Before I leave Miles's room I turn back to the pile of ash and stand at attention.

"Storm?" Twilight asks before I start to salute. She waits quietly for me to finish, bowing her head slightly in respect.

"Semper miles, semper amicus meus." I say before shutting the door to his room. I take one final breath before turning and heading down the stairs with Twilight by my side.

"Storm?"

"I can't explain it, but... I'm okay." I say with a slight smile. "Like... I don't know, it's hard to explain really. I'm still riled up from not knowing about the past two months, but Miles... it just seems..."

"Right?"

"No, that's not it. Like... hmm. Like somethings off. If he turned to ash, why are the bed sheets still there?" I ask as we stop at the bottom of the stairs. Twilight thinks about it for a moment before shrugging.

"It's hard to say Storm. It's human magic, something we understand very little about," she reasons. I sit down and try nod to her reasoning. No sense in trying to think about something I don't understand. "You need cheering up." Twilight says as she sits before me.

"Twilight, maybe in a bit. Right now... there's just a lot going through my mind. You're an alicorn. Miles is gone, leaving me in charge of the Spartans and the Terradisians. Two months are gone from my memory, and- what are you doing?" She doesn't answer me as she grabs my hooves and presses them against her lower stomach.

"If you just lost something truly precious, what would be the next best thing?" She asks me, a smile quickly growing on her face. I feel her tummy a bit more as I begin to piece it all together.

"You... you're... you're-"

"We're going to have a baby." She tells me, laughing slightly as her smile doubles in size.

"Twilight that's... that's... come here!" I say as I pull her in for a hug. I squeeze her in my arms as we both laugh in joy. A baby, I'm going to be a dad!

...

...

...

... oh...

...

...

...shit.

"Everything alright?" Twilight asks as she breaks our hug.

"Yeah, it's just that... this kid is going to have some pull." I say as I think about the possibilities.

"What do you mean?"

"I mean, you're the leader of Equestria."

"Yeah... and?"

"And I'm the leader of Terradisia as well as the Spartans." I tell her, letting her figure it out.

"Oh... OH! Oh... my. That means-"

"Yeah."

"But then-"

"I know."

"So which-"

"We're equal, according to both sets of laws. So..."

"This foal will have some pull." Twilight says dreadfully as she looks away from me, deep in thought. I lean in and kiss her on the cheek, getting her to look back to me.

"Lets just raise it right, and teach it to make the right choices. Deal?" She smiles and gives me a peck on the lips.

"Deal. Let's go home then, we have a lot of planning to do." I shake my head as I stand with her. We walk over to the door and open it to find Easy standing there, moments away from opening the door as well.

"Easy? Oh yeah, you're suppose to tell me something from Miles when he... well, you know. Relay the message for me please." I ask him. He stands there for a moment before walking past me, standing in the center of the front room. He stares straight up at the ceiling, right where Miles' room would be. "Easy?"

"May I have your autograph?" He asks as he turns to us.

"No. Easy, the message, please." I beg as I step towards him.

"May I have your autograph?" He repeats.

"Easy. Listen closely. The message from Miles, please tell me it. Please." I beg. He stands there for a moment, processing my request-

"May I have your autograph?" I practically yell in frustration from his reluctance to answer me.

"Storm, maybe he's broken or just slow to pick up on it. Lets just go home and come back another time." Twilight says as she nudges me towards the door. I reluctantly head out with her, hearing Easy ask the question at least two more times as we go. Once we're clear of the stone house, I let my mind wander back to fatherhood.

"So, filly or colt?" I ask Twilight.

"Hmm... I say filly." Twilight says.

"Five bits says it's a colt." I say as I step a bit ahead of her.

"Oh? And what makes you say that?"Twilight asks as she catches up with me.

"Think about it. My parents had two colts. Your parents had a colt first. First born colts run in our genes. Face it, a colt is brewing in there." I say as I nuzzle Twilights stomach, making her blush and push me away with her wing.

"Storm." She says in embarrassment. I just laugh along and guide her home, keeping the conversation on our future foal. She was right to say this would cheer me up. A foal. I'm a dad. Nothing could make me happier right now. I'm going to be a father! And it'll most likely be a colt... not that I wouldn't love it any less if it was a filly. It's just... colts are easier, for stallions. Like... I dunno, be a stallion and have a colt on the way. You'll get it.

When we make it to the library I rush forward and open the door for Twilight. I don't want her stressing herself any more than she needs to. ESPECIALLY after what happened last time... not thinking about that right now. Happy thoughts only. Future colt, sport meets, flight lessons, teaching him to defend himself. Happy. Thoughts. Only.

"Storm, why don't you put your armor in the closet while I go gather my supplies to make lists. I've got to get you caught up on everything that's happened so far and get you ready for all the parenting classes." Twilight say as she begins to head up the stairs.

"Got it." I say as I move over to the closet. I open the doo-

SLAM

"AH!" I yell as the door forces itself shut, smacking me in the face. "HEY! WHO'S IN THERE!?" I yell as I try to push the door open.

"Storm!? What's going on?" Twilight asks as she comes running down the stairs.

"There's somepony in the closet! GET OUT OF THERE!" I yell as I put all of my weight into the door. "COME ON! COME... OUT... OF... THE... CLOSET!"

"I'M NOT IN THE CLOSET!" I flop on the floor when the pony inside yells back to me. I blink a few times before looking over to Twilight, seeing her equally shocked expression. I slowly get back to my hooves and look back to the wood door.

"... no... no, you... you died. You turned to ash... you-"

"Are not in here, so go away!"

"MILES! YOU ASS! WE ALL THOUGHT YOU WERE DYING! GET THE BUCK OUT OF THE CLOSET AND-"

"I'M NOT HERE! PLEASE LEAVE A MESSAGE AND I'LL NEVER RESPOND!" Miles yells back, cutting Twilight off.

"Miles! How are you-"

"BEEEEEEEEP! GO AWAY! NO ONE IS HERE!" He yells again.

"I knew it, I bucking knew it! I knew you were still alive. How? How did you pull it off? Did you find some more bracers? Of maybe some-"

"GO! AWAY!" He yells as he slams what I assume are his hands against the door.

"Okay, I've had enough of this. I'm going in there Miles-"

"Twilight hold on." I say as I set a hoof on her shoulder, stopping her from charging her horn. "Let me talk to him, besides. He probably enchanted the room so we couldn't break in anyway."

"... yeah! Yeah, what he said. Enchanted the room, no getting in or out. Just... just leave me alone for a bit to sort this out. BY MYSELF!" He yells as he drop to the ground. Twilight looks between me and the door before sighing in defeat.

"Okay, I'll let you handle this. Just, please, get him out of the closet quickly. I have a thousand and five questions to ask him." She says as she adjusts her saddle bags on her hips, still eyeing the closet door.

"Don't worry, I'll get him out of there." I tell her as I try to think of ways to convince him to leave.

"Miles," Twilight yells to the door, "I'm glad you're still alive, really. Whatever has happened, it's a good thing. We'd rather have you alive than... a pile of ash. Whatever the problem is, just know that we're here for you, okay?"

"..."

"Miles?"

"... Twilight..." He says in almost a whisper.

"Yes Miles?" She asks as she steps closer.

"Do me a favor." He says, even quieter than before.

"Anything!" Twilight says eagerly as she steps closer.

"Go away." He says loud and clear.

"IT'S MY CLOSET! WHY DO YOU HIDE IN MY CLOSET ANYWAY!? MILES!? ANSWER ME MILES!" She yells as she starts to pound a hoof against the door, her mane and tail starting to flame up.

"TWILIGHT! THE BABY! CALM DOWN!" I yell as I begin to pull her away from the door.

"WHO THE FUCK WOULD EVER LOOK HERE? ALL YOU HAVE ARE CUSHIONS! JUST GO UPSTAIRS OR SOMETHING!" Miles yells back. Twilight starts fighting me as tries to get to the door, kicking and flapping her wings madly as she slowly begins to burn in rage.

"TWILIGHT!" I yell, getting her to glare at me.

"WHAT?!" She yells in a voice that echoes. After a brief moment pf pure fear I set her down and point upstairs, getting a bewildered look from her.

"Yelling isn't going to solve this. Just let me deal with it, I can talk to him... please. Give me a few hours, that's all I'm asking for." The last part comes out a little more pathetic than I intended, but helps calm her down.

"Fine, go talk to your coltfriend. I'm going upstairs and getting out of this dress." With that she turns and storms up the stairs, still pissed at Miles. I sigh as I move over to the door and sit against it. For a while I just wait patiently, waiting for him to talk to me.

After about an hour I begin to remove my armor. He's resilient, but I have all the time in the world. Once it's all off, Twilight makes it back down and tells me she has to discuss some things with Celestia. I tell her to take things easy and not to mention anything about Miles. Something has him freaked out, so the less ponies coming at him, the better. She agrees, and gives me a kiss before leaving.

"Bye Miles." She says as she stands at the door.

"..."

"Miles... I said-"

"If you see Luna... tell her... tell her..." I can hear him to try and find the words, but still having trouble doing so.

"Tell her what?" Twilight asks quietly as she steps closer. We share a look before both leaning in to hear what he has to say.

"Tell her... never mind. I'll tell her... soon... maybe... eventually... I'm not here." Twilight rolls her eyes and walks out of the library. With her gone, I sigh as I stand and face the door.

"You ready to step out of the closet Miles?" I ask quietly.

"... but I'm not in the closet," he says quietly.

"Right. How about we just open up with some dialog then?"

"..."

"How long have you been in there?"

"..."

"Miles? How long have you been in the closet?"

"... twenty six hours... give or take." I smile a bit when he finally answers. Okay, all I need to do now is get him to lower his guard and force myself in there. He's been in there for a day now, he has to be hungry. If that doesn't work, the next plan will be to make him have to use the restroom. It's been a day, running water will be useful.

"Okay, so you've been in there for over a day now. Don't you need to use the restroom? Aren't you hungry?"

"I... I.. well... I ate before hiding in here... from your fridge." He admits.

"That's alright. Do you want anything else? Maybe something to drink? You don't even have to come out, just open the door and I'll slide it in there."

"No! No... I'm fine, the door doesn't need to be opened! Just... just back off!" He yells, slamming his hands onto the door again.

"Come on Miles, sooner or later you're going to have to leave-"

"How about later?! Why can't it be later?!"

"Miles-"

"Just another day!?"

"Miles."

"Twelve hours?"

"Miles!"

"Six hours!?"

"MILES!"

"COME ON! THIS ISN'T FAIR! WHY ME!? WHY? DON'T YOU HAVE A PREGNANT WIFE TO ATTEND TO? Just... just... go-"

"Miles, if you tell me to go away I'm going to break down this door. Even if I have to hollow out this tree to do so. Deal?"

"... no?"

"MILES!"

"COME ON! HOW ABOUT ICY VOID TRAINING LATER?"

"That's it, I'm breaking in." I say as I go and retrieve my sword.

"WHAT!? NONONONONONONO, don't do that! Please! Please? I said please-"

"I'm going to test the door first, back away from it." I warn him as I hold my sword in my hooves. "On three-"

"Wait! WAIT, just... wait!"

"Two-"

"Come on! Go tend to Twilight or something! I like it in here! Please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please,PLEASE just leave me alone. Please." By the end he's practically crying from begging so much.

"Damn Miles... what happened to you?" I ask as I lower my guard a bit. "It's as if you're an entirely new pony-"

"DON'T CALL ME THAT ASSHOLE!"

"THAT'S IT! YOU ARE COMING OUT OF THE CLOSET WHETHER YOU LIKE IT OR NOT!" I yell before slicing at the door. A perfect line goes across it, breaking it open with total ease. "You liar! It wasn't enchanted at all! Why-"

KER-PUNCH

...

...

...

...

"Dad?" A distant voice asks.

"Imma be a dad." I slur as I slowly begin to regain consciousness. After a few head spinning moments I finally get my control of my thoughts.

"Dad, what happened? Who punched you?" Spike asks me as he kneels beside me.

"Spike? Where did you get the clothes?" I ask him. He's wearing a long black jacket that ends in white with black pants and a white shirt, along with a red scarf. He's just as big as I remember him being, but definitely put some more muscle mass on.

"Where do you think? What happened? Why is the door destroyed?" He asks me as he helps me to my hooves. I waver a bit as my head continues to spin, but stay standing somehow. "What hit you?" I raise a hoof to my cheek and slowly rub the large bruise there. I think back to my encounter and try to piece it all together, slowly getting the foggy images to clear up.

"Something... something green. Spike! Come with me!" I yell as I quickly throw everything into the closet and begin to run outside, finding it be night time now. I shake my head a bit before taking to the air and flying towards Miles' house.

"What? Okay, what's going on though? What are we doing?" He asks as he flies along with me.

"We have to gather all of the Spartans, lets go!" Miles, you crafty asshole. And here I thought having a foal was going to be the difficult part.

Shout out to Shinedownman for deciding how long Miles was in the closet. Thanks for reading and like always,

Brony on!

P.S. I will be doing a lot of playing around with the titles. Be sure not to miss them.