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                      The Oak Leaves                       
                    -by MidnightChaos-                     
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                Spring Leaves Are Returning                
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Spring Leaves Are Returning
The Oak Leaves:
Spring Leaves Are Returning
        Swing, slash, stab. For hours, Horace practiced. Training was important to a mind like his. Especially since he was locked on the sun with an evil version of his marefriend while his best friend lingered down below, searching for a way to free him.
        When he had first arrived in Equestria, Horace had been a better swordsman than anyone. Even the princesses. His technique was still spoken of below, on Equus with reverence.
        Skill set aside, he had been practicing for a millenia. The evil of his marefriend allowing him to spar with an evil version of himself. He had not lost. Not once. This spoke for a lot, since his evil version was just as good, just as smart.
        In a millennia, he had sparred with people from other worlds. Sparring, leading him to be the best swordsman, aside from a certain man. The other was known throughout the Multiverse but Horace was not.
        It was during a spar with himself that something remarkable happened. He was back on Equus. And it was time for a battle.
        Meanwhile, during his imprisonment, his best friend, the Ranger Will, had not stopped searching or polishing his skillset. Like his imprisoned friend, Will was likely the best at his skill set. In fact, he had once, from the top of Canterlot Mountain, fired and arrow, and sliced the wings off of a fly nearly two miles away in Ponyville. As it turns out, the fly was carrying a malicious disease.
        Will was returning to the Canterlot castle for the first time in two centuries. Luna, as usual, was speaking with an audience when he entered. Due to his skills, he entered without being seen. As soon as the other ponies left, he walked up behind Luna.
        “Hello dear,” he whispered.
        She sighed, “Hello Will.”
        He sat down beside her and pulled a drink out of his bag. “Didn’t find anything to help Horace.”
        “Oh…” she said. Luna knew how him helping her seal up Celestia as SolarFlare haunted him because of Horace being with Celestia, trying to stop her, when she was sealed up. “You know, tomorrow’s the Winter Solstice Ceremony. There are some books that said she would return in a thousand years. Maybe Horace will to?”
        “I suppose that’s likely,” said the man, “We still need to find Halt as well.”
        Luna hurummed, a sound unique to ponies. Somewhat like a hm, but more musical. “Well. I want you to go to the Solstice tomorrow. Both to find Horace and possibly Halt.”
        “Sounds like a plan,” he said and, with that line, he practically vanished from her sight. A moment later, she felt a kiss planted on her lips, and he was gone. Meanwhile, at the other side of the room Gilan spoke up.
        “Having fun?” he asked, stepping away from the wall.
        “Surprisingly, yes,” she said, turning to the man.
        “I figured as much,” he said.
Will made his way out of the castle. He knew Luna’s protege would be going today. He knocked on her door.
A small lavender unicorn answered the door. “Whatever it is I’m-” she stopped. Looked up at Will, and collapsed. Sighing, he picked her up and lay her on a couch. After a minute or two she sat up with a start, and leapt directly at him. “You’re him!”
“Him who?” Will asked the lavender unicorn, having landed in the nearest chair, pinned by the pony.
“The Ranger! Princess Luna’s husband!” She gasped. (In your face Gilgamesh!- Will.)
“So I am,” he answered, still casually leaning back.
“That means you’re a Prince!” She exclaimed.
“So?” he said, not taking it seriously, as usual.
“You should be in the castle, governing the country!” She said, “Instead you’re here, in my house!”
At this point, Will could take it no longer and burst out laughing. “You-You think I should govern the country?” He laughed harder. “Ah! My sides hurt.” He took a breath. “Wow. Luna never said you had a sense of humor like that.”
Twilight growled. “That’s rude.”
Will snickered, “I know. Now I must ask you a question. May I ride with you to Ponyville?”
“Why?” The lavender unicorn asked, scowling.
“Luna is sending me as a security of sorts,” he said, waving his hand dismissively, “and I prefer to not be seen.”
“Fine, but that doesn’t mean I’m okay with you,” she said and with that she climbed down and walked out. Will walked behind her and hopped into the balloon, cloak flurrying in the wind.
Twilight pulled a cord and up they flew. Will peeked out over the edge. “Oh. I’m just gonna… sit down…” The lavender unicorn grinned evilly and tilted the basket slightly. Will’s face turned green. “Do that again and I’ll push you out of the basket.”
After a few minutes of swaying, along with a barf bag or two, they landed in Ponyville. Will jumped out of the basket and lay down, kissing the ground. “Oh thank god. Still land. I will never take advantage of you again.”
Twilight glared at the man kissing the ground. “Spike and I are going to go now. Have fun… making out with the ground?”
“Yeah, yeah. Make fun,” Will said, glaring at the pony. “I’m going to leave.” With that he vanished from her sight. The lavender unicorn sighed and walked off. In the meantime, Will scouted out the town. Much like the last time he had been here, it was perfectly calm, which explains the tendency to attract disaster.
Having scouted the small town, Will made his way to the castle of old. Situated deep in the Everfree, where chaos reigns, it was hard to reach but a Ranger is trained in the ways of the forest, deserts, tundras, and many other climates.
He climbed up the tree and jumped down into the other side of the river. The water beaded of his cloak and he walked up the bank waving to an old friend. Steven Magnet waved back happily.
Will sprinted into the woods and across the rope bridge with ease. He entered the castle and found the spot where they had been banished. The Swordsman and The Mare of the Sun. An outlined shape of Celestia’s cutie mark was all that remained.
Will sighed and walked behind the thrones to find an interesting sight. The room behind it was destroyed and inside was a burnt circle and two shapes.
“Oh shit,” Will said, “She’s back.”
The sound of clunking feet came from behind Will and a voice spoke out.
“It’s been a long time Will.”