bryan and Ace both of Megan's dress from the night of the costume ball at Dream Castle.
"Well let's go I have to stand around and look awesome while you three just look pretty." Said Ace who then started to clank down the hall he seemed to be making more noise then need as he seems to be enjoying his new armor.
Bryan once again tried to glare a hole through the back of Ace's head. "Let's go you two." He huffed sounding annoyed.
As they moved through the hallway Bryan marveled at just how big Ponyville city hall was. It amazed him to some extent that a town the size of Ponyville would have such a large city hall. They came out of the hallway and into the main area where the coronation was being held and another feature of the city fall was shown, the number of ponies it could support in the main area was also quite large. Bryan and Megan moved to take their places near Princess Celestia and Princess Luna, naturally Pinkie was already waiting along with the rest of their friends.
Ace could be seen in his armor along with most of the thirteenth those that weren't where scattered in "plain clothes" in the crowds or in the V.I.P box where Charger Sat in a dress looking rather uncomfortable.
Bryan cocked his head in confusion at the sight, he had never seen Charger in anything vaguely resembling a dress before. While he took no amusement in her discomfort he had to admit that she looked good in a dress. "Maybe she should let her feminine side show more. " he thought to himself.
Megan took Bryan's hand when she noticed him fidget slightly as the twin doors to the main area opened and Twilight's procession began. Twilight was proceeded by four beautiful white earth ponies that were singing. Behind her stood four volunteers from Celestia's own personal guard.
The noticeable wing twitch by Ace showed that he felt insulted that Celestia's goons where doing the entry march. Even if he didn't like the reassignment of command chain he still felt his troops could have done the job and looked much more impressive then the Canterlot show pony guards that Celestia keeps as eye candy.
Trixie and Sunset who had been waiting on Ace moved closer to him to calm him down. Sunset mouthed "Let it go Ace." to him.
"Yeah I know but big events have been magnets for trouble." Ace whispered to them with out moving the magic in his helm also relayed it to the others on duty.
Charger's ear twitched and she lifted her hoof seeming to take a sip of tea. "If You weren't so good at seeing trouble most would call you paranoid." She mumbled before taking a sip.
Jokers Wild in the crowd with his wife and foals chuckled then spoke in to his pipe. "Yeah but I'd rather put on the show that we are ready and nothing happen then not jump through hoops and run the barrels and then something goes down. Look at that wedding mess. Those ponies in the capital are going soft."
Bryan's eyes were sharply assessing the room even though he was never paranoid he was very well trained and kept up his guard just in case. Megan was also being more alert than usual, but this was done subtly that nopony noticed, not even Ace.
Celestia cleared her throat and the room went quite. "My little ponies, humans, and dragon. We are gathered hear to day to crown Twilight Sparkle the Princess of Friendship. Through her action and deeds she has strived to help and make friends wherever she goes. From her rescue of Young Bryan to helping him become one of our truest and loyalest friends. Along with many other acts of kindness, honesty, loyalty, generosity,and laughter, that she and her friends have achieved. She has come to understand the true meaning of the magic of friendship. She has also shown her leadership ability and to stay cool under pressure in the recent crisis. So it is with great honor I crown Twilight Sparkle the Princess of Friendship!" Said Celestia before setting a crown on Twilight's head.
The crowd cheered. Ace stares out at the masses waiting for anything.
Twilight turned to face the wildly applauding crowd and smiled. Princess Celestia nudged her gently and whispered. "Say something Princess Twilight."
Twilight looked over the crowd and at four mares in particular before speaking. "When my mentor Princess Celestia sent to me to Ponyville a few years ago I had to leave some very dear friends of mine. In doing so I found that I could have more friends than I had ever thought possible before. My time here has opened my eyes to so many possibilities that can be brought about by the power of friendship." She continued to look at the four unicorns as she spoke. "not only did I realize just how special my old friends are, but how important it is to make new friends and help other to find the magic of friendship for themselves. So to my friends from the Academy for Gifted Unicorns and those I have here in Ponyville, thank you, thank you all so much. I can truthfully say that I would not be the pony I am today without you all. because of all of you I am the luckiest pony in all of Equestria." She turned her gaze on Bryan who shifted uncomfortably in his spot. "And Bryan don't think that I would ever forget to mention the lesson you taught me about staying true to your friends even when you are separated from them. Your loyalty to all of your friends back on your world even though you are so far from them is a lesson we can all benefit from."
Bryan coughed and replied "Thank you Twilight, I do appreciate that. they may not be here physically but I will always hold them in my heart."
Megan squeezed his hand again and whispered. "I am so proud of you Bryan. I love you."
Bryan blushed "I love you Megan, and Twilight and Pinkie too." Bryan replied earning a collective "Awww." from the audience.
Ace heard snoring from the head set. "Somepony wake up Red, I'm bored as Tartarus too but I'm not sleeping on watch. " a soft ugh came over the radio as somepony woke the the warrior.
Bryan facepalmed and then saw Princess Luna approaching with a deep scowl on her face. He swallowed hard as she bent down to Ace and spoke to him in a low menacing tone "Captain Crimsonmoon kindly have Red Hair meet me in the mayor's office. We have to discuss his on duty lapse." Luna's tone left no room for argument. She snorted and trotted off to the office.
"Whoa," Megan said "she didn't look very happy."
Bryan shivered "That is not good, I've never seen Luna like that before."
"That's just how Red Hair gets to her. He is a undead bandit by Equestria law. And he also um... loopholed in to ranks by my joining under a old law of noble house service. If a noble Lord or other official joins the ranks as many of his personal guard can accompany him as he or she likes. It was never removed cause some times foreign princes come to serve in Equestria as part of their education and they need protection from assassination. That's how Tia knows the Saddle Arabian royal family so well." Ace explained then sighed. "She will give him a ear full but given he is one my warriors she can do anything more legally then dock his pay. But given he can only buy booze with money he earns from his work for her and now Twilight that will do far more to punish him then anything I would do."
Actually," Bryan replied "that's not really true. According to Equestrian law Red's crimes are are largely irrelevant because they occurred in Neighpon and not Equestria. So he is officially listed as a reformed criminal and viewed as a valuable resource when it come to countering bandit tactics." He finished scratching his chin.
"Bryan!" Twilight beamed "When did you learn that about Equestrian law?"
"It was required for me to learn at least something about Equestrian laws because of my position as a royal adviser. I'd hardly be effective at my appointed position if I were completely unaware of said laws. I don't really understand all of it, but I do have a rather firm grasp of the basics." He said while rubbing the back of his neck.
"Okay!" Pinkie exclaimed "It's time to stop talking and start partying!"
"No alcohol for Red, said Ace." With a laugh as he herd Red cursing in there native tongue over the magic radio.
Twilight looked at her herd mates "Okay I wanna introduce you to everypony from the academy. Bryan, Pinkie, and Megan come with me, and when that's done I'll also introduce you to my family."
"Oh great. " Bryan said "I've been wanting to meet your family Twily."
The coronation after party wore on late into the night and later Megan lured Bryan into the guest room in the library to have some time alone with him. Their night together would start out peaceful, but it would not remain that way...
My Little Pony: Echos of Dream Valley
The coronation party was in full swing as Bryan sat down heavily after a slightly awkward meeting with Twilight Velvet and Night Light. Twilight's parents were kind and warm ponies but Bryan sensed that the two of then were just waiting to embarrass the newly crowned princess with all kinds of silly stories and adorable baby pictures just as Granny Smith had done with Big Macintosh, Applejack, and Apple Bloom. He smiled at the memories of those days when he was introduced to the Apple Family and how they became his second pony family. He also teared up a little at the thoughts about his first pony family. They needed his help and he couldn't yet reach them, and that worried him to no end.
"Hey Bryan!" Shouted three familiar voices shaking him from his stupor.
He looked up and saw the crusaders looking at him. "Oh hi girls. I was just thinking." he replied
"Yeah we noticed." said Scootaloo
"Are you alright Bryan? You looked kinda sad." said Apple Bloom
"Yeah." Sweetie Belle said climbing up into his lap and nuzzling him.
Bryan sniffled a little and said. "I miss my sisters, and my mothers. I want to see them again and make sure they are safe. I'm really worried right now."
Scootaloo and Apple Bloom moved to hug him from the sides. "You'll get to see them again Bryan." Apple Bloom soothed. "They're your family and you'll be able to help them."
"Yeah." said Scoots "You'll come through for them because you have us and we're going to help you in any way that we can. You'll see them again I just know it."
"And, and, and... what they said." Sweetie Belle said getting a laugh from Bryan.
Bryan hugged Sweetie Belle "I swear Sweetie if you get any cuter you'll, something." His hesitation caused all three fillies to giggle. Bryan flushed and said. "Whatever Sweetie has got, I think it's contagious." This caused all three fillies to laugh again while Bryan just stuck pout his tongue in response.
Bryan sat with the fillies for a while and let himself relax somewhat though his overall unease did not lessen one bit. It actually increased when he noticed Ace approaching him with what appeared to be a serious look on his face. "Okay you three you'd better go back to the party, Ace is coming over here and it looks important." he said
"Awww, but we wanna stay." The three of them said in unison and flashing his the strongest cute faces they had.
Ace walked up. "Aww, that's so cute. Ok crusaders, scram. We have a battle to plan and we don't need you three under hoof." Said Ace. The crusaders gave Ace the taste of their power, Ace just smiled. "I have five younger siblings. The cute face don't work on me. At least not from foals." As he made a shooing motion with his wings.
"Go on girls it's fine. We'll have plenty of time to do things together later on." Bryan said "And besides it's rude to leave your date waiting Sweetie Belle. As Rarity would say it's positively bad form dear."
Sweetie's face lit up with a realization. "Oh! That is kind of rude isn't it?" She said looking at Bryan and Ace who both nodded in ascent.
"Okay." The crusaders said in unison before giving him a group nuzzle and trotting off.
"I'm betting Hammer was the hardest one to resist when she was a filly." Bryan laughed "I mean seriously you have four sisters so I'm not really surprised you can resist them when they do that."
"Hammer is still hard to resist. Only now she has also learned it's easier to ask for forgiveness then permission. Like that stupid reunion she set in motion. I swear sometimes I wish the master had taken his belt to her a flank more often. That said I know we all got equal whooping from him when we deserved it. Still that said I never got to pay my old man back for the hoof beatings he gave me but that's just fate there. Buck when did I get old B? I'm standing around talking about the past every other chance I get these days." Said Ace with a shake of his head.
Bryan chuckled She certainly is hard to resist, my spine was actually pushed back into alignment by her when she hugged me, not that I'm complaining about it. It really sucked having that problem. As for when you got old Ace, I don't know exactly but it probably snuck up on you. Anyway I very much doubt you're here to plan a battle Ace, it's not like you to be this serious. Or is something worrying you still?" Said Bryan unable to let go of his own unease.
"Lets just say that her being here has my mane standing and my wings twitching. Because that means Blueblood has either help or a foothold in Dream Valley. So to be honest I'd feel better sending in half the thirteenth in full kit for the extraction. But at the same time it feels like we are missing way more puzzle pieces here then we even know are in the box. Blueblood was never smart or a leader. That's what has me worried. Those stories you told have a lot of villains that would not even brake a sweat manipulating him like a puppet on a string. And who knows how many showed up when you and Megan left? I might just be paranoid after the wedding and the bugs. But the Fatewriter is getting creative with our stories. I don't like it when she is clever. It means pain for lots of ponies." Ace said his superstitious side showing again.
Bryan sighed "I'm not comfortable with the vast number of unknowns here either Ace. Nopony in Equestria could get to to Ponyland from this side without help from somepony from Ponyland. To say that it's unlikely is a huge understatement. I saw Luna and Celestia talking to Twiliy, Sunset, and Trixie a few minute ago, and Megan was there too. I'm guessing their thoughts are as balls deep in this as ours are." Bryan sighed again. "There are lot of missing pieces to be sure, but we have the Royal Sisters and Megan's fusion with the rainbow going for us. I kind of wonder if this spell Chi taught you might help us out too."
"Only if we die. She is a necromancer remember. I'm not to keen on joining Red as a member of the undead. I mean yeah I've met some nice ones but I don't want to be one you know. Besides that spell has a price and Chi said that with a smile. I love my little sisters but Chi is well playing with undead while not having to fear death? I think the world she sees is not the same as we do." Said Ace his voice having a hint of unease he rarely has.
"No," Bryan replied "I mean the spell to see the threads. It led us to Wind Whistler and it may help lead us to Ponyland. All we'd need to do is focus on somepony in Ponyland, like Twilight for example, or Paradise." Bryan sighed for the third time that night. "It won't solve the overarching issues but having a guide would be better than not right?" Bryan had to admit only to himself at the moment that it was reaching, even though he was being trained in magic he knew the practice had it's limits. And he also knew that all magic has a price, and that was the part worried him to no end.
"Threads are easy to do, but that's not something to worry about. What is the worry is what we find besides ponies. I know you don't like the human weapons we have the vaults but maybe you should carry one when we go. It might be needed." Said Ace looking grim as he considered things.
"No Ace." Bryan said firmly. "Those weapon violate the natural progression of Equestrian technology and should be destroyed. Besides they don't work, I'm guessing that they were damaged by the trip from one universe to the next. It's remarkable that I survived the trip myself, and those three criminals too. There is also the fact that they weren't designed to be used on magical creatures of any kind. The likelihood that they'd actually do anything beyond piss whatever it is off and make things much worse are very remote."
"There is a way to fix them. Hammer said a mending spell could work. As to verses magic, steel is steel as they say. And anything non magical can be made so. The hard thing to do is make magical things non magical." Said Ace. This was not the first time Ace brought up human weapons. The ever tactical part of him saw them as both dangerous and potentially advantageous. But Celestia under Bryan's advice had opted to secure them. Not using them or studying them is something Ace vocally called wasting providence.
"Maybe, but those weapons have no place in this world Ace. To use or study them will cause an arms race that will only end badly. They need to be destroyed period." Bryan replied reasserting his position. "A sword doesn't claim victims indiscriminately, all firearms can no matter how good the shooter. That's why they need to stay out everypony's reach for as long as possible. More so given the aggressive tendencies of griffons and minotuars. Though honestly I'm more concerned about the griffons on this one."
"A loosed bolt doesn't care what hits either. And you haven't seen volley lines work on infantry. I have, from what you told me of them, those weapons are just as bad with out magic ad-ons. But sometimes one must deal with Oni to do good." Said Ace. He looked out a window near by. "I've seen them work before when I got this sword. Whether that was a vision test, a dream, or real. I've seen their power. But just as any tool or power. It is who wields it that matters. Always remember that." said Ace
"This world doesn't need an arms race Ace." Bryan sighed once more. "It's not that the weapons themselves are bad, but they have already been abused. Those three criminals that showed up here didn't hesitate to wrest the spears away from the other gaurdsponies accompanying you on that day and they would not have hesitated to use their guns had they been working. It's only a matter of time before some genius figures out gunpowder anyway. You already have Crossbows and Ballistea which were the first steps my race took in that direction." Bryan stood and stretched. "I'm trying to make sure the process happens naturally and not by interference, that's all. It took my people two centuries to finally gain equilibrium with these weapons and there are those who still misuse them. Do you really want somepony like Blueblood to have access to these kinds of weapons?"
"I would have cut Blueblood's horn off long ago if it was my call." Said Ace reminding Bryan again how much Ace saw Blueblood as trouble before his gamble at the wedding. It's a miracle he wasn't shouting 'I told you so!' from as high up as he could on in Celestia's face.
Bryan laughed "Yeah that was a mess and a half. I think the insurgency in Maretonia was cleaner that that wedding disaster. Lets not sit her and be all serious anymore, we have too many problems and shouldn't be worrying about them at the moment. Otherwise we'll get a visit from Doctor Pinkie Pie again." Bryan said with a shudder. As much as he did love Pinkie she caused him great alarm at times.
"Keep her and her gypsy magic away from me. I can't take her in small doses much less live with her. I seen earth ponies move mountains, but she just... I think she has horn under that mess she calls a mane." Ace grumbled. Twilight had tried to understand Pinkie Pie, while Ace just washed his hooves of her and her crazy. "Up side she is a now cousin by herding I can tern her loose on the family at the reunion. Hopefully it will stop them from wanting another for several years." He added rubbing his head.
Bryan laughed "Letting Pinkie loose in the reunion will just make it really, really fun Ace. And you seriously need to get over your fear of her, this is not helpful nor dignified." He watching Pinkie as she talked with Lyra and Bon Bon while giggling occasionally. "I mean yes it's shocking what she can do. I remember when she suddenly popped out of a mouse hole at Fluttershy's place. It took three rabbits and a kitten to calm me down afterwards. Not to mention half of a pot of tea. She felt really bad about it too." Bryan scratched his head. "Anyway she is a great strategist and a brilliant tactician. If you two teamed up you'd be able to keep your obnoxious relatives away for life. And then you wouldn't dread the reunions anymore."
"In my family I'm actually considered the obnoxious one. I hate my relatives because well, they're stuck up self centered and place way to much emphasis on formalities, and traditions. They also are still playing war over there with the other lords. Wasting troops and resources on ego." Ace was not holding back the venom. "And there are enough of them that if I do what you suggest I and my siblings would driven out our home land permanently. As much as I hate it there has to be a balance."
Bryan looked at Ace. "Three of six of you are here full time already Ace. And honestly if it really bothers you that much then just move everypony else here and tell those idiots to fuck themselves. Seriously if their behavior is that bad then it's bad for the whole family and you need to get the rest of you sisters out of the way so they can live their lives they they choose to instead of being forced to endure pointless traditions and petty, backstabbing, childish, and narcissistic behavior. Look at me me I have to take my family from their home or I'll lose them forever." Bryan sighed again. "You need to make a stand against this Ace or you won't have a family anymore. One last thing by the way, we know where Blueblood is. We just need the second to find the exact location of the changeling hive in the Badlands and we'll have him." Bryan left to join the conversation Pinkie was having with Lyra and Bon Bon leaving Ace to himself and his thoughts.
As Bryan walked off Shadow Wing appeared from behind Ace. "There is one thing wrong with what he said." Said the Ninja.
"Yes, despite being stupid, selfish and fools. They are still my family too. And the lands and its people my responsibility." said Ace
"We both do what our role in the story tells us to." Said Shadow Wing.
"You two are too obsessed with your roles, and that petty superstition. How is it better to see your family destroyed than to have it remain intact? Nothing is predetermined and nothing is as complex and you think. Seventy-eight percent of life is simple and we refuse to see it. One way from the other you Ace will have make a decision to save your family or allow for its destruction. I have chosen to save mine consequences be damned." Bryan shot back over his shoulder.
"Yes, but who do you think is the extent of those I consider family? Cousin." Said Ace making a point to ascent the word Cousin to emphasize it.
"Save your family or condemn it Ace, those are your only options." Bryan called back grimly indicating that he was done with the matter.
Bryan remained tense for the rest of the night. Ace was too wrapped up in superstition sometimes and that did annoy him, but what annoyed him most is when Ace became dramatic. Other ponies had accused Rarity of being dramatic and Bryan would always laugh at that assessment of her because it rang hollow. Now as Twilight opened the library door he followed and he followed her he huffed and sat down rubbing his now aching head.
Megan seeing this spoke up. "Twilight where is the teapot?"
"Oh, it's in the kitchen cupboard on the left above the stove. Why do you ask Megan?"
Bryan sighed as he replied. "It's a thing Megan and I do, we have some tea before bed to help us relax."
Twilight looked at Bryan. "Well you certainly seem to need it Bryan. you don't look so good." Bryan just sat in his chair and didn't really say anything.
"Come on Twi, Twi, let's leave the two them to be together for a while." said Pinkie "She'll take care of him right now." Pinkie stated as she trotted upstairs.
Twilight followed Pinkie wordlessly upstairs to put Spike to bed and get ready for bed herself.
Megan came out of the kitchen after having put the water on to boil and looked at Bryan. "What's got you so upset Bryan?"
"It's Ace, he is being dense again, and probably dramatic. He does that sometimes and it never fails to get under my skin when he does." Bryan replied flatly.
"Oh what is he being dense about?" asked Megan
"His family, he's acting like they are going out of their way to ruin the family name. Maybe they are for all I know, I've met only so many of them. But Ace is also very prone to embellishment as well so it's hard to know what's what sometimes." he sighed "I really want to hit him sometimes..." Bryan trailed off.
Megan just placed her hands on his shoulders and started to massage them when there came a knock on the door. "Who is that at this hour?" Megan said going to answer the door.
There stood Shadow Wing. He sighs. "Do you have a moment? I'm sure you have questions, both of you."
"Sure." Megan replied moving aside so Shadow could enter. "We're having some tea, would you like some?" Said Megan as she closed the door.
"No thank you. I've always preferred coffee. Never really liked Tea. So where to start?" Said Shadow as he sat down on a chair.
"Our birth Father was the last head of the clan, he was abusive to put it lightly at least to Ace and to a lesser extent to me. He graduated the Equestria Naval Academy like our grandfather. But never served in in Equestria. As Lord he focused on naval might and massed a great fleet. In ritual sea battles he was unmatched. But he was one of a dozen lords dissatisfied with mere ritual battles. So during the time after my siblings and I fled our father's manner. He and the others launched a treasonous revolt actually attacking towns cities and killing their foes. All with the goal to not just bring back true conquest, but in a bid to take the throne from the Jade Emperor, the Kirn Son Su Fen. In the middle of the conflict Ace was had been set to travel by our sensei and adoptive father the Weapon Master. The ancient dragon who hoarded skill over treasure. In this time Ace joined the Storm Monks of the order of Tempest's Eye. They like the other nine schools answered the Call of the Jade gong to defend the Emperor along side the loyal lords. It is at this time of conflict when many houses stood divided in loyalty, that Ace not trusting most of our kin recruited his retainers. Our father died in battle and the surviving traitors where executed. Their families lands stripped to almost nothing. Then Ace, my twin sister Dixie Bell and myself to claim our birthright as head of what remained of our house and clan enrolled in the Equestrian royal military schools. Dixie the navy, myself actually the military police originally and Ace just officer's school. The years after that we went home and joined the honor battles with our uncles and cousins in regaining lost land and resources. After that was secured we took up the standing offer to join the Equestrian guard forces." said Shadow
"Our other relatives are our five Uncles two aunt's and some dozen or so cousins and a few sworn siblings. Those are the bulk of our family army commanders. Now that said they all love the ritual battles and take pride in earning land and fame. Though my brother and twin sister are the only ponies to defeat a sea pony clan in the water a feat that was and is by many still considered impossible. That aside my birth father, adopted father and brother all agreed on one thing the ritual battles are a waste of resources and time. Unlike our birth father, Brother and sensei see the conflict and repetitive clashes as unhelpful to their goal to keep the nation strong and feel the nation's lords would be better of with unified training together. But most everypony else is of a different opinion. Thus our uncles and cousins spend time fighting training battles over the same lands season after season. This is what Ace has a problem with and why they scheming and plotting to try and take his position or strike out on their own to climb land untied to the clan." explained Shadow
"The Emperor and his young daughter love to read about Ace and the thirteenth's adventures. He actually is looking quite forward to meeting you Bryan. But the reading in court of Ace's exploits and Emperor's love of him has kept most the status climbing in check and annoyed the buck out of our kin. So while I'm sure it's not as bad as you pictured from his embellishments it is still a lot of headaches for Ace, Hammer, and the rest of us. Now I'm sure I have raised more questions then I answered in that so." Explained Storm gesturing with his hoof for them to ask.
"Not really." Bryan replied "It's just Ace being a drama queen again as I'd feared. And really I don't give a flying feather about the emperor Shadow. I've had all of the meetings with so called nobility and royalty I can stomach for several hundred lifetimes. The only ones that were ever really tolerable were Majesty, Celestia and Luna. I would say more about Princess Cadence but I've so rarely had extended contact with her than I am truly unable to say much at all. Queen Rosedust never really acted much like a queen and the Princess Ponies we never spent much time with. As for these ritual battles, well Ace is right. They are a waste of time and resources and have already caused one coup attempt. They need to be stopped and Neighpon needs to be unified in the process. There is no point in fighting for glory and reward because that makes you weak and not strong." Bryan got up and went to the kitchen to get the teapot as it started to whistle.
Megan looked at Shadow. "We need to keep and eye on these two Shadow. They are under a lot of stress right now and need our support."
"Stress is like a smithy's forge when the steel comes out it can be stronger or weaker from it." He said sounding like a fortune cookie.
Megan sighed "He has grown so much since I last saw him Shadow. I am afraid I can't help Bryan anymore or really be there for him when he needs me." What Shadow saw was something few had ever seen. Megan Williams, the Megan who wasn't being some kind of superhuman icon. No instead she was a human being who did indeed have her own fears. What didn't shock Shadow is that said fears centered around her loved ones and not herself.
"He is stronger that's true. I'd say of all my brother's students he is his finest. Especially given how far he came from the the week cry baby he once was." Shadow chuckled
"Bryan was never a weak crybaby!" Megan snapped causing Shadow to jump slightly. "He just has a hard time seeing his potential. Anyway I think we should pick this up later Shadow. I have plans for him tonight." Megan said blushing.
"Right. I'll be off then." He flapped his wings and a bunch of loose feather filled the air and when it was clear he had vanished like he was never there save for a single feather left twisting down to where he sat.
Megan stared blankly as Bryan came back into the room with the tea set. Laughing Bryan said to Megan. "It's like a Sonic Rainboom, I can never see it enough for it to become any less impressive."
"Sonic Rainboom?" asked Megan
"Ask Rainbow or even Pinkie about it sometime, I'm sure Rainbow would just love to show it off to you. So what are these nefarious plans you have for me Megan?" Bryan said with a cocky smirk.
Megan felt her heart swell again, he really had grown a lot, but he still needed to grow more. Megan decided right there that she would stay beside him no matter her doubts, he needed her still and she wouldn't forget that. Megan walked over to him and rubbed against him sensuously. "I said I was going to make love to you Bryan." She whispered hotly in his ear. "I am going to follow through on that."
Bryan looked at Megan. "Let's have our tea first."
Megan kissed him. "That's fine by me Bryan." She replied with a giggle as she sat back down.
Megan and Bryan have their while discussing various things about their lives after they were separated and enjoying each other's company. After an hour they got up to head upstairs Megan suddenly swept Bryan into her arms holding him and kissing him.
Bryan looked up at Megan. "What brought this on? I don't need you to carry me Megan."
Megan smiled "You said it was nice so I thought I would carry you upstairs."
Bryan's face reddened at Megan's remarks. "It's better that I'm not hurt or sick this time. It feels like that's always the case when you do this for me."
"Bryan I've carried you like this before when you weren't hurt or sick." said Megan
He cocked his head. "When?"
Megan started up the stairs with him in her arms and replied. "Do you remember when you fell asleep while we were watching that old movie?"
"That one with the song by the Andrews Sisters?" Asked Bryan to which Megan nodded in response.
"That's the one." she said
"Huh, I didn't know that." Bryan replied
"How did you think you got into bed with me that night?" Megan questioned mischievously.
After getting to the guestroom and brushing their teeth Megan decided to draw out the anticipation a little longer by insisting the she undress not only Bryan but herself as well. Megan laid on top of him and began kissing him. Another hour passes and both lay together with Bryan's head resting in Megan's cleavage listening to her heart as he slept. Megan gently caressed Bryan's cheek as she held him close to her. She felt her own eyelids begin to get heavy and her eyes eventually closed sending her to sleep.
This was the last peaceful moment the two of them would know that night for there was an unpleasant surprise awaiting them in the dream world.
Megan shifted in her sleep holding Bryan tighter and closer but not really feeling his body against her own. "I wonder what he is dreaming?" rand through her mind before she opened her eyes and found herself in a odd place. It was a field of stars with bands of what looked like clouds running through parts of it. Megan looked around and surveyed her surroundings, it was like something from a dream. That caused her to start thinking about Ribbon's warning the night before Tambelon had returned to Ponyland. "It's a dream?" She questioned to herself before hearing some familiar laughter.
Megan listened intently for the sound to return, when it did she began to follow it. She moved forward across the endless sea listening to the sounds of laughter and giggling that she knew so well, the sound of those precious fillies that she and Bryan had loved so much during their time in Ponyland. She continued to follow the sounds of the laughter as it got louder and became more frequent. It felt to Megan as if she was being guided by something, or more specifically someone to see what was about to unfold.
Finally Megan came to what looked like a door, she paused for a moment eyeing the object not sure of what she should do at first. She heard the laughter again and decided that she needed to go in. It was as if something was telling her that she needed to see what lay on the other side of the door. Megan reached and grasped the door knob, upon opening the door and walking through she found herself in a familiar place.
"Paradise Estate." Megan said automatically as she looked over the large pink estate house she knew so well. Looking round to locate the source of the laughter, it was the fillies and they were playing with Bryan. Megan smiled at the sight, of course Bryan would be dreaming about something like this. Then it occurred to her, she was in Bryan's dream! How had this happened? She stood there confused as to this turn of events. As she was thinking about how this had happened something changed in the atmosphere of the dream. It change to something oppressive and unnerving.
Bryan stood up and spoke to the fillies. "Go to Megan little ones and stay with her now."
Megan had no time to think about it how he had known about her presence as the ponies came galloping towards her. "Megan help us!" cried Baby Moondancer.
"Come on girls Bryan will deal with this." The fillies gathered around Megan and sh e led them towards the forested area around the estate. This should be out of the way enough." Megan said
"Megan is big brother going to be okay?" asked Ember
Megan smiled at the purple filly and stroked her pink mane while looking into her blue eyes. "I know he will Ember, Bryan has grown stronger so he can do this."
The wind began to howl and the sky darkened Bryan stood unmoved and impassive. "Alright enough with the b.s. show yourself!" Bryan demanded.
There was deep thumping sound like clapping and the ground shook with hoof falls and then a voice spoke behind him. "My, my. You have gotten so brave. Hard to believe you where the same boy clinging to Megan's skirt all those years ago." Said the voice prompting Bryan to turn around and see Tirek, but much larger than before and towering over him.
"You'll find that I'm a long way from the scared little boy I was at Midnight Castle twelve years ago Tirek. Let's dance!" Bryan shouted defiantly as his guard armor and weapons appeared.
Author's Note
Well it's been over two years and the long promised confrontation with Bryan's past has finally begun. Next up Bryan faces his fears head on, stay tuned everypony.
My Little Pony: Echos of Dream Valley
"So you have grown some backbone. But all your new found courage and bravado means nothing." Tirek raises his hand a glowing orb in it. "Behold a true Nightmare come to life!"
Bryan's eyes narrowed. "Is that a Tantibus artifact? How in Equestria did he get it? " Bryan stood and readies himself not knowing what he should expect from this object.
Everything started shaking then he heard the screams of ponies as paradise estate behind him twists in to a mangled and twisted collection of caged ponies suffering in it. Megan suspended above it all her wrists bound over her head and her ankles bound below her her far enough to almost be a stressful to her.
Bryan stood neutral. "That's it Tirek?" He said flatly. "You are hopelessly out of you depth here here with me." Bryan raised his head and stared sharply into Tirek's eyes. "I am a member of the Lunar Guard Tirek! We can't be swayed by nightmare visions of any kind. We are each trained specially by none other than Princess Luna herself for just this sort of thing. Every single night for two weeks we train in the dream realm preparing for the day when her highness Princess Luna calls upon us to fight in this abstract reality to defend Equestria and her peoples."
The world warps again shattering Tirek's hellish nightmare vision and returning to a night sky with the moon high above with the landscape restored. "You see Tirek, you may be able to scare the unprepared with such things, but the Lunar Guard is ready for such craven ploys and we stand firm against them. So if you're looking for a fight you'd better have something more than a few cheap parlor tricks and low end nightmares." Bryan's blades flashed from their sheaths. "You'll find that here I am far more powerful that such cheap and desperate methods."
Megan stood in awe of what she had just seen. That Princess Luna herself had actually trained her guards to withstand such foul magic and methods proved how much she cared and how seriously she took her position. "It'll be okay." She said reflexively to the fillies. "Bryan can do this." Megan smiled, he was growing. Now if she could only get him to fully recognize it.
"So you know a few parlor tricks! This is my reality, not yours and in this world I make the rules!" He stomped his hoof and the ground shatters and from the cracks bubbling black goo raises up taking form of Megan and his other friends then charge at him.
"Oh how wrong you are Tirek." Bryan says shattering the facsimiles with a swing of his sword. "Only Princess Luna alone rules here Tirek. I will force you to see the truth of this." Bryan said trusting his swords into the ground and making an impossibly fast series of hand gestures. "Now behold the power of illusions in the dream realm." Bryan's voice rang out in chorus as there seemed to be a hundred of him all of the sudden.
"Megan, what's big brother doing?" Asked Baby Heart Throb.
"He is keeping Tirek's focus on him for some reason Baby Heart Throb. I wonder what he is up to?" Megan mused for a moment. Then her eyes widened with a realization as her thoughts drifted back to an earlier event that night. Trixie had been putting on a stage show after Twilight's coronation ceremony to keep the fillies and colts entertained while their parents took part in the more adult activities of drinking various wines and idle conversations that went with it.
Annnd viola!" Trixie has said with a flourish as Cinnamon, Bryan's pet rabbit emerged from Trixie's hat. The delighted stomping of the applause from the fillies and colts pleased not only Trixie but the playful little rabbit as well. "Thank you, thank you. You are all too kind. And Trixie's adorable assistant thanks you as well our wonderful little admirers." Trixie said as Cinnamon squeaked in agreement.
The foals leave to go tell their friends about the amazing performance they had just seen and Megan walked up to Trixie and plucked Cinnamon from Trixie's levitation field and began petting her. "That was a wonderful performance Trixie. You really do know do know how to put on a show." Megan said
Trixie chuckled lightly and tossed her silvery mane "Megan darling, a performer of Trixie's caliber knows how to keep her audience's attention. Why it would be positively criminal if she couldn't."
"So that's what he is doing." Megan whispered "He wants Tirek focused on him so Princess Luna has the time to show up and deal with him." Megan thought to herself.
"Yes! It's like Trixie taught me, all I have to do is keep his attention on me. That will give me the edge I need." Bryan thought "Okay Tirek now let's see if you can figure out which one is the real me before I land a meaningful blow." Bryan smirked "Don't get it wrong though, or you'll be left hurting in the worst ways."
He smiled then reared back on his hind legs before slamming them down creating a shockwave attack in all directions.
Bryan shook his head and leapt into the air avoiding the attack as Tirek suddenly found himself taking a very serious shock. "Bad move." Bryan chorused from the top of a tree having reestablished his illusion.
Megan got low and braced herself for the shock which did not come. Instead Megan and the fillies heard a soft voice chanting "I wish, I wish, I wish."
Megan opened her eyes and got a surprise. It was Twilight and she had somehow created a barrier around both Megan and the fillies. Megan blinked, how had Twilight gotten here? She hadn't seen her earlier.
Tirek was done with games as he opened his mouth a turned his had firing a powerful beam leaving a burning arc on the ground that exploded a second later.
Bryan stood up from the resulting crater a moment later. "You are hopeless Tirek, just utterly hopeless." Even as his armor fell off of his body in pieces Bryan himself had remained unharmed. "I can't believe you would so thoughtlessly resort to such forward methods again after they so utterly failed you twelve years ago. You clearly learned nothing from your death at Megan's hands back then." He stood up fully now as the moon shown down upon him a with soft, pale light. Bryan stretched and began to pop various joints in his body to relieve the pressure in them. "So if you won't won't play along with my mentor Trixie's methods then you'll just have to play along with my mentor Ace's methods instead. I'll warn you though, his are much more direct and much more painful in nature."
For the first time in her life Megan smirked. It was an uncharacteristic response to the situation but Megan could feel the power rising inside of Bryan. She felt it through their life long bond as a pulse that surged through her being. She just sat there and smirked, it was over and she knew it.
Bryan exhaled and stared right at Tirek. This towering, looming figure from his childhood nightmares could no longer frighten him. No now he was in charge of what came next. Starting at his feet the moonlight be to change into a suit of armor like Megan had never seen before. The moonlight first transformed into a pair of armored boots of a midnight blue color and with the form of a dragon's talons. The moonlight continued up Bryan's body become a pair of grieves next the new armor continues to show the draconic motif as the light still moved up Bryan's body and transforming into this new armor. Next the moonlight crept up his arms transforming into a pair of dragon themed gauntlets with clawed fingers and spread on to his torso becoming a breast plate and an aerodynamic set of pauldrons. The moonlight came at last to Bryan's head where instead of becoming a helm it became a circlet with a single turquoise dragon's eye.
Bryan's eyes shown briefly with an inner light as he gently extended his left arm and some of the last of the moonlight transformed into a strange bow with no string attached. Then the moonlight finally dissipated becoming a large pair of dragons' wings with the same dark blue ridges and membranes the color of the lunar surface. His transformation complete Bryan now spoke in a voice that was as still as the lunar surface itself. "Now Tirek behold. The Lunar Dragoon, Mirage Knight!" He said clearly as he raised his bow, drew it back and loosed an arrow that struck the monsteruos centaur in the face exploding in a blinding flash.
Tirek stumbles from the shock of the blow and it's power. "What trickery is this?" He clenched the orb in his hand a blade of darkness jumped out of it and he began to swing wildly with it.
Bryan stood neutral and when the blade neared him he swing his left forearm and shattered the blade of false darkness on his armor. "You never did have any real dark magic Tirek. Even now you foolishly cling to the illusion that you do. Only Princess Luna wields such power, only she can. What's more you stand alone where as I stand with many others. Those who do not know the blessings of friendship and love can not overcome those who do." Bryan looked at Tirek. "You don't have long left Tirek. With all of the ripples you've caused in the dreamscape tonight Princess Luna will be swift to arrive. And when she gets here you'll be cast into Tartarus where you belong!"
Megan looked around and saw it for the first time. There were ripples in the landscape like on the surface of a pond or a lake. She could also feel something else, someone else. Someone very powerful was coming.
"That said, " Bryan thought "this form is till very new to me and not entirely reliable at the moment. I don't have very long like this and I don't really know how it works exactly just yet. "
Then there was a sound of braking glass. "Then use your instincts, even an ape like you has them!" Shouted Ace's voice only what strutted through the whole in the dreamscape was not a Pegasus but a mixture of one and a Dragon truly massive in size larger red bat like wings rippled in muscle a massive powerful tail ending in silver spikes and riding on its head was an Alicorn Trixie and a human Sunset Shimmer looking woman. The beast walked over to where Megan was and settled down.
"Hi, he insisted on dream fun tonight because just sex was not enough and then he noticed the ripples." Said the new human in Sunset's voice.
"Ace has some issues about his parents, that's why the whole dragon thing." Said Trixie as Ace pulled out a giant bag of popcorn.
"Go on Bryan kick his tail and save Luna having to actually work!" The Ace dragon pony bellows
Bryan's right eye twitched, and then he facepalmed. "He busts in here as a dragon and starts acting like he knows what's going on? Oh Luna grant me the strength to deal with idiot. " Bryan thought "Well Tirek, convinced yet? You have no chance here!" Bryan shouted as he drew back the phantom bowstring and took aim at Tirek. "Three, two, one killshot." Bryan said before letting the arrow fly and then he crouched down and flexed his new wings and shot in the air at a rate that would impress any Wonderbolt jealous and make Rainbow Dash very proud.
Tirek tried to block the shot with a new blade of darkness. Again the blade shattered however.
"You learn nothing do you Tirek? You don't have that power, not now or ever!" Bryan began to feel anger at this fool for making such a mockery of the Lunar Princess with his feeble attempts to use a form of magic only a very few actually could. Bryan dove towards Tirek releasing a barrage of arrows that pelted the over sized centaur and began to drive him back.
Megan meanwhile looked at Ace, Trixie, and Sunset. "I know this is the dream world, but we have young fillies present. Could we not have any of that kind of talk about intimacy please?" Megan's face was red and the fillies were looking at Ace and his mares with curious eyes.
"How old? I learned about it when I was ten." Said Ace causing his mares to face palm/hoof.
Megan glared at Ace. "They are three and four years old Ace! Ember is is five and none of them need to be hearing about your private activities!" Megan scolded before stopping. Something had shifted and there were additional ripples in the dreamscape now. Someone else was coming, and they did not seem very happy.
"Tirek clutched his wounds but he could feel it coming as well. "She has noticed the battle. Until next time. You both will wish I simply ended you this night." He faded from the dream and seconds after he left Luna the towering goddess like princess of the night smashed into the dream like wrecking Ball on a mission.
"WHERE IS THE FIEND THAT WOULD ATTACK ONE OF OUR CHAMPIONS IN HIS OWN MIND! WE SHALL MAKE THEM BEG FOR TARTARUS! " Shouted Luna in ye olde caps lock.
"The coward Tirek fled when he felt your approach your bombasticness. But not without Bryan showing he actually has some bite in him" said Ace giving Bryan pat on the back with his hoof claw that knocked the poor guy on his face.
"Ow!" Bryan said while standing. "You should realize that Kirins aren't that big given you have one in the Family Ace." Bryan then turned to Luna.
"The overgrown oaf speaks truly my princess. Tirek has fled, and he now posses an Tantibus artifact unless I'm mistaken."
"Hey! You be nice to our big brother!" Shouted the fillies who circled around Ace and began giving him the third degree. Megan, Bryan, Luna, Trixie, and Sunset all blinked at the sight. Here was this gaggle of adorable little fillies getting on Ace's case and lecturing him about being more careful of others and how they could get hurt if he didn't.
"One hammer is still growing she has at least two more years given she's around Apple Bloom's age. Second if your going to dream dream big." Said Ace with a grin. He then lowered down to foals. "Trust me kids I put him a lot worse when I trained that lanky runt."
Bryan shook his head. "Ace she won't get much bigger. I mean she is about the size of Charger for Luna's sake. Only longer because of her tail."
"Worse!" The group of fillies cried. One with a purple coat and a light pink mane and tail stepped forward. "Bad monster you play to rough!" She said catching Ace off guard as the rest of the group began to lay into him.
"Bully!" Said the white coated filly.
"Meanie!" Said the tan coated pegasus filly.
"Yeah! You need to learn to be nicer to others!" Said the pink pegasus filly.
Trixie and Sunset didn't even try to contain their laughter, much to Ace's chagrin they found him being chastised by such young ponies to be hysterical. Then the final indignity came when Princess Luna started laughing at the sight.
"Oh these little ones are so spirited!" Luna said between giggles.
Bryan chuckled dryly. "I was never a lanky runt Ace. I've always been taller than you after all. Oh my little sisters you are just amazing. Now it's time to leave Ace alone little ones. I think he got the message." The fillies gave Ace one last hard look which was pulled off rather well before turning around an trotting over to Bryan.
"So Bryan what is this all about?" asked Megan
"I don't quite remember it all of the way, but I'm betting Tabi has something to do with it. I seem to vaguely remember something like this coming from one of her anime or video games. I don't quite recall which right now. Speaking of..." Bryan said as he briefly stumbled only to be caught by Megan and the fillies as his new form dissipated.
"Big brother! Are you okay?" Said a very worried Ember.
Bryan nodded "Yeah, that form is just very hard to maintain is all." He exhaled and stood up straight again. "I am glad I can't do that in the waking world, it's too much."
Bryan felt his hand get nuzzled. "Are you sure you're okay Bryan?" Asked Twilight to which Bryan nodded.
"That power is a dragoon. I don't know where you heard of them, but weapon master taught us about them. And honestly as awesome as the power is I find it some what morbid that you know of it." Said Ace
Luna titled her head and asked."Why would thou find it morbid."
"A dragoon spirit can only be born by slaying a dragon carving open its head pulling gem like symbiote from its skull. There is also a very small window to do this. Too slow and the dragoon spirit would dissolve. So according to the weapon master it's most often extracted as the killing blow. They are very real but to have or use one is to be an enemy to all dragons. Even if you can use its power to make them baby you." Ace was not often grim in tone but he clearly finds the thought of Bryan as a dragoon somewhat unsettling.
"Wait! That sounds familiar." Bryan grew thoughtful for a moment. "Yes I vaguely remember that story from one of Tabi's video games. In fact it sounds pretty much identical to a part of the game's story that she explained to me. " Bryan sighed "So that form is a product of my memories of my time with her then, if I could remember what the knights could do in that game beside their weapons, armor, and flight ability I could more fully use that form. I have a feeling it will be needed again given that Tirek got away. It is disconcerting though, and it makes me wonder where such inspiration and ideas really do come from."
"So when was the last time a dragoon was seen by anyone Ace?" asked Twilight
Ace scratched his face. "Honestly, no living dragon has ever seen one. And the weapon master only heard the story from his grandfather's grandfather. As far as I can tell dragoon's wing wraith and war beasts that forced the dragons to obey and used the dragoon power of the ancient dragons of the past. The way weapon master told me of it, I don't think ponies even lived yet. But no, no living pony in the world has seen one. Legend says that they the spirits where either destroyed by the first dragon lord or combined them to make their scepter. But no one dragon or otherwise knows the truth, if they are real or not." Said Ace sighing. "If they existed they are so lost to sands of time only Daring Do could possibly find the truth if she spent the rest of her life searching. But to be honest that kind of power is scary. Even to me." Ace settled down on his belly suddenly feeling very tired and weak.
Twilight moved closer to Bryan and he stroked her neck to settle her. "All power has a price." He replied plainly. It's a good thing that this doesn't exist in the physical world, all the world would be endangered by such unrestrained power. And everyone in it equally no less."
"This is a bleak subject." said Luna "Let us turn our minds from it and tend to other things. Such as why does this mare have a physical presence here as all of you do? As a memory this should not be so."
"That's another explanation I owe all of you. It's best not handled here and now however. It would be best for everypony to gather at the library later on so I can give that explanation. That way we'll all be together and I only have to do it once." Bryan replied
"I shall inform my sister and the others not present at current before I return to Canterlot then." Luna said as she left.
"Ugh! I am not looking forward to how I'll feel when I get up today." Bryan groused
"That's why you have a herd. No matter how bad things are it's always better to wake up next to them." Said Ace his eyes looking up at Sunset and Trixie as the two chuckled.
"How dose our stud act confident and full of himself one moment, then sage and reverent in the next, only to become sappy and romantic in the next?" asked Trixie
"I'm still trying to figure out why we both love this flying fool." said Sunset
"There is no denying the effect Ace has on those around him. Mostly it's life shortening stress and grey mane inducing aggravation, but not always." Bryan quipped with a smirk. "Still it's not all bad news, just mostly. Anyway we need to get get back to a resting state so we can at least fake being functional." Bryan yawned "Crap, I am not liking how this night is turning out."
"Don't worry Bryan I'll help you get back to sleep." Twilight said while rearing up and nuzzling him.
Megan smile and looked at Trixie and Sunset. "The ponies in Ponyland were always very affectionate." Megan said answering the unasked question in their eyes.
"Well we have a dream to finish and a mental barriers to create to keep tall, cranky and ugly out of our dreams." Said Ace as he stood up and walked back through the hole he made it seeming to reverse shatter sound included.
"Let's get some rest." Bryan said
The next morning, ish Bryan yawned very loudly still not having fully rested from his encounter with Tirek the night before. He stretched and yawned again. "I hope everypony gets here soon or I'll be asleep by the time they get here." He looked down at his plate of pancakes and did his best to resume eating them.
"I wish you would just tell me what happened last Bryan." Twilight said worried. "I could help you out if you did."
"Just calm down Twilight." Megan replied "There is a lot of ground to cover and we need everyone here to get it out in the open is all"
"Yeah." Pinkie said "Don't worry your pretty little head about it Twily. We'll know soon enough."
Ace walked in with a smile. "Morning day dreamers."
"It's ten A.M." Twilight replied "How can you be so energetic Ace?"
"Says the mare who didn't have her sleep disrupted." Bryan deadpanned causing Twilight's jaw to drop. Bryan looked at at the alicorn and managed a smirk.
Pinkie giggled "You need to be more careful Twily, you really set yourself up for that one."
"Like I said it helps not to wake up alone. So how are you feeling? " said Ace
"Like I got hit by the Red Thirteen. So where are Trixie and Sunset? We need them here too." said Bryan
"Trixie is pregnant and has a doctor's appointment after the mana surge Sunset and I are not taking chances. So Sunset is with her and the drones are doing the best impressions of dragon mercenaries they can. I.e. big, strong and terrifying. I'll give them the cliff notes latter. Doesn't matter by whom or how we are being attacked everyday life must go on. Otherwise the enemy gains a victory, no matter how small of a victory it is. " Said Ace his eyes showed he was actually mad about the dream attack but was not going to take it out on someone not deserving of it.
Megan got up from her seat and crossed the room and hugged Ace. "That's wonderful news Ace. It's looks like there is another big announcement for when the others get here."
"Yeah, that's great news Ace." Bryan said now fully awake.
"Woo hoo! Pregnancy party!" Pinkie said joyfully.
"Yeah that whole mess with Megan's arrival had them running blood tests which we just got back yesterday and she's pregnant, it's early but well. Wooooo! I'm going to be a father!" Ace finally broke his stoicism of the moment and showed of his maneuverability spinning and looping around the room with skill that would make a Wonderbolt jealous.
There was a familiar giggle. "Well Ace I am very pleased to hear that you're so happy about becoming a father." Said Princess Celestia as she trotted through the door. Her gaze then shifted to Megan. "Megan you needn't fell guilty about the magic surge that was caused when you arrived. You could not have known such a thing would happen."
"Verily, uh I mean indeed." said Luna "Such things can not be predicted."
"Captain Crimsonmoon a father, now that will be a sight." Said a new pony that was accompanying the Lunar Princess.
"Hello Celine." Bryan said to the bat winged mare. "It's been a while."
The red maned pony turned her gaze on Ace. "Well Ace here seems have been cured of his delusion that he can best me when we're sparring. Otherwise we'd have seen each other much sooner I suspect."
Bryan snickered in reply.
"Who is this?" Megan asked
"This is one of my honorgaurd." Luna replied "Her name is Celine Bloodmoon and her family has served my sister and I for a thousand years. She is the latest in her family to serve as one of my personal guard."
"Oh, I see." Megan replied as she looked over this new mare. She looked different having a pair of leathery bat's wings instead of the wings she'd seen on pegasi in the past. She also felt slightly "off" to Megan for some reason.
"No I beat you at a more important battle. I reproduced, when are you getting a coltfriend miss workaholic?" teased Ace "Besides playing with you with a hoof tied is too trivial now, I have a foal on the way, I have a reunion coming up and a rescue mission to plan. So yeah I don't have time to half heartedly spar with a pampered rookie." Said Ace as he flew in circles on his back a Cheshire grin on his face.
Celine laughed "As a two hundred year old vampony bodyguard I am not the pampered rookie captain, you are. And I was the one being half hearted not you."
"Now that's enough you two." Luna said standing between the longtime rivals. "There is a bigger matter, though the joyous news is welcomed all the same Ace."
Megan looked on confused. "Vampony?" she said
"It's exactly what it says on the label." Bryan replied "I'll uh explain later."
While Ace and Celine appeared to be neutral while waiting for the others to arrive Megan could swear they were exchanging lightning bolts with their eyes the whole time.
Ace took a chance to actually give his rival a light zap when the princesses were not looking. It was nothing to hurt her but it definitely made her fur stand on end for a second. His magic advantage always let him surprise her with a new trick.
Celine just gave Ace a fangy smile as the others finally arrived.
"Okay we're all here like the princess requested. So can somepony tell us what the hey is going on?" Said Applejack sounding a little cranky.
"Geez AJ there is no need to get snappy." Rainbow retorted "So what is going on? You look like a colt on Hearth's Warming morning Ace."
"Trixie is expecting, but my future foal is not why we are here. That big horn head from Midnight Castle is lose in the dream realm." said Ace
"Tirek!" The group said.
"Yeah," Bryan replied "Tirek somehow made into the Equestrian dreamscape at some point. I'm not sure how exactly but his death has freed him from physical constraints, so there it is. But this is not the only reason why we are all here. Last night after Tirek's retreat Princess Luna asked me why my unicorn friend Twilight had a physical presence in the dream realm. Well the reason she had that physical presence is because she is a part of me in a more literal sense." Bryan had paused as if looking for the right words to finish his explanation.
The gears in Ace's head clicked in that moment and he said. "So you have a mare's soul sharing your body. That's why the poison joke turned you into mare when you touched it in the wild that one time."
"Yes," Bryan replied "I do in fact have a part of her soul in me."
"But Bryan darling however did that happen." asked Rarity
"It all started when I shielded Ember from the Smooze that fell off of the tree branch and onto Sweet Stuff and I." Bryan steadied himself and drew in a deep breath. "What we didn't know then and I have only just been able to remember is that when I was exposed to the Smooze in immediately starting killing me." There was a collect gasp from everypony in the room. "And in the story you've all read that Megan and the flutterponies got back in time to save my life. Well, that's not how it actually happened. How it actually happened was Twilight somehow transferred some of her soul into me so I had just enough time left for Megan to return with the flutterponies and then they saved my life. I would have talked about this much sooner but I simply forgot."
"WHAT!?" Rainbow shouted "How in the hey do you forget something that big?"
"Trauma." Celestia replied flatly. "When a pony is in mortal danger their mind often shields them from remembering those events and harming them further. These memories can resurface and have to be faced when they do, but they often remain buried for the rest of the pony's life. And there is nothing to tell me that our human friends are any different in this respect."
Bryan nodded "Yes, that is what research has shown in humans too."
"Okay, okay I get that much sugarcube, but what's this about you turning into a pony. And a mare? What the hey sugarcube?"
Bryan sighed "Yeah, I turned into a pony and a mare after being exposed to Poison Joke. It was a shallow patrol into Everfree and I came across these strange blue flowers that I'd never seen before. The Poison Joke did what it's strange and wild magic does and poof. I wake up a mare." Bryan looked at Rainbow. "And don't think I didn't notice you ogling my plot Rainbow."
"I never did that!" Rainbow shot back.
"White earth pony mare, long blonde mane and tale, purple eyes, and a really nice body." Rainbow started to look sick at this point. "Yeah that was me, for two weeks actually. Oh well," Bryan said with a laugh. "At least you didn't flirt with me like feather brain over there did. He kept hitting on me until I cuffed him between the ears with my hoof and he realized who I was." Bryan smirked at Ace. "I have never seen Trixie and Sunset laugh that hard, they of course somehow knew it was me and must have decided to prank Ace in that moment."
"Hey! I won't lie you look way better as a mare. I bet even Megan would agree." He reached in to his mane and pulled out the photo and handed it to Megan. "See he looks better that way."
Megan looked the picture over. "I may be biased here Ace but I prefer him that ways he is."
There was a collective "Awwww." and Bryan's face could not have been redder, in fact it was now the same color Ace's coat.
"Thanks Megan, but even I think I look better than way. I'm just plain otherwise." Bryan replied
"It's what is in your heart that matters most Bryan, not what you look like." said Megan
"To each their own. But what you girls think?" Said Ace before passing around the picture.
"Ace darling we each like Bryan for who he is. Besides, I've always said that you're more attractive than you give yourself credit for dear." Rarity replied looking at Bryan.
"Annnnd we already know what Rainbow thinks." Pinkie said
"Hey! I didn't know is was him alright!" Rainbow shot back defensively.
Applejack gave a Rainbow a shoulder check. "Ya'll might have if you didn't spend your time just staring like some kind hormonal school colt." Applejack said with a chuckle.
Rainbow bowed her head. "Alright, alright, I get it AJ."
"I know sugarcube, I just couldn't pass up the chance to give ya a bit of static like Bryan says. That's all." Applejack said with a smirk.
"So This unicorn essence you have dear. It gives you your magical abilities?" asked Rarity
Bryan nodded "Yes and no. Magic is a skill and can be learned by anypony with the will and dedication to do so. That said my unicorn spark for the lack of a better word makes magic use easier for me than any human that does not posses a similar attribute. As a result I am more powerful magically than any other human save Megan. Which means I am about as powerful as Sweetie Belle basically."
"No, I'd say Rairty. But you do sell yourself short. And if you want proof of any pony learning magic, look at me. My rune casting is a slower, but power wise I can match most battlemages." said Ace
"No," Bryan replied "I am a relatively inexperienced apprentice. I have a very long way to go still."
"True." Luna interjected "But the question is can we use this unicorn essence somehow to aid the ponies of Ponyland before the worst come to pass?"
Twilight tapped her chin with her hoof thoughtfully. "Maybe, but I'll need to confer with with Sunset and run some tests to get a good idea of whether or not it's possible. I still think that Megan's fusion with the rainbow is our best bet, but we'll need to find some way to reliably and safely draw out it's power to use it for the connection."
"There is the thread spell. But what we are forgetting is a important fact. Time is relative. Different dimensions have different time flow. For all we know two minutes can mean two days or twenty years. But based on the mare we rescued, how is she doing by the way? It might not be that bad, but we should expect that we will be walking in to the worst case scenario. Which is why I want to ask again that when we mobilize we take the thirteenth through in full war bridle." Ace was now sitting and looking like all the fun and joy inside him never existed.
"First off, it's universes feather brain. And Wind Whistler has been right here the whole time." Bryan the turns to his adoptive sister. "You have been oddly quiet though. What's on your mind Wind Whistler?"
"I-I just never knew how close we came to losing you Bryan. I can't help but feel empty at the very thought." Wind Whistler replied.
"I see..." Bryan replied
Twilight looks to Ace. "I'm sorry Ace but I can't allow for that. We have no idea how stable the gateway will be until it's been tested properly. And we can't have a fully armored fighting force arrive and traumatize the ponies on the other side. This will have to be done diplomatically."
Luna nodded "It is for the best Ace. Such forceful methods simply misrepresent our intentions towards them and are out of the question."
"Sorry Windy didn't see you there." Said Ace looking at her, then looking at the princesses said. "Diplomacy is fine but well, if they could grab her then we should..." He stops looks at Wind whistler. "Has anyone actually asked Windy what's going on back home?" Asked Ace having just realized the proverbial elephant in the room.
The distinct slap of a palm meeting a face could be heard in that moment. "Oh Celestia, I hadn't thought to even ask you about what happened Wind Whistler."
"It is not difficult to understand how that happened Bryan, things have been rather hectic so it's only natural that you would forget." She then turned to Ace. "I would appreciate you not calling me that Ace, I don't like being called 'Windy' as it is a derisive term. Regardless though things have been very peaceful since I last saw Megan and Bryan ten years ago. Spike did leave one day and we haven't seen him since. Draggle seems to have vanished rather mysteriously as well. Until the minotuars and those dog like creatures absconded with me things were quiet."
"Then that begs the question of how they got there." said Ace
"I don't know." Bryan replied "I would say that Grogar is responsible, but after Northstar and I rang that bell in Tambelon that's impossible. He is trapped in the Nether Realm forever. And getting him out even from the outside is nigh impossible pretty much."
"Wow Bryan, I am so proud of you for being so brave in such a scary situation." Fluttershy said
Bryan blushed "You would have done the same thing if you'd known what to do to Fluttershy."
"But wasn't that Tirek also dead?" asked Ace
"Another Tirek in another universe, now that is an unsettling thought." Bryan replied "Yes, the one we faced at Midnight Castle is dead, but his soul remains and he is vengeful. That attack was on me directly meaning he thought he could remove me and weaken Megan. It was a very foalish idea that was bound to fail. He never was the strategic type."
"It is best not to worry about him now." said Luna "He has gotten my attention and will have much difficulty hiding from me. I will make him pay for this assault on our subjects and our friend sister."
Celestia nuzzled Luna. "I understand your desire to protect our charges Luna, but our subjects do not need a vengeful alicorn on the loose."
"I know better than to take that path sister. I remember that incident and will not repeat it." Luna replied
"What incident? What does she mean?" asked Megan
"Luna and Celestia are immortal beings that have lived for thousands of years Megan. No doubt that both of them have lost their way to revenge at some point because a painful loss. In addition to that, both of them have more than once fought in wars and battles of various types, so they well know where that leads." Bryan replied dryly.
"Just because one know where a road goes dose not prevent one from taking it." said Ace "That's why we have family and friends to remind us which path is the correct one."
Luna tilted her head. "That is strange to hear coming from you Ace. You're often far more easily antagonized than anypony else I can think of."
Bryan facepalmed "Yeah Ace is pretty vindictive at times and doesn't like to listen. Speaking of families just how bad do think this reunion is going to be Ace?"
"Yes." Said Wind Whistler "I would like to know what I'll be in for. And will this trip be wise given Trixie's current state? I'm not sure the news that comes with it will be well received among all of your family Ace."
"Honestly I would be more afraid for them. My sisters will be finding out they are about to be aunts. Any cousins and uncles that may have had plans in motion will be scared of pissing them off. Shadow Wing and I may be the most active but, we are far from the most powerful or dangerous of my family when angered. Hammer is part dragon, was blessed with having the fire breath and earth pony strength from my father's mother's father's side. She is about Luna's height and still has some growth left in her. And her understanding of metal and fire makes her dangerous as she can render you unarmed and unarmored with ease. When I get mad I become aggressive, she becomes cold, and calculated. Chi Spell, is happy and sweet and gets sweeter and scary when angered and her being an immortal necromancer makes it worse as death could be the beginning of her revenge. Dixie is would simply level their keep with the fleet, and Silk Song, would likely poison their food. Mind you that's if they were stupid enough to try and hurt Trixie or her unborn foal. Thankfully my late birth father lead any that stupid to their deaths in a failed coup. But the remainder will be annoying flank kissers trying to buy favors with gifts for my coming foal. As I said Reunions are more for politics then anything else. Speaking of, Rainbow did you and Spitfire get your invitations? Give we are all Firefly's descendants it be nice having ponies that I know are not there to looking for favors."
"Yeah I got it." Rainbow replied "But I don't know if I wanna be around Spitfire after what happened at the academy."
Megan looked at Bryan. "What happened?"
Bryan sighed "Rainbow was a candidate to be Wonderbolt and made it into the academy, but a troublemaker named Lightning Dust kept causing problems and being reckless. We came for a scheduled visit and Lightning Dust nearly wiped us out with a tornado during a cloud busting exercise. It tore off the basket of the hot air balloon we were in and threw us out of it. If Rainbow and a bunch of other candidates hadn't reacted as quickly as they did we would have died." Bryan paused and sighed. "In the aftermath Lightning Dust was sent to prison for her actions and the team's higher ups and sponsors put Spitfire on probation as the team's captain. She is very lucky she wasn't charged as well. And just because things needed to be worse my Acrophobia which Rainbow had nearly gotten me over came roaring back one hundred time worse than ever."
Rainbow tensed up and was about to go off when Applejack stopped her. "Come on sugarcube that was two years ago. It's time to let go."
"I take it Rainbow no longer wished to be associated with the team then?" Megan said
"We uh don't like to talk about it Megan." Applejack replied
"I see things have been difficult for all three of you." Wind Whistler observed.
"Look Rainbow, the bolts are only exemplars of one aspect of Pegasus magic, flight and speed. I am fast but most bolts would dust me in a race. But in a marathon I'd easily out last them in a large margin. You should come if not to make amends with our newly discovered cousin then to meet my teachers. You would like the weapon master, and perhaps my master from the tempest order would have some wisdom you could gain from. Also you could look at the schools for Pegasus samurai and ninjas. If being a monk is not to your liking. I mean before meeting me did you even consider a Pegasus could walk on water or use lighting without needing a cloud?" Said Ace laying a wing on Dash. "The bolts are Equestria's top flyers but there is numerous ways for a Pegasus to be the best. And the world is much bigger place. And okay Rainbow stop snickering I know I'm being sappy trying to cheer you up but at least be respectful of my efforts." He then shoves her chuckling to himself.
"I don't need to make amends Ace!" Rainbow shot back hotly. "Spitfire is the only one with something to make up for..."
"Okay that's enough Rainbow." Bryan said sternly. "Whatever you decide should be what's best for you Rainbow. And don't let anypony else try to convince you otherwise, alright? Now we all have to be about our days and some of us do have preparations for the reunion to make. So let's go about our days and deal with what come later, later."
"Okay yeah." Rainbow said evenly before turning to leave.
"Don't worry everypony I'll talk to her later on." Applejack said before following Rainbow out.
"We need to return to Canterlot of course." Celestia said "We to have much to prepare for. Come Luna we have work ahead of us."
"Yes we do sister." Luna replied as they too left the library.
"We'll come by and see you later Bryan." Fluttershy said "I'm worried about you and I want to do a check up on Cinnamon too."
"Yes, I think I'll bring you some tea later darlings, but for now I simply must finish my latest order. Ta-ta darlings." Rarity sing songed.
Megan looked at Bryan. "She seems very upset about that Bryan."
"Rainbow is as loyal as she hard and hot headed, it's not a surprise really. I can't say I'm all that crazy to see Spitfire again myself, but that's life for you." Bryan replied with a shrug. "And you need to tell Sunset And Trixie what happened too Ace. That and you need to pass along that Sunset and Twilight have some work to do."
"Work how? Sunset is reading books on portals, my homeland and maternity at the same time with Trixie today. And I have been corresponding with Dixie about the trip home and plans which she is not looking forward to. More so as the oldest daughter in the head family she has suitors lining up to meet her at the ports when ever she visits." Said Ace shaking his head.
Bryan facepalmed "How about you go and spend time with them Ace. It may not be far along but Trixie is pregnant, and you do need to be there even at this early stage. Moreover Twi and Sunny do need to have a brainstorm over this, just reading books won't solve the problem." Bryan replied causing Wind Whistler to fall into a fit of laughter. "Did I say something funny?" asked Bryan
"Yeah you were being smart." Said Ace as he left bouncing on Bryan as he did. "Keep him on his toes Windy!" He called slipping out a window.
Bryan blinked "All righty then."
"It is funny considering how many times you used to look for answers in books Bryan." Megan replied causing Bryan to facepalm again.
Author's Note
Celine is an O.C. that Nocturne Hurakan and I came up with while chatting on the P.S.N. with each other. So credit goes to Nocturne for coming up with the idea in the first place.
My Little Pony: Echos of Dream Valley
Crimsonmoon Family Reunion Part One
With the meeting at the library concluded Applejack and Rainbow had left ahead of the others. Applejack had tried to say something to Rainbow about what had happened at the academy but she simply flew off in the direction of Sweet Apple Acres. AJ knew her marefriend would need time to cool off so she could actually talk to her so she took her time returning to the farm.
When Applejack finally arrived she went to the orchard and found the tree Rainbow usually went to sulk in. As she looked through the tree's branches she saw a familiar prismatic tail. Smirking Applejack lines herself up with the tree trunk pivoting and bucking the tree causing Rainbow to be shaken loose from its branches and fly out before she fell to the ground.
"What the hey AJ?!" Rainbow exclaimed while getting in Applejack's face.
Applejack gently pressed her nose to Rainbow's and said. "I can't rightly speak to ya if you're up in the tree now can I Rainbow?"
Rainbow sighed "I don't really feel like talking AJ. Not right now anyway."
"Rainbow you need to talk about it, you can't just go and cut off family because of one bad apple. That ain't right and you know it." Applejack replied evenly. "Now come on sugercube, what's on your mind?" Applejack prodded softly.
Rainbow tried resisting for a few moments before she burst out angrily. "He was almost over it AJ! Bryan was almost done with that stupid fear of heights and then Spitfire had to go an ruin all of my hard work helping him with that permissive attitude of hers! Now he can't go up stairs without freaking out unless somepony is there to to help him out! Why should ever be around Spitfire ever again? Tell me that one AJ."
Applejack chuckled "Okay Rainbow, that's a fair point. But Bryan doesn't freak out when he goes up stairs and you dang well know it." Her tone softened. "And I get that you're worried 'bout him sugercube, so am I. But freaking out like this ain't helping him out none. So come on Rainbow, what's this really about? It can't be just what happened to Bryan."
"If it weren't for Spitfire's careless attitude I wouldn't have come that close to losing you guys, and losing you AJ." Rainbow sighed "It was bad enough that she turned out to be such a disappointment in person like that, but that she wound endangering all of the ponies I care about the most by letting Lightning Dust get away with all of that manure."
Applejack kissed Rainbow softly on the lips. "I get it Rainbow, I really do, but you really should go and meet your other family members. Ace is a big time pain in the flank too, but he made a real good point back there. And besides you get along really well with Ditzy and Daring and you know they are going to be there."
"Okay AJ, I get it. It'll be nice to be around Dinky too, she's a sweet filly and she is family too." Rainbow replied
"Now that's my loyal little filly. Come on Rainbow let's go in and have some cider and get ya settled down, alright?" said Applejack
Rainbow lit up. "Cider? I am so there AJ." Rainbow said moving to Applejack's side before the two mares trotted towards the farmhouse.
Across Ponyville back at the Library Bryan's eyelids drooped and he yawned very loudly as he struggled to stay awake.
"Bryan you should perhaps get some rest for a bit, you'll not stay awake long at this rate." Said Wind Whistler looking at him.
"Sorry, I'm a lot more wore out from last night than I thought." Bryan replied as Pinkie and Twilight trotted out of the kitchen while talking. "And just what are you two on about?" asked Bryan
"Oh Pinkie was just asking for my help over at Sugarcube Corner. She says she thinks it's going to be really busy today." Twilight replied
Bryan chuckled "Knowing Pinkie she's probably right."
"Bryan need I remind you about Joker's invitation to dinner with his family tonight?" Wind Whistler said.
Bryan sighed "No Wind Whistler, I remember. I just need to rest before we go over there this evening. Besides Pinkie and Twily will be done well before then. So it's not really a problem."
"We'll be going now." said Twilight "We can meet you on the way over later on."
"Actually we'll just come by and get you two on the way." Bryan replied "It'll be faster that way."
"That works, we'll see you later then." Pinkie replied as she and Twilight exited.
"Are you sure you'll be okay for tonight Bryan?" Megan said as she walked into the room.
Bryan yawned again. "Yeah, I'll just take a nap before then and I'll make it. I don't know if Ace has told the rest of the thirteenth as of yet, but they'll know soon enough." Bryan said while standing and then shambling up the stairs.
"I do hope he is alright Megan." Wind Whistler said. "I have a feeling he has been put through the wringer more than once since he got here and I worry for him."
"He'll be alright Wind Whistler, Bryan is very resilient so he'll be fine." Megan replied
"I am not so sure Megan, magic as you are well aware has limits as do humans. Bryan may well be nearing his limits and he is not as young as he used to be. In fact he now seems to be older than her really is, I fear the stress is getting to him." Wind Whistler observed.
Megan sat down quietly and started to think. It was true when she thought about it, Bryan was once more energetic than he now was. And for only being twenty three that was cause for concern. Megan wondered, was Bryan's determination alone keeping him going? She shook her head to clear it of these bleak thoughts. Megan simply didn't want to deal with it right now. "We'll just have to do what we can for him Wind Whistler, that's all. I'm sure we can help him find a solution to become more healthy so he'll have a better quality of life. I mean he does have part of Twilight in him after all and I'm sure that will help."
"Maybe," Wind Whistler replied "but I do not wish to bank on it Megan. The best thing for him is likely to be to retire from his adventures before they really cripple him or take him from us."
"Well that's up to him Wind Whistler. We can't make that choice for him." Megan replied
"I am aware of that Megan, but I wonder if his current circumstance has compromised his judgement." Wind Whistler said looking at her hooves.
"And that is where we come in Wind Whistler. It can be hard to remember who we are when things get bad enough, and that's when we need those closest to us to remind of that."
Wind Whistler's head shot up and her eyes widened. "Oh! I actually forgot about that." She said sheepishly. "My apologies Megan, I wasn't thinking in the full context of our situation."
Megan giggled "It's fine Wind Whistler, nobody is perfect after all."
The rest of the day passes slowly and quietly into early evening and Megan, Bryan and Wind Whistler are on their way to Sugarcube corner to pick up Twilight and Pinkie. They make small talk on they way as Wind Whistler gets to know Ponyville better.
"You look like you're felling better Bryan." Wind Whistler said.
"Quite a bit actually, I was just wore out is all." Bryan replied
Megan smiled "You see I told you there was nothing to worry about Wind Whistler."
"Maybe, but it can't hurt to be careful Megan. It would be too much to bare if something really bad were to happen." Wind Whistler said plainly. "Still I wish we knew more about this soul fusion situation, being in the dark with something like this is unsettling to say the least."
Bryan nodded as they approached Sugarcube corner. "I agree sis, it is difficult to say the least to have something like this inside me without actually knowing what the long term consequences are. I know Twilight would never knowingly try to hurt me me, but still we just don't know."
"I'm sure we can figure it out Bryan. After all Twilight and Sunset are both very smart, so let's not worry too much alright?" Megan said as she opened the door.
The bell over the door rang as the trio entered and Bryan greeted Mrs. Cake who was behind the counter. "Hey there Mrs. Cake, where are the twins?" he questioned
Mrs. Cake lifted her head and replied. "Oh hello there deary, the twins are around somewhere. You know how foals can be." She said with a giggle.
Bryan laughed "Yeah you can't take you eyes off of them for a second, especially with these two." Bryan said causing the blue earth pony mare to laugh. Bryan then reached up above his head and pulled a small pegasus colt down from over his head. "Well hey there Pound Cake, where is your sister?" He asked the stunned colt who just looked up at him with his big brown eye full of wonder.
Then Bryan felt a pair of small hooves tugging on his pants leg. "Never mind, I know where she is now." He said with a laugh. "Hey Megan could you take care of this little guy for me?" He said handing Pound off to Megan.
"Megan smiled "Sure thing Bryan. Aren't you just adorable?"
As Megan babbled at Pound Cake Bryan turned around and bent down to lift up the source of the tugging. "Hello there Pumpkin, how are you today?" Bryan said smiling at the filly.
Pumpkin giggles cutely and pokes Bryan's nose with her hoof saying. "Boop."
Bryan laughed "Oh you two are just too cute sometimes." Bryan then looked to Mrs. Cake. "So where are Pinkie and Twily anyway?"
"Oh they are in the kitchen cleaning up, they should be done soon." Mrs. Cake replied.
"Okay, we can wait a bit. Besides I doubt Joker would be offended if we were late for a good reason." Bryan said nuzzling Pumpkin's nose. The filly giggled again and nuzzled back.
"I am intrigued to see Mr. Cake since there two are a unicorn and a pegasus. It makes me wonder which one he is." Wind Whistler said causing Bryan to laugh. "Really? Is there a need for that Bryan?"
"Well it is funny given that Mr. Cake is an earth pony like Mrs. Cake." Bryan replied
"How is that so?" Asked Wind Whistler.
"When these two were born a few months back Mr. Cake explained it to us. It's really complicated stuff and I really can't remember what he said exactly. So suffice it to say that it comes down to recessive traits in their respective families. One has a unicorn in their family tree and the other a pegasus which caused the results we now have."
"I see, like Twilight who is a unicorn giving birth to Ember who is an earth pony then." Wind Whistler replied.
"Yeah pretty much." Bryan said
Well however it happened these two sure are cute." Megan said with a smile.
"I'm sorry deary, but did you say Twilight?" Mrs. Cake asked sounding confused.
Bryan shook his head. "Yeah, Ponyland's Twilight is a unicorn and her daughter Ember is an earth pony." Bryan sighed "You know with two Twilights and two Applejacks things are going to get a little confusing. Oh well at least they are visually distinct enough. I mean there is no way to confuse a lavender alicorn for a pink unicorn. And since Aj wears that hat and the red bands in her mane and tail we're okay on that front. Still it's going to be a headache for sure."
"Aw, I'm sure it'll be fine." Pinkie said trotting out of the kitchen. "I mean Twi is a princess now so anypony who needs her will be all like Princess Twilight I need you."
Twilight hung her head. "You know I really don't like that Pinkie."
"And yet it is you burden to bare now Twily." Bryan said as he handed Pumpkin to Mrs. Cake. Pumpkin sniffled and Bryan just smiled. "Oh come now little Pumpkin, you'll get to see me again." He said while booping her. "Right now uncle Bryan, auntie Megan, auntie Wind Whistler, auntie Pinkie, and auntie Twilight have to go see some friends for dinner."
Pumpkin suck her tongue out at Bryan and giggled. Bryan smiled "That's my little Pumpkin Cake." He said while placing her in the foal carrier Mrs. Cake was wearing.
Megan giggled and handed Pound who still wasn't sure what to think of this new human and pony off to his mother. He looked up at them both with wonder in his eyes.
Mrs. Cake giggled herself. "You certainly know how to handle foals Bryan."
Bryan laughed sheepishly. "Well yeah, I have a lot of cute and rambunctious little sisters to thank for that. See you later Mrs. Cake, we need to be going." Bryan said as she headed out the door with the others.
"Have fun dearies." Mrs. Cake replied as they left.
The walk to Joker's was quiet as the sun lowered closer to the horizon and Bryan seemed distant the whole time. Upon arriving Bryan knocked on the door and waited for somepony to answer.
"Are we in the right place?" Asked Wind Whistler.
"Oh yeah, I'd know this air of insanity anywhere." Bryan replied with a chuckle.
As if on que the wall section next to the door opened upwards like a garage door. A white Pegasus mare with half read half black mane and tail walked out and started hugging everyone. "Oh it's nice to finally meet all of you. Dinner is almost ready, dumplin is in the den with our colts. It's straight down the hall and the door on the floor. Oh and don't mind Lucifer he's a big softy." Said mare ushering them in to what seemed to be a fun house in side the normal looking house from outside. And sleeping in a random alcove chest height in the wall was a dire hyena with a large bell on its neck and name plate on the wall that read 'Lucifer's' room.
"Um Bryan, that is a rather large Spotted Hyena over there." Wind Whistler said nervously.
"Actually it's a dire hyena." Bryan replied "And he is just an overgrown furball, that is until you provoke him. That's when the trouble happens."
Bryan do you know this hyena?" asked Megan
"Yeah, Lucifer here guarded our camp during the Maretonian insurgency." Bryan said walking past the hyena and down the hall. "Are you all just going to stand there or what?"
"Yeah really." Pinkie said trotting unfazed down the hallway. "It's kind of rude to just stand there you know."
Megan and the others followed them to the door and down into the den.
"Hey there Joker." Bryan greeted upon entering the room.
They enter the room to find that the gravity is reversed and they are now on what should be the ceiling. "How you like what I have done with the place." Says Joker smiling like a nutjob. He waves his hoof pointing to a pool above them of shifting colored sand. "Oh let me introduce my sons, Loaded Dice and Punch Line esquire."
Bryan facepalmed "Coming from you it's rather predictable Joker."
The colts stood and trotted forward "Oh my gosh! It's really her, I mean hers, I mean them! Megan the Mighty and Wind Whistler. The books don't your ladies justice you're much more beautiful in person." The Orange coated white maned and tailed Pegasus gasps then covers his mouth blushing. "I said that out loud." His tone embarrassed.
Megan smiled "Well thank you for that."
Wind Whistler simply blushed in response.
The older one a unicorn chuckled and shook his head, he was vary clean cut and in a yellow zootsuit. His fur grayish blue and he had green mane and tail with black stripes. "Forgive my younger brother he is faster of tongue then of mind. I'm Punch Line attorney at law, with Do' We' Cheatum, and Howl. My card." He floated cards to each of them. "If you ever need a shyster we have only the best."
"Yeah I've been informed." Bryan deadpanned more at Joker than his son.
"Oh yes sorry force of habit. Self marketing is always best as it puts a face on the business. As Mr. Howl says." Said Punch Line.
Having recovered the young Pegasus got very energetic again wings beating like a hummingbird as he zipped around asking questions as fast as Pinkie "So what were witches really like? Was Catrina really that powerful? Was it really all mares in Ponyland? Were Surprise and Danny a couple? Princess will you be taking recruits directly for the thirteenth now that they're your personal guard?"
Joker facehooves "And he's in fancolt mode. You should have seen him when he met Ace for the first time." He said to Bryan with a chuckle.
Joker noticed his brother in arms snickering at the colt's antics, then the snickering stopped and erupted into full blown laughter.
"I like him." Pinkie said with a squee.
"No, I'm going to be leaving that to Captain Crimsonmoon. He has done such a fine job so far and I see no need to change that." Twilight replied
Wind Whistler shook off her own stupor. "That is a very odd name for a law firm Punch Line."
"It's the founder's names, but we do get that a lot." Said Punch Line. "What really surprises everypony is when Mister Howl is in the court room. Talk about braking the mold of his race. That Diamond Dog is example of what Equestria represents. Equality and opportunities for everyone not just ponies."
"Um... thanks... Lady Pinkie Pie." Said Loaded Dice his face blushed as he froze mid flap and dropped to the floor.
"Aww, you're so cute when you blush. Like an adorable little school colt." Pinkie said hugging him and mussing up his mane.
It was at this point Bryan nearly hit the floor because he was laughing so hard. "Oh Luna, that was awesome." He said breathlessly.
Megan's comment made the little guy's day that much more difficult. "He certainly is cute Pinkie." She said with her usual soft smile.
At this point Dice's mind crashed and his body froze. "Oh great now you broke him." Said Joker braking in to the laugh he and Ace shared.
"So how do we fix him then?" Said Wind Whistler missing the joke.
Then Bryan did hit the floor in a renewed fit of laughter with Pinkie and Twilight joining in.
Megan looked at Wind Whistler. "Oh Wind Whistler, what are we going to do with you?"
Punch Line leaned got an evil glint in his eye and whispered to Wind Whistler with a straight face. "A Pegasus needs to kiss him." While the others could hear it just barely they were laughing to hard to say anything.
Wind Whistler looked at Punch Line for a moment. And then something clicked in her brain as she remembered the good natured teasing Bryan would sometimes give to his adoptive little sisters. "Oh I see, it's that condition. Well given that I am currently the only pegasus present then I shall have to help you brother out." Wind Whistler trotted up to the colt and kissed him right on the nose causing everyone else in the room to stop.
Punch Line was trying very hard to hold it together as As Dice went from statue to puddle of Pegasus. "W-W-W-Wind Whistler just..." Then there was a pomf sound and he was thinking again, but he was now on the floor nose bleeding, and wings at full parade attention.
"Punch Line! That was a dirty trick to play on your brother! Especially with how many Wind Whistler posters and figures he has in his room." Said Joker being the good father and mortifying his son. By basically outright saying Wind Whistler was Loaded Dice's waifu.
"Wow." Bryan said "I had no idea the little guy had a crush on Wind Whistler. That just seems so unlikely, but then again she is one of the most popular figures from the stories." Bryan scratched his head, was Wind Whistler really so different?
"It sounds like you misjudged the effect what you wrote would have Bryan." Twilight scolded
"Well I certainly did not expect a fandom to develop, that's for sure." He looked at Megan apologetically. "You'd better brace yourself for the same kind of thing Megan. It's not going to get any less crazy from here."
"A fandom? Have you never gone to a Paradise convention in Canterlot or Dream Castle gala in Manehatten? I'm sure you have gotten at least some of the fan mail sent to the royal palace, haven't you?" asked Joker
"Wait, wait, wait? A Paradise convention? And a Dream Castle Gala? This is the first I've heard of this Joker. And as for fan mail, well the sisters do pass some along from the palace in Canterlot. It's not much though, they are kind of protective about my privacy and not many know that I actually live in Ponyville." Bryan replied
"Bryan I need to ask you about why this situation we're in with Joker's unusual house hasn't effected you." Megan said
"That would be because I was brought here by an unusual event and have been experiencing them ever since." Bryan replied "Ever since I got out of the hospital I've experienced things that make our time in Ponyland seem tame by comparison. It wasn't, but the magic in Equestria is much more diverse and sometimes unstable. So I just did what any human that didn't break or die did, I adapted."
Megan smiled "I am so proud of you Bryan. You've shown that you're capable of handling yourself no matter how difficult things get."
Bryan blushed and rubbed the back of his neck. "Did you raise the temperature in here Joker? Or is that just me?"
"Given that you're turning red as Ace it's just you." said Joker
"Everyone dinner is ready! And tonight one of the dishes is one of Captain Crimsonmoon's recipes!" Called Harlequin." Joker and Bryan both went pale.
"By the sisters! Which one did she try cooking?!" Moaned Joker as he trembled.
"I uh, didn't know a unicorn with a white coat could turn pale like that Joker." Bryan replied
"Oh come one now Bryan." said Megan "I mean..." Megan suddenly found Bryan's hand over her mouth and looked at him.
"Megan I love you but do not say what you're about to say while we are in Ponyville, it always ends in some kind of disaster." Bryan said
Megan rolled her eyes and removed his hand. "Okay Bryan I'll humor you."
Bryan turned around and looked at Loaded Dice. "Hey are you going to come with us Loaded?"
"I'll be along in a second. After I finish dieing of embarrassment." Said the mass of Pegasus on the floor.
"Now Loaded Dice, there is no need to act like that is there? Your mother work hard on making dinner and it would be very rude to keep her waiting. Besides you can talk to Wind Whistler and get to know her better this way." Said Megan firmly.
"I'm coming, but dad please don't embarrass me in front of my future boss anymore." He points a wing to Twilight.
"You're not in the guard yet son, and who knows you might not make the cut." Said Joker. As he opened a cabinet to reveal the dining room which had a pool of water for the floor and the table and chairs stood on its surface. The family pet Lucifer was running on the water chasing a block that would start rolling whenever he set it down.
"Joker is right. Loaded." Bryan said walking into the dining room and sitting down. "Just making it in the regular solar or lunar guard is far from easy. And an elite combat group like the Everfree Watch is even harder than that. Besides there is nothing saying you have to be a soldier just because Joker is. There are plenty of ways you can work for and with Twilight that will help everypony. Who knows, you may even show some kind of promise that makes you her personal student someday. There is still more than enough time to figure it out, so don't be in such a hurry. You'll get there when it's time."
Megan wordlessly sat next to Bryan and gave him an approving look.
"I'm, not sure I'm ready to have a student Bryan. I only just became a princess and need more time myself." Twilight replied
"Yeah, that way you'll be better at the teacher thing." Pinkie said
"Is it strange that Ace is a teacher then? I mean look how many ponies and non ponies he has helped." Said Harlequin as she put a pot on the table of bubbling black sludge looking thick soup. Which appears to have something moving in it.
"I said he should not teach people his home cooking." Said Joker with a laugh as he held up this bowl for his wife to fill. "Don't worry even if it's Ace's recipe it just looks nasty. That's why we eat in the dark when he cooks."
Bryan laughed "No kidding, it's the worst looking thing I've ever seen since we ran into that minotuar called Stonehammer. Man was he certifiably battle ugly. He hit like a freight train and was tough even for a minotuar warrior."
Megan, Twilight, Pinkie, and Wind Whistler all looked at the unappetizing sludge skeptically.
"Trust me girls, it can be much worse than this. At least Ace doesn't burn juice and liquefy toast." Bryan said
"And I tasted it myself just don't my the wiggling tentacles. That's how you know it's cooked right. Now eat up its good for you." Said Harlequin making sure everyone has bowl of it.
"Don't worry Ace's recipes only look poisonous. It comes from learning to cook from a dragon. Besides my wife put a lot of effort to make it." Said Joker before slurping a wiggling tentacle up.
"Yeah, that's the nature of draconic cooking from what I can say. It looks dangerous but it's really not. Although I do wonder if we should be eating anything quite this heavy tonight. Well as long we don't eat too much we'll be...." Bryan wobbled for a moment threatening to collapse into his bowl.
Megan caught him and held him upright. "Are you okay Bryan?"
Bryan shook his head and replied. "Y-yeah, I think I'm just a little disoriented is all."
"Are you sure?" Asked Wind Whistler. "Because for a moment you were glowing ever so slightly."
Everypony at the table looked at Wind Whistler confused, they hadn't noticed any glow.
"It might have been a low level magic surge brought on the current environment." Twilight stated "I think he'll be alright though, he has had bigger ones when he started training with Trixie."
"Yeah." Pinkie said with a nod. "And came through those just fine accept for that really big one when he overcharged."
Bryan snorted "That one was my fault too, I failed to pay attention at a key moment and got into trouble." He said having some of the soup. "Is that a hint of teriyaki I'm tasting?"
"I can say they are trouble, both of my sons have had a bad time with them." said Joker
"Dad!" Said both colts.
Bryan raised and eyebrow. "I'm sure you're even more aware than I just how unusual it for a pegasus to experience an magic surge Joker."
"Wowee!" exclaimed Pinkie "That is amazing!"
Twilight put her hoof to her chin. "Indeed, this is the very first time I've ever head of a pegasus having a magic surge. Why it's positively extraordinary."
"Can pegasi not use magic here?" Asked Wind Whistler.
"They can, but not to the point that they will typically experience an outright magic surge." Bryan replied "Mostly they have to use more indirect forms of magic without the aid of magical implements. Ace is one pony that breaks that particular mold. I mean Rune Casting can be learned like any other skill, but still the majority of rune casters are unicorns."
"I see." Wind Whistler replied.
"My boy Loaded here is a chaos caster by birth like me." Joker grinning like Pinkie.
"Fascinating." Twilight said "Loaded I may have some things that will help you to manage your abilities. If you'd like I can find the books and they can help provide a foundation for you using your abilities. Also I'm sure you father has a lot to teach you too."
Bryan ate thoughtfully. "You know I think if we went to the Royal Academy for Gifted Spellcasters we could help the little guy out even more. I mean it was you that introduced me to Trixie in the first place Twily. And she was just what I needed to start learning how best to use my illusion magic."
"So I ask why you magical abilities manifested in the form of Illusion magic Bryan?" Asked Wind Whistler.
Bryan sighed "I'm trying to think of how to word this, but it's not going very well. Suffice it to say that what Trixie told me is that I have a kind of instinct for illusion magic. An aptitude so to speak, but we have no idea why exactly. Trixie did say a lot more about it, but the terms she used were above my head."
"That and way more flamboyant I'll bet. That mare of Ace's is a real piece of work." said Joker
Bryan hung his head. "Oh boy was Trixie flamboyant. I am so glad only she has that kind of flare." Bryan straightened up suddenly. "The mirror." Bryan whispered
"The mirror?" asked Megan
"Yeah. Do you remember Majesty's magic mirror we use to communicate with Catrina and all of our other friends over long distances?" asked Bryan.
Megan and Wind Whistler's eyes widened in realization.
"Of course." Said Wind Whistler. "Majesty's mirror is a fixed point in Ponyland and could theoretically be used as a magical gateway. but how do we go about it?"
"Well if what I've read on the theories of this kind of thing are accurate, we'd need a similar fixed point here in Equestria. From there we'd need to communicate with the ponies in Ponyland somehow to be able to synchronize both portals and link them through a kind of a space bridge for the lack of a better term. " Bryan dropped his spoon in the empty bowl in front of him. "The problem is establishing reliable communications. This is going to take an effort of both sides after all. Hey Joker you're an out of the box mind, any thoughts?" Twilight stared in awe of Bryan, she had no idea Bryan had done any such reading.
"You really need to pay attention more." Pinkie said observantly.
"Personally no, but you will be meeting somepony that can if Ace's stories have some truth." Said Joker only to be cut off by Loaded Dice.
"You mean his Sister Chi Spell the necromancer? Right dad. I heard Ace say that she can talk with the dead in Elysium Fields. That might mean she could contact living in other worlds too, right?" Said Loaded Dice his wings buzzing a little.
"He said that it's based or souls like the thread spell of his. Only a lot more complex. To much to rune cast it." Said Joker nodding.
"I don't know about that one Joker. We have had experience with a necromancer once before, and it was a souring experience to say the least. I have told the real story of Tambelon to the sisters, but I have severe doubts that I'll ever repeat it. If anypony knew the truth there might be riots." Bryan replied with a shudder.
"Chi Spell is a good necromancer. But she can't set hoof in Equestria as necromancy is outlawed outright, and her with a talent in it. Well she simply stays in her homelands and helps as she can. Truth is the red thread spell Ace used is technically by law, a crime. But he spent a year and two court dates to get approval to use it and have Red Hair in Equestria as he is a product of necromancy as he technically can't die or more exactly can't stay dead. But if you want all the details ask Shadow or Ace. Or even Chi Spell when you meet her." said Joker
"Chi's lack of malice is sadly irrelevant Joker. The fact remains that Grogar's intentions were purely malicious and nothing else. That means that Megan, Wind Whistler and I are going to be extremely guarded around her through no fault of her own, or ours. And that is an understatement no less. Put simply Grogar has badly complicated things for all four us. That is going to make finding common ground difficult to say the least." Bryan replied
"I wonder why necromancy is illegal to begin with?" asked Twilight "it only makes those with bad intentions that much hard to find and route out."
"That and it will make the encounters far more viscous and damaging." Said Wind Whistler.
"And her preferring to use her undead puppets as her lovers, probably won't help you like her either. Our little sister is a bit off in the head. Also necromancy is outlawed because it often has massive negative energy backlash on the caster, and was misused in ancient times. Mind if I have a bowl of stew?" Said Shadow making almost everyone jump as he steps out from behind Megan pointing a hoof at the pot.
"Bucking Tartarus! How the buck do you do that!? The only door was across from me!" Cried Joker holding his chest.
"Shadow Wing! You need to stop sneaking up on ponies. I swear you must take joy out of making everypony jump out of their fur." Scolded Harley as she poured him some into a bowl that he apparently carried with him.
"Regardless it is a very foolish law that complicates things and makes thing much worse." Bryan retorted "More so given the fact the both Luna and Celestia are skillful necromancers themselves. That and if we ban a school of magic simply because some will misuse it, then we have to ban all magic, even levitation."
"I agree." Megan said speaking up and causing everyone to turn her way. "It isn't right to ban a practice that can save lives just because a small number of ponies will use it wrong."
Bryan merely nodded in agreement.
"Well only a few necromancy spells save lives. Most just mess with dead things or hurt the undead. So it's a valid fear of it as it's a case of greater danger then benefit." Said Shadow as he hoofed a set of scrolls to Bryan then took his bowl back and set a lid on it. "Sorry I can't stay, but I have a lot to do and little time. The scrolls are from Luna, they passport clearances for for the sky docks in Canterlot. They rushed through and Megan's Equestria citizenship peppers and some other basic boring stuff. I have to go got some invitations to deliver still. So I can get hammer of my back about making sure everypony is coming. I swear her acting head title goes to her head some times." And with that he walked past Wind Whistler and vanished.
"You know sometimes I wonder if he is actually a pony and not some magical construct or spirit with how he dose that. Because I never feel one ounce of magic when he dose it." Said Joker looking unnerved. The family pet showing some intelligence nodded from where it was hiding behind Harley.
"He is a pony Joker, he just happens to be able to mask his presence like Celine can. She is much better at it though, but with more than a century and a half of practice that's just how it works. Three, two, one." Bryan replied
"Shadow! I thought I tol... Hey, where did he go?" said Twilight
"A Little late to the party again Twily." Bryan said with a smirk as his reason for the countdown became clear.
Wind Whistler however examined Twilight thoughtfully. "That was a rather long delay in her reaction Bryan. Is she okay?"
"She is fine big sister, it just takes her a bit to catch up when that happens. She does have the cutest little reboot face when it does though." Bryan replied
"Okay well who wants seconds? And for desert I have fresh baked dragon fruit pie" said Harley"
"The stew is too heavy for that." Bryan replied while looking at the scroll. "And from what I'm reading here we'll have to call it here. A longer visit would be really nice, but we have to spend the next couple of days getting ready." Bryan shook his head. "Ace is going to be chewing the scenery for sure. Oh! Joker I need to tell you that Tirek's soul is lose in the Equestrian dreamscape so be careful. Princess Luna has got him on the run, but keep your guard up just in case."
"Trust me Ace has been on the war path and even actually did his paperwork this morning! Had his old Neighponese to Equish dictionary out and everything. I'd thought charger had a heart attack with her mouth hanging open when I saw her watching him." said Joker
Bryan's right eye twitched. "Whoa, that is something alright. Ace is not the only one on the war path actually. Princess Luna is as a well." Bryan sighed "You know how she is about us in the lunar guard, and with me she can be especially territorial. So yeah be careful around her for the next little while, just in case." Bryan picked up a now very drowsy Twilight. "We'd better be off before the egghead here falls asleep. See ya later Joker, and was nice meeting your family."
Twilight groaned "I can't go to sleep yet, I still have some research to do."
"Not tonight you don't, you're going to brush your teeth and got to bed as soon as we get back Twily." Bryan replied
"Good night Loaded Dice, it was nice to meet you." Wind Whistler said.
"N-nice to meet you too Miss Wind Whistler." Said the blushing colt as his voice cracked.
"Stop in any time Bryan if you want to talk. My sofa always has spot for you." Said Harley
"Given the back to back traumas I've had lately I'll have to at some point. So yeah, as soon as this latest mess is dealt with anyway." Bryan called over his shoulder.
The night air was cool as the walked back but these saw a stranger waiting at the door well most she was a stranger she was a Pegasus with a black and white cowboy hat on she had the same coat and eyes as Shadow Wing, and her hat and vest had Equestria naval marking. "Hope you all don't mind me just waiting for you outside your door. But unlike my brothers I understand knocking and waiting to be let in." Said the mare
"Who is she?" Asked Megan
"Dixie Belle, I almost didn't recognize you. Though when we met you were in your dress uniform for the Equestrian Naval review though and not in your street clothes. I also recall our meeting be very brief and formal considering I had just been made an adviser the week before." Bryan replied "So what brings you to us?"
"The brass called me home for leave having gotten word of the reunion. Though my and I brothers work in Equestria military we are still foreigners with duties to our family and nation as it's representatives. So I was in port and they gave me leave till after I get back. It also gives them time to over haul the Ever Blue, as well as my crew to unwind." She smiled. Also welcome to the family cousins. Don't let Ace scare you with his stories. I've fought in the honor battles. They are waste of time but can be amusing when you get bored. Which is why all the traditionalist keep pressing to keep them. Because if they couldn't do that the rich ponies might actually have to work." She said as she started giggling.
Bryan smiled "That makes sense. Would you like some tea while I get our lavender princess to bed?" Bryan turned to Megan. "Get the door please Megan, my hands are very full."
"Sure Bryan." Megan said with a smile as she unlocked and opened the door.
"I fail to see how Ace could scare us with such stories. Bryan has been very upfront about his penchant for exaggeration." Wind Whistler replied.
"Yeah." Pinkie said bouncing into the library.
"Well we are used to ponies that tend to be Canterlot upper class. The ones calling themselves nobles. Back home you have to earn status with skill and talent. If not for Ace our father's coup would have had all of the clan as bandit outcasts or worse. by the way, do you have any hard cider? I like it in my tea." Said Dixie as she followed them in.
"Pinkie go into the basement and get a bottle of hard cider out the fridge down there while I take care of Twilight please." Said Bryan on his way up the stairs with a now fully asleep Twilight in his arms.
"Sure thing Bry Bry." Pinkie said bouncing to the basement door.
"I'll get the tea started." Megan said entering the kitchen leaving Dixie and Wind Whistler to themselves.
"So you're the first of our adopted cousins from the other world? Your younger brother certainly is something else. I wish he he would admit it to himself though." Said Dixie sitting down in a chair.
"Bryan has his qualities, but he also suffers from self-doubt and is a bit stubborn." Wind Whistler replied. "Megan as well as myself and the other ponies have been trying to help him see his value to us, but it's been slow going. It sounds as the princesses have even struggled with this side of him"
"My Niisan too. Sometimes it sounds like he wants to clock him one because of how hard that colt is on himself, at least from what he says in the letters. But he doesn't because he's seen what happens first hoof if you go to far with that kind of thing thanks to our cursed former head of the family." said Dixie
"Niisan? I'm afraid I don't understand that word. I do know that there is a difference between them though. Bryan does not cause trouble intentionally, it sounds to me like Ace does go out of his way to cause trouble."
"It means big brother. Ace only ever caused trouble with the mares back home. Before he herded he was a real heart breaker. But he never caused trouble, he definitely searched for it though. He has never been happy sitting still. He always has to be looking for the next real fight. Hunting bandits after his training was done kept him happy. But well, life got in the way. He came to Equestria because it's more dangerous. And he needs to protect others, to be useful. He and Bryan are to sides of the same bit. Both wish to help any way they can. But Bryan is unsure of his own power and may be scared of it. While Ace is proud of his power and ability, and trusts in it." said Dixie
"Bryan, afraid of his own power?" Wind Whistler sat on her haunches and turned thoughtful. "Could it really be?" She said quietly to herself.