As I flew my giant bike back to town I thought about everything that happened the past...day? Two days? I don’t know. But all I knew was that it was filled with a bunch of new discoveries, new pains, and training thankfully as I helped Zeke somehow resurrect the dead. “I hope Zeke’s having a grand time back in his world…” I mutter to myself, finding pride and joy at being able to help people in such a way. “But...Yellow…” I mutter, the thought rushing about how someone that so happily called herself a ‘Demon’ flinched and was probably about to say ‘thank you’ to such an open display of care. “I thought it would have been shrugged off…” I comment to myself, still not sure what kind of repercussion my care had on Yellow.
I landed outside the library and carried Zecora inside, laying her down on the couch. Twilight and Luna came in, looking a mix of happy and confused. “So what exactly happened when… whatever that was went down?” Luna asked.
“It’s gonna be quite an explanation...so can someone make something to drink and some food?” I ask honestly.
“Already on it.” I heard Spike yell from the kitchen. I explained everything that happened to Luna and Twilight, Zecora woke up during the explaining and we filled her in.
After everything was said and done, Zecora looked at me. “A true hero you have become, even if you think you are no one.”
“Aw I’m nothing more than a simple man.” I say simply, feeling like I should have added something to that.
“I can vouch for that.” Luna says.
“True, and besides I wouldn’t have been able to do half of that without some help.” I shrug. “But what do you last remember Zecora?”
“... A creature, small and red… next thing I knew, I was on this couch like a bed.” She replied.
“Alright.” I nod in understanding. “Looks like I’ve got more to explain.”
“Pray tell, young fellow.”
“I’ll give you some cliff notes because it’s better. The thing that attacked you was a being of darkness called a ‘Heartless’, you lost your heart and then turned into two beings, a Heartless, and a Nobody, which Nobody’s happen to be beings that are the hollow shells of what normal people are.” I explain. “And how you became whole is because, as I explained, me and my new friend Zeke summoned Heartless and Nobodies that were of the same person, which you were one of them, and in one instance if a Nobody and Heartless were to be killed they would go back to being whole...or if a Nobody absorbed there heart...so yeah.” I shrug. “Confusing I know but whatever.”
She looked at me for a time, then sighed. “Then my home is lost… I’m too sad to be cross.”
“I understand...I lost my home to before...all this happened.” I say honestly. “But...you can stay with us if you want until we get your home back.”
“An offer most kind, thank you for letting me sleep for the night.”
“Is it alright with you three?” I ask the two mares and dragon.
“Zecora is a friend, It’s fine with me.” Twilight says.
“The Everfree is crawling with Heartless… this may be better for her in the end.” Luna replied. “So… what are we gonna do about Rarity? Her house is… destroyed…”
“Oh yeah...fuck.” I deadpan. “Well first I’m going to have to apologize a bunch for….making her, Sweetie and Time practically homeless until their house is fixed…” I say worriedly, rubbing my forehead in worry at not knowing what to do. “How bad are the damages?”
“Well, just use your funds Ben.”
“As far as I know I’m dirt poor.” I say while rummaging through my pockets, and the only thing in them was my Wayfinder.
“Oh… I forgot to tell you, after your meeting with my sister, she set up an account for you, and placed funds into it. You have about… thirteen million bits in savings.”
My jaw dropped at hearing that. “Uh...wai wha?” I ask dumbly, not knowing what to do with that ass ton of money. “W-well…” I stutter before shaking my head. “Looks like most of that is going to Rarity’s house being fixed.”
“It will only cost a few thousand at most I think, but it will take a month or more to finish. She could stay here as well. Not many rooms, but that basement of Twilight’s could work also, just clean it up.”
“Laboratory!” Twilight declares. “There’s expensive and delicate equipment down there.”
“There is a storage facility in town.”
“... Fine, I don’t use them that much these days anyway.” Twilight sighs.
“I really hope this place can get bigger cause...we’re gonna need more room.” I say honestly. “So...what’s on today’s list that doesn’t involve fighting?”
“Well, you and I can go to Zecora’s home in the Everfree and retrieve essentials for her. Other than that I guess help Rarity and them move in as well. Twilight, do you know any spells from the Nature’s Housing book?”
“Yeah, oh, I see where you’re going with this.” Twilight said, grinning. “I always wanted to try those spells on a large scale.”
“Well don’t over do it. No need to have this tree going from this size to the size of a small mountain while I’m gone okay?” I joke.
“I’ll only expand back a bit, under too I guess.”
“Alright.” I nod before getting off the couch. Well alright, let’s get going Luna. Zecora’s stuff won’t magically appear here by themselves.” I shrug.
“True, well, it could but in this case no. I would need to know where everything in her house is for that to work.” We headed out, more Heartless were around than I expected, but they were all weak… compared to that Jet… We found Zecora’s hut in the forest and managed to gather most of her clothing, toothbrush, books that seemed important, and her cauldron, cause I think this is important to her. We placed all the things into it and headed back. Zecora was glad to see the cauldron more than her other things we brought. “What’s so special about this cookware?”
Zecora looked up at Luna. “Old and ancient. Blood and lore have passed it down freely, now finally to me.”
“Sometimes the simple things have the most history to it.” I explain. “But anyways I better head off to Rarity’s and deposit some of my new found money to fixing her house...god I’m gonna get an earful because of this.” I groan.
“Oh, here.” Luna said, handing me a silver bank card. “The code is 2012.”
“Oh the irony…” I mutter to myself taking the bank card and putting it in my pocket. “Thank you. But onwards to meeting a nag.” I say before heading off to Rarity’s house.
When I arrived, I saw Rarity, Sweetie, and Time packing things up. “Well, didn’t think you had the balls to show up.” Time said. “Looks like I owe Sweetie ten bits…”
“I’m sorry but I didn’t see you helping me and Zeke fight a being basically backhanded the two of us like we were nothing.” I frown at Time. “So shut it. Listen Rarity, I am incredibly sorry about...well literally everything. I’ll pay for everything, god knows I have enough money to do that and then some.” I chuckle, still thinking my bank account is massive.
Rarity looked at me, inhaled, and then spoke. “While I don’t blame you for what happened to my home, I am grateful you are paying for the damages… my insurence sure didn’t want to… So, how did you come into the money to pay to fix the place?”
“Let’s just say being the boyfriend to royalty has it’s perks...like seriously I have more money then I know what to do with.” I chuckle, still finding the amount of money I have hilarious.
“Glad to hear… maybe some of what’s left over can go to increasing the showroom after it’s rebuilt… Anyway, I don’t suppose you have a place for us to stay?”
“That depends on how much the repairs cost, but yes Twilight is willing to clean up her basement to let you three stay there. We’re also housing Zecora just so you know.” I say honestly.
“Oh, they finally found her. Thank goodness.”
“Something like that.” I say, leaving it at that and not wanting to tell Rarity that she died but was brought back from the dead.
“Well, alright. We just have a few more things to pack. Thankfully my sewing machine is on wheels.”
“So, who was the guy in black armor?” Time asked. “I know he’s the one Core has the most interest in cause, he had the X-blade, but who was he?”
“That is Zeke, and he just so happens to control the Heartless in a way. But sadly he doesn’t have the power to control all of them everywhere, so there will still be the ‘ambient attackers’...no stopping that.” I explain. “He’s a nice guy when you get to know him. Eight wives can do that to ya.”
“That’s not what I care about, his heart, you couldn’t tell?”
“It was in balance?” I ask. “Well of course I could tell, that’s the major point about the damn thing.”
“No, not just that. His heart was… it was like, billions of Keyblades were in it, and… it was like… Kingdom Hearts.”
“I did sense that to some degree...I think it’s because he holds the X-blade...the first Keyblade...I mean I heard it’s voice through Zeke after all.” I explain.
“... A Keyblade, who’s in perfect sync with it’s wielder, can talk to them… but through them… that’s… not even the X-blade can do that. It was like… his body was another X-blade from what I felt… It just makes no sense…”
“You’re literally a keyblade yourself, I’m a human living in a magical land of ponies….do you want me to explain why ‘makes no sense’ sounds bullshit?” I ask.
“Not like that! I could feel he was human still, but he was also a Keyblade… Gah! How the heck do I explain this!?”
“Magic?” I ask simply. “Simplest thing to answer all these weird questions.” I shrug, not really knowing how half of this shit worked but knowing that it’ll be explained sooner or later.
“Ugh, never mind. Just… next time Zeke shows up, I’m gonna talk to him.”
“Well I think he has questions for you as well.” I say. “But anyways let’s get home and get you three settled in.” I say before feeling something in my hand that wasn’t there before. “Huh?” I question before lifting it up and finding a pink envelope. ”THERE we go.” I think to myself, having waited for more than a damned week for this as I looked it over and saw it was for Rarity and Sweetie. “Oh hey, Rarity, Sweetie, I got’s a message for ya.” I say while handing the envelope to them.
Rarity took the envelope. “Oh, one of Pinkie’s?” As she opened it, a small blast of confetti shot out. “Yes, definately one of hers.” She unfolded the letter, and read it out loud. “You are invited to Ben’s ‘Sorry you got your butt kicked, glad you’re safe, welcome to Ponyville Party. Please head to Twilight’s library, once Rarity and them have gotten there it can… start… How does she do this?” Rarity questioned, examining the paper.
“No idea but whatever. If it means I get an awesome party then sweet.” I smile. ”Please don’t let this somehow segway into me calling Pinkie’s ‘Pinkie Promises’ bullshit…” I think to myself worriedly, not wanting to hurt Pinkie’s feelings when she’s throwing me a party.
As we got home… the tree Library looked like it grew a couple dozen feet wide and tall. As Rarity, Sweetie and Time placed their things inside, the whole Library was covered in streamers, balloons, a big banner that read ‘Ben’s Party’ and several large fold out tables with food, drinks, and one massive cake in the middle of it all. “Wow, she did more than I expected.” Rarity commented.
“Well I’ve been here for more than a week, maybe she wanted to make this extra special for the days she missed.” I shrug. “Been too busy for this stuff anyways. But thank god it’s here.”
“You were hoping for a party?” Twilight asks, coming out of the kitchen. “I mean… I kinda figured… from how you act around others… it wasn’t your thing…”
“When I first saw Pinkie and heard her name I thought ‘okay first up that’s just stupid to name a person off of their color, but she seems so energetic that parties is probably her thing’.” I shrug. “But seriously naming your child after their skin color is like my parents calling me ‘Whitey’...and where I come from that’s kind of a racist term.” I point out, not sure why I pointed it out but feeling like I had to.
“Oh, well, I’m not entirely sure about the whole name thing, but alright…? Well, anyway. Pinkie said when you got here to try the cake. I think she left to pick up some other things, so she should be back soon.”
“Okay.” I shrug before walking over to the cake and cutting off a small piece and trying the cake. Now through my entire life I only liked ice cream cake, cause other cakes just didn’t taste right to me normally, but this cake...just destroyed all thoughts that any cake besides Ice Cream was good. I gave a happy moan of satisfaction as I ate cake, the explosion of wonderful goodness lasting even after I finished my small piece. “Ho...that was good.” I sigh out happily.
To everyone's surprise, the cake’s top popped off, and Pinkie jumped out, did two mid air flips, and landed perfectly next to me, and hugged me. “Glad you like it!”
“Your welcome.” I smile, blushing a little at the sudden hug by bouncy mare. “But...thank you for this party…” I say honestly.
“Your welcome.” She says, letting me go. “Oh, and don’t worry, I was in a compartment inside the giant cake, not actually in it. Speaking of which, You can come out!”
We all looked at the top of the cake… Celestia flew out. “My, those short cuts really are something.” She said, landing next to me as well. “Hello Ben.”
“Hello Celestia, how you doing?” I ask with a smile, hugging Pinkie with a smile.
“Fine, Luna tell you about my little ‘gift’?”
“Yes, thirteen million is quite the ‘gift’.” I say simply.
“Please, I could have given you a trillion from my personal funds, but that might have been too much.”
“I barely know what to do with two thousand bits alone, but thirteen million is...quite a lot to be perfectly honest.” I say.
She smiles at me. “Well, in any case, I’m not missing your party. Also, I have a gift for you.” She levitates a wrapped gift from the cake’s storage area, giving it to me.
“Thank you.” I nod before grabbing the gift and unwrapping it. “Let’s hope it’s not more money.” I joke.
“You might like it.” I open the box… and there’s a small silver crown in it. “Suprise, your own crown. Best part, it’s enchanted to stay floating above your head at any angle you place it at. Since you’ll be fighting a lot, that should come in handy.”
“Bitchin.” I smile before grabbing the silver crown and putting atop my head, the crown floating above my head but crooked a little to my right side. “Thanks Celestia, it means a lot.”
“Glad to hear.” She said, rubbing my head. “Now then, shall this party start?”
“You know it!” Pinkie said, pulling out a small party cannon and shooting confetti everywhere.
The sudden explosion made me vanish away and get into a fighting stance, holding two spears while the other four float around me. “Please...don’t…” I say, panting a little at having the sudden explosion happen and instincts kicking in.
Pinkie blushed. “Sorry.”
The party started after that, music, food, good friends, my two amazing girlfriends, and all that good stuff. No one told me the drinks were alcoholic until… I had three and was wasted. “You lightweight.” Luna teases, keeping me sitting upright on the couch.
“Go *hic* ffuck yourshelf…” I slurr, hiccuping as my face was flushed red.
She smiled, kissing me on the cheek. “Love you to.”
“I *hic* hash an a-*hic*nnounshment…” I slur, raising my fourth glass with stupid idea’s and a giddy ass grin on my face. “Who wantsh to hear it?” I ask, swaying madly and chuckling like a madman.
Luna was laughing her ass off next to me. “Well, go on then, what is it?”
… Sun… is killing me… So, this is a hangover… Did I drink a lot? As I was coming slightly out of my fog and back into reality, I could feel I was… on top of something soft… I lifted my head up, struggling to open my eyes, and I saw Luna was under me… naked, which has become the norm for how I wake up these days. As I tried to move more I noticed something heavy was on me as well. I managed to look up and saw… Pink… Pinkie was naked on top of me… What the hell… no, no, I didn’t… I looked to my sides and saw it was only worse… Twilight, Rarity, and Zecora were all around me, naked and cuddling around me…. How drunk was I?!?!?!
When that… finally happened, and everyone woke up, I was sitting in the kitchen with them all, awkwardly waiting for what happened yesterday… I had a feeling I could guess, but I still wanted to hear it. “Well, you were drunk, like really drunk.” Luna started.
“I noticed when I had mares on top of me, below me, and three others around me completely naked and cuddling.” I deadpan. “So….who want’s to go first in explanations on how I probably slept with all five of you?”
“Well, after you stood up to make an announcement you said you would date me darling.“ Rarity said. “Then Zecora offered… something about some warrior rights from her home land for saving a life, something like that, then Pinkie said she’d join the ‘Ben’s party boat’ as she called it. We all agreed in the end… the party kept on… lewd things happened, that’s when Time and Spike took Sweetie to bed… and well, you woke up to our bedroom aftermath…” Rarity explained, blushing as red as me. “... you’re quite good darling…”
“Oh my god…” I groan, my head smacking the table. “I mean...Luna helped.’train me’ as it were but….all five? Shouldn’t I have been...out at two or something?” I ask.
“I enhanced the spells… a lot…” Luna admitted. “Things just got so hot so fast…”
“I never met a stallion that could make me scream like you did last night.” Pinkie said, placing a plate of pancakes on the table for everyone.
“Oh my god!” I shout, not believing everything that’s going on. “Can someone shoot me already? This is just…so beyond embarrassing…”
“I think Zecora did that last night~” Luna teased, causing Zecora and I to blush hot pink.
“Oh my god people…” I groan loudly, lifting my head up and starting to eat my pancakes. “I really hope my stuff is being washed...and I also hope our bed didn’t break…”
“I threw it into the wash after we all got up.” Twilight explained. “Though… we may have a more… concerning matter…”
“Did any of you forget a protection spell?” I ask quickly, my eyes dilating to pin pricks here. They all were silent. “Oh...um…” I say before pushing the pancakes away for a moment and getting up. “I’ll just...take a shower…” I say slowly, not believing any of this right now.
“Well, we won’t know til a week from now…” Rarity says. “It’s not my season yet… but it is soon…”
“Same.” The others, save for Luna, said.
“That doesn’t change the fact that I still could’ve gotten you all pregnant…” I say, my voice filled with worry. “Not to mention that I was drunk of all things….god fucking damn it I didn’t want to ask while drunk…” I say sadly, tears welling up in my eyes. “And I practically dragged you two into it...god damn it…” I say, putting a hand up to my head as the hangover pain is still there.
I felt someone hug me. “It’s alright Ben.” Luna’s voice cooed. “We all were drunk, and for that to happen to me, that’s a lot of alcohol. Besides, we still care for you.”
“I admit, I’d rather get pregnant while drunk with a drunk that cares for me, rather than by a one night stand that I’ll never see again.” Rarity says.
“Children bring those with hurt souls together, everything will become better.” Zecora states.
“I expected this to happen eventually given my sex life.” Pinkie deadpanned. “But least the father is gonna be a mega badass!”
“You...” I take a shaky breath. “Are all the greatest things I could ask for...something I’ve always wished for…” I say, before hugging Luna tightly. “Thank you...even with my stupidity...thank you…”
“Besides… least this would make us an ’official herd’ now.” Twilight says.
“I….whether sex was involved or not...I would have happily loved you all and made it official...just wish I wasn’t drunk during it...I can’t remember how great it was.” I joke with a little smile, tears streaming down my face.
“I uh, remembered for you... “ Luna said, to which I gave her a confused look. “When you were sleeping I recovered the memory of our… ‘night’ and placed it into my mind. When you sleep next I’ll put it back and play it as a dream.”
“I...hope I didn’t try to act all ‘kingly’ because I got a crown…” I mutter.
“UUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUHhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhgggggggggg.” A loud moan from the living room was heard. We went to see the cause… and saw Celestia… sleeping on the ceiling. “Damn, I must be turning into a lightweight.” She muttered. “Why is everyone… oh crap.” She suddenly fell onto the floor face first. “Damn it, I slept defying gravity again…”
“How in ze fuck?” I ask simply, not entirely sure how that was supposed to happen.
She got up, and managed to look at me, with bloodshot eyes. “Oh, Ben.” She smiled. “Holy cow you, I, I heard all that noise from upstairs while I was finishing off the beer and food… you, if you had C-cup breasts, and were a pretty mare, I’d love to know what that was all about.” She said, managing to roll into the couch. “I think your soundproof spell failed last night… wait… I think I… I think I’m still drunk…”
“How?” I ask worriedly, not sure how you fall asleep drunk only to wake up drunk. “Can someone get a bucket?” I ask quickly, not wanting Celestia to vomit on the floor.
“I got this.” Luna walked up to Celestia, lifted her up into a sitting up position, and smacked her across the face. “Snap out of it!” Celestia fall over, drooling in her sleep. “... welp, she’s lost.”
“Apparently…” I say with a little nod. “I just hope that soundproof spell didn’t wear off...god only know’s what Spike, Sweetie and Time might be thinking if that happened…”
There was a squeak of rusty door hinges as we turned to the source… Time was there. “You are lucky I know soundproofing spells… or else…. ALL OF EQUESTRIA WOULD HAVE HEARD YOU!!!” She walked into the kitchen, leaving us all red faced.
“Fucking hell…” I say in surprise, not knowing that we were that loud. “Um...maybe you...overdid it a little Luna?”
“I was drunk also so likely…” She mutters.
“Let’s just be thankful we can all walk okay right?” I say, hoping that none of us will walk funny for the rest of the day or longer. I sigh out before seeing Pinkie walk to the kitchen, not wanting to waste the pancakes she made for me before I noticed that she had a strange limp to her movements, something that… “Oh my god…” I mutter, looking at the others mares just shuffling worriedly at feeling their legs not entirely working right. “Also yes I’m finishing those Pinkie.”
“Like you finished me last night.” Pinkie mutters, but sadly it wasn’t quiet enough.
“I heard that!” I shout, blushing brightly at having Pinkie joke about such a thing.
One Week Later.
We were all in the new living room Twilight made with her magic while expanding the house. The girls all went to the doctors to get the results… none of them seemed pregnant in their actions, but still, we were just waiting for the mail to get here now. “This is… unnerving…” Twilight said.
“Ya think?” I deadpan while pacing back and forth, worried shitless about this entire situation.
“How much longer til Derpy gets here with the mail?” Rarity asked. “She’s not usually this late.”
“I have no idea…” I say, before hearing a doorbell ring.
“I got it.” Time Bell said, walking over to the door, then back into the living room. “So, should I read it out or?”
“Please darling.” Rarity asked.
“Just fucking read it…” I say worriedly.
Time bell opened the letter, looking over all the documents enclosed. “Welp, looks like you all cut it close, no one is pregnant… I owe Spike ten bits now…”
“Can people stop betting on shit that revolves around me!?” I shout while flinging my hands into the air. “I mean it’s been one bet after another. ‘Does he like breasts or boobs?’ ‘Will he date these people?’ ‘Will he get five mares pregnant after a single drunken night?’, for fuck sakes people stop...I’m already having enough trouble as is I don’t want to learn that most of my time here is nothing but a silly ass bet…” I sigh out sadly.
“Hey, not our fault you make it easy. So, not parents after all… Well, guess life happens, but I guess it was a swing and a miss.” Time left the living room, leaving me and the girls alone in here.
“Well...at least your not pregnant…” I say, walking over to the five mares. “I want cuddles now because Time thinks it’s alright to mess with a man that already has enough mental issues…”
Rarity got up and gave me a kiss. “From what she’s told me, she has issues to, she saw so much death… things worse than death… She promised me not to tell this, but she doesn’t sleep.”
“I can imagine, but all I can say is...we can help her. All she needs to do is ask for the love she really needs...or have it forced on her in the name of loving cuddles.” I say simply. “A simple act of kindness can help a lot of people.”
“Ben, she uses her small grasp on time to keep herself awake. The one time she did fall asleep… she just kept screaming… crying… She was a sweet innocent girl and they stole that from her, they stole her mortality Ben. One time she fell out the window from my room, we saw her neck snap and she just got back up like it was nothing. She’s been through worse than hell.”
“Well I’m next in line cause I’m gonna be fighting the fucker that caused it sooner or later.” I say with a shrug. “But...even if I couldn’t compare my problems to hers….we’re here for her now. We should still help her...she doesn’t deserve this kind of pain…” I explain. “No one does…”
To be continued...