Things after Midnight's arrival did not go well.

There wasn't a lot of yelling. The girls left Sun Strike to his business without a word. They had a lot to explain.

Things didn't go very well, mostly due to the fact that he told all of his friends that story to help earn their trust. He also explained that his father was dead. His father showing up not long after didn't do him any favors with that. After getting several disappointed glares from his friends, he escorted his father to his motel room in utter silence. The girls would do what they could for the town.

Twilight Sparkle had mixed feelings. She already trusted Sun Strike, but she wasn't sure how to take the information she just got. At first she felt rather hurt, betrayed. But as she dwelled on it, she was starting to give Sun Strike the benefit of the doubt. What if he honestly didn't know his father was alive? Seeking can get... dark. What if he just assumed. Maybe I just... I hope Sun Strike can handle his father now. She trusted Sun, she saw him work and put himself in danger for her friends. She trusted him.

Fluttershy was worried. Not about whether or not to trust Sun Strike, no she trusted him. She was worried about how Sun would handle seeing his father again. From what she knew, his father was hard, there was a very likely chance that they had a falling out. (which they did) They both probably haven't seen each other in years! Oh, what if they both thought that the other was dead? This could end badly... Oh Sun Strike... I hope you'll be ok... She tried not to worry about it. She did.

Applejack sat across from Applebloom from within their barn. Both, like Fluttershy, had complete faith in Sun Strike. Neither took him for a liar. Yet both were concerned that something bad had happened or is going to happen very soon.

“Why would Midnight be here.” Applebloom asked.

“I don't rightly know...” Applejack replied, worry in her voice.

“You don't think that somethin' bad came up and Strike was forced to try to get a hold of his pa, do ya?” the rose maned filly asked in a rush.

“Nah, he thought his Pappy was dead, and even then I don't think Strike woulda even asked his Pappy fer help.”Applejack spoke slowly, like she was considering what she was asked as she spoke.

“Well then what if it's the other way around?”

“How do ya mean?”

“What if Strike's Pa came to Strike for help?”

“I can't say... I don't really know Midnight very well. Why do ya ask.”

"I just got this feeling lately... Like something bad is coming. Worse then the zombies."

That thought stuck in both their heads. What if Midnight had come for his son's help? How bad would things have to be for that to happen?

Rainbow Dash and Scootaloo sat on a cloud. Neither had spoken for quite some time. Rainbow Dash was having a hard time. She really wanted to distrust Sun Strike. She did not like being lied to. She wanted to brand him a liar. But she couldn't bring herself to do it. She had seen first hand how hard Striker was willing to fight for his friends. Not to long ago she hardly knew the buck, but she had seen him fight and kill monsters intent on killing her and possibly one if not all of her friends. He was fighter. He was a warrior. She just learned that he was a warrior pretty much his entire life. Rainbow was far from deciding how she felt about Sun Strike. Scootaloo was not having such a battle. She was worried that Sun Strike would do something bad to Midnight. She had complete faith in Sun Strike's honesty however. He had saved her life, and been a great friend. Ponies keep secrets, that's ok sometimes. She had inspected that Seeker's journal. She knew much more about the things Sun had been through then other ponies. She thought that he earned his right to get away with a lie or two.

Rarity and Sweetie Belle had similar trains of thought. Like Twilight they were both hurt at first, but with a bit of time, felt better. They trusted Sun Strike, and more then anything else wanted to try to mend his relationship with his father. You don't spend a portion of your life thinking someponies dead without developing a few trust issues when they show up after you kill a necromancer with a shotgun.

Pinkie was busy planing a party. A big one. It was a surprise. She was mad a Sun Strike the longest. It started of as a spite party, being how she knew how Sun hated public places. Then began to blossom into something much more... Pinkie Pie.

They both sat across from each other. Two stallions. The last time either had seen each other they just had a giant argument. There are several kinds of Seekers. Seekers like Sun Strike, they put themselves on the lowest portions of the totem pole so to speak. For example, Sun Strike did not know Fluttershy, yet he was completely willing to play as live bait so that the monster that had begun to stalking her could be bested. He got thrashed up very badly due to this. Then there are Seekers like Midnight. They consider themselves... higher then random strangers in danger. For example, Midnight would have had Applejack play bait if he were in the same situation Sun had been in. It's not because Midnight is a jerk, well he is. But that isn't the reason he would do that. It's logic. Not considering the Element of Harmony, which neither would have known about at the time. If Applejack was some random pony of the street, how many lives would she save in her lifetime? One? Two? Midnight and Sun Strike are Seekers. Then kill monsters that prey on ponies, they save lives on a regular basis. So why would he put himself in unnecessary danger. If a random pony dies, all the ponies he or she could have saved dies too. Generally speaking that is not a very high number. But if Midnight or Sun Strike die all of the monsters they would kill keep living, keep killing, and more ponies die. They save considerably more lives in a few months then any random pony does in a lifetime. If at any point before coming to Ponyville, if Sun Strike had gotten himself killed, what state would the town be in? If the Black Dog hadn't gotten to the mares, the Angel Witches would have. If not at the very least Rainbow would be a goner, so would Rarity and Pinkie Pie, Lycan treats. Now the entire town owned it's existence to the Seeker being that he just stopped a Zombie outbreak from killing everyone.

Midnight thought that Seeker's should be willing to let others die in their place, Sun Strike did not, he refused to let anypony he could save die. Even if it killed him. The entire point of being a Seeker is to save others, and if you aren't doing that then why be a Seeker at all?

“Why are you here Midnight.” Sun Strike broke the silence.

“Ah could ask you the same question.” Midnight replied. Simply looking at him, Midnight still looked rather young, he only showed his age through his eyes and his voice, which made sounded like he had a smoking problem for his entire life.

“I'm in no mood for your bullshit.”Sun spoke sternly.

“Ahm your father, you should show me some damn respect.”

“I was raised by hate, and depression, not you. I'm not having this argument again, if you are here for a reason tell me or leave.”

“Your brother is dead.”

“Figured that, he wasn't cut out to be a Seeker in the first place. Anything else?”

“He was a damn fine Seeker. He died fightin' something big, more den he could handle. By the time Ah found out... was too late.”

“What, a Throat Hunter get to close?”

“Ah see yer takin' yer only brother's death pretty well.” Midnight gave his son an angry glare.

“He hated me and I hated him besides, like I said, I already thought he was dead.”

“You should still so some respect, thats yer problem, you aint got no respect.”

“Sorry I don't respect the “brother” who beat the shit out of me, right after you beat the shit out of both of us.”

“Ah did what had to in order to make you wha-”

“Like I said I am not having this argument again, so unless you have something else to say get the fuck out.” Sun interrupted angerly, he didn't want to be here right now.

Midnight suppressed some anger. He grunted slightly. “Ah came here cause ah heard that Sunset's Shinin' had gone soft... And ah need yer help. Figured that you had to be tougher since the last time I saw ya, and the whole gone soft thing was just some rumor. From what I saw, the rumors aint wrong.”

“I haven't gone soft, far from it. Also let me get this straight, you, you need help?”

“From how ah saw you huggin' dem mares ah think yer the softest you've ever been.”

“I just pulled myself out a zombie minotaur made of pony corpses, then blasted a necromancer's head in to pulp with a sawed-off.”

“So the dead have risen... this aint good.”

“That gotta do with what you need help with?”

“There been any witches round here? Or a Black Dog? Maybe some Lycans?” Midnight's word were drenched with a feeling Sun couldn't name right away.

“Black Dog. Then witches, an entire coven. Then Lycans in a neighboring city. How the hell did you know that.”

“They's signs. Yer brother was looking into something... At first ah didn't believe him. Then I saw it with mah own eyes.”

“What did you see.” Sun had never see his father act and move with such... fear

“The Metal.”

Sun Strike sat back in his chair, shaking his head softly. “There aint no such thing as The Metal. The Metal is just a legend.”

“What part of Ah saw it with mah own eyes did you not understand.”

Sun just laughed. “Obviously the core concept.”

Midnight held back some more. “Ah saw the damn thing. It was a fuckin' train on steroids. I aint never been scared of no monster. But that thing... it was more then a monster... It was the next step to the end of the world.” Midnight quivered just slightly. Sun Strike picked up on this. He saw that his father was actually scared. He was so desperate that he came to the son he swore he swore to never see again. Things were much more serious then Sun Strike had initially thought.

“The end of the world?” Sun asked, worry in his voice brushing the surface.

“Yeah...” Midnight reached into his trench coat and pulled out several old books. Even some tomes and scrolls.

“What is all of this?”

“Yer brother's research. He saw The Metal like ah did. But he was determined to kill that thing. So he did research. He found some dark shit. The Metal is a monster, but it is more then that. It's a key.”

“A... Key? A key to what?”

“The Bringer of the Darkness-” Midnight began flipping open the tomes, books, and scrolls. Pointing toward that word on each one. Darkness. “-He has many names, The End. Armageddon. Galactic Eclipse. He's everywhere, and ah mean everywhere. From ancient pony lore, to the buffalo, the zebra have shit on him, the antelope even the fuckin' Antelope! But all these legends end the same way, long ago he was sealed away. But these legends also foretold that he would one day be awoken and take up a pony as his commander and chief to lead his army from the pits of Tartaris to the heavens themselves. There are these keys, events that gotta happen top side so that he can be free, they unlock the chains that bind him to the underworld, Tartaris. There are a lot of these keys, to many to count, but they have to be done in some order, but the last few are the ones that are noticeable. Yer brother found the last keys in some old text that I can't figure out, and yer brother died before he finished translating” once again he gestured to scripts from the texts.

“From where it beganl the darkest hounds shall prey on the meek.” Sun Strike thought of the Black Dog and Fluttershy.

“The youth shall be hunted by the old in the far unknown.” The memory of The blight and Nightmare Night surged into Sun's mind.

“Both the enlightened and the Unaware shall fall witness to the blackest magics.” Twilight knew about his Seekerhood before Rainbow Dash did, and they both learned about the angel witches...

“When the moon is full, both the zealous and the noble she learn of the wraith of the Sun and the Wolf.” Sun gulped as his father spoke. Unable to push away the feeling of absolute dread forcing it way into him. Pinkie, Rarity, the Lycans...me... His heart pounded in his chest.

“Those who have fallen shall rise again, in name of another.” the zombies...

“When the Unrelenting Force meets the Unbreakable Wall.”

“When the Prince of Darkness lets free the Sun.”

“ And finally, when the one true light is branded by the sun.”

“Midnight... not only has nearly all of that already happened, I was in the middle of it all.” Sun Strike began to explain all of the things that had happened to him since his arrival in Ponyville. Omitting only Luna and the mysterious stallion, who he was now assuming was the Dark One. His father on grimaced more and more as he told his story thus far.

“Then it is just as ah feared. You must be the Sun in the prophecy. Yer brother and ah figured that the Unrelenting Force was talkin' about The Metal, on count of the legends talkin about how all unstoppable it is. He figured if we can kill it, then the Dark One would be unable to rise. Only problem is that he's dead now, and I can't kill The Metal alone.”

Sun Strike was in shock for a minute. He was a key piece what could very likely be the end of all things. He already played a large role in “unlocking” several locks. But he steeled himself. He was going to kill The Metal in order to stop the resurrection of an ancient evil. He knew that he could. He had something he never had before. Something to fight for.

“You can't kill The Metal. Isn't that the legend?”

“Yeah, well yer brother tried and failed. But now we can try to stop all this.”

“You and me against the Unrelenting Force. Not a very fair fight. And counting everything else that it's killed, this doesn't bode well.”

“It'll be tough, but we gotta do this. Before it meets the ”Unbreakable Wall” What ever the hell that is.”

“Got a game plan?”

“Don't die.”

“I like that plan.”

The two looked at each other. They both thought the same thing. It took the threat of the end of all things to get them together again. Sun let out a deep breath.

“Now it's my turn to explain something.” he began. Midnight didn't say anything, he just raised a curious eyebrow.

“Those mares, those are my friends. They are my family. I haven't known them for long, but they care. They care a thousand time more then you ever did. You wanna talk shit about them, you say it to my face. And don't you dear touch any of them. Especially those three little fillies. You hurt any of them, and I'll bash your head in so hard your gunna shit out your neck.” Midnight just gave the first breath of a laugh.

“Message received.” He replied then with a grin. “Anypony ever tell you that you are just like yer mother?” Sun gave his father a flat look. Then heaved a sigh.

“Yea.... I get that a lot.”

“She was a great mare.”

“So I've been told.”

“She'd.... she'd be real proud of you Strike.”

“Would she? I'm going against a shit ton of Seeker rules. Also in case you forgot, I'm kinda bringing out the end of the world.”

“True, but this entire time, you haven't stopped fighting. You are only here now because you care. Thats more then I ever did.“

“Would she be proud of the things of done? The things I've seen? I murdered a pony. With a shotgun. Blew his head clean off.”

“It aint about what you've done. It's about why you did it. You've been through hell. An you keep comin' out on top.” A long silence was followed after that. Sun could feel it, his father didn't want his only son to hate him. Not at this point in his old life. It was late, insanely too late. But This was his father's attempt to make his son feel better. To take the, world might end, stress away. If he really wanted to patch things up with his son. It was going to take a lot more then that. A life time of bitter tastes wont get washed away with the next drink. Like cheap whiskey, it burns all the way to the core.

“I need a drink.” Sun stated roughly.

“You aint the only one.”

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Sun Strike sat with Luna in the dreamscape of infinite gray once again. The rain kept falling but neither of them were wet. They sat looking at each other, untouched by the rain. Sun was explaining everything he had learned with his father.

“That is all Mistress. I cannot confirm these things but as you can tell, they seem very likely.” with the princess of the night, his words lacked the fear they would have had normally.

“It is my greatest fear Sunfall. The End. I was praying that it would not come to this.” Her words came slowly and sadly. Like when explaining something dark to a child.

“Wait...you... knew?”

“To some extent yes. But We never thought that you were so... involved. If We did, We would have not sent you to Ponyville.” Luna sighed heavily.

“It was impossible for you to know Mistress... We need... something a plan. Right now we are bordering the edge of darkness without a guide.”

“Sunfall... if things grow worse... We-I may be forced to inform my sister... I should have told her long ago.”

Sun gulped. “Give me a chance to kill The Metal. If we can kill it before it acts as a key, we might be able to stop the end.”

“Sunfall...W... I am sorry, but I must tell my sister...soon.”

“I know. I know what shall happen once this is over. I've accepted it. My fate is sealed.” Sun gave the Princess a smirk. But Luna knew better then to believe it.

“I shall visit you in person soon Sunfall... We shall speak again.”

Luna vanished in an instant. When she did, Sun was soaked by the rain. He looked out into the nothingness. He sniffed. He wasn't sure if he was crying, he felt like he was, but he couldn't tell in the rain. He knew that once Celestia learned of him that he was dead. Not long ago that didn't matter to him. But now he feared not for himself, but for how his new friends would handle his death. Or if they would be safe without him there to stop the terror of the world.

“You don't believe that wenches lies do you?” That velvety smooth voice spoke. Sun turned quickly to see the chained stallion. The dreamscape was growing dark. Every inch of gray was replaced by black. All he could see was the chained stallion, as clear as day, he stood out amiss the darkness.

“Wench? You shall show the Mistress of the Night some respect!” Sun barked.

“You do realize that Mistress of the Night is a polite way of saying Whore right?”

“Shut your mouth monster!”

“She's playing you, using you to summon the dark one.”

“Why would she summon you!”

“Me? I am no Dark Lord. If I was I'd be in Tartaris. Not here.”

“Then where are you?! Who are you?!”

“I can't tell you that, besides it doesn't matter. My fate is sealed but yours is not. You can escape.”

“Dark Lord, I don't know why I was chosen for this, but I refuse to be your puppet.” Sun spoke with fire in his throat.

“Listen to me, Luna is using you to try summon the Dark Lord, and she going to blame it on you. She's gunna paint herself the hero who stopped you and earn the respect of the kingdom that sees her as a literal Nightmare.”

“I wont believe this lies. You voice falls on deaf ears. I shall slay The Metal. When I do I shall stop your resurrection.”

“Damn it! Don't end u----” His voice was cut off. Replaced by a much darker voice, much deeper. The chained stallion vanished. Sun was in pure darkness. He saw nothing, but he could hear cries of agony in the distance from all directions..

“You've already failed Sunfall. When I get out, were going to talk. I'm going to help you. Just give in already...”

“FUCK YOU.” Sun Strike threw himself up out of bed. His father was sitting by a desk, cleaning his guns by candlelight. He turned slowly, then rolled his eyes at his panting son, returning to his work.

“Sorry.... Bad dream.”

“How the hell aint you over them damn.. what're they called... night terrors? Had that shit since you were a kid and you still aint better.” Midnight shook his head. Sun hated that shake. That disapproving disappointed head shake his father did. It made him want to punch his father in throat.

“Yeah, a father taking you to kill monsters that store layers of pony skin over it's lack of skin, giving a colt nightmares. That's so unlikely.”

“Get some rest. Tomorrow we stop the end of the world.”

“You need rest too Old Man” Sun put pressure on the words, he knew his father hated it.

“Ah'll get all the rest ah need when ahm dead.”- He stood out of the chair -” Goin' fer a walk.” With that, neither spoke. Sun just rest his head on the pillow and Midnight walked out.

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Midnight walked the night streets of Ponyville. He had no particular aim. He just kept walking. He didn't want to die. He was sad. He was a sad Stallion. A sad, old fucked up Stallion, far past his prime. The sound of a infant crying piercing the walls of a building could be heard, it made him think of his own children when they were that age.

“Hi there!” Midnight jumped back in an instant, turning with a slide, he was brandishing a large knife in his teeth and sent a confused Pinkie Pie a rather furious glare.

“Umm... Sorry...” She whimpered completely frozen, her hoof still floating to touch where his shoulder was.

“Yer one of Strike's friends aint ya...” He let out, not dropping his combat stance.

“Yes.” She squeaked.

Midnight dropped his stance and hid his knife. Pinkie unfroze and grinned openly at the buck who was now holding a plain flat expression.

“Whacha want then.”

“Sun Strike saved my life, I just wanted to meet and greet his dad. Also I wanted to know where he got his grumpyness and his dislike for parties.” She spoke rather quickly and excitedly for this late at night.
Instead of actually replying, Midnight just raised an eyebrow.

“Whacha even doin' out this late.” Pinkie just gestured at the house where the infant screaming was coming from.

“I'm their aunt. I was letting mom and dad deal with that sooooo I took a step outside and saw you! Speaking of babies, do you have any baby pictures of Sun Strike? Was he like this tiny little cranky baby who never cried or did anything? Was there a particular age where the grumpy began?” she said in a breath. She spoke far to much and fast for Midnight. But he looked at this pink mare and gave a soft sigh. He sat down on the dirt road. Pinkie sat with him.

“Well Ahm sure he got his hate fer crowds from me, Ah hate'em too. Same thing with his personality. He may look like his mother, but he mostly acts like me.” Pinkie grimaced, giving him a gross look.

“So there are two of him. Barf.” she stated pretending to gag.

“As for when he was a baby... yea he actually was a pretty cold baby. Parta me thinks that he would go in that diaper just to spite me. He just sat their most the time, didn't really cry to often, just sat there looking around. He has always been a bit annoyed at everything. So I guess he's always been grumpy.”

Pinkie gave another fake gag. Then beamed at Midnight. She had a rather large and unrelenting grin on her face that disturbed Midnight more then he liked to admit.

“Neat. Do you have a baby picture?” She asked with a grin.

“'Fraid not, pictures were more of his mother's thing then mine.”

“Darn! Oooo what about Zecora, has he told you about his love interest yet?”

“Love what? Girl you better speak a language I can understand.”

“The mare the whole town thinks is his marefriend? Has he not told you? You two have seen each other in ages, haven't you talked? Caught up?”

“We had other things to talk about.”

“Oh well. Tell him to meet Applejack at Applejack's barn tomorrow around noon! See you later Mr. Grumpy Senior!” With that Pinkie went back to her now silent home, and she did so with a hop that disturbed him more so.

He tried not to think of anything, he wanted to clear his head. He returned to his walk. He enjoyed the peace of it. The sound of the dirt crunching beneath his hooves. That fresh breeze in his mane. The beautiful clear open night sky. That fresh night air in his nose. He took it all in. He gave a stretch, his wings spread wide. His special trench coat let his wings out. It was special because he cut out holes in his trench coat so he could keep his wings out. Yet all of this couldn't distract him from what was keeping him awake. The single thought that burned him to his core. He had been trying to run from it his entire life. But it had always plagued him. He looked up at the starry sky.

“Sunset....”

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It was early morning. Midnight and Sun Strike went about their morning. They both geared up, taking their several weapons and charms underneath their trenchcoats. They looked at each other for a moment. Without ever realizing it until this moment, Sun had never noticed how much he dressed like his father. In fact, he was wearing his old hat, and almost for got about it.

“Hey, Midnight, you want your hat back?” Sun offered. His father replied instantly.

“No, keep it, worn to all hell. Got a good hat now.” Midnight spoke quickly. Sun just let out a breath he didn't know he was holding.

“Alright then. Listen, I'm gunna get us s'more hooves for this contract. She is a little roughed up, but I'm sure she will at least give us some advice.” Midnight remembered talking to that disturbingly pink mare.

“Uhhh, Zecora?” Midnight asked curiously. Sun raised an eyebrow.

“How did you know?”

“That umm, pink friend of yours, the odd one.”

“Pinkie Pie?” Midnight just shrugged.

“How, you've literally been with me since you got.... never mind.”

“That's it?”

“It's Pinkie Pie.”

“But-”

“Pinkie Pie. Trust me, stick around long enough and she... well she... umm Pinkie Pie.” Sun spoke while sounding rather confused himself.

“Oh, also umm she told me to tell you about a barn and Applesnack.” despite not knowing what he was saying, Midnight's voice didn't let that on. Sun just looked confused.

“What?”

“Meet apple at her apple barn or somethin, that pink thing speaks too fast.”

“Meet Applejack at her barn?” Sun said slowly.

“Sure. 'Round noon she said.”

“Umm alright then, I'll see if I can get Zecora on our side. Then I'll meet you at the barn. Just ask for directions, anypony in town will help you out, just try not to beat any kids alright.” With that Sun began to walkout the door of the motel.

“Hey, Strike you still got that book?”

“Aint got nothing in The Metal, the Sunfall are smarter then to try to fight that thing... well until me.” He reached into his coat and tossed the Sunfall Seeker journal to Midnight. After Sun finished walking out the door.

Midnight let out a rather heavy sigh. He took a seat on the bead. He put on a sad smile as he caressed the book and looked for the spot. He found his dead wife's name just above his sons. His sad smile turned into a frown as he looked at the name. Radiant Sunset. He gave a breath that fought back his tears. He wanted to cry, but he just couldn't anymore.

“I'm so sorry my love. I failed you...”

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After composing himself once again, Midnight stepped out. And immediately bumped into Applejack. Litterally. Applejack picked herself up and was surprised when she saw Midnight. They traded an awkward glance and stare.

“Oh yer Midnight! Its good to meet ya! Ahm Applejack.” Applejack was unsure of how to treat Midnight, but she felt that kindness would probably be fine.

“Yer Applejack? Ah told Strike to go to yer farm. We are going to meet there.”

“Oh, umm Ah came by to tell him to head over mahself. Wait... why did you tell to go to my farm?”

“Umm... Pinkie Pie?”

“Oh... well alright... is umm, Sun here?” Midnight didn't understand how that was even remotely an answer to that question, it seemed that if anything seemed weird the phrase, “Pinkie Pie” was a plausible explanation. He made a mental note of that.

“Left a while ago to talk to Zecora.”

“Oh, well Ah got time. He sure takes his time with that mare.”

“So I heard.”

There was more silence, Midnight was far from talkative. Applejack had no reason to be here now, and felt uncomfortable alone with Midnight.

“You umm... you a seeker too? Like Sun Strike Ah mean, Ah aint no Seeker.”

“Ah am...”

“That's umm interestin'”

“Ah suppose.”

“He still wears yer hat right? You give it to him? Well at least he told us it was yer hat.” Applejack tried desperately to find something to talk about.

“Ahm surprised Strike even mentioned me.”

“Well... he told us you were dead.”

“Makes sense, Ah haven't even seen him since he was still a punk colt. Woulda thought the same thing 'bout my pappy if Ah were in his place.”

More silence. Applejack had trouble looking away from the ground. When she finally managed she tried not to sound imposing.

“Yer gunna meet him at mah barn right? Need directions?”

“Be nice.”

“Well uh, follow me ah guess.”

“Much obliged.”

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Sun Strike made his way to Zecora's hut. He was going to ask her for help despite knowing that she was most likely still pretty injured. He was hoping to get some kind of advice. He was hoping that creatures like The Metal we not uncommon in Zebra lands and thus she would be able to provide them with some kind of anti-Metal stick or something. It was much more then a long shot, but he figured he would at least try.

The hut was more shut then normal. That is to say her windows were boarded and sealed. The shaded hut looked abandoned. He was not sure on how to take this.

Since his arrival Zecora had been having a hard time understanding. She was brought up to believe that the Sunfall were evil. But having been with him, and fought be side him, she had begun to trust him. That is until he told her that his father was dead. Then that very same stallion showed up not long after. She was far from happy about that.

Sun knocked a few time, waited, and got no response. Then knocked again, getting the same result. He tried this a few more times but never got an answer.

“Zecoraaaa!?” He gave at a quiet shout. “You here? Everything alright?” He had worry in his voice, and drew his machete as a precaution. He checked the door, shaking the handle before he attempted to break the door down. To his surprise the door slid open, it was unlocked. The interior of the hut was dark, the boards and covers on the windows stopped light from passing through the hut.

He took a step into the hut, looking about. The rays of light shot down, they were the only source of light in the darkness. Sun shadows stretched with the morning sun. He took a few more steps into the hut.

“Zecora!... Zecora!” he roared now. With what he had learned not long ago, this was far from what he needed.

He felt something move behind him, then the door slammed shut, he was trapped in the darkness. He felt something move again, and dodge instinctively, he felt something thin swipe past his back. He heard hoofsteps correcting a pony who had nearly fallen. Sun swiped blindly with his blade hitting nothing. The sound of hooves poising for another attack filled the air. What could have been simple steps to any normal pony, was something much more to Sun, other Seekers are just as dangerous as some of the monsters he hunted. Close Quarters Combat was a specialty of Sun, but he excelled at it when he was fighting other ponies. He trained enough to memorize the sounds hooves made during a fight. He grinned in the darkness as he prepped to counter.

He felt the adversary move on him, moving his torso down, he pushed forward, putting his enemy's weight on his back and neck. Sliding his forehooves forward through the enemy's legs, while simultaneously beginning to stand on his hind leg, he had lifted his rival into the air and pinned them in his counter grapple. With all his force he slammed himself and his opponent into the door of the hut at his back. Splintering the door and slamming the would be assassin into the dirt, he quickly picked himself up to his hooves to look at his assailant.

Zecora forced herself to her hooves, a large knife in her teeth, the tip and edge coated with blood. Sun suddenly felt the sting on his neck and shoulder. He may have predicted her attack, but she had made sure to slash him while she could. He felt the blood moistening his neck. He locked eyes with Zecora. They were both pretty angry.

“Zecora...-” his was a low growl “- What the hell are you doing!?”

“Killing you! Then I am going to kill your father!” She burst, the fury in her eyes.

“What the Hell?! Why?!”

“You LIED!” she lunged forward, knife in her teeth. Not wanting to hurt her further (breaking yet another Seeker unspoken rule) he dodged only, he did not counter attack this time.

“About what? My Father?!”

“Who knows?! You've lied once who knows if anything you've said was truth?!” She lunged forward again and again, each attack was for his throat, but Sun was faster. He dodge almost elegantly.

“I didn't know my father wasn't dead, even then I didn't think he would ever come to me, listen I need to tell you something important!”

“LIES.”

Her assault kept coming, but he kept dodging. He knew that without fighting back, he knew he could outlast her, even without her already present injuries. He would have to wait for her to calm down. After a while she slowed enough for him to speak to her.

“Midnight Fire is not Sunfall! I get that from my mother's side! He confirmed my brother as dead too. I'm still the only Sunfall!” He told her. Her eyes were still angry.

“Is your mother alive?! Don't lie!”

“Zecora, Do I act anything like a Stallion who had a mother growing up? Don't you think that if my mother was alive I'd be with her. I'm a Seeker, we live and die. If I had the chance to speak to her for even one minute I would take it. She's dead, I know because I killed her.” She said nothing, but her body fell, she shifted to sit down on her haunches, her eyes never left his.

“My mother is fucking dead Zecora, I fucking killed her! ARE YOU FUCKING HAPPY NOW, ALL THE FUCKED UP SHIT IN THIS WORLD... YOU KNOW IT, WE SEE IT ALMOST EVERY FUCKING DAY AND HER FUCKING SON KILLED HER. SO IF FUCKING DON'T MIND COULD YOU FUCKING GIVE ME THE FUCKING BENEFIT OF THE FUCKING DOUBT FOR FUCKING ONCE! OH AND THE FUCKING WOLRD IS FUCKING GOING TO FUCKING END FUCK! FUCK! FUCK!” Sun exploded, that is not how he wanted that to come out... at all.

Zecora looked at him with wide eyes. She looked like she wanted to cry.

“Umm.... sorry.... it's been a long couple of days for me...” he tried to mend.

“I'm sorry Sun... I...I well... its been hard for me too.”

“I shouldn't have snapped at you Zecora... you didn't deserve that.”

“I should trust you... you've saved my life... multiple times.”

“I need to explain somethings to you... but I think it's best if I explain inside, it's not safe to talk about it even out here.”

With a nod, Zecora stood up and gave a smile. She followed him into her hut.

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Midnight Fire was sitting leaned back in his chair against the inside wall of Applejack's barn, hat over his face, cigarette in his mouth. Short dreamless naps were his main source of actual rest. However he could feel the eyes on him. With a heavy sigh, he sat correctly in his chair, and lifted his hat with a hoof. The six Elements of Harmony stared at him.

“Whatchu want?” his patience with these girls was already getting thin. The girls looked to each other, then Rarity stepped forward with a worried look on her face.

“Umm, we were wondering if you could answer some questions about your son for us...” She spoke calmly but her body language obviously wasn't getting the “do not freak out” memo. She was shaking slightly, and she wore a liar's smile. Figuring that he and his son were going to die soon, he couldn't find an excuses to not answer the mares.

“Fine.”

“Is his name really Sun Strike?!” Pinkie popped.

“Eeyup.”

“Why?” Sweetie belle asked with a slight head tilt.

“Don't rightly know 'is mother named em.”

“Is his brother actually dead?”

“Eeyup, He an Strike never got along, so he really don't care though.”

He spent a good amount of time answering the mare's small questions, they were mostly things like “How did Sun act when he was younger?” and things of that nature. He only refused to answer questions regarding Radiant Sunset, his wife and Sun's mother. However Twilight had been keeping herself in reserve, listening and noting things about Midnight in her mind. After a lull of questions began she stood up and glared at the old Seeker.

“Two questions, how badly did you beat Sun Strike when he was still a colt,? And two, why do you always refer to him as Strike and not Sun?” Her friends looked to her in a glance of horror. The first questions was easily something they had all wanted to ask but refrained from due to “respect”. Twilight needed to know.

Midnight just glared. He would say nothing here.

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“So yeah, we're going to go kill The Metal, and hopefully stop the Apocalypse.” Sun spoke with a rather comedic level of calm. Zecora stood in a daze, she heard it, understood it, but took a bit to let it all sink in.

“That is...-” she gulped ”-...much to take in Sun Strike.” Zecora replied slowly.

“Yeah.... I know. I was hoping you'd have some kind of Zebra technique for killing this thing, or at least offer some help fighting the damn thing. But in your condition that's not an option.”

“How?”

“Huh? You're beat to hell, and me slamming you through a door didn't help.”

“No, how are you... doing any of this?”

“Any of what?”

“You just learned that the world might end... and you had a pretty key roll in it... and you don't seemed to be phased at all...”

“Well... I don't really like ponies Zecora. That plus my life really sucks, until recently, I had nothing, nopony. Yet almost everyday I got up, saved some lives, and fucked up some monsters. To be honest, I don't really give a fuck about the world. Let that shit burn. But, But! I have friends now... you, Applebloom, Sweetie Belle, Scootaloo, Applejack, Pinkie Pie, Rarity, Rainbow Dash, Twilight Sparkle, and Fluttershy. I have something to fight for. I reckon that they wouldn't like the end of the world. So intend to do everything I can to save them. There is a lot going on in my head, I blame myself for all of this,but I have a real good system for ignoring the more complicated stuff.” He lifted is flask and drank from it, for a good ten seconds straight. He pulled away with a rugged cough.

“Taste like peppered boot. Not the best way to deal with things but it works. Anyway, the way I see it, I either die saving them, or die with them. That's better then dying alone, or ending up monster bait. Who gives a shit about the world? I don't. ”

“Everything.... literally the entire world could end!” Zecora gasped. Sun just shrugged.

“That's nothing new, the world almost ends all the time. The Dragonic Civil War. Nightmare Moon, removing dedicated sunlight would ravage agriculture, we would have all starved to death. The Throat Eaters! Everypony in the world almost dies every now and then. Whatever. Worrying about isn't going to fix it.”

“It's so sudden.”

“So? Most bad news is.”

“How are you so calm!?”

“Like I said, The world could end.... so what, worrying is only gunna make it harder to stop.”

“You mean to tell me that you intend to stop the end of the world by killing something that is invincible. And you really believe this is something that can be done.” Zecora worried.

“Have you met me? I kick impossible in the balls all the time. Remember when I nearly got burned alive and jumped like out a building, then got up to get kids home? How about when I fought a pack of Lycans and lived? Oh I also stomped a necromancer's zombie minotaur from the inside out. Next I have to kill something invincible. It aint easy, but I give it my all. I just the best I am.... aim for the stars... I know I wont get that far, but I try anyway.”

“Aren't you scared?”

“Somepony asked me that a while ago... I shouldn't have lied to her. Truth is I'm not. I've been through so much shit. Seen such fucked up bullshit. I learned that being scared is pointless. The only way to beat fear is to kick fear in the teeth.”

Zecora laughed. “You truly fear nothing.?”

“I'm scared that I might loss those closest to me know. So I'm gunna fight it. Simple as that.”

“You fear nothing, for you are fear incarnate. You do not fear death... Death fears you.”

“Pretty much.” Sun Strike grinned. He felt something he had never felt before. He couldn't name it, but it felt good. Like a fire in his chest. He reminded himself of whats important. The world might end soon. But that changes nothing. That fire was blazing. Confidence? Pride? He wanted to protect those he cared for. He had ponies talking to him in his head. He was the last of a long bloodline. Bravery? Vigilance? Encouragement? Motivation? He stopped trying, he didn't care. He just felt better then he had in a long time. He hadn't really thought about his accomplishments until now.

“Listen, take care of yourself. Here are my brother's books on the whole Apocalypse thing... I gotta go, my d... Midnight is probably waiting for me. Chances are that I'm going to die... so. Goodbye for now, unless this is goodbye forever.” He turned to make his way out the hut, but then he stopped to think for a second. Fuck it. “Oh and by the way, once I kill The Metal, you and me are getting a drink. Just you and me.” He didn't even look back. The hut door closed.

“I'd like that...” Zecora whispered to herself. She felt good for knowing Sun. He was.... something. Brave... Stupid? Perhaps he was just upholding the Sunfall legacy. She wasn't sure. But she was glad to know him. Even if he was going to his death. He showed her something she had never thought about before. Even if you dislike everypony around you, you fight for them with all that you are. You have to be willing to lose everything for ponies who don't care about you at all. He did that. All seekers do. But he did that despite hating most ponies. If he could kill and save ponies he didn't care for. What length would he go to in order save ponies he cared about. She gave a deep sigh of relief, If anypony could stop the end of the world... it was him.

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Midnight leaned against the barn. The instant he saw his son he stood up. “Let's go.” Sun just replied with a nod. Ghost Walk believed The Metal was inside the Everfree forest. Deeper then anything else.

“Get any help from dat Zebra?” Midnight asked as he double checked his ordinance. Sun Strike slid Radiance out of it's sheath. It lit up the area, even though it was mid day now. It was excited for combat once again.

“Something like that.”

“Oh by the way, yer friend Twilight has got a mouth on her. Next time I aint gunna keep myself from kicking her across the room.”

“Hurt her and you're dead. Warned you once already, so that makes two, don't make it three times.”

Author's Notes:

Moving the plot along.

Mostly a plot chapter

Things are winding up!