Ryuji suddenly opens his eyes and sits up quickly while breathing heavily. He gazes around the room frantically as his heart beats nearly ninety miles an hour. He suddenly feels a hand press against his chest in a gentle manner along with one running up and down his back in a comforting manner. He turns his head to see Celestia laying next to him with a concerned look on her face. Her warm soft voice already starting to calm him down with her touch.

“Relax, Ryuji. Everything is fine now. There is no more danger present.”

She said as she laid him back down softly so he could relax. Hesitantly he does so and places a hand on his stomach as he feels himself calming down. He closes his eyes again and sighs. He was just happy it was all over and that he could relax a little. He turns his gaze to Celestia who head her head propped up with her hand as she rested on her side.

“Everyone is alright though? That…thing didn’t hurt anyone else?”

Celestia shakes her head lightly as she scoots in a little closer to Ryuji. She placed a hand on top of his that was resting on his stomach. She gave him a reassuring smile knowing full well that he was worried about her and everyone else before himself. That is one of the things she loved about him. He is so selfless when it comes to other ponies’ well-being. But it also worried her to, as that what got him nearly killed a few hours ago. Which also caused her to be enraged and use her powers to kill that copy of Hydroid. She had never felt such emotion like that in ages. Which brought her mind back to her feeling for Ryuji. Those feelings made her heart melt and her body warm as she thought about him. She loved him wholeheartedly. But how was she going to tell him this? And how would he even take it? Her thoughts were suddenly broken as he sat up and got out of the bed.

“Where is he..? Where is Hydroid?”

He looks to the furthest corner of the room to see him standing like a statue. As if a sentinel watching ever vigilantly. He walks up to Hydroid and places a hand on his chest. He traces it down as he sees all the damage that the frame took has healed. This was expected since the inside of the frame was indeed organic. Though the proper term would be ‘infested puppet’ as described by one of the grineer leaders when Ryuji confronted them before fully awakening.

Celestia looked at Ryuji and his warframe. She never understood their bond. He spoke to Hydroid as if it was a living, breathing being. And he always referred to ‘it’ as a ‘he’. While it is true that Hydroid’s body structure resembles a male, it still seemed odd to her. But she didn’t judge Ryuji for it. After all, that thing is what he uses to fight his battles. Little did the alicorn know that using Hydroid was only half of his abilities. And that on this day, she and Twilight both were going to experience a frightening piece of his power, that very thing that unlocked within him when he learned his name once more. It was going to make him more of a threat than ever.

“Ryuji...I am curious about your bond with that thing. I am not judging you for it of course. But you act as if it was your best friend. May I ask why that is?”

She asked as she got up out of the bed and made her way over to him, her purple hues tracing over the frame’s physical form. Ryuji smiles as he lowers his head then looks back up to her. She noticed that the slight bit of mist in his eyes. He was revisiting memories.

“Hydroid and I go way back. It is because of him, that I escaped death quite a few times. Especially when I woke up from my slumber. I trust you saw the way he carried me outside of my ship when it crashed? It was the only way I could get him to help me...I was too injured to fully merge with him. That is how it also happened when I woke. Even though I was controlling him with touch. He still carried me to my ship. Even when the Stalker who was possessed by Hunhow had my throat in his grasp, Hydroid...came to life and destroyed the blade that was impaled into him by the Stalker, severing Hunhow’s possession and ultimate saving my life. How he did it, I do not know. I wasn’t merged with him nor did I have physical contact. He just...broke the blade in two on his own.”

Celestia listened to his story intently. She now fully understood while the bond was so strong between the two. To have a puppet come to life without its master’s hand in order to save that master...it truly was spectacular. Even magical in her mind. She approached him from behind and wrapped her arms and wings around him in a loving hug. Ryuji turned his head to look up at her with a confused gaze, though he didn’t pull away from the embrace.

“You don’t have to rely on just him anymore though. You can...rely on us too. Twilight, her friends, Luna, and especially myself. You don’t have to fight alone, let alone be alone. We are your family now.”

That word…’family’. He remembers saying that all those years ago on the Zariman. When it was just himself and the other children who had survived and acclimated to the void. The words his spoke rang in his head over and over. As he closed his eyes.

This is my family now…

--Later That Day--

Out in the gardens of the castle, Ryuji, within hydroid sat with Luna, Celestia, and Twilight. They were discussing the future plans to be prepared for any future attacks on the tenno. Perhaps even train some of the more elite guards in the use of firearms that Ryuji can have made for them. After all, to have a special branch of guards that can use these weapons would be extremely valuable to the kingdom.

“So then, Shall I go and search for resources on the nearby planets then? That is the only way I will be able to properly craft the weapons should my overabundant supply drain. After all, you plan on making half the guard able to use my weapons. Isn’t that right?”

He said as he looked at the three of them. He wasn’t sure why Twilight was here. She wasn’t exactly a ruling authority. Nonetheless, he was happy to see her though. Celestia nodded as an answer to Ryuji and went on to explain her reasoning.

“You know of warfare and your weapons would be an invaluable asset to our ranks, Ryuji. Should we run into any more invaders such as the ones who tried to hurt you or any other kind of enemies, the weapons you possess distributed to our soldiers would definitely help us in defending our home, your home.”

“I agree with you, Celestia. But what if my weapons were to end up in the wrong hands? Then things will be more troublesome than they are already.”

That isn’t entirely true, Ryuji. You did say something about the blueprints being kept only on your ship, yes? So what we will do is create them aboard while your ship is in orbit, and then fly down the cargo to our soldier’s quarters and distribute them that way. We plan on giving them to our most elite, who will not reveal the proper use of these weapons, even under the greatest of torture. You have our word.”

Said Luna as she reassured the worrying tenno. His gaze turned to twilight who smiled to him happily as she bounced a bit. She was to play a part in crafting the weapons with him as well. After all, she has a brilliant mind, and if anypony could help Ryuji make the weapons at a decent rate, it was her.

“I cannot wait to be helping you as well, Ryu. That, and I will get to go up into space often as well! I am so excited about this!”

Ryuji laughed lightly at this. Of course, that’s why she was so excited about this. Ever the knowledge-hungry unicorn. But that was one thing he really liked about her. Her intelligence really lured him in. And no one could notice the bright smile on his face as he and Twilight spoke, this would have possibly worried the sun princess and her future with Ryuji. After all, Twilight also had secret feelings for the tenno. And she’d have plenty of time to reveal them to him with their time up in space when the project moves forward.

Ask they walked along the gardens continuing to speak, the sky suddenly clouded up and grayed. Rain began to fall which made Ryuji and the three of the ponies look up in surprise. He lifted up his hand a bit as the rain bounced of the metal of Hydroid.

“Strange turn of weather. I do not believe we were scheduled for rain today.”

Said Luna, as she formed a barrier with her magic to cover herself and her sister.

“Indeed, shall we go in and-...”

Her eyes widen as a glim of something pokes through the clouds and darts it’s way toward Ryuji. Something wasn’t right here. Not at all.

“Ryuji, look out!”

She screamed as she tried to make a dash for him. But she was too late. The object appeared to be some kind of light blue glowing lance that pierced through Hydroid’s structure, the lance giving off and electric-like flow of energy through the warframe, causing Ryuji to let out a shout of pain as the frame drops to its knees with a heavy ‘thud’.

“HAA-AAAAAGH!”

Scream Ryuji before being thrown out of his warframe by force, his body tumbling and rolling a good distance away from the group. They all three hurry over to him in a panic, but are stopped by four cloaked figures who appear out of nowhere in front of the now struggling tenno. Ryuji struggles to get to his feet from the pain as he takes hold of his chest. One of the figures speak in a loud whisper.

“You see? This is why we cannot have this creature in this world. Should your plans go through with success, our plans for the word will be ruined. And we cannot have that.”

“Indeed. To have such power at your disposal would surely derail our plans.”

Said the other cloaked figure that stood next to the one who spoke first. The three ponies started to make their way towards the group with angry glares and brightly glowing horns. But three of the figures appeared behind them with blades at their back where the hearts were in stabbing range. Making them freeze in their hoofsteps.

Ah-ah-aaah. You take one step closer, and all three of you die right here, right now. You see, you weren’t of any of our concern, but with your meddling in our attempts. You will be dealt with if you cause us trouble once more..”

Celestia growled in anger as she watched the main figure walk over to Ryuji who struggled to scoot away from the figure. Whatever had pierced through Hydroid hurt him greatly internally. All three of the ponies could see he was in great pain through his eyes and that he was scared for both his life and theirs. Soon enough, however, the figure reached down and took hold of Ryuji’s throat and lifted him into the air. The hand squeezing hard as Ryuji began to choke, trying to get in what air he could. He took hold of the arm and tried pulling it away as much as he could with a defiant look in his eyes, masking his fear. All three could only watch with tears starting to well up in their eyes

Ryuji watched this as he tried to fight back. the emotional pain on all their faces started to tear him up inside. as he struggled to breathe, the figure pulled out a sword and aimed it directly at his heart. Though before he looked over to the group of the other three and gave them a nod.

Don’t kill them, but hurt them in the most painful way possible while this thing is still alive. I want him to suffer in every way before I end his life.”

“No, leave them out of-...this! They got nothing to do with my...existence!”

He said as he coughed between his words. His struggling becoming more erratic. Before they could speak to him, Celestia and the others were suddenly stabbed in the back of their thighs, the blades twisting and turning, they all let out screams of pain that rang through Ryuji’s mind over and over as the stabbing proceeded multiple times. Their cries of woe echoing through the gardens, but no guards coming to their aid. They were probably preventing that as well. Ryuji felt his sadness and rage well up in his heart. Suddenly he goes limp for a second, his eyes shut completely. Celestia watches this as he stops moving and lets out another cry of despair as she focuses on him now.

“Ryuji, RYUJI! YOU NEED TO WAKE UP! PLEASE!!”

Just as the figured holding Ryuji was about to deliver the final blow. Ryuji’s eyes shot open with a complete change, the sclera turned black, and the iris now glowing a bright gold.

“AAAAAAAAAAHH!!!!”

He lets out a scream that seemed to be mixed with a darker, sinister voice. A shockwave of pure void energy pushing the cloaked figure away from him as he released. He quickly falls to the ground bit lands on his feet and disappears. He reappears by Hydroid and quickly grabs Nikana prime by the hilt and pulls it out. Instead of fire, it was pure void energy that now covered the blade.

“I am going to kill all of you! ALL OF YOU! YOU HURT MY FAMILY, NOW I AM GOING FUCKING TEAR YOU TO PIECES!!!”

He shouted in that dark sinister tone. He suddenly dashes forward and disappears inside the figure holding Celestia. The figure’s body suddenly explodes with blood and innards splashing everywhere, the same thing happening to the other two before they could do anything about it. The three ponies drop to the ground in pure shock covered in the blood of the three figures. Ryuji appeared in front of them covered in just as much as they were. Celestia watched as Ryuji slowly watched towards the other figure with a rather evil glare on his face and baring his teeth like some kind of wild animal. She noticed his eyes, and had seen something like that before. Then it hit her...his doppelganger. The figure that had tried to kill him earlier started backing away from him as Ryuji approached.

“You may kill these bodies, but we exist on a higher plane. We will dispose of you in the end! Do not think you are victorious on this issue. We will continue to throw everything we can at you! We will-.”

He was interrupted by Ryuji dashing into his body and began to feel the inside of his body tearing apart. The same thing that happens to his group happened to him, but on a much more gruesome level. There was nothing but liquefied flesh and blood exploding from within his body, not even any bone was left. Ryuji reappeared once more with his blade in hand.

“Then I will kill you over and over again. To protect my family. I will go as far as to let my void demon take full control. If it means saving them.”

The ‘void demon’ he spoke of was, in fact, the doppelganger that resided in his mind. The one that spoke to him when he consumed the kuva, and the one that he has seen over and over after helping Rell, who was another tenno finally be at rest and depart from his warframe, Harrow. Ryuji suddenly fell to his knees and shoved the tip of his sword into the ground to keep from falling forward. He struggled to keep himself up, but he did it nonetheless, holding onto the hilt with whatever strength he had left. Luckily, with their deaths, the lance inside of Hydroid vanished completely. This gave Ryuji enough time to take refuge inside of his frame. The healing process beginning as he was safe inside. Though he struggled to get to his feet for a moment before making it over to Celestia and the others.

“Ryuji...you..”

Celestia said with a bit of fear in her voice. Now that she had seen what he could do if driven to it, she feared Ryuji more than anything now. As did Luna and Twilight. They all tried to scoot away from him, but the stab wounds didn’t help in anyway. Ryuji dropped to his knees in front of them. The rain ran down his face making it look like tears were flowing down it. As he spoke, they could hear his normal voice once more.

“I..I couldn’t just let them hurt you like that. It was all i could do to save you! I never wanted you to see this side of me! I am sorry! I am so so sorry!”

He said as he slammed a fist down into the ground. He tried holding back his sobbing as much as he could. The shaking could be heard as the metal on the frame shook as well. When Celestia realized it was truly Ryuji, her fear subsided for now as did the others. Ryuji couldn’t take it anymore. He flew out of Hydroid and wrapped his arms around Celestia’s neck and hugged her closely. Celestia could feel his whole body shaking as he began to sob within her chest. How could she had forgotten that this tenno was a kind and wonderful being? He only did what he had to to make sure everyone was saved. She could not fault him for that. She wrapped her arms around him along with her wings and spoke softly to try and calm him down.

“Sssshh….it’s alright, Ryuji. It’s all over now. You won. We can all get fixed up in the medical wing.”

All he could do was continuously apology to her, Twilight and Luna. He held onto Celestia for dear life. Soon enough the guards found them all and quickly made their way over to the group and got the princesses to the medical wing immediately. Reluctantly, Ryuji finally released Celestia so she could get medical attention. Through all this, Ryuji’s psyche had been slightly damaged from the emotional trauma. This meant that in the future, his doppelganger could be triggered should something like this ever happen again. And if they couldn’t figure out how to maintain it, it could go out of control. The future….is going to have it’s downs for sure. But as long as Ryuji had his family. He knew the good would definitely outweigh the bad.

Author's Note

As you have all now witnessed, Ryuji is not to be fucked with when it comes to his new family. But this new power may cause trouble down the road for both his enemies and friends should things get out of hand. Thus turning it into both a strength and a weakness.

And to my fellow warframe players who have made it passed The Chains Of Harrow and The War Within. I have a theory that our 'doppelganger' or 'man in the wall' is actually our Operator's void demon. I say this because why would he appear ever so often to us? And also call us 'kiddo'? I feel that he is check in on us, seeing how we grow and develop as both tenno and warframe operators. That's just my theory anyway. So I am going with that in this story. :P

May the darkness grant you peace.