Seven Years Later

Seven years ago. Canterlot fell, burned to the ground. Seven years ago, Equestria was near destruction. Seven years ago, I met the love of my life. Seven years ago, I became a father. The birds chirped in the forest. The sun radiated in the sky. High noon. A cool breeze blew in my hair. A cloud blocked out a portion of the sun, restoring my vision to full for a few moments. I leaned on the wooden bar on the porch, looking out in the expansive garden in front. There I saw Luna on her own, looking for something. Before I asked what was wrong, Alex came up a small hill holding a tennis ball in his hand. Alex. He was a standard human. His long legs scaled the rough terrain with ease. His thin body moved with his body as he began to scale down the hill. His body however was completely clad with sky blue fur, waving with the wind as he slowed down. He stretched out his wings while his arms did the same. His face was smooth and kind. His eyes were dark blue. He lacked a horn but I have seen him on occasion possess some sort of telekinetic ability. Well he is the child of an Alicorn.  I have made several great things in my time here. Project Sol, Project Machina, DEL. Nothing compares to Alex. I was proud of him, so proud. He ran up the hill and smacked the tennis ball towards Luna with his racket. Luna then hit. Alex. Luna. Alex. Luna. So on so forth.

As the sun returned, obscuring my view once more. I sat on a chair that I previously sat on before. Things had been quiet for the past 2 years. This is how I imagined my life in Equestria to be, not with the fungus completely destroying it! Manehatten and the infected army have been suspiciously quiet, after the battle of Canterlot it seems that they don't have enough energy. Or the commander was killed because not a single attack on the force-fields had been recorded for 3 years. No. I am not the Lucas that fights any more. I left that life behind! Alex suddenly looked at me as I banged my fists in frustration.

"You OK Dad?" He asked, looking at me in concern.

"I'm fine Alex, just getting some thoughts that I didn't want," I waved a hand of dismissal.

"Hmm. Want to play tennis?"

"I'm OK son".

"Come on. You know I'd just beat you any way," Alex teased.

"Oh it is on!" I stood up and walked towards Alex. Luna stepped back and giggled.

"You boys be careful. Lucas, don't cheat. I know you always do". Luna walked back into the house, "Dinner will be done in 15 minutes!"

"Not even dinner can save you this time Dad. I have been practising!"

"Bring it. I played this before I even came here!"

Alex served, hitting the ball at breakneck speeds. I can't even play this sport. It was just my PAD that told me where the ball is going and I just hit it. I smacked it back, Alex returned. It lasted for a couple of minutes before I scored.

"Fifteen-Love. I'm sorry did you say you was going to beat me?"

"Only because you are cheating!"

"How do you know that?"

"You always are! Cheater!" Alex reached into his pocket, "Next time don't keep EMP projectors out". He pressed a button and my PAD turned off. Shit. Alex whacked the ball, going past me almost instantly.

"Told you!" He bobbed his tongue out. I served the ball, he returned and scored again. And again. And again. Finally he won.

"Are you even trying!"

"Yes I am trying you cheeky git!" I threw the racket in the air. Alex just laughed at me.

"I win! I win! I win!" Alex celebrated, jumping around in circles.

"Try and beat me at shooting then," I teased. Alex suddenly stopped and narrowed his eyes at me. I then bobbed my tongue out and walked inside the cottage, Alex soon followed.

Alex ran past me, sitting at the table and picking up a knife and fork. I went up to Luna and hugged her behind and kissed her. Luna looked at me returned the kiss, then going back to cooking. Alex then pointed his finger in his mouth and made a gagging noise.

"Who knew living with two humans would be such a pain!" She exclaimed in a joking manner.

"What's wrong?" I asked, still hugging her.

"Well, Alex nearly fried the electrics! All because of you. Told you he would cheat Alex!" Luna pointed a hoof at me. She then served dinner. Steak and Salad, my favourite. Alex's too by the look on his face. While Luna just had her usual salad.

We began to eat the room was silent for a few seconds until,

"I got an A+ on my Pony history test today!"

"Well done! I am so proud of you!" Luna pecked him on the cheek.

"Yes well done. Did better than me at school I can say that for sure!" I chuckled.

"Where did you go to school Dad?" Suddenly memories of Earth began flashing in my mind. Good memories which made it hurt even more. Friends playing. Awesome teachers, just good memories. Why is this happening now. It never did before! I shook my head and regained my senses.

"Well, I went to a very different school. It taught more complicated stuff than you learn. At your age I was doing more complicated subjects than I am tutoring you on right now," Alex looked at me for a moment in awe, then quickly returned to eating, "Any way, needless to say I wasn't as bright as I am now. I kinda failed school mostly. Not an excuse for you to fail though. Learn from my mistakes son. I lived a hard life until I was blessed with this," I pointed at my PAD. Alex smiled.

"Oh tomorrow is Family Appreciation Day and I am presenting! Who wants to come with me?" Alex exclaimed. This was his first time presenting judging from his excitement. Me and Luna looked at each other. One side the leader of Equestria and on the other, an Alien who possesses supreme grasp of technology. I'll stop bragging now.

"Oh, sorry Alex. Aunt Celestia wants me to visit her in Canterlot," Alex looked at Luna in confusion, "New Canterlot". Luna rolled her eyes. Alex looked at me in hope and gleamed at me.

"Fine, when do you want me around?"

"Presentation is at the start of the school day! Thanks Dad, you are the best!" Alex hugged me tight.

"You sure are getting big and strong!" I wheezed. Alex let go of his grasp.

"Can I visit Marble Collage?" I sighed quietly.

"Yes Alex. Make sure you are back before dark though," Luna said sternly. There is always one kid you just one to punch. Marble Collage is one of those kids. The kid gets Alex in trouble but he is best friend. Not forgetting being the most snobby kid in the entire schoolhouse. Worse than Diamond Tiara and Prince Bluebutt combined. I know.

The Next Day

"Come on Dad! We are going to be late!" Alex ran ahead, trying to drag me with him. I simply walked to the schoolhouse. Obviously with a big smirk on my face. After being dragged several times. We arrived at the schoolhouse. I was near the door. Enough to see Miss Cheerilee but enough to not be seen. I heard some mumbling from where I was. One voice stuck out though.

"Oh Alex, I thought you were going to be absent today. How are you my friend?" A high pitched, aristocratic voice said. Keep calm Lucas. Try not to punch him. Try.

"Please be silent students! Today we have a very special guest. Alex's father. Lucas!" Cheerilee introduced me. I walked in and stood in front of the class. The chair looked like is was going to break.

"Hello. As you know I am Lucas. Father to Alex and Husband to Princess Luna. Inventor of multiple technologies that you see today". Suddenly a hoof shot in the air. Surprise. It was Marble.

"Does that mean you are a Prince?" He said.

"Well technically I am a Prince. However I do not want that title".

"I haven't seen any other ponies like you? Where are they," A small filly asked.

"Good question. I am not actually from Equestria. Or Equus for that matter". The room gasped except for Cheerilee, who knew this when I first landed, "Yes it is true. I come from a far away land called Earth. I arrived in Equestria 8 years ago".

"How come with haven't been taught this in Pony History?" A colt asked.

"We are going to learn about Lucas after the Pre-Princess era," Cheerilee answered.

"How did you get here?"

"Could we save questions until the end of Lucas' presentation please?" Cheerilee finally broke up the flurry of questions.

"Thank you Miss Cheerilee. So let us get started," I clapped my hands together. This is going to take a bit of time.

Eight years ago. Several space rocks crashed into Equestria and the surrounding nations. Most of them was just rocks. Nothing of value. However a few contained some special items. One of them was me. I crashed in the Everfree forest. You can visit it today as it is a tourist attraction and they transferred the old rock there too. Princess Twilight freed me from the rock, allowing me to finally do good in Equestria. If you ask your parents you may get mixed responses. My arrival wasn't exactly the best.

A few years later Canterlot was rebuilt. I helped build it completely. From the ground up. Helped create the devices you use today. The television, the telephone all those funky gadgets. When I mean helped, I mean I did all the work except actually build them. I did the planning. No doubt you have heard of the Old Canterlot Foundry. That was my workshop before I retired. Now I live peacefully on the borders.

"Any questions?" I asked. Nearly the entire class put there hooves up. I pointed at one colt.

"My dad said he fought at the battle of Old Canterlot. What exactly happened?" Well...shit.

"That is too inappropriate to talk about here. I was in the battle of Old Canterlot," I said, "Yes you".

"What is that shiny thing on your head?" A filly pointed to my PAD

"Ah this. It is my secret to being the inventor I am today. It is the only thing I left Earth with".

"What is your cutie mark?"

"As a human. I do not have one. We figure out our destiny just by training in what we want to do," The students look confused but suddenly clicked. After a what seemed like an endless flurry of questions. They finally exhausted their list of questions. Most of them was about Human culture. A few was about the battle of Canterlot. School got dismissed soon as I left and I walked home with Alex.

"Dad?" Alex said.

"Yes Alex?" I replied.

"Will I get a cutie mark?" Alex looked at his thigh.

"I don't know son. Only time will tell. If you don't get one, well you can say that you are versatile".

"Yes but all of my friends have one!"

"Be patient. All I can say," I smiled at him.

"Also, what is that battle of Canterlot thing that everypony asked about?" It is about time he knew.

"Alex, sit down for a second. I need to tell you about before you were born".

A part of history of my life that I took out of the presentation was the Fungus Crisis. Soon after me and your mother met. Equestria had a plague of fungi come and nearly kill us all. It took over ponies, making them do things beyond their will. It was horrible. Soon the fungus accumulated enough ponies to fight us. They got intelligent and used the rifles me and you shoot for practice today. Canterlot was near destroyed. Only the castle really stayed intact. I rebuilt Canterlot, stripping it down and building it from the ground up. This made New Canterlot. You can see some of the pre-war buildings today that the bots left for historical purposes. Even though the war is best left forgotten. It still lives fresh in the minds of the survivors.

"Wow...no wonder you didn't want to talk about it," Alex said.

"I fought in the battle as the commander. I won obviously, barely but we still won!" I sighed "I retired from that life years ago, after the battle I found out that your mother was going to have you and I quit to look after you".

"So that is why ponies aren't allowed in Manehattan," The word resonating through my body. Echoing. Manehatten, the fallen city.

"Yes. I have been in Manehatten you know. It is horrible," I sighed. My head began to hurt.

"Dad. What's wrong?"

"Nothing. Let's go home".

The days went by. Normal life still continued. Alex passed every test that was thrown at him with flying colours. I began to feel weird however. Memories of Old Canterlot began to replay itself in my mind. The pain, the agony, the despair. All of it fresh in my mind. Even though I didn't directly fight. I had to watch all of it. I think I need to see Twilight. Perhaps she can help me. Soon as I went to sleep I had this recurring nightmare. It started off as a normal day. Nothing wrong, just normal ,sunny day. Suddenly the sky turns red. Fire begins to rain from the sky. Ponies burn. Families break. All I can do is watch as I can't move. All they can do is run as the heavens fall upon them. This fire though. It isn't meteors. They are ponies, infected ponies to be precise. They are clad in fire, breathing fire and burning the town. Suddenly one turns to me and burns me. I then wake up.

It was night, I had the dream once more. Luna stirred and then looked at me.

"I've been in your dream Lucas. What is happening? You are clearly troubled," Luna mumbled.

"I...I don't know Luna. I feel like that this peaceful world will be subjected to war once more". Luna kissed me on the lips.

"You are worrying too much. You try and protect us too much that you begin to worry about the extremes. Ease off the protection a bit. We know that the fungus is long gone. Manehatten is sealed, the Master Mind has most likely died and we are safe once more".

"I guess you are right. I just don't want a reply of 7 years ago with Alex in the thick of it this time". Suddenly I heard several hoofsteps quiet hushing.

"Lucas. What was that?" Luna frantically whispered.

"I don't know. I'm going to find out". I picked up my Lee Enfield and walked slowly downstairs. I saw a pony in a cloak rummaging through my notes. I aimed my rifle at them and took off the safety. Click. The pony soon looked around and saw me aiming the muzzle at his head.

"Identify yourself spy!" I shouted, readying my rifle to fire. They remained silent, "I am not messing around. You have five seconds or you will be fired upon!"

"You...you are the Master Mind". It was a male, had a low and rough voice.

"How dare you! I am not that monster!"

"It is only a matter of time before your realise. War is on the horizon and you will be in the centre of it. Which side will you choose. Only time shall tell". I fired with rage. Several shots fired, emptying my magazine into the cultist.

"I. Am. Not. The. Fucking. Master. Mind!" The shots thundered throughout Ponyville. Luna soon flew downstairs and saw me with the rifle and the cultist dead.

"Lucas. What the buck did you do!" I only gripped my rifle tighter.

"I am not him. I am not him," I whispered to myself repeatedly. I dropped the rifle and fell on my knees. Luna went up to me and put her hoof on my shoulder.

"Lucas?" She tried to turn my around.

"I am re-establishing the foundry. I cannot allow this to go on any further. Actions must be made. This is my action. My plan," I decreed, "Today. Is the beginning of the end for this master mind character!"