//------------------------------// // The Return // Story: partisans of Eqwuestria // by Ferencelvtars //------------------------------// Thanks to Ferkó's training, he and the others received a bit of guerrilla training from Ferkó's dear sister. Ferkó enjoyed the training, but he increasingly felt that he was no longer needed. Sweetie Belle, Scoutalu, and Scoald had become adept at fighting and using cleansing magic, just like him. Twilight and Sunset were excellent marksmen. Starlight possessed knowledge and medical experience to the point where she could perform brain surgery with a branch. Smolder and Ocellus excelled with swords. Fluttershy had become an excellent scout. Phoenix had become an outstanding strategist. Ferkó felt somewhat justified in feeling completely unnecessary. As time passed, he started leaning more towards returning to his former life and giving up on liberating Equestria. The only argument against it was the still profound love, but he knew that this love was unlikely to be fulfilled, especially because he was afraid to admit what he felt. On the eve of the final return, Ferkó gathered the small team, who gladly attended the little party he organized, unaware that it was intended as a farewell party. At midnight, Ferkó summoned everyone, and he stood in front of them. "Thank you for coming! Look, this is not with any ill feelings toward you, but this is a farewell party," Ferkó began, revealing the truth sadly. "Oh, well, it's nice of you to organize a farewell party from this world, considering how many interesting things are here," Ocellus said, still taking it half-jokingly. "No, you don't understand. I'm saying goodbye to you. This is my farewell," Ferkó explained a bit sadly. The room suddenly fell silent; everyone stared at Ferkó with wide eyes, frozen like characters in a poorly buffered internet-related movie. Eventually, Starlight was the first to speak. "Why are you saying goodbye to us?" she asked, bewildered. "Look, I've thought a lot, and I realized that you don't need me anymore. In fact, you excel in almost every area. So, it's pointless for me to go back because I'm dispensable. I'm useless without you," Ferkó explained sadly. "But, but we need you! If it weren't for you, we wouldn't be a team today, and we'd still be languishing in prison," Sweetie Belle declared, struggling with tears. "That's true. You freed us, and thanks to you, we're the partisans of Equestria today," added Starlight. "Look, it's very kind of you, but if I hadn't been blinded by love, we wouldn't have been exposed, and we wouldn't be here now. I'm just a danger to you because I'm in love, and I can't help you like this because she is so important to me that it clouds my mind, and I can only hinder you," Ferkó explained, crying. "What are you talking about now?" Twilight asked, outraged. Ferkó realized that he had said too much, but he had already made up his mind, so he had nothing to lose. "Heh... I messed this up too, because except for Sweetie Belle, nothing comes to my mind. I was so stupid. I believed I was talking to Luna and let Sombra find out where we were hiding. That's why he could track us down," Ferkó said as he started crying. Sweetie Belle was hit by this fact like Japan by the atomic bomb – unexpectedly and surprisingly. The news made her blush, and she felt great guilt for not realizing this sooner. Ferkó, sadly and with immeasurable frustration, rushed out and went back to pack up the house where they lived. As he packed, a faint knock was heard on the door. Ferkó didn't want to talk to anyone, so he tried to shoo away the knocker. However, the visitor was persistent. Reluctantly, Ferkó gave up and opened the door. Emese stood there, giving him an understanding but angry look. "Ferkó, we need to talk, and I don't care about your excuses," Emese declared sternly and commandingly. "Come in. I wanted to talk to you anyway, although I planned to do it in the morning, but whatever," Ferkó said, resigned to the lost battle. "Look, I understand why you don't want to go back, but I don't get why you're not more selfless," Emese began her grand speech. "Thanks, but you know nothing. I don't want to go back, not because I don't want to, but because I don't want to be a burden, and without you, I'm meaningless. Explained Ferkó sadly. "Oh, it's funny somewhere because I really enjoy your company, but on a slightly smaller scale than you. I... I think I feel the same way, but I've never been in love, so I'm not sure," consoled Sweetie Belle, her face turning from red to more of a burgundy shade. "You don't, but I do. Said a voice standing in the doorway. "Ocellus, how long have you been standing there?" Ferkó asked, sniffling. "For a few minutes, and Sweetie Belle, your feelings are not entirely the same, but similar. I noticed that from the first action. Sweetie Belle and Ferkó, at this point, the last barrier collapsed between them like a tornado demolishing a house of cards. Ocellus left with joy, secretly hoping that tomorrow she would get a little reward for dinner. Sweetie Belle and Ferkó talked for a few more hours, and both were overwhelmed by tired, happy, and long-awaited sleep. The next day, before the others, Ferkó and Sweetie Belle went towards a peculiar store. Soon, they came out with a pendant around their necks, adorned with a yin-yang symbol and a special version for both the human and equestrian sides. Ferkó wore the human part, and Sweetie Belle wore the equestrian part around their necks. They hurried back to the others. After breakfast, or rather lunch, the team, equipped with gear, headed towards the cave. When they returned to Equestria, Ferkó combined the two medallions and enchanted them. When one of them touched the medallion, the other would appear next to it. To be continued...