Of Blood And Aces

by LordKioshi

Rating: mature
Tags: Romance, Princess Luna, Original Character, Adventure, Princess Celestia, Anthro, Main 6, Profanity, Gore, My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, Dark, Death, Alternate Universe, Human
Length: 232979

Ripped and thrown into a world that is not his, a man will try his best with what he is given.

Through no fault of his own, a man is violently ripped from his home and thrown into a world that, though familiar, is certainly not the one he knew. Though physically changed and altered beyond what he would ever thought possible and given powers he could only dream of, he will make the most of the hand he was dealt, all with a smile on his face.

Friends will be made, foes will be fought and trust will be gained. Follow our 'hero' as he makes his way in this new world filled with magic, myths and demi-gods. As he tries to understand his new apparent purpose. But most importantly, as he tries not to have a mental breakdown.

Heavily inspired by Star Eater
Spoilers in the comments

Damn, never expected this to ever get featured! (24/11/2024)
Featured again? Damn, let's go! (15/01/2025)

Published 2023-09-24 04:30:01 UTC
Last updated 2025-02-01 01:43:54 UTC

Chapter 1 - "Pain"

I stared into the black nothingness, an abyss so vast it seemed to stretch on forever, without boundary or end. There was nothing to see—just an empty, infinite expanse, its hollowness made all the more profound by the utter absence of sound. I couldn't hear my thoughts. The familiar hum of tinnitus that usually lingered in my ears was gone. Even my own heartbeat was silent.

But most unsettling of all—I couldn't feel anything. My body was swallowed by an all-encompassing numbness, an absence of sensation so complete that I lost count of how many times I tried, and failed, to shake it off. No matter what I did, no matter how desperately I strained for some sliver of touch, the feeling never came.

And yet, despite the unnatural stillness, a strange tranquillity settled over me. A quiet calm that kept the fear at bay. If anything, I was grateful for it. Panic would do me no favours.

I had no sense of time. Minutes, hours, days—maybe even years. The distinction was meaningless. Time felt like an abstract notion, something distant and irrelevant. If I had been capable of coherent thought, I doubted I would have been able to grasp its passage at all.

Then, after what could have been an eternity, I saw something.

It was fleeting, a fragile shimmer in the void—gone as quickly as it had appeared. Then another came. And another. Slowly, steadily, the darkness surrendered to scattered pinpricks of light, each one flaring to life before vanishing again. They multiplied, growing in number, until at last, the void erupted in a dazzling spectacle.

They danced.

The lights twisted and wove through the darkness in hypnotic patterns, darting and spiralling around one another in a display both chaotic and impossibly graceful. They pulsed with an energy I couldn't name, each flicker painting the emptiness in colour and movement. It was mesmerizing. It was beautiful.

And then, just as suddenly as they had appeared, they stopped.

In that instant, sensation flooded back. Sound rushed in, deafening in its return. My heartbeat thundered in my ears, a relentless drumbeat that pounded against my ribs.

Something was wrong.

It started as a dull ache, a slow, rhythmic throb in my chest that pulsed in time with my ragged breaths. Then the real pain came.

A white-hot jolt ripped through me, lancing from my core outward, spreading through my limbs with the force of something furious and unrelenting. It seized me in its grip, consuming every fibre of my being.

And in that moment, there was only one thing left to do.

I screamed.

I screamed as if my very essence had ignited from within, as though molten fire coursed through my veins, consuming me from the inside out. It was the agony of being slowly torn apart—inch by excruciating inch—each fibre of my being unravelling in a gruesome metamorphosis. My body was reshaping itself, twisting, stretching, breaking, and reforming in ways that defied nature. And I felt every single moment of it.

Bones cracked like splintering wood, snapping and grinding against one another as they shifted into unfamiliar configurations. Some slid smoothly into their new places, while others clashed and scraped, forcing their way through muscle and sinew. Each fragment that shattered sent a fresh wave of anguish through my nerves.

My organs were no exception. They ruptured in unison—arteries, veins, and blood vessels bursting like overfilled balloons—only to reconstruct themselves in altered arrangements, sometimes swapping places entirely. My heart, my lungs, my stomach—all twisted and contorted into something unrecognizable before sealing themselves back together in a grotesque reformation.

Even my flesh refused to be spared. Skin stretched and tore apart, flayed open by the shifting structures beneath. Muscles split and coiled, pulled taut like unravelling ropes, then twisted and knotted into alien shapes. Some areas hardened like stone, others softened to something disturbingly malleable, while entire sections were stripped away completely, dissolving into nothingness before being remade from scratch.

And yet, through it all, I remained conscious. A prisoner to my own suffering, wide awake as my limbs fractured and twisted out of alignment. I remained awake as shattered bones tore through my flesh, jutting out like jagged spires. I remained awake as my ribcage cracked open, its fragments discarded into the void like broken shards of porcelain. Even when my heart exploded in my chest, when my blood vessels burst, spilling crimson into the emptiness, I did not slip into merciful oblivion.

It was only when my lungs collapsed that my screams were finally silenced.

But the nightmare did not end. My skin, barely clinging to the mangled remnants of my form, sloughed off in sheets, scattering into the abyss. My eyes bulged in their sockets before they ruptured, leaving me blind to the horrors that continued to unfold. My jaw unhinged with a sickening crack, the force sending splintering fractures through my skull. My tongue, my teeth—ripped from their foundations—drifted away, lost to the void.

Amidst the cacophony of shattering bones and wet, gurgling screams, the stars remained silent. Unmoving. Watching. Their gaze—if they could be said to have one—was unwavering, cold, and impossibly vast. And in that final moment, before my sight was stolen from me, I swore they were looking past my ravaged body, peering instead into the very core of my soul.

What I would give to have never seen that.

With my vision stolen and my body reduced to ruin, I could do nothing but drift—a formless, broken husk, barely retaining the shape of what was once human.

The pain dulled, but never truly faded. It lingered like an echo, an unrelenting whisper of torment.

What happened next, I cannot say. Whether I finally lost consciousness or my mind simply refused to remember, I do not know. All I am certain of is that something within me fractured beyond repair. I was left a trembling, whimpering thing—reduced to nothing more than ragged breaths and dying murmurs. And as the last of my transformation took hold, I was sent hurtling toward what would become my final destination.

Author's Note

First solo fic, here we come.

I'm gonna be completely honest here, I'm doing this fic, not because I want it to do well or because I want it to get recognised, but just because I wanna do it and have fun while I do it. I've had it in my mind for a while, so eventually, I just decided "fuck it", wrote down a basic story and went to work. Am I writing this for my own selfish power fantasy? Oh, 100%, and I'm gonna enjoy every last bit of it. And if you guys enjoy it as well, then it's all for it.

As I said, heavily inspired by Star Eater, and while it won't be a blatant one-to-one ripoff (that just wouldn't be fun, nor fair on its original creator), there will be similarities, just putting it out there now.

Please point out any mistakes I may have made
Constructive criticism is always appreciated
Until next time, TTFN!

Chapter 3 - "To The Lady's Aid"

Awakening with a jolt from my restless slumber, I found myself back in the crumbling ruins of the castle I’d explored the night before. My shoulders sagged as I leaned back against the cold stone wall, shutting my eyes tightly to suppress the growing lump in my throat.

"So it wasn’t a dream then," I muttered under my breath. "Fuck."

I sat there for... who knows how long? Minutes? Hours? I honestly couldn’t tell.

Eventually, I forced myself to stand, my body stiff and uncooperative. My joints creaked and groaned in protest as I pushed off the hard stone floor. Arching my back, I was met with a chorus of satisfying pops and cracks. They didn’t ease the aches that pulsed through me, but damn, they felt good in their own strange way.

With my brief morning ritual complete, I shuffled out of the room and down the hallway, relying on the mental map I’d made during last night’s impromptu exploration. It didn’t take long before I found myself back in the foyer. The room looked eerily familiar, yet different now in the daylight. Sunlight streamed through the gaping holes and cracks in the walls and ceiling, revealing details I’d missed in the dark.

I was just about to leave the once-grand building when something caught my eye: the tattered tapestries hanging limply from the ceiling.

On one side, a dull gold and white fabric depicted the sun, radiant and majestic, suspended high above the clouds in a pristine, unbroken sky. On the other side, faded blues and silvers showcased a crescent moon, surrounded by glimmering stars that seemed to dance in the fabric’s design.

"Wait," I murmured, narrowing my eyes. "That... looks familiar."

I combed through my memories, trying desperately to place where I’d seen this before. The castle, the tapestries—they nagged at my mind, hovering just out of reach. It was infuriating, like a word perched on the tip of my tongue that I couldn’t quite spit out. Frustrated, and nursing an already brewing headache, I decided to leave before I drove myself insane.

Climbing out of the ruins and leaping across the gorge—this time with more control—I set off down the well-trodden path ahead. If I could find civilization, maybe I could get some answers.

But a new realization hit me like a punch to the gut: if I did find someone, who in their right mind would believe me? Who would believe a man who claimed to have fallen from the sky at terminal velocity, obliterated a tree and walked away with little more than a sore back? Who would believe I’d barely survived a fight with a creature of mythological fiction, only to be saved by a sword that fell from the heavens? No one. Absolutely no one.

That brought forth another unsettling question: where was I?

This thought made me stop dead in my tracks. Falling from the sky, surviving a near-death impact, a manticore encounter, and a literal divine intervention via sword—none of it made sense. Not by the laws of the world I knew.

I wasn’t home. There was no way this could be Earth.

I’d read plenty of stories about people being transported to other worlds, fantastical places where the impossible was mundane. But those were just stories. Fiction. Pure imagination...weren’t they? And yet, as much as I wanted to dismiss it all, everything lined up too perfectly.

I wasn’t in Kansas anymore.

"Fuck me," I groaned, dragging my hands down my face before staring at the path ahead.

“Well, the plan hasn’t changed,” I muttered to myself. “Find civilization. Figure out where the hell I am.”

I had barely taken a step forward when a guttural growl sounded from my right. Before I could react, something slammed into me, and once again, I was soaring through the air.

Crashing into the ground in a chaotic spray of dirt, twigs, and leaves, I scrambled to look up, my heart pounding as my gaze locked onto another Manticore. Its furious eyes glared into my very soul, its jagged teeth gnashing, tail whipping violently, and wings thrashing with unbridled rage. This one was eerily similar to the last, right down to the striking colour of its eyes, which were nearly identical. The resemblance was too uncanny to ignore—this creature had to be related to the one I had just killed.

"You’ve got to be fucking kidding me."

The beast roared in response, a deafening sound that shook my core, and dove at me. Instinct kicked in. I ducked and rolled like before, but this time I used the momentum to spring back to my feet and keep running. I zigzagged between the trees, dodging left and right, but my evasion seemed futile; the creature bulldozed through the trunks without hesitation, reducing them to splinters.

A massive swipe came from behind, and I barely ducked under it, dashing hard to my left. My feet barely touched the ground as I leapt over a fallen tree, the Manticore’s snarls hot on my trail. Glancing back for just a second, my stomach dropped as I saw a paw the size of my torso hurtling straight toward me. There was no time to react—only to brace myself.

The impact sent me flying, my body crashing to the ground and skidding to a stop on the same path I had been sprinting down moments before. Dazed and breathless, I scrambled back to my feet, my mind screaming for me to keep moving. But the Manticore was relentless. It burst through the thicket, fury written across every inch of its monstrous face. With one last, bone-chilling roar, it lunged at me, claws extended for the kill.

What happened next was pure instinct—or maybe something else entirely. Out of desperation, fear, or sheer defiance, I clenched my fist, shut my eyes, and threw a punch with every ounce of strength I could muster. If I was about to die, I figured I’d go down swinging. I braced myself for the inevitable—a brutal impact, the sound of my bones shattering, or being tossed like a rag doll.

But none of that happened.

Instead, the only sound was the sickening crunch of flesh and bone—only it wasn’t mine.

Opening my eyes, I stared in disbelief. The Manticore was writhing on the ground, its front left paw completely obliterated. Blood poured from the mangled stump where its paw had been, pieces of bone and shredded flesh dangling grotesquely. For a moment, I could do nothing but stand there, utterly stunned by the outcome. Then, driven by some primal instinct to survive, I grabbed my sword, rushed forward, and plunged it into the creature’s skull. The Manticore’s agonized cries fell silent in an instant.

Stumbling back, I stared down at my trembling hands. I wasn’t particularly strong—I exercised enough to stay in shape, sure, but to explode a limb as massive as that? That was beyond human. Hell, not even Eddie Hall could’ve pulled that off.

It hit me then—whether consciously or not—that questioning the logic of what just happened would do me no good. Whatever madness this was, I would just have to accept it. There was no room for doubt, not if I wanted to keep my head on my shoulders.

Gripping my sword tightly, I fled the scene, picking a direction at random and running like my life depended on it. And maybe it did. I didn’t dare glance back, didn’t allow myself a second to pause. The trees blurred into streaks of green and brown as I pushed myself faster than I thought possible. Minutes turned into what felt like hours, though I had no real sense of time.

Finally, I broke through the tree line and stumbled into a rocky clearing. The terrain was scattered with stones and boulders of all sizes, the ground beneath me crunching softly with gravel. Only when I stopped did I realize something startling—I wasn’t even winded.

I stood there, catching my breath out of sheer habit, but my body wasn’t tired. I had been running at full tilt for what must’ve been at least half an hour, yet I felt no fatigue. In fact, I felt invigorated, like I’d just woken up from the best nap of my life.

Looking down at my hands again, wonder filled my mind. The pieces started clicking into place. If it hadn’t been clear before, it was undeniable now—I had changed. Whatever force brought me here had altered me in ways I couldn’t yet comprehend. If I had the strength to do what I’d just done, what else might I be capable of?

My curiosity burned hotter than my fear. My gaze fell on the largest boulder in the clearing—a jagged monolith of stone, easily twice my height.

"Screw it," I thought, throwing caution to the wind.

I approached the boulder, placed my palm flat against its surface, and exhaled slowly. Steeling myself, I pulled my fist back and slammed it forward with everything I had.

I felt nothing.

My brow furrowed deeply as my fist struck the jagged surface of the boulder. Yet, the sharp sting I braced for never came. Startled, I pulled back and launched another punch, harder this time. The result was the same—no pain, no discomfort. Puzzled but intrigued, I tried again and again, each strike landing with greater force. Still, the sensation of pain eluded me, while faint cracks began to spiderweb across the boulder's surface.

The air around me grew heavy as I took a slow, steadying breath. I clenched my fist tighter, pulling it back as far as my arm would allow. Closing my eyes for a brief moment, I channelled every ounce of strength into this final blow. Stepping forward, I twisted my hips and shoulders, using the momentum to deliver a punch that felt like the very earth itself was behind it.

The boulder shattered on impact.

Chunks of stone erupted outward, hurtling through the air before crashing down around me in a storm of dust and debris. Pebbles and powder rained over my shoulders, but still, there was no pain. No ache. No strain.

Breathing unevenly, I raised my trembling hands before me, staring down at them in awe. Wonder, fear, and a creeping sense of unease swirled within me, a cocktail of emotions that left my stomach twisting. What was happening to me?

To my left, another boulder—roughly the same size—caught my attention. Without thinking, I moved. My legs carried me in a sudden burst of speed that left me momentarily startled by my own swiftness. Whipping around, I raised my leg and slammed it into the boulder's uneven surface with unrestrained force.

Unlike the first, this one didn’t crumble to dust. Instead, it launched through the air as though it weighed no more than a crumpled sheet of paper. I watched, wide-eyed, as it disappeared into the horizon, my heart pounding with exhilaration.

That kick felt...right.

My attention drifted to the weapon at my hip. Taking a firm grip on the hilt, I drew my sword in one smooth motion. The high-pitched ring of steel slicing through the air sent a thrill racing down my spine. Holding it with both hands, I tested its weight. Surprisingly light. Almost unnaturally so.

I took a few practice swings, marvelling at the effortless precision in each arc. The blade felt more like an extension of my body than a tool in my grasp. Eyeing the nearest rock, I stepped forward and swung.

Resistance? None.

The sword sliced through the stone as though it were no more than soft butter. A clean, perfect cut. I watched the upper half of the boulder teeter before toppling to the ground with a satisfying crash. An unfamiliar sensation bubbled up inside me—something I hadn’t felt in far too long.

Giddiness.

Grinning, I dashed to the next rock and swung. Then another. And another. My movements became a blur, each strike more precise and powerful than the last. When I finally stopped, gravel sprayed beneath my boots as I slid to a halt. Slowly, with deliberate care, I returned my sword to its scabbard. The satisfying ka-chunk as the hilt met the sheath sent a shiver of satisfaction through me.

Behind me, the rocks I had cut through all fell apart at once, splitting and crashing to the ground in the most impossibly dramatic way. It was like something out of an anime.

I couldn’t help myself—I laughed. The sound was light and genuine, a release of tension I hadn’t realized I was carrying. All my earlier fear and doubt melted away, replaced by an intoxicating rush of excitement.

But as I revelled in my newfound strength, I failed to notice the faint rustle of leaves nearby. Hidden within the shadows of the thicket, a pair of bright golden eyes watched me intently. They glowed like twin suns, brimming with curiosity and something deeper—an undeniable sense of purpose.

From the shadows came a whisper, soft yet resolute:

"It's about time."

~~

Over the course of the next few days—or perhaps weeks, it was hard to tell—I wandered through the forest without any real sense of direction. Finding civilization was still my top priority, but deep down, I couldn’t shake the feeling that I wouldn’t stumble upon it anytime soon. The mystery of how I ended up here, or even where "here" was, still loomed large in my mind. But one thing had become undeniably clear: I wasn’t on Earth anymore.

Everything I had experienced so far made that fact almost impossible to ignore. Strangely, accepting it hadn’t been as hard as one might think. Maybe it was because I didn’t have much to leave behind.

Since coming to terms with this bizarre reality, I decided to focus on honing my newfound abilities. In addition to practising with the strange powers that had awakened in me, I spent hours training with the blade I’d acquired. The sword felt so natural in my hands, almost as if it had been crafted specifically for me. Wielding it felt instinctive, like a muscle memory I didn’t know I had. I couldn’t say for certain if I was any good, but damn, it felt incredible.

It wasn’t just the sword that left me awestruck—it was everything about my body. My strength, speed, agility, and endurance were leagues beyond anything I could have imagined. I was faster, stronger, and far more resilient than any human had a right to be. I could withstand punishment that would have left anyone else broken. Whatever had happened to me had turned me into something more than human. It was...supernatural.

As I continued my training, I realized that my newfound abilities weren’t the only surprises waiting for me. Somehow, I had acquired an advanced knowledge of combat—far surpassing any skills I’d picked up during my reckless younger days. I wasn’t a master by any stretch of the imagination, but I knew enough to hold my own if trouble came calling. And in a place like this, it felt inevitable that it would.

But there was one mystery that gnawed at me, no matter how much I tried to push it aside. In all the time I’d spent wandering this dense, seemingly endless forest, I had never once felt hunger. Not once had I craved food or sustenance. Sure, I ate the occasional handful of edible berries I stumbled across, but it was more out of habit than necessity. My body simply didn’t seem to need it. Just another bizarre addition to the growing list of “what the hells” that made up my life now.

For days, nothing happened. The forest remained quiet, and my routine became a strange kind of normal. But deep down, I knew it was only a matter of time before something changed. And then, something did happen.

During one of my countless solitary walks, eyes closed, humming and whistling a quiet tune to myself, a faint sound crept into the edges of my awareness. Somewhere in the periphery of my hearing, I caught the unmistakable noise of a struggle. Halting mid-step, I strained to listen more closely. Muffled, indistinct voices emerged from the ambient silence, growing clearer, and then came the sharp, bone-chilling edge of a scream.

My eyes snapped open, adrenaline spurring me forward without hesitation. I bolted in the direction of the sound, weaving and leaping through the trees, dodging roots and jagged stones that had been my only companions since I’d arrived in this strange, uncharted place. Bursting through the thick underbrush, I emerged onto another rocky expanse—a wide, barren plain littered with sharp outcroppings of stone that jutted like broken teeth from the rough terrain.

Frantically scanning my surroundings, I spotted a patch of gravel that had been violently disturbed. The chaotic scuffs and marks told a clear story: there had been a struggle here. As I approached, my eyes fell upon a gaping hole bored deep into the ground nearby, with a trail leading directly to it. Without giving myself time to think twice, I dove in.

I landed with a solid, jarring thud in what appeared to be a decrepit mineshaft. The air was damp and thick with the smell of mildew. Wooden beams, reinforced with rusted metal, strained under the weight of the jagged ceiling above. In both directions stretched an abandoned railway, its once-smooth tracks now corroded and uneven. The ground beneath me was rough and gave no clue as to where the trail might lead. Then, faint echoes reached my ears, guiding me forward like a fragile thread in the dark.

I crept along the shaft, leaving the railway behind as the tunnels branched into a series of narrow corridors. Along the way, I passed small, crumbling rooms carved into the walls, each one silent and foreboding. The air grew colder as I ventured deeper, and before long, the faint sound of footsteps reached me. Instinctively, I ducked into an alcove just wide enough to conceal my body, my heart pounding as I waited. What I saw next left me frozen in shock.

Rounding the corner was an anthropomorphic dog. Its sleek, charcoal-grey fur was covered by simple, worn clothing. Its ears twitched as it scanned the corridor, but it seemed unaware of my presence as I shrank further into the shadows. The creature stopped in front of one of the small rooms nearby, where the sound of slurping emanated from within. A second voice, sharp and irritated, cut through the silence.

"What are you doing with that moss?"

"Sorting it."

"Sorting it how?"

"By taste!"

"Mmm... I sort it by colour."

"Well, I sort it by taste!"

"That is NOT how you're supposed to do iiiiiit!"

"I am the moss collector this month. I sort the mosses how I please!"

"You are a LOUSY MOSS COLLECTAH! YOU DO NOT DESERVE THE DUTY!"

"YOU ARE JUST JEALOUS! JEALOUS THAT I AM THE MOSS COLLECTOR AND YOU ARE NOT!"

"YOU ARE UNFIT! UNDESERVING! I HAVE SEEN MORE MOSSES THAN YOU WILL EVER SEEEE!"

"AND I HAVE TASTED MORE MOSSES THAN YOU COULD EVEN IMAGINE!"

From my cramped hiding spot, I could see across the tunnel to another room. Two more of the dog-like creatures occupied it: one lounging on its back atop a small bookshelf, while the other stood nearby, listening to the heated exchange in the hallway.

"They’re having the moss argument again," One muttered with a sigh.

"I actually hate it here," Replied the other flatly.

I had to clamp a hand over my mouth to stifle the laughter bubbling up at their absurd conversation. The argument outside escalated into a full-blown scuffle, and I used the distraction to slip past unnoticed.

As I continued to navigate the labyrinthine tunnels, I encountered more and more of these creatures. They varied in size and appearance—pugs, pit bulls, bulldogs, and other breeds I couldn’t immediately identify—but all shared the same bizarre anthropomorphic features. Their chatter echoed through the corridors, casual and mundane, as if unaware of how surreal their existence appeared to me.

But my amusement turned to dread as I delved deeper into the mine. My heart sank as I came across people—humans—chained and collared like animals. Their clothes were tattered rags, their bodies caked with dirt and grime. They huddled in rusted cages that looked on the verge of collapse, the metal corroded and warped by time. The sight turned my stomach. It was a grotesque parody of captivity, and fury burned in my chest. I had to find a way to free them.

Eventually, I arrived at a vast chamber, perhaps once the communal hub for the miners who had worked here long ago. The room was dimly lit, but the flicker of torchlight revealed a cruel scene. The crack of a whip echoed sharply, followed by the sound of agonized screams. My suspicions were confirmed—this was no ordinary mine. It was a prison, a place of suffering.

In the centre of the room stood the largest dog I had encountered so far, a thick whip tightly gripped in his hand. And beneath him, sprawled out on the floor, was a woman.

Her deep purple hair cascaded gracefully down her shoulders, falling onto a torn, once-pure white blouse and a faded purple skirt. Cracked blue earrings adorned her ears, their colour matching her piercing eyes, while her lipstick was strikingly similar to her hair. She was otherwise a beautiful, poised, and professional woman—now reduced to a pitiful state.

A final crack of the whip, followed by a scream and a whimper, pushed me to the edge. With resolve building within me, I stepped out into the open.

"Now that’s just diabolical, mate," I quipped, adopting my best cockney accent. I tried to inject humour into the moment, desperately clinging to control to keep my anger in check.

The massive dog, clearly the Alpha, spun around to meet my gaze. "How’d you get in here?!"

"Well, you guys left a great big hole right in your security system, so it’s no surprise I found my way in," I shrugged nonchalantly.

"You didn’t cover your tracks?" The Alpha growled, turning to one of the other dogs.

"I was gonna go back and fill it in," The dog muttered meekly.

"Coulda, woulda, shoulda," I chimed in, not missing a beat.

The Alpha glared at the cowering dog. "I’ll deal with you later," He snapped, before turning back to me. "But first, I’ll deal with you."

I leaned slightly to my right, casting a glance at the woman beneath him. "You might want to close your eyes, miss," I warned.

Without hesitation, the Alpha let out a ferocious howl and lunged at me, his whip swinging toward my head. I caught his wrist in midair, simultaneously grabbing his throat with my free hand. With a swift spin, I kicked the back of his knee, causing him to howl in pain. Without mercy, I jerked his head back violently, his body going limp and lifeless in an instant.

I didn’t waste a moment. Dashing toward the nearest dog, I spun and channelled my momentum into a powerful kick. My foot slammed into its face, and the impact sent its head crashing into the stone wall behind it, splattering crimson ichor and grey matter halfway up to the ceiling.

A sharp pain shot through my head as another dog slammed a hefty mace down onto the back of it. Slowly, I turned to face the attacker, my eyes locking onto the bent handle of the weapon. The dog noticed it too, his nervous chuckle betraying his unease as he attempted to hide the bent weapon behind his back. I chuckled along with him, before swiftly delivering a kick that sent him hurtling across the room, crashing into a rogue metal bar. His head collided with his heels in a grotesque display.

At that moment, a dozen more dogs stormed into the room, halting in their tracks when they saw the gruesome scene of their fallen Alpha and comrades. Trusting my instincts, I grabbed the lifeless body of the headless dog and hurled it toward the new arrivals. As they recoiled in shock, I unsheathed my sword.

The fight was over before it even began. The remaining dogs stood no chance. It was easy money.

Wiping the blood from my blade with one of the shirts taken from the lifeless bodies of the thugs, I quickly sheathed it and turned my attention to the woman. As I moved toward her, I made a mental note of the other prisoners I passed, their gaunt faces etched with fear and weariness.

When I approached her, her eyes were tightly shut, and soft, broken whimpers escaped her lips. She pressed herself into the stone wall, trying in vain to shrink away from the sound of my boots on the cold floor.

“Shhh, you’re alright now, miss,” I said gently, lowering my voice to a soothing murmur.

Her eyelids fluttered open, but before she could fully take in her surroundings, I placed a hand in front of her face, carefully blocking her view of the carnage behind me. “You don’t want to see this.”

Sliding my arms beneath her frail form, I lifted her effortlessly, cradling her against my chest. Her weight was negligible, a testament to her time spent in captivity. I retraced my steps through the winding, stony corridors, keeping my strides steady to avoid jostling her. As we moved, I examined her injuries; though her back bore angry red scratches from the whip, I was relieved to see they hadn’t broken the skin deeply enough to be life-threatening. Painful, yes—but not fatal.

When we reached the holding area where the other prisoners were confined, I carefully set her down. Without hesitation, I gripped the rusted iron door and tore it from its hinges, tossing it aside with a clang that echoed through the cavern. I then broke the chains and collars binding the remaining six captives, who stared at me in a mixture of awe and disbelief as I helped them to their feet.

“Are there any others?” I asked, scanning the dim room.

“No, it’s just us,” One of the prisoners replied, their voice trembling. “Are you here to free us?”

“Of course,” I answered firmly. “Are you all strong enough to follow me?”

Weak but determined nods passed through the group.

“Good. Let’s get out of this place.”

We navigated the labyrinthine tunnels until, at last, we reached the exit—a vertical mine shaft that opened into the world above. Light spilt down from the opening, a distant but promising sight.

“How do you suggest we get out of here?” The woman I’d first rescued asked, her voice still shaky.

“I have an idea,” I replied with a faint grin, “but you probably won’t like it.”

“And what would tha—” She didn’t get to finish. Without warning, I gently but firmly scooped her up.

“What are you doing?! Unhand me!” She cried, thrashing weakly against my hold.

“Very poor choice of words,” I said dryly, bracing myself as I prepared to toss her. “Alley-oop.”

With care not to use excessive force, I launched her upward. She sailed cleanly through the opening and landed safely on the soft ground above, eliciting gasps of surprise from the remaining prisoners. A few even instinctively stepped back.

I peered up after her. “You alright?”

“Don’t ever do that again!” Came her indignant reply.

I chuckled at her reaction before repeating the process for each captive, ensuring every throw was measured and safe. Once they were all above, I bent my knees and leapt, clearing the shaft in a single bound to join them.

“You’re insane!” The woman exclaimed, storming up to me as I dusted myself off. “We women are delicate flowers, you know!”

I smiled, suppressing a laugh. “And how exactly would you have proposed we get out of there?”

She opened her mouth, raised a finger...and then faltered, no words forthcoming.

“Uh-huh,” I teased, turning to address the group. “Is everyone alright?”

Murmurs of affirmation rippled through them, though a few still looked rattled.

“See?” I said, casting a glance back at her.

“Still,” She huffed, crossing her arms, “that is no way to treat a lady.”

“Maybe not,” I conceded with a shrug, “But it was either that or leave you all down there. And I wasn’t about to walk away without every last one of you.”

I turned to leave, figuring it best to put some distance between us before her indignation turned into a full-blown tirade. I’d barely taken a dozen steps when her voice stopped me.

“Wait!”

I turned back to see her approaching, her expression softer this time.

“I...apologize for my outburst,” she said quietly. From her pocket, she produced a handkerchief, and though her hand trembled and her disgust was evident, she dabbed at a streak of blood on my face. “I should be grateful. Thank you.”

“Of course,” I replied simply.

“Would you...” She hesitated, fidgeting with the handkerchief. “Would you be willing to escort us back to town? It would...put us at ease having you around.”

I raised an eyebrow. “On one condition.”

Her expression immediately soured. “And what might that be?” She asked warily.

“If m’lady would be so kind as to tell me her name?”

“That’s...it?” She asked, incredulous. “You only want to know my name?”

“If it’s not too difficult.”

For the first time, she smiled—a genuine, if small, smile. “Rarity. Rarity Belle.”

And that’s when it struck me.

The Manticores. The ruined castle. The tapestries depicting the sun and moon. The anthropomorphic dogs.
It all clicked. I was in fucking Equestria.

Now’s probably a good time to mention that I used to be a pretty big brony. Back when I was younger, My Little Pony wasn’t just a cartoon to me—it was something much more. While others might have dismissed it as childish or silly, I saw it as a gem. The characters, the stories, the messages—it all came together so perfectly. It wasn’t hard to love and, for me at least, impossible to hate. And don’t even get me started on the music.

Standing before me now was someone that I recognized immediately. Even though she was almost entirely human in appearance, her resemblance to the animated Rarity was unmistakable. Her elongated, elf-like ears were the only physical trait she shared with everyone else in the group behind her, as she was the only one to bear a striking spiral horn that jutted gracefully from her forehead. That made me wonder: if this world’s unicorns looked like this, what would its pegasi look like?

I did my best to cover my surprise at the sheer amount of information this brief interaction had already given me. Instead, I offered a polite smile, channelling my inner gentleman.

“A lovely name,” I said, extending my hand.

She reached out to shake it, but instead, I gently grasped her hand and lifted it to my lips, placing a soft kiss on the back of her knuckles. “For a lovely lady. A pleasure.”

I didn’t wait for her reaction, turning slightly to make my exit. “If you would be so kind as to guide me to your town, I would greatly appreciate it.”

Rarity, as I now knew her, walked beside me, leading the way to what I could only assume was Ponyville. The rest of the group trailed behind us, clearly exhausted. Where else would she take us but there? Along the path, one of the others—looking utterly drained—collapsed. Without hesitation, I crouched down, hoisted her onto my back, and carried her piggyback-style.

Eventually, we reached the outskirts of the town, and there it was: Ponyville. Seeing it with my own eyes felt surreal, like stepping into a dream.

As we made our way deeper into the town, I felt the weight of curious stares from the locals. Their eyes followed us everywhere, but I brushed it off, keeping my focus on the task at hand: getting this group to safety. I was certain we were heading toward the local hospital, though I wasn’t entirely sure where it was.

The stares intensified as we reached the centre of town, but my attention was drawn to another group approaching us from the opposite direction. My heart skipped a beat as I recognized them immediately: the Mane Six. And at the front of their formation? None other than Spike.

But this Spike was different from the one I was familiar with.

He wasn’t elf-like like the others. Instead, he was an anthropomorphic dragon, standing tall—well, taller than I expected—with the same purple-and-green scales from the show. His features were sharper and more mature, though. His body was leaner, his snout more square, and his overall vibe screamed “teenager.” He wore a purple hoodie and skinny jeans, which seemed almost hilariously mundane compared to everything else I’d seen. And, of course, he had no shoes—his sharp claws tapped lightly against the ground as he moved.

Questions could wait. Right now, these people needed help.

“We require some assistance over here!” I shouted, my voice cutting through the murmurs of the crowd. That got their attention.

“Rarity! You’re okay!” Spike called out, relief flooding his voice as he rushed to her and pulled her into a light hug.

“Yes, darling, I’m quite alright,” Rarity replied, her tone calm and reassuring. “Though I daresay I wouldn’t be if not for this gentleman here,” She gestured toward me with a nod.

Spike turned his gaze toward me, his wide eyes filled with curiosity and wonder. The others—Twilight, Rainbow Dash, Fluttershy, Pinkie Pie, and Applejack—wore varying expressions of surprise. I couldn’t blame them. It’s not every day a heavily armed and armoured stranger walks into town, carrying a wounded companion on his back, accompanied by a roughed-up group that includes one of their closest friends.

Thankfully, they didn’t stop to question me. We’d reached the hospital.

“These people need medical attention! ASAP!” I shouted, kicking the door open with enough force to send it slamming against the wall.

The Doctors and Nurses were momentarily caught off guard but quickly rallied, springing into action as they rushed to assist. A few Guards arrived shortly after, likely to document the incident, though I couldn't be entirely sure of their purpose. They cast suspicious glances my way, but their expressions softened—perhaps someone had informed them of my role in aiding those involved. Keeping my distance, I observed as they finished their business and departed. It was then that I noticed Rarity still hadn't been attended to. Spotting a Nurse hurrying past, I stepped forward to intercept her.

"Excuse me," I called out politely.

She stopped, her gaze flickering over me briefly, her initial surprise evident. "Yes, sir?" She asked, her tone professional but curious.

Gesturing toward Rarity, who was waiting quietly nearby, I said, "This woman also needs medical attention."

The Nurse's attention shifted to Rarity, drawing the eyes of her friends as well. "What do you mean, darling? I'm perfectly fine," Rarity said softly, her tone light but with an edge of hesitation.

I moved closer, kneeling in front of her to meet her gaze. Taking her hand gently, I spoke in a low, reassuring voice. "I was there, Rarity. I know what I saw. I won’t press you, but you need to be checked out properly."

Her resolve faltered, and after a moment, she nodded reluctantly. The Nurse guided her away, leaving her friends and me to watch her go. If my suspicions were correct, she was already developing welts on her back that would need attention. As she disappeared into the care of the medical staff, I turned to face her friends, who wore expressions of unmistakable worry.

Predictably, the questions came fast—starting with an outburst.

"What in tarnation happened?!" Applejack yelled, grabbing the collar of my jacket. The force of her reaction startled me, as well as a few passing doctors and nurses.

Of all the people in the group, I hadn't expected such an emotional display from Applejack. Normally the most level-headed of them all, her reaction showed just how deeply she cared about her friends and family. It struck me that, despite being the tallest of the group, I still had a good half a head on her—though I stood a full head taller than Twilight, the shortest among them.

Now that the immediate chaos had subsided, I had a chance to really observe them all. Without the distraction of a group of ex-captives on the verge of collapse, I could finally take in their appearances properly.

Fluttershy wore a thick yellow sweater paired with dark blue jeans and a simple set of slip-on Vans. Her large, feathered wings extended elegantly from her back, answering the question I'd been wondering about regarding pegasi.

Rainbow Dash sported a similar outfit to Fluttershy’s jeans but added her own flair—a black hoodie with a bright blue shirt just visible beneath the collar. Her powerful wings matched the shirt’s vibrant hue, a testament to her athleticism and energy. She rounded it off with blue running shoes, completing the practical yet bold look.

Applejack’s outfit was, of course, quintessentially her. A red plaid flannel shirt with rolled-up sleeves, ripped jeans, cowboy boots, and her signature Stetson hat. It was a classic ensemble that fit her perfectly.

Pinkie Pie and Twilight’s outfits, however, caught me off guard. Pinkie had on a denim jacket adorned with various stitched-on patches, worn over a plain white shirt. Her loose-fitting grey jeans and heavy-duty steel-toed hiking boots hinted at her practical upbringing as a rock farmer.

Twilight, on the other hand, wore a dark blue polo shirt under a light lilac hoodie, which was tied neatly around her waist. She paired it with a dark purple skirt worn over simple black leggings, finishing the look with practical sneakers. Naturally, her thick-rimmed glasses added the final touch, emphasizing her intellectual aura. The outfit was a bit unusual, but somehow, it worked—giving her an understated charm.

For a moment, I just stood there, taking it all in. Each of them had a style that was uniquely theirs, shaped by their backgrounds and personalities. But even as I observed their appearances, the tension in the air was palpable. They were waiting for answers, and I had a feeling I wouldn't leave this conversation unscathed.

Gently taking her wrist, I eased Applejack's hand away from my collar. My gentle strength seemed to catch her off guard, and with the help of her friends, she reluctantly stepped back. Despite this, her piercing gaze never left mine.

“Did you hurt her?” She demanded, her tone sharp and accusatory.

“If I had, do you think I’d have brought her and a group of other victims to the hospital myself?” I replied calmly, my voice soft but firm. “No, I didn’t harm your friend.”

Applejack’s eyes narrowed slightly, but her grip loosened further. “Was it them who did it?” She asked, her voice quieter now, as though the sincerity in my words was beginning to reach her.

“…Yes,” I admitted after a moment of hesitation.

Without another word, she spun on her heel, her determination as clear as the noonday sun. Rainbow Dash didn’t waste a second before falling in step behind her, the intensity in her stride matching Applejack’s.

“Where are you two going?” Twilight called after them, concern evident in her voice.

“Those Diamond Dogs hurt our friend! No one gets away with something like that!” Rainbow Dash yelled back, not breaking her stride.

Twilight looked as though she wanted to respond, her mouth already opening, but I stepped in before she could. “That won’t be necessary,” I said, my words calm yet certain.

“What do you mean?” She asked, her brow furrowing in confusion.

“I’ve already dealt with the situation,” I answered, my tone matter-of-fact. A few of them exchanged bewildered looks, clearly uncertain of what to make of my statement. “What? Did you really think I’d go to the trouble of saving these people from enslavement and then just let the ones responsible walk free?”

Applejack and Rainbow Dash exchanged a glance but said nothing, though their earlier fire seemed to have dimmed. Twilight, on the other hand, exhaled deeply, as if she’d been holding her breath this entire time.

“I… Thank you,” Applejack said after a long pause, her voice carrying a mix of gratitude and humility. The others quickly chimed in, echoing her sentiment with their own heartfelt thanks.

“All in a good day’s work,” I replied with a faint smile.

“Oh! Where are our manners?” Twilight said suddenly, her voice brightening as she seemed to remember something important. “We haven’t even introduced ourselves properly!” She gestured to the others with a warm smile. “I’m Twilight Sparkle, and these are my friends: Rainbow Dash, Fluttershy, Applejack, Pinkie Pie, and, of course, you’ve already met Rarity. And this,” she added, pointing to the young dragon standing nearby, “is my brother and number one assistant, Spike.”

Each of them gave their own cheerful greeting as Twilight spoke, their earlier tension beginning to fade into the background.

“A pleasure to meet you all,” I said with a grin that felt almost too casual for the moment. “Now, if that’s everything, I’ll be on my way and out of your hair.”

I turned to leave, but before I could take more than a few steps, Twilight swiftly stopped me. “Wait! You haven’t told us your name!”

Her words hit me harder than I expected. My name. That was something I’d been mulling over for quite some time—honestly, probably since the day I first arrived here. This world was so different, so vastly removed from everything I’d known, that I wasn’t sure how to approach the matter of identity. Everything about me—my surroundings, my circumstances, even my very existence—had shifted so drastically that I felt like an entirely new person in all but personality and morals.

So, it stood to reason, didn’t it? A new name for a new life. But the question had always been: what name? Choosing one felt like severing the final thread connecting me to who I used to be. It should’ve been a simple decision, but standing here now, faced with the reality of it, I realized just how heavy a choice it truly was. There’d be no going back.

I sighed and met her gaze. “I am of little importance. Who I am doesn’t matter.”

Twilight’s expression tightened, her voice firm yet earnest. “Of course, it matters! You saved our friend!”

“Besides,” She added, a softer edge creeping into her tone, “Everyone is important.”

I couldn’t help but smile faintly, though there was no warmth in it. “Not this one.”

Slipping past her, I made my way toward the streets of Ponyville, my sights set on the edge of the Everfree Forest. My departure was swift and purposeful—until it wasn’t. In a sudden blur of motion, my vision was overtaken by pink, and my nostrils filled with the unmistakable scent of bubblegum. Pinkie Pie had appeared in front of me as if by magic.

“Please,” she said, her usual exuberance absent, replaced by a rare quiet earnestness. “Tell us your name. At least let us tell Rarity who saved her.”

I raised an eyebrow. “Persistent, aren’t we?”

She shrugged, her grin creeping back ever so slightly. “We have our moments.”

That earned a laugh from me—dry, but genuine nonetheless. I couldn’t run from it. A decision had to be made, and now that I was cornered by the most tenacious being in town—possibly the entire country—I exhaled a long, reluctant sigh. The moment had come.

“Percival,” I said at last, my voice steady despite the whirlwind of thoughts behind it. “Percival Felwinter.”

For a brief moment, silence hung in the air. Then, satisfied, Pinkie stepped aside, and I resumed my path toward the Everfree Forest. But just as I was about to disappear into the treeline, one last interruption stopped me in my tracks.

“Hey!” I glanced back over my shoulder to see Spike standing beside Pinkie, his expression a mix of concern and curiosity. “Don’t you want to check on Rarity? Make sure she’s okay?”

I gave him a small wave, not breaking stride. “I’ll be back in four days!” I called back, my voice carrying over the distance. “Something tells me I’m going to be needed!”

And that was the truth. From the moment we’d arrived in town, there’d been a persistent feeling deep in my gut—a sense that my presence here wasn’t just coincidence or luck. It wasn’t a matter of if I’d be needed, but when. Maybe not in the next few days, but certainly after. I couldn’t explain it, but experience had taught me to trust my instincts. They’d never steered me wrong before.

“Thanks for all your help!” I heard Spike shout after me.

I didn’t turn back, just raised a hand in acknowledgement as I vanished into the dense, shadowy embrace of the forest.

Author's Note

I won't lie, I wrote this one out a lot faster than I expected. And what better way to introduce a little bit of the the humour that this story is gonna have than with the Diamond Dogs which was inspired/taken from this lil animation I found while writing this chapter

https://youtu.be/A69e0kA4baA?si=hFqjPAa-WFBfePxE

Not much else to say other than enjoy

Please point out any mistakes I may have made
Constructive criticism is always appreciated
Until next time, TTFN!

Chapter 4 - "The Four Who Cried Hydra"

Equestria.

I was in fucking Equestria.

The sheer weight of that realization didn’t hit me until I had left Ponyville far behind. Nestled within the crumbling ruins of what I now recognized as the Castle of the Two Sisters, the truth struck me like a ton of bricks. I was in the world of one of my favourite cartoons—a show I had spent countless hours watching. Yet everything was…wrong. Disorienting, even.

The ponies, for starters, weren’t ponies anymore. They had been replaced by these elf-like versions of themselves, with their wings, horns, or lack thereof being the only clue to their original subspecies. And if that wasn’t strange enough, other creatures seemed relatively unchanged—anthropomorphic, but still recognizable. Spike and the Diamond Dogs, for example, retained much of their former appearance. But why? Why were the ponies so drastically altered while others clung to some semblance of what they had been in the show? Did this strange logic apply to all species here? Were Saddle Arabians like these elf-ponies, or had they become something else entirely?

And then, there was me.

I had already accepted the fact that I wasn’t on Earth anymore. That wasn’t up for debate. But like everything else, I was left grappling with questions—too many questions. Why was I here? Was this some cosmic accident, or was I brought here deliberately? If there was a purpose, what was it? And who—or what—had the power to send me here? More than that, why had I been given these… abilities?

There were endless possibilities, each one more confusing than the last. The spiralling thoughts left me with a pounding migraine—the worst I’d had in ages. I knew the flood of confusion would catch up to me eventually, but right now, I couldn’t deal with it. Not yet.

Rubbing my temples, I realized how utterly drained I had become. Exhaustion seeped into my bones, dulling every sense. I made my way outside and spotted a tree with broad, inviting branches that offered plenty of shade. With little effort, I climbed up, manoeuvring myself into a comfortable nook. Leaning my head against the surprisingly smooth bark, I closed my eyes, allowing sleep to take me swiftly and completely.

~~

I woke far more gradually than I had the morning before. Blinking away the remnants of sleep, I rubbed at my eyes to clear away the gunk. A long stretch followed, and the familiar sound of popping joints echoed through the quiet forest.

"Damn, I need a chiropractor," I thought, wincing slightly. Or at least a bed that doesn’t feel like it was designed to kill me.

I was just about to drop down from my perch when an unpleasant odour assaulted my nose. I sniffed experimentally, only to grimace when I realized the smell was me. Spending several days trekking through a damp, humid forest with zero hygiene routines will do that. Thankfully, during my travels yesterday, I had noticed a waterfall not far from here.

Motivated by the need to feel even slightly human—or whatever I was now—I gathered myself and leapt from the tree, landing lightly on my feet. As I began making my way toward the waterfall, an unsettling sensation began to creep over me. I couldn’t shake the feeling that I was being watched. It was as if countless eyes bore into me from the shadows, unblinking and…hungry.

I tried to shrug it off, keeping my steps measured and my breathing steady, but my skin crawled with unease. The underbrush whispered around me, the faint sound of rustling leaves breaking through the forest’s stillness.

I stopped dead in my tracks, spinning on my heel in one fluid motion. My hand went to the hilt of my sword as I bent my knees, ready to spring into action. My eyes darted through the trees, scanning the dim light for anything—or anyone—that might be out there. The oppressive quiet bore down on me, broken only by my own steady breaths.

Nothing moved. No glowing eyes stared back at me. Slowly, reluctantly, I released my grip on the weapon and stood upright. But the tension in my shoulders didn’t leave.

I pressed onward.

The forest seemed to hold its breath around me, and I forced myself to focus on the path ahead. But the rustling came again, louder this time and far too close for comfort.

I stopped again, my heart pounding. Something was definitely following me.

Stopping again, I caught faint sounds at my side—then more on the opposite end. It hit me what they were doing. They were trying to rattle me, confuse me. The joke’s on them—I was already confused, though startling me takes a lot more than that. And then, just as I anticipated, it stepped out of the brush: a Timberwolf.

Waist-high and cloaked in moss-covered bark, twigs, leaves, and other flora, its body radiated a sickly green glow that pulsed from its chest, seeping into the thick, viscous saliva dripping from its snarling jaws. Its bright, glowing green eyes locked onto me, burning with ravenous fury. The sound of its feral growls drowned out the forest’s ambience as it paced in measured steps, side to side, assessing me.

“Surprised it took you this long to try and hunt me, twigs,” I said, placing my hands on my hips. The comment earned a curious tilt of its head. “Honestly? I’m offended.”

Tuning my ears, I picked up the faintest rustling on my left and right. Two more wolves were lurking, waiting for the signal to pounce.

Feigning ignorance, I kept my focus on the one in front of me. “You’re usually in bigger packs. What happened? Your friends too lazy to show up?” A quick glance over my shoulder confirmed it. “Yeah, thought so.”

I sidestepped just in time as the wolf behind me lunged. Grabbing its tail mid-leap, I swung it up and over my head, slamming it into the ground with enough force to shatter it into splinters and bark. The green glow in its chest sputtered violently before streaking off into the forest, silent as a ghost. The wolf in front of me froze for a moment, stunned by the abrupt demise of its packmate, before letting out a guttural growl and signalling the others. The remaining two burst from the underbrush, charging at me in unison.

Reacting instantly, I swept my leg under me, flipping my body with the momentum as the two collided beneath me with a force that shook the ground. Landing a foot away, I watched them thrash in a tangled mess of limbs before the first wolf finally made its move, leaping at me with claws bared and jaws wide open.

I snatched it out of the air, slamming it to the ground as I wrestled its jaws apart. Forcing them wider and wider, I let go of the lower jaw and drove the upper half downward with all my strength, crushing it into the creature’s skull. The snap and crunch of its collapse echoed through the clearing like the sound of shattering bones.

Turning to face the other two, I realized they had already fled, retreating into the woods after witnessing the swift deaths of their companions. Brushing splinters off my hands and peeling away stray bits of moss, I resumed my trek, my thoughts spiralling as I walked.

It was easier to kill now—far easier than it had ever been before. I had taken lives before, sure, but never with such detachment, such efficiency. Was it this place? Had something about my arrival here altered me, numbed the part of my mind that should hesitate or recoil? Or was this a path I was destined to walk, one way or another?

Questions. Always more questions. I couldn’t help but wonder if the list would ever stop growing.

The path eventually forked, and I veered left, heading straight toward my next destination. It didn’t take long to reach the waterfall I had spotted on my way to the castle ruins. Breaking through the treeline, I found myself in a small clearing, and the sight before me was breathtaking.

The cliff face loomed high above, its surface glistening as mist and vapour clung to it like a shimmering veil. I followed the shore until I reached the base of the falls, where the cascading water thundered into a crystal-clear pool. Kneeling by the edge, I pulled off my gloves and scooped a handful of the cool, refreshing liquid, savouring each gulp. I didn’t need to eat or drink—at least as far as I could tell—but the sensation was nothing short of bliss.

Once I’d had my fill, I began stripping off my clothes. I hadn’t removed them since I’d arrived here—there had been no need. But now, as I wrestled with the layers, especially the boots, I realized how out of practice I was. Twenty frustrating minutes later, I was finally free.

Wasting no time, I dove into the water, relishing the chill as it enveloped me. For a few minutes, I simply floated, letting the current carry me, before making my way toward the waterfall itself. Standing beneath its crashing waves, I let the water cascade over me, washing away not just the grime but the weight of lingering thoughts.

I scrubbed at my skin, rubbing away layers of dirt and moss, and worked my fingers through my hair. Thankfully, my hair hadn’t grown much during my time here, making it easy to clean. My stubble, on the other hand, was thicker but still manageable.

Still, that nagging feeling of being watched crept over me again. This damned forest—it was enough to make anyone paranoid. I couldn’t help but wonder how well I’d fare in a fight like this, stripped down and vulnerable. But that was a question for another time.

Stepping out of the water, the cool breeze kissed my skin, but I barely felt it. As I reached for my clothes, I noticed something strange. The water clinging to my body began to evaporate almost instantly, curling into steam that left my skin not just dry but strangely moisturized.

“Well, that’s...new,” I muttered, watching the last of the steam dissipate. Handy, though. Definitely handy.

Getting dressed was far easier than the struggle it had been to undress. In fact, it took me less than half the time it had taken to peel off everything not half an hour prior. With my clothes on and properly adjusted, I bounced on the balls of my feet a few times, shaking off the morning grogginess, getting my blood pumping and shaking off the cobwebs—just as my great-grandmother always used to say. Feeling refreshed and put-together, I turned sharply on my heel and set off on my way.

It wasn’t long before I found myself in a modest clearing with a clear view of Ponyville. The small town lay sprawled out below, picturesque and serene. As I stood there, I idly rested my hand on a low-hanging branch above my head, letting my mind wander. Questions bubbled to the surface again, just as they had so often in the past. Answers were elusive, but I couldn’t shake the feeling that, given enough time, they would eventually find their way to me.

I turned to leave the clearing but came to an abrupt halt.

“Oh… um… hello.”

The voice, soft and unmistakably timid, froze me in my tracks. I swivelled back toward the source, my eyes landing on none other than Fluttershy. She stood about two meters away, clutching a basket of frogs, her presence both unassuming and somehow magnetic. Despite her hushed tone and the distance between us, her voice reached me with a clarity that felt almost unnatural.

“Hello,” I replied, keeping my voice as gentle as I could manage. I added a small, reassuring smile, hoping to put her at ease.

She fidgeted, her pink bangs falling across her face as she tried to hide behind them. “Um… what are you doing out here? If you don’t mind my asking…” Her words came in a hurried whisper, yet I caught every syllable.

Before I could respond, movement caught my eye. From the edge of the clearing came Applejack, Twilight, Pinkie Pie, and Spike, all approaching quickly. The four of them noticed us almost simultaneously, their expressions ranging from curiosity to surprise. For a moment, none of us spoke, the silence stretching until Twilight finally broke it.

“Percival?” she called out, her voice laced with uncertainty. Despite the greater distance between us than between Fluttershy and me, I heard her as clearly as if she were standing right beside me. Was this another ability I hadn’t yet understood?

Twilight leaned toward Pinkie Pie, whispering something. “Is he the doozy?”

Pinkie gave an exaggerated shrug, her wide grin only growing. “Dunno,” She replied, as if the question amused her more than anything else.

I decided now would be a good time to make myself scarce, hoping their focus on each other would allow me to slip away unnoticed. No such luck.

“And where do ya think you’re goin’?” Applejack’s voice cut through the air, firm and expectant. She stood with her arms crossed, her gaze locked on me.

The others turned their attention fully toward me as well, with Fluttershy retreating to join their little group. Feeling the weight of their collective stares, I chuckled awkwardly, rubbing the back of my neck in a sheepish attempt to ease the tension.

“Well,” I began, trying to sound casual, “I was out here planning to do a bit of training before heading back into town. Then Fluttershy—right?” I glanced at her, and she gave a small nod—“she came by, and I figured it was probably best to call it quits before anyone got hurt.”

Fluttershy’s eyes widened slightly, and her voice came out barely above a whisper. “Oh… I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to interrupt…”

I waved her apology away with a reassuring smile. “Don’t worry about it. I hadn’t even started yet.”

Applejack wasn’t so easily placated. “What exactly kinda trainin’ ya doin’ to be all the way out here?” Her tone carried more curiosity than suspicion, but she wasn’t letting the matter drop.

“The dangerous kind,” I replied simply, hoping to avoid diving into too much detail.

That didn’t deter Twilight, who stepped forward, her inquisitive nature clearly getting the better of her. “But what specifically are you planning to practice?” Her eyes sparkled with interest, and before I could respond, she added, “Do you mind if I watch?”

Before I had a chance to react, an ear-splitting screech echoed around us, reverberating through the air as the ground beneath our feet began to quake. The girls and Spike craned their heads upward, eyes wide with terror, while I spun around, my gaze locking onto the source of the commotion—a massive Hydra charging straight at us with terrifying speed.

The girls, along with Spike, wasted no time, bolting in the opposite direction as fast as their legs could carry them. But as they fled, I felt something stir inside me. This was no ordinary moment of danger; it was an opportunity. A chance to truly test myself. While they ran, I stood firm, resolute.

The behemoth closed the distance faster than I anticipated, its hulking frame looming over me as several heads lunged forward, razor-sharp teeth glinting in the light. Each mouth was a grotesque display of jagged fangs, dripping with saliva. Just as it was about to strike, I twisted my body, channelling my momentum into a precise butterfly kick. My feet left the ground, trailing sparks and faint orange flames as I spun through the air. I landed five feet away from my original spot, just as the Hydra's jaws snapped shut on empty space. The fiery trails dissipated almost as quickly as they had appeared.

"What are you doing?! Run!" Twilight's voice rang out, shrill and desperate.

I grimaced. I hadn’t wanted them to see this—not yet. But it wasn’t like I had much of a choice. Ducking to avoid another snapping maw, I sidestepped as another head struck, missing me by inches. Its teeth clamped down on thin air, and I used the moment to roll out of its reach. Again and again, I dodged and weaved, avoiding the Hydra’s relentless onslaught. Minutes felt like hours as I danced around its attacks, each movement sharper, faster, and more instinctive than the last.

But eventually, the tide turned—and not in my favour.

As I avoided another strike, one of the Hydra's heads circled behind me, slipping past my defences. I caught sight of it in my peripheral vision just in time, snapping my head around to see its maw closing in on me. Acting purely on instinct, I threw my arms up and caught its teeth, feeling the strain in my muscles as I held its powerful jaws at bay. My heels dug into the soft ground, anchoring me as I fought to keep its head still. The stench of its breath hit me like a brick wall—it was rancid enough to make my eyes water.

Fueled by sheer adrenaline, I let out a guttural yell and jumped with everything I had, using my downward momentum to yank the Hydra's head with me. There was a sickening pop and an audible crunch as its neck twisted unnaturally. One head down.

The beast roared in fury, its remaining heads thrashing wildly in a frenzy of rage. It struck at everything in sight, burying its maws into the ground as it missed me again and again. Realizing I couldn’t drag this out any longer—not with the others watching—I knew it was time to finish the fight.

With a burst of energy, I leapt forward, grabbing each snapping head in turn and slamming them deep into the earth. As the last head was pinned down, I unsheathed my sword, the blade gleaming in the light. I dashed from head to head, slicing through each lodged jaw in a series of swift, precise strikes. The Hydra let out a horrific, guttural howl as boiling-hot blood sprayed across the lush green landscape, staining it a vivid crimson.

The remaining heads reared back in agony, exposing the beast’s vulnerable body. Lowering my head and gripping my sword tightly, I drew it out to my side, the blade horizontal. With a burst of speed, I surged forward, passing the Hydra in a single fluid motion. My sword sliced deep into its side, carving a path through its massive frame.

Several meters behind it, I came to a halt, closing my eyes and biting my lip as I strained to hear what would come next. The ground trembled with an almighty thud, and I exhaled slowly, releasing the tension in my shoulders. Straightening up, I resheathed my blade and turned to survey the fallen beast.

The Hydra was dead.

The silence that followed was almost as loud as the battle itself. When I glanced at the group, they were frozen in place, their expressions a mixture of shock and awe. Even Pinkie, perpetually energetic, stood perfectly still, her mouth agape.

With a casual wave and a flourished bow, I turned to walk away.

But, of course, Spike wasn’t about to let me off that easily. Somehow, the little guy managed to dart in front of me, his eyes practically sparkling with excitement.

"Dude, that was awesome!" he exclaimed, his voice brimming with enthusiasm. "You must be some kind of superhero or something!"

Applejack approached next, shaking her head in disbelief. "That was... impressive, to say the least," she said, letting out a low whistle.

Twilight, however, was a different story. She appeared at my side in an instant, her eyes glinting with a mix of curiosity and something dangerously close to obsession. "What was that?! Was that what you were practising?! What did I just witness?!" She demanded, a manic grin spreading across her face.

"Like I said," I replied with a smirk, "The dangerous kind."

"Is he the doozy?!" Twilight suddenly shouted, spinning to face Pinkie.

Taking advantage of the distraction, I slipped away, disappearing into the brush. I made my way back to the castle ruins and collapsed onto the largest stone I could find in the foyer. As I sat there, my mind raced, replaying the events that had just unfolded.

Something wasn’t right.

I’d saved Rarity just yesterday—shouldn’t the episode where Pinkie shows off her “Pinkie sense” have already happened? Was the timeline diverging? Was it no longer following the canonical series of events? And if so... why?

And then there was the Hydra. Hydras are notoriously resilient, incredibly difficult to kill. Yet, I had taken one down with what felt like relative ease. The flames that had trailed behind my feet—what were those? Just what other abilities did this body of mine possess?

The questions spiraled, one after the other, each more unsettling than the last.

It was then that I realized how deep I was in all of this. And it was then that I knew I needed to figure out exactly what I was capable of.

I needed to get this shit on lock.

Author's Note

A very slightly shorter chapter this time, hope you guys enjoyed

Please point out any mistakes I may have made
Constructive criticism is always appreciated
Until next time, TTFN!

Chapter 5 - "Proper Introduction"

Walking into the town's cosy library, Applejack rapped lightly on the edge of the open wooden door before stepping inside. Her keen eyes quickly found Twilight seated in the main reading area, surrounded by an impressive spread of books that nearly engulfed the table. As usual, Twilight wore an expression of intense focus, her brow furrowed slightly as she pored over a particularly hefty tome.

Applejack made her way over, her boots clicking softly against the polished floorboards. At the sound of her approach, Twilight snapped out of her trance, blinking up at her visitor with a small smile.

“Oh, hey, AJ,” Twilight greeted, marking her place in the book before closing it gently and adding it to an already teetering stack. “What brings you by?”

“Honestly, nothin’ much,” Applejack replied casually, pulling out a chair and settling across from her. “Ah just dropped by Pinkie’s and Flutters’ place to check on ‘em after all that excitement the other day. Figured it was only right to check on you, too.”

“Oh, I’m fine!” Twilight assured her, her smile widening as she gestured to the books surrounding her. “You know me—just studying up on something.”

Applejack chuckled softly. “Sounds ‘bout right. Lemme guess, Spike’s out visitin’ Rarity?”

Twilight hesitated for the briefest moment before responding, “...Yeah, he is.”

Applejack arched a brow. “This about Percival, ain’t it?” She folded her arms loosely, leaning back in her chair as she studied Twilight’s reaction.

Twilight’s sheepish expression confirmed her suspicion. “...Yeah,” she admitted, rubbing the back of her neck.

“Can’t blame ya for bein’ curious,” Applejack said thoughtfully. “He’s...well, he’s somethin’ else, that’s for sure.”

“Exactly!” Twilight exclaimed, leaning forward as if to emphasize her point. “We’ve only met him twice, but he’s already done things most people wouldn’t even dream of attempting!”

“Like fightin’ a Hydra?” Applejack offered, a knowing smile tugging at the corner of her lips.

“Like fighting a Hydra!” Twilight agreed, her voice rising with astonishment. “Do you have any idea how difficult it is to even injure a Hydra, let alone defeat one? Yet he not only fought it but killed it—alone!” She gestured animatedly as she spoke. “The only ones who’ve ever managed such a feat are the Princesses! Even Starswirl needed over an hour to subdue one, and that was more than two thousand years ago!”

Applejack listened intently, her usual down-to-earth demeanour tinged with intrigue. She wasn’t exactly a history buff, but even she recognized the significance of what Twilight was saying. She suspected Rainbow Dash would be easily impressed by such a tale.

“But that ain’t all,” Applejack prompted. “What about when he saved Rarity and the others from those Diamond Dogs? That couldn’t’ve been an easy job.”

Twilight nodded grimly. “After we filed the report, the Guard investigated the area. They found where the Diamond Dogs had been holed up, but when they got there...” She trailed off, her expression darkening. “Not a single one was left alive. A few might’ve escaped, but it was unclear. He took on an entire Diamond Dog coven and walked away without so much as a scratch.”

Applejack whistled low under her breath. “And the clothes he wore,” Twilight continued, her voice growing more animated as she vented her thoughts. “They were so...unusual. For someone who seems to take fighting seriously, anyway. They didn’t even cover his vital areas!” She paused, her brow furrowing further. “And his sword! It’s massive—no ordinary person should be able to wield something like that, let alone fight effectively with it. I’d bet even Big Mac would struggle to handle a blade that size.”

Applejack tilted her head, her tone turning probing. “Ah got a feelin’ this ain’t what’s really got ya all tied up in knots, though.”

Twilight sighed heavily, pacing a short line in front of the table. “No, it’s not,” She admitted, her voice quieter now. “It was his name.”

“His name?” Applejack repeated, perplexed.

“Yeah. Felwinter,” Twilight said, her gaze distant as though searching her memory. “I swear I’ve read something about that name before. Something important. But no matter how hard I try, I just can’t remember what it was.”

Applejack leaned forward, resting her elbows on the table. “And what about that organ everyone heard? He showed up, what, a week—maybe a week and a half—afterwards?”

Twilight frowned, nodding slightly. “I don’t know,” She admitted. “It’s all just so...strange. My gut tells me he’s important somehow, but I can’t piece together what it all means.”

“Have ya sent word to the Princesses?” Applejack asked, her tone practical. “They usually got answers for this kinda thing.”

Twilight gave a weary nod. “One of the Guards sent a report right after the Hydra incident, and I sent my own letter not long after. But...I haven’t heard anything back yet.”

“Ah’m sure they’ll get back to ya soon,” Applejack said reassuringly.

Before Twilight could respond, the sound of something heavy landing outside in the town square echoed through the library, cutting through the quiet atmosphere like a knife.

Both women froze, their gazes snapping toward the door.

“What in tarnation was that?” Applejack asked, already rising to her feet.

“Let’s find out,” Twilight replied, her voice steady despite the flicker of unease in her eyes.

Sitting atop a freshly cut boulder, I exhaled slowly through my nose, my hands resting idly on my knees as I let the stillness settle around me.

After the Hydra, I wasted no time honing my newly acquired skills. While I had set out to train this body, I hadn’t given it the deliberate focus it deserved. Though my improvisation had worked out in the end, it was clear I needed to approach things with more purpose going forward.

I made the ruins of the Castle of the Two Sisters and the surrounding forest my base of operations. Staying in this area kept me deep enough in the Everfree to reduce the chances of running into the girls again and potentially putting them at risk, or anyone for that matter. At the same time, I remained close enough to Ponyville to stroll in when I needed to. Perfectly balanced, as all things should be. Besides, even though I had taken down the Hydra with relative ease, I knew there was still so much about my abilities I hadn’t fully explored. Testing myself was a priority.

Still, I had a feeling I wouldn’t reach the upper limits of my powers anytime soon. Even so, it didn’t hurt to develop a better idea of what I could potentially achieve. Whenever I encountered the local wildlife—of the hostile variety, anyway—I made it a point to test my abilities. Most of the time, I faced beasts I’d already defeated before, but I never passed up the opportunity to test myself.

Despite my efforts, I couldn’t for the life of me recreate the sparks and flame trails I had conjured in the days prior. No matter what technique or strategy I tried, it just wouldn’t come together. Frustrating as it was, I chose not to dwell on it. Instead, I focused on mastering the powers I could reliably reproduce, making sure to refine what I could rather than obsess over what I couldn't.

There was another benefit to this practice: I was learning how to hold back. With powers like these, unrestrained and untrained, accidents were bound to happen. It was one thing to master my offensive capabilities, but another entirely to control them with precision. With great power comes great responsibility and all that. It was corny, sure, but no less true.

Which is why I now found myself sitting on top of this boulder, practising the meditation techniques my grandfather had taught me years ago when he took me in. Physical training and practical experience were essential, but he always stressed that an untrained mind was just as dangerous as an untrained body. Without balance, catastrophe was inevitable.

You’ve got to stay on top of it all, I reminded myself. The consequences of slipping up weren’t something I wanted to discover.

Taking a deep breath, I opened my eyes and slid down from my perch. A cool breeze swept through the clearing, ruffling my coattails, while the sun’s warmth spread over me like a comforting embrace. A small smile crept onto my face as the wind picked up ever so slightly, carrying with it the scents of grass and distant flowers. The past few days had been anything but restful, and while I had willingly sought out the chaos, moments of peace like this were a welcome reprieve. Deep down, though, I had a nagging feeling that tranquillity wouldn’t last long.

Still, I savoured the moment for as long as I could before the urge to move on returned.

With a final glance around the clearing, I began my walk back toward Ponyville, ready—though perhaps not entirely eager—for whatever came next.

~~

Reaching the border of the Everfree Forest, which lay on the outskirts of the quaint rural town of Ponyville, I paused to take in the sights. The small village bustled with activity, its faint sounds carrying to where I stood. Merchants called out to passing villagers, children laughed as they darted through the streets, and the general hum of daily life painted a vivid picture of peace. Yet, something was amiss.

An unusual number of Guards patrolled the streets, their presence impossible to ignore. They were scattered throughout the town, moving with a clear sense of purpose. While helping the Diamond Dog victims to the hospital, I had only glimpsed a few Guards here and there, though admittedly, I hadn’t spent enough time to gauge their exact numbers. However, there were definitely far more than I remembered.

That’s when I saw it—a golden chariot stationed in the square, its polished surface gleaming in the sunlight. Hitched to the front were massive workhorses, their equally massive wings folded at their sides. One glance at the regal vehicle told me all I needed to know about the increased security presence.

Crossing the small stone bridge that led into town, I barely made it a few steps before I was spotted. The Guards were quick to act, their sharp eyes locking onto me as they alerted their comrades. I raised my hands in a gesture of peace, halting as they approached.

“Halt! State your name and business!” A Guard barked, his tone sharp and commanding as he and his comrades encircled me.

I took a quick count. One, two, four, eight, thirteen…fifteen. A total of fifteen Guards stood around me, each keeping a cautious distance of about ten feet. Their weapons were poised, ready to strike if I made the slightest wrong move. Up close, I noticed something peculiar about them. They were nearly identical—strongly built with dark charcoal-grey hair, hazel-brown eyes, and either a horn, a pair of wings, or neither. The only distinguishing features were the coloured plumes on their helmets, with one Guard’s deep purple plume suggesting higher rank.

“Percival Felwinter,” I replied calmly, my voice steady despite the tension in the air. "I'm here to check up on Rarity Belle after the events from four days ago." I shrugged, adding, "I just want to make sure she's alright."

A few of the Guards relaxed slightly, though their vigilance remained. The Officer with the purple plume stepped forward, his posture firm as his sharp eyes scrutinized me. Despite the height difference, he carried an air of authority that was hard to miss.

“Care to explain why you’re so heavily armed?” He asked evenly, his gaze lingering on the weapon strapped to my back.

“I just came out of the Everfree,” I answered, glancing at the forest behind me. “Kinda necessary to protect yourself in there, you know?”

The Guards exchanged glances, their collective posture easing ever so slightly. The officer studied me a moment longer before nodding.

“Fair enough,” He said, though his tone remained cautious. “We’ll verify your story about Rarity Belle. Until then, you’ll remain here under supervision. Understood?”

“Yessir!” I responded with a grin, slowly lowering my hands to avoid startling anyone.

The Officer grunted in acknowledgement before departing with a few others, leaving me under the watchful eyes of the remaining twelve Guards. Though they no longer seemed as tense, they were still clearly on high alert.

“Sooo…” I began, drawing their attention. “You lot related or something?”

“Yes, we’re all brothers,” One Guard deadpanned.

If I hadn’t been well-versed in sarcasm, I might have believed him. “Ah, sarcasm,” I chuckled. “Nice. Guess that means you’re not strangers to humour, then?”

“Maybe,” The same Guard replied, his tone unamused.

“Oh, come on,” I said with a grin, gesturing at the uniformity of their appearances. “It’s magic. Gotta be.”

"Very deductive," The Guard replied without missing a beat.

“My oh my, you're a sassy one. So it is magic then” I pressed, my grin widening. “You’re just mad because you know I’m right.”

The first Guard shot me a sidelong glare. “Keep running that mouth of yours, and we’ll see how good you are with that oversized sword you’re carrying.”

“Oh, I’m good,” I retorted, flexing my arms for emphasis. “You don’t get gains like this sitting around doing nothing.”

“You’re a strange one,” Another Guard muttered, shaking his head.

Leaning slightly to my right, I whispered conspiratorially to the nearest Guard, “He’s not wrong.”

The Guard glanced at me, confused, but before he could respond, a new group approached. Their arrival immediately drew the attention of both myself and the Guards. It was them—the Main Six, along with Spike, and trailing just behind them, none other than Princess Celestia herself.

Draped in a pristine white dress adorned with shimmering golden trimmings, her radiant regalia gleamed brilliantly under the midday sun. Her hair, a cascade of vibrant rainbow hues, was shorter than I had imagined—just brushing her shoulders—yet it still seemed to ripple with an unseen breeze. A single, elegant horn extended a foot from her forehead, while her colossal wings arched gracefully behind her, their sheer size just barely clearing the ground. Her piercing magenta eyes locked onto mine, studying every detail of my being as I found myself compelled to meet her unwavering gaze. As she drew closer, I realized, to my surprise, that we were nearly the same height.

Smirking slightly, I raised my hands, a gesture that caught the Monarch off guard, though she masked her reaction well. The rest of the group, however, didn’t hide their surprise, though their joy at seeing me was apparent.

“Percy!” Pinkie shouted, her voice bursting with excitement as she bolted toward me at an impossible speed. She collided with me, wrapping me in what was undoubtedly the tightest hug in existence. The guards watched the spectacle in stunned silence, seemingly baffled that I remained unmoved by the sheer force of her embrace. After a moment, she hopped back down, grinning as I gave her a playful nudge with my elbow, my hands still raised. Giggling, she rejoined the group while the guards began to disperse, bowing respectfully. I remained standing, hands still aloft, an act that clearly surprised Celestia.

“I am delighted to see you’ve returned,” Rarity said warmly as she approached.

“And I’m glad to see you’re doing well,” I replied with a smile.

“Likewise, Sir Percival,” She said with a delicate nod. “Though, if I may ask, darling—why on earth are you holding your hands up like that?”

“Sir Percival, huh? Not sure how I feel about that,” I thought.

Gesturing toward the guards encircling us. I made a slow twirling motion with my finger. “Well, for starters, our boys here seem a bit... tense. I’d rather not give them any reason to act, you know?”

Twilight stepped forward, her tone official. “Percival, I’d like to personally introduce you to Pr—”

“Princess Celestia,” I interrupted, “Co-ruler of Equestria alongside her sister, Princess Luna. Yes, I’m aware. It’s also one of the reasons I’m keeping my hands up.”

“Wow, not even a thank you?” I thought. “Good thing there are more pressing matters at hand.”

Celestia’s curious gaze lingered on me as she spoke, her voice rich and melodic, carrying a depth that hinted at her wisdom and age. “You would willingly surrender yourself, despite showing no signs of hostility? Quite the contrary, in fact.”

“A heavily armed man, unknown to everyone, wanders straight into the heart of town,” I explained. “And to make matters worse, the nation’s ruler just happens to be present. That man could easily be seen as a potential threat. So, what better way to prove he isn’t than by laying himself bare and surrendering?”

I added quickly, “No such thing as being too cautious.”

Celestia considered my words, her expression softening slightly. “An intriguing perspective. And, it seems, a strategy that has served you well,” she remarked. “Might I ask, then, what brings you here?”

“At first, I came to check in on Rarity Belle, to ensure she was doing well,” I replied. “That mission’s accomplished. But since you’re here, Princess, I’d like to request a private conversation—if that isn’t too bold of me.”

The suggestion visibly caught everyone off guard, none more so than Celestia herself. Her Guards, ever dutiful, looked ready to object, but she silenced them with a raised hand, her authority unquestionable. “You’ve been forthright so far, so I will grant your request,” She said. “However, I must insist you relinquish your sword as a precaution. A fair compromise, wouldn’t you agree?”

I nodded. “That sounds fair.”

Unbuckling the sword from my back, I held it out by the scabbard toward the nearest guard. Unprepared for its weight, the poor man fumbled, the sword’s mass pulling him off balance and sending him sprawling to the ground. The onlookers gasped, startled by the spectacle, though I remained unfazed. Celestia’s eyebrow raised slightly, her curiosity clearly piqued, as I turned and followed her lead.

Before long, we reached a serene, open hill on the outskirts of the village, the rolling landscape bathed in golden sunlight.

"Why did you actually surrender?" She asked suddenly, her tone calm but laced with curiosity. "Was it so you wouldn't get into trouble, or was it so you could talk to me in private?"

"A bit of both, if I'm being completely honest," I replied with a shrug. "Though it was kind of a spur-of-the-moment decision. I didn’t expect to run into you here, of all places." I paused, watching her expression carefully. "Besides, I could tell you were wary of me the second you saw me."

She nodded lightly, but she remained silent, prompting me to continue. "I suppose you don’t keep the peace for a thousand years without becoming an exceptional judge of character," I added with a small smile. "I'd imagine you'd have to be."

Her lips twitched faintly, almost as if suppressing a smile. "So says someone who clearly knows what to look for. It does make me wonder, though—just how experienced are you, exactly? You look far too young to be this perceptive."

"Really? Have you looked in a mirror recently?" I quipped, smirking when she raised an eyebrow at me, the faintest hint of amusement playing on her face. "Not to brag, but you already know I’m experienced. I assume Twilight’s told you about the incident the other day."

That elicited a genuine smile. "Yes, she has," She said, her tone softening. "I must admit, I’m impressed. Hydras are a significant nuisance, even for my sister and me. Yet you not only defeated one, but killed it outright—and all by yourself, if the stories are true. Not to mention your efforts in rescuing Rarity Belle from a Diamond Dog coven. Those feats are nothing to scoff at."

"Good thing too," I said with a casual shrug, though I knew I was treading on thin ice. "It would’ve put a massive damper on your future plans."

Her expression hardened slightly, and her hands, which had been clasped in front of her, lowered as the tension in the air thickened. "And what plans might those be, exactly?" She asked, her voice as sharp as her gaze.

I held her gaze, offering a soft grin. "Relax, I’m not going to tell her," I reassured her, leaning in slightly and gesturing for her to do the same. Lowering my voice, I added, "Between you and me, though, I think she’ll make a fantastic successor." Leaning back again, I spread my arms in a slight arc. "Princess Twilight—it has a nice ring to it, don’t you think?"

Her brows knit together, and I could see the wheels turning in her mind. Clearly, she was not pleased that I’d uncovered such a carefully guarded secret. "How have you come across this information?" She demanded, her voice low but firm.

I shrugged lightly. "The same way you gather information, I’d imagine. I have my methods."

She sighed, her expression softening as her eyes drifted to Twilight, who was across the field attempting to assist a struggling Guard pinned beneath the oversized sword I had given him. Her friends were clustered nearby, lending their efforts.

"She’s not ready," She said at last, her voice carrying a quiet mixture of pride and concern. "Telling her now could undo everything I’ve worked for."

"As I said, I won’t tell her. Nor will I interfere with your plans—it’s not my place to," I replied firmly. "On that, you have my word, for whatever that’s worth."

She studied me for a long moment before finally nodding. "From what you’ve done so far, I’d say it’s worth quite a bit. Thank you," She said softly.

"However," she added, her tone sharpening again, "Only a select few know of my plans for her. None of them are you. So you can imagine why this revelation gives me pause."

I nodded in understanding. "Stranger knows too much. I get it. The question is, how does he know?"

Her gaze turned calculating, her voice steady but filled with intent. "I could take the answers I need myself," She said simply.

"Oh, I’m sure you could," I replied with a shrug, meeting her gaze without flinching. "If you really want to know, I won’t stop you."

Her brow arched sceptically, the faintest smirk returning to her lips. "You seem far too willing for this."

"What’s life without a little risk?" I asked, grinning before answering my own question. "It’s boring."

She regarded me in silence for a beat, then took a step forward. "Very well," She said, her voice low and deliberate as she closed the distance between us. Her horn began to glow with a golden aura as she tapped it against my forehead.

A strange sensation enveloped me, like an invisible tug on my consciousness, pulling me inward. And then, everything else faded away.

~~

Opening my eyes, I was greeted by the sight of a vast, open plain shimmering like silver. Specks of particles floated lazily by, harmless and weightless, as I took in the oddly beautiful expanse. If you could even call it that. Something about it felt...intangible, unreal. Deep down, I just knew—this wasn’t a physical place. And judging by our last interaction before I ended up here, this had to be the inner workings of my own mind.

“So, this is my mind, huh?” I mused aloud, though no one was there to answer. My voice echoed faintly in the void. “Damn, my head’s emptier than I thought.”

I scratched my chin, frowning as I took another look around. “I wonder…”

Reaching out, I ran my hand through the shimmering air as though swiping at a touchscreen. The 'landscape' blurred and warped, the silver expanse twisting and melting away like watercolours bleeding on a canvas. In moments, it was replaced by the warm, golden glow of a tropical beach. I could feel the gentle sun on my skin and the soft, welcoming sand shifting beneath my feet. The sound of waves lapping the shore completed the illusion, making it almost too perfect.

“Once again, you impress,” A familiar voice spoke from behind me. The moment she spoke, I felt a faint, building pressure in my head, subtle but present. I didn’t need to turn around to know who it was.

“Eh, just the perks of lucid dreaming,” I replied with a shrug, keeping my gaze on the rolling waves. “So… did you find what you were looking for?”

“Not yet.” Celestia’s tone was measured as she stepped into view, her ethereal presence radiating authority. Her eyes narrowed as she studied me, searching for something. “Your mind is proving harder to pierce than I anticipated. I’m beginning to suspect you’re far more powerful than you let on.”

“To be completely honest with you,” I said, sauntering over to a conveniently placed hammock and throwing myself into it with a sigh, “I have no idea how strong I am.”

She smiled, her eyes gaining a subtly enthusiastic, almost challenging gleam to them. “We’ve only spoken for a few minutes, and yet I can already tell—you’re a strange one, Percival Felwinter. I think I’m going to enjoy figuring you out.”

Her expression hardened as she continued. “However, I still seek answers. And I will have them.”

Raising an eyebrow, I leaned forward slightly, folding my arms across my chest. “Is that a threat, Princess?”

“It’s only a threat if it needs to be,” She replied, her voice calm but unyielding.

“Easy, Princess.” My tone softened as I held up a hand in a gesture of peace. “There’s no need for us to do something we’ll both regret. You know I mean no harm to you or your people, so why don’t we end this on good terms?”

Her response wasn’t verbal. Instead, she summoned a halberd into her grasp with a flash of golden light. The metallic clang that accompanied its arrival rang out like a blacksmith’s hammer striking steel. “Very well.”

Before I could say anything more, a plume of smoke erupted from the sand behind her, thick and dark as night. From within it emerged a towering figure—a creature wreathed in shadows and fire, its human-like form barely visible through the darkness. A Balrog. In its massive hands, it wielded a fiery sword and a crackling whip that coiled and hissed like a living serpent. The beast let out a deafening roar, its voice a mix of grinding stone and roaring flames, as it set its sights on Celestia.

Without hesitation, the Princess sidestepped the Balrog’s first whip strike, the air around them vibrating with the force of the blow. The two clashed in a whirlwind of speed and power, their weapons colliding with thunderous force. Despite her agility giving her the upper hand, the Balrog’s sheer strength made it a formidable opponent. Celestia parried a devastating sword swing and retaliated with a powerful upward strike, her halberd cleaving through the demon’s neck in one clean motion. The Balrog’s headless body collapsed to the ground with a resounding thud, and for a moment, the beach was quiet again.

Celestia turned to face me, her chest rising and falling slightly with exertion. A single bead of sweat traced its way down her temple from the heat of the now-dead Balrog, but her smirk remained intact. “Is that all you’ve got?”

I shook my head with a chuckle. “Not even close. But at this rate, we’ll be here all day,” Rising from the hammock, I dusted off my hands. “Why don’t we wrap this up?”

Before she could respond, I closed my eyes and focused, honing in on the growing pressure in my mind. I pushed back against it, mentally pressing against her presence as hard as I could. Her grunt of surprise told me I was on the right track. Feeling her resistance intensify, I poured all my energy into the effort, matching her push with my own. The pressure mounted until, with a final burst of force, I broke through, shoving us both out of the mental plane.

~~

Gasping, I stumbled back, one hand instinctively clutching my head as a dull ache spread across my skull. I blinked hard, my vision swimming momentarily, and when I finally looked around, I realized we were back on the hill—exactly where we had left. Everything was as it had been, untouched by the chaos we had just escaped. My gaze shifted to the Princess; she didn’t appear much better off than I was. Beads of sweat formed on her brow, trailing slowly down her forehead and neck before she pulled out a handkerchief to dab them away.

Collecting herself with practised composure, she spoke, her voice sharper than before. “You claim you wouldn’t interfere, yet you force me out. What exactly are you hiding?”

“Nothing,” I said with a shrug, my tone deliberately casual. “I just didn’t feel like staying there all day. Besides, I’m sure you have more pressing matters to attend to.”

She fixed me with an unwavering stare, her piercing eyes locking onto mine for what felt like an eternity. After a tense moment, she let out a long sigh, closing her eyes briefly as a faint smile crept onto her lips. “That’s true,” She admitted. “I apologize if I came across as suspicious of you.”

Her posture softened, but her words remained pointed. “You are a complete enigma to me—someone who knows far more than he lets on, and one whose strength is undeniable.” She clasped her hands in front of her, lowering her head slightly in a gesture of respect. “From the reports I’ve read, I hoped to speak with you directly, as you had requested to speak with me. I also wanted to observe and, perhaps, test your capabilities. Please forgive me if my actions seemed... inappropriate.”

I stepped closer, gently lifting her chin with my fingertips so that her gaze met mine. Her expression flickered with surprise at the gesture, but I offered her a reassuring smile. “Don’t worry,” I said softly. “I don’t take many things personally. Besides, I know you had your reasons.”

Stepping back, I gave her a respectful nod. “If that’s all, I won’t take up any more of your time.”

Just as I turned to leave, she seemed to recall something, her eyes lighting up with realization. “Oh, I almost forgot.”

With a soft popping sound, a flash of golden light appeared beside her. From within the glow, she retrieved two objects held in her golden aura. “I believe these belong to you,” She said, floating them toward me.

As the shimmering magic dissipated, I took hold of the items, my brows furrowing in bewilderment as I examined them. The first was a weapon—a hand cannon, unmistakably familiar. Its long, thick barrel connected to a sturdy revolving cylinder, and a comfortable grip rested below the hammer. The weapon was painted in sleek shades of black and white, its polished surface accented with an engraved ace on both sides of the cylinder and again on the grip. It took only a second—maybe less—for recognition to dawn. This was The Ace of Spades.

The second item was a simple leather holster, complete with two straps: one designed to loop through a belt at the waist, and the other meant to secure around the thigh.

“Is something wrong?” Celestia asked, watching me intently.

I quickly shook my head, snapping out of my reverie. “No, nothing’s wrong. It’s just... Are you sure these are for me?”

The Princess giggled softly, her amusement evident. “Take a closer look at the tag looped around the handle.”

Tucking the holster under my arm, I noticed, for the first time, a small brown tag tied to the weapon’s trigger guard. Curious, I flipped it over and read the handwritten message: If lost, return to the Man of Winter.

Celestia’s voice broke through my thoughts. “I do believe that man is you, Sir Felwinter. And judging by your reaction, I would say I am right to believe so.”

Without another word, she turned to leave, and I quickly followed, staying close on her heels. As I walked, I looped the holster through my trousers’ belt loops as best I could, tightening it until it felt more secure. Once it sat comfortably, my attention shifted to Ace. It was identical—a perfect, flawless recreation of one of my favourite weapons from fiction. Idly, I flicked on the safety and began to twirl it around my finger in a classic gunslinger flourish. The movement was smooth and rhythmic, the weight familiar in my hand. As I played with it, I caught the Princess glancing at me every so often from the corner of her eye as we made our way back toward the group we had left behind.

The moment they noticed our approach—and my brazen display of handling a weapon in the Princess's presence—the Guards visibly tensed. A few of them instinctively reached for their own weapons, their movements cautious and deliberate.

“That will not be necessary,” Celestia spoke firmly, her tone calm yet commanding. “In fact, please return Sir Felwinter’s sword to him.”

The Guards exchanged uncertain glances before reluctantly complying. Two of them moved toward a nearby tree where my sword leaned against the trunk, its massive hilt glinting in the sunlight. Nearby, the Guard that initially took my sword sat on a rock, lightly clutching his stomach, his cuirass leaning against the rock he sat on, dented slightly. With synchronized effort, the two Guards braced themselves, counting down under their breath before hoisting the weapon together. Even with their combined strength, it was a struggle; grunts of exertion escaped them as they carried it over to me.

I chuckled softly and, without any visible strain, reached out to take the sword from their grasp. The weight settled naturally in my hand as I strapped it onto my back, where it belonged. The crowd that had gathered to watch the scene unfold stared at me, their expressions a mix of awe and apprehension. For a moment, the air buzzed with whispers as they tried to process how one man could so easily wield a weapon that had clearly overwhelmed three well-trained Guards.

“Thank you,” I said simply, nodding to the Guards.

The Princess offered me a small, knowing smile before turning to leave, her entourage falling into step behind her. As she walked away, I could hear murmurs rippling through the group. Most were hushed and unintelligible, but one caught my ear.

“Your Highness,” A Gaurd whispered, “You don’t think that’s the man from prophecy and myth, do you?”

Celestia stopped mid-stride, her golden shoes stilling against the earth as she turned her head to glance back at me. Her gaze was piercing yet unreadable.

“Sir Felwinter,” She called, her voice carrying a curious note, “You wouldn’t happen to know who played the organ a week and a half ago, would you?”

“A week and a half? How long was I out for?” I thought, mentally stumbling for a moment, but I quickly pushed it aside.

“Yeah, that was me," I nodded as I replied. "Why?”

The only response I got was a cryptic smile before she turned and continued toward her chariot. Twilight ran to her side, animatedly discussing something with her mentor, but I tuned it out. My thoughts were elsewhere, spiralling as the weight of her words began to settle in.

“Prophecy, huh?” I muttered under my breath, my tone laced with exasperation. “Why is it always a damn prophecy?”

I exhaled a sharp breath, shaking my head with a wry smirk. “Well, this just got a hell of a lot more interesting.”

Author's Note

The story continues in today's episode of Dragon Ball–wait, no, wrong franchise

Rather pleased with this one, think I'm on a roll here

Please point out any mistakes I may have made
Constructive criticism is always appreciated
Until next time, TTFN!

Chapter 6 - "Well...That Escalated Quickly"

As I stroll over to the rest of the main six, I twirl Ace around my finger absentmindedly, the gun feeling like an extension of my own hand. Much like my sword, it sat naturally in my grip, as though it had always belonged there. Hell, it felt like I'd been wielding it for years, with knowledge of its mechanisms, upkeep, and proper handling swirling effortlessly in my mind. It was almost as if, the moment I picked up each weapon, the expertise necessary to wield them was instantly transmitted to my brain—allowing me to use them without endangering myself or those around me.

Shaking myself from my thoughts, I holster Ace, the soft rasp of metal against well-worn leather sending a satisfying hum through my fingertips.

"So, darling," Rarity's voice chimed as I approached the group, her tone carrying its usual refined elegance. "What are your plans now?"

"Gonna be honest...not a clue," I chuckled, rubbing the back of my neck.

"Well, that simply won’t do!" She exclaimed, aghast. "Why don’t you come with me? I am a seamstress, after all, and I owe you for saving not just my life, but also those poor souls trapped in the mines."

"Speaking of which, how are they holding up?" I asked, concern creeping into my voice.

"They've certainly seen better days, but they’re expected to make a full and speedy recovery," She assured me with a warm smile. "Now, come along, and I shall find a way to properly repay you."

Before I could protest, she had already taken hold of my wrist, her grip surprisingly firm as she whisked me away. The others merely watched, their soft giggles and amused chuckles trailing behind us.

By the time we arrived at our destination, I found myself staring at a very familiar sight—Carousel Boutique. Despite expecting it to resemble its show counterpart, I was taken aback by the sheer detail and vibrancy that reality offered. The boutique appeared larger, and more intricate, its atmosphere alive with a refined yet welcoming charm.

"Nice place," I commented, still taking in the surroundings.

"Why, thank you, darling," Rarity beamed, her grin as radiant as ever. "I do my best to keep it in tip-top shape. A lady must maintain an air of professionalism, after all."

"Well, you’ve certainly achieved that—and then some," I admitted, nodding in appreciation. "I have to say, though, I’m a little surprised you’re back to work so soon."

"Yes, well, a girl must make a living," She replied with a nonchalant wave of her hoof. "Besides, those poor unfortunate souls in the mines suffered far worse than I did. It wouldn’t be proper of me to occupy the doctors’ and nurses’ time when others were in far greater need of care."

"That’s very selfless of you," I said, genuinely impressed.

"Perhaps," She mused with a graceful shrug, before offering me another smile. "Regardless, darling, we are here for you."

I rubbed the back of my neck. "Honestly, I wasn’t expecting a reward."

"There must be something I can give you."

I lifted a hand to scratch an itch on my chin but paused, suddenly aware of how strangely light my wrist felt. A slight frown crossed my face as I turned my wrist over, realizing only now what had been missing. Scratching my chin absentmindedly, I glanced at the seamstress, who was waiting patiently for my answer.

"How about a nice watch?" I asked.

"A... watch?" She blinked, her expression shifting from surprise to mild disbelief. "You saved my life, and in return, all you want is a watch?"

"Is that doable?"

"Yes, of course. Easily, in fact. It's just..." She trailed off, brows furrowing slightly. "It doesn’t seem like enough."

"That’s all I need," I assured her with a smile.

"If you’re certain, Sir Percival," Rarity replied.

"Please, no 'Sir'—just Percival is fine," I said quickly, waving a hand dismissively. "Maybe even Percy if you’re feeling bold."

She let out a soft laugh, returning my smile. "Alright then, Percival. I should have it ready in about an hour."

"Thank you."

As I turned to leave, a stray thought popped into my head—completely random, unrelated to anything. I hesitated, then turned back to Rarity, who was already gathering materials for my request.

"Uh… you wouldn’t happen to know where I could get some playing cards, would you?" I asked. "I know it’s out of nowhere, but I used to always carry a set. Lost them a while back, and the thought just came to me, so I figured I’d ask."

She paused, looking thoughtful. "Playing cards? Actually…I think I might have a deck lying around somewhere."

"Oh, that’s alright, I can pick up a set somewhere else. You don’t have to give me yours."

"Nonsense," She said with a dismissive wave. "I don’t use them anymore anyway. Come back in an hour or two, and I’ll have both the watch and the cards ready for you."

I smiled. "I will. Again, thank you."

As I stepped toward the door, she called after me.

"No, darling," She said, her voice warm. "Thank you."

Stepping out of the boutique, I immediately spotted Spike making his way toward the entrance. He was alone, with no sign of the other girls, and he picked up his pace when he noticed me exiting.

"Hey, Percy!" He called, giving me a wave.

"Sup, wee man?" I greeted him with a grin, taking in the sight of the anthro drake as he approached. "How's life? Anything interesting happen while I was away?"

He returned my smile. "Besides you showing back up? Not really. Though, Twilight has been acting a little... different lately."

I raised a brow. "Oh? How so?"

"Well," He began, rubbing the back of his head, "she's been muttering your name to herself ever since that whole Hydra incident."

"Ooooh," I drawled, rubbing my hands together mischievously. "Sounds like someone's a little obsessed. Maybe she has a crush? That would be so embarrassing for her."

We both burst into laughter as we started walking away from the boutique. As we did, the rest of the girls came into view, heading toward us. They must've noticed our laughter, as their curiosity was instantly piqued.

"What's so funny?" Pinkie asked, appearing out of nowhere right beside me. I barely managed to suppress my surprise and instead turned my gaze toward Twilight, a teasing smirk creeping onto my face.

"Apparently, Twilight has been whispering my name to herself," I said casually.

Her face instantly turned a deep shade of red.

"At least, that's what this one says," I added, jerking my thumb toward Spike. "It's alright, Twilight, I get it. I know I'm sexy," I quipped, lacing my fingers behind my head.

"That's not what happened!" she sputtered.

I feigned a thoughtful look. "Oh, so Spike was lying then?"

"That's not what I meant!"

"Then what did you mean?" I pressed, my grin widening.

She opened her mouth, then snapped it shut, clearly flustered. After a moment, she blurted out, "It's because of the Winter Prophecy!"

As soon as the words left her mouth, she slapped both hands over it, eyes wide in regret.

"Prophecy, you say?" I tilted my head playfully. The group fell into a heavy silence, waiting for my reaction. Twilight, still mortified, stared at me like she was hoping the ground would swallow her whole. Slowly, I nodded, sucking my teeth as I let the revelation sink in, clicking my tongue thoughtfully before flashing Twilight a smirk.

"Neat."

Applejack leaned toward Pinkie and whispered, "He really is an odd one."

Pinkie simply nodded, completely unbothered.

Unfortunately for Applejack, I wasn’t the only one who heard her. Fluttershy frowned slightly, clearly displeased.

"Applejack, that wasn't very nice," She said softly, her expression a mixture of disappointment and concern. "That was actually kind of rude, don’t you think?"

Before anyone could respond, I waved it off with a chuckle. "It's alright, Fluttershy, don't worry about it. She’s not wrong." I grinned, stuffing my hands into my pockets. "Besides, who wants to be normal anyway?"

"Speakin' of normal," Rainbow Dash suddenly piped up as we strolled along the dirt and gravel path. "What's with the white hair? Ain't that supposed to happen when you're, like... old or somethin'?"

"Rainbow!" Fluttershy scolded, shooting her a disapproving glance.

"It's fine, Fluttershy," I reassured her before turning to Rainbow. "To answer your question, it happened fairly recently. I went through a rough patch—lots of stress, and, well... my hair just started greying. Eventually, it went completely white."

"Ah, shoot, man. Sorry about that," Rainbow muttered, rubbing the back of her neck.

I waved it off with a small smile. "It's all in the past now." I patted her shoulder before glancing toward Applejack. She didn’t say anything, but the sympathetic look in her eyes told me she believed my story. Technically, I wasn’t lying.

Smirking, I gave her shoulder a slight elbow bump. "Besides, it's rich getting a hair comment from you when you're the one walking around with a pride flag on your head."

She paused, looking at the stray locks of rainbow hair dangling in front of her face before bursting out in laughter. "Yeah...yeah, you got me there."

"So, what’s your plan now?" Twilight asked, tilting her head curiously.

I exhaled, my gaze drifting over the village, where various shops and market stalls lined the streets. "Dunno. Stick around for a bit, get whatever Rarity wanted to give me, and...after that, I’m not really sure."

"Why's that?" Pinkie asked—suddenly perched on my shoulders. How she got up there without me noticing, I had no idea. And somehow, she weighed as much as a feather.

"I just..." I hesitated, struggling to find the right words. "...Nowhere has ever really felt like home."

That stopped them in their tracks. As I glanced around, I could see the different reactions—shock, sadness, confusion, or maybe some mix of all three. Back on Earth, I was always moving, never staying in one place for too long. It wasn’t because I lost interest or that any place was bad. I just never found that spot—the one that feels right. The one that feels like home.

Pinkie quickly hopped off my shoulders as Applejack stepped forward, placing a gentle hand on my back where Pinkie had been. "You'll find your place soon enough."

"Yeah!" Pinkie grinned, throwing an arm around my neck, forcing me to bend my back to her level. "Maybe it's here! You never know!"

I chuckled, returning the gesture. "Yeah, maybe you're right. I won’t know unless I give this place a real chance."

Seemingly taking the hint, Spike perked up and quickly stepped in front of me, eyes brimming with excitement. "Why don’t I give you a tour? I know this place like the back of my hand!"

Smirking at his enthusiasm, I ruffled his spines lightly. "Sure thing, wee man."

"You guys go ahead! I gotta take care of something at Sugarcube Corner!" And just like that, Pinkie vanished, leaving behind a dust silhouette of herself, which quickly faded in the breeze.

Applejack shook her head with an amused sigh. "Ain't never gonna get used to that." She adjusted her hat. "I got some chores back at the barn. I'll catch up with y’all later."

One by one, the rest of the group made their own excuses to leave, but there was a certain glint in their eyes—like they were in on something I wasn't supposed to know. Of course, I had a pretty good idea of what was coming, but I played along. No need to spoil their fun.

"Alright, Spike," I said, turning to the young dragon with a grin. "Lead the way."

Spike wasted no time grabbing my wrist, eagerly tugging me along as he dragged me through the bustling streets, determined to show me every nook and cranny of town. I played along without resistance, knowing full well that I had a massive weight advantage—not just because of the hefty sword strapped to my back but also because the excitable boy barely reached my mid-chest. As he led me through the winding roads, I made a mental map of key landmarks, ensuring I could navigate the town with ease later on, knowing I would more than likely need it. From the grand town hall to a flower shop buzzing with activity—seemingly run by a trio of skilled florists—the town’s layout was beginning to take shape in my mind. Other notable stops included the local schoolhouse, the quaint yet well-stocked library, and a delightful sweet shop owned by none other than Bonbon herself.

Speaking of which, as our tour continued, I couldn't help but notice several familiar faces from the show's background—beloved characters brought to life. Derpy floated nearby, narrowly avoiding a lamppost. Lyra lounged on a bench, absorbed in a book, though I couldn’t quite make out the title. Big Mac trudged along with his usual steady, purposeful gait. Cheerilee greeted students with a warm smile, while Vinyl Scratch bobbed her head to the heavy bass thumping through her ever-present headphones. Bon Bon, of course, was busy running her shop.

Yet one face was conspicuously absent—Octavia. As much as I would have loved to spot her, I had a feeling it wouldn’t be long before I'd be meeting her.

Before long—perhaps a few hours after we’d set off—the sky began to darken, casting deep shades of purple and gold over the rooftops.

As we made our way back through town, an eerie silence settled over the streets. Just minutes ago, the town had been bustling with life, but now, not a single soul was in sight. The complete absence of activity set off alarms in my head, though not in the way one might expect. I knew exactly what was happening. A smirk tugged at my lips as I side-eyed my unsuspecting guide, who remained blissfully unaware of my realization.

Eventually, we arrived at Sugarcube Corner, and if I hadn’t already been certain, the scene before me all but confirmed my suspicions.

Every light was out. The doors were firmly shut. The only sound was the whisper of the wind threading through the buildings. It couldn’t have been more obvious if they had put up a giant neon sign that read, Suspicious Activity in Progress.

Pausing outside, a thought occurred to me. I stopped in my tracks, prompting Spike to glance back, confusion flickering across his face. Meeting his gaze, I pressed a finger to my lips, signalling him to stay quiet. His head tilted in confusion for a split second before understanding dawned, and a mischievous grin spread across his face. Nodding in silent agreement, we crept around the side of the building, making our way to the back entrance.

Slipping into the darkened kitchen, I strained my ears. The telltale sound of hushed whispers and muffled giggles carried from the next room, confirming my suspicions. Grinning, I reached for a few pots and pans, handing a couple to Spike, who barely contained his excitement. We exchanged a glance, our plan solidifying in an instant.

Carefully, we inched forward, stepping into the main room where our unsuspecting victims lay in wait. I held up three fingers, silently counting down.

Three.

Two.

One.

Chaos erupted.

We clashed the pots and pans together with reckless abandon, sending an earsplitting racket through the air. Screams and startled yelps filled the darkness as shadows darted and stumbled in every direction. The room became a war zone of flailing limbs, crashing furniture, and general pandemonium. The sound of bodies colliding, objects toppling, and startled shrieks echoed through the space.

Amidst the mayhem, Spike made a break for the light switch. The moment the room flooded with bright light, everything came to a screeching halt. A dozen startled faces stared at us, frozen mid-action, as the realization sank in. And that’s when I lost it.

Doubling over, I burst into uncontrollable laughter, clutching my sides as I wheezed between fits of cackling.

"Surprise!" I managed to shout between breathless laughs, waving my arms dramatically before succumbing to another fit of giggles that left me coughing.

"Dude, that was awesome!" Rainbow Dash exclaimed, pounding me on the back with a hearty laugh.

"I must say, I certainly wasn’t expecting that," Rarity chimed in, shaking her head with a small, amused chuckle.

"Wow! No one's ever gotten the jump on me before!" Pinkie Pie gasped, her eyes sparkling with admiration before narrowing. "How’d you know?"

"I didn’t," I admitted, finally catching my breath. "I just figured it out."

"Fair enough," Pinkie said with an exaggerated shrug as her smile returned, clearly utterly unfazed.

"Well then," I said, glancing around at the still-dazed partygoers. "What are we waiting for?" I threw my arms wide with a grin. "Let’s get this party started!"

My announcement was met with a chorus of cheers as everyone raised their cups and glasses in celebration. Looking up at the banner above, I couldn't help but smile as I read the words printed in bold, welcoming letters: Welcome to Ponyville, and Thank You for Saving Our Friends!

How the hell she had time to put all of this together, I had no idea. For the sake of my health—and possibly my sanity—I decided it was best not to question it. As the ever-energetic party planner skipped off into the crowd, the rest of the group turned their attention to me.

"So, how'd ya figure it out?" Applejack asked, holding a glass of what I assumed to be punch.

"Well, Spike mentioned she was a party planner of sorts," I replied with a casual shrug. "Combine that with her seemingly impossible abilities, and the fact that she obviously works here, it wasn’t exactly the hardest puzzle to solve."

"You really are full of surprises, aren’t you?" Rarity said with a melodic giggle as she stepped up beside me. "Speaking of which, I do believe these belong to you, darling."

Curious, I turned fully to face her, my eyes falling on the items she held out for me.

In her left hand was a watch—simple, yet undeniably elegant. A silver rim encased a deep, onyx-black face, its matching silver hands and numerals standing in crisp contrast. The leather strap was sturdy yet refined, neither too bulky nor too delicate. It had just the right amount of weight to feel substantial without being cumbersome. A beautiful piece, understated yet sophisticated.

And in her right hand, a small, silver rectangular box, intricately engraved. The craftsmanship alone was enough to take my breath away, but the moment I opened it, I felt a surge of surprise and gratitude. Inside, neatly stacked, were the playing cards I had inquired about.

Stunned, I looked up at Rarity, who simply giggled at my reaction.

"I had a feeling you’d appreciate them," She said, amusement twinkling in her eyes.

I opened my mouth to respond, but she swiftly cut me off.

"Now, now, darling," She continued, her voice warm yet firm. "I simply had to do something for the man who saved my life—and the lives of so many others. Which reminds me..."

Before I could even process her words, a bright flash went off beside her, and another item floated into view, enveloped in her magical aura.

A leather holster.

Not just any holster, but one seemingly tailor-made for the box of cards. Sleek and practical, with a simple strap along the back, it looked as though it would fit effortlessly onto a belt.

As she handed it to me, I could only stare, momentarily at a loss for words. "...I...this is...thank you."

"It’s the least I could do," She said softly, placing a gentle hand on my arm. "And once again, thank you."

With that, she turned and disappeared into the crowd, leaving me standing there, still somewhat dumbfounded.

Shaking my head, I carefully placed the silver box into the leather holster and tested its fit. A perfect match. The design even allowed the lid to open while still inside the holder—an unexpected but ingenious detail. Attaching it to my belt, I found it settled into place as if it had always belonged there. The watch, too, fit snugly around my wrist, its weight reassuring and familiar.

"She certainly knows her craft," I murmured to myself, admiring the gifts.

Just then, music began to play, a rhythmic pulse weaving through the air. Glancing around, I spotted a familiar figure behind a turntable, completely lost in her element. With effortless precision, she worked her magic, spinning tracks on a uniquely designed setup that pulsed with energy.

A slow grin spread across my face.

That gave me an idea.

"Hey guys, I'll be back," I said over my shoulder, not bothering to turn around before walking away.

"Where are you going?" Twilight asked, her voice carrying a hint of nervousness. Strange. Celestia must have told her to keep an eye on me.

"Just going to introduce myself," I replied, spinning on my heel and briefly spreading my arms for emphasis before continuing on my way.

As I approached the stage, Vinyl Scratch caught sight of me and waved enthusiastically.

"Wassup, dude? Oh, and by the way, that prank with the pots and pans? By Durin, it was absolute gold. Fuckin' hilarious!" She laughed, her energy immediately infectious. Yeah, I like her already. Hold on.

"Durin? As in Tolkien's Middle Earth Durin? One thing at a time," I thought to myself.

"Glad you enjoyed it...?" I replied, tilting my head slightly as I rotated my hand in a so-so motion.

"Oh, shit—" She quickly yanked off her headphones. "Vinyl Scratch."

We bumped fists, and a wide grin spread across my face. "Percival Felwinter."

Vinyl let out a low whistle. "Damn, that's a hell of a name."

"Hey, at least my parents didn't name me Percival Fredrickstein von Musel Klossowski de Rolo Felwinter III or something ridiculous like that," I joked, chuckling at my own absurdity.

She nearly doubled over laughing. "Good lord, man, you come up with that on the spot?"

"More or less," I admitted with a shrug.

Still laughing, she suddenly narrowed her eyes and tapped a finger against her chin. "Wait, Percival? Why does that sound familiar?"

She muttered my name under her breath a few times, her brow furrowing in thought. Then, as if struck by lightning, she snapped her fingers.

"Hold up—you’re that guy!"

"That guy?" I smirked.

"Yeah! The one who saved Rarity and the others from those Diamond Dogs, right? And took down that Hydra?"

"Oh, that guy? Yeah, I'm him," I confirmed, smirking.

Vinyl's eyes widened. "Oh, shit, dude! You’re like…a straight-up hero around here. Everyone's been talking about you!"

I sighed, shaking my head. "So much for introducing myself," I muttered under my breath before shrugging it off. "Ah, fuck it—may I?" I gestured toward the turntables.

Vinyl arched a brow. "Sure, man—if you actually know how to work it."

Stepping up to the setup, I took the microphone, giving it a few light taps to get the crowd’s attention. Conversations died down, and soon, all eyes were on me.

"First off—thank you all for the awesome welcome!" I announced, prompting cheers from the gathered ponies. "Name’s Percival, but from what I hear, most of you already know that. Now, I’ll admit, I’m not the best when it comes to introductions. But if there’s one thing I do know, it’s that music is a damn good icebreaker. So, I hope you all enjoy what I’ve got in store!"

Time to work my own kind of magic.

I started simple—an accordion melody backed by a slow, almost amateurish beat. The crowd hesitated, unsure of what to make of it. Just as intended. Then, ten seconds in, I kicked things into high gear. The bass dropped like a thunderclap, shaking the room. The sudden shift stunned everyone for a brief moment before the atmosphere exploded into movement—dancing, headbanging, and cheers as the beat pulsed through the air.

Vinyl, standing behind me, gawked for a second before hurriedly grabbing a notepad and scribbling something down.

Being an organ player comes with a few perks—coordination being the biggest. And thank god for that, because figuring out this DJ setup on the fly was tricky, even for me. But I was a fast learner. Within moments, everything flowed together perfectly, weaving into a piece that had the whole room hooked. As the final note hit, I looked up and caught sight of two particularly curious individuals watching from the crowd. Smiling to myself, I let the song fade out, drawing a wave of cheers, whistles, and enthusiastic shouts of appreciation.

Stepping back from the turntable with an over-the-top bow, I barely had a second to breathe before Vinyl yanked off her glasses and grabbed me by the shoulders.

"Dude. That. Was. Awesome!" She practically shouted, eyes gleaming with excitement. "Not to brag, but it’s rare to find someone who can work a stand as well as me!"

I smirked. "I dabble here and there," I replied with a casual shrug, giving her a friendly pat on the shoulder. "Plus, playing the organ has its advantages."

Her grin widened. "Oh, you’d love my wife."

"Sounds like someone I’ve got to meet at some point," I said with a chuckle. "But until then—enjoy the party."

As I stepped down from the stage, I made my way toward the individuals I had noticed while performing. The closer I got, the more certain I became—it was about time I acknowledged their presence to the rest of the party.

"Ah, Princesses!" I called out over the lively crowd as I approached. "A pleasure to see you!"

At the sound of my voice, the entire room fell silent, guests turning toward the two figures I had addressed. Without hesitation, they bowed deeply—everyone except me, of course.

Emerging gracefully from the kitchen, Princess Celestia and Princess Luna both wore gentle smiles, radiating an effortless elegance that caught me off guard. Yes, I had seen Celestia earlier, but I hadn’t truly taken in just how breathtaking she was. And Luna—she was equally stunning in her own right. Dressed in a gown similar to her sister’s, hers was a deep navy with a trim of light turquoise that matched her piercing eyes. Her hair was an interesting in-between—not the solid colour it had been in the show's early seasons, nor the full ethereal, starry expanse it later became. And as she stood beside her sister, I realized she was a few inches shorter than both Celestia and me.

There was no denying it—these two were revered as goddesses for a reason. Their beauty alone could justify it.

"You were indeed correct, sister," Luna spoke, her voice carrying that same angelic quality as Celestia’s, though hers was slightly lighter in pitch—no less mesmerizing, however. "He is an intriguing one."

"I aim to please!" I replied with a grin, giving them an exaggerated bow. "If I may be so bold, what brings you both here tonight?"

"I have heard many stories about you and simply wished to see you for myself," Luna answered, her smile never faltering. "And I must say, thus far, you have not disappointed."

"Oh, give it time—there’s still room for that," I quipped, earning a soft laugh from both rulers. A double win.

Then, an idea struck me.

"But to prevent that, may I interest you in another performance?"

Celestia raised a delicate brow, her expression warm with curiosity. "Oh? And what exactly do you have in mind?"

"Something I think Your Highness's should enjoy," I said, flashing a grin at the twin sisters, whose curiosity only seemed to deepen. "YO, PINKIE!"

In an instant, the pink party planner materialized beside me, startling the princesses.

"What's up, Percy?" She chirped.

"You got a guitar on you?"

"Uh, duh?" With a dramatic flourish, she pulled an acoustic guitar straight from her hair, leaving the gathered crowd—and especially the Princesses—gawking in wide-eyed disbelief.

"What?" Pinkie said with a shrug. "I keep one for emergencies."

Shaking my head with an amused chuckle, I took the instrument from her hands. "Much appreciated."

Dragging a chair near the stage, I sat down, the crowd's attention now fully on me as I began tuning the guitar. A small smile crept onto my face as I thought back to my grandfather—he could play anything, and I was just grateful he had passed some of that musical wisdom on to me before he passed.

Once satisfied with the tuning, I looked up, locking eyes with the royal sisters.

"I think you’ll appreciate this one," I said.

And with that, I started playing.

The song was a stark contrast to my previous performance, its tone far more sombre. Yet, from the very first note, I could tell I had their undivided attention.

"I hurt myself today
To see if I still feel
I focus on the pain
The only thing that's real

The needle tears a hole
The old familiar sting
Try to kill it all away
But I remember everything."

Luna’s expression shifted, her eyes widening in quiet shock. Celestia, on the other hand, regarded me with intrigue, her gaze thoughtful as she absorbed the lyrics. I let the emotion pour into every syllable, my voice gained and strained as it carried the weight of the song’s meaning. As I closed my eyes, I felt the room grow still, the once lively atmosphere now heavy with something far deeper.

"What have I become?
My sweetest friend
Everyone I know goes away
In the end

And you could have it all
My empire of dirt
I will let you down
I will make you hurt."

When I opened them again, I was met with shimmering eyes. The Princesses—those regal, near-divine figures—stood transfixed, tears threatening to spill as understanding dawned upon them.

"I wear this crown of thorns
Upon my liar's chair
Full of broken thoughts
I cannot repair

Beneath the stains of time
The feelings disappear
You are someone else
I'm still right here."

A quick glance around the room told me they weren’t the only ones affected. The Main Six, the gathered partygoers—every single one of them had tears in their eyes. The weight of the song had settled over them, leaving only the sound of quiet sniffles and soft, stifled sobs.

And yet, I continued.

"What have I become?
My sweetest friend
Everyone I know goes away
In the end

And you could have it all
My empire of dirt
I will let you down
I will make you hurt

If I could start again
A million miles away
I would keep myself
I would find a way."

As the last note faded into silence, an eerie stillness overtook the room. Dozens of faces stared back at me, filled with shock and sadness.

The Princesses let out a delicate sniffle, and suddenly, the room burst into a flurry of apologies, though aimed at both, they seemed targeted to one in particular. The sheer intensity of it seemed to leave both Rulers momentarily at a loss for words.

Satisfied that I had made my point, I set the guitar down. Then, while the crowd remained distracted, I quietly slipped away. Vinyl was leaning casually against the front door when I stepped outside, an impressed smirk tugging at her lips. She held out her fist. I bumped it without hesitation, giving her a knowing nod before stepping into the cool night air of Ponyville.

I wandered the streets aimlessly, retracing the path Spike had taken me on during his tour. The night was peaceful—almost eerily so—the cool, fresh air filling my lungs in a way that felt rejuvenating. While I had always been partial to the dense embrace of the forest, there was something uniquely liberating about the crispness of the open night air. The humidity of the woods could only offer so much relief.

Yet, as I walked, an unsettling sensation coiled in the pit of my stomach. You know, the kind of feeling that gnaws at you, whispering that something bad is coming, something you can’t prevent no matter how much you brace yourself. Yeah, that kind. And if there’s one thing I’ve learned, it’s to always trust my gut—it hasn’t failed me yet.

As I rounded the corner near the town hall, a flicker of movement caught my eye. A shadow, darting and weaving, slipping into an alleyway just before I could get a good look. Against my better judgment, I pursued. My steps were quiet, cautious, yet determined. The alley was narrow, lined with scattered crates and barrels, leading into another dimly lit street. Just ahead, the shadow reappeared, always just at the edge of my vision, elusive and deliberate.

This game of cat and mouse dragged on for several minutes, leading me in circles, retracing ground I had already covered. It was toying with me—of that, I was certain. It knew I was following and was either trying to shake me or playing some twisted game. Neither option sat well with me. No matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t get a full glimpse of it. It remained just beyond my sight, offering only brief, taunting flashes—a shifting silhouette, a flick of movement. And I had the sinking suspicion it was well aware of my frustration.

But like all games, this one had to end.

Emerging onto the town’s main street, near the outskirts, I finally saw it. And what I saw made my blood run cold.

It stood there, an abomination ripped straight from Orcadian folklore. A hulking equine figure, its grotesque head lolling unnaturally, while the conjoined rider atop it regarded me with a lazy, yet disturbingly aware gaze. The rider’s elongated arms dangled lifelessly, their gnarled fingers scraping the ground. The horse-like head, with its grotesquely large, gaping maw, exhaled a toxic vapour so pungent I swore I could taste it from where I stood. But the worst of it—the part that sent ice flooding through my veins—was the single, monstrous eye, burning red like a smouldering ember, locked onto me with an unsettling intensity.

And the rider...if you could even call it that. It barely resembled a man. A twisted mass of flesh and bone, its body lacking any real definition beyond a vaguely humanoid shape. Twin pulsating red eyes glowed within its misshapen form, its entire body devoid of skin, black blood coursing through grotesquely yellow veins. The exposed sinew and muscle twitched in a slow, rhythmic pulse as if the thing itself were barely holding together. In its gnarled grasp, a thick, black iron spear gleamed ominously in the dim light.

A Nuckelavee.

I froze.

What the fuck is that thing doing here?!

I had known things in this world were different, but this was beyond anything I had prepared for. This was a terrifying leap from the source material, a nightmarish deviation that sent my mind into overdrive. It stared at me. I stared back. And just when I thought this couldn’t get any worse—

Something inside me clicked.

My eyes narrowed, instincts kicking in with an almost unnatural clarity. The beast noticed. It hesitated. Just slightly, but enough. The equine head bobbed as if startled, its rider shifting in an almost imperceptible movement. Something in me snapped—not in fear, not in rage, but in a way that felt eerily calm. Like my sense of self-preservation had simply...vanished.

Stepping out onto the open street, I glanced toward Sugar Cube Corner. The party was still going strong, oblivious to the nightmare standing just outside the festivities. My gaze flicked back to the creature. It was waiting. For what, I couldn’t tell. But the impulse in my head—whatever primal instinct was guiding me—urged me forward.

A slow smile spread across my face.

Taking a deep breath, I spoke, voice steady, unwavering.

"Into the fires of battle! Unto the anvil of war!"

Stomping my foot, I surged forward, a blur of motion as the beast reacted—its gangly arms rising just as I whizzed past. A burst of air trailed in my wake, buffeting the creature as it turned to track me.

I rolled my shoulders, grinning as I met its gaze head-on.

"Let’s have some fun then, shall we?"

The beast recovered far faster than I had anticipated, whipping around with alarming speed before lunging at me. My heart pounded as I drew my sword—this was the true test of my skill.

Charging forward, our blades met in a violent clash, the impact sending both of us skidding backwards. We sprang to our feet in unison, weapons flashing as we struck again, this time merely deflecting each other’s blows. A relentless exchange followed—a whirlwind of slashes, parries, and redirections, each of us seeking an opening. But the sheer speed at which this creature fought was staggering. I had expected it to be dangerous, but I had underestimated just how much. Perhaps I had been a little too confident.

I struggled to contain the fight, doing my best to prevent destruction from spilling into the town. But the beast was relentless, attacking with reckless abandon, its wild strikes obliterating carts, stalls, and anything else unfortunate enough to be in the way. If this continued, the town would suffer. I needed to move this fight elsewhere.

Seizing an opportunity, I leapt onto its spear as it thrust forward, balancing for a split second before wiggling my eyebrows at the creature in mockery. Confused, it hesitated—just long enough for me to drive my foot into its chest with all my strength as orange flame trailed behind it, sizzling and charring the skin on its chest slightly and sending it hurtling toward the hill where I had first spoken with Celestia.

I pursued it as it crashed into the earth, but the beast recovered almost instantly, planting its spear into the ground. Its arms twisted and morphed, reshaping into thick, wickedly sharp blades. I smirked at the sight. Planting my own sword into the dirt, I mimed revving it like an engine, even adding my own sound effects.

That did the trick.

The beast screeched, its fury evident as it launched itself at me, its banshee-like wail cutting through the air. I met its charge head-on, our blades colliding in a flurry of rapid strikes. The tempo of our battle had increased dramatically, each blow exchanged faster than the last. Yet, to my own surprise, I was keeping up.

Adrenaline sharpened my reflexes, my instincts taking over. My movements grew faster, and more precise. The beast faltered, forced onto the defensive, its attacks becoming sloppier in its desperation. Sensing its panic, I pressed harder.

Then it made its final, fatal mistake.

In a desperate bid to end me, it raised both of its bladed arms high before bringing them down with all its might. I saw the opening. With a single upward slash, my blade tore through the air, severing the creature’s equine head and taking one of its arms along with it. The beast shrieked in agony, but I wasn’t done. Pivoting, I swung my sword once more, slicing through the connection between the rider and its mount, cleanly bisecting them.

I watched as the creature collapsed, its lifeless form hitting the ground with a dull thud. Exhaling slowly, I allowed my head to tip back, relishing a brief moment of respite.

But it was short-lived.

Before I could fully lower my guard, a sudden shout cut through the air.

"Percival, move!"

I barely had time to process the warning before a sensation lanced through my thigh. A collective gasp echoed around me. Looking down, I saw the jagged tip of the Nuckelavee’s arm blade protruding from the front of my leg, slick with my blood.

A guttural growl escaped my lips. Without hesitation, I swung my sword, severing its last remaining arm before stomping down, silencing its final, pitiful scream. My foot met flesh and bone, and then—nothing. Grimacing out of a reflex rather than real pain, I gripped the embedded blade and yanked it free. Blood gushed onto the vibrant green grass beneath me, an alarming amount, but oddly enough, the pain was barely there. At most, a dull ache.

"My pain tolerance is so damn inconsistent," I thought.

A chorus of shocked gasps made me turn. A short distance away stood the main six, Spike, and the two Princesses, their faces painted with various degrees of horror. Celestia was the first to react, snapping out of her stupor and rushing toward me, prompting the others to follow. By the time I met them halfway, something strange had happened—my leg felt as good as new. Glancing down, I wiped away the blood, only to find smooth, unbroken skin beneath. No wound. Not even a scar.

Celestia and Rarity reached me first, their hands igniting with magic as warmth spread through my leg, a sensation unlike anything I had ever felt before. So this is what healing magic feels like.

But before they could finish, I took a step back.

"I don't think that'll be necessary," I said.

Rarity looked absolutely horrified. "Darling, you have blood running down your leg! You need help!"

"You have been stabbed, good Sir Felwinter. You require assistance," Luna added, her tone firm.

I shook my head. "I have an increased healing factor. I'll be fine," I reassured them.

As they opened their mouths to argue, Applejack cut in. "He ain't lyin'." The disbelief in her voice was as clear as day.

Her reaction only confirmed my suspicions. I gave her a small nod of appreciation as she reluctantly nodded back, though scepticism still lingered on her face. The moment of silence didn't last long—soon, the group bombarded me with questions I didn’t have answers to. As they continued their interrogation, I turned away and approached the remains of the beast, ignoring their voices as I studied the scene before me.

"Well, well...look what we have here," I muttered under my breath.

My attention was drawn to the weapons. The spear and blade appeared to be composed of different materials. At first glance, they both seemed to be forged from some kind of wrought iron-like metal, but upon closer inspection, I noticed the subtle differences. The blades were indeed metal, yet the spear was something else entirely—a stone-like material with a dark, ominous sheen.

Reaching out, I moved to grab the spear—only to be stopped in an instant.

"Don't!" Celestia’s voice rang out sharply as she seized my wrist.

I turned to her, my expression blank, silently questioning her urgency.

"That's Black Iron Stone," She explained.

I arched a brow. "And that means...?"

Celestia hesitated, letting go of my wrist before she sighed. "It's an ore found in the deepest reaches of Terra’s crust. Extremely rare...and incredibly dangerous."

"A disturbing sight to be sure," Luna murmured, eyeing the weapon warily. "Especially for a being like a Nuckelavee to be wielding."

Twilight, who had been silent up until now, suddenly gasped. "Wait—a Nuckelavee!?" Her voice rose in pitch. "What is a Demon of Legend doing here!?"

I didn't answer immediately, instead keeping my gaze fixed on the embedded spear. The pieces were coming together, forming an unsettling picture.

"Two powerful rulers of an entire kingdom are in a small, quaint village with minimal security and little resistance to reach them," I said at last. "I think it's fairly easy to guess why it’s here."

Twilight stiffened. "You mean to tell me this thing was trying to assassinate the Princesses!?"

"Yeeaah...don’t you think that’s a little far-fetched?" Rainbow Dash’s sceptical voice chimed in from behind me.

"What exactly is Black Iron Stone used for?" I asked, ignoring Rainbow’s doubt.

Celestia hesitated again, her expression darkening. "To kill immortals," She admitted. "But to see it forged into a weapon of this size…that's deeply concerning."

"There you have it," I said, my voice grim. "An assassin. And a competent one, at that."

A rustling noise caught my attention—just barely, at the edge of my hearing. No one else seemed to notice. Slowly, I turned my gaze to the tree line. Shadows flickered between the trees, blocking out patches of the fading light. We weren’t alone.

We were being watched.

"What do you see?" Luna whispered, stepping up beside me with her sister.

I narrowed my eyes at the tree line. "We may have a problem," I murmured back. Turning, I took a step toward the group of friends behind me. "Twilight, can you get a shield around the town? And how fast?"

The group’s attention snapped to me, confusion flashing across their faces. "Uh... yes! I think so," Twilight stammered. "It would take me a minute. Why?"

Ignoring her question, I shifted my gaze to the Princesses. "How fast can you get a battalion of Guards here?" My tone was calm, measured—yet the weight behind it sent unease rippling through the group.

"It would take a few hours," Luna replied, matching my tone.

I clenched my jaw. "Shit, we might not have a few minutes."

"Percival, what is happening?" Celestia demanded.

"We're being watched." I didn’t bother glancing at the forest. "And I can say with absolute certainty that whatever it is, it's not a friendly sort."

Luna inhaled sharply. "You suspect an attack."

"Yes." I turned to the others. "We need to get back to town and prepare. Now."

Celestia studied me. "Are you absolutely certain this is the best course of action?"

Before I could answer, a thought struck me. "Applejack."

"...What?" she asked warily.

"No one's at the barn, right?"

The colour drained from her face. Without a word, she spun and bolted toward her home. I lunged forward, grabbing her wrist and pulling her close, steadying her with a firm grip on her hip as she struggled against me.

"Lemme go, dammit!" She yelled, trying to break free.

"Relax!" I growled, forcing authority into my voice. "Give me a minute."

She hesitated, her struggle weakening. I cast a quick glance back toward the shadows in the forest. Their numbers had dwindled. My stomach twisted.

Then I saw them—figures darting toward the barn. "Shit!"

"What?!" Applejack demanded.

"Celestia!" I barked. "Get to the barn. If anyone’s there, get them to town!"

She turned to me. "What did you see?"

"No time! You need to go—now!"

She hesitated only for a moment before golden light flared around her. Applejack wrenched herself from my grasp and lunged forward, slamming a hand onto Celestia’s shoulder just as the spell took hold. With a blinding flash, they vanished.

"Applejack!" Her friends cried out.

"They’ll be fine!" I reassured them. "They’ll have time. Twilight, Luna, Rarity—I need you three in town. Get a shield up as fast as possible!"

Luna frowned. "And the Guards you requested?"

"We don’t have time to wait. Just get to town and be ready." I exhaled sharply. "Raise the shield the moment Celestia and Applejack return."

A distant sound made my pulse spike. Birds erupted from the trees, their frantic cries splitting the air. The forest trembled with crashing branches and the deep, guttural shattering of stone.

I turned to face the woods, my heartbeat hammering in my ears as adrenaline surged through me.

"Remember—on my mark!"

"But what about you?!" Rarity protested. "Surely you don’t mean to fight alone!"

I smirked. "Do as I say. And don’t call me Shirley."

The group hesitated before obeying, rushing toward town. Only Luna remained. She stepped closer, studying me with an unreadable expression. "What are you going to do?"

I cracked my knuckles as I rolled my shoulders, a slow grin forming. "Well," I murmured. "It’s only polite to introduce yourself, isn’t it?"

Focusing my senses, I heard the rhythmic thud of approaching footsteps, heavy and urgent. Turning toward the forest, I caught sight of a figure bursting through the underbrush—Zecora, or at least who I assumed to be her, sprinting for her life. In one swift motion, she flung a small glass bottle over her shoulder. The vial shattered upon impact, erupting into a violent burst of green fire. Agonized screeches echoed from the forest, but the stampede charging after her did not falter.

She locked eyes with me, her expression wild with urgency. I motioned her over while instinctively stepping back toward town. Skidding slightly in the dirt, she changed course, sprinting toward me with all the speed she could muster. Just as she reached my side, I drew Ace and opened fire, the explosive retort of my gun splitting the air. She flinched, covering her ears against the deafening barrage.

From the depths of the forest, they emerged—a dozen or more demons, their grotesque forms silhouetted against the dying light. Their shapes varied wildly, each an abomination in its own right, their howls and roars merging into a hellish symphony of chaos.

One, smaller compared to the others, stood around six feet tall. It bore an unsettling insectoid form—a grotesque fusion of humanoid and arthropod. A distorted human torso stretched over a thick, bulbous abdomen, from which sprouted eight gnarled legs. Insect wings buzzed from its back, their vibrations sending ripples through the air. Its head was a mockery of humanity, resembling a grinning skull, its lower jaw split into writhing mandibles, while an exposed brain pulsed grotesquely from the back of its head.

Another loomed taller, a head or two above the first. Its frame was gaunt yet unnervingly powerful, digitigrade legs supporting a thick, barrel-like chest reinforced by an exposed ribcage that acted as natural armour. Its arms were impossibly long, curling inward toward its body, each human-like hand tipped with three-foot-long, gleaming blades. A sinuous neck stretched upward, supporting an elongated head lined with jagged, razor-sharp teeth.

But the last one—this one commanded attention. Towering over the others at ten, perhaps eleven feet tall, it was a living nightmare clad in deep red segmented armour. A tattered cloth skirt billowed around its legs, carried by the unnatural wind that seemed to follow it. Its helmet, a nightmarish visage reminiscent of a warlord, bore down at me with glowing, fiery eyes. In its metallic grasp, a curved, wickedly sharp blade reflected the last remnants of daylight.

A sickly green ichor dripped from one of the insectoid creatures—evidence that Zecora’s efforts had not been in vain. She had wounded at least one.

Taking aim at a smaller demon, I fired. The bullet struck its bloated head, igniting its body in an explosion of yellow and orange flame. The blast sent several of its kin flying, their screeches cut short as fire consumed them. Let me tell you—Ace felt amazing to shoot. The demons outside the explosion’s radius stumbled, thrown off balance by the sheer force of the shockwave.

"Go! Run to town! As fast as you can! Don’t look back!" I shouted as Zecora sped past me, her breath ragged.

I turned my sights on the armoured behemoth, squeezing the trigger. My bullets struck true, but they barely slowed it down—denting the armour at best. My gut twisted as I caught sight of something in the distance—dark smoke rising in thick columns from Sweet Apple Acres.

"Damn it!" I growled, holstering Ace. Turning, I wrenched my sword from the ground, its edge gleaming in the dim light. More demons crashed through the tree line, their sheer numbers an overwhelming tide of monstrosities.

"Oh, shit," I muttered under my breath before bellowing, "GET THAT SHIELD UP, NOW!"

"Sir Percival! There are too many! You must retreat!" Luna’s voice rang out, desperate, pleading.

"Percival!" The various voices of the Main Six called out.

"SHIELD, NOW!" I roared back, leaving no room for argument.

Hesitation lingered in the air, but at last, compliance. A shimmer of magic surged over the town, forming a protective barrier. Three distinct hues—purple, navy blue, and cyan—intertwined, blending together like oil swirling in water.

Surging forward, I effortlessly cut down the smaller demons, their shrieks barely registering in my ears. The mid-sized ones put up more of a fight, their claws scraping against my blade with desperate ferocity, but in the end, they fared no better than their lesser kin. With a practised motion, I drew Ace, firing off several rounds. My shots missed their heads but still tore through their bodies, dropping them where they stood.

As the last bullet left the chamber, I ejected the empty casing with a flick of my wrist. Instinct took over as my hand reached beneath my coat, fingers closing around a freshly materialized, fully loaded cylinder. There was no time to question the impossibility of it. Slamming it into place, I snapped the revolver shut, white smoke curling from the chamber like a breath from the void.

A smirk tugged at my lips as I took aim at the largest demon I could find. My finger tightened on the trigger, and the shot rang out. The bullet struck true, tearing through the monster’s armour with ease. A second later, its head erupted in a gruesome explosion of blood and bright orange fire. Its body followed suit, the detonation engulfing a cluster of demons in a searing inferno. When the smoke cleared, only a handful remained.

For a moment, they hesitated, their glowing eyes darting to the charred remains of their fallen. Then, rage took over. With guttural roars, they charged faster than before, their bloodlust boiling over.

I met them head-on. My sword flashed as I struck them down as quickly as possible, knowing hesitation meant death. But before I could finish them all, two demons with bladed arms rushed me, launching a relentless flurry of attacks. I deflected most of their strikes, my arms burning from the exertion. Even with four blades between them and the element of surprise lost, I was still holding my own, but it wasn't easy. My skin stung where their weapons nicked me, blood seeping from fresh wounds. A stitch was beginning to form in my side.

"Sir Percival!"

"Stay back!" I barked, my focus locked on the enemies before me.

As I spoke, a larger demon—not quite as massive as the first, but still formidable—joined the fray. With a snarl, it swung a massive sword in a sweeping arc. I leaped into the air just in time, though not without consequence—pain lanced through my legs as the smaller demons’ claws caught me mid-jump. Below, the giant blade carved through them, sending steaming blood, flesh, and bone flying in all directions.

I landed just as the brute roared in fury and swung again. This time, I vaulted forward, closing the distance before it could recover. My sword plunged into the underside of its jaw, the steel piercing straight through. The demon let out a strangled gurgle before its body went limp, collapsing with a heavy thud. Tearing my blade out from the front of the beast's head, I cleaved it cleanly two as I waited.

Silence.

I strained my ears, listening for any remaining threats. Nothing. Only the distant crackle of dying flames and the slow settling of dust. Celestia's fight must have ended as well. Hopefully, she hadn’t had as hard a time as I did.

Exhaling deeply, I let my shoulders sag, sheathing my sword as exhaustion crept in. This was my first real battle of the night, and I was already feeling its weight. My breath came in heavy, uneven huffs. Turning toward the forest, I scanned the treeline. No movement. No lingering shadows. Just an eerie stillness. Sweat dripped from my brow as I made my way toward the shield.

On the other side, the gathered group stared at me, their faces a mix of shock and concern.

"Anyone seen Celestia or Applejack?" I asked, wiping the sweat from my forehead.

"They're not here!" Rarity called out.

"Where are they?!" Twilight’s voice cracked with worry.

A murmur of unrest rippled through the crowd, panic setting in.

"Look there!" Luna pointed toward the treeline.

Following her gaze, I spotted a faint golden glow flickering through the dense trees—a dome of light, barely visible beyond the canopy.

"Luna, stay here. I'll ensure their safety," I said, already moving toward the treeline. "Keep this shield up and everyone inside it safe."

She hesitated, concern flashing in her eyes. "So be it. But who will keep you safe?"

I shot her a tired grin. "My award-winning smile," I quipped before breaking into a sprint, heading straight for the barn house.

I sprinted toward the shimmering shield, my heart pounding violently against my ribs. A flicker of concern gnawed at me. I knew Celestia was powerful—painfully obvious, really—but she also had others to protect. That would undoubtedly hinder her ability to fight effectively.

As I neared the barrier, I saw that it enveloped the entire house like a protective dome. The barn had taken some damage, its wooden frame showing deep gouges, and a few of the apple trees bore scars from the battle. But overall, the destruction seemed minimal. Now, I just needed to make sure everyone inside was okay. Slowing my pace, I walked to the part of the shield directly in front of the house and cupped my hands around my mouth.

"Applejack! Celestia!" I called out.

Silence.

A pit formed in my stomach. I clenched my jaw and pounded my fist against the barrier. "Celestia!"

A muffled but unmistakable voice called back. "Percival!?"

Relief surged through me, and I exhaled sharply. "Oh, thank God," I muttered under my breath. "Is everyone alright?"

A moment later, the door creaked open, and the group stepped outside. Applejack led the way, followed closely by Celestia, Granny Smith, and Applebloom. Big Mac wasn’t there, but I already knew he was in town. Seeing them all in one piece, I released a breath I hadn't realized I was holding and managed a tired smile.

"Good. Saw the shield and feared the worst," I admitted, leaning forward with my hands on my knees, taking a moment to catch my breath.

Celestia arched a brow while a small smirk tugged at her lips. "Didn’t think I could handle it?"

I waved a dismissive hand at her. "Bah! There were more demons waiting than I expected. I wasn’t sure how bad things got over here."

The Princess sighed lightly. "Yes, well, I don’t know how many you assumed were here, but it was far more than anticipated. We had no choice but to hold our ground."

"How many?"

"There must have been ten of them!" Applebloom chimed in, her wide grin betraying the severity of the situation.

I let out a low whistle, glancing at Celestia. "Good thing you were here, then."

"Yes, indeed—" She suddenly stiffened, eyes going wide. "Behind you!"

The warning barely registered before searing pain shot through my torso. A force slammed me forward, pinning me against the shield. My breath hitched.

I looked down.

A spear jutted from my stomach, its tip glistening with my own blood.

"Percival!" Celestia’s voice was raw with panic as she pressed her hands against the shield.

I pushed off the barrier, the spear wrenching free with a sickening scrape. Staggering forward, I reached for it, determined to pull it out—but before I could, more struck.

One after another, they tore through my flesh.

I barely had time to react before four more spears embedded themselves in my body. My knees buckled. Blood welled in my throat, spilling past my lips as I coughed violently. Horror-stricken faces blurred before me. One spear impaled my right shoulder. Another lodged near my hip. A third had driven deep into my lower abdomen, and the last speared clean through my chest—so close to my heart I could feel its panicked rhythm flutter against the cold steel.

Too close.

If my healing factor was as potent as I believed, I might survive this. But if my heart was punctured? That was another story entirely.

"Percival!" Celestia’s anguished scream cut through the haze. Applejack and Granny Smith shielded a trembling Applebloom, covering her eyes as tears streamed down their faces.

"Jävla...mamma," I gurgled, my Swedish slipping through the pain.

The sound of gnashing teeth snapped me from my stupor. With effort, I turned my head, my vision swimming. Goblin-like demons leered at me from the shadows, their jagged teeth bared in wicked grins.

Staring at the spears lodged in my body, I grit my teeth and reach for the one embedded in my shoulder. With a sharp yank, I tear it free, a jolt of searing pain shooting down my neck. I swear, my pain tolerance is the most inconsistent thing ever. The moment the spear leaves my flesh, I feel the strange sensation of my wound slowly beginning to close, growing and knitting itself shut. It’s sluggish—too sluggish. With the sheer number of holes decorating my body, I estimate it’ll take hours before I’m anywhere close to normal. Still, at least I know I’ll heal…eventually.

Without a second thought, I hurl the spear with all the strength I can muster. It whistles through the air before impaling one of the goblins, pinning it to a tree. It thrashes, kicking and writhing, before finally going still. Wasting no time, I yank out the remaining spears as fast as my battered body allows, flinging them at the remaining goblins with rapid precision. On the final throw, my vision blurs, and my knees buckle beneath me. I collapse onto one, my breath coming in ragged, uneven gasps.

A dark red puddle spreads beneath me. Thick. Ominous.

"It's alright, Percival! Just hold on!" Celestia’s voice cuts through the haze, urgent and desperate.

Then, as if the situation wasn’t dire enough, a massive demon—one of the same kind I had slain before—bursts forth from the orchard. It halts fifteen feet away, arms crossed, watching. Waiting. This one is bigger than the last. Stronger, most likely.

Gripping Ace, I steady myself as best I can.

"Keep...that shield...up," I gasp, barely able to get the words out.

"Percival Felwinter! You are in no condition to fight!" Celestia protests, her voice tinged with both fear and frustration.

"Ah can help too! Ah ain't no pushover who's gonna let ‘em touch mah family!" Applejack said firmly from beside the Solar Princess, unwavering.

Despite everything, I manage a weak smile. Both of them stare at me, stunned that I can still muster the energy for it. "I can't use magic, and your family needs you," I say, my words light yet firm. Spreading my arms slightly, I let out a breath. "This...is the best I can do."

Summoning every last ounce of resolve, I straighten, standing as tall as my battered body allows. The demon, as if accepting my challenge, reaches for the massive sword on its back and steps forward at an agonizingly slow pace. Once I’m in range, it rears back, ready to strike.

And then—darkness. My vision cuts out completely.

I don’t even see the attack coming. The moment its blade connects, I’m sent flying straight into the shield with bone-rattling force. Both women cry out in alarm. Stars burst across my vision as I bounce off of the shield,. Weakly stumbling to my feet, I lean against the golden dome, using it for support. Then, to their utter disbelief, I push myself upright and—despite everything—wink at them.

Their expressions are priceless.

Turning back to the demon, I watch as it prepares the same attack, its blade gleaming menacingly in the moonlight. This time, I react.

As the sword swings toward me, I pivot sharply on my heel, bending my body just enough to slip past the incoming strike. In one fluid motion, I spin, coming to a stop directly beneath the beast. Ace is already aimed at its chin.

"Jackpot."

I pull the trigger.

One shot. That’s all it takes.

The demon’s head vanishes in an instant, and its body erupts into harmless, smouldering embers around me. The lingering flames lick at my coat, sending its tails into a brief frenzy, but they do nothing to me.

Silence settles over the battlefield.

The feeling of danger dissipates. The adrenaline drains from my body. And with it, the full weight of my injuries crashes down on me like a tidal wave. Gritting my teeth, I slowly turn to face the others, their eyes filled with a mixture of awe, relief, and concern. I exhale, unsteady but standing.

"The coast is clear," I said, throwing a sloppy salute.

I put a little too much force behind it and immediately regretted the motion as my balance wavered. Before I could steady myself, my body folded in on itself, and I collapsed to my hands and knees. A violent shudder racked my frame as I retched, expelling a torrent of blood and bile onto the scorched ground as a weak, pathetic cough escaped me. I forced myself upright, every muscle in my body screaming in protest. As my blurred vision refocused, I turned just in time to see the shield fall.

"Hold on, Percival!"

Celestia's voice rang out, urgent and commanding. She rushed toward me, hands already alight with golden magic. I caught her gaze as she reached for me and grasped her hands firmly.

"No...we need to get back to town…make sure everyone’s safe," I said, my breath shallow and uneven.

"YOU NEED HEALING!" she shouted, exasperation clear in her tone.

I managed a weak smirk, though it likely looked more like a grimace. "What’s more important? My life, or the lives of the townsfolk?"

"For the love of—will ya stop bein’ so darn stubborn?!" Applejack interjected, arms crossed in frustration.

"Not until...we're back in town," I insisted, barely able to keep my legs from buckling.

"Young’un's got a death wish," Granny Smith muttered with a shake of her head.

Celestia hesitated, clearly torn between reason and my sheer stubbornness. Finally, after a tense moment, she exhaled sharply.

"Very well," she conceded. "But we heal you the moment we arrive."

"Only if...we're in the clear," I countered weakly, my breath ragged and uneven

She gave me a long, measuring look before sighing, seemingly realising it would be better to do as I suggested rather than argue. "Gather around."

Applejack and her family huddled in close, and I attempted to move on my own, only for my legs to nearly give out. Applejack caught me just in time, slinging my arm over her shoulder to keep me steady.

In a flash of golden light, the battlefield vanished.

We reappeared atop the hill where I had fought the demons, the lingering scent of blood and smoke still thick in the air. My eyes scanned our surroundings. Nothing stirred. Finally—mercifully—the coast was clear. I sighed in relief.

Then, my knees buckled.

Applejack tried to catch me, but I was already falling, my body giving up the fight. I hit the ground hard, landing on my back with a dull thud.

"Sister!" Luna’s voice cut through the haze creeping at the edges of my mind.

"Luna, I need your help! Percival is in critical condition!" Celestia cried out.

My body felt leaden, my limbs sluggish, as Applejack carefully adjusted me so my head rested on her lap. Celestia dropped to her knees beside me, her hands glowing with magic. From my periphery, I saw Luna and Rarity skid to a stop, quickly kneeling beside her. Without hesitation, they, too, ignited their magic and pressed their hands gently against my abdomen. Warmth flooded my body, soothing yet overwhelming, like the first breath of spring after a brutal winter.

My hearing dulled, and the edges of my vision blurred. The world around me seemed to waver, distant and unreal. But even through the haze, I heard it—the heavy thud of countless footsteps rushing toward us. With effort, I turned my head slightly, my gaze unfocused but determined.

A crowd. A massive one.

The entire town had come.

But what stunned me more than their presence was their faces—tear-streaked, solemn, filled with emotion. Some wept openly, others held onto loved ones for support, but every single one of them wore an expression of gratitude, of sorrow.

"Everyone's...crying?" I murmured, my voice barely a whisper.

A warm drop landed on my forehead. I glanced up as best I could and found Applejack gazing down at me, tears trailing freely down her cheeks.

"Of course we are," She said softly, cupping my face with gentle hands. Her thumbs brushed over my skin in slow, soothing motions, grounding me. "Ya saved us."

Celestia’s voice followed, though I was too weak to turn toward her. "You fought for this town, risked your life, and suffered grievous wounds in the process," She stated firmly, though her voice was as soft and as gentle as I knew it to be. "Did you truly think we wouldn’t be grateful?"

I let out a faint chuckle, though it barely carried past my lips. "We only just met today."

Luna's smile was sad but warm as the two sisters entered my field of vision. "And yet, you fought valiantly for us regardless. Why would you think so little of us?"

My body relaxed at her words, exhaustion creeping in like an unstoppable tide. My eyelids grew unbearably heavy, and my breathing slowed. I didn’t resist as unconsciousness pulled me under. I heard Applejack shout my name, but her voice was lost to the void. A final, peaceful smile lingered on my lips as everything went dark.

Author's Note

As the name of the chapter said, that escalated quickly
this could very easily be one of, if not the longest piece I've ever written, so I'm quite pleased with that, and I'm rather happy with how it turned out
How you all enjoyed

Also, this is what I imagined Percy to be playing

https://youtu.be/2hjTEKgaQtw?si=rnsX4Qx0I32aYl-T

Please point out any mistakes I may have made
Constructive criticism is always appreciated
Until next time, TTFN!

Chapter 8 - "An Offer"

As I flicked through the pages of the book in front of me, I grabbed a generous handful of peanuts from the bowl beside me. Blossom and I had wasted no time making our way to the dining room, where I was finally able to enjoy a proper meal—the first in what was supposedly two weeks, if the rumours were true. Fortunately, the kitchen staff were more than happy to oblige. Once I had eaten my fill, I turned to my escort and asked her to take me to the library.

The moment we arrived, I wasted no time immersing myself in the castle’s vast historical collection. For the next four hours, I tore through volumes covering Pre-Equestrian history, as well as the records of various other cultures. After all, it never hurt to be overprepared—especially when my future interactions with other species were not just likely, but inevitable. It was during this deep dive that I made a startling realization: my reading speed had increased dramatically, and my ability to retain information was leagues beyond anything I had ever experienced. And what I learned? It was vastly different from what I had expected.

For one, history was divided into four distinct eras: The Long Days, The Age of Prosperity, The Days of Dark, and finally, The Years of the Sun and Moon—the latter being what was recognized as the modern era.

The Long Days mark the earliest recorded era of Equestrian history, dating back to when the Three Tribes were still at odds and lived in a distant land to the east. Surprisingly, it was not originally called Dream Valley but Faerûn, loosely translating to "Valley of Heaven." During this time, the tribes maintained a fragile truce, engaging in trade but avoiding unnecessary contact. The Pegasi resided in the mountains near the clouds, Earth Ponies settled in the most fertile lands, and Unicorns built cities and strongholds near large caverns to mine gems and precious stones. Any interactions between them were tense, if not outright hostile.

Sources vary on the length of this era, with estimates ranging from seven hundred to over a thousand years. Its conclusion came when Faerûn began to wither, prompting six ponies—whose names have been lost to time—to seek new land upon recognizing the dire state of their home, aided by an unknown outside influence. This journey led to the founding of Old Equestria and the annual Hearth's Warming tradition.

The Age of Prosperity ushered in an era of remarkable change. To commemorate their unity, the Three Tribes created three sacred lamps, each entrusted to one tribe and revered as holy objects. Three cities—Narathil, Mirrere, and Gondiir, the latter of which was later renamed the Crystal Empire—were built to house these artefacts, symbolizing a brighter future. Following this, two of the original six unifiers ascended to become the first Alicorns, King Helis and Queen Argentum, who devoted themselves to nurturing the fledgling nation.

After their coronation, they established an elite Honour Guard, appointing the first Paladin to lead and protect the crown. These Paladins also trained the general Guard responsible for safeguarding the people. Under their rule, the kingdom flourished for an estimated ten to fifteen thousand years, a golden age of art, literature, and culture that cultivated some of history’s most brilliant minds. The people thrived—but peace was not eternal.

The Age of Prosperity ended abruptly with the destruction of two of the three lamps, the fall of their respective cities, and the sudden disappearance of Helis and Argentum, leaving behind their infant heirs. This ushered in the Dark Days, the shortest but most catastrophic era, marked by a devastating calamity that nearly brought the nation to its knees. The eldest child of the lost King and Queen assumed leadership with a council of advisors, striving to protect the realm. Meanwhile, the youngest heirs were placed under the care of Starswirl the Bearded, the last anointed Paladin. The eldest eventually abdicated, with an unnamed successor taking their place.

Despite the darkness, hope remained. Two legendary brothers, Durin and Vihaan Peredur, hailed as the greatest swordsmen in history, their efforts, alongside the last Paladin Starswirl, helped repel the calamity—but not without losses. Two of Helis and Argentum’s children perished, and the eldest was seemingly captured, leaving only Luna and Celestia. Durin met his end atop the mountains outside the Crystal Empire, prompting the disappearance of his lineage and his brother. Starswirl, a close companion of the twins, searched for them in vain before dedicating his final years to guiding the young princesses. He passed peacefully in his sleep, marking the end of an era.

Thus began the Years of the Sun and Moon—the current era and "modern history"—which is far more widely known. This development aligned with my expectations, conforming to the basic history the show had touched upon.

Years after the calamity's defeat, once Luna and Celestia had fully matured, they gained control of the Elements of Harmony. With them, they imprisoned Discord and Tirek, and Celestia later used their power to banish Nightmare Moon. This ushered in an era of peace and harmony—not as grand as ages past, yet still a testament to the unity forged long ago.

Strangely, however, there was no mention of the Crystal Empire or King Sombra. Nowhere in the historical records was he referenced, directly or even in passing, as if he had been erased from history—or had never existed at all.

The differences between this Equestria’s history and what I had expected were fascinating. But as intriguing as they were, it was the two swordsmen who truly captured my attention.

Having defended the King and Queen from an assassination attempt without seeking reward or recognition, the pair were invited to the royal capital after demonstrating their unparalleled skill. More than simply impressed by their seeming mastery of every known weapon, Helis and Argentum were entrusted with training not only the King and Queen’s Honour Guard and appointed Paladin but also the royal children when they came of age.

Over the years, the twins became not only trusted allies of Starswirl, as previously noted but also close companions to the King and Queen. Their bond grew so strong that they were officially adopted into the royal family as siblings to the crown, as well as providing them with unique titles: Grey Knights. Their renown, forged through years of service, nearly rivalled even that of Helis and Argentum. Together, the four were seen as near-godlike figures—beloved by all, feared and hated only by their enemies.

Though never explicitly stated, it is widely inferred—and generally accepted—that during the Dark Days, it was Durin who assumed leadership when Helis and Argentum’s eldest heir abdicated their role. As the eldest and most seasoned member of the royal family at that time, he was the natural choice to guide them through the turmoil. However, both Durin and his brother remained rather enigmatic figures despite their revelry, as they never publicly disclosed their age, leaving their past shrouded in speculation and legend.

"Huh," I murmured, tossing the last few peanuts into my mouth. "Interesting."

History wasn’t the only subject I needed to brush up on. My mind was occupied with questions I hoped to answer within the towering shelves of books surrounding me. Chief among them was the visual disparity between species—why some resembled humans while others bore distinctly anthropomorphic features. The answers, as I soon discovered, lay within the more medically inclined texts.

All races trace back to what is known as the Original Heritage. Draconians descend from Dragons, Gryphos from Griffons, and so on. However, Pony Folk are unique in that, while other species originate from a single Heritage, they can be traced back to three: Pegasus, Earth Pony, and Unicorn.

This directly connects to my research. Why do Pony Folk appear more human with elven features compared to other species? The answer lies in the influence of Original Heritages on physical traits. The best way to describe it is through genetic dominance. In other species, their Heritage manifests like a dominant gene, making them strongly resemble their origin, even if their connection is weak. Pony Folk, however, inherit their Heritage in a recessive manner, causing them to appear more human with only a single distinguishing feature—regardless of how strong their lineage may be.

Unfortunately, I couldn't uncover the exact reason for this difference, as scientists have yet to determine the cause. One of the world’s great unsolved mysteries, I suppose. Still, it answered at least one of my burning questions about the wider world I now find myself in.

"Sir?"

I looked up from the book to find Blossom standing patiently before me, her helmet tucked under her arm. Closing the tome, I set it atop the small stack beside me and turned my full attention to the soldier in front of me.

"Blossom," I greeted with a small smile. "What did I say about calling me 'Sir'?"

"My apologies," She said, offering a slight bow. "Force of habit."

"No worries, I'm not mad—just not a fan of the word," I replied with a shrug. "Now, what can I do for you?"

"Your presence has been requested in the dining room," She informed me.

"Ah," I hummed, scooping up my stack of books before rising from my seat. "Alright, let's get this over with."

Blossom blinked, tilting her head. "Wait, you’re not going to argue? No resistance at all?"

"Nope," I said, adjusting the books in my grip. "No point in dragging my feet—it was going to happen sooner or later."

"I…huh. Fair point, actually," She admitted. "I just expected some pushback."

I chuckled, walking past her. "I only dig my heels in when it actually matters."

After returning the books to their respective shelves and bidding the kindly librarian farewell, we set off on our trek towards the dining hall. I say "trek" because, despite being indoors, the walk took nearly fifteen minutes. The journey itself wasn’t arduous, but every maid, butler, and guard we passed made way for us, whispering among themselves. No doubt they were murmuring about either this morning’s duel or the attack on Ponyville. Either way, I paid them no mind.

At last, we reached a pair of grand double doors. Blossom stepped forward and gave them a few sharp knocks before stepping back. Moments later, they were enveloped in a golden aura and swung open, granting us entry. The scene inside was exactly what I expected. Seated around the long dining table were Celestia, Luna, Twilight, her friends, and Spike. As the doors closed behind us, the Solar Princess turned her gaze toward me, followed swiftly by the others.

"Percival," She greeted warmly, a gentle smile gracing her lips. "Thank you, Blossomforth."

The woman in question bowed respectfully before stepping back, assuming her position beside the grand double doors. She mirrored the stance of the guard on the opposite side, standing at silent attention.

"Princess," I acknowledged simply, folding my arms across my chest. Though the anger from earlier had dulled, irritation still lingered beneath the surface.

"I'm truly glad you came," She said, gesturing gracefully toward one of the empty seats at the table. "Won't you join us?"

I flicked my gaze between the chair and her expectant expression before sighing inwardly. Unfolding my arms with a soft breath, I moved to take my seat. The atmosphere in the room was...tense. With the exceptions of Pinkie, Rarity, and Applejack, the unease among those gathered was palpable. What stood out most, however, was the way the Princesses themselves seemed ever so slightly unsettled.

Once seated, I let my eyes sweep over them, waiting.

Celestia was the first to break the silence. "There are a few matters we wish to discuss with you, but before we begin, I owe you an apology." She placed her hands gently on her knees, her gaze steady.

"...Go on."

"I have spent much time reflecting, and after some rather... pointed words from my sister"—She glanced toward Luna, whose lips curled into a knowing smirk—"I have come to recognize the error in my actions this morning. I had no right to put you under such stress so soon after your discharge from the hospital, especially in light of all you have done for Ponyville."

She exhaled softly before continuing, her expression earnest. "That said, you must understand that my actions were not without reason. The events of this morning, however abrupt, were necessary. I had several motivations for testing you. For one, there are forces at work—forces that I, as well as many others, believe you may play a crucial role in countering. Those who participated in the test, including my highest-ranking officers, understood the risks and volunteered of their own accord."

Her posture shifted as she leaned forward slightly, resting her hands atop one another on the table. "However, none of that excuses my approach. You were right—I should have spoken to you plainly instead of keeping you in the dark. If you would accept it, I offer you my sincerest apologies."

I sighed, leaning back in my chair and rubbing my eyes before meeting her gaze once more. "While I understand, there were so many different and better ways you could have handled the situation. I...partially accept your apology, but you're going to have to work to get my full trust back."

Celestia's lips quirked upward, her expression touched with relief. "That’s more than I had hoped for. Thank you for hearing me out. To be honest, I wasn’t certain you would."

"As I told Sergeant Blossomforth, it was going to happen eventually. There was no use in avoiding it," I crossed my arms again, my tone even. "So, tell me—what was the real reason your military officers fought me this morning?"

Celestia exchanged a glance with Luna before returning her attention to me. "That ties directly into the other matter we wish to discuss with you."

"And that would be?"

At this, the entire room seemed to shift. The assembled figures leaned in, their attention sharpening. Even the guards stationed around the perimeter appeared subtly more alert, as if bracing for the gravity of what was to come. I frowned slightly, my confusion evident as I looked between Celestia and Luna. The sisters moved in unison, intertwining their fingers and resting them upon the table. Then, Luna spoke, her voice carrying a weight that sent a chill through the air.

"We believe you are one of prophecy."

Bringing my hands to my face, I let out a deep, frustrated groan, my elbows pressing into the table. "It's always a fucking prophecy," I mutter through my fingers, earning a few confused looks from those present. Exhaling sharply, I drag my hands down my face before shifting my gaze toward the Princesses. "Yeah, Twilight mentioned it not long after we talked. Honestly, I didn’t give it much thought at the time."

"You certainly didn’t seem fazed back then," Rarity interjects, her keen eyes studying me. "What changed?"

"I’ve had time to let that little nugget stew," I admit, shaking my head. "And the more I think about it, the less sense it makes. How the hell am I—some random bumble fuck who just so happened to be in the right place at the right time—supposed to be the one mentioned in what I can only assume is some ancient, cryptic text?"

In a flash of deep navy blue, an old, weathered leather-bound book materializes before the Lunar Princess.

"This is Starswirl the Bearded’s personal journal," Celestia explains, though my attention is momentarily drawn to Twilight, who looks moments away from bursting into a frenzy at the mere sight of the book. "Within these pages are several documented conversations between him and Grey Knight Vihaan. Among them are vague references to a 'false brumal.'"

"At first, we assumed it was simply a phrase shared between them," Luna continues, deftly turning the pages, the old parchment rustling softly as she lands on her intended passage before sliding the ancient diary closer, nudging it to me for me to read. "That is, until we came across one of the final entries."

Leaning forward, I carefully examine the elegantly penned yet timeworn words. My brow furrows ever so slightly as, to my astonishment, I realize the text is in Swedish—though its ornate, flowing script gives it an almost otherworldly elegance.

"So, this so-called ancient text is just my modern-day Swedish? Well...that’s convenient," I muse, a mix of surprise and amusement flickering through my thoughts, both quickly draining from me as I begin to read.

"When the organ of valour is sounded,
and the Felwinter approaches, carrying a sword of runes and weapons unknown.
With blinding speed and rending strength,
shall evil be vanquished until they are no longer needed."

I let out a slow exhale before slumping back in my chair, my head resting limply against its high frame. "You’ve got to be fucking kidding me," I groan, closing my eyes. "It’s just a coincidence."

"By all accounts, you match the description—however vague it may be," Celestia said, her horn flashing with a sudden golden glow as she summoned my equipment and sent the journal back to wherever she got it from. "To fight and kill sixteen demons—including three Goliaths and a Nuckelavee—is unheard of. A single Nuckelavee alone is enough to be a nuisance to both my sister and me, yet you fought them all without backup. That alone, we—and many others—believe, is a testament to your true strength."

She paused, studying me intently before continuing. "Our own strength is considerable as well, but in time, I believe you may even surpass my sister and me," She said. "You seem to be more in touch with your lineage than anyone in recent history. We would not be surprised if the blood of royalty runs through your veins."

Luna leaned forward, her expression solemn. "We fought demons many years ago, but back then, our soldiers were more experienced and carried stronger blood ties. Now, only my sister and I have seen war firsthand, and we fear that war is coming—whether to Equestria or all of Terra. If that happens…you may be our only hope."

Lifting my head, I met their gazes wearily. Without a word, I reached for my gear and began the process of reattaching it. I worked in silence, my mind processing everything I had just been told. What once took me an eternity to secure was now done in under five minutes. Still, no one spoke. They simply watched, anticipation thick in the air.

Once finished, I clasped my hands together and rested my forehead against them. "What do you want from me?"

"We wish to make you an offer," Celestia said.

I exhaled slowly. "And that offer would be…?" I asked, leaving the question open-ended, signalling for her to continue.

Celestia’s next words changed everything.

"We wish to make you our Paladin."

The moment the words left her mouth, all movement ceased. The air grew heavy with silence. No one dared to breathe, as if a single sound would shatter the fragile tension. With wide eyes, I slowly looked up at the Princesses. Both of them held my gaze, their expressions unwavering as they awaited my answer.

"I...I-I can't accept such an offer," I stammered, my voice barely above a whisper. A chorus of gasps rippled through the room.

Noticing my hesitation, the Princesses' expressions softened. It was Celestia who spoke first, her tone gentle. "Why?"

"Why offer something so great to someone you've only just met a few days ago?" I asked, my voice steadying slightly. "Who, for most of that time, wasn't even conscious."

Celestia stood gracefully from her seat, her gaze unwavering as she approached me. Placing a reassuring hand on my shoulder, she answered, "Because we've seen what you're capable of. We've seen the compassion you hold for those around you."

She looked at me intently before continuing, "Tell me, why would a man so willingly risk his life for people he does not know? Why would he stand between them and danger without a second thought?"

"There are many reasons he might," I murmured, glancing at the group of friends who were now leaning in, hanging onto my words. "Perhaps he did it out of the goodness of his heart. Perhaps he did it to fulfil a promise. Or maybe... just maybe, he did it to atone for past mistakes."

"Whatever the reason," Luna interjected, stepping to my other side and placing her hand on my shoulder, mirroring her sister, "We know it was not out of selfishness. You saved Twilight and her friends from a hydra and simply walked away, asking for nothing in return. You protected young Applejack’s family without hesitation. Such actions are not easily forgotten."

Across the room, Applejack gave a small nod, tugging her hat down slightly in quiet acknowledgement.

"And you rescued me from the Diamond Dog coven," Rarity added, her voice filled with gratitude. "Not just me, but five others as well. You went out of your way to do it. Y didn’t have to—but you did."

"These acts of bravery deserve recognition," Luna said firmly. "Deeds like yours should not fade into obscurity."

"You want a hero," I muttered, the weight of their words pressing against me.

"No," Celestia said, her gaze warm yet unwavering. "We seek a beacon of hope."

"This is a lot," I admitted after a moment, exhaling slowly. "I need time to think about this."

"Of course, take all the time you need. We will not rush you," Luna assured me, her sister nodding in agreement.

I rose from my seat, and both Celestia and Luna instinctively stepped back, giving me space. As I moved toward the dining hall's grand entrance, Blossom and the other guards stationed nearby wordlessly opened the doors for me. I slipped past them effortlessly, their discipline making the process seamless.

~~

Stepping outside, I was met with a gentle breeze that carried with it the crisp scent of Canterlot’s high-altitude air. The wind rustled through my hair, providing a fleeting sense of calm, though my mind remained tangled in thought. The Princesses’ offer lingered heavily—becoming a Paladin. From the way they spoke about it, the title seemed akin to that of a Knight, or perhaps a specialized subclass of one. Either way, it was a position of great significance, and one I hadn’t expected to be considered for.

My feet carried me through the castle grounds until I reached what I assumed to be Canterlot’s central park, an open expanse that overlooked rolling plains, distant hills, and the towering mountains that framed the kingdom. The view was stunning, but my thoughts were elsewhere. Fortunately, my walk had been uninterrupted—whether out of respect or caution, the nobility kept their distance, which suited me perfectly. Sitting on a bench near the outskirts, I pressed a hand against my knee, trying to still its anxious bouncing. For a brief moment, I managed to quell the nervous energy, but as soon as I let go, it resumed, as if my body refused to settle. But I didn't let it distract me. I needed this time alone to weigh the offer properly, to measure the pros and cons.

Political power was undeniably useful. Having authority at my disposal could open doors, provide leverage, and allow me to influence decisions that might otherwise be beyond my reach. However, with power came expectation. People would inevitably begin treating me differently, adjusting their behaviour based on my newfound status. I never particularly cared about others’ opinions, but such a drastic shift in perception would be difficult to ignore.

Then there was the responsibility of training the Royal Guard. My knowledge of combat was extensive—far beyond what this world seemed accustomed to, thanks to… well, whatever greater force had placed me here. In theory, imparting that knowledge should be straightforward, but in practice, it could take months, possibly years, before they reached the level I envisioned. The thought of overseeing such a transformation was both daunting and intriguing.

And then there was war. That was the heaviest consideration of all. Offering my aid on the battlefield wasn’t as simple as just stepping in and fighting. Modern tactics, if applied correctly, could serve as a massive advantage in what appeared to be a relatively underdeveloped world in terms of warfare. But even if I introduced such strategies, how quickly could they adapt? How long would it take before they fully grasped and effectively utilized modern military principles? Perhaps I was underestimating them. Or perhaps I was overestimating the impact I could have.

The more I thought about it, the more the idea of accepting didn’t seem so far-fetched. But if I did, there were definitely things that needed to be discussed with Celestia and Luna first. Non-negotiables.

I exhaled again, looking out over the horizon.

This decision wasn’t just about me. It was about what it would mean in the long run.

And that was a lot to consider.

"Hey, stranger," A voice said. "This seat taken?"

Jolted from my thoughts, I looked up to see a man—late twenties, maybe early thirties—standing before me. His long blonde hair was woven into a tight braid, the sides of his head shaved close. His thick beard, also braided, gave him the look of an old Norse warrior. Even his accent had a distinct lilt, adding to the impression. Yet something about him unsettled me. A vague, nagging sense of familiarity, like a word on the tip of my tongue that refused to form. I couldn't quite put my finger on it. Maybe my brain was just overloaded from thinking too much.

"Uh, no... no, it's not," I said awkwardly, my mind still scrambling to catch up.

"Appreciate it," He said with a nod, sliding into the chair.

A brief silence stretched between us before he suddenly asked, "So, what brings you out here? Not many people wander to these parts."

I shrugged. "Just got a lot on my mind. What about you?" Small talk wasn’t exactly my strong suit, but it was a decent distraction.

"Visiting an old friend," He said, his eyes fixed on me in a way that made my skin prickle. "Though I doubt he'll recognize me."

I cleared my throat, coughing into my hand. "I'm sure he will."

He let out a short chuckle, though there was little humour in it. "I wouldn’t be so sure. From what I’ve heard, he’s changed. Like he’s a whole new man."

I exhaled slowly. "I suppose there’s only one way to find out."

"That there is," He murmured.

His gaze lingered on me, studying, assessing. I could almost hear the gears turning in his head as he squinted slightly, his expression unreadable. A wave of unease rolled over me, my instincts prickling with warning. Fight or flight stirred in my chest, but I forced it down, keeping my posture relaxed.

Then, ever so slowly, a smirk curled his lips.

"I thought you'd be bigger," He said, tilting his head. His voice shifted, words dragging into a scratchy drawl, almost slurred—like a man too deep in his cups. "But it’s definitely you."

My breath caught. "I'm sorry?"

"It’s been a long time," He continued, standing with deliberate slowness. "Not surprised you don’t remember."

I rose to my feet as well, my pulse kicking up a notch. "What do you want?"

His grin widened as he stood as well. "Oh, you already know the answer to that." He took a step closer.

I stiffened. "Whatever it is you’re after, I don’t have it," I said, already angling my body away. "I think you’ve got the wrong person."

As I turned to walk away from the stranger, a sudden force yanked me backwards. The man grabbed my coat, twisting me around before driving his fist into my stomach with brutal force. The impact sent me soaring through the air, but before I could gain much height, he seized my legs and slammed me face-first into the ground. In one fluid motion, he hurled me across the park, my body hurtling past terrified onlookers before crashing into the streets.

I collided with a building, the sheer force cleaving a massive chunk from its rooftop. As I rebounded off the crumbling structure, I plummeted to the cobbled street below, the impact carving out a sizable crater beneath me.

Panic erupted instantly. The nobles screamed in terror, scrambling to flee in the opposite direction, desperate to escape the sudden skirmish.

Groaning, I rolled onto my back just in time to see the man streaking toward me through the air. Bracing myself, I pressed my hands into the shattered ground, curling inward. The moment he was within range, I lashed out, driving both feet into his chest. The force of the kick sent him rocketing backwards, his trajectory ending with an unceremonious splash as he crashed into the park’s pond.

The sharp clatter of armour caught my attention. Turning my head, I spotted a squad of guards sprinting toward the scene. They quickly locked onto me, their course shifting with clear intent.

"Get the civilians to safety!" I barked. "Inform the Princesses we have a hostile within our walls! Move—now!"

Without waiting for a response, I pushed off the ground and bolted forward.

Skidding to a stop, I watched as the man emerged from the pond, water streaming from his form. He peeled off his soaked shirt, revealing an intricate web of rune-like tattoos etched across his chest and stomach, coiling up his arms like living scripture. I had little doubt they extended across his back as well.

"You’re nothing like I remember," He murmured.

I lunged, driving my fist toward his jaw with all the force I could muster. But in an instant, he caught my arm, effortlessly redirecting my momentum. His grip was like iron, fingers clamping down around my wrist as his eyes flickered downward, seemingly fixated on my right leg.

"Not at all," He mused, a strange curiosity in his voice.

Gritting my teeth, I wrenched my arm free and seized his collar, ramming my forehead into his face with a bone-crunching crack. I reached for my sword, but as my fingers closed around the hilt and I pulled it from the scabbard, he tore it from my grasp and flung it far beyond my reach.

"Oh no, you don’t," He growled, a wicked smirk curling at the edges of his lips. "You don’t get to use your little toys."

He rolled his shoulders, cracking his knuckles as he took a step forward.

"We do this fair. Mano a mano."

In a sudden, unsettling burst of speed, he got behind me, his arms wrapping tightly around my waist before he hoisted me off my feet and slammed me into the ground. Pain exploded through me as my body folded in half before he followed up with a relentless kick to my stomach, sending me tumbling across the meticulously manicured grass. My momentum carried me into a tree before I finally skidded to a halt against a jagged outcropping of rock. Dazed, my mind reeling from the vicious assault, I barely registered the sound of his approaching footsteps, accompanied by a low, raspy chuckle.

"How incredibly disappointing," He sneered.

Heat suddenly built in my chest and before he could react, I grasped a fallen tree lying beside me and swung it with all the strength I could muster. The force sent him soaring through the air, but I didn’t let up. Following his trajectory, I caught him mid-fall and drove him through several large stones, his fists and elbows striking at me in frantic attempts to break free. Ignoring the blows, I slammed him into a boulder with enough force to rattle the ground. As I released him to follow up with another attack, he retaliated, smashing his locked fists into my back and driving me face-first into the dirt.

"I was expecting better of you," He taunted.

Gritting my teeth, I reached up and grabbed his legs, yanking them out from under him and catching him off guard. Moving fast, I pinned him down, manoeuvring my body beneath his and wrapping an arm around his throat while locking his legs with mine. He thrashed, clawing at my grip, but I held firm. He delivered a brutal elbow to my ribs, momentarily stunning me and forcing me to loosen my hold. He almost broke free, but I caught him again with my opposite arm, locking it in place as he struggled.

"Oh," He wheezed, struggling to draw breath. "I see now..."

"I don’t know what the hell you’re rambling about, but I’ve heard enough."

Clenching my hands around his head, I twisted sharply. A sickening crack echoed through the air, followed by a weak gasp as his body went limp against mine. I shoved him off and exhaled, taking a moment to steady myself. Just as I pushed myself to my feet, the sound of approaching footsteps caught my attention.

Turning toward the noise, my gaze met a pair of very concerned-looking Princesses, Celestia holding my sword in her grasp, flanked by roughly a dozen guards.

"Took your time," I commented as they stepped up to me. "The threat’s been neutralized."

Celestia’s eyes flicked to the lifeless body at my feet before returning to me as Luna's wings fluttered behind her back. "He seemed to have done quite a number on you."

"He caught me off guard," I admitted, rolling my shoulder.

"I can imagine," She replied, her expression unreadable as she glanced at the guards, preparing to issue orders. Before she could speak, I stepped in.

"Take this man's body to the morgue and conduct a full autopsy on both his physical and metaphysical body," I commanded, my voice carrying an air of authority, my mouth moving of its own accord. "He was stronger than he should’ve been, and I want to understand why. Cordon off the park and send in an investigative team. Have them check for any signs of magical interference or other possible foul play."

The guards hesitated, their expressions flickering with uncertainty as they turned to the Princesses for confirmation. Though their confusion was subtle, I caught it. After a brief exchange of glances, Celestia gave a small nod, and the guards moved to comply. A unicorn among them activated their magic, summoning a black body bag. Within moments, the man was zipped away and swiftly carried off, while the others dispersed to carry out the orders I had given.

Folding my arms, I turned to the Princesses. "Come on, let's head back to the castle."

Surprisingly, they remained silent as they exchanged another look, seemingly unsure how to process the situation. The walk back was quiet, aside from the occasional orders given by the Princesses as we passed through the streets. By the time we crossed the palace gates and stepped into the grand foyer, I finally broke the silence.

"There’s something I need to discuss."

Celestia studied me for a moment before speaking. "By your tone, I take it you’ve made a decision?"

I met her gaze, unwavering. "Yes. I want to accept."

"That is splendid news, Sir Felwinter!" Luna cheered, her voice light with excitement. "Though I must admit, I’m surprised you came to a decision so quickly."

"I weighed my options carefully, and the benefits far outweighed the drawbacks," I replied. "Besides, this encounter has made me realize there’s far more happening beneath the surface than I think any of us had previously suspected."

Celestia’s expression shifted, her concern evident. "What do you mean?"

"That man spoke as if he knew me, yet I have no recollection of ever meeting him," I said, my brow furrowing. "Something larger is at play here, and I have a feeling we need to be prepared. Which is why I’ve decided to accept your offer."

"This is welcome news," Celestia said as she and Luna began leading me through the grand foyer and into the winding halls of the palace. I walked between them, listening intently as Celestia continued, "But first, we must discuss the responsibilities that will come with your position."

"You would hold the highest rank in our military and oversee the training of our Royal Guards," She explained. "Given your apparent experience, you would also provide strategic counsel should we ever face war—assisting in matters such as battle planning, the establishment of secure trade routes, and other critical concerns. Furthermore, if circumstances demanded it, and no one else was available, you would be expected to take on a political role as well."

"However," Luna added, her gaze steady, "Your primary duty would be to safeguard Equestria and its citizens, ensuring both its security and sovereignty. You would serve as its sword and shield. To reflect this, you would be granted a noble title along with political influence within our government."

I exhaled slowly, shaking my head as I processed the weight of their words. "That’s... quite a lot to take in."

"Indeed, it is," Celestia acknowledged with a nod. "Of course, my sister and I would remain by your side to oversee matters and offer guidance whenever necessary. I imagine you may have a few conditions of your own?"

A small smirk found its way onto my lips. "Sharp as ever, aren’t you?" I remarked, earning amused smiles from both princesses. "Yes, I do have one condition. If I am to take on this role, I must be autonomous."

Their expressions turned curious as they exchanged a glance before Celestia tilted her head slightly. "Could you clarify what you mean?"

"I mean that while I am more than willing to follow orders, I must also have the authority to reject any that I believe lack sound judgment," I explained. "Rest assured, I wouldn't ever abuse this privilege, but I want to be clear from the outset—I am, by nature, a free spirit. I will not be a mere pawn to be summoned and commanded at whim, especially if the orders in question seem reckless or misguided."

Luna’s eyes narrowed slightly, though not in disapproval—rather, in intrigue. "What leads you to believe we would issue such orders?" She asked. Her tone was neutral, but the way Celestia regarded me suggested she shared her sister’s curiosity.

I lifted a hand and began counting on my fingers. "A variety of reasons: exhaustion, mind control, overwhelming stress, illness, emotional compromise, or simply not thinking clearly in the moment. My authority to veto orders would be exercised only in cases where I believe you are not in your right mind—nothing more, nothing less."

The two sisters stared at me for what felt like an eternity, their eyes flickering with thought as they silently weighed my request. I could practically see and hear the gears turning in their minds, their expressions shifting ever so slightly as they deliberated. Finally, after exchanging a knowing glance, they turned back to me.

"That is acceptable," Celestia said, her voice calm yet firm. "However, should we find you are abusing your power, the consequences will be severe. Am I understood?"

I responded with an easy smile. "Loud and clear."

Luna inclined her head slightly. "Is there anything else you wish to add?"

"No, actually," I replied. "That about covers it."

"Splendid," Celestia said. "However, there are a few things we wish to discuss with you, regarding your role."

I raised an eyebrow. "And those would be?"

"First and foremost—your accommodations," Celestia began. "You will be provided with a residence befitting someone of your station, along with a small staff to maintain it and attend to your needs. The finest builders will be commissioned to ensure it is constructed with both efficiency and the highest quality in mind."

I came to an abrupt stop in the middle of the corridor, prompting the princesses to pause and glance back at me. "You're telling me you're giving me a house… with a full staff to run it?"

"Indeed," Luna confirmed. "It is only appropriate for one of your rank to have a proper base of operations. The staff—composed of butlers and maids—will ensure your residence remains in pristine condition at all times."

I exhaled slowly, stepping between them once more to resume walking. "Okay. That’s… a lot," I muttered, still processing the weight of it all.

Celestia chuckled softly. "Yes, it certainly is," She agreed. "Now, the second matter we would like to mention concerns your personal protection."

I frowned slightly. "What do you mean by that?"

Luna took the lead this time. "To put it simply, you will have your own personal entourage."

"...Huh?"

The sisters exchanged a glance before giggling at my confusion.

"Long ago, the bearer of the Paladin title functioned much like a knight," Celestia explained. "They were both protectors and mentors—shielding the Crown and the Throne while imparting knowledge to their subordinates. Though times have changed, we believe that the modern Paladin should still embody the essence of those who came before. To that end, you will be granted the rank of General and High Noble of Equestria. With such a position, personal security is not a luxury but a necessity."

"You will be assigned a highly skilled individual as your primary protector," Luna continued. "Additionally, you will have the opportunity to handpick two or three others to form a personal guard—loyal only to you, should you wish to do so."

I idly crossed my arms. "I appreciate the concern, but I can handle myself."

"That is not in question," Luna said smoothly. "We acknowledge your strength. However, even the most powerful individuals must have those they can trust. Your guard will not just be protectors—they will be your comrades, your confidants. A shield not just for your body, but for your mind and soul as well."

"And they will answer to no one but you," Celestia added. "Not to me. Not to my sister. Their loyalty will be solely yours."

I exhaled through my nose, mulling over their words before tilting my head. "Alright… so who’s this 'highly skilled individual' you’ve chosen?"

"It will be easier if you meet him yourself," Luna said as we reached a set of doors.

Opening the doors, we stepped inside swiftly, and my eyes immediately landed on who I assumed would be my permanent protector.

The man was enormous. If I had to guess, Celestia and I stood around six feet tall, while Luna was slightly shorter, somewhere between five foot ten and five-eleven. That would place the man before us at a towering six foot five—possibly six foot six—and the sheer muscle packed onto his frame only made him seem even larger. If this was the guy assigned to be my entourage, I certainly had no complaints.

But it wasn’t just his height or his imposing, broad-shouldered build that caught my attention. No, what truly stood out was the weathered skull stitched into his mask—a dull, battle-worn emblem marred by scrapes and dents, evidence of years of use.

Then I noticed something else. His armour was unlike anything I’d seen so far. It had the layered look of modern kevlar body armour but with an embedded plate of medieval-style armour beneath, seamlessly integrated into the design. Pockets and pouches were neatly arranged across the otherwise sleek surface, making it both tactical and practical. It was an unusual setup—one I’d have to ask about later. His attire was equally distinct: a black hoodie, dark blue jeans, reinforced knee pads, and black half-leather combat boots. His hands, clad in full combat gloves, bore a skeletal pattern eerily similar to my own.

“Lieutenant Ghost, reporting,” He said, his deep, gravelly voice laced with a distinctly British accent.

“Lieutenant, this is Percival Felwinter. Effective immediately, he is your charge,” Celestia stated with an air of authority, her voice brokering no argument.

Ghost studied me, his gaze sweeping over me from head to toe before he extended a hand. I took it. His grip was firm—impressive, even.

“A pleasure, sir,” He said simply.

“If that is all, we shall take our leave,” Celestia continued. “This will be your temporary quarters until we finalize your permanent accommodations. We will be in touch soon to formalize your titles and access privileges.”

With that, she and her sister turned toward the exit.

As they left, I took a moment to absorb my surroundings. The room I’d been given wasn’t just spacious—it was extravagant. A king-sized bed dominated the space, accompanied by an enormous closet, polished dressers, and an en-suite bathroom that looked like it belonged in a five-star hotel. Every detail, from the ambient lighting to the sheer opulence of the decor, screamed luxury. It was the kind of setup I’d never imagined myself living in. Then again, I hadn’t imagined any of this happening in the first place.

Turning my attention back to Ghost, I found him watching me intently. His gaze wasn’t unsettling, nor was it filled with judgment or hostility. It was calculating—assessing. Like he was trying to figure out what to make of me.

“Is there anything you need, sir?” He asked, his tone exuding professionalism and the quiet confidence of a man who took his duty seriously.

I sighed, rubbing the bridge of my nose. “No… I think I just need some rest. It’s been a long-ass day.”

“I can imagine, sir.” He nodded. “If you need anything, I’ll be right outside. Two raps on the door, and I’ll be in immediately. I look forward to working with you.”

And with that, he turned and left, closing the door behind him.

I exhaled sharply, running a hand through my hair.

Shit just got way more complicated than I ever thought possible.

Normal life? Yeah, that was officially out the window.

Author's Note

Ohhh responsibilities, gotta love them, at least it comes with some bonuses :rainbowlaugh:
And how does this mysterious stranger know our protagonist? We shall see
And what's this? A new character? Yupperoni!

Easily the most changed with the new revised versions, I just thought it made more sense for Percival to have his history session here as opposed to later into the story like it used to be

Please point out any mistakes I may have made
Constructive criticism is always appreciated
Until next time, TTFN!

Chapter 9 - "Idle Talk"

Opening my eyes, I'm once again greeted with a vast open silver field, white specks floating aimlessly through the air. Sighing heavily through my nose, I let my body relax as best it could as I could feel the effects of sleep affect me. It was a strange sensation, to technically feel awake but to feel yourself slowly become more and more energised and rested. An odd feeling to be sure but a welcome one.

Looking around, I drag my hand through the air, the landscape swirling and whipping past me, shaping and morphing into more mountain terrain, rocky outcroppings jutting from the lush landscape that overlooked a calm sea. A low, but thin jog sat near the ground as the air hung heavy with a surprisingly pleasant humidity. Sitting down where I stood, letting my legs hang from a slight ledge, I took in the sights and smells. The smell of damp grass and seaweed clung tightly in the air along with the heavy smell and taste of sea salt. I listened as the waves lightly crashed into the jagged shoreways in front of me.

I sat there for hours, letting the wind flow through my hair and clothes, not once taking my eyes off the sight before me. A familiar but different pressure became known in the front of my mind, letting me know I had a visitor. Not looking behind me, I swipe my hand again, only this time, a guitar appeared in my hands as I absentmindedly started tuning it before pulling away at its strings, a familiar tune filling the air.

"Almost heaven, West Virginia
Blue Ridge Mountains, Shenandoah River
Life is old there, older than the trees
Younger than the mountains, growin' like a breeze

Country roads, take me home
To the place I belong
West Virginia, mountain mama
Take me home, country roads."

As the lyrics begin leaving my lips, I feel her sit down next to me, her gaze not once shifting from me as I continue, my foot tapping against the rocks on the slight ledge we sat on.

"All my memories gather 'round her
Miner's lady, stranger to blue water
Dark and dusty, painted on the sky
Misty taste of moonshine, teardrops in my eye

Country roads, take me home
To the place I belong
West Virginia, mountain mama
Take me home, country roads."

As the song goes on, I hear her happily tapping along as I could only guess she was swaying along with the song as well. I smiled as I sang. It was here I felt a new sensation within and around me. A pleasant feeling that began in my chest and continued throughout my body. It wasn't until Luna joined in with my singing that I realised what it was. The magic of music.

"I hear her voice in the mornin' hour, she calls me
The radio reminds me of my home far away
Drivin' down the road, I get a feelin'
That I should've been home yesterday, yesterday

Country roads, take me home
To the place I belong
West Virginia, mountain mama
Take me home, country roads

Country roads, take me home
To the place I belong
West Virginia, mountain mama
Take me home, country roads

Take me home, (down) country roads
Take me home, (down) country roads."

As I finish with a slight flourish, I hear Luna giggle next to me. Looking over, I see a massive grin on her lips as her laughter continued.

"My, Sir Felwinter, that was fantastic," She said, the occasional giggle escaping.

"Please, if we're in private, just Percival will do," I smiled. "I'm glad you enjoyed it."

"Then if I am to use your name, you are to use mine," She said smiling up at me. "I do believe that is a fair compromise. Do you not?"

"I think so," I replied. "So what brings you?"

"You do of course," She said in a matter-of-fact tone. "We, my sister and I, understand that the last few days have been tumultuous for you and I wished to check on you and make sure you were well."

"I'm...doing," I replied softly.

Luna quirked her brow as she tilted her head slightly. "I have not heard this phrase before and yet I understand it completely."

"The power of words," I chuckled. "I'm alright. I could be better but I could be a hell of a lot worse."

"You are doing as well as you can," She nodded. "That is fair, and given the circumstances, it is better than most would be doing."

"You ain't wrong."

We sat on the ledge for a while as rain began coming down and thunder rolled softly overhead. We weren't concerned about getting wet as it was only a dream, allowing us to enjoy the scenery and its weather to our heart's content.

"This view is gorgeous," She said suddenly, lifting her hand to feel the rain as it fell. "Your control over your Dreamscape is..astonishing."

"Eh, like I said to your sister, the bonuses of being a lucid dreamer," I shrugged.

"No, it is more than mere 'lucid dreaming'," Luna replied. "There have only been a handful of individuals with the amount of control you have and they were strong individuals indeed and it was not within recent years. Additionally, it took some amount of effort for me to enter your Dreamscape."

She turned fully towards me as she continued. "We have known you technically for less than a day Percival, and yet within that time, I have garnered more questions about you than any I have ever known. You are an enigma, a mystery. Though we trust you, my sister and I know there is more to you than you let on. Perhaps more than you yourself know."

I smirked as I looked at her. "Something tells me you like mysteries."

"Yes, I suppose you can say we like a good challenge," She smiled before looking back out to the pleasant scenery. "It truly is a beautiful sight."

"...I think so too."

"If you do not mind my asking, but where are we?" She asked. "I do not believe I have been here before."

"Somewhere far away," I replied, a sad smile creeping onto my lips. "Far outside my reach now."

"Is it this West Virginia you sing of?"

"Oh no, it's not," I answered. "But equally far away."

"What do you mean?"

"Ah," I waved my hands dismissively. "It's not important."

"...something is telling me that that is not true," She commented.

"That's for me to know and for you to find out," I smirked.

Looking out to the crashing waves, my smirk dropped into a more sullen expression and the Princess seemed to notice this as she got just a little closer to me, not once taking her eyes off my face.

"I know that look," She said. "What are you thinking?"

For a moment I didn't respond, simply staring out at sea. Glancing at her, I shook my head as I sighed heavily through my nose, shifting my gaze to the sitting Princess next to me. "Do...do you think they'll follow me?"

She smiled at me softly and the look in her eyes told me she was almost expecting this question. "I believe they will follow any who they respect. But more importantly, they will follow those who inspire them. And given what you did for Ponyville and the dual with our Officers, you have earned both. So yes, I believe they will follow you."

"...Thank you."

Just as the words left my mouth, the world rumbled slightly, the sky dimming and lighting up like a dying light bulb. The once-calm sea began roiling and crashing hard against the rocks as the heavens practically opened, drenching us both, the thunder clapping and flashing overhead. The peaceful landscape was turning to chaos.

"It would appear you're waking," She smiled, her voice clear as day despite the torrential rain and thunder. "If there is anything you need, do not hesitate to send for us."

And with that, the world around us faded into silver then black.

~~

My eyes fluttered open, blurry colours and shapes taking up my vision as I sat up. Rubbing them lightly, my vision returned fully before a smell became known to my nose. It was me. Sighing, I removed myself from the cloud-like bed and very quickly noticed Ghost at the doorway, hand on the handle of the open door, his tall silhouette taking up most of its frame. His surprisingly piercing brown, black-stained eyes quickly made contact with me as I stood from my bed.

"What can I do for you L.T.?" I asked.

"Just checkin' up on you Sir," He replied. "And to tell you a maid is here to drop off some clothes for you."

"Clothes?" I asked. How and when the hell did they get my measurements? "Alright, send her in."

Nodding, he exited the room and not a second later, a maid entered with an arm full of neatly folded clothes.

"Ah, thank you," I smiled. "Just pop them on the bed please."

Smiling back, she placed them on the bed and left without another word. Walking around the bed, I quickly combed through them, finding three pairs of everything I'd need. Shirts, jeans, socks pants, trousers, even a pair of simple leather steel-toed boots. Nodding, I hummed my appreciation before I made my way into the bathroom, again noting my smell.

Stripping down, I stepped into what was possibly the largest walk-in shower I had ever seen and turned on the hot water and was swiftly overtaken by its warm touch. My tight muscles loosened as the near-boiling water cascaded over my body, temporarily washing away my woes and troubles. Placing my hands on the wall, I let it run down my back and my face, as I sighed contently, as for the first time in a long time, I was content. It's amazing the things a simple shower can accomplish.

I stood there for god knows how long as my body slowly began heaving as heavy breaths racked it. Eventually, my legs gave out under me as the gravity of my situation suddenly came crashing down on me. I knew it would catch up to me, that my mind would actually process what it had gone through in such little time and wouldn't know what to do.

But what I couldn't handle most, was the memories of pain. An inky blackness was quickly overtaken by still starry dots that moved, bopping and weaving among themselves as my screams filled the bleak void, my body ever-shifting.

My breath quickened while I clutched my legs to my chest as tears began rolling down my cheeks, masked by showering water above. My eyes stung, my chest ached, my body shook and my head went blank and numb. Time lost meaning after a while as I quietly sobbed to myself, the realization that I was effectively alone, snatched from everything I had ever known and the prospect of a peaceful life now practically impossible being too much to handle for the moment.

After what felt like hours, the tears stopped, my breath steadied and my body became still. I stood and rubbed my face, giving myself a shake to unfog my head. Grabbing a bottle of shampoo and began my usual shower routine, washing myself thoroughly and completely, running my hands through my hair and the slight stubble I now growing. After what I could only guess to be no less than maybe an hour, I stepped out of the shower as the water began to evaporate as it had before, leaving dry and ready to proceed.

Stepping out, I made my way over to my things, starting the process of donning my equipment. My movements were now far more fine-tuned to the intricacies of my clothes, making the process the fastest it had been so far and in no time at all, I was ready and rearing to go.

Clipping my sheath to my back, I holstered Ace on my thigh as I reached for the deck of cards on my belt, taking them out and mindlessly shuffling through them in various ways. Opening the door, I quickly caught sight of Ghost as he spun around to face me.

"Sir."

I quickly gain a quizzical look as I tilt my head slightly. "How long have you been standing there Ghost?"

"Roughly..." He peeled back the sleeve of his hoodie and glanced at his watch. "Thirteen hours."

"You mean to tell me, after I went to sleep, you stood here for thirteen hours?"

"Yes Sir."

"Did you sit down?"

"On occasion."

"Did you at least eat? Drink?"

"I had enough to keep me going."

"Alright Ghost," I said while I fully faced the towering man before me, briefly cupping my mouth before slowly bringing my hands down. "I want to make one thing clear. This isn't going to be the normal guard job you're used to. You know I'm strong enough that I can protect myself from damn near anything. I don't need a bodyguard, I don't need a chaperone and I sure as hell don't need a soldier. What I do need is a comrade and confidant I can rely on. "

"We are equals here and that means that, as much as I don't need it, the protection goes both ways," I continued, indicating between myself and the man in front of me, who looked on at me with a look of confusion and disbelief. "You protect me, I protect you. We are a team and we are in this together, so we treat each other as such. I am not requesting nor am I asking. That is an order. Am I clear?"

Ghost stared at me for a few moments, his black smudged eyes squinting ever so slightly as he did, yet the look of disbelief never left. Eventually, his shoulders lowered slightly, as though a weight had been lifted as a soft chuckle left his lips. "You're not anything like I expected you to be, Sir."

"I can only hope you mean that in a good way," I smiled. "As a side note, I would prefer if you would refer to me by name, but if you're more comfortable with calling me Sir, I will tolerate it. Now come on, I want breakfast and I imagine you're hungry. I have a feeling the near future's going to be very busy and very interesting, so we should use the downtime while we can."

Walking off, I could hear Ghost's heavier set of footfalls immediately after. A second later, he was directly next to me, easily matching my pace to perfection as we made our way to the dining room while I absentmindedly started shuffling the cards again. As we did, we got several stares from the maids and butlers, and even a few of the regular Guard mumbled amongst themselves as we walked by, though neither of us cared much and continued without issue. Soon enough, we came to a familiar set of doors, I wasted no time in walking in, Ghost directly behind me. Stepping through, we instantly found we weren't alone.

Sat in the same chair as I had last seen her in, was Princess Celestia, peering down at several papers that lay across the table in front of her. And there, amongst the papers she seemed to be reviewing, was a plate with a thick slice of half-eaten, rich chocolate cake. As she heard the doors open, her head instantly snapped to face us, her hand moving surprisingly fast to hide the delectable dessert. Opening her mouth, I quickly cut her off as I put my cards away.

"If you're going to say anything about the cake, I don't care that you're eating it and I'm sure he doesn't either," I said, thumbing to Ghost beside me who simply hummed in agreement. "Though, something tells me you're not supposed to be eating it if how fast you were to hide is anything to go by."

"Yes, my sister has been putting me on a strict diet since her return," She said, the cake reemerging as she spoke. "But regardless, please, sit! Both of you, sit!"

Taking her up on her offer, Ghost more reluctantly and slowly than myself, we both take our seats. Summoning a bell, she let out a single ding and a waiter appeared through a door on the other side of the room, quickly coming up to us with a surprising amount of grace, though I shouldn't expect anything else from a waiter in the castle of Equestria's capital. I requested what was this world's equivalent of a full English with apple juice and Ghost ordered the same, but double the portions and with a large cup of coffee. I wasn't surprised, a man of his size needs his calories.

"So," I started. "Anything noteworthy happened since Ponyville?"

"Unfortunately not," Celestia replied. "We had sent out scouts and some of our best trackers to investigate and hopefully pinpoint where the demons had come from, but unfortunately after two days of searching, they came up empty-handed."

"So what? We wait for something to happen or show up?" I ask.

"Not unless either of you have a better idea?" She replied.

Neither Ghost nor I responded.

Noting our silence, she went back to her cake as I continued eating my breakfast. Looking at Ghost, I see him enjoying his breakfast, the man already halfway through his portion. He ate with a speed and proficiency that made me pause slightly and yet despite this, there wasn't a wasted crumb. If I didn't know any better, I would have said he was a professional competitive eater in a previous life. Throughout it all, he never removed his mask, only rolling it up just enough to eat his food without getting his mask messy. Eventually finishing, our plates were promptly taken away.

"So what about that guy yesterday?" I asked, taking a healthy sip of apple juice.

"Well, after he had been placed in the morgue, an autopsy was immediately performed, but we couldn't find anything out of the ordinary," She replied. "There wasn't anything to suggest that he had been physically tampered with for him to be as strong as he was."

"Could it be he was more in tune with his Heritage than most?" Ghost piped in.

Looking at him, she shook her head. "Originally, that was what I thought as well. But from what eyewitnesses say, he was able to put Percival on the back foot for the vast majority of their fight. He would have an impressive level of strength if he were more in tune with his Heratige but not to the level he had."

"Don't forget he was caught off guard," Ghost commented. "Had he known-"

"I don't think it would have made any difference Ghost," I cut in, catching their attention. "He was holding back, I could feel it. He wasn't there to kill me or put me out of commotion, he was testing me. And he spoke as though he knew who I was. I think if he really wanted to, he could have easily ended that fight."

"Good thing you put him down then," He said, drinking the last of his coffee.

"Oh enough of this topic," Celesita urged. "This is supposed to be a time of celebration! A Paladin is being Knighted for the first time in two thousand years!"

"Speaking of," I turned to face her. "I've been wondering a couple of things."

"And what would those be," She asked, politely sipping at her tea.

"Well for one, what is a Paladin exactly?" I inquired. "Is it some sort of sub-category of a Knight or is it its own thing?"

She hummed as she sat her tea down, giving me her undivided attention. "You aren't wrong in thinking of it as a 'sub-category' of the title Knight as you put it but it is very much its own thing. A Knight would only be granted the title of lesser noble and be given a comparatively smaller plot of land. However, Paladin is the highest rank we can give an individual and its benefits are much more significant."

"Though the Title of Knight has been phased out, we use some of the general terms for a Paladin, such as a Knighting, Knighthood etcetera," She added.

"They're their own things but bear similarities," I nod. "I get it."

"Indeed," She nodded as well. "What was the other thing you wanted to ask?"

"When will I be Knighted?"

"Oh my apologies, so much has been happening that I forgot to tell you." She giggled to herself. "The ceremony will be taking place in a week's time, which should allow you ample time to relax and prepare."

"A week? Plenty of time." Drinking the last of my apple juice, I push my chair out from under and stand, Ghost quickly following suit. "Thank you for the delicious breakfast, Princess. Now, I won't take up any more of your time and I'll let you go about your day."

"Please," She giggled. "If it's just us, I'd prefer if we drop the formalities. No titles amongst friends, no?"

"I can live with that," I smirked. "Have a good day Celestia."

"You too," She replied as I made my way to the room's exit.

The trek through the castle didn't nearly as long this time thanks to Ghost easily guiding me as though he knew like the back of his hand. It wouldn't surprise me if he did. Eventually, we came across the Red Cross and I knew we had made it to our destination. We made our way into the castle infirmary and asked the receptionist for whom I was looking for and promptly gave me directions and a room number. Following said directions and counting rooms, we swiftly made it and walked in.

Soarin lay rather comfortably on his hospital bed, his leg bandaged and held up as Spitfire and Shining Armour sat next to him on either side, both of which were stripped down to basic clothing, having been administered for slightly milder injuries.

All three turned to look at the source of the noise, all quickly spotting me as I swung the door open. The two of the three able to stand rose to their feet as they all gave me and Ghost a crisp salute.

"Sirs!" They called.

"At ease," I said, grabbing an unoccupied seat as Ghost moved to lean on the opposite wall, quietly folding his arms.

As I sat, the three of them gave a look of uncertainty as they too took their seats.

"Is there something we can help you with Sir?"

Chuckling, I rubbed the back of my neck. "I came to apologise," I replied as the three raised their eyebrows. "It wasn't my intention to put the three of you in the hospital."

"We were informed of the potential risks and accepted," Shining Armour said evenly, a soft grin making its way onto his lips.

"We wanted to test you to see if you were worthy of being Equestria's Paladin and honestly? Given how well you held your own, especially without weapons, I'm convinced," Soarin nodded.

"No one blames you, Sir," Spitfire agreed.

"Well, I'm glad to know you all feel that way, but I still want to offer my sincerest apologies," I replied, bowing my head slightly. Looking back up, I saw them unsure of what they should do. "I'm not Paladin quite yet, so no need to be so formal."

They all hesitated slightly, looking amongst themselves before Spitfire spoke. "It's not that Sir, you're just...very different from how we imagined you to be after hearing about you and what you did."

"Ah," I voiced, leaning against my legs. "Well, you'll learn rather quickly I'm not your average Joe, and I can only hope in a good way. But until then, rest up. You'll need it."

"Yes Sir!" They all replied.

"Good," I nodded, reaching to my belt and pulling out my deck of cards. "In the meantime, how about a game?"

"I won't say no," Soarin shrugged as the others heartily agreed.

"Alright then!" I grinned before looking over my shoulder. "Come on over and join us Ghost, I think you'll enjoy this one."

Author's Note

Another fairly simple chapter. Not 100% on this one, might go back at some point and change or add some things but I hope you guys enjoyed it nonetheless.

I also made some significant changes to the fight in the last chapter, making it more substantial as well as hinting at something bigger.
What could it be? We'll find out

Please point out any mistakes I may have made
Constructive criticism is always appreciated
Until next time, TTFN!

Chapter 10 - "Inauguration"

The next few days practically went by in an instant and without incident, though my thoughts were very much all over the place.

Guards had now been making it a point to stop and salute me when they encountered me as I went about my business. It was weird at first and I wasn't one hundred per cent fine with it but after some words with Ghost essentially telling me to "suck it up and deal with it", I paid it no mind after that.

Speaking of the Guards, I had begun making plans to better train them to the standard I wanted them to be at, using ideas and methods from warriors of old and, what was to me, modern-day soldiers. What better way to have top-tier trained Guards than to have the ingenuity and tactfulness of say SAS or the Marines with the prowess and strength of the ancient Spartans or the Roman Legion? To me, that was a recipe or something great. It was all very much still in its infancy, but I was getting closer to a complete regiment.

Much like the Guards saluting me and treating me as their superior, it was weird having Ghost follow me around practically everywhere I went at first but I eventually took his advice and decided to just suck it up and deal with it and got used to it a lot quicker than I expected. He had apparently taken my words to heart as he became less rigid around me, even if it was something as simple as his shoulders becoming less tense when he was around me or engaging in the minimalist of small talk. Or something more significant as eating with me. Honestly, I started enjoying his company, much like a certain duo.

The Princesses were unfortunately far too busy for me to spend any real time with them, but fortunately, with the fact I get up significantly earlier in the morning than most, we used the time during breakfast for them to wind down before starting their jam-packed day as well as familiarise themselves with their newest member of high-ranking military personnel. Despite this, they kept me well up to date regarding the upcoming Knighting, something I was both nervous and looking forward to. The higher-ranking nobility as well as a few more notable people among the common populace would be present for the ceremony itself while the paparazzi would there to document it and take the necessary picture for the inevetable article to be read in the paper.

Then there was the man that I had encountered. The way he spoke about me with such an air of familiarity was unnerving. And the power he held felt like it was just being held back, boiling just below the surface. Like I had told the Princess, it felt as though he wasn't there to permanently harm me but to test me for something. The whole situation regarding him was not one I wanted to actively think about and everything about him told me shit was fucked.

On top of that, no word of any demon sightings has been made since the attack on Ponyville and it unnerved me. Such a strong opening only to be followed by nothing but silence? it was enough to get even Luna and Celestia concerned. However, as they had instructed, with the sheer lack of anything to act on, we could only wait for them to rear their ugly heads. But there was neither hide nor hair of them to be found no matter how vigilant we were.

So that left us with time to kill until I was Knighted and it left me with plenty of time to familiarise myself with the Guards I would be training and working with. I had made it a bit of a habit to make my way down to the training grounds at least once a day and, despite how I felt about their saluting even though I wasn't in rank yet, I had become fairly comfortable. And in my time there, I had regaled them with the occasional tale, though making sure to not reveal too much about myself. And that was exactly what I was doing now.

"...so I caught the bird for them, but it weren't easy. Big fish. Not like going down to the pond and chasing bluegills or Tommy cods. Damn thing would swallow you whole. Shakin', tenderisin'. Right down you go. And we had to do it quick, get back the tourists that would put their businesses back on a paying basis. Wasn't pleasant, lost a few good men along the way. Now I value my neck more than three thousand bucks, but back then, I needed the money and they needed the damn thing gone."

The Guards gathered around the lunch area had their eye glued to me, even Ghost found himself watching and listening to my tale with a vested interest as I spoke. Word had gotten out about my tale-spinning and it became something the Guards always looked forward to and it was something I was more than happy to do.

"Excuse me, Sir," One of the newer recruits spoke up. "But where did you say this happened?"

"On a small island town off the coast. A little fishing hamlet," I replied, sipping on a mug of coffee. "It's been some years since I've been there. Honestly, I doubt it still is. It was on its last legs when I was last there."

"A shame," Shining Armour spoke up, having listened to my tale from the start, along with a couple of the Wonderbolts as well. "Sounds like it was a nice place."

"It was," I said almost solemnly. "Great people, very hospitable, amazing atmosphere. Reminds me a lot of Ponyville now that I think about it. Shame what happened to them."

"Alright people, break's over," I said suddenly, standing as I spoke. "As you were."

Without word or complaint, the Guards that gathered all filed out and returned to where they were before, either back to training equipment or out of the training ground. Chugging what remained of my coffee, Ghost and I stand to leave, only to be stopped by the Equestrian Officers who had also joined in listening to my tales.

"What can I do for you?" I ask, placing my hands behind my back.

"We were instructed to inform you that the ceremony will be taking place tonight," Shining Armour said. "We would have informed you earlier but you were in the middle of a story and we didn't want to interrupt."

"I appreciate the courtesy Captain," I thanked. "And thank you for informing me. Good thing we have time to prepare."

With that, I walk away without another word, making my way out of the training grounds and out to the winding castle corridors. I got back to my room quickly enough as I had somewhat familiarised myself with the layout of the castle, but I still got lost here and there, but thankfully Ghost was always there to correct me. Before I got to my room, I told Ghost to get some lunch as he hadn't eaten when we were at the training grounds like everyone else and after a few minutes of persuading him, I managed to get him to go.

Stepping into my room, I let the door close behind me as I began dragging my heels, my steps becoming slow and lethargic. Opening the doors to the room's balcony, I placed my hands on the cold white stone. I could feel my shoulders and my back, the muscles tense and knotted. I sigh escaped my lips while I hung my head slightly. My life had changed drastically, far more than I ever thought could be possible. Nothing made sense anymore.

Clambering up, I sat on the balcony's stone railing, letting my legs hang limply while I looked over the capital city of the nation I now called home. I watch the sun cast its yellow rays as it starts slowly descending, the yellow changing to a light, warm and pleasant orange as the birds fly overhead and throughout the city itself. I could just make out the hustle and bustle of the nobles in the streets far below, their voices faint and conjoined. Even from here, I could smell the cafes and various restaurants that littered the city. It was a beautiful sight, all things considered, but it still felt...almost alien. I knew I didn't belong, though no one else thought otherwise as they all chalked my rounded ear up to a birth defect. To them, I was just another occupant in the nation. But I knew otherwise.

Suddenly, my door opened with force and I whipped my head to see who had entered. To my surprise, I see Twilight lock eyes with me, an exasperated Ghost behind her. Cocking an eyebrow, I lift myself up and off the railing and onto the balcony properly, stepping back into my room. I glance at Twilight, before looking at Ghost.

"She wouldn't take no for an answer," He answered my unspoken question. I could hear his frustration.

"It's alright Ghost, I'm sure she has her reasons," I reply before smirking. "So what does the purple menace want with me? I thought you went home a few days ago."

Raising a confused eyebrow, she shook her head a little before speaking. "Princess Celestia requested that I help you with your speech. Besides, my friends and I are going to be present at the ceremony."

"Ah," I pull up a chair for her to sit on. "Good thing too. I haven't even started."

"You...you haven't started?" She asked incredulously. "The ceremony is happening soon and you haven't started?"

"Pretty much," I shrugged as Ghost stood by the wall behind her, keeping his eye trained on her at all times.

She started rubbing her temples. "Ok, have to start somewhere," She reached into her back pockets, she pulled out a small notepad and pen and I saw Ghost twitch as she did but he didn't act. "What do you want to say? What is it you want to convey to everyone?"

I shrugged.

Her shoulders fell slightly as I did, a look of disbelief clear on her face. "You don't know? Have you thought about this even a little bit?!" I shook my head and she gave me an unpleasant stare, and a rather disapproving one at that. "How am I supposed to help you if you can't even be bothered to think about what you want to say? It's almost like you don't want this!" I looked at the floor and sighed as I stood, stepping over the clear glass doors of my balcony. "You do want this...right?"

"To be completely honest...no," I replied softly. I could tell even Ghost was surprised.

"Then why did you accept?"

"When I came here, I thought I had a chance at a simple life...a peaceful one. This isn't at all how I thought my life would ever end up being. War is coming and it gets closer every single day," I look over my shoulder to see a sad expression adorning her face, while Ghost seemed to look at me with a look of understanding. "War is cold and uncaring. I have seen more than my fair share. I never wanted to play soldier again...I never wanted to train anyone again," I hung my head. "I may have earned their trust and respect, but do you think they will follow a nomad, a wanderer who so happened to practically show up out of nowhere? Will they follow my orders?"

I turn to face her fully. "But this isn't about what they or I want. I accepted to protect those who can't do it themselves. I accepted because I knew they would need me. I accepted to protect and save the innocent people of this nation. Even if it means losing or sacrificing myself so that they might live."

Twilight stared at me, shock evident on her face. "The last war was two thousand years ago, to have participated..." She mumbled to herself.

"I was sent here for a reason, for a purpose. For ages, I wondered why, but I think I know now why," I continued. "I never wanted to see the flames of war again, but the universe works in ways never to be understood. If this is what my purpose is, then so be it."

She quickly gained a smile as she looked at me. "I think you have your speech Sir Felwinter."

Chuckling, I nodded. "You know what, I think you're right," I replied. "Thank you Twilight. And please, just Percival will do."

She then stood and started to leave. "Let me know if you need anything else," She told me and I nodded. She then closed the door and left, thus leaving me and Ghost alone in the room.

"Well...that was some speech, Sir," Ghost commented in an amused tone.

"Yeah...don't know where that came from," I chuckled, rubbing the back of my neck.

"For what it's worth Sir, you've already shown you have what it takes," Ghost said with clear sincerity. "I know this isn't what you wanted, but it's what you've got. The people are behind you. All you need to do is show you're behind them."

"...thanks Ghost," I said after a moment.

"Anytime Sir," He replied, stepping towards the room's entrance, and closing the door behind him.

Standing in my room alone, I move to sit on my bed. However, what I had failed to notice before was a set of clothes folded on top of the chair in the corner of the room, with a small note. Quirking an eyebrow, I picked up the note and unfolded it, promptly reading its contents.

"To Sir Percival Felwinter

I hope that these clothes find you well. I have no idea what your preferences are so I tried to keep these as simple and presentable as possible for your Knighting. And do not worry about payment, think of them as a thank you for saving our quaint little town. I, and many others, owe you a great deal and these, while not enough to show our gratitude, are a step in the right direction.

Sincerely,
From Rarity Belle"

My eyes went wide as I read. I looked over at the clothes folded on my bed and began laying them out. It was a simple dark grey three-piece suit, with a lighter vest, white shirt and blue tie. Simple but beautifully made. The material was sturdy and high-quality but soft and comfortable and seemingly flexible enough to do everyday tasks with ease. She had honestly outdone herself and it was easy to see why her work was so sought after.

Trying them on, they fit perfectly. Snug where they needed to be but not uncomfortable while being loose in places where needed to maximise mobility while minimising chafing. Looking at myself in the mirror, I cleaned up rather nicely. My hair has grown a little bit since arriving here, now being a little longer than the buzz cut I had. I also had a decent bit of stubble as well, which I should probably either tidy up or shave completely.

Either way, I looked good. But it wasn't really...me.

Sighing as my shoulders dropped, I changed back into my usual get-up, neatly folding my suit and placing it back on the chair where I found it. I didn't feel good about it at all, as she had clearly put in a lot of work to make them. It was beautiful, but I didn't want to give anyone the wrong impression of me. And so, I left them there, neat on my chair, to be used another day.

A hard knock came from the room's door and I quickly made my way to it, opening it to reveal Blossomforth standing next to Ghost who stood back from the door.

"It is time?" I asked simply.

"It is."

I let out a slow, deep sigh, mentally preparing myself for what was to come. "Lead the way."

She nodded in response and we started to make our way through the castle, not a single word uttered between the three of us as we traversed the maze-like corridors. We went up to the second floor of the castle and soon we were heading down a massive hallway. We stopped at two huge doors and she motioned for me to stay quiet. I did so and soon enough the doors started to open and I was greeted with the sight of a massive room, filled to the brim with high-ranking nobles, people with cameras standing near the back, poised to take a picture at just the right moment. I also saw the main six, Spike, Spitfire, Shining Armor, Celestia and Luna. I just stood there momentarily not sure what I was supposed to do.

"That's your cue," Ghost said. "You've got this Sir."

Nodding, I began my way down the aisle while everyone turned to look at me some with curious expressions and some with shock, even the Princesses gazed at me oddly. Ignoring the stares, I continue, my footsteps echoing loudly in the dead silent hall. It was then I realized something. I had no idea what was going on. If I was supposed to do something or say something, but that being said, one thing I was always good at was picking up on context clues. Stopping in front of the Princesses, I kneel down fully on both knees, placing my lightly balled fists on my thighs, keeping my back straight and hanging my head ever so slightly to look at the floor. It was then I heard the camera shutters as the paparazzi began taking their pictures.

"Percival Felwinter," Celestia started. "Do you swear loyalty to Equestria and its people?"

"I do," I answered immediately, almost automatically.

"Do you swear to uphold its sanctity and morals?" Luna asked.

"I do."

"And do you swear that should it be in your power, to stop at nothing to safeguard this nation, its tenets and the safety of its people?" Celestia continued.

"I do."

As the words left my mouth, a soft boom filled the air, akin to a heaving hammer scraping against a hot anvil sounded out as one of the Princesses let an object clang against the floor. Bringing it up, they brought it down, the object letting out a loud booming echo throughout the room. They did so again and again. Three times they rapped the object against the floor, and after the three strikes, I felt something press against my shoulders but it was only when I felt the touch of cold steel against my head I realized what they were doing.

"Then rise, and be dubbed Sir Percival Felwinter! Paladin of Equestria!" The dual Princesses exclaimed in perfect sync.

Standing with one fluid motion, I was presented with the item they Knighted me with. An expertly crafted glaive, beautiful in its own right but not ornate in any way. Made by hands with an eye for perfect aesthetics and practicality. And near the head, a perfectly round orb or crystal that seemed to swirl with a blue and gold energy within it. I was speechless.

"We bestow upon you Venator, the weapon of legends. Past down from generation to generation of past Paladins down to Starswirl the Bearded, the last Paladin in history," Celestia said.

"Wield this venerated blade with honour, strength and compassion," Luna ended.

Offering the blade to me, I carefully take it in both hands, already feeling its perfect weight. Bouncing it slightly, I give it a few testing swirls, spinning it between my hands before throwing it up, catching it and placing it on two outstretched fingers. Perfectly balanced, as it should be.

Turning to the shocked crowd, I bang the glaive into the ground, the spiked end embedding into the white marble floor. "And here. We. Go."

"I came here before you as a nomad. A wanderer. A stranger," I said, my voice loud, clear and confident. "But leave here in hopes that you will see me as more than that. A fellow nobleman, a general, a soldier, a brother in arms...a friend," I said. "I tell you now, that I was going to appear before you not as I am, but as someone I am not. I was given clothes befit one of my station, but I could not bring myself to wear them. Why appear as someone I never was, as someone fit for titles I do not want."

The crowd gasped.

"But I accept these responsibilities for a reason. For years I walked aimlessly, wandering with a vain hope that I might find a purpose. Something to keep me going, to give me a reason," I said, the look of shock continuing. "But I have now found that purpose, that reason to keep going. The safety of this nation and its people and the upkeep of its moral tenets. My duty is now to you, for I am Equestria's sword and I am its shield!"

As I finished, the room burst into applause, many seemingly impressed with my words, even the main six looked impressed.

"To the Paladin of Equestria!" Luna announced. "To Sir Percival Felwinter."

Feeling a tiny pressure on my back, I saw the two Princesses each spread a wing, Celestia her left and Luna her right, very lightly placing them on my back, wordlessly ushering me forward. Grinning, I swirl my new glaive a little, giving it a slight flourish, inverting my grip to let the head of the glaive sit near my head. Walking back down the aisle that I came from, I was followed by Celestia and the others. We were soon out of the room and the doors closed behind us. We continued walking and as we did the main six excitedly talked amongst themselves as Ghost, Luna and Celestia walked closer to me.

"That was some speech you gave," Celestia commented.

"Would you believe me if I told you I wung most of it? Wung it? Winged it? Whatever you get what I mean."

The two Princesses giggled while Ghost shook his head but was still amused.

"I do believe congratulations are in order," Luna said.

"And a p-p-p-party!"Pinkie exclaimed, suddenly appearing on my shoulders.

The three next to me jumped slightly as I took her down from where she appeared, setting her down next to me as we walked.

"I love the sound of that but it's gonna have to wait. There's something I need to talk to the Princesses about," I said, to which she seemed to deflate a little bit. "Don't worry Pinkie, we can still have a party. It just needs to be pushed back a bit, alright?"

"Alrighty!" She smiled, skipping over to her friends as they caught up with us.

"I dunno dude, don't you think you should...relax or somethin'?" Rainbow asked as the group came up to us.

"I quite agree," Rarity said. "You can only be Knighted once."

"Maybe, but important things need to be done pretty quickly. I can always enjoy it later on," I shrugged before stopping in the middle of the hall, catching everyone's attention. walking up to Rarity, I rubbed the back of my neck. "I uh...I want to apologise."

"Whatever for?"

"You made me some incredible clothes for my Knighting and, as much as I loved them and as amazing as they looked, I couldn't wear them," I replied, hanging my head a little. "I couldn't appear in front of them as someone I'm not. I wanted to show them who I was. A man with the means to do what is necessary to protect his home. I wanted to show them who they were dealing with."

"Oh, don't apologise for being yourself," She said with a smile, lifting my head by my chin to look at her. "I will admit I was curious as to why you hadn't worn them, but I knew you had your reasons. You don't need to apologise for it, darling."

"I...thank you," I smiled back.

"Of course."

Smiling at the interaction, the group turned to leave, only to leave Applejack behind, her stetson lower on her face than usual, obscuring the majority of her upper face and covering her eyes. Looking at her curiously, I saw her hands shaking as she took in a rather shaky breath. The group noticed this as well and moved to check on her before I signalled them to stop.

"Applejack?" I asked, slowly stepping closer towards her. "You alright?"

As soon as the words left my mouth, she quickly walked up to me, placing her head on my chest and wrapped her arms around my body. As she did, she let out a small sniffle and quiet sob as her shoulders raised up. Looking around, everyone seemed as lost as me, so I gently wrapped my arms around her, giving her a small but reassuring squeeze.

"Yah almost died cuz of me," She said quietly.

Everyone's, except for Ghost's, eyes widened as she said this and I quickly pulled away, cupping her cheeks as she continued quietly sobbing. "Now Applejack, you listen to me. If anyone is to fault here, it's very much me," I told her. "I should have checked my surroundings before anything else, but I got sloppy and careless. The fault was on my part and you should not feel responsible. Okay?" I waited for her to respond for a moment or two before she nodded weakly. "Atta girl," With one final hug, I sent her to her friend who all immediately comforted their friend in distress. Looking back at the Princesses, they both held a smile.

"What?"

Saying nothing, we continued Ghost right at my side as always. Following close behind, we soon found ourselves in the west wing of the castle. We approached a dark wood door that had the symbol of an embellished golden sun expertly crafted into the door. Entering, the princesses sat down while Ghost stood near the door, folding his arms and leaning against the wall. Celestia relaxed across a fancy couch and Luna jumped on the bed. I chuckled, happy with how relaxed they had become around me. I sat across from Celestia on a one-person recliner.

"So, let's get started then, shall we?"

Author's Note

Another chapter in the belt, quite enjoyed this one.

A friend of mine showed these to me and I couldn't say no. Also couldn't find a smaller picture :facehoof:
Anyway, imagine this, but with a crystal where the hole would be.
Credit to Nano-core on deviant-art for making these designs

Please point out any mistakes I may have made
Constructive criticism is always appreciated
Until next time, TTFN!

Chapter 11 - "Calm Before The Storm"

As Ghost and I arrived back at the Training Grounds, my face was stone cold and expressionless as I quickly went back over my training regiment in my head to ensure I knew what I needed to do. Stepping out into the arena proper, our eyes landed on roughly thirty Guards, who all stopped as soon as we entered. They simply stared, unsure of what to do.

"Line up!"

All scatter, dropping what they were doing, lining up in front of me as quickly as they could. A full minute passed before they all fully lined up, resulting in an annoyed sigh from me, seemingly putting the Guards unease while Ghost shook his head.

"It took a full minute to form a simple fucking line!?" I yelled while Ghost hung near the wall behind me. "Disgraceful! I can only hope you can form a phalanx quicker than that!"

Walking along the lined-up Guards, my more impressive stature unnerving them all, but they at least held strong enough under my highly critical and unimpressed gaze.

"Next time I ask you to line up, I expect it to be done in less than thirty seconds!" I yelled. "Any longer and those not in line will be performing a ten-mile run as punishment!"

"Now!" I continue. "Congratulations are in order. You are among the first to participate in the newest training program set up by me."

"Uh...Sir? Not even a quarter of the Guards are present."

My head whipped around just in time to see one of the Guards quickly closing their mouth. Stepping up to them. "Did I ask you to open your mouth son?"

"No, Sir you didn't," He replied.

"What's your name soldier?"

"Private Carver."

"Private Carver, drop down and give me twenty!"

Flinching from the sudden noise, he takes a second before he gets down and starts his push-up while I continue my walk along the line.

"When you are training you will speak when spoken to or unless told otherwise!" I started. "And when you are training you will refer to me as Sir! You will preface your words with Sir and you will end your words with Sir! Am I understood!"

"Sir yes Sir!"

"Now before we continue, I will give you this chance, this one chance to walk away," I stated, drawing many odd looks from the gathered Guards. "This training will be brutal! You will be put to your limits! You have this chance to walk away and no harm will come to you, but I do not tolerate quitters. If you do not leave now and quit later on, it will be through me!"

Coming to a stop in the middle of the line, I look among the very confused Guards as Carver stands.

"So. Do I have any takers?"

None walked forward. The determination in their eyes told me they all had a fire to see it through. A little bit of pride was already making its way onto my face, but before I could let it show, I nodded my head and gave a satisfied hum.

"Alright then. Let's get started then."

"Your momma was home when you left!"

"You're right!"

"Your daddy was home when you left!"

"You're right!"

"Your sister was home when you left!"

"You're right!"

"Your brother was home when you left!"

"You're right!"

"The dog was home when you left!"

"You're right!"

"The cat was home when you left!"

"You're right!"

"The fish was home when you left!"

"You're right!"

"Your momma, your daddy, your sister, your brother, the dog, the cat, the fish was home when you left!"

"You're right!"

"And that's the reason you left!"

"You're right!"

"I left my home!"

"I left my home!"

"To join the army!"

"To join the army!"

Staring down at the formation of Guards, a smile crept upon mine and Luna's lips as we watched. It was an odd thing to watch, to see a formation of Guards march at a specific speed and chanting back was truly unique. A sort of call-and-respond drill, calling it a cadence march or something to that effect. It was supposed to help develop coordination by marching in sync at a specific tempo depending on the song while calling back when warranted while also having the added benefit of improving and increasing oxygen to the lungs to provide more energy. The songs usually held some sort of meaning as well.

Percival had brought it, and several others up after his Knighting to our attention, running through a basic training regime he would put the Guards through. He had stated he would be putting them through what he had experienced, something similar to a group he called the "SAS". We had questioned as to who these people were but he didn't inform us, saying that their training regime was more important than who they were.

We were sceptical at first, unsure of how effective this rather unorthodox and gruelling program would be. But after a few months, it was easy to see the difference. They could run faster and longer, and lift more, and their teamwork and coordination had improved drastically. Not only that but their discipline, mental fortitude and focus were all impressively above what they were. He still stated they had a little ways to go, saying they still had the survival aspect of his regiment to go through, but it had more than proven its worth.

"It has been brutal so far, but you cannot deny its effectiveness," Luna commented next to me. "Your hunch was certainly right about him."

"Indeed, and he just keeps getting more interested," I said. "Makes me wonder what goes on in that head of his."

"Careful there Princess," Ghost said from my other side, slight amusement lacing his words. "You'll give yourself a hernia."

I couldn't help but giggle quietly to myself, but it was true. Percival was something of a walking mystery and pondering on such a mystery would often lead to a headache. There was something about him that made it hard to push him from my thoughts. The things he would say, the way he would say them, the way he held himself. Even down to something as small as the way he would sometimes fidget behind his back as he trained the Guards.

But this little mystery jumped to new heights after Twilight had regaled Luna and I about his words to her before the ceremony. About how he had "seen his fair share" of war and how he "never wanted to play soldier again". The last war was two thousand years ago when me and my sister were still young, for him to have participated, he would need to be immortal and very, very old, and there weren't many of them left wandering the earth anymore. So many burning questions spawned from a fairly simple interaction, it made me wonder what the future had in store.

From the moment I saw him, I knew he was an interesting fellow and that he would be an incredible boon to us and our interaction in his Mindscape solidified that near-instant notion. But after what we had seen and heard so far, it goes beyond anything I or my sister could have hoped for.

Just who is Percival Felwinter? What things has he seen? What has he done? Is he as long-lived as he suggests?

So many questions left unanswered and so many mysteries left unsolved. Questions I fear will be left unanswered for quite some time. It's a good thing I love a good mystery.

"Yes Ghost, you're quite right, but won't stop me from wondering, however," I smiled. "But you have to admit he holds a certain mystique about him. You aren't even a little curious?"

"My duty is to protect him, not question him," He replied quickly. "But I will admit to a passing curiosity. The stories he's told have been interesting enough."

"Yes, we heard of a few," Luna said. "My personal favourite was the one with the big fish, though I forget what it was called."

"Tell us Ghost," Luna said suddenly. "Why is it you are not a part of his drills?"

"Said he wanted to see if I was up to snuff himself since we would be working on a more personal basis," He stated simply.

"And I take he liked what he found?" I asked.

"I think he did," He replied.

Nodding my head, I look back out at the marching band of soldiers walking in near-perfect sync. It was impressive how such a simple exercise could help develop a strong sense of coordination, both as an individual as well as a group. My sister and I have lived long lives, but it would seem even we have things to learn. Making their way back to their starting point, seemingly having finished their drill for the day. Stepping in front of them, he addressed the large group of Guards.

"Well done, almost perfect. You've all done incredibly," Percival said, his raspy yet rich baritone voice effortlessly carrying through the air. "You're all done for the day, take a well-earned break. You know the drill."

Snapping a crisp salute, they began filing out as Percival turned and saw us standing, watching as he conducted his drill. Waving to him, he waved back before he made his way to us. Once he was beside us, Ghost stepped up next to him as he always did. I clasped my hands in front of me while I turned to face him.

"While we were sceptical at first about your methods, I have to admit," Luna said. "We cannot deny its effectiveness."

"Indeed," I added. "It is truly quite impressive the progress you have been able to achieve in even just a few weeks."

"Thank you for the vote of confidence," Percival replied with a toothy grin. "Truth be told, they still have a lot to improve on. Not just in this, but in other aspects as well. But we'll get there Chief."

Luna giggled a little as he said this. Roughly a week into his Knighthood, Percival had absentmindedly called me "Chief" and while at first, I had regarded it as a good-spirited mockery of sorts to the fact we don't use proper titles in privacy, it had very quickly caught on and he started calling me that outside in public as well, much to the chagrin of the nobility, stating that his nonchalant attitude is untoward and unbecoming of a man of his rank. Not that he cared, telling them to, and I quote "go stuff themselves". Luna finds it and his attitude rather amusing and though I wouldn't tell him, I found it rather endearing.

"Well, with the headway you have made, I don't doubt that you'll get there soon enough," I said with a smile.

"Here's hoping," He replied, crossing his fingers.

"What are your plans for the rest of the evening?" Luna asked as we started making our way into the palace.

"Don't have any," He shrugged before gaining a thoughtful look. "Though I have been eyeing the pool for a while."

"Then would you be willing to join us for dinner?" I asked.

Peering down at his expertly crafted watch gifted to him by Rarity Belle, he looked back at us with a grin. "Yeah, I've still got time. It's been a while."

"Splendid," Luna cheered lightly.

"Then if you'll both follow us," I requested.

As we sat at the table, Percival happily eating a rather large piece of steak, I couldn't help but smile subtly at him as he did. I was happy he was actually eating. For the few months he has been training the Guards, I, as well as Luna and Ghost, had noticed he began eating less and less, prioritising his responsibilities over his well-being. Though his lack of appetite didn't seem to be having a detrimental effect on him, which we were both extremely confused about, it was still worrying to see him not eat anything for a week straight, if not longer.

Ghost had noticed this as well and had tried to get him to eat more, though he wasn't fully successful, he got him to at the very least have a snack here and there. It wasn't enough to put our minds at ease but it was something.

"I am glad you accepted our invitation, Percival," Luna said as she finished her soup. "You seem to be taking your role very seriously."

"As I should," He replied, chewing the last of his rotund steak. "It wouldn't do anyone any good to half-ass my job."

"That is very true," I commented. "Your work is extremely impressive I must say, though highly unorthodox."

"I knew it would be," He shrugged. "But sometimes the most unusual things can be the most beneficial."

I nodded, while Luna took a little time to dwell on his words before speaking. "Quite."

"I must say, I'm glad you accepted," I said. "I wasn't totally sure you would."

"Yes well, life is strange and I keep saying yes to things," He replied.

Luna looked at him curiously. "But you seem happy with your choice."

"They're choices. Choices are better than not choosing. Not choosing means you're at the whims of circumstance," He replied, idly leaning his elbows on the table. "I prefer to be in control than to be at the whims of something."

"...you're far wiser than you let on," I said to no one in particular. "It makes me wonder what goes on in that mind of yours."

"Watch yourself Chief," He playfully warned. "You'll give yourself a hernia."

This got a good chuckle out of us, Ghost in particular. But the joy, however, didn't last.

As we laughed, an individual burst into the room, causing us all to stand immediately as Percival and Ghost reached for their weapons, but relaxed when they saw it was a Guard. He wore a panicked and frazzled look clear as day on his face as his breath came out heavy and ragged. Quickly spotting us, he didn't move as he practically shouted his words.

"Your Highnesses, word has come from the Lycan Commonwealth!" He exclaimed. "They're under attack!"

"By who!?" Percival asked, immediately stepping up to the panicked Guard.

"Demons!"

Author's Note

Definitely more of a filler and bridge chapter to lead into the next but it was still fun to write, hope you guys enjoyed, not much else to say.

Please point out any mistakes I may have made
Constructive criticism is always appreciated
Until next time, TTFN!

Chapter 12 - "Assistance With An Apocalypse"

Author's Note

So here it is, the improved version. After a few attempts and some mucking about, I eventually landed on this one, using the bones of the original and rewriting or adding to it until I got the final product, much happier with this than I was with the original. And since I've done it for this one, expect to eventually see the same treatment be done for a few other chapters

Also, I am very much using Google Translate for the Lycans Spanish, so if I have anything from like spelling, grammar or anything like that, let me know and I'll rectify it as best I can.

Please point out any mistakes I may have made
Constructive criticism is always appreciated
Until next time, TTFN!

Chapter 12 - "Assistance With An Apocalypse"

- Shut that door! This is - I said shut that damn door! This is Captain Shair Kahn of the Lycan Commonwealth sending a distress signal from Las Almas! We're under attack, I repeat, We are under attack!

- CAPTAIN!!

- Y-Yeah?

- LOOK!!

- OH FUC-

Static -

Staring at the tape recorder sitting in the middle of the table, a small chill runs down my spine as I look at the others gathered around. The Princesses and the other military Officers were called as soon as we found out a distress message had been sent out. Everyone couldn't tear their eyes off the small device.

"How long ago was this sent out?" I asked, looking at the Guards that had brought it to our attention.

"Roughly an hour ago," He replied. "It came through fairly distorted and it took a while to stabilise the message, Sir."

"What's the fastest way to travel to Las Almas?" I asked the Princesses.

"Via skyship," Luna quickly replied, catching on my line of thinking. "But it takes hours to get there."

"If there's a chance to help them, we better damn well take it," I said firmly. "Gather a squadron of Guards consisting of a hundred of those I've trained. Prep a skyship with as many essentials we can muster for an aid effort. Food, water, clothes, blankets, anything that can help. Move!"

"Ghost," I said, turning to the man as the Guard swiftly ran from the room. "Gather your equipment and meet at the ship when you're ready. Go."

Nodding, he bolted out of the room and down the hallway. Glancing at the recorder, I move to exit as well, only to be stopped by the Princesses.

"Percival," Celestia said, her voice authoritative and her face stern. "Consider this your first official assignment. You are to help in any way you can, and save as many as you are able. You are not only representing Equestria but also yourself. This will be the first time you are seen outside our borders as our Paladin, so this will be your time to prove to the world you have what it takes. We don't doubt you and we trust you to do what's right."

Nodding, I turn and leave without a word, mentally preparing myself for the hailstorm that's to come. Shit just got real interesting real quick and not in a good way.

The Skyship was everything I had hoped it would be. Though I didn't show, I was positively giddy to get to take a ride on the vessel. Two large balloons hung overhead, a heavy and intense amount of magic practically glowing off of them. Several wing-like oars jutted from the sides and the devices were being used for steering and altitude. A magnificent vehicle I would have gushed over had the situation not been what it was.

For the sake of brevity, I won't regale you with the full preparation phase and the travel time, but I'll give you a basic run down. Aid items were sifted through and stored on the ship far quicker than I expected. They consisted of the basics I had mentioned: Water, basic food items, clothes of varying sizes, blankets, medicine, and other medical equipment. We were off without interruption

The travel time to the city of the Lycan Commonwealth, Las Almas, was painfully slow. Though the Skyship was travelling at an honestly rather impressive speed, it still took the better part of eleven hours to do so, the vast majority of the journey being done during the night. The journey was made in complete silence, everyone quietly sitting, preparing themselves.

~~

Standing at the helm of the ship with Ghost by my side, my coat billowed in the wind. My gaze focused through the telescope, falling upon the ruined city of Las Almas, its silhouette bathed in the harsh light of morning.

Despite its name, rooted in this world’s version of Spanish, Las Almas’ architectural style was an intriguing blend. It evoked not just my world’s India but also Mexico, bearing a striking resemblance to Delhi and Puerto Rico. This juxtaposition of influences made for a captivating, if melancholic, sight.

The outer districts consisted of colourful stone buildings, their robust construction and vibrant facades standing the test of time. Many rose several stories high, their balconies overlooking narrow streets below. Wires and electrical cables crisscrossed between closely packed buildings, some repurposed to hold drying clothes swaying gently in the breeze. Signs and billboards clung precariously to walls, their faded Spanish lettering hinting at long-forgotten advertisements.

Deeper into the city, more modern structures loomed, their designs a stark contrast to the rustic charm of the outer zones. These newer buildings were composed of steel, concrete, and glass, their facades reflecting an era of ambition now tarnished by devastation. Most were rectangular monoliths with flat rooftops, their metallic frames still holding strong despite the evident damage.

The cityscape was a patchwork of love and labour—a testament to generations of dedication. Yet, its current state rendered it haunting rather than beautiful.

The older districts remained surprisingly intact, though the streets were visibly marred, even from our distant vantage point. The modern sector, however, had fared worse. Shattered glass lined the streets below, and jagged holes gaped where windows once stood. Columns of smoke spiralled skyward, and the ruins bore grim signs of desperation: red-streaked white flags tied to poles, fluttering faintly in the breeze, carried the universal plea for aid.

“How’s it lookin’?” Ghost’s gravelly voice cut through the silence.

“Fucked,” I replied, lowering the telescope and handing it over.

He peered through for a few moments, taking in the scene. “Fuckin’ hell.”

“Exactly.”

“Sir!” A voice called out behind us.

We turned to see one of the Guards hurrying toward us, his posture stiff with urgency as his eyes darted back occasionally before settling on us.

“An encampment has been spotted off the starboard side!” He announced, pointing behind him. “The Captain has already changed course!”

“Thank you for letting us know,” I said with a nod. “As you were.”

Within minutes, the ship shifted course, veering toward a heavily forested area on the city’s far-right outskirts. Soon, we spotted the encampment: a cluster of makeshift white tents scattered across a flat expanse roughly ten miles from the city. As we approached, a flare shot into the sky from an open clearing, marking our landing zone.

Once the ship hovered above the designated spot, I began barking orders. The Guards sprang into action, moving swiftly and efficiently. Securing a rope, I tossed it over the side, and Ghost and I descended to the ground below. We landed with a solid thud, and as I scanned the scene, my eyes fell upon a group approaching us—a sight that made me pause.

It was my first look at the Lycans.

While they bore some resemblance to the Diamond Dogs, their differences were striking. The Lycans were tall and lean, standing a full head above me on average, with powerful builds and an upright stance. Their silhouettes were remarkably uniform, though individual markings and fur patterns lent them unique identifiers.

As they drew closer, their dishevelled state became evident. Their thick coats were tangled and matted, streaked with dirt, sand, and debris. Their eyes, sharp and intelligent, were rimmed with exhaustion and bloodshot from stress and deprivation.

“Stop right there! State your name and business!” One of them barked. The group halted with their weapons at the ready—spears and swords held steady, though their caution was tinged with desperation.

Ghost landed beside me, and I stepped forward, raising my voice to address them. “Paladin Percival Felwinter of Equestria,” I declared. “This is Lieutenant Ghost. We received your distress call and have come to offer aid.”

A collective murmur rippled through the group, but one voice rang out, trembling with relief. “Gods above be praised!”

A figure stepped forward from the rear—a tall female Lycan, her presence commanding. Her fur was a rich blend of dark brown and beige, and her bright red hair was pulled back into a messy ponytail. She wore a tattered purple robe, its edges frayed and torn, revealing toned, muscular limbs and a hint of defined abs. Her crimson eyes brimmed with a mix of exhaustion, hope, and joy, tears threatening to spill.

“I am Princess Ayren Dayniq of the Lycan Commonwealth,” She said, her voice strong yet frayed, as though strained by endless shouting and worry. “You cannot imagine how grateful we are to see you.”

“I can imagine,” I said with a reassuring smile, gesturing to the ship lowering behind us. “My men are mobilizing now to assist in the relief effort. We’ve brought supplies—food, water, clothing, medicine—everything we could manage.”

Ayren exhaled a shaky breath of relief, and the tension in the group visibly eased. She turned to one of her guards. “Consiga algunos de nuestros sanos y pídales que ayuden a los hombres del Paladín Percival a descargar y distribuir lo que trajeron. Consiga tantos como podamos de sobra.”

“¡Sí, su Alteza!” He replied, bolting toward the camp.

“Follow me,” Ayren said, turning back to Ghost and me. “I’ll get you up to speed.”

We followed closely as she led us deeper into the encampment. The scene unfolding around us painted a grim picture. Lycans of all shapes and sizes moved between the tents, joined by a surprising assortment of other species. I spotted Caiman—crocodilian creatures—alongside Zebras, Gryphos, and even a few Draconians. Bat-like Viserans flitted through the camp, their presence unusual in this region. It was a melting pot of survivors, much like the architectural hodgepodge of the city they had fled.

The air was heavy with the sounds of pain and quiet sobbing. Injured refugees lay on makeshift beds, some writhing in discomfort while others lay motionless as medics tended to them. Fresh grief lingered in every corner. Yet, as we passed, eyes turned to us—eyes filled with awe, relief, and most importantly, hope.

We approached a larger tent, its entrance marked by a hanging tarp. Ayren pushed it aside and stepped through. Inside, we found a hastily assembled war room. Maps and notes cluttered the central table, and Lycans in light grey armour with gold and purple accents moved briskly. Upon seeing their princess, they snapped to attention, their weariness momentarily masked by discipline.

"Men, this is Paladin Percival Felwinter and his Lieutenant, Ghost," She said as she addressed those within the tent. "They have brought aid to us and our injured. Treat them with the utmost respect."

"Si su Alteza!" They Salute.

"A pleasure. What you've all been through must have been hard, but to see you all banding together is nothing short of inspiring," I said, gaining grins and bows in response. "But if I am to help you, I need a sitrep. What happened, casualty and fatality numbers, what we can expect from the city proper, anything that could help."

"It started twelve hours ago," Ayren started, leaning against the table in the middle of the tent. "It was just a normal evening. The work shifts were coming to an end and children were on their way back home from school."

Fully leaning her weight into her hands, she lightly dug her sharp nails into the wooden table while her face scrunched, the memories flashing in her eyes.

"They appeared in the middle of our city, breaking through the floor of the City Hall. They tore through all they came across. No mercy even to children!" Tears gathered in her eyes, her face contorting into a visage of sorrow and rage. "Heartless beasts! We mobilised as quickly as we could but it wasn't enough and all we could do was retreat and evacuate. Most of our citizens were able to make it into our Inner Sanctum along with the King and Queen but we were overrun. What you see now are all that were unable to make it inside."

"Inner Sanctum?" I asked, fiddling with the condensed handle of Venator strapped to my belt.

"A safe heaven my ancestors commissioned in case of a large-scale assault. Thick of it as a war bunker," Ayren replied. "And thank the mighty Gods they did."

"Thank the Gods indeed. Good thing the King and Queen managed to escape," I agreed as Ayren nodded with me. "I'm sorry we weren't able to get here sooner to help. We moved as soon as we deciphered your call."

"You're here now, that's what matters," She said quickly. "And with you here, we may have a chance to regain our city if what I've heard is to be believed."

"This is significantly bigger than the attack on Ponyville," I said. "I like to think I'm a good fighter and my men are well trained, but we aren't an army."

"Sometimes, a small tip in the scales is all that's needed," She replied, pulling out a stray file and placing it on the table. "And as they say, knowledge is power."

"What's this?" Ghost asked.

"As I said, they came from the City Hall but they seem to be very protective of the area," She responded, looking directly at Ghost. "The picture enclosed in the file was the closest they were able to get."

I grabbed the file and quickly opened it, spotting a single picture with a few paragraphs of text behind it. It looked to be Las Almas's city hall, with dozens and dozens of spiked, black-furred entities scrambling over each other, their long snouts baring razor-sharp teeth at an unseen source. The sheer number of them was highly disturbing, significantly higher than it was when the Demons attached Ponyville. As I scanned the picture for any other identifying factors I'd need to know about, I couldn't help but wonder: why Las Almas specifically?

"The beasts seem to exclusively patrol the area in and around the City Hall. They only became aggressive when our Operative got too close. That picture was the only one they were able to capture," The Princess informed me.

"And about the Operative?" I asked, gaining a slight eyebrow. "Can I speak to them? Getting a first-hand account may prove valuable."

The Princess's splayed back ever so slightly as she let out a small sigh. "Unfortunately not. When we rendezvoused with them at a pre-chosen location, we found them in critical condition. They died before they got back to camp."

Shaking my head, I hung it slightly. "I am sorry for your losses, your Highness."

"As am I," Ayren said softly. "All of this and for what?"

"That is what we intend to find out," I said, looking over my shoulder and through a gap in the tent, towards my men helping many within the camp. Looking back, I saw Ghost's eyes squint slightly.

"You said the Demons almost exclusively patrol around the City Hall, right?" He asked.

"Yes, why?" Ayren replied.

"What's beneath the Hall?" He stepped forward, picking up the picture the Operative took. "What could be so important about it?"

"We believe that they're protecting something," Ayren stated. "They did seem to be rather protective of the area even when they initially attacked."

"I don't know," I said slowly. "I have very limited experience with Demons but they don't strike me as the type to be subtle about things. Could be a trap."

"If there's even a chance that whatever they're protecting could help take back our city, I want it capitalized!" She said firmly, her eyes filled with desperation, hope, fear and a need to protect. Looks like she doesn't have many other options. "Please, I know what I am asking for sounds impossible. But there's not much else we can do."

Coming round the table, she took my hands before her legs seemed to give out, tears threatening to spill as her subjects looked on with sadness. "Please. Help us."

Gently lifting her to her pawed feet, I set her down on a near by seat, kneeling in front of her as I squeeze her handsas reassuringly as I could. "A Princess such as you need not beg for help from me, just to simply ask for it. I will do everything in my power to help you retake your home."

She looked at me for a moment, a wide smile breaking across her face astears finally spilt, gliding down her dust covered fur. Bringing my hands to her forehead, she whispered weakly. "Thank you,"

"All we need is a way in," Ghost voiced. " I doubt they'd let us in through the front door."

Wiping the tears from her cheeks as best she could, she looked between me and my comrade. "Well...we do have alternative ways into the city."

Lifting the heavy metal sewer grate aside, I peeked into the streets above, looking around to see if I could spot anyone or anything roaming the streets. Below me stood Ghost and around ten of the many Guards I had brought, all having volunteered to assist in the mission, wanting nothing more than to help their General and make sure the mission was successful. All Guards had actually volunteered but I wanted the rest to stay behind and assist with the relief effort and bring some comfort to those who so desperately needed it. That and I felt that a smaller, more lightly armed group held a better chance of getting near the City Hall than several dozen heavily armed Guards clanking down the demon-infested streets.

"Contacts?" Ghost asked quietly, tightly gripping his short sword and shield.

"None," I replied just loud enough for the Guards to also hear me.

Fully pushing the grate aside, I jumped up in one effortless movement, taking a moment to scan my surroundings before turning and helping Ghost up. Ghost stepped to the side, holding his shield tight to his body as he surveyed the buildings around them. Helping each Guard up and into the surprisingly quiet street, I looked around, trying my best to get my bearings in this new environment.

I motioned to my right, towards a shaded alleyway, the Guards all moving to it without a word. Kneeling, I looked at my watch, quickly settling my eyes on the small built-in compass. Gotta love Rarity's work. "Princess Ayren said the City Hall is due north-west of our location. If we stick to the alleys, we should get there in an hour."

"Assumin' we're not interrupted," Ghost said, readjusting his skull mask a little.

"Very true," I replied. "Alright, we know what we need to do. Let's get to it."

The gathered Guards nodded to their superior, they followed close behind me as they slinked through the interconnected alleyways. We stepped in line and walked single file, matching the footsteps of those in front, masking how many of us there truly were. Another one of the unusual tactics that I had brought up to the Princesses and the Guards themselves during their training, the use and benefit of this one were by far the easiest to discern out of most of the unorthodox training.

We walked for a solid fifteen minutes, stopping now and then to make sure we weren't being followed or were going to come upon a group of demons. Miraculously, or perhaps more concerningly, we came across none, even the streets they managed to get a peek at were disturbingly empty, bar the sand littering the rural living and the disregarded everyday items dropped and strewn across the ground.

It was eery to us all, that our heightened senses and danger sense picked up nothing the entire time we made our way through the back streets and alleys. That usual feeling that you were being watched was completely absent, making way for a feeling way worse. We were alone.

Walking cautiously out into the surprisingly open and eerily silent streets, we very carefully scanned their surroundings, keeping our heads on an ever-moving swivel.

"Somethings not right here," One of the Guards, Private Cloud Chaser, commented quietly, tightening his wings to his body.

"Got that right," Corporal Straight Aim said, keeping his horn trained on the group's six.

As we continued along, they eventually came across the poor souls that had once walked the lively streets. Lifeless bodies littered the dust and rubble street, sprawled out over the ground, sent through and laying on the shattered glass of broken windows. Limbs were torn from their sockets, the flesh flayed, ripped and mangled asunder. Bones were shattered and broken, tearing through flesh, skin and fur. Entrails were slashed open or pulled from their stomachs, dried crimson ichor caking any surface they clung to. And true to Princess Ayren's words, not even the children were spared.

Many present looked away as best they could, dry heaving as they looked upon the fear-ridden faces of the dead. Utter disbelief spread throughout the group as we witnessed the aftermath of the wholesale slaughter of innocent lives, all present realizing this would have been the outcome had I not been successful in beating back the assault on Ponyville.

"Gods above," Corporal Ivory Flight said, her wings fluttering as she swallowed the rising bile.

"Fucking sick," Private Strong Arm whispered as he tore his eyes from the massacre.

As the words left his mouth, we all heard a low guttural growl come from in front of them. Spinning around, we spot a black-furred entity, large spikes jutting from its shoulder blades and continuing down its back into a whip-like tail. Six piercing blue eyes bared at us while its lips peeled back, revealing thin needle teeth. It stared at us as reared back onto its skinny lanky legs before letting out an earsplitting screech. A second passed and other roars and screeches sounded out in the distance as the demons became alerted to our presence.

Flicking Ace from its holster, I shot the demon square between its eyes, resulting in its body exploding, disturbing the settled dust and debris into a small cloud of blood, fire and detritus. Without another word, I spun and began barking orders while the roars slowly got louder.

"Swift Wing, Cloud Chaser, Ivory Flight and Moon Fire, I want you to provide as much air support as you can, pick off as many as you can with your crossbows and do it from a distance!" I shouted, the Pegasi nodding before jumping into the air. "Straight Aim, Cold Fire, Platinum Star and Lucky Star, I want them walled in! Have it they can only come towards us and fire on any who get too high!"

The Unicorns stepped back a few feet as I turned to the remaining Earth-ponies. "Strong Arm, Crimson Ice, Thunder Strike! With me!"

Reaching for my belt, I unclipped a handle and pulled it out and away from my body, and with a deep clang, Venator burst forth in a plume of fire. Standing together with the Unicorns at the back and the Pegasi on high, we waited with bated breath, sweat starting to gather at their brow. The roars and growls grow louder and louder and in a split second, dozens of demons similar to the first we saw came barreling down the streets, clambering over each other to reach the group.

"Walls!"

Channelling their magic, thick walls of ice burst from the ground as several demons were sent flying through the air only to be shot down by the hovering Pegasi.

"Hold!"

The demons rushed forward, their piercing blue eyes held nothing but bloodlust while yellow foam dripped from their maws. In seconds, they were in range.

"Cut them down!"

As the demons got within range, those with close-range weaponry stepped forward, stabbing, cutting and slashing with tightly controlled strikes, easily cutting down the first dozen or so that dared get too close and the Unicorns and Pegasi shot bolts of steel and magic alike at their chosen target, the projectiles easily finding their marks.

As the assault continued, deep yells sounded out ahead of us as we saw several demons being tossed and flung aside, a large mass hurtling towards them. Before we could react, the ice wall to the group's right exploded as a mass of barely contained muscle broke down the wall.

"SHIT!" I exclaimed. That thing wasn't in the report!

Reaching to Ace on instinct, I fired several shots, just barely missing as the rest of the group caught themselves and killed the last few demons. At the same time, another mountain of bursting muscle threw more demons aside, their bodies crumpling and folding lifelessly as they slammed into the side of the building.

Aiming for its head, the round slammed into between its eyes but did nothing but disorientate it. Shaking, it glared at me as it let out a guttural yell, slamming its chest like an enraged Silverback.

"Hold firm!" I shouted as I holstered Ace, holding Venator tightly. "Ranged, aim for their heads! The rest of us will distract them!"

One of the beasts rushed forward towards me, forcing me to roll out of the way of the barreling behemoth. Whooshing past me, I slashed at its side, the creature reacting little to the attack while it slammed into the building behind me as it rushed. Meanwhile, the Pegasi on high fired bolt after bolt into the other beast, who tore a section of the ground out clean and hurled it at its attackers, all thankfully deftly dodging out of the way.

Thinking quickly, I deactivated Venator and shouted for one of Ghost's knives, the man swiftly chucked me one as I sprinted faster than the Guards could track and plunged the seven-inch blade into its back while I pulled out Ace once more. Clinging to the beast's back as it tried its damndest to throw me off, I fired my hand cannon into the base of its skull, round after round throwing up blood and chucks of bone and seemingly undead flesh until the cylinder ran dry. The beast stumbled a few feet before falling flat on its face motionless.

Before I could get off the dead demon's back, a force slammed into my side, sending me hurtling through the air and into the second story of the building opposite me, causing even Ghost to cringe slightly.

Seeing their General's success and taking advantage of its momentary distraction, the ground forces took the beast's attention while the air support focus fired upon the back of its neck, just below the base of its skull. After several shots from each of the Pegasi, positively porcupining the muscled demon, it too fell to the ground.

Pushing off chunks of rock and other debris, I stood and dusted myself, ready to jump back down when I heard a low, throaty growl as the sound of dripping met my ears. I whipped around and immediately locked eyes with another horribly mutated demon.

Sickly green sludge dripped to the ground with a sizzle, the partially melted mouth lulled as the marble-white eyes gazed at him angrily. The bulging throat pulsed and shuddered as a lob of congealed spit whizzed past my head as I was able to lean out of the way.

"Oh shit!"

Running down the corridor, several projectiles of spit barely missed me, the loogies hucked past me with deadly force, landing on the floor around me with a sizzle, the stonework melting away in seconds. I rounded a corner as I reached for Ace and fired a few shots, bracing my arm with my other, Ghost's knife still held tight in my grip.

As I fired the shots, the demon was put off-kilter and a lob of acidic spit met with the side of my face, the acid making quick work and melting down to the bone. Yelling out, I fell to the floor as my pain receptors were put in overdrive while lumps of my now liquified flesh fell to the floor beneath me. An odd, tingling sensation then filled my face, the pain still ever-present. I began feeling the muscle, sinew and skin begin to regrow, stitching together with slight sounds of squelching flesh.

The demon was right on top of me as I grunted, the sensation of my healing flesh sending agonising pain through my face then immediately numbing it. The demon stood above me, the glow ever so slightly brighter as it started hocking up more of its vile substance. Just as it was about to throw up, I spun around, pushing through the pain, firing a shot between its eyes and out the other side of its head as a bolt of steel ran through its jaw, the already unhinged mandible falling to the ground while the acid leaked over the rest of the body, melting bone and flesh in seconds.

I shot to my feet and jumped to the street below, happy to see the other behemoth already taken care of and my squad largely unharmed, if a bit drained of energy. The team all rushed over to me, seeing the condition of my face but immediately flinching upon seeing it subtly shifting and regrowing.

"We need to move!" I slurred slightly, my bottom lip slowly regenerating. "They know we're here! We need to get to City Hall now! Go!"

We sprinted as quickly as our legs were able to carry us, the soldiers doing their best to keep up with me while the Pegasi collected as many bolts as they could and flew overhead. Unsurprisingly, we were met with what seemed to be the common foot soldier of this invasion, the six-eyed spiked demon we had been dealing with. Cutting through them was no bother, our swords, magic and crossbow bolts felling them quickly.

Cutting through streets and alleys, we made short work of distance, the City Hall coming into view, no more than fifty yards in front of us but our work was cut out for us. In front of the City Hall stood a horde of demons, waiting for us as we skidded into the street the Hall stood.

With a screech, the horde wasted no time rushing towards us as more poured in from the side streets, baring down on us like a black tidal wave. It didn't take long for us to realise we were vastly outnumbered. Dismissing Venator, I grabbed Ace, reaching into my coat and slamming a new cylinder into and firing at a few demons, their bodies exploding, catching more than a few in their blaze, disorientating them long enough for me to look around. Spotting an alley, I pointed towards it.

"Down the alley! Go!"

Pumping their legs as hard as they could, the group of Equestrians followed my instructions, sprinting through the alley with the demons hot on their tails. Bobbing and weaving through the back passageways, a wall suddenly exploded, sending many of us sprawling and weapons flying away, leaving me the only one armed. We scrambled to our feet as quickly as we could, doing our best to ignore the additional numbers.

As the enraged mob begin to close the distance between them and us, the street beneath them explodes in a burst of flame, and any unfortunate enough to get caught within the fire howls and screech in agony, flailing and grasping at nothing as a voice calls out.

"Hey! Up here!"

We turn and look up, quickly spotting the source of the voice, a Lycan four stories high, grabbing what looked to be a Molotov cocktail, winding it back to prepare to throw it.

"Get inside! We will cover you from here!"

Without another word, the Lycan threw the bottle, the improvised weapon breaking and exploding, showering the demon horde in even more flame, allowing us ample time to scramble inside. Doing so, we rush in, Ghost and myself standing by the door, making sure the rest all get in safely before entering ourselves. The sound of breaking glass, roaring flame and yelling monstrosities meet our ears as we begin to climb the stairs, coming to the fourth floor in no time, another Lycan at the door to meet us as we swiftly file in.

As we enter, The Lycan, accompanied by another, barricades the door behind us, locking us all in. With no moment to rest, the two Lycans rush past us, prompting us to follow behind them, coming to where the Lycan that had called out to us was.

"Anyone who can't use magic, grab whatever you can throw!" She exclaimed.

Scrambling up to the window, the magic users began throwing whatever projectile spells they had at their disposal, ignoring the creeping stitch in their sides from the rapid use of spells. The Pegasi swiftly found crossbows within the room and fired whatever bolts they could find while those who didn't have ranged weapons or magic collected what they could find and threw them to the best of their abilities while I fired Ace, the rounds adding to roaring flames below.

It soon became a war of attrition as demon after demon came swarming the alleys, roofs and windows. They climbed the sheer walls and reached in through the window while the barricade barely held as several rammed their shoulders to knock it down. They seemed to be countless as the bodies started piling in front of the building, making it hard for the demons to make any solid progress and making it harder for us to hit our targets.

Five minutes go by. Five minutes turn to ten. Then ten turns to twenty. And twenty to thirty until a solid hour of frantic throwing and shooting goes by with no end in sight. But eventually, just as our resources began to thin, the demon's numbers slowly lowered, their unholy screeches and cries dwindling, getting quieter and quieter.

Until silence.

We collectively held our breath, waiting, glancing over our shoulders, looking around in case they came in from another way. But the minutes tick by slowly for nothing to happen. They were gone.

We all let out a collective sigh as the few Lycans in the room sat and slumped to the floor, exhaustion clear on their faces while we took our time to gather our breath. The Lycan from before who had called out, light grey with bright green eyes, approached us.

"Thanks for the save," I said as she stepped up to us.

"Course hermano," She replied with a tired grin. "Doesn't matter what situation we're in, we're always happy to help a fellow soldado."

"Paladin Percival Felwinter," I said with a nod.

"Lieutenant Loba," She replied, happily taking my offered hand before my name seemed to process through her head. "Wait...Felwinter? As the Equestrian General?"

"The one and only," I nodded as she let go of my hand. "You're surprised?"

"I'm surprised you're here. Military Generals aren't typically known to enter the battlefield," She replied.

"I wasn't going to send my men to a potential suicide mission without being there myself," I said with conviction.

This got a wide grin from the Lycan Lieutenant. "I think I'm going to like you," Moving to the rest of my squad, she sat near them as did the rest of her soldiers, all offering their own words of thanks. "Alright everyone, rest up. General, get your men to arm up, there should be enough to spare for everyone."

My squad nodded as the Lycans outstretched their arms, offering food and water as everyone picked out various weapons ranging from axes to hammers to spears to swords. They were well worn with a thick level of grime and dust, all needing a deep clean, but the blades remained as sharp as ever. With that done, my men sat with our new Lycan comrades, quickly informing them all that the encampment received aid, bringing their stress-addled minds some form of relief.

Looking out a window, my grip still tight on Ace as I stepped back. I glanced over at the conversing squads, happy to see the Lycans smile and laugh, however weak they were. Ghost and I made our way over to Loba, who offered a pair of cans to us along with a pair of forks. Accepting the offered cans, we sat down next to her.

"How you holding up," I asked, opening the can in my hands. It was beans.

"Holding," She replied with a weak chuckle. "You couldn't have arrived at a better time, hermano."

"I can tell," I said, glancing over at the dishevelled Lycans. "You've had a hard time of it."

Loba was quiet for a moment. "Yeah," She nodded softly. "But with you here, our chances of retaking our city are higher. Is it true you killed ten demons yourself?"

"Closer to fifteen or sixteen," I replied with a soft chuckle.

"And what about the news article about that guy that attacked you in...oh I always forget the name...Camelot?"

I laughed internally as I ate my lukewarm beans, Ghost beside me munching on what looked like pineapples. "Canterlot. But yeah, I don't know what to think about the guy. He was...an odd one to say the least. Why?"

"Just making small talk amigo," Loba shrugged, chewing the last of her can of peaches and setting the now empty can beside her. "Plus, I'm just curious about Equestria's newest General and Paladin. I heard they were quite stingy about that title."

"So I heard. But I suppose with the threat of demons now being immediate, the Equestrian populace needed some reassurance," I replied, swallowing my beans. "Shows their safety is a priority."

"Plus it helps to have someone strong and of sound mind and morals in a place of power," Ghost added.

"Makes sense to me," Loba nodded. "Just wonder why they didn't do it sooner."

"They just didn't need to," I shrugged. "A thousand years of peace does that I guess."

Loba nodded again, her eyes flicking down, quickly settling on the revolver holstered on my thigh. She leaned back to get a look at it, her eyes squinting. "Say, what's-"

The barricade jolted violently, shaking the haphazard pile of furniture and sending dust and fine sand into the air. Weapons were instantly drawn as every eye turned to the blocked doors, which shuddered again under immense pressure. A shriek ripped through the tense silence from behind us, followed by a chilling screech. We whipped around to see one of Loba's men collapse, his torso severed cleanly from his waist. Looming over him was a black-furred beast, its jaws twisted into a snarl. Various shouts for their fallen comrade flew through the air as I lunged forward and drove my blade through its eyes, the creature crumpling as my sword lodged deep in its skull.

Before we could catch our breath, the barricade slammed again. Demonic heads pushed through the widening gaps, their guttural roars blending with the screeches that surrounded us.

"Hold the door!" I bellowed, my voice straining to rise above the chaos. The six-eyed demons clawed and snarled as their numbers swelled. The barricade—little more than filing cabinets and overturned desks—buckled under their assault. A clawed hand smashed through, sending splinters flying.

"Strong Arm, brace it! Ghost, cover him!" I shouted.

Strong Arm threw his weight against the barricade, his broad shoulders trembling with effort. Beside him, Ghost crouched, his crossbow firing bolt after bolt into the horde. Each shot struck true, leaving shattered skulls and oozing black ichor in its wake. But for every demon that fell, two more surged forward, their bristling black fur and glowing eyes filling the gaps.

"Cloud Chaser, Swift Wing! Secure the windows!" I called, pointing to the jagged, glassless openings where demons were clawing their way inside. Their movements were spider-like, scuttling up walls with unnerving agility.

"Aye, General!" Swift Wing replied, snapping his wings shut as he charged a demon lunging at Cloud Chaser. His spear impaled the creature in mid-air, pinning it against the wall. Cloud Chaser retaliated with a burst of silver magic, blasting two more demons off the ceiling in a spray of rubble and ear-splitting screeches.

The cramped room was a maelstrom of bodies, blades, and chaos. Every swing of a weapon was a gamble, threatening friend as much as foe. Lucky Star held her ground near the windows, her radiant shield absorbing the vicious slashes of a demon that broke through. Platinum Star stood beside her, her horn blazing as she unleashed a jagged arc of violet energy. The blast tore the demon in half, its convulsing remains collapsing into the fray.

"We can’t hold this much longer, General!" Platinum Star growled, her voice tinged with uncharacteristic panic.

The Lycans fought with feral precision, their lithe forms darting between attackers. They hurled bricks, swung blades, and fired bolts with unrelenting fury. Loba's twin swords were a blur of silver, cutting down anything that ventured too close. The demons, snarling and roaring, seemed particularly enraged by the Lycans, their predator instincts ignited. But no gaze burned with more hatred than the ones fixed on me.

The room quaked as a massive demon smashed through a window near the barricade, sending Strong Arm sprawling. This beast dwarfed the others, its six eyes glowing red like embers. Its claws gouged the stone floor as it advanced, a writhing mass of black tendrils spilling from its maw as it unleashed an ear-splitting screech.

"Fall back!" I roared, pulling Strong Arm to his feet. "Thunder Strike, Crimson Ice—on me! Take it down!"

Thunder Strike surged forward without hesitation, her hammer crackling with Cold Fire’s blue magic. She brought it down on the demon’s foreleg with a resounding crash, splintering bone and forcing the creature to stagger. Crimson Ice seized the opening, her axe flashing as it tore into the back of the demon's ankles, causing it to stagger and kneel. Black ichor sprayed across the room, its acrid stench choking the air.

"Cold Fire, Straight Aim!" I shouted. "Finish it before it gets up!"

Cold Fire roared, his sword engulfed in flames as he slashed at the demon’s head. The creature recoiled, its tendrils whipping wildly, but Straight Aim stepped in, his horn blazing. A lance of cyan energy shot forward, piercing the demon’s chest and pinning it to the ground. It writhed, its eyes glowing brighter, but Thunder Strike’s hammer came down again, flattening its skull with a sickening crunch.

The victory was fleeting. More demons poured through the crumbling barricade, their bodies writhing like shadows in the dim light. The Lycans fought tooth and claw, filling the breach as best they could, but the tide was relentless.

"General!" Loba’s voice cut through the chaos, a growl laced with desperation. "We can’t hold this much longer!"

I scanned the room. The walls trembled with each impact, dust and debris falling in thick clouds. Moon Fire and Ivory Flight rained steel bolts down on the demons outside the windows, their precision buying precious seconds. Strong Arm and Thunder Strike stood back-to-back, using broken doors as makeshift shields to block the relentless clawing and gnashing at the barricade. Lucky Star’s horn flickered as she poured the last of her energy into protective spells, sweat dripping down her brow.

"Swift Wing, Cloud Chaser! Clear that window!" I ordered, pointing to a narrow opening choked with rubble but free of demons. It was a slim chance, but it was our only one. "Everyone else, hold the line!"

The room shuddered again, a massive claw tearing a chunk of stone free. Time was running out. I tightened my grip on my blade, my resolve hardening as I prepared for the final stand.

The barricade exploded in a storm of splinters and shards of stone, the demon horde surging through like a tidal wave of living shadows. Their guttural roars reverberated through the cramped room, a suffocating noise that swallowed every other sound.

“Fall back!” I bellowed, slicing through a clawed hand that lunged for my throat. My blade cut deep, spraying ichor as the creature screeched and recoiled. “To the window! Move!”

Swift Wing and Cloud Chaser wrestled the final chunks of rubble out of the shattered window, clearing a narrow escape route. “It’s open!” Cloud Chaser shouted, gripping the jagged edges as he twisted to fend off a leaping demon. A sharp twang cut through the chaos—Ghost’s crossbow bolt buried itself in the creature’s throat, its dying snarl mere inches from Cloud’s back.

“Don’t just stand there, go!” Ghost barked, reloading in a blur and firing again. His bolts struck true, even amidst the chaos.

Ivory Flight and Moon Fire sprang into action, wings churning the choking dust as they grabbed Lucky Star and Platinum Star, dragging them toward the escape. Moon Fire let out a guttural cry as a demon’s claws raked across her thigh mid-flight, but she didn’t waver. Twisting in midair, she drove her blade deep into the demon’s chest before landing hard.

“Corporal!” I called, alarmed at her limp as she hit the ground.

“Just a scratch!” she shot back, her face pale but set with fierce determination as blood soaked her leg.

One by one, the flyers ferried our people through the window as quickly as they could. The demons were relentless, pouring over the collapsed barricade and crumbling walls like a flood. Their six-eyed gazes burned with unholy malice. Ghost held the line at the rear, his sword carving wide, brutal arcs that kept the swarm at bay. He glanced back at me, his expression grim. “Sir, I’ll hold them here!”

“Not alone, hermano!” Loba roared, her twin swords flashing as she felled two demons in a single, fluid motion. “Go, General! We’ve got this!”

Every instinct screamed against leaving them exposed, but time was running out. “Flyers! Take the high ground! Cover our retreat!”

The winged soldiers nodded sharply and shot upward, raining steel bolts that sent demons tumbling from the walls. The bottleneck at the window clogged as the last of us scrambled through. Ghost fired one more bolt, taking down a demon lunging at Loba’s back. She spun in the moment he bought her, severing the creature’s head with a vicious swing. “We’re getting boxed in!” she shouted, her voice cutting through the chaos. “Move faster!”

I was the last of my group to reach the window. As I vaulted through, a demon lunged, claws slicing across my stomach as I twisted away. Ghost tackled it from the back, slamming his shield into it as the two rammed into the opposite building. They slam into the ground below, the demon's body providing a soft landing as his thick sword plunges into its side. The beast shrieked and writhed, but he didn’t relent, driving the blade into its throat until it fell still.

“I had that,” I said as I hauled him to his feet, blood dripping from the shallow gashes across my abdomen.

“Sure you did, Sir,” He panted, smirking faintly under his mask.

Outside, the street was a warzone. Smoke and fire choked the air, and the distant clamour of other battles echoed through the crumbling ruins. The buildings that once stood tall and proud were now skeletal husks, teetering on the brink of collapse. Demons prowled the alleys and open streets, their six glowing eyes gleaming with feral hunger.

“Regroup!” I shouted, rallying the survivors. “Form a defensive circle!”

They moved with practised precision, our months of gruelling training overcoming their exhaustion. The Unicorns formed a shimmering barrier of magic, holding off the first wave of pursuing demons. Above, the Pegasi rained bolts with unerring accuracy, slowing the horde’s advance. Loba’s Lycans fought in a deadly rhythm, their strikes fluid and devastating. At the centre, Loba directed with ease, men following her instructions like a well-oiled clock.

“General!” She called, her green eyes fierce despite the blood—demon and otherwise—matting her fur. “We need an exit, or we’re done for!”

My eyes darted over the battlefield. An alley to the left looked clear, a slim chance to escape the thick of the swarm. “To the alley!” I shouted. “Move in pairs, cover each other!”

The formation broke with disciplined chaos, soldiers retreating in practised sync. Ghost stayed close, firing his crossbow over his shoulder as we ran. A demon lunged from the shadows, its jaws snapping inches from his face. Before I could react, a searing blast of magic obliterated the creature.

“Nice shot, Lucky!” I called as Ghost reloaded, nodding his thanks.

“Don’t thank me yet!” she yelled back, sweat pouring as her barrier flickered. Beside her, Platinum Star added her own power, bolstering the shield.

The alley spilt into a quieter street, though the distant howls warned the reprieve was short. Moon Fire staggered, her injured leg finally giving out. Crimson Ice caught her effortlessly. “Don’t worry,” She rumbled, her voice steady. “I’ve got you.”

“All clear!” Swift Wing reported, landing beside me, her wings trembling with fatigue but her spear still at the ready.

“We’re alive,” Loba said, surveying our group with sharp eyes. “For now.”

Just as we slowed to regroup, the ground shuddered beneath me, a deep rumble shaking the cracked stone. “General, move!” Loba shouted, her eyes darting to the shifting earth at my feet.

Too late.

The ground caved in with a deafening roar, the street swallowing me whole. I tumbled into the dark, debris crashing around me as the yawning pit consumed everything.

“Sir!” Ghost’s voice echoed faintly as the rubble sealed the gap above, cutting me off from my team—and the battle above.

~~

Groaning, I cracked my eyes open, slowly dragging myself back to consciousness. The rubble beneath me shifted as I moved, sharp edges of rock grinding together. I tried to push myself up, but something heavy kept me pinned. The oppressive darkness around me made it impossible to see what was holding me down. Tentatively, I reached toward my abdomen, my fingers brushing against something cold and hard—a thick piece of rebar that had speared through my stomach, soaking my shirt in warm, sticky ichor.

Gritting my teeth, I braced myself. Wrapping my hands around the metal rod, I twisted, sending a shockwave of searing pain through my body as my vision blurred. The rebar groaned in protest before finally bending and snapping free. Pulling it out was worse—agony exploded in my gut, and I collapsed to my knees, gasping. But then, I felt it—the familiar, strange sensation of my wounds knitting themselves back together.

A voice broke through the darkness.

“Behind you.”

My body reacted before my brain could catch up. I swung my fist blindly, and it connected with something fleshy. There was a wet crunch as it crumbled under the blow, flames erupting from my hand and briefly illuminating the space around me. I was in a tunnel, its walls rough and uneven. Startled by my own strength, I stumbled back, raising my fists and ready for a follow-up attack.

But nothing came. Silence.

“Hello?” I called out, my voice echoing down the tunnel. “Hellooooo?”

The sound of my own voice startled me. I hesitated, then experimentally threw another punch. This time, fire engulfed my hand as I swung, vanishing the moment my fist stopped.

“Well, that’s new,” I muttered, flexing my fingers. “Gotta test that out later. But first, I need a light.”

I instinctively reached for Venator at my belt, but the moment I moved, flames erupted from my hand again. Startled, I waved it around like an idiot, trying to extinguish it, only to realize it didn’t burn—it just illuminated the space around me. The soft glow revealed the twisted, mangled corpse of a black-furred demon at my feet. Spikes jutted from its body, along with jagged pieces of rebar. Its skull was caved in, blood pooling beneath it.

“Christ,” I muttered, shaking my head. “Thank whatever god put me here for my healing factor.”

Looking up, I spotted the hole I must’ve fallen through. Shielding my eyes against the faint light above, I called out. “Ghost?! Guys?!”

No response. Just silence. Not even a glimmer of light from above.

“Shit,” I muttered under my breath. Taking a deep breath, I reassured myself that they’d be fine. They had to be fine.

“Alright, focus,” I said. “Now I just need to figure out how to get out of here.”

I glanced down the tunnel, then back the other way. “Umm... eeny, meeny, miny... screw it.” Picking a direction, I started walking, leaving the lifeless demon behind.

The tunnels were a maze—a twisting, turning labyrinth of intersecting corridors. Some led to dead ends, others to locked metal doors. Water seeped through gratings on the floor, the sound of its trickle faintly echoing around me. The air was damp and cold, and I was grateful for the faint warmth of the flames flickering on my hand. If nothing else, my time in Canterlot Castle had given me plenty of practice navigating confusing layouts.

Still, after what felt like hours of wandering, I was growing anxious. Thoughts of my comrades weighed on me. Were they okay? Were they looking for me? My worries were cut short when the ground beneath me trembled, a faint purple glow catching my eye up ahead.

Quickening my pace, I followed the light to the tunnel’s end, where it opened into a massive chamber. The space was warped, almost surreal. Thick cylindrical structures jutted from the ceiling and floor, meeting in the centre with only a few feet between them. Suspended in the gap was a small, glowing stone, no bigger than my palm, casting an eerie purple light. Other tunnels fed into the chamber, their entrances dotting the walls like the spokes of a wheel.

“Jackpot,” I muttered as the flames on my hand flickered out.

Jumping down into the chamber, I barely took a step before I froze. A distant, bone-chilling screech echoed through the tunnels, faint but unmistakable. My senses went haywire, every nerve in my body screaming at me to move. The screeches grew louder, closer, overlapping as they multiplied. My pulse quickened.

Then they appeared.

A flood of black-furred demons surged through the openings like a tidal wave, their glowing red eyes and snarling maws locked on me.

“Oh, shit.”

I bolted forward, flames bursting to life in my hands. I hurled fireballs into the oncoming horde, the explosions lighting up the cavern as they tore through the demons. Some fell, engulfed in flames, but the rest kept coming, their howls deafening. One leapt at me, claws raking across my stomach before I blasted it point-blank, sending it flying in a mess of charred flesh.

I glanced around—the demons were everywhere, closing in fast. Holstering my weapon, I grabbed Venator and swung wide, its blade slicing through several at once. Their headless bodies collapsed, but the rest of the horde didn’t even slow. A heavy force slammed into my back, and I spun, throwing the demon off me and splitting it in two with a clean strike. Another raked its claws across my leg, and I stumbled. That moment of hesitation was all they needed.

They swarmed me.

Teeth sank into my arm, claws scratched into my legs and neck, and fists pounded against my ribs. Blood poured from my wounds as my vision blurred, a searing heat building in my chest.

Then everything went red.

The group scrambled around a corner and ducked beneath a partially collapsed building. The shade offered them concealment, giving them a fleeting moment to regroup. The sudden sinkhole had created just enough chaos and distance for them to exploit, though every fibre of their being urged them to go back and aid the General. Through a crack between the buildings, they watched demons galloping past, their grotesque forms framed in eerie half-light. A few demons paused, lifting their heads to sniff the air, forcing the group to hold their breath. Then, with a series of piercing screeches, the creatures scattered in all directions, somehow missing their hiding spot.

The group retreated deeper under the collapsed structure, moving with excruciating care to avoid noise. Once they were sufficiently concealed, they paused to catch their breath.

“We need to go back,” Strong Arm whispered, his voice strained with urgency.

Before anyone could respond, Ghost shook his head. “Negative, Private.”

“But—”

“No,” Loba interrupted firmly, her tone brooking no argument. She scanned her team while the Equestrians did the same. “There are too many demonio between us and him. Even if we could reach him, we don’t know how far he fell.”

“And we need rest,” Ivory Flight added, her wings drooping as she exhaled heavily. “We’ve been sprinting for what? Five minutes straight?”

“That’s you fresh ones,” one of the Lycans muttered with a weary chuckle, his exhaustion evident even through his wry grin. “We’ve been at this for twelve hours.”

“Exactly,” Loba agreed, nodding decisively. “We have to rest while we can.”

“I don’t know how much rest we’ll get,” Straight Aim remarked, glancing out at the chaos beyond their fragile shelter. Demons prowled the streets like predators, unaware of their quarry for now.

“Whatever we can manage is invaluable,” another Lycan murmured, brushing dust from her fur with slow, deliberate movements. “We take what we can get.”

Just as her words faded, a loud thud reverberated outside their shelter, freezing the group into a tense silence. A demon landed heavily nearby, its nose close to the ground as it sniffed. Bright blue eyes scanned its surroundings, each glance inching closer to the building’s shadows. Its sniffs quickened as it trudged toward them, one agonizing step at a time. It stopped suddenly, lifting its head to snarl, its eyes narrowing as it focused on the darkness that concealed them. The stench of copper, sulfur, and rot invaded their noses, making the silence even more suffocating.

More demons emerged, skittering over the building’s stonework like monstrous spiders. Their guttural snarls sent adrenaline coursing through the group. Looking behind, they found no escape. Bloodied, exhausted, and cornered, they braced themselves for the inevitable. Weapons ready, they prepared for a final, desperate stand.

Then, without warning, the demons froze. One by one, they twitched and turned, their attention drawn to a distant point. The lead demon inched closer, its snarl morphing into a roar. As if responding to a silent command, the pack erupted in panicked screeches, scattering in all directions as though pursued by some unseen force. The unearthly cacophony faded into the distance.

The group waited, hearts pounding, as silence reclaimed the space. Seconds stretched into minutes.

Finally, Ghost moved. Tentatively, he stepped into the open, ignoring whispered protests and outstretched hands. His eyes darted in every direction, his stance cautious yet determined. One by one, the others followed, their weapons ready, scanning for any sign of danger.

“What the hell was that?” Ghost muttered, his voice barely audible.

Before anyone could answer, a massive explosion erupted several blocks away. Bright orange flames and thick black smoke rose skyward as buildings crumbled in its wake. The ground shook violently, sending some of the group to their knees. Moments later, a demon’s mangled corpse hurtled through the wall of the adjacent building. Its body was a grotesque mess, limbs missing, half its face melted away to expose stark bone. Its shallow, labored breaths faltered, and with a final exhale, the creature’s glowing blue eyes dimmed into darkness.

Steeling themselves, the group emerged onto the main street to survey the aftermath. Dust and soot hung in the air, mingling with the acrid scent of charred fur and burning blood. The once-slick ground now burned dry under flickering flames, transforming the battlefield into a hellish tableau.

“Something tells me we’re about to find out,” Private Swift Wing murmured grimly.

The group pressed onward, following the destruction to its source. Rounding a final corner, they came upon a scene of carnage in front of the remnants of City Hall. Soft booms echoed in the distance, mingling with faint, guttural screams.

The demons lay scattered, their bodies twisted and broken. Limbs were torn from sockets, bones jutted through flesh, and entrails spilt onto the ground in steaming, foul-smelling heaps. Even the towering behemoths among them lay lifeless, their massive heads severed or crushed. Blood painted the dirt in front of the building, where one figure stood amid the slaughter.

Percival.

Drenched in crimson, he surveyed the aftermath with cold precision. Tied to his belt was a heavy, glowing object wrapped in cloth, its faint purple light piercing through the fabric. He rolled his shoulders, the crushed head of a demon beneath his boot.

A raspy cough broke the silence. A surviving demon, leaning against a larger comrade, bared its teeth at Percival. Clutching its side, it sneered. “He will not be happy about this! You will pay! We will hunt you down like the mangy dog you are! We have an army! AN ARMY!!”

Percival cocked his weapon, his voice low and steady. “Yeah? Well, fuck you too.”

He pulled the trigger and in less than a second, the demon was blown apart, its embers and ashes scattered to the wind. Giving Ace a small quick flourish, he reholstered while he turned to the gathered group, idly beginning to wipe to blood from his eyes.

“Clean up on aisle six,” he quipped.

"Sir," Ghost said, stepping up to the blood-covered man. "Glad to see you're alright Sir."

Walking up beside the skull-masked Lieutenant, Percival nodded to Loba as she held out her hand. "Glad to see you in one piece General."

"Glad to be in one piece," Percival replied with a solid nod and an equally firm handshake before turning to his men, watching as Thunder Strike set Moon Fire down for one of the Unicorns to heal her leg. "Those who can fly, to the sky, I want eyes on any potential threats. I want to know if we should expect company."

The three Pegasi gave the man a nod before taking to the sky, soaring up high enough to overlook the city, hovering in place and swivelling, their eyes scanning for any that would pose a threat. After a moment or two, one of them pointed to the east of their position, resulting in the group on the ground to turn and ready their weapons. The three land a few metres away, quickly stepping up to the alert group.

“Report,” Percival ordered.

"Movement on the city's eastern side," Sergeant Ivory Flight replied. "They're...retreating Sir."

"They're...what?"

"They're retreating Sir," Swift Wing repeated. "I don't think I've ever seen anything move that quickly in my life."

"Huh," Percival hummed, relaxing his posture. "Wasn't expecting that."

"Are you positive?" Loba asked, relief ebbing its way through the urgency.

"One hundred percent Ma'am."

The whole group, Equestrians and Lycans, simply glanced among themselves, unsure what to do with the information. The Lycans most of all were shocked and confused, having borne the brunt of the brutish and sudden assault, but the confusion promptly turned to a sorrowed relief. Relief for the nightmare was over, but sorrow for those who needlessly lost their lives to the demonic presence. The Lycans fell to their knees as the tears began to fall, and they cursed those who broke their families and destroyed their once beautiful home.

But as the group travelled to the encampment, a new emotion fell upon them: Hope. For a protector was born that day. Ponyville planted the seed for that hope, and for the world's newest Paladin, but the events that unfolded that day bore the fruit of that seed, and what would follow in the days to come.

The world had gained a new champion. For better or worse, it would never be the same.

Chapter 13 - "Tests And Questions"

Something has gone wrong. We don't seem to have an archived copy of that chapter.

Chapter 14 - "Release"

"So you've got the hammer, the trigger and the safety," I said, pointing to the respective pieces of the firearm in my hands. "These are the main parts we want to be concerned about for now."

Handing Ace over to a patiently waiting Ghost, he gently took it from me, careful to keep his finger off the trigger for the time being, despite having the safety flicked on and no ammo in the cylinder—a good sign.

"First things first: you'll want to point it down range at all times when you're practising to minimise the risk of harm in case of an accidental discharge and when not shooting, you want your finger off the trigger, which I see you're already doing," I told him as he listened to me intently.

Lightly taking his arm, I lift it up and adjust Ace to a better position in his hand.

"You want your hand as high as it'll go. Try to get the centre line of the bore in line with your arm, that way it'll only recoil back. The more leverage and leeway you give it, the more it'll kick," I instruct him as I then take his free hand. "Next is what to do with your support hand. What I like to do is get my hand under the trigger guard here-" I motion towards the mentioned portion of the revolver. "-and really wrap my thumb around it and push in and lock in your grip."

Stepping back, I give the taller man a little space. "Oh and don't be too rigid. Keep your arms firm yet delicate, like a tense jellyfish."

Ghost looked at me strangely before nodding and lifted the high-power revolver. Slowly pulling the trigger, the hammer moved back softly before slamming forward, striking the bullet primer, causing an internal chain reaction. The bullet zoomed out through the barrel, leaving behind a fireball bigger than a balled fist as it exited. Ghost flinched and stumbled back a few steps as he experienced the Ace's recoil.

"Oh ho ho ho!" He chuckled loudly, his eyes full of a glee I hadn't seen from him.

"Right?" I smiled widely. "How's it feel?"

"Stronger than I expected, I won't lie, Sir," Ghost replied. "I've seen you handle it like it's nothing."

"To be fair, I've been handling similar weapons for a long time, so I'm used to it," I shrugged.

"If I may, Sir," Ghost said, carefully looking over Ace. "What is it exactly?"

I look at the firearm for a moment before I look back up at the waiting man. "A piece of long-forgotten technology."

"How do you mean?"

I wave my hand dismissively. "Ah, it doesn't matter."

Ghost squinted his eyes a little before raising Ace and aiming down its sights again. "Permission to speak freely Sir?"

"Always Ghost," I reply.

"You're a strange one," He said with a light tone of mirth in his voice.

I couldn't help but grin at his words. "Oh believe me Ghost, I know."

Ghost waited a moment before pulling the trigger again, the same fireball emitting from the barrel accompanied by the Ace's signature loud boom. He stepped back, this time not knocked back as far as he had the first time and rolled his shoulders while flexing and bending his arms. Though his face was covered as always, I could see the enjoyment in his eyes. It reminded me of my first time firing a gun.

"So what do you think of the stone?" He asked.

I Folded my arms as I watched him retake aim. "I dunno. It's a strange one. It's gotten the Mages really flummoxed. Whatever it is, I've got a bad feeling about it."

"Gut feeling?"

"You know it."

Ghost fired another shot, this time he was able to keep his ground and not flinch nearly as much as his previous rounds.

"You've gotten used to that," I commented.

"It's nothing like I shot before, Sir," He replied. "But it feels...natural."

"That's good," I nodded. "Opens up a new avenue of possibilities for use on the field. Want to keep going?"

"If you don't mind Sir?"

My grin widened. "Not at all Ghost. It holds twelve rounds so when it runs dry, let me know and I'll fill her back up."

"How does work Sir?" Ghost asked. "Your munition supply I mean. How do you have so much at any given moment?"

"Honestly? Not a damn clue. All I know is that it works and if it ain't broke, don't fix it," I shrugged.

Reaching my left hand into the right inner pocket of my purple fabric and leather coat, I immediately feel a cold metal cylinder materialize in my grasp. I quickly pull it out and huck it up slightly into the air, catching it with a small flourish, rolling it in my fingers as I flash it at Ghost who simply looks at me confused and mildly amazed as I sit on the wooden bench in front of us.

"Like I said, if it ain't broke, don't fix it."

Ghost looked at the cylinder for a moment, reaching down for it and looking it over, spinning and rolling it around to better look at its every detail before shifting his gaze to Ace and then to me.

"How can this-" He holds the cylinder up. "-hold twelve rounds?"

I shrug again. "Magic most likely. That stuff can honestly explain most of everything. No clue how it works, no matter how many times the Princesses try to explain it to me."

Ghost simply nodded, placing the cylinder back down onto the bench. "Magic," He repeated. "You aren't the only one it confuses Sir."

"Glad to know I'm not the only one," I chuckle. "Magic's a real bitch."

"So how do you produce the fire then if you don't understand magic?" He asked suddenly, aiming again.

"How do you mean?" I ask, quirking an eyebrow.

"Well you told me about when you fell into the tunnel," He explained. "You produced fire that helped you see. I was wonderin' how you did it."

"I..." I paused briefly. "I honestly don't know. It just happened."

"It just happened?" He repeated. "So it happened randomly?"

"Not quite," I replied. "The best way I can explain it is it felt like...I dunno, instinct I guess? I feel like I could control it if I wanted to, but it also just kinda...happened."

"Permission to speak freely, Sir?"

"Always Ghost, you know this."

"That doesn't make any fuckin' sense," He said. "How does that make sense?"

I sigh deeply as I look at my hand, clenching it momentarily, feeling it heat up before letting it go slack. "That's what I'm still trying to figure out."

Ghost gives me a momentary side-eye before looking back down Ace's sights. "With all due respect Sir, you make less and less sense the more I get to know you."

I couldn't help but laugh. "You aren't the only one!"

Ghost once again pulled the trigger and seemed to have adjusted well to the firearm despite having fired it for the first time not five minutes ago.

"You handled Ace remarkably well Ghost."

"How do people normally handle it, Sir?" He asked.

"Well, people would fall over, it would kick back and hit them in the face or it would fly completely out their hands," I laughed. "That one's always funny."

I could hear Ghost chuckle softly.

"How did you handle it, Sir?"

"Oh it flew clean out of my hands," I replied before I laughed again. "To be fair I was like, ten and barely broke four feet."

Ghost chuckled again along with me as he continued. "It's strong, but it feels amazing I won't lie."

"I know the feeling."

~~

I sat on the stone railing of the balcony of my room as I stared out into nothing in particular, my sword leaning against the railing beside me. Idly, I shuffled the thick stack of cards that Rarity had been so kind to gift me those months ago that felt so distant yet so recent. I looked down as my hands worked on their own as I sifted through what few tricks I had been able to learn when I had my last deck before I lost them.

I slightly shifted my head as I heard the door open behind me, a heavy and distinct set of footsteps getting closer before stopping a few paces away from me followed by a soft thud as the individual presumedly rested on a nearby chair. A soft smile worked onto my face and I looked back out at this and that.

"You alright Celestia?"

Celestia seemed to shift a small bit as I could hear her roll her shoulders which let out some small pops.

"Tired, stressed and all I want to do right now is sleep," She replied before letting out a soft laugh. "But what's new?"

I chuckled a little as well. "I bet. Though you handle it remarkably well."

"Well, I have been doing this for well over a thousand years," She replied. "I'd hope I could 'handle it well'."

I chuckled again. "Touche."

"But enough about me," She said suddenly. "I came here for you."

"For me?" I asked, briefly pausing shuffling the deck in my hands.

"Of course," She replied. "With how hectic things have been recently, we haven't been able to simply sit down and talk."

"Come to think of it, you're right," I agreed.

"Exactly. Plus, I also wanted to make sure you were alright as well, given how stressful things have been as of late," She said. "So how are you, Percival?"

"Honestly, it all feels like an elaborate fever dream," I chuckled.

"What does?"

My shoulders slouch slightly. "Everything really. Being your Paladin. Las Almas. Ghost. And don't get me started on being a General."

"Last time I trained troops, I swore to myself I wouldn't do it again, that I had had enough," I continued. "Like I told Twilight, I've seen more than my fair share, and now I'm back in the middle of the thick of it I can't help but feel it's all just...another nightmare. But I'm constantly reminded it's real."

"Do...do you regret your decisions?" She asked after a few moments.

"No," I answered quickly, turning around to face the Solar Princess. "I was a wanderer for a long time, a man without a purpose or reason. I think this, for whatever reason, be it divine or otherwise, is my purpose."

"Percival, this may seem odd but may I ask you something?"

"You're my boss so I can't really say no," I smirked.

"How old are you?" She asked.

I paused.

Memories flashed through my eyes. Memories of Earth, both pleasant and otherwise. Memories of my Grandfather, of my Sister and of the man I had long hated. Memories of the people and places I had seen and been. Memories of smoke, fire and death, of comrades and enemies. All in the flash of a second.

My mind was then quickly overtaken by images of black expanses, dotted by white specks that moved and shifted, bobbed and weaved with seemingly random, but beautiful grace. It was overtaken by memories of peeling skin, shifting bones and melding flesh. Images and memories that felt as though they went on for eternity and aeons and went by in an instant flash. Contradictory periods of time at odds, forever at war for what is right and what is wrong.

My mind snapped back to reality when I felt a soft hand on my shoulder. I looked back and saw Celestia looking at me, worry clear in her bright magenta eyes.

"Are you ok Percival?"

"Yeah...I'm alright," I replied evenly. "To be honest Chief...I don't really know."

"You...don't know?" She repeated incredulously. "What do you mean you don't know?"

"I've gone through a lot of shit," I said honestly, shrugging as I did. "At some point, I stopped caring and I lost count."

In the distance in the peripheral of my hearing, in an almost ethereal way, I could have sworn I had heard a familiar, deep and almost offended and shocked gasp, as though the words alone were enough to elicit capital punishment.

"I'd ask what happened to make you stop caring...but I don't want to push my luck," Celestia said, stepping back as I spun my legs around, letting them touch the balcony floor as I leaned against the railing.

"We'll get there one day," I said, placing the deck of cards in their box before folding my arms. "Just not today."

"Well, when you feel ready, I'll be there to listen," She replied with a nod, lightly placing his hand on the shoulder.

"Thanks, Chief," I smiled quietly.

"Of course," She said.

She let go of my shoulder and stepped back. That was when an all too familiar sensation washed over me. Butterflies fluttered around in my stomach as my finger began twitching and my heart's pace picked up, while my senses became acutely aware of the surroundings. My eyes snapped up as I realized what the feeling meant.

"Move!"

"Celestia move!"

Rushing forward, I grabbed her by her shoulders and threw her to the side as hard and fast as I could in the short amount of time I had before the door to the room exploded in a shower of splinters. While I shielded my face on instinct, a sudden force rammed into my chest, sending me flying back into the solid stone railing, which promptly broke and crumbled from my impact as I barely heard my sword clatter to the floor. I tried to move to check on Celestia but felt a weight forcing me into place. My gaze shot up to be met with a wide wild grin and bloodshot eyes.

"Miss me?"

With my eyes wide as dinner plates, I reached to my thigh and hastily gripped Ace, moving as quickly as I could to bring it up. The man on top of me simply grabbed my wrist, slamming his free fist into the nook of my arms, the bones putting up little resistance as they shatter, forcing me to drop my gun.

"Nu-uh!" The man shouted as he stood with lightning speed, rapidly taking hold of my ankle and sending me flying.

I could briefly hear Celestia call out my name before an alarm blared to life a few seconds later. I crash into the ground, skidding across the cobbled pavement and leaving a deep crater in my wake. The Nobles and other residents scrambled and ran for their lives as I collided with the stone ground. Moving shakily to my knees, I gripped my now limp arm as I felt the bones and muscles shift and pulsate, stinging pain surging up the rest of my arms. Leveraging it against the ground, I tightly grasp the mending joint and push, the sudden motion snapping it into place I yell from the pain.

A loud crash alerted me to another presence while I stood as quickly as I could. The tattooed man walked towards me, fists clenched with said tattoos glowing, shifting between red and blue while he rolled his shoulders.

"I'll admit, you held on rather well last time," He said with a sarcastic clap, his voice even scratchier than when I last saw him. "So well done for that."

"How the hell-"

"Doesn't fuckin' matter!" He snapped. "What matters is this," He motioned between us before spreading his arms. "So, care to try again?"

The man burst forward, his tattoos flashing a brilliant blue. Falling back, I roll my feet up and over my head and push against the ground, sending me down the street. Easily following me, his fist collides with my face then another with my stomach. As I recoiled back, I twisted my body and shot my foot out, the metal plating connected with the man's cheek. With the momentary distraction, I rush forward.

The man quickly recovered and effortlessly blocked and dodged my attacks, an ever-unimpressed expression plastered across his face. Ducking to the side, he brought his fists up to the side of his head, stepping to the side while he struck with disturbing accuracy followed by a powerful kick to my side, using the momentum to send another to the side of my face as he spun. I flew back several metres as I tried to stay on my feet while I once again skidded to a stop.

"Come on, you can do better than that," The man commented.

Just as the words left him, a blue light flashed above his shoulder and shot out in a fast-moving projectile. My eyes widened as I jumped back, using my weight to twist my body and whirl my feet up and over my head. As I did, thick orange flames shot out and left a momentary trail, the projectile colliding with it and dispersing in a shower of sparks as another formed and rocketed towards me. Leaning to the side, the projectile shot past my head while I bobbed and weaved a flurry as the man simply stood there, a shit-eating grin spreading across his face.

Disappearing in a haze and a puff of black smoke, I hear him yell from behind me, his foot above his head, forcing me to dodge forward, more flames leaving a trail from my shoulders, lower legs and arms as he landed with a shuddering crash behind me. Stomping the ground, I propelled back and shot my leg out while the man leaned to the side and sent out a punch as I leaned back.

This back-and-forth went on for what felt like hours, the two of us sending powerful strikes, only to have them dodged or blocked. His speed was honestly impressive and I was having a hard time keeping up but I did so for as long as I could before backup arrived. The entire time, I hoped an opening would reveal itself and thankfully, one did.

Stepping to the side as the man brought his leg down, I ducked down low and brought my arm up, sweeping his other leg out from under him and drove both of my fists into his chest as hard as I could as he fell.

I ran after him as he tumbled and stumbled down the street, all while I continued his momentum, kicking and punching his flailing body until we ended up in the secluded park where we had met the first time. Kicking him one last time as he toppled over himself, he briefly touched the water's once-still surface before he collided with the park's solid marble railing that overlooked the Everfree and the mountain range beyond it.

Before the man could recover, I slammed my armoured shin into his face, picking him up by the throat and sending a flurry of punches across his stomach, chest and face, delivering one last hit that broke and crumbled the railing he leaned against, leaving him groaned as he fell to the ground, his face and body dripping with fresh blood.

"I don't know who the hell you are, but I've had enough of you."

"You'll know," He slurred, his accent a little stronger somehow as his jaw hung loosely. "You'll know."

"What the hell are you on about?"

"You'll...see," He grinned, his eyes twinkling his malis and contempt. "We...haven't gotten to that part yet."

"It's...a shame you weren't killed in Las Almas, but I can't...say I'm surprised really" He continued. "Little Prince was so sure of himself."

"Prince?" My eyebrows furrowed heavily. "What-"

"Percival!"

Glancing over my shoulder, I spotted Luna, Celestia and Ghost jogging up to me, along with at least ten Guards following closely behind them. Celestia held my sword tight in her hand while Ghost had Ace trained on the mystery man's head. Stepping up, the Solar Matriarch swiftly handed me my sword while her eyes never left the man kneeling, bloodied and battered at our feet.

"So this is him?"

"Princess Celestia! Oh, how you've grown!" He said, his tone mocking and spiteful while his jaw snapped and crunched back into place. "I see you've finally grown into your wings!"

"You talk as if you know us," Luna said. "Who are you and what is your purpose?"

"Oh how we forget," He said in a mock offended tone. "Alright, fine."

Gripping the marble railing, the man's legs shook as he hefted himself to his feet, stumbling and leaning his into his hands to keep steady. The Guards all drew their weapons while the Unicorns amongst them readied their magic as did the Princesses, their fingers twitching at his every move. Ghost never once lowered Ace.

"My name is Damien!" The man, now known as Damien, proclaimed. "And my purpose? Making sure Percival Felwinter's life is a living hell!"

Damien's tattoos flashed again as he lunged forward. Reacting on pure instinct, I whipped around and shoved the Princesses back as I felt Damien tightly grab my wrist before he swiftly pulled me in close, wrapping me in a tight bear hug. We both stumbled back, tripping over the broken and shattered railing and began rapidly descending.

"Percival!"
"Sir!"

We hit where the City met the mountain and hit the jagged rocky surface, sending us both into a tumbling freefall. Rocking my head back, I could faintly hear Damien's nose shatter over the sound of the wind passing past my ears as his grip loosened enough for me to break his grasp on me. I turned as best I could, grabbing his shoulders as I repeatedly slammed my fist into Damien's continually reddening face. Moving at lightning speed, he broke free from my grip on him and rammed his feet into my chest, sending me straight into the mountainside.

Somehow catching my footing, sparks, smoke and fire rocketed from the soles of my boots as I skidded down the sheer jagged cliff with the same ease as skiing through snow. Glancing over my shoulder, I spot Damien colliding with the mountain and pushing with frightening might as he soared through the air towards me, decimating the solid stone and sending it flying through the air in chunks and large boulder-sized pieces over our heads. I spun and brought my arms up, but it did little.

Ramming his shoulder into me, I felt the bones in my arms utterly shatter, my ribs crack and break and my lungs collapse as my feet completely left the mountainside and we plummeted into the ground below.

As we landed with a thunderous boom, the ground exploded from our impact. Dirt was sent up into a cloud around us and trees shattered, putting up little resistance as the once large boulders were broken down and shot through the air like bullets.

Laying in the several-metre-deep crater we left in our wake, I quietly gasped for air as my collapsed lungs slowly mended themselves, while my now destroyed back shifted, cracked and snapped along with my arms and ribs. Tears involuntarily ran down my face as I grimaced at any small movement I made, small wheezes being the only sound I could make. I had never tested what my healing ability was actually capable of as I didn't exactly have a desire to hurt myself, and with how little was happening, field tests weren't a viable option. Ponyville was the extent of my knowledge, and even in the cavern beneath Las Almas City Hall, all I got was bites and claw scrapes, all easily healed from. But this...this was a deep pain.

"Tsk tsk Percy," I heard Damien say from outside my vision. "Once again, incredibly disappointing."

Grabbing my ankle, he effortlessly chucked me further into the dense forest, resulting in my body crashing into a few trees, and sending me spiralling through the air. I tumbled and rolled across the destroyed dirt, hitting and rolling over sticks and stones as I came to a stop.

"Percy."

My arms jittered and shuddered as the broken bones shifted and undulated as they moved to their proper place.

"Let go Percy."

My chest clicked and snapped as my ribs reformed, the tiny shards fitting back together like a calcium puzzle.

"I know you can hear me, just let go."

Air quickly filled my lungs as they reinflated, a deep gasp and blood-filled cough racked my body as the crimson ichor flowed up my throat and out of my mouth.

Hearing a shrill whistle, I groggily look at the source, spotting Damien roughly ten metres away. He throws out his arm and a second later, my sword embeds itself into the ground in front of me. I roll onto my side, getting to my hands and knees before pushing myself up with a grunt. I stumble briefly, my back landing against a tree that had been broken halfway up. I stagger forward, quickly grabbing my sword and pulling it from the dirt. It felt heavy in my hand for a second or two as the final bone popped into place.

Rolling his neck, Damien reached up and grasped his jaw and pulled down suddenly, dislocating it entirely, loose skin keeping it in place. He then let his head hang back, slipping his hand deep inside his mouth and continuing further into his throat until he was nearly elbow-deep. His arm shifted a little until falling still before he slowly retracted his arm from his distended neck. As he pulled out, he held something in his hand.

A white-wrapped handle with a golden pommel and a golden hand guard pushed his slack jaw down further. A deep blue almost black curved sheath continued out his mouth with two surprisingly dry navy blue tassels hanging from near the sword's hilt—a beautiful piece tarnished by the man holding it.

Disturbed by the scene unfolding, I quickly distracted myself with the blade he produced and furrowed my brow. It looked familiar, I knew I had seen it somewhere before but that wasn't why I reacted to it. No. It felt familiar in a different way, as though I had a deep history with it and I somehow knew that he should not, in any way, have it. My gaze snapped up to his maniacal grin.

"See something you like?" He sneered as he held it to his side, using his thumb to push it out slightly. "Well...if you want it, then you'll have to take it."

Rapidly unsheathing our swords, we rushed forward, kicking up dirt and pulverised stone behind us as we met in the middle with a booming clang.

Our blades met and bounced and despite our strength, we stumbled back. I was quicker to recover, sending an upward slash at his chest, only to meet empty air as he dashed behind me. Reappearing in a small puff of black smoke, he held his sword back, still sheathed as his hand hovered above its handle before he partially pulled it out and resheathed it in quick succession. The air rippled around me, causing me to raise my blade as cyan slashes filled the area, a few clashed against my sword while the rest connected with my body.

Ignoring the pain with a small grunt, a familiar blue projectile whizzed towards me before I ducked under it, using the motion to rush forward. Damien readied the same movement he did before but this time fully unsheathing his katana, slicing through the air and leaving a bright brilliant blue wave to hurtle at me.

Thinking quickly, I bend my legs and jump and as I fall, I feel a solid surface form beneath my feet, letting me gather further air. I plant my armoured boot on a somehow still standing tree and kick-off of it, sending it crashing to the ground as I propel forward, raising my sword above my head and bringing it down as hard as I could as I fell. Our blades meet but with the force I had behind mine, Damien stumbles a few steps.

Lunging, I aim the tip of my sword at his chest, only to have it pushed aside. Damien jumps into the air with a red flash and brings his katana down in the same motion I had and at the last second, I bring my sword up to block it. The swords connect, but this time, I'm sent tumbling back again but I get to my feet as I stop.

He lunges forward in a burst of speed, reeling his sword back to stab. Just as he was about to connect, I used the back of my blade to push aside his attack, using the motion to deliver an overhead slash. I manage to catch him, my blade slicing clean through his chest and scraping against his ribs. He stumbles again and yells out. I slash again, once then twice more, delivering one after another in one clean motion.

Clutching his cleaved chest, I notice the wounds begin to heal, scabbing over, scarring and ultimately disappearing at a rather impressive rate.

Damien squinted his eye and his brow furrowed as he straightened up, the wild grin he wore disappearing, making way for a serious scowl. In a puff of smoke, he once again appeared behind me, slashing at my stomach and quickly resheathing his katana, the same blue wave as before cleaving through me as he twitched his blade out from the curved sheathed as the area rippled again, and before I could react, the piercing white slashes racked my body as he continued his assault, slamming the blade's sheath into specific pressure points before slashing and cutting with the sword itself.

Slicing up, my feet left the destroyed ground while Damien cut overhead, the blade's tip leaving a bright blue trail that passed through my body as I felt my innards split and my bones splinter. Jumping up, he planted his foot on my chest and pushed me to the ground while he once again sliced upwards, throwing me into the stump of a tree.

I groaned as I attempted to stand, but the man was quicker than I was. He kicked my sword from my hand, the hefty blade embedding itself in a tree some ten or fifteen metres away. Grunting, he buried his sword into my chest, barely missing my heart and pinning me to the stump. I yelled out and gripped the sword's hand guard in a vain hope of resisting, but in my state, he easily overpowered me, burying it until the guard stopped it from going any further.

"You're better with a blade than your fists I'll give you that," He said in an almost genuine tone, crouching in front of me. "But you're not the 'Percival' that I know of. Not exactly."

I opened my mouth to speak, only to choke, sputter and hack up blood as I still tried to pry the blade from my chest.

"No. You're different," He shook his head, poking my nose as I continued to choke on my own blood. "You're...younger, inexperienced."

"I thought if I can use that to my advantage, I could kill you now, change how things played out, but the higher up didn't want that," He continued, resting his head in his hand as he leaned against his leg. "I just don't think he's seeing the bigger picture. Taking you out now means less of a problem for us, meaning all of this," He moved his hand in a circling motion. "Would be so much easier!"

He quickly stopped and hung his head, chuckling quietly to himself. "Look at me. You caught me monologuing."

As he continued to speak, my eyes started getting heavy, the peripheral of my vision becoming dark as my head began lulling, the grip I had on his sword becoming looser and looser. Blood seeped out of slowly closing wounds, and pins and needles spread throughout my arms while my chest slowly heaved. My body was losing strength from the continually broken and shattered bones. My coughs and hacks were becoming weaker as breath became harder and harder to find. But most worryingly, my heartbeat was also becoming slow and weak, which only helped to make my mental panic rise.

But before I could lose consciousness, the world around me appeared to slow down to a snail's pace, Damien himself slowing down to a crawl.

"Let go Percival!"

Heat started to rise in my chest, spreading out into my arms and then into my legs as adrenaline surged through my broken body. My cuts and slashes healed faster than before, my bones reformed in a near instant and my lungs filled to the brim with cool air. The heat continued to rise as my breath followed suit, quickening to match the heat's pace as though I were having a panic attack. It rose and rose and rose until it hit the breaking point.

"Unleash the flame!"

The world around me resumed in an instant when the heat hit its peak as flames burst out in an explosion of brilliant orange light, my voice echoing out as I screamed from the burning pain that cascaded over me. Damien flew back from the sheer force of the blast as the fire passed over him, charring his skin and burning his hair. The dirt kicked up as it too burned around me, trees turning to nothing but charcoal as leaves disintegrated into nothing.

Damien tumbled and rolled, digging his feet and hands into the blackened dirt as he came to a stop. Glaring up, his lips parted into a malicious but amused grin, his eyes twinkling with excitement I hadn't seen before.

Reaching up, I pull his sword from my chest as I notice my gauntlets encased with a yellow flame as well as my boots, the fire stopping around my elbow and knee respectively. The air rippled slightly in my peripheral as tiny licks of fire and embers passed my vision from my shoulders. Stabbing his sword into the dirt, I sprint towards him as he uses his position to rocket forward.

Our fists collide, the loose ground beneath us kicking out from the impact. Landing on the ground first, I jab at his neck, the strike sizzling his skin and disorientating him long enough to continue my assault. Delivering a series of quick and powerful kicks to his chest, arms and legs, I drive the tip of my bott into his chin, sending him into the air while I jump to follow after him. I kick him once then twice to throw him further up before ploughing my heel into the back of his head, the flames surrounding my foot propelling it downward. He slammed into the ground with a grunt, he braced his arms and jumped back as I landed.

Sprinting in a blur, I shoot my leg out as he prepares to strike, our feet bouncing off each other, while our fists bounced similarly in the follow-up. Damien was faster to recover, quickly socking me in the chin and chest, my feet digging into the charred remains of the once grassy ground. I leaned to the side to avoid his following attacks while I blocked an unavoidable jab and uppercut that vibrated my bone but, surprisingly, left them intact.

His eyes widened while I used his momentary surprise, punching and kicking in succession, building up speed and power before ultimately jumping a little and planting both feet to the centre of his chest. Peering up at me, his eyes locked with mine and I could see his face contort into a look of surprise and uncertainty, his eyes darting across my body as he seemed to be caught off guard.

The grin he had disappeared, making way for a deep sneer, his teeth bared at me as he grunted, rushing headlong at me as a wild look overtook his eyes. Planting my feet firmly on the ground, I waited until the very second, stepping to the side and grabbing his ankle as he passed by me, rearing my fist back before driving it forward as hard as I could. The back of Damien's head crashed into the soil beneath him while the ground shook and the crater deepened as his face swiftly caved inwards, chunks of bone and clumps of his grey meat splattered across the now-dead land.

I remove my hand with a sickening crunch and squelch and step back, the flames around me disappearing with a fwoosh, I look down at the limp body in front of me, I briefly regard the flattened head as the lower jaw hung from the pulverised flesh by loose skin and slack sinew. Sneering at the body, I grip both ankles and yank them apart, tearing the body in two, blood and entrails spilling to the ground in a hot puddle before I toss the lumps of meat and bone to the side.

The scavengers would make short work of him.

All of a sudden, my vision swims and my knees almost buckle as my head becomes light and my stomach churns. Placing my hands on my knees, I breathe slowly as the adrenaline begins to slowly wear off.

I shake my head and stumble away, and before long, I come to the now-dead man's sword, still planted firmly in the ground. Removing it from the ground, I admire the blade's incredible craftsmanship, every small detail exquisitely designed. Giving it a few sloppy practice swings, I tiredly nod in approval. Beautifully well-balanced. I look around for its sheath before I feel a weight form in my other hand, the scabbard forming seemingly from nothing.

Storing the blade, it didn't take long to find my own, sword and sheath and all. With one last glance at the body I left behind, with my sword on my back and the other simply in my grasp, I start my tired trek to the nearest civilisation.

As Percival slowly stumbled away, dragging his feet behind him as he left the battleground, three individuals watched from afar, their eyes watching him until he was out of sight.

"Are you sure he's the one?" One said, pushing up her gold-framed glasses.

"I'm sure," Another replied, his bright golden eyes moving to his smaller compatriot. "Uncle was quite clear with his description."

"There is still plenty of time to determine if it really is him," The last added, placing his hand on the first individual's shoulder.

"I know," She replied. "If he really is the one, he has his work cut out for him."

Author's Note

God I suck at fight scenes :rainbowlaugh: :raritycry:
Oooo, our mystery man has a name, and what secrets does he know?
Do we recognise the sword, anyone? Should be fairly obvious. And what significance will it have?
Find out next time on Dragon Ball Z!!

Not much else to say for this one, hope you guys enjoyed

Please point out any mistakes I may have made
Constructive criticism is always appreciated
Until next time, TTFN!

Chapter 15 - "Home Is Where The Heart Is"

As I stumbled through the thick trunks and dense foliage, I continuously fought to keep myself from falling into the clutches of unconsciousness, practically having to hold my eyelids open as I tiredly trudged through the seemingly never-ending forest. Naturally, my mind kept returning to the battle I had just fought, flashes of Damien's malicious grin underlit by an ominous blue glow prominent amongst the memories.

I don't know how long I walked, the deep canopy overhead prevented me from seeing the sun's movement and I had been too drained to think about checking my watch which had miraculously come out unscathed but it didn't take long before my body went into autopilot as I tiredly trudged along dragging Damiens's sword behind me, trying my best to keep at least a decent grip on it, eventually giving up and shoddily tying the tassels around my hand.

I glanced down rather unsettled at said sword every now and then as I dragged it along as something in my brain, some dark untapped recess in the back of my mind felt something. It felt like a longing or deja vu. But I had never seen this blade before in my life, so what it could be was unknown to me.

At one point or another, the trees went from their usual dark, jagged and unnatural visage to ripe, colourful and comparatively smooth. The soil went from a dark tainted brown and a life-filled brown while the grass turned from a sickly swamp colour to a lush green. I passed a light beige reinforced wooden fence as apples started filling the trees more and more until they were all filled to the brim, almost bursting. I knew now where I was headed.

Before long, I heard voices, a small group of them by the sound of it, all varying drastically in tone, accent and texture. Looking up as my head hung semi-loosely as I followed the paved out path towards the voices, I spotted the group I had heard. I limply raise my arm up to wave at them as they very quickly spot my approach.

"I'm okay! I'm okay!" I shouted before falling not a second later as they sped towards me. "I'm not okay!"

"Celestia above!" Rarity shouted as she and Applejack skidded to a stop.

"What in tarnation happened to yah!" Applejack exclaimed.

"Long story really," I replied, fighting off my darkening vision. "But Twilight?"

"What is it?" She asked quickly.

"You should probably let the Princesses know I'm alive."

"Y'all really got a habit of getting in sticky situations dontcha?" Applejack said. "Pinkie, help me lift 'em up."

"On it!" She replied quickly.

"To be fair....trouble usually seeks me out," I replied to her. Almost instantly, I felt my arms being lifted as I was swiftly hoisted up, said arms being draped over the shoulders of the group's two strongest women.

"Gods Percival, you gotta weigh almost as much as Mac does," Applejack commented, strain surprisingly clear in her voice.

"Definitely more," Pinkie added, though any form of strain was absent from her voice.

"I've got...dense bones," I replied, my head drooping.

"Come on, don't yah pass out on us yet," Applejack attempted to muster me as Pinkie lightly tapped my cheek.

"Tryin'...muh best," I replied in an almost slurred tone before my vision went black.

Applejack and Pinkie slowly lowered Percival down onto the farm girl's bed that she gave no hesitation in giving to the currently comatose Paladin. They were careful to remove his blood-stained purple coat and shirt, placing the coat in a thicker fabric bag as Rarity had been confident she could fix the various slashes it bore, though the slight singe marks would prove to be finicky. They placed his weaponry on the set of drawers, careful to not set anything off or cut themselves. The shirt was unrecoverable, deeply stained and barely clinging together. They also removed his belt, boots and trousers, though the boots gave them some amount of trouble and all had miraculously sustained little damage, nothing a bit of buffing and small stitches couldn't fix.

Wringing a towel in a bowl of warm water, Rarity placed it on the man's head as she shooed out the other two in the room to let her work her medical magic. She checked for any injuries she could heal and did a quick and basic scan for any magic gone afoul, letting Twilight do a more in-depth search, both of which came out as negative, though the more academic of the two came out with a curious look but assured the fashionista it wasn't anything to worry about.

After staying behind a few minutes after Twilight had left to make sure the man was alright, Rarity left the room and descended the stairs of the Apples family home. Sitting next to the farm girl, she let out a small sigh.

"Is he okay?" Fluttershy asked.

"He'll be just fine darling," Rarity reassured. "It seems that whatever happened took a lot of energy out of him. He simply needs some rest."

"I'm sure he'll be fine," Rainbow Dash said, putting her arm over her lifelong friend's shoulder. "He's the Princesses Paladin remember? Whatever happened, he'll up and kickin' in no time flat!"

"Yeah, Rainbow's right!" Pinkie Pie agreed, appearing on the shy woman's other side. "He just needs a quick power nap."

"To be fair, we did find him in a heck of a state," Applejack commented. "Last time he was like that was the attack. Makes me wonder what exactly got 'em like that."

"You don't think it has anything to do with that pulse everyone felt this morning?" Spike asked, briefly looking up from the scroll he was writing on.

"Yeah, what was with that," Rainbow asked out loud. "I mean, I felt it in my living room, and I ain't exactly close to the ground."

"Even we felt it," Applejack added, thumbing between herself and Pinkie Pie who nodded vigorously. "And we Earth-ponies ain't exactly 'in tune' with magic like you Unicorns are. It was like a weird shiver up mah spine"

"I'm not sure, to be honest," Twilight muttered as she read the scroll Spike wrote before nodding and handing it back to him as he let out a belch of greenfire. "I wasn't able to get a proper reading on it, but based on what I could get, I'd say it was a magical surge."

"You think Percival had a surge?" Spike asked.

"I don't think so. He doesn't have the right magical signature that would suggest that he can wield magic," She replied. "Plus he isn't a Unicorn, so he lacks a catalyst to project any spells."

"I feel a 'but' comin' up," Applejack commented.

"Isn't there always?" Rainbow asked rhetorically.

"When I did the check-up with Rarity earlier, I briefly brushed against his mana pool and it was immense and dense," Twilight said, her brow furrowing. "I'd go as far as to say it would rival even the Princesses."

There was a moment of contemplative silence as the group processed the academic's words. Looking amongst themselves, expressions of uncertainty and scepticism washed over them before another word was spoken.

"But I thought you said he couldn't wield magic?" Pinkie cocked her head slightly.

"He can't, as far as I'm aware," Twilight replied. "Ponies with large pools that are unable to produce magic isn't unheard of, Strongjaw being a prime example. But to have reserves that large shouldn't be possible."

"Seems we have a magic mystery on our hands," Rarity said.

"When do we not?" Rainbow Dash said quietly to Pinkie Pie, who giggled at her comment. Looking back at her friend, Rainbow Dash noticed she gained a frown along with her usual inquisitive expression. "What're you thinkin'?"

"I keep thinking about that magic we felt this morning," Twilight responded after a moment. "It didn't feel...right. It was like it was raw. Unrefined."

"I will readily admit it felt unlike anything I have ever felt before," Rarity added. "I dare say it felt...angry."

"Did y'all tell the Princesses about it?" Applejack asked.

"I did," Twilight replied. "But highly doubt they didn't feel it."

"But whatever it was," She continued. "I'm willing to bet Percival is connected somehow."

"Gods above," Luna muttered as she stared at the crumbling mountainside, dust and stones still falling.

Celestia's brow furrowed as her horn dimmed, her spell deactivating while she lifted her hand from the blackened soil. Standing to her full height, her eyes scanned the immediate with a face full of uncertainty.

"I knew he was a strong individual, but I never expected he be capable of such feats," Luna said, turning to face her older sister. "I believe your hunch has been further corroborated."

"Indeed sister," Celestia nodded. "And the surge we felt afterwards? It was nothing to scoff at whether it be him or Damien."

"What do you think Ghost?" Luna asked, glancing over her shoulder.

"I dunno," Ghost replied, standing and stepping away from the bloody mass of dead flesh and bone while a few other guards examined it. "This goes way beyond me, Ma'am."

"Your Highness!"

Looking over their shoulders, they spotted a Guard quickly jogging up to them as several others stood near the border of the chard landscape roughly a dozen metres away. Stopping in front of them with a salute, he glanced over his shoulder before addressing his superiors.

"Ma'am, we've so far been unable to ascertain the whereabouts of Sir Felwinter," The Guard stated. "I suggest we widen the search."

Nodding, Celestia folded her arms slightly. "Thank you, Lieutenant Shield," She said. "You may return to your men. You may widen the search but do not stray far into the Everfree."

The Lieutenant saluted again before turning on his heel and stepping up back to his squad as he spoke, quietly giving them the Princesses orders as the two looked back towards the mountain.

"Where do you think he is?" Luna thought aloud.

"Safe, I'd imagine," Celestia replied as she smiled reassuringly. "He is a smart man and tough to boot. I'm sure he's fine."

Just as the words left her mouth, a puff of green Dragonfire flashed in front of the Solar Princess as she instinctually reached out and grabbed it, unrolling the scroll and quickly reading through its contents. A soft smile crossed her lips as she finished reading the scroll, sending it away with a similar green flash before she turned to her sister.

"Like I said, he's safe," Celestia smiled at her sister as she looked towards her Guards. "Lieutenant Shield! Call off the search effort! We have Sir Felwinters location!"

~~

As the group of Ponies pleasantly spoke, the Apple matriarch joining in occasionally while the eldest sibling watched from his spot on his chair, their conversation was cut short as a bright flash from outside alerted them to the presence of another. Rushing out, they all relaxed upon seeing it was their dual rulers with a small contingent of Guards standing alert and ready nearby. The sight of the tall, skull-masked soldier did give them pause, however.

"My Little Ponies," She greeted with a small bow of her own. "I apologise if our sudden appearance caused distress, but we were informed that Sir Felwinter was here?"

"Yeah, the youngin's here alright," Granny Smith nodded. "He's upstairs restin'. Whatever happn'd got him right plum tuckered out."

"Come in! Come in!" She quickly added, motioning for them to follow her with her cane. "I'll git y'all some tea."

Smiling, Celestia signalled for the gathered Guards to remain outside and alert as she and Luna followed the group inside. Ghost remained near the front door, leaning against the wooden frame as he kept an eye out with a tight grip around Ace. The Princesses sat comfortably on the couch while Granny Smith continued on into the kitchen as the rest of the others gathered around.

"How is he?" Luna asked after everyone got situated.

"He's...unconscious, but is well," Rarity responded. "As Granny Smith said, whatever happened seems to have simply exhausted him."

"Yeah, but you saw the condition his clothes were in," Rainbow Dash said quickly. "Dude looked like he went through a blender."

"And what was the condition, if I may ask?" Celestia asked.

"They were....tattered, to say the least," Rarity replied.

"His shirt was shredded," Applejack corrected. "How his coat survived, I haven't the foggiest idea."

"What happened Princess?" Twilight asked.

"That information is, for now, confidential," Celestia replied.

"But-"

"No, Twilight," She said firmly. "You may be my student but there is information even you are not privy to."

"I understand," She said, trying her best not to pout.

"I just hope he's okay," Fluttershy muttered.

Appearing next to her for the second, Pinkie wrapped her arm around her shoulder. "He'll be fiiiiiiiine."

Almost as if on cue, a sudden thud came from upstairs followed by a small, muffled "ow" as all present collectively looked up and laughed.

"Ah think the youngin's up," Granny Smith commented with a smirk.

"Eeyup," Big Mac nodded.

My eyes slowly flutter open as I'm nearly blinded by the bright sun shining onto my face through the unobscured window. Limply lifting a hand to shield my sensitive eyes, I groan and turn to face away from it. Propping myself onto my elbows and slowly sitting up, I rubbed my eyes to mitigate the stinging that plagued them.

Glancing around, I looked to be in a rustic, comfortable bedroom, sparsely decorated bar the occasional piece of memorabilia. And going by the orange and brown colour scheme, I'd wager a guess it was Applejack's room.

Swinging my legs over the side of the bed, my bare feet touching the cool wooden floor as I roll my neck and shoulders. I push myself up from the surprisingly soft mattress and stand, my legs momentarily wabbling once I was up. My eyes then snap to the set of drawers, spotting both my sword and the one Damien once wielded. Taking a step forward, my legs buckle and I immediately find myself eating wood.

"Ow," I sound out before hearing the sound of ascending footsteps.

The door to the room opens up and I hear a couple of soft giggles.

"Y'all alright there partner?" Applejack asked.

"Oh yeah, just fine," I reply. "Just gonna wallow in self-pity for a bit."

She giggled again before I was hoisted back onto the bed with a grunt, my eyes meeting both hers and Pinkies.

"Good to see ya again, sugercube," Applejack said.

"Good to see you too," I replied with a grin, lightly clapping her on the shoulder and looking over to the other woman. "You too Pinks."

"Long time no see, Percy!" She replied cheerfully.

"Y'all looked like you went through the wringer," Applejack commented.

"Yeah, I feel like it too," I replied, rolling my neck and shoulders, eliciting a few rather satisfying pops and cracks. "Help a guy up?"

The two nodded and let me hold onto their shoulders as I stood again and walked shakily out of the room I had been placed in. Seems my fight with Damien took a lot out of me. Stepping down the stairs with the help of Applejack and Pinkie, I almost immediately spotted Ghost standing by the front door as he turned to see us descending the stairs.

"Glad to see you in one piece, Sir," Ghost said.

"Glad to be in one piece," I chuckled as I bumped him on the shoulder lightly with my fist, letting go of Applejack's and Pinkie's shoulders as I slowly felt my strength returning.

"Sir Felwinter," I hear from my left.

Peering to the side, I look into the living room and see the Princesses, the Elements and the Apple family all gathered within, looking seemingly pleased and relieved to see me up and about.

"Your Grace," I bow slightly, making sure not to fall flat on my face.

"It is good to see you well," Luna said.

"Likewise your Highness," I nod. "How long was I out?"

"Jus' a couple hours," Granny Smith replied. "Yer lucky ya weren't out longer."

"Only a couple hours?" I repeated before humming. "Thought I'd be out longer. Regardless, thank you for caring for me and giving me a place to rest."

"Nonsense! T'was the least ah could do for ya after what ya did fir us," She said, stepping forward, her cane lightly tapping on the wooden floor, with Applejack and Big Mac close behind. "I wanted teh thank ya personally fir savin' mah family. It was mighty stupid what ya did, but it was brave. I can't thank ya enough."

Easing myself onto my knee in front of her, I kneel, making sure to keep my balance as I gently take her hands in mine. "It may have been stupid, but I would do it again in a heartbeat," I nod with a smile. "It is my job after all."

"Still," Applejack replied. "Our doors open to ya if ya ever need it. We owe you that at least."

"Eeyup."

Pushing on my knee, I stand as a mirthful grin spread across my face. "Not going to take no for an answer, are you?"

"Nope," Was their simultaneous reply.

I laughed as the rest of the room giggled, the brief bit of levity doing wonders for my fairly stressed nerves. Peering around the room, I catch a few of the girls sparing glances at me, reminding me of my half-naked body which, I won't, was beginning to make me feel somewhat self-conscious.

"Uhh," I said, sheepishly rubbing the back of my neck. "You guys got anything I could borrow to...cover up?"

The majority of the room, bar the two other guys and the three oldest in the room, then almost immediately look away with heavy blushes. Applejack laughs as she claps me on the shoulder, moving to the stairs while talking over her shoulder.

"I should have a couple spare flannels ya could borrow that'll fit ya. Gimme a sec."

"So....what now?" Rainbow Dash asked after several moments of silence, looking at the Princesses.

"For now, I think we will escort Sir Felwinter back to Canterlot where he will give us his report of recent events," Celestia replied, clasping her hands in front of her.

Luna was about to follow up on her sister's statement when a golden flash popped in front of the solar sibling revealing a neatly rolled scroll, the older of the two quickly grabbed it before it could fall to the ground. Breaking the wax seal that kept it rolled over her thumbs, she unrolled it, her eyes rapidly scanning over its contents before muttering under her breath, something about "timing".

"There has been a change of plans," She said suddenly as Applejack descended the stairs and handed me a fairly well-fitting flannel. "Girls, if you would all be so kind as to follow us?"

Quirking my brow, I look between the group and the Princess, noting a sense of understanding between them, leaving me utterly in the blind. Even Ghost, who remained at the front door, seemed confused. A small chorus of excited agreements rang out as they all moved to file out of the house.

"I'll uh...." I said, pointing over my shoulder, my face scrunched in confusion. "...go grab my stuff."

Stepping up the stairs, I quickly grabbed what equipment I had and strapped them to my body while keeping Damien's blade in my hand as I did not have a proper place to store it. I stare at my sword for a second or two, a sudden and random thought springing to mind. I gotta name the thing. Quickly patting everything down, I make sure everything is in its rightful place and go out and down the stairs.

"Now don't go 'n stressin' the boy out!" Granny Smith shouted as we moved away from the farmhouse, the Princesses calling off the Guards as the Unicorns bamfed them away. "Boy's earned some rest!"

"What does she mean by that?" I asked uncertainly.

"It would be best to show you," Celestia said, leading us further down the path towards Ponyville.

"I believe this belongs to you, Sir," Ghost said walking up next to me, handing me Ace carefully by the barrel.

"Thanks, Ghost," I nod, taking Ace, giving it a quick twirl around my finger, holstering it with practised ease before turning to peer at Applejack. "By the way, what happened to my coat?"

"Oh, I had to take it, Darling. It had some damage to it and I knew you'd want it mended," Rarity replied with a reassuring smile. "Don't worry, it'll be as good as new. Just like before."

"That's good to know, thank you," I smile back. "I gotta see about getting the thing protected. I don't want to bother you about getting it fixed any time there's a tear in it."

"Oh nonsense Darling! I'm always happy to help," She said as she placed a reassuring hand on my arm. "But if you still want it looked at, I'm sure our resident scholar might be able to help."

Looking over at Twilight, who walked alongside the Princesses, she glanced over her shoulder, already gaining an inquisitive expression, lightly humming to herself as said Princesses giggled.

"Hmmm, it would take a while, but I could probably set something up so your coat sustains less damage," She rubbed her chin, quietly muttering to herself as she thought. "Maybe to strengthen the fibres by increasing the density? No, then the weight would be off. Maybe....."

I shook my head as we continued down the path and into Ponyville itself. Many of its inhabitants stopped dead in their tracks, bowing at the sight of their Princesses but when they grinned widely, waved eagerly or stammered, seemingly overtaken by seeing me. I swear I saw a couple of them look me up and down as well! And it wasn't just the woman either.

I couldn't help but feel my ears burn a little as I rather sheepishly waved back. I've the attention of dozens of trained soldiers, highly or otherwise, trained on me for hours on end, yet, the attention I was getting from the citizens, the civilians of Ponyville...it felt completely different and being that I've been a wanderer, a nobody for longer than I haven't, I wasn't entirely sure how to feel about it.

Eventually, we made it through town and started walking towards the Everfree. I tried craning my neck to see if I could spot where we were going, but then suddenly felt a small weight on my shoulders as something covered my eyes. The girls around me giggled as I looked around, my confusion mounting.

"No peeking!" I hear Pinkie's voice in my ears as she more than likely sat on my shoulders. "It's a surprise!"

Shaking my head, I decided to simply accept the fact that whatever this "surprise" was would have to wait a little longer until I could see it. We continued walking, some of the girls gently taking my hands and leading me along to where this surprise lay. Suddenly, we came to a stop.

"Fuckin' hell," I hear Ghost say.

Pinkie then released her grip on my eyes, letting me open as I felt her jump from my shoulders. The sudden flow of light momentarily blinded me as I reached up to rub the sight back into them. Thankfully, the sensation of sight quickly returned to me and I looked up and my mouth quickly hung open.

"Surprise!"

To say what stood in front of me was a house would do it a terrible disservice. Several stories tall and wider than any commercial building I've ever seen, the best word to describe it would be a mansion. I simply stood there in shock as even Ghost looked at it with astonishment, glancing between me, the Princesses and the building while I couldn't tear my eyes from it.

"Welcome to your new home, Percival!" Celestia said happily.

"I-I...wh....holy shit!" I exclaimed. "When you said I'd be given my own accommodation, I didn't think you give me a mansion!"

"As Paladin and General to our army, it is customary to have an abode fit for one of your station. Plus, we would not want neighbouring countries to believe we are taking advantage of you," Luna replied, her grin as wide as her sisters.

"Oh god, do you know how hard this'll be to keep clean?" I asked rhetorically with a chuckle, getting a wry smile from the two rulers. "Thank you. I...don't know what to say."

"No thanks are necessary, and though your previous comment was a jest, it leads perfectly into the next part," Luna said.

"What?"

"If you'll remember, back when we informed you of the bonuses your title granted you, that one of them was your own staff," Celestia said.

"Oh god."

"Indeed. This sixteen-bedroom estate will not be manned by yourself, but by your personal staff that, much like Ghost here, answer to you and you alone," Luna added.

Indicating for us to follow them, the Princesses led us to the front doors, pushing them open to be met with a small entourage of the various sub-races: Pegasi, Unicorn and Earth-pony.

"Meet your personal waiting staff. They have been hand-picked by us to work for you," Celestia said as they bowed lightly.

In total, there were twelve of them, consisting of four Pegasi, four Unicorns and four Earth-ponies. Quickly looking them over, the gender equality was split surprisingly evenly, having six of each gender with four of each sub-species.

Stepping forward, the four Pegasi bowed their heads as they introduced themselves, going from left to right with the woman first.

"Feather Duster."
"Honey Bee."
"Clean Wing."
"And Caramel Ice."

"At your service," They said all at once.

They stepped back with the Unicorns stepping up next with the same formation.

"Sapphire Snow."
"Violet Light."
"Marble Sweeper.
"And Sunrise Dew."

"At your service."

The Earth-ponies were up next, but one held back. They had all been fairly young, but he was an older gentleman, his rich brown hair and beard peppered with greying hair. He even held himself differently.

"Ebony Velvet."
"Rose Blossom."
"Silver Plate."

"At your service."

And the final man stepped forward.

"Percival, I'd like to personally introduce Walter," Celestia said, indicating to the older man. "He is one of our top butlers and has served us for more than thirty years. I have no doubt you will be pleased with his performance."

"Walter?" I asked. "Griffons raised you?"

Fun fact, unlike most other species, Griffons have a more human-based naming convention. Rather than be named after aspects of yourself or the world around you that would come to you through vague and cryptic dreams and visions, Griffons bear names similar to that of English, Norwegian or Danish in origin.

"Indeed I was, Sir," Walter replied with a rich and raspy baritone voice that held a rather subtle accent I couldn't quite place. "A pleasure to meet you, Sir. I hope to serve you well."

"If the Princesses personally chose you, then I trust their judgement that you're more than fit," I replied.

"Thank you, Sir," He bowed his head. "Now if you would follow me please and I'll show you around. Your friends are more than welcome to join."

The girls could barely contain their excitement as Walter led us around the house, showing us the many living rooms, the massive grand kitchen, the wine cellar, the honestly ludicrous amount of bedrooms, including the master bedroom, and what would be my office, serving as my workspace that included an attached war room off to the side.

But just when I thought it could get any more ridiculous, we made it to the basement, which could be considered an underground complex with the amount of things it had. It was this portion of the house that would serve more for pleasure than anything as it included but was not limited to a tennis court, a basketball court, an indoor swimming pool, a music room and a gym with a built-in sparring court. It even had a two-story arcade with damn near anything you could think of! When I said the place was ridiculous, I truly meant it.

Finally returning to the main foyer, I couldn't help but lean against my knees and let out a rather disbelieving sigh as I shook my head, the Princesses seemingly taking sick pleasure from my reaction.

"Well, darling? How do you like it?" Rarity asked.

"I....it...wh-I," I stuttered. "Never in my life did I ever think it would ever lead to...this!"

Looking at the Princesses, I shoot them an incredulous look. "How the hell did you get this built in just four months!?"

Celestia gave me a rather triumphant grin as Luna looked on in amusement. "I did say I hired the best, didn't I?"

"I mean....yeah, you did, but this is insane!" I said, briefly rubbing my temples and standing up straight. "It's a beautiful house Chief, it really is. I can't thank you enough"

"Like I said, no thanks are necessary," Celestia replied with her normal soft smile. "Now my sister and I shall take our leave and let you acclimatise to your new home."

"We are elated that you like your home, Sir Felwinter. We shall keep you updated should we learn anything new," Luna nodded.

"And before I forget, we expect a report of recent events," Celestia said.

"Of course," I bowed my head lightly. "Take care, your Grace."

In a flash of gold and blue, the Princesses were gone in a fraction of a second, leaving Twilight and her friends to look amongst themselves for a moment before I shook my head, still having trouble wrapping my head around my new living arrangements.

"Did you guys know about this?" I ask with a small smile.

"Everyone in Ponyville knew about it," Rainbow Dash quickly replied. "Kinda hard to keep a sixteen-bedroom mansion a secret."

"No kidding," I chuckled. "You know Pinkie, when you said my place could be here, this isn't exactly what I had in mind."

"Oh I did say that, didn't I?" Pinkie said, putting her arm around my shoulders and pulling me down slightly. "Looks like I was right!"

"That you were."

"Anyway, we should probably leave you to it," Twilight suggested. "Let you get used to your new home."

"Awwww, no party?" Pinkie sighed.

"A party can wait fir now, sugarcube," Applejack said, patting her on the shoulder.

"Yeah! Means we can have a bigger party later!" Rainbow Dash added as Fluttershy nodded softly beside her.

As they began filing out the door, they each gave a quick farewell as they walked down the stone pathway of the immaculately mowed lawn. Rarity stopped at the door as I followed behind them.

"If there's anything you need while you get used to your gorgeous home, don't hesitate to ask any of us," Rarity said, placing a soft hand on my arm.

"You do more than enough for me as is," I replied. "But I'll keep it in mind."

"That's all I ask," She smiled, turning and following her friends to the front gate.

I close the door behind me as I retreat into my home, glancing around before my eyes settle on Walter, hands clasped behind his back while he wears an amused but surprisingly professional grin.

"Walter," I said.

"Yes Sir?"

"Would you mind calling everyone here, please? There's something I need to say."

"Of course, Sir. It won't be a moment."

I glanced at Ghost who seemed just as surprised at the sheer size of the place as I was as he looked around the foyer. We didn't have to wait long as Walter and the other members of staff stood before me in no more than a minute and a half, all ready to hear what I had to say.

"Alright, there's something I need to make clear before we move forward," I said as I got their undivided attention. "I don't know how you were trained to conduct yourselves, but going off of what little experience I have with dealing with butlers and maids, you are not my servants and I am not your master. For all intents and purposes, you are this house's waiting staff and I am your boss. None of that master shit I've seen be done."

"We are all equals in this household and as a result, I will help around the house where I am able, when I am able," I continue. "And much like our resident Lieutenant Ghost, I would prefer if you refer to me by name, or if you feel more comfortable you may call me Sir. While I may be your boss, respect goes both ways. If any of you have any problems with this arrangement, speak up now."

The silence held within the foyer told me all I needed to know.

"Alright then," I said with a grin. "As you were."

The maids and butlers all filed out of the foyer, moving to different parts of the house while Walter remained behind, his grin never leaving his face.

"The Princesses were quite right," He said. "You are quite different from how I expected."

"I get that a lot," I said with a sigh.

"I can only imagine, Sir," He replied before he too moved to a different part of the house.

Hearing a soft chuckle, I looked over at Ghost, I sighed deeply, rolling my shoulders as the skull-masked man gave me an amused look.

"Well, Sir," He said. "How's it feel to finally have a home to call yours?"

"It feels.....nice, actually," I replied slowly. "But it'll take a lot of getting used to."

Author's Note

Alright, apologies for the late update, life's wack and refusing to slow down plus writer's block hit hard :rainbowlaugh: :raritycry:
I think this one's a little messy, but regardless, I hope you enjoyed this one

And if you want an idea of what Percival's new living looks like, the £30,000,000 in this video is the general vibe I was going for
https://youtu.be/3ryID_SwU5E?si=Vf3stxBrWSlWodt2

Please point out any mistakes I may have made
Constructive criticism is always appreciated
Until next time, TTFN!

Chapter 16 - "Parties!"

Waking slowly, I look around the room in slight confusion before remembering where I was. Throwing off my thick duvet, I reluctantly remove myself from my plush mattress and change into some basic clothes. White shirt, grey jeans and the pair of simple leather boots I got the day after my first fight with Damien.

Looking up as I changed, my eyes landed on the sword Damien yielded and my face scrunched. I tried and failed to shake the feeling of deep familiarity that struck me every time I looked at the blade, that strange sense of solemn longing that hit me hard in the heart each time my eyes even so much as glanced at it. Something wasn't right with it, but for the life of me, I didn't know what.

Deciding to only strap Ace to my thigh, I splashed my face with some cold water and made my way downstairs and into the grand kitchen, greeting any of my staff that came across. Yawning deeply, I opened one of the many cupboards to get some coffee only to find it barren of anything. Quirking my brow, I closed it and opened another cupboard. Once again, nothing. Opening one more, I was met with the same sight.

"Uhhh, that's not right," I said, confused.

"Is something wrong, Sir?"

Turning, I spot one of my staff, a younger Pegasis woman, maybe early to mid-twenties with a head of jet black hair with a streak of bright yellow across one side of her bangs and a pair of surprisingly strong-looking dark grey wings.

"Uh, Honey Bee, wasn't it?" I asked.

She smiled warmly. "That's me, Sir!"

"Well uh...it seems the cupboards are empty," I chuckled, somewhat amused by the sudden lack of anything.

"Empty, Sir?" She asked incredulously.

Coming up next to me, she peered into the cupboard I was looking in and opened another then another. Calling another member of staff, Sapphire Snow, a Unicorn woman roughly the same age with a head of bright sapphire blue hair with a lighter blue horn, began rummaging through the rest of the kitchen as Marble Sweeper, a Unicorn man in his mid-thirties with brown hair and limestone yellow horn, arrived and subsequently joined in.

As the trio searched the kitchen for even a whisper of its contents, a suspicion struck me as to who may have caused the sudden disappearance of my home's produce. The three approached me rather nervously, glancing amongst themselves before Honey Bee spoke.

"Um Sir? It seems the entire kitchen is....empty," She said slowly, fidgeting with her finger behind her back.

"Is it only food and other produce like that by chance?" I asked, rubbing my freshly shaven chin.

"Um...yes Sir," She replied.

Chuckling softly to myself, I shake my head. "I think I know who did this."

"Who, Sir, if I may?" Marble Sweeper asked.

"A certain party planner."

"Should we...notify someone?" Sapphire Snow asked uncertainly.

"Oh no, no need. If it is her, then it'll be resolved by day's end, at the latest," I replied, looking to the kitchen door and spotting Ghost walking in. For the first time in a while, he chose to wear more simplistic clothing, a black shirt and a pair of dark jeans, wearing a simple balaclava with a painted skull as opposed to his normal mask. "Glad you could join us Ghost."

"What seems to be the problem?" He asked, crossing his arms, accentuating his large build.

"Just Pinkie Pie."

"Ah," He nodded. "Well, we should probably see what it's about then."

"I think I already know," I said before turning back to the three in front of me. "If you could inform the rest of the staff and let them know Ghost and I will be out for a few hours at least, I would appreciate it."

"Of course, Sir. We will inform them right away," Sapphire Snow replied.

"Thank you."

Quickly grabbing a small leather pouch of bits and attaching it to my belt, we made for the front door and walked down the neat stone path, passing the front gate and towards Ponyville. It was made readily apparent that the streets were barren of life. Though it was early, it wasn't nearly early enough for people to still be inside, readying themselves for the day ahead. The streets should have more than a few walking it. Shaking my head, my suspicion was nigh confirmed.

Turning towards Sugar Cube Corner, Ghost followed wordlessly beside me as we stepped up the steps in front of the local bakery. Briefly rubbing my eyes to rid them of any sleep I may have still had, I opened the front doors to be met with a wall of sound.

"SURPRISE!!!"

I simply stood there with a slightly amused grin as Ghost flinched at the sudden sound, Pinkie loudest among them. Disappearing into the crowd, her face then suddenly came from the top of my vision as she appeared on my shoulders once again while Ghost visibly recoiled and brought his hands up a little, his eyes wide in surprise while the rest of the girls stepped up to us laughing.

"Were you surprised? WereyouwereyouwereyouhuhHUHHUH!?" She exclaimed.

"I was when I found out all my house's food was missing," I replied, looking up at her, catching the Welcome Back To Ponyville banner hanging from the ceiling behind her.

"Wait, all his food is missing?" Twilight asked in a disbelieving tone.

"Well yeah, how else was I gonna get him to come?" Pinkie replied, still atop my shoulders.

"Maybe...asking next time?" Fluttershy quietly suggested.

"Where's the fun in thaaaaaat?" She groaned with a giggle, hopping down from my shoulders.

"I dunno sugarcube, I'd be mighty ticked if mah pantry was raided without mah knowhow," Applejack added.

"Oh don't worry, it'll all be back before you know it!" She reassured high-fiving a chuckling Rainbow Dash.

"Here you go Darling," Rarity said, handing me a bundle of purple fabric. "Good as new."

Taking it from her, I quickly unravelled it and saw my coat bare of any of its previous damage, as new as the day I acquired it.

"Thank you so much Rarity, you're a doll," I said, lightly kissing her cheek.

"Oh my goodness," She giggled playfully. "Of course, Percival, I'm always happy to help."

As I put my coat back, I realized how naked I felt without it, like something was missing when I didn't have it on. I admired the fashionista's handiwork and noted how soft it felt compared to before, it even had that new coat smell to it. It was also at that point I noticed a brief look of jealousy when I kissed her cheek, and shockingly, it wasn't from Spike, who seemed completely unbothered by it. The look came from Applejack and was gone as quickly as it came.

"Holy shit," I thought to myself. "That explains why she wanted to kill those Diamond Dogs herself, but when did this happen? I'll be saving that little nugget of knowledge for later."

"Now go enjoy yourself! You could use the downtime," Rarity said waving me off with a hint of mirth.

Rolling my eyes, I walked further into the bakery, nodding and greeting the other partygoers as I sat on a stool at what was basically the bar, Ghost sitting next to me. A stouter, more mature woman with dark bubble gum hair walked up to us, idly readjusting her simple yellow apron before addressing us.

"Sir Percival, so nice to see you again!" She said warmly. "I saw you the last time you were here. I just wanted to thank you for what you did that day. And what you did in Las Almas? I have a Lycan cousin and knowing what happened, oh those poor dears didn't deserve any of it."

"You ain't kiddin'" Ghost nodded gently.

"Got that right," I nodded as well. "We were just doing our job, Ma'am."

"Oh don't you Ma'am me," She said firmly but softly. "Just call me Cake. Now, what can I get you, boys?"

"Do you do breakfasts?"

As soon as the words left my mouth, a plate of food appeared in front of us, with Ghosts being larger than mine, the food steaming as it settled to a stop. Looking up, I flashed Pinkie Pie, who had appeared out of nowhere as usual, a bemused look as she stood happily next to Mrs Cake, who shook her head in amusement.

"You're lucky I like you," I said, picking up the fork next to the plate.

"Then I'll count my blessings!" She said, practically skipping into the crowd of people.

"She frightens me, Sir," Ghost said, rolling up his mask to eat.

I laughed heartily. "You aren't the only one."

As we ate, a few people came up and greeted and welcomed us, mainly me, to their quaint, if however weird town. The food was quick to disappear as Pinkie took the plates away, allowing us to mingle amongst the populace and enjoy the party properly, hopefully without interruption this time.

~~

"I must say, Pinks, this party is awesome," I said, taking a healthy bite of a slice of cake.

"Well, it's not every day I get to welcome a Paladin!" She said excitedly, adjusting her denim jacket. "Plus, the last one was kinda ruined, plus plus you're moving here properly so I just had to make it special!"

"Heh, can't argue with that," I nod.

The party had gone on for an hour or so, and despite that, it was yet to show even a whisper of slowing down. People danced, ate, drank, talked, played various games and generally had fun amongst friends and acquaintances. It was something I hadn't experienced myself properly as the last one, as Pinkie said, had ended rather abruptly.

As much as I was used to the upper echelons of Canterlot and having to constantly train its military, it was nice not being surrounded by the higher class for once, seeing normal people go about doing their own thing. It's amazing that you tend to take these sorts of things for granted.

"Though I have to say," I said, eating the last of the cake in my hand. "I was surprised that the Princesses chose Ponyville to have my house built."

"Is it a bad thing?" Pinkie asked genuinely.

"Oh no, absolutely not," I replied quickly. "Just surprised was all."

"I believe it's to help with morale in these rather uncertain times and provide protection where it wouldn't normally be readily available. Plus Ponyville was your first place of action, so it would stand to reason there's a sense of sentimental value there," Ghost chimed in, sipping idly at a small glass of fruit punch. "And they know your feelings about nobility and wouldn't want that animosity getting in the way."

"Huh. That.....makes a lot of sense actually," I said, slowly nodding.

"Well I'm just glad you're enjoying the party," Pinkie said before skipping off.

"I'm gonna get a refill," Ghost said, standing from the bar chair. "You want anything?"

"Nah, I'm good," I waved my hand. "Just enjoy yourself Ghost, you've earned it."

"I promise nothing, Sir," He chuckled before walking off, disappearing into the crowd.

Shaking my head, I looked out towards the crowd, watching people as they went about enjoying the party, occasionally spotting one of the main six among them. It was nice to just watch. I had never been a big fan of parties, large crowds tended to not agree with me but this? It was oddly soothing. Though I guess with everything happening of late, I shouldn't be surprised. Regardless, I continued to people-watch.

As I did, I was overcome by a strange sense of longing. One that wasn't wholly dissimilar to the feeling of disturbing deja vu I get when looking at what was once Damien's sword, but this one felt more familial like there was something deeply missing, something or maybe even someone that should be there but isn't.

"Can you hear me?"

Scrunching my brow, I looked off to my left, through the window and the building and towards the Everfree. A sudden urge to seek something out came to the forefront of my brain, though what it could be, I wasn't sure. A pressure built ever so slightly in my head, the same kind of pressure that built whenever someone was attempting a telepathic link. It was subtle and slowly growing weaker, but it was there.

"Hello?"
"Percival?"

Shaken from my sudden stupor, I blink and look to the source of the voice and find Twilight looking at me, slight concern on her face as Ghost stood behind her.

"Are you alright?" Twilight asked.

"Yeah, I'm alright," I replied. "Just zoned out for a bit there."

"I saw," She said as she and Ghost sat beside me. "So are you enjoying the party so far?"

"Couldn't tell you the last time I was at one. Though, don't tell Pinkie I said that. She might have a heart attack," I said, whispering the last part, earning me a laugh. "To be honest with you, it's a nice change of pace compared to what I'm used to."

"I can imagine," She nodded. "You've both been extremely busy. I say you've earned the downtime."

"Ain't that the truth," I replied. "So, any news on our little mystery artefact yet?"

"Actually, we may have hit a breakthrough!" She replied excitedly.

"Wait really?" I asked surprised. "I would have thought it would have taken you guys another few days at least."

"We have been working tirelessly since you brought it in. Thank you for recommending me, by the way," She said gratefully as I nodded. "And while it is still early days, I do think we've figured it out!"

"Well come on, don't keep in suspense."

"We believe we're dealing with a multi-spatial artefact! One with infinitely repeating manifold intersections!"

"I understand those words separately."

"Basically, the Mages and I believe the artefact holds an infinite amount of possible spaces within the stone that are constantly shifting and overlapping each other that, if the math is correct, could very well lead to different points in time."

"That sounds....dangerous."

"Under normal circumstances, it would be, but due to how weak the magic signature is despite how dense it appears to be, it's proven to be remarkably harmless," She replied, her excitement palpable. "I'll be conducting more research over the next few days, so hopefully we should have concrete answers soon."

"Well, here's hoping," I said, holding up my crossed fingers.

~~

I moved through the party, greeting and mingling amongst the citizenry as I did. While more than a few seemed to be momentarily off-put about my height compared to literally everyone else, they soon got over my advantage in altitude when they got the chance to speak to me and remember my first outing before it was rudely interrupted.

Eventually, I made my way to the snack bar, eagerly picking up another slice of cake as Ghost poured himself some punch. Which was non-alcoholic. Even though I'm pretty sure I can't get drunk, still kinda disappointed. But I can't say I was terribly surprised.

As I looked over the party, I noticed a certain fashionista amongst the crowd and waved her over.

"Rarity!" I greeted her as she stepped closer to us. "How are we enjoying this little shindig?"

“Pinkie Pie always knows how to throw a good soiree,” Rarity replied with a smile. “And you?”

"Oh thoroughly," I replied as Ghost sipped quietly at his punch beside me. "Thank you again for patching up my coat."

"Of course darling. And if it ever needs more work done to it, don't hesitate to bring it to me," She said as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. "And as a friend, I'll even do it free of charge."

I turned to her, raising an eyebrow as a smile graced my lips as she said this. "You know, It’s a bit strange for me to know anyone to be this generous.”

"How do you mean, darling?"

"Well, when I was a wanderer, generosity amongst people wasn't exactly abundant," I replied, getting some punch of my own as Ghost refilled his. "And it's not just you either. Ponyville is easily one of the nicest places I've been to. It’s hard to believe sometimes.”

Rarity smiled. “Well, believe it. Though I won’t lie: I’m excited to work on a wardrobe for a Paladin."

I chuckled. “There’s always an angle."

Rarity blanched. “Darling, that’s not what I meant, I swear-”

I raised my hand, stopping the panicking seamstress. “Relax. It was a joke. I know how much you love to work on clothes. It’s an endearing trait. Besides, I saw your work on display at the boutique. I wouldn’t want anyone else working on my clothes except for you.”

Rarity's pale cheeks slowly developed a small amount of colour as she stuttered slightly. "I-I don’t know what to say."

I simply extended my hand towards her. “How about ‘A pleasure doing business with you’?”

She chuckled and extended her hand towards me, allowing me to gently shake it. “Quite, darling. Quite.”

~~

The crows cheered as Applejack's and Rainbow Dash's arms trembled, their hands clasped together as they fought for dominance. Their arm wrestling match seemed to go on forever as half the room shouted for the farmgirl to win while the other yelled for the rainbow-haired daredevil to take the lead.

As one took over, the room erupted, one side yelling for the Applejack to win while the other encouraged Rainbow Dash to overtake her. Eventually, Applejack slowly started gaining more and more ground as Rainbow Dash's wings fluttered behind her as she tried pushing harder and harder, sweat gathering at her brow before the back of her hand touched the table, declaring Applejack the winner.

The room patted her on the back while the pair nursed their tensed arms, making their way to the bar as Mrs Cake offered them a cool drink. No cider, unfortunately, but it seemed refreshing nonetheless.

"That was some show you two put on," I commented as Ghost and I joined them.

"Fuck yeah, it was!" Rainbow Dash exclaimed before downing half of her drink. "And I would have won if the cheering wasn't distracting me!"

"Sure sugarcube, sure," Applejack laughed, patting her friend on the shoulder.

"I would have!" Rainbow Dash insisted before looking at Ghost who seemed to squint his eyes challengingly. "But I wanna go against him next!"

"What about you partner?" Applejack asked, turning to me. "Up for a game?"

"Oh no, I gave up arm wrestling a long while ago," I said, extending my right arm, showing the slight bend preventing it from fully extending straight. "Broke in the last one I did and it never set correctly."

"Huh," Rainbow Dash hummed, squinting her eyes. "You can deal with demons skewering you like a pin cushion, but you can't heal a simple crick in your arm?"

"Oh, this happened looooong before I could heal as I can now," I replied as Ghost shifted his eyes to my arm.

"What's yer story anyhow?" Applejack asked, sipping at her drink. "What'd you get up to when ya were travelin'?"

"What's to tell?" I asked. "I went from place to place, met some people, did odd jobs to get money and moved on."

"Surely it can't be that simple," Rainbow Dash joined in. "Surely a guy as strong as you got up to more than just, ya know, that."

"Sometimes it is that simple," I replied, scratching the bridge of my nose. "That's all it was for a long time. I liked it, mostly. I was working through some things and the mostly solitary life helped with it."

"How did you get so strong then?" Rainbow Dash asked. "That's got to be a good story."

"Honestly? Couldn't fuckin' tell you. It happened so fast I don't really know what happened," I shrugged, though the flashes of that void through my mind told me I knew otherwise. "It felt like one minute I was on the road and the next I was in the middle of the Everfree playing an organ I found in the old castle ruins."

"Maybe you had an episode," Rainbow commented, earning a jab in the ribs as Ghost chuckled.

"Maybe I did," I laughed. "And if that's the case, then it was a hell of an episode."

"And what are you gonna do now?" Rainbow Dash asked, downing the rest of her drink. "Now that you're out of snob central, I mean."

"I'll do what I was doing before I guess," I replied. "I'm gonna do my job."

~~

Waving as I greeted a new set of people, I stepped out into the cool evening air, sitting on one of the many chairs sitting out front of the bakery. I closed my eyes, feeling the slight nip on my skin as the chilled winds passed over me, blowing through my lengthening hair. As I did, I heard the sound of shuffling to my side, pulling me from my silent enjoyment of the cool atmosphere.

Looking a little behind me, I spot a cat slowly, inching way towards me, slightly extending and tilting its head curiously. It seemed to be on the older side of things if the scraggly brown and white fur and slower gait were anything to go by. Moving slowly to not freight them, I lowered my arm and stuck my finger out for them to sniff.

"Hey buddy," I said softly as the cat's nose twitched, coming just short of touching my finger.

It suddenly rubs its face against the tip of my finger and the rest of my hand, allowing me to try and scratch it behind the ear. As I do, it cranes its neck, leaning its body further into my hand as it begins to purr loudly, clearly enjoying the attention it was getting from me. It quickly began to lean so much to the side it almost fell over, but before it could, it swiftly caught itself, its reflexes clearly not diminished in the slightest. Looking up at me, it slowly moved to just in front of me, crouching down as deftly hopping up into my lap.

"Wow," I heard from beside me. Looking over, I saw Fluttershy give me a surprised look. "I've never seen her be so relaxed with someone so quickly."

I smile as I look back down at the cat as she began making herself more comfortable on my lap. "What can I say? I'm a trustworthy guy."

"Cookie seems to think so," Fluttershy said softly, still looking at the purring cat as I scratched her under the chin. "And she's always been a good judge of character."

"I feel honoured," I said, a smile crossing my lips as the now-named Cookie happily closed her eyes.

"Do...do you like animals, Percival?" Fluttershy asked meekly, sitting next to me slowly so as to not disturb the happy cat in my lap.

"I've always had a weakness for cats," I said, earning a crunchy meow in response, Cookie clearly happy with my choice of words. "I've always found animals to be more honest than a lot of people I've met, so yeah, I'd say I like animals. But not this place though. This town has some of the most honest people I've ever met."

"Rarity told me," Fluttershy replied quietly. "How people weren't nice when you were still travelling. I can't imagine what that must have been like."

"It was fine, for the most part," I replied. "I treated people how they treated me, so they got what they gave."

"That doesn't sound very nice," Fluttershy said, shrinking ever so slightly.

"It was what it was. It shaped me into who I was and thickened my skin a little," I shrugged. "Besides, it led me here. So it was good for something, I guess."

"Well...we're lucky you came when you," Fluttershy said, Cookie meowing in agreement. "And we're definitely lucky to have you so close now."

"I'm just happy to be away from the Nobles," I laughed.

"Twilight told me and the rest of the girls what it was like when she used to live in Canterlot," She said. "They...didn't sound very nice."

"No. Most of them aren't. But there are some that I think I could get along with quite well," I said, glancing at Canterlot looming off of the mountain some distance away. "Their like the people I met on the road. If they're mean, be mean back."

"That sounds hard," Fluttershy admitted.

"Then you're in luck. Because you don't need to," I said as she looked at me. "You have a group of friends who will not hesitate to come to your side and defend you."

"I am very lucky to have them," She nodded.

"Yeah," I said softly, still scratching the content Cookie under the chin as she purred loudly. "Their good eggs."

~~

The hours passed by seemingly like a flash, the party continuing and finishing without a hitch, much to the delight of all involved, Pinkie most of all. Fun times were had by all, even Ghost had a good time. But all good times must come to an end and eventually, everyone filed out, waving us off as Ghost and I made our way home.

Upon opening the door, we were greeted by Walter standing at the ready, hands clasped behind his back, his usual professional grin spread across his lips.

"Evening Sirs," He greeted. "You should be happy to know the pantry has miraculously been restocked while you were away."

"Knew it would be," I nodded. "Thank you, Walter."

"Of course Sir," He nodded back, before holding out an envelope. "You also received some mail as well from a....peculiar individual."

"Peculiar? How so?" I asked, taking the letter.

"Well, they were clad in rather strange robes. Grey with fur and leather," He said evenly. "But most bizarre is they said you'd know what to do with it."

"Okay, that is peculiar" I mumbled. "Thank you, Walter."

"Of course Sir," He bowed slightly before walking off to another part of the house.

Glancing at Ghost, I look down at the envelope and turn it over on my hand, tearing at the seam and pulling the letter from its casing. Unfolding the letter, I carefully read over its contents.

To BB

As you are no doubt well aware, the invasion of Las Almas you orchestrated was a resounding failure, the artefact was taken and the Paladin yet lives. See to it that the stone is retrieved or that you provide a suitable substitute. We will not take this failure kindly after such hefty reassurances and promises and should you fail us again, we will not be so kind as to give you a second chance.
Prove you have what it takes or your life is forfeit.

May the Lord provide.

"Oh, that can't be good."

Author's Note

Just a small filler chapter to push things forward while I try to work past this writer's block :rainbowlaugh: :raritycry:
Might come back and add to this at some point since it could stand to be a little longer, we'll see

Please point out any mistakes I may have made
Constructive criticism is always appreciated
Until next time, TTFN!

Chapter 17 - "Invitations"

Looking down at the letter in my hand, I couldn't help but let out an exasperated groan as Ghost chuckled heartily next to me. "You have got to be kidding me."

It's been a few days since moving into my new home and since the party Pinkie threw for me and I've gotten surprisingly used to the idea of calling a mansion my home, even if I do still get lost every now and then. That being said, having staff to manage and maintain said mansion is something I've still to get used to as they have a knack for appearing damn near out of nowhere and disappearing just as stealthily. But all in all, I was quite enjoying my new home.

However, not an hour ago, a revelation had reared its rather ugly head. Being that I'm a Paladin and General to the Equestrian army, certain expectations, roles and other such things were unfortunately required of me and one of them was to attend certain events that I'm sure everyone is painfully aware of, which leads me to my current situation.

The girls had all shown up at my house early in the morning while I was in the middle of breakfast toting an ornate letter with them. Said letter contained a personally written invitation to none other than the Grand Galloping Gala. Which was happening the next day.

"Darling, you have been personally invited by the Princesses to attend!" Rarity exclaimed. "How exciting!"

"Oh yes, just riveting," I replied dryly.

"It sounds like ya don't wanna go," Applejack commented as Fluttershy nodded in agreement.

The face I made told them all they needed to know.

"Darling, why wouldn't you want to go? It's the most important event of the year! The height of sophistication!"

"It's the biggest party in Equestria!" Pinkie added excitedly. "I can get soooo many ideas for future parties!"

"It's the place to make dreams come true, dude! I can meet the Wonderbolts face-to-face! Do you have any idea how awesome that is!?" Rainbow Dash exclaimed.

"Not to mention the produce I can sell," Applejack added with an excited grin.

"And the animals I can meet," Fluttershy said meekly.

Looking at Twilight, I raised my eyebrow. "What about you? What're your reasons for going?"

"Well, I was born and raised in Canterlot, so I'm used to events like these," Twilight shrugged. "Plus it'll let me spend a little time with the Princess."

Rubbing my temples, I let out a soft sigh. "Ghost."

"Yes Sir?"

"Any way I can get out of this?"

"Nope."

"Thought not," I mumbled softly. "Rarity?"

"Yes, dear?"

"Do you still have that suit you made me for my coronation?"

Her eyes lit up like the fourth of July. "Oh, you are going to look just magnificent!"

"Perfect. I'll pop by in the morning to pick it up."

"Sounds perfect to me," She grinned widely. "Speaking of, I best be going. Perfection can't make itself!"

With that, the rest of the girls began filing out, leaving just me pinching the bridge of my nose at the mansion entrance. Closing the door behind them, I look at Ghost who seemed to be taking some sort of pleasure from my situation.

"Don't forget Ghost, you're going as well,"

"Oh I know Sir, but watching you squirm was fun."

"Glad you're enjoying my torment." I shook my head with a mirthful smirk. I was glad Ghost seemed to have taken my words to heart. The last month or so, he's certainly opened up and become a bit more playful.

"So what's the plan until the Gala, Sir?"

Rolling my shoulders, I look down at the katana I held tightly within my grasp. "Until then, there's something I need to figure out."

Moving to the front door, I quickly stopped Ghost as he moved to fall in line as usual. "Man the fort Ghost. This is something I need to do myself. Inform the staff I'll be away for the day."

"Yes Sir," He nodded. "When will you be back?"

"I don't know," I replied. "But I don't think I'll be back today."

"No problem Sir," He nodded again. "Stay safe."

"I promise nothing," I smirked before closing the door behind me.

~~

It didn't take long, maybe a couple of hours, and I was back at the bomb site, charred trees, dirt, and pulverised rock and stone surrounding me as it all crunched rather satisfyingly underfoot. A small distance away, I spotted a patch of red and maroon, Damien's remains partially missing except for bone, cartilage and the unwanted pieces of meat and flesh.

Crouching near the discarded pile of the tossed aside carcass, my face scrunched. Kicking dirt over what remained of his corpse, I move to the centre of the decimated clearing. Hefting the katana up, I catch it with both hands and closely inspect the blade, properly taking in its beautifully crafted details.

The deep blue, almost black scabbard held small Japanese etchings along one side, just under where the tassels were tightly wrapped and glued in place with what looked to be a thin wax-like material. But since I couldn't speak Japanese, I couldn't understand what the etchings read.

Moving to the handguard, the gold-on-black flower-like patterns held an almost handmade quality to them, lending itself to the idea the whole blade was painstakingly crafted. Pressing my thumb against the handguard, the blade popped out slightly with a satisfying clink as the golden blade collar shone in the early morning sun.

Sliding the three-and-a-half-foot-long blade out slowly, the shrill ring of cold, hard steel meets my ears in a surprisingly soothing sound as it vibrates the blade once it's pulled fully from the sheath.

As I pulled it out, I could feel something. A connection or a link of some kind, similar to when I summon Venator, but it felt weak, as though it was damaged or broken. It was a weird sensation, identical to the pins and needles you would get when someone gave you a dead arm or when you hit your funny bone but it wasn't physical.

Even the knowledge I gained when arming myself with a new weapon felt disrupted, like a digital download interrupted by a bad connection. The whole thing just felt incomplete.

"It's just one mystery after another, isn't it?" I ask myself, staring down at the perfectly straight blade.

As I stared at the blade, the sheath disappeared, gradually disintegrating into a puff of smoke and blue particles.

"Oooo, neat trick," I nodded, letting my excitement out without worry of anyone seeing me. "Oh, that got me thinking."

Holding out my now free hand, I focus and strain, gritting my teeth slightly as I feel heat begin to gather in my hand. Suddenly, in a plume of smoke and fire, my sword materializes in my hand, accompanied by a sound best described as a revving motorbike. I stumble back in surprise as I let out an excited giggle.

"Ho ho ho, that's awesome!" Flexing my arm, it disappears in a puff of smoke and embers. Flexing again, it reappears. "Oh, that opens up a world of possibilities!"

Flexing one last time, my sword disappears and I shift my attention to the katana in my other hand. Doing the same as I did for my blade, I focus and strain, clenching my hands around the white-wrapped handle. It glows for a fraction of a second before sputtering and growing dim. A sudden headache racks my head as I rub my temples to mitigate it.

I wait it out for a few minutes and the ache is gone fairly quickly. I look down at the blade as I hold it in both hands again, focusing and straining the same as I did before only to result in another headache, this one mildly worse than the last. I go at it for what feels like hours, resulting in me sitting on a nearby charred tree stump, clutching the sides of my head with the heels of my hands lightly pressing against my eyes.

Peering over at the blade partially stabbed into the ground, I chuckled slightly. "Fussy, aren't you? Okay, let's move on to something else."

Standing, I grab the katana and step back out into the centre of the small wasteland, the blackened soil crunching beneath my feet. Holding the sword tight within my grasp, I plant my feet deep into the soil, breathing slowly out of my mouth.

Swinging the blade through the air, I carry through a quick routine, slashing, cutting and stabbing while adding small flourishes. Throughout it, the feeling of pins and needles intensified as I could feel the connection wanting to be established but being prevented by some unseen force. Finishing with a fancy flourish, I sheath the sword with a sigh.

"Okay then, keep your secrets."

I look around me for a moment before shrugging to myself, deciding that, since I have plenty of time on my hands, I'd go for a walk down memory lane for a bit.

The day had come and gone and the Gala was nigh on top of them and Rarity put the last finishing touches on the dresses she painstakingly handmade for her and her friends. Each dress was tailored specifically to match and complement each of its defining characteristics, each one perfectly matching its wearer's unique tastes while still having her own personal touches.

The girls were gathered, dressed and ready to go as the fashionista applied the last of her makeup and as well as helping Spike with his suit.

"Aaaaand there!" Rarity nodded as she readjusted Spikes's bowtie. "That should do it."

"Thanks, Rares," Spike grinned widely as he admired himself in the nearby mirror, slicking back his spines. "Man, I look good."

"Such a handsome young man," Rarity agreed, lightly pinching his cheeks.

"Speakin' of men, where the heck is Percival?" Applejack asked no one in particular.

"Yeah, you'd think the guy would show up for something this important," Rainbow Dash agreed, adjusting the almost Greek-inspired headpiece atop her head.

"He'll show up," Pinkie said excitedly.

"He better," Twilight chimed in, peering at the clock that read quarter past three in the afternoon. "Otherwise the Princesses are going to be rather annoyed."

"Somethin' tells me he ain't exactly worried 'bout that too much," Applejack said.

"Even so, he should be here by now," Rarity added.

Just as the words left her mouth, the group heard a low whistle coming from the front entrance, and as they all turned to face its source, they spotted Percival leaning his recently acquired katana, giving the group a soft nod.

"God damn, you've outdone yourself," He said. "Even with the bomb ass suit you made me Rarity, I can't compete with this."

"It's about time you showed up!" The fashionista exclaimed. "Your suits over there. Now go get ready, the carriage is almost here!"

Shooing him off into the other room, she handed him his suit as the girls giggled, shaking their heads as they waited for him to change. It didn't take long however and Percival walked out dressed in the grey three-piece suit Rarity had made him for his coronation, his hair, which was now several inches long, was slicked and his stubble was shaved clean.

"Well?" He said, giving them a small twirl. "What do we think?"

"You look positively gorgeous Darling!" Rarity beamed while the others looked with wide eyes, not used to him dressing up and more so used to seeing him in either his gear or minimal casual clothing.

"Looking good there big guy," Rainbow Dash nodded appreciatively.

"Must say, ya clean up nicely," Applejack said as Fluttershy nodded quietly in agreement.

"Dayum," Pinkie said simply.

"So when's the carriage-"

Before Percival could finish his sentence, a thud sounded out from outside the boutique, swiftly notifying the group of the arrival of the carriage they so patiently waited for.

"Couldn't have timed that better."

The group laughed at the man's comment as they all filed out of the boutique and out into the streets of Ponyville, quickly spotting the large transport carriage, the chauffeur already stepping down and silently opening the door, bowing as he did. The eight passengers to be stepped up and into the carriage which seemed to be bigger on the inside as Twilight mumbled something about a "spatial displacement spell".

A moment or so later, the carriage shifted and the group felt a small pressure push them slightly into their seats before easing. They giggled in excitement as they lifted off, Percival smiling all the while. For the first few minutes, they spoke amongst themselves as they watched Ponyville slowly grow smaller and smaller, the eagerness becoming palpable.

"So Percival," Applejack said suddenly as she settled for a long flight next to the man. Looking at her, the man hummed at her question. "Where's yer tall friend?"

"My tall friend? Oh, right," He nodded as he realized who she meant. "Ghost's taking a more covert approach tonight. Said his skill set would be better suited to making sure the security detail is up to snuff."

"Fair enough. Just surprised he wasn't with ya," She shrugged. "The guy seemed to be glued to ya by the hip."

"Well, it's his duty," Percival said simply. "As mine is to the country and all of yours is to keeping the balance of harmony, his is be a confidant and protector to me."

"With all the trouble ya get into, I'd say you need it," Rainbow Dash teased.

"Though I have to ask, are all the skull masks really necessary?" Rarity asked.

"Yeah, aren't things like that for Nightmare Night?" Pinkie asked with a giggle.

"Plus...it's scary," Fluttershy added meekly.

"I dunno, I think he looks cool," Spike shrugged.

"You'd have to ask him," Percival replied. "It could be a religious reason, a personal reason, a tactical reason. Or it could have been a joke that stuck. It could be anything. I just don't feel a need or want to know what that reason is."

The group seemed satisfied as they quickly moved on to a new topic, mainly what they would be doing when they got to the party. Occasionally, Percival would spot Rainbow Dash glance at the katana in my hands which gave him a good chuckle. Eventually, after a lingering look, he chuckled outwardly as he looked at the speedster.

"Okay, I know you're itching to see it," He said, hefting it up slightly and onto his knees.

The blue Pegasis woman sheepishly rubbed the back of her neck as her friends laughed a little. Shifting closer, her eyes scanned the sheathed blade, her gaze lingering on the etchings for a moment longer.

"You know what it says?" He asked.

"Yeah, actually I do. I transferred to Japan for a couple years when I was becoming a black belt. I'm not fluent, but I can hold a conversation," She replied, a rather proud grin spreading across her face

"What does it say?"

Tilting her head and squinting slightly, she slowly reads it out

"Yamato?" She mumbled.

The man's face instantly dropped his amused smile in favour of an intent look of surprise, shock and alarm. "Y-Yamato? You're sure?"

The group was taken aback by the sudden change of attitude at the namedrop of the blade in his hands. Stammering slightly, Rainbow Dash looked back down, reading the etchings again to make sure she read them right.

"Y...yeah, I read it right," She said, slightly nervous at the man's sudden shift.

"You know it?" Twilight asked softly.

"It...was wielded by a great and powerful swordsman. Well, he and his brother," Percival replied quietly, his eyes lingering over the blade as he spoke. "What happened to them is unknown."

"Then how'd you get it?" Rainbow Dash asked, shifting forward slightly.

"Is it be related to the news reports of you being attacked at Canterlot?" Twilight inquired.

"Off the record? Yes," He replied quietly. "But if the Princesses haven't told you anything, then I can't say much more."

The group tried to ask further questions but swiftly stopped, seeing that the man was deep in his thoughts, his eyes seemed to glaze over as they stayed glued to the blade resting against his knees. Whatever had caused such a reaction, they thought it would be best to leave him be for now.

Fucking. Yamato.

I was in possession of one of the strongest swords in media. A sword that could summon portals and "cut" through virtually anything, even the fabric of reality, manipulating space and, potentially, time. The blade used by the legendary Vergil, the Alpha and Omega, was now in my hands.

My mind had a rather hard time accepting such an object was mine. My sword and Ace were one thing, but to have such an armament of such power was something else. But what confused me most, was how Damien came to possess it. The implications did not bode well. Regardless, I knew it would be safer in my hands. Best not to think about it too much right now.

Suddenly, I felt the carriage lurch as I felt someone nudge my arm. Looking to my left, I see Applejack looking at me concerned.

"Yall alright sugarcube?" She asked as the girls moved to exit the transportation.

"Yeah, I'll be fine. Don't worry," I replied.

She squinted her eyes slightly, seemingly not convinced by my words, but seemed to concede anyway. "Alright, if yer sure. But ya know where I am if ya need to talk."

Nodding appreciatively, Spike and I dismount first and we help the girls down the steps of the carriage. Looking around, I noticed we had landed in one of the few landing zones within the city itself, the castle maybe a twenty-minute walk from where we stood.

We moved through the bustling streets with ease as the girls continued to talk giddily, their excitement thick in the air as we closed in on the castle. We pass the front gates, the Guards saluting us as we pass by. We were quickly met by one of the many of the castle staff, who guided us to the ballroom, which was already beautifully decorated for the Gala.

It seemed that the party was already underway as the room held more than a few nobles who spoke amongst themselves about whatever topic took their fancy. Despite this, it seemed it was still incredibly early as even though many nobles were already gathered, the room was still to be filled out fully.

"Oh man, this is gonna be great!" Spike said excitedly. "We're all gonna have such an awesome time together!"

The girls had already sped off before he could finish his sentence.

"Or not, I guess."

"Welp, looks like you're stuck with this ugly mug," I laughed a little, clapping him on the shoulder as he mirthfully rolled his eyes.

"I could think of worse things."

Looking at the voice, we see most of the nearby nobles bowing as Princess Luna walked passed them, briefly regarding them with a small head bow of her own before focusing her attention on us. Instead of her usual deep navy blue dress, Luna was dressed in an all-black dress that tastefully hugged her figure with a leg slit on one side. Her makeup was also slightly darker than usual, perfectly contrasting her pale, unblemished skin. All in all, she was beautiful.

"Your Grace," I said, bowing deeply at my legs while Spike did the same. "How may I be of service?"

"My my, Percival. You are certainly rather different tonight," Luna commented with a smirk. "You have an air of....nobility about you."

"Well, it is a high-class event after all. I wouldn't want to make you look bad due to my behaviour," I reply teasingly. "Did you wish to speak?"

"I simply wished to greet a friend," She replied with a smile. "And since I saw the Elements of Harmony speed off, I thought I would keep you and young Spike company."

"Thank you, Princess, that's very generous of you," Spike said, bowing his head slightly.

The music began playing soon after Princess Luna settled in beside us, talking about whatever random topic came up as we watched the nobles already kissing one another's asses, hoping to get in the good graces with other houses to put themselves in better positions and open up connections to facilitate them. Different universe, and yet the higher class remains the same.

Shifting my gaze to the stage and spot the musicians expertly playing their respective instruments, a few others sitting neatly near or behind them. Seems their signature instrument was more of a speciality rather than an exclusive. Good to know. They were all dressed immaculately, but one individual stood out. Black tuxedo, pink tie, dark charcoal grey hair swept back and out of her eyes. It was easy to guess who it was but the cello made it painfully obvious.

"I can see you eyeing up those instruments," Luna said with a smirk as Spike chuckled at her comment.

"Am I that predictable?" I laughed with them. "Don't answer that."

"If you wish to go, then go," She urged.

"Are you sure?"

"Dude, just go," Spike said while he reached up and patted me on the shoulder. "These guys will love whatever you play."

"Alright," I conceded, moving towards the stage. "But whatever happens, it was your idea!"

The two laughed quietly as they shook their heads, looking at each other as I moved away.

"So how are you, young Spike?" I hear Luna ask. "I feel we have not had the proper chance to speak between just you and I."

"Can't complain."

As I moved towards the stage, I saw most of the musicians seemed to notice me as they finished their latest piece, but Octavia was so in focus she didn't even realize I was walking towards her. The other three who were present were ones I seemed to recognise vaguely. The one who played the harp was Parish I believe, but that could have just been a widely accepted fan fiction name. Next was Fredric who was on the piano, which I took an interest in and Beatrice, who played the tuba. All three were staring at me with wide eyes, but ignored them as I walked up the platform and stood directly in front of Octavia. I smirked as I saw Octavia notice my feet and slowly look up at me.

"Sir Percival!" She exclaimed, setting aside her cello on its stand before standing. "What a surprise!"

"You know me then?" I asked. They seemed a little nervous around me.

"My wife told me about you. Besides, I think everyone knows you, Sir," She replied. "Especially after your most recent deed."

"You're telling me, people won't let me forget," I laughed as they looked at me with a look of surprise at my comment. "I didn't like to assume. "Makes an ass of you and me" as my mother used to say. I, however, don't know your names."

Octavia's face lit up in realization. "Oh, I beg your pardon! Where are my manners!" She said lightheartedly, lightly slapping her forehead. "I am Octavia, this is Fredric," She said gesturing towards the pianist. "This is Beatrice and this is Parish," Octavia told me, referring to the Tuba and Harp players. At least I got their names right.

I nodded. "It's a pleasure to meet you all," I said with a small bow, which seemed to surprise them. I chuckled at their reactions. "Whatever stories you may have heard, I assure you I'm not as insane as you think," I said playfully. "And I'm not like your average noble. I wasn't born with a silver spoon in my mouth and a stick up my ass."

Behind me, I could hear more voices begin to fill the hall as guests and nobles began to file in. Ignoring the building crowd, I focused on the musicians in front of me. "How can we help you then, Sir?" Octavia asked after they laughed at my comment.

"Well, I wished to meet the musicians for the night," I replied before looking at the grand piano. "But this beauty caught my eye."

Fredric looked very nervous as he spoke. "Would you like to play?" Fredric asked me.

"If that is not too much trouble?

"Not at all!" He replied excitedly, standing and giving me free rein of the instrument. "By all means, Sir!"

As the guests and other nobles started coming in more and more, I simply ignored them as I approached the piano. I made my way over and unbuttoned my jacket so I could sit comfortably as I laid Yamato softly against the side of the piano. I sat down on the bench and ran my hands over the keys. I smiled as I thought about the past and how much I loved to play the piano. Memories of my Grandfather filled my head, how much I loved being taught by him and how excited he'd get when we'd sit down. I chuckled warmly at the memory and brought my hands to the keys. I played a few notes before a song came to my mind and I started to play.

"I won't be coming home
I won't be going anywhere
I will guard this post forever
Here on the alpine slope, where I did my final stand, I shall remain
Among the ice and snow that binds me to this mountain

A force of nature too strong, sent from above
Where spirits lead the way, the winds will never fade

White Friday, I'll take the
Stairway to Heaven
I'm sky high, when I die
I'll be immortal
Forever, I never
I won't return to
Blood Mountain, I am the
Soldier of Heaven

Ignoring the room as I played, I looked at the keys as I played with the words easily accompanying them. The looks of surprise from the group of musicians from my singing made the grin I wore grow ever so slightly. Closing my eyes, I let the music continue nigh autonomously while the room became dead silent. My mind started to bring the image of her to the front of my mind as I sang. Memories flooded my mind as I continued playing, the emotion I put forth into the song made me feel... solemn but happy, in a strange way. Like I was singing just for her, so I didn't hold back.

I saw the end of war
I watched the soldiers come and go
And I kept my watch forever
So many brave men fell in the battles that were raging down below
I have seen it all but none will hear my story
All of these years I have been frozen in time
I cried for spring to come but here, winter remain

White Friday, I'll take the
Stairway to Heaven
I'm sky high, when I die
I'll be immortal
Forever, I never
I won't return to
Blood Mountain, I am the
Soldier of Heaven"

Once I finished, I noticed that the room had quietened. I look up from the keys to see more than a fair few in the room staring at me. I looked around some more and saw Celestia standing next to Luna and Spike, all looking on from the back of the crowd. I chuckled as I stood from the piano, grabbing Yamato before giving a slightly exaggerated bow as the musicians approached me.

"Sir, that was a wonderful performance!" Octavia praised. "Where did you learn to play?"

"Thank you, I learned from my Grandfather," I replied with an appreciative smile. "But believe me, that was nothing. I barely made her sing."

"Then if it isn't too much trouble, could you honour us with one more?" Fredric asked, fidgeting slightly with his fingers.

"Fredric! I'm sure Sir Felwinter has better things to do than to indulge in our fancies," Octavia chastised.

"Please, it's no problem. I approached you, remember?" I said, earning a sheepish nod from the cello player. "Besides, the piano is one of my favourites. How can I say no?"

Sitting back down and setting Yamato back to where it was, I twiddled my fingers for a second or two and pursed my lips, deliberating on what I should play next. Once I decided, I nodded quietly to myself, I glanced up at Luna, Celestia and Spike as they continued staring, eagerly waiting for my next piece.

Soft at first, my hands glided over the keys as the notes echoed throughout the ballroom hall, catching the attention of all present with remarkable ease just before it quickly upped in pace, a far more energetic and complicated piece than the last that resulted in a wonderous cacophony. The sudden and drastic change from the first song I played caught most off guard for a second as most of the room looked in shock. Whether that be because of the song itself or the fact they didn't know I played at all I'm sure.

My hands moved as though they had a mind of their own as I closed my eyes while I played, remembering the many hours it took to practise after an old acquaintance showed it to me before I became a travelling man. A wide grin spread over my face as I felt the energy of the song in my body, nodding and slightly swaying my body as I felt its rhythm.

Finally coming to an end, I finished with a flourish and the room let out applause as I stood once again, giving the crowd another bow as the musicians clapped harder, approaching as I stepped away from the instrument.

"Sir Felwinter, that was incredible!" Octavia said excitedly. "Vinyl had informed me you were remarkable, but to see it with my own eyes."

"That piece was amazing!" Fredric said with equal excitement as the others offered their own praise.

I was about to respond when I heard a throat clear from behind me. I saw the musicians bow and turned around to see Celestia standing not far from us at the top of the stairs to the stage.

"Quite the performance Sir Percival," She said with a smile on her red-stained lips.

"Thank you very much, your Grace," I replied with a slight bow.

She bowed slightly in response before turning to the musicians. "If it is not too inconvenient, may I borrow him?" She asked.

They all, of course, bowed. "Not at all, your Highness!" They responded.

"Thank you," Celestia said, turning to walk away.

I didn't need to be told to follow as I walked behind her, my feet guiding me to her side as I glanced at her. Instead of her usual white and gold trimmed dress, she wore a bright red dress that, much like Luna, hugged her nigh godly figure tastefully and unobtrusively. Realizing I was staring, I tore my eyes from her and looked out to the party, seeing that most of the guests had arrived and gone back to minding their own business.

"So how may I be of service, your Highness?" I asked as we settled while I faced forward towards the crowd.

She quirked an eyebrow as she glanced at me before nabbing a glass of champagne from one of the roaming servants. "You're rather different tonight," She commented, sipping at the glass of sparkling wine. "You have a sense of nobility to you."

I chuckled slightly, readjusting my grip on Yamato to be more comfortable. "Your sister said the same exact thing," I responded before adding. "Like I told your sister, as much as I don't enjoy mingling with nobility, I didn't want my nonchalant attitude to make you look bad."

"Did you wish to speak with me?" I added after a moment.

"Oh no, I simply wished to see how you were," She smiled genuinely. "How are you finding your new accommodation?"

"It's incredible and I've gotten lost a grand total of five times already," I laughed before my smile dropped. "Speaking of, that reminds me."

Seeing my sudden change in attitude, the Solar Princess turned to face me with concern. "What is it, Percival?"

Reaching into the inner pocket of my grey jacket, I pulled out the letter and handed it over to the Princess. "Walter received this from an individual clad in grey robes with fur and leather," I said quietly, trying to be as discreet as possible.

She hesitantly reached out and took the letter and opened it, carefully reading it over a few times, murmuring under her breath while her brow very subtly furrowed and her eyes narrowed. She slowly looked up at me with a clear look of scepticism on her face.

"Percival," She said slowly and lowly. "Whatever you are suggesting-"

"I am accusing no one of anything," I stated quickly, holding up my hand placatively. "But all the questions I asked myself led to the same answer and I believed that you needed to be made aware of this, given the nature of the document and how frankly suspicious it was."

She stood there for a moment, staring intently and strongly into my eyes to the point I swore she was staring directly into my soul. After the moment passed, she closed her eyes and sighed, folding the letter and lightly fidgeting with it.

"Thank you, Percival, for bringing this to my attention," She said, nodding slightly.

"I know of implications and the potential consequences of them, but I say, at the very least, keep an eye out," I said, placing a soft hand on her shoulder.

Nodding slowly, she looked back down at the letter. "I will have this investigated and, in the meantime, I will be keeping an eye out."

"But for until then," She added, placing the letter between her cleavage. "I think we should enjoy our night."

Raising my eyebrow, I watched her begin to walk off, offering me a giggle and a mirthful smirk as she stepped away.

"What?" She asked innocently. "Do you see pockets?"

I chuckled as she disappeared into the crowd of nobles despite her taller stature while I caught a glimpse of Twilight trying to follow behind her with not much success. I shook my head and walked over to one of the many empty tables, sitting down while mentally preparing myself for the night ahead. Observing the room, I spot Rarity and Applejack standing on the outskirts of the room, talking and laughing among themselves, seemingly forgone their initial goals for the night. Curious, I peered around and saw a rather familiar sight trying her best to talk to the attending Wonderbolts. Fluttershy was, of course, nowhere to be seen as she was more than likely outside in the castle gardens. Closing my eyes, I leaned back into the chair I sat on.

"Alright Percy ole boy, you can do it. It's just one night. You can do one night, right?" I thought, opening my eyes and seeing the rows of nobles kissing up to one another. "Fuck, this is going to be a long night."

"So this is the Paladin I've heard so much about?" I hear a voice say. "I can't say I'm impressed."

Looking to my left, my eyes swiftly land on none other than Prince Blueblood himself. A rather short individual on the thinner side of things, his bright blonde hair was styled in a middle parting that fit his surprisingly handsome face but also somehow worked to make him look more smug. Black suit, bright blue tie and a pure white horn jutting from his forehead. I'd dare say he looked good if he weren't such a notorious asshole.

Standing, I incline my head a little, doing my best to show respect and keep up a good appearance. "Prince Blueblood."

"So you know me?" He said in an almost surprised tone. "I must say I'm surprised. Seeing as my Aunts pulled you from that backwater town, I thought you'd be...benighted to say the least."

"Definitely going to be a long night," I thought, holding back any face I would have normally made. "Happy to disappoint. Though I must say, I'm surprised that I've only just now run into you."

The Prince looked me up and down. "I'm sure," He said with pursed lips. "I have been rather...busy of late, so that has taken a large chunk of my time, not that I expect you to understand such things."

"I know how you feel," I said to the shorter man. "I've been training the Guards for the last four months. They're not quite where I want them, but they're making remarkable progress. Las Almas was a massive stepping stone for them."

"Hmm, yes, quite," He replied absentmindedly, seemingly ignoring my words as he looked as though he wasn't paying full attention. "My Aunts saw something in you and you did help that town and....what was it again? Ah yes! Las Almas, so I guess you have some gumption. Don't go disappointing them. They've had enough of that already."

"Believe me, disappointing them isn't on my to-do list," I replied, keeping a straight face. "So what have you been working on if I may ask?"

"Things that don't concern you," He said rather sharply. "It's a personal matter between me and friends of mine."

"Okay, if you say so," I said, quickly moving on. "What do you think of the Gala so far?"

"Oh simply outstanding, I dare say it's better than last year," He said, genuine excitement briefly flashing on his face before he shifted his gaze away from the party and back at me. "I'd ask what you thought, but someone like you? At a party like this? A stupid thought."

"Someone like me?" Swallowing my words, I kept my face as even as I could. "Actually, you'd be surprised. I've been to a Gala once or twice."

He audibly scoffed as he gained an incredulous expression, chuckling lowly to himself as he looked around. "You? A man who claimed to be a wanderer before becoming a Paladin to my Aunts? How absurd!"

"Believe it. Though I'll admit, this is definitely the best I've looked," I chuckled, trying to inject some levity into the conversation. "Credit where it's due, Rarity knows her stuff."

"That skirt?" He scoffed again. "While you're...passable, she couldn't hold a candle to Canterlots high fashion. A woman like her would be drowned out in no time."

I felt my eye twitch hard at his words while my pulse quickened and the tips of my ears began to heat up, I looked at the man beside me with disdain that I tried my best to keep hidden. "Have you seen any of her works?"

"I've seen enough if what you, her and her contemporaries are wearing are anything to go by," He laughed quietly to himself. "If they hadn't helped save my Aunt, I personally wouldn't have let them in."

"They were all personally invited by Princess Celestia herself," I replied evenly, breathing through my nose. "They have every right to be here."

Blueblood turned slowly to me, a smile that unnerved me spread across his face as he did. "You're defending them."

"They're my friends," I responded, turning to face him properly. "So yes, I am."

"Your "friends" are no more than freelance help approved by my Aunt. Beyond that, they are no better than the common rabble," He continued lowly, turning towards me. "Were it not for your and my Aunt's personal protection, I'd dare say they'd serve no better than food to the demons. To think otherwise would be stupid."

"What exactly would be "stupid", my dear fellow?" A posh, almost Codsworth-esque voice said.

Tearing my eyes from the Prince, I look over and see another noble, but this one was one I was hoping to meet. White horn, blue well-kept hair, twirled moustache, warm black suit, purple tie and a round monocle. Easy guess as to who it was.

"Oh, nothing! Nothing at all!" Blueblood said jovially. "Me and the Paladin were just talking about the Elements of Harmony and how lovely they looked."

Raising a brow, the man hummed slightly, seemingly seeing through the small charade the Prince was putting on. "Yes, quite," He said before turning to me, swapping his unimpressed look for a more genuine expression. "How do you do General?"

"Good evening to you too, Sir...?" I said as I held out my hand. I'll admit it felt odd to be referred to as General since Sir or Paladin were the usual stand-in.

"Oh, where are my manners!" He laughed, quickly taking my hand in an impressive shake. "Fancypants at your service. A pleasure to finally meet you in person!"

"Yes, this is just a splendid night for meetings, isn't it?" Blueblood interjected. "Though, the Paladin and I were in the middle of a conversation."

"Oh yes, one that he looked to be enjoying so thoroughly," Fancypants commented.

"You would do well to remember you're talking to a Prince," Blueblood said lowly.

Unimpressed, Fancypants stepped up to the Prince, who he had a few considerable inches on. "And you would do well to remember that I, while no Prince, have just as much hold as you. I am not one for you to push around like a common fool."

"Watch your tone Fancy," Blueblood shot back. "I'm sure there are certain things you wouldn't want to...get out."

"Naturally. Any man worth his salt has his secrets. But whatever secrets I may have certainly wouldn't hold a candle to yours," Fancypants said evenly. "And seeing as I have nearly thirty years on you, who do you think people will trust when word of a certain...overabundant substance usage gets out? Or late-night relations perhaps?"

Blueblood was quick to step down after Fancypants' threats, his eye wide and his lips pursed and tensed in quiet seething. Taking hold of his suit jacket, he straightened it out with a jerk while he held his head high, looking down his nose as he turned to walk away. "Then I shall leave you two to it."

Watching Blueblood walk off, briefly glancing over his shoulder with a cold, disdainful look in his eye, me and Fancypants breathed a sigh of relief, turning to face each other properly now that we were rid of the distasteful company.

"Thank you," I said gratefully. "I'm sure I could have handled him, but that saves me migraine."

"Of course ole boy!" Fancypants said jovially. "I've been meaning to put the little ingrate down a peg or two myself. And while it's not much, I'm sure he won't try anything now that he knows I have rather delicate information on him."

"Here's hoping," I said, holding up my crossed fingers as we shared a laugh before gesturing to the open seats at the table. "Care to sit with me?"

"Oh, thank you!" He said, taking a seat. Now that Blueblood was gone, I was able to look at him properly. His handlebar moustache was much thicker than I expected, taking up the entirety of, and partially obscuring, his upper lip and he even had a small amount of well-maintained stubble around his chin. I also noticed he was of a thicker build as well. Looking at me, he adjusted his monocle. "So how are you finding the Gala?"

I chuckled a little, leaning against Yamato. "Between Blueblood and seeing the other nobles using every opportunity as a chance to have their boots licked? Can't say I've been fooled by their shark smiles."

"You have been in office for barely half a year and yet you already see how corrupt the majority of the nobility is," He commented, his gaze becoming more and more interested. "Truly a sad state of affairs."

"It's not just here either, but everywhere you go," I shook my head. "If there is a place of sound nobility I've yet to hear of it."

"Ah yes, I remember you stating you were a wanderer before being chosen because of an ancient prophecy if I am not mistaken," He said with a smile as I looked at him. "Before you say anything, contrary to what most other nobles think, I see it as a good thing. A man of great worldly knowledge can only bring good tidings I say."

"That's a relief, I'll admit," I sighed with a small smile. "So what can I help you with? Surely you didn't just want to save me Blueblood. What want from me?"

His smile seemed to grow into a look of satisfaction, but before he could answer he was interrupted. "Told you he'd be fine," I heard from behind me. I looked over my shoulder and saw Luna with another very attractive woman. If I had to guess from her pink hair and white horn, I would say it was Fleur.

Fancypants and I both stood to give a small bow. "Princess, good to see you again," I said, glancing around. "Where's Spike?"

"Young Spike is with Applejack and Rarity at the moment," Luna replied. "Wanted to spend some time with his friends."

"Ah, that's good to know," I said, turning my gaze to the woman standing next to the Princess. "And who might this beautiful woman be?"

Fancypants was immediately at her side, a broad grin across his lips. "This is my wife, Fleur De Lis! Dear, this is General Felwinter."

"A pleasure to meet you Sir Felwinter!" She said, giving me a curtsy as she greeted me.

"Believe me, the pleasure is all mine," I bowed in return. "Care to join us?"

"Absolutely!" She said gratefully, sitting next to her husband as Luna sat as well.

"So what were you two talking about?" Luna asked as she sat.

"The General and I were discussing the nobles at this banquet," Fancypants replied.

"Oh?" Fleur vocied. "And?"

"With my, albeit limited, experience beforehand and with tonight, can't say I'm a fan. I care little for what they want or what they believe they deserve," I responded, again leaning my hands against the sword in my grasp. "Especially if any of them are anything like Blueblood."

"Yes, the three of us were in the middle of a conversation when my husband saw you two conversing and decided to intervene before it got ugly," Fluer said with a nod. "Plus it helped he was looking forward to meeting you."

"That would explain the sudden appearance," I mumbled to myself, looking at the monocle-wearing man. "Again, you have my thanks for that."

"Of course!" He nodded with a satisfied grin.

"So what is it you believe the nobles want then, Sir Percival?" Luna asked.

"Money, power, what have you," I replied. "Anything to bump up their current position within their established hierarchy."

"And what kind of power would that be?" Fancy asked.

"Finacial, mental, physical, magical. It could be anything, so long as it makes them better than those around them," I said with a shake of my head. "Hell, I'd even go as far as to say most of them crave the power of immortality. To become Alicorns and ascend into royalty."

"What is this Alicorn you speak of?" Luna asked as the other two looked at me.

Quirking my brow, I shift my gaze to the Lunar Princess. "You don't know what that is?" I ask.

"No," She replied simply, an intrigued smile on her lips. "Why would I?"

"Huh, storing that little nugget of information for later," I thought to myself. "What do the people see you as?"

"What do you two see when you look at Princess Luna?" I asked, looking to Fleur and Fancy who both watched the interaction with interest.

"Our ruler. One of our beloved Princesses," Fancy said with vigour.

Fleur wore a small smile. "The Night Goddess," She replied.

"At least some of my subjects think so," Luna said softly. Seems even in this world some of the nobles were giving her a hard time. Though, I say that like I'm surprised.

I shrugged. "All thing I expected," I said. "The views of many. But regardless, power is something all men and women crave, even if subconsciously. And some will do anything they can to obtain it."

"What about you?" Luna asked. "Do you dream of power?"

"I don't dream of much. Not anymore anyway," I shrugged. "Dreams can be a very dangerous thing."

"What makes you say that, Sir Felwinter?"

"There's a quote that I think summarises it well," I replied, looking down at the sword in my hands. "All men dream, but not equally. Those who dream by night, in the dusty recesses of their minds, wake up in the day to find it was vanity. But the dreamers of the day are dangerous men, for they may act their dreams with open eyes, to make it possible."

"I had a dream once and I did all I could to make it a reality," I continued. "But when I eventually achieved it, it left a bad taste in my mouth."

Looking up, I saw Pinkie talking to the rather unenthused group of musicians. While it didn't look like she was causing a hassle or a ruckus, knowing Pinkie, it wasn't far behind. Standing from my seat, I turned to the three who looked at me with both intrigue and mild concern.

"Well, it's been an absolute pleasure to meet you both and I hope to see you again soon," I bowed my head.

Fancy stood as well and reached into an inner pocket in his jacket suit, pulling out what looked to be a business card. "And you, my boy. Should you have need of us, for business or pleasure, please do not hesitate to look us up. We'd be honoured to have you."

Taking the card, I stuck it into my inner pocket, offering a hand for him to shake, which he did without hesitation. "Thank you. I'll be sure to," I said genuinely, looking at Fleur and bowing my head again. "M'lady."

Walking off, I headed towards the stage where the musicians had finished playing and Pinkie had used the pause to practically harass them to play a song for her. However, my mind was elsewhere as I was surprised to hear that Celestia and Luna weren't called Alicorns here, but instead are revered as Goddesses. I pushed the thought from my mind as I sighed as I got closer and prepared to save them from the pink party demon.

"Oh come on, you know you want to," She said.

"Be that as it may, this isn't that kind of party," Octavia said, trying her best to be patient with the high-energy woman in front of her.

"I know but this place is such a bore! I mean look at them!" She said motioning around the room before noticing me stepping up to them. "Oh hey, Percy!"

"Heyo!" I said as I approached them.

"Percy, you gotta get them to play something else!" She said with vigour. "I already suggested Monster Mash but they said no!"

The musicians looked at me in near desperation. "That would be like me asking them to flush their careers down the drain," I replied.

"But no one's dancing!"

"As Lady Octavia said, this isn't that kind of party. People are here for the atmosphere," I explained. "It's like someone at one of your parties enjoying the upbeat tone rather than playing on the games you set up."

"I know but it's so boring!" Pinkie groaned. "Who in their right mind would want to go to a party like that?"

The musicians had stopped playing at this point and were listening to our conversation. I placed a hand on her shoulder. "The ones who are only interested in themselves," I told her plainly.

Grabbing me by the shoulders, she shook vigorously as she spoke. "But we can change that, we can make them realise that parties are for fun! Not....this!"

Chuckling slightly, I removed her hands from my shoulders. "Okay, how about this? I have a few songs in my repertoire. They're not quite the songs you would choose but they'll make the people here dance," I offered. "In fact, I have the perfect song."

She brought her hand up and rubbed her chin. "I'm intrigued," She said slowly. "Promise they'll dance?"

"On my grandfather's grave."

She nodded slowly, seemingly satisfied with the outcome. "Alright, but if they don't, there will be...consequences," She said, flicking her fingers between her eyes and me in a "I'm watching you" motion before skipping off into the crowd.

"Thank you," I hear Octavia say softly from behind me.

Turning, I see the other musicians look at me in appreciation. "You're welcome, but now I need to sing. She's lucky I music as much as I do. Do you have a microphone?"

"We do, but we'll need a short break before we set everything up. Is that acceptable?" Fredric asked.

"Perfect," I nod. "Let me know when you're ready."

Hopping off the stage, I decided I would try my hand to see if I could help out any of the other girls with their goals for the night, hoping I could at least make it a good time for a few of them. Before I could get very far, I was quickly stopped.

"Hey, Percival!" I hear a distinct southern twang call out. Looking over my shoulder, I spot Applejack walking up to me. "Pinks told me ya were plannin' givin' the place a little show," She stated.

"Did Pinkie go straight to her when she walked off?" I thought to myself, the idea making me wonder why. "I was actually. Why do you ask?"

"Well, I was jus' wonderin' if ya could...I dunno. sing somethin' slow. Ya know, good for dancin'." She said slowly.

"Oh really? Anyone in particular you have in mind?" I asked, a teasing grin quickly spreading across my face. I had my suspicions for a while, time to see how right I was.

The blush across her face was damn near instant. "Oh-I...well I-uh."

"Fuck it, let's just go for it," I thought. "It doesn't so happen to be our local fashionista...does it?"

Her blush intensified and her face went as red as a tomato, her stuttering getting the better of her before she mumbled out something I couldn't quite catch but the soft nod told me everything I needed to know. "Fucking called it!"

Smiling softly, I patted her on the shoulder which seemed to snap her out of the quick stupor she got herself into. "Sure, I'll help you out. In fact, the song I've got in mind is damn near perfect." I said softly. "But you'll still have to ask her yourself. That part is all on you."

"I-I don't know what to say..." She said quietly before smiling genuinely. "Thank you."

"Of course. I helped you out once, why stop now?" I said before laughing a little. "But for now, your wingman is gonna let the musicians prepare."

Patting her on the shoulder one more time, I move past her and towards the entrance to the hall, spotting Celestia standing Twilight. Twilight looked rather disappointed as she was promptly interrupted every time she tried to talk to her teacher and Celestia was equally annoyed by the situation. Shrugging to myself, I decided to help them out a bit. Standing beside them, I saw a surprising amount of people looking to still get in.

"It's good to see you this evening Princess." Another noble said with a deep bow.

"You as well. Please enjoy the Gala." Celestia said to the man as he walked inside. She was about to greet the next before she noticed I was standing next to them. "Ah, Sir Percival! It's good t-" Celestia started.

"Her Highness, the ever-gracious Princess Celestia welcomes you all to the Grand Galloping Gala on this beautiful and glorious night!" I shouted to those still in line to enter the hall. "She is ever so pleased to see you all attend the party but would like to enjoy tonight's festivities, as I'm sure you all would as well!" I continue. "She will be inside the hall and humbly invites you all to join her! Goodnight, and enjoy your evening!" I shouted, quickly leaving before any of them could say anything.

looking over my shoulder, Twilight looked positively gobsmacked as she stared at me with wide eyes. Celestia faired no better, her eyes equally as wide but was replaced by a warm, appreciative smile. Giving her a quick wink, I step back into the hall and towards the food table. For a few minutes, I stood there, munching away at the small portions the Gala offered and drinking the rather lacklustre punch. It wasn't alcoholic. After my little display at the entrance, the hall had filled in ever so slightly, my act seemingly having done its job in ushering everyone in. Only time will tell if the teacher and student can finally talk like they want.

"Sir!"

Stopping mid-chew, I peer to my left and see Spitfire, Fleetfoot and Soarin all standing straight, arms held in a crisp salute. "At ease," I said smoothly. "I'm technically not on duty, no need to be formal with me tonight."

"Technically Sir?" Fleetfoot asked.

"Being a General, and a Paladin no less, really the only times I'm off duty are when I'm asleep," I replied, grabbing another fruit stick and biting the pineapple at the top. "Even then I don't think it counts."

"So we can just call you Percival then?" Soarin asked as Spitfire and Fleetfoot tensed slightly.

"Doesn't matter to me, honestly," I shrug, biting at the kiwi next as the two tensed Wonderbolts relaxed.

As I chewed the fruit, I saw Spitfire smirk. "So. We heard you'll be performing for the next song."

"God damn word travels fast," I mumbled as I bit the next fruit, which mango I think? "Well, you heard right. I'm just waiting for the musicians to have their break."

Just as the words left my mouth, I scanned the stage and saw Octavia giving me the ok sign, signalling me it was time for the next song. "I swear to God, my timing is impeccable."

Spitfire held out her hand as I moved to walk towards the stage, giving me a rather serious look as she stepped closer, her voice low. "Performing in front of such a crowd at the last minute is going to make you a target of their judgement. I hope you know that."

I glanced around and saw some of the nearby nobles were not so subtly trying to listen in on our conversation. Looking back at the Captain, I spoke louder than she did. "Frankly my dear, I don't give a damn," I replied, shocking both the members of the Wonderbolts as well as the nobles listening in. "They're more worthless than the dirt beneath my boot or the dirt beneath that dirt," I stated as though it were a cold hard fact. "Now if you'll excuse me, I'm expected on stage."

Before I got too far, I turned back to her as a thought crossed my mind. "Oh and uh...keep an eye out for a rainbow-haired Pegasus woman. I think you'll quite like her."

As I moved away, I saw Spitfire studying me and seemingly lost in thought as she took a sip of her drink. I walked towards the stage and the nobles who heard me moved out of my way instantly, leaving me a path of no resistance to my destination.

"Everything is all set," Octavia said excitedly while I walked up the steps.

"Thank you."

"So what do you have in mind?" She asked as the other musicians waited eagerly.

"Let's give them something to make them...Sway," I said, a wide smirk crossing my face as I leaned Yamato nearby. "Thank God for whatever being that tossed me here to have sent me to a place with Bublé's masterpieces!"

Thankfully, they knew exactly what I meant and quickly grabbed the appropriate instruments and stood ready. Seemed I was right, they can play anything, but choose a speciality.

I step up to the microphone and give it a few taps to make sure it works, quickly gaining everyone's attention. Smirking to myself, I clear my throat.

"Welcome, one and all to tonight's wonderful Gala!" I announced, gaining a few claps here and there. "Tonight, I will be performing for you a song of love, of motion and of holding your nearest and dearest close," I said smoothly. "So in the spirit of the song, if you're here with a loved one, or are potentially looking for one, grab them, hold them and dance like there's no tomorrow!"

Nodding to the musicians behind me, they count themselves in and play. The music effortlessly carries throughout the hall, the instruments joining together in a wonderful sound of jovial Latin and I already see a few nodding their heads to the rhythm. Soon enough, it was my turn to join in.

"When marimba rhythms start to play
Dance with me, make me sway
Like a lazy ocean hugs the shore
Hold me close, sway me more

Like a flower bending in the breeze
Bend with me, sway with ease
When we dance, you have a way with me
Stay with me, sway with me"

Looking out, I saw more than a few seemed surprised and a few more still were shocked as I sang, having seemingly expected me to fumble and fail and I was always happy to disappoint. Many started dancing together in the middle of the room with Applejack, Rarity, Fancy and Fleur among them. Even Celestia and Luna were happily dancing together, laughing and giggling as they did. Smiling, I closed my eyes and continued.

"Other dancers may be on the floor
Dear, but my eyes will see only you
Only you have that magic technique
When we sway, I go weak

I can hear the sounds of violins
Long before it begins
Make me thrill as only you know how
Sway me smooth, sway me now

Other dancers may be on the floor
Dear, but my eyes will see only you
Only you have that magic technique
When we sway, I go weak

I can hear the sounds of violins
Long before it begins
Make me thrill as only you know how
Sway me smooth, sway me now"

I opened my eyes to see most of the room unexpectedly had joined in and some of the nobles of the female variety were starting to give me certain looks and were joined in by one or two of the men. Looking back to where I last saw the two love birds, I saw they were locked in, their eyes never the other as they laughed and had fun. They looked damn cute together. "I ship it". And I must say, for a country girl, she dances well.

"When marimba rhythms start to play
Dance with me, make me sway
Like a lazy ocean hugs the shore
Hold me close, sway me more

Like a flower bending in the breeze
Bend with me, sway with ease
When we dance you have a way with me
Stay with me, sway with me

When marimbas start to play
Hold me close, make me sway
Like a lazy ocean hugs the shore
Hold me close, sway me more

Like a flower bending in the breeze
Bend with me, sway with ease
When we dance, you have a way with me
Stay with me, sway with me!"

As the song came to a close, I eagerly looked out towards Applejack and Rarity who held each other close, peering deeply into the other's eyes. Holding the final note, I quietly urged them to move, but I didn't expect them to. But much to my surprise, and joy, they did. Slowly, they closed the distance and planted a soft and tender kiss on each other's lips, their eyes closed as they leaned into each other. The song finished and the hall erupted into cheers and applause. But before they could go on for long, the front doors burst open.

"YOU'RE GOING TO LOVE ME!!" Fluttershy yelled as the door exploded, animals scrambling and scurrying in, ensuring chaos wherever they went.

"Well shit, forgot about that," I laughed to myself.

I looked back to see Rarity and Applejack still standing in the middle of the hall amidst the chaos as the guests started to stampede through the hall to get away from the animals while all hell broke loose. Screams were heard and items were being flung across the room. I could only smile as I watched anarchy take hold of the Gala.

I looked around and saw Luna nearly doubled over, clutching her sides as she laughed herself red at the sophisticated party turned haywire. Celestia leaned over and whispered something into a shocked Twilight's ear before disappearing in a flash of golden light. I glance over my shoulder to see the musicians trying their best to harmlessly ward off the animals to protect their instruments. Sighing with a grin, I grab Yamato and calmly walk out of the ballroom, through the winding and weaving halls and corridors with ease and out of the castle, randomly picking a street that wasn't nearly as crowded as the rest, humming and muttering myself a small tune as I did, unbeknownst to a pair of teal eyes watching my movements.

"Almost heaven, West Virginia
Blue Ridge Mountains, Shenandoah River
Life is old there, older than the trees
Younger than the mountains, growin' like a breeze

Country roads, take me home
To the place I belong
West Virginia, mountain mama
Take me home, country roads."

Looking up from the cobblestone street, lo and behold, I found myself in front of none other than Joe's Donuts, where the Elements of Harmony currently resided along with Spike. Leaning against the pole of the low-light oil lamp, I gazed into the shop via the large glass window and saw they all looked exhausted but pleased, talking and giggling while they enjoyed their treats. But something was...different. Twilight looked to be quite pleased with herself as well. Seems my display did its job. Rainbow Dash looked surprisingly cheerful. Maybe Spitfire looked her up after she spoke with me. Spike looked happy enough and Pinkie was as happy as ever. But what caught my attention was a certain pair. Rarity leaned her head against Applejack's shoulder, her fingers entwined with the farmgirls underneath the table as they stole the occasional glance at each other.

I walk up to and press my hand against the door to the shop but stop before I can enter. Quietly sighing to myself, I let my arm fall to my side and I stepped back, deciding to let the group of friends enjoy the end of a very hectic night to themselves. Turning to leave, I came face to face with Celestia who wore an interested face but one that held something else. Sadness maybe? I wasn't sure. We stay silent for a moment, neither of us taking the opportunity to make a move or say something. After a while, I simply smiled at the Princess and walked past her, the only sound being the heels of my shoes against the cobblestone.

"Thank you," She said suddenly. "I didn't know what to expect inviting you but...thank you."

"You're more than welcome," I said, stopping for a moment. "By the way, you and Luna? You both looked stunning tonight," The sudden sound of shuffling behind me told me she whipped around to face me as I began to walk away.

And with that, I made my way home.

Author's Note

God, I suck at writing characters like Blueblood. :rainbowlaugh:
And what's this? Yamato? What could this mean?
Very happy with how this turned out and it was a blast to write. Hope yall enjoyed this latest instalment

And here are the songs our man Percy played.
https://youtu.be/UDy0zFOU5qk?si=pfPZ-UD3UJc8ieNR
https://youtu.be/Ljf3tZGxaJM?si=tiS5ksESglgtCoYW
https://youtu.be/VmZ8pKZUVfY?si=SicXs_FlmQG1EmwL

Please point out any mistakes I may have made
Constructive criticism is always appreciated
Until next time, TTFN!

Chapter 18 - "Always Expect..."

The thunder rolled high above my head and the lighting clapped, the light flashing through my eyelids. My eyes opened suddenly as I felt a single drop fall onto my cheek. Looking around me, the heavily clouded sky shifted and retreated in favour of an ever-expanding darkness, black sand extending out beyond the bleak blank void, small tornadoes of sand cropping up around me.

I hear the sand shift beneath me as I see my feet become enveloped in the shadowy sand when I look down. My breath quickens while I try to pull myself out, the sand swirling around my legs as I'm pulled down just below my knees. A deep, soft growl sounds out before me as my eyes snap up to find its source, though still being met with the inky blackness.

My breath slows when a soft orange light slowly comes into view, emanating from a wide-framed silhouette. The being slowly crawls forward, stopping just before it can come fully into view, its form still swallowed by shadow as it slowly looks up at me while I begin to hold my breath.

I let out a small yelp as it scurries off to the side, vanishing from my side while I fall backwards into the sand. I hurriedly look around hoping to spot the creature before the sand swiftly swallows my hands. Another soft growl comes from in front of me, forcing me to look up and I see it again.

The creature had a wide jaw and a short, lipless square snout. Its bright orange-slitted eyes were staring right at me. Thick gnarled scales covered its large body as it loomed over me. But what caught my attention were the large horns jutting out from its head, almost forming a crown-like shape above its head.

"What are you?"

It gently places a claw on my chest as a deep, rumbling voice echoes around us, vibrating my chest as it speaks in an almost comforting tone. "You will know. Just give it time."

~~

I wake with a start, my sword appears in my hand with a burst of smoke and sparks as I glance around with heavy breath. With an exasperated sigh, I fall back into my bed's plush mattress as I drop my sword to the ground.

I was by no means a stranger to nightmares, having been a victim of them for the vast majority of my life. But the ones that had been plaguing me recently felt different to your run-of-the-mill night terror. I couldn't describe the feeling they gave me outside of they make me uncomfortable on a spiritual level. And seeing as Luna, or anyone for that matter, has a particularly hard time entering both my Mind and Dreamscape, it's not like it's an easy fix. Regardless, the only thing I could do was power through them like I used to.

I slowly get up and move around my room, going through my morning routine, cleaning myself and dressing in more casual clothing, not feeling up to donning my gear despite the fact I couldn't shake a certain feeling.

"Today's gonna be a long day."

Ducking under a well-timed kick, I went to swipe at the taller man's exposed leg, only to have it blocked by the shin of his other leg. Moving to grab it, my wrists were intercepted before I could and I was quickly brought up and had his knees placed on my chest as he used his heavier weight to throw me off balance, throwing me over his head and unceremoniously onto the floor behind him.

Quickly jumping to my feet, I stared Ghost down as he too rose, locking his piercing brown eye onto mine, both of us grinning widely.

Running forward, I bring my fist back for a haymaker. Ghost sidesteps me and grabs my arm as I pass and I feel my feet leave the ground as he chucks me over his shoulder and firmly boots me in the stomach as I fall. Tumbling on the ground, he slams his fist into my head. Blocking another hit, I punch him in the throat, giving me enough time to deliver a kick to the leg and bring him to his knees.

I aim for his head, only for him to shield it with his forearms and deliver a punch to my gut, forcing me to my knees. Quickly standing and planting his foot on my knee, he uses the momentum and flips over me, grabbing my neck and bringing me into a chokehold.

I struggle as my vision starts to blacken. In a moment of a split-second decision, I throw my elbow into his side, forcing him to let me go. Scrambling to stand, I quickly distance the space between us. Charging, Ghost unleashes a flurry of kicks and punches quicker than I was expecting. I step back as he sends his fist out, and I act quickly. Slapping it away, I bash him on the back of his neck, my hit disorientates him briefly, allowing me to get to the ground.

Pouncing for his legs and wrapping my arms around them, I drove all my momentum forward and threw him off balance. Locking my arms around his neck, I restrain his legs with my own. Hold the position, he struggles for a few seconds before I hear the rhythmic sound of him tapping the ground beneath us. Letting go the moment I heard the sound, he stood up from where we lay and I soon followed him.

"Score for Percy!" I cheer. "I'm up one!"

"Where did you learn to count?" Ghost replied, lightly rubbing his neck a little. "We're even."

"What? No, you won first, then I won, then you won again then I won twice in a row!" I said.

"Pretty sure your second "win" was a draw," He shot back.

"Come on, I totally won that one!" I grinned as we moved out of the sparring area.

"Sure you did," He replied with mock condescension.

Stepping out of the arena and through the hotel-esque interior of the lower portion of the mansion, Ghost and I step into the kitchen where Caramel Ice, a Pegasis man in his late twenties with cream hair and dark brown wings, along with Silver plate, an Earth-Pony man with dark blonde hair, were already preparing a late lunch. Sitting at the large kitchen island, Honey Bee hands me the day's newspaper which I open after thanking her.

It had been a little under two weeks since the Gala and the utter chaos that had ensued, the event had made headlines across the nation with more than a few nobles publically voicing how they felt about it. Princess Celestia, however, much to the surprise of everyone bar me and a few select others, had gone on to state that it was the most enjoyable Gala to date while Princess Luna stated that she couldn't have asked for a better Gala upon her return. This somehow dissuaded the nobles from doing anything like getting compensation but certainly not their complaints.

"Anything new?" Ghost asked as Caramel and Silver placed our lunches in front of us. "Thanks, mate."

"An art installation has been shut down due to several indecent acts and a fashion show was cancelled," I replied, reading a couple of the headlines.

"So nothing exciting then."

"Oh wait, here's something! How'd I miss this?" Mumbling the last part to myself, I flip to the major headline, having somehow missed it when receiving the paper. "Las Almas is making major headway in recovering from the attack and is also receiving relief effort officially from the Princesses themselves."

"What's it say?" Ghost asked, sipping at his soup.

"In the wake of the attack, the Princesses Celestia and Luna of Equestria have officially endorsed, funded and sent a large relief effort to Las Almas, the recovering Capital City of Rio de Muerte," I read, taking a sizable bite out of my BLT sandwich. "Princess Ayren Dayneq herself went on to thank the Princesses for their lasting support as well as the Heroes who played an integral role in saving, not only their home but their people, who have all voiced their immeasurable gratitude to the brave men and woman who, without hesitation, brought them back from the brink."

"Still weird to be seen as a hero to anyone, never mind a Princess and her nation," I shook my head.

"Well, get used to it, Sir. You're a Paladin, it's gonna happen whether you like it or not."

"You're telling me," I said quietly.

"So what's on the agenda today?" Ghost asked, wiping his mouth and lowering his mask once he finished his soup.

"Might go to the library and do some research. I swear, one of these days I'll wrap my head around how magic works," I replied. "Besides that, there's this cafe I've been meaning to try out."

"Oh, if it's the Venture across the street from the Bucking Bronco, I highly recommend it!" Sapphire said as she walked through the kitchen. "I suggest their panini's, they're to die for!"

"Good to know, thanks Sapphire!" I called out as she moved into the next room.

"There we go," I nodded as I stood, eating the last of my sandwich.

"With all due respect Sir, I can't help but feel we've just been biding our time," Ghost commented, standing as well.

"That's because we have been," I replied as we moved through the foyer and to the front door. "With no attacks and no information to act on, there's nothing else we can do but wait."

"Surely there's something we can do?" He said, following close by my side as we stepped down the stone pathway to the front gate.

"Unless you know where the demons happen to be hiding or where their leader is, who or whatever it is, then unfortunately we're kinda shit out of luck."

Just as we made it to the front gate, a bright flash of golden light popped in front of us as a tightly wound scroll fell into my hands that instinctively stretched out to catch it. Undoing the red ribbon tying it together, I unfurled the parchment and read what it had to say.

"Well?" Ghost asked.

"The Princesses are requesting we be at Canterlot," I tell him.

"How serious is it?"

"Doesn't seem very serious," Looking down at myself, I contemplated going back and getting changed but ultimately decided against it. If I needed anything, I could get it fairly easily. "But regardless, we shouldn't keep them waiting."

"Let's not waste any time then," He said, opening the gate and following beside me as we made our way to the train station.

~~

Nearing Canterlot's station, we disembarked, moving through the crowd of people walking off the train or looking to get on. Stepping out and into the Capital city streets, we had no trouble walking towards our destination as the nobles watched us walk past them.

In no time at all, we were at the front gates, the Guards guarding them saluting us as we entered the castle grounds. Letting my body move on autopilot, we bob and weave through the castle before eventually leading us to our destination.

I gave the large decorative door a few hard knocks, the sound echoing down the long hall for a second or two. Stepping back, I crossed my arms and glanced at Ghost. After a few moments of silence, the door was enveloped in a golden aura and quietly opened. Without a word, I stepped in with my companion not far behind.

The room was a simple yet extremely cosy study. Warm browns in various shades filled the space. To the right, a large fireplace crackled and popped as the wood burned, casting a warm orange glow across the room. In front of the fireplace, an oversized couch beckoned. To the left, an impressive bookshelf spanned the entire room. A thick, simple throw rug lay neatly on the floor. At the far back, a large dark brown wooden desk faced the entrance door of the study.

Celestia and Luna appeared to be in mid-conversation when I knocked as we entered, placing their cups of tea and coffee down on the table mats in front of them.

"Sorry if we interrupted, but you wanted to talk Chief?" I asked.

"Indeed. Please, come! Have a seat," She motioned at the empty chairs at the table.

"So, is this business or are you two getting lonely without me already?" I grinned.

"Though you jest, there is a matter we wished to discuss with you," Luna replied.

"It's nothing serious," Celestia added.

"If it's not serious, why the social call?"

"Well, since our duties today were slow and we assumed you had the time, we thought it would be best to bring the topic up face to face," Celestia said.

I shrugged. "Fair enough," I said. "So what's up?"

"Since you began training our Guards, we have seen a remarkable amount of progress and with them beginning to train new transfers as well as new recruits, we wanted to talk to you about transferring a few to Ponyville," Celestia stated.

"With how underprepared Ponyville was when the attack took place, we realized certain measures needed to happen to ensure the civilian's safety and we believe a group of the Guards you personally trained would prove to be a boon to the town, even if they only provide defensive and emergency procedures," Luna added. "And since you are technically the highest acting official of said town, you needed to be made aware."

"I...can't believe I hadn't of that yet," I say to myself quietly. "What about the Mayor?"

"Mayor Mare went on holiday yesterday to Fillydelfia to visit family. Her secretary will inform her when she returns, but until then, you were next on our list," Celestia replied.

"Alright," I said, leaning my elbows against the solid wooden table in front of me. "What's the plan here then?"

"The idea is still in the early stages, but we have a few personnel listed that we think would make for good additions to the Ponyville Guard," Luna replied, leaning forward as well. "But since you were the one that trained them, are there any that showed more promising results? Any that stand above the rest?"

Thinking about it, a few did come to mind who seemed to take the training on more so than their comrades and who showed more promise than others. "A few come to mind. Lieutenant Thunderlane for one. He showed remarkable combat prowess as well as very competent leadership skills. Sergeant Crimson Ice and Private Cold Fire also showed exceptional combat skills. I'd recommend adding them to the contingent."

"Duly noted," Luna nodded, writing down what I could only assume were the names I listed. "If any more come to mind, let us know."

"It'll take some time to iron out the details in regards to actually moving the Guards to Ponyville," Celestia continued. "There is a barracks there but it is only outfitted to hold a dozen, maybe a few more, so it will need refurbishment to be able to hold those we plan to move."

"Well, what are we waiting for?" I asked. "Let's get to the nitty-gritty."

Arcing my back, I groan loudly as relief washes over my body, several points in my spine popping and cracking just as loudly.

It took us a few hours to iron out all the details, just like the Princesses said it would. We talked about who would be sent, how many people would go, what changes needed to be made to the barracks, and how much money we needed to get things started. These plans would be fully finalized and approved by the Mayor upon her return. But for now, we've had to put everything on hold.

So, with the sun beginning to set, Ghost and I were on our way back to the train station, the streets now starting to empty out and the stores closing their shutters as a few kept their lights on, the night shift prepared to serve the populace.

As we moved through the darkening streets of Canterot with the off-white street lamps turning on to light the way, we talked among ourselves, we found ourselves idly talking to fill the otherwise quiet air and the uneventful time it would take for us to reach our destination. As we candidly spoke, I spotted something behind him move, just in the peripheral of shadow in a dark alley. I stop and look, Ghost following suit quickly after, shifting his gaze from me to behind him where I looked. Then, just as I thought I was seeing things, I saw a silhouette and, as it moved under a dull light, I saw who it was: Blueblood.

Glancing around him, he seems to miss us as we stand in a dark area between two street lamps. His horn ignites and a set of wooden boxes shift to reveal a door with a small eye-level shutter used for a peephole. He knocks on it in a specific way, the shutter opens, he flashes something and the door opens just long enough for him to enter while the boxes move back into place. Immediately, my mind is screaming at me that something is wrong, red flags start waving as my shadow seemingly has the same feelings.

"Sir?"

"Yeah, I saw it too Ghost," I said, not daring to let my eyes leave the spot where the Prince disappeared to.

"COA?"

"Keep watch, I'm gonna take a closer look."

Nodding, he steps back and disappears into the darkness.

I approach the stack of boxes and easily push them aside to reveal the door that Blueblood went through. I knock on the door and quickly move to the side, hoping to stay out of sight. Luckily, the shutter opens and then closes, and the door swings open with a man stepping out. Sneaking up behind him, I kick the back of his leg, making him drop to his knees. I quickly grab him in a chokehold and cover his mouth before he can make a sound.

After dumping his unconscious body in a nearby dumpster, I sneak into the building through the open door and quietly close it behind me. I tiptoe down a long, descending corridor, listening as the sounds of voices and commotion grow louder. At the end of the corridor, I find a set of double doors. I slowly push them open and slip inside, quickly Jumping up into the rafters just in time to avoid being spotted by two Guards. What I saw in the room made me sick to my stomach.

The room was huge and extravagantly decorated, clearly intended for a more upscale clientele. It was obvious that this room was meant for those who enjoyed watching others suffer in the horror of its purpose. Carefully, I crept along the rafters of the ceiling, trying to make as little noise as possible as I moved to get a better view. In the center of the room, there was a large sandy circular arena, where people dressed in nothing but rags with cuts covering their bodies were gathered. My face twisted in disgust as I scanned the room, noticing women serving drinks in barely-there clothes and others offering different services. Blueblood strolled around, greeting people as if he knew them personally, while two girls immediately approached him. They got down on their knees to offer him their services.

Instantly, I knew what this place was. I hub for a sick and twisted form of entertainment, using slaves to do the bidding of those who believed themselves higher than those around them. I fought for many things in my life and freedom was always at the forefront. Taking everything in and seeing the despicable things happening around me, I felt heat rise in my chest as something inside me began to slip. It continued as I watched in horror at the monstrous acts happening beneath me. A girl, no older than eighteen, tripped and spilt a tray of drinks, drenching one of the many goers of this disgusting establishment. A Guard approached, screaming and grabbing her before slamming his fist into the side of her face while she pleaded for him to stop. Shaking his as he continued his torrent of deprecating words, he stomped on her knee as a snap echoed through the room.

That's when I snapped.

Chapter 20 - "Consequences"

A set of staircases descended out of and down the inky blackness, seemingly endless as each step formed after another in what appeared to be an eternal walkway into the unknown. Each step was seemingly carved out of the very dark stone the two individuals walked, rather than a different material entirely. There was no attempt to make them and by extension the surrounding walls and ceiling unique or to have an artist's flair to them. They were built for one purpose, to have anything more or to serve anything beyond that purpose would be inappropriate and impractical.

Not even ten feet across, the steps were the only real defining feature of this vast underground tunnel in which they were built, sloped as to allow the staircase to continue its descent into the dark below.

Lights were spread along the centre of the walls on either side of them in near-perfect symmetry, seated in small recesses, their wax endless in its supply, continued to burn for ages; the magic that kept them lit gave the candles a blue hue, letting off a surprisingly pleasant glow, which somehow served unnerving atmosphere.

Despite the glow the candles gave off, it was clear darkness was the overpowering force in these halls, as the light barely missed touching the next candle's shine, only allowing so much of the steps to be seen, but beyond that, the darkness prevailed.

It was an easily overwhelmingly foreboding environment, the near muffling silence, the all-encompassing void, with the only other movement being the flicker of the candles as the only two within its walls descended.

Celestia never liked coming here in all the centuries of its otherwise publically unknown service, whether it be due to the air that shook even her or the implications that such a place like this brought. Whatever the case may be, she knew the integral purpose the place served and how perfectly it served said purpose, so, much to her disdain, let it be.

Like a beacon, the woman's near-milky white complexion seemingly caused the darkness around her to recede ever so slightly while the candles seemed to gain a new second wind, growing in size and strength, brightening as she passed.

The man next to her faired much of the same, though it wasn't his complexion or the colour of his skin that the void retreated from, but some other, unseen source. He seemed to just give off an ambient source of light despite his darker clothing.

The two walked down the dreary steps in complete silence, both knowing why they were descending into such a dark place and seemingly stuck in their own thoughts. The reason was one that the Solar Princess actively chose not to dwell on for the moment until she had to.

However, so lost in thought was she, that she hadn't realized they had begun to near their destination until she found herself almost stumbling upon settling on even ground. One minute she had been walking down the cramped stairwell and the next she was stood in an opening that allowed her to breathe properly. Glancing over her shoulder, she noted that the last steps of the stairwell ended just behind her, the same torches that lit the tunnel now lighting this slightly larger opening.

It was no coincidence that she couldn't remember reaching this point in the journey, but she didn't dwell on it. Doing so would only prove to be a headache. Instead, she turned her attention forward towards the last obstacle.

Before her and her companion was a circular room, large charcoal grey doors looming before her. Strange, unrecognizable carved runes along their expanse emitting a faint purple glow. Four darkly armoured Guards stood several feet above them on either side of them, their faces obscured as they stood statuesque, showing no sign of living, not even the soft rise and falling of their chests. Despite this state of seeming non-living, she and the man next to her could feel their eyes bearing down on them.

Thick chains with links the size of the torso of the man next to her crossed both sections of doors, sealing them together at the middle, where they connected to a small circular protrusion, with three glowing lines along its surface pulsing and humming softly. This was old magic and it was magic far older than she was and far rawer than anything she or her sister could produce as they would struggle to create anything close to it even with their combined might.

Stepping up to the connecting joint, the Guards swivelling their heads to watch their every movement, the pair's feet making soft crunches in the light gravel of the tunnel as the Princess placed her outstretched palm directly on the door's surface. Though she could not ever hope to reproduce the magic that created both the door's locking mechanism and what lay behind it, she and her younger sibling were still shown how to work around it to access it.

A sharp tingle arched up her arm as her palm made contact, the hair on the back of her neck standing on end for just a moment before returning to normal. The material that made up the door's entirety was unnaturally cold, easily outclassing the chill that permeated the air around them. Not that it bothered them much. Ignoring the feeling, her horn began to glow its radiant golden hue as her hand became enveloped in the same aura as she began to work the specific spell to unlock the bastion before her.

Finally, the spell work was completed after a few minutes of unnerving silence, a small ball of energy forming at the base of her horn before she lightly pressed the tip directly against the circular protrusion, the ball seeming to phase into the door as its glowing lines increasingly brightened at receiving her spell.

With a groan, the whole structure seemed to shudder, small pebbles falling from the ceiling just above before the mighty chains that sealed it suddenly vanished one by one, shattering into wisps of golden specks to fade into dust.

With its links gone, the doors rumbled with movement, gears and cogs at work as it slowly began to creak open, revealing a blackness that only grew as the gate managed to merge into the adjacent supporting walls, leaving the way clear once more.

Glancing at the statue-like beings beside them, the two noted that the feeling of being watched disappeared and without a word, they continued forward.

The pair passed through the gap made by the moving doors, they were greeted by what appeared to be a void of absolute nothing. Walls stretching above and below them were their only clues that an expanse existed within the darkness around them, what little light that somehow pushed out from the tunnel behind them was subsequently squished by the unyielding and daunting inkiness.

Had this been her first time entering, she would have believed this to be one of Discord's pocket dimensions when he favoured...more lethal options for his pranks. But besides this, she was unfazed by the cavernous depths before her. Her companion, however, faired worse, as he regulated his breathing while his shoulders tensed, seemingly highly unnerved by the sight before him. Ensuring her companion's well-being, the two pressed on.

They walked in more silence, the man closely following behind the Princess as her muscle memory worked its proverbial magic, walking through the twisting and turning maze of columns, plates and piles of gravel. As they moved, movement began to form out in the empty void. A flicker here, a flash there, they easily noted it was all directly in their line of sight.

Alerted, the man reached to his thigh but was quickly stopped by the Princess in front of him. She reassured him that what lay out there wouldn't attack unless provoked. So, with a little persuasion, he followed ever so slightly closer.

After a while, a small amount of light began to shine before them as the two came to a large central dish, with other disks of smaller incremental sizes creating a small platform at the top, the space between the disks letting off an eerie green glow. The pair stepped up and onto the topmost disk that had just enough space to hold them.

As they settled, small flames began to flicker to life from the space between the disks that grew in size, the flames whipping themselves into a whirling frenzy. Despite the newfound activity, no wind could be felt. The two dared not move, remaining as still as possible as they began to feel themselves being pulled in various directions.

Celestia kept her breathing calm and steeled, her now tense nerves demanding action as the band began to hum ominously. It was low at first, but soon became deafening within just a few seconds. Her wings twitched in reaction and her brow furrowed. While she had done this many times before, she could never accept how…wrong this feeling felt. Just another difference between her magic and the magic of those who built this place.

While all this happened, the man next to her stood unfazed for the first time. While Celestia's hair stood on end from how vastly different it all worked compared to the magic she knew extensively, he would go on to note that before they disappeared in a flash of dark green, the magic around him felt...familiar.

~~

The pair reappeared on a clifftop or plateau, the Princess stumbling slightly, catching herself on the perfectly oriented Paladin's shoulder, taking a moment to find her bearings as the nausea of the teleportation crept up. She distastefully swallowed some bile that had made it up to the back of her throat.

After several moments of calm, steady breathing, she nodded to her companion before letting go, gaining back her normally unfazeable demeanour. It didn't matter how many times she teleported here, she could never get used to that feeling. It was far more primal. Raw. Wrong.

Releasing a sigh, the pair gazed out towards the landscape they found themselves in.

It was nothing like anything that could possibly exist in the world at large, and due to its very nature, Celestia was thankful it didn't.

The sky was the first indication of lacking anything of home, a was a stark contrast to what either of them was used to. It was a swirling mix of sickly green and onyx black, resembling a vast, endless ocean. Above them, a massive orb loomed, its black core surrounded by what appeared to be the remnants of shattered landmasses. Was this a broken planet, perhaps?

Despite the unsettling sight, she knew she couldn't dwell on it. Those who came before her had designed this prison world, and she had no intention of questioning their plans. It was designed for one sole purpose and one purpose alone.

The ground beneath her feet was just as desolate as the sky above. There was no sign of vegetation, life, or any living creatures. Only endless stretches of grey rock, interrupted by deep canyons that cut through the plateaus. Looking down, she could see the eerie glow of luminescent green rivers winding their way through the valleys.

This realm had a name, and while many knew of its existence, only the damned knew of its appearance. Its only gateway being accessible by those who descended deep into the bowels of the Canterlot Horn, getting past the various royal guards that protected the many passageways before the tunnel proper.

"Welcome to Tartarus," She said finally, the man next to her whipped around upon hearing this nightmare place's name.

"This is Tartarus?" Percival asked, looking out towards the desolate landscape. "I expected more fire and brimstone."

"A better depiction than what reality has to offer," She said quietly. "A foul creation for the foulest of souls."

"Creation?" He repeated. "So it was built."

"Contrary to popular belief, Tartarus didn't manifest out of nowhere nor was it formed alongside our world," Celestia clarified. "It was made by hand and magic at the request of Durin and Vihaan. From what I know, it took some persuading, but Mother and Father eventually agreed and helped with its creation."

"Durin and Vihaan had this place built? They were certainly more active than I expected," Percival thought as he looked around. "They certainly had some...creative ideas,"

"Certainly of their crueller ideas."

"You don't sound like you agree with it."

"I never said I didn't."

Not totally sure how to respond, the Paladin simply turned his gaze outwards again. The two stood at the precipice of the cliff, Percival peering over the edge and cringing as he saw how far down it went, or better yet, how he couldn't.

Eventually, both saw a speck in the distance, bobbing up and down, gradually growing in size as they could make out the general shape of a winged beast. The speck grew and grew until it was upon them.

Large enough to rival Canterlot Castle with a wingspan that only seemed to double its already gargantuan size, the massive dragon slowed its forward momentum with its four pairs of incredibly wide wings, giving the pair enough time to make its gnarled scales. Made seemingly from the same dark stone around them, purple crystals seemed to jut from various places along its body, no more pronounced than on and along its back and tail.

Tiny, beady eyes locked onto the pair as the beast continued forward, latching onto the cliff face and knocking several boulders loose into the void below. Snarling at them with lipless teeth, a deep bellow rumbled in its throat while it gazed down at the vastly smaller individuals. Percival glanced between the goliath and the Princess, keeping his readied hands from his weapons as the beast seemed to give out a hearty chuckle as the corners of the Princess's lips tugged upwards slightly.

"Midir," She said, crossing her arms under her breast. "It's been quite some time."

"Princess," Midir said with a low, but distinctly female tone, inclining her massive head very slightly to gaze at the man standing a few feet behind the Solar Diarch. "And who might this be?"

Celestia stood beside the white-haired man, placing a soft hand on his shoulder. "Midir, meet Sir Percival Felwinter. The newest Paladin."

"Paladin," The great beast repeated before nodding. "Ah, so the time has come for the prophecy to be fulfilled."

"I would have thought you would be up to date?"

"We have been going through some renovations as of late, so my time has been taken up," The Dragon said, briefly peering over its shoulders. "Though I must say, there is something familiar about him. I recognise his scent."

"Yeah, I've been getting that a lot lately. The scent thing is new though," Percival replied.

"I can only imagine. When the small Unicorn was incarcerated, I knew something was afoul. I take it you are here to visit the new addition?"

The Princess sighed heavily through her nose before nodding softly. "I am."

Midir shifted her body, placing her topmost wing on the cliff top beside the pair a few metres away while arching her back so they could comfortably climb aboard and settle her gnarled back. "Then I shall take you to him."

~~

Princess Celestia and Percival walked along a large bank that bordered one of the countless rivers that flowed through the devilish realm, the acrid water casting dancing shadows along the cliff face opposite them and on the rock hanging over them. The dark illusions moved and bent along the rocky surface of the canyon that surrounded them, the moving shadows quickly falling into the numerous large dark holes that were embedded into the rock.

Only, these crevices weren't just empty holes in eroded or pocketed stone. They, much like everything in this seemingly handcrafted nightmare, served a specific purpose. If one glanced beyond the thick, green flame-coated metal bars that crisscrossed each entrance, the answer to their purpose would become quite apparent.

This was a prison after all. And a prison needs cells.

There were hundreds along the opposite wall alone and a numberless amount lining the countless walls of this infinite realm. And all of them holding individuals from the world of the living, sealed and kept here for eternity.

Celestia recognised many. She and her sister had seen to the incarceration of many of them personally. Though, she noticed, there were some creatures here that were completely unfamiliar to her, ones she had never seen before. Tartarus wasn't just Equestria's hell, but a hell to many as it evolved over time. Thankfully, such things could not reach her home. Of that, its warden had made quadropoly sure of.

However, as the pair made it along the path in front of them, both ignoring the maleficent, gleefully insane, or just generally malicious looks of the creatures that dwelled here, Percival noted a particular statue, perpetually stuck in a jeering cheer.

Eventually, their guide stopped some distance behind them, having followed silently along the river bank below, her size easily letting her peer into the outcropping without having to move her serpentine neck too much. Pointing a claw into a particular cell, the pair turned to face it.

Slumped against the wall opposite them, Blueblood's head was bowed but still raised enough for him to glare through his unkempt and scraggly hair. A small white stump jutted from his forehead, the remnants of a horn that had been summarily cut short cleanly an inch from the base. His clothes fair no better, having been replaced by simple articles: a plain charcoal grey shirt and black joggers. The attire of the inmates of Tartarus.

"Oh my! It would seem the ever so great and powerful Princess has deigned to bless me with her presence!" His voice was still as uptight and prideful as it had ever been, but far faded from what it used to be. His face remained utterly unamused, his brow furrowed deeply. "I'm honoured."

Celestia stood there for a while, her face unreadable as her breath somehow stayed slow and smooth, even after her bottom lip trembled and her eyes gathered a soft wetness.

"I don't know what to say to you," She said softly. "I want to scream. Shout. Cry. But I find myself unable to follow through with any of it."

"If you have nothing to say, then you wasted your time," He replied.

"What did I do wrong?" She asked, stepping closer to the cell, the green flames of the thick metal bars illuminating her face. "Did I not love you enough? Did I not spend enough time with you? What could have possibly sent you down this path?"

Standing from his corner of the cell, Blueblood stepped up close to the fiery bars, barely missing the licking flames. "Do you know? Do you know what it's like to live your life in a world where those around you could not possibly ever hope to stand close to you? Because I do. For as long as I can remember, I have never felt as though I belonged, that this world felt wrong in every way. So many things that need changing but no way for them to change."

"That was until they found me. The things they promised. The change they said they would bring. To the world, to its people," He stepped ever so slightly closer as black veins ebbed up his neck and down his arms, his eyes turning bloodshot as he stepped closer, still missing the flames by inches. "They promised the very change I wanted for so many years. They promised a world where I and others like me could belong and I believe them. The change they have wrought already goes far beyond my dreams."

Celestia stared for a second, her mind a torrent of thoughts as she looked upon the person she called nephew and felt one thing: betrayal. She had taken the man in at a young age and loved him as much as she could, doing her best to do right by him. To see him having brought himself so low and to see him aiding their enemy broke and shattered her heart. In her long life, she has been betrayed before, that sensation was not new, but to be betrayed by him stung.

Glancing at Percival, he stared with unmoving and unflinching eyes, disdain and malice clear as day in his steel blue eyes. Looking back at Blueblood, she saw the man hold a triumphant grin across his face, seemingly pleased with his actions and the consequences of said actions. The longer she looked, the less and less he looked like the nephew she loved and the more he looked like the very things her Paladin swore to defend them against.

"This world is afflicted!" He shouted, his eye becoming more bloodshot as the dark veins stretching up his neck deepened as he clung to the flaming bars, unfazed by the sizzling of his pale skin. "This world is diseased and rotting! Corrupted down to the very core! We do not belong here! We took this world from its rightful owners and took everything it offered, bleeding it dry! The demons seek to take back what is rightfully theirs!"

"We are that disease! And they are the cure!"

"ENOUGH!"

Blown back by the sudden sound emanating from Percival's snarling lips, Blueblood slammed into the back of his cell, landing back right where he had stood as he groaned, rubbing the back of his head. Celestia stumbled back, both from the sound and the shock of the words her nephew had spouted. Covering her mouth as tears readily streamed down her face, ruining any makeup that had been applied some hours prior. This time, it was Percival's turn to step up to the bars, his face contorted into a visage of rage Celestia hadn't yet seen from the man.

"You are a sick, twisted, vindictive excuse of a man! I should have cut you down when I had the chance!"

The once-Prince laughed as he stood, again approaching the bars of his prison. "I have nothing to say to you, Paladin. While you have been a nuisance to our plans, your time will come, sooner or later."

Percival then suddenly reached between the bars, locking his fist around Blueblood's throat, unfazed as the fire licked up the sides of his gauntlet. "I've nearly hit my boiling point with you. First Damien now whoever you spoke with. How do you know me? What. Plans?"

The ex-Prince only laughed. "I don't have to say a thing. Nothing you do will compare to this hellhole. Do what you want to me. You won't get a word from me."

Pulling him forward, Percival rammed the smaller man's head into the bars, singing his hair slightly and leaving a bright red mark where the metal impacted as he fell onto his back. Drying her eyes as best she could, Celestia, placed a soft hand on Percival's shoulder, who stepped aside when he saw her gaze never once shift from the fallen man before them.

"Is there anything I can say? Anything I can do? Anything at all to bring you back from this path you have chosen?"

Crawling back to the back of the cell, Blueblood pulled himself up to the dark grey stone that made up his bed and sat cross-legged, bowing his head down resulting in his dirtied hair falling, obscuring his face as the black veins slowly crept up.

"I am beyond anything you could offer."

"Then I'm done here."

Swiftly turning on her heel, Celestia stormed off towards the patiently waiting Midir who watched the scene unfold with an almost pitied expression as the Princess tightly balled her fists, the tears returning with fervour. With one glance and a simple grunt, Percival too turned and joined the positively sobbing Diarch up and onto the back of the Warden Midir, who offered quiet words as the trio took off, none so much as looking back as the cackles of the once prideful Prince echoed off the canyon.

Author's Note

Very proud of how this one turned out, definitely one of my better pieces if I do say so myself
Been playing a lot of Destiny 1 and this rendition of Tartarus is heavily inspired by Crota's Throne World

As always, hope you enjoyed

Please point out any mistakes I may have made
Constructive criticism is always appreciated
Until next time, TTFN!

Chapter 21 - "One Problem After Another"

It had only been a day since the Princess and I visited the worm in his new home, and I decided to stay to oversee the newest set of recruits. The day started like any other during my time in the country's capital city. I woke up early, had breakfast, headed to the training grounds, and began the day's training. This time, I and the other Guards were training the recruits who had applied months ago. After reviewing their latest performances with the other Officers, I found them ready to pass on their knowledge to future Guards. They were in the best physical shape they had ever been, and their tactics, teamwork, and techniques were almost perfect. It was a huge improvement from when I first picked them up.

So after acquainting myself with the few dozen or so rookies, we got to work. Besides the fact they were rookies, they were clearly new to the idea of combat. They were fairly wet behind the ears, their techniques were messy and sloppy and they were overall not much to look at. But they were all eager to learn and far more eager to please, especially me as they took my orders as though their lives depended on it. The Drill Sergeants among the Guards I personally trained are gonna have a field day with them.

Nearing the end of the day, most of the recruits were wiped out but two seemed to still have some energy about them, so I decided to see how well my Guards had trained the new subordinates.

They're both clearly nervous, sweating bullets under their helmets as they tentatively circle each other, fists up and eyes locked in determination. The air was thick with anticipation as they exchanged a few cautious jabs, testing each other out. But the nerves fade away soon enough and they start to get into the rhythm of things, one trying to outsmart the other. One lands a solid punch to the other's gut, causing him to grunt in pain but then quickly retaliate with a swift uppercut. One jabs while the other dodges, before countering with a swift kick to his ribs. They go back and forth like this, trading blows and dodging strikes until finally, one's standing over the other at the centre of the ring, both panting and sweating after their sparring session. There was some potential behind them, but it would take some work to be able to get it out of them.

Declaring the newest rookie the winner of the bout, the Guards began filing out while carrying said winner's sparring partner out to the sidelines to catch his breath and be checked up on. Making sure that the boy was alright, Ghost and I began moving to the back of the training ground towards the common area where the Guards rested or prepared for various workouts, talking as we usually did about the remarkable progress the Guard had been making since the start of their training. Before I could get too close, a voice called out behind me.

"Sir!"

Turning on my heel, I see three Guards coming to a stop close behind me, standing a few feet from each other as they looked at me with expectant expressions.

"I heard you took in Blueblood personally," The Guard closest to me asked. "Is that true?"

Raising my eyebrow a bit, I turned to face the small group and crossed my arms. "In a manner of speaking, yes."

There was a subtle movement of the front Guard's eyes, his gaze shifting from me to behind me for a split second. All at once my senses went to work, picking up a presence at my back as my ears heard the faint shuffle of clothes and a small crank and trigger pull followed by the release of various mechanisms. I shifted my head to the side while I raised my arm, my hand closing down on a foreign object as it passed my head. Glancing at it, I saw it was a bolt.

Just as the bolt was in my hand, the sound of scuffling and an object falling to the ground sounded behind me. In a matter of seconds, the one behind me was swiftly tackled to the ground, Ghost having immediately turned on the spot as his eyes wide with anger while his brow and the bridge of his nose creased slightly. The men in front of me all flinched and backed up, worried and almost fearful expressions spreading among them.

Turning on my heel, the other Guards around the small resting area stepped towards the group while drawing their swords, pointing them at them. I crouched down the man who had taken the shot while he struggled under the weight of the much larger man on top of him.

"You better give me a good reason not to snap your neck!" Ghost snarled.

"It's alright Ghost, I've got this," His struggling didn't wane at all while I placed my hands on my knees. "Care to explain yourself?"

"It's your fault Blueblood was caught!" He shouted, shaking his shoulder, trying to dislodge Ghost's firm grip on him.

My brow furrowed for a moment before a smile spread across my face as ideas began swirling around in my head.

"Is that right?" I ask gently, standing up from my crouched position. "Let him go."

"Are you sure that's wise Sir?" Ghost asked, not daring to take his eyes off of the man below him.

"That's an order."

Glancing at me, he slowly removed himself from the top of the man beneath him. Before he got a chance to move properly, I grabbed him by the scruff of his neck, flinging him towards the group the Guards kept a vigilant eye on. Tapping a few of them on the shoulder as I moved past them, they stepped back, sheathing their swords and gave me some room while I addressed the men in front of me.

"Did you all work for Blueblood?" I ask.

They glance around uncertainly between me and the other Guards around them who all watched them like hungry vultures.

"We did," One replied.

"Glorious!" I clap my hands together, the sudden and rather loud sound causing them to flinch. My wide grin quickly drops. "To the ring. All of you."

"We don't have to take orders from you," One of them said, standing forward. "We answer to Blueblood!"

"Well, you won't be getting orders from him any time soon. Not where he is," I said in a low tone, stepping forward. "So as your General and commanding Officer, I will repeat myself only once more. TO THE RING!"

"No," The same one replies.

Pursing my lips and inhaling sharply, I swept aside my jacket and reached for Ace. Before any of them could react, I pulled the trigger, and the bullet swiftly found its mark in the man's knee, which promptly exploded slightly, sending small chunks of bone and meat into the air as fresh blood coats the ground. Falling to the ground and screaming, I holster Ace and spread my arms.

"ANYONE ELSE!?"

They all flinched and scrambled to the centre of the main sparring arena, all standing at one end as the man behind me was checked by the one-sight medical staff. I remove my jacket and other weapons, chucking them to Ghost who places them on a nearby bench while I tighten my gauntlets.

"Let it be known that I DO NOT tolerate men who support such putrid acts within my military!" I shout, staring down the now nervous three remaining Guards. "Watch and learn rookies! Today's going be a different kind of lesson."

As I stepped closer to the group, the one who was seemingly the head honcho of them immediately pulled out his sword and tentatively moved as well, his comrades moving to the side, giving him words of encouragement to stick me through, most of them not believing I was "as strong as the stories make me out to be". We met in the middle and the man, a Pegasis, was flinch-checking me, snarling and waving his sword in a display in hopes of intimidating me. Just as he moved to swing, my palm solidly met his wrist, the suddenness of my strike and the placement of it causing the blade to fly out of his hand, much to the shock of his comrades who shouted out various expletives.

"Have I taught you nothing? Now, if you're gonna stab, stab. Don't pussy foot around, don't-," I roll my shoulders and swing my arms a little. "-dance with it."

With that display, the four are now not so keen to grapple as they glance around each other. I let out a hefty sigh and I let my head lull back.

"What, are you looking for a Topps tribute act or something?" They looked clueless. "The 4-skins! The Redskins! Whoa Whoa Whoa Here Comes The Indians! A little bit of the Northern soul is it boys? Putting the Gaye back in Marvin Gaye," I started clicking my a few times. "Come on, I'm on fire over here boys, I need a little bit of back and forth! The least you could do is make this entertaining for me!"

One off to my right pulls out his sword and points it at me, his face scrunched up a little bit, clearly annoyed at my nonchalantness in dealing with the situation. "Fuck! You!"

I let out a disappointed sigh while my palm swiftly met my forehead. "Jesus Christ, you're disappointing. No, no. Not that. Go again. Make it sharp. Cut me with it. Make it sting," I tell them.

Approaching me, he was met with the same results as the last, his sword clangs loudly against the wall far behind him as he falls to the ground with a bright red hand mark on the side of his face.

"Come on, you're embarrassing, not only yourselves but everyone here!" I said loudly, motioning to the Guards gathering around the ring, all watching intensively. "Kids stab, girls shoot, boys punch, real men and women fight with their heads. That's where the real battle is. Up here!" I tap my temple. "Now you were out for blood! SO TAKE IT!"

Faces red and voices loud, the Unicorn's horn flashes and the three are armed again, their bodies and weapons glowing a faint blue while they rush me from all sides as my wide grin drops, my senses sharpening. The Earth-pony holds an axe while the Unicorn and Pegasis hold a sword each. This is gonna be easy.

Slapping down the Pegasis' swing, I redirect the Earth-pony's downward strike then slapping aside the Unicorn's stab with my off hand. The Earth-pony whirls around, using the momentum of my deflect to swing for my head. I move under it, side-stepping the Pegasis' quick overhead swing, resulting in him overshooting and stumbling, allowing me to shoulder check the Unicorn before they could react, sending them to the ground.

Grabbing the Earth-pony's axe, I drive the head into the ground and plough my elbow into his exposed face. As he stumbles back, I bring my arm up as I turn, a loud clang filling the air as the Pegasis' sword collides with my gauntlet. The blade scrapes against the metal brace, sending sparks to the ground as I twist my arm to bring it into the nook of my armpit. Grabbing his wrist with my free arm, I whirl around and chuck him into the still-recovering Unicorn, sending them sprawling.

The Earth-pony swung while I was distracted, hooking the blade under my leg and pulling it towards him, sending me to my knee before he slammed his fist into the side of my face. Thinking I was stunned, he reals his axe back and brings it high above his head, sending it down at my head. Grinning slightly, I push against the ground, giving us just enough space for the axe to miss by a few inches. Ensuring it missed, I push against the haft before the axe collides with the ground before I deliver an uppercut to his chin, once again sending him stumbling back.

"Time to have a little fun with it."

Rolling my shoulders, I flex my hand and my sword appears within my grasp, much to the shock of those around me as the Unicorn wraps his magic around the ready Pegasis, hurling him through the air towards me. Easily bringing my sword up, his scrapes against it and hits the ground as he passes me, I then use the tip of mine to redirect the Unicorn's as he attempts to take a pathetically telegraphed swing at me.

Glancing to my right, I easily duck the Earth-pony's overzealous swing, bringing my blade behind my back to block another one of the Unicorn's swings then bringing it over my head and redirecting the Pegasis' swipe. Leaning back to avoid the Earth-pony's slash, I swing my sword and barely miss him by inches, quickly bringing it back before he had time to block properly, sending him flying back several metres.

I place my sword in my off-hand and catch the Pegasis' wrist as he brings his back to slash at my neck, bringing his arms down and locking them by his waist, allowing me to ram the pommel of my blade into his hip and hit the bone. He grunts for a split second before I plant my fist firmly into his cheek, sending him to the ground in a rolling heap.

The Unicorn rushes forward, slashing and swiping at me several times as I simply hold my sword in place. He then brings his blade back, slamming it down onto mine, the two scraping against each other for a second before he pushes away, his horn lighting up with a blue aura that surrounds his hand. He plunges his hand forward towards my face until I spin my sword in my hand, hooking his wrist with the handguard while bringing my hand up, clasping the pommel and pushing it into him as the spell he had prepared exploded in his face, sending him flying back into the wall far behind him. He crashes into it with a loud thud, creating a deep creator in the stonework as it crumbles around his motionless body.

The Unicorn swiftly loses consciousness, whatever magic he had cast around his comrades and their weapons cracks and shatters from their bodies. The remaining Earth-pony glances at the bodies of his comrades, seemingly judging his situation.

Ultimately, he rushes in, bringing his axe back and swings down as I bring my sword up but he over-extends and hooks my sword in the head of the axe. Just as he was about to pull it from my grip, I flex my hands and it disappears in a puff of embers, causing him to jerk back. He recovers quickly, readjusting his grip on his axe and goes to push the axehead into my chest. Easily catching it, I bring my fist down through the middle of the haft, sending splinters flying and splitting the weapon in half.

The man gains a panicked expression but brings his fists up nonetheless. Throwing his fist out, I slap it out of the way, using the back of my hand to disorientate him before ramming my fist into his chest. Stumbling back, he lunges forward, only to have it pushed to the side as I slam my fist into his back. He throws a wild haymaker that I block before planting my fist on the side of his face, swiftly following up with a punch to the gut. He tries to throw another punch, but it's slow and lazy. Catching his arm, I pull it away slightly, lightly striking the nook of the joint before slapping him again, punching the same cheek and striking the same spot on his stomach. I grabbed his throat and punched his other cheek. I then grabbed the back of his head, taking a fist full of his hair and brought it down while swiftly bringing my knee up to his face. As he stumbles back, I grab his wrist, pulling him towards me, effortlessly lifting him up before throwing him onto the ground, the impact throwing up dust and gravel around him motionless, but still breathing body.

I turned to address the crowd, I felt a sudden pressure in my back that followed through to my stomach. Peering down, I spot a blade protruding from my abdomen, dripping with fresh blood. Looking over my shoulder, the Pegasis held the sword as he drove it further into me, the hilt quickly touching my back. Ghost immediately jumped to his feet as the Guards all followed suit, even the rookies looked ready for blood, but I quickly stopped them.

"None of you will interfere!" I barked. They all looked apprehensive.

"Sir?" One of the Guards spoke up before Ghost put a hand on his shoulder, lightly shaking his head.

Jerking forward, the blade slid from my back as I turned on my heel, grabbing the handle of the blade, ramming my shoulder into the man's chest resulting in him easily losing grip. Chucking it to the side, I grabbed his shoulder, turned him around and grabbed his wrists while placing my knee between his wings and shoulder blades and began pulling slowly. The man's struggles soon became yells of pain as two loud pops filled the air, his arms falling limp as I let them go. Sweat poured from his forehead as he let out laboured breaths. I snarled at the man below me as I then took his wings, ruffling the feathers as I locked them under my arms.

"What-what are you doing?!" He exclaimed, limply attempting to throw me off of him. Pathetic.

Leaning down, I gave him a low tone. "Making you an example," Peering over my shoulder, I addressed the soldiers behind me. "Look long and hard! This is what happens to scum like this!"

Gripping tighter, I began pulling slowly, the man's yells turning to blood-curdling screams as I began to tear his wings from his back. Wet sounds filled the otherwise silent air, the sounds of ripping flesh accompanying his tearing muscles and tendons. The skin splits and blood spurts across his back as with one final tug, his wings pop and squelch from the ball sockets in his shoulder blades. Discarding the limp appendages, I reached down, heat filling my palms as light sizzling sounded for a moment before everything fell silent, the man falling unconscious halfway through.

"Men like them and their disgusting acts of depravity will not be tolerated!" I yelled, making sure my voice was heard as my nose wrinkled. "Those who find anyone who willingly worked under Blueblood will bring them before me or the Princesses! And anyone who is found harbouring these lowlifes will be severely punished! Or turn yourself in and avoid the same fate as these traitorous scumbags! Am I clear?!"

Looking over at the various bodies of the men I had fought, I let out a small sigh. "And get these men to medical. You're all dismissed."

All present went about their usual routine, the recruits sticking with the more senior members as a few went about gathering the motionless but still living bodies of the men who worked for Blueblood. Ghost collected my effects, following me as I made my way out of the training grounds, looking for something to distract me. I looked down at my watch and saw it was close to time for dinner to be served and decided that would work.

Reattaching my equipment, we approached the large double doors of the dining room and entered. Inside, all of the Mane six bar one were present along with both Princesses already in the middle of their meals, who upon seeing the state I was in, gained concerned looks and moved to stand before I stopped them.

"I'm okay," I said, sitting at the table with Ghost sitting beside me as always. "Just had an incident down in the training ground."

"What kind of incident?" Celestia asked, raising her eyebrow as concern etched her voice.

"A few men under Blueblood's pay had some words to share," I replied, rolling my neck slightly. "And they were pretty vitriolic about it too."

"What do you mean?" Luna asked.

"He was attacked by Guards that worked for Blueblood," Ghost replied.

"You were attacked!?" The group of friends exclaimed, all quickly standing. Even Fluttershy raised her voice some.

"Guys, I'm fine," I said, lifting my shirt to reveal the drying blood over my abdomen, but other than that, the wound had already healed in seconds.

"Still man, that's not good," Rainbow Dash said.

"Exactly," Rarity added. "To be assaulted by those under your charge."

"Could have been worse," I shrugged as a server approached me and Ghost.

"Could have been worse?" Celestia repeated. "You could have been killed."

"Chief, you and I both know it'll take a lot more than Guards I personally trained to put me down."

"Be that as it may, it doesn't bode well if our Guards attacked you," Luna said.

"I don't think we'll have to worry about that," I said, showing the server what I wanted from the menu before he moved on to my bodyguard. "The other looked ready and happy to jump in and join. I don't think we'll have to worry about anyone who didn't answer directly to Prince himself."

"Besides, what kind of idiot attacks someone in the middle of a crowded room full of other trained guards?" Ghost asked rhetorically."My guess is he wasn't planning on getting out of here alive."

"What do you plan to do with them?" Celestia asked.

"I'll leave their punishment up to you," I shrugged.

"You...forfeit giving them punishment despite the fact they attacked you?" Luna asked.

"They worked for Blueblood and seemed proud enough to confront me in broad daylight in front of dozens of other Guards, including my own bodyguard, despite knowing the stories of me," I said. "What better way to punish them than by leaving them alive, knowing they failed? Besides, I think I gave them enough of a punishment."

"What exactly did you do to them?" Celestia asked.

Glancing around the table, I noted the half-eaten dishes of food. "Best not say while everyone is still in the middle of their meals."

"You are a cruel man, Percival," Luna commented.

I raised an eyebrow and looked at her, seeing that she was giving me an almost sad look. "I'm what the world made," I shrugged. "I treat others how they treat me and those around them. If people, like those Guards or your nephew, treat others with contempt, then I shall treat them the same. And If they attack others because they think they're better or above them, then I will defend them, myself and my beliefs."

"...and if someone were to love you?" Luna asked, causing my eyes to widen and my brow to twitch slightly. The princesses seemed to notice this, making the faintest expression I couldn't quite make out but I quickly recovered.

"My my, Princess Luna, is that a confession?" I asked teasingly, intertwining my fingers and laying my chin on them as the others giggled.

Luna blushed and Celestia laughed at her sister's reaction. She quickly recovered, but the blush remained along her cheeks and the bridge of her nose "I'm not talking about me!" Luna stated firmly, her face and pointed ears still bright red. "We were merely being hypothetical!"

Ghost and I chuckled at her reaction. "I went through that whole rigamarole years ago. From start to finish. Don't think I'll be doing it again. Not for a long time anyway."

The others around the table glanced at each other, unsure how to respond. But before any of them could reply, a deep shock shook through the room, shaking the wall's many paintings and knocking the decorative armour to the floor as all present latched onto the nearest object for balance. All of a sudden, the room's windows came caving in, sending shards of decorative glass flying all around the room as a deep thunderous boom shook the room further, causing all to cover their ears in hopes of mitigating the noise.

As the ringing subsided moments later, a blaring alarm sounded throughout the room, echoing down the hall where the alarm continued to blast. The Princess's expression suddenly went from worried to terrified as they locked eyes.

"That's the SML alarm!" Luna exclaimed.

"Twi's still there!" Applejack yelled.

Without hesitation, every person in the room bolted out of the dining room doors and sprinted towards the Secure Magics Lab. Those who were unfamiliar with its location quickly followed suit. Confusion and fear filled the halls, with some individuals appearing to have sustained injuries. The sound of shattering glass echoed as everyone raced as fast as they could. Within minutes, we reached the heavy metal doors of the lab. Ignoring the pressure of the wards and spells, we threw them open and rushed down the lengthy corridor. Limp bodies of Mages and Scientists littered the floor, leaning against the walls leading up to the main lab.

As I kicked the door down, a powerful gust of wind nearly knocked us off our feet. Peering into the room, I immediately spotted Twilight unharmed, clinging to a table. My gaze then fell upon the figure at the centre of the room.

Blueblood stood amidst swirling waves of energy, his hands outstretched around the deep purple stone. His back was turned to us, his clothes in disarray from the chaotic energy. When he turned to face us, his eyes were a deep black with glowing red irises, and blackened veins creeping up his neck. A wide grin revealed his sharpened teeth.

"YOU'RE TOO LATE, PALADIN!" He yelled over the howling winds. "IT HAD ALREADY BEGUN! NOT EVEN YOU CAN STOP WHAT'S TO COME!"

"BLUEBLOOD!" Celestia yelled, trying her best not to be blown back. "WHAT IS THE MEANING OF THIS?!"

"DO NOT WORRY AUNTY! ALL WILL BE ANSWERED SOON!" As the words left his mouth, the whirling energies intensified, spinning faster and faster, whipping the room into a frenzied rage. "ALL WILL BOW TO THEIR UNYEILDING POWER!"

Glancing at Celestia, I reached for Ace, keeping a tight grip as she gained a pained expression. Tears began to roll down her face as she nodded, struggling to keep herself upright. Taking aim as best I could, I pulled the trigger, the bullet piercing through the powerful winds, finding its mark in the back of the Ex-Princes skull. His head jerked and in a second, his body was encompassed in a consuming fire that expanded out in an instant, the ensuing explosion leaving nothing behind but embers. However, the bullet continued, slamming against the stone and ricocheting off and back into my hand, the sudden impact causing me to lose grip on my firearm as it flew behind me and down the hall.

"SHIT!"

Looking back at the stone, I saw the energies that swirled around it now seemed more powerful, spinning faster and faster as I looked over at Twilight who looked scared shitless.

"TWILIGHT!" I yelled. "HOW DO WE STOP IT!?"

"I DON'T KNOW!" She yelled back, barely being heard over the herculean winds. "I'VE NEVER SEEN ANYTHING LIKE THIS!"

As I gazed back at the stone, I decided to take a risk. Moving forward, the people behind me started shouting, begging me not to approach as I slowly made my way towards the menacing stone. Despite their warnings, I continued inching closer, the cries blending together into a chaotic chorus. When I finally reached the stone, the howling winds seemed to have little effect on me, only causing my coat to flutter wildly. With determination, I reached for my sword, raising it high above my head before bringing it down with all my might. The sword bounced off, slipping from my grip and embedding itself deep into the stonework above the door behind me.

As I gazed at the ominous stone, my mind raced with thoughts of how to disable or at least minimize the damage it could potentially cause. Despite my efforts, no solution seemed to present itself. Looking at my hands, a surge of inspiration struck me as a foreboding feeling filled my chest.

"You know what you need to do."

I glanced behind me, to those I had grown to call friends, and silently prayed that my plan would succeed. Closing my eyes, I summoned the memory of my intense battle with Damien, recalling the sensation of fiery energy enveloping my body and the exhilarating rush of power that accompanied it. When I opened my eyes, I saw my hands ablaze with flames that extended up to my elbows. With determination, I thrust my hands towards the stone, striving to grasp it tightly and harness the potent energy it emitted. Upping the heat as much as I could, the flames surrounding my arms grew larger and more intense, eventually engulfing my entire arms.

A sudden pain ripped through my body as a cough racked my chest. Looking down, I saw a translucent hand piercing through my chest. Looking up, the arm formed from a swirling vortex, white dots dancing bobbing and weaving to miss one another. I yell out in defiance as I bring the stone low, leveraging my left arm against my hip, hoping to use that to bring my hands closer to the stone, hoping to overpower the almost opposite magnetism that prevented me from touching the stone directly. Blood poured from my mouth as a deep cough rippled through my body, another arm forming from the vortex, piercing a different part of my chest before another formed, piercing my stomach as another formed.

"PERCIVAL!" I could barely hear Celestia shout over the whirling winds. "PERCIVAL, LET GO!"

"NO!" I yell over my shoulder. "YOU GAVE ME A JOB! AND I'M GOING TO FUCKING DO IT!"

"THERE HAS TO BE ANOTHER WAY!"

"AAAAHHHHH-"

Yelling for the man before us to stop, we watched nearly helplessly as he slowly advanced on the stone. I tried casting magic to either shield us from the torrent of winds or send the artefact to some far-off land where it could do no harm, but something was blocking me from doing so and looking at my sister confirmed she was having the same issues. Looking back up at Percival, I see him reach for his sword, swinging it down on the stone only to have it launched from his hands and into the wall above us. He looked at it for a few painful moments, seemingly stuck as to what to do, eventually peering down at his hands, staring at us with an almost apologetic expression before closing his eyes, bright orange fire similar to what we saw when he apprehended Blueblood subsequently engulfing his forearms. He whipped around, slamming his hands against an unseen force, preventing him from touching the wretched rock.

Our cries and pleas went unheard before they intensified, a translucent white hand punched through his chest as his shoulders rocked with deep, terrible coughs racking his body before he eventually dropped to his knees. His yelling grew louder as he drew the stone closer to himself, causing the flames to burst out along his back just like before as more and more hands punctured through him.

"PERCIVAL!" I shouted, hoping my Canterlot voice would pierce through the wind. "PERCIVAL LET GO!"

"NO!" We could just barely hear him. "YOU GAVE ME A JOB! AND I'M GOING TO FUCKING DO IT!"

"THERE HAS TO BE ANOTHER WAY!"

"AAAAHHHHH-"

A bright white light suddenly took over our vision, the sounds of the torrential winds falling deathly silent, We were all thrown back as a powerful shockwave moved over us, sending us tumbling and rolling down the hall. The lifeless bodies of the Mages and Scientists offered no resistance as they crashed against the wall and door at the end.

It took a while for the glare and ringing to fade as we gradually regained our senses.

"Is everyone alright?" I asked.

"Could be worse," Applejack replied.

"Positively smashing, your Highness," Rarity responded.

"Don't wanna do that again," Rainbow Dash groaned as Fluttershy simply nodded.

"Think I landed on my keys," Pinkie Pie replied, quickly grimacing as she moved. "Yup, definitely my keys."

"Princess," Twilight asked, slowly standing. "What was that?"

"I don't know my student," I answered honestly. "Sister, are you ok?"

"I have faired better but I shall live."

"Wait," Applejack chimed in. "Where's Percival?"

As we looked around, we quickly got up and hurried back to the main lab. We realized that the strong winds had disappeared, replaced by a bright light shining through the broken doors. As we crossed the threshold, we all paled at what we saw.

Half of the lab was gone, replaced by a gaping hole with embers still smoking and small fires dying out. Alarms were blaring throughout the castle, and the once proud lab was now a mess of exposed stone, bent metal rebar, and smouldering wooden structures. I stood in front of the devastated lab, just staring out at the massive hole.

"Gods above," Luna whispered beside me.

"Umm....is...is that his jacket?" A small voice came from behind us.

Looking over at the timid woman, I saw she was pointing at something not too far from us and following her line of sight, I spotted Percival's jacket lying on the floor, a puddle of deep crimson pooled below it. A wave of unease washed over me as a twisted knot overtook my stomach and a sense of dread filled the room. Tentatively reaching down, I lightly grabbed it and pulled, instantly recoiling at what I saw underneath the fabric and leather trench coat.

The severed right arm and leg of our Paladin.

Chapter 22 - "Search"

Amidst the crumbling shell of the Magics Lab, silence reigned as the collective stared at the appendages lying on the floor before them. The arm had severed from the mid bicep and mid-calf respectively and the still gloved and gauntleted fingers twitched interminably as the pool of crimson ichor expanded underneath. A scream and a thud sounded out that was quickly followed by frantic, scrambled words from five of the six conscious women as they each tried to rationalise the sight before them.

The sound of approaching footsteps broke most from their thought as several Guards rushed into the shattered lab.

The Guards ushered the startled women away from the wreckage and from the still bleeding limbs while Ghost barked orders for the Magics Lab to be cordoned off and quarantined.

The Princesses doubled down on the commands and ordered for only the highest ranking of the off-duty Mages and Spell Crafters to investigate what remained of the Lab as well as the remains of Percival, hoping that they could glean some information from them to figure out what happened.

Though the Princesses were aware of their surroundings and what they were doing, they were acting more on instinct, their senses dulled from watching the one they called nephew being brought so low, turned to nothing more than the monsters they sought to defend themselves from and watching the man they had come to call friend, the first real friend either had had in countless years, sacrificing himself.

Both Princesses immediately got to work, Luna joining in the investigation directly to aid the Mages and other magically versed, using her more analytical mind and general investigative nature to help further it along while Celestia headed straight to the Canterlot Library, bringing along with her the notes of the stone that survived and combing through the extensive archives, hoping that her more experienced mind along with her deeper knowledge of modern magic could potentially cross reference and bring something to attention that the investigation couldn't.

Gathered in the common room of the guest suite of Canterlots many different wings, the group of women, though calmed significantly, were still reeling from the event that took place not an hour ago. The two hit the hardest were the fashionista and the farmgirl, who had both developed a closer relationship with the man out of the six in the time that they knew him. The others, while not having as close of a friendship with him, were understandably distraught at the circumstances.

"He's not really gone.....is he?" Pinkie Pie asked through her straightened hair.

"No he's....he's alright. He'll be back in no time, you'll see," Rainbow Dash replied, trying to sound confident in her words, but coming out sounding more like she was trying to convince herself. "Right Twilight?"

"I...I don't know."

As the academic mind responded, the door to the suite opened, Ghost walked in, dressed in the usual all-black, the off-bone-white of the skull on his mask creating a stark contrast that called attention to his piercing brown eyes. Walking quickly, but surprisingly softly despite his size, he kneeled in front of the purple-clad woman.

"You were a part of the research team," He stated, his usually gruff voice becoming soft. "I need to know what that thing was, Twilight."

"Remember at Percival's party where I said we believed it was a multi-spatial artefact?" She replied. Ghost nodded. "Well, it seemed we were correct. After extensive research, the mages layered multiple scanner spells on top of one another and discovered that the stone held a sort of pocket dimension."

"I remember. You said it had shifting or overlapping spaces," He nodded.

Twilight nodded softly. "Within the stone's pocket dimension there were further pockets with an infinite amount of possible spaces in reality that were, as you said, shifting and overlapping," She said. "In layman's terms, it could lead to anywhere."

"So there's a chance he survived?" Rainbow Dash asked, her wings draping her shoulders slightly.

"That means we could bring him back, right?" Pinkie chimed in.

Twilight shook her head. "There's a chance he survived, but time magic is difficult and highly dangerous. There's been many cases I've read of someone trying it with the majority of said cases having terrible repercussions for them and their surroundings. The chances of him surviving something that dense and unstable are...astronomically low and being brought back is a whole other story."

"Come on, surely there's something we can do!" Rainbow Dash exclaimed, suddenly standing.

"Rainbow, you have more of a chance of phasing through a wall and that alone is nearly impossible! The chances of being brought back from a temporal shift as big and volatile as that are so much lower than that," Twilight said, standing as well. "And that's not even considering the fact that the amount of magic used would take years to accumulate and the fact we don't know where he could've ended up if he managed to survive. We don't know if he's even on Terra! On top of that, on the small chance we get that amount of magic and are able to pinpoint his physical and temporal location, it's not even guaranteed he can come back!"

"So he's really gone then?" Fluttershy asked.

There was a lengthy period of silence, no one really sure of what to do or say given the situation. Many things went through Twilight's head until a sudden thought struck her.

"Maybe not."

The sun hung low in the sky, casting faint shadows across the crumbling facade of the ancient castle. The group stood before the looming structure, its grandeur, though highly faded, was still as impressive and imposing as ever. Twilight adjusted her glasses and glanced at her friends as they all made their way through the familiar ruins.

"You sure this'll work Twi?" Rainbow Dash asked, her voice carrying a tinge of uncertainty.

"It-it's a stretch but the Princesses old castle is nearly chock-full of texts, tomes and other written pieces containing passages of old sciences and the way we used to view magic as far back as three thousand years ago," Twilight replied, occasionally glancing over her shoulder and motioning her hands slightly as she talked.

"Darling, I don't mean to sound rude, but how exactly does that help us?"

"Well, when we scanned the stone for its magical properties, one of the Mages thought to add an age detection spell as well. It's still in its infancy but it has helped make multiple breakthroughs in modern science, but I'm getting off track," She shook her head. "When he added the spell, we found that the stone dated back roughly two thousand years, give or take. Now we can use that data to help us find information around the same time."

"Which would help us find something that would break down the mechanics of the spell used on the stone!" Rarity finished. "Darling, you're a genius!"

"Well, let's not waste any time then!" Applejack exclaimed, her sturdy boots crunching the gravel beneath her feet as she sped up towards the library. "We gotta help him!"

Fluttershy sheepishly glanced up at the darkening sky through the various holes in the ceiling and shivered slightly. "I never liked this place," She murmured, her voice barely louder than a whisper, wrapping herself with her wings.

"It's alright Fluttershy, we've got each other!" Pinkie Pie reassured the timid Pegasis, trying her best to keep the vibe positive despite the circumstances. "We might even find hidden treasures! Maybe a secret passage!"

"Besides," Spike chimed in. "Percival would do the same for us."

"Let's get a move on. We've got a job to do," Ghost said, his low, gravelly voice cutting through the conversation

With a collective nod, the group pushed open the heavy doors, which creaked ominously as they swung inward. The interior of the castle was dimly lit, the last rays of sunlight barely penetrating the dust-covered windows. Shadows danced on the walls, and the air was thick with the scent of old paper and ancient secrets.

They stepped inside, the floor beneath their feet cold and unyielding. The vast entry hall was lined with towering bookshelves, each one stuffed to the brim with tomes of all shapes and sizes. Twilight’s eyes sparkled with excitement and determination as she looked around.

"This place is as incredible as the last time I saw it," Twilight whispered, her eyes sparkling with excitement before she shook her head. "No. Ghost's right. We have a job to do."

Ghost looked up to the towering bookshelves, the many levels that made up this grand library. "Alright, this is gonna take a while," He sighed to himself before looking at the rest of the group. "Okay, Twilight and I will take the first level. The rest of you split into groups of threes and take a level each. Fan out and keep within line of sight of each other. This place is old and potentially dangerous."

~~

Placing Applejack on the creaking wooden ground of the second floor, Rainbow Dash tightly folded her wings behind her back and got herself to work along with the farmgirl as Rarity appeared in a bright flash of white, moving to the opposite side of where the other two searched.

Peering over the wooden railing, Rainbow Dash whistled as she took a book from the shelf beside her. "Jeez. You know I never noticed the last time we were here but this place is massive. There must be thousands of books here! How in Tartarus are we gonna get anything done?"

"By keeping our focus on the task at hand," Rarity replied over her shoulder, keeping her eyes on the book in her hand. "For Percival's sake, we have to stay optimistic."

"Yeah, we ain't stuck for optimism 'round here," Applejack commented, blowing on a particularly dusty tome and coughing deeply a second later.

"Got that right!" Rainbow Dash agreed, patting the spluttering labour worker on the back.

The trio quickly got to working through the many thick annals, sifting through each several-inch wide tome, pouring every bit of energy into filing through each book as best they could. Even Rainbow Dash, who was the last person you would expect hunkering over ancient pages, worked quietly on the task before them, her wings wound tight behind her as she leaned against the old, but surprisingly sturdy chairs at one of the various tables between the sets of twin shelves.

Looking up to the black, star-filled sky above them, a small shiver ran down Rainbow Dash's back, despite the sconces around them flickering with recently lit flames. "This place gives me the creeps," She commented, turning the page of the book in her lap.

"I feel ya," Applejack nodded, putting away a tome back where she found it. "Don't think Ah'll ever get used to the place."

"I think it has a sort of beauty to it," Rarity said, glancing around at the warmly lit library, catching a glimpse of the shadow of her friends on the level above them.

"I don't get it," Rainbow Dash shrugged. "I get it has historical meaning but it's just a bunch of stone that's falling apart."

From below them, Ghost's voice rang throughout the ageing library, the gravel of it echoing slightly. "Found anything!?"

Rainbow Dash leaned over the side of the railing, making sure not to apply too much pressure to the aged wood so it wouldn't shatter beneath her. "Nothing yet!"

Pinkie Pie dashed to the edge of the level above her, leaning deeply out into the middle of the opening, defying gravity as almost the entirety of her body practically floated in mid-air while her feet were planted firmly on the railing. "Nada!"

Suddenly, there was a deep chunk that sounded throughout the library, almost vibrating the air around them as mechanical clicks and churning came from the topmost level.

"Oh...OH! This is–guys!" Spike's voice called out as he too rushed to the railing, nearly falling over it in his excitement before Pinkie effortlessly caught him. "Thanks, Pinks. I think I found something!"

~~

On the lowest level, Twilight and Ghost watched as the others disappeared into the upper bowels of the library they had a brief stint in in their quest to free Princess Luna from her entanglement with the Nightmare that caused her downfall all those years ago in ages past.

Glancing at the vastly taller man behind her as he started on one end of a shelf, she softly levitated a few books towards her, opening them and effortlessly getting herself into the middle of the task set for them. It didn't feel terribly different from her usual late-night benders when she would engross herself in whatever topic that took her fancy. But there was an obvious and underlying sense that this particular bender had much more significance behind it.

Hours passed as the group scoured the library, poring over countless books and scrolls. The flickering torchlight cast long shadows across the room, and the silence was punctuated only by the occasional rustle of pages or the soft murmur of conversation above the pair on the ground floor.

The academic stretched her stiffening neck and rubbed the slightly aching muscles. Though she was used to doing this kind of thing, her body still couldn't help but protest as the hours extended on and on. Glancing around her, her eyes skimmed the room, briefly watching the dancing shadows made by the warm, almost pleasant orange light of the sconces that dotted the walls and pillars.

Her eyes eventually landed on Ghost, the man dressed in all black almost blended into the shadows between the torches, his off-bone-white mask creating a stark contrast against said shadows. He stood like a statue as he leaned against a support column for the second floor, the only indication that he was living being the gentle rise and fall of his chest and his darting eyes.

"Ghost?" Twilight suddenly said.

"Hmm?" Ghost hummed, his eyes flicking up to the woman in front of him before going back to the book in his hand.

"You...you fought demons...right?" She asked.

"Right," Ghost replied.

"Well...do you think we'll be alright?"

"With Percival, I think we'll be fine," He said softly, placing the book he had away and replacing it with the next in line.

"And without him?"

Ghost paused before he opened the thick text in his hand. "It'll be significantly harder."

The purple-clothed Unicorn woman breathed deeply, calming her ever-frantic nerves, exhaling slowly through her nose. "What if we can't bring him back? What if he's–"

"Don't," Ghost interrupted, shaking his head while giving her a cautious look. "I know exactly what that line of thinking will do. Tell yourself you'll find him. Or at the very least, tell yourself you'll help towards finding him."

"But what if–"

"Stop," He said firmly. "We'll find him."

Ghost set the book down, looking up towards the upper levels, bringing his hands to his mouth and shouted. "Found anything!?"

Rainbow Dash was the first to respond, carefully leaning over and shouting down to the man. "Nothing yet!"

Pinkie Pie came next, baffling the man with her unnatural ability to defy logic and practically standing vertically on the wooden railing. "Nada!"

The ground then vibrated beneath their feet, mechanisms winding, turning and clicking, the sounds muffled slightly as Twilight nearly fell off her seat from fright while Ghost reached for Percival's gun he had shoddily strapped to the back of his waist in a makeshift holster.

Spike's voice quickly exclaimed from the third floor soon after the mechanisms continued to work. "Oh...OH! This is–guys!" He came running to the side of Pinkie, who caught him before he could fall, much to his sibling's distress. He mumbled his thanks then turned his attention back to the rest of the group who all rushed to see the commotion. "I think I found something!"

~~

Gently letting Spike down on the floor of the third and final level of the crumbling castle's library, Pinkie Pie was already hard at work, combing through the scriptures and passages while the timid woman and Twilight's little brother joined the Party Planner.

"So what kinda secrets do you think we'll find here?" Pinkie asked, clinging to one of the top shelves that miraculously held itself strong, the woman seemingly weighing nothing as she scanned the spines of the various scripts.

"I dunno. With how old this place is, anything's possible," Spike replied, helping Fluttershy with a particularly heavy book.

"Ya think?" Pinkie Pie asked, briefly hanging upside down to address the young Draconian.

"Sure. I mean, people back then had to get creative with magic usage," Spike shrugged. "So we could find anything between illusory walls, to invisible walkways. Heck, even inputs that require a very specific frequency of magic."

"What about a puzzle or hidden room?" She asked. "Ya know, with a fake book you have to pull to work?"

"I dunno about that one," Spike replied, choosing the first book from the bottom row. "Engineering wasn't exactly like it is these days, especially when this castle was built."

"Ah, but you said "anything's possible", Pinkie grinned. "So it could happen."

"If it is, I'll eat the next comic I buy," Spike replied, before burying his face in the book in front of him.

"I just hope it's not dangerous, whatever it is," Fluttershy whispered.

"It won't be. That I know for sure," Pinkie reassured her.

As the sky dimmed more and more, the two Unicorns and the Draconian set ablaze the many sconces around them, surprised but relieved to see them still able to hold the fire the three provided. Despite the many holes bored into the walls providing ample opportunity for the cool night air to chill the spread-out group, the air retained its warm due to the torches as the night progressed, the scent of aged parchment and leather tickling the noses of all present while mingling with a faint hint of smoke from the torches flickering on the stone walls and supports.

Casting gentle light all around them, the group slaved away for hours on end, tirelessly working towards a difficult task that became increasingly narrow but that never once dissuaded their undiminishing resolve, even into the very latest of nightly hours. The light shone softly on them and the towering bookshelves, the faded titles on the spines just barely readable.

Popping her head out of a large pile of books, PinkiePie held a curious expression, rubbing the back of her head. "You know, I've been thinking," She said. "We've known Percy for a while but we don't really know much about him."

Spike paused as he perused the shelves lining the side walls, furrowing his brow. "Huh. Yeah, you're right. We know almost nothing about the guy."

"Especially me," Fluttershy quietly added. "I haven't really made an effort."

"That's alright Fluttershy! I'm sure he doesn't take it personally," Pinkie Pie replied.

The two suddenly heard a grunt and looked over to see Spike jerk forward a little, placing a hand on the shelf to steady himself, his snout wrinkling a little as he pursed his lips.

"You have a good fall, Spike?" Pinkie said, giggling heartily at her own joke.

"Yeah, I'm fine just...this book's a little....stuck!" He said, straining his voice as he pulled on the book.

"Found anything!?" Ghost's voice echoed around them, the vast space adding a little more bass than usual.

"Nothing yet!" Rainbow Dash shouted from the level below them

Pinkie Pie dashed from the pile of books surrounding her and quickly latched to the side of the railing, yelling down from where she stood. "Nada!"

Spike suddenly grunted, the book in his hands gave way after a hard pull, coming out of the wall at an angle. A loud chunk shook the wooden floor beneath their feet as a bookshelf off to the left shuddered, moving into a recess in the wall and shifting away into a specially made space for it behind the shelf beside it.

"Oh...OH! This is–guys!" Spike ran to the railing as fast as his legs could carry him as he slammed into it. He teetered a little before Pinkie grabbed him by the back of his hoodie, her Earth-pony strength aiding in effortlessly holding him in place. "Thanks, Pinks. I think I found something!"

~~

The group all stood before the opening in the wall, staring into the deep, black-enveloped corridor, the perfectly carved stairs extending down into the winding unseen bowels. Ghost, with Ace trained on the opening, takes a single step forward, only to recoil back as torches lining the wall lit up by themselves, going one at a time in succession until they could easily see far down into the once bleak spiral.

"Stay behind me," He tells the group, storing Ace back in the makeshift holster but keeping his hand close to the sword on his hip and the throwing knives lining his belt.

The group cautiously descended the spiralling staircase, each step echoing eerily off of the immaculately carved stone. It was simple, fairly unassuming, seemingly built for function over form yet still holding a sense that it was important. The air grew cold despite the proximity of the gently wafting sconces while carrying the scent of aged air.

Eventually, the group reached the bottom of the stairwell, coming to a wooden door that seemed to be barely holding together. Pushing as gently as he could, Ghost slowly opened the door to a fairly large circular room, its grandeur now nothing but a faded memory veiled in neglect and dust.

Curved shelves lined the wall that lacked the gravitas of the library above them, instead holding a more personal vibe, the rotten wood sagging under forgotten tomes, their leather bindings cracked and their pages aged yellow. A once-massive desk sat on the other end of the room opposite the entrance, buried under a chaos of brittle parchment and rusted inkpots, a large, tattered armchair lying overturned nearby. The fireplace off to the side sat cold and choked with a mix of ash and dust, hinting fires long extinguished.

The group exchanged uneasy glances as they stepped into the decrepit room, feeling its haunting aura and the secrets it may have once housed. Pinkie glanced at Spike, giving him a smug grin and wriggling her eyebrows as the Draconian rolled his eyes. Twilight's eyes shone with intrigue and excitement, the development happening before mystifying her to no end.

"This is incredible," She murmured, her eyes scanning everything around her. Her horn flashed with purple light, and a notepad and pen appeared in her hands as she began writing various notes. As she did, a small pulse of white flashed from her horn, shaking the dust beneath and above her as the room began to change.

A gentle breeze begins to stir within the room. It starts as a mere whisper, barely perceptible, but quickly gathers strength. The air crackles with an electric charge, and the scent of old paper is replaced by a fresh, invigorating aroma. The wind swirls around the room, lifting dust motes into a sparkling dance.

Books on the shelves tremble and then rise into the air, their covers and pages fluttering wildly. As the wind intensifies, it seems to pull time along with it, unravelling the years of neglect and decay. The grime on the walls evaporates as the fireplace bursts to life, flooding the room with a warm, orange glow. Cobwebs disintegrate into nothingness, and the tattered drapes weave themselves back together, their colours vibrant and rich once more.

The wooden desk, once marred by scratches and ink stains, smooths out and gleams as if newly polished. The inkpots refill, and the quills straighten, their feathers pristine. The leather-bound tomes and scrolls resettle on the shelves, their covers restored to their original lustre, the parchment inside crisp and clean, though barren, waiting to be filled with words and muses of the academic.

In the span of mere seconds, the study is transformed. What was once a relic of the past is now a room as good as new, a sanctuary of knowledge and magic, untouched by the ravages of time. The wind dies down, leaving behind a space that feels both ancient and freshly made, a testament to the power of time and the magic that can bend it.

"What the fuck?" Ghost muttered.

The entrance to the study quickly opened as a figure stepped inside. The outline of the man was dull while soft white trails faded from various parts of his body. The man stepped up to the restored desk, placing his large star-embroidered hat down onto it as he pinched the bridge of his nose. He sat down with a sigh, muttering quietly to himself. He sat there for a few minutes, allowing the group to take in his details.

He had a bushy, pure white beard that reached just above his chest and a thick mane of hair that flowed down to his shoulders, with a light grey horn jutting from his forehead. He wore a dark navy blue cloak with a star pattern on the rim much like his hat, while the shoulders and back were lined with a large fur plume that blended in with his hair.

"Is that...?" Twilight whispered.

"Thought I'd find you here."

Turning towards the new voice, the group saw a younger man leaning against the frame of the door, a knowing smirk on his lips. The man was bald, his head shaved down nearly completely while his lower face was covered in thick brown hair, the moustache styled into equally thick handlebars.

"The little ones being a nuisance?" The man asked, his smirk never wavering. His voice was a little higher than a baritone and had a slightly nasally tinge to it.

"Indeed," The older man replied, his voice far deeper and far more matured. "I love them dearly but they do my head in."

"I can imagine," The younger chuckled, walking up to the desk and sitting on it. "Durin's the same. He loves his kids, but sometimes even he needs a break every now and then."

"And is that....?" Spike whispered.

The older man chuckled heartily, filling the room with a sense of peace. "Yes, they have a knack for getting into mischief."

"Which ones are we talking about?" The younger smiled.

"Durin's, without a doubt. Though, the same could be said for Luna and her siblings," The man chuckled again.

The younger man laughed alongside his older peer before he glanced at the contents on the table, picking up one of the many notes that were scattered across the desk surface. "What's this? Working on new spells?"

"That-" The older gentleman snatched the parchment from his grasp. "-is private and not for anyone to see but me. So if you wish to keep your fingers, keep your grubby mitts off my stuff."

"Hey, these mitts are as clean as ever I will have you know!" He replied in mock offence before standing properly. "I know you need some room to yourself so I won't take up your time."

Patting the older man softly and affectionately on the shoulder, he moved towards the studies entrance but was quickly stopped before he could get much further than halfway.

"Vihaan," The man said suddenly.

"Yeah?"

"Tell Durin to see me when he's available," The man requested. "There's something I'd like to speak with him about."

"It shall be done, oh great Paladin Starswirl," Vihaan bowed teasingly, replacing the smirk with a genuine smile as he straightened his back. "Take it easy, my friend. You look like you need it."

Turning, the man walked out of the study and up the stone staircase, the echoes of his footsteps getting quieter before the sound of churning mechanisms let the older man know that he was alone in his private space. Rubbing the dark circles under his eyes, he laughed to himself.

"He's right," He nodded to himself. "I need some rest."

He suddenly stood, stepping out into the middle of the room, shifting his gaze around him. What startled those in the modern day, it looked as though he was staring at each of them individually, a soft smile parting his lips as looked about. His outline, though already ghostly, began to fade, the edges of his body trailing off into softer wisps until he was gone.

There was a moment of tense silence, with everyone frozen in place, hesitant to make a move or say a word. Time seemed to drag on until Ghost cautiously took a step forward, his eyes darting around the room and his hand hovering near his sword. Slowly, the rest of the group followed suit, either realizing it was safe to move or realizing it had been safe all along. But Twilight remained motionless, like a statue, her eyes scanning the space around them, mouth agape like a gasping fish.

"Twi?" Rainbow Dash clicked her fingers in front of her book-smart friend, who promptly blinked. "Was that...?"

"Paladin Starswirl the Bearded and Vihaan Peredur!" She suddenly exclaimed, bouncing slightly and clapping her hands together. "Do you realize what this place is? This could have been Starswirls personal study! Even if it's a secondary study or personal safe space of some sort, the significance is staggering! And...wait, what's–what's that?"

Looking around, the group quickly spotted what Twilight was referring to. Floating throughout the study here and there were small, green wisp-like threads, twirling around themselves like helixes. Twilight held out her hand, softly touching the one closest to her, the small green helix lighting up slightly where her finger made contact before dimming as it floated away. Her horn lit up with her purple aura and she gasped softly.

"Wait, this–this is...yes!" She exclaimed.

"Simmer down sugarcube, what's got ya all up in a tizzy?" Applejack asked.

"This is residual traces of time magic! That's why this room hasn't gone back to being like how we found it! It must have kept some sort of magical snapshot of a specific point in history! It could be why we saw Starswirl and Vihaan! I'm not sure how or why but that doesn't really matter right now!" She explained. "We need to tell the Mages and Princesses immediately! This is invaluable!"

"Well, what are we waiting for!?" Pinkie Pie yelled. "Let's get this show on the road!"

The eight individuals rushed out of the study and up the winding staircase, practically barrelling out of the hidden entrance that the librarian had quickly figured out how to close. They ran as fast as their legs could carry them away from the crumbling building and towards their hometown, making a beeline for the last midnight trains.

Deep within the shadows, the trio watched as the eight individuals ran towards their town, carefully keeping an eye on them as they moved.

The tallest of the three held the dark shape tightly under his arm, keeping his large hand over its mouth to prevent it from making too much noise. He suddenly jerked and the demon went limp, its jaw hanging loose as he chucked the corpse away.

Peering over his shoulder, he saw the smallest run her dagger through another demon's throat, the gargle of it choking and drowning in its own blood bringing a sick satisfaction to them as the middle of the three crushed the third and last demon's skull beneath his foot.

"This plan of theirs better work," The woman said.

"It will," The smaller man replied.

"I just hope he was right about them," She said softly, ripping her dagger from the foul demon's throat.

"It will work," The taller said. "Uncle wouldn't ever lead us astray."

"Then we had better make use of the time we have," She nodded.

Author's Note

Starswirl and Vihaan? Oh my goodness :rainbowderp:
Very happy woth how the story's turning out, hopefully that trend continues :rainbowlaugh:

Please point out any mistakes I may have made
Constructive criticism is always appreciated
Until next time, TTFN!

Chapter 23 - "Results?"

Luna and Celestia walked from the towering throne room and down the halls of Canterlot Castle deep into the evening. Their footsteps echoed all around them while the voices of the Castle workers joined, greeting the pair as they gave their own soft acknowledgements, only to be surrounded once more by their footsteps once more.

Their destination was the grand library, a vast repository of knowledge and wisdom accumulated over millennia. As they approached the massive oak doors, intricately carved with flowing designs, they swung open silently at her touch, revealing the sanctuary within. The library was a cavernous hall, its high, vaulted ceiling supported by columns of marble entwined with ivy. Shelves upon shelves carried copies of ancient tomes and scrolls, stretching as far as the eye could see, each containing secrets and stories from across the ages.

The Princesses glided down the central aisle, their footsteps muffled by the plush, moss-green carpet. The air was filled with the comforting scent of parchment and aged leather, mingling with the faint aroma of blooming flowers from the enchanted garden outside. They paused as they rounded a corner.

Mages and Spellcrafters stood at a central table, piles upon piles of books, notes and other materials scattered around. Their usual robes of varying brown shades were dropped in favour of more breathable attire while still keeping to their general design. They quietly discussed among themselves as they worked their way through many cups of coffee, more than a few empty cups sitting nearby being a testament to their commitment to stay awake and focused.

"Progress?" Princess Celestia asked no one in particular.

"The findings of Twilight Sparkle and her friends, progress has been...shockingly encouraging, if unsurprisingly slow," A Mage replied, stepping over to a set of notes splayed out. "Here's what we know so far."

"We know the stone and the traces Lady Sparkle found are tangentially related through time magic," He continued, picking up and reading the notes he motioned towards. "So Lady Sparkle presented the idea of reverse engineering a spell using the helix traces as a starting point that would travel along a proposed linear line of temporal energy the stone outputted."

"However, finding Sir Felwinters physical and temporal location and actually reverse engineering a spell to latch onto and pull him back to present day has been by far the biggest hurdle," Another older Mage chimes in. "But we do have Lady Sparkle and our most senior Mages and Spellcrafters working on potential spell incarnations and running multiple simulations to, hopefully, speed up the process."

"And that's not mentioning the amount of magic necessary to power such a spell," Another, this one slightly younger, added.

"Regarding finding Sir Felwinter's location," Luna spoke up. "We know time magic leaves behind residual traces even many years after casting, could we not scan his remains at the cut-off point and use the energy left behind to potentially find where he may have ended up?"

The Mages and Spellcrafters paled at the mention of the Paladin's remains as one stepped forward. "We tried that, but the numbers produced were too inconsistent and bounced all over the place even after numerous scans. Some had him thousands of years in the future while others should him as far back as billions of years in the past. This is why getting a lock on him has been our biggest struggle."

"Which is why I suggested using his remains as a latching point for the spell to bounce off of," A Spellcrafter, easily the youngest in the group, spoke.

"We have been over this," Another Spellcrafter, an older one, chastised. "Without knowing where or when his physical body is to act as an anchor for the spell, the outcome wouldn't be detrimental to just him, it could have serious ramifications for us all."

"But we've been treating this like any other teleportation spell," The young Spellcrafter replied. "A regular teleport simply needs the castor to have a visual or highly memorised aid for it to work while by all accounts–"

"Yes, we know how it all works Zaman but comparing regular magic to magic we never properly attempted to use would be wasting our time," The older Spellcrafter said, stopping him in his tracks.

"That's enough," Princess Celestia said suddenly. "While I appreciate your knowledge Lucky Star, shooting down ideas is not what we want to be doing here, no matter how far-fetched you may think them to be."

"My apologies your Highness," The Spellcrafter, Lucky Star, replied. "It's just...we're just dealing with an unprecedented situation and taking unnecessarily complicated actions could be more detrimental than beneficial."

"We understand that," Luna interjected. "But perhaps complicated actions are what are needed to accomplish this unprecedented conundrum."

"I...yes...yes, you're right," Lucky Star slowly concedes. "We will run Zaman's proposal by the other team. We will inform you of our progress."

"Good. You're all doing incredible work," Celestia praised. "I know we can accomplish this."

Twilight sat quietly as she rested her chin against her clasped hands. The other Mages and Spellcrafters wandered throughout the room, keeping to staying close to the wall, avoiding the large blue hologram in the centre of the large office space. Equations, models and other such scientific tools and instruments floated softly as various simulations ran as the many bodies present went about drinking their next cup of coffee or ate their high-energy snacks.

Thoughts ran through the woman's brain at terminal speeds, theories and hypotheses joined in with pure guesswork to make an amalgam of torrential ideas and concepts. Off to her right, a group of Mages and Spellcrafters spoke idly, their comments adding to the fuel of her mental fire, influencing her thoughts. But while all of this was happening inside her head, one theory a young Spellcrafter had proposed some hours ago held her attention.

Momentarily humming to herself, she stood suddenly and stepped over to a small cooler that had been delivered upon a specific request. Reaching for the lid, she hesitated and closed her eyes, shuddering and swallowing the rising bile before steeling her nerves and her resolve. Wrapping her hand around the magically reinforced lock, she applied specific pressure to it, the mechanisms inside shifting and clicking into place before it opened, allowing her to open it.

As she fully reached inside, she shivered as the cold air and colder innards touched her skin before she pulled out one of the contents of the cooler. In her hand was a sealed plastic bag, the object inside wrapped tightly in gauze. It was Percival's foot.

The woman blanched as she held the severed limb at a distance, she moved towards the centre where the blue hologram kept churning out data while signalling the group that had been speculating. As they moved, she began removing the limb from the plastic bag.

"Got an idea?" One of the Mages asked, their horn enveloping in a yellow aura while the others joined in.

"I've got a mild inspiration. I'd like to see if it checks out," Twilight replied, removing Percival's foot from the gauze. "Let's run just one last sim before we pack it in for the night."

Lifting Percival's foot into the air, she floated it towards one of the group. "let's see if Zaman's theory holds credence," She continued. "So add that as the spell catalyst and change the overall spell format."

The Mages and Spellcrafters nodded in unison as they focused their magic on Percival's foot. Tendrils of energy flowed from their horns to his appendage, then to the large hologram. The equations and visual feedback froze before disappearing completely, leaving only a central orb floating in place.

"What changes did you have in mind?" A Mage asked, stepping up next to the young academic.

"Instead of sticking to the helix design like we were doing before, can we instead do it in the shape of a Mobius Strip?" Twilight suggested as the group's horns flashed resulting in the hologram transforming from the central orb into the shape of a 3-D Mobius Strip as the Paladin's foot moved from the front of the group to the middle of the Strip. Equations appeared once more, cascading down beside the Strip in a vertical line like a river of data. Suddenly, an idea popped into the woman's head. "Hmmm, can we incorporate a tracker spell? And if so, how advanced can we make it?"

The mages and spellcrafters raised their brows in unison before exchanging quiet words, leaving Twilight to wait patiently. After a minute or so, they turned back to her. "It would be difficult and it would take time, but we could do it."

"Do it."

The Mages and Spellcrafters nodded again and turned to face one another, huddling together in a circle, their horns meeting in the middle while a bright aura of shifting colours emanated from where their horns connected. Minutes passed by and the group began gritting their, sweat slowly dripping down their faces as they strained to complete the integration of their most advanced tracking spell. Before long, they all let out a gasp and a small orb jumped from their horns to the centre of the Strip, slamming into Percival's severed foot, becoming an integral basis for the spell to work.

Tilting her head as she watched the flow of data fall, she hummed to herself again. "Huh. Can we get the eigenvalue of..." She pointed at a spot on the hologram. "...that particle factoring in temporal decomp?"

The group's horns glowed once more, but only briefly this time. The hologram started to shift, causing the Strip to shake. The intricate details seemed to detach and then reattach themselves together, resembling waves on a calm ocean. Suddenly, various lines appeared at one end of the Strip. Some curved sharply, while others remained straight, but none ever intersected. This continued for several minutes, making Twilight's heart race and her breath catch as some lines came dangerously close to meeting, but never quite did as each attempt ended with bright flashes of red. Finally, a darker-coloured line extended further than the others and connected back to the starting point.

And then, the hologram lit up in a vibrant green hue.

Celestia and Luna groaned as they closed the doors to the eldest sibling's large chambers, removing their regalia after a particularly long day. Luna flopped herself unceremoniously upon her sister's plush bed while Celestia held her head in her hands as she sat at her vanity table.

Luna couldn't help but stare with a mixture of sadness and empathy. Outwardly, she stood tall, her hair and feathers combed and preened to perfection. She seemed to be fairing no differently than any other day in her millennia-long life. The key word being seemed. Luna having known her sister her entire life, could see past the mask she erected. Her eyes were very faintly bloodshot, her eyelids hanging ever so slightly lower than they should be. Occasionally, she would stifle a yawn, trying to shake off the weariness.

Luna stepped behind her sister, wrapping her arms and wings around her as she let out a tired sigh.

"We will find him sister," Luna whispered.

"I know we will," Celestia said firmly, though her words came out as though she was trying to convince herself more than anything. "We are on the verge of a breakthrough. I know we are."

Just as quickly as her resolve began to hold strong, it seemed to crumble, her face falling as her brow scrunched. "But what....what if we don't?" She asked quietly, turning to face her Lunar sibling. "What if this is like Vihaan? What if we never find him? What if-"

Celestia suddenly stood. "We have scoured every tome countless times, consulted with every available magically skilled Unicorn at our disposal! Whatever spell that took him is ancient and we have next to nothing!" She ranted as her sister let her vent her frustrations. "Even with my student's findings, it could take months at the very least to complete when we might not even have weeks! As we are, we cannot hope to defend ourselves should the demons attack again!"

"Stop. This line of thinking will not help us," Luna said resolutely, reaching up and gently cupping her older sister's cheeks. "This will not be like Vihaan. It has only been two weeks. We will find him and we will bring him back."

"What if we can't?" Celestia replied, her voice becoming strained and weak, its softness lacking any of its usual grandeur. "We have to accept the limits of our power. We are powerful but we are far from omnipotent. Even Mother and Father couldn't touch the flow of time."

"These thoughts are not yours," Luna stated, gently taking her sister's hands and giving them a comforting squeeze. "You have not been eating properly and you have not slept in the time since Percival's disappearance. Sister, you need to rest."

"I..." Celestia closed her eyes, hanging her head slightly as she slowly nodded. "You're right. I am doing no one any favours."

"I shall handle our duties. You focus on resting. For Percival," Luna said softly, hugging her taller sibling close.

Just as the words left her mouth, there was a knocking at Celestia's chamber doors, frantic and forceful. The sisters shared a curious look before the eldest took the doors in her magic, quickly opening them and allowing Twilight to burst in, surprising both Monarchs with her ferocity. She stood there breathing heavily for a moment with a broad, accomplished grin spread across her face.

"We figured it out!"

The Princesses stood in shock and awe alongside the group of Spellcrafters and Mages, basking in the green hues of the hologram for a moment as they watched the completed simulation spin slowly.

"I...how?" Celestia asked incredulously.

"We had been treating this like any other teleportation, but on a much larger scale. While we weren't wrong in thinking that way, there were extra steps we hadn't accounted for," Twilight explained. "After running the sim a few times and looking over the equations, we realised what we needed is tangentially similar to a standard teleportation but we found out that a temporal teleport would need two anchors with a single connecting point, one in the originator time-space and one where he may have ended up with a single connecting throughline."

"So by using the helixes we found as a blueprint and by incorporating Percivals...remains...like Zaman suggested-" She continued. "-it would not only create an anchor for the originator time-space, I.E, here, but it would also create a genetic imprint on the spell which when combined with the most advanced locator spells we have, could lead us to him, latch onto him, making him the second anchor and allow us to pull him back!"

"Lady Sparkle this..." Luna trailed off as she watched the hologram spin. "...this is revolutionary."

"But, we ran the numbers and...it would take months at least to accumulate the necessary energy to power the spell," She said, handing the Princesses a clipboard.

"Due to the fact we don't know where in time he is, we would need the accumulative power to span hundreds of thousands of years," She explained as the two Monarchs scanned the clipboard she handed them. "Potentially much, much further."

The Princesses shared a look as they flipped the pages, looking back and forth between several of the mathematical calculations and many more of the potential outputs before settling on the bare minimum they would need to provide the spell in front of them, their minds running overtime to work out the higher percentages.

"It's possible," Celestia whispered

"We'd be left recuperating for a week at least," Luna whispered back. "You potentially longer in your current state."

"Can we afford to lose this opportunity?"

Luna didn't reply right away. "...no..."

Celestia flashes a soft smile to her sister giving her shoulder a soft, reassuring squeeze before looking toward the hologram and then to the group, who also gazes upon it, writing down on several notepads and other parchments. "We will power the spell."

All commotion in the room ceased as all present stared at their Princesses in shock. Twilight stepped forward.

"Princess, the process could leave you debilitated for weeks!" She exclaimed. "That amount of power is-"

"We know of the risks, my dear student," Celestia said softly, her tired eyes flashing with a newfound source of determination. "And these are risks we may have to take."

"But-"

"It's alright, my student," Celestia said, this time a little more firmly.

"But I..." The young academic started, before cutting herself off, slowly nodding as her mentor squeezed her shoulder also.

Letting go, Celestia's horn glowed, the golden aura surrounding her hand, and she dragged it across the air in front of her, the hologram sputtering before it dimmed and disappeared. The twins moved to the centre of the room as Twilight, the Mages and Spellcrafters moved to the edges of the room. One Diarch stood opposite the other, lowering their heads while lightly spreading their arms, their palms facing outwards. The tips of their horns began to glow their respective colour, washing the room in a swirling cascade of vibrant gold and deep navy blue. The glow from their horns slowly built in intensity, until the previously dim room was drowned in their light, effortlessly cutting away the darkness.

As the glow reached its apex, globules slowly trickled from their horns before pouring out. Bright mass flowed from Celestia's horn, seemingly similar in consistency to molten gold while a dense blue surged from Luna, taking the form of cascading water. Meeting in the middle, the two forms of liquid-like magic congealed at the centre of the room, moulding and rippling like oil on water, building mass over several minutes before something happened.

Sweat began to condense on the Princess's foreheads, dripping down their faces in thick droplets as they concentrated, pouring as much magic into the speel as they could. The growing mass suddenly stopped, ceasing all movement for a moment before morphing into a vertical line that shifted, spinning to create a circle as the colours changed from a congealing blue and gold to bright iridescent, shimmering waves folding in on themselves as the edges flickered like fire.

A chill air and soft wind filled the room, bellowing robes, dresses and lab coats alike as the now circular mass swirled and flowed, shifting and rippling like the surface of a tranquil lake kissed by the morning sun. A kaleidoscopic of iridescent shimmering glass cast prismatic hues in a mesmerizing dance, pulsing with an eery glow. The now-opened passageway whirls onward from the facing point of view, the walls creating a borealis-like atmosphere of thick weightiness.

The air filled with a high pitch whine, accompanied by a symphony of yelling whispers as vivid bursts of ancient runes etched into the crystalline walls. These symbols, glowing with an inner fire, pulsed rhythmically, resonating with the sound of an apparent heartbeat.

"Oh my Gods," One of the mages muttered as the rest simply looked on with both awe and fear.

The Princesses suddenly stumbled back, Celestia fully falling to her knees, her sister quickly came to her side, being careful to avoid the apparent portal as she gently lifted her to her feet. Muttering her thanks and appreciation, the two looked at their handy work with equal parts astonishment and trepidation.

"This is...unlike anything I have ever seen," Luna said, her voice barely audible over the torrent of noise despite her holding a regular volume.

"This is...this is incredible!" Twilight shouted as she came to her mentor's side, looking down the swirling vortex. "It's like...an infinite corridor or something!"

"We need to be careful! We are treading uncharted grounds!" Celestia shouted as well, trying her best to steady her shaking legs while the trio slowly approached the opening.

"Your Highness!" One of the Mages yelled, quickly catching the trio's attention as he tightly held onto his hat. "We took a precautionary scan and the vortex seems to be stable! Whatever you did, it worked!"

As the words left his mouth, a loud gong filled the air as all present flinched away while the opening began shifting again, expanding outwards, taking over the room. Now standing amidst the mosaic of polished obsidian and celestial marble, the group huddled close as a bright light flashed beside them. Starting from a small pinpoint, the deep waves seemed to peel back in thick layers like cotton candy being dipped in water. The layers shrunk to reveal a savana, the sun dipping behind the horizon before deep thumping shook the ground while the silhouette of a large biped appeared in the distance. Mechanical whirring registered in their ears as the figure approached and stepped over them, the behemoth disappearing into the fog while the opening closed behind it.

More openings appeared around them seconds later, flashes of far-off worlds. A deep forest with a loud yell, a man atop a rotten carcass of a long dead tree, covered in mud holding a makeshift torch aloft as his voice echoed throughout the brush. A titanic lizard battling a colossal ape amidst a glowing city. A man in a red spandex suit on a tarmac road surrounded by mechanical carriages talking to a large being of metal and a smaller teenage girl. A dying man resting on a mountainside, looking upon the eastward sunrise as he took his last breath. A woman fighting off a large black carapaced creature in a mechanised suit of yellow, a small girl and a man torn in half with a white liquid seeping from his wounds some distance away.

Finally, a small window peeled open as the rest closed. A single man in a relatively small study, a thick mane of vibrant red hair plumed from his head, an equally thick bread and moustache sprouting from his face. He peered over his shoulder, a small smile spread across his face as he set down the quill in his hands. He turned fully to face the group as recognition flashed through the Princess's eyes.

"So you finally figured it out," He said, his baritone voice raspy yet rich.

Before any of them could respond, the opening slowly closed, and the Princess's hands twitched, ready to reach out but stopping before they could get the chance. The floor beneath them began to glow, growing quickly in intensity, and their vision was consumed soon after while a resonating tinnitus filled their ears. As the glare in their eyes and the ringing in their ears cleared, they were back in the room from before, the room dimmed as the light from before disappeared entirely. Glancing around in silence, the group looked at each other, silently asking the other what had just transpired.

"Did...did it work?" One of the Spellcrafters asks after a minute of contemplative silence.

The Princesses glance at each other before their horns glow, their expressions of concentration shifting to that of concern.

"I-I can't sense him. Sister?" Celestia asked quietly.

Luna only shook her head in response.

"Umm....your Highness?" A Mage suddenly speaks up, his voice filled with uncertainty.

"Yes, my little Pony?" She said, trying to keep her tired voice up and hopeful despite the implications that had suddenly reared their ugly heads.

"Are clouds supposed to be pink?"

Author's Note

Apologies for the wait for this one, been a bit busy lately with life and another story idea I've toying with
Also, time travel's a bitch. Won't lie, I was spitballing for most of the explanations but it was still fun to write :rainbowlaugh:
Anyway, enjoy, and hopefully, the next ones easier to write (definitely jinxed myself)

Please point out any mistakes I may have made
Constructive criticism is always appreciated
Until next time, TTFN!

Chapter 24 - "Mayhem Cometh" - Part 1

Five individuals rushed through the hectic streets of Canterlot, the scrambling nobles panicking as they pointed and gawked at the clouds. The group quickly arrived at the palace as the Guards rushed them inside, corralling them towards where the Princesses and their friend were. Coming to the throne room, the Princesses, Ghost and Twilight stood, turning to face the rapidly approaching group of friends.

"We came as soon as we could," Applejack said, her breath heavy as she put her hands on her knees to catch her breath.

"We thank you for coming on such short notice," Celestia said with a heavy tone. "I wish it were under better circumstances."

"With all due respect Princess, but what the heck is happening!? everything's crazy out there!" Rainbow Dash exclaimed. "And where's Percy? Twilight said you guys were close to getting him back."

Twilight stepped forward, rubbing her arm in an almost ashamed manner as she kept her eyes on the floor in front of her. "The...we worked out a spell. it....didn't work like how we thought it would," She said quietly.

The mood of the room seemed to fall further than it already was, the newly arrived group looking between their friend and the Princesses, some even looking to the somehow quieter Ghost.

"It...it didn't work?" Rarity repeated.

"So he's gone?" Fluttershy whispered.

"I am sorry but there is a matter of great importance we must focus on," Celestia said, catching the group's attention as they quietly agreed. Looking at her sister, the two Princesses nodded. "Follow us."

As the Princesses guided the group through the busy halls, they finally reached a set of doors and pushed them open. The group followed, with Ghost keeping an eye out around them, glancing behind them occasionally. The corridor they entered was lined with colourful stained glass windows depicting different moments from the past, including when the Princesses had just started to more recent events, of the six friends taking down Nightmare Moon.

The group was amazed by the beautiful artwork and momentarily forgot about their friend's situation. The Princesses turned to speak to them once more.

"As most of you should be aware, my sister and I imprisoned a being of chaos called Discord," Luna said. "He is why the world seems to be falling apart outside and is the reason we called you all here today."

Motioning towards one of the many windows, the one she pointed to held the glass rendition of the Agent of Chaos. A lanky man, roughly the same height as the Princesses, clad in a brown three-piece suit. A deer and antelope horn protruded from his jet-black hair, adorned with white sideburns. His eyebrows, thick and bushy with a salt-and-pepper hue, arched over two yellow eyes, each with red pupils of varying sizes. His left arm bore the likeness of a scaled talon, while his right arm resembled a lion's paw. Two wings sprouted from his back, one resembling a bat's and the other a bird's. His legs appeared relatively normal, except for his mismatched shoes - one a darker beige and the other a green. All topped off with a white goatee and a single snaggletooth poking out from his top lip.

"When dealing with Nightmare Moon, you all demonstrated the remarkable ability to wield each of your respective Element," Celestia said, her voice holding pride. "Which is why we must ask you to wield them again. For only you six can."

"This is where the Elements have been stored since you recovered them," Luna said, indicating towards the back of the hall to a large set of doors with banners on the sides, both holding the symbol of the sun and moon. "Take them. Wield the Elements again and defeat Discord."

"We won't let you down your Highnesses," Applejack said.

"But wait, eternal chaos comes with chocolate rain people, chocolate rain!" Pinkie Pie exclaimed, clinging to the farmgirl's shoulders as Rarity moved to remove her as she pointed towards one of the windows, thick chocolate milk pelting off of the outside surface. "The school books say it can't be here again!"

"Don't listen to her princess, we'd be honoured to use the Elements again," Twilight said, while Rainbow Dash chuckled at the party girls' antics.

The Princesses giggled subtly, happy to have some levity given the situation. The two walked over to the doors, placing their hands on an inset grove on both doors and channelled energy into it from their horns to their hands. Pressing their hands deeper into the groves, the door made a few clicking noises before the seams lit up, opening to reveal a gem-encrusted box sitting atop a smooth stone pedestal.

"With how well you handled Nightmare Moon, I have total confidence you will defeat Discord with these," Celestia said as she levitated the case closer to her. But when she opened it, all they were met with were gasps and confused stares. The case was empty.

"Well if anyone needs me, I'll be outside with a giant bendy straw," Pinkie Pie said completely unfazed by the situation and began to walk off.

"Oh no you don't," Ghost said, immediately turning her around.

"But this chamber was protected by a spell only we could we could get passed," Luna said, glancing up between the empty box and her sister. "This doesn't make sense."

Suddenly, a disembodied laugh emanated throughout the hall, the dissonant echo bouncing off of the walls. "Make sense? Awww, where's the fun in making sense."

"Discord!?" Celestia shouted. "Where are you!?

"Show yourself, you fiend!" Luna yelled.

"Did you two miss me? I certainly missed you," Discord said as one of the window murals of him came to life, moving from window to window, stopping at a picture of the Mane Six standing around a pedestal with the elements of harmony resting atop it. "It gets rather lonely being imprisoned in stone, especially when that stone is in Tartarus! But you wouldn't know that would you? That's just not my MO."

"Enough! How did you escape!?" Luna demanded.

"And where are the Elements!?" Celestia shouted, stamping her foot on the marble floor, cracking it slightly under her heel. "They had better be safe or so help me!"

"How did I get out? Not a clue," Discord shrugged. "One minute I was having a rather lovely conversation with a man who sold masks for a living, the next I was in the Everfree."

"As for the Elements. Nothing really. Just borrowed them for a moment," Discord said, snapping his fingers to make the picture of the elements disappear. "Come on, it's like you don't know me!"

"You will never get away with this Discord!" Luna yelled, pointing firmly at the moving mural of Discord.

"Uuuugh, I forgot how grim and serious you two can be," Discord groaned. "Honestly, it gets so boring!"

"Hey! No one insults the Princesses!" Rainbow yelled charging at Discord, only for Ghost to swiftly grab her ankle, pulling her back towards the group and standing in front of them.

"Oh, you must be Rainbow Dash, famed for her loyalty. The element of harmony you represent," Discord said as he reappeared on the opposite mural behind them. "Though I can't say I recognise the big fellow."

"Be thankful for that mate," Ghost growled.

"That's right I'll always be loyal to the Princesses," Rainbow said, baring her teeth at the glass version of the Lord of Chaos.

"We'll see about that," Discord said as he disappeared once more between the stained windows.

"I can't believe we're wasting time talking to a tacky window," Rarity said, slowly rubbing her temples.

"Ah the beautiful Rarity, representing the element of generosity," Discord said appearing in a window right next to Rarity as Applejack jumped in front of her.

"Ya keep her name out yer filthy mouth," Applejack snarled. "And you know who we are, big deal."

"My my, feisty," Discord said as he enlarged himself to fit the window. "And I know much more than that honest Applejack."

"You seem to know our strength too," Twilight said as Discord reappeared in the window with the Mane Six standing around the empty pedestal.

"Yes, Twilight Sparkle and yours is the most powerful and elusive element, magic. Fluttershy's is kindness." Discord said. "And Pinkie Pie is a personal favourite of mine, laughter."

"But I'm still stuck on this new guy," Discord commented, idly running his hand over his goatee. "Feel like I should know him."

"Well, why don't you come down here and we'll get real acquainted you demented bastard," Ghost squinted his eyes, tightening his grip around Ace from its place in the makeshift holster.

"I'll have you know I'm only partly demented, thank you very much!" Discord said, folding his arms and blowing raspberries in an annoyed fashion.

"Enough stalling Discord! What have you done with the Elements of Harmony!?" Celestia demanded.

"Oh, my Lords above! So boring Celestia, really. Fine. Fine! I'll tell you, but I'll only tell you in my own way," He said in an exasperated tone, before quickly clearing his throat.

"To find your missing elements, just make sense of this change of events. Twists and turns are my master plan, then find the Elements back where you began," Discord finished as the picture of himself returned to its proper place and stopped moving.

"Riddles," Ghost said with a loud sigh. "Fuckin' hell."

"Can we go home now?" Fluttershy asked quietly.

"What do ya think he meant? Twists and turns then back where we started?" Applejack asked as Twilight began to pace.

As the academic walked off, she muttered under her breath, repeating the Chaos Lord's words, doing her best to decipher them. "Twists and turns. Twists and turns," She mumbled, her feet leading her towards one of the clear windows, her eyes landing on the thick hedge maze out in the castle's garden "Twists and turns, that's it! I bet Discord hid the Elements in the palace labyrinth," She exclaimed, lightly slapping the stone window frame in her excitement.

"Well...that was easy," Ghost muttered to himself.

"Good luck My Little Ponies. The fate of Equestria is in your hands."

"We won't let you down!" Twilight said before she and the rest of the group ran off out of the room.

"Join them Ghost," Celestia whispered. "Without Percival's aid, I fear they may be all we have."

Ghost nodded at the Princesses as he rushed to follow close behind the group.

Standing in front of the labyrinth entrance, Ghost glanced around at the disturbingly quiet garden as the ruckus of the city was silenced, even the birds dared not make a peep. Looking over the tall hedge walls, the tops of which were lined with sharp black thorns, an uncertain hum rumbled in Ghost's throat.

"I don't like this," He murmured to himself.

"We-we don't have to go there, do we?" Fluttershy trembled, hiding behind Applejack as the group stared at the maze entrance.

"Of course we don't! Discord forgot about these babies!" Rainbow Dash boasted, flaring her wings. "I'll just fly in and get the Elements lickidy split!"

In a single flap, the daredevil was already above the hedge but before she could get any further, her wings disappeared in a sudden flash of white light and she quickly found herself bouncing off of the ground back where she began.

"Ow," She wheezed quietly.

Ghost was quick to her side just as more flashes popped up amongst the group as Fluttershy's wings also vanished along with Twilight and Rarity's horns. A flash also appeared around Ghost's body, though no visible changes seemed to occur as he helped the down Rainbow speedster.

"The hell?" He murmured, looking over himself as the girls began to panic.

All of a sudden, a small light appeared before the entrance, white with a faint green outline that grew fainter as the ball expanded before disappearing completely as streaks of electricity licked the grassy ground, burning and charring where it impacted as Discord stood there, cackling like a madman, double over and clutching his stomach.

"You should see the looks on your faces! Absolutely priceless!" Discord said, wiping away a stray tear before he found himself looking down the barrel of the Ace of Spades.

The Ace's signature bang sounded from the firearm, and a large fireball formed at the end of the weapon as the side of Discord's face disappeared in an instant. The girls screamed as the Lord of Chaos held his pose while his grey matter and chunks of bone seemed to be suspended in the air by nothing before slowly whipping back forward, his head snapping back into place with an exaggerated pop while the Lord himself held an offended and annoyed expression.

"Well, that was just plain rude," He said, folding his arms with a harumph.

"Give us back our wings and horns back!" Twilight demanded.

"Oh, you'll get them back in good time," Discord said, lightly slapping away the Ace away from his face as Ghost took a step back. Disappearing in a flash, he reappeared next to Applejack, lightly nudging her. "I simply took them to ensure there's no cheating.

"You see, this is the first rule of our game," He quickly fell to the floor, slithering up between Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy as the latter hid behind the former." No wings-" He slithered away again, coming straight up to the purple-clad Unicorn and running his finger along her jaw, staring her straight in the eye. "-and no magic."

"The first rule?" Rainbow Dash repeated.

Appearing back at the entrance, Ghost stood between him and the group while Discord continued. "The second is rather simple. Everyone has to play or the game is over and I win," He twiddled his fingers, grinning meniacally.

"Good luck everyone!" Cackling once again, he disappeared in the same flash of white he appeared in, his voice echoing one last time. "Oh and watch out for the Black-furs. They can be quite vicious," And with that final declaration, the garden fell to silence.

"Black-fu..? Oh, you've gotta be shittin' me," Ghost said as his shoulders fell slightly.

"Never fear guys. We have each other!" Twilight exclaimed.

"Exactly! We can do anything as long as we stick together!" Rainbow nodded as the others joined in.

"Alright, guys," Twilight said. "Let's do this!"

The seven made their way in, the thick hedge walls rising high above them. Ghost took the lead, Ace tight in his grip as he glanced behind them occasionally as silence reigned over the maze as did on the outside. They walked for what felt like hours, and looking to the sky for any indication of how much time had passed bore no fruit as it seemed as though it was locked perpetually in midday.

Glancing down at his watch, Ghost's eyes squinted as the watch hands spiralled faster than they had any right to, spinning as though it were being wound by hand. "I really don't like this."

"Hey Ghost, can I ask you something?" Rainbow Dash asked suddenly.

"Shoot."

"Since you're using Percy's...gun?" Ghost nodded. "Why aren't you using his sword?"

"Couldn't lift the damn thing," He replied as they continued through the maze. "It was a miracle the Princesses could lodge it out of the wall. It's like it got heavier after he disappeared."

"Even the Princesses had trouble lifting it?" Rainbow Dash asked incredulously. "Man, if Percy was here, he'd get this done in no time."

"Makes ya wonder how strong Percy is, don't it?" Applejack commented.

"I hope he's alright," Fluttershy whispered.

"I'm sure he's okay. He's strong," Twilight reassured her friend.

"Yeah! I'm sure no matter where ever he is, he'll be back in no time," Pinkie Pie said, putting her arm around the timid woman's shoulder.

"I hate to change the subject but is no one else worried about the 'Black-furs' Discord mentioned?" rarity chimed in. "And you didn't seem very happy at their mention, Ghost."

"Me and Percival fought them at Las Almas," He replied as they rounded a corner. "Nasty little buggers."

Just as the words left his mouth, a twig suddenly snapped behind them and a deep snarl registered in the group's ears. Ushering the group behind him, mumbling something about timing. Ghost immediately raised Ace and trained his sights on a faint shadow looming around the corner. The shadow lumbered forward, the growling slowly stronger as the tall man tightened his grip around the firearm.

The shadow slowly turned the corner and the hedge at Ghost's side burst open, and a large, thick black-furred beast wrapped its arms around him as it barreled through to the other side as the sound of struggling met the girl's ears as the shadow peered at them with six glowing clouded blue eyes.

Snarling at them, the beast's tongue lulled over its split lower jaw, saliva running down each side over its needle thing teeth as the low sunlight bounced off of its dark grey scales and black fur lined back as spikes jutted out from its back. Throwing its skinny arm out, a thick blade extended from its forearm before it bent its lanky legs and ran forward.

The girls screamed as a bang ran out, a stray bullet penetrated its neck, the force behind it blowing the long appendage wide open as it fell to the ground. Ghost poked his head through the hole his and the demon's bodies made, his body jittering as he fought off the demon while several shrieks sounded out around them.

"Run!"

Applejack and Rarity ran as fast as their legs could carry them, their friends close beside them as the sounds of yells, bangs and shrieks began to dim behind them. The group would glance behind them as they ran the maze as best they could, trying to navigate it while worrying about their safety was not an easy feat.

They ran for several minutes before stopping, all breathing heavily as they stopped to catch their breath.

"What the heck was that thing!?" Rainbow Dash shouted as she moved to Fluttershy, doing her best to comfort the hyperventilating woman. "Was that the thing Discord warned us of?"

"Well whatever it was, it sure as hell weren't happy," Applejack said as she checked on Rarity.

"Come on girls, we need to keep moving. We can't be far now," Twilight said, determination filling her words.

But before any of them could get much farther, the ground began to rumble as thick thorned hedges burst from the ground between them, blocking them off from each other and throwing those who were side by side to the ground. The six friends yelled out in surprise and confusion as they scrambled to their feet, trying to find a way through.

"Rares!" Applejack shouted, trying to at least find a hole to look through. "Rares! Ya alright!?"

"I'm alright darling!" Her voice was faint through the thicket, but the farmgirl breathed a sigh of relief upon hearing her.

"Girl?"

"I'm okay!" Pinkie Pie shouted.

"Same here!" Rainbow Dash joined in.

"I want to go home!" Fluttershy's voice cracked as she shouted.

"It's alright Flutters! You're gonna be fine!" Rainbow Dash shouted, trying to calm her nerve-wracked friend.

"Just stay calm girls! We'll be fine!" Twilight shouted. "Everyone try your best to head to the middle as fast as you can! We'll regroup there!"

"Moving out!"

"See you at the centre!"

"See you guys there!"

Nodding to themselves, the girls wasted no time in turning on their heels, picking the only direction they could go. Turning back towards where she heard her voice, Applejack breathed slowly.

"I'll meet you at the centre Love," Rarity said, her voice faint, but soft and reassuring. "I love you."

"I love ya too," Applejack replied. "Stay safe!"

"You know me, darling," Rarity said, her voice growing fainter. "I'm the epitome of safety."

~~

"Why the heck...would they put...a damned labyrinth in the castle garden? Just...why?" She said to herself.

Running through the winding walls of the palace labyrinth, Applejack's legs carried her as fast as they could as she continued to quietly mutter to herself. Rounding a corner, she glanced down a random pathway, quickly backpedalling as something caught her eye. Stepping up to what she saw, her eyes rested on a trio of bright red apples, their surfaces sheening in the cloudy sun. The apples shuddered at her presence, moving seemingly at random, bouncing off of each other before rolling further down the path they were on.

"What the what?" She said quietly, slowly following them as they rolled away.

Following them as they moved, they rounded several corners, rolling at a steady pace before they came to a large clearing, apple tree growing from the ground as far as the eye could see while the three apples simply rolled in a circle.

"Where...?" Applejack started, only to be interrupted as an apple hit her square in the head.

Looking up, the tree shook as more apples of varying colours fell to the ground, rolling towards her as they separated into three piles, raucous laughter filled her ears. The piles continued to roll around her, their laughter sounding almost mocking in nature as they slowly rose, indents forming on each pile in makeshift faces, the leaves of stems creating a disturbing visage of eyes.

"What...? Who...are y'all?" She asked quietly.

"We are the Keepers of the Grove of Truths," The red pile replied. "You may ask us-"

"-one question-" The yellow pile continued.

"-past, future or present," The green pile finished.

"But be warned...that the truth...will not always be pleasant," They said, alternating in taking turns to speak, continuing to roll around the farmgirl, the others still laughing as one of them spoke.

"Alright then, I don't trust this place worth a lick o' salt, but I got a bad feelin' about this fella Discord," She said, more to herself than to the piles that still encircled her. "What's gonna come o' this mission we're on?"

Suddenly, the piles stopped, falling to the ground for a moment before rolling off towards a small body of water. Tentatively stepping up to it, Applejack peered down into it as the piles stopped beside her.

"For the answers you seek...take a peek," The piles said, again alternating between them.

Peering down into the water, dirt fell from the bank creating a deep ripple as Applejack's vision was overtaken. Visions of her friends in the middle of Ponyville's street, their mouths moving wordlessly, fingers pointed and faces scrunched in anger. One by one, they left, stomping their feet as they went their separate ways. Falling back, Applejack scrambled away as the piles seemingly began to laugh harder.

"No...no that can't be right. We're all friends, we..." She said to herself. "Heck, me n' Rares, we...no...no that can't be it."

"All the truth does...is make the heart ache," The piles said, their tones jeering and their makeshift faces gleaming as their voices began to lower, Discord's hands slowly cupping the sides of her face as his eyes swirled. "Sometimes a lie is easier to take."

Bounding down the maze with the usual pep in her step, Pinkie Pie whistled herself a small tune as distorted laughter slowly came to her ears. Rounding a corner, the laughter became clear, her eyes swiftly landing on balloons, countless balloons wafting softly in the wind as the laughter continued in her ears.

"Wow, this is the best balloon garden I've ever seen!" She exclaimed. "It's the first I've seen but still-whoa!"

Falling to the ground, the party girl peered over her shoulder, seeing one of the balloons tied tightly around her ankle as several others floated up next to it, sneering and testing laughter filling her head as they looked down at her, the whole garden soon joining in as they surrounded her.

"What gives?"

"What's the matter?" Discord said, suddenly appearing in a flash in the clearing a few metres away from the downed party animal. "I thought you appreciated a good laugh?"

"This is different," She said, trying to free her still-bound ankle. "Their laughing at me, not with me."

"It's hard being different, isn't it?" He said, his head disappearing behind a balloon as it spun, bearing his likeness. "Your friends laugh at you all the time!"

"My friends laugh with me, not at me," She said, finally freeing her leg.

"Oh really?" He said as the balloon circled around her, faster and faster still as his voice joined the cacophony.

The laughter got louder and louder, the balloons getting closer and closer as they bobbed up and down. The faces that had been painted before shifted and warped, flashing as the faces of her friends took their places, their laughs mocking her and taunting her.

"Stop it!" She shouted, scrunching down and clamping her hands around her ears.

"Oh, poor Pinkie Pie," The Discord balloon said softly, landing in front of her, his eyes whirling like a whirlpool and his hands sneaked out from behind it, gently touching her cheeks. "And here I thought laughter made you happy."

As Rarity walked, the landscape seemed to shift and change around her, the floor becoming walls while the wall became the ceiling. Despite this, she kept focus as she peered up towards the darkening sky, cringing as she felt a drop or two of rain.

"I can't say this was how my day was going to go," She said. "Cotton candy clouds. Chocolate rain. Craved animals. Now Ghost is fighting demons while we try to get to the centre of a Discord-infected palace hedge maze. At least Pinkie made a nice song about the rain thing."

As she finished talking to herself, she turned a corner and walked straight into a large stone wall. Clutching her nose to make sure it wasn't bleeding or broken, she looked at the wall and her eyes went wide. Encrusted in the centre were three large, perfectly cut gems, their surface shining and gleaming even in the low, dark clouded sky.

"Oh my," She whispered as she stepped closer, immediately spotting Discord's face appear within the gems, his low chuckle sound within her skull.

"Welcome to your lucky day! You have found the one thing in Equestria that could rival my face in sheer beauty!" He said. "What do we think? Do you like?"

"Yes," She said, her vision swimming as she slowly reached out towards the gems. "I like very much."

Just as she was about to touch the gems, she suddenly stopped, shaking her head as her senses came back to her, causing her to recoil.

"No, no. I shouldn't give in," She said, quickly turning on her heel. "I need to get to the centre and meet up with the others!"

"So you're willing to give up such a magnificent item?" Discord teased. "It can be all yours if you wanted."

She slowly stopped, glancing over her shoulder. "I...no. I shouldn't. I can't. What would Applejack think?"

Discord appeared at the corner of the bend, leaning against it as he motioned toward the three gems. "Just look at them! Such an incredible piece deserves to be with the only one who would truly appreciate them."

"They are incredible," She murmured, biting her lip before firmly shaking her head. "No! I...I must stay...focused!"

Discord simply raised his eyebrow, smirking at her as she slowed, glancing over her shoulder before racing up towards the gems held within the wall.

"Ok Fluttershy, you can do this. You can do this!"

A sudden feeling of air on the back of her neck quickly ceased her line of thought, sending the almost quivering woman diving into the hedge as she looked over her shoulder.

"Wait a minute!" She exclaimed quietly upon seeing what had caused her sudden panic. "Butterflies!"

"Wait! Don't leave me here!"

Chasing after them, she followed close behind them as they disappeared around the corner. Skidding to a stop, she hastily looked around the small clearing, she lost sight of them before a voice sounded behind her.

"Fluttershy," It said meekly as she turned to see it was the butterflies she had been chasing after. "Looks like you've been left behind by your so-called friends, huh?"

"Oh no, I'm sure they're doing their best to find me," She said confidently.

"Well, it must be so upsetting to know how weak and helpless they must think you are," The butterfly said as they circled around her head.

"Not at all! I am weak and helpless and I appreciate their understanding!"

"Yes, well, surely it burns you up, I mean," Butterfly said, its voice cracking slightly in apparent irritation before it composed itself. "They're always pointing out your flaws, right?"

"Not really. In fact, I think I'm awfully lucky to have friends who want me to be the best I can be," Fluttershy smiled warmly.

"Oh for the love of Helis and Argentum!" Discord shouted, appearing in a flash of white, harshly pressing his finger against Fluttershy's forehead. "You've been kind for far too long, my dear! About time you were cruel! Arrivederci!"

Bounding through the maze, Rainbow Dash bobbed and weaved through the clearing, diving into cover as she diligently kept an eye and an ear out for any potential threats. Looking past the section she was in, the daredevil did a double take as a cloud petered by, and a small rainbow lightning bolt flashed out from under it, the sound of thunder passing her ears.

"What the...?" She whispered to herself, her confusion changing to confidence. "Oh, I've got you now, Elements!"

Quickly pursuing it, she entered yet another clearing and skidded to a stop as she swiftly spotted Discord lounging between two trees on a hammock made from a soft, white cloud, wearing a pair of sunglasses as he sipped away at a margarita.

"I can see why enjoy these so much," He said, lightly patting the cloud beneath him. "Very plush."

"Get off there and put 'em up!" She said, swiftly raising her fists. "Come on! Let's go!"

"Hey," He said softly, raising his hand. "Don't shoot the messenger."

"Yeah, well, I've got a couple messages for you too!"

Rolling his eyes beneath his sunglasses, he took them off, his face shifting to a serious expression. "Listen closely. This is important."

Appearing next to her, he grinned widely. "An awaiting choice is yours to make. A right selection or a big mistake? If the wrong choice you choose to pursue, the foundations of home will crumble without you."

Snapping his fingers, the cloud from before appeared before Rainbow Dash's eye, spinning faster and faster until it was a blur, the woman's eyes swirling in a multi-coloured spiral, filling them with visions of her home city falling, towers and columns collapsing as people ran for safety. Disappearing as quickly as it appeared, a small box flashed in front of her, sparkling as it floated.

"That box contains your wings. You can take them and leave the game or you can carry one aimlessly wandering this maze," He said, running his finger along the side of her face. "Your choice."

Standing in the middle of a random clearing, Twilight ran her hand through her hair, almost threatening to tear it straight from her scalp.

At some point during her rather aimless wandering, she had met up with her friends but they didn't seem...themselves. Applejack lied about even the smallest things, Pinkie Pie refused to laugh, Rarity obsessed over a large rock and Fluttershy was being plain rude. To make matters worse, Applejack and Rarity didn't dare look each other in the eye, let alone speak to one another. Something must have happened to them after their separation and what could have caused it made Twilight assume the worst.

"We just need to find Rainbow Dash. Like she said, as a team, we're unstoppable!" She said as they began to move.

"Well lookie there," Applejack said suddenly. "Rainbow's flyin' away. She's gone an' abandoned us!"

"Now I know that's a lie," She said before spotting the aforementioned speedster flying off into the sky. "But...what?"

The ground began to shake as the hedge maze fell, crumbling to the ground as dirt was kicked up into the air, leaving the five standing amidst and glancing around the now-raised clearing, a deep crater taking where the maze once stood.

"Well, well, well," Discord said smugly, appearing before them in a flash, holding a limp Ghost by the back of his neck. "Looks like someone broke rule número uno!" Snapping his fingers, their horns and wings reappeared on their heads and backs.

"Games over My Little Ponies! You didn't find your oh-so-precious Elements!" Discord jeered as Ghost peered up at them limply, his once-piercing brown eyes now appearing dull. "Looks like we might be due for a big ol' storm of chaos!"

His wild cackling filled the air as lightning clashed high above them as he chucked Ghost's limp body into the air, the large man quickly becoming suspended as a thick bubble appeared around him. The lightning grew stronger and stronger before it eventually crashed to the ground, the thunder creating a cacophony as his cackles echoed around them.

Author's Note

Apologies for the wait friends, been real distracted of late with work and the Elden Ring DLC

Still, I enjoyed this one, been a while since I actually watched an episode but it definitely makes me want to rewatch them again
Hope you enjoyed

Please point out any mistakes I may have made
Constructive criticism is always appreciated
Until next time, TTFN!

Chapter 25 - "Mayhem Cometh" - Part 2

The world around Twilight began to slowly dull, the sounds of thunder and laughter quieting as her ears rang, the sounds of her friends arguing while her breath became heavy and shallow. She ran her hands through her hair as she paced slightly.

They had been close. So painfully close. She could feel it and yet it now felt far outside her grasp.

"Oh ho ho! You're certainly the most fun I've had in years!" Discord's voice snapped her out of her stupor as he lounged a small distance away, mindlessly tossing popcorn into his mouth as Ghost floated above his head, his gear long removed from his body. "It's just too entertaining!"

Storming up to the man, Twilight's brow scrunched deeply. "Stop this Discord!" She exclaimed. "You didn't play fair!"

"I didn't play fair? How naive are you?" He asked rhetorically. Standing from the lounge chair, he steadily approached the Unicorn as he continued "Perhaps we haven't met. I'm Discord? Spirit of Chaos and Disharmony? Hello~ Ring any bells?"

"How were we supposed to find the Elements when you took the labyrinth away before we could reach the end!"

As she spoke, Discord idly picked away at his nails, his head snapping to the woman as her words registered in his ears. "Wait, hold on. Did you-?" Laughter burst from his lips before he could finish. "Oh, how funny! You thought the Elements were in the Labyrinth?"

"But...that's what you said?" Twilight replied, tilting her head as her shoulders drooped ever so slightly.

"It doesn't seem like you were paying attention. What I said was "To find your missing elements, just make sense of this change of events. Twists and turns are my master plan, then find the Elements back where you began"," He said, repeating the riddle he provided. "I never said the Elements were in the labyrinth."

"But..." Twilight muttered. "But-!"

"Keep trying Twilight Sparkle, I'm sure a smart woman such as yourself can figure it out. Or maybe the magic of friendship can help you out!" He said, squishing his cheeks between his paw and talon before deadpanning. "Now if you'll be so kind as to excuse me, I have some Chaos to wreak!"

Raising his hand, he snapped his fingers as he and Ghost both disappeared in his signature flash of white light, leaving a confused Twilight as thunder clapped overhead, pink clouds swiftly moving above as chocolate rain began to pour.

"Chocolate milk!?" Pinkie shouted, trying her best to wipe the confectionary rain from her face. "Gross!"

"Okay, Twilight, think!" She said as she began pacing, lightly placing her hands over her ears to drown out the sounds of her arguing friends. "Find the Elements back where you began. Back where you began!"

Looking up at the sky, she cringed heavily as the chocolate milk slowly began to become sticky against her skin. Her friend's arguments picked up in intensity behind her, her shoulders dropped fully as the weight of the situation hit her like a ton of bricks.

"I just want to go home," She said feebly before her eyes snapped open wide as she was struck by a sudden inspiration. "Wait...home! Back where you began! The Elements must be in Ponyville!"

~~

Speeding towards the outskirts of her home, Twilight's legs burned as her friends followed slowly behind her, their arguments thankfully having stopped some time ago. Rising over a small hill, she skidded to a dead halt as her eyes landed on the landscape that had once been a peaceful village.

Torn from their foundations, several houses floated in the air high above the now black and white checkered patterned ground as half the town was drenched in milk. The houses still fortunate enough to be grounded were fused into each other, their geometry melting into one solid mass as wooden tendrils shot from the ground.

Shrieks filled the air as demons roamed the streets, chasing helpless townspeople between the broken alleys. Many were the same as the ones that attacked the town those many months ago while some looked like the ones the group had encountered.

"Sweet Celestia," Twilight whispered.

"Oh that ain't nothin' to worry about," Applejack shrugged.

Tearing her eyes from the scene before her, Twilight shook her head as she let out a deep exhale. "Alright Twi, you got this," She mumbled, looking over her shoulder at her slowly walking friends, quietly noting their colour seemed to be draining from them. "Come on girls! I'm certain this is what Discord's riddle really meant. If we can just get to my library, I have a book that I just know could give us a clue!"

Finishing her line of thought, a herd of long-legged rabbits suddenly barreled past, seemingly appearing out of nowhere. Snarling and baring their razor-sharp teeth, she quickly jumped back before a few dared take a quick snap at her as Fluttershy offered them praises, happily cooing like she would any normal animal. Watching them run into the woods, the sky suddenly darkened, the sun rapidly falling beyond the mountains while the moon shot up to take its place.

"That's not right," Twilight muttered. "Only the Princesses control the sun and moon."

Staring up towards the night sky, her feet suddenly gave way under her, her weight shifting as she scrambled to gain her balance. Her changed friend fared no better as she looked down, spotting a thin layer of water spread out along the path before her, thick bubbles popping up at random while the scent of strawberries wafted to her nose.

"Is this...soap? Did Discord change the road to soap?" She mumbled as the sky brightened, the Chaos Spirit skating by effortlessly upon the mention of his name.

"Wonderful, isn't it?" He said, his hands held behind his back as he kicked himself along the once-dirt road. "This is my new and improved Ponyville and these are only my first set of changes!"

Appearing beside the lavender-clothed woman, Discord wrapped his arm around Twilight's neck, lifting her up as he waved his hand through the air, the sun once more falling as the moon rose. "Just picture it! The chaos capital of the world!"

"But what about the people!" She shouted, pointing to the demon-infested town. "They're going to be killed! They're innocent!"

"Haven't done your research, I see. This is tame compared to what I used to do." Discord said, dropping Twilight to the still-soapy road. "Seriously, if you wish to keep your sanity, don't look up how drums were actually invented. Even I have to admit I over did it."

Jumping into the air, he disappeared yet again, leaving Twilight paled by the implications of his words. Shaking her head, she focused her resolve.

"Ponyville, chaos capital of the world," She repeated. "Not if I have anything to say about it!"

"Don't worry," Fluttershy chided with a smarmy smirk, giggling to herself as she too skated by. "You won't"

~~

As the group skulked between the maze of alleyways that was once their home town, Twilight felt her stomach drop further as they traversed the physical nightmare, a feeling of foreboding filling her being as she tried her best to keep her wits and nerves about her.

They had yet to encounter blood or, Celestia forbid, dead bodies despite the town crawling with demons of all sizes, familiar or otherwise.

Amidst the eerie silence of the shadow-drenched town, six friends moved cautiously, their hearts pounding in unison with the distant echoes of demonic howls. Her friends may have changed, but they were simply their opposites. Fear could still hold them. The dirt streets, once bustling with life, now bore the scars of a malevolent presence. Thatched buildings loomed overhead, their windows shattered and doors hanging askew, the town itself had succumbed to Discord's sinister curse. It was one thing to see it from afar but to see it so close.

As they navigated the twisted alleys, the friends felt the weight of dread pressing down upon them. Each step was a gamble, every whisper of the wind a potential harbinger of doom. Shadows danced menacingly at the corners of their vision, taunting them.

Turning around the corner at the town hall, Twilight threw her arm out as a pair of Goliath demons and a Nuckelavee passed by the alley they stood in. The other five, though largely different, let their back hit the wall behind them as they hid as best they could, their breath heavy.

The Nuckelavee stopped as the Goliaths continued, its equine head bobbing irritably as the rider squinted and its glowing yellow veins pulsed, deep inhales filling their ears. Grunting, it shook its shoulders before it continued on its previous path, letting the six girls breathe.

"Ok girls, just a little bit further and we're at the library safe and sound," Twilight whispered.

A guttural growl shattered the silence, sending involuntarily shivers down their spines. The demon, with its six bright glowing blue eyes and black spikes, emerged from the darkness above them as it crawled down the side of the town hall, hungry for the flesh of the intruders. Panic gripped the friends as they sprinted through the labyrinthine streets, their breath ragged and hearts racing. Several others jumped from the roofs to the dirt road in front of them. Lunging all at once, Twilight acted on instinct.

With a sudden shimmer and pop, the six disappeared in thin air, the demons colliding with each other as they snarled and snapped at one another before kicking up a dirt cloud as the snarling turned to frenzy.

Finally, with a jolt that sent their senses reeling, the group found themselves in a place of safety. The air around them was sweet and clean, carrying the scent of ink and paper, devoid of the sulphuric stench of the town beyond the walls around them.

Spiked jumped as the six suddenly appeared within the library, the grip on the broom in his hands tightening before relaxing ever so slightly.

"So much for safe and sound," Fluttershy chastised.

"Twilight!" Spike shouted, coming up to her as she stumbled slightly, wrapping her in a tight hug. "I heard shouting and screaming and I...I didn't know what to do! I don't know what's going on!"

Hugging her adoptive brother back, Twilight quietly enjoyed the momentary peace before the sounds of her friends arguing filled her ears. She pulled away slightly.

"It's Discord. He's somehow returned," She said grimly. "And he seems to be working with demons."

"What? Demons? How?" He asked, his eyes shifting to the other five in the room. "And what's up with them."

"Discord," She said simply, fully pulling out of Spike's hug. "I need you to help me find something. We need to find the reference guide to the Elements of Harmony and fast!"

"Elements of Harmony?" He repeated, suddenly snapping his fingers. "Oh! I know exactly where that book is!"

Scampering off, he slid the bookshelf ladder along to the spot and climbed it, running his claw along a few of the books' spines before pulling out the book his sister needed.

"Found it!" He shouted, quickly retracting his arm as Fluttershy dove to tear it from his grip. Smacking her upside the head with a rolled-up piece of parchment, he deftly tossed the book over to the waiting Twilight. "No! Bad!"

Catching the book with practised ease, Twilight paused as an odd sound met her ears. She lifted the book to her ears, shaking it slightly resulting in a muffled jingle to sound out within the book.

"What in the world?"

Opening the book, she loudly gasped as her eyes landed on the artefacts inside. Neatly placed within the carved-out pages of the Guide, all six of the Elements of Harmony sat peacefully, their golden necklace surfaces shimmering while the multi-coloured gems shone vibrantly.

"The Elements of Harmony!" She exclaimed. "They were here all along!"

"That's great!" Spike said. "Now you can use them to defeat Discord and send those demons packing!"

"See girls!? We did it! We found the Elements!" She shouted, her face dropping as her friends lounged about her library, yawning while positively avoiding each other. "Do none of you care!?"

"Nope!" They shouted in unison.

"I can't believe this," She muttered. "You've all turned into complete jerks!"

As the words left her mouth, the side of her library burst open, Discord's mocking laughter filling their ears as snarls and growls joined in to create a spine-chilling chorus of sound. The dust and debris settled around them as Discord floated beyond the threshold, clutching his sides as he seemed to take sick enjoyment from the six's circumstances.

"Well well well, I see you finally found the Elements of Harmony! How absolutely terrifying!" He grinned as he idly waved to demons to the sideline, the creature wordlessly doing as he commanded.

"Discord! I figured out your riddle," Twilight shouted, her eyes glancing at the demons as they salivated. "Y...you're in for it now!"

"Oh I certainly am, aren't I?" Discord replied with a sigh, landing on the still checkered ground. "You've clearly out duelled me! Now it's time to meet my fate!"

Summoning a pair of sunglasses, he placed them at the tip of his nose. "I'm prepared to be defeated now, ladies," Wiping his arm across his body, a red and white target appeared on his stomach. "Fire when ready."

Placing the Element of Loyalty on a panicked Spike's neck, Twilight turned back towards the Spirit of Chaos. "Formation! Now!"

The gems held within the Elements of Harmony began to glow slowly, their light growing as they had before and Twilight felt her feet leave the ground as her friends and brother joined her. Before she could get even a foot off the ground, the Elements flickered and sputtered, ultimately growing dim as Twilight and the other wielders fell to the ground. Trying once more, the Elements flickered again, sparks flying to the ground before their light fully vanished.

"W-what?" Twilight whispered.

"Mines fine, somethin' must be wrong with yours," Applejack commented.

"I always hated these things," Pinkie said.

Removing hers, Fluttershy tossed her Element away the necklace landing at Rarity's feet, who quickly reached down and picked it up. "Garbage."

"I'm sorry Twilight," Spike whispered.

"Bravo, truly, bravo!" Discord mocked, slowly clapping his hands as the demons surrounding them chuckled at their misfortune. "Harmony in Equestria is officially dead. Discord rules, every one of you drools!"

Stepping back, the demons around seemed to get ready to pounce before Discord raised his hand to stop them. "Take the rest of the town but leave these seven be. No worse fate than knowing how utterly they failed."

Laughing again, the demons dispersed as Discord skated away down the soapy road, his mocking jeers fading into the distance.

"It's your fault it didn't work!" Pinkie yelled.

"Who are you talking to?!" Twilight asked, letting her frustration out as she spoke.

"All of you! Any of you!" She shouted, bounding down the street. "Screw this, I'm outta here!"

"Yeah, I'm sick of you losers!" Fluttershy yelled as she soared into the sky.

Rarity and Applejack glanced at each other, one seemingly wanting to say something before they walked off wordlessly, leaving Spike and Twilight alone in the street, shrieks and roars sounding off in the distance.

"Fine! Leave! See if I care!" Twilight shouted, shaking her fist, her colour slowly melting away from her as her yells echoed. "With friends like you guys...who needs...enemies."

"Ho ho ho, yes!" Discord cheered from his place on his throne. "I tell you, ol' boy, it was remarkably easy. You Pony folk have gotten real soft over the years."

Throwing Ghost a triumphant grin as the man floated within his bubbles. He slowly pounded at the thick wall of his prison. His breath was heavy and his body was heavier, yet that did not stop him.

"You know, for as wildly entertaining it is to watch you pummel that bubble, it's honestly pathetic," Discord said, summoning a newspaper in a flash of light. "This Percival guy though, now he was something. Wish I could have met him."

Ghost said nothing in response as he fell to his side with a huff, his achy body finally giving in as he rolled onto his back, his hands heavy as they shook.

"Oh come on!" Discord groaned, discarding the newspaper over his shoulder, the printed paper exploding behind him the moment it hit the ground. "You gotta give me something! I feel like I'm going crazy over here, talking to myself! Even the Princesses gave a little back and forth before I cooped them and all of their Guards up in their little castle."

"You're not gettin' a thing from me," Ghost said, trying to catch his breath.

"Well, I just did, so there," Discord retorted with a grin, blowing raspberries as he folded his arms.

"I wonder what I'll name this place," He continued, looking over the destroyed, twisted land space. "I mean, Ponyville is just so...punny, you know? It needs to be something a bit more-"

A sudden light flashed within the Apple Estate before he could finish, a small pillar emitting just above the barn and then disappearing as quickly as it appeared. Quirking his brow, the Chaos Spirit sat up, waiting several seconds then humming to himself, sitting back down and turning his attention back to Ghost. Within the bubble, Ghost felt something when the flash appeared. It was small, but it was there. A tiny fickle piece of his strength returned, his heavy breath turning smooth and even in seconds.

"Aaaanywaaayyyy...the name "Ponyville" just doesn't have a good ring to it, you know what I mean? It just lacks...pizazz," Twiddling his fingers through the air, sparkles dazzled from his hands. "This is an exciting town, now, and an exciting town deserves an exciting name!"

"You could name it Discordtown," Ghost chuckled grimly.

"No, that's just lazy," Discord replied, running his fingers through his goatee. "Almost as lazy as Ponyville if you ask me."

"So what now then?" Ghost asked, settling onto his back as he looked at the lazing Lord of Chaos. "You got what you wanted. So what now?"

"Now, I spread chaos all over the world, of course!" He replied with a jovial grin. "And what glorious chaos it'll be."

"So what about the demons then?"

"What do you mean?"

"Well," Ghost started, readjusting himself to get more comfortable. "The demons are pretty set on killing everyone. If they do that, who's gonna be around to "enjoy" your chaos?"

"In case you haven't noticed ol' chum," Discord replied. "I'm the Spirit of Chaos. It doesn't matter who I spread chaos to or how I go about it, just as long as I do. It's all in the job description!"

Pulling out a bundle of stapled sheets of paper, Discord extended his arm up and stuck it inside the bubble, shaking it at Ghost who hesitantly took it, raising an eyebrow as he shuffled through them.

"Sheogorath?"

"Just a little nickname I picked up on a quick vacation," Discord shrugged, taking the bundle and quickly setting it aflame, wiping away the ashes on the armrest of his throne.

Another light flashed into the air near the town's centre, identical to the one before, disappearing nearly as soon as it appeared. As it did, the sensation from before came back within Ghost's chest, stronger than it was as his tired, trembling hands steadied.

"What is going on here? Are the demons doing raves now? Seriously, flashes of light are my thing!" Discord complained loudly, a sly grin crossing his lips momentarily as he turned towards you. "Take a shot every time he writes "flash" or "light"."

A few minutes passed by and another pillar appeared near the town's outskirts where it met the Everfree then again minutes later back near the town centre. It took some time before the next appeared, this one on the outskirts on the opposite side of town. Throughout it, Ghost could feel his strength slowly build, coming back to him in waves before he could feel it almost overwhelmingly within his chest. Discord hummed to himself before shrugging.

"I swear, those demons get stranger and stranger every time I see them. But who am I to judge?" Discord said, dipping his hand under a small candy cloud, popping a glass into existence as it filled with chocolate milk, happily humming to himself, not noticing the demons around him begin to cower and whimper. "Such a wonderful, wonderful thing chaos is."

Before he could take a sip from the glass, a familiar voice called out to him. "Not as wonderful as friendship!"

Stepping into her bedroom, Twilight immediately b-lined for her closet, rummaging through it and pulling out a thick, heavy-set suitcase. Blowing off the dust, she set it onto her bed, opened it, and set about putting her belongings inside as Spike tentatively stood at the threshold of the room.

"Twilight?" He asked quietly.

"Pack your things, Spike, we're leaving," As the young Draconian opened his mouth, his sister quickly cut him off. "Don't ask where we're going cuz...I don't know yet, just...anywhere but here."

Removing her crown, she looked at it for a second before flicking her wrist, tossing it to the corner of the room then moving to put more of her stuff in her suitcase. As she moved, she heard Spike burp quietly from the door, then again, then again, each time getting louder until he couldn't hold them down. Clutching his stomach, he let out a groan as a loud belch rocked his body, a handful of letters spilling to the floor in a waft of green dragonfire. Another burp sounded out as another handful of letters fell to the floor and another followed.

"Make it stop!"

Picking up one of the letters, Twilight opened it, instantly recognising her handwriting as she read its contents. Picking a few more, she read through them as well, the torrent of letters now stopping, much to a thankful Spike's relief.

"These...these are all the letters I sent the Princess since I've lived in Ponyville," She said quietly. "But why would she send them back?"

Reading through them, a slow realization crossed Twilight's mind, every lesson she learned coming back to her as though she had learned them yesterday. Slowly, her colour crept up her legs, steadily filling her being until her entire form regained its previous lustre as the edges of her lips began to tug upwards. Dropping the letters with a gasp, she smiled widely.

"Spike. Spike! I get it now!" She said, turning towards and kneeling in front of her still-downed brother. "Discord's been trying to distract us from what's important! He knows our friendship is strong and by disrupting it, he can do as he pleases without worrying about the Elements of Harmony imprisoning him again!"

"Do you remember what I said when we first moved here?" She asked softly, easing him up onto her bed. "I said Equestria's fate didn't rely on me making friends. But the exact opposite is true! The friendships I made here are what saved Equestria from Nightmare Moon in the first place! And now they need to save it from Discord!"

"I need to fight for my friendships!" She declared. "For them! For me! For Equestria!"

~~

Making her way to the Apple Estate was shockingly easy despite the numerous demons roaming the streets as her first encounter left her momentarily shell-shocked.

After her declaration, she was quick to leave her home, armed with several memory spells while keeping her form hidden with an invisibility spell while sneaking and skulking through nearby alleys. However, her luck seemed to quickly drain as a Nuckelavee stepped in front of her as she transitioned between alleys, lightly poking her with the tip of its spear, her invisibility shattering from her body like a bubble. Surprisingly, the demon's equine head merely huffed as the rider glanced at her before turning away, as if her presence held no interest or threat, seemingly still keeping to Discord's command.

From there, she hesitantly tempted fate, walking out in the open free of any spell. The demons around her never so much as glanced her way as she broke into a quick jog up the surprisingly still dirt pathway to the Apple farm.

Passing the threshold, the sound of Applejack's voice registered in her ears as she saw her brother Big Mac digging away in the garden in front of her house.

"And so I tried to defeat Discord, but none of my so-called friends lifted a finger teh help me!" Applejack threw her arms up before folding them, leaning further against the barn she sat in front of.

"Applejack!" Twilight yelled out as a tap-dancing Granny Smith passed her by with a pleasant smile. "I'm here to fight for our friendship!"

"Oh, so now y'all wanna fight?" Applejack said, standing from her place in front of the barn. "Where were ya when I was goin' fisticuffs with Discord!?"

Quickly tackling the unprepared farmgirl, Twilight somehow managed to hold down the much stronger Applejack as she pressed her horn against her forehead. "Snap out of it! This isn't you! I know you're no liar!"

Her horn began to glow brightly while Applejack's eyes swiftly glazed over. To the farmgirl, glimpses of her friends filled her vision, their escapades flashing before her very eyes as her colour steadily returned to her, a bright light filling the air for a moment. She shook her head groggily, glancing around her with uncertainty clear in her eyes.

"Wh...what happn'd?" She asked slowly, her gaze landing on her friend. "Twilight. Oh, I'm sorry. I saw visions of us quarrellin' and I thought...maybe if I lied, it could'ah been avoided. Fat lotta use that did."

"No," Twilight said firmly, taking her friend into a tight, reassuring hug. "That was Discord corrupting you. None of that was you. There's nothing to forgive."

"Come on!" Twilight exclaimed as she let her friend go. "Fluttershy is nearby!"

"Actually," Applejack said quietly, lightly rubbing her forearm, stopping the academic dead in her tracks. "Could...could we head teh the boutique next? I...think I might've said some mean things to Rares on our way back here."

"Oh Applejack," Twilight said quietly, placing her hand on the ashamed woman's arm. "Of course."

"Thanks, Twi," She nodded, turning towards her family. "Ah'll be right back Y'all. Everything's gonna go back to normal lickidy split!"

~~

Applejack and Twilight stood in front of the boutique as the former cringed each time a demon passed them by, clearly unnerved by the dark beings around them. Turning towards her purple-clothed comrade, she nodded. Upon entering the boutique, the duo immediately noted the lack of lights, the only light source being the daylight outside. Tentatively making their way through the interior, they heard soft footfalls, causing them to whirl around, rapidly spotting the woman they were after.

"What do you think you are doing? Come to take my stuff, have you? Well, I will not allow it! Get away! Get away from my precious!"

Holding up her hands, Applejack glanced at Twilight as she inched her way to the side, keeping herself as scarce as possible.

"Rares? We ain't gonna steal nothin', alright?"

"Applejack? Come to say more have you? Come to tell me you've found someone else? That you've found someone better?" Rarity asked, keeping her nose high as she squinted her eyes.

"No, not at all," Applejack replied, slowly inching forward, keeping a mental note of where Twilight was in the room. "I said some pretty mean things, and I wanted to apologise. I didn't mean a single word. Not one."

"is that all? Well, it takes more than an apology to butter me up," She said with a huff. "Well, I'm done sharing with you. You're not going to get a single thing from me!"

"You don't mean that Rares," Applejack said, doing her best to keep her composure as she spotted Twilight move behind the woman in front of her. "Discord's messin' with yer mind, just like he did with mine."

"Excuses, excuses," Rarity shook her head. "Blaming someone else. You should be ashamed of yourself."

"I am Rares. I really am," Applejack said, giving her a sad smile before looking behind her. "Twilight, now!"

"Huh?"

Rushing forward, Twilight pressed her horn against the fashionista's forehead, making sure to miss her horn as her eyes glazed over as well, much like Applejack's had previously. Her colour returned too as another light, the same light from before shone brightly for a moment, spilling out into the streets outside, leaving the fashion worker dazed. Applejack hastily caught her before she could fall, helping her find her feet while her eyes cleared.

"Oh...AJ?" She said softly, her fingers running softly along Applejack's jawline.

"Yeah, Rares. It's me," She said, equally low in tone. "I'm sorry for what I said before. I...I didn't mean a word of it, I-"

Silencing her with a soft kiss, the two melted into each other's arms while Applejack sniffled, her eyes dampening as they pulled away slowly. "We weren't ourselves Love. It wasn't your fault. And I am sorry for my words as well. It'll take some therapy to get over, but we're alright, darling. The only one here that needs to forgive you, is you"

Pulling her close, the much stronger of the two damn near squeezed the life from the fashionista as the two sighed heavily, small laughs escaping their lips. Twilight gave them a moment before joining in, feeling their arms wrap around her as they offered their quiet, but heartfelt thanks.

~~

The next two were remarkably easy by comparison, their numbers making quick work of dispelling Discord's evil magic from them, Fluttershy swiftly joining the entourage as Pinkie followed suit soon after. It took some convincing to get Fluttershy to join them upon seeing the demons bound up and down the streets, but they somehow managed. The last hurdle, however, was much harder to pin down.

"Is she there?" Twilight asked as Fluttershy floated softly down towards them after checking the speedster's home.

"She's not here," Fluttershy shook her head as she landed.

"Ugh, without Rainbow Dash, we can't use the Elements," Twilight said, concern filling her words.

"The girl's a quick one, she could be anywhere by now," Applejack commented. "We're never gonna find her."

"Uh, guys?" Pinkie chimed in, pointing straight above her towards the sky once she had their attention.

Looking up, the group almost immediately spotted the greyed-out form of the woman they sought, lounging peacefully on a plush cloud, arms behind her head as she faced away from them.

"Rainbow Dash!"

"Yo, what's up?" She called over her shoulder.

"We've been lookin' everywhere for ya!" Applejack shouted.

"That's nice!" She shrugged, still facing away.

"Discord's still on the loose!" Twilight shouted towards her. "We need your help to defeat him! But we can't do that without your Element, loyalty!"

"Pfff, loyalty, schmoyalty!" The rainbow-haired woman waved her hand dismissively, turning onto her stomach to look at the group below her. "Have you guys seen Ponyville? It's a demon-covered disaster! I'm staying here in Cloudsdale where everything is awesome~"

"If it wasn't for Discord being behind all of this, I'd wonder how any of us thought this was normal," Rarity commented as the group nodded in agreement.

"Okay then," Twilight said, a sly grin crossing her lips. "Time for plan B"

~~

Settled above the lazing Rainbow Dash, the group of friends peered over the edge of the hot air balloon while Fluttershy softly floated in place by its side. Twilight beckoned her to come closer as Applejack secured a strong rope around her waist.

"Okay, Fluttershy," Twilight said. "You grab Rainbow Dash and hold her down. Applejack will lower me with this rope so I can cast the memory spell on her."

"Got it!"

Saluting her, the winged woman dashed off towards her friend, racing down until she was nearly on top of her. Raising her arms, she stopped just short of her, instead tapping her gently on the shoulder resulting in her sleeping friend snorting herself awake.

"Um, I was just wondering if it would be alright if I held you down against your will for a little bit?"

Her friends above the duo groaned loudly, slapping their forehead as Twilight pinched the bridge of her nose. "Should have seen that one coming."

"Alrighty then, plan B part two it is," Deftly undoing the rope around Twilight's waist, Applejack redid it around hers, picking up a separate bundle by her feet and tying that around her as well, swiftly pulling Rarity close, kissing her and pulling away with a grin. "Wish me luck."

"Ha! Nice try," Rainbow Dash said smugly. "Ponyville's your problem, not mine!"

Laying down flat on the cloud beneath her, she didn't move far before Applejack's weight slammed into her as she wrapped her arms and the other rope around her arms and wings so she couldn't fly away or fight back.

"Hey! What's the big idea!?" She yelled over the sound of wind rushing past her ears as the pair fell. "Lemme go!"

"Not happenin' sugarcube!" Applejack yelled back, tightening the rope around her legs as well. "The Rainbow Dash I know wouldn't abandon her friends and her home!"

Hold her friend close, the hot air balloon steadily lowered as the three still inside hastily decreased the fire feeding the balloon's height. Eventually, both the balloon and the two hanging from it settled onto the ground, the bound one of the two flailing her body as the rest rushed up to them.

"That was completely idiotic AppleJack! You could have been seriously injured or worse! Don't you dare do that again!" Rarity reprimanded, slapping the sheepish farmgirl on her arms before hugging her tightly.

"Lemme go! I don't need any of you!" Rainbow Dash shouted. "Leave me alone!"

Pressing her horn to her friend's head, her colour returned as it did for the others, the light filling the clearing in a momentary burst, leaving them with streaks in their eyes for a few seconds before clearing. Rainbow Dash's eyes cleared as Applejack removed the ropes around her, allowing her to sit up as she rubbed her eyes.

"Oh Celestia, my head. What happened?" She asked groggily before her face sobered, instantly jumping to her feet. "Oh shit! How's Ponyville? Where's the Elements!?"

Her friends moved in around her as she spoke, wrapping their arms around her instantly ceasing her tirade of panicked questions. They stood there for a minute or two, laughing and cheering that they were back.

"Wait, so what now?" Rainbow Dash asked as they broke the hug,

"Now," Twilight replied, turning towards their broken home. "We stop Discord."

~~

With their goal clear and the objective set, the group of friends walked confidently down the street as the demons finally seemed to take notice of their presence. Shockingly, however, it wasn't a mere passing glance, but instead deep snarls and hisses, turning quickly to whimpers and cautious growls as more than a few outright cowered as they passed.

Ahead of them, Discord seemed to be taking great joy from the dishevelled mess around him, talking to an imprisoned Ghost. Dipping his hand under a small candy cloud, popping a glass into existence as it filled with chocolate milk, happily humming to himself, seemingly not noticing the group's approach. "Such a wonderful, wonderful thing chaos is."

Before he could take a sip from the glass, Twilight yelled out towards him. "Not as wonderful as friendship!"

Immediately deadpanning, Discord's shoulders slumped as even Ghost looked to roll his eyes. "Ugh, this again? Seriously, how cliche are you?" He said, tossing the glass over his shoulder, causing it to implode upon impact with the ground.

"That's right, you couldn't hold apart our friendship!" Applejack shouted. "Not for long!"

"Oh please!" Discord said, his fingers glowing a bright golden as her Element nearly flew from her neck as she was dragged effortlessly behind it, her feet leaving the ground. "I'm the one who made you a liar and I could easily do it again!"

Throwing his hand out, he encased the other Elements in the same golden energy, the rest too flying towards him, leaving them floating in front of the Chaos Spirit. "Will you ever learn?"

A sudden roar took his attention momentarily as the demons around him seemed panicked, glancing around and snarling as though danger were upon them. Even the Nuckelavee appeared highly unnerved as the horde slowly began turning tail and running, rushing away and kicking up dirt behind them.

"Where do you all think you're going!?" Discord exclaimed. "Get your demonic tuchuses back here!"

Taking advantage of the distraction, Twilight's horn flashed with purple energy, a large bubble wrapping around her and her friends while Ghost's bubble popped, his form joining them as they lowered to the ground.

"I'll let you what we've learned Discord!" Twilight said confidently. "Friendships aren't always easy. But no matter what, they are always worth fighting for!"

"Bleh! Gag! Fine! Go ahead and use your little Elements, frenimies. Just do me a favour and make it quick. I'm missing some excellent chaos here," He said with a deep eye roll, popping back to his throne, a smug grin wiping over his face.

"Alright, ladies! Let's show him what proper friendship can do!"

"I'll let you girls take lead on this one!" Ghost shouted over the whirling energies, stepping back well behind them to not get caught in the crossfire.

As they raised the elements high, a dazzling display of light and magic filled the dishevelled village. The Element of magic began to hum with raw power, energy swirling around them like a vortex of pure arcane energy. Discord yawned confidently before swiftly ducking a ray of energy, the beam slamming into his throne, turning a small portion of it to stone.

"What?" Turning back to the group of friends, his eyes went wide. "No."

The Element of Honesty shone with a warm golden glow, reflecting the farmgirl's steadfast determination. The light emanating from the element seemed to infuse her with unwavering resolve and unbreakable integrity.

The Element of Loyalty crackled with electric blue energy, a symbol of her fierce loyalty to her friends. The element seemed to pulse with the speed and strength of a raging storm, ready to defend those she held dear.

The Element of Kindness radiated a soft, soothing light, like the gentle glow of a setting sun, exuding an aura of compassion and empathy, calming the hearts of all who beheld it.

The Element of Laughter sparkled with a riot of colours, each hue a different shade of joy and merriment. The element seemed to dance and twirl in the air, spreading infectious happiness wherever it went.

The Element of Generosity shimmered with a luminous white light, reflecting the fashionista's selfless spirit and unwavering generosity. The element glowed with a purity that seemed to cleanse the darkness from the corrupt town.

As the six friends unleashed the combined power of the Elements of Harmony, a blinding wave of energy surged forth, sending a multi-coloured ray of light barreling towards the Spirit of Chaos. Discord recoiled in the face of such a powerful array of light. A powerful shockwave filled the streets, sending Discord stumbling and shouting as the column aimed straight for his chest.

Only, it didn't hit him.

Shielding his face, Discord prepared himself just as the ray missed him, course-correcting and careening up into the sky, shooting high to the clouds above. The seven stared slack-jawed as the beam exploded, creating an opening in the cloud layer, showing the pristine blue sky behind it.

"Fuckin' hell," Ghost mumbled.

"Huh," Discord hummed. "That's new."

The momentum of the retreating clouds abruptly stopped, pausing for a moment before slowly advancing back to the epicentre. The clouds collided and swirled as a bright light exploded, hues of subtle blue peeking through as a new pillar of light slammed into the ground with an uproarious crash, cracking and splintering it, sending boulders into the air. The girls yelled and shouted after Ghost as the man tumbled over the edge to the ground as it continued to break beneath their feet and slowly rise up, bringing Discord and his throne along with them as even he fought to keep his balance.

"Twilight!" Applejack shouted over the thunderous crashes above and around them. "What's happenin'!?"

"I don't know!" She shouted back.

Raised high up in the air, the large piece of checkered land they stood on stopped, floating there, suspended by an unseen force. Discord turned to them with confusion.

"Ok, even I have to concede and admit I have no idea what that was about," Discord said with a shrug, quickly gaining a confident smirk. "But even a light show such as that won't stop from-"

A fickle flick of electricity stopped him dead in his tracks, the subtle buzz of it licking up against his throne causing him to whip around frustrated.

"Oh for goodness sake, what now!?"

Another lick of electricity flicked through the air, then another, then another, slowly building in frequency until the surface of Discord's throne was nearly completely charred. Then, it was quiet, but only for a moment. A small explosion detonated as a black opening unfurled, the edges dancing with an off-green hue. A sound could be heard, just under the low hum and high-pitched warbling while the opening pulsed.

Suddenly, an object hurled from the opening with astonishing speed as the opening closed swiftly behind it. Barreling towards them, the group of friends dove and ducked, the object hurtling off the side of the large rock they stood on as it bounced off the edge.

"OOHHHHH FUUUUUUUUU-"

Rushing to the edge, the group saw a plume of dirt and other debris burst out far below them as Discord slowly began laughing. Turning back to the Lord of Chaos, the Spirit clutching his sides as his laughter turned to wheezing.

"Oh, oh, oh, that's rich!" He said, wiping the tears from his eyes. "This is what I live for! Pure chaos! Absolute anarchy! Disorder at its finest! Seriously, you ladies are shockingly good at it."

"This doesn't stop anything, Discord!" Twilight shouted. "Our friendship is more powerful than any amount of chaos you can muster! At the end of the day, friendship will win out over all!"

"You're adorable, really, but look around you!" He said, spreading his arms out wide. "Chaos, no matter what, chaos will be everywhere! Far and wide, all over the world!"

"For all intents and purposes," He finished. "I've won."

The moment the words left his mouth, the ground beneath them shook once more, shuddering and faltering before steadily descending, the distance between them and the earth below shortening. Falling to the ground, the group of friends huddled together, closing their eyes and holding each other tightly until the boulder holding them trembled. Opening their eyes, the piece of land had settled back into the earth, fitting neatly into the deep hole it made in its wake.

"Bloody hell, girls," Ghost said, breaking the momentary, helping them to their feet. "You all alright?"

"Ghost! Glad to see you're ok," Twilight said, looking around her. "Did you see what hit the ground?"

Then, they heard the sound of footfalls behind them. soft clacking accompanying the uneven stride. Whipping around to look behind them, a silhouette strode towards them from amidst the dense dust cloud the boulder kicked up. Stepping out from the plume of dust, they were shocked to see who it was.

It was Percival.

But he was different. For one, he was taller, possibly by a few inches, and his new apparent height was now seemingly on par with Ghost's towering stature. He was also shirtless, revealing his once lean, defined physique now bulked up, his musculature built for power.

With a mane of thick white hair held comfortably behind his head by small braids, a small ponytail formed just above them, the rest cascading down to his just below his bare shoulder blades. A thick face of facial hair covered his lower face, giving a sense of age that he didn't have before.

But most apparent, was his lack of limbs. Cut midway down his right bicep, the "arm" was long healed over, leaving behind a small stump in its wake. His leg, however, was a bit more impressive. An amalgamation of steel and leather, a smooth, slightly curved peg leg wrapped tightly around what remained of his shin with a strap above his knee securing it in place.

"Oi! Discord!" He shouted as his bright steel blue eyes bared down at the Spirit, his raspy yet rich baritone voice effortlessly carrying through the air, clear and commanding. "I want a word with you!"

Author's Note

Ooooo, it's kicking off now!

If you want a reference for how our boy Percy's new hairdo looks, look up Tajin Crosser from Star Wars: Visions. As for his leg, I have only one name: Hiccup.

As always, hope you enjoyed

Please point out any mistakes I may have made
Constructive criticism is always appreciated
Until next time, TTFN!

Chapter 26 - "Mayhem Cometh" - Part 3

The group of friends couldn't believe their eyes. Two weeks of research, mathematics, calculations and theories all culminated in a spell that took the combined might of the Twin Princesses to power only for it to fail its main objective ultimately. And yet, here standing before them, was the man they had spent so long trying to bring back.

Many questions ran through their heads, Twilights most of all, but none of that mattered. He was back. And as the group shouted their excitement after a moment seeing their friend back, safe and sound, they recoiled upon closer inspection of him. Even Ghost seemed momentarily stunned.

The thick fabric trousers were positively drenched in blood, all but staining the medium-beige deep maroon, dried blood clinging to his still pale skin in large patches and clumps across his exposed torso as well as his hair. And he looked, for all intents and purposes, exhausted. His hair was heavily dishevelled, more than a few strands sticking out wildly in a tangle of thick locks of white. His breath was long and deep, as though he had run for several miles non-stop while his eyelids drooped over his eyes.

As he stepped closer to the group and strode towards Discord with purpose, his eyes flickered over them before settling on them fully, his steel blue orbs running over each of their faces individually, as though he was scanning them for every detail they had. There was a moment, for a split second, when he looked as though he didn't recognise any of them as his brow furrowed in thought, seemingly racking his brain for who these people might be. His face slowly softened, the edges of his mouth twitching before curling fully, a sudden and full recognition passing over him.

"Percy?" Applejack asked tentatively, taking a small step towards the larger man.

"Hi guys," He said softly, pure relief and warmth filling his slightly wavering voice.

"Uh and who might you be?"

Snapping his head towards the Spirit of Chaos, his eyes immediately changed to cold, calculating and disdainful, his lips pursing while his shoulders, which had already been tense, rose and hardened, the muscle rippling beneath his pale complexion. Saying nothing, he continued his stride.

"Oh, hold the phone," Discord said, summoning another newspaper, holding it up and shifting his gaze between it and the quickly approaching man, tossing it over his shoulder again with a laugh. "You must be Percival Felwinter! Gee golly willikers, and here I thought I wouldn't be able to meet you!"

The air around them slowly became cooler, a cold ruthlessness permeating from Percival as his strides towards the trickster Spirit never broke. The girls all flinched away, almost physically feeling the bloodlust flowing off the man as the occasional clacking of his prosthetic filled the otherwise tangible silence.

"What-" Almost immediately cut off, Percival appeared suddenly before Discord in a shocking burst of speed, fast enough to be confused for teleporting but the hard gust of wind smacking the Spirit of Chaos in the face said otherwise. "Oop."

Instantly teleporting away in a flash of light, he appeared behind him at a distance, a shocked and confused look plastered across his face. "Okaaay, certainly not what I expected but it's already more than what the Princesses gave me."

Whipping around at an astonishing speed, Percival's cold expression turned to one of anger and rage. "You hurt even a hair on either of them, I'll be sending you back to the demons in pieces!"

Grinning slowly, Discord straightened, absentmindedly wiping away a crease in his suit as he flared his collar. "So what if I did? What's a cripple going to do to a man such as myself? You're fast, I'll give you that, but there's only so much a single man can-"

Cut off once again, Percival sped the Trickster, his fist solidly colliding with Discord's cheek and sending him flying back as his attacker rolled his shoulders. Rising to his feet, he grasped both sides of his head, spinning it in place before catching it, vigorously shaking it to rid himself of his daze.

"That...actually hurt," He said, gently rubbing where Percival had struck him. "Wha-"

"Girls," Percival said suddenly, all eyes snapping to him. "Get to safety. He's mine."

"Heck no, we ain't-"

"I will repeat myself once," He said, his voice low and wavering slightly, as his body shook subtly. As he turned to face the group of friends, they instantly saw the slowly spreading blood beneath the thin layer of membrane, the blood vessels popping harmlessly, but disturbingly. "Go."

Noting the chilly seriousness in his voice, none of them wanted to argue and simply nodded, gathering together quickly as Ghost and his ward locked eyes, the two offering simple nods as the skull-masked man stepped closer to the group as they vanished. Looking back to the perplexed agent of chaos, Percival's slowly reddening eyes squinted. Reaching his hand out, a deep plume of smoke and embers filled his hand, his flat-backed, blade materialised within his grip, a soft smile gracing his lips as he held the blade close to him, almost sniffing the blade as he softly closed his eyes.

"It has been too long, my friend," He said gently, the runes lighting up and pulsing a soft pink in an almost excited pattern. "I even thought of a name for you."

"Are...you talking to your weapon?" Discord asked slowly.

"It happens way more than you'd think," Percival replied, hefting his sword onto his shoulder, straining his neck as it cracked and popped.

"Sure," Discord rolled his eyes. "Listen, Bucky Barnes, I don't know what your problem is or what your beef with me is, but this is going to go one of several ways, so pack it in and go on your merry way before I pack it in for you."

"Cute," Percival said as a slow grin crossed his pursed lips. Bending over at the waist, a line of bright lilac fire ran down the length of his back, jets of concentrated fire following alongside it, a foot long at his shoulder blades and tapering off as they met at his tailbone. His hand hardened, gaining a scaly quality before bursting into flame, his foot doing the same, mimicking the same lilac of his back. Staring back up at Discord, he grinned fully. "I was about to tell you the same thing."

They stood for a moment, the tension between them palpable, a silent agreement that words were no longer necessary. Percival moved first.

The air around him distorted, crackling and fizzling around him as the searing flames shot from his back, his body becoming a blur as he launched himself at Discord with a powerful lunge. His blade sliced through the air with a deadly grace, aimed directly at Discord's heart. But Discord merely smirked, snapping his talons and causing the space around him to distort. In an instant, the blade passed through where his chest should have been, but there was nothing—Percival had struck empty air.

Before Percival could recover, Discord retaliated. With a wave of his lion’s paw, he summoned a storm of cotton candy clouds that erupted from the ground beneath Percival's feet. The clouds swirled around him, their fluffy pink exterior hiding the razor-sharp, sugar-coated spikes within. The clouds tightened, constricting around Percival like a vice as the diamond-sharp edges pierced his skin, but with a fierce growl, he unleashed a burst of fire, disintegrating the clouds and shattering the spikes into a million harmless pieces.

But Discord was relentless. He followed up by snapping his talons again, and the ground beneath Percival's feet suddenly turned to soap, causing him to slip and slide uncontrollably. Before he could regain his footing, Discord conjured a swarm of parasprites—small, ravenous creatures with insatiable appetites—that descended upon Percival, biting and tearing at his flesh. The man grunted in annoyance, swinging his sword in wide arcs to slice through the swarm, but for every parasprite he cut down, two more took its place.

"Enough!" Percival roared, his voice echoing with a thunderous timbre. He slammed his sword into the ground, unleashing a shockwave of violet energy, vaporizing the parasprites in an instant. The force of the shockwave also sent Discord careening backwards, his chaotic form twisting and writhing as he fought to regain control.

Percival didn’t give him the chance. With a burst of speed, he closed the distance between them, his sword a whirlwind of steel as he unleashed a flurry of strikes. Each blow was calculated, precise, and aimed at vital points with the intent to kill. But Discord, ever the Spirit of chaos and trickery, continued to evade, his body shifting and warping in impossible ways to avoid the blades. He split himself into multiple copies, each one taunting Percival as they danced around him, their laughter echoing in the destroyed town.

Percival’s frustration grew, his attacks becoming more vicious, more desperate as he tried to land a hit on the elusive Discord. But with every false strike, every clone dispatched, Discord's taunts grew louder, more mocking. The chaos entity’s copies multiplied, filling the air with a cacophony of laughter that grated on Percival’s nerves.

“Is that all you’ve got, Percival Felwinter? I expected more from the Saviour of Las Almas!” Discord’s voice echoed from all directions, the multiple copies of him sneering as they continued to dodge and weave.

Percival gritted his teeth, his anger fueling his power. He needed to think, to outsmart the chaotic trickster. His mind raced, sifting through the various techniques and strategies he knew. Then, it hit him—if Discord was chaos incarnate, then perhaps he needed to embrace a little chaos of his own. A small taste of his own medicine.

With a deep breath, Percival closed his eyes, focusing on the energy within him, the fires on his back raging hotter. Slowly, deliberately, he began to let go of his control, allowing his instinct and senses to surge forth to the forefront. His demeanour changed, his posture relaxing as his face lost all emotion. His eyes snapped open, now glowing a deep, sangria.

Without warning, Percival exploded into action. His movements were no longer calculated but wild and unpredictable, matching Discord’s chaotic energy with his own. He struck at the copies with reckless abandon, not caring whether he hit the real Discord or not. His attacks were a blur of purple and steel, each one more powerful than the last. The sheer force of his strikes tore through the chaos-infected air, rending it asunder with each swing.

Discord’s copies began to falter, their laughter turning to grunts of surprise as they struggled to keep up with Percival’s newfound ferocity. One by one, they vanished into white smoke, unable to withstand the onslaught. The real Discord reappeared, his expression no longer one of amusement but of genuine concern, his brow now furrowed. He realized that Percival was no longer playing by the rules, that the man had seemingly let go of his inhibitions, just as chaotic and unpredictable as himself.

“You’ve become quite the wild card, haven’t you?” Discord muttered, his tone more serious now.

Percival didn’t respond with words. Instead, he roared, the sound shaking the very earth beneath them as he charged at Discord, his sword blazing with purple energy. Discord barely had time to react, his body twisting unnaturally to avoid the deadly blade. But Percival was relentless, his prosthetic letting out a loud boom and a fireball as he was redirected back towards Discord in a moment.

Realizing that he couldn’t win by playing defence, Discord decided to up the ante. With a snap of his talons, he summoned a vortex of chaotic energy, pulling in everything around them—debris, rubble, even the very air itself. The vortex swirled with a menacing intensity, threatening to consume everything in its path.

But Percival was undeterred. With a mighty leap, he propelled himself into the heart of the vortex, his sword at the ready. The chaotic energy tore at his body, ripping the swiftly healing flesh from his muscles, but he pushed through, barely reacting to the chaos that surrounded him. He reached Discord, who was at the eye of the storm, and with a fierce cry, he brought his sword down in a devastating cross-slash.

Time seemed to slow as the blades connected with Discord, the impact sending shockwaves through the vortex. Discord’s eyes widened in shock, a look of disbelief crossing his face as the energy of the sword coursed through him. The vortex began to destabilize, its chaotic energy spiralling out of control.

For a moment, there was silence, as if the world itself was holding its breath.

Then, with a deafening bang, the vortex imploded, the force of the explosion tearing through the already dishevelled town, kicking up dust and debris through the air. Discord hurled through the air as well, colliding with several buildings before sliding to a halt, cleaving a small crater into the ground. Percival landed a short distance away as the trickster rolled onto his back and began backpedalling, desperately trying to escape as he spotted the rapidly approaching, fire-wreathed man.

Letting out an almost crocodile-like bellow from his throat, Percival mindlessly threw away his sword, the implement clattering to the ground with a loud clang as he settled on top of Discord. Trying to push him off, Percival's fist collided solidly with Discord's elbow, the bone instantly shattering as it fell limply to the ground. Grabbing his unbroken arm, the man on top braced it against his knee, bending the appendage over it, snapping it. Screaming in pain, Discord's eyes widened in shock and horror, locking onto and peering past the lilac flames of the man who locked him in place with his knee by his chest.

"No, no, I know those eyes," Discord whispered, his already pale completion becoming paler as sweat dripped down his brow. "How-"

Rearing his fist back, Percival shot it forward square into Discord's face, instantly silencing him as a crunch filled the air. Then again then again. Over and over until his jaw hung loosely and his eyes became swollen shut. Percival paused for a moment, his breath heavy as his glowing eyes gazed at Discord's slowly healing face. His punches quickly gained a rhythm, becoming faster and faster, outdoing Discord's healing.

Pausing again, Discord's face had swiftly been replaced with a mess of red, tender flesh. Teeth were missing as his dislocated jaw hung loosely from his socket, both eyes were swollen completely shut and his black and white hair died a sickening crimson. Rearing back for one final strike, his arm suddenly stopped, a pressure ceasing his momentum. Peering over his shoulder, Applejack tightly gripped his arm, her action comparatively small compared to the force he could generate, but it was enough of a presence to stop him.

"Percy, stop! Yer killin' him!" She shouted as the others skidded to a stop, Ghost being the only one who was undeterred by his actions.

"Jeez man, relax!" Rainbow Dash joined in.

Shaking her off with ease, she stumbled back into her friend's arms as the man turned back to the near-debilitated Spirit of Chaos still lying on the ground, wheezing through swollen lips. Going to strike, his fist was once again stopped.

"Let......go," The sound was unnatural, more of a growl mimicking speech than actual words. But the words were unmistakable.

"Look at 'em!" She shouted, pointing towards the mangled mess that was Discord. "You done near killed the man! Is that not enough!?"

"No," He growled, again easily wrenching his arm from her grip, instead now turning to face the group.

Before any of them could respond, Percival suddenly jerked, the sound of wet squelching filling the air as they all recoiled and gasped, even Ghost was highly unnerved. Peering over his shoulder, Discord wore a smug grin under his swollen features, his taloned hand embedded through his pale stomach. And yet, Percival made no reaction. Almost ignoring the wound entirely, he reached down and tightly gripped Discord's talon, the Spirit jerking back, futilely trying to wrestle his arm from his iron grasp. Pulling his hand forward, the group watched in horror as Percival stopped once his below had pushed through before leveraging it against the inside of his wound, snapping Discord's elbow again before letting him go.

The instant Discord's arm left his stomach, Percival felt his feet leave the ground as the world around him spun. Landing on his feet with his back to the group of friends, his wound immediately started healing, the opening steadily closing as he turned around.

Standing between him and the very slowly healing Discord were Celestia and Luna, hair only ever so slightly out of place, faces etched with perplexed, relieved and shocked expressions.

"Percival?" Luna whispered.

Relaxing his posture, the fire wreathing his body disappeared with a distinct fwoosh as his eyes softened. "Good to see you two again."

"What.....how?" Celestia asked simply, words failing her.

"Question of the millennium, Chief," Percival said, fondness filling the nickname as though he hadn't used it in some time, despite the rigidness in his face.

"We have so many questions."

"I know." He said, beginning to walk back towards the Lord of Chaos before the twins stood in front of the one-armed man.

"What do you plan to do with him?" Celestia asked, her voice low.

"Kill him," The man replied simply, starting to walk again.

Celestia, however, blocked his path again, her halberd in hand as her younger counterpart moved to the down Spirit, joining the other two Unicorns as they healed his grievous wounds as Ghost stood a small distance from the group with his arms folded, occasionally glancing between him and his ward.

As he stopped, he grit his teeth slightly, shaking his head as he looked into random space, his eyes moving rapidly, as though he were deep in thought. A light flashed out from behind the solar matriarch as a shockwave spread from the now stonified statue of the Lord of Chaos, his statue falling to the ground with a dull thud. The world around them shifted, the oddities and chaos corruption dissipating, everything turning back to the way it was. Sighing deeply, Percival looked around before turning his body towards his home.

"Where do you think you're going!?" Rarity shouted as he moved away.

"Home," He said quietly, exhaustion clear as day in his voice.

"Ya need to go to the hospital!" Applejack joined in.

Looking down at his pure dark red body, the wound in his stomach fully closed as other wounds tore open anew, steadily closing as well. Whether from the brawl with Discord or ones from before, it didn't matter to him.

"I've had worse."

"Be that as it may, we still need to have your...arm and leg looked over," Luna said hesitantly. "Who knows what manner of curse could be upon you!"

"And then there's still the matter of where you disappeared to!" Celestia added.

Percival stopped in his tracks, his head hanging as he sighed deeply, his tense shoulders drooping. Turning back, he lifted his stump for them to see and they flinched upon seeing it. "It's an amputated limb. Nothing more, nothing less," He said simply, the group glancing to the Element of Honesty who nodded solemnly.

"As for where I disappeared to..." He continued, his gaze cast downward. There was a moment, a split second, almost imperceivable, that the man's eyes darkened, images flashing through his head. The Princesses almost missed it, but they knew the look well. The look of someone who would rather leave the topic well alone. "Well...let's just say it wasn't pretty."

Turning away to head in the direction of his home, Rarity rushed out in front of him.

"Wait," Rarity said softly. A loud pop sounded in front of them as a familiar purple coat materialised within her hands. "You'll want this back."

A small gasp escaped the man's lips as he tentatively reached out for it, gazing at it longingly before putting it over his widened shoulders, slipping his remaining arm into the sleeve and pulling the collar to his nose, inhaling deeply as he closed his eyes.

"Thank god you still fit comfortably," He whispered, letting go of the collar and gently pulling the fashionista into a tight hug, one she happily returned as Applejack joined in, slowly followed by everyone else, the Princesses unfurling their wings and wrapping it around the small huddle. Even Ghost joined in.

"It's good to have you back Percy," Applejack whispered, feeling the tension slowly leave the man's body as the rest joined the consensus.

"Thank you," He whispered back, breaking the hug with a deep sigh. "Now if you'll excuse me. I just wanna go.....home."

Turning around without so much as another word, Ghost followed close beside him, clapping heartily on the shoulder as the pair walked off towards their home. The eight watched him as he left, many questions screaming throughout their minds, many of which they knew would have to wait to be answered, whether it be the next day, or years down the line. For now, however, the Paladin quietly made his way home, towards the comfiest bed he knew, looking forward to a good night's sleep.

Author's Note

The final part of my first ever multi-part chapter, hope you guys enjoyed reading as much I enjoyed writing them
Things have been quieting down a little so I found myself with a little time to spare to get these out, hopefully that continues

Please point out any mistakes I may have made
Constructive criticism is always appreciated
Until next time, TTFN!

Chapter 27 - "Plan In The Making"

As the doorbell rang for the hundredth time, I pinched the bridge of my nose, wiping the sleep and other gunk from my eyes as Ghost and I walked down the stairs. Walter, fast as ever, was already at and opening the door, surprisingly revealing two individuals I hadn't seen in a while, even before I was zapped away. Blossomforth and Thunderlane stood at the entrance to my abode, the latter opening his mouth to speak to the Head Butler before they both noticed me descending the stairs, eyes wide, whether from the lack of several limbs or the lack of a shirt, I wasn't sure.

"Good morning, Sir!" Blossom saluted, snapping her heels together and straightening her back and shoulders.

"Sir," Thunderlane nodded, his energy much more subdued—ever the casual professional.

"Long time you two. At ease, I'm not on duty today," I said, approaching the door as Walter stood aside. "Thank you, Walter."

"Of course, Sir," He said with a graceful nod.

"So," I started, looking back to the pair as they awkwardly tried not to look at my arm and leg. "What can I help you two with?"

"We wished to welcome you back, Sir," Blossomforth said, glancing at Thunderlane nervously. "It's been a tough couple of weeks without you, Sir."

"It's only been two weeks?" I repeated quietly, the words having a bittersweet taste to them.

"Yes, Sir," Blossom nodded, gaining a slight look of concern. "How long was it for you?"

"Doesn't matter," I said quickly, waving my hand dismissively. "Anyway, you were saying?"

"I wanted to personally thank you for once again saving the town. The Guards put up a decent fight against the demons, but when Discord showed up, we didn't stand a chance. Getting rid of us was one of the first things he did," Furrowing her brow, she shook her head, gathering her thoughts. "He put us in a...different space to everything else. You couldn't see us, but we saw everything. You saved the town when we couldn't. Thank you, Sir."

"Just doing my job, Blossom," I said with a soft nod. "And like I told you before, you don't need to call me Sir, especially off-duty. At least try to get the tension out from your shoulders. You're really harshing my vibe."

"Of course," She said, relaxing her posture a tad but still remaining professional.

"So, that's why you came," I said, turning my attention to the man beside her. "But why are you here?"

Thunderlane grinned. "Glad to see you're as sharp as ever."

"I've been around a while, I know what to look for," I shrugged. "So why're you here then?"

"I wished to discuss your fight with Discord," He said.

Confirming my suspicion, I nod and step to the side, offering for them to enter as Walter swiftly moved to close the door behind them. "Walter, we'll be in my office. If anyone comes to the door, send for me."

"Of course," He nodded, walking off to one of the other rooms, his hands behind his back.

Making our way upstairs, I ran the mansion's layout through my head and Ghost and I led the pair to the second story of one of the many living rooms. Looking over the lavish room, Ghost opened the doors and stepped aside, letting us in first, closing the double doors behind us once we had entered the circular room fully. Ghost stood behind me and I eased myself down onto the large swivel chair, sinking slightly into its comfortable cushions as Blossom and Thunderlane took their seats in front of me.

"So what did you want to discuss?"

"Just a few simple questions, but might I go on a bit of a tangent?" He replied almost hesitantly.

I leaned back into my chair. "Tangent away."

"Thank you, Sir," He nodded. "It may not be well known, at least not immediately, that you played a rather crucial role in defeating Discord. Many won't know the full extent of your role but for those in the Gaurd, primarily those put into our own little plane such as ourselves, word is already beginning to spread," He said, catching his breath briefly. "Blossom and I saw your fight. It was incredible. Truly extraordinary and showed many of us how you were so easily able to best our top military Officers," He continued. "We have also had a hand in spreading word of your fight, but in doing so, some of the more inquisitive of us have had similar thoughts."

"And what would that be?" I asked slowly.

Thunderlane smirked as he looked at me while Blossomforth seemed to fidget nervously. "The Princesses fought against Discord in the past, having to band together and use the Elements of Harmony to defeat him, then again recently without the aid of the Elements, ultimately losing. But the thing is, you were able to defeat Discord single-handedly, pardon the wording. With ease. Seemingly coming out of a separate battle, if the exhausted look and the blood stains were anything to go by," Thunderlane stated.

"See, the Princesses are regarded as Goddesses. Beings of such high magic they can move the very stars themselves, their reign nearly uncontested for over a thousand years. And yet you succeeded where they struggled and failed. Which has made many of us wonder how powerful you are exactly," Thunderlane said, seemingly asking me an indirect question. My silence prompted him to continue. "If the Princesses are considered Goddesses, then what are you? If you are as strong as more than a few of us suspect you are, why would someone so powerful work under someone weaker?"

"That is a very dangerous line of thought to go down, Lieutenant. One I'm sure the Princesses would appreciate not gaining traction," I said, my tone low and steady. "What exactly do you hope to gain from questions like the ones you ask?"

"Nothing really. Just feeding a small curiosity," Thunderlane said evenly, momentarily holding his hands up placatingly. "I will be the first to admit my attitude has garnered me a bit of a reputation and while many would be right in saying I don't deserve my position, there is a reason I have it," He continued. "The Princess wanted someone with a keen eye and sharp instincts to be next to the Everfree forest after you're disappearance and I, along with your recommendation, thank you for the vote of confidence by the way, Sir, just so happened to fit the description. Call it a morbid curiosity I have as to why someone as strong as you would serve the Princesses."

I furrowed my brow slightly, leaning further into my chair, I ran my fingers through my hair, digging the tips into my scalp with a deep sigh. "There are many reasons I would, many very heavy, complex and complicated reasons. So for the sake of brevity, I'll give you the easiest," Sitting up, I straightened my back. "I had always had an innate desire to protect, whether it be those I loved or complete strangers. Even when at the lowest point in my life, when I would outwardly say otherwise, I still felt the pull to protect. Think of me serving them as the easiest, most direct way I can fulfil that need. Plus..." Glancing down at the prosthetic securely attached to the stump of my right leg, the rubber sole of the curved peg leg thunking on the ground softly as I moved it. My nose twitched slightly as I sniffed. "...I promised some very important people that I would."

"That's good enough for me, Sir," Thunderlane nodded.

"So what was your other question?" I said, looking to quickly move on. "You mentioned you had a few?"

"Yeah, I wasn't sure how to bring it up, so that saves me the hassle," He replied, idly coughing into his hand. "I was a part of the contingent moved to Ponyville along with a few others from the Las Almas mission, with Blossom requesting personally to stay despite being offered a different placement in Cloudsdale," He continued. "Although they were a massive boon to us and allowed us to sustain zero casualties, having past experience, I feel despite that, we would have suffered many losses had Discord not shown up when he did."

"In your opinion, and I want you to be completely honest, how useful will the guards be in the coming war? Do you think we stand a chance?" Thunderlane asked, his tone deathly serious.

Leaning forward, I placed my hand on my desk, leaning my weight into it causing my shoulders to go lopsided slightly. "Did the Princesses send you?"

"No," he replied evenly. "Me and Blossomforth are both here of our own choice."

"Then what I have to say may be difficult to hear," I said after a moment. Thunderlane nodded firmly as Blossom looked at me semi-hesitantly before nodding as well. "Against the common horde, the Guard would be invaluable but should any of the leaders rear their ugly heads...you'd be wiped from the chess board like nothing. Officers included."

Thunderlane seemed unsurprised, nodding quietly to himself but Blossom didn't seem to believe my words. "B-but wait! Sir, how can you be so sure?" Blossom stuttered.

"Relax Sergeant, this isn't exactly a new revelation," Ghost spoke up from behind me.

Running my hand over the stubble on my face, a suspicion crossed my mind. "What's the most powerful known demon?" I asked.

"Starting with the weakest, that would go to the Flyga, the insectoid with the bulbous head. Next would be the Rakkniv, the ones with the blades protruding from the palm. Next is the Black-fur and its variants. Next would be the Goliaths and then lastly the Nuckelavees," Blossom recounted, seemingly done some research on the matter.

Hanging my head, all three soldiers looked at me curiously as I sighed heavily. My suspicions were confirmed. Much like many aspects of history, it would seem the existence of more powerful demons had been scrubbed from the annuls. "While they are strong in their own right...they're nothing but common foot soldiers," I said as both Officer's eyes widened. "Tell me, have either of you heard of Devils or Ancient Demons before? Primevals?"

They shook their heads. "Yeah, that's what I was afraid of."

"What are you saying, Sir?" Blossom asked.

"I'm saying that there are stronger, more powerful demons than the ones you faced yesterday," I said, keeping my tone smooth and even despite the heavy worry behind them.

"How do you know this, if I may, Sir?" Thunderlane asked.

"You said it was only two weeks that I disappeared, right?" The nodded. "Well for me, it was a hell of a lot longer."

"How long, Sir?" Blossom asked quietly.

Noting my silence, Thunderlane moved on. "Why wouldn't there be any indication of such powerful demons?" He asked. "Surely if they're strong enough to apparently cause you worry, why isn't there any documentation of their existence?"

From his questions, a few of my own were all but confirmed. At the very least, my hope was that Devils had been wiped out since my last interaction with them. Were that the case, the most likely scenario was that Celestia and Luna removed any mention of their existence from the history books if they thought they didn't exist anymore. That or they simply went into hiding, along with what remained of the demonic hordes. It might even be possible that they were ordered to. But the point of the matter remains that time has forgotten a very dangerous enemy.

"Ghost," I said, gaining the attention of the man behind me. "Who writes history?"

"The victors, Sir," He said.

"The victors," I repeated with a nod. "The winners write what is the truth and what should be remembered. See, the Devils, for example, have a remarkable ability to adapt and blend into any given environment, hiding in plain sight among the populace. If the Royal Family didn't want such enemies to be known then I would assume there is a reason." I stated. "It's more than likely that the Princesses didn't want suspicion to grow among their subjects, thus they hid away any information concerning such threats. Especially if none had revealed themselves in hundreds of years. Why bother concerning the public with enemies that are long gone?"

"And what about you, Sir?" Thunderlane asked. "Do you believe they're long gone?"

"No," I answered quickly. "I think they're waiting for the right time to properly strike. Perhaps they're being ordered to. I think the last few attacks have been no more than tests. Poking and prodding to test us."

"Sir, if they're as powerful as you say, how can we sit here and do nothing?" Blossom asked.

"And what would you do then?" I ask.

"Fight back, of course!" She replied instantly.

"And die trying," Ghost shot back as Blossom looked at him offended.

"He's right," I said before she could give a retort. "Very few could fight a Devil and live to tell about it. Fewer still could fight one and kill it. Some Devils could easily rival the Princesses in power while some could even surpass them," I said. "Couple that with the fact each has special transformations with abilities unique to them, it's easy to see why they would want such information hidden."

"How do you know all of this, Sir?" Thunderlane asked. "If the Princesses had this kind of information erased from history, how is it you know so much?"

"Demons have existed long before the Princesses were born and well before even my earliest encounter with them," I said, rubbing my chin.

"But then...that would make you..." Blossom trailed off.

"What about Ancient Demons? Primevals?" Thunderlane asked.

"Stronger than Devils and a menace even within their hierarchy. They can, though with some difficulty, create artificial Devils, though the distinction is nearly impossible to tell," I replied. "And Primevals are just some of the oldest of the Ancient Demons."

They glanced at each other, sharing a highly disturbed expression.

"As you two have probably realized, we are sorely outmatched and even my training, as valuable as it is, won't be able to help the guard improve enough to make that much of a difference. Not against the higher-ups anyway," I stated, standing as I began pacing in the living room.

"So what will you have us do? Play defence until we lose!?" Blossom said, slamming her hands on my desk.

"Wind your neck in, Sargeant," Ghost warned.

Thunderlane put a hand on her shoulder as she sat back down. "Do you have a plan?" He asked.

"The Princesses seem to be more focused on defence and I believe they are right in doing so," I said, still pacing behind my desk. "That being said, it would be far too dangerous for either of them to take a more offensive strategy, especially how uncertain everything is. However, I have some ideas."

"Will they help us win?" Thunderlane asked.

I sighed and shook my head. "I don't know. I only thought of them recently, so they're still in their infancy and putting them into practice will take....a while. But they will at the very least increase our odds. Sometimes tipping the scale is all it takes," I said. "It will take time to make the appropriate arrangements, so hopefully I can make them in time. Ancient Demons and the Primevals will easily be our biggest threat."

"If I can signal one out for one-on-one combat, I'll be more likely to defeat them and increase our odds," I said quietly, going on a small tangent of my own. "But they could be hiding anywhere in the world and Terra isn't exactly small, so doing so will prove to be more than difficult."

"Is there anything we can do to help in assisting you, Sir?"

"Anything at all Sir! If you have a plan that will save Equestria, I want to help!" Blossomforth exclaimed.

I stop my pacing and ease myself back down onto the chair, causing it to creak slightly. "I want you two to plan and set up an evacuation plan. The demons infiltrated Ponyville and twice at that. If they come back in force, we won't be able to hold them off. And if you can, see to it that you call for more Guards to be stationed here," I tell them. "Understood?"

"Yes Sir!" They both say.

"It'll be difficult to secure more Guards, Sir, with the Elements of Harmony here," Thunderlane said.

"And why would that affect anything?" I quirk a brow.

"They're considered Equestria's most powerful weapon," Blossom replied.

My hand immediately found itself slapping against my face as I pinched the bridge of my nose. "Are you fucking serious?" I groan, standing and once again pacing. "The Elements were never designed to be a weapon! They're a shield! A fucking defence! If nothing else, they're a contingency plan! Who the fuck said they were a weapon!?" Standing still, I close my eyes, getting my breathing under control before looking back at the two sitting in front of my desk.

"Make sure to figure out that evacuation plan and tell no one of what was discussed here. Not even the princesses." I tell them, my tone even but commanding. "I'm putting my trust into you two."

Blossom cringed slightly, surprised at my tone, but Thunderlane looked completely unaffected. Almost as though he was expecting it.

"Yes Sir," They both say again.

"Good," I nod. "Walter!"

In an instant, the Head Butler opened the door, hands behind his back as usual as he looked at me. "Yes Sir?"

"Please escort Sargeant Blossomforth and Lieutenant Thunderlane out" I request. "Our discussion is done for the day."

"At once Sir," Stepping to the side slightly, he held his arm out and away from the office as he looked at the two. "If you would?"

Standing, the two give me and Ghost a crisp salute before following Walter out of the office and to the front door, leaving me and my confidant alone. Stepping towards the curved window overlooking Ponyvile, I lean my weight against the small wooden outcropping that spanned half the room.

"They're certainly an interestin' bunch, ain't they?" Ghost said, joining me in looking out the window. "Especially that Lieutenant. The Sargeant is a bit emotional, but I can't deny her passion."

"That you can't," I agreed with a small smirk. "They're good eggs."

"What happened while you were gone, Sir?" He asked suddenly, his tone surprisingly soft.

I look at him for a moment before breathing heavily, my shoulders drooping while my eyes become heavy. I look at the stump of an arm. "...I wouldn't know where to start."

"Start where you want," He replied, putting his hand on my shoulder. "If it helps ease the burden, I will always listen."

Looking at him, I offer a faint smile. "It'll be a lot to take in."

"I was approached to be your protector and over time, you have proven time and time again that you're a great man. A man I would lay my life down for," Ghost said, softly but firmly. "I am your protector, of both physical and mental threats. Whatever this burden is, I will happily share it. We're brothers in arms, aren't we?"

Hearing his words, a small hitch formed in my throat. Clearing it, I smile warmly and nod at the man. "Well, you better grab some seat," I tell him. "We're gonna be here a while."

Author's Note

Bit of a small info dump for new revelations Percy made while on his little impromptu vacay, but don't worry, all will be made clear

Please point out any mistakes I may have made
Constructive criticism is always appreciated
Until next time, TTFN!

Chapter 28 - "Fun And Games"

Stepping out of the shower, I sat on the heavy porcelain toilet and wrapped my thick head of hair in a towel while using another to dry my body. Despite having one less upper limb than your average person, the disability didn't hinder me much, if at all, since I had had more than enough practice to work just as efficiently as I would if I still retained said lost limb.

It had only been a day since my brawl with the Trickster Spirit and word had already gotten out that I had returned and only more than a few hours after Blossomforth and Thunderlane had visited, landing me near the tail end of the evening. It was still...odd to be back, to say the least, and it still hadn't really sunken in fully yet. It left a very bittersweet taste.

Hopping out of the bathroom, I sat in front of my vanity table and ran a hand through my beard. Humming to myself, I prepared and applied a thick layer of shaving foam and ran the nearby shaving knife through. I ran my fingers delicately over my now smooth skin, nodding to myself before removing the towel fron my head.

A soft knock rapped on my room's door and I called out for them to come in, Walter stepping in not a second later.

"Apologies, Sir, but you have some visitors," He said, hands behind his back as usual. "The Princesses and the Elements are here to see you along with young Master Spike."

Pausing to stop blowing a hot blast of air from my palm through my thick head of hair, I glanced at my Head Butler as a soft smile graced my lips. "Let them in please, Walter. Let them know I'll be down with them as soon as possible."

"At once, Sir," He nodded, swiftly closing the door behind him as his footsteps faded downstairs.

Drying the rest of me off with practised ease, I applied some deodorant and some other body spray. I dressed quickly, rolling up the right leg of my blue jeans, and exposing the thick titanium rod bonded to the bone. Throwing on my purple coat out of an instinct I was glad to still be there, I paused for a second, furrowing my brow before focusing. A brief lilac flame and pink sparks fill my hand as my gauntlets and armoured boot appear in my hand. To say I was surprised would be underselling it a bit. They were worse for wear from when I last saw them, sporting more dents and dings in the metal than usual and the fabric was lifelessly dull and faded but all things considered, I could have them easily fixed.

I hobbled over to my bed and screwed my prosthetic leg onto the exposed rod, tightening the buckle strap around my lower thigh for extra security. With that done, I strap my old armoured effects and swiftly make my way downstairs.

Sitting in the living room were the guests Walter had mentioned, all already seen to as they drank their drinks of choice as I entered. Immediately their heads snapped to me as the sound of the rubber sole thudded lightly on the wooden floor, all instantly cringing the moment they saw me, awkwardly trying to avoid looking at my arm and leg much like Blossom and Thunderlane this morning.

"Well isn't this a surprise," I state with a grin. "And to what honour do I owe for such a visit?"

Before I knew it, I was surrounded at all angles, arms and wings wrapped tightly around me as I was pulled into a group hug. Now that my body wasn't exhausted or that my senses weren't weaning off of the surge of extreme adrenaline, the sensation was...odd. It was pleasant and I was obviously comforted by it but it disturbingly felt more hollow than I expected. But it was obviously still more than welcome. Breaking the hug, the group stood in front of me.

"We did not get the chance yesterday, but we are pleased to see you safe and well, Percival," Luna said, smiling warmly at me as her sister nodded beside her.

"Indeed, it's been a stressful time in your absence," Celestia added.

"Yeah, Ghost explained what happened," I nodded back, swallowing a slight lump in my throat. "Thank you...for not giving up on me."

"You would do the same for us, would you not?" Luna asked with a knowing expression.

I chuckled slightly. "Yeah, you got me there."

"We also wanted to return your belongings," Celestia said, prompting a flash of light to appear in front of her, my boot, glove and gauntlet materialising in her hand, devoid of severed limbs. Rather convenient the apparel that was left behind was left unharmed while my limbs were cut off. Oh well.

Taking the items, a few ideas crossed my mind to see about integrating my boot into my prosthetic. The armour anyway, at least. I had gotten used to it and had become quite fond of the peg leg. Makes me feel like a pirate. And pirates are awesome.

"Thank you. I appreciate having these back," I said, the items disappearing in a puff of smoke and embers much like when I summon or desummon my sword. The group flinched slightly at the sight as I chuckled at their reaction.

"We had heard of you being able to do such a thing," Celestia said. "But we were under the impression it was exclusive to your sword."

"What can I say, I'm full of surprises," I said with a shrug.

Twilight was quick to rush forward, taking my hand and closely inspecting. "But how? You don't have a horn! How can you do that? What kind of Magic is that? Can anyone learn it? Where did you learn it?"

Swiftly realizing everyone was now staring at her, she stepped back and rubbed the back of her neck. "Sorry," She said sheepishly.

"It's no problem. Besides," I said, putting my hand lightly on her shoulder as the sound of heavy set footsteps registered in my ears. "I'm chock full of tricks."

The girl's eyes all shifted behind me as the footsteps stopped behind me. Turning around, I opened my mouth to greet my bodyguard, only to stop as I quickly noticed him looking off into a corner, his body froze and his eyes squinted slightly. Following his gaze, we looked at where he was staring, finding it empty.

"Uh...Ghost? You alright there bud?" I ask cautiously.

Blinking, he looked at me, glancing back to the corner before shifting his gaze slowly away and back to me. "Sorry. Thought I saw somethin'," He said with a slight shake of his head.

"What did you see?" I ask.

"A silhouette...I think," He said, shaking his head again. "Stress must be gettin' to me."

Nodding, I patted him on the shoulder. "You and me both."

"So," I turned back towards the group. "Anything else I can help you out with?"

"We also wished to discuss what happened to you during your absence," Luna said, her and her sister seemingly not noticing how Ghost cringed very slightly under his mask and averted his gaze.

"What's to tell?" I shrugged, noting Applejack squinting at me subtly. "I was teleported, shit happened and now I'm back."

"Surely it cannot be so simple," Luna commented. "Whatever happened seemed to have left an impression on you. If there is a way to ease that impression, we wish to help."

"You're really not gonna take no for an answer are you?" I said, causing most present to smirk. Before I responded, a thought crossed my mind and a smirk of my own spread across my lips. "Alright then, but telling you outright would just be too easy and plain wouldn't be fun. So how do you guys feel about a game?"

"What kinda game?" Pinkie said, peeking her head out from behind the Solar Matriarch.

"Ever hear of Spin the Bottle?"

Instantly, there was a collective inhale as the woman in front of me gave me various reactions. The Princesses were initially shocked at my suggestion but quickly became interested. Twilight was uncertain but it seemed the prospect of gaining knowledge outweighed everything else. Applejack was wary but seemed willing to participate given she was in trusted company. Fluttershy looked cautious and nervous but there was a subtle glint in her eyes that told me she was eager to join in. Unsurprisingly, Pinkie and Rainbow Dash were all for it but most shocking of all was Rarity gained a dark smirk as she nodded, looking like she was more than happy to join in as well.

However, once the offer seemed to be fully registered, the group slowly turned to Spike, who seemingly knew what was about to be said.

"Spike, I think you should head home," Twilight said.

"Oh come on!" He huffed. "I'm eighteen!"

"It's nothin' to do with your age Spike. It's just..." Applejack spun her finger in the air slightly, trying to find the right words. "I just wouldn't be comfortable with ya playin' is all. Plus with Twi bein' here..."

Nodding slowly, his shoulders sagged slightly. "Okay."

Leading him to the front door, we stop just short of it, the Draconian turning to me slightly as his head hung a little.

"Hey, cheer up," I said, patting on the shoulder lightly.

"It's just not fair," He said softly.

"Yeah, I understand, but they're like sisters to you. Quite literally in Twilight's case," I said. "It would be a little weird for them for you to be in a situation like that with them."

"Yeah, I get it it's just..." He trailed off. "it just feels like I'm never included in anything."

I rubbed the back of my neck before a thought swiftly crossed my mind. "Hey, you ever been fishing?"

He lifted his head to look at me. "No, why?"

"Well, how about you and I go tomorrow?" I said before leaning in and whispering conspiratorily. "I might even tell you what happens tonight. Or maybe a little secret of mine. Up to you."

His face immediately lit up. "Really!?" He whispered back.

"Hell yeah," I said before leaning back. "Yo Ghost! Come here a minute!"

Almost instantly, Ghost was beside us, a curious look behind his brown eyes. "You wanted me, Sir?"

"How do you feel about going for a little fishing trip?" I grinned.

"Been a while but sure," He nodded. "May I ask why, Sir?"

"Well this one needs some time with guys for a change," I said, clapping the Draconian on the shoulder. "You need to destress and I..." I trailed off, pinching the bridge of my nose and rubbing my eyes. "I need a fucking break."

"Awe man, it's gonna be awesome!" He said excitedly. "I can't wait."

Ruffling his spines, he swatted my hand away as he laughed lightly. "Alright wee man, head on home. We'll pick you up when we're ready."

He left easily enough after that, allowing Ghost and me to head back to the living room. Stepping back into the room, the furniture had been moved slightly, letting the group sit comfortably on the ground with the couches behind them to lean on. I wasn't surprised by their speed at setting everything up as I spotted a glimpse of Clean Wing, Sunrise and Honey Bee giggling between themselves as they swiftly left. What surprised me was how eager everyone looked, especially Pinkie. The girl was vibrating.

"Well, you girls look excited," I said as I sat between Pinkie and Celestia while Ghost sat opposite me and between Twilight and Applejack. "Got a bottle?"

"Uhhhmmm....hold on," Pinkie said before reaching into her hair, her arm disappearing up to the elbow as her lips pursed in concentration. The sound of clutter and clattering filled the air while the pink-haired woman rummaged through her thick head of dishevelled hair. Her tongue poked out as she reached a little further in.

"You uh.....need a hand there?" I asked.

"Yeah, can't seem to find it," She replied, tilting her head towards me.

Reaching into the pink void, my hand felt as though it was going through a thick, never-ending supply of cotton candy. Smelled like it too. My hand brushed against various objects, a guitar, candles, a hurdy-gurdy, crates of some kind, some rings, and I swear there was a piano in there too. Eventually, my finger brushed against a cold, wet surface, cylindrical in nature with a tapered top. Wrapping my hand around it, I pull away from her head. Lo and behold, in my hand, was an ice-cold beer.

"How the hell is this cold?" I mumbled as Pinkie simply smiled at me innocently while she pulled her arm from her hair. "Never change."

Breaking open the cold one with my teeth, I spit away the bottle cap before bringing the bottle to my lips, swishing it slightly to get the contents swirling. I quickly open the back of my throat and let the cool beverage flow unhindered. As the last droplets of beer drip from the bottle's lip, I dab away the little bit that dribbled down my chin. Looking at the rest of the group, I saw a few of them staring at me silently, the tips of their pointed ear reddening slightly while the rest laughed at their reactions.

"Dayum," Pinkie muttered as I sat the bottle in the middle of the makeshift circle.

"Alright," I said. "Who wants to go first?"

"I think as the one who suggested the game, you should go first," Celestia said from beside me, the rest easily agreeing with her.

I shrugged. "Fair enough."

Reaching to the bottle, I briefly glance at the two Princesses, both of whom wore excited grins. It was easy to tell they never got out as much as they'd like and were planning on making the most of the evening ahead. Around and around the bottle went, slowly coming to a stop, the tip pointing to the also excited but equally shy Fluttershy.

"Truth or dare?" I ask.

She stammered for a moment or two before stopping, getting a hold of her nerves as she looked at me through her bangs. "T-truth."

"Ok, let's go easy to start with," I said, readjusting my position slightly on the floor to sit more comfortably. "Who's your favourite animal?"

She seemed to think about the question before she spoke. "Angel bunny," She said softly. Not terribly surprising. Although, I was surprised that she didn't say all of them. Spinning the bottle, it landed on me and she stared at me intently.

"Why did you want to kill Discord?" Fluttershy asked me in a strange, almost disturbingly calm voice.

If I had been drinking, I almost certainly would have done a spit take. I wouldn't have expected a question like that so soon and from her no less. Though she was always pretty sharp in the show when she wanted to be and in the interactions I've had with her, the real-life counterpart was no different. Guess it pays to be the quiet, observant type. My brow raised slightly and everyone else seemed surprised by the question. Glancing to my sides I saw that both princesses were also interested.

"Damn, we're going for the heavy shit already. Ok, have it your way," I shrugged. "There are few beings I hate in the world and tricksters are one of the few I almost physically can't stand. Had one decent interaction with a trickster out dozens of others."

"Plus," I quickly add. "Discord was personal."

No one said anything as I reached and wordlessly spun the bottle until it landed on Ghost, who seemed to look at me with a challenging stare. Squinting back, my lips curled upwards slightly. "Truth or dare, Ghost?"

His glare deepened while his mask shifted and I could tell he was grinning underneath it. "Dare."

I smirked as I leaned back into the couch behind me, inclining my head. "The mask. Go on. Take it off."

"Show my face?" He asked.

"Aye," I nod.

He chuckled softly before swiftly removing his thick boots, placing them next to him as he seemed to look at me with a triumphant stare. "Negative."

"Are you ugly?" I smirked.

"Quite the opposite," He replied, reaching for the bottle, the tip facing towards Rainbow Dash. "Truth or dare?"

"Truth!" She exclaimed excitedly.

"At your best, what's the fastest you've ever flown?"

"Oh, shit, how fast have I gone?" She muttered to herself, idly scratching her chin. "Uh...well I've broken the sound barrier so I'd say...seven fifty? There or there about?"

"Well shit, faster than I expected," Ghost nodded to himself.

"What can I say? I'm just that awesome," She said proudly, puffing out her chest, causing most to roll their eyes playfully. Spinning the bottle, it landed on me. "Oooo~ Truth or dare, Percy?"

"Truth," I said quickly.

"What's the weirdest thing you've ever fought?" She grinned, her wings ruffling behind her excitedly.

"Weirdest? Umm...oh, yeah, that's easy," I laughed as a memory flashed through my head. A tall, wide figure, a thick axe in his spidery grasp as tombstones crumbled around us. "There was this guy who'd graft limbs to his body to make himself stronger. Absolutely obsessed with gold. Utter pansy as well, had him groveling and licking my boot at one point. I forget his name, God-something or other."

"I can't say I've ever heard of such an individual," Celestia commented, looking at me with a curious expression.

"I'd be shocked if you had," I replied, reaching for and spinning the bottle again. It landed on Pinkie.

"Truth or dare?"

"Ummmmmm...truth," She said, almost cautiously.

"Full of truths tonight aren't we?" I asked no one in particular, getting a giggle from most of the group. "How can you do the things you do?

Pinkies eyes widened and her pupils shrank. She started hyperventilating and seemed to be having a bit of a mental breakdown before she suddenly kicked her feet out from under her and made her shoes go flying. They flew into the kitchen and over Walters's head, who ducked slightly, making sure not to spill the tray of drinks in his hand as we all heard something break, which made most flinch, while I pinched the bridge of my nose.

"I would under normal circumstances ask you to refrain from such actions but given your odd abilities, I am not too worried," Walter said, handing out refilled refreshments. "But please do still keep damages to a minimum."

"Plus, it's not like I'm stuck for money at any rate," I shrugged as I thanked Walter, who handed me a simple glass of water. Pinkie smiled innocently and quickly grabbed the bottle, and it spun to Luna.

"Truth or dare Princess?" She asked, a devious grin spreading across her lips.

Luna squinted her eyes slightly, suspecting the next thing Pinkie would say would most likely lead to some form of embarrassment. "Truth," She said warily.

"Can you give people naughty dreams?" Pinkie asked, not an ounce of hesitation present in her body.

Luna stiffened, the tips of her pointed ears going slightly red, but to her credit, she straightened up and softly nodded. "Yes," She said slowly.

I chuckled slightly as I picked up my glass of water. The bottle landed on Celestia, and the look Luna gave her sister told me instantly that this was going to be a good one.

"Truth or dare, dear sister?" She asked mischievously.

Celestia seemed to understand her tone, instantly sensing that her little sister was up to no good. That being said, she played it cool, not outwardly giving any indication anything was wrong "Truth."

"Oh my sweet Jesus, someone choose dare, please!" I loudly complained, the back of my head hitting the couch behind me before I lifted my drink to my lips.

"Those stares you gave Percival when he would train with the Guards, they were not because you were just curious, were they?"

The question made Celestia's face instantly light up like a Christmas light and made me snort into my glass, sending water up and out my nose and causing me to cough, sending the rest of the glass's contents across my face. Luna and a few others laughed at my expense while the rest shook their heads amused. Celestia, however, stuttered heavily from the question. Seems the poor girl, while knowing her sister wasn't going to be kind, hadn't expected such a question so early in the game.

"I-that...you!..." She spluttered before quietly, and unsurprisingly, removing her regalia instead.

Pinkie patted me on the back and pulled a towel from her hair, wiping my face while Celestia rolled her eyes at her sister's giggles. She spun and it landed on me. Uh oh.

She gave me a moment to compose myself. "Ready?" I nodded. "Truth or dare?"

"Dare," I replied, wiping the last of the moisture from my face.

She sat for a second, scratching her chin, seemingly still reeling from her sister's question as she tried to think of a dare for me to do. "I dare you...to...show us another one of your abilities," She said finally.

I was momentarily stuck, unsure of the safest thing to show them. Then, my face lit up as I stood, hobbling over to a more open area of the living room. The group watched me intently, their eyes never leaving me. Looking to my sides, I made sure it was clear.

Flexing my back, I threw my arm and the nub of my right arm out and a bright flash of deep, brilliant purple burst from my shoulder blades, the light coalescing into dazzling feathered wings. Only each "feather" was comprised of thick stone plates, taking the general shape of a feather, the spaces between appearing as a bright gold. All the girls present gasped and immediately stood, getting close to inspect the glowing stone-like wings. All the while, Ghost simply stood and looked on in quiet intrigue.

"Told you I was full of surprises."

"Dude! Since when did you have wings!?" Rainbow Dash exclaimed, running her hand across the stone.

"Always had them I think," I replied with a shrug. Flexing my back again, the wings disappeared in another flash of purple light, golden sparks falling to the ground before turning to nothing. "Just learned how to use them after a while."

"But how though!?" Twilight exclaimed as the Princesses shared in her confusion, if only mildly. "You don't have a horn! You shouldn't be able to cast any form of magic, let alone something this advanced!"

"Ah ah ah," I voiced, wiggling my finger. "If you want to ask then you'll have to wait until the bottle lands on me again."

"You gotta let me race you!" She said, her excitement palpable as the rest of the girls expressed their own excitement.

"Oh fuck yea. I can see it now, "World's Greatest Race."," I said back, mirroring her excitement as I spread my hand in the air in front of me. "Now that would be a sight to behold."

"I'll hold you to that!" She said while we all got back to the circle, this time sitting in different spots.

We continued the game from there and the girls decided to add drinks to the mix. To say it was interesting to watch would be an understatement. I was learning more than I thought I would and everyone was enjoying the game more and more. The girls actually managed to get Ghost invested as well even getting him to do a fully vertical push-up. And let me tell you, his posture was immaculate. Getting his mask off was still unsuccessful though. However, after getting me down to simply my lower half and a glove, the bottle since then stopped landing on me, much to their disappointment.

It was now later into the night, and Celestia and Luna had lowered the sun and moon, momentarily pausing the game, allowing everyone to stand and stretch their limbs that had slowly fallen asleep. Now with several articles of clothing removed while still being decently modest, my luck was meant to last forever and the bottle eventually landed on me.

"Oh sweet Helis, finally!" Rainbow Dash, who had been left with her thick black hoodie and joggers, exclaimed.

Applejack, who unsurprisingly the one of the group with the most amount of clothing still left, looked at me, her posture slightly unsteady as she had partaken in no small amount of my cellar's alcohol. "Truth or dare?"

"...dare."

"Ah dare ya to....ask someone in this room.....out on a date!" She asked, taking a swig from the bottle of cider in her hand.

My body suddenly stiffened at the dare, my eyebrow twitching as I breathed in slowly, glancing around the room to gauge reactions. Most were simply interested in knowing what my response was going to be, however, two stares seemed to be more interested than the rest.

Swallowing a small lump in my throat, I reached for and undid the buckle strap around my thigh and unscrewed the leg, placing it on the couch behind my head. The group was shocked by my action, none more so than the Princesses in the circle. They were also left fairly unsettled as the titanium rod in my leg thunked on the hardwood floor. No one uttered a word as I spun the bottle. It landed on Luna.

"Truth or dare?"

Luna, who had been left with only her tiara and her dress, blinked for a moment before composing herself. "Uh...truth."

I decided to inject a bit of levity "You are aware you have fans right?" I asked. She nodded. "Who's your biggest fan?"

Like clockwork, her face lit up, smiling widely. "A small boy named Pipsqueak. He lives in Ponyville, actually."

"I've seen him around," I smiled as well as did a few others. "Good kid."

"Indeed," She replied, spinning the bottle before it slowly landed on me. Great. "Truth or dare?"

I'm going to regret this. "Truth."

"What happened while you were away?" She asked, her voice soft and delicate.

"So much. So much more than you can imagine," I thought to myself before speaking aloud. "...I don't where I'd start and I honestly don't have the time to regale you with everything so I'll give you an abbreviated version-"

"No," She interrupted, her voice getting somehow softer, her face matching her tone. "What really happened?"

Sighing, I gripped the velcro strap of my glove and pulled it off with my teeth

It wasn't until I had removed my glove, that they slowly began noticing something. Something they were shocked to have missed until then. There, on my ring finger, which had been blocked until my gloves removal, was a simple gold band, worn and dulled.

It was only Ghost who looked at it with understanding, as I had told him the story some hours prior. Not the full story, but the story nonetheless. The girls looked shocked upon seeing the dulled ring on my finger, the Princesses most of all as all sound within the once lively room died down almost instantly. All at once, a look of realization washed over the room.

"Percival...is that...?" Celestia asked quietly. "Is that why you removed your leg?"

Looking at the ring, the corners of my lips twitched and subtly moved up, my thumb running along its remarkably smooth surface. I nodded.

"What were they like?" Rarity asked.

Looking at the window and out into the dark, black sky, I could tell that the game was nearly at its end, having lost a little steam over the last few questions, so I thought I'd at least give them something to leave with.

"Words alone couldn't come close to describing her," I said softly. "But the best way I could would be....she felt like home."

The room fell to silence again, the girls unsure how to respond. Eventually, Luna glanced at the clock on the wall, doing a double take before Celestia did as well. Standing, they gathered their garments.

"As much as it pains me to say, we should be heading back to Canterlot," Celestia announced. "It's getting rather late and we still have our duties to attend. And it is better to stop now before we all bare ourselves," She added, to which the girls seemed to agree with as they nodded.

As they too gathered their clothes, I noticed that some of them seemed...not disappointed, more uncertain. I hadn't shared much whenever I was picked, but that in itself gave them some things to think about and with the last revelation, they had plenty to sink their teeth into.

Showing the girls out of my house I was left with only one. Celestia.

She paused at the front door, turning to face me slowly, seemingly nervous for one reason or another as she slightly fidgeted with her hands. Looking me in the eyes, she sighed lightly.

"I...do not know what it is you have gone through," She started. "But I hope one of these days you can share. I may be your superior, but I am also your friend. And I hope that one day you'll let us help you with whatever burden you have."

"One day, I'll sit you all down and tell you," I nodded. "Just...not today."

"Good," She nodded back with a gentle smile. "I like a good story."

"Good because have I got some stories to tell," I grinned. "Goodnight Chief."

"And to you as well. Goodnight Percival," And just like that, she was gone in a flash of gold.

"You should have told them," Ghost said from behind me, putting what little clothing he took off back on.

"I know. It's just..." I trailed off. "They're not ready."

"Are you sure it's not that they aren't ready yet to be told," He started, as we both moved to make our way to bed. "Or is it that you're not ready to tell them?"

"I don't know."

Author's Note

What's this? He as wings? And he was married!? What other secrets does our boy Percival hold? Find out next time on Dragon Ball!!

Big apologies for the wait for this one, been a busy couple of months, moved house and had to get a new job
It'll be a little hectic for a little longer, but hopefully, it'll calm down soon 🤞

Hope you guys enjoyed this one, gave me a little trouble but I'm quite pleased with it

Please point out any mistakes I may have made
Constructive criticism is always appreciated
Until next time, TTFN!

Chapter 29 - "A Fisher Of Trouble"

Walking through the town Towards Golden Oaks, I breathe in the air deeply, savouring the chilliness it offers my lungs. Unsurprisingly, I was on the receiving end of more than a few stares. I had gotten more than used to it, simply offering the odd greeting, wave or head nod. Also unsurprisingly, a good majority of the stares were directed at my lack of limbs. Another thing I had become unconcerned about.

Holstering Ace, which I had been mindlessly twirling on my finger, I whistled a small tune to myself as I rapped my finger on the solid wooden door of the Library. Almost immediately, Twilight opened the door.

"Oh, P-Percival!" Twilight jumped slightly. "I didn't think you'd be here so early!"

"Twilight it's eleven in the morning," I replied with a smirk. "I wouldn't exactly call that early."

"Oh, it's...I thought..." She glanced behind her before looking back at me.

I quirked an eyebrow, my smirk never leaving. "You did another all-nighter didn't you?"

"....no...." She replied sheepishly.

"You know that's not good for you, you need a good night's rest to function properly," I gently chastised. "I thought someone as brilliant as you would know that."

"I know, it's just I get lost and invested and I lose track of time and-"

"I know, I know. I'm not lecturing you," I raised my hand to calm her down. "I just don't like seeing you confused."

"Well...alright. Thanks," She smiled a little. "You're uh, here to see Spike right? I'll go get him."

Before I could respond, she was already gone. I could faintly hear her and Spike talking from inside, but not wanting to intrude, I ignored them for the time being. I didn't have to wait long as the door opened again, revealing a clearly very excited Spike and Twilight again who looked mildly nervous but did well to keep it under wraps.

"Sup, wee man!" I smirked, ruffling his spines while he flicked his hand to bat mine away. "Excited?"

"Heck yeah!" He exclaimed, nearly jumping as I looked at his sister.

"Good! Now let's go catch us some fish!" I said, mirroring his excitement before looking at Twilight. "We'll be a few hours but I'll have him back by five at the very latest,"

"You better stay out of trouble," She warned.

"What? I'm the paragon of safety!" I said as I began leading him away from the Library.

"So where's...what's his name? Ghost?" He asked. I nodded. "Yeah, where's he?"

"I sent him ahead to set everything up for us getting there," I replied. "Found us a nice spot too far into the Everfree. Big lake, plenty of opportunity."

"Hey so, what happened last night?" He asked suddenly, seemingly completely unbothered by the mention of the Everfree. "Twilight didn't say a word when she eventually got back and when she mentioned you she got all...weird."

"Oh. Yeah, that. Well, you'll probably find out sooner or later, if not from me, then one of the girls," I reasoned as I rubbed the back of my neck. "The girls found out last night I was married after a dare AJ gave me."

"Wait, you were married?" He asked incredulously. "Aren't you a little young to get married?"

I laughed and looked at him with a raised eyebrow. "Boy, how old do you think I am?"

"I don't know...twenty-four? Twenty-five?" He shrugged.

"I've known people who got married at eighteen!"

"Well, I don't know! I don't look that kinda stuff up!" He rebuked with a slight grin.

I clapped him over his shoulder with a laugh. "You may be Twilight's brother but boy, do you have a lot to learn."

The journey from there was otherwise uneventful. I regaled him with an abbreviated telling of the previous night, keeping some of the more nitty gritty to keep up the girl's privacy, but even what little I technically told him got him satisfied. He was more amused at the shenanigans we all got up to, thankfully uninterested in the more risque parts, so that saved me from embarrassment.

It didn't take long for us to cross the border and walk into the Everfree. Given how early we set off, the light from the sun shone rather beautifully through the tree, rays of golden light sneaking through the leaves and foliage. I was rather pleased with myself to have suggested this little last-minute trip of ours. The walk to the lake Ghost and I chose was done in silence, the two of us taking in the sights, sounds and smells of the forest around us. I never understood the fear everyone has for the Everfree. It was just a forest to me. That being said, however, I'm not from here, so that may have something to do with it. The Everfree would just be a normal forest back home.

Regardless, we eventually made it to the lake and it would seem we weren't alone.

Standing at the small makeshift camp, beside the comparatively massive and imposing Ghost, was a small pink-haired woman.

"Fluttershy?" I said out loud as we passed the tree line around the lake.

"Oh!" She squeaked out and jumped. She turned to face us, relaxing upon seeing who had spoken. "Hi, Spike. Hi, Percival."

"I don't say this to sound rude, but what are you doing here?" I asked, putting my hand in the pocket of my coat.

"Oh-um...I was gathering food for some of my animal friends, berries, bugs, and such when I saw Mr.Ghost setting up all this equipment," She said quietly, gesturing at the small setup we had. "When I asked what he was doing and he said you both were going to teach Spike how to fish, I thought I'd ask if it was alright if I joined?"

"Sure!" I replied quickly, gaining a small smile from the timid woman. "The more the merrier! Though I never took you for the fishing type."

"It...was always a good way to relax," She replied meekly. "I only properly fish if I need to."

"Fair enough."

Looking at the setup, it was modest all things considered but it did what it needed to do and had what we needed. A few simple camping chairs were spread out a small distance from each other, allowing us to fish without having the lines get tangled in each other. There were also little footrests near each one with specialised cups on swivels, providing leverage in case of larger game, a new product we picked up from the local Tackle shop. We also had a tackle box, a cool box, a few small containers with bait, and a few extra rods.

"Good job Ghost," I said, patting him once on the shoulder as I passed him.

"Thank you, Sir," He nodded.

"Uh...Percival? How are you gonna fish with one arm?" Spike asked as we moved to gather the rods.

Just as he asked, I pulled up a harness holding a smooth curved plate with a thick pipe at the centre, a small portion cut out at the tip for the rod to sit in and small holes set an equal distance apart along each side. Putting it over my shoulder, I deftly strapped and tightened it in place, the plate sitting comfortably on my stomach. Pointing to it, I grinned widely. "This back boy! Picked it up this morning."

"You did that really fast," Fluttershy commented.

"I've time to adjust," I shrugged as we picked up our rods. "Ok, so first Spike, we need some bait."

Stepping over to the containers with an assortment of bait, I grin widely and quickly pick out mine. "I'm gonna use some cheese."

"Cheese?" Spike repeated while we made our way to the shore.

"The smellier the better," I nod getting a chuckle from Ghost.

"Now, for you, to cast your line, swing the rod over your dominant shoulder, and bring forward in a smooth motion," I said, pointing to Ghost who was in the process of casting. "Don't use your elbow, it's all in the wrist."

"Uh...ok," He said, squaring off his feet and mimicking Ghost's movements. Although slower, he gets it a decent distance. "Like that?"

"That's it, good," I nod encouragingly, gaining a smile from the young Draconian. "Now, Spike, all we have to do is wait for a fish to take the bait."

"That's it?"

"That's it," I nod again, preparing to cast my own line.

"How will I know I've got a bite?"

Casting my line off into the lake, I secure it in place with a small bar, sticking it in one of the holes along the side. "Well, if you feel the tip of your rod getting all...twitchy? That means a fish is nibbling, but don't yank it quite yet."

He nodded as I explained, looking between me and the fishing pole in his hands. Off to my other side, Fluttershy cast her own line, the small woman going out much further than the rest of us. "But when you feel a hard tug, that's when a fish has taken the bait, so yank hard to hook it."

Just as the words leave my mouth, Ghost's line wobbles slightly before going taught, the large man grabbing his rod tightly and yanking towards him. Shifting his rod every now and then, he slowly reeled his thrashing catch in.

"See him fighting there, Spike?" I point to the fish. "That's when you need to be careful or else you'll break your line. Best to wear them out before you properly reel them in."

After a minute or so, the fish's thrashing and attempts to escape wear it out, allowing Ghost to effortlessly reel it in. The fish was fairly flat and round, sporting a coppery colour along with subtle lines along its side.

"That's a Bluegill I think," Fluttershy said quietly.

"Almost as small as you," I smirk, lightly bumping Spike with my shoulder, earning me a good laugh. Ghost lightly threw the fish back into the water and caught Spike giving him an odd look. "You want to throw the smaller ones back in, give them a chance to grow."

Nodding, he glanced at me before looking back out to the lake. Several minutes go by with nothing really happening, the other taking the camping chairs as I chose to continue standing. A sense of peace washed over us and a soft smile spread over my face, the chill air cooling my face and lungs while took in the smell of the still morning dew and the sound of the air rushing through the leaves above us. I would glance every so often over at our young Draconian companion, and I could tell he wasn't sure about it at first, but as the minutes ticked by, I could also see he was beginning to slowly get it.

"So this is fishing?" He said, his words more of a comment than a question. "It's a lot less eventful than I thought."

"True. But I find that the enjoyment you get from fishing is less from the act itself and more from everything else," I said. "It brings a sense of peace, gives you time to unwind, think about things. And if you're with others, you can talk about anything and everything. You just sit...and wait...and try not to worry."

Just then, I felt my rod tug. Just ever so slightly.

"But then..." I start, removing my coat just as the tugging begins to slowly pick up. "Something happens."

The rod bent violently, the line singing as it sliced through the water. Fluttershy eeped from the sudden noise and movement while Ghost chuckled, excitement clear in his voice. Spike felt a sudden rush of adrenaline surge through him as he watched me tighten my grip, his heart racing. There was something big on the other end.

With each turn of the reel, the fish fought back, a titanic struggle unfolding beneath the surface. The water erupted in splashes, revealing glimpses of glistening scales and the sheer size of the creature. I gritted my teeth as I grinned, the metal of my right leg finding purchase on a root embedded deep within the sand.

"Come on, you big bastard," I coaxed. "Just a little longer."

Time seemed to stretch and contract, moments blending into a symphony of exertion and will. Spike felt every heartbeat echoing in his ears, a testament to the primal connection between man and beast. The fight for dominance raged on, a fierce tug-of-war between man and beast. The rod bent dangerously close to snapping. Each time I reeled in, the fish surged away with renewed vigour, breaking the surface in a wild splash, sending droplets flying like shards of glass.

Finally, after what felt like an eternity, the fish began to tire. I seized the opportunity, reeling in as the fish slowed to a near crawl. The surface of the water broke open, and there it was—a magnificent creature, its body shimmering in the fading light, a testament to nature's raw beauty.

Thick bodies with scales just as thick, the white behemoth flapped helplessly as I rushed over to catch it before it flopped its way back into the lake. Fluttershy gasped loudly as she rushed over as well, Ghost clapping his hands with an excited chortle. Spike looked on in wonder at the beast, his eyes wandering its shimmering hide.

"Spike! Help me hold it down!" I exclaimed, not bothering to hide my excitement. "Ghost! Get a tape measure!"

"This is Northern Pike!" Fluttershy exclaimed. "I've only ever caught glimpses of it."

"You Sir, are a fish," I grin.

Ghost quickly grabs a tape measure from the tackle box and swiftly makes his way to us, nearly skidding to a stop before pulling on the measure. And it kept going. And going. And going until finally, it stopped, allowing me to see the size of my catch.

"Fifty inches!?" Spike shouted.

"That would put this beast...what? Thirty-five pounds?" Ghost guessed.

"I'd say closer to forty," Fluttershy offered, quickly hiding behind her hair as we looked at her. As Ghost put the tape measure away, the woman closely inspected the beast, looking under the gill flap. "He's old. Eighteen or nineteen. No more than twenty."

"So I caught myself a pensioner then?" I smirked, looking at the massive fish beneath me. "Looks like age hasn't slowed you down one bit."

Putting my hand beneath the beast, I shuffled it towards the water with ease before it thrashed once more, gracefully disappearing into the murk with a single swipe of its powerful tail. Not a moment later, the water settled, the monster lurking once again within the depths of the lake.

"That was a perfect example of another fish you let go," I said softly, Spike quickly looking my way as I spoke. "Albinism, old and truly massive. A specimen that unique is not one you come across often. Especially so early on."

"That was magnificent!" Fluttershy clapped her hands, her wings fluttering behind her.

As the words left her mouth, a flash of light appeared in front of me and I instinctually reached out to grab the scroll that momentarily stood frozen in the air before it could fall to the damp sand below. Immediately recognising the wax seal, I broke it, clamping the bottom of the parchment between my stomach and the plate still holding my rod to unroll it. Even upon reading the first line, I could tell this wasn't going to be a social call, but as I read, my brow furrowed.

"Sir?"

"It doesn't seem terribly urgent," I said simply, handing over the scroll and swiftly undoing the harness. "But they're requesting my as soon as possible."

"Oh that can't be good," Fluttershy said, fidgeting with her hands as she glanced between Ghost and me.

"Spike, I'm sorry to have to cut our trip short buddy," I told him, slipping my coat over my shoulders as my equipment appeared on me in a flash of purple fire.

"No, it's okay; I understand," He said genuinely. "Go do what you need to do."

"You're a good kid," I said softly, ruffling his spines. I didn't get any resistance this time. "I promise we'll continue some time."

"I'll hold you to it!" He grinned. "Now go be a Paladin!"

Looking at Ghost, incline my head at Spike. "Keep this one out of trouble for me while I'm gone," I said, resulting in the young Draconian giving me an incredulous look. "Make sure he gets home safe."

Putting his arm around Spike's neck, Ghost noogied his head as he tried and failed to escape his grasp. "Don't worry Sir, I'll keep my eye on him."

Nodding, I looked to Fluttershy who seemed to be back to her nervous self. Patting her on the shoulder, I spoke softly. "It'll be fine. I promise."

"I-if you're sure," She murmured. "Be safe."

"Always," I softly squeeze her shoulder, taking off not a second later.

~~

Breaking the tree line, I dig my heel into the ground, my momentum ceasing in a moment. I look off to Canterlot and roll my shoulders, getting the blood pumping

"Ok," I mumbled under my breath. "Let's see if I still got it."

Flexing my back, the air shimmered for only a moment, a deep brilliant light erupted from my back, and the thick stone feathered wings unfurled, the tips barely missing the ground by centimetres.

With a mighty leap and a loud boom, I kicked up a thick dirt cloud and launched myself into the abyss. The ground fell away, and I was enveloped in a maelstrom of wind. The air rushed under and behind my body, a fierce embrace that pulled me upward. I could feel the thunderous beat of my heart against my chest and ears.

As I soared higher, the world below transformed into a tapestry of colours; the greens of the forest, and the browns of the earth, all faded into the deepening blues of the twilight sky. The wings propelled me forward with an effortless grace, carving through the air as if I were born to fly. Each stroke felt like an extension of my very being, a shock of freedom that felt right within my soul. I ascended toward the castle city, and what would have been a few hour's journey was shortened to no more than ten minutes. The wind whistled in my ears, compounding the thundering pulse within my ears. I laughed—a sound that mingled with the rush of air and adrenaline, pure and unrestrained.

Canterlot drew nearer, my wings waned and my back began slowly cramping, years of inactivity causing the little amount of use to be strenuous. But still, I pushed past it ache, focusing on my destination, taking putting my mind to something else in the hope of prolonging my flight. However, as I flew closer, something caught my eye. A flicker, a black shape darting into an alley in a darker part of the city.

Instantly red flags flashed in my head as I took a deep breath, leaning my body to the side to alter my trajectory. However my wings slowly started to flicker, and I began losing altitude, forcing me to take an emergency landing. Bracing my legs, I tried to mitigate damage to the cobblestone street directly below me.

Coming to a crashing halt, I lay there in a heap, groaning, slowly standing as I stretched out my still aching back.

"Yup. Gonna feel that tomorrow," I strained, twisting my back. "My pain tolerance is so inconsistent."

Looking around, I appeared to have crash-landed between the border of the castle and the edge of the city. But before I could take in my surroundings properly, the sounds of a struggle tore my attention to other matters at hand. Rushing to the source of the noise, I bounded around a corner, getting closer and closer to the source. Thankfully, I was there before I knew it. And I didn't like what I saw.

Right at the back of the alley surrounded by six black figures, was a girl dressed in all pink, her hair sporting various shades of pink and cream with a bright pink horn and a set of large equally bright wings behind her back. On the floor near the entrance was a tiara, simple shining gold with two deep purple gems, one at the centre and one above it. There's only one other person this could be. Cadence.

Lo and behold, her assailants looked to be none other than Changelings. Thick black carapaces took up the majority of their bodies, almost akin to sleek body armour. The only surprising thing about them was they lacked any other identifying features, in that they all looked largely the same save the smallest difference in height. Slim shoulders, wide hips, flat chests, curved horns and folded insect wings with their faces obscured by an almost helmet-like piece. The only one with any sort of difference was who I assumed to be their leader who had a crest on the top of their head.

Just as I turned the corner into the alley, they all rushed her as she tried to use magic. Holding her down, one for each limb and one for her shoulders. I was going to help regardless but what I saw next made me act on instinct. The leader of the Changelings started to hike up her dress as he lowered himself to her level. My blood ran cold. She screamed into the Changeling's hands that covered her mouth as tears ran down her face.

"HEY!"

In an instant, all motion ceased and I saw all of their eyes widen. The Changelings stared at me perplexed while Cadence looked on with hope-filled tears.

"The fuck are you?" The leader asked, a distinctly male voice meeting my ears. "You a Guard?"

"Ah yes, because Canterlots finest often parade around in purple coats you FUCKING DIPSHIT! GOD!" I said, throwing my arm up in frustration as I made my way into the alley.

The leader instantly stands as their horn is enveloped by a translucent blue, the aura swiftly taking shape in a matter of moments, being sent forward as a solid mass. Cadence yells, her voice muffled behind the hand of the Changeling still covering it. I squint my eyes, bringing my hand back and slapping the projectile into the wall beside me, shocking all currently present.

"You know if you only spent as much of your time being positively productive as you did assaulting random people then we'd make a lot of headway as a society," I said flatly, continuing to get closer.

"Get him!" The leader shouted.

"Very original."

The Changeling holding Cadence's shoulders pounced, flying above our heads before coming at me with their teeth bared. I stepped to the side at the last second, grabbing them by the back of their neck and bringing them in front of me while I wrapped my arm around their neck, grabbing their jaw before locking their body in place with my leg. I twisted as I held their lower half, their head swivelling unnaturally as a sickening crunch filled the air, their armoured neck cracking while I tore their jaw from its socket, their body falling to the ground in a lifeless lump with a soft thud.

They paused, seeing their comrade be dispatched so swiftly. There was a moment of silence, none sure of how to react or proceed. Until with one shared glance, they all stood at once.

"You might want to close your eyes," I said, leaning to the side to see Cadence scrabbling away in the corner, making herself as small as possible.

I cracked my knuckle against my jaw, rolling my shoulders, feeling the cool air kiss my skin. My heart was calm, a slow, steady thrum. They spread out, forming a loose semicircle around me, their postures tensed, ready. I caught sight of one of them, the leader, twitching—a small, almost imperceptible jerk of the head—like he was signalling the others. That’s when the first one lunged.

He moved fast, but I moved faster. My hand shot out, catching his wrist mid-swing. I felt the bones in his arm shift under my grip, and with a sharp twist, I snapped it. The scream that erupted from beneath his helmet was muffled, and it was then I noticed its almost mechanical undertone. Before he could even register the pain, I slammed my fist into his gut, feeling the armour crunch like a brittle shell under the force. He folded, gasping, and I drove my knee up into his face, sending him sprawling back, limp.

The second and third charged at the same time, one from my left, and the other from my right. I ducked under a wild swing, hearing the whistle of a blade slicing through the air above my head. The bastard had a knife. I grinned.

"Oh going for the knife! Good boy! Critical thinking! You get a sticker!"

I spun low, sweeping my leg in a wide arc, knocking the legs out from under one of them. The moment his back hit the ground, I was on him, straddling his chest. I cocked my arm back, fist crackling with a lilac flame and brought it down on his helmet. It shattered like glass, fragments flying, exposing pale, bloodied skin underneath. His eyes were wide, panicked, and I could see my own reflection in them for a split second before I drove my fist into his face again, and again, until he was still.

The other tried to grab me, his arm wrapping around my throat from behind. I felt the cold press of metal against my neck and for a moment, everything went still—the way the world holds its breath right before the storm hits. But then I let my power loose. A surge of raw energy flooded my veins, and I felt my muscles tense, every inch of me thrumming with strength.

My back erupts in the same lilac fire as before, weak enough to simply stun my assailant for long enough for me to reach back and grab his arm, and tear it free from my neck. With a twist of my hips, I flipped him over my shoulder, slamming him into the wall. The bricks cracked under the impact. I didn’t give him a chance to get up. I yanked him up by the throat, his feet dangling inches off the ground, and crushed his windpipe with a squeeze. He choked, gagging, trying to claw at my hand, but I didn’t let go until his eyes went glassy.

The last two were hesitating now. Good. I could see the fear starting to creep in, their confident stances faltering. They knew they were outmatched, and that realization was sinking in fast.

The leader shouted something, a garbled, guttural command, and the other pulled out a simple baton, flicking it open. Sparks of magic crackled along its length. I raised an eyebrow. That was new. He darted forward, jabbing at me with the baton, trying to keep me at a distance, but I sidestepped each thrust, reading his movements like an open book. The moment he overextended, I stepped in, catching his wrist. I twisted, hard, and felt the satisfying snap of bone.

He screamed, and I wrenched the baton from his grip, twirling it once in my hand before slamming it into his head. There was a sharp, wet crack, and he crumpled to the ground, twitching.

And so all that was left was the leader. He stood frozen, staring at me. I could see his chest rising and falling fast, his breath coming in short, frantic bursts. He glanced down at his fallen comrades, then back at me. For a moment, I thought he might run.

I beckoned him forward, a mocking little gesture, and he hesitated. I could see him weighing his options, the gears turning behind those teal, glowing slits. Then, with a roar that was more desperation than fury, he charged.

I sidestepped his wild swing, catching his arm mid-strike. I yanked him closer, bringing my knee up into his ribs, feeling the armour crack under the force. He doubled over, and I grabbed his head, tearing off the interconnected helmet-like armour with a savage twist. His face was pale, drenched in sweat, his eyes wide with terror.

I met his gaze, just for a moment, letting him see the cold, calm fury in my eyes. Then I pulled him close, my lips almost brushing his ear as I whispered, “You should’ve stayed in the hive.”

And then I snapped his neck.

I let his body drop, the last of them crumpling to the ground like a marionette with its strings cut. The alley was silent now, save for the soft hum of the streetlamp overhead and the distant rumble of the city beyond. I stood there, breathing slowly, feeling the adrenaline start to ebb, leaving only a dull ache in my knuckles.

I glanced down at the bodies, a smirk curling at the corner of my lips despite a slight disappointment. “Damn,” I muttered, shaking the blood off my hands and onto the cobblestone, “Didn't even get to use Ace or Anatole.”

Stepping back to look out into the street, I noticed there was a slight shimmer in the air. A subtle shift, like heat waves. Getting close, I reached out to touch it. The tip of my finger brushed against a wobbling surface, the air now rippling like water before shattering like glass, the sound of the city's hustle and bustle becoming suddenly clear. Sound impression. Leaning a little further out, I spot a trio of Guards.

"Oi!" I shout out, my voice easily carrying to their ears. They quickly spin, spotting me leaning out from the dark street. "Get the Captain of the Guard immediately!"

They share a small glance before running off in the direction of the castle. Rushing back to the scene, I step on and over the bodies and make my way to the back to a still-shaking Cadence huddled in the corner. I slow as I near, keeping myself low to keep signs of aggression to a minimum before kneeling in front of her.

"Hey," I said in as soft a voice as I could muster. She shakily opens, my broad shoulders thankfully blocking the carnage behind me, though more than a few splats of green glowing blood stick to my clothing. "I'm going to get you out of here, alright?"

She glances around before her gaze settles back onto me and she slowly nods, her breathing slow and steady. I offer my hand which she warily takes, standing on her unsteady legs. Her eyes catch the sight of the bodies and I see her breath quicken rapidly. I move behind her and gather her hair, holding it in time for her to double over and heave, wet splats landing on the already damp ground. A few minutes pass and she eventually empties the contents of her stomach. Letting her gather herself, I lead her out of the alley and sit her down on the street pavement, but not before putting my jacket over her shoulders as she uses its collar to shield her eyes from the massacre.

"You got a name?" I ask after a few minutes of her getting her breathing back under control.

"I...I...I," She starts, stumbling over her words as I see her bottom lip quiver.

"Hey, hey, you're alright. You're safe," I reassure her. "No one's going to harm you, not while I'm around."

"Cadence!" Well, that answers that I guess.

Looking up, I instantly spot a familiar face. Shining Armour, flanked by medical personnel, came rushing up to us, the former, gently kneeling in front of the shaken Princess, whispering soft words to her as though he knew exactly what to say and how to say them. At least their relationship was still the same. Or at least I hoped it was. Suddenly, her posture shifted, becoming unsteady as her eyelids flickered.

"Oh the grounds coming up fast," She slurred out before falling into Shining Armour's Arms.

The medics scrambled to her side, removing and handing me my coat back as they checked her vitals. They informed us she had simply feinted, allowing Shining Armour to let out a sigh of relief, scooping the now unconscious pink Princess up in his arms, carrying her and holding her close to his chest. As we prepared to leave, a group of Guards including the ones from before arrived at the scene.

"Clean this mess up!" He ordered, his voice loud and commanding. "I don't want the civilians worrying about this! On the double and report to me when you are finished!" Shining Armor commanded. Once we were a fair distance away, he spoke again in a more hushed tone as the medics teleported away to prepare the ward for the Princess's arrival. They hadn't teleported her away due to her vulnerable state. "What happened?"

"They intended to violate the girl in your arms," I replied, inclining my head. "I intervened."

He nodded with a shaky breath. "While I shouldn't say this I believe that you should know that I am very grateful to you Sir," Shining told me in a serious tone. "I wouldn't normally condone such acts of violence, but it is not my place to question your methods nor do I care in this particular case." He stated. "The princesses will also want a full report and I don't know how they'll react to the news of their niece almost being...assaulted..." Shining trailed off.

"So this is Princess Mi Amor Cadanza?" I said to one in particular, glancing down at her. "Just out of curiosity, which side is she from?"

"I don't know, the Princesses never publically disclosed that info," He replied. "But they're very protective of her."

"You seem rather protective yourself, Captain," I said, giving him a wide, shit-eating grin.

Like clockwork, his pale skin turned beet red. "I-what-you-I don't know....uh," Entering the castle, we b-lined it for the medical wing as Shining tried to find the right words. After a minute or so, he finally broke the silence just as we entered. "I'm sweet on her."

The Doctors and Nurses were already ready by the time we arrived. I stepped back as he told me about the scary attack that happened in the alley. She might have simply fainted, but they needed to check on her to make sure she was okay. Shining carried her into a room, and a doctor quickly talked to a nurse before she ran off like her life damn near depended on it. It was obvious she was going to tell the other princesses about what happened. I knew Princess Celestia and Princess Luna would be here soon. Suddenly, Celestia appeared looking worried. I pointed her in the right direction, and she hurried off to the room where Cadence was. Then Luna showed up looking frantic, but she calmed down when she saw me already pointing down the hall. She followed my directions and went into the same room as the others.

During my time out in the waiting room, I picked up and began reading a random magazine before placing it on my face and closing my eyes to take a quick nap.

"Percival," I heard Celestia say. Looking up to see Celestia smiling at me let me know that Cadence was going to be fine. "Come. We have much to discuss," Celestia informed me and started to leave.

I fell in behind her instantly. Strangely, Celestia didn't speak a word as we walked to somewhere more private, which I found odd as she's always loved to engage in small talk. Not that it mattered in the grand scheme of things, just odd. It didn't take me long to realize that we were heading to her room. When we arrived Celestia opened the door and gestured for me to enter. I did so without question and was greeted by Luna who was already in the room.

"Greetings Percival," Luna said with a smile as she lay on Celestia's bed, a small orb forming in her hand before flinging it at my chest. Going to catch it, it absorbed into my hand which instantly cleaned it of the thin layer of green blood. Looking down I realized that she had cleaned me of the blood that had gotten on me, which was very helpful.

"Convenient," I nodded as I sat on the same chair I would every time I came here.

Celestia took her usual spot on the couch across from me and smiled as she sat down. "Before we continue, I must thank you for saving our Niece," Celestia said. "I dread to think what they would have done had you not been there. She is...very dear to us."

"And as always, your methods were gruesome, if not thorough," Luna said from Celestia's bed. "Usually we would have preferred to have kept one alive for questioning, but we believe you made the right call."

"We owe you a great debt for saving her," Celestia said, her tone solid, leaving no room for debate. "Whatever your request, if it be in our power, we will grant it."

"No," I said quickly, hardening my expression. "My Oath is to protect. And I did just that. I didn't want compensation for keeping that Oath. I would have done it regardless of who it was. Knowing she's safe is enough for me."

The Princesses sat for a moment, their faces softening considerably. "You are a strange fellow Percival," Luna said, causing me to chuckle. "Many would kill, often literally, to be in your shoes, to have your power and status. Yet you are as humble as the day we met you."

"I know more than a few people to keep me in line," I said. "Besides, the universe just loves giving me reality checks now and then."

Celestia giggled, her face quickly gaining a more professional look. "Unfortunately, we must get to the matter at hand," She stated as Luna did the same. "Are you aware of the Desert Kingdoms and the Nomadic Tribes that also reside there?"

"Painfully, why?" I replied.

"We have lost contact with our Eastern friends. Trade is commonplace and they are even considered allies. When their ships stopped docking, we assumed it was due to some internal dispute but when they did not respond to letters and other forms of communication we started thinking the worst. But it was when our ships stopped returning, we knew something was wrong."

"Even Lady Zecora who lives in the Everfree, and is also a part of the Nomadic Tribes, said she had not heard from her Tribe in a little over a month," Luna added. "The situation at large is rather unnerving."

"There is a reason for this communication blackout and we believe they may be in danger," Celestia finished.

"Do you think Demons are involved?" I ask.

"Yes, we do. In our experience, when Demons first started attacking our settlements, they would cut off all possible lines of communication to isolate them," Celestia stated. "They are largely without magic and what magic they do have is unique and specialized. If Demons are I'm not sure how useful it would be."

Sitting up straight, I look her in the eyes. "What are my orders, Chief?"

"We want you to take a team we are assembling to investigate the reason for the loss of communication, and if possible, reestablish contact with our Eastern allies," Celestia said firmly.

"Just like Las Almas," I said, leaning back into the soft recliner.

"Close but this operation will be...much more complicated, we fear," Luna said, now sitting at the edge of her sister's bed.

"It will take five or so days to prepare everything that will be needed for an operation of this size. When preparations are done, we will send a letter a few hours ahead of time and you will be picked up before departure," Celestia debriefed. "Any questions?"

"Just one," I said, idly scratching my nose. "How long should I expect the trip to last?"

"The Skyship we are providing will be able to make the journey in a couple of weeks, depending on the weather of course. The crew we are sending is an equal spread of unicorns, Pegasi, and Earth-pony, so balloon and weather management are not issues," Luna informed me. "If you have clear sailing, it would be roughly ten days but expect two weeks at most."

"That's very helpful. Thank you. Is there anything else you two need me for?" I asked the princesses.

"We would also lie to apologise," Celestia said softly, her head hanging ever so slightly.

"Apologise?" I repeat.

"We know you got back not even two days ago and we are already asking you to participate in an operation that will require you to be very involved," Luna said, her voice matching her siblings. "We have given you no time to properly recover from...what it is you had to go through."

"Because of this, we offer you our sincerest apologies," Celestia finished.

"No rest for the wicked, huh?" I smiled softly, leaning forward and looking at the Princesses in front of me. "It's not your fault. Shit happens when it's the least convenient. You have no power over that. Besides, anything for peace, amiright?"

The two look at me for a moment, smiling warmly.

"You are certainly unlike anyone we have ever met," Luna said softly. "Never change, Percival."

I stuck up my thumbs with a wide grin. "Don't plan on it!" The pair giggle at my remark. "Is that all?"

They nod their.

"Then I bid you two adieu," I said, standing to leave. "Enjoy the rest of your day. Luna. Chief."

"You as well Percival," Celestia said with a warm smile.

"We look forward to seeing you soon," Luna told me and with that, I left the room.

Author's Note

Well, got this out shockingly fast. Guess it helps when you know exactly what you want :rainbowlaugh:

Looks like our boy is in for more foreign relations, let's this goes as well as it did last time

Please point out any mistakes I may have made
Constructive criticism is always appreciated
Until next time, TTFN!

Chapter 30 - "Maiden Voyage"

Today was the day I was meant to join the Skyship the Princesses commissioned to investigate the communication blackout with our allies in the East. The days leading up to it had been otherwise uneventful. Spike had made it a point for me and Ghost to take him back out to the lake and we had made it a regular thing around the mid-afternoon. Let the three of us talk and learn about each other and let Spike get some time with guys. Something I could tell he needed. He seemed to be nervous for some reason when it would just be me and him but I didn't want to pry and make him uncomfortable so I decided to leave it for now.

Applejack and Rarity had visited a few times after my trip to Canterlot, the first time was because the cowgirl wanted to apologise for the dare she issued and despite telling her she didn't need to, she still apologised profusely. After that, they simply wanted to visit after learning I would be due away on, for them, an undisclosed mission for an unknown amount of time. The others had seen me once or twice, but those two had definitely started becoming regulars along with Spike.

Looking out over the still forest, the sun slowly slid up past the horizon, drenching the landscape in a soft orange hue. The cool air blew over me and through my mane of hair, soothing my nerves, even if it was just for a moment. I let out a hefty, if shaky sigh as I ran my thumb over the dull gold band around my finger, feeling the surprisingly smooth surface despite the length of time I've had it. Steadying my breath, I glance down at the ring.

"Where are you T?" I whispered, bringing the ring to my lips. "Please be okay."

A sound came from behind me, meeting my ears clear as day. The unlatching and opening of a window as a small breath accompanied it followed by the ruffling of clothes. Heavy boots thunked on the thick tiled rooftop, coming up behind me and then to my side as Ghost eased himself down to sit beside me. We sat in silence for a few minutes, taking in the early morning rays of sun, and relishing in the quiet wind rustling through the trees nearby.

"Everything's prepared, Sir," Ghost informed me. "The Skyship should be here in no more than an hour."

I nod silently, not taking my eyes off the scenery before me. He was unbothered by my lack of a response, instead looking back out, joining my gaze. The sun was climbing higher now, its light spreading, brightening the landscape bit by bit, now peeking through and touching the treeline near my home.

That’s when I saw it—a flicker of movement near the treeline. I almost missed it, just a dark shape against the shifting palette of colours, like a smudge on a painting. I turned my head slowly, trying not to alert Ghost, and I squinted, trying to focus. The light was still too dim, the shadows stubbornly clinging to the trees, and for a moment, I thought maybe it was a deer or a stray dog, something that had wandered too far from its usual path.

But it just stood there, almost deliberately. I could just make out the silhouette—tall, lean, thick boots, armoured gloves, long trench coat stopping just halfway down their calf. The figure was standing at the edge of the trees, partially hidden behind the trunk of an old oak, just standing there. Menacingly almost. My pulse quickened at the sight of it, a dull, steady thud echoing in my ears. I tried to tell myself it was nothing, that maybe someone was just out for an early morning walk, but there was something about the way it stood there, still as a statue, that made my senses to off, sending something to my brain that told me, while it wasn't an imminent danger, there was something off about it.

"Sir," Ghost said, lightly bumping my side.

I take my eyes off the shadow for a moment, glancing down the neat stone pathway leading up to my home, immediately spotting Blossomforth walking up towards the front door with a thick leather duffle bag under her arm. Glancing back, the treeline was now comfortably bathed in morning light, but it was empty, just a stretch of trees swaying gently in the breeze. Whatever I’d seen, or thought I’d seen, was gone. Remembering Ghost had had a similar experience, I decided to tuck that little nugget away for later.

Pushing myself onto my feet, I roll my neck, patting Ghost on the shoulder. "Let's get ready for the shitshow," With that, I step off and jump down the front door to meet our newest arrival.

Landing in front of her as she got to the door, Blossom let out a sharp yelp as she jumped back, her wings momentarily flaring out in alarm. Seeing it was me, her wings folded back against her as Ghost landed next to me with a grunt. With her duffle bag still under her arm, she slammed her feet together and gave a crisp salute. Ever the eager professional.

"Blossomforth reporting for duty Sir!" She exclaimed.

"Good morning Blossom," I replied, saluting back while Ghost did the same. "You seem ready and raring to go."

"I said I wanted to help as much as I could Sir," She said with a determined nod.

"I still think you would be better off here with Thunderlane," Ghost commented as I put my hand in my coat pocket.

"I was always best at fieldwork and Thunderlane is better than me with logistics," She replied.

"Regardless, I can't blame you for wanting to stretch your wings. Let's just hope you don't have to stretch them too much," I shrugged. "Have you eaten yet?"

"I had a high-energy bar for breakfast, Sir."

"Not good enough," I said quickly. Opening the front door to my home, I beckoned for her to follow. "Come on, I'll get someone to make you something."

"I...wouldn't want to impose, Sir," She said, sheepishly rubbing the back of her neck.

"Get your ass inside," I said firmly.

She tightly closed her lips, shuffling inside behind Ghost and me while we made our way to the kitchen. Stepping inside, we spotted Rose Blossom, an Earth-pony in her early thirties with rose-red hair, and Feather Duster, a Pegasis roughly the same age with dark grey hair and warm black wings. Greeting us as we entered, I glanced at Blossom.

"Any preference?" She shook her head. "Fair enough. Rose, your finest BLT, please!"

"Coming up!" Rose Blossom replied. "And what of yourself? Sir Ghost?"

"The same, thank you," Ghost replied politely.

"I'm alright, thank you, Rose," I said as the three of us sat at the kitchen island.

"Are you sure, Sir?"

"Positive," I said with a reassuring smile.

Being that breakfasts were one of Rose and Feather Duster's expertise, the food was made and dished out in record time. Blossom was hesitant, but upon seeing our relaxed and unbothered states, dug in and devoured her BLT in a matter of seconds. Before she could ask for seconds, Feather had already replaced the plate with another. For as much as I was hesitant about my own staff initially, I've come to really appreciate their services. Celestia sure knows how to pick them.

Once the two had had their fill, we thanked Rose and Feather before sitting in one of the smaller side rooms.

"Sir?" Blossom said suddenly. I looked at her and indicated for her to continue. "Do you think Demons are the cause for the communications blackout?"

"I think they're the most likely culprit but we shouldn't rule out the possibility of other nations taking advantage of this time of uncertainty, as unlikely as it is," I replied.

"What I'm curious about is if the Desert Kingdom is directly under threat or if communications and ships are being intercepted," Ghost chimed in.

"That's what this expedition is for, to find out what's going down, obviously, but regardless of who it is or what is happening, we need to continue with caution," I said firmly. "We don't want to risk doing too much or being too ballsy and risk an international incident. Plus being on a Skyship leaves us vulnerable. We need to be careful."

Just as the words left my mouth, a deep rumble in the air began picking up. Peeking out the window, my eyes swiftly land on a large mass making its slow descent towards the otherwise quiet town, the citizens exiting their homes to see what the noise was.

"That would be our cue."

Standing, the three of us gathered our bags, not before I went upstairs to grab Yamato from my room, my gut adamantly telling me not to forget it. And I always trust my gut. With everything properly gathered, we leave the house, me and Ghost waving off our staff as they wish us a safe journey.

Looking up, the Skyship hovered still a couple hundred feet above my house. While the one I had ridden before to Las Almas was smaller by comparison, made more for speed, this one was vastly larger, sporting an extra balloon, several heavy-duty cannons and several more oars, this one was a comparable dreadnaught.

The Skyship's arrival had, unsurprisingly, gained a lot of attention from the townspeople and many seemed to looking at it in awe. The three of us ignored them as we prepared to board the ship that hung steadily above us. Unsurprisingly, I quickly spot a particular group of friends making their way towards where we stood. Before they arrived, I looked at Ghost and Blossom.

"You two head on up. Tell the Captain I'll be up momentarily," I said.

"Yes Sir. We'll send someone down for you after a few minutes," Blossom replied, getting a slight chuckle from Ghost as she looked at him confused.

"That won't be necessary," I grin.

She quirked an eyebrow at me for a moment. "If you're sure Sir," She said slowly, wrapping her arms around Ghost's chest from behind, and with a grunt, she flew the two of them up to the ship.

Looking back at the approaching Elements of Harmony, I was surprised to see a distinct lack of a certain purple Draconian. Unfortunately, I didn't have the time to worry about it as the group of friends finally stopped in front of me, eyes wide in awe, wonder and excitement. Before they could say anything, I held up my hand.

"As you are aware, the Princesses have assigned me to a mission of potentially dire importance. This will take some time to complete, possibly even a couple of months if things go south," I was quickly bombarded by questions, their voices melding with the noise of the Skyship above us. Holding my hand up again, they swiftly held their tongues. "If you have questions regarding where I am headed or what I am doing, you will have to ask the Princesses directly. It's up to them, not me, to decide if you are allowed to know."

Letting my shoulders relax, I also let my expression soften. "Now that we've got the professional shit out of the way, I want you guys to know I'll be just fine. It'll be just a standard in and out."

"Y'all better be!" Applejack said, stepping out from the group and towards me. "We ain't gonna have another crystal situation!"

I chuckled, putting a hand on her shoulder. "Don't worry, I'll come back in one piece this time. Hopefully."

"Just be safe, darling," Rarity joined in.

"I'll try my hardest at least," I shrugged.

The rest of the girls gave their goodbyes, wishing me safe travels. As they did, the Skyships horn blared overhead, signalling me it was high time to leave. I step back from the group, bending at the waist and giving them a flourished bow, my wings appearing in their usual burst of energy. Bending my knee, I give my wings a hard flap, sending me soaring up to the ship as the group waved me off. Landing on the deck, several of the ship's men and women jumped back and looked at me for a moment as I reorientated myself.

"Alright, let's get a move on!" I shouted, snapping everyone around me out of their stupor. "This mission is urgent, so put on your mean faces and get us to the Desert Kingdom in a timely manner!"

"So this is Paladin Percival Felwinter?" I recognise that voice.

"What in the Yankee dandee donkey doodle shite is this?" I mutter under my breath before I turn to face the source of the voice. "Good to see you up and well, your Highness."

Cadence stood not too far from where I stood, a smile plastered on her face. She definitely looked much better than before, having more colour around her cheeks. Her eyes were also significantly brighter as well, practically shining in the early morning sun. And she still wearing pink. Big surprise.

"All thanks to your very timely arrival," She replied.

"Not only that, but I'm sure he would have carried you to the castle's infirmary himself," Another voice said, Shining armour coming up beside Cadence as she put her arms around his. They looked cute together and the amount of emotion in the subtle glance told me everything I needed to know. I ship it.

"Just got lucky. Right place and time and all that," I shrugged. "I don't say this to sound rude, but what are you doing here? I would have thought you'd still be recovering."

"I have always been a resilient woman, especially in the long term. It also helps I have my Aunt's blood," She said. "And luck had nothing to do with it, Sir Percival. I owe you a great debt. If there is anything I can do to repay that debt, if I am able, I will do my best to fulfil it."

"Just one thing," I said. This seemed to get everyone's attention as their eyes all shifted to me. "I want both of you off the ship and the mission," Shining Armour looked at me shocked, clearly not expecting those words and yet, Cadence's smile, however, never once wavered as I spoke. "I don't believe you are fully recovered and that, under the wrong circumstances, could jeopardize the mission. That, and with you both here, protecting you would become my priority, making the mission overall much more difficult."

"My Aunt's told me you would say something like that. Unfortunately for you, it was at my request, approved by my Aunts," She said, straightening her posture. "While you showed great care when handling the situation in Las Almas, the situation regarding the Desert Kingdom is different. With the vast distance, steady communication with Equestria would take far too long to be convenient and they ultimately decided to bring someone more knowledgeable of the intricacies of politics to make the operation run smoother. So I requested they send me as the foreign ambassador since they have their own duties to worry about."

Nodding along with her as she spoke, I couldn't help but agree. "So I'm to be the muscle while you take care of the more delicate matters?" I said.

She nodded. "In a sense. You hold the same amount of authority and command as I do, but you, as well as myself, have the power to take full command from the other, should the need arise," She added. "Also at my request."

Smiling, I couldn't help but feel a little impressed. It was pleasantly surprising to see her hold herself in a regal fashion. For someone seemingly as young as her, she certainly handled it well. I'm impressed. "You certainly put some thought into it."

"As you should with an operation this big," She smiled as well.

"You got that right," I said with a shrug. "Well, when you put it like that, I can't really argue."

Walking passed her and towards the doors leading to the lower deck, or at least I assumed that's where they lead, I paused, glancing over my shoulder and at Shining and Cadence, both of whom were talking between themselves.

"Cadence!"

She turned towards me.

"Nice to meet you properly."

Ghost and Blossom came to my side while I opened the twin doors, which did in fact lead lower into the ship. A crew member met us not long after to show us where we'd be staying, doing the journey in relative silence which was occasionally broken by the crew giving us directions. It didn't take us long.

The crew member motioned to a door beside us. "This is your room for the duration of our mission Sirs. Sergeant, you'll be staying in a separate room. If there's anything you'd like to ask, a member of the crew will be more than happy to answer your question."

Stepping into the room, it was fairly simple. A pair of bunks on either side with fairly thick mattresses and pillows with a decently sized desk with a small crystalline light fixture hanging loosely overhead. It was surprisingly cosy all things considered, and gods know I've slept in worse. Looking at Ghost, I could tell he was thinking the same. The lower half of his mask shifted and he spoke before I could get a word in.

"I call top bunk."

~~

Looking down at the parchment on the desk, I hummed to myself while I ran the quill through my teeth, a weird tic I had picked some years pack. I pursed my lips and shook my head, heating up my thumb just enough to not burn or damage it and running it across the undesired part I had scribbled. After a few minutes, I hummed again and started writing.

What was I scribbling? A design for an arm. Though it had become second nature to me, having spent a frankly stupid amount of years without it, having it back in some capacity would make my life significantly easier. Plus metal arms are sick and it would be nice to be able to play instruments again.

I've tried various versions before with only one that worked well, but I didn't have it, obviously, nor did I know where it was, if it hadn't been destroyed by time or some other factor. So I had to start from scratch. The only problem is, I was never much of a tinkerer or engineer or anything like that, so trying to come up with ergonomic and functional designs when you have barely any skills to make it was about as hard as you'd think.

It had been several hours since our departure and that was what I had been spending my time doing, Ghost napping on the top bunk beside me, his soft snoring one of the only sounds I was actively aware of as I had been putting most, if not all of my concentration on the project at hand. Until I felt a hand on my shoulder.

"Percival?"

Looking over my shoulder, I saw Cadence retracting her hand with Shining at the door. I set the quill back into the half-full inkwell and turned to face them properly.

"Sorry, didn't notice you there," I said.

"I saw," Cadence said, stepping back to give me space. "We were knocking on your door for five minutes. What were you so focused on?"

I shrugged. "Just a pet project."

The pair quirked an eyebrow before deciding to let it be. "Anyway, we came to invite you to dinner. We thought it would be a good chance to introduce you to the main force of the crew and so we all know who's in charge of this mission in the Desert Kingdom."

"Let me guess, your idea?" I said with a smirk. The sheepish giggle told me everything. Made sense, I mean, who would be in charge if all three of us should have to leave the ship? Between this and the reasoning for coming along, she was doing a phenomenal job so far. Helps if you have Celestia and Luna as your Aunts I guess. "Makes sense,"

"Ghost! Get your ass up!" I picked up a crumpled piece of paper next to me and hucked it at Ghost's face, the man jumping as he woke. Once that was done, I looked back at the other pair. "Will this be a formal venture?"

"No, the Captain of the ship requested it be a casual meet," Cadence replied as Ghost jumped down from the top bunk. "He wanted it to be that way for easy introductions."

"Then lead the way," I said, Ghost wiping his eyes clear of any gunk through his mask.

We made it to the deck to see a table set out near the back, in a more secluded area so the wind wouldn't disturb us. Looking around, I noticed most of the crew was gone. It turns out it was already dark and a skeleton crew were already watching the ship, maintaining everything to keep us going. At the table were four other people. Cadence and Shining Armor were the two that I knew. As for the other two, I'm assuming one was the captain and the other was his first mate. Ghost and I made our way over to the table, sitting opposite Cadence and Shining while the other two sat on the ends of the table.

"So," I said after a minute of silence. "Who's going first?"

A man with a dark grey beard stood and I could tell he was an older gentleman, but still had a certain look to his eyes that held a strong spark. "This being my ship and all, perhaps I should introduce myself first," The man started. Looking at his garb, it was a typical Captain's uniform. "I am Captain Broadside," He said. "I can pilot any ship or airship that exists and have been doing so for the last thirty years," The old Captain started. "The Princesses approached me and asked if we could help partake in this mission. I was informed that we were to be taking orders from you Sir," He said as he gestured to me. "It was, however, unknown to us that one of the Princesses would be accompanying us. Despite that, I hope that this ship is to all of your liking and can help us make this mission smooth sailing," Broadside stated and sat down. He then gestured to his first mate.

The man stood who was much younger. Most likely in his late twenties or early thirties. Almost impossible to tell anymore. "My name is Skipper," He said. He had dirt-blonde hair and seemed to have the tiniest bit of stubble growing on his chin, but his sideburns were decently impressive. He was wearing a white uniform, but I wasn't sure what it meant or if it even stood for anything. "I been sailing under Captain Broadside's tutelage for almost nine years now and can tell you anything you need to know about the Long Stride," He told us. I'm guessing that was the name of the Airship. How something as big as this could travel so fast was beyond me, but Long Stride definitely felt fitting. "If you have any questions about anything else, please inform me and I will help as best I can," He finished and sat down.

Guess I'm up. Pushing on my knee, I stood. "My name is Percival Felwinter," I started. "While my knowledge of Skyships is very limited, I have more than a few expertise that lie elsewhere. So that being said, if I am to give an order, I expect it to be carried out immediately unless I say otherwise. For the duration of this trip, please default to the Princess for command otherwise unless I intervene or my expertise is needed," That got more of a reaction from Cadence, who looked at me with wide eyes.

"As a side note," I quickly added, pointing to Ghost. "This is Lieutenant Ghost. He is my second in command and will take my place should I be absent. Any order I give him should be treated as though I gave them myself," Craning my neck, several pops rang out. I should really get a chiropractor. "With that, let's hope this mission is a simple in and out."

"Sir," Ghost said calmly, motioning for me to lean in. I did. "Ordering lower-ranked soldiers is one thing, but giving orders to a Princess is completely different."

He might be under my sole command, but I'm happy to see he still respects rank. Smiling at him, I turn back to the rest of the table. "That does bring up a good point. Orders directly from me will only be given should there be a sufficient emergency, so if I am giving out orders, I expect them to be followed. To. The. Fucking. Letter," I said firmly, raising my voice to carry up my presence. "But like I said, for everything else, please default to Princess Cadence."

"Sir," Shining Armour said, making his presence known. "While I highly respect your authority, I don't believe you shou-"

"Sir Percival," Cadence said gently, putting a calming hand on Shining's shoulder. "I believe I told you we are to be cooperative on this operation. This is a dual authority after all."

"Yes, I am aware, and I told everyone here how to handle our dual authority and I am in complete agreement that you should act as Equestria's representative or foreign ambassador. And I hope to whatever gods put me here that I don't have to give out orders, but if I do, I expect them to be followed, no questions. That includes you, Princess," I said, my tone serious, leaving no room for argument. "I only do this as I'm more experienced in the more...abrasive side of things."

Cadence looked at me for a moment before slowly nodding. "I understand your thinking. That is reasonable," She said. "However, we will still give you reports to keep you up to date."

"Fair enough."

"Wait, hold on. What kind of situations do you expect to arise from our mission?" The Captain asked and all of us turned to him. "My ship and crew were informed that this would most likely be a scouting mission that would offer aid if it was necessary. Why do you think that we will be in any danger?" The Captain asked.

"Yes, we are primarily investigating the reason for the lack of communication, however, there is something that has to be responsible for the blackout. I believe Demons are the most likely culprit, but there is a chance it could be something else. So, it's very possible this ship may see contact during this mission which is why so many guards have been stationed here and why I have chosen to take a more combat-focused role," I informed the group.

Many seemed to nod as a feeling of uncertainty began to spread throughout the table. "What do you think? Do you think that we will fall under attack?" The Skipper asked.

"You know that feeling you get in the pit of your stomach when you get nervous? When you think something bad is about to happen?" Everyone around the table nods. "I've had that feeling since I woke up this morning."

Finally sitting, Ghost stood, holding his hands behind his back. "Lieutenant Ghost," With that, he sat down.

Laughing lightly at the table's reaction, I patted Ghost on the shoulder. "You'll have to forgive my friend's brevity, outside of me and maybe a few others, he isn't the most talkative," I said with a chuckle. "As stated, this is Lieutenant Ghost, who was assigned to be my personal bodyguard and confidant. Which is why he is my stand-in if I am absent."

After that, Cadence and Shining took their turns but at that point, I zoned out, having already been acquainted with the pair. It was mostly small talk that followed that, just getting to know each other properly and getting comfortable as we'd be spending more than a few weeks together. A simple dinner was served as well, which was pretty decent. Other than that, dinner didn't last as long as I was expecting, so Ghost and I were able to return to our cabin and I could start working on designs for my arm again. Or at least get back to trial and error-ing it.

Working on my designs distracted me for another hour or two until I was ready to call it quits for the night. So after a while, I went to bed and closed my eyes, more napping than anything since I wasn't tired at all. Only taking off my shirt I sat on my bed, leaning against the backrest with my pants still on, my leg leaning against the bed frame. Unfortunately, it wasn't meant to be as some rather loud knocking disturbed me.

"Sir!" I heard Blossom shout from outside my door, startling me awake.

"I'll get it," Ghost said, jumping down from the top bunk while I quickly grabbed a shirt and screwed my leg back on. As I began putting the strap around my thigh, I saw Ghost's shoulders drop. "Fuckin' hell."

"What's up bud?" Standing, I came to his side, my shoulders dropping as well. There, standing with Blossomforth, the Captain, Shining and Cadence, was none other than the CMC with Spike right there with them. Pinching my nose, I let out a measured breath. "Thank you, Captain, we'll take it from here."

He nodded politely and left, leaving me to gesture for the group to come inside the room. Thankfully, there was more than enough room for them to shuffle inside. Groaning into my hand as I sat on my bed, I flashed them a mildly annoyed look. "How the hell did you four get on this ship?" I asked the group once we had closed the doors.

The CMC themselves were fairly quiet, avoiding eye contact as I shifted my gaze between them. Now I've had a few interactions with them, they're good kids, if a little unhinged. They also know that I'm fairly close with two of the members' sisters and friendly with another, so the idea of being near me given the situation might not be appealing to them. Also doesn't help they barely reached my lower chest. So, it was Spike who spoke up.

"Well, the thing is....." Spike paused as he looked towards the CMC. "They built a giant ramp that was meant to help Scootaloo fly, but Sweetie, Applebloom and I didn't want her to try something so dangerous. So we joined in and made the jump. But when we did, we realised we weren't going to land safely and Sweetie Belle tried to teleport us to the ground. When she did, we saw the ship, she miscalculated, some other stuff happened and we ended up on the ship." Spike said quickly which made all of us quirk eyebrows.

Before anyone could say anything, I was already on my feet. "Some stuff happened? Under normal circumstances, I'd shrug and say 'fair enough', but this isn't normal circumstances. Do you three realise how irresponsible it is to not have immediately told someone? Your sisters are going to be worried sick about you all!"

Shining and Cadence looked at me with surprised expressions, seemingly caught off guard by the sudden change in my usual nonchalant professionalism. Even the CMC and Spike looked momentarily surprised but that was swiftly overtaken by guilt and embarrassment.

"How are we going to get them back?" I ask the rest, clenching my fist to calm my nerves. If there is one thing that I hate more than tricksters, and that's endangering children. "If this mission had even a fraction of a percentage of going south, it would be too dangerous to even consider bringing them along."

"We're too far to turn back, but I could potentially teleport them back," Cadence offered. "But this mission is a simple scouting mission or reconnaissance. The chances of it turning into anything else are impossibly low."

"Wrong. Expect the worst and make due with what you get," I said firmly. "Now how do we-"

Before I could finish, I felt someone lightly pat my side. Looking over, I saw Spike giving me an almost pleading look. "Please don't send me back to Ponyville," Spike whispered to me. "I had a really bad argument with Twi. I don't want to be there right now," He said quietly.

Realizing I was outnumbered, I groaned loudly. "Fine! But they will be your responsibility for the duration of this trip!" I said firmly, pointing my finger to Cadence who actually smiled at my words. "And for the sake of what little sanity I have left, Spike, what argument could you have with Twilight that's so bad that you wouldn't want to return?"

"It uh...." He murmured, rubbing the back of his neck as sweat began forming on his brow. "It...involved you?"

Rolling my jaw, I clenched it tightly as my brow went rigid. Every eye instantly looked between me and Spike, looking to see my reaction. "Clear the room."

Everyone wasted no time in shuffling out of the room, Ghost coming up to me, leaning to whisper in my ear. "Go easy on him. He's just a kid."

Once everyone was out, I took a breath to compose myself. The room was eerily quiet, not even Spike's breathing could be heard as he fidgeted nervously, waiting for me to speak first.

"Explain yourself, young man."

Spike flinched at the sound of my voice but seemed to steel himself. "It's just...Twilight and everyone else goes on these adventures to save the country, the world even, risking their lives while I'm left behind at home, at the library, stocking the shelves, categorising books, taking inventory. I've wanted for so long to be able to help so when you showed up, I thought I had a chance. And with how you talk, the way you say things and the things you say, I know you've taught people before, so I thought why not me? So I brought the idea up with Twi...she didn't like it."

"That would explain why he's been so nervy around me lately." I thought to myself. Looking him in the eye, I tilted my head very slightly, my brow twitching as I spoke with a firm tone. "And you didn't think to bring it up with me first?"

Spike's shoulders slumped as he looked at the wooden floor shamefully, his head hung. "I commend your want to help them, I really do but you should have spoken to me first. And running away? Do you have any idea, any idea how much stress this is putting on your sister and her friends? You know they also view you as a little brother? I would know, they told me as such."

"It's just not fair!" He blurted out. "They-!"

"Life isn't fair Spike, trust me, I've been dealt the short end of the stick for as long as I've lived and I've been alive for a long, long time," I interjected. "They don't bring you along because they wouldn't DARE put you at risk when they are more than capable of doing their tasks, given by the Princesses of all people, themselves! They love you, Spike! They wouldn't EVER forgive themselves if you got hurt!"

Spike flinched again at my words, but more so because of the volume. He looked at me for a moment or two before he let out a shaky breath, his entire posture lowering as my words were fully processed. Stepping forward, I put my hand on his shoulder, lowering my voice and offering him a softer tone. "At the end of this trip, I expect you to apologise profusely to your sister when we get back to Ponyville and fulfil any punishment she may have. Hear me?"

"I do," He nodded quietly.

"Good. And for the duration of this trip, you will carry out any task given to you by the Captain, his first mate, Cadence, your brother, Ghost and myself, to the letter and without complaint. Clear?"

"Clear," He nodded, quieter this time.

Sighing deeply, I wrapped my arm around his shoulder, pulling him in as he surprisingly wrapped his arms around me as well. "I'm not mad Spike. Just annoyed and disappointed."

"I just want to help," He said, his voice muffled due to the fact his face was smushed against my stomach.

"I know wee man, I know," I said letting him go. Kneeling, I got to his eye level. "But what you do for them now is more than enough. I know for a fact you're invaluable to not just Twilight, but everyone else. Don't forget that."

"Now I won't give you too much of a hard time since I know Twilight's gonna have an ear full for you," I said, ruffling his spines, getting mild resistance. "Alright, go see if you can get the CMC. I want a word with them as well."

Nodding, he left without a word, closing the door behind me. The CMC came in a few minutes later, all looking at the floor much like Spike had been. My stern talking to wasn't as bad as the purple Draconian as their sisters were more than likely going to tear them apart much more thoroughly than I ever could. Plus they hadn't intentionally run away, so they had that going for them.

Sitting alone in my shared room, I sat on my bed, head in my hand while I applied pressure to my eyes to mitigate the growing migraine. Suddenly, the door opened and a softer set of footsteps entered, coming up to me before whoever entered sat beside me.

"You okay?" Cadence asked, her tone low so as to not irritate my headache.

"Been worse," I shrugged, letting go of my eyes. "How are they?"

"They're alright. With the scolding you gave them, I doubt they'll ever want to be on your bad side again" She giggled. We sat for a moment, the silence becoming shockingly comfortable. "You've done that before, haven't you?"

"What?"

"Scolded a child for misbehaving. Giving them a stern talking to for doing something they shouldn't have?" She offered.

"Once or twice," I smiled.

"Just to let you know, the girls will be staying with me while Spike is staying with his brother," Cadence informed me. "I'll also be writing a report to my Aunts as well as the group's sisters to inform them they're safe and sound. Is there anything you'd like to add?"

I shook my head with a sigh. "No, I think I've said my piece."

"Okay," She smiled softly. "It's getting late. Get some rest. I have a feeling it's going to be a long couple of weeks."

"Before you go, Princess," I said as she reached the door. "I know I was adamant at dinner, but I was going to allow some leeway in terms of our dual authority. I'm not so stubborn as to completely say no to a different dynamic. But now, between the mission, making sure you and Captain Shining Armour were safe and now the kids? I'm afraid I'm going to have to be stalwart in my stance."

"Funny, I was thinking about trying to convince you to change your mind," She said with a soft smile, eerily similar to her Aunts. "But I understand. You will have no trouble from me."

Going to leave, she paused for a second before tentatively leaning back in. "I also hear from a little song bird that you let your friends call you Percival," She stated. "I'd be honoured to have that title."

"So formal," I said teasingly, getting a happy giggle from the young Princess. "I let people call me what they like. If you want, you can call me Percival."

"Does that mean you'll drop my title and call me Cadence?" She offered.

"If that's what you want," I smiled, getting another happy giggle. "You know, for someone as young as you, you're doing a grand job. Guess it pays to have Celestia and Luna as your Aunts."

"I'll have you know I'm over five hundred years old," She said in a mock smug tone. "I'm not as young as I look, you know."

"And I'll have you know I was older than your Aunts are now when they were children," I said, blowing raspberries at the shocked pink Princess. "I think I have you beat."

"That you do. Well, it certainly explains a few things," She said slowly, quickly shaking her head as she offered a small smirk. "Regardless, sleep well Percival."

"You too Cadence," I said, giving a simple two fingered salute.

With that she left, gently closing the door behind her, allowing my hand to return to my face, again applying a bit of pressure to my eyes while the headache slowly built. Cadence was certainly right about one thing at least. It was going to be a fucking long couple of weeks.

Author's Note

And so, Cadence joins our merry band, let's hope she can keep up with Percy better then the others can :rainbowlaugh:
And a "small" bit of drama on deck, seems our main man has his hands full

It's safe to say that this story has easily become the biggest and longest I've ever written
Hope you're all enjoying reading it as much as I'm loving writing it,
Let me know what you guys think of the story so far

Please point out any mistakes I may have made
Constructive criticism is always appreciated
Until next time, TTFN!

Chapter 31 - "Driftwood"

With my eyes shut softly and my breathing long and steady, I gripped Venator firmly just below its lowest spike, grounding myself as I stretched my legs above me, my body balancing upside-down with a slow, deliberate ease. I let my legs drift outward, feeling the tension shift in my muscles, then returned them to their original position, riding the thrill of the wind whipping past us as the ship soared high through the endless, cloudless sky. Despite the altitude, the sharp scent of sea salt clung to the air, filling my senses. Around me, a few of the crew passed by, casting brief glances in my direction before moving on, accustomed by now to this strange ritual I’d adopted during our journey. It was just another of my quirks in their eyes, my odd form of meditation hardly a novelty anymore after the past few days.

Nearly four days had passed since our departure—three and a half at least—without anything particularly notable happening. The journey had gone so smoothly that it was almost boring, and though I was used to long stretches of unbroken travel even before I’d arrived in Equestria, something about this trip kept me on edge. Ever since we’d left Ponyville, I’d caught glimpses of strange shadows, barely-there apparitions, strange figures that seemed to move at the periphery of my vision, melting into the darkness between the crew members as if they were somehow part of the ship. They were hauntingly familiar, too, with a tall, lean build, armoured gloves and boots, and a long coat that fell to their calves—eerily similar to a figure I had spotted on the outskirts of my own home. Strangely enough, I sensed no real threat from them, only an uneasy curiosity. But what unsettled me most was that none of the others seemed to see them; even Ghost appeared unbothered, as though these figures were visible only to me.

"You know, when my aunts said he was a unique man, I can't say I expected this," I heard Cadence say somewhere nearby, her voice tinged with curiosity.

"Trust me, you’re barely scratchin’ the surface," Ghost replied with a chuckle.

"Yes, so I’ve heard," Shining Armor added, sounding intrigued. "I’ve also heard rumours that he has some rather...unusual skills."

"That he does," Ghost chuckled. "I know a handful of them, but I haven’t seen half of what he can do."

There was a pause before Shining spoke up again. "I heard a rumour that he can manipulate all four elements—and even use them to create illusions."

"Shining Armor," Cadence said, chiding him in a lightly scolding tone. "It’s unprofessional to discuss your commanding officer like that." A brief pause. “Wait—seriously?”

“Yeah, some of it. Some of them are just straight-up ridiculous. But as far as I'm aware, that one is true, although the illusion part is new,” Ghost replied with a slight cough. "But knowing him, he can probably hear us right now."

“Hear us?” Cadence sounded incredulous. “We’re on the other side of the ship.”

At this, I couldn’t help grinning as I shook my head, lowering my legs carefully and hooking my foot around Venator’s handle. Bracing my peg leg on it, I reoriented myself, adjusting my grip as I let my weight settle back on the deck with a slight thud. As I moved, orange flames flickered over Venator’s surface until only the handle remained, allowing me to hook it harmlessly onto my belt. With a grin that I didn’t bother to hide, I strolled across the deck toward the stern, where the trio was gathered, noticing Ghost’s amused chuckle as I approached.

“Oh, good morning, Sir,” Shining Armor said, recovering quickly from his surprise. “We were just talking about you.”

“I know,” I replied with a wide smirk. “I heard.”

I nodded toward the ship’s helm, where Skipper was making his way up the steps. “Skipper!” I called out in greeting. “How’s our progress looking?”

Skipper, dressed in simplified, functional clothing, took hold of the ship’s wheel, his gaze sharp and steady. “Thanks to the guards here learning a bit of basic weather magic and keeping our balloons filled, we’re moving along at a better pace than expected. I’d say we’ll reach the coast in about four days—five at most, despite the wind working against us,” He raised a brow. “For how well-prepared everything is, I’d wager the Princesses have been planning this for quite a while.”

“I’d say so,” I replied, nodding as I took a deep breath, savouring the brisk air. “Still, best to take it one day at a time. No need to pile on unnecessary stress.”

Skipper held my gaze for a moment, studying my expression with a subtle intensity. “You’ve led people before, haven’t you?” he asked thoughtfully.

“What gives you that idea?” I replied, a faint smile tugging at the corners of my mouth.

“The way you carry yourself,” he replied without hesitation. “The way you handle the crew, the confidence in your voice. The Captain noticed it too.”

I chuckled softly. “Maybe once or twice,” I admitted, nodding.

“So, if you’ve got the experience, why leave Cadence in command?” Skipper asked, his curiosity evident. “The Captain and I figured you’d be the one leading us.”

I leaned casually against the ship’s wooden railing. “For the sake of avoiding confusion, mostly. Having orders come from two different sources is a recipe for disorder and disaster. Besides, Cadence—” I nodded toward her, “—is a Princess of Equestria. She has experience with diplomacy and leadership, but not so much with commanding troops or handling field operations. This mission could give her valuable experience in that area.”

Cadence gave a slow nod, her expression thoughtful. “That’s actually a fair point,” she said. “It sounds like my aunts had reasons beyond the obvious for sending you along.”

Shining, however, still looked sceptical. “I’m still not sure I understand your reasoning. Why are you so certain Cadence lacks the necessary experience?”

I glanced at him. “How far back does Equestrian history go?”

He thought for a moment, his expression growing pensive. “That would be the Long Days—about five thousand years ago, if I remember correctly.”

“Well,” I said, a slight smile crossing my face, “Before I was ripped back to the modern day, I had been around long before then. At that point, I had been alive longer than both Princesses put together.”

Shining’s eyes widened in disbelief, while Skipper seemed equally astonished. Cadence, however, only looked mildly curious, since I had already hinted at my age a few prior. None of them seemed to notice Ghost’s subtle nod of affirmation.

“That—that’s impossible,” Shining stammered. “You’d have knowledge of events lost to history!”

“And then some,” I replied quietly, my gaze distant. “There’s a lot I could tell you, but some stories are better left buried.”

For a moment, they exchanged uncertain glances, and Ghost’s steady look seemed to silently caution them against pressing any further. After a stretch of silence, Skipper cleared his throat, breaking the tension.

“You know,” he said, his tone light, “The Captain and I were planning on having a drink tonight. Why don’t the lot of you join us? I know he’d be happy to have some extra company.”

Cadence and Shining exchanged quick nods, their expressions brightening. “We’d be glad to,” Cadence said. “A little relaxation would do us all some good.”

Skipper turned to me and Ghost. “Sirs, what about you two?”

Weighing the invitation, I found myself hard-pressed to refuse. “I can’t exactly get drunk, but fuck it, why not? Ghost?”

Ghost nodded, his eyes holding an expression of mild amusement. “I could use a hard drink, sure..”

Shining looked curious, tilting his head. “You can’t get drunk, Sir?”

“Not really,” I replied with a hint of exasperation. “My healing factor clears toxins out of my system damn nearly instantly. But at least I can enjoy the burn on the way down.”

“Wonderful,” Skipper said with a grin.

“Where will we meet?” I asked.

“Captain’s quarters,” Skipper confirmed, nodding.

“Perfect,” I said, giving him a final nod. “We’ll see you there.”

~~

I leaned back in my chair with a heavy sigh, tempted to crumple up the parchment and start from scratch. Instead, I shook my head, folding the page neatly and numbering it, then tucking it into the side pocket of my large travel bag. Taking another blank sheet, I set to work again.

After my conversation with Cadence, Shining, and Skipper, I immediately returned to my room, determined to make progress on my designs. But I was getting nowhere fast. Figuring out the attachment point was still a problem, and how to make the thing actually move seemed beyond me. None of it was coming together how I wanted. Hours passed—five, maybe six—without interruption, and even Ghost hadn’t come by. It was rare to get this much solitude, and I wasn’t about to complain. But as always, it couldn’t last forever.

A knock sounded at the door.

“Just a sec!”

Opening the door, I found Spike standing there, looking nervous, hands twisting together.

“You alright, wee man?”

He glanced up, shifting his weight. “Uh…could I talk to you?”

I didn’t need to ask what it was about. I moved aside, and he walked in, settling onto the bunk opposite mine. He brought his tail around, fiddling with its end as his gaze darted around the room, reminding me of Fluttershy on a good day. I closed the door, put my half-finished papers aside, and sat down.

“What’s on your mind?”

He took a deep breath. “How do I get strong like you?” He asked quietly. “You always seem so brave, like when you went up against Discord or fought that Hydra. Nothing scares you. How do I get like that?”

I couldn’t help but chuckle softly. “Want to know a secret, Spike?”

“What?”

“I’m not as fearless as I seem,” I admitted. “Every time I face a dangerous situation, I’m scared shitless. It’s not that I’m not scared; I just keep going anyway, because I know the alternative is worse,” I smiled. “Honestly, I think Fluttershy’s braver than I am.”

“Fluttershy? She’s scared of her own shadow.”

“Exactly. And still, when her friends need her, she’s right there, even if it terrifies her. Bravery isn’t about not being scared; it’s showing up in spite of it. Fearless?" I chuckled to myself. "If you're not scared of something, that doesn't mean you're brave, it means you're either numb or dumb. Fluttershy’s courage is the real thing. She keeps going in spite of her fears. That's real bravery.”

He nodded, absorbing that. “But what about power? How do I use the kind of magic you use?”

“That’s another matter. Unlike Unicorns, we lack the necessary catalyst to be able to use magic” I tapped my forehead, where a horn might have been. “And what I use isn't magic in the usual sense; it’s raw energy, untamed, different from unicorn magic. The closest analogue would be pure, unfiltered magic, and even then, what I have is every cubic inch greater and denser.”

"You were right you know?" I said quietly. "I've taught people before. Powerful people. A lot of them very important to me."

Spike’s brow furrowed. “You know, I figured you’d taught before, especially when you showed me how to fish. It seemed natural for you. Do you know if they're still around? The people you taught, I mean.”

I paused, the memories bitter. “I...I don't know, Spike. Strength doesn’t always guarantee survival.” I looked him in the eye. “And the kind of power I could teach you is unorthodox. It’s dangerous, especially for anyone who isn’t like me.”

“What do you mean?” he asked carefully.

“I mean that if you choose this path, you’d have to put yourself at risk. It wouldn't be easy. It would be hard, brutal, painful work. You’ll sweat, you’ll bleed,, you'll cry and there will be moments you’ll question it all. And there's a real risk you won't make it to the end. Are you really willing to go through that, especially with someone you barely know?”

The silence that followed was heavy, to say the least. Spike had stopped fidgeting with his tail and stared off, lost in thought. Shockingly, his determination was still there, the spark in his eyes holding strong but there was now a lingering doubt, and uncertainty now that he was aware of what my teachings could mean for him.

Sighing, I rose from my chair and sat beside him, placing a hand on his shoulder. “Tell you what. Give it a month. Think it over. If you’re still sure, come back and see me. Just...take everything I said to heart, alright?”

Spike nodded. “Yeah…I will,” he said quietly, getting to his feet. “Thanks for listening.”

“No problem,” I replied, walking him to the door. “Just make sure you’re certain before diving in.”

“I will,” he said, glancing back at me before disappearing down the hall. “See you, Percival.”

“Take care, kiddo,” I called after him, watching until he rounded the corner.

I turned back to my work, but as I headed toward the deck, unaware of a faint glow escaping from the seam of the Yamato’s sheath, wisps of light trailing briefly before they dimmed, vanishing into nothing.

As I made my way to the deck, I felt the weight of the crew's gaze on my back. It wasn’t just that I held the rank of Commanding Officer; it was my silence that drew their attention. It didn't help that I would usually be speaking to pretty much anyone whenever I made an appearance, and now that I stood at the ship's bow after spending hours by myself in my room, uncharacteristically quiet. My sudden appearance seemed left many on edge, yet none approached me.

A very dark feeling was washing over me. Something told me that everything was about to turn South. My stomach was nauseous and a feeling of inevitability seemed to settle down into my bones. As soon as we left I had a bad feeling, my instincts once again warning me of a coming danger. There were too many important people on this ship, never mind the Guards and the crew. I had an idea should things go south, but I wasn't sure it would even work.

Man, I wish I could get drunk.

Day slowly rolled into night, a dark blanket taking the place of the bright blue sky. I had spent most of my time on the foremost section of the ship, keeping my eye on the endless horizon, the feeling never wavering even when I was approached to join the others in the Captain's office.

The Office was surprisingly comfortable. In that, it was smaller than expected but orderly, easily able to fit more than just the six of us, the smell of the wood seasoned by years of salt spray and sunlight wafting in from the outside. A heavy oak desk, scarred and pitted from countless voyages, dominated the centre of the space, its brass fixtures tarnished yet dignified, a booth on either side of it on each side of the room. Maps and charts lay strewn across the surface, alongside a cracked compass and a leather-bound logbook whose pages were yellowed and brittle at the edges. Several dim, wall-mounted lanterns cast a steady off-white glow throughout the room.

The alcohol was quick to come out of the Captain's own drinks cabinet, the man more than happy to share his best scotch, whiskey, rum, what have you with the finest glasses he had on hand. I did my best to put the feelings I had in the back of my mind, wanting to enjoy a night of merriment and fun.

Cadence leaned back in her chair, letting out a contented sigh. “This is what I needed,” she murmured. “No formalities, no obligations. Just…this.”

Shining Armor gave her shoulder a little bump, the corners of his mouth lifting in a relaxed smile. “It’s been a while since we’ve done something like this,” he admitted, glancing around the room. “Feels good to be…off duty for a bit.”

Captain Broadside snorted, swirling the amber liquid in his glass. “ ‘Off duty’…a rare phrase. But don’t get too comfortable, or you’ll end up like me,” He laughed loudly. “Once, off the cliffs near Whispering Bay, I got tangled in my own line. Wave came out of nowhere and yanked the rigging—next thing I knew, I was hoisted up in the air, dangling like a cod on a hook. I was just trying to reel myself in when I saw Skipper here doubled over laughing, not even thinking to cut me loose.”

Skipper cackled, slapping his knee. “What was I supposed to do? You looked like a caught fish floppin’ around! Besides, I knew you’d be fine. Old Broadside here has a knack for escapin’ the clutches of the sea… and his own mistakes.”

“Cheers, I'll drink to that,” I chimed in, tapping my glass on the table in front of me before raising it. Throwing it back, I savoured the burn. “To tangled lines, to the brave, if baffled, Captain, and to whoever’s daft enough to sail beside him,” I grinned playfully.

Cadence shook her head, watching the banter with a smile as she curled her legs beneath her. “And here I was thinking you were the responsible one, Captain. But I guess that’s the nature of these kinds of bonds, isn’t it?” She glanced over at Ghost, who sat quietly, a watchful presence behind his skull mask.

Shining Armor followed her gaze and raised an eyebrow at Ghost as if to prompt him to join in. “What about you Ghost? You’ve been around longer than me. You’ve gotta have a story to tell.”

There was a long pause, and then Ghost lifted his glass his lips, his dark eyes peering out from behind the slightly folded mask. “I’ve got stories,” He said with just a trace of humour. “But if I told them, I'd have to kill ya,” The group chuckled uneasily, not quite sure if he was serious, and Ghost leaned back as he drank.

Skipper laughed loudly. "Well, when I'm on my deathbed, I'll be sure to give ya a call. Till then, keep your secrets yourself," He then refilled his and the Captain's glasses “All mysterious and brooding over there like he’s the spirit of the sea or something.”

Broadside rolled his eyes, setting down his glass with a thud. “Please. The Spirit of the Sea has a lot more to say than Ghost here. He’s probably hiding more secrets than any of us know.” He gave a wry smile in Ghost’s direction, to which Ghost only wordlessly raised his glass. "I'd wager Percival's stories would be better anyway."

"Boy, do I have stories to tell," I laughed.

Cadence leaned forward, resting her chin on her hands as she looked around at each of them, her eyes thoughtful. “You know,” she began softly, “Sometimes I think we’re all hiding something. Everyone here’s got their scars, their stories, their masks,” Her gaze lingered on Percival, her words carrying a gentle but perceptive undertone. “It’s good to be able to just…share a space, even if we don’t say it all.”

Skipper broke the momentary silence with a bright laugh. “Listen to you, a drink or two and you turn all wise and wistful! You keep talking like that, Princess, and you’ll have us all in tears.”

Cadence gave a little laugh, the light in her eyes dancing. “Maybe, but it’s true, isn’t it? But, I wouldn't mind a story or two.”

"Well, if it's a story you want, I've got a few," Broadside said, reaching to his mouth and pulling away a false tooth with a wheezing cackle, placing it in the pocket of his jacket before looking at the military Captain. "Hey Shining? Put your hand underneath my cap," He said, leaning forward as Shining did just that. "You feel that little lump? Knocko Nolans, Easter, Manehatten harbour."

Skipper leans back into the booth he was sitting in with his Captain, knocking back a gulp or two of his drink. "I got that beat," He said, looking at the rest of us. "I got that beat," Rolling up his sleeve, he revealed a thin line just below his below. "Morey Eel. Bit straight through my wet suit when I was fifteen."

"Well Skipper, I don't know about that but, this arm," I said, lightly tapping the nub of my right arm. "When I had it, I was in an arm wrestling competition in an Oakie bat near San Fran. Couldn't extend it fully," I continued, mimicking a slight bend with my left as I laughed. "Got to the semi-final, big fella, he pulled me right over!"

Skipper grinned widely as he shuffled over to the middle of the booth, swinging his leg over and onto the table, rolling his trouser leg up. "Look at that," He laughed, tapping a blotch on the back of his calf. "That was a Bull Shark! Scraped against my leg in my first year of training!"

Captain smiled, lightly slapping Skipper's leg. "I've got something for you," He grinned, placing his own leg over the top of Skipper's, also rolling his trousers up passed the knee. On his shin was a long line, starting just before his ankle and stopping below his kneecap. "That was a Thresher. See that? A Thresher's tail."

Cadence, who had thoroughly enjoyed watching the display of comparing scars, tilted her head. "Thresher?"

"It's another kind of Shark," Shining replied.

"Yeah, well," I joined in, laughing as I brought my peg leg up, the metal thudding loudly against the wooden table, shaking the glasses sitting on it in the process. "I got you all beat."

The room burst out into uproarious, uncontrollable laughter, the distraction and mirth I was after filling the room as we all enjoyed the relaxation. Our giggles continued as I reached for another drink and I saw Cadence glance at me, her gaze settling on my arm as she gave an odd look.

"What's that one?" She asked.

"What?"

She pointed near to the nook of my arm, to a small slightly discoloured patch near the elbow which would normally be covered by my gauntlets. "That one there on your arm."

"Oh uh," I coughed lightly. "That was a tattoo. I got that removed."

"Wait, don't tell me, don't tell me," Skipper said, holding his hand up as he struggled to keep his giggles under control. "Mother."

His laughter quickly burst out as he slapped the table, the other joining in while I only smiled, my eyes glancing away.

"Ok, ok, what is it?" Skipper said, his laughter dying down. "What is it?"

"Skipper, that was the U.S.S Indianapolis."

Hearing my even tone and seeing my now distant eyes after the previous merriment, the group seemed to very quickly sober up, their laughs dying down just as swiftly.

"The U.S.S Indianapolis?" Shining repeated.

"One of your stories I take it?" Captain Broadside asked.

"More like a history lesson," I said quietly. "And history has a bad habit of repeating. This is part of a period I'm glad hasn't been repeated since."

There was a long pause. "What happened?" Cadence asked.

"Japanese submarine slammed two torpedoes into her side. I was comin’ back from the island of Tinian to Leyte. We’d just delivered the bomb. The Hiroshima bomb. Eleven hundred men went into the water. Vessel went down in 12 minutes."

All eyes were on me as I stared into the soft grain of the wood, a smirk gracing my lips as I spoke, my voice low as an accent began to slip through.

"Didn’t see the first shark for about a half-hour. Tiger. Thirteen-footer. You know how you know that in the water? You can tell by lookin’ from the dorsal to the tail. What we didn’t know, was that our bomb mission was so secret, no distress signal had been sent," I let out a dark chuckle, downing the entire glass I had in my hand. My brow furrowed as the memories flashed in my head. "They didn’t even list us overdue for a week. Very first light, sharks come cruisin’ by, so we formed ourselves into tight groups. You know-kinda like ol' squares in a battle, like you see in a calendar, like the Battle of Waterloo and the idea was the shark come to the nearest man, that man he starts poundin’ and hollerin’ and screamin’ and sometimes that shark he go away… but sometimes he wouldn’t go away."

I tilted my head as I continued. "Sometimes that shark looks right at ya. Right into your eyes. You know the thing about a shark he’s got lifeless eyes. Black eyes. Like a doll’s eyes. When he comes at ya, he doesn’t even seem to be livin’… ’til he bites ya, and those black eyes roll over white and then… oh then you hear that terrible high-pitched screamin’. The ocean turns red, and despite all your poundin’ and your hollerin’ they all come in and… they rip you to pieces."

By then My hand absentmindedly started tapping on the table surface, my lips pursed as I finally turned my eyes on my now captive audience. "You know by the end of that first dawn, lost a hundred men. I don’t know how many sharks there were, maybe a thousand. I do know how many men, they averaged six an hour. Thursday mornin’, I bumped into a friend of mine, Charlie Denam, a Griffon from a place that was called Bucharest. Baseball player. Boson’s mate. I thought he was asleep. I reached over to wake him up. He bobbed up and down in the water like a kinda top. Upended. Well, he’d been bitten in half below the waist."

"At noon on the fifth day, a Lockheed Ventura swung in low and he spotted us, a young pilot, no younger than Spike actually, anyway he spotted us and a few hours later a big ol’ fat PBY came down and started to pick us up. You know that was the time I was most frightened. Waitin’ for my turn. I’ll never put on a life jacket again. So, eleven hundred men went into the water. three hundred and sixteen men come out, the sharks took the rest, June the twenty-ninth, nineteen forty-five," My voice wavered right a the very end, and another low breath of a chuckle escaped my lips before a smirk again spread on my lips.

"Anyway, we delivered the bomb.”

The air had become heavy and the silence that followed was awe-filled. The Captain and Skipper seemed to share a knowing look, a wordless conversation happening between them as Cadence and Shining Armour never once left me. Ghost had at some point placed a hand on my shoulder and I had been so enraptured I hadn't noticed. Unsure how to break the silence, I sighed.

"Farewell and adieu to you fair Spanish ladies. Farewell and adieu you ladies of Spain."

My voice came out soft and melodic, a familiar tune my Grandfather had shared with me not long before his passing. The last thing he gave me. What I wouldn't do to have just one more conversation with that man. What I'd give to see him again.

"Show me the way to go home. I'm tired and I want to go to bed." Skipper's voice came out slow as he looked out the window, the Captain looking at him with a soft smile as I did as well.

"I had a little drink about an hour ago
And it's gone straight to my head."

The Captain and I joined in on the shanty, our voices weaving roughly but harmoniously with the tune, catching onto its rhythm despite our imperfect timing.

"Wherever I may roam on land or sea or foam
You can always hear me singing this song
Show me the way to go home."

The song began to pick up pace, and to our surprise, Ghost chimed in, jolting both the Captain and me before we picked up again, our laughter blending with the song. Hands drummed the table, our grins wide as we lost ourselves in the moment.

"Bom bom bom."

"Show me the way to go
I'm tired and I wanna go to bed
I had a little drink about an hour ago
And it's gone straight to my head."

As we sang, a flicker at the edge of my vision pulled me back. My voice trailed off as I straightened, eyes narrowing in on the source. There, barely visible through the slightly ajar door to the Captain's office, was the figure I had been seeing throughout our voyage, standing silent and unmoving like a shadow cast in stone.

"Wherever I may roam on land or sea or form
You can always hear me singing this so-"

I rose, and the others' eyes turned to follow me as I moved toward the door. The instant I shifted, so did the figure. I stepped out, brow furrowing, eyes narrow, while my companions watched in a tense hush. Just as I reached the Captain's office doorway, I caught a glimpse of the figure at the far end of the corridor. It paused, as if beckoning me to follow, then vanished around the corner, retreating further down the corridor.

"Percival?"

I trailed the figure through the winding corridors, each turn bringing it just barely within reach, a silent guide leading me to the top deck as I followed it through the maze-like passageways. Finally, I pushed open the doors and stepped out, my companions trailing behind. My gaze swept over the deck until it found the shadowy form again, by the edge of the deck—this time closer, close enough to make out details I hadn’t noticed before.

What stood before me wasn’t a mere apparition. The figure was distinctly male, young-faced with dreadlocks bound tightly at the back of his head. A sharp goatee framed his mouth, which was further accentuated by a handlebar moustache that gave him an air of audacity. His coat, a faded yellow, looked both familiar and foreign, as though drained of life. Wisps of energy drifted from his form, giving him a blurred outline, but what caught my attention was the familiar gleaming katana he held, its sheathed form firmly gripped in his off-hand.

"Sir?" Ghost’s voice broke through, his eyes fixed on the figure as well. Relief flickered in me—at least I wasn’t the only one seeing this.

"Yeah, I see it too, Ghost," I murmured, barely above a whisper, as the figure watched us with an intensity that was impossible to ignore.

Without a word, the figure extended his arms, pointing the katana's pommel out over the edge of the ship.

"What is it?"

Glancing behind us, the four others looked at me and Ghost with worried expressions, but when we looked back, the figure had disappeared, gone without so much as a hint he was there. My heart thumped in my chest as I inched my way forward, my gut lurching as I peeked over the edge. Down far below us seemed to be the wreckage of a ship, blasted to nothing but driftwood held together by nothing but tattered ropes and a ruined sail. But there was something else. If I squinted my eyes, I swear there was something else amongst the wreck.

"Captain?"

"Aye?"

"Do you have binoculars or a looking glass?"

"I do, why?"

I looked up just as thunder sounded in the distance ahead of us, flashes of white dulled through heavy, back clouds. "I have a bad feeling about this."

A second later, the Captain stood next to me, offering me a collapsed telescope. Extending it fully, I once again peeked over the side, scanning the wreckage. That's when I see it.

"MAN OVERBOARD!!" I yell at the top of my lungs. "I want flyers down there now! Get them out of the water! Bring up some food to the deck and water! Retrieve a spare set of clothes and some blankets! NOW!!!!" I roared across the deck and everyone rushed to fulfill my orders.

Several crew members hurried down the length of the ship, gathering the items I’d called for. But no one took to the skies, and I quickly realized that everyone was waiting for someone else to make the first move.

"För fan-" Suppressing a growl, I glanced back at the Captain. “Hold altitude.”

With a resigned sigh, I moved to the rail, stripping off my coat. The crew gasped as I leapt over the edge, the air immediately at my back to propel me downwards, plummeting toward the ocean miles below. An alarm rang out across the ship, and I heard the shouts of “Man overboard!” echo above me. Ignoring the chaos behind me, I let myself fall faster, bracing for the inevitable strain on my body as I hurtled toward the water.

The impact was brutal, forcing my eyes shut and instinctively tensing every muscle against the jarring blow. The sheer speed drove me tens of feet underwater. Fighting the pressure, I opened my eyes beneath the surface, searching the moonlit shadows for any sign of life. A faint silhouette emerged near the wreckage; I propelled myself toward it, realizing as I got closer that the figure was a woman, barely clinging to a shattered piece of wood—possibly the remains of her ship.

I reached her, steadying the makeshift raft while assessing her condition. Her fingers were pruned, evidence that she’d been in the water a long time, and she was unconscious, her body slack with exhaustion. Long, dark hair clung to her face, and traces of jewellery still glinted at her neck and hands. She wore a single gold earring, though her other earlobe was torn, likely from a missing match. A golden chain lay tangled beneath her, perhaps a remnant of a necklace—though it was impossible to tell in this state.

Glancing up, I noticed the airship hovering overhead, holding position. The water beneath me began to churn, then surged upward, propelling us both through the air as I gathered her into my arm, my wings bursting open in a flash of light. We shot back toward the ship, and I tightened my hold on her, hoping she would survive to tell her story. Whatever had happened to her might be the key to the silence between our continents.

As we landed on deck, a circle of onlookers closed in, their eyes fixed on the stranger in my arms. Unacceptable.

"Back to your stations! All of you! Cadence! I need you I need you to use any healing magic that you might know!" Turning to look around I saw Blossomforth rushing onto the deck. "Blossom! I need you to prepare a room, stat!" Without a moment's hesitation, she saluted me and ran down back where she came to the haul, while Cadence ignited her hands in her magic.

"That was very reckless, Percival," Cadence said, igniting her horn, a pink aura enveloping her hands as fire washed over me for a second, drying both me and my clothes in an instant and ridding me of any salt, everyone jumping and moving to put me out, only to see me perfectly fine.

"Stick around. I'm full of bad ideas," I replied as Ghost handed me my coat. Glancing around, I scanned the deck for the apparition. It was gone.

"Sir, do you think she knows the cause of the communications blackout?" Shining asked

"Highly possible. But we won't know until she recovers. So until then, we keep an eye on her."

Making my way to the front of the ship again, fire flashed over my eyes as they lingered on the dark thunderclouds. Something wasn't right. Something was very, very wrong here. All I could see was red. The nausea in my stomach intensified, that feeling of foreboding returning as it had before I joined the others in the Captain's office. The wreckage only helped to solidify that sense of dread. I hate that no matter how many times I face danger, I always feel this way. It's made me realise my time in Equestria before getting bamfed away I was spending it being dumb and reckless. Guess that happens when you're still young. Still no excuse.

"What are you thinking?"

The fire flashed over my eyes again, the wall of red in the distance disappearing. "Nothing good Ghost. Nothing good."

"Percival."

Looking over my shoulder, I saw Blossom, Shining and Cadence standing behind me with apprehensive expressions. This can only mean good things.

"What's the sitch?"

"Sir...the woman you received from the wreckage is the Princess of Saddle Arabia," Blossom told me and I let that sink in.

"She appears to be okay for the most part, other than a little malnourished. The kids are watching over her as we speak. We believe that she may have been in the water for three to four days. Unfortunately, all of our attempts to wake her have proved pointless. She's exhausted and will most likely be unconscious for quite a while," Shining Armor told me.

"However, the more disturbing part is that we believe she was most likely sent on a similar mission as we were or she was coming to Equestria to ask for assistance, but something prevented her from doing so," Cadence added.

"I knew things weren't going to be simple," I mutter under my breath, shifting my attention to the Captain as he took the helm. "Captain! How goes our progress!?"

"I'd say four days but those clouds are going to slow us down!" He shouted back, pointing to the steadily approaching storm.

“Cadence,” I called, catching her attention. “Get a message to your aunts. They need to know about this.” She gave a quick nod and hurried off. I turned to Blossom. “Stay with the Princess and the children. Let me know immediately if she wakes.” Blossom gave a firm salute and disappeared back into the room.

“Shining Armor, you're with me and Ghost. Your expertise in shield spells may be needed.” He nodded sharply, saluted, and followed my command.

“Sir Percival!” The Captain’s voice cut through the howling wind, barely reaching my ears. “That storm ahead—something’s off! I recommend holding our course but slowing to half-speed! We may need to ride it out!”

I glanced at the sky, noticing the strange, almost unnatural way the clouds seemed to converge on a single point. “Agreed!” I shouted back over the rising gusts. “I trust your judgment!”

“Aye aye, sir!” He barked. “Brace the ship! Half speed!” His orders echoed across the deck as the crew hurried to their stations.

Peering back toward the horizon, I could see it clearly now—a swirling mass of clouds, resembling a hurricane but forming impossibly fast. Just minutes ago, the sky was mostly clear. Now, it was shrouded in a dense, foreboding canopy. Such rapid weather formation was unheard of back on Earth, but I had a creeping suspicion this wasn’t natural here in Equestria either. A deep sense of unease twisted in my gut, instincts flaring as I watched the storm intensify.

Suddenly, the ship lurched over choppy waters, and Blossom’s urgent voice called from behind me. “Sir!” She shouted from across the deck. I turned to see her face, pale with worry. “You need to hear this!” Without waiting, she darted back down the corridor.

I exchanged a glance with Shining Armor. “Stay on the deck,” I ordered, and he nodded as I headed below with Ghost trailing closely.

Reaching the Princess’s quarters, I found Cadence there, along with the children, who looked bewildered. Cadence and Blossom, however, wore tense expressions. I moved closer to the Princess of Saddle Arabia and noticed her lips moving faintly. “What’s wrong?” I asked, drawing their eyes to me. Both Cadence and Blossom simply pointed toward the Princess, urging me closer.

Her lips parted in shallow breaths, her mouth moving with barely audible whispers. I leaned in, straining to catch even a fragment. “...an…” The princess murmured, lost in her sleep. Intrigued, I brought myself closer. “…than… …iathan…” She repeated, her voice fading into whispers.

“What’s she saying?” Sweetie Belle’s voice broke the stillness, accidentally interrupting the princess’s next murmur. I put my ear directly by her mouth, intent on catching every sound as she repeated herself, softer each time. “...viathan......eviathan…”

It was maddening, the fragments drifting between meaning and mystery. Then, a sudden lurch in the ship sent a jolt through all of us, but I hardly noticed. My attention was fixed solely on the word she repeated, growing colder with each utterance. And then, the full meaning crystallized in her voice. “The Leviathan…” she whispered, almost reverent. I froze, a chill running down my spine as the realization hit.

"Oh shit."

Without another thought, I bolted from the room, ignoring the startled calls from Blossom and Cadence. The urgency in my stride cleared a path as I tore down the hallway, Ghost barely managing to keep pace at my side. Footsteps pounded behind me as the others joined, their concern growing at the tension on my face. Bursting onto the deck, I didn’t hesitate, nearly breaking the door off its hinges.

“Why the fuck are we descending?” I demanded, voice sharp.

“Sir!” Shining called out, drawing my attention. “There might still be survivors in the water!” he reported, his voice tight with urgency.

Rushing to the railing, I looked out, only to feel my stomach drop as the full scene unfolded before me. My eyes widened in horror, and my voice thundered over the deck.

“SOUND THE ALARM! ALL HANDS—PREPARE FOR BATTLE!” I bellowed. “KRAKEN!”

Author's Note

Ooooo shit's bout to go down!!

Recently watched Jaws as part of a classic horror marathon I did with a friend of mine and just knew I had to include something from it, it just felt right, especially the best monologue in cinematic history, god I love that film so much

Please point out any mistakes I may have made
Constructive criticism is always appreciated
Until next time, TTFN!

Chapter 32 - "To Blot out the Sky"

Almost immediately, chaos erupted across the deck as shouts filled the air and everyone scrambled to their posts. The Captain dashed to the helm, gripping the wheel with a white-knuckled urgency that betrayed the gravity of the moment. His life—and all our lives—hung on his skill and steadiness. Without hesitation, I bellowed commands, rallying the crew as Blossom shielded the frightened children, her wings spreading wide and protective over their trembling forms.

“CAPTAIN! TAKE US UP! SHINING ARMOR, THROW UP A SHIELD NOW!”

“Sir! There might be people down there!” Shining shouted, hesitating.

“I don’t give a damn! I gave you a fucking order! GET ME A SHIELD, NOW!” I turned back to face the creature, allowing myself a moment to take in every detail as Shining began preparing his strongest shield spell.

The beast rose slowly from the abyss, seawater cascading off its broad, barnacle-covered back, which was plated with an armour-like shell. The shell peeled back, revealing a nightmarish face: several sets of eyes, black and soulless as a doll’s, glowed with a menacing light. Rows upon rows of thick, fang-like teeth filled its massive maw, while muscular, clawed arms pushed it upright, and a great tangle of thick, writhing tentacles whipped the ocean into a furious froth below.

“That is one ugly motherfucker,” Ghost muttered beside me, voicing what we were all thinking.

The beast seemed to scan its surroundings, almost sluggishly, until its eyes settled on us. A chill raced down my spine. Despite the massive scale of the creature—hundreds of feet high, even at the waist—and the distance we’d managed to put between us, it felt as though it was staring directly at me.

For a moment, it simply loomed there as we pulled away. Then its body tensed, shuddering as its fanged maw opened wide, letting loose a deafening roar that forced us to cover our ears. It lunged, a tentacle bursting from the sea and slamming against our side, shattering Shining’s shield like wet paper. The back of the ship exploded into splinters, and the Captain was hurled through the air, landing with a sickening crunch—though his colourful string of curses reassured me he was still alive.

The impact threw the ship violently to one side, sending everyone tumbling. My back collided painfully with one of the balloon connection points. Looking up, I saw the rear balloon had burst, and we were beginning a slow descent toward the ocean. I heard a thud next to me as Shining hit the deck like a sack of bricks, blood trickling down his face while Cadence rushed to his side.

“Cadence, focus! We need a stronger shield!” I shouted over the storm’s roar.

A look of despair washed over her face. “I don’t know any shields stronger than Shining’s!” she cried, trembling.

“Jävlar!” I scanned the ocean and saw the beast advancing once more. Spinning back, I locked eyes with Ghost and began moving toward the deck’s edge. “Ghost, see to the Captain! Skipper! Take us as far out as you can!”

“What about you, Sir?” Ghost shouted over the howling winds.

“I’ll buy you some time!” I shouted back, summoning my wings.

With a single, powerful flap of my wings, I launched myself from the ship, propelling forward with fierce intent. I peppered the Kraken’s face with a series of strikes to pull its attention away from the crew, just as I plunged into the turbulent ocean below. The Kraken fixed its gaze on the spot where I landed, watching intently. Just as it appeared ready to give up with a resonating snort, the ocean’s surface erupted, and a deep, horn-like roar blared, slicing through the chaotic sounds of the sea to refocus the beast’s attention.

Rising to its full height, a new being stood before the Kraken, balanced on double-jointed legs. A single, piercing orange mechanical eye glared at the massive creature. Unlike the Kraken’s rough, organic armour, this figure was adorned in a smooth, gleaming red metal shell, its form punctuated by decals of white and yellow that caught the light. Various lights flashed through the dense spray of water surrounding it, casting sharp reflections against the waves. A ghostly blue glow framed the mech’s metallic body, as three arms, each tipped with sharp, spinning rotary blades, lifted in a defensive, yet menacing stance.

Inside the chest of the Crimson Typhoon, despite my reservation about how I handled situations like this, I couldn’t resist a maniacal grin, even as I felt a stitch in my side growing deeper with each passing moment. Some sick part of me enjoyed the thrill.

The Kraken let out a furious roar, surging forward with a terrifying speed that belied its massive size. The spectral mech I controlled moved in perfect sync with my body as the blades sliced deep into the Kraken’s thick flesh, releasing black, oily blood that splattered down to the ocean below. The Kraken struggled to retaliate, its efforts thwarted by my continuous movement and relentless strikes. Eventually, it managed to seize two of the three blades, crushing one in its twisted grasp. Just as it did, jets of orange flame burst from my back, sending purple-hued exhaust into the air as they propelled the Typhoon upward. The lower half of the Jaeger twisted, pistons and hydraulics churning as the mech spun a full hundred and eighty degrees. Channelling all my strength, I hurled the Kraken up and over me, tossing it away from the ship in a single powerful motion.

The Kraken shook its head, momentarily stunned, but before it could fully reorient itself, a new horn blared through the stormy air. This time, the sound was deeper, resonating with a primal force as thunderous stomps echoed across the ocean. Charging forward with the weight of an unstoppable juggernaut, a towering green giant emerged, its thick, column-like head reminiscent of a nuclear power silo. Cherno Alpha thundered forward, his deep industrial green armour gleaming under the flashing lights, each movement heavy and deliberate. He slammed his bulk into the Kraken’s exposed back, gripping its neck with an iron grip and landing a staggering blow. With each strike, Cherno’s massive pistons fired, driving his fists forward with unstoppable momentum, each blow causing the very ocean to tremble. As I cast a quick glance back, I could see that the ship had gained valuable distance from the chaos.

Turning back, I watched as Cherno Alpha raised his colossal fists, preparing to strike the grotesque beast once again. A thick tentacle whipped across Cherno’s towering face, shattering lights along its right side and leaving a jagged dent in the heavy armour. Glancing behind itself with a snarl, I lifted my arms in a blocking motion, only for another tentacle to wrap around the already damaged arm, pulling it from the shoulder with a violent jerk. I winced as a sharp pain shot through my side, and I felt warm blood trickle from my nose; the toll of sustaining these massive spectres as well as each strike was mounting, pressing down on me as I fought to keep control. Cherno regained his footing, using his massive weight to pin several writhing tentacles beneath his feet. Gripping one of the Kraken’s limbs with his vice-like grip, I took the chance to drive my two remaining blades into the beast’s flesh. Suddenly, a tentacle whipped my legs out from under me, sending me sprawling.

The Kraken seized the opening, turning and lunging at Cherno, sinking its monstrous teeth into the Jaeger’s thickly armoured head and tearing away a solid chunk of metal. With brutal force, it wrenched one of Cherno’s arms free from its socket, flipping the hulking machine onto its back. The Kraken coiled its tentacles tightly around Cherno, restraining him while it pressed a massive clawed palm against his faceplate, emitting a thunderous roar that echoed across the ocean, the vibrations rattling through the waves as the Kraken’s gaze shifted back toward me.

It gave me no time to recover—and so, I answered with a furious counterattack.

Summoning every bit of remaining strength, I carved through as many of the Kraken’s tentacles as I could before it turned its massive body toward me. It struck hard, slamming one of its enormous hands into Typhoon’s left shoulder pauldron while wrapping its tentacles tightly around the remaining arm, snapping it clean off at the elbow joint. Gritting my teeth against the pain, I channelled the last of my strength into a powerful uppercut, blue energy swirling around my fist before connecting solidly with the Kraken’s chin. But the beast’s relentless tentacles coiled around Typhoon’s waist, crushing the frame with relentless pressure. The pain felt like a stab directly to my ribs, the stitch now a sharp agony that made me grunt. I barely had a second to react before the Kraken’s claw plunged through Typhoon’s chest, hitting me directly and hurling me through the air.

I was flung like a ragdoll, crashing hard through the lower decks of the ship. Every inch of me ached, my body battered and beaten, but against all odds, I was still alive.

Prying my body from the wreck of the lower decks, splinters and broken glass fall around me as I hold myself up, my breath deep and heavy and my vision blurred. I expended far too much energy far too quickly and I was paying the physical price for it. Blood dripped in a quick and steady stream down my nose and eyes while I spat out small chunks of nondescript pieces of flesh. The door to the room I crashed into burst open, Cadence and Blossom rushing to my side, wiping as best they could and lightly slapping my face to get me out of my daze before swiftly pulling me to my feet.

Their voices reached me in muffled echoes as they guided me forward, my legs moving almost subconsciously. Once we reached the upper deck, my senses started to sharpen. The sounds of panicked shouts and distant roars filled the air. Cadence and Blossom eased me down, giving me a moment to gather myself. But before I could fully regain my bearings, a deep yell and a sudden, heavy thud jolted my focus. My gaze snapped to Ghost, who was on his hands and knees.

“Ghost!” We shouted.

I rushed to his side, pushing aside the weak protests of Cadence and Blossom. Ghost’s entire body trembled, his movements erratic and jerky. I was about to speak but fell silent as I saw what he held—Yamato, its deep blue sheath emitting faint wisps of blue light with glimmers of yellow where his hand gripped it. Suddenly, he drew a shuddering breath, lifting his hand to raise his mask just enough to gasp for air, dry and raw.

“Easy, brother,” I murmured through my own aches and pains, rubbing his back as Cadence steadied his shoulder to keep him upright. “Easy.”

The Kraken’s furious bellow tore my attention away from Ghost. It was much closer than I’d realized. I shot to my feet, summoning Anatole in a burst of purple sparks, bracing myself to defend against the approaching creature. But before I could move, Ghost’s voice rose beside me, low and unsteady, his grip on Yamato tightening as he stood with a guttural yell. In one fluid motion, he drew the sword, swung it high, and sent a blinding arc of white light slashing through the air. The blade cut deep into the Kraken’s face, forcing the beast back, its howl echoing as it clutched its face in pain.

I stared, stunned, as my gaze shifted back to Ghost. A faint yellow glimmer flickered in his usually intense brown eyes. He looked down at the sword and his hands, shock mirroring on his brown orbs, and slowly turned his eyes to me, silently searching for an explanation. But I had none. If anything, I was more bewildered than he was. I only knew one other person who’d ever been able to wield that blade.

In an instant, before any of us could even process what was happening, the ship lurched violently upward. The sound of shattering was deafening, reverberating through my skull—a sickening crack followed by the chaos of splintering debris that erupted all around us. Everywhere I looked, there was wreckage—metal shards, jagged wood, shattered glass, flashes of unfamiliar magic, blood, broken bodies, and the monstrous coils of writhing tentacles. I struggled to orient myself, blinking through the haze as I saw the ship ripped nearly in half. One section hung together by mere fragments, while the other half was reduced to splinters and ash. The massive light orbs that held us aloft had shattered, leaving us all in freefall, tumbling amid the fractured remains of our vessel. Wood, glass, and metal whirled around us like a twisted storm, and the air was thick with screams.

I scanned the faces around me, horrified to see crew members plummeting with eyes closed or bodies limp—some unconscious, some perhaps already lost. Desperately, I hoped that some had survived, though I could see at a glance that we had taken grim casualties. The Kraken, its massive form dark and menacing, retracted its glistening tentacles, watching the devastation it had caused with unsettling satisfaction. Blossom was already moving to gather the terrified children, who clung to her, their faces streaked with tears. Cadence struggled to hold onto Shining Armor, his body slumped, unconscious, as they spiralled downward.

My gaze locked on Ghost, who clutched the Yamato tightly against his chest, his mask shifting as though he was giving a silent prayer. Then, with deliberate precision, he drew his katana, slicing twice into the air, leaving behind shimmering arcs that slowly expanded into portals. A deep, swirling fog churned within each opening, edged with an otherworldly light that flickered between blinding blue and white flames. But just as the portals stabilized, I saw Ghost’s eyes roll back as he fell unconscious, his body suddenly weightless. Without hesitation, I sheathed my own blade, unfurling my wings to dive toward him.

"Flyers! Regroup!" I yelled into the chaotic air, my voice barely audible over the storm of wreckage and screams. "Grab anyone you can and head toward the fog! Hurry!"

Looking down, I caught sight of the Princess of Saddle Arabia, her form suspended, limp, amid the chaos. Reaching Blossom, I deposited Ghost safely with her, where the children clung to him, and quickly pivoted to retrieve the Princess. By then, Cadence had joined us, still cradling Shining Armor. I guided them all toward the remaining crew members, where Skipper and Broadside were holding their own, rallying those who could still follow. Glancing over my shoulder, I saw the Kraken’s massive, black-bleeding form looming again, its monstrous eyes fixed on us with predatory intent. I felt a surge of determination—a cold, focused rage. This beast wouldn’t escape retribution.

Turning back, I locked eyes with Cadence, shouting over the fray, "Wherever you land, get everyone medical help! Tell your Aunts about this as soon as you can!"

Her eyes widened, filling with dread. “What about you?” She yelled.

With a faint smile, I called back, "I’m going fishing.” I cast a final reassuring glance at the children, trying to project a confidence I barely felt. “Everything’s gonna be alright.”

With a stinging flap, I propelled myself back as I let myself fall, wings tucked close, slicing through the air past the portals until I landed firmly on the wreck of the Long Stride, surprised by the size of what remained. I stood among the broken remains of the ship, watching as the survivors streamed into the portal, grateful at least that some would make it out. My heart ached for those who didn’t, but seeing my friends, the people who mattered, get to safety filled me with a grim solace.

I was hoping it wouldn't have to come to this, but there was no turning back now.

As I bamfed away equipment, leaving me in only my beige trousers, I could feel the Kraken’s hateful gaze lock onto me, its eyes gleaming with malicious intent. The air around me thickened, igniting with purple flames that spiralled from my spine, jets of power coursing along my spine as I steadied my breath.

The day had been anything but kind to Princess Celestia. A cabal of local nobles had stirred up a storm, lobbying aggressively to tear down a beloved public park, intending to convert the serene green space into a gated estate for their own privileged circles. Their demands had filled her ears with entitled pleas, all while her thoughts drifted uneasily to more pressing concerns—she still hadn’t received any updates from a certain Paladin and her niece regarding progress on their mission to the Desert Kingdom. With this worry gnawing at her, her patience was wearing thin.

The latest noble stood before her, his tone dripping with arrogance. “As I was saying, Your Majesty, constructing a new estate for those of us in need of appropriate accommodations is the only logical choice,” He pressed as if his wishes were beyond question.

Celestia maintained her serene expression, but beneath it, she felt her patience cracking. She inhaled slowly, centring herself as she responded with grace, “While I appreciate your viewpoint, I must decline. The park is cherished by the community and contributes a great deal to our city. I fear your proposal is simply unfeasible.” She gestured toward a nearby guard. “Should you need assistance finding your way out, one of my guards would be more than happy to escort you.”

Just then, the heavy doors of the throne room creaked open, drawing the attention of everyone present. Luna entered, accompanied by the Elements of Harmony. Several of them appeared visibly distressed, concern etched on their faces.

The noble raised an indignant eyebrow, unable to hide his irritation. “And just what is the meaning of this?” he demanded.

Luna’s eyes narrowed. “Hold thy tongue, noble. You are dismissed,” She commanded with an air of finality. “I must speak with my sister.”

Celestia, with her customary poise, intervened before the noble could protest further. “I appreciate your patience, Fair Trial,” She said, her voice carrying both authority and courtesy. “I understand you waited a considerable time to speak with me. You may inform the guard that you are to be first in line for the next session.”

Caught off-guard by her diplomatic yet firm dismissal, the noble relented with a stiff bow. “I....of course, Your Highness,” He muttered before leaving, accompanied by a guard.

As the doors closed behind him, Luna crossed the room to embrace her sister warmly. Celestia returned the gesture, but her eyes soon drifted to the Elements, several of whom still wore looks of unease.

“I apologize,” Luna began, lowering her voice. “They are deeply worried for their siblings. I have assured them that all is well, yet they seem to need a word of reassurance from you—or from Percival himself.”

Celestia’s expression softened as she addressed the group. “I understand,” She said gently. “It’s good to see all of you.”

“Princess…” Twilight started, but she was quickly interrupted by Applejack, who stepped forward, her voice edged with concern.

"With all due respect Princess, but it's been days since the lot of us heard from Percy or anyone else on the ship," Applejack said. "Ah'm just worried is all."

"Yeah! Mom and Dad are worried sick about her!" Rainbow Dash exclaimed.

"Not to mention that they are missing school Princess. The three of them have been having enough difficulties with her Cutie Mark. I don't want school to be on the list as well!" Rarity added. "Are you sure there's no way for them to send them back?"

Celestia held up her hands, attempting to calm them. “I understand your concern,” She reassured them with a warm smile. “Your sisters—and Spike-” She added quickly, noting Twilight’s anxious glance. “-are under the protection of both Percival and my niece. Communication is indeed challenging over such distances, and unfortunately, bringing them back quickly is simply not possible.”

Luna, stepping in to bolster her sister’s words, added, “With Percival and Princess Cadance by their side, rest assured they are well protected. Still, any news will only reach us when they make landfall.”

Suddenly, Pinkie Pie’s eyes widened, her ears wiggling as she let out a panicked shout. “Twitchy ears!” She cried, diving for cover.

Celestia and Luna exchanged puzzled glances, eyebrows arched. “Twitchy… ears?” Luna echoed slowly, glancing over at Twilight for clarification.

Twilight’s voice took on a hurried, warning tone. “Princesses, you may not understand it, but Pinkie’s premonitions have never been wrong! Something’s going to fall!” She exclaimed.

Pinkie sprang up, waving her arms wildly. “Twitchy ears! It’s a massive one! TWITCHITY TWITCH TWITCH!”

Startled, the other Elements joined Pinkie in ducking for cover, looking at the sky as if expecting calamity. As they did, Celestia felt an icy chill crawl up her spine. She sensed a sinister presence—a swell of dark energy hovering ominously above the castle. A quick glance at Luna confirmed she sensed it too, her expression hardening as she strode toward the balcony.

The Elements scrambled to follow as the two princesses reached the open balcony, staring into the sky. “What’s wrong, Princess?” Fluttershy whispered, her voice wavering slightly.

A roiling mass of dark energy appeared, swirling high above the courtyard. Purple fog poured through an eerie tear in the air, edged by a pulsating white light, and demonic energy flowed ominously from its depths.

Luna’s voice thundered as she projected the Royal Canterlot command across the courtyard. “To arms! Sound the alarm throughout Canterlot! Prepare for battle!” In one swift motion, she unfurled her wings and took flight, ready for whatever threat emerged.

“What’s happening?” Twilight cried, fear flashing in her eyes.

“Stay behind me, all of you,” Celestia ordered, summoning her magic as she prepared to defend her subjects. Her heart raced as she awaited the unknown, every fibre of her being braced for action. But before they could act further, the portal’s energies twisted violently, and something fell from its depths, crashing down with a deafening thud.

The commotion in the airspace above was sudden and fierce. Shards of glass and splinters of wood rained down around them. Celestia moved to summon a protective barrier, but her attention snapped to the figures emerging from the portal above, all of them disoriented, many screaming. Her sharp gaze quickly identified familiar faces—several of the crew she'd entrusted with Percival’s mission were among them. There was no time to question what was happening; they had to act.

“To the sky, my guards!” Celestia commanded with authority. “Catch those who cannot fly!” In seconds, her airborne guards surged upward, reaching out to those tumbling through the air. Cadence was already there, her magic straining to keep aloft the ones who lacked wings. Seeing her Niece’s efforts, Celestia turned to her sister with a single urgent word: “Luna!”

Understanding Celestia’s need immediately, Luna rose above the chaos, spreading her magic in a wide net that stabilized everyone around her. Gradually, their screams subsided, and Luna guided them down to solid ground, her magic easing their descent as the portal closed behind them. But once they were safely on the ground, a grave realization began to settle. The gathered crew were battered, some seriously wounded, and their Paladin, Percival, was notably absent.

“Cadence, dear,” Luna’s voice held a note of deep concern as she approached. “What happened?”

Names rang out as siblings called to each other, relief clear as they found their loved ones safe in the crowd. Celestia felt a fleeting warmth seeing their relief, but her heart tightened upon spotting Ghost lying motionless on the grass. Panic flashed in Cadence’s eyes as she tried to catch her breath, clearly still reeling from the ordeal.

“I—I’m not sure!” Cadence stammered, pressing her hand to her forehead, searching for clarity. “It all happened so fast!” Her breath grew shallow, a struggle to regain composure.

“What about Percival?!” Spike’s voice cut through the fray, his expression urgent. “He was going after that… that monster!”

Celestia’s focus was split. She looked to Ghost, kneeling beside him and enveloping his head in a soft, golden glow from her hands, her magic probing for signs of consciousness. Spike’s words hung ominously in her thoughts. A monster? But she shook her head slightly and concentrated on stabilizing Ghost, joined by Rarity and Twilight, who had set aside the distinctive blade that Percival had once wielded at the Grand Galloping Gala.

“Everyone, listen!” Celestia’s voice carried over the crowd. “If you are injured, please await medical assistance. Do not stray from the courtyard.” A palpable tension filled the air as she turned her gaze upward to the portal, her thoughts heavy with the knowledge that Percival was still missing. At her side, Luna’s expression mirrored her concern.

Luna knelt beside her sister, her voice low and gentle. “Sister.”

“I know, Luna.” Celestia took a steadying breath, resolve deepening in her gaze. “I’m sure he’s alright. But right now, we need to focus on-"

Before she could continue, the portal flickered above them with a deep, resonating clang, the edges wavering like a weak light bulb. The two sounds reverberated from it, one those of the crew that remained knew as the hearty bellow of the Kraken, but the other they did not recognise. It was comparatively shrill, undercut by a low buzzing, rising in volume to easily match its opposition ending several guttural bleats that echoed in the now silent courtyard as the portal closes.

I let out a low grunt as I fell to my knees, my fingers digging into the wood. My nails had thickened and blackened, curving slightly, tips digging into the earth as my grip tightened. I tried to scream, but only a shrill, yet guttural growl tore from my throat. My throat burned as the sound escaped, raw and feral. The muscles in my back tensed and twisted, the stream of purple fire along my back intensifying while the jets shot out further, spasming under the force of something foreign spread across my spine. I felt my bones shifting, creaking, as if they were being forcibly reshaped as a thick paddle-like tail sprouted from my tailbone, the fire continuing to the tip.

My arm bulges and elongates, the skin tearing open in small rips as the muscles beneath surge with unnatural growth. Each rip sealed itself quickly, only to tear again. Dark, thick gnarled scales began to emerge from his flesh, rough patches of skin that thickened and hardened. My feet extended into double-jointed legs, my toes splitting and spreading as each bone stretched and thickened, ending in claws as long as knives, sharp and deadly.

My chest heaved, my heart pounding so hard it felt like it might burst from his ribcage. Each beat sent a surge of foreign energy through him, filling my body with animalistic strength. Large horned ridges burst from my brow, bending and curling to form an almost crown-like shape above my head. My back curled as my neck elongated, my jaw stretching unnaturally wide, teeth thickening into jagged, bone-crushing fangs, my mouth elongating to form a lipless snout.

My eyes opened as my vision sharpened, I looked to my right side, meeting the bright purple flames that appeared as stand-ins for my missing limbs. Mere imitations of the real things, but I'll take what I can get.

My claws twitch, scraping deep furrows into the wood as I snarl. It’s an instinctive reaction—a challenge, a promise that I won’t back down. A high, bubbling hiss rumbles from my throat, the flames on my back flaring with anticipation as I square myself against the monstrosity looming before me.

"Alright buttercup," I growled, my voice low and throaty yet still distinctly my own. "Just you and me!"

The Kraken releases a bone-rattling roar, the sound deep and hollow, echoing out across the endless expanse of waves. I let out my own high-pitched roar, emphasised by a low hum.

A tentacle arcs toward me, surging through the water like a living tidal wave. I brace myself on the splintering deck, muscles tensing, and leap just as it crashes into the shipwreck with a deafening crack. The force sends me hurtling through the air, water spraying in a sickening, cold mist around me. I land, claws scrabbling against the slick wood of the wreck, barely maintaining my footing. The Kraken’s eyes narrow, aware of my struggle, its mouth stretched open in a guttural roar that makes the waves quake.

But I’ve fought harder. I’ve fought longer. And I am still alive.

With a savage growl, I plant one claw into the deck and launch myself forward, fire blazing around me in a halo that illuminates the sea spray. I tear my way up the wreckage, leaping from one broken oar to another, pushing my body to the edge of its strength as the waves rock the ship beneath me. Another tentacle rises, blocking out the moon, a mass of writhing flesh and rubbery suckers larger than my entire frame. I see it too late, its shadow engulfing me as it swings down with bone-crushing speed.

It slams into me with a force that sends my vision blurring, pain exploding through my ribs as I’m knocked backwards, and flung against the shattered hull. Saltwater fills my mouth, the taste is sharp and bitter. I claw my way back to the surface, scrambling the small remains of the ship, gasping for breath as the flames along my back reignite, turning the water into a wreath of steam around me. My side aches, my vision swims, but the Kraken’s roar is a reminder—I’m still alive, still fighting.

If I can make it bleed, I can kill it.

I feel the wreckage sway beneath me as another tentacle rises, but this time, I don’t wait. I sprint toward it, claws digging into the deck as I leap onto the massive limb, clinging to its coarse surface. The Kraken flinches briefly at the searing touch of my flames, writhing to shake me off. But I dig in deeper, each claw tearing through the slick, rubbery hide. My flames consume it, boiling its skin, and the smell of burnt flesh fills the air. It howls, a noise so loud it feels like thunder crashing through my bones.

Undeterred, I rush my way up the writhing tentacle, fighting the constant pull and sway of the Kraken’s desperate thrashing. The waves crash around us, a swirling vortex of churning water and storm, but I don’t look back. Every ounce of fury, every shred of will, drives me forward. I grip tight as it flings its tentacle high into the air, giving me a sickening view of the endless ocean below, but I don’t let go.

That's when I spot something. There, just beneath its eyes, I spot a weak spot—a small, faint seam, as if the skin there is thinner, more vulnerable.

"Jackpot."

Summoning every last ounce of my strength, I leap across its massive face, claws raking through the soft flesh as I drive it into that weak spot. The Kraken screeches, louder than before, its body convulsing under me as I tear through the thin membrane, my claws reaching bone. The black ichor pours out in torrents, coating me, burning against my own skin and scales, but I push deeper, flames blazing hot as I unleash a final, searing blast into its skull.

The Kraken’s entire body shudders, tentacles rising in a frantic, erratic dance as it tries to dislodge me, but I cling tight, feeling its life force weakening, each struggle growing slower, weaker. I pour everything into it, every ounce of flame, every shred of strength, as I rip through its skull, exposing the raw, bloody tissue beneath.

Then, with a shuddering cry, the Kraken collapses, its immense form falling limp, the waves crashing against it as it sinks. I stand atop its massive head, breath heaving, flames flickering, watching as the water pulls it down, down into the depths. The ocean settles into an eerie calm, the Kraken’s enormous form slowly sinking below the surface. I stay perched atop the wreckage of its skull, breathing heavily, watching as its monstrous bulk disappears into the depths. My flames flicker in the damp wind, and I taste the salt on my tongue, thick with the stench of blood and brine.

But then, beneath the water, I feel it—a vibration. Faint, rhythmic, but building with each pulse. It starts as a deep tremor, like the heartbeat of something dark and ancient, something unwilling to die.

A surge of water erupts from the deep, and the Kraken’s massive form breaks the surface once more, rising with renewed ferocity. The gaping wound I carved across its head has started to close, knitting together with a sickening resilience. Its eyes burn brighter than before, pulsing with a furious, unnatural glow. Each tentacle writhes in the air, stronger, faster, crackling with a terrible energy that sends shockwaves across the sea. The Kraken isn’t just alive; it’s enraged, reborn with a rageful intensity.

Before I can react, a tentacle lashes forward, smashing into the remains of the wreck with a force that shatters the wood beneath my feet. I’m thrown into the water, icy tendrils closing around me, dragging me down. I try to claw my way to the surface, gasping, only to be met with another tentacle, swinging down like a hammer. I dive, barely avoiding the blow, but the force of it sends waves crashing over me, filling my mouth with seawater again. I struggled to keep myself orientated, struggling to stay afloat as the Kraken’s immense bulk rose before me.

I claw my way back to the surface, clinging to a shattered oar as the Kraken looms over me, its eyes glowing with raw, malevolent power. Its tentacles surround me on all sides, a cage of flesh and terror. I’m trapped, nowhere to go but into its maw, but I refuse to give it the satisfaction of my fear. With a furious snarl, I push off the mast and launch myself onto the nearest tentacle, my claws sinking in deep as I scramble up its colossal body, flames searing into its skin.

The Kraken roars, thrashing as I climb, clinging to its hide with every ounce of strength. Its body is an endless, writhing mass beneath me, but I keep moving, claws tearing through slick, rubbery flesh, leaving trails of fire that hiss and pop as they burn. I can feel it healing, the charred skin regenerating almost as fast as I can burn it, but I grit my teeth and press on. If it can heal, I’ll just have to rip it apart faster.

"Shit!"

Another tentacle swings down, aiming to swat me like an insect, and I leap, twisting in mid-air to land further up its main body, my claws sinking into the base of its neck. I dig in deep, flames erupting around my hands, and begin tearing at the thick flesh with everything I have. The Kraken thrashes, trying to shake me off, its tentacles coiling around itself in a desperate attempt to crush me. One wraps around my waist, squeezing tight, and pain shoots through me as I feel my ribs strain, but I let out a roar, flames bursting from my body, forcing it to release me.

I stagger, dizzy, barely able to catch my breath as I grip onto its head. Its massive eyes turn toward me, those horrible, fathomless pits glowing with a mocking gleam. I realize I’m close, so close that I can see the terrible texture of its skin, the dark veins pulsing beneath it.

I leap forward, my claws sink into one of the beast's eyes, a sharp, primal roar tearing from my throat as I dig in and rip, my fire flooding through the wounds like molten metal. The Kraken rears back, its entire body shuddering, as I tear a jagged, flaming wound into its eye socket. It tries to recoil, to throw me off, dragging its own claw across its face but I sink my claws deeper, refusing to yield, letting the fire consume its flesh.

Its thrashing grows desperate, each movement sending shockwaves through the water. Tentacles rise and smash against me, slamming into the waves in a frantic storm. I feel my own strength waning, my body battered and bleeding after every strike, but I push further, digging my claws into and through the Kraken’s skull and pouring my energy into a searing blast of flame, sending it into the deep hole I had bored into the beast's socket. Bright lilac flame blasts from my mouth and into the cracked wound, an equally bright light emanating from behind the creature's eyes as the inside of its head is wreathed in torrential fire.

The Kraken lets out a deafening roar, different from before, a sound that echoes through the storm, carrying with it a deep, primal agony. And then its movements falter, the massive limbs falling limp, sinking into the dark, churning sea. Its eyes dim, that ghostly glow flickering before fading into nothingness.

As its colossal body sinks back into the depths, the ocean goes eerily still, and I am left alone in the dark, bloody waters. I stand atop what remains of the Kraken’s skull, flames guttering along my back as I watch it disappear beneath the waves. Exhaustion sets in, but I feel a grim satisfaction, a fierce pride.

But before it's fully taken, I feel something wrap around me and hold me high as the titan is consumed by the ocean. Pulling me down with a thunderous splash, the Kraken’s remaining strength surges, the tentacle tightening around with a crushing force and its gaping maw opens beneath me, a cavern of darkness filled with rows of jagged, broken teeth.

A roar of defiance escapes me as I claw at its flesh, scrambling for any grip, any escape. But the Kraken’s tendrils wrap around me with desperate strength, dragging me down into its mouth. My claws rake across its flesh, flames scorching as I try to break free, but it’s no use as it throws me, and propels me towards its gaping maw. The Kraken’s jaws clamp shut with a bone-rattling force, plunging me into a suffocating, fleshy prison. The air is thick with a fetid stench, a caustic mix of bile and salt that burns my throat and nostrils. The walls around me pulse, squeezing tighter, relentless as they drag me deeper into its gullet.

I struggle, but the muscles around me contract, crushing me with relentless force, and for the first time, panic claws at the edges of my mind. My flames flicker and sputter, suffocating in the damp, blood-choked heat. Every instinct screams at me to escape, to break free, but there’s nowhere to go. My vision swims, the crushing pressure closing in on my lungs, but I refuse to let it end like this.

If the bastard wants to eat me, I’ll make sure I’m the last thing it ever tastes.

Summoning every last scrap of power, I dig my claws into its stomach lining, pulling myself up through the pulsing, slimy flesh. I can barely breathe, my own body battered and bloodied, but I let my flames burn hotter, more intense, pushing past the agony rocking my sides as I let the fire blaze through me. I force the inferno to grow, compressing every flicker, every ember, until it feels as if my body itself is about to break under the heat. The walls around me start to char and blacken, hissing as the flames reach an impossible intensity.

Then, with a final roar, I let loose the most powerful surge of fire I could. The flames explode from me, filling the Kraken’s insides, searing through every layer of flesh and bone. The heat was unbearable, even for me—my vision blurring under the amount of energy I was expending, compound that with what I spent with the Jeagers, and it was immense. But I don’t stop. I push harder, driving the flames out with everything I have, until the heat is so fierce it starts to warp and tear at the Kraken’s own body.

I feel the Kraken convulse around me, a sickening, spasmodic shudder as its flesh begins to cook, crackling and splitting from within. The stench of burnt flesh fills the air, the walls around me growing weaker, the tissue blistering, popping under the unbearable pressure. The Kraken thrashes wildly, the entire world shaking as its muscles tighten, constricting in a final, desperate attempt to crush me.

But it was too little, too late.

With one last, devastating blast, the flames erupt outward, shattering the Kraken from the inside. The pressure builds in a split second, the Kraken’s body swelling under the intensity of the heat, until it can’t contain it any longer.

And then, with a violent, earth-shaking rupture, the Kraken explodes.

I’m propelled upward in a rush of steam, ichor, and shattered pieces of flesh, flung high into the night sky as the Kraken’s remains rain down around me in a storm of scorched gore. I twist in mid-air, the cold wind hitting me like a slap as I free-fall, my body blazing like a comet as I plummet back toward the surface. The ocean rises to meet me, but I twist, bracing myself, and crash down into the water, sending a massive wave surging outward.

The cold shock jolts me, but I surface, breath heaving, flames flickering weakly down my back as I drag myself to a piece of the Kraken's hide floating nearby. I haul myself onto it, every muscle aching, my lungs burning with each breath, but I'm still alive. I look out across the sea, the black waves now littered with remnants of the once great beast—charred pieces of tentacle, shattered bone, the murky water tinged with blackened ichor.

I slump onto the piece of gore, chest heaving, staring up at the night sky as the flames along my back slowly dimmed down. The Kraken is gone, reduced to nothing more than pieces and steam, a scar on the ocean’s surface. I let out a low, victorious growl, satisfaction mingling with exhaustion as I lie there, letting the waves carry me.

The sea stretches out, dark and endless, and for the first time, I feel its silence as a triumph.

Author's Note

Damn, very happy with how this came out. The last three have been, in my opinion, the best I've put out so far, this one especially
And holy shit was this intense! Jeagers? Ghost wielding the Yamato!? And now Percy can transform!? But what does it all mean!?

And if you were wondering
Kraken
https://youtu.be/VRWZ3xLnWk4?si=DFnQjLsTXhP2EAOJ
Percy
https://youtu.be/QQPuRzzoGZQ?si=30uCwHCnOleTTPcI

Please point out any mistakes I may have made
Constructive criticism is always appreciated
Until next time, TTFN!

Chapter 33 - "A Rocky Return"

Several hours passed since the sudden appearance of some of the Long Strides crew and other passengers, Everyone had settled in while the courtyard had been cleared of most of the debris and other detritus, only the larger parts remaining as they would need a small crew to clear. Unfortunately, a few guards and several crewmembers were missing and others that had arrived did not make it through their sustained injuries. Most of the other who were injured were either heading home or in the medical wing of the castle. Luna was still busy gathering information as was her older sister.

Much of the information was very worrying to the Solar Princess. The group of sisters all sat silently as Blossom Forth informed the Princess about Percival's behaviour prior to and after the encounter with what he referred to as the 'Kraken'. However, no one has ever heard of such a creature destroying every ship at sea. Regardless of whether it was in the air or seabound. However, Percival's behaviour of locking himself in his room for hours at a time until the day they found the Princess of Saddle Arabia, whom the Princesses would have to check on, was interesting news. Even if it was, in his words, a "pet project".

Most disturbing, however, were Blossomforth’s accounts of two enormous metal spectral forms locked in battle with the Kraken, and of Ghost somehow creating the portal that had brought them here. It was hard to comprehend how Ghost could have had access to such a power, nor could anyone explain how Percival had summoned such monstrous abilities, something seemingly beyond even his known skills. Too many questions, with too few answers.

After the family reunion and ensuring that the remaining crew received medical care, Celestia guided her niece to her private chambers, satisfied that Shining Armor was safe. Her aim was to comfort Cadence and to glean any further insights into the mission's misfortunes. So far, Cadence’s account offered little beyond what Celestia already knew, but her presence was still reassuring.

"This is all deeply troubling, my dear," Celestia said gently, taking a sip of tea. Across from her, Cadence absently stirred her own cup, her brow furrowed.

"You don’t know the half of it," Cadence sighed. "I’d heard of how Percival defeated Discord even in a seemingly exhausted state, yet this creature's mere presence unsettled him."

"And how large was it, exactly?" Celestia asked, carefully maintaining her composure.

"We were still hundreds of feet in the air, even after descending, and we barely came to its chest," Cadence replied, shivering at the memory. "If not for Percival, we wouldn’t have survived."

"And... the spectres he summoned?" Celestia inquired, her tone calm yet intense.

"On par at least, maybe slightly shorter," Cadence said, her response quick. "But even they only stalled it briefly. I can’t see how he could hope to defeat something of that big by himself."

"Concerning, indeed," Celestia murmured, closing her eyes and inwardly willing herself to believe that Percival would manage. Opening her eyes, she turned a caring gaze toward her niece. "But I sense there’s something more on your mind, isn’t there?"

"Am I that obvious?" Cadence asked, attempting a small smile.

"My dear, I’ve known you your entire life. I’d like to think I can read you as easily as an open book," Celestia replied with a gentle smile. "So, what else troubles you?"

Cadence bit her lip, hesitating before letting out a sigh. "Before the attack, Shining, the Captain, his first mate, Percival, Ghost, and I were sharing drinks, relaxing, and talking. Somehow, the conversation turned to injuries we’d sustained over the years—though mostly it was the Captain, Skipper, and Percival recounting theirs. I noticed an old scar on Percival’s arm and asked about it."

Cadence paused, lost in the memory of Percival’s unsettling tale, his hollow smile, and the distant look in his eyes as he spoke. She summarized the story briefly, holding Celestia’s attention, before continuing. "But it wasn’t the story itself that’s unsettling me, though it was... disturbing. It was the date he gave for when it happened."

Celestia’s expression softened as she set her tea aside, reaching out to hold Cadence’s hands gently. "What date did he mention, dear?"

"June the twenty-ninth....nineteen forty-five," Cadence whispered.

Celestia’s eyes briefly widened, a flicker of shock breaking her usually calm demeanour. Nineteen forty-five was, if the history and dating records were correct and she was sure they were, more than ninety thousand years ago. Even her own parents had not lived beyond fifteen thousand years. Such an ancient being would possess knowledge from civilizations long forgotten, knowledge that could prove invaluable to Equestria and beyond.

Before Celestia could dwell further, a soft "pop" of teleportation filled the room, and both women turned to see Luna standing near the door.

"Any news?" Celestia asked.

"None, regrettably," Luna replied, rubbing her eyes as she joined them at the table. "At least, nothing beyond what you both are already aware of. And it’s all extremely troubling."

"That’s what I’ve been saying," Cadence sighed.

Luna was about to continue before pausing as all the Princess's ears picked up the sound of quickly approaching footsteps and they sounded frantic. The doors suddenly opened as a Guard burst through, his breath heavy and ragged. And he was pale.

"Your Majesties!" He panted, stopping to catch his breath.

The three Princesses rose to their feet as Luna stepped forward, placing a glowing hand on his shoulder to relieve his exhaustion.

"Thank you, Your Highness," The Guard said, straightening up. "Sir Felwinter has returned. He awaits you in the throne room."

Their hearts skipped a beat. "That is excellent news!" Luna exclaimed. "We must go to him at once."

"One thing, Your Highnesses," the guard added with a grim look. "He arrived in... a rather gruesome condition. A few of the Guards have already lost their lunch."

With a crisp salute, he departed, leaving the Princesses exchanging uneasy glances. Wordlessly, they nodded to each other and teleported to the throne room. Appearing just inside the grand hall, they found guards clustered together, frozen in shock, some barely able to look while one off to the side seemed to still be retching deeply. As the Princesses approached, the group parted, reluctantly revealing the scene ahead. What lay before them was a vision of untold horror that even they were unprepared for despite their long years.

"Ride the planks and beat the sea
On our quest to lands unknown
Gone for praise and sanctity
All to give our flesh and bone

Onward into foreign seas
With no fear and no regret
Heavy and with thorns equipped
The crown upon our heads

They believe that the lord will rise
And in heaven we all roam
By the grace of god, we die alone

All aboard, kissed by the iron fist
We are sainted by the storm
Facing the wind, for we all have sinned
We are tainted and forlorn
For the wild, for the night
For the land and the fight
Seventy feet for the iron greed
We are sainted by the night!"

"Fuck this thing stinks!"

Sitting up from where I lay, I stretched out, feeling every stiff joint and sore muscle protest. The last time I had poured this much energy into a fight was before I came back and even then, the fight with the Kraken hadn't been nearly as much as then, but it was at the very least comparable. So draining myself like that again so soon was rough, and my body was letting me know, protesting even the smallest movements. I had hoped that I wouldn't have had to resort to transforming, but that beast was every bit as powerful as some of the strongest Ancient Demons I’d battled years ago. It left me with little choice. I was just relieved everyone was far away, unable to witness the change. The last time anyone saw me like that, things got ugly.

Rolling my shoulders, I gazed out at the vast, now-stilled ocean. Since the Kraken’s defeat, the waters had calmed considerably, and the clouds had completely cleared, revealing a deep, starry sky. Unfortunately, my navigation skills aren’t much to boast about; deciphering my location was out of the question. In this situation, my best option was simply to choose a direction and keep going straight. I’d make landfall. Eventually.

I leaned against a thick chunk of the creature’s flesh, scales, and blubber, steadying myself as I prepared to attach my peg leg. Just then, a sharp whistle broke through the silence, drawing my attention. I glanced around, and there, atop an adjacent piece of the fallen beast, stood the shadowed figure from before. His dull, almost ghostly yellow coat fluttered in the gentle wind as he reached for his katana, slicing through the air and creating a portal similar to the one Ghost had made—but this one looked equally drained of colour. He gave me a brief, sharp look, then pointed the pommel of his sword toward the shimmering portal. For a moment, I thought I saw a faint smirk on his face before he vanished like sand swept away by the breeze.

“Well, I’m not going to look a gift horse in the mouth,” I muttered, shrugging. Flexing my back, I summoned my wings and launched myself toward the portal. Just as I neared it, an awful, wet gurgling sound rose behind me. In an instant, I was flung upward, landing hard in the ocean next to a smaller chunk of flesh. I dragged myself onto it and looked around, watching the Kraken’s remains bubble and burst. The portal flickered, its edges starting to close.

“Oh, come on, I was right there man!” I shouted, frustration bubbling up alongside the sea.

Flying through the portal dropped me directly into the throne room of Canterlot. I soared through the air, colliding with the twin thrones of Celestia and Luna, splintering them as I crashed through, skidding to a halt only after slamming into the wall. Dazed, I looked up just in time to see one of the Kraken’s massive fangs follow through the portal, skidding across the throne room floor. Fortunately, the room was empty, but the fang alone took up most of the space, even after it fractured into pieces upon impact. It wasn’t long before a squad of Guards burst through the doors, freezing in shock at the sight: me, bloody and beaten, lying beside a giant Kraken tooth. Definitely not the most reassuring scene to walk into.

“Sir Felwinter!” One Guard shouted, his voice filled with shock. “Doctor! Somebody get a doctor!” He called urgently.

With considerable effort, I pulled myself free from the wall and collapsed to the floor, drawing the Guards’ immediate attention as they rushed over. “Don’t!” I barked, my voice slurred. With a quirked brow, I raised a hand to my jaw, feeling it hang loosely from my face. Signalling for the Guards to wait, I grasped it, jostling it into place until it felt somewhat secure.

“Inform Celestia and Luna that I’m here,” I commanded, gesturing to one of the guards.

Their eyes widened as they stared at my arm in horror. Confused, I looked down to see the cause of their alarm: parts of my bone were visible, with skin and muscle shredded away. But it was healing, slowly knitting itself back together. Glancing lower, I noticed that some of my organs were exposed, my ribs partly visible. I think some parts of my skull might have been exposed as well. Given my condition, it was easy to see the Guards clearly feared I wouldn’t last long. Wet sounds of retching filled the room as they took in the sight told me they weren't used to such sights while I barely reacted being as desensitized as I was. Hell, I barely even felt it.

I noticed none of them had moved. “That’s an order!” I snapped, hobbling down to the bottom of the steps and leaning against them to let my healing kick in properly.

Several guards finally scattered—some, I hoped, were going to alert Celestia and Luna, while others likely sought reinforcements. “Sir, let us help you!” One of the Guards insisted, placing a hand on my shoulder.

I shook him off, lifting my arm for them to see more closely. “Look again,” I said, holding up my arm. “I'm healing.” They watched in silent awe as the horrendously damaged flesh continued to regenerate, continuing at a slowly building pace. “I’ll be fine. Trust me. I just need a bubble bath and a good scrub,” I added with a groan, leaning my head back against the steps, closing my eyes and letting out a weary exhale.

The sharp pop of teleportation reached my ears just as I glanced up, spotting a trio of Princesses arriving with palpable urgency etched into their expressions.

"Percival!" they cried in unison. The Guards instinctively stepped back as the three royal figures surged toward me. I managed a soft, nonchalant salute despite the weight of their concern.

"Är du okej?!" Luna exclaimed, her voice tight with worry.

"Language," Celestia chided gently, her tone carrying both calm and reproach.

"I've been worse," I replied with a faint shrug, gesturing to my slowly mending wounds.

Celestia’s eyes narrowed in disbelief. "Worse? How could—" She cut herself off with a shake of her head. "No. We can help."

Their combined magic flared to life, a symphony of light and warmth that swept over me. In mere seconds, my injuries closed, knit together by their expert spells. The rush of restorative energy flooded my weary body, chasing away the exhaustion that had clung to me since the battle’s end. I let out a long sigh, the relief almost intoxicating.

"Thank you," I said with a nod as they stepped back, the tension in their faces easing ever so slightly.

"Percival," Celestia began, her voice tinged with incredulity, "how are you even alive? Wounds like those should have left you in a coma at best—if not worse."

I offered a faint smirk. "What can I say? I'm built different."

Luna raised an eyebrow but couldn’t suppress the ghost of a smile. "Be that as it may, it is nothing short of a miracle. Is the beast dead?"

I gestured over my shoulder. "Does the tooth not make it obvious?"

Luna glanced in the direction of the jagged leviathan’s tooth, a smirk tugging at her lips. "Point well taken."

Cadence, kneeling before me, spoke softly. "Why didn’t you return with everyone else?"

I sighed, shifting to sit up straighter. My hand pressed against my back, eliciting a chorus of sharp cracks and pops as I twisted to shake off the lingering stiffness. "I stayed behind to make sure no one else got hurt. If I hadn't, things might've been worse for everyone else."

My gaze hardened as I continued. "I had two choices: return with them and let that monster continue wreaking havoc across the seas, or stay and do my job."

Celestia’s expression darkened, her eyes briefly flicking to the Guards. "Leave us," She commanded firmly. The room cleared in moments, and her gaze settled back on me, now filled with a sombre intensity. "There is an old saying: the more you give, the more you will gain in return. This is the way to invite harmony into one’s soul. Yet, there are those who give too much—so much that they lose themselves in the process. Are you truly willing to sacrifice everything, every part of what makes you who you are, even your soul, just for the sake of others?" She asked.

Luna added quietly, her gaze flickering between Celestia and me. "Speaking from experience... it’s not worth it."

I met their eyes, unflinching. "Maybe you’re right. But If I can spare even one person from the pain of losing someone they love, I will do whatever it takes. Every single time," My voice softened as I unconsciously ran my thumb over the ring on my finger, a bittersweet weight settling in my chest.

I straightened, my resolve hardening. "If that means staying behind every time, putting myself in harm’s way, so be it. Because if anyone else had stayed, they would’ve died. I made the call to send them back to Canterlot."

Cadence’s brow furrowed in concern as she kneeled in front of me. "Percival, that kind of thinking—constantly putting yourself in danger—will take a devastating toll on you, physically and mentally."

I met her gaze with a quiet intensity. "Cadence, I came into this world kicking and screaming, covered in someone else’s blood. I’m not afraid to leave the same way."

The three Princesses exchanged uneasy glances, a shared discomfort settling among them. Finally, Celestia broke the silence, shaking her head. "You have a way of saying things that are... deeply unsettling, Percival. But it’s the lack of context behind your words that concerns me most."

Her tone shifted to one of professional inquiry. "Regardless, we need your report. Was the Kraken truly as powerful as they say?"

"It was," I glanced back at the massive tooth behind me. "Stronger than I anticipated. Honestly? I think I got lucky." My expression darkened. "Don’t ask me for details. It wasn’t pretty. I burned through so much energy just keeping its attention off the ship. Most of the fight was just me on the run."

Celestia nodded thoughtfully. "We’ve received detailed accounts from the crew, the Elements, and Cadence herself. These ‘spectres’ you summoned—how is it we’ve never heard of this ability before?"

I smirked faintly. "Because of their nature. Unlike illusions conjured by most Unicorns, mine are solid, tangible constructs. They can cause collateral damage—to both structures and people. That’s a risk I can’t take lightly. Plus, they’re a massive drain on my energy reserves. Using them without proper support isn’t practical and I can’t sustain them for any longer than ten minutes. "

Both Celestia and Luna seemed to consider my explanation carefully, their expressions solemn. Cadence, however, continued to look at me with quiet worry.

"Fair reasoning," Celestia conceded. "You’ve given us much to reflect on. But congratulations are in order—you succeeded in your mission. You’ll be glad to know most of the crew is safe. Captain Broadside, however, has decided this was his last voyage."

"Can’t blame him," I replied with a dry chuckle. A thought struck me then, and I glanced around, a faint unease creeping into my chest. "Speaking of... where’s Ghost?"

The Princesses exchanged grim looks, hesitation clear in their expressions before Luna finally spoke. "Ghost is in the infirmary."

The words hit me like lightning. Without hesitation, I bamfed my prosthetic leg into my hand, twisting it into place and strapping it down with practised efficiency. Rising to my feet, I locked eyes with them, my voice steady but demanding.

"Where is he?"

~~

Sitting at the edge of Ghost’s bed, I watched his still form intently, relief washing over me with every faint rise and fall of his chest. Cranial scans showed brain activity. It wasn't much, but it was, at least the very least, proof that he was alive, if unresponsive. The Doctors and Nurses were at a loss, unable to explain what had caused this state. But I knew.

Behind me, Yamato leaned silently against the wall, its blade seemingly dormant and inert, as lifeless as the man lying in the bed before me. Yamato had always been a temperamental artefact, selective in ways that bordered on sentience. I still remember what happened the last time someone other than its original master tried to wield it. The last time someone who wasn't the original wielder used it never woke up again. I was so far the only exception and even then, it never properly worked.

"Can anything be done?"

The Princesses shared a look. "Unfortunately not," Celestia replied softly. "There is some sort of mental block preventing us from accessing his mind. Even his Dreamscape is totally inaccessible to us."

I exhaled deeply, letting my hand rest gently on Ghost’s forearm. "So all we can do is wait."

"If there was something we could do, we wouldn't hesitate to do it," Luna added.

Sensing the weight of my silence, each Princess stepped closer, each laying a comforting hand on my shoulders before retreating toward the doorway. Just as they were about to leave, I spoke up.

"Celestia?"

The elder Princess paused, sharing a brief look with her sister and niece before gesturing for them to go on ahead. She stepped closer. “What is it?”

I took in a breath as I kept my eye on my brother-in-arms. "Why did you let Cadence on the mission?"

Celestia looked at me for a moment, her expression softening as she smiled warmly. "Cadence specifically asked me to refrain from telling you, but I feel you should know," She said. "As you know, Because of your act in saving her, she requested to go with you on your mission. Luna and I both realized rather quickly that she saw how strong and selfless you were and most likely felt safe being near you."

Her gaze grew distant for a moment before she added, “You remind me of someone. Someone very much like you.”

The name caught me off guard, my eyebrows rising as I turned to face her fully. Celestia’s expression was warm, holding a hint of nostalgia. "Who would that be?"

"Vihaan," She replied, pulling a chair over and sitting next to me. My eyebrows raised at the name as I turned to look at her. She smiled softly at me. "Selfless, strong, serious when you need to be but bringing levity when you can. You remind me a lot of him."

"I've read about him. I would have liked to meet him. Him and Durin," I said quietly.

"I think you would have gotten along swimmingly," She said, giggling slightly. "Or not at all. No in-between."

"What was he like?" I asked. "Durin, I mean."

“Stressed,” She admitted with a light laugh as her smile grew wistful. “Durin was...a burdened man, but he was steadfast. He was a rock for all of us—a brother, a dear friend, a symbol of hope. He carried more than his share of the weight, and yet he never faltered. And he had a wicked sense of humour,” She added with a small laugh. “The history books portray him as a larger-than-life figure who could move the stars, but really he was just a man. Juggling his personal life of being married with several children alongside his professional life of fighting, training and counselling."

"I'm surprised he didn't go grey young," She added with a small laugh.

"Sounds like you were rather fond of them," I commented.

“They were uncles to us,” Celestia said softly. “To me, to Luna, and to the rest of our siblings. Their presence shaped who we are. And who we would have been,” She paused, her voice growing tender. “But enough of that. You need rest. You’ve done more than your share.”

She stood, her chair scraping lightly against the floor as she pushed it back. With a final smile, she turned and left the room, her steps quiet but deliberate.

I turned back to Ghost, my gaze lingering on his face, now exposed and unguarded. It was the first time I had seen him without his mask, and I wished desperately that it could have been under better circumstances. Fidgeting with the smooth golden band around my finger, I felt a familiar weight settle over me—a mixture of grief and guilt. My shoulders slumped, and I released a shaky sigh, the sound barely audible in the stillness of the room.

"Please be okay," I said softly. "I can't lose anyone else."

Author's Note

Seems the Yamato took a lot out of our boy Ghost, let's hope he makes a speedy recovery

By the by, a revised version of chapter 12 was put out yesterday, as said there, expect the same to be done for some other chapter over time
Not much else to say, just looking forward to some things I have planned out :trollestia:

Please point out any mistakes I may have made
Constructive criticism is always appreciated
Until next time, TTFN!

Chapter 34 - "You Again!?"

My breathing was slow and steady, my eyes squeezed shut against the tide of emotions threatening to pull me under. Moving carefully, I shifted my body, feeling every muscle as I adjusted. My hand closed tightly around the handle beneath Venator’s lower spike. My stance was calm and composed, but my mind refused to follow suit. The recent fight with the Kraken had laid bare a harsh truth I had always been painfully aware of: I was powerful, yes, but I was far from invincible. There would always be greater threats, and I wasn’t prepared.

Then there was Ghost.

It had been only a day since we’d returned to Equestria, but time seemed to drag, every second stretching longer than the last. The hours crawled as if conspiring to test my patience, to break me. I had left Ghost in the skilled hands of Canterlot Castle’s doctors and nurses, knowing they would do everything they could for him. Yet despite their expertise, I couldn’t shake the oppressive sense of helplessness gnawing at me. It was unbearable.

Opening my eyes, I pushed off Venator’s tip and landed lightly on the ground below. A flash of light marked the weapon’s dismissal, but the weight in my chest remained. I looked down at the water below, its gentle ripples reflecting the soft grey of the sky. Taking a deep breath, I let it out slowly and lowered myself to my knees, the icy water soaking through my clothes as it lapped against me. The cold stung, but it also calmed me, chasing away the worst of my nerves. It reminded me of her—my wife. Her touch, her voice, her presence that could soothe even the sharpest ache. But she wasn’t here and my body trembled, not from the chill of the water but from the weight of everything else.

A faint rustling behind me drew my attention. Someone was approaching, their steps light but deliberate. The sound grew closer until it stopped just behind me.

"Figured I’d find ya here."

The voice was unmistakable—Applejack, warm and steady with her southern drawl. She stepped into the water, kneeling beside me without hesitation, the chill seemingly unnoticed by her. "Y’all okay?"

I let out a soft, humourless chuckle. “Does kneeling in freezing water scream ‘okay’ to you?” My weak attempt at levity was met with a knowing, sympathetic look.

"I don’t know," I admitted after a pause.

Applejack’s tone softened, her voice like the gentle warmth of a sunrise. "I know y’all were close, but ya can’t beat yourself up about it. Ghost made his choice, and because of it, everyone is still here. If he hadn’t..." She hesitated, the weight of her own words clear. "Well, my sister wouldn’t be here either."

Her words struck a chord, but the guilt still gnawed at me. "If I had just been faster to act—"

"Now stop that," Her voice grew firm, though her hand on my shoulder was as steadying as ever. "That kinda thinkin’ won’t do you any good, Percy. Ghost knew what he was doin’, and he’d want ya to believe in him. He’s gonna pull through, you hear me?"

I didn’t reply immediately, staring down at the water as though it held some answer I couldn’t find. “The last time someone used that weapon without being its rightful owner...They didn’t wake up again,” My voice faltered. "What if he doesn’t?"

Applejack’s grip on my shoulder tightened reassuringly. "Then we’ll be here for him, just like he’s always been here for us. And we’ll be here for you too, Percy. You’re not in this alone."

Her arms encircled me, pulling me into a gentle hug. I let out a shaky breath, the tension in my body easing ever so slightly as her words sank in.

"You’re not alone, ya hear?" she said softly.

I closed my eyes, nodding against her shoulder. "I hear you, AJ. Thanks"

"Anytime," she replied, letting me go slowly. "If ya ever need someone to talk to, you know where to find me—most of the time, anyway."

As she stood, she offered me her hand and pulled me up with ease. "Now, come on. There’s this new place in town the girls and I’ve been meanin’ to try. Lunch is on us."

A faint smile tugged at my lips. "Sure."

We walked in comfortable silence as Applejack talked about the changing weather and how the season seemed to be shifting. The leaves overhead had begun to turn golden and amber, though a few still clung stubbornly to their green hues. The air was crisp, and the promise of autumn was unmistakable. Winter wasn’t far behind, I realized. I’d need to prepare—get a proper winter coat or adjust my current one.

But my thoughts didn’t stay on the seasons for long. Winter’s arrival brought other matters to mind, like Shining and Cadence’s upcoming wedding. A joyful occasion, yes, but with everything that had happened, it was hard to focus on the celebration. Would Chrysalis appear the way I knew? Did she even exist in this world, or would someone else take her place? The demons’ interference had already upended so much. How could I possibly predict what would come next? My mind spun with possibilities until Applejack’s voice cut through the chaos.

"Percy?" Her tone was gentle, but I could hear the concern in it. "Y’all okay?"

"Just thinking," I replied, forcing a small smile.

"Ya know you can talk to me, right?"

"Yeah, I know, AJ." I nodded, grateful for her steady presence.

Despite her reassurance, a knot of unease formed in my stomach, twisting tighter with each step we took toward town. It was a feeling I recognized, sharp and foreboding, not unlike the one I’d had before the Kraken. Yet this was different, more personal. My body seemed to sense something my mind hadn’t yet pieced together.

As we passed the last treeline and stepped into town, the reason for my unease became clear.

In the centre of the square stood a figure I knew all too well. Clad in a tattered maroon coat and a patched white shirt, Damien’s expression radiated smug amusement. He watched me, his stance casual yet deliberate. A cold chill ran down my spine, quickly replaced by a searing heat in my chest. The edges of my vision tinged with red as my hand clenched into fists, trembling with barely contained fury.

"Percy," Applejack whispered, her voice tight with fear. "Is that—"

"Applejack," I interrupted, my voice low and firm. "Get inside. Now."

She hesitated, torn, but the look in my eyes left no room for argument. With a sharp nod, she bolted toward Sugarcube Corner, her retreat drawing whispers from the townsfolk who peeked from behind curtains and shutters. I stepped forward, each step deliberate as the town square fell into a tense silence. Twenty feet from Damien, I stopped. My breath was steady, but inside, I was anything but.

"Damien," I said, my voice cold.

His grin widened as his eyes scanned my arm and leg. "Ah, so it’s really you this time—the real you."

I said nothing, the tension between us crackling like a live wire. His laughter rang out, harsh and grating.

“Oh, the silence is deafening," He mocked.

"What are you doing here?" I snapped sharply. “What the fuck do you want?"

He wagged a finger at me, his tone mocking. "Temper, temper. I’m just here to take back what’s mine. I know he has it. Now, where is it?"

"That blade was never yours!" I shouted, the anger in my voice breaking free, purple fire bursting from and trailing down my back.

"Au contraire," He smirked, his tone dripping with condescension. "See, after you upped and vanished, we had free rein. We even found someone special to run a few... tests on."

My heart froze as flames burst along my arm and leg, the fury within me manifesting as it sprang up along my back. “I swear to God if you so much as touched a hair on her head—”

"Her?” Damien interrupted, his face twisting with cruel glee. "Oh we didn't touch your whore wife, she was far too slippery for us. No, we found someone else. Someone even better—your other other half."

My hand instantly reached for Ace, my arm moving in a blur as I shoot from my hips, the round finding its mark in Damiens's forehead, which snaps back, smoke drifting up from the impact site. There was no explosion. He simply stood there motionless. His head slowly came forward, blood dripping to the ground as his grin became wider.

"So glad to see that rage of yours hasn't died down," He said, pulling the crumpled bullet from his forehead, the hole closing mere seconds later.

Reaching into his mouth again as he did all those months ago, he pulled out a new blade, but this one was vastly different.

This one felt darker, the sheath seemingly comprised of a scale-like stone, veins of bright blue peeking out from between the cracks along its length. The handle was a dark grey colour, the visage of a flat-faced dragon-like beast acting as the pommel. Pulling the blade from the stone sheath, he gave a few lazy swings, the bright blue, almost white blade shimmering with barely contained energy.

"Like it?" He smirked. "Not as good as the original, but it's a decent stand-in."

I rushed forward, my fist colliding with Damien's wrist, resulting in his blade flying off into town before I placed my foot on his knee, the sole of my pegleg letting out a small fireball and loud boom as my knee propelled up into the man's chin, his jaw letting out a sickening crunch as it shattered, sending him skidding back.

Looking up at me, his jaw shifted and crunched under his skin, the bones reforming as he grinned widely, bringing his fists up close to his face. "Mano a mano it is then. No tricks. Just you and me."

He moved first, lunging forward like a charging bull, his speed a blur, his intent murderous. My instincts flared, muscles coiling as I sidestepped just enough to feel the displaced air of his fist grazing my cheek. His punch connected with the empty air behind me, the sound reverberating like a shotgun blast. He pulled back, and I could see the faint flicker of frustration in his eyes before he already recovered, already coming for me again.

I launched myself toward him, ducking low and aiming a rising strike to his ribcage. My knuckles slammed into flesh and bone, the impact resonating through my arm like a tuning fork. Damien grunted, but before I could press the advantage, he twisted, his knee rocketing into my abdomen. The world tilted as I staggered, bile and blood mixing in the back of my throat as my fractured ribs briefly pierced my stomach before going back with a squelch. His hand was already there, fingers curling around my neck as he hoisted me off my feet like a ragdoll.

The stars in the sky blurred as his grip tightened, but I wasn’t done. I shifted, wrapping my legs around his arm and arching my back until I felt his bones snap with a sickening crack. He dropped me, and I landed in a crouch, gasping for air. I didn’t have time to think about the damage I’d just done, because his shattered arm was already knitting itself back together with a grotesque ripple of sinew and flesh.

I sprinted toward him before he could fully recover, driving my shoulder into his torso and tackling him to the ground. We hit the dirt hard, the impact jarring every bone in my body. I straddled him, my fist crashing down into his face with relentless fury. Each strike splattered blood and fragments of teeth across the ground, but his expression never wavered—those soulless eyes burning into mine even as his skull caved beneath the weight of my blows.

And then the injuries began to mend. His face reformed itself with an almost obscene efficiency, and his hand shot up, his fist slamming straight into my chest. Pain exploded along my ribs as his knuckles tore skin and muscle while I felt my body leave the ground for a moment before I was thrown backwards by a kick that hit like a freight train.

I rolled with the impact, my one arm barely catching my fall as I skidded across the ground. Blood poured from my side, but the wound was already stitching itself closed, the familiar itch of regeneration burning through the agony. Damien was on me in an instant, his fists descending like hammers. I blocked with my forearm, the bone shattering under the force, but I gritted my teeth and pushed upward, forcing his weight back enough to regain my footing.

We clashed again, a storm of fists, elbows, knees, and sheer brutality. Each strike was calculated, and precise, a testament to the countless battles we had fought. My movements were fluid, a dance of survival honed by years of fighting with a body that was less than whole. His were savage but efficient, each blow meant to kill, each strike unrelenting.

I caught him with an uppercut, my fist connecting with his jaw so hard I felt his mandible shatter against my knuckles. He staggered, and I drove a kick into his chest, sending him sprawling backwards. But he didn’t stay down. He never stayed down. His chest heaved as his broken ribs snapped back into place, his grin returning, smeared with blood and confidence.

He lunged again, and this time I didn’t dodge. I braced myself, letting his fist slam into my shoulder with enough force to dislocate it. Pain lanced through me, but I twisted with the impact, using the momentum to drive my knee into his gut. He doubled over, and I brought my elbow down on the back of his neck, forcing him to the ground. My body screamed in protest, my regeneration racing to keep up with the punishment I was inflicting on myself just to keep him contained.

He rolled, sweeping my legs out from under me, and I hit the ground hard. His hand was around my throat again, his eyes wild as he pressed down, his weight suffocating. My vision dimmed, but another fireball from the base of my pegleg assisted my knee up between his legs as I kicked with every ounce of force I could muster. He roared in pain, his grip loosening just enough for me to wrench free and drive my head into his nose, feeling the crunch of cartilage as it shattered.

Damien's grin somehow got wider, his fangs baring at me with both malice and joy. "That's the Demon Hunter I remember," He moved first, faster than I expected and before I could react in time, his fist collided with the side of my head.

The world tilted, a flash of white-hot agony detonating behind my eyes as my skull cracked under the blow. I felt the bone shift unnaturally, grinding as I staggered, but I spun into the movement, letting the momentum carry me. My fist arced wide, slamming into his ribs with enough force to cave them in. I heard the crunch and felt the reverberation crawl up my arm, but Damien didn’t stop.

He swung back, his good arm driving into my chest. The air exploded out of my lungs, and I felt the unmistakable snap of ribs breaking inward. Pain flared in my core, but I used it, fueled it, twisting my body mid-air as I flew backwards, planting my boot directly into his face. The impact was grotesque, his nose flattening, cartilage splitting, blood spraying like a crimson fountain.

I landed hard, the dirt biting into my skin, but I was up again in an instant. There was no room for weakness, no room for hesitation. Damien was already healing, his ribs shifting back into place, the ruin of his face restoring itself with obscene speed. My ribs knitted together with a burning sensation, the blood pooling in my lungs forcing itself out in a wet cough. Neither of us had the luxury of staying broken for long.

We clashed again, meeting in a blur of speed and violence that sent shockwaves through the town. His fist slammed into my jaw, dislocating it with a sickening pop, but I returned the favour with a savage hook that tore through the skin of his cheek, splitting it wide open. His teeth were bared, exposed through the gory mess, but he didn’t falter. His knee came up, cracking into my hip, and I felt the joint dislocate. My leg buckled, but I didn’t fall. I drove my elbow into his throat, the impact crushing his windpipe.

He wheezed, his body momentarily faltering, but his hand shot out like a viper, his fingers jabbing into my side. They pierced through flesh and muscle like daggers, scraping against my ribs. I growled in pain, blood pouring from the wound as I twisted away, ripping myself free. My side was a ruin of torn flesh and exposed bone, but I didn’t stop. My body was already stitching itself back together, the raw pain dulled by my focus.

I tackled him, slamming my shoulder into his midsection, and we went down in a tangle of limbs and violence. I mounted him, driving my fist into his face again and again, each blow splattering more blood across the ground. His skull cracked, then caved, his eye socket collapsing under the repeated impacts. For a moment, he was still, a broken, mangled mess beneath me.

His hand shot up, fingers gouging into my eye, ripping it from the socket with a wet, nauseating squelch. I screamed, my vision going red, but I didn’t stop. I couldn’t. I swung blindly, my fire-covered fist connecting with his throat, and then his jaw, and then his temple, sizzling and charring his skin. He didn’t care. His free hand wrapped around my arm and snapped it backwards at an unnatural angle. The bone jutted out of my skin, blood pouring down my arm like a faucet.

I reeled, falling back, my arm hanging loosely as Damien climbed to his feet, his face reforming, his body an unholy testament to resilience. My eye socket burned, the empty void itching as new tissue began to form, the process slow and excruciating. My arm was already realigning, the bone pulling itself back into place with a sickening crunch, but Damien didn’t wait.

He lunged, and I rolled to the side, his fist slamming into the ground where I’d been a split second before. The impact cratered the earth, sending debris flying. I scrambled to my feet, my arm still half-useless, but I didn’t care. I launched myself at him, headfirst, ramming into his chest with all the force I could muster. We collided with a deafening thud, and I drove him backwards, slamming him into the jagged remains of the wall.

The concrete bit into his back, slicing through his flesh, but he didn’t flinch. His hand found my throat again, and this time he squeezed hard enough to crush my windpipe entirely. My vision blurred, the edges darkening, but I grabbed his wrist with my hand, flames bursting from it as I squeezed as hard as I could. His skin bubbled and blackened while the bones in his forearm shattered under the force, his grip loosening just enough for me to wrench free.

I slammed my head into his, the impact splitting both our skin and then I drove my knee into his stomach. He doubled over, and I grabbed his head, slamming it into the wall over and over until the concrete cracked, blood pooling beneath us. But he didn’t stop. He never stopped. His arm snapped back into place with an audible pop, and he swung it upward, catching me under the chin.

I flew backwards, my jaw snapping shut with enough force to chip teeth. I hit the ground hard, pain radiating through every inch of my body, but I was already moving, already healing. Blood dripped from freshly closed wounds, my body screaming in protest, but I forced myself to my feet. Damien was already standing tall, every injury he sustained already closed and making way for his weathered skin, his grin returning despite the carnage.

"Oh-ho-ho-ho," Damien laughed, his scratchy tone echoing through the houses around us. "I've missed you."

All of a sudden, his hand shimmered, his new katana appearing in his grip as it slowly became covered in a small layer of frost, an icy mist leaving a trail behind it as he lazily swung it in front of him. I said nothing as the flames along my back flared, an animalistic hiss escaping my throat and sounding through the air. I reached to my belt, pulling the handle of Venator. A flash of recognition crossed Damien's eyes as his grin somehow got wider.

"I do love it when you get serious."

The first strike was nothing short of an inferno. Venator roared as I swung it, the glaive’s fiery edge carving through the air like a wrathful comet. The ground beneath me groaned from the sheer force of the blow as it crashed into the street, obliterating a cart, a kiosk, and anything else in its path. Shards of wood, metal, and flaming debris exploded outward in a violent arc. Damien blurred out of reach, the shockwave ripping through the space he’d occupied a fraction of a second before.

He reappeared at my left, katana gleaming like a shard of winter itself. My pivot was instinctive, my movements a storm of desperation and brutality. Venators spun in my grip, the force of my swing using the leverage of my entire body. The glaive’s blunt end caught him in the ribs with a deafening crack, the sound sharp enough to echo like a gunshot. Damien was launched backwards, his body slamming into the remains of a stone wall. The structure crumbled, debris collapsing around him as his ribs visibly caved inward.

I moved to close the distance, but before I could reach him, Damien surged to his feet, his body mending with an unnatural ripple of flesh and bone. His katana gleamed an icy blue, frost swirling around its blade as he slashed the air. Waves of razor-sharp frost surged toward me, the temperature in the square plummeting in an instant. I spun Venator in a wide arc, the flames from the glaive roaring to life. The fiery heat collided with the frost, steam hissing and billowing around us as the attacks nullified each other in violent flashes of energy.

Charging forward, I planted my foot and brought Venator down in a furious overhead strike. The ground buckled under the force as Damien sidestepped, the glaive carving a molten fissure into the cobblestone path. Before I could recover, he was already inside my reach, his katana flashing in a blur of frostbitten steel. The blade slashed across my thigh, then my side, each strike carving deep, freezing lines into my flesh. My blood froze mid-air as it sprayed outward, the chill biting deeper than any pain I’d felt before.

Snarling, I swung Venator horizontally, the glaive’s fiery edge a wild arc of destruction. Damien ducked low, but I twisted mid-swing, the haft catching him under the chin. The force sent him flipping backwards, his body slamming into another cart, the impact shattering it into kindling. He rolled to his feet, already healing, his grin taunting me as blood dripped from his split lip and broken nose.

His speed was maddening. He blinked forward in a flash of icy light, appearing behind me before I could track him. His katana bit deep into my back, carving a frozen line from shoulder to hip. The pain was blinding, but I whipped around, Venator’s haft sweeping out like a battering ram. The strike caught Damien mid-blink, his ribs cracking audibly as he was hurled through the air, slamming into another kiosk and cart, burying him in a cascade of planks and splinters.

I didn’t wait. With a roar, I swung Venator downward, the glaive’s fiery edge cleaving through the debris to find its target. Damien rolled out of the way, his katana flashing upward in retaliation. The blade caught my arm, the frost burning so deep that the limb felt dead for an instant. Gritting my teeth, I let the momentum carry me into a spinning strike, Venator’s fiery blade carving a deep gash across Damien’s chest. The wound sizzled, the flames cauterizing his flesh even as his healing fought to close it.

Damien staggered, but his grin didn’t waver. He blinked again, faster than my eyes could track, and reappeared above me. His katana arced downward, an icy comet aiming to split me in two. I raised Venator just in time, the glaive’s fiery edge meeting the frosted steel in a blinding clash of elements. The force of the impact drove me to one knee, my muscles screaming in protest, but I surged upward, throwing him off balance. My next strike came with everything I had, Venator carving through the air in a deadly arc. Damien twisted mid-air, the blade missing him by inches, but the heat singed his coat, flames licking at his skin.

He retaliated with a savage kick, his boot slamming into my ribs. The force sent me skidding backwards, my boots tearing through the dirt as I struggled to stay upright. Damien followed his katana a blur of ice and death. The blade bit into my forehead, then my shoulder, my thigh, my side—each strike faster and more precise than the last. My vision blurred from the blood dripping into my eyes, the wounds healing slower now as my body struggled to keep up with the punishment.

With a desperate roar, I slammed the butt of Venator into the ground, the glaive’s fiery energy erupting outward in a wave of molten destruction. The force hurled Damien back, his body slamming into a fountain at the centre of the square. The stone structure shattered under the impact, water bursting from fractured pipes and drenching the battlefield in a chaotic deluge.

I staggered forward, my grip on Venator tight despite the searing pain radiating from every inch of my body. Damien rose from the rubble, blood pouring from countless wounds, his katana trembling in his grip. He blinked toward me again, but this time I was ready. Venator met his blade mid-air, the clash of fire and frost sending shockwaves through the square. Each strike was a storm of destruction, the cobblestones beneath us cracking and shattering with every blow.

Damien’s katana found its mark again, slicing across my chest. The blade pierced deep, freezing the blood as it sprayed from the wound. I roared, ignoring the pain, and drove Venator’s haft into his stomach. The impact folded him in half, but he didn’t falter. His hand shot forward, an icy blast erupting from his palm and hitting me square in the chest. The frost spread across my coat, freezing the flames of Venator for a brief instant as I was hurled backwards.

I hit the ground hard, my body bouncing from the force as blood pooled beneath me. My vision blurred, my breath heavy and my energy drained the longer the fight went on, but I forced myself upright. Venator flickered back to life in my grip, the flames roaring defiantly. Damien was standing still, his grin wider than ever, his body a patchwork of healing wounds and fresh scars, all disappearing to make way for his worn skin.

"There," He with a smirk, pointing at me as he paced side to side. "Now that's the you I know. There was a reason we were scared of you. Even after besting Gadunka, even in this-" He motioned over as he continued. "-exhausted state you can still keep up."

With a flick of his wrist, his katana disappeared in a puff of black smoke.

"See, I'd like nothing more than to fight to the death, but like last time, Bossman wouldn't be well pleased," He said with a shrug. "Heal your wounds, Percival. Get strong. Next time, I expect to see my sword. And I won’t be so merciful.”

Damien stepped away, his eyes remaining on me as his form fell into black smoke, his scratchy laughter echoing around me as he disappeared. My gaze remained fixed on where the demon had vanished, my grip on Venator slowly loosening. With a quiet breath, I dismissed the blade, its soft growl fading into silence as I clipped the handle back onto my belt. The sound of voices around me barely registered, distant and faint, as if submerged beneath layers of water. My friends shook me gently, their muffled voices slipping past my ears, drowned out by the relentless, high-pitched ringing that grew louder and louder.

As the concealed trio watched the Demon dissipate into the wind like smoke scattered by an unseen hand, their tense grip on their weapons finally slackened. Percival, pale and unsteady, was quickly ushered toward the town's modest bakery, its warm light a sharp contrast to the wreckage left behind. High above, hidden within the sprawling branches of the Golden Oaks Library, the trio exchanged glances. Their eyes flickered between the shattered remnants of the town's carts and fountain below and one another, their expressions shadowed with both urgency and resolve.

“Still not convinced?” The smaller man quirked an eyebrow from under his hood, his eye glancing at the woman, his voice low but edged with concern. “If we don’t act soon, he won’t be ready for the trials ahead.”

“We’ll act,” The taller man assured him with a curt nod. His voice carried the weight of years of waiting. “We’ve been preparing for this moment for so long. A little more patience won’t kill us.”

“Regardless if it is him or not, our window is closing,” The woman interjected, adjusting her golden-framed glasses with deliberate precision. Her tone was measured, yet it betrayed the building pressure. “This was the last event Uncle recorded in his journal. Everything hinges on what happens next.”

“By year’s end,” The taller man said firmly. His voice was steady, but his eyes betrayed a flicker of anticipation. “That’s the absolute earliest. By then, he’ll be free.”

“It can’t come soon enough,” The smaller man murmured, his gaze lingering on the distant bakery below, where Percival’s silhouette disappeared through the doorway.

Author's Note

So Damien isn't dead, and it seems despite his new one, he misses "his" sword
And is our mystery trio planning? Guess we'll just have to wait and see

With massive help from a good friend of mine (you know who you are), I was thankfully able to get this out rather quickly cuz god knows I'm not the strongest at writing fight scenes, but I'm very pleased with how this turned out

And since I've been on a bit of a roll getting these written, I thought I'd just wait and publish the next few all at once, just as a little early Holiday present for the people who have been putting up with this story for that last or so (for some reason:rainbowlaugh:)

Thank you all for reading this, I may be largely doing it for myself, but I am very glad you all are enjoying it as much as I am writing it

Please point out any mistakes I may have made
Constructive criticism is always appreciated
Until next time, TTFN!

Chapter 35 - "Harsh Words with a side of tea"

My muscles protested as I flung the thick duvet off my body and swung my legs to plant a foot on the cold wooden floor. With a practised motion, I reached out and attached my prosthetic leg, giving it a few test taps against the floor. The soft thunk of the rubber sole grounding me was oddly reassuring. Grabbing a hairband from the bedside table, I tied my hair back into a thick ponytail before pushing myself up from the bed. Crossing the room to the vanity table opposite my bed, I caught a glimpse of my reflection. God, I looked like hell.

Dark bags hung under my eyes, half-obscured by heavy lids. My frazzled hair stuck out in unruly curls, the product of yet another sleepless night. My shoulders sagged, weighed down by the exhaustion etched into my very being.

The sudden appearance of Damien had added to my already mountain-high levels of stress and easily had robbed me of rest for the better part of a week. Combine that with Ghost still being deeply comatose, and it was no wonder my mind felt like it was running on fumes. My friends had tried to help, bless them, but if I couldn’t fix this, they didn’t stand a snowball’s chance in hell. Not that I didn’t appreciate their efforts—far from it. They’d overheard parts of my exchange with Damien before the fight and thought talking it out might “ease my burden.” But this burden was mine to bear. And bear it I would.

I slipped into a faded white shirt and pulled on my purple coat, the motions mechanical. Almost without thinking, I strapped Ace’s holster to my left thigh and slid the hand cannon into place, savouring the satisfying scrape of metal against tempered leather. Making my way out of the room, I greeted the maids and butlers as I passed, noting the subtle concern in their eyes. Their unspoken worry followed me down the stairs and into the kitchen.

"Good morning, Sir," Rose Blossom greeted me as I entered. Her warm smile softened the sharp edges of my mood.

"Morning, Rose," I replied, taking a seat at the kitchen island. "How are you?"

"I'm well, Sir," She said, her smile taking on a sympathetic edge. "Though I’d ask how you’re doing, I think I already know the answer."

I hummed noncommittally, rubbing my eyes as I slouched against the countertop. The clatter of ceramic drew my attention as Rose set a plate of BLTs in front of me. I didn’t need to eat or drink, but damn, they looked especially good today. And that was saying something.

"Thanks," I muttered, nodding as I picked up one of the sandwiches and took a hearty bite.

"You know, Sir," Rose began thoughtfully, "if you’re having trouble sleeping, you might consider visiting the shaman in the woods. Her remedies worked wonders for my brother."

I paused mid-chew, the idea taking root. Swallowing, I picked up the second sandwich and nodded. "I hadn’t considered it," I admitted, the thought gaining traction. "Why not? Can’t hurt to try."

As I finished my meal, it dawned on me who Rose was referring to. Zecora. I hadn’t spoken to her since the attack on Ponyville about seven months ago. Damn. Time really does fly. The girls had mentioned her briefly after some mishap with Poison Joke, singing her praises. If anyone could help me get a decent night’s sleep—or even a fleeting moment of peace—it would be her.

Standing, I thanked Rose as she took my plate and left the kitchen. Heading toward the foyer, I caught faint voices on the other side of the front door. Before I could investigate, Walter intercepted me.

"Good morning, Walter," I greeted him with a tired smile.

"Good morning, Sir," He replied with his usual professionalism. "Apologies for the interruption, but Young Spike is at the door, accompanied by the Elements of Harmony."

"What could they want?" I wondered, humming thoughtfully. "Thanks for letting me know, Walter."

"Of course." He started to step away, then hesitated. "I also heard you’re planning a visit to Lady Zecora."

"I am. Need something?"

"If it wouldn’t be too much trouble," He said, retrieving a folded piece of paper from his vest. "It’s all in here, Sir. Thank you."

"No trouble at all," I assured him, slipping the note into my coat pocket. Walter gave a small nod of appreciation and disappeared into another room.

Turning back to the front door, I leaned in, eavesdropping on the muffled conversation outside. Sure enough, I recognized Spike and Twilight’s voices, the tone tense and argumentative.

"What you’re doing is brash, Spike," Twilight said sharply. "Not to mention selfish! Percival is under enough stress as it is."

"It’s my decision to make!" Spike shot back, his voice equally firm.

"No, it’s not! It’s his!"

Deciding to intervene, I opened the door. The conversation abruptly ceased, and all eyes turned to me. Sure enough, Spike stood flanked by Twilight and the rest of the girls, all wearing thicker clothing to protect them from the mid-Autumn air. Spike's expression was defiant and determined, if a little awkward from my sudden intrusion into the conversation.

"Heyo," I greeted with a small smile.

"Uh... hey," Spike replied, waving awkwardly before straightening. "So... I came to ask—"

"Spike, it’s barely been a week since we got back," I interrupted firmly, stepping past him. The group fell into step behind me as I continued. "I told you to wait a month. That should’ve been the minimum."

"But—"

"Spike, he told you his training could kill you!" Twilight interjected, horrified. "Why would you even consider something so dangerous?"

"Because every time you girls go on an adventure or something goes wrong, I’m useless!" Spike snapped, turning to face her. "I want to change that. I want to help. And who better to learn from than Percival? You saw him defend Ponyville seven months ago. He was at Las Almas! Who else could teach me what I need to know?"

"You being there is enough for us," Fluttershy said softly.

"Yeah, you’re like the awesome little brother I never had," Rainbow Dash chimed in, slinging an arm around his shoulder.

"And you throw down at a party like no one I know!" Pinkie Pie added, popping up beside him. "Well, except for me, of course."

"Not to mention your talent for finding gems," Rarity said with a warm smile.

"Spike, I don’t know what I’d have done to break Discord’s spell without you," Twilight said, placing her hands on his cheeks.

Spike rolled his eyes. "I literally just vomited up letters. That’s all I did."

"And it was exactly what I needed!" Twilight insisted, shaking his face lightly.

Spike pulled back, frustration written all over him. "Percival beat Discord alone. He beat the Kraken, for Helis’s sake! And you saw him yesterday!"

I flinched at that, the memory still fairly raw. A few of the girls noticed, but only Applejack lingered on it before returning her attention to Spike. Stopping at the front gate, I let my arm drop to my side as I turned to address him.

"Spike," I said gently. "I told you the risks. I told you to think it through. I don’t want you rushing into this blindly and hurting yourself needlessly."

His face twisted in frustration as he glanced between me and the others. Without another word, he pushed past me, shoving the gate open and storming off toward the library. Twilight hesitated, torn between following him and staying behind.

"Spike! Wait up!" she called, running after him.

The others followed her shortly after, leaving only Applejack behind. She paused for a moment, her gaze fixed on me as I shrugged.

"He's still a kid," I said, stepping past the gate and closing it gently once she joined me. "He’ll calm down eventually. They always do."

"Sounds like ya got some experience," She remarked, walking beside me.

"A little," I replied with a casual shrug.

"That actually brings me to somethin’ a few of us wanted to talk to ya about," She said, sliding her hands into her jacket pockets. "The girls aren’t too happy with ya."

"Why?" I asked, glancing her way as we strolled through town. "Did I do something wrong?"

"Not exactly," She admitted, pulling her sheepskin jacket tighter against the chilly air. Her steps faltered for a moment as if she were searching for the right words. "It’s just... we’ve been friends with ya for what, seven months now?"

"Seven and a half, I think."

"Right," She said, nodding. "And even though we’ve known ya that long, it feels like we don’t really know you. What we do know is vague, or just ends up raisin’ more questions."

I shrugged again. "I’m just not that interesting."

"See, that’s what I’m talkin’ about," Applejack said, her voice sharpening with frustration. "Whenever we ask about ya, you dodge or change the subject. Even that night at your place—you barely engaged. That’s why we’re upset. Ya won’t let anyone in, Percy. If ya keep this up, the only person you’re gonna hurt is yourself."

"What is this, another prophecy?" I said with a bitter chuckle. "Jesus."

"This ain’t a joke, Percy!" Applejack snapped, stopping in her tracks. "What are you so afraid of? Are ya scared to care about someone? To let yourself be vulnerable? We’re worried about ya! We don’t even know where ya went or how long ya were gone. What do ya think, huh? That opening up to us would make ya weak? That we’d turn on ya?"

"AJ," I said, my voice dropping into a low, firm tone, "Drop it."

"No!" She yelled, grabbing my arm to stop me from walking off. "We’re your friends, Percy! Friends help each other!"

By then, the others had calmed Spike down and were walking through the street. They spotted us quickly, their steps slowing as they noticed the tension in the air. My irritated expression only added to their hesitation.

"What’s going on here?" Twilight asked, her voice cautious.

"Yeah, why are you two yelling?" Rainbow chimed in, confusion etched on her face. She glanced at me just as I turned to leave. "And where are you going?"

"Away!" I replied curtly, my tone brooking no argument.

"Percy!" Applejack called after me as I started walking.

I didn’t look back. I didn’t even slow down as I made a beeline for the Everfree Forest. Applejack followed closely behind, her boots crunching on the dirt path as she jogged to keep up.

"Fine!" She shouted. "If ya won’t tell us about yourself, then at least tell us why you won’t train Spike!"

"Because there’s a real risk he could get hurt—or worse!" I snapped over my shoulder. "I think that’s reason enough."

"But it ain’t the only reason, is it?" She pressed, her voice insistent as she closed the distance between us.

"It’s..." I hesitated, the words catching in my throat. "It’s complicated."

"See? This is exactly what I mean!" She said, exasperation colouring her tone. "You say we’re your friends, but we don’t know a damn thing about ya!"

"AJ, I said drop it," I warned.

"I wanna!" She shot back. "But I can’t!"

"AJ—"

"Please!" She cried, grabbing my shoulder and spinning me around to face her. Her green eyes locked onto mine, filled with equal parts desperation and determination. "For Durin's sake, just let us in!"

At that moment, something inside me cracked. Years—decades, centuries—of carefully constructed walls collapsed under the weight of her words. A tidal wave of memories and emotions surged forward, threatening to drown me. Faces, voices, regrets—all the losses and failures I’d buried deep came rushing to the surface. The weight of Ghost and Damien’s deaths only added to the unbearable burden. I felt myself crumble.

Gripping Applejack’s hand, I pulled her closer. She let out a startled yelp as I wrapped an arm around her neck, pulling her down as I knelt. I made sure not to hurt her, just enough to hold her still. Leaning in, I whispered so only she could hear.

"You want to know about me?" I hissed, my voice cold and low. "Fine."

"I had a sister once," I began, my tone icy and distant. "She was my light—my reason for staying alive and sane. When religious fanatics slaughtered my family, I took it upon myself to raise her. My father killed her. She was eight years old. Eight!" My teeth clenched as the words came out. "I hunted that bastard for a year and killed him in his sleep when I was younger than Spike. I took a bread knife to his chest again and again and again until my arms were red."

Applejack stopped struggling, her breath trembling as she absorbed my words.

"I had a wife. A loving wife," I continued, my voice cracking. "I don’t even know where she is now. I had children, Applejack—beautiful, wonderful children. They were my world, and I don’t know if they’re alive or dead. I trained them. I taught them everything I could and I don't know if it was anywhere near enough to keep them safe. That's why I hesitate to train Spike," Silent tears streamed down my stoic face. "I was defending them—my home, my family—when I was ripped away. Do you have any idea what that’s like? To give everything, only to fail?"

Applejack’s body shook as tears flowed freely down her cheeks. She made no effort to escape my grip.

"You could never understand," I said, my tone firm but quieter now. "None of you could. This is my burden, Applejack. Mine and mine alone. I carry it so none of you ever have to."

I released her, stepping back as she crumpled to the ground. Her friends rushed over, their voices a flurry of concern as they tried to comfort her. Fluttershy and Rarity kneeling beside her, checking to make sure she wasn’t hurt. I stood, glancing at them one last time before turning toward the Everfree.

"Percival! Wait!" Twilight called after me, but I didn’t stop. I didn’t even look back. Being in the state that I was in, I ignored her and pressed on.

~~

I wandered for what felt like hours, struggling to retrace the steps I knew would lead me to Zecora’s hut. My path wound deeper into the forest than I had anticipated, finally bringing me to the area near a large waterfall close to the ruins of the old castle.

Her home was hidden well, carved into the husk of an ancient, thick tree. Overgrown flora enshrouded the hut, with strands of moss and climbing plants draping over it like curtains, serving both as shade for the windows and natural camouflage. The sight stirred a sense of faint familiarity within me, its odd beauty both comforting and intriguing.

I gave the solid wooden door a firm knock before stepping back, my hand instinctively resting on Ace. My eyes swept the surrounding brush, scanning unconsciously for predators or other dangers. Moments later, the door creaked open, revealing Zecora. Her eyes widened in surprise, but she opened the door fully, allowing me a proper look at her.

She appeared much as I had expected. Smooth, dark skin complemented by a striking black-and-white striped mohawk. Her bright teal eyes stood out vividly, and rings of gold adorned her neck, wrists, and ears. What I hadn’t anticipated was her attire: a simple beige tunic paired with a dark brown poncho-like shawl draped over one shoulder.

“Goodness, my saviour, I had feared you had forgotten me,” She greeted warmly, her deep voice exactly as I remembered. “Though I suspect this visit is more than just courtesy.”

She stepped aside, gesturing for me to enter. I bowed my head appreciatively and stepped into her hut, noting how much larger it appeared on the inside than I had remembered. Magic was surely at work here. Across from the familiar cauldron, a modest yet comfortable couch occupied one corner of the living area. She motioned for me to sit while she took her place on a large, cushioned mat nearby.

The space felt lived-in and vibrant, its walls adorned with masks, hanging greenery, and shelves lined with potions and ingredients. A small workstation sat tucked into the back corner near a closed door, likely leading to her bedroom or storage. The atmosphere exuded a distinctly tribal charm.

“Thank you for having me,” I began sincerely. “First, I owe you an apology for not visiting sooner. I—”

“You have been busy, that much is plain to see,” Zecora interjected in her lilting, rhyming tones, her gaze briefly flicking to my arm and leg. A knowing smile crossed her lips. “To turn away my saviour would show poor hospitality.”

Her eyes twinkled as she continued, “But tell me, my friend, to what purpose does this visit tend?”

“I… need help,” I admitted hesitantly. “My mind’s been heavy, and it’s costing me sleep.”

Zecora hummed thoughtfully. “Hmm, I see. Perhaps some tea?”

“If you think it’ll help,” I replied, offering a faint smile.

With a nod, she began moving around the hut, gathering ingredients with practised efficiency. Soon, the fire beneath the cauldron was replaced with a cast-iron kettle. As the water heated, she glanced at me over her shoulder.

“I suspect your troubles run deep,” she observed softly. “Tell me, what has stolen your sleep?”

I sighed, leaning forward as I rested my elbow on my knee. “There have been three major demon attacks in just the past month,” I began. “My confidant of half a year is out of commission. Spike—who I’m sure you know—has asked me to train him, even though he’s well aware of the risks. And that’s just the recent chaos.”

Zecora nodded slowly, her expression thoughtful. “Then I understand why you came to me. I shall do my best to ease your burden, you will see.”

Her words were reassuring, but she moved with purpose, selecting a jar from one of her shelves. “Maybe a stronger remedy may suffice to keep your mind from this vice,” she murmured, adding the new ingredient to the kettle. The fragrant steam that began to rise was soothing in itself.

A few minutes passed as the tea brewed. Once ready, she poured the warm liquid into two hand-crafted clay mugs, handing one to me.

“It will take some time to take effect,” she said, her calm voice filled with certainty. “But trust me, its benefits are no mere prospect.”

I took a tentative sip, the faintly honey-sweet flavour providing immediate comfort. The tea’s warmth seemed to extend beyond my throat, settling soothingly in my chest and stomach. For a moment, I allowed myself to enjoy the reprieve as Zecora studied me, her gaze both curious and understanding.

“I sense your burdens are heavier than you let on,” she remarked gently. “If I may ask, what else weighs upon?”

I sighed deeply, staring into the mug. “I snapped at a good friend of mine, Applejack,” I admitted, guilt lacing my tone. “She only wanted to help, but instead of letting her in, I deflected—and said some things I regret.”

“Perhaps you should let them in,” Zecora suggested, her voice soft. “Would that be such a sin?”

“I can’t,” I said, shaking my head. My voice wavered as I continued, “The things I know… the things I’ve done… I wouldn’t even know where to begin.”

“Then begin where you can,” she said simply, a kind smile playing on her lips. “Even small steps can lead to a plan.”

Her words held a comforting simplicity, but I remained unconvinced. “It’s not that easy,” I murmured, my gaze fixed on the floor.

Zecora reached out, resting a hand on my shoulder. Her touch was reassuring as her eyes met mine. "Give your friends some trust and they will turn your doubts to dust. I know in your mind it is not so simple, but the relief you may feel may not be so little."

"While the hardest to make is the first, the next will not take so much effort," She added, an encouraging tone taking her rhymes. "At the very least, an apology to a friend is needed and see after that if you feel conflicted."

I swallowed hard, her encouragement settling uneasily in my chest. “Maybe you’re right,” I said after a moment, standing and draining the last of my tea. “At the very least, she deserves an apology.”

Zecora nodded approvingly. As I moved to leave, I hesitated, remembering Walter’s request. “Oh, I almost forgot.” Reaching into my jacket, I pulled out a folded note. “A friend asked if you could help with this.”

She took the paper, her expression brightening with recognition. “Ah, I recognise the handwriting, it is from good Walter! I shall gather the ingredients he needs, I shant be much longer."

Zecora busied herself at her workstation, gathering various ingredients into small pouches. When she returned, I took the supplies and, with a flick of my hand, sent them to safekeeping in a burst of fire. Her wide-eyed surprise prompted a small chuckle.

“They’re safe,” I reassured her, conjuring and dispelling the items a few times to prove it. “Thank you for everything, Zecora. You’ve given me a lot to think about.”

“My door is always open to the one who saved my life,” she said warmly, seeing me off. “For without your aid, I would still face strife.”

With her words in mind, I set off, resolved to make amends with a certain farmgirl.

~~

As I approached the farmstead, a knot tightened in my stomach. I wasn’t worried she’d hate me—Applejack wasn’t like that—but beyond that, I had no idea how she’d react. The well-trodden dirt path felt heavier beneath my feet with every step, but my apprehension was briefly interrupted by the familiar bark of the farm’s resident pupper, Winona.

“Hey there, girl,” I murmured, kneeling to give her a scratch behind the ears. “You know where Applejack’s at?”

Winona responded with a soft whine, licking my hand before glancing over her shoulder toward the farmhouse. She looked back at me, then barked once, her tail wagging as she trotted off. It was clear she expected me to follow, and I so did, my steps quickening as she led me to the front porch. Climbing the wooden steps, I knocked on the door and took a step back, anticipation building in my chest.

When the door swung open, I was greeted by Granny Smith, her warm smile lifting some of the weight off my shoulders. “Well, if it ain’t Percy! How ya been, son?”

I offered a faint smile in return. “I’ve been better,” I admitted. “Is Applejack around? I need to talk to her.”

Granny Smith’s expression softened, and she nodded slowly. “She’s out in the orchard, but lemme give ya a word o’ warnin’. She’s been outta sorts since she got back.”

“I think I know why,” I said, guilt tightening my voice as I glanced downward. “Thank you, Miss Smith. I’ll go find her. You have a good day.”

She waved a hand dismissively. “Just call me Granny. And please, do talk to her. Last time she was like this… well, it was when her Ma and Pa passed. I hate seein’ her like this.”

“I’ll do my best,” I assured her, though the weight of her words pressed heavily on me.

As I descended the steps, I paused to pat Winona again. She barked happily, her tail wagging furiously, before bounding off into the yard. I continued down the path into the orchard, letting the scenery distract me momentarily from my thoughts. I’d walked this path countless times but rarely stopped to appreciate it. The trees stood tall and proud, their branches heavy with glossy, crimson apples that shone like jewels in the sunlight. It was clear every inch of this orchard was cared for with love and dedication.

The sound of heavy, deliberate grunts broke through my thoughts. Quickening my pace, I followed the noise until I found Applejack. She stood beneath one of the trees, her back to me, delivering sharp kicks to the trunk. The apples rained down with dull thuds, each kick harder than the last. Her posture was tense, shoulders high and rigid, her ears twitching slightly as the sound of my pegleg meeting a root gave me away.

“Applejack?” I called softly, stepping into the dappled shade of the tree.

She didn’t turn. Didn’t respond.

“It’s me,” I tried again.

Still nothing.

Sighing, I leaned against a nearby tree. “Alright, you don’t have to say anything, but I hope you’ll hear me out.” My voice wavered as I took a deep breath, steeling myself. “I… I said some awful things earlier, and I’m here to apologize. You were only trying to help, and I had no right to lash out at you the way I did. It was cruel, and I regret every word. I’m sorry, Applejack.”

Silence hung between us. She didn’t move, her head bowed slightly. Nodding to myself, I turned to leave, figuring she needed time. But before I could take a step, I heard movement behind me. Applejack spun around and closed the distance between us in an instant, throwing her arms around me. Her face pressed into my chest as she clung to me tightly, tears soaking into my shirt.

“I’m not mad about what ya said!” She cried, her voice muffled against me. “I’m upset ‘cause of all the terrible things you’ve been through. I…I’d have broken into a million pieces if it'd been me.”

I wrapped an arm around her gently, rubbing her back as her sobs shook her frame. “Can I tell you a secret?”

She nodded without looking up.

“It’s not much of a secret, really,” I admitted, my voice soft. “The truth is, I am broken. I’ve been alive for thousands of years, maybe longer, and it leaves a mark. I’ve seen and done things that still haunt me, and I’ve made mistakes I can never undo.”

She pulled back slightly, her tear-streaked face looking up at me. “But how do ya keep goin’ after all that?”

I offered her a small, sad smile. “Because it’s what my family would want. Not a day goes by that I don’t miss them, but I keep moving forward. If I gave up, they’d be disappointed, and I couldn’t bear that.”

Applejack sniffled and adjusted her crooked hat. “I don’t know how ya do it.”

“With immense difficulty,” I admitted. “And it’s only gotten harder.”

"You can talk to me, ya know?" She said, gently squeezing my hand. "You've helped me so much already, let me help you for once. Even if it's just a shoulder to cry on."

I tried to smile as warmly as I could, though it probably came across as weary. "I've cried a lot already for what I've left behind. But....maybe it wouldn't hurt."

As we began walking back toward the farmhouse, Applejack paused to collect the fallen apples and put them into a hamper. I hesitated before speaking. “Do the others know?”

She shook her head. “No. I left right after you did. Came straight here.”

“Applejack,” I started, guilt threading through my voice, “I'm really sorry for how I acted. I know you were just trying to be a good friend and I-"

"No, Percy, I'm sorry, I shouldn't have pushed so hard," She interrupted. "I know ya were stressed and I should’ve given ya more space with everything that’s been happenin’.”

“Looks like we both messed up,” I said, chuckling softly.

“Reckon we did,” she agreed, bumping my shoulder lightly with hers.

As we neared the house, she glanced at me curiously. “So… what was her name?”

A bittersweet smile crossed my lips. “Tiche.”

Author's Note

Welp, Percy finally broke and it seems he has more to work through than they thought
And damn, Zecora is hard to write for. I think I was subconsciously avoiding her :rainbowlaugh:
And it looks like we finally have a name for our mans spouse (I've been playing too much Elden Ring, I swear)

Hope you guys enjoyed

Please point out any mistakes I may have made
Constructive criticism is always appreciated
Until next time, TTFN!

Chapter 36 - "A Few Deep Revelations"

Sitting atop the roof of my home, I exhaled softly, savouring the crisp morning air as the wind tousled my hair. A faint smile crept across my lips as I gazed out over the quiet world below. Normally, I’d have my partner in crime by my side, but with him still out of commission, I found myself alone with only my thoughts for company. And with Zecora's ready working wonders, much to my surprise, my thoughts weren't nearly as dower as usual.

Turning my eyes to the horizon, I watched as the rising sun began to banish the lingering chill, replacing it with a gentle warmth that brushed away the early morning blues. The thought of the Princesses starting their day brought another small smile to my face. Standing up, I leapt gracefully from the roof, landing with ease before strolling down the stone path leading away from my home and out through the front gate.

As I made my way into town, I noticed most of the repairs from the recent chaos had been completed. Only the town fountain remained in need of attention, its central fixture still awaiting final repairs. I’d ensured to cover the costs myself—after all, it wouldn’t do for someone in my position to shirk responsibility. Besides, the blame rested squarely on my shoulders. I could have taken Damien into the Everfree Forest, away from the heart of civilization.

Soon, I found myself outside a cosy little café I’d been meaning to visit for some time. Stepping inside, I noted it was mostly empty save for the staff and a couple of early risers. At the counter, I ordered a chocolate muffin and a simple mocha before settling down at a small table out front. The hot steam from my drink curled into the brisk air, and after a tentative sip, I nodded in satisfaction. Fluttershy’s recommendation had been spot-on.

As I took another sip, savouring the rich flavour, a familiar pair of voices drew my attention. A pink-and-rainbow-haired duo appeared and took seats beside me.

“Oi, oi,” I said, glancing at them with a grin. “Fancy meeting you two here.”

“Speak for yourself, big guy,” Rainbow Dash shot back as she plopped into a chair. “When Fluttershy said she recommended this place to you, I figured there was no way you’d actually show.”

“And what made you so sure, Miss All-Knowing?” I teased, taking a bite of my muffin.

“Dude,” Rainbow made a face. “We haven’t seen you eat in, like, a month. You even had the Princesses worried.”

“Oh? And how would you know that?” I asked, raising an eyebrow.

“They, uh…” Fluttershy began hesitantly. “They told Twilight to keep an eye on you after you moved here.”

“Not to mention,” Rainbow added, “I’m pretty sure they had Ghost reporting back to her somehow. Don’t ask me how, though—he was practically glued to your side.”

I chuckled, sipping my coffee. “Knowing them, they probably had some secret arrangement. Maybe nightly reports or something.”

“Wouldn’t put it past Twilight,” Rainbow nodded, taking a sip of her own drink. “Speaking of Ghost, how’s he holding up?”

Swallowing another bite of muffin, I answered, “There’s been an increase in brain activity, and his organs are stable, so we know he’s alive. But beyond that… no real improvement.”

“He’ll pull through,” Fluttershy said softly, placing a reassuring hand on my shoulder.

“I hope so,” I replied, my voice low. “I just don’t know when—or if—he’ll fully recover.”

“Hey, you came back,” Rainbow said firmly, her tone leaving no room for doubt. “And that was supposed to be impossible. If you can do it, then Ghost can too.”

“Hard to argue with that logic,” I admitted with a small nod, finishing the last of my muffin. “By the way, have either of you seen Spike? I was thinking of taking him fishing after all the drama with the ship.”

Fluttershy hesitated, her voice barely above a whisper. “Is that… is that the only reason?”

I paused my drink halfway to my lips, momentarily caught by her swift deduction. For some reason, I couldn’t bring myself to lie. Tossing back the rest of my mocha, I cleared my throat. “No,” I admitted quietly.

“Dude—” Rainbow began, but I cut her off.

“I know,” I said, my tone brooking no argument. “Can I tell you two something?”

They exchanged uncertain glances before nodding. “Of course. We’re your friends, aren’t we?” Rainbow said.

Closing my eyes for a moment, I smiled faintly. “Spike’s a Draconian. They’re some of the hardiest people I’ve ever met. Truth be told, the risks I mentioned to him were more of a scare tactic than an actual concern.”

"Wait, what?" Rainbow asked, leaning forward. “Why would you try to scare him?"

“There are several reasons why,” I answered quickly, not wanting to linger on the topic. “But I’d rather not talk about it right now.”

Fluttershy reached out, her hand resting gently on my armoured forearm. “We’re here for you,” she said softly, her voice filled with compassion.

“I know,” I murmured, my gaze dropping. “I just need to face my fears first.”

“That’s not healthy,” Fluttershy said, her soft tone now carrying a firm edge.

“Nothing I do is healthy, Fluttershy,” I replied with a halfhearted smile. “Anyway, I’ve got a certain purple Draconian to track down.”

“He’s probably with Twilight,” Rainbow offered after a moment.

“Thanks,” I said, standing and giving them a small smile. “I’ll leave you two to your morning.”

~~

Giving the solid oak door a few firm knocks, I took a step back and rolled my shoulders, absently rubbing them as I waited. Moments later, the library’s front door creaked open.

“Percival,” Twilight greeted with a smile, though her brow was raised slightly. “You know this is a public library. You don’t have to knock every time you come over.”

“Old habits die hard,” I replied with a shrug as she gestured for me to come inside.

“So, what brings you here today?”

Taking a deep breath, I steeled myself for the inevitable argument. “Actually, I came to see Spike.”

“Oh, are you taking him fishing again?” she asked, her tone genuinely curious. “He’s been talking about it for the past day or so.”

“He has?” I tilted my head in mild surprise, met by a pleased nod from the librarian. “Well… not exactly.”

Her expression shifted, confusion flickering across her face before settling into a look of stern understanding. Her tone dropped into an unmistakably serious register. “Percival—”

“I know,” I cut her off quickly, holding up a hand. “Believe me, I know. I just had a quick chat with Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy. If you’ll let me explain?”

Twilight’s eyes narrowed as she scrutinized me, her brow furrowed deeply. After a moment of intense silence, she crossed her arms and nodded slowly. “Fine. Go on.”

We moved to the central table, where I sat down on one of the worn couches. Twilight followed, sitting opposite me with her arms still crossed tightly over her chest, her eyes locked onto mine as if trying to bore into my thoughts.

“I’ve trained people before,” I began, my tone steady but thoughtful. “Some of them were immensely powerful, and a few were closer to me than most. And yet, despite their strength, I doubt any of them are still alive today.”

Twilight’s expression softened slightly, though her arms remained crossed.

“I thought training Spike might reopen some old wounds,” I admitted. “Fresh ones that are still healing. When I mentioned the risks of harm before, it was more of an unconscious scare tactic to dissuade him. I’m afraid of how much this will remind me of my past. But Spike’s a Draconian. Their resilience and toughness are legendary. He’ll be pushed to his absolute limits, yes, but nothing I would put him through would ever endanger his life—not until I was absolutely sure he was ready for live-fire scenarios. I may not be the closest person to Spike, but I would never, ever willingly put his life in danger.”

As I spoke, I noticed Twilight gradually relaxing. Her grip on her arms loosened, and eventually, her hands came to rest on her knees. She nodded occasionally, taking in my words as her eyes never left my own, doing her best to find a hint of a lie. After a brief pause, she sighed, her gaze dropping to the table between us.

“I...I’m sorry I doubted you, Percival,” She said quietly. “I don’t know why I even thought you’d put him through something reckless.”

“You’re his older sister; you’re supposed to worry. I get it,” I reassured her softly.

"Still. It was foolish of me to think," She sighed again, rubbing her temples. “I just… I have a few questions.”

“Of course,” I said, offering an encouraging smile.

“How exactly would you train him? And what, specifically, would you teach him?” she asked after a thoughtful pause. "Neither of you has a horn to serve as a catalyst. I understand that you possess an impressive mana pool, but without the proper tool to channel it, I just don’t see how or what you could possibly teach him."

"We’d be here all day if I explained it in full," I replied with a small shrug, "but to put it simply, I have access to what’s essentially raw energy. It’s somewhat comparable to magic but far more potent." I gestured vaguely. "While Spike has magic similar to yours, he’ll be learning techniques unique to my methods for harnessing and using it in ways you likely haven’t seen before. In a few years—assuming he’s got the talent—I’d wager he could hold his own against almost anyone. Well, anyone aside from Celestia and Luna. Maybe even sooner if he surprises me."

Twilight stared at me for a long moment, her expression hovering between scepticism and astonishment. "If what you’re saying is true, then this is... revolutionary," she said slowly, her tone a mix of doubt and intrigue.

"It would be," I agreed with a nod. "But only a select few individuals can wield this energy effectively. It just so happens that Draconian magic aligns closely enough with my own that it makes translating the techniques possible."

Her brow furrowed, and she tilted her head slightly. "How does Draconian magic differ from Unicorn magic?"

"It’s surprisingly subtle," I explained. "But to put it in layman’s terms: Unicorn magic is like a scalpel—precise, refined, and intricate. Draconian magic, on the other hand, is more akin to a sword—broad, powerful, and direct."

Twilight absorbed this thoughtfully, nodding as she processed the comparison. After a moment, she turned back to me with a more serious expression. "And what if he decides it isn’t for him? Would he be able to quit?"

I nodded, acknowledging the concern in her voice. "I understand why you’d ask that, but that’s not quite how my 'magic'"—I raised my hand, making air quotes—"works. You’re accustomed to Celestia’s teaching methods, where the process is incremental, like climbing a ladder. Each step builds on the previous one, and the student has the freedom to stop or pause whenever they feel ready. That’s also how Unicorn magic functions in general.

"Spike’s training, however, is going to be fundamentally different. It’s not about gradual progress or optional steps—it’s more akin to adapting to an entirely new way of thinking and acting. He’ll be fully immersed in it. If he chooses to stop, it won’t undo what he’s learned, but it’ll certainly limit how far he can develop his abilities without a guide to help him."

“What do you mean?”

“While you’re climbing a ladder, Spike would be falling off a cliff.”

Twilight’s brow furrowed. “So… once he starts, he won’t be able to stop?”

“One does not simply get off of Mr. Bones’ Wild Ride,” I said with a small smirk.

She didn’t seem to register my humour, her eyes shifting as she mulled over my words. After a long pause, her shoulders slouched slightly, and she looked back at me with a resigned expression. “Can you promise you’ll keep him safe?”

“On my grandfather’s name,” I said solemnly, my tone firm.

Satisfied, Twilight stood abruptly and headed toward the stairs at the back of the library. She disappeared upstairs, and muffled voices echoed faintly behind a closed door. After a few minutes of quiet shuffling, Twilight reemerged, Spike trailing behind her with his fishing rod and tackle box in hand.

“Sup, wee man!” I greeted, ruffling the young Draconian’s spines as he approached. “Ready?”

“You bet!”

“Great,” I said with a grin, leading him toward the door. “We’ll need to stop by my place first. This was a bit impromptu, so I’m underprepared.”

“Yeah, sure. No problem,” Spike replied with a shrug.

“Perfect.” I glanced back at Twilight and gave her a reassuring look. “We’ll be back at the usual time.”

“Alright,” she said, offering a weak but genuine smile. “Be safe, you two!”

“Stop worrying, Twi,” Spike said confidently. “We’ll be fine.”

“Don’t worry, I’ll keep him out of trouble,” I promised with a nod, leading Spike out the door. After a quick detour to grab some gear, we headed to our usual spot.

~~

“So, who was that guy the other day?” Spike asked from beside me.

I took a sip from the cold beer in my hand, savouring the crisp bite before setting the bottle on the ground. Gripping my fishing rod firmly, I glanced over at him. “Just another sad soul in the ever-growing line of people who want me dead.”

“You don’t… seem very bothered by it,” Spike observed, readjusting his hold on his fishing rod for comfort.

I shrugged nonchalantly. “It’s all part of the fine print in the job description. Comes with the territory.”

Spike studied me for a moment, his expression a mixture of uncertainty and mild disbelief. His mouth opened as if to speak but closed again, the words evading him. Finally, he tore his gaze from me and looked out over the still lake. His eyes followed his fishing line as it disappeared into the water.

I sighed, reeled in my own line, and carefully unhooked the apparatus, setting it down next to my chair. The air between us had shifted, heavier now.

“Spike,” I began, my tone deliberate, “I need to talk to you about something.”

The seriousness in my voice prompted him to reel in his line without hesitation. He set his rod aside and turned to face me fully, an uncertain look flashing across his face.

“What’s… what’s going on?” he asked apprehensively.

“Spike,” I said, meeting his gaze. “I’m going to be straight with you. I haven’t been entirely honest.”

His brow furrowed, but he remained silent, his eyes locked onto mine, urging me to continue.

“Back on the ship, I told you there was a serious risk of injury—maybe worse—if I trained you,” I admitted. “The truth is, that wasn’t entirely accurate. As a Draconian, your kind is known for your resilience, your strength. Sure, there’d be blood, sweat, and tears. But I wouldn’t put you in real danger until I was certain you were ready.”

Spike’s expression didn’t waver, though I could see his mind working through my words.

“I lied,” I continued, my voice softer now. “Not for your sake, but for mine. I thought training you would reopen wounds that haven't come close to healing fully. I said it was to protect you… but the truth is, I was the scared one.”

“What changed?” Spike asked after a beat, his voice steady despite the weight of the conversation.

“Let's just say I had a conversation with a certain farmgirl. She helped me realize a few things. Mainly I'm not quite as alone as I might feel at times,” I replied with a faint smile that faded as quickly as it came. “But there’s another reason I tried to dissuade you.”

Spike tilted his head slightly. “Another reason?”

I nodded. “If I train you, you’ll learn techniques unique to me. In doing so, you’ll learn how I do what I do. And with that comes knowing things about me—things I’ve kept hidden for a long time. Things I’ve worked very hard to keep buried.”

“What kind of things?” His voice carried a cautious curiosity.

“Nothing pretty,” I said, my tone grim. “So, I’ll ask you again: is this really what you want? Are you sure you’re ready for this, Spike?”

Silence stretched between us. Unlike before, Spike didn’t fidget or falter. The determination in his eyes was unshakable—clear and unwavering.

“Yes,” he said, his voice resolute.

I exhaled slowly. “Then follow me.”

We rose from our chairs, leaving the tranquil lakeside behind. The further we ventured into the Everfree Forest, the denser the air seemed—not just from the humidity but from the tension growing between us. The once-vivid sunlight dimmed, reduced to faint rays filtering through the canopy. The trees around us grew gnarled and lifeless, their twisted forms casting ominous shadows.

The rhythmic tap of my peg leg on the dirt path filled the silence. Spike glanced at me now and then, though he said nothing, sensing my focus. Eventually, the forest opened to reveal the crumbling majesty of the Castle of the Two Sisters. Memories of my earliest days in this world flickered through my mind as we stepped into the ancient foyer.

Before proceeding further, I stopped and turned to him. “Spike, one last time—are you absolutely sure about this? What you’re about to learn will change how you see me forever. You’ll be taught secrets only a handful of beings have ever known. This is your one chance to walk away. Once you start, there’s no going back.”

A flicker of hesitation crossed his face, but it vanished as quickly as it came. He stood tall, meeting my gaze with a look of unwavering resolve.

“Yes,” he said firmly. “This is what I want.”

I nodded. “Do I have your word of silence? That no matter who asks, you’ll keep what you learn to yourself until I say otherwise?”

“You have my word,” he replied without hesitation.

“Good.” I took a step back. “As your first lesson, you’ll learn what I truly am.”

Spike’s brow furrowed. “What you are? I thought you were… Ponyfolk?”

I shook my head. “No. While I don’t blame you for thinking that, I am something far older—and far more dangerous. And as far as I know, I’m the last of my kind.”

His confusion deepened. “So, what are you?”

“Promise me you won’t freak out,” I said, my tone serious.

He hesitated but nodded. “You have my word.”

I took a deep breath. “Spike… I’m what’s known as a Nephalem.”

His head tilted. “A… Nephalem?”

“Yes,” I said, steadying myself. “I’m the offspring of an Angel… and a Demon.”

There it was. The flash of fear and the want to hide. A sight I had seen in many others so many years ago. The colour drained from Spike’s face. His body trembled, his breaths coming shallow and uneven. Despite the fear flashing in his eyes, he didn’t move. His rationality won out over his instinct to run, though it was clearly a struggle. He opened and closed his mouth for several minutes, the words seemingly never coming to him and he swallowed to moisten his dried mouth and throat. Eventually, he spoke.

“You’re… a Demon?” he whispered, as if speaking the word aloud might summon something.

“Half,” I corrected gently. “That duality is the source of my power. The two sides coexist, constantly amplifying each other.”

“So… why fight the other Demons if you’re one of them?” he asked, his voice tentative.

“Because I’m not one of them,” I said firmly. “Demons are cruel, sadistic creatures that prey on the weak and destroy the strong. They are rage, brutal, without mercy. While I may share some of their traits, I have something they don’t—a conscience.”

A faint smirk tugged at my lips. “Besides, if I ever harmed the innocent, my wife would’ve had my head.”

The quip seemed to lighten the mood just enough to break Spike’s tension. A small smile played on his lips as he stepped closer, tapping my chest with his claw as if testing to see how I would react.

“So… you’re not gonna eat me or something?” He asked, a faint teasing edge in his voice.

I chuckled. “Spike, if I wanted you dead, you’d have known a long time ago.”

He nodded slowly, though his posture was still a bit stiff. “I get why you’d keep this a secret. But… why tell me? Couldn't you have taught me and still keep this hidden?"

“Because if I’m going to teach you, we need trust. Real trust. And besides, with what you’re about to learn, the question of how I got this power would’ve come up eventually.”

“Does anyone else know?” he asked.

“Only Ghost,” I said. “He knows, but he’s never seen it.”

“Seen what?”

I smiled faintly. “This isn’t my only form.”

Spike blinked, taken aback. “You… have another form?”

“I do.”

“…can I see it?”

Smirking, I wasn’t surprised when he let his childlike wonder take over. He was still a kid, after all. With a quick motion, I signalled for him to step back. He hesitated at first, but I gestured firmly until he was several meters away. Once he was clear, I closed my eyes and focused, drawing energy into my core. The familiar, searing heat ignited within my chest, rapidly spreading outward like liquid fire coursing through my veins.

Then, with a sudden, controlled burst, an explosion erupted around me. It was small but intense, filling the foyer with a shockwave that whipped harmlessly past Spike. The blast kicked up a thick cloud of dust and dirt, scattering loose stones and debris in every direction. As the dust settled, the glow of fire dissipated, revealing the towering form of my alternate self—my Demon form. I stood before Spike in all my reptilian glory, my shadow stretching long across the room. His reaction was immediate: first fear, then shock, and finally, unmistakable awe.

A guttural rumble rose from deep in my chest, morphing into a low chuckle as I crouched down to his level, but even then, my crown-like horns still towered over him. My head alone was nearly the size of his torso, and I made no sudden movements, allowing him to take his time inspecting me. I had no intention of fighting, so staying in this form as long as I wanted was easy, almost comfortable, even.

“Whoa,” Spike whispered, his voice barely audible as he slowly began circling me. His eyes were wide, filled with equal parts caution and amazement. “Yeah… I can totally see why you’d want to keep this secret.”

“I’d probably give poor Fluttershy a heart attack,” I replied with a chuckle, the deep vibrations of my voice causing him to glance up at me in confusion. I nodded in amusement, letting the comment hang in the air.

For me, speaking felt natural—like normal English. But for anyone else, my voice sounded entirely alien: a symphony of low creaks, sharp clicks, and heavily synthesized warbles. It was an odd quirk, an unintended byproduct of my pure Demon blood blending with its equally pure Angelic counterpart. After years of living with it, I barely noticed anymore.

“I won’t lie…” Spike said softly, his voice trembling. “This is terrifying.” He paused, his expression shifting into a grin. “But it’s so cool though.”

I smiled as best as my massive, lipless jaws allowed, lowering my chin onto the ruined floor. The tattered remnants of a carpet shifted under the weight, its edges, frayed or otherwise, curling in response to the heat of my false limbs. Spike continued his slow, cautious inspection, circling back into my line of sight, careful to miss my firey arm and leg. I couldn’t help but playfully swat the back of his head with my tail, breaking the tension with a lighthearted gesture.

He stumbled slightly but laughed, the sound shaky yet genuine. His hands still trembled, and his wide eyes betrayed a mixture of wonder, fear, and something else. Excitement, maybe? I wasn’t entirely sure. Either way, a small grin crept across his face as he stood there, taking it all in. My tail idly swung back and forth, its rhythmic motion matching the measured pace of his breathing.

Finally, after several long moments, he broke the silence. “So,” he said suddenly, his voice filled with newfound determination. “When do I start?”

Author's Note

And so, the source of Percival's power is revealed
This'll probably, easily be the most divisive choice in the story so far but hey, my story I do what I want with it 😈
Hope you all have a wonderful Holiday this year and I'll see you all in the next year 🎉🎇🎆🎇🎆🎉

Please point out any mistakes I may have made
Constructive criticism is always appreciated
Until next time, I love each and every single one of you, TTFN!

Chapter 37 - "A Festive Apprenticeship"

Sitting on the charred stumps where Damien and I once clashed at the foot of Canterlot Mountain, I spent the past few hours breaking down the basics of energy control. Spike, having spent his entire life assisting Twilight, unsurprisingly grasped everything I explained with ease.

"But how exactly does this help me?" He asked, his head tilted in curiosity.

I smirked knowingly. "Well, from what I understand about Unicorn magic, they simply funnel enough magic into a spell to power it, and voilà—it works. Add more, and the spell gets stronger. But if they don't channel enough energy, the spell either fizzles out or produces a weaker effect. For us, though—" I gestured between him and myself, "—things are a bit different. Sure, we have the energy needed for spells, but we can't cast them like Unicorns, nor do we have their natural focusing tools. Instead, we use energy in our own unique way."

I paused, standing and walking a few paces as a faint spark of energy flared in my hand, a mundane butter knife materializing out of thin air within my grasp. Twirling it a little through my fingers, I held it up for him to see. "For example, we can transform everyday objects into something far deadlier—like this."

Spike's eyes widened as I held the knife aloft, a faint purple glow coating its surface. Wisps of lilac flame began to flicker along the blade’s dull edge. With a quick swing, I sent a shimmering arc of fire slicing through a nearby dead tree. The wood splintered in two with a resounding crack, and the impact sent ash and dirt into the air.

Without missing a beat, I flipped the knife in my hand, holding it by the blade. "And that’s not all." Bracing it above my shoulder, I threw it with a sharp, controlled motion. The knife whistled through the air, spinning end over end as it cleaved through one tree, then another, before embedding itself deep into a boulder some distance away.

"And that, young Padawan," I said with a grin, turning back to him, "is just a taste of what even basic energy control can do."

Spike stared at the knife, his mouth agape and his eyes wide with awe. Then, snapping out of his stupor, he threw his hands into the air. "That was awesome!" He shouted, practically bouncing with excitement. "Is that what you’re gonna teach me? Are you gonna show me how to use weapons like that?"

I chuckled. "Not quite—at least, not right away. I might not need to teach you at all if this goes well."

His shoulders sagged slightly in disappointment, but I offered him an encouraging smile. "Spike?" I said, catching his gaze, "It’s my understanding that Draconians are often called ‘Titans’ for their ability to transform into pseudo-dragons. Is that true?"

He perked up, nodding. "Well, that's the old term, but yeah. A Draconian can grow in size and shift into a quadrupedal form to mimic our Draconic originator. Why?"

"Because," I said with a grin, "Why would you need to lug around a twenty-foot sword when you can become the weapon yourself? Carrying giant weapons just wouldn’t make sense. I wouldn't use a weapon in my Demon form unless it was improvised like a boulder or a tree for example. No. Instead, when the time comes, I’ll teach you close-quarters combat. But for now, we’re focusing on energy control. That’s step one."

Spike tilted his head, clearly intrigued. "So, how are you going to teach me to control my energy?"

"Ah!" I exclaimed, standing up and walking toward a nearby tree that had miraculously survived the earlier destruction. Placing my hand on its trunk, I turned back to him with a wide grin. "With this!"

Spike blinked. "A tree?"

"It’s not the tree itself that’s important—it’s what we’re going to do with it," I said, my grin widening. "I’m going to teach you how to climb trees!"

His expression flattened as though I had just sprouted a second head. "Our top-secret training...is tree climbing?"

"Not just any tree climbing," I replied, raising a finger for emphasis. "Here’s the twist: you have to climb it without using your hands or arms. Only your feet."

Spike’s jaw dropped. "How is that even possible?!"

"By using your energy! It’s like the last two hours didn’t even happen," I said with mock exasperation. "Watch closely."

Turning back to the tree, I planted my foot against its rough bark. A soft pink glow spread from the point of contact, anchoring me to the surface. Slowly, I began walking up the tree’s trunk as though gravity had decided to take the day off. When I reached a thick branch, I hung upside down from it, grinning down at Spike.

"Whoa!" he shouted, his head craned back to look at me. "How are you doing that?!"

"Like I said," I replied with a smirk, releasing the energy in my feet and flipping gracefully to the ground, "it’s all about energy control."

Spike rushed over, his face alight with fascination. "Do you remember the basics I taught you?" I asked.

He nodded eagerly.

"Good," I said, dusting my hand on my coat. "Because it’s your turn now. Just know this—it won’t be easy. It might take a week or two before you get the hang of it, and there will be plenty of falling. That’s where the blood, sweat, and tears come in. But if you stick with it, you’ll succeed. Now," I said, stepping aside and gesturing to the tree, "get ready to start climbing."

~~

Watching Spike’s training in the beginning was, admittedly, rather dull. I had seen it countless times before with others, so I was used to the monotony. All he did was stand there, trying to focus, his expression a mix of determination and confusion. For the first two days, Spike didn’t even attempt to climb one of the trees. He remained planted on the ground, staring at his feet like they were about to betray him. But by the third day, his frustration was palpable.

"I just don’t understand what I’m doing wrong here!" he exclaimed, his spines drooping as his frustration boiled over. "I’m trying to focus my energy into my feet like you told me, but nothing’s happening!"

"You’ll get it, Spike. Hell, it took me weeks to figure it out," I said, trying to reassure him. I tapped the leather and metal of my peg leg for emphasis. "And trust me, it’s no walk in the park when you’ve got a bum leg. I had to figure out how to channel my energy from my stump, through the metal connector rod, and into the mechanisms before it reached the rubber sole. You think you’ve got it hard? Try focusing energy through a bunch of moving parts that aren’t even yours. If I could manage that, then you can with your own two feet. You just need time."

"But I don’t feel anything," He groaned, throwing his arms up.

"That makes sense," I replied. "You’ve got no experience working with energy like...this..." My words trailed off as a sudden thought struck me, and my eyes widened.

The faint flicker of an idea sparked into a plan. Fire flared across my eyes as my vision shifted, granting me a view of the unseen spectrum of energy. Thin wisps of green energy radiated softly from Spike’s shoulders, trailing upward like thin vapour trails. While my demonic side excelled at brute force, my angelic nature specialized in precision—especially when it came to reading the flow of energy.

"Spike?" I said, the edge of excitement in my voice making him tilt his head. "Breathe out a stream of fire for me."

His brow furrowed. "What? Why?"

"Do you want me to help you or not?" I shot back, raising an eyebrow.

To his credit, he didn’t argue further. With a resigned shrug, Spike inhaled deeply and let out a steady stream of flames. My vision zeroed in on the flow of energy. The wisps of green vapour that hovered around his shoulders focused inward, gathering in his chest before surging upward and out of his throat. The flame left his mouth in a controlled burst, almost effortless, matching the same green hue as the wisps around him.

That was when it clicked. Spike’s issue wasn’t a lack of energy; it was his perception of it. He was separating the energy he used for his flames from the energy he needed for his feet—treating them as two entirely different forces.

I snapped my fingers and pointed at him. "That’s it!"

Spike immediately stopped, looking at me in confusion. "What’s what?"

"The same energy you’re using for your fire," I explained, "is what you need to channel into your feet." I lifted my peg leg, showing him the faint pink glow radiating from the rubber sole. "Bring that energy down from your chest, just like you do with your flames, but push it into your feet. Give it a shot."

Spike blinked, his confusion fading as a grin began to spread across his face. He stood still for a moment, closing his eyes in concentration. Slowly, I saw the energy shift within him. It moved down through his torso, pooling into his feet.

"That’s it," I encouraged, noticing how the energy spilt out slightly from beneath his soles. The air smelled faintly charged with his progress.

Spike opened his eyes, now brimming with confidence. "I think I’ve got it!" He said, testing the feeling. His excitement got the better of him, though. Without hesitation, he sprinted toward the nearest tree, his feet glowing with concentrated energy.

"Careful," I muttered under my breath, suppressing a smirk.

He managed to take two solid steps up the trunk before the excess energy destabilized him. His footing slipped, and he tumbled backwards, landing flat on his back with a resounding thud.

"Ow!" He yelped, clutching the back of his head. "Why didn’t it work!?"

I couldn’t help but chuckle as I walked over and offered him a hand. "You put way too much energy into your feet," I explained, pulling him to his feet. His glare only made me laugh harder. "But hey, good job getting the energy down there. Any progress is still progress."

Spike scowled. "You said once I got the energy in my feet, I’d be able to climb the tree!"

"Nope," I corrected with a smirk. "I said you’d need control. Too much energy and you’ll blow right off the tree. Too little, and you’ll slide down like it’s covered in grease. The trick is constantly adjusting your output to match the tree’s grooves and texture. I never said it’d be easy."

I stepped back, putting my hand idly on my hip. "Now, try again. And this time, don’t rush it."

Spike looked at me for a moment, determination once again replacing his frustration. He nodded, stepping toward the tree with a newfound focus. I couldn’t help but smile as I watched him prepare for another attempt. He’d get it—eventually.

In the weeks that followed, our routine remained consistent. Each morning began with an hour or two of fishing, followed by long, rigorous training sessions that occupied the rest of the day. Despite the gruelling schedule, Spike’s enthusiasm never faltered. In fact, as the days turned into weeks, his determination only grew stronger, a relentless fire in his eyes that seemed to burn brighter with every passing challenge.

Twilight, unsurprisingly, couldn’t resist trying to uncover what we were up to. Her curiosity manifested in endless questions, but to her growing frustration, Spike held firm and refused to divulge anything. True to his word, he kept the details of our activities a secret, even as he returned home each evening utterly exhausted. Watching her exasperation from the sidelines was a source of quiet amusement for me. The others in town, fortunately, didn’t press us much, occasionally tossing out a question or two but mostly leaving us to our own devices.

As winter deepened, snow began to blanket the ground in thick, pristine layers. The chill didn’t bother us, and we pressed on with our training undeterred. Still, the sight of the snow brought something to mind: Hearth’s Warming Eve was fast approaching, and I realized I hadn’t given Spike much of a break since we started. For someone who’d started this journey with zero control over his abilities, his progress had been remarkable. But even the most determined trainee needs rest, and I decided a week off would likely do him a world of good.

In the meantime, I was immersed in my own project. Unfortunately, my previous work on designing an arm had been completely obliterated during my clash with the Kraken, forcing me to start over from scratch. Countless hours had been poured into redrawing schematics, often leading to sleepless nights. Not that I minded. What did weigh on me, however, was Ghost’s continued unresponsiveness. No matter what the Doctors tried, there was no sign of him stirring, and the fear that he might never wake gnawed at the back of my mind.

One cold afternoon, as Spike practised near the tree we’d been using as a training ground, I found myself pacing. My footsteps carved a groove into the snow as I carefully scrutinized his every move, analyzing his form and technique.

“You’ve got this, bud,” I called out encouragingly. “Almost there!”

“Shut up!” He shot back between heavy breaths, his voice laced with both frustration and determination. “I’m concentrating!”

I couldn’t help but grin. This was why I liked the kid. He wasn’t afraid to speak his mind, even with me. Unlike Twilight’s relationship with Celestia, Spike didn’t see me as some untouchable authority figure. We were equals in this dynamic, and I valued that.

With a mischievous smirk, I drew Ace from its holster and fired a shot into the air. The sudden crack startled Spike, causing him to yelp and tumble into the snow. He lay there, chest heaving as he struggled to catch his breath, glaring at me through the flurry he’d kicked up.

“Good news!” I announced with a grin so wide it probably annoyed him. “Starting tomorrow, you’re getting time off!”

“What’s…the occasion?” He managed to ask, still winded.

“The holidays are reason enough,” I said, walking over and offering him a hand up. “And you’ve earned it. Your progress has been phenomenal. So, take the next week to relax. Spend time with Twilight, sing carols, eat cookies, and listen to stories. Hell, maybe try your luck with some mistletoe while you’re at it.”

Spike chuckled as he brushed the snow off himself. “Sounds like a great idea to me,” he said, a sly smile creeping across his face. “Besides, I think Twilight would probably kill you if you made me train during Hearth’s Warming Eve.”

“Yeah, trust me, I’m not itching for another lecture from her.”

The walk back to Ponyville was peaceful, the kind of quiet that comes with fresh snowfall muffling the world. We stopped briefly at Zecora’s hut to wish her happy holidays, exchanging warm regards before continuing on. When I finally dropped Spike off at the library, Twilight was waiting, looking unimpressed—again—with the state I’d left him in.

As expected, she immediately began peppering him with questions, her concern and curiosity blending into one. To her obvious irritation, Spike avoided answering any of them. I didn’t mind if he made up harmless excuses, so long as he kept the specifics of our training under wraps. I figured it was his way of playfully tormenting her, something I could definitely relate to. After all, teasing a sibling you love is a universal pastime.

The holiday spirit had fully enveloped Ponyville by now. String lights adorned rooftops, snow sculptures dotted the streets, and laughter filled the air as children engaged in snowball fights. Carolers strolled from house to house, and the smell of warm cider and baked treats wafted through the town. The festive atmosphere was infectious, and I found myself smiling as I passed by cheerful people.

My steps carried me to Sugarcube Corner, where I often stopped for food and hot chocolate after training sessions. The cosy bakery had outdone itself with decorations this year—a large Christmas tree stood proudly in the corner, surrounded by twinkling lights and ornaments. The smell of gingerbread hit me as soon as I walked through the door, filling me with a sense of warmth and nostalgia. I waved to a few of my staff enjoying their well-earned holiday break before heading to my usual table.

Waiting for me there was a familiar face.

“How’s it going, Pinkie?” I asked, settling into my seat across from her.

She giggled, her energy as infectious as ever. “Sweet!” Pinkie chirped, flashing me two hang-loose hand gestures—a habit she picked up from me during one of my first visits after starting Spike’s training. Rolling my eyes at her antics, I watched as she reached into her voluminous pink hair and pulled out a steaming mug of hot chocolate and a plate of doughnuts. I still don’t know how she does that. “Here you go! The usual! I added extra cocoa because I know you like it a bit bitter,” she said with a cheery grin.

“Thanks, Pinks,” I replied, snatching a doughnut before she could inhale the entire plate. This little ritual had become my favourite way to wind down after training, and as always, her joy was as comforting as the food.

Pinkie wasted no time devouring most of the treats while I took a few careful bites. Between mouthfuls, she announced the group’s latest plan. “Guess what! We’re all heading to Canterlot tomorrow to rehearse the Hearth’s Warming Eve play!” She said, practically bouncing in her seat. “Apparently, the Princesses think we’re perfect for the roles.” She added a coy flutter of her lashes as if feigning modesty. “We’re all super excited!”

“Oh, really? I couldn’t tell,” I said, my voice dripping with sarcasm.

She either missed it entirely or chose to ignore it. “Well, duh, that’s why I’m telling you!” She quipped back without missing a beat.

I stared at her for a moment, realizing my dry humour had gone right over her head. “Right...” I replied in my best Doctor Evil impression. “Well, I’ll have to come and see, then.”

“Wait, are you coming to Canterlot?” she asked, her eyes widening.

“Yeah,” I nodded. “I’ll be visiting Ghost.”

"Oh," Her energy shifted in an instant. The usually bubbly Pinkie softened, her voice gentle. “I know you probably want to see him by yourself, but you know we’d all be happy to come along. You don’t have to do it alone.”

Her words tugged at something deep inside me, and a genuine smile spread across my face. “Thanks, Pinks. If I think you’re worthy enough, I might consider letting you tag along.”

Pinkie giggled, standing up to clear the mug and plate. “That’s all we ask!” she replied with a playful wink.

As she bounced off, I gathered my things and started walking home. The streets were lively with the chatter of townsfolk, and I exchanged a few waves as I passed by. Ducking to avoid a rogue snowball, I finally caught sight of my house. But standing outside the door, arms crossed and radiating irritation was none other than Twilight.

Sighing, I braced myself for the lecture I knew was coming and approached her without hesitation. Despite being a full head shorter than me, she had mastered the universal look—the one that screamed, You did something wrong.

"I know I agreed to trust you but I can't let this sit," Twilight said sternly, her voice clipped as she glared up at me. “Why is Spike always so exhausted?”

I sighed as, even though I hoped it wouldn't happen, I knew she would eventually give and start asking questions. But how could I possibly explain that it was Spike’s own determination—and occasional clumsiness—that left him so drained? I knew she wouldn’t believe me. Worse, if I told her too much, she’d start prying into how my powers worked. And if there was one thing I knew about Twilight, it was that her curiosity was insatiable. I had specifically instructed Spike not to tell her anything, which only seemed to fuel her frustration.

“Because we're training, Twilight,” I replied simply, gently nudging her aside so I could unlock my door. “Same we've been doing for weeks.”

“Please, just tell me something!” She pressed, her tone shifting from exasperation to desperation. “You know how worried I am about him! Every time I see him, he’s barely awake and when I ask him why, he just gives me vague answers! I know you’d never hurt him on purpose, but he’s my brother. I need to know he’s safe.”

I paused, turning back to face her. “He’s fine, Twilight,” I said firmly, though I softened my tone to ease her nerves. “He’s tired, yes, but that’s because we’re focusing on building his endurance. Nothing more. Are we really going to have this conversation?”

Her expression wavered, the fight draining from her shoulders. “I know,” she admitted quietly. “I just... I’m worried about him.”

“Has Spike ever complained about his training or said he feels unsafe?” I asked pointedly. She opened her mouth to respond, but I cut her off. “Not from being tired or dramatic,” I added, raising a finger to emphasize the distinction. Her mouth snapped shut, and her gaze fell to the ground, her eyes glistening with unshed tears.

I sighed, whatever small frustration I felt giving way to sympathy. “Come here,” I said, holding out an arm. Twilight hesitated for only a moment before stepping into my embrace, burying her face against my chest. She sniffled but didn’t cry, which I took as a small victory.

“If it makes you feel better,” I said softly, “I’m giving Spike the holidays off.”

She pulled back slightly, looking up at me with wide, disbelieving eyes. “You mean it?”

“I mean it,” I confirmed, smiling faintly. “He’s earned it.”

“Why?” Twilight asked, tilting her head slightly, her curious gaze sharp yet warm. “I didn’t take you for the type to celebrate Hearth’s Warming.”

“Hey now, I can be just as festive as the rest of you!” I replied with exaggerated offence, holding a hand to my chest as if wounded by her words. My display earned a soft giggle from the studious librarian. “Now,” I continued, leaning against the doorframe with a grin, “If I recall correctly, you’re heading to Canterlot tomorrow for a rather important rehearsal. So why don’t you go pack up, spend some time with Spike, and enjoy your evening? We didn’t exactly work ourselves to the bone today.”

Twilight opened her mouth to respond, but whatever rebuttal she had planned faltered. Instead, she paused, then nodded slowly, her expression softening. “…You know what? I think I will.”

I waved her off, closing the door gently behind her as I headed upstairs. My thoughts were already turning to the simple but necessary preparations for the next day: a warm cup of Zecora’s ready tea, a good book to settle my mind, and—most importantly—a long, restful sleep.

~~

The streets of Canterlot during Hearth’s Warming season were unlike anything I had ever seen before, even in this regal city. Ponyville, with its rural charm, always exuded a cosy, handcrafted warmth—a feeling that was as inviting as a crackling fire on a cold winter night. Canterlot, however, was the polar opposite.

Banners fluttered in the brisk winter breeze, their vibrant colours bright against the muted greys and whites of snow-dusted streets and buildings. Strings of enchanted lights shimmered like captured stars, illuminating even the midday sky. Decorations adorned every streetlamp and storefront, while more elaborate displays were suspended mid-air by sturdy wires, forming arches of tinsel and gold. Shops and cafes, bustling with people dressed in their winter finest, had a surprising air of homeliness despite being nestled in the heart of Equestria’s capital.

It was a dazzling, almost overwhelming spectacle—yet beautiful in its own right.

As I approached the grand gates of Canterlot Castle, the Guards stationed there straightened and saluted, their armour catching the light of the winter sun. Returning the gesture with a nod, I made my way through the castle’s familiar corridors, each twist and turn etched into my memory like an old, well-worn map. The staff greeted me warmly as I passed, their holiday cheer a more than welcome addition to the usually quiet halls. Before long, I found myself standing outside the infirmary.

Pushing the door open, I stepped inside and offered a kind smile to the receptionist. “Happy Hearth’s Warming,” I said softly before continuing down the hall to Ghost’s room.

As always, he lay there, unmoving, his steady breathing the only sign of life. The sight was both comforting and heartbreaking, a mix of emotions I had long since stopped trying to untangle. Pulling up a chair beside him, I placed a small, neatly wrapped box on the nightstand and settled in.

“Hey, bud,” I greeted with a faint smile, my voice gentle. “It’s been a while. Sorry, I haven’t been by more often. Things have been… well, you won’t believe half of what’s happened.”

Leaning back in my chair, I chuckled weakly. “First of all, Damien’s back. Can you believe that? That guy’s like a cockroach—impossible to get rid of. Fitting, isn’t it?” I shook my head, a rueful smile on my face.

“Oh, and I had a pretty intense heart-to-heart with Applejack,” I continued. “I told her some of the things I’ve told you. Not everything, but more than anyone else knows. She probably passed some of it along to Rarity—she’s got a way of pulling gossip out of ponies without even trying—but you know what? It helped. More than I realized it could.”

My voice softened, the words laced with a vulnerability I rarely let slip. “It reminded me that… I’m not as alone as I think I am sometimes. I told her about Tiche, too. Everything. I think I rambled about her for way longer than I meant to. Haven’t done that in a while.”

I exhaled a shaky breath, a quiet laugh escaping me as I rubbed the back of my neck. “And here’s the real kicker—I’ve got an apprentice now. I bet you can guess who. He’s determined, I’ll give him that. Tenacious like I haven’t seen in years, and he’s making progress faster than I thought possible. Give him another week, and he’ll be at the top of the damn tree.”

For a moment, I fell silent, my gaze drifting to Ghost’s still form. “I don’t know why I was so afraid,” I admitted quietly. “I’ve always loved what I do, and knowing I’m helping someone else grow into their potential… it feels good. Really good. Like I’ve found a piece of myself I didn’t know I was missing.”

I smiled faintly, my tone softening even further. “He knows, by the way. About me. About what I am and why I am the way I am. That was the hardest part—being honest, being vulnerable enough to show him. He did flinch. He flinched hard. But he didn’t run. He...took it shockingly well, all things considered. He’s going to go far, that one.”

The hours slipped by as I sat there, talking to Ghost about anything and everything that came to mind. There was no structure to my words, no careful curation of topics—just a flowing stream of thoughts and memories. I reminisced about old friends, faraway places, and the countless adventures and mishaps that had shaped my life. Sometimes I laughed, other times I simply let the memories wash over me in silence.

Eventually, my words dwindled into quiet, my hand coming to rest on his forearm as it always did during these visits. The small, familiar gesture was as much for him as it was for me—a silent reminder that, no matter what, I was still here.

The door opened softly, and I made no effort to turn and see who it was. Gentle footsteps approached until they stopped just behind me, and a light hand rested on my shoulder. I glanced over, surprised to find Cadence, of all people. She was dressed far more casually than the last time I’d seen her—a simple pink shirt, a pair of jeans, and thick winter boots replacing her usual regal attire. Looking toward the door, I noticed her thick jacket draped neatly over the back of a chair.

“Cadence,” I said, releasing my hold on Ghost and leaning back in my chair. “What a surprise.”

“I can’t say the same,” she replied, her tone carrying a small, knowing smile. “I figured I’d find you here.”

I simply hummed in acknowledgement, turning my gaze back to the man lying in the bed before me. His chest rose and fell in a steady rhythm, a quiet reassurance I couldn’t seem to tear my eyes from, as though I feared it might stop if I looked away.

“You two seem close,” Cadence said softly, her hand remaining on my shoulder.

“Yeah, you could say that,” I murmured, nodding slightly. “The more time I spend with him, the less he feels like just a bodyguard or confidant. He’s starting to feel more like a brother.”

“Given everything you’ve been through together, I can’t say I’m surprised,” She said gently. “The bond makes sense—especially after what happened on the ship.” She paused. “Do you have anyone else?”

“No...not anymore,” I admitted, my voice lowering as my head dipped slightly.

“Then...who are you planning to spend Hearth’s Warming with?” she asked, her tone tentative yet curious.

“I was going to spend it alone,” I replied quietly. “Use the time to remember—and celebrate—those who aren’t here anymore.”

“That’s...sad,” she said after a moment, her voice tinged with sorrow.

“Maybe,” I shrugged lightly. “But it’s what I used to do when I was younger. It helped me appreciate what I had.”

“Why not spend some of that time with friends?” she suggested, her tone warm and inviting. “You don’t have to spend all of Hearth’s Warming with anyone, but at least share part of the holiday with someone—even if it’s just this evening.” She hesitated, then added with a smile in her voice, “At my request.”

I glanced at her and couldn’t help but chuckle softly. Turning back to Ghost, I nodded to myself.

“You know what? Screw it.”

Standing, I placed a hand gently on Ghost’s shoulder, giving it a small, reassuring squeeze. “I’ll come back soon, bud. I’ll make this a regular thing. See you later.”

Leaving the infirmary behind, Cadence and I exited the castle grounds in record time. The festive streets were still alive with activity, and as we walked, a few citizens greeted us warmly, their cheer a sharp contrast to the nobles, who kept to themselves—a detail neither of us particularly minded.

“So, who’s going to be there?” I asked suddenly, breaking the silence as we strolled.

“Just me and Shining,” She replied, pulling her thick coat tighter around her. “His parents decided to take a trip this year—to get away from the city’s hustle and bustle.”

“Fair enough,” I said with a knowing chuckle. “When I was stationed here for guard training, I eventually got used to the chaos, but it was a lot to handle.”

“I’m surprised I never ran into you back then,” I added thoughtfully.

“Oh, I was away,” Cadence said. “I spent most of that time in the Caiman Islands. I was there to establish trade routes, but an internal dispute dragged things out longer than expected. Things got...complicated.”

“Six months complicated?” I raised an eyebrow.

"It was a big dispute," She replied with an amused grin.

As we rounded the next corner, the festive atmosphere of the city gave way to a quieter street. A short walk later, we arrived at our destination: the Sparkle family household.

The house stood in a particularly nice part of Canterlot, though truthfully, all of Canterlot was nice—even the areas where rowdy teenagers hung out. Still, this neighbourhood had a certain charm, outshining most others except for the castle itself. The house was modest yet elegant, built of smooth white stone accented by soft touches of light purple framing the windows and doors. It lacked the narcissistic grandeur of some of the nearby mansions, but that only added to its appeal.

"Special delivery!" Cadence called cheerfully as we stepped inside.

I wandered deeper into the house and eventually found myself in the living room. The couches, coffee tables, and a fireplace crackling gently in the corner were all shockingly simplistic. The room had a cosy yet elegant feel, fitting well with the overall impression of the house. Spacious, well-kept, and clearly cared for—this was a nice home. Then again, considering the pristine exterior and sheer size of the place, I had already guessed as much. It was easy to see how Shining, Spike, and Twilight had grown up in such a supportive, comfortable environment. And the festive decorations only helped to amplify that cosiness.

"Sir!"

The abrupt call pulled my attention toward the doorway leading into what I assumed was the kitchen. There stood Shining Armour, wearing a simple white T-shirt and dark blue joggers, snapping off a crisp salute like we were back on duty. My expression flattened instantly as I gave him an unimpressed tilt of my head.

"Boy, I swear to God, if you don’t lower that arm."

He faltered, confusion flickering across his face, but hesitantly dropped the salute. From beside me, Cadence giggled as she shrugged off her coat and hung it on the nearby rack. With a soft smile, she stepped over to Shining and planted a kiss on his cheek, basking in his continued bewilderment. Cute.

"I didn’t exactly expect to see you here, Sir," Shining admitted slowly.

"Yeah, well, I have a knack for showing up unannounced," I replied with a casual shrug.

"That you do, Sir."

I sighed, pointing directly at him. "Shining Armour, look me in the eyes. Neither of us are on duty. Lose the formalities. It’s the holidays. Chill."

Cadence smirked at him as she slipped her shoes off. "He has trouble loosening up around his superiors," she teased. "I’m the only exception."

"Hey! I can be relaxed when I want to be," Shining shot back, crossing his arms defensively.

"That’s bullshit and you know it~" Cadence sing-songed as she headed up the stairs.

"Jesus Christ," I muttered with a shake of my head. "And they call you a princess. Such terrible manners."

"Bah!" Was her only reply before she disappeared from sight.

Amused by their antics, I turned back to Shining, who now wore a wide grin. He seemed to snap back to reality, offering me a seat just as Cadence returned from upstairs and disappeared into the kitchen. Shrugging off my coat, Shining was quick to take it from me and hang it up for me. With a quiet bamf, I dismissed the rest of my gear—putting it on every morning had become second nature at this point. I settled into a seat, the crackle of the fireplace mixing with the faint hum of Cadence in the kitchen and the occasional clatter of utensils.

"So," Shining began suddenly, "I heard you’ve taken Spike on as your apprentice."

"That I have," I replied, nodding approvingly. "He’s making impressive progress. Twilight, on the other hand, is stressed beyond belief—bless her heart."

"Permission to speak freely, Sir?"

I waved a hand dismissively. "This is your home, Shining. You don’t need permission to speak."

His eyes narrowed, his tone turning serious. "Hurt my little brother, and your ass is mine."

A wide grin spread across my face, a spark of pride for the young man flickering in my chest. "Good. That’s exactly what I want to hear. Never be afraid to stand up to me—especially when it comes to your family."

"I’ll… I’ll keep that in mind," He murmured, clearly surprised but appreciative.

The soft clattering from the kitchen paused briefly before picking back up again, the humming returning with it. Shining seemed thoughtful for a moment, so I decided to shift the conversation.

"But, you and Cadence, huh?" I said, dropping my voice slightly. "How long’s that been a thing?"

Shining glanced toward the kitchen, the corners of his mouth tugging upward in a faint smile. "About nine years now—give or take a few months."

My grin widened. "Have you popped the question yet?"

His smile grew fractionally larger. "Proposed three years ago," he admitted.

I leaned forward, my tone warm and teasing. "How nervous were you? Hands clammy? Knees shaking? Heart pounding so hard you thought it might burst? Did you prepare a whole speech, only to improvise because you got tongue-tied when the moment actually came?"

His eyes widened, his mouth opening and closing like a fish as he stared at me. Finally, he managed to find his voice. "Yes to… all of that. How did you know?"

"Oh, that’s easy," I replied, casually reaching down to loosen the strap of my prosthetic leg. "I was married."

"WHAT!?"

Cadence’s shout startled me so much that I flinched, my prosthetic half-removed. She skidded dramatically into the room, eyes wide and wild as she rushed up to me. Grabbing my shoulders, she shook me like a maraca.

"YOU WERE MARRIED!?" She practically screamed. "AND YOU NEVER TOLD ME!?"

Laughing as she continued to shake me, I freed the peg leg and set it beside the chair. Looking up at her manic expression, I simply smirked. "The topic never came up."

"You’re going to tell me everything," She said sternly, pointing a finger at me before retreating back to the kitchen.

Minutes later, she reappeared carrying a tray of steaming mugs, the rich scent of cocoa filling the air. She placed the tray on the coffee table and handed out the mugs. I took mine, savouring the warmth, while Shining and Cadence blew gently on theirs to cool the liquid.

"So," Cadence said, fixing me with a determined look, her curiosity practically radiating off her. Even Shining seemed eager to hear more. "Spill."

"Where do I even begin?" I chuckled softly, glancing between my two attentive listeners.

"Start from the beginning—when you two first met," Shining suggested, his voice carrying a boyish eagerness I was surprised to hear. Cadence must be rubbing off on him as she nodded in agreement, her curiosity practically shining in her eyes.

"Well, let me tell you, it’s not exactly the kind of story you’d find in a romance novel," I said with a wry laugh. "At least, not the conventional kind of romantic."

Their expectant gazes pulled me back into the past, and I took a breath before beginning. "I was approached by the leader of a group, the name escapes me. He was a family member of an old friend. He’d heard rumours about an artefact, one said to be able to protect their town from creatures that hunted in the night. The artefact was supposed to act as a deterrent, a ward of sorts. The leader had sent his daughter to retrieve it, but she never came back. That’s where I entered the picture. I happened to be passing through the town at the time, and... well, let’s just say I’m not very good at ignoring people in need."

Cadence and Shining leaned in, fully immersed as I continued.

"So after what I can only describe as mild persuading, I agreed to investigate. They sent me down to where the daughter had disappeared, and it didn’t take long for me to discover the truth: she’d been turned to stone. Encased completely, as though frozen in time. Turns out, an artefact wasn’t the only thing lurking down there." I paused, letting the memory settle for a moment. "A beast had claimed the place as its lair—something monstrous that would turn anyone foolish enough to enter into stone. I fought it for what felt like hours, every moment feeling longer than the last. By the end of it, I was battered, exhausted... but alive. And when the beast finally fell, something miraculous happened. Everyone who had been turned to stone was restored, including the leader’s daughter."

"She found the artefact, I assume?" Cadence asked, hanging on every word.

I smiled faintly. "She did. To be honest, I hadn’t expected the thing to even exist. But with the artefact in hand, we were able to defend the town against the creatures of the night. Though, I have to admit," I added softly, "I wasn’t initially planning to help."

"Wait, what?" Shining said, his shock almost comical. "Why not?"

"At that point in my life, I was... jaded. Tired" I admitted, my voice quieter now. "I’d lost a part of myself, a part that I wasn’t sure I’d ever get back. I felt empty. Hollow. But despite all of that, the instinct to protect was still there. And I think she knew it." I paused, allowing a warm smile to break through. "She was persuasive—annoyingly so. A stubborn, infuriating woman, if nothing else. She utterly refused to let me wallow in my self-pity and managed to talk me into helping the town. And for reasons I still don’t fully understand, she decided to stick around. And damn, am I glad she did."

"What was her name?" Cadence asked softly, her voice almost reverent.

"Tiche," I said, the name slipping from my lips like a whisper. "Tiche Fairwind." My gaze fell distant as her image flickered in my mind—her golden eyes, that fearless grin, the way she stood so unwavering against the odds.

"Tell us about her," Cadence encouraged gently.

I blinked, returning to the present, my thumb absently running over the smooth golden band on my finger. "She was a Chimera," I murmured, a soft chuckle escaping me. "An opossum Chimera, to be specific. She had the brightest golden eyes you could imagine, and these adorable sabrecat fangs that always poked out, especially when she smiled. She was barely five-foot-nothing, but that never stopped her. It probably fueled her determination now I think about it. She was absolutely fearless. I watched her face down creatures three times her size without so much as flinching."

"She sounds amazing," Shining said quietly, awe lacing his tone. Cadence nodded beside him, her expression gentle.

"She was more than that," I said softly, the words catching slightly in my throat. "She was everything. She reignited something in me that I thought I’d lost forever—my passion for helping others, for protecting those who couldn’t protect themselves. She reminded me of who I was."

The room fell silent for a moment before Cadence broke it with a tentative question. "Did you two... ever have children?"

I laughed heartily at that, the sound surprising even me. "Oh, yes. Yes, we did."

Her eyes lit up with wonder. "How many?"

I grinned mischievously. "Brace yourselves for this one—we had six."

"SIX?!" They shouted in unison, their disbelief making me laugh again.

"No wonder you handled that situation on the ship so effortlessly," Shining muttered, shaking his head.

The mood shifted subtly then. I saw the hesitation in Cadence’s expression, the way she glanced at me, her voice catching before she spoke. "What... what happened to them?"

My smile faltered, the weight of the question pressing down on me. My throat tightened as I tried to find the words. "I...I don’t know," I admitted, my voice barely more than a whisper. They stared at me, stunned into silence. "You remember the crystal that was brought back from Las Almas, don’t you?"

They both nodded, their expressions solemn.

"Well, what most people don’t realize is that I was sent back in time. Thousands—countless thousands—of years back. And there was a catch: I had a time limit. I was defending my family, our home, when I was ripped away. Just like that." I swallowed hard, my voice trembling as I continued. "I don’t know what became of them. I don’t know if they died that day, or if they survived and were just...lost to time. All I know is that they’re not here. None of them are."

A tear slipped free before I could stop it, and I wiped it away quickly. I hadn’t even noticed Cadence move until her soft, bright pink wings folded around me, followed by two pairs of arms pulling me into a warm embrace. For a long moment, I just sat there, frozen by the gesture, before finally allowing myself to hug them back. My single arm gripped their arms lightly, and I rested my head against Cadence’s shoulder.

"I’m so sorry," She whispered, her voice thick with emotion. I could hear the tears she was fighting to hold back. "I’m so sorry you had to go through that."

Shining’s voice followed, quieter but just as sincere. "If you ever need anything—even if it’s just someone to listen—we’re here."

I managed a small smile, the warmth of their compassion easing the ache, even if only slightly. "Just... cherish what you two have," I said quietly. "Promise me that."

"We will," Cadence replied quickly, her voice filled with conviction. "For Tiche."

Author's Note

Second to last chapter of the year, thought I'd put one out with a bit more of a festive feel to it with a bit of bittersweet

Not much to say other than I hope you all have a great holiday

Please point out any mistakes I may have made
Constructive criticism is always appreciated
Until next time, TTFN!

Chapter 38 - "Coming Back"

A week had passed since my evening with Shining and Cadence, and life remained blissfully ordinary. Applejack and the others dropped by whenever their schedules allowed, whether between rehearsals for their play or tending to their daily lives. This left me with plenty of time on my hands—time I spent either sketching out arm designs or simply soaking in the festive atmosphere. There was something irresistibly heartwarming about this time of year. The spirit of Christmas, or Equestria’s equivalent, was infectious, and it made my time here feel just a little more magical, a little more bearable.

Watching the kids run and play in the snow-filled me with a bittersweet mix of joy and longing, though I ignored the pang in my chest as I sipped my hot cocoa. Seated outside Sugarcube Corner, I let myself sink into the scene.

It was Hearth’s Warming Eve, and Ponyville was alive with celebration. Joy spilt into every corner of the town as carolers filled the air with song, their voices competing with the soft, steady patter of thickly falling snow. The smells of cinnamon, fir, and freshly baked treats mingled in the air, and carried on a crisp breeze. Market stalls lined the streets, offering candles, ornaments, and all manner of festive knick-knacks.

I inhaled deeply, letting the wintry scents wash over me, and a small smile tugged at my lips.

"I'm telling you, he’ll be perfect!"

"While I do not doubt that, Vinyl, he has been under significant stress lately. It would be unfair to burden him with such a trivial matter."

Opening my eyes, I spotted a familiar pair approaching through the snowy street. Both were bundled in thick winter clothing, though their distinct colour schemes made them easy to recognize. With a wave, I beckoned them over. Vinyl Scratch and Octavia Melody hesitated only briefly before making their way to my table, one with considerably more enthusiasm than the other.

"Vinyl! Octavia! Long time no see!" I greeted them warmly.

"You can say that again!" Vinyl said, bumping my fist as she plopped down across from me. "Feels like it’s been forever!"

"And you’re looking as elegant as always, Ms. Melody," I added with a small nod toward Octavia.

"Oh, you flatter me," She replied modestly, a faint smile on her lips. "And you look well too, Sir Felwinter."

"Uh… I gotta be honest with you, man," Vinyl interrupted, scratching the back of her head awkwardly. "You kinda look like shit."

"Vinyl Scratch!" Octavia gasped, glaring at her wife.

I chuckled. "It’s fine, Octavia. She’s not wrong—I’ve definitely seen better days."

"Even so," Octavia huffed, "that was incredibly rude." Her glare softened as she turned back to me.

"So, what can I help you two with?" I asked, steering the conversation back on track.

"Well," Vinyl began, "we’ve been working on a Hearth’s Warming song for weeks now. We got really close, but our lyricist bailed on us a few days ago—and took all the progress with him." She frowned. "We’ve been trying to write something new, but nothing clicks."

"I take it you’re stuck?" I said, taking another sip of cocoa.

"Very," Octavia admitted with a grimace. "Vinyl suggested that, given people know that you are a talented musician and singer, you might be able to help us."

"Of course! I’d be happy to," I said without hesitation, draining the last of my cocoa and standing.

"Wait, seriously?" Vinyl asked, blinking in surprise. "Just like that?"

"When it comes to music, it doesn’t take much convincing," I shrugged. "Now, let’s see what you’ve got for me to work with."

The two exchanged a surprised glance before smiling. Together, they led me through the snow-dusted streets to what I assumed was their studio. Instead, I found myself standing before their home.

Inside, the house was a fascinating blend of contrasting styles: the refined elegance you’d expect from Octavia mixed with the bold, energetic flair of a high-end DJ. It was cosy, yet vibrant—a perfect reflection of its owners.

Down in the basement, their studio awaited. It was a musician’s dream come true, packed with every imaginable instrument—from acoustic to digital, and even hybrids of the two. Exotic instruments I couldn’t immediately identify lined the walls, adding an eclectic touch.

"Nice," I said appreciatively, letting out a low whistle.

"Knew you’d dig it," Vinyl grinned. "The recording studio’s over here."

She led me into a smaller room dominated by an impressive setup, complete with a state-of-the-art computer. For all of Equestria’s old-fashioned charm, they occasionally dabbled in surprisingly advanced tech. Booting up the system, Vinyl and Octavia brought up a few tracks they’d been working on.

Handing me a pair of headphones, they played the first track. I closed my eyes, letting the melody wash over me. Ideas began to spark almost immediately, fragments of lyrics and themes swirling in my mind.

It didn’t take long for inspiration to strike.

"Got it," I said suddenly, pulling off the headphones.

"Already?" Octavia asked, clearly startled. "Sir Percival, we barely played a quarter of the track."

"I know," I replied with a confident smile. Grabbing the headphones resting near the microphone, I stepped into the recording booth. Giving them the okay sign, I let them play the track.

"It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas
Everywhere you go;
Take a look at the five and ten
It's glistening once again
With candy canes and silver lanes aglow."

Glancing up at the pair, they seemed almost instantly taken aback as the words effortlessly left my mouth, a small smile gracing my lips as I continued.

"It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas
Toys in every store
But the prettiest sight to see is the holly that will be
On your own front door.

A pair of hopalong boots and a pistol that shoots
Is the wish of Barney and Ben;
Dolls that will talk and will go for a walk
Is the hope of Janice and Jen;
And Mom and Dad can hardly wait for school to start again."

Swaying in time with the music, they seemed to giggle a little at the last line.

"It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas
Everywhere you go;
There's a tree in the Grand Hotel, one in the park as well,
It's the sturdy kind that doesn't mind the snow."

Through the glass of the recording booth, I spied Vinyl indicating towards me as Octavia gave her an unimpressed, but teasing eye roll as the two listened to the rest.

"It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas;
Soon the bells will start,
And the thing that will make them ring is the carol that you sing
Right within your heart"

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas
Toys in every store
But the prettiest sight to see is the holly that will be
On your own front door.

Sure it's Christmas once more..."

Tapping on the computer, Vinyl threw her hands up in triumph, her wide grin lighting up the room. Even Octavia couldn’t help but join in her excitement, her usually composed demeanour softening with laughter.

Replacing the headphones carefully where I had found them, I stepped out of the recording booth to be greeted by the pair, both radiating enthusiasm.

“Dude, I don’t know how you pulled that off, but damn—you’ve got some serious talent,” Vinyl said with a chuckle, her magenta eyes glinting with approval. “If we ever need someone to step in, you’re our first call.”

“Well, assuming I’m free,” I replied as she saved the recording with a flourish. “God knows the universe loves to keep me running in circles.”

“Yeah, yeah—if the whole Paladin gig ever falls through, just remember to give us a call,” Vinyl teased with a grin.

Her joke drew hearty laughter from all three of us, the shared moment breaking some of the tension lingering in the air. Once everything was safely saved and squared away, we made our way upstairs to the cosy living room. Octavia disappeared briefly into the kitchen, returning a moment later with a tray of steaming coffee cups. Settling into the room’s inviting warmth, we fell into easy conversation.

“So,” Octavia began as she gracefully lowered herself into an armchair, her fingers curled around her cup, “where did you learn to play like that?”

“My grandfather taught me,” I said, leaning back with a small smile as memories surfaced. “Everything I know, really—not just music.”

Octavia’s brow lifted slightly in interest, while Vinyl tilted her head. “Wait… are you saying he taught you how to fight too?”

I shrugged, sipping my coffee before answering. “More or less. Let’s just say I wouldn’t be the person I am today without his guidance.”

“He sounds like he was an incredible man,” Octavia said softly, her voice carrying a tone of reverence.

“He was,” I replied, nodding solemnly, my thoughts momentarily drifting.

There was a brief pause, filled only by the quiet clink of cups and the comforting hum of conversation lingering in the air. Then Vinyl’s voice broke through, curiosity dancing in her tone.

“Hey, so… what’s Christmas?”

Before I could respond, a sharp knock echoed from the front door, instantly drawing all of our attention. The sound was firm, deliberate, and carried an urgency that made Octavia glance between us and the source of the interruption. Rising smoothly, she moved to answer it.

The door opened to reveal a royal guard standing at attention, his armour gleaming even in the muted light. His face was stern, his expression underscored by a sense of urgency.

“Is Sir Percival Felwinter here?”

Straightening instinctively, I moved to stand behind Octavia. “I’m here. What’s going on?”

The guard’s eyes flicked to me, his tone clipped but respectful. “Sir, you’re needed immediately. It’s Lieutenant Ghost.”

My heart skipped at the name. “What about him?”

“He’s awake.”

Sitting at the edge of Ghost’s bed, I couldn’t help but stare at him in disbelief as the doctors busied themselves with their tests, ensuring he was stable. Not even a day ago, which had been my last visit, he had been utterly unresponsive, no matter what the medical team tried to bring him back. And now, here he was—sitting upright, participating in the tests like he’d just woken from an afternoon nap.

“And how do you feel, sir?” One of the Doctors asked, his voice calm but probing. “Any lingering fatigue? Weakness in motor functions, even slight?”

“No,” Ghost replied, shaking his head ever so slightly as the Doctor directed a small light into his eye. “Feel fine.”

“And your last memory before waking?” Another Doctor chimed in.

Ghost paused, glancing at the bedside table. His eyes settled on the Yamato, the blade sitting there with an almost ominous presence. “We were falling,” he said finally. “I swung that sword”—He motioned toward it—“and a portal opened. That’s the last thing I remember.”

The Doctor scribbled a note, his pen scratching against the clipboard, before exchanging a subtle glance with his colleagues. As they continued their work, I stepped away with the lead Doctor, distancing ourselves by a few paces while Twilight and her friends, who were not long done finishing the play the Princesses had asked them to play in, stayed near Ghost, engaging him in quiet conversation.

“How is he?” I asked, my voice low and urgent.

“He’s perfectly fine,” The Doctor replied, flipping through his notes as though searching for a discrepancy that didn’t exist. “In fact, he’s more than fine. Whatever caused his comatose state has left no residual effects that we can detect.”

“So… he’s healthy?”

“More than healthy,” The Doctor admitted, his gaze drifting briefly toward Ghost. “If I’m being honest, sir, it’s... unusual.”

“What do you mean, unusual?” I pressed, a knot forming in my gut.

“For starters, his muscle density and oxygen capacity have increased significantly. His red blood cells are operating at levels we’ve only seen in peak athletes—or certain magical phenomena. We also performed a reaction time test earlier, and his speed has improved by roughly one hundred and ten per cent. Every single test we’ve run comes back with results far above the norm. It’s… perplexing, to say the least.”

I frowned, glancing back toward Ghost, who seemed perfectly at ease as he exchanged words with the group of friends. “And when do you think he’ll be able to leave?”

“We’ll need to run a few final tests just to be thorough,” The Doctor said, closing his clipboard. “But if everything checks out—which I suspect it will—he should be clear to leave by this afternoon.”

My eyes drifted back to the Yamato, the blade catching the light as it sat untouched on the table. Something about it nagged at me.

“Can I have a moment alone with him?” I asked.

“Of course, sir.”

The Doctor gave a small nod before ushering his team out of the room. The Elements followed, offering me reassuring smiles and a few quiet words of encouragement as they passed. Once the door clicked shut, I pulled a chair over and sat beside Ghost, much as I had during the long hours of his unconsciousness. This time, though, the tension in my chest had finally loosened.

“Good to see you, bud,” I said with a grin.

“You too, sir,” Ghost replied, nodding once. Then, with a faint smirk, he added, “Permission to speak freely?”

“You know you don’t have to ask, Ghost.”

“You look like shit.”

I couldn’t help but chuckle. “Yeah, well, you could say that again.”

“How’re you holding up?” He asked, his tone casual yet tinged with curiosity.

“Ghost, I should be asking you that,” I countered. “How’re you feeling?”

Ghost didn’t answer right away. He took a slow sip of water, his fingers absently brushing against his face before he finally spoke. “I feel... different.”

“Different how?” I pressed. “Bad different? Good different?”

“Just… different,” He said, his brow furrowing slightly. He scratched at one of his pointed ears. “I feel more… aware. Like my senses are sharper. I can hear things I couldn’t before, smell things I shouldn’t even notice. Everything looks more vivid, more defined. It’s... strange."

A chill ran down my spine, but I kept my tone steady. “This might sound odd, but bear with me—do you feel like you have knowledge about that sword”—I pointed to the Yamato—“that you didn’t have before? Like something came to you the moment you touched it?”

Ghost nodded slowly, his expression thoughtful. “Aye. It’s like… it’s always been mine. Like I’ve trained with it for years. But that's not the only thing.”

“What is it?”

“When I woke up, I was...disoriented. Managed to cut myself by accident,” He admitted, holding up his hand to show his palm. There was nothing there. “The damn thing healed in seconds.”

I exhaled through my nose, leaning back in my chair. His description was all too familiar. It mirrored my own experience when I first arrived here—when I’d first touched my blade, Anatole, and later when I bonded with Ace. That overwhelming rush of knowledge, those flashes of skill and understanding—it felt as if your brain might shatter under the weight of it all. It was overwhelming, disorienting… but effective Yet for Ghost, an Equestrian through and through, this shouldn’t have been possible.

My eyes flicked back to Ghost as he ran a hand through his dirty blonde hair. I noticed it then—a few strands of white, stark against the rest.

“In any case,” Ghost said suddenly, snapping me from my thoughts. as he gestured to the Yamato. “I believe that belongs to you.”

I shook my head. “Why don’t you hold onto it for me? I couldn’t get the damn thing to work right anyway.”

Ghost raised a brow but didn’t argue.

“It’s good to have you back,” I said after a pause, my voice softening. “You had me worried there for a minute.”

“I’m not going anywhere, sir,” Ghost replied, holding up a hand with a small smirk. Grinning widely, I reached out, clasping his hand in a firm grip before pulling him into a quick embrace.

“All of that happened while I was unconscious?” Ghost asked as he stepped off the train cart, his tone laced with disbelief. “Bloody hell.”

After several hours of rigorous testing, the doctors concluded that Ghost wasn’t experiencing any adverse symptoms. In fact, they deemed him stable enough to go home, albeit with some hesitation. They discharged him tentatively, cautioning me to monitor his condition closely and report anything unusual that might pose a risk to his health. With that in mind, and the Elements in tow, we began the journey back home. I made sure to follow their advice to the letter.

“Yeah, it’s been a rough few weeks,” Rainbow Dash replied as I rubbed the bridge of my nose, the exhaustion catching up to me. “I don’t know how things could possibly get crazier.”

“You can say that again,” I said with a small nod as we stepped off the train platform. “Thankfully, I had this lot to keep me... well, somewhat sane.”

“And you actually decided to take Spike as your apprentice,” Ghost remarked, inclining his head toward the young Draconian walking beside us. “Now that has to be the most surprising development.”

“You’re telling me,” Spike said with a chuckle. “It’s been driving Twilight up the wall.”

“That’s only because a certain someone refuses to tell me anything,” Twilight huffed, though her expression softened just a touch. “Still, I trust you’ll keep him safe.”

“At least you gave me the holidays off,” Spike commented with a smirk.

“With the progress you’ve made, I’d say you earned it,” I replied, pushing open the front gate and leading the group along the neatly paved stone path.

When we reached the door, there was a faint sound as it swung open—paper scraping against varnished wood. Glancing down, I noticed an envelope wedged beneath the door. Bending to pick it up, I manoeuvred it into my hand and used my thumb to carefully pry it open. I slipped out the folded piece of paper inside, tucking the empty envelope under the stump of my right arm before unfolding the note.

Meet us at the Castle of the Two Sisters’ inner courtyard.

“Well, that’s not ominous,” I thought dryly, sighing outwardly.

“Everything alright, darling?” Rarity asked, her voice cutting through my thoughts.

Before I could respond, Ghost was suddenly at my side, snatching the note from my hand. His sharp eyes scanned the brief message, and his brow furrowed.

“Well, that’s not ominous,” He echoed, his tone flat.

“Yeah,” I said, exhaling heavily. “My thoughts exactly.”

“What’s up?” Pinkie Pie asked, her usual cheer replaced by concern.

Glancing at the group, I immediately noticed the worry etched onto their faces. No point in hiding it.

“Seems we’ve got a little meet-and-greet to attend,” Ghost interjected before I could explain further.

“Ghost, no,” I said firmly, cutting him off. “You just got out of the hospital after being in a coma for weeks. You need to rest.”

“Sir—”

“Ghost,” I interrupted, my tone sharper now. “I don’t care how fine you think you feel. I’m not risking your health over this. As your commanding officer, your General—but more importantly, your friend and brother-in-arms—I’m ordering you to stay behind and recover. Is that understood?”

He stared at me for a long moment before his shoulders slumped in reluctant defeat. “Yes, Sir.”

“Remember the Kraken?” I said, placing a reassuring hand on his shoulder. “I’ve handled worse. I’ll be fine.”

Turning to the rest of the group, I forced a grin, hoping to ease some of the tension. “Well, girls, keep the house clean for when I get back! I won’t be long.”

With that, I stepped outside, closing the door behind me and beginning the trek to the Castle.

The journey felt longer than it actually was. Something about what awaited me gnawed at my gut, leaving me uneasy. It wasn’t the dread I felt whenever Damien reared his head, nor was it the anticipation of a fight. It was... different, and for the life of me, I couldn’t put a finger on what exactly it was.

Each step along the empty path felt heavier than the last, the sound of crunching snow under my boot being the only sound that came from me. Eventually, the crumbling silhouette of the Castle of the Two Sisters came into view, appearing through the thin fog like a spectre and the knot in my stomach twisted tighter. With a leap, I cleared the chasm surrounding the ruins and landed in the foyer. Moving through the winding halls, I navigated toward the inner courtyard, where the shattered remains of the fountain loomed at the centre like a weathered monument to the past.

Stepping into the open space, I paused, fire flickering briefly in my eyes as I scanned the area for energy signatures. It didn’t take long to find them. Three figures stood on the roof above, their postures tense, their obscured faces watching me intently.

They leapt down, sending flurries of snow cascading from the ledges and landing in the courtyard with practised precision. Small bits of stone scattered from the impact as loose snow exploded outward in a flurry of white. The trio wore well-maintained yet weathered grey robes, trimmed with light fur along their shoulders and backs. Leather gauntlets gripped their forearms, and a single pauldron adorned each of their right shoulders. Shadows obscured most of their faces, save for the tips of their noses.

The woman, clearly a Viseran judging by the bat-like wings on her back and the fangs protruding from her mouth, moved with a predator’s poise, effortlessly twirling twin daggers in her hands as though they weighed nothing. To her left, a massive Draconian with red scales carried a kanabo—a steel-studded club resting casually against his shoulder while his tail idly brushed against the ground. The third, a leaner Lycan whose movements seemed coiled and ready to pounce, flicked twin short swords into position. The blades gleamed in the faint sunlight.

“So,” I began, my voice carrying through the icy air, echoing off of the ruined courtyard around us. “You’re the ones who sent that message to Walter before the Gala. Gotta say that opened up quite the can of worms. So, who are you?”

They didn’t respond. Instead, they readied their weapons, their movements decisive and without hesitation.

The woman moves first, closing the gap in an instant. Her daggers lash out, flashing in tight arcs. My side takes the first strike, cutting a deep wound into it as I was momentarily caught off guard, my arm snapping up to deflect the second with my gauntlet. The impact rings out, metal screaming against metal, and I feel the shock rattle through my bones. She doesn’t pause. Her other blade slices toward my midsection. I pivot hard, twisting away from the attack and slamming my shoulder into her as she passes. It throws her off balance, but she rolls with the motion, bouncing back into a ready stance.

Before I can press the advantage, the leaner man is on me. His short swords blur as he launches a flurry of strikes as he cut through the snow-filled air. I duck under one, raise my arm to block another and twist to avoid a third that nearly finds my throat. He’s quick. I wait for the opening, and when he overcommits with a downward slash, I lunge forward, driving my elbow into his jaw. He staggers, but not for long. His split lip seals itself before the blood even hits the ground.

The air shifts behind me. The kanabo is coming. I dive forward just as the massive weapon crashes down, splitting the snowy pavement with a deafening crack. Rolling onto my feet, I spin to face the brute. He’s deceptively fast and the sheer weight of his swings makes him a constant threat. He steps forward, bracing his palm against the kanabos bottom end, sending it charging forward in a deadly jab. I duck low, feeling the air ripple above me as the weapon misses my head by inches. Rising quickly, I throw a straight punch into his gut, the force amplified by every ounce of power I can muster. It’s like hitting a brick wall, but it stops him for half a second—a long enough window to slam my knee into his side, throwing him off balance.

Pain explodes in my back as one of the daggers slices across my shoulder. The woman is there again, her movements precise and relentless. I stagger forward, twisting away as she presses her attack. Her blades flash too fast to fully evade; one slices my forearm, and another carves a shallow line along my ribs. My healing kicks in, sealing the wounds almost as quickly as they form.

I feint to the side, drawing her forward, then lash out with a low kick that catches her ankle. She stumbles, and I seize the chance to slam my fist into her sternum. The force sends her flying backwards, but she plants a hand on the ground, flipping upright with supernatural agility as her wings shoot out to stop her momentum.

The leaner man closes the gap again. His short swords cut in a rapid X-pattern, forcing me into a defensive retreat. I parry one strike with my gauntlet, sidestep another, and retaliate with a sharp jab to his throat. He gasps, the attack halting him for a fraction of a second, but his healing restores him before I can follow through. He ducks under my next swing, his blade carving a shallow cut along my leg. A dull pain flares, but I ignore it and keep moving, pivoting to face all three of them as they regroup.

The brute roars, charging forward with his kanabo raised high. I brace myself, stepping into his swing instead of away. At the last second, I twist, letting the weapon’s momentum carry him slightly off balance. My prosthetic leg powers up, hydraulics hissing, as I drive a low kick into his knee. The impact doesn’t break the joint, but it sends him sprawling to the side, the blow leaving him vulnerable for a few crucial moments.

The woman comes at me again, daggers aimed at my throat and chest. I twist, grabbing her wrist mid-strike and yanking her forward. Her second blade arcs toward my ribs, but I trap her arm between mine and drive my head into hers with a brutal headbutt. She staggers, blood streaming from her nose, but she’s already healing as she pulls free and dances out of range with a single flap of her wings.

The leaner man flanks me, his short swords a blur as he slashes at my exposed back. I spin, dropping low, and sweep his legs out from under him. He hits the ground hard, and I stomp down on his chest with my real foot, but it’s not enough to keep him down. He grunts, stabbing upward with one of his blades. I jerk back, the blade grazing my side, and kick him in the ribs to buy space.

The brute is up again, kanabo swinging in a wide arc that clears the ground between us. I duck, the weapon crashing into the side of a parked truck, caving the vehicle in with a deafening crunch. Before he can recover, I lunge forward, driving my shoulder into his chest. He barely budges, but it gives me enough leverage to jam my foot onto his knee. My pegleg roars, the recoil sending my knee into the bottom of his jaw, momentarily shattering it. He topples, grunting briefly as his healing works overtime to mend the damage.

I don’t let up. I’m already moving toward the wiry man as he rises, slamming my fist into his temple before he can fully stand. The woman is there an instant later, her daggers carving toward my side. I twist, catching one blade on my bracer and ducking under the other. My pegleg swings in a high kick, catching her in the ribs and sending her flying into the brute, who’s just starting to get back up. that's when I heard a noise.

A faint clatter to my side. My eyes flickered toward the sound before locking onto a pair of gold-framed glasses half-buried in the snow, glinting from the light of the snow. My breath hitched as I stooped, trembling fingers brushing away the frost. The world freezes.

The trio exchange a glance before reaching for their hoods.

The woman lowers hers first, then the leaner man, and finally the brute.

My heart stops as their eyes meet mine.

"Hi, dad."

Author's Note

And so, the last chapter of the year, can't say I expected to end it off like this :rainbowlaugh:

Closing off the year, I want to wish everyone a Happy Holiday and a wonderful New Year
I don't know why some of you have stuck around for as long as you have, but I greatly appreciate it, more than you know :twilightsmile:

Gonna be real for a second, I don't know what I expected when I started with this story. I had a lot of ideas with no idea if I would be able to put any of them in and I'm so glad that it resembles even a little of what I envisioned. And the fact people are seemingly enjoying it enough to stick around for a year gives me quite a bit of motivation to keep going

So as my final words until 2025
You is kind! You is smart! And you is important!

Here's to another year! See you soon!

Please point out any mistakes I may have made
Constructive criticism is always appreciated
Until next time, TTFN!

Chapter 40 - "A Rather Strange Finding"

Standing on the edge of the same shattered ground where I had once fought Damien, Ghost now stood at its centre. His gaze was fixed on the mountain ahead, his hand hovering over the handle of the katana resting at his hip. Slowly, he drew the blade from its sheath. A vibrant blue energy shimmered around the blade, only to flicker, sputter, and vanish in a puff of blue embers.

Ghost groaned inwardly, sheathing the blade with a resigned sigh. He repeated the same motion, and this time, the sharp edge of the Yamato emitted a brief shower of blue sparks before fading. Huffing again, he tried once more.

At my side, my kids watched intently, offering a running commentary as Spike observed from a distance, taking a break from his own training.

"So, whatever happened to that suit of armour you had?" Europa asked, popping a handful of berries into his mouth without looking away from Ghost while his tail swished idly behind him.

I shrugged. "Dunno. I had to ditch it when I realized I was being pulled back to the future." I glanced at him, raising an eyebrow. "I figured you guys would’ve picked it up afterwards."

"To be fair, the landscape was a total wreck. We'd have been sifting through rubble for months," Europa replied with a casual shrug.

"Plus, we were kind of busy mourning you," Calise chimed in, hanging upside down from a low-hanging branch nearby while her wings dangled to the ground loosely from her back. "You know, since we thought you were dead. By the time Uncle had his visions, we’d already left the area."

Humming thoughtfully, I rubbed my chin. "I’ll have to see if I can find it someday. It was a good set of armour."

"Have you tried to replicate it?" Neptune asked as he picked a loose scale from his tail, his tone curious.

I let out a heavy sigh. "I can’t even draw up a schematic for a basic arm, let alone a suit of armour that advanced. Your Uncle was always the real engineer. Way more talented than I could ever hope to be."

"Well, maybe when he comes back, the two of you can work on a new set together," Calise suggested, still dangling upside down from her perch.

"Maybe," I said with a half-hearted shrug.

"What are you guys talking about?" Spike asked, finally tearing his gaze away from Ghost, who was still practising with the Yamato.

"Years ago, my brother built suits of armour designed specifically for us," I explained. "They were meant to enhance both our physical and mental abilities."

"That’s putting it lightly," Europa said, finishing off the last of his berries. "If you think Dad’s strong and fast now, you haven’t seen anything."

Spike paused, wide-eyed as he processed the information. "Wow," he said after a moment.

Sudden footsteps snapped our attention forward as Ghost approached, his heavy breathing punctuated by the frustrated shrug of his shoulders.

"Sir, with all due respect, we've been at this for hours, and I haven't made even a shred of progress," Ghost huffed, adjusting his mask to sit more comfortably. "Honestly, it feels like I’m going backwards."

"I can’t say I’m all that surprised," I replied evenly. "The first time you used the Yamato, it was under extreme stress. If you’d managed to pull it off again on the first try, that would’ve been shocking."

"We’ll just have to keep at it," I added quickly, before humming thoughtfully. "Maybe if we simulated a fight, it could trigger something."

I stepped into the centre of the scorched ground and summoned Anatole, resting the blade casually on my shoulder as the others watched. Tilting my head, I gestured for Ghost to join me. After a brief hesitation, he stepped forward, his posture tense and his gaze darting uncertainly around the clearing.

"Alright, Ghost. The rules are simple," I called out, making sure he could hear me. "I want you to try and hit me."

"...What?" His voice wavered with disbelief.

"Give it everything you’ve got and hit me," I said with a wide grin.

"Oh, this is gonna be good," Europa said, scaling a nearby tree with practised ease, his tail picking up speed. He settled on a branch beside his sister, who straightened, her focus now entirely on the scene. Below them, Neptune crossed his arms, looking on with interest.

"Uh... what exactly is happening here?" Spike asked, brow furrowed as he stepped up beside the much taller Draconian.

"Buckle up, buttercup," Calise chimed in, her grin stretching wider. "You’re about to witness some top-tier entertainment."

Swinging Anatole with a slight flourish, I stood ready as Ghost held his hand above the Yamato's handle, facing the side of his body to me as his muscles tensed. Fire flashed over my eyes as I saw Ghost's energy flow. Pooling in his chest, small jagged strands flowed up and through his arm, stopping and gently readying in his hand but it looked weak. His flow control looked good despite the lack of any training but it looked strained, like it was being blocked or choked by something.

Ghost's hand suddenly reached for the Yamato as he rushed forward, the blade swinging out with a loud ring. Smirking, I swivelled my heel and leaned my body back, the blade whistling past me before I stood straight, stepping back just before the katana tip could slice across my stomach.

Ghost's speed was impressive as he was significantly faster than even Equestria's top officers, but I could tell something was holding him back, much like whatever was preventing him from tapping into the Yamato's full power. Whatever it was, I was determined to help him push past it.

Parrying a stab, the ash crunched under my boot as I slid to the side, Anatole's polished edge catching a glint of the dying sun filtering through the charred skeletons of trees. Ghost came at me again, his movements precise, blade slicing the air with surgical intent. I didn't want to give him the satisfaction of a clash. Instead, I twisted away, faster than his blade could follow as the Yamato sliced through the air under the stump of where my arm used to be.

Ghost’s head tilted ever so slightly, frustration radiating from his brown orbs. The Yamato pulsed faintly in his grip, like a caged animal not yet ready to roar. I saw the hesitation in his stance—a flicker of doubt—and I pressed the advantage. Closing the gap, I slipped inside his guard with a single, sharp step. The flat side of Anatole slapped his ribs lightly before I spun away again, just as his blade hissed past my face like a viper striking air.

“He's thinking too much,” I thought. Though I didn’t say my thoughts out loud, the way Ghost's shoulders tightened and his stance faltered told me he knew what I was thinking.

The forest around us was silent but for the whisper of blades and the crackle of brittle embers underfoot. Ghost lunged, Yamato carving an arc so fast it seemed to distort the air. I ducked, my one arm planting Anatole in the ashen earth for balance as I rolled clear, feeling the displaced wind graze my cheek.

He was fast—faster than when we started this little dance—but I was faster still. I pushed off the ground in one fluid motion, Anatole slicing upward in a feint. Ghost flinched, stepping back, and that’s when I saw it. The flicker of blue light rippling along the Yamato’s blade, like a distant storm approaching.

“He's trying too hard,” I thought, circling him and noting how the jagged strings flared as he used the Yamato. “He's forcing it.”

Ghost charged again, his movements desperate, like he was trying to outrun his own frustration. The Yamato hissed, its edge catching a faint hum, and I had to give him credit—this time, the blade was closer. Close enough that I felt the radiant chill of cold steel barely miss my cheek as I twisted away.

I pivoted, Anatole arcing down, not to strike but to taunt. A controlled swing that stopped just shy of his shoulder before I leapt back, out of his reach again. The sparks in his blade grew brighter, the storm stirring.

One hit. That was all he needed. But he’d never get it if he kept fighting like this. I’d seen the way the Yamato worked in its prime—graceful, ruthless precision. Ghost was trying to force it, and it was fighting him every step of the way.

I darted forward, Anatole slicing a clean diagonal through the air. Ghost parried, and for the first time, the clash of steel sang out through the dead forest. The shockwave knocked loose a charred branch, which crumbled to ash between us. For a moment, our eyes locked—mine, calm and measuring; his, blazing with the determination of a man trying to prove something. The Yamato flared, its pulse syncing with the rapid beat of his heart, and I smiled.

“Now we're getting somewhere,” I thought.

And then I was gone, Anatole a blur as I darted to his blind spot, forcing him to pivot too late. His swing was wild and desperate, and though the Yamato howled with a burst of power, it carved only air. I stood behind him, Anatole resting casually against my shoulder, a faint smirk tugging at my lips.

"Feel it, Ghost," I said evenly. "It’s not just a blade. It wants to be more. Listen to it. Feel its power, feel where it is within you and funnel it. Think about the feeling you have when you summon it. Let it flow, but control the flow."

Ghost was breathing, the rise and fall of his chest visible even beneath his black shirt. His skull mask tilted toward me for a heartbeat, then down at the Yamato in his hand. The blade was alive now, faint streaks of blue electricity dancing along its edge like it was waking up.

The shift in the air was subtle at first, but then it hit—like the weight of a storm rolling in. The hairs on the back of my neck stood on end as the forest seemed to darken, shadows stretching unnaturally across the scorched ground.

“Finally,” I thought, twirling Anatole once before pointing its tip lazily toward the ground.

Ghost lowered his stance, and for the first time, I didn’t move. I could see it now—the way his muscles coiled, the Yamato pulsing in rhythm with his racing heart. His energy, once jagged, slowly smoothed out, the string flowing throughout his arm thickening. This wasn’t frustration anymore. It was focus. Controlled chaos.

Then he moved.

The Yamato screamed as it was drawn from its scabbard, the blade whistling as it cut horizontally through the air towards me. The air split apart with a deafening crack, and a crescent of raw, blue energy roared forth from the blade, tearing through the charred forest like a tidal wave of light.

My brow furrowed as I tapped my knee against the flat of my blade, using it to leverage Anatole upward before I drove it down, cleaving through the arc of energy, splitting it in two and sending a thick plume of ash and debris erupting into the air. The now-cut crescent didn’t stop there as it streaked toward the mountain looming behind me, striking it with the force of a cannon. The earth groaned in protest as stone shattered and exploded outward, sending chunks of rock tumbling down the slope.

Straightening my back, my eyes return to normal as I brush ash off my coat, and turn back to Ghost. He was frozen in place, Yamato still raised, its edge glowing faintly with residual energy. Even through his mask, I could sense his disbelief.

Ghost lowered the Yamato slowly, his chest still heaving, and turned to look at the destruction he’d caused. A flicker of triumph lit his posture—just for a second—but then I caught the slight tremble in his hand. A power like that would be draining to anyone besides myself and my brother, and I knew he wasn’t used to its toll.

When the dust cleared, a gaping wound had been carved into the mountain’s face. The jagged hole yawned open, revealing a hidden tunnel that spiralled into the dark.

“You weren’t supposed to hit the mountain,” I teased silently, stepping toward the new tunnel. Anatole tapped against the side of my boot as I walked, leaving faint scratches in the dirt. “But I’ll count that as a win. Sort of.”

"Holy shit!" Europa exclaimed, suddenly appearing beside me, his hands raised in excitement. "That was—"

"Metal," Calise interrupted with a wide grin, holding up both hands in a classic rock on gesture as her small tail swished from side to side rapidly.

"Is... that a tunnel in Canterlot Mountain?" Spike asked hesitantly as he stepped up beside me.

"No, it's Sugar Cube Corner," I replied sarcastically, earning an unimpressed look from the young Draconian. "Sorry, couldn't resist."

Before the words had fully left my mouth, a stagnant, lifeless gust of air swept past us, filling my lungs with dust. The hairs on the back of my neck stood on end as an uneasy sensation tightened in my chest. My kids must have felt it too—their shoulders tensed, and their eyes fixed on the gaping hole before us.

Spike coughed, and Europa gently patted his back, casting me a look that silently promised he’d keep an eye on him. I nodded in return as Ghost stepped up beside me, Yamato sheathed and its ethereal glow now extinguished. His breaths were still heavy as I glanced over at him.

"You did well, Ghost," I said. "Faster than I expected."

"Thank you, Sir," He replied, quickly steadying his breathing, though I noticed the faintest tremor lingering in his hands. "Would’ve been nice if you helped out when we started, though."

"Aye, true," I said with a smirk, giving his shoulder a light bump. "But where’s the fun in that? No point in skipping the challenge."

"Fair enough," He said with a small shrug.

"Where do you think it leads?" Neptune asked quietly, his voice almost swallowed by the still air.

"Only one way to find out," I replied before turning to Spike. "Spike, I’m trusting you here, but you need to follow my lead. At the first sign of trouble, you run. Understood?"

"Yessir," He said, straightening up with a salute.

"Good." Turning to face the tunnel, I drew Anatole, its blade flickering softly with flames. "Stay behind me."

My children summoned their weapons in bursts of dark gold fire and purple sparks, their forms tense, ready to strike at the faintest sound. Ghost hovered his hand near Yamato’s hilt, his focus sharp. We stepped into the tunnel, and darkness quickly swallowed us whole as we proceeded, unaware of the pair of spectral eyes watching us disappear into the gaping maw of the mountainside.

The tunnel was dark, oppressively so, swallowing even the enhanced sight of my demonic eyes. Only the warm light of Anatole’s flames, which cast deep, flickering shadows on the walls, illuminated the path around us, and even then we could barely see a few feet in front of us. The air was ancient and heavy, reeking of stagnation, as though the space had been sealed off from the outside world for centuries.

The walls, smooth and eerily precise, hinted at being carved by magic—or perhaps by hands far too steady to belong to mortal beings. The tunnel stretched endlessly before us, sloping downward at a barely perceptible decline. The farther we descended, the colder the air grew. Though I and my children were unaffected by the chill, Ghost and Spike were not as they shivered faintly while our breaths began to fog in the dim light.

Down and further down we went, the air growing colder with every step, our breaths becoming more visible as faint white clouds. Etchings soon began to appear on the smooth walls—runes and other carvings seemingly etched at random, though their purpose was hard to discern. The etchings grew more frequent, the spaces between them shrinking as the tunnel, once claustrophobically tight, began to widen.

Eventually, the narrow passage opened into a vast chamber with a domed ceiling. The etchings extended upwards, vanishing into the shadows above, but we couldn’t make them out clearly. Without a word, we split up. Spike stayed close to me as we moved to explore the far corners of the room.

It was empty.

“What the hell is this about?” Ghost asked, his voice thick with unease. Strangely, despite the room’s size, his words lacked any echo, as though the space absorbed sound.

“I don’t know,” I replied, shaking my head. A wave of uneasiness settled in my gut—not the instinctive warning of immediate danger, but the nagging sense that we needed to tread carefully.

“And these carvings?” Spike muttered, his eyes narrowing as we leaned closer to inspect the nearest ones.

Humming to myself, I stepped toward the centre of the room. The flame around my blade flared brighter as I thrust it into the rocky floor. The sudden burst of light made Ghost and Spike flinch, but it illuminated the chamber, casting every detail into sharp relief.

The etchings weren’t random after all. They formed intricate designs, each telling its own story. Some were abstract shapes, spiralling and folding into themselves, while others depicted objects—some mundane, others extraordinary. One carving caught my eye. It stood out from the rest. It almost looked like-

“Durin?” Spike asked, his voice tinged with confusion. “But what’s a carving of Durin doing down here?”

“I don’t know,” I admitted.

The figure was unmistakable. Durin stood stoically, clad in heavy armour. Though the carving lacked finer details, it matched the few surviving illustrations of him from his era. He held a massive axe, one hand gripping its handle while the blade rested on the “ground.” As I studied it, something at the edge of my vision caught my attention. Glancing down, I noticed another carving—much smaller than the others. Leaning closer, I frowned. It almost looked like… an X?

The thought had barely formed when the ground beneath me cracked. Dust billowed up from the widening fissures, and I instinctively shoved Spike away, sending him tumbling toward the centre of the room. The floor collapsed beneath me with a thunderous crash.

With yells coming behind me, I plummeted, rock and dust swallowing my vision. For a moment, I was weightless, before the hard ground slammed into me, jagged stones pressing against my back. The pain was negligible, but I groaned anyway—an old reflex I hadn’t quite shaken.

"Sir!"
"Percival!"
“Dad!”

“Dad, are you okay!?” My kids’ voices echoed faintly from above as I stood, bracing my hand against my back, eliciting a series of cracks and pops.

“I’m fine! It'll take more than a sudden fall to put me out of commission!” I shouted, though I couldn’t see them. I could almost hear the collective sigh of relief from the group above me. “Are you guys alright?”

“We’re fine!” They called back. “Do you need help?”

“No, I’ve got it. I’ll fly back up!”

Summoning my wings, I prepared to take off, but something stopped me. I glanced around the space I’d fallen into.

A dense fog clung to the ground, swirling around my ankles. The alcove I’d landed in led into a much larger chamber—far bigger than the one above. At its centre rose a towering structure made of stacked circular discs, each tier smaller than the one beneath it, forming a grand, spiralling staircase. A soft, diffuse light illuminated the discs, the glow fading as it filtered into the thick fog below.

At the very top of the structure stood a statue.

Cautiously, I made my way toward it, my gaze fixed on the figure. It was a woman, seemingly in her mid-twenties, seated with an air of quiet authority. She wore a finely tailored suit, her sharp coattails fanning out behind her. Her legs were crossed, her hands resting gently in her lap. Her eyes were closed with a serene expression across her strong, but soft features, a faint smile gracing her lips.

The craftsmanship was astonishing. Every detail was perfect—from the texture of her clothing to the delicate strands of her hair. It was so lifelike that it unsettled me. The placement felt too deliberate, too calculated.

And from experience, I knew one thing for certain: this wasn’t just a statue. It looked, even felt, far too real even if my demonic vision picked up nothing.

Stepping up onto the second-to-last disc, the fog suddenly retreated, swirling and vanishing to the edges of the room as though swept away by an invisible gust of wind. Yet, no wind stirred. My stomach tightened with unease as I glanced around, but despite the tension gnawing at me, my demonic sight revealed nothing around me as well.

Cautiously, I continued upward, my movements slower this time. I came to a halt beside the ‘statue.’ That’s when I saw it—a crack.

Alarmed, I stepped back as a thin plume of dust spilt from the fissure. A heartbeat passed. Then another crack appeared. And another. One after the other, fractures spread across the statue’s surface. Dust cascaded in thick clouds, shrouding the area around it like a suffocating bubble.

Suddenly, from deep within the cracks, a searing red light seeped out, pulsing brighter with every second. With a sharp snap, a chunk of the statue broke free, crashing to the floor.

The light exploded outward, streaking into the air with a piercing whistle. It burst in a dazzling array of colours, crackling like fireworks. The statue quaked as more pieces crumbled, each releasing another burst of radiant light. Thick, blue-tinged smoke billowed from its base, curling upward and cloaking the room in a deep azure haze. A woman’s scream echoed sharply, slicing through the air.

From the statue’s collapsing remnants, a massive silhouette began to emerge. The figure—a towering woman—rose above me, her shape growing more defined as her arms stretched toward the heavens. Then, as abruptly as she had expanded, she began to shrink.

"Oi!" She exclaimed, her voice sharp and exasperated. Floating just above the rubble, she surveyed her surroundings, brushing herself off. "Holding a pose like that for so long will give you such a crick in the neck."

Now freed from the debris, I could finally take in her appearance. Her thick, shimmering white hair cascaded just past her shoulders, catching the light with an iridescent sheen. She wore a deep purplish-blue suit, paired with a tightly fitted black vest and a crisp white shirt beneath it, topped with a bright red bowtie fastened neatly under her collar. A matching pair of trousers and matte black dress shoes completed the look, giving her an air of effortless elegance.

Before I could open my mouth to speak, she held up a hand to stop me. "Hold on a second."

Without hesitation, she reached up and removed her head from her shoulders. My eyes widened as she began turning it, the sharp, metallic sound of a wrench reverberating in the air. After a moment of adjustment, she plopped her head back in place with a satisfied grin.

"Man, it feels good to be out!" She declared. Her bright yellow eyes locked onto mine, and she tilted her head curiously. "Oh hey, guy!"

Before I could react, she suddenly appeared at my side as I blinked, crossing her arms and leaning against my shoulder as though she weighed nothing at all. Her body floated horizontally, defying every law of gravity. "I like your face, guy. I like your face."

"...Thanks?" I muttered, unsure how else to respond.

"You’ve got a nice face," She repeated, her tone thoughtful. "It’s cute. Soothing, even. I like looking at it. It’s like a Matisse painting."

"Uh..."

"It’s also familiar," She continued, ignoring my awkwardness. "I feel like I’ve seen it before, but I haven’t. Weird, right?"

"I get that a lot, but what—"

"Hey, you got the time, guy?" She interrupted, tapping at her wrist.

I blinked and hesitated before glancing at my watch. "Three in the afternoon."

"Damn," She muttered under her breath. "I’m late for lunch."

"I’m sorry, what—"

"Say, what year is it?" She asked abruptly.

I opened my mouth to answer, but she cut me off, her expression suddenly panicked. "Wait… we’re not in the forty-first millennium, are we?"

"No, we’re not," I replied slowly, watching her with growing unease. "Believe me, if we were, you’d know."

She gasped, floating in front of me and squishing my cheeks between her gloved hands. "You’re a fan too!? Who’s your favourite chapter?"

"The… Salamanders," I mumbled, prying my face free from her grasp.

"Good choice," She nodded approvingly. "I'm more of a Raven Guard gal myself. Though, I am quite partial to the White Scars."

"Please, just stop," I said, halting the woman in her tracks. "Seriously, who are you?"

The woman paused, staring at me before breaking into a hearty laugh. She clutched her stomach, her body lazily shifting into a seated position mid-air. "Oh, sorry! I forget to introduce myself sometimes. Being locked up can mess with your manners, you know?"

Floating a little farther away, she coughed into her hand and, with a flourish, conjured a small spray bottle. She spritzed her mouth, cleared her throat dramatically, and straightened up.

"I am Eris! Duchess of Mischief, Heiress to the Iron Throne, and Daughter to the God of Chaos!"

"...fuck," I muttered.

Eris sat happily on the examination bed, her feet swinging idly beneath her as the Doctors moved around, conducting their tests—tests reminiscent of those performed during Ghost's coma. Unlike her apparent father, she seemed to lack the short, sharp-edged temperament he was known for, instead displaying a surprisingly easygoing attitude toward the Doctors and their procedures.

Celestia and Luna had acted swiftly upon hearing of the Chimera's discovery. They arranged for Eris to be examined almost immediately after learning where she had been found, even going so far as to personally retrieve old, specialized equipment to accommodate her unique Chimeric physiology.

The two Princesses and I stood a respectful distance away, observing as the Doctors worked. The Matriarchs wore expressions of confusion, concern, and worry, their unease evident.

"Since when did Discord have a kid?" Ghost asked quietly as I kept my gaze on Neptune, Calise, and Europa, who were keeping Eris entertained with cheerful conversation—a task she was more than happy to assist with.

"We discovered her existence sometime after Discord's imprisonment," Luna replied in a hushed tone. "He had her before then, though. We spent centuries trying to find her but eventually began to lose hope."

"To think she was right under our noses all this time," Celestia murmured. "But why was she down there?"

"I don’t know," I admitted softly, my eyes still fixed on the Chimera. "But she was deep. Whoever put her there clearly didn’t want her to be found."

"You also mentioned carvings," Luna said, her voice inquisitive. "What were they like?"

"Random, mostly," I shrugged. "Shapes, objects, symbols—nothing that seemed to follow any pattern or logic."

I hesitated before continuing. "There was one exception, though."

Both sisters turned their attention to me, their curiosity sharpening. "What was it?"

I paused before answering. "It was a carving of Durin."

Celestia and Luna’s expressions shifted in rapid succession—from curiosity to shock, then settling back into a state of confused contemplation as they exchanged glances.

"Are..." Celestia began, her voice cautious. "Are you sure?"

"I'm sure," I confirmed as Ghost nodded beside me. "It matches his depiction in the illustrations. "

The Princesses straightened, their postures rigid as they processed the weight of this revelation. Both took slow, measured breaths, their eyes distant as they turned the information over in their minds.

"This..." Luna said at last, her tone thoughtful, "Gives us much to consider. We will need to investigate that cavern."

Before I could respond, the lead doctor approached us. Letting out an exasperated sigh, he flipped through the pages on his clipboard, shaking his head as though grappling with a puzzle he couldn’t quite solve.

"Everything appears to be fine, Your Highnesses," He announced. "Given our limited understanding of Draconequus physiology, we can’t be entirely certain, but by all indications, she seems perfectly healthy."

"Are you certain?" Celestia asked.

"Yes. We double-checked everything to ensure our readings were accurate," the Doctor replied with a firm nod.

"Told you I was healthy," Eris chimed in, suddenly appearing beside the Doctor, leaning over his shoulder to peer at the documents, a lollipop—mysteriously swiped from the front desk—hanging lazily from her lips.

The Doctor jolted at her unexpected arrival, his glasses slipping askew. Hastily adjusting them, he cleared his throat, regaining his composure. "Yes, you did, indeed."

Turning to the Princesses, he straightened his posture. "If that’s all you require of us, we shall take our leave."

"Yes, that is all," Celestia confirmed with a nod. "Thank you, Doctor Gensing. You and your staff are dismissed."

The Doctor gave a respectful bow, his staff following suit before filing out of the room. As they departed, my children stepped forward to stand beside me. Once the last of the staff had left, the two Princesses swept Eris into a sudden embrace. The Chimera let out a surprised squeak, her usual bravado melting as she was wrapped in their wings.

Smiling at the sight, I moved toward the door, only to be abruptly stopped and pulled into the same warm embrace.

"Thank you," Luna whispered, her voice soft. "You cannot know how much this means to us."

Smiling, I glanced between the wall of feathers and caught sight of my children. Only a few days ago, I hadn’t dared to dream I’d see them again. "I think I do," I replied.

Reluctantly, Celestia and Luna released us, their gazes lingering on me with a mixture of gratitude and curiosity.

"Do you know exactly who you’ve recovered?" Celestia asked.

"Eris, daughter of Discord," I answered, taking a step back. "Who also happens to be your brother."

Their expressions froze for a moment, caught in shock. Their eyes narrowed slightly, and they took a small, audible breath. There was no hostility, only confusion and scepticism. They studied my face, their gaze searching for answers in my eyes. But the fact that they kept looking told me they hadn’t found what they were seeking. Celestia stepped up beside me, leaning in, and I followed her lead.

“How did you know?” She asked in a hushed tone.

“I’m older than everyone in this room put together,” I replied, matching her tone. “I’ve been around a long time—more than long enough to remember when you two were barely knee-high.”

“How do you know?” She asked again, her voice insistent.

“You’re not the only one who saw the end of the Age of Prosperity, Celestia,” I said firmly, meeting her gaze. “I was there for it all. The Founding. The Break. The Dark Days. I saw everything.”

“Who are you?” She asked, her voice soft yet sharp with curiosity.

I smirked slightly, leaning in closer to her ear. “I’m Percival Felwinter.”

I leaned back, keeping the smirk in check as Celestia studied me, her eyes narrowing with playful curiosity. I could almost hear the gears turning in her mind as if she were trying to solve a difficult riddle. Luna looked at her sister for a moment before looking at me, adopting the same expression but deeper, and seemed to be struggling more to make sense of me. After several seconds of silence, she shook her head and closed her eyes with a small sigh.

“Just when we think we’re starting to figure you out, you pull the rug out from under us,” Celestia remarked, shaking her head with a faint smile.

“What can I say?” I shrugged. “I’m full of surprises.”

“That you are,” Celestia said. “Good thing I like puzzles.”

“Ghost?” Luna turned to him, gaining his attention. “Did you know?”

“I was told on the way up,” he replied with a shrug. “Not exactly a difficult puzzle to piece together.”

“Wait,” Eris spoke up suddenly. “If my dad is your brother… then that means…”

“You’re our niece,” Celestia finished, her signature warm smile returning.

“Whoa,” Eris said after a few moments of stunned silence. “Mind... blown.”

"Speaking of relations," Luna said, her gaze drifting to my children, as Celestia's followed, both sisters studying their faces with quiet interest and warm smiles. "So these are the Felwinter children Twilight spoke of."

"Oh, so Twilight’s already told you, has she?" I asked, raising an eyebrow. They nodded in unison. "Well, dammit, there goes my surprise."

I stepped toward my three kids and gestured to each in turn. "First up, we have Calise, the eldest," I said. She gave a bright, enthusiastic wave. "Then there’s Europa." He waved as well, a bit more reserved. "And last but not least, Neptune, the baby of the three."

The twin Princesses smiled widely, their grins so broad it seemed their faces might split in two, as they clapped lightly.

"Words cannot express how pleased I am for you!" Luna exclaimed, nearly bouncing in place with excitement.

"The resemblance is uncanny," Celestia added with a cheeky smirk. "I suppose that's to be expected when your wife is a Chimera."

"Oh, har har," I replied, rolling my eyes. My kids burst into laughter at the Princess's joke, while Ghost rolled his eyes as well. Even so, I could feel the smirk hidden beneath his mask. "Let me guess—Cadence?"

"Cadence," the sisters said in perfect unison.

"Speaking of," Celestia said, turning her attention to Eris, "we’ll have to introduce you to your cousin."

"I also have a cousin?!" Eris exclaimed, her excitement bubbling over. "Sick."

"That’ll be a sight to behold," Ghost commented dryly. "What a time to be alive."

"You’re not kidding," I nodded before looking at Eris. "So, what’s the plan now that you’re free?"

Suddenly, she appeared floating beside me, casually leaning her arms on my shoulder much like she had when we first met. "Well," She began, "after I get to know my cousin, I think I’ll be sticking close to my saviour for a while." She shot a sheepish glance at her newly reunited aunts. "If… if that’s alright."

Celestia stepped forward and gently cupped Eris’s cheek, her touch soft and reassuring as Eris leaned into it slightly. "Of course, dear," Celestia said warmly.

"Good thing I have plenty of rooms," I muttered under my breath.

As Celestia turned to leave, she suddenly stopped, stepped back, and wrapped her arms around me. Her chin rested on my shoulder as I instinctively mirrored her embrace.

"I’m so happy for you, Percival," She whispered. "I don’t think I’ve ever seen you this happy before. You deserve this."

Then, pulling back slightly, she added, "And thank you for bringing our niece back to us."

"Of course, Chief," I replied softly.

She released me with a warm smile. This one felt different—still full of her usual motherly warmth and gratitude, but there was something else in her expression, something I couldn’t quite place. With a final nod, she joined her waiting sister and niece, leaving the rest of us in the quiet room. My kids exchanged knowing glances, but what they were silently agreeing on, I couldn’t be sure.

"Just when I thought things couldn’t get any more interesting," Ghost remarked, giving me a light slap on the shoulder. "Never a dull moment with you, is there?"

"Yeah," I murmured, exhaling quietly. "You can say that again."

Author's Note

Welp, at least Eris isn't like dear old Pa, cuz I think Percy's blood pressure is high enough as it is :rainbowlaugh:

Please point out any mistakes I may have made
Constructive criticism is always appreciated
Until next time, TTFN!

Chapter 41 - "Vacation Madness" - Part 1

Surging forward, Anatole swung wide as Ghost shifted his grip on the Yamato. In a split second, he struck my stomach with the base of the sheath, sending a jarring shock through me. I dismissed my sword and seized the scabbard mid-motion, using its momentum to hurl it back at him as I twisted in midair. The sheath hurtled toward him, impossibly snapping the blade back inside before slamming into Ghost's stomach with a resonant thud. The impact sent him skidding across the charred ground, his boots kicking up clouds of dust and debris.

Landing smoothly, I wasted no time. I summoned Anatole once more and launched forward again, determined to press the attack. Ghost, already recovering, yanked the Yamato free with a flash of steel. Our weapons clashed in a dazzling flurry of motion—a sharp, rhythmic dance of blades slicing through the air. Sparks flew like miniature fireworks, raining to the ground as each strike met a perfectly timed parry. Thrusting Anatole with precision, and the tip struck the flat of Ghost's blade with enough force to send him flying backwards.

Sliding to a halt, Ghost dropped to one knee, his breathing ragged. I, standing a short distance away, mirrored his exhaustion, my chest heaving as I tried to steady myself.

"Score one for Percy," I said with a triumphant grin, planting Anatole into the ground and raising a hand, his voice gruffer than usual from the exercise. "I'm up one!"

"Where’d you learn to count?" Ghost shot back, still kneeling as he gestured toward me. "We’re even!"

"What? No way!" I waved him off dismissively, rolling my eyes. "Eris?"

Suddenly blinking to my side from the treeline, the Chimera hovered between us. "A tie."

"Fuck!"

It had been a couple of weeks since my children had returned to my life, and I could hardly contain my happiness. My house staff, who’d been informed of the reunion upon their return from the holidays, seemed quietly thrilled for me. The Elements of Harmony, as expected, wasted no time welcoming them warmly—Pinkie Pie even threw a reunion party, much to no one’s surprise. Eris too, had been welcomed, though only after I had given my word that she was not any danger, unlike her Father. The Royals, despite how much they wanted to visit both their Neice as well as my kids to get to know them better, their attention was unfortunately divided by an onslaught of duties. The Nobles, naturally, had their own reasons for staying aloof, much to the chagrin of everyone involved.

Over the past weeks, I’ve been balancing several responsibilities. Not only was I making up for lost time with my children, helping Eris readjust to life as well as continuing Spike’s training, with my kid's enthusiastic help and Eris's colour commentary. On top of that, I was also helping Ghost adapt to the new powers and upgrades his body had mysteriously acquired since properly activating the Yamato.

It was slow at first as he was hopelessly clumsy—triggering multiple abilities at once and even managing to crash headlong into a tree. Slowly but surely, though, he began to adjust. His mind, lagging at first, started catching up to his enhanced physiology as well as the comparatively rapid healing it now boasted. It wasn’t surprising. My physiology had given me an edge in almost instantly mastering similar changes, but Ghost’s Equestrian biology was a different story altogether. What still puzzled me was the how and why behind the transformation.

"Alright, I think we’ll call it a day," I said, sending Anatole away in a small puff of purple sparks. "You’re improving, G. Nice work."

"It’s still weird," Ghost muttered, sliding the Yamato back into its sheath with a casual yet oddly graceful flourish. "Everything feels...floaty."

"It’ll settle," I assured him, draping an arm across his shoulders while Eris patted him on the shoulder as we started walking away from the battlefield of scorched earth and shattered trees.

Emerging onto the main path, my eyes immediately landed on Spike perched triumphantly atop a newly climbed tree. A grin spread across his face as Neptune, Calise, and Europa watched from below, nodding and smiling in approval. Their expressions spoke volumes, just before Spike lost his balance and tumbled to the ground. Despite the fall, their camaraderie remained unshaken. The three of them turned to me with amused thumbs-ups, clearly proud of his effort.

"Hey, Boss!" Calise called as I made my way over to them.

Standing over Spike—mildly tired but beaming with pride—I couldn’t help but smile myself. He had done it. Spike had reached the top of the Everfree trees with ease and now navigated between trees or solid surfaces effortlessly. To show him just how far he’d come, I decided to up the ante. I led him to Ghastly Gorge and issued a challenge: climb out of the gorge using the same energy control techniques he had worked so hard to master.

He passed the test with flying colours. Though the sheer vertical rock faces gave him pause at first—and my occasional stone-throw distractions nearly tripped him up—Spike instinctively adapted his energy to overcome every obstacle. He climbed the gorge with surprising finesse, barely breaking a sweat. At that moment, I knew the first phase of his training was complete. Truth be told, I had expected this stage to take months, but Spike’s progress exceeded every expectation. It was time to move on to the next chapter of his journey.

"Great job, Spike!" Europa shouted, grinning from ear to ear as he playfully launched himself at Spike, delivering an over-the-top people's elbow.

Spike’s eyes widened in alarm, but he wasn’t fast enough to evade Europa’s antics. "What the fuck, man!?" He wheezed, clutching his stomach as he tried to regain his breath. Europa’s unrestrained laughter echoed across the clearing, joined by the chuckles of Neptune and Calise, who eventually dragged the energetic Lycan off the winded Draconian.

"Get off me!" Spike groaned though the corners of his mouth twitched upward in spite of himself.

Watching the scene unfold, I couldn’t suppress my smile. It warmed my heart to see Spike getting along so well with my kids. Their antics brought a unique lightness to his training while giving him peers who could relate to his challenges, at least mentally as well as their bond making his training feel far less isolating. Twilight, too, seemed at ease with Spike's new environment. Knowing I’d trained others before—and seeing how far they’d come—must have reassured her. Spike’s stamina was another source of comfort. The once-drained Draconian who could barely manage his library chores now had the energy to spare for intense training sessions, housework, and assisting Twilight without missing a beat.

"Grade-A job, wee man," I said, helping Spike to his feet as Calise brushed the dust from his clothes. "I think you’ll be happy to hear I’ve got some good news for you."

Spike looked at me curiously. "What’s up?"

"You’re ready to start the next phase of your training! Congrats on graduating from basic energy control," I said with a proud grin as Eris clapped for him while the others gave him words of approval and praise.

Spike pumped his fists in the air, practically vibrating with excitement. "Finally! What’s next? Are you gonna teach me hand-to-hand combat? Or maybe a secret last-resort technique?"

I chuckled at his enthusiasm. "Not quite. We’re changing locations for a few days," I explained, spinning my finger in a circle to include everyone present. "Think of it as a celebration for finishing basic training and a preview of what’s ahead."

His excitement briefly gave way to confusion. "Wait, we’re going on vacation?"

"Exactly," I said, pulling out a prepared note. "We’re headed to the Bahamas. Send this to Celestia for me," I instructed, handing him the letter. With a shrug, he sent it without hesitation, a burst of green flame whisking it away.

"Oh, this is gonna be an eventful vacation," Eris remarked, already in the know about the destination’s significance from prior conversations.

"What did the note say?" Spike asked.

"Not much," I replied with a shrug. "Just cashing in one of my perks as Paladin. Now go pack—we leave tomorrow."

Spike bolted toward the library, undoubtedly to prepare, leaving me smiling in his wake. Following his lead, I started back toward Ponyville.

"Still wild to me that you’re a Paladin," Neptune said as we walked.

"Hey, surprises are kind of our thing," I replied with a smirk.

Once home, I followed my usual routine, heading straight to the kitchen for a meal—a habit I’d only recently developed thanks to the arrival of my kids, which was made worse by a rather insistent Chimera. Eating consistently had felt strange at first, having gone God knows how long without doing so, but I’d come to appreciate it if only the company it came with. After lunch, we each went to our rooms to prepare for the trip.

I meant what I’d told Spike earlier: this trip would be a blend of rest and training—a glimpse of what was to come. Most importantly, it would be a well-deserved break for all of us. A chance to unwind, recharge, and prepare for the next big steps ahead. It would just be me, my kids, Ghost, Eris, and Spike. And I can finally get a goddamn break and get ready to do absolutely nothing.

As we began packing the essentials, I double-checked my large travel bag, ensuring everything I needed was there. At the same time, I made sure everyone else’s bags were properly packed, going over the small checklist I had made. While we sorted through our belongings, a solid knock sounded at the front door. Walter, as always, was there in an instant to answer it. Rubbing my eyes, I started making my way downstairs.

“Ah, Young Twilight, good to see you,” Walter greeted warmly.

“Who is it?” I asked, stretching my shoulders as I descended.

“It’s—”

“It’s Twilight!” Spike’s voice cut in, interrupting Walter as he stepped aside to let her in. “And she’s not happy!”

“When is she ever?” I quipped dryly, earning a smirk from Walter and a laugh from Eris, who floated near my shoulder—a habit she had picked up not long after moving in.

“Hey!” Twilight exclaimed indignantly from the doorway.

“Is for…horses?” I began to retort, pausing as I finally caught sight of the Unicorn. Twilight stood there, her Draconian brother floating beside her in a magical aura, slowly spinning as he kept his hands out to steady himself. I raised an eyebrow. “Huh. Can’t say I expected to see this today.”

“Spike told me you’re all going on vacation,” Twilight stated firmly. “Why wasn’t I informed?”

“I wasn’t aware Spike needed to fill out a permission slip,” I replied with a smirk, which only deepened her unimpressed expression. “Honestly, I didn’t tell you because I figured you wouldn’t mind. Spike’s been making incredible strides in his training, and I thought some time off would do him good. It’s not just him—it’s something we all need, everyone in this house included.”

“Where exactly are you going?” She asked, her tone still pointed.

I hesitated for a moment before answering, “The Bahamas.”

Twilight nodded slowly, her gaze shifting between me and Spike, who was still floating awkwardly beside her. “Ah,” she said simply, though a mischievous twinkle lit up her eyes a moment later.

“Twilight,” I said, my lips twitching upward into a faint smile.

“What?” she asked innocently.

“I know that look,” I said, narrowing my eyes slightly.

“What look?” she replied, her expression deepening into exaggerated innocence.

“Twilight, I’m the father of six children. I know that look when I see it,” I said, placing a hand on my hip as Eris giggled behind me.

“I have no idea what you’re talking about,” Twilight said breezily before giving me a double take. “Wait—six? I thought Europa, Calise, and Neptune were your only kids.”

“Don’t change the subject,” I said, shaking my head with a small sigh. “You’re planning something—I can feel it.”

“I really don’t know what you’re talking about,” She said, though her overly innocent smile only deepened. Spike groaned and facepalmed as Twilight added, “But I’ve made up my mind. I think Spike should have a wonderful time with you on your trip.”

Before I could respond, her horn flared with magic, enveloping both herself and her still-rotating brother. Spike looked moments away from losing his breakfast.

“Wait—” He began.

With a flash of purple light and the usual sharp pop of teleportation, the pair disappeared.

Walter smirked but said nothing as he quietly closed the door. Rubbing my eyes, I shook my head and turned back to my packing. Still, I couldn’t help the faint grin tugging at my lips—I had a sneaking suspicion that I’d soon have some confirmation of whatever mischief Twilight was planning.

~~

"Fucking called it."

Spike had shown up at my house right on time and as I suspected, he wasn’t alone. Trailing behind the sheepish Draconian were none other than the rest of the Elements of Harmony, each carrying large bags and buzzing with excitement. Not one to turn away an enthusiastic crowd, I welcomed them warmly as my kids greeted them just as eagerly.

I had a hunch Twilight might pull something like this when she heard Spike was taking a much-deserved getaway. Truthfully, I didn’t mind them tagging along—it was nice, even. Though I would have preferred a little heads-up, their knack for spontaneity wasn’t exactly new. Besides, seeing them interact with Calise, Europa, and Neptune was heartwarming. The way everyone got along made it impossible to say no.

“Dude, this is gonna be sick!” Rainbow Dash exclaimed, accepting a drink from one of my staff.

“It’s going to be so much fun!” Pinkie Pie added as she and Europa practically vibrated in unison.

“I can’t wait to see all the beautiful scenery,” Rarity said with a wide grin.

“I’ll admit, I’ve always wanted to go to the Bahamas,” Applejack chimed in, her quiet excitement showing as she rested her chin on Rarity’s head while we waited.

“It’ll be fun,” Fluttershy said softly. “What about you, Eris?”

"Hey, I'm just happy to be out," She replied, stretching her back as she floated nearby. "It'll be nice to get a tan after so many years."

“I’m just here for the coconut water,” Ghost added, his tone subdued, though a flicker of excitement crept in.

As the friends mingled, Twilight sidled up to me, pulling me aside. She looked sheepish, rubbing the back of her neck as her eyes darted around.

“So…I know I kind of dropped this on you without asking,” She began with an awkward laugh. “You’re not mad, are you?”

I draped an arm around her shoulder, glancing over at the lively group, their laughter and chatter filling the room. “Look at them,” I said. “Look how happy they are. How could I be mad at that?”

Then I grinned. “Besides, the more, the merrier!”

As if on cue, a knock at the front door drew everyone’s attention, though the group quickly resumed their chatter. Walter, ever punctual, was already at the door before I could so much as turn my head. I swear that man has some kind of instant transmission. Opening the door, Walter’s usually composed demeanour faltered for a split second—his surprise barely noticeable—before he returned to his usual professionalism.

“Ah, Princess Celestia and Princess Luna,” He greeted with warmth. “What a pleasure it is to have you here.”

Doing a double take, I watched as the Princesses stepped through the doorway. Their familiar, radiant smiles lit up the room. Celestia raised a hand to halt any bows before they could start.

“Please, that won’t be necessary,” She said gently.

“Princess!” Twilight exclaimed. “What are you doing here?”

Celestia’s smile turned sly as she glanced at me. “It’s simple, really—we’re here to join you on your vacation.”

“The more the merrier, no?” Luna added, her grin matching her sister’s.

“Then I don’t suppose you’ll be off immediately, Sir?” Walter asked politely.

I glanced at the Princesses, and they nodded in unison. “Yes, we will,” I replied, turning to my Head Butler. “I’m leaving the house in your more than capable hands, Walter.”

“We’ll man the fort while you’re gone, Sir!” He assured me with a smile, practically shooing us out through the front door. “Now go and enjoy your holiday—you’ve earned it.”

After ensuring we had everything, Walter closed the door behind us as the last of us stepped outside. Looking up at the sky, I spotted a familiar sight: a Skyship. This one was much smaller than the previous two I’d travelled on, clearly built for personal use rather than large-scale voyages.

Before I could say anything, a flash of bright gold engulfed my vision, and in an instant, I found myself standing on the deck of the ship, along with everyone else. The vessel wasn’t overly large but was more than spacious enough for everyone to move about comfortably. Its sleek design suggested speed and comfort—a ship crafted for private use, not practicality.

Setting my bag down on the deck, I made my way to the pointed front of the ship, letting the breeze run through my hair and the small beard I’d grown since Hearth’s Warming. I watched as the landscape below blurred past at astonishing speed. It was far faster than the previous Skyships I’d travelled on. Within an hour, the rolling fields gave way to a vast, brilliant blue ocean, the water stretching endlessly to the horizon.

A strange tension gripped my chest as I gazed out across the waves. My excitement for this vacation mingled with a quiet, almost sombre anticipation. By the end of this trip, I would be reunited with my brother. The thought filled me with giddy anticipation, but a thread of fear ran through it.

Eris and the others left me to my thoughts, though I could feel their eyes on me as they laughed and chatted with my three kids, working to distract them from the same emotions I wrestled with. I silently appreciated their efforts.

“You look tense,” A voice said from behind me. I turned to see Celestia, now dressed in casual, summer-appropriate clothing. The rest of the group followed suit, each wearing outfits that reflected their personal styles. Even Ghost sported something more relaxed—though he kept his signature skull mask, though the black balaclava was replaced with a lighter beige variant, now paired with a pair of sunglasses. The combination was undeniably goofy, but somehow, he managed to pull it off.

"You've been staring out there for the better part of several hours," Celestia said, leaning casually against the railing beside me. "A bit for your thoughts?"

I sighed, my gaze fixed on the endless expanse of blue stretching before us. "Do you want the polite answer or the real one?"

Celestia's soft, motherly smile lit her face as she studied me, her magenta eyes warm with understanding. "Be honest," She said gently, stepping closer to my side and following my gaze to the horizon. "You don’t have to tell me everything—just what you’re ready to share."

A beat of silence passed between us, filled only by the rhythmic sound of the waves below. "Do you know what the strangest part of immortality is, Chief?" I asked quietly.

"What’s that?" She prompted, her tone tender.

"No matter how much time goes by, I can’t ever seem to shake feelings like these," I admitted, my voice subdued. "I could be as old as time and still feel this gnawing uncertainty. This…fear," A small, rueful smile tugged at my lips. "I suppose I should thank whatever cruel gods gave me these powers that I haven’t lost my mind entirely."

I hesitated, the words catching in my throat before I finally whispered, "I’m scared, Celestia. Not for myself—but for him. What if it doesn’t work out? What if I can’t undo what they did to him? I lost him once, and I can’t bear the thought of losing him again."

Celestia listened silently, her expression softening as I spoke. When I finished, she reached out, her hand resting lightly on my arm. "I know that feeling all too well," She said softly. "It was the same with Luna. I was terrified—confused, uncertain. But more than that, I was hopeful. Excited. Even…nervously eager. Those emotions, all tangled together, reminded me I was still alive. They kept me grounded, even when everything else felt like chaos."

Her hand slid down to take mine, her grip firm yet comforting. "You’ve done extraordinary things before, Percival. This will be no different. You’ll get him back."

I closed my eyes, drawing in a slow, deep breath before exhaling just as deliberately. "Thank you," I murmured.

"Of course, my friend," She replied, her voice warm as she cupped my cheek. "It's what I'm here for."

I opened my eyes, a faint grin breaking through the tension. "Motivational speeches?"

"Something like that," Celestia chuckled softly, her thumb brushing lightly over the short, but thick beard on my jawline. "You need a shave," She teased.

Rolling my eyes, I gently took her hand away with a chuckle of my own. "I think it gives me an air of dignity," I said, tilting my chin up in mock offence.

Her laugh was bright and melodic. "Dignity, you say? Hmm, I’m not so sure."

"Oh, whatever," I said, a playful glint in my eyes, "Speaking of dignity, whatever happened to that Princess from Saddle Arabia?"

Celestia’s smile faltered just slightly, replaced by a flicker of curiosity. "You don’t know? I thought you’d have been informed."

"I’ve been a little busy lately," I replied, the weight of my earlier thoughts still lingering in the background.

"That you have," Celestia said with a knowing smile and a nod. "Princess Amira has been staying in the castle," She informed me. "Unfortunately, our attempts to contact our allies in the East have still been unsuccessful. Most ships remain anchored, and even more are hesitant to set sail. While many have heard of your exploits, most remain reluctant to weigh anchor."

"Still?" I asked, leaning back against the railing as the wind tousled my hair. "It's been a month since I fought the Kraken. You'd think someone would be bold enough to make the journey by now."

"Something as immense as this Kraken, as you call it, has left even the bravest sailors uneasy—especially the more superstitious ones," Celestia replied. "Fear like that doesn’t dissipate overnight. It takes time."

"What about the Saddle Arabians?" I asked, raising an eyebrow. "Wouldn't they send someone to search for their Princess?"

"Not necessarily," Celestia said. "While her people undoubtedly adore her—and she is the sole heir of Saddle Arabian Throne—they may lack the resources to mount a search effort."

"You think they might be short on ships? Or supplies and other necessities for a long voyage?" I asked.

"Potentially both," She said, her gaze drifting off into the distance as if lost in thought. "It’s also possible they’re dealing with other challenges."

"Like demons still harassing them?" I suggested, voicing what was likely on her mind. "That makes sense. And we can’t really draw conclusions without solid evidence."

"Exactly. That’s why we sent a special task force to Saddle Arabia with two objectives," Celestia explained. She turned to face me, and I raised a curious eyebrow. "The first objective is to establish contact with anyone who might have news about what’s been happening in the East. The second is to offer assistance where it’s needed and provide relief until they can return with any valuable information."

"Hm," I murmured thoughtfully, considering the situation. "How long ago did you send this team?"

"About a week after your return from your last voyage," Celestia answered. "I wanted to ensure they had sufficient defences to survive an encounter should run into one," She added. "Since they’re likely travelling at a slower pace than you and flying higher where the air is thinner, it could take them three weeks just to reach the Eastern continent."

"So, based on that time frame, they should already be there and might have even gotten the information," I said quietly, lightly chewing my lip. "Who knows? They might even be on their way back. All we can do is pray for their safe return," I added. Then, with a frown, I asked, "I just realized, why haven't I seen or heard anything about Jasmine? That seems like the kind of news Canterlot Times would be buzzing about. Hell, even Twilight hasn’t mentioned a word to me."

Celestia nodded solemnly. "There are several reasons for that. I wanted to protect Jasmine’s privacy and I instructed Luna to ensure that none of the Guards, servants, or medical staff would reveal anything about her stay in Canterlot."

I studied her face, sensing there was more to the story. "I feel like there’s an and coming," I said, raising an eyebrow.

Celestia glanced briefly at the group some distance away. They were still caught up in their own antics, now managing to rope Luna into their mischief. Turning back to me, she crossed her arms and sighed.

"She won’t leave her room," She admitted. "Jasmine has been completely silent, refusing to talk to anyone. Even when we told her we were sending word to her father, she didn’t seem excited. It’s like the life has been drained out of her. She eats and drinks well enough, but getting her to speak—or even make a sound—is... another matter entirely."

"Well, that’s not concerning at all," I muttered sarcastically, tapping my chin. "Maybe I should try talking to her at some point."

Celestia's expression brightened slightly, and she gave me a small smile. "That’s not a bad idea. If no one else, she might be willing to talk to her saviour. We made sure she was informed about the events that led to her arrival in Canterlot. So at the very least, she knows who you are."

"But enough about business! We're here to relax, aren't we?" She smiled, her demeanour suddenly brightening. "We should be arriving soon. Our escorts will be waiting at the landing pad."

"Already?" I asked, furrowing my brow in surprise. "How'd we get here so fast—wait, did you say landing pad?"

As the words left my mouth, the ship jerked abruptly, signalling our descent.

"I swear to God, my timing is impeccable," I muttered, smacking my forehead with a loud slap.

Several things happened at once. First, nearly everyone on board stumbled or fell from the sudden jolt, though Ghost only wobbled slightly. I was pleased to see that not only did my kids hold steady, but Spike also managed to keep his footing alongside me and the princesses. This feat didn’t go unnoticed by the rest of the passengers, who turned to stare at the two of us. I could tell Spike was unconsciously channelling energy into his feet to stay balanced.

Spike, oblivious to the attention, glanced around in confusion while I simply smiled at him with pride. The three siblings nearby whispered quiet words of praise, which only added to his bewilderment.

Celestia shot me a quick smile before joining her sister, and together they disappeared into the hold below. Turning back to the railing, I spotted a set of large islands coming into view. A wide grin spread across my face at the sight.

"Land ho!" Pinkie shouted behind me just as two sudden weights slammed into my back. Glancing over my shoulder, I saw Pinkie and Eris clinging to me, both peering around curiously as the rest of their friends approached, giggling at their antics.

"Aw, man," Pinkie pouted.

"What in tarnation were ya hopin' would happen?" Applejack asked, raising a sceptical eyebrow.

"Probably to get him to fall into the water," Calise suggested as she adjusted her glasses.

"But…why?" Twilight asked, genuinely perplexed.

"Shits and giggles," Europa chimed in. "It’s what I’d do."

"I'm surprised you didn't join them," Neptune commented knowingly.

"They beat me to the punch," Europa shrugged.

I raised an eyebrow at the pair on my back. "Still wanna try?"

Pinkie and Eris both nodded enthusiastically, their grins stretching wider. "Fall," Pinkie growled in a low, gravelly voice.

Sighing, I turned to the rest of the group. "I’ll meet you all down there. Keep an eye on things for me, will you, Ghost?"

Ghost gave a quick nod and a small salute, and with that, I stepped up to the wooden railing and promptly leapt backwards as we plummeted toward the water. Mid-air, I twisted slightly to ensure I’d take the brunt of the impact. Moments later, we hit the water with a loud splash. Swimming to the surface was easy despite my drenched clothes and the two extra bodies still latched onto me. As we broke through the surface, Pinkie and Eris gasped for air in dramatic unison before collapsing into fits of laughter.

"That was awesome!" Eris exclaimed.

"We have to do that again!" Pinkie agreed eagerly.

I shook my head, a mix of exasperation and amusement crossing my face. "Just when I thought things couldn’t get more out of hand," I said. "Now there’s two of them."

"Are you three okay?"

Looking up, I saw the familiar face of Soarin peering down at us as I treaded the calm sea, the pair of chaotic beings still clinging to my back.

"Oh, shit," I blurted out, startled. "Long time no see, Lieutenant. How’ve you been?"

"Can’t complain, Sir," Soarin replied with a casual shrug. "Though, from what I hear, the same can’t exactly be said for you."

"You can say that again," I nodded, adjusting the two mischief-makers latched onto me. "But yeah, we’re fine. These two just wanted to go for a little ride."

"It was awesome!" Eris exclaimed, repeating her earlier sentiment, while Pinkie nodded so vigorously I thought her head might pop off.

Soarin raised an eyebrow at me, glancing at the two on my back. "That’s what happened?" He asked, surprised at my simple explanation. "The Captain’s not gonna like that," He added, his tone completely nonchalant.

"Which Captain are we talking about here?" I asked.

"Captain Spitfire and Fleetfoot," Soarin clarified. "They went to investigate the airship after we saw you fall from it. She wanted to make sure you weren’t under attack, so they’re handling the ship while I was sent to pull you out—if you needed it." He looked around, sighing. "And from the looks of things, you might. Unless you can walk on water or fly, I’m gonna have to get a boat."

"It just so happens-" I said with a smirk, "-that I can."

"Can what?"

"Yes," I replied simply. Then, focusing my energy into my hand, foot, pegleg, and knees, I pushed upward, climbing out of the water as though it were solid ground. Soarin’s jaw dropped as I stood there, still despite the rippling water below me, while Pinkie and Eris disentangled themselves from my back to gawk at our surroundings.

"Yo, is there anything you can’t do?" Eris demanded, her voice full of wonder.

"Jeebus," Pinkie whispered in awe.

The two of them started wriggling across me like snakes, inching upward. It felt strange, but I ignored it as Soarin stared, utterly dumbfounded. Eventually, Eris perched herself on my shoulders while Pinkie climbed onto hers—a precarious tower of chaos—and, somehow, they both weighed less than a feather.

"That...what-you...alright," Soarin muttered, giving up on making sense of it all with a shrug. He fell in step beside me, hovering close to me as I began walking.

"So, where are we headed?" I asked, glancing down at my drenched clothes clinging to me uncomfortably.

"There’s a cabin just on the tree line along the beach," He said, gesturing toward the island ahead, a comparatively small distance away from the largest of the cluster.

Squinting, I could just make out a faint blot on the shore—likely our destination. Above us, the airship was already approaching the same area, lowering and coming to a halt just beyond the tree line, where I could only assume the landing pad was. Fast thing, that ship.

"Is that the main island?"

"No, that's the main island there," Soarin replied, pointing off to a much larger island off to our right.

"Good to know," I said, rolling my shoulder and flexing my back. "Well, let’s not keep them waiting."

"I think that's a—"

Before Soarin could finish, I flared my wings out in a burst of glowing purple energy. His wings sputtered slightly as he stumbled back in the air in surprise, his eyes widening as Eris let out an exaggerated gasp. Pinkie, having seen them before, barely spared them a glance, her focus locked on the island as her grin stretched impossibly wide. With a single powerful flap, I jumped into the air, sending waves rippling outward.

Hovering mid-air, I turned to the still-stunned Soarin and flashed him a toothy grin.

"Race you?"

Snapping out of his daze, Soarin’s face lit up with an eager smirk. "Oh, you’re on."

"Girls," I called, catching their attention as they peered down at me from above. "Count us down. Oh, and you might want to hold on."

The pair nodded vigorously, hunkering down. Pinkie latched onto Eris's shoulders while the Chimera gripped mine with clawed hands.

"On three," I instructed.

"One."

"Two."

"THREE!"

With a deafening bang, I shot forward in an explosive burst of speed, the wind screaming past us. Pinkie and Eris tumbled backwards, clutching onto my peg leg for dear life as their faces peeled back comically while they cackled like maniacs. The island ahead loomed larger and larger, the crystalline water spraying up in a dazzling arc behind us as I rocketed across the waves.

Before long, the sandy shore of our destination rushed up to meet us. I ascended sharply into the air, letting my wings go limp as gravity pulled us back down toward the white sands. At the last second, I flared my wings, slowing our descent. Pinkie and Eris released my leg, landing unceremoniously on their butts. They high-fived each other with unrestrained glee before collapsing in fits of laughter, clutching their sides.

I landed gracefully and took a moment to wait, feeling my pegleg bury itself slightly into the sand. It wasn’t long before Soarin came in for a landing, his expression one of pure disbelief as his wide eyes darted between me and the path we’d just travelled.

"Holy shit," he blurted, folding his wings behind him as mine vanished in a small flash of purple light. "I... I've never seen anyone move like that."

"What can I say?" I replied, clapping him on the shoulder. As we strolled along the beachfront, my peg leg sank into the sand, forcing an awkward, uneven gait as Pinkie and Eris trailed along behind us, still brimming with excitement. "I'm built different."

Soarin gave me a sceptical look but grinned. "Hard to believe you're my superior," he muttered, then quickly corrected himself. "Uh—I mean—"

"Relax," I said with a chuckle, giving him a playful slap on the chest. "You’re not the first to think it."

He exhaled in relief, smiling at my casual response, and soon led us toward our destination. It wasn’t a long walk.

"And here we are," Soarin announced, gesturing ahead.

The sight stopped me in my tracks. The place was enormous—easily sixty or seventy feet from the waterline and towering like a castle. Hell, it might as well have been one. It was three stories tall with an expansive balcony that spanned the entire second floor, complete with a pool on top. I could only assume Celestia and Luna owned this "cabin." The size practically screamed royal extravagance. The double doors at the entrance looked more like gates.

"Well, that’s subtle," I muttered as we stepped inside.

The interior was just as grandiose as the exterior. Though the outside seemed massive, the inside somehow felt even larger, with high ceilings and sprawling open spaces. Rainbow Dash could probably fly full speed in here without knocking anything over. My eyes drifted upward, catching sight of the third floor, which seemed to be one massive room.

"Three guesses who’s sleeping up there," I thought with a smirk.

I let out a low whistle, genuinely impressed. "Nice digs," I said, nodding appreciatively as Pinkie and Eris ran off to find the others.

"Glad you approve," Celestia's familiar voice called out.

I looked up to see her leaning over the railing on the third floor. "Called it," I thought smugly.

"About time you got here!" Rainbow Dash hollered from the second floor.

"Blame the two chaos gods!" I shot back. "They're the ones who tackled me off the ship! Not my fault! Hell, I wasn't even that long!"

"Yeah, yeah, whatever old man!" Calise chimed in, appearing beside Rainbow. "Hurry up and get changed so we can hit the beach!"

I sighed, pinching the bridge of my nose with a wry smile. "You’re so much like your mother, I swear."

Celestia chuckled at my exasperation. "Your room is on the first floor, just under the staircase," She informed me. "We took the liberty of moving your belongings there."

"Under the stairs? Who am I, Harry Potter?" I thought but gave her a thumbs-up. "Thanks! The beach sounds like a great idea—even if I already took a dip," I added, muttering the last part to myself.

"And just to be clear!" I called, addressing everyone. "I’m a married man—no peeking from me! Can’t make the same promise about the rest of you, though!"

"I didn't know you were married, Sir," Soarin said as we made our way to our rooms.

"Now you do," I replied with a casual shrug. "You'll also meet a small Viseran, a Lycan, and a big Draconian. They're my kids."

Soarin stopped in the short hallway that connected the main foyer to our accommodations. He looked at me with the same bewildered expression he'd worn earlier when I summoned my wings. "You just keep getting more and more interesting."

"Stick around," I said with a wink. "I’m full of surprises."

When we reached our room, I saw that it was massive—so much so that "living room with beds thrown inside" felt like a more accurate description. Inside, Ghost, Europa, Neptune, and Spike were already there. Spike, however, seemed oblivious to our arrival. As the others opened their mouths to greet me, I brought a finger to my lips to signal for silence. Walking quietly over to Spike, I stopped just behind him, a sly smirk playing on my lips.

"Boo!"

Spike let out a high-pitched squeak, practically leaping to the ceiling. Whatever he’d been holding tumbled from his hands as he jumped to his feet, his spines bristling like a startled cat. The room erupted into laughter—even Ghost couldn’t hold back. Realizing it was only me, Spike relaxed, though his unimpressed glare remained firmly in place.

"Really?" he said flatly.

"You’re my newest student. Expect more of this and worse, young Padawan!" I grinned wide. "Speaking of, before you get too comfortable, it’s time for a taste of what’s to come in your training."

Spike hesitated. "What’re we doing?" he asked as Europa and Neptune exchanged knowing looks.

"Spoilers!" I shouted with mock offence, causing him to flinch again. Turning to Soarin, who was still watching us with curiosity, I added, "Go find us a boat—Spike and I need it ASAP for his first demonstration."

With a sharp salute, Soarin took off, leaving the room. Meanwhile, I began drying off, steam curling in the air around me. Ignoring the others' amused looks, I stripped down to change into more casual clothing, deciding to wear cargo shorts and a loose-fitting white shirt. Only Spike seemed remotely flustered, though he said nothing. Once I was ready, I motioned for him to follow, and he did, with the rest of the group trailing close behind.

"Seriously though," Spike said, walking beside me, "what are we doing?"

"You, my boy-" I replied with a smirk, "-will be doing as Jesus once did."

"...Who’s Jesus?"

Author's Note

And so I notch another chapter on my 2025 belt and I have to say, I'm loving how everything is turning out, I never imagined I'd get this far :rainbowlaugh:

Please point out any mistakes I may have made
Constructive criticism is always appreciated
Until next time, TTFN!

Chapter 42 - "Vacation Madness" - part 2

"Come on, hurry up!" I shouted over my shoulder, weaving through the foyer. I could feel the curious gazes of several women on me as the rest of the boys trailed behind, the three siblings exchanging knowing glances. "I've got some knowledge to learn ya!"

As we stepped out of the massive cabin, we spotted Soarin pulling a boat through the shallows toward the shore. Further down the beach, I noticed a group of boats gathered not too far away, close enough that I felt a twinge of guilt for making Soarin fetch ours. Not that he seemed to mind—his easygoing smile as he presented the boat to Spike and me said as much.

"Thanks, Soarin," I said with a nod. "I don’t know what orders the Princesses gave you, but make sure you enjoy yourself as much as you can, alright? Pass that on to Spitfire and Fleetfoot for me, too, would you?"

He responded with a simple nod and a casual salute before heading off. As he left, the rest of the group approached, and Spike and I climbed into the boat. The girls looked puzzled, their confusion ranging from mild to intense meanwhile Pinkie and Eris just looked happy to be there. Before anyone could voice their questions, the three siblings who had followed closely behind offered soft reassurances—mainly directed at the Draconian's sister. That seemed to calm them for the moment.

Spike took the oars and began rowing us out to sea. The water was calm, and the soft rhythm of the oars breaking the surface filled the air. About ten or fifteen minutes later, we were far enough from shore.

"That’ll do, Donkey. That’ll do," I said, earning a raised eyebrow from Spike.

He glanced around at the tranquil, crystal-clear sea before turning back to me, his face full of uncertainty. "Uh…Percival? What are we doing so far from shore?"

I gave him a toothy grin. "I'm going to demonstrate the next part of your training. After that, you'll use what you already know to try and make it back to shore."

"Alright," He said slowly, narrowing his eyes. "So, how do we do this?"

I ran a hand along the side of the boat beneath our feet, glancing at it thoughtfully. "How expensive do you think this thing is?"

Spike raised an eyebrow at the abrupt change of subject, suspicion creeping into his expression. "I...don't know. It doesn't look very expensive."

My grin widened mischievously. "Sweet!" Summoning Ace, I aimed at the boat directly beside me, and Spike's eyes widened in alarm. With a single shot, the bullet tore a massive hole into the seat beside me before sending Ace away. Water rushed in immediately, tilting the boat as it began to sink. Within moments, we were floating in the ocean, watching the vessel disappear into the depths below.

"Why did you do that?!" Spike shouted, throwing up his arms and splashing water everywhere. "Now we can't get back to shore!"

"Oh no," I said softly, feigning surprise and concern. "Our boat. It's broken."

Spike glared at me, then looked down at the water, watching as the boat vanished into the dark abyss. His shoulders slumped, and when he turned back to me, his resigned expression made it clear he knew his training had already begun. "What am I supposed to do?" he asked with a sigh.

"I'm so glad you asked!" I said brightly. Slowly, I focused my energy into my hands, knees, peg leg, and feet—just as I had when Soarin first found me with Pinkie and Eris—and climbed out of the water. Spike stared at me in awe as I stood on the surface. "Pretty cool, huh?" I asked with a knowing smile.

"Can I do that?!" Spike asked, his voice brimming with excitement.

"That's what we're going to find out!" I replied with a huge grin. Truthfully, I wasn’t expecting him to nail it right away—walking on water is no small feat—but Spike had been full of surprises throughout his training.

"Fingers crossed," I thought to myself.

"Focus your energy into the same spot on your feet as before," I explained, pacing around him as I spoke, wiping away several thick locks of hair from my face. "But this time, it’ll be trickier. The ocean is constantly moving, which means you’ll need to adjust your energy every second to match the flow and current. That’s the only way to stay dry and above water. To climb out, you’ll also need to focus energy into your knees and hands. It’s all about balance and control."

Spike nodded, determination lighting up his face. Closing his eyes, he began to concentrate. After a few seconds, he pressed his hands against the water's surface and managed to pull himself up slightly. For a brief moment, it looked like he was getting the hang of it—but then his energy faltered. He splashed back into the water, barely sinking before he swam back up to try again.

Over and over, Spike attempted to climb out of the water, each try more focused than the last. But as I’d expected, it wasn’t easy. This exercise required constant adjustments, forcing him to refine his control in real-time. It didn’t help that he had to channel energy into his hands and knees as well, something he’d never done before. Still, I was impressed. For a few fleeting moments, he managed to hold himself above the water, proof that he was learning.

Eventually, exhaustion began to take its toll. His movements grew sloppy, and he started struggling just to stay afloat, yet he still tried.

"Persistent little bastard, I’ll give him that," I thought with a smirk.

Leaning down, I hooked an arm under his and across his chest from behind, pulling him out of the water before his head could dip beneath the surface. "Alright, I got you."

"No," He said firmly, despite his breathless state. "I can keep going!"

"Oh, I’m sure you could," I replied, effortlessly slinging his limp body over my shoulder. "At the cost of drowning. And we can’t have that, can we?"

I gave him a reassuring pat, making sure he was secure on my shoulder before heading toward the shore. "If it makes you feel any better, you did a phenomenal job, wee man. I put you in a tough spot for this. Normally, you’d just walk straight onto the water—not pull yourself up like that."

"That’s okay," Spike sighed, clearly exhausted. "I never expected you to take it easy on me. I just figure you know what you’re doing—especially since Europa, Calise, and Neptune turned out fine. So I say, fuck it, and just do what you say."

A smile crept onto my face as I began the trek back to the island. On the way, I noticed something in the distance approaching fast. As it got closer, I recognized Spitfire flying toward us.

"Good to see you again, Sir," Spitfire said, hovering in front of us.

"Sup, Spitfire," I greeted with a nod. "Soarin tell you we were out here?"

"Yeah," She said, crossing her arms. "But he left out the part where you were going to sink the boat. He did mention, though, that you can walk on water. I’ve heard a lot of rumours about you, Sir, but that one? Had to see it to believe it."

"Believe it!" I said with a grin. "Pretty sure Soarin almost shat himself when he saw me climb out of the water and carry on like it was nothing."

Spitfire chuckled, hovering casually nearby. "If you don’t mind me asking, what exactly are you doing out here? Whatever it is, it’s got the Elements of Harmony talking."

"I can imagine," I said with a short laugh, nodding toward the limp Draconian slung over my shoulder. "It’s all thanks to this one."

"I figured as much but didn’t want to assume," She said, glancing at Spike. "So, who’s the kid?"

"My student," I explained. "He’s also the reason we’re out here. And why the Elements are here, which indirectly explains why the Princesses are also here. It’s all a very delicate web."

I stopped and turned, spinning on the spot to give them a proper introduction. "Spike, meet Spitfire. Spitfire, meet Spike."

"Hey," Spike said tiredly as I felt him weakly raise a hand to wave at her. Turning back, I completed the full circle to face her again.

Spitfire chuckled at the odd introduction. "Didn't know you took on students."

"Yeah, well, I do. Or, in this case, he’s technically my squire for official events. Shit that reminds me, I need to fill out the paperwork," I informed her, mumbling the last part to myself. "Anyway, I prefer the term 'apprentice.' Again, it’s why we’re out here—to show him the next step in his training."

"Were you trying to drown him?" Spitfire asked playfully.

"I was wondering the same thing," Spike chimed in from over my shoulder. The amused tone in his voice made it clear he was smiling.

"You’re so lucky I only have one arm," I said, glancing back at him before returning my attention to the hovering Pegasus. We continued toward the island as I added, "Speaking of which, you and Soarin seem to take seeing me like this pretty well."

"We’ve had plenty of time to hear the rumours and read the news articles about you since your return," she replied, her gaze drifting down to my missing arm and the peg leg I now stood on. "Still, I’ll admit, seeing it in person was a bit of a shock."

"Anyway," She said, shaking her head as if to clear her thoughts, "How’s his training going? Your methods seem...unorthodox."

"I’m still debating whether I want to keep him," I said with a smirk. "Just imagine—I drop him in the water, make up some simple excuse, and boom. No more Spike."

Spitfire shook her head, while Spike went rigid, stiff as a board. The sight made me chuckle. "Relax, Spike. I’m kidding. Fuck. Honestly, he’s making remarkable progress for someone who isn’t used to my methods. Like I said, this was more of a demonstration than anything else. He’ll be taking it easy for the rest of the trip."

"Good," Spitfire nodded. "Because he looks like he needs it."

We eventually made it back to shore, Spike seemingly conking out somewhere along the way. As we stepped onto the white, sandy beach, steam rolled off of my freshly dried body and clothes as Twilight was quick to rush over. Her eyes locked onto her brother, slung limply over my shoulder, and she immediately unleashed a barrage of questions.

"Relax, he's not dead," I said, cutting her off before she could work herself into a frenzy. "Trust me, if he was, you'd be the first to know."

Twilight huffed in response as I carried Spike over to a set of beach chairs. Gently settling him down, I closed the umbrella beside him. "Still, you shouldn't push him to exhaustion like that," She said, crossing her arms.

"Says the girl who regularly pulls all-nighters, exhausting herself chasing knowledge or solving problems," I shot back with a raised brow.

"That's...different," She muttered weakly.

"Mmhmm," I hummed, turning to her with a knowing smile. "And how's that any different?"

Twilight opened her mouth to respond but faltered, glancing away as she rubbed her arm. Stepping closer, I rested a hand gently on her shoulder.

"I know you said you trust me, but I need you to show it," I said softly. Sliding my arm around her shoulders, I gestured toward Calise, who was playing volleyball with Eris and the rest of Twilight's friends. Europa and Neptune sat nearby, offering colourful commentary. "Look at them, Twilight. I would never put my kids through something I didn’t believe they could handle. Spike is no different."

Twilight looked at me, then at my kids, and finally at Spike. She let out a soft sigh before nodding. "I'll... try."

"That's all anyone can ask of you," I replied with a light tone, giving her shoulder a gentle squeeze before releasing her. "Now go relax. Surely even you know how to do that?"

"I promise nothing," She quipped before checking on Spike one last time. Satisfied, she jogged off to join her friends.

As I watched her leave, I turned and noticed Ghost lounging on a nearby chair, a coconut in hand with a straw poking out of its sliced-open top. His beige skull mask was rolled up just enough to let him drink with ease. Shaking my head at the almost comically casual sight, I made my way over. Ghost spotted me quickly and raised his coconut in an uncharacteristically laid-back greeting.

"Never took you for someone who’d enjoy time off like this, Ghost," I remarked, stopping next to him. His sunglasses reflected the sunlight as he glanced up at me.

"Just because I maintain strict discipline on duty doesn’t mean I can’t relax off duty," He replied, raising a free hand to rest behind his head.

"Fair enough," I nodded with a smirk, conceding the point.

"Besides, nothing beats fresh coconut water."

"You sound like my brother," I said with a small chuckle. Reaching down, I removed my loose white shirt, the fabric vanishing with a soft fwoosh of purple fire as it joined the rest of my belongings.

From behind, I heard a light whistle. Turning, I caught sight of Calise lightly slapping Pinkie on the arm. The rest of the group of girls had paused to glance my way. Those who weren’t already in relationships quickly looked elsewhere once they realized I’d noticed. Amused, I waved at them, their reactions making me smile—Pegasi wings fluttered, and the sole Unicorn’s horn pulsed faintly with magic.

Paying them little mind, I sat down beside Ghost. Calise was still swatting Pinkie, as her face turned bright red—no doubt from some bold comment from the Pink Party Planner. Ghost handed me a fresh coconut, and I leaned back to enjoy the warmth of the sun on my skin, blissfully unaware of a pair of magenta eyes lingering on my now-exposed chest.

The rest of the day passed effortlessly. I sat with Ghost for about an hour before the girls roped us into their games. After some insistent persuasion—especially from a certain trio—I relented, and even Ghost eventually gave in.

A few games proved tricky with my missing limbs, but I held my own and even managed to score decently well. Dodgeball, however, was a different story—I dominated that with ease. It felt good to unwind and let go of stress after what felt like an eternity. The time spent together was exactly what my kids and I had needed. Hearing their cheers when they won, their groans when they lost, and their laughter echoing across the beach formed a lump in my throat more than once. I think the Elements noticed, too. Now and then, they’d subtly ask if I was alright, to which I always gave an immediate, reassuring "yes."

Honestly, I couldn’t have asked for more.

And yet, as I gazed out at the other islands scattered across the horizon, I couldn’t shake the feeling that more was exactly what was coming.

~~

Sitting atop the roof of the cabin, I absentmindedly listened to the distant crash of waves and the louder, animated voices of the group below. Their laughter and chatter blended as they played whatever board game they could find. My gaze drifted upward to the dark expanse of the sky, the stars teetering on the brink of alignment, steadily approaching a point of no return. I inhaled deeply, holding the breath for a beat before exhaling just as slowly. The deliberate action did nothing to calm my racing heart.

"Almost Heaven, West Virginia
Blue Ridge Mountains, Shenandoah River
Life is old there, older than the trees
Younger than the mountains, growin' like a breeze

Country roads, take me home
To the place I belong
West Virginia, mountain mama
Take me home, country roads."

"Hey, Boss."

A soft voice behind me broke the stillness. I turned to see Calise standing by the open skylight, her silhouette outlined by the dim glow from below. Smiling, I shifted to the side and patted the empty spot next to me. She climbed up and settled in, stretching her wings, arms and legs with a small groan before glancing my way.

"Why aren't you with everyone else?" I asked, casting her a sidelong glance.

"Why aren't you?" She shot back without missing a beat.

I chuckled softly. "Touché."

A quiet pause stretched between us, the only sounds coming from the waves and the faint murmurs from inside.

"Are you okay?" Calise finally asked, her small bat-like nose twitching as she studied me through her gold frame glasses.

I sighed, letting my gaze drift back to the endless ocean. My legs dangled off the edge of the roof as I muttered, "I don't know."

She reached out, placing her smaller hand over mine and giving it a reassuring squeeze. "It's going to work," She said with quiet conviction.

"I know, but it's not that that's been making me feel like...this" I replied, turning my hand to hold hers. Her hand was so much smaller than mine—delicate, like her mother's. Bringing it to my lips, I closed my eyes. When I opened them, I found her watching me with a sad, knowing expression. My voice trembled as I whispered, "It doesn't feel real."

"You, your brothers..." I trailed off before she could respond. "And now your uncle? It all feels like some elaborate trick. Every time I close my eyes, I expect to wake up and find you all...gone." I blinked, feeling tears threaten to spill. "But every time I open them, you're still here."

"We're real, Dad," She said firmly, cupping my cheek. Her touch made my breath hitch. "And we're not leaving. Ever. Not again."

"You bet your sweet bippy we're not," A familiar voice chimed in.

I glanced over my shoulder to see Europa climbing out of the skylight, followed by Neptune. Europa took a seat on my other side, draping an arm around my shoulders, while Neptune knelt behind me. He rested his chin on the top of my head and wrapped his long arms around all of us, pulling us into a tight embrace. We sat there together, quietly soaking in each other's presence, the weight of unspoken emotions settling into something softer, something bearable.

"I love you all."

"We love you too."

~~

Sleep eluded me for hours, despite the bed being infuriatingly comfortable. I lay there, staring at the ceiling, my mind a maelstrom of thoughts and my heart racing as though it might burst. By the time the clock on my bedside table struck six A.M., I’d had enough.

Carefully, I slipped out from beneath the thick duvet and silently attached my prosthetic, securing the strap to my thigh with practised ease. Moving with deliberate quiet, I sneaked out of the room, determined not to wake anyone.

The living room was dim and still, the air heavy with the scent of aged wood. My gaze fell on the bar across the room, and I gravitated toward it, stepping behind the counter. I idly browsed the bottles, finally settling on a malt whiskey. Humming softly, I examined the label and went to pour myself a measure. I raised the bottle, only to pause and set the glass away with a shake of my head. Grabbing the bottle and stepping outside, I let the cabin door click shut behind me. The crisp air greeted me as I took a deep, burning sip from the whiskey.

I made my way to the shoreline, the cool sand shifting beneath my steps. Wading into the calm waters, I stopped when they reached just below my knee. Closing my eyes, I inhaled deeply through my nose, willing the tempest inside me to settle. It didn’t. Instead, frustration bubbled to the surface, and a low growl escaped my lips. Another sip of whiskey followed.

And then, something shifted.

A strange lightness filled my chest, a sensation that prickled at the edges of my awareness. My energy seemed to mingle with it, creating a feeling I couldn’t quite name. The lightness intensified, and my heart skipped a beat. Suddenly, the connection to my energy deepened, as though amplified. The sensation overwhelmed me. My knees buckled, and I stumbled, falling with a splash into the shallow water. Tilting my head back, I looked up—and froze.

The stars above stretched across the sky like scattered jewels, but my eyes were drawn to a single line of them, stark and unwavering, pointing toward the main island a few miles off. It was then I understood the reason behind the shift and a nervous grin graced my lips.

"All my memories gather 'round her
Miner's lady, stranger to blue water
Dark and dusty, painted on the sky
Misty taste of moonshine, teardrop in my eye."

"Almost there," I whispered, my voice hoarse. I took another deep swig of whiskey, the warmth doing little to temper the fire in my chest. "Just a little longer."

Rising unsteadily, I turned back toward the cabin, now glowing with light from every window. The others had felt it too. The shift. I stepped out of the water, shaking my peg leg free of sand and salt before heading to the front door. The whiskey bottle dangled loosely in my grip, its contents dwindling as I took one last sip before entering the cabin.

Once inside, I stepped back into the living room, leaning against the bar with my head down just as several voices came from behind me. Though I wasn’t in the same room as them, I could feel their worry like a tangible weight in the air.

“Did you guys feel that!?” Rainbow Dash exclaimed.

“Yeah, we felt it too,” Soarin replied.

“Heck, even me ’n’ Pinkie felt it,” Applejack added. “Y’all alright?”

“Yes... yes, I think I’m fine,” Rarity said, her voice faintly breathless. “Twilight?”

“I’m okay,” Twilight answered quietly. “I just... what was that?”

“My little ponies, I’m sure it’s nothing to worry about,” Celestia said gently, her tone calm and reassuring as she tried to settle everyone’s nerves. The group murmured among themselves as she continued, “These islands have always been known for their odd magical phenomena, but they’ve always been harmless.”

Taking a deep, steadying breath, I completely downed the last of the whiskey in my hand before setting the glass firmly on the countertop. As I pushed off the bar, my sudden movement silenced the room. Limping into the large foyer, I felt all eyes on me. My gaze shifted to the three siblings, and in that shared glance, we understood one another. It didn’t take long for everyone else to pick up on it.

“Percival,” Celestia said softly, stepping toward me.

Before she could continue, a burst of purple flame enveloped me, and I emerged clad in my equipment. Three more flashes followed, and my children stood beside me, donned in their grey robes with weapons ready, stepping to the front of the group. My fist clenched as the weight of the moment settled over us, and the room filled with an unspoken understanding.

“So it’s finally happening,” Rainbow Dash said, clapping her hands together with determination The rest of the group turned to me, anticipation clear on their faces. “What’s the plan? How’re we gonna get your bro out?”

“The plan is for all of you to stay here,” I said simply.

“What?!?!” the group shouted in unison. Even Fluttershy raised her voice to an uncharacteristic shout.

“Sir! Surely you realize how foolish this sounds!?” Fleetfoot exclaimed.

“She’s right, Arthur! That doesn’t make a lick of sense! Why not let us help you?!” Applejack added, looking at me intently.

“Come on, Percy! We’ve already fought Nightmare Moon! You might need us!” Pinkie chimed in, her usual energy undeterred.

“Pinkie’s right, darling. Some assistance could do you good,” Rarity said, her tone calm but insistent.

“No. The Elements will be useless here,” I replied firmly.

“How can you be so sure?” Luna asked, her expression clouded with worry.

“There...was a longstanding theory about how my brother and I would react to the Elements due to how our energies function. It’s been tested more than once, and let me tell you—it’s not a pleasant experience,” I explained.

“Wait, the Elements were used on you?!” Twilight interjected, her voice tinged with shock. “How? Why?”

“I don’t have time to explain,” I said curtly. “All you need to know is that the Elements won’t help this time.”

“Do you want us on standby?” Spitfire asked, her tone and expression deadly serious.

“I assume you’ve been briefed on the secondary reason for this vacation?” I asked, meeting her gaze.

“I was informed after I escorted you and Spike back to shore,” She confirmed.

“Good. Then I want you three to guard the Princesses and the Elements of Harmony with your lives. The chance of anything going wrong is low, but it’s not zero. I’d rather have extra firepower here so I can focus on what lies ahead.”

“But Sir—” Soarin began, but a sharp, pointed look from me made him fall silent.

“Not even Celestia and Luna won’t be able to do much. They’ll be of no use in the battle ahead. Besides, this is too unpredictable. If, by some chance, my children and I fall, you will need precious time to evacuate, time you will be able to provide with all three of you on watch. You have your orders, Captain.”

Fleetfoot opened her mouth to protest, but Spitfire raised a hand, stopping her. “Understood, Sir,” Spitfire said firmly before turning and leaving with her subordinates in tow.

"What makes you so certain my sister and I would be of no use?" Luna asked. Though my words hadn't offended her, she and Celestia seemed genuinely curious.

"My brother and I operate in a way that’s vastly different from how you—or most Unicorns—function," I explained, noticing the group’s attention shifting toward me. "Respectfully, the two of you would spend the entire confrontation trying to figure out how to defend yourselves. It’d be more of a hindrance than a help to have you there."

For a moment, they simply stared at me, unblinking. Their eyes scanned mine, as though searching for something, before they both sighed. Their expressions softened, though faint furrows lingered on their brows.

"If that is what you wish," Luna said quietly, while Celestia remained uncharacteristically silent.

I glanced around the room, noticing someone was missing. "Where’s Ghost?"

"Right here, Sir."

Turning, I immediately spotted him. Gone were his casual swim trunks; Ghost was now clad in his usual black ensemble, Yamato gripped firmly in his hand as he stepped into the room.

"Ghost—"

"With all due respect, Sir, I’m going to have to decline your order," He interrupted, his tone resolute. He had already anticipated what I was about to say.

"Ghost—" I began, but the words caught in my throat. His eyes, usually a deep, vibrant brown, now carried faint traces of pale blue, like hidden cracks of lightning flickering beneath the surface. The Princesses noticed my almost imperceptible reaction and exchanged curious glances. Forcing myself to stay composed, I took a step forward. "You know what your chances are of coming out of this?"

"Almost zero," He said lightly, a faint hint of a smile in his voice despite the grim implication. He adjusted his grip on Yamato. "Wouldn’t have it any other way."

I nodded, turning toward the door. As I reached it, I paused, glancing back at the group—only to find myself suddenly wrapped in a tight hug by Rarity and Applejack.

Smiling, I leaned down and hugged them back as best I could. "I’ll be fine, guys," I whispered.

"Ain’t gonna stop us from worrying," Applejack replied softly.

"You’re a dear friend, Percival," Rarity added. "Please, just be safe."

"I will," I promised, letting them go and offering the most reassuring smile I could muster. "I’ve got backup this time."

I looked over at my kids, who smiled at me with quiet encouragement. After exchanging brief nods, they stepped back toward their friends. That’s when Spike hesitantly approached.

"You alright, wee man?" I asked.

"Yeah. Just a little nervous, is all," Spike tried to say in a normal voice, but it came out shaky.

That shaky voice was a clear sign that something was eating at him. Kneeling in front of him, I kept my voice soft and steady. "Spike, talk to me."

He glanced around the room as if searching for an excuse until his shoulders sagged and his gaze dropped to the floor. "What if you don’t come back..." His voice was barely above a whisper. Finally, he looked up at me, his eyes filled with uncertainty.

I gave him a soft smile. "Spike," I said gently, resting a hand on his shoulder. "Every fight I go into, there’s always a chance I won’t make it back. Always a chance I’ll lose. But I come back every time. You want to know why?"

"Why?"

"Because there are always people who need me," I replied firmly. "There are always people I care about. As long as you, that group of friends behind you, the Princesses, or my kids are here, I’ll always have something to fight for. That’s why I’ll always come back."

I let the words sink in for a moment before adding, "And now, I have something to gain."

Spike stared at me, his nervous expression gradually shifting into one of resolve. He nodded, clearly bolstered by my words. Smiling back, I gave his shoulder a reassuring pat before standing up and heading outside.

The night was still cloaked in darkness as we stepped onto the shore. Before I could summon my wings, a hand landed on my shoulder. I turned to find myself pulled into a warm embrace.

"Please be safe," Celestia whispered, her wings wrapping around my shoulders.

Smiling softly, I hugged her back. "I promise nothing," I said, teasing lightly.

"Then just come back," She replied with a slight huff, and I could almost feel her rolling her eyes. "You can’t imagine how boring it would be without you."

"I think I can manage that," I said with a grin.

As I released her, I turned to the trio standing nearby, Neptune hooking his arms under Ghosts. Summoning their wings while Calise simply spread hers, they waited for me to lead. I summoned mine in response, glancing at the group in front of us one by one before flashing a toothy grin.

"Hope you guys are ready for another me!" I quipped.

With that, I launched into the air before anyone could respond, my kids soaring close behind as we made our way toward the main island.

The strange sensation that had started all of this grew stronger with every passing moment, intensifying as we drew closer. By the time we landed on the island’s shore, it was nearly overwhelming. Finding the place we needed to go wasn’t going to be a problem.

Stepping past the treeline into the lush, dense forest, we moved quietly toward the island’s centre. Not one of us dared to break the silence; the only sound was the soft crunch of our footsteps. Even the birds and other wildlife, so often a constant in places like this, seemed unnaturally quiet, as though the forest itself held its breath.

Eventually, I felt it—a barrier of sorts. As we passed through, the air changed, almost tangibly. The rich, fertile soil beneath our feet began to dry, cracking and crumbling into a fine, desert-like sand. Dust hung faintly in the air, its taste sharp and metallic. The once-vibrant mountains that loomed around us, alive with trees and teeming with life, gradually dulled. Their surfaces faded from a light grey to a lifeless beige as the vegetation withered, shrinking into nothingness.

We pressed on, descending into a vast crevasse. The air grew heavier, and the swirling dust obscured our view beyond a certain distance. The rocky walls on either side climbed higher and higher, stretching endlessly skyward until they disappeared from sight. Time passed—minutes, maybe hours—before the ground began to change once more. Patches of black, ink-like goo seeped from below, droplets rising as if gravity itself had reversed. They floated upward, defying logic, their unnatural motion setting my teeth on edge.

Abruptly, the narrow crevasse opened into an immense chasm. At its centre yawned a massive, gaping hole, its edges crumbling precariously toward an impossible void. Peering into the darkness, a strange sensation washed over me, a feeling of both vertigo and gravity pulling inward. The abyss seemed to stretch infinitely downward, swallowing all light and reason. None of us flinched.

Without hesitation, I stepped over the edge, dropping into the void. Bracing myself against the jagged wall, my boots and gloved hand ploughing through the jagged surface, sending fragments falling into the unseen abyss. The rock, cold and unyielding, seemed to shift subtly under my touch, guiding my movements. As I fell, gravity shifted—an almost imperceptible change at first—until I felt it press me sideways against the wall. I slowed, finally coming to a stop and standing upright, as though the world itself had rearranged around me. Moments later, Ghost and my children joined me, their movements as fluid and certain as my own.

We moved forward, the darkness closing in tighter with each step. The air thickened, the blackness around us becoming so absolute that even our own bodies seemed to vanish. We pressed on, blind, into the abyss.

Growls emerged from the darkness—soft at first, little more than faint, distant groans. Then, without warning, the quiet gave way to deafening snarls and roars that filled the air. My vision shifted, sharpening to pierce the shadows, revealing what lay ahead.

Gripping Ace, I unleashed fire on the approaching Demons. Each explosive shot illuminated their grotesque features—their jagged, ram-like horns and shimmering blue scales glinting in the light. My bullets tore through them, their neon blue blood spraying out in a glowing arc, staining the ground and coating us in its luminous residue.

They came in relentless waves, each more ferocious than the last. It became clear they were defending something, and that meant we were on the right path. The Demons' death cries reverberated around us, their wails twisting and warbling unnaturally as we cut them down. Yet for all their savagery, they fell disturbingly easily. When the assault finally ceased, we pressed on, the sensation guiding us forward. Our hands dripped with their glowing blood, our footsteps leaving bright, unmistakable prints behind us.

The darkness soon reclaimed us, blotting out even my demonic vision. Yet we pressed forward, undeterred. An eerie silence hung in the air, broken only by faint whisperings. The voices were indistinct, murmurings of a message we could not—or chose not to—decipher. We ignored them and kept moving.

Minutes stretched on until, suddenly, a soft light appeared ahead, causing us to halt. Crystals flickered to life in neat rows, their deep, resonant hum reverberating in the distance. One by one, the crystals lit up, leading the way forward, halting only at the penultimate row. When the light stopped, we pressed on.

As we approached the first crystal, its true nature became clear. Each one hovered at the end of towering, endless bookshelves, their surfaces polished and unyielding. Beneath them stretched rows of tables piled with books, tools, and smaller, inactive crystals scattered like forgotten relics. Halfway through the library, the final row of crystals ignited, casting a radiant glow onto a massive, monolithic door.

The door loomed endlessly upward, its surface iridescent and strangely fluid. As we neared, it began to open, its reflective sheen rippling as though alive. Its edges dripped inward like wet paint, pulling us closer to whatever lay beyond.

Once we were within ten meters, we stopped. I turned to Ghost, but before I could utter a single word, he raised his hand, silencing me. For a moment, I met his gaze, then conceded with a nod and turned back toward the vast, endless door. Taking a deep breath, I stepped forward into the shimmering, iridescent wall.

The surface gave way like water, parting effortlessly as I passed through. My vision blurred, swimming with colours and light, yet my body moved onward without hesitation. In just a few moments, my sight cleared.

Before me stretched an infinite void. A silver floor extended endlessly into the horizon, reflecting a cloudless, vibrant red sky. Overhead, a massive eclipsed moon loomed, its presence heavy and foreboding. The air was thick, clinging with a sickly humidity that contradicted the sharp, biting cold, visible in the solid clouds of my breath.

I glanced back just as Ghost and the sibling trio materialized from thin air as I blinked. Ghost shivered the moment he appeared, his discomfort palpable.

"So this is where you've been all this time?" I murmured, my voice barely louder than a whisper. My gaze swept across the surreal expanse before landing on a lone figure in the far distance.

The moment I stepped forward, the figure stirred.

Briefly changing my vision, I narrowed my focus to take in more details. It was big, though significantly smaller and slimmer than my own Demon form. Its body was cloaked in sleek deep, warm black scales, accented by streaks of vivid yellow running down its sides. A streak of bright yellow fire flared at the top of its skull near its forehead, blazing down its back and tapering off at the end of its tail with thicker jets running alongside it, casting dancing shadows as the creature roused from what appeared to be a deep slumber.

Its long, thick snout parted to reveal rows of razor-sharp teeth as it snarled, scanning its surroundings until it eventually spotted us. It raised its head toward the crimson sky and let out a deafening roar that slammed into us like a physical force, reverberating through the air as if it were right beside us.

It was my brother.

And he was pissed.

Author's Note

Almost there. Just one more push

At the time of uploading this particular chapter, chapters 1-6 have been updated and improved, with chapter 7 in the works
I'm gonna be spending the next while going back and updating the older chapters from here to match the quality the newer ones have to hopefully provide a better read experience without taking away from the original

Please point out any mistakes I may have made
Constructive criticism is always appreciated
Until next time, TTFN!

Chapter 2 - "Unpleasant Arrival"

Awakening from a groggy, dreamlike state, my mind was suddenly jolted into sharp awareness by a familiar yet disconcerting sensation: weightlessness. But this time, it wasn’t the gentle floating I had once known—it was something far more visceral. It felt like I was falling. Because I was.

Twisting and flailing as best I could, I managed to glimpse the rapidly approaching treetops of a sprawling forest. The dense greenery surged toward me with alarming speed, offering no hint of reprieve.

“OH SHIIIIIIIT!!!”

Instinctively, I curled into a tight ball, a desperate but futile attempt to brace for the inevitable impact. Within moments, my body slammed into the crown of a massive tree. The force of the collision shattered it instantly, sending splinters, bark, and leaves flying in every direction. The cacophony of destruction wasn’t over, though. My momentum launched me into the trunk of another tree, which splintered apart under the sheer force of the impact. Unlike the first, this one couldn’t withstand the assault and toppled over, cleaved nearly in two.

Disoriented, I tumbled through the air like a ragdoll, with no concept of what was up or down. Each rotation blurred the world around me until, finally, my side crashed into the forest floor. Thick, gnarled roots and jagged stones didn’t cushion the blow; they merely broke my descent in the most painful way possible. The collision sent me skidding deeper into the underbrush, carving a trench through the earth before I came to a jarring stop, half-buried in the dirt.

Groaning, I let my body fall limp as the aches and bruises made their presence known. I lay there for what felt like an eternity, sprawled among shattered wood and disturbed earth before I finally attempted to move. Slowly, painfully, I began to shift, bits of bark, dirt, and jagged stone falling off me as I struggled to sit up.

“Oh, I’m gonna feel that in the morning,” I muttered, my voice raspy and unfamiliar.

Wait. My voice?

I froze in place, the sound of those words replaying in my head. That wasn’t my voice. It was smooth yet raspy—like someone who hadn’t had their morning coffee yet. It wasn’t incredibly deep, but it was a far cry from the higher pitch I was used to.

“What the fuck?”

Any lingering pain evaporated as adrenaline surged through me. I sprang to my feet with alarming speed, driven by a mix of panic and confusion. Turning to survey the area, I finally took in the full extent of the devastation I’d caused. A massive trail of destruction stretched out behind me—uprooted trees, fractured roots, and shattered rocks littered the landscape, forming a deep trench as far as the eye could see.

And somehow, I’d walked away from all that with just a sore back.

“What the fuck?”

Then, as my gaze fell on myself, the full absurdity of the situation hit me like a freight train.

“WHAT THE FUCK!?”

I wasn’t wearing my usual clothes. Normally, I stuck to simple outfits—plain shirts and jeans, nothing fancy or remarkable. But now? What I had on looked like it came straight out of a fantasy game or a high-budget action movie.

A long, flowing trench coat made of deep purple fabric draped over my shoulders, its leather accents reminiscent of something a certain white-haired demon hunter might wear. Around my forearms were sleek silver bracers, polished yet practical, and my hands were covered by dark brown, fingerless combat gloves. My trousers were thick and rugged, a sturdy brown material held in place by a wide leather belt with a dull golden triangular buckle at its centre.

And then there were the boots.

They immediately caught my attention, looking both practical and oddly out of place. Thick plates of armour covered the shins, extending from just below the knee to the middle of the foot, almost giving the appearance of greaves. When I lifted one foot to inspect the sole, I saw it was a rich navy blue. But what surprised me most was how the armoured plates flexed and moved with my motions, as though they were made of some advanced, pliable material rather than rigid steel.

“What the hell is going on?” I whispered, half-expecting an answer that never came.

My thoughts were a chaotic storm, and I stood there utterly frozen, unable to comprehend the scene unfolding before me. Every attempt to make sense of it only left me more bewildered. Saying I had no clue what was happening would be an understatement—not just of my life but potentially of several lifetimes.

Then, as if my body had decided to take control without consulting my scrambled mind, I spun on my heel and bolted in the opposite direction.

Straight into a tree.

“Motherfucker!” I shouted, my voice muffled as I doubled over, clutching my nose. The sharp, searing pain cut through the fog in my brain like a knife, dragging me out of my stupor.

But as I gingerly touched my throbbing nose, my fingers brushed against my chin—and I froze again. Not because my nose was tender, but because something vital, something intrinsic, was missing.

“Wait a second,” I muttered to myself, the disbelief in my voice audible. “I didn’t shave last night…”

Frantic, my hands shot to my face, skimming over unfamiliar, smooth, bare skin. My stomach twisted, my pulse quickened, and my thoughts raced as I processed the implications. What the hell was going on? Whipping around, I scanned my surroundings, desperate to find some reflective surface to confirm—or disprove—what I already feared. Through the dense foliage ahead, I glimpsed the shimmer of water.

I didn’t hesitate. Sprinting through the trees, branches tugged at my clothes, and undergrowth snagged at my legs, but I didn’t stop. The moment I broke through the treeline and stumbled onto the sandy shore, I dropped to my knees, panting as I leaned over the still, glass-like water.

The face staring back at me wasn’t mine.

Gone was the soft, round face I had known all my life. In its place was a more angular, chiselled visage, framed by a strong, square jawline. My once full cheeks had thinned out, sharpening into streamlined contours. The dark, heavy bags that had perpetually hung under my brown eyes were nowhere to be found—replaced by piercing steel-blue irises that reflected an intensity I didn’t recognize. My shoulder-length black hair had vanished, replaced by a stark white buzz cut, and the beard I had spent years growing was simply…gone.

“What the hell is happening to me?”

The words barely left my lips when a low, guttural growl rumbled behind me. My body tensed, the primal sound triggering an ancient, instinctive fear deep in my bones. Slowly, I turned, my heart pounding, and came face to face with a maw full of glistening, razor-sharp teeth hurtling straight toward me.

I dove to the side, rolling clumsily on the sand, and scrambled to my feet just in time to see the creature in all its horrifying glory.

A Manticore.

Straight out of myth, the beast was gargantuan, its golden fur rippling over bulging muscles. It resembled a lion, if lions had bat-like wings that flapped idly on their backs and a barbed scorpion’s tail that curled menacingly, ready to strike. Its feral yellow eyes locked onto mine, glinting with predatory hunger.

The creature wasted no time. With shocking speed, it lunged again, claws tearing into the earth as it closed the distance between us. I raised my arms instinctively, hoping—praying—they’d somehow shield me from the inevitable.

But before the Manticore could strike, a deafening boom shattered the air above us. Both the beast and I froze, our heads snapping skyward. Fireballs streaked down from the heavens like meteors, their light painting the darkening sky in shades of red and orange. As they hurtled closer, I realized they weren’t just fireballs. One of them was a blade—a massive sword engulfed in flame.

Time seemed to slow. The Manticore began to move, but it was too late. The flaming blade struck its skull with a sickening crunch, splitting bone and flesh with ease. The impact sent a shockwave rippling through the ground, spraying me with sand, blood, and tiny shards of bone. The beast’s body convulsed violently before collapsing into a lifeless heap.

A second projectile—a scabbard—landed with a dull thunk in the wet sand beside the corpse, completing the scene of carnage.

I stared, my mind struggling to process what had just happened. In the aftermath, the world seemed too quiet, too still. My legs gave out, and I let myself fall backwards, the gritty sand and sharp twigs digging into my back as I landed. I lay there, gasping for breath, every muscle in my body trembling. My mind, overwhelmed and overstimulated, surrendered to the chaos and went blank. I rolled onto my side, curling into a tight ball, the world around me fading into a haze.

I must have stayed like that for hours, unmoving, as the sun dipped below the horizon and the sky turned a deep navy. When I finally managed to uncurl and sit up, the world was cloaked in the soft dimness of twilight.

My gaze fell on the Manticore’s mangled body. The sword protruded from its skull, the flames long extinguished but still radiating an eerie heat. Driven by a strange compulsion, I approached the weapon cautiously, each step slow and deliberate. Wrapping my fingers around the hilt, I gave it a tentative tug. To my surprise, the blade slid free effortlessly, its weight solid and comforting in my grip.

I stared at it, the blood-slick metal glinting faintly in the moonlight

The flat-backed, curved blade gleamed even in the dim light of the darkening sky. Elegant runes I couldn’t recognize spiralled up both sides, halting halfway along the blade’s length, just below the single curved hilt. The weapon was anchored by a solid, ovoid wooden handle, its pommel curving slightly forward with a sharp, bone-like stud protruding from the bottom.

It looked like a longer, much larger version of Orcrist, reaching just below my chin. And it was beautiful.

Reluctantly tearing my gaze from the stunning piece of craftsmanship, I turned my attention to the dead Manticore sprawled nearby and winced. I wasn’t new to death—I’d seen more than my fair share. But facing down a beast of legend, watching it come to life and almost kill me, wasn’t something I ever thought I’d have to endure.

Securing the scabbard—now my scabbard—firmly to my back, I slid the blade inside with care, its passage marked by a satisfying, almost mechanical tha-chunk. The sound resonated with an odd finality.

I cast one last look at the Manticore’s lifeless form, sighed, and turned away, leaving the carcass for scavengers to claim.

~~

I walked for what felt like hours. The entire journey, a prickling sensation on the back of my neck kept me on edge—an unshakable feeling of being watched. Even after finding a clearly man-made path, the sensation never faded. I caught myself reaching for the sword more than once, though I had little experience wielding one. All I could do was stay alert and be ready to run.

Despite its outward appearance of a normal forest, something about this place felt off. Dangerously off. And the Manticore encounter from earlier had done nothing to ease my nerves.

Above me, the vast sky deepened into shades of purple and black, dotted with the faint glimmers of distant stars and planets. I tilted my head back, marvelling at how bright and vivid the constellations were, easily visible even through the gaps in the treetops. The sight was breathtaking.

So much so, I wasn’t looking where I was going.

Thunk.

“AH! Mother...bitch!”

Clutching my nose, I glared at the offending tree, then straightened to see what lay ahead. A crumbling ruin loomed in the near distance, looking as though it was held together by spit, duct tape, and sheer willpower. Directly in front of it, a gorge yawned wide and deep—possibly the deepest I’d ever seen. The only means of crossing was a rickety, deathtrap-looking wooden bridge that swayed ominously in the wind. Yeah, no thank you.

“Why does this look familiar?” I muttered, more to myself than anyone else.

Shrugging, I approached the gorge’s edge and peered down into the void. The sight sent a shiver rippling through me, and I quickly stepped back. My gaze shifted to the far side of the bridge, and despite every rational instinct screaming at me to stay put, my curiosity—and let’s be honest, my recklessness—took the reins. I had to see what was inside that ruin.

Walking up to the bridge, I gave it a cautious tap with my foot. It swayed. I tapped it again, harder. It swayed more. Negative confidence—that’s what this bridge inspired. I didn’t even know that was possible until now.

Still, my brain, which had seen some things today, decided that the twenty-foot gap looked jumpable.

I’ve been called many things in my life, but “smart” has never been one of them.

I stepped back a few paces, bounced on my toes to hype myself up, and took a deep breath. Then I sprinted toward the edge.

To my surprise—and horror—I reached the brink much faster than expected, panic surging as I crouched and launched myself across the gorge. I landed with a resounding thud, slamming into the ruin’s front steps and embedding myself partially in crumbling stone. A shower of debris rained down around me.

“I really need to stop crashing into shit,” I groaned, dragging myself up.

Looking back, I realized I’d cleared the gap with far more force and speed than I’d anticipated. Twenty feet, at most. Sure, I was decently fit, but this? This was unnatural. As I lay there, catching my breath, I couldn’t help but reflect: no way in hell should I have made that jump.

Hindsight really is twenty-twenty.

Like I said—smart isn’t a word anyone would use to describe me. Reckless, though? Oh, absolutely.

Picking myself up, I brushed away most of the rubble, leaving only a faint layer of dust clinging to my shoulders. Making my way inside, I was greeted by an interior that, while more intact than I had expected, was still in disarray. A dull red carpet stretched out before me, winding its way through the main foyer like a thread weaving through time. Overhead, a cracked and broken chandelier hung precariously, its former beauty obscured by dust and cobwebs. Tattered and fraying tapestries swayed gently in the ceaseless breeze slipping through a gaping hole in the ceiling. Blackened sconces lined the walls, holding nothing but the charred remains of once-wooden torches.

This theme of decay persisted as I wandered aimlessly through the empty halls, my footsteps echoing into a void of silence. Eventually, I found myself standing in what had once been a grand library. Massive gilded shelves surrounded me, their once-majestic frames half-collapsed, spilling tattered books and cracked cylindrical cases across the floor. As I stepped forward, I inadvertently crushed the spine of a forgotten book beneath my foot, its brittle body offering no resistance.

Despite the ruin, I couldn’t help but marvel at the sheer grandeur of the place. The soaring ceilings made the space feel far larger than it likely was, and the remnants of a fresco loomed overhead—cracked, faded, and yet still hinting at the beauty it once held. It wasn’t hard to imagine how breathtaking this castle must have been in its prime.

For hours, I roamed the seemingly endless halls, my mind alight with wonder at the remnants of a lost era. At last, I came upon a staircase spiralling down into the depths. It led to what I could only assume was the basement. Every horror story I’d ever heard screamed at me to turn back, but curiosity won out. Against my better judgment, I descended into the bowels of the castle.

Oddly enough, amid the storage rooms, cellars, and other empty, innocuous spaces, I stumbled upon a pipe organ. To my utter astonishment, it stood in stark contrast to the surrounding ruin—it was perfectly intact.

I approached the organ, each step tentative, my eyes scanning the immense instrument. Its craftsmanship was extraordinary. Except for the thick layer of dust blanketing every surface, it was nearly pristine. The keys, pedals, and pullies gleamed in rich hues of gold, brown, and deep blue, as if time itself had chosen to spare it.

Against my better judgment, I lowered myself onto the seat before it, my fingers hovering just above the keys.

"What a beauty," I murmured.

Memories flooded my mind as my fingers lightly brushed one of the many pulleys. I thought of my grandfather, who had patiently given me private lessons on the Hauptwerk setup he kept at home. I remembered playing at my local church, even though I was never a religious man. Still, I had always been happy to play for the community whenever I could.

Letting instinct take over, I flicked my coat out from beneath me, settled into place, and allowed the memories to guide my hands. Without hesitation, I began to play my grandfather's favourite piece.

At first, the notes came softly, my hands gliding over the keys while my feet instinctively pressed the pedals. The sound echoed beautifully through the empty halls, filling the silence with life. As the piece progressed, memories flashed again—hands crossing over each other in a graceful dance, both in perfect synchronization but weaving their own unique melodies into a wondrous harmony. I picked up the tempo, pressing another pedal to amplify the sound. The acoustics of the space worked in stunning tandem with the massive instrument, creating a majestic blend of tones that resonated through the air.

As I played, dust dislodged from its long rest inside the ancient pipes, puffing out in clouds that settled around me. I didn't care. My body moved on its own, guided by long-dormant muscle memory.

Finally, the piece reached its climax, the notes softening as it drew to an emotional close. A smile tugged at my lips, even as a lump formed in my throat. It had been years since I had last played anything. The fact that my hands still remembered, coupled with the overwhelming events of this strange, disorienting day, left me on the brink of tears.

I stood slowly, stepping away from the immense instrument and brushing the dust from my clothes. I cast it one final, bittersweet smile before turning to make my way to the upper levels.

Once I stepped fully into the main foyer, a glance outside told me it was time to leave. The once-beautiful purple-black night sky had darkened into an impenetrable black, with only faint moonlight illuminating the ruins. Even that light did little to help. My vision, thankfully adjusted to the dim interior, wouldn’t do me much good out there. With no better options, I headed upstairs.

It didn’t take long to find what I assumed were the sleeping quarters—though the rooms were barren, lacking any furniture to confirm their purpose. With no real choices, I selected a random room, slunk inside, and slid down the far wall, slouching onto the cold stone floor.

Crossing my arms, I leaned my head back against the wall and let exhaustion take hold. As my eyes drifted shut, my final thought was a simple, desperate hope: that I would wake up from this nightmare.

Author's Note

Yup, I'm having fun with this one. Honestly, as much as this is more for myself than anything, I do hope you guys enjoy reading it as much as I'm enjoying writing it.

Here's what I had in mind for what our currently unnamed protagonist was playing.
https://youtu.be/i119LgMDIXI?si=KKJFEfnVjmICbldF

Please point out any mistakes I may have made
Constructive criticism is always appreciated
Until next time, TTFN!

Chapter 7 - "An Impromptu Test"

A sharp inhale filled my lungs as my body jolted slightly, my eyes snapping open—only to be met with a sea of white. Blinking rapidly, I tried to assess my surroundings, only to find my vision hopelessly blurred. Rubbing my eyes did little to help, and a low groan escaped my lips. As I shifted slightly, I became aware of a soft yet substantial weight draped over me, its warmth offering an unexpected sense of comfort.

Squinting, I attempted to make sense of the hazy blur of colours surrounding me, trying to determine where exactly I was. When that proved useless, I resigned myself to waiting, hoping my vision would clear with time.

Minutes passed. Slowly but surely, my eyesight returned, and though clarity brought no immediate answers, I could piece together a few things. The sterile white walls, the rhythmic beeping of a heart monitor, and the rigid metal frame of the bed beneath me all pointed to one conclusion—I was in a hospital. A quick glance at the clock on the wall informed me that it was seven-thirty in the morning.

Yet, something felt off. This place didn’t resemble the typical rural hospitals I was used to. The walls were too pristine, the equipment too state-of-the-art. Everything about it screamed expensive. Too expensive. Then again, I’d been wrong before.

Pushing myself up into a sitting position, I immediately registered my lack of clothing—aside from a simple pair of white pants. My eyes flicked around the room, searching for my equipment, but I found nothing. Just as I was about to swing my legs over the side of the bed, the door swung open, and a nurse strode in with purposeful speed.

Without sparing me a glance, she stepped to the foot of my bed, retrieving a clipboard that hung from the frame. Her movements were practised, mechanical—almost as if she were running on autopilot. A quiet chuckle left me, breaking the silence. The sound seemed to pull her from her routine, and she finally looked up.

I offered her a lazy smile and a shaky two-finger salute.

For a brief moment, her lips curved into a small but genuine smile before she refocused on the clipboard in her hands. Then, as if the reality of the situation had just struck her, her expression dropped, and her head snapped back up with wide eyes.

“Oh my goodness!” She exclaimed, fumbling with the clipboard. “You’re awake!”

“Hello to you too,” I greeted, my voice coming out rough and dry.

“You shouldn’t be up yet,” She muttered, flipping through a few pages before looking back at me and stepping over to the various equipment I was wired up to. Once she did a basic check, she got closer to me, shining a light in my eyes. “How are you feeling?”

“Like I got run over and shat on,” I said, rolling my shoulders with a wince as the Nurse stepped back. “But hey, I’ve got a pulse, so I’d say that’s a win.”

She let out a small breath, shaking her head. “That’s honestly good news, considering the state you were in when you arrived. Based on your injuries, we projected you wouldn’t wake for at least a few more days.”

“What can I say? I’m just built different,” I smirked.

“That you are,” She mused, scanning the clipboard again. “Frankly, you’re something of a miracle. You lost the majority of your blood and suffered multiple stab wounds—any of which should have been fatal, even with the Princess’s healing magic.”

“Like I said,” I shrugged. “Built different.”

She huffed a quiet laugh before shaking her head.

“How long was I out?” I asked.

“Only three days.”

“Three days?” I repeated, blinking.

She nodded.

“Damn,” I muttered. “That was quick.”

Honestly, given the state I had been in, I was surprised I hadn’t been out for longer. That had been my first real fight—my first real test to see what I was capable of. All things considered, I think I handled myself pretty well. More importantly, it proved to me that my body was still keeping secrets from me. My healing factor, for instance. I hadn't been injured enough—if at all—during my time in the Everfree to notice it, so realizing that I had a healing ability, and an advanced one at that, was nothing short of shocking. I had a few theories about it, but I'd need time to test them before I could confirm or disprove anything.

"If you don’t mind, could I get a glass of water?" I asked, my throat feeling dry.

"Oh! Of course," The Nurse replied with a nod. "And while I’m at it, I’ll fetch a doctor and some temporary clothes for you as well."

"Temporary clothes?" I echoed, raising an eyebrow.

"Yes, your outfit sustained some damage during the skirmish," She explained. She must have caught the look on my face because she quickly reassured me, "From what I was told, the damage was fairly minimal, so repairs should be easy. You'll have them back soon enough."

"Oh, good," I sighed in relief. "I’ve grown quite attached to that jacket."

And it was true. Despite not having owned it for long, I had somehow found comfort in that jacket. It was probably the only reason I had been able to sleep in the Everfree. A little sad, maybe, but at the time, I had taken whatever small comforts I could get. Plus, it didn’t hurt that purple was my favourite colour.

"What about my other equipment?" I asked.

"The Princesses have ensured that your belongings are being kept safe," She replied. "They'll be notified of your recovery, and once you’re discharged, your things will be returned to you."

"Fair enough," I shrugged. "As long as I get them back, I don’t really mind."

"If that's all, I’ll be back shortly."

"Wait," I called after her before she could leave. "Where are we?"

"We're in Canterlot Castle’s medical wing," She said with a polite smile before stepping out.

Canterlot? Well, that certainly explained why everything around me looked so damn expensive. I was in Equestria’s damn capital city.

I didn’t have much time to dwell on that before the nurse returned, carrying a jug of water. Behind her, an older gentleman with a dull maroon horn followed, holding a set of simple clothes.

"Though I’m glad to see you’re awake," The Doctor said, setting a neatly folded set of clothes on a nearby chair and placing a pair of basic white shoes on the floor. "I must admit, I’m quite surprised you’re up so soon."

"Yeah, I can imagine," I replied with a smirk. "But like I told the nurse—I’m just built different."

"So it would seem," He smirked. "I’m Doctor Grey, and this is Nurse Joy. We’ve been overseeing your care for the past few days."

"Thank you," I said sincerely.

"No need," He responded with a warm smile. "We’re just doing our jobs. If anything, we should be the ones thanking you. Both of us have family in Ponyville, and what you did…well, it was nothing short of extraordinary. You’re a hero to many."

I shook my head. "No need. Just doing my job," I repeated, earning a chuckle from them both. "Besides, I’m no hero."

"Say what you want," Nurse Joy interjected as she poured water into a glass, "but you saved a lot of lives." She handed the glass to me before setting the pitcher down on the bedside table.

"Regardless," Doctor Grey continued, flipping through his clipboard, "there are a few procedures we need to go through. Just some routine exercises and check-ups. But first, we’ll let you get changed."

The tests were as basic as he’d claimed. After dressing, I went through a series of mobility and dexterity evaluations, followed by coordination, balance, and reaction-time assessments. Then came the standard medical check-ups—blood pressure, heart rate, the usual. They even threw in some memory tests for good measure. Everything was straightforward but thorough enough to confirm I was both physically and mentally fit for discharge. And, unsurprisingly, I passed with flying colours.

Once we were done, we made our way to the front desk, where I was handed a stack of paperwork to fill out. It didn’t take long, and soon enough, I was being led to the exit. Before stepping out, I turned back to Doctor Grey and Nurse Joy.

"Seriously. Thank you."

They gave me a nod, and with that, I was on my way. Gotta show appreciation where it’s due.

After our brief farewell, I left the hospital wing—only to realize I had absolutely no clue where the hell I was going. So, with no better plan in mind, I picked a direction and went with it, wandering through the castle’s endless halls.

Everywhere I looked, the craftsmanship was breathtaking. From the intricately carved pillars to the polished marble floors, every inch of this place spoke of artistry and history. As I walked, I passed maids, butlers, and guards, all of whom seemed to either avoid eye contact or steal furtive glances in my direction, whispering amongst themselves as I passed. I ignored it. For now. I had enough on my mind.

Just how messed up was this timeline? What did the demons signify? Was this the reason I was here? Why I have these powers? If this was the universe’s idea of a joke, then damn, it was a cruel one. I rubbed my temples, trying to stave off another incoming headache.

Eventually, I found myself stepping onto a balcony. I leaned against the stone railing, exhaling as I took in the view. The sight before me was nothing short of stunning—an endless sprawl of a city, far grander and more vast than its cartoon counterpart. From here, I could even see Ponyville in the distance, its quaint charm starkly contrasting the horrors of the other night. It looked peaceful from up here. Almost untouched. But I knew better.

The thought of what came next gnawed at me. Surely someone would have come to see me in the hospital. A place this big—sure. But news travelled fast, even in castles. It made me wonder what exactly the Princesses were planning. Were they giving me space? Or was this some kind of test? If so, what was it they were trying to gauge?

Whatever it was, I had a feeling I’d be finding out soon enough.

Hearing footsteps approach from behind, I turned my head ever so slightly as they halted just a meter or two away.

"Are you Sir Percival Felwinter?"

I didn't turn to face the speaker right away. Instead, I kept my gaze on the scenery before me, idly rubbing my chin, feeling the rough texture of the stubble that had grown in over the past few days. My voice was calm but measured as I responded.

"Who's asking?"

There was a sharp click of boots as the individual snapped to attention, followed by the faint clink of armour shifting.

"Sergeant Blossomforth, sir!"

At that, I finally turned, one eyebrow arching as I took in the sight before me. Sure enough, it was none other than Blossomforth. That was unexpected. I didn’t recall her ever being part of the Guard, which made this an interesting turn of events—one I certainly hadn’t seen coming. A surprise to be sure, but not an unwelcome one.

She was clad in red and white segmented plate armour, a design seemingly built for both protection and manoeuvrability. Light cream and pink hair poked through the openings of her helmet, framing her face. A pair of light grey wings rested against her back, and a short spear was securely locked between them.

I crossed my arms. "What can I do for you, Sergeant?"

"If you don’t mind me asking, sir…is it true that you single-handedly defeated ten demons?"

I raised an eyebrow at that, scrutinizing her expression. There was curiosity there, but also something else.

"Closer to fifteen or sixteen, actually," I corrected slowly, my tone neutral. "But yes, I did."

A smirk tugged at the corner of her lips. "Would you be willing to spar with me?"

I tilted my head slightly, regarding her with measured interest. "And what exactly are your intentions?"

Her smirk faded as she removed her helmet, revealing an expression tinged with guilt. "I serve in the Ponyville Guard, but I was away in Cloudsdale attending meetings when the attack happened. If we had been there, it would have been our duty to protect the town. Instead, you were the one who stepped in and prevented innocent bloodshed." She hesitated, her gaze steady. "I just want to see, firsthand, the strength of the man who saved my home. That is if you’re willing."

I studied her carefully as she spoke. Her words were sincere, but there was something more beneath the surface—something unspoken. Whatever it was, I chose to let it slide for now.

"Alright then," I said slowly, watching as her expression brightened with a faint smile. "Where do you want to do this?"

"If you’d follow me to the training grounds," She replied. "There will likely be other Guards there already. I trust you don’t mind an audience?"

"Not at all," I said, gesturing for her to lead the way. "After you, Sergeant."

As I stepped in line behind her, a thought lingered in the back of my mind. Something about this felt…deliberate. It definitely felt like a test, orchestrated by the Princesses. The real question was—what exactly were they trying to find out?

Following closely behind Blossom, it took us about fifteen to twenty minutes to finally reach the Guard’s training grounds. The facility was a well-equipped, enclosed gym seamlessly connected to an extensive outdoor training area. Inside, the gym housed all the essentials: punching bags, training dummies, weightlifting equipment, treadmills, and other standard workout gear. But outside, amidst the assault courses, shooting ranges, and several smaller sections—presumably for basic training—one particular structure caught my attention.

A massive, elevated circular arena, roughly twenty feet in diameter, stood several feet above the rest of the training ground. Its prominence suggested it was meant for something more than just routine drills. It was clear that whatever was about to happen would be a spectacle.

As we exited the inner gym, several Guards paused their training, murmuring to their nearest comrades. Their whispers carried a mix of curiosity and anticipation, as if they had already guessed what was about to unfold. As we approached the arena, more Guards began to gather, forming a loose circle around it.

Stepping into the ring, I was suddenly hit with a blinding wave of pain. A sharp migraine pulsed through my skull, forcing me to one knee as knowledge surged through my mind like a floodgate had been forced open. Techniques—both lethal and non-lethal—materialized in my vision, flashing before me like a malfunctioning slide projector. It was disorienting, almost overwhelming.

This sensation wasn’t entirely unfamiliar. A similar experience had occurred when I first wielded my sword and Ace, but this time, it was far more painful—most likely a result of my most recent battle. That fight had taken a serious toll, not just on my body but on my mind as well. It was becoming evident that this body carried more secrets than I had anticipated, and if I wanted to truly understand my own abilities, I needed to find a way to unlock them. Was this some kind of defence mechanism? A subconscious safeguard that only activated my full potential when necessary? No clue. That was a problem for future me to figure out.

Noticing my sudden falter, one of the Guards instinctively stepped forward to assist, but before they could reach me, Blossom was already at my side. She lifted me to my feet, steadying me as I lightly gripped her forearms, the migraine gradually fading.

"Perhaps it wasn't such a good idea to challenge you so soon after being discharged," She said, concern evident in her voice.

I exhaled sharply, shaking off the lingering dizziness. "No, no. I’m good."

"No. This idea was foolish," She said, her quiet tone telling something in the back of my mind something was off.

Clearing my throat, I let go of her and took a step back.

"I'm fine," I said resolutely. "Besides, I'm a man of my word. Can't let a promise sit."

"If you're sure…" She replied, hesitant but willing to trust my judgment.

Satisfied with my response, she stepped away and made her way to the opposite side of the arena.

"This platform is primarily used for duels within the Guard," She explained, her voice carrying easily over the gathered audience. "We also use it for training in advanced formations, friendly tournaments, and occasionally to settle disputes between Guards."

"Ooh, fancy," I quipped, adding a dramatic flourish with my hands. My exaggerated jazz hands earned a few chuckles from the onlookers. "So, what’s this? A dispute or just a casual spar?"

"After what you did for Ponyville, no Guard worth their salt here would have a dispute with you," She replied, many of the Guards around us nodding and murmuring in agreement as Blossom drew her short spear. "This is just a friendly competition. Let us see you for ourselves."

I smirked, rolling my shoulders. "Fair enough. What’re the rules?"

"Ringouts, submissions, and knockouts are all valid ways to end the match," She stated matter-of-factly. "Just no fatal blows."

"Simple, clean, easy to remember," I mused. "I like it."

She gave a single nod. "Ready?"

I stretched my neck, earning a series of loud pops and cracks as I let out a relaxed sigh. Turning slightly, I adjusted my stance so my side faced her. "Ready when you are!" I called out, flashing a grin.

Her frown deepened at my carefree attitude, but it didn't seem to be annoyance or irritation, just curiosity. She wasted no time in mirroring my stance.

"Very well," She said.

And just as the words left her lips, she lunged.

Crouching low, she used her wings to propel herself forward with impressive speed, while I simply strode ahead. As she closed the gap, I shifted slightly to the side and kicked my leg beneath me, using it to launch into a corkscrew jump just as she shot past beneath me. Reacting instantly, she twisted mid-motion, planted her feet firmly, and pushed off with even greater force, charging straight at me with a flap of her well-muscled wings.

Bracing myself, I crouched low and caught her spear as she closed in, my other hand pressing against her stomach. Using her momentum against her, I flipped her clean over me. She landed just shy of the ring’s perimeter. Wasting no time, I rushed forward and leapt, planting both feet against her chest and kicking out, sending her tumbling out of bounds.

Standing to my feet, I looked down at her from the platform and crouched, resting my forearms against my knees as murmurs spread among the surrounding Guards.

"Guess that means I win," I said, watching as she stood, her expression sour.

"A ring-out is a dishonourable way to win, don’t you think?" she muttered.

I raised an eyebrow, grinning. "So is getting stabbed in the back," I shot back. "But the objective was to win, so don’t start whining about losing. It’s not a good look," She glanced downward at my remark. "Doesn’t matter if you win by an inch or a mile—a victory is a victory," With that, I straightened up and made my way toward the arena’s proper exit.

"Certainly an interesting perspective."

I halted, turning toward the source of the voice—and was more than a little surprised by what I saw. Or rather, by who I saw.

"Well, well, look what we have here," I said, my usual smirk returning. "Captain Shining Armor, Captain Spitfire, Lieutenant Fleetfoot, Lieutenant Soarin, and someone I don’t recognize. If I didn’t know any better, I’d say this was planned," I cast a glance at Blossom, but she remained silent. "So, what can I do for you?"

Shining Armor stood clad in thick, heavy silver plate armour, its design reminiscent of Roman craftsmanship but with sharper, angular features. Purple accents decorated the plating in a symmetrical and aesthetically pleasing pattern. The helmet tucked under his arm bore the same intricate design, featuring a thick purple plume atop and a formidable faceplate. I had to admit—it looked pretty badass. His signature blue mane was as it always was, with a white horn protruding from his forehead.

Spitfire, Fleetfoot, and Soarin wore modified flight suits. The colour scheme matched their usual attire, but additional padding reinforced their arms and knees, and lightweight armour covered their torsos, shoulders, forearms, hips, and shins. The thickest plating, however, protected their backs—likely balancing defence with maximum manoeuvrability. Spitfire’s fiery hair was pulled back into a short ponytail, while Fleetfoot and Soarin’s hairstyles matched their appearances from the show.

The last Guard, however, was the one who truly caught my eye. She wore deep navy armour, similar in design to Shining Armor’s, complete with a matching helmet. But that wasn’t what held my attention. No, it was the pair of thick, leathery bat wings extending from her back and the striking yellow eyes that locked onto me. Her short, dark blue hair only added to her distinct appearance. It wasn’t hard to deduce—she was a Thestral.

Each of them carried unique weapons. Soarin wielded a heavy, mace-like club. Spitfire had a pair of short swords strapped to her sides. Fleetfoot carried a bow slung across her back, along with a pair of daggers at her waist. Shining Armor was armed with a shield and a longsword, while the mysterious Thestral held a sleek, well-crafted spear.

"The Sergeant is right. A ring-out doesn't count for much around here," Spitfire remarked, her tone matter-of-fact.

"Oh, so that's where she gets her outlook from? Well, thank you for solving that little mystery for me," I said, laying the sarcasm on thick. "If it doesn’t count, though, then why include it in the guidelines at all?"

A new voice cut in, stepping forward from the group. "I suppose... for people like you."

I turned my gaze to the newcomer. "And you might be...?"

"Lieutenant Midnight Blossom!" She declared.

"Oh, honey, there isn’t anyone like me," I said smoothly. "And you should be grateful for that fact."

Crouching down, I peered over the edge of the platform, taking in my surroundings before flicking my eyes back to them. "So…what exactly do the esteemed leaders of Equestria's military want with little ol' me?"

Shining Armor stepped forward, his expression unreadable. "We want what Sergeant Blossomforth had—a sparring match."

My brow lifted slightly. "Oh?" Now this could be interesting. Resting my elbow on my knee, I propped my chin against my fist. "Go on."

"One-on-one," Spitfire explained. "Same rules apply—except for ring-outs. This time, the fight continues until one yields or is incapacitated. And if one of us fails, another will take their place."

I let out a laugh, slapping my knee as I shook my head. The reaction was instant—most of the officers bristled, their irritation palpable. Spitfire and Shining Armor, however, remained unbothered, as if they had anticipated this response.

"What the hell’s so funny?!" Fleetfoot demanded.

Still grinning, I locked eyes with them. "You all threw a fit, calling me dishonourable when I won by a perfectly legal ring-out," I said, voice even. "And yet here you are, challenging a man fresh out of the hospital." I watched as their expressions began to shift, realization dawning. "No time to rest, no recovery, while the five of you get to step in fresh and ready?"

I stood slowly, my gaze sweeping over them as their earlier confidence wavered. "You talk about honour, but from where I'm standing, you're the ones lacking in that department."

Silence.

Shining Armor remained composed. "What do you propose?"

I crossed my arms. "All of you. Versus all of me."

"Five on one?!" Soarin balked. "Where's the honour in that?!"

"It's my honour and you called into question the second you made this challenge," I shot back, whipping my head toward him. "If you don’t like my terms, then I don’t fight. Simple as that."

The air grew tense, thick with unspoken words.

"Besides," I added, my expression hardened. "I'm the one suggesting this, not you."

Another pause. Irritation flickered across most of their faces, but Shining and Spitfire? They studied me, their expressions unreadable. Calculating.

I waited, but when no one responded, I let out a quiet sigh. Turning on my heel, I started walking away. "Can’t say I’m surprised."

"We’ll do it," Spitfire declared.

A ripple of shock spread through the Guards. Even the ones who had challenged me gawked at their leader, stunned that she would accept.

I exhaled quietly through my nose before turning back around, meeting Shining Armor’s gaze as he secured his helmet. His face was mostly obscured now—except for his eyes.

"Go on," I prompted.

"We accept your terms," Spitfire confirmed. "However, to make it fairer, I suggest we move to a more open area."

"Fair enough," I said with a shrug. Without hesitation, I leapt down from the platform, landing lightly in front of them. Three of them still looked unsure, but that wasn’t my problem.

I gestured forward. "Lead the way."

Nodding in acknowledgement, Spitfire led us past the platform and beyond the usual training grounds. After about a minute, we arrived at a spacious area, seemingly just on the outskirts of the training grounds. It looked to be a stadium of sorts, not dissimilar to what you'd find in Greece, even having a few support columns, though they seemed to be old and redundant. Nodding to myself, it seemed like the perfect place for our little bout. Stepping ahead of them and out just a little further into the more open area, I turned around to see them lining up, their expressions set with determination as Guards stopped roughly ten metres away.

"Anything else you'd like to add before we begin?"

"We don't plan on holding back," Shining Armor declared, his tone firm.

Rolling my shoulders, I took a deep breath and did a few stretches, ensuring I was loose enough for what was to come. Bouncing lightly on my feet, I steadied myself before locking eyes with my opponents.

Midnight, fastening her helmet, narrowed her gaze at me. It didn’t take long for the others to notice my distinct lack of weaponry.

"What are you doing?" She asked, a hint of confusion laced in her voice.

I met her gaze with a flat stare. "What does it look like I'm doing?" I deadpanned. "I'm holding back."

Without further warning, they charged at me in unison. Planting my feet firmly, I braced myself. Midnight reached me first, her spear slicing through the air with a rapid succession of thrusts and jabs. Timing my movement, I caught the weapon mid-lunge and pushed it into the ground before slamming my foot near the top, snapping the spearhead clean off. Her eyes widened in shock.

Before I could relish the moment, a blur caught my attention—a glint of steel whistling toward me. Reacting instinctively, I twisted my upper body just enough to snatch the arrow out of the air. Across the field, Fleetfoot stared in disbelief.

Soarin wasted no time, closing in with heavy yet controlled swings of his mace. Meanwhile, Fleetfoot unleashed another volley of arrows as see flew nearby, each one aimed with pinpoint accuracy. It was clear that Soarin trusted her implicitly, moving in sync with her attacks.

But being the devious gremlin I am, I decided to use that trust against them.

As Soarin’s mace came crashing down, I ducked beneath the arc and, in the same motion, drove the arrow into his thigh—carefully avoiding anything vital. He let out a pained growl, his grip faltering. Seizing the opportunity, I grabbed the mace's head and snatched the mace from his grasp. With a sharp pivot, I swung my fist into his stomach, using the mace's heavy head to send him sprawling onto his back. Clutching his stomach, he didn't get back up.

Fleetfoot had repositioned behind me, her bow already drawn. Without hesitation, I hurled the mace toward her. With no time to duck out of the way, she reacted swiftly, raising her weapon to block, but the sheer force knocked her to the ground and shattered the wooden frame in half. Tossing aside the broken remains, she quickly unsheathed her daggers, her eyes burning with renewed determination.

A moment of stillness settled over the battlefield.

Then, as if on cue, all of them rushed me at once.

Spitfire divebombed toward me at an incredible speed with a flap of her comparatively sleeker wings, while Shining Armor charged head-on with his shield raised. As she streaked past, I vaulted over her, but the manoeuvre left me wide open. Seizing the opportunity, Shining rammed me with his shield, now crackling with violet energy. The impact sent a shockwave through my body, blasting me backwards.

Before I could fully regain my footing, Midnight leapt over Shining, seamlessly continuing the assault. Their teamwork was impressive—coordinated, and relentless. It was clear they'd been training together for quite some time.

Midnight swung at me with her makeshift staff, attempting to catch me off guard. I raised my arm and blocked her overhead strike. The moment her weapon met my forearm, it snapped in two, leaving her vulnerable. Without hesitation, I drove my knee into her stomach. She gasped as the air was forced from her lungs, doubling over in pain.

I wasn’t done. Grabbing what was left of her broken staff, I swept her legs out from under her, then followed up with another kick to her midsection, sending her tumbling across the ground. A harsh gagging sound caught my attention—I turned just in time to see her vomiting as a few of the nearby guards rushed over to help her up.

"And there goes the third musketeer," I muttered, dusting myself off.

Shining and Spitfire narrowed their eyes at me, their stances shifting, more calculated now. Shining tapped the flat of his blade against his shield, a loud, wordless signal. Two of the remaining three fighters launched at me in unison, each wielding twin weapons—Spitfire with two swords, Fleetfoot with two daggers.

A smirk tugged at the corner of my lips as I dodged their flurry of strikes, weaving between them with ease. Timing my next move, I caught Spitfire’s wrist mid-swing, redirecting her momentum in an attempt to drive her blade straight into Fleetfoots shoulder. Before the strike could land, a shield blocked its path.

Shining Armor.

Despite the majority of his face being obscured, I could tell he was grinning at me, but I simply smiled back. The smirk on his eyes quickly faded.

Gripping Spitfire by the wrist, I spun her around with force, slamming her into Fleetfoot and sending them both crashing into Shining. The impact staggered all three of them.

Perfect.

Spotting Fleetfoot sprawled on the ground, I took a step toward her. She looked up at me, her expression shifting from pain to worry. Desperation flickered in her eyes as she lashed out, swinging one of her daggers at me. I deflected the strike with a quick punch to her wrist, knocking the weapon from her grasp. Gritting her teeth, she swung the second blade. I caught her wrist and twisted, forcing her to drop it.

With a firm grip, I yanked her around and locked my arm around her throat. She struggled, thrashing against my hold, but I didn’t waver and remained unbothered as her wings slapped against me. Her movements slowed, her breath grew shallow, and within moments, her body went limp.

As she lost consciousness, I lifted my gaze to find both Shining Armor and Spitfire back on their feet. Their eyes flicked between me and Fleetfoot, who now lay motionless at my feet. I let my expression go blank as I released my grip, allowing her to slump to the ground like a discarded ragdoll.

Lifting my arms slightly to the side, I tilted my head.

"Is this all?"

Silence.

A slow smirk returned to my lips as I began to pace, glancing between my final two opponents.

"And then there were two—the dynamic duo," I mused. My voice was calm, deliberate. "You know, there was a reason I forced Blossom out of the arena…so she wouldn’t get hurt."

Both of them studied me carefully, far more cautious than before. With a sigh, I retook my stance. As bizarre and absurdly convenient as it was to have knowledge I’d never possessed before suddenly beamed into my mind, I couldn't deny its usefulness.

They were both within range now, but a thin, shimmering purple shield encased them. I glanced at Shining and saw his horn glowing. A defence against my physical attacks, no doubt, allowing them to prolong the fight.

Without hesitation, Spitfire launched at me beside Shining, their movements precise and coordinated. It was obvious these two had trained together for quite some time. Shining swung his sword, and I ducked under it, only to be met with his shield slamming into me once more. Unlike before, there was no explosion—but this time, I was ready.

Grabbing hold of his shield, I wrenched it from his grip as I leapt, kicking him squarely in the gut. He staggered and slipped into his back, but before I could capitalize, the shield’s surface pulsed—then exploded. The force sent me hurtling backwards several meters.

Skidding to a stop, I winced, quickly piecing together what had happened.

"Wow," I admitted, shaking off the impact. "Nicely done. Clever." My gaze locked onto Shining as he struggled to regain his footing. "But clever won’t beat me."

Still reeling from my attack, he barely had time to react before I rushed for the discarded shield and hurled it like a frisbee at Spitfire, forcing her back just long enough for me to close the distance. Without hesitation, I drove my fist into his face. The force sent us both flying—he crashed into the gathered guards behind him while I collided with a stone pillar nearby.

A sharp groan escaped me as I peeled myself from the indent my body had left, landing with a solid thud. My eyes flicked back to Shining Armor—he swayed as he attempted to push himself to his feet, his body desperately clinging to consciousness before he finally slumped forward. The faint purple aura surrounding both him and Spitfire flickered, then shattered like glass.

"Then there was one," I murmured, cracking my neck. My gaze drifted to Spitfire, who remained standing.

"You know…" I mused aloud, tilting my head. "As fun as this has been, I can think of a hundred other things I’d rather be doing right now."

A slow smirk tugged at my lips as a thought struck me.

"I wonder," I said, my voice carrying through the stunned silence of the onlookers, "What it would be like to fight the Princesses?"

All eyes locked onto me, disbelief plastered across their faces.

"They're clearly powerful," I continued, my tone thoughtful. "But just how powerful? What would it look like to see them truly let loose?" My voice dropped into something almost wistful. "Now that would be a sight to behold."

I let the moment hang before sighing.

"Ah well, one can only wonder." I shrugged. "Let's get this over with."

Spitfire crouched, taking a stance I hadn’t seen before. A subtle hum filled the air as her twin blades began to glow. My interest piqued. Then, she moved.

She struck fast, her blade slicing through the space just above my face. I leaned back, barely dodging, and felt the heat radiating from the weapon as it passed. So Pegasi can wield magic? Interesting. Tucking that nugget for later.

She swung again, but this time, I dodged inward, slipping past her guard. Wide open.

I drove my fist into her stomach. The breath left her in a choked gasp, and one of her swords clattered to the ground as she instinctively clutched her abdomen, dropping to one knee. Even then, she wasn’t done.

Through sheer will, she lashed out with her remaining sword, aiming for my chest. I caught the blade mid-strike, stopping it cold.

Spitfire’s eyes widened in shock.

She let go.

Bringing the weapon up, I studied it as the glow faded, its heat quickly dissipating. I hummed in quiet contemplation before tossing the sword aside. My gaze returned to Spitfire. She was struggling to rise, but I allowed her the chance.

"Submit," I said softly.

She looked up at me like I was insane.

"Never."

I sighed, hanging my head slightly as I stepped forward.

As she threw her fist forward, I deflected it with the back of my hand, knocking her strike off course and throwing her balance off. Seizing the opportunity, I drove my fist into her chest, forcing her to stumble back. Gritting her teeth, she retaliated with a quick jab of her blade, but I redirected it with ease, following up with a powerful strike to her back that sent her reeling.

"Submit," I ordered.

"Never!" she spat.

What followed could only be described as an all-out, Thanos vs Hulk-level beatdown. The moment I landed that first clean hit, the fight was as good as over.

I overwhelmed her in an instant, chaining together a relentless barrage of blows, each one backed by my superior strength and speed. Every attempt she made to regain footing was shut down by well-placed counters, swift blocks, and the occasional feint to keep her off balance. My punches slammed into her stomach and chest, quick jabs finding their mark on her head. She barely had time to react—let alone fight back—before she was sprawled out on the floor, groaning in pain. The fight had lasted no more than thirty seconds, yet it had left the gathered Guards speechless, their disbelief hanging thick in the air.

"By Helis," A Guard murmured.

"First this Durin guy, now Helis? How changed is this version of Equestria? I need to brush up on my history and soon" I thought to myself.

"What the hell is everyone standing around for? Get them medical attention! For fuck’s sake!" My barked command jolted them out of their stupor. Some rushed off to fetch medics, while others hurried to move the downed fighters into more comfortable positions.

As I walked back to the training ground proper, I made my way through the gym and stepped towards the doors Blossom and I had entered through and I felt several pairs of eyes burning into my back. A quick glance around led my gaze to a pane of black glass. One-way mirror or enchanted bullshit? Whatever it was, I could tell that was where the stares were coming from. Though my curiosity was momentarily piqued, my anger and irritation were weighed against it. Without hesitation, I offered an exaggerated, mocking bow before raising my fist and slapping the inner nook of my arm in a blatant 'up yours' gesture. Satisfied, I walked off.

Leaving through the gym left a foul taste in my mouth and an even fouler mood in its wake. I hadn’t gotten far before I heard footsteps approaching from behind—a single pair. I didn’t need to turn around to know who it was.

"What do you want?" I asked, my voice edged with irritation.

"I was instructed to be your escort, sir," Same Blossomforth’s voice as she stepped up beside me.

I barely spared her a glance. "Yeah? Well, tell whoever gave you that order to shove it."

She recoiled slightly, looking at me as if I had just insulted her entire bloodline. Before she could respond, another voice cut through the air.

"Even if it was me?"

I came to an abrupt halt and spun around, my eyes locking onto Celestia, flanked by Luna, Spike, and the Main Six. My expression hardened.

"Especially you," I shot back, pointing directly at the Solar Princess.

Gasps rang out from the group, their shock palpable.

"Excuse me?" She asked, her tone carrying a mix of surprise and warning.

"I know damn well that you orchestrated this entire setup!" I accused.

Celestia didn’t even blink. "I did. But I fail to see the problem."

I scoffed, running a hand down my face in exasperation. "You fail to—wow," I muttered before turning on my heel and storming off. I didn’t make it more than a few steps before I felt a hand grip my shoulder.

Reacting on instinct, I spun around, my finger stopping just shy of Celestia’s face. "Don’t. Touch me."

Her expression softened slightly. "Percival, I'm going to need you to calm down."

"And I’m going to need you to take this little scheme of yours and shove it where even your sun don’t shine," I fired back. The group collectively gasped—except for Luna, who merely looked on as if she had expected this very response.

Celestia opened her mouth to reply, but I didn’t give her the chance.

"You wanna know what the best part of today has been?" I asked.

She remained silent, but the curiosity in her eyes told me she wanted an answer.

I gave it to her.

"Waking up!" I shouted. "And let me tell you—that’s it."

"Instead of anyone greeting me or even bothering to fill me in on what had happened over the last few days since I was out, I was left to wander the halls aimlessly until word of my recovery reached you. And what was your response? You sent her—" I jabbed a thumb over my shoulder at a sheepish Blossom, "—to challenge me to a duel you knew damn well she had no chance of winning. And not just that. You then send your top military Officers after me, only this time, I couldn't simply ring them out—I was forced to hurt them! People I had just met, people I don't even know!"

Heat coursed through my body as my anger surged. "Det är inte så att jag räddat en hel jäkla by och försatt mig själv i allvarlig fara, men jag kan förstå att jag vill testa mig själv direkt från sjukhuset efter att ha kämpat mot BOKSTAVLIGA DEMONER!"

Yeah, if I get pissed off enough, I tend to slip into Swedish without thinking about it. It’s something I was taught from a young age, and it’s been ingrained in me ever since. It doesn’t happen often, but when it does, you know I’m not in the mood for nonsense. And right now? This was definitely one of those times.

"Det är inte så att jag bokstavligen bara är borta från sjukhuset eller något och skulle älska en rundtur i slottet, men nej, du har planer!" I continued, wiggling a finger in her face before exhaling sharply, forcing myself to switch back to English. "Next time, how about you show some basic decency and invite me to lunch first?" With that, I turned on my heel and strode away, leaving behind a stunned audience.

"You misread my intentions."

"Honestly, Princess?" I snapped, whirling back around. "I couldn't care less what your intentions were. Not only did you keep me completely in the dark, but you also put your own Guards at risk. Yes, their job is to protect you, but that protection goes both ways."

"Percival!" Twilight interjected, her voice sharp with reprimand. "That is the Princess you're speaking to—you would do well to show her some respect!"

"She had it!" I shot back. "Until a few moments ago."

Luna stepped forward then, her voice level. "What of us?"

"Did you have a hand in this little setup?" I asked, my gaze narrowing.

"No, but I was aware of it," she admitted. There was something in her tone—something that told me she hadn't been particularly pleased about it.

"Then you have nothing to worry about," I assured her.

Without another word, I turned and left, catching the faintest glimpse of Celestia smiling in my peripheral vision while the rest of the group remained frozen in shock. As expected, Blossomforth trailed close behind.

As we walked in silence, my stomach let out an impressively loud growl, drawing a glance from my self-appointed escort.

"If you're hungry, sir, I can escort you to the dining hall?" she offered.

"I don't need to—" I began, but then sighed, rubbing the bridge of my nose as I acknowledged the truth: I could use the distraction. "You know what? Yeah. That would be massively appreciated."

"Then follow me, sir!"

"Can we drop the ‘sir’ crap?" I muttered, feeling the last of my frustration begin to ebb away. "Makes me feel old. Just Percival is fine."

She smiled. "Alright, Percival. Follow me."

Author's Note

Not much to say here, just hoped you guys enjoyed this one, fight scenes aren't my forte but I'm trying to get better

Please point out any mistakes I may have made
Constructive criticism is always appreciated
Until next time, TTFN!

Chapter 19 - "...The Unexpected"

My mind goes blank as I feel it recede, my instincts taking control.

Suddenly, my vision fades to grey as power and heat surge through my chest and body. In a puff of smoke and embers, my sword materializes in my hands, its roar filling the room. All eyes turn to me as chaos erupts. Screams pierce the air, nobles scramble to escape, and I leap from the rafters to the floor below, creating a small blast upon impact that caught a few, their bodies completely encasing themselves in fire, their flesh and muscle melting from their bones and their eyes in sockets.

Yells from behind me signal the Guards' attack, only to fall before me, their heads rolling to a stop as their yells were quickly silenced, the stumps cauterized and sizzling. Blueblood and others attempt to flee, but I merely smile. With a stomp of my foot on the red carpet, the stone erupts from the ground, blocking all exits. Nobles crash to the ground as they collide with the solid rock.

More heat surges through me, smoke billowing from my mouth before transforming into white-hot fire. The Unicorns among the nobles raise a shield as the fire strikes, their faces dripping with sweat from the intense heat and sudden fear. The shield doesn't last long as a second or two later, it shatters and their beautiful screams meet my ears.

As I gazed towards the fighting ring, I observed several women who had been there previously guiding people out of the ring and towards the exit for safety. The room was engulfed in flames, with the carpet and drapes already on fire. Suddenly, a piercing scream echoed from my right, causing me to quickly turn and see what was happening. To my horror, I witnessed Blueblood with his arm wrapped around the throat of a girl with an injured leg, holding a knife to her neck while glaring at me.

"They told me you would be a nuisance, but I never would have expected so much so quickly!" He sneered, pressing the knife close to the girl's throat. "You will not ruin his plans! We will have what is rightfully ours! This world WILL be cleansed! AND IT WILL START WITH YOU BECOMING ASH TO FEED OUR NEW WORLD!"

The sound that came from my throat would be best described as a crocodile bellow as I reached down towards the table next to me, snatching the butter knife from the smouldering pile and chucking it at Blueblood's hand. The girl acted quickly, stomping on his foot and pushing him away from her, she stumbled towards me as I caught her, my flames shrinking enough to not harm her. My blade disappeared from my grip as I vanished it away, rushing forward and grabbing Blueblood's throat and throwing him through the crumbling wall and out into the streets. Stepping through the newly made hole in the wall, I walk towards the woman who had thankfully escaped and gently set the girl on the ground as they rushed to bring her towards the sidewalk they sat themselves on.

I quickly turned my gaze to the groaning Prince, and my feet instinctively moved towards him. I reached down and grabbed him, feeling the flames around me intensify as I snarled at the pathetic excuse of a man in my grasp. The approaching sound of footsteps to my right alerted me to the presence of others and as I looked to see who it was, I could only hope it would end as well as I wanted.

The two sisters expected their day to end in one of many ways and all of them were peaceful. But as they ran through the halls with a group of six and several Guards, they couldn't help but suspect their night was going to be messy and worried immensely about what was happening.

The group of six that tailed behind them gave them a constant stream of worried questions, most of which the Princesses were unable to answer as they ran as swiftly towards and past the castle entrance. They hurried along faster as they spotted a bright orange glow peeking between the building in the distance and hurried faster still when they felt the presence of something strong.

Bounding around the corner, the group immediately paused.

Held several feet above the ground was Blueblood, Percival's fist clamped tightly around his throat as his feet kicked harmlessly beneath him. Percival's forearms and legs were engulfed in flames, with the same fire running along his spine. Jets of fire shot out from his shoulder blades, starting at a foot in length, tapering off as they reached his tailbone. The two men looked towards the approaching group who all noticed a group of about a couple dozen women off to the side, sitting on the sidewalk and all clutching cloth and other drapery around them as Ghost checked on the youngest of them, carefully tending to her leg as best he could without the proper equipment.

The Paladin slowly peered over his shoulder, his eyes a bright orange that bordered on white locking onto the group. Before any of them could get a word out, he unceremoniously chucked the Prince to the ground in front of them, back peddling in a mad panic.

"Go on," He said, his voice low and gravelly, a much more intimidating sound compared to his usual smooth baritone. "Tell them what you did."

"Aunty!" He called. "Aunty this man attacked me without warning! he-"

"Silence Blueblood! You are in enough trouble as is! Stay your tongue and perhaps your punishment will not be so severe!" Luna quickly shut the man up. "Guards, take this man to the dungeons!"

"What!?" He shouted as he was picked up from the ground. "You cannot do this to me! I demand an explanation!"

"And you will get no such thing from us," Celestia said sharply as he was carried off before looking at the remaining Guards. "Fetch a medical team and have them bring blankets, food and water. I want these poor souls tended to."

The Unicorns among the Guards swiftly saluted before grabbing their non-magic-using comrades and teleporting away in a flash. The group turned to see the Paladin, standing still as a statue, watching the hollering Prince seemingly deep in thought. Once the Prince was out of sight, the Paladin's shoulders drooped, and he let out a heavy sigh. The flames that had surrounded him disappeared with a low and soft fwoosh.

The two sisters turned towards the burning building and got to work quelling the raging fire. As they did, the group following behind the Princesses stepped up to the Paladin as he quirked an eyebrow at their appearance.

"Dude, what was with that fire!?" Rainbow Dash exclaimed as Pinkie Pie and Fluttershy both moved past them and to the women sitting on the sidewalk, joining Ghost to comfort them.

"What are you guys doing here?" He asked.

"Twi's been working real hard with that rock y'all found so we thought we'd visit," Applejack replied, glancing between him, the building and the women behind him. "Can't say this is how I thought it'd turn out."

"What happened?" Twilight asked with a worried expression.

"Given the sensitiveness and severity of the situation, I don't want to indulge in any details until it's made public," The man said, his tone even, firm and serious. "I don't like being professional with you guys, but this is...it's a lot."

"Fair enough. I mean, as much as I wanna know, this looks waaaay above my pay grade," Rainbow Dash said.

Suddenly, a team of medical staff appeared a few meters away from the group, teleported in by the same Guards that went to gather them. They were all carrying supplies to help the women in need. The medical team quickly got to work, providing relief while the trio who had been comforting the women stepped back to give them space. As the man watched the medical team tend to the women, Applejack and Rarity noticed the troubled expression on his face. They both placed a hand gently on his arm and shoulder, offering him worried and concerned looks. They could feel the warmth radiating from him, not enough to be uncomfortable, but it was definitely noticeable.

"Are you alright darling?"

"Sir Felwinter."

Turning to look at the Princesses, their expressions were steeled as they stepped towards the Paladin, the building behind them now nothing more than a smouldering husk as it collapsed in on itself, embers and smoke billowing to the sky while the glow slowly died out.

"Come with us. We will need an official report about this," Celestia said evenly. "The rest of you, head back to your rooms. A Guard will escort you back."

Glancing over at the girls, Ghost and Percival fell in line behind the Princesses as the group of friends followed said Guard towards the castle in awkward silence. Along the way, a few curious onlookers peeked out to see what was happening, only to be instructed to stay indoors due to a mandatory curfew for the night set by the Princesses. Twilight and her friends headed towards the guest wing of the castle, leaving the remaining four to continue on.

The silence hung heavy as we walked through the quiet halls, each of us feeling the tension in the air. Eventually, we reached the same room the men had left less than an hour ago. Without a word, we all entered.

Without looking back, Celestia walked over to the desk and opened one of its deep drawers. She grabbed a glass and a bottle of bourbon or whiskey. After pouring herself a generous glass, she downed it without hesitation, not even flinching as the fiery liquid went down her throat. She let out a sigh and leaned heavily against the desk.

"I never took you for a drinker," I commented, standing in front of the desk.

"Given the situation, you'll have to forgive my little indulgence," Celestia quickly rebuttaled, cleaning the glass with a cloth and placing both it and the bottle back where she got them. "Give me a sitrep Percival. What happened?"

"Ghost and I were on our way home when I saw something move in an alley. We waited and found Blueblood entering a disguised building through a side door. We both felt the situation was suspicious, so I subdued the Guard manning the door and entered," I said, my voice even and my tone professional. "What I found inside were nobles taking advantage of women and putting them in....less than desirable situations. There was even a fighting ring."

Celestia sighed even heavier, hanging her head as her voice came out soft and cracked a little at hearing the report. "So it was all true."

"I'm sorry?"

"After you brought the letter to my attention, I immediately called for one of our best private agents to conduct an investigation after the Gala," She explained, leaning her fists heavily against the desk to the point her knuckles turned white. "After gathering information for the past week since....this is what they found."

She opened a drawer and pulled out a fairly substantial file, placing it on the desk in front of me.

As I approached the file, I wasn't completely surprised by what I was reading. It turns out that Blueblood had been stealing money from important sources for years, including funds for orphanages, family businesses, and somehow even the castle Guards. Not only was he lining his own pockets, but he was also funnelling money into some mysterious project that was still being looked into. To make matters worse, there were reports from anonymous sources that he was mistreating staff members and even his own Guards.

But the real shock came when I read the next part. In a hidden box in his basement, a list of names of missing people over the past ten years was discovered, along with numerous letters from an unknown sender. After a thorough search of his property, it was revealed that he was involved in a black market slave trade and was personally running a fighting ring within the organization. But that wasn't the end of it.

If what I had read so far wasn't damning enough, what I read next was the final nail in the coffin. In addition to those letters, there were more from a mysterious sender, with similar contents to the one I had received the week before that dated back much farther than the ones he received for his despicable trade. It all even bore the same handwriting and seemed to be building up to something. Years of planning, and preparation, all culminating into one event.

Over a year ago, Blueblood had travelled to Rio de Muerte, pretending it was a business trip with an unnamed partner. In reality, he was going beneath the city of Las Almas to plant a device that would serve as a temporary portal for demons to come through. All of this was done in exchange for capturing or taking out one Percival Felwinter for this unknown contact.

"Holy shit," Ghost muttered, looking at the Princesses, his eyes wide. "That means-"

"That Blueblood is highly likely to be in cahoots with the demons, whether it's willingly or not, we're still determining," Celestia said, her voice heavy and her eyes ever so slightly glazed.

"How the hell was none of this discovered until now?"

"We believe that Blueblood had inside help to cover up his tracks and we've called for several other agents to help with the investigation," Luna quickly replied.

"How far back do these particular letters go?" I asked, indicating to the letters similar to the one I had received.

"Roughly roughly ten or so years," Celestia replied quietly. "They seem to coincide with the disappearances of the women documented in the other letters. We don't know if it's connected as of yet."

"It's a good thing I caught him then."

"Indeed," Celestia nodded slowly. "And I feel as though I already know the answer, but did you kill the other nobles inside?"

Without hesitation, I nodded. "I did."

"While I do not condone such actions being taken without my knowhow, given the nature, I think-"

"They got what they deserved," Luna finished her sister's sentence. "Slavers are an abhorrent stain on our fair society that only death can cleanse."

"While my sister's words are as strong as ever, they ring true," Celestia said. "Slavery has been banned for as long as either of us can remember and the consequences have always been high."

"Consequences that Blueblood now faces," Ghost added.

"That he does. Though due to his status as High Noble, the repercussions of his actions, both in the slave trade as well as supposedly being in cahoots with an enemy, may be higher than normal," She continued.

"So what's the plan here?" I asked.

"I know what the end result is going to be, but we will see to it that he has a fair trial and that he won't escape what fate may have in store for him," the Solar Princess replied.

"How long will it take?"

"I would give it a few weeks, considering his status as Prince and the seriousness of the crimes committed," Luna replied, looking at Celestia, who kept her eyes fixed on the file on the desk.

"Is there anything I can do?"

"No. The fact you caught him is enough. Leave the rest to me and my sister," Luna replied.

"Then we'll leave you to it," I said, bowing my head, signalling for Ghost to follow me.

"Percival."

I stopped just before opening the door and turned around to see Celestia looking at me with a sad expression. Her eyes were wet and she was breathing heavily. The sad look on her face slowly transformed into one of solemn appreciation. "Thank you...for stopping my nephew."

"I would do it again in a heartbeat."

"I know you would," She nodded. "You're free to go."

Nodding, I bowed again before I left. As I closed the door, I could hear the muffled voices of the Princesses as we left them to their own devices. Walking through the same halls we had an hour prior, I couldn't help but think about what I read in that file. Blueblood came into contact with someone who either had connections with the demons or was one outright. Either option wasn't good and brought more questions than answers. Who was it Blueblood spoke with? How did he come into contact with them? What could they possibly want with me? And if these letters go back ten years, how the hell did they know about me? First Damien, now them. Something wasn't right.

Too many damn questions and just when it was starting to make some semblance of sense.

Chapter 39 - "The Flock Grows Bigger"

My breath hitched, forming a tight knot in my throat. Each step forward was a struggle, my foot dragging against the snowy ground. The metallic clang of my prosthetic reverberated in the cold air, jarring against the muffled stillness of the snow-covered expanse. I inched closer to the trio, the frost crunching softly beneath my weight. The three figures ahead slowly sheathed their weapons, their movements deliberate and cautious as my eyes darted over them, dissecting every feature, hunting for even the slightest flaw that could reveal a deception.

“Euro? Nep?” My voice was barely a whisper, thick with disbelief, my lips trembling as I dared to utter the names. “Cally? How...?”

The falling snow blurred their forms momentarily, but as I drew closer, their faces sharpened like ghosts emerging from the mist. They stood unnervingly still, their golden eyes—those unmistakable, inherited golden eyes—fixed on me. Every feature was as I remembered it, perfectly etched in my memory yet surreal in the flesh.

Neptune, the otherwise gentle giant, gazed at me with his bright golden eyes, bearing the same tenderness that had always softened his intimidating frame. His face bore faint scars—remnants of clumsy childhood scrapes, long before his healing abilities had matured. His thick white mohawk waved in the icy breeze, nestled between his horns, and his crooked smile emerged, as familiar as the winter wind biting at my skin.

Europa’s stark white hair danced in the gusts, a striking contrast to the deep brown and tawny hues of his fur. The patch of grey around the left side of his deep maroon eyes had spread since I last saw him, a detail that struck me with bittersweet clarity. His small fangs peeked from beneath his lips, and one ear drooped slightly, just as it had when he was young.

Calise’s delicate bat-like nose twitched, and her large ears flicked to dislodge the snowflakes clinging to them. She gazed quietly at me with her steel blue eyes, something she got from me, as her shaggy white mop of a head of thick hair shifted as her ears moved, while the darker maroon fur around her neck peeked from under her collar, framed by the snow that clung to her frame.

“It can’t be,” I murmured, the words catching in my throat like shards of ice. “This has to be some cruel trick the gods are playing on me.”

Their eyes softened, shimmering with sadness and empathy that cut through me more sharply than any blade.

“It can’t be true,” I repeated, shaking my head as my gaze dropped to the glasses still clutched in my hand, the frost clinging to the lenses blurring their surface. “It’s too good to be true.”

Calise moved first. Every step she took crunched softly in the snow, her small frame seeming even more fragile against the endless white backdrop. Her deliberate, telegraphed movements told me what she intended long before she reached me. I tilted my head down as she stopped in front of me, her short stature inherited from her mother. Gently, she placed a hand on my chest, her palm radiating warmth even through the cold. She looked up with a sad, knowing smile, her steel blue eyes shimmering like sunlight on fresh snow.

“Life’s been cruel to you, hasn’t it?” She said softly, her voice cutting through the frosty air and piercing straight to my core.

In that one sentence, that single touch, every fear, every doubt dissolved like snowflakes melting on warm skin. As I gazed into her eyes, I saw everything I needed to.

It was them. My children. My babies had come back to me.

The realization hit me like an avalanche. My knees buckled, the snow cushioning my fall as a flood of emotion overwhelmed me. Tears spilt freely, streaking down my face as my breath came in deep, broken sobs. The other two were at my side in an instant, their arms encircling me as I reached to pull them all into a trembling embrace. My tears dampened their fur and scales, mingling with the snowfall that clung to us.

My sobs morphed into quiet, unintelligible mutterings of apologies. For the fight moments ago, to not being there when they needed me most. For everything I had failed to do as their father

At some point, I realized I had let go of Calise’s glasses. My hands dug into the snow-covered ground beneath me, the icy crunch barely registering as I clenched my fist, the concrete floor hidden beneath the snow cracking under the pressure of my grip. My vision blurred, and my chest burned as my cries turned to quiet, incoherent mutterings. My stomach churned, and nausea swept over me, the cold air biting sharply against my overheated face.

The world around me faded into a haze. My ears rang, muffling the quiet reassurances they murmured. But their presence steadied me. Their soft words, the warmth of their touch amidst the frigid air, gradually pulled me back from the edge of despair.

When I finally found my voice again, it was shaky but calm, my breathing deep and deliberate. Neptune’s massive hand remained steady on my back, giving me a solid anchor in the storm of emotions. I leaned into his touch, my body trembling as the cold air cooled my tear-streaked face. The snow fell lightly around us, blanketing everything in a serene, fragile stillness.

Then Everything went black.

Waking with a sharp jolt, I was immediately greeted by a chorus of surprised yelps and murmured exclamations. My body instinctively flinched backwards, sending a tremendous ache pulsing through my skull. A guttural groan escaped my lips as my trembling hands rose to press gently against my closed eyes, seeking some relief from the throbbing pain.

"Y'all alright there, partner?" Applejack's familiar voice came through, soft yet tinged with concern.

"Yeah," I muttered, though my words were heavy with discomfort. "Just had a strange dream, I guess." The ache in my head thudded in time with my heartbeat, the sensation growing heavier with each pulse. "Ugh, this is a deep pain."

As I shifted slightly, the ache intensified, burrowing deeper into my senses. "Oh, cool," I grumbled sarcastically. "It gets worse."

"I can only imagine," Applejack replied, her words laced with a smirk that practically dripped from her tone.

"What's the last thing you remember?" Twilight's voice cut through the haze, startling me slightly.

I sighed, sifting through the fractured and blurry memories of recent events. They swirled together like a half-formed storm in my mind. "We were heading back after Ghost woke up," I began, the images forming slowly. "When we got back to my place, there was a letter waiting for me." The vague memory of the letter flashed before me, the text unreadable, yet the meaning behind it still lingered in my mind. "I went to the Castle of the Two Sisters and...found out who outed Blueblood, I think?"

"Nailed it like the fucking Romans," A voice quipped, casual, unexpected and disturbingly familiar.

My body shot upright in a heartbeat, the searing pain behind my eyes momentarily ignored. The concerned voices of Ghost and my friends surrounded me, but they faded into the background as my gaze landed on the smiling figures before me. The sight of them made my heart stutter and in a single moment, the memories came flooding back to me.

Before I could stop myself, I tried to stand, my movements were rushed and uncoordinated. I stumbled and fell to my knees, the metal rod in my prosthetic leg scraping audibly against the floor. Despite the sound, the floor remained unmarked. My prosthetic leg leaned against the long couch where I had been lying moments before. The trio of figures before me quickly knelt by my side, helping me back onto the couch. Their grins never faltered, much like the one that spread across my own face.

"It’s not a dream," I whispered, my voice trembling. "It’s not a trick." My smile widened, threatening to split my face in two. "You’re actually here!"

"We’re here," Neptune confirmed, his deep, resonant voice vibrating through my chest as he spoke.

"And we’re not leaving," Europa added, his baritone smooth yet firm—the very voice he’d inherited from me. "And neither are you. Not again."

Overwhelmed, I placed a hand on the back of Europa’s head, gently pulling him forward until our foreheads touched. The other two joined in, their warmth surrounding me. Ghost and the Elements quietly slipped out of the room, leaving us the space we so desperately needed. For a while, we simply stayed there, wrapped in each other’s presence, as though the act of separating might cause them to disappear. Tears welled in my eyes, a lump rising in my throat that I barely managed to swallow down. But the tears weren’t entirely defeated—just held back, for now.

Eventually, we pulled apart, though none of us moved far.

"So it was you three who gave Walter that letter," I said, the realization dawning. "You’ve been keeping an eye on me, haven’t you?" Their small, sheepish nods confirmed it. "If you knew I was here, why didn’t you come to me sooner?"

"Like you said," Calise spoke softly, her voice gentle but firm, "It felt too good to be true. We didn’t think it was really you. Everything you did… it just seemed like a cruel coincidence."

"Big ole optimism there-" Europa said, pointing to a nodding Neptune. "-was absolutely sure it was you, but me and Cally...we weren't so convinced," Europa continued, his ears splaying back slightly. "It wasn't until you saw and picked up her glasses that we knew for sure. The look you gave us told us everything we needed to know."

"Plus," Europa added with a faint smirk, "You had a different hair colour back then—and a beard."

I chuckled lightly, shaking my head at his remark. "Fair enough. But if you’re here, where are the others? Where’s your mother?"

The mood darkened, their smiles dimming as Neptune spoke. "We… we were separated not long after you vanished," he said quietly, his voice heavy with sadness. "We don’t know what happened to everyone else."

Calise stepped in, her expression resolute. "Which brings us to the other reason we stayed back," She said. "Just like you always taught us: stay your hand until you can act."

A proud smile crept across my face. "Atta girl," I said warmly. "So, what’s changed? Why now?"

~~

"Oh, I'm so happy for him!" Fluttershy said, her quiet voice brimming with genuine joy.

"You ain't the only one," Applejack agreed, tipping her hat with a warm nod.

"I don't think I've ever seen him so happy before," Rarity chimed in, her smile soft as she rested her head on Applejack's shoulder.

"I'll admit, I was a little sceptical about them at first," Rainbow Dash confessed from her perch on the kitchen island. She gestured vaguely with her hands. "I mean, they just showed up at the front door, the big guy carrying him over his shoulder, wearing those weird, I don’t know, robes? But the way he looked at them...you can't fake that kind of emotion."

"I'm so throwing them a reunion party!" Pinkie Pie exclaimed, practically vibrating with excitement as she bounced in place.

"I'm shocked he never mentioned them before," Twilight remarked, her brows furrowed in thought.

"He must have had his reasons," Spike said quietly, his voice trailing off. "Still, it kind of makes you realize how little we really know about him."

"Information like that ain't something you can just force out of someone," Ghost interjected, his tone calm but firm. "Shit like that takes time."

Rainbow Dash turned her attention to Ghost, her expression curious rather than accusatory. "I bet he's told you a whole lot, though. You two are pretty close. I get it, but still... it'd be nice to feel trusted, you know?"

"He has," Ghost admitted after a moment, and his simple statement immediately drew the attention of everyone in the room. "He told me everything—the day after he came back, actually. Everything that happened between the time he disappeared and when he returned."

"I knew about them, too," Applejack added, her voice steady but carrying a note of guilt. "He told me a while back, but I promised to keep it to myself until he was ready to share. Now that they’re here, I reckon it’s alright to say so."

"Wait, you knew?" Rainbow Dash asked, tilting her head slightly. "I mean, I get why you didn’t say anything—privacy and all that—but like... when did he tell you?"

Applejack rubbed her chin thoughtfully. "Hmm, maybe a couple days before he took Spike on as his apprentice."

Realization lit up Twilight's face, and she turned toward Spike, who seemed to be having the same epiphany. "That would explain why he was so hesitant to take you on," she said softly.

"Oh," Spike murmured, his voice barely audible. "It makes so much sense now."

"So... what else did he tell you?" Fluttershy asked, her voice as soft as ever as she looked at Applejack.

"Not much else beyond what we already knew," Applejack replied with a shrug. "It was more like... him getting some things off his chest. Honestly, it felt like a bit of a soft therapy session. I think he needed it."

"I knew she knew," Rarity interjected, raising a hand to preemptively cut off any questions. "But I didn’t press for specifics. It wasn’t my place."

Rainbow Dash raised an eyebrow. "Really? I’m surprised you didn’t ask, considering..."

"Darling, I may have a reputation as the Gossip Queen," Rarity replied, her tone poised, "but I respect someone’s privacy far more than I value satisfying my curiosity."

"Amen, sister!" Pinkie Pie declared, throwing her hands in the air in mock reverence before breaking into a fit of giggles. "Ohhh, I can’t wait to get to know them better!"

Suddenly, the sound of rushing footsteps broke through their conversation. Calise burst into the kitchen, sliding to a halt with an expression of mild panic.

"I need a bowl!" she exclaimed, scanning the room with urgency. "A big bowl!"

Without hesitation, Pinkie Pie reached into her hair and pulled out a bright pink plastic bowl, holding it out with a grin. "Here ya go!"

"Thankyousomuch!" Calise said quickly, grabbing the bowl and vanishing from the room in a blur of speed that left even Rainbow Dash momentarily stunned.

The group exchanged confused glances before instinctively moving to follow, curiosity piqued by the whirlwind departure.

~~

Heaving into the brightly coloured bowl, I felt Europa’s steady hand rubbing my back while Calise gently held back the loose strands of hair that had escaped my ponytail. Spitting out a few strands of saliva, I glanced up from the rim of the bowl to see Ghost and the rest of the group watching me. Their expressions, a mix of concern and curiosity, betrayed how unaccustomed they were to seeing me in such a vulnerable state.

“So, let me get this straight,” I rasped, my voice cracking as I clung to the rim of the bowl, fighting back another gag. “Your Uncle—my brother—is alive?” My throat tightened as the words left my lips, and I tightened my grip on the rim, bracing myself as my voice came out small and cracked. “You’ve all been alive this whole time... and I had no idea.”

Neptune shifted uncomfortably, speaking in a low, measured tone as though his words might wound me. “It’s one of the reasons we kept our distance. We knew you’d stop at nothing to get him back. You’d probably tear a hole straight to the planet’s core if you thought it’d save him.”

“You’re damn right I would,” I said, my voice low but firm. “I would tear this world apart if it meant keeping my family safe. And you were right to do what you did. You were just doing what I taught you.”

“What exactly were you doing, if you don’t mind me asking?” Ghost’s gravelly voice broke the momentary silence, his skull mask tilting slightly as he adjusted his posture.

The trio exchanged glances, their expressions guarded. For a moment, they gazed at Ghost with a look I couldn't quite place. Like they recognised him from somewhere but couldn't figure out why. But ultimately, Calise spoke.

“We were working in the background,” She said simply. “Keeping an eye on Dad while making sure Demon scouting parties didn’t grow too bold or launch unexpected attacks.”

“Wait.” I straightened, fixing her with a sharp look. “You three kept the Demons at bay? For how long?”

“Only until recently,” Europa admitted. “And it wasn’t all of them. Just smaller groups. The larger ones... we didn’t have the power to handle those, like during the two attacks on Ponyville. But we thinned their numbers where we could.”

“Atta boy!” I grinned, ruffling Europa’s hair, which earned an exasperated look from him and soft chuckles from his siblings. “Now, tell me—where is he? Where’s my brother?”

Neptune hesitated, his gaze dropping for a moment. “He was captured by Demons not long after you disappeared,” he finally said. “That’s why we were separated. But before they took him, he gave us his journal. It’s how we’ve kept track of key events... and why we’ve been waiting for the right moment to act.”

“Where is he?” I repeated, my voice laced with quiet desperation.

Calise stepped forward, walking toward one of the smaller chairs in the room. It was only then that I noticed how different they looked—dressed in simple, casual clothing instead of the ceremonial robes they had worn earlier, now neatly folded on the backs of various chairs. Calise picked up a satchel from atop her robes and rummaged through it, eventually pulling out a well-worn leather journal. She flipped through its pages until she stopped, reading something intently.

“He’s on a remote island in the Bahamas,” She said finally.

“And how do you know this?” Twilight interjected, her voice tinged with quiet intrigue.

“Months before his capture, he had a vivid dream,” Neptune explained. “It gave him cryptic details about the future. Just before we were all separated, he passed his journal to us. He’d written everything down.”

"He was always weirdly clairvoyant, but it was always only soon-to-happen events. But this?" I shook my head. "This seems beyond even his usual scope."

“We also had help from an... outside source,” Europa said slowly, his eyes flicking toward me for just a moment. That brief glance and the way he said it was enough to tell me there was more to the story than he was letting on.

“Who would that be, if you don’t mind me askin’?” Applejack asked, her tone curious but measured.

“He’d prefer to stay anonymous,” Europa replied.

“God damn it,” I groaned internally, fighting the urge to facepalm. The identity of the mysterious helper was now all but confirmed in my mind, especially after noticing the subtle grimaces on my kids’ faces. "It just had to be him, didn’t it?"

“So the journal is like a countdown,” Rarity said thoughtfully. “What exactly is it counting down to?”

“Every hundred years, the stars align, and the barriers between certain realms grow thinner,” Europa explained.

I groaned, rubbing the bridge of my nose. “Oh, come on. That’s so cliché.”

The trio broke into laughter, their amusement breaking the tension in the room, while the rest of the group exchanged amused glances.

“When can we get him back?” I asked, trying to suppress my impatience.

Calise stepped forward and handed me the journal. “This is the only part with clear instructions,” she said.

Taking the journal, I absently flipped through the pages, my brother’s handwriting as meticulous as I remembered. His entries were interspersed with surprisingly detailed sketches—burial mounds, animals, and scenic landscapes he must have encountered during his travels. I couldn’t help but smile as I reached the final page, where a short note awaited me:

When you try to get me out, do it a month or so beforehand. Let the poor bastard mentally prepare for that kind of shock to his system. God knows he’s gonna need it.
I know you’re reading this. It’s gonna work out—mostly because I know it’s you leading the charge.
Love you, bro. See you soon. <3

A smile tugged at my lips, though a deep ache settled in my chest. I swallowed hard, pushing down the overwhelming urge to storm that island immediately and tear through whatever defences the Demons had set up. But I reminded myself to stay patient, to practice the restraint I had always preached to my children.

This was going to be rough.

Waving off the ecstatic Elements of Harmony as they passed through the front gate of my home, I shut the door with an immediate groan. Leaning my head against the cool wood for a moment, I exhaled heavily before turning to my kids, rubbing the bridge of my nose as I prepared myself.

"Alright," I said with a resigned sigh. "Call him in."

"Call who, Sir?" Ghost asked, his voice tinged with confusion. Even through his mask, I could practically feel the raised eyebrow of scepticism.

"You'll see," Neptune said quietly, placing a calming hand on Ghost's shoulder.

"Are you sure about this?" Calise asked uneasily. Her tone betrayed a flicker of doubt. "You’re not going to... react like you did the last time, are you?"

Rolling my shoulders, I straightened my back and stood tall. "I’ve grown since then. I promise he'll leave intact this time."

The siblings exchanged hesitant glances before nodding in silent agreement. Moving to an open space in the house, they carefully set a small, metallic, circular trinket on the floor. The object whirred to life, expanding outward as its surface transformed from metal to stone, gaining a subtle height. Runes began carving themselves into its surface, glowing softly and casting an ethereal light across the walls of the thankfully windowless room.

From the centre of the circle, a blue portal spiralled into existence, releasing tendrils of smoke that drifted upwards. Moments later, the man of the hour emerged.

Thick, black horns curved upward from his head, which was unsettlingly noseless and adorned with a lipless grin. His lightly scaled, blue-grey skin shimmered faintly under the room's dim glow, and his lithe, serpentine body floated effortlessly above the portal. Expensive robes of gold-trimmed fabric draped across his frame, while a rope-bound orb suspended from his neck radiated an eerie green light. I recognized him immediately, much to my dismay.

Ghost instinctively summoned Yamato, the blade gleaming ominously as he assumed a defensive stance, his hand resting just above the handle's surface. He hesitated, though, when he noticed my still, unmoving form. I placed a hand on my hip, wordlessly gesturing subtly for him to stand down. Reluctantly, he relaxed, though he kept Yamato firmly in his grip, just in case.

"Vulgrim," I greeted flatly.

"My, my, look who it is!" Vulgrim exclaimed, his tone almost gleeful. He leaned forward, bowing slightly at the waist as if to get a better look at me. "You’ve changed."

"Och det har du inte gjort, tyvärr," I replied curtly, the words slipping out before I could restrain myself. Taking a deep breath, I reined in my frustration. "How do you know about my brother?"

Vulgrim clasped his clawed hands together, his grin never wavering. "Oh, you know me—I carry things others would... frown upon."

"Where is he?" I asked, my voice steady but demanding.

Vulgrim tilted his head, his bound orb glowing faintly as he idly caressed it with his larger, gauntleted hand. "Ah, that delightful gem is currently residing on an island in what is now known as the Bahamas."

"Be. Specific," I snapped, my eyebrow twitching as irritation crept into my tone.

Vulgrim's grin widened impossibly. "If you’d be so kind as to remove these pesky bonds, I’d be more than happy to provide the details!" He held up his shackled wrists, the thick metal glinting in the faint light, and bowed theatrically.

My response was immediate. I raised Ace, levelling the barrel squarely between his eyes. The slow yet sharp click of the hammer being pulled back punctuated the tense air, emphasising my point and leaving no room for negotiation.

"You will tell me regardless," I growled, my voice dropping into a low, guttural warning.

"Uh… you drive a hard bargain, friend!" He said, pulling back and quickly regaining his composure. "He’s kept at the centre of the main island, Isla de la Paz. Ancient magic binds him there, a magic known only to one individual."

"What needs to be done to break the spell?"

"Simple. Just return your brother’s missing pieces," Vulgrim replied with a sly grin.

"What do you mean missing pieces?" I snapped through clenched teeth, stepping forward sharply. Ghost’s hand tightened around the Yamato’s handle, ready to draw it at a moment’s notice.

Vulgrim raised his hands, retreating a step as his gaze darted around the room. He took in the weight of every pair of eyes fixed on him, then chuckled nervously before swallowing hard.

"Well, as you’re aware, he was taken by Demon forces some time ago," He began, his voice quick and measured. "What you don’t know is that they experimented on him, splitting him into four distinct pieces—each with a mind of its own."

He paused, smirking faintly. "But given your uncanny ability to attract chaos, I doubt reuniting them will be much of a challenge. The gathering part, anyway."

I narrowed my eyes. "And how exactly do we put his... pieces back together?"

"That part should be straightforward," Vulgrim said, his tone casual.

"How?" I pressed, my voice dropping to a dangerous edge.

"Just get them together in one localized spot," He explained hastily. "The rest will take care of itself."

I studied him for a moment, then slowly lowered my hand cannon. "How did you come across this information?"

Vulgrim’s lipless mouth curved into a smirk. "You know me—ever the observant type. Plus, I have... connections." His voice oozed with confidence. "Besides, there’s no such thing as priceless. Everyone has a price. The trick is finding the lowest bidder."

"You’re lucky you’re useful," I snarled.

"I’ll count my blessings," Vulgrim replied with a wide, toothy grin. "Now, will that be all?"

"Not unless you can move the stars into alignment ahead of schedule."

"No."

"Then there’s your answer." Holstering Ace, I turned to leave the room.

"What? No payment for services rendered?" Vulgrim’s voice dripped with amusement behind me.

Stopping just before the doorway, I took a deep breath and glanced back at my kids. "Only what is owed."

They nodded, and Calise summoned her satchel in a quick burst of dark gold flame with a small puff of light purple smoke and sparks framing it. Rummaging through it, she pulled out a small vial of bright, iridescent blue liquid and tossed it to the Demon merchant. Vulgrim caught it deftly, shook it near his ear, and grinned with a sharp, gnarly expression.

"You are as wise as you are powerful," He said gleefully. "A pleasure doing business with you and I highly doubt it will be our last!"

With that proclamation, he folded his arms across his chest and stepped into the portal. It sealed behind him with a quick snap, the runes along the stone dimming with a soft fwoosh. The massive object swiftly shrank back to its trinket size, the object clinking against he wooden floor as its stone-like texture shifted to polished metal. Neptune stepped forward to retrieve it.

With the deal concluded, I headed back into the living room, trailed by a confused Ghost and my trio of children, their expressions tinged with guilt as we sat down.

"Dad," Calise began, her voice tentative. "We know you’re—"

"Stop." I cut her off gently but firmly. "I know what you’re going to say. Don’t. I’m not mad. I’m not disappointed. You did what you had to do, I understand. I’m just not pleased that it had to be him."

"I’m sorry, sir, but… who was that?" Ghost asked, genuine confusion lacing his tone behind the skull mask.

"Vulgrim," I said wearily, the name itself draining me. "He’s a Demon deserter from… who knows how long ago. He claims to take a neutral stance with anyone who isn’t a Demon and will bargain for almost anything."

"And he’s incredibly testing," I added quickly.

"With all due respect, sir, but… you’re a Demon," Ghost pointed out.

"Half," I reminded him gently. "Let me rephrase: He takes a neutral stance with anyone who isn’t a full Demon. And my kids here are a quarter, so it makes sense he’s more inclined to make a deal with them."

Ghost glanced between me and my half-Chimera children, his confusion palpable.

"You’ve… never mentioned him," He said, the scepticism clear in his voice.

"Because I figured he’d have been picked off by now," I replied with a sigh. "Egg on my face."

"Fair enough," He asked after a beat. "So, what’s our COA?

"As much as I want to storm that island and brute-force my way to my brother, I know I can’t," I said, my gaze softening as I looked at my children, a sad smile crossing my face. "For now… I’m going to make up for lost time with the best Hearth's Warming Eve present I could have asked for."

Author's Note

The gang keeps growing and it looks like we know Percival's next move

First chapter of the new year! I'm really looking forward to what I have planned for this year! Lemme tell ya, it'll be a doozy!

Hope everyone had a wonderful holiday!

Please point out any mistakes I may have made
Constructive criticism is always appreciated
Until next time, TTFN!