Chapter 39

“I spy with my little eye…” Dave tapped his chin

“Tree” Odio grumbled

“Ok… I spy with my little eye”

“Moon” Odio yawned

“You know this would be a lot more fun if you didn’t read my mind” Dave shuffled his grip on his bag “So we have been walking for a long time now”

“It’s been five minutes”

Dave shrugged “I’m bored, no offence but you aren’t great company”

Odio sighed, “Well I can read you a story if you like”

“Wow” Dave rolled his eyes sarcastically “Fine is it interesting?”

“Yes it involves me actually” Odio coughed to clear his spiritual throat “I had an interest in love with a nice mare called Maredusa”

“Wait that sounds similar” Dave tapped his head

“Yes it is basically a pony version of Medusa in your Greek tales” Odio sighed happily “She had two very sexy anacondas that stretched down her front”

“Did you have fun?” Dave gave a cheeky smile

Odio chuckled “Yeah I loved the way she screamed as I plucked each snake from her ugly head”

Dave’s smile dropped and his eyes widened “I thought you said you loved her?”

“I said interest in love, I was interested in where this love emotion came from, so I cut her open,” Odio grumbled in disappointment “Never did find the elusive love muscle”

Dave stopped at the edge of the Everfree forest “Aww crap, this was east of my house?”

“Told you to go west” Odio said proudly “Too late now”

Dave shrugged as he stepped carefully between the trees “So what happens if I run into of the ahem ‘friendly’ wildlife?”

“Stand your ground? Don’t take shit from anything,” Odio growled, “you have me on your side remember?”

“Yeah I admit the strength and healing is quite nice” Dave hummed “Is there anything else? Flight or telekinesis?”

Odio rummaged inside Dave’s head “I could give you that stuff but it wouldn’t be fair on everypony else”

“Whose side are you on?” Dave stepped out from the bushes and trees and found a suitable path

“Well to be honest I enjoy watching you and your opponent kick the shit out of each other” Odio chuckled “I even have a highlight reel for when I’m bored”

Dave stopped as he saw Zecora’s house, he crept quietly around avoiding dry twigs and dead leaves

“You seem to like swearing a lot,” Dave whispered when he was clear of the clearing that housed Zecora’s home

Odio muttered a few swears as he thought “Equestria hasn’t got any swear words so these are quite nice to use”

“Are we going to make it to the other side of the forest by tomorrow?” Dave asked as he stopped at a small cave in the side of a rising mountain

“No, sleep if you want” Odio forced a yawned “I’m just tired of doing fuck all in your head”

Dave crouched into the cave “I thought that you can do anything in there?”

“Imagination’s a bitch” Odio grumbled, “I’m too busy forcing myself to remain inside your body to think of anything”

Dave unpacked his sleeping bag and crawled inside “Go through my memories and find something labelled under… time wasting”

“Time wasting? Umm… I found wanking time but not time wasting” Odio paused “Wow you have a weird fetish”

“Yeah well I slept with a pony princess that raises the sun so I don’t classify much else as weird” Dave rested his head on his bag “Ok try… video games”

“WOW this is a large chunk of space” Odio crashed into the new information “Wow you have played a lot”

“Have fun!” Dave said happily as he drifted off to sleep

Meanwhile…

Strong Shield teleported into the barracks, he stumbled from the effort required to teleport such a long distance

A few guards saluted him as he marched past them and out of the barracks, Strong Shield walked along the white corridors, the gathering clouds outside signalled a coming rain

Strong Shield’s marching took him to Celestia’s quarters, he saluted the guards “The princess sent for me” he lied, the guards never questioned him as he stepped into the room, closing the door behind him

“Oh Strong Shield” Celestia was slightly taken back by the random, unannounced entrance “Is something the matter?”

Strong Shield’s eyes narrowed “I hope you told the truth to Dave”

“Truth?” Celestia thought “you mean about my pregnancy don’t you?”

“I swear that if you lied and you hurt him anymore you will regret it” Strong Shield’s glare only seemed to turn the threat into a promise

Celestia sighed, “I admit he was a little hurt”

“A little?” Strong Shield shook his head “he was devastated the way you seemed happy about it”

“I take it you went to his home, how was he?” Celestia sat as a concerned look managed to cross her face

Strong Shield shook his head “I don’t know what you said to him in that hospital but he is not in a good place right now”

Celestia gaze out of the window the moon was nearing the top of the sky “He was… ok when I left him”

“Well he changed because I left an emotionless husk sat in a dark house” Strong Shield lost his glare “I think you should make your standing clear, either have him or cut him off completely, none of this ‘I love you but you must do this’ nonsense”

Celestia stood and held her head high, her wings unfolded and she looked down at her guard “Who are you to give me orders?”

“I am the father of the one you supposedly love” Strong Shield did not shy away from the princess “You do love him?”

“Of course” Celestia frowned “Why does everypony question me on that?”

Strong Shield chuckled briefly “Because he seems to try and be with you but you appear to be stringing him along, using him”

Celestia gasped, “I never forced him to do anything!”

“But he did things because YOU asked him to” Strong Shield shook his head “If it had been anypony else he would have said no”

“I made it clear he never had to do anything”

“YOU made it clear that it would make you happy” Strong Shield frowned “Do you love Dave?”

“Yes I do” Celestia’s wings fell as she sagged to the floor “By the sun I do”

Strong Shield paced over and stood tall “Do you want to hold him and be with him forever?”

“Y-yes” Celestia looked up at her sergeant

“Then why would you give him away?” Strong Shield knew the answer already

“For Equestria… the elements need to…” She was cut off as Strong Shield stamped his hoof

“The elements are only needed for a crisis, the changeling queen and her army was stopped by Captain Shining Armour and Princess Cadence” Strong Shield looked down at the white alicorn “You thought the elements were needed… I lost an eye then but I still saw what happened”

“I know what you are saying… the elements aren’t the only solution” Celestia levitated a small wooden box over, she smiled as she opened it and removed the silver bracelet “I’ve been foolish haven’t I?”

“Princess excuse my language but… yes, it’s about fucking time you realised that” Strong Shield rocked his head side to side “Don’t ask about the word I heard Dave say it”

“Well you have a fine son” Celestia smiled as she climbed to her hooves “Am I too late? Has Dave fully committed to the harem?”

Strong Shield saluted “He is more committed to you”

Celestia allowed herself to give the sergeant a small hug “Thank you for helping me see the way, I will make your son happy”

“You better had” Strong Shield walked over to the door “If you do get married please wait until I’m dead… I don’t want to be called daddy by you as well”

Celestia smiled “Time will tell” she sighed happily as she followed the guard “Seeing as I don’t have a father you might have to give me away”

“Does that involve dressing in a suit?”

“Yes most likely” Celestia walked side by side with her guard as they left the room and down into the castle

Strong Shield grumbled, “I’m busy that day”

Celestia smiled “I will try to stop you receiving any special treatment”

The pair walked down into the large throne room, Luna sat on the tall dark throne that currently sat at the top of the room

“Sister I thought you would be sleeping” Luna smiled as her sister neared “What has brought you here?”

Celestia hugged Luna, the princess of the night returned the hug out of confusion “I just want you to know that whatever happens… I love you”

“I… love you too sister” Luna released Celestia and noticed the bracelet around her hoof “Are you going to join the harem?”

Celestia shook her head “I’m sorry Luna, but I have to do this”

Luna looked into her sisters caring eyes “You’re going to… take him from the harem?”

“Yes” Celestia nodded gently “I know he means a lot to you but… he isn’t happy with the harem”

“What about the plan to keep the elements as friends?” Luna shook her head “Equestria will be at risk”

Celestia glanced at Strong Shield “The elements don’t solve everything” she smiled again “Equestria has to learn to fend for itself”

Luna’s eyes began to water “But you will take him from me”

“I know and I’m sorry” The white alicorn embraced her smaller sibling “But I know he cares for you as you do for him… but you have to think about his happiness”

“Like you should have?” Luna held her sister tight

Celestia sighed “yes… I’m afraid his happiness also joins with mine, we love each other”

Luna smiled “I know you both do… and I am happy seeing you both happy together”

The alicorns released each other, they both laughed at each other’s teary faces, Strong Shield stood to attention as they both looked at him “I am not being a father figure to you all” he stated

Luna used her magic to wipe Celestia’s tears “Go on now… there is somepony waiting”

“I will return soon Luna” Celestia gave her a small kiss on the head “And everything will be just fine”

Celestia vanished in a flash of light, Luna grew a sly grin as her gaze fell on Strong Shield “You know what we should do?”

“What?” Strong Shield was slightly unnerved by his princess’s smile

“We should follow my sister and surprise her and Dave when they get together” Luna hopped over to Strong Shield, her horn began glowing “That’s an order!”

Meanwhile…

Celestia appeared at Dave’s front door “Dave? It’s me Celestia” she called as she knocked the door, the door swung open as her hoof made contact

The house was cold and dark, the light in the living room was dull from being left on for so long, Celestia used her magic to turn the lights on for the kitchen, it gave enough extra light to look around properly

“Dave?” She called nervously as she stepped in, the sound of silence made each step more uncomfortable than the last

Celestia looked around the room until her gaze fell onto a letter that rested on the table, it had her name written across the front so she sat down and opened it

Dear Celestia

I am sorry to let you down but I had to leave, the harem would have never worked so this is the next best thing to keep the girls as friends

I wish I could stay, to have friends… to see you, but this is for the best and it is what you would have wanted so I am happy to oblige

To make sure the girls, Spike or anypony cannot follow me I have no idea which way I am going, if I get lost then that is good

Tell Strong Shield that I am sorry that I couldn’t be a better (symbolic) son to him, I hope I made him proud in the short time I have been here

I hope you find somepony that can make you as happy as I would have wanted you to be

Love Dave Shield

Celestia’s magic faded and the letter fell to the floor, her gaze never moved from where the last three words hung

Luna jumped in followed by a grumpy Strong Shield “Surprise!” Luna called, her smile dropped when she saw her big sister’s horrified face, she looked as if she had watched the destruction of Equestria “What’s wrong?”

Strong Shield levitated the letter over to himself and he read it through, his serious face almost buckled as the paper creased due to his sudden grip with magic

Luna used her magic to wrestle the letter from the guard, she gave them both concerned glances until she read it and dropped to the floor “No…” she whispered in disbelief

The trio sat in silence until Strong Shield turned to Luna “Send me back and I will form a search party”

Celestia shook her head “He’s gone… I was too late” a tear rolled down her face

“NO!” Strong Shield bellowed, “I am NOT giving up… I said send me back!”

“Celestia… he wrote that this would have been what you wanted” Luna shook her head, her horn glowed as the letter curled into a ball and she threw it at her sister, it bounced harmlessly from the golden attire she wore “You did this… you drove him away with your stupid concerns”

“Dave?” Celestia finally managed to whisper to herself

Luna stood and stamped her hooves angrily “You drove him away from all of us… forever”

“I’m sorry” Celestia dropped her head sadly as the tears continued to stream down her face

“Sorry?” Strong Shield snarled, “He could be in danger because of you… I have lost my son” he spat in disgust

Luna stood next to the growling sergeant “Lets go find Dave” she whispered to him, she glanced at her sister before teleporting “You don’t deserve him!” she sighed angrily

Celestia opened her eyes as the bright flash of light faded from the room, she picked the letter from the floor and opened it flat again, she hugged the final remnant of Dave she would ever have

“I’m sorry Dave… I just wanted…” Celestia could not finish the sentence as she looked out the window “I just want you to come back”

Meanwhile…

Dave rolled onto his front as he pushed himself to his knees, the darkness of the forest helped him sleep but the constant howls and roars made it restless

“How much further until we are out of this forest?” Dave grumbled

“BOOM HEADSHOT!” Odio yelled, “Oops sorry I was just playing some of the stuff up here”

Dave rolled his sleeping bag up and repacked it inside his bag “Whatever… do you think I made the wrong choice? Leaving?”

Odio sighed, “Yes you made the right choice, now if you walk long and hard and only stop to sleep you should be out of the forest in a day or two then near the mountains a day after”

Dave rubbed his eyes as he picked up his bag, “Woo” he said sarcastically as he began walking again