This is what we do Chapter 34
By Foxgear
“Mac. Wake up, Mac.”
Mac opened his eyes to the call of his wife’s siren song, his body practically fused to the bed, he’s never felt so relaxed before. Chomping his gums, he stretched his arms, but something wasn’t right, his joints were going in awkward directions, utterly opposed to what he knew was natural. His eyes snapped open, and he rubbed the sand from his sockets to find blotches of red fur clouded his vision.
“Mac?” Adagio repeated, shaking him.
His vision cleared and he rolled on his side to see a yellow pony with a familiar puff of orange hair and a bloated belly at his bedside. Mac blinked and rubbed his eyes again to make sure what he was seeing was real. The pony grinned at him, a pair of transparent purple fin-like wings unfurled, standing up straight with excitement.
“Oh, Mac your… so handsome!”
“Adagio?” He asked rolling to his belly, his legs folded beneath him. “Why am I a pony? Wait why are you a pony? Are we in Equestria?”
Adagio nodded, “Indeed. I was just as confused, but…” She pranced in place and twirled showing of her equally puffy orange tail and her musical note mark with a gold diamond in the end. “I was always curious how I would look. A bit disappointed I didn’t keep my siren form, but this form is cute. Kind of wish I would have been turned into a unicorn though, on the other hand, I don’t think I’m really a pegasus either. I mean look at these wings! Frankly, I’m just happy I have four legs, it would suck to be sea pony on dry land. Of course, then you’d have to carry me, and I wouldn’t mind that. So how do I look?”
Mac opened his mouth to comment and then closed it as he looked Adagio up and down. “I guess you look beautiful. I’m used to you as a human.”
She smirked and nuzzled his muzzle, which caused him to have a reaction downstairs. “Well, I find you absolutely delicious. That red fur, orange scales, and those sharp little fangs, I wouldn’t mind if you nibbled on my ears with those.” Adagio moved to his ears and bit down on them, something poked against his skin and made him shiver. “I have a set too, just so you know.” She smiled showing off her set of short fangs.
“Ok, I understand why I have fangs, but why do you have them?”
“Sirens are a class of sea pony, and sea ponies eat fish.” Adagio clarified, which only raised more questions, but he decided to drop the subject and focus on the more pressing matter at hand or hoof.
“Why are we here? I was talking to Princess Celestia and Sixes when I suddenly fell asleep, and I’m here.”
Adagio frowned, “Same here. I was actually about to get out of bed and go downstairs when I suddenly felt tired again. If I’m honest, I think I sensed magic in the air when it happened.”
“What about Applebloom and Sweetie Belle?” Mac asked concerned. Awkwardly he climbed out of bed struggling to find his balance as he adjusted to walking on four legs again. “Come on, I’m sure one of the Princesses is around, they had to know what’s going on.”
Mac trotted over to the door and pushed on the latch, but it wouldn’t budge. “It’s locked.”
“Right, I forgot the mention that,” Adagio admitted trotting up beside him. “I called out for someone but didn’t get a reply. Care to break the door down?”
He narrowed his eyes at the wooden barrier. “Stand back.” Puffing his chest Mac built up flames in his stomach, his chest aglow as burning flames built up. Sucking in air, he reared back and prepared to fire when the door opened with Princess Luna standing in the frame. Her eyes widened as fire spit from between his lips, his mouth opened in surprise and released the flames.
“Mother’s mane!” Luna screamed jumping out of the path of the flames. Mac’s attack blackened the stones wall in the hallway, he grinned sheepishly as the Princess stuck her head in with a miffed look. “That’s not a very cordial greeting to one’s host.”
Adagio stepped in front of Mac getting in the Princess’s face. “Well, we don’t remember being invited either.”
Luna pursed her lips, looking displeased. “I had suspected when Celestia hadn’t been forthcoming with information of your arrival. She informed me that you needed rest and a safe place. I offered my castle here as such a place. Young Sweetie Belle has been placed with your Rarity in another room and Applejack is watching Applebloom. Oh, the human Twilight Sparkle is resting in the room next to Aria. That was truly a shock seeing Twilight as a unicorn again.” She chuckled.
“Applejack is awake?” Both he and Adagio asked in unison, excited that their sister was awake.
The Princess waved her hoof, “No, no, I mean our Applejack is watching her, she was in the castle when Celestia brought you over, and there was this big misunderstanding because our Applebloom is on a trip with her friends and oh gods this is confusing.”
“You can say that again. Is the other me here too just to add fuel to the fire?” Mac joked, causing Luna to moan and Adagio to blush with a devious smirk.
“Hmm two big red stallions, I could enjoy that. Is it cheating if it’s you in from another dimension?”
Luna pressed her hoof against her skull, “Thankfully he’s not, Mac. I have a hard enough time keeping Applejack and Applejack straight. This will be a huge mess when she wakes up and the other Rarity too.”
“All that fun stuff aside, where’s Aria?” Adagio asked concerned.
“She’s resting over there.” Luna pointed down the hall. “Doctor Blue Cross suggested we don’t disturb her, but if you want to sit by her bed that would be ok, I imagine.”
“I think I’ll do that, care to take care of things here Mac?”
He nodded, and she kissed him on the cheek before trotting away to Aria’s room. When the door was closed. Mac turned serious. “Ok Princess, what’s going on? Why are we here?”
“Talking to my sister will be best, come I will take you to her. Would you like to check on your sister and Sunset Shimmer along the way? We have them in the same suite. In fact, thinking about it, that is most likely where Celestia is right now.”
“Lead the way then.”
Luna nodded, “Very well. It will be a bit of a walk. They’re in the guest room connected to my sister’s royal suite.”
“I thought this was Twilight’s castle at first, but this is yours isn’t? The lack of crystal halls should have been a dead giveaway.” Mac stated as they trotted down the corridor.
“We thought it best to rebuild the portal here, where there is more of a military presence. We didn’t want the town ponies to get nervous by posting units around Twilight’s castle. The Everfree forest is much more secluded. It also works about great for me since I moved back in officially. No longer will I have to split my time from here to Canterlot.” Luna said with a blush. She coughed and looked anywhere but at him. “But that’s a private matter. I’m sure you’re not interested in all that.”
Mac kept his silence and followed the princess through the twists and turns of the castle and up several flights of stairs. It really wasn’t his business, and he had more important things to worry about right now, but he couldn’t help but be interested in Luna’s little slip there. He knew her and Sixes were a thing, and he wondered how that would affect Sunset if any or at all. Really it wasn’t his business, but it was a nice distraction from his current mess of problems.
“Here we are.” Luna declared knocking on the door. A soft voice to come in from inside, and Luna entered, he followed her inside and shut the door. Inside the room was Celestia sitting next to a lavish bed where a pony Sunset Shimmer slumbered.
Celestia pointed to the connecting door with her hoof. “Your sisters are in there being watched over by Applejack’s counterpart and one of my nurses. Rarity and Sweetie are in the bathes I think.”
Mac looked at the door and fought the urge to go to his sisters. They were probably waiting for him, but he had to sort this out. “I’ll do that soon, but first I want to ask why you knocked us out and brought us here.”
The Sun Princess sighed, stroking Sunset Shimmers mane lovingly. “We heard Adagio’s words from downstairs. She was rather forward and correct with her arguments. Your magical troubles stem from Equestria. And not just from Sunset Shimmers actions. But from actions taken by me and my mentor Starswirl and many others. We irresponsibly used your world as a dumping ground to solve our problems because at first there wasn’t intelligent life or so it seemed to us. Either way, we shouldn’t have done what we did. I’ve checked the records, and we’ve dropped some nasty villains into your world with disregard. Sunset’s actions caused many of those monsters to awaken and wreak havoc on your world. Sixes and I decided it’s our responsibility to clean up this mess.”
“You can’t take responsibility for everything, Maddie…”
“Maddie is the daughter of Madhoof, a villain we should have searched for, but didn’t. His actions and Maddie’s actions trace back to our failure to bring him to justice.” Celestia sighed heavily, turning to face him and Luna. “It’s time we took responsibly for all the trouble we caused your world Mac. That’s why we brought you here, to keep you safe, while we clean up our mess.”
Mac chewed his lip and stared at the princess. “It’s our world.” He finally said. “It’s our responsibility to keep it safe, not yours. I appreciate your concerns, but you had no right to take us here against our will. I’m going back, and I’ll put a stop to this madness. I assume you won’t stand in my way?”
“Of course not,” Luna spoke up before Celestia could speak. “While I would prefer you let Sixes handle this, you are not our subject nor of our world. We have no right to stop you from leaving if you wish. I would only advise you to rest more before doing so. Visit your loved ones just in case your foolhardiness gets the better of you.”
“I’ll take that into consideration,” Mac replied bowing to Luna. He hesitated when facing Celestia, but bowed to her as well before going to the other room.
Inside Applejack, his Applejack lay on the bed, her mane a while mess of blonde hair that covered half the bed. Unexpectedly she was like him. Red dragon scales circled the base of her legs, her tail was long and leathery, and her open mouth snoring revealed her fangs. Sleeping next to her, tangled up in her hair was Applebloom sporting green scales. Sitting beside the bed was the other Applejack.
“Well, look who it is. I’ve seen you before.” The Equestrian Applejack greeted, hopping off her stool she extended her hoof for a shake. He obliged as it was only proper. “You certainly do look a lot like my brother, at least in some regard. Same for these too. Their just different enough to make you look twice, but truthfully, I’m kind of relieved they aren’t identical. Last time I met my twin, it was a changeling. A story for another time. We only met in passing that day you spoke with my brother, but I’m Applejack Oklahoma Apple.”
“I recall seeing you, I apologize for not properly introducing myself then… ah…”
“Just call me AJ. I know this whole mess is confusing. Trust me I know. I couldn’t believe my eyes when I saw Applebloom… I mean your Applebloom here. Princess Luna was kind of enough to fill me in the whole deal, at least the basics. Happy to help in any way. I even went home and got some apples for yawl. Here have one.” From the basket behind her, AJ tossed him a big Red delicious, which he caught with his claw. His stomach growled with hunger, and he greedily snapped apple up in two large bites.
Mac smiled nostalgically. “Tastes like the ones back home.”
“I’ll take that as a compliment. Now.” AJ said sitting up on her stool. “Ya want to have any philosophical dialogue with me or is that only for the boys?”
He blinked and then laughed. “Sorry, what?”
AJ’s cheeks burned with embarrassment. “Last time you and Mac had a chat. I met you on my way home, and he was tight-lipped about the encounter, but that’s beside the point. You may be from a different world, but I know my brother, and I know when you got something on your mind.”
He cocked a brow and looked at the bed where his sisters lay. “That obvious?”
“Yep.” She drawled with a smirk before frowning. “I heard what you said in the other room. Ya going back home to fight?”
“Yep.”
“You really think you need to go? I don’t know him well, but Sixes is good at his job. Believe me, he is. Kira is with him too. Those two can kill anything together.”
“I am aware of their skill, but it’s my home. I need to be able to defend it myself. If I can’t then I don’t deserve to have it. And to clarify their objective isn’t to kill. The ones they’re fighting are my sister’s friends infected with dark magic.”
AJ rubbed her head against her hoof. “Hmm, can’t say we ever had to deal with that. Wish I could give ya some advice on how to save your friends. Back on topic, I don’t know if it’s just macho or bravado, not sure there’s a difference, but I get it. I really do. I never shied away from my duties when it came to fighting evil. I think… I think I understand how my Mac feels now.” She looked at his sisters and smiled. “Well go if you think you have too, but say goodbye to them at least.”
Mac stared at his slumbering sisters, his expression softened as he patted Applejack and Applebloom on the head. “I want them to wake up when this nightmare is over.”
“They could wake up with their brother dead.” She countered.
“Maybe, but I’m likely to die today as I am tomorrow. I can’t live in fear of dying. That being said there is someone I need to talk to before I go.”
“Your wife?”
“You know?
AJ shrugged, “Mac did let it slip his new friend was having some worries about the married life. Don’t know how a single stallion offers advice about marriage, but whatever. Come back and talk with my brother again, in fact, come back, and we’ll all go visit the farm. We’ll treat you to a real Equestrian hoedown.”
“Sounds fun. I’ll make sure to make it back. If you’d like I’d love to show you my home too. After I rebuild it that it.”
“You better. It’s a Pinkie promise then?”
He laughed knocking his claw against her hoof. “Yeah, I Pinkie promise.”
Mac left out the other door in the room, so he didn’t disturb Sunset, he also didn’t feel like facing the Princess either. Feeling a bit miffed at Celestia violation of his free will. In the hall, he called out to a passing maid and asked to be brought to Aria’s room. As the maid guided him through the halls, they passed the medical wing. A racket came from inside causing the maid to stop and investigate as the nurse left the room in a huff.
“Celestia damn them! They are so irritating!” The nurse seethed grumbling down the hall. Mac poked his head inside and then entered when he heard a familiar voice.
“I’m fine Spitfire, go back to Canterlot.” Fierce Fury said looking away from the yellow pegasus currently posted at his bedside.
“What, so you can disappear on me again?”
“It hadn’t been my intention to disappear to another world with no way home, it just happened. You of all ponies should understand anything can happen in the line of duty. I more surprised your upset about such a minor ordeal.”
Spitfire ground her teeth together, her cheeks red with rage. “Well sorry inviting you to dinner for my birthday is such a minor ordeal! I was left sitting at the restaurant with my mother for hours, and you never showed up!”
“I’m not apologizing for something I had no control over. It’s not my fault you weren’t informed properly. Get mad the messenger, not me!” Fury barked with smoke rising from his nostrils. “Look, I’m sorry I called you birthday minor. Such events never meant much to me because I don’t have one.”
“Right, sorry,” Spitfire said dejectedly. “But it was more for you than me because we’re… you know.”
“I know, I know. I’ll make it up to you later. Looks like we got some guests right now though.” Spitfire eeped as she turned around to face Mac. Quietly with a heavily blush on her face Spitfire excused herself and left the room, leaving Mac and Fury alone. “How are you doing Mac? The healers patch you up alright?”
“I’m feeling better, still tired, but better. Was that your girlfriend or something?”
“Not really. Don’t worry about it. What are you doing here? Shouldn’t you be chasing after those girls with Sixes?”
Mac chuckled humorlessly. “Well that was my plan, but Princess Celestia had other plans. She had us put to sleep and brought us here. I just vented my grievous about that to her and Luna. I’m on my way to talk to Adagio and then go back to earth.”
Fury cocked a brow and then laughed falling back against his pillow. “You're just like your father. Always running towards danger. At least you aren’t a shrimp like he was.” His laughter stopped, and Fury turned stonily. “I’m sure somepony told you this already, but don’t go chasing your death. Leave this to Sixes and Kira. Those two have taken out much worse than those girls in the past. If they were allowed to kill them, this would be over in an hour. Speaking of which, you’ll be a few hours behind in the hunt. There might be nothing for you to do even if you go.”
“Killings not an option.” Mac chastised. “And even if they wrapped everything up I’ll still need to go home and start dealing with the cleanup. Hopefully magic won’t be a worldwide discovery.”
“Who can say? Your world has been shaken, but if things settle down, it might blow over. You’ll have a few die-hards that search for the truth, but most ponies or people in your case tend to block out tragedies like this. If it doesn’t fit their world view, they tend to rationalize such things away. At least that’s what my counterpart said. He’s had to deal with several cases like that on a smaller scale.” Fury said snuggling against his pillow with a sigh. “Damn magic exhaustion sucks. I’d heal much faster if I could just blow myself up. In any case, the mirror is in Platinum’s workshop, you remember where that is, right?”
“Yeah, thank you.”
“Just don’t die.” Fury grumbled before falling asleep.
Leaving the medical bay, Mac found his escort maid waiting patiently. After a quick affirmation that he was done here, she led him towards Aria’s room. After saying thank you he stood in front of the heavy wood door and raised his claw to knock, he hesitated a moment, before rapping at the door. His wife softly gave permission to enter.
“Hey,” He said softly entering to the room. Aria was much like Adagio, a pony with fin wings matching her color scheme. The only real difference was her hair wasn’t in their usual pigtails, instead sprayed all over her bed. “How she doing?” He asked settling down next to Adagio.
“Better. The doctors here have the advantage of magic. I was a little worried about our biology. I don’t even know what the hell I am right now really. The doctor just classified us as a sub-species of sea ponies, but it’s not like he did any tests. Though just from a glance I don’t think I lay eggs.”
He laughed at her pouting face. “I guess so much for taking the easy way out.”
“Yeah, so did you talk with the Princess?”
“Yep.”
“Ok… how did that go?”
“She basically kidnapped us and left Sixes to hunt down the girls.” He replied. “She’s not going to force us to stay just in case you’re wondering.”
“So, she’s not going to stop you from doing something stupid? Like going home and fighting when you should just leave this to Sixes because this is their mess?” Adagio asked pointedly. Mac was unable to meet her gaze, so he just stared at Aria. “Yeah, that’s what I thought. I really love you Mac, but I would appreciate it if you’d stop trying to make me a widow in our first year of marriage. I mean if I die you have my two sisters to choose from. You know who I have? No one! Remarriage is not an option for me so stop trying to die!”
Mac blinked staring at Adagio’s puffed up cheeks, unable to tell if she was kidding or not. “Your dark humor is on full display today I see. And don’t sell yourself short either.”
Adagio pouted chewing her inner cheek, “You’re not supposed to tell your hot milf of a wife it’s ok to date other guys if you die. Also dark humor? Please! I have to find some way to deal with the trauma of marrying a fool chasing his early grave.”
“I have to do this. We have to be able to deal with our problems Adagio.” He stressed rubbing her back.
“I get that Mac, but that doesn’t mean we have to deal with every one of them by ourselves. Let Sixes deal with this one.”
“He dealt with the last one. My father before that. We need to take responsibly for our world.” He insisted. Adagio let out a long-tired sigh in response. Her eyes were solemn with barely restrained tears.
“I guess I’ll just have to smile and send you off. How about before you go you pick a name for this one.” She patted her budge, her eyes observed by her bangs. “Just in case… you know.”
He leaned over and kissed her, a little awkward to do as a pony, but he managed. “We can talk names I when I get back, and we’re sitting at home. I promise we will.”
Adagio sniffled, “I hate how soft you made me sometimes. Go, go be stupid if that’s what you want to do, but if you don’t come back, I’m going to find a time travel spell, come back to this moment and kick you in the dick so many times we won’t be having any more kids!” She seethed hissing right in his face.
“I… I’m just going to go.” Mac conceded softly, very carefully backpedaling out of the room. When he shut the door, he let out a deep sigh and hung his head. “I’m in the doghouse now, alive or dead.” He lamented taking off to the mirror.
Back inside the room Adagio was also hanging her head, a cloud of misery flouted over her. She kicked the side of the bed. Aria’s eye slowly opened in a controlled fashion that it could only mean her sister had been faking sleep for some time now. Probably long enough to hear her and Mac’s little spat.
“You got something to say?” Adagio asked her sister.
Aria with her usual flat pan stare answered, “Do you really want that to be your last conversation? He’s tired, he’s been fighting nonstop for days with little rest, little food. He’s pushed himself beyond any reasonable limit. And still left to fight again and that’s what you say to him? You could have at least given him a little something, something to keep him around longer. Maybe long enough for this whole thing to blow over.”
Adagio with her dirty mind clearly pictured what her sister was suggesting and blushed with both embarrassment and anger. “Dammit, that could have worked.”
“Would have been a better use of your mouth too,” Said Aria cheekily as Adagio raised her foreleg for a strike. “Hey, now I’m injured! You can’t hurt an injured pony!”
“How about I sew that little potty mouth of yours shut instead!”
Aria snorted with laughter, “Like you know how to fucking sew.”
Adagio’s blush deepened. “I’ve been learning.” She huffed.
“You’re such a fucking wife now. Can’t wait for the day when you take Granny Smith’s place as the head matriarch of the Apple family. It’ll be funny to see you rocking the granny dress.”
“Yeah, maybe,” Adagio said dejectedly. “That’d be nice. I just hope Mac’s still alive to see our grandkids, hell just to see our first kid. I can’t shake the feeling that something terrible something is going to happen to him this time. I want to be beside him like before, to make sure he stays alive, but I can’t put myself at risk right now.”
Aria stared up at the ceiling peering at her mopping sister out of the corner of her eye. “Then fucking do something about it. I’m sick of you whining about this sappy woe is me shit.”
“What can I do? I can’t fight without absorbing others magic, and I can’t do what Sunset… does… wait…”
Aria turned her head. Adagio beamed with inspiration as she suddenly hopped off her stool and ran for the door. “Hey, where are you going?”
“To find a gem!” She replied disappearing into the hallway. Leaving Aria confused in bed.
“A gem?” Aria rolled off her bed, grimacing as her hooves touched the ground. It still hurt to move, but she was curious what madness her sister was cooking up. (Could she be… hmm, interesting.) With a devious smirk Aria followed after Adagio, her sisters plan becoming more apparent with each step.
Mac stepped into the smithy. The room was dimly light with only the glow of the forges for light. At the other end of the room stood the new portal mirror. It was different from before, cruder and the mirror more industrial then decorative. The machines hooked to the mirror looked half rigged together some parts literary held together with duct tape. A book baring Sixes six red slash mark seal rested at the top of the mirror suspended in magic. Tinkering beside the mirror was the mare of the forge. Platinum De Belle. He had met her once the last time he was here. She had been the pony to fix his dad’s armor and give him wings.
Like before the pinkish Prench mare was busy in the scorching heat of the forge. This time Platinum was refining the mirror portal. Replacing the clearly cobbled together parts with something more professional. Mac wondered if that would affect the usability of the dimensional gate, but if it did, he couldn’t tell. He stepped into the doorway, already the heat left him weltering in his fur covered body.
“So, you finally show up, I had expected you sooner. Mon pere warned me you would come.” Platinum said setting down her tools to face him. “I suppose you want to go home, yes? Of course, you do. You're foolish, like your father or so Sixes, grumbled as he went back to your world. In many ways you two are alike, you and Sixes. Both of you are bullheaded with your sense of duty.”
“Ms. Platinum.” He drawled, but she quickly interrupted with a sharp cut of her metal leg.
“It’s Mrs. actually. I suppose last time you were here we didn’t really get a chance to talk. Given my position of being a married mare, mon pere thought I would be the best to persuade you from going back and fighting. Really, I don’t personally find much merit in the idea. If your own wife can’t persuade you, I don’t see how I can. You know?”
Mac frowned looking around for another pony hiding in the shadows to knock him out again. He wouldn’t put it past Sixes to set up an ambush like that. It was part of his training after all. The old magician’s trick making you watch one hand while the other hand does the real work.
“If you're looking for another pony, you can stop, it’s just me in here. For now. My husband will be coming by to take me to dinner soon.”
Mac blinked and looked down the hall to the window showing the coming evening sky. “It’s nearly evening.”
“Supper then. I have trouble keeping time in here. Back to business. If your planning to rush past me, first of don’t because you won’t even get halfway there. Second, even you do manage to get past me you won’t be going anywhere anyway because I’ve disabled to the portal. Well to be more specific, I’ve turned into a one-way mirror for now. Ponies can come back, but they can’t leave.”
Mac snorted fire and dug his claws into the floor, “You don’t have the right to keep me here.”
Platinum looked non-plus about the threat. “Legally not, but I’m not doing this because Princess Celestia or Luna ordered me too or even any official capacity. I’m doing this because mon pere asked me to and that’s all the reason I need.”
“You're referring to Sixes, right? What the hell does mon pere mean?”
“She’s saying ‘my father,’” A gruff voice said behind him, Mac looked down to see his entire shadow engulfed by an even more giant shadow. Slowly he turned around coming face to face with what must be the largest Rinin he’d ever seen. So big it could barely fit through the doorway, so big that hunch of his back brushed the ceiling. To make the massive rinin even stranger, he had bullhorns, long and curved forwards like spears.
“Bullie!” Platinum swooned rushing past Mac to wrap her legs around the monster’s neck and affectingly kiss his cheek. “This is mon husband, Bulwark Bulldrake. He is big no?”
Mac gulped. This was one of the few times he’s come across someone or pony that wasn’t a monster that was bigger than he was. “Yeah, he is… wait Sixes is your father?”
“No.”
“But you…”
“It’s honorific. I call him that because he saved my life when I was crushed under my house and lost my legs. The blast killed my family and Sixes took me in, kind of. He gave me a home here and thanks to that I met my husband and now live happily.” Platinum removed herself from Bulwark and faced Mac seriously. “I think you could stand to be more flexible to your wife’s wishes. I’m sure she doesn’t want you to go.”
“That’s nothing new, but I have to go. I can’t run from danger. If I can’t deal with this threat, then who can say I can handle the next?”
“Then you fight to get stronger?”
“I’m fighting to protect what’s mine. This is the third time I’ve had to explain that! When will that get through to everyone! I have to keep my family safe!”
“I get that, so will you send Sixes home then?” Platinum inquired.
Mac opened his mouth to reply but stopped short of answering. “I… I don’t know. I do need help.”
“Then do that.”
“Do what?”
Platinum sighed. “Ask Sixes for help. Properly. We all understand wanting to fight to protect your own with your own strength, but a true husband, a true friend who cares for his loved ones, will ask for help to protect the ones he loves. Regardless of pride.”
“That’s a bit rich coming from the ponies that kidnapped me from my own home.”
“Had nothing to do with that, but the point stands. Did not asking for help save your father? I’m sorry to bring up a personal tragedy, but you’re still thinking like a single stallion. Have a bit an empathy for your mate. Would you stand by if your wife went off to fight alone like you are now?”
“No, I would chase after her, even if it made her mad. Look I know I'm stubborn, maybe even stupid, but it’s my home and those girls I’ve known them since they were kids. My sister is out of commission; it’s up to me to save her friends. I have to ensure their safety. I know how Sixes can get, after they hurt Sunset, we both know how he can get.”
Platinum shivered. “You don’t need to tell me what kind of stallion Sixes is or what he does to ponies that wrong him or his friends. Countless numbers of beings did that and now hang from a meat hook somewhere in the world.”
“Wait, what?”
Platinum tilted her head in curiosity. “I thought you knew. When Sixes gets really angry, and I mean like blood boiling he brings out the chains and meat hooks and just slaughters everything. Leaving his victims hanging from a golden chain and hook and leaves them for the flies. It’s awful. Kira isn’t much better, her name used to be Killing Perfection, you don’t need to say anymore. Her confirmed kill count is the highest in Night Patrol.”
The memory of Sixes preparing to roast Maddie inside out with lava came to mind. Mac could already see Sixes using his seal to take out Maddie before the battle even starts. As for the others? He didn’t want to doubt Sixes' good nature, but he also wasn’t about to gamble the girls' lives if thing got carried away.
“You have to let me go back to earth. I need to keep them in check!” Mac insisted. “If not, I’ll tinker with this machine myself.”
Platinum scoffed, “Do that and who knows where you’ll end up. You could end up in dinosaur world or the world where Celestia and Luna are evil or that weird world where everypony is the opposite gender. I’ll admit that last one was kind of fun to see, but it was weird. And yes, those are all real. We did some test runs before Sixes got back with the journal. Navigating dimensions is hard without a link between the worlds. Or in this case, messing with the machine could send you on a one-way trip to who knows where!”
“Then I guess you can’t afford to let me take that risk then?” Mac asserted making her grimace and grumble. “Well?”
Platinum ignited her horn with magic. “I could just put you to sleep too.”
Mac braced himself as Platinum turned her horn on him. He charged forward intending to tackle her, but Bulwarks massive claws slammed down in front of her. The big rinin let out a bellowing roar, black smoke rising from his nostrils as he protected Platinum with his enormous frame of pure muscle.
“Don’t you dare even thinking about hurting my wife! Far more powerful ponies have tried and are dead now!” Bulwark threated fiercely.
Stuck between a wall of muscle and magic Mac backed off, back treading towards the mirror as the dangerous couple stalked after him. His rear touched the surface of the mirror, meaning he was out of places to run.
A gentle song notes suddenly filled the air and Platinum, and Bulwark swayed to the tune their eyes becoming heavy as they settled to the floor. Mac recognized the singer and peered around the two slumbering ponies to see Adagio and Aria in the doorway.
“Haven’t even gone home yet and you already need my help. Honestly, what would you do without me?” Adagio asked coyly as she walked up to him. She swung her hair showing off a brand-new yellow gem hanging from her neck. “Like my jewelry? It comes with several useful features, but with some oldie, but goodie tricks.” The gem flashed as did Adagio’s eyes, turning a bright shade of gold. “Get up and fix the portal.”
Platinum rose from the floor, her eyes glossed over as she began to work on the mirror.
“That better not be dark magic,” Mac stated sourly at his wife.
“Think of it more like a forceful suggestion. Don’t worry there’s not a tinge of evil in that spell or this gem. To think I would find a gem this powerful on the buffet line.”
“Adagio we…”
“I know Mac,” She said cutting him off. “I’ll stay here. For a little while at least. There’s something I need to do, and I can only do it here. Just make sure you have your cell phone or some way to contact me because when I’m done here, I will be coming back home and I will be teaching those pesky little bitches a lesson for destroying my house and hurting my family before changing them back to normal.”
“What are you planning?”
She kissed him and then pushed him into the portal as the world became a rainbow color, he heard Adagio’s words as he was sucked through the space between worlds. “Something magical.” Where her words.
“So what’s next in your master plan, sis?” Aria drawled as they departed from the smithy. They wouldn't want to be around when Platinum and Bulwark woke up.
“Next we go talk to the Princesses and wake up Sci-Twi. I have some questions for her.” Adagio said with a devious smile as she toyed with the jewel around her neck. (No more whining. I’m back in the game.)
Mac stood in the charred remains of his bedroom once more. Fully donned in his father’s jacket he turned towards the front door, walking through the empty house with lingering feelings of lament. He would rebuild it and bring life back into it. The sounds of life would come back. On the porch, he looked out to the evening sky. Almost a full day has passed. It had been late morning or so when Celestia had taken them to Equestria. Yet in just those few hours something had changed.
The night sky, which was supposed to be a deep nearly black blue was stained an inky black green. With his metal wings he took flight over the farm to get a better view and what he saw horrified him. From the direction of town, a vast forest had emerged, fire covered the trees, spreading everywhere as dark magic-infested the lands.
“What the hell happened!” He shouted to the sky. Before he could take flight, a car horn drew his attention. A yellow bug came barreling down his driveway and skidded to a stop in the center of the yard. The car was in rough shape with dents all over the place. More surprising the driver was Moon Dancer. (Where the hell has she been? She just disappeared without a word after that fight with Rarity.) He floated to the ground. Moon Dancer panted deeply as she slid against her car looking like the devil had been on her tail.
“Mac,” She said with relief when he landed. “Oh thank god you’re here. I haven’t been able to contact anyone! Where is everybody!” Moon Dancer screamed. “I have an important need to know info!”
“We were in Equestria.” He replied calmly helping her up. As he did, he was shocked to see Sonata, Nyx, and Limestone in the car. Sonata and Nyx were ok, asleep, but ok. Limestone wasn’t looking good though, the entire left half of her face was caked with blood! “What happened?”
Moon Dancer did a quick turn around. “Oh, don’t worry about her, that’s not her blood. I don’t whose is it really, but your godmothers or whatever they are to you dropped them on me. Things have gotten real crazy Mac. The town is a war zone. Sixes and the others are holding them off, but it’s not looking good.”
“I better get going then. The mirror in my bedroom leads to Equestria, go there and tell everyone there what’s going on.” He ordered about to fly off, but Moon Dancer grabbed him.
“Wait!” She begged. Letting go of his arm, Moon Dancer frantically popped open her car trunk and pulled a dart gun and loaded it with several vails. “Take this, it might help.”
Mac inspected the gun. “Is this a cure?” He asked with maybe more hope then he should have. Moon Dancer shook her head, looking dismayed.
“I don’t know. I went back to Maddie’s lap and dug through her and her father’s notes. My hope is if you inject them with this substance, I’m calling DDV-7, in theory, it should lessen the effects of dark magic backlash, or it might do nothing. I combined several different purifying and healing mixtures Maddie had designed. After what happened with Rarity I knew I had to try to make a vaccine or something. This is the best I could do in such a short time. I tried to give it to the others, but things were just too chaotic.”
“Alright, I’ll see what I can do, but I don’t think they’ll be up for their shots.”
“Definitely not, but if possible hit Maddie with it first. I know she would want to be the guinea pig.”
Mac holstered the dart gun his pocket and patted Moon Dancer on the shoulder. “I do my best.”
In the distance, a pillar of lava shot into the sky, Mac knew there was no more time to waste and took flight towards the fight.