//------------------------------// // Party Crasher // Story: A Passing Through Kamen Rider // by thunderclap //------------------------------// Twilight found herself pressed to a wall in an alley. Pinkie had insisted that they don’t let Wyatt see them while they conducted their “investigation”. She didn’t see all the need for secrecy, but there didn’t seem to be any way to convince the hyperactive mare otherwise. At the moment, she could see that Wyatt was entering Sugarcube Corner. “Looks like he was rattled,” Twilight commented, watching her boyfriend disappear inside the bakery. “It’s a good thing he works out, otherwise he’d put on weight from all the nervous eating.” “He could just have a fast metabolism,” Spike pointed out, peering out of the alley. “It’s a good thing you do though, overwise all those hayburgers would go right to your thighs.” “Granny Pie always said that all the sweets I ate went somewhere else,” Pinkie chirped, hefting her chest for emphasis. “But this isn’t the time to be talking about food, we’ve lost sight of the suspect!” “D-did Pinkie seriously just do that?” Spike asked, his scales turning red. “Wow... she really doesn’t have any shame, does she?” “Pinkie, maybe you shouldn’t do something like that when there are stallions around?” Twilight suggested, waving a hand between Spike and the mare in question. Tilting her head, Pinkie’s hands dropped from her chest. “Do something like what?” she questioned innocently. Twilight shook her head and let out an exasperated sigh. “Focus, Spike,” she chastised, tugging on the drake’s earfin as he stared off into space. “And Wyatt probably won’t eat whatever he gets there. We can wait for him here until he gets out.” Turning back to the bakery, she eyed it intently. “He can’t be in there for much longer.” As if on cue, Wyatt emerged from the bakery, a bag in one hand and an eclair in the other. He turned down the street, taking a bite from his pastry as he went. “Of course he got the eclairs,” Pinkie said, her voice deathly serious. “Spike, make a note of that, it could be a clue.” “Pinkie, I don’t think we need to note that he’s eating eclairs,” Twilight deadpanned, slinking out of the alley to follow after Wyatt. “Not true, Twi,” Pinkie started, closing her eyes. “If he had went in to grab a donut or something, that’d be normal nervous eating. But the fact that he grabbed a bag of his favorite means he’s looking for some serious comfort food,” she concluded, nodding sagely. “Huh, that makes an odd bit of sense,” Spike said, jotting a note down on his pad. “But why would asking about his birthday make him need comfort food?” Pinkie wondered aloud, pressing herself up against a crate. “I’d have thrown a super party for him and I bet the entire town would give him a present as a thank you for what he’s done.” “Probably because he’s homesick,” Twilight said, moving out of the alley. “He’s been a year away from home, with no contact with his family. I can only imagine how much it hurts for him to keep it all inside.” Pinkie smacked her forehead, a look of realization coming over her. “Of course! It’s so obvious! I know that my birthday wouldn’t be nearly as much fun if you girls couldn’t share it with me. And even when I don’t make it back to the rock farm, my family sends me a card.” “Well... how do we fix that?” Spike asked, looking between the two. “I don’t think just giving him a card and putting on a smile will make him feel better.” Pinkie’s mane seemed to deflate slightly, her muzzle scrunching up. “Yeah, I don’t think I can pull off getting his family to come.” “There’s gotta be something we can do,” Spike said, putting away his notepad. “Maybe we can find a way to make a party that feels like home?” Pinkie’s eyes lit up, her mane poofing up once more. “That’s a perfect idea, Spike!” Scratching her chin, she paced back and forth. “But pulling this off might be tricky, I’m gonna need some help.” Taking Twilight and Spike’s hands, she zipped down the streets. “Come on! Let’s go grab the girls so we can plan the perfect party!” Twilight and Spike knew it was impossible to protest once the party mare had her sights set, so they allowed themselves to be dragged along. Before long, the group of friends was gathered at what Pinkie dubbed, ‘The Party Cave’. “Pinkie, do the Cakes know about this place?” Spike questioned, taking in the various charts and party supplies. “Hmm?” Pinkie looked over her shoulder from a crude drawing of Wyatt and what could loosely be called a, ‘personality profile’ beneath it. “Oh yeah, they actually had to approve the construction of it seeing as they have the deed to the property. They said it would probably increase the resale value.” “Not that your story isn’t fascinating, but why am I here?” Trixie questioned, adjusting her hat. “This is about a party for Wyatt right? He hates me.” Pinkie slid up to Trixie’s side, putting an arm over the other mare’s shoulders. “Oh that’s just silly, Trix, he doesn’t hate you.” “He’s explicitly said otherwise,” the magician deadpanned. “Okay, so Wy-Wy hates your guts and would probably punch you in the face if we left the two of you in a room together,” Pinkie relented, waving a hand in the air. “But that’s exactly why you’re here! With my help and extensive analysis of his likes and interests; you can get him the perfect present to act as an apology for what you’ve done to the guy.” “And what is the ‘perfect gift’?” Trixie asked, eyeing Pinkie with a skeptical frown. “Please, impart your wisdom unto me, oh one of frizzy hair.” “Keep talking like that and I’ll have your birthday at a Reneighsance Faire,” Pinkie said. “And I’m still working on a gift idea for you to give him. Making this psychological profile wasn’t easy, ya know.” “You know Pinkie, it’s kinda creepy you have all of this.” Spike glanced at his own file, debating whether or not he should take a peek. Deciding it would be better not to, he took a seat on against the wall. “Really, really creepy.” “How is it creepy to know how to make great parties for all my friends?” Pinkie asked,I  tilting her head and regarding him innocently. “If I didn’t keep track of it all, all of your parties would be bad and I can’t have that!” “Don’t try to explain it,” Trixie said, pulling the party mare’s arm off of her. “Something tells me it’s not gonna get through. So,” she turned toward the drawing of the human, “what do you have on Wyatt?” Reaching into her pocket, Pinkie pulled out a pointer and tapped it to the board. “For a baseline we know that his favorite dessert is eclairs. That means we’ll need a spongy cake and a thick chocolate frosting for the party. He also likes superheroes and adventure stories so that can help with gift ideas. As for clothes, these are the outfits he wears the most,” she added, tapping what appeared to be candid photos of Wyatt walking the streets of Ponyville. “If you’re looking to get him clothing, styles similar to this should be kept in mind.” “Do you just... stalk ponies?” Spike asked, looking at the photos. “That’s just weird. Can’t you get arrested for this kinda thing?”   “What’s stalking?” Pinkie chirped, tilting her head at the drake with an oblivious expression on her face. Leaning in close, she pushed her head against his. “Is that some kind of party term? If it is,  you have to tell me!.” “Pinkie, it’s not a party term,” Twilight replied with a groan, using her magic to separate the two. “But planning the party itself should wait until we figure out how to get the birthday boy on board.” “It could be a surprise party!” Pinkie exclaimed, whirling around on Twilight, her tail whacking Spike in the face. “Please let me throw a surprise party! Please, Twilight!” “I think Twi makes a good point,” Dash said, pulling a deflated balloon from a box and stretching it between her hands. “If we throw him a party he doesn’t want, what’s to stop him from turning invisible or moving at super speed to get away from it?” “Take his driver away?” Spike offered, pulling a few hairs out of his mouth. Cringing, he took a moment to scrape a claw along his tongue. “That’d stop him from getting away by powers.” “Uh, how do we do that?” Applejack questioned, looking between the girls. “Don’t he make that thing appear in his hand? How do we take somethin’ like that?” Trixie chimed in, holding her hands up. “We get him to summon it... and wham!” she punched her hand. “We nab it! Simple!” “Yeah, simple,” Dash replied, rolling her eyes. “So we take his stuff and force him to enjoy his party, that’ll work.” Snorting, she added, “Why don’t we kick him in the nuts while we’re at it. Despite being a dork, Wyatt does have some backbone.” “If you have an idea then I’d love to hear it,” Trixie shot back, glaring at the prismatic mare. “Otherwise, you’re nothing but hot air.” “Me not having an idea doesn’t make yours good,” Dash snapped, stretching the balloon in her hands and flinging it at the showmare. “Yours is still bottom of the barrel, Trixie.” “Stop fighting you two,” Twilight chided, looking between them. “But Dash is right, we need to find a way to get Wyatt on board with a party.” Closing her eyes, she sorted her thoughts. There had to be a way to pull this off; hopefully without alienating her boyfriend. Having Sombra convince Wyatt would be manipulative. Plus, using the colt like that would just be wrong. There had to be something though. If this was about homesickness, then maybe they needed to find a way to give him a slice of home? “I think... I think I have an idea.” Levitating some paper in front of her, she began to scribble her thoughts. “It’ll take a lot of work, and we’ll need to keep him distracted for a while.” “Hmm, I’m pretty distracting,” Pinkie mused, putting her knuckles to her chin. “But I’m also the party planner. And me trying to be in two places at once didn’t go so well last time.” Spike’s ears drooped, his scales draining of color. “Yeah, one Pinkie is plenty.” Clearing his throat, he fixed his spines. “I think we’ve beaten around the bush enough, what's your plan, Twilight? I want to get out of the party cave already.” “Spike, I want you to handle distracting Wyatt. I don’t care what you two do together just stay away from the bakery.” Crossing her arms, Twilight poured over her list. “Dash, you’ll get all our friends together. Trixie, you and Pinkie will stay in the bakery and get the festivities ready. I will go to Canterlot and have a few words with our favorite night princess.” The girls all gave a chime of affirmation, making their way out of the cave to complete their tasks. Sombra opted to follow Twilight, his muzzle scrunched up in thought. His mind buzzed with possible gift ideas for his father. Daring ran her finger along the spines of several of the books in Twilight’s library. Normally she wouldn’t break and enter, but the door was unlocked and she really needed answers. There was already a pile forming behind her, containing anything that even vaguely mentioned Mesoponearya. “Come on, there has to be something!” Nothing caught her eye, nothing related to the symbol burned into her shoulder. “Why couldn’t the ancients keep their records intact?!”  Growling in frustration, she punched the wall. Her effort was rewarded by the bookshelf rattling and causing a large tome to conk her on the head. “Son of a bitch!” she hissed, glaring down at the book. “You better be what I need, or I’m tossing you into a furnace.” Lifting the book up, Daring cracked it open. “You got a skim to impress me, book.” Halfway through the pages, a grin spread across her face. There, in all its glory was the symbol she was looking for. “Congrats, I’m not turning you into kindling.” “Let’s see here...” running her finger over the page, she took in the words. “The symbol of the burning eye has been found in a variety of locations, though tends to appear in religious sites. Recovered texts refer to it was the Soulseer, the sigil of rather poorly understood deific figure known as the ‘Arisen’. Rubbing her shoulder where the mark was and quirked a brow. “Okay, so what does this mark have to do with me? Why would Invis-o-dick brand me with it?” Furrowing her brow, she thought things over. “Is that guy trying to summon or create the Arisen?” Setting the book down, she closed her eyes. “Review time. Some invisible asshole says I’m the one that lived and puts the mark of a poorly understood god on my shoulder.” Her grimace deepened, the pieces falling into place. “Fuck me, that can’t be the answer. No way in hell.” With some deep thought, and more than a few admitted leaps in logic, the conclusion was simple: whoever the asshole who branded her was, was the reason she had been left at an orphanage. The dream, the mark, the ‘filly who lived’. It all just made too much sense. She bit down on her thumb’s nail, considering her options. “I need more answers. Figuring out the identity of my brander would be helpful. After that I can hunt down more info about the Arisen.” Pushing herself away from the table, Daring began to pace uneasily. “The hell is wrong with me? I find out that my birth parents were most likely murdered and all I can muster is ‘I need answers’?” Groaning, she grabbed her bangs. “This is all too crazy!” After venting for a little bit, she took a deep breath. “Okay, I’m calm. I can’t just go running after all this right now, I might miss my dad coming.” The thought of her father made her shrink into herself, almost like she was a filly again. “I just want you back, dad... Is that so wrong?” No answer came to her, not that she was expecting one. Sighing, she returned the books to the shelves and exited the library. She needed to unwind after putting herself through so much stress. “I need a drink...” she muttered, heading towards the bar. She adjusted her hat, walking into the building. Taking a seat at the bar, she ordered a bottle of whiskey. The bartender gave her the bottle along with a glass with ice in it.Ignoring the glass for a moment, she took a long swig out of the bottle. “Yeah~ That burns just right~” She handed the bartender enough bits for the bottle and poured herself a glass. She closed her eyes, letting the alcohol chase away her somber thoughts. “I thought I raised you better than to just drink your problems away.” Daring blinked, taken aback by the voice. She whirled around in her seat, nearly choking on her whiskey. Agito stepped closer, taking a seat next to her. He hadn’t changed at all in the years they had been a part, though he clearly sported a new cloak. His mask carried a few new scratches, a few cracks visible on its white surface. “It’s good to see you, D.D.” “Dad?” Daring questioned, blinking owlishly. Once she was sure he wasn’t disappearing, she clenched her fist and punched him in the gut. “That’s for abandoning me and not even showing up to my graduation, dick!” she hissed, pulling her fist back. Having the decency to take the punch, Agito grunted. “Be as mad as you want, I can take a few punches.” “Oh, do I get to be mad?” she spat, her eyes narrowing into pinpricks. “Thank you so much for letting me have my feelings. But what I want to know is why you left without even so much as a goodbye!” Placing his hand on her head, he slowly scratched her ear. “You didn’t need me anymore, D.D. You were a grown mare and needed to make your own way. If I hadn’t left then, it would have just hurt more.” “That’s grade A horse shit and you know it,” she pressed, jabbing a finger into his chest. “You could let me strike out on my own without completely disappearing. Don’t play the martyr and pretend it was all for me.” Taking her hand, he gave it a squeeze. “A parent will do what they think is best your their child. That’s all I’ve ever done for you. If that makes you hate me, so be it.” “You dumbass, I don’t hate you,” she replied, seeming to look through his mask. “I could never hate you. I’m just really, really, really pissed off and hurt.” Agito managed a quick, dry chuckle, giving her hand another squeeze. “What was there to miss about a rude asshole like me?” Leaning forward, he let his forehead touch hers. “Then again, you’ve always been a daddy’s girl.” It was Daring’s turn to chuckle, holding up a fist. “There are a few baddies out there that can attest to me getting your right hook.” Pulling away from her, he grabbed her whisky bottle. “So, tell me. What’s got you drinking, hm? Is it the same reason you’re dressed up like an old lady?” “I dress up like an old lady so people don’t know my adventures are real,” she explained, taking a seat. “But I’m drinking because things are pretty crazy right now. I found out my parents were involved in investigating some Mesoponearyan legend. And now,” she slid her disguise down to show off her mark, “some invisible guy branded me with the symbol they were looking into.” Agito leaned in close, swearing under his breath. “Holy shit, that’s a Kamen Rider Ghost symbol.” Daring snorted, slapping her hand on the bar. “Everything’s gotta be rider related. I swear to Faust, they’re gonna start drawing the princesses as Riders. If I find out Faust was a rider or some nonsense like that, I will not be a happy pony.” “Well, the humans started a cult centering around your uncle,” Agito pointed out, sitting next to her. “They treated him like Faust.” “Yeah, and the Pie’s made their own kamen riders after him,” Daring informed, snatching her whisky back and taking a long drink. “Even have his laptop thing.” “Yeah, just how many riders are there?” Agito questioned, reaching under his mask and scratching his cheek. “I know there’s a Decade running around, but who else is there?” Daring closed her eyes, licking her lips. “W, OOO, Skull, Ixa and Wizard. On Equestria’s side at least. Dai-Shocker has Eternal and Lupin.” She snapped her fingers. “And Celestia made ‘G-1’, but that’s just a suit of armor.” “Fantastic, Dai-Shocker’s a thing,” he grumbled, resting his elbows on the bar. “Still, that’s a hell of a lot of riders. Kinda jealous they weren’t around to help with the Gurongi.” “Don’t feel too bad, they’re all nuts. The mare who became Wizard is a total fangirl of my book series,” Daring explained, waving her hand dismissively. Tilting her head, she eyed him critically. “Have you... read any of it?” “You kidding?” Agito asked, patting her head. “It’s got your name in the title. I grab one whenever I can.” Lifting his mask up, he kissed her head. “And to think, you used to be such a scaredy cat.” “Well, a certain someone kicked my ass into shape.” Chuckling, she took a sip of her drink. “Can’t believe the kid’s plan worked.” Sighing, she turned to her father, already knowing the answer to the question on her tongue. “You’re here to kick his ass, aren’t you?” “More like one good punch,” Agito replied with a shrug. “Kinda had a feeling that Tia or Lulu put him up to drawing me out on the way here.” Slipping his mask down, he grunted. “They should know better than count on me.” “So you’re not even going to try to help?” Daring questioned, staring at the man in disbelief. “The world’s at stake here.” “I’m done saving the world, D.D. I just want to be left alone. I love you, D.D, but you don’t need someone like me in your life.” Shaking his head, Agito let out a long sigh. “I just want to be by myself.” “But is that what you need in your life?” Daring shot back, her expression shifting. “You had uninterrupted solitude for nearly a millennia. Dad, you can’t be by yourself for an eternity.” Touching his shoulder, her eyes softened. “I don’t want you to leave again.” Sighing, Agito put his hand over hers. “I never have been able to say no to you. I especially can’t leave while you’re wrapped up in something rider-related.” Cracking a smile, Daring pulled him into a tight hug. “I missed you so much, Dad. You have no idea.” Nuzzling his neck, she reveled in his presence. “There are so many things I have to talk to you about, things I haven’t told anyone else.” “I think I have an idea about that first part,” he assured, scratching behind one of her ears. “There hasn’t been a day that’s gone by where I haven’t thought about you. As for that last part, why don’t we go back to your place so you can get it all off your chest?” Placing a few bits on the table, he pulled her to her hooves. “Come on, D.D. I can sock that Decade kid in the face later. We got a lot to catch up on.” “Mind the nose,” Daring told him, taking his hand and leading him to her home. “I’ve already broken that thing and I’m sure his marefriend would hate for that thing to heal like Owen Wilson’s.” “And how do you know what Owen Wilson’s nose looks like?” Agito questioned, noting the looks the other ponies gave him. “Has my little birdy been watching movies? I thought I taught you better than going through other people’s things.” “Princess Celestia gave the Decade kid and her student the laptop,” Daring explained. “She thought it would help their research and it helps that Uncle Kuuga was a cinephile. He had pretty good taste. Except for that Room movie… couldn’t see the appeal in that. Might’ve had something to do with that Tommy guy’s ass being featured prominently.” “Yeah, Kuuga was the big movie guy.” Agito chuckled, leaning his head back. “He had odd taste in movies. Always said one of his favorites was the original Street Fighter.” “So am I ever gonna learn your real names, or at this point have you forgotten those?” she questioned with a chuckle, looking up at him. “It doesn’t really matter anymore, does it?” Turning to look at her, he regarded her mirthfully. “Not like ponies take surnames now. Besides, I don’t want my daughter calling me anything but ‘dad’.” “Fine,” she relented, huffing slightly. The two spent the rest of their walk in silence, Daring opening the door to her small home and leading him to the sofa. “It’s just a hotel room; my real place is out in the wilderness.” “Heh, sounds like you haven’t changed a bit from our time together. What, can’t stand the idea of neighbors after squatting in caves like me?” he asked, kicking his feet up on the end table. Reaching up, he took off his mask and placed it down with a sigh of relief. “Much better, you wouldn’t believe how hot it gets under that thing.” “Then why do you keep wearing it?” Daring questioned, taking her disguise off. “To this day, I don’t understand your gitup.” “What’s there to understand?” Agito asked, tapping his mask. “I don’t want ponies asking questions about what I am and I might as well do it with style.” “By wearing a demon mask?” Daring questioned, raising her eyebrow. “How the hay has that thing even lasted this long? Aren’t those things used in plays? Doesn’t strike me as something that would last under normal wear and tear.” “I’ve been carving them every so often,” Agito answered, taking his hand away from the mask. “And yes, these are used in Noh theater.” Reaching over, he flicked her forehead. “How dare you forget a lesson I taught you.” “Oi! I didn’t forget anything, old man.” Rubbing her head, Daring shot him a look. “Do that again, and I’ll kick you out on the street. I’m too old for that kinda thing.” “You’re never too old for your dear old dad to teach you a lesson,” he told her with a sagely nod. “But, I’ll respect the rules of your house.” Shrugging off his cloak, he revealed a homemade traveling outfit. “As you can see, your dad still knows his way around a needle.” “Glad to see that,” Daring noted, her smile returning. “But we should focus on this brand I got marked with.” Dropping onto her couch, she eyed him closely. “So, spill.” “Like I said, that symbol belongs to Kamen Rider Ghost. The plot was that the main character died, received his powers and had to gather fifteen things called eyecons to revive himself,” Agito explained, his features settling into a hard expression. “The fact that it showed up on you is ominous.” “Right okay.” Nodding her head, Daring leaned back in her seat. A beat passed before Daring shared what little she had on the mark. Some regressed part of her wanted to just cling to her father, in the hopes that he would make it all better. She ignored that part, reminding herself that she had dealt with similar situations. Stroking his beard, he nodded. “That sounds like this ‘Arisen’ is Ghost. Those Eyecons I told you about; they contained the spirits of famous people and gave him his power. Sounds like we’ve got some ruins to explore. Hopefully find a way to keep this invisible guy from getting what he wants.” “We’re doing this by ourselves,” Daring informed, rising to her hooves. “Got it? Just you and me. And when we get back, your ass is going to Canterlot.” Pulling her disguise back on, she looked back at him. “Come on, let’s get started.” “Are you kidding?” Agito questioned, slipping his mask back into place. “I was just about to tell you we were doing this as a duo. I’m not going to babysit your new friends.” In a flourish, he put his cloak on once more. “This’ll be just like that Saddle Arabia trip we made the summer before you went to college.” A smile wormed its way to her face, memories flooding back to her of that trip. Motioning with her hand, she led her father around her small home and the pair packed for their investigation. They’d need to buy rations and water, but that could be handled once they were on the first stop of their voyage. Wyatt stared out over Ponyville from the highest hill in the town’s park. He polished off the last of his eclairs, thinking things over. It didn’t take a genius to realize that he had acted immaturely. And now he was doing what he had wanted to avoid, think about his birthday. He had never spent a birthday away from his family. A part of him knew that it would’ve happened eventually, he just hadn’t expected it to be so soon. “Must be driving them crazy...” he muttered to himself, cleaning off his fingers. “I bet they think I’m dead or something.” Closing his eyes, he let out a long sigh. “Wish I could tell them I was okay. Tell them I’m happy here.” Pausing for a moment, a dry chuckle escaped his lips. “Not sure how I’d tell them about who I’m dating though.” “Wyatt!” Dash’s shrill voice cut through his melancholy, the prismatic mare zipping into view. “There you are! I’ve been looking all over for you!” Taking a moment, he put on a smile. “Hey Dash. Why were you looking for little old me?” Dash pointed back into town. “We need you at the bakery. The Cakes are behind on an order, and they’re willing to pay you for delivering it with your fast armor.” “So I’m a super delivery boy now?” he questioned with a chuckle. “I guess I can help them out. So, where’s the order need to go?” “How the hay should I know?” Dash shrugged, hovering in the air in front of him. “They just asked me to come get you. So... come on.” Fluttering behind him, she gave him a little push. “Anyway, cya!” She zipped off again, leaving a faint trail behind her. Rubbing the side of his head, Wyatt made his way back into the town proper. “As always, she is a beacon of help.” Picking up the pace, he turned down the street towards the bakery. “Better hurry up so they can get back on track.” As with most of his travels through Ponyville, ponies greeted him left and right. He waved back, feeling a sense of belonging settle over him. It helped that the entire town had promised to keep his secret. Things like that made his efforts feel worthwhile. He didn’t get to reflect on that for long as he came upon the front door of Sugarcube Corner. Smiling, he opened the door only to be taken aback by a chorus of voices shouting, “Surprise!” The sight before him was... odd. The interior of the bakery had been redecorated into something one would see on Earth. Every pony in attendance was in costume, dressed up as various movie characters. Wyatt needed a moment to take everything in, his face a blank mask. “Okay, I’ll bite. What’s all of this supposed to be?” “Your birthday party, dork,” Dash responded, smirking at him. She stood by the punch bowl, clad in The Bride’s motorcycle outfit. “Twilight came up with this crazy plan at the last minute, and Rarity made all these weird getups.” “You call them weird, but you look pretty comfy in that Kill Bill outfit there, Skittles,” Wyatt pointed out, smirking at her. “All you need is a katana and bam! You got it down.” Running a hand through his hair, he looked around the room. “This must’ve taken a lot of work. How did you guys even find these designs?” “Kuuga’s computer,” Rarity explained, sashaying over. Jessica Rabbit’s dress clung to her body, revealing its every curve. “It was a flurry of eleventh hour activity, but I do love a good challenge.” Wyatt had to turn his head away from the fashionista, lest his gaze settle on dangerous territory. “You didn’t have to do all this.” “Of course we did,” Fluttershy chimed in, dressed as the Disney version of Snow White. “We wanted to do something special for you in return for your work as Decade.” A pair of hands wrapped around Wyatt’s chest, revealing them to be Twilight. “Give you a bit of home back.” Pulling away, she posed a bit. “What do you think? Good costume?” Wyatt needed a second to think, his mind shutting down. Twilight was dressed as Raven from Teen Titans; easily the best character of the series whether someone was talking about the comic or cartoon (in his opinion). Her mane was hidden behind the blue cloak and the black unitard showed off her legs. “I’d compliment you, but I think my brain broke,” he said dumbly. Twilight giggled, a blush darkening her face. “I’ll take that as a compliment.” Taking his hand, she dragged him towards the cake. “Now come on, we have a song to sing.” Positioning him in front of the cake in question, she light the candles with a spell. Pinkie, dressed as Freakazoid, flicked the lights off and the entire room started to sing, ‘Happy Birthday’. An uneasy smile spread across Wyatt’s face, waiting for the song to end before blowing out the candles. “Wow guys... you really didn’t have to do this.” Wyatt looked around, trying to keep his smile up. “I mean that. You guys put a lot of effort in, effort you didn’t need to spend on me.” Rubbing his neck, he gazed down at the cake. It was pink, decorated with green frosting. Twilight leaned in, kissing his cheek. “We wanted to do this. You mean a lot to us.” She took his hand, giving it a squeeze. “Don’t you realize that?” She frowned when Wyatt wouldn’t meet her gaze. “Wyatt, we just want you to be happy.” Managing to smile, he looked down into her eyes. “I am happy. You make life in Crazy Magic Talking Horse Land worthwhile. A day like my birthday might sting without my folks, but this,” he waved a hand over the party, “reminds me I’ve still got family here.” “Not a bad way to look at things, kid,” a man's voice responded as the doors to the bakery swung open. “I don’t want to ruin your party, so we’ll make this quick; you have a nasty habit of pretending to be other people.” Wyatt turned his head, finding a demon masked figure standing in the doorway. “Welp, knew this was coming,” he muttered, watching the figure approach him. “Hey there! You must be Agito! We’ve been trying to get your attention for a while.” Agito stopped in front of Wyatt, taking in the young man's appearance. “Congratulations, you got it.” Drawing his arm back, he jabbed Wyatt in the gut. “Unfortunately, I just stopped by to give you a birthday punch.” Wyatt wheezed, doubling over onto his knees. “Yup, Daring definitely got her fists from you,” he croaked, his eyes watering. “Way to teach her to be violent, old man.” Agito shrugged, turning to walk out the door. “Hey, had to teach her to fend for herself. And given what she gets into, she needed that.” Giving a two finger salute, he looked back at them. “Happy birthday, kid. We’ll talk about this later.” With that, the cloaked man exited, leaving a stunned room in his wake. Twilight helped Wyatt to his feet, concern overtaking her features. “How’s your stomach feeling?” Levitating a chair over, she eased him into him. “Do you need a drink?” “I’m fine,” he assured, rubbing where he had been hit. “We knew I was gonna get punched, just glad I don’t have something broken this time.” It was to be expected; he wouldn’t be happy if he was in Agito’s shoes. He counted his blessings, glad his nose wasn’t bleeding again. “Okay,” Twilight replied, sighing in relief. “How about a slice of cake? Pinkie worked hard to make sure you’d love it.” Nodding, he looked up at her. “I think I could go for some cake.” Rubbing his stomach, he glanced at the punch bowl. “Some of that would be nice too. Is it spiked?” “Nope, I haven’t passed out in the punch bowl this time,” Spike commented from a table stacked with gifts. He was dressed as Luke Skywalker, the Return of the Jedi version specifically. “I’m a little too tall for that now.” Wyatt chuckled, looking between Spike and Twilight. “How sheltered has your family kept you, man? Spiked means putting alcohol in it.” He snickered, seeing the drake puff up a little. “Ah relax, it’s still a funny joke.” Twilight ignored his antics, going over to the snack table to and grabbing cake and a cup of punch. A deep sense of satisfaction welled up in her chest. Wyatt’s words had touched her, and not even Agito crashing the party could dampen her spirits. Returning to Wyatt, she passed him both. “Here you are! I hope you don’t think the Decade themed cake was too tacky. I thought it would be a cute idea.” “Are you kidding?” Wyatt questioned, digging his fork into the dessert. “I love it. Only way it could be better was if it was shaped like my helmet.” “Told you!” Pinkie shouted from across the room, leading the Cutie Mark Crusaders through a game. “Everybody loves face cake!” “Well, forgive me for thinking that was a little too much.” Taking a seat next to Wyatt, Twilight leaned on his side. “I’m glad you’re happy here, Wyatt. I don’t think I’d have any idea how to handle life if you were miserable.” “You’d think of something,” he assured her, kissing her cheek and leaving a small spot of frosting. “Genius like you can tackle any problem. Not like you’re gonna find out though,” he noted, grinning at her. “I’m dating a mare like you and am raising a good colt.” Glancing around, he added, “Where is Sombra anyway?” “I’m right here, dad!” Sombra’s voice called out in the direction of the Crusaders. A small figure dressed as Vivi from Final Fantasy IX stepped forward, the large yellow hat and black face mask obscuring all of the colt’s features. “Happy birthday!” “Wow, that has got to be the best costume here!” Wyatt grinned, winking at him. “Looks like Rarity spent extra on you. Nice character choice too.” “Thanks dad!” Sombra chirped, a grin evident in his tone. “I really like this costume. The hat makes me feel like a wizard from Starswirl’s time!” “I think it’s time for presents!” Pinkie cheered, zipping over to Wyatt and yanked him out of his chair. In a moment, he was standing in front of the table piled with gifts. “We all racked our brains trying to come up with perfect gifts. Even Trixie got you something!” Wyatt stared for a moment, his eyes moistening. “Wow guys... I... I got nothing.” Sniffling, he put on his best smile. “Ponyville certainly knows how to make a guy feel at home.” “Speaking of Ponyville,” Pinkie started, reaching into the center of the pile and pulling out a box wrapped in fuchsia paper and tied with a black ribbon. “Some ponies chipped together and bought you something. It’s a thank you for your hard work.” Wyatt sniffled again, holding in a sob. Taking a breath, he grabbed the first present off the pile. “How's about we start opening eh? This one's from...Thunderlane!” “Hope you like it, dude!” the stallion in question called out, dressed like the Punisher. “I owe you for saving my little bro during that school attack.” Wyatt carefully opened the present, figuring Twilight would want to save the paper or something. Once he set the wrapping aside, he pried off the lid to the box. Inside was a pair of goggles with tinted lenses. On the inside of the strap were several signatures belonging to Wonderbolts. “It took me some doing, but I got the signatures of every Wonderbolt record holder still kicking,” Thunderlane bragged, puffing his chest. Wyatt smiled, pulling the goggles out of the box. “Thanks, Thunderlane, these are awesome.” Slipping them over his eyes, he looked around the room. “So, how do they look on me?”