Ryuji kept the barrel of his arca plasmor pressed against Star’s head with force, That urge to just pull the trigger and end this mistake in the gene pool once and for all. He wanted it so bad. And yet in his mind he knew he could do it because he didn’t want to risk altering the timeline in some way or even worse. Take the life of some high school brat. He yanked the gun away from Star and growls in anger.

“No. I am not going to kill you. But…”

He suddenly sent a swift kick to Star’s face which made him fall onto his side and lay on his front. Ryuji then stood over him as he took that nikana prime slowly from it’s sheath at Hydroid’s side and twirled it in his hand so that the blade was facing down.

“I will do something ten times worse to you. Say goodbye to your dreams as a star athlete…”

Before Star could cry out and beg for mercy, Ryuji’s blade plummets down quickly and precise, right to the back of his right knee, not breaking the bone, but severing the tendons and all hope of him ever remaining a hoofball star. And with the way he had severed it, not even magic could fully recover the crippling wound he will have to live with all his life. The sickening slash through flesh was heard along with a cry of pain that came from the pony below him as he then started rolling around in pain. He gives one swipe of his sword to get the blood off it before sheathing it with a click. He turns away with an audible flutter of his syndana and makes his way towards Celestia. Her friends that surrounded her looked up at the warframe in fear but maintained their defensive stance in front of her thinking that he was going to hurt her as well. Even Celestia herself had a slight hint of fear in her eyes even though she tried to hide it. And this put Ryuji off a bit.

“Fine…”

He said as he then walked away from the group and passed Star and a few onboard medical ponies that were tending to him. Celestia knew right away that he saw that fear in her eyes and knew how that made him felt. She was quick to push away from her friends and call out to him as she chased him.

“Ryu, wait!”

Ryuji stood at the back of the yacht with his eyes on the sky. And soon enough, a loud roar of the orbiter’s engines could be heard over the yacht’s with ease. The massive ship dwarfed the little sea vessel in difference. The sidehatch opened up and Ryuji leaped into it with a quick motion and walked into the loading bay.

“Oh no you don’t! You aren’t leaving me here by myself!”

Shouted Celestia as she flies in just as the sidehatch closed right behind her. She even managed to grab the bag she had brought with her. The Orbiter soon took off heading back into space to resume its orbiting of the planet. Ryuji was already on the bridge of the ship with Hydroid standing by as he walked about.

“Ordis, I have reacquired my warframe.”

“Iiii can see that, Operator. But it seems that you have also acquired another passenger. Shall I purge them from the ship?”

Ryuji shook his head after he noticed Celestia coming up the ramp after it had dropped down. She looked at Ryuji with a look of annoyance as she crossed her arms. But he simply turned his attention to the stars and dark space with the sun illuminating the inside of his ship.

“No, Ordis. You should know by now that she is someone of great importance to me. Now, take me to the cast;e so that I can drop her off. Last thing I need is for her to come with me back to the proper time and cause a paradox. And you and I know that could be at any moment, so get us there quickly.”

“As you wish, Operator.”

Ryuji turned to face Celestia who still had a look of disapproval from his actions before. Ryuji simply shrugged his shoulders and walked up to her. He crossed his arms in defense as he gazed up into her disapproving eyes.

“What? Did you expect me to let him off without any retaliation for trying to kill me? You know me better than that, Tia. Scum like him doesn’t even deserve to enjoy a life of happiness when he takes it away from others by being a complete asshole and thinking they are better than everyone else.”

Celestia lowers her ears and looks back at him with a stern expression. Ryuji knew that either way he would have handled the situation, it was going to upset her, as letting Star Breeze off the hook wasn’t going to be a choice for the tenno.

“That isn’t your decision to make, Ryu. He would have been brought to justice either way for what he had tried to do.”

“Don’t give me that, Tia. I saw the look on your face when I came back up. You wanted to kill him just as much as I did because you had thought he had actually killed me. I wasn’t about to let entitled brat get away with it. So I took away his only chance at being something he didn't deserve to have.”

Ryuji made his way back over to Hydroid and runs a hand down his arm as he examines the changes that he had gone through. His features had changed to be more sharper,nearly sinister in appearance. Just what has been happening to him since they had last seen one another. Ryuji traced his hands along the metallic frame of his partner lost in thought.

“What did they do to you…? You certainly aren’t the same since I had last seen you. But...I am glad that I have found you again. I was worried that I had lost you forever when they took you away…”

Ryuji suddenly went in to hug the warframe. What happens next however catches Ryuji, Celestia and even Ordis off guard. The frame lifts his arms up and places his hands upon the tenno’s shoulders softly as it acknowledged it’s operator with the same feeling. As if a father was returning his son’s affection. It would seem that along with these changes, Hydroid has become more of a sentient being than before. Not only coming to life to make sure that RYuji was kept safe from harm, but to now freely move as he wished unless Ryuji had decided to take full control of him. Ryuji stepped back in surprise as he gazed up at the warframe who had removed his hands from his shoulders in awe.

“You..can move on your own now..?”

Hydroid gave a slow nod to the tenno, but reassured him with another pat on his shoulder that he will still always need his operator, no matter the situation. Just as Ryuji would always need Hydroid. Celestia watched the two closely. She couldn’t even be upset with Ryuji anymore since he did finally find the only friend he had ever had before he came to this universe. She gave a heavy sigh and walked over to Ryuji.

“I will take care of what happened when they return. For now, just get me back home before you suddenly disappear like last time.”

--An Hour Later--

Once they finally arrive at the castle, the ship lands in the main courtyard just as the ramp lowers. Ryuji and Celestia walk out onto the stone walkway and look at one another for a few moments before Ryuji takes her hands into his. He closes his eyes for a moment before leaning up and kissing her on the lips. Celestia’s tail sways quickly before leaning into the kiss that he had started. Once it was broken, he reaches up and caresses her cheek.

“I really hope this is the last time I go back into this world’s timeline. I am getting tired of being dragged around.”

They both laugh and kiss again and then hug each other tightly. Ryuji makes his way back up onto the ramp before looking back at the love of his life and leaves her with a few more parting words.

“Hopefully, I shall see you soon again. I love you, Tia.”

“And I love you Ryu.”

With those last words, Ryuji makes his way up into the ship as the ramp closes. The orbiter lifts back up into the air and takes off up and out of the atmosphere. As he makes his way up to the bridge. He saw Hydroid gazing out at the stars before Ryuji joined him at his side. Suddenly out of nowhere, the ship starts to shake and rumble, nearly knocking them both down Something seemed to be dragging them in a different direction as they flew through space. Ordis came over the coms.

Operator! A void storm has taken hold of the ship. I can’t pull away from it!”

Ryuji quickly gets to his feet and runs towards the window to see a light blue, ethereal mass getting closer and closer towards them. He quickly makes his way over to the controls and tries to override the engines to pull a full overpowered reverse on the thrusters, but to no avail. Not only was he getting dragged into a void storm, but that familiar cobalt blue sparking started to envelope him and the entire ship. As they were pulled through the void storm, the cobalt light consumed everything.

--Back To The Present--

The orbiter comes down from the sky on a crash landing course headed straight for the outskirts of Ponyville. Thankfully, Ordis was about to land the ship just in time so that the only thing that was critically damaged was one of the thrusters. Once the ship had landed and the rear ramp opened up, Ryuji came stumbling out and down the ramp before falling to his hands and knees. It was a dark and rainy day when he had returned to what he had hoped was the present. As he looks down into the puddle that he had fallen in. He gets a look of confusion on his face. The reflection he was seeing. It wasn’t his face. Well, it was his face, but his hair was much longer than before. And he had full stubble on his face as well. When he noticed this, he slowly stood up and took a look at his body.

“How the hell did-?”

He quickly covers his mouth with one hand. His voice sounded..deeper. More mature. And very gravelly.Soon after, Hydroid ran down the ramp to join at Ryuji’s side to offer him any aid. He gazed upon his operator, who somehow seems to have aged up to looking to be in his early twenties. Even his clothing and armor seemed to have changed with his growth as well. However, the sound of multiple hoofsteps could be heard in the distance, approaching Ryuji’s position with weapons drawn. The armored ponies quickly surround the ship along with Hydroid and his operator. Ryuji was quick to take a defensive stance and tried to activate his void energy. It failed. He tried again, failure.

“What the fuck…?”

Hydroid could see what was going on and drew the arca plasmor to defend Ryuji. Once the armored ponies came closer, He noticed that their armor wasn’t...what it used to be. Golden plate replaced by futuristic and sleek armor. And their swords and spears replaced with...guns?!

Ryuji thought of only one last thing he could do. That icy grey coil around his arm formed into the ghostly blade that he had been given. However, once the ponies see that, they lower their guns and slowly start to back away. And a female unicorn dressed in skin tight armor approaches Ryuji and Hydroid from behind the group and chuckles lightly as she approaches.

“Well, looks like you made it home after all, darling. There is no mistaking that blade that is attached to you.”

The helmet around her head suddenly expands slightly before collapsing into a form of collar on the armor that she wore. There was no mistaking that posh accent and those sapphire eyes. Ryuji’s stance lightened, but the blade was still visible.

“Rarity..? WHat are you doing in that? I would have never, ever guessed you’d be party of the royal army..if that’s what you are part of.”

She giggles lightly before walking up to him. Hydroid was quick to aim his plasmor gun at her before Ryuji lowered the gun and shook his head at Hydroid. Rarity leans in and gazes at him with a warm smile as she REALLY noticed his changes.

“Oh my..looks like you have finally matured into a full stallion, sweetie. Gruff and very handsome~. I do think the princess will be very happy to see you like this. Though I know she will be happy to see you in general though. Come along. Let’s get you back to her side now.”

As she lead him on, she also noticed that Hydroid was now walking and moving of his own free will. This made her a bit uneasy, but she knew that Hydroid was Ryuji’s friend. However I didn’t stop her from asking about it.

“Ryu, dear. How is that thi-..he able to move freely now? I remember him not being able to do that before…”

“I don’t understand it myself. When he was taken, he was only able to do that if I was in immediate danger. But now that I have recovered him, he seems to have a mind of his own. Which I do not mind. The friend who I have had for so many years can finally tell me what’s on his mind...somewhat finally has the freedom he deserves. But this...new body. Or rather aged up body...I don’t understand. ANd I can’t use my void powers at the moment...so once I get back to the castle, I am sure to get bombarded with questions.”

Once they get to Ponyville, Ryuji noticed that everything was much more sleek and futuristic, just as the armor the guards wore. And in the distance, he could see that Canterlot had changed as well. It looked like a distant future utopia. One thing is for sure, this isn’t the present he knew. Not anymore.

Author's Note

Well, that's the end of this story. I will make a sequel at some point of course. But for now, I need to focus on my current sequel of 'A Shadow Caught In The Sun'. I am stopping it here until I learn more in Warframe's The Duviri Paradox where our operators seem to be aged up. SO until then...

Thank you all for reading this. And may the darkness grant you peace.