I stomped back up the stairs of Celestia's tower. I stepped up into the lobby of Celestia's home rooms. I walked up towards the doors to Celestia's bedroom and threw them open. "Celestia...."

She peeked around a small partition. "Able, how--"

I walked up to her and threw my arms around her neck. "Uh...gonna be here a while." I squeezed her warm body against my chest. "Longer than you'd expect...."

Celestia trotted in place and settled in. "What? Able, Sombra just got here not that long ago, what hap--"

I let go of her and stepped back. "Long story."

Celestia's eyes opened wide as she looked me over. "Able...are you feeling okay? You look...different."

I rubbed my chin. "Yeah, knocked off about four of five years recently...." I shook my head and pointed to a small couch. "Probably take a seat...let me tell you about a fucking door."

I stepped over to the door. It opened wide and showed off a floating pony head, completely matte with purple skin and glowing white eyes. Its eyes wrinkled up into a mouth less smile. Hello there. One of Sombra's friends?

I looked the door up and down. "Alright, what is this shit?"

The face in the doorway shook its head.Oh you're no fun. Not even going to try and play along?

I shook my head. "I'm not a big fan of magic shit." I slung my rifle over my shoulder. "So what are you?"

The door shimmered as the face pointed its brow inward. Well...that's a long story. Sombra called me a genie, others called me a sage--

"Cut to the chase." I tapped my foot on the ground. "If you're magic crap, you're gonna want to talk to Celestia, not me."

The face looked annoyed, its general shape a bit sharper than before. Hmm. I've given Sombra a rather long message, some immortality, and perhaps a new lover recently. I was rather hard on him. Took his first love and taught him the meaning of letting go...only took a few centuries more than it should have.... But you're here now, and I can give you anything you want, so long as--

"Nah."

The face swished around. What?

"No thanks." I shook my head. "I don't really need anything."

The eyes of the creature lifted up with some unseen brow. Great wealth?

"I don't need it."

Eternal life?

I laughed sharply. "Oh my god, I can't wait until I fucking die. Be done with this shit and get some rest for once in my life!" I rubbed my face. "Its great with Celestia too, she'll be hurt for a little bit, but that mare is so strong...."

The face narrowed its eyes. Really? A kingdom? A reality? Unlimited power? Women, men, do you want to meet a god? Do you want to rip a hole in space and time? Do you want to meet Christ? Do you want to meet anything? I can make anything real, I can bring about whatever reality you choose...just let me--

"I said no." I glared at the door. "I don't care what happens to me. This has never been about me. It's been about her, about making her smile, about being there when she's sick or hurt, about holding her when she had a bad fucking day. About keeping her safe! About--"

Then you want nothing? I could send you home. I could make it as if you'd never even fell through the portal in the fir--

"Fuck no!" I stomped my heel. "Get rid of all this? All the people happily moving around? All the stories they'd tell? All the time I've spent here. You want me to take it back? Go fuck yourself."

The portal flickered. ...This is a first. Most of the time ponies pick at least something. Even if it's to be killed.

I shook my head. "No, I'm really pretty happy as is. Seems like this is a problem with the people you meet, not me."

The doorway grew a bit bright. This is odd. Well...would you want something for somepony else? Somebody? Something? World peace, an end to hunger, something?

I scratched my head. "Make Celestia happy? I don't think she's been feeling too great recently. A little tired and works been piling up--"

See...that's where we meet an impasse...I could just make her happier, I could give her a life of utter joy.... But I kinda like you, you're nothing like Sombra...you let go.

I shrugged. "The dead have it easy, they just get to watch us fuck around back here."

The face in the doorway's eyes curved upwards into a pleased look. Exactly. Sombra enslaved a nation, brought me gems and gold, tried to fill a body of metal with a soul of a pony. He just wouldn't let go!

"I get it." I shrugged. "If I lost Celestia I'd be kinda...well...fucking crushed. But I wouldn't blame her or try to disturb her. Probably kill myself."

The face in the doorway frowned with his eyes. Hmm. Well, then consider my option. Give her something to keep with her. Something to have with her as a companion, as a friend, as--

"You're talking about me...."

The door laughed. I am.

"No."

Come again?

I shook my head. "No! Fuck no! I'm dying! You can't fucking stop me!"

The doorway's eyes narrowed. Why? Why can't you just let me be nice for once?

"Because fuck the undying! That shit is a recipe for losing your mind."

The eyes in the mist cocked upward. So you'd rather let Celestia go round and round mate to mate, century to century never holding the same life in her hooves? You want that to never end?

I shook my head. "Look, when I'm gone, you can give it to whoever she picks up next. She's a big girl, she can make up her own mind. And at some point we'd fight and break it off--"

And? Two unaging ponies could part however many times they wanted, I guarantee it all comes back together. Look at Sombra, look at the Headless mare, look at Luna, look at Merlin and Tyros, Melik, Frost, I could go--

"Look...just fuck off. I'm not doing it."

We stood off a bit the whirling of the doorway grew a bit repetitive. Just a little. Just let me keep you from aging.

"Fuck you!"

The doorway sent out a bolt to grab my leg. It wrapped around my knee. Look, I'll leave it to where you can be killed...just let me--

"Fuck off!" I fell onto my ass as the arm started pulling me into the glowing doorway. "Let someone else do it!" I held onto the frame as the creature dragged me in towards the light. "No!"

Really...do it for her! Do you have any idea how much she'd love it to have somepony at least more durable than--

I reached for my rifle and pressed it into my mouth. "Fuck yo--"

I woke up on the floor before the door. A note rested on my chest. Undying until a mare of the sun decides to end you.

Below it was something more earnestly scribbled. Go ahead, shoot yourself. You'll be back. The princess decides when you go! Don't be a bitch.

I tossed the note away. I felt energetic. Like my back no longer hurt, like my eyes were more focused, like my beard was softer, like I was younger. "Aw what the fuck?" I stood up and ducked back down to look in the highly polished floor. My face was twisted up and fresh. My hair looked darker, my skin pale and smooth. "Are you fucking kidding me!?"

I pulled a pistol from my side and jammed it against my head. "Fuck off--"

I opened my eyes, on the floor exactly where I was just crouched down. I frowned hard and found a single casing rolling around under my arm. "Fuck." I sighed heavily. "And she's too much of a pussy to actually kill me...and I just-- Fuck!" I sat upright and sighed. I looked up at the door. "Wait, so if she dies, what happens?!"

The door creeped open. I was supposed to just-- Why'd I even leave a note!? You can't kill yourself, anypony else does, you're in the ground, so calm down and go--

I hopped up and slammed into the door, knocking it shut with my shoulder. "Screw you!" I stumbled back and straightened out. "God damn it...." I huffed and lowered my head. "Great.... Fucking magic bullshit." I turned towards the stairs. I was gonna have some serious story to tell Celestia.

Celestia sighed heavily. "So you're like me now?"

I huffed. "Yeah...."

Celestia groaned loudly and sat upright. "I'm so tired right now.... Able, what do you want me to do?"

I rubbed my forehead. "I don't know. You wanna grab some tea and go to sleep?"

Celestia turned her head to me. "I mean if you want to d-- Tea?"

I held my arms out. "I'm here, for a long haul apparently."

Celestia stared at me. "...You said you didn't want thi--"

"I don't care at this point. Like I told the asshole, I just want you to be happy."

Celestia's right eye watered slightly. "I was happy before this--"

"Well are you more happy now?" I asked calmly.

Celestia dabbed her eye with her fetlock. "Um, happy.... No, a bit touched."

I shrugged. "Close enough." I stood up and looked towards the door. "So do you want tea? I'll go grab tea...."

Celestia coughed roughly. "Able...I--"

I turned to face her. "Look at me, right here." I pointed to my eyes. "Don't say thank you, don't get all mushy, nothings changed."

Celestia trotted in place a little. "A lot has changed--"

"Nothing has changed." I shook my head slowly. "Not a thing."

Celestia's mouth hung open ever so softly. "...I wanna be mushy right now.... Hug--"

"No hugs." I walked out into the hall. I waited there a bit, then started off towards the stairs down. "I don't do mushy hug--" A flash later and Celestia was standing before me, a small divot was caved where her hooves had displaced the floor. "Don't!"

Celestia wrapped a hoof around me and yanked me against her. "Stop me." She nuzzled the back of my head and held me close. She made a strange cooing noise as she rubbed me. "Thank you Able."

"God damn it." I slipped down and out of her grip. "Someone had to. It was either gonna be me or Sombra, and that dude took it in the ass like a champ."