AGAIN!!! A voice screamed, causing Eternal Blaze to writhe in his sleep. The voice screamed at him repeatedly and he started to weep.

He found himself in the same situation he had been in before, fighting a prisoner-of-war to the death in an arena. His opponent was an Earth Pony easily a full two sizes larger than him, armed with a battleaxe. Blaze was equipped with a simple shortsword... putting him at the disadvantage.

FIGHT! FIGHT! FIGHT!

The Earth Pony spent no time waiting and charged, bringing his axe in a down in a downward chop. Blaze put up his sword to block, but the axe shattered the blade without losing momentum.

Blaze was too slow to be able to counter in time... Death had come for him at-

"WAKE UP!!"

Blaze woke up in a cold sweat, gripping his sheets as if they were a lifeline. He rolled onto his back and found his mother, Princess Celestia, standing at the foot of the bed, her eyes filled with worry.

"Same dream?" She asked as she sat next to him.

Blaze nodded in silence as he sat up, wrapping his arms around her. They sat there in silence until Blaze felt a sharp pain on his head.

"M-Morning Philomena." Blaze groaned, acknowledging the Phoenix that made itself at home on his headboard.

So much had change since he had returned from his self-banishment to Tartarus, the culture, the industry, and life itself (the only one whom he could actually relate to was his aunt, Princess Luna, but even then it turned into a brawl). Ironically, he opened a portal that placed him in the castles main hall.

He was a quick learner in the past, a scholar of the denizens of Tartarus, and he would sooner be damned before he fell behind... and not much had changed so it was easy. He received dozens of letters after his return, but none stood out like the one that was handwritten by Spitfire (his personal crush), the main reason being she wrote to him as a possible recruit, and not royalty.

"Spitfire will be here in an hour." Celestia chimed, snapping Blaze back to reality.

"A-AN HOUR!!!" Blaze exclaimed, hopping out of bed, throwing on a robe.

There was a knock on the door and it opened slowly as a kind, but also authoritative voice called out, "Rule number one, rookie. ALWAYS be prepared."

Blaze saluted as the door revealed Spitfire flanked by Soarin' and, the world famous, Rainbow Dash.

"Relax kid, you don't need to salute." Spitfire said, smiling warmly.

Blaze nodded and whistled a shrill note as he held out a foreleg, Philomena immediately perching on his arm.

"Forgive me, I need to-"

FIGHT! FIGHT! FIGHT!

Eclipse found himself back in the arena, his hooves caked with blood. Beneath him was the stallion from earlier, only he was now missing his lower jaw and his ribcage had been ripped open, with his internal organs strewn about the ground. The worst part about it, Blaze was laughing.

"BLAZE!!!"

Blaze blinked again and found his mother cradling him, Spitfire trotting over.

"PTSD?" She asked, to which the answer was a slow nod from Celestia.

Philomena nudged Blaze affectionately and he sat up.

"Tartarus will do that to you." Blaze said as he stood up, using magic to put on his Phoenix Aviation suit. "So, tryouts? A race?"

"Breakfast?" Soarin' chimed and Blaze's stomach growled.

"Y-Yeah... Breakfast will do."

The group left the bedroom and headed to the dining hall, their hooves clacking against the tile floor.

Blaze remained silent as he say the dozens upon dozens of stain-glassed windows recalling every major feat since the castle was constructed. The defeat of the Changelings, Twilight's coronation, Discord's second defeat and the defeat of King Sombra... his father. He then looked at the Wonderbolts, wondering how they thought about him now that they know about his 'side effects'.

"Good morning, Blaze." A soft but deep voice said, drawing Blaze's attention forward.

Sombra smiled warmly, his once jet black mane was now plagued with white at the roots, he grew a beard which made him look much wiser, and his eyes retained that fierce intelligence. The two bowed to each other, then hugged each other for a brief moment.

Sombra had somehow managed to reform a third time and was given a second chance by Celestia, knowing the fallen king's knowledge would be useful. As Sombra adapted to his new lifestyle... and eventually made amends with Celestia. When Blaze entered Equestria, he was the first to defend him.

"Going to breakfast?" The king asked, looking at each pony before him.

"Yes, father." Blaze answered. "Would you care to join us?"

"Unfortunately, I have to see to the Saddle Arabian royalty."

Blaze gritted his teeth and was about to yell at Sombra, when an all too familiar voice chimed in behind him.

"Well we would like to join you for breakfast."

Blaze turned and saw Sandstorm, one of the first ponies he befriended, trotting towards him, adorned with the robes of a Sultan.

"YOU'RE A SULTAN?!?" Blaze asked as he teleported over.

Sandstorm nodded and slammed his forehead into Blaze's with a loud "CRACK!", the usual greeting between the two stallions. They continued onward, talking about how their lives had changed the past few years, Sandstorm bragging about his swordsmanship while Blaze bragged about his new flying techniques.

When Blaze mentioned his Phoenix Rising was rival to Rainbow Dash's Sonic Rainboom, the cyan mare laughed haughtily.

"In your dreams!" She said between laughs, drawing a groan from her senior officers.

"Care to test that?" Blaze asked, his wings flaring out with a small flicker of fire, the feathers on his chest flaring up.

The two crouched and the guards at the main entrance opened the doors, this sort of thing was DEFINITELY going to be taken outside. The two glared into each others eyes, daring for the other to back down.

"GO!!!" Sandstorm shouted, hoping to startle them. Instead, the pegasus and alicorn took off, Rainbow Dash leaving a faint rainbow trail, while Blaze left a trail of fire.

The game was on.

Author's Note

Alright, it took me DAYS to make this, sorry if it seems a little rushed!

Now... without further ado,