“So, what’s happened in your household recently, Rick?” Celestia smiled as we sat in her chambers opposite a table

“Not much” I shrugged

“Please, enlighten me” she winked

“Well, I may or may not have gotten a new house-guest” I bit my lip, she sipped her tea

“Oh?” she raised an eyebrow “and how’ve you done that, my dear eon?”

“Blaze mentioned a clock shop, to which I visited said shop,” I sighed “the mare who ran said shop offered me a clock for fifty bits, also asking me for an invitation in my herd”

“And that brings us to now?” she giggled, in nodded

“Perhaps a new roommate will do you good, Rick” she nickered, finishing her tea “How much did you give her anyway?”

“A couple of thousand” I chuckled

“Charitable and generous, you really are an extraordinary being, whether you choose to deny or not is up to you, Rick” she smiled “May I ask you something? Sir Knight?” I nodded “what would be the first thing you’d do if I suddenly went missing, or changed personality, all within the blink of an eye?”

“If you changed personality, I’d start missing the Princess Celestia that I fell in love with,” I grinned “and if you went missing, I’d ask Luna to join me in a planet-wide search for you, you know that a knight is and always will be loyal to their princess and/or kingdom, Cellsy”

“And what if I were to be transported to another dimension, or be taken off-Equis?” she raised an eyebrow

“Well then,” I sighed “I’d just have to make the impossible possible, however that might be done, with whatever means might, or might not, be necessary,” I went on “come hell or high water, I’d scour to the ends of time, space and the entire universe to find you, Lady of the sun”

“Rick…” she stared at me, placing her tea down on the table “You’ve no idea how much those words mean to me” she teleported beside me, draping both her arms and wings around me, embracing me, nuzzling into me as she did so

“Oh, that reminds me,” I glimmered, bringing the heart-gem out from my inventory, handing it to her

“What’s this,” she blinked, staring at the gem in her hand as it gave off a small prismatic aura

“Well, you know how I said I’d tear my heart out and hand it to you if I could?” she cast a moment’s glance toward me, and then back toward the gem “I found a way to do just that, your majesty”

“But what about your body?” she stared at me in horror, I changed to eon form, tapping the new chest symbol, which was in the shape of her cutie mark, that of the sun, tapping it lightly

“I’ll admit it’s both an original gift, as well as the strangest one I’ve ever received from anypony” she raised an eyebrow “what do I do with it?”

“Keep it, if you want” I carefully, albeit nervously, placed a hand on her cheek

-0=+=0-

So I had to dress like a whorse just to get your attention?:” Shining Armour was currently being berated by his new ‘marefriend;’ a white unicorn mare with a two-toned ‘electric blue’ mane and tail wearing a purple cape and a pair of aviator goggles around her neck “Honestly captain, you’re a pain in the flank sometimes” she sighed, currently sat beside me, my friends and family in the dining hall

“Insert ‘Kill-La-Kill’ reference here” I laughed Blaze choked on the muffin she was eating “though I think we already have”

“Did you have to do that?” Blaze chortled

“The option was there, so I took it” I shrugged the mare stared at me with a look of confusion that was as deep as the Mariana trench “you don’t want to know”

“So what’s this about having to dress like a... y’know?” I simpered, weakly

“Shining Armour and I’ve been attracted to one-another for a number of years, and not once has he paid me any affection!” the mare spat

“That’s not true,” Shining Armour scowled

“Really Shining Armour, really,” she snarled “list one time you’ve actually paid attention to my needs and desires, one bucking time!”

“I’ll give you ten seconds to apologize for that, before I demote you; or worse” he glared daggers at her

“People who use threats and violence to solve their own ideals are trash, those who do so against females are worse than trash,” I growled “and from the so-called ‘Captain of the guard’ no less

“And what makes you so much better?” he snapped

“One, I’m a brigadier, and two, I didn’t get where I am by making empty threats and gestures, I got to my current rank by doing what needed to be done, be it by following my orders or my heart” I smirked

“Brigadier, what’s that?” The mare blinked, holding out a hoof “I’m Pole Star, Your majesty”

“Well, put it one way, I’d like to see shiny over there skulk about whilst wearing armour that weighs roughly half a metric tonne” I grinned, which turned to a light frown “And technically speaking, I broke first-contact protocols when I came here, assuming I’m lucky they’ll just demote me, or if not, court martial me”

“So you broke the rules?” Shining Armour raised an eyebrow

“Some of them, but so far I’ve withheld all sensitive intel that I can, as there isn’t much I can share without ONI and/or UNSC officials handing my rear to me on a silver platter” (4PM ARC-V)

“ONI?” he blinked

“Classified” I winked

-=-

As we stood in the front gardens, there was an enormous thundering that shook the sky, followed by what sounded like all of reality being torn clean in half, that of which was followed by a great, if not gigantic, gunmetal-coloured, horizontal pillar-like structure falling out of the sky, heading toward the area due north of canterlot

“Mayday, Mayday!” a calm, yet somewhat panicked voice sounded from the pillar “this is the Captain of the UNSC Infinity” the voice continued “we're encountering an unknown gamma radiation-related gravimetric disturbance; we are without power and are on a collision course with an unidentified forerunner planet!” it finished

“Please tell me there’re no major settlements due north of here” I turned to Celestia, who weakly shook her head

“What was that?” Twilight shuddered

“The culmination of human achievement” Blaze grinned, glancing toward me “we best get moving toward that ship, the sooner we get there, the sooner we can get the area in lockdown, so to speak”

“Agreed,” I nodded, changing to eon form, Snowdrop taking her place upon my head once more, as she always did, Gracy Gloom lying along my neck, Winter Belle sat on my upper back whilst Blaze carefully situated herself on the lower back

-=-=-

When we got to the Infinity, I smiled, reverting to human form, Blaze landing on the ground as Gracy Gloom and Winter Bell clung onto my shoulders as I marched with my sister to the nearest form of entry

“This is Sierra Sigma-three-fifty-nine, please respond,” I bit my lip, the door opened and a slender, female Spartan with snow-white armour, minus the helmet, stepped forward, aiming an assault rifle at me, I raised my arms,

“Long time no see, Spartan” she nodded, lowering her firearm, glancing toward Blaze “I see your little sister’s grown a little” she smirked

“That she has” I smiled as a team of around five Spartans with pale grey armour slowly made their way into the outside, setting up a perimeter walking back to an as-of-yet unknown piece of equipment which was being worked on by a Spartan-III with full scout-variant armour

“Garret, that you,” I blinked, the Spartan glanced up at me, tilted his head

“Nice to see you alive and well also, Rick-o” he nodded, turning back to the piece of machinery

“Garret, I’m reading an extra friendly signal down there, everything Ok?” the voice from before, when the ship was in free-fall echoed from the gadget

“Sir you’re not gonna believe this, Rick’s back” Garret laughed, pressing a button on the touch-screen device that was currently being ‘tweaked’

“Please repeat, did you say that Sigma-three-fifty-nine is with us?” it responded

“Affirmative sir,” Garret nodded and he’s with what would appear to be natives of this world”

“Are they hostile?” the gadget gave a monotonous hum

“They’re ponies” he chuckled

“Come again, did you say ponies?” another voice -this one a tad more serious-, mumbled

“It’d appear so Lord Hood, sir” Garret nodded

“Have Sierra come to the bridge, and bring the aliens with him” the newer voice sighed “Rick, if you can hear this, I want you here on the double, is that clear?”

“Crystal, sir” I nodded

=-=-=

As we entered the Bridge the Spartan from before, alongside Garret and Blaze walking beside me as we walked into the room in question

“And here I thought things couldn’t get any more interesting” a man in his summer-autumn years raised an eyebrow he was wearing snow-white navy uniform with a cap to match it, the left side of his chest was riddled with medals “it’s god to have you back, General”

“General,” I blinked “why, or when did you promote me, not that I’m complaining sir” I saluted Lord Hood

“After you left, a few representatives from both the UNSC and ONI had a few words with us,” a second man, this one wearing an olive green and blackish-brown uniform with a pauldron on one shoulder with dark brown hair, black boots, the three stripes on his shoulders showing that he was at the rank of captain “turns out that you, somewhat posthumously got enough recommendations to be promoted to Brigadier General, sir” he smiled

-=-=-

“So, you’re telling me that this world’s untouched by the covenant remnant, and that there’re sentient ‘ponies’ upon its surface, such as those of which are upon your head and shoulders, General?” Lord Hood smiled

“As well as two in particular with the ability to raise the sun and moon respectively” I nodded “Sir, welcome to Equis”

“And I trust you enjoyed your stay, General Hawkins” Garret laughed again

“Besides the gamma-radiation-related gravimetric disturbance you encountered, which is no-doubt related to the existence of magic on Equis, it’s basically identical to Earth” I shrugged

“And what of your new appendages, sir?” he nodded toward my horns

“Magic” I rolled my eyes “seems to be the way to solve everything around here” just then, Celestia teleported into the room, standing beside me, draping a wing around me, and at that moment, everyone in the room took a large step backward

“I’d like you to meet Princess Celestia, co-ruler of Equestria, and monarch of the sun” I

“What is this place?” Celestia glanced around the room, all eyes were on her

“You’re on board th UNSC Infinity,” Lord Hood glanced toward me, I shrugged, he sighed “I also trust that you’ve not told them any sensitive material, Spartan?”

“Not a damn thing, other than my identity, where necessary, sir” I saluted

“At ease” I nodded, lowering my arm

“And you are?” Celestia raised an eyebrow, eyeing up and down Lord Hood

“Lord Hood,” he held out a hand, she shook it, albeit, somewhat reluctantly “Welcome aboard, Princess, he turned to face me “Sierra, you’re dismissed”

“There is another thing I’d like to add,” I bit my lip”

“What is it General?” he raised the other eyebrow

“We kind of met the creator of the universe itself, or so she claims” Blaze hummed

“Can you locate her, sir?” the Captain blinked

“No need” Lulania appeared via teleportation standing beside me opposite Celestia

“And with that I shall take my leave, if you’ll allow me, sir” I smiled#

“You’re dismissed” Lord Hood nodded

-=-

“That was interesting, general” Garret walked beside me as we walked to the unofficial ‘entrance’ of the Infinity

“That’s not even the weirdest thing that’s happened here” I winked

“But why can’t we enter, we just want to see our friend!” The sound of Rainbow Dash’s voice rang through the corridor, we turned around a corner, Twilight and her friends were stood alongside Cadance and Shining Armour

“I’ve told you once, I’ll say it again, unauthorized civilians aren’t allowed near UNSC material” the marine sighed

“Maybe we should just wait” Twilight sighed “Assuming that’s allowed?” the marine shrugged, the one stood on the opposite side of the entrance nodded as I walked toward the group

“At ease marine,” I rolled my eyes

“Yes sir” he saluted, quickly lowering his arm

“Never gonna get used to that promotion are you?” Garret chortled

“Like you can talk, colonel” I smirked

“I can talk, sir, “ I could tell her was grinning like an idiot behind his helmet “you’re the third highest ranking soldier in the UNSC, people are gonna start looking at you like a role model sooner or later”

“Third,” Twilight gasped “congratulations Rick”

“So, how high up the military food chain are you now?” Shining armour inquired

“Brigadier, General, though I sense I’m going to be labelled as ‘General’ from here on in” I sighed

What felt like an hour passed, before Celestia and Lulania teleported into view before us

“Is there any news Princess?” Twilight smiled

“The humans, the UNSC in particular,” Celestia glanced toward me for a moment “wish to build a settlement here; I’ve given them a suitable area on which to start building”

“Anything else,” Rainbow Dash landed beside me, nudging my leg with a hoof

“It would appear that they’ve to record Equis’ history, apparently marking it a ‘Priority one,’” Celestia turned to me “do you know what that means, General?” she smiled

“It means that it’s a top priority; and that the UNSC will defend this planet with everything they can give” I winked

“We’re defending ponies now, sir?” Garret tilted his head “not that I’m complaining, or anything, it’s just that I’d like to know when the fighting starts, if that’s alright with you, sir”

“I do believe that you’ll scarcely find any here, Colonel,” I smirked “rather, quite the opposite”

“I’ll be on the bridge if you need me” he sighed, walking back unto the infinity”

“Was that a machine?” Twilight blinked one Garret was out of earshot

“Nay,” I laughed “that was a Spartan, clad in armour, of course”

“How many ships like this are there?” Celestia glanced toward the hull of the Infinity

“Not many, I can’t say much else, what with most of it being classified” I shrugged

“So where’s your armour?” Twilight eyed me up and down, as if imagining the sight of me in Spartan-III Mk V (VI) armour

“Well for one thing, we’re on a mostly friendly planet, so I won’t need it, and for another thing, it hinders my abilities, and thirdly, it’d need to be modified” I pointed to my horns, then expanding my middle and lower set(s) of wings “that’d take roughly year to get here, give or take one or two months”

“I wonder what that’d look like” Rarity hummed

“Not that interesting to some,” I shrugged, again “so long as it keeps you protected and alive, I don’t think whoever’s got said armour shouldn’t really complain”

“What’s it made of?” Celestia smiled

“Not sure if classified or not”

“Your commander, Lord Hood was his name?” I nodded “has given me clearance to most, if not all classified material, in exchange for everything he wishes to know about Equis” she raised an eyebrow

“Seems fair enough” I smiled, back “the armour itself has multiple layers, first comes the helmet next comes the titanium-alloy outer shell, followed by the titanium nanocomposite bodysuit, which is then followed by the hydrostatic gel layer, then the reactive metal-liquid crystal layer, followed by the magnetic weapon holder strips, the energy shields the pressure seals, the automatic bio-foam injectors, the fusion reactor, force multiplier circuits, reactive circuits th power supply control unit, and then the Bios, which varies on which design of armour the user is wearing” I finished the somewhat sub-par lecture

“That’s rather complicated” she nickered

“Its twenty-sixth century technology, each Spartan costs as much as a small starship” I winked, again “I just need you to promise, that no matter how advanced Equis might get, that you won’t attempt to make your own”

“Might I ask why?” she raised an eyebrow

“If one country and/or kingdom sees another backing up its military force, they may mistake that act as a declaration of war,” I bit my lip “believe me Cellsy, I’ve seen it happen on many an event” I went on” and I think war’s the last thing you want”

“Thank you, Rick” she smiled again “we’re in your debt once again, General”

“Just doing my job, almost literally” I laughed

“You’re lucky,” Shining Armour grinned 2all we get is our skin, fur and steel-plate armour”

“Just use what you can to make the best of a bad situation” I tilted my head ever-so slightly

“I should also mention that, due to negotiations with Lord Hood, that our forces have somewhat intertwined” Celestia simpered

“You mean…?” he blinked

“We’re a part of the UNSC, and they’re also a part of our royal guard” Celestia nodded

“If that means what I think it does; then I can’t accept,” I sighed “I’m a leader of the UNSC military, not the royal guard, besides, I’d rather lead my brothers and sisters in arms, if that makes sense” I glanced toward Shining Armour “no offense, captain”

“I wouldn’t ask you to do something you’re not Ok with, General” Celestia pecked my cheek, the two marines present at the entrance to the warship awed at me

“Uh, sir?” one of the marines gulped audibly

“I know already” I raised an eyebrow

“Just checking, sir” he smirked

“No need soldier,” I shook my head

-=-=-

As we glided toward Ponyville -the Infinity now in geosynchronous orbit in the skies above ponyville-, landing outside on the front lawn, it didn’t take long for me notice what seemed to be an army of vines spreading from the forest, quickly wrapping themselves around everything in sight as they grew, more tentacle like vines bursting forth from the ground

Snowdrop, Winter Bell and Gracy Gloom quickly hid behind me

“I’ve seen enough weird shit to know where this’s going” I grumbled, Celestia having teleported herself and those of Twilight’s friends who couldn’t make the aerial trip to the town

“Discord…” Celestia spat as the draconequus appeared before us

“I’ve heard of sowing the seeds of destruction, but this is ridiculous!” everyone stared at me “plants, seed, eh?” Discord burst into laughter “But seriously now,” I turned to the others “if this is starting in the forest, then where’s Nyx?”

“Right here” Nyx appeared, also via teleportation, right before me, the vines now crawling across the earth toward her, only for her to quickly move behind me, the vines diverted away, instead opting for other targets

“So, they’re attracted to magic, yet they don’t like me,” I blinked “I’m guessing this has something to do with the elements?” I glared icy daggers toward Discord

“You’re wise for your age, eon boy,” the ‘lord of Chaos’ raised an eyebrow “I find that to be most interesting” I quickly fired a ‘purple flare’ arm behind me, wielding the Daybreaker, aiming at the chimera “What’re you doing?” he held up his hands defensively

“I figured since you’re the cause of all this chaos, we get to the root of the problem” I grinned

“All jokes aside” he chortled “how do you propose to do that?”

“Double medium” I grinned, aiming the Daybreaker with one hand, pointing it toward Discord quickly drawing the Dawnbreaker with the other, placing them side-by-side “Dragon soul!”

Suddenly a burst of energy erupted from both swords as they melded into one, with a handle, hilt and parts of the edge of the blade covered in what looked like divine gold-steel the rest of it being made of energy, the three symbols on either side of the bottom of the blade resembling Celestia’s cutie mark, a short thin delta arrow, and the symbol of an eon’s head and to ‘top it all off,’ so to speak; the blade itself measured in at around seven feet

“Kami no shinken; Shinsei danzoku!” I roared (Divine God’s Sword Nova-Breaker!)

“That’s incredible,” Celestia and Nyx awed at me as I raised the blade above my head, holding it with both hands

As I started concentrating, the blade released an incredibly great echo that rang like the thunder of the angels releasing a sub-par cataclysmic wave as it did so

At once, the vines began to disintegrate, the damage they’d done also began to reverse and repair itself, the holes in which the extra vines appeared from began to close and seal themselves, and a great tower of rainbow coloured light exploded forth from the canopy of the forest as I bought the blade down to my side

“Looks like this is getting more interesting by the day, ta-ta for now, Rick-o” Discord guffawed, fading from view as the new blade reverted into its separate parts

Dropping the blades, I collapsed flat on my face, my vision fading to black, again

=-=+-+=-=

When I awoke, I blinked, staring at the lavender-coloured ceiling of a somewhat familiar room

“That was incredible Daddy” Snowdrop nuzzled into me as I slowly sat upright, she was quickly followed by Winter Bell and Gracy Gloom

“Quite so” Blaze smirked as she stood by me, the princesses and Faust standing by her

“How did you know what to do to trigger your element again?” Celestia smiled

“I did what?” I blinked, again

“Cellsy says that by forming a ‘double medium,’ as you called it, you triggered your element, focusing into a more focused form of offense” Blaze raised an eyebrow, folding her arms

“I’ve no idea” I tilted my head “I just did what came natural”

“Perhaps therein lies our answer, thou just did what was natural to thee, hence, nature” “Luna nickered “Perhaps thou would like to try another time, when thy magic levels aren’t quite so... depleted”

“Maybe” I shrugged, she gave a soft laugh, magicking up a basket of various-sized gems, passing it to me, I quickly ate the gems in said basket, cleanly, but quickly, my magic levels feeling somewhat restored, I sat on the edge of the bed, Winter Belle climbing into place between my horns, Gracy Gloom and Snowdrop perching themselves on my shoulders, Snowdrop nuzzling into me, pecking my cheek

“Rick,” Celestia began “Whilst you were unconscious, Blaze asked me about how your wings grew through use of magic, and I admit, that I myself; was curious about the matter,” she bit her lip

“And,” I gave a slight smile

“on the connection between your middle pair of wings and your back lies, a fault, so to speak” she exhaled sharply “it defies all explanation, even our best magical scientists can’t work out as to how or why it’s there, let alone how it got there,” she pursed her lips into a thin line “can you think of anything that might’ve caused it?”

“Thinking about it, I did use alchemy to bring Faust back, something like that would require a price, it’s one of the most basic rules of alchemy, the law of equivalent exchanged, if you want something, then you have to sacrifice something of equal value” I raised an eyebrow, tilting my head

“You used what?” she gasped, everyone, minus Blaze, and my three daughters, stared at me in apparent horror

“Alchemy’s been forbidden ever since you, the old you, left us, so to speak, ever since then, alchemy has been outlawed across Equis, to think that you’d use it to bring mother back is…” Celestia frowned, tears clouding her eyes,

“I understand,” I stared at the floor,

“Do you?” she scowled “it’s because of alchemy that you were lost to us, and it us because of alchemy that Faust’s back!” she scolded me “do you not see the cruel irony in that, Rick?”

“I was lost to you, through means of alchemy,” I gawked at her, tears now streaming down her muzzle

“Most likely a modified ‘portal of truth,’ or so they’re called,” Blaze hummed “that’s the only way I can think of that you’d lose your powers and abilities of your old self, alongside your old memories, and all traded for another life, but there’s no way you’d do something that selfish, surely not!”

“I’m just wondering what materials you’d need to make an inter-dimensional portal from alchemy” I clicked my tongue

“It was powered by your element, Rick” Celestia glared daggers at me “you were taken from us, forced by a being whose power is almost insurmountable, and then, forced to trigger your element, also by that being, and then you were sent through the portal to Earth, or so I was told” she spat

“Rick, ain’t your power ‘near-insurmountable’?” Blaze unfolded her arms, I blinked

“I did that?” I quickly glanced toward Celestia, who merely raised an eyebrow “I’d never…!” I trailed off “when do you want me to leave?” Celestia tilted her head, her glare turning to expression of horror

“I never asked you to leave, Rick, I was simply stating the events of when alchemy was last used!”

“So you say, but I can see it in your eyes, I’d hate to be cliché, but I can tell” I sighed

“Rick wait-!” she blurted out, but I’d already changed to eon form -Blaze leapt upon my back as Gracy Gloom leapt in front of her, Winter Bell moving down to my neck as Snowdrop took her trademark position upon my head-, flying out of the room as fast as I could go without putting my passengers at risk, first through and out of the castle, and then toward Ponyville, reverting to human form when I got to the front lawn of ‘our’ ‘house’

-=-

As I sat outside with my family, it started raining, nothing serious, just a light  

“You’ll get a cold if you stay out like this” Rainbow Dash hovered before me, I glanced toward her, then looked back down, raising a wing above my head, also raising the three on my left over Snowdrop and Winter Belle, and them raised the other two on my right for Gracy Gloom

“Thank you Daddy,” the three ponies beside me chorused I unison

“You’re welcome, my little Snowflake, you also, my little Saving Grace and Winter Bell”

“So how come you’re out here in the rain when everypony else is inside, save applejack, who’s currently waiting for you down at Sweet Apple Acres?” Rainbow Dash blinked, landing in front of me

“I don’t want to talk about it” I grumbled

“You can tell me anything, I’m the element of loyalty after all!” she placed a hoof against her chest

“How far does that go?” I tilted my head

“I can keep a secret, even if ponies were to continuously ask, I’ll guard it with my life” she smirked

“I’m a traitor” she blinked “Celestia says that I can’t use alchemy because apparently I was selfish and used said alchemy to transport myself from here to Earth, and in trade for a new life, I lost my eon form, powers and abilities” I deadpanned, she stared at me

“That can’t be true,” she ground her teeth “you’re the complete, total opposite of selfish!” she boomed “you help any and everypony you meet, and Autumn Heart’s proof of that, Rick!”

I glanced to each of my family in turn

“You’d best get inside, little ones, I don’t want you falling ill” I smiled to each of my daughters

“See, that alone is proof that what she says is false!” Rainbow Dash blared, but only fell on deaf ears

Instead of replying, I turned to face Blaze

“Blaze, can you do me an enormous favour?” I bit my lip

“Take care of the little ones?” she sighed, I nodded “you’re a fool for doing this, but a noble fool, so to speak,” she nodded “I’ll guard them with my life, just as you would, no doubt, Brother” I smiled somewhat graciously, standing upright, slinging my rucksack over my shoulders, slipping it on, sheathing the Dawnbreaker, which was stood beside the Daybreaker against the wall, wielding the latter of the two, beginning to walk toward the forest, Rainbow Dash glided in front of me

“What’re you doing?” she scowled

“Leaving, now move” I frowned, she shook her head

“I refuse to let you do this to yourself, Rick” I quickly backhanded her, sending her sprawling, continuing the trek into and through the forest

+-=(-)=-+

As days passed, and gradually shifted into weeks, the trek through Equestria continued, on more than one occasion I had to evade capture by the royal guard, and almost twice I had someone following me from their village in hopes of joining me on my less-than exciting ‘adventure’

As I entered the next village I heard a trio of ponies talking

“Did you hear,” the first, a Pegasus mare with a black mane and tail, a snow-white coat, chocolate brown eyes, and a ring of stars surrounding a cloud for a cutie mark leaned toward her companions “there’s a mysterious, bipedal creature that’s supposedly part dragon roaming Equestria, nopony knows who it is, let alone what it is, just that it quickly leaves after arriving at a nearby town or village”

“Is that it?” the second, a unicorn mare with a brown mane and tail with a black coat with a crossed hammer-and-chisel in front of a horseshoe pointed toward me her deep sapphire eyes glistening in the sunlight

“I think it is, he certainly looks part dragon, what with the horns and wings and all” the third, an earth pony mare with a pale, rust-orange coat and a crimson mane and tail with emerald eyes and a crossed knife and fork in front of a plate for a cutie mark gasped, I ran as fast as I could, they quickly followed, dragging the Daybreaker along the ground behind me as I went

“This isn’t what I signed up for when I joined the UNSC” I sighed, only to be pulled to a stand-still, turning I saw that the unicorn had gotten a hold of the end of the blade with her magic, a fine golden aura surrounded the tip of the greatsword

“I’m Sugar spice,” the earth pony purred as she came uncomfortably close to me “and these are my friends, Aqua and Mina,” she gestured to the Pegasus, then toward the unicorn, whose magic was currently holding me still “they aren’t our actual names of course, it’s just what everypony calls us”

“We’d like to ask you a few questions” Mina added “where do you come from, who, or what, are you, the basics”

“I’m from another world entirely,” I gave a faint smile, the three mares shared a glance each, grinning maniacally before turning back to face me “and as for who or what I am, I’m Rick, a human, an eon, and a dragon slayer,” I bowed, letting go of the Daybreaker

“Like from the legends?” Aqua gasped “that’s amazing, how old are you?”

“Technically, I’m a billion years old, but I’m still only around two centuries old” I smiled

“So, a bit of an antique then,” Mina nickered

“Sister,” Aqua and Sugar Spice gasped

“Sorry” Mina’s cheeks became that of a rosy pink tint

“I don’t mind, it’s actually not bad compared to what I’ve been called in the past” I sighed

“So, what to do with you” the glow around Mina’s horn faded as she leapt forward, knocking me on my back, fervently licking her lips as her friends came to either side of me, knocking me out with the flat of the Daybreaker, my vision instantly cut to black

-=-

When I awoke, I bolted upright, only to be pushed back down by Sugar Spice’s hoof

“We played a little game, my sister s and I, we decided to call it, who gets to be your slaver first, Mina came close, but only second best,” she lulled into my ear “make me wail, big boy”

Within an instant, she was on me, quickly removing my lower pieces of clothing, throwing them to one side, I sat upright, but she pushed my back, not hard enough to force me onto my back, just hard enough to stop me

“Not so fast, first you have to tell me what to do,” she eyed her prize like a piece of candy “or would you rather me take care of it, human?” I shrugged “so be it, though I should warn you, I’m good at what I do, eon”

Instantly, she took my gradually-hardening member into her mouth, the subsequent sensation was overwhelming, I instantly stared pouring pre-cum from the tip of my member, only for Sugar Spice to quickly devour it, placing a fragile hoof against the tip as she pulled her head away

“I warned you” she glimmered, taking its head into her maw, pressing her lips down on it, twirling her tongue around the head, slowly bobbing her head up and down as she smiled up at me

I, albeit reluctantly, placed a gentle hand on her head, she gave a muffled giggle, wrapping a hoof around each leg to keep us in place as she went faster, gradually picking up speed, hilting herself each and every time, her tongue now running along my cock’s base

I came, flooding her oral passage with seed, pulling away once it stopped, she gasped as she swallowed the lot

“Now onto round two, Sugarbear…” she purred rather elegantly…

-=-=-

When I could walk again, I went to thank the three mares for their ‘hospitality’, only to find that they’d vanished, I shrugged, slipping my rucksack on, having thankfully gotten dressed, changed to eon form, and fled the town

=-=-=

I’d now been gone a whole month, and still no success on capturing me was to be found in the royal guard’s list of accomplishments, on the downside, my rucksack seemed to be somewhat heavier as I carried it with me through Equestria, finding various ruins in various locations, each one hiding some sort of antique as I ventured in and out of each and every one

One even had a teal/dark-cerulean coloured war-axe hidden in it, I quickly sheathed it

“Well this is a total bust” I grumbled as a blockade of Guard stood before me, quickly changing to eon form, gliding back the way I came, slowly arcing round as to return to my original path, going as fast as I dared, eventually outrunning/flying them not stopping until they were nought but a speck in the background, reverting to human form, continuing the walk, only to be transported via teleportation to a familiar ‘chamber’ of sorts

“Rick?” Celestia bit her lip, I turned; Twilight and her friends were stood there, minus Pinkie Pie

“And here I was getting used to the outside atmosphere, I rolled my eyes

“Where’s your weapon?” she tilted her head

“In my inventory, with any hope” I unslung my rucksack,, placing it on the floor, opening it, only for three familiar ponies to burst out “How in the-!?”

“We found out that your bag has infinite space, so we held onto one another whilst remaining hidden within” Mina smirked

“And my weapon?” I frowned, she levitated out the Daybreaker, it hadn’t a single scratch on it, be it blade, handle or hilt, not a blemish was to be found on the greatsword  “I’m not even going to ask as to what you were thinking in the first place”

“Well, we thought that since you’d be wandering the kingdom, we thought of a way to accompany you, our little human,” Aqua purred, I raised an eyebrow “why, is there a problem?” I pointed toward Celestia, the three of them turned as one instantly bowing at the sight of the solar goddess

“Friends of yours, Rick,” Celestia sighed

“I’m just as confused as you are” I shrugged

“Where are you three from?” Celestia raised an eyebrow

“Trottingham, your majesty” Mina quivered behind me, Aqua clung onto my back, her head placed on my shoulder, her eyes beginning to water

“As I thought,” she laughed “prostitutes,” she smirked at me “only in trottingham do you get such acts of impurity”

“You what?” I blinked, glancing to each of the mares in turn

“It’s frowned upon by some, but I think they’d like an item of yours from your inventory as payment, Rick” Celestia nickered

“Nah,” Mina smiled as the three stood beside me “the fun we’re blessed with on that day’s payment enough, right girls?” Aqua and Sugar nodded with gusto

“Fuck my life…” I mumbled

“We may not know about your life, but we can sort you out, if you so wish, Rick” Aqua glimmered with definite intent

“Personally I think the name suits you,” Mina giggled “it’s cute yet bold, like you” she glanced toward me, teleporting onto my back, pecking my cheek, teleporting back to the floor, I was subsequently tackled to the floor by a large object

“Hello, sister” I smiled once I managed to get back to my feet

“I head everything” Blaze chortled “I doubt you can makes things worse for yourself, Brother”

“Oh, I can, believe me I can” I grinned

“Say it” she smirked

“Nah, I can barely walk as it is, not counting the weight I’ve had to carry” I glanced toward the three mares beside me, who smiles were like a trio of angel’s

“That’s your fault for leaving in the first place,” she laughed “just say it!”

“Fine,” I sighed, rolling my eyes, glancing back toward the trio of ponies stood next to me “I am no thief, unless you find yourself wanting a heart stolen” I bit my lip, they glanced toward one another, then leapt at me, with a great flash of light, the four of us were in a separate room, alone…

=-=-=

As I re-entered the throne room, I was quickly followed by Sugar Spice, Mina and Aqua Celestia raised an eyebrow

“Have fun, did you?” Celestia sighed

“It was heavenly” Sugar Spice cooed “beyond what most others have tried and failed to do”

“So, bonus points for that then” Mina and Aqua spoke in unison, giggling like schoolgirls who’ve just found out their best friend’s ‘secret crush’

“Celestia,” the solar goddess glanced toward me “I just wanted to apologize, for everything, I know I may not be able to make up to you for it, but I’ll do my best, as your knight and lord in not-so shining armour, Cellsy,” she held a hoof to her mouth “you’re my little Sunflower, remember I do what I can for my Nakama, especially you, Lady of the Sun”

“Rick, I also wish to apologize, for being hateful toward you last we met” she gave a faint smile

“There is one other thing I’d like to add,” I turned to face the three ponies behind me “I’ve got a somewhat sizeable amount of spare cash in the treasury, feel free to help yourself to it from time to time”

“Are you kidding?” Sugar Spice gaped at me, I smiled, shaking my head, she leapt at me, causing me to stagger as she wrapped her hooves around my neck, pressing her lips against mine, sliding her tongue in, the two oral muscles intertwining as they met

I carefully placed my hands on either side of her head, gently keeping them in place as we kissed, my fingers running through her crimson mane, gradually parting, she clambered back down to the floor, poking my crotch with a gentle hoof as she went

“I’ll see you later, maybe alone, maybe with the others,” she winked “Farewell Rick” and with that they left

“I see what you did there” Celestia smiled, standing beside me “Is that how humans kiss?”

“Depending on the human, maybe” I shrugged

“Would you offer me a chance to see what it’s like, my dear human?” she changed to her human form, twirling on her toes so that she was stood in front of me, batting here eyelashes at me, closing the distance between us, placing her lips on mine, our tongues intertwining, as she draped her arms over my shoulders, gently wrapping them around my neck, I smiled internally, fragilely placing my hands on the sides of her head, once again, gradually parting

“Interesting” she smiled “just to let you know trick, you owe me, six times over”

“I’ll do what I can” I quickly bowed

-=-

“Daddy,” Snowdrop, Gracy Gloom and Winter Bell charged at me, nuzzling into me as I collapsed onto the ground

“We knew that you’d have to return,” Snowdrop chimed “we just knew you had to!”

“And here I am” I pecked her forehead, she blinked, pecking me on the lips, winking at me as I draped my wings around the three of them

“What was it like?” Winter Bell chorused

“It was interesting enough” I smiled but the three ponies in particular only cement the theory that when you’re single, all you see are couples, and when you finally do get married all you see are hookers”

“What’s a hooker?” Gracy Gloom blinked

“I’ll tell you when you’re older” I winked

“Ok Daddy” she giggled, nuzzling into me, she and Snowdrop perching themselves on my shoulders as Winter Bell lay positioned between my horns

“We missed you Daddy,” Snowdrop chimed, I glanced toward her, pecking her cheek, she quickly pecked me on the lips

“I missed you too, my little ponies,” I chucked

Suddenly, she twitched, gliding down to the ground, biting her lip as a musky stench made it into my nostrils, I quickly shook my head, covering the lower half of my face with a hand

“Are you alright?” I crouched down, Gracy Gloom and Winter Bell

“Daddy,” she groaned

“She’s in heat” Celestia teleported into view beside me

“She’s clearly pining for you, Rick,” she hummed “what will you do?”

“What can I do?” I draped my wings around Snowdrop

“You can tend to her needs, other than that, I don’t know”

“I’m only doing this once” I grumbled, gently lifting Snowdrop carrying her to my room…

-=-=-

“Thank you, Daddy” Snowdrop giggled, panting for breath

“If you need help with that again, all you need do is ask, but I’ll only go so far, my little Snowflake” I sighed, she perched herself on the back of my head, for the day’s attire, I’d chosen one of the clockwise sets of clothing that Rarity had made me

“Alright, what’s on today’s agenda?” I yawned

“How about we go to Twilight’s?” Gracy Gloom nickered, sitting on my shoulder, Winter Bell climbing onto the other

-=-

“You bought a what?” Blaze burst into laughter as Twilight’s friends stood before the lavender mare herself

“It’s a clop-bot,” Rarity sighed used amongst mares and stallions alike who feel, ‘pent-up,’ so to speak”

“So it’s like a [pony-shaped dildo?” Blaze laughed

“Essentially” she gave a slow nod

“And you bought this for how much, exactly?”

“Two-hundred bits” Twilight’s face was a deep crimson with embarrassment

“Oddly, this isn’t the strangest thing that one of my friends has done” I folded my arms, she blinked, there was this one time one of the teachers from one of my colleges nearly walked into a sex shop, I wouldn’t worry about it”

“‘Nearly,’ walked into a sex shop?” she grinned “How does one manage such a thing?”

“How the heck should I know, for starters I only heard about it from one of my friends” I shrugged “Aren’t we getting off topic?”

“You started it, Rick-o” she smirked

“Actually, you did, for if you hadn’t have bought this, ‘thing,’” I gestured toward the biomechanical entity stood beside her, which was currently non-functioning at the moment “then we wouldn’t be in this mess”

“Are you saying this is my fault?” she frowned

“Not at all, Sparky,” I shook my head “we all do stupid things or make silly mistakes, no matter how big or small”

“For example,” she glimmered

“You saw me tear my own heart out, remember?” I raised an eyebrow

“Touché” she sighed in apparent defeat

“You could at least try the damn thing before sending it back, buyer’s remorse and all” Blaze quipped

“Buyer’s Remorse?” she raised an eyebrow in return

“Buyer's remorse is the sense of regret after having made a purchase. It is frequently associated with the purchase of an expensive item such as a car or house, E.G that thing” I nodded toward the machine

“Yo spike!” I shouted

Yeah,” the dragon appeared at the top of the stairs, now nearly as big as me

“You mind sending a letter to Celestia for me, just ask her to visit for a moment” I grinned, he nodded, dis appearing back upstairs again

“Don’t get him involved in this!” Twilight snapped

“Why’ he’s old enough, is he not?” Blaze chortled “and you did catch him balls-deep in Rarity

“It was you that caused that upset, or need we remind you?” She scowled

“Actually if it weren’t for his emotions -or the existence of the heart in general-, we wouldn’t be having this conversation” I rebuked

“I hear that I’ve been requested in Ponyville?” Celestia smiled, teleporting into view beside myself and Blaze, glancing toward me, winking, and then turning to face Twilight “Oh, Twilight,” she giggled almost heavenly “I thought you were with Tesla, after all, you never stop mentioning him in your weekly letters”

“How long has this been going on?” I stared at the lavender mare

“Ten years” Twilight bit her lip

“Well ain’t that perfect” I yawned?”

“Autumn Heart been working you till you can hardly walk again?” Blaze smirked at me; I nodded “you need to relax more”

“I’m not going to that spa again if that’s what you’re thinking” Celestia stared at me “don’t even think about it”

“You, of all ponies, went to a spa?” Celestia giggled

“I blame Rarity” Snowdrop Winter Bell and Gracy Gloom chorused in unison

“Thanks girls” I smiled

“We love you Daddy” they chimed together

“And I you, my little ponies” I chuckled

-==-=-==-

“First I leave, then run into a certain trio of mares, then I get teleported back to Canterlot, somehow, only to find that they’ve acted as stowaways in my rucksack, and then I find that Twilight’s bought what’s essentially a sex-machine

“Next thing they’ll be telling us that Scootaloo’s adopted” Blaze mumbled “Speaking of which, I haven’t seen them around lately, have you?” she glanced toward me, I shook my head

“I’ll laugh if this works,” I snorted, walking into the ponyville orphanage

“Greetings Sir Rick, I’m Tender Heart, how may I help you?” a bright green unicorn mare with a darker mane and tail and a love-heart surrounded by stars for a cutie mark smiled at me

“Was there, at any point, a foal named Scootaloo here?” I bit my lip

“There was at one point, but that was quite a while back,” she nodded “why?”

“It’s personal” I lightly frowned

“Fluttershy was quite insistent that Scootaloo be here for her toddler years, until we felt she was old enough to venture out on her own” Tender Heart sighed “is there something wrong, milord?”

“Not at all, I only wish to know of her history here, if any” I smiled, albeit, weakly “That is all I require, good day, Ms Heart” I quickly bowed, walking back out of the building, my family in tow

“So, what do we do now?” Blaze mumbled

“I’ve not the slightest idea, Blaze, not even the foggiest” I slowly shook my head

“Well, we could start at the farm,” she suggested, I nodded, Snowdrop perching herself on my head as I changed to eon form, Gracy Gloom landing on my neck, and Winter Belle upon my upper-back, Blaze bounded toward the farm alongside me as we ventured toward Sweet Apple Acres

“Or we could continue to read that book we found in the archives,” Snowdrop chimed, I blinked “whilst you were away, we travelled to the archives with Autumn Heart, there, we found a book about your kind, the eons, I mean”

“Well then, I’ll have to thank her for it, thank you as well, my little Snowflake, Winter Bell and Saving Grace”

“We love you Daddy” Gracy Gloom, Snowdrop and Winter Bell sang together with the chorus of the angels

“And I you, my little ponies” I smiled

-=-

“Come one, come all!” an azure/pale blue unicorn -with a flowing silvery blue mane and tail with a wand that ended in a pentagram inside the arc of a crescent moon for a cutie mark wearing a purple cape and wizards hat-, cheered excitedly, her magenta eyes scanning the crowd as the came toward her stage, Blaze, dashed off toward the house, returning moments later with one of the boxes

“What’re you doing?” Twilight asked as Blaze and I pulled out a number of packs, each, opening them, merging them into two separate decks, shuffling them

“Just a card game” I shrugged, Blaze and I drawing five cards each “ladies first”

“Such a charmer” Blaze sighed somewhat dreamily as she winked, drawing a sixth card….

Within minutes, the crowd had turned their attention away from the show-mare, instead opting tow watch our little game

“And that’s checkmate” I glimmered

“Gotta admit, playing with cards you’ve never used is interesting” Blaze nodded, packing the cards back into the box, I quickly followed suit

“What was that?” the pale blue mare stood upon the stage glared at me

“Just a little game” I smirked, standing upright as Blaze carefully took the box back to the house, my family and friends standing beside Twilight and the others

“So you’ve a few new tricks” I grinned, bursting into both a swirling fireball/inferno and a series of thunderbolts “you’re not the only one, Trixie!”

“Modo Raien Ryū” Snowdrop cheered

“Although I should probably mention, the dragon slayer spells that I use are all battle-based, save but a trio of magicka, little pony” I glimmered, letting out a powerhouse roar, my magic apparently transforming into a rather solid -albeit massive-, extra set pair of whitish-golden wings that spread around the crowd, leaving them in a rather warm shade, only for them to start shrinking as I inhaled a fusion of fames and thunderbolts, disappearing entirely as I exhaled an enormous stream of the two elements into the sky, the thundering great *BOOM* that resonated from the blast was, to say the least, extensive

When the torrent of fire and lightning faded, I panted for breath, everyone present was staring at me as I staggered, glancing behind me, Twilight, her friends and Celestia were staring at me, awe-struck, so it would seem

“Still got it” I staggered a little more

“Lightning flame dragon roar,” Snowdrop chimed, sitting beside me as I collapsed flat on my rear “congratulations, Daddy,” she curled up in my lap, staring up at me “your wings are glowing by the way” she giggled

“So that’s what that tingling is” I hummed

“Now I can see why the wiki says that the spell you’ve just used is has the potential to kill someone” Blaze whistled

“Tesla!” a familiar yellow pony with a scarlet mane and tail with a pink bow in her mane charged toward me alongside an alabaster unicorn with a pink mane and tail and a mild rust-orange Pegasus with a magenta mane

“We heard that you’d returned” Sweetie Belle exclaimed as the three of them -after Snowdrop leapt from my lap to the ground beside Blaze-, leapt toward me, knocking the wind from my lungs as the trio impacted with my midsection and chest

“Scootaloo,” the Pegasus grinned as the three of them sat before me “do you, perhaps, have a family?” she blinked “I know Sweetie Belle and Applebloom are sisters to honesty and generosity, but I don’t think I’ve heard anyone mention you” she bit her lip, tears clouding her eyes as she shook her head, I cast a moment’s glance toward Fluttershy rolled my eyes, tutted, and faced forward again

“Darling, how would you know any different, may we ask?” Rarity raised an eyebrow

“Internet” I winked “I won’t elaborate”

“You visited the orphanage, didn’t you?”

“What can I say, I’m learning new things every day, and as for why,” I sighed “I was curious, and I was bored, don’t judge me”

“And what did you find?” she glanced to each of the element bearers in turn

“I think you’d best go there yourself, Lady of the Sun” I inhaled, followed by a sharp exhale “it does not bode well to ask question that another does not wish to answer”

“And where’re you going to be?” she raised an eyebrow

“Out, so to speak, I smell gems” I gave a toothy grin

“You can smell gems and eat them?” Twilight blinked “how does that work?”

“It’s something that comes with the magic of a dragon,” I smiled, standing upright “Scootaloo, I’ll see you later, Bloom, Belle, stay with your friend, she may need you in a little while, now more than ever” they nodded, comforting the Pegasus beside them

-=-

As we made our way into the fields near the everfree forest, my nostrils flared, sensing multiple sets of gems all at once

“Down the hatch,” I exclaimed, devouring the first pile of gems, moving onto the second

“Just don’t eat them too quickly; we don’t want you getting indigestion now, do we?” Blaze laughed

“How can I not, after all, when I sued the ‘lightning flame dragon roar,’ my magic levels were almost depleted to absolute naught!” I guffawed

Soon, most of the gems had been devoured; my magical capabilities now back at optimum levels, I left for Ponyville, my family venturing alongside me

=-=-=

“So, what villains from the infamous MLP ‘series,’ have we yet to beat?” Blaze simpered as we entered the town’s borders

“Nyx, but, although on the wiki and every other world and the internet states that she’s a villain, I refuse to so much as lay a finger on her in any negative way, be it violent or otherwise” I snapped

“Good grief you really are into the thing you humans call chivalry aren’t you?” she smirked; I shot her a glare, “sorry…”

“The only, quote-en-quote ‘villains’ I can think of that I’ve yet to defeat are non-combat based, most likely, shame to, I was getting used to the use of my flame-based-magic” I sighed, again as a mild/pale orange Pegasus landed on my head, tears streaming down her muzzle

“Hello, Dad” Scootaloo sniffled

“Hello, Scootaloo” I held her in my arms “I think the answer is obvious, but would you like to stay with me?” she nodded

“Thank you, Dad” she sobbed, clinging onto me, her tears staining my jacket

“Nobody should have to go through what you have Scoots, nobody,” I frowned “and yet we are cursed with this life full of dissonance and detest that we can easily lose sight of who we are, or what we’re fighting for, or who we’re living for,” I continued “however, I must ask that you cry no longer, save your tears for when you truly need them, my little comet, you’re part of the family now, that means that we look out for one-another, Ok?”

“Ok Dad…” she mumbled as I carried her to the front lawn, gently setting her down, opening the front door, she glanced toward me; I smiled, gesturing for her to enter

“This place is amazing!” Scootaloo stared around the lounge with an apparent sense of wonder

“Have we, perhaps, a visitor in our humble abode?” Autumn Heart giggled, standing beside me

“Is she my mom now?” Scootaloo pointed a hoof toward th unicorn stood at my side

“Rick, what have you done?” Autumn Heart stared at me

“I found out about her, and she’s a friend of my Nakama, so she’s my Nakama, thus, I decided to help her” I smiled

“If that’s the case” she sighed, turning to Scootaloo “yes, I am your mom, from here on anyway” she glanced toward me “and what might her name be?”

“Scootaloo” I smiled, there came a knocking on the front door “I’ll get that, you two stay here” they nodded

When I opened the front door, I saw a dark brown Pegasus stallion with a dark grey mane and tail, glaring at me

“And how may I help you, good sir?” I quickly bowed

“I’d like my daughter back, human” the stallion spat

“And I’d like the first two centuries of my life back in a way that suit everyone, my family and friends included, but that doesn’t mean that it’ll happen, I stepped outside, locking the front door behind me

“Who do you think you are?” he bellowed, by now, every single pony who was present in the vicinity had stopped, staring at the events taking place

“Coming from you, the supposed father who left her and her mother to die all those years ago” I snapped

“You’ve no proof!” he snarled

“I’d say the orphanage’s secretary isn’t that much of a liar, you on the other hand, or in your case, hoof, are” I scowled “you want her back, you’re going to have to go through me, literally if need be”

“So be it!” he blared, standing on his hind legs, pulling an arm back, firing it forward, I sidestepped, he staggered forward, I backhanded him in the neck, sending him sprawling

“I’m waiting” I tutted as he gasped for breath, staggering once he got on all-fours

“Just be quiet!” he yelled

“Make me, kiddo” I held back an arm as the lower half, the fist and sleeve included, became a shining charcoal black, swinging an underarm punch, delivering a lethal uppercut to his jaw, sending him flying

“Class dismissed” I smiled, my arm returning to its original colour, I opened the door, walking inside

“What was that?” Autumn Heart glanced toward me as she sat beside Scootaloo on the sofa

“Rioters” I rolled my eyes, she blinked “Fluttershy, knowing she couldn’t take care of a foal at her current age, albeit, all those years ago, took Scootaloo to the orphanage when she was an infant, and then they let her out when they felt she was old enough”

“And that was Fluttershy’s ex-marefriend?” Autumn Heart stared at me, glancing toward Scootaloo, who was staring at the floor with a rather upset expression spread across her features, I nodded “that’s completely ludicrous, I understand the whole part where she couldn’t look after Scootaloo on her own, but having the stallion just abandon her in the first place is completely bucking selfish!” there was another, quieter series of knocks at the door “that can’t be him, can it?” she looked worried

“If it is, I want you to get into the safest place upstairs you can think of, Blaze” I turned to the Typhlosion, who saluted me “if it comes down to it, I want you to guard these two with your life, clear?”

“Crystal clear, Brigadier General Hawkins, sir” she nodded

As I opened the front door, there were four mares stood there, Twilight Rainbow Dash Rarity and Applejack, to be precise

“Is there a problem?” I clicked my neck

“Why’d you send that pony flying,” Twilight frowned “and; just as importantly, how did you do it without magic?”

“Classified” I winked “As for why,” I sighed “

“He threatened my Nakama, my family, and you know how I get when that happens, Lady of Magic” I bit my lip “carry out what sentence you will, I will accept all charges without hesitation, if it means I’ll be able to see my little Snowflake smile again”

“Rick…” she stared at me I gulped, audibly, she giggled “although there will be questions and rumours floating around for a while, I’m sure we can forget about it eventually, if only for you, Rick”

“Looks like I owe you one, Sparky” I smiled, only for Celestia to appear via teleportation beside Twilight and her three friends

“I’ve sensed somewhat of a disturbance here,” Celestia raised an eyebrow “what’re you up to, Rick?”

“Defending my Nakama, lady of the sun” I quickly bowed “as we should know by now that it’s as natural to me as a heartbeat, or an intake of air when breathing”

“Who is it this time?” I raised an eyebrow, her horn flared for a brief moment as it tapped against my head “I see, I’ll have the guards notified immediately,” she slowly nodded “and as for you, my dear knight-“

“I accept any and all charges placed upon my being, I will gladly put my safety, life and freedom on the line for another being, specifically one of my Nakama, family, or friend’s, Princess” I bowed “do with me what you will, and I’ll go with it, if only to see Snowdrop’s smile again…”

“You’re too overly-dramatic she laughed “I was going to say well done, I’d hate to think what could’ve happened, had he gotten his hooves near your new family member Sir Rick,” she giggled “though, I will commend your bravery and sacrifice that you’d have made for your loved ones, it’s indeed admirable” she smiled, vanishing with a quickly flash of light

All of a sudden, I felt as though the world had shifted somewhat, and that an immeasurably heavy weight had been lifted from my shoulders

“Really, dear, how do you get yourself into these situations?” Rarity gave a faint smile

“Even if I knew, it probably wouldn’t probably stop these events from happening” I shrugged “and for that, I’m grateful, Arigato, mina!”

“You’re welcome” Twilight laughed

“That was neighponese” Rainbow Dash blinked

“On Earth, we call it Japanese” I shrugged “just another similarity, I suppose”

=-=-=

As I was taking a mid/late-evening stroll, my family, sans Blaze, in their beds and fast asleep I smelt something burning, rushing toward the source of the smell, I found a clubhouse that was built next to a tree, surrounded by fire, with a large boulder blocking the entrance along, and with two familiar ponies stood between it and me

“What do you think you’re doing!?” I bellowed, they spun around, quickly sprinting away, cackling with laughter as they went, I ground my teeth, both arms becoming a shining black charcoal colour as I bought them together, clasping my fingers as I bought my hands high above my head, smashing the augmented arms down on the boulder, shattering it, shifting aside the rubble, tearing the door of the clubhouse away as I pulled my shirt over the lower half of my face, gathering the three occupants, Sweetie Belle, Scootaloo and Applebloom, quickly carrying the earth pony and Pegasus in question under my arms as Blaze carried the unicorn of the trio, gently setting them down on the ground at a safe distance as the small wooden building exploded, lowering my shirt again

“Blaze, get Twilight, or her friends, whoever’s closest” I frowned, Blaze nodded, bounding into the distance

Within minutes, the familiar figures of both Applejack and Big Mac charged toward me

“Blaze told us what happened” Applejack scowled, the rage that boiled within her quite apparent “where’s Blaze?”

“She’s gone to get the others,” I turned, walking toward the burning treehouse

“What in heck, are ya’ll doin?” she gaped

“Ending the fire” I glared, inhaling a copious amount of air, taking the fire with it, turning and walking back to the farmpony duo “that’s bitter, even for a fire” I hummed “more importantly, we need to get these three to hospital”

“Agreed” Big Mac nodded as Applejack lifted her younger sister over and onto her back, walking with me as I carried the other two over my shoulders

“Rick, your sister’s informed me about what…. Happened….” Rarity gasped at the sight of the three of us carrying the unconscious ponies, I crouched down, allowing her to take her sibling onto her being, the four of us marching into the hospital

“Hello, how may I help… you…?” the pony at the desk stared at me when as we entered the hospital

“However you can, just make sure they survive” I frowned, she nodded

“Follow me” she gulped, audibly, I nodded, Rarity, Applejack Big Mac and I followed her into a room with three beds side by side, I set Scootaloo down on one Rarity lay Sweetie Belle down on the second, and Big Mac and Applejack set Applebloom down on the third the four of us standing back with looks of disgust as six ponies marched through the doorway, connecting heart-monitors and IV-drips to the three mares

“What happened, exactly?” a snow-white earth pony with a lilac mane and tail, the former of which was styled into a bun, and a cutie mark which resembled a red cross with hearts in the corners pointing inward, blinked, glancing to each of us in turn, I quickly explained

“You smashed through a giant boulder?” she stared at me

“I think we’ve got more urgent matters at hoof” I clenched my fists

“Sweet mother of Faust,” Rarity gasped “somepony tried to kill my sister…”

“And ours too,” Applejack glared “as well as Scootaloo, who’d of thought that a pair of fillies could do such a thing!?”

“I wouldn’t worry about it” I gave a maniacal grin

“How can we not worry about it?” she blared, I held up a hand, she stopped

“You forget, I can travel through reality itself, if I find them I can instantly take them to the deepest reaches of hell I can find” I smirked

“Ah’m not complaining” she quickly grinned

“Nor am I, but I will say it’s a little harsh for a pair of fillies

“Who just tried to torch your sister?” I raised an eyebrow

“Very well then...” she sighed, right at that moment, Twilight, Rainbow Dash and Celestia marched into the room

“I’d like to know what happened here at once, if you’d be so kind, my little eon” Celestia frowned, I tapped my head, she nodded, tapping her horn against my head as it flared a vivid primrose colour

“Though I’m curious as to when and how you got such a unique ability as that, I won’t question it, not when there’re lives at stake” she slowly nodded, turning to the nurses and doctors currently examining the three mares “how’re they coming along

“I can’t say just yet,” the snow-white nurse it her lip “whilst it’s not too severe, there are some serious injuries; they may be out of it for a week, at the least” she glanced toward me, I gave her the flattest stare I could, staring back toward Celestia “I’m sorry to say this, but they’re going to need to stay here for the time being”

“Just promise me- no, just promise us that you’ll do what you can,” I frowned “Thor known I need another heart-rending moment within the same three-hundred years” she blinked, but then quickly nodded

“That’s what we’re paid and trained to do, milord” she gave a faint smiled

“Who could do such a thing!?” Rainbow Dash growled

“I feel your anger, Rainbow Dash, but there isn’t much we can do” Twilight bit her lip, glancing toward me as I let out a stifled yawn

“Come to think of it, I don’t think you’ve been sleeping much, Brother”

“I’m not paid or trained to sleep, Blaze” I raised an eyebrow

“So you aren’t but it wouldn’t hurt to get a little, shuteye, would it?” she folded her arms

“At this specific point in time,” I frowned, again “priorities, dear sister, or are you now blind to the obvious, of that of which is right before us?”

“Touché” she slowly nodded

-=-=-

Two weeks passed, and not a sign of any of the three mares’ awakening revealed itself, until one day…

“…Daddy?” Scootaloo began to cry as she awoke, I gently held her hoof within my hand as she slowly sat upright

“Don’t worry, Daddy’s here,” I pecked her forehead as the nurse from before marched into the room

“She’s awake?” the pony blinked “thank Celestia for that…”

Then it was my dear sister’s turn to awaken, stretching with an elongated yawn, blinking, staring at Scootaloo, then toward me

“Get the others?” she sighed, I nodded, she saluted me bounding out of the room, and out of the hospital

“I’ve yet to ask you what that thing even is” The nurse giggled nervously

“That’s Blaze, she’s my sister, although not by blood, I saved her from poachers when she was a little smaller than Scootaloo here” I explained

“I suppose that’s fair enough, sir” she smiled

“Call me Rick, mostly everyone else does” I simpered

“That I shall” she nickered, examining Scootaloo as any doctor or nurse would “I’m happy to say that she’s Ok, but she’ll need to spend at least another two days in here, Rick” she winked at me

Not ten minutes later and Twilight marched into the room alongside her friends, minus Pinkie Pie and Fluttershy, quickly followed by Blaze, Snowdrop, Gracy Gloom, and Winter Bell, the latter three of which perched themselves on my head and shoulders respectively

“Have you even so much as left this room?” Twilight raised an eyebrow as the three fillies currently using me as a unique piece of furniture nuzzled into me ‘accordingly’ “I guess not”

“Applebloom,” Applejack rushed to her sister side, as did Rarity, respectively

“What happened?” Applebloom and Sweetie Belle slowly pulled themselves upright

“You were caught in a fire, but Rick Saved ya’ll” Applejack winked at me

“I’m just doing what comes natural” I smiled

“Ya do realise that ya’ll are a hero now, pardner?” Applejack grinned

“As if that were new to my brother,” Blaze chortled “But I believe we have more important matters to attend to”

-=-

Another week past, and finally, the crusaders were freed from the confines of the hospital, only for Pinkie Pie to instantaneously morph the entire town, including its populace, into a village wide party

“Pinkie Pie, they just got out of the hospital, I don’t think they need to be scared witless any time soon” I frowned

“Oh, lighten up Ricky-o” Pinkie Pie laughed “they’re alive, that’s what matters, isn’t it?”

“I’m not even going to bother arguing with you” I walked with ‘Scootaloo by my side; and the other three upon my being-, toward the house, the mild orange Pegasus curling up in my lap as I sat, cross-legged on the porch

“Rick?” Black Beetle, sat by my side, placing a gentle hoof on my side “I know how you feel, when you feel as though you nearly lost everything you’ve lived for, I’m sorry”

“You’ve no need to be, Blackie” I pecked her cheek, apparently, a changeling’s cheeks turn a neon green when they blush, Scootaloo quickly sat beside me, opposite the changeling

“Come ‘ere” gave a soft laugh, picking the changeling up, setting her in my lap, draping my wings around her, she bit her lip lightly, then draped her arms around me, biting down on my lip as they met “Why’d you do that?”

“When a changeling bites the lip of a loved one, it means that they accept that being as a mate,” Black Beetle’s cheeks flushed a vivid green “who do you want me to be, milord?”

“Just be you,” I smiled be who you’ve always been, Blackie, I wouldn’t ask any more of you”

“But…” she stammered “in this form, I’m ugly, I’m repulsive I’m-!”

“You’re you,” I winked, “everything has beauty; it’s just that not everyone sees it”

“I love you, Rick” she purred, dragging me into the house via magic, all the way into the bedroom, Snowdrop Gracy Gloom and Winter Bell galloping into the lounge as I was promptly -albeit carefully-, dropped onto the bed

“Now then, where do we start?”

Next Chapter: Chapter XVII; Dragon gods Estimated time remaining: 9 Hours, 36 Minutes