Ryuji drops into Ponyville from his landing craft in the early hours of the morning. He was quick to survey the area and notice that things...appeared to be as they were. The Golden Oak Library, Sugarcube Corner and Carousel Boutique were all there. His first instinct was to go and check on Twilight first since she was the closest to him out of her and her friends. He knocks on her door and waits for an answer...nothing yet. He waits a little longer before knocking again. The door finally starts to slowly open the reveal a sleep-deprived Twilight gazing up at Ryuji as he was in Hydroid. She looks up at him and rubs her eyes and speaks to him in a rather unenergetic tone.

“The library isn’t open right now. Come back around nine and it will be open around that time.”

“Twi...it’s me. Ryuji.”

Her ears perked up at that name. Her eyes widen as she steps back a bit in shock. There was only one being with that name that she knew of. But how could he be here now?Celestia mentioned him to Twilight and her other students a few times while they were in her class. And now that she got a better look at him. Celestia’s description of Hydroid seemed to match what the unicorn saw before her to the letter.

“I...I know you...the princess has talked a lot about you with me when we discussed personal matters. You vanished over a thousand years ago.”

“I...you don’t remember me at all Twi…? I stayed with you for a few months when I first came here and then I-”

It hit him long a bag of bricks all the sudden. She or her other friends would not know him because of what he had done in the past when he was taken to it. Once his presence was made known by Celestia and Luna and the decisions he had made, his whole entire time here now had changed. Knowing that all this was partly his fault, he couldn’t be angry with whoever took him back to the past. For all he could say, he may as well be another thousand years of age because of his idiotic mistake have made himself known. But what could he have ever done? Just as he was about to step away from Twilight, he suddenly felt a force drag him out of the warframe that made him nearly fall to his knees. That same dark blue energy that coiled around his arm from before swirled around his arm and hand. He felt it...pulling him towards the purple unicorn who was now startled to see Ryuji pulled out of Hydroid and was reaching for her. He tried to pull back against it with all his strength. His feet even started digging into the ground indicating he was doing his best to stop whatever was about to happen.

“W-what are you doing you stupid element?! Leave her alone!”

He said as he reached up and started pulling his arm away with his other hand. Twilight’s eyes fixed o0n the swirling energy as she started to back away from him. Now on full alert, she readies her horn to defend herself, even though she sees him trying to avoid doing...whatever this strange magic was attempting to do to her. The closer it got to Twilight, the more wildly the magic coiling around his arm spun and reached out. Before his hand could reach her, it stopped just shy of her forehead. Something then appeared atop of the unicorn’s head. It was a crown of sorts with a precious stone in the shape of a star with a deep pink color to it. It seemed to resonate with the crown in question. Ryuji quickly pulls his hand away from her as he notices that design of the stone. It resembled what he saw on that tree that gave him the spectral blade that dwells within his right arm. It took Twilight a few moments to put two and two together before it hit her. She remembered reading something about the elements of harmony. That there was a standalone element that wasn’t present with the other six and had been gone for over a thousand years. Twilight’s gaze suddenly when from fearful to serious.

“Just who are you..? Not only are you the princess’s fiance, but you possess something that only my friends and I possess. An element.”

That first question pretty much confirmed that all her memories of him were no longer existent. Or more to the point, never existed in the first place anymore. This certainly had an emotional impact on him. The feeling that those he grew to care for, knew nothing of him anymore all because of his stupid mistake. Twilight could see the anguish on his face as he clenched his fists.

“Twilight, Rarity, Fluttershy, Pinkie, Dash, and Applejack….they don’t even know who I am anymore. I am a complete stranger to the ones I grew to care for. I have these memories that no longer matter…”

Twilight first that he was delusionally ranting to himself as if he was crazy. But, upon further inspection of his face and the grief forming in his eyes, she couldn’t help but feel, even if a little bit, that his words were genuine.After all, he knew the names of herself and her friends. Especially someone like him who wasn’t even a pony, to begin with. Suddenly, a pang of deja vu. The warm fuzzy feeling when one feels like something like this has happened before, but no memory recollection occurs. Seeing Ryuji in that very state nearly brought the mare to tears, and she did not know why. All she knows is that she couldn’t stand it. She suddenly steps up to him and did what she felt was right at that very moment. She wraps her arms around him in a warm hug and holds her close to her form, running her hands up and down his back in a comforting manner.

“I don’t know why I am doing this. I don’t even know who you are. And yet, something is telling me there is something...warmly familiar about you. Not only that, but you possess the element of guardianship. I must write all this to the princess. She will want to know of your presence and what you have come into possession of. Please, come in. And I will write her the letter. Knowing her, she will not waste any time in coming directly here when she reads it.”

She reluctantly releases Ryuji, having this feeling of if she took her eyes off him for even a second, he’d just...vanish. He follows the mare inside after disappearing into Hydroid. He looked around as he entered. The whole place had no change to it whatsoever. The same amount of books it always had. Even the same little knick-knacks that laid on the shelves and the large circular table in the middle of the main room. Ryuji wandered over to the bookshelf he was most familiar with to find some books still there that he had read in his original timeline there. Not much seems to haven’t changed in the smaller details. But the fact that his friends who no longer knew him still made his heart ache a little. After a few minutes, Twilight returned to the main room.

“Alright, I have sent the letter, now we just-.”

Twilight was cut off by the sudden glow of a golden light appearing in the room, and a tall familiar figure appeared out of the light, landing on her hooves. Ryuji knew right away who it was. And nothing was different about her at all from what he remembered. She was still that beautiful, lovely curvy alicorn mare that he knew before his timeline shifted. Her eyes darted around the room frantically as she searched for Ryuji, not noticing that he was behind her.

“Twilight...your letter. You are absolutely sure that-?”

She turns around to see that familiar metal figure standing before her. Her magenta eyes widening and her jaw hung open as she slowly approached Ryuji who was still within Hydroid. She remembered his warframe so vividly. Her memory going back to that very night at that moment when Ryuji stood in front of her and her sister to defend them from their pending doom. Ryuji’s gaze fell to the ground as Celestia approached closer. He couldn’t speak, as he didn’t know the words to say in this situation. He didn’t know if the princess would be angry or happy to see him. Especially after he practically just up and left without a word. But it wasn’t exactly his fault either.

“Ryuji..are you in there?”

“Princess, I...I…”

He said as he back away from her, still averting his gaze as he could feel hers on him still. Not knowing if it was one of destain or joy. Before he could back away any further he felt Celestia grab his hand rather forcibly, but not in a negative manner, she just wanted to stop him from moving away from her. Twilight watched in shock as the claims of her mentor seemed to ring true thus far. Celestia could tell that Ryuji was uneasy from seeing her.

“Ryu...please come out. I promise I am not upset I know you leaving was bound to happen. Though, I did not expect your to return to this timeline. Don’t think I haven’t forgotten that night. Now, let me see your face, please.”

She emphasized the ‘please’ with a nearly whimpering tone. Ryuji was hesitant in coming out of Hydroid. She does know that nothing has changed about his real self and will never change due to him being a tenno, right? An icy white light fills the room for a moment as Ryuji steps forth out of Hydroid. Celestia’s eyes met Ryuji’s for what felt like an eternity before she knelt down and gently cupped his face in her soft warm hands. A smile slowly forms across her muzzle as tears of happiness start flowing down her cheeks.

“Look at you...it’s been over a thousand years and you haven’t changed one bit. You truly don’t ever physically age. And here I am all grown up. But, I never forgot you.”

“But you should also remember I don’t belong in this timeline. But because of my stupid choices I made that night to reveal myself when I saved you along with the fact I unwillingly became the bearer of the element of guardianship, I will never again be able to return to my timeline where….where I was friends with Twilight and the others. And the Celestia I knew as well. All these memories I have...they are pointless here because neither you, Twilight or her friends do not share them because I never existed here in the first place. I may as well be a stranger to everyone I came to know and care about!”

Celestia could feel Ryuji starting to shake as he spoke those words.That same anguish coming upon his face as Twilight saw earlier. Celestia knew what he was talking about because of what he had explained to her all those years ago. Seeing him in that state tore at her heart. This was supposed to be a happy event. Celestia had found the one to whom she had promised herself to, but he was in a state of sadness and self-hatred because of what he had done to change his present time. And she could understand what he was going through. He had told her just how close he was to who would be her future pupil to only come to this timeline to not have her remember someone who was very close to her in his own time.All Celestia could do was wrap the upset tenno in her wings and arms.

“Listen to me, Ryu. I know that you are hurting because of your choices. But that is what happens when ponies mess with time. And i am sure you knew of this before you were sent back all those years ago. While your memories of the ones you knew only belong to you now, that doesn’t mean you can’t rekindle them with the ones here now. Or even make better ones. Also…”

She reaches down and takes his right hand and arm into her hands, the coiling magic making itself known to her touch. She looks it over for a few moments before returning her gaze to his.

“I also know about this as well. The hidden standalone element that was given to you. While unwillingly given to you, it solely belongs to you given that it is fused body and soul with you. The sooner that you accept this and know that your timeline is forever out of your reach, the easier it will be to move on. Please do not think of me saying this as cruelty, but more of hoping that you will not linger on what no longer exists for your own sake. After all, you have me and my sister who still remember you very fondly. But myself a little more so than she does. And with what you have in common with Twilight and her friends, I am sure that you can and will become friends with them once more, even closer than you were back in your timeline. But, in the meantime, you will have me if not anypony else.”

“Princess, when he first came to my door this morning, I wasn’t sure if he was telling the truth or not. But something about him made me feel that feeling of...familiarity. Like I should know him. He seemed very distraught when I told him I did not know him. But...seeing him in such a state, I felt a strong urge to just wrap him in my arms and hold him. As if I had known him for a while. I just couldn’t stand to see him so saddened. And from what you have just said. I now believe this entirely, that in his timeline he and I were very close friends.But the question is. How is it even possible that I could even feel that connection when it is a totally different timeline?”

Celestia stood up and turned to face Twilight. Still remaining close to Ryuji who had calmed down a little bit but, looked like he had a billion thoughts swirling around in his head. She began to explain what might be the cause of this.

“Perhaps it may be the elements resonating with one another. While Ryuji’s isn’t part of the original six that you and your friends are. It is still one of the elements. But Ryuji’s element is...different from yours and your friends’. His element can change its nature depending on what path he chooses to take with it. My sister and I knew of this element from long ago. But we never imagined that it would belong to the very stall-..tenno that saved our lives on that night.”

Twilight was complete dumbfounded at this. The fact that a being that wasn’t even part of their universe held an element within his very being. Both Celestia and Twilight watched as Ryuji held out his hand to his side and made the ghostly blade appear with a what sounded like at haunting ethereal wind with the same coiling magic around his arm. He looked the once physically solid blade over with what appeared to be a long, thoughtful gaze. Both the mares wondered what exactly was going through his mind as he did this.

“I am tired of being jerked around by forces that think they can do whatever they please with me. If I truly have free will. Then from this point on…”

The blade begins to flare up with a fiery aura, the color changing from blue to a dark grey. Celestia’s eyes widened at this. That kind of color didn’t mean anything evil, but it wasn’t good either. She knew his mindset immediately, and she had to do something before he could no longer turn back

“...I am going to do what I want to do. And I WILL kill anyone who tries to use me as their pawn in their little game. After all, I am the ‘Fateless One’ as your creator mentioned to me. It’s time I take back my life and do what it is Ryuji wants to do.”

The blade vanishes back into nothingness and he disappears back into Hydroid, the frame coming back to life once more as he turns and walks away from them both. He begins to walk toward the balcony as he gets on the coms.

“Ordis, send the landing craft to my position. Get me off this planet. I have had enough for one day.”

Celestia ran towards him with Twilight trailing behind her, she grabs the hand of Ryuji’s frame and tries to hold on. The look in her eyes was desperate and pleading. As if she was trying to talk some sense into the tenno.

“Please, Ryu…”

She said in a soft, pleading tone.

“...don’t let this turn you into something dreadful. I know I can never experience what you have gone through. But I want to help you, Twilight wants to help you. You can relive what you had back in your timeline if you truly want it back. But, don’t let what has happened to you turn your heart cold. You are not that kind of being.”

“Let go of me, princess. I am sure that somewhere down the line, even you will use me as some kind of piece in your game of chess with whatever other rulers of this land you may have issues with.”

He said as he jerked his hand away from hers. The roar of the landing craft’s engines could be heard as it flew up and latched itself onto the balcony. Ryuji walked over to it and turned his back to step back into the indention.

“I will return once I am good and ready. Not when you or anyone else tells me to.”

The cylindrical container spins around as the ship begins to take off. Once turned around fully, it takes off into the sky and out of sight within seconds, leaving a slightly heartbroken Celestia and a worried Twilight that walks over to console her saddened mentor.

“Please come back…”

Whimpered Celestia as she choked back tears, leaning against the balcony with her ears pinned to her head in sadness with the look of emotional pain on her face. What she thought would have been a happy day, turned into one of great dread. And as if the weather knew, dark clouds rolled in quickly and rain began to fall.

Ryuji returned to the orbiter and walked over to the window of his personal quarters once he was out of Hydroid. He gazed out at the planet below as thoughts began to swirl in his head once more.

”They aren’t the same ponies you have come to call your family.”

“You screwed it all up. All because this world’s creator chose to let you handle saving the future rather than intervening herself.”

“Why should you be the one to do hers or anyone else’s dirty work? Give in to your anger, kiddo. Give me total control and you will not have to take orders from anyone. I can make it all go away. The memories you have of your family. The feelings you have for the princess. Let me corrupt you and turn you into a being of fear.”

Ryuji knew this wasn’t his thoughts anymore, in fact, it was the void demon trying to prey on him in his current mental state. But Ryuji knew better. And he certainly wasn’t going to relinquish control easily. He opened his eyes to see his doppelganger leaning over his shoulder behind him with a wicked smile with his hands on his shoulders.

“Even you will not tell me what I can and can’t do, demon. SO you may as well forget the idea of controlling me.”

“Be careful, kiddo. This new attitude of yours may cause you more trouble than you think. Especially with your potential relationships with those pastel creatures.”

“They may be the same ponies, but they aren’t the ones I came to see as my family.”

With that, Ryuji walked over to his bed and fell face first into the pillow. He slowly curls up as he pulls the blanket over his body and hugs his pillow as he slowly falls asleep.

Author's Note

It looks like Ryuji is finally done with taking orders from anyone. I'd be fed up with it as well if I was being used to solve someone's issues they couldn't fix themselves.

May the darkness grant you peace.