Author's Note

Sorry for the delay but things have been crazy lately with my Aunt having her baby and my best friend getting married that I haven't had time to work on my stories, though hopefully from what I've been hearing an old friend is supposed to be coming back with a late br=irthday present that should make writing go along faster, though unfortunately I still got to wait till October 1st but it'll still be nice once he's back and we're able to hang out.

Home Tour

I awoke the next day with an intense pain coming from my back though it didn't take long for me to realize what was causing it. "Damn, I know Faust said it would be painful but I didn't think it would hurt enough to actually make me pass out." I head gasps coming from the door to my hospital room and looked up to Lily and Chrysalis coming at me. I was tackled down to the bed which caused more pain to shoot through my body as pressure was put onto my back. "Aaaaaaaaahhhhhhhh, son of bitch!" I shouted as I shot up off the bed and knocked the two changelings down to the ground. "Oops, sorry about that you two." I said as I helped them up.
"It's alright David, we should have remembered that you were hurt and shouldn't have jumped on you like that." Chrysalis apologized before giving me a kiss.
"Yeah, sorry daddy, I didn't mean to hurt you." Lily said as she hung her head towards the floor. She looked up when she felt my hands wrap around her small frame and lifted her up.
"It's alright sweetie I know you and Chryssy didn't mean to do it." I told her before rubbing her nose with my own which got her smiling again.

"What happened to you anyway David? We all saw that bright light envelop you and you vanished, you weren't gone for very long but we couldn't help but worry. It also didn't help when you came back and all of sudden a couple of bones come protruding out of your back without any warning."
"Without warning for all of you at least." I remarked snidely which caused her to narrow her eyes at me.

"So then you knew this would happen?" I made a so-so motion though she didn't seem to take that well. "Okay mister, you're going to sit down and tell me what happened after you vanished. and don't you dare leave out a single detail." She scolded me which caused me to groan and Lily to giggle saying, "Ooooo, daddy's in trouble," but I did as she asked and went to explain what happened after my unexpected disappearance.

~49 minutes later~

"And that's pretty much it." I say as I just get done explaining to everyone, who had shown up while I was explaining everything to Chrysalis and forcing me to restart a couple of times.
"You and Saboru actually got to meet the Faust, the goddess, herself!?" Rarity shouted in excitement. I nodded as she and the others were staring at me in fascination.
"Yes, it looks like I am getting a new flying buddy." Rainbow said excitedly while small loop de loops near the ceiling.

"I wonder what role your mother and sisters play in the future events that Faust made it a point to ask David not to kill them." Celestia said to Chrysalis, tapping her hoof to her chin in thought.
"I don't know but I find it odd that she would have asked David such a thing since I already knew that he wouldn't have killed them anyway."
"Of course I wasn't but there's still one question I do have now that I've been meaning to get answered."

"And what is that?"Lacy asked.

"Can I finally leave? As much as I love hanging out with Red Heart I'm starting to feel like staying here is doing the opposite of what it's suppose to be doing." I said as the doctor walked in.
"Well seeing as everything seems to be fine besides your new wings growing in but if everything you said is true then as long as you're careful not to put any excessive stress directly on your back until they have fully grown then you'll be fine though I would like to ask that you come in regularly for checkup so we can make sure there are no complications."
"Alright, just as long as I can go outside again and train I'll be good." I said as I stand up and started packing away all of my junk that's been brought in here to keep me entertained. Afterwards we all walk to the front desk where I sign my release forms and promptly leave. Once outside the girls said their goodbyes, saying that they needed to get back to work, and went their separate ways which left me, Chrysalis, Lily, and Lacy as the only ones left of the group.
"So what do you want to do now?" Lacy asked me as I took in the fresh air of the little town.

"Well I think now we should show David the new hive." Chrysalis said as she started nudging me forward.

"Oh yeah, that's right I haven't seen it yet. Well I guess we should get going so I can get acquainted with my new home again." This caused Chryssy to chuckle.
"You do seem to be doing that a lot since you've gotten here haven't you?"

"Yeah, no kidding but I'm not completely opposed to it as long as someone isn't trying to kill me." I responded light-heartedly.

"Hey, I wasn't going to kill you or kick you out of the hive for a misunderstanding." Chryssy said defensively.

"Well you could have fooled me what with that glare of yours and all, it didn't exactly give me the, ' Hello, you're welcomed here,' sort of feeling. After all you could have found another couple within the Hive and left me somewhere to die for all I knew back then. I did whatever it took to avoid you and to me that meant not being anywhere near you, hiding or not, and Lily never told me anything that gave me an opposite impression" I stated casually with my arms behind my head. I kept on walking until I noticed that Chrysalis wasn't with us. Turning around I saw that she had stopped quite a few feet away, head hanging down to the ground. I walked over to her and knelt down in front of her. Cupping her chin and gently lifting her head up until we were staring into each other's eyes.
"I'm so sorry David, I never wanted to make you feel unsafe around me, even if I was angry at you. I just-" She went on to say but I cut her off with a kiss.
"You have nothing to be sorry for Chryssy. If I hadn't been slacking on my anger management none of that would have happened in the first place so don't go blaming yourself for my mistake." I told her after I ended the kiss, and wiped any lingering tears.
"The needn't all belong to you but thank you for trying to make me feel better." She said as she pressed her cheek into my hand. She then stared quizzically at something over my right shoulder as I felt weight as I felt something land on it "And what do you think you're doing Lily?"
"Noooothing." She states suspiciously.

"Lily?" I narrowed my eyes at her though she looked at me with that oh so innocent smile of hers, which confirmed that she's up to something. I grabbed her and put her under my arm before getting up and the three of us heading back to Lacy.
"Why you carrying her like that?" She asked when she saw Lily waving to her from her spot under my arms.
"Because she's planning something but we don't what it is so he's going to carry her like that until we get to the Hive." Chrysalis answered for me.
"That's an understatement sweets and you know it." I stated as I felt Lily try to free herself from my grasp.
"Well you are her father so I wouldn't doubt if it's your fault she's gotten more mischievous with the time you two have spent together." Chrysalis smirked towards me with a knowing glance. I looked over towards Lace to see her with the same expression.
"Alright what did all of you do while I was in that hole?"

"Noooooothing." All of them replied with innocent looks upon their face.

"Riiiight, I'm keeping an eye on all of you." I stated before noticing that we had arrived at the entrance to the new hive. I looked around and noticed the improvements made to it from the design made from the old hive. "Wow, this place looks fancier than our old home, I take the ponies had something to do with that?"
"Mmmmhm, Celestia sent in more than a few construction crews a couple days after you disappeared as a part of her apology for Shining Armor's actions during your duel, or at least that's the excuse she used after my refusing help several times before hoof." Chrysalis said as she chuckled at the memory. I rolled my eyes towards Chrysalis' prideful attitude upon the admission of not accepting Celestia's help. As we continue through the tour of the new hive, Chrysalis acted as the tour guide as she explained every facet of the place. Throughout the tour though I noticed that we seemed to be avoiding the room where it was said that I was found. After about a hour and a half, maybe two, hours I finally decided to ask her about it, "Hey Chryssy any reason why we haven't gone into the training area yet?"
She froze in the middle of her stride and looked at me with a nervous expression. "Okay what's with the look?"

"Well you remember the terms of your duel?" She asked while pawing at the ground.
*sigh* "He's in there isn't he?" She nodded while I sighed again, "Well you don't have to worry your pretty little head about a thing. I can remain civil while around him, well as long as he stays away from me that is." I said that last part quietly enough so that only Chrysalis and I heard it and caused her ears to splay back against her head. I kneeled down in front of her and reached a hand out to stroke her cheek with a smile plastered on my face.
"You really do make a better leader than me. I wouldn't be able to be the bigger pony if I was put in this situation, it makes me wonder if I really deserve to be queen." She said with a small, sad smile as I noticed her beauttiful green eyes were watering up.
"Oh Chryssy, you make an excellent queen and don't let let anyone tell you otherwise, not even me, okay." I brought her into a hug and she rested her head on my shoulder.
"But yours and Lily's opinion matter dearly to me. How am I to know if I am doing something right if I don't listen to those closest to me?" She whined while she took her head off of my shoulder and looked at me with a playful pout. We both stared at each other before dissolving into laughter.
"But seriously though Chryssy you're doing a fine job at being a ruler and I don't want to have this cinversation again, you understand me." I said after calming down while I looked her in the eyes with a stern, but caring look. She gave me a smile before leaning in and gave me a chastised kiss on the lips. "I'm so glad that you found Lily, you two have been the best thing that have ever happened to me."

"I love you too Chryssy!" Lily yelled from her spot under my arm, which I had forgotten about. I lifted her up so we were face to face and gave her a kiss on the nose, which got her giggling, before I put her down but I was going to remain wary of her actions so I don't end up on the receiving end of whatever prank she might be cooking in that adorable little head of hers; after she spent a month without me in Ponyville who knows what Pinkie Pie, Rainbow Dash, hell even Bonnie could have put into her head during that time, though it was probably to cheer her up so I guess I can't be too mad at them if I do fall vitcim the Lily's antics.

"Hey David, do you want me to go in first and tell them you're coming in and give Shining Armor the message that he's not to come near you? I know you said that you have more control over your anger but you even admitted to having relapses in said control." Lacy asked as she was leaning up againt the side of the door. I nodded and she slipped through the doors to the training hall. After ten minutes she came back in and gave us a nod and we headed inside.
The room was massive, if I didn't know any better I would say it was about half the size of Ponyville if my calcutations are correct. I could see armored changelings and ponies alike training all over the place. My anger spiked when I saw Shinging Armor off in a corner teaching a group of unicorns and changelings about making magical barriers. I reigned myself in enough so I could pull myself away from the sight of the cowardly captain and observed the rest of te troops at work. From what I could see not only have the skills of the Hive's troops increased but the guards as well. So caught up in my examination I failed the notice that the Hive's soldiers have turned their attention towards me, that is until I noticed I could no longer hear the sounds of combat and saw that everyone was looking at me.

"Uh, hey you guys," was all I said before being swarmed by the troops.

"It's great to have you back David!" I heard one say.

"It wasn't the same here with you." Another shouted.

"Are you okay sir, you seem to have coming out of your back?" The concerned voice of someone piped up along with many others as the changelings expressed their feeliings of my disappearance.

"I do believe this shows you just how much all of us have come to care about you." I heard Chryssy say from beside me as I couldn't stop smiling. Never before have I felt this..... this loved, or wanted and it was getting to me, as evident from the trail of moisture I felt sliding down my face.
"It seems alot of tears are being shed today, why is that?" I heard Saboru ask over the voices of the changelings swarming me .
'I could not tell you bud but I'm sure you understand why I'm so damn emotional at the moment'. "Yeah, yeah I do. Though I guess your memories are still a little tainted from what happened between you two when you were kids." He had me there, even though we've made up my childhood memories that involved her seem to try and convince me that I've never seen her before my return to Ponyville. It's that shocking when I think about it though after all I originally purged, or thought I did, those memories from my head in order to forget about the pain her betrayal had caused me.
"Hello....hello.......David you there, HEY!!!!" I jumped at that before turning to Lacy to see her with a shit eating grin. "What?"
" 'I originally purged, or thought I did, those memories from my head...' , I understand that you and, Saboru was it, talk but you still might want to watch how you're speaking, though I wish you were talking about something a bit more embarrasing that I could have used for blackmail in the future." Lacy giggled as I glared at her but soon joined in.
'God my life has gotten wierder that I ever thought it would, but wouldn't trade for anything in the world.'

~1 hour later~

We were finally leaving the training hall, after checking up on how training was going, and continuing on with the tour.
"Well that was interesting. I definitely wasn't expecting to be swarmed by almost half the hive." I stated as I wiped some of the slime that somehow had gotten on me.
"You would have been swarmed by the entirety of the hive if they weren't up top working on the surface structures" Lace giggled as I was working on getting some slime out of my shoe.
"Wait, what surface structures, I did't see anything being built on top of the hive?" She and Chrysalis gave me confused looks before turning into looks of understanding.
"I forgot that we haven't told you yet," Chrysalis stated before gesturing me to follow her. "instead of building the upper parts of the hive over it I've decided to have it built closer to Ponyvile in an attempt to further build up the relationship between us and the ponies." She finished as we walked out of the hive and started walking to an area I had known to hold an empty field close to Sweet Apple Acres.

"And the princesses didn't put up much protest because of me, right?" I was beginning to see the top of the wall that was usually built around changeling surface settlements.
"Believe or not, no, she agreed whole heartedly to the idea seeing as not everypony really approve of the changelings livlng here in Equestria. Her thoughts were that allowing the hive to building the surface colony as close to town as possible without having to try to find someplace in it that might have enough room." Lacy paused as she looked out to the colony that we now had a full view of from atop a hill. "And I got to say, looking at it now I say that was definitely the right move."
"So how do you like it?" I heard Princess Celestia ask as she came up from behind us. "There are still a number of buildings that still need to be made but it seems as though the rest of your hive already seem to love it."
"Well as long as they are sastified with it then so am I. . . . " I stated before what she said finally hit me. I acted accordingly when it had sunk in. "AARRRGGGGGGG, why the hell do all of you keep doing that?!" That earned me laughter from the girls as I scowled at them before it turned into a smile and I chuckled softly at their antics. I'm not sure if I've already mention this once before but it feels so good to be able to laugh without having something bad over my head all the time. Sure this incoming battle looms over all of us but at the moment I know that everything is alright, that we can afford these luxuries without fear or consequence.

Unknown Location

Watching the whole scene were two beings who forms where cloaked in darkness. All that could be seen were their golden eyes that shone with malicious amusement.
"So this is the one that he's been sealed in." The one on the left said in a sickly sweet feminine voice. "He shows so much potential for one who wields only a portion of the power that the one inside his soul has provided to him. . . . . .he would make a great addition to our forces."
"And just how do you plan on doing that when he has not only managed to beat back the dark influence we've already put into his heart from birth." The other said in a more masculine tone.
"Yes he has but not completely that is the reason he hasn't unlocked his true pontential yet, he's still doesn't have complete controll over it and therefore fears of having it unleashed. All we need to do is bring it out and we can convince him to finally join us. We have to wait for the proper moment though so that even if he is to regain control over himself he will have no choice but to come with us."
"Very well then sister, then I guess we wait and pull the strings where we can to help influence things in our favor."

'Just you wait David, or should say Yakaro, will be ours and once you are we will be unstoppable.'