I hit the ground on the other side of the portal with only the slightest amount of pain. I only fell about a foot and a half so no real harm done. I get on my knees and look up and see the Mane Six all standing around a thankfully adult Rarity who seems very happy to see all of them. How is she an adult now? Because magic I guess.
The ponies all turn to me when they see that I am also back through the portal. They all rush over to me. "TD, are you okay?" asks Twilight.
"I've been better but I've been worse," I reply. I take a deep breath and slowly get to my feet. "I guess I'm back for good now, then."
"Ah'm sorry, TD," says Applejack.
"It's not your fault," I mutter.
"You aren't going to hate the princesses forever now, are you?" asks Rainbow Dash.
"Not Luna," I reply. "Her only role in this was to come get us. As for Celestia.... ask me again in a few decades. I wouldn't put us in the same room for a long time."
As if on cue, both princesses come back through the portal. They land on the grass next to all of us, and I note the looks of unease on their faces when they look at me.
I take a deep breath and run a hand through my hair. "So I guess this is it then, yeah?"
"TD I must apologize once again for my mistakes. I know you are tired of them so drastically changing your life."
I nod slightly. "Yeah."
"If it is any consolation, I do not think that I will be studying portals for a long time. It isn't worth it if it means I do to another what I did to you."
"I guess not," I say. I take a look around and see that we are on the outskirts of Ponyville. I guess this is my home forever. "Did you sell my house?" I ask Twilight.
"It was on the market while you were gone, but right now it's empty."
"So it's been abandoned for around eighteen months?" I ask.
"No, the pony who had it after you left moved to Trottingham about a month ago. If you want it back I know that The Mayor would not object to you having your house and your old job back."
"Thanks."
With that I take a deep breath and begin my journey back to Ponyville. I hear the princesses tell Twilight that they have to be getting back to Canterlot, something more than fine by me. I hear their wings spread and the two alicorn goddesses begin their flight back to Canterlot.
Applejack walks up beside me after a moment. "Ah know that the kids and Cheerilee will be really excited to see ya," she says.
"Did the Crusaders get their cutie marks yet?" I ask.
"Naw they still haven't quite figured it out yet. They keep thinkin' that Cutie Mark Crusaders Tree Sap Experts will get 'em their marks."
I chuckle slightly at that. Indeed I am kind of looking forward to that part again. They kept me sane last time and they'll do it again this time I'll wager.
Soon enough the Mane Six and I are all back in Ponyville. My home for the rest of my life.
* * * *
It turns out that getting the approval from The Mayor to get me my old house goes quite smoothly and I'm moved back in in a few hours. Of course, that might be because I have nothing to move into the house. Right now my only possessions are my staff, which has a new carving of me escaping the facility, and the clothes on my back. I guess I'll have to accept charity to do things like eat. Wonderful.
When I'm moved in to my house, the Mane Six all give me a little time to get settled which is nice. I know they're just giving me alone time since I don't really have anything to settle in with. The only furniture is the bed, a desk, and a table. Everything else is going to have to be bought.
I sigh and plop down on the bed. It might actually be time for a good nap. However I am stopped when I feel something heavy in my pocket. I reach towards it and my hand connects with something: the other gun. Oh yeah, I took guns from two agents, didn't I?
I take the gun out of my pocket and examine it. It should still work perfectly unless it didn't work on Earth. I press the button to eject the clip and sure enough, the gun is fully loaded. I put the clip back into the gun and make sure to keep the safety on. I don't want anybody to get hurt by this thing.
With a sigh I stand up and put the gun in a desk drawer. I would destroy it but I'd much rather have it and not need it than need it and not have one. Since this is Equestria, I'm thinking the former is far more likely.
I am about to go to bed for reals this time, but I hear a quiet knock on my door. I sigh and walk over to it and open it up to see Rarity on the other side. We make eye contact and exchange small smiles. I wordlessly move aside to let her in and with a nod she enters my house. I close the door and move over to my bed where I sit down.
"So," she says after finding a comfortable spot on the floor.
"So," I reply.
Rarity takes a deep breath. "I wanted to thank you for taking care of my in those seven months," she says. "Even if you hated your time here and wished that I would find my way back home, you took care of me and tried to protect me. I admire that you did that."
"I couldn't let you get hurt," I respond. "I could never live with myself if I did and it was the right thing to do. If I had to go back knowing where I'd end up, I'd still do it this way."
A small smile forms on Rarity's face. "Thank you," she whispers.
"No problem," I say. Well, it did end up being a problem but you know what I mean.
Rarity suddenly chuckles slightly. "I don't suppose that I can call you 'father' now. I do have my Equestrian memories back, so I know my real father."
"It would be kind of awkward, yes," I agree. "I didn't mind it on Earth, though."
"I suppose I should stick to TD then, yes?"
"I would prefer that. It might send your real father the wrong idea if he saw you calling me father."
"That it would," she agrees.
The two of us are silent for a few minutes. Neither of us saying anything nor really needing to. We both know that the other is grateful for what we did for each other and that doesn't need to be said.
Finally the silence ends as Rarity clears her throat and stands up. "Well, if you would be up for it, I'd like it if you came over to my shop so I could make you some new clothes. It's the least I could do and I know that Sweetie Belle would be overjoyed to see you again."
I nod and stand up. "You know, oddly enough I'd like that. It'd give me something to do except brood at any rate."
"Well then you must come over at once," she says. "I promise to not put a freezing spell on you like last time."
I actually chuckle at that. She returns it and uses her magic to open the door to my house and she holds it open long enough for me to walk through before she follows and closes it behind her.
Once again I find myself out in the fresh Ponyville air, surrounded by ponies going about their everyday lives. Maybe it's the two months I already spent here, but I don't have that crushing sense of isolation that I had last time. Even though I've just been ripped from my world again, I don't feel so alone. I guess it's because I know all of these ponies and they like me and maybe it's because I'm going to try to not be all moody about it for a month before I get into a routine. I can't go back so I just have to make the best of this.
I'm still not happy about it.
Rarity's boutique comes into view and the front door opens to reveal three charging Cutie Mark Crusaders, all of whom look absolutely elated to see me. I smile and kneel down so they can give me a tackle hug that knocks me flat on the ground. They're chattering away about how happy they are to see me and they're firing questions at me a mile a minute. It does make me a little happier, knowing that somebody is so happy to see me.
Rarity, of course, calls the Crusaders off of me and after I stand up they begin pushing me in the direction of the boutique, no doubt all wanting to know where I've been and what I've been up to. I give them some token replies to placate them and they giggle in excitement. Rarity opens the door to the boutique so that I we can all walk in.
Before I walk into the shop, I pause and, like on Earth, turn around and look around Ponyville as if trying to convince myself that this is real and I'm in Equestria again.
The jury has come to a decision based on irrefutable evidence.
I'm back.