“What’s the matter?”  Celestia teleported beside me as the Dragon staggered, steadily getting to her feet

“We were under attack, and we need to take our kingdom back” the dragon attempted to catch her breath

“The Kingdom, or just the city,” Blaze raised an eyebrow

“The Heart of the Dragon Empire” she shook her head, glancing toward Celestia “Will you help us?”

“I’ll send the best Canterlot has to offer to your immediate aid” Celestia nodded “and I’m Sure rick will also wish to help…?”

“Sapphire” Sapphire tilted her head “who’s Rick?”

“That’d be me” I smiled

“You don’t look like much of a threat” Sapphire raised an eyebrow as a great rumbling could be heard from outside “that’ll be the general” she grinned

Once outside, I quickly took note of the thirty-fifty foot dragon lying across the gardens

“Crystagia” I nodded

“Son” she smiled “I trust that you’ve heard of the attack and the war going on?”

“War,” I blinked “when did this start?”

“It’s been a time-bomb waiting to go off, I’m afraid” she sighed “will you help us, Dragon slayer?”

“I will” I nodded

“You’re a dragon slayer?” Sapphire stared at me; I winked, setting both fists alight “So I see, let’s get going then”

=-=-=

As we approached the dragon city, which was apparently built into the crater of a dormant volcano, I heard the sound of clashing blades

“You lot behave, Ok?” I glanced back to my family as we rode on Crystagia’s back, several chariots carrying Celestia’s and Luna’s guard flying alongside us and the princesses themselves as well as Faust

“Ok, Daddy” they gave out smiles that resembled that of angels

“Alrighty then” I turned, falling backwards from atop Crystagia, inhaling  copious amounts of air, corking my thumb, biting down to the bone, exhaling into  my arm, taking the air from one arm through my torso and into the other, using another of my abilities to change my arm into that of a giant drill, or in this case, a titanic drill, bringing it down into the city’s occupants

“What are you?” one dragon out of a horde -armed to the teeth with swords, armour, fangs, claws and other means of weaponry, snapped, I looked down at myself, I’d shrunk considerably

“I’m just here to end the war” I snarled

“Yeah, and I’m Grandoa’s long lost uncle!” he laughed

“Who’s attacking who here?” I clicked my neck

“We’re defending our home from the gryphons” he scoffed “and I’d suppose you’re on their side”

“No, I came here thanks to Crystagia” I pointed toward the sky

“So you did,” he nodded “you must be the outsider Grandoa spoke of then, the one of whom he taught the dragonsong?”

“That’d be me” I grinned my body exploding to its normal size/dimensions

“Well, you did just save us a job,” he gave a slow nod “fine, I’ll have someone notify Grandoa of our new ally”

-=-

As the chariots landed in the now cleared-put section of the city, the princesses, Faust included, trotted toward me

“How did you do that?” Celestia raised an eyebrow

“I’m rubber, what else do you want me to do?” I smiled

“So you are,” she sighed, turning to Sapphire “is there any safe place for Crystagia to land and drop off a few civilians?”

“The citadel maybe, but I’m not sure for how long” Sapphire shrugged “then again, with Rick here on our side with that much power, we may’ve already won”

“The emperor approaches!” a gryphon hovering above us yelled, and was instantly shot down by dragonflame

Raising an arm, the flames stopped and the familiar Gryphon from a few years past glided toward us, bowing before us, every weapon in the vicinity was aimed toward him in an instant

“I have come to negotiate a truce” the Gryphon emperor gave an audible gulp

“A truce,” Sapphire screamed “you attacked us first, why should we listen to you!?”

“Because I also offer my crown and title in surrender to your empire” he avoided her gaze

“‘I’ll let Grandoa know of your negotiation’” Sapphire flew toward the ‘citadel’

“So, you ally yourself with the dragons now?” The Gryphon emperor scoffed as he eyed me up and down

“I ally myself with the dragons because, in part, I am one, I gestured toward my horns

“Traitor” he snapped

“Oh, I don’t remember needing to ask for your permission, pecker-head” I snarled

“What’d you call me?” he spread his wings, as if to intimidate me, I mimicked him

“I don’t think I need repeat myself, featherbrain” I tutted

“Freak” he huffed

“At least I’ve the balls to admit it

“Tesla,” a thunderous voice from behind me echoed throughout the city

Turning around I saw Grandoa stood beside Crystagia

“Have you come to negotiate, little one?” Grandoa glanced from me to the Gryphon emperor

“I was, but after meeting your pet here, I think I’ll take you down myself” the gryphon growled

“Tesla” Crystagia cooed “you have the chance to show what you can do, end this war, and the emperor along with it, or Equestria may be next”

“I may be prideful, but I am no fool” Grandoa laughed “I will not attack, let alone wage war, on an ally’s homeland, even if it were to cost me my life,” he smiled “go on Tesla, end it” I spun around on my heel, both arms turning a ‘shining’ charcoal-black in colour as I clasped my fingers together, smashing my joined hands into the gryphons head, sending him flying, everyone present heard his neck break as he soared out of the city

“Rick, you’ve no idea what you’ve just done!” Celestia boomed

“The gryphon’s war is no longer with my draconic allies, but with me” I shrugged “if they so wish to follow through, let them, but I don’t think I’ll be alone, will I, Grandoa?” I turned back to face the ancient dragon, who beamed

“Correct, little one, I shan’t let harm come to my allies, and if it’s war they want, then we shall wipe them off the face of Equis!” Grandoa declared “Teslakana, I do  believe we owe you a great deal of gratitude for your help, whilst my soldiers, generals, knights and squires shall rid the country of the rest of the bird-beaks , you and I shall undergo what no outside has gone through before, at least, not in recorded history”

“You don’t mean…!” Sapphire gasped “but he’s just a kid!”

“I’m around three centuries old” I deadpanned, eyebrow raised

“Touché” she smiled

-+=(><)=+-

As Grandoa, Crystagia, the princesses, Faust and I marched toward and through the citadel, I was lead with the others to what looked like a forge of sorts

“Remove your shirt” Crystagia gave a weak smile, I shrugged, removing my upper attire as Grandoa took what looked like a large branding iron, before I could reply; he’d pressed it against my back, when he removed it, there was a dragon-head shaped brand there

“This is all there is to the ritual, whilst those outside the city -or even this very building, for that matter, may believe that there is more to it, there isn’t all that much, other than all the work that needs to be done to add you to the history records” Grandoa smiled

“You branded him!?” Celestia screamed

“I fail to see how your cutie marks are any different, other than the painless magical procedure, and who’s to say that someone who’s got one wanted to do something else, but couldn’t due to that colourful little image on their rear?” I folded my arms after putting my shirt back on

“At least then you don’t look like a slave!” she rebuked

“Technically you are, and to fate itself, no less!” I laughed “I’ll see you at Canterlot” and with that I exited the citadel, flying toward wherever I may be needed

-=-=-=-

When I got back to the citadel, I got a few flirty looks from some of the dragons in the city

Ignoring them I made my way to the ‘throne room,’ where Grandoa and Crystagia were stood

“Celestia has taken your family back to Canterlot, Rick,” Crystagia hummed “would you like to return also?”

“I’d just like to know why I’m getting eyed up like the world’s largest gem” I shrugged

“Ah yes,” Grandoa chuckled “with your new title, and with the victory over the gryphons, you’re going to have quite the large amount of suitors, Sir Teslakana of Equis”

“If that’s what it is, then I shall take my leave” I bowed, changing to eon form, flying out of the citadel, and away from the city

“What do you think he’s like?” I heard someone from beside me whisper as I made my way over a village, ponies below stopping to glance up toward me as I flew overhead

Glancing beside me, I saw three dragons, one, a bright, vivid green dragon with golden underbelly scales wings and horns, an indigo one with cyan under belly scales wings and horns, and a scarlet one with golden underbelly scales, wings and horns, all three shared a glance, before staring at me, wide grins on their faces, I took off as fast as I could

-=-

“I can’t believe you, Rick,” Celestia frowned “honestly, you’re merely asked to do something and you just go ahead and do it?”

“All I can do is offer my apologies and my title here in Equestria” I bit my lip “what do you want to happen, the gryphons to try and finish of the dragons, possibly give up and come here instead?”

“Then we’d attempt to work out a negotiation,” she raised an eyebrow

“And what happens, should actions be necessary, and words become inadequate?” I scoffed “that’s the thing with you ponies, you talk too much”

“And what’d you do?” she scowled

“If they want war, I’ll give them war, if not, then I’ll try to negotiate”

“You’re impossible” Celestia shook her head

“I’m also your creation,” I smirked “you did infuse the DNA of an individual from every sentient species into a single being, remember?”

“Bitches be crazy” Blaze smirked from atop my head

“Alright, what do you want me to do?” Celestia let out a frustrated sigh

“Get someone who knows what they’re doing on that throne” I winked, turning to leave, stopping when I got to the door, glancing back toward the solar alicorn “oh and by the way, I quit” I vacated the throne room

“You quit!?” Twilight blared “how can you do such a thing?”

“I just did” I raised an eyebrow

“Why?” she glared icy daggers at me

“I’ve better things to do,” I shrugged “like looking after my family for one thing, and taking care of the house for another”

“How can you say that!?” she bellowed

“Because I honestly don’t care anymore” I huffed “if she wants to try and wrap someone around her finger, so to speak, she’s going to have to try harder than what she’s currently doing, Sparky”

“Get out” she growled

“How can I ‘get out;’ you’re the one who visited me, and besides, we’re sat outside whose house again?” I grinned, she stormed off

“Daddy,” four familiar fillies lunged forth, leaping toward me, clinging onto me

“We missed you Daddy” Snowdrop chorused alongside Scootaloo, Winter Bell and Gracy Gloom

“And I you, my little ponies, and I you” I draped my wings around the four of them

“So, what happened with the dragons then?” Natsu smirked currently sat opposite me, Erza, my friends and family around the dining table in the hall in Canterlot, just as he said that, the three dragons from before silently made their way toward me

“I’m Garnet” the Indigo dragon smiled

“I’m Opal the scarlet dragon glimmered

“And we’re at your service, Lord Rick” the three bowed

“Can I call you Emerald?” I smiled toward the vivid green dragon

“You can call me whatever you so desire my little Sugardrake” Emerald winked, Natsu spat out his drink, staring at me in apparent horror

“What in the actual fuck?” he awed at me

“Heck if I know, I didn’t plan on it actually happening,” I shrugged “and by the way, say it; don’t spray it” I smiled, turning back to face the three fem-dragons “and girls, you needn’t refer to me by any form of title, just rick will suffice” Emerald fainted, Garnet pecked me on the cheek, and opal knelt to care for her fallen ally

“Three centuries of age, still got it” Blaze laughed

“Blaze, shut up” I frowned

“Make me, Sugardrake” she winked, no re-evolved to her Typhlosion state as she sat beside me “And before you say anything, remember what Faust said, I’m not your sister, technically”

“What do you mean, three centuries?” Natsu blinked

“Well, a few ages back, there was this one person who worked at a local shop that brother apparently found attractive, I needn’t go on” Blaze grinned

“You lied to me” Celestia frowned

“Says the one who’s been orchestrating my life since I was sixteen” I laughed

“I only wanted us to be together,” she rebuked, a look of half-hurt, half-disappointment upon her muzzle

“And now that we are, you have a go at me for everything I do” I shrugged “what else do you want from me Princess?”

“You two argue like a married couple” Natsu gave a smug grin

“We’re not, believe me” I rolled my eyes, Celestia flinched

“So, what’d you do to gain the three stowaways this time?” Blaze smirked “Show off?”

“No, if I were to show off, it’d look like this” I concentrated, hovering above my seat, my form morphing into that of the Stardust Dragon with a great flash of light; Garnet and Opal both fainted

“Like a human synchro summon” Blaze hummed

“Quite so” I nodded

-=--=-

Once my magic energy levels had been restored via gemstones, and I’d reverted to my human form, I stood on the front lawn, alone with my family, Emerald, Opal, and Garnet, placing a uniquely crafted gravestone onto the ground; Blaze sombrely passed me a hammer and chisel, and I started to carve/etch words into the stone base, glancing behind me half when I was half-done

Twilight and her friends were stood there, minus Pinkie Pie and Fluttershy

“Rick, are you Ok?” Twilight placed a gentle hoof on my side; I shrugged it off, continuing my work

“What’re you doing?” she glanced toward the gravestone, the base was like that of one of the statues in the Canterlot sculpture gardens, only more of a cube than a cylinder, and the statue itself was that of my eon from, with a young girl riding on my back “Who’s Kate?”

“My sister” I bit my lip, finishing the carving process, the words on the base read as followed;

In loving memory of Kate Hawkins; beloved daughter, and the world’s best sister, may you forever soar through heavens on the back of an eon, or with the wings of angels, you shan’t be forgotten, though you’ll be missed by many

I love you

13/5/2004-??/??/2025

“Rick that’s…” she stared at me “I never knew you had a sister, other than Blaze”

“I first mentioned her when Sweetie Belle said that Rarity’s the ‘best sister ever,’ I rebuked, saying that I could argue with what she said” I clenched my fists, dropping the hammer and chisel

“How did she… die?” Applejack gasped, standing beside Rarity and Rainbow Dash opposite Twilight

“Negligence” my voice cracked somewhat

“That’s… that’s horrible” Twilight stammered

“Quite so” Blaze hummed “so, what’ll you do about the princesses, Faust and their magic resulting in our creation?”

“What can we do,” I shrugged “even if we were to hate them for it, I think the pros outweigh the cons”

“How so,” she blinked

“We’re alive, are we not, and personally, I’d rather live my life how I see fit, not by the hands of fate or anything of the sort” I smiled

“And that’s why you quit?” she tilted her head

“Indeed it is, dear sister” I nodded

“Ya‘ll did what?” Applejack awed at me

“Well, I figured; why work for Celestia whilst protecting Equis, when I can do it for everyone in the kingdom, royalty included?” I smiled

“So, you’re a mercenary” Twilight giggled

“Mercenaries work for money; I do it because I want to, and because someone has to, other than the royal guard” I smirked “And besides; I’m fairly certain that living in itself costs enough as is”

“Actually, the economy we have makes it so that living is both fair and cheap” Twilight nickered

“Speaking of money” Blaze cracked a wicked grin

“It’s horrifically ironic that I’m not paid enough to put up with this sort of thing” I sighed

“I wonder where the orchestra got that two-million bits anyways?” she blinked, tilting her head once again

“My guess, the princesses” I grumbled “but it it’s neither sender nor the recipient that matters, it’s what we do with it”

“And what do you propose to do with it?” she raised an eyebrow

“What should I do with it then, I don’t need most of it” I shrugged, turning to face the others “besides, it’s not like we have a bank here or anything”

“And I’ve been saying that we need one for ages!” Twilight exclaimed

“Indeed; the daily trips my brother makes to Canterlot and back every week have become somewhat irritating” Blaze nodded

“So, what’ll you do now, Sugardrake?” Emerald nuzzled into me, sitting beside me, Garnet sat opposite her as Opal placed her head upon my own as she sat behind me

“Looks like you’ve got more attention, just like before, right sugarcube?” Applejack laughed

“I’ve heard the dragons can be highly protective of their mates, you might want to be careful, Rick” Twilight smirked

“I don’t think they’re that possessive,” I rolled my eyes “besides, emerald’s got to be the cutest one here, Opal’s the boldest, and Garnets the most beautiful, for a trio of dragons anyway”

“That name,” Emerald swooned, collapsing into my lap, I facepalmed, gently scratching under her chin, and around her horn-area, Garnet nuzzled into me

“Honestly, What are we going to do with you sister?” Garnet sighed

-=-=-

“So,” Crystal began with a smile “how’ve you been Ricky-o?”

“Meh” I tilted a hand “I suppose it can’t really get any better, supposedly, anyway”

“Have you heard,” Rarity smiled

“About what,” Crystal and I shared a confused glance

“The new mare,” she gestured toward a familiar creamy yellow mare with a wavy two-tone blue mane and tail with a milk bottle set between a pair of angels’ wings for a cutie mark

“She’s been here for a while now, I’m sure,” I raised an eyebrow, turning to face the milkmare “Hey Nova” I cheered, the mare instantly turned to face me, gleaming like the sun, charging toward me, leaping toward me, knocking me on my back

“You know her?” Rarity blinked

“She’s my little nova” I smiled, sitting upright, Milky Way sat beside me, leaning into me, pecking my cheek

“How long have you been in Ponyville..?” Rarity held out a hoof

“I’m Milky Way, and I’ve been here for around two-and-a-bit years now” Milky Way shook her hoof

“You’ve met our wayward eon before then?” Twilight giggled

“I have, he helped me with a personal matter” Milky Way’s cheeks turned a deep shade of crimson

“What do you…?” Twilight glanced downward, noticing the mare’s ‘assets’ “Ah, now I see”

“How did you get those?” Rarity attempted with all her might not to look toward the mammaries situated around Milky Way’s nether’s, failing miserably

“I was born with them; and subsequently, I didn’t live with my parents for very long” Milky Way’s head drooped

“So we’re both outcasts then, in a way, anyhow” I draped a wing around her

“What do you mean?” she blinked

“You’ve got them, that of which makes you somewhat socially awkward, no offense, and I’m the forerunner to every sentient life form that exists” I began to gently stroke her mane

“That’s a good thing, isn’t it?” she tilted her head slightly

“Not if you want to live a normal life it isn’t” I sighed

“Touché” she hummed “we’ll live like outcasts together then, life may be short in itself, but at least we’ll have each other”

“That we will, my little Nova” I smiled, she leant in, placing her lips on mine, parting, then lunging forward, tightly wrapping her arms around my neck, diving her tongue into my mouth, the two oral muscles dancing together as they met, gradually parting again

“Let us go,” she grinned, dragging me through the front door into the house, up the stairs and into the bedroom, locking the door behind us as she sat me on the bed, fumbling with her hooves, eventually managing to pull down both my trousers and underpants simultaneously, taking my currently-limp member into her mouth keeping herself hilted on it as it grew, finally pulling away once it reached full erection, running her tongue along the base of the shaft, taking it back into her maw, bobbing her head up and down, smiling up at me as I placed a gentle hand on her mane, stroking it, running her tongue along the base once more, occasionally twirling it around the head, pressing her lips down on it all the while, pulling away, climbing onto the bed, laying on her back

“Have at me, my little eon” Milky Way giggled/purred, I smirked, placing my cock between her ‘assets’ pressing her breasts together “Naughty,” she giggled as I started to gently buck my hips, changing to eon form, sliding my dick between her cleavage, giving a sly grin as she stared at my length

“That’s bigger than any stallion’s that I’ve heard of” she gave a soft smile “please be gentle”

“As you wish” I nodded, reverting to human form, removing my manhood from her mammaries, diving into her depths with my tongue

“Ah!” she gasped, convulsing as she came, I swallowed the juices as they came, moving my head from her entrance to one of her tits, pressing my lips down on the nipple, tweaking the other between a finger and thumb, she gasped, giving deep moans of pleasure at each movement that either one of my appendages made

Slowly, I pulled my head and hand away from her lower body, changing to eon form, lining my cock with her cunny

“Do it…”

=-=-=

“Where were you?” Natsu grinned

“Home” I deadpanned, Milky way on my back alongside Scootaloo and Gracy Gloom, Winter Bell was perched along my neck,, whereas Snowdrop; as per usual; was laying atop my head

“You were in there for forty-eight hours” the flame dragon slayer raised a somewhat suspicious eyebrow

“I slept in” I lied

“That’s not like you,” he tilted his head, glancing toward Milky Way “Who’s the cutie?”

“One, she’s Milky Way, and two, you say that as if you’re interested in a relationship with an equine” I smirked

“…It was one time, Ok?” he frowned, blinked, and then quickly covered his mouth with a hand

“Care to tell us what happened, Natsu?” I glimmered

“Her name’s Lyra, for some reason she’s fascinated by humans” he grumbled “can’t think why”

“What about Lisanna?” I blinked

“She’s…” he sighed “she’s apparently Ok with it”

“Apparently,” I tilted my head ever-so slightly “So, how was she?”

“What’re you two on about?” I turned around; Grey was stood at the entrance to the guild hall

“Natsu’s got himself a marefriend” I smirked

“You what,” the ice-make wizard glanced toward Natsu, promptly burst out laughing,. Storming into the guild hall

“Now what,” Natsu grumbled

“Now they’re going to think he’s gone loopy and shrug his apparent ‘joke’ of for the rumour that it could be”

“And what of Milky Way,” he raised the other eyebrow, nodding toward the milkmare atop my back

“What about her?” I gave a light frown

“She your latest conquest,” he beamed

“You can talk,” I laughed “of all the ones you could get, you got the one with the human-fetish, although I shouldn’t complain, she’ll be pretty easy, no offense, Nova” I glanced toward the mare atop my back

“None taken” Milky Way giggled

“We’re just friends, there’s no need to go mental over it” Natsu rolled his eyes

“That’s what everyone says” I grinned

-=-

“So,” Crystal began “when exactly did you say that the Canterlot castle was going to be torn down and built anew?”

“Back when I was practically elected as king” I smirked

“Yeah, well, it’s just happened” she bit her lip “Luna told Faust, who then went ahead with it, magically recreating the whole thing in an instant”

“She did what?” Twilight gasped

“Well, I did ask for it to happen, I would’ve at least thought that she would’ve told Celestia beforehand” I laughed

=-=

“If you think about it,” Blaze began “if the princesses, Faust and the others are elements of creation alongside the Great Beings and Artahka, wouldn’t that mean that they know about Mata Nui?”

“We know about him, and the island named after him” Celestia smiled, standing beside Faust, Shining Armour Flash Sentry, Luna and Cadance

“Then you know about the ‘Brotherhood of Makuta,’ the ‘Dark Hunters,’ and the Order of Mata Nui’?”

“We do, and we know about your actions in said universe” Faust smiled “not just with Artahka and Metamorphia, but your past actions, also”

“Hey, if you want a monster, I’ll give you one” I smirked

“How does one define a monster, in this case?” Blaze blinked

“How, indeed,” I grinned, focusing on my shape-shifting abilities, changing into something new, and, obviously, untested

“What is that!?” Shining Armour and Flash Sentry screamed, I blinked, looking down at myself

“I do believe that the citizens of Rapture referred to them as ‘Big Daddies’” Blaze smirked “Meet Subject: Gamma”

“This thing on?” I coughed in a somewhat guttural tone

“Daddy,” Snowdrop gasped, climbing up the drill rather carefully, perching herself on my opposite shoulder “Are you Ok?” she placed a gentle hoof on the iron helmet that made up what seemed to be the entirety of my head, I gave a slow nod, my frame/structure now a crouched one being one of the ‘Bouncer’ class Big Daddies will do that for a human-turned-abomination

“Looks like the perfect costume for Nightmare Night, wouldn’t thou say, Tia?” Luna giggled

“I would, were it not for the fact that it might scare my little ponies witless” Celestia frowned

“You obviously haven’t witnessed or heard of the Songbird then” I laughed as I gradually reverted to human form, Snowdrop clambered onto the back of my head, pecking one of my horns

“Well, there goes my magical energy for the next hour,” I collapsed to my knees , kneeling on the floor

“You scare me…” Flash Sentry fainted, whereas Shining Armour puked

“I shan’t be using that form again then, Princesses” I gave a weak smile “Lord knows I need to break time and space just to repair my magic energy reserves, again”

“Remember the last time you did that, Brother?” Blaze smirked

“How was I to know what’d happen?” I raised an eyebrow

“Rick, you bought back the dead,” she exclaimed

“That’s both, time, space as well as reality” I blinked

“And it’s probably your element of nature at work again, just like with snowdrop;” she smiled “If you try hard enough, and you can do anything, literally”

“And assuming she comes here?” I grumbled

“Well, Littlepip’s presence didn’t tear a hole in the fabric of reality itself, so I doubt that her being here would be any different” she shrugged

“Ricky-o,” an unknown entity exclaimed, Snowdrop barely managed to get out of the way in time as I was knocked to the floor, the entity of which, when I glanced toward said entity, was revealed to be Chilly Pepper

“How’ve ya been Rick?” Chilly Pepper giggled, standing beside me, pecking my cheek as I sat back upright

“As good as I can be around Equestria I suppose” I shrugged

“That’s always good to hear” she winked “So, what’s new in your life then, what discoveries have you made…?”

-=-=-

That night, I bolted upright, marching into the room with my family in as I heard a muffled screaming, marching toward my daughters’ room, the door was open, I stepped into the doorway, Snowdrop and the others were gagged, and the intruder was none other than Fluttershy’s ex-coltfriend, who had his equipment on show

“Now you just be a good quartet of fillies and do as I say, yes?” he snarled, one karate-chop to the back of the head, and he was out like a light, quickly thrown out the front door, which was then locked behind me as I re-entered the house, sprinting upstairs into the fillies’ room, undoing their gags, draping my wings around my family as they clung onto me, tears streaming down their muzzles

“It’s Ok; it’s ok,” I cooed, gently stroking each of their manes

I looked up; Blaze was stood at the door, eyebrow raised

“You know Fluttershy’s Ex-coltfriend?” I frowned; Blaze nodded “he’s just tried the unthinkable”

“Rape?” she stared at me, I nodded again “Should I lock him in the storage room?”

“If you would” I grinned

=-=-=

The following morning, Celestia and a few of her guards, Shining Armour included, came down on a pair of golden chariots, landing on the front lawn

“So what’s this I hear of a recent attempt at rape?” Celestia frowned toward the stallion in question

“I don’t know what you’re on about princess” he laughed, I sighed, reaching into my rucksack, sliding out an M6G sidearm, pressing it against the side of his temple

“Lying to the princess, really,” I spat “Do it again, and we’ll see how far what little brains you have left fly out of your thick skull, be warned, I’m in a rather trigger-happy mood this morning, and I’d rather the lady of the sun not see such unnecessary gore and violence”

“Alright, I did it!” he blurted out “that’s all I did though, I’ll admit that much?”

“I wouldn’t agree with that, normally if such an event were to occur, I’d have been awake at the first whimper from any one of them, so what’d you do?” I growled

“Anaesthetic” he mumbled

“So, you have wife, foals, any family to speak of?” I snarled

“I’ve a wife and foal, why?” he stammered

Maybe I should get payback then?” I smirked “I have twelve rounds in this thing, how many is it going to take you to not do it again?” I grinned rather maniacally

“Alright, I’ll not do it again!” he shrieked

“I do believe he’s all yours princess, shackled and everything” I stepped back, Celestia raised an eyebrow as Shining Armour and the others hauled the stallion into the carriage

“Did you have to do that?” Celestia frowned

“Psychological warfare,” I shrugged “I’ll do what’s necessary to protect my family”

“So you would” she hummed, teleporting away as the chariots took off for Canterlot

(\_/)

As I glided through the town, my family on my back, I noticed Rarity stood with Twilight and her friends, conversing as they stood beside a lavender and gold ‘wagon’ with a trio diamonds on either side in a scalene triangle pattern, with the diamonds in question on the sides in the centre of what looked like a glowing ring-shaped sun, the back ground of the inside of which was a bright lavender colour the golden frame was encrusted with gemstones of varying sorts, the bottom of which had pink drapes

“What’s going on?” I glanced around the area, all across ponyville there were market stalls being set up around town

“It’s the Foal and Filly Fair” Rarity chimed

“Looks a little smaller than the rainbow falls during the exchange” I raised an eyebrow

“It is somewhat similar yes,” she hummed “but I can’t help but feel as though it’s missing something”

“How can it be,” Spike’s cheeks turned a pinkish-lilac colour as he turned his head, placing his hands behind his back as he tilted his foot somewhat “you’re the one making it”

“And you can’t be any more obvious?” I stifled a laugh, he glared at me, I smirked, fists blazing, he took a large step backward as the fames around my claws dissipated

“Well, you are my favourite dragon” Rarity cooed, nuzzling into Spike’s leg somewhat merrily, he gave a smug grin toward me, I shrugged

“I could do better” I tilted a claw, my family safely landing on the ground as I reverted to human form, Snowdrop handing me the latest sets of artwork as she glided up to eye-level with me

“Thank you, Snowdrop” I smiled

“You’re welcome Daddy” she giggled as I handed Rarity the set of artworks

“These are amazing,” Twilight and Rarity exclaimed as they unfolded the first two in the series of seven

“You can keep them if you want” I bowed quickly “I’m thinking on how to do another, even greater one later this morning, I’ll see you later”

“What do you think you’re doing?” Spike placed a hand on my shoulder as I turned to walk away

“You want to start something in the middle of town, in front of possible four-thousand-and-six-plus ponies?” I frowned; he flinched, lowering his hand back by his side as I rolled my eyes, walking back to the house, sitting on the front lawn, getting ready for the next piece of artwork

“Harsh, much,” Blaze sighed “It’s as if he’s asking for it, and, judging by last night’s activities, you’re no longer in the mood for it” she eyed up the  M45 propped against the house right beside the door which was sat next the M6 Grindell /Galilean-nonlinear rifle

“Indeed” I hummed, beginning my work on the new ‘project,’ making gradual progress as the minutes turned to hours, eventually finishing it

The artwork in question was around three-to-four times larger than the usual work, and around five times more spectacular, but then again, that was my opinion

“What’s that meant to be?” Blaze gawked at the art, giving an occasional blink

“It’s Twilight, her friends, the princesses, Crystal, Angel and I, along with my family,” I pointed to each of the characters in turn

“So it is” she nodded “Who’s this one going to?”

“Rarity of course” I grumbled, standing upright, folding the artwork as I did so, walking toward the boutique, opening the door, only to come face-to-fabric with an absolute dump

“What the hell?” Blaze blinked as we entered the boutique

“Oh, I've never been better! This book you've given me is amazing! Why, I, I, I, I've been up all night just creating and creating and creating and creating! I've completed my fall line for the next fifteen seasons!” Rarity exclaimed

“Wow!” Spike breathed

“But then I started thinking, ‘why stop there,’ Oh, Spike, I've always thought this town of ours could use a few beautifying upgrades, and with this book, I can make that happen with such ease!” the alabaster mare gave a wicked leer “You will support me in this endeavour by letting me keep the book just a little longer?” she winked

“Of course I will!” he beamed

“I disagree, if being dishonest is going to let her keep the book, then honesty would be the best policy right now, for Rarity’s safety “besides, if it’s the book that’s doing this, then it should be sent back to wherever it came from, lest someone be corrupted” I frowned, taking the book from Rarity, turning and walking out of the boutique, carrying both it and the new portrait straight to the library, Spike sprinting after me alongside Blaze

“Twilight, are you here?” I glanced about the library; the lavender mare in question appeared at the top of the stairs, making her way down to me

“What is it Rick?” Twilight smiled, I handed her the book; she flipped it over, flitting through the pages “where’d you get this?”

“You’d have to ask your local winged lizard” I shrugged “It’s been playing Rarity’s mind like a flute, apparently, inspiration manifestation, as it were”

“I’d better write to the princess about it then,” she sighed, magicking up a quill and sheet of paper, writing a quick note, teleporting it elsewhere

Moments later, the solar alicorn herself was present in the library’s lounge as Spike forced his way past me

“I do believe you’ve a little explaining to do, Spike” Celestia smiled, Twilight passed her the book, the lady of the sun skimmed through it, quickly reading each page, closing it with a frown “Where did you get this?”

“The castle of the alicorn sisters,” Spike stammered

“I had hoped that nopony would be tempted to take heed to this witchcraft,” Celestia exhaled

“And from the looks of things, it’s been driving Rarity loopy” I rolled my eyes, again

“It’s creation magic; passed down from the eons of old” she began “a billion years ago, the eons attempted to put their magicka into words the result was the book you see before you”  

“I do believe there’s a phrase for this that needs to be said” “Blaze stood beside me

“The ‘You’re dabbling with magic beyond your comprehension,’ sentence?” I raised an eyebrow, she nodded

“And what do you plan to do?” Celestia smiled, again

“Destroy the book; it’s the only thing we can do to make sure that nobody gets their mind turned to liquid shit”” Blaze declared

“Pardon our language” I groaned

“Of course,” she giggled, levitating the book toward me, I took it, walking unto the hill behind the library, holding it to one side, standing opposite Blaze, who exhaled her trademark golden flames over it, disintegrating it to little more than ash, walking back into the library alongside my sister

“I believe there’s a lesson to be learnt here” Celestia nickered

“Be honest with your friends when they’re doing something you don’t think is right?” I tilted my head

“Quite so” she raised an eyebrow with a smirk

“And you did -around five minutes ago, say that honesty was best policy” Blaze grinned, Twilight stared at me

“What?” I blinked “do your parents not teach you these things?” she slowly shook her head

“Three-nil,” Blaze laughed “you’re a demigod, dragon slayer, eon, and a wise-ass, that’s a new one”

“Who’s the wise-ass?” I raised an eyebrow

“Alright, I’ll admit that one, but you get the others” she smirked

“I’ve just noticed something;” Twilight placed a hoof to her chin “the magic energy radiating from your being is somewhat denser, has something happened?”

“Not at all” I glimmered

“That’s obviously a lie” Spike scoffed

“Oh, I’m obvious?” I grinned; “coming from the Romeo-wannabe I think that’s saying something”

“There it is again” Twilight’s horn shone with a bright magenta aura

“Celestia,” I nodded toward Twilight

“Are you sure?” the solar goddess bit her lip, I nodded, yet again, she sighed, quickly explaining last night’s events

“Sweet mother of faust,” Twilight gasped “Rick, I’m sorry to hear that”!

“Not your fault,” I shrugged

“I’m sorry” Spike mumbled, I rolled my eyes for a third time that day, turned round, and walked out, noticing Rainbow Dash wave toward me as I stormed toward the house, ignoring her and moving on, sitting on the front porch

“Hey” Autumn Heart sat beside me “I heard about what happened last night, I’m sorry for what happened”

“It’s as I said to Twilight, it’s not your fault” I draped a wing around her, Plaze patted my arm, I glanced toward her

“I’ve just got an idea…”

=-=-=-=

This better work” I grumbled, hovering beside my friends, family, Autumn Heart included, Twilight, her friends, minus Fluttershy, the princesses, and Faust, Spike also included, on the hill behind the library

“Why wouldn’t it, you can turn into the original Stardust Dragon just fine” Blaze shrugged

“Touché” I sighed, oaring into the sky, my form glowing with a bright azure flame, my eyes shining like suns as I flew higher and higher

“Burning desires and blazing stars, both of which leave a trail of the divine, come forth, evolution of light, Shooting Quasar Dragon!” I roared, my from transforming with an explosion of light

“Did it work?” I blinked, lowering myself to the ground

“I’ll say!” Blaze chortled as I looked down at my claws

“I take it the smaller variant is because of the massive size of the dragon, and so my element, or abilities have shrunken it, as not to exhaust my magic energy levels” I tilted my head

“You had to recite the subtitles from the episode?” she grinned

“I felt as though it’d help” I folded my arms

“So you did, Rick, so you did” she slowly shook her head

“Never hath we seen such a strange dragon,” Luna hummed

“Quite so,” Cadance giggled “it is indeed an oddity”

“I’m still sentient you know?” I raised an eyebrow

“Well yes, that’s how we made thee” Luna smiled, I frowned, focusing once again on my shape-shifting powers, my form changing t that of Alphamon with a flash of light

“Well, I’m glad that worked” I clicked my neck, changing to my eon form, or so I thought at the time

“Uh, Brother, “Blaze pointed toward my chest

“What-?” I looked down at myself;

I was still in Alphamon form, but with the shape of my eon form, minus the cape

“Alright, I’ll try again,” I focused once again, my body fully reverting to my eon form, and then to my human form

“I have to admit that was, interesting…”Blaze hummed

“Part Alphamon, part eon form,” I raised an eyebrow “I’ll have to remember that one”

“So, your Alphamon, eon, and human forms don’t use up any magic energy in morphing from one to the next?” Twilight raised an eyebrow

“Unless they do, bu the change in my magic levels is minute to the point where I don’t notice anything,” I blinked “Twilight; I think you may be onto something”

“Just how much magic does your changeling-esque ability take away anyways?” Blaze blinked

“I guess I’ve never thought about it” I shrugged…

-=-

“We’ll start by measuring your magic level” Twilight smiled, connecting my horns to what looked like a beacon of sorts which was shaped like a curvaceous rook chess piece with a lavender orb hovering above it “All you have to do is fire an attack, and it’ll measure your magic level

“If you say so”, I smirked

“Eigo Hoseki Ryū no,” I grinned inhaling Hokou!” I roared, exhaling a vast torrent fire into the sky

“That’s…” Autumn Heart gaped at the eight-digit number hovering above the orb

“Thirty-two-million, Three-hundred and eighty-nine-thousand, two-hundred and ninety-one magicka” Twilight gasped

“That’s nothing,” I snorted “I’m guessing the average Great Being’s level is around a billion?” I glanced toward Celestia

“Closer to a trillion, actually” Celestia smiled, I smiled, triggering dragon force, releasing the same torrent of flames toward the sky, the number above the now pulsating lavender orb both literally and figuratively tripled

“Fifty-five-million,” Twilight loudly exclaimed

“Looks like the theory of ‘Dragon Force’ doubling the user’s physical and magical prowess has been proven” Blaze whistled

“What’s the average pony’s level?” Kiary smirked from atop my shoulder as she perched herself upon it

“Around a hundred,” Celestia smiled, casting a moment’s glance toward Twilight “Twilight’s is around ten times that”

“But if the elements of nature were said to be stronger than an actual alicorn?” Blaze blinked

“She said average alicorn, they could be weaker, they could be stronger, most likely the latter” I smiled “that being said…”

=-=

As we stood in the arena, I removed my upper attire, discarding it into my inventory

“This should be fun” I gave a smug grin, focusing once more as my wings retracted into my back, replaced by twin pairs of my arms bursting from the shoulders, the four new appendages looking completely metallic

“The flames in the right hands, and the flames in the left,” I grinned, summoning large fireballs around each hand “put the six together, and this is what you get, slamming them together with their opposites, merging them into one, gigantic fireball, concentrating even further, I noticed the blazing sphere shrinking, down to the size of a tennis ball “Crystal Dragon’ God’s Ultimate Inferno!”

“How in Equestria,” Twilight shrieked

“Magic” I grinned, my arms seemingly disintegrating as my wings quickly replaced them m, exploding forth from my back, still holding the small, highly-reactive, fireball

“Six brilliant flames rolled into one…” Blaze whistled “Moeru Rasengan, much?”

“I know, right?” I laughed

“So, twice you’ve claimed that you’re unlike Asura, and yet you utilize the same abilities?” she smirked, the fireball in my hands slowly dissipating as she spoke

“I could’ve had that one pony’s insides decorated along the walls of my house” I raised an eyebrow

“Touché” she shuddered

“Had whose insides?” Rainbow Dash blinked as I replaced my shirt and clockwise jacket, Snowdrop perching herself upon the back of my head, as per the usual, and Winter Bell and Gracy Gloom perched themselves unto my shoulders, also, as per the usual, Blaze quickly explained the events  of the recent night-time “Oh…”

“You’d have done that, of all things?” the Typhlosion now stood beside me placed a gentle paw on my shoulder

“Give me an instrument with a sharp edge, and you’d be surprised at what I can do for my family” I frowned

“Somewhat sick, somewhat reassuring” she laughed

-=-=-=-

As I walked alongside Blaze, Snowdrop and the others, entering the castle’s gardens, I held out the latest set of artworks, which Celestia levitated  them toward her, hanging them in mid-air , parting them top either side of herself and Luna

“These are rather interesting works,” Celestia smiled, changing to her anthro form alongside Luna as they made their way toward me, carrying them with her “you wouldn’t have been inspired by the events most-recent, would you?”

“I might’ve been” I smirked, glancing toward the portrait of Snowdrop sat upon Ceres’ back

“How can one be as kind as you are?” she stood before me

“Rick could ask you the same thing, just as Sylgja asked us” Blaze gave a sly grin

“Sylgja,” Luna raised an eyebrow

“Look, I was at Shor’s Stone they had an infestation in the mines, which I promptly cleared out, and one thing led to another” I mumbled

“So I see” Celestia nickered, teleporting us, Twilight having joined me on the tip to canterlot alongside Applejack, Rarity and Rainbow Dash, for me to fall down a small, deep hole

“Tia, we asked for thou to remove thine cannon!” Luna blared

“It’s not a problem” I smiled, my arms turning a shining charcoal-black as I made indents in the walls of the ‘cannon,’ using said indents as footholds, climbing up to ground level, my arms colour, returning to normal once I was out, grabbing the sides of the cannon’s end, tensing my muscles, ripping it out, of the floor, sending it flying through one of the windows

“How the hay did you manage that?” Rainbow Dash gawked at me

“Demigod, remember?” Blaze beamed

“True as it may be, I shan’t use my title as an excuse for anything, Blaze” I frowned

“Speaking of,” she cracked a wide grin “how exactly do you excuse breaking several windows by means of cannon-throwing?”

“I’m just trying to make sure that nobody ends up with a broken bone, or two, or more” I shrugged

“You’re fired” she grinned

“Since when do you call the shots around here, Blaze?” I laughed

“That was awful, brother, truly, a pun of sheer dread” she shuddered

“You started it” I gave a sly smirk

“Says he who rips cannons from castle floors” she chortled

“Touché, but only so others don’t get injured from the fall” I rolled my eyes

“Always thinking about others, even in the most critical and awkward of situations” Blaze smirked “that’ll come back and bit you in the arse sooner or later, brother”

“I told Littlepip, and now I’ll tell you,” I sighed “I failed once, and I have no intention of doing so again”

“Touché” she gave a curt nod “But, technically you didn’t fail, ergo,” she pointed a somewhat accusing paw toward Celestia

“Wait,” she blinked “if you and Lulania, or whatever her name is, had Faust, who then had Celestia and Nyx, and they created you, doesn’t that mean that, by the transitive property, you’re the reason for your own existence?”

“Now that’s interesting” I whistled, glancing around the room “I must say I think what she did with the castle is somewhat, intriguing”

“And somehow, I don’t think you throwing armaments through windows is going to help, Brother” Blaze laughed

“Touché…”

-=-=-

The following night, I was awoken by a strange noise, oh that bumbling cliché…

As I slowly made my way through the house, I noticed the kitchen door ajar, with the light turned on, wielding an actual lightsaber, I peered into the room, quickly sheathing the light blade on sight of Snowdrop making herself a glass of water

“What time is it?” Snowdrop blinked as she turned to face me

“Two in the morning” I gave a weak smile

“Ok Daddy” she giggled, hovering/gliding/flying back to her room, turning the light off as she left

-0=0-

Seeing as I spent the rest of the night sat on the base of the stairs, it was no surprise that Snowdrop glided down said stairs, landing on the back of my head

“Good morning Daddy” Snowdrop smiled, nuzzling into the top of my head

“Good morning Snowy” I simpered

“What’re we going to do today Daddy?”  She giggled, pecking one of my horns

“The usual” I smiled, changing to eon form as Scootaloo, Winter Bell, and Gracy Gloom landed on my back and neck respectively as they glided down the stairs

-=-

After the occupants of the house –myself included, had had a ‘hearty’ breakfast, I headed with my family to canterlot

“I think you need a new set of attire, darling” Rarity gave a weak smile as she and I walked through ponyville

“So I do” I chuckled as she opened the door to a strange, white building that was almost cylindrical in shape with a deep, purple, pointed-dome roof, gesturing for me to enter

“Have you any designs in mind, Rick?” she smiled, handing me a quill, inkpot and paper,, the paper of which I set down on the ‘podium’ -assuming one would be able to call it that, quickly jotting down a design not unlike Minato Namizake’s cape/cloak, but with various other items of clothing instead of the usual regalia, and with upward-pointing spikes running along the bottom of the cloak rather than crimson flames, with two sets of twin rubies studded in either side of the collar

“That’s rather…” Rarity trailed off “exotic, I’ll certainly do my best, now if you’ll only step over here” she guided me to a cylindrical stand, tapping it with a hoof

“Wouldn’t mind at all” I smiled again

“Now could you please remove your clothes?” she smiled back I did so, albeit, reluctantly, removing all but my shorts

“How much do I owe you?” I tilted my head as she levitated a measuring tape around me, quickly taking my dimensions

“Not a bit,” Rarity chimed “I refuse to charge my friends anything, should they request for one of my works” she added with a gracious smile, placing the measuring tape on a nearby table” you can move now”

“And I insist otherwise, on the payment I mean” I grinned quickly redressing myself

“Oh alright then, seeing as it’s you, Tsuko” she giggled “come back by next weeks’ end, and I’ll have ten sets all ready for you”

“You’re a master at your craft Rare’s” I winked, vacating the boutique, noticing a flush of red on the seamstress’s cheeks as I left

After scouring the area around the everfree forest, I found several piles of gems hidden under small piles of dirt, buried there

Placing said gems into my rucksack, I walked back to ponyville

-=-

At next weeks’ end, I ventured toward the boutique, only to find Twilight and her friends conversing with the alabaster unicorn mare at the front door

“Ah Rick, you’re here” Rarity smiled, leading the six of us into the boutique

“That I am” I smiled as she rolled out a set of clothes hangers on a steel frame

“Now, our deal?” she nickered, I poured the gems from my rucksack out onto a nearby table “Fair enough…” she blinked, levitating one of the sets of clothing toward me, gesturing toward a changing room, which I entered, carrying the clothes with me, quickly changing into the new set of attire, applying the leather straps to the arms of the cloak, also changing to the matte-black, open-toed sandals after placing the new trousers, wearing the shirt  under the cloak, as per the obvious

“You look, stunning!” Rarity exclaimed with apparent glee as I stepped forward from the changing room

“That’s amazing,” Twilight gasped, eyeing me up and down, glancing toward Rarity, then toward me again “how long did it take you to do this?”

“Just over a week and a half,” Rarity smiled “Really Twilight, you doubt my capabilities?”

“Not at all, it’s just that I’ve never seen works such as this” Twilight gestured toward me

“That’s because I’m the only human in Equestria, to my knowledge” I rolled my eyes

“Of course, how silly of me” she gave a light giggle, her cheeks turning a mild pink tinge

Just at that moment Celestia appeared via teleportation

“Yo” I gave a small wave, she sat on her haunches

“And just where did you get that, Rick?” she raised an eyebrow

“Rarity made it for me, with the right payment of course” I glanced toward Rarity, whose cheeks were a bright scarlet colour

“Well then, I may need your talent sometime at the gala, Rarity”, the alabaster unicorn in question; fainted

“So, Princess, what brings you down here in such a hurry?” I smiled, yet

“Why on Thor’s golden Asgard do you look like Minato Namizake?” Blaze laughed

“That’s unintentional” I grinned

“So you say” she gave a slow, curt nod

“Shut it, fire-hazard” I tutted

“Says the humanoid dragon” she folded her arms

“Pyro”

“Lizard-features”

“Overgrown ferret”

“Lanky”

“Torch”

-=-

“So, what happens now?” Blaze tilted her head

“Question of my life, if ever there was one” I laughed as we ventured through the Everfree forest, into the castle, through the corridors and into the library

“What’re we looking for?” Twilight blinked

“Something that should’ve been shown to the public” my ears twitched, pulling me toward a certain book

Pulling the book from the shelf, a slightly rusted key fell from the gap between the pages and the spine, I quickly took it, fists now blazing; the flames of which being absorbed by the key, which began to pull back toward the throne room, once there, my vision instantly cut to black

=-=-=

When my vision blurred, I bolted upright, only to be held down by a gentle hoof, that of which belonged to a bright; vivid green unicorn mare with a cobalt mane, tail and white butterfly wings

“Easy there, friend” the pony smiled

“Where am I?” I blinked

“You’re in Flutter valley,” the winged unicorn giggled “I’m Radiance, who might you be?”

“Rick” I held out a hand, which she gingerly shook as the door to the wooden hut we were in opened, revealing my family, who bounded toward me, clinging onto me, clambering unto my back, neck and head respectively

+-+

As we -my family, friends, Twilight, her friends and Spike, stood beside Radiance as well as the princesses and Faust

“It’s all true then” I chuckled nervously “the changelings, Queen Rosedust, Discord’s reign; all of it, including the princess’ betrayal of the queen”  

“What betrayal?” Twilight blinked

“I see she hasn’t told you anything” I rolled my eyes “the flutterponies, or  changelings, as they’re now called, were a peaceful race, living in a place called ‘flutter valley’ until Celestia and Luna came along, Discord chasing after them, basically selling them out to remake the elements”

“’tis a LIE,” Luna yelled “if we hadn’t of come, Discord would still be ruling Equestria!”

“And what of the changelings’ sake,” I growled “Rosedust had a kingdom, countless ponies that trusted her to save them! When she came to you for help, you and Celestia left them! Abandoned them! And worse, you rejected them and left them to rot in the wasteland that used to be their home! They were ponies, too; where was your love then!?”

“You know of her majesty?” Radiance gasped as a large crowd of unicorns, all mares with butterfly wings of varying colours surrounded us

“I’ve heard legends” I gave a slow nod “about how the flutter ponies were mutated, changed into what they are on Equis, but that can’t be right if what chrysalis told me is true”

At that moment, a large, alabaster unicorn with a flowing ruby mane and tail with sapphire eyes wearing a crown of mistletoe upon her head, and a pair of primrose-golden butterfly wings upon her back

“I am Rosedust, queen of Flutter Valley, state your business and intentions at once” the newcomer snapped

“Rick, Ex-knight of Equestria, human, eon, and dragon slayer,” I bowed “and these are my friends and family”

“So you say” she gave a faint smile “So, what’s a human doing, here of all places?”

“We came through a portal of sorts, guided to said portal by a key from an old tome,” I explained “you’ve heard of my kind before?”

“Last time I saw one of you was back at around two-hundred-million years past” she laughed “Welcome to the valley, Sir Rick”

“So, is this another country, or another world?” Twilight held a nervous hoof above the rest of her

“It is both, and neither,” Rosedust smiled “I’m sure your human friend can figure it out, little one”

“It’s an alternate reality” I stared at the winged unicorn stood before me “Not the first one I’ve been to, but an interesting one nonetheless”

“That it is, Sir Rick” she glimmered “we’re pocketed away here from the rest of Equis, and from the Lord of Chaos that is Discord”

“He’s been taken care of, and shall be again, I can assure you, your majesty” I smiled in return

“Thank you, Sir Rick” she giggled

“Just ‘Rick’ will suffice, Queen Rosedust” I rolled my eyes

“I’ll do as you say if you can call me Rosedust” she winked

“That I will, Rosedust” I grinned

“Come, I have yet to give you a proper welcome according to a being of you and your friends” she smiled, hovering, in mid-air, taking off toward a castle on a nearby hill, I quickly flew after her

“Is this the human you told me about, mother?” a creamy-white unicorn with a  deep indigo mane and tail with snow-white butterfly wings nickered as she eyed me up and down, now in eon form, my friends and family standing beside me

“It is, my dear Tulia” Rosedust, ‘Tulia’ ‘squee’d’ charging toward me, clinging onto me as she tackled me to the floor, dragging me via magic into one of the spare bedrooms…

-=-

“Not even here for two hours, and you’ve already gone and been bedded with an apparently beautiful mare” Blaze smirked

“I don’t see anyone else complaining” Rosedust smiled

“I’d say you’re a natural,” Tulia giggled, pecking my cheek

“Not sure how to reply to that” I past her a sideways glance

“Just go with it, isn’t that how you usually work, brother?” Blaze gave a sly grin

“Not really…” I muttered

“Can I go back to Equis, with you by my side?” Tulia nuzzled into me

“I don’t see why not” I bit my lip

“I shall allow it, but you must promise to keep her safe, stud” Rosedust gave a light frown

“What?” I blinked

“Oh don’t play dumb with me, human, I could hear you from all the way down the hall” she smirked, teleporting the two of us back to the bedroom as her horn flashed a brilliant snow-white colour…

=-=

“Twice within three hours?” Blaze chortled

“Three times actually” Tulia pecked my cheek

“Is there some way to open a portal between worlds, Cellsy?” I gave a faint smile

“There is, but it’ll require some of your magic to keep it stable” Celestia grinned

-=-=-

After using several gem dragons’ roar’s too keep the portal stable, we –my friends, Twilight her friends, the princesses Faust and Tulia- ventured through

“Where are we now?” Tulia blinked

“The castle in the Everfree” I smiled, leading the group alongside my family friends and Blaze toward Ponyville

“This is Ponyville?” she tilted her head, I, alongside Blaze and Co; had given a quick briefing on the equestrian landmarks and the history of what’d happened in the past millennia, Nyx’s exile included

“Pinkie, don’t you have a party you could be throwing?” I smirked toward the Pinkie Pie, who blinked, then gleamed from ear to ear, and then sped off in a pinkish lightning-like blur

“Where’d she go?” Tulia stared at me

“You’ll see” I winked

“Is that an alicorn?” one pony stopped and stared alongside what seemed to be the whole towns’ citizens

“Can’t be, it doesn’t have the right wings” another blinked

“But what is she then?” a third eyed Tulia from hoof-to-horn-tip

“I’m Princess Tulia, co-ruler of Flutter Valley alongside Queen Rosedust” Tulia bowed with a gracious smile in that instant, all who stood before us dropped to the floor in bowing toward the flutterpony

=-=-=

“Rick!” a familiar brown unicorn with a flowing chocolate brown mane and tail charged toward me, knocking me to the ground, again

“Hello to you also, Autumn Heart,” I chuckled as she clung onto me, sitting upright, stroking her mane

“I missed you, Rick” she nuzzled into me, pecking her lips on mine

“You’re herding?” Tulia gave me a sly smirk

“Somewhat” I tilted a hand, Littlepip and Velvet Remedy sat either side of me, leaning into me

“What’s going on here?”

I turned; Natsu and Erza were stood, staring at me

“You, her, she, they…” Natsu pointed at me, then Autumn Heart, and then toward Littlepip and Velvet Remedy

“Don’t, say, anything” I growled “Speaking of which, how’s Lyra?”

“Pyro,” a minty-green unicorn with a mane and tail of the same colour with white highlights leapt toward the fire dragon slayer

“How are ya Natsu?” Lyra giggled

“I’m fine” Natsu grumbled, glowering at me

“Hiya Ricky-o,” Lyra clambered down to the floor “How ‘bout a three way?” she pointed toward Natsu, who fainted with a pale green expression of horror plastered upon his face, I gave her my best ‘are you serious!?’ look, a cute giggle was her only response

“Did you have to do that?” I grunted

“Why not,” she nickered

“You ponies are insane; and coming from me, that’s saying something” I laughed

“Indeed,” Celestia smiled

“You should’ve seen what we found in the library” Blaze gave a smug grin toward Twilight

“What’d you find?” Erza smirked

“Why don’t you ask lavender here?” I gestured with a wing toward the bookish mare with a sly smirk

“Why me,” Twilight had a look of horror struck upon her muzzle

“It’s your house, you room, and your doll, not mine”

“You keep a doll? Of Rick..?” Celestia blinked, staring down toward the librarian

“Yes…” Twilight cowered low on the ground

“And you don’t mind?” she glanced toward me

“Not really,” I shrugged “Sparky’s gonna do what Sparky’s gonna do”

“So I see” she nickered

“Next thing you’ll be telling us is that Twilight rode lightning

“I did” Twilight gave a nervous smile

“Laxus would be proud; you’ve possibly broken the sound barrier in the form of a thunderbolt travelling at one-thousandth of a second travelling faster than sound” I glimmered, draping my wings around the lavender mare “Though I must ask, how are you still in one piece, much less not, Y’know, somewhat toasted?”

“Magic” she giggled

“She mastered heaven’s gate,” Celestia simpered “a spell I and Luna long thought impossible”

“Insert Gurren Lagann quote here” Blaze glanced toward me, I nodded

“Quite so” I grinned

“So this is the town aptly named ‘Ponyville’?”

I turned, there was a young man in his mid-twenties with golden-yellow hair, deep crimson trousers, a black t-shirt with a grey fur coat so dark it was almost black, finishing rthe portrait of a man were the twin black boots and brown eyes, I bolted to my feet as Snowdrop landed upon my head

“Laxus,” I nodded

“Pyro” he gave a faint nod in return, glancing toward the fallen dragon slayer “What’s the salamander doing in broad daylight?”

“How does one explain that he’s in a relationship with a pony?” I gulped audibly

“And,” he raised an eyebrow

“Said pony,” I gestured toward Lyra “has asked the impossible of him, or so it’d appear”

“If that’s what happened” he rolled his eyes

“So, you’re the lightning dragon slayer?” Twilight

“I am, and what has the local Pyro told you?” he glanced toward me, then toward Twilight

“That you almost beat Natsu and Gajeel..?” Twilight stammered

“True, but that was several years ago” Laxus sighed

“Not to mention that you beat the whole of what Ivan called his so-called ‘elite’ within the space of a minute-and-a-half” I gleamed

“Ricky-o,” a familiar silver Pegasus mare with a mane and tail of gold soared toward me, knocking the wind out of me, clinging onto me “I missed you Rick, so has Dinky, she’s been talking about you non-stop, and about how you stopped her being bullied!”

“I’m sorry I didn’t get to show up to take care of her at the gala, what with my organs being instantaneously melted and all”

“You what,” she gasped, tears beginning to cloud her eyes as I sat cross-legged,

“My insides were -and this is putting it bluntly, turned to liquid shit” I deadpanned

“How’re you still Ok?” she cried as Luna teleported away alongside Cadance and Faust

“My physiology and DNA was fused with that of a rubber tree, to put it briefly” I stroked her mane

“Is that why you were gone for two years?” she sobbed

“I’m afraid so Derpy, I’m afraid so” I stated somewhat sombrely, letting her cry to her heart’s content her tears soaking my new jacket/cloak

-=-=-

“I have come, for the princes, and trash such as the likes of you shan’t get in my way”

“WHAT!?” Rainbow screamed with anger.

“You understand now? That crushing feeling when everything you love has been stolen away from you by forces you can’t control. The only way you can understand why I do what I do is feel it yourself. This feeling right here, this is why Celestia must pay!”

“You… What did Celestia do to you to make you hate her so much?”

“Celestia… She… She killed my little brother!”  Everyone gasped. The filly had a tear coming from her eye. “You don’t know Celestia like I do. She is a heartless monster who rules over this land with an iron hoof. She is just biding her time until I am gone. Once I am out of the picture, you’ll be nothing but slaves to her. She doesn’t care about anyone but herself and that is why I must destroy her. Once I do, Equestria will finally be liberated and everypony can control their own life…”

“You have it all wrong…” I frowned, the filly stared at me curiously “Celestia may have made a few mistakes but she is different now; she understands she made a mistake and now she has to live with it for the rest of her life knowing all the pain she caused. She wants nothing but to keep her ponies safe”

“How would you know?”

“I know because she told me all about you… Midnight Rose…”

“Midnight Rose?” Rainbow asked

“Nice to hear that tyrant still remembers my name” she spat “Yes, I am in fact Midnight Rose, the same one who attempted to liberate Equestria all those years before!” Midnight Rose glowered toward Celestia as Twilight, her friends, my friends and family, Spike, the princesses Faust, and Lulania stood in the throne room

“You mean destroy it!” I yelled

“What you consider destroy, I consider liberate; you know I am not the only one who wants Celestia gone right, while many ponies seem very fond of her, in truth they are scared of her power and would never openly admit to despising her guts. It’s not just her selfish behavior all those years ago; there are many things she has done” she

“Then explain to me…” I sighed

“For starters, she doesn’t even have the guts to protect her own ponies; she sits back in Canterlot while she lets her little ‘Harmony Squad’ do all the dirty work for her. What do you think she does during all your battles?”

“You’re the reason she can’t fight, because of you, she is too scared to fight” I scowled “You say that she doesn’t deserve to rule Equestria, well now you have her thinking it too; she doesn’t believe she has the power to protect anypony anymore and she is afraid that fighting will one day turn her into a monster like Discord”

“She is already a monster; once the deed is done, there is no going back” Midnight Rose snarled “she must atone for her crimes; for she may have defeated me all those years ago but now I am stronger than ever!” Midnight arched her back and roared into the sky

The very ground beneath her shook with the full force of her power as a dark aura surrounded her and I could swear I saw her eyes flash red for a moment

“Now that my true identity has been revealed, I don’t have to hold back anymore, even though this mortal body is unable to control my full power, this should be more than enough to destroy you; and now I want you to see just what you and the Princess are in for; Human!”

“Say another word about Cellsy, I dare you” I spat, unleashing energy to the point where I felt I was going supernova, the ground shook with a grade nine-on-the-Richter-scale earthquake as the walls and windows cracked

“You’re going to harm a filly?” Blaze glanced toward me with a look of worriment plastered across her features

“No mere filly could cause the earth to shake and the heavens to split apart like that, Blaze” I glared icy daggers at the ‘filly’  “However,” my blazing aura of raging crimson flames dissipated with a slight breeze “violence will get us nowhere, sister,”

“So what should we do?” she blinked, I winked “Oh,” she blinked again “oh….”

“You hate Celestia, right, for what she did to your brother, yes?” I bit my lip

“What of it?” Midnight Rose chided

“You think that getting your revenge on the six gods of Equis is going to help you with your goals, I call it childish, a fool’s errand, I want to know what exactly happened between you two all those years ago, and why you’re on somewhat of a rampage to get what you want, if you so wish to end a life, you can start with me, if you feel as though you’ve got the balls”

“You dare question me!?” she bellowed

“No, I’m testing your capabilities, Rose” I smiled, holding my arms out at either side “Have at me, Midnight” all of a sudden I felt a cold sensation wrack through my body as the filly’s body collapsed to the floor

“Now we have your warrior, Celestia, what’ll you do now?” Midnight Rose spoke through me, turning to face the princesses, drawing the Dawnbreaker, holding it against her/my throat “take a single step and he dies!”

“Rick, why do this?” Celestia’s eyes were clouded with tears which slowly began to fall down her muzzle

“Shows how much he cares for you, doesn’t it?” Midnight Rose growled

“Go on then, show how much of a god you think you are, if you’ve got the testicular fortitude” Blaze snarled

“I’ll do it!” she barked

“Go ahead, see if I care” Blaze shrugged

There was awkward silence as everyone in the room stared at Blaze in sheer horror

“It’s true…” Midnight began to cry, dropping the Dawnbreaker, collapsing to our/her knees “I’ve never hurt anypony in my life!” there was another cold sensation wracking through my body as Midnight’s spirit left my body, hovering as a pony-shaped aura before me

“That stung a little” I groaned, clicking my shoulders, neck, and back

“Human,” the spirit of Midnight Rose cooed “I have one request before I leave, as you have proven that I’m incapable of murder; and anything of the sort”

“What is it?”

“Put me to rest, would you?” she smiled

“I’d be honoured” I nodded, drawing the Daybreaker, pointing it forward alongside the Dawnbreaker “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!)

“Thank you, Human” Midnight cooed once more as she faded into energy, said energy was seemingly absorbed by the Nova-breaker

“Amazing,” Faust breathed in unison with Cadance and Lulania, and just at that moment a beam of angelic light burst forth from the tip of the blade, creating a tunnel through the ceilings, floors and roof-tiles above us, and, as the beam faded, the Nova-breaker split back to its fusion material parts

“Well that was anticlimactic” Blaze frowned

“I know, right?” I rolled my eyes “and to think we just got this castle rebuilt…”

“Didst, thou hath to sacrifice thyself for us?” Luna gave a faint smile

“Would you rather I let you fall victim to a would be psychopath, Luna?” I frowned

“We can do more than take care of ourselves, Sir Rick”

“‘Sir’ Rick,” I raised an eyebrow “I’m no longer a knight, you and Cellsy saw to that”, I turned, sheathing both the Daybreaker and the Dawnbreaker, changing to eon form, my family quickly leaping unto my head, neck and back respectively “My scales may be black, but that needn’t mean that my heart is as well<” I went on, glancing toward the lunar alicorn “can you say the same?”

And with that I left, Blaze strolling alongside me as I vacated the castle

-=-

As I warped through time and space, my family going with myself and Blaze, I landed/hovered in place upon a wide stage with a just-as-wide table set upon said stage

“Where are we?” Blaze shuddered

“My guess, Bronycon” I grumbled

“Who are you?” A human dressed as Celestia stared at me alongside a Luna cosplayer

“Rick?” I rolled a claw, my family, sans Snowdrop, leaping to the floor of the stage as I reverted to human form

“It’s him” someone from the crowd gasped

“He’s got the horns, wings and appearance, but does he have the powers?” a second human hummed, I quickly lit-up-and dissipated a flame around my hands “so he does”

“It’s the Eon of Equis!” a third cheered

What followed was a series of Q-and-A sessions, photographs and autograph signings

“We’ve got a little something we’d like to give you, for your dedication” A red-haired woman with deep, rich sapphire eyes smiled as a team of three people carried a ten-by-six portrait of my human and eon form, split straight down the middle, with Snowdrop atop my head, with Kiary on one shoulder and Winter Bell hovering beside me opposite Scootaloo and beside Gracy Gloom, the portrait in question was framed with mahogany with a Plexiglas cover, it was also signed by each of the main cast of the MLP series, what finished the picture itself was Celestia hovering in one corner with the sun in the absolute corner, and Luna in the other with the moon, and Faust in the centre with a sun placed behind a crescent moon, the words, ‘Harmony~And~Nature’ was placed between the wooden frame and Faust

“Thank you,” I bit my lip, ‘pursing’ them inward “thank you all for this, really”

“We’d do anything for our little Eon of Equis” a golden-blonde haired woman wearing jeans, sandals, and a red vest smiled, pecking my cheek

“Thank you Tara” I smiled

“You’re quite welcome, Rick, or is it Teslakana?” she giggled

“I’ll see you next year, probably” I chuckled “oh, but before I go,” I handed her the doll that Twilight kept in her room, that of which was in the shape of my eon form

“Thank you” she cooed

“See you later” I changed to eon form, my family retaking their palces upon my back and neck as I held onto the portrait, warping back to Ponyville

=-=

“Where have you been?” Twilight glared icily toward me, glancing toward the portrait

“Nowhere important” I winked

“Where did you get that?” she snapped, pointing an accusing hoof toward the portrait

“Nowhere important” I reiterated

“Is that all you’re going to say when I ask you a question?” she grumbled somewhat agitatedly

“No” I smirked

“Good” she frowned

“How long have I been gone?” I rolled my eyes

“A whole week” she glowered frigidly toward me

“Time seems to travel faster here than it does on earth-” Blaze quickly silenced herself

“You went back to earth!?” Twilight bellowed

“I don’t need to be looked after like an infant, Sparkles, get used to it” I scoffed

“Celestia’s been going mental recently after your disappearance!” she shrieked “I wondered why she said that your magic signature left Equestria!”

“I said I quit, I kind of meant it” I sighed

“How can you be so cruel?” she scowled

“Because I’m human, oh wait, I’m not, I’m just some freak who got manipulated into coming back here so that Celestia could get what she wanted from me, and after creating me with the DNA of an individual of almost every sentient creature in the universe no less!” I lectured “are you happy that I am the way I am, because I’m not the one to blame for my existence!” I continued “with the way things are going around here, I’d rather be back at earth, with my proper family, it may just be my dad, but I suppose I could live with that, and Snowdrop and the others too”

“And what, of Crystagia?” she stared at me with a look of apparent fear

“I think she’d be happy enough knowing that I’m safe, be it here or on Earth” I growled, she shook her head, sprinting toward the library

“And here I thought you humans couldn’t get any weirder” Blaze laughed

“I’m wondering where to hang this” I nodded toward the portrait

“How about in the bedroom, I’m sure the ceiling’s high enough, and that anything that might be in the way can be removed”

“Agreed, but maybe later" I shrugged

“Looks perfect, Brother” Blaze smiled

“So it does” I simpered

“So, what’re we going to do about sunbutt?” Blaze sat beside me on the front lawn

“I couldn’t honestly care less” I glanced toward my sister

“Is that true?” I turned; Celestia was stood there beside Twilight

“I said it once, I’m not saying it again” I exhaled sharply

“Twilight tells me that you went to earth, did you?” Celestia looked mortified

“What I do is none of your business,” I snapped

“I care about you, why can’t you see that?” she flinched

“You’re not my mother, nor my creator,” I tutted “You’re a shell of what you were, Cellsy, I suggest you revert to how you were before you wound up in this state”

“I was your lover once, I can be again,” she lay on the grass before me “do you wish to restart our relationship, Rick?”

“Snowdrop, what did I say not ten minutes ago?” I grunted

“Twilight asked you how you could be so cruel; to which you said, and I quote; ‘Because I’m human, oh wait, I’m not, I’m just some freak who got manipulated into coming back here so that Celestia could get what she wanted from me, and after creating me with the DNA of an individual of almost every sentient creature in the universe no less!” I lectured “are you happy that I am the way I am, because I’m not the one to blame for my existence!” I continued “with the way things are going around here, I’d rather be back at earth, with my proper family, it may just be my dad, but I suppose I could live with that, and Snowdrop and the others too’”

“You’re not my son”

Next Chapter: Chapter XXI; Alternate Equis... Estimated time remaining: 6 Hours, 23 Minutes