[Author's Notes: I sorta run into a conundrum about whether there should be a romance tag or not... So opinions in the comments yes? Enjoy this hastily written chapter.]

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The following week or so had mainly been me sitting in the dark of my room (Turns out that torch was on its last life), mindlessly flipping through the internet on my laptop. I wasn't really looking for anything, just skimming aimlessly. Broad Hoof popped in occasionally to give me fruit and to chat. Today topic was about my 'doohickey' as Broad called it whenever he saw it.

"What is that?" Broad said as he pointed a hoof at the laptop. I looked up and waved him over.

"This my friend, is called a laptop. It's basically a portable computer." Broad just stared at me so I elaborated. "A computer is a device to access databases... So you can say play games, listen to music, etc." Broad nodded and looked at the screen. I was going through some old photographs of me and my family.

"Who are they?" He didn't know much about my history... mostly because I refused to delve into it. (Despite his constant prodding for me to open up.) I decided to humor him a little about the subject.

"This here is me, obviously." I started pointing in order of the family members from left to right. "There's my mom, my dad, one of my aunts, and my little sister, Madeline." He seemed to stare at them before asking me the question I hope he wouldn't.

"Where are they now?"

"Dead." Broad's ears drooped upon hearing that, especially when I said it in a broken tone. I had been chipper in both thinking and voice during my exile, but now my feelings of pre-exile were coming back around.

"I'm sorry for bringing it up..."

I rose a hand to keep him from talking further. "You didn't know, don't beat yourself up about it." He nodded and stared at the photos before realizing something.

"How did you do this?" He motioned at the screen which just caused me to raise an eyebrow. "I mean how did you get the picture in the glass screen?" I just chuckled at this and responded.

"You have cameras here right?" He shook his head. "Are you serious?!" He nodded. "Your track of technology makes no bloody sense."

"What do you mean by that?"

"You know this is called a picture yet you don't know have cameras, that makes no sense." He just smirked at this before pointing at the top of the album.

"Maybe because it says 'Pictures of Family' right there?" I sheepishly smiled and laughed at myself for not realizing that.

"Well maybe when I think I'm allowed to leave this cell, I'll introduce some human-based things here in Equestria..." He seemed uneasy for a moment before responding.

"You do realize that both the Elements of Harmony and the Princesses are looking all over for you right?"

"Let them, I could care less."

Broad frowned slightly but didn't further voice his opinion on the matter.

"Would you like me to relight that torch?" Broad asked while motioning towards the torch on the ceiling. I shrugged in which he lit his horn with magic and focused it on the torch. Moments later, it was ablaze, letting cool azure fill the room.

"I don't recall you in 'Crushing Canterlot...' Were you inside the castle?"

"What exactly is 'Crushing Canterlot'? The name of your siege a week ago?" I nodded before he continued. "I was patrolling the interior, yes. Technically though, I was at 'Crushing Canterlot.'

I shook my head. "It ended when I left the throne room. So technically, I didn't see you during it."

He chuckled at that. "Well I tried to stay off the main hallways... I'm pretty sure you didn't murder any patrolstallions though... care to explain why?"

"No point, killing them then wouldn't have made it any easier for me. Besides I wanted some resistance when I strode out of the castle in style." Broad chuckled before standing up and making his way towards the door.

"One last thing Broad..." He turned his head back over his shoulder to show he was paying attention. "Don't utter a word of my presence unless you're forced, ya got that?" He simply gave a hearty laugh before responding.

"If I was planning on trying to get you caught, then the princesses would have known a week ago human. See ya later!" And with that he locked up my cell with the usual three-lock combo before departing down the hallway and up the stairs.

I simply shook my head before folding up my laptop and getting out my IPod. I skimmed through the songs before finding a random one and going off to take a good solid nap.

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Princess Celestia frantically paced back and forth alongside her sister and the Elements. She had been searching for the human for at least a week, and found absolutely no traces of the human. The Elements had searched Ponyville and even sent a few parties into the Everfree, but still nothing.

"Do you think he left Equestria?" Twilight thought aloud. Every mare in the room swiveled their heads towards her as the idea sunk into their thinking.

"I don't think he did... I'm pretty sure I would have felt a disturbance if he left..."

"Does that mean that you detected him when he fell over the Everfree a while ago?" Lyra spoke up, idly looking through a few scrolls she brought with her.

"Well...no actually." Celestia admitted with a sheepish smile. "Where could he be hiding though? We've had ponies on the lookout in every town, city, and pegasi scanning every non-urban area!"

The mares all tried to ponder where he was when a guard flew into the throne room from the balcony.

"Sgt. Steel Wind, report." Princess Luna asked the guard who was still hunched over in a knelling position.

"Absolutely no traces of the human. He appeared to have just vanished after the siege last week..."

"Are you sure there isn't any places we haven't looked?" Rainbow Dash asked, lazily flying circles around her friends in complete boredom.

"Not that I know of..." Celestia said as she looked out the window towards Ponyville. She tried contemplating where he could possibly be. About a week ago, there was a guard who was brought in from the dungeon who seemed to have been knocked out. When the doctors inspected him, there was no disruption that could have naturally caused it. Perhaps if she questioned the one who brought the guard in, she might get some answers.

"Sgt. Steel Wind," He perked up at the mention of his name. "Bring me Pvt. Broad Hoof. I have a feeling he may be connected somehow to all of this." Steel nodded and flew off, most likely to hone in and find him.

"What do you think this 'Broad Hoof' has to do with the human?" Twilight asked, standing alongside her mentor.

"Broad brought in a unconscious guard from last week. When he was checked for wounds, there wasn't a single trace of damage or change to his muscles whatsoever..."

"You think the human did that to him?"

"Maybe. When we questioned the guard as to what happened, he said he had no idea what the human was. We had Applejack make sure he wasn't lying, and sure enough, he truly didn't. Isn't that right Applejack?"

Applejack perked up from being mentioned. "Why yes yer highness. He honestly didn' know what th' human was."

"So what do we do now?" Lyra asked.

"We wait for Broad to arrive so we may question him. Even if he was patrolling at the time of the siege, he might have seen something out of the ordinary."

The girls nodded at this and waited for Broad Hoof, hoping he had some answers to where their missing human is.

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Steel Wind spotted Broad Hoof trotting out into the main courtyard, idly talking to any guards he passed on his way through. Steel swooped down and landed directly in front of Broad Hoof, eliciting a jolt of surprise from him.

"Sgt. Steel Wind sir!" Broad Hoof went straight into a salute before Steel waved him to go at ease.

"The Princesses would like to ask you a few questions in the Throne Room Pvt."

'Did they know that he helped the human?' Broad thought as he gave a curt nod and trotted back inside the castle. Steel Wind watched him for a few moments before talking to some of the passing guards. Complete boredom dominated him as he idly walked about until he decided that Broad should be nearing the throne room by now.

'Time to see what will happen...' Steel thought as he flew off back towards the throne room.

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Broad Hoof had walked into the throne room before bowing to the princesses, customary instincts kicking in. He had noticed the Elements of Harmony as well as one mint-green unicorn apparently being apart of the group. Broad recalled the unicron to be 'Lyra' according to the human.

"Rise Pvt. Broad Hoof." He did as he was asked before Celestia continued. "I'd like to ask a few questions about where exactly did you find... what was his name?"

"Cpl. Burning Tundra, your majesty."

"Ah yes. So where exactly did you find Cpl. Burning Tundra?"

"In an unlocked cell on the third level, Cell Block D."

"Did you see anything unusual during your patrol a week ago before and after you found him?"

'Crap... If I lie, the Element of Honesty will grill me. If I don't, I'm basically selling out the human... And I really don't wish to get on his bad side.'

"What kind of 'unusual' things?"

Celestia nonchalantly shrugged her shoulders. "Anything really."

Broad fake-pondered this as he tried to decide what to say.

'If I lie and they catch me, I'll be alot more screwed then if I don't lie... I'm sorry human.'

"Yes actually." The mares in the room perked up at this before 'Lyra' piped up.

"Did it look like a tall hairless ape?!"

"Indeed, I believe I saw it making its way towards Cell Block A." Celestia face-hoofed at this with a look of frustration.

"Of course! He would disappear in the last place we'd look! How do you know this Pvt.? Furthermore, why didn't alert any of your superiors when you saw the human?"

'This was it. Time to come clean and hope that the banishment is quick and painless.'

"I may have helped it get into Cell Block A... and restrained Cpl. Tundra for the human." Broad scrunched up his face, expecting a beam of magic to nail him and send him somewhere far away.

He waited.

And waited...

He dared to open his eyes to see Celestia smiling warmly at him. "I'm glad that you decided to tell the truth rather than hide him further. Come with me, we need to have a chat with him..."

"What are you going to do to him your majesty?" Steel Wind asked curiously. Celestia remained silent just before leaving the throne room.

"Apologize."

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"Wake up Storm, you're getting some company in a bit."

'Ugh- what?'

"You heard me."

'How do you know that?'

"I was bored so I listened in on how their search was going. Apparently they got a lead from our guard."

'...well dammit, looks like my hide-n'-go-seek didn't go as long as I thought it would.'

"So what are you going to do when they arrive?"

'Depends, who's coming?'

"Princess Celestia, Broad Hoof, and a few more guards."

'Wonderful...' I replied with an irritated roll of my eyes before I heard speaking.

"So which cell is he in Broad?" Definitely Celestia. 'I swear if Broad sold me out-'

"He's towards the end of the corridor, your majesty. Might I ask why we're bringing more guards though?" Broad asked before the cocky voice I knew as Capt. Star Blazer spoke up.

"We severely don't trust this creature. No way are we letting her highness go without a large escort."

"Stop talking like that!" Celestia hissed as they got closer towards my cell door. "We don't wish to anger him or further his depression... I have a feeling that 'reset' he did was a one-time only thing."

'Absolutely correct you manipulative bitch. You may be a decent ruler, but I'm still more then willing to have your head on a pike.'

They had arrived at my door and Broad started undoing his three locks. I relaxed and reclined a bit while closing my eyes, letting my other senses kick in as the door slid open. Celestia stuck her head in and gave a small smile when indeed I was in the cell, apparently asleep to her. She slid her body in and let the guards go in as well before she slowly started to approach me.

However before she could step foreward about three steps my voice interrupted her.

"Get closer and I'll make sure you stay dead, princess." I replied bitterly, basically spitting out her title as I cracked an eye in her direction.

She immediately withdrew her hoof and tried to suppress not mentioning that I threatened the ruler of the world I was in. Then again, it's obvious I don't care. Instead she strengthened her smile and spoke in a smooth calming voice.

"Very well human, I won't get closer. How are you, better I hope?" I scoffed at this before turning my head to face her.

"I know for a fact you don't care." I replied, anger slowly seeping into my voice. "You're trying to give the illusion that you give a damn so that I won't be so inclined to murder ever equine in this goddamn realm." I leaned in slightly towards the group. "And let me tell you right now, I don't enjoy getting fucked over." I relaxed my head some more while I let my words sink in. "Now exactly what is it that you wish of me?"

"Peace and Redemption." Celestia replied, I noticed her smile shifting into one of more hopeful than nervous.

"Redemption you'll have to severely work your flank off to get. Peace could be accomplished by staying the hell outta my way, not questioning my abilities, or trying to screw me over... Somehow you and your guards accomplished to break all three of these."

"I never questioned your abilities..." Celestia asked with a tilt of her head. She really did, but pointing that out would simply further irritate him.

I stared at her before giving a small smirk. "Princess Celestia, you have one of the worst poker faces I've ever seen." When the guards and the princess gave me confused looks, I groaned and looked back over. "It means you're a horrid liar." She sighed and looked back down at her hoofs.

I took the opportunity to address Broad Hoof. "You sold me out didn't you?"

Broad awkwardly shifted his weight before replying. "You have to understand that if I didn't I'd get into alot more troub-"

"I don't give a damn Broad!" I yelled suddenly, forcing all eyes on me. "You were the only one that I was trusting with my exile... well at least I learnt something."

"Which is?"

"That I shouldn't trust you further." Broad seemed to deflate slightly and stepped back, gicing Celestia the chance to speak her mind.

"Why are you here in a dungeon cell?"

"Because I chose to have my exile in a dungeon cell."

"What exile?" Celestia tilted her head at this, before I looked back at her with my broken stare.

"Because it seems when I intervene with other species, I fuck it up. So I'm staying here until... well I don't really know." I'm pretty sure they didn't know what 'fuck' meant, but I didn't care at the moment.

"So you're hiding like a coward?" Capt. Star Blazer snickered. "So the great alien that nearly killed Equestria has gone all depressed and is feeling so sorry for himself-" He was interrupted when I extended my hand in a fashion of holding a cup. He stopped talking, and I slowly squeezed my hand shut, choking the life out of him.

"Human! Please stop!" Celestia cried out. I gave a bitter stare before releasing my grip. Capt. Star fell to the floor, trying to regain his breathe.

"Perhaps that will teach your guards to quell their tongue when directly insulting me." I sat up now, and had my back reclining against the wall.

"I have to tread carefully if I want to make peace with him... But how?"

"That's for you to find out Cel." Princess Celestia's head jerked up, surprise evident on her face. Whether that was from Force Hearing, or from me casually calling her 'Cel', I'm not sure.

"H-how did y-you...?" She kept staring at me with total shock and... fear?

"You let your mind be open too much. I can read your thoughts like a book if I wish, but I don't."

"I have a feeling it's safe to say you're different from your kind with these...'abilities?"

"Yes and no." She looked at me quizzically, but didn't talk about it further. Rather she changed subjects to one I was surprised she wished to talk about.

"You know the others miss you... they feel rather bad about what happened..." I raised an eyebrow at her.

"What do they have to feel bad about? I'm the one who nearly damned Equestria." She looked at me with...pity? She slowly tried to take another step foreward.

"I'd appreciate it if you didn't get closer Celestia." She gave a sincere smile.

"Alright. So may I ask you one question?"

"I guess so...." 'I wonder what's she going to ask...'

"Who was the last one of your family that died?"

My eyes widened and I looked over at her. I didn't see deception like I thought was there, but rather a concern motherly stare.

"My sister, Madeline. Eight years old, died on her birthday." I could see she desperately wanted to come closer... and it's not like she can do anything to me.

"If you absolutely want to come closer...you may." She took the opportunity and closed the distance between us until only a foot or two was between us. She sat on her haunches in front of me, and gave a sad smile.

"I'm sorry that you have had to gone through that. You have my thanks though..."

I snorted at this. "Thanks for what?"

She leaned in and wrapped her neck around mine. "A chance for redemption, human. If there is anything I can do, let me know... Now, lets get you out of her-"

"I'm not leaving Celestia. I still stand by my thoughts that I'm just a monster."

"No you're not!-" Her pleads were silenced by my yelling.

"Yes I am!" Celestia's neck unwrapped itself and now looked at me in the eyes. "I always bring death in my wake, and Equestria does not need that..."

"Then why don't you leave human?" Capt. Star spoke up, trying still to make sure his wind-pipes were functional.

"Because I can't leave! How I came here seemed to be a one-way trip. So until I find a way, I can't leave Equestria." I hung my head in despair. Celestia nudged my head which caused me to look up.

"Then we should work together so that your stay here doesn't stay like this. The others can help you, but you must let them in. Please...human... let us help you."

I stayed silent. I had no idea what to say... they still want me to be friends with them... even after all I've done? I looked back up to see Celestia with tears in her eyes. 'Why was this so important for her? I'm just an alien who nearly destroyed everything, yet here she is, trying to help me.'

"I don't know what to do anymore Cel." I rested my head in my hands. "I've endured so much... I'm not sure if I can stop being what I am."

"Then change the goal of your killing." I looked up at her curious. "Perhaps if you became a knight for me-"

"I serve nothing." I interrupted bitterly. She just smiled and I saw a idea spark in her eyes. It seemed she took my advice, because I didn't hear her plan.

"Come with me human... I have an idea." She began to walk out and I remained sitting for a moment.

She looked back at me and motioned for me to follow. Rather reluctantly, I stood and got my pack and headed out surrounded by guards.

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[Author's Notes: Now I know people will probably think, "Argh why did you stop it there!?!?!"

My response?

Because it makes you come back for moar.]

Dumbgamer Out!