A week had passed since I started my herd with applebloom and sweetie bell. I when to town hall and asked about a building crew to build my house. The mayor said when the weather team could melt the snow on my land she would get them started. I've also sent a letter to canterlot asking Luna to come to the town. But as of this moment, I was hunting a slave camp in the everfree. I started to work as a bounty hunter. Much to applebloom and sweetie bell's displeasure. After I told them they all but panicked even granny wasn't happy with me either. She said that she didn't want to see me in a grave like her son and daughter in law. She told me they died when they saved filly Applejack from falling to her death in the everfree revenue. They couldn't even find the bodies and she didn't want applebloom to lose me like she did her parents. As I started to get closer to a cliff I started to smell rotting flesh. I also started to hear voices and they didn't sound like ponies.

"We need to hurry the new alpha is a real bitch."

I jumped over a large bush and into a tree and looked down at a pair of bipedal dogs. Ugly things but I saw a mass grave behind them. It was full of ponies and other dogs and a large black bird. I thought about killing them but dismisses the idea they're more useful to me alive. But one said something that got my attention.

"What about the river ponies they still free?"

"Yes, but alpha said she handle them soon sorry farm ponies."

I froze and thought there was no way but I had to know. Granny did say their bodies were never found so just maybe the survived the fall. I pulled murasae out and jumped out of the tree and cut the bigger ones head off. The smaller one looked at me in fear and tried to run but I grabbed him and slammed his face into a tree. I pulled him back and he looked at me out of the corner of his eye and was shaking in fear. I looked at him coldly and started to speak. "Two things were is your slave the camp and the farming ponies?"

"Camp down the path that way."

He pointed to the right and then pointed to the left.

"The ponies are that way."

I nodded and throw him to the ground. I looked at him and he tried to get away. As I turned murasae in my hand and when he started to run I stabbed him through his back and the curse killed him. The river can wait I can't let the camp get away again. I turned to the right and ran down the path and soon saw the camp. It took about an hour and I had freed the slaves and showed them to the road to ponyville. However, in the back of my mind, I remember that the alpha they talked about wasn't there. One of the slaves I saved said the alpha had left two days ago in a hunting party. To get more meat and fish for her pack but what got my attention the most is that they said she was like me a human. 'I'll have to look into this once I find the farm ponies.' I left the now abandoned slave camp and went down the way the dog told me about. As soon as I took a step next to that part of the forest I knew something was wrong with this part of the forest. It was like having a thousand eyes on me all at once. I slowed my walking as I started to hear breathing behind me. I spun around and didn't see anything I spun back and again nothing was there. I started to move again but now had a tight grip of murasae ready to jump into action. As I walked the forest only got thicker and harder to get into. So I wouldn't get lost I stomped down grass and broke branches making a path in the forest of death.

"Stop right there!"

I looked up and in a tree was a stallion that kind of looked like big mac. He was pointing a spear at me. A few seconds passed and a mare that looked like applebloom with Applejack's hair walked out from behind the tree holding a bow. They looked like they've seen total hell and I felt sorry for them but I had to ask. "Are you two part of the apple family?" The stallion looked at me and dropped the spear.

"Yes, we are you here to take us home?"

They looked at me with hope and I nodded. "Yes, granny told me what happened so after I destroyed the slave camp I decided to look for you. I know applebloom would love to finally meet you." As I spoke he got out of the tree and the mare ran over to me.

"You know my little filly is she ok what about Applejack and Macintosh?"

As she spoke the father ran over and started to ask the same things. I raised a hand and they stopped and looked at me. "You can see them soon but I have to know why didn't you two ever try to get home. They looked at me and to the ground.

"We tried but that slave camp always stopped us. They attempted to catch us so many time. Each time they failed and we were forced deeper into the everfree."

I nodded and way at them to come on. "Well I'm Troy and I'm here to take you home so you really to go?" The stallion raised a hand and so did the mare.

"We are my name is harvested and this is my wife sweet seed."

I took their hands and pulled them the way I came in. We all had our guard up until we were out of the forest. I saw the other ponies on the edge of the town and medical tents as we. I looked back to the apples and they were taking in the sun's warmth. I let them do this for a few minutes. When they were good I started to lead them through the town. Many stallions and mares in town stopped and looked at them like they were ghost. Some even walked up to shake their hands and welcomed the home with tear filled eyes. Soon they all made way as we walked down the snowy path to sweet apple acres. It was about noon when we stepped onto the farm and I heard crying. I looked back and saw the mare crying tears of joy and the stallion was too. I smiled and took them to the barn and told them to wait for their as I'd get the others. I closed the barn door and ran to the farm house and throw the door open. The apple family was all in the living room and looked at me when I throw the door open.

"Troy what are you doing you'll break my door!"

Granny yelled but I just smiled and looked at them all. "You all need to get to the barn now I've got something that will change all your life's to the core" They all looked at each other and nodded. Soon we were all at the barn door and I yelled at them to come out. When harvester and sweet seed walked out the door the apple looked on in shock. Granny and Applejack started to cry as mac ran over and hugged the with tear filled eyes. The mother hugged back as if her life depended on it and the father did the same. Applejack and granny soon ran over to them as well. Applebloom on the other hand just got behind me and was looking at the love fest. Soon the mother saw her and got out of the group and walked over to us.

"You look just like me my little applebloom."

After she said that she hug me and applebloom who seemed to figure out who this mare and stallion were. I got out of the hug and started to walk away from the over joyed family.

"Where do you think you're going."

Before I knew it mac had grabbed my arm and I looked back at them all. I looked at mac who looked determined to keep me near them. I turned and started to talk to him. "I'm not part of your family mac I was just giving you all the time I know you want. If some had just brought my sister back to me I'd spend as much time with her as I could." Next thing I know Granny's cane hits the top my head and I fall to the ground rubbing my head. I looked up at her tear filled eye's as she starts to talk.

"Now you listen to me, Troy. You've granted this family the greatest wish. I have my son and his wife back and we have you to thank for that. You've also given these kids their parents back. You have more than earned your place in this family a hundred times over. Now they told me what happened to your sister. I can't bring her back but I can give you a new family if you'd want."

I looked at her and then to the hand, she was holding out to me. I sighed and pushed her hand away and got back to my feet and looked at her. "Granny I truly thank you but if I'm going to have a family it's one I want to make. Do you know what I mean? I want to get married have kids and live a peaceful life with them." She smiled and applebloom blushed her whole family saw it. Mac smiled and granny smiled and looked her.

"Applebloom do you or Troy want to tell or am I going to tell your ma and pa?"

Applebloom was getting closer to me and I got really to grab her and run as mac and the father looked at me. But to our told shock the father said it was ok with him.

"It ok with me if my ma' ma likes you then I know you a good colt and I can trust you with my little girl."

After he said that she jumped on me and slammed her lips into mine. I wrapped an arm around her and we fell to the snowy ground. For the rest day, the apple family sat in the living room talking. Applebloom was beside me the whole time. But when nightfall came the mother all but dragged applebloom to her room and the father laughed say she waited for 17 years to talk to her. I nodded and walked into my room and before I could even take a step I saw a little movement outside the farm gate. I walked over to the window and looked out of it and I saw the out line of someone. I looked this person and my eyes widened. In their hand was the adventures bunker pumpkin. Whoever this was had other imperial arms and I could see their eyes a cold green. I saw the hold up three fingers and then pointed to the settings sun. I narrowed my eyes and nodded once and I swear I saw whoever this was smiling. I watched as this person walk back to the forest and just to be safe I didn't sleep that night I stayed up watching the way this person left. As soon as all of them were awake I told them at had happened. Mac, harvester and I went out and armed with Harvester's spear mac a large axe and me with my swords. Sure as the day is long whoever this was left a trial and from the looks of it, their was at least ten other's here.

"Troy."

I looked back and saw mac looking at me. I frowned and nodded at him. "I know big guy but listen I have to tell you two something very important about the imperial arms." Harvester walked up to me and looked at me.

"If this is so important then why wait until now to tell us?"

I looked him in the eyes and sighed. "I never thought I'd have to fight another Imperial arms user. The fights between us are so fierce that no matter what only one of the users will live." They looked at me and harvester looked at me sadly.

"I'm sorry I didn't know that Troy."

"It's fine but now we're in a real bad spot." They looked at me and we all started back to the house. After that, I left and when to Twilight's library and had her send a letter to get both princesses here. Two hours passed until the teleported into the library. When mine and Luna's eyes meet we both looked at the other with apologetic looks. "Hey sorry about my puppet I was really tired and then have to put more stress on my body made it a lot worse for me."

"No, no we are sorry thee said that thy puppets could act on their own. But in your letter, you said the two was in great danger?"

I told the three of them what had happened the day before. All of them were scared when they heard me say someone else has an imperial arm. They asked if I knew what kind it was and I told them what I did know about this weapon.

"Um, Troy would you mind if you win we can study the weapon?"

I looked at twilight and she was looking at me with hope. 'Too bad I can't let her.' I stood up and walk over to her and looked her in the eyes. "I'm sorry but no I will be holding onto it until I find someone who can use it." I looked back and looked at the princesses and started to talk again. "As much as I hate to say it I need your help this time. This weapon is made to kill from a distance. The problem, however, is that they have support I can't fight through them and not get shot at the same time. So I was hoping to get some back up from you two." They looked at each other and then back to me. The white one spoke up.

"We will help but we need to what are we looking at in a casualty count here? We've seen what you can do but what all can this weapon does? Does it have a trump card or does it and attack one at a time?"

I sat down and told them all I knew about pumpkin. I told them it was made to act as a long and mid range weapon. The took all this in and left for the castle and said they bring back troop in a day. When that was done I left to find sweetie belle but I saw a purple tail and heard crying. I walked over and looked at Scootool. she was in shorts and a tank top and she was covering her face with her hands. She was shivering and I felt my heart shader. I took my jacket off and covered her with it. She jumped and looked at me and I saw she had a black eye and a little blood was coming out of her nose. She grabbed the sides of the jacket and pulled it closer to her body.

"Thank you, I ran out of the house before I could get my clothes changed."

I looked at her and she shrank under my glare. "Scootool tell me how you got that black eye." She looked away from me and I sighed and looked her her again and she was still shaking. I looked at her and before she could stop me I picked her up like I did when I ran me and applebloom out of the bad part of town. She blushed when she looked at me but buried her face into the jacket.

"Scootool where are you?!"

Scootool jumped in my arms and looked down the road the voice came from. I saw a large Pegasus walk around a corner with a cider bottle in his hand. His fur was the same as hers but his mane and tail were green. He had green eyes too but had a scar over the right. He saw us and started to stumble over to us and he looked pissed.

"There you are you little bitch."

I felt her grab my shirt and I heard her start breathing hard. I gripped her shoulder tighter and she looked at me and then to the drunken stallion in front of us.

"Dad please just sto..."

Before she could finish the stallion tried to grab her but I jumped past him and kicked his flank. When I did he fell face first into the snow and the bottle shattered against the brick wall of the alley. Scootool looked at me and then to her dad. He got up and looked at the broken bottle and grunted in announce. He looked at me and pointed the broken bottle at me.

"A-and who do you t-think you are? Some bad flank come to save the d-day?"

I made sure we were out of his reach before I answered. "No, I'm just someone who wants to protect anyone when I can. Plus her friends are my herd mares and I couldn't live with myself if I let you hurt her again not when I can stop you. So I'm going to give you a chance to save yourself. But if you chose to fight me then you will live to regret it."

"Oh, a-and what makes you think you can b-beat me I was a guard you little bucker!"

He stumbled forward and swung the make shift knife at Scootool amd me. I to the opposite side of his strike at straight kicked him in the side of his head. But because of the alcohol in his system, he didn't feel the pain now. He got back up and before he could fully stand up I kicked the side of his chest hard and slammed him into the brick wall. He was out cold and huffed and looked at her. She had her eye on the stallion and then looked at me.

"Can we please just leave I don't want to look at him anymore."

"Ok were heading to Sweetie Belle's house for now and later you're coming back to the farm for the night." The rest of the day was peaceful after Scootool told us what had happened to her. Her dad was an abusive drunk and he would beat her. Sweetiebell stayed with her and rarity locked the house down until I came back with the guards. I also got the others and applebloom. Applejack said she was welcomed to come to the farm but she asked if she could stay with rarity and Sweetiebell. Once that was done we all left and when we got back to the farm the father and mac. Pulled me to the barn and we all had a mug of cider. Let me tell you that stuff has some real kick to it.