I woke up the next morning with Rose laying next to me. I thought about getting up and doing something but I really felt like just laying there next to Rose for as long as I possibly could. I looked around and saw Derpy was awake and making herself some coffee. I stayed quiet and just let things stay quiet.

Rose stirred at my side. “What time is it?” Rose rubbed her eyes.

I looked at the clock next to my bed. “It’s seven o’clock. I don’t think we have any work to do today.” I pulled Rose a bit closer.

“Well I think Crimson wanted to talk to you. Since we have a lull in action that we are needed to help clean up I’m pretty sure he want’s to send you back to your world. Nothing against you though. He has actually enjoyed having you around here.” Derpy took a sip of her coffee.

“He wants to send me back home? Would I be able to return here and see Rose?” I looked down to see Rose was partially asleep.

“I can always bring you back here if you want to come and visit. I do think you have an obligation to the Rose you live with in the other world though. She hasn’t seen you in a few days. I bet she would like to spend some time with you. Even if she isn’t your real mother she still loves you.” Derpy kept sipping on her coffee.

A knock on the door made me jump a little. “Silver I need to talk to you.” Like Derpy had said Crimson needed to talk with me.

“Alright. You can come in and sit down if you want to.” I stayed next to Rose.

The door opened and Crimson came in. Derpy hoofed him a coffee and went and sat down in her chair. Crimson took a sip of the coffee before heading over to a chair next to my bed.

“Well seeing as how Derpy is still here I bet she told you the basics of what I came here to talk to you about. So I’ll keep this short. You’re training here with us is complete and we have been paid. The plan now is for you to return to your world and stay there. We have nothing more to offer you here and Rose from your world has asked for you to be returned to her. I know you probably don’t want to leave your home here, but I must ask you at the very least to go home and stay with Rose for a few weeks.” Crimson took another sip of the coffee.

“You are correct in your assumption that I don’t want to leave my newfound home. I do realize that I have a home back where I was born to return to, but I do want one thing before I leave.” I put a wing over Rose.

“Well I usually wouldn’t allow a soldier to request anything if they were in the same situation as you, but I believe I can allow a ten year old one wish.” Crimson set his cup down on a table.

I thought for a second before realizing today was my birthday. “Well I don’t want to ruin my chances at getting my request approved but I’m eleven as of today.” I sat up.

“I see. I will still grant you your wish so that we can end on good terms. Now what is it that you wish?” Crimson grabbed his coffee again.

“I want to know that if I wish to come back here and visit that I will have a place to stay. As much as I want to go home and stay with Rose for a while I can’t abandon the ponies who call me their friends. And more importantly I can’t abandon Rose.” I looked down to Rose who was fully awake.

“I have come to realize many things since I first came to this world. The first is that I still have a lot of life left to live. The second is that I have found a mare who I love more than anything or anypony I have met.” I kissed Rose.

“That is a compelling argument Silver. You will need not worry about this place. Rose will stay here in your absence and make sure the place stays in good shape. When you return you will have a place beside her in this house. If that is the only thing that you are worried about then our business is concluded and Derpy will take you home.” Crimson stood up and trotted out the door.

“Well Silver you heard the stallion. You will have a place here whenever you wish to return and see all of us. Now you can gather your things and leave whenever, but I would suggest returning to your world before nighttime I have been in contact with the Rose of your home world. She would like for you to stay around for a little while.” Derpy took another sip of her coffee before placing the mug in the sink.

“What do you think about all of this?” I looked into Rose’s eyes.

“Well you are able to return here whenever you want to. I would be ok with you going and visiting Rose for a few days. I will find a few things to do around this place so I don’t lose my mind from boredom.” Rose giggled and kissed me. “You said it was your birthday, right?”

“Yeah I did say that. I really hadn’t been thinking about it. Back home I don’t really get to celebrate my birthday. The last time we celebrated anything was hearth’s warming. That’s where I got my metal left wing.” I extended my left wing.

“Well I would have gotten you something if I would have known. But now that I do know I can get you something special for the next time your birthday comes around.” Rose winked at me seductively.

“I think the best gift I could get would be to spend the day with you.” I smiled and gave Rose a small kiss on her cheek.

“Well I think we should wait at least another year before we spend an entire day together. I still have a few things to prepare for your next birthday. Now go on. Your Rose at home wants to see you.” Rose stood up and hopped off the edge of the bed.

I sat there for a few minutes before jumping off the bed. I grabbed my saddlebags and made sure I had everything. Once I was satisfied I had all of my stuff that I would need I trotted over to Derpy.

Derpy was doing the dishes when I trotted over. “Are you ready to return home Silver?’ Derpy dried her hooves.

“I guess I am. I still want to stay here for a long time, but Rose wants to see me back home. So yeah I suppose I’m ready to return home.” I grabbed a hold of one of Derpy’s hooves.

“Well then let’s go.” Derpy picked me up and trotted over to a portion of the wall. Derpy took one small step and then jumped through the wall.

I had been to the pocket world many times before. I didn’t remember most of them but I did remember the ponies who I met. Today Lyra and Bon Bon were plotting something. I guessed they were plotting another prank to pull. Derpy had told me that Lyra and Bon Bon liked to screw around with the way things worked in the worlds they visited.

“What are you two planning today?” I stayed with Derpy.

“Hi Silver. Today we are planning a prank to pull on a few of the displaced who are coming to the next party. They crossed us for the last time.” Lyra shook her hoof in the air.

“Don’t you two do anything to drastic. Some of those who will be attending haven’t come to one of these in a few millenia. We can’t make them not return to one of these. Some of them have the good alcohol that you two love so much.” Derpy trotted on by the two.

“You know just how to keep us in line. I guess we won’t play any pranks on those who have that booze. See you soon Derpy.” Bonbon waved us goodbye.

“Yeah, I’ll be back in a few minutes I just have to drop Silver off with Rose. Hold down the fort until I return.” Derpy found the door she was looking for.

I waved to Lyra and Bon Bon just as we exited the pocket world.

Rose was waiting for us on the other side of the door. She trotted over and grabbed me off of Derpy. She gave me a hug and laid me down on her back.

“He’ll be here for a while. Crimson Skull wants him to take a few weeks to relax here at home with you. I do need to be on my way. Can’t leave those two jokesters alone for long.” Derpy trotted back through the portal leaving me and Rose alone.

“It’s good to see you Rose. I’ve been busy for a while in the other world.” I jumped down off of Rose.

Rose produced a note. “Derpy has been talking to me about your adventures in that world. I know that you have a marefriend. I know you wanted to keep that a secret from me. I trust you not to do anything stupid, but I would like to meet this marefriend of yours when she has the time. For now though how about some cake. It is your birthday after all.”

“I’ll talk to her the next time I see her and see when it is she can come for a visit. Also I would like to have a piece of cake. So yeah let’s have some cake.” I slipped the note into my saddlebags.

Rose returned with a small cake. She set it down and then took a seat on the floor. This year the cake was made of old fancy foal snack cakes. It had been a while since I had one but I was eager to eat the cake.

Rose cut me a slice of cake and started writing a note. I silently ate my cake while she wrote. I was happy to be back home but I was sad that I didn’t have Rose by my side. I frowned and continued eating my cake.

Rose presented the note to me. “You truly love her don’t you? I’ve seen the look in ponies eyes before. I want you to know that I will approve of her no matter what because it was you who chose her.”

I finished the piece of cake I was eating before speaking. “I love her more than anything in this world.” I thought my next words through carefully. “I am glad you approve of her. I promise you we won’t do anything that you wouldn’t approve of. For now though I have my home here and I need to spend some time with you.” I crawled over and put a wing over Rose.

Rose was writing on another piece of paper. “I’m happy to see you home Silver. How long do you plan on staying?”

“Well I had planned on staying here for a few weeks and then spending a few days at a time with Rose. I hope that’s ok with you.” I looked up to her.

Rose nodded her head and smiled.

I was happy. That was a feeling that I was starting to feel more and more. Everyday I was happy most of the day. Most days before all of this I had been depressed. I didn’t want to do anything unless some special occasion occurred

“What has happened since I’ve been gone?” I took my head away from Rose.

Rose got up and walked over to an old radio we had. She started to fiddle with the dials until the voice of a stallion came through.

“Hello wasteland this is DJ-PON3 here with the news. The small settlement of Appleloosa has just gone quiet. If anypony is in the area how about you stop on by and see what happened. In other news a group of manticores has been seen heading for Ponyville. To my friends down that way, If you aren’t drunk of your plots then grab your guns and defend your city. That’s all for the news my little ponies. Until next time this is DJ-PON3. And now for some music.” The radio cut out before the music started.

“So nothing good has happened. That sounds about right for the wasteland I know. Anything interesting happen around here?” I stood up leaving the cake on the floor.

Rose thought for a few seconds before shaking her head. She walked towards the front door. I trotted over as she pushed the front door open. Rose walked over to the small shack she had made my original wing in.

Inside was a bunch of weapons that looked hoof made by somepony who wasn’t super skilled. Rose looked around the room before grabbing a sword whose blade was pure white. She hoofed me the sword.

I took the sword in my magic and shifted it in the air so I could look over the entire sword. There was an inscription on the blade just above the hilt.

I read the inscription out loud. “The Knights Bane.” I squinted to make sure that was what the inscription said. “What kind of name is The Knights Bane? And where did you get this?” I held the sword of to my left.

Rose held up a slip of paper. “While you were away I visited the blacksmith who made your wing. I asked him if he would teach me to make swords so we would always have weapons to protect ourselves with. He agreed and gave me one of the best swords he ever made as a gift for you. I gave him my thanks and then returned home to begin forging my own swords.” Rose was looking over her creations.

“So that stallion wanted me to have this?” I stared at the sword. “This is awesome. Does it have a sheath?” I looked the blade over remembering the soldiers my parent had once controlled.

Rose nodded and turned around. After a few seconds of digging she produced a sheath for the blade. She tossed it over to me and continued looking.

I grabbed the sheath and put it on. A few straps would hold the sheath to my body so I would have the sword by my side whenever I might need it. The sword slid into the sheath with a very satisfying noise. The blade sat underneath my left wing when it was sheathed. It was a slight bit too long and stuck out past my tail.

Rose giggled a bit before hoofing me a small box.

I opened the box to find three little knives inside of it. The knives looked like little feathers. I looked down to my wing to see it had a few slots in it where the knives would fit. I levitated one of the knives up and slid it into the first slot. The blade slipped into place with a small click. I levitated the other two blades and slid them into the two other slots.

Rose grabbed my hoof and dragged me outside. She locked the door and led me around the back of the house.

In the backyard stood a few practice dummies and a couple of targets. I saw a note on the targets and trotted over to it.

I read the note in my head. “Hello Silver. Rose dropped by and asked me for some help. I agreed and helped her to learn the basics of forging. Now you have access to a forge so you can try your hoof at smithing. I also allowed Rose to bring you a few training dummies so you can practice with the sword and the throwing knives I made for you. May the blade I provided you serve you well and I wish you a good life if I do not see you again.” I was happy to hear from the stallion again.

“So I can train here as well as in the other world. I like that. Thanks Rose.” I trotted over and gave her a hug.

Rose smiled and hugged me back. She grabbed me and set me down on her back. We went back inside and sat down in the living room.

Rose went and grabbed one of the board games that we had laying around. She returned and set the box on the floor. Before I could see what game she had picked Derpy trotted out of the pocket world.

“Hi Silver. Rose wanted me to see if it was ok for her to come and meet Rose.” Derpy rubbed a hoof on the back of her head.

Rose nodded. I spoke. “Yeah I think that would be fine. I have no reason to keep her a secret from Rose. So will you two return here shortly… or?” I waited for her response.

Rose walked around the corner wearing a beautiful red dress. It stood out as unique in this dull and boring wasteland. I realized my mouth was open and quickly closed it. I looked to my adoptive mother and found her eyeing Rose over.

“It is nice to meet you Rose. My name is Amethyst Rose and I am your son’s marefriend.” Rose took a few steps towards us.

My adoptive mother nodded her head and then pushed me towards Rose. I gave her a look and she simply waved her hooves for me to go forward. I did as she wished and went up and gave Rose a kiss.

“Good to see you again.” I stepped away a little bit unsure of my behaviour with Rose around.

“Well we have only been separated for a few hours. Oh and while I am in the company of Rose you may call me Amethyst. Now I would like to know more about Rose. Silver are you going to tell me about her or does she want to tell me about herself?” Amethyst took a few steps towards Rose.

Rose was writing on a piece of paper. She held up the piece of paper for Amethyst to read. After a minute or so of reading Amethyst seemed satisfied with what she had learned.

“Well Rose I don’t have a long time to spend here with you and Silver but I would like to learn a bit more about the world that Silver comes from. What would you suggest?” Amethyst took a seat on the floor.

I was a small bit worried about Amethyst’s dress getting dirty. Our house wasn’t exactly the cleanest place but it was better than sitting in the dirt.

Rose turned on the radio. DJ-PON3 was on and telling the news.

“Well this should be good enough to learn more about your world Silver. Now come take a seat and let’s listen to the radio.” Amethyst tapped a spot on the ground next to her.

I trotted over and sat down. Amethyst spun to her side and laid her head on me. I had very mixed feelings about this especially with Rose in the room.

Rose did not seem to displeased with this but did keep casting glances our way.

We sat and listened to the radio until the sun started to set.

“Time to go Amethyst. Crimson said you needed to be back before midnight.” Derpy was half way in the pocket world.

Amethyst got to her hooves and gave me a kiss. “See you soon Silver.” She trotted over to Derpy and they disappeared.