Longness of Semper, Still I Remember

Just think of what Delta said. Remember what it is you strive for, what really matters most, who matters most. Right here, right now. That's the key to finding out what to do, learn to be better, and how to face all of life's troubles. That's what I picked up from this place, at least.

Twilight closed the journal after reading that final entry. No date. No entry number. Just a small paragraph suspiciously directed towards her. She had skimmed through the entire tome to collectively gather the recorded data. But then looking at the logs more thoroughly brought to light things she never realized were sitting at her front door. The facts were encapsulated to the depths of her mind. Now, she just wanted time to process all that she learned, before taking that next step in gaining the full truth and sharing it with her friends. Spike went to help Rarity put on the finishing touches and restore her shop, as the Alicorn ruminated in Golden Oaks.

First was the basic knowledge of how it all started.

From what she could tell, based on the rate of solidification in the dried ink from each page, as well as the dated entries sprinkled within the text's entirety, she would say that such an event occurred shortly before erecting that memorial, but directly after recovering Simmons' robot remains. By then, those human technicians attempting to revive him concluded he was beyond help. So that only meant the sort of power to enact such a feat of conversion of the spirit and awareness while nearing passage to the other side, as well as placing said entity into a reanimated husk unattended for millennia at least, requiring the strength of two Alicorn Princesses, or all three, was aimed towards the dying Freelancer before her own ascension.

And according to the first log entry, this new assignment began shortly after her coronation. So while she was in Canterlot, training in the functions and intricacies of policymaking and etiquette, not to mention flight, he had been sent by Princess Celestia to Ponyville after spending about half a year with his new body. Like a yearling trying to walk for the first time. Or like when her own magical construct began as a foal.

Second was the nature of his teammates.

She never took the time to learn Arcane Star's relations, let alone connecting him to her foalhood friend. Now to find out Moondancer has been struggling with and repressing those dark feelings concerning her, that rocked her to the core. Instead of subconsciously embittered by her friend never coming to the party, the mare's first attempt at opening up to others outside a library, Moondancer wondered if having Twilight for a friend was even a good thing. Considering her father was murdered by one of many monsters threatening their homeworld just to find Twilight, that did not seem totally irrational.

But then it appeared Homestead, as he now called himself, caught on to something she held onto and addressed the issue. After admitting his own role in those events, he pressured her more and more until she could no longer contain it. That despite having her family already broken and estranged, Moondancer was still angry at Twilight for never checking in on her. Never writing, nor visiting. And had been left to try and pick up the pieces on her own, starting with her mother.

The fact that Golden Heart became desperate for answers, endangering herself and her daughter, although it involved a separate party, had miffed Moondancer greatly. Knowing that Twilight had those answers, but never even thought of her.

And after hearing what had happened to Twilight, she did not know how to respond or feel about it. Homestead suggested she put it down to help regather her thoughts. And she did. Down to the last pent-up aggression she so passively stowed away. From the moment her father left, to her mother getting the cold shoulder too, then hearing Twilight was a no-show to her party. Now the Alicorn wondered if she should let her friends say their piece with the stallion first, while she and Moondancer talked. She outlined three conversations in her head already, depending on the reaction.

Bon Bon, otherwise named Sweetie Drops, was a different matter. She was under the same impression as Homestead that she was to survey and assess his situation for the Princesses, in the event of a potential regression or relapse. She felt she had essentially been put on foalsitting duty in her own backyard. It never really bothered her that he was a former agent of that corrupt military program. In fact, she was relieved to hear he made an effort to help defeat it, albeit through questionable means. Yet he still strove to make up for that to his human-dying breath. No, what really ticked her off was that she now had more secrets to keep from her human-fanatic, energetic, and overly sensitive, passionate friend, whom Twilight also knew from Canterlot. Guess she could relate to the secrecy also.

This was sounding more like a "soap novel" of Rarity's as she went.

Fire Streak also jotted down some things that he had picked up from the other two during exercises. Thunderlane wanted to do what he could for Equestria to help heal the wounds, especially since he had just been admitted to the Reserves. He knew Derpy from her brief stint on the weather team before mail delivery, and heard about what happened in Dodge Junction alongside her close friend, Amethyst Star, or Sparkler.

They each were heading to pick up their siblings from school when they found out. Just hearing news of another attack, after the official statement of a dragon in that area earlier, was disturbing at best. But it was even harder to believe that somepony close to home was found dead miles away, and in another town that already suffered. And to hear from the siblings the Crusaders were attacked also? It was something they did not realize how bad it could be, the way the Element bearers have handled things in Ponyville.

Comet Tail was the least shaken of the bunch. He had heard of what happened in Dodge Junction, about Derpy, and was troubled by the news unfolding like everypony else. But he did not have that same connection as did Bon Bon. But even Fire Streak knew some Wonderbolts who were either injured during the fighting, or ponies killed in the final battle. There was another stallion from Ponyville who died there, but Comet did not know him well enough either. Bon Bon just knew about his knowledge and efficiency with astronomy and physics through Lyra, and recommended him to help Moondancer.

And thirdly, Celestia sent them to those ruins? Just to find an ancient artifact predating Ponykind, before the plundervines grew and those Disciples were monkeying about? While she was in Canterlot, he was in town with her friends without saying anything?

They were searching, and found, some tablet called Inspiring Manifest, alleged to contain the spell to transcend ideas and thoughts onto the objects aimed to be altered while affecting the user's mind. Only, that was not its original function. If in fact Forerunner, it had to be relocated and kept from those occultists before they could find it, as it could pinpoint where the remaining relics have scattered from the Castle over the centuries. Maybe even find the ponies' main base of operations if they had one or more.

But now Twilight had one last thing to check. Twilight had this deep inclination to know. To understand what else she might be keeping from Twilight, her friends, Homestead, and even her own sister. Twilight took one, last sip.

"Easy now," came the faded echo of Celestia's voice. "Make sure to breathe."

He coughed a sudden gust of air from lungs unfamiliar to him. Out of instinct, he raised his limbs over his face to check on their state. Instead of seeing bloodstains and burn marks as he had expected, he found his appendages covered in grey fur without any digits altogether. "What the hell?"

"Please," Celestia gently spoke on, "remain calm. Breathe."

He did not seem to listen, as Twilight saw him shift his head back and forth looking for something. Seeing the gold-tinted visor of his old helmet, she watched him scramble out of the covers of the sick bed, and try raising it from the nightstand. He struggled to pick it up, and resolved to simply slide it closer to his face to gaze intently at his reflection. Stiffly, raggedly, his brown eyes quivered. "Oh, great."

Then a bright flash came into the room, fading to illuminate the newly minted black cat with yellow eyes on his flank. "You have got to be fucking kidding me."

And then a second flash of light sent her another vision.

"Don't you fret none, sugarcube. The six'f us will always be united by the Elements o' Harmony." She watched as she and her friends departed from the stained-glass throne room and down the hall. "After trainin' and partakin' in the Celebration here with the Princesses, you can hop right on back over and we'll really have ourselves a good time. We'll always be together, and no amount o' royal duties ain't gonna change that. It'd be like you never left. Right, everypony!"

"Especially after all that's happened to us in the past year. How can we not, darling?"

"You bet! We'll be back rockin' just like old times, baby!"

"Yeah! Pinkie Pie," Spike asked.

"Pudding..."

"You should take that as a yes," answered Fluttershy. They strolled down towards their destination for their train, when the grey stallion stepped out from a shaded corner observing them.

“Hm, Semper Fidelis.”

“Forever Faithful indeed, my little David.”

"I'm actually surprised you didn't bring their attention towards me."

"I figured you weren't quite prepared," Celestia stepped from behind him, "considering you haven't said a word to announce your presence."

"I'm getting there," he nodded, "Just need to make sure everything's set for the new team. And speaking of which, you sure I'm qualified for this?"

"You adjusted well to Fire Streak's therapy and training at proficient levels. And after your tactical contributions retrieving lost human weapons and equipment, I say you more than qualify and have earned it."

"It's just that I was only one of two people before all this. Before Epsilon, I was a naïve, angsty boy scout with a grappling hook to the balls. Then after that, I was a paranoid, aggressive melodrama while also a dick. And I'm still not sure these are my own recollections, or just residual memories of a dead man. ...Two dead men."

She nearly went to offer a congenial hug after that.

"Luna told me of Twilight's struggles at night. She still faces similar doubts of being her own pony, while also based on the intellect, curiosity and mannerisms of my former star pupil. Mind you, she may share the same trait of overlooking simple things as Sunset, but that's just how most intellectuals behave. Myself included."

"So, you genuinely believe I'm the same Freelancer?"

"No individual remains the same as time progresses, nor should they. Tell me this, David. Do you still possess the same thoughts and emotions from the actions of your former, human self?"

"Mistakes and past sins are the dirt and bullshit we grow from, I guess," said the Earth Pony. "I feel as though I still made those choices, made that whole mess, and still feel the need to clean it up somehow. So, yeah. In a way, do."

"Well then," she smiled, "it seems we have the perfect job for you."

He heaved a grunted sigh, "I just hope I don't end up like some redneck we know." Then he spoke hoarsely, "'Men, it appears those damn, dirty Blues have gone and made cutesy pally-pals with the pony natives! If we don't have tactical superiority by making even more pony pals than they do, we'll sure as hell take 'em down with us!'"

That caused Twilight to snigger alongside the genuine laugh he and Celestia shared.

"And best not forget that Lopez fellow."

"Hay, Dios. Ayudame, por favor."

"Best of luck to you at Ghastly Gorge," chuckled Celestia warmly.

That regained Twilight's attention, "Wait, Ghastly Gorge? What's happening there?"

"Thanks, I'll need all I can get."

A light blinded her once more, as she heard a familiar voice that alarmed her, standing at the Gorge's edge.

"So, Mr. Hunt," said the Disciple Lieutenant, Changeling, "When you and your team find this Inspiring Manifest you told us so much about, what makes you think the Elements'll just give it to you when you ask for it?"

"Heh," Homestead chuckled back, "What in Tirek's name makes you think I'll even give it to you, never mind ask for it? For the longest time I was lied to, taken advantage of, stabbed in the back, and left for dead. Now that I've found a way out of all this, why just toss over my one assurance?"

That made Changeling laugh boisterously, as Twilight was struck dumb by this exchange. "Oh-ho-ho, I think you and I will get along nicely! And funny you should mention that name, considering our source of information on a certain Lord of Chaos."

"Meaning?" "Meaning?"

At that, a hunched, cloaked figure on four, black hooves advanced and lifted his hood with red, apelike arms.