//------------------------------// // Epilogue 3: The Adventure Continues. // Story: We don't go to Sub-Level Five // by RadBunny //------------------------------// Astral woke up feeling like an anvil was pressed onto his chest. The Thestral gasped for breath, a cold sweat plastering his body as he sucked in air at long last. Tears streamed from his eyes, the stallion curling up into a ball and shivering. The hallway door opened, and a familiar figure walked in with a yawn. Sassi promptly hopped onto the bed, settling down next to the distraught stallion, and waited. Their hive mind link always woke the other when things got bad enough. Which now was more often than not. “Thank you, Sas.” Another tired yawn was the mare’s reply. The first few minutes after the night terrors were, for the most part, “don’t-touch-me” periods. But then a usual routine settled in, one that seemed to work for either Thestral when the terrors refused to leave. Tonight, apparently it was his turn to endure the memories and fears. Yesterday, it had been Sassi who had woken up in tears. Astral had nearly jerked awake then, walking down the adjoining hallway to their rooms and wrapping the mare up in a hug. Just as she was happy to do now. Astral finally uncurled himself, scooting over and letting Sassi wrap him up in a half hug as she nuzzled into his mane, already drifting back off to sleep. Her tight embrace seemed to physically keep the nightmares at bay; something even Luna had been unable to aid in. Of course, that was partially due to the necessary processing of it. To suppress the nightmares so early on, so the Alicorn said, would prevent one’s mind from naturally healing from the trauma. She could help at a later time, but for now…the cure had to be more basic. Astral didn’t fall back asleep immediately. But feeling Sassi’s chest rise and fall against his back made everything seem a little less scary. They had each other, and they had gotten through a lot worse than this. “Well, we look like death,” Sassi said after the roar of the blender subsided, Astral chuckling as she passed over a smoothie. “We look like raccoons. But we’re alive.” “Cheers to that. I have so missed your smoothies,” Sassi sighed, the two of them flopping on the couch. The din of construction next door was dampened by the heavy-duty spells surrounding their rapidly-constructed home. It was a simple house; multiple bedrooms, bathrooms, more of a duplex with a linking hallway between two large living rooms. The observatory, a short walk away, was being retrofitted with rather unique fittings; and what usually would have taken years, was going to be completed in weeks. Of course, that was the bonus of having the top construction companies and mage-crafters working around the clock. “Just wait until the armored bunker is complete,” Astral sighed, Sassi scooting over to nuzzle under his chin. “You mean the theatre room with a large wine cellar entrance?” “Oh, yes, of course,” Astral chuckled. “Sounds a bit more normal when you say it like that. I mean, we don’t drink, but there’s always Molotov cocktails…” Sassi shoved him with a rather nefarious giggle. “Shush you. We had to tell the contractors something! Along with “ornamental towers that will hold heavy statues” all around the perimeter walls.” “Wait, you said that?” Astral snorted, Sassi nodding as she giggled. “What else could I say?! “Hey, we’re going to have automatic machine gun turrets hidden in these pillars. Make sure they’re nice and sturdy?” I think even the Princess would have issues with it.” Astral’s brow furrowed, the two of them finishing their smoothies in a moment of silence. A bit of tension hummed over their link, Sassi reaching a forelimb around Astral to hug him close. “Bit for your thoughts?” He sighed, shaking his head. “I think you’re right,” he admitted. “Twilight wouldn’t understand. She’s a scientist. She logically understands the threat of the Silos, how there’s no way we can be sure we got it all. But I don’t think she gets how serious the preparations need to be. I hope she does though.” “Well, if she doesn’t, that’s why we have belt-feds.” That brought a smile to his face, Sassi flopping across his back with a smirk. “I swear, I’m going to have competition with a machine gun,” she groaned sarcastically as Astral let out a thoughtful hum. “Well, I mean, have you seen some of the stuff in that black market catalog we picked up?” “I can’t believe they printed off a catalog. It’s supposed to be illegal!” “Hey, it’s the badlands! It’s perfectly legal there. Don’t you remember those market stalls loaded with grenades and guns?! It was awesome!” “Fair,” Sassi muttered with a rebellious smirk. “A literal black market was something to see.” “I swear I will not replace you with a belt-fed machine gun.” She couldn’t help but giggle at that, the stallion then sighing. “But if it’s like, chrome…” He fell over cackling as the mare whacked him with a pillow, her smirk quickly turning into surprise as his lips occupied hers in a surprise kiss. “Love you, Sas,” he whispered, hugging his special-somepony close. “Love you too,” she replied. “This is all so weird. We’re weird. And I love it.” “Ditto.” After a few moments of cuddling on the couch, Sassi threw the dirty dishes into the dishwasher, Astral meandering back to his room briefly. He pulled out a drawer, looking at a simple, elegant, metal box. It was magically cut from an ammunition can, but the metal had been polished to a high sheen as to look almost like an emerald. In the center, a velvet pad awaited a bracelet- one that would be picked out very, very soon. When they’d propose…they didn’t really know. It was such an odd thing to agree on, but the surprise of when was the fun part, not the “will they?” It’s not even a question if I want to spend my life with her. More than a century with this incredible mare. I can’t wait. The doorbell rang, and Astral trotted back as Sassi joined him at the door. “Construction workers having another question maybe?” she mused. Tapping the security camera feed, Astral’s eyes widened in shock. He immediately opened the door. A sheepish unicorn stood in front of them, a simple suitcase next to him. “H-hey, Astral, Sassi,” Arcane said with a meek smile. “Glad you guys made it out.” “Dude. You good for a hug?” Sassi immediately asked- the unicorn barely having time to nod before the Thestrals obliged. “We heard you were with Discord and Fluttershy, among other places. Glad you’re doing okay,” Astral remarked as they separated. The unicorn had trouble meeting their gaze as he nodded, but it wasn’t out of fear. It seemed more to be out of anxiety, general interaction putting him on edge. They could relate. “I was. I am. But I need- I want to learn how to live in this world again,” Arcane explained, clearly trying to articulate himself calmly. “They’re helping me with some therapy, but that’s not my world. I mean, I have my own dimension. I even created an entire city to govern. But that’s all eventually, and a lot. I first need to figure out what I want, to remember what it feels like to live now that I’m not controlled. Now that I’m in control.” He blinked, ears flattening. “Sorry. Bit of a monologue.” “You’re good,” Sassi said with a dismissive wave. “But wait, you made a city and all that? You’ve been busy. We saw you on the news but didn’t want to pry.” That elicited a smile from the unicorn, Arcane’s demeanor brightening. “I want to help. With all of my power, I have to. But I need to figure myself out first, to do it safely. That means…um…” his hoof tapped on the cobblestone in thought. “So, there’s a house for sale in the same general area. I was wondering, would you all be okay if I stayed there? Maybe popped over for advice every now and again?” The unicorn managed a smile as he gestured between them. With a flash of his horn, pink magic abruptly became visible, the river of color swirling between the two Thestrals before fading. “I don’t want to intrude. You two have your own lives. I’d just like some help, if it comes to it,” he admitted awkwardly, ears flattening. “And you two are the only creatures I know out here as friends. I don’t know who else I’d ask, other than Fluttershy or Discord. You all know what it was like down there. How we now see things differently up here.” “I mean, that sounds good to me,” Astral said with a grin. “We’re a RASP family, after all.” That managed to put a smile on Arcane’s face. “Ditto,” Sassi added, gesturing inside. “You staying around? Want to try and relax for a bit? I know that can be work in and of itself.” “Not currently, but thank you. I’ll be seeing you guys around.” And with a wave, the unicorn was gone. Astral sat on the porch, blowing out an amused breath as Sassi leaned on his shoulder. “We’re going to have quite the interesting life here, aren’t we?” he mused, his marefriend giggling next to him. “Oh, it’s going to be a blast.” While Sassi and Astral’s main adventure has come to a close, their story will continue as others rise to the spotlight in the Sequel: SL-5: Love, Fluff, and Thunder.