My Lil' Daddy

Chapters

My Lil' Daddy Chapter 1
My Lil' Daddy Chapter 2
My Lil' Daddy Chapter 3 (Unfinished)

My Lil' Daddy Chapter 1

My Lil’ Daddy

Daaaaddy, daddy, won’t you pleeeaaase come home~

The radio suddenly cut off. I was greatly saddened by this; I had become quite fond of the device. It had kept me company many a sleepless night, but it had finally worn itself out. Switching it off, I strolled to a large glass window that showed the outside.

The lights outside illuminated the sea floor outside, also giving the water an eerie blue glow. Huge corals that jutted out of the sand created a colorful forest outside the window, while a large sperm whale passed overhead. A huge city, the city I had come to know all too well, lay sprawled out in front of me. Numerous art-deco-themed buildings overlapped in the distance, huge spotlights waving crazily, as if advertising the place. Rapture.

I turned on my heel, abandoning the view. I picked up a small photo, bordered by a plain wooden frame. The faces depicted in the photo made me smile. I thumbed the glass, wiping off accumulated dust. My wife and teenage daughter smiled back at me, the sun shining brightly in the background.

And now they’re gone. All gone… I thought sadly. If only I hadn’t come to this pseudo-paradise, they would still be with me.

Believing that this “Rapture” would be like living in a dream, my family had moved to the city ahead of me since I was held back at my old job, tying up a few loose ends. I ended up being delayed for several months. My wife and daughter would send me a letter every now and then, updating me on their life in Rapture. From what I read, it sounded like a wondrous utopia, and my wife had already found me a new potential job as a mechanic in the city’s main magma core (A boiler of sorts); somewhere called Hephaestus. I thoroughly enjoyed going through these letters, envisioning the life as my eyes scanned the words written on the page.

After the first few months, I stopped receiving the letters. The first week I stopped receiving them, I ignored my gut instinct that something was wrong. I always told myself that postage coming from an underwater city must have many inconveniences, and that they probably ran into quite a few of them.

Another month passed, and my career as an engineer ended with my resignation. I had become so worried, I knew I had to see what was wrong. The fear for my family’s safety was also accompanied by anger, along with my assumption that my wife had found someone else in this utopia, and that this trip was to get to the bottom of this.

When I arrived at the island where the bathyspheres were kept, I was shocked to find that the island was deserted. Last time I had heard about Rapture, there were hundreds of people immigrating to the city, eager to make the best out of the experience. Now, there were rows of empty and rusty bathyspheres, as well as abandoned luggage cast aside. Some luggage was even floating in the water, its contents slowly spilling out with every rise and fall of the ocean.

My fear now overpowering my anger, I quickly hopped inside a bathysphere and pulled the lever. After a five-minute ride to the docking station in Rapture, I stepped out, appalled at the numerous protest signs and burning debris piles scattered about. It looked as if a war had raged through the area.

My horror grew when I first encountered the common enemy in Rapture: Splicers. A splicer carrying a golf club surprised me, nearly clipping me on the jaw with the putter. I recovered quickly, bowling the splicer into a janitor’s closet, selecting a large wrench and finishing him off.

With the realization of the outcome slowly dawning on me, I hurried to the address, avoiding large groups of splicers and fighting if I had to. When I arrived at the apartment where the letter had come from, I remember the horrible feeling when I saw the door broken down.

What followed, I could not remember. I had repressed the thought since every time I recalled the event, I would temporarily lose my grip on my remaining sanity and start to seize until I passed out.

Besides the death of my wife, one other thing was certain: My daughter was not in the apartment, leaving dozens of other options open of what could’ve happened.

Other than those possibilities, I was alone. I had managed to survive by scavenging in the main city, buying what I could from vending machines, or sifting through rotten groceries at the local market. I still hadn’t figured out what drove me to survive here. Suicide was almost always on my mind. I had already stopped myself from walking in front of a turret at least six times. But something kept telling me to stop; it wasn’t my subconscious, either. It was more like an outside mental consciousness, outside of my own mind, calling out for me to stop, survive, and return to them.

I nearly had a heart attack when the phone started ringing. I looked at the device curiously. “Strange… Who out there would be calling me?” I whispered to myself, my hand reaching for the earpiece. I gripped the black earpiece tightly, my hand trembling as I raised it off its hook.

I put the device to my ear, listening carefully. “Hello?” I asked, speaking into the microphone on the front of the phone. A cold female voice replied.

“Greetings, young man.” I was a little surprised to hear another human voice, since the splicers’ voices were much harsher and raspy than hers.

“Who is this?” I asked hesitantly.

“My name is Dr. Sophia Lamb.” She said. She carefully annunciated each word, speaking loudly and clearly. Apparently, she was a skilled orator. “I noticed you’ve taken residence in your family’s old home, Brooks.”

I twitched slightly.

“Who told you about my nickname? Only Barbara knows—”
“That does not matter, Brooks. I only want to ask you a question, and provide a suggestion.”
“What do you want, then?” I growled.
“Do you wish to see your daughter again?”

My brows shot up. The words I was going to say had become stuck in my throat. I was so shocked, I could only manage to reply weakly, “You have her?”

“Yes. She’s safe with me.”
“Let me talk to her!”
“Only if you meet me at Fontaine Futuristics. I’ll be waiting there, at the Little Sister Orphanage.”
I gulped hard. “How will I know that you’ll have her when I get there?” I asked.
“You don’t. That’s why I’m asking you to take this leap of faith.” The cold voice softened.
“Don’t leave your daughter here alone. She needs you.”

I ground my teeth. She’s probably lying! I thought, turning my gaze to the floor, deep in thought. But how did she know I was living in the apartment? And how did she get my nickname? Only my wife and daughter knew me by that name.

And what did I have to lose, anyways?

“You’ve got a deal. I’ll be there in an hour.”
“Very good. You’ve made a young girl very happy.”

I heard a click, and the dial tone returned. I gently set down the phone, walking to my closet full of accumulated clothing and weapons. I removed the .22 Caliber six-shooter from the small streamer trunk inside, loading the shabby bullets into the chambers. I pocketed another couple dozen bullets, careful not to drop any. Pulling on a long trench coat, I ventured outside, closing the apartment door for the last time.
~~~
The sun shone brightly, interrupted by the occasional cloud scuttling across the sky. A lavender pony trotted down the dirt path, her nose buried in a levitating book. She flipped her dark purple mane out of her face irritably. “How could I not have found this book earlier? And I even re-shelved and reorganized the library last week!” The pony exclaimed.

A small purple dragon followed closely behind her. “Yeah! I mean, portals to another world would probably stand out pretty well in comparison to all of those boring encyclopedias. You sure it’s not a new addition or anything…?” He suggested.

The lavender pony shook her head. “No, Spike. If that happened, I’d be the first to know; I’m the librarian, after all.”

Spike scratched his head. “Sorry, Twilight. Just throwing out suggestions.”

Twilight closed the book, tossing it to Spike to hold. “Well, hang on tight. I’m going to see what Princess Celestia knows about this!” She galloped towards the train station, eager to reach Canterlot and see the Princess again, although the eagerness was overlapped by curiosity as to what world they would unlock with this newfound process.
~~~
I discarded the empty pistol, stepping inside the sleek building marked “Fontaine Futuristics”. Carefully looking around for any threats, I cautiously stepped out into the open. “Hey! You called me on the phone, remember?! I’m here to see my daughter!” I called out to nobody in particular. Hopefully, she’ll hear that before someone else does. I thought.

I was relieved when an older woman stepped out into a spotlight shining down onto an upper story. Her features were clean but bold, the light and shadows defining her features even more, giving her a spooky appearance. A wheelchair holding a sleeping girl appeared next to her. Black hair at about elbow length fell down the front of her face, partially covering it in strands here and there. A couple of familiar hair clips held the bangs aside, allowing me to see the face. I nearly fell to my knees, tears rolling down my face with joy. It was her! She was alive!

“Kate!” I called out to the sleeping figure. The older woman stepped in front of her.

“She cannot hear you, young man.” She said simply.
Suddenly unable to control my anger, I started yelling back. “What the hell did you do to her?! You said she’d be okay!”
“In good time, she will.” Came the answer, which made me even angrier.
Before I could continue, I was stopped again. “However, if you wish to see her when she is awake, you must do exactly as I say. If you do not,” She drew a small German Luger from her pocket, aiming at her head. “I will not hesitate to dispose of her.”

Suddenly frightened, but still angry because I was forced to submit to this witch, I held my hands up. It didn’t really matter, though, since I knew I had nothing to even fight back with. “Alright!” I blurted out. “Alright. Just don’t shoot.” I said.

Satisfied with my submission, she twisted her features into what appeared to be a grin, but looked more like a grimace. “Take him away.” She said to nobody in particular. She turned my daughter’s wheelchair around, disappearing from the balcony.

Confused, I started turning around when something metal connected with the back of my head. I fell to my knees, my eyes struggling to focus on the quickly disappearing form of my daughter. I found it impossible to continue, when a thick blanket of unconsciousness was pulled over my eyes.
~~~
Galloping up the throne room’s majestic staircase, Twilight was relieved to see the Princess still talking to an adviser. She stopped a little ways before the throne, waiting politely.

The Princess and her adviser exchanged bows, finishing their conversation. The Princess’s eyes widened slightly when she noticed Twilight and Spike. “Twilight Sparkle! Well, isn’t this a pleasant surprise!” She exclaimed.

Twilight pressed her head up against the Princess’s neck in affection. “Hi, Princess Celestia! It’s been awhile!”

The Princess returned the gesture, then stepped back, looking at Twilight apologetically. “Yes, it has. I’m sorry I couldn’t come and visit; I’ve been so busy lately, especially with the new uprising of the local trolls.” Her gaze turned confused. “So, what brings you here? Spike could’ve just sent a letter, you know.”

Twilight bowed. “I know; I’m sorry, but I thought that this would be of the utmost importance to you, Princess.”

Princess Celestia was suddenly intrigued. “Oh, really? In that case, let’s retire to my study.” She gave a sidelong glance at a nearby Pegasus guard, then added, “We can talk freely there.”

Nodding enthusiastically, Twilight followed the Princess upstairs.

Once inside the conference room, and no guards were present, Twilight presented the book to the Princess. “I found this while searching for a book on weeds. It was right next to the book I was looking for, in fact.” Twilight explained.

The Princess opened the book, scanning its contents. “Well, that makes sense. They DO both start with ‘W’, after all.”

After another twenty minutes of reading, the Princess closed the book, a dark expression on her face. “This is very serious news, indeed, Twilight. I’m very glad you brought this book to my attention. Who knows what would happen if this book was found in the wrong hands.”

Twilight nodded. “So, what are we supposed to do with the book?”

The Princess smiled down at Twilight. “Just hang on to it for now. I trust that you’ll take good care of the book while I wrap things up here. I still need to talk to the captain of the castle garrison about this mountain troll problem.”

Twilight frowned. “How am I going to get home with mountain trolls running about? There’s no way I’m going to walk back now.”

Princess Celestia frowned as well. “I’ve got the whole Pegasus guard on alert, as well as every extra guard patrolling the grounds. I can’t really spare any guards to take you home, but you’re welcome to stay in the castle until I can.”

Twilight forced a smile. “Thanks, Princess. Good luck with getting rid of the mountain trolls.”

Princess Celestia bowed to Twilight. “Sorry that I couldn’t get you home; you’re welcome to wander the castle as you please. Just let the guards know I’m allowing you to stay here.”

Nodding as she left, Twilight trotted out of the conference room as two armor-clad guards entered, both looking higher ranked than the basic royal grunt.

She sighed, opening the book again. She was still reading the procedure on creating a portal when Spike ran into her at the top of the steps. “So? What’d the Princess say?”

Twilight shook her head. “We’re not getting home until some ordeal with the local mountain trolls has been resolved. Apparently, it’s getting out of hand. She can’t even spare a couple of guards to pull a cart back to Ponyville.” She explained.

Spike looked down sadly. “Bummer.” He watched as Twilight started reading the procedures again. He suddenly had an idea. “Hey, maybe we can summon someone to help her with the problem; maybe we’ll find someone much more qualified to deal with these mountain trolls, since—”

“Sorry, Spike. I’m not summoning anything from any other worlds. I can’t risk summoning them here and not being able to return them from where they came from.” Twilight said flatly.

Twilight gazed at the book’s cover, her eyes intense. “Princess Celestia has entrusted me with the contents of this book, and I’ve sworn to keep it from falling into the wrong hands.”

Spike took the book from Twilight, flipping through the pages randomly. “Humph. It’s not like anyone can even pull off the feat! Look what is needed here! All of these ingredients and items are really, really rare!”

A small ring fell out between the pages. Twilight barely had time to catch it before it hit the ground. “What the…?” Spike looked back at the book, where a small circle had been cut out of a page to fit the ring.

The ring had a small gate crafted onto the top, a miniature chain supposedly holding the doors closed. The head of a dragon mounted the top, its horns and claws worn from apparent wear and tear.

Spike looked at the ring closely. “What’s that?” He asked.

Twilight levitated the ring with her horn, nodding for Spike to hop on. “Whatever this is, this also needs to be presented to the Princess.”
~~~
I slowly came to, my eyes beginning to adjust to the dimness of the room. A painful throbbing in the back of my throat let me know I was awake and alive. A good sign, I guess. I looked up, but all I could see was a small oval in front of me. A sickly pale glow shone down onto my face through the small opening.

I tried to sit up, but something heavy prevented me from doing so. I turned my head to the side, but all I could see was pitch blackness. What the… I thought.

The light suddenly brightened, causing me to squint. I pulled my arm in front of me, trying to shield my eyes. I gasped when I saw a large drill instead of my hand appear within the oval. I tried to yell out, but all I heard was a loud but low, inhuman moan. And, to my horror, I realized it was coming from my mouth.

I was distracted by the cold female voice again. “I see you are awake, Epsilon.” She said.

Epsilon? Since when did I become her pet? I thought.

I heard a loud clank, and I was suddenly able to sit up. A loud hissing noise accompanied the movement. I sat up slowly, swinging my legs over the side of the assembly counter I was laying on.

I found that balancing was trickier than I thought. I stumbled forward, right into the viewing glass, which cracked under my weight. I finally got a good look at my reflection in the glass.

I was wearing some sort of heavy diving suit, my upper body covered partially by a metal carapace that spread out below my helmet. Two air valves protruded from the helmet, receding to a pair of air tanks mounted on my back. My height had also increased, which I noticed when the top of the air tank nicked the light bulb hanging on a short string above me.

Recoiling in horror, I fell backwards, nearly tripping on the counter. A large rivet gun tumbled from my back, the weight yanking on an air pressure tube that connected to one of the two air tanks.

What the hell did she do to me?! I wondered. Suddenly, I remembered why I had let this happen.

Kate! Where is she?! I thought. I tried to ask the woman, but I could only make those low moaning noises. When she didn’t answer, I shoved the table into the glass, the suit’s hydraulics allowing me to move the heavy table. However, the glass didn’t break. Frustrated, I roared at the top of my lungs. WHERE IS SHE?!

She gave me a disgusted look. “Your daughter will serve me, alongside my daughter, Eleanor. I doubt she’d wish to see you again as a disgusting monster, anyways.” She walked up to the glass, smiling triumphantly. “But you; you will bond with a different girl, and gather my precious ADAM.”

She pressed a button on a nearby console. A beeping could be heard outside, and a bright yellow sludge started pouring in through the back of my helmet. I frantically searched for a way to remove the helmet, but to no avail. The only possibility of getting it open were through a series of bolts holding the helmet to my suit.

“Now, sleep, Epsilon.”

I roared in anger as the sludge enveloped my head, the liquid sliding over my eyes and filling my nose and mouth. Initially, I couldn’t see or hear anything. Suddenly, a wave of relaxation and numbness washed over me, accompanied by another wave of amnesia. Memories escaped my head as the air escaped from my lungs, filling with the sludge. It wasn’t long before the numbness reached my head, and I fell forward, unable to stand any longer.
~~~
Twilight trotted around another corner, searching for the Princess. “Great. Now I’m lost.” She growled.

Spike brought up the rear, still holding the ring. “Aw, don’t feel so bad, Twilight. It’s not like we’ve always lived in places like this. Why don’t we ask a guard for directions?” He asked.

Twilight gave a sidelong glance at a passing noble, and then shook her head. “No, it’s fine. We’ll find her, eventually.” Twilight said.

“What is it with ponies and asking for directions?” Spike asked himself.

Ignoring the dragon, Twilight continued searching the halls for the Princess. “Maybe she’s back at the throne room…?” She wondered out loud.

A sudden tremble shook the entire castle, knocking Spike and Twilight off of their feet. A chandelier tumbled from the ceiling, landing a few feet away from Spike. “Yikes!” He cried, scrambling away from the fallen fixture.

“What was that?!” Twilight said, looking down the hallway from where they came. A low horn sounded outside. Spike perked an ear up. “That doesn’t sound good…” He said. Rushing to a window, Twilight and Spike pressed their faces to the glass, struggling to see outside.

In the courtyard below, a large group of mountain trolls had broken through the opening, batting aside the guards. The horn sounded again, this time from a battlement below the window. “In the name of the Solar Monarchy, CHAARGE!” Cried a Lieutenant. An uproar of numerous stallions rent the air as the two lines clashed.

Twilight winced as a Pegasus guard smashed through a window adjacent to theirs, knocked senseless by a mountain troll’s club. “Come on! We need to find Princess Celestia! She’ll find us a safe place in the castle!!” Twilight advised, levitating Spike and setting him on her back.

She took off in the general direction of the throne room, still unsure if she was even going the right way. The noises of the battle outside began to draw closer, the Pegasi falling back inside the castle.

“You sure you know where you’re going, Twilight?!” Spike asked, looking back occasionally to check for any signs of the battle. “No idea! Just bear with—”

She was cut off when a pair of mountain trolls burst through the double doors at the end of the hall. Although the trolls weren’t much taller than the ponies, they were twice as strong. These two wielded two-handed metal hammers, each one wearing a single loincloth and shoulder strap for their hammer.

They looked at Twilight curiously. A twisted grin appeared on the face of one of the trolls. “Heehee, pwetty mare, c’mere! We ain’t gunna hurtcha!” He said slowly.

The other gripped its metal hammer tightly, raising its lip in a snarl. “Whatcher talkin’ bout, ya lout?! Yew know what we dew with dem’ ponies! Head on a stake n’ all dat!” The other retorted.

The first troll shrugged. “Sounds good t’me. Let’s get ‘er!” They advanced slowly on the two ponies, each wearing a devious grin.

Twilight backed slowly down the hall, looking around for any open door to run to. She spotted a large oaken door to a guest room about a hundred feet away. “Spike,” She whispered out of the corner of her mouth. “When I say ‘now’, can you distract them with a spout of your fire?”

Spike looked confused, but maintained his gaze on the advancing trolls. “But it won’t do anything!” He hissed. Twilight shook her head. “Just do it! All we need is a few seconds to get away. Just follow me after you hit them with the fire.” She replied.

The two trolls were slowly becoming impatient with the “nice and easy” approach. “There t’ain’t nowheres to run, yew stoopid mare! Git over here!!” One roared, reaching out for Twilight. “NOW!” Twilight screamed, stepping back simultaneously. Spike leaped up, spraying a fountain of harmless green fire. The trolls stepped back in shock, waving their arms crazily and dropping their hammers. “Ooh, ooh!! I’m burrrnin’! Me rump’s on fire! Put me out, Jasper!” One wailed, his eyes tightly closed. The other danced about, patting himself down. “Sharrup, Horace, yew numbskull! I’m on fire too! Whoohohahehiie!”

“C’mon, Spike! Let’s go!” Twilight urged, taking off towards the door. Spike followed closely, throwing himself inside the room. Twilight magically shut the door, engaging the numerous locks mounted on the back.

They backed away from the door cautiously. The dialogue of the two trolls outside could barely be heard.

“Oi! Where’d they go?!”
“Maybe they used that magicks stuffs on us, Jasper.”
“Just shut yer trap and help me look, willya?!”
“Maybe they’re in a room…?”
“That’s more loike helpin’. Now start bashin’ down these doors. I’ll get started over ‘ere.”

They heard a loud crash, and a loud scuffling noise next door. “They ain’t in ‘ere.” Came the reply.

Twilight panicked, looking about the room for any way of blocking the door. But the room was bare, save for a small end table and a large bed, which neither of them could move. And it would make too much noise, and they’d be found anyways.

Spike looked to her hopefully. “Twilight! Do something!” He hissed. However, Twilight was still to stricken in fear to respond. She stared dumbly at the door, waiting for the inevitable. She tried to scream, but no noise came out.

Somepony… Anypony… Help… Help! HELP! Her thoughts cried.
~~~
Dr. Lamb noticed Epsilon stir, his fingers twitching slightly. Amused by the similarity to one of her favorite Gothic novels, she turned back to the glass.

The creature stood on its feet, the visor filled with an expressionless yellow mask. However, she didn’t expect it to start glowing. “What…?” She breathed, putting a hand on the glass.

Its body glowed white-hot, the light nearly blinding her. Objects in the room began to levitate, like the metal counter and bits of the floor. An even brighter flash illuminated the room for a second, temporarily rendering Dr. Lamb’s sight useless.

Once the dark spots in her eyes vanished, she noticed that something else had vanished as well. Epsilon.
~~~
The door smashed inwards, a large chunk of it banging Spike into the back wall. Spike’s hand dropped limply, the ring rolling to Twilight’s hooves.

The two trolls barged in, their grins returning to their faces upon seeing Twilight. “Ello’, puppet.” Jasper said happily. Horace brought up the rear, eyeing the ring at Twilight’s hooves. “Weeeell, whatcher got there?” He asked, reaching out to pick up the ring.

Twilight instinctively lashed out, stomping on his hand before he could touch it. “Stay back!” She cried. “I swore to protect this ring in the name of my mentor, Princess Celestia!”

Horace cackled. “Ear’ dat, Jasper? She’s a feisty un’, eh?” Jasper hefted the hammer. “Yep. And yew knows what we dew with the feisty un’s, roight?”

Twilight was too frightened to answer, her hoof kicking the ring a little.

Suddenly, the ring floated upwards, a bright light emanating from behind the gate on it. The chain shattered, and the gate flew open. A brilliant glare caused everybody to cover their eyes, not wanting to be blinded.

There was a shattering noise, and a loud THUD as the glare faded. Twilight winced when a shard of the ring bounced off of her head. She eyed the small shard. It was a piece of the gate shaped onto the ring.

But what was the thud noise…?

She looked up, nearly yelling out at what she saw. A tall, robotic biped was standing in front of her, posed in a low stance. A large drill was mounted on one of its hands, while the other was covered in a heavy glove. Two large tanks sat on its back, while a strange device was set over the back. It looked something like a crossbow, but the string and bow were replaced by a short barrel and two iron rods that served as a sort of aiming reference.

The trolls were completely awestruck. “Whuzzat?!” Jasper exclaimed, taking a step back. “Some kinda metal monkey! Yeek!”

Horace snorted. “Quit yer yappin’, Jasper. We’ve got the weapons, ‘member?” He twirled the hammer skillfully, charging forward. “Yew picked the wrong troll t’mess w—” He was cut off when the creature slammed its fist dead center into his face. He tumbled backwards, spitting out broken teeth. “Ach, Jathper! ‘Elp me ou’ ‘ere!” Horace whined.

Jasper roared, swinging the battle hammer above his head. The creature caught the hammer in midswing, grunting from the effort of stopping it. The large drill on its arm started up, making a loud buzzing noise. It shoved the drill right into Jasper’s ribs, disemboweling the troll. Gurgling loudly, Jasper tumbled to the side lifelessly.

Horace recoiled in horror. “Aggh! Yew animal! Gedaway from me!” Horace scrambled to his feet and ran out the door.

Twilight was completely shocked and traumatized, staring dumbly at Jasper’s corpse. She nearly screamed when the creature turned around to face her, its drill still dripping blood. “H-h-help…” She stuttered weakly.

The creature took a step towards her, reaching for her. “N-no! You’re not going to get me!” Twilight cried, galloping out of the room. She charged down the hall, almost running into Princess Celestia.

“Princess! It’s you!” She exclaimed. The Princess looked worried. “Twilight! I’ve been searching for you this whole time! The trolls are currently in a rout, but I wanted to make sure you were safe.”

Twilight buried her muzzle into the Princess’s wing. “Princess… I-it got Spike!” She sobbed.

The Princess was suddenly on guard. “A troll?!” She asked.

“N-no! Something else!” Twilight cried. She looked back, her eyes widening as the creature emerged, carrying Spike.

However, she was surprised to see it carefully cradling Spike in its enormous hand. “Wha…?” Twilight started. The creature slowly lumbered towards Twilight. A guard stepped forward, his jaw set. However, the Princess stopped him. “Wait.” She whispered.

The creature stooped to one knee, offering the baby dragon to Twilight. Without hesitation, she levitated Spike to her back. The creature backed off, straightening up to its full height of eight feet.

The Princess nearly gasped when Twilight stepped forward, looking into the yellow visor. “Thank you.” Twilight said. “You saved me, and Spike. I didn’t think we’d make it back there.”

The creature simply stood there, as if it didn’t understand her words. Unfazed, she continued. “And, I’m also sorry that I ran away from you when you were only trying to help. I was just… afraid. I just didn’t know if you were going to do the same to me as you did to—”

The creature cut her off by kneeling again, this time, simply resting its massive hand on her head. “Oof…” Twilight grunted, although smiling simultaneously. Twilight was surprised how comforting and gentle the creature was. She opened one eye. "Can you forgive me?

It hummed gently, eventually standing on two feet again.

"I'll take that as a yes." Twilight said, giggling lightly.

"What the hay is going on..?" A guard muttered under his breath.

My Lil' Daddy Chapter 2

My Lil’ Daddy: Chapter 2

“Man! Wait till everypony in Ponyville gets a look at this guy! Nopony will wanna mess with us!” Spike chatted excitedly.

Twilight looked back at the creature worriedly. It had followed her dutifully the entire walk (since he was too big for the train, and no Pegasus carriage could carry him), occasionally turning to reevaluate its surroundings. Other than that, however, it remained quiet and inanimate. Her eyes drifted down to the drill that was still caked in the troll’s blood. She immediately shut her eyes and shivered, repressing the memory of how it got there.

“I don’t know, Spike. I’m not sure how everyone would react to him.” Twilight started, but was interrupted by the baby dragon.

“Him? How do you know it’s a guy?” He asked.

Twilight looked back at the creature, who was gazing off at the distant silhouette of Ponyville that sat on the horizon. She shrugged. “I don’t know; I guess his protective attitude reminds me of a male figure.” She explained quickly.

Spike grinned. “You have a name for him, yet?” He asked, his tone sarcastic.

Twilight looked confused. “What do you mean?” She asked.

“Think about it, Twilight.” Spike started. “You’ve designated it a ‘him’, you treat him like it’s intelligent, so I just thought the next thing you’d do is give a name to your pet.”

Twilight scowled. “Hey, I know it can understand most of what we’re saying, so I treat it with respect. You should do the same, Spike.” She explained, her words tinted with irritation. “Also, I just went with my gut feeling on its gender. It’s just an opinion. You don’t have to accept that.”

Ignoring Twilight’s tirade, Spike glanced back at the creature, which happened to take an interest in a large sunflower that was growing on the side of the road. “Why do you think it decided to protect you?” He asked. Twilight shook her head.

“How would I know that, Spike? Maybe you should ask it.” She replied exasperatedly.

Spike watched as the creature easily plucked the flower from the stem. “Although I don’t get why that thing suddenly decided to protect you, I guess it’s just for the best.” Spike concluded, raising a brow as the creature approached Twilight again, holding out the sunflower.

He lightly tapped Twilight on the shoulder. “Twilight! Twilight! Look!” He said.

As soon as Twilight started turning around, a polychromatic blur appeared out of nowhere, bowling the creature over with a powerful tackle.

“Wha—” Twilight started, before Pinkie appeared at her side. “Hey, Twilight! We saw you in trouble, so we’re gonna take care of this baddie for ya!” She exclaimed cheerily.

Fluttershy urged them away. “Come on, guys. Let’s go… Fighting scares me.”

Twilight suddenly began to panic, trying to voice an explanation. “Wait! Guys! He’s not—”

Applejack advanced on the creature, tossing a lasso around its drill arm. “Hehe, gotcha!” She started, but was quickly thrown off the rope with a quick sweep of the same arm. She crumpled in a heap several feet from her original spot. Shaking herself off, she struggled to her hooves. “Whoa… He’s a strong un’.” She groaned.

Twilight tried again. “He’s too strong for you all, anyways! Just—”

Rainbow Dash circled back for another hit, slamming right into the creature’s chest. However, it was prepared for her this time, bracing itself with its powerful legs, absorbing all of the impact. “Huh?! Whoaaah!” Came Rainbow Dash’s cries as it flung her to the ground in front of it.

Twilight watched in horror as the drill started up again. “No… NO! STOP!” She cried, galloping forward to the creature.

Everypony was completely surprised when it obeyed, the drill slowing to a stop. Twilight approached the creature, obstructing Rainbow Dash. “They’re friends! They didn’t know who you were!” She explained. There were gasps when the creature lowered its arm, backing away slowly.

Rainbow Dash carefully got up, a noticeable limp in her trot. Fluttershy looked quite worried. “Rainbow Dash, you shouldn’t put too much weight on it! It might be…” Her voice trailed off when the creature began to advance on the two. “…Broken.” She finished, backing away. However, it took no interest in her, continuing to approach Rainbow Dash.

Standing her ground, Rainbow stared back up defiantly at the emotionless visor. They stared at each other for a few minutes, until the creature extended a hand.

Rainbow Dash recoiled from the gesture, turning up her nose away from the hand. “Hmph. Just because you’re Twilight’s friend doesn’t mean I gotta trust you.”

“Rainbow Dash! How could you!” Twilight growled, reprimanding the Pegasus.

Rainbow Dash was about to reply when the creature grabbed her hoof, draping her over his shoulder like some kind of rug. “H-hey! What’re you—” Rainbow Dash protested, wriggling furiously.

Twilight grinned. “Can’t let you walk on that bad hoof, now can we?” She asked, teasing Rainbow Dash’s snout with a flick of her tail.

Pinkie Pie frowned. “Aww! I wanna piggy-back ride, too!” She whined.
~~~
Dr. Lamb examined the cluttered room, most of the small trays of utensils scattered around. The tiles where Epsilon had once stood lay partially broken, revealing the small crater left in the concrete by what appeared to be an explosion.

She turned her nose up at the mess. Untidiness always triggered a sort of underlying irritation at the back of her head. About as much as when things didn’t go to plan.

Brushing off some of the debris from the table, the doctor noticed something fall from the metal surface. It bounced once off of the ground, leaning against the partially shattered glass.

Stooping to one knee, she carefully picked up the object, brushing off the cool iron. It appeared to be some sort of ring, an ornate gate adorning the top. A sudden influx of curiosity made her want to try it on.

As soon as the metal slid over her finger, a yellow light, similar to the one that appeared before, materialized from the gate. Yelling out, the doctor stumbled backwards into the wall. She shielded her eyes from the glare, her glasses falling from her face.

She was surprised when the light faded. Cautiously lowering her arm, her eyes widened at the swirling oval that had appeared before her. She noted that the color was exactly the same as what Epsilon emitted when he disappeared. It did not take long for her to realize what the portal was.

A cold smile slowly made her way across her face. Her eyes fell on the still-sleeping figure in the wheelchair outside of the shattered glass. “You will return to me, Epsilon.” She said quietly, making her way to the wheelchair. She tipped the girl’s chin up, her lip curled. “Your daughter will make sure of that.”
~~~
The sunlight slowly disappeared under the distant rolling hills, the last of the sun’s wild mane fading away.

As Luna’s moon began to rise, Twilight and her friends had just arrived in Ponyville. Rainbow Dash rested her head on her hooves, a little frustrated. “I could’ve just flown home, you know.” She said.

Applejack shrugged. “Welp, too late now, sugarcube. At least you got a free ride from mister… What’s his name, Twi?”

Twilight shrugged as well. “I haven’t really thought of a name for him, yet. He doesn’t really seem to talk much, so I couldn’t really ask, now could I?”

Everpony’s eyes (save Rainbow Dash’s) moved to rest on the monstrous creature, who was either ignoring their gaze, or wasn’t even conscious of it. It had suddenly taken interest in a monarch butterfly struggling to fight the gentle breeze which blew through the town.

Fluttershy giggled. “He reminds me of a big kid.”

Everypony’s stares were soon concentrated on the Pegasus. She cowered behind her pink mane. “S-sorry. Just a suggestion.”

Rainbow Dash grinned. “How ‘bout Junker? Or Clunkface? Oh! Oh! Rusty!”

An icy glare from Twilight silenced the mare. “Something a little less offensive.” Twilight mumbled.

“I don’t know about that, Twilight.” Rarity said, shrugging. “Rainbow Dash has got a point. We don’t really know what else to call him.”

Twilight glanced back at the creature, who was now standing idly beside the shrubbery. “Rusty it is, then.” She sighed, frowning.

They continued through Ponyville, the creature dutifully following them. The rhythmic thudding attracted much unwanted attention by the ponyfolk, who gasped and stared at the metal biped.

Rainbow Dash narrowed her eyes at a group of colts gawking at the creature. “They’d better not be checking out my flank.” She growled, her voice dripping venom.

Applejack could not resist a joke. “Who would, sugarcube?”

A lone figure knelt on the hill above Ponyville, its single red eye roving the town’s empty streets. Its gaze fell upon a large red barn, where two gleaming signatures resided.

Its targets in sight, the figure leapt off of the ledge, bounding towards the glimmers with inpony speed.

Twilight sighed explosively before collapsing into her starry bedsheets. After a quick flurry of farewells, everypony had gone to their respective homes. They had all decided to work out the issue of explaining the creature to the Mayor tomorrow, as their minds were wearied from the shock of the day.

Little had occurred since Twilight and Spike had arrived home; Rusty did not fit through the library’s entrance, and resigned to keeping a silent vigil outside the front door. She hoped that it would scare off any important ponies, although there was little chance that Ditzy would be repelled by—

Her thoughts were interrupted when a loud roar rent the air outside the library. Rusty crashed into the library, making himself a new entrance. W-what’s gotten into him?! She thought desperately, before noticing that the light inside his visor had shifted from its neutral yellow-green to a bright red. Twilight began to panic, hurriedly shushing and attempting to calm down the biped. “Shh! Quiet! I have neighbors, you know-oh-oh-whoa!” She started before being tossed onto Rusty’s back. Spike quickly followed suit, landing squarely on her head.

Stars winking in and out in front of her eyes, she barely had a second to grab onto the large rivet gun attached to Rusty’s back before he took off, sprinting at an alarmingly fast pace away from the town. “H-hey! Where are we going?!” Twilight asked loudly, temporarily forgetting that Rusty didn’t talk at all.

Rusty continued running, his heavy boots making a horrible booming noise as they collided with the rough dirt path. It wasn’t long before Twilight realized they were heading towards Applejack’s farm. “W-why…?” She asked herself, stuttering as she bounced up and down.

Spike was even less happy about the situation. “Twilight! Tell your stupid iron pet to sit! I can’t take much more of this boun—BLLLGH!” He held his mouth shut as his midnight snack almost tumbled out. Twilight shook her head.

“I don’t know what’s wrong! He won’t stop running! I tried!” She exclaimed. However, when they arrived in the front, it was obvious that not all was well. Winona lay battered and bruised against the barn wall, whimpering quietly. Big Mac lay sprawled on top of a shattered wagon, unmoving. After seeing the kicked-down door, it didn’t take long for Twilight to realize what was going on.

Rusty was quick to set her and Spike down gingerly outside, quickly turning his attention to the house. A familiar yell could be heard inside, causing Twilight’s ears to perk up. “A-Applejack?!” She cried. Rusty shouldered his way into the house, his thudding footsteps fading upstairs.

“W-wait! We shouldn’t split up!” Twilight called, chasing him inside. Ignoring Spike’s warnings, she charged inside, slowing down as she ascended the steps in a hurry. She nearly bumped into Rusty’s backside as he leaned forward, grabbing something in the process.

A bruised Applejack soon joined Twilight behind Rusty, who quickly whirled on a darkened figure near the hallway window. “Applejack, what happened to you?!” Twilight asked quickly. The battered farmpony made no attempt to answer. Although her ragged breathing was audible, it was obvious that she was not conscious.

Horrified, Twilight struggled to see around Rusty, who remained crouched in a low stance. Squinting hard to see through the dark, Twilight let out a gasp when the figure stepped into the moonlight streaming through the hallway window.

Towering four feet over Twilight, it was another biped similar in anatomical structure to Rusty, although shorter and much skinnier in comparison to a bulkier Rusty. Large air tanks attached to her back dwarfed her midriff, although both arms sported fearsome-looking needles. It wore a small cage on its back, which looked big enough to fit several small fillies inside. A single ball sat atop her head, a large red eye roving the interior of the farmhouse.

Twilight let out another gasp when she saw Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle caught in its clutches. They struggled weakly, mewling helplessly. “T-Twi! Help!” Apple Bloom managed to squeak before the creature’s grip tightened, preventing her from saying anything else. That thing must be the reason Applejack’s in such a bad way… Twilight thought. Her anger threatened to boil over… if the creature didn’t look so fearsome.

Rusty seemed to hesitate. Twilight glanced between the two bipeds nervously. Why doesn’t he do something?! That thing hurt Applejack! She thought. After a pregnant pause, Rusty began to walk forward. Inevitably, the walk broke out into a full-on charge, his arms outstretched. The creature quickly tossed Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle into its cage. It waited until Rusty was upon it, crouching underneath the metal behemoth and kicking him over it, Rusty’s momentum carrying him through the wall and out the window.

Twilight winced as a loud crash could be heard outside. Her eyes widened when the creature turned back to face her, its head turning at a sickening angle. Twilight froze, wildly hoping that the creature hadn’t seen her. Although it was obvious that it had already seen her, she remained still, desperately praying that it would not decide to advance.

Contrary to her wishes, it charged forward, screeching madly. “RUN, TWILIGHT!” Sweetie Belle screamed. Snapping out of her trance, Twilight quickly hoisted Applejack onto her back, casting a short-distance teleportation spell. She reappeared outside the house with the farmpony in the nick of time, narrowly avoiding a fatal blow to her throat.

Her legs buckled, forcing her to drop Applejack. Spike sprinted up to her. “Hey, Twilight! You okay?! What happened to Applejack?!” He gushed.

Twilight held up a hoof. “I’ll explain later! Just see if you can wake up Big Mac or Winona!” She called back quickly.

She saw that Rusty was slowly getting to his feet, holding his head as if it threatened to suddenly explode. Her expression changed from fear to concern. “Rusty? Rusty!” She called, galloping out to his prone form. When she approached, however, Rusty shoved her away, trying desperately to move her away from the conflict. Twilight bit her lip. “Rusty! I can help! I’m not harmless, you know!”

Rusty ignored her, still keeping his left palm to his helmet. He struggled to his feet, staring down his opponent. The creature stood on the upper floor of Applejack’s farmhouse, directing an equally intimidating glare back at the two. Twilight gulped audibly.

A sudden murmur caught Twilight’s attention. Glancing over, she saw Applejack’s head stirring. “Wha… What happened?” Applejack started. She suddenly sprang to her feet, her voice escalating. “Where’s Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle?! An’ that bucket of bolts?!” She cried, whirling about frantically as she searched for her quarry.

“Applejack!” Twilight hissed, not exactly eager to distract the creature from its staring contest with Rusty. Applejack’s head swiveled to face Twilight, and a look of momentary relief spread across the farmpony’s face.

“Tw-Twi? Aren’t you a sight for sore eyes!” Applejack replied. “Somepony took Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle!” She cried.

Twilight’s gaze returned to the upper story of Applejack’s farmhouse. “I know.” She admitted, gulping involuntarily.

The creature hopped down from the second story, carefully detaching the cage from its back. It set it down gently on the ground behind it, as if a brisk breeze could shatter its cargo. It turned back to Rusty, screeching out a challenge in an inpony cry.

Rusty answered with a cry of his own, withdrawing the fearsome rivet-gun that was placed on his back. Pulling back the bolt on the gun, he slammed a fresh canister of rivets onto the side. He took aim at the creature, firing the weapon madly. Unfortunately, the creature made up for its size with speed, easily dodging the hail of rivets.

Regardless, Rusty continued to fire until the gun clicked empty. Barrel smoking, the gun made another clicking noise as the large canister dropped to the ground heavily, colliding with a heavy thud. Before Rusty could reload, however, the creature flew at him with a flurry of strikes with the needles mounted on its arms. Rusty countered with a vicious punch directly to the creature’s abdomen. It stumbled backwards from the blow, clutching its stomach. Suddenly, a fierce glow appeared in Rusty’s armored hand. Twilight’s eyes widened when he cast his palm outward, an angry blaze belching from several small holes in his glove. The creature ducked underneath the inferno, fire emerging from its own hands. The flames, however, were concentrated into a ball rather than a stream. It threw these two fireballs at Rusty, who lacked the skill to dodge both. One whizzed by Rusty’s visor, while the other slammed into his midriff.

Twilight looked on in awe as the two bipeds battled fiercely, her assurance rising and falling as the advantage constantly switched sides with every blow. A distant voice distracted her. “Twilight!” It called. Ears perking up, Twilight quickly turned to face the voice only to nearly bump noses with Fluttershy. Leaping up in fright Twilight cursed aloud.

“Oh, buck! Fluttershy! Don’t do that!” She exclaimed. Rarity sidled up next to the Pegasus, a light blush on her cheeks.

“Twilight! Please! Keep the language to a minimum!” She scolded.

Pinkie joined her. “Yeah! Wouldn’t want to scare away any of the younger readers!” She added.

Twilight was about to ask her about these “readers” when Rainbow Dash arrived on the scene, zooming past them both and straight into the creature. They rolled about, Rainbow Dash spouting a stream of obscenities. “Bucking bag of bolts! Just—ungh—stay down!” Rainbow roared before being lifted in the air by an unseen force. Her forelegs and rear legs spread out uselessly to her sides, and her wings snapped shut. Her head turned left and right as she struggled against the invisible bonds. The group watched in horror as the creature rose, a single hand outstretched. It suddenly began to close, causing Rainbow Dash to cry out in pain.

A familiar roar was heard, and Rusty careened into the creature’s side, causing it to release Rainbow Dash. Twilight nodded her friends on. “Cmon! Let’s get her out of there!” She yelled, taking the lead. Fluttershy and Applejack hastily moved the unconscious Pegasus away from the scuffle that ensued.

However, just as they were edging away from the fight, Rarity spotted her sister in the cage, sitting at the foot of the barn door. “S-Sweetie Belle?! Sweetie Belle!” She cried worriedly, starting over for the door.

Applejack pulled her back. “Consarnit, Rarity! Pay attention! We can’t exactly go waltzin’ through there while Rusty’s fightin’ that crazy machine!” She growled through gritted teeth.

Twilight thought the exact opposite. “Actually, since Rusty has him distracted, we can probably just extract them from here.” Pinkie raised an eyebrow

“How do you do that? Are you psychic or something?” She asked innocently.

Rarity facehoofed. Applejack couldn’t help a snort. Even Twilight couldn't help a giggle as her horn lit up, enveloping the cage in a lavender aura.

Her smile disappeared from her face when she saw Rusty receive a vicious kick to his chest, denting the metal into the shape of a boot. The cage stopped as Twilight became absorbed in the fight, not hearing the protests of Rarity and Applejack.

As Rusty fell backwards, the rivet-gun slowly levitated, flying to the proximity of the creature. With its free hand, it lifted a fresh canister of rivets into the gun’s loading mechanism, which clicked loudly as it settled into place. The bolt pulled back, cocking the weapon. Twilight could swear she could see the creature smiling inside the helmet as it raised the weapon at an excruciatingly slow pace while lifting Rusty with the other, planting the barrel against his visor. There was a pause as the creature made careful adjustments. Twilight saw this as a chance and took a step forward.

“Rus—”

The bang of the rivet gun echoed through the darkened apple orchards. Rusty fell in slow motion, the red liquid cooling to its neutral yellow-green as it poured out from a hole in the helmet. He collided with the ground, causing him to spasm slightly. The momentum from the fall subsided, and Rusty lay still, liquid still running out of his visor.

Twilight’s eyes widened, and she nearly jumped when she heard a horrible scream. Her mind drifted to Apple Bloom or Sweetie Belle, worried that they might be traumatized from such an event. However, after a few seconds, she realized that it was coming from her mouth.

The cage was immediately encapsulated in Rarity’s familiar blue aura and tugged out of Twilight’s mental grasp. A voice rang out from the cage. It was Sweetie Belle’s. “Twilight! Look out!” Twilight cursed aloud as her view was suddenly obscured by the creature. Instinctively, she lashed out with a foreleg, smacking the creature dead on. Not even phased, the creature roughly grabbed Twilight’s neck. The iron grasp of the creature was cold and relentless, mercilessly tightening on the unicorn’s throat. In horror, Twilight scrabbled feebly at the creature’s gloved arm, her panic increasing when her forelegs could find no hoofhold. She slowly felt gravity’s pull on her legs as they left the ground completely.

Her body screamed for air, drowning out all thought and noise. Frantically, she reached out to an idle barrel with her telekinesis, hoping to throw it. However, her gambit failed, as her capacity for magic fell with the oxygen levels in her body. Black spots began to appear in her vision as her face went from a red to a bluish hue, the dark blanket of unconsciousness creeping towards her in a silent march.

She could barely make out her friends suddenly leaving the ground, sharing expressions of shared pain and agony. Her eyes began to roll back into her head. This… This is how it ends? She thought sadly. A tear rolled down her cheek, as the last of her willpower left with her last ounce of strength.

Before she could fall out of reality, however, a muffled yell brought her back, as well as the creature releasing her from its grip. Sparks danced across her vision as Twilight gulped greedily at the cool night air. Her friends fell to the ground as well, disoriented. Twilight looked up at the creature. It stared stupidly at the drill that emerged from its chest. The creature collapsed lifelessly to the side, unmoving.

The yell was still audible, but the clarity was much better as oxygen found its way into Twilight’s cranium. She realized that it was very similar to Rusty’s voice, albeit a little higher pitched. When she looked over, she was shocked by the smashed visor, as well as the large hole that punctured the thick metal of the helmet. How could he still be standing with that kind of injury?! She thought. She struggled to see through the cracked glass of the visor, although she failed to see anything through its grimy exterior.

Struggling to her hooves, she took a better look at Rusty. The liquid had indeed drained from the visor, leaving a massive hole where Rusty’s chin would have been. A larger exit hole gaped on the back of the helmet, but it was off-center, emerging from the right-hoof side of the helmet.

Rusty cradled the creature in his arms, making a soft sobbing noise. When Twilight listened closely, she could hear Rusty struggling to speak in his low voice. “Kahhh... Krrrgh... Kuh... K-Kate...”

While leaning in for a better listen, Twilight tripped on a foreleg, nearly falling flat on her face.

Her friends quickly supported her when she threatened to topple, still giddy from the sudden rush of oxygen back into her system. “Easy there, sugarcube.” Applejack cooed comfortingly.

Twilight smiled at the orange farmpony. “Thanks…” She trailed off as she collapsed, finally allowing unconsciousness to roam free within the confines of her mind.

My Lil' Daddy Chapter 3 (Unfinished)

Lights flashed on the other side of Twilight’s eyelids. Blearily blinking sleep from her eyes, the unicorn peered out from under her lavender comforter. Muffled voices of concern were barely audible, but still discernable from the otherwise silent atmosphere.

“Ah hope Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle are gonna be fine. After seein’ somethin’ like that…”
“Just experiencing something like that… I can’t imagine what poor Sweetie could be going through.”
“At least they’re not hurt. I think I pulled a wing…”
“I think you should let me put a cast on it. I mean, if you don’t mind.”
“Maybe somepony should check on Twilight…?”
“Hi, Twilight!”

Pinkie filled Twilight’s half-lidded vision, prompting the startled unicorn to rapidly sit up with a yelp.

“P-Pinkie! Can you not?!”

“Twilight’s awaaaake!” Pinkie exclaimed, turning to the rest of the girls downstairs.

Spike was the first to arrive, stopping at the side of Twilight’s bed. “Did you sleep okay?” He asked, his expression one of concern.

“I think so; I don’t even remember dreaming about anything,” the unicorn replied, yawning as she stretched.

“So… everything feel okay, though? That… thing looked like it did a number on you.”

She gave him a warm smile. “Nothing feels broken or bruised, so you could say that.”

The rest of the girls trickled in, greeting her one-by-one until they were all gathered at the unicorn’s bedside, each mare making her concern known.

“What happened to you? You just sort of passed out!”
“We thought you got yer head banged up so bad by that hunk of scrap, that somethin’ would be outta place when you woke up.”
“You had me in a worried wreck, darling! You should be ashamed of yourself!”
“Rarity… It’s not her fault, though…”

Twilight pushed herself off of her mattress. “I’m sorry to have kept you waiting and worrying. I feel okay, though. Honest! Quite refreshed, actually.”

Rainbow scoffed. “Only cause you slept for fifteen hours straight. Snored like a cow, too.”

“Rainbow! Please! Let’s not get racy, here!” Rarity exclaimed.

“It’s true; they snore pretty loud. Ask Applejack.”

“Girls! Please! Settle down!” Twilight barked.

It didn’t take long for silence to set in, which Twilight promptly took advantage of.

“Now, I’d like some questions answered before we start arguing. Whatever attacked Sweetie and Applebloom last night was definitely aiming to severely injure or… kill us. Whatever we’re dealing with is aggressive and dangerous, seeing as how all of us were practically swept aside by that creature.”
“Hey! I did fine!”
“Hush, Rainbow.”
“Who’s to say that there won’t be more of these on the way, though?” The unicorn asked no one in particular.
“Yeah; come to think of it, it did look a lot like our own rust-bucket we picked up the other day.” Dash mused.

“Wait, speaking of, where is Rusty?” Twilight asked.

The girls looked at each other, exchanging nervous glances.

“Well, we aren’t quite sure ourselves, Twilight,” Rarity replied.

“Is he alive? Is he okay?” The lavender unicorn prodded.

“Yes, yes! Of course he’s alive!” Rarity exclaimed.

“It’s jus’ the last part we ain’t too sure about…” Applejack added, frowning.

***

“How is he?”
“He will live, your highness. However, I can’t seem to get anything through to him. He hasn’t tried eating, drinking, or communicating with anypony, nor does he seem willing.”
“Troublesome. Has he shown any activity?”
“Not since I’ve last seen him. None of the nurses mentioned him ever moving away from the windowsill ever since he arrived here.”
“And you’ve already removed his restraints, as I’ve asked?”
“He was free to move about this hospital the whole time, your majesty. He just decides not to.”

The Solar Princess arrived at the specified room. Two Royal Guards snapped crisp salutes to her before moving away from the door, allowing entry. Before entering, Celestia gave the doctor a warm smile.

“Thank you for all you’ve done, doctor. I find myself in your debt, once again.”

The doctor sniffed. “Quite the contrary; I still find myself struggling to find ways to repay my own debt to you. Best of luck trying to reach that chap, though. I feel that he’s too far gone; I’d be in a similar state if what you’ve said is true.”

The Princess nodded. “As would I. Please take care, doctor.”
“I should say the same to you, Princess.”

As the doctor began his long trek back down the hallway, Celestia’s attention returned to the door in front of her. Ignoring the nervous glances from her guards, she closed her eyes, easing the door open with magic. The hinges creaked quietly, well-greased by the hospital’s staff. Stepping inside the room, she closed the door behind her, her gaze resting on the figure near the window.

The creature known as, “Rusty” by Twilight and her friends sat on the edge of a bed, which had bent in the middle under his immense weight. The Princess wasn’t even sure it was a “he,” although Twilight’s friends had described the creature having a masculine tone when they heard it yell after…

Willing the thoughts out of her head, the Princess’ mind returned to the task at hand: Unraveling the mystery behind the creature. As it was once simply obedient and did what was told before, it now answered to no one; she doubted even Twilight could get him to even turn his head.

With a polite cough, she broke the ice with a greeting.

“Hello, Rusty. That is your name, correct?”

As expected, no response from the creature.

“I believe we have met once before; I am Princess Celestia, co-ruler of Equestria.”

Silence.

“I’m just stopping by to see if you’re doing well.”

He continued to gaze outside, ignoring her entirely.

“Twilight is recovering as well, you see.”

He turned slightly, reacting to the name.

“So, you are listening,” Celestia mused.

Rusty turned to face the window again.

“I’m sorry about what happened at the barn. I wish I could have been there for Twilight and her friends; they are also important to me.”

There was a rumble as Rusty hummed in response.

“I apologize if I seem like I’m wasting your time,” the Princess said patiently. “I only wish to know something you know. I won’t bother you after that.”

This time, Rusty chose not to respond at all.

“For the sake of my ponies, I must know if you possess the Ring of Realms. It is a small metal band with a gate embossed on the top.”

After the silence that followed, Celestia assumed he did not know what it was, let alone know what it looked like.

It was as she feared. It would also explain as to how the other creature had arrived.

If this was the case, there could be more arriving soon.

“I appreciate your cooperation, Rusty. Remember, you are welcome to stay here as long as you’d like, but you are also free to leave. My guards will have to escort you, but they will not impede any progress you wish to make, save it doesn’t involve hurting anypony.”

Rusty ignored her completely. A frown managed to work its way onto her expression for a fraction of a second before being replaced by her warm smile. “I will be on my way. Inform one of my guards should you need me.”

Opening the door, she left the creature to sit at the windowsill. Turning to one of her guards, nodded at him. He nodded back.

“So, what now, Princess?”

“Show me the body.”

“Of course. This way.”

Author's Note

And that's it. That's all I have for this third chapter. I honestly have no idea where to take this next. I've been thinking for the past year where to take this, since this is my most successful fic. However, I can't find a way to keep this going well, as well as keep it from being ruined. I started this story with no clear path as to where I wanted to go with it, and that ass-backwards method of writing has finally caught up to me.

I'm leaving this open-ended so people can take this wherever they will. As long as they link the original, I'd be fine with that.

I'm bummed myself, but there are more things I want to write. I can't keep starting all of these things and never finishing them. It's better this way, as if I tried to keep this going, it'd turn into a real piece of turd, which I don't want.

Nobody wants that. Turd smells.