Third person...

“Hey! Nothing went bad that whole week, alright!” Dash shot back at Applejack, whom just scoffed.

“Yah shoulda let me er one a the other gals watch over her and yah know that!” AJ snapped.

“What's the difference? He isn't a bad guy and the only reason you hate me saying that is cause you KNOW I'm right and you'd have to admit that you were wrong!” Dash nearly snarled back, Applejack growling under her breath.

“Ah can't believe you Dash! Element a loyalty an' yer siding with that... that murderer!” the southern farmpony grumbled, Dash rolling her eyes.

“There is no sides here AJ, just truth and your stubbornness at admitting he's not really bad!” Dash stomped her hoof, a timid and most soft voice picking up.

“I saw him feeding a hungry deer yesterday,” Fluttershy said with a faint smile, Applejack looking to her with a rather displeased stare, Fluttershy nearly shriveling up on the floor. “Oh... sorry for interrupting...”

“AJ, just face it and admit you were wrong! Evan... or Derreck, WHOEVER he is... isn't a bad guy. Not even close.” Dash stood tall before he friend, neither one willing to back down.

“You set all that up on purpose! Him watchin' Scootaloo!” Applejack got closer to Dash, enough so that the two could nearly feel the other's hot breath.

“Of course I did! That way you couldn't deny he isn't some murdering sociopath that you've made him out to be until now!” Dash snapped back before another voice finally cut in to stop their argument.

“EEEEEENOUGH!” Twilight screamed out, everypony turning to her. “I've let it go! Why can't you?!” Twilight yelled out, her stress obvious in the tone of her voice. “Dash... I used to love him, yes... but he's not the pony... the person, I thought he was. Please just... stop trying to make me fall in love with him again. It was always a rocky relationship and I see that now,” Twilight said, Dash going silent as AJ nudged her.

“See,” the farmer pony began, but only just before Twilight intervened.

“And AJ... he... he isn't a truly bad person at heart. He does love, he does cherish... he just...” she trailed off and thought back to the court trial. “He just isn't a good person either. Now can we all PLEASE, just drop this subject?! I've let this go a long time ago but you all seem to just keep bringing it up!”

She looked to her friends and addressed Dash first. “Dash, you were here just to get the new issue of Daring Do. Applejack, you just came for the latest book of Equestria's greatest apple recipes... and yet the first thing you two do is start arguing about Evan. We're the best of friends yet this has driven us so far apart and I can't bear to see it get any worse,” she stated, the two in statement looking to each other.

“Ah... ah guess Twi's right... ah was kinda out a line,” she admitted, Dash biting her lip.

“Y-yeah... me too. I-I... I guess I'm just being strong headed...” AJ rose her hoof to Dash's and the duo shook hooves, Twilight sighing.

“Ahem... now then. Fluttershy, I think I was about to get you that new recipe book you ordered?” she asked, Fluttershy nodding quickly.

“Oh, yes please. Angel Bunny has waited most patiently for this new style of carrot cake and I shouldn't keep him waiting any longer,” she mentioned, Twilight nodding and going through a few things before levitating over the new hard cover recipe book.

“Okay... I think that's everything,” Twilight noted before some giggling laughter entered the library. Looking over the shoulders of the others, Twilight's eyes went slightly wider as she saw the owners of the laughter.

“Pinkie?... Lassie!?” she gasped, shocked at the former's presence at the library. The canine looked at her with a rather bemused look.

“Uhh... yeah? Who else would it be?” she asked back.

“B-but... but... you and Pinkie hang out together?” the alicorn asked in disbelief, both the pink mare and the dog shooting her a rather curious look. Pinkie spoke first.

“Of course silly! We always hang out together! Lassie plays some of the best pranks. Ponies are always freaked out by a talking dog!” Pinkie giggled, Lassie chuckling to herself.

“Yeah, well I wasn't the one who changed the time of every single clock in Sugarcube Corner,” Lassie laughed, Pinkie nearly squealing as she remembered Mr. and Mrs. Cake scrambling around in confusion.

Pinkie laughed as she thought of another. “Or how you drained the water in the public pool, then dressed as a giant fish and began flopping around?” The last part had Twilight snicker as she imagined the scene.

The alicorn stepped up to the duo with a bright smile, the talk of pranks brightening her day. “Well, I never knew you two were such good friends,” she mentioned, Lassie looking to her with a cock eyed look.

“Why not?” she asked seriously, Twilight shrugging.

“Well... just with everything-” Lassie cut her short.

“Hey... you and Evan don't get along. That doesn't mean I'm going to exile myself away from your friends. The tension is between you and him, not your friends and his. Just remember that... oh yeah, here we borrowed this earlier when you were at the spa with Rarity,” Lassie said as she handed over a book labeled 'Best 100 pranks'.

Twilight levitated the book away and turned back to the pranksters. “It's not that I think you shouldn't be friends, far from it. I'm just... surprised is all.” Lassie rolled her eyes.

“Listen... like I said. I'm not gonna separate myself from my friends just because you and Evan can't get over your differences and make up,” Lassie said in a serious tone. Twilight was quick with her response.

“We're not going to make up. He isn't the man I thought he was and there's nothing for us to talk about,” she stated, stomping down her hoof. Her tone and latter action simply made Lassie laugh it off like a joke.

“Nothing to talk about, huh?” she asked, Twilight nodded. “Not a certain... pregnancy?” she inquired.

“I won't let him father a foal. Not with the kind of man he is,” she said, Lassie scoffing.

“The kind of man he is?" she asked, Twilight nodding firmly. "Okay then... Ms. Know-it-all. Tell me. What kind of man is he?” she asked, Twilight going silent for a good long moment as her stomach seemed to sink, heart skipping a beat. “Well?” Lassie asked seriously, the others all staying quiet as the canine nearly interrogated the alicorn princess.

Before Twilight could speak, Lassie spoke her own mind. “No... no, you know what? I'll tell you. Your whole relationship was a big lie." Twilight's ears perked at the last statement. "He was so tormented in his youth that he truly believed you were his mother, and why? Because you showed him decency and compassion... because you gave him something he strived for... parental nurturing. You were supposed to teach him, that was your task from Celestia. But to him, it was more like mothering... I see that now... what was so vague and blurred to you is all too clear to me and... I'm so, so very sorry for what I did,” she apologized.

Twilight was struck in near distraught from hearing those words. “What do you mean? Sorry for what?” she asked, Lassie dipping her head.

“For everything.” She looked up to the mare. “I forced you into a relationship neither one of you were ready for. And because of that it was bound to fail from the beginning. Built on a cracked foundation formed from a lie... a lie... which I told you. That if you didn't take him, I would, yet I had no intention of doing that...” she looked to the others, namely to Rainbow Dash and Applejack.

Lassie sighed as her head dipped while she spoke. “And I'm sorry for trying to intervene in this mess that I've so unintentionally created. This problem... this stake that's been driven between the two of you... it's not supposed to be fixed by your friends... friends don't fix the problem. They're just supposed to stand by your side and hold you high spirits, like friends are supposed to do. No... no..." Lassie trailed off with a faint smile. "This problem is supposed to be fixed by the two of you,” she stated. Twilight was struck in an emotional state as the others all thought back on their own actions towards the matter.

Lassie just sighed to herself as she spoke. “The fact that a talking dog had to point this out, and that nobody else realized this first... it should really make you reconsider...” Lassie noted before slowly walking out the door. Stopping just before she left, she turned and looked back through the doorway. “There's a reason he has a split personality. A reason he called you his mother... there's a reason for everything he has done or is going to do. All it takes is a simple, thorough, straight forward question... not some indirect hint. If you want to make amends with him... just know he doesn't hate you, or anypony here... and he's easy to find too. He mostly stays at his home in the Everfree. You can't miss it.” And with that Lassie left the premises of the library, leaving everypony in utter silence. The silence however, didn't last long as Pinkie bounced away in a joyful hop.

“OH WAIT! LASSIE!” she screamed out joyously. “Are we still going to put all of Mayor Mare's office supplies into helium balloons then let them float around inside Town Hall?” she asked, the duo snickering as they thought out their devious plot.

Twilight walked over to the doorway in thought. She wondered to herself, her mind wandering more than it had in months. She wasn't sure her feelings for the man. Had it actually been love, or just lust she had felt?... Could she love the man, knowing he had killed so many? Were his actions justifiable or just another one of his moments where he lost his temper?

So many things she wanted to ask, but with nopony to ask... 'Should I talk to him?' she asked herself quietly...

Derreck's perspective...

I leaned back, relaxed as ever, as I fished out Evan's 'Arnie' cigar from my duster coat pocket. “Ahh yeah... this is the life...” I mouthed the cigar around on my lips, savoring the stingy feel it brought to my lips.

Stroking my left hand down my rugged facial features, I slipped off the eye patch, blinking a few times as I struggled with the blurred focus it brought about. Snickering to myself, I recalled the events of that most faithful day.

Discord betraying us and the subsequent loss of my left eye, along with Evan's. “Ha... man, those were the days...” I muttered to myself as I recalled our glory days together. All the action, over the top fights, absurd violence... the life we so strived for...

I let out a long sigh as I reached for my glass of cider, the special brew that Big Mac himself made and let age for some time. I picked up the glass, swishing it around in the glass before taking a hefty sip.

Immediately the taste hit my tongue but...

“PWEUGH!” I spat the liquid out and tossed the glass across the room. It tasted horrid... metallic... “Ugh...” I wiped my lip before coming to the realization that it wasn't cider in my glass...

Looking to the glossy blood on my hand, I looked forwards the drink I tossed... which wasn't a drink at all. “Blood?” I asked in confusion. Last I checked, I had poured myself some cider, not...

There was a rather loud taping sound, as though somepony was walking with a cane. TICK-TICK-TICK... Turning to the sound, I spotted a cloaked pony slowly hobbling forwards, large scythe in tow which was the result of the taping noise.

“Son of a bitch...” I cursed, a low ghostly groan coming from the pony as it raised its head slightly, a bony muzzle protruding from the dark depths of the cloaked hood.

“Mr. Burdick... your time has come at last,” it hissed through a toothy smile.

“Fuck off bone bag, he ain't here. And like shit I ain't dying from some wretched, over-sized dog treat,” I replied sternly. An eerie fog surrounded Death as he stepped forwards, the clacking of his bone hooves slightly drowned out by the now softer taping 'Tick-tick-tick' of his scythe, Death using it like a cane.

Death stood a good few yards away, his presence enough to get my heart thumping a few beats faster than normal but nothing overly terrifying. “You cannot escape death,” he whispered so softly I barely caught it.

“Pfft... if I had a penny for every goddess damned time you shit birds told me that...” I trailed off and Death rose to his hindlegs, pulling back on his hood and revealing his mortifying face. “Goddess alive... I take it you don't get many follow-up dates huh?” I joked, Death charging forwards wildly with its scythe.

As Death swung, my left hand shot out and caught the blade between in index finger and thumb, stopping the otherwise fatal blow rather harmlessly. Death let out a struggling grunt of disbelief. “Hmm... I'll take that as a... no,” I taunted casually before giving Death a boot to the chest, staggering him back but keeping a firm grip on his iconic weapon.

Taking a brief once over of his weapon, I laughed to myself before snapping it in half over my knee. “So uncivilized...” I mentioned before the hilt my own weapon materialized into my palm, the rest forming together afterwards in a magical display. “Let me show you the real definition of fear,” I said in a cold tone that was nearly a hiss.

The dark blue blade gleamed with a fume of glowing and most magical mist coming off it. The weapon seemed to hum in my grip as I took a defensive stance. Death stood on all fours and took a few cautious steps back. “What's wrong Bones? You seemed so sure of yourself a few seconds ago... ohhh yeah, that's right. You came to pick on my friend Evan. What's the matter? Affraid of someone who'll fight back?” I snarked.

Just before I went to attack my senses went berserk and I ducked, quickly rolling to the side. I heard the swishing sound of blades cutting through the air but didn't get a good look until after I finished my roll and returned to my defensive stance.

Before me stood that clown of an idiot I killed on my adventure with Echo Jewel. “Woah... did you just see that guy?!” The Face of Death asked to the real Death. “I totally had the drop on him and he was just like 'Whoosh!' right out of the way. Dude, that's some pretty badass Jedi foresight shit you got,” he complimented... I think...

“Yeah I got you thinking now, don't I?” he asked as he lurched forwards, swinging about a twin set of katana swords with precise accuracy. My own blade moved with lightning speed, keeping up to his continuous assault. My defensive strategy quickly fell back and relied on quick and subtle defensive blocks. As the old saying went 'The shortest distance between two points is a straight line'. My defensive fencing technique was quick, elegant, focused and precise.

Sparks ignited off our swords as we clashed weapons furiously, The Face of Death taking to a heavy offensive stance while I myself took a solely defensive one. My style partook in minimal effort opposed to his heavy blows as I attempted to outwit him in a battle of stamina. “You must be thinking to yourself 'Wow, this is so crazy!' right? I mean, yeah I know dude, you totally blew my head off with that awesome handcannon of yours which negated my dark magic immortality but hot damn, I'm back and now were sword fighting!...” he began to blabber on carelessly as he continued a near impeccable offensive assault with his twin katanas. As we continued to fight, he continued to jabber on and it dawned upon me that this guy wouldn't get tired...

Following through with my thorough defense, I watched his move set, trying to find his weak spot. “Nuh-uh man. No generic enemy fighting style for you!” he laughed and cackled, leaping into the air in a performance of several dazzling flips before landing behind me. I swung my sword blade behind my back, blocking a crosscut from behind before myself twirling around.

“See, I'm not your average generic enemy that you can find a weak spot to exploit. Nope! I'm the final boss that kills you and ends this story with a 'BAD-END',” he laughed, changing up his attack style.

My defense stood strong but I started to become irritated with his constant jabbering. Sparks continued to clash off our blades as they connected. “Get this... drop a beat!” The Face of Death said as he jumped back suddenly and began to dance as though he was in a nightclub. “You're going bananas, while I'm wielding katanas... ooh,” he began to twirl around and slice his swords around in the air.

My patience began to thin out as he mocked me by not only foolishly dancing around like I wasn't a serious threat, but singing about it too! “I'm gonna cut you up and vanish! Your soul? It's gonna be banished! Just like Luna Moon in her bed-time pajamas!-” I cut him off with a mighty roar, The Shadow Blade fuming a large plume of dark blue mist. My damaged eye no longer distorted my vision as everything became ever clear like a sunny day.

The Face of Death looked at me with a frown. “Hey dude, don't interrupt my- WOAH!” He jumped back as I began a furious and most savage assault with my single blade. The Shadow Blade was a mere blur of motion, leaving streaks of blue in the air where I swung. My attacks were heavy handed, consisting of large swooping arcs that were nonetheless quick and devastating.

My irritating opponent began to jabber again, trying to start up a rhyme. I gave an overhead swing with immense force, to which he tried to block. My blade struck his and there was a bright dazzling flash of sparks as his blade shattered apart under the force of my blow.

The Face of Death leapt back and looked to the remainder of his sword. “Holy shi-” he was cut off as he was unreadily thrust back into the heat of battle as I continued my relentless offensive drive. “Hey wait dude, not cool you just... HEY!” he screamed as we clashed our swords together.

He staggered to keep up but things quickly tipped in my favor. My strikes were ferocious and unpredictable and brutally powerful. So much so that he only had fractions of a second to react. With the short response time I left him, his blade was constantly knocked around as he tried to block my blows, while he himself was put into great unbalance, constantly on the back of his hooves. Our blades locked together and we both pressed forward, himself attempting to overpower me, myself attempting a different maneuver...

As I felt the mustered strength of his push start to outweigh his center of balance I took a quick step back and let him lurch forwards. My blade slid down his and in an instant of a moment I slashed past his cross guard and clipped his foreleg, cutting him rather deep.

He let out a gasp of pain as I sidestepped him and let his body stagger past, his body thrown off balance from all the forward power of his push. With a twirl of my wrist, I slashed low and clipped the Achilles tendon of his hindleg.

The Face of Death tumbled to the ground as I stood tall while sheathing my sword at my side. My opponent looked to me with a grimace. “Son of a... hot damn you're good but... ahh...” he grumbled as he staggered to his hooves, limping a bit. “In a second I'm gonna heal and-”

I shot my left palm forwards, fingers extended, and hurtled him back with an invisible force. His body was slammed into a hard surface with such relentless force that he yelped in agonizing pain.

My right foot stepped back as I took a slightly crouched stance. My hands cupped to my sides as I dug deep for power. “Ka-meh...” The Face of Death stood up.

“I have to say... that was pretty impressive,” he laughed as he wiped off his lip.

“Ha-meh!” He looked to me with a cock-eyed look, a glowing fume of energy forming in the palms of my hands.

“Hey... what's that you're doi-” he was cut off as I finished the technique, stomping my right foot forwards while swinging my arms to full extension in front of me, palms facing him.

“HAAAA!” the ground shook beneath me as the energy blast hurtled towards him, my enemy squeaking in fear as he ducked down.

The large beam of energy arched upwards and struck the hard surfaced wall behind him him, the powerful eruption shaking the ground beneath us even more. I stood in my pose, smoke emulating from my hands and shoulders, a small crater formed around me.

The Face of Death looked around and then solely to me. “Nah-nah-nah-nah-NAH! Missed me, missed me, now you gotta kiss...” he trailed off as a few pebbles of debris cluttered down around him. Looking up he watched as the solid wall behind him crumbled apart and came crashing downwards on him. “Me?!” he squeaked as he was crushed by several tons of rubble.

I let out a deep inhale as I stood to my full height. A light clapping caught my attention. A dark cloaked figure began trotting forwards, a red glowing amulet around his neck. “Good... most impressive... I must say Burdy, you've become more powerful than I could have ever imagined you to be... however, it still pales in comparison,” the figure stated as he stepped forwards.

I once again brandished The Shadow Blade, taking my defensive posture. The figure laughed maniacally before brushing back his hood. “That... 'relic' will do you no good,” he laughed, taunting my weapon of choice. I gritted my teeth as I faced the scum of a stallion whom got away.

“Tristan...” I snarled through clenched teeth.

The amulet around his neck began to glow ominously before his horn matched the color of the amulet and blasted out a torrent of lightning. I arched my sword sideways, horizontally in front of my body and blocked the attack.

The red lightning struck my blade and began to absorb into it. However, even so, the force of his lightning was immense, so much so that it took nearly every drop of strength to hold my defense.

I began to roar out in effort as he continued his relentless assault but finally came to a stop, a few last trickles of electricity spurting out of his horn. As the attack finished, I twirled my sword eloquently. “Indeed... perhaps I underestimated, if only slightly, the effectiveness of that outdated weapon... irregardless, it will do you no good.” Tristan slid out of his cloak, the amulet around his neck still glowing.

I held the tip of my sword towards him, presenting myself as a dangerous threat. Tristan looked to me with an arched brow. “It would seem that... in your time here, you have made many enemies,” he commented. Death, the real one, came to his side.

“A dirty sack of bones isn't going to help you!” I quipped, Tristan laughing.

“Perhaps not, but...” he trailed off as a pair of fuming purple eyes emerged from the darkness, stepping forwards as the rest of his body came into view. “He isn't the only enemy you've made...”

Sombra stood silently at Tristan's side, along with Death. “You can't keep running from your fate forever...” Tristan laughed as yet another figure took to his side. This one was a mare, crystal blue and surrounded by an icy mist... Freeze? But she was dead...

“Hey! Hey guys... GUYS! Somepony want to lend me a hoof?” cried out a voice, a lone hoof waving from beneath the buried rubble. The Face of Death's dismembered foreleg slithered over and grabbed his exposed hoof.

The still intact hoof swatted away the dismembered hoof as he swore. “Not you! Idiot! GUYS, SERIOUSLY! THIS HURTS!” he screamed out. I looked to my opposition. The odds were stacked heavily against me...

“Son of a bitch...” I muttered as I wavered my sword to and fro, waiting for one of them to make a move.

“You see Burdy... you're heavily outmatched. You've made so many enemies that you've sealed your own fate!” Tristan laughed. Sombra took a daring charge with a gruesome looking sword, to which I immediately blocked and went to counter strike but was blasted by Tristan with an immense cluster of lightning.

The bolts of electricity sent me hurtling through the air, my metallic skeleton clearly visible as he hosed me with his new found power. Coming to a skidding stop on the ground, I cross blocked Tristan's lightning attack but was in turn rewarded by a cold icy blast to the side that numbed my arm and I was again fried by the assault of lightning Tristan kept pouring out.

My body tumbled across the floor and I came to a skidding stop, body smoking and smoldering profusely. “When we're done with you...” Tristan began, Death finishing the statement.

“You'll be begging for me to take you,” he laughed as Sombra rose his sword to deliver a fatal blow. No sooner had he, than a mystic blast struck him dead center in the chest, splintering his armor and sending him hurtling back.

Tristan and his group watched as Sombra was tossed aside before quickly looking back to the one whom had struck him. Nightmare took a stance before me, placing herself between me and my aggressor's group.

“Fool!” Freeze scowled as her horn began to glow. An erupting gunshot went off and blew apart Freeze's head, killing her off and putting me into shock. Discord stepped forwards with a smoking shotgun, racking the slide.

"Just not your kind of evil," Discord quipped as he too stood before me in a defensive way. I looked to the dead body of Freeze.

“Celestia... you killed her!” I gasped, Discord looking to me as though I was loony.

“I've done it before...” he muttered calmly. That was true I suppose. It just seemed a little...

I stood up as Death started to back pedal and Tristan took a cautious step back. “GUESS WHO?!” cackled a voice, all of us turning as a thunderous twin eruption of gunshots went off.

Tristan was taken off his hooves and tossed back, Lassie standing with a sawed-off double barrel shotgun... the same one I had used in my duel with the blue stallion. An enlightening tune began to softly echo around us as I stood with my friends. Tristan lay groaning on the ground, his chest pelted with rock salt.

I looked to Death with a stern glare. “Beat it,” I snarled, the bone bag taking another step back.

“This isn't over,” he warned before vanishing into a poof of smoke. It was then I came to a probable realization. This was just a nightmare... or it had been, until my friends arrived.

I walked over to Tristan who lay on the ground, squirming in pain. As I stood at his side, he looked to me and spat a spew of blood at my feet. “Fff...ffff....fuck you!” he swore in agony.

“I may have a lot of enemies but... I've also made a lot of friends, and they will always stand by my side,” I told him. However, just before I could finish him off his horn flashed a brilliant zeal of colors and my world began to fade out as a banging thumped the ground beneath us. Bastard had duped me... again! I felt as though I was sucked away into an abyss, my world turning into a blur...

I awoke with a tangy taste in my mouth, the kind I got from having an afternoon nap... it kinda tasted like I just drank out of a toilet. “YELCH!” I groaned as the banging continued in the real world.

Shaking off my daze I realized that it was somepony knocking on my door. “Yeah... yeah I know... I know,” I muttered quietly, still a little groggy. The knocking continuing. “Alfred...”

More knocking.

“Alfred?!” I called out a little louder but the knocking continued as my butler failed to answer the door. “I'm coming... I'm coming... don't get your panties in a wad...” I grumbled as I stood up, the book on my lap falling to the floor.

I looked down to it. The book was the one Dash had given me. 'The Art of Peace'. It was a good read, really, it was. I retrieved the book and set it atop the living room coffee table before heading towards the front door as the knocking still persisted.

“Relax... you're gonna knock the damn door down...” I commented before finally reaching the entrance and opening the door. I blinked blankly as I met eyes with Kianna, whom was carrying a rather large briefcase. “Uhm... hey,” I sputtered, a little confused. Usually she had her goons with her, at least one anyway.

“Hey hotshot,” she spoke back. “How's things... damn, did I ever tell you you've got a nice place?” she commented, myself scratching the back of my head.

“Uhm... no. I don't uhh... recall you ever coming by,” I mentioned and she casually shrugged it off.

“Well... in that case, nice crib,” she complimented and I just rolled my eye.

“I take it this isn't a social call?” I remarked, the merc woman just sighing.

“God... straight to the point huh? Can I come in?” she asked and I figured there was no danger in doing so. Giving her free passage, the woman and I proceeded into the kitchen where she quickly began rummaging through my fridge.

“Where's your drinks?” she asked and I blinked.

“Uhm... well, they should be right there... There's orange juice. And uhh... some fruit punch... and uhh-” she cut me off with a stupid look.

“Beer, you piss ant,” she shot and I just scratched the top of my head. I did have some hard cider, courtesy of Mac, but I wasn't keen on sharing it with a mercenary acquaintance.

“Well, I uhh... I don't drink anymore,” I informed her and she perked an inquiring brow. “Serious. Went clean. Hell, I hardly get to enjoy chewing on my cigar,” I informed her and she sighed before taking out a milk jar and pouring herself a glass.

As she started to take a drink I gasped. “Wai-wai-wait!” I yelped and she stopped mid-drink. “You... uhh... that's Lassie's... she uhm...” Kianna looked to me, cup still to her lips. I placed my hand over my face. “She wants to start a sperm bank...” I groaned, Kianna immediately spewing out her mouthful and beginning to gag.

“BWALCH! WHAT THE FUCK!” she boomed and I began to cackle with laughter. She looked to me. “THIS ISN'T FUNNY!” she screamed and I nodded wholeheartedly.

“Actually... yeah... y-yeah, it kinda is,” I chuckled, Kianna giving me a stern glare. “I-it's... it's just milk... ha-ha-ha-ha...” I continued to laugh while the merc tongued around inside her mouth.

“That's not cool...” she grumbled and I stifled a snicker while she poured herself another glass.

“You think I'd let her start her business from my fridge?” I asked, Kianna shuddering at the thought.

“I'm seriously concerned about her attitude problem. Dogs don't generally act like her...” she muttered.

“Well, actually she's not really a regular dog,” I replied and Kianna shot me a look.

“Ah-durr? Really?” she asked rhetorically and I just laughed.

“Yeah. Really. She was some... whatever, created in the Milf and Malf factory. They called them NYMPHOs...” I trailed off as Kianna rose a brow. “I don't know what it stands for. Irregardless, whatever she really is... to me, she's still my dog and I'll never treat her differently.”

“Anyyyyyway,” Kianna sighed as she poured herself yet another glass then offered me the milk bottle.

“Nah, I'm good. I'll probably have some orange juice.” I leaned on the counter as she pounded back her glass of milk. I looked to her with a risen brow. “So... like I asked earlier... I take it your not here for a friendly hello...” I trailed off and Kianna licked her lips.

“'Fraid not, Stud. Got me a buyer for them guns I got locked up in the cargo plane-” I cut her short.

“Woah-woah-woah-WOAH! No gun runnin-” she cut me short.

“Relax, Stud. It's on the other side of the world. Place you never heard about where war is the norm and such a shithole it never even makes the sideline for newspapers here. It's not like it'll ever come back to Equestria,” she mentioned.

“It's not right,” I told her and she scoffed.

“And who are you to say what's right and wrong? I bet it didn't even faze you back on Earth... gun runners slipping machine guns to towel heads. Assault rifles to Mexican Cartel... listen, there's this... shitty would-be country and it's run by two warring factions that have been spilling blood for decades. One of the leaders just came to me and requested all my weapons for a huge sum. It's enough that Dwayne and I could live as comfortably as you... Now here's the kicker for you. This warring nation? They're like any nation in this weird ass world. Completely primitive, except these guys are third-worlders, so they're even more primitive than Equestria's army... I'm talking sticks and stones here...”

I leaned on the counter with a dissatisfied look. I didn't like the concept of firearms running amuck in this world. Back home on Earth just about every nation had some kind of armed military as a deterrent against the other. Here, whomever had the guns would reign supreme. I didn't like it at all.

“So whomever I give the guns to will become the technologically superior faction and quickly end the conflict. Yeah, there will be bloodshed, but less than if we don't arm our buyers. You think that if they don't get the guns that they'll stop killing each other? They've been doing this for years,” she stated. I perked a brow.

“'Our' buyers?” I asked and she grunted.

“Listen... this is good money we're talking about. Even if we split this fifty-fifty, Dwayne and I can get out clean and... ride off into the sunset. Does that put it into perspective for you, Hayseed?” she asked, making me snicker.

“You and Dwayne?” I asked and she nodded. “What about Senka and Brick?” I asked and she let out a sigh.

“Senka's MIA, presumed dead. Sent her on a solo-op and she just... anyway. Wires on the detonator went bad on one of our other covert ops and Brick stayed behind to manually detonate the bomb to collapse the tunnel so the... well, it's safe to say he's officially KIA...” she mentioned.

“So that just leaves Dwayne and you, eh?” I asked and she nodded.

“And I want... no, I need! A way out... and this is my ticket man! OUR ticket!” she stated and I let out a rather long sigh.

“Listen... the... my glory days... the... being a renowned action hero and... saving the day at the last minute... it's over. I'm gonna be a dad soon... I got a nice place... I just... I dunno, I'm done, you know?” I asked. She looked to me seriously but it soon became apparent to her I no longer wanted to live a fighter and just settle down.

Kianna tossed her briefcase up on the table and opened it, revealing the two railgun prototypes from the Manehatten incident. “Sweet Celestia... the fuck?” I asked and she nodded.

“Picked them up in Manehatten. One I got off a junk dealer, the other in an evidence locker at the police station. Dwayne found the intel on them... these are what made you a hero...” she tried to persuade me.

I looked at the weapons, flashes of that eventful night replaying in my mind as I remembered the absurd ultra-violent assault on the dock along with the attack on the Gravelli warehouse. It was fun... I loved every minute of it... the heart pumping adrenaline... the explosions... My hand wavered forwards and touched one of the over powered weapons.

The cold steel sent shivers up my back. I licked my lips but just before I could pick up the weapon, I instead closed the case. Kianna looked at me strangely. “This isn't the kind of work that makes you a hero... let it go,” I told her and she went to object but I instead pushed the weapon briefcase closer to her. “Let-it-go,” I nearly whispered.

Kianna retrieved the case and sighed. “Fine... but if you do change your mind, come see Dwayne and me down at that little refueling station of yours,” she told me, my brow rising. “That's right numb-skull... been operating right under your noses...” she laughed before walking away, leaving me in thought.

Making sure she had finally left with a peek down the hallway stairs, I stepped over to the cupboards and fished out the mason jar of alcoholic apple cider, pouring myself a hefty glass before hiding it away and making my way back to the living room where I had previously resided.

Taking a seat, I retrieved the book 'The Art of Peace' and began where I had last left off, reading about learning to respect and love nature...

Hours past without me taking much notice and I got a bit of a sudden jump when there was another knock at the door. “Come in! It's open!” I called out as I continued to read. Again knocking.

“For fu...” I trailed off, setting my book aside as I hurried to the door. 'Goddammit Kianna... the fucking door is open. You were just here five secon-' I cut my thoughts short as I opened the door, my heart immediately skipping a beat as my stomach seemed to twist, my face going pale and my entire demeanor changing.

“Guh... ugh... I... teh...” I gasped, taking a staggering step back. In my doorway stood...

My thoughts conflicted with one another, making me wince and twitch my eye. “Evan... is that you?” she asked. I took another weary step back as I struggled to breathe. It couldn't be... she hated me... she didn't want me... no, no this was some kind of trick.

The lavender alicorn went to step forwards but her gloomy look spread across her face as her hoof retracted. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have come here..." she whispered softly.

“Tw... Muh... mo... Twil...” I struggled with my words, unable to think. My chest heaved while I struggled to think properly. As I staggered back another step, my foot landed on thin air, as I was stepping onto the staircase leading downstairs.

Losing my balance, I ended up tumbling down the flight of stairs, banging my head several times in the process. I groaned and rubbed the back of my head as I heard my mo... my... her, cry out in panic.

“Evan... good goddess, are you alright?” she asked as she cradled me in her hooves. I looked into her eyes with my own... those beautiful violet eyes of hers... I hadn't seen them this close in so long...

“Are you... really here?” I asked in a daze, the alicorn nodding. I was so caught up in my words, not knowing what to say... I thought she hated me...

I opened my mouth to say something. “I... ah... ahh... ahhh...” I felt a little dizzy and tingly. Twilight looked to me with a concerned look. “AH-CHOO!” I brought my forearm over my face just in time to catch the sneeze, feeling a little light headed afterwards.

“Oh goddess, EVAN!” she gasped, and I caught sight of what she was so panicked about. My sneeze had drawn a nosebleed, and also splattered blood all over my arm.

“No, no... it's alright... just hit my head a little hard... you know?” I asked with a dazed, and rather faint, smile. She continued to cradle me with her forelegs, before huffing.

“Jeez... you've put on a lot of weight...” she said, struggling a little to keep me up. I sat up and crawled over to a hallway wall, leaning myself up against it, Twilight sitting against the opposite wall.

“Evan?” she asked, a long quiet pause existing between us. There wasn't... tension or... hatred... or sadness... or anything really...

“Yeah?” I asked back, rather weakly.

“Goddess, I've forgotten what you look like...” she nearly giggled, a few tears coming to her eyes.

“Twi... muh... I don't know...” I tried to struggle over my feelings. Half of them were telling me she was my mother, the other half telling me she didn't love me anymore.

“You don't know what?” she asked and I bit my lip.

“Are you... here?” I asked and she nearly gasped, holding back her tears.

“Yes!” she gasped out, myself getting choked on my words. This was so difficult.

“Wh... why?” I asked, struggling with my words, and she wept a little.

“D-do you... not want me to be?” she asked fretfully.

“No... I mean yes! I mean... I don't... I like you being here... I don't mind...” I began to hold back my own tears. We sat there for a good while, both holding our emotions in check. “I didn't mean to... I didn't want to hurt you mom... I'm so sorry,” I began to break down, sobbing to myself. My chest felt so heavy... the tears blurring my vision. “I just wanted to impress you... THAT'S ALL!” I wept, beginning to sob uncontrollably.

She scooched over to my side and held me close. “You never needed to... you didn't...” she pressed her head to mine. “I always loved you...” she whispered. I was shuddering a little with wretched emotions... it made me feel weak and helpless.

Twilight pressed her cheek to mine and I could feel the dampness from her own tears. “I just... why did you do it? All those ponies...” she asked, making my heart twist and skip a beat.

“I just... it was Derpy...” I whispered and she looked to me.

“What do you mean it was Derpy?” she asked.

“It was all just a big mistake... everything, all of it... I was just supposed to deliver some... some kinda magic recipe that could end world hunger... or something like that... It was just supposed to be a delivery to Manehatten.” I huffed and caught my breath as I remembered that fateful day. “I met Derpy and she was going to show me the way... we met a mugger who threatened to kill her and... and I killed him... I just... I shot him and then Derpy left but some... some mobsters caught her and held her ransom. Said they'd kill her if I didn't give them the recipe so I... Derreck and me... we killed them... all of them... and then I destroyed the recipe so it could never be fought over again... it was all for nothing...” I wept.

“And what about all the others... over the last few months?” she asked softly.

“It wasn't me... it was Derreck... his idea of bringing the legend back to life...” I whimpered softly.

“Who is Derreck?” she asked and I bit my lip.

“My oldest friend... he's here... in Equestria... he protects me... he protects a lot of ponies... when I can't,” I answered honestly. We sat quietly for a good long while before Twilight went to speak.

“What if-” she was cut short by a small beeping noise, looking to the wrist of her foreleg, where a watch resided. “Oh shoot... I gotta get back to Ponyville...” she looked to me and gave me a kiss to the cheek.

“The day after tomorrow... can you come meet me in Ponyville?... I'd like to talk with you again,” she asked and I was a little caught up in my words.

“Me?” I asked and she nodded. “I... you want to... talk to me?” I asked and she nodded.

“Please?” she asked and I nodded. “Pinkie Pie Promise?” I went through the motions.

“You have my word,” I replied and she gave me a genuine smile... one I hadn't seen her give me in months. And with that she was leaving and before I could even think, she was gone. I was so... mind blown. What just happened?

I walked back upstairs with a bit of sway. “Sir?” Alfred asked as he trotted up to me. “Is everything alright?” he asked and I was still a little more than confused.

“I don't know...” I replied, my butler raising a brow. “I think I just need to... lay down...” I replied. My world had been split in two... I didn't know what to think about anything...

I laid across the couch in the living room and snuggled up with myself...

I awoke to the slamming of the front door. “I'm home, yeah big lug!” Lassie called out as I shook off my post-nap daze. Everything... was so weird... was that all just a big dream? A dream inside a dream?

Last thing I remember was Evan talking to Twilight and...

“Hey D, where you at? I brought pizza!” Lassie called out, myself looking at my watch. It was late... but if it wasn't all a dream, than it was still the same day...

I stood up and greeted my pooch, whom had an armfull of pizza boxes that smelled rather good. “Whatcha get?” I asked.

“One of everything, duhhh,” she laughed, myself joining in. Trixie entered right behind Lassie with a few of her own boxes of treats levitated high above her head. As I leaned against the railing of the staircase, Lassie looked to me. “Wanna clear off a spot on the table. I want some of the bread sticks before they go cold,” she told me.

I chuckled to myself as I walked over to the living room table, clearing it off as my friends made their way up. Setting down the boxes, I looked to the bill and rose a brow. “How'd you pay for all this?” I asked, Lassie snickering.

“I blew the cashier,” she remarked, making me chuckle. Figures she'd say something like that. “Nah, I just put it on your tab,” she replied, a little more honestly.

“Figures.” I stifled a laugh and Lassie was quick to joke back.

“Yeah, well I can imagine you'll probably eat a fair share of it-” she cut herself short as she looked past me. “Yo, Alfred, come on over and have some pizza with us,” she called out to the butler whom gave her a rather plain look.

I waved him over. “Come on dude, take a load off. I won't hold it against you,” I assured him, the butler sighing.

“If you insist, sir,” he replied, coming over and taking a seat. We all sat around, telling jokes and reminiscing on old times. Each one of us had our own set of bad circumstances in which would make others question our morals...

Trixie with her... problems in Ponyville. Lassie with her obnoxious sexual tendencies. Alfred with his... mobster ties. And myself with my... endeavors. In the end though, none of us were really bad... in fact, we were all good in our own ways.

As I went to take another slice of pizza, it was suddenly taken from my grasp in a dark blue magical aura, just as a pair of soft wet lips pressed to my cheek. I looked over to my wonderful lover and smiled.

Even she wasn't really all bad either...

As we sat together, conversing on old times, Lassie brought up a topic that was rather... strange and weird for her. “I want to go golfing,” she stated, making us all look to her. “What?! I saw it on TV the other day. A bunch of old retired geezers like us. Swinging a metal club at a ball and trying to get it in a hole. I think it'd be fun!” she said.

Alfred tipped his glass of tea, taking a small sip. “I do say... it is a rather enjoyable game and I could teach you all a thing or two... your estate's back yard is large enough to get some practice,” he stated, Lassie squeaking with joy.

“Alright! I've always wanted to see Derreck in a polo shirt!” she commented, making me groan which in turn had her cackling in laughter. Moon kissed my cheek with a slight giggle.

“I think she's right. You would look cute in a polo shirt,” she teased before going silent with a rather pale face.

“What?” I asked and her ear flapped.

“I sense a presence that I've not felt in...” she trailed off just as there was a knock at the door...

Author's Notes:

Alright, so there's another chapter out.

Now I just wanna get something off my chest so I don't attempt it. I was originally gonna have it that Nightmare Moon had possessed Derreck and wasn't actually there, it was just her spiritual embodiment, just like how Derreck isn't really there. It would explain his damaged eye slanting like Nightmare's, how he could constantly wield The Shadow Blade. Her soul would've possessed him through the Shadow Steel she had embedded on his skeleton which... Anyway, I was gonna have it that Nightmare would possess Derreck and have him slowly tear the Mane 6's friendship apart as she knew she couldn't beat them altogether. Just like how he/she had Dash side with him and have her bicker with AJ, Derreck/Nightmare would slowly pull every one of the Mane 6 apart and have them squabble amongst each other and finally strike when they could no longer retaliate against her. In the end it would be Derreck whom would have to, emotionally, kill his former lover... I know, it would've probably been a way greater plot-twist and totally unexpected and awesome, and now that I've said it you probably wish I had've done that instead but... no more side plots. The story is almost over and everything has seemingly fallen into place. Everything in this story has kinda clicked together like a puzzle for this story's finality...

Anywho, on a lighter note, cheers eh.