“What am I doing again, Twilight?” I asked confused as I stood in the center of the library.

Nearby Twilight was reading a book as I stood there like an idiot. She hummed lightly while her eyes danced across the page. Looking around the room. There was the empty Elements of Harmony case. To the right of it, was a picture of that Tree of Harmony Box with various notes and numbers with arrow pointed at said lock box. My gaze fell back on the little purple alicorn.

“I just want to test something quickly,” she said before turning to look at me. “Don’t worry, the spell won’t hurt at all!”

How reassuring.

Closing her eyes, the little alicorns horn started to glow as she performed the spell. Several seconds passed her aura started to glow brighter. Aiming her horn at me I prepared myself. Just before she fired it the door slammed opened.

“HI, TWILIGHT!”

“GAH!”

Startled, she fired the spell. Like an out of control rocket the ball of energy was headed straight for my chest. Reflexively I opened my shield and hid behind it. Making a loud *ting* the spell impacted off and in a random direction. Bouncing off a nearby mirror it struck the six mares and one dragon. The seven of them screamed in agony and fear as they were engulfed by a bright light. Once the light faded I lowered my shield and looked at it. Not a single mark.

I let out an impressive whistle while running a hand along its top edge. “Wow… I can’t wait to see what this does in combat,” I said before looking up. My jaw went slack. “… Well shit…”

On the floor sat six little fillies and one baby dragon. Pretty soon, Rainbow looked over at Applejack -whose hat sat limp on her head- and gave it a flick. Pinkie turned to Rarity as she poked her side.

“Tag, yowr it!”

Running off, Rarity followed close behind with a determined look. Looking around, Fluttershy focused on a nearby stuffed animal on a table before standing up and walking toward it. Finally, Twilight sat up rubbing her head. At the door, two figures burst in guns at the ready.

“We heard screaming!”

“And bright light! Vhat happ… en…d?”

Both Tenno looked down at the floor at the now four fillies playing a rousing game of tag. My sight fell to Twilight who looked to the side and blushed while laughing nervously. I just gave her an unamusing glare. “An age spell… really?”

“Okay, it may have been a minnow pwank,” her eyes went wide. “Why is my voice diffewent!?”

I sighed. “Life’s great…” I soon focused back on Twilight who was rubbing her tongue. “Can you change everything back?”

She lowered her hoof and looked up at me. “I, err… no…” I crossed my arms and looked down at her. Taking the hint, Twilight looked to the side again and explained. “My magic wesewves are not lawge enough to even change myself back to a mawe.” I sighed again before the sound of screaming grabbed my attention. Looking down, I could see Spike crying uncontrollably. Walking over I bent down and picked up dragon and placed him on my shoulder. Shushing him while bouncing lightly, he quickly stopped his crying.

“Ordis?” I asked over the radio.

“Yes, Excalibur?”

“How long would it take to make a couple of strollers?”

“About ten minutes. *BZZT* LESS IF YOU’D STOP RUSH- *BZZT* Why?”

“We have a problem…”

Serenity and I walked toward the train station with our two strollers made for fillies. Next to us, Twilight walked while reading a book on how to fix this. Walking past a food stall, all of the fillies sniffed the air before turning their heads toward the direction, their mouths open and drooling.

“Can we have some!?” Dash asked excitedly before looking up at Serenity with puppy dog eyes.

Nervously and apprehensively, the woman looked at me with a ‘help’ expression. Taking the hint, I jumped in to not only help her, but take the responsible trail. We needed to get to Canterlot and get this mess fixed as soon as we could so that I could get back to my damn repairs!

“Sorry, Dashie,” I replied. “But we don’t have the time.”

“But!”

“Butts are for sitting, young lady!” Unfortunately for me, my dignity comes at the cost of taking care of these fillies. Pouting, Dash slumped down in her seat as crossed her forelegs and huffed. A few minutes later we reached the train station. After grabbing nine tickets we boarded. Grabbing an open room, we unstrapped the girls and sat down. The five fillies ran around the room while Twilight took a seat next to me and Spike snoozed away in his seat. Stripping my helmet, I rubbed my face while Serenity did the same.

“It’s going to be a few hours before we get to Canterlot,” I said to the woman.

“So what do we do now?”

“Wait,” I replied while rubbing my face still. Feeling a tap on my leg I looked down to see Fluttershy looking up at me with that little stuffed animal in her grasp. Lifting her forelegs up, it was like she was telling me ‘up’. Smiling, I leaned down and grabbed the pegasus and placed her in my lap.

As the minutes passed we waited for the train to start as four of the girls ran around playing their little game. Pretty soon the train whistled loudly and the conductor gave the last call before the doors closed and the train started moving. The passing of the scenery quickly distracted the girls.

Twilight had placed her book down and yawned loudly before laying her head down on the seat and falling asleep. Fluttershy enjoyed the little back rub and ear scratches I’d occasionally give her. Serenity just sat in her seat with her head on a fist while she stared out the window.

“I’m bored…”

I looked up at Serenity. “You could always jump off the train and see what happens.” She rolled her head and gave me a deadpan look while I just smirked back at her. I huffed and shook my head. “Take a nap, find a book; I don’t know about you? But I like this.”

Serenity just sighed before standing up. “I’ll be back,” she said before opening the door to the car and leaving. Laying my head back against the top of the seat and closed my eyes. Before I knew it, I was asleep.

…

“Sir?”

…

“Sir!?”

…

“SIR!?!”

“Ah!” Startled at the voice. I rubbed my face and looked around before my vision quickly fell on a stallion standing in the doorway with a handlebar moustache and a blue suit. The room was a little dark and the light coming in from the hall was the only thing illuminating the stallion.

“Sorry for waking you, but I have to tell you something," he spoke. Looking around the now dim room I could see each filly and Serenity sound asleep. I quickly focused back on the stallion. “Apparently there was a minor rock slide on Canter Mountain that is blocking the tracks,” he explained. “We won’t be able to pull in until early morning.”

I ran a hand through my hair. “Thanks,” I thanked wearily before dropping my arm. “I’ll let them know when they wake up.”

He nodded. “Dinner will be served in the dining car and you can have the large bunk room in the second to last car.”

I nodded in response silently telling him ‘thank you’. Closing the door, he headed down the rest of the car to inform the rest of the riders. Looking around the room I could see Serenity sitting opposite of me with Rainbow to her left, Applejack to her right and Pinkie in her lap. Looking down I saw that Fluttershy was still in my lap, to my right was Twilight who was snuggling the purple baby dragon, and finally Rarity to my left. Everyone was asleep. Looking back up, I watched the woman sleep for a few seconds. It was peaceful…

Until I kicked her in the shin.

“Ow!”

Reflexively she sat up and rubbed the sore spot on her leg before looking up and glaring at my stupid half smirk. I couldn’t help but laugh at the danger. Lowering my head for a second I regained my composer. “Hungry? Dinner should be ready and we have a reserved spot in one of the cars for the night.” Sitting up, she leaned back and gave me a quizzical look. I rolled my eyes before focusing back on her. “Rocks on the tracks. We’re stuck here until they’re cleared.”

“So what do we do?”

I shrugged. “Wake up the girls and get dinner.”

Nodding lightly, Serenity placed her hands on the fillies next to her legs and started to shake them as I did the same. A few seconds later the fillies started to stir and yawn. Sitting up everyone slowly looked around the room and rubbed their tired eyes.

“Who wants dinner?” I asked innocently.

Each of the fillies slowly looked at me before a hoof shot straight up into the air.

Standing up, I grabbed the baby dragon while the rest of us walked out of the room and toward the dining cart. After walking through a few cars we came to the one we were looking for. Not very many ponies were in it, thankfully. After finding a big enough table -and seven high chairs- we quickly made our orders and waited.

The girls talked about whatever a child talks about while Twilight was reading yet another book. Serenity and I just shared some small talk while we waited. After several minutes the first waiter appeared with two mares, each of them had a large serving dish with food. After distributing the meals, they gave a light bow and left.

“Can we have cake?”

I looked up at Pinkie who had the biggest grin in the world.

“Yeah!” Dash agreed with a crack of her voice. “I want cake!”

Pretty soon the rest of the girls -except Twilight and Spike for obvious reason on his end- joined in. Swallowing my bite I sighed. “I’ll cut you all a deal,” I offered while placing my fork down on the table. “If all of you are good. We can get whatever you want. Deal?”

“OKAY!”

This is going to be something.

It didn’t take long for something to happen though. As we ate Dash kept shooting me glance as I talked to the only adult in the room. Using her wing, she slowly lifted it while never breaking eye contact, she tapped Fluttershy on the far shoulder. Falling for the trick, Fluttershy looked to the left as Dash swiped a bite of her chips. Looking back Fluttershy shrugged it off and continued eating.

Didn’t take long for her to do it again to Rarity and then back to Fluttershy. Unfortunately for both parties, Fluttershy busted Dash. The two shared a look while Dash slowly ate the chip. Fluttershy’s eyes welled up with tears while her muzzle started to scrunch up.

“Dash!” both girls heads shot over to look at me. “Care to explain why you are taking Fluttershy’s food?” Before she could answer Fluttershy burst into tears. Jumping from her seat she ran around the table before coming straight over to my seat.

“Daddy!”

I took is a shuddered breath as she said that. A rush of memories ran through my head as I looked at the child. Swallowing hard, I slowly leaned down and grabbed the pegasus and lifted her into my lap. Gently, I petted her back to calm her down as she buried her face into my chest and continued her sobbing. I took a deep breath and looked back at Dash.

Who was finishing off the last of the chips.

My look turned into a disappointed one. Dash stopped her eating and looked at me while putting on a guilty smile. Looking down at her plate she still had half of her meal left. Safe to say that I was not happy. “Any particular reason why you have not finished your meal, Dashie?”

“I’m not hungwy!” she replied rather quickly.

Pretty clear that she was lying.

“Girls?” I asked while looking around the table. Most of them were done with their meals or were very close. Finding my answer, I looked at Serenity. “Please get a waiter?” Nodding she stood from her seat and headed for the kitchen. A few seconds later she returned with a red mare in a black dress. Serenity took her seat while the mare came up to me.

“Yes?”

“What are your desserts today?” I asked politely while looking at the mare.

“Oh!” she replied happily. “We have chocolate chip cookies, cake, cupcakes, brownies, and ice cream with hot fudge!”

Looking around the table all of the girls were actively salivating. I smirked slightly before looking back at the mare with a smile.

“I’ll take seven brownies with ice cream on the top with fudge and a cookie for the little guy,” I ordered while looking at Spike during the last two words. He giggled happily while Twilight continued to feed him with a spoon and a smile. Looking back at the mare I whispered into her ear and slipped her something before leaning back in my seat. Nodding, the mare headed for the kitchen.

Quickly replacing her was a stallion who collected our plates. But when he got to Dash I stopped him.

“She’s not done.”

Both of them looked up at me. He nodded and left the plate while Dash looked at me slack jawed. She quickly huffed and slouched in her seat while crossing her forelegs and looking at the floor. Nearby the stallion passed the mare that took our orders. Walking up, she carried seven ice cream covered brownies and one cookie.

She handed the cookie to Twilight who gave it to Spike before she was given her treat. The mare placed two in front of me, one for me the other Flutters. She than distributed them to, Serenity, Rarity, Applejack, and Pinkie.

Dash was shocked.

“We are going to wait here until you finish, young lady,” I answered for her before looking around the room. “Girls, go ahead and go eat in the sleeping car. You’re dismissed.”

Serenity grabbed Spike while the girls grabbed their snack and left the room. Once they were gone I interlaced my fingers and rested my arm on the table. Opposite of me Dash sat in frustration.

“I’m not hungwy,” she huffed.

“Don’t lie to me, Dash.”

We sat there in silence for minutes.

Than an hour.

An hour and half.

And finally two.

Dash had her head resting on the table as the room sat silent. Dash glanced up at me. I sat with my eyes shut. Glancing at the door, she looked back at me. “You awake?” she asked in a very hushed whisper. “Can I go if you don’t say anything?” holding a hoof up to her ear she listened as I didn’t say anything. Smiling victoriously, she started to get out of her seat and walk past the table.

“Get in your seat, young lady.”

Dash froze as a fear filled chill rolled up her spine. She was caught and she knew it. Her shaking quickly turned into anger. “... No!”

I looked down at her with a slight bit of confusion.

“What did you-”

“I said ‘NO’!” she turned to scream at me. Tears started to well up in the corner of her eyes. “No! I hate you! You’re the worst father ever!” I took in a very sharp and shuddered breath at the mention of that word. “I hate you! You never let me have any fun and, and…” she didn’t finish as she ran out of the room and toward the back of the car crying loudly.

I was stunned.

Never once did I see myself as a father to any of them. I mean, sure I was acting like one, but the words ‘father’ or ‘dad’ were not what i was expecting. I felt sick… the one word I was looking forward to being called when I learned Melanie was pregnant…

And here I was being called the worst…

Silently, I grabbed her plate, took it to the kitchen and headed for the back of the train in Dash’s direction.

The little blue pegasus filly sat on the viewing platform of the very last car sobbing lightly. She was so lost in her sadness that she didn’t even notice me behind her.

“Dash?”

“Leave me alone!”

She continued to sob lightly with her back turned to me. Ignoring her request, I walked up to her and sat down behind her. Reaching out I grabbed her sides. Immediately she started to struggled and attempt to wiggle free while she screamed for me to ‘let her go’. Gently I placed her in my lap and wrapped both arms around her tiny form.

“Dash… I’m sorry…” She stopped her struggling and looked up at me. “I only did what I did because negative actions have consequences,” I spoke softly. Looking down, I looked the filly in her big, wet eyes. “Do you really think that taking something that wasn’t yours was right?”

She sniffled and looked down at the floor.

“... No…”

“Do you think my actions were appropriate?”

She sniffled again. “I guess…”

Silence filled the cool night air as I looked down the tracks into the darkness of the night.

“... Did you learn your lesson?”

“... Yes.”

“Good…”

We sat there in silence while the little filly continued to sit in my lap. After some time she spoke.

“Daddy? Can I pwease go now?” she asked polity. “I’m tiwered…”

Looking up at me hopefully I smiled down at her. “You sure?” I replied. “Because I have a an ice cream covered brownie that won’t eat itself.” I smirked. The little filly looked up at me with the most hopeful smile and the widest eyes. Placing the storage device I had passed to the mare earlier on the floor I tapped the top. Several seconds passed before the dessert started to form. Several more seconds later, it was ready, the ice cream still cold and the brownie and fudge was still warm.

“Your weapon,” I joked while offering her a spoon.

She didn’t hesitate to grab the spoon and dive in. Smiling, I told her to bring the glass and come straight to bed. Petting her head, she continued to devour the treat as I walked inside. Heading straight for the room we were given I stepped inside to see everyone asleep. Laying on one of the bigger beds was Serenity with Rarity, Applejack, and Pinkie while Twilight snuggled up with Spike on a smaller bed next to Fluttershy.

Heading for a free bed, I got on and lied down. Closing my eyes I waited for Dash. It wasn’t long before I heard shuffling. A few seconds later I heard somepony jump to the floor, walk over to my bed. With a grunt they jumped onto the bed and struggled for a seconds before climbing up and onto my chest. Looking up I could make out the outline of not a pegasus but an alicorn.

“Twilight?”

She continued to walk around in a circle for a moment before laying down.

“You know,” she spoke while laying her head down between her forelegs. “You would have made a gweat fawther.”

That was unexpected.

“... Thank you?”

She snuggled her head against my chest and sighed happily. The conversation ended as she started to snore lightly. Well, more like light breathing. Lifting an arm up, I gently stroked her back. Several seconds later the door to the room opened and closed, I could hear wings flapping and a pony lying down on a nearby bed.

Just like that, everyone was asleep.

“The sad part is I would never know…”

I quickly drew my pistol and aimed it at the voice. I was a little surprised at the ethereal body sitting on a nearby bunk. She was completely see through, wore a long white gown, and what little color she had was her brown hair and eyes. “Hi, daddy,” she greeted with a wave.

“Well that was unexpected,” I replied while lowering my weapon. “Christina, what are you doing here?”

“I saw you causing trouble and thought I’d see what was going on.”

I rolled my eyes and dropped my head slightly before looking back at my ghostly daughter. “Does your mother know you’re here?”

“Nope!” she replied almost proudly. “What is she going to do, kill me? I’m already dead!” she chuckled out while holding a hand to her chest and leaning out slightly. “That and I’m technically an adult.”

I sighed. “Valid point…” my attention went back to her. “Well, since we have the time. I wouldn’t mind learning about what my daughter came to be? I hope you were a good girl, and your mother was able to spend time with you?”

A smile graced her faded lips before it turned into a frown.

“I… It was hard,” she started while looking to the side. “With the war, you being gone, and moms obsession on finding you, it was a struggle at times… but she always told me that I was the most important thing in her life…” she finished while looking back at me. I opened my mouth, but was unable to say anything. I knew what I wanted to say but the reality of the situation was a hard pill to swallow. I never felt so small and put on the spot. I looked down at the little filly alicorn on my chest and petted her back.

“... I’m sorry…”

Just because I had my family, didn’t mean that they had to forgive me. They spend over nine hundred years in death. Now they are back and ‘alive’...

Just shoot me.

“It’s fine, dad.”

I looked at my daughter, shocked.

“I forgave you a very long time ago.”

I blinked twice. “... Thank you?” I think. I honestly had no idea how to properly reply to something like that.

“You had an obligation,” she explained. “You were fighting. Mom explained everything when she thought I was old enough.”

“I still could have come and visited… and I probably should have…”

“What's done is done.”

“But it's haunted me for years…”

She just looked at me with interest.

I placed my head on the pillow and looked at the darkened ceiling of the car. “P.T.S.D., nightmares, visions, replaying the same thing over and over in my head. From the day I left to save you and your mother to the day we ran for our lives…”

“I still remember that story…” she spoke softly while looking to the side.

I lifted my head and raised an eyebrow at her. Glancing to the side she placed her hands on the bunk and kicked her feet back and forth. SHe sighed.

“After the war you were painted as a traitor, as you know?” she started.

I nodded.

“Unlike the rest of the population, mom knew that you always did what you did for a good reason,” she explained. “After the war, she spent the next several years searching for you. She searched data files. Talked to survivors, and even got a guy to bring her personal battle files from the old bunker…”

She paused.

“But it was when she ran into…”

Opening the door, Melanie Davis stood in the doorway of the run down bar. Looking around the room, the place had a slight haze of cigar smoke and smelled like booze… obviously. The place had a body at every table, making her once original plan to sit alone go right out the window!

Surveying the scene, her sights fell to the bar. At it sat a lone man clearly hunched over a drink. Sighing, she headed for the bar. Grabbing an open seat just a few down from the drunk, she waited.

“What can I getcha sweetie?” the bartender asked with gruff voice.

“Something light,” she replied kindly. “I still have work to do.”

Nodding, the bartender headed off to make her drink. As she waited she looked around. This was definitely one of those bars that no royal would be caught dead in. As she waited, she couldn’t believe that it's been ten years since the war.

Ten very long and lonely years.

Her daughter was engaged to her current fiance, while she was coming up on her forty fifth birthday. Life was good. But the search continued. She never once gave up on the man that somehow stole her heart, even after he pointed a pistol at her and threatened her with a knife.

She huffed slightly through her nose and smile.

“I should have just screwed him that night,” she spoke softly to herself.

She did enjoy herself, he did too… and for so long! Hours!

Anyway, as the bartender placed her drink in front of her, she handed him some Ducats and sipped her drink. On the nearby Holo-feed the latest Lunaro game played loudly. The crowd rejoiced as one of the teams scored. She sighed. Holding up her drink, she spun the liquid in the glass as she looked at the red liquid inside.

‘Blood… may it run free from the tyranny that is the Orokin.’

Even though the Executors were dead, life goes on. Placing her drink back down, she sighed again. Her search once again came up fruitless. It was hard even now to get the info she was looking for. Even though she worked for a well know company in what remained of the Empire, people were still set firm on forgetting the past.

“The Tenno ruined everything!”

“They are power hungry tyrants!”

“I hope they burn in the darkest pits of Hell!”

Her excuse was for historical reasons. Well, part of it was true. Her firm wanted records, she had to find them. One of the biggest reasons she applied for the job. She sighed again as her now ten year search lead to yet another dead end.

“But I’m married to one…”

That sentence made her look down at the wedding ring that sat on her finger. Her mind flashed back to her first kiss, him dropping to knee and proposing, the endless hours of riding-

She shook her head free of her thoughts. As much as she would love to remember that, a dirty bar such as this is not the best place to get frisky thoughts. Sipping her drink again, she looked at the screen of the Lunaro game. Looked like the Sun team was going to beat the Lua team again.

The moon… oh how she missed it.

Sucked into the void and to its destruction. One last act of defiance by the Tenno. She missed being able to lay out at night and look at it. If only her daughter could have seen it. Hard to believe that she was getting married. She was knocked out of her thoughts as the drunk to her right practically dropped his glass on the bar with a heavy resounding *tink*.

“Another!” he demanded.

She heard the bartender groan before she looked at him. He walked over, took the glass, and refiled it. “You better have money,” the bartender spoke with an aggressive tone while placing the drink on the bar and leaning on it with both hands. “Or you’ll be worrying about something other than your liver!”

The drunk took a big swig of his drink.

“I’m a freaking scientist!” he exclaimed with a slur. “I’ll just fix myself!”

The bartender groaned again before walking away, saying something under his breath. Clearly this professional alcoholic was not what he just said he was. Turning back to her drink, she sipped it lightly and did her best to ignore the man. Glancing to the side, she could see him still holding his drink but it face was flat on the table.

“I used to be!” He started while quickly sitting up and throwing his head back, causing her to yelp lightly. “The greatest scientist… humanity would ever, know!” he practically yelled to ceiling before leaning back over the bar.

It was going to be one of those nights.

“I… helped create… one of the most technologically advanced suits… known to man!” he said through his drunkenness. “I created… the Tenno!”

That immediately grabbed the woman's attention.

“Excuse me, sir?” she asked kindly causing him to roll his head in her direction. “What did you just say?”

“I…” he belched loudly. “I created the Tenno!”

She listened intently as he continued his seemingly drunken claim.

“Several yearsss ago…” he started or… slurred. “Just as the war was beginning… I was recruited to start building suits infused with void energy! We made dozens of them… all they needed… were pilots…” he took a heavy swig of his drink and dropped the glass heavily on the counter, causing it to *tink* loudly. “We were overjoyed… but we lacked volunteers…”

“How did you find them?” she inquired.

He turned and looked at her with a smirk.

“They found us…” he held up his glass and looked into it with a single eye. “It all started… with him…” he paused. “A young man… no older than twenty…” he placed the glass back on the table. “Sharp lad… I… I admired him greatly… we -ugh, woo… we became fast friends… he volunteered to do what no one else would!” he yelled while leaning back in his seat and finishing off his drink. Leaning back to his previous hunch he looked into the glass again. “Hey? Where did my drink go?” he looked up and around. “I require another!”

The bartender walked back over.

“I think you’ve had enough,” he said.

“No!” Melanie replied quickly. “I-I mean, I-I’ll pay. Just bring him another one. Please?” she asked kindly.

The man grumbled under his breath for a moment. “Only because you’re the prettiest face I’ve seen in here in a long time,” the bartender replied before walking away. She turned to the drunk.

“Please. Continue.”

“He was a good boy…” he continued. “I still remember what he said when we had him strapped down to that table… hehe… he hated fiddles…” She furrowed her brow and gave him a confusing look. “Or… maybe it was needles?” he shook his head. “Anyway! We injected the Tennogen virus into him and he beefed up like a tank! Went from skinny and white… to well, not so skinny… he was still white though…” The bartender returned and placed a new drink down in front of the man. “Hallelujah!” he rejoiced. “Uh… where was I?”

“You injected him with a virus,” she reminded.

“Ah, yes! And… and… and… woo…” he attempted to continue as he swayed in his seat. “And he was the greatest soldier… that ever lived! He put the best Dax soldiers to shame… and he wasn't even in the military!” the man seemed to chuckle at his memories. “A fine young… man…” he said while belching out the last word.

“What was he like?” she asked, curious.

“Nice, and funny…” he turned to face her with a serious look while he placed a hand on the table. She felt slightly intimidated and recoiled back lightly. “But if you got on his bad side…” he said in a serious tone. “You would be hurtin’!” he lowered his arm and relaxed while she too relaxed.

“I remember when he saved this little girl… she was burned on ninety percent of her body… third degree too… but he never gave up on her,” the man looked at Melanie with a smile. “He went and adopted her as his little sister…” he looked forward yet again. “The warrior with a heart as soft as a puppy's fur…”

“What suit did he wear?”

“The very first!” the man exclaimed enthusiastically while pointing a finger forward. “We called it… Excalibur,” he said slowly. “You know after the sword and… and… shit…”

She opened her mouth to speak again but was cut off.

“A fine warrior!” he continued with the same sense of excitement. “He… they… were our salvation… until the Executors turned on us…” he said darkly with a hint of venom while clenching a fist. “After all we did for the Empire, they saw him, his followers, and those that created him… as animals…”

“I’ve heard the stories,” she interjected while glancing to the side. “But I want to know what you think?”

The man sighed. “It all started when they executed Margulis… The Tenno were just day from ending the war… when I was arrested and she was... murdered…” he said the last word angrily. “That's when I contacted him… he… he… he was furious… they came back to a hero's welcome… but it hid the true intention…”

“And what was that?”

“They would be executed for treason…” he explained. “On false charges…” he turned to look at her. With the best serious look he could muster. “The Executors… were afraid…” he smirked at her before turning and looking forward yet again. He chuckled. “Our fearless leaders… afraid… I would have loved to have been there when he thrusted his blade through their chests…”

She looked down to the side for a moment. “What of the Tenno?” she asked. “Do you know what happened to them?”

“To the stars!” he said enthusiastically while leaning back on his seat, kicking his legs out, throwing his head back, and holding his hands to the sky. He once again went back to his more relaxed position over his drink. “Some say they left to finish what the Sentients couldn’t… others… so they could create their own screwed up society…”

Silence filled the air between the pair.

“What do you believe?”

He turned his head and gave her a quizzical look. He squinted his left eye and raised his right eyebrow.

“They ran… because they were scared…” he turned back and took a swig of his drink. “They would never be accepted by us… the Executors lied to the masses… and they believed it… no one knew the Tenno like I did…” this time he lightly sipped his drink. “None of us wanted this war… Excalibur told me this often…”

“What did he want?”

“He always said that when the war was over… he was going to go to his wife… hold her, kiss her, fuck her… not in that order, of course,” he explained while turning his head and laughing with a pursed in half smirk. Melanie turned her head and found a particular spot on the bar interesting while she used her hair to hide her blush. “And that he was going to be the father he wanted to be…”

She was still struggling with the fact that her loving husband said that he was going to screw her immediately after he came to see her… at least… that was the plan. Which never happened. Not that she would have minded, of course.

“What was her name?”

“Melissa, Melesha, or...something like that,” he answered while breathing out the last part of the sentence.

“Do you think they will ever return?”

He sighed and deflated slightly. “Not in our lifetime… as much as I would like to see my friend again…I know he would never return… people never forget.” he turned and looked at her again. “Especially those that hold grudges…”

A feeling of sadness washed over her. That thought had always been there. He left, and never looked back. At least… she could put this whole thing to rest.

“Do you remember his name? The young pilot?”

“Operator,” he corrected. “It was… Christian Davis…”

She smiled happily knowing that everything she had believed was true. She was watching the feed when her beloved husband opened fire on the crowd. She was informed like everyone else how the Tenno killed the Executors. She heard it all… but she never believed it.

He always acted for a reason.

If he was going to end a regime, he had a very valid reason.

A lone tear rolled down her cheek.

Wiping it with her sleeve she looked back at the man.

“Thank you… for everything…”

“No… problem,” he replied with a deep breath.

Standing up, she placed a few Ducats on the table for her ‘friend’ before turning around. She stopped and turned back to him.

“I’m sorry, but… I never got your name?”

He lowered his cup from his latest swig.

“Jazier… the greatest mind… the world will never know…”

She smile. “Thank you, Jazier.”

He held up a limp arm and lazily waved his hand. Turning, she head for the door and towards home. After a short walk to her vehicle she ultimately drove home. Sitting in her little home, she was working on her work for the next day when the door to her home clicked open.

“Mom!” she heard her daughter call. “Mom, are you home?”

“Kitchen, sweetie!” she hollered to her daughter.

She heard footsteps as he daughter walked through the home and into the kitchen. Several seconds later her daughter walked in. She smiled as her loving daughter walked into the room and immediately towards the fridge. She poured herself a glass of milk before putting the gallon back and heading towards the center table. “What are you up to?” she inquired while taking a sip of her drink.

The woman glanced at her child before she smirked and closed her holo-screen.

“Take a seat, sweetie,” she offered.

Taking up the offer, the younger woman pulled out a chair and took a seat at the simple table while putting her glass on the table. The elder just looked at her child and smiled. She always loved how much her dark hair matched her father's. She was always so beautiful in the right light. No wonder her fiance fell for her.

“You know I love you. Right?”

Her daughter blinked and recoiled back slightly in her seat. Slightly confused, she studied her mothers warm and gentle smile before leaning forward slightly. “Yeah? So?”

“And your father does too?”

“Where is all this coming from?” her daughter questioned. “You of all people know that I never knew dad. And we all know what he and his followers did?”

Melanie sighed. So it was turning into another one of these conversations? It took forever to try and convince her that what she had learned in all her years of school was wrong. She looked her daughter right in the eye. “I met a man tonight… and he told me the truth.”

She spent the next hour explaining the discussion she had with the drunken man at the bar and how everything she had thought and believed was true. Listening to what her mother had to say, the younger daughter waited for the story to end.

“And you believed a drunk?”

Her mother rolled her eyes. “My research backed up his claims. Here.” She opened the feed to her computer and fiddled with the interactive screen for several seconds before swiping her hand and turning the screen. On it was a name, face, and brief history.

“Jazier Rohanda,” her daughter started while reading from the screen. “Once known as the greatest minds of our time, he was tasked with the creation of our salvation. One of the sole creators of the Tenno project, he started the end of the war. Uh… useless info, yaddayaddayadda… uhm… okay here we go. Jazier Rohanda was arrested for his treasonous crimes in aiding the Tenno tyrants. After the death of the beloved Executors, he was set free by the Tenno. Willingly yet fearfully, he handed himself over and gave up any and all information on Tenno project. He served a minor sentence and was set free,” her daughter finished while leaning back in her seat and looking at her mother.

She closed the feed.

“I don't know what to say…” her daughter said with a slight tone of disbelief. “Either you’ve finally lost it… or that drunk was right…”

“Mom finally convinced me that night,” she finished.

I looked down at Twilight and smiled while chuckling lightly. “I don't even remember where I was then,” I said while rubbing the right side of my face. I dropped my hand. “I was probably on some rock studying something or was working as a merc.”

Christina jumped from her perch and hovered above the ground. “Yeah, well... “ she said while hovering towards me. “For twenty five years I carried that light hint that you did what you did because you were killer and that's all you knew.” she stopped next to the bed. “I judged you when I never even knew you…”

Now I just felt sick.

“Dad?” she said softly, grabbing my attention. “I maybe nothing but a disembodied spirit. But I still love you… I always did…” she signed and looked at the floor. “I would have given up everything just to have you…” I observed as a white dot appeared in her ethereal eye and roll down her face. It was as if she was crying. She looked at me with a big, closed mouth smile. “And here you are!” she said happily, before her smile turned into a frown. “And yet I will never be able to hold you…”

She slowly reached a hand down. I watched as it just fazed through me, making the area go cold and numb. Letting out a shuddered breath, she removed her hand.

“What the hell!?” she screamed in a panic.

She grabbed her arm before she screamed and disappeared in a flash of light. Opening my eyes, I looked around the room. But she was gone.

“Well this is something?”

My attention shot down to Twilight, who was now sitting up in my lap while examining a hoof. She rolled it around and examined it before lifting her flank in the air and looking at it. “Well shit…”

This is awkward.

The little filly looked up at me. “At least I can hold you now.”

I closed my eyes and shook my head quickly.

“Christina?”

Her ears fell flat while she avoided eye contact and laughed sheepishly. “Ahehe… yeah…”

“Did you know you could do this?”

Her ears perked up as she looked back at me again.

“... No?”

I took a deep breath, grabbed the bridge of my nose and groaned. “Well…” I said while opening my eyes and lowering my arm. “You might as well get out and let Twilight have her body back… without issue…” I said the last part to myself.

She gulped. “Do… do I have too?” she asked in a hurt tone. I furrowed my brow. Well… yeah! She’s a ghost and Twilight is her own person. Being torn out of your own conscious is a pretty serious thing since you are losing your own will. Before I could answer she spoke again. “I-I mean… this is the first time that I can actually hold you…”

I bit my lower lip and groaned in uncertainty. This wasn’t how it was supposed to be… Why did this have to happen? I was starting to feel sick again as she just looked up at me with tears welling up in her eyes. I closed my eyes and turned my head to avoid looking at her.

“Daddy?”

“Oh god! Sweetie, dont…”

“Please?” I could hear the pain in her voice as she attempted to crawl up my chest. “All I ever wanted was to be with you! Please!?” she screamed. Amazingly, no one woke up.

“This isn’t right!” I shot back while looking at her. She recoiled back slightly with her ears falling flat. “You’re dead! Your mother's dead!” My breathing was labored as I looked at the crying filly. “Morally, emotionally, and physically this is all wrong!”

She just looked at me in utter shock. Here was my daughter, my ‘own flesh and blood’ and I was pushing her away. Being beaten with a Lecta or an Atterax would have been more bearable than this. Her lower lip quivered as she just stared up at me with the big purple eyes. Her ears fell back while she looked down to the side and sighed.

“I always knew you never loved me…”

‘Oh god! What have I done!?!’

In a flash of light, Twilight’s body fell limp in my lap while my daughter materialized next to the bed. She was still avoiding eye contact as she floated away. There were no words to express the horrid feelings that were welling up in my chest. “I’ll leave you be,” she sniffled. “Just like how you left us…” lifting her hands she held them in front of her as what I assumed to be runes and symbols started to appear.

“Wait…”

The symbols faded as she lowered her her arms and turned slightly to look at me. That face… I'll never forget that look of hope in her eyes. But at the same time there was that look of fear.

“Honey,” I said softly, but the pain was all too clear. “It was my fault for not coming back…” slowly I looked up at her with my own saddened gaze. My eyes meet with her beautiful brown ones.

She must have been perfect on her wedding day.

“I always loved you…” I continued. “Even after I knew you were long since passed I never stopped loving you…” I struggled to continue through the array of emotions i was feeling. “Please…” i begged. “I don't want to drive you away… especially when you're so close to me…”

She just stood there, mouth agape a tears welled up in the corners of my eyes. She didn't say anything as she continued to search my soul for for any hint of malice or lies. After several seconds she closed her mouth and looked at the floor while holding a hand to her chest. I could see the emotions welling up inside of her.

“For tonight,” I said softly grabbing her attention. “I would have given up everything just to play with you once…”

She gave me the shakiest and biggest grin. In a flash of light she disappeared back into Twilight’s body. “Daddy!” she screamed joyously while lunging and wrapping her tiny hooves around me neck. She sobbed silently into my covered neck as I did my best to wrap my arms around her tiny form. I smiled contently. For the first time in a millennia...

I had my daughter.

The two of us played throughout the night. That little smile she had never left her face. We laughed and we loved. She giggled as I held her and tickled her belly. Doing our best to keep from waking anyone, we played the night away. But alas…

All good things must come to an end.

Twilight was going to be dead tired when she wakes up.

Author's Notes:

Because funny and feels... hopefully I did good?