An Echo of What Once Was

“What is taking them so long?” Lucy asked as she looked at her wristwatch while she walked down the hospital hallway with Amber, Stripe and Chrysalis.

“Maybe they are… rekindling their flame” Amber said with a smirk.

“I doubt it, but not at all impossible” Lucy stated as they reached Tony’s hospital room to find it slightly ajar with the sound of sobbing emanating from inside. “What the?” Lucy asked as Chrys pushed the door open to reveal the Alicorn of love crying her eyes out while sitting on the bed, her once flowing mane now hung down and her colour was slightly faded.

“Cadance, what happened?” Chrys asked as she ran over to the hysterical mare.

“I… I'm a…. A fool” She sobbed as the Changeling Queen embraced her.

“You're not a fool, Tell us what happened” Lucy said as the other three walked over to the bed. With a deep breath to collect herself, Cadance explained what happened during the talk and what Tony said to her.

“A...and h...he just left by saying… by saying that he wanted to....” Cadance tried to speak before she burst into a crying mess once again while burying her face in Chrys’ breasts.

“Shit, wait but why would you even think such a thing? Surely you don't really believe that he would do something so well unlike him or work with the genocidal ass?” Stripe asked as he leant against the wall, in which Cadance only replied with a shake of her head.

“Then why even say such a thing to him? You know how he gets at times… how he over thinks things like this” Amber said.

“G-Gold… h-he explained it to… to me and it … i wanted it to f-fit…. And I accepted it because I didn't want to believe that he nearly died all those years ago” She sniffled.

“God damn, Cadance you know he is probably jealous because Tony is back, fuck he probably thinks you are gonna leave him” Chrys stated with a sigh as she stroked the mare’s mane before turning her head to Lucy. “We have to find him”

“Who? Gold or Tony? “ She asked.

“Both, I want to kick Gold’s flank and sort this out with Tony” Chrys said as she looked back to Cadance, who had managed to get herself together.

“Let's head home, Stripe, would you be able to get all of Tony’s medication ready to be collected in the morning?” Lucy queried.

“Yea I can, just make sure that Tony gets plenty of sleep as he is still recovering” Stripe said as the four women vanished in a flash of light.

(Sanctuary)

“Smitty!” Tony called out as he knocked on the door that belonged to the Earthen Blacksmith, well at least where Tony remembered hr lived.

“Bugger off, it is 2 am!” a gruff voice replied.

“Smitty it's me, Tony” Tony replied moments before the door unlocked and opened to reveal a four foot man with a long grey beard, running down the left side if his face was a grizzly scar.

“I thought the papers were just bullshitting” He said as he squinted his eyes and inspected the man. “Come in” He said gesturing the Trooper inside.

Once inside, the old Earthen lead the man to his kitchen. “hungry?” Smitty asked.

“Yea a bit, haven't really eaten anything since… well before heading off to attack the Caribou” Tony chuckled along with Smitty.

“Okay you just sit down and tell me everything while I whip something up” Smitty said as he started cooking something.

(An hour later)

“And then I ended up here… probably going to have my ear screamed off for what I said. .. Cadance is probably in tears right now” Tony said as he leant back in the chair and placed his hands on his face and groaned. “Fucking hell, I have already ruined everything. “ Tony complained.

“Yea but look on the bright side, it is your birthday in three days” Smitty said gaining a confused look from Tony as he sipped the beer he received with his food. “I am good at remembering these things… especially when I have several dozen grandchildren and great grandchildren” Smitty said as he took a gulp of his own drink.

“Fair enough, but I don't really know what to do.” Tony sighed as he leant his elbows on the table.

“For your birthday or in general?” Smitty asked.

“Either or… both I don't know… I just… fuck” Tony said.

“Rely on your girls, they will help you through everything, and don't worry about this Cadance shit… She isn't your problem any more” Smitty said which Tony nodded. “Come on, I'll walk you home if you want” Smitty said rising from his seat.

“N-no I will be alright, just gonna finish my drink” Tony stated before finishing off his beer.

“No worries buddy, I'll see you in three days as I have my scaly girls coming over” Smitty said with a wink.

“Okay, no need to explain any further, I guess I'll see you later my friend” Tony said rising from his seat and giving his friend a hug.

“Here a spare key to your place, as your girls keep breaking theirs, also I'll let Urik and Eliza know you are back” Smitty said.

“Thanks again mate” Tony said as he collected the Key before he was lead outside. Once outside, he looked left and right before frowning. “Wait… which way again?” he asked himself as he didn't recognize anything in the dark.

(A several hours later)

“Fucking finally” Tony groaned as he reached the familiar house that was his home, it was incredibly difficult to figure out where he was until the sun rose, and at the point he reached the door and unlocked it, it was probably close to midday, mostly because Tony ended up outside the city and had to get inside, also he got lost in the port district. “Fuck I am tired” He groaned as he closed the door behind him and locked the door it only to feel as if someone was watching him.

“And where the hell have you been?” Chrysalis asked from behind him, it was obvious to him that she was annoyed so he sighed and turned to face her.

“Look I was pretty angry and hurt after talking to Cadance so I needed some alone time so I didn't blow my top, then I got lost and ended up at Smitty’s, we talked then he gave me his spare key and sent me on my way… then I ended up lost… again” he said with a sigh. “Do… do you lot really think that I just abandoned you lot when I got the chance?” He asked her, causing the Changeling mare to frown before she walked over to him and hugged him.

“Of course not sweetie, and neither does Cadance, she is just a little taken back but everything. .. we all are and her partner pretty much put words in her mouth” Chrys said as she broke the hug and placed her hand on his cheek. “You should talk to her and make things right, maybe you two can be friends still” Chrys suggested as Tony shrugged only to grunt in pain.

“Maybe but I need to eat something, take painkillers and sit down” He explained which Chrys nodded before she look his hand and lead him to the living room, where majority of his partners were currently, doing random tasks and having chats but as soon as the pair entered, the room fell silent and all eyes were on him. “Maybe I'll have a shower first.” He said only for Chrys to sit him down gently on the couch.

“No, food and painkillers first… wait here” She said before leaving the room. The three Elves, single Dragoness, Orc and Dark Alicorn all continued to watch him until Nightmare and Elise joined him on the couch.

“I'm still not happy you kicked me off that cloud and Tia is angry about you calling her a fat ass” Moon said as the elven sorceress wrapped her arms around Tony’s neck and kissed his cheek.

“Thanks for distracting the dragon long enough for Mayli to free me” She said with a soft smile as she kissed him again on the cheek.

“No worries, in all honesty… I kind of forgot about you being in there” He replied as Elise frowned for a moment before shrugging and cuddling up close to him, only to receive a pained grunt from him.

“Okay so Tony, shirt off” Chrys said as she reentered the room with a paper bag.

“Um why?” He questioned.

“Painkilling cream and anti bruising cream” She explained, gaining a nod from the man. Once Elise had detached herself, Tony removed his top only for everyone but Amber to gasp.

“Buck” Nightmare said as she looked at the heavily bruised chest of her mate.

“I… I wasn't expecting it to be that bad” Lucy said as Chrys snapped out of her shocked trance and removed to small cream tubes.

“Please sit on the edge of the couch” She asked as she put a pair of gloves on, which gained an odd look from Tony. “I am using numbing cream, I kind of don't want to lose feeling in my hands” She explained.

“I think standing will make it easier… and I guess no shower then”He said getting to his feet as Chrys took a moment to figure out what he meant before she groaned.

“Sorry baby, you can have one later” She said before she poured some of the numbing cream into her hand and started to apply it.

“No it's fine, I shouldn't have stormed out of the hospital last night, that wasn't cool of me, especially seeing as I made you lot worry about me” He stated as Chrys turned him around and started on his back.

“You can make up for that later, but once this is done I need to talk to you upstairs” Lucy stated as she got up from her seat and stood by the doorway.

“Why upstairs?” Tony asked her.

“One, you need to get dressed because we are going out for lunch and two, I need to explain to you who is part of your harem and who isn't” She said while receiving several groans from the other women in the room.

“Lucy would you drop that please?” Amanda asked.

“No, I won't, Tony needs to know this because otherwise they won't inform him and try to act like nothing happened.” The Elven warrior replied.

“It's been nineteen years, can't you just drop it?” Moon asked.

“That is just the thing, if it was ten years ago or five I would drop it but they started dating a few months after we all thought Tony was dead, fuck they did their best to try and force us to remarry lime they are doing with Candy” Lucy growled as Chrys finished with Tony and bandaged his chest. “Are you done?” She asked, receiving a nod from the royal Changeling. “Good, come with me Tony” She said.

Once the pair were upstairs and inside the massive soundproof bedroom, Lucy locked the door and pushed Tony onto the bed before straddling his waist. Tony was a tad confused by her actions before she wrapped her arms around his neck and broke down. “Lucy why are you crying?” Tony worriedly asked the elf.

“I almost lost you for a second time because I wanted to trap the collective soldiers… and last night when you vanish…” she was saying as she sobbed, Tony frowned and wrapped his arms around her and pulled her close to his body. “I… I had to stay strong for the girls when… when we buried y...your duplicate… and when I saw you after your surgery… I wanted to be the one you saw when you woke up” She whimpered as she pulled her face from his neck.

“Lucy, I… what can say to stop you from feeling like this?” he asked her.

“I… I don't know, but just being here in your embrace helps” She said as Tony sat up and help her against him.

“I love you, you know that?” Tony informed her gaining a blush from her before she kissed his lips softly. “And let me guess the people you wanted to inform me about were Luna, Celestia and Molly? Seeing as they aren't here” Tony asked.

“Just Celestia and Luna, Molly is currently looking after the Crystal Empire… she nearly throttled Celestia and Luna when those two wanted us to forget about you… also she wanted to sever Molestia’s and Nightmare’s connection with the sun and the moon, but we argued against it as it would be a safety measure if they kept it” Lucy said as she gave Tony another kiss. “And we haven't told Molly about you returning yet… so expected to get well molested when she gets back” Lucy said with a soft smile as Tony ran his hand gently up and down her back.

“It'll be interesting, hopefully she is back before my birthday in a few days” Tony said gaining a surprised look from Lucy. “I'll be turning Twenty Five… or will I be turning Forty Five?” He asked himself.

“You get dressed and I'll inform the girls… also I need to redo my makeup” She said as she kissed the man again before heading into the bathroom. Once Tony was alone, he placed his hands on his face and groaned before getting up and opening the wardrobe only to discover that it was filled with all his harem’s clothes.

“I think there was a spare top in the bag” Tony said before noticing his locked armory, which he unlocked and found majority of his clothes inside. “Hmm guess that works” he muttered before changing into black cargo pants, a grey top with the UNSC logo on it, a pair of combat boots and a black jacket. Once dressed, he attached a holster to his hip and grabbed a magnum along with a few clips before he exited the armory and headed back downstairs to find everyone waiting for him.

“Tony why do you have a gun?” Mayli asked.

“Old habits die hard” He informed her as Chrys just shrugged.

“We're late so let's just go” She said slightly annoyed before taking Tony’s hand and leading him out while the others followed.