Disclaimer: I don't own My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic or any of the characters, nor do I own Team Fortress 2 or any of its characters. I do, however, own Copper Head, Captain Ajax, and The Bombonculus.

"What…are these?" Lyra asked nopony in particular, hoping the nonexistent entity might have some insight as she had none. After laying on her back for a few moments trying to recover from her embarrassing fall, Lyra Heartstings had finally gotten off the floor and shuffled over to the mysterious gift Pyro had left her, only to find an even more confusing item within; a pair of goggles with round, light blue lenses connected by a large piece of rubber, with white letters printed across the front that read "Optical Mask", and straps with a buckle off to either side.

The mint-green mare turned the strange cosmetic item over and over. First with her hooves, and then with magic, then with her hooves again (which was silly because she had much more dexterity with her mentally controlled magic emanating from her spiraling horn).

"Here goes nothing…" she loosened the straps and lifted the goggles over her eyes, then tightening them all with her yellow aura. 'Wow, they fit like a horseshoe, almost like they were…made for me.' Lyra kept her eyes closed, due to the fact that the eye covers were extremely snug and she didn't want to accidentally blind herself like she had seen Twilight do when attempting a Pinkie Promise.

The world she saw was incredible; large puffy pink clouds and giant lollipops she was sure were edible. She looked to the left and then to the right, but it seemed she was the only pony in sight, and that began to fill her with fright.

"Hello, is anypony there? Anypony at all; a stallion, a colt, a filly, a mare?" Her words echoed over the rolling hills and colorful trees but the only response came from the breeze, that whipped across the sky and chilled her knees. Lyra was confused more than scared, she had been in worse binds, and hardly cared. "I wonder where I am," the mare said alone, "I wish I had somepony to help me find my way home."

"How about me? Would I be alright?" a mysterious voice said from just out of sight. "I must warn you my my schedule is tight, but for you I can make an exception, just for the night."

"Night? Alright enough fun, if I look up I'm blinded by the sun. So unless the moon has grown brighter than before; you're lying to me, no less and no more." The unicorn tapped her hoof against the pastel grass, flicking her tail with much annoyed sass. "I've had enough," she shouted stamping the ground. "I'm not going to stop until you are found!"

"Alright, I suppose I have no other choice. I'm behind this tree, just follow my voice." Lyra took a hop, a skip, and a jump, but landed wrong and fell hard on her rump. As she got her hooves and rubbed her bruised flank, her heart arose from her belly it had once sank.

There by the tree was a familiar sight; a RED jumpsuit, so brilliant and bright. While the yellow-tipped gloves and mask were the same, there were a few items Lyra just couldn't name; like the gold orchestrina that rested on his back or the three little bongos that covered his rack. Where once was a flamethrower that had been the Spy's scorn, had become a bundle of three giant brass horns. His ax was gone too, the one with the red head on top, it had been replaced by a big lollipop.

"Pyro!" she screamed overfilled with joy, she hugged her good friend, no need to be coy! Pyro squeezed back and looked her dead on, before uttering:

The harpist was about to reply when the twinkle of thought shown bright in her eye. What she had heard her mind tried not to block, which still begs the question, "Pyro, you TALK!?"

"That's hurts. Of course I can talk, just as easy as you and I can walk." He demonstrated by running around, all the while his bongos made a *thunk-a thunk* sound. "You gotta believe me, know I'm not lyin', all those 'huddahs' and 'murrphs' have been me tryin'! It's easier here, talking with those that I please, this world I created puts my tired mind at ease."

Pyro laughed. "No, this is a mental projection, one of the place I made for my own protection. You see, in the world from which I come, most of its residents are violent and dumb. I was but a child when the world turned mean, seemed like violence was the only thing to be seen. So I did what any child would do in my situation; I escaped into my own imagination! Pain became laughter, weapons were candy! War wasn't something to fear, it was just dandy! But the best of all," he said bending down low, "fires were replaced with a bright shiny rainbow!"

"Then what do you see when villains arrive on the scene? Or are they just masked by something happy and pristine?"

Pyro sighed, a little deflated, fooled into a trap Lyra had unwittingly baited. "I've learned that make-believe is fun most of the time, but it can't cover over every crime. I can switch back and forth between Pyroland and reality, that skill has saved me from more than one fatality. When you asked if I was a god…I am immortal in a way; dying and respawning day after day. It can maddening if on that thought one chooses to dwell; being unable to die? It's a perpetual hell! So I made these Pyrovison Goggles for the rest of my team to break down reality as if it were a dream."

Pyro snapped his fingers and jumped to his feet, "Wait 'til you this, it's a real treat. Balloonicorn!" Pyro yelled almost as if he were mentioning a pest. "Get your drunken-ass out here, we have a guest!"

From on yonder hill Lyra did see, two little specks flying so careless and free. They flew over to Pyro and rested on his shoulders, like two colorful air-filled boulders. "Balloonicorn and Reindoonicorn from left to right, I can see by your face that they're quite a sight. Balloonicorn is the Mayor of Pyroland when I'm not around (unfortunately the job's not fun as it sounds). To my right is Reindoonicorn, the new kid in town, he arrived around Smissmiss, the festive lil' clown. This is Lyra," Pyro said pointing to the mare, "she's a dear friend of mine, treat her with care. They don't talk, but they understood. To go against my will is to be banished for good.

"That's alright, totally fine. I just have one question; do we always have to rhyme?"

"The world likes to rhyme all the words it can, whether it be 'door', 'ship', 'bankrupt' or 'cyan'."

"Pyro, this is amazing, I never want to go. Living in here is like being in a quality TV show!" Pyro rested a hand on her green head, and the sudden shift in tone filled her with dread. "I can't stay, can I? It's too good to be true, I guess now I'll have to give the goggles back to you."

Pyro stroked her mane and got down on one knee. "I gave you those so you can always be with me. We can't meet together everyday, as the call to battle will whisk me away. But with these goggles and my two faithful balloons, I guarantee we'll do this again soon." He stood to leave but stopped as something was amiss. "You almost forgot this." From his back pocket he produced a ring, a gold band that made Lyra so happy she could sing.

She thought she had lost it when the Changelings stole it away! Pyro must've retrieved it on that faithful day. "Thank you thank you! From me it shall never be torn," she stated happily as it slid over her horn.

+++++

"…it's time to wake up! Hello? Lyyyyyra?" Lyra bolted upright and looked around her still messy house. Had she been dreaming this whole time? Did she really go to Pyroland or was that all just-

"Shoot, coming!" Lyra threw off her comfy sheets and yawned, magically grabbing a brush from her bathroom as she trotted down stairs. After glancing at a mirror to make sure her mane was acceptable, she opened front door. "Good mor-"

"HIYA LYRA! I'VE GOT SOME MAIL FOR YOU!" Derpy said with a big smile that could usually be found on her happy face. Lyra unfolded her ears from the side of her head and tried her best to summon up a convincing smile that early in the morning. "Sorry to bother you, but your mailbox was full of Hearts and Hooves Day cards so I had to bring this package to you personally. I think it's chocolates!"

The apparently popular pony pushed the mailmare aside to see just that; her mailbox nearly overflowing with cards. "Oh, wow…I wonder who they're all from? Oh NO! I forgot to make any for anypony else!"

The cross-eyed pegasus had a lightbulb light up above her head as Lyra's porch light flickered on. "Stupid thing on the fritz again, really?"

"I think some of the stores are still selling that stuff! If you hurry and make them up quick, I can help you deliver them!"

"Really!? Thanks, Derpy! C'mon, no time to lose!" With that, the two mares raced out into town as the weather team was just starting to sweep away the morning fog.

"R-Ring?" Lyra ran by a shop and looked into it's reflective glass, this time paying more attention to her horn than her still untidy mane. There, just above a sign that read "50% off all baked goods!" was that shimmering gold band with a diamond resting on top. "Yeah, a friend gave it to me."

+++++

"I never thought this castle was so big on the inside, all of these rooms and passages, it's a wonder you two don't still get lost in here," Copper Head said as he, Shining Armor, and Princess Cadance walked casually along the corridor that lead outside of the Crystal Castle.

"I guess living here for some odd moths does give Princess Cadance and I an advantage, huh? I'm glad you're enjoying the tour, it's the least Princess Celestia could do for somepony who was abducted by Changelings and imprisoned for so long," Shining said to the stallion who was trying (and failing) to remain calm in the presence of both Prince Shining Armor and Princess Cadance.

"N-No problem, y-your lordship. It really wasn't so bad, it only took three, four showers tops to get that gunk out of my coat. I have to admit, I thought somepony was pranking my when I got a letter saying that you wanted me to come tour parts of THE Crystal Castle, but after Twilight approved the Royal Seal as genuine (and after I regained consciousness) I was so honored, thank you again."

The happily married couple smiled. "Oh dear. Shining, Night Court will be getting underway soon. We should be off." Cadance winked at the white and orange unicorn as she trotted to the hall and out of sight. Twilight's older brother looked over at the oversized colt who was trying his best to contain himself but only managed to turn lobster-red all over his body.

"FINE! I'm goooood. It's all god- I mean 'good'. Good, hehehe…" Now the copper-maned stallion was turning red at just how amazingly stupid he was.

"Well, as much as I would like to continue our tour, I am needed elsewhere. Keep up the good work, soldier." Shining said with a salute.

It took Copper Head a second to process what he was doing before quickly smacking himself in the forehead with his hoof with a rapid salute of his own. "Thank you again, Prince Armor." Copper Head remained in the saluting pose until Shining poked his head back around.

"*GASP* Thank you, sir." With his ordeal over, Copper Head took one last look at the awe-inspiring Crystal Empire before plopping himself down outside the train station.

He looked around at the lush mountains that had once been covered for a thousands years of snow as a pleasant breeze blew through his mane and tail. Lots of birds were out flying today, it was rare to see them all flying off in one direction like that.

The large stallion's emerald eyes scanned the area, ever since he had been captured by Changelings that one night he couldn't remember which hotel room was his back in Dodge City and just opted to sleep on the bench outside had made him very attentive for things that seemed out of place, and birds all flying AWAY from somewhere that wasn't during a migration wasn't normal.

He galloped as fast as he could from the station back towards the Castle. As Copper Head pushed his way through the streets of crystal ponies, he spoted the entrance he had gone in and out of along with the two identical guards standing on either side.

"So I told him, just because Discord is a good guy now doesn't mean he's not still gonna do weird stuff to your sour cream bowl when you go in for a chip-dip," the first guard said.

"Oh yeah? What'd he do to it?" the second asked far more invested in the potentially bogus story his equally bored comrade was spinning for their enjoyment.

"He turned into shaving cream! He then takes a chip and starts to trim some of the hairs on his chin before he- HEY! You can't go in there! HALT!"

The off-white unicorn ignored the guards, now in hot pursuit, as he raced to find either Shining Armor or Princess Cadance. As luck would have it, he managed to spot Cadance sneaking out of the kitchen with a tart hovering above her in her magic. She opened her mouth to let the little tart slide down her pink throat when a ruckus caught her attention and made her accidentally drop her precious pre-court snack.

Annoyed, the pink alicorn walked menacingly over towards the pile up that had occurred when a certain somepony had stopped in their tracks while another two someponies were still racing after the first at top speed.

"What is the meaning of this? Explain yourselves." Cadance's voice, thanks to years upon years of foalsitting, pieced the very essence of the three stallions with a sense of dread and impending timeouts.

the two gold-clad guards shot to their hooves and pointed at the still disoriented Copper Head. "He started it!" they accused in unison.

Cadance raised an eyebrow. "What are you doing here barging in like this? Wasn't one tour enough?"

"No, Princess, the tour was more than I could have asked for," the white unicorn said as he stood. "That's not why I'm here though."

"Something from space crashed off in the mountains! It had to have been larger than a pony and it was moving!"

+++++

"*BEEP BOOP* TELEPORTER REQUIRES MAINTENANCE. TRAJECTORY WAS OFF BY 8.7 MILES DUE NORTH. SOLUTION: SMELT THE FAULTY ROBOT AND USE RECYCLED METAL FOR <SENTENCE INTERRUPTED> LOCATION UNKNOWN. REQUESTING COORDINATES. <DOT DOT DOT> RUNNING SYSTEMS CHECK. COMMUNICATION MODUEL FUNCTIONING AT 100%. CONNECTION TO BASE LOST. SCANNING FOR GRAY MANN CO. ROBOTS. THIS UNIT IS THE ONLY UNIT WITHIN A 400 MILE RADIUS. OPTIONS:

SCAN CONCLUDED. NO TRACES OF R.E.D. OR B.L.U. STRANGE, SCANNING FOR OTHER LIFE. OTHER LIFEFORMS DETECTED. SPECIES: EQUESTRIAN. THREAT LEVEL: LOW. ATTEMPTING TO REACH LARGE CRYSTAL STRUCTURE TO AMPLIFY SIGNAL.

Twilight's Demoman Devastation

by Darrtaa

Chapter 14: Epilogue: Do You Believe In Magic?