Rushing through town, I quickly bypass the members of the paparazzi that stuck around after I went into Twilight's castle. Although they initially tried to follow me, I was able to easily shake them by taking a lengthy detour around the outskirts of the Everfree forest. I know that the forest always has its risks, but I was armed and would rather risk having a few teeth marks then deal with the press.

Hopping over a downed log, I come to a stop as the natural sunlight beams down through the overhanging trees which stand tall overhead. Pinching the bridge of my nose, I slowly exhale as I lower myself to sit on the log, my hands quickly moving to cover my face as I close my eyes.

"What the fuck was that about earlier?" I ask Davies internally.

"...I was telling you what you were thinking deep down." Davies responds as my head begins to throb. "There is no point denying that there's a part of you that wouldn't object if you killed her there and then."

"You do not tell me what to do!" I clench my fists as I lift my head, smacking my hand down on my makeshift seat. "You're not here to control and manipulate me!"

"Is it manipulation if it is already what you want to do?" Davies chuckles before continuing, "Don't act like you're all high and mighty, John. I know exactly how your head works and what you're willing to let slide if the situation calls for it."

"What the fuck do you mean?"

"You claim to uphold what is expected of you, but I know there are times where you'll throw all of that out of the window. What about Silverwing? If you find him are you just gonna slap him in cuffs?" He asks mockingly as he chortles. "I already know you'd rather just kill him, and the same applies to the others you've faced. Silverwing, Tirek... even Starlight. Are you forgetting that she exploited you? Because of that, you nearly killed your so-called friends-"

"That was because of you!" I shout out loud as I rise to my feet, not looking at anywhere in particular as I shout to the air around me. "You were the one who went out of your way to try to hurt them! Even now, you're trying to warp my mind! I am not your fucking puppet! I am in charge here!"

Clearing her throat, Tempest snaps me out of the debate with myself as my eyes quickly snap onto her. Leaning against a hollowed out tree trunk, Tempest cocks a brow as she watches me. "Is there any reason you're shouting at thin air? Or are you just bored and wanting to lure out a Manticore to brawl with?"

Pacing to the side, I press my hand against a nearby tree as I lean against it. "It's not exactly something which is easy to explain, Tempest. It's nothing you need to worry about."

Tempest scoffs as she stops directly in front of me and stares into my eyes. "Bullshit. I need to know exactly what I'm getting into if you're expecting me to spend nearly every day with you as a guard. I'm not going to sit idly by if there is a chance you're going to snap."

"I am not going to snap," I respond authoritatively as I attempt to stare down Tempest. "I am not going to snap."

"You're not fooling me. I am not some naive and gullible pony like the others you surround yourself with. I can see what's going on around me. And after that little display, it's as clear as day that there is something rattling around in that head of yours."

"And you think you know me so well after a couple of weeks?"

"I've done my research," Tempest responds as she paces towards an opening in the treeline, her back towards me. "I wasn't going to work for someone who I know nothing about. I wouldn't have gotten far if I took jobs from those who I already knew wanted me dead. In two weeks, I've learned more than you probably expected me to."

I slowly pivot on the spot, tensing up slightly at the idea that all the information I would have preferred to remain confidential could be easily discovered if someone did a little digging. "How did you find this out?"

"I have my ways," Tempest responds confidently as she lifts her head to look at the beams of sunlight as they break through the tree cover overhead. "You want to know what I learned? I know that you have some sort of 'being' living inside your head. Something which you only recently learned to control. I know that it attempted to attack your colleagues, attempting to kill them, even going so far as to physically attack Princess Luna."

"...She really has done her homework." Davies states with an impressed tone of voice.

Pinching the bridge of my nose, I release a defeated sigh as I slowly stroll alongside Tempest, her head turning to face me as I come to a stop alongside her. "Davies... its name is Davies. He's essentially a... copy of me. He has superior reflexes, strength and agility. I've only recently been able to 'control' him. If you ever see me with white eyes, that's Davies."

"Do you ever let it out? It's not gonna build up without a release until he breaks out... right?"

"Break out?" Davies chuckles. "Am I a caged animal now?"

"She wouldn't be wrong," I reply internally. "You're supposed to do what I tell you, not the other way around. Then, all of a sudden, you're trying to tell me to kill someone."

"There is no point in lying. I know that you would have loved to blow her brains out. You claim to be above everyone else, yet you would happily allow your instincts to take over and put her down. You've not had your decision come back and bite you in the ass. It only takes for your decision to spare someone to cost someone their life, someone you care about. From then, you'll give in to your emotions. You won't see yourself as the honourable Captain, you'll happily kill them."

"...What I want, and what is expected of me, are two entirely different things."

"You remember all of the stories. Soldiers back home killing the enemy which surrendered, throwing down their guns after killing one of your allies, only to be shot down." Davies remains silent as he lets it sink in, knowing that I never batted an eyelid to those stories while I was back on Earth. Deep down, he knows that I had little sympathy for those in that situation being gunned down... it was similar to the situation which Crimson found herself in while we were in Griffonia.

Davies chuckles out loud as I feel his influence burning into my head, causing my brain to pulsate in discomfort as his laugh seems to echo. "I know you too well, John. Don't bother lying to me."

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I took the opportunity to explain to Tempest everything that I knew about Davies, despite the fact that my own knowledge on him was fairly limited. To my surprise, Tempest was actually able to give me some insight into the magic which affected me. Apparently, she is well aware of similar magic being used to 'enslave' others to make them subservient soldiers. Granted, she was only aware of the theory behind the magic as she wasn't aware of this magic being used in Equestria in a substantial period of time.

Although she couldn't offer me any practical advice, it was surprisingly comforting to actually talk about my concerns regarding Davies with somebody. I wasn't sure if she sincerely cared or if she was just acting as a part of her role as my personal guard, but it helped nonetheless.

Since I was supposed to spend the evening with Luna, I told Tempest that she could do whatever she felt like. I offered Tempest my bedroom and office to spend the night since she didn't have her own quarters in the barracks here in town. I'd more than likely be spending the night in Luna's room here in Ponyville, or we'd no doubt use the fireplace to travel back to Canterlot castle where'd we'd stay in her own room.

Reaching the Ponyville barracks as the late afternoon sun hangs low in the sky overhead, I push the heavy doors open and promptly step into the entrance hall with Tempest quickly following behind. "Head straight through and go to the top floor," I tell Tempest as I gesture towards the door on the right. "There's a bar and common room up there which will be mostly empty. Feel free to crash in my room. No doubt I'll be staying in Luna's."

"If the rooms are next door then make sure you keep it down."

I chuckle as Tempest steps through the door in question and begins to move through the hallway, "Just watch out in case my Phoenix is in there." Tempest responds by glancing back at me, a confused expression on her face. "Fluttershy was taking care of him but he's no doubt made his way back here every so often. Just open the window and he'll go hunt."

As the door to the hallways closes shut, the clattering of various pots and pans causes my head to snap towards the canteen and kitchen to the left.

I quickly enter the kitchen to investigate the source of the noise when I come across Luna levitating various pots onto the kitchen surface. Clearing my throat, she swiftly rotates to face me, her magic rushing to release the metal pots as she steps towards me.

"What on earth do you think you're doing?" I ask with a chuckle.

Turning her head towards the various kitchen utensils, she offers a weak shrug. "What would one possibly do with pots and saucers?" Luna asks with a sarcastic tone.

"Can the Princess of the night even cook?"

"...I can cook."

"Really?" I ask sceptically with a raised brow. "I don't think I've ever seen you cook. In fact, I seem to recall that you've already had me cook for you in the past."

"That's true," Luna nods as she turns back towards the counter. "Yet, it does not mean that I'm inept in the kitchen."

"Okay, I'll bite. What are you cooking?"

Luna freezes momentarily before she turns her head back to me. "Pasta?"

I remain silent as I wait for her to continue. After a brief pause, I tilt my head as I step alongside her. "And?"

"...Sauce?" Luna watches me as a wide grin spreads across my lips, only for a defeated scowl to form on her face. "Okay. I can't cook. I was going to find a recipe and try cooking something for us. I wasn't expecting you back so soon."

I gently press my hands against her, guiding her to the side as I step in front of the various ingredients that Luna gathered. "Come on. I'll cook for us, and I'll even teach you how to cook."

"And what makes you the expert?" Luna remarks with a smirk as her horn ignites, grabbing hold of something out of view. "You've only ever cooked me breakfast."

"Believe it or not, I'm a good cook." Clapping my hands together, I look back and forth between the ingredients. "What have we got then?"

"Umm... Salt, pepper, olive oil, garlic cloves, some tinned broth, butternut squash, some cheese, mushrooms, onion, pasta-"

"-Linguine," I interrupt her as I pick up the packet. "I can make something with all of this."

"Before we begin, I've got that surprise for you." Luna steps between me and the counter, pushing the side of her body against me as she turns so that she is stood between me and the side of the kitchen. "Close your eyes."

"Close my eyes?" I ask with intrigue, uncertain how to gauge Luna's body language.

"Trust me," Luna reinforces with a sly smirk.

Closing my eyes, I wait patiently for whatever Luna has planned. I'm not left waiting for long as I feel something press against my lips followed by a cold liquid. Caught off guard, it takes me a moment to react as I hear Luna chuckle. Feeling the cold liquid enter my mouth, I quickly open my eyes as the familiar and long lost earthy flavour hits my tongue. Lager.

Tilting my head back, Luna's laugh intensifies at my reaction as she gives me more of the nectar until she abruptly pulls the bottle away from my lips, causing some of the contents to trickle down my chin and the front of my clothes as I take hold of the bottle. "How did you get a hold of lager?"

"You can thank Twilight for that," Luna states as her magic plucks the droplets of beer from my face before effortlessly depositing it in a nearby sink. "She was able to smooth over relations with the Yaks to the North. They have since established trade with us, hence your old love has returned."

I lower my gaze slightly as I twist the bottle from side to side in my grip. "She seems to have done a pretty good job."

Luna's eyes lock onto mine, a concerned expression on her face. "Is everything alright?"

I let out a shallow sigh as I pinch the bridge of my nose. "I think that Twilight is making a big mistake, Luna. It's about Starlight Glimmer."

Luan's expression hardens as she lifts her head, almost as though she is looking down at me with a judging expression. "The Unicorn that attempted to hold you both captive?"

"Yeah. She was in the castle with Twilight but Twilight refused to allow me to detain her. Twilight said that she would make sure that Starlight is held accountable for her actions, but I'm not certain that the best decision will be made. Twilight is very trusting and kind-hearted, and that's a good trait, but I fear that she may be too concerned with maintaining her morals that she won't see the big picture."

Luna maintains a stoic expression as she takes in everything I tell her. Closing her eyes, she turns to the side as she takes a couple of idle steps. "You're concerned that she'll make the wrong decision, and I understand that. But... as bad as it sounds, it may be best in the long run if she was to make an error."

I look to Luna in confusion, quickly moving alongside her. "What do you mean?"

"Twilight is still new in her role and she has much to learn. My sister and I hold power at the head of the government of Equestria, but we are in essence still equal in our power to Twilight and Cadence. The four of us all hold the same power as one another, and it’s imperative that we cannot be seen openly opposing and stepping on one another's hooves with the formal decisions that are made and the policies enacted. That would have the possibility of causing a political divide."

Luna returns her focus to me as she continues. "Twilight is still young and has much to learn. She is highly optimistic and wishes to see the best in everypony, but this is wishful thinking. Unfortunately, although not the best idea, it may require her making an error of judgement before she learns to be more cautious in her decision making. We learn best from our mistakes."

"But mistakes in politics can be very costly," I retort as place the bottle on the side of the counter.

"How did you learn all of your skills? Through trial and error. I've seen your memories so I know that you didn't learn all you did about explosives from books. You learnt in the field and through practical training."

I release a soft scoff as I shake my head, thinking back to the memories that Luna is bringing up. From training school where I failed to disarm a flour bomb and got covered head to toe in flour, to one of my first IED's where it began to hiss and smoke as I attempted to disarm it, giving me just enough time to run away before it detonated.

"I still don't know-"

"-Give her time to prove herself, John," Luna interrupts. "She will have much more to face in the future. She simply needs to learn that her actions will have lasting implications. If that means making a mistake... then so be it. Everypony knows that I have made great errors in the past... but they have helped to mold me into the leader I am today."

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"This was a really good idea," I remark as I let out a relaxed groan, my head rocking back and resting against the edge of the bath. After having dinner and turning our conversations away from anything work-related, Luna and I quickly retired to her bedroom within the barracks. It wasn't long after that Luna came up with the suggestion that we take a bath together. The last time we had done so ended in some 'entertainment', but this time things were much more relaxed.

As I sit back and rest against the edge of the bath, Luna uses me as a makeshift pillow as she leans back while resting between my legs, the length of her body resting against mine. As I idly twirl a half-empty bottle of beer in my left hand as my arms swing back and forth over the side, I carefully trace my fingers over Luna's stomach with my other hand.

Tilting her head back, Luna looks up at me with a smile as she rests her head against the top of my chest. "And you said that you don't enjoy baths."

"I think you're changing my mind on the topic."

Luna chuckles as she turns her body slightly to the side, causing the water to swish from side to side within the tub. "Just think, you'll soon get to relax in any way you desire when you're a prince."

"It sure beats the relaxation in the field," I reply as I bring the bottle to my lips and finish the rest of the contents. "There are some parts of royalty I'm gonna love. I never figured I'd be a member of high society."

"Weren't you already one as a military officer?"

"Maybe back in the day. Officer's were from wealthy families and those of high standing. Nowadays, anyone can go to officer training school." Gently dropping the empty bottle on the bathmat, I wipe my lips clean. "The lap of luxury is joining the air force. They get all the goodies."

"So you would have been in one of those machines? The one we saw in your memories?"

I nod my head, "Albeit a much more advanced and faster one."

"Have you ever been in one?"

"A jet? No. Only military transport planes and commercial aircraft. There was a small time I considered going into the air force. Becoming a pilot instead of a foot soldier."

"Yet you stayed in the army," Luna finishes as she looks at me. "It's like you said in the past, it was a family tradition."

"Yeah, though not all of my family were in the army. I had other family members who were in the navy and airforce. One of them actually earned a few medals in the Battle of Britain." I shrug weakly as I lean my head back again. "Who knows, maybe if I was born in a different time, I would have joined the RAF and went on to pilot a Spitfire."

"Maybe I'll let you actually fly one in a dream," Luna adds with a smile.

"I don't know how to fly a plane. Unless you replace all of the controls with an xbox controller then I'll likely just crash and burn," I state as I think back to the developments on Earth, particularly the fact that some military weapon systems have been adapted to be controlled by simple gaming controllers.

"Either way, if you were from another time then you would have never come here." Luna places a soft kiss on my chest as she turns her body once more so that she is laying with the front of her body pressed against me. "And we couldn't have had that."

"You sure you wouldn't have preferred a different version of me?" I joke as my eyes meet Luna's. "Perhaps someone who spoke the King's English and came from a wealthy estate during the war."

"So long as you aren't in those shorts again," Luna replies with a cocky grin.

"Hey, I would have loved a pair of shorts in Afghanistan instead of trousers. I'd often be sweating my ass off whenever I was in my kit."

"The hat, I quite admired, but not the shorts."

"Okay, no shorts then." Lowering my hands, I wrap my arms around Luna's lower back.

"And I trust you will be growing your beard again?" Luna turns her head to the side, closing her eyes as she rests against my chest. "I think you look better with it."

"I can grow it again. It's not like I believe the bull shit excuse the army tried giving of 'it'll interfere with the seal of the mask'. Besides, it gives me a more rugged look."

"It makes you look wiser."

Feigning insult, I release an exaggerated gasp. "Are you saying that I am not wise? You offend me."

"Not to mention you'll likely always have to wear a suit in public."

"What?"

Luna's mischievous grin quickly surfaces as she lifts her head once again. "Nobility must always be presentable. So it'll be uniform and suits."

"Fine... but no ties," I reply with a roll of my eyes.

Leaning closer, Luna presses her soft lips against mine as her eyes flutter. It didn't take long for Luna to begin prodding the front of my teeth with the tip of her tongue. Melting into the kiss, I happily part my jaw and allow Luna's tongue to delicately dance with my own as she moans into the kiss. My hands continue to caress her form, slowly drifting up and down each side of her body.

Neither of us decides to press any further or to withdraw, keeping our bodies locked against one another as the clock ticks by. For the entire time our lips are locked together I feel as though I can't stop smiling. The comfort of being embraced by Luna whilst away from any of my duties or responsibility leaves me feeling a sense of peace and tranquillity which I haven't felt in a long time.

As I wrap my arms around Luna's body, she slowly crawls up the length of my body, her legs resting on either side of my body as her marehood brushes over my member. Luna begins to slowly gyrate her hips, brushing back and forth over my stiffening cock as she continues to moan into the kiss.

Brushing my hands down her body, I tenderly run my fingers through her fur as we remain locked in our embrace. Luna's forehooves soon begin to mimic my own action as she begins to caress my chest, the edge of her hooves following the contour of my muscles.

Pulling her head back, a small trail of saliva connects our lips before Luna wipes her lips clean. Looking into my eyes as her cheeks glow a bright rose red, she lifts her lower body as magic rapidly envelopes her horn. Maintaining eye contact, I feel the pressure of her magical energy grasping onto my cock as she adjusts its position before lowering herself with a sharp gasp which is quickly matched with a moan of my own.

In a series of fluid motions, Luna begins to raise and lower her hips as she begins to ride me, her forehooves remaining fixated on my torso as she looks down at me. Rocking her head back, she releases a shallow moan as she flicks her mane back. As the water around us swishes back and forth and threatens to spill out onto the floor, I lift my own hands and trace my palms against the barrel of her chest as my eyes remain fixated on her.

Raised my body, I try my best to sit upright as out chests once again graze one another, her fur tickling my skin as our bodies remain in contact. Bringing her head closer, Luna presses her forehead into my shoulder as she begins to pant, her movement becoming much more rapid as she seems to be quickly building herself up.

Tilting my head to the side, I rest the side of my forehead against hers as I place a soft kiss on her cheek, my arms quickly wrapping around her body and keeping her close. Rather than remaining seated and allowing Luna to do all of the work, I begin to push my own hips back and forth as I smile ear to ear at her reaction as her moans begin to become more frequent.

Luna seems to develop a mischievous grin of her own before she catches me off guard. Lowering her head once again, she opens her lips and begins to place a series of rapid and frantic kisses along my neck before she suddenly opens her mouth and presses her teeth against my skin. Releasing a hiss, my eyes quickly lock onto her as she bites at my neck, not with too much force but with enough to leave a small amount of pain as her tongue rolls from side to side against the trapped skin.

"Biting... again?" I ask with a chuckle as I grab onto the rear of Luna's mane, twisting it around my hand as I grasp it tightly. As soon as Luna's clasp loosens, I slowly yank her hair back as her eyes remain locked on mine, her lust becoming clearly evident as she cheeks seem to once again turn a darker hue of red. "You've become really... active."

Teasing me, Luna comes to a stop as she lifts her body, allowing my member to escape her warm embrace. "Oh? Shall I stop then?"

"Fat chance." Taking hold of Luna's frame, I begin to lift her over me as I adjust my position and rise to my feet. Catching her off guard, Luna releases a surprised squeal which is quickly replaced with a soft giggle as I keep hold of her and step out of the bath. Carrying her into the bedroom, I lower her rump onto the sheets before gently easing her on her back.

"John, you'll get the bed wet!" Luna exclaims as she looks down the length of her body as I stand at the end of the bed.

Kneeling down at the foot of the bed, I grasp onto her rump and pull her as close to the end as possible, dragging the sheets along with her as I push her legs apart. "We'll live." Closing the distance before Luna can offer a response, I deliberately drag my tongue across Luna's slit in a fluid motion which causes her to involuntarily push her hips toward me.

Picking up on Luna's involuntary signal, I begin to get to work as I keep my eyes locked on hers as she watches me with lust filled eyes. Moving my tongue back and forth, I begin to lightly squeeze Luna's rump as her hips continue to push against me. Quickly moving ahead, I press my tongue inside her warm embrace.

Luna arches her back as a heavy moan forces its way from her lips, her forehooves reaching down and frantically moving back and forth through my hair. Chuckling to myself at her reaction, I withdraw my tongue and seal my lips around her swollen nub.

Passionately sucking on her clit, I bring my tongue back and forth in a series of rapid movements. This drives Luna crazy as she pushes her hips as hard as she can against my mouth. Repeating my movements works wonder as Luna is unable to control herself. Her moans quickly become more rapid and vocal with each series of movements from my tongue until I tip her over the edge.

Luna collapses back on the bed as her she breathes frantically, her chest rapidly rising and falling as her hind leg seems to shakes uncontrollably in front of me. Licking my lips clean, I crawl over her body and look down at her as she remains motionless with her eyes closed, her tongue almost handing out of the side of her mouth.

"I think I just killed the Princess of the night," I chuckle as I run my hand along her outstretched wing.

Luna laughs between breaths as she opens her eyes, "Shut up."

"You think you can survive another round with my mouth being occupied elsewhere?" I joke with a wide grin on my face.

"I don't think... I'll be.... able to walk after that," Luna's laughs out loud as she rolls onto her side. "Now... lie down." Cocking a brow, I do as instructed and lie back on the damp sheets as I keep my eyes fixed on her wet form. Sliding down the length of the bed, Luna moves off of the soft mattress and moves into the position I was previously. Looking up at me, a playful grin remains stuck to her face as her magic taking hold of my cock, holding it upright. "My turn."

Before I can respond, Luna eagerly wraps her lips around my stiff cock and quickly presses the end of her muzzle against my groin in one fluid motion. My hands instantly grasp onto the sheets around me as a surprised gasp escapes my lips. My toes curl as I look down at Luna as she enthusiastically returns the favour, her head bobbing up and down as her eyes look into my own.

Shivers run along my spine as I feel the tip of Luna's tongue swirl around the head of my cock as her lips move along my length. Each movement of her tongue causes me to lose more control as I find myself at her mercy, quickly copying her earlier actions as I'm unable to resist trying to push my hips closer to her.

Pulling away with an audible pop, a trail of saliva links between her lips and my cock as her magic begins to frantically jerk me off. Luna laughs at my reaction as her magic effortlessly moves at a rapid pace and pieces the delicate nerves within sending an unimaginable amount of pleasure through my body. "What's the matter?" Luna asks in an innocent tone as she kisses my tip.

As I open my mouth to cut her off, Luna once again buries my member inside me muzzle, taking the entire length as her eyes close. Unable to hold myself back, I reach down and grab hold of Luna's mane. Pulling her head up and down, I guide the speed of her movement as her tongue works to ensure that no part of my tool is left without experiencing some of her appreciation.

Luna hungrily continues as I feel a familiar sensation overwhelming me. Groaning, I look down at Luna as I release her mane. "Luna... you're gonna make me-"

Luna cuts me off by forcing her muzzle against me, burying my cock into her throat as I'm unable to hold back. Moaning out loud, my body spasms as I cum deep in her mouth. Luna doesn't flinch as she keeps her eyes locked on me, her magic still stroking her member as her tongue swirls around the head of my cock.

Continuing this for a minute, Luna finally eases off as she pulls away from my member. Keeping her eyes on me, I watch as she visible swallows her reward. Licking her lips, she releases my cock from her magic as looks at me with a cocky grin. "See, I can do that just as well as you can."

"W-where... did you learn that?" I pant as my head collapses back onto the bed.

Luna crawls alongside me, deliberately brushing her body against mine as she comes to a stop. "I read a few... tips on the topic while you were away."

Laughing, I wrap my arms around her as I try to regain my breath, "Where is this book? I may need to read it."

Luna is soon laughing along with me as she shakes her head, "Maybe another time. For now... we need to change these sheets."

"Are you ready for the other part of your surprise?" I ask John with a pleased smile. I watch John as he tries to study our empty and vast surroundings. Standing in darkness with nothing around us, I can't hide my smile as I wait to give John his second surprise.

Cocking a brow, John paces back and forth as he moves over an invisible floor. "Another surprise? I thought it was just gonna be the beer."

I shake my head, "I have another one for you." Stepping up to him, John turns his body to fully face me. "I must admit, I have found the dream training we have done to be interesting... but there is more to your world I want to see. I thought that... maybe you could show me your world. Share your experiences and memories with me."

I watch John as a smile quickly forms. Closing the distance, John holds his hands out to me which I quickly place my forehoof in. "That sounds like a brilliant idea. A bit of time together to get away from the stresses of the world. What would you like to see first?"

"I want you to choose something you think I'd like to see," I respond with relief evident in my voice that John approves of my idea. "But first... your surprise." Turning my head to the side, I channel all of my magical energy into changing the environment around us.

In a series of rapid and spontaneous flashes, the world quickly adapts and changes to form the memory I have taken from John to generate. First, the setting. Below my hooves, a long black walkway stretches out ahead us and connects to a towering stage with a podium at the centre. The back wall fills with a series of multicoloured lights, not forming any particular pattern but stretching out in extended lengths of sky blue, white and shades of pink.

Turning on the spot, an open floor stretches out on either side below our walkway. The outer walls of the stadium expand outwards and follows a natural curve which links to each side of the stage. The wall quickly develops into a series of seats on different levels, generating a large seating area. Overhead is an open rooftop, allowing the natural light of the late evening sky to fill the area around us.

Closing my eyes, I finish the illusion as our surrounding quickly fill with a series of powerful screams and cheers as a guitar can be heard playing out loud and stretching over the newly formed crowd. My eyes open and I quickly turn my gaze to John. I watch in amusement as he appears to have frozen in place, his jaw hanging low as he stares towards the stage in amazement.

Focusing on the stage myself, I listen intently as a human male begins to sing into a microphone with a guitar hanging around his chest. I study the male as he stands before everyone else wearing a powerful red blazer and trousers, making him stand out amongst his other peers on stage. His voice carries weight as he begins to sing towards the large crowd which are now before him, the others immediately joining in with this male as they sing the words in unison.

As the male begins to play his guitar, John is able to finally find his voice. "T-That's... Matthew Bellamy." John takes a step back before an excited hop forces its way from his body, "That's Matthew Bellamy!"

I chuckle at John's display, at how he seems to be acting like a young filly who has just met her hero. "I thought you may wish to once again see your favourite band perform live. But rather than being buried in the crowd... I thought you'd like a position in the front and centre." Turning my head to either side, I scan over the large crowds as they remain separated from us, a small scattering of humans in red coats acting as a barrier between the fans and the centre walkway.

"You've brought me back... to see Muse in Wembley?" John takes a hold of me, catching me off guard as he spontaneously spins me to face him. Pulling me close, he quickly places a strong kiss on my lips before he pulls away. "You are incredible!"

As Matthew stops singing, the main crowd continues as John turns back towards the musician. "Go on," I insist as I give John a light nudge. "I know you want to join the others."

Whereas I thought John would be reluctant to dive straight into singing, I find myself caught off guard as he starts singing out loud with the crowd. "I won't let you smother it. I won't let you murder it."

I turn to watch John and the other human's as the main singer once again begins singing with the crowd. As soon as he starts singing, I watch in amusement as everypony, including John, begins to jump with their hands up. "Our time is running out. And our time is running out. You can't push it underground. You can't stop it screaming out..."

John finds himself laughing in disbelief as he turns to me once again. "I can't believe you've done this, Luna. This is incredible. This feels like it could have been decades ago."

"This isn’t the first time I’ve seen this memory. However, you failed to tell me that you looked so different a few years ago," I respond with a sly grin.

John shakes his head as an embarrassed hue of red appears on his cheeks. "Yeah... this was before I joined the army so I wasn't quite as... civilised as I am now."

"Baggy black clothing, longer hair-"

"-Stop," John cuts me off in a clearly embarrassed tone. "This was towards the end of my... rocker phase."

"You looked... different."

John scoffs while turning his attention back to the band. "Yeah... I know." Narrowing my eyes, a smile stretches across my muzzle as I charge my magic. The glow of my horn causes John to focus on me once again, his expression showing one of suspicion as he looks at me. "Luna, what are you-"

Cutting him off, his body is immediately transformed within a white flash. His form takes that of his younger self as he appeared in this memory. His clothing has changed to a heavy black jacket with a grey t-shirt with the band's name displayed on the front. A baggy set of dark blue jeans hangs loosely to his lower body with a set of dark boots over his feet. What causes me to smile most is how his hair differs. Compared to how he has maintained it during his time in Equestria, it has a longer length, not a drastic change but it has been styled with product to slick it backwards.

John glances down at his arms, quickly examining his clothing before taking a step back. "You just couldn't help yourself, could you?"

I'm unable to contain a soft chuckle as I look over his younger form. "You have definitely changed for the better."

"Come on. I bet even you had a weird phase during your late teens."

I shrug weakly, "That was many lifetimes ago. I too had a... 'weird phase', as you put it."

John tentatively runs his hand over my cheek, "And now you're perfect."

I roll my eyes at his sappy line as I find myself unable to shake the smile which has remained fixed to my muzzle. "As are you."

Lightly pressing his weight against me, I unfold my wing and wrap it over his shoulder as we lean against one another as we turn our eyes to the band once more. "This is amazing, Luna. Thank you."

Turning my head towards him, I place a kiss his cheek. "You're welcome. But, once this is over, I'll be expecting you to pick our next stop."

"I've got an idea. Somewhere I think you'll love."

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John keeps his hands over my eyes as he guides me slowly to the side, "No peeking." In order to 'surprise me', John insisted that he wasn't going to tell me where he was going. He felt confident enough that he could create an empty setting around us based on his memory. While I'm with John he remains in a lucid dream state, allowing him to manipulate the world around him to his heart's content.

Once I explained it to John, he was determined to try and create our new setting. Generating a world within the dream from memories is fairly easy to master in a lucid state, the difficulty lies in filling the world with entities. It becomes too much for the brain to comprehend and becomes a mental strain if the dreamer attempts to force it. Because of this, John assured me that it would only be the two of us in the world.

Pulling his hands away from my eyes, they quickly adjust to the sunlight as it shines over us. Lifting my hoof, I find myself stood before a large glass window which is held into position with a series of steel support beams. On the other side of the glass is a majestic city which stretches out on the horizon as far as I can see.

The majority of the structures resemble almost from Equestria, consisting of large white stones and bricks for the main building giving them a vibrant appearance. Directly below us is a thin river which cuts the city in two with a selection of green trees and grass lining the unnatural banks which have been constructed by the humans.

Stepping in front of me, John leans against the glass with a confident smirk. "Welcome, to the city of love. Paris." Knocking on one of the steel support beams, he releases a light chuckle. "More specifically, the Eiffel Tower."

I look out at the city in astonishment as I find myself almost pressing the end of my muzzle against the glass. The clear skies and the bright sun illuminates the naturally rich buildings and reflects the lighting to almost give the city the appearance that it's glowing. This city is unlike anything I have ever seen and I find myself mesmerised by its beauty.

John quickly moves alongside me, stretching out his arm and pointing towards one of the structures that extends over the majority of the buildings. "See that arch?" John asks as I follow his guidance. At the centre of a circular road, a narrow curved opening faces us with a wider passage at the side of the structure with a series of designs have been carved into the arch. "That's the Arc de Triomphe."

John soon turns on the spot and guides me towards another structure. This one has a formation of large stone columns holding up an overhanging roof at the entrance to the building. Positioned over the centre is a large dome with a spire positioned in the centre and extending upwards. "That's the Panthéon."

Chuckling, John lifts his hand as he turns to face me. "But, I think you'll really love this." Snapping his fingers the sun is rapidly extinguished and its place taken by that of a full moon. The buildings below begin to illuminate as the lights within switch on in a wave which takes over the city in one fluid motion. The night sky overhead grows brights as the stars begin to surface, providing an extraordinary natural glow over the clear sky.

"I can't believe that worked," John remarks in amusement as he examines his own hand. Closing the distance, he wraps his arms around me in an embrace and places a delicate kiss on my forehead. "What do you think?"

"This city... it's remarkable."

"Glad you like it," John's hand slowly sides free from my body as he reaches into his back pocket and pulls out his phone, tapping the screen and activating one of the songs to play through the speakers surrounding us within the observation room.

"What's this?" I ask in intrigue as I look into John's eyes.

"I thought you'd like a surprise."

Catching me off guard, John pulls me close as his body begins to sway lightly from side to side. Moving his hand, he lifts my forehoof and places rest it on his shoulder as we begin to step from side to side. I find myself unable to refrain from laughing at John's impromptu dance. Despite this, we both begin to twirl on the spot as the stars above focus their natural lights within the observation booth, illuminating our dancefloor.

"I always thought this would have been a great experience," John remarks as his fingers lightly trace back and forth through my fur. "Dancing over the city of love in the glow of the night. Who better to share this experience with than the Princess who controls the night."

"Since when are you a romantic," I joke as I turn my head to the side and press it against John's chest.

"Believe it or not, I can be very romantic." As we step from side to side, my eyes drift closed as I listen to the soothing rhythm of John's heartbeat as he holds me in a comforting embrace. "Luna... I've been doing some thinking."

Lifting my head, our eyes meet as I lightly nuzzle the tip of John's nose. "What is it?"

"Well... I have always been a frontline officer during my time here, but..." John hesitates a moment as we stop moving. Stretching his hand out, he cautiously runs a hand over my natural bump. "Things have since changed. I don't think that being a frontline officer will be the best thing for us, especially with children on the way."

"Are you saying... what I think you're saying?" I ask in disbelief as I stare into his loving eyes.

"I am. Luna, I'm going to retire from the front lines once this tour is over. I want to stay in Canterlot with you and the kids. I need to be there to support you through your role as a leader of this nation and help with the kids. I won't be needed as a Captain on the front. I can work back from Canterlot and help them with training and development... but my priority is going to be to you and our children. I need to be a father to them, and a loving husband to you."

"You'd really do that for me?" I ask with a rising sense of delight.

"I would. Things have changed since I came here, and I certainly don't need to worry about a job any more." Pressing his lips against mine in a passionate embrace, he presses his forehead against mine as he closes his eyes. "I've given it a lot of thought. I want to be by your side."

Returning the embrace, our lips quickly meet as my eyes flutter closed. My heart races a mile a minute at the news of John's plans. He has always been a dedicated soldier and I thought that he'd be hard-pressed to maintain that role, but hearing that he realises that he will not be required to fill that role and that he'd rather step back and stay with me brings an overwhelming sense of happiness.

Pulling back, John's contagious smile beams as he looks at me. "Now then, how about we go on a tour of the city?"

"That sounds perfect."

He certainly knows how to surprise me.

Author's Notes:

This chapter was supposed to be finished earlier but I was unfortunately delayed with work where I was summoned to court which lasted two weeks.

Hopefully, the frequency of new chapters will pick up again soon.

I hope you enjoy this chapter