The Loyal
Uncle smiled softly as his birthday celebration slowed to a crawl as the sun set. It hadn't been anything big so far. Jade had scrounged in the attic and found one of his old 8-track tapes and a player that still worked, playing some of the music Uncle had loved back when he was still trying to sell 8-tracks before he switched to antiques. Apple Bloom had made up a delicious dinner that the five of them had shared. And then Jackie had arrived, and Sweetie had waved her horn and made the decorations appear.
"Happy Birthday, Uncle!" all five of them cried out happily as they pulled him into a warm embrace. Uncle's smile widened as he returned the embrace. Apple Bloom brought out a rather delicious cake that she guaranteed would not cause issues with his digestion, and after everyone had at least one piece, the presents began.
Jade's gift of a framed memory was happily accepted, with a promise to always treasure it. Sweetie Belle's collage was hung in Uncle's bedroom, where he would always see it. Uncle had chuckled at the rainbow Scootaloo had given him. "It is just bright enough to read by!" he offered happily, setting it over his favorite chair.
Apple Bloom offered her gift of a potion and recipe somewhat sorrowfully. "I still can't get it to do more than regenerate neurons," she mumbled morosely. "It was...supposed to be a youth potion..."
Uncle quickly shushed her. "Apple Bloom, seeing how far you've come with my teachings is gift enough. Regenerating neurons...I have never heard of magic that could do this. I am so proud of you." He pulled her into a warm hug, glad to see that put a smile on her face. "Besides..." he started to say, then shut his mouth. "Never mind." This is a happy occasion, he thought firmly. I won't depress them by saying it won't be too long before I will need that potion.
Once he managed to successfully deflect interest there, he turned to Jackie. "So...what did you bring me?"
"Ta dah!" Jackie offered hopefully as he set down what looked like a gift basket from a Bavarian airport gift shop. The nervous expression that appeared on his face as three fillies and one young girl shot him a glare suggested that was exactly what it was.
Uncle sighed as he started to go through the contents. "Ugh...chocolate stains my teeth! And cheese makes my-" He paused as he remembered the ages of some of the listeners. "Umm...none of your business."
"Uh...oh!" Jackie's expression became more eager as he pulled the Dog Talisman from behind his back. "I brought you one more thing!" He smiled as Uncle took it. "It's your sign."
Uncle sighed softly, pushing himself up from the table. "I will do research now," he offered sadly. "One can't rest when the fate of the world could be at stake."
"But..." Apple Bloom whimpered softly. Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo echoed her expression, ears flat and eyes teary. Jade also sent him a pleading expression.
"I am sorry, girls," he apologized. "This has been...a very happy birthday. But I have seen far too many birthdays, and I fear the best of them are far behind me. Please, feel free to keep celebrating. I..." He took a few calming breaths as he felt the weight on his old bones. "Good night, children."
He closed the door to his library against the disappointment and sorrow of his family. Taking a seat at his desk, he set the Talisman down, removed his glasses, and wiped away the blurry vision that had nothing to do with his glasses needing cleaning. "I'll make it up to you girls...somehow," he whispered his promise.
Hours later, Uncle was hard at work decoding the runes of the Dog Talisman late into the night. He'd heard his family head to their beds, and had sighed sorrowfully over that. However, he'd finally managed to translate the runes somewhat. "The Noble Dog is best friend to man," he translated. "It restores youthful energy to its holder..." He turned it over to examine the etching on the front. "And grants...eternal life." He set the talisman down, tapping it with his pencil eraser. While any other day, the latter would have brought more focus... "Youthful energies..." he murmured softly.
Without warning, the Talisman blazed with light as the magic flowed into Uncle. He felt the years wash away from him as the strength of his youth returned to his body. His face retained its wrinkles, but his limbs firmed as his skin smoothed. His fingers toughened as blood flow increased, and his eyes sparked as he saw clearly without his glasses. He felt decades younger in moments. "Aiyah..." he murmured softly as he clutched the Talisman. "Such...such power. This is what Apple Bloom sought to give me, so we could make memories again..."
He paused as that thought hit him. They wanted so badly to make more memories with him. They'd wanted to give him a happy birthday, but he'd ruined that by being too old to enjoy it. Part of his mind reminded him that magic like this was dangerous. The Talismans were being actively hunted. Every day this one - especially this one - was out of the Vault at Section 13 was another day it was in danger of falling into the wrong hands. He felt safe leaving them at Section 13 partially because of Captain Black's flat refusal to believe in magic. He'd never be tempted by power he didn't believe in.
But the faces of his daughters as he'd been forced to turn his back on the joy they'd tried to share with him... Those three fillies had brought so much joy into his life. They'd given him purpose and drive at a time when both had been running out. Each day with them was a new challenge that kept him vital, his mind sharp. He owed it to them to give them more happy memories in these formative years. He owed them so much more than that. He had turned his back on them, on their offered gift...he could not do so again.
Quickly fashioning a pendant to hold the Talisman, he hung it around his neck under his shirt. "Just a few days," he promised himself. "Just a few days to show them the joy they bring me. A few days of memories to treasure for a life time..."
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This isn't going to end well, is it?
This seems a bit too convenient... this is going to cause a problem, isn't it?
I can't wait for the next chapter, it's one of the ones I've been hoping to get to since you started this fic Tats. I'm especially eager to see how Tohru reacts to Hak Foo's inevitable attack on the girls.
7722725 holding on to life never can my boy...just look at dark souls for a example of what comes to they that stand agenst the world and it natural cycles
Well, it didn't go too badly in the series, but time will tell.
Still, who can blame Uncle? And maybe Apple Bloom can figure something out to improve her potion.
he will come in the next chapter
7722725 At worst, Uncle will end up bed-ridden after he takes off the Talisman.all the activity and exercise isn't just going to go away when he takes it off, after all. Those sore muscles are gonna suck...
I've only seen the first half of this episode, but this rendition... I forsee great amounts of feels in the future.
I will also say this: "The road to Hell is paved with good intentions."
Fast forward to 4:56:
I have... very mixed feeling in whether or not to pun here.
Chapter
"Aiyah!"
\
Chapter Count: 1
Total Count: 35
"One More Thing!"
\
Chapter Count: 1
Total Count: 64
7722746 Tohru pfft what about Jackie and Uncle? Mister Ham and cheese Foo is up a creek without a paddle he just doesn't know it yet.
7722785 Yes... To pun or not to pun, that is the question.
My top favorite was also the Dog. I loved seeing Uncle being that charged with energy, and well, let's just say it hurt for the bad guys.
7722495
Ah. Interesting.
7722854 Uncle and Jackie going Papa Wolf is a given. Tohru likes the fillies and I really doubt he'll just stand there and let Hak Foo try to kill him. Best result is all three trash Hak Foo and leave him a whimpering mess on the floor.
7722785 Sans. You are the pun man, and thus you must pun.
Please, for all of us, make the puns.
Wow... You've really gotten down the whole "my time is coming soon" thing. Even Iroh in HotDG didn't show that much of it.
Still, perhaps with the whole future Jade episode, it's farther off than even he thinks.
While, at the time, this episode had a powerful message, it somewhat tempered by the knowledge that this is the middle of season 1. Out of 5. And Uncle is in all of them. Still, a humbling experience. Looking forward to more.
Keep up the great work. Deus tecum.
7722785 about time you ran out of puns.
7722912 or the fillies cry at Uncle's "death" and tohru gets mad.
Screeching magpie gets its wings plucked
7723014 Tohru smash!
7723008
I've actually specifically requested he pun on all my stories wherever he feels up to punning. So I'd kindly thank you not to make mean spirited comments like this.
7723119 oh I know about that. I actually love the puns. I am trying to set them up. In no way do I mean any offense. I will also apologize if any was given.
7723008 Humorless dog gets neutered!
7723105
indeed
And so... We have the dog... How much until they learn of the combo dog-horse? We will know in the future episodes.
7723119
WHAT!? There's PEOPLE who DON'T LIKE PUNS!
IMPUNSIBLE!
I can't believe this crossover actually exists XD it's got me in hysterics
All magic comes with a price. A lesson that I'm sure will be repeated time and again as their story goes on.
Even harder to resist the temptation of the Dog Talisman this time around. Aiyah.
7722876
7722941
7723008
So at the further request:
Jade framed everyone and she got away with it.
Cheese louise Uncle, you almost upped this rating to PG13.
At leash he's keeping the talisman close by at all times.
7723619 Yay
7723642 I have a bad feeling about this. WOODen't you?
7723008 They shall never stop.
Please let there be an uncle vision. I can picture it happening with uncle as it did in the show. Or you could have it be the CMC acting like uncle.
7723270 that was bad.
...that was sad...
Don't fly too close to the sun, boy. (Start & End around the 12.00 and 12.34 mark.)
Never mind. I did not mean it like that.
7723747 he is persistent.
7723619 that was great. Loved the last one.
7723119 see? Read below please.
7723619 thanks! You're skele-ton of fun. ....ok I'm bad at puns.
7724229 Even so it's still better to err on the side of caution because even if one person is okay with it,others might not.
Uncle.. .. don't worry. Good things are to come. Especially when you fight Hak Foo.
7723840 Puns are funny because they're bad.
Like this Pun(One)...
7725575 .....some puns just flop.
7726234 NO! SAY THEY PUN'T!
IT ISN''T PUNSIBLE!
That slope almost couldn't be more slippery.
Better than what he originally said, but still depressing.