Two Weeks Later

Dearest Captain

How was your day today? I hope it went well. Any process made by Luna in discovering the transformation magic to make me human again once I return to Equestria? I suppose you can tell me about it on our date tonight, provided you haven’t forgotten about it that is.

Don’t forget that you can’t bring your sidearm with you again this time, the bar owner is getting ornery about that and is threatening to check you everytime you swing by for a visit.

Sunny

“Weiss, where’s my pen?” I demanded, looking up from my book and Sunset’s words to search my cluttered desk for something to write back with. I know I could’ve just done like she’d suggested and just reply to her once I got back to the place i’ve taken to calling Anestria -the shortened version of Humanestria- but I wanted to at least say hi, let her know I was still coming.

“Where’d you leave-” Weiss called back from the next room over, the metal bars having been pulled out a week back and replaced with actual wooden panelling. If I didn’t know better i’d have thought I was working in some luxurious lounge with all the fancy wood work on the walls.

“If you finish that question how I think you’re going to finish that, then don’t bother!” I shouted back, still leafing through rolls of blueprints and large pages of projects to be.

Standing with a groan, I was forced to take a second to let the ghost pain in my leg subside before hobbling out of my personal room and into the workshop where Weiss was busy shaving away at her own project; a kitchen table for some rather wealthy customers.

After having completed and delivered the woodworks to the CMC’s, someone had found out their origins and had enough influence that the two of us had been quite busy with work ever since; a new project coming in almost once every two days on request from myself.

The weekends were dedicated to my visits to Sunset, unless something extreme happened to come up -a basilisk had made it’s way into Equestria from the direction of the Griffon provinces and had racked up quite a list of casualties before i’d managed to take it out without actually looking at it.

I now had it’s head -sans eyes- mounted above the doorway to the deeper bowls of the dungeons where actual prisoners would be taken.

“Why, did your girlfriend write you back finally?” Weiss looked up at me momentarily before returning to her work, wiping off her brow of wood shavings and sawdust.

“You bet your ass she did.” I replied, resorting to using a pencil to write back a brief letter regarding my intent to keep our date.

“So when are you heading out?” Weiss set her tools down in her own tiny tool belt, custom made for her by Luna and I, before taking to a rag to completely wipe herself off.

“Shortly most likely. What time is it?” I looked up at a clock that had been hand carved by myself, the motion and golden clock face having been procured elsewhere as a gift from the Princesses for some minor invading creature I really couldn’t be bothered to remember.

“Clock right there dummy, you forget to learn how to read them?” Weiss dropped the rag and placed her tiny claws on her hips sarcastically before turning away from the room to procure I don’t know what. Probably food judging by the time.

“I’m aware of where the clock is, smart-ass. I was hoping you may have had snuck a look at the clock before I had and was able to answer me yourself.” I explained, returning to my room to change into something more presentable than work slacks and a glued t-shirt.

Stepping out again in a black t-shirt, blue jeans, combat boots and a thick jean jacket all under my winter camo coat with a black black baseball cap on my head I crossed the foyer to the makeshift garage and disappeared into the shadows.

A minute later and the faint tinkling of metal keys being inserted into the ignition, the familiar roar of my “off-road” performance bike echoed through the caverns; funneled down into the depths via some very specific magical barriers erected by Princess Celestia herself.

Turning on the headlights, I could only imagine what looked like a pair of incredibly furious eyes opening to glare at the very soul of anypony unfortunate enough to get in our way.

Walking the vehicle out of it’s garage, Weiss had done me the convenience of opening the door out to the surface for me as she worked on a chunk of bloodstone nearby, watching me leave.

“Say hi for me!” Weiss requested over the din of the engine as I bumped the front wheel against the bottom stair.

“Absolutely!” I shouted back and threw my weight over the rear tire to lift the front end up once I hit the throttle and accelerated outwards.

Tearing up the stairs had the effect of warning everyone at the top that I was approaching and to get the hell out of the way as the evening light temporarily blinded me once I shot out of the mouth of the mountain side.

You know, I don’t think i’ve ever actually managed to bring the bike over with me. It’d be kinda cool to do so… I thought to myself as the guards opened the gate into Canterlot and beyond. Could I even do so I wonder?

~~~

“You want to bring that into my castle and try to get it through the portal with you?” Twilight demanded incredulously, standing on the top of the steps to her abode.

“The tires are more or less clean so I wouldn’t be tracking anything. I think.” I replied, still seated facing perpendicular to the doors Twilight defended.

“That’s not the problem here, the problem is the weight of it cracking my tiles! I just had them replaced from my last big fight!” Twilight complained, stomping her hoof defiantly.

“Well, what if you were to put down a shield on the floors to protect them? I’ll just drive on that.” I suggested, making Twilight pause a moment to consider this new idea.

“Ugh, fine! We’ll try your stupid idea!” Twilight grumbled, lowering the shield from the exterior doors to allow me entrance.

I accelerated forwards and came around in a small circle, now aiming for the wide open doors into the Friendship Castle now with a shimmering purple floor.

Launching up the few steps I landed on the back wheel on the tile floor just outside the castle with the front tire landing on the shield, making the magic ripple in response.

Slowly inching myself onto the magical shield, Twilight’s concentration proved ineffective to maintain such a large shield to lift such a heavy vehicle and just before the magic broke, the shield shrunk itself down to miniscule disks just under the tires, barely keeping up with my slow roll.

“Holy mother of Celestia that thing is heavy!” Twilight argued through groans. I rolled my eyes and hopped off, walking the bike the rest of the way and lightening the load for Twilight.

“Yes yes, I know i’m a heavy human. Let’s get a move on shall we?” I requested as Twilight gave a huff of effort in holding the shield under the bike as I rolled it over it’s surface.

Soon we came to the library where the Portal sat waiting for me and Twilight all but let the bike drop from exhaustion.

“So, I hate to break this to you Twilight…” I began, looking down at the tiles that contacted the bike’s rubber tires.

“What?” Twilight demanded, glaring at me.

“You’re efforts were in vain.” I pointed out, noticing a distinct lack of cracked tiles under the bike.

“You so suck right now.” Twilight muttered under her breath, turning out of the library and disappeared into the hallway. With a light grin I turned back to the mirror and rolled my bike into a position that i’d theoretically be able to just drive right through it. “Give my greetings to Sunset Shimmer for me!” the youngest alicorn requested as I revved the engine, hoping that no one was on the other side of the portal to get run over.

“Yeah, I probably shouldn’t come flying out…” I mumbled to myself as I slowly advanced up the two steps to the mirror before accelerating into the mirror with just enough weight to push through.

~~~

“So when is he due to come over?” Rarity looked up from her books at Sunset, checking her phone to find the time.

“I’m not sure. He did write me to make sure I knew he was coming but he didn’t say when.” Sunset shrugged in reply, tapping the back end of her pen on the open book before her.

The girls had all gathered at Sunset’s small place of dwelling to study for their next exam and await Captain’s arrival.

“Are you going to have to go pick up him?” Rainbow asked from nearby, deciding to have opted out of the whole studying thing altogether.

“Probably yeah, unless he decided to walk here from the school.” Sunset watched the book with her di-chromatic sun printed on the front cover anxiously, hopefully waiting for some word that her boyfriend had arrived.

“Oh, while we’re waiting, why don’t we bake him a cake!” Pinkie suggested suddenly, popping up from the makeshift table which was mostly just a couple planks of wood fashioned into a tabletop surface that could sit on her bed.

“He’s more of a pie person.” Sunset replied with a smirk, thinking back to a couple visits ago when they’d gone to Sugarcube Corner for an afternoon out. The bakery had brought out it’s yearly holiday pastries, their cakes one of the most anticipated confections in town, and even after a taste had opted for a slice of cherry pie.

“Then we’ll bake him a pie!” Pinkie was unhindered in her enthusiasm to bake as she shot to the kitchenette to begin.

“But that could take forever and he may not even show up until tonight…” Applejack leaned against the headboard next to Rarity as the two worked together through some language classes they were talking together.

“That’s why I’ll just leave it in the oven to keep warm until he does get here! Duh!” Pinkie was completely adamant in her resolve, her backside poking out of the fridge for the wet ingredients. “Uhm, Sunset, what do you have for fillings?”

“I don’t think I have any to be honest. I don’t do a lot of baking myself so i’ve never had the need for it.” the red and yellow girl replied casually, leaning back to rest on the mattress with her shirt riding up over her belly.

“If you’d like, I can go make a run to the grocer and get some.” Fluttershy quietly offered, though the noise level of the room made it sound like Fluttershy was actually speaking at regular decibels for once.

“No need, i’ve got some right here in case of emergencies!” Pinkie exclaimed, reaching up into her hair to pull out a pair of cans with blueberry pie filling in them.

“Why would you need pie filling for emergency cases?” Rainbow demanded in all curiosity.

“Pshh, for when I have to bake but don’t have filling, silly!” Pinkie explained, already in the process of peeling open the top of the can with a can opener on Sunset’s kitchen counter.

“Of course, why’d I even ask?” Rainbow replied with a roll of the eyes, turning back to her phone with a single earbud in, her head bopping to the beat of her music.

A sudden knock at the door had the girls sharing curious glances given the security door at the entrance to the building required a guest to announce themselves.

“Who is it?” Sunset called, remaining seated. A lack of answer brought another shared glance between the girls as Sunset set aside her books and crawled off the bed to answer the door.

Peering into the peephole, the recognizable blackness indicating someone blocking the glass had Sunset completely curious now.

Pulling the door open wide, Sunset came face to face with a single man with a bundle of flowers in her colours in hand.

***

“Hey gorgeous.” I grinned at the girl before me. “How’ve you been?”

“Hey! How’d you get here! I thought you were going to message me and i’d come pick you up!” Sunset threw her arms over my shoulders and planted a kiss in me before stepping back to take the flowers. “They’re beautiful! I love them!”

“Hey Cap!” Rainbow’s voice shouted out from within. The Pinkie at the kitchen had me thinking that she had more guests over than i’d expected.

“Hey Dash!” I called back as Sunset invited me inside. “To answer your question, I found some transportation of my own.” I explained to Sunset, pulling off my snow coat to hang it in the closet for the time being. It was still hours away until we’d be going for our date so I figured i’d settle in.

“Aww, I was hoping i’d be able to have this made by the time you got here…” Pinkie whinned, pouring what I assumed to be blueberry pie filling into a shell.

“Ooh, blueberries and pie! What’s the occasion?” I asked eagerly, looking around at the accumulated female bodies on the bed.

“Do you need an occasion to have pie?” Pinkie asked with a bemused grin.

“No, but it’s also not a bad idea to have an occasion for pie.” I pointed out, spinning a dining chair around to sit down leaning forward against the backrest.

“Here, let us make some room.” Applejack announced as Rarity and the country girl scooted over to let me on the bed just short of collapse.

“Thank ya kindly.” I replied, standing up again to return the chair and roll onto the bed next to AJ.

Sunset took the opportunity to crawl up into my lap, resting just on me with her head on my chest; my arms wrapped around her stomach with her hands on mine having deposited the flowers into a vase.

“So how did you get here anyways?” Rarity inquired, looking around AJ at me inquisitively.

“Like I said, I found an alternate means of transportation. You might be able to see it from the window.” I announced to have Dash, Rarity and Pinkie jump over to the large bay window to look out at the street below.

“Which one is it?” Dash asked, looking back at me over her shoulder.

“It’s blue.” I replied as Dash’s face plastered against the glass again.

“Oh! I see it! It’s that motorbike there!” Pinkie exclaimed excitedly, pointing out the only bike on the road that I remember seeing in this weather.

“You brought a motorbike from Equestria to a world in mid-winter?” Sunset looked up at me in confusion.

“It’s got studded tires, it works just fine.” I replied back adamantly.

“So it’s a dirt bike?” Sunset sat up to approach the window as Rarity returned to Aj’s side to continue studying.

“That is definitely not a dirt bike.” Dash grinned back, also returning to her seat. “That is a beautiful piece of motorized technology.”

“Woah, no kidding! Our world’s version of that goes for just over 16 thousand! It looks just like the ZX-10R!” Sunset’s mouth hung open as she stared down at my bike. “How’d you get studded tires on it?”

“That’s the wonders of magical interference.” I explained with a grin, my hands folded over my stomach comfortably. “With Princess Luna’s help, we managed to create that monstrosity some time back. I’ve been using it to get from Canterlot to Ponyville to get here but it’d never occurred to me to try and get it through the mirror till now.” Sunset strode the few steps back to me and rolled into my lap, getting comfortable where she’d just been a minute or so ago.

“Wow, wish I could use our magic to do that.” Rainbow Dash complained, lounging at the foot of the bed with her hands behind her head and a leg crossed over the other while the other girls continued to work.

“It’s incredibly taxing to Luna whenever she does use it. When she made the motorbike itself and forgot the engine, we had to work together to correct everything. After that, Luna slept for hours.” I said, making Dash shrug in place.

“Still, it’d be awesome to be able to do that.” she replied, eyes closed and foot bobbing to a beat of some kind.

“Yeah, I suppose it would.” I muttered under my breath. “Hey Fluttershy, how’s your recent chapter going?”

“Oh, uhm, fine. I’m still working through a romance scene but i’m having difficulty going back to it.” The girl calmly replied, looking up from her books appreciatively.

“Writer’s block?” I tilted an eyebrow at her.

“Not exactly. I know where I want to go and I know how i’m going to get there, it’s just…” Fluttershy drifted away, trying to think of the words.

“Finding how to word it?” I tried to finish, making the girl smile back.

“Yes! I can’t find the right words to use to show what’s going on. It also doesn’t help having to stop every so many pages to go back and edit everything myself.” Fluttershy glanced back down at the books before her bereft of any more cheer.

“Have you had any of your friends take a look at it?” I asked, making the silence in the room deafening as the girls all froze, glancing at me warily.

“Have you had a chance to read her work?” Applejack leaned over to whisper at me.

“No… why?” I could imagine the worried look on my face must’ve looked like their own.

“It’s uhh…” Applejack drifted away, unable to find the words.

“That’s because…” Now Rarity drifted away.

Looking directly at a highly embarrassed Fluttershy, her face beet red, I had to ask, “You’re making sure it’s safe, sane and consensual right?”

“Yes, it’s all legal.” Fluttershy replied, still avoiding eye contact. That wasn’t what I asked and she knew it.

“It’s safe, sane and consensual right?” I asked again, a stern raised eyebrow marking my features.

“It’s safe, it's sane and the characters consent.” Fluttershy replied, looking up at me with wet eyes.

“But the people who the characters originate from, don’t.” Rainbow Dash announced from near to Fluttershy, making my second eyebrow go out in shock.

“You’re writing Erotica of your friends?” my head dipped forwards towards Sunset’s in disbelief.

Fluttershy’s head slowly nodded in shame as my head went back against the headboard to process. “Do I want to ask if i’ve been in any of them?” I whispered down to Sunset, making the girl shake her head in reply. “Have you read them?” her head shakes yes. “Many of them?” shakes no. I see…

“Please don’t hate me!” Fluttershy demanded, openly crying now with Pinkie wrapping her arms around the fellow pink haired girl comfortingly despite her own face being beet red.

“I don’t hate you for writing erotica starring me or the other girls. We may not like it but we don’t hate you for it.” I announced after i’d calmed myself down. “If you’d like I’ll take a look at whatever your working on now to suggest some edits. I’ve got a fairly decent command of the English language.”

“That- that’s fine. I’ll manage on my own.” Fluttershy replied, returning the hug back to Pinkie before Pinkie pulled away and returned to baking.

“Alright, just let me know if you’d like help.” I shrugged off the conversation, as i’m sure the other girls were eager to do the same.

~~~

“You wanna take the truck or my bike?” I offered, stepping out into the hallway to get on our way for our date. Sunset had let the rest of the girls stay while we were out and they were more than happy to remain here and hang out for the night.

The remainder of the afternoon had gone by casually, chatting, laughing, telling stories until i’d caught sight of the time and figured it’d be a good time to get going.

“I personally wanna see the bike.” Sunset replied, pulling the door closed behind her before taking my arm. “You’ve got helmet’s right?”

“Heated, yes.” I replied with a grin, lightly trodding the carpeted floors to the elevators. “They’re on the bike.”

“Good. I was not looking forward to freezing my face off with winter winds tearing at me.” Sunset replied as a thought occurred to me.

“Aren’t we planning to just go to the bar down the street? We shouldn’t need to take a vehicle; we can just walk.” my question had both of us pausing in the hallway a moment.

“You make an excellent point.” Sunset announced pointedly. “I still want to ride that bike of yours sooner than later though.”

Narrowing my eyes, “Was that an unintentional innuendo? Or am I just going crazy?” Sunset grinned as she got in closer to me.

“Sounds like we may have need for my apartment later tonight if that’s how you’re thinking.” she whispered as seductively as she could before biting her lip and walking ahead of me. Oi.

Stepping out of the building, Sunset nearly bull-rushed to my bike to look it over and sit on it.

“You know, they use these models in the official GP Racing circuits! What I wouldn’t give for a dry track to take this on!” Sunset announced as she reluctantly removed herself from my bike to join me at my side. “Lead on Captain!” she announced dramatically thrusting a finger forwards.

“Yes ma’am.” I saluted with a chuckle before bending down to lift Sunset up off the ground and carry her on my back. “Forwards unto battle!” I announced just as dramatically as Sunset laughed, already squirreling around my back to climb up onto my shoulders.

“You good down there?” Sunset looked down at me from above.

“Certainly. Good thing these sidewalks have been de-iced or we’d be tempting fate to dump us on our asses.” I replied, looking up at Sunset who’s legs were wrapped under my arms.

“Oh, right. Yeah keep an eye out please…” Sunset requested, patting my head gently.

Taking a corner had us enter into a direct head wind, blowing the revealed silver hair around my face rather annoyingly.

“Hey good lookin’? Could you sweep my hair out of my face? I don’t wanna risk dropping you by releasing your leg to get it myself.” I requested, looking up at Sunset momentarily and smiling at her reddening face. Still looked lovely and she’s all mine.

Sunset pulled my hat off and pulled all my hair straight back, sweeping her hands over my scalp a couple times before pulling my hat back over my head and subsequently my face.

“Well done, now you’re steering.” I chuckled as my girlfriend placed both hands on my head and directed me by facing me a different direction, my body following after as best as I could.

“We’re here.” Sunset announced and I pulled up before carefully kneeling down on the packed snow and ice to let Sunset down. No sooner than I had stood up that I heard a faint voice calling in the back of my mind.

“Captain?” the voice called from a ways away. Male, faintly reminiscent of my past. Why does it sound so familiar? “Captain! Holy shit, Captain!” the voice called again, their voice getting closer.

“I think someone’s calling for you.” Sunset whispered into my ear, facing towards the door and a man stepping just out through the large wooden slabs thereof.

“Captain Mercer!” Now he had my attention. My head shot up at my last name actually being said out loud to see the one person I knew would be the most impossible to see.

“Did he…” Sunset’s eyes were as narrow as mine were as she must’ve put together the connection. “Did he just call your name?” I slowly nodded in equal shock.

“Last name actually…” I mumbled, working to take steps forward with Sunset’s hand in my own. “But that shouldn’t be possible!” I whispered, my feet defying me my intent to move towards the impossible man.

“Why not? What’s-” Sunset looked from the man to me in concern however I interrupted her.

“You should be dead!” I exploded, pointing directly at the Sergeant that i’d posted in the shadows of the sniping nest when i’d lost the Corporal so many years ago. Staggering backwards, Sunset had to catch me when I tripped over a chunk of ice that had dropped from the mudflap of some unknown vehicle.

“He what?” Sunset demanded, looking from me to the Sergeant looking to be in good health. “But he’s right there!”

“I see that!” I hissed back, still shocked and unintentionally becoming hostile. “He should have been dead when the enemy spec-ops infiltrate my sniping nest and killed my Corporal! Unless…” My mind raced, then stuck to an idea. “You mother fucker!” I launched myself upwards and scrambled towards the now equally shocked Sergeant. “You sold us out!”

“I did no such thing sir, I was ambushed just as you were!” the Sergeant replied, shoulder rolling out of the doorway and through my grasp. “I thought I was killed but then I was dropped on my ass somewhere in this world and was rescued and interrogated by this country's military! I was set free some months ago and i’ve been planning to enlist here!”

This had me for a pause.

“You were shot and then dropped on your ass in this world?” I asked, my temper slowly cooling as I grabbed a handful of snow to rub over my face and through my silvery hair.

“What does this all mean exactly?” Sunset inquired, helping the Sergeant up before stepping back through the piled snow to me. “Actually, let's all just go inside, have a drink and everything can be explained. Alright?”

“Yeah, that’s fine.” Sergeant replied, brushing himself off as he re-entered the pub. Following in after the Sergeant with Sunset in hand, we were lead to his table where a couple other guys were already seated; presumably friends he’d made already.

“Guys, this is my old Captain from my last posting, Captain Mercer.” Sergeant announced, taking a seat as I pulled one out for sunset and took my own.

“Nice to meet you, Captain. You still in the military?” one large infantry-looking man shot out a hand in friendly gesture; of which I took and shook back before doing the same to the second, an armoured or artillery crewman-type.

“Nope. Been out for a while now. Just trying to get back to a mostly normal life, you know?” I replied slow and calm, my heart rate still above average with the Sergeant nearby. “You two are?”

“Oh, right. This is Corporal Greene and Bombardier Stakes.” Sergeant announced, motioning to the two men respectively. My nose for identifying their jobs was spot on. “So Captain, you been here long?”

“Nah, i’ve been…” I dragged off as a waitress approached for drinks. “Oldest scotch you’ve got.” I requested, raising everyone’s eyebrows.

“We’ve got a Dalmore 50 year old Decanter for eleven-thousand that we’ve been saving for either a special occasion or for someone to take it off our hands.” the waitress announced, making everyone’s jaws drop.

“Would you take a check?” I asked, back hunched over the table though I turned my head towards the waitresses body. If everyone’s jaws weren’t unhinged just yet, they surely are on the floor now as I pulled my checkbook from my pocket and a pen provided by the completely stunned woman behind me.

“Seriously?” Sunset was the first to ask. “Seriously?” she asked again in disbelief.

“Seriously.” I replied, already writing out the check. “Who do I make it out to?”

“Uhhh, let me get my manager and he can get you the details.” The waitress replied nervously, backing away into a table behind her.

“Captain, what the hell! That scotch is over eleven thousand! How are you able to waste money on something like that?” Sergeant demanded, hunched over the table just as I was.

“It helps that I live with royalty and run a custom carpentry business on the side for some rather rich clients.” I explained casually as quietly as I could given the nature of the talk. “Besides,” I turned to Sunset with this one. “We’re technically on a date and it would behoove me to treat my girlfriend to a good drink.”

“Sir?” a woman’s voice requested behind me, forcing me to sit up and turn in my seat to find a rather dapper-looking woman with the bottle of 50 year old scotch firmly clutched in her hands. “Did you request to purchase this?”

“Why yes, yes I did.” I replied, pulling my checkbook back out again. “To whom does this go to? Actually, just fill it out yourself.” I ripped the check from the rest of the book and handed it and the pen to the shocked woman.

“Wow, you weren’t kidding. I’d honestly thought my waitress was joking or that you were joking but you’re serious!” she noted, placing the crystal down before me before scribbling something onto the thin paper in her hand. “If you don’t mind, i’d like to make sure that this won’t bounce after you leave.”

“Of course. If I might make a call to my bank to let them know you’re calling?” I requested, Sunset already holding her phone out to me. The manager gave me leave to do so and a half hour later, I had a bottle of Dalmore 50 Year Old sitting in the center of the table, the waning sunlight gleaming spectacularly off it’s surface.

“So, who wants to taste eleven thousand dollars?” I asked, setting out a quintuplet of tulip-shaped glasses before the five of us at the table before pouring a bit into each and corking the bottle again. “By the way,” I say a bit louder, just so that anyone near enough to think about doing such, “If anyone touches this bottle besides Sunset, i’ll rip their throats out and feed it to them.”

“Damn…” Corporal Greene announced, gratefully sliding his glass before himself. “So how do I drink this? Quickly? Slowly? Ice, no ice?”

“If you’d like, put a little bit of water in it to get the full taste. If I see you drop ice in there i’ll revoke your scotch.” I explained, picking the glass up by the bottom and cupped it in my hand to gently swirl the liquid around. Lifting the glass up I took a sniff and wallowed in the aromas before lifting it to my lips to take the first taste of my most recent and by far most expensive scotch.

Everyone else glanced at their own glasses before doing the same, Sunset and Bombardier Stakes letting a bit of water drip in from a glass before doing the same. Sitting back with my glass in hand, watching the refractions of light dance on my shirt, I had to smirk a bit as I lost myself in the pleasant flavours and the coughing from everyone else at the table.

“The last time I drank a scotch was when I got home from yours and the Corporal’s funeral.” I announced, looking up at the Sergeant with a dead-set glare. “Now, I don’t know why I drink this.”

“Wow, that’s smooth.” Sunset announced in a roughened voice as she set her glass down back on the table, the other men doing the same with similar reactions. “So then what if we drank to the loss of your other friends in the military? To those still serving and giving their lives at this moment?”

“That works.” I mumbled back, still watching the slowly turning liquid in my glass. Shifting my hand a bit to let the glass catch the light, I mistakenly directed a beam directly into my eye, temporarily blinding myself.

The whoosh of the rocket, the flash of light as the building beneath me exploded. The burst eardrums from the shockwave and the feeling of freefalling.

Then the burning pain of the rebar sticking out of my side. The darkness for eight hours and the immobility of being under collapsed concrete and debris.

The only company I had with me: three dead faces, one of which was my friend and apprentice. The other two who executed him before I brought them down.

Returning to reality with a start, I all but dropped the glass in my hand as my heart rate caught up with me and my breathing grew laboured.

“Captain Mercer?” Sergeant's voice echoed through the back of my mind. “Captain Mercer!” he shouted again, getting further away.

“Hey Cap?” Sunset’s sweet, calming voice sat directly before me and I could smell her nearby. “Hey, Soren?” she asked again, using my first name now. How’d she know that? “Soren, honey, are you okay?” she asked again, her hand on my back soothingly.

All of a sudden a sharp whistle pierced the environment and the room grew silent.

“Come on Soren, let’s get some air.” Sunset suggested helpfully. I launched up from the seat and grabbed the bottle of scotch, clutching it tightly in my hand as I nearly ran from the room, only barely noticing every other patron dead silent and heads facing the center of their tables.

Stepping out into the cold air clutching my bottle of Dalmore I nearly skidded over the snow as I nearly ran to the side of the building and sat down against the wall.

“Hey, hey love, you’re okay now.” Sunset cooed as she knelt down next to me, using my jacket temporarily as a mat. Pulling me into her body, I more or less silently dry-cried -basically crying without the tears- into her body as she wrapped her warm arms around me. “It’s okay, you’re safe now.”

“I- I don’t know…” I drug up from the depths of myself, unsure what I was trying to enunciate. “I don’t know what happened… How is he alive? I buried him!” I exclaimed, pulling back from her hug to sit against the wall and let the snowflakes rest on my heated face.

“I know, it’s possible that what happened to bring you to Equestria happened to him to bring him here.” Sunset offered, now spinning on her knees to sit with me comfortingly; pulling my arm over her shoulder to cuddle up to me in the cold.

“Per- perhaps.” I said under my breath, still clutching the scotch to my chest. “What the hell was I thinking buying this scotch?”

“I don’t really know.” Sunset chuckled in reply, placing tiny kisses along my trapped arm. “That was quite the expensive purchase for so little gain.”

“I wouldn’t say that, good scotch is hard to come by. Come on, you have to admit it was pretty good.” I replied, tilting back away from Sunset to get a better look at her face.

“I suppose, but I wouldn’t think of paying eleven thousand for a single bottle of it.” the girl under my arm replied, curling up tighter into my body.

“No, I suppose to people who don’t regularly experience scotch would think so. A regular bottle normally goes for forty for a single malt, aged maybe eight to ten years or so. As the age rises, so does the price since so does the quality of the scotch.” I explained, resting my head against the wall behind me.

“So this scotch…” Sunset started, taking the bottle from my hand to look it over, “Is worth eleven thousand dollars because it’s aged fifty years? How does it's quality enhance over the years?”

“Basically when it’s put into the barrels to mature, it takes on the flavour and colour of the wood that it’s contained in. Often times it’ll be put into a cask that previously matured a different alcohol; bourbon, beer or even wine and so over the years it’ll start to take on the flavour of whatever was in before it while maintaining it’s own smokey flavours during the malting process.” I explained, slowly turning the decanter in my girl’s hands.

“I’ll just pretend like I understood half that.” Sunset chuckled, giving me back the bottle and kissing my cheek.

“Fair enough. By the way, how’d you find out my name was-”

“Is he good?” Sergeant asked, appearing around the corner. “Oh, sorry.”

“Seriously? I still can’t say my own name now?” I replied, throwing my hands up in defeat.

“Sorry…” Sergeant disappeared back around the corner again, most likely returning to his friends.

“He told me.” Sunset replied with a chuckle. “So, Captain Soren Mercer. Nice to finally make your acquaintance after all this time together.” Sunset shot out a hand, which I took and kissed the back of.

“Likewise, miss Sunset Shimmer. Pleasure to make your acquaintance.” I announced gentlemanly.

“A question,” Sunset began, taking back her hand and standing up and dragged me up out of the snow with her.

“An answer.” I replied with a smirk, brushing myself off of snow before helping sunset do the same. Within respectable reason of course.

“What do I call you now? I’ve got your entire name and title now but I’d like to know what you’d prefer to be called.” Sunset inquired, pulling my arm over her shoulder to keep moderately warm under my jacket now hanging off my shoulders.

“Well, for sake of familiarity let’s just stick with Captain in public or with others. I’ve gotten used to people calling me that now so there’s no point in changing it up. Besides, my name just seems rather weird in a world like ours.” I requested, entering into the bar again and noticed all the other patrons back to their usual antics.

“Of course. If you don’t mind though, i’m more likely to use your real name now that I know it.” Sunset replied, giving my trapped arm a gentle squeeze as she came in for a kiss which I returned.

“In private, please. Try your best to keep it from the girls on either side of the portal, just keep things simple.” I replied, retrieving my arm to pull out Sunset’s seat and take my own and placed the Decanter back in the center, the destroyed glass having been cleaned up and a new one on the table for me. I wouldn’t be needing it.

“Sorry to hear about what’s happened to you. Do you wanna talk about it?” Sergeant asked cautiously, the air suggesting unease.

“Nah, I’m good.” I replied as the waitress from before came around to offer me a consolatory drink. “What’s up with the weird treatment here? I hear a whistle and the entire bar is silent and now consolatory drinks? Rye and coke, by the way.” I added the last bit for the benefit of the waitress before she took off again, taking our empty scotch glasses with her.

“With this being a heavily appreciative pub for the military, there’s an unspoken rule that if someone starting having some kind of break down, PTSD or the like, that everyone in the bar shuts up and gives the sufferer space to get out and relieve themselves.” Sergeant explained as my drink appeared a minute later. “The drink is usually just a way of the bar saying, ‘Thank you for your sacrifices and your suffering.’”

“Ahh, that’s pretty cool, I suppose…” I replied, taking a mouthful of the concoction before me and swallowed. “Hey Sunny,” I looked towards the girl in question and she looked back at me with caring eyes. “Thanks for the rescue. Sorry that this couldn’t be the quiet night out with a couple drinks that i’d hoped for.”

“Not to worry about either of those things. I know what it’s like to have gone through some stuff that we’d rather forget.” Sunset smiled and placed a hand on my own. “Plus, we’re at a bar. Not exactly a place to go for quiet and a few drinks.”

“Fair enough. Next time, steak house.” I grinned back making Sunset chuckle to herself, shaking her head lightly. “I’m kidding, hopefully next time we’ll have what you need to get to my place and i’ll grill you and probably Weiss up something nice. You know she’ll want to join.”

“Sounds great. Wanna get out of here?” Sunset offered, looking like she was already eager to go.

“Feels like we just got here ya know, but sure.” I replied, standing up to pull my coat over my heavy leather jacket again and down the remainder of the drink before me.

Pulling a ten from my pocket, I left the note under the glass and bid the other’s good-bye before leading Sunset out with arms linked and Decanter safely in pocket.

“You know, you say it feels like we just got here, but to me it feels like it’s been days since we got here.” Sunset noted, her breath pulsing out in short bursts before her; as was mine.

“Can’t say I share the experience but i’ll take your word for it.” I replied, briefly watching my feet for any patches of ice to trip us up.

“Ehh, regardless. So I have to ask, now that I know your name, why do you think you can’t say it?” Sunset looked at me then back down at our feet to watch our footing.

“I have no idea. If this were some kind of book or fanfic i’m sure it’d be something like I couldn’t think up a good name for me until now.” I replied with a chuckle. Imagine that, our lives being recorded in some book or other online publishing.

“But why now? Why not a couple weeks back or days from now?” Sunset’s questions, I felt, were beginning to reach the borderline philosophical.

“Maybe whatever deities out there messing with me has some plans for me in coming months and figured that letting you find out about my name is just a way of saying, ‘i’m moving on to bigger and better things!’ Honestly, it’s all to spiritual for me.”

“Not a church goer huh?” Sunset smirked as we turned onto her street.

“Nah. Was a Christian way back before I showed up in Equestria but gave it up because I couldn’t see the logic in Religion. What’s the point in pulling all your faith in some invisible hand of God that may or may not exist in the first place?” I explained, holding a hand up to shield my eyes from the evening sun.

“Maybe so that you know there’s something more out there, something bigger than us?” Sunset suggested solemnly.

“I’m not entirely sure I like the idea of some godly figure playing around with my life. I’m not much for submission to someone or something else. Took me forever to get over it in Boot-camp.” I let that sit in the air for a moment in silence before a thought occurred to me. “Are you religious?”

“I wouldn’t say actively, but yeah, I’d say I believe in a higher power.” Sunset replied honestly, looking up and head of us. “This won’t be a problem for us, will it?”

“Nah. I’m no Atheist to actively deny the existence of a higher power. I’m more Agnostic I think, I don’t care if there is. You’re free to believe whatever you want to believe and it’s not for me to say otherwise.” I shrugged back casually. “If anything, i’d be more inclined to put my faith in Princesses Celestia and Luna and their magic.”

“Why?”

“Simple, I don’t have to wonder if they’re real since I can actively chat with them, Luna often hangs out with me in my workshop and I don’t have to worry about them manipulating me.” I explained, coming up to the exterior doors of Sunset’s building. Entering into the warmth had my body react negatively and I all but shucked my coat off in response, almost desperate to be rid of the sudden heat.

“Yeah, the building manager really likes to keep this lobby like a sauna in the winter.” Sunset noted, pulling her own coat off as we approached the lobby elevator. “Frankly, I don’t know how you manage even in that heavy leather jacket of yours.”

“Ehh, it’s really not all that insulating.” I replied in all casualness, hitting the third floor button.

“So when are you heading back to Equestria?” Sunset curled up in herself before cuddling up into me as I rested against the back wall of the elevator car.

“Not yet. Haven’t spent enough time with my wonderful girlfriend yet.” I replied, kissing Sunset’s forehead. “Might see if I can stay the night and head back home tomorrow.”

“You’re more than welcome to stay with me.” Sunset replied with a grin, which quickly turned mischievous. “Does that mean what I think it means?”

“If you think it means that we’re getting laid, i’m sorry but not yet.” I replied honestly, making Sunset let out a small groan of frustration. “I’m sorry that you’ve been waiting so long as it is and i’m sorry to make you wait longer, but we’ve both agreed to only go at it when we’re both out for it, right?”

“Right, I know…” Sunset sighed and stepped out of the elevator under my arm, clinging to my chest. “I know how you work and I was expecting a wait after we’d gotten together, but I honestly didn’t think it’d be this long.”

“Neither did I in all honesty. I’d have figured we’d have rutted at least once by now. I suppose I still just need a bit of time to let myself look forward to such things again.” I explained, pulling up at the door with the squeals of female voices behind the door, wrapped up in raucous laughter.

“Oh, before we go in,” Sunset whispered, standing just aside of the door to prevent a shadow. “Let me just say your name one more time, please?”

“I would, but I can hear Pinkie in there. Knowing her and her Pinkie Sense, she’d pick up on it and ruin the whole thing.” I replied with a smirk, making Sunset consider this for a moment.

“Fine, come on in then.” She replied, pushing the door open to receive a faceful of pillow.

“Pillow fight!” the girls inside called as an assault of fluffy white marshmallows flew directly at us.

Throwing a right punch, I knocked the first one out of the air to act as a small shield from the rest before sharing a glance with Sunset.

Stepping inside and setting out coats aside and the decanter gently on the closet shelf for the time being. Sunset had already armed herself with a handful of her pillows and tossed a couple to me to load up on my fist, taking a handful of the material within to act as a sort of boxing glove that I could easily throw.

“Oh, we’re in for it now!” Rarity exclaimed as Sunset and I grinned at our targets. Loading the first punch, I took aim at the two girls I knew could take the hits: Applejack and Rainbow Dash, both girls grinning as madly as I was.

“Fire!” Sunset shouted and I launched the first two rounds, both pillows landing squarely on target to send both girls tumbling backwards off the bed. Sunset’s lighter thrown ammunition sailed across the room and struck Rarity in the stomach as PInkie caught the second in her hands above her head.

“Back up!” I ordered, loading a pillow on my foot. Sunset complied and stepped back out of the reach of my feet as I grinned at Pinkie whose eyes were quickly becoming wide. “Catch this!” I challenged as I kicked the pillow up into the air to give it a swift spinning heel-kick across the room.

The pillow was all but snatched out of the air with a loud smack as Rainbow Dash recovered for her friend and stuck a hand in the way, still picking herself off the ground.

“Dang, that one had some power!” Dash exclaimed, dropping the pillow to cradle her stinging hand. “Revenge!” she shouted as I briefly sensed motion behind me, the origin being a very confident looking Fluttershy swinging a pillow towards my back. I took the hit like a man, grin and all as I was sent forward, landing in a shoulder roll and landed on my back.

“I got him! I did it!” Fluttershy exclaimed as the remaining girls all piled on top of me with Sunset leading the charge. “If that okay with you I mean.” Fluttershy added as she stood at my head.

“It’s fine. A solid hit, well done madam.” I replied as I tried to wiggle out from under the bodies to no avail. Fluttershy grinned as she gingerly laid down on whoever was on top as sunset wiggled around on top of me to get onto my side next to me and curl up as best she could.

“Well this is cozy.” Pinkie announced, looking down at me from behind Applejack and Rarity who were now directly on top of me.

“Ah’ve gotta say, and ah’m sorry Sunset, but even with all us girls on top of him, ah can’t detect any sort of reaction for you.” Applejack announced, her knee moving around trying to find something that wasn’t there.

“Thanks for that AJ, but you and Rarity both are currently preventing that by crushing my balls!” I protested with an increasing groan. “Please move your knee!”

“Oops, my apologies about that darling. Was not my intention to cause you distress.” Rarity replied, trying to move her leg out from my crotch as Applejack fought to do the same.

“Well, at least I can be comforted by the fact that you wouldn’t become aroused being in or under a pile of beautiful young women.” Sunset whispered into my ear. “At the same time, it makes me wonder what it does take.”

“Hey, you can find that out on your own time.” Dash announced from behind Pinkie rather put off by the idea.

“I don’t mind!” Pinkie exclaimed as she fought to get up from under the prismatic head.

“I’ll just leave it between you two.” Fluttershy added, getting back up to sit on the bed as Dash joined her; followed by Pinkie then rarity and finally Applejack, my testicles now given peace.

“We’ll find out eventually I suspect.” I replied, forcing myself to sit up with a groan and assistance from Sunset. “Can we start over? Hi girls, good to see you all again!” I exclaimed, resisting the urge to try and massage feeling into my crotch.

“Hi Captain!” the girls all shouted back in unison, plus a bit of sing-song addition from Rarity. “Sorry about the, uhm… Crushing!”

“Yeah, thanks for that.” I gasped out, rolling onto my side. “What’s goin’ on?”

“Not to much actually, we’d called for pizza a while back so it should arrive any time now.” Rainbow shrugged, sitting back on the bed with her blue belly revealed when her shirt pulled up just a tad. “Have you eaten or are you all good?”

“Nope, not eaten much and only drank a bit.” Sunset replied, sitting up next to me with both arms resting on her knees.

“What is this?” Pinkie asked, pulling down the decanter from the closet. “I saw you hide this away before your assault on us.”

“That is a Dalmore 50 Year Old Decanter, worth eleven thousand. Please be careful and don’t spill any.” I replied, making the girls’ mouths all hang open as Pinkie very carefully set the bottle down on the counter, against the back wall where it would be safest.

“Wow, I never thought i’d see such a bottle of fine scotch so close!” Rainbow announced, getting up to inspect the container. “Nevermind be able to actually touch it!”

“You know your scotches?” I asked with a raised eyebrow.

“Certainly. My parents are government contractors so they get paid some good money. We’ve had some pretty good stuff in the house but never this old or this valuable!” she exclaimed, turning the bottle in her hands before pulling the topper on it to take a sniff. “Ohh wow!”

“Wanna try some?” I offered, standing up to pull a pair of short glasses from Sunset’s cabinet and pour a small bit for myself and Rainbow Dash.

“Seriously? Holy crap you’re awesome!” Rainbow exclaimed, taking the glass from me before clinking them together in a silent toast to nothing in particular.

Taking a sip had Rainbow nearly fumble the glass in reaction before she took another and another till there was nothing left.

“Damn that’s good!” she proclaimed, setting the glass down as I rested against the counter enjoying the flavours again.

“Anyone else?” I asked, hesitating to pour another if no one was going to drink it.

“Would you take responsibility for underaged drinking?” Rarity inquired interestedly, tilting her hip slightly with a hand resting on it.

“We’re not in public and you’ve got Sunset and I of legal age, I have no problem with it.” I replied, pouring another fifth for the girl as I took a sip of my own again.

“Ahh shoot, ah’ll have a go if you’re offerin’. Might as well find out what eleven thousand dollar tastes like.” Applejack replied, stepping up to the group as Rarity had her first taste of 50 year old scotch.

“Ooh, me too!” Pinkie exclaimed as I finished my glass and poured one for her.

“If you don’t mind?” Fluttershy anxiously put up a finger and received a confirmatory nod as Rarity’s eyes expanded with her mind. Pinkie must not have tasted it as it all went down in one so I could pour yet another for A.J while Rarity passed the drink to Fluttershy.

“It’ll burn like nothing before the first time around so be aware.” I warned as Fluttershy graciously took a sip and nearly choked alongside Applejack, both girls denying further tastes.

“Wow, that is strong!” Applejack pressed a hand to her chest in protest, trying to rub a bit of relief into her body.

“Yeah, it really is.” I replied, stopping the bottle to set it aside and finish the drinks myself. “I typically would only drink scotch after a friend had fallen in battle.” I explained, denying myself the reminiscing which would undoubtedly lead to another episode today.

“So who are we drinking to this time?” Rainbow asked from her seated position on the bed next to Fluttershy and Rarity.

“No one. You all wanted to try it so I figured it wouldn’t hurt.” I replied with a shrug. My bottle had become increasingly light but I suppose that’s what happens when you drink so much of it in one day.

“Well, I still think it’s very respectable that you drink something like that with a purpose.” Dash nodded her approval, as everyone else gave various other forms of theirs.

“Who wants to watch a movie?” suggested Pinkie, already picking through a bunch of titles.

“Way to kill the mood, Pinkie Pie.” Sunset smirked bemusedly as she joined everyone in looking for a title.

Author's Note

Woo! We're back in action!

I have nothing much else to say but to explain the short hiatus if no one was aware and cares. Long story short, I had a number of side projects I had to get done as I was writing this Chapter. Then I was down fighting the flu which sucked since it interrupted my side projects... But now I'm back up and healthy, everything's caught up and I have finished this chapter.

Those who are wondering, the name thing will likely continue in Equestria while only Sunny knows his true name. I'm going to try and aim for another little gimmick for this Slice/Arc and I have no idea what it'll be at the moment.

Thank you to everyone who takes the time to read this, and as always, if anyone has any editorial suggestions i may have missed, feel free to let me know about them.

alqış!