The Princess' Sin

Chapters

Chapter II
Ch III
Chapter IV
Chapter V
Chapter VI
Chapter VII
Chapter VIII
Chapter IX
Chapter X
XI
Chapter XIII
Chapter XIV
Chapter XV
Chapter XVI
Chapter XVII
XXVIII
Chapter I
Chapter XII

Chapter II

The Princess Sin'

Chapter II: Strangely Meeting

Rewritten...

***

Sin abruptly reached inside his cloak and pressed a transfer of his body heat from the palm of his right hand to the back of Rose Spark's neck as a whisper of ancient magic, moving up and down in gentle strokes to remove the chills that nipped her dirty figure. He radiated warmth and was graced with the filly struggling to move under his shirt for extra protection from the cold. His long, thick hair banded with the icy winds as an invisible wave of pure white in the open air. Flames of cold fire were the most accurate to the blending of his hair joining the harsh blizzard. He caught a glimpse of the filly's blue-green eyes deepening as the snow fell faster and heavier, an intense stare that speaks as a plead for escape of this chilly evening.

He was not entirely certain, but he swore he could feel old emotions sparking inside him when Rose Spark whimpered in the crook of his neck, nestling deeply to hide from the cold shoulder of Mother Nature. He stepped through the growing level of snow with ease and continued to work on her neck.

Damn winter is going to give her a cold. I'll have to make a quick stop so she can warm up. If we get there that is," Sin added, "Ah, who am I kidding? I'm just being a pessimistic ass about this.

As Sin approached the middle of town, very few eyes on him, he added, "This beats patrolling an entire city for one king. The last I did that took me an entire hour of using Particle Clones, and that was before the sun rose."

"Mister Sin, I'm really cold." Rose Spark shot through her shivering, in a big way that perturbed Sin's need to reach Sugarcube Corner before nightfall. It was clear the young filly did not share the same enthusiasm most foals have for snow.

Sin nodded and stroked her cheek, a small grin lighting his piercing, green eyes. "Sorry about that, sweetheart. I guess I lost track of things by thinking too much. Let's get you something hot to eat before we go to our new home."

Home, Rose thought. It was the first time she felt love and care from someone who cares, or anyone, for that matter. She was still unsure of the human being her legal guardian now, as if his appearance and attitude gave away small indications of a stone-hearted male, but that was on the outside. The touch of his hand, however, said otherwise. She winced when his fingers scratched her neck, as if he about hurt her; at least that is what drove through her traumatized mind.

The touch. The warmth. The feeling of someone caring for her. The fact that a male—let alone a two legged male with hardly any fur— was both exciting and terrifying for the filly. To have someone holding her so closely to his chest. Rose Spark wished she could have this feeling last forever, but the cold nips of Mother Nature's cold shoulder stole that warmth before she could relish it.

The little filly moved deeper into Sin's hold, almost desperately, pulling his long hair around her body. That small movement seemed to appease the Sin's discouragement enough for him to collect his mind. Unfortunately, that small movement on her part quickly drew the attention of ponies still outside, including that of a stomping purple alicorn, who couldn't seem to stop staring at him. A low warning glare escaped he could stop it.

The purple alicorn looked at him and then at City Hall speculatively.

Why did I agree to this role of parenthood and Town Guard? I should have just remained on the train and went on with my ride to someplace that is more secluded. He looked down at Rose Spark and watched her shiver under his hair. Oh yeah, that is why I accepted the job. Admitting to that weakness even though no one can hear him was one of the most difficult things he'd ever done.

Rose Spark did not hesitate. "Mister Sin, I'm really cold. Are we going to be at the house soon? I don't want to be in the cold anymore," she admitted. "I don't like winter like the others." She indicated the shivers her body made.

Sin followed his gaze to the brightly colored house spreading wider under the mounds of snow it collected throughout the day. He covered the opening of his cloak with his hand. His hand, however, was pushed away by the filly so she could see where they were going.

Sin nodded and pointed at the humble abode known as Sugarcube Corner. He followed the way through the near invisible trail of hoof prints, with Rose Spark close to his chest.

The moment they were out of the snow, under the awning of the porch, Sin shook off all the snow that accumulated on his cloak, and Rose Spark spat some of the snow when it landed on her. "First things first, we get you a warm drink and hopefully some real food before going to the house, then we'll get you cleaned up, " He indicated the smell her body released profusely. "Because, sweetheart, you smell like something that came out of an outhouse."

"Hey!" Rose Spark barked, puffing her cheeks as the human opened the door.

Let's just get this over with, he said to himself. I have no desire to build a crowd because of my appearance or presence.

I really have to go potty. Rose Spark tried not to express the demand, but it came out in her emotions despite her best effort, and Sin sensed it immediately.

The house was quite large, built of wood yet carved into various shapes of sweets you use to make cakes and pies. This one was unique and a one of kind, far from anything else. Ponies inhabited this house, and Sin felt reclusive when they met his gaze. It did not surprise him to catch the various sensations of curiosity, very faint, mingling with that of pony terror-stricken. These ponies had been standing around the fireplace and sharing many stories about their lives at some point earlier in the evening, and Sin was the lucky guy to walk in right before another story was passed around the room.

Sin made his way towards the table furthest from the ponies, but he did not set Rose Spark down until they were in their seats. He set the filly in the chair next to him. The ominous feeling of eyes locked on him were everywhere, and it did not settle with him. Sin had planned ahead and had made the mental note of his plans for the rest of the day. Still, it was uncomfortable that the filly was crossing her hooves and whimpering as the ponies watched.

Sin threw his head towards the bathroom door to his left. "You don't need my permission to use the bathroom. If you need to go, then go."

Rose Spark did not wait for his words to click in her mind. She spun to her right, hopped out of her seat, and made an amazing dash for the vacant bathroom that is calling her name. Still, Sin watched her to make sure she did not venture elsewhere or had a pony stop her. It was protective instinct.

Sin put a hand to the zipper linking both sides of his cloak and pulled it down slowly. He put his other hand over his forehead, just for a moment to rub the mild headache, as he eased out of his defensive suspicions and into his chair. From where he sat in his state of mind, many thoughts ran through his head as the crowd continued to distantly observe him. Some could swear that his skin revealed a canvas of scars linking to a portrait of their own imagination, while others were certain of seeing a strange glow move in waves through his long hair.

Two of the ponies closest to Sin stepped back and whispered to one another, and Sin heard every word, as if it were as clear as a normal decibel in the room.

"What the hay is that thing?"

"I don't know, but it is kind of cute.

"Cute!? It has scars all over, and it is furless!"

"I think it might be friendly. It did come into this place with that filly."

"Doubt it."

"Hey, didn't Rainbow Dash say something about a furless creature being some sort of hero? I think that might be the creature she was talking about."

"I don't know, but let's go ask her."

Holding his breath and his mind steady on the matter at hand, he turned back to the window in front of him to watch the snow gingerly fall to the ground. The snowflakes gathered peacefully in the window. Quietly. Just like in most movies that climax with the season. The silence sent a relaxing tingle across his skin. The emotions he felt opening inside himself returned to their sanctuary and remained dormant. Sin leaned back in his chair and took in a deep breath of what appeared to be joy, one hand stroking hair from in front of his eyes.

"I need a vacation," he said to himself, ignoring the sound of an approaching pony.

There was curiosity in her silence as the two shared a small gap of space. She did not say a word to him, but continued to hold her notepad in one hoof while the pencil remained in her mane. She could hear his gentle breathing and feel that something was off with him, although the goosebumps in her blue fur gave that away immediately. She coughed nervously and caught Sin's attention. Sin, however, did not respond to the older looking mare. He simply opened one eye and gazed from the corner.

"Good evening sir," the nervous mare was between chuckling and backing away with nervous tension as he locked said eye onto hers. "Is there anything you would like from our beloved shop?"

Sin looked away and closed his eye again. He sighed and pondered what to have from Sugarcube Corner, beads of sweat visible on the mare's forehead as she placed the pencil in her mouth. He cleared his throat as the toilet upstairs sounded, informing him that Rose Spark was finished. "Do you have anything other than sweets? Anything that is a full meal for a very young filly?"

"Sweets are what we mostly bake here," the blue mare said. She looked back to her kitchen, watching her husband flip some dough and roll it. "But I suppose I can cook a few vegetables if you'd like."

Sin nodded and pressed his hand to the pouch of bits. "Throw some scrambled eggs in there and I'll give you a hundreds bits on the spot." He began pulling bits out of the pouch, stacking them on the table for the mare to see. "Also, please ready a chocolate cake and a hot chocolate for my daughter, and bring me a large espresso with cream and sugar."

"Right away, Mr..."

"Sin Firestorm. And you are?"

"Cupcake."

"Thank you again, Ms. Cupcake."

Cupcake turned away and proceeded to cook for the human, while pressing her thoughts to her husband and studying Sin for his bland nature. She wasn't sure if this was his way of being professional, or that he is not the mood to be social with the other ponies. She was suspicious of the man, but she wasn't certain of what. Clearly there was something about the human that threw off her usual, joyful, caring attitude.

Was he part of the many foalnappings? The source of the problem? If so, that did not bode well for what she already has planned when someone tries to take her babies. She needed to look naïve and ignorant for the time being; at least until she knows what this man's intentions are.

Sin continued stacking bits on the table as the crowd in Sugarcube Corner grew in size of its gathering. The ponies that were scattered throughout the shop, talking and laughing with friends, grouped together at the fireplace to speak about Sin. Some were nervous to see him at the table, nervous that he was so quiet and mysterious. Others were curious and flustered by their own liking of his figure and handsomeness, but every one of them had the same question running through their heads.

Who is that?

Rose Spark returned from the upstairs bathroom and quickly trotted to the human before anyone could stop her for questioning. She was nervous and very afraid of the human, but he was the most trustworthy being in the entire shop. Though her mind said otherwise about trusting anyone, her heart said very differently about the man. She could not understand it, nor her reason for this, but he is all she has for the time being.

After taking her seat across from Sin, Rose Spark gingerly leaned over the table and watched him finish counting bits before closing his pouch and placing it back in his cloak. She held her gaze on him for as long as she could—that is to say as long as he did not look at her or make any sudden movement towards her. Still, she found it hard to look away and think of anything else. Weird, scary, or not, Sin had her attention with his many qualities and the many objects she dumped from the bag he carries in another pocket. How such a thing could carry such large, various objects astounded her. It had to be some sort of spell that makes it possible.

"Is there something on my face?" Sin asked as he locked his eyes on the filly and stretched his arms, his muscles ensnaring many mares when he flexed to pop the joints. "Or do I have something in my teeth?"

Rose Spark gasped when he spoke to her, a revelation to the curious human how afraid she is of everyone around her. "No, I was just watching you count those bits." she said in a low voice, while shrinking into her chair to avoid his gaze. She looked around the well-kept shop. It was nothing more than many eyes surrounding her and her new father, some so observant that she could not scratch her ear without someone noticing. "Why are there so many ponies staring at us?"

Sin sent her a wan smile before crossing his arms behind his head and propping his feet in the other chair, something Mrs. Cake did not appreciate. She always despised having customers prop themselves in two chairs, just for the simple fact of having to clean twice as much. "It's not you that draws their attention. I'm the one that has everyone staring. They're curious or excited to see me in this restaurant."

Rose Spark gave him a dumfounded look. "Why would everypony here be curious or excited to see you?"

Sin flashed a cocky grin and leaned over the table, his quiet nature receding a little as he relished the filly's ignorance of his reputation. "Because I'm not some ordinary man in a small town. Remember when Mayor Mare talked about all of my recommendations and about my history?"

"Yes," the little unicorn said with a cocked eyebrow.

Sin gave her one last glimmer of his own happiness and shifted to a much more prideful smirk. All ears were now on him; even the ponies that stood from a distance were honing in on his words.

One pony, however, was quietly moving in to do more than listen, for she knew who the man is. Her various collection of cards and action figures told all, and, luckily, she retained the information she read from each item during her fillyhood.

"I'm not your ordinary guy," Sin began, drawing the filly's attention to him. "I've travelled the entire world and lived since the day Nightmare Moon was banished to the moon by Princess Celestia. I have been to every country in Equus and trained with the most powerful ponies to ever exist. Not only that, I have spent many generations bringing peace to monarchs that have passed into history. My reputation is not from doing so much, but from doing each thing for the last one thousand years."

"What?" Rose Spark said incredulously. "There's no way you've lived for a thousand years, unless you are an immortal or a god. But only the princesses are immortal, so you have to be lying."

"I assure you, sweetheart, that what I say is the truth," Sin said with that same cocky grin, his voice dripping with excitement as the filly glared at him. He reached for his bag and pulled out a small album of photos that were taken during his journeys. "But if you do not believe me, then look at all of these pictures that were taken. Some of them were made by citizens who were willing to share their memories. Thankfully I knew enough about magic back then to manifest their memories onto pieces of paper."

The front of the album opened with the same series of ominous, horror film creaks Sin used when he pranked his last superior for replacing his shampoo with yellow hair dye. There was no time for silence when the young unicorn found the first page of pictures to be dating back almost a millennia ago—so it says on the printing in the top left corner. Her heart beat steadily as each picture revealed different creatures from historical times. Griffon, Dragon, Minotaur, and Pony.

She looked at each picture carefully and traced each moment of Sin's history, linking the human's timeline by his images. She blinked in uncertainty as Sin placed a finger on each and explained them individually, his eyes glimmering with many great sensations of his past.

"In that picture I was the apprentice of Chrome Dome: The Unbeatable Minotaur. I was twenty six years old when he took me in and gave me the opportunity to become part of his family. He was so strong that he lifted a full grown dragon and tossed it out of his corn fields after it was killed for attacking his village."

Rose Spark turned to the next page, and Sin explained to her about his history in that era, ignoring his senses telling him that a pony was floating behind him, almost leaning over his shoulder.

"In this picture I was one hundred and three years old, and Chrome Dome passed the title of 'Strongest in Equis' to me. I beat him in an arm wrestling match, but I'm pretty sure he let me win because he was getting old. Back in his prime though, oh man, he could arm wrestle six minotaurs at once and not even break a sweat."

Another page was turned, and so came more of his history. "This is a good one. I was three hundred and nine years old in this picture, and I earned my seventeenth blackbelt in front of the Jayponese Council. I was given an opportunity of becoming a fellow member of the council, but I declined."

"Why?" Rose Spark asked.

"Because I am immortal, and exploring the world became my passion," Sin said excitedly. "I loved travelling the world, and doing so gave me many chances to learn from the greatest warriors in Equis. I have spent my entire life becoming the man I am today. It wasn't until Griffonia had its first war that I became a general. And that was forty years ago, twenty years before King Talon's birth."

"You were in a war?"

"Yes, eight wars to be exact," Sin answered, causing everyone in the cake shop to gasp. Unlike them though, he just kept talking about his past without a shred of regret or guilt in his eyes. "Each of them was with good reason though. There were many tyrants and monsters that needed to be stopped before they could invade Griffonia."

Rose Spark's eyes widened very dramatically. She held her gaze on the human as Mrs. Cake returned with his food and a pink alicorn in the back did the same as her blue Pegasus friend. Approach and listen very quietly, although her mind was screaming to make herself known by him.

The fiery Pegasus behind her, however, had different intentions with Sin. Some of which were best unheard.

"Then where did you get that sword?" Rose asked, pointing at the blade as it stuck out in the open.

"This old thing," Sin picked up his katana and placed it on the table, forgetting that Mrs. Cake was setting their food and drink on the table. "I've had this since I left Jaypan. Her name is Setsuna-Maru, and she was crafted by the greatest blacksmith to live. Soft Cauldron: The Unicorn with the Iron Eye."

"Iron eye?" Rose questioned.

Sin chuckled at her. "He was given that title for his keen sense of producing a good blade. Each sword he crafted was near unbreakable and sharp enough to cut a leaf in half." He unsheathed the blade, revealing its charcoal black color and various, colorful symbols. "This blade, however, was crafted with a very rare metal known as Black Steel. A metal that is unbreakable and so powerful that it can slice through stone as though it were paper."

Rose gasped at the blade, its glossy shine shimmering in her eyes as he ran a finger over the symbols.

"He made this blade as a testament to his daughter's love and loyalty, after she died at the hooves of a greedy shogun that wanted to force him into crafting weapons for war. This blade has much history in it, but the most important history it possesses is Soft Cauldron giving her to me before he died from natural causes."

"Here you both go," Mrs. Cake interrupted the human, her eyes shifting to the human as he returned the sword to its sheath. "Coffee for you and hot chocolate for the cutie here, and two steaming hot plates of stir-fried vegetables with brown rice." She beamed a warm smile at the man, while taking the bits he held out for her. "Thank you, and I will have your chocolate cake ready in ten minutes."

"Thank you, Mrs. Cake." Sin said kindly. He and Rose Spark dug into their food when Mrs. Cake walked away, although Rose Spark had less manners than he did. Not that he could blame the filly anyway. She was probably starving.

Meanwhile, in the midst of eating their meal, a certain alicorn filly drove through the crowd that continues to watch the human and slowly approached with her mother on her tail. She called upon her little heart to build the courage she needs to approach the man who repaired her doll. Curiosity gripped her young mind. Wonder. A need to know more about him. There was no way to deviate from the human. She took a breath and paced herself, pouring everything she needed, everything that is bravery into her chest.

I can do this. I am not afraid. Not all stallions are mean to mommy and me.

The burst of courage was heavy. Her little body went rigid, almost convulsed from the fear that counterattacked moments ago. The air she engulfed was driven from her lungs in one long thought that abruptly ended when her eyes met with the unicorn filly across the table. She couldn't think, the fear beating her courage and turning every nerve ending to ice. Her approach started to slow down, trying to stop her from inching any closer.

She was barely aware of her mother talking to her, of having her chest nudged while the yellow Pegasus behind them watched with curiosity of the outcome she predicted. Cadance moved her daughter from the behind the human's chair and softly told her to return to the other side of the shop.

However...

"Hello," Cadance froze at that word, mostly to his very smooth and masculine voice. "Is there something you need from me?"

***

The nobles were removing themselves at Celestia and Luna's command and the pain was lessened with much needed silence. Both princesses managed to remove six more problems from their duties before emotional exhaustion took hold. There were several other nobles in next room, waiting behind the doors, most from higher classes while others were still in the middle class of Aristocrats, but neither alicorn cared about them at the moment.

Luna had to move away from her sister to hold onto the ring she has kept safe under her chest piece for the last one thousand years. She pulled it from the platinum chain that was given to her as a final gift of remembrance, backing down that memory lane of agony and regret. She needed rest and peace, but only rest could be accomplished.

She was currently staring down at the gold ring, its shine not a day lost in the many years of secrecy, and sighing to herself as the last tear she could shed fell onto the floor. Today marks his birthday. He should be with us right now, sitting with us to deal with these snobs, but he is...is-

There was more silence. Luna found herself accompanied by her sister sharing the same desire, holding what signified their lost engagement with the one that stole their hearts. She stared up to Celestia and wondered if she was just as mournful as her. The sunshine within the windows glimmered gently over their rings, setting them glowing their engravings. Both alicorns loved the glow their rings gave as the sunlight rustled between different, colorful shards of Equestria's history.

Celestia was the same as Luna. She was ice-cold from guilt, but the feeling did not lay over her as it should. Somehow, even in her emotional state, the Solar Princess managed to hold back tears.

My love. In spite of the pain in her voice, Celestia sounded normal. She'd only fallen deeply into depression twice in her life. Are you happy wherever you are? If you are in the heavens, are you happy there? Is there somepony to be what we failed to in your life?

"Sister, it is the day of our engagement...again." Luna pointed out somberly.

Celestia had known this moment would come, just like it always does every year. She had hoped her sister would bring it up much later in the day. Pressing her lips together she nodded slowly, even though her mind and body was screaming to do otherwise. "Yes, Luna, I know. Today is the day we lost him to our own mistakes."

"The day I allowed myself to become a monster," Luna added. She looked away to hide the growing sparkle in her eyes, but there was no amount of magic that could curtain her sorrow. "He would be so ashamed of us right now. We've allowed ourselves to carry the secrets of our past as false memories."

"It was necessary, Luna. The least we could do is not tarnish his history." Celestia reminded.

"You make it sound so easy to forget," Luna infused absolute anger in her voice. She held onto the past very tightly and glared at the window next to her, tears streaming as she pressed a hoof to her stomach. "I can never forget my mistake. I destroyed the beginning of a legacy for the power to destroy you. I murdered what was to become our-"

"Luna, don't do that to yourself," Celestia pressed quickly, concern shining in her majestic eyes as the Lunar Princess began to sob. "You and I both know that it was impossible to save it. Besides, you were corrupted and unaware of what was going to happen to your body."

"It does not matter if I did not know," Luna sighed deeply, all anger draining from her body while the ring fell out of her hoof. "The fact remains as it should. I took away something that was supposed to be ours, and I destroyed our engagement. I am the reason we are without our mate."

Celestia closed in on her side, wing draping over her sister's back. She lowered herself to Luna's level and nuzzled her lovingly, meeting depression with care and comfort. "Memories and heritage are all that you destroyed. She lives because you used your power to send her into a deep slumber."

"But she is without the truth," Luna hissed. "She lives elsewhere, wondering Equestria while you and I hide her existence like cowards."

***

Her heart had already gone out of her chest and into her throat. She could not deny that she found him attractive through his appearance and mysterious nature, so of course Cadance knew. She knew that something strange about this man made her feel infatuation at an unfamiliar level. Back in high school she would blush and giggle at Shining Armor after he left Gym Class as a heaping mess of physique and sweat. At first she'd hide from him and watch from a good distance, but this was nothing like the tension she felt in her body. She had become more than what she was as a teenager in love. Infatuated. Absolute. Extremely Curious. Light Headed. Bashful.

He was nearly a man impossible to resist. Well. Alright. Her resistance to this white-haired stranger was very thick for the simple fact of barely meeting the first time. For now, she just needed to build a little confidence in herself in order to start a conversation that will not start or end with her tongue hanging out.

Cadance bit down hard on her lip, wincing a little when it stung. She wasn't there yet, not the emotional part, but that did not matter nor would it ever if she did not respond.

Skyla's curiosity shifted to a long nuzzle that caught Sin's attention. She giggled as the palm of his hand touched her. It smelled like strawberries. Her favorite scent of shampoo. "You're funny looking for a hairless monkey. Why is there only long fur on your head when it should be all over?"

"Skyla!?" Cadance yelped with a swift movement of her hoof pulling her daughter back, and as she moved the filly to her side, she smiled sheepishly at the smiling man, hoping he would not retaliate with words. "I am so sorry about that. My daughter has this tendency to ask things that are much too personal and-"

"It's alright," Sin said with a gentle wave of his hand, his gesture surprising Cadance and her yellow furred friend to the right. "All foals are curious. I use to be the same way when I was just a kid, but I was shy rather than bold like your daughter." He smiled warmly at the filly, his carelessness shocking most of the ponies in the shop. "And I am not a hairless monkey, little one. I am what you would call a human, and my name is Sin Firestorm."

"I'm Skyla," the little princess chirped. She stepped forward once more and pointed at her embarrassed mother. Little did she know that a certain blue Pegasus pushed through the crowd and watched. "This is my mommy, Princess Cadance of the Crystal Empire. Why are you so tall and skinny? Do you not eat enough?"

"Skyla!?" Cadance yelled.

Sin held up his right arm and made a fist as the crowd gathered in the moment of opportunity. He flexed his arm and chuckled at the filly, and like all athletic men, the large muscles he has became twice in size, veins bulging as the display made a few mares blush and a certain princess snort with lust.

"Humans do not have the same figure as a pony, and what you see is actually incredible physique I have gained through many years of hard work and training," he explained. Sadly for him, Rose Spark took this chance to snatch a leek from his plate of food. "Remember to eat right and exercise if you want to get big and strong."

Cadance stopped their sudden conversation with a short cough to her hoof. She glanced at the human and noticed his cheeks had flushed after his eyes met with hers, suddenly nervous.

"It can't be true!" a raspy voice yelled excitedly, her wings carrying her to the man as quickly as they can. She stopped in midflight to meet Sin with hardly any space between and a large grin to go with the shine in her ruby colored eyes. "You cannot be who I think you, because he lives in Griffonia as the War General for King Talon."

"Retired," Sin said lowly, his eyes meeting with Cadance' once more, but the mare flying in front of him kept getting in the way.

This annoying but very friendly mare was none other than Rainbow Dash, and she was the most excited mare in all of Equestria. She'd seen many things in her journey as the Element of Loyalty, had even fought some of the worst villains, but nothing like this. There was no fitting description for the massive amount of excitement that surged through her entire body. An explosion, yes, she was feeling through every strand of fur. "You-you can't be The Sin Firestorm of Griffonia: War Legend and eleven time champion of the Equus Fighter's Tournament. You just can't be!"

Her voice echoed throughout the cake shop like a clap of thunder rolling across the roof. Sin hadn't realized he was leaning back and holding his breath until she gave him a little space. She ceased hovering in front of the man and landed on her hooves, gracefully. He released the uncomfortable tension in his breath, braced himself for the inevitable and made the next move. Rose Spark stayed close to Sin, not just to hear more about his mesmerizing tales about his travels, but to hide from the crows that somehow gathered and closed in on them during his talk. She did not trust Sin like most foals would, just enough to calm herself down. Still, Sin was the closest thing for comfort and security from the many eyes locked on her.

With every second he took in that worn silence he seemed to absorb into him the same, professional manner he uses to speak with adoring fans. His wisdom. His kindness. His sense of honor and duty to his followers. He felt that old champion within himself rise to the surface and take control of his emotions before the Pegasus could say another word. It was a nice thing to feel, but he could not act that way, not anymore. Somewhere, sometime, many months ago, he felt it was best to remove the mask of his true nature and be bury the champion he once was. The longer he continued to wear that mask, the more it took over, and that was beyond uncomfortable.

As he stared at the blue Pegasus, his heart decelerated from the awkwardness. He became calm and collected from gathering his thoughts. The smile he usually gave to his fans formed naturally, and as it did, raw tension loosened into a soft and gentle radiation of the minor joy he has for this mare. The room became very relaxing, and the aura of his true-self glowed softly around him, something only the mares could see during their swooning of his adorable look.

Even Rainbow Dash could not believe this smile to be so comforting. It was so different from the Sin she knows from her many comic books about him. He seemed so unreal, and yet he was the man she rudely yelled throughout the cake shop.

A wave of lustful sighs progressed from the mares. When it died down, Sin leaned close to the blue Pegasus and reached to her, his palm slowly landing on top of the young mare's head, drawing out a blush from her cheeks. He began to rub her head and down her neck, then to the back of her ears with his thumb and index finger, causing the pony to snort at the sweet sensation of having the back of her ears scratched.

Cadance stood silent, extremely still, much as the mares behind her, but unlike them, she glared at the Pegasus for butting in and hogging all of the attention.

"The one and only," Sin said in a low, soft tone of kindness that seemed to fill the room. He continued to scratched the Pegasus' ears. "And I am no longer the champion. I retired and gave the title away a few weeks ago."

Rainbow Dash looked up very quickly and gasped, her hooves following the urge to give out as she shook with astonishment. She sat on her haunches and allowed herself a moment to process the unbearable thought of her favorite fighter retiring. Her eyes grew into saucers, dilated to the point of pure blackness, reflecting Sin's smile as he looked up to the pink alicorn still glaring at her.

There was no mistaking what Rainbow Dash just heard. Sin definitely stated that he was retired and the title was no longer his. Her ears did not betray her. There was no indication but absolute certainty in the tone of his voice. The words had come to her mind with swift impact at the precise moment of the truth hitting her chest, but was no prepping for such acceptance. She didn't know what to say or do for the time being.

Sin chuckled at Cadance, his hand leaving Rainbow's head to extend towards the pink princess. "I believe you and I have encountered without exchanging names." he said very kindly, his manners impressing not just her but most of the ponies around them. "I would tell you mine but that is pure redundancy since this adorable Pegasus said it very loudly. How are you doing today?"

Cadance gave a little gasp and went silent, staring at the man as if she found the stallion of her dreams being too real right now. She couldn't speak or do anything to respond to the man's extended arm. Within seconds she turned more red than the blush on his cheeks and glanced over to her lustful friend, her eyes saying all that needs to be said right now.

Sin became nervous as this went on, his blush darkening while the Princess of Love mentally screamed at herself. "Miss, are you...alright?"

He's talking to me and holding out his...whatever that is. Come on, Cadance. Say something to him, say anything to him. SAY SOMETHING BEFORE HE LOSES INTEREST IN YOU AND—

"Name's Spitfire: Admiral of The Wonderbolts," Spitfire greeted with a respectful shake of her hoof. The awkwardness ceased, all those raging thoughts that boomed inside Cadance' head. Her friend saved her flank from losing the interest of this man. Cadance became aware of her heart beating too fast, but it was too late to consciously take a deep to calm herself down. "And this tall mare is my high school friend, but you already known her name. Pardon her silence, she is tongue-tied because she thinks you're super sexy."

The tension returned, and Sin blushed as hotly as the alicorn in front of him. If there was ever a moment to die from embarrassment, this was the perfect moment. Cadance darted her gaze to the yellow Pegasus, fire almost emanating in them. Her mouth went dry. Her heart began to pound. She felt the same tension gather low into her stomach, emotionally painful knots forming that she could resist or prevent.

There was deep infatuation here, the same she felt on the train—but there could also be rejection. She was not familiar with this man or his species, but something about him clicked in her mind and heart, something she never felt with Shining Armor—it spoke to her...Nay, it screamed from the deepest part of her soul. Told her to do something before it was too late. If this was destiny telling her to make a move, she would truly be standing in front of her fantasy. Cadance would have a dream come true and the happiness she has been waiting to arrive for many moons. She would have the stallion of her dreams.

The feeling between Spitfire and Cadance went somber. The eloquence of their friendship slowly faded into minor conflict, Spitfire knew she was causing it. She had the idea of making the first move for herself and her lonely friend, because that's what real friends do when both have their eyes on the same stallion. Spitfire was a true friend. Unfortunately she was not certain if it was the best approach, especially when her friend was glaring daggers at the moment.

Sin took a long look at Spitfire and Cadance. It seemed that the yellow Pegasus was rather infamous. Taking seductive action to help her pink friend would be a little daunting. Only a very confident and strong mare would ever be so honest.

Sin smiled sheepishly at both mares, chuckling nervously. Clearly he was not use to a mare confronting him. He was physically fit and moved with the flow of a tiger in the jungle, but his weakness appeared to cute mares complimenting him.

"Look at that, Cadance," Spitfire said teasingly, nudging her friend as the he stood up, ignoring that Rose Spark ate his portion. "I think somepony is embarrassed." She approached Sin, closing all options for him to escape, and fluttered her eyes. "Tell me, cutie, which one of us is better looking? My friend...or me?"

"Spitfire!" Cadance yelled, before hiding behind her mane. Ohhhh...This could not get any worse. How could I forget that she is upfront with stallions?

At once the silence became a dull chuckle from Sin as he began to sweat from embarrassment, and the two mares waited patiently for him to answer, his heart racing into his throat. He gulped and bit his lip as Spitfire's actions grew, her tail swishing in the air with fluid motion that can only mean one thing.

"Come on," she chuckled poking his thigh with her hoof. "Which of us is better looking?"

He felt the weight of his nervousness and embarrassment crash down, his legs body shaking from the uncomfortable sensation of this sexy Pegasus licking her lips and winking at him. He hadn't realized she stole his breath until he gasped for air. Finally he retrieved his belongings and Rose Spark, but his mouth betrayed him at the last second of escaping the awkwardness.

"You're both equally beautiful in my eyes," he threw a hand over his mouth, unable to process where inside himself those words came from. He felt his conscience gather in his mind as the two mares shared a light-red blush.

He thinks I'm beautiful, Cadance thought to herself. She smiled at Sin as he made a quick grab for Rose Spark. Well that is a big relief, I think.

"So we're equal, eh?" Spitfire cooed. "Well aren't you just a sweetheart, making us feel so special with your words."

She's messing with me! Sin mentally screamed, before wrapping his new daughter into his cloak and snapping his fingers. Once he did, both he and Rose Spark disappeared in the blink of an eye, leaving no clue as to where he went.

"Whoa, where did he go?" Rainbow Dash asked rhetorically, frustration imminent as she processed his disappearance. "Dang it; now it's going to take even longer to get him to sign my replica cloak he wore during his fight with Scarred Scales!"

"That was fun," Spitfire chirped. She turned back to her friend, finding the glare of death glowing from her orbs. "So, Cadance, I think we should do something before someone else takes him."

Cadance could not bear with her anymore. She pressed a hoof to her forehead and sighed deeply. "I would have been fine without you speaking the truth of my infatuation for him."

"Yeah, lets go with that. But I saw how embarrassed you were when he smiled, and you were tongue-tied the whole time."

"Be quiet, please."

"I like him," Skyla said out of the blue, with a smile. "He's funny looking when Miss Spitfire talks to him, and he seems really nice. Mommy, why are you still blushing?"

"Because," Spitfire chuckled, while lifting the little alicorn onto her back. "you're mommy, like me, likes him. Like me, she thinks Sin is very cute~"

"Spitfire!"

"Oh quit you're whining Cadance and lets get to the house."

***

Sin dropped into the snow with Rose Spark still in his cloak and his belongings levitating within his magic. His blood ran cold after the touch of Winter moved across his flushed cheeks, removing all signs of his embarrassment. The redness disappeared instantly, leaving no trace. He stepped forward as the winds grew stronger, his feet barely keeping him balanced as he approached the house Mayor Mare gave him, somewhat.

I can't believe she made me blush like that, he whispered in his head, his left hand reaching for the key. I have not blushed like that in so long. How did I allow myself to get this way? Have I gone soft over the years?

His hand stretched to meet with the lock, after grasping the key with a slightly sweaty palm. He was still nervous, filled with that same heavy feeling a person has when their infatuated with someone—or two in his case. After the tumblers clicked and the doorknob turned easily, he walked inside and gently placed the little unicorn to the floor. As he sat his belongings to the floor, the flood of having a new home set inside his body and aided him in obtaining that new sensation of relaxing.

Sin was very observant of the house's detailed surroundings. This was one of the characteristics that allowed him to become the warrior he is today. Everything seemed even more vivid and sharper through his heightened senses; even the minor things that go with his new home felt more broad in his eyes. Blue rested across the walls, flowing very nicely from the nice job the previous painters did. The furniture was burgundy and large enough for him to rest in without the worry of it breaking. A fireplace of black-painted brick sat in the furthest corner of the living, its flame brewing at the command of an enchantment Mayor Mare had a unicorn install.

"Very nice," he said to himself. The kitchen became his next target after hearing his own stomach growl. Everything about the kitchen ebbed and flowed with organization and cleanliness, not a speck to be seen on the granite countertop.

Sin dropped his palm over the countertop and at once, felt the smoothness run across his skin like silk. The feeling ran deeper with each second of him entering the room, impressed and happy that Mayor Mare gave him such a nice abode. He stepped back to allow himself a moment of peace before focusing on what is most important. He was not going to draw it, just to give himself a little clarity of this entire day starting off very awkwardly. In his entire lifetime, he could not remember a single time when his emotions got the best of him, but there, in Sugarcube Corner, he had one mare get the best of him with her charm and looks, and that mattered much more than he wanted to admit.

He leaned against the countertop and pinched the bridge of his nose, sighing out of frustration. "Immortal. War Hero. Assassin. Leader. I'm all of that, and I just had my best poker face easily beaten by two attractive mares." he said to himself in a harsh tone, his mind wandering around the two mares. "Dammit, I need a stiff drink to get this out of my head."

"Mr. Sin," Rose Spark's adorable voice filled his mind with a happier note. He opened his eyes and looked down to the filly reared up with her hooves on his left leg, curiosity beading in her red diamond eyes. "Is this your house or are we spending the night here?"

Sin stayed where he was and smiled lovingly at the curious filly. He could not deny that this little unicorn was the most adorable thing he'd ever seen in his life. But how was it that one filly could make him feel so...happy? How? She does not possess and form of power that can manipulate his mind and heart, but, alas, her presence is more than enough to make his true nature blossom from its stone prison.

How? How was she doing it?

"No, sweetheart, this is our house now. We'll be sharing it with another pony, but this is our home now," he said very softly, almost angelic. Carefully, he leaned down and petted Rose Spark, drawing out a soft snort when he scratched her chin. "Go pick out your room while I run a bath for you."

She smiled and her red eyes seemed to sparkle in the light of the kitchen, although a thousand time softer than the strongest of beams. She nodded her head very quickly and took off, sprinting upstairs for the biggest bedroom there is.

"Hey, no running in the house either." Sin yelled kindly, his words being an echo in the background of her giggles. He folded his arms behind his head and kept his smile, listening to the filly run across the second floor. "She may not trust me to be her father, but she is trusting me to protect her. I better get my act together if I want to be a good father, starting with my number one priority being her."

Sin pulled his thoughts away from Rose and walked upstairs to the bathroom, moving away from his worries of Spitfire and Cadance getting the best of him to start the filly's bath. He radiated curiosity as the door to his new throne swung open to reveal a much more elaborate bathroom than most would find in a two-story house. The tiles were long and thick with black, stretching in a spiral fashion that was too good for normal finish. The mirror and sink were perfectly aligned to the blue wall, fashioned with long shelves that hold many necessities to a good bathe.

Lastly, the bathtub, a large, thick stone finish that can he can fit in very easily. It was not very extravagant, but the way it was made into an oval gave away detail to the previous owner being not so small; at least that's what passed in Sin's mind. He swore he could see his reflection in the base of the tub as he turned both faucets and plugged the drain.

He stepped back and reached for the shampoo and conditioner in the first shelf. Damn, somebody went to work with making this place spotless. He began to open the bottles, when suddenly, his leg was touched with a small splash of very warm water. It was nice to feel such warmth touch him so softly, but the sensation surprised him too harshly.

Sin spun around as another splash happened, ignoring his enhanced sensory of another presence being in the room and preparing to inflict pain on the one that splashed him—or so he thought he would.

Sitting in the bathtub as it filled up, Rose Spark looked up to Sin and waited for him to remove the dirt and grime she accumulated overtime. Her mane fell flat and lost every curl, pure red and without volume as her new father stopped midway from launching a powerful spell at his fingertip. Sin was very quick to retract the spell and remove and sign of aggression, but it was still very shameful to assume that his life was in any danger whatsoever. To think that he was about to use powerful magic on Rose Spark made a knot form in his stomach.

"Rose, you startled me." Sin sighed, only to have senses touched by another presence—three more to be exact. He became very alarmed in an instant but remained calm as the filly waited for him to pour the shampoo.

"You said you would run a bath, so I came when I heard the water," she replied, before tilting her head a little at his strange behavior. "Are you okay, Mr. Sin? You've been really weird since those ponies talked to you at the cake place."

"I'm fine, sweethea—" Sin stopped at the sound of the door opening and spun around as it closed. There was no mistaking what he sensed and just heard. Someone was inside his house, someone he sensed to have deep aggression building as the little filly waited for him to answer.

"Where did all this come from?" he heard downstairs. The owner of the voice was female, and very familiar at best. "None of this is my stuff, and I had the door locked. Must be the roommate Mayor Mare told said I might have in the next few days."

"Whoever they are, they certainly have good taste in cake," another voice added. "Chocolate cake is my favorite."

Sin took in a deep breath, realizing from those words that his roommate is finally here. I better go introduce myself.

Sin stepped out of the bathroom, "Rose, stay here for a minute. I'll be right back.", and made his way downstairs to meet his roommate in the living room.

Making his way to the front door, first, he came to an abrupt stop when his roommate looked up to him with the same astonishment of their encounter. Both he and the mare stared in silence as the two guests in the kitchen gasped in shock of seeing their human acquaintance so soon.

"What are you doing here?" Cadance asked, while taking a slice of cake from the box—the same one Sin bought.

"I live here. Mayor Mare gave me a key." Sin answered, holding his key up for the mares to see.

Spitfire smiled lustfully at the man, her eyes glistening with the same deviousness she carried in Sugarcube Corner. "Well isn't this a nice surprise?" she purred. "The handsome hunk we met happens to be my roommate." She turned to her blushing friend, who happened to be staring at Sin's toned buttocks. "Cadance, you're drooling again. And his eyes are in his head, not on his plot."

Sin groaned at the yellow Pegasus, his expression becoming flat as the pink princess licked her lips. "Fuck me running."

He has such a small rump, like a little colt. Cadance said mentally. ...I want to touch it.

Ch III

A Crazy Morning

Author: SaiyanUltima

Rewritten 8/20/15

Sin Firestorm, a legend of history and war, sat quietly in the living room and ate his early breakfast as the sun rose to shine upon the blizzard covered Ponyville. Snow clouds still blocked out the sun, but that did not prevent some bit of warmth spreading across the world. He had brought a full stack of books to entertain himself and decided to read through one of the novels that were given to him months ago by a now-retired librarian. He felt ashamed of himself for not indulging himself with good literature, but things were not peaceful enough for him to do so; at least not as peaceful as it is today.

Sin had done everything he could to prepare this town for any sort of trouble to come, other than the most important one—his early stroll through the quiet town to see how things are going. Sin was definitely a strategist and a well-equipped man. He believed in backup plans. His backup plans had backup plans. His inner inhabitants loved to tease him about it, but it was the meticulous care he paid to every detail that always made his work flawless—like the many weapons he has in his bedroom. A normal man would never have brought this much to the table when it comes to the protection of others, but Sin was not a normal man. He was man above men for many good and bad reasons.

"This is not bad," he said with a mouthful of his chicken salad sandwich, the scent of meat shrouded in a spell to keep everyone from noticing his eating habit. He adjusted his reading glasses and took another bite as the morning stayed quiet, his eyes skimming each sentence while his mind absorbed every word. "But, seriously, have I grown so bored from my life that I'm acting like an old man? I mean, come on, reading in the morning."

In some sense of his meaning, it was very true. Sin had grown old in some point of his young eternity that he lost his perspective of being a young man with forever ahead of him. His teenage attitude was gone, replaced with a strange façade to act like a true gentleman of senior age, something he found to be quite relaxing and strange at the same time. He should be acting like a young man with eternal youth, enjoying his life by making his own and doing whatever he wants to do—legally that is. And yet there was no desire to be a kid or a teenager, but to be a grown man with extreme maturity. Now, mind you, he does have the every day weakness all men have—that being lust and arousal—but he has no one to share that with.

He lifted his head to look up towards the stairs, his ears twitching at the sound of someone descending the second floor. His mind came far off the book as the pony coming downstairs yawned and smacked her lips of the dryness they held. She was very aware of the added guests that are here, but she was not prepared for what she was about to see.

Her hooves grew louder with each step, barely heard through the roaring blizzard that covers Ponyville. She managed to ruffled her large wings, but only because if was Skyla who messed up some of the feathers after the preening. Still, she could not blame her filly for wanting to be in her mother's wings, especially after discovering yesterday that the house has two more occupants.

Pulling herself away from the desire to go back upstairs and sleep in was difficult, but she forced herself under control, sliding into awareness while whispering one word that came to mind when her nose was touched by its aroma.

"Coffee,"

After making it into the kitchen, Cadance lifted her head to the coffee pot that was still brewing. As the aroma took her into a full wake-up call, she looked around to see if anyone else was awake, eyes widening when she saw the human sitting in a chair with his arm propped on a stack of books and the other holding one to his gaze.

Now she focused on the man as though it depended on her life, which was situated into the same infatuation she felt yesterday. Her blush formed once more and deepened as the two caught sight of one another, eyes locked on and cheeks flushed as they stared in silence. There were numerous ways for Cadance to greet the man, but her mouth would not move like it should. She felt powerless underneath that soft gaze of his, entrapped in a web that seemed to ensnare her heart.

It was not stupid dream, she said mentally, eyes widening before she could process what he was wearing on the bridge of his nose. Is he wearing glasses? Her mind finally processed his appearance, causing her heart to flutter even more. Sweet Celestia, he is wearing glasses, and...and...so cute!

"Is there something wrong?" Sin's voice snapped the alicorn of her daze, only so that she could grow nervous under his soft stare.

There was a flutter against the walls of her mind, as gentle as the wings of a Monarch Butterfly. "No...No, there is nothing wrong at all. I'm just surprised to see you here." She did not say another word, the effort to clarify what she meant was too much in her nervous and groggy state, but she stroked a caress over the embarrassment she'd been feeling since yesterday.

Sin still felt Cadance' emotions run frantic and the small compression in his chest that was very heavy, but he needed to make himself acquainted with the mare and she needed to do the same for their sake—if he could get her to stop acting so nervous and open up a little, maybe act a little friendly and not so shy.

He stood up and set his book on the stack, bookmark spaced between the pages for later. This was not easy for him, but it was a moment that needs to be done. Could he bring himself from the faltering mask he wears and be a little normal than he wants to be? He kept his movement gentle, his voice calm. He did not want the alicorn to feel fear or experience any sort of uncomfortable feeling than she already feels. If he could allow himself to open up and stay calm, she might tae this transition of living together as entirely natural and not try to avoid him.

Cadance had been more then aware of Sin approaching her, of the transition, but she hadn't grasped the thought of a handsome male of his figure showing such kindness and maturity. She had stayed with Shining Armor, clinging to what was thought to be true love, and learned the other side of his nature. There was no doubt or disbelief in what she sees in this man, what she feels every time he looks at her so calmly. She was beginning to realize that Sin was very different from most males, but the question was 'How is he so much when he shows so little?'

He walked past the blushing mare, but not quick enough for her to miss the redness across his cheeks. "A little early to be awake, isn't it?"

Cadance groaned, remembering her sluggish wake-up call that is still in bed, hogging the covers. "My daughter stole the bed covers from me. She always does this when we leave the Crystal Empire."

Sin tried not to veer from the fridge. His stomach growled with lack of proper nourishment. For the first time since he'd been a normal man so greatly reflected upon for guidance, he could have a meal in peace and not wander through any thought about trouble brewing around him. He reached into the fridge and removed some ingredients to prepare breakfast for everyone like he always does for others. He half expected to feel lazy and make the mares cook, but that fatherly drive in his head bested him.

"Where is her father?" Sin asked, genuine concern in his voice. "Shouldn't he be around to help his own daughter overcome whatever problem she has?" He looked over his shoulder to the alicorn glaring at the floor. Suddenly he realized and felt sorry for Cadance.

"Let me guess," he grabbed the top cabinet above his head. "You're going through a separation trial that involves sharing custody, right?"

"We divorced a few months back, and I left my empire for the safety of my daughter and myself."

Sin began adding ingredients into the mixing bowl. "Oh, so you are monarch getting away from your ex-husband. I cannot imagine what it must be like," he reached for the butcher knife to his left, and then started slicing a loaf of whole wheat bread. "But where exactly do you reside in the diplomatic power of a royal pony?"

"I rule the Crystal Empire. I'm the Princess of Love and the Crystal Princess."

"And the Crystal Empire is doing good, I see." Sin felt calm the way he did when his trip stopped at his old home. That place was his life and even when he was just a weak man that ran away from home, he was a dangerous man fighting for the Crystal Ponies. But that is another story for him to tell. For now, he was content with the present happening of that remarkable kingdom.

"It's been a very long time since I lived there," he stirred the eggs that were dipped in the mixing bowl, while falling into nostalgia. "Everyone was so scared when Sombra attacked and overthrew Jade. I still remember when he tried to kill me with his horn."

"Wait, you were at the Crystal Empire?" Cadance sent a suspicious glare to Sin. "When were you at the Crystal Empire? Because if I recall correctly, none of the documents spoke of a two legged creature living there."

Calm as he was about hinting his past, Sin realized he said the wrong words.

"That's because my existence is not in any book or scroll. My history is in the passing of the creatures you see today, and the memories of my existence are inside the Crystal Heart."

There was a questioning note in his voice, and Cadance realized his words were not at all intended to slip out of his mouth, but rather stay hidden. But, alas, the urge to speak of ones past took over and escaped, and not she was very suspicious of him.

Cadance took a seat at the dinner table, adjusting to face the human, just behind the counter that is in the middle of the living room, her eyes never leaving him. Now she was testing him. "My subjects suffered a great deal when Sombra was banished to the deepest tundra in the Arctic North. They still haven't recovered from the mental trauma he inflicted with his dark magic."

"I know, and they probably never will. But you are the one that saved them, correct?" he received a nod. "Well then, thank you for saving them from that monster. He really was a devil in mortal form."

Cadance tilted her head, curiousness shimmering in her orbs. "Who and what are you, exactly?"

Sin stopped with breakfast and said nothing, his eyes swimming with the demons of his past. He could feel the tension of his mind winding its way around his body and slipping over his hand to the point of forgotten entry when many needles were once embedded in his muscle. Those few seconds of silence dropped between him and Cadance and seemed to sting the goosebumps crawling on his skin into the many scars across his back. It made him quiver unpleasantly.

Her question. Just that one question did this much. Who would have ever thought his barriers would have a single weakness found in that iron mind of his? He had a core of pure steel and no doubt that he had made some impact with Equus' history and progress in recovering from the damage his subconscious mind carries.

And yet. . .

You are by far the greatest weapon I have created. A vessel that wields two of Tome Gods, and only in the first stage of my research.

You can't do this to me! I am not a guinea pig. . . I AM A LIVING CREATURE. I AM A HUMAN!

Not anymore, my precious weapon. You are now the key to my paradise, the door to my kingdom. You are now like me. You are now a god.

"I am Sin Firestorm," Sin said regrettably, "But as for what I am. . . I don't know anymore."

"Don't know anymore?" Cadance questioned. She could tell Sin was very lost in thought, and he was touched by memories that seemed to be more painful than relieving. "How can you not be so sure of what you are?"

Sin turned from the oven, his magic doing the work for him, and frowned down at her. His green eyes had gone dull, much like a person who has lost the will to live, but then flashed two different colors, and the pupils thinned to a demonic setting. The left eye became black, its pupil pure white, and the right eye became white with a black pupil. His hair wave freely and banded with a deeper, almost rainbow running the white. His sudden change took her breath away.

"I am not what you would call normal or unique, and I certainly believe it is not a good thing that I am showing you this. The truth, however, is my moral, and I always give the truth. I have been turned into the one thing I swore to never become, but I fight the urge every day." Sin leaned into her. "So to completely honest. . . I lost my grasp on myself when my captors experimented on me."

Cadance found herself short of breath. Her eyes met his with deeper connecting. "That does not make any sense. All you have given me is a riddle about yourself."

Sin chuckled and inclined his head, something the princess found to be cute. "It will make sense when you understand me more," he rubbed the back of her neck and smiled warmly, "But for now, just think of me as a guardian angel watching over this town. That's all you need to know; at least for now."

Sin smirked. Cadance growled, a low, frustrating note that made Sin laugh and had his inner inhabitants' hair raised on the back of their necks. He stopped rubbing her neck and returned to his cooking, his body rippling with the effort not to shift into the warrior that would frighten and devastate Ponyville.

He held his hand up to stop the magic that kept his cooking in motion. "Now before I head out to do some shopping, how do you like your pancakes?"

***

Twilight Sparkle woke to the sound of a friend knocking on her door, the sheer force echoing through the castle like a movie theater. The sky was filled with snow clouds pounding all of Equestria. She yawned and watched as the door slowly swung open to reveal a teenage dragon poking his head through. He was the same purple dragon that everyone came to love as a little brother—well, except for his lovely marefriend—but he was no longer the baby his sisters knew him to be. No, his growth finally caught up with his age and gave him a unique figure.

"Twilight," Spike said quietly, so as to not startle or ruin her morning. "I'm sorry to disturb your sleep—that is if you're still sleeping—but there is somepony here that wants to speak with you." His handsome yet nervous smile did that slow, melting touch it often does when she is having a bad day as Celestia's student or the Princess of Friendship.

Twilight rose out of bed, stretching her legs and wings. "Even when there is a big blizzard in the middle of Winter, a princess' work is never done. Oh well, I better get ready for another audience."

"Actually, you're free for today," Spike clarified, receiving an 'oh' from the young alicorn. "The only thing you need to do is go speak with Mayor Mare, who happens to be in the Dining Hall right now. I don't know all the details, but the most she told me is she hired somepony as a guard for the town."

"A guard?" Twilight questioned.

"Yup, and she seemed pretty happy with hiring somepony."

"That's strange of her to do," Twilight pondered, rubbing a hoof under chin whilst brushing her mane. "To hire somepony without speaking to me about it is wrong. Then again, my authority is still very little in Ponyville, and she does have more influence than I do."

"Twilight," Spike said softly, holding out a large folder. "She said the stallion she hired is said to be a great warrior that fought in the Gryphon Wars, and he was the highest ranked General in King Talons army before suddenly going into retirement."

Twilight spun to the dragon and raised an eyebrow at him. Her mane, usually dark purple with its pink stripe, was slightly longer and sparkling in some strands, just the way her teacher's mane does, but without the magical flow. "Don't you mean he was in the Gryphon War?"

"No, I mean this stallion was in all four of the Gryphon Wars," Spike opened the folder and held it up the pages for her. He pointed a claw at the details and added, "Take a look at this page and read it aloud."

Twilight wasn't one to humor others about their suspicions, but Spike was her little brother, and he appeared to be bewildered by the documents. As groggy as she was, Twilight indulged herself with Spike's strange behavior over the simple folder.

"Very well," she sighed, and then began reading aloud page twenty-nine. "Sin Firestorm (A.K.A. the Reaper) is a very humble and modest man that is believed to have no limits in power, but that is just a theory made by Doctor Strain, the Royal Doctor of Gryphonia. The most recent recording of Sin Firestorm's power was during the Fourth Gryphon War when a siege of rogue dragons, that just so happened to be part of the mysterious group known as The True God's, attacked and killed many of the King's subjects. Nopony knows the origin of this cult, but it is believed their intentions are to bring all of Equus into a new world order that is ruled with an iron hoof."

Twilight looked up to Spike. "Okay, so he has great power. Nothing more than a simple investigation I need to have approved by the princesses." she said skeptically.

Spike lowered his claw to the next paragraph. "Keep reading. Don't stop until you reach the end of page thirty."

Twilight returned to the page, albeit rather frustratingly. During the siege of these dragons, many Gryphons witnessed General Firestorm rise to the sky, draw his sword and cut down forty dragons with a single swing of his blade. The most accurate description of this incredible feat is an injured soldier in King Talon's army watched him transform into a powerful being that was shrouded in a black and white aura, shaped into an alicorn, before screaming a spell that is from the ancient language of the alicorns.

The death toll for Gryphonia was severe, but the devastating power of their Master General equaled to the loss of loved ones. Approximately six-thousand Gryphons were laid to rest, while hundreds were left crippled or traumatized by the near-fateful destruction of their kingdom.

This, however, did not bode well for the dragons that did survive the war. Though the war ended when King Talon and General Firestorm forced the remaining armies Prance and Prussia surrendered to their leaders' beheading, a difficult decision was approved between the two. General Firestorm and King Talon flew to the Capitals of Prance and Prussia and committed genocide on the remaining dragons. It was upon King Talon's command that his Master General killed hundreds of rogue dragons and thousands of radical Prench and Prussian Ponies by launching a large, red beam from his hands.

The term for his spell is unknown in its true origin, but General Firestorm said to have named it after one of the original Alicorn's of Tome, the Infinity Wave. Whether or not he will reveal to us what he can do is still up for debate.

Signed by Gryphon Chancellor Horgon

"Okay, you were right to bring this information to me," Twilight murmured, willing to let her number one assistant to have the glory of being right. "But is that all there is to know about him, just facts about his past?"

"No, there are a bunch of good qualities as well," Spike turned a few pages, "Here, this has something to do with every royal across the world having a deep friendship."

She heard that little apprehension in his voice. "But there is a catch to what this page says, right?"

Spike nodded. "Yeah, the date on this page dates back four hundred and ninety-six years. And look at this picture I found in the back, taped under the lining."

Twilight gazed at the photo. . .and gasped.

***

Princess Luna had never been so lost in her life, but now wasn't the time to assess where she had gone in the Realm of Dreams. She had just lost her first battle with keeping herself steady against the unforgiving pressure of guilt and fell into a deep sleep of sorrow and depression. When she was able to endure it, others would pay the price. She would become cold and almost careless of others when dealing with the pain, and if anyone were to see her show the smallest sign of emotional defeat, she would act crude to curtain her lies.

She found herself in a dream that is bound in death and fire, but it was no dream of hers. A barren wasteland of Gryphons, Dragons, and many foreign ponies spread across the ground in streaks of blood and mutilated flesh. Those are still alive hid behind the remaining defenses of a broken kingdom that is made of stone and steel, its sturdiness barely enough to hold the many soldiers that stood at top, watching a great battle unfold for a fifth day of constant destruction.

Princess Luna bat her eyes to the many signs of war and became sick to her stomach. She had not seen so many lives lost to war since the day her parents committed mass genocide on the Prussians for taking her beloved. It was all the same to her, a disgusting display of ignorance and greed coming together for another conflicting round of who surpasses whom.

Her stomach growled in response, twisting and churning her breakfast to the point of vomiting. "Oh goddesses, I'm going to be sick," she threw her hoof to her mouth and gagged at a head rolling down the mountain of bodies, next to her. Who would be so foul as to dream of a world that is filled with death?

"You haven't won yet!" a male voice yelled, his cry of bravery so familiar to the alicorn that it made her gasp. "I'll keep going until one of us stop breathing!"

She did not bother to wait for the owner of said voice to appear, but follow very quickly and discover the reason behind his fury. She didn't know if it was him, but the many sounds that came afterward drove her to make sure. She knew where the voice came from had to be in the midst of those various blasts happening in front of her. There was no mistaking it to be extremely powerful magic, clashing and exploding between two deadly warriors.

"It cannot be him," she managed to gasp out, before running up the largest hill and stopping at the top to see the source of her curiosity. "This cannot be some sort of dream that he made on his own. It cannot be true, because my immortality curse failed."

Princess Luan watched from a safe distance, two males, an infuriated, malformed alicorn, and a two-legged man, throw punch after punch in a lightning-fast brawl that is getting them nowhere. Blow after blow, their bodies rippled in response, before gushing blood from a few bruises. The two-legged male screamed at the beast whilst trying his best to avoid the next punch. His efforts, however, were proven futile, for the next blow he took to the chin sent him flying across the battlefield and into a large boulder.

As shocked and terrified as she was right now, perhaps she was deliberately drawn to this dream by some mystical force or a premonition of Equestria's future. Luna knew her power in dreams and night was far above her own parents, but for whatever reasons, even as she worked feverishly to draw a conclusion, her instincts said enough to make her realize what is currently happening.

The energy. The darkness that surrounds this vision. This was no premonition. Princess Luna was dwelling into a nightmare that occurred elsewhere, and she was trapped until it ends.

This is his nightmare. . .But I have not been this deep in his mind since I was banished to the moon. She pondered quietly, watching the battle continue. The two-legged male seemed to be defeated or dead, until he burst through the indention his body left on the boulder, his normal figure engulfed in an aura of black and white, shifting into what appeared to be a rough outline of an alicorn with a curved horn.

The disfigured monster managed to shake off the rubble that clung to his horrid mane, its waviness fueled by those he devoured from head to toe. "Did you really think that a maggot such as yourself can hurt a god like me?"

The man all but threw himself at the alicorn, his body shivering with pure, uncontrollable fury as the ground shook. He felt like a failure, and growled as the memories of a small colt repeated, causing every instinct he had to burst. He lowered his head, hissing obvious words whilst finding a reason to not lose control. He'd had enough of this destructive monster. More than enough. He was the Lieutenant of the Gryphon Army, the Immortal Human, and it was time to let go of his morals.

Well, are you going to fight, Sin Firestorm?" the cackling alicorn asked, his long draws of breath seeping with the screams of his victims. "Oh, I'm sorry. I meant to say. . .Are you going to fight—"

Sin raised his head. Several of the surviving Gryphons and Ponies had watched from their hiding spots. Luna raised an eyebrow and crawled across the dirt to remain hidden, for she did not want to corrupt the nightmare in any way possible. Sin Firestorm. . .but. . .mother and father gave him that name. It just can't be true. You cannot be alive and so close that I am drifting through your nightmare. Is it, my love?"

Sin scowled at the stallion whilst clenching his fists, his claws digging into his bloody hands. "You. . .You killed Feather Heart. You monster, how dare you?" His body began to pulse, his aura now vibrating with a darkened rainbow as the sky turned black. "HOW DARE YOU KILL THE MOTHER OF MY NIECE!?"

In a fit of his own conviction, Sin responded to the pulses by arching his back. Lightning stuck all around as though he became a powerful magnet for electricity. The entire kingdom of Gryphonia watched in awe. Finally, Sin unleashed a powerful screech and flexed to the overcharge of light and dark magic surging through him, before allowing the last bolt of lightning to consume him in blinding light.

The stallion raised a hoof to his eyes, his crooked smile falling. "What the hay did you just do?"

Sin remained where he stood when the sudden change of his body ended from the collapse of his humanity. His aura violently glowed around him with bolts of various magic. The ground beneath his feet was caved in and still crumbling, the sounds reverberating during the short observation of his transformation.

Sin was a new man with a darker purpose. His muscles were near double their normal size, and other parts of him were altered. His ears were that of a pony but still on the sides of his head. His long, white hair lashed aggressively, and a small streak in the middle shifted in colors. His claws and fangs were very obvious now, shining brightly in the light of his newfound power. A tail emerged from the edge of his waistline, its color and nature the same as his hair, and large wings painfully sprout from his back.

Sin!? Luna mentally yelled. She was flabbergasted by her lover's form. Never in her life did she see him change into something so strange. How the. . .Since when did you. . .I don't understand this. Where did you get such power?"

"You just keep killing innocent beings, like they're nothing but toys to you," Sin looked away in disgust and regret. "You even killed Feather Heart for your own amusement, and now the kingdom I protect is without its queen. And the princess is without her mother."

Remembering the look on Feather Heart's face, Sin became stronger. He crouched and scowled at the beast, his aura now expanding from the explosive release. "This time you're going to fucking pay. . .BLACK DUUUUST!"

. . .

Luna shot up from her bed with a fright, gasping. She panted heavily with a hoof over her chest, her heart racing at a very uncomfortable rate as the nightmare replayed, fresh in her mind. That drift right in the center of her dreamscape she had perfected and protected so diligently since the last incident felt weak. She had not felt such fear for a very long time. She'd fought with her own demons and swallowed her own pride as princess, but never did she feel so confused.

"Wha—what did I see just now?" she looked down to her bed to find a spot on her blanket covered in sweat, which was unusual, yet helpful in bringing her lost hope back to life. "Did. . . did we just reconnect, or did I accidently drift in his nightmare?"

Luna sensed how weary the connection was. She had already accepted the pain of her lover being gone, allowing it to flow through her, not once trying deny to resist. They were bound together, intertwined forever, both feeling every emotion and sensation like a tornado bouncing between them. She concentrated on figuring out what this nightmare meant, pushing confusion aside.

If this lasted much longer she would have no choice but to try and search for an answer, although the daytime is when she rests. That was my love, but he seemed much stronger than before, and that magical pressure he possessed almost choked me. But that was a nightmare, so how could I have seen a piece of his past when he's dead?

This did not sit well with the Princess of Night. Every little turn to the answer seemed to lead her into a dead end. This maze of confusion seemed endless, and all she could do was tap her chin repeatedly whilst feeling that wonderful connection call to her. It does not make any sense. Unless. . . he's not dead but—

Luna looked towards her desk and gazed at the one picture she has of her long-lost lover, remembering the happiest moment in life when he asked for her and Celestia's hoof in holy matrimony. T'was was the greatest night of her life, a perfect evening of her and Celestia sharing the same joy with their true love, before having the worst pony in Equestria split them apart with his silver tongue.

Luna could not compartmentalize the memory like before. She could not distance herself from it. The agony of betraying her lover really was as bad or worse than the image of plunging her horn into his heart. Her body shuddered with the sickness of the memory.

"He's not dead," she whispered, tears falling as mixed feelings of guilt and love reform to her surface. "That was our connection. But if so, how are you still alive?"

She looked towards the picture again. "Did my curse work?"

***

Sin cursed in every language he knew, holding his left arm as it singed with hot grease that spilled. Cadance was already to the rescue as he darted to the kitchen sink, running cold water over the massive burn while two fillies hid under the table for their clumsiness. He was the Immortal Human—the Reaper, he hadn't been careful when Skyla and Rose Spark entered the kitchen for orange juice. His inability to remember there are little ones in the house burnt him greatly when he tripped over them and accidentally flipped the hot skillet. He had no one to blame but himself.

"Goddamn it. Son of a Bitch. Fuck me with a fire hose!" he spat as the cold water ran over his hand.

"What happen?" And came down the stairs a very groggy Spitfire with nothing on and her mane in a mess. She hadn't processed the damage while entering the kitchen, but the smell of hot food and the sound of whimpering fillies was a start. "Did I miss something?"

Cadance ignored her friend and tended to Sin, forcing herself between him and the sink. "Let me see your hand." she said calmly.

Sin shed his composure fast, becoming a very angry man that wanted to hit a wall or shatter a vase, although he knew all too well that his actions would make things worse. "Motherfucker, that really hurt!"

"It was a-an accident," Skyla stuttered to Spitfire, her mane drooped over her face to hide the tears as she ran behind the Pegasus. "We just wanted to get something to drink, but we bumped into him and—"

Sin hissed as Cadance removed his hand from the water and checked. "It's fine, kiddo. It wasn't your fault."

"It's a bad burn, but nothing too serious." Cadance looked up from his hand. "She did not mean to bump into—"

"I know. I know the fillies did not bump into me on purpose," Sin shook his head, disregarding the foals of any fault. "Besides, I should have paid attention when I had the skillet in my hand."

"I'm sorry, Mr. Sin." Rose Spark whimpered. "I didn't mean to bump into you."

"I didn't either." Skyla added.

Sin sent Skyla and Rose one weak smile, placed his hand back in the water and waited for his power to consciously fix the problem, striding to keep some bit of dignity, the set of his shoulders the only thing that gave his discomfort. There was no doubt in anyone's mind that he was serious pain.

"Don't worry about it," he chuckled through the throbbing. "Accidents happen all the time, and it was my fault."

Spitfire stepped to his side and looked over the counter, curious. Her rump angled to his left leg and nearly split when she pushed against it. The sensation woke her up as Cadance gawked at what was happening to the third-degree burn. Sin did not say to Cadance that he could heal as well. She did not say a word to him, neither did Spitfire, not even when his magic engulfed his hand in green and started the healing process.

"Holy hay." Spitfire said, before smiling like a teenager that just did her first flip. "Okay that is not normal, but it is very cool. I didn't know there was a spell that can heal somepony's wounds."

"There isn't, and I'm not using a spell." Sin looked down at the fire-mane Pegasus, his nervous smile flustering her body. "I'm what you would call a very unique person with very special powers."

"Amazing." Cadance whispered, drawn by the magic, unaware that her daughter and Rose Spark were still hiding.

"Okay, now I am impressed," Spitfire announced. "There are many ponies who have done some pretty incredible stuff, but this the coolest thing I have ever seen in my entire life. Nopony can heal their own wounds like that, not even the princesses."

Sin stepped back from the mares and shook his hand violently, removing the numbness that came as the green around it accelerated his body's natural healing ability. "You do not know me, but I can do many things that others cannot. I have been able to heal most of my wounds, but it requires much of my magic to do so. If I do not have enough then my wounds will stay and heal on their own."

Cadance frowned at him. "If you can heal like, then shouldn't you be able to heal all of those scars on your back."

Sin shook his head. "Those are from being trapped inside a lab with scientists experimenting on my body. I had those long before gaining the power I have today. They're permanent and impossible to remove, because magic was used to make them."

"Oh. . ." Cadance looked away, ashamed. "I. . .I'm sorry. I just thought you were—"

"Ah, don't sweat it, Cadance." Sin smiled warmly, before shrugging his shoulders. "Besides, some mares are into guys that have scars. And judging from the way you blushed when you saw them the first time, I'd say you're the kind of mare that likes a stallion with a gentle nature but looks handsomely rugged."

Cadance' face immediately turned red, and she spun around to hide it as her flirtatious friend took this chance to get a little closer.—or so she thought. Before Spitfire could speak or touch him, Rose Spark and Skyla poked their eyes out from beside the fridge. Their eyes watered lightly as he turned to them both and sighed in disgust of his own outburst. He knew it was his fault for getting. Yet he still acted so childish by screaming and cussing up a storm to abate his anger. Now the filly he raised and the one he met were so scared their bodies were shaking, and it made his stomach churn.

"We didn't mean it." Rose repeated.

"We're sorry for getting in the way, Mr. Sin." Added Skyla.

Sin kneeled and reached for the back of their necks, pulling them close to his chest while Cadance ran cold water over her cheeks to help with the redness on her cheeks. Spitfire stood and watched the human wrap his arms around the girls, although they were terrified at the moment.

Sin's touch bored into Rose and Skyla's skin, making them want to fall deeper inside his care and warmth, but they stayed very still, determined to fight the tears that are swelling.

"You have nothing to be sorry about. I was not paying attention when you two walked into the kitchen, and I was burnt for it. Besides, its best that I was burnt, because I cannot bear the idea of such adorable fillies getting hurt because of my clumsiness." His tone was soft. Gentle. Loving.

Rose and Skyla heard the sincerity in his voice and knew it was the truth. Sin really did find himself at fault for the grease spilling on his hand.

"I'm sorry for yelling and cussing in front of you both. You should not hear a grown man act so immaturely when he has at fault for his own stupidity." he said lovingly, before nuzzling their heads to express his care. Once that was done, he lifted the girls by their bellies and placed them in chairs. "Now then, I believe I have breakfast to finish before running some errands with Rose Spark. So does anyone want some mixed berry pancakes before I go?"

"Wait, where are you going exactly?" Spitfire asked, curiously. "The blizzard is preventing most ponies from going outside, so how do you plan to—"

"Are we going to get toys and stuff?" Rose Spark interrupted, very excitedly.

"First off, I can teleport or fly the closest cities in Equestria, and I can amplify the heat of my body with a little magic." Sin looked down to his excited daughter, smiling. "And secondly, yes, I promised to get you some toys. But we will do that after I go take care of something I forgot about"

Excitement took hold in the kitchen as Rose Spark gasped and smiled. Joy overwhelmed the filly as she wrapped her hooves around his hand, nuzzling it like a stuffed teddy bear while the rest of his cooking was set on the table with a snap of his fingers. "Thank you. Thank you. Thank you!"

"You're welcome, sweetheart."

"Hey, Skyla and I need to go get some things in Canterlot. Maybe we can go together, and Skyla can pick out some toys for her and Rose to play with." Cadance suggested.

Sin nodded. "That would make things much easier, and we can get to know one another since we're going to be sharing this house."

"Has anypony ever told you that you have a really nice flank?" Spitfire suddenly asked, causing the man and alicorn to blush at her. She shrugged her shoulders defensively. "What? I'm talking about Sin. He's got a really nice flank that stallions never have."

"Spitfire, not in front of my daughter!" Cadance barked, before throwing her hooves over Skyla's ears, although it was completely unnecessary since the little filly was too distracted by the pancakes.

"Same here!" Sin added. Unfortunately his blush said all Spitfire needs to know, and she was going to use that against him. "Seriously, who talks like that in front of foals?"

"Mr. Sin, your hooves are tickling my ears." Rose giggled.

Spitfire smiled deviously at him. "What can I say? I like a stallion with a small flank, and you fit that criteria."

Cadance shook her head in disappointment. "After all these years, you still have not changed your ways. You're still the same mare that flirts without regard of those around you hearing what you say." She groaned as her friend cornered Sin. "Spitfire, you're a pervert."

"Only with cute stallions," the Pegasus quipped, her eyes fluttering lustfully as they locked with his. "And this hunk of handsomeness is to cute for me to resist."

Maybe I should have taken that other job in Prance. Sin mentally sighed. Seriously, what is it with females of any species having this need to express their attraction for me?

"So do you have a marefriend?" Spitfire asked out of the blue.

Sin did not answer that, not when he already had enough problems on his plates. He took another look around the room just to hide the blush that formed, but Cadance' smile drew him in, for he knew what she was thinking.

Oh crap, she's just like her friend.

I completely forgot that he is single. Hmmm. . . I wonder if he's alright with having a small herd of just me and Spitfire; that is after I get to know him better. Cadance' smile grew as she pondered the idea of her and Spitfire sharing him. What else was there to think when the only thing keeping her focused is him? There was no time like the present to think about such things, especially when you're the Princess of Love, trying to find true love.

Spitfire reached for his hand and giggled with mirth, "So the cute stallion does not have a marefriend. Now this should be interesting, don't you think, Cadance?"

"Don't involve me with your methods, you pervert." Cadance said. "I'm not into that idea of winning him over with—"

"Okay, did everyone just forget that two fillies are sitting at the table and are in earshot distance of what is being said!?" Sin yelled to the ceiling.

Rose Spark looked up from her plate, devouring a mouthful of scrambled eggs. "What's a pervert?"

"It's somepony that flirts with other ponies too much." Skyla answered. "Ms. Spitfire is flirting with your daddy too much, so my mommy is calling her pervert for it."

"Oh, that makes sense. But doesn't that mean Mr. Sin is a pervert because he's making your mommy blush by wearing no fur or clothes over his furless chest?" Rose Spark asked.

Sin looked at both fillies with wide eyes. "I burnt my hand, and some the grease got on my shirt as well!"

"I think so," Skyla quipped.

Rose Spark turned to her flabbergasted father. "Mr. Sin, you're a pervert. Shame on you."

Dropping his glasses to the table, and putting back on sleeveless shirt,, Sin gave up trying to be the mature one and stared at the giggling fillies, flatly.

"Savior, Warrior, Friend, and Loyal Guardian. Now I'm being called a pervert by two fillies that I just fed." he grumbled. "Fuck it, I'm going to have a stiff drink and—"

Sin could not finish his sentence. A loud banging at the door interrupted him, something he did not expect to hear this early in the morning. He walked away from Spitfire and Cadance and approached with a firm channeling of magic in his left hand, just in case he was about to have a fight. There was no malicious intention on the other side, but sensing no hostility did not make him feel any better. Whoever was knocking at his door obviously had a strong hoof, seeing as how the hinges were shaking out of place.

"Okay?" Sin opened the door and looked down to a pink pony with an unsettling glare in her eyes and fluffy volume in her wild mane. He raised an eyebrow at her as the snow blew through the door, unsure of what to do. "Is there something you need, miss?"

The pink mare narrowed her gaze, boring his skull with her frustration. "Did you really think that you would go through my town without me figuring you out?" she asked in a dark manner. "Did you think that I would not find you, punk?"

Sin leaned back, ready to dart back inside and lock the door. "I'm sorry, but you must be mistaking me someone else. I have never met you before."

"Oh no, I am here for you, Sin Firestorm." she clarified. Sin was now very defensive. Clearly this pony had a problem with him. "My friend, Rainbow Dash, told me yesterday that a new face was in Ponyville. She told me you both met at Sugarcube Corner yesterday evening, but you left before I could see you."

"And you are?"

"Pinkamena Diane Pie, but call me Pinkie Pie." Pinkie said seriously. "And now that I found you, I have something to say to you."

This girl is off her rocker. I don't know her. Should I take her to a psychologist?

"Nopony gets through my town without me knowing they're here!" Pinkie said loudly. "Not even a great warrior that just came to Ponyville gets past my Pinkie Sense. And do you know why?"

Scratch that, she just needs a Shrink.

Pinkie Pie reared up and balanced against Sin's chest, her eyes drilling into his with aggravation. "Because they cannot be properly acquainted with my town—" suddenly her glare was replaced with a bright smile, and she jumped back with glee. "—Without a Welcome to Ponyville Party!"

Sin fell backwards on the porch, unable to process the insanity of his morning. Fuck it, just get me an exorcist!

Pinkie Pie leaned over Sin. "By the way, Rainbow Dash is right, you're really cute."

"So I've been told." he replied.

Chapter IV

Author's Note

Well this should be a good eye catcher for some readers, lol. This is the chapter I was talking about; and it is open for reading.

However, I must correct you that—after you read this chapter— I am not jumping any part of the timeline to the development of this story. What you are getting now is a little bit of fate bringing everyone together when two immortals go head-to-head in a battle that is long overdue. Yes, expect a taste of what Sin can do.

It's what my editor suggested: Give a taste of the character's abilities instead of drowning the reader through the first villain encounter.

Anyway, the reason to this change is I'm wanting to dramatize the story with more of Celestia and Luna trying to win him back while dealing with the fact of Cadance and Spitfire having their hearts set on him. It's bring more of a competition between the four mares while Sin adjusts to his new living.

Also, yes, Soft Claw will come into the story, as will the Gryphon Princess.

Bear with the weird change to the story. I'm just trying to add more comedy and drama to Celestia and Luna winning him back.

Now as for the result of Sin meeting his old lover's, I am still in debate of him forgiving the mares but not taking them back immediately, because he does not trust them at all, or to have him express a serious dislike or hatred since they hurt him so badly.

I'll leave that up to you. In the meantime. . . Stay Pony.

Chapter IV

Pinkie Pie

How had she gotten under his skin in the last twenty minutes with only her voice? He sent up a small prayer of desperation that someone or something would end his misery. She had been the first pony in two decades to annoy the man by stating the obvious. You're really tall and skinny, but maybe that is how you are. I don't know. I've never seen a furless Minotaur with long, white hair and a bunch of scars all over his back. He should have ignored her voice, a simple detune of the world around him would suffice.

"Pinkie Pie, I think you're going a little too far." Cadance said apprehensively.

"Why did you have your fur shaved off?" He remembered how she rudely poked at his scars and giggled at him again. She felt her hoof brush along the largest scar in the middle of his chest. "Wow that is really big. How did you get that doozy of a scar?"

Her question brought him pain, not the usual pleasure surviving such a wound. A small clench of his fist was nearly unnoticed, but Spitfire caught it with her keen observation. The clench ran as a current through his muscles from the tip of his fingers to the top of his shoulder, tightening every fiber of his right arm. She could see something besides annoyance, and wouldn't you know it would be displeasure?

It seemed unthreatening to the Pegasus that Sin would react this way to Pinkie Pie's curiosity. She just wanted to know more about him.

Sin continued to ignore the pink pony's words and read through another chapter, his eyes skimming each sentence, yet his mind was retaining every word like a computer with endless memory. He was not at all a genius with vast intellect or determination to push himself to better knowledge, although it would have been nice to attain such traits. It was very simple as to how he could memorize things so well and not strain himself in the slightest. Being immortal has given him plenty of time to harness his gain of knowledge. To counter his average IQ by sustaining a daily routine of collection random information. Whether it was from personal experience with others, reading a book, or watching how something works, he used that growth of knowledge to make himself seem like a genius. But, to be completely honest, he was just a man who knows a great deal about many things.

Still left with the inability to understand a man and his personal space, Pinkie Pie continued to flood him with a barrage of silly questions that seem to have a redundant answer to them already. She dashed and zipped around Sin with every small detail about him becoming another mystery that she could not comprehend—not entirely that is. It did not seem to take long for Cadance and Spitfire to see the trouble this was causing as he started to look up from his book with a dark atmosphere. As Sin placed the bookmark the page and set it on the table to his left, Pinkie Pie took it upon herself to touch and examine his hair.

His hands clenched for a moment, and then loosened while Skyla and Rose Spark watched from behind the couch. They knew he was not enjoying this; just the look in his eyes said that.

"Wow, you're mane is really soft and warm." Pinkie Pie moaned as she rubbed the silky white strands across her cheek, her body shivering in delight of the warmth she strangely felt from this. "What kind of shampoo do you use? Or do hairless Minotaurs not use shampoo?"

"I use regular shampoo and comb it twice a day," Sin exasperated, his voice piercing the Alicorn and Pegasus' worry, making them retreat a little. Turning on his heels he kneeled to the giggling pony and wore his best smile, her hooves slowly denied another feel for his hair when he gently pulled away. "But I think my hair is not important here. The important thing is for me to know your reason for being here. Are you here because you are friends with Cadance or Spitfire?"

"Oh, I'm friends everypony in Ponyville." Pinkie Pie chirped, absolutely enjoying this conversation with Sin, since he is not acting like stuck-ups that need to put on a smile. Sin raised an eyebrow as he evaluated the mare through her personality. His majestic eyes filled Pinkie Pie with an awkward feeling, something she only felt during her reunion with her sister, Maud Pie.

Wow, he seems really friendly for a weird thingy. But. . . why do I feel warm and tingly like Maud makes me feel when we spend time together?

"Okay, then I suppose I am the reason you are here?" Sin inquired, never taking his eyes off the pony, not for a second.

"Yup, yup, yup. I came here because Rainbow Dash told me a new face has come to Ponyville, so I just had to see for myself who she was talking about." Pinkie Pie bounced endlessly in front of the immortal human, her cheery attitude practically touching him as the fillies came out of hiding. "She told me that you're some kind of superhero that's been travelling across the world to get strong and protect others from big meanie monsters. She also said that you're a former champion from some huge tournament that happens every year in Jaypan. But is that really true?"

"It would seem your friend knows me better than I know myself." Sin said in a monotone, losing all humor in an instant. He stood up and turned to the window that had some visibility to the outside world, his mind focused on the blue Pegasus known as Rainbow Dash. "Just how much does that filly know about me?"

He gave an almost contented sigh as the energetic pony approached with an envelope she removed from her fluffy mane. His eyes rose to the snowy clouds, a glimmer of his shadowy past reflecting as it descended through the snowfall at lightning speed. Shifting his sensory to magic and emotion into overdrive, he sensed the wild and insanely fast luring of said shadow coming his way, but it was without a very important source for him determine if the intentions are good or evil. Without this source, Sin was able to determine the shadows reason for approaching at high speed, which gave him a very uneasy feeling as Pinkie Pie held out the envelope for him to take.

Sin blinked a couple of times, and the figure was gone again, locked away in the back of his mind. He grimaced when this happened, knowing how foolish it was of him to overreact. It was just a flashback of him, nothing more.

"I almost forgot," Pinkie Pie said, and then giggled at her own bubbly moment. Her words, however, were unheard by the immortal, for his mind was completely locked on the shadow in the distance. "This is your invitation to the party I am setting up at Sugarcube Corner right now. Be sure to come by with your filly, because it will be really FUN!"

Sin, at this point, seemed lost in his own little world of mystery and confusion before snapping out of the trance he put himself under, but Pinkie Pie's words drew him out as the invitation was placed in his shaking hand. He jerked up to her words, and his mind latched onto them with great mental strength, something only Cadance could see through the sudden change of eye color. His left eye twitched, and the world ceased to exist during his slow descent into remembrance.

"Fun. . ." he paused at the word, his heart pounding out of his scarred chest.

"Yeah," Pinkie Pie nodded. "It will be lots of fun!"

The immortal went still, yet his breath shook with trepidation. He blinked once, twice, thrice while following the rabbit into the deepest hole of his traumatized memory. He followed without thinking twice, and the rabbit only stopped when the broken corners of his psyche lurched to said memory.

Sin gazed at his reflection and gasped, his eyes swimming with terror at the monster he knew to be dead. His mind, however, never let go of the horrific past this beast created for its own amusement. Sin was not the kind of man to dwell on the past, but this was no mere memory. No, it was a night terror only he could personally understand, for it was through his blood, his magic— the CORE of his soul—that a monster so disgusting once existed in this world.

It will be lots of fun. . . father. He could still hear the beast talking to him, its long robe as wide as the ocean of HIS evil. There was no forgetting the stallion inside the mask. All those Dragons destroyed. All the hatchlings crushed before they could hatch and take their first breath of life. The loss of his first true friend—the same Gryphon that took the sword to her chest when he was supposed to die. Sin would remember the vile creature as the mortifying, indescribable, and abomination of his own flesh and blood his captors created during their second making of gods and demons.

It will be lots of fun. . . father.

"Monster. . ." he paused again, before snapping out of the memory and back into the real world. He blinked in uncertainty and slowly spun around to the three mares staring at him while Skyla and Rose Spark tilted their heads in curiosity.

Cadance, being the kind and gentle mare she is, approached him with genuine concern and comfort should he need it. This was bizarre to the pink Alicorn, to see the highly praised man suddenly appear as though he just experienced unimaginable pain. She was starting to feel concerned for him in a more than friendly way, as did her Pegasus friend behind her. Spitfire was probably the toughest Pegasus there is in all of Equestria, but even she has a soft side that very few know about; Even Princess Celestia had no clue of the soft spot that makes up for the Admiral's stone cold attitude, which is very little unless touched by someone she considers a friend or is attractive to her.

Both mares split apart and joined the human's sides as he took a seat on the couch, his face buried in his hands before the white hair mulled over to cover to hide him from their stares. He was not ashamed to feel this way or to have someone worry over his well-being. But to have his new roommates see him like this, especially the very two that he finds to be extremely attractive, made it difficult to not feel pathetic and embarrassed. He just wanted to kick himself in the head at this point.

"Did I say something wrong?" Pinkie Pie asked worriedly, her fluffy mane starting to deflate. Sin peeked between right index and middle finger to her and faked a chuckle, albeit very poorly.

"No, not at all." he replied, causing her mane to stay as it should before the audible 'pop' happened. "I'm just remembering some things about my past. You did nothing wrong."

Pulling one of his hands away from his face, Cadance braved past the demonic gaze he gained from lack of emotional control. She was still nervous by those eyes, but, deep down, she knew there was a gentle stallion misunderstood by his looks. Eyes of unholy appearance and fangs surely indicate darkness, but she—and surprisingly, Spitfire—saw past that darkness and found a glimmer of his true nature sparkling in the corner of his shifting colors. It hurt everyone in the house to see the human like this; even Rose Spark felt a little sad for him.

"Sin, what's wrong?" Cadance asked, holding the man's hand so he does not try to hide away a second time. Her eyes spoke fear as he faked a warm smile and threw back his air. But little did he know what she and Spitfire were seeing while he came out of hiding.

"Nothing, I'm fine." Sin uttered, leaning back to pretend that he was relaxing. No one was being fooled, though. Not even the fillies were falling for it.

"No. you're not," Spitfire said curtly, pointing at the problem as it trickled. "You're crying your eyes out."

"What are you talking about?" Sin asked as calmly as he could, until the impact of her words forced his sense of touch to come back to him. He removed his other hand from his face and lightly gasped at the warmth descending his cheeks. His eyes shifted color a third time but remained to the emotion he was feeling.

Shock. Pure. Undeniable. Such an emotion did not register to the immortal as he saw through the reflections of Cadance' eyes the look he had on his face.

I am. . . crying. he wiped a single tear with his finger and observed in disbelief. When did I start to cry to that memory? He shook his head at the question. No, when was the last time I shed a single tear? Fifteen years ago, maybe?

"Dude, you got something you need to get off your wings?" Spitfire asked with a much lower tone this time around. She looked behind him, cocking an eyebrow at his back. "That is if you have wings at all."

"There are some things about my life only I need to know about, but your concern is appreciated; and I thank you for that." Sin nodded with a apologetic smile, although it would not be a bad idea to talk. Spitfire and Cadance frowned in dislike of his answer, yet they respected his decision and followed up by not prying any information out of him. "I know everyone loves to share gossip, news, or stuff about their past. Mine, however, is rather too much for most ponies to understand; and everyone in this house would not understand if I spoke of it."

"Are you sure?" Pinkie Pie rested her chin on his leg and performed the ultimate attack in cuteness. She was not going to let her new friend keep any secrets from her, not a single one. Her eyes began to water, and the lower lip started to quiver as she made an adorable whimpering sound for effectiveness. "You might feel better if you talk about it."

"You certainly are adorable when you want to be," Sin moved his hand over Pinkie's head, petting her slowly while Cadance and Spitfire glared at her, jealously. "But I cannot tell you anything about my past, because it is not for others to know. But the cute puppy look was a good try."

"I try," she chirped, her smile returning in an instant. Spitfire coughed into her hoof to break apart the moment between Pinkie and Sin, and then stepped forward with a growing look of mischief and lust, her eyes fluttering naturally whilst forcing the rosy flush from his depression to ignite as embarrassment.

"Well you're certainly not going to keep dwell on whatever has you acting like a Wonderbolt that's been demoted." the fiery Pegasus punctuated with hoof-imagery of someone removing the badge on her jacket. Cadance glared at her for that one. "Your past is yours to deal with in your own way, but it will not affect you. This house is full of energy, fun, and anything else that makes everypony's day a positive one;" She licked her lips slowly, preparing to change the rest of the morning into a better atmosphere of her own liking as the conflicted human arched an eyebrow at her. "And I know just how to fix you right up."

"You do?" Sin questioned. This was going to be interesting. "How?"

Spitfire would have explained her plan, but that would ruin the idea of Sin getting a better day and her best friend stepping out of her comfort zone to put herself up to him for more than a friendly connection. Mischief but careful with her word play, the yellow Pegasus spun quickly faked a gasp of trepidation for everyone to hear. She looked up to the stairs and pointed a hoof at nothing, but that did not bait the Princess of Love as she anticipated, although it would have been nice to fool her.

"What the hay is that!?" she yelled with dupe terror in her tone.

Pinkie Pie, Rose Spark, and Skyla jerked their gazes to the stairs, thus giving the mare ample opportunity to poorly thought-out move on the unperturbed man. Given one of his abilities is sensing the magic of others, which happens to be directly connected to emotion, he was not fazed by her deception. His keen sense, however, did not mean anything to her, for it was only a moment of deception she wanted to do as she pleases.

Now's my chance.

After Sin leaned up to indulge himself of this lowly plan, Spitfire struck with the speed of a hungry spider, she reared up and forced herself onto his lap, and then aimed for her prize as he was distracted by the sudden closing of personal space. She gently thrust a kiss upon Sin's lips and held it for about three seconds, tasting quickly the inside of his mouth as the pink princess did a double-take. Sin, the poor lad, yelped inside Spitfire's mouth and waved his hands in the air as the twinge of shock from Cadance twisted into a familiar emotion she has already felt with Spitfire.

Shocked but furious on this inside, Cadance clenched her teeth and growled at the Pegasus winking in return before pulling away from the flabbergasted human, his lips shortly connected with the saliva she stole from him. If there was ever a moment for the slippers and crown to come off, this was that moment. Cadance wanted nothing more than rip her friend from Sin and throw her out in the cold for the day, just so she learned the hard lesson best friends never do to one another.

"Pretty tasty," Spitfire laid next to him, licking one hoof to enhance the seduction. "But I wonder how you really are—" she leaned up to his ear, her warm breath nipping his lobe. "—in bed."

"Spitfire, what the hay!?" Cadance yelled, startling Pinkie and the fillies as she stomped one of her hooves. Spitfire just shrugged her shoulders and nudged his leg for fun.

"Hey, we're best friends, but I'm not going to wait for you to grow the courage to make a move for the both of us." she shot back, quickly becoming annoyed.

"Well don't you think you're going way too far? You just met Sin yesterday!"

"So, there are very few stallions that fit my taste; and, unlike you, I'm not a big pansy that waits for the guy to make a move, because it will most likely be too late by then!"

"Excuse me!" Cadance barked.

"You heard me, bubblegum butt. I did not stutter." Spitfire mocked, secretly tempting fate. She scooted closer to Sin and rested herself on his leg, before shooting a smug grin at the mare.

"Are you saying I cannot get a good stallion because I'm too cowardly!?" Cadance raised her voice, borderline the Royal Voice she has not used since she was a teenager. She stood her ground with the Pegasus as it became a electrifying staredown, their eyes locking together while the kind mare forced herself on Sin's left side. "Well, little filly, I'll have you know my 'stalling' is not cowardly. I am a princess that has standards, and I expect them to be met."

"Why is your mommy yelling at Miss Spitfire?" Rose Spark asked very cutely.

Skyla leaned close to her new friend but still watched her mother challenge the Pegasus in a showdown of glares. "I don't know, but I think it is because they like your daddy."

"Wow, you sure make things exciting." Pinkie chirped, receiving a flat glare from Sin as he was forced between the fighting ponies in a surprise battle of morning snuggles.

"Oh, you have no idea." he said in a monotone.

"I am dignified!" yelled Cadance, only to have her friend laughing hardy.

"No, you're a chicken!"

"Well at least I don't fooling with every cute stallion I see!"

"Neither do I, but I realize this hunk is going to be off the menu if neither of us snatches him up before the other mares."

"We just met him!"

"Yes, but, thanks to me, we don't have to worry about him being taken by another."

"Maybe I want to know him better first."

"Then you're a moron, but I still love ya."

"How did I get dragged into this?" Sin whined.

***

After struggling to recover the connection she so desperately needed to track him down, Luna sat in the unharmed meadows of the Gryphon Kingdom. She sat in front of the human as he paid his respects to the freshly made grave of Queen Feather Heart. Rain was pouring across the entire country in reaction of his poorly controlled magic at the time. Blood that once dried onto the ground and rubble inside and outside of the kingdom was now washing away, just like the stains that stick to his body. The kingdom was all but quiet when he approached the gravestone of his friend, his tears drowned with raindrop after raindrop seeping through his torn hair.

Once the area cleared out of any remaining visitors, Sin placed a well-kept picture of him, Talon, and Feather Heart in front of her gravestone and inhaled deeply. He had only the jacket his king had ordered the best seamstress in his kingdom to sew; and that was very little in covering up the many wounds he gained in battle with Black Dust. Bandages practically covered everything but his right eye and arms, while the rest of him slowly healed itself with powerful magic not of his control. It, of course, was no mystery why he was healing like this. His comrades, who currently shed tears inside him, were the source of Gryphonia's victory and his survival.

"Everyone keeps telling that I'm a superhero—maybe even a god— because I have godlike power," Sin said as he stared down at the coffin, his right eye twitching with the urge to close. "But a god does not bleed or feel pain at all. A god does not fail to save everyone from monsters. A god cannot. . .feel the pain of losing someone close to their heart."

Thunder clapped overhead and lightning struck across the castle, but Sin was unfazed by it. He had been touched so many times as an experiment by the all-powerful nature of a lightning storm that it did not invoke any fear whatsoever. His body was perfectly still while Luna flinched.

"Is this after that battle?" she referred to the first memory, and then pondered it while he continued to make his speech to the deceased Gryphon.

"You once told me that a superhero is what this kingdom needs, but it was never the case." Sin began to cringe in disgust of himself. He could not fight back the unbearable feeling of failing his friend. "I will admit, after discovering what those scientists did to me, I thought myself to be a superhero, someone can do almost anything if he tries hard enough. But a superhero was never what this kingdom needed, just a brave one; and you showed that by stepping in the way of the blade."

Luna did not say a word, she was too choked up by his heartache. All she could do was cry with the image of her lover as he kneeled to the coffin and slid his hand across the bronze engraving.

This is all my fault. None of this would have happened if I hadn't become Nightmare Moon.

"Goodbye, my old friend—" he rest his head against the oak finish, clenching his teeth. "— I can only hope that your daughter will forgive me when she is old enough to understand why you are gone."

With his final words. . . Sin walked away, never to set foot at her grave again. Luna, still trapped in her own endeavor of finding the real Sin, followed the memory while she still could.

. . .

After a long walk through the broken walls of his beloved home, Sin entered the silent halls of the throne room. Many black bags were zipped up and tagged by the soldiers that still live. Friends and family stood over some and mourned while others were left to the empty clutches of loneliness—not that it hurt at all since they already gone. Still, it hurt the once-worshipped man to see those he trained so hard lay to rest with no one but him to mourn their sacrifice. His heart felt as if it were about to stop for the first time in hundreds of years, and he clenched it with a hand over his chest as the tears fell fast.

I'm supposed to protect everyone, but all I have done is fail.

As he made his way to the throne, a sudden clack of talons caught his hearing. Two guards to his left suddenly pursued a small Gryphon that's been on the hunt for his father for hours, hoping he did not fall in the war. Unfortunately, the two guards behind were very young and fresh out of the academy; and they had no idea that the child was more than what most would know.

"Hey, stop right there!" the younger Gryphon barked, his claws just within reach of the crying child.

Sin turned to them and realized he had forgotten his greatest gift from fate was still without the knowledge of his survival. He looked down to the barely flying Gryphon and felt his chest blowup with some joy. Some, that is, but it was still a depressing evening for him. He had already lost so much thanks to his ignorance and fear. What more could be given to make him feel any better than he does now? Nothing. Absolutely nothing. The only joy he could get out of this day is seeing his—

"Soft Claw," he whispered, his smile weak but enough for the child to see.

"Daddy!" the little Gryphon cried as he leapt into his father's arms.

"Daddy!?" Luna gasped. "He's a father to—"

"Daddy," Soft Claw sobbed in his father's chest. Sin went to shush his little one with gentle strokes, but the young guards in front of him drew his attention. They stopped before him and saluted, but their respect to the man was completely ignored due to their inability to show compassion to the kid.

"Captain Firestorm," the younger guard said sternly, although his wings were ruffling uncontrollably when he received a deep glare from the bemused man. "We apologize for bothering you, but that Gryphon darted out of the third bunker and—"

"—Is my adopted son," Sin interrupted in a very cold tone, his eye narrowing on the guards as he pat his son's back. "So you had best remember his face and name. Otherwise, harming the son of the Gryphon Captain is punishable by expulsion or ten years in the dungeon. Is that clear, soldier?"

"Y—Yes, sir!" the Gryphons saluted.

He adopted a Gryphon, Luna pondered the thought. It was not until the past they shared together she concluded to a theory behind Sin having no biological children so far. "So this means he has not tried to have a little one with anypony; at least I hope so."

"Good," Sin nodded, before planting his gaze on his traumatized son. Taking a moment to calm Soft Claw, Sin rocked him back and forth and pat his back while Talon appeared behind him. "Now return to the citizens that need help. I want all the injured, homeless, women and children brought to the castle for food, medicine, and shelter; and make sure to have every available man—soldier or citizen—is brought into account before we begin rebuilding and fortifying the kingdom."

"Yes, Captain!" they took their leave, which left Sin to deal with his son. Thanking the almighty for his son's safety, he pecked Soft Claw's head and tuned his voice to an Irish verse that became the first lullaby when adopted the boy. King Talon, at the time, with his newborn in his wings, listened with the growing crowd as his most trusted friend washed away their sorrow, unknowingly. But little did he know what Sin's talent was doing when the whimpering princess heard him.

"Steal away, let's steal away~" he continued to rock his son, never letting up as the few Gryphons in the throne room circled him. They needed a lifting of their hopes, a brighter tomorrow to be seen before it comes; and what better way than to have the Gryphon Captain soothe their pain with the one talent that he can call his own. "No reason left to stay~"

Luna smiled through her own pain and watched as the shadow she is, her eyes brim with tears of joy. After enduring so much, you still sing to others.

"For me and you, let's start anew; and make a new beginning~" he looked up to the crowd and saw their smiles growing; even just a little, it was still heartwarming to see there was still hope in their eyes. As much as it embarrassed him, Sin continued his singing for his son and his citizens. He knew that Feather Heart would have wanted this. To keep the spirit of Gryphonia alive. "We have to chose: to win or lose; and it's time we started winning~"

"Steal away, lets steal away. No reason left to stay~" Luna sang to herself, before sighing contently. "How I miss hearing you sing to me when the night was lonely."

. . .

Finally, the memory faded away in the distance. Luna was dragged back to the reality of being in bed as her grandfather clock rang in her ears that it was noon, her mind still holding said memory as she allowed herself to balance out the dizziness that comes with deep dream traveling. Her room was still the same mess she made of it after seeing the first memory, books and scrolls thrown across the room or into the fire, her crown stuck in the wall. The Night Goddess could not care any less about the consequences of her sister lecturing her over a messy room. She was too distracted by her own intentions to give a damn.

"Sin is still alive, I can feel it. " Luna thought as the connection of their bond came completely into the light, a silver lining that struck from her horn to the world beyond her window. As always, even when she was just a filly learning to be a monarch, Luna opulently dressed in her crown, chest piece, and slippers before hopping out of bed to follow the silver lining. . .a simple phenomenon that gave her hope and joy as it pulsed in recognition of the distance between him and her. It was no mystery that the closer she got the faster the pulse would be, just like it always did when they teenagers.

"He is very close," she opened the window and let the cold chill of winter nip at her fur for a brief second. Her hooves were already buried in two feet of accumulated snow, which should have been cleared out days ago by the guards. Why was that not done?

"I have fur but I am already freezing." the Lunar Princess shivered, but a harsh winter was not going to stop her. She was determined to find her mate, even if it meant freezing her wings off. She shook her head furiously, and then protected herself with a simple barrier of her power.

"Nevertheless, I will not allow this chance to slip by," she said determinedly. "I lost him to an ill fate of my own doing, but not this time." She flared her wings, preparing for the long road of recovery. "No, this time, I will be the mare you saw me as. And when we are together again I will reunite our family, because our little one lives."

With that mouthful out of her, Luna took to the sky. However, what she did not know is a certain alabaster alicorn heard every word she said and was now sitting at window with her wedding ring firmly grasped in magic. Said alicorn stared at the ring with trepidation as her sister disappeared in the next gust of snow, tears descending onto the only picture him asking for their hooves in holy matrimony.

"Luna, why must you pursue a ghost of a chance?" Celestia questioned, but her words were thrown right back at her faster than she could realize.

Sensing a familiar pressure of magic, the Sun Goddess looked up from the picture and gasped at the twitch in her heart. She breathed heavily for air and looked around the world through the window to direct the pull on her body. Her tears started to overflow and every fiber of her being felt as if fire engulfed her in a deep passion she clearly remembered.

"It can't be," he eyes flashed a clear white, and then the room shifted in the blink an eye to an exact copy of Ponyville. At first the princess thought of it to be a hallucination built by her secret desperation to have their lover back, but she was so very wrong. Though quiet and barren in the blizzard, two shadows appeared before the deity and walked past her.

Celestia's eyes widened at the tall figure walking next to the bouncing Element of Laughter. Her pupils dilated and reflected the face behind the cloak, who happened to be carrying a filly in warm clothing he shrunk to fit her size. His warm smile came into the alicorn's view, and it made her disbelief melt away.

"Come on, Sin." a very enthusiastic Pinkie Pie chirped. "I want you to meet all of my friends."

"All of her friends?" Celestia rested her chin on her hoof and dwelled on the idea of Sin meeting all the elements. But, suddenly, her common sense exploded with realization of the pink pony sending her long lost mate to the last place he should go. Her heart began to throb out of her chest.

"Fluttershy's cottage," she began to tremble with absolute fear. ". . .DISCORD!"

Chapter V

Something has gone wrong. We don't seem to have an archived copy of that chapter.

Chapter VI

Author's Note

I am going to be blunt here. I am not in the best mood right, so forgive me if my writing seems off or strange.

A handful of Fanfiction readers, approximately 37, messaged me and said my stories are no longer worth the time to read because I am too slow, meaning the writers that are popular on Fanfiction are uploading chapters every day; and I am somehow boring and a shitty writer.

I would deny that, but the last three chapters to this story haven't received a little on Fanfiction.

Not complaining or being pessimistic, but I am not giving a damn right now and contemplating if I should go straight to Fimfiction or quit. I'm already having a hard time with my editor scolding the hell out of me about my novel.

Anyway. . . enjoy, I guess.

Music for this episode in the order it goes.

Nightcore—Pieces

Chapter VI

Rarity is sitting at her sewing table with both hooves firmly pressed against the red velvet of Sin's new attire, sweating breaking from the tip of her chin, as she was extremely nervous about ruining her first chance to create something bold and unique for his figure. It is the ample chance to test herself and see if she really is the Fashion Master her friends, family—especially customers—pronounce her to be. It was barely noon when she finished the measurements and started on the pants. No lunch. No drink. Nothing but the sound of her machine pushing fine thread through the left leg. She did not want to be bothered or distracted by anyone or anything in this time of self-testing. Sweetie Belle was not even allowed inside the room to help her move fabric after fabric to the machine. She was left to accompany Rose Spark in the bedroom to play with the cooing blob of silver.

Or so they did. . .

"Your dad is super weird." Sweetie Belle states at the front window, wiping the foggy texture away a third time as the red-mane unicorn tilts her head at her sweating father.

"That's an understatement." Rose Spark said flatly before blowing a few strands of her mane from between her eyes. She needed a short trim or a bow to pull back her mane. It was already long enough that she can't see properly. All that curly volume blocks her right eye, giving a sweet yet strange appearance most ponies find cute.

Other than his spontaneous decision to milk what little time he has to himself into a short training session, Sin's afternoon started with much flair, although it did not have to in the first place. For once in his life, he was glad to have a small audience watch him exercise in the winter, with every ounce of his experience flying at him for the kill. . . something that no pony in this town would call normal or a strange part of his behavior. No, it was beyond that. It was very bizarre.

But he is a man of many strong qualities, of course, and enjoys the idea of making his own sparring partners attempt to kill him with everything they have. Sadly, worrying about his own well-being never took precedence, which is what made the situation all the more interesting for the fillies watching his every move.

With nothing else to do and Rarity convinced that he is right outside, Sin quickly entered his own little world of training and made every second count as though his life depends on no mistakes being made. Since the snow is not going to stop in a few days, he made sure the enchantment of his blade built a barrier large enough for him to train inside. Snow touched this barrier and melted in an instant as the sounds of his 'partners' were kept in. With no other element to use for his training—magical element that is—he borrowed the aid of his inhabitants to work on the reaction and speed of his body.

Veering to the left, he saves himself from a blow to the head and strafes to the right before the shadow of himself helps the light version by thrusting a strong kick to the midsection. This all takes places at a speed the fillies cannot see. The most they can make out of Sin's training is something has him on the defensive. There were moments where he disappeared, reappeared, and attacked in the blink of an eye with both strangers talking to him in different voice. The shadow spoke with a voice that is deep and malevolent—so Sweetie Belle and Rose Spark believe—while the bright copy speaks in a much more gentle and slightly feminine tone.

"Breaking a sweat in the first fifteen minutes, Sin. I'm disappointed." the shadow mocked, thrusting his palm at the man's chest while he is distracted. Sin takes that statement to heart and feels a chip made to his pride as the palm coming his way channels dark magic to each fingertip. Small orbs of black fire hiss as the immortal sees them one second too late and feels the impact explode right in the middle of his chest, sending him into the barrier at lightning speed.

Recovery or using the enemy's power against them is thrown aside when Sin realizes through the edge of pain in his back he crashed into the wall. The shockwave forces him to cough some blood as he falls to his knees, clenching every muscle to resist the agony that comes with the spell his teacher used. He grits his teeth and growls before standing up to the brothers in front of him, his eyes shifting to their demonic change as the barriers fluxes to repair itself.

The shadowy Sin crosses his arms and grunts, aggravated that his pupil is still unable to do what they showed him years ago. "You may be an expert at bodily thinking, but you're not a master at it; and that is what will kill you, eventually." the shadow scolded brutally, chipping at Sin's pride again as his brother takes on an understanding smile. "If you have been practicing like you should, you would have dodged that and have taken me out with a simple chop to the back of my neck. You had every opportunity to use that opening. . . and you blew it."

Sin looked down to the snowy ground and sighed, begrudgingly accepting the harsh truth. He always hates it when his dark master weighs his mind with the truth. It absolutely pisses him off, but what can he say to excuse his inability to perfect the lesson?

He can't.

"A thousand years of training. My magic and experience as a fighter. The Gods of Light and Darkness; and I still cannot hit you." he tells himself during the rest of his master's scolding. He looks up to both gods and shakes his head in confusion and denial. "This should be easy and simple, but I can't hit either of you. How—after pushing my own limits and my own magic—am I unable to hit you?"

"You know the answer to that question, Sin." the light Sin said, giving the man a look that says Are you really asking us such a dumb question? Sin did not want to admit it, but they were right. He knows the answer, but wants to deny it with every ounce of his moral fiber just to heal what damage is done to his ego. It hurts in a way that no one can understand. It burns his soul and makes everything about him seem meaningless, because they ARE better than him.

"If you two are so powerful, why make me carry the burden of protecting this world?" Sin stands up, panting from the overheat of his magic. The cutie marks on his chest glow for a couple of second as the snow on his body and in his hair melt and evaporate, indicating to his teachers how intense the heat of his power has become.

"Why, Dark Rai? Why, Holy Nova?" he asks in his own upset, receiving neutral stares from both gods. He starts becoming skeptic of his purpose, almost apprehensive of being the immortal he is. "I mean, really, is there any point to me trying when you two can take over and bring Equus to a better peace?"

"Sin, you know for a fact that my brother and I cannot and will not do your job for you." Holy Nova said, crossing his arms while there is still enough magic in their forms to remain on this plane. "Our powers may still be our own, but our souls remain attached to this world through your body."

"And surprisingly, neither of you have tried destroying my soul and taking over my body." Sin laughs lightly at his own words, and then sighs at the depressing thought of being inferior after all these years. "I just don't understand why everything I must perfect requires doing what I despise so much."

"There is no shame in having pride of who you are," Dark Rai told the man with a weak smile, which is strange since the God of Darkness rarely smiles. "But staying the same will not help you overcome the obstacles that stand in your way."

"Not unless I hit it as hard as I can." Sin chirped in a sarcastic tone. Dark Rai and Holy Nova sighed in disappointment of their pupil's arrogance and begin to wonder if there is any hope of him accepting the truth. Holy Nova rubs the temples of his head, fighting the migraine that always comes with training the scarred human.

"Sin. . ." he pauses, finding the best way to illiterate what he means to say. ". . . Defeating a god is something nopony can do unless they are the same. A mortal defeating a god is impossible. It's like seeing a Timberwolf fight an Ursa Major, the two are completely different in every category; and what you are hope to accomplish cannot be done while in the form you keep. You may be immortal, but staying human is not going to help you surpass us."

"He's right," Dark Rai nods, remembering a very old battle he and Holy Nova saw and felt through Sin. He still has trouble believing the human that was afraid to change turned into a god for an entire hour. All those years ago. . . "And reaching the next level of our power requires you changing into a—"

"No!" Sin points directly at the Dark God, scowling so deeply it scorches his facial muscles. "Don't even say the damn word. I don't want to hear it from either of you. You both know I will never turn into that piece of shit again."

"Even though the change will make amplify our power through your body ten fold?" Holy Nova questioned, raising an eyebrow at the man. "Pretty foolish of you, boy; especially when the nine tomes will be at your command in that form."

"And let us not forget the discharge level of your magic skyrocketing to a measly one point—three million; and that is without using the first stage of your burst." Dark Rai adds, just so Sin is backed into the corner by the facts. Sin scoffs the suggestion and flicks a patch of dirt off his shoulder.

"Being a god is just an excuse to hide away the shame of being who you are;" Sin shook his head, rejecting what they have to offer so generously, before stretching his limbs to resume the training. "And I have no shame being a human. I've come this far as who I am, and I'll keep going further as the same man."

"But what will you do when there is somepony stronger than you?" Dark Rai asks, curious about the circumstances of Sin's arrogant outtake to the future before them. Sin just chuckles and braces his stance, compressing his magic into a boost of speed and agility.

"Then I will push myself; and if that is not enough, I'll just improvise."

Holy Nova smacked his own forehead. "Ignorance is bliss, but arrogance is blunt when it comes to you."

With nothing else to argue about, the two gods resumed their training—or harsh beating—with the man, so, hopefully, he would have some sense knocked into him. Dark Rai took the offensive approach like he always does and prepared a series of spells for Sin to deflect or dodge. He was a bit more hasty in removing the restraints and armaments to his dark magic, releasing a large flow of disturbing power through his human-shaped form.

He chuckled as the first spell glows dimly in his eyes, something the immortal human took as a bad sign and readied himself by hardening the closings of his stance.

"Let's see if you learn this time." the shadowy god mused, raising his hand and throwing it to the slightly nervous human. Sin saw how the spell is going to release as the stirring instinct in his body took hold, his mind disconnected while the spell whined through Dark Rai's fingertips.

"I love this spell." the God of Darkness chuckled, pointing the spell to Sin. "Dark Tome: Black Ice!"

Sin's mind goes blank during the eruption of Dark Rai's power. The beams of frozen blackness soar at him with a speed his eyes may barely see. Time seemed to slow down during the mild burst and his heart raced with every second of it, leaving him in a familiar rush of magic induced adrenaline. He knew the spell was strong enough to impale or completely freeze his body; and that is what made it all the better to try and deflect it. He loves how his body grew tense yet so very shaky under the weight of his internal reaction. He smiles at the spell.

It inches closer to him. Second after second of ignorant bliss to a challenge sets his scarred heart on fire and gives him a chill more powerful than the most chilling of spells. It shows through his eyes and hair by shifting into the feeling of death coming his way. His eyes and hair shift into a deep blue, so blue he seems to carry an ocean in them, but that is what makes him feel so disturbed.

Between the processing and thinking about his next move, Sin's reaction comes to light as an alarm to a second wave of magic touching his sensory. The wave of magic overpowers Dark Rai's spell, dispelling it before he can realize there is another presence close to them. It was not Holy Nova stopping him, for there was no discharge level coming from him and the wave impacting their bodies is triple the normal rate of a unicorn's magic.

Dragging his gaze toward the burst of magic and balancing his discharge level throughout his figure, his muscles no longer defined in the size of his control, a true testament to the control he has over the power of his inhabitants.

"What the hell . . ." he broke off at the second wave and a large beam of red rocketing somewhere on the outskirts of Ponyville. Truthfully, he was shocked and a little scared by the mysterious owner of that beam. It has been so long since a strong enemy came his way, but this caliber of magic he senses with ease has yet to come close to its peak. Whoever this mystery creature is, they certainly have a unique way of introducing themselves to the world.

"That's all the tomes put together." Holy Nova pointed out, turning to the immortal human before the remainder of their session ended with him and Dark Rai returning where they belong. Those who actually listened to the seismic release poked their heads through their doors and windows.

Winter was still happening, but the clouds were misaligned and misshaped. Sin knew this could not be ignored. This was a strange crisis and it has to be dealt with swift action before something terrible happens, though there was still the fact of Rose Spark being inside the house and with two ponies they just met. If it was not for Rarity still be a complete stranger, Sin would be running as fast as he can to the anomaly , but he can't leave his daughter alone when she has little trust in him. This spurred an internal conflict of being a father to a broken filly and a guardian to the worried citizens staring at him right now. Most of the ponies know he is the guard and expect him to make a hasty decision for their safety.

"Shit," he growled as the door to Rarity's house opens. Rose Spark steps outside and into the snow with Sin's cloak around her for warmth, but the harsh chills of this terrible season slither through as blistering winds and nip every inch of her fur. She begins to shiver whilst approaching the conflicted man for comfort and reassurance. She knew something was very wrong, but what?

"Mr. Sin," Rose Spark rears up and pushes the side of Sin's leg to gain his attention. She receives a deep look from her father and is quickly scooped up by her barrel while the sword piercing the ground is called for by his other hand. It shakes for a second, sparks with the power of every tyrant its consumed, and breaks free, soaring to its master.

Sin took the advantage of Rose Spark coming to him. He summoned his sheath, closed it over Setsuna, and then tucked every nook and cranny of Rose's body with the cloak before whispering an incantation to help her withstand the frozen winds.

"Hang on tightly Rose," he said very sternly, sprinting towards the red beam as it disappeared. Luckily he has the exact location of where it originated. "And when we get there, do everything I tell you. Don't argue or give me lip, because I have no idea if what that magic is dangerous or not."

Strong imprints of Sin's trail were left as evidence to the strength he possesses, a sign to those who saw them how powerful their new guard is. He strafed from house to house, kicking large mounds of snow to the doors and windows for lack of control and consideration, but he did not give a damn about burying others in snow. The only thing that matters right now is reaching where the beam came from.

So many thoughts went through his mind, each having worse possibility than the last. He worries that someone is hurt or a new foe is attacking an innocent creature for their own amusement. What if it was a monster released for dark purposes? These thoughts drove him to increase his speed, but something stopped him, something he barely caught a glimpse of. The corner of his eye was just enough to catch a blue figure running the opposite direction and make him come to a stop. He felt the warmth of his breath go cold as the figure stopped with a flap of her wings.

Mind boggled, skin crawling uncontrollably, breath shaky. Sin felt the world stop around him with that one glimpse of his eye connecting with hers just before it was too late and became uneasy with her presence so close. He could feel a strong tug of magic pull him to the mare as she felt the same, but at a much deeper meaning. She was excited yet afraid to turn around and face the man, so afraid her hooves went numb. This was the first time they'd seen one another in a millennia, but it is all her fault that separation destroyed them both. She vaguely stares at the ground and tries to collect herself, but the strong musk of her mate overcomes the cold child in her nose and forces her to remember why this is happening.

A blink, then a short gasp as the memory returns, and the nervous mare is seeing her biggest mistake replay in her mind. The screams of his pain tear at her mind and claw for escape, but she would not let them overtake her. She shakes her head and pushes aside the fear whilst listening to the man's voice drift to her folded ears.

". . . Luna." Sin turns around, with Rose Spark still in his arm and sees for the first time a blue mane sparkling over a beautiful face as snow covers her, inch by inch. The heaviness of his regret becomes nothing, and he stands there in disbelief of his old lover having her back turned to him.

Luna chuckled to Sin's voice, tears forming in the corners as she smiles happily yet sadly, something she thought to be prepared for after flying all this way just to see if he is alive. But she was not the least prepared for her mate to speak so calmly; even though the mistake should be a punishment of him despising or hating every fiber of her well-being, the tenderness of his voice told her differently. She could hear how stunned he is, and it brought joy rather than fear. For she was certain the father of her foal still hates her with a passion more powerful than her sister's sun, but assuming the worst became a good downfall.

Luna slowly turned to face her mate while there is still distance between them, but Sin already made his approach without knowing the speed of his walk is enhanced to make him a blur in the eyes of others. What should have taken him a full ten seconds took a mere blink of an eye and gave the Lunar Princess the shock of her life. She may be lost in her own world of finding her mate and getting him back, but that did not stop her from using logic. She knew in their short encounter that Sin should still be distant and slow, so how did he move to her so quickly?

She failed to remember that it is magic overflowing her figure.

She smiled weakly, tears raging through as the anomaly in the distance strengthened in frustration. Her eyes met his and there was a familiar tug between them. One that pulled on their souls and begged—if not pleaded desperately—for them to touch one another the same way they did as teenagers in love.

"Luna. . ." he paused with apathy, dropping his sword so he may reach for her. Luna gasped when she saw his palm and flinched in assumption of him striking her, but he did not lay harm on her. No, he caressed her cheek in a loving manner and watched as she realized it. "You can't be alive. You became Nightmare Moon and was banished forever by Celestia."

Luna decided to cry into his hand and laugh at how oblivious he is to the truth, but isn't that what makes it better? With her reforming still unknown to him, Luna has the chance to make amends with Sin and bring him back into her life. All she has to do is play her cards right and not step on any toes—metaphorically speaking.

When she did proverbially kiss his palm longingly, there was no problem or issue of Sin retracting in disgust, as he was still stuck in disbelief of her being right in front of him and having her muzzle firmly pressed to his hand. Despite the remembrance of her turning on him for the sake of trying dark magic, Sin knew that Luna did for the sake of their relationship; at least he knew when he had time to think inside a cage for a good number of years. It was all he had to do at the time of being an experiment.

Though he should be defensive with the alicorn, Sin felt so very content and relaxed by the touch of Luna's snout and allowed it to continue, although the filly in his arm is watching every second of it.

"Elements of Harmony," she whispered, and that is all it took for Sin. He laughed to himself and continued caressing her, though with a little desire in it.

"Son of a bitch," he said outloud, but no one heard him. Only the alicorn standing in front of him. "Era was right all along. They can reform someone."

Luna went to comment on those words, but she broke away from her thoughts when Sin turned away. She was not sure why he did so, but something caught his attention and made him very tense all of a sudden—that she was certain of. It hurt a little for Sin to retract his hand and not at least give her a kiss, but such a thing cannot be gained so suddenly. If there is anything to gain from the man, it is the chance to be in his life a second time and to have his love once more. Unfortunately for the blue alicorn, that does not mean she will have to fight for it in due time.

"I have to see what that is." he said to himself, though his tone was loud enough for the princess to hear. But little did they know who is approaching them at a quick pace.

Luna looked at him worriedly, not saying a word until their eyes met again.

"Luna, I don't have time explaining where I've been. I have to see what the hell is going on outside of to—"

"Sin," a familiar princess said, rushing with her friend towards the startled man. All eyes locked on Cadance as she came to a skidding halt, with Skyla carried on Spitfire's back. She took Sin by the arm and began checking for any wounds or injuries, assuming the red beam she saw is his doing. "Was that beam from you just now? If so, are alright? Are you hurt in any way?"

"Need us to kiss anything to make it better?" Spitfire asked seductively, fluttering her eyes to him as the Princess of Night went back forth, staring neutrally at him and both mares, though with a bit grinding in her teeth when Cadance reared up and placed her hooves on his chest, checking so close to face for any damage that their lips are barely apart. Luna wanted to rip the pink alicorn from her mate and send her flying, but that is unbecoming of a princess and Sin may very well be in another herd with these two—that is to say they are only acting like this in a friendly manner.

"Cadance I'm fine, it wasn't me that made the beam." Sin slowly pushed Cadance away, blushing with her when they realized how close their lips were to a kiss. Luna noticed this and felt a deep pang of jealousy spread over her as the yellow Pegasus fornicated her plan to win the man over. Spitfire saw through Luna's calm expression and took action.

"Then if it wasn't you, then who did?"

"Yeah," Spitfire wrapped a wing around his waist and pretended to be innocent to the situation. "If our coltfriend did not make that beam, then I wonder else could."

Luna's ears perked to the word, coltfriend, and all matter of restraining herself burned at the burning flame of her love for him. She did not know who this pony is, and here she is making a bold statement that has her mate nervous and worried, as though he is in denial of being with either of them. Luna glared deeply at both mares as things went from bad to worse.

"I'm not in a relationship with either of you!" Sin spewed to the yellow mare, prying her wing off his waist. Spitfire smiled in the shadows of her mind and snickered as he handed Rose Spark to Cadance. She had him right where she wants him, and that is in a position where he cannot escape.

"But Sin," she whimpered, crocodile tears in the corners. Sin leaned away when he saw this and looked towards Luna, but he was not getting any help from her. Oh no, not when those big, blue eyes are locked on him with the intention to kill. "You said you find Cadance and I sexy and beautiful. We know you still love Celestia and Luna and said its okay if you want them back, so why are you denying us now?"

"What!?" Sin and Cadance snapped in unison, exchanging glares at the yellow Pegasus. Sadly for the human, Luna took all of this to heart and forced herself into conversation just as the owner of the red beam made his way into Ponyville.

"Nopony is getting in any herd with Sin," Luna stepped between Spitfire and Sin and pushed her away with some of her godlike strength. She did not seem affected by the idea of Cadance being in such a herd—then again, she is an alicorn and a very trustworthy mare that's been the enough hardship with being a single mother. "Because Sin is already bonded to me. Our souls are connected and my cutie mark is on his chest, which means he is already claimed."

Spitfire smiled on the outside this time, knowing the result she wanted is what she got with this mare. "So what, doesn't mean you two are together still." she scoffed, angering the Lunar Princess a little more as two shadows came into view. One being a strange creature with different animal parts, flying for his life while the other chases him with a cast-iron skillet. Luna was on the brink of eradicating this pony, but she had to stay still and listen to this foolish pony. "No offense Princess, but I know all about your betrayal to Sin and how you covered your flank by making your family believe he is the cause of your dark transformation."

"How did you—"

"By the way Sin, you really should put your journals in a better place. Skyla got ahold of it while you were gone."

"Okay, this has gone on long enough! I don't have time for a squander of three sexy mares when I have more important things to deal with! I have some godforsaken magic pressure coming straight this way and you two are arguing who is dating me! Well news flash, no one is dating me at the moment, but if I did make a choice to who I would date, it would be Cadance because she is the only that is not acting all crazy of lust or love!" Sin snapped, admittedly more than he should. He silently cursed himself for being put in this predicament and how well fate intertwines the lives of others with his.

"Cadance is the only one you find worthy of your time, and not me?" Luna punctuated with herself, frowning whilst staring at him for clarification or correction. This is the last thing she needs to hear from her mate; especially when her entire life has been latched onto the hope of getting her love back. She knew time and trust will be needed, but to hear from him that Cadance is worthy of a relationship hurt her in more ways than one. Sin scolded himself quietly and wrapped an arm around Luna's neck, pecking the top of her head whilst thinking of a way to clarify with the other two.

"You know you're more than worthy Lulu," he lowered his voice a little, bordering a whisper. Luna gasped for a moment, but smiled again when she felt his lips press a little harder to the edge of her mane. "But you changed me and have been gone a millennia. I have always been in love with you, but I cannot trust you, not in the slightest."

Luna's heart skipped a beat, as did Sin's when he let her go with difficulty. It was not the best feeling in the world to let one of the mare's you are bonded too out of you arm, but logic came in and reminded the man of his last mistake in trusting someone so quickly. He knows Luna may be changed, but that fear of being hurt again made him remember the pain.

"I'm sorry Luna," he said reluctantly. Luna's smile disappeared, but was replaced with sorrow as he stepped back. "But our bond does not make us anything; and I must admit that Spitfire and Cadance are pretty good looking," he glared at the smiling Pegasus. "Though I would prefer if Spitfire stays out of my stuff and stops acting so perverted with me."

Spitfire smiled sheepishly, blushing too many shades of red.

"But the point is this," he stared at them individually, crossing his arms for the moment. "I am not dating anyone right now, and I will not be dating until someone takes the time to build a proper relationship and gain my trust."

"Is that all?" Cadance asked, eyebrow raised and curiosity peaked. Secretly, she was surprised that Sin has standards and wondered if by some chance she can win his heart, though with a little push of her own. "Trust and a proper build to a relationship is all you want from a mare."

"Or mares. I have no problem with a herd, so long as it does not exceed five."

"Does that include me?" Luna asked.

Sin nodded but pointed at his chest, where exactly the scar is."Yes, but you have a long way to go with winning me back. You did almost kill me and made everyone believe that it was my fault, but I will not hold you accountable for framing me since you were afraid of Solaris punishing you. That, however, does not mean you will get me to yourself if you succeed."

"So we get you for ourselves if we are dating, but it has to be fairly." Spitfire assessed, before shrugging her shoulders. "Alright, I'm cool with that. Sharing with others is fine by me, and I am curious as to how kinky it can get—that is if all three of us are with you."

"I never agreed to this!" Cadance blushed, only to receive a playful smack on the side from her best friend.

"Yeah, but you never disagreed either. Besides—" Spitfire paused, making sure the foals cannot hear her by leaning in between both mares. "—I saw how you got a good sniff of Sin's shirt from this morning. All that musk from his scent seeping into nose, making you 'wink' before we found his journal."

"Are you done!?" Cadance scolded, having to necessarily raise her voice to silence the bold pony. Sin sighed to Luna and rubbed his temples of the headache they're giving him.

"You see, this is what I have to deal; and I just barely met them. Sheesh, my stepdaughter is more mature than Spitfire."

"Stepdaughter?" Luna tilted her head at that one. Sin mentally kicked himself for not introducing her to Rose Spark, but there was no time to do so. The culprit was now in view as he grabbed his blade.

"We'll take later Luna. First I need to—"

"Discord, you ruined my oven with your magic!" a furious cream colored Pegasus roared, mane and coat drenched in what appeared to be cooking oil. She was flying as fast as she could, with said skillet firmly grasped in both hooves. Her chaotic coltfriend looked back to see she was gaining on him very quickly.

"It was just a small prank, my dear." he stammered, but the angry mare was not listening to him whatsoever. She was too far gone in her rage to hear anyone and anything. "Fluttershy, can't you find it in your gentle heart to forgive this old—"

"Come here and take your lumps!"

"Discord," Sin whispered, eye twitching.

From where the mares and fillies were standing, that calm and adorable look on Sin's face cracked between the mental frame of hatred and fury, affording them with a bit of his dark side. On the other hoof though, Luna did not have to think or wonder, she was very attuned with her love fully undressing his emotions, and veiled with a large crack of his fists. She did see his body shiver with magic crackling around his form, and as much as she wanted to put herself between him and the approaching Draconequus, she could not summon the courage or the willpower to do so.

What's going on? I. . . can't move!

After Sin dropped his sword a second time and raised the pressure of his magic, he sprinted without warning and found the Spirit of Chaos unknowingly heading straight into a much needed deal of punishment. It was only then did Luna have control of herself and turn to the direction Sin is heading.

"Sin, don't!

It was too late. Sin had the unthinkable to the reformed spirit without thinking twice or pulling his power. With all his might and rage, the immortal human appeared in front of Discord as a blur of white and swung at him, just like he's wanted for so damn long. All that can be heard is a shockwave of fist and cheek colliding at the last second of Fluttershy coming to a screeching halt when she saw Sin. Her shyness was the least of her worries.

Discord, being the god he is, turned his gaze in the middle of feeling the pain and eyed the fool that just assaulted him. He did not know if it was an illusion or a trick done by the princesses, but that face can never be forgotten, though it would be better he could forget.

Who just. . . punched me? he asked himself, although the answer is very obvious. Impossible. . . Sin?

"DIE, YOU PIECE OF SHIT!"

Chapter VII

Somewhere deep in the Everfree Forest

Beneath the darkened halls of a once-worshipped pinnacle of order and beauty, a desperate victim of a millennia of pain and suffering clung to the last bit of her sanity and prayed to her lord and savior for the guidance she needed for escape. Her hands brushed along the hanging skins of unfortunate creatures as she ran from the monsters wanting to violate her fragile figure. She was lucky enough to fool them and use a nearby rock to incapacitate the first three, but the other two behind her were far too smart to be fooled by a female's charm. They were angry. They were. . . lustful.

"Find her now;" a heavy, raspy voice barked through the black cave, frightening his remaining minions. Those who heard him throughout the castle made a mental note to avoid him. "If we lose her, then everything we have worked hard for will be at a setback. She is the key to capturing Sin Firestorm; and we need him for our goal!"

Inside the throne room, the worried, majestic Celestia rushed to meet her student and warn her of the dangers that might come. There was a moment of absolute stillness in the alicorn's head as she rammed through door after door to find Twilight Sparkle. Dark shadows of the Solar Princess' past lingered from every corner and direction of her memory and one dropping into her heart as a knife of justified guilt, screams and roars stretching through her head as an obscene image.

Celestia shook her head and ignored the memories drawn by her connection with Sin, listening only to her conscience, all the while telling herself in a soft, but commanding voice.

I must find him before Discord does.

He is close. I can feel his pull on me.

I have to take him back to the castle and explain everything about his banishment.

I have to get Twilight first. Only with our power combined may we have a chance to apprehend him.

Celestia's heart swelled with fear and love for the man. She felt an additional boost from thinking about his well-being as the guards in the castle gave chase to figure out her motive, feeding herself emotions she'd thought to have died when Sin was banished.

Passing right through the last set of doors, she entered the library and stopped on the turn of a dime. "Twilight Sparkle, I need to speak with you right now!" she panted heavily, sweat trickling her chin as the Princess of Friendship stared at her with a goofy expression. She currently had a stack of books in her magic while the Solar Princess approached her.

"Princess Celestia, what are you—"

"Twilight, I need your help." Celestia cut her off curtly, removing the levitated books from Twilight and placing them on a nearby table.

"What's wrong? Did something happen in Canterlot?"

"No, it is here in Ponyville that I need your help. I need you to assist me in apprehending somepony." Celestia explained as she adjusted her crown and sat on her haunches, her legs burning from all the running. She hadn't realized just how big the castle is on the inside.

Twilight started to worry for the princess as the guards caught up with Celestia, although it was quite a feat to sprint through the entire castle with armor on. Some of the stallions had to sit down and catch their breath before resuming their roles. Still, the Princess of Friendship was very confused and worried by what her teacher said. To actually apprehend somepony would be a first in a few years, and she wasn't so sure if she could since the weather is so unbearable. Just who was it that has her mentor in such a panic?

"Who do you need apprehended?" She asked as calmly as she cold, though the fear in her eyes did not keep Celestia from seeing how afraid she was.

"I need you to help me apprehend Luna and I's mate." Celestia uttered those words and Twilight's jaw dropped. "You may already know him by the name of Sin Firestorm."

"The. . . human?" Twilight drawled, hoping she said the word right. Celestia nodded and stood up. "Why would he need to be apprehended if he is your—" She broke off at the word before it could pass her lips, her eyes widening in shock as the alabaster alicorn blushed profusely. "Wait a minute, YOU AND LUNA HAVE A MATE!?"

"Yes," Celestia said sternly, fighting the embarrassment. She approached her faithful student and placed a hoof on her back, urging a quick understanding of the situation. "But now is not the time to be question me about my personal life. Sin is Luna and I's mate, but he was mistakenly banished by me when Luna became Nightmare Moon. That's beside the point though. We need to find Sin and bring him to Canterlot before he encounters Discord."

"Discord?" Twilight questioned, furrowing her brow at the alicorn. "What does he have to do with the human?"

Celestia sighed, regretting every second. "Before Discord became an evil tyrant, Sin was his best friend."

Luna stared into her mate's eyes, her heart sinking at the hatred inside. She should have known Sin wouldn't take a moment's peace to converse with her about Discord's release. The entire town was under tense feelings and watched from windows as the Spirit of Chaos absorbed the blow to his bruised cheek.

"Son of a bitch," Sin whispered to himself and retracted his fist to make contact with the Draconequus. He needed to feel the bastard's world crumble beneath his blow, his killing blow when the world around them spun into madness.

Cadance and Spitfire didn't know what to make of Sin. The moment of luring him and Luna into a not-so devious plot to herding had been perfect, and even when they had so little to go with winning him over, they had discussed there being a time and place to make themselves a little closer to his life. They stared in shock and awe of Sin's left coming into full retreat, a skin crawling vibration of abnormal velocity traveling from his shoulder to his bare knuckles.

Sin roared at the top of his lungs, aura blazing as the memories came back. He started to swing out from Discord in front of him, his arm thrown so hard it jerks his body sideways, but he was too slow with the strike.

"Oh hay no," Discord lowered his bear paw to Sin's midsection, claws shimmering a hexagon before it repulsed at his command. "Space Tome: Pulse!"

The spell shot into the oblivious man's midsection and made its own exit through his back, causing the Lunar Princess to scream in fear and anger for them to not fight, but what could she do to calm two immortals that hate one another with a passion? She had no influence over them, not even the leverage of leaving Sin if he continued to fight the spirit. If anything, Sin would probably disregard rebuilding their relationship for the satisfaction of destroying a former villain.

"I have to do something before Discord kills him," she insisted, back a snappish tone as the Princess of Love approached. She was already panicking, fearing the Spirit of Chaos already turning her lover's insides into mush with that spell. Such magic was made forbidden by her mother to the extent of banishment, but that did not stop Discord from using one of the tome, nor did it stop the convulsing man from wearing a sinister grin.

Though the pain was more than enough to put a fully grown Minotaur on his knees, Sin remained on his feet and took the advantage while it was still there. He grabbed Discord's bear paw and clamped on it with every fiber of his enhanced muscles. He immediately brought his gaze to Discord's and chuckled, eyes beaming a sickly red. What Discord saw right then and where was abnormal and all the most, terrifying. He saw a corruption that was not influencing the human, but being commanded by him. The light and the dark were at his disposal, not the other way around.

"Same old tricks, Discord." Sin said in a deep tone, pressing his forehead against the Draconequss' in an effort to drill his intention deeply. "But guess what—" he raised his free hand to Discord's chest, light whining at his fingertips. "—It's my turn!"

He raised his voice so all could hear.

"Light Tome: Heavens Pillar!"

In the blink of an eye a large beam of pure light thrust in an out of Discord's chest, climbing high, up to the clouds and piercing it. His breath caught in his throat as the burning magic singed his fingernails to a crisp. "Nothing like a little pain to get what you want, remember?"

"How are you alive?" Discord asked, his coughs decreasing when his magic took over. "Celestia chased you out of the castle after she banished Luna. I saw her banish you to the badlands."

Sin shook his head, fighting to keep himself from laughing at the past. There had never been a doubt in his mind that Discord would return to cause chaos and destruction again, but he never expected it to happen with him around.

Sin released his grip and leaped, giving himself the distance needed to ready for the fight ahead. He didn't want to do this in front of the girls, but he would for his own satisfaction, and if he was going down the path of being seen a monster, at least he was going to prove how far he has come.

Folding his wrists to the princesses, Sin manipulated the air to push himself into a tactical slide that threw Discord off his guard. His rear was nipped with snow digging through the pant legs before folding them and aiming at his rival's torso. "I'm gonna enjoy kicking your ass!"

"No!" Luna and Fluttershy said simultaneously.

Discord looked down just as the enraged human morphed his fingernails into thick claws and the little conscience in his brain clicked in the knick of time, though there was not much time anyway. He saw Sin's feet rocket to his midsection and manipulated his stomach to split in two, creating a large opening Sin mistakenly took, the look on their faces when this happened. Both immortals were now moving at unbelievable speed—speed that Cadance could barely keep up with. The most she could make out of the two blurs is a pair of faces sharing opposite expressions.

The kick that Sin believed to be the ticket to drawing Discord's blood was the start of their fight. He saw through the shock a very irritated god getting ready to put some effort in fighting back. Both boys looked past the attack to the battle at hand, magic and hatred covering their forms in destructive auras. Discord finally frowned, although the hurt in them said more than the anger he feels. "I don't know how you managed to live this long, but I will make sure to knock some sense into you!"

Sin's desire did not change or falter, not even at those words. He still wanted to make Discord pay for his crimes. "Yeah, well I'm not the same pathetic bitch that gets mad when you hurt someone I love. I'm an entirely different man with an unbreakable motive: To rid this world of all evil. Including you."

"Sin, you need to stop and calm down before you hurt one another. Discord is not the same monster he was a thousand years ago. He's been reformed." Luna protested, though from a good distance. She stood beside Cadance while the old rivals clashed in a bout of broken friendship and betrayal. Cadance took her eyes off the boys and stared at the Lunar Princess, confusion in her eyes as every pony in town heard fist and paw collide.

"What the hay is Sin's problem with Discord!?" Spitfire yelled at the worried Luna, losing some bit of infatuation with the man.

Luna did not want to admit that none of this was as it seemed, but there was no denying it now. In order for the others to understand Sin's reason and relieve herself of some guilt, Luna needed to tell them the truth, dismantle part of her regret and destroy it to help herself in getting Sin back. The more she tried though, the harder it was to talk. The truth Luna kept inside was fighting to stay deep inside, whether she wanted it to or not. She was biting her tongue at the moment to inflict a little pain. To make herself talk about the past. But it was so hard to a single word, why?

"Princess," Spitfire urged, nudging her side. She failed to see the human sliding on his back after Discord gave him a taste of his scaly tail. His chest was now gashed with some of those scales embedded in his skin. "Why in bucking Tartarus is Sin trying to pick a fight with Discord all of sudden?"

Sin came to a ground crumbling halt at the mares' hooves, claws dug into the ground to stop himself from hitting them. He spat a small amount of blood before his magic sealed the wound in his mouth. "Because this son of a bitch is the whole reason to who I am today." He said angrily, standing fast as the Spirit of Chaos watched carefully. "He corrupted my friends to become monsters, turned my first son into a power-hungry asshole, and poisoned Luna with one those dark seeds he planted a thousand years ago. He's the whole fucking reason to this bullshit!"

"And I have changed," Discord barked. He did not want to fight his old friend, not as an enemy. "I have done good for this world and ceased all my evildoing."

"I don't give a fuck what you do now," Sin spat, releasing the binds of his latent power. His eyes were now shrouded with white and black, and the lifeless form of his hair began to weave into an ethereal mane. Anger being the cause of it. "You and Solaris took everything from me. You took my friends, my family, my life, and I am going to make you pay with your life!"

Discord did not want to believe what he was seeing, but the change was there. The man he beat into a coma in their first brawl was now something unnatural and powerful. Very powerful. He wasn't sure if Sin punched him hard enough to make him hallucinate or his powers were making him loopy. Either way, this was so unreal.

"He did not possess that much magic before, not even when he fought me." Discord took quick assessment of the rapid metamorphosis Sin was undergoing and felt the small spark of magic explode into an inferno of black and white. An aura of two now steamed around the man as Discord took a few steps back.

Holy shit. He's expanding his reserves to a new caliber. Where did he get this much magic!?

"Sin," Luna snapped, approaching the man. "You need to calm down and—"

"Stay out of this Luna!" Sin snapped furiously, making the alicorn flinch. He had never spoken to her like that. "I am going to rid this world of him, so do not get in my way if you want us to be together again!"

Luna stiffened, her legs tightening as he glared at her. She didn't know what to do at this point, and it seemed as though the only thing left to do was get her sister to come in and end the fight. But would that make Sin hate her and Celestia? Would he change his mind about second chances and leave for good? These thoughts ran through Luna's mind and tormented her to actually express her own panic. She trotted in place, shuffling her hooves whilst thinking unclearly for a solution.

"What do I do to stop this?" she asked herself, forgetting that everyone but Sin and Discord stared at her. "If I don't stop this immediately, Discord and Sin might kill one another. But if I do that I might lose Sin for good. But if I don't do something I will be held responsible for what happens."

"Tail Burst:" Sin flexed in reaction of the sudden filling his body received, but it was not to ready himself. He grit his teeth and growled in pain while every vein flowed with the unnatural power of his inhabitants. "Stage One!"

"Stage one?" the girls questioned before the human yelped at the last second. His body flashed a sickly rainbow before he regained his composure.

Sin shook his head furiously, fighting the dizzy feeling that always comes and leaves after a few seconds. "I didn't think I would have to start off at this stage to fight you, but I guess a little display of my new power is needed."

Discord stiffened, his eyes widening in horror of the man turning himself into a magic eroded fighter. He didn't know what to do except prepare himself for the fight of his life. Sin found his gawking quite amusing, almost as satisfying as doubling his abilities with this power.

"Surprised are you?" the man mused with hand gestures, his mocking a strike to Discord's pride of never being taken back by another's power. He was the Spirit of Chaos after all. "Don't worry about it. All of my enemies have gawked at me before having their life sealed away in my sword."

Discord perked up. "What do you mean by sealed away?"

Sin ran his claw down his tongue as if eager to taste to Chaos God's blood, his eyes swimming in a mixture of insanity and bloodlust. "Let's just say that by the time you breath your last breath I will have you sealed away in Setsuna-Maru. You'll make an excellent addition to the hundreds of monsters I've sealed away."

Luna swore under her breath as the two boys began. "I have to stop this before it's too late. Dammit, I'm the Princess of The Night, a monarch that is unafraid to face her enemies. But Sin is. . . my mate," she said, her voice turning gravelly, the terror not far off. "How the hell am I supposed to get between them without losing my chance to have Sin back?"

Sin took his stance against the Draconequus and became serious, his smile replaced by a much more stern expression as Discord released his magic. "A thousand years ago you destroyed my life with Celestia and Luna. You turned Tia and I's son into a monster, and I am going to make you pay for that."

Discord grimaced at the man, knowing there was no reason to apologize or try to reason with him. "Fine. You want to pick a fight with me, then it will be great to knock some sense into you, boy!" he spat, unleashing a grey aura around his being.

"Round Two. . . Here we go!"

Sin and Discord were magic users of strength and precision, and this fight required both without a single mistake, the knowledge of spells and both black and white magic. Sin's breath hissed out, a harsh tone of fury. Discord did not let himself fall out of his state of featherless flying, something he knew to be at his advantage.

The girls glanced back and forth at the boys before they were already gone, their figures completely invisible by the speed they possess. It was as if they teleported, but that was not it and the girls were about to find out. Gusts of winds blasted the area, snow hurled into houses in the syncing of Discord's talon connecting with Sin's bare knuckles, shockwaves exploding between them as the entire town started to gather.

A second blow, then a third, and finally fourth with elbows flying. Sin and Discord were at a serious standoff of agility and strength during the townsfolk's confusion. As hard as they tried to see what was happening, both immortals were moving too fast for mortal eyes to see; and it was only going to get worse.

Admittedly, Discord was very impressed with Sin keeping up. This was not the same as their first fight. "So you've been busting your flank just to seal me away, huh?" he asked, lifting his fist after it connected with Sin's jaw.

"No, that's not it;" Sin strafed to the left, lowering his fist to the spirit's stomach. "My reason is to make monsters like you suffer in my sword for all eternity."

Instantly Sin swung at his stomach and really looked at him in the eye. "This is for my daughter and my exes!" he screamed, his hand shrouded in a yellowish green as it connected with Discord. He shot the intense spell into the god, something everyone found to be more shocking than Twilight's ascension. No one had ever punched Discord. Never. "Light Tome: Holy Crush!"

The moment he said that ancient spell and released it through Discord, a wave of light shot through him and ended as a kinetic pulse. Cadance was the first to step forward, Discord still standing as the human retracted his fist. Sin's gaze went into his enemy's and he gasped at the pain his stomach just felt.

He gasped through the urge to cough. "What the hell did you—"

"Space Tome:" Discord whispered, his bear paw and talon pushing two controlled orbs of natural energy. He stared at the surprised man and smiled widely as the spell hummed. "Twin Atom Smash!"

Suddenly the immortal's spell exploded against Sin's chest. Both orbs sliced through his chest and stomach before Cadance could get in the way. She was headed for Sin to give him a good slap across the cheek and some harsh words to calm him down, but the look he had on his face when Discord injured him made her think twice. The fountain was now in shambles and Sin was under the pile of rock, his breath caught in his throat.

Cadance spun around and came to her hooves after sliding by mistake in the snow, a blur of motion from the fear of Sin getting more than a bad of his own arrogance, her wings ruffling. She understood from every word that Sin has a reason to be angry with Discord, but this was entirely stupid of him. It's all in his past.

"Sin!" Luna sprinted towards her bleeding lover as fast as possible, but power leapt between both boys. Discord could feel the flow of magic pouring from Sin's core to his wounds. Rose Spark and Skyla watched from behind Spitfire, it was almost too much for them to see. They liked Sin, so why did he have to pick a fight.

"Have you calmed down now?" Discord asked for good measure, although he knew from personal experience his old friend would never give up a fight so easily. Still, it was worth a shot.

"Are you still breathing!?" Sin reached emerged from the rubble and charged the Draconequus as he was drawn into that icy cold realm of his mental state, his eyes glazed with an unnatural feeling of being unafraid.

Discord recognized this and cringed for Sin's well-being. He'd been there before with him and nearly died in the same realm. He had been the one to truly see what it does to someone who has nothing to lose. Now it was an altogether different fight. This was a fight for Sin's sanity and soul.

He's going to kill himself by throwing everything he has at. He doesn't care though. He just wants to see me dead.

"Sin, stop it!" Luna screeched, but she was not reaching out like she could before. Sin was in his own little world; and said world revolved around taking down the Spirit of Chaos. It fueled him to sprint without consideration of the wounds on his body. It drove him to fight harder. To ignore Dark Rai and Holy Nova when they were trying to beseech another day for this fight.

He's not going to listen to anypony, not even Luna. But maybe I can stop him before it's too late. Discord used his calmest voice, steadying himself. More than anything, he hated seeing his friend repeat history for vengeance. He knew how Sin felt and pitied him as the fight resumed. He knew what it was like to be in pain. To feel alone and isolated, that part of him forced into a cage and placed behind a wall of anger.

Discord knew that Sin had to be saved from himself.

You may hate me forever, but I will not let you do this to yourself. Celestia and Luna need you as much as you need them! Discord suspected of his own actions it was nothing more than a sense of retribution to ease the guilt he did carry for so long, a shadow that'd latched to his body after he was turned to stone the first time.

"I will make you pay!" Sin raised his fist to Discord and swung for his head, but it was blocked and even Luna could believe that it was. She was positive that Discord would end him right there.

"Holy shit," she whispered, Cadance cocking an eyebrow at her in confusion.

"What does that mean?"

"Discord felt Sin's hand shiver with fury and emotional pain, and then the understanding he knew so well came forth, a friend of old. A companion of understanding. A brother of the same agony.

"I'm sorry for what I did to you in the past," Discord apologized, raising his talon to the stunned human as a single tear fell for him and the son he took. "And I am sorry now!"

Sin could see that the talon thrust and at full charge, tiny blotches of magic igniting , to break him down and make him more vulnerable to Discord's fists and words. There was no doubt in either of their minds that the spell would destroy what chance he had to finish what they started a thousand years ago.

Cadance and Spitfire had no idea that Sin was in pain. He hadn't ever showed the weave of his torment binding him to the past.

Luna could see and feel the wound creeping into Sin when Discord hit his cheek with the palm of his talon. The capacity of magic shooting through his skull amazed her. Even the little grunt Sin expressed after having such power driven through his head had given insight to his capabilities.

Discord released his old friend and studied the reaction. Sin's claws dug into the ground and the inner demon made by his suffering rose with him, attempting to drag him down into the darkness he felt when he lost Feather Heart. He could feel the monster work it's way up his skin. He heard it gnash at his conscience. Roars. Snarls. Sin refused to lose control easily, pitting his mental strength against his darkness—and his spirit was more than powerful.

I will not lose to him again. I've come too far and lost too much to be beaten by this bastard a second time. I have killed gods and monster, AND HE IS NO DIFFERENT!

Discord did not question or observe the man rushing him for any longer than needed, nor did he respond verbally this time, but he felt Sin's immediate acquiescence.

"Let it out, my friend!" Discord barked, hardening his form and receiving an intense scowl from Sin.

"I am not your friend. I am your worst nightmare!" Sin was both furious and raging—mixed emotion—impossible to fully understand, even for Luna. His magic was completely muted in his fists. Neither Luna or Cadance knew what to do when they stopped midair in flurry of magic and fists, and that was just a small taste of their potential.

Sin felt the storm in his heart even deep as he was in his hatred. The air around him suddenly charged with a current of red electricity, just like he wanted. Discord seemed to know that something wasn't right when he saw it, redoubling his power to get through Sin's head.

Sin leapt away the very second he had an opening and cupped his hand. Discord did the same as he fought to stay in control of the fight. If I let him use his magic on me, maybe I can tire him out to where Luna can take him back to Canterlot. He was still close, too close for a direct attack. He could see the compression of magic hum between Sin's hands, the energy of hatred that reached him like the first time.

Luna gasped in her mind as her mate screeched through his clenched teeth, his eyes turning pure white while he floated in midair. She hadn't considered that he might reveal a few tricks, but once Sin gave her the idea, she caught on quickly how serious he was about ending Discord.

"Nine Tomes: Infinity Wave!"

Sin delivered the forbidden spell in his most powerful voice, thrusting from his palms and through his knowledge the multicolored power of an angry immortal. Discord stiffened for a moment but recovered, clearly ready by giving his own without saying a word. His chaotic power blast from his palms and suddenly shifted in contact of the large beam splintering the air.

The beams struck hard, combusting particles of energy as Sin and Discord grind their feet into the ground. Their magic was so strong it pushed them away from one another as the beams crackled and sparked, seeking to split the other's energy, but there was not enough left to do so. Sin and Discord were forced to relieve themselves of casting such power when it strained their channels, like lactic acid building in muscles. Sin wrapped himself in his aura to himself. It was his first time in many years to have a god put him on edge in his first state of power.

The beams finally dissipated to nothingness and Discord was forced to take the upper hand while he could by rushing the man. He wrapped his bear paw around Sin's throat, raised him in the air, and slammed his body into the ground while charging a single orb into his talon. The bolt turned black while Discord cringed at the sound of Sin screaming in pain, but it had to be done. He threw the orb into Sin's chest and watched as it exploded in contact of his skin, creating a short blast of darkened chaotic magic. Sin was thrown across the ground by the force of the blast, but he recovered just as fast with a little something to return the favor.

"You took everything from me!" he pointed his hands at the saddened Draconequus, fire streaming from his fingertips into an oversized wave. "Fire Tome: Tartarus' Flames!"

Discord drew up a gust of air and surrounded himself with it, although he'd done without trying, which infuriated Sin even more. The air vibrated into a spinning dome and protected him from the flames, jarring everyone's minds. Sin saw this and kept his tactic tightly wrapped around the second phase of his plan, fairly certain Discord would not have the chance to counter.

"This had better work," he scooped a large mound of snow with his magic and tossed it into the remaining fire his left hand produced. It took a moment for Luna to realize her mate was at a serious disadvantage, but trying with all he has by mixing up his strategy. The snow melted and drew a long hiss as Discord's air dome circulated the fog that came afterward, blinding him from the man's next move.

Sin jumped high into the air and raised his right foot to the skies, moving fast, whipping around in place to build momentum. He spun too many times for anyone to count and descended like a meteor, smiling evilly as the Spirit of Chaos bat his gaze for a shadow or shift in the atmosphere. He asked himself where Sin was at and panicked while the dome disappeared, leaving him in a mass of fog until it was too late for him to sense what is coming. He could barely look up in time to see the immortal human inches from his face.

"Fuck you!" Sin spat, the heel of his foot connecting with Discord's forehead. The force of his kick cratered the ground, shook the citizens, and sent a powerful shockwave that hit the trees of the Everfree Forest. The snow fell off the branches as the wildlife of said forest perked to the shockwave, and then trembled at the intense hatred piercing their senses; even the Timberwolves were frightened of this monstrous power.

"Why would Sin hold onto so much anger?" Cadance looked toward the sword, picking it up with her magic. It glowed a violent black aura at her touch, seeping with enough darkness that she dropped it. "Why hold onto a thousand years of pain and let it turn you into some kind of monster?"

"Think of it this way and you might understand;" Luna started as she turned away from the heart wrenching fight, her mind screaming to look back and see if Sin still had Discord at the disadvantage. "How would you feel if the alicorn you called 'dad' worked with the Spirit of Chaos to make your life miserable? Would you still be yourself after your adopted father and best friend turned one of your mates into a monster and manipulated the other into banishing you?"

"How?" Cadance exasperated in a tone no one expected. Anger. "How could you let yourself be changed by Discord and Celestia?"

"It was not my sister that helped Discord. It was our father, Solaris." Luna answered, tears barreling down her cheeks while she did her best to not allow the past to get to her, but it was too hard. She was upset by her own mistake, and now witnessing the fruit of Discord's and Solaris' mistake cause all of this, she was ready to kick her own flank. "I allowed myself to delve into the art of dark magic; and when they saw it had influenced me, changed me, they took advantage of the situation to take Sin from Celestia and I. Solaris promised Discord my sister and I as his mares if he removed Sin from the family."

"And how exactly did that end?" Spitfire said in a sarcastic tone, pointing at the human now thrown across the town by his furious rival. "Did it end with Sin becoming this, or did this 'Solaris' do something else?"

"There was no ending to what they did," the Lunar Princess sobbed, falling to her haunches as she reached inside her breastplate and pulled out the engagement ring. Spitfire and Cadance saw this and gasped lightly, as did the little ones. "There was no happy medium of hurting Sin. Solaris got what he wanted, but he betrayed Discord by having Celestia and I turn him into stone. The cost, however, was too much for Sin to handle."

"Cost?" the fiery-mane Pegasus raised an eyebrow.

Luna hadn't realized the girls were unaware of the truth to Sin hatred for the Spirit of Chaos. She turned to look at him over her shoulder, her eyes bloodshot in an instant when the memory bellowed in her head. She was a mare of integrity and willpower, but the memory of Sin's first step into darkness was too much for to hold back. She could not find the strength to lock away the flashback of her lover being dragged away from the one thing that mattered to him and Celestia the most. If anything, she was torn apart by it.

"Sin and I had a foal," she said slowly, her gaze clinging to Sin's when it met. She didn't want him to do this, but there was nothing she could do to make him stop. She had no way to convince him to stop and forgive the Draconequss for a mistake he did not meant to commit. "But he does not know that. She was still in my belly when I became Nightmare Moon, but Sin loved that filly with all his heart; even before we were engaged he did not care if the foal would be Unicorn, Pegasus, Earth Pony, or an Alicorn, he just cared that he and I were going to have a daughter. But I was banished to the moon and forced to give birth days afterward."

"And the foal died on the moment? Fluttershy asked, getting her voice to be heard by the princess.

Luna's gaze jumped to the yellow Pegasus with sudden apprehension. She could feel the change in her. Her face remained neutral, but deep inside, there was a long ripple of fear. She hadn't thought who might been hearing her at the time.—or that the some of the townsfolk just got an earful of the truth.

"No, I saved her. " Luna nodded regretfully. "I leeched the filly's magic when and combined it with my dark powers to cocoon her. After that I used all my magic to send her away, but I used too much and the cocoon put her in a deep slumber. Thankfully it was not permanent, but it cost our daughter her alicornhood, leaving her to be a unicorn that has just enough magic to entertain others."

"Who was the foal?" Cadance asked.

Luna choked back her feelings and sighed. ". . . Trixie Lulamoon."

Sin appeared in front of Luna after blocking a serious blow to the chest. He lowered his guard and looked back to the crying alicorn, his ears perked to every word he caught with his enhanced hearing, and the flame of his rage doused to a dull ember as he stared at her incredulously.

"Our. . . our daughter is alive?" he panted, forgetting that his opponent is still charging.

Luna would answered with joy at her mate when he stopped; at least she would have if the tension wasn't so high and still increasing. The silence didn't have another second. Two blurs, a large white one and the other being purple, flew through the crowd and thrust thrust their heads into Sin's left side, hurling him into Discord's oncoming fist.

The girls yelped as he flew into a sturdy house, already drained of any effort after hearing Luna talk about his daughter, reopened scars dripping with blood, madness in his red-rimmed eyes. He had one agenda after being struck in the side and he glared directly at the attackers, driving both alicorns to rely on their natural instincts, his eyes burning with malice as they got between him and Discord.

"Sin, you must stop this right now." Celestia said firmly, though the look in her eyes said she was worried of losing him a second time. "Discord is not the cause of our separation. Solaris is the one responsible for everything, he manipulated Discord to hurt you so much. He is the one who truly corrupted Luna."

Sin leapt through the open space after recovering from the blow to his bruised jaw, already ignoring a couple of broken bones. He had one target and he landed squarely on the remaining pieces of the fountain, forcing Celestia to step back in fear, his demonic growls tearing through her mind and his power boggling her thought-process.

Twilight reacted first, hurling through the air a series of advanced spells at a blurring speed, many of them hitting Sin squarely in the ribs as her teacher barked "no". She drove the human off his pedestal of rage as he slid back without trying the block the attack, his gaze now on her. Clearly for him there was no way he would let some cute alicorn like her overpower him in magic, but she already taking a good offensive. She made no sound, just attacked a second time, propelling large spheres of kinetic energy forward, increasing the distance between them fast.

Sin smiled at Twilight for her courage and ability in magic, he hadn't seen such talent since Starswirl visited the castle for a short vacation from his experiments. He tightened his fists, a massive burst of magic eroding his figure in an instant. The magic in his control penetrated right through the first mental and physical barriers, overflowed his body, and changed him at the last second. Twilight's spells left him in a cloud of dust and snow as Celestia ordered her to cease attacking the man. She was now in for the scolding of her young life, but not right now.

"Well this just very interesting," Sin said aloud, startling the Princess of Friendship of his survival. "An alicorn who's bite is worse than her bark," he stepped out of the dust cloud, shocking everyone of his new appearance.

Celestia gasped and put a protective wing between Sin and Twilight and slowly lowered her horn at him. She went with the assumption of her mate still carrying the past and how threatening he was.

Twilight tried to speak several times, but her mentor had her beat on the question. Celestia's sorrow was palpable, so intense she felt tears burning behind her beautiful eyes.

"Sin, what has happened to you?" the Solar Princess asked pitifully as she listened to his chuckles.

"You mean my new look," Sin pointed at his newly sprouted horn, wings, and tail as he shivered with excitement, adrenaline pumping through his veins. "Well my darling Tia, let's just say that a few scientists experimented on me and forced a few changes to my body. You'd be surprised how quickly your mind breaks down. I know I was. I broke after being raped, beaten, and tortured for over twenty years in a cage."

Celestia stayed at Twilight's side for a long minute, his hands smoothing over his wavy hair and his fingers slipping through the sparks of electricity. He approached quickly, as if the weight of the world was no longer on his shoulder. Taking a breath, he disappeared with a single step, reappeared in front of the purple alicorn, and smiled warmly, which was by the far the most bizarre thing to her. How could a monster still smile so nicely?

There was silence in the town. Sin was the first to move, startling the Princess of Friendship by placing his hand on her head. "It's been a long time since someone so young was able to hit me with magic. You show much more promise than anyone."

"What in Equestria are you?" Twilight asked.

Sin cleared his throat and put the aggression slowly and reverently away, chuckling to everyone's shock. "I don't know what I am anymore. The best way to describe me is that I am a guardian angel overlooking this town," He turned his head, his glare meeting he Draconequus'. "And the first thing I need to do is rid this town of that monster."

Twilight shook her head. "But Discord is not a monster. He's changed for the greater good and has done so much for us. The only thing that looks like a monster is you!"

Sin blinked several times and took back a few steps, slipping out of his rage as he returned to his normal self. He stared at the purple alicorn incredulously as the townsfolk followed Cadance and Luna, surrounding the nervous man.

"Monster. . . me?" There were no right words. Celestia and Luna felt his fear, that intense nervousness he refused to allow others to see. To have someone accuse him of being a monster increased the numbness in his body before he could think straight.

Twilight's only indication that she was right was by pointing at the frightened townsfolk. Her sorrow didn't change into another expression and her gaze did not stray from the man.

"You're the one who started all of this," she pointed out. "And just look what it has done. You destroyed the fountain and damaged a home with your hatred for what Discord was manipulated to do to you. Plus you've done nothing but frighten everypony."

Sin straightened up and spun around to see that everyone was whispering about him, carefully studying his horrid nature as he became a little scared of his own actions. "No, I have reason to hurt him. He corrupted Luna and helped Solaris destroy any happiness I had. He hurt me and—"

"We've all hurt you," Celestia stepped forward, placing a gentle wing on his shoulder, tears rolling down her cheeks. "And we're sorry. We're sorry for not believing you when you said that father is using us to hurt you."

"We're sorry for letting him get to you." Luna added, nuzzling his stomach.

"And I am sorry for taking everything from you," Discord said, placing his paw on Sin's other shoulder. "He promised me so much that I could not resist the urge to hurt you, but it was all for nothing. I lost you as a good friend, and the pain has changed you, both mentally and physically."

Sin remained silent for a good moment, his power lowered to its base level as he thought long and hard about the past. He shook his head slowly, as if the pain of his friend and lovers betraying him was too much for him to carry. There was fear in Celestia's and Luna's eyes when he proceeded to back away.

"No, no, no. This is all bullshit!" he yelled angrily, dragging his hand across his face. "You're just saying all of this to make me lower my guard. You're just trying to manipulate me again so that I will not see what is coming."

"Sin, we're not trying to manipulate you." Celestia replied, pacing her approach, tears still falling as she thought about losing him again. She did not want that. She did not want to lose her mate a second time. "We're trying to help you realize that Solaris is the one behind everypony's pain and suffering. We're trying to talk to you, because you need help."

"I don't anyone's help!"

"Yes you do!" she barked, unable to hold herself back. "Look at yourself. You've turned into some kind of magically-empowered beast that thrives off anger and hatred. You're still stuck in the past and allowing it to consume you. You've been hurt so much, and we want to help you!"

"No, I want you to back off!" he flexed his muscles, and out came to large wings in a bloody fashion. They flapped once as he screamed in agony, but recovered quickly to take to the sky. This stunned everyone, even the princesses. "Do not come near me again; if you do, I will not hold back!"

Before either sister could stop the man in his tracks, he was already flying across the town and heading into the Everfree Forest, where no one would dare to look for him.

"Sin, wait!" Cadance screamed, but he was already gone. She took to the sky as well and began her pursuit, hoping she could do something to get him back. Monster or not, she had feelings for him and was not going to let them go.

"Mr. Sin!" Rose Spark screeched, trying to chase him on hoof. She was to small though, too small to keep up and was left to cry in the hooves of Sptifire. It was heartbreaking to the filly, she had finally found someone that cares and loves her and he was now gone.

Discord pet the Royal Sister's as they watched Cadance disappear in the distance. "He's going to need a great deal of help letting go of the past."

"Sin, come back safely, my love." Celestia and Luna whispered.

Chapter VIII

Cadance had done everything she could to prepare herself for the search, other than the most important one—tell her daughter where she was going, although it was clearly obvious what her intentions were. Sin was definitely somewhere close. His speed was extremely difficult for her to match. He had spoken of his abilities surpassing most, but she never expected it to be true. The most she had to mind about his statements is he was more likely telling lies for attention or slightly insane. But with the facts proving true to his word, Cadance regretted every second of disbelieving his power.

Sure she liked to tease him about it, but it was the meticulous care she paid to hint her feelings for him. He did not have to make lies to impress her; at least that is what she thought until he fought Discord.

"Where the hay did he go?" Cadance asked herself, sprinting around a thorn bush. She followed split in the clouds to track the disgruntled human, hoping he was alright.

She'd thought about his safety for a long moment. She had to completely embrace who and what he was. He was an Immortal. This man was far more powerful creature, one with a kind heart, but also a broken mind. Not a single enemy the Princess of Love faced ever showed so much power, but where did it come from?

Cadance took a deep breath and tried to think past the sudden aching in her chest. She was very determined to have this human, even if it meant taking action for herself. He was everything good she wanted and was going to gift herself with some happiness in her life; and if it meant taking that happiness, she would.

She ran through the Everfree Forest and cleared the next leap smoothly, determined by infatuation and Rose possibly losing good man as a father. Her instinct as a mare was to claim him fast, to bind him to herself so that there was no argument between her and the princesses, but that felt too much like imprisoning herself to his good qualities without remembering the bad.

Without the right spell to track Sin's movement, the Princess of Love was left to follow the footprints in the snow and run into a large pond past the old castle. She came to a sliding halt as the clearing grow and her wings provided just enough wind resistance to stop herself from falling into the icy water at her hooves. She cringed at the idea of catching a cold or hypothermia while on the lookout for her handsome devil.

When she stopped at the edge of said pond and wiped the beads of sweat on her brow so they did not freeze on her, she sighed deeply and stared at her own reflection and caught the signs of stress and worry. Her mane was a mess and snow was sticking her like glue between two pieces of paper. Her wing tips throbbed at the touch and she cringed whilst cursing herself for thinking of plucking a single flake from them.

"I better find him fast;" she said to herself, searching around the pond where his footprints disappeared. Strangely it was leading her to the edge of the water. "If I stay out here any longer I'll freeze my wings off."

Cadance stopped at the other end of the pond and spotted Sin's clothes hanging off a dead branch to her left, bloody feathers from his surprise growth spread around the last pair of footprints before trailing into the water. This did not bode well for the pink alicorn as she put the clues together. Her heart began to race while the pain in her wings began to mull over from adrenaline and fear. She looked back to the clothes, then to the feathers, and finally the pond before realizing that he jumped in to a freezing pond.

"He didn't. . ." she whispered to herself, before seeing bubbles rise in the middle of the water. Her eyes widened and she gasped as the water started to ripple. "OH BUCK, HE DID!"

She took a breath as if it were her last one, and she was able to find the courage to brave the water. She cringed—seemed to motivate herself—and then she went for the leap, preparing to make the swim for Sin's life. The water, however, rose at the last second and splashed the princess, startling her. She yelped and jumped backwards into a pile of snow. If she was not freezing her plot off then, she was definitely going to right now.

"Oh my god, I feel so much better." a masculine voice said enthusiastically in the water, his body steaming from head to toe while the rippling water edge closer to the princess.

Cadance rubbed her head so the pain would go away and cursed the one that scared her whilst opening her eyes. She had all the intent of scolding or attacking the jerk that made her heart leap into her chest, but his voice stopped her. She gazed at the man in the suddenly steaming water as though he were a ghost, jaw dropped in shock of his appearance.

"Nothing like a hot bath in the winter to fix you right up." he said to himself, smiling at one of the wounds he gained in his fight with Discord. It began to close up and scar over as he scrubbed the more personal sections of his body, disregarding that he needs soap to remove the stench completely. "Should be a couple more hours and I'll be in tip-top shape again, but I better get home fast and make sure everyone is alright. Rose is probably scared shitless while Cadance and Spitfire and wondering how they should kill me for leaving."

Cadance threaded her hooves together at the small cut she received from falling on top of a broken branch and stared at the man. He did not look like the monster he was a few minutes ago, steadying himself with a small tune to know that he was still a person on the inside, that he was still in control of himself and not the other way around.

"It's too late to apologize. It's too late~" he sang to himself, uncaring of the large erection he unknowingly revealed to the Princess of Love. He wasn't aware of her presence by the simple fact that he was not using his powers to sense anyone or anything, but she was there; and by the gods was she impressed by his girth and confused as to how it was standing up in this weather. It was a mystery to her.

Cadance managed a flush of red across her cheeks before frowning at the oblivious immortal. She coughed into her hoof very loudly, wanting to let the man know he was not alone. Sin heard it and turned and turned to face the pink alicorn rising to her hooves, though with a little more difficulty from the throbbing in her frozen body. He looked back just as calmly as he did the first time their eyes met, willing her to know that he was not surprised by her presence.

"Well this is quite impressive," he said to the embarrassed and shivering princess, uncaring that he was showing all his glory to her. "I haven't been chased and caught in over six hundred years. For you to actually keep up tells me you are very determined."

Cadance struggled a nervous grin. "It's not so hard to follow you in this weather. Your tracks are very easy to see." she stuttered, coughing into her hoof as he realized the winter is not the same for him as it is for her. He had a very high resistance to the cold from years of living in it and harnessing his magic. She did not.

Sin stepped out of the water and approached her as the wind chill worsened, but not for him in the slightest. He was pulsating a red glow and radiating a high temperature while the water that should have froze to his skin and hair actually dripped into the snow. He grew concerned for the coughing mare as she stood there with that cute glare. It made him smile to know that she cared about him.

"You are in so much trouble," she sniffled, trying her absolute best to act like the adult. Sin's smile, nakedness, and strange heat radiation was far too strong for her. She just wanted to have that white haired hunk shared the heated magic he had around his body. "You left your daughter with Spitfire and the others. You abandoned her."

"You did the same with Skyla," Sin rebuked in a warm tone, teasing the mare by resting his hand on the back of her neck. "But I had to leave her with them. I don't want her to see me so beaten up by that sadistic bastard." He gestured her to the water. "Now get in the water before you freeze to death. It's already warmed up."

Cadance looked out into the steamy pond. By now, the fog covered most of it like a gray blanket. She felt the steam on Sin's body nip at her. The heat teased her skin and kissed her face. It's so cold, you jerk. she whispered to him, ignoring her mind telling her to ask more about his actions against Discord.

Sin chuckled and removed the alicorn's crown and slippers with a snap of his fingers. He snapped them again and teleported Cadance and himself into the shallow edge of the water before it dropped to his waistline. Cadance was shocked for but naught a moment when the hot water melted away the throbbing in her hooves. She gasped like her virginity was taken a second time and then moaned at the warmth spreading through her legs.

She looked up to the man and let go of her instincts, trusting Sin to keep himself at bay and watch over her as she made the journey into the pond's middle. Sin did watch her take those few steps, but not without tormenting himself with a small glance at her backside. Cadance had a very supple rump to compliment her slim figure; and given that she gave birth years ago, he was very aroused by the natural curves still with her. He was about to give himself a stroke when suddenly the pink princess turned back with a sly grin of her own, causing his blush to flare and for him to drop in the water to hide away his shame.

"You're still on my bad side right now," she said smoothly, giving her blushing swordsman a giggle and a wink. "But I'll let this one slide since the water is so warm. It is quite relaxing, and I can know more about you before I have to drag you back to town."

"You make it sound like I'm an escaped prisoner." Sin said in a bemused tone, wondering where she was going with this conversation.

"That's because you are right now. You did cause some damage to the town, so you have to pay for it."

Sin resisted the urge to play foul with Cadance, knowing he was in the wrong by causing a scene and a fight with the Spirit of Chaos, but the need to kill that monster at the monster was too strong in him, his every protective instinct merged with the hatred and rage of his past. He scrunched at the princess and turned away to face his side, while she studied him a little more carefully. The magic inside him was very large, perhaps too large for any alicorn to bear on their own, barely fitting inside his soul, with several barriers around it. Cadance became worried that he was ticking time bomb beneath that façade of his; it was as if the magic was at his control yet manipulating him at the same time. His body was normal again, but the transformation and power, where did it come from?

Where did Sin Firestorm gain so much power to rival a god? Where did he come from?

At first the tingling in her skin felt nice with Sin's magic manipulating the water to bubble everywhere. The individual bubbles around her felt like tiny hooves tickling her as they massaged the soreness away, almost too good for it to actually be a simple bubble bath in the Everfree Forest. The warmth was very necessary for her wings and mane, heat melting away every snow flake that stuck to her the entire time. That princess had to have been blessed by the heavens with this man's presence, because he had so many good qualities beneath that tough-guy attitude.

Cadance knew the Sin Firestorm she met was the real one, not the violent and belligerent man that tried to kill Discord. She could feel with her talent in feelings how much he likes her and Spitfire and how strong his love is for Celestia and Luna. There was no mistaking the warmth that made her heart flutter when Sin was so kind to Luna, he was still in love with her and desperately wanting to take her back without a care of the past they share.

So why didn't he do that? Why did he treat Luna equal to her and Spitfire?

Does he want Spitfire and I, as well as Celestia and Luna, Cadance thought whilst staring at the backside of her companion, seeing through the surprisingly clear water his small rump. That tiny, furless, hoof sized pair of flanks he has for a plot. It looked so smooth and firm while in the water that Cadance wanted to grope it. She wanted to especially claim that part of Sin and own it like it was her own property.

Cadance could not fight her imagination as the immortal human stood up and turned to his left, bending over to reach for the rock that poked his big toe. He was now leaned over at such an angle that Cadance could watch every drop glisten in their decent between those sexy cheeks. Her lips continued to curl in anticipation as she followed the voice in her head. Like a snake drawn to its dinner, she somehow slithered through the water without making a sound.

Try as she might, the Princess of Love could not fight the fact that she has been lonely and for quite some time and deprived of her first taste in the world of good stallions. Then again, she never had the chance to find her special someone in this big world; destiny was played out by her aunt for Shining Armor to be her husband. It was a web of lies that brought them together; and it was all for the sake of Canterlot's protection. For that special talent of his.

Make no mistake she understood the reason behind Celestia's manipulation, but to pair her with a stallion that is cruel and belligerent on the inside. . .

Cadance continued to smile evilly. Her movement was indistinct, making it difficult for any creature to see her through the steam. Up close, she could almost smell the musk of his scent down there, that sweaty aroma of masculinity beading her nostrils so elegantly. Her mind was nearly blank as the confusing emotions in her body became very clear and direct. There was only one thing running through the mare's head as she inched closer to the self-loathing human: she wanted to make the first move. Her first move as a mare that is filled with lust for the stallion she was slowly falling for.

If this is what Luna and Celestia had in the past, then I want it too.

Sin had no idea of time passing, nor the princess drifting closer to him, only that the silence made his bathing very pleasing. Fear of what he would return to after bathing was ever present. He had been strong-willed and mentally invincible these last four hundred years, a man who destroyed thousands of lives and conquered dozens of kingdoms from every species. No one, in all these long centuries had rattled him like Discord did. No had ever managed to defeat him, and it was difficult to think that after using the first stage of his power that anyone ever could match him blow for blow.

Shame and pride endured. He knew it was not over, and Discord would always be there to remind him how strong he must be to destroy a god. If he could ever find a way to change into that shameful god form his torturers drew out of him without losing his body or mind. . . He could not go there again, couldn't think like that. He had come too far to let go of his morals. He had worked too hard to prove that a human can beat a god. That you do not have to kill an alicorn by becoming one. In any case, his teachers were right, he couldn't go on as himself and defeat every opponent he meets. But that meant. . .

He cringed at the idea. The shadow of his regret was wedged in the roads of self-preservation and redemption, the choices to a vicious conclusion of power that ran through his blood. He knew he was not as human as he once was, but that did not mean he would give up the rest to the painful facts. That he was ever so slowly losing his humanity to the third alicorn inside him. The monster that went on a rampage and slaughtered an entire kingdom to abate his thirst for vengeance.

Sin was disconnected from the world and thinking back to what Holy Nova and Dark Rai said when they saved him from his rage: that there will be a time when he must change into that monster and be it long enough to destroy what only a true god can kill. He knew what that meant and pondered it whilst looking at the blood-stricken feathers on the ground, though very begrudgingly.

They're right about a god showing up and overpowering me, and I'll have to spare enough time to change into that godly abomination to save myself and everyone around me. But why me? What did I do to deserve such a punishment? I want to be myself, not a fucking— Sin's words went paralyzed at an unnerving touch.

Time returned, and he realized he wasn't standing alone on his side of the pond. He looked over his shoulder, not speaking, not asking questions, just allowing himself to stiffen and blush again for the rubbing on his buttocks. He looked down and found Cadance touching his right cheek tenderly, as though it were fragile. He choked on his own embarrassment as various thoughts ran through his mind—one being he should run away.

Why is she touching me, he thought whilst coughing into his hand to warn her.

Cadance stopped abruptly and with a loss of her balance, threw herself into the nervous human. There was a yelp and a loud splash after Sin tried to catch her, but he slipped on a rock and with strange luck, found himself hugging onto her whilst falling onto the steep edge of the pond. Where he stood was a wall he could lean against and relax, but Cadance' fall pushed him into it and forced the top of his head to bounce off. The force of the blow was enough to make him dizzy and mislead his senses where the should not.

Just the splashing was enough to confuse them both before he sat up with his hands holding onto her, but not where he expected.

"What the hell Cadance?" he groaned, cringing at the headache she gave him. It was about to get very ugly between the two when their close contact stopped him from speaking another word. Destiny had a way of manipulating lives and taking hold or wrenching the moment into its own way.

Cadance opened her eyes and went to apologize, but she quickly realized that he was sitting under her with his hands firmly grasping her flanks. Her hooves had somehow wrapped around his neck and brought them close to a kiss she failed to ignore. They were so close that she could feel the heat of his breath over hers. Just the scent of his musk and his naked body was enough to drive her crazy, and now she was on top of him, straddling his erection.

Having such a familiar sensation run through the mare's loins—that familiar tingle for pleasure with the distinctive signs—was wonderful yet terrifying to her. She had not felt this kind of warmth since the maid fetched her newest toy from the mail office. Shadowing the pleasure was such a horrible thing when she was with Shining Armor, removing his doubt in the bed to help him improve with different methods.

And yet they were all failures.

She shuddered and gasped when he lips slid across Sin's rod, eyes nearly rolled back from years of withdrawal. She craved for heaven's to split at his touch, but he was as still as she was and barely holding onto his sanity with a strong grip. Their gazes met and connected to understand how awkward and inappropriate this was. Still, neither of them attempted to separate from the other, just sit there with their bodies almost merged by the overbearing feelings they have for each other.

"This. . . is embarrassing." Cadance stuttered, squeezing her legs to try and remove the kiss she has on his cock, but it was easier said than done.

Sin wanted to tell her to get off of him and take space on the other side of the pond, but her invasion of his backside and falling this way helped his mind drift to other ideas. He breathed in heavily and caught a weak scent of strawberry perfume beneath the cotton candy aroma in her mane. His hearted started to throb out of his chest, something the Princess of Love could feel with her chest touching his. The slow and calm breaths became deep and threatening, almost to a predator stalking it's prey. His gentle grasp of her flanks hardened and made her gasp shortly.

Cadance was not entirely sure what in Equestria this man was doing to himself, but deep down, she kind of liked it. She liked the deep growling and slightly painful squeezing to her flanks. No one had ever acted like this to her. No one ever took the chance to abuse the situation they were put into; especially when it is one like this. Still, she was worried that maybe things went too far and now he was going to hurt her.

Seconds passed before she loosened her grip on his neck to see the shade in his eyes darken into that deep redness she saw today. She was starting getting scared of the man's power overwhelming him again. She was worried that the Sin Firestorm before her was going to take his rage out on her.

"Sin. . ." she paused at the sound of his growling, before scrunching at how his gaze rose up to meet hers. His eyes were red again, but there was pink in the pupils this time. "I'm. . .I'm sorry for what I just did. Let me down and I'll leave now and never bother—"

"You grabbed my ass," Sin growled. "I don't mind the invasion of privacy, but you grabbed my ass while I was in deep thought."

"I-I'm sorry. It's just that you have such a small plot and I—"

"You need to leave now!" he quickly threw onto the edge of the ground and crawled out of the water, snarling like a wild animal as she recovered. "Son of a bitch, I should be in control of this. Why does it have to happen with her!?"

Cadance looked up and stared at the human to see he was struggling to stay on his hands and knees and glowing the same red aura from before. Lust and pain welled the man's body while he did everything he could to not look at the princess, something she found to be strange, rather than insulting. There was something wrong however. There was something very wrong with Sin and he was doing his best to fight it.

He clenched his jaw and punched the frozen ground as hard as he could, frightening her in violence, coughing strongly, disapproving the overflow of his mixed emotions and power, their power, at his own command. He closed his eyes and punched the ground a second time before it was too much for him to handle. His instincts were overtaking him, and so were his teachers'.

"I told you to get the hell out of here!" he snapped, pointing towards his visible footprints that lead back to Ponyville.

"What's wrong?" Cadance approached him and draped a wing over his back, ignoring the increase in steam across his skin. "Sin, what is wrong with you? Are you hurting?"

"Go away!" he growled. "Or I am going to do unspeakable tings to you!"

Cadance flinched and gawked. "Excuse me!?" she said incredulously. Sin looked up to her with the best of his ability, his eyes narrowed and focused on every inch of her.

"You do not understand what it means to have two gods inside you," he said very cruelly whilst resisting another spasm. "You don't get what it means to have everything about them control you. You will never understand what it means to have everything about them affect who you are."

"What are you talk—"

"IT'S MY FEELINGS FOR YOU, CADANCE!" he screamed at the top of his lungs, clawing the ground to the point of bleeding. "I THINK YOU AND SPITFIRE ARE FUCKING GORGEOUS, BUT I CANNOT EXPRESS IT BECAUSE HOLY NOVA AND DARK RAI—THE TWO GODS INSIDE ME—ARE FUSED TO ME. EVERYTHING THAT MAKES THEM WHO THEY ARE MAKES ME THE SAME WAY. IT MAKES EVERYTHING THREE TIMES WORSE, INCLUDING LUST!"

"What do you mean?" Cadance was flabbergasted by this. She panicked and did what she could to try and heal whatever is doing this to Sin, but all he did is laugh in three voices and push her away.

"It's not pain, nor agony. It's my feelings for you, combined with Holy Nova and Dark Rai's lust." he chortled. "Their lust is mine, and it is so unbearable that it makes me sex crazy. I feel so much lust and my feelings for you so strongly that I want to make you my mare, but I can't do that. I won't do that. I—" he bit his tongue and thrust his head into the ground, forcing pain to overcome the lust. "MOTHERFUCKER, STOP IT YOU TWO. STOP DOING THIS TO ME!"

In truth it was not Holy Nova and Dark Rai's doing, nor was it in their control. They were just as powerless as he was and forced to endure the lust until it subsides. The best they could do is encourage him to either fight it or embrace, but his mind was blocking them out in every way for them to communicate.

Cadance not only wanted to run away from Sin and get her daughter as far away from him as possible, but also warn everyone that he is insane and forget that he ever existed. She was fairly certain that the nice guy under that hair was a lie and by now revealed himself to be a rampaging monster that needs to be put down or in a cage.

"Please get away from me," Sin fell onto his side, curled into a ball and shivering to the next jerk of his body. Cadance was about to take off and leave him to writhe in whatever nightmare he's put himself in when the pulsating aura around him travelled from her wing to the rest of her. She fell onto her stomach and gasped for air as the wave stricken her with the same feelings he has right now.

She looked at him in disbelief, but it was real. Sin was not lying. Everything he felt right now went through her with the smallest touch and inflicted her entire body with it all. The lust. The feelings he has for her. His love for Celestia and Luna. All the anger and pain from seeing Discord again. It was there and so surreal that she could not find an excuse for what she experienced.

Cadance was stunned by the truth. Stunned by Sin feeling so strongly for her that it hurts. How could anyone have so much to feel for one pony? How could he feel so strongly for her? She not only felt terrible for thinking of leaving Sin, but pitied him for enduring so much to protect her. To keep her safe from himself.

Cadance took a deep breath and let herself brave what will come next. Sin was terrified of this, of what he would do to her. Strong enough to fight whatever may take over, he was still terrified of himself. He did not want to hurt her. He didn't want her to be the first victim of a terrible act he'd fought for generations.

"Get away from me," he said pitifully, rolling to his other side as she leaned in. "I don't want to hurt to you. You're the only thing that reminds me what it's like to be happy; and I don't want to destroy that."

She ignored that request and stroked caresses down his scarred back, soothing some of his pain in silence, smiling warmly while her emotions returned. Sin was on the brink of self-destruction until the softest touch was felt on a particular spot. He shuddered the very second it hit his mind and tried to lean back, but the wide-eyed look did more for the princess than it did for him. It was actually cute to see him in shock of what she had to give him.

Cadance brushed her lips a little stronger over his and used the other wing to pull him closer. She embraced him, held him tighter, pressing herself into him while the tremors of his power and overbearing lust wracked them together. She inhaled the clean masculine scent of him and endured the shaking to give him solace in his dire situation of integrity and compassion. Sin was not the kind of man to be surprised, but this was no ordinary mare he met on the train; and it wasn't for the fact that she is an alicorn.

The moment she moaned in his mouth, Sin realized just how much this mare wanted him. His heart automatically began to adjust to the slower, steadier beats of hers. His breathing evened out, following that calm, composed rhythm of hers.

The young mother pulled away unwillingly to see the man was himself again. There was no magic eroding his body, no combined feelings torturing his mind, and certainly no color shifting in his eyes. Sin was himself again, a normal man, though a little more stunned by her kiss abating the lust of two gods and his own.

"You have got to be the biggest wreck in the world," she chuckled, planting a quick peck those moist lips. "But you're heart is in the right place. You just need somepony to help you through everything you're going through."

"How did you do that?" Sin asked and checked himself for the smallest sign of an illusion. To his fortune, there was no magic deluding his problem. He really was back to normal and feeling calmer than normal, as if all the weight of his stress fell off his shoulders.

She giggled at the confused human and bopped his nose, to tease him, he assumed, as a way to show her affection. "I honestly do not know, but let's not complain about it. You are not going crazy right now, so why not be thankful for it."

Sin saw it. It was there, the magic in her eyes meeting his steadily as she helped him to his feet. He waited, not prying or questioning her what it is that made her quell the lust and magic, just allow her to guide back into the water.

Cadance wrapped her wings tightly around Sin's stomach and rested against his chest. She was grateful to fate for following her long-awaited wish to have a chance at true love. Sin did not move from her, nor ask her any questions, he simply sat in the shallow end of the water and pretended he was snuggling with her as a way of saying thanks, although Cadance made it very obvious that it was more than that. The heat, so deep in their bones, wrapped them in a cocoon of relaxation while the world seemed to pause.

When he lifted his head off the rocky wall and rested against hers so the comfort did not end, he stared into her nearly glowing reflection. The image of another divine beauty in his life.

"Don't you think this is wrong?" he whispered, needing solace of their kiss. He wanted her, yes, very much, but right now, knowing how wrong it is, he wanted to be more sure of himself. Cadance, on the other hand, was more certain about Sin being what she's wished for, albeit a little different from what she expected, but he still had the qualities she wanted.

"It's not like we're making love or asking about marriage;" Cadance shushed him with a loving nuzzle before holding onto his hand. "Besides, you did imply that you have feelings for me and Spitfire. Plus you were desperate to calm down, so I helped you out."

"You mean you panicked and decided to kiss me," Sin chuckled, petting the back of her neck as the heat of the water increased at his command. "But I will not complain. Still, doesn't it feel wrong that we're sitting like this in a pond of hot water? We barely know eachother, and I just arrived in town."

"So what does it matter?" she asked.

"I just don't want anyone to get the wrong idea, nor to cause any trouble." He took a deep breath and tried to think past Celestia and Luna knowing he is alive and well and wanting him to come back to them, but it was not that easy when their love is as strong as his. "Oh man, I hope Celestia and Luna are not causing any trouble with Spitfire or the kids. Knowing how they are, I suspect they'll be pissed about me having a daughter."

"But you adopted her."

"Yes, but they don't know that—not that I have anything to hide in the first place—but still, they don't know that I've only adopted children throughout my life."

That made Cadance very curious; if he was over a thousand years old, then surely he had many foals. She dwindled on how many children could be in his family and wondered if he was a man of pity or a man of desire, meaning, does he want children of his own or is it out of good will that he takes in unfortunate foals?

She raised a brow at this thought and looked up to her smiling human. "How many foals have you adopted?" she asked very cutely, the overlay of her mane in her eyes making the immortal chuckle before he helped her regain her sight.

"I've lost count." Sin stroked her face with his fingertips, brushing them across her lips. "I have adopted colts, fillies, gryphons, and even a couple of dragons. Throughout my journey of self-discovery I have come across many abandoned children that needed a loving parent and a good home. If I was not training or protecting kingdoms, then I would be at home with my child wanting my help or to go out and play. But not all of my children were good, I've stumbled across some that needed a good lesson in growing up. The worst one I had was a hatchling that went by the name of Boomer. He was a Gryphon and a handful during his teenage years, but a good slap across the beak and taking him on one of my missions straightened him out."

Cadance nodded. "I am guessing that you are stern father, but everypony needs one of those, above all else. I haven't been that great as a parent with Skyla, not since we left the Crystal Empire. She's been so desperate to have a father that loves her she will try to pair me with any stallion that talks to us."

Sin felt a curious melting sensation in the region of his heart. The tight knots he had forgotten to exist in his stomach unraveled when he eyed her with anticipation. Cadance was a grown mare and she spoke her mind. He could not sense hesitation in her mind. There was only resolve—and understanding. He felt surrounded by her touch and the gods inside him laughed with victory. The ancient human felt that age-old need, that bond of companionship that connected him to many for centuries with his love and devotion. He wanted to be the missing puzzle piece of Skyla's life, because he loved children.

The words escaped without warning, but they came out from his soul, not just his heart. "Maybe she needs to stop looking so hard and realize that a father figure is right in front of her." he told the Princess of Love in a soothing tone, confusing her whilst thinking about how foolish he was to believe he could be the missing piece. "I'm not saying I would immediately take on that role, but I do love kids more than anyone could."

"Anyone," Cadance rebuked, smiling grimly. "Even a mother?"

"Yes, more than a mother ever could." Sin said with confidence, gazing into her eyes, allowing himself to be ensnared. "Cadance, I've lived a long life as father and have come to understand that my love for children is stronger than everyone's put together. I have raised families and made so many sacrifices to keep those I adopt safe and happy. I have come to understand that what I feel for children is immeasurable."

"So you're saying you love my daughter, even though you barely know her?" she questioned, testing the man for his bold statement. She felt very insulted as the one who knows and understands the meaning of true love.

"Yes, but not in the way you think." he clarified with hand imagery. "My care and love is not specified as a fatherly thing; it is just there. I love kids for no apparent reason. I adore them with all my heart. Hell, I have proven that by defying kingdoms and putting my life on the line on more than one occasion."

"Now you're just boasting," she giggled, nudging his side with her hoof. Sin knew what she meant and decided to laugh with her, though a little more enthusiastically than he normally would.

"Yeah, I am acting high and mighty; and I'm all about others being equal no matter what you are." he smiled down towards the princess and scratched the back of his own neck, nervous by the stare she was giving him. "Listen. I know this is going to sound very weird, but I want you to know that I am very thankful for everything you've done to me."

"Done to you?" she leaned away and gave him an incredulous look. "You mean the kiss that calmed you down."

"Not just that, but also your strange way of making me feel more like myself these last couple of day." he muttered, the nervousness almost too much. "Though I am still the same man on the outside, there has been a great deal of time where I don't feel human. You made me smile and feel happy for the first time in two years. Your daughter reminded me what it was like to enjoy the little things you do for others, and it's helped me remember that a small, good deed is better than a big one."

"And I'm guessing Spitfire helped you remember what it's like to have fun?" Cadance said in a sarcastic tone, teasing the serious man as he thought about their time together since the train ride.

He looked down at his reflection, a bemused look across his expression. "No, she's reminded that I am still a very perverted and dirty minded man who needs to get his head out of the gutter."

"You're not that perverted."

"I masturbated on the first night in the house. I imagined bending you and Spitfire over the bed and making love to you both until my legs give out."

"Oh. . ." Cadance blushed crimson and wheeled her gaze to the other side of the pond. "Well I did see your 'thing' a few minutes ago and was tempted to have you make love to me. You were without your clothes and erect at the time."

"Yeah, but not now." he coughed. "Besides, I'm not a one night stand kind of guy. I do have feelings for you and your friend, but we met two days ago."

No one said anything as they thought about their mishap in the pond, side to side. Sin sank down a little more into the water with Cadance still holding him, their minds drifting together on the same subject before she accidentally ran her hoof over a scar. Cadance did not enjoy the feeling of his many wounds and cringed behind her mane.

"So. . . how did you get so many scars?" she paused, looking away to avoid what she believed to be his glare, disgusted of herself.

"I have been in more wars than I can count or remember," Sin said. "But the ones across my back were not earned in war or being an experiment for several years. Those were given to me by a pony that I hate with every fiber of my body."

"Who?"

Sin thought back to the day he received them and sighed. "My disowned father, Solaris."

Sin had never been so exhausted in his life, but now wasn't the time to rest in his fiancés' bed. Canterlot had just lost many of their ponies to the dragons and Solaris was not happy about it. When he was unhappy, others paid the price for such fury. He would go after anyone and anything he could find that has done a crime; even the smallest of bad deeds meant harsh discipline for the poor soul. He would go after that sad fool in his kingdom, and if he could not strike at those he considered his enemies, he would take his anger out on a criminal.

The broken human found himself struggling to reach the throne room as Celestia and Luna tried to stop him, but they did not have the courage to force him back to bed. They would not risk the pregnancy anymore than they already have. It was hard enough to find the proper spell to breed with their mate.

"Sin, you need to stay out of this;" Celestia pleaded, her pulls on his arms so gentle that he did not feel them. "If you go in there and cause a scene with father, he will surely punish you the same way he is about to punish the prisoners!"

"Beloved, please stop this foolishness!" Luna begged whilst holding on the other arm. "Thou must remember that father cannot be reasoned with. Thou believes in thy laws and morals."

"I don't care if he ignores me!" Sin spat his own blood against the wall and fell over from weakness, bandages unraveling from improper care and revealing the burns he gained in Canterlot's failed siege. Celestia and Luna attempted to help teenager to his feet, but he swat their hooves away and used sheer will as the drive of his anger.

The attack on Canterlot had left many with depraved and twisted minds; even Sin was victimized by the destruction and death, but he was not robbed of his integrity and credibility as the Prince of Nothing. He had never felt so depleted and weak after having a few gryphons attack him, but that was not the point. He had a vendetta for the innocent and weak, a goal that must be met before it was too late. Inside his head were a thousand thoughts racing to the same question he'd been asking everyone for hours: What will Solaris do to the families that were left behind?

Sin found himself driven by that question, as if something inside his soul had awoken from a long slumber. He was always angry with the King of Equestria making poor decisions to the weak and needy. Since their first encounter as a new family, there was never a day that went in peace without them fighting over the smallest of things. They were the bane to the other's life, poisoning it with anything that may ruin what little happiness is shared. This invasion, however, was the bomb that set off both boys into a raging feud of jurisdiction and justice. A real conflict of saving or removing the problem from the other's clutches.

Celestia and Luna knew what his first thought would be, and that made them worry more as the throne room came into view. The two sisters had enjoyed seeing their lover take a stand against their cruel father to show the citizens a perspective that guides, rather than dictate. It gave them the idea to become better princesses to their subjects, knowing it would be worth all of the trouble Solaris would bring.

This, on the other hand. . . This overbearing sense of right and wrong. . .

"I'm not going to let this stand," he managed to gasp out, staining the armor of a Lunar Guard standing at his post. "He can be all high and mighty he wants. He can tell others to do things that are near impossible to accomplish, but this going way off the deep end." Fury was in his broken voice, desperation and determination in his eyes. "You may be afraid of him, but I'm not. I don't give a shit if he is a god, I will not let him do this!"

Luna teleported to the doors and spread her wings, glaring at her future husband, her hooves pressing through the tile while her sister ordered a guard to run ahead and warn the king and queen. Sin could not help but almost gulp at the intensity of Luna's stare. He felt overpowered and starved of support. She was of this and provided her sister the same courage, nodding to her. Celestia abhorred defying Sin's request, but even she had to help him realize the limits of his efforts. She stretched her wings to him and he pushed against them like a bull on a rampage.

Luna helped her sister, struggling from the worry of her foal harmed in the process. Her heart pounded and her mind was focused on preventing anymore catastrophes than what the kingdom already faced, but Sin was a man on a mission. He coming for the king and he would be damned to hell before anyone stopped him. He met their gazes and knew well how determined they were to stop him.

"I'm only going to say this once," he said intensely, pointing at the door. "Move from the doors."

"No, we are not going to allow this to continue." Luna replied, pushing him back, though with a bit of apathy in her effort. "Hast thou not caused enough trouble for thy kingdom?" She asked in a harsh tone. "The conflict between our lover and father hast been a difficult endure for sister and myself; and we simply cannot take more of such pettiness. If my prince dost love us, then he will return to bed with us and allow their punishment to continue."

"Sin, we are begging you to let this go for today." Celestia pleaded in a very soft tone, holding onto his trembling hand. "We know what father is about to do is wrong, but there is nothing we can do. It is set in stone that the prisoners are to be punished for the attack."

"But they are innocent!" he yelled, startling the mothers of his foals. He had never yelled at Celestia and Luna before; even when they ruined his first relationship in school, he did not yell. This terrified the Royal Sisters. "Those are woman and children arrested by that son of a bitch, accused of withholding information about the attack, but there is no evidence to prove it. And even if they did know, do you think they had any choice!?"

"We are sorry," Luna apologized immediately. "It is wrong of father to punish the innocent, but there are some things that we cannot stop. For the time being, our power as princesses and prince do not compare to his. We must wait until our marriage to rectify his wrongdoing."

"Fuck that. I'll rectify it right now!"

Immediately there was a current of terrifying energy swirling through the boy's body. His wounds opened slightly and he took a deep breath and shoved his lovers aside, harboring the deepest hatred anyone could feel for the King of Equestria. He retracted his right arm and thrust it the palm of his hand into the crevice of the doors. A powerful compression of atom based magic unleashed itself and sent both doors flying off their hinges. Equivalent to a cannon, the sound startled the nobles, prisoners, and even the king and queen. Sin's shoulder crunched underneath the repulse of the spell, but he grit his teeth and took the pain whilst entering the throne room.

Those who were caught into the blast rubbed their eyes of dust and dirt, trying to recall what the witnessed. "Are we under attack again, or did somepony just decide to lose their head!?" a very arrogant noble snarled.

Celestia and Luna rubbed the boy's arm where the repulse showed the faint slashes of the invasion laced up and down his neck and forearm as if the wounds were open and throbbing. Sadly they were and Sin was ignoring it. He marched towards the venom of his peace and scowled, sending silent messages over the many guards that stand between him and the throne.

Era touched her tongue to her dry lips whilst keeping a neutral expression to her son, though it was obvious by the ruffling of her wings that she was fearing for his life.

My son, you must not do this right now. She shook her head slightly to warn him. Sin met her with the response of raising his middle finger to her, something she learned to be a human's way to insult. Darn it, you will never listen to me; even if your life depends my guidance, you'll defy me in every way you can.

"Solaris, you son of a bitch!" Sin screamed, blood slightly dripping from his lips. "I always knew that you were a manipulative bastard, but this goes beyond that."

Solaris simply looked down at his son, begrudging that he must remain calm when every nerve in his body screamed to silence the boy. "Prince Sin, you should be in bed with your fiancés, not out here while trial is underway." he said, pointing towards the broken west corridor. "Return to your bedchambers with your mates so my queen and I may finish this trial."

Sin turned to the prisoners and stomped towards them, unintentionally inflicting fear as the crowd watched him. He looked to his adopted father, but pointed at the gryphons in shackles, the women and children to be exact.

"You are going to charge them for the invasion; that I know." He spat venomously. . .dangerously. "You're going to punish the women and children of this bullshit attack and make them suffer for the crimes. You're going to punish those who did not take part in the invasion."

Solaris and Era exchanged a frown. The silence had taken place in seconds of hearing the nobles whisper to one another about the trial. The nobles believed that every available gryphon was involved and enlightened this belief with the evidence, but with their prince, their future king, speaking differently, they had no idea what to say or think.

"They were aware of the attack." Era said.

"Yeah, but if you had to choose between your loved ones and invading a kingdom, I would chose the same." Sin yelled as he pointed at himself. "Besides, you cannot put them on trial because they did not raise any hostility towards us; and to punish those who relate to the attacker is no different from tyranny."

"And you suppose releasing them would be best for us," Solaris prompted when he fell silent. He stepped out of his throne and descended with a device he found ideal for their 'trial'. "No, we are proceeding with this trial as scheduled. These gryphons withheld information of the attack and will be brought to justice."

"Their fucking king announced the attack to his entire kingdom, you stupid bastard. Everyone of the gryphons knew, but you cannot blame them for that."

Solaris bid himself to stop before the injured human. He was like a wall pushing against a small door, and right then, Sin needed all of the strength he can muster. Solaris' glare was very uncomforting, deep in the blind fury, in the heat where a mortal would never survive. Sin was able to withstand the fear, even preferring the icy stare of his adopted mother, who turned away at the worst moment.

The temperature and pressure of the throne room would have left Sin gasping for air. His eyes and lungs would scorch or break if it was not for the connection he shares with Celestia and Luna. Quickly a man would succumb and perish, much like a normal human would to that intensity of the king. Celestia and Luna found themselves petrified in the thought.

"You still wish to defy your father, why?" Solaris questioned gently. His magic gripped the leather handle and swung the ropes to their reach. "Why do you keep defying me? Why do you defy your father?" He tightened his grip and raised it, but Sin did not flinch. This angered him even more. "Why!? Why are you so spurred by my actions!? What is it that makes you forget that I am a god who should not be trifled with, while you are just a mortal that is growing to become immortal? WHAT MAKES YOU FORGET THE COMPARISON!?"

Sin wanted to shrink to the alicorn and move away for his own protection. How could he compare himself to a god that has the power to erase his existence. He had wanted to believe there was some hope for the stallion to see reason. The world was cruel enough as it is, true evil without a hint of remorse or feeling for anyone. Sin just seemed to take the agony further than his friends and family could process, as if he did it out of pure enjoyment rather than purely for result. He did not doubt that Solaris was going to punish him for insubordination, but he was not going to break or quiver at this god. He was going to make his point with everyone in the room. He was going to send a terrifying chill that would encase their mind in horror. It was going to happen, and he was a little grateful for it. For being the brave soul that will not stand for injustice.

Sin looked back to the cowering gryphons and flicked them a warm smile. He felt a surge of soothing accomplishment circulating through his body as they whimpered and cried.

"It's not that I'm forgetting how different you and I are," he said kindly, raising his gaze to the irritated king. "I just chose to deny it. I chose to see you as a creature that is equal to me, equal to everyone in this room. I chose to be a prince that is equal to his subjects, because I do not want them to feel lower than me."

The gryphons looked up to him slowly, hearing every word as Solaris began to shake. They wondered if this really was the same prince their king said to be no different than the alicorns, a tyrannical monster that believes in living above the clouds while those on the ground fight to survive. They asked themselves "How can he be so ignorant, yet so full of meaning?"

"Hate it all you want," Sin said, a sharp edge in his voice. "But you are not above me, nor every mortal that lives on this world. You're not a god, nor a dictator. You are a stallion that was gifted with great power, but that does not make you better than anyone in this room. You're still a king that is equal to everyone in this room, because it is not you they depend on, it is us who depends on them."

"Not above you, am I?" the king chuckled slowly and lifted his weapon of choice. The fury erupted from his orbs and aimed at the closest gryphon in the group, a child tightly hugging on his mother. "Well let me correct your thinking!"

Right there in the shambled throne room, surrounded by very perspective ponies, Sin felt a fiery rage explode inside him like a bomb. He actually felt his legs go numb when Solaris lashed at the gryphons. Waves of purple banded the whip, and seeing this kind of magic, his body loosened. He fought back the pain in every muscle and sprinted towards the group, their screams echoing throughout the room. And like those unfortunate prisoners, Era, Celestia and Luna screamed at the top of their hearts out in a unison of defiance.

The injured prince whirled like a dancer, never losing the natural flow of his feet, but rather performed the brutal ballet there with magic guiding him, keeping close to the range of Solaris' strike. Even as the prisoners scrambled in their shackles, the desperate human cut down the strike to his form, using his back to redirect the aim.

"You stupid fool," Solaris yelled, and by a jerk of the handle, his whip struck across Sin's back, driving his wounds deeper. The bellows of agony soared through the holes of the castle and reached the commoners, dropping the moment of peace in the king's hatred. "I will not be talked down to, not by a disgusting ape like you. You will learn to respect me!"

Era and the princesses managed to extract themselves from the shock long enough to charge the alicorn, but Sin's anger followed to them. He shot a glare so deep and dark that it sent shivers down Celestia's spine.

"NO!" he screamed.

Solaris split the panic through the center of Sin's back to nail the meaning of terror and glided the bloody leather back to strike again. He roared at the boy, ignoring, that the diamonds were ripping his flesh. When he struck a seventh time, Sin's emotions flowed like water, striking faster than the whip before he dropped to one knee and looked up to the mother and hatchling he was protecting, an intense heat in his heart and his body pulsating.

The guards finally decided it was too much at the sixteenth lashing and rushed the rotten alicorn, when suddenly, their mistreated prince fought the pain to stand back up and spin to face him. Another pulse, and he was drawing everyone but Solaris' attention, his hand raised fast and precise.

The whip cracked against his hand, but was caught and held impossible for the king to break free. He scowled at his unwanted son, back into the deeper magic behind those eyes, seeking the courage that keeps him awake. He had started the duel of aura with a quick shift, just as he'd done the first time he fought with the boy, but he was not taking anymore chances on getting his reputation tarnished. He was going to show the crowd what godlike power is.

"You want to challenge me, the Alicorn of Time!?" he barked. He pushed the boy's limits further by overpowering him in magic and jerking the whip to bring him close. Sin almost lost his balance and leaned towards the king, but quickly regained his feet and shredded the short burst of magic with his own. This startled Solaris and the rest of his family.

"You still have some fight in you?" he questioned, before smirking in recognition of his son's determination. "Alright, I'll remind you to know your place by blowing your through the wall, WITH THE FULL RELEASE OF MY POWER!"

Releasing without consideration of everyone's safety and watching the size of his aura engulf Sin's from a good distance, Solaris acted a very amused stallion beating a defenseless animal, even laughing when his wife and daughters begged for him to stop hurting Sin. The screams would have reached him if it weren't for his lack of awareness to the world around him. He was too caught up in humiliating the prince and teaching him a good lesson in superiority.

"Do not play with the gods when you know you are no match for them," said the arrogant king, grinning from ear to ear. "You may just end up hurt. . . or dead."

The gray aura whirled to consume the growling human, destroying what little hope the prisoners had, the pressure crashing down on Sin, but he did not fall, nor kneel. He thought about how many innocent lives were hurt by Solaris and then stiffened, his mind focused toward the smiling king, only to be broken by the screech of a hatchling that was hit by the backlash.

The king looked back to see the young gryphon lying on the floor with a large gash across his eye.

"Stupid bird. . ."

Sin's entire body went hot, tension coiling tight. He bent his knees and clenched his fists with hating him. Everything about him was frozen, but feeling it devour him as if it were a treat was the least of his problems.

His eyes were now milked with colors shifting every second and more magic spilled out of his body. Keeping his gaze of Solaris, he shook violently and clenched every muscle. The floor was caved in, destroyed by the overwhelming pressure. He released the whip so that no more of his blood would slip through is, and then surprised everyone. He pushed off the ground and sprinted towards the alicorn at blinding speed to reach up and grab the horn. He still had an uneasy feeling that signaled danger to his well-being—and it was much stronger in the open air—yet he could not find compassion to stay his hand.

Sin began to screech furiously and lashed out with arcs of lightning, each traveling to window so they shattered. His first impulse was to rip Solaris' horn of his head, but something made him continue screeching. His hand retracted from the shocked king, only to tighten while Celestia and Luna approached.

"Has father finally pushed him too far?" Luna asked her older sister, but the surprising result of Solaris' actions was too great for the Solar Princess to answer. She was caught up in the stunning performance of her fiancé losing control.

"What are you—" Solaris tried to speak, but he was interrupted by Sin's fist suddenly connecting to his left cheek. The force knocked him off his hooves, and into a barely standing column. Though the pain was real and enough to make him cringe, he did not show that emotion. Instead, he expressed fear while looking up to the boy.

A chill went down the alicorn's spine. This was a serious, dangerous attack on him. "He was already injured and depleted of magic. He never showed this much power against Sombra or Discord. How is this happening?"

He stood up in time for the human to bullet through the rubble as he lost his sense of reason. The rage crashed into him, into the transparent wall of his psyche, so that a hole appeared first and then brought down the rest, revealing a darker person Solaris had drawn out. Another punch was thrown in rapid succession, sending him through a wall—not that it mattered. He recovered by flying out of the roof to give himself a safe distance before retaliating. The king looked down and went to counter, but he found himself coming face to face with the blindly infuriated human.

The princesses felt their lover's energy gather itself to take another massive burst through his broken form just as he flung himself at the airborne alicorn. Lightning arced into his wounds as he roared at the surprised stallion, and many more managed to travel around the room into anything fragile in a wild attempt to destroy. No one knew it—except for Celestia and Luna—but Sin was manipulating his power through his fury.

Screams rang out as the next blow connected with the top of Solaris' head, knocking off his crown. He fell through the air and burst through the dining hall with his wife quick to react. When he landed on his side, Era was the first to help him up while the young prince floated high above them.

"My word, he is angry." Solaris said to his wife. "What got into him all of a sudden?"

"You finally pushed him over the edge!" Era snapped, before coming to realization that her son was not finished.

Bullets of intense, fiery magic were thrown from Sin's good hand and whined through the air, the sounds reverberating through peace, but Solaris and Era had constructed a shield around themselves. The bullets could not penetrate the safeguard. Unfortunately for both gods, the buffer was only so thick, only keeping them safe until the entire room was thick with dust. Sin was fast to appear through the dust, a surprising prince hovering whilst winging his way towards the frightened alicorns.

Era moved between her husband and son, knowing she was closest thing to him. Most nobles were pouring through the hole to see the roaring human continue his assault.

"Sin—" Era spread her wings, glaring at her child, worriedly. "You need to calm down. You're going to destroy yourself with—"

The remainder of Era's statement was sorely blocked at the last second of Sin's strike, her eyes wide in terror as he closed in. Without warning or second thought, screeching at the top of his lungs, the broken prince tackled both of his adopted parents through the next wall in an attempt to break the king. The walls crumbled and this time part of the ceiling folded over. Along the southern wall, the corner sagged over them.

"He's going to kill father and himself," Luna yelled. "Sister, we have to do something!"

Sin rose fast, rushing the downed stallion to make his mark. Solaris leaned low on his mare's side, looking down at his son, his heart in his throat, watching for the boy to make the wrong move. Sin was already in the air again, crowding the room with his overwhelming aura as it ripped his wounds open. He hovered upright, no idea, an instinct burning his passion and rage.

"Starswirl was no fool when he said you were the answer we've been seeking;" Era said, loud enough for her husband to hear while the boy began to show signs of fatigue. "There is no mistaking what we are seeing, you are the answer."

Sin was to reply with more brutality, but much like an explosion, his magic disappeared and left him on the brink of consciousness. His aura dissipated as quickly as he hovered in front of the king and queen. The sound of his groaning filled Era's mind as she snapped to his descent with lightning-fast reflexes. She caught her child before he could fall and held him closely, listening to his desperate muttering for justice.

She hushed him with a tender voice and disregarded his attack on her and the confused stallion. Given the fact she could not have another foal with Solaris, the relationship she possessed with her only son mattered more than any trial ahead. She felt horrible for siding with her mate out of fear, but there was no greater fear than seeing your own son tear himself apart for the sake of others. Beneath that thick layer of hide, the Queen of Equestria was very afraid for her son's health and their bond.

. . .

"I don't know what happened after that," Sin chuckled, hugging the pink alicorn's side a little tighter than normal, causing for her to blush. "But everyone did stop doubting me. Solaris was still a dick, but he did his thing from a distance. Era, on the other hand, was like Celestia and Luna, always watching me to make sure I did not get out of hand."

The silence of her future coltfirned filled Cadance' mind. Her eyes snapped open. She looked up to the man holding her with both arms now to see she was curled into him, feeling warmer than ever; and it was not the heat of the pond making her so flushed. Thin strands of his long hair, bright from lack of controlling his magic, had wrapped around some hairs within her mane as a living flora. Beneath the connection, both of them were feeling a strange sensation, needing the touch to heal the emotional wounds. Cadance caught glimpses of the calm and peaceful man she grew infatuated with deep inside his milky orbs, green overlay, marred now by a feeling that made her think she travelled the universe through his eyes..

Her hoof moved against arm, the smallest of gestures, a mere brushing of her fur and his fingers, back and forth, betraying nerves.

Immediately the nervous human retreated just before a second kiss could be made and coughed away from her, to allow in logic and his conscience. A strong breeze instantly fanned their soaked bodies, but it did not affect him like the princess. He sat still while she dug deep into his hold for extra warmth. Cadance did not want to admit it, but falling for this man was more than worth the trouble of seeing both sides of him. As strange as Sin might be, it was impossible for her to deny that he had a unique energy she'd felt between Twilight and Flash Sentry, an energy she never felt with Shining Armor.

She pondered that energy and thought to herself the possibility of it being desperation for true love or that the human she watched become a monster was the stallion of her dreams. She was uncertain of herself and the magic that connected their hair. She was scared and confused.

Sin brushed back the hair from her face, removing all residue from her beautiful face, while allowing the heat of his body to engulf her. He wanted her to be comfortable with him, not aware that both were so close in a pond he heated with his scarred body.

"You are right to be afraid of me. I am a monster beneath this mortal form."

Her long lashes lifted and she looked up to him. The moment their eyes met, her heart leapt in her chest. Sin had always been stunningly handsome to the mares, but to call himself a monster. . .

As the Princess of Love watched him grow in disbelief, her true self became more apparent. The strong and confident mare ran in her, giving her ever-changing personality, bright now, with the uncertainty in her eyes now filled with determination.

"The only thing you've done is surprise me," she answered. She turned her snout up into his neck, rubbing like a cat over his skin. "So do not sell yourself short for my sake, because it is not you that I am afraid of."

There was a little hitch in her that caught at him. "If not me, then who?" He lifted her chin with one finger and bent his head to lock eyes with her. "Who could you possibly fear after seeing what I can become?" He looked away, confused and ashamed, to the other side of the pond.

Cadance felt him tremble, the smallest of shivers, and braved a kiss to his cheek to remove all doubt, but he did not pull away from her, rather he turned his face subtly while her next kiss landed on his lips. It was not intended for their lips to connect a second time, but Cadance went without warning of him turning and now she was parting him with some satisfaction.

Her lips curved into a faint smile as the embarrassed human hung his head low to hide his expression. "You have not kissed a mare in a long time, have you?"

"The last time I kissed a mare was the day Luna became Nightmare Moon," Sin assured. "After that, I've spent my entire life in solitude and darkness."

"I see. So if somepony—perhaps a mare that you may know—were to like it and want more. . ."

"I would tell her that I am not the kind of guy to do one night stands. We would have to be dating, and she would have to be alright with the possibility of Luna being my mate once more."

"Just Luna, not Celestia?"

"Celestia did worse to me than Luna did as Nightmare Moon. Luna is easier to forgive, but Celestia has to work harder to be given a second chance."

Cadance laughed, turning her face back up to his throat. Bravely yet childishly, her soft lips brushed over the two scars circling his throat and neck, leaving Sin with a terrible desire for another kiss. Her fur stroked careless caresses there, following the path of those deep cuts. She knew why she'd awakened desperate. For herself. Not for the short flames of passion. She wanted a love of her own, a love that is not fake, but true. She wanted the blushing man in her wing.

Sin slid his hand into his hair, bunching the thick silken strands into his fist as he parted from her. "Thanks for the company, but we better head back to town before everyone wonders if we're dead. Plus I need to talk with Luna about our daughter."

She laughed softly. "We all have our own problems to deal with, but what would you say to date?" Her eyes went back to feathering Sin's backside as he stood up and stopped to look at her. Bewildered by that question, he coughed into his hand while she hopped out of the water.

A rush of heat sent small flames flickering through his veins. Every muscle loosened, became aware of the mare giggling at him. With every second, his mind raced intimately. He caught enticing glimpse of the mare fluttering her eyes, the ensnaring orbs webbing his emotions.

They were bound now by a single chance, fate and time, and even a man as strong-willed as him could not deny there being a little joy for this pony asking him out. He did try to hide his body's reaction, but that made it more arousing to the pink alicorn. She enjoyed Sin's cuteness too much to pretend anymore that she is solely focused on being a single mother.

Sin scratched the back of his head and looked down to the water, his dark green eyes shimmering with ever-changing color. "I haven't been on a date in a millennia. I doubt I could do good on one."

Cadance gave him a smug grin. "You really are like a colt that just asked out his first crush." she teased him. "Sweetie, you're going to experience dating somepony again."

"Did I miss something, or did you and Spitfire switch places?"

She imagined him being a total goof at a nice restaurant, which made it more fun. "I can be a little flirtatious when I want to be, but you will not speak of this when we head back. Now hurry up, because I have a date to schedule."

Sin tilted his head. "Who are you going on a date with?"

"I'm going on a date with you," she said simply, meaning it with a seductive wink. She had her eyes on the human now, and in a way that was beyond friendly.

"When did I agree to that?"

"You never agreed, but I know from your expression that you need to start dating again before you deal with your problems with Celestia and Luna."

"Shit," he sighed.

Chapter IX

The woman glanced around her. The tree towered her, branches swaying and dancing in the wind as she hugged herself, her wings locking around her as warmth. She'd been hobbling around for who knows how long, and not the tiniest sign of civilization had come into her view. No one had come to rescue her. Escaping had been a long shot, her pursuers knew that, but they had her scent. She could continue running in a straight line, knowing it would eventually lead to someone, something, or her own demise. Truthfully, that's what she'd been doing, mile after mile, but wandering as if she was trying to find her way. Several times she took care in listening for the ponies in cloaks, starting out, going a distance and then turning as if certain.

Her legs were throbbing. They had ensured that her brother was with them. They gave their word that he was alright. But how long ago was that?

She wanted a familiar face to appear as no threat to her at all. It would be dark in a few hours and there was no telling what could have caught her trail. She followed the sound of a explosions and screaming until the forest was completely silent, struggling over the uneven ground and exposed twigs piercing her frozen feet. Some animals scurried in the falling snow, some rushing for the shelter of brush and leaves in an effort to avoid her, while others, maybe predators, waited to strike her down.

Twice she thought she a pink horse flying to her left. Intellectually she knew that could not be possible, but she told herself there was no logic, searching for someone by the name of 'Sin.' That would be the best chance she has to find help. Her heart seemed to throb a little when she thought of that flying creature being the lead to a town or a home that is welcoming. She had watched her own people destroy one another for years, so selfishly, and uncaring to the consequences that destroyed them.

But how long did she sleep in that green pool, and how many years had gone by since the explosion?

She made her way to the voices in the distance and found a large opening that was to a meadow. It was the best thing to the first sign of freedom as she fought the blistering pain in her feet, making her way down a small slope.

"Please. . ." she whimpered, tears freezing to her flushed cheeks. Adrenaline began to pump through her veins like a violent river. "Please—for the love of god—be a way out."

The moment she tossed aside all worry and rushed the hole in the trees to see if someone was there, she knew she was not alone. A rustling sound came from behind and three figures jumped out. A chill went down her spine and she lifted her head and carefully looked back. No. . .NO!

She made certain that her scream to opening had a clear shot so that no one could discern it—that is to say if there was a single soul around. Sprinting, she let her gaze move from pony to pony, a woman lost and alone and terrified there in the brink of her potential freedom. Unfortunately, the situation was all too dire for her pursuers.

"We can't let her get to Ponyville."

"Isn't the target residing there now?"

"Yes, but it is too soon for his capture. His lordship wants to fully evolve her powers before the attack."

"Then we have no choice but to use force!"

Connection? Which was strange, because according to the documents she found, there was one other human they've failed to apprehend over the months of her unwilling experiments. She wasn't even a special being—she was human—and yet she knew with certainty of the new wings that something inside her was desired by him. The only explanation could be that the human in the folders had passed so much information that she was tuned to the facts.

Maybe it was the similarity in their eyes. Maybe it was the sense of familiarity she got with seeing his picture. Or more. Was there more? In the beginning her imagination was getting the better of her. The cloaked figures had magic and they would use it. She just had to get out of the forest.

She somehow unfolded her wings and closed them up, gaining better balance and speed, her feathers dried with blood as her feet bleed, bruised and swollen and hurting. A normal man would be foolish enough to fight those monsters, but would never know when to pick their battles. The poor soul could feel those hollow eyes burning through her as she ran. Her heart began to pound harder than ever and her mouth went dry.

She knew terror. Terror beyond any gory movie, and right now, she to get away from it. She was no longer chained to a wall to be abused physically or mentally or spiritually. She was alone with no one to help her. Without family. Without friends. With the notes she found in his desk, the blonde runner had what she needed for clues. She needed to find this man. She needed him to give answers. She took several deep breaths, fighting off the need to stop and rip every twig that is stuck to her wounds. Her body shivered continuously from pain and the cold, and there seemed little she could do to save herself.

As a child she had retreated to a sanctuary in her mind where no one could harm her. She no longer had that luxury, no matter hard she tried to find reason to be happy. That monster took her happiness away and replaced it with fear. Said fear was too great and the ponies behind her felt it. They fed on it. No. . . Thrived.

"Help!" she screamed and then waited for a response. There was not a sound to be heard, other than snow crunching beneath her bloody feet and their hooves. She tried again. "HEEELLP!"

A Few Minutes Prior

A hush snapped and Sin spun to his right to see a tall, broad stallion rushing his son into the house before locking the door. He had to be as frightened as the other ponies with that easy fluid grace and absolute silence from the man reminding him of the cold stare he had with Discord. Sin's eyes were the color of blood with a glittering, piercing, extremely focused state that seemed to look right through Celestia. His mouth went a little dry. He was not as rough-looking when Discord put him in his place—and maybe tougher than he appeared. Clearly he'd done some thinking.

Cadance wore a long cloak he summoned with a snap of his finger to cover her from horn to hoof, but flared out with gryphon symbols and a large emblem on the back, giving her a more dominant look than most would see. Celestia and Luna were the only ponies to see the cloak was tightly woven and ancient with various enchantments protecting it and the Princess of Love from the cold. Sin's physical wounds had already disappeared, but the real stab to his chest was the pride he carried. His chest was thick with the same scars and rippling with breaths heavier than most. His hands were firmly pressed in his pant's pockets, but he would bet his life the two sisters him already figured out. When he hid behind his hair and coughed, Luna caught the tightening of his jaw from the wind blowing harshly for a second.

She tried to pity him, clutching his sheathed sword like it was her lifeline until her eyes rested on the worried Draconequus next to Fluttershy. She held onto the sudden revelation of their daughter being alive as Sin's reason for giving her enough of his time to explain herself—and, maybe, give her another chance.

Sin loosened the curl of Cadance' wing from his arm as if to show he did not need her to support him. He kept some dignity trudging through the town to have all eyes on him. Whether the ponies were angry or afraid, he was not going to run away from the terror he created out of spite and hatred. He had many reasons to destroy the Spirit of Chaos, but none of them were good enough to use a peaceful town as his battlefield. He was just appointed Town Guard, and here he was the monster. He could not be more ashamed of himself than ever.

"I came across this during your tirade with Discord. You forgot to sheathe it." Luna handed the quiet man his sword before taking his left side for herself, something she missed more almost as much as moving the moon. Almost. She could not help nuzzling him while her sister approached. "I am glad to see that you are unharmed, my love."

"Please," Sin scoffed, startling the group as he locked eyes with Discord. "It's going to take more than forbidden magic to beat me. Besides, I was just holding back. If I had released the first stage of my power, he would be in for the fight of his life."

Discord crossed his arms together as if wondering if he could trust that statement or not. "I seem to recall knocking you on your butt more than once." He spoke in a stern tone, although he could just speak calmly. "I was suppressing my power to make sure I did not injure or kill you."

"You wanna bet on that!?" Sin snapped, moving a closer to him, his hands smoldering with fire and electricity. "Let's go all-out and see who is better right now. I've been dying to kick your ass for a long time!"

"You're still a foal compared to me."

"Says the most childish ass in the entire world!"

Celestia had enough of this squandering. She stomped the ground in a reflex action to get their attention. It seemed a little silly since she was certain their fighting would not happen with some conscience in both of their heads, but still, she could not take that chance.

She raised her voice, switching to the stern mare everyone fears. "You two will cease this squabbling immediately!" She barked, successful in drawing their attention. Unfortunately for Sin, she turned her gaze on him. "It has been over a millennia since we last saw you, and here you are, picking fights and destroying part of the town in the process of abating your anger towards Discord. Have you no shame in your actions?"

Sin's expression darkened. "I don't know, princess. Perhaps you can tell me since you're rather good at having your actions fuck up everything. For example, my entire life."

Celestia was struck hard by those words and failed to manage herself; even the cold and stern glare she wore was melted by the guilt she suddenly felt. She hardly looked at the spiteful man now. "After all these years you still hate me."

"I do not hate you. If I did, then we would not still be connected," Sin told her whilst pointing at the cutie marks on his chest, scars and burn marks making it more sickening than a relief for the princesses to know he still loves them. "I'm still pissed at you for banishing our child and banishing me after you used the Elements of Harmony on Luna."

Celestia sank down to her haunches, allowing her wings to naturally fall and brush down the snow as if she was still unsteady and unable to stay strong. The need to scold her mate for his recklessness was dead but she was well versed in listening to his every word. The guilt deepened and the feeling was cold and heavy.

"You were half at fault for what our son had become; did you really think that by spending so little time with our foal would not have consequences?" Her pain was strong. Perhaps it was stronger than banishing her sister. She wasn't so sure, not in the midst of her emotions running rampant. "You saw what became of our son and knew that it was too late to save him; not even the Elements of Harmony could save Cinder from his hatred."

"Cinder?" Twilight questioned, staring back and forth at the two. "Who is Cinder?"

"Celestia and I's son," the girls gasped deeply. Sin had held his glare on the Solar Princess for a moment before sparing his gaze towards the purple alicorn next to Cadance. "Cinder Soul was the first pony in the Del Sol family to be half alicorn and half human. He was believed to be a bastard foal until Solaris saw the resemblance in our eyes. Celestia and I. . ." he paused for a few seconds, shamed by the past they made. "We were teenagers and already having a foal. We we're not even engaged yet."

Celestia smile this, this time more naturally. "Still, neither of us cared at the time. I was in heat and you were ready for the next step."

Sin crossed his arms and exasperated. "Yeah, because I was certain that we could not have a baby. Human's and ponies do not breed offspring on my world. But look where my stupidity and your ignorance got us—parenthood at seventeen years old and facing the wrath of your father. Now we're both terrible parents."

"I faced his wrath, while you just ignored him."

"That's because you cared what he thought. I, on the other hand, did not give a shit."

Celestia glared. "And it's because of you not caring what father thought that he kept you from Cinder and I over the years. If you had taken the time to understand him, just a little bit, we would not have lost our son to dark magic."

"That is Solaris' fault. Not mine." Sin countered, ignoring Twilight as she stepped between them to settle their argument. "I told you having your dad teach our son both sides of magic was a dumb idea, but you still went behind my back and agreed with your parents."

"I was thinking about what was best for him!"

"So was I, but I thought about his safety first. I knew dark magic would corrupt him, just like it did with Luna." Sin exasperated, throwing his hands in the air in defeat. "Jesus, why am I arguing with you about this now? I should be ignoring you!"

"Because you love me," she reminded him, although it was not the best thing to say. "And you cannot stand losing to me in an argument. No matter how meaningless the conversation is, you have poor impulse that drives you to argue until you win."

Sin chuckled in a dark voice and grew a sinister smile. "Oh ho ho ho, we're going to talk about our problems, are we?" he asked in a serious tone, his eyes flaring with every ounce of his rage towards the past. "Well it's my turn, and I think I'll remind you of your inability to get facts before making stupid decisions. After all, it was you who banished me BEFORE GETTING THE FACTS!"

"I was twenty-two years old. I was young and ignorant."

"But you were old enough to have me sent away."

"I cried for months after finding out you were innocent. I did everything I could to have you brought back to me."

"Well you failed, my love," he chastised, mocking the upset mare to the point of tears. "Because look at me. I'm a mentally and physically tarnished man who had more horse dick forced in his ass and mouth than the average prostitute. My body is ravaged with years of torture and horror. And I have two gods sealed inside me." He gave her a thumbs up. "Yeah, great job in having me retrieved. Your searching skills are not to be questioned."

"Fuck you!"

"Oh, so Tia does remember my language. Well sorry sweetheart, I'm not in the mood of fucking a traitorous, hormonal bitch like you!"

"That is enough from you both!" Twilight said in a sharp tone, drawing the attention from both past lovers who were panting from all their ranting. "With all due respect, Princess and Mister Firestorm, we have bigger problems to deal with." She pointed at the destroyed sections of Ponyville. "Part of the town is damaged and ponies are afraid to step outside of their houses after what happened."

"Send me a bill. I'll pay for all of the damages." Sin demanded, though in a very disrespectful tone.

Celestia and Luna laughed, suddenly amused and relaxing. The tension eased completely from their bodies and they sank down in a patch of dead grass while the group bathed them in confused looks.

"What the hell is so funny?" Sin asked harshly. "Do I have something in my teeth or my hair?"

"No, we're just happy to see that you're still so energetic." Luna answered, and then turned to her purple friend. "And 'mister' is the wrong term, Princess Twilight."

"Prince Firestorm is the more accurate term," Celestia clarified, specifically to her distraught human who was giving her a suspicious look. She and Luna shared mischievous looks as he furrowed his brow. "What," she giggled. "Did you really expect Starswirl to sit back and watch Solaris burn your adoption papers. You are still royalty because of him."

Luna giggled in her hoof. "He was so desperate to repay his debt to you for saving his laboratory that he forged another set of documents for father to burn."

As angry as Sin was at his Tia and Lulu, he could not help expressing some shock for the deceased unicorn.

"Son of a bitch," he said lightly, almost smiling. "That old fart did have some balls. I always thought he was a nut-less wonder."

The girls were quick to regain their composure. Still, none of them thought or had the slightest hint of their violent newcomer having a connection to the princesses, let alone relation to them. Twilight saw new history in their eyes and knew she'd been given the opportunity to acquire some very juice information. Muttering silently to herself, she idly summonsed a pencil and some paper and began writing down everything she heard. However, Sin quickly recovered from the shock and glared at both mares who were eager on the inside to see if he was happy to still part of their family.

Unfortunately. . .

"Banished, remember. . ." Sin reminded before turning away, collecting his thoughts and emotions as the faintest sound of someone yelling sailed across the sky. "Besides, I have no desire to be a prince in your clusterfuck of a family. I'm quite content being who I am."

Luna tilted her head, her face clearly contorted disgust of such an insult. "Which is. . ."

"Millionaire, Swordsman, Teacher, and most of all. . . Retired General."

Celestia was little taken back by his accomplishments. "Retired General?" especially that one.

Discord grinned at the man. "You forgot to add 'angry boy with tendencies to violence' to your list."

"No one asked for your opinion, you colorful fuck!" Sin approached the Spirit of Chaos before anyone could say anything else. "Do us all a favor and keep your fucking mouth shut. It's already bad enough that I have to look at you and hear from everyone that you are 'supposedly' reformed."

Discord frowned and nodded. "You really want to kill me, don't you?"

"You're damn right I do," Sin snapped so quickly it scared the girls. Celestia and Luna were not surprised by his behavior, but the tears were quite a shock. The last time they saw their mate cry was when he became a father. "I lost everything because of you and Solaris. I lost the only friend I had and the one chance to return to Earth. Starswirl had the portal ready until you destroyed the spell. I lost the only chance to see my family again. AND I MISS MY FAMILY!"

Sin set the silence again, a steady, but horrifying silence, Cadance and Spitfire pitying the man while Celestia and Luna looked away with guilt. Sin tried not to think about what he'd lost that day. If Discord had not intervened when he was set free, he would be back on Earth. He knew that with certainty, but that meant giving up on the two mares who dumped him for false accusations from their father.

Cadance and Spitfire sat down directly behind the Sin in the only patch of grass that was visible. Without saying a word, they veered away from the fear and worry of what he might be and comforted him, moving fast, doing what they can to help defuse the situation.

At first, Twilight was certain the man was going to snap and attempt killing Discord a second time. The rage in his eyes seemed to show that. Her heart accelerated and she felt compelled to apprehend him before having her own teacher stay her approach.

Ordinarily, it would be wise to arrest the human and have him locked away for questioning of his strange power, but her irritated teacher sliced through the conflict and worry like a sharp knife. Like everyone around, she pulled from the fact of Sin being a potential danger to Ponyville, drawn into the sudden apprehension her friends felt when Celestia stepped forward.

"Sin, are you really that adamant of destroying Discord?" she asked plainly. It was not within a second that his gaze met hers with enough hatred to burn a house down.

"Yes I am, I want his fucking head on a silver platter!"

"Well let me tell you this, and you'd better take it to heart." Celestia coughed to clear her throat, and turned her eyes to the cowering Fluttershy that was beyond frightened for the Draconequus. "If you were to kill him, then you would be imprisoned forever."

"Like I give a shit," he spat. "Better alone in a cell than stuck in this fucked up world with you and your sister!"

"I'm not finished," she raised her hoof to silence him. "You would be imprisoned, and you would have to answer to his foal."

If there was ever something that could strip the man of his voice, it was that. Nothing, not even the betrayal of his former king and comrades stayed his tongue. He witnessed countless horrors and unspeakable twists in life that would make the best of psychiatrists cringe or quit their job. But hearing those words did the impossible, and it surprised Celestia a little. She would not express it though.

Sin was not oblivious to her statement. He knew damn well what she meant and took it as a scary revelation. "You can't be serious. . ."

"I'm very serious," she pointed at the Element of Kindness. "She is his wife and to be the mother of his foal."

"We found out last month, before the blizzard came." Fluttershy whispered.

Sin and Fluttershy exchanged a long glance. His heart began to pound with disbelief. He would this an eccentric moment among everything. More than anything, he would be joyous and congratulate her with a gift fit for a noble, but this was the one mare in the entire world that could love the Spirit of Chaos. The friend that became his enemy. His bane. His reason to hate. Such news did not surprise the girls. They already knew from the way she had been acting and the small growth to her belly.

The shock muted his rage and filled his mind with confusion. Sin's eyes snapped towards the smiling Draconequus. He appeared as though someone just stole his favorite toy and crushed it. Celestia and Luna approached and sided with him, comforting him. His eyes, bright in color, had lost their ocean of anger and became dull as Discord turned his attention to Fluttershy. Above the various thoughts drowning Sin, someone's voice pitched to everyone and echoed. This drew the girls away from the stunned man.

"What was that?" Spitfire asked, her wings sprung for action. She even felt her body warm up from the adrenaline.

Breaking from his focus on the pregnant mare, Sin frowned at the mysterious screech. "Whatever it is, I am not the cause of it." Everyone turned towards him with suspicious looks. This made him very defensive. "Hey, I may be destructive and methodical—and possibly a little insane—but I protect the weak and innocent."

"You attacked Discord, and he is innocent." Luna said with a smirk, receiving a bemused look from her mate.

"Blow me," he gave her the middle finger.

"In your dreams or in bed?" she cooed seductively.

"Oh shut up."

At this moment, the snowy meadows were no longer blank. Pressing snow, no matter how painful, into her wounds couldn't possibly compare to the fear. Still, she as her instincts instructed and so did Sin. She screamed at the top of her lungs towards the town before losing her balance and crashing into the unforgiving ground.

"GET AWAY FROM ME!"

In the middle of the group, Twilight and the others had gone on the defensive, startled by the intense pressure radiating from Sin. Sensing the many layers of fear coming from this stranger, he tore past his grudge towards Discord. He bit at it, fell deep into the abyss of his mentality, and even demanded for power. The barrier held though, so he climbed from his pride and anger surrounding the peace he needs to be in control. Most of the time he would drop in defeat and wait for his occupants to help him, but this was a serious matter of somepony being in danger.

Little did he know that the 'somepony' was a 'someone'.

"I SAID GET AWAY FROM ME!"

Apprehend the girl now," a male voice barked, the owner coming over the top of the hill with his comrades giving chase. "If she gets to Sin Firestorm, all our research will be for nothing."

The woman stepped onto a sharp rock and felt her ankle extended to the right, her screams of agony like music to her pursuers. A large crack echoed from her leg to her mind as she fell again. Her back was covered with scars and tattoo marks. The two younger ponies stared at her with lifeless eyes as she crawled towards the first sign of civilization. Neither said a word. Neither moved, not even when the man coming to her rescue pushed his speed with magic.

"She has broken a leg," the second male announced, gazing at the bone poking through for freedom. "It appears that she lost her footing and twisted the bone."

"We'll have to wait for it to heal before conducting our next test." his ally added in a deeply feminine voice. She reached into her cloak and removed a small, metallic box and opened it. Inside it were syringes with three distinguished vials of highly potent narcotics, each having a higher level of medication than the other. "I will sedate her before we head back."

"I don't think so." The sound of his voice caught them off guard. They were not ready for the man approaching at full speed with his sword still sheathed.

At first, the woman was certain the man running towards her was just an illusion, until her moment of desperation seemed to become his. He heart accelerated and she felt her body go numb after both mysterious figures were blown away by his weapon. She wasn't able to see how fast he was, but with what little energy left in her body, it seemed that her pursuers were knocked back by the hilt and sheath.

Suddenly, she felt the shift of her body, two hands turning her over before she was lifted to sit against his chest. This touch was more misleading than her disbelief of the wings on her back. She leaned closer to the man and then she would have, obviously to make certain he was truly real, but now he was in full shock, giving the three ponies the opportunity to make better time in completing their goal.

Seeing this happen, the leader bid his comrades to remain hidden.

Sin moved her hair from her face and gasped. No, not a pony. This creature was a human. And she was no ordinary human, she was family to him. More family than the ponies who tossed him away, and she smiled at him.

"Jonathan. . ." she whispered.

A short breath was all she could muster before passing out in his arms. Drawing several deep breaths, Sin continued to hold the woman. Twice, he shook her to see if she would open her eyes, but her mind was more damaged than her body. At least her breathing did not completely stop. Both times, he caught a small glimpse of nostalgia.

Then he felt her everything. He felt the woman's essence being her own. He hadn't prepared for that either. Nothing could have prepared him. He was still uncertain of her being real or a fake made by some sick bastard.

"Elizabeth. . ." her skin felt so cold to his palm. Her face was so ravaged with pain, he wanted to cry. There was blood all over her and dark circles under her eyes. Her figure was suffering malnourishment, her cheeks almost as hollow as her stomach. Clearly she had been reduced for the pleasure of another. They hadn't cared whether or not she had starved for weeks or bled in hundreds of places across her broken body.

He realized her life was in peril, and every ounce of his experience as a parent came flooding through his body. "Hey, don't fall asleep on me. If you are her, then you need to stay awake." His words were meaningless to the unconscious girl, but he was not going to accept this. He proceeded to shake her. "Come on Elizabeth. Look at me. Look at your brother. Look at your big brother!"

Elizabeth did not make a sound or the smallest movement. Not even a twitch was seen or felt as he grasped her shoulders. Sin wanted to drop to his knees, cover her face and sob. How could one living being do such heinous things to another? To his family? How much would you have to be evil? Shaken, he threw aside his fear of her being a fake and pressed his lips to against hers to keep her life strong. A completely taboo method of transferring magic into someone, but he was extremely desperate to keep her alive. It was more than just wanting to keep her alive, he was needing to give her some of his magic to not lose himself to another painful loss.

He pulled away, ethereal strings of black and white magic slithering into her mouth. "You're going to be alright sis," Tiny beads of sweat dropped and dotted her forehead and ran down her face. He stayed as still as possible to direct the magic he transferred to her organs, but the pain had been excruciating, even with the power of two alicorns traveling through his body.

"Elizabeth." His voice wobbled. He choked on the lump in his throat. Through the transfer, Sin concluded by the feeling of her remaining energy that she was not a fake. He realized his sister was really here, yet he hadn't managed to believe—this.

He did not move or give his attention to the cloaked ponies carefully watching him. He kept his eyes on her. His forehead touching hers. But he felt her life absorbing his magic.

"Sin Firestorm." The leader whispered, and then removed a white crystal from his cloak. He did not tell it to do anything, just simply let it go and watch the credentials appear in a large image from the light that beamed at the tip. He knew it would not be easy retrieving his test subject or defeating the immortal.

Digging deep into the information, he commanded the crystal to scan the man in front of him, keeping his voice low and called on the important facts.

"Subject thirty-nine of Aether's Research," he began, searching through the history. "Retired Gryphonian General. Banished Prince of the Del Sol Family. Master Swordsman and seven time war hero for three countries. His only known weakness being a strange overheat from too much magic building in his body."

"What is his magic discharge?" the second male asked. "Surely he has grown stronger, I presume."

The leader nodded. "It says that his last reading was taken by King Talon, which was fifteen years ago. Three hundred thousand is the suppression state of his magic discharge."

"And now?"

"In his emotional conflict right now, eight hundred and seventy-two thousand." He looked down at the man in disbelief and dispelled the white crystal, returning it to the pocket in his cloak. "That cannot be correct. That's one-third of our lord's discharge level."

"Regardless, Yarai—" the female adjusted her cloak to take a predatory stance, "the three of us are more than capable of apprehending him, so let us be done with this goose chase and return with them both."

"No, not now Claro." Yarai stuck his hoof in front of the mare, pushing her back. "We will run too high of a risk with the princesses approaching already. Remember that Celestia and Luna are still in love with him, and that would hinder any attack if we show ourselves. For now, let us keep a safe distance and observe the girl's growth."

Sin sank down on his knees, trying not to sob. He had no idea how Elizabeth could be in Equestria, and with wings, but there was no real explanation for his arrival either. She lay as if struggling to breathe, her eyes sunk and receding when sunlight beamed through the clouds and touched them, yet there was still no sign of her waking up. Not her spirit. Not the screaming banshee that scolds him for every stupid thing he does. Sin ignored Celestia and Luna descending to his side, eyes wide and mouths gaping as they met the slumbering girl bleeding in his arms.

Luna dragged her hoof under the girl's hair to see her face properly. "Another human?"

"She's not going to live through her injuries," Sin looked up to her, tears dripping from the corner of his eyes. "But she is real. She really is the sister I told you both I have."

Celestia gazed from the girl to her mate, her eyes swimming with a mad desire to help him save the poor soul. Even that was recognized by Sin, and he had to commend her for it, maybe forgive a little.

She nuzzled Sin's grief-stricken face and then down at the girl's forehead. "She has wings, but feels so cold," she pointed out, as if it were news. She realized said wings were fully developed but also damaged, feathers broken or missing and joints bulging in the wrong places. Of course she knew the cause of it. The poor dear had been tortured. The monsters that did this would surely pay.

Sin ran his arms under Elizabeth, scooping her up carefully while Rose Spark approached, curious and worried that she may have been too judgmental of her adopted father. "I can't believe that you're really here, sis. I have missed you so much." He whispered, kissing the top of her head.

"She's beaten all over," Cadance pointed out, tears welling up in her eyes from seeing her human cry. "Who would do such a thing to. . ." She broke off and shook her head, remembering what it was like to be beaten. "This is so wrong. This is cruel and pure evil. Why would anypony want to hurt your sister?"

Sin hugged his sister firmly. "I don't know why someone would do this," he looked back to the top of the hill and watched his stalkers back away as the blizzard gave them more cover. By the time he blinked his fury, they were gone. He scowled at where they once were, powerful hatred radiating from his eyes. "But I have feeling it was more than one. And when I find out who did this to my sister, even the devil himself will be afraid for them."

It had been absolute in those words Celestia and Luna believed that Sin would reign hell upon the monsters, even as the god they saw him become throughout his fight with Discord. It had been frightening watching the one they love turn into a monstrous deity, hell-bent on destroying Discord. Now it was terrifying to see behind his human eyes a demon or a god made of his own rage and hatred, the flicker of light and darkness in his soul drawing the attention of both mares as he walked past them, making his way back home. It was more frightening to see said eyes change color.

Sin drew back to look over his shoulder the two sisters. "Don't expect me to be soft because of my sister mysteriously appearing. You're both still on my shit list and will be till you earn my forgiveness, so I suggest you get to work if you want your 'Sinny' back."

"May we walk back with you and help with your sister?" Celestia gave him a feint smile. "With our magic combined we could heal most of her wounds."

Sin shook his head and continued walking. "No, I want to be alone. Besides, I don't trust you or Luna with helping me treat Elizabeth. Just go home and come back in a few days. By then I will be in a better mood."

Celestia and Luna looked at one another, crossing a confused look before looking back at their mate with hurt looks. "Well, just know that we still love you." Luna told him.

"It's going to take much more than undying love to win me back," Sin confessed, never breaking stride towards his house. ". . .Much more.

Chapter X

Something has gone wrong. We don't seem to have an archived copy of that chapter.

XI

To see the man she betrayed still alive brought joy to her heart, a joy she believed to be as dead as her belief in him. His anger and distrust was understandable, but like a knife it tore her chest open. And Cadance's confession to kissing the man did worse. Still, the pain was bearable, she had no right to be upset for Sin finding another mare, but she wanted to be chosen. It hurt her in so many ways to embrace the fact that the man she loved, the father of her filly, was no longer set on just two mares.

Nevertheless, Luna gained everything she could hope for when her eyes set on the man for the first time in a millennia. With him back in the picture, back in her life, she was herself again. With desire, lust, love. . .insecurity and obsession.

Silent like her night, the concerned alicorn watched closely on her busy mate while Cadance returned from upstairs after putting Skyla and Rose Spark down for a nap. With the stress and drama from today, they certainly needed it.

"Girls are down," Cadance told the immortal as she approached him from behind. She spread a wind across his waist and leaned on his side whilst staring at his work. What she didn't realize was Luna had a deep disposition towards that.

"What are you making?"

The aroma of spices and vegetables pumped in Sin's nostrils as he expended a little magic through his hands and eyes. At least he was doing it right if he could cut vegetables without having to slow down.

"An old recipe for stew," he answered in a bland tone, returning the alicorns sudden nuzzling with quick stroke to her neck. "Hope you aren't allergic to anything."

Cadance glanced at the boiling white substance inside the large pot and raised an eyebrow.

"Does it have onion, because I am allergic to it ." she smiled apologetically up to the man. "I break out in hives."

She could almost hear the annoyance in his voice.

"Okay, so no onion in the stew."

Cadance, in spite of the slight agitation from this man, couldn't help warm giggling of amusement at his childish behavior. He was in desperate need of manners, but so she knew he was under-minded. She loved the freedom of his emotions and adored everything about him.

Although he was not in good grace, she was happy of his lack of subtlety and tenacity, in spite of the fact that he was a little dramatic and hot-headed. She didn't have much trust in him, but, nevertheless, she wanted to be near him. Still it made her curious. . . how could he feel negative about her allergy when it's minor?

She assumed the most logical idea and held him close.

"You're very stressed, aren't you?"

He was silent and his hands froze on the carrots he was about to drop in the pot. He was an immortal, a godly being in most eyes but his first problem—his everyday problem—was his stress. Discord's return was the starting point, and to know that his sister had been put in the same experiments was far worse to him than the seemingly endless gush of regret and guilt he had right now.

"You have no idea how stressed I am. Discord, my sister, and then Luna and Celestia—I may just have a stroke."

There was a moment of the pink pony taking him away from the stove with a small tug of his arm. It made his heart skip. Had he spent too long trying to be human to try having a relationship? Was he really worth the trouble? Even though he knew Cadance was brining him closer, the idea of being with her gave him doubt.

He was aware that he couldn't push away the kind alicorn the way he had done it with so many females during his travels. He'd been of the cold-hearted man, and so, every part she touched had warmed through him. She soothed the terrible feeling of inadequacy.

"You need to take a break relax."

He wanted to say no, but this time she had him. This time she added a new feeling in order to lessen the pain of the day for him. He'd been so exhausted and he'd just been left the responsibility of helping his only family. He'd been subconscious for the remainder of the day, but he'd had plenty of time to think about how he was going to fix it.

"Cadance, I need to—"

"Relax your shoulders," she whispered, his body responding as he found a comfortable position on the couch, almost resting on Luna's side when she scooted closer. "Take calm breaths and stop thinking about what is happening around you. Otherwise, you'll burn yourself out."

The massage to his shoulders was responded with acceptance, and he was powerless as she sat on his back, as if some form of medicine cured his problems. He was elated.

"Luna, massage his head." Cadance requested.

The pain in Luna's eyes disappeared. At least she was not acting out when her fellow princess worked on his sides, feeling every muscle loosen. The room was very quiet, the fall of snow calming and beautiful. Sin could almost hear the whisper in every snowflake descending upon his windows.

Luna followed the motion of Cadance's hooves, directly to the back Sin's head. The motion was stretched long and soothing, but it wasn't enough. Joy swept through her when he moaned delightfully to her touch. She wouldn't have to hold fear over the horrendous distance of their relationship in order to win him back.

"I haven't felt like this in ages."

The moans of his voice took Luna's breath as she connected partially with him. She had thought herself prepared for his mind—after all, she knew what to expect inside his memories—but there was no real way to brace the agonizing memories so clearly until one touched her. She let it burn through her in an effort to understand the man he was now.

. . .

Luna was totally lost in the refraction of Sin's past. She had made it to a dark recalling in one blink of her eyes, but the scene had seriously depleted her emotions.

Sin had been standing with a tremendous amount of blood staining his body, which in turn had been his and left him weakened. Luna would have to be careful not take this memory further than it would go, but she could not be so close to the past-self of her mate and not try to the worst of those silver threads weaving her with the memory. She'd listened all of what was said to the past speaking with the conscience as fire and destruction erupted around them. It was clear to Luna that she was seeing a burning city.

So you're just going to walk away and let everyone die, Luna looked to the cracked glass reflecting Sin. It was talking to him. You're going to run away because you failed.

"I gave everything I had," Sin replied grimly, wiping blood from his right eye. "I fought as hard as I could and used all my tricks. What is there left to do?"

Win or die trying, the reflection snapped furiously. You have to go back. You made a promise. You have to win.

Sin clenched his fists and gave the reflection his anger. "I used all I had to win and I still lost. I'm not strong enough!"

Bullshit. You haven't begun to fight. You're just afraid.

"I can't beat those dragons. They're bigger, they're stronger and they're smarter." He looked away, too ashamed to face the truth of his weakness. "They are gods, and I'm just a human."

No you're not! his reflection snapped, pointing at his chest. A human doesn't have godlike power. A human can't use magic. A human cannot transform into an alicorn.

"But—"

But nothing—humanity is what fuels you, the power of two alicorns burns inside you, and those two halves will make you win. It's what your mate would have wanted!

There was an eerie silence with Luna understanding what that meant. She watched as Sin looked up to the moon in his deepest thoughts, and then heard what she'd thought to be impossible; for her to be his motivation.

"It's what Luna would want," Sin said to himself, remembering why he was fighting. "Time to show those assholes what it means to be human."

. . .

The separation came unexpectedly and tore the mare from her connection. She shrank down into reality and her human as the exhaustion took over. She fell into the wings bursting out of his shoulders, surprised but so grateful to have the appendages catch her and a man who loved her enough to put his anger aside for her to not fall weakly. Inside her, she could feel Sin begin to shiver when his magic flowed into her.

"A little tired from seeing what I had you in?" Sin chuckled, shocking the mare as she shivered. She felt so cold from the frail emptiness of his memories. "Perhaps you should work on your powers a little before I let you inside."

"You let me inside your mind. Why would you do that now?" she'd asked him.

"To show you the biggest secret behind my power."

"You have the power to change into an alicorn," she stated, and he nodded, sadly as Cadance cocked an eyebrow. "You really can, just like father prophesized."

"Yes, but that doesn't absolve you from what you did to me. It almost killed me to change into that thing when I was at war with the dragons. Essentially, I destroy myself by using my body constantly to try to suppress the power and it works its way deeper."

That made her furious. How could this man sentence himself to such a torturous life and then go about his day with that tremendous power fighting for freedom?

"I'm not sure if I should hit punch you in the face or in your testicles, Sin. Why do that to yourself when you know it will one day, break free or end your life?"

She didn't wait for hi reply. She sat up pushed him down, and rested his body as she would when they were teenagers. The wings he'd used to hold her were closed off by her own. No new magic from Sin poured into her, but the amount she'd felt had made her stronger than she had felt in her entire life. She knew not what to do about his problem, but she knew what to do as his mare. Calling on old memories, she again used her charm to push his decision.

"You're hurting yourself by suppressing that power, and it's going to kill you if you don't stop." she said angrily, her beautiful blue eyes had grown hot as they stared fearfully into his. Begging at him. "Please stop inflicting yourself with pain. I suffer enough with seeing how damaged you are."

"Would somepony mind telling me what is going on?" Cadance pulled Luna off of him. She knew if Luna was this worked-up that something was very wrong. It concerned her a great as she looked to Sin for an answer.

Luna responded with anger. "I saw into a memory of his and discovered that he can transform into an alicorn," she took a deep breath while Cadance gasped. "But he's suppressing the magic that makes him change. He's letting it build-up and damage him on the inside."

There was silence. Sin found himself cornered by his new marefriend and old mate, backed into the couch as Luna had slung her wings around him. He stared up at the hurt alicorn. The tears gently fell and moved across his cheeks, setting in his hair while he realized his stupidity for cluing her in. He had remembered the paranoia of this mare as the pain rustled between him and her.

And it happened. . .

The feel of her lips on his. She was warm, and her fur lay over him. Somehow, even in his tired state and state of mind, Luna had managed to crawl into his heart.

He had known this moment would come, just later than sooner, he wanted. He had hoped it would come much later; preferably after he got to meet his daughter for the first time. Pressing his lips together he nodded, even though he did not have to give her any leeway to their broken relationship.

"Sin." In spite of the hurt in her voice, Luna was ready. She'd only needed to speak her mind. "Come back with me to Canterlot. Let me help you and your sibling. You have no reason to trust me, but I want to help."

"There is nothing you can do to help me." He infused anger into his voice. He believed he could not be rescued or saved when the power inside him was already rooted to his very soul. He would know. He had tried the worst methods possible.

"Oh, Sin," Luna said, biting her lower lip as she watched the erosion of his magic instantly regrow his hair. "Who did this to you?"

Sin took the question to heart, glaring at Luna. "If I knew I would tell you, but all I remember is getting freed by your mother and killing every scientist and guard that had their way with my body."

Sin gently thrust a hand to Luna's chest and pushed her off. He recognized with that touch the feeling of helplessness coming from her. His stomach knotted even more. He closed his eyes, wanting to wake up to his home in Griffonia, where he was rocking Feather Heart's daughter in his arms. Whether he was still a general or a nobody did not matter to him. He just wanted his life to be normal again. But he knew that was not the case. He knew, before he heard Luna cry, he would have to give her more of his healing than his pain.

When he opened his eyes, he was grateful that not only Cadance was understanding, but also comforting her. He kneeled to the hurt alicorn while she sobbed.

"Hey, I'm sorry," he said, meaning it. "A thousand years ago I was a soft-hearted kid who didn't, but you don't deserve what I am now. I know you hate what I've become now, and you don't deserve to see that side of me."

"Don't treat me so childishly like you did when we were teenagers," Luna reprimanded. "And I do deserve it. I deserve your hatred as much as Celestia does."

Sin looked down to the floor, laughing warmly. "Believe me, making me immortal doesn't come close to your sister making out your banishment to be my fault, and then going public with that lie to protect herself."

Cadance didn't understand, but Luna most certainy did. She was laughing with him.

"Yes, I suppose that doesn't come close to what I did."

"You're miles away from competing with her fuck-up, Lulu."

Laughter came around them, the deep intensity of a good feeling. Steady and strong as Sin wiped Luna's eyes. Coming from the very love he locked away, it spread throughout his body to give reason to cease the hatred in his hatred. The warmth of her body came next, so soft and gentle, but when he hugged her back, the emotion was powerful, the flow of something wonderful reaching out to nourish him. But it was too much in the end, and he was left wondering if it was alright to give this mare joy and reason to hope.

He looked over his shoulder to the boiling pot proceeding to overflow. "I better get back to making dinner." He left both alicorns, but not without looking back to his blue princess. "You're welcome to stay, but don't think this means I'm going to give your sister the same chance."

Luna gave him a quick nod.

He peeled back the remaining vegetables to expose the richness hidden inside. He lifted the rest of his work with magic and quickly finished before depositing the remaining contents in the two-foot-deep pot. He shuffled the utensils into the sink and turned his attention completely to cleaning his mess.

Luna lay back with Cadance, uncaring that ponies were walking by and seeing her without her crow. She could not care less. All that mattered was her connection to the human.

She leaned against Cadance without asking, whispering straight into her ears, putting unneeded thoughts into her head as they watched the man. "I know you just came into his herd, but I must warn you about his needs."

"What are you talking about?" Cadance asked incredulously. "His only need is to remain in control of those supposed gods inside him."

Luna turned to her slowly, the flames of passion from the pit of her soul casting an eerie shadow of lust. "Cadenza, I'm talking about the needs of a human male. You don't know it, but Sin is a very sexually active person."

Now it was her turn to blush.

Luna continued with a smug grin, knowing she was pushing boundaries. But from what she saw in this mare's dreams, she needed to know so she can take advantage.

"Oh, yes, my dear. You think a stallion can be active—well you're going to learn that a human is constantly active. I would know, I had the pleasure of understanding it when I was a teenager."

Cadance jumped off the couch and glared at the smug alicorn. "Luna, I don't need to know about that. I just got into his herd, and I'mpretty sure that's something personal to him."

"What's personal?" Sin asked, looking up from the sink to the blushing pony.

Luna came up behind her and wrapped her wings around Cadance's neck, pressing her cheek against the alicorn's. "Just a little insight about how sexually active you are."

"Oh, that," he shrugged his shoulder. "I don't know why that's surprising to you, Cadance. You saw me naked in that pond when we were in the Everfree Forest. You saw that I had a boner going on."

Cadance could only gawk at the man and think, Does he not have any boundaries?

Luna was on the verge of tears from teasing this mare so much, but one particular thought blooming in her head made it a point to end the fun by striking her with more curiosity.

The thing she didn't yet understand—and perhaps wouldn't either—she was without any knowledge of his change—he was with a dark past that had mystery behind his secret. He could endure the guilt and regret, so a little insight to whatever happened might harm her, but it would never stop her from finding out.

"Did it hurt?"

Slowly, Sin turned to her with a blank look in his expression. And he had put many chains around the memory that it would one day come back to haunt him. He reacted like a lifeless man who definitely had a blade stuck in his chest, from the agony of his biggest regret, yet his greatest triumph as a destroyer of evil.

"Imagine having all your bones break and morph," Sin expressed with fine imagery of the memory coming to life beside him, his mind playing the memory like a movie whilst he used his magic to project it. "It's the most ungodly pain you can ever feel. It's worse than when I was taken apart and put back together."

There was silence as he showed both ponies the horror of his temporary transformation.

. . .

Sin closed his eyes and breathed a terrible screech that echoed across the burning kingdom of Jaypan, tears scorching behind his eyelids as his enemy retracted her claws. He had found his reason to continue fighting in spite of the agony suffered, but this monster before him couldn't make it any easier by embedding him in the castle wall. His strength had been depleted after his last attempt at trying to hit the inside of her lava-dripping maw with his infinity wave. He felt cornered by the sheer power of this scaly beast, but his enduring determination everlasting, by his indomitable spirit.

He didn't give up—for Luna and Feather Heart. He suffered the agony of another blow to his entire body for a chance to jam his blade in the dragon's knuckles, knowing he needed to do something to hurt her.

"I don't care if you're a dragon, Cara. I will take you down!"

Cara was in far too much of her boasting to realize he meant literally. She knew would not surrender or fall to his knees like the ponies did and she didn't try to delve further into making him. Besides, it was fun throwing him around without the worry of killing him. He was the first creature to withstand this much brutality, and she was just getting started.

"How can you possibly defeat me?" the quartz dragon laughed, gesturing to the fallen kingdom burning in her flames. "I've conquered this kingdom with ease, eaten the shogun and crippled its army. I've shown the godly might of a dragon, and all you've done is act as a ragdoll for me."

The pain of failure and murder drove the rage through his mental wall and magic seals, and it steadied him. Sin freed himself from the wall and surprised the dragon with an enchanted punch made from the debris he suddenly collected and morphed into a fist. He gave Cara a burst of agonizing pain to her jaw and then he was on the ground, standing on his bloody feet while she fell hard on her back, causing a fissure that split the castle into multiple sections.

"I've had enough of this!" He screamed to the blackened sky, clenching his fists whilst bursting with magic. "Give it everything you've got. Break the seals so I can use that form to end her!"

"That was pretty good," Cara spat out a tooth, and then stood up with the intention to finish her work. "But now you've angered me. And for that, I must kill you!"

Sin was barely fast enough to move out of her line of fire when the flames came down. He dug deep within the confinement of his soul and demanded.

"I don't care about my pride right now. Just do it or Cara will win." he exclaimed.

Cara glanced to her right, her fury coming out whilst Sin moved across the battlefield at what remaining speed he could muster. "Stop avoiding me and accept your fate."

"I refuse," the agonizing man insisted. His body shook. He tried to pry the full extent of his power, but the seals were still firmly shackling the beast inside, the last stretch of his magic barely keeping him alive. "I made a promise to Feather Heart."

Cara scowled. "Fine, I'll just continue destroying the city."

Sin sprang into action, running up the dragon's scales, tightening his burning muscles. He couldn't take anymore of her, nor could he deny the fact of his cursed transformation being the key to ending this monster's reign of terror.

"Hey, I never said I was done with you," Sin said, aggravating her. "I still have a trick up my sleeve." As he spoke magic started to resonate from every hair on his skin. The jolt surging every fiber of his being as he jumped from her elbow.

Cara snickered as the man came into her line of sight. "You stupid fool."

"Bring it on!" Sin shouted, furious.

Both claws rose to his sides, fire drawn. One heavy clap of thunder booming across the city. Sin felt crushed inside her palms but he was not ready to die. Extending his reach to the power shaking loose, he concentrated whilst pushing her palms apart. This time he changed the atmosphere and temperature so that even as the cruel dragon tried to kill him, the magic and aura began to grow warm and then hot before ripping him apart.

Sin raised his head to the sky quickly on the twist of his breaking body coming at him in seconds, changing him and turning the battle to his favor as he screeched to the ungodly agony those scientists did to make him this way. He escaped and fell down hard, an audible crack signaling a new beginning. He fell to his hands and knees and delivered fear to the dragon's heart.

"THIS IS GOING TO HURT!" He ended the bitter taste of swallowing his pride with accepting what came next. His bones broke, his muscles dissolved, then mended as they morphed to one another. Few of the surviving soldiers had been watching from under the debris his painful transformation, but now the seals had appeared and shone brightly, a bizarre explosion of a multicolored aura spinning around him. The change wrenched away his thoughts and just as slow as it happened the first time. He broke the decibel limit of his voice, his screams fuels by the burning hot metamorphosis.

The remaining man curled into a ball as Cara took interest in his self-inflicted transformation, nearly hysterical with joy. The proud warrior she heard so much about fell, but he began to glow as the magic rose. She opened her mouth fast and the flames gust to his shaking body.

Sin's magic however, was protecting him immediately, consuming the fire into a vacuumed shell before devouring it. The smoky terrain followed up an advantage with time to finish his change.

Suddenly the screaming stopped, and Sin emerged in the air directly above Cara. The transformation stabbed at his pride, but he caught remembrance of the conversation he had with his reflection.

"Who are you?" Cara barked furiously. "Where's the human I was about to burn?"

"This is the last time I will use this power," he whispered. "But for now, might as well enjoy mind-fucking this scaly cunt."

Sin's eyes were full of color now, glowing like twin embers in the dragon's shadow. He appeared enhanced, making himself look brighter and larger with the remaining moments of altering his body. But there were trickles of blood running from his mouth to his chin.

He coughed blood and cringed. "I better end this now. Otherwise, I'll lose control and never be able to change back."

. . .

He rolled his eyes at both gawking mares as the memory ceased. "Sorry, but the rest of the story is rated-r, and I don't want to clean up your mess when you blow chunks."

Cadance suddenly shook her head and approached the smiling man. Her gaze rose on him. "You are the only creature in existence that is known to be a male alicorn, and you keep it locked away."

"Hey, if being notoriety and respect means being an alicorn, then I'd rather be a nobody." He shook his head and sat between them, taking his time getting comfortable, making little motions with his hands to hug their necks.

"You have to show us. Right now." Luna demanded.

Sin leaned over laughing. When one of the mares smacked him in the arm, he delivered a flick to their nose, but even that did not deter his amusement of their desire to see his second form.

"Sorry, but that power only comes out as a last resort. Besides, I like having hands more than I do hooves; there's so much more I can do as myself," he grinned evilly and slipped his hands further down their sides. "Like this."

Luna and Cadance jumped up and looked down to his hands goosing their flanks, their hooves firmly locked around the man's neck as he laughed some more. Next he set Luna down but stood up with Cadance in his arms, leaving the lunar princess to watch in shock and jealousy.

He was still laughing when he pressed the pink pony against a wall and touched noses with her, forcing that adorable blush to come back while his hands worked their way to her flanks.

He nipped her fur, trying hard not to laugh anymore. "It's impossible for a pony to hold you like this, or to kiss you so passionately. But this is just the tip of the iceberg on what a human can do. Just imagine what it would be like if I massaged your entire body with my hands."

Cadance rolled her eyes, trying hard not to laugh at him. "You're getting full of yourself there. You're going to have to do better than this to best me in passion." She pressed her lips against his, but laughter spilled out as she surprised him with the kiss. "And I am the Princess of Love, so passion is my forte'."

"Hello~," Luna snapped, glaring at her mate. "Did you forget that I'm your mare as well? I have needs too. Maybe I'd like for you to do some of that to me?"

"Yes, but I'm returning the favor for when she kissed me;" Sin answered. "It's only fair that I give my answer with a little passion and a date in the future. Plus you have much to do before you're completely back in my good grace."

"So I'm supposed to watch you give her attention and not me?"

"You can wait your turn."

"You're doing this to piss me off, aren't you?"

"Yes," he grinned evilly after pecking Cadance on her lips. "Karma is a real bitch, isn't it? Consider this as part of your punishment for impaling me with your horn."

Luna puffed her cheeks and smacked the back of his leg. "I did that to make you immortal."

He released Cadance and turned to his jealous princess, kneeling so he was at her level. It did not help either of them that he had the gall to rub her head like she was a child.

"You're so cute when you get mad at me. But look on the bright side— when we do go on a date it will be you who's paying."

"Why me?"

"Because the least you could do to start earning my trust again is by paying for a single meal."

Luna was about to retort, but Cadance beat her to the punch-or kick in the matter. Coming out of nowhere, Sin felt like he was going to vomit after the rear leg of his pink princess hit swiftly in his groin. He had no choice but to put her down and kneel to her.

"What was that for?" he whimpered, tears trickling off his chin.

Cadance snorted angrily, but she was merciful to the man. She helped him onto the couch aND to his surprise, kissed him.

"Don't grab my flanks. You haven't earned it yet."

Chapter XIII

Something has gone wrong. We don't seem to have an archived copy of that chapter.

Chapter XIV

Author's Note

Having the flu and pneumonia at the same time. . .

Someone put me out of my misery. . .

I am sorry if I made mistakes, but this was difficult to write while ill.

Chapter XIV

Sin meditated to the sound of snowflakes landing on the balcony window of his new bedroom. A song of nature which he'd thought built by the harsh winds. He wondered how he could remain steady in the air and hear it when he was so deep beneath his own mind, under the memories of his lessons to better himself. He didn't want to move or open his eyes, for he would break his focus and lose grasp of levitating himself. He kept his palms together and in the first instant of hearing the door open, with the music of snow background by hooves and the warmth of the fireplace curling around his skin, the moment was almost perfect.

He inhaled the scent of vanilla from the pony who entered his room without permission, but nonetheless, that smooth aroma of the only mare he believed to still use such a shampoo was enlightening. Still, there was the problem of him being almost naked, and he recognized her magic as he never had before. His body was tensing around the smell, possessively, because, even with a troubling past between them, he loved her.

But something was strange about this mare. One voice was over hers and through his sensory he felt another pony beside the alicorn he had in mind to be the trespasser, a soft, sweet teenager that watched in awe of every object floating in circle around him at his control.

"This is my mother's coltfriend?" the voice asked.

"Well yes, but herding is allowed." He knew that voice. Celestia was in the room.

"Even if you're married?"

"Well Luna and I are married to him through our bond and the ritual that was performed." Luna answered. "Nevertheless, we are his wives and he may herd other mares so long as the alpha mare allows it."

"Who's the alpha mare?"

"Technically you're mother should be," Celestia replied with a smile. "But she doesn't know of the old laws, so Luna is since she was his first mare."

"Yeah, and the biggest pain in my ass." Sin said aloud as he turned mid-air to the alicorns and opened his eyes. To their surprise, he had color-changing eyes whilst staring down at them.

"That's not what you said when you shared a bed with her." Celestia rebuked smugly, receiving a groan of irritation from her human as she turned to see her niece was pretending to gag on the fact. "Oh don't act like that. It's what we did when we your age—well maybe not, seeing as how Sin would like to—"

"Can we just get on with it?" Flurry Heart interrupted, glaring at her aunt. "I want to meet this guy, not hear about the things you did as teenagers."

"I suppose putting your dad in a wall is not the best way to meet someone," Sin chuckled as he lowered the objects in his focus. He lowered himself afterward and landed in front of both mares.

He brushed his lips on Celestia to reassure the uncertainty in hers before making his acquaintance with the teen. "How's your mother doing?"

"She's doing fine," Flurry Heart answered with a hint of sarcasm. "Other than the fact that she can't stop talking about how it awesome that you knocked my father's lights out. Can't say I blame her for being that way, he was abusive to her for a long time."

She made her confession in her soft voice. Sin could feel the tension though, that hard battle of speaking clearly with having some emotional conflict.

"Sorry kid, I'm not your average man." He rubbed the top of her head gently. Her perfectly groomed mane got caught in his fingers, weaving and bunching together. Just to give her some grief. "I don't tip-toe around the bullshit, I face it head-on and give it hell."

"Huh?" Flurry Heart turned to her aunt for clarification.

"He means to say that he will protect anypony that is in trouble. It's in his nature."

"Yeah, anyway," Sin clapped his hands together, forgetting that his only piece of clothing were his shorts. "What brings you here so late? I was kind of busy with my meditation."

"I wanted to meet you, Mr. Firestorm." Flurry Heart admitted with a crucial eye on him. "I wanted to see if you're right for my mom."

He heard the seriousness n her voce, a small teasing note to him. He chuckled and turned away to take a seat with Celestia quick to follow in holding his hand, his ideas whispering over the current thoughts about his marefriend falling head over heels for his actions today. He sensed the teenager's sudden stillness though, the quick inhale of shock after he came into the light of the fireplace. He stopped dead in his pace and sighed, just loud enough for Celestia to hear.

"My scars are not what make me who I am."

"What the heck happened to you?" Flurry Heart was slow in her approach, and she was brave enough to touch one before Sin sat on the bed with Celestia clinging to him.

His focus shift to the alabaster princess, and his calm demeanor immediately morphed into bemusement when she would not stop moving her hooves.

"What the hell is wrong with you?" He asked in very frustrated tone, watching as the mare cleared her throat and levitated her crown to the side.

"May I rest on you?" Celestia asked quietly. The question certainly did take Sin by surprise, as he had expected her to inquire about what he had been doing, or that she wanted to sleep in the same bed tongue, but that was not going to happen. Not any time soon.

"Sure," he blushed whilst scooting back to cross his legs. Before he could even situate himself, he felt warm lips of his solar wife press on the side of his lips, which made him flinch.

"Thank you," Celestia whispered, and rested on her stomach with her head in his lap. She immediately closed her eyes, as the the last two days had drained her more than ever. She was mentally exhausted and without a shred of willpower to continue acting benevolent after Sin had returned. She merely wanted to relax and forget the day while she could.

Of course, behind the distrust and anger, there was still a kind-hearted lover in those hollow eyes of Sin's. He pet the back of her neck and gazed warmly at the teenager, laughing gently for the horror of his body, even in the absolute dark that touches the burgundy room. He'd told this story before, but that was too the mares now in his life and the family he had back in gryphonia. Now he just had to be as truthful with Flurry Heart.

He did not don any clothes right away but remained mostly nude with Celestia now wrapping her wings around his torso carefully. He remained still with just enough of his body showing every scar running from his feet to the back of his neck. He reached out and gently put Flurry's hoof to the first scar he earned.

"Nightmare Moon." He answered, then dragged said hoof in a circle over his chest. "Experimented on for over twenty years, tortured in ways that would make you insane." Then his limbs and neck. "And lastly, dismembered and put back together like a project, as if I were nothing more than building blocks. And the worst part was they used dark magic to keep me alive to see what they were doing."

Flurry Heart cringed at Sin, her soft, gentle eyes filled with disgust and horror as she traced the scars. It seemed to have an effect on the man as well. He lowered his hands, twiddling fingers together, and stared at her with a look of puzzlement and shame.

"How's that eye of yours? I doubt you've been taught healing magic or had someone take a look at it."

"It hurts alot," Flurry said quietly, "But everypony is preoccupied."

"I'd thought so," Sin glared at the swollen bruise. "You gonna be alright."

"I'm actually better now that I'm with my mother."

Sin raised an eyebrow at her. She's trying to play tough. Sin didn't even try to hide his concern. It was nothing at all like the ferocious, belligerent, wild hint of worry he had most of the time. He was actually soft and sweet to Flurry Heart whilst petting his lunar wife.

"You know you don't have to hide it," he said. "Playing the tough guy isn't going to get you anywhere."

"But you're doing it all the time." Flurry pointed out. "Mom said you have a hard time expressing yourself."

"Yes, but I'm pretty fucked up in the head." His grin widened as he watched the teenager grow less interested in him. "There's enough messed up stuff to make the most sane of ponies turn on a dime."

Flurry sent him a quelling glare. She forced his undivided attention back to the matter at hoof, determined to get some idea of what this man might be. "You do realize I'm here to see if you're good for my mom, right?"

"It's not hard to figure that out," Sin admitted. "All teenagers confront the stranger that is dating their mother or father. I just didn't expect you to be so sudden about it. To be honest, I was kind of hoping that you would confront me much later down the road."

"Well, I can say you're not impressing me," Flurry said, with an answering smile that faded quickly. "You're supposed to be some kind of gentlecolt, but right now you're being the opposite."

Sin managed a smile and replied clearly:

"I am a gentlecolt, but I don't have to be right now. Besides, I'm not going to be this perfect stallion you believe your mother deserves. I have flaws and weaknesses, and I'm not the kind of person to fool others into thinking I'm this great guy. I prefer to be honest, even if it means pissing off everyone around me."

"Well at least you have honesty," she snorted. "But I don't see in you what my mom sees."

"It's going to take some time for you to understand the kind of person I am." Sin told her, but there was a hint annoyance in his voice as he looked down to Luna, fast asleep already and hugging his torso tightly. "But if you're worried about your mother, then you should go ask her what she sees in me."

Flurry Heart did not like that answer, but she was not going to push the matter to this man's limit. Her expression shifted to bemusement before she turned away and made a solemn retreat to her mother and sister. The door closed gently, but Sin was no fool to the emotions of a raging teenager. He had heard the door handle shaking violently in Flurry Heart's grasp before he was left alone with his exhausted mare on the brink of sleep.

"So, you gave out finally?" Sin's voice permeated the room after he looked down to the alicorn, frustration and annoyance laced in every word that carelessly slipped his tongue. "You spend your entire life without me, but two days after finding I'm alive and breathing you decide to crash?"

"Can't you sit here and love your wife by petting her? There is no need for hostility." Celestia inferred, but Sin's gaze shifted to incredulity.

"I suppose I could, but what would be the fun in that? I have to pay you and Luna back for the hell you two put me through." The man rebutted with a hint of sarcasm. He did not have a valid point there, but as odd and strange as he was, Celestia was not inclined to accepting the punishment she deserved.

"Sin, I wish not to beg of you for reassurance that you do still love and want me," Celestia released him but rolled onto her side to eye the man with great need, a loving hoof touching his free hand as she expressed genuine tears for the first time. "Please, let me rest in your lap, and express our bond."

Sin did not agree to the request, but behind the crucial glare was a warmth for comforting the teary-eyed mare waiting for him to show something other than distrust and spite. Begrudgingly, he sighed before arching to the alicorn and planting a firm kiss to her cheek. The giggling from her was beyond annoying, but he could not find it in his heart to be the cruel man he usually was.

"Love you too, you furry pain in my ass." He whispered, and she laughed in his stomach whilst giving him a victorious grin.

"That's all I need, you furless pain in my ass." She said contently.

"So when is court?"

"I am taking the day off," she replied, but that was not the case and Sin wasn't buying it. He knew better than to think that Celestia would suddenly find it in herself to ignore the demands of the nobles. Better than that, his words elicited a sneeze and deep sniffling from the princess.

"Spending a good hour in the snow at your doorstep has forced me to come down with something, okay!" Celestia had lost all restraint, though ashamed of this predicament, and clung to Sin as he went about checking her forehead with his hand.

"Surprising, an alicorn that can get a cold." He told her sarcastically, before removing his hand. "Yup, you caught a damn cold while doing your hopeless romantic crap at my doorstep. Should have stayed at home."

"Well it does not help that I spared my reserves to you," she rebuked, coughing into her hoof.

"So much for immortality."

"We may be immortal, but we are not invincible." She reminded him in a suddenly raspy voice. Sin then realized she had been using an illusion, and it began to wore off, starting with her face. Her eyes were actually bloodshot and watery, as was her snout turning three shades of red.

"Sin," Celestia whined, rolling onto her back with her head still in his lap. "Nurse me back to health."

"As if I had a choice." Sin sarcastically remarked, a response Celestia chose ignore. Unfortunately, that meant cutting his meditation and connection with Setsuna too soon. He had plans for a few of the monsters sealed inside, plans that involved his revenge against the council for thinking of executing him.

Sadly, he removed himself from the solar princess and did what came to him as a natural instinct from the generations he'd spent taking care of individuals, mostly of the children he raised. He stood up and levitated the alicorn so she was resting properly under the covers he enchanted to adjust to the temperature that suits whoever lies under them. In this case, Celestia was burning up and the covers had turned blue as the enchantment went to work in cooling her off.

He was gentle though, with removing her crown and slippers, but carefree of them when they were off. He tossed the objects into a nearby chair and listened to the clank of gold whilst digging into his enchanted bag for the materials needed in curing the princess.

"So how would you like to go about this?" He asked the alicorn as the depth of the bag went to his shoulders. Celestia was mildly afraid to find out how deep the bag went, as Sin had already given and went head first, searching for whatever he needed with nothing stopping him from being engulfed and possibly lost forever.

"Do you want medicine that will cure you or just curtain the symptoms?" His voice could be heard echoing inside the bag, background by the sounds of glass breaking and loud banging from metal.

"Where is that damn thing?" He asked aloud, before hitting his head on something and screaming:

"SHIT. FUCKING CHEMISTRY TABLE!"

The rest of Sin's search in his enchanted bag—which was an entire twenty minutes—could not have gone worse, but was more than expected since Celestia was more curious about him than resting in bed. Wonders of what could possibly be in there starting to grind in her mind, though a few moments of the man poking his head out to make sure she was still in bed made it so she kept a distance.

"Do you need help?" She asked, watching her husband stand on his toes as the bag swallowed him down to his ankles.

"Get out of that bed again. I fucking dare you." Sin screamed from inside, breaking the small bout of worry inside the mare. Being reminded how much of an asshole he could be did it for the alicorn, and she remained under the covers with her hooves crossed and cheeks puffed.

"I found it. Finally, the little bastard was biding in the dragon cauldron, underneath the behemoth skull."

"Ah. You have what you need?" Celestia asked redundantly, apparently familiar with her mate's intention taking place just as the bag flew off of him to reveal his clean attire now soaked in potions and herbs. Sin shook the broken glass in his hair and held up to large medicine bottles in each hand.

"Pick your poison," he said with a grin. "this one hides the symptoms and hastens your body to recover but it gives you exploding shits, literally. I recommend a steel toilet."

Celestia cringed as he approached and turned to the second bottle.

"And the other remedy will?"

"You will be in bed for an entire week." He answered, though not as enthusiastic since he wanted to see her suffer by choosing the first medicine. "Much more natural for your immune system to have this, but you will not leave the room, ever."

"I'd rather remain in bed," Celestia commented, acknowledging that now was not the time to be picky or thinking about her subjects. "Besides, if you are my caretaker during my recovery, then I will not have to worry about you stirring trouble with the nobles."

"I may be an asshole," Sin affirmed whilst pouring the remedy of Celestia's choice into a spoon. He held it out for her and smiled warmly as she sniffed it. It was clearly bitter, but she did not expect herself gagging at the foul aroma. "But I'm not a dick. I still love you, and I have obligations now."

"Must I suffer this foul concoction you have?" the solar princess asked, fighting the urge to cry. "What is this made of anyway?"

Sin shrugged his shoulders and replied with a casual tone in his voice:

"My memory is a little foggy, but I do recall cherry blossoms, mountain flowers, grounded dragon scales and some of my blood."

"Your blood?" Celestia questioned, furrowing her brow. Sin nodded and grinned like a child while she had second thoughts.

"Apparently the magic in my blood has a powerful healing effect. It's fast for me—if I was ever sick or injured—but it takes a little longer for a pony. Still, it's effective."

"And you are certain of this because—"

"Had it tested ten years ago. A doctor from Prance wanted to test my blood, so I let him." Sin answered as she sat up to meet at eye level. As always, she was quietly mesmerizing in her own little world with him as the second being to reside with her during the fantasy, but her ideas were nothing of a teenager with desires, not anymore. Deep down—as the medicine slipped down her throat— something in Celestia had her worried about the human who was unusually critical with her all of a sudden.

"So. . . when were you going to tell me that the purple alicorn is our granddaughter?" Sin broke the silence and his curiosity, breaking that longing gaze Celestia had about her. She gasped, and her eyes widened at how quickly he figured out that Twilight was no mere alicorn. She was almost afraid to admit it, but she could see behind those broken eyes a man that cannot be fooled.

"I'd thought you would not discover that our family tree has grown so much, but I suppose I am a fool for believing that nopony would find out. Please, don't tell anypony," Celestia beckoned, a powerful sense of seriousness laced in her words, absent of the warm and gentle nature that is her. Sin chuckled at the mare before sitting next to her with a gentle kiss to ease her anxiety. The two sat comfortably for a moment with the same thought in mind.

"So Cinder had kids before Solaris corrupted him," Sin said nonchalantly. "Can't say I'm surprised. He had his dad's sex drive."

"How did you even know? She has no similarities to you or I." Celestia pointed out crucially.

"Come on, Tia;" Sin chastised, nudging the sniffling mare as she lied back down but with her wings around him. "Did you really think I would not sense how strong she is, or the similarity of our magic? I could feel that part of us is in her and I saw it in her eyes, I saw that burning determination and knew right then and there she was my descendant."

"She's not aware of this, just so you know." Celestia told him, though a little weaker than she'd wanted. The cold, however, was starting to best her mind and body as Sin sighed at her with disappointment.

"I won't tell her," He promised. "Not yet at least."

"Twilight has her own life to live and the last thing I want is for her to be mixed in our troubles right now." Celestia admitted. Sin had to resist the urge to chew her out for bringing up that subject, but she had a good point. He sighed and rested his chin in his hands.

"Yeah, I suppose it would be a big shit-storm to bring it up. She's probably foaming from her mouth after seeing me attack Discord."

"No, she's probably foaming from her mouth after I told her that you are Luna's and I's husband." Celestia clarified. Sin took that pause to get a few words in while she was still awake.

"Talk about some Jerry Springer bullshit. Still, we probably should worry about the press first; at least until the council pays a visit to see that I'm still breathing." Sin pointed, and then smiled down at the mare as she moaned to the tender love of his hand rubbing her cheek. "Which reminds me; those fuckers are going to be removed from power when I see them."

"And how do you plan to do that?"

"Simple, the authority falls to the eldest male, which is me," Sin pointed out, though with as little enthusiasm as possible. "And the council was made by Era and Solaris, but they made sure to document that only a new council may be formed should there be more capable candidates, which I do have."

Now things became undoubtedly interesting to the princess. While it was common knowledge that protocols needed to be followed before removing the council, Celestia had the distinct feeling of Sin having his idea already planned to have a flawless outcome. Perhaps she was overlooking him too much and wanted to ignore the political troubles coming their way, but he felt so comfortable and warm that it was impossible to focus on the matter at hoof.

"And how could you possibly possess candidates for the council?" She yawned into the grinning man's torso and followed his gaze to the floating Setsuna, which was flashing a deep magenta and approaching.

"I forgot to mention something," Sin paused nervously, knowing he was about to be in deep trouble. "The candidates I have in mind, I need to have a talk with them in the sword."

Celestia's eyes widened, and she rose from the brink of slumber as the sword fell into Sin's hand. Immediately, she refused to be left in the dark about these candidates, but she was forced off the matter by a knock at the door and a familiar voice that was screaming and belittling the unfortunate guards that were walking by.

"Okay, who the fuck is making so much noise?" Sin asked with a great measure of anger, urging Celestia to remain in bed while he went out and took care of the stupid bastard making a ruckus.

Unfortunately, the doors flew open with the locks shattering and Sin was greeted by a belligerent unicorn with blond mane standing in front of two guards that had already been stripped of their solar status. Both of them bowed out of cowardice to the unicorn screaming at them, but when Sin's shadow loomed over them and the source of the commotion, they spun around and immediately bowed to the enraged prince who was cracking his knuckles.

"Prince Sin," one of the guards said, which took the man by surprise as he stared at this very well-dressed stallion. He could hear Celestia standing up to butt in, but he turned to her and scowled before ordering in a deep tone:

"Keep your ass in bed. You're sick and you need rest."

Celestia was quick to hop back in bed and hide under the covers, especially when his eyes turned black. She hated that, almost as much as somepony giving her coconut cake. With that said and done, Sin turned his attention back to the pair of guards still bowing to him. They did not speak, but began to sweat profusely as the blond unicorn expressed disgust of the human.

"What is this vile creature doing in the castle?" The stallion asked, looking past Sin to his ill auntie who had grown a nasty cough now. "Auntie, you have a hideous creature here. Is this a new pet or another one of your acts of kindness by housing it?"

"Auntie?" Sin cocked an eyebrow at the pony, then turned to his sick wife.

"I adopted him. Meet your nephew in law." Celestia said before rolling away to ignore the grin that suddenly flashed on Sin's face. He focused on the clearly spoiled unicorn and stepped forward to greet him. It was obvious that Blueblood did not hear a single thing she said, for he was in his own little world at the moment.

"Oh, it has the ability to speak some words." Blueblood said humorously, infuriating the immortal to the point of releasing large amounts of magic throughout his body. "Well be a good pet and return to my auntie. I need to speak with her about Cadance bringing a common filly into the castle and Admiral Spitfire attempting courtship with me."

"Was it a filly by the name of Rose Spark?" Sin towered over the stallion with incredulity. "Because if so, then you're treading on thin ice."

"I don't have time for this," Blueblood looked down to the guards to have Sin arrested, but he was beaten to the punch in the blink of an eye—or by the zipper in this case.

Out of nowhere and possibly the most heinous thing to have ever been done by Blueblood, Sin immediately silenced the pony by unzipping his pants, whipping it out, and by his own moral standards of punishing those who put their noses where they should not be, proceeded to pee on the prince.

Screams of horror filled the entire castle as Sin watched with delight his new nephew backing into a wall, sputtering for him to stop while the guards between watched in shock. Nobody had ever done that to the pampered and were downright bewildered by the man that Sin is, but who said they did not want a little revenge for taking his crap over the years. Even Celestia—the benevolent princess that has not a single bad bone in her body—gawked at her husband before guffawing. She wasn't sure if Sin was insane or actually man-enough to commit such a vile act, but one thing was certain, it was good to have her other half back home.

"Sorry," Sin screamed at the soaked stallion as he zipped his pants, grinning maliciously. "This pet hasn't been house-trained."

Blueblood finally quit sputtering, but the nightmare was far from over, as it had been assumed by the alabaster alicorn, Sin squat to the stallion's level and glared whilst listening to the guards snicker and a few familiar ponies round the corner.

"By the way, I'm your auntie's husband. So welcome to hell, nephew, because I'm going to teach you manners." Sin told him casually, before turning to the next pony he had his mind on. Of course, she stood there with that sarcastic grin on her.

He took a deep breath though, and told her in a serious tone:

"So you tried a few minutes ago to court this fucker, Spitfire. Well, you can have him for all I care, but you have ten seconds to get the fuck of this castle."

Immediately, Cadance glared down at the pegasus, who had the gall to smile up at her.

"Hope we're still friends." Spitfire chuckled nervously.

Chapter XV

Something has gone wrong. We don't seem to have an archived copy of that chapter.

Chapter XVI

Twilight had seen many heinous actions done towards her fellow ponies. From the changelings capturing Canterlot to the theft of Equestria's magic, the world that she sees to to shine every day did seemed brighter than the words personally written in the journal she found through a series of enchanted locks that merged with book Mayor Mare had given. Her heart twisted as the contents of her lunch tried to escape, but she was quick to wave a spell that calmed her body. She took a deep breath as the journal pages came to life and re-enacted a dark memory of the man that she found to be Celestia's mate, her eyes still glued to the horrors that play before her as though it were a sick movie made by some pony that gets their kinks out of this stuff.

It was only by the good grace of her assistant standing next to her and putting a claw on her back that she was able to brace for the nightmare that was surely one of Sin's past experiences as an exiled prince. She didn't want to see the things before her, but everything about this man relied on finding and reading the secrets that are in that book.

"You okay?" Spike asked as he handed her a cup of tea, a special brew to calm her nerves as the pages pieced said memory together. It began playing in front of them, and boy, did Twilight wish she'd never been so curious about him.

Twilight quickly took the tea and guzzled it before the memory started. She hardened her heart and embraced the terror that was building in the animation spell she used.

"Let's just get this over with." She told him, leaning into his side for comfort.

The horrors of what lies outside her country began with a high pitched scream of pain and violation.

. . .

The past played, and burning villages lied in the wrath of a single man hellbent on the destruction of a single species that crossed him for the first and last time. Males slaughtered by his bare hands while the females were freed from their shackles by the copies he made with strands of hair and intense amounts of magic. The nightmare passed down through the eyes of the children as their dark savior walked through the fires that burned their crops, his eyes as white as the fury in his heart as he removed his hand from the chest he impaled, blood gushing onto his face and chest as he removed the heart and crushed. He tossed it into the fire as more soldiers charged at him with spears and swords at ready, but the numbers of a powerful army did not compare in the eyes of their slaves.

"Caribou . . ." Sin hissed with absolute disgust. He stood in the middle of the kingdom, feeling the unwelcoming earth tremble beneath his feet. He was surrounded on all four by the infuriated monsters that took enjoyment in enslaving and raping any female they can find untouched. As he stood there, he sent out a menacing aura and scowled at the leader of this army as the king stood at the balcony of his castle with a certain queen in shackles, her eyes filled with hope behind the fluids that defile her face.

"Our king gave you the chance to join us," one of the caribou stated, raising his sword at the unmoved man. "Now the mare you come for will watch you die!"

The sword came down to Sin's skull with a single inch gap between him and the surprisingly sharp blade. The caribou believed him to be dead until they saw that a finger with an elongated and strongly hardened fingernail blocked the attack. Everyone went in silence as Sin wasted no time making his wrath known to all that stand in his way. Accepting the horrors and consequences to come, he flicked the blade, snapping it in two, and drew Setsuna.

Sin knew his strongest connection was with the sword, and it was right now, as the prisoners of his blade screamed for blood. Not even they had the heart to commit such disgusting things to females and demanded in the connection of his mind for the blade to be coated in red and turn the caribou into creatures of history.

He grit his teeth, thinking about the mare sitting atop the balcony for him to come to her rescue. He was touched in the wind blowing against his face the odor of the caribou king having already violated the queen he promised to protect with his dying breath.

"The women and children will live, but every male will die." He whispered to Setsuna. Holding his blade sideways and with the runic symbols pulsating, he made a complete circle of the army whilst swinging Setsuna with lightning speed. He made an unseen cut across the first attacker's throat so that the first death would be a lesson before the blood could drip onto the unholy grounds where he stood.

He stopped with his eyes on the caribou that reignited his fury. The subordinates gasped in response to the blade, after realizing the flashing reflections of the blade was him countering. The time of their processing was too slow however. Sin had already done the impossible to them, and showed such power by slowly sheathing Setsuna.

Letting out his breath slowly, he narrowed his eyes on the bastard that took his friend. "Die."

The females looked at Sin with awe as the click of his sword fully retracted did the number to the soldiers. Dying together and with fear in their hearts before darkness took them, their head came off with a sickening sound as their bodies fell to the charred ground.

One of the females that were freed by his hair copies stood up and gazed at him with shock. "He's a god. . ."

Sin turned his attention to this freed caribou. He looked over his shoulder, glaring at her hatefully while the rest of the army had second thoughts about defending the king and his prize.

"I am not a god!" He roared, frightening the females. He looked away, glaring at the rest of the burning kingdom.

"What are you then?" Another bravely asked.

Sin clenched his fists and raised his discharge level, passing his tail burst and into the first stage of his power in a flash of light. The remaining soldiers backed away slowly with their weapons raised in anticipation of a surprise attack, but what they did not realize that from his statement came the unbound energies that he feared and desperately worked to hide.

"I AM ANGRY!" The ground below him rippled in response to the exploding combination of magic. The air shimmered with fire and light beamed through the cracks, and then broke apart at the nearly transparent aura that was rapidly turning as black as the sky.

Letting out a slow, rumbling breath, Sin sheathed Setsuna and sent it away with a snap of his fingers. The Caribou were confused by this but grinned with the presumption of his mind finally snapping; that is until he blinked, and the green in his eyes was replaced with a horrific and painful transformation that made him appear much more. . . demonic.

"You're blood is not worthy of my blade." He growled.

Dainn looked at Sin with awe as he waved his hoof, commanding his army to attack. "It's astounding how so much power can be used so foolishly."

Sin sent the mare above him one silent look, turned his attention back to the caribou and abruptly disappeared before their very eyes, sprinting. Panic and chaos immediately boomed around the city-wide army as he sprint around the walls, the sparkling magic in his hair the only thing that gave away his absolute rage. There no doubt in minds of the females that their savior intended to destroy their counterparts and save the king for last.

"Where did he go?" A corporal roared, spinning on his hooves as the burst of speed from the immortal created gusts that tore the ground beneath his feet. Houses that were still intact shattered and blew out of the city, right before their eyes. The soldiers stared at the females with anger as they found not a trace of the man.

"Answer us!"

None of the females said a word. No one moved, not even when the remaining light of Celestia's sun was pushed back by the clouds that darkened to bring pitch black into the city. The fires went out, as did the lamps. They were blind now, and the ground was still crumbling as the gusts grew stronger and more violent. They were prey, caught in an invisible spider's web. They were afraid.

"He is one man," Dainn announced, jerking the chains on his prize for reassurance. He scouted the area for Sin but found no avail to the whereabouts of his enemy. He was starting to fear that it was mistake giving Sin the chance to join his conquest.

"Are you really going to stand against me?" He screamed into the sky, jerking the chains again, making the queen yelp as the collar dug into her neck. "Does your daughter mean so much that you would stand against my army? Would you rather not join me and have all the mares you want?"

Sin's voiced echoed in the blackness. "And watch you and your disgusting breed enslave, rape and torture the spoils of your war—" He stopped behind Dainn, as silent as the darkness around him, his eyes glowing a sickly glow while his daughter saw him from the corner of his eye.

He whispered into the Caribou's ear. "That's not my style."

His eye's snapping wide to the deathly words tickling his ear, Dainn drew the blade of his ancestors and swung as quick as he blinked. He thrashed at the darkness blindly, but the taste on his blade was only air. The voice of his enemy came as a gust tickling his skin before he realized it was gone. Fear was not an emotion felt by the conqueror, and it shocked him to feel a chill run up his spine.

"Ever wondered what terror is like?" Sin asked with a chuckle, his voice carried in magic whilst illuminating his presence to the middle of Dainn's army. He wanted to enjoy the terror his voice could bring, but he had little time for being a monster and lacked humanity. Not even the smallest shred of mercy was in his heart.

He tilted his head at the first caribou who was foolish enough to raise his blade. He smiled, as he was taught by the dark alicorn shackled inside the core of his soul. A sickly grin born of insanity and the blackness of his mind; there was no sense of good in the immortal's blackened, oozing the corners of his eyes as the saliva in his mouth was turned into the blackness of his murderous intent.

He winked at his prey.

"Well let's see how you like living in a world of darkness.

. . .

Twilight snapped her mind from the horrendous scene of death and shut the journal loudly, startling her assistant as the memory dissipated with the screams of the caribou echoing through the castle for a few seconds. Despite the experiences she had with monsters and tyrants as a young mare, the horrors of this man made a strong knot in her stomach and filled her chest with dread. She wished she had not delved into the memories of this creature that her teacher said to be her mate. The screams were all but glued to her mind while she stood up and walked away from the book, shocking her dragon brother.

"You never walk away from a book," Spike pointed out as he put a comforting claw on the mare. He wanted to be the one to comfort Twilight, but ultimately, what he could do to raise her spirits would not take her focus off of the short lived memory she had mistakenly watched to understand Sin a little more.

"Celestia said that he is her mate," she uttered those, loud enough for Spike to here. The idea of her teacher having such a powerful relationship sickened her as much as the secrecy. "How could she be with something like that?"

"Well. . . you know the princess is not going to tell you everything about herself. I don't know what else to tell you, but even a princess has some secrets." Spike countered, trying to be logical with the purple pony. Twilight scoffed incredulously.

"I need answers. . ."

Sin walked through the corridors of Canterlot with a single purpose once he was certain that Luna would be alright and Celestia was sleeping, making his way to the throne room and not even bothering to respond to whispers shifting from maids to guards, much to his liking, as he did not want to stop and give somebody a good chewing for their poor judgment. Despite the long and drawn out conversation that transpired between him and Luna, he had obligations to his annoying role in authority. . . though he did wish that today was a little more peaceful. He wished to return to Celestia's room and go through his belongings to find the proper attire for his upcoming date with Cadance and not have to worry about leaving the alabaster princess in such a vulnerable state, but as his old teacher had revealed when he was just a sniveling kid with uncontrollable magic, his greatest weakness was worrying too much.

Passing by a group of guards that were talking about how it was unfair to have their status jeopardized, Sin entered the throne room and saw that court was on pause due to his orders for Celestia to rest, startling the nobles as they waited for someone to answer them.

A lonely guard at the steps approached him and bowed.

"Your majesty, the nobles are growing distraught due to the princess'—"

"Everyone, go home." Sin cut off in stern tone, stunning the nobles. "Princess Celestia is taking a few days off. You may return tomorrow to speak your disputes with me."

The halls were overcome with silence between the prince and nobles before it was broken by a snobbish mare that sat in the front. Her voice was like nails on a chalkboard to the man's ears as he tried to shoo them out of the castle.

"And just who are you to order us to leave?"

"Says me, her fucking husband." Sin emphasized with removing his shirt to reveal the cutie marks on his chest. Some remained in silence of their shock whilst some whispered to one another, believing it to be a scandalous statement. "Yeah, this is what happens when you merge your mind and soul to the princesses. You get hitched to them." He put his shirt back on. "Now all of you get the hell out of here and come back tomorrow. Guards, make sure they leave."

Arguing with a bunch of unsatisfied nobles was ludicrous with only three guards. Sin did not care though, he watched as the stallions clad in their defaced armor had to funnel them out with some force before shutting the doors. Then again, he contemplated that his magic could unleash a hellfire right there to scare them off, and he wondered whether or not that would be the best move to make, just to drive them out.

His mind had settled again. Around him the world seemed to slow and calm down so that his time was partially his. He could not understand why Celestia dealt with ponies that could not even keep their damn mouths shut and agree to leave so that their princess could have a little time to relax—or in her case, recover. Shit, back in the gryphon kingdom there was no insubordination or a single voice that rose up when orders were given. But this was Equestria and the culture was peace and equality.

God, how he missed being a general and maintaining peace with an iron fist. That time was long gone and his life there was beyond destroyed with the corruption of his old friend.

He pulled his gaze away from the doors and drifted over to the throne. He began to assess the responsibilities he weighed on himself and the guards returning to their posts. At first hindsight of the work ahead of him, everything about it made him internally scream to tear down the system that his ill wife constructed and rebuild it, but after a few moments of studying why she had made society to be so soft, he realized a key part of himself had been forgotten and remembered his old self for the prince that was still a young man learning to adapt and survive in a world that was much more violent than it was now.

"They listen to those with love and respect," Sin chuckled those words with skepticism. He shook his head after finding a comfortable spot on the throne. "Jesus, I'm getting too old for this shit."

His distress escorted a certain mare to his still form resting on the pinnacle of Canterlot. He did not pay attention to the mare teleporting into the room as he expected when his emotions were all over the place, he simply stared into one of the etched windows that detailed Equestria's history and listened to the pony walking up the steps and taking a seat next to him. As much as he wanted to be alone, he stayed with her, afraid to leave her alone. He'd witnessed what this mare was capable of when ignored and treated like a ghost, especially when her sole purpose right now was to have him.

"I have not felt your anger so strongly," Luna said to him, leaning into his shoulder. She did not hesitate to to put her hoof in his hand and drape a wing across his back.

Sin looked slightly pale, so ravaged by the magic he had been pouring out for days and ignoring his need for sleep, bags now visible beneath those soft eyes that glow with remembrance of his past self. But he was still too stubborn to admit weakness and was not ready to let his guard down. He turned to his princess and looked into those eyes of blue, needing to see she was here and helping him get a grip on things.

Again he felt the call of their connection, that unbreakable bond pulling them together in a kiss that stunned the guards. Now it was certainty that he was the prince that word had spread about. He took a deep breath and slumped in the throne, enough to rest his head in Luna's chest as the oppurtunity was taken with both of her wings curling around him, knowing he was slowly falling into rest.

"I'm so tired of picking up the slack," his whisper tickled the alicorn as she rubbed his cheek, a determined smile adorning her face. She could tell by the lifeless gaze in Sin's eyes he needed a break, and to her credit, the best method for relaxing was a simple thing. She was the expert in this field, but the last few days had her thinking.

"Do you remember what we did to spend time together?" Luna asked, her eyes closing obediently under the memories, her face peaceful, not showing any stress or worry that had been stamped there just moments before. Sin unexpectedly chuckled her and looked up to the ceiling with eyes that longed for the past.

"We would always spar, and you would kick my ass every time." Sin remembered it very well, and in those strange green eye that always given Luna pause, as they were so filled like those of the determined teenager she knew was long gone, she saw the fire of their past reflecting there—their fire. She was the manipulator of that fire.

Luna nodded her head again, and then glanced at the guards to shoo them away before action was taken. Sin, her beloved, so close she could smell the aroma of his shampoo, latched onto the memories and left himself wide open to the powerful and intelligent mare slipping away from him to refuel his tired soul. She loved everything about him, and her faith in him would never waver. He was her life and she stood ready to bring back a piece of his lost self.

She let go of her worries with confidence, becoming the primal pony that her mother feared. It was always a bit of a wrench going from regal to visceral, but once she shed the crown, chestplate and slippers, there was a sense of freedom unlike any she'd ever experienced.

She moved into Sin and took his hand. He was not surprised, but she felt the watchful presence of the fighter burning in his soul. She sent the man both love and friendship in a strong grip, grateful that her strength could no longer crush his bones. Her actions confused Sin as she summoned all of her strength.

"Luna, what the hell are—" he was stopped mid-sentence by the alicorn using her strength to throw him off the throne and almost into a wall. The man's lightning fast reflexes were his salvation as he realized that the mare he wanted to lean against tossed him away like a piece of trash and smiled proudly at him.

He landed on his feet gracefully and Luna thought of this moment as her first real strike back at the man's depression. She made no time for her husband to recover and ask questions. She attacked swiftly with her wings launching her at him and a retracted hoof aimed at his chin.

No one had ever managed to throw Sin off his guard, not and lived to tell about it. He studied the alicorn in a split second and hardened his fighting stance before she could take him by surprise a second time. The softness of his skin tensed with the muscles tightening, his motion as hard as steel during the collision of hoof and fist that sent an air-like shockwave throughout the room, his cheek slightly bleeding by the graze she did make.

"You are stronger than us, aren't you?" She threw another at her lover and watched with keen eyes as the blow was twisted and sent into a pillar with a flick of his wrist.

"What gives you that idea?" Sin asked, smirking at the princess and redirecting the same hoof into the wall on his right. He could actually feel a decent amount of strength behind that punch, as it did what very few ponies he met and fought over the years. It made his hand tingle with pain and sparked a familiar connection with his wife. He was impressed that she had not lost her touch, and almost excited to have a little fun with her.

"You had Discord on his toes—not to mention you possess a alicorn body," Luna pointed out, referring to the alicorn body he hated. Sin's immediate reaction was to scowl, and all it did was make her heart skip a beat. She loved irritating the man, it made her want to see the edge of his power and if she could win him back with their old ways.

"Don't bring that up," he ordered, blocking a kick this time that was aimed for his torso. "I hate that I can change into one."

"Then silence me," the princess mocked as she turned around, flicking him on the nose and revealing the sacred parts of her that only he could arouse. Sadly though, it was not that kind of battle, and she stole the moment by facing the immortal again before his eyes became glued to her posterior.

"A little confident, are you?" Sin threw a punch briefly, refusing to back down at his wife.

Luna chuckled, ignoring the few strands of her mane falling to the floor. "Only when I am around you. After all, you lost every bet we made. Which reminds me—" she gave him bedroom eyes whilst allowing a moment of patience. "Do you remember our last bet when we sparred?"

"I remember," Sin admitted happily, lowering his guard to respect Luna since she did the same.

"Then tell me; there is only reassurance in my heart if you speak of it." Luna clarified.

Sin nodded. "The bet was that if you won, I had to give you a foal."

Luna snapped back with Sin into sparring, and circled brought herself close with a hard kick above the waistline. Fist and hoof exchanged for a solid minute before they found themselves in a standoff that was judged by sheer strength. Luna forced some of her magic and let herself go as the excitement overtook her.

"You can't beat me, Luna." Sin said casually, pushing the shaky mare back. He turned away from the pony to sneeze. Confronted though, with old instincts and feelings, knowing this mare was seeing into his mind and experiencing his emotions, he could hardly bear to overpower her.

"I'm not trying to best you. I am trying to earn your love once more." Luna retracted her hooves, a sweep of her wings and she found herself on top of the man before he could realize what had just happened. Her body trembled and she made the effort to surprise Sin with a kiss that was unlike anything they shared before, truly believing that the past could bring them close again.

She closed her eyes, falling into the bliss of her husband's taste as he froze. She forced her tongue and let the swelling pride as his wife consume her until air was needed. She remained on his waist, allowing Sin some time to process what she just did. When he managed to understand where it was going he saw the old Luna in her gentle eyes and embraced her on the cold floor.

"I guess you win again. . ."

"Which one?" She questioned with a cocked brow, genuinely concerned. Worries were nothing more though, for he returned the kiss and hugged her tightly, stealing her breath.

"Both," he whispered.

Chapter XVII

"Gonna pass out yet?" Sin asked, mocking his opponent with the dramatic expression of running in place without breaking a sweat. This man had to give her some credit for lasting an entire hour after putting her everything into a real fight for domination, but the sheer difference in magic and experience made Sin overwhelm her with the most simple defenses.

Shield built with fire, barriers made with stone, and even a dome of air that repelled the passionate alicorn's attacks with ease. She was starting to feel weight of exhaustion take hold as she panted heavily from her last ditch effort of at least hitting Sin with a small beam. Her fur was coated in sweat and dirt, the royal attire was in shambles and her legs were starting to shake while Sin leaned against a pillar and rotated a small orb of light around his finger.

This pony had some serious backbone, Sin had to give her that. But being a good husband did not mean letting her win a real fight. It's all he has done during his travels and he—sure as hell—wasn't going to be easy on her, especially when she was needing someone to push her limits.

"You must tire out sometime!" Luna panted, a devilish grin on her muzzle as she slowly approached with another idea in hoof.

Sin's sarcastic grin dropped into a frown as he watched his lunar wife struggle to stay on her hooves. He was starting to worry that maybe the old Luna was still in there and she was going to wear herself out too much.

"Luna, that's enough." He told her sternly, lowering the air dome he had around himself, which confused the blue princess for a moment before she regained her sense of battle.

"No, I am not done." She replied defiantly, fighting the numbness coming to her legs. "I am enjoying myself too much to let this end so soon."

The declaration of that made the man glare at her and dissipate the orb floating above his finger, his eyes stricken with concern while he thrust his hand in front of him to block a punch that suddenly came his way.

"I said enough." He told her again, grasping the hoof this time so she couldn't attack a second time. "You're going to hurt yourself if you keep going."

She smiled once more, before trying to make direct contact with his chin by rearing up to uppercut him with her other hoof. The speed was not there however, and the intensity of her husband became anger with his voice rising to echo in the throne room.

"KNOCK IT OFF!"

She flinched away with a hurt look on her. He'd never yelled like that before, not at her at least. But it worked and she was realizing how worried he was for her. Still, it did not help that she actually provoked him to the point of yelling in her face before letting her go.

She stepped back with disappointment, watching as he took a deep breath to calm down. "I'm sorry, I just wanted to have a little more fun before your date with Cadance."

"Having fun doesn't mean tiring yourself out though." Sin scolded firmly, making the mare's ears fold to her head.

"I know, but. . ."

"Luna, I love you," Sin interrupted, kneeling to her at eye level. "But I am much more experienced than you are. As sad as it is for you to not have the power to protect me like when we were teenagers, you need to see that I don't need protection."

She frowned with him, before lowering her gaze to the floor as he pet the back of her head. It was soothing to have that feeling across her fur and all-too alluring for her to resist grasping his wrist to place his hand on her cheek. And judging by the strength in her grasp, and the way she hummed with each gentle stroke, it looked like Sin would be getting back into old habits they had behind closed doors.

"I have missed this for too long." She admitted, rubbing his palm lovingly.

Sin could not resist chuckling at his princess as she continued to hum when his fingers made their way behind her ear, scratching a very sensitive spot that not even Celestia knew about.

"Right there. . ." She moaned lightly, forgetting what he said entirely.

Not at all phased by their old ways or the neediness of this pony, Sin stopped the fun by putting one arm on her rump and the other on her back, before scooping her into his arms. His movements made Luna yelp and wiggle a little as he felt her hooves tighten around his back.

"Where are we going?" She asked in a panic, blushing at the way his hand was curled around her flank and touching her cutie mark.

"I think a certain mare of mine deserves a reward for sparring with me," he mused whilst rubbing her back.

Luna's cheeks became hot before she leaned away to meet his eyes. "Sin, if what I am assuming is correct, then I am afraid we cannot. Right now, I am—"

"I was talking about taking a bath together," he clarified in a flat tone of his voice.

She tilted her head with a questioning raise of her eye. "And just how do you propose we bathe together without taking things too far?"

"I have no idea," he reassured her with a smile. "And it's not like it matters who jumps whom. Besides, taking a bath together always did calm you down."

Luna kept quiet for a second or two before looking away and letting out of snort, "I seem to recall our time in the bath consisting of us fornicating to the point of exhaustion." Squeezing on his neck a little tighter, she played her cards by issuing a few other memories whilst finding a good spot on his shoulder to rest her chin. "Seriously though, we were worse than rabbits. Even mother and father were begging us to keep our voices down."

"We were young and horny back then," Sin affirmed her with a chuckle. "Well, I'm still a horny bastard. I don't know about you though."

"I was on the moon for a millennia," she cooed, bedroom eyes fluttering as she leaned into his ear. "So that should a good enough answer for you."

Sin remained silent for the duration of carrying Luna to the royal showers where they relax and talk a little without someone to bother them. Surprisingly, he came across the darker and less populated sector of the castle, where very few former guards for her were walking around and complaining about the changes he was going to make. It was on deaf ears though as he passed them without batting an eye at them. As far as he was concerned, they could nut-up or pack their things and get the hell out of the castle.

Hoping to alleviate his princess of her exhaustion, Sin wasted no time finding the bath and swaying a finger to magically open the valves for a steamy, good time. He was little impressed though by the marble engraving and obsidian layout that colored the room in a very depressing atmosphere until a wave of Luna's horn cast the darkness away with the water suddenly turning a bright blue.

"Not bad," he complimented, setting the alicorn down so as to remove his clothing. He didn't care much for Luna seeing what he underneath, but it was still a bother to hear her gasp when the scars on his back were exposed.

Luna had no strength in her to question his past, but the depth of those scars made her cringe and wonder if the man she loved was really alright? She did not enjoy seeing the pain he endured and looked away before it could draw a tear or two. She hesitated to talk at a personal level with the man, whether recognizing it was alright as his wife or as someone that understands what it means to be hurt.

Sin wasn't so sure of himself either of how to talk with Luna without getting out of hand about his scars or his past. He knew better than to think that Luna had already forgotten about his past or what he could become. He sighed in defeat and went with the best thing that came to mind.

He walked past the mare and descended into the water, before looking back.

"Are you gonna get in the water?" His smile was confusing to the alicorn, but she wasn't going to question it or deny herself some personal time with her husband, especially when he was holding out his hand to her.

Luna hesitated for a second before grasping his hand and gave him a warm, closed smile, so as to not confuse him. She took her time joining Sin in the warm water as it rose to the rose, letting him help get in the water since her muscles were aching from having her flank handed to her.

Sin continued beaming that genuine smile as he took things to a whole new level of intimacy, bringing his first love close to his chest before falling back in the slightly deeper part of the bath. Falling to his backside, Sin ventured touching Luna's rump before letting her rest against him.

"Comfortable?" He asked, petting her cheek with his other hand.

Luna was still unsure of this intimacy, but she wasn't refusing to have Sin hold her and let her rest against him while they still had time, allowing the moment to overtake her with a deep contented sigh.

"My memory is clouded of this." she admitted, dragging her hoof across his chest in a figure eight. "Was this something we did in the past?"

"Ever since Sombra made the crystal empire disappear." Sin said with disdain, his mind shackled on that vivid retelling of the monster he once called a friend.

He sighed with Luna and stared at the overflowing pipes filling the bath with soap and water, allowing his mind to concentrate on the glowing blue aura that filled around their bodies. He felt Luna's tail curl around his leg and listened as she breathed in rhythm of his own. The sensation he got from her was more relaxing than anything he'd felt in years, and he found himself thinking fondly of how he could make their together a little better.

"I wish the past did not happen the way it did," he admitted, as he pulled the mare closer to him.

"Which part?" Luna asked, sounding lifeless and guilty with the recollection of her crimes.

"Us," he replied, as he looked up to the ceiling to find it painted with the night sky. "I wish our past did not happen the way it did."

"You are not alone," Luna agreed.

"Yeah," Sin nodded. "If it didn't, we might have been a functional family, and our daughter wouldn't have to come here to find out her parents are a couple of nut-jobs." With that said, he laughed with his wife as she lifted herself to find a better spot on. "God, she's going to freak out when she is told her mom and dad are a prince and princess."

"I don't know how we're going to tell her." Luna giggled under her breath.

The laughter continued throughout making jokes about how they would tell Trixie that she is their daughter, but after having to catch their breath and actually think about the reprecussions, Sin and Luna fell into silence and decided it was time to get cleaned up before someone came in and got the wrong idea of what was happening.

Removing herself from the addicting touch of her lover, Luna stood up and turned around to have the worst of her problem cleaned first before the rest of her was washed. But as quick as she was, there was nothing stopping Sin from eyeing her plot and giving it a little pinch.

"Sin!" She yelped, spinning once again to loom over the smiling man and glare at him.

"What?" he shrugged his shoulders. "You have a beautiful butt, and it was calling to me."

Luna wanted to scold him for that, but the latter of the situation made her bite down on her tongue and think about what she was about to do. This was her husband after all, and it was not new to her to have his hand touch her back there since they did it all the time. But time had taken her mind and heart away from the more exciting parts of her life and made her more of a drone than a mare that has needs and wants.

And right now, she wanted to kiss that man and make him remember why she was always on top, but the heat of the moment became hotter than the very room. She more concerned about what would happen to her should they go far and feeling grief for not having the luxuries most wives have. With a shake of her head and her tail finally lowering, Luna could practically feel the disappointment and the man's penetrating gaze. . . seeing through her mask.

"We can't," she whispered, turning away and plopping into the water to sit between his legs.

"I'm sorry?" Sin drawled confusedly.

Luna cleared her throat before continuing.

"Come on, Sin. You can't tell me that you do not desire to make love right now." She exclaimed with a huff, raising her head to avoid his gaze when he leaned around her side. If she had paid attention she would have seen how irritated he was becoming.

"You really think that I wanted to have sex with you right now?" He asked defensively, surprising her a little before standing up.

Luna was more than inclined to accuse and call him out on this assessment. In fact, having him crumble a little for his urges made her smile on the inside until she realized that he was out of the bath and walking away.

"Where are you going?" She asked.

The soaked yet clearly annoyed immortal shifted to the other side of the bath, drenching his hair with a nearby bucket before levitating two bottles to himself. He then poured shampoo with one and glared at the alicorn swimming to him, and pointed a finger at her.

"Stay on that side." He said in a threatening tone.

Luna flinched and blinked with uncertainty while casting her glance back to where they sat to think about what had made Sin leave her alone. Then, she thought back to her statement and pondered how childish her husband could be to leave her for not getting sex.

She stared at him with a neutral look. "Are you really pouting right now? If so, then that is absolutely the most foalish thing you have—"

"I am pissed at you for assuming such things." He countered, and turned away to avoid the confusion growing on her face. "Can I not enjoy touching my wife like that?"

Luna came out of the water a little, swimming closer to him, her long mane swept back in a trail across her back. The silken mass was lighter than she would normally have, but the realization of what he meant to do had her worried that she just ruined things between them. Her eyes shone like sapphires and she had fear in them. In her short trek to the man who was repeating for her to stay away, the flames of terror ignited and streaked the surface of her mind as she recalled that same look he had when he first ran away from her.

She looked horrified, stolen of her breath with the anger in his eyes that sent a chill down her spine. The memories looped her vision and then rose as heartache as she ignored the hand that was pushing her chest.

"Fuck it. I'm leaving!" Sin barked, rising out of the water to grab his clothes. He did not care if he walked around the castle for all to see him in the nude. He just wanted to get the hell away from Luna.

That is until she grabbed his hand and squeezed it tightly.

"I'm sorry. . ."

Sin noted that Luna was sounding different from before. "I don't care. If you're gonna assume that all I want is to fuck you, then this relationship should not—"

"Don't leave me again!" She pleaded, pulling his hand a second. "Please! I don't want you to go!"

Sin sighed. When Luna said that for him not to go, that was clearly the indication of her thinking that he was going to walk out of those doors and not come back.

He scowled at his reflection in the water, remembering the first time they went through this, trying to recall how horrible it must felt for her to watch him walk away, and fell back into the water to embrace her. "Dammit, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to make you think I was leaving for good. Come on, don't cry."

Luna was one of the toughest mares to live, tougher than her sister who had become much softer and less active over the years, but Sin had left a soft spot in her heart that was a trigger to more emotions than any pony should have to deal with all at once.

"Luna, don't think about that anymore," Sin suggested, pressing her nose against hers." There was a hint of care, just a feeling that rattled the princess as he proceeded to kiss her. "Listen, I'm not going to leave you ever again. I'm just mad that you assumed I wanted sex."

Soft laughter rippled from the pony, almost a giggle, a sound Sin had thought to be her calming down until he saw how upset she was.

"But isn't that what you want from me?" Luna sobbed, gazing into those guilt-stricken eyes. "Isn't that all I am worthy for after betraying you?"

That idea wrapped around his heart and clenched it. So she thinks I only love her for her body. Dammit, did being on the moon really mess you up?

He didn't want to admit to her that there was still a place in his heart for her, not until she earned the right to know. But he'd seen enough grief and despair from his past significant others to know what would come should he keep his feelings a secret. He could see how damaging it would be to keep Luna from knowing.

He slammed his hands against her sides and spun around to pin the surprised pony against the edge of the bath, coming a little too close to her nethers with his own. Every ounce of his body urged to make things right.

Luna's breath caught in her throat when she felt the powerful thrust of his lips against hers. Inside her, the tightness in her stomach exploded into butterflies carrying her from the pain. Her husband's soft touch brought shock then pure joy, and both of them moaned before deepening the kiss.

The cool blue of her mane darkened, going back to its dark blue shade as it made intricate patterns of stars in the night, all the while her body moving in to hold the man.

Sin parted with Luna still reaching for another kiss and glanced at the hazy expression. He smiled at her, his gut tightening with knots for finally concluding what had her on edge. "I love you for you, not for your body. But I suppose being on the moon for a thousand years has messed up your body, right?"

Luna curled her lips and looked away before he could see how embarrassed she was, but he was right. The time she'd spent on her moon had jumbled her body's needs and desires, into a conflicting war of knowing precisely when she was going to be fertile.

"It's a nightmare," she answered before looking back at Sin with pleading eyes.

"I'm sorry baby," he cooed, comforting his princess with loving kisses. "I should have been careful."

"Sin, I want you to touch me," she said desperately, kissing his neck. "I want to feel your hands all over me, but it has been so long—not to mention my heat cycle coming and going so randomly that I can barely keep track of it."

"You're kidding," Sin answered before he could sensor his mock shock. "Sorry, I find it a little funny."

Luna huffed at him again, this time hard enough to send her breath against skin, sprawling on his form. "You are lucky that I love you."

"I love you too," Sin kissed her head, unable to tear his desires from the touch of her fur. "With all my heart. And don't tell Tia, but I love you the most."

"You should," she playfully tapped his chest. "I was your first marefriend after all."

Sin sighed. He couldn't very well fault Luna for having some confidence in that, but his body was definitely reacting like it did when they were young. He had to find some kind of balance while spending time with her. It helped that urge he would follow when they were alone.

He could see that Luna felt free and young and happy when they remained together in the water, something he had missed for a very long time. Clearly a peaceful bath was going to be a very often activity. He didn't want the moment for her. She'd had so little happiness or fun in her life, and sharing his time with her gave such. Sin thought it was poi, but their love was something different and unique in their relationship, something nobody could understand.

Luna spun around again, this time leaning against his chest rather than resting her rump too close to his privates. "Care to wash my mane?"

He wanted to—he wanted to have a little more fun than cleaning one another. It was important to him that Luna has something to go on so she didn't have doubt in him loving her, but he had to be respectful.

I suppose we can have a little fun when she is better and up for it. But right now, I have little time with my date going to be tonight.

"I will reward you." Luna added in sultry voice, rubbing her hoof against his leg.

Sin just chuckled and went for the shampoo before pouring a little on her head. "Spending time with you is rewarding enough. Now hold still. If my memory serves me right, you were very famous for getting knots in your hair."

"What am I supposed to with him, Spike?" Twilight asked, staring through a window to Canterlot, tossing the book onto the floor. "He's dangerous and obviously manipulating the princesses for. . ."

"Twilight, you can't," Spike interrupted, climbing the ladder to join his friend at the top of wall.

Twilight had hastily thought preparations for apprehending Sin without causing trouble, but remembering what he did to Discord gave an empty feeling in the pit of her stomach and tossed all ideas out of the window, leaving her a frustrated mess. Snow blanketed the damage in Ponyville, obscuring the scorch marks and torn ground, cutting repairs to a minimum with most of the townsfolk returning home or finding a place to stay. How could she manage arresting somepony that was on the same level as Discord but much more dangerous?

She was taking her time studying what she witnessed and guessed a few times on how to take him down, but the outcome stopped her.

"You don't know what he is capable of, Spike. He could destroy the princesses and there would be nopony to stop him." Twilight looked into the reflection of her dragon brother. "There has to be something that we can do?"

"Have you actually tried talking to the princesses about him, or why this guy attacked Discord?" Spike asked.

Twilight bared her teeth and went to yell at him for being so ignorant, but a familiar voice brushed her ear before a tall figure made his appearance by popping out of thin air, sitting on a bookshelf.

"His actions are my doing."

"Discord!" Twilight exclaimed, turning to the spirit at he filed his tooth. "What are you doing here!?"

"To stop you from making a mistake." Discord answered as he tossed the file in his grasp, watching it explode and scatter books across the room. "Listen to me, Twilight. If you do what I think you are going to do, you're going to regret it."

"But he's dangerous!" Twilight exclaimed, thrusting a hoof in the direction of Canterlot. "He's a monster that attacked you. He's manipulating the princesses."

"Celestia and Luna are his wives," Discord reminded her. "And I don't they will appreciate you attacking their husband. Besides, Sin is on whole other level that even I haven't reached."

Twilight leaned in, raising her eye at the Draconequus. "What do you mean a whole other level?"

"Twilight, he was holding back." Discord answered, shocking the alicorn.

In the far corner though, someone stirred excitedly in the darkness. He'd stayed quiet. How he had to return to his master and inform him what he just heard from Discord, but he would have to wait until nopony was in the room.

Larka is going to love this.

XXVIII

The piece and quiet was a luxurious moment for Sin's adjustment to the royal throne. . . something that he had not expected until he got whisper of his training and bathing Luna had spread across the castle. However, a quiet place meant idle hand, and idle hands meant a devilish playground of concern and paranoia. With his experience in running a kingdom, the thought of an attack ran feverishly in his mind as he sat in the pinnacle of Canterlot's symbolism for authority. The feeling disgusted him to the point of spitting at the steps, but it was nothing comparable to his impatience for someone or something to step through those doors or barge through a window and attempt at striking him down.

Thankfully the secretary personally assigned to Celestia was there to ease some of his paranoia as he relentlessly tapped the foot of the chair, cracking the marble with ease as he became a mess before the mare.

He had no doubt that Fine Quill had seen he fair share of antsy royalty, but the look in her critical eyes made him almost wonder if she was observing him from a safe distance with quill and parchment in magic.

"Um...sir..." The alabaster mare paused to clear her throat. "I'm not sure if this is normal for you, but the glowing from your body is very concerning for me."

This mare was braver than most, he had given her that since friends and family of the past had backed away before pointing out his expressive magic.

Taking his attention off the gulping unicorn, Sin looked to his feet and trailed his gaze to the rest of his body and finally on his right hand that had an intense pulsation of magic. His fingertips throbbed with energies even Celestia couldn't comprehend, hot boiling magic sending a tingle across his skin before the thought of control crossed his mind.

Oops. . .

Sin reached for his hair and pulled a handful in front of him, and saw that his magic creating a fiery aura in his strands. He was embarrassed to have let it reach this magnitude and began calming himself with breathing and focusing his body to contain the magic before it could grow into a dangerous aura.

A minute, or two at best, Sin reached his balanced and took a quick drink of the wine he found earlier in the day and snapped his fingers, instantaneously repairing the cracked marble that he knew was more damaged by the aura the released.

His simple action wasn't even close to a minor feat of magic, but the awe in Fine Quill's eyes said a different thing.

"You have chaos magic." She gasped.

She was slightly correct.

"No, no, no!" Sin shook his head frustratingly, hating that he had to explain to her now.

He took a deep breath and pinched the bridge of his nose. "That was the time tome, a simple spell that lets me focus on an area and reverse its action in time."

He watched the confusion grow quickly and groaned to the unicorn.

"Okay," he began, emphasizing his explanation by summoning images of the tomes. "I'm going to make this short and sweet. Before spells were actual spells, magic was introduced in categories as tomes and made forbidden due to how dangerous they can be."

He paused to give Fine Quill a chance to ask any question that came to her mind, but she remained silent, so he continued, ever-so reluctantly.

"While the magic you know of is used to benefit others, such as healing and building and whatever fuckery there is, the tomes are a magic that was used in wars and political advantages. After the old council, long before you were thought of by your parents, saw how dangerous they were, they made laws to forbid and eliminate any and all teaching and use of the tomes."

"Did you learn them before those laws existed?"

And there was the question, and it annoyed the man deeply to endure questioning when he had already spent many years having to explain his magic.

The urge to shoo her away welled up within the prince. He was getting too old for this shit. . .

"No, after I escaped experimentation I found a calling for learning them. So I searched for masters of the tomes and learned to control them."

"How many are there?"

Sin stood out of the throne and rotated the magical images above his hand. Taking in another breath, he manipulated his control with a flick of his finger and expanded said images before sending them to Fine Quill for her to have a good look at them.

"There are nine tomes that can be controlled," he spun his index finger, commanding the images to stop and then rotate with each description. "Earth, Wind, Water, Fire, Light, Darkness, Space, Time. . . and Blood."

Sin noticed that she was fixated on the blood time with some fear in eyes but continued, regaining her attention.

"Earth, the symbol of Gaia's great gift for life. Wind, the symbol of Eurus' bliss and ferocity, Water, Samudra's balance and strength, Fire, Hellfire's beauty and intensity."

He took a quick breath.

"Space, Juno's grasp of everything, Time, Athaiah's understanding of everything, Light, Aalok's gift of warmth, Darkness, Kek's strength of death, and blood. . ."

Sin took a moment to compose himself before wording the last tome to the best of his knowledge. Even he had little understanding of such deadly magic, as it had taken his curiosity of magic and crushed it shortly after discovering the full force of it's power.

"Blood," he repeated. "The symbol and curse of Mujah's blatant ignorance to everything that balances magic."

He snapped his fingers, making the images disappear, and sat back down to still compose his thoughts after the memories returned to him.

They left a bitter taste in his mouth while he stared at Fine Quill and waited for her to ask.

There was no doubt in his mind that the glasses-wearing unicorn was going to ask more questions about the blood tome, until she turned around and quickly walked down the steps, leaving him both confused and worried that he might have broken her mind a little.

"Um. . . okay!" Sin said awkwardly, waving at the mare. "I'll catch up with you later and will discuss more about testing and reassigning the guards later."

And just like that, he was left alone in the throne room with some of his integrity questioned.

"Well she took it better than expected. . ." he told himself softly.

A sudden interruption of planning in his deeply thought mind birthed a deep and dangerous growl inside his throat, as well as forcing his entire being to leap off the throne and land in the middle of the room as a result of sensing the powerful and unforgettable magic radiating from his left. Sin spun to left corridor with the intention to kill but another whom he was not expecting to meet for a long while.

"Temper, temper. . ." the figure chuckled, wagging a talon at man now staring at his descendant with uncertainty. "Is that really how you plan to act around others now that you are prince again?"

"Fuck you, Discord." Sin spat with a venemous tone, averting his gaze to the draconequus with a fist balled and light radiating from it.

"Better talk now or she's gonna see what your insides are like."

The mare beside Discord summoned a magic bubble around herself and him without thinking and spread her wings defensively.

"You will leave him alone." Twilight demanded, flaring the magic around her horn to prove how serious she was.

Sin carelessly rolled his eyes at that demand and lowered his guard to approach the two, his hand losing the glow he concentrated before he was facing the bubble that blocked him reaching either two.

"Yeah, yeah. . . Or you'll use the elements of harmony to turn me into stone or cast away the darkness that surrounds my heart." He mulled whilst tapping on the bubble.

He scoffed with a low chuckle and began focusing his magic into his right index finger, a warning to his former friend who remained still and not intimidated by his power.

Sin squatted to Twilight's eye level.

"Don't take this wrong way," he told the alicorn gently.

Twilight then suddenly felt the strength in Sin's finger after he flicked it against the bubble and watched in shock as that single action from him caused her bubble to completely shatter without a single ounce of resistance.

"But you need about five hundred years of learning just to have a chance."

Twilight deadpanned as he stood back up and glared at her chaotic friend.

"And you probably thought bringing her here would save your worthless ass from me, didn't you?"

The undeterred draconequus proceeded to float around Sin and shrug his shoulders with that sly, and somehow, infuriating grin of his.

"Can't blame me for bringing a witness in case you go off your rocker." Discord emphasized with a miniature Sin falling out of recliner.

Sin brought forth the fire tome in a concentrated spell that ignited with a snap of his finger, both the recliner and the miniature version of himself bursting into flames and listening to it scream how much it burned before turning into dust.

"A thousand years have passed and you still don't get how much I hate your guts."

Discord crossed his arms and chuckled at the man.

"Are you really going to grudge over how I almost took over Equestria and made Celestia and Luna my own?"

Sin crossed his arms this time, his eyes glowing a deep red with emotions and memories rising.

"I've got a long list of the fuckery you did to make me hate you, but we can start with that."

Discord laughed and tried to pat the human on the back, only to have his bear claw swatted in an instant."

"Oh come now, old friend, I'm reformed. I've turned over a new leaf and started a new life with the pegasus you saw."

Discord was not convincing Sin, even as he made valid points.

"I have a mate now. I'm helping others out of the goodness of my heart. I have friends now and I help them whenever evil rears it's ugly face. I even help old mares cross the street."

"It's a fucking town inside a field. There are no streets."

Discord pondered that for a moment, before nodding in agreement.

"Okay, I'll give you that one, but the point is I'm a good guy now. I'm not the same Discord that tried to kill you. I want to be your friend now, truly."

Sin appeared to appreciate the truth when he suddenly laughed at the top of his lungs, but cruelly returned Discord's words with the best feigned offense he could muster:

"Oh don't feed me that line of bullshit! You may have fooled everyone with reforming and starting a new life. . . but I know you're the same asshole that will rise to a sniff of trouble just to have fun, even if it means hurting others. Inside, you're still the same asshole that waits patiently to strike!" He was all too eager to point that out with an emphatic finger wagging.

Discord sighed in deep annoyance and an eventual offense.

"You're so perfect yourself, Mr. Husband of the year."

"Don't you dare bring up my marriage." Sin growled, then flared his magic at the edge of exploding. He released most of his magic throughout his body, ready to attack should lines be crossed. "Don't you fucking dare."

"And if I do?"

"I'll rip your goddamn tongue--"

"ENOUGH!" Twilight screamed, shoving the two apart with her magic.

Sin could feel the pressure of magic draining from Twilight and watched as she panted with sudden exhaustion. He figured she had excellent control but lacked the proper execution from how hard and how much she put into separating him from Discord.

He focused deeply on his granddaughter with critical eyes:

"You've never been taught how to use real magic."

Sin's bold words never ceased to bemuse the spirit as he focused his attention on the fearful alicorn, her harden glare not bought by him nor Sin as they remained in silence.

Until. . .

"Doesn't surprise me," Sin chuckled very hatefully, turning away from his own granddaughter. "Celestia was afraid of the tomes and steered from them any moment she could. She couldn't handle real magic and cowered in books about levitation and healing little boo-boos for snots."

Twilight was shocked, then angry at the man as he took a slow walk back to the throne without batting another glance to her or Discord, but the sheer arrogance and blatant lack of care was cast across his cheeks with a toothy grin and a laugh as he resumed spinning orbs of light around his finger.

"You don't know anything about the princess."

Having her respond was the bait and she bit down hard. Sin stopped yet keeping his focus on a nearby glass etching of his alabaster wife with the elements of harmony in control when she banished Nightmare Moon. He was not at all peeved that his image was not in the window but rather glad that his history, his own history as the man he became, didn't start on that night.

He was glad to have been forgotten for so long.

He glanced over his shoulder to the purple mare and laughed. "Kiddo, I know everything about your divine princess. I was there the night she first raised the sun. I know all her dislikes, obsessions, even the irrefutable desire to engorge every slice of cake she can find. I would know. I introduced cake to this world when we teenagers."

Little did anyone know in Sin's verbal bout with Twilight that a certain someone was hiding in the corridor, coughing into a rag and had raised a curious eyebrow at her student and lover.

"You see her as a kind and gentle leader, but underneath that paper-thin shell is a gruesome immortal that laid waste to thousands of lives in her younger years. She'll deny it due to her fear of being judged again after the last pony she murdered out of cold blood."

Twilgiht snorted and stepped closer to the man. "You're a liar. Celestia has never killed anypony. She's merciful and forgiving to all, friend or foe."

"Did I hit a nerve?" Sin mocked, approaching the mare until he could kneel to her eye level, meeting the fiery gaze of determination he had not seen in ages. "Oh sweetheart, the things I could tell you about that mare, it would make your body shake with fear. Celestia is no saint, but a killer just like me and always will be one."

Sin had forgotten that the young pony was in fact that: young. She was ignorant about her own emotions and allowing them to fuel her anger as she took every word to heart with a ferocity that she was unaware of.

She fired a beam, forgetting the voice behind her that shot out of the corridor and screamed for her to stop, but the strike was made and her target merely stood there to take nothing more than a scratch across his cheek.

Sin examined his hand across wiping said scratch to see if there was blood and saw that his own descendant couldn't even do that that, and it really disappointed him. Here he was, hoping that underneath the soft shell his wife gave this young pony was a fierce magic user that could at least entertain him with a little blood coming off his form from the blast she used to hurt him.

The only thing that right now was his pride and he glared at the culprit for such a disgusting impasse of her teachings and his.

He sighed. "You really have gone down the crapper in teaching others, haven't you?"

Sin's questioned meant nothing until the purple princess turned around to face the pony he was staring at, and gasped to find her ill teacher coughing into a levitated cloth and glaring right back at him. The absence of subtlety was thick in the air with the eldest princess baring no crown or regalia to authority, which was a little jarring for Twilight, giving the biggest indication that Celestia was not playing around this time.

"What you did just now was cruel and wrong," Celestia scolded, only making him laugh.

Sin nodded. "Maybe it was, but it's the only way I could think of getting her to trigger. I didn't come here just to fix things. If I see potential then you can be damn sure that I'm going to teach it."

"She is my student and I will teach her how I see fit." Celestia declared before approaching the man and shoving a hoof into his chest.

Sin didn't budge from where he stood. "You are wasting her capabilities. She is far more powerful than you let her know."

"She could hurt herself." The princess countered, meeting him at eye-level. "That kind of power is too dangerous to control, and let's not forget to mention that she's too old now to learn the old ways."

"It is never too late to learn them." Sin spat, pushing the mare back. "You're just afraid that she might be more powerful than you, maybe even more powerful than me."

He pushed Celestia again. "That isn't something to be feared. You should take pride in the next generation exceeding us and help them learn how to use the old magic. You can't protect Equestria forever."

"And you think that you can?" Celestia mocked, only to have her question shutdown.

"No, I expect that some day I will die and when I do I want to leave this world knowing THAT SOMEONE I TAUGHT WILL HAVE THE POWER TO DO WHAT I COULD NOT!"

Celestia took a step back and gasped at Sin's admittance, blinking for several seconds in silence before she could center herself and stare at the frustrated man with a cold stare that she hadn't used for a long time. This was his plan all along, to make things better and find a protege to take his place as a guardian should he fail. He wanted to have a Plan B in case he were to pass, but she was not going to the man she loves have his way.

"You are an immortal, much like Luna and I." She reminded the man, which only aggravated him. "It is through your conviction that you can do the things even I cannot. I'm sorry beloved, but you can't teach a pony to be human. You are the high prince and it may fall to you until this kingdom ends for you to protect it. You cannot pass it on like a trading card that's sat in your album."

Sin narrowed his eyes dangerously on the tall mare. He opened his mouth to speak but found no words to muster for a counter against her accusation. He had no rebuke and accepted that defeat begrudgingly with a deep exhale and hanging his head a little as she pressed her head into his chest.

"I'm tired Celestia." He admitted, hugging her genuinely for comfort. It was long overdue to find such a feeling, but if anyone would give it, it was the only mare that understood him inside and out.

Celestia smiled and pecked his chin. "I know exactly how you feel, but this is your home now. It is yours to protect and raise until something comes to an end. You can't jump from kingdom to kingdom doing what you do."

She coughed into her cloth and then dared to stare into the near lifeless eyes. "Please, if anything, try to stay here and accept it as your permanent home. Do it not for me, but for Luna. She suffered the most when she returned to find that you had been gone for so long."

Sin nodded and almost responded with some acceptance at the thought of Luna having did suffer the greatest, but another shot out of the corridor with the repeated beseeching of his highness. A stallion of deep yellow with a green mane and armor to signify that he was a guard, came to a screeching halt in front of his prince and princess with his lungs trying to collect air after such a long and hard sprint across the castle.

"Your majesty!" The mystery pony panted, collecting the one thought that repeated like a broken record. "N. . .News from. . . .Princess. . . Luna."

"Luna?" Sin and Celestia questioned, receiving a nod from the guard.

The guard finally caught his breath. "Yes, she wanted me to tell you that your sister is awake and stable."

There was no confusion between the two as they realized what he meant and made a dead sprint out of the throne room with Discord and Twilight wondering in confusion what just happened.

"Sister?" Twilight questioned.

"Yes, the guard answered for them, adjusting his mane to fit better in his helmet. "Prince Sin's sister had awoken minutes ago thanks to Princess Luna's efforts, but it was not pretty."

"What do you mean?"

He shook his head and said: "She claims to have never seen a talking horse before."

Chapter I

The Princess Sin'
by SaiyanUltima
My Little Pony is solely owned by Hasbro. Nothing, except The Ultricorn, is owned by the original writer of this story.
Please rate and review when finished.

Chapter 1: A New Beginning

Rewritten 5/19/15

Sound came to him first. A low, rhythmic squeak growing louder. Sin Firestorm felt the rhythmic squeak vibrate in his ears throughout his entire body. It annoyed him. Each little squeak seemed to travel through every hair, reverberating his skin, jarring him until he thought he might shake it apart.

He did not move. He refused to move from his seat. It was too much of an effort even to open his eyes and search for that unbearable, insistent squeak---or why it wouldn't leave him be. If he opened his eyes he would have to remove the hood from his head, and that would give away his face to the waitress walking past him. If he stayed very still in his seat, he probably could fall back asleep until the next stop, even though he felt as if he were on a lump of rocks.

He lay there for what felt to be an eternity, his mind wandering to a place of serenity as the train whistle echoed outside. He found the way there, a small peace of heaven to bring back his oasis of sleep. He found the wide, warm blanket of yellow inviting silk, the wind blowing through the sheet so that it overlay his body perfectly. A low hum of music slithered through his head, the sound soothing.

Sin smiled, breathing contently to the crevice through his cloak. He could see the land of his first home come into view, moving slowly out of the border, which is covered in heavy snow. He wore a long, black cloak, the hood over his long, snow white hair so that no one can catch a glimpse of his tan face. His clothes clung to his skin, his toned muscles and waist, the top emphasizing his torso.

He was a man of handsomeness, but also a charming mystery to the mares that know him for his reputation. His body was strong, graceful, an ethereal man who mares beckoned to him for just a minute to glimpse what he hides underneath with his smile.

He stayed where he was and drank in the view of the country, gazing happily to the snowy regions of his second home. It made him happy to see the Crystal Ponies back from Sombra's tyranny. To have a winter that surrounds them with lush and beauty. The Crystal Empire was just was just as beautiful as he remember it, the crystals tall, glowing in the sunlight. A small aurora in the sky as the train briefly stopped to board some ponies.

Sin sighed contently, holding his gaze for as long as the train remained still. The Crystal Empire always made him happy when he could see it, but now it was great joy to see the rumors being true about a small drake saving them from the monster that nearly destroyed him in the past.

He watched and waited for departure, holding his luggage softly while the snowfall became gentle. "It's to see that everyone is alright," he said to himself, ignore how the boarding ponies accidently bumped his bag. "I just wish that I had time to see how things are now."

After ten minutes of waiting the train began to move forward and whistle. Ponies from different families waved at their friends and family until the speed mixing with the snowfall blinded them from the world. Sin was a clever man words came easily to, but his humbleness conflicted with his need to say something. Whether it was to himself or to a pony, he wanted to remove the weird giddiness in his chest and talk to one of the Crystal Ponies that are suspiciously staring at him.

None of them approached him, never closed the distance between them, but somehow, it never mattered. The Crystal Ponies were alive and healthy, so he was content with their curiosity. He no longer had to worry about his old home being a wasteland in some sort of realm that prevents time. He found that since the Crystal Ponies are happy and the Crystal Empire is back where it belongs, the terrible pain of failure ceased to exist.

For the first time though, something disturbed his quiet and peaceful thinking. The rhythmic squeaking turned into a thud and clutter, so loud now that he could not deny it being next to him. The clutter slowed down, but this time he knew it was not the cart the caterer was pushing around. The sound throbbed his enhanced hearing, jarring not only him to awaken, but the stallion that is sitting in three seats ahead oh him.

The sound ended, but with it came a low shuffling of hooves and a whimper of young age. He felt through his magical sensory a pony despairing for good reason. He heard the first tear running down her cheek and falling onto the floor. Emotions from this mysterious fluttered wildly as if answering to the deep despair. The sound of whimpering grew louder, no longer a soft moan over the whistling of the train, not a steady tune, but a rush that swelled with the same ebb and flow as the sorrow he felt so long ago.

"Oh no," the pony cried softly, unaware that Sin was taking in her adorable form. Her fur was a soft pink, glistening with the melted snow as her wings fluttered in grief. Her horn was short yet seeable through the candy color of her purple and dark yellow mane. She was a filly, a very young filly at most, but she was surprisingly an alicorn. "Mommy, my crystal doll just broke."

She spoke for the first time to the alicorn next to her; at least since their leave of the one who broke their hearts. Her voice was high-pitched and cracked, like all fillies that are upset about something, not carried on the heat inside, but rather of a shaky breath. One moment she was whimpering to her shattered doll, and the next she was sinking deeply into her mother's matching fur, crying to her heartbeat while a purple hued wing rested around her to hide the tears.

Sin could feel the same despair coming from the older mare and could not help but feel sorry for the two. Something was wrong and he knew it just from sensing their emotions. All of it on their expressions. Or was it in their eyes? His magically empower senses, usually so good at sight and scent, seemed confused and off balance. The pink mare was incredibly beautiful and very comforting to the filly, surrounding his atmosphere with a strong sensation of attractiveness.

Her lashes were perfectly smooth and very dark, surrounding her pink diamond eyes. A true beauty. So pink they were startling to Sin. He'd seen eyes of this glow before. From two mares of ancient past. There was no mistaking those eyes when they corned to him. A flash of calmness within them as his hood fell down. Her bow of a mouth was a stallion's perfect fantasy of kissing, her lips full and naturally pink.

She sure is a beauty.

The staring continued, a steady, consistent flush growing across her cheeks. He felt it in his chest, a rapid pulse that refused to leave him alone. Through his mind, he seemed to follow the path of kindness running through him, bringing a natural instinct that has not been felt for hundreds of years.

He looked away to meet the filly with his gaze, but the mare's did not. She was held captive to his emerald stare as the toy beneath his dangling feet piled at the filly's hooves. He wasn't the kind of man to allow anything or anyone to ensnare him with sorrow or despair, but this filly somehow baited him. Perhaps it was the fact of her being the first filly he has seen in hundreds of years.

He forced his hands to work—that first movement that he knew would make the mare and filly either scared or curious. He sighed in frustration of his own choice. He scooped the broken doll and lifted it to his mouth, breathing a heated incantation as the touch of his magic brought the pieces to life.

He ignored the filly whimpering to her mother for him taking her broken toy, concentrating. The incantation continued without a break, so steady, so flowing and powerful, he would have assumed it was from his heart, but that cannot be right when he has not felt many emotions for a long time. Still, it was a confusing kindness that called to him just as it commanded the doll to piece itself together in a black and white aura.

Sin did not take but a minute to repair the crystal doll and return it to the filly, his actions more meaningful to the filly than he knows. If he said anything, he would have to face greeting her and her mother. And yet a warm, utterly electrifying gasp of joy worked into his heart as the doll became whole once more. He was met with a smile from the teary-eyed filly while returning the doll to her, placing it within the hoof he turned over.

"She will never break again." he said kindly, and again was given a giggle from the filly.

Why did she smile so much? He's a complete stranger to her; it should be fear she feels, even if he repaired the doll. He's a man under a cloak, an unknown immortal at best, and she was expressing happiness for such a small, good deed.

The confusion grew, more consistent with the change in their feelings, a strange heralding of everyday life. There was nowhere to hide from the filly and her joy. He could feel the soft curling of her hoof wrapping around his arm, and then around his stone heart to chisel away the dark nature that is his human nature.

Cold and silent. Relentless and uncaring. Yet his body felt extremely tingly and warm as the filly nuzzled his forearm. Her affection teased him, soft and tickling and so fresh, like the gentlest of hands massaging his skin. His mind seemed to follow the motion of her gratitude, almost as if he were new to it, unfamiliar of what it means to be rewarded when you are kind to someone.

"Thank you, mister." the pink filly said lovingly. How long had it been since he heard someone thank him? Was he so deprived of his own emotions that it has destroyed the bodily memory of what it means to feel good about something?

Was he nothing more than an empty shell?

Sin looked down to the filly as if he expected her to remove the curtain of her gratitude and express disgust or dislike of his figure. It's what he's use to nowadays. But for some reason—that is strange to him—the filly smiled up to him and laughed.

He reached down and pet her mane, only to have her mother break up this moment. "Um....you're welcome." he replied. Suddenly he found himself alone again, staring at the mother of the filly after she nudged her to their seat.

He continued to look at the two with slight curiosity. There was no way to ignore what he just felt, no matter how much he wanted to. He knew now that it would not stop, not ever, not even if he returned to his feeling of loneliness.

I feel...glad. I haven't been glad in a long time.

The mare looked back and smiled under her blush for his handsomeness. Her pink diamond eyes seemed to take on the sparkle on multifaceted cut of gems he'd seen adorning royals from multiple countries, although a hundred times more brilliant than the eyes of the two mares he recalled.

She looked away very slowly, her eyes stressing to remain on him as the train picked up more speed. I've never seen something like that before. Judging from his voice and the magic he used to fix Skyla's doll, he must be some sort of ancient male. Still...why do I think he's so cute?

Whispers drifted through her mind like tendrils of morning fog. She couldn't seem to retain a clear head, but that look he gave her rose and fell into her heart, as if she were infatuated in an instant. She pressed a hoof to her chest and breathed lightly. The sensation of attraction hit her before she realized her wings sprung out and ruffled. Real attraction. Burning. Swelling. Her heart refused to slow down, to let her calm down and think where she will be staying for the time being. When she tried to turn around and see if the caterer was coming, the cloak which hid his body laid across the table, revealing the man to be very toned and healthy and with many scars under the sleeveless shirt.

"It's getting hot in here." Sin said to himself, ignoring the number of mares staring at him.

The alicorn locked on his chest quicker than whatever is happening to her mind. She leaned a little closer to get a better look, her rude staring covered by the many quiet sighs of mirth from the other mares. Her heart stuttered. She'd barely seen him, a brief minute, but it was the best minute she has experienced in her life. His muscles were exquisite. Large but nowhere close to the equivalence of a Minotaur. A real fantasy for a mare like her. And his chest...Dear Celestia that oddly muscled chest just reeked of masculinity; even if he is a foreign species.

Her lips went dry over his for. She wanted to have something like that in her life, something that is a stallion with good-size muscles to go with his kindness. She breathed in his direction and watched his arms stretch in the air, straining the veins and muscles to bulge for a second. Once again she felt her attraction spike to her wings. Fast. Unexpected. Relentless.

Calm down, Cadance. You are both a princess and a mother and you can look elsewhere. Just breathe and take your mind off the weird creature.

She was not having an easy time doing that.

This is going to be a long ride to Ponyville.

***

The gaze Sin had exchanged with the alicorn continued to move through his mind while the busboy gave him his luggage and a farewell. He watched the mare walk through the crowd with her giggling filly while avoiding any crashes with ponies that cannot watch where they were going. Strangely the alicorn did the same. She could almost track him as if that one moment of breaking contact would be the end of their encounter. She actually felt the need to follow him to wherever it is he needs to be.

Why am I so interested in him?

Unfortunately their encounter ended at the split halls which lead to different sections of Ponyville. Hers being a straight path to SugarCube Corner while Sin's led him to the pony that requested his presence immediately.

She frowned when his image disappeared behind the wall. Why did that wall have to be in front of her?

Darn it. Maybe we'll see him again later today. I don't even know his name and I did not forgive him for fixing Skyla's doll.

Sin had no idea what he was doing when he pushed through the doors. The reason for him to be in this town seemed less than necessary, but things were beginning to change in front of him. Change in a way that removed the mask of peace in this crowded town. Happiness and friendship ran deep as a combination of action and influence mixed together, but some were trapped in their own worry right now.

He wasn't certain why some of the ponies walking around him expressed concern, or what made the atmosphere so conflicting with the joy of others, but something was amuck with this town, and he did not like the way it was going.

Something foul is in the air, almost as if death has been through here.

His wits had been with him while making his way through Ponyville as the odd creature under a dark cloak. His appearance drew the attention of many and invoked curiosity during the short walk into the market that stands between him and the building known as City Hall. If there was there one thing he knew for absolute certain, his presence was complete mystery to the townsfolk. He didn't spend much time thinking about his reputation being so little in this country, just the fact of needing to reach his destination before he draws more attention to himself.

However, he couldn't move on, because the mare standing in front of him had a bit of a problem with a stallion pulling on her designer satchel.

He watched as the purple mane unicorn fought desperately to keep ahold of her satchel, but the strength of a mare is less in comparison to a pegasus.

"Release my satchel, you ruffian," the unicorn said in an elegant—maybe French—accent, her mane on the fritz as the stallion used a hoof to toss snow into her eye. "I said let go. This is a one of a kind satchel signed by Sapphire Shores herself!"

He felt a twinge of pain from listening to her voice, her soft and pleading tone reminding him of the last mare that was mugged broad daylight. Her voice had locked him both in a sea of remembrance that seemed endless and a sudden sense of justice.

"All the reason for me to take it." the masked stallion chuckled, his hoof reaching for a small knife while the mare tugged harder and fell on her rump.

Sin caught a glimpse of the knife, his body screaming into action. Oh hell no!

Sin might be with different purpose, but the act of violence to a pretty mare like her made him think differently. He took a single moment to absorb the best idea for ending the situation in the best way possible, while going to work with a silent sprint towards them. The mare had barely blinked and gasped the knife when Sin appeared in front of her, his hand firmly clenching the stallion's hoof as she looked up to the right side of his face.

Sin was still hidden under his the hood of his cloak when the stallion realized he had been stopped, but the heat surrounding the human was touching all three of them. Without a single moment to have thought this through, the stallion would already be tainting the snow with his own blood.

"I suggest you put the knife down and run while you still have a chance." Sin said calmly. His voice never change. He did not seem intimidating with his lack of verbal aggression. Before, when he was still angry and naïve in Griffonia, his composure would have been broken already. Now he was different about these things, almost too calm and collected for his own good.

Where the hay did this freak come from? If the masked stallion had to think about a different body temperature other than the one he felt from the man's aura, or the strength that squeezes his hoof to the point of breaking, he would have to be quick about it. He chose the best decision and held that in his mind while dropping the knife. Sin's words spoke to him, but the meaning behind his threat said all that needs to be known through the depth of his eyes.

At once, the knife dropped and he was released for it. He took a gasping breath. Heat filled his cold lungs, but there was little time do anything else. He knew from how quick the man was that his life is in peril. Only one option remained, and it spoke to him. Conscience to mind. He could not deny it.

I'm getting the hay out of here.

How the stallion had obtained the speed of a road runner astounded Sin in a such an amusing way. How could he run so fast in such a crowded place with his tail tucked between his legs? He sent up a small laugh of enjoyment that only he could understand. The townsfolk, however, thought of it to be weird for him to be amused by the mugger's retreat.

"Oh I love it when they run from someone that is bigger than them," he chuckled while adjusting his hood. He should have recognized this as a moment of a damsel in distress, but that was old and boring already.

Luckily no one was hurt, and the mare behind him only had to deal the fact that her rump was a chilly from tripping on her own hooves. Well it's certainly nice to know that somepony has gallantry in their heart. She looked up and took Sin's hand for leverage. She smiled at him and he felt the giddiness run through her heart, brushing his skin as a tingle of warmth in her friendly gaze.

"Thank you, darling," she said while dusting herself off. "If you had not come to my rescue I would have been short of my prized satchel and groceries."

"It's no trouble at all, ma'am." Sin replied. His voice brought a calming sensation to the unicorn. A small wave of peace ran through her body as they shook hoof and hand in the middle of a staring crowd. The wave went up, contracting around her entire figure. She could feel something about him that made her stress disappear, and wouldn't you know it would be his friendly smile under that cloak?

"It was no trouble at all," Sin replied. "But would be so kind as to tell me where City Hall happens to be? I'm supposed to be there in the next ten minutes to meet someone known as Mayor Mare."

The unicorn nodded slowly, her eyes never leaving his for the simple fact of curiosity. "Yes, I can tell you where City Hall is," she replied. She turned from her savior and pointed to the tallest building in the short distance. "Go straight down this path and walk towards that building. There you will find Mayor Mare."

"Thank you, Miss..." he remembered that neither of their names were exchanged, so it was quite embarrassing to speak with this total stranger; that is until she told him her name.

"Rarity is my name, Mister..."

"Sin Firestorm."

"Sin Firestorm," Rarity repeated, tapping her chin with her hoof to odd clarity of his name. She wasn't one to ponder such a name. She didn't think much about others, but something about that name made a bell ring in her head. He wasn't a previous customer or a friend of the past, but somewhere in her past was a vague memory of a client talking about someone by that name. "Now where have I heard that name before? Certainly we've never met before, have we?"

Rarity thought she was talking to Sin, but found herself talking to the air, as if no one was there at all. It alarmed her that she might have pondered his name a little longer than usual, but how was the man there when she took a moment for herself? Maybe he went his way after giving his name, but there was no way to tell.

Rarity frowned after spinning in place to see which direction he went, but, alas, he was nowhere to be found.

"I know I'm not imagining things. He was here a second ago." she said to herself, before shrugging the confusion. "Oh well, I need to get back to my store and cook. Sweetie Belle is probably hungry."

***

Sin stayed very still in his seat next to the mare at her desk, tuning his acute hearing to get past the way she hums, the flicks of snow falling onto the window, the laughter of some colts and fillies, reaching for some sort of silence that is nowhere to be found. Nonexistent. And yet the sounds seemed to be so close to him; even though they are small, his gifts amplify his senses greatly. They seemed to be all around him. Some mused up to him in a bad combination of music while others drummed as the beats he heard from an old band in his high school years.

Thank god for them quitting. Otherwise his ears would be taped shut. Still, each separate note or voice drew him to multiple directions, just as he took in a deep breath and sipped the coffee he found on a nearby table. It wasn't the best, but at least the secretary behind her desk offered to heat it up and add a little hot chocolate mix to it.

She greeted him just as the door was thrown open by the winds of winter. This was City Hall. He could not wait to have his day finished so he may have some time to relax and adjust to his new living. Unfortunately it seemed to take forever and no one was hurrying with their work. The most he could do was sit quietly in his chair and sip his coffee while the Mayor dealt with some problems of her own. He forced his eyes to shut just as the tan-furred earth pony to his right sorted through a stack of files, her main interest being the large folder that had his name on it and the stamped approvals of six different monarchs from different countries.

He open his eyes when the folder landed on her desk in thud. That much was evident to his reputation as an immortal in secrecy. There was suspicion and confusion surrounding the mare, although she had no reason to feel that way. It was more that he remained silent and patient in his seat, those qualities you rarely find in a male, let alone an immortal. His file was unique and sorted as an alphabetical list of the countries he served and protected. Then there was the many signatures of commanding officers from different generations, which were valid with the stamps of the royals that are alive today. And finally there was his history, a list of his current ranks, and a letter of recommendation from each monarch he served.

His file hung in her hooves with impressive results. There was more than adequate skills and abilities in his list, great long rows of the magic he possesses, various weapons in a pouch that she has yet to see on him, and multiple forms of combat learned by some of the greatest warriors of their time. This made the secretary look up from the folder to Sin, her eyes beading with shock. She was uncertain as to why such a creature would spend his entire life becoming an influence of power and responsibility. There had to be a reason behind his history as the man his superiors call The Reaper Ghost.

But what made him like this? What drove him to be this machine of war?

"Mr. Firestorm," Sin recognized that she was deeply concerned about his presence. The room, although small, felt hallow from his lack of emotion, and she did not like it, not one bit. "Are you aware that the recommendations of a town guard are quite below the standards your superiors inform through this file?"

"I am very aware of my position degrading to a simple guard for a small town," Sin answered nonchalantly, his approach nerving the mare as she closed the file and set it in the drawer. "But your mayor informed me about the situation your town is experiencing. Her reason for my presence is Ponyville being the next target for a mysterious series of foalnappings across Equestria."

"And you are aware that we are in need of someone to protect Ponyville, not lock it down?"

Sin couldn't help but chuckle at the mare, her words a little insulting, although it was understandable. "Miss..."

"Terra." she told him.

"Right, Miss Terra," Sin paused, inhaling a steady breath. "My methods of protecting the weak and innocent do not involve locking down a town or interrogating everyone that so much as bats their eye the wrong way. I am a man with reason and conviction, and I stand by my morals as the guardian I am. My standards are protecting everyone and everything from those who wish to cause harm, so please refrain from your assumptions of me being a snobby man that is here for bits, because I am not. I have more than enough bits in my bank account to retire for the next seven hundred years."

Terra's heart began to pound in alarm of his cold tone. She had no idea what to think of him now, but, luckily, she didn't have to find out. The doorknob to Mayor Mare's door turned and instantly the sound made her look away, her body settling when the human's gaze no longer met hers.

"Terra, is there anything else I need to sort out before going on my lunch break?" an experienced and feminine voice asked at the door, her muzzle poking out as a certain filly peeked through the gap, eyeing the human with much curiosity...and fear.

"Y-yes, you have one more thing," Terra replied quickly. She did not want to deal this man anymore—give or take the tone of fear she used. "Sin Firestorm is here and wants to speak with you about the position you offered to him in your letter."

"He's here," the older mare said excitedly. "Well let him in. I don't want him to fall ill from your poor skills of coffee brewing."

"Hey! I make great coffee!" Terra yelled, ignoring the chuckle Sin gave her. "You drink it every time I give it to you!"

"No, I do not," Mayor Mare said flatly. "I dump it in the flowers after you leave my office."

Sin did not wait any longer for the two mares to finish with their argument. He placed his cup on Terra's desk and made his way to the office at the end of hall. He looked down to the peach furred filly that was still peeking through the gap of the door, her curly, red mane covering her eyes. She was not as friendly as the mare in front of him, her first action was running into a corner and hiding in the dark. Obviously she was afraid of Sin.

"Mr. Firestorm," Mayor Mare said happily, grabbing his hand and shaking it while the colt muttered a hello. "So glad you could come to Ponyville. I was worried that maybe you would not accept my request."

"Well you did say there was trouble around here, so I could not turn down your request." Sin replied, and then dropped his hand from the mare's hoof. At once the formalities went from joyful to serious, as if they understood each other's reasons in an instant. Still, Mayor Mare kept a warm smile and a calm head in all of this atmosphere, all the while of watching the terrified filly poke her head out of the darkness between the wall and bookshelf.

"I'm glad you came to our little town," Mayor Mare said. "Ponyville has not been the same in the last year. Everything that has happened affected many parents, and on top of that I have everypony coming to me about new plans for security." She looked towards her window and bowed low, offering the silence with a disappointing sigh of regret. "But they fail to realize that what they desire must pass in the eyes of the princess, including our youngest princess. Twilight Sparkle."

Right there in that small office, surrounded by very perceptive photographs of the town, Sin felt a kind of snarling rage reach from outside of the town to his chest like an arrow making hitting its mark. He actually felt malice in outside of the town as the Mayor approached her seat. Waves of hatred and immeasurable fury banded somewhere in the miles that separate Ponyville and the Everfree Forest, and beneath the skin of his palm, he felt magic surging through his veins in a subconscious defense. He fought back the urge to leave and investigate, refusing to allow the power inside him freedom.

He experienced such emotion with such intensity once in his life. The other side of his quiet nature seemed to be a little difficult to control. He was going to have to get used it—and so were the inhabitants of his body. He doubted if the darker side of himself and the gods he harbors would be so accepting of a sudden intent to search and discover this distant fury.

He glanced at the filly to see how she was took his presence. The filly was still frightened—there was nothing at all in Sin's demeanor that suggests her to not be afraid—but still, something about his posture and tone attracted the filly. And a sword? Come on. Nopony has the right to wield a dangerous weapon in Ponyville. Big or not, even she could see that it was ridiculous of him to have a blade under his cloak.

Who is this weird Minoatur? the filly thought, while braving the act to search through his belongings, which were now on the floor, next to the door. He must have had a really bad haircut, or he is what Miss Mayor told me about when she picked me up from the orphanage.

There was the smallest hint of amusement in the human's breath when his eye caught the unicorn prowling his bag. She was catlike as the Mayor collected her thoughts, unaware that he was watching the filly untie the bag and search for clues to his reason for being here. Kid, you sure are curious, aren't you?

Mayor Mare looked up from the folder on her desk. She raised an eyebrow at the human. That's funny. I don't remember anything about monarchs of different countries recommending his services. Mayor Mare didn't even try to hide the glint of suspicion she has for the man. It was nothing at all like the neutral stare she usually uses.

Mayor Mare sent him a quelling glare. She forced Sin's attention back to her with a small cough, determined to get his attention off the filly. "So the rumors about you are true?" she questioned. "You are, as the monarchs of Equus would say, the Prodigy of Death. An immortal that lives normal. A god that walks amongst us yet acts without authority."

Sin responded to those words with a glare of his own, his tone lowering to a very threatening note as the filly removed a set of clothes from his bag. "I am a man of many titles, but I am not a god." he admitted, causing the mare to tilt her head. "Gods are beings that do not bleed. Gods are indestructible creatures that live to their own standards and thrive off the love and respect of mortals. I am none of those and never will be what you call a god."

"But the paperwork here says differently, and the monarchs you once served have given me a full description of your abilities in these letters," Mayor Mare pointed out. "What makes you say that you are not like the princesses? A god that lives among us."

Sin looked away and sighed to the wall. "Because gods do not give a damn about every little thing that happens in life, and they are invincible." His frown deepened as he pulled his shirt down, revealing one of many scars across his chest. "I am neither of those things. I can bleed and die, and I have heart for everything that happens. I give a damn."

Mayor Mare managed a weak smile. She saw a glimmer of hope in the man's words and knew in her heart that her ambitions can be fulfilled with him around. She breathed away the nervousness that seemed to come and go through her skin. "Well at least you are humble, I think." She definitely needed to observe him more, and possibly read his file once more to get a better understanding.

Sin looked over Mayor Mare, glanced to the world outside of City Hall without saying a word to her, and watched the edge of the Everfree Forest with slight suspicion of the hatred he sensed.

It's weakening very quickly; even if I left this room right now I would fail to track it. His soft groan moved through Mayor Mare's mind, but she didn't reply. Something very bad is happening around this town and Mayor Mare seems to know about it more than she lets on. I'd better be quick with this conversation if I am to make accommodations of living.

Sin nodded, not to Mayor Mare, but to his own choice, pursing his lips. He felt like he might be in for a bigger fight than what is expected to come when Ponyville is targeted, but that is assumption from the hatred he sensed. He took his seat in front of Mayor Mare's desk, and both stared at one another as if they might engage in an unpleasant conversation at any given moment.

"Let us be quick about this," Sin suggested. "I have to book a room at the hotel and prepare. The last thing I want is to be ill-prepared for whatever comes to this town."

Mayor Mare tried to laugh, but Sin's serious gaze kept her from expressing, and if she tried to shake his hand again or attempt speech, she just might get his bad side.

As if the problem was already amongst them, Mayor Mare's hoof glided smoothly to the second folder and made its way towards the human. He did not posture or speak when the folder edged his side of the desk, but he was definitely at a thin line of patience. Instead of prolonging his time, Mayor Mare went straight to the point and did not stray from that road.

"Seventeen orphans from different towns and cities; all missing and without any trace to their whereabouts," she began coldly, unfolding the second folder with her hoof. Once she did, Sin's expression darkened and became threatening. "Six families found dead on travelling roads; all of the foals found missing. And to make matters worse, the ones behind it are untraceable. Not even Princess Twilight can find clues to their whereabouts, and she is very renowned for her talent in magic."

The terrible need to change, that darker, more malicious, other side of him, had almost broken out, but the aftershock of such a sudden feelings was a blow to Sin's pride. He'd nearly lost control of his emotions in front of a filly and a grown mare—and he mastered his emotions years ago. Not once in his entire millennia had he ever come so close to becoming the monster he became years ago. He knew he was a dangerous man, but that monster inside was deadly and merciless. Though he was a human, built from betrayal and violence, in a time when no one understood what he is, that beast he created from his own anger had almost won a second time.

He had managed to overcome that thirst for blood. He able to fight off that urge to let himself be the monster. He forced himself to stray from the darkness. And yet it hurt his pride to have felt the slightest glint of his inner-self pushing the boundaries for freedom.

Sin looked away and pushed the folder to Mayor Mare, his eyes burning with disgust as she removed the grotesque pictures from the desk. "Don't ever show me stuff like that again," he growled angrily. "Just get to the point and let us be finished with this."

Mayor Mare put a hoof to her chest, indicating the nervous breath she released. She adjusted her glasses, just for a moment, as he eased down onto a more comfortable level of emotion. "I am sorry for showing you those, but I felt it was necessary for you to know how serious I am about having you here."

"I think we both know," he said sarcastically. That much he and Mayor Mare were certain of. "Now what would like for me to do about this?"

Mayor Mare leveled herself on three hooves and pointed at the filly behind him, as if the answer to their problems were right behind him. "To be blunt with you, that filly is a survivor the Wonderbolts found in the snow two weeks ago," she began, forcing all attention on the filly, who happened to be putting Sin's belongings back in the bag after he glared at her for dumping all of his stuff out. "If it had not been for Admiral Spitfire and Captain Rainbow Dash patrolling the roads, she would have froze to death. She is the only lead we have to finding out where the other orphans are at."

"Okay," Sin nodded. "What do you want me to do?"

"I want you to become a guard for Ponyville, and I want you take that filly into your care," Mayor Mare said. "She has no friends or family to take her in, and I believe that whoever foalnapped her will come looking here. Her name is Rose Spark, but that is all I know about her. She has no line of family, no evidence or history to her biological parents, and nopony will adopt her for the simple fact that she was foalnapped by the monsters committing so much evil."

Sin sighed into his cloak, tapping the hilt of his sword. "I don't know if I am capable of adopting a filly and raising her properly, Mayor Mare. My lifestyle is consistent to that of a swordsman with little to look forward to. Besides, I'm positive that I cannot adopt her because of my...my..."He broke off, groaning again.

"I know of your attitude towards children, Mr. Firestorm," Mayor Mare confessed, and if that didn't make Sin cringe, then the folder on his history did. "Your superiors, the kings and queens of the countries you served, provided in their letters, at my request, how well you do with children." she held the first letter up to him, the seal of Saddle Arabia shimmering the light through her window. She smiled warmly, and possibly sarcastically. "And look at this reply from the Queen of Saddle Arabia."

Dammit! Sin thought.

"It says here 'Sin Firestorm is both an excellent leader and caretaker for children. His care for foals is so amazing that it is equivalent to the love of a father," She coughed into her hoof, just to ignite her victory. "And from witnessing the many years he spent as the loyal protector, caretaker, and friend to my five foals, I wholeheartedly say that Sin Firestorm is more than capable being a father."

Sin turned away to glare at anything other than Mayor Mare. She realized he was angry—not at him—at the situation he fell into upon arriving here. She smiled at him and approached, her touch gentle to his hand as the door opened to reveal the Secretary with certain papers.

"Incapable and lifestyle is a nice excuse, Mr. Firestorm," she said mockingly. "But you fail to see that I am in a tight spot as the Mayor of this town. I need somepony to protect the citizens and raise Rose Spark. Somepony like you, Mr. Firestorm."

Sin's eyebrows rose sharply, as did his gaze return to the mare. He flicked his fingernails against the front of the table and Rose Spark snuck into the conversation. "You had this planned out in the beginning, didn't you?" he asked in his most professional tone.

Mayor Mare giggled and moved from around his seat. The mysteries of his presence vanished during her circling of the human, as if it had never existed in the first place. She walked around him, observing his every move, his sword being the spark in her eye as long tails of his hair shifted in beckon of the unknown magic he radiates mildly.

Mayor Mare smirked arrogantly. "I cannot imagine a more qualified stallion—or whatever you are—for the job I need to fill." she leaned low and very saucily whispered. "Let's just cut to the chase and be done with it. You fill in the position, become the guard of my town, and I will offer you many interesting things to help you adjust to your new lifestyle in Ponyville."

Sin inclined his head, Immortal to a normal man with needs, keeping a very sharp eye on the earth pony. "And what exactly do you have to offer?" he asked.

"Twenty-Thousand bits a month and a tax-free home that is currently vacant; "Mayor Mare began, drying the moment with a flat and authoritative tone. "Now only that, you'll have free medical insurance, lifetime passes to every formal gathering in Canterlot. And just so don't think twice, I'll throw in a bonus of thirty-thousand bits and a license to carry a weapon."

Sin's eyebrows shot up again, so did a dark smile, "I didn't know carrying a sword is illegal."

***

Cadance tried not to scowl or grimace at her former sister-in-law. She'd never been this angry or hurt by someone she knows and loves, but the shock and awe of her most trustworthy friend denying her refuge removed all faith and hope. Her daughter, Skyla, had been telling her to give up on Twilight giving them a place to stay for the week. Already, the filly had grown in wisdom from the recent escape of her father's verbal abuse to her and her mother.

For Cadance, to keep strong in front of her only daughter, she complied, even though Twilight was being completely unreasonable and heartless. Gritting her teeth behind her neutral expression, she eased back slowly and shook her head as the purple alicorn fumed. She shrunk from her growing anger and kept calm about this, although she felt the sisterly bond they share drain from her body. Tears sparkled in the corner of her eyes and a low hiss escaped between her teeth.

She tried very hard not to unleash her Royal Voice on the young mare. When she did, fiery pain ripped through stomach and worked its way into her chest. "Twilight, I divorced your brother for the simple fact that he is abusive to Skyla and I and spends most of his time at the bar with some friends."

Twilight pushed back the strands of hair rumbling over her burning eyes with a gentle brush of her hoof. She was in denial of her old foalsitter no longer loving Shining Armor, but the proof was imminent in her eyes. "You could have talked it or had Princess Celestia council you both," she replied angrily, causing a bit of a scene in Sugarcube Corner. "You could have done something other than divorce him. You married him. You love him and-"

"I loved him," Cadance clarified calmly. "I loved Shininig Armor in the beginning, but things went downhill after the Crystal Empire was saved by Spike. He showed his true colors to me and I became scared at that moment." she took a moment to catch her breath, disappointment filled in her eyes. "Twilight, I am asking you as a fellow princess to let Skyla and I stay in the castle for a few days. I do not want Celestia to know that I left the Crystal Empire just yet."

"Not happening," Twilight quickly replied, shocking her friends, who happened to be comforting a very upset Skyla. "I thought you were my best friend and the best sister-in-law in the entire world, but you destroyed a good marriage with my brother and-"

"Twilight Sparkle, everything is not sunshine and rainbows!" Cadance interrupted loudly, her royal demeanor showing as the crowd gathered. "The world you think you're in is not real. This is real life and sooner or later you will have to realize that everything will not go your way. Shining Armor and I may have divorced recently, but our relationship has been dead since Skyla was born, so stop acting like a filly, grow up, and realize that bad things like this happen."

Twilight gave her that look under her hateful gaze, the one that said she meant to end things in her own vendetta, the one a few ponies found to be the flaw within her. God, she was spoiled and ignorant. "You're such a horse!" she yelled furiously, all the while controlling her magic from bursting at the tip of her horn to destroy the pink alicorn. At this point, Cadance was in turn to be stunned by the purple princess. She had expected Twilight to blow things out of proportion, but not like this. "You were always a horse to my brother, always flirting and teasing him while giving the same thing to other stallions so he would be jealous. You nothing more than a tramp, a big, bucking, tramp!"

Silence ran through the room...Until...

"It's okay, Cadance," a feminine voice said from behind the pink alicorn. Cadance was no fool to the voice that just drifted through her ears. She could never forget that friendly mare she befriended in Canterlot High. "You can stay with me at my new house Mayor Mare is allowing me share until my cloud is fixed."

Cadance spun around and gasped at the mare. Her eyes widened and trickled with tears as the fiery-mane Pegasus winked at her. "SPITFIRE!"

"In the fur, bubblegum butt." Spitfire chuckled.

***

The thought of taking care of a very young filly was almost too much to handle. It was news that still surrounded and surprised the human. He had never said he would be a bad parent, just insinuated that his lifestyle would not be healthy for the child, and he correct. The warm inevitability of parenthood and rejuvenating challenge, however, did give him a whole new purpose in life. To be a good parent to a child. For him, it felt good to have a child of his own, but also bad in some way—that is to say he barely remembers what it means to take care of someone.

For a moment his fingers ran cold after signing the final document of Rose Spark's adoption and his employment as Ponyville's town guardian. His hand slid down to his sword as he imagined sharing a home and his life with the suspicious yet excited filly.

He turned to the giggling unicorn. His eyes soften, gently locked onto her. Parenthood? Town Guardian? Great, I just signed myself up for more responsibility than what I am use to. I'm an immortal, not a sitter. I haven't been a caretaker for a child since I found Deadeye on the street, and that was twenty years ago.

Rose Spark's soft laughter brushed through his mind. He smiled as she relished having a real home and a real dad. Then again, what's wrong with having another child to raise and nurture? I do love kids, and kids love me; at least in some perspective.

Rose Spark wanted to hug him. The need to do so came out of nowhere, although there was still suspicion of his reason to accept Mayor Mare's offer. She was staring up at him, at the warm nature in his eyes and his barely noticeable scars that were slightly parted across his smile, and all she could think about was having a real dad to do what she wants. To take care of her. To play with her. To make her smile. To love her, unconditionally.

"You are as your superiors have told me in their letters," Mayor Mare said with a warm smile. "Under that bravado and cold attitude you are a very kind and gentle man—whatever man is."

Sin rolled his eyes and chuckled at the filly, but he did not reply to the mare, which she took as the victory she wanted.

"Now then," Mayor Mare began, folding the documents and placing them in a large envelope for mailing. "I believe I owe you a bonus and a key to the house that is now occupied by you and—" she abruptly paused in her sentence, remembering vital information about the house. Suddenly her warm demeanor became nervous and awkward, a sheepish grin as her expression. "Oh dear, I seem to have forgotten a very important detail about the house."

"What detail?" Sin's asked.

"Yeah, I forgot to mention that another pony will be staying with you at the time. She forgot to clean out her cloud of all the water vapor, so it's been grounded and very damaged from the blizzard freezing the vapor."

Sin gave a little grunt of derision. "And just who might this pony be?"

"Admiral Spitfire of The Wonderbolts."

Sin shot a glare over to the mare and placed and pinched the bridge of his nose. "Great, and is there anything else I should know?"

"Yes, just one last thing. Her fellow Wonderbolt, Soarin, might visit every so often. He has a bit of a crush on Spitfire, and he has a tendency to act irrational when other males are around her."

Sin managed another very real-sounding groan, which earned him a giggle from the mare. "And here I thought I would have enough problems to deal with."

Sin held his breath as the mare reached into the bottom drawer of her desk for the key to his house and the bits she promised. He knew, by the way Mayor Mare played him into adopting Rose Spark, that he had more trouble coming to him than he knows at the moment. He knew he was correct when Mayor Mare's attitude sparkled with glee.

"I really need to learn to say no to things like this," he whispered to himself, making it a mental note. "If I don't, then it will surely kill me."

Mayor Mare found the key and bag and slid them across her desk for Sin to take. She eased down to her seat, positioning herself in a much more comfortable spot of the large cushion, watching the human mutter to himself. She could not do anything but giggle and glance down to Rose Spark making cautious steps towards him.

"Well I guess my work here is done," Mayor Mare chirped, before waving her hoof at the door. "I will hear from you in two weeks for your first day on the job. In the meantime, why don't you make your way to Sugarcube Corner for some sweets. I believe that a certain filly would love to have some hot chocolate."

"Thanks for the tip." Sin mumbled.

With the key in his pocket and the bits stuffed into the other, Sin left his seat and turned away. He made his way to the door and opened it, waiting for Rose Spark to make her way out of the room first. But, alas, she hesitated when the door opened, almost as if something petrified her at the moment. She was coherent and still with them, but her silence gave away an abnormal indication of fear stopping her legs from moving.

Sin was unsure of this, but he went along with the filly uncertain if she wants to leave. He looked to the door that leads outside and back to the hesitating filly, wondering if she was still upon this world—mentally in that summons. "Are you going to come along, or do you wish to stay here?" he asked.

Rose Spark snapped out of her trance and approached the human just as put his foot at the bottom of the door to keep it open. She was very reluctant to approach Sin, especially after the last male being a dragon that tried to eat her. In her head was that little pony known as conscience screaming at her to turn and back into the corner, but on the other hoof was her heart telling her to give him a chance.

It was confusing and terrible to the filly. Having two different voices speak to her made it difficult to think and feel. This was something a child should not go through.

"Rose Spark?" Mayor Mare said curiously.

Finally the filly looked up Sin and sank onto her haunches. She didn't trust him, but her heart was telling her to take that leap of faith. "Will you carry me through the snow?" she asked cutely.

Sin was caught off guard by that question—just for the moment. Nevertheless, he kept a strong composure and smiled at the filly as she raised her hooves to him, reaching for him to pick her up and carry her under that warm cloak of his.

"Sure thing, sweetheart," he said lovingly, reaching for the nervous unicorn with gentle strength. His hands were very soft to the filly's barrel as he used a little bit of magic to fold his cloak over her, his chest touching her stomach as buttons reattached. "We don't want you catching a hold, now do we?"

And with the filly tightly wrapped in his cloak, but gently held in his arms, Sin walked out of the office and made his way to the entrance. He carried his new daughter into the open world with only her head poking through the buttoning to see the hash blizzard getting stronger.

He nodded to himself and said, "Alright, no more lazing around for me. It's time to get back to work, starting with being a father."

Author's Note

Just so we know what the scenes were like on the train, this is the most accurate pics I can use to tell you what it was like for Sin and Cadance meeting for the first time.

Also, the appearance of Sin will be changed as soon as Portal 82 finishes his work on Sin's appearance.

Sin without the hood.

Cadance Blushing

Chapter XII

Author's Note

This will be change of events from my version of the story. To be honest I wanted to change the entire relationship development by removing the cliche of forgiveness and acceptance, and replace it with a background that themes into negotiations.

You'll know it when you get there. I hope you enjoy this chapter. Leave a comment to point out where I need to improve or a like. That's always nice too.

Enjoy.

Chapter XII

Sin found he had a miracle of impossibility happening right now—and no in the house saw it. Not Luna. Not Cadance. Not even the perverted Spitfire who made some under-the-table attempts with her hooves. He had not found this miracle until he realized the number of ponies sitting at the table with him, enjoying the lunch he prepared. It may have been meaningless to those around him, but a blessing so small and forgotten over the years was an enjoyment that made him do something he swore to never do again.

But it was so hard to fight the urge when so many friendly faces were looking at him with concern. Luna, Spitfire, the fillies and even—

"Sin," he heard his name and failed to answer Cadance. He was too busy staring at the table as the mare calling to him rubbed his arm worriedly. "You're crying again. What's the matter?"

Sin had yet to give her an answer as Luna and Spitfire hurried along. At first he'd been lifeless with ancient memories of deceased loved ones that joined him at the table for all meals. It jerked his heart like a rope caught in the hands of another, pulling him from the stone-cold demeanor built inside him. Emotions flowed back with speed and power, and he found he could not hide the burning water in his eyes. After the second jerk and the touch of Cadance's lips on his cheek, the crushing sensation was more delightful than overbearing and remembered. He picked up the fear these mares and fillies were radiating and lifted his gaze to each of them. He realized that it got the best of him.

He took a few tears with a stroke of his hand and confirmed that Cadance was right. He really was crying, but he had good reason too. More reason to feel this way whilst appreciating the miracle.

"Sin, what's wrong?" Luna asked as she took his other hand, stroking it gently.

Sin's long silence broke in a quiet sob, but in a way to his state of mind that only Luna could understand. He found his chest clenching the joy desperately, as though his life was close to ending. He knew though, the pain of his emptiness was full for once and it was thanks to these five ponies concerned for him.

He muttered something that could not be heard, and it worried the mares more as he stared longingly at each seat with utmost certainty that he was not so alone.

"What did you say?" Spitfire bid for his quite statement by nudging his side.

"The table is full," he whispered without taking his eyes off them. It was then Luna realized what he meant and took her place as his mate, as the only mare that could understand what he was talking about. She hugged him tightly and shushed him with coos to reassure his mind and spirit.

"The table is full," he fell into his emotional distress like it was an endless abyss, never seeing the light until Luna pulled him out with her touch.

"It's okay," she pursed her lips with anger towards hers and Celestia's actions. "You're not empty anymore. You're full. You're alive and surrounded by loved ones."

Abruptly Spitfire turned from Sin to the lunar princess, wondering what was happening right now.

"Princess," she paused, worried that she was pushing her boundaries. "What's going on with him? Why did he start crying all of a sudden?"

Luna sighed then frowned at her. "Sin is experiencing a condition known as godless syndrome. I know that sounds strange, but it is an illness that every immoral experiences." She turned her attention back to Sin, shushing his whimpers when they rose in volume. "Clearly he was not given any psychiatric care."

Cadance sent Luna one silent look, gazed at Sin worriedly and carefully took his other side, cautioning herself and Spitfire to be very gentle with the man. There was no doubt in anyone's mind that Sin was finally showing some of his flaws and possibly needed to see a doctor for it.

"What does it do?" She asked, and then went back to holding him closely. She could hear in the way of his muttering that this was no exaggeration or drama. It was real and Sin was hurting from it, a lot.

"It is psychological disorder that develops when an immortal hits the mental wall in the actual realization of living forever," Luna explained with some hoof imagery. "The victim comes to grasp that their loved ones will age and perish while they live on, and throughout their eternity they break down when seeing friends and family die, knowing they will always be alone. It's a terrible condition that makes develops the terrible feeling of loneliness and abandonment."

"Well he should be fine in a bit," Spitfire questioned, although she wasn't so sure. Sin was looking like a mess, more than she'd thought after seeing him fight Discord. "Shouldn't he?"

Luna shook her head with much regret. "This condition is very well known to bring immortals to self-infliction. . . even suicide." She looked over her shoulders to the fillies still in their seats but fearing the worst. She returned to her fellow mares and added, "I would know all too well."

Confused, Spitfire and Cadance gave a quirk of their eyebrows to Luna as she lifted her chest piece to reveal how serious she was about this. Their shock for the scar on her chest came as nothing new, she was well endowed with ponies she can trust expressing shock or horror of her crime.

She continued with a deadly serious about her. "Mid-Spring. Seventeen years old. Years before I was Nightmare Moon, Sin and I had a miscarriage and I blamed him when our magic could not save our first foal. I broke up with him and months later realized how alone I was. So I tried to end my pain by plunging a blade through my chest." She dropped her chest piece, allowing it to fall back against her chest, and smiled at her mate. "I don't know how I survived, but the first thing I saw in the infirmary was him on a separate bed with mother transferring most of her magic to him."

Tears started to form in the corners of her eyes as she went on talking about her past. There was pain and sorrow in Luna's orbs, but she wanted more than anything for Cadance and Spitfire to understand Sin for the kind of man he was.

"There is no greater pain than to watch your mate, the one you mistakenly betray, lie on a bed and fight to live." She grieved at the memory, remembering every moment and every noise like it was yesterday. "The point is I felt alone and abandoned when we lost our foal. Mother and father were too busy to help me overcome the pain. Celestia was too busy hating me for carrying Sin's first foal before finding out what happened. And Sin. . ."

"That's some heavy stuff," said Spitfire, seeing the princess and the human in a new light. Now she had a good idea just how strongly connected they were.

The emotional breakdown within Sin happened quickly, a clear sign to Luna the depth of his condition as he stood up from the table without saying a word. He moved into the living room for space and faced the fireplace, gazing warily in remembrance of his deceased loved ones.

Luna followed him, never taking her eyes off his grief-stricken face. She took his hand into her hooves. "Sin, I know it is not my place," she began, cautiously. "But. . . I think it's best that you, Celestia and I sit down and talk about this. You're stressed from everything that's happened and showing clear signs of godless syndrome."

As if it wasn't the most impeccable timing yet, someone was at the door. Everyone was aware before a single knock could be made, for Sin had given them warning by turning his head towards the door sharply. The banging on the oak door held no mystery to the pony standing outside in the freezing cold. Luna was like Sin, she could sense who it was that made her sudden appearance with the same intention as her.

"Somepony open this door," they heard, just before another knock was made. "Sin, are you in there? Are you alright?"

"Is that Princess Celestia?" Spitfire ventured as she approached the door. She gave it a slow turn and opened—and sure-enough, there she was, standing in the blizzard with nothing but snow on her and a chill to her spine and wings.

Luna shook her head in disbelief, while Sin just sat there with a blank look to his face.

"Sister, why are you here?" she asked with genuine concern.

Celestia shook her body of the snow, while replying, "I was enjoying my lunch break when I felt Sin in great distress. So I teleported here to see what has him so upset."

Celestia turned her attention to their human leaning on the arm of the couch. She had felt his pain the entire time, so terrible she could barely find words. Back in Canterlot, right there, she had nearly fallen to the floor, with that flash of pain that wasn't hers. She had no right to be in that house, but she followed her heart back to him unerringly despite her betrayal. Now wasn't the time to think about the past. Now was the moment for her to be there as his friend and as his mate.

She paced towards the man, looking over him carefully for any sign of his distrust or anger. She was patient to have come this close without having his fury upon her.

She placed a hoof on his hand, rubbing it with love that only Sin could have. "Sin. . . my love, I'm here now. I'm here for you."

Luna expected him to not answer the alabaster princess or simply act out for the past, but when he came to it—when his mind clicked and he got a grip on himself—she was more than surprised by his response and how he dealt with Celestia.

"What does it matter to you?" Sin asked solemnly, looking away and retreating his hand from the princess, which hurt her a great deal. "You haven't been there for me in a millennia. Why come to me now when I'm already a fucking mess?"

Celestia's smile held much concern. "Because I'm your wife and I love you." She reached up and touch where her cutie mark was on his chest, with some caution when his cold stare became hot and aggressive. "Our bond is married us, and it is my duty to make sure that you are alright."

Luna cringed with Spitfire and Cadance and gathered on the other side of the living room before things could get intense. It was obvious that her sister was pulling her tricks to manipulate the human into looking past her mistake, but she knew Sin better than her sister did—and she was about to find out just how she had pushed Sin's buttons.

"Upstairs you two." Cadance nudged the fillies to their room then prepared for the worst.

"My wife. . . making sure I'm alright," there was hurt in his voice, and anger returning in his eyes as he stood up. "Well, does it look like I' alright?"

Celestia flinched and tried to back away, but Sin was on her immediately, ripping his shirt off and smashing his fist against his chest, driving his fury with physical pain. He followed up terrifying the alicorn with digging his fingernails into a scar across her cutie mark, using his power to show her the terrible truth.

"I AM NOT ALRIGHT. I'M NOT EVEN OKAY," he screamed as the blood the that came out went right back into his body by some strange force. "WHAT IN GOD'S NAME MADE YOU THINK I'M ALRIGHT!?"

He sank his teeth deep into his lower lip, allowing more of his accursed ability to show. Rage laced his pain with adrenaline, accelerating the bitter, disgusting taste of his agony.

Celestia's band of emotions went rigid, just watching in absolute terror.

"DOES THIS LOOK ALRIGHT?" he emphasized his scars. "DOES HAVING A CANVAS OF SCARS LOOK ALRIGHT!? DOES LIVING A LIFE OF EXILE LOOK ALRIGHT!?"

"I HAVE BEEN TORTURED, RAPED, ELECTROCUTED, GUTTED APART AND PUT BACK TOGETHER, AND SPENT MY ENTIRE LIFE FIGHTING TO STAY SANE WHILE YOU SAT IDLY ON YOUR PEDESTAL OF BULLSHIT!"

Celestia rubbed her eyes, trying to fight the tears while Sin went over his edge of sanity. He moved past the hatred and loathing of his condition to show her the pinnacle of his suffering. One twist after another he frightened all four mares. Next he fell to all fours and his clothing disappeared, leaving him naked on the floor and shifting his body at an exponential rate.

"LET ME SHOW YOU JUST HOW MUCH THIS IS YOUR FAULT, YOU IGNORANT BITCH!"

He was still roaring at the alicorn when materialized the full potential of his power in a gruesome fashion. On his last burst of magic, the bane of his existence had taken up residence as him, deep in his soul where the twin gods were forced into him. The summoning of this unholy power had done a modern combination of pain and agony, but he wasn't into losing his form. The inside of the entire house convex as if breathing, vines of his aura wove around the shift of his body that formed a cocoon. These ethereal vines were so thick they had made Sin disappeared, yet there was an ear-piercing screech coming from him.

The change tore at Sin's body, stabbing repeatedly in every nerve, seeking the climax. He never thought or expected that the one time he is willing to transform he would feel it tear him apart, so fast it impossible to see until he was nearly towering the frightened alicorn before him.

He rose from the floor, standing weakly, pushing all four hooves to the floor. There was blood from his scars, seeping from the bones showed most in their forced metamorphosis.

"This is all your fault, my wife," he said angrily.

Celestia stood there with nothing to say, a gawk of her mouth as she observed the human who somehow turned himself into a blood stained alicorn. For the most part there were no abnormalities to his physical appearance; all but the color-changing chrome underside of his shivering wings and the streak of red in his white mane. Then there was the fact that he had charcoal fur that was tinted with purple from the overbearing magic radiating from his curved horn. It was actually monumental that the man she loved was able to turn himself into an alicorn. But something ate her mind about it as she circled her infuriated and hurting mate, a question that sparked when she saw how much pain he was in.

She asked him in a gentle voice whilst touching his chest, "Why didn't you come to me when this happened?"

The human—or stallion for now—narrowed his eyes as he allowed her to rest against him for reassurance and some leverage. He was feeling extremely fatigued after using what little magic he regained to show Celestia the fruit of her mistake. He could hear how shaky his legs were as the other mares approached with shared astonishment.

"Yummy," Spitfire whispered as she elbowed Cadance, giving her that "we're keeping him" look.

Sin scoffed the princess for such a dumb question. "Because I hate this form with every fiber of my being, and I know you would exploit it to understand how and why I can turn into this ugly thing." He told the princess, pushing her away and reverting to his scarred broken form. The confused princess took it as an insult and forced Sin to stay on track with her. She grabbed his arm with full knowledge of his strength depleted and his magic dry at the moment.

A hard tug of his arm didn't even draw Sin away from the shame of revealing his secret, merely a deep sigh and a low mutter about his hatred towards having such an extraordinary ability. Looking up at the ceiling as he felt Luna slither into his side, he met the tougher side of Celestia, the mare clearly not going to leave him alone seeing all of this happen.

"Can't you just leave me alone?"

"Not when you've just shown us the impossible. And I'm your wife for heaven sake, so I have a right to know what the hell is going on with you." Celestia explained aggressively while forcing his gaze onto her.

"I married you through the old ritual, so don't pull that crap with me." She told him, staring into him closely. "Now start talking; and do not lie to me. How are you able to turn into an alicorn?"

The man laughed, wiping off a single tear and shuffling to his feet, into a shaky stance. The sun princess had a tick form on her head at the belligerent disrespect, but she managed to stay calm and understand that he had no reason to trust to her; at least not yet. Sin shook his head; it was a sure sign that he was going to very cooperative.

"Do you really think that I'm going to talk to you, the very mare who banished me to protect herself from the propaganda of being the cause of Luna's banishment?"

The mare smiled, and he became suspicious whilst continuing.

"I don't have to tell you a damn thing about how I can transform into that monster. I have spent my entire life wandering the world as a lonely man hellbent to prove that humans are the strongest, while you lived your luxurious life with nothing to weigh you down."

Celestia laughed quietly, but it did not go unnoticed as his words reflected their past. Sin was becoming agitated by her attitude and on the verge of slapping the amusement off her face.

"What the hell is so funny?" he asked threateningly, before noticing that she was. . . crying.

"You are," she laughed some more and rose to her hooves, startling the man, as he sensed great fury and pain behind her mask. He took a step back for his own safety when the princess's smile dissolved, and anger was all that remained.

"Sister?"

Luna feared for their mate, and she was right to be afraid. Her sister shoved Sin against a wall and pinned him against it with her wings. She smashed her forehead against his, knowing good and well a little headbutt like that would not harm the human.

"I did not banish you to protect myself. I did it to protect you from father's wrath!" Celestia shouted with tears scorching her eyes, immediately recoiling at the shock in Sin's eyes. "I had no intention of banishing you, but father blamed you for what happened to Luna and vowed to have your head on a mantle. So I did what must be done to save your life."

She retracted her wings slightly, only to slam her human against the wall again.

"I made the sacrifice of our love to keep you safe!"

She slammed him again.

"I made the choice to hurt you in order to save you!"

And again.

"I BANISHED YOU BECAUSE I DID NOT WANT FATHER TO END YOU!"

There was a dying silence throughout the room, a synchronized moment of the other mares gawking at the alicorn princess as she drew the slightest hint of blood from slamming the back of his head against the corner of window by mistake. Sin even found himself a little speechless in his own tirade, standing there in minor shock of the statement Celestia slung at him. He stared up the ceiling. The harsh rasps of her breath moved gently against his chest, setting him swaying slightly with her finally breaking down. He hated how she was doing this to win his love again, but deep in his heart he remembered his love for the desperation she had to keep him and the feel of her wings around his back.

He felt her weaken against his chest. She was a broken mess with not a shred of fury left in her, but the pain lay over both of them. And yet—even when he had every right to hate and hurt this pony for all that she'd done to him—he'd felt that sixth sense of his kick into overdrive and reach deep into the emotions of the princess as a desperate attempt to prove that she was nothing more than a pony with a silver tongue.

To dismay though, he had managed to find not a damn thing and despised the secrecy. He was gritting his teeth by the time Celestia had come to words.

"I couldn't do anything to stop him,," she sobbed into her cutie mark on his chest. "I tried to convince mother to help me, but she was so afraid and Solaris was so determined to protect his reputation."

She looked up to him, having enough of the heavy burden she carried. She cried her words out as he shakily put his hands on her neck.

"I banished you to give you a chance to live a normal life, and it killed me inside. It tore me in half to know that I would ne—" Sin silenced her with a finger to her mouth before more tension could grow in her.

He stood there with the pony still latched to his chest. He looked down with much thinking ahead, deeply confused and internally conflicted that he had to believe the princess and treat her the same as Luna. The only thing he could do was hold a stoic expression, inside listening to the voices of the contained alicorns trying their best to give him wisdom at a moment's notice. He sure as hell didn't like the sudden revelation or that it was the truth, but he could not make Celestia an enemy. In his right state of mind and letting his conscience tell him what to feel and do, he had only one pony call his enemy and the only creature in this world he wanted to suffer.

Solaris. . . He could not find the anger towards Celestia, and separated from her, followed by Cadance and Spitfire braving the approach to find if Sin was still a mess or grasping the matter.

Luna felt abandoned since the conflict of these two, it seemed that the past between her sister and her lover would be forever buried under them. She had some idea on exactly what Sin would decide for her sister, all she had felt was the man's docile nature uplifted with the change of heart he was begrudgingly feeling. She sided with the upset Celestia as a shoulder to cry on, opting to stay out of their personal matter as one of the wives.

"So you mean to tell me that your fucking old man was going to kill me to protect himself?" Sin was chasing the conversation after the tears of his alabaster mate had stopped. He was pacing around the table with total abandon of his hatred on Celestia being the cause of is pain.

He sighed in frustration, that corrupted alicorn had been pulling their strings the entire time to break them apart. Where was the end of his evil and hatred towards him, Sin wondered with distaste.

Celestia nodded immediately, a small sign to the man that she was not manipulating him. If there was anything he knew for sure about the princess it was her inability to tell a lie without having some hesitation in her voice or in her actions.

He finally got his footing after an undesired flow of Holy Nova's and Dark Rai's magic pumped through his veins. The hellfire of his tense muscles loosening after his veins were filled with both reserves. Like a cure to muscle cramps, his movement softened and his pain was no longer a screeching reminder of how quickly he can burn up from all the magic he used so foolishly.

He stopped in his train of thought and glared at both alicorns waiting with anticipation for his answer.

"Where is he now?" he asked in low rumble, his eyes manifesting a corroded shade of red, which confused the mares on the account of his emotions never besting him like this. Was he truly so angry that he had enough magic to express his emotions like that?

"He is part of the council. . ." Celestia answered, and Sin frowned, completely sympathizing for the princess, he set himself in a chair and put his hands over his face, silently cursing to himself while she approached for reassurance. "He left Equestria after he and mother divorced."

Celestia dared putting a hoof on his leg, receiving a cold stare in the corner of his eye while he massaged his temples. "And Sin. . . the council was with Solaris about killing you. They approved having you executed by him."

Sin sighed shallowly, feeling it was best to just absorb the information and allow himself some clarity, something he should have done years ago to get the chip he's had on his shoulder.

"Are those asshats still breathing, or did karma actually catch up to them?" he watched as Celestia and Luna hung their heads in shame. It angered him. "You're kidding, you're telling me that they're still breathing to this day?"

"Immortality was once spell before Discord ate the pages," Luna reminded him.

"Okay, I know I have good reason to kill someone now," he stood up and gave everyone fear with the smile growing on him, a fire in his eyes no one had seen before, and it was frightening.

"Celestia," he gave a sharp turn with serious determination in his voice. "Do the old laws still apply for Equestria?"

She nodded, although she wasn't sure why the old laws needed to be brought up at a time like this. She just wanted to have a chance at having a place in his heart once more.

Sin chuckled, feeling confident now that he had some leverage, their past as lovers reinvigorated his thoughts, filled with sense of the idea playing through his head. He could practically feel it tickle his funny bone, walking towards his sword with a damn good idea how he was going to get his redemption. He turned back to look at the white mare taking her mind off him to smell what was cooking in the pot, her stomach rumbling loud enough for everyone to hear as she blushed.

He rubbed the sheath of Setsuna lovingly before making his way back into the kitchen, his hand raised to pet the embarrassed pony behind her ears, which she was more than glad to accept, because it meant he was trying to be understanding.

"Hungry?"

"Forgot to eat breakfast this morning." Celestia huffed with disappointment in herself. The last thing she wanted was to abuse what she felt was her chance to win him back by asking for a meal.

"And that is why you're going to sit your ass down and eat with us." He demanded with firm push of putting her in a seat before grabbing a bowl and filling it.

Celestia almost argued with him but remembered how tiresome it was. She snorted in frustration while the hot meal was set before her and the rest of the group was brought to the table. Even Skyla and Rose Spark were called to come back down, though with some time on their part, as they had something following them.

"I have to get back to the castle," Celestia admitted with reluctance. She was ignored and given a stern look by the human as he pointed at her bowl and growled. "Sin, I must return to my duties. I left Canterlot unexpectedly with my nephew in charge—and let tell you that he is not the friendliest diplomat with those in need."

"Those in need, eh?" Sin said solemnly, eating with the others without a second thought. "Who is in need of your help?"

"A few ponies who have been forced out of their homes by the blizzard," she answered, and then gave him the same hard look he had given her. "Some of which are victims of your little tantrum you had with Discord."

"Anything else?" Now he was just getting under her skin with his lack of care about her need to return home.

"A few nobles that are part of the trade network."

"And?

She sighed, knowing he wasn't going to listen completely. "And I don't want my guards to come down here and make a scene. Rumor has already spread about my relationship with you. You'll be the first they come for."

"It's not like they can fight me. In political terms, we did use the old ritual to bind ourselves together for all eternity. So in some sense of the meaning and how long we've been apart, you are my long distance wife."

"Which makes you the ruling body of Canterlot," Celestia took him surprise with that one. She smirked with satisfaction of the more important matters presented in their conversation.

"What," she shrugged whilst taking a sip of her soup. "I never changed the law that states how the eldest male in the royal family is the highest power. Why do you think mom was afraid to argue with Solaris when it came to diplomacy?"

"Because she's a big pussy who can't hold her ground without getting upset." Sin threw up his hands defensively as both sisters glared at him. He knew he struck a nerve but had little care for it. "Hey, don't get mad at me for stating the facts. Era never had the testicles to tell Solaris to shut his mouth."

"And just because you did gives you the right to insult our mother?" Luna scoffed at her him.

He shook his head and smiled whilst blowing on his spoonful. "No, I told him to shut his fucking mouth or he's going to wake up with monster sized dildos in his ass an mouth."

"Speaking of which," Luna looked at him curiously. "Where did you find the time to create a dildo?"

"I didn't," he grinned evilly at her. "I told Discord about them when he was still behaving in the past and had him make them." He looked u to ceiling, lavishing that day as though it was something to be proud about. "Oh man, that was a good day. He was limp for a week and avoided everyone on the account of some nobles finding the photos I made."

Celestia and Luna could not help the giggle in their throats while the remaining time of their small talk ended abruptly with standing up. He had to move away from the table to see if what he was witnessing turned out to be real or another hallucination from when he was experimented on.

There were no words for the person limping down the stairs with two very curious and scared fillies running away from her to get behind the man. It was only natural for the foals to hide behind the male for protection, as he was the strongest of everyone in the room. But Sin had given to the confused Cadance and walked slowly to the woman groaning in pain as he tried to process that she was awake already.

"Elizabeth," In spite of the emotional breakdown in his voice, Sin sounded happy. He'd only seen her as his sister after using his power to discover that she was the real thing and a victim of the same terror he endured. "How are you awake already? You should be out cold still."

***

The lack of balance was removing itself as the traumatized teen continued to wobble. She looked up to Sin and the pain was increased by a twitch of her bandaged wings while Celestia and Luna gawked at her. They knew he had a sister, but how in the hell was she in their world? And why was she covered in bruises and cuts?

Elizabeth managed to grab her brother's arm and fall into his chest wings as they burst from his back, before exhaustion took hold of her. There were still several bones aching, coming from her wings and back, mostly from the tools they used to make her like this.

"Easy. Easy. Easy." Sin was desperate with fear running in his voice. "You still have some fractures that need to be looked at. You're in no condition to be moving."

There was a haste of the pegasus and the alicorn as Elizabeth found herself inside a warm house with ponies around her. Ponies that terrified her a great deal, but she was not going to exert such fear when she could barely catch her breath.

She had known this moment would come when he found her in the snow. She had hoped it would not have been under the circumstances of her condition. Pressing her face into his chest she found the strength to sob, even though the ponies behind were asking if there was anything they could do to help.

"Get into my bag and find a yellow bottle in it," she heard her brother command. "Bring it to me and a glass of water. After that, bring some blankets down."

Relief came with the touch of her brother's hand on back, despite the pan she was in. She couldn't help the burst of emotions at the man's warm body engulfing her; it was security and the best comfort she'd had in years. She was broken. Destroyed. He was like a miracle though, a reward to the faith she was losing when she escaped. So many thoughts clouded her, but she loved how he could hold her like this.

There was that moment of silence from everyone that made her heart stutter. Had she not opened her eyes to the pink pony returning with blanket she would not have been ready for her.

***

"ELIZABETH!"

Sin was flabbergasted of her lunging at Cadance for unfolding a blanket to put around her. He was disgusted and afraid that his sister had found the energy to do this to his marefriend.

"You're not touching me again!" Elizabeth growled, trying to strangle the princess as she screamed. Chaos ensued, everyone erupted into a panic while he desperately pulled her off the pony and retrained her with a hug.

Immediately the situation broke out with her rearing her head back and busting his nose open. Blood literally gushed with the pain in his moment of desperation, but he had no choice, as she was going bat-shit crazy and fighting with all her might to break free. It tore his heart for this to happen, and it didn't help that he was with no options.

The thought was infuriating, but what could he do besides giving her enough medicine to comatose her?

"Luna," he barked, startling the mare. "Knock her out. Put her asleep right now!"

"Oh dear," Luna muttered.

. . .

Sin was beginning to feel that he had done the most unholy thing he could do to his only family. He couldn't stand himself. Here he was sitting on the couch rubbing the head of his sister as the problem escalated. He was well are he couldn't do much now that she was sleeping again and it hurt him.

At least he was surrounded by mare that understood what he was coming from.

"She needs real medical attention," he told himself, but they all heard him and rubbed his back sympathetically. "I'd thought removing the dark magic inside her would be enough, but she's different." He buried his face into his hands and groaned.

"What are you going to do?" Spitfire asked, concerned for both her human and the woman sleeping in Sin's lap.

Sin had no idea how to answer that. He loved his sister very much and he'd come to know through this life of his how much family meant to him, and to have that family in this world now. . .

He took a deep breath to try to think. The burn of what felt like betrayal twisting through his heart, making him feel as though he was on fire. He could barely force his body to stay under his control, instead of taking in an effort to ease the pain by hitting some part of the house as hard as he could. All that would do though is cost him a wall and he was not up to any more problems.

"Cadance," he turned to the quiet mare looking at him with a sad smile. "I am so sorry for what she tried to do. I should have known that she was going to freak out."

Cadance took her time mulling a kiss to lips while Celestia and Luna grit their teeth behind their lips. She gave a little sigh. "It's not your fault, you just got her back. But—" she looked away and cringed. "It may not be a good idea to keep her here. She could hurt one of us or get ahold of the fillies."

He knew she was right. This house was not safe so long as she was in it and he was not going to chose his sister over the safety of these ponies. And he most certainly would not let his daughter be around the danger. She could do some real damage to anyone she can get ahold of. Worse, if any of the townsfolk encountered her or found out that she has tendencies of violence, he could kiss gaining their trust goodbye and being less welcome than he already was.

"She needs professionals to handle her." He sighed in defeat then looked up to Celestia and Luna, who were already on the same page as him, surprisingly.

"We can have a room readied at the castle and have the medical staff treat her," Celestia nodded. Suddenly she and Luna glared at him with confidence while he pondered the idea of trusting her.

Neither mare wasn't going to back down now. Desperation set in. Sin knew he was in for it and helpless, chained—figuratively—and dangling at the mercy of these ponies with their hooks in his body to slowly pull him back into their lives.

"What is it that you want in return?" he asked reluctantly.

"We want to try and make things work out," Celestia replied, giving him an apologetic smile. He was about to blow his top, but she put her hoof to his mouth and continued. "We're not saying you belong to us. We simply want to be in your herd again, the opportunity you'd given to Cadance and Spitfire."

"A chance," he put a hand to his chin, mulling over the idea. Finally he brought them some joy by nodding. "I can live with that, but that means a slow start and like I told Luna, a date that you will be paying for."

"Well we want it to known that you're our husband. Tis only fair that the kingdom knows." Luna added.

"I'll let that slide so long as you are fair with Cadance and Spitfire."

"Only if you don't play favorites."

"I only play favorites of who has the best looking ass."

"You play favorites of who has the best mule?" Cadance questioned, hoping that she was wrong.

"It's a foul human term for butt," Luna clarified. Cadance was glad to nod at her fellow princess for that, because she was not going to go out of her way find a mule so that Sin would like her the most. Nevertheless, she now had to quit eating ice cream and get some exercise in.

"And finally," Celestia said sternly, knowing she couldn't stand these terms without him taking responsibility. "You have to drop the secrecy and let us inform the kingdom who you are, where you stand, and what you are."

Those were hard terms to swallow, but he did it bitterly and nodded at the mares with some ideas of his own. Still, it did not mean he was happy about it.

"Fine, but I get to do it my." He growled, ready to twist his on head to put himself out of his misery. "I work the trade network and deal with the nobles. And let us not forget about the militaristic system."

Celestia flinched at that one. "Why the militaristic system?"

Sin grinned a little and replied, "Because if I have to tolerate being a prince again, the least you can give me is control over your guards so that I can train them. I don't want the castle to be protected by a bunch schoolgirls that went through basic training. If they're gonna be guards then they're gonna be trained to my standards."

That seemed logical—if there was anything Celestia discovered from Sin's fight with Discord it was that he had experience and skill. She just hoped that he would not be too hard on them.

"Very well."

"Lastly," he raised a finger, frustrating the princesses as they quirked their eyebrows. "I want a meeting with the council."

"Why?" Celestia snipped, and she received his genuine grin of evil.

"Because I want to fuck their world up and beat the living shit out of your father."

"That's it?" Luna questioned, smiling at the thought of their father's reaction when he sees Sin again. "I can agree to that. How about you, sister?"

"Only if he doesn't kill him." Said her sister.

"Well this just got all kinds of weird." Spitfire shook her head, followed by a sigh of disappointment. "And here I thought things couldn't get any worse when that chick woke up."

"One more thing," Celestia added, grabbing everyone's attention. "If you're going to date Cadance, you have to take up the responsibility of being a good role model to her daughters."

"Daughter?" He quirked an eyebrow.

"Yes, daughters," Celestia nodded with a serious look. "You know Skyla, but you have yet to meet her first daughter, Flurry Heart. She's back at the castle with her father."

Well this was an interesting turn of events, enough that Sin turned to the sheepishly smiling princess of love with a disgruntled look and his arms crossed.

"Care to explain. . ."

Cadance smile dissolved into sadness as she sighed to herself.

"I was in a rush of getting away with Skyla." She answered sadly, and then it became worry and defensiveness. "I didn't abandon Flurry Heart. She wanted to stay behind anyway because she didn't believe me when I told her that Shining Armor was abusive."

"Abusive you say. . ." Sin paused with that same evil grin coming back. "Well at least I can some fun going to this castle known as Canterlot."

"What fun?" the mares asked, only to hear him chuckle whilst picking up his daughter to pet her.

"Simple," the man chirped. "If what you are saying is true, then I will have no problem making his life a living nightmare."

Celestia, Luna and Cadance were in deep thought about Sin meeting the crystal prince as he sat there calmly with his filly snuggling in his chest. They realized the mistake that was made and had synchronized thought that came out in two syllables.

"Uh oh. . ."

Uh oh. . .