Chapter 5

The Truth Revealed, Part 2

*****

A whole week had come and gone since both Rarity and Fluttershy had confessed their true feelings to Sterling. And after a few dates with them both, as well as a few solo dates with them, the same man had given his all to make them feel happy around him. And not because of his looks (to which he still could not believe was any factor at all), nor because of some hype that a newspaper would want to publish. But it was not because of his riches, either.

Both of the former Element Bearers of Generosity and Kindness wanted to go out with him because of his fierce dedication to protecting their shared hometown. But not only that, but the same guy was also good with the children, was able to help any vendors in the town who needed help, and was also just a man who wanted to show his better side to them.

When it came to their dates, Sterling was able to figure out how to please the both of them. Whether it was with the two ladies at once, or just one of them with him. But either way, there was no way that either Fluttershy, nor Rarity, would go without knowing that he was a real gentleman to them.

.....

"Oh, goodness!  Do you remember when he took us out to that play in Canterlot?" Rarity almost sang out in a joyous tone to Fluttershy as they were trying out the new dresses for an important client. Rarity had been tinkering around with the creation that she was hoping would turn out great.

"Oh, yes! That play was just so nice to watch," Fluttershy nodded to her friend as a piece of the clothing was being stitched onto the left strap. "But I also remember how the three of us went to that expensive restaurant right after we watched that play," she remembered while the left sleeve was being looked at from Rarity, who was using her magic to float them around.

"And yet I wonder how it is that our boyfriend was able to afford such a wonderful gift for us both," the seamstress muttered while seeing the results. "Mmm.... no. Too much ruffles. So! I simply must tell you- Oh, do be a dear and take a look at the cloth, please, dear?" Rarity asked her friend who was modeling for her.

"Hmm? Oh! O-okay," Fluttershy nodded. After undressing herself to only her light pink undergarments in the larger dressing room, much to her unneeded embarrassment. She then saw the same material that was meant to go to the left shoulder strap. "Goodness..." she shook her head.

"Yes? Is there something wrong, dear?" Rarity asked her.

"You were right, Rarity. This ruffled shoulder cloth just won't do," Fluttershy giggled. "The time period for a bunch of ruffles is way back in the second era, where it belongs," she added to the notes for her friend.

"It's just as I feared then: I'll have to just keep the inch wide shoulder strap untouched, then," Rarity conceded as the excess material had been thrown back into a drawer that was marked 'Unneeded Materials'. "So! Before he allowed us the chance to see that play, where was the place that he took you to on your date with him?" Rarity asked her friend, who was now dressed back into a light sundress.

"Oh, um.... He took me out to a nice restaurant after he helped me with fixing the chicken coops and the birdhouses," Fluttershy answered her with a slight blush on her face. "But, uh.... he then.... eep!" she squeaked as a rather naughty thought had passed through her. "No, Fluttershy! No thinking about his-- Eep!" she squeaked again, blushing wildly.

"Goodness, darling, are you alright?" Rarity asked, concerned about her friend's well being.

With a deep breath, Fluttershy then spoke up what she was wanting to say to her.

"Yesterday, Sterling had treated me like a real woman after.... we got to my bed! EEEP!!" Fluttershy squealed out her confession before adding: "And I loved how great he was with me during the whole time..." Rarity was able to hear the words that Fluttershy was too scared to repeat again. And after hearing the confession, Rarity soon had hear turn to blush just as profusely.

"Wh... was he.... Wa-haa-HAA!" the seamstress yelled out with a gasp. Her smile, though slowly, had turned into the 'high gossip' mode that she was well known for. "Details! Details, Fluttershy! Otherwise you, my love, are not a lady!" she nearly growled to her, wanting to know how good he apparently was.

"Okay, okay...." Fluttershy relented, knowing that her girlfriend was nothing if not persistent. "You see, um..."

"Yes?" Rarity pressed her to speak up.

"His thing is at ten and a half inches tall, we went for four rounds with two for each of us, including the buildup and foreplay, and I am still sore from the pleasure that we had two days ago yesterday," Fluttershy whispered to her after cupping her hands around the ear.

This time.... Rarity was stunned to the point of being speechless. Indeed, her best friend not being able to say such things was more than expected. But this time, her best friend and love-mate was a lot braver and more assertive with him than she ever was since... ever. But instead of being angry, like in most normal situations between two best friends, Rarity had become very happy. And the only way for her to show her heightened mood was to walk up slowly to her. Before Fluttershy could ask what she was doing, Rarity had then given her a passionate, lingering kiss on her lips.

Fluttershy, even though she was surprised at first, was now even happier than ever before. The kiss from her best friend had elated her mood to go into a form of overdrive. Soon after the kiss was broken, Fluttershy had then walked Rarity over to the red couch and pulled her down with her. Soon after, the both of them were deepening their passion for each other as their kisses got even deeper.

"Does this mean....?" Rarity tried to ask her, after gasping for some air to breath.

"Yes, Rarity...." Fluttershy sighed lovingly to her. "I love you just as much as I do for him..."

The kisses had then gone into the sensual groping of each other's breasts, followed by a few giggles and moans that seemed to push them even further and further into their throes. Fluttershy had then unbuttoned the white blouse of her gorgeous love-mate and began to peck and smooch on the big chest mounds that Rarity had kept in a purple bra after laying Rarity on her back.

"Um... may I...?" Fluttershy began to ask her, licking her lips in anticipation. Rarity knew what it was that she wanted within a second of hearing that whispered suggestion. Rarity then undid her bra with a snap and revealed her breasts to her. After removing the bra and placing it under the couch, Rarity then squeezed her mounds in front of Fluttershy. The same woman who was usually very timid about such things had then taken her tongue and licked around the tip of her nipple, granting a long moan that spoke of her approval. Fluttershy could only go a little further by sucking on the nipple that her mouth was on while using her free hand to squeeze the unattended breast in an altering motion that left Rarity shuddering and moaning.

"Oh, darling... you're just too good at this..." Rarity cooed to her, feeling the pleasure coursing through her body. But as soon as she felt that she had enough, she immediately got up from her back and began to kiss her friend very passionately. "But I certainly must do the same for you..." she panted as she kissed her intensely while giving a gentle squeeze on her larger mounds.

"I agree, love.", a familiar, manly voice spoke up from a few feet away from them. They turned their heads around to see Sterling staring at them with a genuine smile that could only come from his heart. "However, I think that we should still give her a good time, Fluttershy," he said to them as he walked over to them. As soon as he got to them, Rarity had then kissed him with a deep kiss that he returned with his own to her.

"Oh, uh.... well, um... do you think that you could... um... massage Rarity while she takes her taste of me?" Fluttershy then suggested to him. Such a raw, carnal idea had then sent his loins into a feeling of fire. But as he felt it, the same fire then wrapped around his heart. He was still in love with his girlfriends. And with no objections coming from neither him nor them, he nodded. He looked to Rarity and kissed her again.

"I'll be gentle with you, babe. I love you..." he whispered to her, much to her approval, as he gently wrapped his arms around her midriff as his hands had cupped the same breasts that Fluttershy had shown her affections on. The same woman that he held had then undone the top half of her friends sundress and saw that she was not wearing a bra at all. This scene widened both Sterling and Rarity at the same time. "So beautiful...." he mumbled again, noting how Rarity spoke the same thing.

"Thank you, darlings... all of you! Mmm!" Rarity purred as she proceeded to lick the same breasts that Fluttershy wanted her to lick and flick on while Sterling had held onto her in the most tender way that a man was able to when he held a woman. His massive arms had become a security blanket for both of the ladies, he observed. And after altering her hands and mouth, Rarity had taken another nipple into her mouth and began to almost loudly suck on them. She loved the actions that were made to her before. And she would not be allowed to not pay her back in kind.

"Aah! Sterling! Please... do me as well," Fluttershy breathed out, nearly yanking his his head off as she pulled him close to her. But he paid the slight pain no mind. And then, he proceeded to do the same, mirroring Rarity's movements. And after a few moments of just sucking on the nipples, Sterling then pulled Fluttershy up from her back and sat back to where he could see Fluttershy to his immediate left.

A lustful idea had then passed through his mind. With a few moments to spare, he then cupped Rarity's breasts again while kissing her deeply.

"Hey.... how about letting Fluttershy watch us as we consummate our next step in this relationship?" Sterling whispered into Rarity's ear. But as soon as she was about to agree--

"STERLING!!!" a voice, terrified for some reason, had shouted out loudly, interrupting the would've-been step. This fear-induced scream had made them all jump. And with a rather quick recovery, Sterling had then stepped off of the couch and opened the door with a wave of his hand. Within a second, Applejack had come into the boutique and slammed the door behind her. The look on her face was a traumatized one. "HELP ME!!!" she screamed in fear, running up to him in a deep hug that almost broke his back as he felt his bones popping and snapping.

"Ap... Applejack! My-my back!" he wheezed from feeling the air escape him.

"Oops, sorry pardner," Applejack gasped before releasing him from her grasp. "Sterling! Mah family has been kidnapped! Some varmint has broken into tha home and just snatched both Granny Smith, Big Mac & Apple Bloom!" the farm girl cried to him. "Please, Sterling! Help them!" she almost begged him while on her knees.

"Now hold on, A.J.!" Sterling stopped her before she could have a breathing problem. "Take a deep breath, and focus for me," he calmly began to tell her. "Now: Tell me how your family was snatched up---!" he then gasped. A sudden thought, turning into a hunch that he had started to hope was wrong, entered into his brain. "How tall was this criminal?" he began to ask.

"Ah'd say about seven to eight feet tall," Applejack answered him with her eyebrow going up, suspicious at his sudden behavior change.

"Did he display a gray colored mohawk with sideburns on his whole head?" he pressed on.

"Yep!" AJ answered him.

"Looks like a hybrid between a gorilla and a dragon?"

"Yep!"

"Had a weapon that looks like an ugly sword?"

"Yep!"

"And did he ask for me while he wore a bloody skull with an upside-down star on his left shoulder?!"

"YEAH!"

Sterling was now done with his interrogation.

"No..... no..... not...." he mumbled before opening the door with his magic. Before he could even think to stop, his anger had taken over his sense of reasoning. This new foe against his town and friends was an old one:

"LEVIATHAN!!!!" Sterling shouted out from the top of his lungs, his voice rivaling the Royal Canterlot Voice in many ways.

.....

Meanwhile:

"Y'all let us go this instant, ya nasty meanie!!" Apple Bloom shouted out, hoping to coax the enemy to let them go. This order, instead of being replied to, was denied as the little girl was swiftly slapped with a force that would have killed her. But the ugly looking villain was not going to kill her... not yet.

"I shall do no such thing, you impudent, inbred piece of scum!" Leviathan smirked to them evilly. "Your fear is what makes me all the more powerful! And I shall harvest your bad feelings until you are all dead. And soon, you and the rest of your family will be reunited in the heavens! If I don't take your souls first!" he laughed loudly in that trademark laugh that made him known as a real villain.

"Not while Ah can kick you into a new Timberwolf den!" Big Mac threatened him. Leviathan had then taken his sword and sliced his sword to make a big scratch on his face. And as the farmer man bled out from his forehead and cheeks, the hybrid villain had begun to grunt.

"Where is the man that I really want to kill before I do in the hicks?!" he shouted out to the heavens.

"LEVIATHAN!!!!", a voice shouted out from a few kilos behind him. Leviathan then looked to the area where he heard the voice. But as he looked to where the war cry came from, he was surprised by a massive force punching him in the gut, throwing him into a larger distance. This knocked out the hybrid for a while before he could wake up.

Sterling then looked where the family was tied up and summoned a blade spell that cut the ropes that bound their hands.

"Oh, shit! Big Mac! Can you hear me?!" he almost cried to the man who was bleeding like a river. "Ah, shit! Hold on!" he commanded to him. Big Mac nodded to him, not knowing what he was about to do. A wave of his hand later, a red aura had enveloped Sterling's hand and began to close up the shallow wounds from the other man's face. When the man was satisfied with his ability to heal him, he then stood the taller one and said:

"I need you to take your family out of the town and help the citizens escape from this place! Swiftly, now!"

"But Ah can help ya!" Big Mac protested.

"If you don't leave this instant with your family, then I'll have to bury three more people!" Sterling shouted to him. But before Big Mac could persist, a deep growl was heard from a distance. "GO!!!" he shouted, prompting the other Apple family members to pick up their feet. "Evacuate the town immediately!!"

Within a few seconds, the same hostages had left the field and went into the town. Sterling then looked to the place where Leviathan was standing on his dragon feet. Another evil laugh had come from the hybrid's throat, boiling the man's blood.

"Still the same weakling that wants to save the world from all that is supposed to be natural in this world!" Leviathan chuckled.

"It is not weak to value the lives of those with no power to stop you!" Sterling snapped back, silencing his opponent for a moment.

"And all of those efforts will be in vain after I destroy your new town, just like I did to your parents back in the day!" the foe had declared to him with a widening smile. This declaration, as he would soon learn, was a bad idea to speak about. As his sword then clashed with his opponents weapon, the sounds had echoed throughout the whole world around them.

It was then that Sterling had felt his rage rising to the point where even a Berserker from the Norse countries would say 'Aw, Ragnarok no!!' if they saw it. His eyes had then become silver all over as his scars were then glowing a penetrating light as his hair was then being lifted up from an unknown breeze.

"Yes, Colonel Caliber: I am the one  that you've been looking for in order for you to avenge your parents! And oddly enough, your mother would have been able to give you a little brother or sister if she was still alive!" Leviathan laughed as he felt the rage within his opponent rising. "And now-- AAAAAAUUUUUUUUUUGGGGGGHHH!!!!" he then shrieked out as a blade had somehow penetrated his otherwise impenetrable armor before he could finish his job. But it was not the end for Sterling's desire for blood.

The same military man had then taken the sword from the chest and swung the blade to lob off Leviathan's head. But after seeing the head roll off to the ground, he then proceeded to summon a war hammer and smashed the head until the cranium was mashed into pieces. And after that was done, the same hammer transformed into an ax, and he began to chop off the limbs in an extremely gory way to smash them into oblivion. But as he did this, he felt the tears running down his face. And when there was no body part that could be identified, his rage had been significantly reduced to that of guilt and fear.

And as he walked away from his mess, the same powers within him had begun to vanish from him. And even then, as his vision began to darken, he knew that this would not bring back his parents.

"I am so sorry, Mom and Dad.... I am truly sorry!" he breathed as he felt the final level of post-adrenaline rushes hit him in the back of his head. After a second of saying that apology, his whole body had begun to shut down immediately. His only thoughts were on how the whole town was now saved. But at such a great price....

.....

Twilight, Applejack, Pinkie, Rarity, Fluttershy and Rainbow had then seen the scene at the battlefield where Sterling had fainted after helping the citizens get to the underground shelter.

"STERLING!!!" Fluttershy and Rarity shouted out in fear.

But there was no word from him.

"Let's get him to his home, girls," Twilight said to them, using a spell to levitate him from the ground.

"And hurry!" Fluttershy cried out.

.....

.....

"Lothokriin, vhaszadarrou Equis... sahnahvv-adarraagt.", he whispered to no one in particular.

.....

Within what felt like only a few minutes to him, though in reality was more than five hours, Sterling had woken up to find himself in his bedroom. His eyes had slowly fluttered to allow the light of the still ongoing day to let him know about Ponyville's welfare. And it was good of him to know that no civilian was harmed. But it was his dignity as a soldier that was wounded after remembering how he killed his long-time rival and villain.

As he slowly rose from his slumber, he had seen how the sun was certainly lower than before. It was no doubt that it was Princess Celestia who was still looking over all of her subjects. His mood was then soured, knowing that she would more than likely throw him into the lowest dungeon after hearing about his needed actions in order to save his hometown. But he still resolved, in his mind, to face the punishment that was more than likely to come his way. After taking a moment to assess his bodily health, he felt that he was able to walk.

And after rising from his bed to get to his feet, he then walked to his bathroom door. The same guilt of not saving his parents had come back to bite him in the ass. But he would not allow it to be heard until he was able to let it all out to the ones that he still considered to be the ones that he loved. The shower head was able to create the hot water that he wanted to drown himself in as he decided to take a long bath instead of a shower.

And as he was able to take in his cleaning with some soap, while applying the same agent on his hair, he was debating to himself why it was that his opponent needed to die. First: He was the same villain that murdered his parents when he was just an eight year old boy. Second: His campaign against the world outside of Equestria was one that needed to be stopped in order to save the lives of the many billions that made the countries' populace. And finally: he would not allow those who would conspire against his monarchs to go through their plans.

When the water was feeling lukewarm, he then stepped out of the tub and started to dry himself off. And every inch of his muscular body had been wiped of the water that made him look all wrinkly. And after a successful drying process, he proceeded to comb his long hair. As he looked at his face, now dried, he saw that he was growing a beard. Within a moment, he pulled out a can of shaving cream and his razor. And after a few minutes, he shaved off the beard on his face so that he could look better than before. And after taking a final look over, he then looked to the body mirror to examine himself.

What he had seen was a sight that he never saw before: All of his scars, stitch marks, bites, deep wound stories? Gone. Even the ones that were on his face. Somehow, as Sterling began to speculate, his magic had begun to work in a way that responded to his self-abusive nature; he always hated how his scars and wounds were a part of his undesired history with war. But even though he was now a little happier with how much younger he looked now, his smile faded from his view.

Sterling had to face his punishment. And as far as he knew, killing a man was a serious crime in his country. One that is punishable by death.

"Aw, to Tartarus with it all! I will face the consequences of my actions, come death or imprisonment for life!" Sterling shouted to himself with a nod. And as his left fist rose up, he then shouted: "Lothokriin, vhaszadarrou Equis... Sahnahvv-adarraagcht!"And after having said that, he stepped out of the bathroom and found himself back in the bedroom.

In just a few minutes, he had found another undershirt and he put it on before putting on his boxers and socks. Sterling then put on a pair of blue denim pants and an opened, short-sleeved, button-up gray shirt to go with his pair of runner shoes. But before he stepped out of the room as he opened the door, he contemplated the idea of bringing his card pack. He shrugged it off, knowing that he would not need it.

As Sterling headed downstairs, he heard the hushed voices of more than three people in the room. From what he could figure out, it was a whole group of women. Three of them, as he heard, were unfamiliar to him. And yet, he was able to figure it out: Royalty. Specifically, it was Celestia, Luna and another Princess named Cadance who were in the room. But along with that, there was also a few other voices that he recognized: The girls. And two of them were especially worried for him.

"I'm worried about what you'll do with him, your Highness.", Rarity spoke up.

"Please, Princess Celestia! Show him mercy, I beg of you!", Fluttershy cried in a plead to the unseen Princess. It was then that he nodded to himself, thinking that it was best to confess every last sin to his rulers.

"I am certain that if he tells us all about why he saved your town in the way that I did, then maybe he'll have to take a lesser sentence.", Celestia then spoke to them in her warm, motherly tone that had the signs of seriousness in it.

"And I will take whatever punishment you wish to give to me," Sterling then declared after seeing himself to look into Princess Celestia's purple eyes. He then knelt in front of both her, Luna, Cadance & Twilight Sparkle. "If I am to die or be imprisoned for life for the crimes and sins that I have committed in the past, then so be it. Lothokriin, vhaszadarrou Equis... sahnahvv-adarraagt.", he then spoke to them his pledge in the Old Equestrian military pledge as his head was nodded down to look at the floor.

Both Princess Celestia and Princess Luna had gasped at his pledge.

"How....? Who....?" Luna trailed off.

"Colonel Caliber," Celestia then began to command him to speak. "What happened on the 4th day of Aurora's Smile, in the 990th year of the Second Era? Tell me now," she ordered him.

With his head looking directly to her, Sterling answered her sternly:

"That was the day when Nightmare Moon had become a sniveling, whining, spoiled toddler who wanted to play with a toy, compared to the real war that was happening outside of the land of Equestria!"

"And what would your opponent say, if he was alive?" Luna then asked him, still aghast by his long answer.

"'It was the day that our goals were in our sights, and yet were set back by an unfaithful group of heretics!'", he repeated to her in a near mocking tone against those who had made that pledge.

"'For only the truest of the most loyal elites will defend the world of Equis from all that seek to destroy it!'" Celestia had translated for all of the girls that surrounded the man.

"'From here until beyond our deaths, and with a never ending courage!'", Sterling nodded to the Princess as he pounded his chest to emphasize his pledge.

"Wait! Wait! Wait a minute here, Sterling!" Twilight impatiently demanded to say. "If what I've read is correct, only the most fiercely loyal of soldiers and warriors could be given that pledge if..." she trailed off before gasping out loud, "If you've been pledged to join the Royal Elites!"

"The what now?" four of the other five girls had asked while Rainbow gasped out, "No way..."

"Yes, Twilight: Colonel Sterling Caliber, at the age of ten, was pledged to become a part of the Royal Elites for his abilities as both a Card-Summoner and as a fierce soldier in the Royal Equestrian Marine Corps before he could become an official soldier at the right age," Celestia nodded to her former apprentice. "And the same contingent of fighters were made to fight the same enemies of Equestria, thousands of years ago, long before even Luna and I were even born. And the Brutes were the greatest enemies of the Royal Elites. For they believed that taking over all of Equestria was their birthright. But the Royal Elites would not allow them to do such a thing, and so began a war that lasted for many eons until today," Celestia then explained to her subjects. Sterling knew that the Princesses knew about his unit's existence, but it felt (to him) refreshing for him to listen to his charge speaking about his history.

"And the reason for this secrecy, as far as we both know, was because of the same fights that had been taken place all over Equestria, and beyond," Princess Luna then added to the lecture. "For even my sister and I were not able to know that this young and handsome man was a part of the Royal Elites," she pointed to him with a quick wink. This gesture greatly confused him. Did she just say--?

"Sterling?" Fluttershy spoke up to the man. He raised an eyebrow at the royal ones and they gave him a confirming nod. He then turned around to look at the same woman that wanted his attention. But it was just after locking his eyes with hers that both Fluttershy and Rarity had punched him directly in his face. But even though he felt a small pain from the punches, his head had been blown back. This caused the others to jump into action to hold the two assailants back from hurting him further.

"HOW DARE YOU NOT TELL US ABOUT YOUR LIFE BACK THEN, YOU DUMB-ASS?!?!" Rarity screamed out from the top of her lungs in anger while fighting back her tears.

"HOW COULD YOU LIE TO US ABOUT WHAT YOU DID?!?!" Fluttershy screamed to him as well in the same anger that she felt.

Shamefully, Sterling hung his head as he looked away from them while he felt the tears streaming down his face. The physical pain was only that of a sting, but the emotional pain was almost too much for him to handle. He then said to them:

"It was a burden that I needed to take upon my shoulders in order to protect you and my charges...."

"Uh... 'charges'?" Applejack asked Twilight, quite confused by his last word.

"He means all of us who are Princesses, A.J.," Twilight clarified for her friend.

"Oh! Well, that makes a difference," the farm girl sarcastically muttered.

"If this is the end of the relationship that we had.... Rarity... Fluttershy...", he spoke to them with his tears dripping on the floor. "Then I won't bother you anymore... and I will leave Ponyville immediately, on whatever honor I have left in me," Sterling pledged to his soon-to-be exes.

"W.... what?" Fluttershy whispered out loud, now finding the tears that she was trying to fight back dripping like a river. And Rarity was no longer able to fight back her own tears for him.

"S... Sterling?" Rarity whimpered, hearing his words.

"Now wait just a minute, Sterling, sugar!" Applejack piped up before walking over to him. Naturally, he was afraid of what she was going to do, as was indicated by his defensive mechanism. But instead of hurting him, Applejack placed his arms around him. Sterling shivered at her touch before realizing that Applejack was only trying to hug him. He could only grasp one of her arms with his hands. "I saw that look on yer face... the one that showed how deeply sorry ya are for deceiving us all. Especially with your two girlfriends. And now y'all are sayin' that you'll leave if they want you to? Now that there is true love if ever Ah saw it, sugar!" Applejack defended him. "And Ah'm with ya, every step of the way!" she then said to him with a kiss on his cheek. This had then made the man blush just a little bit before he could compose himself again.

"To clarify..." Sterling harrumphed after composing himself to the others. "Applejack.... Crush on me?" he asked her with his eyebrow raised up. The same woman, who had just defended his honor now, had nodded to him to confirm his suspicions. "Walk over to Rarity and Fluttershy there to speak to them later about this," he said to her with his finger pointing at the other women. "Princess Luna?" he spoke to the night Princess. "Did you really just say that I look handsome some moments ago?" he asked her as his eyes widened with the memory.

"Indeed, my young soldier," Luna smiled at him. "And even my older sister can agree with me, right Celestia?" she asked her sister, who smiled back at him with a nod. "And even our niece thinks the same," she pointed to the other Princess who smiled wryly at him. Now, that.... that....

Sighing, he was about to be defeated. He knew that even though it wasn't what he wanted to hear, at least the punishment that awaited him would seem trivial compared to getting these compliments from his charges.

"And you too, Twilight?" he then asked him for the last time.

"I guess I was just.... scared to tell you, given that Rarity and Fluttershy wanted to go out with you..." Twilight sighed. Sterling could only nod to her when he gave the final inquiry:

"Do I even need to ask?"

Within a few minutes, Applejack, Rainbow Dash and Pinkie Pie all confirmed his fear.

"But.... why? W....why me? Out of all the men in the world.... why--?" he was about to ask them before he felt Fluttershy place her fingers on his lips, shushing him softly.

"While you were sleeping, Sterling," Rarity began to speak to him, "Fluttershy and I had decided that we would not allow you to break out of our relationship with you. And now that you've told us your secrets, we can only love you even more...." Rarity purred to him as she wrapped her arms around him.

"And we would never abandon you. Not even if you told us to go away, Sterling...", Fluttershy spoke to him as she also did the same action as her love-mate.

"Princesses?" Sterling then called out to the royalty in the room.

"Yes, Colonel?" Celestia replied.

"What is the punishment that you would inflict upon me? For I must pay for what I've done both today, and in--" he was about to ask before he was silenced by her hand. It was then that before he could even speak, Celestia had pulled him into a deep hug. And this time, she was demanding that he hug her back in her silence. And he did so.

After ten minutes of hugging the Princess, Luna then did the same for him. When they were done, they explained:

"We both had to give you this hug, knowing that you have been through what no young man should ever have to witness at all," Celestia somberly spoke to him. "And we both wanted thee to know that thine actions have saved all of Equis, and for that, we thank you for giving your life to us," Luna added.

And after another moment, the Royal Sisters had both planted a kiss on his cheeks. If Sterling's memory was sharp, fie on Tirek if it wasn't, he remembered that a kiss from the Royal Sisters was the ultimate 'thank-you' gesture that only the most dedicated of soldiers was able to receive in his or her lifetime. But instead of questioning it, he sighed a breathy sigh that spoke of his elevated mood.

"And with that, we must leave to go back to Canterlot," Luna spoke to him. "But: Should thou so desire to see us, then please don't hesitate to contact any of us, dear Sterling," she added to the farewell.

"Anytime, anywhere; whether up close or by scroll is your choice," Celestia added on. And from there, both the Royal Sisters, Princess Cadance (who also gave him a kiss on his cheek) and Princess Twilight (who repeated what the other royals did for him) had left the house from the front entrance.

Upon viewing the royalty ascending for their flight towards Canterlot, Sterling could only shake his head in disbelief.

"The Ultimate Pardon? But... w-why?" Sterling muttered to himself as he stepped towards the right front porch railing.

"B'cause y'all is a war hero to Equestria, that's why!" Applejack spoke up, making Sterling turn his head for a moment.

The both of them cleared their throats, given the awkward situation that they placed themselves in.

"Hey, Sterling?" Applejack spoke up again.

"Yeah, A.J.?" he replied.

"Ah uh.... Ah know this is quite... well, soon. For me to say this to ya, but...." she began to speak. "After y'all saved my family from that there villain, Ah'm more than sure ta be able ta say this..." Applejack then lowered her hat to her chest and confessed: "Ah've fallen in love with ya, Sterling. Ah know that ya got Rarity and Fluttershy to love ya, but...." she trailed off before continuing, "Ah believe that y'all could allow me into ya love life, if y'all wanted me. But if not, then Ah'll respect-- Mmmph?!"

She was then quickly interrupted by a lingering kiss that Sterling planted on her lips. Little did Applejack know, Sterling was told in silence by both Fluttershy and Rarity to kiss her.

"What.... was that all about?" she dreamily asked as her blush spread across her face.

"That was me saying to you: Come on in, A.J.", Sterling said to her.

"Ya... ya mean it, sugar cube?" she asked as her eyes widened in her surprise.

"We all do, Applejack darling," Rarity said to her from behind.

"Mm-hmm," Fluttershy nodded.

"Well, shoot," Applejack chuckled. "Ah'm feelin' a lot better now, ya know."

"Eeyup," Sterling winked at her. This caused all three of the women in front of him to laugh happily at his poor attempt to imitate Applejack's brother. Sterling laughed as well. "Sorry, A.J. Just a bit of humor," he looked to the floorboards.

"Hey, that's alright, sugar. Ah don't mind at all," she said to him with a smile.

"Aw, man! I just remembered something!" Sterling then spoke up as a thought suddenly came back.

"What is it, sugar?" Applejack asked him.

"I'm afraid that if your going to be with me, then it means that you might have to-- Huh?!" he yelped before noticing that the farm girl had begun to kiss both Rarity and Fluttershy with a lingering smooch that even surprised them.

"What? Did y'all think I wouldn't be able to find some romance with ya?" Applejack teased him. "Besides: Ah always wanted to kiss them both, just to find out if Ah could get kissed back."

"And did we both satisfy you, Applejack darling?" Rarity asked her.

"That ya did, Rares. And you too, 'Shy," Applejack winked at them.

"Well.... I think that my former unit would be just jealous of the four of us being together like this," Sterling laughed slightly.

"Uh... J-jealous?" Fluttershy asked hesitantly.

"Yep. Because of how I never even dreamed of having three girlfriends in my life," Sterling answered her with a nod.

"But they did?" Rarity asked him straightly.

"Uh-huh," he chuckled. "And their metaphorical jealousy is just divine to taste!" he nearly shouted with a low growl. He then looked to them and asked: "Too much?"

"Just a little, hon," Applejack admitted. "Now! Let's pull out the whiskey and whatnot so that we can celebrate, y'all!" she then suggested to the group.

"I certainly must agree with you there, darling," Rarity agreed as Fluttershy only nodded. But as they had entered the home again, Rarity had then taken Applejack's face and kissed her lips again. "I must apologize, darling, but I just wanted to take another kiss before we all entered the kitchen," she stated to her.

"Aw, that's alright, Rarity. Ah love ya too," Applejack said to her as she stole another kiss from her friend and now love-mate.

"Cheeky," Rarity teased her.

"Darn straight, hon. And don't ya forget it," the farm girl giggled to her.

"Oh, I almost forgot again, but there's something else that I want to show you after we get the drinks out of the way," Sterling announced to the ladies in front of him.

"And what would that be, Sterling dear?" Rarity asked him, now curious about his sudden announcement.

Sterling then kissed both Applejack, Rarity and Fluttershy full on the lips before answering them with:

"The source that I go to in order to get the gold-backs so that I can spoil you three."

All three of the women had then said 'Huh?' after hearing his vague message.

.....

*****