P.O.V. Excalibur Prime.

Well… here I am… running for my life… again.

Except this time I have tears streaming down my face. It had been about three months since I ran into Melanie. Well… since I wasn’t going to get rid of her, I decided to learn more about her. I told her my name, where I was born, what I used to do for a living, and how life was like before the Sentient attack. She also told me about herself.

She wasn’t very good on street smarts but she had book smarts. She really knew her stuff. She liked to read, was a little bit of an antisocial. Was always the teacher’s pet, passed every class with flying colors, liked to tinker with stuff, and loved science.

Well one day we were sitting and looking at the stars. And well… we looked each other in the eyes… and I knew it was love. We shared our first kiss that night. The next day, while on a scav –or loot- run I found a beautiful ring. The diamond was cut into the shape of a heart. I snuck the ring into my pocket, and continued the day. Later that night, I took her hand in mine, took a knee, and proposed.

And she said yes!

The next day we did a mock wedding with just us. We ran through the vows and did our best to remember what a pastor would say. When one of us stumbled we would laugh and smile. I never felt so happy before in my life! Now the honeymoon clearly wasn’t anything special. We spent the day just holding each other and stealing the occasional kiss. Well, at twilight one thing led to another and well… we did the tube snake boogie inside a sleeping bag… we held hands through the entire thing.

ANYWAY, it made me happy that I was going to be a father. But I was afraid that I wouldn’t be able to keep her alive for the next nine months. I mean, who would want to raise a child in the apocalypse? I loved her and I was going to do everything I could to protect her.

But is leaving her so that I die and she lives the best way to protect the one that’s closest to you?

We ended up running into a small band of survivors that welcomed us with open arms. One day, while we were scavenging for anything we could find, an Oculyst or Sentient scout caught us out in the open. It called for reinforcements and immediately, two in the group were killed. We ran like hell and fought as best as we could. Only Melanie and I were uninjured. The five remaining survivors, me, and my wife ended up hiding in small house.

We were out of ammo and cornered. I made a split second decision.

“I’ll go.”

“No! I won’t let you!” retaliated Melanie.

I looked at her, she was already crying uncontrollably, “Honey I’m sorry, but otherwise everyone else here is going to die!”

She started to cry harder. She shook her head left and right, “No! I love you! I won’t let you do this!”

I took her hands in mine and held them to my chest, “Please, I know this is hard, but I won’t allow you and our child to die like this,” she shook her head some more before taking me in a backbreaking, but loving hug, “I love you.”

Through the sobbing she said, “I love you too!!!”

I felt tears streaming down my cheeks. She leaned back and I looked her in the eyes. Used my pointer finger to clear the tears away before I placed my hand on her cheek, she leaned into the embrace. I smiled as I looked at my lovely wife.

I leaned and gave her a passionate kiss, after a few seconds I broke the embrace and looked her in the eyes again, “I love you.”

“I love you too,”

I let go of her…

For the final time.

I stood up and walked to the door of the basement. A young man named Kyle leaned against the wall next to the door. I looked him in the eyes and gave him a nod. He put his hand up; I grabbed it and gave it a firm shake.

“Take care of my wife,” I said. I looked back at her sobbing on the floor, “and my child.”

I looked back at him, “I will,” he said.

“Thank you,” I let go of his hand, and grabbed my rifle “I’ll draw them away. Wait five minutes before you make your move… got it?”

“Got it,” replied Kyle.

I opened the door to the basement and took one step. I looked back at him, “Thank you.”

“You’re welcome brother… be safe out there.”

“You too.”

I turned back and sprinted up the stairs. I burst out the back door and put three rounds in the air while screaming to get the attention of the Sentients. The attacking group came around the side of the building, my eyes went wide and I stumbled back before finally turning around and running at full force.

So now you see why I’m running like a coward and crying my eyes out. It’s been over an hour since I left, and it’s been a painful one since then. I rounded the corner of a building to take a breath. I peered back around the corner and saw nothing.

I leaned back against the wall. I was breathing heavily as I shook my head back and forth while I tapped my right foot out of stress, “Don’t look back don’t look back,” I said between breaths.

I looked back around the corner.

Three Sentients had appeared since I last looked and were headed straight for me.

“Shit!”

I pushed off the wall and continued running again. At this point I was more convinced that I was going to die of exhaustion before one of them killed me. I turned a corner and ran into an empty apartment building. Quickly I found the stairs and ran up to the second floor. Then I ran down that hall to the other end and went down the stairs. I was hoping to lose my attackers.

Before I rounded the corner to the hall from the stairs, I stopped and leaned against the wall. I peered around with my right eye and looked down the hallway. Seeing nothing, I made my move and ran out from the stairwell and out the door to that end of the building. I ran outside and down the street.

At some point, when I thought I was safe I entered a random home and took a breather. Now that I had time to catch my breath and think about something other than running, I cursed the world. I sweared my heart out while I cried my eyes out.

Two months… TWO FUCKING MONTHS! And I lost the only person I cared the most about! Was it worth it? Well, yes and no. I did save my wife, unborn child, and five other survivors. But was giving up the only thing I had left in life worth it? No, not at all, but love knows no bounds; I’ll be damned if what I did got her killed.

But she’s alive… and I know it.

The next day came. I left the home and started walking. I rounded a corner and heard someone scream. Out of reflex I hugged the nearest wall. Slowly but surely I walked along the wall and came to the end of the building. I peeked around and saw a teenage girl backed against a wall, with a Sentient between me and her. Quickly I leaned back against the wall and closed my eyes.

I started shaking my head back and forth while I scrunched my face, “This is a bad idea… don’t do it don’t FUCKING do it,” I said to myself.

Next thing I knew I had come out from my hiding spot and shot the Sentient in the back twice. I turned to look at me.

I looked at the girl, “RUN!” I shouldered my rifle again and shot the creature in the chest.

After shooting it five more times I turned and ran in the opposite direction. I didn’t need to look back to know that my distraction worked. I ran down the street at full speed. Here I thought I was going to have to play hide and seek again.

I… was… wrong.

“AHHHHHHHHHAAAAAAA!!!!!!”

Something hit me in the back as I screamed in agony. I felt the skin on my left shoulder burn. I fell to the ground in a heap. My breathing was staggered as I started to cry, not out of pain, but knowing that I failed my wife. I used my right hand and what I could get out of my legs to crawl across the ground. I made it about a foot before I heard that Sentient stop right behind me.

I don’t know why it didn’t finish me off right then and there. My instincts took over and I kept crawling out of reflex. I made it three more inches before I fell to the ground for the last time. All my strength was spent; I started to blackout from utter exhaustion.

In my daze I heard a voice.

“MOVEMOVEMOVE!”

I heard glass shatter and metal bend; I presumed it was a car being hit by something. I looked up for just a second to see three men headed straight for me. But they weren’t normal survivors, they wore camo, much like the military, and they had what looked like metal exoskeletons. I knew that they were works in progress before that Sentient attack, but they were prototypes not ready for service.

It would appear that someone got them fully functional.

The two men on the edges opened fire with their weapons. Once they reached me, the middle guy jumped over me and, from the sound I heard, punched the Sentient in the head. The man to the left of me kept shooting while the one on the right placed a hand on my right shoulder.

“We need to get him out of here!” said the man to my right.

“Roger that!” said the man on the left.

I felt my body start to rise in the air. I screamed in agony as he lifted me over his shoulders. He put me in a fireman’s carry and looked at his friend.

“Alright, let’s move!” he ordered.

“Roger!” replied his teammate.

Both men turned and started running faster than any Olympic runner. The man carrying me ran up a car before he jumped started running along the wall of a building. I was amazed that he was able to do that! I looked back to see the third soldier closing the gap between us.

I let my head fall limp, “This is so cool,” I said under my breath before finally blacking out.

It had been a long day. The girls, Spike and I had caught the final train out of the Crystal Empire. Everyone had fallen asleep a little while ago. They deserved it too; none of them had slept ever since my fight with Sombra. I didn’t even remember anything after my little talk with Melanie and Cristina. Now I did watch the recording of the battle, and I really lost it. I had never been that angry, then again, whatever was corrupting my systems probably aided in my anger.

There was also Twilights admittance.

One, that unfortunately, I cannot return.

Anyway, I sat in first class of the train headed for Canterlot. Personally I didn’t want first class, but the conductor said, “Anything for the heroes of the Crystal Empire!”

I decided not to argue, I was still recovering from the wound Sombra gave me.

I had my fist resting against my chin as I looked out the window. We were given a few rooms. Personally, I wanted to be alone, but Twilight had snuck in and tried to cheer me up. But after sometime she gave up and fell asleep next to me. I won’t lie; she did look cute balled up like a cat.

“… neh… Excalibur…” I heard Twilight, so I looked at her, “no don’t,” she said softly.

I could tell that she was still asleep. Apparently she was sleep talking, and by the looks of it, she was having a nightmare.

“… neh… no don’t please… don’t go…”

I sighed as I looked at the tiny purple unicorn. I leaned over and grabbed the ball of fur and brought her close to me. I rested her forelegs and head in my lap. I stroked her mane with my right hand and placed my left on her back. She seemed to hum when I started to pet her.

“It’s okay Twilight, I’m here,” I said quietly, trying to get her to calm down.

I know what its like to be haunted every time I close my eyes... its not very enjoyable.

I don’t know why I was doing it; it reminded me so much of what I gave up so long ago. I could also tell that my depression was coming back. But, I decided that I might as well enjoy the moment, so I stroked her mane until I felt she had finally calmed down. After I little while, I moved her to the side and left the room. I walked through the train cars until I came to the caboose.

I leaned my arms on the back rail and took a deep breath, “I miss you sweetheart.”

I looked up at the night sky. Even though I was sad, I was enjoying the stars. I tend to forgot the perspective one gets when you are looking up instead of looking forward. In my long life... I’ve see so much of the universe, but this always makes me feel so small.

“Hi!”

I looked over my shoulder to see…

“Pinkie? Are you hanging from the ceiling?”

“Yeah!”

My eyes went wide out of shock and confusion, “That defies all laws of physics… and gravity.”

“Your point?”

“You know what?” I leaned back to tired to argue, “I’m not going to question it at the moment.”

She jumped off the ceiling and walked up next to my right side. She placed her hooves on the rail and looked at me before looking at the night sky.

“So what’s up?” she asked happily.

“…Reminiscing.”

“About what?”

“…Someone I used to care about.”

“Let me guess…” she put a hoof to her chin, “it’s about your old wife… and her name is Melanie!”

I looked at her with shock and confusion... again, “H-how… how did you know that!?”

“I’m Pinkie! I know everything!” she paused and leaned closer to me. She had a serious look on her face, "everything!" she said slowly before leaning back and going back to her happy self.

“That makes no sense!”

“It’s Pinkie… don’t try ta understand her.”

We both looked back to see Applejack standing there. She took that as her que to walk up and join us. She did the same as Pinkie, only to my left side.

“What’s gotcha so down sugarcube?” she asked me.

“It’s about his-”

I looked at Pinkie quickly, “Pinkie don’t!” I interrupted her before she did something I wouldn’t like. I looked back to the twin tracks, “I’m not quite ready to remember something like this... let alone talk about it.”

They both went to looking at the back of the train.

A few seconds passed. I let my head drop as I sighed, “Look… I’ve done a lot in my long life,” I looked up, “but I have always been haunted by that dreadful day I left… I damn neared died… And... I kinda wish I did…. ”

“Yah left the one yah cared about,” Applejack looked at me, “didn’t‘cha?”

I looked at her, “I did… willingly too,” I looked back.

“Why?” I could hear a hint of disgust in her voice.

“To save her life,” I looked at her again, “believe me I didn’t want to go!” I sighed and looked back at the tracks, “I… sometimes I wish I never put this suit on,” I placed my right hand over my eyes and started to cry a little.

“Excalibur… are you crying?” asked Pinkie.

I took a quick sniffle, “I am.”

“Ah never expected you, of all pony’s... ta cry,” said Applejack.

I took my face off my hand, “What can I say I’m only human…” I looked at Applejack, “I love, I hate, I smile and I cry...” I looked back at the tracks, “I’m not perfect in anyway shape or form!” I placed my head in my hands again.

I felt two separate hooves press against my back; they started to stroke up and down. I ran my hands through my hair before crossing them and laying them back on the rail.

“Ah’m sorry Excalibur."

“Thanks Applejack.”

“Me too."

“Thank you Pinkie.”

They both stopped the embrace and went back to leaning on the rail.

“So what was she like?” asked Pinkie.

I took a deep breath, “… perfect in every way… I was happy, no! Overjoyed, to have her as a wife.”

“Ah bet you were a good husband,” said Applejack.

“I was… for a man in a terrible situation.”

Some more time passed before someone spoke again.

Pinkie looked at me, “Hey Excalibur?”

I glanced at her, “Yes Pinkie?”

“When we get back home, can I throw you party? I never had the opportunity after Cadence’s wedding.”

With a smile I chucked at the thought as I looked back at the tracks again, “Hehehe. Sure, probably make me feel better anyway.”

“Okie- dokie!” she said happily.

Her enthusiasm made me smile a little.

I looked back at the night sky. I took a deep breath, “I suggest you two get some rest. We're still a few hours from arriving,” I said.

“That’s not ah bad idea,” Applejack got off the rail and looked at her friend, “come on Pinkie.”

Pinkie got off the rail and joined Applejack as they headed for the door.

“Hey girls,” I leaned back to look at the two stopped mares, “please don’t tell anyone… about what I told you… please?”

The both sat on their haunches and began this silly motion that involved crossing their heart, flapping their hooves like wings, then putting their hoof to their eye, “Cross my heart hope to fly stick a cupcake in my eye!” they said in unison

I looked at them like they each had two heads, “What was that about?”

They went back to all fours, “That’s a pinkie promise silly!” said Pinkie, “Don’t you have those where you’re from?” she gave me a questioning look.

“Oddly enough we do, but it’s nothing like that,” I said as I shook my head back and forth a little.

“What is it then?” asked Pinkie.

I held up my hand and stuck my pinky finger up, “We use our pinky fingers and interlace them when making a promise like that.”

“You have your own digit names after me!?”

I lowered my arm, “Pinkie, you weren’t even born when that digit was named.”

Her ears fell flat while she looked at the floor, “Awwwww.”

“Hehe, come on Pinkie, let’s get some rest,” said Applejack as she put a hoof on her friends shoulder.

“Okay!” said Pinkie while she perked up, “good night Excalibur!”

“Good night Pinkie,” I looked at Applejack, “night Applejack.”

“Night Excalibur, sweet dreams!”

“You too.”

They turned and headed though the door and back into the train. I turned back and leaned against the rail. I grabbed a storage device and fiddled with it for a moment until I found what I was looking for. I pressed the rebuild button and watched as a small gold rig with a steel chain around it appeared. I plucked it from the air and held it in my right hand as I looked at it.

I looked back at the sky, “Good night girls… I love you both,” I placed the small piece of metal back in the storage device and headed back to my room.

Author's Notes:

So another memory, the long lost love, the next memory is how the suit came to be. I get to explain, in my own way, how the Tenno came to be. As I said, many chapters before, U18 changed the game, but the lore behind the Tenno is still choppy, so I am literally making it up as I go. I will always prefer a man in a suit verses what the Tenno really are. I wont spoil anything for those who haven't done the Second Dream Quest, but yeah.