Respawn?

I groaned as we flew our way back to Canterlot and the Gala, having just finished with our extended diplomatic tour through not only Gryphonia, but Zebrica and Minosia as well! Damn nobles must’ve thought we’d be too tired from flying to all three to attend the Gala, but nope, fuck them, we can go all night. We had had an entire custom suite of clothing made for us on the ship, most of it being used during various meetings and balls held in our honor, with the side motive of introducing us to the various countries’ nobles. Hades had fit right in, moving through the different circles like a pro, but I only got along with the minotaurs, who were a simpler people that had clear-cut ideas of right and wrong.

We stepped off the new airship, airships having been a relatively recent invention, using a combination of the steam engine and pegasus magic to make a lighter than air vehicle. Hades was dressed in a chalky white tux with shimmering gold and purple accents, while I was wearing a much simpler standard black tux and faux leather dress shoes, similar to what I heard people would wear to prom. Hades insisted on an outfit that allowed him to fit in with the nobles, and from what I could garner, along with what he told me, he was planning on leading the nobles by example, which would likely work better with him than it would with me, since they were rather racist shitstains.

“Now announcing Prince Hades and Prince James!” a crier announced as we descended from the ramp. The courtyard that we landed in was more or less empty, making it more or less useless, but he did his job well at least.

I looked around as I wondered if Celestia was nearby, probably not, but I was definitely spending tonight with her. I really didn’t give a shit about these nobles who only cared about their own wealth and prominence. I waved to Hades and smiled, “I’m going to go to Celestia, see how she’s been. Wanna come with and see about Luna?”

“Yeah sure, if Luna’s not there, I’ll likely spend maybe half the night at the gala, then go to her rooms, see what she’s up to,” Hades responded, coming up next to me.

I nodded and led the way to the entry hall of the ballroom and smiled as I saw Celly and Twilight spending time together...as best they could, with the line of nobles demanding poor sunbuns attention. I then smiled evilly as I walked right over to Celestia, cutting by the line, before turning around and shouting, “Celestia proudly greets all of you, and now will be enjoying the festivities like any sane pony would want to, instead of standing in one spot and greeting hundreds of guests!” I bowed theatrically, offering my arm to Celestia, who gladly took it.

“Aww, but I wanted to spend time with the Princess…” Twilight said, looking sad at the new development.

I smiled back at her, “What are you talking about? Come on, Twily, the fun awaits! Nyeh!”

“My brother calls me Twily…” she muttered as she jogged to catch up. I barely heard it, and was now curious as to who her brother was.

I looked over towards Hades, who had been moving fluidly between different groups, and at the moment was purchasing an apple tart from Applejack. He munched on it and headed over towards the Wonderbolts, who were basically ignoring Rainbow Dash, who was trying her damnedest to get their attention. He spoke to them for a few minutes, and then my attention was grabbed by the orchestra beginning to play music.

I walked to the orchestra quickly when I noticed Pinkie Pie trying to get them to play more lively music. I looked to Celly and silently prayed for her to send help if this went south. “Hey, Pinks, you do know this isn’t the lively, wild kind of party, yeah?” I told her.

She frowned, “Huh? But… this is supposed to be the biggest party of the year, Rarity said so…” She then gasped, “She didn’t lie about that too, did she? Was she leading me on as well?!”

I grabbed her by the shoulders, “No, She was telling the truth, this is the biggest high society party of the year, which means snooty, uptight nobles and royalty the world over will be coming here. Basically, a social party rather than a party party.”

Spike then came into view and waved to Twilight before walking over to us, “Hey, Twilight, Princess, James, what should I do here? No one really wants to talk to me, and there aren’t any hors d’oeuvres worth noting for a dragon…”

I frowned as Pinkie Pie simply disappeared from sight, probably going to get spike some tasty dragon snacks, or something. “So...why don’t you chill with us? With you being way more generous than Rarity, I was wondering, what’s to stop you replacing her as the element of generosity?”

Celestia frowned thoughtfully as Spike answered with what I knew would be his go-to, “Well, I’m not a pony.”

I grinned, “I looked into the elements, They only require you to fulfill the trait in some way, and they grow in power the more of that trait you embody. And man, you are the most generous guy I know, you take all of life's punches and people’s jabs, and you still come out shining like a gem, you’re so generous with people, not in a materialistic way, sure, but in a forgiving and accepting way.”

Spike frowned thoughtfully, “Well… you sure you would be okay with a dragon protecting Equestria, Celestia?”

She nodded, “I trust you enough to be an assistant to the closest thing I have to a daughter, I already trust you more than enough to guard my people.”

Twilight was about to respond, when the crier called out again, “Now entering, The leaders of the Everfree Deer Nation, Mother Birch and Father Ash, as well as the ambassador of the Dragon Horde, Princess Ember!”

Spike turned toward the entryway and blushed as he saw a blue dragon with a thin, muscular frame and large, curved white horns on the side of her head. She was wearing a set of gold armor, which seemed primarily decorative in nature but could stand up in a fight.

Father Ash had trouble getting through the door as his antlers got in the way, then he turned sideways and made it through, he was wearing what looked like an armored toga of some sort, with metallic thread that seemed to be woven from the same odd metal I made Caengail from, I think it was called Eversteel? Anyway, I walked straight to Father Ash and Mother Birch and held out my hand to her, “Good to see you two! How is Aedan?”

Mother Birch, who was wearing the same kind of metallic toga, smiled to me, “He is getting anxious for a mission, he wants to show you your faith in him was not misplaced.”

I grinned and nodded “I am certain he will do an amazing job.”

“What’s this about ‘missions’ I hear?” Ember piped up, with Spike staring at her lustfully.

I walked between Spike and Ember before the poor guy could get literally crushed by his new crush, and smiled, “Oh, we are forming a task force to take out international level threats, sort of a dream team to take out big bads that the elements are not suitable for, y’know, ones that require combat training. Or a respawn ability in our case.”

“Our?” Ember asked curiously.

“Yes, ‘Our’,” said Hades from behind her. She jumped slightly, turning around rapidly to see him standing there with his arms crossed. “Yeah, so I’ve defused three disasters-waiting-to-happen, and I have no clue where Fluttershy is, but she should be fine on her own.”

“So what is this ‘respawn’ you speak of?” she asked, having cleared up who the other person I was talking about was.

“James, I’mma let you explain this one, I’m going to go see what Luna’s up to,” Hades said, nodding to the other rulers in our small group and teleporting out.

As Ember looked to me, I shrugged “Basically, we have regenerative immortality, if someone kills me,or Hades, we will literally spawn a new fully formed body wherever we want in the general vicinity, and have all our powers and possessions copied over to our new self. It also heals all wounds, so there’s that too.” Ember opened her mouth to say something, but I cut her off, “Before you ask, yes, death still hurts, in fact, it hurts a whole helluva lot. Like a brain freeze in your whole body.” She closed her mouth and a thoughtful look crossed her face.

“Would you mind if I joined your team?” Ember asked after nearly a minute of thinking.

I shrugged, “Not my decision alone, gotta ask Sunbuns and Hades if it’s ok, but hey, you got my vote.”

“I’m fine with her joining. Given the dragon’s legendary durability, she should make a fine addition to the team,” Celestia said.

Hades poked his head out of a shadow on the ceiling, “I couldn’t help but hear my name, I’m cool with it,” he said in a voice that oddly reminded me of a perverted old man, though he only used it for the first half of what he said.

I grinned to Ember, “Cool, we have four of six now.”

“Six?” Celestia and Ember both asked at the same time.

I nodded as I gestured for Ember and Celestia to follow me to a table, using my powers to form the table into twelve pedestals, six white, six black, “I was thinking we should set ourselves up as a task force made to take care of international threats, as I have before mentioned, but there is one problem, we have a guy who can heal us if we get hurt, Aedan, we have someone who can take a pummelling and keep hitting back, Ember, me, a pure damage based fighter who gives no shits for his safety, and Hades, a combat/support mage, we need a medical professional, a field medic who doesn’t depend on magic, but potions, in case we get stuck somewhere where we can’t use magic, and we need someone who can both weaken enemies and strengthen us so as to make fighting easier. Finally, we need a second damage dealer, as one won’t cut it if we get seperated.”

“Huh, so a balanced team? This could work.” Ember said as she nodded slowly, “I could see it working well,”

I then noticed a certain grey and blonde pegasus mare flying towards Applejack from outside, and smiled as she gave Applejack a letter, who promptly did a spit-take as she finished reading it and glared straight at me. I grinned and took a small bow in her direction before she relented, smiling, and tilted her stetson towards me in an appreciative manner.

Right as I was about to go to Applejack, I heard what could only be a certain alabaster bitch’s whiny voice. “What?! I’ve been deposed as an element of Harmony?! How does one even do that?!”

I turned to my colleagues and smiled politely, nodding at them, “One moment please.”

I then made my way to Rarity with a large smile, to which she grunted, “And what do you want? I have nothing left for you to take from me, or have you forgotten what you have done to me?”

I smiled, “Oh really? Well, I could ruin your dress by accident and humiliate you in your last chance to get help from nobility, or, I could let slip to my lover Celestia the horrible things you said about me, see how her uber-protective majesty takes it.”

Rarity flinched in response, turning up her nose and walking away without another word. I turned and walked back to Celestia and Ember, asking, “Now, where were we?”

Celestia smiled, “Well, I think we have set up quite the adventuring party so far, but… and I apologize to everyone here for my selfishness, would you mind having a quick dance with me, James?”

I grinned mischievously, “Oh? My sunny bunned beloved desires to dance? Whatever for? Does she crave my hands holding her?”

Celestia smiled as well, and leaned in before whispering in my ear, “Keep this up, and you might share quarters with me tonight.”

Now, at this, I definitely felt my face flush, and very little flusters me, but the thought of actually getting to spend intimate time with one of the girls I love? Definitely got my face red. “S-sure!” I stuttered, causing Celestia to chuckle at my reaction.

Ember grinned at me knowingly, “Oho, it seems that you can dish out the flirting, but taking it sends you reeling.”

I grunted in embarrassment as I walked with Celestia to the dance floor, only to find that the usual symphony had left and been replaced by none other than Yog’rizzicth, who bowed to the crowd before beginning to play several instruments at once using his magic. The music was beautiful as I danced with her and just simply enjoyed the moment.

Celestia smiled at me, “You really should relax, Nothing bad is going to happen here, I’m certain of that.”

I smiled nervously, “I would, but I’ve actually never danced before, I am doing my absolute best not to step on you.”

Celestia chuckled, “Well, that explains why you are holding my rear and not my back.”

I blushed, “Y-yeah.” The clock struck twelve, and nobles started filing out of the ballroom. Celestia told me goodnight and returned to her chambers, and I said goodnight to Ember and Mother Birch. They were staying the night and returning to their respective nations in the morning. I headed to my room in Celestia’s wing of the castle, and assumed that Hades was either still talking to Luna or had returned to his room in Luna’s wing. I flopped down onto my bed after stripping off my clothes and promptly fell asleep.