“It looks just like him,” Homage commented, her red eyes gazing at the mirror-likeness that was Ebonmane Prime. “And you’re sure you want to go through with this?”

Ebonmane Prime nodded. “Absolutely. It’s what I was made to do.” His voice ringed true with such confidence that Homage exhaled, clearly impressed.

“Littlepip’s plans don’t usually go this well,” Homage said. She paced around her suite for a bit, deep in thought.
“Do you think it’ll work?” Ironbright asked. “Even if he is ready and willing, that doesn’t mean they’ll take the bait, whoever you think they are, if they even exist.”

“What happens if no one tries to kill him?” What then?” Rosemary asked, moving out from behind Ironbright.

“One step at a time. That’s for the two of them to decide,” Homage answered. There was another long pause as she decided on what to say. Finally, she turned to her guests. “There’s a parade in a few days in Friendship City to honor the twentieth anniversary of the Enclave’s attack. If Ebonmane Prime presents himself to the ponies in charge, they’ll likely put him in it. If we’re lucky, they’ll make a huge deal about it. Announce it all over the city. I’ll keep an eye on things and create radio coverage as well. That should be enough bait for the assassins.”

Ironbright cut in. “Who says they’re going to fall for it? They might think we’re setting a trap. The real Ebonmane would have to be smart to survive what he did, and they know I’m working with them. And I’ve probably got a damn file of my field exploits. I’m shrewd, and they’ll know it.”

“Do we really think they’re going to be this smart?” Rosemary asked. “We don’t know who they are, so we don’t know what level of planning to expect. They could be no better than thugs for all we know.”

“It’s best not to underestimate them. Anypony who would try to kill Ebonmane, the Prince of Equestria, would have to have some kind of control over the land, a lot of power they don’t want to lose to some upstart alicorn colt. They’ll have a plan,” Homage answered.

“I’ll try to get into the parade myself as his guard. If he’s alone, they might be suspicious.” Ironbright then turned to Rosemary. “You should get a bird’s eye view of the parade. You just might be able to peg anypony who attacks Ebonmane.”

“But…” Rosemary hesitated. “What happens if we can save Ebonmane Prime?”

“It’s not a priority,” the quiet stallion answered. “My death will buy the real Ebonmane a lot of time and space to plan a counter-assault against the ponies who tried to kill him. It’s best that way.”

Rosemary’s gaze sank, and Ebonmane gently extended a wing to comfort her. She looked back up at him, hope and despair swimming in her eyes.

“I’m beginning to think the mark of a hero is suicidal tendencies,” Homage said with a smirk, trying to lighten the mood. “It’s a good plan. Let’s just hope we can pull this off.”

Homage turned and went into her room before she let her guests go to bed. She came back out with a plain white orb floating in her levitation. “I had a blank one saved so that I could make a memory-autobiography when I thought I was starting to kick the bucket. Life Bloom was going to take the best bits and pieces from my life and put them in here. But I hear your magic is pretty wild, Rosemary. If you’re lucky, you just might be able to learn the spell. Then Ebonmane Prime’s life, as short as it is, doesn’t have to be lost.”

Homage offered Rosemary the orb. They all turned to her, and with a steely glance, she accepted it.

My brief moment of elation quickly deflated into a very real amount of tension. Yes, I was still soaring about Rosemary, her affection, and the knowledge that I too had feelings for her, but my mind was quick to ask the question, “Now what?” And I wasn’t sure how to answer. Should I just tell Rosemary straight out that I wanted to be with her? Would that be too strong? But I knew she would likely still be down after the loss of Ebonmane Prime. Should I give her time? Could I even wait that long? Or would she want me to comfort her?

With Cloud Chaser privy to my feelings, I had no qualms about letting each and every one of these little worries out. At first, she did her best to answer my questions and help me formulate some sort of plan to get us together, but after a while she got tired. I stopped my barrage when she simply stopped mid-flight, turned around, and said, “Ebonmane. Chill. The fuck. Out.”

“Sorry,” I replied. I did my best to swallow my nervousness. Despite my frantic planning, I didn’t have a clue about how to confess my feelings to Rosemary. I resolved to put such thoughts aside.

Which left me locked inside my own mind once again. Cloud Chaser and I kept an easy pace along the scraggly wastes until we hit the barren, debris-strewn parts outside of Manehattan. It had taken a couple days, but the closer we neared the metropolitan ruins, the quieter I became. For some reason, I felt more than just romantic tension within me. Even though I knew my part of the plan was to simply lie low and stay put, I was still nervous. Would this plan of Littlepip’s really work? Were there really ponies after us that we could bait into this trap? And what if something went wrong? By the time I would receive word of any of my friends being hurt or anything going wrong, it would be far too late to do anything. Rosemary and Ironbright were out there alone. They had each other, sure, but if this foretold enemy caught wind of our plan, it would be them walking into a trap.

Once night fell, we stopped. Rosemary had rationed out dry food to us, and we had been assured that they were ready to eat, no cooking necessary, but I think Rosemary was too terrified of what might happen if we tried. At any rate, they were pretty dry and bland, but we were too busy scanning for raiders. Learning from my first mistake with Silver Bell, we didn’t even bother to make a fire.

Not much was said even as we tucked in to sleep. I could tell the silence had been making Cloud Chaser uneasy, but I wasn’t sure what to talk about that wouldn’t only increase her stress. But she was just as bothered as I was, and she broke the ice as we lay on our backs, watching the stars. “You think they’re going to be alright?”

“Worried about Rosemary?” I returned quietly.

“Both of them. Rosemary’s my best friend, yeah, but I don’t want anything bad to happen to Ironbright either.”

“They’ll be fine,” I reassured her. “Ironbright thinks of everything. You should know that her most dangerous weapon is her brain. If she thought they were walking into a trap, she’d prepare for it.” I had been telling myself that all evening, but I did my best to sound like I believed it.

“There’s just so much that could go wrong…” she sighed. “But I guess there’s no use worrying about it.”

“Right,” I said. “We should just go to sleep.”

But she wasn’t done yet. She rolled over to continue the conversation, and I turned my head to look at her. “So what else has been eating at you?”

“I’m fine.”

“Oh, come on. I know you’ve got more going on up there than just Rosemary.” I didn’t know how to respond to that. My fears about this mission were too numerous to express. What was I supposed to say? In the silence that I tried to find my words, Cloud Chaser filled them in. “Oh sweet Celestia, you are still thinking with your dick.” I looked at her to retaliate, but she was already chuckling to herself. “Okay, share. You’ll sleep better.”

I sighed. “Yeah, I’m worried about both of them, just like you are.”

“What happened to ‘they’ll be fine?’”

“I didn’t want you to be worried.”

“My hero.” The sarcastic bite I expected was absent. “Look, we both know this sucks. Sending them into the fire like this… but if something goes wrong, they’ll come to us, right?”

“Absolutely,” I agreed. “If we’re holding Thunderfall’s old spot, it should be a safe place for them if things turn around.”

She nodded. But we both knew that answer wasn’t satisfactory. Cloud Chaser sighed, “Oh, what’s the use? All we can really do is wait it out, I guess.”

“Yeah. It’s only for a few days. We’ll survive.”

“I guess I can’t blame you for planning your imminent wedding. That’s gotta be easier than worrying.”

“Not really,” I said. “You’re the first filly I’ve ever even tried to get close to, and I was a wreck during that.”

“Really?” she asked. “You seemed normal to me.”

“Well, you’ve never seen me at a time when I wasn’t stressed out of my mind.”

Cloud Chaser laughed. “I’d pay caps to see you relaxed.”

“I’d pay caps to be relaxed,” I answered.

“What did I even do to have you so worried?”

I shook my head. “It wasn’t really you, per se. Just fillies.”

She waved her hoof in dismissal. “At least you’re cute. Rosemary’s only got eyes for you.”

There was a pause. The exact same idea hit us at the same time. We shared a glance, then turned away.

Cloud Chaser again broke the silence. “I mean, she likes you for more than your looks.”

“Like what?” I tested.

“Like…” she huffed. “Look, even if she does love Ebonmane Prime, you’re the same fucking pony.”

I shook my head. “We’re not.”

“Well, it’s not going to matter, is it? He’s a dead stallion walking. You’re not. She’ll end up with you.”

As harsh as what Cloud Chaser had said was, my next words were harsher. “Doesn’t mean she prefers me over him.”

“Damn,” Cloud Chaser said. “And I thought you didn’t get any more depressing.”

Another pause. But there was nothing more to say. Except, “Goodnight Cloud Chaser.”

“Yeah. Goodnight Ebonmane.”

“Morning, Ebonmane,” Ironbright said gruffly. Ebonmane Prime maneuvered through Homage’s furniture to sit at the breakfast table in her suite.

“I’m not Ebonmane, remember?” he said as he pulled back his chair. Ironbright rolled her eyes. “Does he normally sleep in this late?”

“Oh yeah,” Rosemary said. “On the road he’s fine. But once you get him in a bed…”

Ironbright smirked as she sipped her coffee. “I’d bet you’d know all about him in bed.”

Rosemary spluttered, blushing fiercely as she tried to defend herself. But Ironbright just laughed.

However, Ebonmane Prime tried to change the subject, at least for Rosemary’s sake. “Where’s Homage?”

“Doing her morning broadcast,” Ironbright answered. “Cup of coffee?”

He eyed the beverage suspiciously. “Does Ebonmane like it?”

She shrugged. “Who knows? This is the only cup I’ve had that’s even halfway decent. Most places just sell watered-down shit. Homage is serious about her mornings.”

Ironbright slid her mug over, and Ebonmane took it carefully. After examining it, he took a sip. Then he coughed. “No. He would not like that.”

“Cream and sugar?” Rosemary offered.

He shook his head. “I’m not sure you can fix that.”

His two friends smiled. “Well, eat something. We’re on the road to Friendship City today.”

He nodded and began to eat. Toast, fruit, even milk. The three of them speculated how Homage managed to get her hooves on such luxuries, but in the end, it was small talk. Small, but happy.

But when they were finished, they weren’t leaving just yet. Ironbright stood from the table. “Well, I’m off to pick up ammo. These miniguns are a bitch to load. Meet me back here when you’re ready, Rosemary.”

“What are you doing?” Ebonmane Prime asked.

“I was going to see if Life Bloom might be able to teach me that memory spell.”

“Mind if I join you?” he offered. With a smile she accepted.

While I normally might have been content to walk in silence with nothing better to say, Ebonmane Prime insisted on conversation once the silence became heavy. As he peered at all the finery of Tenpony Tower, the shops, the machinery, the clean clothing, he asked Rosemary, “So, where do you live?”

“Oh, it’s this small town called New Appleloosa. It’s kind of a mess, especially after the Enclave attacked, but I guess it’s home.”

“Who’s the Enclave?”

“Pegasi military. They attacked because they were tricking their citizens into believing everypony was dead down here, and if they came down they would figure out that the military lied to them so they wouldn’t have to come down from the clouds. The Enclave figured it was simply easier to kill us all. It was Littlepip, Homage’s lover, who stopped them by going into the SPP and breaking up the clouds.”

“But what about the pegasi? Doesn’t that mean that Littlepip kind of ruined their lives?”

Rosemary shrugged. “You’d have to ask them. Most are okay with it. Some are still resentful. Each one’s different. It was twenty years ago, after all.”

Ebonmane Prime nodded. “So if it’s such a mess after the attack, why did you move there?”

She blushed a little. “I didn’t move there. I was born there. I’ve… never left.”

“How old are you?” he asked.

“Twenty-two. The attack… it’s one of my first memories.”

“I’m sorry,” he said.

She shook her head. “I’ve never really told the others.”

Understandingly, he changed topics. “So where would you go now that you’ve seen the world?”

“Wow, I don’t know,” she answered. She examined her surroundings as they stepped into the elevator. “Not here. Too expensive. If Ponyville gets on its hooves, maybe I could live there. I don’t think I’d like a big city like Manehattan.”

“Well, maybe you’ll like Friendship City.”

“What about you?” Rosemary returned.

Ebonmane Prime smiled politely. “I think that’s a question for Ebonmane.”

She nodded. The silence resumed, but it wasn’t too far until Life Bloom’s office.

Life Bloom accepted Rosemary within, leaving Ebonmane Prime to wait outside.

A thin, black stallion with a blue mane approached him. “Feeling better?”

Ebonmane Prime assumed this was somepony Ebonmane knew, but he didn’t know how to respond. “Yes, thanks,” he decided.

The stallion turned his head. “Do you remember me?”

“I… I’m afraid not.”

He smiled. “I’m Blue Breath. Life Bloom’s… partner,” he said.

“Oh,” Ebonmane Prime nodded, a little taken aback. His only experience with relationships was with Rosemary. It had never occurred to him that two stallions could be together. But he set aside his shock as elegantly as possible. “Sorry.”

Blue Breath shook his head. “Not surprised. I forget a lot of my patients. Unless they’re alicorns, of course. With the dangerous things I hear you’ve been up to, you must see a different doctor every week. We probably all look the same to you.”

Ebonmane Prime laughed. “How have you been?” he asked.

“Well,” Blue Breath answered. “We live in good times.”

“Why’s that?”

Blue Breath paused before answering with a smile. “Because of you, that’s why.”

“Me?” Ebonmane Prime tried to piece his meaning together. “You mean… you think I’m a Prince?”

“Life Bloom thought you might feel that way, but I’m sure you’ll warm up to the idea.”

Ebonmane Prime regained his composure. “I’ll try my best.”

“Life Bloom saw something good in you,” Blue Breath said as he sat next to the young alicorn. “And word from Homage is that you’re from Junction Town. Were you good friends with Calamity and Velvet as well?”

“…Yes,” Ebonmane Prime blurted out.

Blue Breath only smiled brighter. “I know times are tough right now, but Life Bloom and I are sure this is a sign. You don’t have to worry. You have the Elements behind you.”

No pony had told Ebonmane Prime about the Elements of Harmony. So he simply nodded and said, “Thanks.”

Blue Breath stood and opened the door to Life Bloom’s office. “I’ll let you know if they’re close to finishing up.”

Ebonmane Prime had to wait for at least a half hour longer, but it was Rosemary who exited first. “How did it go?” he asked her.

“Great,” she nodded with a tired expression. He stood to stand by her.

Life Bloom followed her out. “I would get her something to drink, juice or something. Learning magic as fast as she does takes a lot out of a pony.”

“Is she alright?” he inquired, clearly worried.
“Of course,” Life Bloom answered. “In fact, I’ve never seen a pony quite like her. Very sensitive, this one. A natural spellcaster. Twilight Sparkle would have been very proud.”
Rosemary glowed, but Ebonmane Prime didn’t take his eyes off of her. Not only did he have no idea who Twilight Sparkle was, but it was one of the rare moments where Rosemary felt good about herself. Ebonmane Prime was aware of her self-esteem, and he counted himself lucky to be able to witness a happy moment like this in her life.
Nothing was said as they headed back. There was no need. Ebonmane Prime had plenty of questions, but there was no use explaining it all to him. He didn’t want to say something and spoil Rosemary’s good mood, but he did turn and smile at her often, offering his support. She smiled back.
When they met up with Ironbright, she was already suited up. Behind her dark visor, she asked, “How’d it go?”
“Great,” Rosemary answered. “Ebonmane Prime’s life won’t be forgotten.”

Ironbright nodded. “Well, better get everything set. We probably won’t be back this way for a while, so get your last bath if you want it.”

“Bath?” Ebonmane Prime asked.

They both turned slowly. “You don’t know what a bath is?” Ironbright asked dumbfounded.

He shook his head. “I’ll show him,” Rosemary offered, she grabbed his horn with her magic, yanking him toward Homage’s bathroom. She didn’t bother explaining until she had turned the faucet, the porcelain tub filling with steamy water. “You wash yourself in these. This is soap,” she levitated a bar. “It’s very rare, so make sure to scrub your entire body with it because you probably won’t get another chance.”

“Well, it’s kind of a waste then, isn’t it?” he asked. “I won’t get another chance anyway.”

Rosemary frowned, taken off guard. “Do it anyway. The real Ebonmane is probably filthy right now, and he’d kill to get a bar of soap. At least soak in the water. It’s very nice.”

The tub was nearly full, and Ebonmane Prime stepped in as Rosemary headed toward the door. “Where are you going?” he asked.

She blushed. “I… Most ponies bathe alone. It’s kind of a… private thing, you know?”

“Alright,” he said. He didn’t quite understand, but he let her close the door.

Ebonmane Prime had never examined his body before. But he had a good chance as he rubbed himself down with the soap, and I swear he had nearly the same thoughts I did. We were strong, but a little on the shrimpy side. Our coats were nice enough, but our fur had a tendency to be uneven, thicker in some places and patchy in others. When I watched the orb, it was almost a little embarrassing to watch him examine more sensitive parts of himself, but he didn’t share this sentiment. Those parts weren’t ‘private parts.’ They were just parts, and he clearly didn’t understand them very well.

I tell you this because as I watched the orb, I wondered to myself if we were really that different. We had the same bodies, but where it was apparently my destiny to use my body for different things, to be a Knight and Prince and hopefully a father, Ebonmane Prime would only understand his body as one thing: a tool to be used.

I kicked the door down to Thunderfall’s hideout with my guns drawn. Even after we cleared it out, there was no guarantee that ponies, even raiders, had not moved back in. We weren’t going to take any chances.

With Cloud Chaser behind me, we swept every room and every hallway. Nothing. “What gives?” I asked.

“Like anypony’s going to squat in a place that got hit by the Rangers,” Cloud Chaser said. “To the raiders, this place is probably cursed.”

Cloud Chaser was feeling ironic, insisting that we set up in the room where we killed Thunderfall. Soldiers from Tenpony Tower must have been in to clean up the bodies, but we still found the room streaked with blood, as the rest of the hideout was. I would have liked to occupy a less red room, but the others were filled with bolts and chains, and I wouldn’t have been able to sleep with those next to me. So we laid down our blankets in here. At least the gore was dry.

As we sat down to rest, I turned on my radio, and we waited until we heard DJPon3’s voice come on.

“This is your host, DJPon3, brining you up to speed with the afternoon news. As a lot of you will probably remember, we’re nearing the twentieth anniversary of the Enclave attack on Friendship City. To commemorate that terrible day, the city has decided to put on a parade, the first one to be seen in Equestria in decades. Given the recovery the city’s made, coupled with rumors of a new Prince, who may or may not be in attendance, the city feels that Equestria has come far from its war-torn days, and wishes to honor the lives given to achieve what peace we’ve earned today, as well as encourage further efforts for safety and unity. Now, I know I’m often the bearer of bad news, but let me be the first to agree with their stance.

“But, as much as I’d like to end there, I do have to bear some bad news. Raiders have come after Fillydelphia again, and while I haven’t yet gotten any reports of kidnapping, each attack means more lives lost, and even if the raiders do eventually give up and fizzle out, the cost will be too high. I wish I had better info on how local Rangers plan to handle the situation, but they’ve been a little too quiet for my tastes. I’ll give you more on that as soon as I hear more…”

The report went on for a while. I listened intently. I wanted to go check in with the Rangers in Fillydelphia, and I knew that Ironbright would as well, especially if they weren’t doing their jobs as well as they could. I had never been to Fillydelphia, but now that I was getting used to thinking of myself as Prince, I knew I’d have to go sometime, especially if I was going to help them. I couldn’t leave any part of Equestria in the dark.

More music came. Then more news bits. Cloud Chaser listened to the music, roaming around the hideout occasionally when she got bored, especially around the news, but the news was the part I waited for. If I was going to be Prince, I felt like I should know my country. My people. What they were suffering through. What they were like. I could think of no better source to inform me than Homage.

But I didn’t say this to Cloud Chaser, and she didn’t catch it. Eventually, she got too restless. “I’m going to do a scouting flight. Want to come?” she asked.

“I’m alright. This armor’s going to take a while to get off,” I told her.

“I don’t know why you didn’t take it off earlier. You haven’t flown in days. I can’t imagine how badly you want to stretch your wings.”

“I’m not all pegasus. I don’t use my magic a whole lot, either. It’s different,” I said. I did miss flying, but the news was more important.

She simply shrugged, dove out of a window, and left. I sat and waited. I listened.

This went on for days. And every song, every report told me more about Equestria, and brought me closer to the one piece of news I didn’t want to hear but knew would come: the death of Ebonmane Prime.

“You didn’t tell me it was inside a statue,” Ebonmane Prime said on the ferry. It was a small boat that carried them across the sound to Friendship City, but it was a large, golden statue carrying a torch that housed their destination.

“I wanted to see the look on your face,” Ironbright answered. “Priceless, by the way.”

He couldn’t help but grin widely, almost laughing at the magnitude of it all. “How do they live in there?”

“Just wait and see,” Ironbright answered.

At the docks, the guards searched the newcomers, but they stopped when they saw Ebonmane Prime. “Uhh, are you…?”

“I’m Ebonmane,” he replied.

“Prince Ebonmane?” they asked.

He hesitated for a moment. “Yes.”

“W-Would you come with us? I think the mayor’s going to want to speak with you,” the stallions asked. As they headed into the statue, Ebonmane couldn’t help but notice one of them was a pegasus. “Do a lot of pegasi live in Friendship City?”

“Well, it’s safe,” the guard answered. “Only other place you can raise a family is Junction Town, but that’s a little small. We pegasi are spread all over the place.”

“Is there a lot of bad blood between the ponies and pegasi here?” he continued.

“Sometimes, but probably no worse than anywhere else,” he answered.

His companion, an earth pony, spoke up. “The Enclave’s dead. Basically, all pegasi are either citizens or ex-Enclave who turned their backs on what happened. In my opinion, the pegasi are one of the biggest things making the wasteland good.” The two smiled at one another, and the warmth spread to Ebonmane Prime.

The group headed up and up, and even though the staggering amount of stairs winded Ebonmane Prime, he couldn’t help but peek down every hall and through every open door. He saw meeting areas, their skeletons coated in metal. He saw markets, much busier and louder than the one at Tenpony Tower. He saw families, foals, playing together. He saw ponies living peacefully.

There was a moment when he closed his eyes, but I knew what he was thinking: this was worth dying for.

The mayor’s office was not at the top of the city, in the torch, as one might expect, but closer to the head, appropriately. He was a unicorn, and a big one, with a golden coat and a brown mane and a bushy beard and a golden dazzling sun as his cutie mark. He stood up from his cluttered desk in his tiny office and bowed. “Prince Ebonmane. I’m humbled.”

“Uh, you don’t have to do that,” Ebonmane Prime replied. He had no idea how ponies were supposed to treat Princes in the first place.

“Well, then, allow me to formally welcome you to Friendship City. I’m Mayor Sunburst.” With that, the mayor took Ebonmane Prime’s hoof and shook it vigorously. His huge size and energy may have intimidated Ebonmane Prime at first, but now he understood it as sincere and joyful.

“It’s nice to meet you,” Ebonmane Prime responded as courteously as he could.

“And these must be your friends,” Mayor Sunburst turned to Ironbright and Rosemary, and they introduced themselves to him. He made sure to look each of them in the eye, giving them the same heartfelt, warm greeting. Once the introductions were finished, he offered them all seats. Ironbright was forced to stand, as the office was small and cluttered. “What brings you all the way out here, Your Highness?”

“Ebonmane,” the alicorn answered. Even if he was me, neither of us were comfortable with the title yet. “And, well, we heard about your parade and…” Ebonmane Prime didn’t know if it was rude to ask if he could join the parade.

Ironbright had no such modesty. “We thought it would be a good symbol for Equestria if the Prince were to make a public appearance.”

Sunburst’s eyes grew huge. “The Prince? In our parade?” He steadied his great chest with a hoof. “What a splendid idea! We can put you at the very front! And…” he looked at Ebonmane Prime sheepishly. “Well, if it’s not asking too much, I know it would mean a lot if you would give a small speech. It’d be sure to end up all over the radio.”

The word ‘speech’ sent a jolt of fear through Ebonmane Prime, but he calmly remembered that he shouldn’t be alive at the time, so it wouldn’t matter. “I’d love to.”

“Splendid! I’ll inform the planning committee. Oh, this is exactly what we needed. Thank you so much!” Sunburst couldn’t help but shake Ebonmane Prime’s hoof again. “Tell you what. In thanks, I’ll get you the best rooms in the city. Free meals-”

“We have the caps to take care of ourselves,” Ironbright interrupted. No pony wanted to take advantage of the mayor. He was clueless to the fact that they were there to ruin the parade, not complete it.

“Nonsense. You’ll all be my personal guests. I wouldn’t have it any other way for the kindness you’ve done me. I won’t take ‘no’ for an answer!”

And that was that. The mayor left his office to personally show them to their beds. A young mare, not unlike Rosemary, was running a hotel in the torch, and the view and spacious rooms had the prices soaring, but the mayor was quick to pay for their rooms as long as they needed them. Once the caps were exchanged, he turned to them. “Is there anything else I can do for you before I head off toward the committee?”

“Any restaurants to recommend? Tenpony Tower doesn’t exactly fill your stomach,” Ironbright said, one thing on her mind.

Mayor Sunburst scoffed. “I tell you, there’s no reason for prices there to be so high when…” he took a breath to calm himself, as if this was a rant he had gone on before. Once his smile returned, he said, “I’ll send a memo out to every restaurant about you three and pay for all you order. But honestly, most ponies get their food from the markets, and there simply aren’t a lot of restaurants around yet. But, if I might humbly suggest the Golden Lantern? If a young colt and filly were perhaps thinking of a romantic evening before the parade, I could secure a private booth.”

The three of them were stunned by the bold suggestion. Without an answer, the mayor simply said, “Ah, well. Let me know if you need anything else.” As he walked past them, he winked at Ebonmane Prime.

Rosemary didn’t dare look at them. Both were blushing terribly. Ironbright simply rolled her eyes and went into her room. Without a word, the others followed suit into their own rooms.

“Come on, Ebonmane, go flying with me,” Cloud Chaser begged.

“We’re supposed to be lying low remember? That phrase isn’t accidental. If somepony were to see me, it could ruin everything. It’s bad enough you’re out so much.”

“Fine,” she stood. “I want to go check out the south side some more. I think I saw a Carousel Boutique, and if anything’s left in there, it’s worth taking.”

“Just be careful. And try not to be gone too long,” I told her.

“I will. First sign of danger and I’m out. Promise,” she said. With that, she took wing again.

Today was the day of the parade. Ever since I had woken up, there had been a pit in my stomach. I hoped it would go away once news of the parade aired, but I knew it wouldn’t. Right now, the pit was composed of nervousness and worry. Afterwards, it would be guilt and sorrow.

But without Cloud Chaser, I was left alone with these feelings.

For whatever reason, the memory orb didn’t contain any memories of the next few days for Ebonmane Prime. It resumes as he heads into a dimly lit room.

He looked around as his eyes adjusted, the only light coming from shimmering, golden oil lamps hanging from chains on the ceiling. Tables with long white cloths sat beneath them, the ponies occupying them dressed as finely as possible, some unable to afford nice clothing, but the meals they ate were gourmet. The portions were good, and the ingredients alone were enough to make Rosemary swoon in jealousy.

However, she did let a small breath escape from her lips. Ebonmane Prime turned to her. “What do you think?”

“It’s lovely.” There were almost tears in her eyes.

The waiter was quick to serve them. “Prince Ebonmane, Mayor Sunburst has had a private booth reserved for you and the lovely lady. If you would follow me, please, I’ll show you to your seats.”

Music flowed in from above, slow, jazzy tunes from DJPon3’s own broadcast. Their hooves clanked quietly on the metal floor, and even though it was impossible to cover up the dim aesthetics of Friendship City, the low light, fine setting, and the luxury of good food and music completed the atmosphere. It was very romantic, and both Ebonmane Prime and Rosemary knew it.

Their table was situated in a circular alcove that had been gutted, but was away from any prying eyes. As they were led to the table, the other patrons looked at Ebonmane Prime and whispered, but no pony’s voice was raised above the music. A private table was a good idea indeed.

The waiter seated them, and Ebonmane Prime was even gracious enough to pull out Rosemary’s chair, though I have no idea where he learned such manners. Once they were seated with their menus, silence pervaded where there should have been conversation.

“This was really nice of you,” Rosemary said after a long while.

“I wanted to. I like you a lot, and I wanted to make some good memories about this place for the orb.”

She smiled, but the cloud of death could not be shaken. “You like me?” she said quietly.

He nodded with ease. “Yeah. You’ve been really kind to me, and… everything’s easier around you. I… I wanted you to have good memories of me.”

Rosemary sniffed, tears in her eyes. “This is…” Another sniff. “No pony’s ever asked me out on a date before.”

“Really?” he asked quietly.

“Never.” She wiped her eyes. “I guess I can’t blame them…”

Ebonmane ignored that. “I’m glad I got to take you out on your first date, then. I think it’s silly that it’s taken so long.”

She smiled in response to his kindness.

The waiter came by again for their orders. “The mayor sent you a small gift, in the event that you two might stop by.” He presented the two with a bottle of champagne. “A rare find, but Mayor Sunburst sent it from his personal collection for the both of you. He said it was ‘In the honor of young love.’”

With a smile, their drinks were poured, and the two watched their glasses fill, blushing furiously. With shy nods, they sipped together. The taste was magnificent. Perfect.

Ebonmane Prime shifted nervously, sitting up, preparing to speak. “Actually, I wanted to go on this date with you to ask you something.”

Rosemary could hardly look him in the eye. “What?”

“Do you love Ebonmane?”

She hesitated. The tears came to her eyes again. She couldn’t answer, but the way she looked down was enough.

Ebonmane Prime continued. “I thought so.”

“He doesn’t like me,” Rosemary said, her voice soft and hurt. “He’s never even noticed me.”

“I realized that,” Ebonmane Prime said. “He sticks to Cloud Chaser more, but there’s nothing there, right?”

“There was…”

Ebonmane Prime took a breath. “When this is over, and I’m gone, I want him to tell you exactly how he feels about you.”

“What do you mean?” she asked.

“When you take him the memory orb, he’ll see this conversation. And I’m telling him that he needs to tell you his feelings. He’s a coward if he can’t face you.”

Rosemary shook her head. “Don’t. He doesn’t have to do that.”

“Are you worried about what he’ll say?” Rosemary didn’t answer. Ebonmane Prime, in a moment of gentleness, reached a hoof across the table to touch hers warmly. “You shouldn’t. Ever since I’ve met you, I’ve thought you were interesting. I… I think I love you, Rosemary. And I hope… I hope that he loves you, too. You shouldn’t be alone. You should be with somepony who makes you happy.”

Rosemary was stunned by his confession. “What about you? You deserve to be happy, too.”

He shook his head. “You’re not supposed to be with me. I’m a clone. I wouldn’t… I wouldn’t dare take his place like that. It’s bad enough that I’ve stolen your first date.”

“You haven’t stolen anything,” she insisted. “He had his chance.”

“Then please give him another,” Ebonmane Prime begged. “I don’t know why he didn’t fall for you the way I did, but I know he can. It’s… it’s not easy for me to say all this, and my life is simple compared to his. But he needs you. Trust him. He’ll come through for you.”

Rosemary could only nod.

Their meals were brought out shortly. Ebonmane Prime changed topics, asking her about the food, the quality of it, and how she would have prepared it. It was light conversation, but he listened patiently, intently, absolutely fixated on the little red mare.

As the night drew to a close, he dug deeper. “How did you get your cutie mark?” This was a story I had never heard before.

Rosemary hesitated before answering him. “I don’t like thunderstorms. When I was younger, after my little sister had just been born, I was terrified of them. My parents predicted that we would have a pretty bad summer storm coming one night, and I was really scared the entire day before it came. As the evening hit, I was playing in a field, and it got really dark. But before I headed back, I saw these firelies out in the field. I had never seen anything like them before, and even though they were bugs, I didn’t think they were irradiated or anything, so I caught as many as I could in my saddlebags before going home. When the storm hit that night, I put them in a jar and watched them all night. The thunder and lightning was so loud that I felt like crying, but the fireflies… they made me feel better. I wasn’t so afraid. When I woke up, I had my cutie mark.”

“What does it mean?” Ebonmane Prime asked, fascinated.

She looked at him over her glasses. “I didn’t know at first. But once I got older, I had to take care of my sister and clean my parents’ house all the time while they worked. We didn’t have a lot of money, and I was always inside, so I didn’t have a lot of friends. I was really lonely, but I remembered those fireflies, and how they made me feel. I wanted to make other ponies feel like that, too.”

“Safe?” he asked.

She nodded.

When their meals were finished, the two walked back together. A lot had been said, and it was clear they weren’t sure how to negotiate this new situation, but Ebonmane Prime overcame his nervousness and wrapped a wing around her as they walked. She snuggled up into him, her body warm and soft against his side.

But Rosemary was in tears once they reached their rooms. “What’s wrong?” Ebonmane Prime asked.

“I… I don’t want you to die.”

He used his wing to press her into his chest. Finally, she burst, and her tears flowed freely. Thinking nothing of it, he led her into his room and laid her in his bed.

She didn’t object, and he lay down next to her, holding her tightly to his broad shoulder as she cried.

“There, there,” he said. “As long as Ebonmane lives, I’ll never die. When he holds you, I promise it’ll feel just like this.”

“No,” she shook her head, despair in her voice. “I love you. I love you so much, Ebonmane Prime. I can’t… It’s not fair!” She began to sob again.

“I love you, too,” he responded, stroking her mane. He let out a tense breath. “I love you more than anything. But I’m not the one for you. Ebonmane is.”

“You don’t know that,” she said. “You can’t promise that he’ll even notice me.”

“I can,” he said firmly. “This love that I feel… it’s not an accident. This is a part of us. This is what I… what he was really made for. I know it.”

The two looked at each other, Rosemary’s eyes bright. Hopeful, she moved forward. To kiss him.

He turned away. “Your first kiss should be with him. Not me. I won’t take that from him.”

Painfully, Rosemary swallowed her feelings. She simply laid with him in the dark, her head rising evenly with his breathing, her hot cheek pressed against his strong chest.

The orb ends there.

The only sound I heard was the radio. I was almost asleep, even in the morning light. Sure, I was tense about the parade, but boredom is a powerful thing.

But I was instantly alert when I heard a click.

“Don’t move,” a low, female voice commanded me. I knew I had a gun trained on me. How did she get in here? But I froze. “Stand still.” I felt my weapons be levitated off from me. I didn’t hesitate. It appeared she wasn’t here to kill me. Maybe capture me. But Cloud Chaser would find me. Or Ironbright. She couldn’t take my PipBuck from me. Not without a considerable amount of time and tools. My friends would find me that way.

“Turn around. Slowly.” I did. I faced my attacker. She was an alicorn, tall, thin, beautiful, with a gunmetal body and electric mane, yellow with streaks of lightning blue. I had never seen anypony like her. Her eyes were silver. Her flank was blank. At her side levitated a powerful rifle.

“Who are you?” I asked.

She smiled. “Livewire. Now come here.”

I walked toward her. My mind raced, but I wasn’t thinking about her. I was planning my escape.

Once I was close, I seized her gun with my levitation, enough to keep it from firing. While her weapon was tied up, I picked up my sword, unsheathing it with my magic and swinging for her neck.

She ducked and tackled me, slamming me hard on my back. She pointed her gun at me, but I jabbed my horn at her. Pain shot through my horn as I came in contact with a shield, electricity crackling in the air between us. I saw her smile.

The butt of her rifle crashed into my chest, knocking the wind out of me. Again, she bashed my ribs, and I tried to curl, the force of the blow nearly breaking bones. I was helpless.

She stood, picking up my weapons, tossing them into another room and closing the door. Then she turned to me as I was finally able to look up. “What do you want?” I asked weakly.

“Just a moment of your time,” she said. Her gun was still pointed at me.

“You could have just asked.” I tried to stand, but pain shot through my body.

“Alright then,” she said. “Are you willing to cooperate?”

“Do I have a choice?”

“Of course. If you work with me, this will be a lot easier. See?” I watched her put down her gun. But I didn’t bother trying to pick it up. She had her shield.

“What do you want?” I asked again.

She smiled. A cold, nightmarish smile. She walked right up to me, and sat down.

I watched in horror as she spread my legs.

“What are you doing?” My voiced was tinged with shock and fear.

“Don’t fight me,” she said. I felt a hoof on my private parts. My breath left me. No pony had ever touched me there before.
My mind was blank, but I listened to her explain. “You’re a pure alicorn. Not a mutant, like my parents. With your seed… it’s possible that we might be able to create another alicorn like you.”

“But- But my parents weren’t alicorns!” I shouted, ever conscious of her hoof on my genitals.

She smiled again. “Hush. There’s nothing to be afraid of.”

I felt pleasure. And despite my dizzying mix of feelings, pain, fear, and confusion, I became aroused. Very aroused.

“Are you a virgin?” she asked. I couldn’t find the faculties to answer. “I thought so. Don’t worry. You’ll enjoy this, I promise.”

She stood, and offered her hoof to help me. I didn’t take it. “Stand up,” she ordered.
The pain in my ribs was subsiding as I fought through it to get to my hooves. All thoughts of escape left me. All thought left me. It was useless. And I was left numb inside.

Livewire turned, and a shocked breath escaped my lips as she raised her tail, revealing her entrance to me. Never before had I seen a mare like this, but I had always wondered what a real one would look like. Now I knew. And it was better than I ever imagined it would be.

“You know what to do, big fella,” she said.

And I did. But I hesitated.

“Well?” There was anger in her voice. I didn’t have a choice. At least it would feel good.

I mounted her. I felt heat against my tip.

My breath came quicker and quicker. This was really happening.

This wasn’t how I imagined things would happen. Ever since I learned about Rosemary’s feelings, I had been toying with the fantasy of giving our first times to one another. But none of that mattered now. Livewire was too enticing to pass up.

With a simple thrust of my hips, I entered her. She moaned. I moaned as the slick, wet heat wrapped itself around me.

But I knew I wasn’t a virgin anymore. This mare had taken it.

“Go on,” she encouraged from ahead of me. I pushed further into her, my stallionhood erupting into pleasure within her. So many times, in private sessions with myself, I had dreamt about what it would feel like to take a mare. It was far better than I could ever have dreamed.

But I couldn’t enjoy myself. I didn’t feel any joy. I felt nothing. Nothing but pleasure. I thrust mindlessly into Livewire, feeling the building tension within me.

It didn’t take long. I was a virgin. Less than a minute passed, and I was calling out, moaning with every breath. Then, all too suddenly, I lost myself within her.

Her wings wrapped around me, encouraging me to stay inside of her. She didn’t want to waste a single drop. After a few moments of stillness, the only movement being my rapid breathing, she lowered her wings allowing me to dismount.

She turned around to face me. “Congratulations on your first time, stud.” She picked up her rifle, slinging it over her shoulder. She knew I was too distraught to act. “Try not to go too far. If this doesn’t take, I’ll be back.”

I couldn’t answer her, but she didn’t wait for a reply. She spread her wings again, diving out a window and taking off into the morning.

I lay down. I tried to process what happened. I couldn’t. So I sat in stillness, an eternity passing by.

Finally, I turned on the radio. “…A horrible tragedy. So many reports coming in, but I don’t think I can deny it any longer: it appears that Prince Ebonmane is dead. He was shot in the head by an unknown assassin, and last we heard, Paladin Ironbright was giving pursuit to the suspect. No word on her yet, but-”

I turned the radio off. Ebonmane Prime was dead.

I started crying. I didn’t stop. Not when Cloud Chaser returned, her voice full of concern, even after she realized what happened to my clone and I didn’t tell her what happened to me. Not when she left again to find Ironbright. Not when night fell, and I tried to sleep.

At first, I thought I was crying because I had lost Ebonmane Prime, the very best parts of myself. But as I passed out, I realized that I was crying because I hadn’t lost this precious piece of myself when he died.

I lost it when Livewire raped me for my foal.

Author's Notes:

I had a really hard time writing the final scene, and a part of me wasn't even sure I should. But it needs including, and I hope you understand my intentions in doing so. If not, maybe they'll become clear in future chapters.