Author's Notes:

I know I haven't updated any of my stories in a while, but here's an extra long one!

"Wake Sombra and have him meet me in my study," I said to a guard as I walked out of the throne room.

"He's doing another training session, Grandmother," The unicorn said.

"Then tell him I want to see him in my study."

I was back in my universe with Twilight, Sol, and Mun in tow. They'll be fine over there, no one besides the Power Ponies, Discord and their princesses know my fillies are there, I thought as I turned a corner. Besides, Pinkie's handled foals and.... Agh! I just need to stay busy enough that I don't worry.

With that in mind, I opened the door to my study and strode over to the desk. It was a spartan room with bookshelves along the walls on both sides of the desk and a wall made completely out of glass behind it. I had been assured many times that the glass was reinforced with Elementium

"Is there anything you need me to do?" Twilight asked.

"Aside from bringing your friends so they can work with their counterparts? Just one thing," I said, pulling paper and a quill out of a desk drawer. "Make sure they keep this a secret until a month before."

I saw Twilight nod and bow out of the corner of my eye before she turned to leave the room.

I had just finished with the second letter when I heard the door open and without looking up I said, “Ah, Sombra, good. I want you to choose a ballroom and keep everyone out of there for the next three months. Make sure you cover up the windows and seal all but one door. The only ones allowed in and out will be those who answer this question correctly: What has four eyes but can’t see?”

“You mean Mississippi?” a female voice rang out to my ears.

My hand jerked as I looked up, spilling ink onto the desk top. “Kat! I didn’t know you were here,” I said as I stood to blur over only to stop and place a hand on my stomach.

She giggled a little, smiling and free spirited as ever. “I always surprise, Maxie. Thought you had learned that by now. I just thought, since I was in the neighborhood, why don’t I go and visit one of my favorite people? So, here I am! And you’re just as busy as ever I see.”

“Oh no, this isn’t for Equestria.” I looked down and noticed the ink had soaked into the paper I had on the desk and sighed. “This was personal business. Oh, Hurricane got killed by his own foolish plans two months ago if you’re wondering. Scourge -- the giant cat he was allied with -- slit him from balls to chin when he tried to tell the other cats what to do.”

“I tried to warn you,” Kat said, flipping through some random papers nearby. “Ya can’t trust cats, ‘specially not ones like them.” She shuddered a little. “They still give me the creeps.”

“Scourge and his Clan are from a twoleg- human city. They fight and kill any who get in their way, and if they’re hungry they eat them no matter what they are. Firestar and the Clans that followed him here aren’t like that. They care for their wounded whereas the city cats just eat them,” I said, trying to soak up the extra ink before it stained the desk. “That’s neither here nor there though. I have big news.”

“Big news?” Now I had her full attention. “Well, come on! Don’t keep me in suspense!”

I abandoned my fruitless endeavor and lit my hand with a cleaning spell. “Well, the night before Hurricane was late to the museum opening in Manehattan I accidentally summoned someone named Lance. I had been looking for a hair clip because I had to have my hair up with the dress I was going to wear and his token was a hair clip.... Long story short Lance accompanied me to a party and we had a wonderful time.” I frowned, the spell doing the opposite of what I meant it to do. “Great, now this desk is ruined.”

“Eh, it’s just a desk,” Kat waved off. “So… what happened with your dashing new prince?”

“I found out why he wasn’t reacting to my innuendos when I took him to a private room after we had a few dances.” I giggled as I remembered his cute little blush when I slipped his coat off his shoulders. “He was a virgin with a capital V.”

She shook her head at me with a smile. “This world… seriously, I think aphrodisiacs have to be in the air because it’s just way too kinky. Just skip the sexy recap and move on to what happened afterwards, please.”

“Oh fine.... Well, skip ahead to two weeks ago and I start to get nauseous when I wake up and just...” I look at the clock on the wall, “eight hours ago I found out that I was pregnant. Again.”

Kat hung her head with a sigh, still smiling. “You are really a piece of work, Maxie. Ya just couldn’t stop with triplets, just had to go for more. If I didn’t consider us close, I’d probably say you’d be a whore. But I know you’re better than that, so… continue on.”

“I’m just very into the whole ‘free love’ hippie jive. But that’s just part of the news.” Max walked around the desk and, glancing around conspiratorially, whispered in Kat’s ear, “He proposed to me when I summoned him after I learned that I was pregnant. The wedding is set for four months from now!”

Kat blinked rapidly, even shaking her head as if to clear out something. “Wait… you're getting married?!”

Max shushed her and said, “It’s supposed to be a secret until a month before. I was going to contact you, Zinnia, Gilgamesh, Ammy, Chibi, Medulla, and Typhon so you’d know why I summoned you again.”

For some reason, Kat flinched just a little bit at the last name. “I’ll do my best to keep my lips shut. Although, I did have a favor to ask of you.”

Why did she jump at Typhon’s name? It’s almost like.... I felt my eyebrow twitch slightly as I asked, “What would that be?”

“Could I, maybe, stick around for a few days? I kinda need a place to relax for a bit. I’ve been traveling and fighting a little too much lately.”

“Sure, I’ll have to get a room ready for you since I don’t know if Lance’ll take offence at me sleeping with someone else.” I walked back to my chair, pulling more paper and ink from a drawer to start again. “I’m going to be heading back through the portal to his universe once I get everything set up for-”

A guard stuck his head in and said, “Captain Sombra is here as you requested, Grandmother.”

“Send him in then.”

“This better be good! I was about to get to my favorite part of training, you know,” the unicorn said as he entered the room in a huff.

“Hi Sombra,” Kat said with a smile and a wave of her hoof. “Still whipping those maggots into shape?”

“Ha! you don’t know the half of it.” He stuck out his hoof for her to bump. “They only recently learned which end of the spear is pointy.”

“While I would normally enjoy hearing how training is going, there’s something more important I would like to discuss,” I said, putting the second draft of Suri’s letter to the side to send later with the rest. “I would like you to requisition a ballroom here in the castle and make sure everyone aside from those who answer a riddle correctly stays out.”

“You’re pullin’ out all the stops on this. I’m impressed.”

“Yep. I’m leaving nothing to chance.”

“What would be the riddle for this week then?” Sombra asked.

“Oh no, this one’s for next week. I doubt anyone working in the ballroom will be able to before next week. The riddle is: What walks on four in the morning, two legs in the afternoon, and three legs in the evening?” I set the second letter down next to the first and picked up another piece of paper before saying, “The answer is-”

“Man,” Kat filled in. “Or mankind, actually. Kind of sounds sexist if I just say ‘man’. Wait, would that even be sexist for me… oh mon dieu I’m starting to sound like him now too!”

I paused and briefly glanced at Kat, thankful that she had her hoof in her face, and continued writing. “I’ll tell you the next riddle and its answer when next week is over, so there’s no way someone could know what it is before then.”

“Oops,” Kat giggled, embarrassed. “My bad.”

“Don’t worry, I’m going to use riddles that are almost impossible for any but humans to answer easily. Like, what is the color of night?”

“Sanguine, my sister.” She stopped for a moment and slammed her hoof to her forehead. “Why? Out of all the things I remember about my first boyfriend, why did it have to be that stupid thing?!”

I giggled and said, “It’s one of the best riddles in Oblivion. Besides, you wouldn’t know what to say if you hadn’t heard it before, would you?”

Kat looked at me a little harshly. “I’ll let it go because you didn’t know, but please don’t bring up that kind of stuff again.”

“Okay.... Anyways, a new riddle every week until the wedding. I have them all planned out.”

“It’s like some CIA thing going down,” Kat giggled. “But, I digress. While I’m here I suppose I could help out where I’m needed. Anything to make this a happy occasion.”

“Actually, I won’t need you to do anything except maybe watch the foals once in a while. I’m going to have two Twilights working on the scheduling, two Applejacks working on the food alongside two Pinkies, two Raritys working on the dresses and decorations with Suri Polomare, two Fluttershys working on the music, and Spike working with Zap for some fireworks or something. They’ll be helped by castle staff, of course, but it will be mostly them working on the wedding.”

“Why do I get the feeling the staff is gonna get confused by seeing double? Enfer, I might just get confused. But, I’m happy to help in any way I can.”

“Lance’s main six will be in their costumes, actually. He’s from a world where they’re superheroes.”

“...that’s a completely new one on me. But, that’s how the multiverse works, I suppose.”

“I’m just going to go do what you want me to and get away from this madness,” Sombra said, turning to the door.

“Okay, I’m done with the actual letters now. If you could send them for me?” I asked, folding the last one up and putting it on top of the stack.

“Me? I don’t know how to send letters.”

“What? No, I was talking to-” I glanced around, seeing that Sombra had slipped away. “Dangit, he got away. Ah well, I’ll just leave these here for Quill to find.” I stood and glanced down at my rumbling stomach. “.... Maybe it’s time for some dinner.”

“FOOD!” Kat cried out, nearly hitting levels of the Royal Canterlot Voice. “Food, food, food, food!” I have never seen a pony bounce happily like that since Twilight was given that massive present of books.

I chuckled and said, “Okay, but you’re at least trying some basilisk eye stew.”

Kat’s face scrunched up in disgust, despite being completely cute. “Eye stew? But there’s no meat in the eye! Why would you wanna eat that?!”

“There is meat in the eye, but it’s mostly a jelly-like substance,” I dismissed. “But it’s very good and you’ll probably like it more than,” I shuddered, “Changeling cooking. I think they’re made as a species to be worse at cooking than Sweetie Belle.”

“What’s wrong with her cooking? Sure it’s a little burnt, but it has a nice flavor to it.”

I shook my head. “Not this Sweetie Belle. Everyone knows to keep her out of their kitchens nowadays, her cooking is so bad.” I walked over to the door and held it for Kat. “I made the mistake of letting her help me make cookies. Somehow the dough... caught fire when she added a teaspoon of baking powder that I had measured while I went for the eggs, then she covered it up by putting it out and dashing flour over it and when we finally added the liquids to it.... Let’s just say Cthulhu now has a baby brother to deal with called Cookulhu.”

Kat just looked at me weirdly before shrugging. “Whatever. Let’s just get food already. I haven’t eaten in months.”

I turned to lead the way to the dining room, trying to remember the directions to it. “At least that happened at Twilight’s library and she had a book on banishing things.”

We walked in silence for a few minutes, me checking a door every so often before I finally found the dining room. “Still don’t know my way around,” I complained.

Kat smirked, almost giggling. "Maybe you need to get a compass. Or set up some teleporters. Seen those in a few worlds and they are nice!"

“I’ve been able to find my way around the Everfree, though. That place was more tangled than Rarity when she was affected by poison joke.”

She gave me a weird look. "Yet you don't know the way around your own home? You are one strange cookie, Maxie."

“Heh, you should know that I once knew of a manticore that couldn’t find his way back to his mate,” I said as I sat at the table. “And even then it took several tries to find the right cave. I kept finding him in the weirdest of places and he was always lost.”

“What would you like the chefs to prepare for lunch, Grandmother?” Silver asked.

“Basilisk eye stew for the both of us. Just a small bowl for Kat, though, and whatever else she wants.”

Kat settled into her chair, relaxing back. "Oh yeah. Finally time to kick back. I can't tell you how hectic things have been in the past few years."

SIlver Platter turned to Kat and said, “And what will you be having, Miss Kat?”

"Just some nice hot oatmeal will be fine," Kat lazily responded.

“Yes... right away.” He turned and walked away.

“This one time I found ole Monty stuck in between a sleeping dragon’s arms being used as a stuffed animal. Had to help him get out and find his mate again,” I said. “By that time I had visited his cave a few times and led him back.”

"Lovely story. Oh, by the way, do you have a medic on staff?"

“An entire hospital’s worth.”

"Would you mind calling one up here while we eat?"

“It isn’t bad, trust me. Luna actually asked me to try it and it was delicious. It’s kinda like rattlesnake mixed with venison. Can you eat meat as a pony?”

"Not really. It doesn't kill me or anything, it's just not recommended. And the medic is actually to get this pesky bullet out of my back."

“Oh, oka-....” I looked over at Kat, slowly turning my head and said, “You have a what in your back?”

"A bullet," she replied nonchalantly. "Turns out healing crystal don't eject projectiles. Kinda sealed it in there and poor Cancer is too tuckered to get rid of it. Hurts like enfer, though."

“How you can talk about that like it’s nothing worries me.” I pointed to the door. “Take a right and go up the first staircase you see, the medical wing should be right in front of you. That part of the castle I know how to get to and it’ll be about another fifteen minutes until they bring the food out.”

Kat let out a small whine. "But I don't wanna move! This chair is so comfy!" She took out a flask and took a pretty big swig of whatever was inside before stowing it away.

“Fine, I’ll order one of the doctors to come here,” I groaned with a snap of my fingers. Sol responded and left the room.

Kat threw her hooves up with a cheer. "Yay! Food and medicine! What more could this drunk old mare want?"

“Less being shot at?”

She scoffed at me. "That's all part of the fun! What's life without a little excitement, eh?"

“I thought you were going to settle down with Typhon eventually?”

Kat was silent after that, taking another swig from her flask. Finally, she spoke with a soft, hollow voice. "That option is no longer on the table."

Ouch. He’s not getting his invitation then, I thought. “Then you don’t have to give him his invitation. I’m not going to associate with someone who hurts family.”

Kat cracked up, laughing so hard she actually caused the chair to fall back to the floor. "Ow! ...I have fallen, and I choose not to get up!"

I leaned over to look at Kat and said, “I’m not going to help you up, you know.”

"I'm fine down here. But Typhon didn't hurt me, he helped me! I've realized my true purpose in life!"

“So.... What’s that?” I asked as Silver set my bowl down before me.

"To spread happiness wherever I can! See?" She pointed to her flank, depicting a spiral galaxy instead of the starry cat that used to be there. "I get to make everyone happy so they don't be like me."

I pushed my chair back and turned to look at her. “‘So they aren’t like you?’ What does that mean?”

"I make other people happy... because I realized I don't deserve happiness. No one should have to face that kind of life, so I will make others happy to the best of my abilities." Kat hiccuped and her head started to bob. "It's official, I'm drunk off my rocker!" She delved into a giggle fit, continuing to hiccup.

“Whoa whoa whoa. Back up, ‘you don’t deserve happiness?’”

"Nope!" she laughed, trying to sound like Applejack's big brother.

I gave her a look of disbelief. “You’re more than drunk, if you believe that!” I walked over to Kat and knelt, poking her in the chest. “You need happiness as well. I’m not saying you shouldn’t spread happiness, just find some for yourself.”

“Whee~,” Kat said as she started rolling over. “I’m on a ‘roll’!” she burst into giggles again. “Liquor dulls the emptiness and makes me feel free~!”

I pulled her upright in front of me with my magic and said, “It makes you do stupid things as well.” I took a deep breath and continued, “I-I’ll assume that this is just the alcohol talking for now, but no more.”

“Don’t touch my liquor! I’ve been drunk for three weeks now, I won’t let you kill my buzz!”

“You’ve- Don’t tell me you’ve been drunk every time you visited!” I pulled the flask out of her gravity field and crushed it with my magic. “If you’re going to be here, you’re going to be sober! I won’t have my fillies coming back to see their Aunt Kat piss drunk and telling them it’s okay to drink all the time!”

“It’s only okay for me to drink!” Then she looked sad, staring at the spilt liquor, even shedding a tear. “My delicious Demon’s Blood, gone down the drain. What a waste, and it was expensive too.”

“I’ll brew some myself for when you leave; age it so it’s more than ten thousand years old.” I set her back in her chair and immolated the liquor so she couldn’t pick it up with her gravity.

“Yer so mean! Some little sister you are!” Kat said as she crossed her hooves and pouted. “And now my back hurts even more!”

“Well here’s the doctor.” I gestured to the door as Sawbones came in.

“You’re lucky Sky convinced me to stay here at the castle,” he said, lugging a doctor’s bag. “So you need my skills?”

I pointed at Kat and said, “You need to dig a piece of metal out of her back. The skin’s been healed over, but you’ll be able to find it.”

He looked at Kat as he walked over. “So there’s another like you here?”

“She’s visiting from another universe.”

“And almost pure liquor, if the scan I just took of her is to be believed,” Mun said. “Her alcohol content is far above what it would take for someone her size and weight to die of alcohol poisoning.”

“Pfft! This is nothin’!” Kat wobbled, scoffing at the doctor. “Dis… dis is only moderate drinkin’. Y’all should see me at a Pinkie Party! SO MUCH LIQUOR!” And she fell back again.

“Great. A drunk patient, the one thing I never have enough of,” Sawbones said as he flipped Kat onto her stomach. “Stay still so I can work in peace.”

“Aw~! I wanna flop like a fishy!”

Sighing, the stallion stepped over her and sat on her hips. “You’ll be able to once I put the bandage on.”

Just then Sky and Shadow walked in the door and noticed what was happening.

“Hope I’m not interrupting anything?” Sky said, raising an eyebrow and leveling a frosty gaze at Sawbones.

The stallion’s head whipped around and he stared at the two mares, his mouth opening and closing for a few minutes until he said, “I guess I should’ve asked for help holding her down.”

“Ya think?” I said around a bite of stew.

“It’s my fluffy!” Kat shouted. “‘Mere fluffy! Momma wants a hug!”

Shadow gave a little squeak and ran out the door, shouting, “I’m not fluffy!”

“Aw, da fluffy ran away.”

“So why are you straddling that mare again?” Sky snapped.

“I-I’m trying to get a piece of metal out of her back,” he replied, bending down to search for it.

“He’s gotta buy dinner before getting there, honey,” Kat said in a sultry tone.

Sawbones blushed and looked away, his eyes widening a moment later as his hoof stopped and lightly pressed down. “I think I found it.”

Reaching over with his mouth, he opened his bag and pulled out a scalpel. “O’ay, I’m ‘onna try ta jus’ cut ta th’ edge of th’ me’al,” he said around the knife.

“Heh, not many can say their doctors stabbed them in the back and have it be a good thing,” Kat quipped.

“Jus’ don’ move at al,” he mumbled before pushing the blade in and sliding it to the side carefully. “Goo’ par’ ‘bou’ thi’ ish I don’ need t’ clean th’ wound.” He spat the scalpel out and reached for a pair of tweezers.

I swallowed my latest bite and said, “It might’ve been easier if you used the knife to dig it out instead of the tweezers.”

“Hey wait!” Kat called out. “Why did you get your soup and I’m still waiting on my oatmeal? That’s not fair! I have eaten in months, I deserve food!”

“They have brought it, you just haven’t been able to eat it yet. Your drunkenness obviously made you unaware of Silver placing it before you.”

“Oh… then push it over my way! I’m starving~!”

“You aren’t going to pull out any more alcohol until you leave?” I glanced over at Kat, the two bowls in my magic.

Kat seemed torn, but eventually gave in. “Fine,” she groaned. “I won’t touch a drop while I’m here. Can I eat now?”

I lowered the smaller bowl in front of her and placed the oatmeal a little farther away, a spoon floating above the stew for Kat.

“Go’ i’!” Sawbones said before spitting the bullet and tweezers into the oatmeal. “Oh. Oops.”

Kat stared at the bullet for a moment. “Waiter! There’s a bullet in my oatmeal!”

I motioned for Silver to come over and said, “Can you get her another bowl, please?”

“At once, Grandmother,” He said, picking up the bowl and walking into the kitchen.

“I’ll need those tweezers back, you know!” Sawbones called as he threaded a needle.

“At least you can try the basilisk eye stew while you wait for the oatmeal,” I said hopefully.

“Fine. But if this kills me, you stay away from my funeral.” Kat took a quick gulp from the bowl. Seconds ticked by as Kat swished it around before finally downing it. Her eyes lit up before she dug in, drinking the entire bowl gone in ten seconds flat. “Mm, not bad. Needs salt, though.”

“Told ya it was good.” I’m glad it has that sobering effect to it. Helped me get Celestia ready for court after that one party she went to, I thought, taking another bite.

“And... there! You won’t have a scar, but you’ll feel a bit sore there for the next few days,” Sawbones said as he smoothed the bandage down and stepped off Kat’s back.

“.... Well, my fillies aren’t here-”

“Did I just sober up?!” Kat said, immediately bolting up. “My buzz is gone! SO NOT FAIR!”

“A side-effect of the stew. For some reason it counteracts the effects of alcohol and even gets rid of it from your system. I hadn’t known you were drunk before I suggested you have some, but I’m glad I did now.”

“I thought you had done that on purpose. I kept ingredients to make it in my office out on the streets in case someone ever came in loaded to the gunwales,” Sawbones said, putting the scalpel into a baggie. “It’s actually the basilisk eye that gives it that effect and the other herbs just enhance it.”

“Crap,” Kat sighed, hanging her head. “No more inhibition. Oh, and there’s the memory loss… can’t actually remember anything for the past three weeks. I don’t know how to feel about that.”

“Even though you can’t remember it, you promised not to pull out any alcoholic drinks while you’re here,” I said as I took a sip of wine.

“Aw, fine. If I promised. I didn’t say anything too stupid, did I?” she asked as she started eating her oatmeal.

“You said some nonsense about you not wanting happiness for yourself and you told me about Typhon. No details, though, and I won’t ask or expect any.”

Kat spat out her oatmeal, coughing slightly. “I DID WHAT?!”

I leaned back and picked up my wineglass having finished my stew. “I’m guessing all that was true, then.”

“Drunks are usually more truthful and loose lipped than someone that isn’t drunk,” Sky put in, walking over to Sawbones and putting a wing over his shoulders possessively.

Kat sighed. “Yes, it’s true. I don’t get happiness. It’s a fate I’ve come to accept.”

“That’s bull and you know it. What about what you had with Typhon? What about those tales Gilgamesh told me while he was here?” I set my glass down, putting a hand on Kat’s shoulder. “What about when you were playing with my foals the last time you were here? Weren’t you happy then?”

“It never lasts,” she shook her head. “Every time I experience happiness, it gets torn away from me. I won’t let that happen anymore, so I have no need of such feelings anymore. It’s better for me, and for everyone I care about.”

“Then why don’t you fight? Tell the multiverse you’ll do whatever it takes to be happy and fight fate until you are? I won’t believe you can’t be happy at all, not until I’ve failed to help you find some for yourself a hundred billion trillion times.”

Kat smiled lightly, though I could tell it was only a cover for the pain underneath. “There’s no point in fighting it. I have accepted this fate, that’s my choice. I don’t need happiness. I just don’t need it.”

My eyes hardened as I turned Kat’s head to look into hers and saw nothing but truth. “Fine then,” I murmured. “I’ll be the same then.” I covered her mouth when she opened it and said, “No, I’m not going to be happy until you carve some out of the multiverse for yourself!” I softened my gaze. “You’re my sister. Family. And I’ll do anything to see you happy -- truly happy.”

She gave a single chuckle. “I wish you good luck with that. But, while it would be nice to catch up a little more, I’m ready to--” She dropped right there, snoring lightly.

“Should’ve mentioned that’s another side effect of the stew,” Sawbones quipped.

“Remind me again why we’re out here?” Sol said, trotting a bit closer to me. We were in a slum-ish part of Van Hoover, trying to get to the town hall by way of a ‘short cut’ our guide said was faster than using the main street.

“We’re trying to get to town hall to look at the records to try to find someone to be the city’s representative,” I said, passing by another rundown old house.

Kat stopped for a moment before we passed by, sniffing the air. “Hey, you smell that?”

“Yes, though Sol and I don’t have anything that matches it in our databases,” Mun said as he stopped.

I took a sniff and stopped as well, looking directly at the house we just passed. “Last I smelled that was in the Everfree near some Timberwolves,” I said.

“I would imagine you would,” Kat said, looking at the house as well. “That… that’s the smell a soldier never forgets. The smell of death.”

I started towards the house, covering my nose with a hand in preparation. “That smell no one will ever forget. It’s rotting bodies and spilled blood.” I opened the door, blinking to try to clear my vision of tears. “Damn, this has sat for at least a week.”

“Ulp.... I think I know what being nauseous is like,” Mun said as he backed up, his face turning green.

“Go get the guards then,” I said as I walked in. I froze when I noticed a body in what looked like a living room. It was a unicorn mare and her throat was cut, a bloody knife lying near her horn. “Fuck.”

Lying in front of the mare was a stallion thestral. He had been stabbed what looked to be at least fifteen times.

Kat followed in behind me, looking over the scene with a scrutinizing eye. “I hate to say that this isn’t the first time I’ve seen this kind of thing.”

“Just-.... Damn.” I bent down and closed the mare’s eyes, looking over the wound as I did so. “Looks like she slit her own throat.” I glanced at the stallion. “And before that, she killed him.”

“I would say that as well,” Sol said. Her ears perked and she continued, “There’s a foal behind the couch. His breath is rasping from dehydration. With the new sensor Mun and I came up with, I can tell that it is a colt unicorn.”

“When did you make that?” I asked as I slid the couch forward a bit with my magic.

“While you were in that Handsome Jack fellow’s universe.”

Kat moved over to the couch slowly, easing herself behind it. “He looks really weak. I would almost say he hasn’t eaten in a long time; high malnourishment.” She gently prodded him, getting him to stir and look at her with frightened, brown eyes. “Hi there, little guy,” Kat said with that soft, motherly voice of hers. “My name is Kat. What’s yours?”

“Kat, we should get him something to eat and drink before we start asking him what happened,” I said as I moved a bit closer and reached out to the awestruck colt. “Come on, let’s go find you a good meal.”

“Y-you’re not... not fake?” he rasped.

I shook my head and smiled. “I’m as real as you are. I am indeed Grandmother, but you can just call me Max.”

He stood shakily and staggered over to me. “I’m Bronze Jewel, Ms. Max.”

I chuckled and said, “There’s no need for that, Bronze. Calling me Max won’t get you in trouble.”

Kat looked at the little colt before moving over to him. “Bronze, would you be alright in coming with us? Max and I would like to get you checked out by a doctor, and to get some food in you.”

His ears folded and he glanced at the bodies before saying, “I-I guess I could since....” He nodded determinedly and perked up a bit. “Yes, please.”

I picked him up and set him down on Kat’s back, saying, “Then you just let us do the walking for you.”

“You just sit tight, little one. We’ll get you a nice big meal. Whatever you want and I’m sure we’ll be able to get it for you.”

I led the way to the door and stopped when I saw a mare in a lieutenant's armor trying to get close to the house. “There’s two bodies in there, a mare and a stallion,” I said as I approached her. “It looks like the mare stabbed the stallion and then took her own life about a week ago.”

“Y-yes, Grandmother,” she said, turning more green by the minute.

I turned to Kat and Bronze, stopping and looking at my wrist to see that, yes, one of the hidden blades was missing. “How-....”

Kat burst into laughter. “Looks like we have a little guy with some sticky hooves.”

“And they’re more subtle than Sky’s,” I said as I held out my hand for my blade. “Come on, Bronze, give it back.”

“Aw, okay,” He said dejectedly, handing me the blade.

“You’re curious as to what it is?” He nodded eagerly as I clipped the blade back where it went. I held my hand off to the side and tensed it, releasing the blade to glimmer in the moonlight. “It’s one of my last lines of defense if someone ever gets past the guards, Sol and Mun, and caught me when I exhausted my powers.”

“You kids and your toys,” Kat said as she rolled her eyes. “Let’s just get Bronzie here to a hospital.”

“The nearest one is on the opposite side of the city. I advise finding sustenance along the way,” Mun said, making his presence known. “I scouted out a few restaurants while flying to get the guards in case you were hungry.”

“Well, lead the way to the nearest one then,” I said, letting the blade slide back into the sheathe.

“That would be a Burger Princess, this way.” He turned and began walking away.

“Um... c-can we go to a f-fancy restaurant, instead?” Bronze asked. “I’ve always wanted to see what it was like in one.”

“Mun?” I said, following the stallion.

“The nearest one would be Chez Ram’on, near the city center. We’ll pass right by it on our way to the hospital,” Mun said.

“Hopefully this goes better than the last time I was in a fancy restaurant,” Kat muttered.

“It’s not the fanciest place in the city, but it has the best portions for meals.”

“You were right to stop and get him food before coming here,” A doctor said as he closed the door.

“Is he okay?” I asked. It was about two hours later and we were all sitting on a bench in the hospital right across from Bronze’s room.

“Aside from dehydration and malnutrition, there wasn’t anything wrong with him physically. Mentally, though, is another story.”

“Huh, I would’ve thought he caught some sort of disease from breathing those fumes.”

“I would have been more concerned with animals that would be attracted to the scent,” Kat spoke up. “Rats and bugs up the wazoo should have been swarming that place by now.”

“Actually, the rats that live in that part of the city avoid live ponies from what I observed,” Sol said. “And there were larval flies under the skin of the bodies.”

“With that mystery solved, I have something I would like to ask you, Kat,” I said, turning to her.

Kat sighed. “Is now really the time to be worry about my psychological ‘problems’?”

“I was going to address that later. What I wanted to ask was if you would like to adopt Bronze Jewel. I’d adopt him myself, but keeping track of four children -- especially while I’m pregnant with the fourth one -- will be hard.”

She stared at me for several long moments before shaking her head. “I’m sorry, I thought you just asked if I wanted to adopt the little colt. Surely you’re not that crazy.”

“Everyone is crazy in their own way,” Mun said.

“Exactly. Besides, it’s not like you absolutely have to take him with you through the Void,” I said with a wave of my hand.

“I just… ugh, what is with all these people lately in wanting to continually make me have more children?! Do I really seem that lonely to you?!”

“Lonely, hurt, betrayed, putting up a mask all the time, and burying the hurt deep inside with alcohol of all things.”

“I am not hurt or betrayed! This isn’t some soap opera! I’ve chosen my lot in life, that’s all it is! Besides, I already have Kuna to keep track of and that’s already hard enough considering her babysitter keeps bugging me for raises! ....And I made that putain de babysitter!”

I gave her a sad look and said, “Like I said when you were drunk: you can fight the multiverse and carve some happiness out of it for yourself if you just tried. Your so called ‘lot in life’ is filled with nothing but pain and sorrow right now, but you can change it.”

“There is no pain and there is no sorrow! I’m perfectly fine with the way I live. I don’t need happiness to live my life. It’s what I’ve done my entire life, I’ve only just come to the realization why. Now stop worrying about me and focus on the colt who probably witnessed his parents kill themselves.”

“Just because you’ve become numb to it doesn’t mean it isn’t there. And I am worrying about him, I’m just asking if you would adopt him instead of me having to dump him in an orphanage. I don’t want to do that, and I bet you wouldn’t want him living with some random family either.”

“And how am I not some random family?” Kat asked. “He doesn’t know me, he barely even knows you. If I were to take him, he would leave this world and be gone from it for a very, very long time… with that said, if that is what he chooses, Bronze will be welcome to join. But you’re going to be the one to tell him this. Because he needs to know that outside this safe little haven of yours, is a vile and dangerous place.” With that, she stormed out of the room.

“Well that went better than we talked about last day,” Sol said after a moment.

“At least she’s open to the idea,” Mun agreed.

“But she’s even worse than I had thought she was,” I sighed, covering my face with my hands. “I’m out of my depth and floundering, but I’m going to help her.”

A nurse trotted by and entered Bronze’s room, coming back out a few seconds later to look at me and say, “Bronze would like to speak with you, Grandmother.”

I sighed again and stood, walking into the room. “Yes, Bronze?”

“T-that wasn’t a dream,” he said, awestruck.

Damn, he’s still caught on that, I thought, biting my lip. “Hey, Bronze? What would you say if Kat wanted to adopt you.”

“That golden pony that was with you? She wants to adopt me?!”

“She said that it was your choice, but she didn’t reject the idea.” I took a deep breath and let it out slowly before continuing. “Kat wanted me to tell you that it would be very dangerous if you went with her and you would be away from here for years.”

“I would be in another city!”

I shook my head. “You would be in a different Equestria. You see, this is just one copy of Equestria and there are more copies than you can ever be able to count out there among the stars.” I tapped his nose with a finger. “You would be traveling with Kat between lots of them, helping her save the day and put bad guys in jail.”

“So.... It would be like an adventure?”

“A very dangerous adventure, yes.” I thought for a moment and decided to call Lance so they could meet. “I know someone you might like to meet. He’s going to marry me in a few months, but don’t tell anyone! It’s a secret for right now.”

Bronze nodded vigorously and I chuckled, pulling Lance’s token out of my hair. “I know it’s only been a day, but there’s someone I’d like you to meet, Lance.”

Blue lightning began to crackle around them as the Adept landed before them. “You called me, Max?”

“I wanted you to meet Bronze Jewel here. Bronze, this is Lance my fiancee.”

“Nice to meet you, Mr. Bronze.” Lance replied as he stuck out a hand and offered to shake Bronze’s hoof.

“How’d you do that?” the colt asked.

“Max summoned me. Her hairpin is my summoning token.” The Adept explained. “Everything okay, Maxie? Some of your guards outside look… nervous.”

“Kat and I found Bronze here in his house. It was a murder suicide,” I said.

“Who’s Kat?”

“She’s a Displaced wandering the multiverse. She’s also family.”

“I see… Where is she now?” Lance asked, a little bit surprised when I mentioned “family”.

“Off somewhere, probably going to another universe to get drunk since she can’t do it here,” I dismissed. “So, how are the fillies? They haven’t gotten hurt, have they?”

“Nope. In fact, Kai and Freddy are looking over them. Having quite a lot of fun since they see Freddy as Uncle Freddy.” Lance told me. “Maybe we should try to comfort Kat. Make sure she’s okay.”

“I’ve tried that, she just brushes me off saying ‘it’s not her place to be happy’,” I groused.

Lance himself was quite shocked to hear that. But then, I heard him say something that sounded like it was in a seductive tone. “Maybe both of us can find a way to make her feel happy. Two heads are better than one.”

I stared at him, almost not believing what I heard. Finally I said, “Why don’t we continue this in the hall later? For now, there’s something I would like to ask you.”

“Me or Bronze?”

I leaned forward and whispered in Lance’s ear, “Would you mind if I adopted Bronze if Kat doesn’t?”

“Fine by me. Rainbow would probably like to have a brother.” He whispered back. “Now, should we find Kat? Or is she going to find her way back to us somehow?”

“Am I interrupting something?” Kat said from behind the couple.

“Oh hello,” The Azure Striker greeted. “You must be Kat. Max told me about you. I’m Lance. Lance Walker.”

“I know you don’t remember this, but I’m pregnant and Lance and I are getting married in four months,” I put in as I turned to face the gold pony.

“Oh, cute. And yes, if you’re wondering, I did go get a drink. But I’m not even buzzed. The next universe over has terrible liquor. The highest they went was only 100 proof, can you believe that? Pheh, I’m lucky I got the buzz I did.”

Lance looked back at me, raising an eyebrow. “Do you think we can take this to somewhere a little more private? Something tells me things might escalate.”

I nodded and said, “Yeah, hold on to your clothes. I’m gonna try to teleport us to my hotel room.”

“What about Bronze? Could Sol and Mun watch over him for a bit?”

“You don’t want them joining in on the fun?”

“How old is Bronze anyway? He’s probably around Golden’s age right?”

I shook my head. “No, he’s about five years old, right?” I looked over to the bed and saw Bronze nodding in agreement. “Besides, he needs to stay here until the doctor says he can leave.”

Without waiting for another interruption, I filled my hands with magic and shaped the spell, making it a bit more showy as I traced parts of the array as it formed. The spell flashed, making me close my eyes. When I opened them, I saw that Kat’s clothes were in tatters while mine and Lance’s were only a bit singed.

The Adept then looked at both Kat and I before taking off his coat and disarming himself. “You’re free to watch if you want, Kat. Hell, you’re free to join in if you want,” I said, pulling a clasp loose and revealing my right breast completely. Soon, Lance’s shirt was off of his chest and was now taking off his gloves.

I stepped closer to Lance and kissed him deeply, rubbing my hand across his lower chest as my other one loosed my left breast from its prison. Lance returned the kiss as my hand now reached his pants. I began to undo the zipper as I came across his Boxer briefs once again. My mortal enemy.

I giggled as I reached inside, stroking his package lightly. “You know exactly how to tempt me, do you?” He said as I felt it stiffen.

“I learned from the best,” I said, thinking of my time with Luna. “I could-” I slapped myself in realization. “Damn it! I almost forgot that I’m pregnant.”

I sighed as I withdrew my hand from his boxers.”Oh boy… Does that mean we have to wait ‘til afterwards?”

“Yeah, and I was looking forward to it, too. Oh, would you be okay if we had an open relationship?”

“Can you explain to me what that is?”

“Basically we’re okay with each other sleeping with others and won’t get mad because of it.”

Lance nodded. “Sure.”

Kat rolled her eyes at us. "I'm gonna go keep Bronze company. I'm not interested in this." She teleported off.

The Adept sighed. But then, a new thought came into my mind… “You know… there is more than one way we could please each other.”

Lance raise an eyebrow. “More than one?”

“Yep. But I’d feel better if you were the one watching the fillies. They tend to be a bit... adventurous if I’m not around. I’m hoping that will extend to you as well, since I told them you were going to be their father.” I gave him a kiss and continued, “I’ll show you a few when I’m back in Maretropolis.”

“I can do that. Sorry if this was a Buzzkill.”

“Nah, we were trying to get Kat in on it anyways. Just don’t get anyone else pregnant, okay?”

“Not planning on it. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I got some fillies to attend to. See you around.” With that he disappeared in a bolt of warm, blue lightning.

When I returned to the hospital to check on Bronze and Kat, I heard singing coming from the room. I wasn’t able to make out any of the words, but I knew who it was that was singing. Kat was sitting on the edge of the bed pushing a strand of hair behind Bronze’s ear as I quietly opened the door.

Kat finished her song, looking softly at the colt. "He's quite the little guy," she said.

“He’s a little trooper, too,” I whispered. “I haven’t felt any nightmares over the past two weeks. He’s stronger than you think he is.”

"And very curious. As soon as I arrived he wanted to hear one of my adventures. Wouldn't stop asking questions through the whole thing."

I chuckled, picturing just that happening. “I can imagine. So, are you wanting to adopt him now?”

Kat kept her eyes on Bronze, a sad smile slowly forming. "...yeah... Yeah, I think I am. I've never had a son before and he needs someone who will love him." She slowly looked at me. "Maxie, I'm sorry for getting harsh with you lately. There's just been a lot going on recently that I just snapped at you. And I am so sorry for taking it out on you."

I walked over and stood in front of her for a few minutes before I pulled her up into a hug and said, “You don’t have to apologize. I will be here for you no matter what, sis. You can try your hardest to make me hate you, but I will never stop considering you family. If you ever need to blow off more steam, come to me and I’ll try my best to help you.”

She smiled at me. "I wish I could, but this will probably be the last time we see each other for a while."

“I don’t care. Whenever you can or feel like it, visit. I’ll put whatever I’m doing on hold and we can talk or catch up or do what you want.” I set her back down on the bed. “Just remember, I’m waiting for you to find happiness for yourself.”

"Whatever you say," she chuckled. "However... this also means I won't be able to make it to your wedding."

“I’ll make sure the pictures last and have one of those things where we strengthen our bond again so you won’t miss out.” I turned to the door, walking out as I said, “I’m gonna go get the papers for you to fill out so you can be here if he wakes up.”

"Max wait!" Kat quickly called softly. "There's something else I need of you."

I poked my head into the door again. “Yes?”

"Max... I've found something. Out in the Void. It's wondrous, amazing, but... also extremely dangerous. I've put myself right in the middle of it. This visit was only a small break before my role truly begins. But... just in case... in case anything happens to me-...."

“If I learn of your death, I’ll make sure you join Celestia and Luna in the Tomb and I’ll make a statue of you by myself,” I said. “I’ll look for your children and adopt them. I’ll tell them every single story I can find of you and make sure they know their true mother.”

Kat nodded solemnly. "Just... just make sure my home world never learns the truth. Let them think I'm still out there."

I nodded and turned back to the hallway, determined to try to help her even more.