Earlier,

Third person...

The train to Ponyville station arrived promptly and on time, a rather normal occurrence for the small town. Ponies exited the cabin cars left, right and center as some of the railway employees unloaded crates and boxes from the freight cars.

As the crowd of ponies began to fizzle out, a final pony from one of the cabin cars emerged, body cloaked and facial features hidden behind her hood. A unicorn horn emerged from the confines of the hood as the unicorn spoke. “Okay... where are you?”

Trotting along in the most inconspicuous manner, the lone unicorn traversed through the town. Originally having went to The Burdick Estate to find the man, the pony had only been met by the butler whom had informed that Evan had returned to Ponyville for the time being.

Trotting casually through town, the figure took in the sights, smiling inwardly as smiling ponies traversed and attended to their everyday tasks all around town. Looking around and trying to decipher where he would be, the pony decided against asking a pony at random for directions, not wanting to arise suspicions.

Walking along, the enticing aroma of fast food hit the unicorn's nostrils and caused a fairly mild craving to win her over. Walking into the Tim Horseton's, the unicorn mare made diligent to keep her facial feature's covered as to avoid discovery.

Heading up to the cashier, the ever friendly mare running the counter gave her a smile. “Good morning Miss, what can I get you today?” Mary asked in a usual bubbly voice.

The unicorn's stomach grumbled as her mouth salivated from the smell of freshly cooked pastries. As she pondered the thought, she licked her tongue before speaking. “Yes, get me a... I'll have a few chocolate glazed doughnuts,” she replied, the cashier mare typing it in.

“Okay, that'll be twenty three bits,” she answered, the unicorn giving an estranged look that was hidden from view by her hood.

“Uhm... really? For... just a few doughnuts?” she asked, the mare blinking as she looked it over.

“Oh, shoot, darn... uhm... hold on...” Mary stammered as she began typing away at the register yet continued to make errors. “Uhm... I uhh...” she began to fumble her words as she nervously began nibbling her lower lip. “This thing must be broken again... here! Take these!” she nearly cried out as she handed over a small pastry box.

The unicorn blinked in uncertainty as the mare looked nervously at her. “Uhm... thanks?” the unicorn replied before slowly stepping out of the establishment.

As she walked down the street, she thought back on the ditzy cashier mare. “What a loon,” she thought quietly as she opened up the box of pastries, only to find muffins, not doughnuts. “Ditz...” the mare muttered as she stowed away the box of muffins, having lost her craving.

On the search again, she heard a cry from above. Looking up to the sky, she spotted a blur of gray spiraling down towards her. Leaping out of the way, she lost her balance as the gray blur slammed into the ground where she had just been, the shock wave of force from the impact knocking the unicorn off her hooves.

The mare lay there on the ground for a moment, eyes closed as she thought to herself. 'What a cooky town...' With a groan, she went to get up, only to find a hoof reached down to her.

“I'm so sorry. I just don't know what went wrong,” the pegasi mare apologized. Looking up to the pegasus pony, the unicorn accepted her help and stood up with a slight grunt. Now back to all fours, the unicorn managed a better look at what once was a mere blur of color.

'A MAILPONY!' the unicorn thought triumphantly. 'Certainly she'll know where he lives,' she smiled. “Hey, uhm...” the unicorn began, pausing so the pegasus could introduce herself, which never ended up happening.

“I'm so sorry. I was delivering mail and I must have hit turbulence...” Derpy informed, the unicorn rolling her eyes.

“It's alright. I think everypony is fine... say, you wouldn't by chance know somepony, would you? Actually, he's a somebody,” the mare stated, Derpy tilting her head with a rather silly look, which was her regular expression however.

“Oooh! Are you a detective pony?” Derpy asked in an enticed voice, the unicorn shaking her head with a hearty chuckle as to not arouse suspicion.

“No-no. I'm just an old friend of his,” she replied, Derpy thinking to herself.

“Hmm... well I don't know who your friend is but I know lots of ponies around here who are friendly,” she answered, the mare sighing.

“His name is Evan,” the unicorn informed Derpy, whose head perked right up at the mention of him.

“EVAN?! I know him! He's my bestest best friend ever! He's so great, he comes to visit me in the hospital when I get hurt and sneaks me in muffins and we play boardgames and we hangoutAndWeAdventureTogetherAndHeSavedMyLif-” she began to blurb her sentence in excitement, the unicorn mare quickly cutting in.

“Yeah, he's reallyswell. Can you by chance tell me where he lives?” she asked, Derpy nodding.

“Well of course. He lives at the Golden Oak Library. He used to live in a really cool mansion in the woods that he-” The unicorn left as the dopey mailpony continued to ramble on, somehow unaware the unicorn had left.

Lingering through the town, the cloaked unicorn slowly made her way to the library that Derpy spoke of. Taking a quick look over her shoulder, she faced the door and gave a few brisk knocks, not noticing the 'Open' sign...

Evan's perspective...

“It's open,” I called out but there was another set of knocks. I handed our child back to Twilight. “Here, I'll get it. I'm not exactly sure I can take care of her by myself, even if it's only for a few seconds,” I joked with a smile before heading for the door.

Just before reaching for the door knob, there was another few knocks. “Yeah-yeah, I'm right here... keep your panties on...” I muttered before opening the door to greet the...

A shiver went down my spine as I looked to the cloaked figure who quickly pulled me into a hug. “Hey killer! How yah been?!” chimed a vividly familiar voice, her way of addressing me crushing my esteem.

“Uhm... ahem... mmm,” I tried to clear my throat as I stepped outside with her, leaving the door slightly open. “H-hey, Echo...” I stammered as she pulled back her hood.

“Damn... you really are old. Derreck wasn't kidding about aging better than you,”she teased, myself swallowing hard.

“Y-yeah... the years haven't been nice to me,” I replied, Echo giving me a playful push.

“Aww, come on, can't be that bad,” she smiled, myself sighing. “Say... by chance is Derreck around? Gosh I stopped by your mansion, swanky place by the way, but your butler said to come here and find you. That you'd know where he is,” she told me and my heart skipped a beat as my stomach twisted.

“Y-yeah... about that, I-” she cut me off while looking past me and into the library.

“I mean, how hard is it to find a one of a kind guy like that? He shouldn't be that hard to find but I guess I was wrong, right?” she asked, myself closing my eye.

“He uhh... he's... it's hard to explain,” I answered as I rubbed my forehead, Echo looking to me.

“Well, it can't be that hard, I mean... come on, he's either here or somewhere else, right?” she asked. I bit my lip.

“It's a fair bit more complicated than that,” I answered, Echo brushing it off.

“Well... I mean, how much more complicated can it be. He's gotta be somewhere, right?” she asked and I shook my head.

“Depends on how you look at it. I suppose you could say... he would be right here... but he never really was anywhere,” I answered and she looked to me with a quizzical expression.

“What do you mean he wasn't anywhere? Are you feeling alright?” she asked, a little confused by what I had meant. Rubbing my forehead harder, I let out a sigh.

“I'm doing just fine. Listen... uhh... Derreck... he was never real,” I told her, to which she gave me a funny look.

“You sure you're feeling alright?” she poked, myself nodding. “Oh come on, cut it out. Where is he?” she insisted and I sighed.

“Listen, Derreck was never real. He didn't exist,” I told her and Echo let out a huff.

“Okay seriously. Knock it off. I know he was real. I saw him. I heard him. I felt him. There's no way he wasn't real,” she quickly replied back.

“Listen I'm telling you. He was never real, not on a physical plane of existence,” I said in a firm voice, one that had her stop for a long pause, motionless.

She swallowed hard. “No... no!” she began to panic slightly. “No, no way. He has to be real. There's no way he can't be!” she cried out. Out of my peripheral vision I noticed Twilight standing up to take a look, my attention drawn away from Echo as her panic worsened. “He... he has to be real. I wouldn't have a foal if it weren't for him!” she cried just as I turned around to calm her.

“Echo, relax! He... it's complicated, just listen, I'll explain it!” I told her in a stern voice.

“Evan, is everything alright?” Twilight called out, myself quickly peeking back in and giving her a thumbs up.

“Peachy. Just talking with an old friend. Nothing to worry about,” I assured her, herself smiling back as I quickly stepped back outside and gently shut the door behind me, pulling Echo off to the side of the library and away from the view of pedestrians.

“Listen... whatever Derreck did to me... he did to you too,” I told her and she gave me a weird look.

“Really... he... to you?” she asked in a slightly curious voice.

“Yeah... well, a little differently, but kinda the same,” I told her and she nodded with a snicker.

“Well, duh. I mean, you're not a mare,” she chuckled, my brow risen.

“Huh? I don't... nevermind. Listen, when I was young, I was traumatized as a child. With that traumatization came mental illusions that manifested itself into Derreck. I literally, heart and soul, believed he was there, a separate entity. Back on my world, there wasn't any magic... so it was just him inside my mind. But here... somehow, he... I, we... yeah I don't know how but him and I, we obtained magical abilities. He must have messed with you mind in a way similar to the way he did mine,” I told her, Echo blinking unsurely.

“Seriously? I mean... come on, you guys look nothing alike,” she mentioned.

I let out a sigh, deciding against trying to explain how his nearly unrivaled connection with magical abilities allowed him to take on a separate look. “I told you it was complicated... hey, enough with that, it's really good to see you,” I said, giving her a hug. “How have you been?” I asked in an upbeat tone.

“Well...” she said, trailing her hoof in circles on the ground. “I-I-I'm p-pregnant,” she stammered and my eye went wide.

“N-no shit? Wait, I thought you said you couldn't... because of Liquid?” I asked bashfully, having been unaware beforehand but now that she mentioned it... she was kind of showing.

“Derreck... I guess you, whoever... you don't know? I thought you said you were one in the same?” she asked and I shook my head.

“I uhh...” I trailed off, not wanting to tell her what happened between us. “He's separate, even in memory and thoughts so I can't really remember things that went on with him. Only some, and even then it's mostly a just a garbled, blury mess,” I replied with a sigh, rubbing the back of my neck. “But jeez. Pregnant huh? Gosh, I hope he's a good guy. Are you ever going to introduce us? Man... we should get together and chat sometime, it's been a while,” I chuckled with a smile.

“W-well... f-f-funny you should say that... heh... it's Derreck, err, well... you,” she whispered softly, so quietly and shyly I could barely make out what she had said.

“What do you mean Derreck and me?” I asked, a little lost.

“If you are Derreck and he is you than...” she looked to me with a smile. “You're a father,” she said and I cocked a brow. How did she know that?

I took a quick look through the window of the library to see my mother cradling our child... err, NO... Twilight! Twilight was cradling our child... gosh, it was gonna be hard to get that out of my head.

“Huh... been reading the newspapers eh?” I asked, figuring the tabloids probably made it clear Twilight had a foal.

“What?” she asked with a confused look.

“Me, being a father... I mean, that's how you found out I was a dad right?” I asked and she gave me a slightly confused look before shaking her head.

“N-no... no, silly. I mean... you have another foal?” she asked and I rose a brow.

“Another?” I asked, the words slipping from my mouth. 'Shit... I guess there's Nightmare Moon but hardly anypony knows about her,' I thought silently, Echo's voice breaking my concentration.

“I... jeez, can I just talk with Derreck? He'd know about all this already,” she asked and I swallowed hard.

“He's uhh... uhm, ahem. He's just resting right now.” I scratched the back of my head before something came to mind and it snapped together like a puzzle... she hadn't shown up with another stallion... and she had shown up to see me... and said...

“Oh shit...” I muttered out bluntly, Echo giving me a shocked look.

“W-what?!” she asked, a little worried.

“N-no... no, you're not saying that...” I swallowed pretty hard. I felt my stomach twist into a knot.

“What's wrong?” Echo asked. “Aren't you happy about this?” she asked. “I know Derreck has had many lovers, but we had something special, right?” she asked just as I butted in.

“Listen Echo... Echo it's not that easy... I don't... I can't-” I began to backpedal, feeling my world crumble around me. Twilight had only just forgiven me for Derreck's convoluted aggression but how would she react to this?

Her magic grabbed me and pulled me closer to her. “Hey!” she yelled in a firm voice. “You're not abandoning me, are you?! You're not just some dead beat that knocks up a mare and ditches, leaving her to raise the foal on her own, ARE YOU?!” she yelled, starting to gain the attention of passers-by.

I pulled her aside and put a finger to her lips. “Sssh... shit... Echo listen I... I never wanted any of that to happen. All I wanted to do was set things straight, help you see past the anger and hatred of revenge, have you see the light. I don't control what happens when Derreck... listen, I-” she cut me off as she calmed down just ever so slightly.

“R-right... sorry, I... I kinda forgot that you and Derreck are sorta different yet the same... it's all very... with the foal and the... can I just speak with him, since this is important? It'd be easier to speak with him,” she asked. I felt my heart skip again.

“N-no... no, you can't,” I answered, Echo giving me a stare.

“And why the hay not?! Are you trying to hide him from me?! He's not like you is he? Humping and dumping mares?! Look, he gave me his make, made me his mare!” she yelled at me, showing me the faint scar of a bite on her neck that made me flinch.

“I-it's not like that. I've been ever faithful to Twilight my entire life. I don't go around putting it in random mares. I wouldn't do that. Fuck... Derreck!” I growled, Echo's glare still hounding me.

“Fine, whatever. I get it that you're monogamous. Just let me talk to my mate,” she said, the last words striking a painful nerve. 'How many mares did Derreck bone anyway? For fuck sakes!'

“Y-you... you can't,” I told her, Echo stepping closer.

“For Celestia's sake Evan, don't make me smack him out of you. I'll knock you out again even if it means Derreck will get mad at me, so long as I can see him. He needs to know!” she yelled.

“He can't!” I told her sternly.

“And why not?! Is he going to try and weasel his way out of fatherhood like you?” she insulted angrily.

“I never cheated my way out of fatherhood, none that I set into action anyway,” I countered, Echo just scoffing.

“Whatever. Just let me see him already. He'll be a man about this,” she insisted, making my stomach further twist.

“I already told you... he can not see you...” I trailed off but spoke up just as she was about to say something. “He's dead, alright!” I shouted out, Echo pausing for a moment.

“H-he... he can't be! You said yourself you two are the same person. So you'd have to be dead too,” she implied.

“No... no, he wasn't... the body, my body. It wasn't killed... he was always a figment of my imagination, one that eventually manifested itself into a physical identity through the magic of this world but was irregardlessly still just an imaginary figure.”

“So... what the hay happened?! Where's my mate?” she asked, starting to break down. Goddess... I hated it when she called him that, it made me feel even worse about this...

“He... he started to get out of control... out of hand. I was... Luna and I confronted him and he left us no choice,” I told her, Echo stepping back.

“Y-you what?! How could you?! He loved you like a brother!” she shouted.

“No, Echo. He didn't. He was just using me, probably no different than how he was using you,” I told her honestly, but she'd have none of it as she slapped me across the face, hard enough to make it sting pretty bad.

“He didn't use me. I was the one who had played you until I saw the error of my ways... and to say he didn't love you... when I knocked you unconscious that night so you could get some sleep, and he arose and went to strike me down for merely putting you to sleep against your will... what do you call that?! He watched over you, he loved you more than anypony could've loved you... and you just stabbed him in the back, like a filthy rat! Some friend you are!” she scolded me, her words piercing me like daggers.

“Echo I-” she cut me off as tears began to flood her eyes.

“No! NO! Just save whatever speech or bullshit you're about to give me. Derreck was a better man than you can ever hope to be. Now my foal will grow up without a father... with me to raise it alone, all because of you!” she shouted, making me bite my lip. Dipping her head quickly, I watched as my old holy necklace I had given her slipped off her neck.

Throwing it at me, she yelled once more before taking off. “Enjoy your perfect life!”

I went to chase after her but when I rounded the side of the library and reached the streets, she was nowhere to be seen. I focused hard to try and sense her, but came up with nothing...

A sudden bump to my side knocked me back into reality, and off balance. I tumbled to the ground with a thump as I let out a surprised and rather shocked yelp. “Ooops!” Came an ever friendly, and bubbly, voice. “Evan! There you are!” Derpy said as she reached down and helped me back to my feet.

“H-hey... hey Derpy...” I muttered, sore about what had just happened between Echo and myself.

“Oh, hey, I almost forgot. I was just chatting with a mare about you and remembered I have something to give you...” she rummaged through her mail pony saddle bags and retrieved a small letter. “Ifs fo oou,” she managed while holding onto the letter with her mouth.

“Uhm... thanks...” I gave her a rather poor excuse of a thank you while I stuffed the mail into my shirt pocket, figuring I'd read it later. Derpy's nose twitched before looking past me and gasping.

“Did... did somepony... throw away those muffins?!” she nearly cried as she rushed over beside the library where a box from Tim Horseton's lay on the ground, a few muffins scattered about on the ground. 'Echo must've gotten them earlier and dropped them...' I thought silently.

“Oh... yeah, I uhh... my friend gave them to me. I must've dropped them when I tripped just now,” I lied, figuring Echo wouldn't come back for them. “If you want, you can have them. I'm not very hungry and I'd hate for them to go cold,” I told her and her face lit up, eyes gleaming with happiness.

“Really?!” she asked and I nodded, the mare pulling me into a tight hug. “Oh thankyouthankyouthankyouTHANKYOU! You're the bestest best pony ever!” she chimed before giving me a wave. “Sorry to have to go but I still have some deliveries to make.” And with that she was gone, leaving me to feel miserable with myself.

A few moments passed as I just stood there, looking into the sky despite Derpy no longer being in sight. The door to the library opened and Twilight stepped out, our daughter cradled at her side while she levitated a few travel bags alongside her.

Trotting up to me, she gave me a worried look. “Something wrong?” she asked but I shook my head as I came back to reality.

“Wuh-huh? Oh... no, uhh, no-no, nothing. Just lost in my thoughts... leaving so soon?” I asked and she just giggled as she pressed a kiss to my cheek.

“Come on, we've been over this already. I have to catch the train to Canterlot to see me parents. It'll be leaving shortly and I don't want to miss it. I'll be back in a few days and you won't even know I was gone.” We embraced in one last kiss before she took off towards the station, leaving me with myself...

“Hey Buck, what's eatin yah?” Lassie asked, jumping me out of my thoughts, yet again, in a startle. “Jeez... sounds serious,” she replied, myself not having to say a word as she read me like a book.

“Ugh... Lassie, it's... I've done a lot of bad things, you know,” I said, Lassie nodding as we both looked out to the expanse of Ponyville, still bustling as the day was nearing noon hour.

“Well... I mean, you didn't exactly freeze an entire city with the threat that Equestria was next or... try to encase the entire planet in eternal darkness or... terrorize a crystal empire or... take over Ponyville and rape your sister or anything like that,” the last mention really hit home hard. 'Tristan...'

“Yeah... but do I really deserve this cozy life after what I've done... I mean, I've even hurt my own friends,” I told her and she rolled her eyes.

“Well... I mean, you can always reconcile with them, right?” she offered, myself licking my lips in thought. Echo would never listen to me again, not after that... Applejack I'd just have to give time to. Rarity was... well, she was quick and easy to forgive me. Rainbow Dash never really resented me. Pinkie actually wanted to throw a party when I came back. Fluttershy was so timid I don't even know if she really got involved in the matter...

I didn't have that many friends come to think of it. Only acquaintances. There was however...

“Hey Lassie, wanna come with me?” I asked and she looked to me with a charming expression.

“I would love to cum with you,” she answered lewdly, making me chuckle. “Where we headed?” she asked, tossing aside her lewdness for a moment as I took her paw with one hand. I felt a soft tingling throughout my entire body, as she no doubt felt as well, and our bodies quickly faded in the blink of an eye...

Just as quickly as we disappeared, we reappeared in a new location, Lassie gasping for air. “Glorious Luna... when you asked me if I'd like to cum with you, that was not what I had in mind...” she laughed, coughing slightly before taking in the barren expanse of desert. “Jeez... uhm... romantic choice of scenery,” she quipped as she looked in the opposite direction I was walking. Giving a whistle and catching her attention, she looked my way. “Oh hey, the garage...” she trailed off as she scurried up beside me.

I felt a little tired after that. When I was younger I could cast magic, how I don't know, far easier and with much less fatigue. But now, just teleporting once seemed to have me drained...

Entering the garage, we both looked around. “Hello?” I called out and was met by a gruff response.

“What do you want?” Flam asked as he wheeled forwards in his wheelchair.

“I just came tah... to see you guys,” I said, seeing Flim sitting in the corner whom was giving me a rather scornful look.

“Oh... really? Just come to... maybe, admire your handy work?” he asked, slowly coming to a stop in front of me. “Maybe poke fun at how I can't run away?!” he began to yell. “Or... or maybe you want to paralyze my brother too, and make a joke about building a garden of vegetables!” he screamed so hard his face was nearly shaking, veins bulging from his head.

Flam huffed at me. “And you can forget about us fixing Juggernaut or the Gran Torino. They're toast! We don't have the materials to put them back together again! And don't even get me started on the warehouse!” he yelled at me. I shook my head.

“It's not why I'm here,” I told him and he just laughed in my face.

“Spare us, we're not afraid of death anymore. You've pretty much ruined our lives, ruined everything... we-have-nothing anymore. NOTHING! Look! Look at this place! After that court trial, our contracts pretty much bailed. Nopony wanted anything to do with us. We barely have enough to get by anymore!” he yelled at me, Lassie taking a cautious step back.

“I'm sorry,” I answered and the two just laughed.

“Oh really?! You're sorry... I didn't think you had to be sorry. I thought we were at fault. That's why you crippled me, right?!” Flam snapped.

“Flam... Flim... from the bottom of my heart, however dark and fucked up it may be, I'm sorry,” I told them as I went to rest a hand on Flam's shoulder, whom quickly swatted away my outreach to him.

“I don't want your apologies! I don't want your pity... I don't want anything to do with you!” he screamed. I looked down and nodded.

“Okay... but will you at least accept an old man's apology?” I asked. “Not so that I can feel better about myself, but just so that...” I slowly rested my hand on his shoulder and Flam scoffed.

“Fine! I accept your apology and I forgive you! Now get out and never come back!” he screamed at me. My hand became coated in a dark blue aura and Flam's eyes went wide. “W-what do you think y-you're doing!” he screamed just as most of his body was coated in the same magical blue aura.

My eyes closed and time seemed to stop for just a moment before I felt a spine shattering pain in my back that dropped me to the floor, Flam quickly wheeling himself back but in his haste, tipped his wheelchair.

“I KNEW IT! I KNEW IT WAS SOME KIND OF TRAP!” Flam screamed as he scampered to all fours. “Get out! GET OUT NOW!” He yelled at the top of his lungs, Flim jumping forwards.

“BROTHER!” he called out in joy, his happy tone catching Flam off guard. “Look! You can walk!” Flim clapped in joy, Flam quickly taking notice he had stood right up, no longer paralyzed from the grueling spinal injury Derreck had dealt him.

“I CAN WALK!” Flam rejoiced as the two began to dance around and sing joyfully. “Eva... Evan?” Flam called out, but I was no longer in the garage. He rushed out and took a look around but noticed I was nowhere to be seen. “He... he's gone...” Flam muttered to himself before slowly walking back inside, thinking to himself.

Lassie and I began to sneak away, both of us inside a very large pink box. “Was this really necessary?” Lassie asked and I nodded.

“They'll either come around or continue to resent me. Either way... ugh...” I groaned in slight back pain. My healing factor had allowed my to recover from the injury but at a much slower rate than when I had been younger.

After just a few moments of shuffling along in the box, we tossed it aside and began to traverse through the heated desert. “Can't you just teleport us back home? I mean... I know it feels like a punt in the cunt, but it sure as shit beets the heat,” she asked but I shook my head.

“I'm a little exhausted... don't worry, we'll be home before you know it. Maybe we'll have a barbecue out back. Cook up some corn on the cob, maybe some potatoes and mushrooms?” I asked patting her on the head as we walked through the empty desert...

I leaned back in the lawn chair, the sweet aroma of friend potatoes filling my nose. Pulling out a pen, I scribbled some things down into a booklet, Lassie looking over. "You write?" she asked but I shook my head.

"Twilight asked me to write everything down in a journal, so I didn't forget. That way, someday, we'll read it and go over all the hell we... mostly she, put up with," I told her, letting out a soft exhale as I listened to the conversations happening around me, minding that I should be watching my language. The Cutie Mark Crusaders were here, Spike... and Lassie, whom was working the barbecue. I set the small booklet aside and changed it for a whiskey bottle with an apple stamp on it

I tipped back a glass of potent whiskey that Big Mac had given me some time ago, Applebloom giving me a look. “Hey... ain't that the same stuff muh big brother makes?” she asked, noting the bottle I was drinking it out of.

“Yeah... reckon it is,” I mused with a faint smile. “He makes some pretty good cider,” I said, a bubbly burp leaving my mouth directly after I said it.

“Can ah have some? Big brother never lets me have any, says ah'm too young still,” she asked in a very polite way, the others all looking to me and asking for some too.

“Mmm... best not,” I said, figuring it best not to give younglings alcohol, which would only give Applejack even more reasons to resent me would she ever find out.

“Awww, why not?” Applebloom pouted, myself shrugging as I sighed.

“Uhh... tell yah what, when you get older, I'll let you have some, alright?” I offered, the young filly, along with the other two, giving me a frown.

“That's what Rainbow Dash always says as well,” Scootaloo muttered, a chuckle escaping my mouth just as Lassie looked over her shoulder.

“Thought you didn't drink, there Straight Edge,” she commented, making me shake my head.

“I don't,” I replied back, Lassie snickering while the others looked to me and Spike speaking all their minds.

“So... then why drink?” he asked, myself swallowing as I thought about Echo. I had tried so hard my whole life to prove myself to my mother and never had a father... my whole life all I wanted was a parent who loved me... and how I now resented who my real mother was yet... here I was, in a way, pushing away a mare I had gotten pregnant because...

“Figure I better try a few bad habits before my kid grows up. Make sure they don't end up bad,” I answered bitterly, hating myself. As I sat there, I swished my drink around a little before taking another generous sip and setting it aside. “Jeez Lassie, how long does it take to fry up some potatoes and chard?” I asked in a teasingly grumpy voice.

“About as long as it took you to realize Twilight wasn't your mother, dingus,” she commented back, getting a chuckle from everyone, including myself. As I sat there, I heard a vivid giggle which got my attention. I looked over to see Sweetie Belle blushing heavily as she laughed in a very feminine way about something Spike had said.

“You know Spike...” I grunted, catching his attention. “You've got a beautiful, wonderful, cute little filly just your age... pretty much gushing over you. Now... if you don't hurry up and ask her out on a date, I'm going to,” I told him, the two of them giggling as Spike took Sweetie Belle's hoof in his claw.

“Too late,” he said with a smile, myself perking a brow as Sweetie Belle told me the rest.

“Yeah. He asked me to go with him to a festival out in Manehatten. Well, we're all going, but he asked me specifically to go with him. We're also going to meet up with Babs Seed there,” she informed me, myself perking a brow.

“Jeez... Manehatten'ssh a far wayss a way,” I told them, feeling the alcohol slurring my speech a little.

Spike nodded as he spoke. “Yeah, I know. We're catching the train tomorrow,” he told me, myself frowning.

“Well damn. A train isn't a very romantic way to go on your first date. All those other ponies and such,” I told him, Spike shrugging.

“Well... I didn't really have enough money for anything else and I didn't want to ask anypony else for the money to go, you know?” he asked and I just laughed as I cursed under my breath.

“Shit... you shoulda just told me. You could go in Cadance,” I told him, Spike shrugging it off.

“Nah, it's all right. I wouldn't ask you to drive us all the way there and back,” he told me but I quickly waved it off.

“No you twit. I meant you drive. Take your fillyfriend there on a nice countryside drive to Manehatten. Go see a show together,” I told him, Spike looking to me with a shocked expression.

“In Cadance?” he asked in disbelief.

“Yeah. I mean gosh, I know it's not a Cadillac or royal carriage or anything like that but it's a lot nicer than-” he cut me short.

“You'd let me drive Cadance, all the way to Manehatten, without you?” he asked and I just shrugged like it was no big deal. “Cadance, the truck you hardly ever let anypony else drive?!” he stammered out and I just swished around my booze a little bit more before speaking.

“Yeah...” I paused as I turned my head slightly to look at my beautiful red truck, the one I did hardly let anypony else ever drive. “I'd let you drive Cadance...”

A pair of soft, rather wet, lips woke me up, pressed against my own. I jittered awake, shaking my head in wonder of what was happening.

The kids had all left an hour or two ago, myself making sure I went over a few things with Spike, getting extra fuel for the road from Flim and Flam, giving them extra money and... Flim and Flam may still hate me, but I'm not sure they'd hate the kids.

“BWAH! WHAT?!” I gasped, Lassie cackling as she sat back down.

“Well, I would've woken you up with a blowjob. I hear stallions like that, but I'm not sure you'd respond well to that. Even though you do have a raging erection,” she laughed as I squirmed in my chair to hide the boner that had arisen during my drunken nap.

“Muh... yeah...” I let out a sigh. “Goddess alive, I hope I become a good father,” I mumbled to myself, Lassie smiling.

“Hey, if it's any consonance, I'd be honored if you were the father of my children,” she quipped, making me groan.

“Ugh... that's a disturbing thought... no offense,” I told her, making her laugh.

“It's all good. Twenty percent of the readers chose parental incest over me,” she informed, myself perking a brow.

“What?” I asked, wondering what the hell she was talking about.

“N-nothing, don't worry about it,” she laughed. “I won't take it to heart.”

I leaned back in my seat and looked to Lassie. “Can I tell you something... really serious?” I asked, Lassie nodding as she mowed down some fries.

“Yeah... oh hey, I woke you up cause the fries are getting cold,” she told me, myself nodding as I looked to her.

“Derreck... I mean, I guess me but under a-” she cut me short.

“Just call him Derreck. I understand what went on with you,” she told me casually.

“He got a mare knocked up during one of our adventures. I'm not sure whether or not it was intentional but... she came to see me today,” I told her, Lassie looking to me with huge eyes.

“WOAH! REA... I mean, go on,” she urged me to continue.

“I... she thought that there was some really special connection between her and me... err, Derreck, and I dunno whether or not she thought we'd be together and raise a happy family or-” Lassie cut me short.

“So what happened?” she interrupted.

“I... I kinda froze. I told her it was Derreck and that I... well, that he's dead and I just... I have my own family, you know?” I asked, Lassie's face going pale as she heard my words.

“Woah dude... that's harsh,” she told me and I nodded.

“Was I wrong? I mean... after what I've been through, to do that to a-” she cut me short.

“Dude, listen. I'm not real good with this shit. I mean, I forced you and Twilight into a super unhealthy relationship that just barely squeezed by. What happened was because of Derreck. That won't make you like your mother. You're not gonna be berating this child but, I guess you won't be there to do it so... I mean, you didn't want it and didn't have any input on it happening so you shouldn't be held accountable and... like I said, I'm not an expert so I don't know what to tell you... is that why you're drinking tonight?” she asked and I nodded in return. There was a long pause before she spoke.

“Man... that's really heavy... so anything else aside from Flim and Flam happen today?” she asked and I just shook my head.

“No... oh wait... yeah, I got some mail from Derpy...” I said as I pulled the envelope from my shirt pocket. Opening it up, my eyes quickly went wide as I looked upon a photo. “Oh shit..."

“What? WHAT?!” Lassie asked as she rushed over, hunching over my shoulder as we both looked over the photo. A mare was tied up, duct tape over her mouth. Her blue eyes were wide and terrified. The mare was Daring...

Author's Notes:

Buddum-tssh. I know I wrote that Celestia would be in this chapter but it's just turning out to be wayyyyy longer than I expected so I'm gonna crack it into like two chapters. Promise to have it out by this weekend, unless some act of god makes it not happen.
Oh yeah, and statistics show that %20 more people chose Parental Incest over sex with Lassie in that one story for Mother's day, so there's that. Be easy everyone... err, no...
Cheers eh!
(That's better)