My Little Sinner

It has been one week since the warrior Inrei Ikumatse departed Equestria in order to face Reiku.  There has been no news as to wither or not Inrei succeeded in his confrontation against the God of Dawn.  The only knowledge that is known to the ones that Inrei called family is that he has still yet to return.

An ever impatient Rainbow Dash continues pacing back and forth in her home at Ponyville with apprehensive feelings eating away at her spirit.  After her thirtieth pace for the hour, the cyan mare turned her worried eyes to the fog hat gray mask that was given to her by her paramour before he left.  The blue pegasus stared at the metallic item with her brilliant rose eyes, she came to the conclusion in her mind to take action and find Inrei.  The winged pony quickly snatched up the mask with the use of her mouth and immediately left for the one who could help her most.

As Rainbow rocketed through the cotton like clouds of the sky, two earth ponies, another pegasus, and a unicorn couldn’t help notice their dear friend race towards the town library; upon witnessing their colorful companion dash away with that certain object in tow, the four equines decided to follow.  Due to Rainbow Dash having the lead start and her great speeds, she was the first to arrive at her destination.  After the cyan mare, the rest entered in order of the tan earth pony, followed by the pink earth pony, then the snow white unicorn, and finally the yellow pegasus.

With the sound of the wooden door slamming the inside of the old oak tree that is the bibliotheca, the lavender occupant descended the spiral staircase to the ground level.  Before Twilight Sparkle could greet her friends, the unicorn took notice of the item Rainbow brought.

“I’m tired of waiting.”  Dash abruptly began.

“Now hold on just a second darling; you don’t actually plan on going to the human realm, do you?”  Rarity quickly questioned.

The cyan pony turned to her pure white friend, “I have to, it’s the only way I can be sure Inrei’s okay.”

“We know yer worried Rainbow, we all are, but we just have to be patient.  I’m sure Inrei will return eventually.”  Applejack jumped in even though her tone contained some concern.

“It’s been a week now!  You all may be able to sit and wait, but I can’t!  I have to go…I just have to.”  The blue mare snapped, her words slowly losing voice as she progressed.

“Now Rainbow dear, I’m sure there is a perfectly good reason why Inrei hasn’t returned yet.”  Her white unicorn friend added.

“Think about it Rainbow, what if there is a time difference between here and where Inrei went?  He could still be fightin’ Reiku right now.  What if ya go and get caught up in the action?  What would you do?”  The farm pony followed up.

“I-I don’t know…but I can’t sit here any longer.  I want to see him again…please, let me just go…even if it’s just for a moment.”  Rainbow Dash’s words were now but a worried murmur that could still be clearly heard by her friends.

“…Rainbow’s right; she should be allowed to find Inrei.”  Twilight stated.  “There’s a reason why we became Inrei’s friends, we all love and care for him as much as he does for us.  And as powerful Inrei is, I still want to make sure he’s safe, and you all should too. A brief visit should be okay.”

With Twilight’s words, Dash gave the purple pony an appreciative smile while the others contemplated until they reached their disclosure.

“You’re right Twi.  We promised that we would be there for Inrei in his time of need, and I know Inrei would be here for us…But Rainbow, if you think going this alone, you’ve got another thing coming.”  The tan farm pony mentioned.

“I-If it’s alright with everypony, I would like to come as well.”  Fluttershy meekly declared.

“You do have a point Twilight.  It’s as Inrei said, we’re not just his friends, we’re his family.  It only natural if we’re there for Inrei.”  Rarity added.

“It’ll be like that time we all went to rescue Rarity from those Diamond Dogs, except I don’t know how different.  Maybe with cool firework explosions or-or-or-fancy acrobatics fighting like the other times Inrei fought!  I can’t wait to get Inrei back.”  Pinkie Pie happily bounced around.

“Thanks…I really appreciate it.  You guys are really the best friends a mare could ask for.”  Rainbow announced to the group she held most dear.

“No problem, now let’s get your boyfriend back.”  Twilight said while placing a hoof on her blue friend’s shoulder.  “Spike, send a letter to the Princess.  We’ll need her assistance in traveling to the world Inrei traversed to.”

After the young assistant finished scribing the request, a response arrived five minutes later in the form of a bright flash that has the same intensity of a solar flare.  Once the illumination ceased, the regal princess of Equestria now stood in the center of the library’s first floor.

“Greetings everypony.  From your letter, I understand the dire urgency all of you are feeling currently and under normal circumstances, I wouldn’t allow traveling to other universes because of how dangerous they may be.  However, I can’t classify this situation a normal one.  Your friend Inrei is a good man who deeply cares for you all and will do anything to protect you and make you happy, and for that I will help.  His continued absence is worrisome and should be dealt with.”  The majestic ruler declared.  After Rainbow Dash thanked Celestia for her help, she continued.  “It is my pleasure, now do you have a belonging of Inrei’s that I can use to track him?”

The cyan pegasus quickly produced the De’la Windbloom Mask to the Princess, where the alicorn mentally recalled the life Inrei had and couldn’t help, but think about the journey and history this mask has seen.  Soon afterwards, the Princess lowered her head to the gray object and made contact with it using her horn as it glowed in a yellow hue.

“I can sense the realm Inrei went to…I see a vast field and a fortress of some kind…I know where he is now.”  Celestia said in a focused tone.

After hearing their ruler’s statement, the building’s current occupants gathered around their leader who engulfed herself and the group in a blinding light.  As the light faded, the equines found themselves standing in the confines of a military style base set on an isolated green field.  A towering citadel overlooked the multiple facilities which had various roles in play, a grand wall with numerous turrets emplaced on it encircled the structures as it created a defense strong enough that only the mightiest of foes could penetrate it, and imprinted on the front side of the massive fortress was a black serrated diamond with a white inner lining, an image that all, but the Princess recognized.

Rainbow gripped Inrei’s mask tightly with her mouth and rushed inside the massive building; nearly abandoning her friends out in the open as she sped off.  The blue mare found herself joined by her friends and asking various humans for help; some of the humans stared at the talking ponies in amazement, while others figured they were just a different breed of demons and went about their day.  After making their presence known, one of surrounding human approached the ponies, the girls instantly recognized him as one of the humans from the faction of the Twilight Brigade that enter Equestria.

The soldier agreed to take the group to see his boss and led them to an elevator.  During the ride up, the man remain silent to anything the group asked, thus causing the equines to take this as their cue to be quiet as well, but worsening the anticipation they felt.

With the ding of a bell, the elevator doors opened and the soldier continued to lead the ponies down a narrow hallway until they reached another set of doors.  It was a few seconds of hesitance, but the human eventually rapped his knuckles against the metal door.

“Come in.”  A familiar voice plagued by melancholy said from inside the room.

The doors slid open and the girls stepped into an office that only had window panes surrounding the area and another man with a right arm made of pure darkness sulking at his desk.  Upon seeing who enter his office, his eyes widened at first before he shut them and let out a deep sigh.

Twilight took a few steps forward and began.  “Zin, you’re one of Inrei’s closest friends, so we’re wondering-“

Rainbow cut of her friend and rushed up to Zin at his desk.  “Where’s Inrei?”  She immediately demanded.

Zin remained quiet as he got up from the table and sluggishly made his way to the windows.  All the ponies took this chance and noted the bags under Zin’s bloodshot eyes and the poorly restrained jitter of his body.

Zin began, but his voice was empty with his words.  “Inrei…died….”

A hollowed silence filled the room as the equines’ eyes widened and their mouths dropped into an O.

“Inrei…He…..he died a week ago…Inrei died fighting Reiku.”  Zin continued, his voice detaching further away from anything remotely happy and deeper into depression.

“No…I don’t believe you.”  Rainbow Dash began.  “I refuse to believe that Inrei’s dead!  Now where is he!?”  The cyan mare’s words began to strain as she flew straight up to Zin and held him up by his collar.

Zin lazily tilted his head towards the window and looked out it.  “His grave is right there…”

The pegasus sights oscillated between Zin and where he directed at.  After that, Rainbow shoved Zin back with enough strength to cause to tumble on the floor, and then rush out of the room with the fog hat gray mask.

“He’s not dead!”  She shouted back as she left.

Zin helped himself back up while the others maintained their shocked expressions.

“Come on….I’ll take you to his grave.”  He muttered.

Rainbow zoomed past many brigade members as she rushed around the base searching for an exit.  Emotions mixed around her entire being, determination overtook her facial expression as she continued to search for her loved one.  All the cyan pony knew was that she would continue to search for Inrei, even if her wings gave out and her hooves bled.  It only took the blue pegasus a couple of minutes to find an exit, but in her mind it felt like the longest journey she had ever taken.  From the opening this mare found, it led straight the location that Zin had directed at.

An orange hue coated the land and pony for Earth’s sun was setting.  In the distant field, a stone object sat.  Rainbow Dash approached the object in view.  Once she got closer to this item, all strength had left her and the gray mask slipped out of the grip of her mouth.

“No…”  Escaped her lips.

“No…please no….”  Rainbow stuttered as she approached the object.

“Inrei no…No NO, NO, NO, NO…..INREI!!!”  Tears broke out of Rainbow as collapsed on top of the stone object.  Slowly and agonizingly, her body slid down the item as she constantly called out the name of her love in sorrow.  Rainbow’s cries had become loud enough that Zin and her friends easily found her as they made way outside.  The equines approached the cyan mare, only to stop halfway as they noticed the object their friend embraced.

A tombstone with the words, “A true warrior, a true god, and a true friend, Inrei Ikumatse” inscribed into it.

Fluttershy’s voice gave a barely audible squeak as she frowned at what she saw.

Princess Celestia stared in shock.

Pinkie’s lips quivered as she shut her eyes and turned away.

“I…I can’t believe it…” said Rarity as she stared in disbelief.

“Inrei is actually…dead?”  Applejack added.

“Inrei….why…” Twilight muttered.

After coming to terms with the harsh truth, Twilight Sparkle, Pinkie Pie, Applejack, Fluttershy, and Rarity took a moment to choose their words carefully and say their good bye to the friend they would never get to see again.

“Inrei, I know that when we first met, you had the impression that I was afraid of you, and I’m glad that we were able to clear up that misunderstanding, but more importantly I’m glad that we were able to become friends…G-good bye Inrei.”  Fluttershy lowered her head.

“Inrei, you don’t know how happy I was when you told me that I was the one to throw you your very first party, I wanted to throw you another party right there just because of that and so you could have more fun.  I had hoped to throw you more parties and have more fun with you, but now….I’ll miss you Inrei.  And considering how you had a hard life, I’ll smile twice as much just for you and the good times we had, okay?”  Pinkie tried to produce a smile.

“I’ve never really been that good when it comes to a situation like this, especially when it came to making an outfit…oh look at me talking about that nonsense.  But Inrei, what I can say is that out of all the ponies I’ve met, I have never met someone as interesting or kind hearted as you.  You went out of your way just for the benefits of others, wither it was using your powers to protect us or just doing something simple.  I wish I could have gotten another chance to make you something and chat with you.  Goodbye my dear friend.”  Rarity bowed.

“Inrei, what can I say?  You were the best dang farmhand Ah’ ever had, but that’s not the reason why I liked ya.  You were a good man, and I’m glad for the time we got to spend together and get to know each other.  You’ll always be a part of my family in my heart.  Ah just wish…I just wish you could have gotten to live a while longer Inrei.  I’ll miss ya partner.”  Applejack tilted her hat over her eyes.

“It was an honor knowing you Inrei, and an even bigger one for how close we got to be…Inrei, if it wasn’t for you, I would have never learned some of the most important lessons about friendship.  Like what it meant to be a couple and the sacrifices you made just to protect us from danger or to make us smile.  For that I thank you, and I wish to thank you even more for becoming my friend…It’s odd you know, one day you’re here with us and then the next you’re gone, and now that you’re gone it feels like there is a void in my life…that one place you left in my heart, our hearts.  Inrei, we may change and we may grow old, but you’ll always hold that special place in our hearts…..and there is nothing that can get rid of that.  Goodbye Inrei and thank you for coming into our lives.”  Twilight’s eyes slightly began to water up.

Now that the five mares had finished, all eyes turned to Rainbow so that she could say her final words to Inrei, but unfortunately when Rainbow Dash tried to say something, her sorrows drowned out her words.  To this, Zin took a seat next to the sorrowful mare and placed his arm around her in condolence.  The mare replied by burying her wet face in his chest.

“Why!?  Why did he have to die!?”  Rainbow cried.

“He died doing what he believed…protecting us and proving himself to Reiku.  What makes it worse is the fact that it was a pointless battle.”  Zin began as his tone cracked, drawing everyponies ears and eyes.  “Inrei and Reiku…..They didn’t even want to fight to begin with.  They believed that it was the other’s will to when it wasn’t…At the very end, Reiku said ‘If only it didn’t come to this’ while Inrei called out to Reiku, not by name…Inrei called Reiku his father….”

Zin’s words were greeted by the intensified tears and depressed hiccups of the cyan mare in his chest.  Soon afterwards, Twilight started up again as her voice broke.

“I-if the two didn’t want to fight, then why did the Dragon Army returned to attack…?”

“It wasn’t by Reiku’s orders….the Dragon Army attacked on their own accord…thinking they had made the right choice….”  Zin’s continued words were again met with Rainbow’s emotions.  Absolute shock and horror masked the rest of the ponies as the truth of a drastic misconception had cost them the life of the one they cared deeply for.

As Rainbow Dash continued to cry, Zin leaned over and noticed the gray mask that Rainbow brought with her.

“That’s a De’la Windbloom Guardian’s Mask…This was Inrei’s wasn’t it?”

Instead of verbally confirming it, the cyan pegasus simply shook her head.

“Can I see it?”  Zin asked.  Again his question was answered with a nod.

Zin carefully picked the mask with his shadowed fingers and turned it around to the cover part.  A few holographic images materialized inside the mask as the remaining spiritual energy powered it up.  Only one of the images created was blinking, it was this one Zin had his eyes on.

“It’s as I thought…”  Zin muttered as he pressed it.

A new screen was projected off the mask and the image produced was that of a man with crimson red eyes, waist long green hair, and facial features exactly like his father.  It was the one man the group considered family, the one man Rainbow called her lover, Inrei.  The eight of them stared at the image as Zin pushed the symbol for play.  The recording began and Inrei began to talk.

“Rainbow, if you are watching this, then it means one thing…I didn’t make it back.  If that is the case, then I’m sorry, I’m sorry I can’t be there for you any more, to hold you, to hear you, for everything.  When I first became close with you, that is all I really wanted to do with you, to be next to you and make you happy, and what made me further jubilant is that you felt the same and loved me back.  But now…which is why I have to say this….. Good bye and tumoe no sai….I-it’s so odd you know?  I never did expect my lift to turn out like this, to become better after it was filled with so much darkness, and it’s all thanks to you and the others, Rainbow.  There was so more I wanted to do with you…..I…I even planned on proposing to you.  I-I love you.”

Before the video could continue any further, Rainbow Dash extended her right hoof to the video and paused it.  Following that, she struggled to all fours and stood directly in front of Inrei’s tombstone.

“Inrei…I accept your proposal…..Yes, I do.”  Rainbow leaned forward and pressed her lips against the tombstone.

Upon witnessing this act, Zin, Twilight Sparkle, Applejack, Pinkie Pie, Rarity, Fluttershy, and even Princess Celestia could no longer hold back their tears as well.  Rainbow’s sniffling echoed around the area as the last of dusk’s sky finished watching the land and faded away into the darkness of night.

******

A month has passed now since the death of Inrei.  The shadows of night blanket a holy nation of an ancient realm, which sits upon a massive field that is sleeping the night away.  Modern home structures lay in tow next to a gothic style castle of great size and age.  Upon one of the citadel’s overwatch towers, a sacred emperor stands surveying the land while desolation claims his expression.  As the lord stares off into the distance with his empty eyes, the five Dragos Elementos soon join him in company.

“Still thinking about Inrei, my lord?”  Lith began.

“I am….I think about if I had done this or if I had done that, then maybe Inrei could still be alive.”  Reiku answered in a melancholy tone.

“It was a horrible mistake sir, something that shouldn’t have happened.”  Bith joined in the condolence of his lord.

“It was more than a mistake!  It was a tragedy…If we didn’t assume and just thought things through, none of this would have occurred!”  Reiku snapped as his voice broke.

“All this time and Inrei just wanted to make amends for his sins and live in peace; it’s a shame he had to die, it truly is…If only he didn’t suffer sao’sun thuun... (spiritual death…)” Dahlia gently added in a soft tone.

Reiku’s body started to shutter and in respond Dahlia reached to place her hand on his shoulder, but was soon cut off by his words.

“All of you are my most trusted and loyal warriors, but not only that, you are my closest friends.  So tell me….Do the universes still need me?”

The Dragos Elementos were immediately astonished by their companion’s question.  The five then stepped closer to their depressed friend, as Lith gave his reply.

“Of course they do-“

“Then why doesn’t it feel like it!?”  Reiku turned around to face the others as tears streamed down his face like a small river.  “Wars are still being waged, too many good souls are dying, Saya and Zeak haven’t been the same since their mother’s death, and now Inrei…my other son…Why couldn’t things be as simply when it was just Dragova?”

As Reiku slid to the ground in sorrow, his five friends soon joined him by his side to continue to console in his time of grieving.

“After all I did to him…and he called me father….!  I’m a terrible person!  Inrei I’m so sorry…I’m so sorry….” Reiku continued to cry as he situated his face in the palms of his hands.

“Inrei may be gone, but we can still honor him.”  Bith stated as he sat down next to Reiku.

“Through the darkness of chaos, Inrei proved to be a good man.”  Dahlia included as she took the free spot on Reiku’s left side.

“He changed the lives of those he met for the better.”  Ramis chimed in.

“Speaking of that, what happened to the pony-girl he was with?”  Kronis asked.

“You mean his girlfriend?  I believe she’s grieving just as much.”  Ramis answered to the seemingly little girl.

“Inrei sure did love her…He was ready to sacrifice everything just to save her.  Didn’t he also give her part of his soul?”  Dahlia quietly joined in with the kids.

“Yeah, he did.”  Kronis nodded.

With her words, Reiku freed himself from the confines of his palms and looked up at the group with his wet eyes.

“What was that you just said?”  There was mostly emptiness in Reiku’s voice, but a hint of interest growing.

“Inrei gave some of his soul to that pegasus mare.  If I remember correctly, he did it because she was worried or something.”  The girl quickly answered as Ramis and Dahlia acknowledged the statement.

With that, a light bulb turned on in Reiku’s head.  The deity stood up shortly after and turned back to the distance land as he pondered the thought.  Once he came up to a conclusion, Reiku turned back to friends.

“Lith, head to Earth and prepare Inrei’s body.”  Reiku ordered in a stern tone.

“My lord?”

“Just do it.”  The sorrow that Reiku once had in his voice was now replaced with determination.

After Reiku delivered his order, he leaned off the stone balcony and plummeted towards the ground of his world.  As he fell, the emperor conjured up the magic of his powers and enwrapped his entire being in an azure flame.  The force created had no impact with the grass land for the fire soon faded away.  Upon vanishing from the realm of Sin Rati, the blue inferno had reconstituted itself in a world that was in the same time of day as the previous one.

The flames dispelled themselves as the lord, Reiku, turned to a white three story building with a corbel dome top.  Surrounding the exterior were numerous stone looking columns, circular windows, and four rainbow waterfalls that pooled into the foundation of the home; the three lower cascades of colors were minor compared to the one on top.  Taking flight, the deity flew up to the top level of the structure and shortly after phased inside it.  As Reiku made his way into the interior, he couldn’t help notice the dismay the room was in.  Curtains were ripped off their poles, lamps were shattered against the opposing wall, a couple of novels lay flat on the ground from being tossed, a small nightstand laid overturned on its side while a hole was punched in the wall above it, and the pillows and blanket of a nearby bed remained kicked off while a cyan object laid huddled on the mattress.

Reiku approached the sleeping creature and once he reached, Reiku knelt down to her.  As the lord observed the mare, he mentally noted the dried tears on her face, the picture frame next to her which imaged the girl and his deceased son together, and the fog hat gray mask she cuddled.

“You must be Inrei’s girlfriend…I wish we could have met under better terms.  I’m sorry for the suffering I brought you.  Don’t worry little one, I’ll end the suffering.”

The deity guided his hand over the resting pegasus, and as his hand past over her, a blue flame began to emanate from the mare’s body and into the grasp of Reiku’s.

“I’ll make this right.”  Reiku muttered as he clenched the small fire.

As the way he came, Reiku encased himself in the sacred flames and vanished from the face of Equestria.  This time when Reiku reappeared, he had made his destination Earth, but more notably, the Twilight Brigade’s Headquarters.  Reiku made his way to the freshly dug up grave of Inrei’s.  The perfectly healed corpse lay peacefully on the ground as if Inrei was simply sleeping.

“Reiku if I may ask, what is it that you intend to do?”  Lith began as he approached his companion.

Reiku extended out his right hand and revealed the substance he obtained from Rainbow Dash.  “Even though Inrei and I are two separate entities, our souls are the same.  If I use my soul as a conduit, I can strengthen Inrei’s spiritual energy as I transfer it back into his body.  I can resurrect him.”

“But you’ve never been able to revive anyone who has suffered sao’sun thuun.  Are you sure it’ll work?”  A look of amazement overtook Lith’s expression.

“It has to…”

Lith backed away as his master prepared for the ritual.  Using his left hand, Reiku drew in the air the symbol that has always been associated with his presence.  As the twilight orange triangular mark burned in the air, Reiku then plunged the hand that held the energy into the image.  The symbol shattered as the azure flame within Reiku’s grip shifted into the lifeless body before him.  Immediately afterwards, both Reiku and Inrei’s body began to levitate twenty feet into the air as Reiku extended both arms out to the corpse.  Reiku’s aura became visible to the naked eye as he started the transfer.  The very moment the deity’s soul with the lifeless one, an intense sphere of light swallowed the two whole.  The sheer force from the spiritual energy soon became the vortex point of roaring turbulence.

Due to the very audible sounds of rushing winds and shifting earth, Lith soon found himself in the confused company of Zin and twelve other brigade members.  While the event continued to pester on, Lith took the time to explain the situation to the dumbfounded newcomers.

Minutes passed on as Reiku found himself as the focal point for all of the commotion.  It didn’t matter much to him, he was determined.  In his mind, he constantly told himself that no matter what, he shouldn’t falter and that he had to succeed.  This resolute of his was soon met with the unwavering battle cry as Reiku refused to give up.  With the last second of the ceremony, Reiku gave one final push with the burst of his energy, and the singularity imploded into little orbs of white light.

The two gradually landed back on the ground with the speed of a falling feather; Reiku collapsed onto his knees while Inrei’s body remained motionless on the ground.  Silence claimed all sound while anticipation took hold of everyone’s mentality.  More time had passed as hope seemed to dwindle down.  A look of disappointment and unaccomplishment masked Reiku face until he saw something.  He was unsure if it was an illusion of his mind or real, so he paid closer attention to what he saw.  A few seconds moved on as smile slowly crept on Reiku’s face.

“It worked…”

Another chest compression appeared, and then another and another.

“It worked!”  Reiku joyously laughed.

******

I was stuck in the shadowy world that my body had created for me.  For how long, I do not know.  What seemed like years in this emptiness was soon interrupted by what had sounded like a high pitch ping, going off in rhythmatic fashion.  It was here at this point I unfastened my eyes slowly, just to be greeted by a blinding over head light and an extremely white ceiling followed by a flat beige wall.  Within my peripheral I could make out green drapes pulled back on my left while sitting on a metal table on my right was a small little box with a grid on its screen.  It was a heart monitor.  Upon seeing these things, I immediately threw myself up and instantly began examining my body.  There were no cuts, no burns, no scars, no injuries what so ever.

What the hell is this?  How am I even here?  I…I died.  I know I did.  So how is this even possible?  I’m…I’m alive.

Since I was sitting up now, I noticed something in my redirected peripheral.  Sitting on my left was him.  Reiku.  Instinctively I reached out and grabbed him by the collar, but as I pulled him in, I saw that something was wrong with him.  Reiku’s eyes were bloodshot and he was smiling…at me.

“Welcome back, Inrei.”  He declared.

What does this mean?  Why is Reiku here, and furthermore, why did he just greet me like that?  Wasn’t he trying to kill me?

“Whoa, Inrei calm down.”  A second voice stated.  Turning to the source reveal to me that it was…Zin.  Zin currently sat on the opposite side of Reiku.  Underneath Zin’s eyes were bags, but the thing that caught my attention the most is that Zin’s right arm isn’t made of darkness anymore; in fact it looks like a normal human arm.

Just what the hell has happened here?

I was hesitant, but I complied and released Reiku.  “What…What is going on?  Wasn’t I dead?”

“You were buddy.  We’ve got so much to tell you.”  Zin added.

I sat in that hospital bed absorbing every word the two of them told me.  As it turns out, I did die and it has been a month since my death.  During my time of being deceased, a lot has happened here.  Namely it is that with the assistance of Reiku, Zin finally managed to rid himself of the curse that haunted him for so many years.  And during his grieving, Reiku figured out how to resurrect me when it seemed like there was no hope to do so.

But as we continued, I realized something.

“Is Rainbow here?  Does she know I’m alive?”

Zin turned to Reiku who in turn immediately responded.

“She doesn’t know yet.  I believe we shouldn’t keep her waiting then.”

Reiku’s right.  If Dash doesn’t know I’ve returned, then I don’t want to waste time here.

I informed the two that I wished to leave now and they agreed that it should be fine to do so.  I quickly got dressed in my black clothes that I’ve come accustomed to and left for the outside of the base.  As I walked through the halls of the Twilight Brigade’s base, every brigade member stood at attention and saluted at me while my honor escort of Reiku and Zin led me to the exit.  I tried to ignore this special treatment, but the feeling it created persisted on like a bad itch; it felt surprisingly good.

“Hey Zin…Why are your subordinates doing that?”  I curiously asked.

“It’s because of you; they have a new found respect for you.”  My good friend answered.

A new found respect for me…?  Wow…Have I really affected these people that much?

I stood on the field where this massive citadel laid bare and stared back at the mass of soldiers who came to see me off.  Seeing them help reminded me of the changes I went through, the changes that made me become a better person, the person who impacted the lives of others.

“You ready?”  Zin smiled.

“Yeah, I’m ready.”  I smiled back.

Before I could focus on my vitality, Reiku already took the liberty of using his powers to conjure up the magic of inter-dimensional teleportation.  The azure flames scattered around the three of us until we became a human sized inferno.  As the last ember burned, Reiku, Zin, and I had left the earthen realm.

After a moment’s notice and the ring of a bell like sound, I found us three in a familiar blue sky over the landscape of where I called home.  Ponyville.  The three of us, still in a will-o-wisp form at the time being, flew to the town square.  From the performance we gave, Zin, Reiku, and I obviously grabbed the attention of Ponyville’s denizens for a crowd of what I could judge as possible everypony, formed around the area the three of us descended towards.  Reiku was the first to be dispersed from the blue fire, then Zin, and finally I was released as I touched down on the ground.  From there, I scanned the sea of colorful faces for the one I wanted.

Within a second, a cyan blue mare with a rainbow mane rushed into the front row of the ponies.  Her eyes widened in shock as her jaw dropped.  The moment I saw her, I could feel a sense of overwhelming joy fill me; I just wanted to burst with excitement from seeing her.

“…In-Inrei!?”  She gasped.

“Yeah, it’s me.”  I smiled at her.

As we stood there facing each other, I could see Rainbow’s eyes begin to well up.

“I promised you I would return.”

“INREI!”

We spared no time since I charged at her and she did the same to me.  Rainbow and I caught each other in possibly the biggest embrace we’ve had yet.  Dash bawled as she affectionately nuzzled my head, and even I let loose a few tears.

“DON’T YOU DARE EVER LEAVE ME LIKE THAT AGAIN!”  Rainbow cried in my ear.

“I promise!”  I lowered my lips and kissed her the second I got.

As I continued to hold my dear sweet love, my ears picked up on the sound of my name being called by more familiar voices.  I looked up and revealed them to me; standing across me stood Twilight, AJ, Rarity, Spike, Fluttershy, and Pinkie Pie.  Shortly after matching contacts, the six of them ran over to join me in the embrace; they too were on the verge of tearing up.

As the finally crowd dispersed and we all settled down, the two that came with me figured it would best for them to leave now so that I may continue with my life where I had left off.

“Hey man before I leave, I want to give you a little parting gift.”  Zin extended out his right arm, and in his hand was a little package.  I took the item and opened it up.  Zin’s gift was a small carton of cigarettes, clove ones to be exact.  “I remember you asking for some a while back, so I decided to get it for you…as a gag gift.”

I smiled and chuckled at him.  “It’s more than a gag gift to me, thanks Zin.”  The two of us went in for a hand shake, but the moment we gripped each other, we pulled one another into a brotherly hug.

“Anytime pal.  And as I said before, visit when you can.”  Zin and separated and he backed up to Reiku.  “You ready?”

“No…Not yet.”  Reiku declared.  “Before I leave, there is something I need to say.”  He then took a few steps closer to me.

“Inrei…We have known each other for so long, trapped in what seemed to be an eternal struggle of good and evil, but as it turns out that wasn’t the case.  When I decided to take that certain chance with you, I got to watch you grow up from the young boy you once were into the fine young man you are today.  But as you grew up, I always had that fear of you turning back into the beast you once were.  And because of that fear, it caused me to do terrible things to you, horrible things.  Inrei Ikumatse, I want to say to you that during this life you lived, you weren’t a bad soul, only a misguided one because of my paranoia.  From this point on, any sins you bared are hereby cleansed.  And Inrei, I have one more thing to say…”  Reiku then got on all fours and bowed to me.  I could hear his voice break with every word, almost like he was about to cry.  “Inrei, I have wronged you in the worse possible ways, I have made you suffer, brought you pain, and placed you in the darkest depths of sorrow.  I can understand if you’ll never forgive me, but Inrei, I just want you to know that with all of my heart, I am truly sorry for what I’ve done to you.”

“Reiku…”

Past the years of torment, here is a man that raised me while he could and cared for me when we were originally enemies.  The man that brought me into a world of light and a world of darkness.  The two of us so very different, yet we are similar as well.  We are both men that share the same kind of pain, and he is the one who has given me mine.  And here he is apologizing.  Can I forgive him?  I know my answer.

I knelt down to him and place my hand on one of his shoulders to catch his attention.  The very moment Reiku looked up, I wrapped my arms around him.  “I forgive you, Father.”

I heard a few sniffles and felt his arms go around me to complete the hug.  “Thank you, my son.”

The two of us separated and I smiled at Reiku while he smiled back.  I stood there and watched as Reiku and Zin used their powers to return to their homes.

Bye my brother.  Bye Dad.  Until we meet again.

I turned back to the others, but as I did that, my sight was immediately greeted with blue.  Luckily I caught Rainbow just in time as she wrapped around me.

“By the way Inrei, yes, I do.”  Dash smiled brightly at me.

“Do what?”

“Your proposal.  I want to be your wife.”  She answered.

The proposal?  She saw the message didn’t sh-SHE JUST SAID YES!

YESYESYESYESYESYES!  Oh thank you Rainbow!

I couldn’t but smile and pelt her with kisses.

“Ahem, excuse you two lovebirds.”  Twilight started.

Dash and I pulled back while still in the embrace.  Rainbow let out a cute blush while I simply chuckled.

“So Inrei, what are you going to do now?”  Twilight continued.

I already know what I’ll do.  I looked off into the distant sky and future.

“I live.”

The End.