"Papa! Stop! Don't!" Lily screamed as she pulled on my leg. She might've been an adult and I might've been old, but the anger driving me mixed with all the hardship I'd endured in the course of getting old meant I was able to pry myself free. And so, I made it to the front porch and spied the griffin she'd brought home, running for his life away from my house. He probably would have flown if I hadn't sliced his wing.

Either way, he was still in range.

I leveled my old blunderbuss and squinted as I lined up a shot. As always, even with my age catching up to me, he was vibrant and easy to track. Despite that, as I pulled the trigger, my shot went wide as I was thrown off my feet. After the boom of my gun subsided, the first thing I heard was Lily sobbing. Looking up, I saw Orange standing on my stomach and reaching over to console her until she saw I was looking, at which point she leveled a deathly glare my way.

"What the hell is the matter with you?!" She screamed, stamping a hoof on my gut before hopping down and draping a wing over Lily's back. I grunted and sat up.

"Me? She brought a griffin into my house," I snarled, hucking my gun aside.

"Yeah? So? Why'd you try to kill him?!" Orange yelled back, causing me to recoil. She turned to Lily. "Did Gerry do something?" Lily sniffled and shook her head.

"No! Papa just-"

"You knew?" I huffed, drawing her attention back to me. I shook my head and blinked. "You knew?" She looked me up and down before furrowing her brow.

"I met him when they first showed up," she finally replied, holding up a hoof and shaking her head. "He seemed nice." I groaned as I climbed back to my feet.

"You saw what he is," I hissed, at which Lily sniffed and wiped her eyes.

"Yeah?" Orange huffed with a scoff. "What, do you just hate all griffins now? I thought you sailed with one or two back in the day!" I growled as I made my way back inside, where the house staff were currently cleaning up the mess I'd made chasing the bird out.

"That was before they killed the Quicksilver," I spat before heaving a breath. "And it's beside the point! You don't get it, do you? You don't see what they're doing." I turned to leer at Orange and Lily as they slowly followed me.

"Who?" Orange demanded, at which I balked.

"Who!" I cried, throwing my hands up and then thrusting them to the side. "Them! The birds. It's all a fucking conspiracy against me." I knelt before her and jabbed myself in the temples.

"They couldn't get revenge on me any other way," I snarled before shooting back to my full height and throwing my hand up. "God knows their navy's ruined. God knows I'd kill any bird who squared up with me!" I barked a laugh and turned to Lily.

"You said he impressed someone and won a scholarship? Convenient!" I cried, causing her to wilt and blink at me. "I have to wonder if that scholarship wasn't conjured the same moment they learned you would be attending school yourself?"

"Papa, what the heck are you saying?" She squeaked, shaking her head. "That- This is crazy!"

"Crazy?!" I screamed causing her to hug the ground. I took a step toward her and Orange stepped between us. "No. It's called being awake and alert." I fixed them both with a grim smirk and tapped my skull.

"I'm wise to their schemes. The schemes of everyone out to take more from me," my smirk faded to a snarl and I swept my arms in front of me. "I'm not going to let them take you from me, too." Orange narrowed her eyes at me, but after a silent period, broken only by the gentle hoof steps of the maids as they swept up broken glass and plates, Lily stood up and approached me.

"No one's trying to take me from you," she sniffed, slowly shaking her head and holding her hoof out to me. "I'm not-"

"No. You clearly don't get it," I snapped causing her to stumble. I jabbed a finger at her. "If you did you would have known better." She blinked and her ears shot back as I loomed over her.

"No daughter of mine is going steady with a fucking griffin," I declared. My lip twitched and I snarled. "So think carefully about what you do or say next." Lily swayed and stumbled back before falling on her haunches. After staring at each other for a while, I was nearly knocked off my feet when Orange flew up and socked me in the mouth.

"What the hell is the matter with you?!" She screamed, hovering over me as I reeled. She landed and huffed at me through her teeth before turning to Lily. "C'mon, Sugarfly." I blinked as I massaged my jaw and then turned to see them both making their way upstairs.

"Come on? Where the fuck are you going? This isn't about you," I yelled after them before pushing to my feet and chasing after them. By the time I caught up, they'd made it to Lily's room and collected her bags before pushing right passed me. "Oh! Oh, I see. Yeah, fine. I'm just crazy. I'm just a moron." Lily paused and tried to turn to look back at me, but Orange pulled her with a wing.

"I'm the idiot when YOU'RE too fucking blind to see what's happening here!" I yelled as I stomped after them. They made it to the stairs and hurried down for the door. Lily's ears were desperately pressed against her skull. "Too fucking stupid to see it's all happening again!" I paused at the top of the stairs and swayed for a moment as I watched them open and slip through the door. Finally, I snarled and bolted after them.

"All my fucking sacrifices for all of you, and you all fucking walk out on me one after the other," I hissed as I raced for the door. Once I arrived, I threw it open and saw them halfway to the gate.

"Fucking stab me in the back," I spat, leaping to the edge of the porch and glaring death her way. "And the one time I see it coming?" I heaved a laugh and slapped myself in the chest.

"I'm the crazy one?" I squealed just before the gate slammed behind them, at which point I lunged and screamed. "TO HELL WITH YOU!" I stood there, huffing and puffing as I glared at them through the bars until eventually, the hills and trees blocked my view of them completely. When my head finally stopped swimming, the sun was slowly arching toward the horizon. When I finally turned my back on them and returned inside, the moon was up.

The staff had long since finished cleaning and retired for the evening. All except for Silver, who stood dutifully at the bottom of the stairs, waiting for me. I stood before him, leering miserably down at him and he nodded. "Some sleep might help clear everypony's heads, Sir," he offered, at which I scoffed and made my way upstairs.

"I meant what I said."

I was gently jostled and snorted before batting at whoever was trying to wake me. When they jostled me again, I scowled and opened my eyes. There, beside my lounge sofa, was a white pegasus mare with a red mane in an overcoat. She fixed me with a firm and disappointed frown and I blinked.

"Lily?" I murmured before a coughing fit overtook me that quickly turned into a bout of nausea. I threw my legs over off the sofa and bent at the stomach. As my feet hit the ground a few bottles from the previous night clattered out of the way. When the pain subsided, I blinked and looked her up and down. "Lily?"

"Hey," she quietly replied, looking off to the side and scanning the mess of bottles and plates I'd left around. Turning, I saw one that wasn't empty yet and grabbed it before reclining back on the sofa. I combed my fingers through my itching beard, pulling out a mess of grey hairs that I let fall on my disheveled uniform that I must've left on all night. Lily huffed at me before nodding.

"Mama Orange passed away a few weeks ago, Papa," she declared, placing one hoof on my arm as she frowned. "She wanted me-"

"Is he here?" I demanded as I nudged her hoof off. "Your bird?" I took a swig from my bottle as she blinked.

"She wanted me to try and reconcile with you," Lily continued, reaching up and touching me again at which I nudged her off again. She grunted and turned away from me slightly. "She said as sad and miserable as you let yourself become, I still needed at least one parent in my life."

"Is he," I growled, my eyes fixed on the curtained window. "Here?" She stared off for a moment before her ears shot back and she scowled.

"No. He didn't think it'd be smart to show up," she declared in an even and distant tone. "But he's waiting for me in Trottingham. If things didn't work out with you we were going to set sail right away." She took a quiet breath.

"We're moving back to Canterlot on a royal commission," she added, slowly shaking her head as she adjusted her coat. "We figured out a new method for travel using lighter-than-air gas and-"

"Orange said you needed at least one parent, hey? Guess you're shit out of luck," I snorted, folding my legs over and tipping my bottle her way. "I ain't your dad. You ain't my daughter." I leered at her, earning an even look in response. After a moment she turned and trotted around the sofa for the door.

"You're just some sad, lost little critter I found on my porch one night," I hissed after her, tracking her as she left. "And I'm starting to think you were planted in my life, too." I sat up to glare at her over the sofa.

"Just another method they'd use to hurt me," I snarled, jabbing a finger at her. "Just another knife to cut me with." She slipped through the door and vanished from sight.

"That's all you are," I growled, heaving a few times before continuing. "So, why the hell did you come back?" I hurled my bottle through the door after her.

"Just to rub it in?!" I screamed, but no answer came. "I'm talking to you!" I sat there for a few moments before slowly sinking down and reclining again. I stared at the ceiling for a bit before reaching into my coat pocket, drawing my laurel sprayer, and taking a hit.

I grumbled as someone jostled me, but this time I opened my eyes right away, only to wind up confused when I saw I wasn't in the lounge and it was Silver trying to wake me. He gave me a warm smile when he saw my eyes open.

"The fuck am I?" I groggily demanded, rolling onto my back and rubbing my eyes.

"We moved you to your room, Sir," he reported. "Terribly sorry, but we had to clear space in the lounge."
"What the fuck for?" I yawned.

"It's your birthday. We had to do something special," he chirped, drawing a grunt from me.

"Fuck no, you didn't," I scoffed, draping my arm over my eyes. "Lemme sleep."

"Well, even if we didn't you must understand," he pressed, nudging me and drawing my attention from under my arm. "The officials from Trottingham and Eagleland were eager to celebrate their admiral's achievements over the years." He bowed his head and held his smile, but my scowl only worsened.

"Good for them," I grumbled as I shut my eyes again.

"They're quite insistent you at least make an appearance," he replied, nudging me again. "Five minutes, that's all they ask." I sighed hard and stared at the ceiling.

"Is Celestia here?" I finally asked, looking over and seeing through my window that it was already dark out.

"They didn't invite her," he replied causing me to sigh. "Granted most folks don't know you two know each other as well as you do." My eyes went hazy as I stared through my window.

"She did stop by earlier, however," he added causing me to blink and twist my head to look at him in surprise. His smile wavered and he nodded. "You, ah, shooed her away while in a stupor." I stared at him for a while with my brow furrowed. Finally, I hummed, sat up, and scooted to the edge of my bed. He nodded and made his way to the door. The second he was out of sight, I pulled open my nightstand and drew my laurel sprayer from its hidden compartment. For a moment, I held it to my lips, ready to just blow the night and the townies off. But after a moment, I slipped it into my coat pocket and smacked my lips before standing up.

To my surprise, as I made my way to the door, I saw dressed in one of my cleaner uniforms. I grunted at the sight before carrying on down the hall, toward the steadily growing rumor of quite frankly way too many guests in my foyer. As I stepped onto the second-floor landing for the stairs, I got a glimpse at the spectacle being hosted in my house. At the same time, some pony in a top hat noticed me and raised his hoof at me.

"There he is!" He cheered before turning to everyone else. As I made it to the stairs, all eyes fell upon him. "Ready everypony? For! He's a jolly good fellow!" I balked as the crowd began to sing.

"And by what metric do you determine that, hey?" I yelled causing them to stumble on their second line. I glared at the guy in the top hat. "You don't know me." I threw my hand up at him as he wilted.

"I don't know you," I said, scanning the crowd of strangers and throwing my hand at each of them. "Or you. Or you. Or any of fucking you." I scanned the whole crowd again, shaking my head as I stalked down the stairs.

"You don't know me," I hissed causing the ponies nearest the stairs to retreat out of my way. Even the serving ponies had paused in their work to leer at me. "You don't know what I've done. The people I've killed." I winced with a subdued sob as I glared at the guy in the top hat.

"The people I've hurt," I murmured as I finally stood before him. "Jolly good? What a load of shit." He frowned and averted his eyes so I pivoted and jabbed a finger at the rest of the party.

"If any of you were actually worth having attend a party for me, you'd know better," I accused. A few noble mares drew fans and hid their faces before whispering to their dates. "But you don't. You're just a bunch of parasites. Infesting my house." The entire party began whispering to each other as I snarled.

"If I were a decade younger," I heaved before making a huge, sweeping motion and lunging. "I'd cleave every last one of you!" A few nearest me jumped before giggling. I huffed and glared at the party again.

"Well, this isn't a surprise," someone close snorted.

"What was that?" I yelled, whirling around to glare at him. He jumped and looked at me in terror. "WHAT WAS THAT?" He shivered as he slowly hugged the ground, earning a nod from me.

"That's what I fucking thought," I spat, scanning the crowd again. As a result, I spotted a serving tray with cheese and wine on it being carried by one of my staff. I snatched the whole tray and stomped toward the front door, waving my free hand at the crowd. "Well? Go on. Wish me well." I turned once I reached the door.

"Here's what you came for, hey? The Great Admiral Cutter?" I asked, sweeping a hand in front of me. "Here he is." The crowd leered at me and I sucked a breath.

"Bow, you fucks!" I bellowed. After a few more moments of staring at me, the crowd resumed their party like nothing had happened. My lip twitched and I slammed my back against the door before grabbing it and yanking it open.

I trudged outside for a little bit before plopping down in the yard just off the path, before I popped open the wine and took a bite of cheese. I sat there for a minute, scowling at the open air until I looked up and saw the moon shining down on me. I chewed slowly as I pondered it, but when I moved to take a swig of wine, the bottle slipped from my grip.

"Delightful party," the old and grey unicorn beside me chirped as he drank my wine and snatched up piece after piece of my chees. As I looked at him dumbstruck he nodded and smirked at me. "Very lucky for me! I was worried I'd never get the chance to meet you in person." I blinked a few times and scoffed before twisting to face him.

"Alright, I'll bite," I said in a bemused tone, leaning on one knee as I propped my leg up. "Where do you find the gall?" He paused as he took another drink, and leered at me with one eye.

"You don't know?" He asked, tilting his head. With a hum, he shook his head and wiped off his mouth with a cloth from his pocket. "You knew my daughter." My eyebrows wagged in surprise before I scoffed again.

"Sure, alright," I sighed, throwing my head back in annoyance. "Who was your daughter?" I gasped as the air was suddenly punched from my chest, and I folded forward at the stomach. I uttered a strained groan as I discovered a long broad knife jammed into my gut.

"Her name was Quicksilver," he replied before twisting the knife and then ripping it out. I gagged and then fell onto my back. I lay there with my hands clutching over my stomach and heard his hooves hit the stones as he galloped away. Every breath came out in a wheeze as the very act of inhaling set my stomach on fire. At some point, Silver appeared in my vision with a panicked look on his face.

"Admiral! Admiral!" He cried, holding a hoof to my face. I blinked as I looked around, finding I was suddenly surrounded by all the strangers who'd been in my house. "Somepony find a doctor!" My eyes were going hazy, but I could still see them all as they leered down at me in horror.

But it didn't matter. I didn't know who they were, so who cared how they felt? Silver leaned over me again as I felt myself drifting off.

"Admiral. Admiral, Sir," he quailed. I sighed weakly and reached into my pocket. "James! Stay-" I drew my sprayer and fixed it to my lips. He gasped and snatched it from me.

"No! Ah! Damn you," he groused as I exhaled a cloud of sparkling vapor. "Find a doctor!" I slowly closed my eyes as all the warmth fled my body.

"James!" Silver cried. "James!"

"James!"

"James!" I opened my eyes and tilted my head back. Luna was beaming down at me just before Lily popped up and did likewise. I slowly sat up and looked around. The sun was shining down on my yard, and over by the front door everyone had set up a table.

Gab, Zama, and Holiday were there while the rest of the crew explored my new house.

Orange, Cat, and Amethyst sat at one end of the table whispering to each other until they saw me looking, at which point they waved me over. At the other end, Dreadless sat beside Ben as the latter continued shuffling cards, fixing me with an expectant look. Leaning against the house itself was Junior, just basking in the midday sun.

"There we go," I hummed as I scooped up Lily in a tight hug and gave Luna a smile. "Finally feels like home, again." She gave me a nod before we walked side by side to join the rest.

THE END

Author's Note