I wake up in a blank place. I look around and confirm that I'm in consciousness, though I don't think I'm in my own. It just... feels foreign. I get onto my hooves and look around again. There's literally nothing here. No memories, no Soul Fire, I can't even tell if I'm standing on something there's just... empty whiteness.

I MUST SPEAK WITH THE-

"SWEET FUCKING JUMP-SCARES! Is it impossible for you to not sneak up on people?" I ask as I try to calm down. The blue soul fire before me doesn't respond as it waits patiently. "Fuck.... what's going on then?"

I MUST SPEAK WITH THE YOU. IT IS URGENT

"Can't you just tell me? Wouldn't he hear it anyway?" I ask. Soul Fire hovers there for a second before flying at me, knocking me out instantly.

I blink back to consciousness from the sound of panicked hooves moving around me. I lift my head up and look around, finding myself in my mind with Luna running back and forth. She looks extremely worried and goes between several different memory panels. I sit up and rub my head as I try to register what just happened.

"This doesn't make sense!" Luna fumes as she runs around me, not even noticing that I've woken up.

"What happened?" I ask as I get to my hooves. "What was that all about?"

"Why are we here!? Why here!? It's usually in Miles's mind, why?" Luna says as she goes to one of the memory panels and watches it for a moment. I walk up beside her and watch it as well. It's nothing I've ever seen before. It's of Luna speaking to crying Celestia.

"We're in your mind? Finally, now we don't have to go over all of my depressing shit!" I cheer sarcastically, getting a glare from Luna. "What?"

"Can we please just leave? There are some things I'd rather not look back on." She says nervously as she eyes the other panels.

"Like what?"

"Like my being Nightmare Moon." She says flatly as she glances to the panel behind her.

"Oh... yeah, good point. Well, you know what we have to do then." I say as I step closer to her. She leans up and gives me a quick peck on the lips. After a moment of nothing happening she begins to get antsy.

"Why didn't that work?"

"Well, it was a little weak." I suggest, getting her to sigh in defeat.

"Well... sorry, I'm just... not in the mood to step it up right now. Sorry."

"It's alright. But what has you so worked up?" She nervously glances back to a panel to the right, so I walk over to it and look it over. It's a dark room. Nothing is really happening, though I think Luna is stuck in the center. A door opens in the back opens and a figure walks in.

"Can we leave this area at least." Luna asks nervously. I look back to her and nod. We begin to walk down the hall of memories together in complete silence. I can't help but stare from panel to panel, getting glimpses of her past. Fields of grass rolling in the wind, shadows on walls, legions of Lunar Guards facing off with Solar Guards, all meaningless to me, but effecting Luna greatly.

"Do you want to talk about it?" I ask, getting her to look away. "Luna, you don't have to worry about it. I'm here if you want to talk, but if you don't want to you don't have to." We continue on for a few minutes before she finally comes to a stop. "Luna?"

"I was trying to surprise you by turning myself into a human." She tells me quietly.

"... Outpost Zero."

"Yeah... but it didn't work."

"Is that what really has you worked up? Luna, it's not that big of a deal. I-"

"No, it's not just that. It's... well, I don't know. I did it with you in mind, but..."

"But?" I ask as I move to face her. She sighs as she looks over to a panel to my right.

It starts out with a couple of bright flashes before Celestia is sent flying down through he air, crashing into a stone castle. Luna flies after her, hooves forward, horn glowing, every intent on killing her older sister as she lays against a large stone orb. Then a bright light, then... nothing. Darkness.

"... Luna, please tell me why you wanted to be human. For real." She sighs again as she looks back to me.

"Well, we're heading towards a new chapter in life- maybe. I don't want my past effecting our possible childs future. If I turn into a human, then we all get a new slate. You as an alicorn, an us as humans."

"Luna, just because you are in a new form doesn't mean you get a new start. You would still be Luna. Our child- that is totally on the way- will still have you as its mother... by the way, I'm calling it now, girl."

"Pffft, please. With the amount of masculinity you have, it's going to be a colt... IF IT HAPPENS!"

"It's going to happen."

"You don't know that! I barely started heat, it could have missed!" She yells as she gets in my face. I laugh at her a bit as I pull her in for a hug.

"No way, you're pregnant. And you know what? Whatever it is, we're going to love it more then anything, spend every possible moment with it as it grows up, and when it's old enough it will conquer the world. No matter what your past was." I tell her as I stroke her mane.

"... what was that last part?" She asks nervously.

"About your past? I'm just saying that-"

"No, before that."

"I assume that we'll love our child unconditionally, unless there are something you want to tell me-"

"NO! After that!"

"Hey! You signed on for the long haul! No opting out now-"

"UHG! Miles!" She sighs as she hits me. I laugh as I give her a squeeze and rub her shoulder.

"I was just kidding, but in all seriousness. A child with parents who lead some of the most influential and powerful nations in the world, the kid'll have some pull." Luna thinks about it for a moment before she slowly lays her head against my neck, eyes wide in realization.

"What have we done?" She asks fearfully.

"Doomed everyone."

"They won't stand a chance..."

"Nope!"

"Assuming it actually happens-"

"Why don't you think it happened!?" I ask as I pull her away to look her in the eyes.

"Why do you get to have all the fun? Who's to say I don't want to have another go soon?"

...

...

...

...

...

...

"Would it be weird to do it here?"

...

...

...

...

...

...

...

...

...

"A little.... but I don't see why not, do you want to?"

"Fuck yeah."

............................................................................................................................................................

I mumble a bit as voices in the distance begin to wake me. Something about... friendship having no use and... a recluse? What does a spider have to do with anything? I open my eyes and find myself below Twilight's bedroom room. I can see Twilight sitting in the middle of the room, dazed by something, as something slithers out of the top window. I didn't get a good look at it, but I know I saw something.

"Twi- Mom? What's going on?" I ask as I sit up. Twilight blinks a few times before looking back to me, putting on a nervous smile as she holds and pets her tail.

"Wrong?! Nothing's wrong! The only thing that's wrong is the lack of things being wrong! That's what! Oh no! I yelled at you, I'm so sorry! Please forgive me! Please don't leave and take all of my friends to tell Celestia that I've failed at my duties of friendship and force me to repeat magical kindergarten where I'll turn back into a social recluse and-"

"TWILIGHT!" I yell, getting her to stop and hold onto her tail for dear life. "What are you talking about? Kindergarten? Celestia? Social what now? What's wrong?" She looks around nervously as she continues petting her tail.

"... nothing. It's'... it's nothing. Sorry, I just... it was just... nothing. Are you hungry? I can make you something to eat if you are," she offers. I stare at her for a moment before getting up to my feet. Twilight doesn't usually lie. Not that she can't, but... still.

"Twilight, you're starting to weird me out. Please just tell me what's wrong and I'll help you fix it. Please." She stops petting her tail and looks up to me, looking fairly angry.

"I told you it's nothing Spike! Why would it be anything!? I am your mother and I will not tolerate you questioning me like this, understand me?!" She says in a firm voice as she stands and marches towards me. Despite the height difference, I can't help but shy away from her. I made her mad... oh no...

"MOM! Please, I'm sorry! Look, I'm dropping it now! That conversation never happened! Just promise me that you'll never leave me okay! I'll do anything you want, just don't leave." I beg her, eyes watering up as I wait for her to respond. Please don't send me away. Please don't say you don't love me anymore. Where would I go? What would I do?

"Fine, I'll let it go, this time. Just don't do it again." She warns me before heading downstairs. I let out a sigh of relief as I follow after her. "If your loved ones become angry, your life will become empty."

"When your friendships have no use, your life will become that of a recluse."

.............................................................................................................................................................

I walk up to the fridge and pull out an apple soda. It's a bit warm today and a nice cold beverage sounds good to me. I try to twist the top off, but find it a bit difficult to do so. Huh, normally these things come off easily, what the-

"OKAY-OKAY-OKAY! WORST DISGUISE EVER!" I yelp as I drop the talking soda bottle. It shatters into thousands of pieces before swirling up into Discord. His head is twisted backwards, but with a ear splitting crunch he pulls it back to the correct spot. "UUUUUUhg, well, I didn't plan that part through well enough-"

"DISCORD! What in tarnation are y'all doin here! Ah thought we turned ya back inta stone!" I yell as I back away from him.

"Hmm? Oh, yes, about that. I got better. Now, a simple message to you and I'll be on my way-"

"Ah don't wanna hear it!" I yell as I turn away from him.

"Oh well, I guess Hammer will have to die for nothing then. Forget I said anything then. See you at the funeral-"

"Wait! What? What gonna happen ta Hammer?" I ask as I turn back to him.

"Oh, just that-"

"And no funny business, ya hear me! I jus wanna know what happens ta Hammer!" I warm him as I paw at the ground. He rolls his eyes, having them fall out and into his claw.

"Fine then, no funny business." He says as he rubs his eyes against his chest and sets them back in his head. "I'm just here to warn you that a massive fight between Terradisia and Equestria is coming and your little lover boy is going to be caught in the middle of it."

"What? Now ah know that's a lie. Why would we get inta a fight? What are ya plannin Discord?!" He chuckles as he begins to melt into the cracks into the woodwork.

"Do I look like a guy with a plan Honest Applejack? A word of advice though, to save your jailbait, move your family reunion to Appleoosa and invite him. He'll go, don't worry about that." And with that he slips away beneath the house.

".... HE'S NOT JAILBAIT! HE'S THIRTEEN! THAT'S LEGAL!" I yell at the floor.

"Uh... what?" Applebloom asks from the living room doorway.

"Nothing... I was..."

"Yelling at the floor." Hammer says as he walks in.

"Hammer! What are ya'll doin here?!" I ask as I step over where Discord was, trying to hide.... nothing.

"And here I thought I would get a warm hello and maybe even a kiss on the cheek." He says jokingly as he steps towards me. "I guess Scootaloo was right."

"No she wasn't! That chicken was just yappin on!" Applebloom yells as she runs over to me and tries to push me towards Hammer. "Now... Apple... jack.... ya'll greet yer.... special... somepony.... properly... why aint... ya'll movin!?" I lift my leg, making Applebloom fall over. I hear some giggles and look over to see Scootaloo and Sweetie Bell hiding behind the couch in the living room.

"What's going on?" I ask Hammer.

"I Pinkie Promised not to say-"

"FOREVER!" Pinkie yells as she pops out from the fridge, scaring all of us half to death. Wasn't I just there!? When did she get in?!

".... anyway... Hammer, can we talk? ALONE!" I say as I look to Applebloom. She salutes me and runs for the couch, where she hides with her friends. I swear, that girl-

"Before you ask, I was hanging out with your sisters friends because they made me their den mother for the Cutie Mark Crusaders. Nothing out of the ordinary happened."

"... ah believe ya, but that's not what ah wanted to talk to ya about."

"OH THANK GOD! By the way, I'll fix the barn while I'm here, promise."

".... anyway, ah wanted ta invite ya ta the Apple Family Reunion. Ah know there are quiet a few Apples that would like ta meet ya... and... ah'd like ta introduce ya as mah coltfriend. So... how 'bout it? Wanna come?" I ask as I feel my nerves begin to get the best of me. I can't help but blush and avoid his eyes. It also doesn't help to have three fillies staring at me, mouths hanging open.

"Hmm.... that depends. When is it?" He asks nervously.

"SERIOUSLY!?" Sweetie Bell yells as she pops up from the couch. Applebloom and Scootaloo pull her back down and resume their terrible stalking.

"It's actually in about a month-"

"A month... I think I should be able to do it. Yeah, I'd be down in Appleoosa before so it'll be tricky, I might be a little late-"

"Well, we can just have it in Appleoosa then-"

"WHAT?!" Applebloom, Granny Smith, Big Mac, and Hammer all yell at once.

"Applejack, what's going on? You're telling me that you're willing to move an entire family reunion just so I can make it? What's wrong?"

"Well.... it's just... ah think that a change in scenery would be nice-"

"The Apple Family Reunion has been in Ponyville since before this house was built. What has gotten inta yer head girl?" Granny asks as she steps into the kitchen, followed by my siblings.

"Ah... well... it's just... well, the thing is... it'll be... less chaotic there, is all." I say as I step away from them. Big Mac goes wide eyed and joins me at my side.

"Big brother, are ya'll seriously consideren this?" Applebloom asks.

"Eeyup."

"But... why? What's going on?" Hammer asks as he steps towards me.

"Jus... promise me ya'll be there. Please, promise me." I beg him. He stares into my eyes for a moment before sighing.

"Fine, I'll be there, but I expect answers... and protection from any family members that might try to drill odd questions from me."

"Deal!" I say as I spit onto my hoof and hold it out to him. He gives it a questioning look before shaking it lightly, slightly disgusted by my saliva. "We'll have to work on that though."

"So what's going on?" He asks as he shakes he hoof free of spit.

"Ah'll tell ya in Appleoosa."

"But-"

"Ah said ah would tell ya, but ah never said when. Ah sorry fer tricking ya, but ya just have ta trust me on this. It's really important ta me." He gives me a disappointed look but nods along.

"Anypony here mind tellin me why we're gonna move the family reunion all the way down ta Appleoosa?" Granny asks. "Some ponies can barely afford the tickets here."

"Ah can help wit that." Big Mac says as he steps forward. I look back to Hammer and try to smile to him, but can see his discomfort easily. I know this is odd, but... Discord didn't lie.

Next Chapter: Chapter 183 Back To Work Estimated time remaining: 34 Hours, 45 Minutes