“Hello Black Beetle,” I smiled, “how’re you today?”

“I’m fine,” she eyed me from head to foot “what happened to you?”

“I unlocked my dragon soul, Blackie,” I winked, she fainted.

“Fangirl, much…?” Blaze laughed.

“So it would seem.” Celestia glanced toward me, I shrugged, “Is Luna still acting as you’re little housemaid?”

Cadance shot her an odd look; “excuse me, Aunty, but did you just say ‘Housemaid’?”

“I did,” Celestia nodded, “Luna has, at one point or another, offered to become Rick’s own maid, whether he still accepts or not is entirely up to him.”

“I’ll be fine, I’ve got Autumn Heart and the others with me,” I simpered.

“If thou art sure, Sir Rick,” Luna sat beside me opposite Autumn Heart, pecking my cheek; Autumn Heart quickly did the same, nuzzling into me.

“Where does the glow come from?” Cadance blinked.

“It’s his Dragon Soul,” Celestia smiled,. “Rick’s finally found one of the penultimate forms of his Magicka, Cadance.”

“One of them…?” Blaze blinked.

“‘Dragon Force,’ ‘Dragon Soul,’ and ‘Lightning-Flame-Dragon-mode,’ among others,” Celestia smiled, “not to mention you’re brother’s newfound power over magma,”

“You mastered power over magma?” Cadance awed at me, “that’s… that’s incredible!”

“That’d explain why the other world’s castle’s in ruins then,” Blaze laughed.

“What’s left of it’s in ruins, you mean?” I smirked.

“Touché, Brother, touché,” she gave a slow nod, “though I still wonder what could’ve made you go that far over the edge, I think it’s best that nobody ask such a question.”

“It’s to do with the wastes, and I’ll not elaborate any further,” I stood upright, my family quickly following me into the forest as I walked, eventually finding myself stood before the statue of my fallen comrades, each one of them held an expression of certain happiness, I, on the other hand, wasn’t so lucky…

“Calamity, Puppysmiles, Homage, Epsilon, Steelhooves, Delta, Forest Rain, Rainy Days, and any-and-all others who I might’ve failed during my time in the wastes, I’m sorry that I couln’t be there for you,” I clenched my fists, clapping my hands together, slamming them down on the ground, cyan lightning arced around me as a crystalline set of torches, complete with rainbow-coloured flames, rose from edges of the statue.

“Rick?” I turned, my friends, the princesses, Twilight, her friends were there, glancing between the statue and I.

“So this is the statue you mentioned,” Celestia stepped forward beside Luna and Cadance, “it’s impressive, but did you have to use alchemy?”

“I’d rather use what I can to make it than to not make it at all,” I shrugged.

“What do you mean why you say that you ‘failed’?” Cadance blinked, I raised an eyebrow, nodding toward the statue; “Oh…” she blinked, suddenly going wide-eyed “Oh my Dear Sweet Merciful Faust!  They’re… they aren’t dead are they?”

“I don’t want to talk about it,” I mumbled.

“That’s a lot of ponies, “Luna stared at me…

-=-=-

“So, what’re you doing this time?”

“Making a dragon,” I glanced toward Blaze for a brief moment as I sat in the as-of-yet ‘spare’ room, sitting at the table with a potter’s wheel/kiln, using various tools and the like to sculpt a clay dragon.

“Just as Liz and Lucy did it then?” Blaze smiled.

“Quite so,” I nodded, crafting the dragons body, then its limbs, then its tail, and finally, the head, with scalene eyes and a triangular spike on the end of its tail, its multi-layered scales shimmering in the filtered sunlight that glazed through the windows, carving the slightly flared nostrils and miniature horns, finishing the draconic figure, placing an ample amount of my magic into it;

“That’s rather impressive,” Autumn Herat smiled also, “what’ll we do with it…?”

-=-

“You’re just giving me this?” Celestia blinked, placing the small-medium dragon on the floor beside her.

“Basically,” I simpered, snapping my fingers, watching the dragon burst into life, stretching it’s moderately sized wings  alongside its neck and tail, its emerald scales rattling with each motion, it’s golden eyes beaming like tiny, triangular suns, the little sword and shield that were attached to a ‘sling’ that went over one shoulder reflecting the light like a perfect mirror.

“That’s amazing, how did you do it?” she stared at me, glancing toward the little dragon every now and then.

“Magic, literally,” I winked, “now all she needs is a name, Princess Celestia.”

“Gardenia,” she smiled, the dragon glanced toward her, quickly bowed, then fluttered onto her back, “How did you make her?”

“A little ‘special’ clay here and a little magic there, wasn’t too difficult, Cellsy,” I grinned, “I said I’d make you a dragon, and so I have.”

“Can she speak?” Celestia glanced toward Gardenia, who gave a light shake of her head, giving off a light Hrrr “I see, and you can understand me?”

Gardenia nodded; “Hrrr”

=-=

“What’re you doing?” Crystal blinked as she hovered beside me as I made another dragon;

“Making a clay dragon,” I winked, adding the finishing touches to the clay-based reptilian-esque figurine, the dragon had scales white as fresh winter snow, and deep, emerald eyes with sterling-silver horns, with a needle and a roll of thread in either of its paw-like hands.

“It’s quite impressive, who’s it for?” she smirked.

“Rarity” I smiled, walking with my family –Blaze and Crystal included- to the boutique, knocking on the front door.

“Hello Dear, is there anything I can do for you, Rick?” Rarity smiled, I handed her the small dragon. “Oh my, I didn’t know you could do sculpting, I’ll place this on the mantle, shall I?” I snapped my fingers, the dragon burst into life just as Gardenia had, stretching,, scales, rattling, need and thread in-hand; “It’s extraordinary, what’s her name?”

“That’s up to you, Rarity,” I beamed.

“Gaia,” she declared, gleaming from ear to ear as the dragon perched herself upon her back…

()=()

For the next dragon, I applied more delicacy to its appearance, it had golden-yellow scales, silvery, ovoid eyes, and an empty posy slung over its back, with a heart-shaped spike on the end of its tails, with a line of triangular spines running from its head to the tip of its tail.

“Fluttershy..?” Blaze mumbled, I nodded, “I didn’t know that you cared for her, what with Scootaloo and all…”

“I do, but I’d like to think that it’s limited to an extent,” I winked, finishing the dragon, adding a whitish tint to its scales

()-()-()

“So, that happened,” Blaze smirked.

“I think that Gretel will be fine with our little caretaker, if anything she’ll be a huge help,” I smiled, halfway through a fifth dragon, one with navy blue scales so dark they appeared to be black, it had a trident tail-tip, with whitish-silvery horns and golden, teal, scalene eyes, holding a small book in its  claws.

“Luna?” she sighed, I nodded, gesturing toward a rosy-pinkish dragon with sapphire eyes and a bow and arrow quiver, said arrows, rather than normal, had heart-shaped heads, and, rather than normal wigs, had those similar to that of an angel;

“And that one’s for Cadance I assume?” I nodded again, “you’re demented.”

“And you’re a fire hazard.”

“Coming from you, brother, coming from you…”

After I’d been tackled to the ground, lavished with kisses from head-to-foot, and barely gotten out unmolested, I went back to creating a sixth dragon, a lavender drake with opal eyes and an ovoid tail-tip…

“What’s going on?” Twilight blinked as we sat in a circle in the library, each of her friends in the possession of a clay dragon, each one having a light conversation as they chatted upon the coffee table.

“What Ah wanna know is, how in Equestria did, ya make ‘em?” Applejack stared at me intently.

“Magic, quite literally too,” I winked, “You don’t like it?”

“It’s not that Ah don’t like it, it’s that Ah’m wondering where ya’ll got the idea from,” she gave a nervous grin,

“They’re not as good as me though,” Spike scoffed.

“I could easily make one that’s better than any dragon in Equestria Spike, Dragon Gods not included,” I frowned; “all I’d have to do is clone Crystal, somehow.”

“Eons are part dragon?” Twilight blinked.

I nodded; “Quite so.”

“That’s incredible,” she breathed.

“It’s who we are…” I sighed.

“Who else has one of these dragons?” Rarity batted her eyelashes at me somewhat flirtatiously at me.

“Cellsy, Luna and Cadance,” I blinked, why?”

“You could start your own business making these,” she giggled, “I assumed you’ve a room where you make these?” I nodded, “then I think you’d best get to it.”

Within the first weeks of my placing the sign that implied my ‘business’ starting, I’d gotten quite a few requests, all of which had various trinkets which were based upon the pony who bought them, and so far, I hadn’t received a single complaint;

“Good work so far, eh Brother?” Blaze smirked, I nodded.

“Quite so, Blaze,” I nodded, finalizing a young, Pinkish-Scarlet dragon with white wings and a small bouquet of roses with a heart-shaped tail-tip, said dragon also had teal eyes, and snow-white horns.

On the edge of the table sat two more dragons, one, a vivid green with a bouquet of tulips, and the other, a bright blue, with a bouquet of calla lilies, the first had golden eyes the second, a deep ocean-blue.

“For Roseluck, I assume?” she gestured toward the scarlet dragon.

“Indeed it is, Dear Sister,” I gave a light hum, carrying the trio of small dragons to the local florists, placing them on the counter as a familiar creamy-colour pony with a rosy-red mane with pale scarlet highlights walked up behind the counter;

“Good morning Rick.” Roseluck smiled, “How may I help you?” I snapped my fingers, and the three clay dragons sprung to life, she gasped.

“Are they, for me?” she glanced between the trio of dragons and I, I nodded.

“The one with roses is yours, and the ones with Lillies and tulips are for your friends respectively, Rose,” I pecked her forehead, marching out of the florists with a wide grin.

+-+

“So, who’s next on the ‘To-Give’ list?” Blaze chortled as I retold her, the events of the local flower shop.

“In Dunno.” I shrugged, “Derpy maybe..?”

“It’d be a start,” she shrugged.

Once I finished Derpy and Dinky’s dragons, I headed to the silvery mailmare’s apartment, knocking on the door.

“Oh, hello Rick, I wasn’t expecting visitors, how’re you?” Derpy smiled, pecking my cheek as she hovered before me, allowing me entry to her apartment, sitting beside me on the couch;

“I’m here to give you these,” I placed the newly-kilned dragons on the coffee table, snapping my fingers as they came alive, both were silver, with golden horns and black eyes, club-shaped tail-tips, and a small box in their paw-like hands.

“They’re magnificent!” she chimed, “how much do you want for them?”

-x-

“So, anything interesting happen?” Crystal smirked.

I winked, “that’s for me to know and for you to find out, eventually.”

“That’s what she said,” Blaze rebuked with a sly grin

“Probably,” I rolled my eyes.

By the month’s end, I’d created a small army of clay-based dragons, having installed various shelves around the on the outside of the house by the front door for the after-mentioned hand-crafted dragons.

“That’s a mighty fine collection o’ dragons ya got there Pardner,” Applejack smiled, as I sat with Blaze, and my family on the front lawn “Applebloom’s been wanting one for a while now, how much are they?”

“Between two and twenty bits, depends on what you think they’re worth,” I shrugged.”

“Sounds fair enough,” she smiled placing three golden coins on the shelf, ca4refully taking a dragon with twin shields from the bottom shelf.

I snapped my fingers, and the dragon came to life, landing on her back with a light Hrrr.

“That’s amazing,” she whistled, “thanks Sugarcube, Ah’ll give this to Applebloom as soon as Ah get back!” and with that, she galloped toward the farm.

“Well, there goes our first actual customer; and leaving thirty bits behind no less,” Blaze gleamed.

“Thirty?” I blinked; she placed the coins on one of the shelves in a little line, “so I see.”

“Excuse me?” I turned; Twilight was stood with a dainty smile spread across her muzzle.

“What can I do fer ya?” I tilted my head ever-so slightly, as Honey Heart was laying atop my head.

“I was just wondering how you make your dragons,” Twilight bit her lip.

“Trade secret,” I winked.

“Ok, how much are they?” she smiled, wider this time.

“Between two and twenty bits, depending on how much you think they’re worth,” I smiled back.

“Alright then,” she levitated a single, golden coin from her pocket, pointing to a ruby dragon with golden horns and mild-sapphire eyes, I handed it to her, grinning as it sprang to life. “Thanks,” she pecked my cheek, skipping merrily down toward the library, the crimson drake flying alongside her as she went.

“That’s another ten bits for another one of your dragons, Brother,” Blaze, mirthfully, grinned.

After I’d finished another series of dragons, I added another set of shelves beside the others, placing the newly-made dragons upon said shelves.

“You make dragons now?” Angel smiled, hovering beside Crystal and Ilona.

“I’ve a lot of spare time on my hands and/or claws, what do you want me to do?” I laughed.

“You honestly want me to answer that?” she raised an eyebrow, smug grins aplenty.

“Touché” I gave a slow nod.

“So, how much are they each?” she smirked.

“How much do you think they’re worth?” I rolled my eyes, she smirked, “Don’t even think about it.”

“I wouldn’t have, provided you remained quiet about the subject at hand,” she rolled her eyes in a somewhat amused manner.

“And I would’ve been able to say it anyway, had you not acquired such a twisted sense of humour, Angel,” I frowned.

“Coming from you, I think that‘s saying more than necessary,” Crystal chortled.

“So it is, Crystal,” I laughed.

“So, how many have you sold so far?” Crystal simpered.

“A few, or a dozen, I know not which,” I shrugged.

“What’s next on the list of, ‘To-Create’ list then?” Blaze laughed.

-=-=-

“Are you fucking serious?” Blaze burst into a fit of language as we stood/hovered at the back of the house, staring directly at a Gurren-Lagann-Dragon.

“I thought it’d be amusing to create,” I shrugged.

“You do the strangest things, Brother,” she laughed.

“Yes, yes I do” I guffawed.

“So, what is this exactly?” Crystal blinked

“A Gurren-Lagann dragon…”

“What’s Gurren Lagann?” she blinked, I rolled my eyes, quickly changing to the after-mentioned form, quickly reverting back.

“Since when were you able to do that?” she blinked, again.

“Classified,” I winked.

“I’m sure it is, Ricky-o,” Angel chortled.

As the days passed, I got more and more requests, commissions and the like from what I’d guessed to be nearly the complete population of Ponyville.

“So, you make dragons, and then you sell them?” Mayor Mare blinked.

I nodded “I make them for anyone, or anypony, who asks, just send a couple –and I do mean a couple- of bits my way, and I’ll see what I can do, not to sound like a thief or a scammer or anything.”

“What’s the highest you’ll accept for one of your masterpieces?” she smiled.

“Thirty, or, if you’re really persistent, maybe forty, but that’s it, if not, I’ll do it free of charge,” I explained with a sheepish grin.

“And what is the average cost of one of your little dragons?” she glanced toward the shelves with a slight smile.

“Between two and twenty bits per drake, depending on how much the buyer thinks it’d be worth<” I smiled.

“And what if someone somewhere other than ponyville were to ask for one?” she tilted her head

“Then I’d have to ask how things get mailed around here,” I clicked my tongue

“We usually just have sent by chariot by the guards, or have a resident mailmare like Derpy handle it,” she nickered.

“And where do the guards place the chariot, should they return with it?” I raised an eyebrow.

“Usually by the town hall, if not in one of its main offices,” she simpered, “I’ll see you later, Rick,” and with that, she trotted toward the town hall, smiling.

“So, you jot a job offer then?” Blaze beamed as I sat in the art room, making another dragon, this one had stately silver scales with black horns and spines holding a small cello in its hands, as if beginning to play, its lavender eyes gleaming like pinkish suns.

“I didn’t, I already had the job, all it needed was to be made official,” I stifled a yawn, finishing the dragon, placing it to one side, starting a second drake.

“So you didn’t,” she glanced toward the Cello-playing dragon, “for Octavia, I assume?”

I nodded, “Quite so.”

When finished, the dragon was a rich/pitch-black colour with snow-white underbelly scales and horns, golden-yellow eyes, carefully playing a guitar in its claws, complete with a shield-shaped tail-tip.

“And that’s a draconic representation of you, I take it?” she laughed, I smiled.

“Indeed it is, Blaze, indeed it is.”

“You made this, for me?” Octavia stared at the little dragon currently sat on the worktop in the music room; said dragon was currently playing its cello atop my empty violin case “Rick, it‘s amazing!”

“It’s your little octave, as you are mine,” I smiled.

“I might have to reward you for that later,” she giggled, for now though, let us practice, shall we?” she readied her cello; I nodded with a wide grin.

-=-

After practice,

-=-

“I have to say, that little dragon knows how to play rather well,” Octavia smiled at the small silvery dragon, who gave a light bow, placing its cello in its case, smiling in return toward the silver mare, “and you made it to look somewhat like me?”

“I wanted to make it to be a little representation of your character,” I glimmered, “your looks, you beauty, your skill, all of it, now compressed into that little dragon.”

“And you’ve made one for vinyl?” I shrugged.

“I’ve yet to make, one, I’ll do it tomorrow,” I winked.

=-=

“So, first you gave me half-off on the guitar and amp, and now you’re giving me a small dragon?” Vinyl laughed, levitating the dragon –an alabaster reptile with snow-white scales cobalt horns and spines, complete with a pair of headphones- over to a nearby speaker, “how  much do ya want for it?”

“It’s free,” I beamed.

“Are you sure you’re not up to something?” she grinned.

“Positive, besides,” I quickly pecked her on the cheek, “I love you enough as it is!”

=-=-=

“Ok, don’t do that sort of thing around vinyl, unless you expect to be ravaged, almost literally,” I mumbled to myself as I walked back to the house.

“Where’ve you been?” Angel and Crystal spoke in perfect unison.

“Out,” I half-lied,

“Fair do’s, my little Sugardrake,” Crystal grinned from ear to ear

“God Damnit,” I grumbled, walking to the music room, where Grace sat with her cello alongside Octavia, both smiling as I walked over to the worktop, opening my violin case, retrieving the Soil Stradivarius from within, sitting beside the silver duo, the three of us beginning to lay as a trio…

“You made another dragon?” Angel glanced toward Grace as we finished practice.

“Alongside another two sets,” I nodded.

“You really are into these things, aren’t you?” Crystal laughed; I shrugged, placing the violin back in its case.

“Where’d you get the violin?” Angel blinked.

“I’d rather not say, if it’s alright with you, Angel,” I bit my lip.

“Fair enough, my little Ricky-o, she winked.

“Friends of yours, I assume?” Octavia smiled, Grace placed her miniature cello in its case as she spoke.

“These two are Crystal and Angel, and yes, they’re friends of mine,” I gestured to each of the two eons respectively.

“I see, and which parts of an orchestra might they play?”

“I’m the guitarist, apparently, Angels the lead singer,” Crystal grinned at me, I blinked.

“You play the guitar also?” she blinked.

“You do what now?” Angel gave me the largest shit-eating grin I’ve seen since the ‘Blaze’ incident of twenty-twenty-four.

“I play the guitar, what’s the big deal?”

“And you hadn’t thought to have told me?” she pouted.

“You’ve never been around to find out, my little Angel,” I smirked.

“So, what’s in the bag?” Crystal nodded toward my rucksack; I smiled reaching into said bag, pulling out a familiar trio of ponies.

“Mina, Aqua and Sugar Spice,” I stared at the trio as they sat before me, blushing profusely as I raised an eyebrow in disappointment “What do you think you’re doing?”

“Who’re you?” Angel shared a glanced with Crystal, having looked at each of the three.

“I’m Mina, and these’re my friends, Sugar Spice and Aqua,” Mina bowed, gesturing to her friends.

“And how did you come across my little wayward eon?” Crystal pecked my cheek.

“We saw him walking down Main Street in our hometown of Trottingham, I don’t think any more needs to be said,” Aqua giggled.

“I don’t get it…” she blinked, sharing a second glance with Angel.

“Most of the mares that live in Trottingham, save the parents, are prostitutes,” Luna smirked right at me.

“What the hell were you doing in such a place?” Angel and Crystal shared a huge grin.

“At least it wasn’t New Vegas,” Blaze shrugged, beaming at me with a sly smirk.

“I don’t think I want to know,” Crystal shuddered.

“It wasn’t that bad,” Blaze rolled her eyes, “for me anyways.”

“You chose for us to go to that world for that one reason alone and you know it,” I frowned.

“And you agreed with me?” she laughed.

“Had I known that that’s what you were planning, I would have done otherwise,” I scowled.

“You loved it and you know it,” she cackled insanely, “wouldn’t be New Vegas if it was only drinking, drugs and Casino’s anyway.”

“And you had me dragged away into that specific, select few areas for a reason?” I glowered icily toward the Typhlosion.

“You’re supposed to have fun, Brother, not complain about it for eons on afterwards,” she gave a smug wink.

“I hate you…”

“You love really, you just don’t have the lack-of-pride to admit it,” Blaze glimmered.

<>=<>

“So, what have you gotten up to in the past?” Littlepip smiled as I started on another dragon, her mane now somewhat longer, looking as though it were flowing.

“I’d rather not talk about it, my dear Littlepip, there’re some things that aren’t meant to be heard or seen by pony eyes,” I bit my lip.

“Oh, Ok then,” she giggled, sitting beside me, watching my crafting of the new dragon, which had a special device on its lower left arm, and was a mild grey in colour, with amber eyes and dark-brown spines and horns, with a dagger-like tail-tip

“Here,” I held out the finally complete dragon toward the mare, who levitated it onto her back, where it lay, glancing around the room, giving a light Hrrr of satisfaction.

“It’s alive,” Littlepip stared at the little dragon, then toward me, “how did you do that?”

“I placed a fragment of my magic into it, giving it both a ‘spark,’ and a soul,” I smiled, “what’ll you name her?”

“Greyza,” Littlepip smiled, glancing once again toward the newly-named drake; who tilted er head, as if pondering the name, before nodding with a smile.

There was a knock at the door, which I quickly answered;

“Rick,” Blackjack was stood before me, beside Velvet Remedy, both grinning at me, “Velvet would like to know if you’d be able to make us a pair of dragons?”

“I don’t see why not, you’re my Nakama after all, Blackie, you too, my little Remedy,” I winked at the two of them, walking back into the studio, getting started on the next duo of dragons

“So, am I the queen f Ponyville now that we’re no longer in the wastes?” Blackjack sat right beside me opposite Velvet.

“I can imagine so, Blackie, I can imagine so,” I laughed, quickly and carefully finishing her dragon, instantly drying it by means of fire-based magicka, doing the same for Velvet’s dragon once it was made, the two flying onto their respective owner’s backs with glee after stretching, springing to life with a light Hrrr

=-=-=

“So, they’ve still got that poster up then?” Blaze glanced toward me, perched on my shoulder, Crystal and Angel stared at it, then toward me, smug grins aplenty.

“So they have,” I mumbled, casting a moment’s glanced toward the large billboard as Twilight her friends, my family, friends and I ventured from ‘Sweet Apple Acres.’

“What did you say about her other form when you first saw that poster again?” she grinned

“I didn’t say anything of importance, Blaze,” I smirked.

“‘Anything of importance,’ meaning that you said something,” she laughed.

“You’re not one for letting sleeping dogs lie, are you?” I sighed.

“Not really,” she chortled, “So, what’d you say?”

“I said, and I quote; ‘She’s no Ellie Goulding,’” I grumbled.

“Oh?” she beamed from ear to ear with a sly grin, “got a crush, have we?”

“Speaking of which, I’ve noticed that you’ve stopped eyeing that pony on the other side of town,” I folded my arms.

“I was curious is all,” she bit her lip

“Right, curious,” I laughed.

“Compared to ‘old,’ ‘reckless,’ ‘selfless,’ ‘crazy sonuvabitch’ you, eh?” she laughed.

“As a UNSC, jarhead, I’ll take those compliments, Dear Sister,” I rolled my eyes.

“Jarhead..?” Twilight blinked.

“Another somewhat humorous term for an ODST or a Spartan,” I explained.

“Speaking of which, I haven’t seen you use that armour recently?” Blaze blinked.

“I’ve had no need to, you leave me be, and I’ll be fine, you start mentioning Ghouls, Zombies, Slavers, Raiders Mutants and the like, and I’m gonna have quite the itchy trigger finger,” I grinned with borderline-sadism.

“Rick…” Twilight placed a gentle hoof on my side as I sat on the front porch, “you don’t have to keep it bottled up forever you know, we’re here for you; so if you ever feel like talking, we’ll be here for you.”

“What happened to us in those wastes isn’t meant for pony eyes or ears, let alone your hearts or minds, Twilight Sparkle,” I frowned, “you said that there’s no such thing in zombies, yet the opposite is also true, you bathe a pony in enough radiation after putting a forty-four-Cal bullet in their head, and you watch what happens then, it’s not pretty, to say the least…”

“Radiation,” she blinked.

“That of which came from several tonnes of megaspells falling,” I shrugged.

“Where from…?” she stared at me, mortified.

“That’s for me to know and for you to find out…”

“I’ve gotten word of your talking about your experience with beings known as ‘ghouls’ is this true?” Celestia frowned.

“Just watch the skies, that’s all I ask,” I tutted, standing with her, the other princesses, my friends and family, Blaze included, on the balcony, staring toward the vivid, sapphire/ocean blue sky with intent.

“You’re once again waiting for something that might not happen, you’re stubborn, much like your father,” she stood beside me, “but I suppose it can help in some occurrences, so I’ll take heed of your words, and have a small team of whoever I can spare to watch the skies, just as you say.”

“Watch the skies?” Twilight blinked, “I don’t get it?”

“I think you’ll find a falling megaspell will do more damage than a horde of Equestrian dragons, Twilight Sparkle,” I spoke somewhat grimly.

“Even so, is there a need for such words and cautions?” Rarity raised an eyebrow.

“That’s what I don’t know, yet,” I hummed, “soon as I can, I’ll do what I can.”

“And what does that include?” Spike frowned, folding his arms with a scowl.

“Saving the world, illuminating the darkness, cleansing Equestria of a horde of the unthinkable, you know; the usual…” I tilted a hand.

“Why do you go this far, just for something that might not happen?” Twilight stared at me, awestruck.

“Because of two reasons, Lavender,” I slowly shook my head “firstly, it happened once and I don’t want it to happen again, and secondly, I don’t anyone to dies where such acts are unnecessary.”

“You mean you don’t want anypony to die because of you…?” she gave an audible gulp, I nodded, lightly, “you’ve nothing to worry about Rick, Princess Celestia will defend her subjects as best she can, and I’m sure, that if the worst were to happen, that you’d do everything in your near-immeasurable power to do the same for your loved ones, would you not?”

“I’d do what’s necessary,” I gave a light shrug, “not what’s easy, even if I myself find myself disagreeing with it, I’m sure I can find a way to do what needs to be done.”

“That’s not exactly what I wanted to hear, but, I suppose that you’d not do it if it involved your friends and family in a negative manner…” she rolled her eyes indignantly.

“Then how do you explain that?” Blaze pointed toward the sky, where a large spherical object was falling alongside several others, right toward us, Celestia glanced toward me.

“I warned ya,” I clicked my neck, my passengers safely disembarking, landing on the floor of the balcony in a somewhat-less-than-orderly fashion, my wings quickly retracting into my back as four extra arms burst forth in their place, grabbing the corners of the wall as I backpedalled, launching myself into the air, initiating ‘Gear-Second’ as I went, inhaling vast amounts of air, corking my thumbs four-at-a-time, exhaling into them, increasing their size exponentially.

Changing the ends of my arms/hands into drills, I fired them toward the spheres, resulting in a series of explosions, also coating the arms in Haki, said explosion removing said haki, followed by my arms as the last of the spheres detonated, and I fell to the ground, my wings gradually squeezing through the gaps where my arms had sprouted, quickly flexing, reducing my plummet to a saunter…

-=-=-=-

As my vision blurred, I bolted to my feet, only to find myself in a ghostly-looking cavernous area

“Ok, now I need to stop drinking,” I blinked as a skeletal equine figure wearing a pitch-black hooded robe appeared before me, its wings folded to its side as it glided down before me, scythe hovering beside him.

“My, my, what have we here?” the figure tutted with a shake of its head, crimson glowing eyes staring right at me as I scroll appeared before it, unrolling to the floor, “Rick Hawkins, human, eon, demigod, dragon ‘god’ slayer, brother, father, and son, uncle?” he laughed “well, well, well, never thought I’d find another like you, now of all times!”

“I’m dead aren’t I?” I shuddered, beginning to feel a little cold.

“To be frank, you bled to death before anyone, or in your case, anypony, could get you to a hospital, how unfortunate,” he sighed, “as for me, I’m death, grim reaper, the pale equine, at least, that’s what most call me, but I go by the name of Mort, to my friends.”

“I guess even death gets lonely every now and then,” I laughed.

“Quite so, and it’s a shame to see a being as capable of you die when you’re in your toddler years, as an eon anyway,” Mort chortled, “now, for your successful return, I’ll need to take a few details, nothing too complicated, Ok?”

“I thought that you’d know all about me?” I blinked.

“This is more of a quiz than a file, if that makes sense,” I nodded, “good, now, what, if it were to happen, would you do in the event of a war rising in your current home?”

“I’d do what I could as soon as I could, nothing special to it, just protecting those who I care about,” I grinned

“Ah, so your file was correct, you do what you can for those of whom you love, good,” Mort chuckled “now, I know this is somewhat shorter than what I ask from most people, or ponies, rather, but, if given the choice, would you go to Heaven, and meet your relatives of old, or stick with the ones you have currently and be reborn as you were on Equis?”

“So long as I’ve got people, who need me, and there’re people for me to protect, I don’t plan on dying anytime soon, Morty,” I beamed.

“Well, that lines most of it up,” he rolled his shining eyes, “final question, say I were to be a dullard and send you to someplace else, what would you do, and this is assuming I’d taken your ability to ‘fly through reality,’ as you so aptly describe it.”

“I’d make the best of things, or at least, I’d try to, and I’d live in memory of those of whom that I’ve been with for the rest of my days, is that all?” I smirked.

“That’s all,” Mort tapped his scythe twice on the alabaster floor, suddenly, an olden-looking wooden door with a brass handle appeared beside him, said door opened, revealing Ponyville, “Have Fun!”

As I lunged through the door, I came into contact with darkened wood; then I heard gasps, and the sound of shovels scraping dirt, and then the world came into view, or at least, the sky…

“What in the hell..!” Blaze leapt toward me, staring right at me as I sat upright, quickly shaking my head.

“You know it’s not very nice to place your family and loved ones into coffins and bury them whilst they’re still alive Y’know?” I laughed, steadily getting to my feet; all eyes were on me as I stepped onto solid ground, rather than stable mahogany, clicking several joints and vertebrae as I went.

“Daddy..!” I was promptly tackled to the ground by a quintet of small ponies

“We missed you!” Snowdrop, Scootaloo, Winter Bell, Gracy Gloom and Honey Heart chimed, tears streaming down their muzzles, cascading like miniature waterfalls as they clung onto me, barely allowing me room to breathe, let alone sit upright.

”How’re you back though?” Blaze laughed with a wide grin, lightly hitting me on the shoulder.

“Oh you wouldn’t believe where I’ve been Blaze, trust me on that one!” I roared with laughter.

“You got a second chance huh?” she blinked;

I nodded “It appears that Hell doesn’t want me, and that Hell’s afraid I’ll take over,” we shared a glance, quickly bursting into fits of laughter.

“So, what happens now?” she smiled as I stood upright once again, walking –with Honey Heart on my head, Snowdrop on one shoulder, and Winter Bell on the other- toward the house

“I don’t know? Who’s up for muffins?” I grinned.

“Oh there is something I should mention,” Blaze smirked, “you, posthumously, were knighted.”

“Again?” she stared at me, once again sharing a laugh as we got home, moving the apparent ‘tributes’ from the doorstep, making my way into the lounge., allowing my passengers to leap unto the couch as I walked from there to the studio/art room

“It can’t be..!” Octavia stared at me, wide-eyed and slack-jawed.

“I’m real Octavia,” I smiled, crouching down to her level, “and I’m here to stay this time,” she leapt at me, clasping her lips onto mine as she draped her arms around me.

“Where’d you go?” she cried, clinging onto me.

“You wouldn’t believe me if I told you Octy,, honestly, the places I end up…” I pecked her on the cheek.

“Oh, just for that, she licked my cheek, winking at me “I’m going to have a shower, she walked past me, stopping at the entrance to the studio, turning back to face me, “and you’re going to join me…”

“Yes ma’am…”

-=-=-

“So, the first thing you do after having been revived, somehow, is have coitus?” Blaze cackled insanely.

“I don’t see anyone else complaining,” I raised a smug eyebrow.

“Touché, Brother, touché,” she rolled her eyes; there was a stampede of a knock at the door.

Opening the front door, I was welcomed by the sight of the princesses, Faust Lulania, Nyx, Twilight and her friends, all staring at me in apparent awe.

“May I help you?” I tilted my head, Twilight leapt at me, clinging onto me, breaking down into sobs.

“I thought… we thought that you’d died!” Twilight wept.

“And I did, for a short while,” I hummed, “but I’m back, and as I said to Octavia; I’m here to stay.”

“How’re you still here?” she stared up at me, climbing down to the ground.

“To put it bluntly, Hell doesn’t want me and Heaven’s too afraid that I’ll take over,” I rolled my eyes.

“And so you were sent back here?” she awed at me;

I nodded, again, “So it’d seem, heck; it was either this or purgatory.”

“So I see,” Cellsy stood right before me, leaning in, draping her wings around me, pecking my cheek, Nyx did the same soon afterward, nuzzling into me

“So, how long was I out for?” I gave a faint grin.

“Just under a week,” Nyx bit her lip, “I’m just glad that you’re back, as is Celestia.”

“Well y’know can’t stay away from you lot for too long without things becoming dull, lifeless and boring,” I laughed.

“Indeed, Sir Rick,” she nickered.

“‘Sir’..?” I blinked.

“Didn’t Blaze tell you?” Cadance giggled, “You were knighted for your efforts, posthumously of course.”

“Stopping an entire civilisation from being obliterated will do that for an eon.” I turned; Blaze, Autumn Heart, and Octavia were stood beside the others, smiling.

“I am no hero, Blaze, I’m me, and that’s the end of it,” I rolled my eyes, turning back to Celestia and the others, “honestly, you over-exaggerate about me way too often.”

“Do we? Or is it who you are that forces us to do such things?” Faust smirked.

“Touché…” I slowly nodded.

“These are rather impressive dragon sculptures, Sir Rick,” Lulania stepped forward, examining a single dragon on the middle shelf, and it’s warm to, how is that possible?”

“I put a fragment of my magic energy into it, and besides, it’s been in the sunlight, it’s going to be warm…”

“So it is, silly me,” she giggled, “how much do you sell them for?”

“Between two and twenty bits per dragon, prices, like most things, however, tend to vary,” I smiled.

“If a normal shopkeeper were to sell them, they’d be at least double that,” Cadance exclaimed with glee, “how long does it take you to make each one?”

“Around two-to-three hours, maybe extra one or two, depending on the complexity,” I shrugged.

“And I trust that Celestia has one?” Faust grinned.

“As have both Luna and Cadance, and more or less the whole of ponyville,” I laughed with a jovial nod.

“Do you take commissions?” Lulania simpered.

I nodded, “For a pony like you, it’d do it for free, what; can I do for you?”

“Surprise me?”

“That’s what she said,” Blaze laughed.

“I don’t think that statement’s ever been used so accurately in recorded history,” I beamed.

-=-

“Boo!”

“Gah..!” Twilight suddenly bucked her hind legs, hitting me right in the unmentionables, quickly turning, placing a hoof to her mouth as I collapsed; placing my hands over my privates.

“Rick, I didn’t know it was you …I’m sorry!” Twilight bit her lip; I held a finger to her mouth, silencing any further apologies.

“It’s alright, you didn’t know; just… give me a minute…” I grumbled.

“Wasn’t a wise idea, was it Ricky-o?” Blaze chortled

“Shut it,” I rolled my eyes as we sat in the library.

“Make me,” she winked, “and speaking of random crap, what do you tink your little Sunflower would look like as a…?”

“Human?” I blinked, interrupting her.

“…Seapony,” she smirked, grinning from ear to ear as she stood on her hind legs, perched atop my shoulder.

“Do you honestly wish for me to answer that?” I frowned;

“That’s kind of the point, Brother,” she laughed.

“Too bad,” I smirked.

“You’re no fun.”

“I can be; it’s just that you have a somewhat depraved sense of humour, Blaze.”

“I have a sick sense of humour?” she cackled insanely, “who’s the one who sent those artworks to Cellsy, hmm?”

“One time Blaze, one time,” I frowned.

“Whatever you say~” she cooed, nodding behind me,

Glancing behind me, I saw that Celestia was there, in anthro form, wearing the same dress as before…

“Hello, my little sunshine,” Celestia sat beside me, pecking my cheek as I sat in the studio, creating another dragon, Autumn Heart sat opposite her, and Honey Heart lying atop my head.

“And hello to you also, my little Sunflower,” I draped a wing around her, she quickly followed suit, leaning into me as I crafted the new dragon into shape, glancing toward me every now and then.

“Who’s this for then?” she smiled, nodding to the clay-based drake.

“Lulania,” I gave a quick hum, the dragon itself had scales as black as night, with white horns and underbelly scales, Whitish-Golden eyes, and a small book sticking out of the top of its rucksack, its stately/sterling-silvery angel-like wings folded at its sides.

“It’s beautiful,” she giggled, “I just know that she’ll love it!”

“Beautiful, eh…? Not unlike a certain few mares that I know,” I laughed.

“You flatter me,” She and Autumn Heart chimed in unison.

Celestia took a smidge of clay once I’d finished the dragon, dabbing it on my nose, “Gotcha!”

“Two can play at that game,” I smirked, taking a small amount of clay, wiping it across her cheek

“Oh?” she grinned, taking more of the soft material, reaching down my shirt and sliding it across my chest, I quickly did the same across her breasts.

“Getting rather bold, are we?” she smirked with a sly winked, quickly removing her dress with a flash of light, leaving her with just a set of bright-yellow lingerie, staring right at me.

Very little happened for the next few seconds as we gazed upon one another, suddenly lunging toward one another, wrapping our arms around one another, clasping our lips together, Honey Heart leapt to the ground as we moved,

“I think it’s about time we moved on,” Celestia smiled, and with a sudden teleport, I was sat on her bed in her chambers in the castle.

“I’m going to take a bath,” she smiled, glancing toward me as she walked toward the bathroom, discarding her remaining clothing on the way, “and you’re coming with me…”

-=-

“You really know how to treat a mare, Rick,” Celestia lay beside me under the covers, a gentle hand placed upon my chest as we remained there for a moment.

“Anything for y little Sunflower, Celestia,” I smiled.

“Just for that, I might suck you dry again,” she winked.

“…Might?” I blinked;

“Are you asking that I do so?” she raised a smug eyebrow.

“Not exactly, but then again, if you choose to, then it’s up to you,” I pecked her cheek.

“Keep it up, and in the worst case scenario, I might end up showing you what heaven feels like,” she giggled.

“I think I already do, it’s called being around people like you,” I winked.

“Oh, feeling brave are we?” she beamed, moving so that she was above me, “I could do anything sexual to you, and you wouldn’t stop me?”

“I didn’t stop blackjack,” I shrugged.

She nickered, “that’s because I know you won’t take advantage of an intoxicated mare, Sir Rick.”

“And I won’t do so to you, either, nor will I fight, harm, or directly and/or indirectly bring harm to you, Celestia,” I draping my wings around the alabaster goddess of the sun,

“So, if I order you to do something, you’d do it?” her scarlet/magenta eyes locked with my pale/dark green ones.

“You’re the princess, I’m the knight, and as such, it’s my duty to do all I can for you, as and when you ask, your highness,” I winked.

“Alright then, you just lie back and let me do everything, Ok?” she glimmered, I nodded

=-=-=

“You really are one of a kind, my dear Knight,” Celestia smiled; now back in her pony form as we flew to ponyville.

“Lapis Draco Solis, Taiyo Fujin” I bowed as I landed.

“So you are,” she tilted her head with a light hum and an almost-dreamy smile, “I love you, Ricky-o.”

“And I love you also, my little sunflower,” I smiled; she pecked me on the lips, teleporting away with a wink and a faint grin.

“Have fun?” I turned; Blaze was there at the front door of the library alongside my friends and family…

“I’m not sure as to how to answer that,” I blinked.

“I know, that’s why I asked,” she laughed, “anyways, who’s the latest dragon for?”

“Lulania,” I beamed.

“I told you it was for her,” Autumn Heart frowned.

“So you did, and that’s who I sent it to, Rick’s little Tinker,” Blaze smirked.

“You better have,” Honey Heart growled almost-menacingly.

“Alright, it’s still in the art room, geez,” Blaze rolled her eyes rather indignantly.

“It better be” Honey Heart snarled, huffing as she glided unto my head, pecking one of my horns, Snowdrop pecking my cheek as she also landed on my shoulder.

“I love you Daddy,” Snowdrop chimed with Honey Herat and the others.

“And I you, my little family, and I you,” I walked into the library, Twilight and the others were sat around the coffee table, each one of them staring at me, “what?”

“We’re just wondering what it’d be like without you,” Twilight flinched, “we’d all miss you Rick, and I know that you’d miss us, wouldn’t you?”

“More than anything,” I nodded.

“And what about Blaze, would she go with you?” she grimaced.

“I’m not going anywhere period,” I frowned, “what’s gotten this into your head?”

“It’s just that, you actually died trying to protect Equestria, and we’ve been thinking that what it’d be like if you didn’t come back, should it happen again…” her voice cracked

“It won’t,” I tutted, crouching down right before her, getting on eye level with the lavender librarian, “Twilight, I don’t know what, sick, twisted thoughts are traversing the corners of your mind right now, but know this, I’d sooner be erased from all reality than risk leaving any of you, Ok?” she nodded, “Good, now, what’re we going to do next?”

“Ah’ll say that yer not half bad, undead er not, pardner, yer always welcome over at the farm!” Applejack stood beside me, pecking my cheek, sitting on her haunches, leaning into my side as I sat against the wall;

Rainbow Dash was next; “I know this might be offensive, but I’m glad somepony went up there and stopped those things from destroying Canterlot,” her eyes darted about the room, before finally settling on me “oh what the hay?” she wrapped her arms around my neck, forcing her lips against mine, eventually parting after several minutes.

“I guess I might as well be next,” Rarity chimed, standing beside me opposite Applejack, “I’ve never seen such a sacrifice as noble in all my life, let alone one such as, and dare I say it –glorious- as yours, Rick feel free to stop by the boutique at any time,” she quickly pecked my cheek, curling up in my lap.

“And I’m next!” Pinkie Pie exclaimed, “what you did with the whole ‘saving-Equestria-from-certain-obliteration’ was awesome, though you did go away for a while…” she mumbled at the end, suddenly cheering herself up (somehow); “but now you’re back and all is as it should be Ricky-o!”  She firmly pressed her lips against mine, grabbing either side of my head as she did so, quickly parting with a giggle, bounding off upstairs, fluttershy slowly trailing behind…

-=-=-

“Well, yesterday was fun dontcha think?” Blaze smirked as I bolted upright the following morning, finding myself in my room, completely naked, headache from hell threatening for my head to explode in a bloody mess.

Quickly finding myself a set of clockwise attire that Rarity had made for me, I walked downstairs, only to find an oddity of an event set out before me.

“Would you like pancakes or waffles master?” Roseluck winked at me, stood on her hind legs in the kitchen, the end of a leash clasped between her teeth.

“When, how, why and what are you doing in my kitchen, let alone my house, Roseluck?” I blinked.

“You invited me over, remember?” she giggled, “you hired me to act as  a gull-time maid whilst my friends help run the shop.”

“I’ll be right back…” I rushed out through the front door, sprinting toward the library, almost knocking the front door in as I charged into the lounge.

“Rick, what’re you doing?” Twilight giggled as I held my still-aching skull.

“What happened yesterday?” I grumbled, sitting beside her on the couch.

“Oh, well Pinkie Pie practically teleported everypony in town into here for a party, then you and Blaze showed up with the alcohol, claiming to be able to make the party, and I quote; ‘god-like,’”

“And what else happened?” I groaned.

“Oh, you hired Roseluck, and Rainbow Dash also, but I don’t think she’d remember it though…” Twilight stifled a giggle; I raised an eyebrow, “Sorry…”

“No, don’t be, I had fun, whether I remember any of it or not, Twilight Sparkle,” I smiled with a roll of the eyes, “besides, it’s a party, it’s bound to have some somewhat quirky events in it, supposedly.”

“If you say so, my little singer,” she laughed, I blinked, “you don’t remember using Spike to send the princesses, Faust and Lulania love songs?” I shook my head, “you wrote down several songs, whilst singing them aloud, and had Spike send them to Celestia and the others.”

“Anything else interesting happen?” I shuddered.

“You proposed to Blackjack, Littlepip, Velvet Remedy, and Celestia, the last one was via Spike, again,” she sighed, lightly frowning,

“You know I can’t fly whilst smashed,” she blinked; “drunk beyond all recognition?” she gave a slow nod.

“I didn’t do anything else that’d be considered stupid did I?” I bit my lip.

“Well you kept yelling about how much you loved Celestia, and went and made a statue of her in the centre of Ponyville using alchemy, even if you were ‘smashed,’” Twilight exhaled sharply.

“So how’d I end up at home then?” I blinked, again;

“Once you were unconscious, I teleported you there,” she winced a little.

“Thanks Sparkles,” I pecked the tip of her horn, “I didn’t ruin the library did I?” she shook her head, staring at me in apparent awe, “that’s good, I winked, lightly squishing her cheek, walking toward the front door, “I’ll see you later, Twilight…”

“So, have fun learning about yesterday?” Blaze chortled.

“Fuck you,” I growled.

“Ok, not in the mood?” I scowled, “Ok, maybe not.”

“So, you’ve returned master?” Roseluck sat in my lap as I rested back in the sofa in the lounge, “how may I serve you?”

“Rose, I was drunk, you know when that’s the worst decisions are made, right?” I mumbled.

“True, but I chose to go for it anyways,” she pecked my cheek, “you know the olden pony saying, a drunken mind speaks with a sober heart!”

“So it does…”

-=-

Would somepony like to explain why there’s an uncannily large pile of letters littered with what appear to be love songs sat by my throne?” Celestia spoke in a regal, motherly tone as we sat around the dining hall.

“Oh brother~” Blaze guffawed with gust, glee, and quite apparent/visible triumph, “that’s your cue, Ricky-o.”

“I suspected as much,” Celestia giggled, “none of those songs looked familiar in any way, or at least, not ones sung on Equis.”

“God Damnit…” I muttered.

“What songs did you send her anyways?” Blaze grinned.

“Nothing I’m telling you, here of all places,” I winked.

“You sly dog!” she burst into a fit of laughter.

“Considering I’ve the DNA of almost every sentient species in existence implanted in me, it’s certainly a possibility,” I beamed.

“So, in other words, you got your tail standing on end a few times yesterday then?” she laughed.

“Blaze I don’t have a…” she raised an eyebrow, “Oh fuck you…”

“And the bell tolls once again!” she roared with laughter.

“You did what?” Crystal and Angel stared at me, I shrugged, Angel laughed, whereas Crystal raised an eyebrow in all-too visible confusion.

“Rick died,” Blaze nodded toward me as she glanced toward the two scarlet/snow-white eons with golden eyes.

You did WHAT!?” they blared, darting over to me, lifting me from my chair, carrying me out of the room in a hurry, setting me down on the ground in the shade below a large tree in the gardens.

“Are you hurt?” Angel demanded;

“Are you alright, do you feel fine?” Crystal urged, the two of them clinging onto me as I sat against the tree trunk.

“I’m fine girls, honest, I’ve never been better, not with eons like you around anyway,” I draped my wings around the twins.

“Only if you say so, Rick,” thee twin eons spoke in an angelic unison, pecking either of my cheeks, sitting beside me, leaning into my sides.

“So, what’s with the love songs?” Crystal smirked.

“I got smashed, let’s leave it at that, Ok?” I frowned.

“And I didn’t think you’d go near alcohol again…” Angel laughed.

“I ended up proposing,” she shared an elongated gasp with Crystal “with several mares…”

“You rowdy, little bugger!” Crystal howled with laughter, “that’s my little eon, always finding new ways to impress others, even if it’s unintentional.”

()-()

“So, I guess we can add saving Equestria from total destruction to the list of achievements, no?” Blaze laughed.

“So we could,” I rolled my eyes, “you’re insane…”

“Aren’t we all at some point?” she shrugged from atop my head,

“Touché,” I rolled my eyes agitatedly.

“So, who’s the mare?” Angel nodded toward Roseluck, who giggled;

“I’m Roseluck, but most, like master, just call me Rose,” Roseluck nickered daintily.

“Rick, what did you do?” Crystal frowned, I shrugged

“I was drunk, and apparently, a drunken mind speaks with a sober heart,” I rolled my eyes, goggles resting atop Honey Heart’s head, who, in turn, lay atop my head.

“So you were,” she sighed with a shake of her head, “honestly, Rick, what are we going to do with you?”

“I don’t know, but on an unrelated topic, I’ve still got the piano in the room by the front door that’s not been used in around three-hundred years.”

“You play the piano?” Octavia darted into the room.

“I can do everything an orchestra can, Octavia,” I winked, she fainted.

-=-=-=-

“So, what other instruments can thou play?” Luna sat beside my friends, Twilight, her friends, Faust, Lulania, Cadance and Celestia alongside Octavia and the other members of the orchestra in the theatre

“I’ve had three centuries worth of practice, perhaps more,” I rolled my eyes, again, “you’d be surprised…”

“Rick, you stopped a dozen megaspells descending upon the place, I don’t think anyone’s going to be surprised with what you do now,” Blaze frowned.

“I Dunno, I’m still surprised by most of what ponies can do, and I’ve been here for nearly forty-odd years,” I shrugged.

“You’re a demigod?” she tilted her head.

“And you’re a talking ferret, what else is old news?” I grumbled.

“Do you sing and play the violin simultaneously/” a brown pony with a pale brown mane and tail raised a hoof.

“No, I use the violin for instrumentals, much like the piano, unless I can get an extra singer?”

“I’d do it for you Daddy,” Snowdrop nuzzled into me from her place atop my shoulder

“Me too..!” Honey Heart exclaimed with joy, lying atop my head

“And don’t forget us!” Winter Bell, Scootaloo and Gracy Gloom  chimed

“Wouldn’t dream of it, my little Rising Star, Saving Grace and Winter Bell…” I glanced to the three of them, then toward Snowdrop “you too Snowflake.”

“Just…” Snowdrop flinched; then sharply exhaled, “just promise me you won’t do anything too reckless, Ok Daddy?”

“Ok Snowy, I promise,” I gently stroked her mane, “I didn’t technically break the last one, so you know I’ll make it up to you on this one.”

“That’s right, because you’re my hero,” she chimed, nuzzling into me “you’re what matters most of all to me, Daddy, you’re my, everything…” she pecked my cheek, draping a wing around the back of my head.

“And you’re my little snowflake, Snowy,” I pecked her forehead, stroking her mane for a moment.

-=-=-

“So, you managed to break out of jail, storm your way here, only to find yourself surrounded, outgunned, outnumbered, outclassed, and out of options, what do you wish to do, Sergeant Buckshot?” I smirked, standing alongside my friends, family, Twilight, her friends, the princesses, Lulania and Faust

“What do you mean outgunned?” Buckshot, the golden-yellow unicorn with the fiery scarlet mane and tail wearing a black jacket with a pitch-black eye-patch with sideburns growled, “this is just the beginning of the saga of the end of Equestria as we know it!”

“And you had my daughters original parents killed for it?” I boomed.

He snorted, “A necessary sacrifice for a brighter future, Sir Rick, but I don’t have to tell you about such a topic, do I?”

“I’d watch how much thou doth move thy lower jaw bone, lest it be forcibly removed, scum,” I snarled.

“Really?” he raised a smug eyebrow, “and what’ll you do, should I refuse, or choose to act otherwise?”

“Daddy…” Gracy Gloom clung onto my ankle, eventually releasing her vice-like grip on my lower limb, staring up toward me as the same golden glow as before erupted from within me, complete with the large golden dragon, that of which gave an ethereal roar as it took shape.

“So, you have a dragon’s soul, but do you have its heart?” Buckshot practically cackled like a witch with the way he laughed.

“I’ve the heart of an eon, and at least I’ve bloody well got one!” I bellowed, the dragon above me forming a large whitish-golden sphere between its jaws as I roared.

“So you do, human, so you do,” he spat, “tell me, what‘d you do if there were no evil in the world?”

“You mean a distinct lack of people like you?” Snowdrop growled.

“Mind your tongue foal,” he scowled.

“So much as touch her, and i get to enjoy tearing you, atom from atom, pony,” I glowered icily toward the unicorn.

“You’d do that in front of her?” he nodded toward Celestia, who glanced toward me, a worried look spread across her face.

“How about I do what’s necessary?” I snapped.

“So you would,” he guffawed, “you’re just like me, Rick, do you know that?”

“I’m nothing like you,” I glared daggers at Buckshot “firstly; I’ve got balls, secondly; I’ve got a heart; thirdly, I don’t go around tearing families apart because I’m too deluded to know what’s right and wrong!”

“Such resolve,” he whistled, “I wonder how much training they beat into you for you to say that, Human?”

“Some half-ass preacher like you doesn‘t have the right to talk about things like ‘Resolve,’” I scoffed.

“Don’t I?” he blinked, mockingly, “you’re a monster, and you charge me with that crime? How primitive,” the dragon’s beam fired; narrowly missing him by a hair’s width.

“I’m a monster, but at least I’m no barbarian! How many more ponies have to suffer through your malevolence?” I rebuked, glaringly.

“Do you honestly wish for me to answer that vermin?” he gave a sly grin, “there’s an oncoming storm, whether you like it or not, and it is that of which I’m trying to save Equestria from, don’t you get it?”

The dragon above me, alongside the golden aura around me, vanished, replaced with scales on my being, and magma oozing from my hands, all who were stood within a metre of me stepped backward as my fangs extended, and my eyes turned to slits, he teleported away.

“Alert all squadrons, I want him found immediately,” Celestia urged a nearby trio of guards, who nodded, sprinting through the throne room’s doors.

“Rick?” I blinked, the magma around me slowly dissipating as the scales faded into my skin, and my eyes returned to normal; turning I saw Celestia staring at me with a look of half-fear-, half-worry.

“Daddy,” Gracy Gloom began to cry as I sat, cross-legged, clinging onto me as I draped my wings around her, gently stroking her mane, pecking her forehead.

“Easy Grace, everything’s going to be Ok; don’t worry about it…” I soothed, or at least, I attempted to do so, slowly rocking back and forth

“I’m sorry…” she sobbed, “if it weren’t for me, we’d-” I silenced her, quietly placing a finger to her muzzle, slowly shaking my head as she stared right at me, her gaze locking with mine

“You’ve nothing to apologize, Grace, it’s as Roseluck once said, you were just a pawn in fates hands, in a so-called ‘chess game of the gods,’” I gave a faint smile, holding her close to me, using my wings as a makeshift-blanket.

“You aren’t going to go after him?” Blaze stood beside me;

“No need, they’ll find him eventually,” I shrugged, “and besides, if this is a ‘chess game of the gods,’ I’d like to know who the gods are so I can put an end to this irate chaos.”

“As would I,” she grinned, the same golden aura once again reappearing around me, minus the large ethereal dragon.

“Are you serious?” she blinked, gawking at me with an awestruck expression as I began to rock back and forward, again, slowly, Honey Heart having worked her way next to Gracy Gloom.

“You have a problem, Blaze?” I raised an eyebrow; she shook her head, “Good.”

“When I see your smile

Tears roll down my face I can't replace

And now that I'm strong I have figured out

How this world turns cold and it breaks through my soul

And I know I'll find deep inside me I can be the one

I will never let you fall (let you fall)

I'll stand up with you forever

I'll be there for you through it all (through it all)

Even if saving you sends me to heaven

It's okay. It's okay. It's okay.

Seasons are changing

And waves are crashing

And stars are falling all for us

Days grow longer and nights grow shorter

I can show you I'll be the one

I will never let you fall (let you fall)

I'll stand up with you forever

I'll be there for you through it all (through it all)

Even if saving you sends me to heaven

Cuz you're my, you're my, my, my true love, my whole heart

Please don't throw that away

Cuz I'm here for you

Please don't walk away and

Please tell me you'll stay woah, stay woah

Use me as you will

Pull my strings just for a thrill

And I know I'll be okay

Though my skies are turning grey

I will never let you fall

I'll stand up with you forever

I'll be there for you through it all

Even if saving you sends me to heaven

I will never let you fall

I'll stand up with you forever

I'll be there for you through it all

Even if saving you sends me to heaven…” I chimed/chorused/cooed, gradually, rocking motion stopped, and a pair of light snores could be heard emanating from each of the fillies in my lap.

“That was amazing,” Autumn Heart stepped forward, pecking me on the lips as I glanced toward her.

“Then it’s not the only thing around here then is it, my little Tinker?” I winked.

“When Honey Heart called that song a lullaby, I thought she was joking,” Blaze whistled, quietly, “looks like you win this one brother.”

“So I do, Blaze, so I do,” I smiled, Winter Bell made her way onto my head as Autumn levitated Honey Heart onto her back, and I held Grace in my arms.

“I must say that you’ve rather matured, Rick, “Crystal; hovered beside Angel, both smiling at me, “and it’s only taken three hundred years, not bad.”

“Don’t judge, lest ye be judged,” I rolled my eyes.

“I wasn’t going to, my love,” she pecked my cheek, as did Angel afterward, both flying out through the open window.

“I have to agree with her Y’know?” Blaze sighed, “You’ve grown a great deal in these past years, and I’d be proud to call you my brother, Ricky-o..!”

“This is our guild…” I muttered.

“You had to quote Natsu?” she laughed somewhat softly.

“What? He’s a great wizard,” I shrugged “speaking of the pyro, shall we see what he’s done lately?”

“Where’re you going?” Celestia tilted her head as my family, friends and I walked toward the entrance of the castle, having followed us thus far.

“Just going for a bit of friendly banter with a Salamander,” Blaze stood atop my shoulder.

“Scarlet?” Twilight blinked.

“No, Natsu,” Blaze grunted indignantly, “Natsu’s been, at one point, nicknamed the ‘Salamander.’”

“Oh…” she slowly nodded…

-=-

“So, where’s the pyro?” I grinned upon entering the Fairy Tail guild, all eyes were on me, “what?” several stifled giggles/laughs broke out throughout the main hall, both upstairs and downstairs.

“Natsu’s… how do I say this?” Grey grinned from ear to ear alongside Erza;

“He’s been put out of commission for a while,” Erza smirked,

“What; why?” I blinked

“He’s had a kid with that one named Lyra,” Grey bust a gut in laughter, the hall’s occupants quickly joined in, I cleared my throat, loud as I could, then gestured toward Honey Heart, “Oh…” I quickly left the guild hall, frowning as I went.

Upon tracking down Lyra’s apartment, I knocked on the door, a cream-coloured mare with a pink and navy-blue mane and tail with three wrapped sweets for a cutie mark appeared at the door, having opened it.

“Hello, Rick, what can I do for you?” the mare blinked, staring at me in quite apparent confusion.

“Is Lyra here-?” I was cut off by the sight of a filly, placed upon the back of Natsu’s head, with Lyra stood beside him; he glared at me, “Never mind…”

“Hello Rick!” Lyra waved over to me, I waved back, Honey Heart now lying atop my head, with Snowdrop and Winter Bell perched upon my shoulders.

“Hey Lyra, how’re you doing?” I smiled, she swooned, leaning into Natsu’s leg as she blushed profusely, her cheeks turning from mint/seafoam-green to a rosy shade of red.

“Oh it’s been like heaven!” Lyra exclaimed with joy as Natsu moved the filly -a unicorn with tannish-orange coat and a blood-crimson mane and tail- to his arms, cradling the tiny pony “Natsu’s been the perfect father, even if he says he’s never done it before; it’s as if he knows what to do and when and how to do it!”

“Perhaps he’s using what he’s been through as a form of experience?” I raised an eyebrow.

“I wouldn’t be surprised,” the minty-green unicorn mare sighed dreamily with a just as happy expression plastered to her muzzle, “he’s been the perfect mate; and an even better foal-sitter, say, you wouldn’t happen to now one would you?”

“I might,” I glanced toward Blaze, who stared at me, then glanced toward the foal in Natsu’s arms as he sat down on the sofa.

“Oh hell no,” Blaze, finally getting the idea, quickly shook her head, fast as she could, “I did it for Rick and Autumn, I’m not doing it again!”

“Please, just this once?” Lyra begged my sister, performing her best Puppy-dog-eyes’ impression;

“Fine…” Blaze roiled her eyes, glaring at me icily, “but you owe me brother, big time!”

“I’m sure there’s no need, I’ll pay you with whatever I can, Blaze,” Lyra winked at me, then pecked Natsu on the cheek, having moved to sit beside him “I’ll see to it that you get the necessary funding for looking after our little Amber Note…”

=-=

“That was cold, brother, even for a pyro like you,” Blaze frowned as we sat -‘we’ being my friends, family, myself, Twilight, her friends and Spike- in the library, glowering frigidly toward me.

“What was cold?” Twilight blinked, as did her friends all eyes were on me as the deafening silence slowly settled.

“Natsu and Lyra had a foal,” I smiled, “and Blaze here has been hired as the foal-sitter.”

“They’ve done what?” Rarity gasped alongside Twilight.

“Her name’s Amber Note, she’s a unicorn, and that’s all I know, really,” I glimmered.

“That’s wonderful news!” she chimed “I do believe, when Amber Note is of age, that we should have an anniversary party to celebrate!”

“I’m all for that!” Rainbow Dash grinned.

“Me too…!” Pinkie Pier exclaimed with rather visible glee/joy.

“Ah’m all fer a party o’ sorts, that is if the Salamander doesn’t mind,” Applejack simpered.

“Or we could have it as a surprise!” Pinkie Pie giggled profusely, “it’s going to be AWESOME!”

“That it is Pinkie, that it is,” I gave a slow, sagely nod.

“You look as though you’re thinking, nay, pondering something, is there something on your mind, Rick?”

“I need an idea of what the dragons I’m going to make for them are going to look like,” I beamed.

“Oh you,” Autumn Heart nuzzled into me, pecking my cheek softly, speaking with the voice of an angel, “always thinking of others, be it positively or negatively, mind you, if you didn’t, it wouldn’t be you, would it, Rick?”

“I very highly doubt it, my little Tinker,” I laughed.

=-=-=

“I know what to do for Natsu’s dragon,” I snapped my fingers, sitting beside Blaze and Autumn Heart in the art room/studio, carefully crafting a crimson dragon with golden underbelly scales with two horns pointing from the angles of its head, and a smaller one jutting out from its snout, its silver eyes ablaze with life as I snapped my fingers, having forged it with fire-based magic.

“That’s a mini-mi Igneel!” Blaze laughed

“So it is,” I smirked, moving onto Lyra’s dragon; that of which had dark green scales with lavender underbelly scales and wings, with a pair of ovoid, ruby-coloured eyes “and here’s Lyra’s little dragon, aptly named ‘Lyrica,’” I quickly crafted a clay lyre for the newly-created drake, who smiled as she took it, strumming the strings, as if testing it, before performing a small instrumental.

“And what’ll you do for Amber Note?” Autumn Heart leant into me

“I’ve yet to figure that out, Autumn, I really have,” I sighed.

“Perhaps we should find out what her interests are beforehand- err hoof,” Blaze have a light chuckle

“I’ll do it later on then,” I nodded, walking with Autumn Heart and Blaze to Lyra’s apartment, twin dragons on either shoulder.

“Hello Rick, I wasn’t expecting visitors,” Lyra giggled as she answered the door;

I handed her the two dragons, “the one with the Lyre; Lyrica is for you, the other one’s for Natsu,” I winked, Lyrica perched herself on Lyra’s back, rocking from side to side, as if testing her stability upon an equine’s spinal structure.

“She’s beautiful,” Lyra giggled, “how long did it take for you to make these?”

“Not long, and bets of all, they’re free,” I gleamed, “I’ll see you later, Lyra,” and with that, I turned and left…

()-()

“You gave Natsu and Lyra their dragons?” Twilight ‘aww’d,’ “what about Amber Note?”

“I’ve no clue as to what her interests are, so, until I can think of something relevant to that, I’m stuck for options,” I hummed.

“You really are generous, you know that?” Rarity sighed somewhat dreamily.

“No, I just care about my friends; that’s all,” I rolled my eyes agitatedly.

“Say what you will, there’s no denying the goodwill of what you’re currently doing for them, Rick,” Twilight giggled…

As I walked through ponyville, Sweetie Belle and Applebloom rushed toward me, taking either one of my hands in their hooves, dragging me to their newly-rebuilt clubhouse, changing to their anthro forms once there, lying me down on the bed, Applebloom working on my boots as she removed them, Sweetie Belle, meanwhile, removed my trousers and other sections of lower-area clothing.

“We love you Rick,” Sweetie Bell rolled my shirt up as Applebloom locked the door, sitting on my chest as Sweetie Belle took my length into her maw, running her tongue along its base,.

I grinned, moving Applebloom up a little, diving me tongue into her folds, twisting and turning it within her depths, causing her to give off loud, elongated moans as she arched her back, clinging onto the end of the bed as I twirled my tongue within her sex.

Sweetie Belle, meanwhile, was busy pressing her lips down on my cock, coiling her tongue around its head, resulting in a profuse leakage of pre to burst forth from the tip, all of which, she devoured with a grin, pressing her lips a little harder around the head, removing herself from the rock-hard appendage, slamming her cunny down onto my dick, bounding up and down upon my being, our hips colliding at an alarming rate as seed flew through her insides, painting her walls white.

“That was amazing, Rick,” Sweetie Belle panted for breath as she held herself above me, prodding my manhood against her rear entrance, sliding it in with relative ease, leaping up and down , hilting herself upon my member with each thrust.

Applebloom, however, was shuddering like an earthquake as she climaxed, flooding my oral passaged with her fluids, almost screaming as she came;

(-=-=-)

“You smell,” Blaze wafted the air away from me with a paw, having chosen to stand upon my head.

“I’m well aware of my hygiene levels, Blaze,” I smirked.

“Who was it this time?” I winked, “oh, ok, tell me later then?” I nodded as we entered the throne room, where Twilight, her friends –minus Pinkie Pie and Fluttershy- The princesses, Faust, Starry Skies and Lulania were stood.

“Have you ever thought of entering a contest wearing that Rick?” Rarity eyed me from head to foot, I, once again, was back in my clockwise regalia, with the goggles hanging upon my head, and Snowdrop  and Winter Bell perched on either shoulder;

“I deal with art, family and music, not fashion, Rarity,” I rolled my eyes; “to each their own; so to speak.”

“But think about it you could end up with so much fame and fortune, if only you’d choose to do so,” Rarity glimmered.

“Yeah… that’s not going to happen,” I shuddered.

“If you say so, Dear…” she nickered.

“Why ask in the first place?” laze patted the top of my head.

“Because there’s a contest happening in the theatre tonight, and I was wondering if Rick would like to enter,” Rarity smiled, although, if he’d rather, he could direct the music for the contest instead.”

“Where’s Rick Mayall when ya need him?” Blaze rolled her eyes.

“Or Jack Bauer for that matter,” I laughed.

“Touché, Brother, touché,” she slowly nodded.

“So, when’s the theatre going to be free?” Autumn Heat winked at me.

“It’s free now, if you’d like?” Rarity blinked.

-=-

After our ‘Practice,’ a crowd of ponies flooded the theatre, followed by a whitish/creamy-coloured mare with a cyan mane and tail with bright cyan eyes.

“I must say, you have a wonderful singing voice,” the mare smiled, holding out a hoof, which I shook, “I’m Coco Pommel, but my friends call me either Coco or Pommel, and you are…?”

“Rick,” I smiled, “I find it refreshing to meet quite the refined mare such as yourself, Suri>”

“So, you’re the knight of the princesses I’ve heard so much about!” she gasped, quickly bowing, head almost slamming against the floor.

“You needn’t bow Coco; I’m an ally, not a lord, nor a ruler,” I smiled; she nodded, raising back to her hooves.

“It’s just such an honour to meet you, Sir Rick!” she exclaimed with quite apparent joy.

“Just call me Rick, there isn’t a need to be so formal, Coco,” I chuckled.

“If you say so, Rick,” she giggled, “Say, I’m rather new here, would you mind showing me the nearest guestroom?”

“I wouldn’t mind at all Coco,” I smiled, collecting her luggage, carrying it to the nearest spare guestroom, placing it on the bed, “here you go, I hope everything goes as you plan, m’lady,” I bowed, pecking her hoof as she lifted it.

“Oh, you’re quite the charmer,” she blushed profusely, her cheeks becoming a rosy shade of red as she glanced toward the clock, “Oh! I’d better get ready for the show, I’ll see you later, Rick.”

“And I you, my little Coco,” I pecked her cheek as I walked out of the room, closing the door behind me as I left.

“Two minutes to the contest everypony, a snarky, silvery mare with a pink mane and tail frowned as she glanced around the theatre, having just come from backstage, “where’s Coco Pommel?”

“Yes brother, where is she?” Blaze laughed.

“How should I know, probably still in her room making final preparations,” I rolled my eyes agitatedly, again.

“She keeps doing this,” the silvery mare growled, “always the last to appear, and even when she does, she always loses, or comes in second-o-last place,”

“That’s just a matter of the opinion of the judges, and their subsequent voting, nothing else,” I spat.

“What?” she snarled, all eyes -including those of my friends, family, Twilight, her friends, the princesses, Lulania, Faust Starry Skies- were on me, “what would you know of beauty?”

“Beauty is in the eyes of the beholder, now, this may be me being an asshole, or you need a better set of judges,” I scoffed, “besides, everything has a deeper, inner beauty, it’s just that not everyone sees it.”

“Holy shit,” Blaze burst into a fit of laughter, “you went off the deep end on that one Ricky-o!”

“Here’s a phone, call someone who cares,” I passed her the phone from my jacket’s inner pocket.

“Touché,” she grimaced.

“I thought you said you didn’t do fashion,” Rarity smirked.

“I don’t” I rolled my eyes, again.

“Coco’s here,” a pink mare with a purple mane and tail –that of which were styled like Rarity’s, complete and utter show-off- walked from backstage “whether she’ll make it past the first round is, however debatable…”

==-+-==

As the contest came to a close, and with Coco, surprisingly, as the winner, I wandered out to the gardens, sitting under the shade of an elder tree, legs crossed as I ‘meditated.’

“Rick?”

I opened my eyes; Coco Pommel was there, wearing her latest ‘threads,’ her own rendition of clockwise attire, “Are you Ok?”

“I just needed some time to myself, Coco, that’s all,” I smiled, “you’re free to join me, if you want,” I patted the ground beside me, Coco smiled in return, sitting beside me, leaning against me, pecking my cheek as she nuzzled into me.

“So, what’ll you do now?” I simpered, glancing toward the mare sat beside me.

“I think I’ll stay here for the time being, just to get into the flow of things, and to be with you, Rick” Coco giggled, “thanks for the help earlier by the way, I doubt anypony else would’ve done it so efficiently!”

“There are few, save myself, my friends, family, and the alicorns of Equis that would have, Coco, guess you just got a little lucky,” I winked.

-=-0-=-

“And speaking of music, as you said earlier…” Blaze grinned as we –my family, friends Coco and I– entered the throne room, “How’s Amber Note doing anyway?”  

“I wouldn’t know, lately I’ve been here, haven’t I?”

“Who’s Amber Note?” Celestia smiled.

“Natsu and Lyra had a foal, let’s leave it at that,” Blaze shuddered.

“Speaking of which, don’t you have a job you should be doing, Dear Sister?” I beamed.

“So I, Brother, so I do,” she winked, quickly bounding off toward Lyra’s apartment after I teleported the pair of us to ponyville, quickly teleporting back.

“You can teleport now?”  Celestia raised an eyebrow as Coco Pommel made her way onto my back, perching her head on my shoulder as she wrapped her arms around my neck, Honey Heart lying atop my head in lieu of Blaze.

“You didn’t seem too surprised before,” I smirked, “why the sudden act of ‘shock-and-awe’ now?”

“Because I feel like it,” she grinned.

“Touché,” I rolled my eyes, yet again…

“So, this foal, Amber Note is her name?” I nodded, “what’s she like?”

“I don’t rightly know that much really, I just popped over for a visit after so happening to find out about it,” I shrugged, lightly/carefully.

“And I’m to assume that she’s a unicorn?” I nodded again, “that’s wonderful, I’ll make it so that they’re fully funded for anything they might need in the years to come.”

“So, who’s your passenger this time?” Rarity smiled.

“You know me, Rarity; it’s me, Honey Heart!” Honey Heart giggled.

“I wasn’t referring toward you dear,” Rarity nodded toward Coco, who nuzzled into me.

“I take it you’ve made a new friend, Rick?” Cadance smiled also;

“So I have,” I grumbled as Coco landed safely with all four hooves on the floor.

(=-=)

As I sat on the front lawn, with my ‘next-of-kin’ sat around me in a small arc, I placed the Pipbuck onto my arm, quickly turning it on, accessing the ‘Notes’ section of the database.

“You have ten new messages” a mechanical voice spoke from the wrist-mounted device.

“DO I now?” I mumbled, activating the first Note;

“Tesla, I don’t know if you’ll ever get this, but Homage’s been rather fidgety lately, I think she misses you, we all do, just remember that I love you, and I always will, even if were galaxies apart, I’ll find a way to come to you, wait for me, my love…” a young, feminine voice echoed through the gadget’s speakers, sounding as if she were crying.

“Message repeats…” the same voice from before spoke somewhat monotonously.

“Forest Rain…” I muttered, accessing the second new note;

“Tesla, it’s me again, Homage’s behaviour’s gotten worse, she keeps breaking into sobs, what’s worse is that anytime we try to talk to her about it, she locks herself in the studio, crying, she definitely misses you, after all, you’re her wayward eon, you’re her arms, sword and shield out here in the wastes, as you are ours, please, wherever you are, whatever you do never forget us …” the same female echo returned, once again crying…

“Message Repeats;” the mechanical voice also returned,

“And you’re my little Rain…” I bit my lip, “And I you…”

“Snowdrop, Winter Bell, Gracy Gloom, Scootaloo, Honey Heart, stay with Autumn for a while Ok, I’ll be back as soon as I can, Ok?”

“Ok Daddy, we love you, the five fillies nuzzled into me, before marching into the house, closing the door behind them…

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