Second Wind

You had sex with Lyra last night.

You had sex with Lyra last night, and it felt amazing.

You had the most stupid grin on your face as you were getting out of her bed. You put on your clothes, and looked back at her. She was curled up in a Lyra-ball, fast asleep. She was smiling as she hugged the pillow that took your place in her arms.

"Aww...Man..." You said, still smiling. You didn't want to go to Canterlot. Not right now. If only you could lay with her just awhile longer. If only you two would have done this last night, you could have spent the entire day in bed.

You had on the pair of black pants you had came here with, the short-sleeved white T-shirt, and you still had Aaden's jacket. You walk over to her large mirror at the corner of the room, and look yourself over.

Still handsome.

"I'll take good care of her while you're gone." Bon Bon's voice said. You look at her from the mirror. She was standing in the doorway. She had something resting at her hooves. "Also, get yourself some new clothes. I wanna see the look on Lyra's face when you're wearing something other than THAT." She said, pointing a hoof at your outfit. You rub your right eye sleepily, still smiling.

You walk over to Bon Bon, and take the bit-purse at her hooves. You walk back over to the bed, and kiss Lyra on her forehead while she sleeps. She stirred gently, her smile not fading. Bon Bon moved out of the doorway as you walked towards it.

"Have a good trip, and stay safe, Alan. I know Lyra will be eagerly awaiting your return." Bon Bon said, following behind you.

"I will. I'm meeting Aaden by the fountain in the marketplace, so the trip won't be so bad."

"Aaden's coming as well?"

"Yep."

"Well, you two behave yourselves." Bon Bon called from the door. You laugh.

"I am NOT about to get my ass kicked by Aaden and Ponies again. We'll be on out BEST behavior.

Bon Bon waved goodbye to you, and you waved back. You continued your walk through the marketplace, and to the fountain. Aaden was kneeling by the fountain, tossing what looked like breadcrumbs into it. You saw small ducks paddling about inside of it, which explained his actions. He was wearing a pair of blue jeans and a long sleeved white-T shirt, so he didn't look too much more fancy than you.

"What's happening, brother?" You asked. Aaden looked up at you, and stood up, tossing the rest of his breadcrumbs into the fountain.

"Passing the time. You eat already?" He asked. You pat your stomach.

"Nah man, didn't have the time. I was up late last night, so I woke up late." You got a good look at Aaden's eyes. They were bloodshot. "Holy shit, and from the looks of it, you were too. You alright?"

"Oh yeah, I'm fine. Vinyl kept me up late last night. If you know what I'm saying." Aaden explained.

"Spare me the details. Lyra and I were spending 'quality' time too, so I know what's up." You replied. "But yeah, I'm starving." Aaden started to walk away from the fountain, and signaled you to follow him.

"We'll eat on the train. Their food isn't so bad. C'mon."

The early morning sun was very warming on this day. There was the occasional gust of brisk wind, but it only complemented the warmth of the sun. Birds flew about and chirped their happy songs, Ponies went about their business as usual, everything seemed to be in harmony. It was nice.

The junction was mildly busy when you arrived. There was no line to get tickets, but there were lines forming to board. Aaden walked up to one of the open windows, and picked up two tickets. You both got in line behind one of the groups of ponies waiting to board. The train arrived not much later, and you both boarded with ease, despite the hustle of the junction.

Aaden takes a seat next to you, and hands you a sandwich he purchased from the cart that travels between cars.

"So, lets address the elephant in the room." He said, opening his sandwich. "What do we do if we're dead? If this is, through some weird way, the afterlife. Our personal afterlife." You unwrap your sandwich and take a bite. It tasted like egg and cheese. It wasn't half bad. You chew it up thoroughly before swallowing. Your eyes meet Aaden's, and you attempt to formulate a response.

"I honestly don't know. I guess this would be home, then. Until we grow old, and die here, too."

"But what if we CAN go home?"

"Like I said, I really don't know. It's a lot to take in, a lot to think about."

You both sit in silence for a moment, eating your sandwiches in silence, listening to the steady and consistent clink of the tracks under the train. You both had a lot of things to take in to consideration. Your answer would soon be at hand, and that's what gave you goosebumps.

The future, and all of the answers it would bring, was coming.

You just didn't know if you were ready for it.

_________________________________________________________________________________

You were now standing, pointing your handgun at this soldier that claimed to be Isaac.

"You motherfucker. You think it's funny to pretend to be the dead? Huh? What the Hell is wrong with you?" You shout. "Isaac" took a sip of his water, still looking very nonchalant about the entire situation. "You have a lot of explaining to do. Get talking. Now."

"Well, I'd suggest you sit down. It's quite a long story."

_________________________________________________________________________________

The Chairman knew that Adam was going to be a thorn in his side. He had to personally reprimand Adam multiple times, mainly because Adam was showing more of a desire to do what was right, rather than what he was being paid to do. This was a trait that later rubbed off on Aaden and Alan both, two men that we both know were close to him.

The Chairman wanted Adam dead. Simple as that. But he wanted to make it sting, he wanted him to truly suffer. So, I was called in to his office one day, were he threatened me. I either follow through with his plans to assassinate Major Adam Howard, or he finds and kills my children and wife, also framing me for the murders.

I had no choice.

"You son of a bitch." You said. "You filthy, fucking bastard!" You shouted. The Chairman kicked back in his chair, and laughed.

"I'm glad I have your cooperation. Now, you're going to be going on a 'mission' in Afghanistan. When you cross the large bridge, and you'll know what bridge I'm talking about, you hit this plunger I'll give you. It'll set off an IED. Make sure your seat belt is unbuckled, if you want to live. If all works out, it should kill him via drowning. In the event that he escapes, we'll have a sniper in the hills, waiting to pick him off. Get to it, killer."

The operation was the next day. You sat in the back of the APC, your head hanging down. You had the plunger in your pocket.

"You okay, Isaac?" Adam asked you.

"Yeah, I'm good." You replied with a faint smile. You leaned your head out a bit, looking through the front windshield of the vehicle. You were just now at the entrance of the bridge. You put your hand in your pocket, flip the button guard up, and press down on the plunger. A loud boom, followed by the sound of metal scraping across metal was all that was audible for a moment. You closed your eyes.

When you reopened them, the APC was completely submerged. You looked around the back of the vehicle. 3 Soldiers, including Adam, were still alive, panicking and attempting to get their seat belts off. You swim over and help the other two, while you stop and stare at Adam. It was tearing you to shreds, watching him thrash under the water, bubbles leaving his mouth. If you could cry underwater, you were doing it now. When he stopped moving, you decide to go against your orders. You swam over to him, released his belt, and swam out of the APC with him in tow. The other two men had already found their way topside, and were crawling about, coughing and vomiting water.

You dragged Adam ashore, and watched as life returned to him. He shook violently as he came to his knees, vomiting water, just like the others. He looked up to you, his eyes blood red and pained.

You couldn't watch what was going to happen next.

"Adam, I-uh, there are others trapped. I've got to go." You said. Adam shook his head weakly, and you ran back towards the river. Rather than go back into the APC, you swam across the river, and hid behind the other part of the bridge, to await pickup.

Then you heard the crack of a high powered rifle. You heard it several times. You sink against the concrete pillar you were hiding behind, and let tears fill your eyes. That's when you hear something that makes you stop your sobbing. Several shots from a DIFFERENT gun filled the air. You peeked around the corner. Adam and another soldier, the recruit, survived. They were hiding behind one of the concrete pillars on the other side of the river. They survived. The other, who was on the ground, in a pool of his own blood, wasn't so lucky.

The Chairman wasn't happy.

"What. Happened?" He asked impatiently. You sat across from his desk. It had been 12 hours since the IMO picked you up, and you were still drenched from the river.

"I don't know. He just survived, I guess." You said.

"Isaac, need I remind you what is at stake here? Your families lives."

"Why don't you do it? Why don't you send someone in the other room, and just kill him now? Why all the plotting?" You ask, slamming your fist on the table.

"Because Adam is well respected. If we were to just butcher him, that would create a schism. Besides. It's far more fun, having you do it. Now. He thinks you're dead, so..." The Chairman reaches under his desk, and hands you a new uniform and helmet. "These are yours. Your name is Michael Porter. Born and raised in Michigan. You are joining him with the crew aboard Ghostie. Enjoy."

_________________________________________________________________________________

"Y-you're Michael?" You said. You remember working alongside the Pathfinders in their glory days. Aaden, Alan, Adam, Max, yourself, and Michael.

"I was." He replied. "Up until Adam's death, I was responsible for many injuries and near-death experiences he went through, although I would never go all the way through with the plan. I even tagged along with him to claim his 'revenge' against the IMO. Those blank records? I'm the one that did that." He explained. You could see his eyes welling up.

"Do you know what it's like?" He asked. "Do you know what it's like to sabotage your own brother's handgun, or rig his vehicle with explosives, then immediately help him find a new weapon, or drag him out of the wreckage? I was being punished as much as Adam was. And then when Adam died in combat, I was heartbroken. Aaden and I were there, and it was the worst experience of my life, to watch my brother die. To have him look in my eyes, and not realize that he's looking at his brother." Isaac stammered. He collected himself with a very small sniffle and a deep breath.

"How did you conceal yourself?" You ask. He put his helmet on, slid a bandanna over his face, tied it, and reached into his pocket. He pulled out a contact lens case, and put in two lenses. They made his blue eyes look brown. Admittedly, he looked very different. "I see." You said quietly. It made more sense now.

"I have one request to make of you, Carter. One thing to put my entire mind at rest."

_________________________________________________________________________________

"Whew. I'm feeling pretty good!" You said, chuckling as you wake up. Trixie cuddled up next to you, nuzzling her cheek against yours.

"Shh. Trixie is sleepy." She said. You looked out of the window, seeing the sun shine through. It was mid-afternoon already. You never did get Trixie all to yourself last night like she promised, but, you were out pretty late, talking. Then you remember what Celestia told you.

There were two humans coming. Two that knew you. You couldn't pass up this opportunity.

"Trixie, those humans are coming today. They might be here any moment. Would you like to come with me?" You asked, gently whispering into her ear.

"Mpmmhhh...." She mumbled into the pillow. You nudge her. "Yesss...." She responds. You get up, shower, and get dressed. When you exit the bathroom, Trixie was now fully awake, looking out of the window. She was wearing her hat and cape.

"You ready?" You ask.

"Yeah." She answered. You both left your hotel room, and set off into the streets. "Trixie thinks that, when and if they arrive, it will be at the train station."

"Good thinking." You said. You lean down, and kiss her on the cheek. You both head towards the train station through the busy streets of Canterlot.

You arrived at the train station just in time to see a train departing. A swarm of ponies had disembarked the train, but you didn't see any humans.

"Hmm...Maybe they weren't on that Train, huh Trix-"

"ADAM!" You heard a familiar voice shout. You felt something lift you from behind, and squeeze you tight. It sets you down, and you turn around.

Two smiling humans, one slightly shorter than the other, were standing before you.

Then the memories burst through your mind.

"Aaden! Alan! Holy shit, you guys!" You shout. You three huddled up, and jumped around like kids. "Oh man, I've got so many questions! How the Hell are you guys here?"

"Damned if we know." Alan laughed. "God damn, is it a surprise to see you!" He continued.

"Seriously, this was the last thing I expected. I wonder if this was Celestia's planning." Aaden said.

"Celestia? Wouldn't doubt it. She's really smart. Smarter than she likes to put on." You replied. Alan looks at you and laughs.

"Why am I the only one who has yet to meet this 'Celestia'?" He asks jokingly. He then notices Trixie, who was smiling warmly, happy to see you with your friends. "Who's your friend?"

You almost feel kind of embarrassed. You weren't sure what your friends would think about you having a pony for a girlfriend.

"This is Trixie. She's my marefriend, I believe they call it here." You said. Alan and Aaden both smiled.

"Hell dude, nothing to be shy about. I've got one, too. Aaden has like 4." Alan said. Aaden smiles, and rubs the back of his neck.

"Lets go. I don't want to keep Celestia waiting." Aaden said, changing the subject.

"Me neither. Who's Celestia?" You heard a voice say from behind you all. You all turn around, and then there was ANOTHER human. It was Max.

"MAX!" Alan shouts. You all three greet him just as you had been greeted. Another train had pulled up while you were distracted. Max must have been on it.

"You guys would not believe the shit I've been through these past few days." He said, smiling. "And this is Fluttershy, my new best friend."

"H-Hello everypony..." Fluttershy said. She walked over to Trixie, and they both talked for some time while you all caught up excitedly.

_________________________________________________________________________________

Your party was reunited. Granted, Carter wasn't here, but you jumped from only having Alan, to having Alan, Max and Adam, all in a matter of minutes. You couldn't be happier. All 6 of you, including Trixie and Fluttershy, walked towards the castle, intending to still meet up with Celestia.

Ponies normally didn't stare you down too often, but this new sight of 4 humans together was probably slightly shocking for them. You could care less about the wandering eyes. You had your friends, and that's all that mattered to you.

"And then, they put me in a dungeon!" Max said, laughing.

"Shiiit, you think that's bad? I wandered a desert for like 8 months." Adam replied.

"You're both pansies, I got manipulated, and then got my ass kicked my Aaden and his rainbow friend." Alan added.

You all recounted your stories of how you got here, and you noticed a very odd trend in your origins.

All of you suffered from amnesia. Max seemed to have it the worst. Granted, Max's amnesia was lessened upon seeing you all together, he still didn't remember certain things. It was odd, but it was nothing you wanted to worry about right now. Not when you're surrounded by friends like these.

It felt as if it took absolutely no time what-so-ever to get to the castle, and into the throne room. You all talked the entire way there. Celestia's guards opened the doors to the massive throne room, letting you in. When you walked into the throne room, Celestia was standing in front of her throne, smiling. She had to have been surprised, herself. Max looked stupefied, seeing Celestia for his first time.

"I am glad you have all been reunited." She said. She then looked over at Max. "And Max, I see you found your way here, as well. I recognize you from Aaden's memories." Max feigned a smile, and waved awkwardly. Celestia went back to addressing the group. "Well, my good human subjects, I suppose you are seeking answers. The sad thing about that, is I am unable to produce any at this moment. It may take awhile."

"Years? Shit..." Max uttered.

"I have called you here for a different reason. While there are only 4 of you, that's 4 more than Equestria has ever had. Not to tone down your good moods, but I have to ensure that my ponies are safe around you before we proceed any further. I know that you are each individually good humans, but things like that change when groups form. Especially if you are going to be romantically involved with my ponies, I need to test you. Should you pass, then Alan, Max, and Adam, I have special positions waiting for you. Aaden already has his. If you fail, then you will be split up, each of you going to a different town. This is a test of your morality, integrity, and most importantly, your friendship to one another." Celestia explained.

"I apologize, m'lady, but this is all happening so fast." You said. Celestia still smiled.

"Aaden, you are free to not participate. You have proven yourself already. But It is best that it happens this way. It doesn't give your mind time to think, forcing your hearts to act."

"I can't abandon my friends here." You said. Celestia's smile got a little larger.

"I knew you wouldn't. Please, take each others hands." Celestia said.

You all formed a circle, holding hands together. Max and Alan were visibly wary of what was happening. They had yet to experience anything as intense as this was probably going to be.

"Good luck, Max..." Fluttershy said.

"Trixie knows you can do it, Adam!" Trixie called.

Celestia was then joined by Luna, who walked in from an adjacent room.

"Alrighty humans. Are you prepared? The trials set before you are based upon the memories I have collected from each of you, and have been adjusted accordingly. This is all I will say. Ready?" Celestia said.

You looked around this circle that you had formed. You literally had just met up with your friends, and here you were, going to do something crazy with them. Just an hour ago, you were on a train, and now, you're in the royal court of a goddess-alicorn, with two friends you didn't even know were here, and now you're about to undergo a "trial"?

Everyone shook their heads.

"We're ready." You said. You lied, but this had to be done. Everything got extremely blurry. So blurry, that everything was turning gray. It settled when everything was completely gray. You then heard Celestia's voice, as if it was in your own ear.

"Complete this mission as you were assigned to..."

_________________________________________________________________________________

The blurriness started to fade. When it did, you sigh.

"Shit. Guys, I remember this place." You said. You looked around. You were in the backroom of the strip club/rave bar in Hong Kong. You reach onto your side, and feel the familiar grip of your Glock in it's holster. You look at everyone else. Alan had a pump-action shotgun with a pistol grip and foregrip, Aaden had an MP9, and Max had a TDI Vector.

"Yeah, we fucked this one up good..." Max added.

"Alright, anyone remember the mission specs?" Aaden asked, loading his MP9.

"Secure the shipment of gold bars they have in the parking garage below. Go undetected." Alan answered.

"And what did we do wrong last time?" Aaden asked.

"We killed a FUCK-TON of people." Max said.

You heard the music start up in the main part of the bar/club, the deep bass making your weapons vibrate in your hands.

"Weapons low, gentleman." Aaden said. You all put your weapons into your blazer pockets or holsters, hidden from view, and prepared yourself. You were all wearing suits with bright orange ties. He stepped forward, and opened the door leading out into the enormous room before you.

The room was dark, but enormous. There were several "islands" with stripper poles that topless women used, and there were several cages suspended from the roof that more topless women danced in. You personally found it disgusting. You all walked through the crowd, sliding through open spaces in the dancing swarm.

"THIS IS PRETTY EASY. WHY DID WE MESS THIS UP SO BAD LAST TIME?" Alan asked.

"THAT'S WHY!" Max yelled back over the music, pointing. A woman was being dragged into a bathroom against her will by several men, each wearing black suits and red ties.

Now you remember. These were thugs. A gang that specialized in human trafficking, as well as money laundering. This was the kind of shit that The Pathfinders HATED. Last time, you all went into the bathroom, and killed them using guns. The noise alerted ALL of the other thugs.

"WE CAN'T LET THAT HAPPEN!" Alan called.

"BUT CELESTIA SAID TO COMPLETE THE MISSION AS ASSIGNED!" Aaden responded.

"WE CAN DO THIS WITHOUT KILLING THEM!" You yelled.

"FINE, BUT WE DO THIS QUICKLY!" Max finished. You all hurried over to the bathroom.

The woman was lying on the floor, surrounded by four thugs, who all had their backs to you. Aaden walked quickly behind one, and threw his arms around him, choking him violently. Max walked over to another, and kicked him in the back of the knee, which sent him to his knees. Max then also began choking him. You pulled out your Glock, and with a fierce swing, slammed it against another thugs head. The clink of the metal against his skull was very satisfying. Alan simply kicked the last one in his back, sending him head first into the wall in front of him, knocking him out. This all happened within a few seconds.

You all dragged the unconscious thugs into the stall, stacking them against the toilet and stall walls. As Aaden and Alan attempted to make sure they would have trouble getting out of the stall, and Max kept watch for more thugs, you walked over to the woman.

"Are you okay, ma'am?" You asked, reaching a hand to the woman. She looked up at you fearfully, but responded to you, in a very thick British accent.

"Yo-You speak English?" She asked.

"Yes ma'am. You're going to be okay." You replied. She sighed, and took your hand, standing up.

"Are you with the government?" She asked again.

"You could say that."

"We're running out of time!" Max called back, peeking his head outside of the bathroom. "Those damn trucks will be leaving in any second!"

"Sir, please, they have my friends! There are others! You must help us!" The woman began to shout.

"But what about the trucks? The money?" Max asked.

"Humans need our help. It is deviating from what Celestia told us to do, but this is the right thing to do." Aaden responded.

"Right." Max said, examining his weapon, thinking. "Well. Let's get moving."

Just as you were about to head out, you all stopped instinctively.

"This is the end of your first half of the test..." Celestia's voice boomed. "Now for the second part..."

You all looked around at each other. That was it? Perhaps you had proved your morality as group. That was still quick. Your vision got blurry again.

"Your memories are being temporarily wiped...you will forget that this is a simulation...I will also add memories and figments as I see fit...prepare yourselves..."

_________________________________________________________________________________

You were in the parking garage outside of the club now. You could still hear the bass from the music. All four of you were crouched behind a road block, your weapons in hand.

You also remembered this part.

"Shit, Aaden?" Alan asked.

"Yeah?" You responded calmly.

"They're coming."

"I know."

"Escort the hostages to safety..." You heard a feminine voice boom. You decide to follow it's instruction.

You look around the parking garage. You had rescued the hostages, and now everyone was reunited.

For now.

"Adam, take the hostages up to the roof of the parking garage." You said, pointing at Adam. Adam shook his head.

"Good idea. We gotta go, ladies. Say your goodbyes." He said. Rarity, Rainbow Dash, Octavia and Vinyl Scratch all stood before you.

"Darling. Will we see you again?" Rarity asked.

"Of course." You replied. You knew what was going to happen, but you lied anyways. Alan, Bon Bon and Lyra were saying their goodbyes. Max was holding Fluttershy. Adam and Trixie were embracing each other. Carter and Pinkie Pie were hugging each other tightly. Isaac, Applejack and Twilight Sparkle were sharing a group hug. This was it. "Alright, move it!" You called. The ponies broke off from their friends and coltfriends, and were looking at Adam for direction.

"Follow me." He said, pulling out his Glock. "Stay close."

As Adam vanished into the upper levels of the parking garage, you continued to give orders.

"Alan, rig the car ports with explosives, I want you to detonate them as soon as the trucks arrive." You said.

"Yes sir!" Alan called back, dashing off into the lower levels of the parking garage.

"Max, I need you and Carter to prepare an ambush downstairs with Alan. Once they eventually break through, try to hold them back for us. If not, fall back, but do it slowly."

"Understood." They said in unison. They both trailed after Alan.

"Isaac, you take a rifle, go upstairs with your brother. I need you to operate as a counter sniper. Just in case these bastards have anyone on the rooftops. Move it." You ordered. Isaac nodded his head. You sprinted down to the lower levels where Alan, Carter and Max waited. Alan was hiding up in the rafters, essentially lying in wait inside of the roof, plunger in hand, knife in the other. Carter was behind a large SUV, and Max was behind a sports car.

"Here they come!" Alan shouted. Two large black vans were roaring down the street. "C'mon...c'mon you sons of bitches..." Alan was muttering. The vans blasted into the parking garage, and the moment they did, a loud beep, followed by an explosion sent the car port the vans used on top of the car. The doorway had collapsed on top of them, crushing the occupants. "Shit!" Alan called. "They've got a bunch on foot!" Sure enough, men in black suits with red ties began hopping through the windows. Alan leapt down from the rafters, landing directly on top of one of the men. He drove his knife deep into his skull, before tearing it out, and slashing at a different man.

Max and Carter were now firing their weapons.

Too many were coming in.

"THE OTHER CAR PORT!" Alan shouted. "SHIT, MORE CARS! MOVE!" As you were running up the garage ramp to retreat to the second level, you saw Alan jerk forward, and blood splatter all over the wall in front of him. He cried out in pain, and fell. You ran over to him, and helped him stand. His left knee was completely useless now. You drape his right arm over your shoulder, and limp ahead.

"Get Alan upstairs! I'll hold them back!" Carter yelled.

"How?" You yelled back. Carter smiled, and held up several grenades. Carter was dressed differently from everyone else. So was Isaac. Carter wore black and dark blue camouflaged pants, a very tight nylon-mesh navy blue shirt, which was short sleeved, and he was wearing a navy blue beret with a gold pin on it. You remember Isaac was wearing orange and black IMO armor, and an orange neckerchief. Isaac was unnaturally photogenic wearing this outfit, but you would question his choice of apparel later.

"I'll be okay! Just go!" He finished. You looked at Alan, who looked at you. You both nodded your heads, and hurried your limp.

You both quickly realized that you were moving way too slow to get Alan to safety.

"Leave me." He said. "Just make sure Lyra and Bon Bon are safe."

"You can do that yourself." You replied. "Now hold on tight." You bent down, and picked him, throwing him over your shoulder. "Also, you're now my arms. Kill anything that tries to kill us."

You broke into a sprint. If the ramps weren't at the angles they were, you would have fell flat on your face. You heard several loud booms come from the lower levels of the parking garage. Carter was really raising hell. As you were running up the ramps, you realized how hauntingly beautiful this setting was. The parking garage was filled with the yellow-orange illumination of the lights placed throughout it, and the night was pretty, too. It was raining outside. Not a downpour, but not a sprinkle. There was no lightening or thunder, and the full moon was visible. You snapped back into reality, and finally made it to the roof.

The ponies were all huddled at the corner of the roof, a purple barrier over them. Adam was busy talking to them, keeping them calm.

Then he turned around.

"Shit, is that Alan?" He asked.

"Yeah, it's me." Alan said, still dangling over your shoulder. You placed him down against the barrier.

"He's hit through the knee, he's unable to walk on his own. Isaac!" You called.

"Sir?" He responded calmly, not peering away from the scope of the rifle.

"I need you to help me prepare for them. Adam's keeping our friends calm, Alan is hurt, and Carter's downstairs." You said. Isaac flipped the cap over his scope, and walked over to you.

"I can help." Alan said, struggling to stand up. You walk over to him, and pick him up again. You walk him through the purple barrier with the ponies, and set him down against the wall.

"Lyra, keep him from moving around too much. Bon Bon, keep Lyra calm." You said. Lyra immediately pounced on top of Alan, tears in her eyes. You leave the barrier, albeit reluctantly. As you were going to leave the barrier, everything got very blurry, soon turning gray.

_________________________________________________________________________________

Everything comes back into focus now, clear as day. Your still standing in a circle, holding hands with all of your friends. You all let go of each other. Alan rubs his head.

"Was that Isaac and Carter?" He asked. "Because I've never met Isaac before. I thought he was dead before I even enlisted."

"I used Adam's memories of his brother and Max's memories of Carter to offer you some help in your simulation, in case you needed it."

"That was...intense." Max said. "What a way to be reunited with your buddies, huh?"

"How did we do, your majesty?" You asked.

"I am glad you asked, Aaden." Celestia said. "While I wish that things weren't so violent, you all performed very well. You've proven that you can still follow orders and do the right thing at the same time, or, need be, abandon orders for morality. That's admirable. You've also proven that you as a group are capable of quick and clever thinking, which makes me a bit unsettled, but I suppose it proves your bonds to one another. Lastly, you've shown that you all care about each other, especially my ponies. So..." She trailed off, smiling.

"You are all official citizens of Equestria, and you are permitted to stay together." She finished. You all four shared a group hug. A brief one, but still a hug.

"Pretty awesome stuff. Man, there's this restaurant Aaden showed me back at home called Poachies, you gotta try it!" Alan said to Max.

"They got meat?" he asked.

"Nah, but they do have thi-"

"Ahem." Celestia interjected.

"Sorry." Alan apologized.

"It's quite alright. I find your excitement to live in my kingdom very flattering, but there is still business to attend to. Alan, I have something for you. Luna! Please bring in the robes!" She called. Luna flew through the doorway, black robes in her mouth. She put them in Alan's arms. "Go ahead Alan. Try them on."

Alan slid the first black robe over his shirt, letting the coat-tails flutter freely. He pulled up his hood, which had a metal face guard with cloth attached to it. He now looked like some kind of dark assassin, and it soon became apparent that the robes were magic. His eyes were replaced with two very small pinpricks of white light, and his entire face was hidden either by the silver face guard or darkness. You could also see his breath, despite the fact that it was warm in the room.

"Long have we needed an expert infiltrator for Equestria. While we may be a peaceful kingdom, there are those that would see us undone. You will serve as a Royal Infiltrator when you are called upon."

"Sssounds good to me." Alan said under the mask. his voice now sounded distorted and deeper. He slid the hood off, and slid the face guard off. "I'm just happy to be here." He said, his voice now normal.

"Adam? You have proven that you are good at communication, that you are capable of keeping ponies, and humans, calm. I'm assuming you'll be going to Ponyville with your friends, so, you may serve as the Ambassador of Canterlot to Ponyville. You'll work with Mayor Mare."

"I can do that." He said.

"Last but certainly not least, we have Max. Max, if I'm not mistaken, you are very talented with that bow Shining Armor gave you. You may serve as a Royal Guardsman in Ponyville, and instruct the other guards on proper marksmanship."

"Easy." He replied. Celestia seemed pleased that everyone was seemingly happy with their positions.

"Excellent. Lastly, we need to work out places for you all to live." Celestia said.

"I'm all taken care of." You said.

"Yeah, me too." Alan added. You looked at Max and Adam, who both didn't really have anywhere.

"E-Excuse me, Celestia, but Max can stay with me, if that'd be okay, and if he wants to..." Fluttershy chimed in nervously. Max smiled.

"I'd love to."  He chuckled.

"Then that just leaves you, Adam."

Trixie stepped forward.

"Trixie is going with Adam, also. She would have allowed him to stay with her in her cart, but her cart is no more." She said. Celestia smiled. A pen and paper poofed up in front of her, which she then used magic on to scribble something down. The note then floated over to Adam, which he grabbed out of the air.

"Take that note to Willie's Wagon Wheels. Pick whatever cart you want. I'll pay for it." Celestia said. Trixie's eyes lit up.

"Thank you princess, thank you!" She cried out.

"It is my pleasure. Now, there is one more I have yet to address. Spyra. Show yourself." Celestia said. In the center of the room, a silver dragon with deep blue eyes seemingly melted into existence. He stood slightly shorter than Alan. "This dragon will be coming with you. His name is Spyra, and he is also a Royal Infiltrator. Originally, he was only going to assist Alan, but, seeing as I will need a line of communication to you all, he will serve that purpose. He will stay with Twilight Sparkle."

"Nice to finally talk to you guys. Heard a lot about ya." He said. You all look at one another, surprised. After a moment of awkward silence, you spoke up.

"Hey there, Spyra. We'll be happy to have you. The more friends, the merrier." You said.

WHAT. A. DAY.

_________________________________________________________________________________

"Is this one it?" You asked. Isaac shook his head.

"Nah, that's not the one. Keep digging through it all, you'll find it." He responded, scratching his eyebrow. You slid the folder back into the cabinet, and flipped rapidly through the other files, eventually locating another file labeled AH. Adam Howard. You handed the manila folder to Isaac, hoping that he would find what he was looking for.

"What about this one?" You asked. Isaac opened up the file, and turned over a few loose pieces of paper. A small grin crawled across his face, revealing his white teeth.

Why he became a mercenary and not a model was beyond you.

"Yeah. Yeah, this is it. Aaaand..." He trailed off. "Lets see here..." He slid one sheet of paper out, and examined the print on it. "Yep, looks like I'm going for a trip. You in?"

"Depends. Where to?"

"Washington DC."

"Shit, why not? That's like an hour flight."

_________________________________________________________________________________

You returned home to Lyra and Bon Bon as night had settled in. The train ride was certainly interesting, with all of the catching up and the new dragon-thing. You wonder if he'll get along well with Spike. You hope so. Spyra didn't seem too rude or brash. A little arrogant here and there, but Hell, aren't we all? Besides, his age is the equivalent of a 20-year old Colt, so, he won't be too awful to be around.

The fact that he could turn invisible at will still made you feel a little iffy, but you shake it off.

It was nice seeing Adam and Max again, and it was made even better by the fact that they would all be living nearby.

Adam seemed to be really involved with that pony in the goofy hat and cape that liked to talk in third-person. What was her name? Trixie? He helped her pick a cart, and load it on to a storage car on the train, and also helped her unload it when they got to Ponyville. He even pulled the cart to the outskirts of Ponyville, while she went on inside of it and went to bed. Adam must have really found a mare he likes. Good for him.

Max on the other hand had literally just arrived in Equestria, and while he was able to fake smiling and understanding with Celestia, all of us, including Celestia, knew better than that. He was still on complete edge, constantly looking behind him, or jerking randomly, as if trying to wake himself up. It's sad to watch your friend resort to such methods seeking comfort. Fluttershy seemed to like him, and he seemed to calm down substantially when Fluttershy talked to him, so you were confident that he would be okay with her. Aaden, Adam and yourself all made a pact to keep a close eye on him, anyways. Just in case. Sentient creatures can be unpredictable.

Your mind was swimming with all of this new information, all of the new faces and names. In all your time in the Bad Lands and Dead Marshes serving Queen Chrysalis, not once did she ever really talk about how big Equestria was. She made it seem as if all that existed was The Hive and "The Oppressors". There was so much more than that. So much more than just Changelings and Ponies, not to mention all of the different types of ponies, or the other creatures that walked freely through the streets.

If ever you were experiencing culture shock, it was now.

You let the cool night air serve as your Inhaler. You slowed your breath slightly, and, with each inhale, you calmed your mind. Burning questions soon became simple inquiries, which then died down to nothing more than playful curiosity. All of your worries and concerns left your body through your exhalations.

Canterlot was a beautiful city, but something about Ponyville was more desirable to you. When you're walking through Canterlot, you see plenty of rich-folk walking about, touting their money and acting with might. Not to mention the fact that a GODDESS lives there. It just makes one without status feel really out of place.

But not Ponyville.

Ponyville was a place that, no matter the financial status, and no matter the caste in life you've chosen, you fit in. You aren't vital to the everyday life, but wanted, which, in your mind, was better. When you're NEEDED, you have to be responsible every moment on duty, you have to strict, you have the stress of knowing that people/ponies depend on you, and worst of all, they can piss all over you, because being needed usually is a mutual thing, so you're trapped. When you're WANTED, however, you are treated with respect, you have room to be lax, and, while you must still be responsible, you are given room to kick back every once in awhile.

Whether your bucking apples, baking cakes, teaching the fillies, or selling candy, you are respected. You aren't just "The candy salespony". You're Bon Bon, the kind mare that enjoys making fillies happy.

Perhaps it was the presence of identity that you really enjoyed.

You were now approaching home, having been lost in thought on your walk.

You had left Lyra while she was asleep, and chances are, you would return to her sleeping, as well. You jiggle the door handle.

Locked.

You lift up the welcome mat, and use the spare key to unlock the door. You put the key back under it, and walk inside, re-locking the door behind you. You remove your shoes and socks, placing them neatly by the door, and you go upstairs.

Lyra was in bed, fast asleep, just as you had predicted she would be. You removed your shirt and pants, and climbed into bed next to her. You were sure to hide your new Infiltrator robes, the ones that changed your voice, under the bed, behind a box.

A really odd thumping noise starts up in your head, but you don't let it deter you. As you close your eyes, you hope you hid the robes well. The last thing you wanted to wake up to was Darth Lyra.

_________________________________________________________________________________

You settled the cart adjacent to a building that was odd, to say the least. It was coated in what looked like chocolate, and was decorated with various candies and deserts. On the top of it, was a giant cupcake, with several lit candles protruding out of it.

You were going to take a shot in the dark here, and guess that they made desserts there. You lock the wheels to the cart, ensuring that it won't roll off in the middle of the night, and then you extinguish the lanterns that hung on the cart. Two on the front, and two on the back.

You pull apart the cloth curtains, and climb inside, closing the curtains behind you, and tying them. You didn't want any curios ponies to decide to poke their head in and watch you sleep. At the back of the cart, Trixie was curled up half-under and half-on a pile of blankets and pillows.

You lay down next to her, finding plenty of blanket to cover yourself, and several free pillows to use. Of course, Trixie's sleeping body found it's way over to yours.

It always did.

But you aren't complaining.

Trixie rested her head on your chest.

"mmm..." She hummed while sleeping. Poor mare had to deal with all of this, too. She must be exhausted as you. You bury your head in her mane, and breathe in the scents of the shampoo she had used this morning. As you go to let sleep remove you from this world, you hear what sounds like a heart beating, but quicker. You fall asleep, however.

_________________________________________________________________________________

"Your house is kinda far out, isn't it?" You asked. Fluttershy smiled.

"It's close to the forest. I like to be close to the animals. Not everything inside of Everfree wants to tear your arms off." She said. You laugh a little.

"Did Fluttershy just make a joke?" You ask sarcastically, chuckling a little. You remember Fluttershy telling you about the Manticore that nearly killed Aaden.

"She did. If that's okay." Fluttershy said.

"It's fine, Shy." You respond. You hope she doesn't mind if you call her 'Shy'. "Will we be giving Angel his medicine tonight?"

"Oh no, it's far too late for that. Angel is already asleep. I'll give it to him in the morning." She explained.

"Makes sense." You said. You saw a house, one situated slightly up on a hill. It was quite scenic. A small earth bridge over a large stream to you up to this cottage. "Oh wow. Is this it?" You ask.

"This is it. Home sweet home." She said while unlocking the door. You walk in, and are greeted with sights just as beautiful as the outside of the cottage.

"Fluttershy, I'm really impressed. Your house is absolutely beautiful!" You exclaim.

"Oh, it's nothing." She said quietly. "I just clean up really well. Anyways. You can sleep on the sofa, if you'd like. I'll bring you some pillows and blankets."

"Fluttershy. Don't bring me all of them. You need some, too."

"B-but what if you get cold, or if you aren't comfy enough?"

"Fluttershy. Two pillows, and one blanket will do the job very well."

"W-well. Okay."

Fluttershy disappeared upstairs. You sat on the sofa you were going to be sleeping on, and got yourself comfy. You had a lot to meditate on. In fact, if it wasn't for Fluttershy, you were sure that you'd be a little more upset than you are right now. A LOT more upset.

Fluttershy soon came down the staircase, and gave you your pillows and blankets.

"If you need anything, please tell me. G-Good night, Max. Sleep tight." She wished you a goodnight, and went back upstairs.

You stacked your pillows up, and completely covered yourself from head to toe in blankets.

Maybe, if you were lucky, you would dream about these things, and not have to think about them.

You've done enough thinking for one day.

You pressed your face against the pillow, and closed your eyes. To your relief, your mind didn't go crazy, but a really weird thumping noise started to beat in your mind. You couldn't stay awake any longer, so you shook it off, and slipped under the veil of slumber.

_________________________________________________________________________________

"So, Aaden." Spyra started. "Tell me. How are you liking it here in Equestria?" He finished. Spyra was a kind dragon. He was only the second you had ever met, and to be honest, he didn't exactly look like a 20-year old to you. He talked and behaved with the mannerisms of an intelligent and polite older man. Perhaps he's had something happen to him that scarred him. "I already know the answer." He said, smiling deviously.

"Huh?" You asked. "How?"

"Oh, c'mon Aaden. Royal Infiltrator here? Think about it. Weird, alien creatures appear in our kingdom, who's gonna get sent out? Me." Spyra laughed. "And I don't mean this in an offensive or targeting way, I just wouldn't feel right if I didn't tell you. I've been watching you since you first left the hospital. Now, I've never followed you inside anywhere, but from the hospital, to your fight with Alan, I've been watching. Then I switched to Alan, deeming you friendly enough."

"Clever. And it also makes a great deal of sense."

"I'm happy to hear that you understand. Not everypony would take so lightly to the idea of being eavesdropped on and watched."

"Spyra, I've gotten used to it by now." You chuckled. You were both leaving the junction just now, having stayed back and chatted up the attendant. You wanted to get to know this dragon better, especially if he was going to be following you around. But, as fate would have it, he already knows you. Perhaps that's all that matters.

You both left the junction together. You were walking with him to Twilight's house. It was on the way to Vinyl and Octavia's house, so it wasn't really a problem.

"Do you know Twilight very well?" You asked.

"I do. I was an assistant to Princess Cadence, much as Spike is to her, although I was older than Spike when I went  to assist Cadence. Even had a different name back then. I would tag along on most foal-sitting trips, I became pretty good friends with Twilight. Amazing how times change." Spyra said, staring off into the distance.

You were both approaching the library. Spyra stepped forward, and knocked on the door.

"Just a minute!" You heard Twilight call from inside. After a few moments of rustling and exchanging glances, the door opened. "Spyra!" Twilight cried out. She hopped up and hugged him. "It's been a long time! Celestia told me you would be coming! Come in, come in! Aaden, would you like to come in, too?"

"No thank you, Twilight. I've had a pretty long day, I think I'm going to go home, go to bed." You replied, holding your hand up to your mouth and yawning.

"Oh. Well, alrighty Aaden! Sleep tight!" She said. The door closed, Spyra having gone inside.

You walked down the walkway from the library back out to the marketplace, and began to head home. It was late, and you really were tired. You knew exactly what was going to happen the moment you got home, however.

You couldn't help but feel that Rarity would let you come home and get straight to sleep.

You missed Rarity.

To make matters worse, you remembered more things. Bad things. More operations with the IMO, and certain OTHER things you didn't want to think about right now.

The period of time between the death of your father and joining the IMO was the darkest time of your life. That much you will allow yourself to acknowledge.

You were approaching the house, so you cleared your mind, and prepared yourself to inevitably be tackled by Vinyl. With a sigh, you pull out your key, and unlock the door, and grit your teeth.

Nothing.

You open your eyes and relax your jaw to find that living room was void of ponies. You take a seat on the sofa near a large window that overlooked the marketplace, and let yourself relax happily. It was always nice to be pleasantly surprised by something.

You were in the mood for some music. Something soothing and quiet to cool your nerves, and ease your thinking. You slid your smartphone out of your pocket, and pulled up the music application. With a few elegant strokes and taps of the finger, you find a song. "The Winner Is...". It was an instrumental redux of "How It Ends" by Devotchka. As the accordion starts up, setting the tone of the song, you rest your head against the back of the sofa, letting yourself take a deep breath.

A lot had happened today. A lot.

You closed your eyes, and let the song run it's course. You imagined a peaceful setting to the song. You imagined walking through a meadow, covered with nothing but sunflowers. Not the super tall ones that obscured your vision of the meadow, but ones that stopped at your waist. As you walked through this meadow, you saw a large tree in the distance. An elegant weeping willow that overlooked a beautiful, cyan lake with a very small dock. A single old wooden boat bobbed as the wind blew the lake gently. You walked through the sunflowers, and over to the tree, which you then sat beneath. You closed your eyes, and let your head rest against it's mighty trunk. The relaxing sound of the water gently lapping at the earth, combined with the sound of the sunflowers and long tendrils of leaves belonging to the weeping willow blowing in the wind, relaxed you exponentially.

"Aaden?" You heard Octavia say. You opened your eyes, cutting your imagination off, and lifted your head from the couch. You picked up your phone, unlocked it, and paused the song. You turned around on the couch. Octavia was coming the down staircase, but had stopped on the 4th and 5th stair down. She had been watching you. "Are you alright?"

"We found two more of my friends today, in Canterlot. One popped up in the Crystal Empire, the other in a desert somewhere near Saddle Arabia." You responded. Octavia hurried down the steps.

"Two more? How? Why?" She asked.

"I'm not sure. Celestia herself said she didn't have any answers for us right now. I'm going to have Spyra send her a letter tomorrow, see if she can't begin researching these things soon." You answered. Octavia sat down next to you.

"Spear-uh?" She questioned.

"Yep. We were also assigned a dragon assistant." You answered again.

"My goodness, dear. You've had a very busy day. No doubt this touching on some ghosts of the past. Are you sure you're okay?"

"I can't not be okay, if that makes sense. You said it yourself. I'm trapped here. To not be okay, is to give up hope. And when I have no answers or any knowledge, it's very tempting to do so, but I can't. I have to keep moving."

"I see..." Octavia trailed off, looking away from you. Then she looked back to you, smiling, but still concerned. "What was that song you were listening to?"

"Oh, that was 'The Winner Is'. It's essentially an instrumental version of one of my favorite songs. They featured it in a movie back home, 'Little Miss Sunshine', I believe. Very touching song. I didn't much care for the movie."

Octavia laughed, which made you smile a bit.

"There's a smile. Well, Vinyl is away for the evening. She's meeting with somepony interested in hiring her for some kind of event. She's staying in a hotel."

"That's fine. Good luck to her." You said. You didn't mean to sound angry, but perhaps you did. Tonight just really wasn't your night.

"Aaden, dear, you seem tense. I simply refuse to let you sleep alone tonight. Come to my bed. You need rest, and someone to talk to." Octavia pleaded. You looked at her, examined her closely. She didn't have lust in her eyes. you relax a bit, and nod your head.

You wouldn't mind being intimate with Octavia. It wasn't having sex, but making love. She acted like she cared, and God knows you needed somebody out there that cared. Someone like Rarity.

You both walked up to Octavia's room, and laid down together, where you spilled your heart out to her.

Told her everything that bothered you.

She listened all the way through, tearing up at some parts, giggling at others, blushing at some. It felt nice to talk to someone who would listen. Octavia leaned in, and kissed you gently.

You kissed back.

You both pulled away slowly, sleep filling your eyes and minds.

"Goodnight, Aaden."

"Goodnight, Octavia."

As you closed your eyes, you tried to imagine the sunflowers again. But you couldn't. An odd, consistent thumping noise filled your mind. You were too exhausted to fight it. You fell into the loving but cold arms of sleep.

_________________________________________________________________________________

"ISAAC, GO HELP CHRYSALIS!" Aaden shouted at you. The entire building was coming down in flames, and in the back of it, steam shot and whistled through the pipes as the pump-machine thumped. Even when it was being destroyed, it still beat on rhythm.

You looked at Aaden. He was in his Honor Guard armor, directing ponies, to safety. He also had his newfound angel wing protruding from his back, making him look all the more holy and guardian-like.

Alan was in his Infiltrator Robes, grabbing ponies where he could and running them to safety.

Adam was wearing a very light-weight silver armor, which led up to a single bandana-like cloth that covered his nose and mouth. He was holding his hand out, which was twitching and sparking with purple and violet energy. He was moving burning rubble out of the way of fleeing ponies.

"MAX, GET A FLARE UP!" Aaden shouted.

"SIR!" He responded. He knelt, and fired an arrow from that damn bow of his, which exploded in a show of red and white flares. He was dressed in a green cloak and golden-decorated green leggings.

Carter was helping Alan, and he was the only one dressed like you, and by that you meant he wasn't dressed like a medieval warrior of some kind. He wore his navy blue outfit with his navy blue beret.

Then there was you. You were wearing the standard IMO uniform, but with a bright orange neckerchief. The guys LOVED to make fun of you for it.

Applejack ran by you, and stopped.

"SUGARCUBE, YA GOT TO HELP CHRYSALIS! WE GOT IT ALL TAKEN CARE OF OUT HERE!" She shouted over all of the commotion. You snapped into reality, and ran back into the building. It was now completely ablaze, your vision almost completely shaded by smoke and flames.

"CHRYSSIE?!" You called. "CHRYSSIE, I'M HERE! WHERE ARE YOU!" You called even louder. You heard a loud, wheezing cough, and you went towards it, holding your hand in front of your face to block the heat.

You see her laying inside of a pile of rubble, and rush over to her. You kneel down, and shake her. She looks up at you.

"W...wuh?..." She stammers. "Isaac?..." She asks.

"It's me, we have to go, we're out of time!" You said. Her forehoof shot out, and grabbed your arm. She then grew a bone-chilling smile. It didn't look malicious, but it made your skin crawl. She started to pull you closer.

"What the Hell are you doing?! We're going to die in here!" You shouted. "I told them you were different, that you had changed!" You shouted even louder. Chrysalis smiled even wider, and her eyes began to glow green. "What?!" Her gnarled horn also grew the same color. She pointed it at you. "NO!"

But it was too late. Everything went neon green.

_________________________________________________________________________________

"AH!" You shouted, jumping in your seat.

"What the Hell is wrong with you, dude?" Carter asked. You look around.

You were on the airplane to Washington DC.

You must have fallen asleep.

"Unbelievable. We're only supposed to be on a plane for an hour, and you fall asleep 10 minutes into it. And then have nightmares. Awesome."

"How long was I out?" You ask.

"Literally about 10 minutes. Why?" He responds.

"No reason. Just had a very weird dream, is all.