Author's Notes:

Normal Excalibur. So no suit, powers, ship and whatnot. Just a human in Equestria.

BEEP… BEEP… BEEP…

That was the only sound that filled the room. It had been weeks and yet he still hadn't woken up. The room itself was as bland as bland could get. It contained nothing more than a few chairs, a small table with a working heart monitor, and a bed. On that bed…

Laid one human…

The incident had been a brutal and violent one. Doctors from all across the country were brought in to save his life. Scars and stitches covered his skin, he was heavily bruised and his bare skin was red. It was only after his organs were fixed was he covered in several casts to reset his badly broken bones. From his neck to his feet, multiple white casts covered his body. In the several weeks he had been in the hospital he was yet to wake up.

It was hard on everyone… even the nation itself. He sacrificed everything to save his friends… and it nearly cost him his life. Why? Why did he have to be so stubborn and get involved?

Twilight had been wondering that everyday for the last few weeks. As she sat with her head on the bed, hidden in her fore hooves, she sobbed lightly. She didn’t even know how many times she had done this. Her eyes hurt and her face was sore from all the crying. The sheets beneath her face were stained with her saddened tears.

As she laid there sobbing, she couldn’t stop from thinking about that fateful day…

“Dammit!” the young man screamed as he paced back and forth in the throne room of Canterlot Castle. “Why did I have to come this week of all weeks!?” The young man continued to pace. Now all three princess’ were gone, the guard was useless, and Twilight and the girls were in Ponyville!

And Tirek was on a fucking warpath!

The young man stopped his pacing and sighed. “If I had my rifle I could end this…” He moved his attention to something else and headed up towards the two thrones nearby. “Come on Celestia,” he muttered to himself. “I know you’re a smart mare. Give me something here to help.” He filled through a stack of official looking papers on her desk. Coming up empty, he placed them back down and surveyed through Luna’s work.

Nothing…

He growled angrily. There had to be something! Exhausted, he sat down on Celestia’s throne. “Come on,” he thought aloud. “You had to have left me something…” he started to scan the room for anything that could help him in some way, shape, or form. He looked at the pillars the lined the outer edge. Nothing. He examined the stained glass windows. Nothing as well. He groaned again before letting his head fall back. As he stared at the ceiling, he noticed something.

Multiple lines and small dots were burned into the tile. Confused he leaned forward slightly to better understand. Then it hit him. “Morse Code!” he smiled victoriously. “Yes! And mom thought I was wasting my time!” he started to translate. He quickly deciphered the word as ‘armory’.

Jumping to his feet he headed for the Royal Guard’s armory. After a quick run through the halls and past various rooms he came to his destination. Opening the door he was greeted with wall to wall of swords, spears, and pony shaped armor. There had to be something here of good use.

“Uhhhh… think!” he quickly exclaimed to no one. “Something important is here. But what!” he searched around the room for something important. What would work? What would work? “An inventory!” turning back to the door he quickly spotted a little book on a table. Placing both hands on the table he opened the book and started to rapidly search. “ Swords, spears, armor, gahhhh!” he slammed the book shut and grabbed the table again while his head hung low.

He took a deep breath to calm his nerves. “Now… if I was Celestia… how would I do this to make me figure this out?” He stood up fully and held a hand to his mouth in thought. He smacked his head in the hopes that pain would work. Sighing and opening the book a second time, he slowly searched through each page. As he came to a blank page just after armor, he thought of something. “Wait a second!”

He had an idea that might work. It was a long shot, but it could work.

After a quick run for a match, he returned and looked down at the book. He remembered Twilight doing something like this once before. He quickly struck the match, igniting its flammable head. Holding up a blank page he held the flame behind it. He slowly watched as a line formed. Excited, he lowered the flame. Slowly, a form started to appear. It was a full set of pony shaped armor, with various notes around it that talked about power, magic, and various other things he didn’t understand, and, right at the bottom were the words ‘Excalibur Proto Armor’.

“Nice!” It's just what he needed! Now he just had to find the damn thing. Turning around he searched frivolously. “Where, where, where?” he muttered. He rubbed his fingers in thought. “A secret door perhaps?” Time to Sherlock Holmes this bad boy. All around the room unlit torches hung from their stands. Idea! He examined the torches one by one. All of them were aged and worn, but one at the very back if the room caught his eye. The metal ring it hung from lacked a certain amount of dust.

Pulling the torch from its perch he placed a hand on the metal. It was cold and rather clean. Going off a hunch he pulled it towards himself. Stepping back, the old wall groaned a popped with a hiss. He smiled victoriously as the wall slowly rotated to reveal a dark red set of armor. It looked the exact same shape of that of the Royal Guards armor. But he wouldn't be able to fit in that! Ponies were short and cuddly, he was huge and gruff.

Manly!

He rubbed his face before taking a step towards the armor. Standing in front of the dark metallic set, he raised a hand and placed it on the helmet. “What the hell!?” he yelled as the armor started to glow brightly. Trying to pry his hand free, to no avail, he grabbed it with the other and pulled as hard as he could. “Ohhh shit!” He was quickly engulfed by the overwhelming light as the armor seemed to attack his body.

Just as fast as it started, it was over.

Shaking his head, he opened his eyes to see that the armor had disappeared. “Well shit… I broke it.” His only way of helping and it’s gone. Taking a step, the sound of metal *tinking* on the floor caught his attention. Reflexively, he looked down. “Oh hell yes!” he smiled and held up his now metal clad arms. “This is what I’m talking about!” The armor hadn’t disappeared!

It conformed to his body!

He looked like the nights from old. The armor covered his body perfectly, and the twin spikes on his shoulders made him look pretty badass. The back cloak tail thing could be a hindrance through. Eh, who cares, he needed to help! Reached to the side, he grabbed a short sword and threw it over his back before heading towards the door.

“Comeon!” he yelled frustratingly. “I need to find a way to get to Ponyville!” The train would take to long and with every pegasus in town devoid of magic, chariot was out of the question. He needed to warn Twilight! If only he had magic!

“Spraw!”

The sound of a birds screech grabbed his attention. Following the sound, he watched as a bright orange and yellow phoenix descended from above. “Philomena!” the animal in question continued to descend before it flapped its fire like wings and landed on one of his shoulder spikes. “Boy am I glad to see you!” the animal screeched its greeting before leaning down and allowing the young man to scratch its neck. “Look! You’re a smart bird, I need a way to get to Ponyville! Any ideas?”

The animal looked to the sky before nodding its head in acknowledgement. She took to the skies and headed down the halls of the castle and out the front doors. Upon exiting, he watched as the little phoenix ascended into the sky before a massive orange aura surrounded her. In massive bright flash of light, she disappeared.

Only to land with a massive thud on the ground.

The bird had grown to unimaginable size. She was the size of a minivan, maybe bigger. “Huh… convenient,” he muttered. The massive bird extended a wing to the ground. The young man wasted no time in climbing aboard and onto her back. “We need to get to Ponyville and stop Tirek!” he informed his colorful steed. “Then we’ll find you mother. Alright?” The bird nodded before opening her massive wings.

With a single thrust, she was airborne.

Twilight laid helpless on the ground with her friends all around her. They lost. Tirek had the alicorn magic. What could she do? There was no saving Equestria from this! A tear escaped from her eye. All she wanted to do was go find her man and cuddle up with him. Maybe pray for all of this to end?

“What is that?”

Turning her head, she looked to the skies. Her eyes went wide as a massive fireball came roaring from the heavens. “Hit the deck!” she screamed as everypony dove to the ground. It came in like a rocket. A loud, piercing whistle tore through the air at supersonic speeds. They watched in awe in horror as the super heated ball of fire flew overhead and buzzed past Tirek.

The massive centaur had no time to react as the ball of fire impacted against his chest. The behemoth screamed out in agony as he tipped back and landed on the hard ground beneath. A massive plume of dust and debris engulfed his form as he came to a stop. Up above the massive ball of flame circled the area.

“Chris!?” Twilight screamed. She… she couldn’t believe her eyes. There was her coltfriend, clad in a massive set of dark metallic armor. One hand held firm onto the phoenix’s feathers just behind its head while the other gripped a bright short sword. By the gods above what happened to him!?

“Alright, Philomena,” he said over the rush of air. “Let’s kick some ass!” The massive bird glanced back before nodding.

She dove.

It was something out of a movie. The duo descended at an alarming rate, like that of a massive flaming artillery shell. As they started to gain speed, that familiar whistle from before returned. On the ground Tirek started to rise to his hooves. Lifting his head to the sky, he growled. “I will not be defeated by some pest!” With a swing of his massive arm, he aimed for the flaming missile. With a massive swing, he threw a heavy punch with his right arm.

He missed.

Philomena rolled under the swing before climbing higher with a massive beat of her wings. A massive subsonic explosion filled the air. All of the girls watched in awe and horror as dust and debris were kicked into the air. Closing their eyes, they flinched away as massive wind filled with dust engulfed them. As soon as it died down, they forced a peek.

All of them gasped.

Standing in front of them, was the dark clad knight. “Hi girls!” he smiled. “Miss me?” The smiled in return with a slow nod of their heads. They would have hugged him had they not been so exhausted from the loss of their magic. Before they could even respond, a massive, anger filled roar unceremoniously graced their ears. Turning to face the giant, Chris stared daggers at the beast. He growled. “Today! You die Tirek!”

With a massive thrust of his legs that would make any olympic runner jealous, he was off.

It was there that everything went hazy for Twilight. She didn’t remember the fight, all she remembered was watching her lover standing in front of Tirek before his body seemed to give out. He dropped to a knee, muttered the words ‘Oh shit!’ and was backhanded by the centaur far into the sky.

It was only after Tirek was defeated and arrested that they started to search in the general direction of the blow. The six mares, one dragon, and draconequus searched for what seemed like an eternity before Applejack and Rainbow found what appeared to be a massive impact drag far into Whitetail Woods. Following… is when they found him.

He was barely conscious sitting up against a tree trunk in a pool of his own blood. His armor was cracked at broken, and his face was bruised and bloody. As soon as the girls arrived Twilight broke down into tears as Rarity released her stomach into a nearby bush. If it wasn’t for Discord, he would not have survived.

As Twilight laid with her head down and her eyes closed she felt something messing with her mane. Turning her head, she opened one eye to see a pair of fingers playing her her dark purple mane. Shocked, she sat up straight in her seat. Her purple eyes immediately moved to the young man’s dark brown ones.

He smiled.

“Have I ever told you how soft you mane is?” he strained out with a raspy voice.

The little mare’s jaw moved up and down in an attempt to speak, only to come up blank. Her head quickly shot towards the open door. “Nurse! He’s awake!” Looking back at the young man, tears of sadness were replaced with those of joy! "Chris! Don't worry the nurse will be here soon!"

“How… long have I been out?” he asked weakly.

Twilight wiped her eyes with her fetlock before smiling joyously. “Six weeks,” she answered honestly and sniffled. “You broke every bone in your body except the two fingers you used to play with my mane…” her lower lip started to quiver. “You had fourteen surgeries in two weeks!” she quickly buried her head in her hooves. “You were in the first one for three days!” her head dropped back onto the bed as she started to sob loudly yet again.

The playing of her mane returned.

The purple mare turned her head back towards the young man. He continued to smile down at her as he twisted her soft hair through his two digits. Seeing his loving and caring smile, combined with his gentle touch, cause her to smile as well.

“T-Twi..” he strained. The little mare’s ears perked up with full intention of listening. “Y-You know I love you… right?” she smiled and gently nodded her head. She had to admit that him playing with her hair was really nice. “ I… I have a request.” she waited patiently for him to continue. “I-I’ve been here for a year now… and well… c-could you stop looking for a way to send me home?”

Her eye’s went wide as she fully lifted her head. “B-But what about your family!? Friends? You talked so much about your schooling!”

He sighed and closed his eyes. “I’d be shaking my head if it wasn’t bolted down,” he joked lightly. “Y-You or the princess’ haven’t found a way for me to get home…” he trailed off breathing heavily like he had run a marathon. “And… I fell in love…” Twilight’s face flushed lightly. “Do… do you really want me to leave?” he asked her.

“W-Well no… but you don’t belong here!” she retorted.

“A-And how will I get home?” he asked. “I went with you to that alternate universe remember?” She did. She remember completely. That wasn't the realm he came from,close, but no cigar. “Twi… I'm really tired… s-so I’ll make this quick…” she patiently waited for him to continue. “At my place, in my room… i-is a box covered in wrapping paper… could… could you bring it to me?”

The little mare smiled and nodded her head. Smiling back he gently closed his eyes. Gingerly she nuzzled his still broken hand. “I will!”

Just then the nurse walked in.

It was another week later when the rest if Twilight's friends visited. Pinkie desperately wanted to hug the young man. Applejack and Rainbow wanted to beat his broken ass. Rarity had so many questions about the armor while Fluttershy cried tears of joy. He was alive! It would be months before he could walk again and the recovery process would be long and slow, but with his friends, it wouldn't be lonely.

And Spike?

He was happy that his bro was alive. As all seven stood around, or sat, in Spikes and Fluttershy’s cases. The door to the room opened. Gaining their attentions, they all watched as Princess Celestia, Luna, and Cadence entered the room with another unicorn mare with a small notepad in her aura and a stallion with a camera around his neck.

Both Fluttershy and Spike rose from their seats and bowed as Rarity, Applejack, Rainbow, and Pinkie followed suit. Chris glanced around the room. “I’d bow but my legs say otherwise.”

That enlisted a giggle from everyone but Twilight, who rolled her eyes. Celestia’s giggling came to a stop. “No, no,” she dismissed with a wave of her hoof. “My sister and I conversed on our return to Canterlot and were quickly informed of your actions and… condition…”

The mare stopped as she looked at the young man with a somber gaze. “We wish to honor you properly now that you are awake,” Luna finished rather bluntly. “What you did was not only brave, but admirable.”

“Which is why we want to honor you for your actions,” Cadence finished. “We know that you’ll be unable to move for a while, but we just couldn't wait the next few months or perhaps a year until you have recovered fully.”

The young man glanced to the side to see the shorter mare scribbling furiously on her pad. They had to be with the Canterlot Press. “Right… so how do you intend to do that?” he asked, confused. He well in truly was. All three came because he did the right thing? Eh, at least Shining Armor wasn't here, that guy is a bitch!

“With this,” The solar mare replied before making a small, black box appear. “For your aid in the defeat of former Lord Tirek. I, Princess Celestia of Equestria, along with my sister Princess Luna of Equestria and niece, Princess Cadence of the Crystal Empire, we hereby bestow upon you, Christian Davis, the Great Equestria Star!” she opened the case to reveal a large silver star with the picture Equestria flag on it and a lovely ribbon, the same as the flags colors. “Equestria’s highest honor.” She levitated the medal with her magic and pinned it to his torso cast. Tears started to fall from everyone's face but the young man as he looked at the medal with a dumb expression. “For y-your bravery… in defeating Tirek.” Celestia, Luna, and Cadence wiped their wet eyes. “Equestria is indebted to you…” Celestia quickly finished before turning away and hiding her face with her mane.

Next to her, Luna placed an assured hoof on her sisters withers. Chris just sat there slack jawed. He looked away from Celestia and down towards the medal, the to Luna, and back at the medal. “I… I don’t know what to say…” He looked up to see Celestia looking back at him, she was still sobbing lightly. “I… I guess I should salute but...:” Celestia giggled through her crying. Always the jokester.

The solar mare wiped her eyes with a hoof before walking up to the left side of the bed. “At least smile.” The young man looked forward and quickly smiled at the camera. With a click and a flash, the photo was taken. The stallion looked at the camera and nodded. With a bow, he thanked the princess’, so did the mare before they left the room. Celestia looked down at the young man with one of her ever loving smiles.

“My neck is still broken, Celestia.”

The mare rolled her eyes playfully. Stepping forward she stood in front of the bed and smiled yet again. “We will have a proper celebration after you’re released from the hospital,” she explained.

The young man groaned in response. “I hate massive gatherings,” he complained. “Especially when the whole nation will be watching.” he paused before looking towards Twilight, who stood nearby. The little mare smiled. “But I can think of one reason to celebrate. Twilight, remember that box I asked for?”

“Hmm? Oh, right!” she realized before turning towards her saddle bags. She shuffled through them before holding it up with a hoof. She grabbed it with her magic and walked back over to the bed. “Here you go!” she placed it on the bed.

He glanced down at it. “Its for you, Twilight.” The mare raised an eyebrow before levitating it up into the air. She peeled the paper away before tossing it in a nearby trashcan. The box was small and black. “Open it,” he urged.

The little purple mare popped the top. She gasped loudly and held a hoof to her mouth as tears started to well up in her eyes. Curious, everypony leaned in. They too gasped when they saw the horn ring with a massive purple amethyst stone gracing its top. It was finely made, the gold wring made a perfect 'O' shape. Both it and the gem were polished to a bright sheen.

“Oh my!” Rarity gasped while holding a hoof to her barrel. “Chris! That must have cost a fortune!”

The man in question glanced at the pearly mare. “The bitch was getting Twilight’s horn measurement.” Twilight reflexively reached for her horn. H-How did he get that? She couldn't remember a time where he did something like that. He knows not to touch a unicorns horn because of what it could do!

“W-What?” the young g man just nodded to her question. “C-Chris, I can’t accept this!” He had always gotten her smaller gifts or taken her to dinner. Always small little things. She never wanted jewelry, only books. Which he did often. She absolutely loved it when he got her a book she had been dying to get early, and he got it for her... signed by the author too!

“A-Actually,” he started before swallowing nervously. “Y-You’re sup-posed to keep it if you answer… this question.” Her heart rate started to rise as sweat appeared on her brow. Could he? He made sure to look her right in the eye and gulped nervously. “T-Twilight Sparkle… will you marry me?”

Everyone in the room sat in utter silence. Many held hooves to mouths, others sat slack jawed as they looked back and forth between the couple. Tears feel free from Twilight’s eyes as she watched the young man. Slowly, way too slow for his liking, she levitated the ring into the air and onto her horn.

“Yes… yes I would!”