When I returned, I had a smile on my face, walking back to the house with a light grin, closing the door behind me, having returned to a point in time that was only a few minutes after my exiting Equis.

Moping into the art room, I sat on the bench, starting on the first of a series of dragons, putting only the finest detail into each one.

“Rick?” I turned, Autumn Heart stood at the doorway, a worried look cast across her muzzle.

“How long have I been in here?”

“All of last night and yesterday afternoon,” she raised an eyebrow, sitting beside me on the bench, glancing toward each of the new dragons, “who’re these for? They’re beautiful…”

“They’re going with the statue in the forest,” I bit my lip “little mementoes for a few fallen heroes…”

“Oh, I see…” she leant into me “never forget that I’m here for you, Rick, and so are Twilight and her friends, as well as the princesses, Ok?”

I nodded, “thank you, my little Tinker, I’ve no idea where I’d be without you.”

-=-

The next few years passed without much hindrance, from neither buckshot nor anyone/anywhere else…

-=-

“Rick?” Autumn Heart smiled, pecking my cheek, “are you well?”

“I’ll be fine, so long as you’re here, my little Tinker,” I draped my wings around her, holding her close as she sat in my lap

“I can see why the others like this, it’s amazing,” she nickered, draping her arms around me, placing her lips upon mine,

=-=

“Rick, there you are!” Twilight sprinted toward me.

“What is it Sparky?” I raised an eyebrow at their antics.

“Applebloom and Sweetie Belle have been captured by the Diamond Dogs, Applejack and the others are on their way now, come on!” and so we went to the dirt plain that was home to the diamond dogs, Applejack and the others stood in formation when we got there,

“So,” Blaze began with a frown, standing beside me, “slavers then?”

“If that’s the case,” I sighed with a slight nod, “they’ll get what’s gone to both Raiders and Slavers alike, the Legion also.”

“You’re going to kill them…?” Twilight gasped.

“You give beings who take your family and relatives hostage a second chance, Twilight?” I scowled.

“Well, there must be some way we can do this without meaningless violence!” she urged.

“Think about it Twi, we only managed to get out last time ‘cause of Rarity, we ain’t got that this time, they know that we’re coming,” Applejack frowned.

“You can’t be serious!” Rarity, Twilight and Rainbow Dash gawked at the two of us.

“They said the same thing when I offered to take care of the Deathclaws out of quarry junction; I think you can guess what happened then,” I spat.

“But, you can’t…!” Twilight rapidly shook her head glaringly, glowering at me in disgust.

“If you’re not going to help, step aside, I’ve not a minute to spare for those trapped underground,” I scowled, again.

“You’re a monster…” she looked away.

“Would you rather Bloom and Belle be used and abused to the dog’s content, at their very whim? I raised an eyebrow, “because if that’s the case, you’re not better than they are.”

Digging through the nearest mound of earth found me in an underground cavern, with a series of ponies on shackles and chains with metal collars linked to the chains on their ankles

“What you doing down here, you no pony!”  grey ape-like canine-esque figure wearing a blood-crimson jacket snarled as Twilight and her friends landed beside myself and Blaze.

“Said the low-life slaver to the demigod,” I chided, “Blaze, you, Twilight and the others try to find the two we’re here for, I’ll handle the rest, Ok?”

“Okie Dokie, Brother!” Blaze saluted me, now in her Typhlosion form

“You can’t do this!” Twilight blared; all eyes that belonged to a pony were now on us.

“Who’s the General here?” I frowned.

“We’re not in the UNSC!” she bellowed.

“Just go, the sooner you find Applebloom, the better it’ll be for everyone, and everypony,” I winked.

After a lengthy argument, Twilight stormed off with her friends, leaving the two of us with the dog-like creature.

“Comical” the dog laughed, charging toward me, a quick roundhouse kick to the jaw sent him sprawling, and a snap of his neck finished him off.

“Rover!” a small, nut-brown dog barked, ironically enough, leaping right at me, Blaze setting him alight proved that such an act was unwise, to say the least.

-=-=-

“So, that was the last of them?” Blaze stood beside me at the end of the labyrinth-like mine.

“So it’d seem, Sister,” I nodded, “come we have ponies to free.”

“You’re not going to eat us?” the first pony, a unicorn mare, blinked as I crouched down to his level, smiling.

“I may be part dragon, and a few other carnivorous species, but I’m on a strict no-pony diet, courtesy of Celestia herself,” I winked, again, breaking the chains on his legs, “now run along, find the nearest exit, if you can’t find one; find me instead.”

“I’d rather stay with you, seeing as there may be more Diamond Dogs on the way,” she smiled, pecking my cheek as she wriggled free of the shackles that bound her.

“As you say,” I simpered, moving on to the next pony…

()-()

After all the ponies that I could find had been freed, we headed as a small army-like formation to the exit, performing alchemy to create a set of stone stairs that led out of the mine

“Blaze scout ahead, I need to see if there‘re any more vermin topside,” I gave a curt nod.

“Aye, Aye sir,” she saluted me, bounding up the stairs, quickly returning to the middle of the staircase, having been gone for a minute or two “All clear General Hawkins, sir!” she grinned from ear to ear

“That’s good,” I sighed with relief, beginning my ascent up the staircase, followed by the freed slaves those of who trotted in double-file,

“Are you happy now?” Twilight growled as we surfaced, beginning the walk to Ponyville

“I’d be more concerned about Celestia’s opinion on the matter, rather than your own, Twilight Sparkle,” I tutted, she quickly magicked a quill and sheet of paper, writing down a quick note, Spike then sent note to Celestia by means of magical fire.

“Twilight Sparkle,” Celestia appeared in a flash of bright light, smiling toward the lavender mare, then toward me, “what’s this I hear of Diamond Dog activity?”

“Princess Celestia!” the crowd of former-captives chorused in shock-and-awe, dropping to the ground; bowing.

“Rise my little ponies, there isn’t such a need to be so formal as of now,” Celestia raised an eyebrow toward me, before glancing at the crowed behind me, then back to me again, “how’d you do it this time, Rick?”

“Twilight told me of Applebloom and Sweetie Belle’s capture by the Diamond Dogs, so I volunteered my services in aid of their little quest, thus, here we are,” I gestured around us.

“You freed my little ponies?” she stared at me, I nodded, “!well then, it appears that I’ve to commend you for your actions here today, Rick, I’ll see to it that such a ceremony takes place tomorrow at noon, shall I?”

“You do what you want, I’m only a knight, not a king, and I’ve need to be as such, Princess,” I quickly bowed.

“So be it,” she giggled, walking with myself, Blaze Twilight, her friends and the others to ponyville, “you’ll have to tell me though, what of the Diamond Dogs?”

“That depends on what you wish to happen, Princess,” I bit my lip, “are you willing to give those who’d use and abuse whoever they so wish to their heart’s content, a second chance?”

“So long as they chose to negate any of those actions or motives, I might be willing to compromise,” she glanced toward me with a perplexed look cast upon her face, “why do you ask?”

“Because in the wastes, which is filled with people like that, most of the time, the only way to reason with a Raider or a Slaver is usually to put a bullet between their eyes, or, if they’re really persistent, a whole clip-full,” I shrugged.

“You would do all that, just for the possible safety of my loyal subjects?” she stared at me, this time, in somewhat apparent awe/horror.

“I do what I feel is both correct, and yet necessary, that is all, Princess,” I gave a faint smile.

“So you do,” she gave a slow, somewhat-mortified nod.

“I take it this means no commendations?” I flinched, giving a light wince at the way I was speaking, “not that I mind at all, I mean, I’ve a family to care for, art to create and music to play, so it’s not like I deserve any such rewards anyhow.”

“You say that like it‘s better than what I had in store for you, why is that?” she frowned.

“Make no mistake, I wasn’t trying to offend anyone, or anypony, I just wish for a simple life where I can forget the past and move on, if at all possible,” I rolled my eyes, exhaling sharply as I went, “sadly however, that is not the case, as there’re threats to Equestria that could topple Equis as we know it, one of which has already been disarmed, but what of the others I wonder?”

“What do you mean ‘threats’?” Celestia’s eyes narrowed.

“Why, the end of Equestria as we know it, of course,” I facepalmed hard enough that it actually stung, “have you already forgotten my temporary sacrifice not last week, if a little earlier, Princess?” I continued, “had those megaspells of hit, you would not gave been around to speak of it, nor would anyone within two-hundred square miles of Canterlot, let alone the castle itself…”

“How do you know that?” she scowled.

“What do you think created the wastes in the first place?” I grumbled agitatedly, “this whole ‘me-going-insane’ thing and telling you to watch the skies is my way of making sure that it doesn’t happen again.”

“So, you’re doing you best to do Equestria good, if only a little at a time?” she blinked.

“Basically,” I smiled,

“Why do you have to be so uncouth sometimes?” Rarity frowned.

“I don’t know, maybe I’m just made to be a complete dumbass sometimes?” I snorted,” I mean, really, I know several people who’d rather have a Brahmin steak, a bottle of wine and a girl from the Gomorrah, but we don’t always get what we want, do we?”

“Gomorrah?” she raised an eyebrow, Blaze walked in line beside me, smug grins aplenty.

“Blaze, you’re the one who dragged me in there, therefore, you can be the one to explain it to them,” I smirked toward the Typhlosion.

“Maybe later, I’m simply enjoying the moment, for now, Brother,” Blaze laughed.

“So you are, Sister, so you are,” I laughed as we arrived in Ponyville

“What do we do now?” Celestia turned to me.

“Now, we attempt to repair what has been broken by what I class as ‘stuff-that-is-lower-than-trash,’” I scoffed, “attempt to scour Equestria and/or the nearby towns and points of civilisation, see if they’ve got any missing ponies, then send the respective civilians on their way with a chariot of guards.”

“Ah, but family is like a decent friendship, Brother, and both a like a glass of water” Blaze patted my side with a gentle paw, “it may be fixed after breaking, but there shall always be the cracks, forever there, to remind the person of the past, no matter where they might be.”

“You got that from me, didn’t you?” I grinned.

“So I did, Ricky-o, so I did” she laughed.

“When did you come up with such a phrase?” Celestia giggled, faintly.

“A few decades ago, could’ve been a century with the way my memory seems to work, for all I know,” I laughed again.

-=-=-

“Hit me.”

“You’re at eighteen. Now remember what I told you?” I raised an eyebrow, sat on the opposite end of an alchemy-made blackjack to table Pole Star; that of which had been erected (Lol) in the main hall when I suspected that nobody was looking.

“There’s only three cards that will help, high risk, high reward. Usually, it’s not worth it unless you’re cheating.”

“Right; and any casino will throw you out if they catch you.” I flipped my cards over; “I have a ten and a three,” I pulled a card from the deck and revealed it; “A two.” He revealed another. “An ace,” I flipped a third card, “And a Jack, I’m bust.”

Star scooped the small pile of bits and pulled them closer with a smirk. Shining Armour threw his hand down in disgust, sitting beside Autumn Heart. “How is he so good at this?’

“I’ve no idea, perhaps experience, perhaps something else,” Pole Star nickered.

“Are you gambling?” I glanced behind me, Twilight, the princesses; Faust and Lulania were there, eyebrows raised.

“Not at all Cellsy, I’ve just spent the past three hours doing absolute sod all, excuse my language,” I rolled my eyes.

“I should’ve guessed as much, with your recent talk of this ‘New Vegas’ and al,” she smirked. “Why don’t you go to Las Pegasus to do so?”

“I’ve a family to look forward to, and it’s not like I can be in two places at once,” I shrugged.

“New Vegas…?” Pole Star blinked alongside Shining Armour, I grumbled.

“Just imagine the best casino’s hotels and pubs that you can think of stretched over a five-to-twenty-square mile radius, half of said activities are usually in the same building,” I smiled as I explained the ‘basics.’

“And of course, they’re somewhat, shall we say, raunchier?” Blaze grinned from atop my head.

“How so….?” Pole Star, I raised an eyebrow, nodding toward my –literally- little sister.

“You know what a strip club is right?” Blaze grinned from ear to ear, both guards gave a slight nod, just imagine that, a hotel, a casino, and a pub in one building, that’s essentially what the ‘Gomorrah’ is.”

“And you walked into that?” Autumn Heart frowned.

“Not a chance in hell Autumn, I dragged him in there by his ankles,” she laughed.

“You’re joking…?” Autumn Heart blinked.

“Hey, I’m stronger than I look ya know!” Blaze growled half-menacingly, half-adorably.

“I think it was closer to my ears than my ankles Blaze,” I shuddered.

“I don’t see you complaining otherwise!” she barked, I shot her an icy glare, “Ok, fair enough, shan’t bring it up again…”

“You’re lucky you’re immune to fire, and that I don’t hit females of any species, sentient species anyhow,” I grunted.

“Am I?” she gasped “you’d really strike me, your charming adorable little sister, oh, woe is me, what am I to do?” she acted as she spoke, leaping to the table and performing the appropriate theatrics.

“And you said that I’d make a good actor,” I glanced toward the alicorns behind me, Celestia giggled, as did the others

“Would you though?” she clambered back onto my shoulder, “would you really hit me?”

“Depends on the situation your darkened sense of humour puts me in,” I shrugged.

“I’m almost hurt,” she sniffled, beginning to fake crying, pulling a piece of fabric from her inventory, blowing into it, wiping away tears that weren’t even there, “you’d really hit me, but we’ve been through so much together Ricky-o, don’t you love me?”

“This could be classed as a form of either torture or entertainment, I can’t tell, “Pole Star chortled, glancing toward me, “you really put up with this?”

“On a bi-daily basis, Star, it can get a little tiring sometimes, but, considering what my family’s like, I’d say that that’s impossible” I laughed.

-=-=-

“So, what’re we doing again?” Blaze blinked as we stood in the arena.

“Well, since the season four ‘finale’ (Lol), is but a Dragonball-Z piss-take, I was wondering if I can’t do the same,” I grinned.

“Just don’t pop a blood vessel…” she chortled.

“I know right, Sean Schemmel actually passed out once while voicing a certain character from the series,” I beamed.

“So, how do you plan to do this?” Faust raised an eyebrow

“Wait and see,” I winked, scales appearing upon my being a I initiated ‘Dragon Force,’ then unleashing the same-as-usual Whitish-Golden ‘Aura,’ initiating a second stage ‘Dragon’s Apparition,’ complete with the now-trademark golden dragon of flame.

“Good, now we’re on second stage,” Blaze grinned, leaping onto my shoulder “how can we progress further?”

`“I can assure you it won’t be by means of clenching every muscle and screaming until my lungs burst,” I laughed, “even if it mightgive me the ability to topple mountains and disintegrate the very earth itself,” I continued with a grin, also initiating ‘Lightning-flame dragon mode.’

“So, how will we do it?” she rolled her eyes with a sly smirk, “or rather, how will you do it?”

Blaze blinked, again, as I then utilized ‘Gear Second,’ “That’s two-and-a-half, Brother, but we both know what using that ability can do to even a rubber-man like you, don’t we?”

“What does she mean?” Twilight stared at me, eyes wide in apparent horror.

“The only reason I’m able to use ‘Gear Second,’ is due to the fact that my physiology is that of a rubber-man, or in short, if someone other than people like me were to use this, their organs, and circulatory system would tear themselves apart,” I explained.

“That’s suicidal!” she screamed at the top of her lungs, tears threatening to burst forth from their ducts.

“Such is the price for such a power, Twilight, if you want, I’ll not use it unless asked,” I cooed, stopping all magical/physical abilities, reverting to normal, “I may be rubber, or rubber-like, but even I have my limits when using that ability.”

Twilight leapt at me, knocking me to the ground, clinging onto me, crying into my jacket/shirt; “Please, don’t use it anymore…” she began to cry, “I don’t want to lose you again…”

“Alright Twilight, I’ll stop using it,” I draped my wings around her, pecking the tip of her horn, resulting in a series of magenta-coloured sparks that arced around her horn.

=-=-=

“Are those…?” Autumn Herat stared at my newest creations that stood atop the hill behind the library.

“Yes, yes they are,” I grinned, gazing at the statues of my friends and family, the princess, Twilight and her friends included, made completely from steel wire and bottle-caps.

“Ok….” She raised an eyebrow, “I’m unsure as to what to think of these, but I’ll admit, now I know what you’ve been doing for the past two-and-a-half months.”

“How many caps did you use making these?” Twilight smirked.

“Not many, in comparison to what I had,” I rolled my eyes, “why?”

“Curiosity,” she giggled.

“So I see,” I sighed, exhaling sharply.

“We love you Daddy,” Honey Heart chimed alongside her sisters as she clambered onto my NCR ‘Elite Riot Gear’, with Snowdrop and Gracy Gloom taking their places upon the shoulders of the NCR regalia I was wearing.

“Where’d you get that awful set of attire anyway, Dear Rick…?” Rarity eyed me from head to foot, obviously trying to avoid eye-to-mask contact with the crimson eyes of the ‘helmet’

“Doing a little of ‘This-And-That,’” I shrugged, “nothing too bad, I can assure you.”

“And the piece of metal attached to your side?” she gestured toward the 44. Magnum;

“Let’s just call it a peacekeeper, shall we?” I hummed “I thought it’d be different for Nightmare Night.”

“And what does it do?” she shuddered a little?”

“I’d rather not say,” I clenched my fists, “but, I’ll give you one thing, the area I got it from, gave me and Blaze a grim reminder never to use fire-based abilities around a set of nuclear warheads.”

“What were you doing around nuclear warheads?” Autumn Heart blinked.

“Trying to redeem what little of the wastes we could salvage, and perhaps, given time, repair,” Blaze gave a somewhat forlorn hum. “There’s one thing I don’t get though, Twilight and the others, or all of Ponyville for that matter, should be fossils by now, so why aren’t they?”

“An apt question, Blaze,” Celestia winked at me, “when Rick here harness the power that was bestowed upon the walls of may ponies’ homes years ago, there was, to put it bluntly, a trade, he shared his longevity with Equestria, and they, their kindness and prosperity.

“’tis truly an amazing exchange” Luna nodded, sagely, “But, in exchange, may we ask thou a question, Sir Rick?”

“Go ahead,” I smiled.

“Where did you get most of your scars, specifically?” all eyes were on me

“A Deathclaw nest in Quarry junction, barely managed to get out alive, let alone halfway through,” I shuddered.

“What were thou doing there in the first place?” she stared at me quite visibly awestruck.

“The nearby town, Sloan, had a problem with their quarry, or rather, a fairly large one, and the ‘mayor,’ so to speak, was willing to pay a hefty sum of caps for anyone ballsy, tough, or stupid enough to go in and come out alive.”

“And you did it anyway?” Celestia draped a wing around me.

“I didn’t do it for the caps, if that’s what you’re thinking, Princess,” I laughed.

“I know you’d never do such a thing as reckless as that for money, Rick, you’re not like that,” she smiled, “you’re my little eon, and That of Equis, no less, why don’t you go out and see what it has to offer?”

“Because I don’t need to, nor do I want to,” I rolled my eyes behind my blood-crimson visor.

“Just don’t get either of us to talk about the divide, or anything to do with it, please,” Blaze stood beside Scootaloo, Winter Bell and I, yet opposite all the others.

“Why, what happened there?” Twilight blinked.

“We’d rather not speak of it altogether, if that’s alright with you, Twilight,”

“Yeah, I think Mort missed out on a few of my titles when he reviewed my being and/or status,” I chortled.

“Courier Six, no..?” Blaze patted my side, lightly bumping a clenched paw against my fist.

“There is one thing I don’t get, how did the radiation in those megaspells not affect any of Equestria after I destroyed them?” I glanced toward Celestia.

“We used a team of Pegasi to harvest what you call radiation into a series of clouds, which have since been studied and used in experiments under appropriate working conditions,” Celestia raised an eyebrow.”

“Fair do’s, I just hope you know what you’re doing with that stuff,” I clicked my tongue.

“And now it is my turn to ask a question of you, brother,” Blaze frowned, “who’s Mort?”

“Pony grim reaper,” I grinned.

“You’re joking…” she stared at me, I tilted my head ever-so slightly, “holy shit …you aren’t, are you? That’s… that’s insane, and yet not impossible, far from it in fact! …well, I can say it’s grand to have you back, Ricky-o!”

“And it’s good to be back, Blaze, clichéd as the line may be,” I laughed.

“So it is, then again, I wouldn’t know,” she chortled.

“So, that’s another additive to the list of insane things that you’ve accomplished, eh?” she winked.

“Right up there in the list besides making the infinite muffin button,” I nodded.

“You made an infinite muffin button?” Twilight giggled.

“I have, just don’t tell Dinky,” I chuckled, “lord knows what’ll happen then?”

“A present for the mare, Brother..?” Blaze smirked, grinning from ear to ear, “and here I thought you’ said you’d get a bouquet?”

“Since when have I said that?” I frowned.

“Already denying it?” she laughed, “was it last year, or sometime this year, I can’t tell…”

“I didn’t know you were that sort of being, Rick,” Twilight nickered with a light blush, her cheeks turning a rosy shade of pink.

“So, ‘Sierra Madre’ was interesting enough, eh brother?”

“Meh, it was alright, if a little eerie,” I shrugged, “But I’d rather not talk about it, or what happened to you, if that’s alright, Sister.”

“I love it when you go all sentimental about that particular subject brother…” she cooed, nuzzling into moving herself under my hand.

“Like that do you?” I smirked, scratching her behind the ears, “just as well you’re not like Torch…”

“I know who you’re referring to, Brother,” she grinned from ear to ear, leaning into me “that little browser of yours, no?”

“I’ll give you twenty gems if you drop the matter both here and now,” I frowned.

“Fifty.”

“Deal,” I shook her paw, quickly bringing out a selection of gems from my inventory, all of which, she devoured almost instantly, beaming.

“And the deal’s off…” I rolled my eyes.

“No, I’ll still stay quiet about it, but only to those who you don’t wish to hear of it, Ricky-o!” she glimmered.

“At least you’re honest and loyal to your family, no offense or anything,”

“And I can be pretty ‘magical’ at times, eh?” she nudged my side with a knowing grin and a flirtatious wink.

“I haven’t got a horn that operates in that manner, unless you mean the one ‘down-south,’ and unless you’re my girlfriend you’re not getting any ‘magic’ from it,” I deadpanned.

“Already did, remember?” she laughed.

“Not of my volition though,” I rolled my eyes.

“I know, Brother, I know,” she cooed again, “aren’t we but a strange family?”

“Strange is a bit of an understatement, Blaze,” I facepalmed, or at least, ‘mask-palmed.’

“Say, what happened to all that alcohol anyways?” she smirked.

“Basement,” I sighed.

“Ah, that bumbling cliché, morbid as it may end up, it might as well be there, off all places.”

“What’s Alcohol?” Honey Heart blinked, tapping me on my horns with a fragile hoof.

“Blaze, if you would?” I smiled.

“Me, why me…?” Blaze blinked.

“You’re the one who bought it up, plus you’re the foal-sitter, so it doubles,” gleamed.

“Blaze is a foal-sitter?” Twilight stared at me, wide eyed, her jaw almost meeting the lush, green grass.

“That I am, Twilight Sparkle,” Blaze mumbled, “should you choose to fornicate with my Brother, I’d be all too happy to take care of the cold and/or filly for you.”

“Fornicate?” Twilight blinked.

“Shag, screw, do the nasty, keep the town up at night no doubt?” she grinned, again, from ear-to-ear.

“Oh, oh…!” Twilight shuddered with a look of disgust, “well I don’t know if I’d be ready for that!”

“Were the two of you not at it for approximately two-and-a-half hours at a time a few years back?” Blaze tutted, “what happened to you Twilight? You know that Ricky-o doesn’t do one night stands, right?”

“I can’t,” Twilight dipped her head, staring at the ground, “ever since I found out about Winter Bell, I’ve found myself unable to bring myself to do such a thing; or to take our relationship that far, I’m sorry.”

“Do you hear that Rick,” Blaze glanced toward me, after going through all that you have, saving countless lives at the cost of your own innumerable times, fighting against the odds with everything you have and more, saving Sloan from the Deathclaws, also saving Forest Rain from the Raiders, and Blackjack from those thugs, even now, you fight with all that you are and ever will be, and what are you rewarded with? Complete-and-utter bullshit..!”

“You forgot to mention about me being one of the lucky few million to survive the human-covenant war, rather than one of the twenty-six-billion of whom died, sister,” I winked.

“That I am, and I hereby add it to the list of thy achievements, Ricky-o!” she pecked my cheek, standing on tip-toes to do so, patting my back with a somewhat affectionate paw.

“You lost how many?” Celestia awed at me.

“I needn’t repeat myself, the fact that I’m here is a little thanks to the Mk-VI armour being as dense as the average sub-par American video gamer/internet junkie…” I burst into a fit of laughter.

“You got trouble for doing that last time you uploaded that to the internet remember?” Blaze smirked.

“Yeah, Fire-eaters or something, if he wants to have a go at me, at least get his bloody facts straight, America, or the Americas, is a continent, not a country, end of discussion,” I spat “and besides, I deal with family members, not random strangers over the web.”

“So you do,” she laughed, (Again..?)

=-=

“Yo Ricky-o, ya got any whiskey?” Blackjack patted my shoulder with a fragile wing.

“I’ll see what I can do,” I sighed, setting my rucksack out before me, retrieving two six-packs of whiskey.

“She grinned, “Sweet, thanks Rick,” she quickly opened the first bottle, downing it almost instantly

“She’s an alcoholic?” Luna blinked.

“Don’t think so, but she adores her whiskey like I’m sure astronomers admire your work, Princess,” I quickly bowed

“Thou flatter us,” she giggled, sitting beside me on the balcony, “and, as promised, we haven’t spoken to thy next of kind about her magic, nor has thine sister,” she added with smile.

“It looks like I can trust you after all, Woona,” I draped wing around her back, pecking her cheek.

“Woona?” she blinked, glancing toward me with an unamused expression

“Woona, Lulu, Luna?” I tilted my head, Luna facehooved.

“Forgive us if we withhold our enthusiasm,” the lunar goddess rolled her eyes.

“Hey, if you need me, I can still be used as a teddy bear, just don‘t Tell Cellsy,” I winked.

“We would like that, but do you not have a family to get home to?” she giggled.

“I could teleport, but yes, I’ve a family to go home and be with, as have you, here in Canterlot, surrounded by your sister, guard friends and subjects, you’re Nakama, if you will,” I grinned.

“Rick, you’re my only friend,” she pursed her lips, “I’ve Nopony other than you, my sister, and the current bearers of the elements of harmony.”

“Wrong,” I smirked.

“We beg thy pardon?” she frowned.

“You’ve got me, and I’ve got the guild to back me up, if only a few members, so we’ve got your back, so to speak; and you’ve got us, as allies, and more-than-likely as friends, ‘My little Tsuki…’”

-=-

“That’s the last time I’m mentioning the guild to anyone from Canterlot….” I mumbled, falling flat on my face alongside as I stood beside my friends and the like in the throne room.

“What happened?” Celestia walked down from the throne, sitting before me, standing between myself and Twilight and her friends.

“I got used as a teddy bear again, god Damnit,” I mumbled, rolling onto my back.

“Have fun did we?” she smirked.

“I’m unsure as to how to answer that, Princess,” I raised an eyebrow.

“Waiting for your CPU to get back in gear, Brother?” Blaze grinned.

“Yeah, pretty much,” I gave a quiet laugh.

“You have a CPU, a central-processing-unit’? Twilight stared at me, almost mortified.

“I’ve a brain and heart if that’s what you’re asking,” I winked, pulling myself upright.

“But titling it as ‘CPU’ implies that is mostly -if not completely- mechanical and technological!” she rebuked with an icy glare.

“I wouldn’t know, the folks up at Big-MT didn’t explain much about the so-called experiments and/or surgery they had me go through at an undisclosed point in time,” I shrugged. All eyes were now on me as Luna appeared via teleportation, standing beside Celestia.

“You WHAT!?” the lavender mare bellowed at the top of her lungs.

“Nothing important Sparky, don’t worry about it,” I muttered, rolling my eyes.

“It’s important if it involves us!” she blared

“So now that he’s told you about the dangers of the wastes, you wish to be with my Brother?” Blaze snapped, “I suggest that you think very, very carefully about what you want with Rick, you don’t want to know about the last time this happened…”

“So, when somepony uses that spell to change you to what you’d look like without magic, you have biomechanical organs also?” Celestia raised an unamused eyebrow.

“I nodded, “basically,” she frowned, tapping her horn against my head as it shone with a bright-primrose aura, my form changing to its natural state as she did so., standing me on my feet by means of levitation, placing a hoof against my chest where my heart should’ve been.”

“There’s barely a pulse, if any,” her eyes narrowed, “what happened to you?”

“That’s something we’ll have to wait and find out, isn’t it?” I raised an eyebrow in return.

“I thought you stopped the megaspells?” Twilight glowered at me.

“I stopped the wastelands from coming into being in one way, not in all of them, Lady of Magic,” I sighed, “There’s still the ground-based forces to worry about, and those of which may-or-may-not come from within Equestria, this isn’t over until I know that that the situation is as such, Twilight Sparkle.” I turned to face Celestia “just say the word, your majesty, and I can have the situation over in a matter of hours…”

-=-=-

“Is there a reason why the Infinity just fired six full payloads from each of its main MAC’s toward down-under?” Blaze blinked on the following day

“Because when you’re as high a rank as me, almost nothing’s impossible,” I winked.

“Rick, you’re a General, the only higher rank is that of a Field-Marshall,” she laughed.

“My point exactly, dear Sister,” I grinned as we walked into the throne room.

“So, this is how you save Equestria?” Celestia scowled.

“Would you rather I go there and deal with it personally, Princess?” I tilted my head ever-so slightly, seeing as Snowdrop was perched upon my helmet.

“I’d rather you not do anything of the sort,” she frowned.

“Fair do’s” I rolled my eyes, again, “I trust that you shall take it from here?” I quickly bowed, before continuing to speak, “but if I may place a light-hearted suggestion?” she nodded, “keep an eye on on-border activities; that is all.”

“Sir?” a sudden, familiar, voice spoke over the comms; Celestia raised an eyebrow, clearly hearing the person who spoke.

“What is it Garret?” I pressed a pointed index and ring finger against the side of my helmet, just as Carter would’ve done, as per the usual.

“We’re getting sightings of more and more gamma radiation down here, you might wanna have a look at this Sir, there’re survivors clinging to what look like home-made alchemy-based weaponry, even a sub-par nuclear bomb!” Garret exclaimed

“I’ll be there A.S.A.P. you just round up what you can in the way of weaponry, destroy it if you can manage to do so without it going off and deep-sixing everyone there, both human and survivor alike.

“Sir…??” Garret hesitated

“Bring what you can to my current position as and when you can, if possible, would you kindly?” I grinned, not that Celestia saw it; I don’t think, “Same goes for any survivors.”

“I’ll do what I can,” he nodded, invisibly.

“Good enough; General out,” I cut the com-line.

=-=-=-=

“So, this is who you decimated?” Celestia glared icily at me as the small group of Zebra’s entered the science lab alongside Garret and several UNSC weapons specialists/engineers, Twilight and her friends glowering at me as they walked toward us

“We’ll see, Princes, we’ll see,” I raised my hands defensively, “now, you said you had the residue from those megaspells?” she nodded, glaringly.

“What’s your point?” she spat, Garret handed me what looked like a compromised rifle made of various scarp parts and such, said rifle had a pinkish orb attached to it

“Shall we compare the two?” I smirked. Cracking the orb open, a pinkish gas escaped from within, as a nearby pony working in the lab passed me a test tube, also filled with an almost-identical gas

“If you say so…” she snarled, her horn glowing as she opened the test tube, removing the cork, magically examining the two gases

There was a moment, before she slammed the cork back into the test tube, staring at me with a look of horror.

“They’re the same…!” she awed at me.

“My guess, they’re preparing for war, or at least, they were, and you wouldn’t have been able to put up much resistance, what with Canterlot supposedly destroyed by the megaspells,” I nodded

“But what about Zecora..?” Twilight blinked.

I sighed, “If you want my opinion; Recon, she was here to examine and assess your abilities and each of your characteristics, then travel back to her homeland to discuss with her leaders how best to pick you off like diseased flies.” Another pair of scientists working in the lab quickly took care of the remaining gas, filtering it into a large beaker, which was then sealed.

“So, we’ve just evaded what could’ve been seen as a one-sided war?” Garret tilted his head

I nodded, “we have just -and I’d hate to be arrogant- saved all of Equestria, if not all that dwell within, Colonel,” I grinned.

“You saved my little ponies?” Celestia stared at me, mortified, “I can’t thank you enough.”

“You just did, I smiled, “besides, do we keep this quiet, or do we spread word of this incident?”

“I think we’d better keep this quiet,” she gave a slow nod.

“As you say,” I bowed quickly, “I shall entrust the rest to you, Admiral,” and with that, I left, walking with my friends and family from the lab.

“Admiral Celestia?” Blaze laughed as we made our way to the gardens.

“I thought it’d be nice,” I shrugged.

“Level Up!” she guffawed “New Perk, Hometown-Hero! Congratulations, you’ve saved Equestria, you now gain + 100 fame in every area within said country’s borders!”

“Whilst I must remind you that this isn’t a game, I’d have to agree with you on that, if only a little,” I laughed, suddenly stopping when I felt the ground quake, and a familiar magical ‘anatomy’ could be felt in the air.

I suddenly burst into a fit of laughter, “Looks like Cellsy’s gone and done it!”

“I wouldn’t be impressed, Rick,” Autumn Heart shuddered, “Luna-only-knows what’s going on in there right now!”

“I’ve a pretty good idea,” I simpered, “I guess that proves that there’re a few princesses in Equestria who can look after both themselves and their loved ones.”

“There’re plenty of ponies who can do that, Rick, try not to judge a species’ actions based upon that of an individual,” she gave a light frown.

“Alright then, Autumn Heart,” I exhaled sharply, crouching down to her level, holding out a clenched fist, “we cool?”

“For now, but I won’t have you dishonouring the rulers of Equestria,” she raised a smug eyebrow, bumping hoof against fist, “but that doesn’t mean I don’t love you, even if I am a little disappointed with your views upon others.

“I can change, all it needs is the right amount of persuasion,” I winked.

“Only you…” she rolled her eyes, breaking into a fit of laughter, pecking me on the lips, “I’ll have to do something about that side of you later, won’t I?”

“Only if you’re up for it,” I shrugged, (again?)

“Is that a challenge?” she grinned.

“Maybe,” I gleamed.

“I might have to reward you for that later, Ricky-o,” she winked.

“So you might, Autumn Heart, so you might,” I rolled my eyes with a light chuckle, still in my ‘true’ form/state.

-=-

“So, you have a mechanical heart, brain, and spine?” Celestia shuddered at the thought as we stood in the throne room, Twilight and her friends surrounding the solar deity with a light frown.

“That’s the basics of it, and, if one, were to put it bluntly, yes, but also, not quite,” I hummed, “they’re technological, but not quite mechanical, and as such, I don’t need to worry about popping my clogs whilst using ‘Gear Second.’”

“‘Pop thy clogs’?” Luna blinked.

“To put it simply ‘Die,’” I bit my lip.

“So we see,” she nuzzled into me, pecking my cheek, “we art most glad to have a friend such as thee, Sir Rick, or is that knight-General Rick now?”

“You what..?” I blinked.

“We promoted you, with Lord Hood’s permission of course,” Celestia giggled.

“I’ve no clue as to what to say…” I stared at her, somewhat awestruck…

=-=

“So, that happened,” Blaze laughed as we stood upon the balcony, overlooking Equestria with a grin.

“So it did, Blaze, so it did,” I sighed.

“What’ll we do now?” she blinked.

“The immortal question that is,” Blackjack guffawed.

“As you say, Blackie,” I winked.

“Looks like somepony’s made it to 2nd base,” she nickered.

“I just hope that nopony asks why Daddy just sent half a country to oblivion,” Snowdrop Squee’d.

“Seriously…?” Crystal and Angel awed at me, hovering before me, wide-eyed and slack-jawed.

“More or less, but I’d say it’d be closer to two-thirds,” I smiled.

“And you don’t you think you might’ve overdone it?” Crystal laughed.

“Indeed,” Celestia and Luna nodded alongside Cadance, Twilight, her friends and Spike.

“My brother, more or less, has just saved Equis as we know it, there isn’t such a thing as ‘overdoing it’!” Blaze chortled.

“You normally do things like this?” Angel giggled with a playful wink.

“If my career as a Spartan is anything to go by, yes, yes I do, at an alarming rate also,” I beamed.

“That’s... actually kind of scary,” she gave an audible gulp.

“If it helps, I try not to think about it too much if it helps,” I shrugged.

“So you don’t,” Cadance gave me a worried look. “How do you do it, how do you go on knowing about the failures that you’ve to put up with?”

“I learn from my mistakes, as any decent being with at least half a brain cell should and/or would do,” I frowned.

“You do everything you can to make up for it,” I began, “knowing that you’ll never succeed in getting rid of the guilt, and you devote yourself to spending every second trying to do better despite the fact that it’ll never be enough, and that you pray with every single good act you do that somehow, when your life is over that you came close to making up for the wrong you committed.”

“That’s…” she blinked, staring at me seemingly rather taken aback, “that’s impressive, but I am sorry for your loss.”

“Don’t be, you’re not Raider-material, Cadi,” I simpered.

“I don’t think anypony here is,” Littlepip nuzzled into me, “at least, I hope not…”

“As do I, my Littlepip,” I smiled, gently running my fingers through her mane…

-=-=-

“Nyx, what a wonderful surprise,” Nyx glimmered, standing with my friends and family upon the front lawn.

“It’s nothing short of Grand to see you too, Rick,” I smiled.

“Mom..!” Winter Bell leapt toward the lunar goddess, who held her close, draping a wing around the filly.

“How’ve you been Winter Bell?” Nyx pecked Winter Bell on the tip of her horn.

“I’ve been great; Daddy’s taken awesome care of me lately!” Winter Bell cheered as I made my way toward the duo, Winter Bell clambering up my back, sitting on my shoulder, “you’re the best parents a filly could ask for!”

“As is Autumn Heart,” Honey Heart pecked either of my horns with a wide grin.

“You three are the best ponies in Equestria, even if Daddy’s only one-billionth-pony in part,” Winter Bell declared with a glimmer.

“I must be doing something right for such an angel as you to say such a thing, my little winter Bell,” I smiled as she nuzzled into me, smiling as she did so.

“Nope, just keep doing what you usually do Daddy, we’ll love you either way,” Snowdrop giggled from her place on my other shoulder.

“That’s right, you’re our Daddy, and we’re your family, and we love you just as you love us, and there isn’t anypony or anything on Equis that could change that!” Honey Heart chimed from atop my head.

“Touché, My little Heart, touché,” I smiled.

“You know what I find strange?” Blaze stifled a roar of laughter, “the human we all know and hate claims to get perfect distortion on the guitar he uses even though it isn’t even plugged in to anything, how does that work?”

“If you’ve got the lack of brain cells, and the right pieces of equipment, anything’s possible,” I shrugged, “Speaking of music, where’s Vinyl?”

“You’re not going to do what I think you’re going to, are you…?” she gave an audible gulp.

“Someone’s got to, Blaze, “besides, I don’t think ‘we-know-who’ is going to be anywhere outside of a hospital for a damn good time,, come to think of it, I might’ve given the guy an embolism to the brain, assuming he has one…”

“And you didn’t use the GDB?” she smirked.

“If you’re referring to the Giga-Drill-Breaker, I didn’t use it because I didn’t want to be the one cleaning up the mess of the aftermath, dear Sister,” I winked.

“…Touché,” she gave a slow, yet curt nod.

“So Rick, I heard you needed to borrow the guitar?” Vinyl smirked.

“With the amplifier if that’s alright, Vinyl,” I winked.

“Sure, borrow it anytime ya like, I don’t use it that much anyways” she shrugged, levitating the twin sets of equipment to me.,

-=-=-

“What was that?” Twilight shook her head after I’d played a few songs with the guitar (‘Fury of the Storm,’ ‘Operation Ground and Pound,’ Soldiers of The Wasteland,’ ‘Heroes of Our Time,’ and ‘Revolution Deathsquad.’)

“Whatever it was it‘s awesome!” Vinyl laughed.

“That’s a level of music few people will ever get to, save a few people I know,” I grinned, “it’s called ‘Power-Metal’ for a reason, Twilight Sparkle, I’d like to see yerlover-boy from an alternate dimension even so much as try to do the same.”

“He’s not my coltfriend!” she bellowed.

“Right, and I’m a therapist of the highest calibre,” I rolled my eyes, voice slathered with only the highest amounts of sarcasm, just as a Golden- Yellow unicorn with a blazing yellow-and-red mane and tail with teal eyes burst through the door

“I thought HE* was here,” Sunset Shimmer gave a forlorn sigh.

“Nope, just me, proving a point, again,” I laughed.

“Do you have to be so rude?” Twilight frowned.

“Do you honestly want me to reply to that?” I scowled.

“Flash Sentry huh?” Crystal giggled, alongside Angel not unlike that of a little girl, “Sounds like the name of a glow-in-the-dark-condom.”

“Makes us wonder what Hasbro does in its free time, eh Brother?” Blaze winked.

I played a single string on the guitar, “still a better musician that Daniel Ingram, even if it’s just one string.”

“So you are,” she chortled.

“You can have next-to-no experience at all with music in any of its forms, but you play a single note on any instrument in the world, even if badly, and you’ll already be a better music artist that anyone who works for Hasbro,” I shrugged

“Harsh, Brother, harsh,” she smirked.

“I wasn’t aware you played the electric guitar, Ricky-o” Crystal nodded toward the instrument as it lay across the top of the amplifier.

“I can play almost anything, except the harp, and the keyboard,” I shrugged.

“Should we go and see how much better we are?” Blaze cooed.

“And waste precious time when we could be seeing what there is to around here?” I gleamed, “I think not!”

“What’s this we hear about you hospitalizing someone?” Crystal grinned with a sly smirk, as did Angel.

“He was being a tad of a prick toward my friends, so I broke him,” I raised an eyebrow, “Used Haki and everything…”

“Haki?” she blinked.

I nodded, my arms turning a shining, charcoal-black, “strong enough to shatter boulders, if you’ve the willpower, perhaps even crack diamonds.”

“The human got his hand shattered when you used it as a means of defence when he hit you, Brother; I think it could easily crack diamonds, let alone bones,” Blaze beamed.

--=--

“So, what’s Nightmare Moon doing here?” Spike gestured toward Nyx as we walked through the castle; I stopped, as did Nyx.

“Say that again,” I turned to face the purple dragon, fists blazing.

“I was just curious, she is Nightmare Moon after all,” he shrugged; I punched him straight in the jaw, sending him reeling, the same-as-usual golden glow taking over my form, with the same-as-usual dragon taking form above me, letting out an ethereal-yet-intimidating roar

“Nightmare Moon killed one of my best friends in the wastes, for scum such as you to compare that vile beast to my marefriend here is nothing short of disrespectful,” I boomed as Spike staggered to his feet, “make no mistake, I shan’t spare you a second time, and should you choose to bring it up again, I really don’t want to have to explain to Twilight why her son’s entrails are coating the insides of her library, little Gecko.”

“You and what army?” he spat.

“Me and the whole UNSC home fleet, wall lizard,” I snarled, the draconic figure above me seemingly fusing with me, becoming a deep, blood-red/crimson colour in the process, bones appeared under its hellish ‘skin,’ the now fused entity let out a deafening/blood-curdling roar as I fell onto all-fours, piercing his scales from his chest down to his waist with twin razor-sharp sets of claws.

“Daddy..?” Snowdrop and Honey Heart gasped alongside Winter Bell, and, just like that, the crimson aura around me dissipated, exploding back to normal as I fell onto my front, steadily, albeit eventually, getting to my feet, clinging onto me as I sat, cross-legged, teleporting with Scootaloo and Gracy Gloom to the outside of front lawn once they were in contact with me.

“I’m sorry,” I draped my wings around each of my family members as they sobbed, “I hereby solemnly swear, that on my role as a Knight-General, it’ll not happen again.”

“Pinkie Promise,” Snowdrop exclaimed, glaring right at me alongside the others.

“Cross my eye, hope to fly, stick a cupcake I my eye,” I gave a faint smile, performing the necessary acts for a ‘Pinkie Promise,’ repeatedly, five times in fact, “I’m sorry for making you all worry so much about me, rest assured; it won’t happen again, My little Saving Grace, Snowflake, Heart Rising Star and Winter Bell,” I glanced to each of them in turn, “

“We love you daddy, the five fillies chorused in unison, nuzzling into me as I sat against a nearby tree.

“And I you, my little family,” I smiled, the golden glow still surrounding me

“So, Nightmare moon killed one of your best friends?” I turned; Celestia and the others were stood there.

“She murdered a filly in cold blood; said filly was also looking for her mother, not an easy task in the wastes,” I scowled.

“And you think Nyx will do the same?” Celestia raised an eyebrow.

“Nyx won’t, that’s for sure, she’s too kind, caring, and she’s the mother of our foal,” I pecked Winter Bell on the forehead, followed by Snowdrop, Gracy Gloom, Scootaloo, and Honey Heart.

“I’m relieved to hear you say that, Rick,” Nyx sat beside me, draping a wing around me, Winter Bell immediately placed herself between the two of us, Honey Heart did the same as Autumn Heat sat opposite the lunar Goddess.

“Anything for my Nakama, Nyx,” I pecked her horn-tip, causing her to shudder a little.

“Just like the time you made that twenty and/or fifty-quid bet in college, eh Brother?” Blaze winked suggestively at me.

“About what exactly..?” Autumn Heart blinked alongside Celestia, Luna and the other alicorns, sans Nyx

“I said that a basic-level dragon-slayer would still be more powerful than a certain pony, even with both arms missing,” I grinned toward Celestia, Twilight scowled at me.

“And you got to keep the money afterward, didn’t you, Brother?” Blaze laughed.

“Actually I gave it to charity, hopefully someone there can use it for something other than a huge waste of time, money and breath,” I rolled my eyes.

“How much did it end up to again?” she smirked.

“Around eighty-odd quid, I think, assuming my memory’s correct,” I tutted, “sent another seventy on a bet that Gurren Lagann could beat the same pony, that of course, was also pointless, as Gurren Lagann’s final form is around seventy-three-billion Light-Years tall, made completely of Spiral energy and willpower,” I added with a sly grin,” Discuss.”

“But that shouldn’t be possible!” Twilight argued, glaringly.

“The talking pony and supposed princess of ‘friendship’ is telling me what is and isn’t possible?” I snorted derisively,” the whole point of Gurren Lagann is to prove that nothing’s impossible, Twilight Sparkle, I think I know my limitations.”

“Libera me from hell; right Brother..?” Blaze grinned from ear to ear

“Quite so, Blaze,” I laughed, “Sore da Tengen Toppa, Sore da Gurren Lagann. Giant mecha the size of a parallel universe whose size and power increases by tenfold when it uses its final attack, still not compensating for anything,”

“Must you be so crude?” Rarity frowned, lightly.

“Touché,” I gave a light nod.

“That’s a thought; could we manage it, if we all fused together, just you, me, and our friends and family; could we form the Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann?” Blaze blinked.

“You do realize that the mecha you’re referring to is around one-hundred times the size of the average galaxy, right?” I raised an eyebrow.

Blaze nodded; “that’s half the reason why I wish to see if we could pull it off, although I can’t think of how a pony could pilot it.”

“That’d require spiral energy, and that, in turn, would require willpower and fighting spirit,” I explained, “and, as we know, ponies talk more than they act, so I don’t think so.”

“Do we now?” Celestia gave a light frown.

“When words are inadequate, actions must be necessary,” I sighed exasperatedly, how do you think I got to the rank of General?”

“Shining Armour’s a better leader than you’ll ever be!” Twilight roared.

“Shiny couldn’t activate the Ark, nor any of the halo rings, therefor, would be unable to –if need be- save the galaxy, or the universe even,” I winked, “the only species who can use any type of Forerunner tech are humans, and the Forerunners themselves.”

“Your point is what?” she snapped, “My Brother’s got more experience!”

“I’m, nearly three-fifty years old, nearly a fifth of which has been spent trying to save colony world after world, going up against enemies that can turn a planet’s surface to glass by the mere touch of a button, and that they religiously believe all humans to be little more than trash, that of which need be eradicated by any means necessary,” I lectured, “

“You spent seventy years in the UNSC?” Celestia stared at me, somewhat awestruck, apparently.

“That’d imply that I left,” I chortled, “But yes, I’ve spent nearly seventy-to-eighty years with the UNSC, saving countless lives at the cost of countless home-planets.”

“But my Brother’s still better!” Twilight glared icily toward me.

“When’re people going to realize that they’re not the best at what they do?” Blaze snarled, “There’s always someone better, pony, so why don’t you just shut you poisonous trap the fuck up, sit the bloody hell down, and admit it?” she growled, “or is your pride as a pony too much for you to do such a thing, or are you just thick skulled?”

“How dare you talk to my student like that?” Celestia boomed.

“I dare because someone has to! If not us, then who..?” Blaze spat, “I think it’s time you lot got a fucking reality check, you’re not the smartest, strongest, fastest, nor the best species in the universe, but then neither are ours, but at least we have the bloody testicular fortitude to admit it!” she bellowed at the top of her lungs.

“Holy shit…” I whistled.

“Pun intended?” the now almost-irate Typhlosion glanced toward me

“Would it help?” I shuddered; she shrugged, “fair enough…”

“So, what do you think of me?” Autumn Heart stared at me, eyebrow raised.

“You’re my little Tinker,” I pecked her on the cheeks, she giggled.

“That’s nice to know, thank you, Rick,” she sat right beside me as Honey Heart curled up in my lap.

“Welcome,” I smiled, “now we just have to see if I’m to be thrown off-planet for doing something that Cellsy doesn’t like.”

“I’ll not let it happen!” she leant into me.

“And I’ll not let you sacrifice yourself for me, after all, somepony’s got to take care of Honey Heart,” I gave a forlorn sigh.

“Please,” she took my arm in hers; clinging onto it with all her might “please don’t go…”

I turned to Celestia, who raised an eyebrow, “whilst I won’t exile you for your foul behaviour, I shall give you a final chance to apologize before I have you sentenced to Tartarus, indefinitely.”

“And break apart a perfectly happy family?” I tilted my head.

“I didn’t say who,” she smirked.

“Leave my sister and anyone else in my family out of this, you’ve already threatened them enough as is,” I snapped, “if you want to have a go at me, you do it at me, nobody else!”

“I take it you’re not going to apologize?” she raised an eyebrow.

“I’ll apologize, if you stop threatening my family,” I held out a hand.

“Very well then,” she shook my hand with an armoured hoof, “that is how it shall be from now on, Rick, but I warn you; annoy me again, and you’ll get no chance to repent for your actions.”

“Good thing we’re an atheist family,” I stifled a fit of laughter.

“But what of your parents..?”  Cadance blinked.

“They can have any religion they want; I won’t judge them, nor will I attempt to stop them,” I shrugged.

“Yeah, you’re not Celestia, who’ll just discard people like trash just for being different,” Blaze nodded.

“I’m just another type of demigod,” I shrugged.

“And there’s the ‘Title Drop’!” Snowdrop chimed.

“I know, right?” I guffawed; Celestia stepped toward Blaze, horn ablaze with a brilliant Golden-Primrose, only to be sent flying toward the nearby confectionery, boot-shaped indent quite visible on her chest as her necklace shattered.

“Looks like I cant trust anyone here then. All that I’ve been through, the Mojave-and-Capital wastelands, the Equestrian wastelands, the UNSC, and everything else, and yet you still ignore all of it, like the selfish whore that you are, Celestia!” I bellowed, eyes turning to paper-thin ‘slits’

“You hit her!” Autumn Heart gasped, as did everyone else who was present.

“I’ll not have scum such as her anywhere near my family, not so long as I’m alive anyway,” I beamed, leg returning to normal from the usual shining-charcoal-black colour. Twilight and her friends rushed to Celestia’s side.

“But I thought you didn’t hit mares!?” she stared at me, wide-eyed and Slack-jawed.

“I don’t hit mares who leave me and my family be;” I fumed.

“So, what does that make me?” she blinked.

“You’re my family, or at least, you’re a part of it, Autumn Heart,” I gave a weak smile, crouching down to her level,” think of me what you will, I won’t stop you, only tell you that I still love you, complicated as the situation might be.”

It was then that I noticed that Celestia, alongside Twilight and the others, had teleported away, leaving me with my family and Co.

“First Spike and now Cellsy, you really do need a vacation, dontcha Brother?” Blaze hummed.

“I just want things to go as simply as they can, and for us to live happily, is that too much to ask?” I mumbled.

“I hope not, Brother, I hope not,” she cooed, leaning into me…

-=-

Having given Mort his own personalized dragon/Dracolich, I sat in the music room playing the violin, sometimes spending whole days in the room, playing away, only stopping for food, to go to the toilet, or to sleep, and then quickly whisking away back into the room once any of the above had been done.

“Rick, I really think you should see a doctor,” Littlepip spoke calmly, with an almost motherly tone as she entered the room

“Don’t worry My Dear Littlepip, I’m fine,” I smiled, faintly, continuing to practice.

“Are you? Your bloodshot eyes and shrunken irises suggest that you’ve not been getting much sleep, have you been crying?” she blinked.

I gave a forlorn hum, placing the Soil Stradivarius in its case, leaving the case on the worktop next to Octavia’s Dragon, Grace, who also placed her miniature Cello into its case; “I’ve been thinking about what happened with Celestia, and how best to apologize.”

“I see,” she nodded, “well, you don’t need to be a knight to protect those of whom you love, do you?” she tilted her head, I blinked…

=-=

“Is there a reason you’re here?” Celestia snarled.

“I’d like to surrender my knighthood to Equestria,” I bowed.

“And I hereby remove it, again,” she scoffed, “you really should have a little more control, Rick, you’re an eon of Equis, act like it!”

I nodded, turned, and left, retrieving a small, tennis ball-sized orb from my inventory, throwing it through the doors to the throne room as I left, releasing a light-pinkish cloud/explosion of radiation as I flew, homeward-bound…

=-=

“So, you’re not a knight?” Littlepip looked taken aback.

“And I’ve also surrendered my title as an eon of Equis,” I nodded, “if they’re going to try and tear my family apart as I know and love it, why should I bother doing anything for them in return?”

“True, but you have to at least give them a chance,” she gave a small giggle, “they’ve a lot of work to do running Equestria.”

“I know, and that’s why I’m now trying to co-operate with them to make a better Equestria as a whole….”

--=+=--

“Must you be in that form for this event?” Celestia eyed me from head to foot;

Standing in my Alphamon form, I stood a couple of feet above her, I grinned, regardless of whether I had an actual mouth or not; “Would you rather I go as a demon from the ninth layer of hell, Princess?” I tilted my head.

“I’d rather you go as you, for all that you’ve done, both good and evil,” she rolled her eyes with an exasperated sigh.

“So, what’re we doing exactly?” Spike blinked as we disembarked the train, more-or-less marching to the Crystal Empire “we’ve got to be doing something important to be dragged out here to the Crystal Empire!” needless to say, his voice was almost cracked from the ‘X’ shaped scar I’d given him last year.

“We’re here to finally spread word of Twilight’s coronation, as to confirm the forty-year rumours,” Celestia glanced toward Twilight, then toward me.

“What?” I blinked, she raised an eyebrow, “I’m not going to do anything you don’t want me to Cellsy, you know that, right?”

“If you say so…”

---

“So, this place is called the ‘Crystal Empire,’ right?” Natsu stood beside Erza, Grey, Wendy, and Lyra, Amber Not lying atop his head with a light grin, just as Honey Heart was perched atop my now-metallic skull.

“Basically,” I nodded, “they had a go at me, warning me not to eat any of the buildings because they’re apparently made of gemstones.”

“You’re joking…” he laughed, I raised an eyebrow, “I guess not huh…?”

“Well, if you didn’t want me to even think about it, don’t say it,” I shrugged.

“It’d make things easier too,” Erza nodded in agreement, gazing at me from head-to-foot, “so, how long have you had that form hidden away from us?”

“A while,” I smirked…

===

“The duke; and duchess of Maretonia..!” Flash Sentry bowed, gesturing toward a well-formally dressed mare, one of whom walked alongside a just-as-well-dressed stallion;

“It’s an honour, your highness,” the orange stallion with the brown mane, tail and beard bowed alongside the alabaster mare, before walking on to the main hall of the castle, followed by several couples of ponies who came from various parts of Equestria, each one following the same actions of the first two.

“What did he mean by ‘Your Highness’?” Natsu and grey blinked simultaneously.

“Twilight’s a princess” Blaze smirked.

“She’s a, what now?” Grey stared at Blaze, then toward Twilight, who gave a faint smile-and-wave

“Looks like I’ll have to get the guitar again…” I mumbled; facepalming.

“Looks like it, Brother…” Blaze sighed, “I wonder how the other Equis’ Crystal Empire’s doing?”

“Eh, it’ll be fine, it’s got me looking after it after all,” I glimmered.

“But how can you be in two places at once?” Twilight blinked, I raised the other eyebrow, “Oh… Oh…!” she nodded; then shuddered almost-uncontrollably, “Now I don’t want to know!”

“How can you be in two places at once?” Wendy giggled.

“Like this,” I changed to eon form, Blaze handing me a large amount of gems as I did so, grasping my crystalline heart as I devoured the gems, my heart quickly regenerating anew

“You just took your own heart out!?” she screamed.

“That I did,” I nodded, reverting to human form, handing it to her, she quickly pocketed it.

“Dude, that’s creepy…!” Spike shivered in apparent fear.

“Not going there, Cellsy knows why,” I grinned from ear to ear, without a mouth…

“Why not,” Natsu smirked.

“Reasons of which I cannot explain without scaring someone,” I winked with a sly grin.

“So, aren’t you going to tell them?” Blaze gleamed toward me, nodding toward Erza and the others.

“Oh, right, I reached a second stage of ‘Dragon Force,’” I smiled.

“You what..?” Natsu stared at me;

I sighed, the same Golden-Yellow glow overtaking me, complete with the Karyu-no-Tenkyu, “Happy?”

“I just hope you know what you’re doing with that form, Rick,” Celestia frowned.

“If spike hadn’t of made the comment about Nightmare Moon, I might’ve held back a little you never know,” I shrugged, “he does it again, and I don’t care what happens to me, he will die, may I be a dragon slayer or otherwise.”

“You’d go that far, just for a friend?” Erza blinked.

“If it’ll stop any problems that may exist, then yes, yes I would,” I nodded, frowning.

“You’re insane!” Natsu chortled, whereas Amber note ooh’d at my new form, giggling lightly.

“It seems someone says otherwise,” I smirked.

“So it does,” he rolled his eyes somewhat uncharacteristically.

“But I’ve yet to go further than this,” I gestured to my now-golden form, “oh, wait, no I haven’t…”

“Please don’t Daddy,” Snowdrop nuzzled into me as she perched herself on my shoulder, as did Winter Bell.

“I won’t do it unless I feel like I have to, Ok?” I smiled.

“Okie Dokie,” Honey Heart nickered.

“But you also possess the power to melt even the hardest diamonds, do you not, Brother?” Blaze patted my wings with a gentle paw.

“So I do,” I smiled, hands blazing, the fire around which liquefied into magma

“Magma..?” Grey awed at me, “but that’s impossible!”

“Nothing’s impossible if you put your mind to it, Grey,” I grinned, “Speaking of new elements, how’re you and Juvia getting along?”

“I’d rather not talk about it if that’s alright with you…” he mumbled.

“Fair do’s,” I gave a light chuckle, the magma around my hands evaporating into fire, which then faded into thin air. “And how’s Lisanna?” I smiled, turning to face Natsu.

“She’s… alright,” Natsu’s face turned beetroot.

“Uh-huh… right,” I slowly nodded “very well, I’ll not ask any further.”

“I hate you…” he grumbled.

“As you say, Salamander,” I nodded, again…

“You planned all of that, didn’t you?” Blaze laughed.

“When I wake up in the morning, I never plan for the day ahead, that way, the word ‘premeditated’ doesn’t get thrown across the courtroom like a figurative pinball,” I beamed, the golden glow around me giving way to scales that appeared on my face, hands, arms and wrists.

“Touché, Brother, touché,” she chortled.

“I think you just admitted to being insane…” Twilight gave a light giggle.

“I wouldn’t be bothered or surprised if I did,” I sighed exhaling sharply, “it wouldn’t be the weirdest thing I’ve done thus far; would it?”

“Hardly,” she gave a light hum, “you’re an odd one, Ricky-o, Y’know that?”

“That’s a bit of an understatement, isn’t it?” I raised an eyebrow

“So it is…” she laughed

-+-=-+-

“So, what happened?” I smiled.

“It wasn’t too bad” Twilight hummed, “but I suppose it could be a little better.”

“No matter what your job is, one might eventually find a way to make it better,” I laughed.

“Like what?” she stared at me, eyebrow raised in quite apparent curiosity.

“I don’t know, I’m not a prince,” I shrugged, “it’ll be up to you and your companions to figure that one out, Twilight Sparkle, after all, I doubt you’d be alone in an endeavour such as this, no?”

“I suppose…” she mumbled.

“Don’t go all droopy on me, you’re my friend, that means it’s my job to see you smile,” I frowned, then blinked, “did I seriously just say that?”

“Looks like it, she giggled.

“Well there’s a start,” I rolled my eyes (again…); sitting beside the lavender mare ion the train back to Ponyville.

“Are you two..?” Natsu gestured to either of us, Twilight bit her lip’ then shook her head, I shrugged, just at that moment, Autumn Heart landed in my lap, pecking me on the lips followed By Honey Heart climbing onto my head

Twilight moved to where her friends were with a forlorn glance toward me as Littlepip and Velvet Remedy sat either side of me, nuzzling into me as Blackjack sat on the table between the chairs,

“Yeah, I’ve no clue as to how to explain this,” I stared at him, glancing toward each of the mares around me.

“I’ll bet you don’t you dog, you!” he burst into a fit of laughter as Littlepip moved to the area between my legs…

“Did they seriously…?”

“Shut up.”

“But they…!”

“Shut up.”

“You aren’t complaining, are you?” Natsu howled with laughter.

“Not really, considering Lyra did the same for you, Pyro,” I laughed.

“Hey, at least it was only one pony!” he chortled.

“Lyra, take your friend here to the ‘You-Know-Where’ give him something to have fun with eh?”

“Ok!” Lyra giggled, carrying Natsu in her magic, Amber Note skipping merrily alongside her as she went

“So…” Grey and Erza smirked.

“Where’s she taking Natsu?” Erza grinned.

“I’m not exactly sure as to how to answer that…” I mumbled.

“As you say,” she smiled, walking with Grey and Wendy into the guild hall.

---

“So, where did she take Natsu?” Twilight raised an eyebrow as we sat around the dining table in canterlot.

“Nowhere important,” I winked, “why do you ask?”

“It’s just that, I’ve gotten this strange feeling in the atmosphere around Canterlot, and I was wondering if Natsu might be the cause of it,” she explained.

“Fair enough, but I doubt Natsu even knows about the magic in the atmosphere around him, let alone a city,” I simpered.

Suddenly, the double doors to the dining hall swung open, only to reveal Natsu, topless/shirtless, glowering at me with mares hanging from his arms, legs, head and shoulders.

“Holy shit…!” Blaze cackled with almost/borderline manic laughter, “where’d you find that place, Rick?”

“Well, after all the radiation was cleansed from the wastes, I found an underground bunker,” I grinned as I began to explain, “and I think, judging by Natsu’s passengers, that the rest is obvious.”

“You found a brothel?” she stared at me;

I shrugged, “be it a brothel or a club, I found it, and I told Lyra about it, that’s what I’m going to get murdered for here…”

“But we have to go back,” Lyra, the Pony on Natsu’s head, chimed with glee “either you go back, or I nag,”

Natsu’s expression changed to one of horror as he quickly turned and left.

“‘Nowhere important’..?” Twilight laughed.

“I thought it’d add more of a flare to their commitment,” I shrugged.

“I don’t think you using those words in that order is safe, Brother,” Blaze shuddered.

“What’s the worst that could happen?” I shrugged.

“I’m not going to answer that,” she grumbled.

“Kokoro no Eigo..?” she raised an eyebrow, I shrugged, “fair do’s.”

“‘Luna’s Love Lounge,’ Blaze read aloud as we stood outside the ‘club/brothel’ “We’re going to hell for this Brother, you know that, right?”

I nodded, “just another reason for why I should be executed, eh?”

“Quite so,” Celestia nickered as Littlepip, Blackjack, and Velvet Remedy dragged me through the entrance to the underground building, which had been accessed by means of large trapdoor.

“What’re you doing down here?” Natsu blinked, now stark naked, also lying on his back with what can only be described as the cutest pony I’ve ever seen pumping his jewels in and out of her love canal with apparent glee,, Lyra sitting on/straddling his chest, her marehood inches from his oral passage.

“And you’re one to talk,” I laughed.

“You found this place before me, so you’re the one to blame,” he frowned

“Blame my morbid curiosity, not me,” I chided “have at him Lyra.”

Lyra nodded, slotting her sex with Natsu’s lips, he rolled his eyes, apparently causing her great joy as she arched her back.

“May I help you sir…?”

+-+-=(-)=-+-+

“So, that happened,” Blaze laughed.

“So it did,” I rolled my eyes. “Reminds me of when I nicked my dad’s wallet and bought a brand new three-sixty console, complete with controllers and an also-brand-new ‘Fallout: New Vegas’ game; Spent all month at college in my room playing it for hours on end.”

“You spent a month playing a game?” Twilight raised an eyebrow as stood in the main hall of the castle partway through the beginning of the gala, Wendy, Erza Grey included.

“How d’ya you think I got so good in the wastes?” I gave a light frown, “what, in one reality, is little more than a game, in another reality, is just that, reality.”

“Also got one-hundred-thousand caps from playing blackjack, both in-game and in reality, didn’t you?” Blaze smirked.

“That I did,” I nodded.

“One-hundred-thousand caps..?”  Twilight stared at me, slightly awestruck, “just how long were you playing for?”

“Around three hours, four-and-a-half at the longest,” I shrugged, “it wasn’t that bad, considering I was playing with a platinum chip.”

“You have a platinum chip?” she blinked, “as in, a poker chip, made out of platinum?”

“Need I repeat myself?” I smirked, retrieving said chip from my inventory.

“I’m just surprised is all,” she giggled, “Where’d you get it?”

“You wouldn’t believe me if I told you,” I laughed.

“Wouldn’t I?” she grinned, as a dark-ish-blue/indigo Pegasus with a flowing, perfect-golden mane and tail -wearing a cape/dress/robe of the same colour with what appeared to be faint, snow-white constellations scattered across its surface, embedded/sown into place, complete with golden shoes and a bracelet around a foreleg- stepped forward.

“Stealing the competition, are we?” everyone stared at me, “what?”

“You seriously didn’t just say that…” Grey grumbled.

“And what if I did?” I frowned lightly toward the ‘ice-make’ wizard, “she’s obviously a rather refined mare with clarity, beauty and grace, I don’t see the problem in complimenting her for any of the above, Grey Fullbuster.”

I was promptly knocked to the floor by the indigo Pegasus, who slammed her lips against mine, winking as she parted

“I’m free tonight, so feel free to make my day, Sir Rick,” she giggled, pecking my cheek as she turned and left…

“I’m not sure how to feel about that,” I blinked.

“She’s not that awesome,” Rainbow Dash waved a dismissive hoof, currently wearing a rainbow-coloured cape, similar to that of the other Pegasus, with a golden wreath/crown and a grape-‘cluster’-shaped necklace, similar golden shoes, and a pair of golden rings around the base of her wings, complete with an extended mane-style.

“Well she’s got my vote either way,” I muttered, almost under my breath.

“Are you…?” Blaze stared at me; I raised an eyebrow in return, “Jesus Christ…”

“I don’t see you complaining, do I, dear Sister?” I smirked.

“Says the one who’s dressed like Minato Namikaze..!” she burst into a fit of laughter.

“Where did you get that anyway?” Erza eyed me from head to feet alongside Grey, Natsu and Wendy.

“I requested it from Rarity, suffice to say, it’s nice to see a bit of change around here,” I glimmered.

“You got that level of attire from a pony?” Erza stared at me, then toward Rarity, who looked away in embarrassment, “I have to say it’s actually rather well-made, it suits you too.”

“Arigato,” I grinned.

“So, what brings you here?” Celestia smiled as she stood beside Faust, Lulania and the other alicorns.

“I’m unsure as to how to answer that,” I tilted my head, “one part is here for the gala in and of itself, and another is to apologize, whereas the third is a compound of the two.”

“I accept your apology, Sir Rick,” she grinned.

“Heard that did you?” I mumbled

“You dragon slayers aren’t the only ones with enhanced hearing and senses,” Firefly smirked.

“So we’re not,” I rolled my eyes, again.

“What’ll you do now, Sir Rick?” Galaxia smiled.

“No idea, probably make the best I can, as per the usual,” I shrugged, yet again…

“So, what about you’re ‘Elite Riot Gear’?” Blaze beamed.

“That’s in my inventory, Blaze, and with good reason,” I frowned, “besides if I wanted to scare anyone shitless I’d use my Necromancer armour and Phoenix Doom’ helmet.”

“‘Necromancer’ Armour..?” Celestia’s eyes narrowed slightly.

“Another drunken bet gone wrong; right Brother?” Blaze sighed.

“To put it bluntly,” I hummed. “But that’s neither here nor there, and besides, it’s a while until Nightmare Night anyways.”

“You’re going to, aren’t you?” Blaze raised a smug eyebrow whilst giving a sly smirk.

“If I feel like it,” I tutted,

--=--

“Are you sure about this?” Crystal giggled as I hovered in place, thanks to the ‘Necromancer’ Armour, complete with blood-red dragon wings and the ‘Phoenix Doom’ Helmet, hovering just outside the throne room

“Why wouldn’t I be?” I shrugged, bursting into the throne room, scythe at the ready, only to be sent flying be a somewhat-terrified Celestia, hurtling past Crystal, my family and friends, right through the window at the far end of the corridor, crashing into a tree in the gardens

“Ok, not doing that again,” I grunted, getting to my feet at a slow-and-steady rate, beginning to hover once again, “note to self, never walk in on Cellsy wearing death-related armour, no matter the circumstances.”

“Who are you?” Celestia appeared beside the other alicorns, each one, save Firefly, had their horns aimed at me.

“‘necromancer’ Armour, ‘Phoenix Doom’ Helmet,” I gestured to the armour and helmet respectively, “Dontcha recognize me Cellsy?”

“Rick?” she blinked, she and the others now standing upright/normally, staring at me in awe as I reverted to normal.

“The one and only, arrogant as it may sound,” I grinned, “you needn’t worry about me, Tenkyū.”

“You’re a crazy bastard, Y’know that?” Crystal lightly punched my shoulder when she and the others caught up to me.

“Yeah, well, what’re you gonna do about it-?” Crystal silenced my, placing her hands on my shoulders, and her lips against my own in a long, somewhat-passionate kiss.

“You’ll get the rest later,” she winked, flying away.

---

“Rick?” I turned around, the indigo Pegasus with the golden mane and tail from the Gala was there, smiling at me gracefully, moving to sit beside me, complete with her attire from the Gala, “Ah, it is you,” she smiled again, walking alongside me as I made my way through ponyville.

“It’s nice to see you also…?” I glanced toward her.

“Golden Star,” she giggled, “I’m glad I finally get to thank you for those few wondrous words you said to me last week, Rick.”

“Think nothing of it,” I laughed, “I am merely stating what I believe to be true, Golden Star.”

“But I will think something of it, Sir Rick,” she grinned, “what you said to me then has made my life all-but complete, and as such, I wish to join your herd, with your permission of course…” she bowed.

“Look out below!” a sudden blur of Cyan/rainbow colour slammed into the mare I was currently awing at, knocking her into a large puddle of mud

“Are you Ok?” I rushed to Golden Star’s side, using Purple Flare to levitate her onto dry land, Rainbow dash glared at me

“I’ll be fine, but I must get this dress washed up as soon as I can!” Golden Star urged, quickly removing her clothing, handing it to me as she folded it into a neat little pile.

“Then we’d best get to the nearest instrument that’d help with that, eh?” I winked, she winked back. Trotting alongside me with a light skip in her step as we walked homeward bound.

--=--

“I have to thank you for this, Rick,” Golden Star smiled, holding a mug of hot chocolate whilst sat on the couch, blowing over the top of the cup lightly, taking a sip, then sighing with apparent relief, “Not many ponies in Canterlot would do this for a mare like me.”

“Oh bollocks to that!” I shouted, then, realising how loud I’d been, I quickly bowed, biting my lip, “please pardon both my audacity and my foul language, Golden Star, it was just my thoughts that a pony like you should be somewhere at the stop of the ‘Hall of Fame,’ assuming there is such a thing in Equestria, ponies as magnificent as you deserve to be held in regard as high as the heavens themselves.”

“You flatter me…” she blushed, her cheeks turning a vibrant pinkish colour, ”Truly, you have a gift with words, Sir Rick.”

“And you’ve a gift in being as beautiful as you are,” I winked.

“So I have Rick, so I have,” she giggled, placing her drink down on the coffee table, leaning into me, “how long are my clothes going to take being cleaned?”

“An hour by wash, another hour in the dryer,” I raised an eyebrow, “why?”

“Because if it’s going to take that long, I might as well have a little fun, Sir Rick,” she rolled onto me, crouching on my lap, placing her hooves on my shoulders, and placing her lips against mine, gradually parting, tracing her tongue over my lips as she did so.

“Fun, eh?” I smirked, draping my wings around her, “I think I may be able to help you there, Golden Star…”

-==-==-

“So, has it been two hours yet?” Golden Star panted for breath, straddling my member as I lay on the bed in eon form

I checked the nearby clock, glancing back to her;

“Seems like it, my little Star,” I smiled, she giggled, clambering down unto my chest area as my length slid back into its sheath, albeit, eventually.

“Y’know Rick,” Golden Star began, tracing my chest symbol with a fragile hoof, “there’re a lot of mares in places like Trottingham, Las Pegasus and the like, and there’re just as many who’re looking for a stallion like you to take them and whisk them off their hooves.”

“Too bad I’ve got ponies like you in a place like Ponyville,” I laughed as she moved to the bed, then onto my back as I rolled over, “and besides, you’re a part of my herd, what more could I want?”

“I wasn’t saying for you to leave, I’d never ask such a thing of a being like you, Rick, I was merely stating what I’ve heard lately, rumours that’ve been spreading about your reputation and such,” she winked, “but, if you’d rather stay here, regardless of my sayings, I can understand that.”

-=-

“So, Rainbow Dash came down out of nowhere, and tackled Golden Star into the mud?” Twilight stared at me, occasionally glancing toward the mare beside me as she sat beside my friends family and I opposite Twilight, her friends, Celestia, Luna and the other alicorns.

“Basically,” Golden Star and I shared a glance; then draped a wing around one-another, leaning together as she placed her head on my shoulder, now that she was back in her attire, she looked better than ever.

“I can’t believe you did such a thing!” Twilight and Rarity frowned toward their cyan friend

“It was an accident, I lost control of my speed, that’s all,” Rainbow Dash’s face turned a bright scarlet-red in embarrassment.

“Your flaring nostrils and change in skin tone from blushing to such an extent state otherwise,” I slowly shook my head.

“What?” she scowled.

“As does your now sudden change in attitude,” I raised an eyebrow, “it’s basic neurobiology, by studying the way your body language appears unto others, I can tell what your thought process is like.”

“Are you saying I’m jealous?” she snarled.

“I’m not merely saying it, I’m stating it outright, ever since you first say Golden Star here,” I nodded toward the mare currently using my lap as a bed of sorts, “you’ve been rather, shall we say, different, your use of words, actions and body language since I’ve entered the room as been another indicator of said jealousy.”

“That’s a load of Horseapples and you know it!” she bellowed.

“Further continuation to argue with me will only result in more proof,” I shrugged, “make of that what you will.”

“I’m not jealous of some two-bit whorse from Trottingham wearing glittered bathrobes!” she blared.

Twilight and her other friends gasped in unison

“Rainbow Dash..!” Rarity exclaimed, “How can you say such a thing, Golden Star here has to be one of the most attractive mares I’ve seen in a long time, I’m only left to wonder where she got what you call ‘Glittered Bathrobes’ from.”

“I got them from a friend,” Golden Star frowned toward Rainbow Dash for a moment, before glancing toward Rarity, “a mare named Coco Pommel, do you know her?”

“Bloody hell….” I mumbled, “I thought she had talent when she made that makeshift Clockwise, but this, really?”

“I know, I was amazed as I watched her craft it, she’s an absolute gem that Coco, she mentioned a Wayward Eon’ a few times, though I can’t tell who she’s on about….”

“Haven’t heard that title since I left the wastes,” I whistled.

“That’s you!?” she gasped also, “I was wondering what that other form was!”

“And so you found me, now what?” I winked.

“You’ll find out later,” she grinned, pecking me on both cheeks, then the lips, finally returning to curling up into a ball in my lap. “You called me refine, why?”

“Refined doesn’t even begin to describe your character, Golden,” I smiled, “your almost indescribably beauty wearing what you are, your pleasant, light-hearted -and if I’m to be honest here- adorable personality, and not to mention you’re one of the most sensible ponies I’ve ever met.”

“Thank you, my little eon,” she cooed, using her gown/dress as a duvet, letting out a stifled yawn as she fell asleep; giving a light snore with every other breath.

“Why would I be jealous of her?” Rainbow Dash spat.

“Did you not here all that I’ve just said to describe her as who she is?” I glowered icily toward the cyan Pegasus, “And I guess that’s another thing she’s got and you haven’t, Rainbow Dash, she’s actually level-headed.”

“She’s a…” Rainbow Dash glanced to each of her friends, who gave looks of utter disappointment in return, “Fine, but I still don’t like her, even if I am jealous!”

“Being jealous of something means you can have something to strive for, to be better in turn of it being better than you, so to speak,” I rolled my eyes.

“I don’t want to be a fashion freak!” she shuddered, gagging at the thought.

“Well I never!” Rarity scoffed. Turning and walking from the throne room.

“Ok, not a fashion freak, but I still don’t want to do anything of the sort!” she rebuked.

“I thought being awesome was all about showing how much better you are than everyone else, is that not what you said when you met Honey Heart?” I smirked.

“Oh yeah..! Thanks TK!” she grinned, soaring out through the open window

“So, Necromancer Armour Blaze grinned.

“Already did it once, and I don’t plan on doing it again,” I sighed, exhaling sharply as I did so.

“Really; and how did that go?” she smirked.

“Well, put it one way, we’re- sorry, I’m still lucky the armour’s still in one piece upon being thrown through the castle, out through a window and into a tree,” I clicked my tongue.

“So you are, and what’ve we learnt from this?” she beamed.

“Never wear dark-related armour in Equestria, lest you be sent flying?” I shrugged, yet again…

“Close enough,” she tilted a paw, “now, give it a proper ending.”

“…Because that would be bad…?” I tilted my head.

“Meh, good enough, I don’t suppose you’ll demean yourself any further with the subject, eh Brother?” she glimmered.

“You’d be surprised what I can do, Dear Sister,” I stated calmly, completely deadpan.

“Oh would I now?” she folded her arms, grinning from ear to ear, “go on then, prove it.”

=-=

“This isn’t what I said when I asked you to ‘Prove It’ Y’know?” Blaze stood beside my family and I, as I gazed up toward the large flag that I’d posted on the side of the castle, said flag depicted Golden star in her usual Gala attire with a pair of shining angel wings and a primrose halo atop her head.

“I thought it’d be nice to do, a little commission, so to speak,” I grinned.

“Speaking of random shit, pardon my language, how’s that argument going on the internet?” the Typhlosion beside me patted my back standing on her hind legs as Twilight, her friends, the princesses, Faust and Lulania appeared via teleportation

“He’s a stubborn one I’ll give him that, always voting for the pony in question, even when there’s no hope for victory,” I snorted.

“Just like you then eh?” she smirked.

“At least I can make it happen,” I rebuked with an icy glare.

“So you could.” She nodded “So, what’s the argument moved onto this time?”

“It’s Naruto-related-ish,” I shrugged.

“You’re kidding… You’re kidding, right…?” she blinked, staring at me bewilderedly.

“I’m afraid not, Sister, I’m afraid not,” I sighed with a light shake of my head.

“What’s his argument this time?” she scowled.

“The usual, we-know-who apparently becoming a god-like being,” I tutted, rolling my eyes.

“And your response?” she clenched her fists, grinning from ear to ear with a sly smirk.

“She’s got the powers of a so-called ‘God,’” I made air quotes at the word ‘god,’” we have a demigod who can summon meteors, and another almost-demigod who can summon what I like to refer to as a celestial dragon deity composed of lightning-based energy that has, more-or-less, the power to lay waste to an entire colony and/or oversized city with a single hit.”

“Kirin, right..?” she blinked, I nodded, “a powerful set of abilities indeed…”

“Well the one who can summon meteorshas been compared to a god before,” I shrugged “besides, there is another that can stop it, but at a heavy price.”

“Sussano’o…” she grinned.

“Quite so,” I nodded.

“You’re joking, right…?” Twilight blinked, giving a nervous giggle.

“Why would I joke about it?” I tilted my head.

“So, this is your latest work?” Celestia smirked as Golden Star approached, albeit, somewhat-timidly.

“You should see the flag I made and posted on the tower,” i laughed.

“I’m not sure I want to know…” Blaze mumbled.

“It’s not that bad,” I rolled my eyes.

“Remind me why you’re using ‘Dragon Force’?” she raised a smug eyebrow.

“Because I’ve finally figured out how to excel my abilities to the third level,” I beamed, changing to Alphamon form; then triggering my ‘Dragon Soul’

“A Golden Alphamon..?” she blinked, suddenly, two pairs of metallic appendages appeared below the ones already present on my back, a Whitish-Golden wing sprouting froth from each of them, the Ouryuken blade materializing before me, its handle extending to twice its usual length as its blade sharpened to a point the bottom end up the handle reshaping into an elegant spearhead, and the armour itself became more refined, and somewhat-‘curvier.’

“Jesus Christ..!” Blaze bellowed, staring at me in quite apparent shock-and-awe, “how in the actual fuck!?”

“Magic,” I grinned, still not having a mouth, reverting to my regular Alphamon form, then back to my human form.

“Wasn’t Alphamon meant to be a demigod?” she smirked as Crystal and Angel awed at me, their expressions quickly changing to smug grins.

“He’s on par with a demigod, but I’m not actually sure of it,” I shrugged.

“Put two demigods together, and that’s what you get?” Autumn Heart perched herself upon my back, draping her arms around my neck as she placed her head on my shoulder, just at that moment, Honey Heart landed upon my head.

I grinned; “I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely.”

“You’re only half right!” Blaze chortled.

“Meh, it needs work anyways,” I smiled.

“How is it that you’re able to do such things?” Golden Star awed at me, eyeing me from head to foot.

“If I knew that I’d tell you,” I beamed.

“I suppose you would, wouldn’t you,” she giggled, rearing up on her hind legs, pecking me on the cheek, winking at me as she galloped into the castle with a light giggle…

“…You’re not done with her are you?” Blaze glanced toward me alongside Crystal and Angel, smug grins aplenty.

“You assume that because she likes me, that I’m to be interested?” I raised an eyebrow.

“Rick, we know what you and her did last week,” she glimmered, “you her little guardian angel?”

“I’ve no clue as to what you’re on about…” I mumbled.

“Sure you don’t…” she gave a slow, smug nod.

“Are you insinuating something, Blaze?” I hummed.

“I’m not insinuating anything, I’m saying it already happened,” she laughed.

“How do you mean?” I folded my arms.

“She ‘tripped-and-fell,’ so to speak; and you offered her help, yes?” she winked.

“What’re you getting at?” I blinked

“You two did it, didn’t you?”

“Seeing as the building’s foundations are still as they were when I got here, no,” I frowned.

“Not yet anyway, you sly dog you!” she patted my arm with a rather absentminded paw.

“I was joking,” I rolled my eyes agitatedly.

“And I wasn’t,” she grinned from ear to ear, “so, how was she?”

“You’re impossible…” I groaned.

“I’m your sister,” she tilted her head

“Adoptive sister,” I simpered.

“Are you saying I’m not as good as the real thing?” she tutted, “and here I thought that such insults were below you!”

”I never said that,” I blinked, “honestly it’s a wonder you haven’t given me an aneurysm…”

“You love me and you know it!” she guffawed.

“As family, nothing else,” I growled.

“I know, that’s why I did what I did, eh Olky?” she cooed.

“Haven’t heard that name in a while,” I whistled, “now that’s going back a while, Blaze, around three hundred years or so.”

“It’s been that long already?” she gaped, I nodded, “doesn’t time fly when you’re saving worlds?”

“So it does, Blaze, so it does,” I sighed.

“Has it really been that long…?” Crystal and Angel hovered on either side of me as I changed to eon form.

“So long as I’ve got you lot I don’t mind what happens to me,” I clicked my tongue, “you’re my little gem and angel.”

“And you’re our little eon, Rick…”

Next Chapter: Chapter XXV; Evolution (And Religion) Estimated time remaining: 1 Hour, 48 Minutes