It was a few hours after things finally settled down from the invasion of the cult that had tried to lure in and kill of Ryuji by holding Celestia and the others hostage. Thankfully, the rest of the others weren’t hurt. A bit shook up. But that was it. After regaining their composure from all of it, Celestia called Ryuji, Twilight and the others into the throne room once it was cleared out. The air was still smelling of blood and death, but not so much as it was before. And by the time they all gathered,it was just about nightfall. Once they had all gathered, Celestia lets out a sigh and looks upon them all before dismissing the guards from the room. She then turns her attention back to the group.

“First off, I am very happy you are all unhurt. I was afraid what was being done to us...was happening to you as well down in the dungeons. That being said, I do not think I need to tell you all why it is this happened.”

All the ponies turn their gaze towards Ryuji who was standing behind them with Hydroid a couple feet behind him. He was expecting to see looks of anger and blame heading his way. His averted his eyes quickly and closed them, tightening his fists as he gets ready to apologize.

“I..I am sorry this all happened to you. I know this is all my fault. Perhaps it is best that I should leave here and never return. I just...I just wanted to help you fight off these other ponies…”

He drops to his knees and places his hands on his thighs and bows low. The ponies blink at this gesture, a bit shocked that he’d do this. Does he not remember who he is to them? Clearly, it hasn’t sunken in yet. It made them all feel a bit sad that he still thinks of himself as a burden to them. Especially Celestia. And the fact that he’d bow like this asking forgiveness for something he didn’t do only made it even more so. Celestia shook her head and called out to him.

“Ryuji, to your feet, please.”

He lifts his head slowly and rises back to his feet. Celestia lets out a light sigh as she stood up and walked over to him. Her eyes fixed on his as they locked gazes.”

“When will you learn that this isn’t something that is solely your burden? You have Twilight, her friends and myself to count on. This is something that you need to get used to and stop blaming yourself for when trouble comes around. This wasn’t your fau-.”

“But it was!”

He suddenly cuts off Celestia. He shakes his head as his body starts shaking. As he began to speak, they could all see he was genuinely upset at himself just in the way his voice shook as well.

“If not for me, this wouldn’t have even happened! None of you would have been taken hostage or even got hurt because of my very existence here! I don’t know what is going to happen in the future that wants me dead, but I don’t want to drag you all into it! And now that something like this has happened...I..I…”

It looked like Ryuji was just going to break down right then and there. The way his eyes twitched as he closed them, fighting the urge to just burst into tears. For the longest time, his heart started to ache at the very idea of losing friends once more because of him. Thoughts ran through his head of possible scenarios that were much worse than the ordeal they had today. Just as he couldn’t take it anymore, He felt the warmth of multiple arms and the softness of Twilight and her friends coming together and embracing him into a close hug. Ryuji’s eyes opened as this happened and shift his gaze about. Even Dash joined in.

“That’s enough, Ryuji. We won’t hear any more of this nonsense of you blaming yourself anymore. The girls and I have been in far more peril than this. We have saved Equestria many times from bigger threats.”

Said Twilight.

“She is right, darling. It may have been scary at first. But we had faith that you’d come and help. We believed in you because we know you care. And that you are all of our friends. You need to get that into your mind and stop thinking that we’d blame you for something you can’t control.”

Rarity said as she leaned in and gently nuzzles the side of his cheek with her own.

“No more of that, Ryu! No matter what happens you can count on us to be there for you! If you ever need some cheering up, you know I am good at making others smile! Just leave it to you aunty Pinkie!”

The rest of them reassured him as well that this was in no way his fault. They continued to hug him until he started feeling better. The warmth and love of them were enough to make him calm down and think clearly. All those dark thoughts seemed to slip away in the embrace from his friends. His friends…

“You see, Ryuji? Nopony blames you here for what has happened. If anything, they were more worried about you rather than themselves since you were the target of the cult. Now, I trust you are all worn out from this, so I have made sure to get guest chambers for all of you. I recommend you all get some rest. However, I need to speak with Ryuji, alone.”

“Of course, princess. We will go and get some sleep then.”

Twilight said as she and her friends gave one last group hug to Ryuji and walked out of the throne room leaving him alone with Celestia. It was quiet for a moment, but then Celestia wrapped Ryuji in his arms suddenly and nuzzled into him in an affectionate manner. This shocked him, as he certainly didn’t expect that. She squeezed him close to her form as she lightly gripped the back of his neck as she embraced him closely.

“You were so reckless when you came in here earlier...I was so so scared when I heard one of those cult followers telling their commander that you had come…”

“Princess...I…”

“You don’t have to call me that Ryuji. Especially when it is you and I. Celestia is just fine. Or...even Tia, if you want to. I really wouldn’t mind it...at all.”

That warmth that he had felt the last time she embraced him like this started to flow over his body again. This time it was more of a nervous and exciting warmth. Like he was experiencing a rush of some sort. He did not quite understand why it happened to her of all the times he was hugged by the others. He lightly pushes away from her after the warmth seemed to get a little too much for him. He takes a few steps back and looks up at Celestia who seemed a little disappointed that he pulled away from her.

“I don’t know why. But this feeling I get when I am close to you like that. It makes me feel uneasy, nervous. I mean, not in a bad way. I just don’t know.It feels like a connection i had with someone in my world a long, long time ago. But this one feels more...intimate. Something a mother and son are forbidden to have.”

Celestia blinked a few times as a blush slowly formed on her face. Her heart started beating nearly ninety miles an hour. Did he say what she thought he was saying? That he felt much deeper feelings of love for her that a couple should feel for one another? This left her speechless as thoughts ran through her head. Had this been why she was also quite fond of him? She did want to protect him from anypony or anything with all her power. But she thought it was simply because of a more motherly connection she had for the tenno.But now that she thought about it..the dream she had before the whole ordeal from earlier…

“M-maybe you are just not thinking clearly about this. I think you need to go and get some rest, Ryuji. If this is still on your mind, please come speak with me tomorrow about it..in my study.”

“Hmm...perhaps you are right. Though, I will definitely seek you out when I aw-...”

Ryuji suddenly disappeared into a flash of light and soon Hydroid began his movements once more. He rushed toward Celestia with great force and speed before pushing her down and rolling to the side with her in his arms. A black figure with darkness radiating from it’s form nailed a blade into the pillar that Celestia stood in front of just before Ryuji rolled her out of the way. Celestia lets out an ‘oof!” as she falls to the floor, she quickly looks up to see Ryuji kneeling on one knee in a defensive posture with his sword out in a quick draw. The figure tore the sword from the pillar and turned to face Ryuji. What he saw threw him off-guard to be sure.

“It can’t be…”

Ryuji...is that..?”

The figure before them was none other than a dark copy of Hydroid Prime.Everything was exactly the same, right down to the last little detail of the blade that as a dark copy of the nikana prime. Though it did not seem to possess any of his guns. Celestia’s eyes widen in fear of the dark copy as she gazed upon it. For once, she was actually afraid of a being that posed a threat to her. The feeling she got from this being...it was ominous and terrifying. If Ryuji turned around to gaze at her, he would see her visibly trembling. Even Ryuji got a sense of danger from this thing. The dark hydroid seemed to be silent, not a breath came from it. It just stared at Ryuji menacingly, ready to attack at a moments notice. And Ryuji could feel it.

“Get out of here, now. This thing is going to kill you if you stick around any longer…”

“Don’t fight with me on this...please. I will not have this imitation lay a hand on you…”

Ryuji slowly got to his feet and stared at the dark Hydroid prime. He was afraid for his life, but that feeling of protecting Celestia outweighed his fear. The started circling around one another. Suddenly the both leap forward and charge at one another, soon meeting with rapid sword clashes as they moved about the room, matching move for move. Celestia wanted to stay and help him. But the fact that he had urged her to teleport away from the fight only made it harder for her to do so. She did get out of the immediate area however and made sure she stayed out of the way of the fight. She watched as the two connected their swords over and over. I was as if the copy knew exactly how Ryuji was going to strike and when. The copy started to prove too much for Ryuji as the fight went on and on, eventually tiring him down to where he was getting sloppy with his movements. The copy took advantage of this and started wearing him down further. Eventually cornering him and knocking his blade from his hand. As the copy raised its blade to strike him down, there was a shout and a bright light filling the room.

“NO! I won’t let you hurt him! I made a promise I intend to keep! Get away from Ryuji you monster!”

Suddenly a concentrated beam of golden light penetrated through the middle of the dark Hydroid. Making it reel back in pain as the silent scream could be seen as it twitched and thrashed about with a now burning hole through its middle. Ryuji opened his eyes to see Celestia lifting into the air with a look of anger and hatred for the dark Hydroid on her face. Even her eyes were glowing in rage as she flew over quickly and stood in front of Ryuji and placed her hands out in front of her, her horn starting glowing brightly and soon, another golden beam of concentrated magic when right through the copy’s head, removing it completely. It staggered back until it fell down to its knees and melted away into the ground before disappearing into a black cloud of smoke. Celestia quickly went back to normal and watched as Ryuji stood up and tried to make his way to Celestia. But suddenly, he comes falling out of Hydroid in complete exhaustion. Celestia gasps and quickly catches him in her arms and hugs him close to her form. Almost as if she was fearing of letting him go, he’d vanish.

No more...no more. Please leave him alone…stop tormenting him!

She screamed in her mind. She truly wished that the Fates would just leave him alone and let him lead a better life that what he has had to deal with in his old world. She believed that Ryuji didn’t deserve this kind of treatment simply because of what he was or what he was capable of. She could see that he was a kind soul who just wanted affection and love, but didn’t know how to take it in stride. She held him closer as she suddenly heard whispers filling the room. And a voice that came over clearer than the others.

“You know you won’t always be around to protect him, sun princess. One day that thing will have to defend himself on his own and he will fall. It is demanded by us. He does not fit in our plans.”

“I will damn sure try to stay with him! Not only that, he has his other friends here too! You will .not take him from us. And definitely not from me! My mother will surely step in should you continue this just to destroy one life because he doesn’t fit into your plans!”

“Oh please, Faust is too busy to waste her time worrying about something that doesn’t belong in this world. She’d probably be happy we are trying to get rid of something so...ugly and potential threat to her world.”

Celestia’s anger started to rise again with the insults thrown at Ryuji and now clung to Celestia and hid his face in her chest. This only made the mare wrap her wings around him in a protective manner.

“You monsters won’t get the chance...never again..”

She said in a low growling tone. She stands up and carries her off to her bed chambers. The whispers fade into nothing after they left the throne room.Now more than ever, Celestia felt that she had to protect him not only out of a promise she made, but to keep himself because of her feelings toward him. There was no hiding them now.

Author's Note

Here you go, everyone!

May the darkness grant you peace.